Artistry's Disparity

Artistry's Disparity
By Ruhudeen Ali
December 26th, 2010

My work magnifies me
His work obscures Him

Yet my work reveals flaws that trace back to me
While His work displays the perfection of divinity

Marveling at my artwork, some will praise me
Marveling at His artwork, the fools only praise the artistry

What my hands craft reminds them of me
What His Hands craft they will fancy as deities!

The fault is not in the admirer nor lies in the maker
for the artistry's disparity is that much greater!

So petty am I that my hand must aggrandize me
So great is He that His Hand screens His majesty

What pleasure is there in magnifying the scanty?
What splendor therein by veiling the magnificent!

His work is not mine, but my work is His
Whatever the artist renders - His signature lies in this

My fame is nothing, be it before the cameras
His fame is far-reaching even behind the curtain

He is the true Artist that taught us all the trade
In truth, the work and fame is His all the same

His Name be praised!  الله سبحانه وتعالى‎

In Memory's Wait

"In Memory's Wait"
 By Ruhudeen Ali
Nov. 21st, 2010

In this lonely hour I sit here with nothing to do

my five senses wait on standby for an hour or two

My sighing breath's shadow dances to entertain me
but the shadow gives up and expires, while I sit impatiently

Awaiting some happening that reminds me I'm alive
I sit motionless unable to cry or to even try

I get wind of the noises in the night with lazy ears
but shut out the love ballads by the creatures that I hear

I glance at the ground and see bugs scurry along in cheer 
  rather ignoring their warm, welcoming families awaiting near

I look up to the stars and watch them twinkle and glisten
but I know they've all plotted to smite me at a distance

These tears welling-up scream of someone they miss
this separation was emphatically against my wish

  In this lonely night, all I can do is sit and remember you  
powerless to have changed fate to some other in lieu

When I go to your room and see your belongings
my longing to see you only continues prolonging

And when I come to visit your final resting place

I feel the void in knowing nothing can replace your embrace

Everywhere I go, something of you dwells

I remember our moments together and the tears begin to swell

 The words you spoke, your gentle nature,

how special you were - what good to realize it all later!

But like a beautiful flower you did blossom, you did bloom

whichever hour you had to depart, it would have been too soon

Now I've entered a new world, alone in this gloom
colder, darker, unbearable, unlike your womb

Yesterday's sun has set and regrets have been laid to rest
but I must now be committed to living my very best

And as tough as it may be, I'm obliged to see your mission through
that I must live my life happily, since I'm only here because of you

Sadness and sorrow were tremendous follies
but I must seek a future without the shadows of melancholy

Perhaps dawn will scatter the scent of freshly-cut lawn
in this dream of life, who knows the next scene we'll be upon? 

So I live with faith, that some day I will be with you again

picking up where we left off - not only as mother and son, 

but as two long lost friends....

Until then, our memory waits.

I love you mom. 

I miss you....

You are always in my heart. 
 ❤

Genso Suikoden - Theme of Sadness (orchestral)

The Loss of My Mother

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un “To God we belong and to Him we return.”

Friday, October 8th 2010, was the hardest day of my life. My mother passed away in the hospital ICU after four days of suffering from illness contracted by an immuno-compromised state. She had been struggling with illness for six long years but she remained a fighter til the very end. All the things I’ve realized and seen in these past few days since her passing has led me to conclude that – aside from what I already knew- my mother was a very special person (mashaAllah *as God wills.*) The overwhelming amount of love, support, prayers from family, friends, the community, and even strangers has touched my family beyond words. The signs we have seen since have strengthened my faith and increased our assurance that, God-willing, our mom is in the highest Paradise. The last few years of her life were filled with great trials and suffering and she is now in peace. Serving my mom during her most difficult years was the greatest honor of my life and I would do it again in a heartbeat if it meant she didn’t have to suffer through it all.

I just want to say thank you and give my heartfelt gratitude to all those family and friends who stood by her side all these years, who were involved with her life and care, and who were inspired by her story. I am sincerely grateful for all of your support over the years and the touching comments you’ve all left me, and will take the next several weeks to respond to each of you and give you your due time, we owe you at least that much. May God bless all of you and please continue to pray for her and for our family and the future that lies ahead of us. Wal al-akhiratu khayrun laka minal ulaa “and the hereafter is better for you than what came before.” [93:4]

~

Thank you for all your love. You were all there for me and my family during the hardest times and stuck by our side, God bless you all for that (ameen!) Losing my mom was the biggest personal & collective loss for myself and my family. I had experienced the death of relatives and loved ones before, but never this close, never this personal. During someone else’s loss, I would feel sad for a bit, and be among those praying for them and their loved ones. This time however, people were praying for us and our dearly departed and it felt so different. There are many lessons I’ve learned in these past five weeks but it would take too long to write them all down here. For starters, you never know what you’ve got til its gone. Although I realize now what (at the time were projected feelings in the future,) that I’d look back at the time spent caring for mom and smile, I still yet had not known what that truly was to feel like until now. I have my days and moments where I am sad, and yet other times where I’m fine and well. Yet reflecting over it all, I don’t know what I’m really supposed to feel. I realize grieving has its stages and that our family has grieved constructively for the most part, but then there are times where I want to be sad, I want to dwell over her loss and let it sink in really deep, in a way that hurts – but something stops me. Whenever that happens, I feel prohibited from doing so; I feel like her spirit is stopping this, and that she would want us to stop suffering, to stop being sad and to continue living – living well, being happy and prosperous, hopeful and grateful. It’s like all the things she would have wanted, that is what I must do and that is how I must live my life, God-willing. Candid as I may be at times, I never spoke openly about how rough these years have been on me personally and I was not healthy during this time. I feel like all that must change now. Ironically, it took the loss of my mother to help me realize right from wrong – the right way to live and think, and to bury the self-defeating/self-deprecating old ways that became an integral part of who I was. No more– If I am indeed my mother’s son, and her living legacy, then I must be courageous and brave as she was to face life directly; to not turn away or cower over trials and difficulties. She was a lion in the face of adversity and I must emulate that spirit if I am to learn and gain anything from life. She was my role-model, afterall.

