Entries from February 2008

February 29, 2008

Shining Lights

This is a call to action, a cry, a plea

for voices unheard, ignored and in need

a city of shining lights, skyscrapers and prosperity

has now become a symbol of economic disparity.

 

(Politician Talk)

 

The dream we call Toronto, is an economic success

you can go from rags to riches, if you try your best

who said fatherlessness, crime and poverty [...]

February 26, 2008

Three Things

1) I’m starting to become irritated with one of the cafeteria ladies who seems to think I steal tea. I can’t think of any other reason she would have to ask me if I paid, all while standing between myself and the exit. And I can’t seem to explain to her enough times that I [...]

February 25, 2008

The Mob

I’ve noticed for awhile now that independent thought cannot be tolerated by most people. Not so much free speech, but the fact that to think differently, along with the willingness to express it, is something many people find threatening. I happen to live in a predominantly Jewish neighbourhood, and it can be difficult at times [...]

February 23, 2008

Profile: Malcolm X

Fourth profile.

February 21, 2008

Hmmmm

So it looks like they’ve found large reserves of oil and gas near Kosovo last month, in Albania. It’s a huge find, and I’d imagine it’s something that would have a major effect on Kosovo’s independence and Serbia and Russia’s unwillingness to recognize it. Interesting when you consider American interests in the region. Here’s some [...]

February 19, 2008

Three Things

1) I finished reading Northrop Frye’s ‘The Educated Imagination’ this morning. After hours and hours of reading and taking notes, even missing out on some precious class time at Route 114 this past weekend just to have it finished for class, I’m finally done. I haven’t quite made sense of all his theories and ideas [...]

February 19, 2008

Moral Relativism

It’s 1 a.m, and I’m working on an essay I’m supposed to hand in for my Philosophy class tomorrow morning. It’s dealing with the Protagoras quote, “Man is the measure of all things,” looking at the issue of morality, specifically something called ‘moral relativism’, which came out of the Sophists in ancient Greece. The basic [...]

February 18, 2008

SubhanAllah

Not only is he so young, but he recites beautifully and in full tajweed. MashAllah!

اعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ وَزِينَةٌ وَتَفَاخُرٌ بَيْنَكُمْ وَتَكَاثُرٌ فِي الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَوْلَادِ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَعْجَبَ الْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَاهُ مُصْفَرًّا ثُمَّ يَكُونُ حُطَامًا وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانٌ وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا مَتَاعُ الْغُرُورِ

20: Know ye [...]

February 13, 2008

The World’s Forgotten Catastrophe

I didn’t get a chance to share it earlier, but the Independent published an article on Ethiopia’s invasion of Somalia this past weekend. Apparently Somalia now has the most refugees in the world, subhanAllah. The article gives a pretty decent background on Somalia since the US mission in the early 90s, through the Islamic Courts [...]

February 12, 2008

Three Things

1) I was walking outside earlier today, and I took a moment to look at everything and take it all in. It was blowing snow, and the ground seemed indistinguishable from the sky. Completely covered in white. I don’t think I’ve seen this much snow as long as I’ve been living in Toronto, it’s [...]

February 11, 2008

Profile: Black Wall Street

Third profile. Black Wall Street was at the centre of a major event in US history, the Tulsa Race Riot, on June 1, 1921.

“Black Wall Street” (also “Little Africa”) was the name given to Greenwood District, a wealthy black neighbourhood in northern Tulsa, Oklahoma. The neighbourhood came to existence during a heavily segregated era in [...]

February 9, 2008

A Test Of Patience

I just got back from a day at Route 114, the latest AlMaghrib seminar, this time around dealing with sciences of the Quran. It actually started yesterday, but by the time we got on the 401, the weather and traffic was terrible enough we decided to turn back. It took us close to 30 [...]