Drawing In The Dark

It is been awhile since I posted. Work is hectic and grabbing most of my time. By the time I reach home from work, I am either brain dead or already close to comatose. Well, that is what I am paid for. Therefore, I had better stop complaining

January is the busiest month of the year. It is the month of surprises where everything happens at the same time: re-org, yearend reports, new boss, location transfers, hiring, firing, etc. It reminds me a lot of the Big Brother reality show. You live in a house with a bunch of people you hardly know, work out the given house chore and wait for Eviction Day. At the end, there is always this promise of “a new beginning”. Well, whatever that is, it is up for the contestants to find out.

I reviewed my digital photography kit last weekend over breakfast of cigarette and coffee and tried some of the techniques the lecturer Jose de Luna (www.pbase.com/josedeluna) taught me. One of which was doing photography in the dark using moving specks of light. I love challenges when it comes to photography and I would love to try this one.

After a few hits and misses, these were the ones that came out:

Shutter Speed: 25"
ISO: 200
Aperture: F/8
Camera: Nikon D60 (tripod)
Settings: Manual

Shutter Speed: 25 seconds
ISO: 200
Aperture: F/8
Camera: Nikon D60 (tripod)
Settings: Manual

Shutter Speed: 25 seconds
ISO: 200
Aperture: F/8
Camera: Nikon D60 (tripod)
Settings: Manual

Sidelights: Road Trip

AL MAMLAKA

(The Kingdom Tower)

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Simply grand...

http://www.icsc.org/srch/education/awards/AlMamlaka.pdf

Saudi Executioner: Proud To Do God's Work

(An interview with the Saudi Arabian chief executioner)

When he got started in his unusual line of work back in 1998, Muhammad Saad al-Beshi suffered from "stage fright" because so many people were watching him. But the nervousness soon left him, just like his victim's head.

"The criminal was tied and blindfolded. With one stroke of the sword I severed his head. It rolled meters away," said al-Beshi, Saudi Arabia's top executioner, according to a story in the Saudi daily Arab News.

And how does al-Beshi feel about killing people for a living? In the interview, reported also by the BBC, al-Beshi said he's "very proud to do God's work." Conceding that he has executed numerous women, as well as men, he hastened to add: "Despite the fact that I hate violence against women, when it comes to God's will, I have to carry it out."

Al-Beshi expressed indifference about the number of beheadings he was required to carry out.
"It doesn't matter to me," he said in the interview. "Two, four, ten – as long as I'm doing God's will, it doesn't matter how many people I execute."

The death penalty can be prescribed for many offences in the Saudi kingdom, which is under strict Islamic or Shari'a law. Not only murder and rape, but armed robbery, drug trafficking and repeated drug use – and even apostasy – are capital offenses.

What about the methods of execution? Sometimes, said Al-Beshi, he shoots convicted women to death. "It depends what they ask me to use. Sometimes they ask me to use a sword and sometimes a gun. But most of the time I use the sword," he said, according to the Arab News interview.

"There are many people who faint when they witness an execution. I don't know why they come and watch if they don't have the stomach for it," he said. "No one is afraid of me. I have a lot of relatives, and many friends at the mosque, and I live a normal life like everyone else."

Of his prized sword, a "gift" from the Saudi government, al-Beshi notes, "People are amazed how fast it can separate the head from the body."

But, once the order is given, he instructs the prisoner to recite an affirmation of Muslim faith, or "Shahada." "When they get to the execution square, their strength drains away. Then I read the execution order, and at a signal I cut the prisoner's head off," he said.

Al-Beshi says his unusual occupation causes "no drawbacks for my social life." In fact, the "contented" father of seven even trains the next generation of executioners. He is especially proud that his son is walking in his father's footsteps.

In addition to executions, al-Beshi also specializes in amputations of hands or legs.

"I use a special sharp knife, not a sword. When I cut off a hand, I cut it from the joint. If it is a leg the authorities specify where it is to be taken off, so I follow that."

Since forgiveness on the part of the victim's family can result in a reprieve for the condemned criminal, al-Beshi actually visits the victim's family before executing the convict, in hopes the victim's kin will forgive the perpetrator.

