Qatar قطر

I first arrived in Qatar in the year before the turn of the new millenium. It was for me the first time that I'd lived in a new place and was, for three years, my home. After the initial settling in period, I grew to love the place as did my young family and we have fond memories of our time living in Al Khor in the north and discovering a new and exciting region. In the interim, I have lived and worked in other places, and passed through Qatar, staying in Doha en route to the UAE where I also made my home. Today I return to the country that was once home, with an older family, and to a much changed country. I am here this time for a family event, but amongst the most exciting aspects I hope to experience, will be to return to those places that were familiar, when, fifteen years ago, this was a fledgling country with a mere population of 600,000. The Gulf isn't quite out of my system, I confess. For example, when I send an email, I edit the signature tag that still carries my old cell number.  Also, when I write this blog, whilst the dates are accurate, the times that are published by each posting actually reflect Gulf Standard Time. Memories perhaps?

Qatar. I am home. Enjoy the film.

Pakhwa پخوا

Periodically we need to take a look back and so we do with the lyrics and title پخوا for this song by Ismail and Junaid. They combine rock guitars with the rubâb and blend tradition with a contemporary sound. The appeal factor, for me, however, are the words written by Hamza Shinwari Baba. An excellent ode to the Pashto language.

This video begins with a title slide that is a reminder that many have lost their lives in the turmoil in Pakistan and Afghanistan.  We should not let ourselves forget.

Find Ismail and Junaid on Facebook.

Video Credits:

Pakhwa by Ismail and Junaid
Tune Composition: Ismail Khan / Rafiq Shinwari
Poetry: Hamza Shinwari
D.O.P: Bilal Farooq & Haseeb Shah
Directed by: Shoaib Anwar / Jawad Zeb
Edited by: Shoaib Anwar

ښايسته افغانستان

ښايسته افغانستان
This song by Zeek Afridi is one of my favourites at the moment. Enjoy.

تور خان

Check out this post with a similar title, sung by Shafiq Mureed. 

Mayan Apocalypse

13th/14th B'ak'tun, 13.0.0.0.0

One of the things that comes up in class when I am working with children is the numerical patterns around dates such as Palindromes or those have some significant attachment. Yesterday's date was such a talking point since it was the winter solstice for those living in the northern hemisphere. However, this event was overshadowed by Mayan doom theories of the impending expiration of the Long Calendar, and with it the end of life, time and the Earth.

Hype

I have mentioned hype before and how I often feel that being swept up in popular hype goes against rational balanced thinking. This is just one of those stories and the apocalypse theories have been stirred in part by those who have taken the Long Calendar as some kind of prophesy. Even the ancient Mayans astronomers and mathematicians using their own Base 18/20 counting system did not make that claim.

One day, scientifically and/or theologically speaking the Earth will end, so this is a subject that isn't about to go away and that I may come back to explore at some further point InshAllah. As it is ... here's a video by NASA with their view on yesterday's doomsday scenario and how Al Hamdulilah, the Earth is still here one day later. 

Rubâb Interlude ...

The music and pictures take me places. Enjoy ...

Massive Open Online Courses: MOOCs

The combination of education and technology brings new opportunities for sharing content and learning and I have a key interest in distance learning, having successfully gone through the process. Despite some obvious challenges - such as the need to maintain your skills of self reliance, generally, I have enjoyed being part of a technologically connected international learning community. Some time back in this blog, I did mention Curt Bonk's enthusiasm for on-line learning too. In my case it meant that I could pursue an academic programme whilst living overseas and crucially meant that I didn't have to give up my full-time work order to do so. In fact in many ways, the DTCE programme at Manchester University was the 'genesis' for this blog (specifically it was a unit taught at a distance on Emerging Technologies that required my thoughts and input that was the key factor in accelerating me towards becoming a regular blogger). However, it is the overall experience of distance learning in my vocational area of education that is the key discussion point here, and the fact that I am now contemplating further academic study through a blended course that involves some distance and some face-to-face contact suggests that - for some - distance programmes remain a valuable opportunity to pursue further learning. Watch this space, but yes, a doctorate is something that I most certainly would like to complete, InshAllah.

