Yuwie - general overview (http://r.yuwie.com/anesahosein)
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: It's All Coming Back To Me Now (Celine Dion)
Topic: Internet fun things

So, came across this new social networking website on the internet ... actually really it was someone who was spamming facebook - so found it and decided to follow it and see what it was about. There was a cute guy telling you all about Yuwie was - so sat down and listen to it. It all sounded too good to be true really, basically there is a pyramid scheme in which users can earn money by number of page views. Basically they calculate the RSR (Revenue Sharing Rate) at each month and for every 1000 page views you accumulate you can get a percentage of the RSR.

The pyramid scheme works in such a way that you can earn RSR from up to ten levels of your friends' page views ... Therefore, it is often worth the while of a person to ensure that they have lots and lots of 'friends'. Hence the 'spamming' of people to ask them to join under their referral (by the way if you want to help me test this out ... my referral is http://r.yuwie.com/anesahosein :D - might earn some money for myself during this Phd - if this works out :P)....

Anyway, I have to say the site itself at first reminded me of hi5 but other people says it look sort of like myspace ... and on reflection think it looks more like myspace. But for a social-networking website it pales in comparison to facebook by far ... I think it is even worse than Myspace. I think the most annoying thing of this site is the adverts (although I think they expect you to accept or bare with it - because in their spiel they indicate it is through adverts that they earn money!). Almost anything you do, they'll give you a page with an advert which you have to skip and the most annoying is that it sometimes forget the original information you put it. And then there are the annoying flashing and blinking and sometimes talking adverts on the sides - they're certainly conspicuous!

It has a horrible red colour to it ... which just makes you feel angry - although you can change or create your templates like in hi5 and myspace. I cannot in good mind recommend this as a good social networking website - it feels a bit clunky and the pictures it uploads are not of very good quality ...

Right will give updates on how it proceeds ... I'll try and see what happens - you can help me by joining to see how the referral scheme goes ... but don't have to - because got to say I don't like the site so much ... But there is an Open University school group (with only 2 persons! - myself and someone else) ...

Waiting for it warm up
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: Potential Breakup Song (Aly and AJ)
Topic: Milton Keynes
So, it's a bit cold right now ... I got up 6:30 got ready at 7 ... and was planning to walk to the OU but it just felt too cold ... so, decided to wait a bit and see if it will warm up ... I could drive but figure should take every opportunity to exercise. I think it has warmed up sufficiently now - so heading out :D.

Google Maps has new cool feature!!
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: Picture This (Blondie)
Topic: Internet fun things
So, went to check out the route for a trip between Northampton and Milton Keynes (was planning on going on the upcoming BSRLM conference) ... on google maps ... and discovered now you can move around the route to choose which roads you want to use it ... that is so great!! Because I always prefer the nice quiet scenic country roads rather than the dual-carriageways and most of those direction programmes never let you choose that, but now with this feature in google maps ... you can!! They really do know what people want ... I mean the ability to drag the map and see where you want to go rather than clicking arrows (as in other irritating programmes such as from the AA and RAC) is brilliant ... and the ability to do satellites look as well is great!! Especially with me who really want to see how confusing the highway interchange or roundabout is :D

Dream last night
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: Weeping (Josh Groban)
Topic: Dreams

I had quite a crazy dream last night ... I dreamt I went to UWI and there was a protest ... not sure what the protest was for ... but what I gathered from my dream it was not a student issue but I decided to join into the protest since I thought I should support then ... and then appeared a dog that looked like Milo from The Mask ... and he started barking at me and then trying to nip my heels which caused me to run ... whilst everyone thought this was funny and started laughing ... so I began running from the dog and he ran behind me, and he grabbed (God alone knows how!) my jacket - the one with the fur trim (why I'm wearing a jacket in a hot country .... I'm not certain) ... anyway, the dog grabbed it and I gave it to him and he swallowed it whole and all there was remaining, was the fur trim sticking outside of his mouth. That's when I knew the dog meant business ...