One thing my mother taught me early on, was that one’s character was in their own hands to fashion. She always taught me and my siblings that wherever you go in life, if you take with you your values and your character you’ll never forget who you are. Over the course of the past many years of my life, I was beginning to forget who I was because who I was had never really been properly defined. I don’t say I was “losing myself” in the conventional sense that most people take it to mean but rather that my values and character had been expanding and shifting so as to make it difficult to say I was one thing over another. “Amorphous” is how I like to describe it. So if my values and character were not defined, how was I to ever know who I was? Well, it turns out that I was wrong. I do have clear values I abide by and I do have a character that I am known by. Even though for years I always figured people never really knew me, or that I was always misunderstood, I think now that the more I claim to be misunderstood the less I will know anything about my true self and the more I will adhere to a false self-concept. The question of “who I am” is partly decided by me and partly decided by all of you. I am truly honored and blessed to have such loving, caring, and supportive friends and family in my life who have always over-valued and over-estimated me to the point where I would be left to question you and myself all over again; “am I really what they say?” I know I am nobody special, but the way you all make me feel I cannot ever repay and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. There is a saying in my faith, “showing gratitude to the people is showing gratitude to God,” this is my intention here, and I am in your debt. I pray that in my life ahead, I am increased in good deeds, improve my manners, and that I become better than I was to earn my parents more credit (ameen.) Being appreciative and thankful is something my mother instilled in me since I was little. She was my teacher, afterall.

Lastly, I say a word to my family and friends who are still blessed with the company of your mothers (and fathers too.) No matter what type of relationship you may have with them – enmeshed or estranged – cherish the time you spend with them, because one day you will miss their company painfully when they are gone. Humble your ego and pride before them because they played an essential role in helping you develop that pride. Care for them when you have the chance as they cared for you when they had no time for anything else except you. Give them company, become their friend like you would someone who supports and appreciates you because nobody appreciates you more than your parents. In short, realize your tremendous debt to them and try to seek their forbearance because in truth, their kindness and grace toward you blinds you from the responsibilities, obligations and contract binding upon you to help them. Granted, none of us are perfect and neither are our relationships with our parents, but all we’re asked to do is try to give our best. As with God, so too do we owe a debt we cannot repay to our parents, even if they put us through torment or gave us constant joy – their act of bringing us to enjoy life and teaching us the first experiences of things we’ve learned to love and hate in life are all worth noting, and appreciating in their own right let alone the care that came along the journey til now. I know I made the right choice by taking off from school and devoting my life to caring for my mom in her final years, I know that brought her happiness and brings me happiness, but I also know that I didn’t do enough nor could I have ever done enough. And if she were here today, I would be the happiest son in the world just to do one more thing she asked me to do for her…she was my mother afterall, and I will always love and miss her until I see her again, God-willing. Thank you all again for your loving support and private messages. We could not have endured this time as well as we have without your presence. I am honored to have you in my life.
Love,
-Ruhudeen Ali

“Death is nothing at all…I have only slipped away into the next room…I am I and you are you…whatever we were to each other that we are still. Call me by my old familiar name, speak to me in the easy way which you always used. Put no difference into your tone; wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow. Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together. Pray, smile, think of me, pray for me. Let my name be ever the household word that it always was. Let it be spoken without effect, without the ghost of a shadow on it. Life means all that it ever meant. It is the same as it ever was; there is absolutely unbroken continuity. What is this death but a negligible accident? Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight? I am but waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near just around the corner…All is well. Nothing is hurt; nothing is lost. One brief moment and all will be as it was before. How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting when we meet again!”

-Canon Henry Scott-Holland

“Death, be not proud, though some have callèd thee

Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so:

For those whom thou think’st thou dost overthrow

Die not, poor Death; nor yet canst thou kill me.

From Rest and Sleep, which but thy picture be,

Much pleasure, then from thee much more must flow;

And soonest our best men with thee do go–

Rest of their bones and souls’ delivery!

Thou’rt slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,

And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell;

And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well

And better than thy stroke. Why swell’st thou then?

One short sleep past, we wake eternally,

And Death shall be no more: Death, thou shalt die!”

-John Donne

Umrao Jaan - Pooch Rahe Hain

The Pendulum Heart

By Ruhudeen Ali
September 2nd, 2010

Sway, sway, beating heart of mine

passion steers thee from time to time

a push and a tug, is the way that you go

but the inspiration behind clandestine

An issue here, some discourse there

struggle to find yourself everywhere

speak the thoughts pumped up to the mind

and if it goes beyond them, nevermind

Opinions are frantic & thoughts scurry

where I stand, why's it so blurry?

where I stand, why bring the jury? 

where I stand, why do they worry?

Views are the result of silly emotions

logic gets no play

and these are more vast than the seven oceans

what more is there to say?

The way I see today 

differs from what I saw before

what I see now will change on the 'morrow

as the pendulum beats from joy to sorrow

So trust not what I do say

for it is the result of this heart's sway

see it go swinging, a push and a tug

by the hands of the One from above

Sway, sway pulsating pendulum

as I remind myself through the days

faith and doubt are not toys to play

still the words I speak boys do say

So be cautious, recipient of my words

lest you seek the playground of boys and girls

inside this beating heart of mine

sway, sway it does, from time to time.

Thoughts on so-called 'Ground Zero' Mosque

I've left myself out of this issue for the most part until now but I feel like I need to say something. When the anniversary of 9/11 is being declared as "Burn the Quran day" by a Florida Church, that's when I need to speak up; as well as all those who see the potential for a chaotic future if such actions and sentiments go unchecked. The issue of the mosque has become a national controversy when it really shouldn't be. In the words of Obama, "let's be clear" - the core of the issue really isn't about the mosque & location, (although it started out as that,) it's about peoples' fear that this is seen as some kind of "victory over our enemies." The truth of this lies in the controversy over the name of the center itself (which was first called "Cordoba House" and is now being called "Park 51.") Mosque opponents say Cordoba House was intentionally named so to further rub this 'victory' in the wound, as they say the historical Cordoba was an emblem of Muslim sovereignty over a non-Muslim populace [hence the so-called 'victory.'] In the words of Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, "'Cordoba House" is a deliberately insulting term. It refers to Cordoba, Spain–the capital of Muslim conquerors, who symbolized their victory over the Christian Spaniards by transforming a church there into the world's third-largest mosque complex... every Islamist in the world recognizes Cordoba as a symbol of Islamic conquest."** On the other-hand, the Mosque developers say Cordoba was historically known for its multiculturalism and pluralism, where people of different faiths created a rich culture together. This dichotomy over interpretation of what the Islamic center really signifies has polarized both camps into seeing it no longer as just an issue of a mosque in a particularly sensitive location, but grown the picture into fear of conquest versus the right to practice religion in this country. Let's take a look at this statement: "victory over our enemies" a bit further.