I occupy several spaces to be honest - I have worked at the chalkface as a teacher in a variety or national and international state and private settings and I have worked in consultancy and in advisory roles aiming to build capacity. Each setting has its own specifics. A good example would be how primary education is about developing the 'whole child' and how university education is about developing knowledge and understanding in specific academic areas.

We still live in a world where we expect much of our formal learning to be accredited, so that still remains an important point for pursuing a university programme in my opinion so there are some drawbacks with no-fee MOOCs (Massive Open On-line Courses). In fact, if it simply comes down to distribution of course notes/learning materials then there is little to differentiate it with what is already available/downloadable on the Internet in general. Interaction between students and between students and content and tutors is key and that remains yet to be seen. But since some prime universities seem to be investing time in opening up course modules to the world, then perhaps there is some to be experienced and learned hopefully. I've decided to sign up for two courses in areas of interest - education being one of them, naturally, but I wanted to have a go at Life Sciences and specifically, I am interested in learning more about Sustainable Environment. 

I'm potentially excited by the possibilities, but really, is anything for free? 

Watch this space.

Read more here and here.

Earth Calling Mars

or rather Mars Calling Earth ...

Curiosity, the name given to NASAs latest Mars exploration rover touched down yesterday on the red planet itself, to start its 2 year mission (1 Martian year). I've always been fascinated with Space and the human pursuit of pushing back the frontiers to learn more about what lies beyond. This little animated video from NASA offers an insight into how Curiosity will send messages back to Earth. Oh, and you can connect to Curiosity via Twitter. Apparently, this robot has "her" own Twitter account.

The Story of Swat (1862-1969) Part 5

Final part of the series, documenting the history of Swat.

Tor_Khan تور خان

The Story of Swat (1862-1969) Part 4

Part four of the series on the history of Swat. In this part we are introduced to the non-Muslim minorities who have made Swat their home.

Tor_Khan تور خان

The Story of Swat (1862-1969) Part 3

Part three of the documentary on the history of Swat.

Tor_Khan تور خان

The Story of Swat (1862-1969) Part 2

Part two of the documentary on the history of Swat.

Tor_Khan تور خان

The Story of Swat (1862-1969) Part 1

First part of a Pashto language mini-series documenting the history of Swat. 

Tor_Khan تور خان

Colossus: The Forbin Project

Colossus: The Forbin Project is a 1970 released movie based on the 1966 novel Colossus by Dennis Feltham Jones. I first saw the film several years after it was released at a time when home computers had begun to become household items. The film, partly being connected with my interest in technology and the ethics around it and partly being one that captivated my imagination of a computer gone 'mad', has taken me several years to track down.

There is a political undertone set against the backdrop of the cold war, and ultimately one of necessary human cooperation against artificial intelligence. The film tells the story of a US defence supercomputer, Colossus, that develops a consciousness and eventually partners with a parallel system named Guardian from the USSR. Together they merge and in keeping with their purpose - to guard the Earth, they begin to remove the obstacles in the form of humans who attempt to block their attempts to grow stronger. Dr Forbin, the scientist behind Colossus is made a prisoner, put under camera surveillance and eventually is made a servant to the system despite his final protests. The film makes a worthwhile comment on surveillance, control and artificial intelligence revolting against its human creators and ultimately entrapping them. Enjoy the clip here.