So, I ran to this building and got in and shut the door but was quite afraid that the dog could still open the door (I think for some reason I thought he could turn handles) ... anyway, as it turned out it was some kind of lab and there was some guy in it (who wasn't good-looking - not my type - that's an important bit of information) who asked me what was going on and then proceeded to comfort me and assure me that the dog can't get in ... and then for some reason got around to talking about what he does (beside be in UWI I guess) and indicate he runs a car park and it is a family business and that I should come visit some time ... and somewhere during that conversation I told him that I wanted to indicate to him he wasn't my type ... and I think he said that wasn't why he asked me (or something to that effect). Anyway, for some reason I was then in Penal with some intention of going to see his car park but first wanted to get him something so, went to some shops (whcih looked decidingly as if there were in Kingstown, St. Vincent) not sure what I got but have an impression it was food ... and then went to meet him at the car park where he was handing out tickets to people. And somewhere around there is when I woke up.

Now the startling thing is ... in the dream I definitely saw the guy's face and I definitely did not like his appearance etc. however, because he sort of 'saved' or 'comforted' me I sort of think I developed a liking for him and hence the reason for going to visit him at the car park ... so, that's my dream. It seems a bit scary that I can like someone who I couldn't care for in the first place but because he was a nice guy I then started to like him ... probably my mind trying to tell me something? :D

Interesting things .... Sailing trip
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: Red River Valley (Michael Martin Murphey)
Topic: Events

Well ... went on the sailing trip ... and that was quite fun. We didn't arrive on Friday till about 6/7 pm I think ... by the time we got settled into the boat we then decided to motor up from Woolverstone Marina up to Shotley Marina as we were planning on having dinner there at the Shipwreck restaurant. We had to hurry since we thought the restaurant took last orders at 9:15 (Roger had to call the restaurant to see what time) ... we were slightly worried but we made it there for about 9 ... but at the Shotley marina there is a lock. Quite interesting. The boat has to go through a flood gate which is then closed and water is added in (it was low tide) from the marina to raise its level until it equalises and then the boat (yacht or whatever) can then motor in and berth. We had to stabilize the boat in the floodgates with boat hooks (and I had to do it - and no clue what I was doing but it worked!!)

Well, we were worried since filling up the lock took a long while but the guy on duty tried to fill it up as fast as possible for us since we told him we were trying to make it to the restaurant. Tina and Linda sort of left Roger and I to deal with the mooring as they hurried to the restaurant. As we were sailing into our berth (is that what is is called??) - some guy just say me standing uncertainly at the bow and asked if we needed help ... and Roger said yes ... so, I didn't have to do anything.

As it turned out ... last orders were being taken from 9:30 ... so, we had some more time than we anticipated :).

We stayed there overnight and the next morning I was going up to the bathrooms ... I was trying to fix my sandals when my glasses popped out of my face, bounced off the pier where I was standing and then went into the water and I stood there watching it ... sink further and further with a flabbergasted look and not doing anything about it. So, didn't have my glasses ... Roger tried to see if he could fetch it out with a boat hook but to no avail - it was just too deep (and as this was a lock - there was no possibility of saying I could wait till low tide!) ... anyway, I know where exactly where my glasses is ... it's between berth F35 and F37 on the Shotley marina ... Hopefully some catfish might find it useful :P.

Well ... even without my glasses ... Roger still allowed me to steer the boat and I think I did pretty well considering I was considerably blind. I even did some steering when we were tacking ... which was great - and also got to do some tacking as well ... I like tacking it's fun and it is sort of exhilarating at the same time. We sailed most of Saturday up the River Stowe onto the town of Misterly and as we were sailing back down to the Orwell we had lunch ... as we were sailing up to Orwell we got caught in some huge rain storms and we got soaked and then dried again (well we had waterproof on - so not really soaked :D) ... and somewhere as we were approaching the Woolverstone Marina, the clouds opened and it poured and there was thunder and lightening as well ... we got sufficiently scared that we motored our way back up to the marina (we were sailing all the time - we were going pretty fast about 4.5 knots over land).

Then as I couldn't drive (no glasses) ... Roger dropped Tina and I back in Milton Keynes and my car is still at Linda's ... Linda went on to see her parents. It was pretty terrible conditions to drive back in since it was pouring rain at times ... and the spray was horrible ... it really obscured a lot of cars.

 

Sailing trip
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: Only Love Can Break A Heart (Sonny James)
Topic: Events

Well, tomorrow Tina and I along with Linda are going down to Ipswich again for a sailing trip with Captain Roger again - the weather doesn't seem to be so fine as last time - as there seem to be rain on its way ... but hopefully it should be ok - and at least warm (God willing!).

