11.11.11 - what's so special?

[Following is a AFP report, taken from the Al Arabiya news site last Monday, 7 Nov. 2011]

This coming Friday at 49 minutes before noon, people around the globe will experience a numerically auspicious hour and date unlike any other in modern times: 11:11, on 11/11/11.

While millions may marvel at the once-per-century string of ones on their clocks, mobile devices and calendars, to be sure much of humanity will hardly bat an eye.

But many numerologists, metaphysicists, psychics and their followers, occultists and conspiracy theorists will be watching for signs of some broad humanistic awakening, a harmonic convergence, even a portal opening into a new dimension, as some experts predict a major “shift in consciousness.”

Eid-ul-Azha: Time maybe to make a sacrifice for the sacrifice

Angels stop Abraham as he sacrifices Isaac

With Eid-ul-Azha just concluded across the world, I can't help but look back at this Muslim tradition as an enormous waste of resource... particularly when it is set against the number of people in the world and the significantly growing number of animals that that are sacrificed on this one day.

I should say that as part of the Muslim fraternity, my childhood was linked to this tradition (but I'm glad to also say that we were never a rabid follower of this tradition).

You see I can understand the significance of the story behind the day and can even appreciate Abraham's devotion to God that he would willingly (albeit with most likely a father's heavy heart) sacrifice his son.


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Alas, can I admit that my devotion would not be strained in the least were I to be put to the same test, because I would not consider it.

Greetings on Eid Ul Azha

911: A conspiracy, not just theory

There are probably dozens (if not more) conspiracy theories about what happened on 9/11 and whether in fact Al Qaeda was in fact responsible.

I for one was never convinced that Osama bin Laden was behind the hijacking and the resulting destruction in the US that day. A lot of it never made any sense to me – most importantly the motive was never clear.

I mean if you look at the facts as they have played out neither Osama bin Laden nor his Al Qaeda movement has benefited in the least... if anything they have lost much more.

But then who has benefited?

Providence saves

Going through the papers a particular news item caught my eye and reminded me of providence.

It seems a Sri Lankan trawler was detained in South Africa earlier last month after it had docked at a South African port to pick up bunkers.

The ship was scheduled to depart for Sierra Leone, however, after an ad hoc inspection by the South African Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa) the ship was detained because it did not have any safety equipment on board.

The owner argued that such was not a requirement as part of Sri Lankan rules only to be told that at a South African port the ship had to meet South African rules. The owner reluctantly bought the requisite safety equipment and had it installed to be allowed to set sail.

500 day journey ends without ever beginning

It never ceases to amaze me the extents man is capable of going in the name of science. This week six people will re-enter civilisation after 520 days inside a isolation facility designed to simulate a trip to Mars.

The facility located in at the Institute of Biomedical Problems in Moscow. The six 'astronauts,' comprising of an international crew of three Russians, a French man, an Italian and a Chinese man, have been inside a windowless capsule since June 2010. The core of the mission was to test whether it is in fact psychologically possible for man to survive the trip.

When they come out this Friday, the answer will be an emphatic (if, I think, a cautious) 'yes.'