"Victory?" Who's victory? Victory is a word used in a context of a battle or contest. American Muslims are not contesting nor battling anything of the American establishment, but foreign extremists are. As for the extremists, their goal is to alienate the U.S indigenous population against the Muslims and vice-versa so as to further their political agenda. Segregation is actually what they - the extremists - want, because if Muslims were dis-integrated in American society then the extremists would gain sympathetic support from that faction in the West. By integrating & accepting American Muslims into the mainstream, America essentially thwarts the extremists' goals of creating disenfranchised Muslims, who could potentially become home-grown terrorists. So with the way the debate is dividing people on both sides, the only victory here would sadly be for the terrorists. As for the American Muslims, a common need for a bustling community is being fulfilled here, nothing more.

"Enemy?" Who's the enemy? America probably has more religious freedom than any other country in the world. Islamophobia is more open in Europe. Just look at France's ban on hijabs, hell even two Muslim nations [Turkey & Syria] have banned (or proposed bans on) the burka in some form or another. America has always welcomed Muslims, just like any other peaceful migrating community, and what we're seeing is the natural result of immigration, not the result of a war or contest. And that's just concerning immigration, but what about America's long shared history with Islam and Muslims dating back since before Malcom X? Muslims have long been loyal citizens of America and 9/11 hasn't changed that. Building an Islamic center on privately owned property is perfectly within Constitutional rights and is a reflection of a need for that community. There are lots of Muslims in the city, and even many Muslims died on 9/11. Guess what? They all need a place to pray. Lower Manhattan already houses another mosque that has been there longer than the Twin Towers and without any controversy. And to make a further point, there is a mosque right by another 9/11 site at the Pentagon. How come there is no controversy there?

My point is, if America sees us as an enemy, then they should focus on curbing immigration and not limiting Constitutional civil liberties to those who are already here legitimately; who should enjoy the rights of other American citizens. If Muslims saw America as an enemy then how come we don't see the kind of radical anti-Western sentiment here? Because if it does exist, it doesn't reflect the mainstream American Muslims at large but perhaps the fringe (and even that has more to do with opinions on foreign policy rather than the principles America stands for.) Lastly if any American Muslims do see America as an enemy, then they need to take a long hard look and ask themselves, why are they even living here? America is founded on the principles of equity for all, it welcomes all peaceful nations & communities and as such there is a natural compromise that comes with being a citizen here when everyone has to be accounted for. Therefore, they cannot expect every single law to comply with their beliefs or views. America expands our tolerance at first, then breeds acceptance. If you are not prepared to accept let alone tolerate other people, then you need to seriously consider leaving this country. So the question of who the enemy is really has to do more with our own views of tolerance and acceptance, as well as genuine misinformation and ignorance. Knowledge brings understanding and understanding brings unity, ignorance only breeds fear and apprehension. In sum, America is not the enemy of American Muslims. For those who see America as an enemy, they either do not live here and are sympathetic to the extremist cause or need to consider moving out if they do live here. This mosque has no place for their kind anyway.

At first I was opposed to this proposed mosque as well because I knew it would stir the controversy it has. I knew the issue really had to do with integration more than anything else because American Muslims are not yet seen as fully integrated in American society. If a crazy person shares the same background as a normal person, and the crazy person does something crazy, in an integrated society that accepts people of their background, the crazy person is seen as crazy and the normal person as normal without any infringements on the normal person's rights. But when both crazy and normal are seen as a team or that they have hidden agendas, then mistrust will lead that society to believe the normal person is also crazy. This mistrust is exactly what we are seeing as each day brings out more nay-sayers and supporters until hopefully we see the day when American Muslims can be trusted and welcomed into mainstream American culture. Hopefully this Islamic center can play its role in that service.

**Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground_Zero_Mosque

Wilbur Sargunaraj - Melanin Man

I just came across this guy's material and I have to say its fresh, silly but comically genius. He reminds me of an Indian Sacha Baron Cohen or even Andy Kaufman because he's always in-character in all his videos, (although that's a premature comparison considering he hasn't really shown us much yet.) Look him up on Youtube, check out this song & listen to his debut album here:

http://wilbursargunaraj.bandcamp.com/

Funny Indian!

Michael Jackson - Will You Be There

Mohd. Rafi - Man Re Tu Kahe Na Dheer Dhare

The Sealed Door

Omnivorous Stupidity

So I've been thinking, it's great being an omnivore and all, but if you really think about it, some of the stuff we eat is kinda...gross, weird, and stupid or some combination of these. The reason I say 'stupid' is because many of the things we eat, most other animals (omnivore or not) would likely pass up. I use the standard example of animals in nature to demonstrate whether or not something is safe or natural to eat since their instincts are sometimes more keen than ours [but only sometimes damnit!! grrrrr...] Anyways, granted, different species can digest and process different foods, but still, you have to wonder about some of the stuff we eat. Leaving aside some of the more questionable animals/bugs [and parts thereof,]  let's take a look at some things we eat more typically but tend not to reflect on. Personally, I love many of the things I'm listing below, but they're still weird things to consume. For example...

