Finally tonight after over 18 months, Jack Bauer makes a much welcome, much awaited, much overdue return to our screens for a 2-hour special 24 TV-movie tonight; 24:Redemption. The movie acts as a setup for season 7 which will return in January, 2 years after season 6 started. The delay was due to the writer's strike which crippled Hollywood earlier this year with 24 being the biggest casualty. Thankfully the wait is over: Jack's back.
You may remember in my last blogging stint, I typed at length about the brilliance of 24 and Jack Bauer here and here as I welcomed the start of season 6. That was a big disappointment. Us 24 fans are used to the plot holes, the ridiculous CTU politics or the miraculous abilities of Jack Bauer but season 6 was just a big disappointment, especially following on from the critically acclaimed season 5 (with Logan et al). We last left Jack staring into the distance standing on top of a cliff having said goodbye to his true love Audrey Raines. That was 18 months ago. It's been quite a wait.
The movie, filmed in Africa, is set in a fictional country, Sangala where Jack has gone to seek solace and to just get away from it all. Obviously, trouble follows Jack wherever he goes, regardless of the country and it's not long before things get out of hand. Simultaneously, back in Washington D.C. the new female President (blatantly cast by the producers because they thought Hiliary Clinton was going to be running) is being inaugurated and having to deal with the same crisis in Sangala.
Hopefully the 18 month break means the writers have had plenty of time to make sure the story lines and plots develop properly and we don't have any jumps or twists that make no sense. After the disappointment of season 6 and the long gap between that and season 7, I simply can't wait for the return of our favourite anti-hero - Jack Bauer. Thanks to Sky's affiliation with FOX, UK viewers will be able to watch the movie tonight on Sky 1 at 10pm. Even if you haven't watched 24 before, watch the movie to introduce yourself to Jack Bauer, you don't need any back history to be able to understand what's going on, and hopefully the movie will wet your appetite - there's still plenty of time to watch seasons 1-6 before season 7 starts in January. In fact I envy those who haven't watched 24 and are able to watch 6 seasons back-to-back, I'm definitely going to do that one day.
Before I finish, I just want to say thanks to the person who left a comment on my previous post, providing a link for the list of 100 blog topics - there were certainly a few headings which I will be discussing in due course.
Let me know what you think of the 24 movie tonight. Remember, you don't have to be a die-hard fan. Just watch the movie as an introduction into 24 - I won't be surprised if you're left wanting more.
Take care all,
Thoughts just flow, when do they have to make sense?
Monday, November 24, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Random ramblings for the century post
A milestone has been reached today with this being my 100th post on this blog. Technically not all 100 posts have been by me, but nevertheless, still a significant achievement. As a celebration I think I'm gonna have random ramble, as no specific topic comes to mind today.
The credit crunch disaster continues to show no signs of abating. Interest rates have now fallen to 3%. I took out a mortgage only 18 months ago and was strongly advised to take a fixed-rate mortgage - someone was either having a laugh or was totally clueless about the impending crunch. It seems likely to be the latter, which leads me to ask how were people so clueless about the situation and not have any contingency plans? The interest rate cut smacks of desperation, further supported by reports that the rate will need to be cut further in the coming months - seems all a bit "too little, too late."
Along with that has been the recent coverage of tax-cuts in an attempt to stimulate the economy and get people spending money again. The retail market has taken a big hit, with everyone tightening their purses, spending shoppers have been on the decline. I recently visited the new Westfield shopping centre in London and although it was filled with loads of people, what was noticeable was how short the queues were for paying in the shops. I think many people were there to admire the new store and window shop, rather than actually spend large amounts of money. I include myself in this, as we just used the various vouchers we already had and spent very little cash.
A side-effect of the credit crunch has seen consumer spending increase in the entertainment industry, mainly the cinemas and TV subscriptions. How else can one explain the remarkable box-office success of the new James Bond movie: Quantum Of Solace, which is currently topping both the US and the UK box-office and has already made over $321 million worldwide? It's not even that good - with action scene after action scene and a story that's too complicated to follow, it was like a Jason Bourne movie! There was none of the typical humour, wit and gadgets that make a Bond movie. He didn't even say "the names Bond..., James Bond," surely that should be a guarantee in all Bond movies!