A.I. Super-Toys Last All Summer

In several direct references to events that run parallel to the Pinnochio narrative, the 2001 film, A.I. Artificial Intelligence by Stephen Spielberg tells the story of a robot who wants to become a real boy and be loved by his mother. The events in the film stretch over a 2000 year span and highlights a state of emotion in robots that would otherwise - by today's standard of computer machinery - be considered irrational. Even with artificial 'intelligence' the robot-child is unable to understand his design purpose and the emotional 'need' - in fact part of the programming that has been unlocked by code - would be described as singularly obsessive. Ultimately there are clear limits to this version of artificial intelligence if the robot cannot self-realise. See this for a further commentary on the film.

The film is based on the Brian Aldiss short story entitled Super-Toys Last All Summer Long. Both the film and the short story take an interesting look at the subject, and highlight the ethical aspect around how desirable it is to try to build complex 'emotional' responses into machinery, and whether this is always likely to be fraught with shortcomings. Click here to read the story.

Kabul: A City At Work

In my trawls through blogs of note, I came across this one. Away from the news of the war and the political uncertainties, these short films offer a glimpse into life and work in Kabul, Afghanistan. I chose the film here because it features a version of a soundtrack that is connected to an early memory of mine. The song "Yema da Truck Driver" is a light-hearted song, that brings a little smile back to me as I remember hearing this on cassette tape way back when. The version that I know from the movie, Orbal, is available here.

Being a jingle truck painter, is a contemporary art form. What better than to recognise this here:

Tor_Khan تور خان

7 Billion Dollar Man

... And whilst we are talking about 7 billion people, who exactly might Mr Typical be?

7 Billion People

The version of the story that appeared in the Guardian was, overall, rather gloomy. Perhaps there is reason to be. Against a backdrop of global economic woe and with limited resources, the Guardian reports that Planet Earth has become Planet Humanity. 

Officially, there are now 7 Billion People on Planet Earth. The growth in numbers illustrates this point. In October 2011 there were 1 billion more people than in October 1999. Humanity hit the "first billion people" mark in the early 19th century and then another 1.5 billion followed over the next 150 years. The rapid spike upwards continued over the last 60 years as the world's population grew another 4 and half billion.

To a point, the fear about over-consumption has validity, but do we exercise fairness when we talk about striking a balance? After all, the vast majority of people on the planet - whether populations are expanding or not - live with relative humbleness. The gloomy scenario is that not everyone can live like the capitalist industrialised west. True, there may be some limits both in the ability to deliver fossil-fuel power/temperature-controlled lifestyles, and the desirability of this, but surely people in the developing world have the right to strive for better - clean water, reliable transport links and overall quality of life.

We - the people - are part of the natural backdrop of this planet and as Mohandas K. Gandhi said: "Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed." 

Enjoy the film:

7 Billion People graphic taken from RobertBorkowski.com

یو ځله که تا وخندل

  یو ځله که تا وخندل 

Yow Zhal Ka Ta Wakhandal - Homayun Sahebzai

A little musical escapism ... I like this indeed. Enjoy.

Changing Education Paradigms

Here's an interesting discussion about the limitations of contemporary approaches to education.

The speaker is Sir Ken Robinson. Animation by Cognitive Media.

Klaatu Barada Nikto

We Come in Peace ... 

Robert Wise's 1951 film, The Day the Earth Stood Still inspired by Harry Bates 1940s science fiction short story, "Farewell to the Master" is essentially a story of alien humanoid and his seemingly motionless robot companion who comes to Earth with a message of peace coupled with a stark warning to humankind.

Throughout the story, the robot Gort (Gnut in the story by Bates) appears motionless, only reanimating by firing a laser from an eye/visor when protecting Klaatu, the alien protagonist. As a way of pacifying the robot the words "Klaatu Barada Nikto" are spoken. What is never explained is the exact meaning of the alien language and so the words are purposely left open to interpretation. The line has made it into contemporary science fiction (and political) culture and the popular conjecture is that the words are a fail-safe, "shut-down"/"do not retaliate"/"we come in peace" type inter-galactic message. The message still resonates strongly and as an example, try inserting about:robots into your Firefox Browser. 

Theme continued in the next posting.