• Mushrooms - Mushrooms are fungi people [insert 'fun-guy' joke here.] As fungi, mushrooms represent a living organism whose primary function is to decompose organic matter. They play an important role in the ecosystem but at the same time, their life is dependent upon some decaying organic matter (with the possible exception of some subspecies.) There is another word for this kind of organism - saprophytes. A saprophyte is an organism that feeds off of decomposing organic matter and therefore contributes to the decomposition. Similar to a parasite but with a different function. It's important to note that mushrooms' nutritional values vary considerably (from very little to decent) but careful cultivation is necessary to grow the 'right kind' of mushroom edible for human consumption, otherwise we could be poisoning ourselves unknowingly, even fatally. Still, among these edible types, they are sometimes known to cause allergic reactions in certain people and may even be a significant source of carcinogens! [*fn- wikipedia]
• Milk - All hail the wonderful product of milk! I have to say I'm a big fan of dairy products. We all love milk and sure it's great but before it became a commercialized product we came to customize in all sorts of ways, we must not forget (and this is easier for women) that it was first produced in the mammary gland of mothers with fresh offspring. Milk is a nutrient-rich food that is easy on digestion for infants due to their increased levels of lactase enzyme. Once we mature, lactase enzymes naturally decline as milk is no longer needed [hint hint] as we begin digesting more complex foods. In other words, nature set a cut off point for milk consumption. But why? Perhaps because of the high-fat content? Or perhaps because of the duration of the mothers' elevated hormone levels necessary for milk production? The fact that we continue to drink milk means we could be subjecting our bodies to unnatural amounts of fat-rich nutrients and/or prolonged hormone elevation (if we were to consume human milk the way we do animal-milk.) We must remember that although we live with technology that allows us to reduce the fat in milk, by itself it was intended to be a fat-rich food, which means that the mother will have to sacrifice her comfort and body to produce such a powerful food (i.e- elevated fat-percentage in her own body is required to make the product & not to mention the pain and discomfort from swollen mammaries.) To subject humans to that sort of treatment for commercial consumption would be considered inhumane but we pay no mind to it since its coming from an animal (cow, goat, or sheep, etc.) Which raises the other interesting question: Why do we drink animal milk when non-human milk was not intended for our use? And what sort of problems arise with the question of drinking human milk in the same manner? The more you think about it, the more unsettling the reality of it becomes.
• Yeasts, yogurt, cheese, and other decayed [fermented] foods - Now I don't drink alcohol, but yeast are a common fungi used in many foods to help preserve/cultivate them (i.e- leavened bread and certain yogurts/cheese etc. The dairy products were first produced from milk, later aged/cultured to make into other food products. Sometimes they contain molds/spores on them as well (e.g- blue cheese.) Sure most of this stuff tastes good but it all sounds kinda disgusting...I mean, when was eating semi-rotten/aged/culture-treated food considered smart? Are we really sure the presence of these bacteria and fungi aren't affecting our health in other obscure ways?
• Honey - Honey is seriously awesome, but the way its made is semi-gross. The bee takes nectar, pollen, and tree sap from flowers and processes it inside its abdomen (it has a separate sack for honey) then regurgitates it and other bees chew on it until it becomes more syrup-like and this process of chewing-regurgitation continues until we have the delicious honey we've all come to love - yup, but its true, its bee barf! Honey is not suited for infants because of the dormant spores that occasionally grow within it, since infantile immune systems cannot destroy the spores. Honey is also the only food made by insects that humans eat, interesting no?
• Toxins, poisons, peppers and other natural defense deterrents - The uses of alcohol are many but the fact that it is an aged/decayed organic matter makes it weird enough to consume, let alone what it does to your body (liver.) Drugs like cannabis and opium are inhaled/injected/smoked for medicinal and recreational drug-use but were originally created as defense deterrents in the wild to prevent animals from eating these herbs, the same goes for chillies and peppers (hence pepper-spray.) I'm South-Asian and we loooove spices and chilly peppers but technically its bad for us, as it can cause ulcers. The fact that we consume these things is kind of hilarious knowing that in nature they acted as deterrents for consumption. Another example is the Japanese blowfish which has toxins in its gills strong enough to kill someone if not removed properly. Still sushi-lovers consider blowfish a delicacy..its certainly a delicate matter playing with sushi, life and death!

Anyways I'm falling asleep as I'm writing this and the last few paragraphs probably didn't make a whole lot of sense but that's ok since its a rant! My point is that being an omnivore is a privilege that's weird..!! :) ok, maybe i'll be back to edit this thing..or maybe...not zzzzz

Raindrops

by Ruhudeen Ali
July 28th, 2010

Raindrops is what we are
once together, assembled as one sea
collected in the spiritual heaven's clouds
  descended to this world, we fell down individually

the winds of life scattered us here and there
we met with strangers along the way

joining with friends and colliding with enemies

it would seem nature paired us up with these
 

the hard surfaces we crashed upon
were the circumstances that made us drift apart
and decided the type of water we would be
and so, we collected into new puddles of pedigrees
 

no choice in where we fell, we formed our societies

 friendships of sweet spring water and gangs of toxic basins

the sweet and salty waters do not mix

so be it, to each his own community

traveling the paths of least resistance
we will eventually meet with that same sea
and be gone as the individuals we thought we were
returning back to the substance of what we are essentially

but remember that we are raindrops
we will be summoned back to the heavens again
and join together becoming that harmonious body
the cycle continues endlessly

but this time reunited, friends and foes alike
neither sweet nor toxic but as simple, plain water
and when we are called to rain again
that is when we will truly reign free.

FFVII: Crisis Core OST - Under the Apple Tree [Zack's theme]

"Embrace your dreams. If you want to be a hero, you need to have dreams, and honor"

Ran'dem Rhymes vol.#14 Silly Spitz

by Ruhudeen Ali

July 21st, 2010

Necesito tamago para mi estomago

chillin on the Galapagos 

and I'm your host so here's a toast

ok so its a boast ::cough:: tengo tos

vamanos and walk a mile in my zapatos

I love Sabados but not feelin Domingos

I'm technically a gringo but speak the lingo

girls say 'que lindo eres'

but my name's not Felindo Perez

I'm not Hispanic nor a Latino head

ain't a chico with dreads 

seekin Seiko watches with diamond embeds

still I eat dem Jalapeños meng 

I'm a desi kid in keds fool

you maybe thought I was in med school

in case you bled stool, (sorry bro)

Bobby Jindal is the feds' tool

I'm flooded with ice to keep my head cool

I'm a rhymin infidel Castro

not a communist but rhymin is manifesto

life's a test bro I'm proper stressed yo

but I'm blessed though cuz the nest grows

and I shower with the Zest yo

pop a Mentos and I'm fresh so

I'm back on my daily grind

runnin outta time ain't cuttin lines

but instead I'm spittin them 

and after a sick punchline I'm spittin phlegm

I usually end my raps with a prayer and 'amen'

cuz a ringstone still needs a gem so, (ehem)

I wanna thank God for the blessings on my fam

maybe now we can travel lands

to visit your house in the sands

I'm just grateful to see light at the end of the tunnel

cuz these past few years were kinda bummer

time to live out old dreams check out new scenes

like as a kid I wanted to be a drummer but for now 
its time to just enjoy the summer with my team nah mean?