Whilst I'm rambling about movies, I recently saw the Bollywood movie Dostana, and whilst the idea of a couple pretending to be gay in a Hollywood movie would not be something I want to watch, because it was a topic being dealt with in a Bollywood movie it became interesting. It was absolutely hilarious! Go see it now.
Along with the movie industry, there has also been a increase in the number of subscribers to Sky TV with the company announcing a 25% increase in profits this year. People are staying at home more and therefore looking for more in-house entertainment. What better than a new subscription to Sky Sports or Sky Movies or even Sky HD?
Moving away from all the credit crunch talk, how about an update on all things medical? I must say it has been a gentle re-introduction to work after my 3 weeks off in earlier this month. As always I continue to jump through hoops for my ePortfolio and have recently forked out over £1300 for one exam next year (the CSA), but I don't want to bore you with those particular details. As for patient contact, pretty uneventful thus far. I did see one patient who suffered from an extremely rare syndrome that I'd never heard of before - Klippel Trenaunay syndrome, let's just leave it at that - you can click on the link and read all about it if you're interested!
I've sat staring at the screen trying to think of something interesting to type and can't come up with anything. Not a good way to celebrate the 100th posting! I think I better give-up for today. How about someone come up with some topics for me to blog about? I guess that will be difficult as it would require you to leave a comment, and no-one likes doing that it seems. Don't worry, the 101st post is going to be much better - a certain Jack Bauer will be returning...
Take care all,
Thoughts just flow, when do they have to make sense?
The credit crunch disaster continues to show no signs of abating. Interest rates have now fallen to 3%. I took out a mortgage only 18 months ago and was strongly advised to take a fixed-rate mortgage - someone was either having a laugh or was totally clueless about the impending crunch. It seems likely to be the latter, which leads me to ask how were people so clueless about the situation and not have any contingency plans? The interest rate cut smacks of desperation, further supported by reports that the rate will need to be cut further in the coming months - seems all a bit "too little, too late."
Along with that has been the recent coverage of tax-cuts in an attempt to stimulate the economy and get people spending money again. The retail market has taken a big hit, with everyone tightening their purses, spending shoppers have been on the decline. I recently visited the new Westfield shopping centre in London and although it was filled with loads of people, what was noticeable was how short the queues were for paying in the shops. I think many people were there to admire the new store and window shop, rather than actually spend large amounts of money. I include myself in this, as we just used the various vouchers we already had and spent very little cash.
A side-effect of the credit crunch has seen consumer spending increase in the entertainment industry, mainly the cinemas and TV subscriptions. How else can one explain the remarkable box-office success of the new James Bond movie: Quantum Of Solace, which is currently topping both the US and the UK box-office and has already made over $321 million worldwide? It's not even that good - with action scene after action scene and a story that's too complicated to follow, it was like a Jason Bourne movie! There was none of the typical humour, wit and gadgets that make a Bond movie. He didn't even say "the names Bond..., James Bond," surely that should be a guarantee in all Bond movies!
Whilst I'm rambling about movies, I recently saw the Bollywood movie Dostana, and whilst the idea of a couple pretending to be gay in a Hollywood movie would not be something I want to watch, because it was a topic being dealt with in a Bollywood movie it became interesting. It was absolutely hilarious! Go see it now.
Along with the movie industry, there has also been a increase in the number of subscribers to Sky TV with the company announcing a 25% increase in profits this year. People are staying at home more and therefore looking for more in-house entertainment. What better than a new subscription to Sky Sports or Sky Movies or even Sky HD?
Moving away from all the credit crunch talk, how about an update on all things medical? I must say it has been a gentle re-introduction to work after my 3 weeks off in earlier this month. As always I continue to jump through hoops for my ePortfolio and have recently forked out over £1300 for one exam next year (the CSA), but I don't want to bore you with those particular details. As for patient contact, pretty uneventful thus far. I did see one patient who suffered from an extremely rare syndrome that I'd never heard of before - Klippel Trenaunay syndrome, let's just leave it at that - you can click on the link and read all about it if you're interested!
I've sat staring at the screen trying to think of something interesting to type and can't come up with anything. Not a good way to celebrate the 100th posting! I think I better give-up for today. How about someone come up with some topics for me to blog about? I guess that will be difficult as it would require you to leave a comment, and no-one likes doing that it seems. Don't worry, the 101st post is going to be much better - a certain Jack Bauer will be returning...