"I always have that hope, until the very last minute, and I pray to God to give the criminal a new lease of life," he said, according to the BBC account.

Ready, Aim...

(Casual conversation with Zaki)

Me: (While getting inside the car) “Salam! How’s things?”

Zaki: “You are two minutes late! You know how hard it is to find parking around here. My rear nearly got bumped while waiting for you in the middle of the road.”

Me: “What’s the big deal, you got car insurance.”

Zaki: “What’s with the jacket?”

Me: “It’s cold, my bones are hurting.”

Zaki: (Laughs) “Old people!”

Me: (Ironic) “Kids…”

Zaki: “Hey, my pic is up for bid on Facebook®.”

Me: (Laughs) “Finally you got face value.”

Zaki: “Do you remember the one you took a couple of months back?”

Me: “Got hundreds of them. Which one?”

Zaki: “The one you turned upside down!”

Me: “You mean ‘rotated’, dummy.”

Zaki: (Annoyed) ”Whatever. It’s worth three-hundred thousand dollars now.”

Me: (Stunned) “What?! That’s a lot of money for one lousy pic!”

Zaki: (Feeling gorgeous) “Excuse me! It’s me in the pic!”

Me: “Hello, I was the one who took it. I got the copyright. Ok, fifty-fifty.”

Zaki: (Laughs) “We can’t get the money, wacko! It’s just a popularity bid. Somebody put it up for auction. And there it goes…”

Me: “Well, why don’t we start doing something for real?”

Zaki: “Like what?”

Me: “Like swapping it for a loaf of bread instead?”

Zaki: “*!*##@#**!!*#!!”

To The 9's

Recently, a friend sent me a funny email that said something about my horoscope:

"The Sun and Moon form a beautiful aspect for you, so the best thing you can do is simply go with the flow! Your best side will come forward, as your mind and your emotions are boosted by the cosmic energies. Romantic signals will come your way and might even meet your own excellent standards. Excellent colors are golden topaz and moonstone. Lucky numbers are 5 and 9."

Reading horoscopes, charting the stars and planets are just part of the fun in greeting the New Year. I was born on the 9th day of the 9th month and got two 9’s in my birth year. And with 2009 smacked right between my ears, I got the lucky 5 and the 9’s I needed for the above prediction to come true.

There is always this breathtaking feeling within us in trying to unlock the mystery that lies ahead. The readings reveal events that are going to happen about love, life, career and money. We drift into hopeful thoughts as we read our Zodiac “forecasts” and take note of the crucial things that come with it: lucky color, lucky number, lucky day, lucky stone and so on, and so forth.

For those who are dead serious and do not want to gamble their future on unreliable predictions and interpretations of fuzzy celestial pictures, hanging charms and crystals over their necks are definitely their best solution to do the job.

If there is such a thing as Pandora syndrome, this might be it.

All around the world, sales of charms, amulets and other mystical curios rocketed sky high. Top on the list are the Chinese knick-knacks of all shapes and sizes: lucky toad, jade coins, feng shui chart, fu symbol and the venerable smiling Buddha. Good luck will be yours if you wear them as a pendant, bracelet, hang it in your rear view mirror or attach one to your handbag or briefcase. But here is one catch: the charm will only work if given to you as a gift by a friend. How is that for a counter spell?

Not to be outdone are the mysterious African and Middle Eastern talismans with their cryptic mumbo-jumbo. They come in the form of custom-made rings, intricate bracelets and elaborate pendants, said to be more effective than their Chinese cousins. There is the al ain, hamsa, ankh, scarab and the Eye of Horus. Arabs and Africans believe it protects the wearer against the woe of all woes - the evil eye.

Lately, this superstitious pastime has taken a new serious twist. The appalling domino effect of the present economic mess has left everyone desperate for something to hold on. Everyone is hanging their hopes to the mystic and the magical, believing it will stand by them to get through hell and back.

What is happening? Are we losing our faith in God? Where is the proven and tested power of prayer? Our twisted moral values are precariously putting our belief in our Creator to a test.

The world is full of commercialism and trickery. We are swayed by promises of false hopes, and in return, trade our principles for a few pieces of silver.

And the five 9’s? Nah! That is inane bullstuff!