MGS: Peace Walker OST (Heavens Divide)

Lata Mangeshkar - Zindagi Pyar Ka Geet Hai

The Oath

 FFVIII - The Oath [Arranged]

My thoughts on the Gaza Floatilla Massacre

Til now I've been mostly quiet about this incident, not because I haven't been reading the news, but for a number of other reasons. During the Israeli offensive "Operation Cast Lead" last year, I was blogging, posting news reports and videos about the massacre as actively as I could. My main motive was to spread the awareness of the dire situation of life - or what remains of it - for Palestinians spread across the occupied territories. I felt at the time that enough is enough; I didn't care what the cost to me would be, if any. As far as I was concerned, the 3rd Semite holocaust had been created by the descendants of the first two, and I was determined to do my small part in bringing some type of justice to the situation. Afterall, what discomfort can we face that compares with the utter suffering and despair of the millions living in the hell of Gaza and the West Bank?

But justice has yet to be seen. Following last year's massacre, I was slightly hopeful when I heard of Obama's "toughening" stance on Israel's policies on the illegal occupation and settlements that continue to spread in the West Bank and other places, even against UN Resolutions. But in reality, Obama's stance was only a PR tactic; a ploy to appease a growing audience of angry justice-demanders. Today, Obama's silence on this issue, has proven this. The message I think is clear: "We don't care." And though Hillary and Biden have said a few words here and there, and Obama showed "cold shoulders" to the Israeli cabinet during their last recent visit, it was really all just to get us to think, "finally, Washington has awoken and turned a critical eye to its ally because of her actions." Now we see that's not true at all.

I am, of course, saddened by yet another trespass on Palestinian sovereignty, and I am sadly, no longer phased by new fantastic lows achieved by the Israeli military and government. The killing of unarmed, innocent peace activists on board civilian ships in international waters, bringing aid to a besieged population in an illegal blockade, under an illegal occupation - just doesn't shock me anymore. So in that way, I guess Israel's PR tactics of denying the hideous facts, lying outright, and desensitization have worked in some degree; aye, they have worked well upon the sleeping world. But we have seen this before when the world turned a blind eye of denial to the 2nd Semite Holocaust in Nazi Germany, desensitized by all the gruesome images, as it is now during the third. "Never again!" we said, but 'again' is present right before our very eyes.

I am glad that Israelis themselves take a stand against the rogue actions of their government and a number of Israeli organizations and activists have openly condemned the actions of the army and military and have made a genuine case for a reassessment of Israeli policy toward the Palestinians in favor of likely greater safety and prosperity for both. They are not self-hating Jews, as the media would like to portray, nor are any who take a stand against Israel's bizarre violations of international law, but sadly, that is how they are made to come off. I personally have suffered what I consider a loss of good company and friendship from a few of my Jewish friends who, I can only assume, had decided to stop talking to me because they realized my stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was pronounced. To them, I wish to say, I love you all. This has nothing to do with you at all. I don't look at what you are and I am proud of your Jewish identity and I am happy when I see your people embrace your culture because I know my history; I know how much your people have suffered and how much your people have done for the world. All Abrahamic religions stem from the same legacy which your people have left, so profoundly positive has been your impact. This is a complaint against a political situation concerning the bad governance of a country, not the country or the idea of the country itself, and certainly not to those who identify as nationals of that country or any other kind of attachment to it.

I can understand the sentiments you may feel, too often civil discourse on politics turns sour and quickly turns to racism and Jew-bashing. However, that is not within my tolerance, neither is it within our peoples' history either - Muslims and Jews have lived together in harmony for over a thousand years of Islamic history. Jews, Christians, and Muslims are spiritual family and much of this global family is genetically linked together as well, being descendants and relatives of the original Tribes of Israel. When I see Jews, I think of Moses (peace be upon him) and I smile at what he's done for his community. When I see Christians, I think of Jesus (peace be upon him) and I smile at what he's done for his community. And when I see Muslims, I think of Muhammad (peace be upon him) and I smile at what he's done for his community - but, I also weep for how we all have strayed from our prophets' lofty teachings. Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad would surely form a most holy, strong brotherhood and worship Yahweh/Jehovah/the Father/Allah, in unison..so then, where did we - their followers - all go wrong?

Returning to the point, I want my Jewish friends who I treasure to know that a critical stance on Israel is not a rejection of Israel itself. Israel needs a reformation but must not be "taken off the map"  nor should she have to suffer this kind of international humiliation and objection. In an ideal world, Israel and Palestine, Jews and Arabs would let their children play, inter-marry and protect one another instead of what we see today. That is why I am in agreement with the other voices who call for a reform; one that recognizes the pain of both the Palestinians and the Israelis, and I for one feel that in order for mutual reparations to take effect, power must be restored to the powerless first for equality to mean anything. It cannot be justified to keep a populace oppressed simply for the fear that if they were suddenly released they would devour their captors like caged, rabid dogs. Anger is justified, but for peace to work there needs to be careful, international presence and unconditional positive regard to heal wounds as deep as the Earth's surface. It is difficult yes, but God, as we all know and believe, has done far greater than this.

So in my closing thoughts I want to say that I am saddened that my speaking out on controversial topics such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has distanced some of my Jewish friends from me. For speaking out against Israel's policies, the media has portrayed our ilk as irrational, bigoted anti-Semites - And as God is my witness, as far as I can speak for myself, that couldn't be further from the truth. It is not about Israeli-Palestinian, nor Jew-Arab, it is about the issue of humanity being enslaved and not free to live. That is the point I feel at heart. Satan, who our faith teaches is ever trying to divide humanity and pit us against each other, must not win. Please, let's all just put aside group-bashing, name-calling, finger-pointing, and all the other devices we use to start a war.

This, in large part, is what has kept me mostly quiet this time around. I know the world over is screaming in condemnation at this recent event, and let them do so. But I choose not to - not because I don't care, but because screaming "injustice!" thus far hasn't done anything of change on the grand scale, and not least on a personal level. Afterall, God watches all and I have yet to hear Him scream. I will end this post on a positive note, because we are all distant relatives. Wishing peace upon Jews, Arabs, Israelis and Palestinians, on Christians and other non-Muslims, and on the nation of Muhammad (p.b.u.h) as well. The song below is not connected directly to the topic but it addresses the "sleeping sons of Jacob," a call to wake up and become the kings our ancestors used to be; the ones we read in our holy books today.

Damian Marley & Nas - "Africa Must Wake-up"

Untitled

An athlete said 'beat this.' A politician said 'appease this.' A criminal said 'cheat this.' A therapist said 'leave this.' A caregiver said 'eat this.' A mechanic said 'grease this.' A fighter said 'defeat this.' A lawyer said 'deed this.' A pauper said 'need this.' A philosopher said 'seek this.' A spy said 'leak this.' A prisoner said 'flee this.' A doctor said 'treat this.' A manager said 'sweep this.' A worker said 'freak this.' A host said 'greet this.' A farmer said 'heap this.' An activist said 'free this.' A rapper said 'peep this.' A chef said 'heat this.' A teacher said 'repeat this.' A leader said 'be this.' A thug said 'bleep this.' A boss said 'meet this.' A general said 'seize this.' A writer said 'read this.' A friend said 'keep this.' A wiseman said 'heed this.' A preacher said 'Jesus.' God said 'reap this.' 