Take care all,
Thoughts just flow, when do they have to make sense?
Friday, November 14, 2008
Method of prayer
Another week goes by as we approach the end of 2008. Yet again, another year of my life has flown by in a flash. I look at my baby and think that she didn't even exist at the beginning of the year and now here she is in front of me, increasing my level of responsibility dramatically, how time flies.
This week saw the world commemorate Armistice Day - the end of the first world war 90 years ago on November the 11th. For a definition of futility, look no further than World War I. It took place from 1914-1918 and saw the loss of millions upon millions of men all for little to no gain whatsoever. The military tactics of trench warfare saw millions of soldiers sent "over the top" to their deaths. The tactic seemed to be to send as many people as possible and hope that the sheer numbers would lead to victory. In 1995 I visited the battlefields of Somme, Ypres and Verdun on a school trip, and to this day I vividly remember the rows of trenches and rows upon rows of unnamed tombstones - a complete exercise of futility, and World War II wasn't much better either.
On to bigger and better things. One of the five pillars of Islam is the act of prayer - to pray to God at prescribed times during the day, to remember him and ask him for help. It is the mainstay of Islam and a provision for all Muslims to seek help directly from God. All religions prescribe some form of prayer and Islam is no different.
Unfortunately divisions in Islam, namely the Shia and Sunni sects has led to divisions in the conduct of most practices and the act of prayer is no exception. All Muslims believe in the five daily mandatory prayers and they also agree that these five prayers have set times in which they must be performed.
The first difference arises from whether the prayers can be combined or whether they need to be kept separate. Shia's believe that the afternoon prayers (Zuhr and Asr) and the evening prayer (Maghrib and Isha) can be combined at any time. The four different schools of Sunnism believe differently. Some schools believe prayer can only be combined during travel or periods of danger, other schools believe they cannot be combined at all. For the correct answer, let's start by looking at the Quran. It states: "Establish regular prayers at the Sun's decline till the darkness of the night, and the recital of the Quran in the morning prayer; for the recital of the dawn is Witnessed." (Surah 17, Verse 78). In this verse, three prayer times are mentioned, so that is the first indication of three separate times for prayer, not five. From that, it is sensible to ask what did the Prophet do? Look no further than Sahih Muslim:
The next debate is over the method of prayer. All Shias place their forehead on a natural substance when bowing in sajdah, often a piece of rock. Sunnis place their forehead directly on the carpet/rug/mat and then claim that Shias worship the rock. Again, what did the Prophet do? In another famous Sunni book, Sahih Bukhari it narrates hadith which state:
Unfortunately, I have been unable to find reliable sources to settle this particular discussion either way, perhaps you know of some. However, with the application of good sense, the answer in my mind is clear. All Shias pray with the arms by their sides. On the other hand, four different schools of Sunnism have four different methods of standing in prayer. If the schools can't agree on a relatively simple task, then I think I'll stick to my method.
Having briefly discussed the difference in the method of prayer, I hope I have been able to clarify some of the myths of Shia prayer and also explain why we do what we do, backed up with Sunni sources only. I will finish rather abruptly now as I am going home to my daughter - looks good just typing it!
Take care all,
Thoughts just flow, when do they have to make sense?
This week saw the world commemorate Armistice Day - the end of the first world war 90 years ago on November the 11th. For a definition of futility, look no further than World War I. It took place from 1914-1918 and saw the loss of millions upon millions of men all for little to no gain whatsoever. The military tactics of trench warfare saw millions of soldiers sent "over the top" to their deaths. The tactic seemed to be to send as many people as possible and hope that the sheer numbers would lead to victory. In 1995 I visited the battlefields of Somme, Ypres and Verdun on a school trip, and to this day I vividly remember the rows of trenches and rows upon rows of unnamed tombstones - a complete exercise of futility, and World War II wasn't much better either.
On to bigger and better things. One of the five pillars of Islam is the act of prayer - to pray to God at prescribed times during the day, to remember him and ask him for help. It is the mainstay of Islam and a provision for all Muslims to seek help directly from God. All religions prescribe some form of prayer and Islam is no different.
Unfortunately divisions in Islam, namely the Shia and Sunni sects has led to divisions in the conduct of most practices and the act of prayer is no exception. All Muslims believe in the five daily mandatory prayers and they also agree that these five prayers have set times in which they must be performed.