Anyway, went yesterday and collected my sleeping bag from Nana, so I think I'm all set ... except that the blanket I took the last time (the brown one) still got stinging nettles on them (nope haven't cleaned it since the picnic!!) - so, guess I can't take that ... so really need it to be warm - oh yeah, think we have to take a pillow perhaps? Can't remember what I took the last time ... got to check the emails and perhaps just one bedsheets .... the problem when I do that it just comes back smelling like grease.

Anyway, gotta go home and pack. Tomorrow got to put petrol in the car since we're meeting Linda at her house and then driving down to Ipswich. We've also got to get some stuff from Tesco - food and drink.

Just posting an entry
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: I Need You (Foreigner)
Topic: Friends

Well, since I hadn't posted here in a long time, thought I would just put an entry. My life seem to be existing around my work and going to cinema with Tina.

I think I've watched a lot of movies lately ... nearly every single one that has been out. I watched Bridge to Terabithia yesterday ... it was sad (it was like My Girl sad - that's a huge hint there!).

Anyway, Jenny and I are supposed to be going to cinema one Sunday ... hopefully, I don't have to watch back something that I've already seen, but it seems likely, but don't mind so much, because just like the social aspect of doing it ... just trying to build my network of friends - slowly but surely :).

Not sure what I'll be up to this weekend, it seems to be raining all this week although last week the weather was quite brilliant. I have a penchant for drives at the morning, and also the feeling of going to areas in the UK where I've never been before namely the Peak and the Lake district although I have a longing to go to the Shetland islands as well. And I've been looking at camping as a possibility since it is so cheap and allows me some time to relax between one driving day to the next. Really need someone else who can drive to go along with me, so we can share the driving!

Guy's Guide to a Geek Girl
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: Surprisingly nothing!
Topic: Internet fun things

I've just been reading (well actually still reading) the Guy's Guide to a Geek Girl. It's so funny and so me!! She's got me down pat :). Says that the geek girls have an active online life (ain't that the truth - the worse part is that I think guys who don't have an active online life - just don't have a life :) ).

Anyway ... she says that geek girls like sci-fi ... well not too much me ... but did hit the nail on its head when she said geek girls like Spock more than Captain Kirk ... so true!! I'll take Spock any day over Captain Kirk. How can you not like Spock?

"The hair can be any length, but in almost all cases, it is OUT OF THE WAY"

So TRUE!!!! I like my hair but out of the way ... got to be up in a pony tail :D.

 

Blufr
Mood:  chillin'
Now Playing: Papa Kehte Hain (Quaymat Se Quaymat Tak)
Topic: Internet fun things

Just came across this site and thought it was fun so thought I will post it, it's called blufr. It is just some little known facts in which you have to guess whether they are true or not. I had a score about 1100 but then decided to go do some work instead (I have a pilot of my LP due today so got to work on that).

But its a cool site :)

Feeling restless
Mood:  lazy
Now Playing: Dil Ne Dil Ko Pukara (Kaho Naa Pyar Hai)
Topic: Church

I'm feeling bored and lazy to do my work - so decided to post something here - and it has been ages since I last wrote here.

 Don't exactly know what to write - I think I was probably have a faith-crisis lately, but think I may be on the road to resolving that. I've read a man's journey to Christianity which really helped (he was an atheist). I like it because there were a lot of logical stuff into it, without quoting the bible profusely - because that irritates me when that is used for evidence. Although, after reading that did read that some of his sources were from authors who were Christian believers (such as Denton) - so, must take everything with a grain of salt, as with most people (I'm talking about Denton here) who believe in something, they would only find evidence to prove their point rather than looking at the wealth of other evidence. Denton dealt with evolution. Although there has been criticisms and rebuttal on his dealing with evolution (because he stated that the natural selection doesn't occur but rather discreet appearance of animals - I haven't read Denton - but I believe that is what is being said - and he, I think, also indicates that Homo erectus is actually Homo sapiens) - but the rebuttals don't really show this evidence that Homo erectus is Homo sapiens (there has been a new discovery of the Turkana boy - but makes it difficult to reconcile in my mind).  So, was a bit confused there, but then read about other evolutionists who as theists who expressed that even if evolution is the way we came about being, then who is it to say that wasn't God's plan in how he created us. And that I could understand and agree with.