 A voice inside told me to speak this.

Back from the...Past?

Hey readers,

I apologize for no updates, posts, or reaction comments for the past month. I had been without a computer essentially, and only had limited access to online activities via mobile web. What happened? Well, my laptop screen died..pretty much. Even now I'm managing with an external monitor until I get my laptop fixed or replaced. I just wanted to say that I appreciate everyone's comments and activity here on my blog recently and I ask you [all] to continue visiting. It will take some time before I can respond to all the comments but I will try my best when time allows. Thank you once again.
-Ruhudeen Ali

Huzoor Aisa Koi Intezam Ho Jaye - Qari Waheed Zafar Qasmi

 Ameen.

Waiting For When

By Ruhudeen Ali
April 9th, 2010

I am wondering when

I can search the world

and nearly drown to find a pearl.

When I can scale a mountain of effort

to escape from this lonely desert.

When I can swim in a sea of feelings

no longer staring up alone at this ceiling.

I am waiting for when

I can have more reason to care for this shell

to affirm the existence of heaven, after hell.

When in vain I will attempt to measure

the richness contained within the hidden treasure.

 When I can be a detective in your search

madly turning over each rock on this Earth.

I'm wondering when

I can forsake these lonely nights' twilight

to have someone else be my guiding light.

When I will thirst without the heat of the sun

that we may drink from the same cup as one.

When in hunger I will starve

for that celebrated cake, that together we will carve.

Waiting for when

I can share my everything

with the one who needs my nothing.

When I will fight 'til my last ounce of strength

for the name of the one who'll remain on my breath.

When I will shed tears and cry

with the one who is, for me, willing to sacrifice and die.

Waiting for when 
I will protect the honor

of the one who will defend mine when I'm a goner.

 When I can have peace of mind

knowing there is someone who is happy to be mine.

When I will walk with a sense of pride

that someone great wishes to be my bride.

Said I'm wondering when

I will have someone with whom I can confide

feeling mutually complete inside.

 When I can pop the question

after all these fruitless sessions.

When I will seek the answer

to find my life's enhancer.

So I await
When I can leave this desolation. 

When I can experience worldly perfection.

When I can stop begging the question

Will I ever

...find true love?

Ran'dem Rhymes vol.#13 - Ain't What it Used to Be

By Ruhudeen Ali
March 9th, 2010

*With a special dedication to the late, great MC Guru of Gangstarr. He was among the pioneers of hiphop and helped lay its foundation on the Eastcoast and worldwide. His death is a huge loss to the hiphop community. RIP 'King of Monotone,' you will be missed. (July 17th 1966 - April 19th 2010)

Now let this be your rap manual n' syllabus

I'm teachin fake emcees its my impetus

why? cuz I'm thoroughbred to be intelligent

and you know I get that thorough bread ladies n' gentlemen

my rhymes be on another level some whole different s***

spoken on the speakers of the world man sorta ubiquitous

matter of fact I'm sick with it

now to show you a bit of this on how I flip a script

"I can't write a phat line to demonstrate"

- now hold up, wait for it

cuz what I just did made me a hypocrite

you see the content is lyrical, delivery is critical

it can make your skills imminent

if its done wrong it can make a rhyme impotent

like turning an Eminem into a simpleton

follow these rules you'll serve madd crews like in Wimbledon

if not, then you'll end up permanently feminine

or tied up whimperin' in some disheveled tenement

whatever the case may be I just poured you some gravy

showin yall how to achieve in great degrees

hiphop was my main squeeze

til she started hangin out with lame emcees

cuz the game just aint what it used to be, now its lame

they opened up the lane to the ignorant n profane

you see hip hop used to be a treasure

worth more than diamonds n' pearls

the sky was the limit, the world was yours

then it sold out to commercial rap

had a gold mine but gave over half,

conscientious MCs no longer rhymin for free

sold out to big labels for stacks of G's

claiming to be real G's spending lavishly

but instead of being real

they pushed an image that was primitive n' savagely

rap then sold out to parties & clubs

became all about hoes, bacardi's & dubs

no longer about the struggle,

what happened to the love?

its value further diminished

prompting us to say "what the fffu-

forget about it when you're upset about it

there's still some talent in these streets man

no doubt about it

bring it back to good lyrics & slammin beats

bring a smile to the hood cynics &  jammin geeks

rockin dreads, hop in jeeps bumpin beats

bobbin heads n' stompin feet

but reminiscing about the golden era wont bring it back

we're not even close to a silver era, its beyond whack

let's find n' sign those with craft

those with talent who rhyme with a knack

to put a phat track on wax instead of supporting crap

cuz back in the day whole armies defended hiphop

had its gems locked up in treasuries

not on cheap displays in shops

but nowadays if rap was a currency

its only got a dollar left expecting more theft

now its got no army left

aint no time to toy around let's repent

cuz all we got now is just a Soulja Boy and 50 cent

Becoming, Together (One Day)

"Becoming, Together (One Day)"

By Ruhudeen Ali

3/16/10

Tired with oars in hands

I row in these murky waters of self-doubt 

toward the shores of authenticity's sands

and though its waves crash up against my fragile boat of mind 

I am encouraged by the call of friends on the other side 

who themselves have nothing to hide nor a reason to chide 

for I once saw them live lies 

and they once saw the world through my eyes

when they too, were on this quest of mine

I know not when I will reach your place

mustering enough will, knowing in me you place great faith

for traveling the path I would have otherwise not known

together we have mutually grown

upon the windy brooks of cobblestones

in a place I used to call 'home'

amidst days long since gone

Now with those memories placed upon a throne

along with the medals and plaques we earned 

at a time when the wheels of time forgot to turn

allowing us to roam for all its concern

I look to this solemn day and I burn

over why we couldn't together traverse this storm
as I can only paddle so far alone

But happy am I to see you all on the shore

I knew that one day I would reach you for sure

to cast off the shackles that made me sore
and celebrate the days of joy with you, as we did before
And now, together, we finally share the core

of all emotions galore, and peace, is forevermore.