The first difference arises from whether the prayers can be combined or whether they need to be kept separate. Shia's believe that the afternoon prayers (Zuhr and Asr) and the evening prayer (Maghrib and Isha) can be combined at any time. The four different schools of Sunnism believe differently. Some schools believe prayer can only be combined during travel or periods of danger, other schools believe they cannot be combined at all. For the correct answer, let's start by looking at the Quran. It states: "Establish regular prayers at the Sun's decline till the darkness of the night, and the recital of the Quran in the morning prayer; for the recital of the dawn is Witnessed." (Surah 17, Verse 78). In this verse, three prayer times are mentioned, so that is the first indication of three separate times for prayer, not five. From that, it is sensible to ask what did the Prophet do? Look no further than Sahih Muslim:
"Ibn 'Abbas reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed the noon and afternoon prayers together, and the sunset and Isha' prayers together without being in a state of fear or in a state of journey." (Book 4, Chapter 100, Hadith 1515)And why did the Prophet do this?
"I said to Ibn Abbas: What prompted him to do that? He said: So that his prophet's Ummah should not be put to (unnecessary) hardship." (Book 4, Chapter 100, Hadith 1516)
The next debate is over the method of prayer. All Shias place their forehead on a natural substance when bowing in sajdah, often a piece of rock. Sunnis place their forehead directly on the carpet/rug/mat and then claim that Shias worship the rock. Again, what did the Prophet do? In another famous Sunni book, Sahih Bukhari it narrates hadith which state:
"The Messenger of Allah performed prayer and I (one of the wives of the Holy Prophet) lay opposite to him while I was in menses. Sometimes his clothes touched me when he prostrated, and he used to prostrate on khumra (a piece of rock or dirt)." (Volume 1, Book 6, Hadith 321)Also, the Prophet is quoted as saying:
"...the earth has been made pure and a place of prostration for me, so whenever the time of prayer comes for any one of you, he should pray wherever he is..." (Volume 1, Book 7, Hadith 323)Lastly, when Shias stand in prayer, they do so with their arms by their sides. Sunnis can't seem to make up their minds. Some do the same as Shias, others stand with their arms folded, with some folding above the abdomen and other over the waist. Some with the left arm over the right and vicer-versa.
Unfortunately, I have been unable to find reliable sources to settle this particular discussion either way, perhaps you know of some. However, with the application of good sense, the answer in my mind is clear. All Shias pray with the arms by their sides. On the other hand, four different schools of Sunnism have four different methods of standing in prayer. If the schools can't agree on a relatively simple task, then I think I'll stick to my method.
Having briefly discussed the difference in the method of prayer, I hope I have been able to clarify some of the myths of Shia prayer and also explain why we do what we do, backed up with Sunni sources only. I will finish rather abruptly now as I am going home to my daughter - looks good just typing it!
Take care all,
Thoughts just flow, when do they have to make sense?
Monday, November 10, 2008
Guess who's back IV
As you can see I've been away for quite a while, almost a month, but I have a very good excuse! My wife gave birth to a beautiful baby girl on the 19th of October and I have just returned to work after 3 weeks of paternity/annual leave spending time relaxing with my wife and baby (along with plenty of sessions playing the new Pro Evolution 2009 - much to my wife's disdain, but boys will be boys). It's true what they say, having a baby does change your life. Suddenly everything has become about her. A baby who doesn't even respond to us has become the most important thing in our life.
Over the past three weeks numerous family and friends have been visiting, all wanting a cuddle with the baby, receiving a lot of presents and so far it has been really fun and enjoyable. Everything else seems to have taken a backseat. Arguments, concerns, distractions, all have dissolved into nothing and all the focus is on their new grand-daughter, niece, cousin, etc. Along with the attention comes all the advice. What's difficult is deciphering what's important and what isn't. Some of the advice is useful, other stuff is almost pure superstition. Overall, so far, it has been an amazing experience and it was a wrench to get up and come to work this morning.