Although, evolution and big bang theory does leave some awfully big gaps for me ... this idea of life starting spontaneously/ randomly is quite strange, there must be something external which caused this. I mean I could understand scientists persuasion that it randomly occur, but if that was true I would expect that we should be able to create life from non-life objects quite easily at this point of our civilization ... but nothing so far. Something is missing, I'm sure (well not really - I have no idea what I'm saying!) that we still have the ingredients for spontaneous life - why isn't it occurring around us since it happened so randomly. Anyway, just came across a site on the creationist theory of science, which although I look at with some skeptism, I'm going to give it a read since even though the big flood may seem slightly far-fetched in my mind (even as a Christian! - although I do not doubt there was a flood - but a flood of that magnitude seems a bit far-fetched), I think it would be good to look at the different theories and why he oppose the common theories right now - if not anything it would make me think. Because people often get so bogged down in theories they refuse to look outside of the box for other theories (that's the scientific method for you - which always get me irritated as people just change one variable of a time with the same theory no matter how stupid it is until someone comes and decide to think outside the box, like Einstein and change the theory such as his relativity and QM).

Anyway, that website which spoke about the guy's journey to christianity is also linked to the main website allaboutgod.com, which is alright but not so robust in explaining things since it relies on the bible a lot (nothing wrong with relying on the bible but when someone is having a faith crisis, they would look at the bible very skeptically as a point of proof). Anyway, something got me miffed about the website, in that when they spoke about Islam they indicated that Allah is not the same as the Christian God, and implied that one of the muslim leader's might be the anti-christ. Now I hate that those implications, I don't like people bad-talking other people religion and thinking they won't enter heaven etc.. I think in this day and age where there are so much people are atheists you should be grateful that there are people who still believe in God, perhaps their doctrine are not the same as yours but at least they are trying to find enlightenment and the way to God as they understood how and I think when it comes to the Day of Judgment, God will be the judge of them on how they've lived their lives. And even for people who don't believe in God, I think if they try to lead a good life and help those who are around them etc., I still think of them as blessed, because unknowingly they are doing what God has commanded and I don't think God will treat them less, because he will judge them on the doctrine they follow. Because in the end, we just want ourselves and everyone around us to follow Jesus's most powerful commandment, "Love thy neighbour as thyself" or what has become the Golden Rule "Do unto others as you would like others to do unto you".

Anyway, this website also indicated that the Qur'an preached violence, now that felt strange to me since I didn't think any holy book will actually preach that, but as it turn out it does. But then again, the Old Testament is full of wars and of God sanctioning those (I cannot reconciled my God as I know it as a God sanctioning wars), but I know that these books are written by man (although lots of people say it has been inspired by God - it still doesn't change that it is written by man, because although I could have inspiration from my supervisors, the way I write or 'spin' things is entirely up to me), and so, since these books are written by man just means that they chose to believe that wars they won were sanctioned by God, and ones that they lost were not. My understanding of my God comes from the New Testament, that God I can understand.

However, there were often things I myself could not reconcile with the Qur'an doctrine and my impression of Allah (I just used Allah here to make a difference when I'm speaking of Muslim doctrine), but doesn't make the religion wrong. I do however reading this article on the compilation of Qur'an although from a Christian bias (I was looking one from a Muslim point of view but couldn't find any, although this paper I read suggests there may be few as Muslims don't think is their right to question the Qur'an). However, I've often thought before even reading this paper that the Qur'an may have been biased towards men and written for the people of that time. And it does seem that the Qur'an has been corrupted (for gaining 'riches' for men) as there has been some fishy happenings, such as the destruction of previous compilation of Qur'ans from people who knew Muhammad personally and the abrogations point to this. I think the Qur'an has been corrupted and it may be difficult to decipher where the real ayas and the corrupted ones are, but I have little doubt that Muhammad did hear words and repeated it to his companions, the problem is how much of those verses have been corrupted.

Anyway, besides all that ... my faith crisis occurred because it is more philosophical, if there is a purpose to life ... and I must say conclusively there is a purpose to life, if there was not someone we had to be accountable to and there was no purpose to life except to die and that be the end of the that, then we might as well die as soon as we born, why reproduce and populate. Why have aspirations and ambitions and moral behaviour, why the need to have purpose? Because otherwise we are purposeless, we are dead soul-less beings - but we must have a soul that is our life spirit and the purpose is to save it - its the only thing that makes sense. If I didn't have a purpose, there is no need to save this life or try accomplishing something.

Anyway, this might be confusing to other people, but my convoluted logic makes sense to me :D.