Rafi - Duniya na Bhaye Mohe ab toh Bulaley

duniya na bhaaye mohe ab to bulaa le (2)
charanon mein (2) tere charanon mein

duniya na bhaaye mohe ab to bulaa le (2)
charanon mein (2) tere 
charanon mein (2)

mere geet mere sang sahaare (2)
koyi na mera sansaar mein (2)
dil ke tukde (2) kaise bech doon
duniya ke baazaar mein (2)
mann ke yeh moti rakhiyo tu sambhaale (2)
charanon mein (2) tere 
charanon mein (2)

saat suron ke saato saagar (2)
mann ki umangon se jaage (2)
tu hi bataa (2) main kaise gaau
behri duniya ke aage (2)
teri yeh beena ab tere hawaale (2)
charanon mein (2) tere 
charanon mein (2)

(maine tujhe koyi sukh na diya 
toone daya lootayi dono haathon se) (2)
tere pyaar ki yaad jo aaye (2)
dard chhalak jaaye aankhon se (2)
jeena nahin aaya mohe ab to bula le (2)
charanon mein (2) tere 
charanon mein (2)

duniya na bhaaye mohe ab to bulaa le (2)

charanon mein (2) tere

charanon mein (2)

Castlevania: Lords of Win

Homie don't play, 2010 is a serious year for games (okay I didn't mean that, homie I'm telling you, you gotta play! Bad joke.) Anyway, you probably thought I was gonna sit here and list a bunch of big releases - nah! go do your own research. But what took me by surprise last year was the announcement of a new Castlevania game in the works with Kojima Productions (YES you heard right - 'Kojima EPIC Productions',) Castlevania: Lords of Shadow for a next-gen release sometime in 2010, and it's shaping up to be totally awesome! Check out the trailer below:



they're saying that it will take the series in a new [ehem God of War-type cough cough] direction. Not that I mind it really, its about time that Konami changes the formula a little to keep things exciting like they did with Symphony of the Night. And speaking of which, they're saying this Castlevania will feature the return of everybody's favorite half-man, half-vampire - Alucard! Well, so far the story revolves around Gabriel Belmont and his quest to revive his deceased wife (man the womenfolk of the Belmont clan have been having a rough few centuries haven't they?) Anyways, we wouldn't have it any other way because that usually translates into badass, pissed-off protagonists who do lots of cool things with a whip (no, not of that nature, but of the 'Vampire Killer' kind.) And if that doesn't really convey the science of win to you then who cares. This is Castlevania, and it's just an awesome series so stay tuned for this one kiddies. Who knows, they might even win over some Twilight fangirls with this one!

Ryu Ga Gotoku (Like A Dragon)/Yakuza Series

Let's face it, many fans of the series are disappointed fans of the Shenmue series, not because Shenmue wasn't a great game [it's quite the awesome series!] rather, that they never gave the fans what they wanted - a 3rd installment! For those of us who are fans of both Shenmue and Yakuza (who many claim to be the spiritual successor to Shenmue) we want to send Sega a clear message this time around: "Please don't disappoint us again. We love your games! Send them here too, we promise to support them!!!" "Here" of course, meaning the U.S, Europe, and Canada and "support" means buying the damn things. Now that's not to say that we only care about Yakuza because of Shenmue, not at all. In fact, they are as different as night and day, both excellent games and storytelling in their own right. But the style, the drama, the story-telling, the action; although totally different, one can clearly see they are blood-related.

That said, Yakuza 4 (Ryu Ga Gotoku 4) looks amazing! It's scheduled for release in Japan around mid-March while the week prior the U.S will finally see the release of Yakuza 3. I request all those in the video game community and fans of the series to please support the release of Yakuza 3 on March 9th so that Sega will release the 4th ed. here too!! Incase you're new to the series, its basically the Japanese counterpart to GTA but with a very different flair to it. It's an action-adventure crime story and drama revolving around Japan's underground mafia or "yakuza." The story's protagonist Kazuma Kiryu, feared and respected as "The Dragon of the Dojima Clan," is an ex-Yakuza who seeks to rid himself of his past criminal life and start anew. However, his former allies and enemies somehow manage to drag him back into the underworld which he seeks to get away from. If you're a fan of anything remotely close to Grand Theft Auto, or crime stories, you will love this series! It's really awesome, trust me! Check out the trailers.



Kazuma kicking ass, as usual


Here's a snippet at Yakuza 4:

Memoirs of a Female Dog [Entry # 3]

Sup y'all, its yo' favorite BITCH up in this kennel! Yiieea that's riiiight muthawuffa....Anywayz, I apologize for not being around for so long. I've been mostly busy but had some bouts of being ill as well. A few months back I had constipation and was referred to a clinic for canines that specializes in rectal problems called "Bitches Ain't Shit," the vets there helped me with my long-term constipation problems, they prescribed a stool softener and I got my bowel movements back on so now I'm goooood y'all!! hehe. Other than some minor health issues I've been busy with school; assignments and projects, etc. (and for the millionth time, YES bitches go to school!!)

Woofin' of which, I'm enrolled in this one class right, called "Approaches to Canine Sexuality" and I happen to be the only bitch in the entire class out of like 10-12 dogs. Even though being the only bitch in my classes ain't nuthin new, this time it feels a little extra strange. I mean, we gotta discuss all this touchy subject matter that can make you feel uncomfortable being the only bitch. Last week we were discussing arousal and anatomy and I had to share a book with a classmate so we could see all the diagrams and stuff. It was kinda weird looking at pictures of dicks and pussies (not cats) in a room full of dogs. I dunno, I guess I feel a little out of place because these dogs probably have all kinds of sexual experiences while I don't. Worse yet, I don't know if we're gonna be called upon to discuss our personal sex lives (or in my case lack there of) since the syllabus mentions forming discussion groups about controversial topics. I guess I'll find out in time. The other class I'm taking is a class on Mutli-culturalism and we're learning about oppression, racism, and prejudice. I learned that *being a bitch,* I fall into a minority category and need to discuss the experiences of racism and sexism I might've faced for being a bitch all my life. I dunno..I guess there's so much to say. (I'm also the only bitch in this class too!) And it just so happens that I'm a Pakistani bitch, the only one in the entire building perhaps! I just feel like I offer a unique perspective being one-of-a-kind in most of my classes but I keep quiet mostly..I'm not sure if its cuz I'm feeling shy or whatever the case may be. Anyways, I hope I open up at least enough to get good participation pts for my grades WOL. Well, I guess that's it for now, if I left somethin out I'll just make another entry and I'll try not to be forever again next time. Rolfina signin' off, til next time hot dogs!