While I've been away a lot has happened in the world. Most significant was the recent victory by a certain Barack Obama in the US presidential elections. The Americans aren't so stupid after all. However, the optimism has to be tempered somewhat be recent events following his victory. First was the appointment of Rahm Emanuel as his chief-of-staff. A man who is as pro-Israeli as they come - he even volunteered to serve in the Israeli army during the Gulf War in 1991. His appointment led his father to comment: "Obviously he will influence the president to be pro-Israel. Why wouldn't he be? What is he, an Arab? He's not going to clean the floors of the White House." Great! Just what we need.
Secondly was the response Obama gave when asked about the unprecedented congratulatory message he received from his Iranian counterpart (Ahmedinajad): "Iran's development of a nuclear weapon I believe is unacceptable. We have to mount an international effort to prevent that from happening." Never mind the fact that the chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency (a UN led watchdog) clearly stated that "...the Islamic Republic is still lacking the key components to produce an atomic weapon. They do not have even the nuclear material, the raw unenriched uranium to develop one nuclear weapon if they decide to do so." The President has already seemingly decided that Iran is making a nuclear weapon regardless of the evidence. Ominous signs already, we'll have to wait and see how this plays out.
What else has been happening? Oh yes, how could I forgot Liverpool continuing their fine start to the season, joint top of the Premiership and never have I been this optimistic that they may continue to stay there and challenge for the rest of the season. The optimism breeds from a great victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Their first defeat at home for over four years - I wasn't even married the last time a team beat Chelsea in the Premier League.
With my return to work comes the bad news of exams for my MRCGP around the corner in January/February. The next few months are going to be very busy with my surgeries, tutorials, ePortfolio and studying for my exams. As a result, it is going to be difficult to maintain this blog on a regular basis. Instead, I will strive to blog at least once a week and hope other will contribute and that you all will continue to read albeit at less regular intervals. For now, it's sad to be back at work, and I am missing my daughter!
Take care all,
Thoughts just flow, when do they have to make sense?
Over the past three weeks numerous family and friends have been visiting, all wanting a cuddle with the baby, receiving a lot of presents and so far it has been really fun and enjoyable. Everything else seems to have taken a backseat. Arguments, concerns, distractions, all have dissolved into nothing and all the focus is on their new grand-daughter, niece, cousin, etc. Along with the attention comes all the advice. What's difficult is deciphering what's important and what isn't. Some of the advice is useful, other stuff is almost pure superstition. Overall, so far, it has been an amazing experience and it was a wrench to get up and come to work this morning.
While I've been away a lot has happened in the world. Most significant was the recent victory by a certain Barack Obama in the US presidential elections. The Americans aren't so stupid after all. However, the optimism has to be tempered somewhat be recent events following his victory. First was the appointment of Rahm Emanuel as his chief-of-staff. A man who is as pro-Israeli as they come - he even volunteered to serve in the Israeli army during the Gulf War in 1991. His appointment led his father to comment: "Obviously he will influence the president to be pro-Israel. Why wouldn't he be? What is he, an Arab? He's not going to clean the floors of the White House." Great! Just what we need.
Secondly was the response Obama gave when asked about the unprecedented congratulatory message he received from his Iranian counterpart (Ahmedinajad): "Iran's development of a nuclear weapon I believe is unacceptable. We have to mount an international effort to prevent that from happening." Never mind the fact that the chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency (a UN led watchdog) clearly stated that "...the Islamic Republic is still lacking the key components to produce an atomic weapon. They do not have even the nuclear material, the raw unenriched uranium to develop one nuclear weapon if they decide to do so." The President has already seemingly decided that Iran is making a nuclear weapon regardless of the evidence. Ominous signs already, we'll have to wait and see how this plays out.
What else has been happening? Oh yes, how could I forgot Liverpool continuing their fine start to the season, joint top of the Premiership and never have I been this optimistic that they may continue to stay there and challenge for the rest of the season. The optimism breeds from a great victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Their first defeat at home for over four years - I wasn't even married the last time a team beat Chelsea in the Premier League.
With my return to work comes the bad news of exams for my MRCGP around the corner in January/February. The next few months are going to be very busy with my surgeries, tutorials, ePortfolio and studying for my exams. As a result, it is going to be difficult to maintain this blog on a regular basis. Instead, I will strive to blog at least once a week and hope other will contribute and that you all will continue to read albeit at less regular intervals. For now, it's sad to be back at work, and I am missing my daughter!
Take care all,
Thoughts just flow, when do they have to make sense?
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