*DISCLAIMER* - My "Memoirs of a Female Dog" series is not, nor was it ever meant to be an attack on women, quite the contrary to be exact. In a comical way I poke fun at the usage of the word "bitch" and how its almost become acceptable to call women "bitches;" something I personally do not agree with. As I've stated earlier, I am guilty of the crime myself, but what I try to use this series for is to highlight the ridiculous culture surrounding the word and how many take it negatively and others (some feminists) turned it into a positive word because of its over-usage. To me, that's like taking another offensive slur and trying to make it positive just because society cannot stop using the word (I'm sure you can think of other examples in popular usage..) Anyway, to bring it all back to what the word bitch really means (a female dog) I thought I'd start a series that is about a real bitch and at the same time be a satire on the word and make you guys laugh. If anything this series seeks to accomplish is to show how ridiculous it really is to equate a woman with a real female dog (a bitch) and hopefully to show how ignorant and degrading it really is.

1 Litre of Tears - The Diary of Aya Kitou (Chapter 2 - Part IV)

Chapter 2 - Part IV

Characteristic


"I look up to people with strong personality traits, because I myself have nothing special.
I'm attracted to the idea of each individuals putting out their own unique characateristics.
Maybe even in the world that we live in, our uniqueness and talents are used to make the most out of life, like the movie "007."
The world is in need of people with strong character traits.
However, characteristics only belong to you, so it's not something you shove and give away to others.
But people take things in a different way, so it gets complicated.
When I was leaving school, I met Eiko at the bicycle shed. As I held onto "Yamato" and "Last Concert" records, Eiko put my heavy bag inside the byecycle basket.
Eiko said she had something to do so we parted at the crosswalk.
I really like how Eiko is so straight forward, but other people think she is cold hearted."

- 1 Litre of Tears

"Never B Peace" by Tupac Shakur

[Chorus]
"Will there ever be peace?
Or all we all just headed for doom,
Still consumed by the beefs,
And I know, there'll never be peace (never)
That's why I keep my pistol when I walk the streets
'Coz there'll never be peace."

Tupac is such a conscience-awakening artist because so much of his music is a reminder of the pain and struggle of young Black youth, but really speaks to all impoverished urban youth the world around. In particular, Tupac's message can be seen to resonate well with minority populations that have been cut off, forgotten, and abandoned by the larger world community. And so during so-called "quiet" times according to the dominant-aggressor, the struggling minority community sends reminders to shock the dominant and dormant communities of the world into realizing that the plight for help and the struggle for survival is still on and just as intense as it's always been, even if not enough to affect change in the larger and dominant community. He is constantly reminding us to wake up and realize the gravity of the situation his community (and like-communities,) and by natural consequence, the larger community will face if things don't change for the better. This is why so many people love Tupac. He was a voice for the oppressed the world-over, and his message is really simple -

if you don't clean up your backyard, the dirt will reach up to your own patio doors, til you're forced to clean it.

If not for the right reasons, the "higher society" should at least care that they will soon face the consequences of abandoning their lower-class counterparts. And this of course, is Tupac's satire of high-class America; because according to him, they always criticize and vilify the ghettos, housing projects, and other poor neighborhoods without really caring about fixing them either, when they are in the position to really make positive changes. So he essentially turns their 'good nature' on its backside and exposes them as heartless and greedy and just about all the other adjectives his own community gets labeled as. And this one song, "Never B Peace" is only one example of a call for reform in the life of a truly prolific yet short-lived career of a budding social activist, aspiring leader and visionary. Rest in Peace Tupac.

"Shit, fuck peace
On the strength 'til my niggas get a piece
We cant have peace
How the fuck we gonna live happy if we ain't got none?
You mahfuckaz is smiling, but I'm mean mugging
Why? Cause I gotta be thuggin
I've seen drugs done turned this whole motherfucking hood out
All us niggas acting up
Wild-ass motherfucking adolescents
These niggas ain't even got no childhoods no more
How the fuck can you have a childhood
and you have a funeral every mahfucking weekend
And you mahfuckaz talking about peace?
Nigga, it ain't no motherfucking peace
You ain't seen the news motherfucker?
You ain't heard?
Little babies getting smoked
Mahfuckaz killing there whole family
'Lil kids getting thrown off buildings
Mahfuckaz gettin abused
Peace!? Nigga is you out your fucking mind??
Fuck peace!
We can't never have peace, till you motherfuckers clean up this mess you made
'Til you fucking clean up the dirt you dropped
'Till WE get a piece
Fuck peace
Westside."

- Tupac Shakur

Nice remix of the original "Never B Peace" (samples "When I'm Gone" by Eminem)

What's Up With All These 'Fail' Movies?

Seriously, video game and anime live-action film translations almost always suck.


Street Fighter (1994), (2008). Mortal Kombat (1995), (1997). Dragonball Evolution (2008). Resident Evil (2007.) The list goes on and on. They were all horrible films, just plain terrible. So why on Earth are they wasting more time and money? The few that were decent [Resident Evil (2002),(2004)] and the one film in my opinion that got it right [Silent Hill (2006)] along with the Death Note series, are so rare that it's almost not worth even tapping the video game/anime market for. If you can't do it right, don't even bother trying. Most of these directors and producers just wanna make money off the untapped market and aren't even fans of the original franchises. Don't get me wrong though, even if a film is a bad translation from a video game or anime series that I like, I still wanna see it. Take 2010's upcoming films, Tekken and The King of Fighters for example. Being a fan of both of these fighting game series, will I be disappointed by these lackluster attempts? Probably. Do I need to actually watch these films to know that they will suck horribly? No. Do I still wanna see them. YES! Here is just a taste of the laugh riot waiting to ensue upon its release:

Tekken trailer. The story apparently revolves around Jin Kazama and the backstory of how his mother was killed by one of his own. Mishima-style family dysfunction contained within


The King of Fighters behind-the-scenes interview with main actor/protagonist Kyo Kusanagi played by Sean Faris



Now I only hope that the upcoming Resident Evil: Afterlife and Metal Gear films don't disappoint as badly (but of course they will.)

"The Healthy Marriage" by Br. Nouman Ali Khan

Br. Nouman always makes keen insights and here he offers some helpful guidance in light of the Scriptures for the case of the lives of married couples.