..... Diplomats of Tomorrow

The first time I ever heard about Model United Nations I was unsure about what it would be like? but then I took it as a challenge and went ahead with it, and started on my journey to my first ever MUN (Model United Nations) experience.


What is Model United Nations???




From being unsure, I went to getting selected to being the head delegate and leading my delegation. The country for us came to be OMAN, and for me the committee was IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency).

Well started my journey on the road to munning as the experienced people  like to lovingly refer to it.

FIRST DAY:

We started off on a good start, and must i say i fell in love with my committee for it truly was the best there was at MUNIK 2010. Must I say at first I was intimidated by the intellectual level of the people around me, but at the same time i felt like i belonged, and then started the grueling and times fun debates of Nuclear disarmament and the NPT treaty with USA and Israel being bashed a lot.
    Our little delegate of Iran was quite the active one. and also Russia and Cuba made awesome points, and well Poland was all about the techie side of the agenda.
 Our entertainment session was the most memorable with my rendering of "GABBAR SINGH AT MUN" being so popular that I was constantly requested for it for the next 2 days :-p Also who can forget the chicken dance of Brazil, or the somewhat weird song choice of the Delegate of USA, (Sexual Healing was the song)
and then Iran's wish to dance and Russia's retort " Iran can't Dance She'll be killed" :-p (damn the stereotyping people)

The social for the first day was entitled "Tides of Peace" a beach party unlike any other, it was nice to see all the intellectual giants of MUNIK 2010 (mind you everyone was head and shoulders above the rest) get down and dance to the awesome beats of the DJ. And the food, and how we piled the plates all is cool, and the fun we had on the way to the beach and all the way back.






 SECOND DAY:

Ah the beach party was tiring and fun, but well everyone was sharp at 8 present and ready to get down and start the debate to save the world,  we started off as usual with a roll call, with our ACD (Assistant Committee Director) doing his unique style of roll calling " Libbbbyaaaaaa" and boy oh boy did we have crises situation that bombed all other crises situation into nothingness. An all out Nuclear War b/w Iran, North Korea, And USA, with Russia joining in the fray. All that was expected did happen and a lot that was never expected also happened, Russia's president gets kidnapped turns up at Oman, seemingly captured by  a terrorist orgainziation, now this tested my own skills, but Oman found him, and then Obama got killed which made Russia jump with joy and USA very upset, and well you know Kenya finally woke up from sleep and said the best line of em all " Kenya would like to find the assasanitors of Obama, because he is black and we are black and we black should stick together"

and Zimbabwe throughout the crises stuck to his stance for AID not AIDS unlike some other delegates form other committees were constantly asking for :-p

Even though it was 5 and the session ended but the Russian delegate still wanted to go about solving the crises, North Korea Stuck to his guns all the way, and Oman and turkey were constantly trying to make the warring factions see the light. and stop aggression. and well China was China, completely neutral during the whole crises.

The second social event was the masquerade ball, which kinda in my opinion resembled a high school prom, with gowns, and fabulously dressed ladies, with masks, and guys sharply dressed in tuxedos, and the IBA house band rocked, i must say wicked cover of the song BORN TO BE WILD, and the IAEA ACD and DISEC chair, totally owned the dance floor.






THIRD DAY:
Well the third day started off really early for me, cause I was the head delegate and we had to attend a special meeting.

ah well what a day it was, we became the first report writing committee in any MUN in Pakistan to pass a report unanimously, the Delegate of OMAN would like to brag here about how the segments were decided and how people worked, and how OMAN got voted into the authors list,and how even India, Israel and Pakistan became the signatories.

and then came the entertainment session where our ACD totally rocked the floor with his awesome dance performance, and the awesome urdu speec by North Korea and the sad story of Poland's lost love life.

Above is a picture of the IAEA committee, my committee, it was so much fun and credit goes to our Director,and ACD for making it such a memorable MUN experience.


CLOSING CEREMONY:

The closing ceremony came, and then the awards began, wow, what a privilege it was to win the Distinguished Diplomat Award in my Committee along with Poland and North Korea. The announcement of " THE interesting Delegate of OMAN" left me in a daze, winning the highest individual honor at an MUN on your first MUN is something to be remembered forever.

Me and My delegation

PERSONAL NOTE:
MUN has helped me grow into a better human being, sharpened my mind to razor edge to think and to react and to adapt all the while without sacrificing your principles. Also for the first time in my life I felt normal, and not alienated, because everyone one of the delegates the secretariat were intellectual giants in their own rights,and feels good to have people who are at par with a higher intellectual level.

I have been blessed to have met each and everyone one of you. may the friendships forged in these 3 days endure the tests of time.

© 2010 posted by Mustafa Ali Khan Afreedi (DarkMystic)

An engineer is more than........!!!

"Engineering is not merely knowing and being knowledgeable, like a walking encyclopedia;engineering is not merely analysis;engineering  is not merely the possession of the capacity to get elegant solutions to non-existent engineering problems;engineering is practicing the art of the organized forcing of technological change.. Engineers operate at the interface between science and society..." (Dean Gordon Brown)

Today's post is all about what it means to be an engineer, and the above quote rightly describes that. The question today is why has this mindset developed that an engineer must be a bookish guy or gal who just studies and nothing else. In today's fast moving, fast changing world, an engineer has to be dynamic, he must have a sound technical knowledge but also he must be adept at the art of writing and speaking. For in today's world you need to be innovative and then be convincing enough to push your innovative ideas through into the corporate world.

People have often asked me why do I often engage myself as Master of Ceremonies, or technical session moderator or more recently the Model United Nation(this I will be participating in a few days) ? 

My answer simply it teaches me the art and etiquettes of communication and allows you the chance to network and meet people who are in their own right legends of the fraternity of engineers, and  you never know you maybe fortunate to have some of their experience shared by them with me.

Over the years I have met so many wonderful people, who have taught me so much, and have been instrumental in making me a more confident and dynamic person, and all because I decided I will not follow the engineering stereotype, Break free, be dynamic,And they're are other people who share my enthusiasm for being more than just a technical guy who knows his way around the subject.

As a concluding note I would like to qoute

The ideal engineer is a composite ... He is not a scientist, he is not a mathematician, he is not a sociologist or a writer; but he may use the knowledge and techniques of any or all of these disciplines in solving engineering problems.

And remember this is one part of your personality, another part of you as an engineer, we strive for perfection, for we never arrive at perfection for it is a moving target for us, because in the words of Sir Henry Royce

Strive for perfection in everything you do. Take the best that exists and make it better. When it does not exist, design it.”

Till next time Have a good day.

© 2010 posted by Mustafa Ali Khan Afreedi (DarkMystic)

Sometimes a moment rips you apart

I still think about you every waking moment
just can;t seem to forget the moment
All the good times gone, Everything so dear
is driving me insane, causing me pain
Lost in misery, deprressed piece of shit
Yet i can;t seem to forget the moment


Looking beyond the veil, trying to decipher
why i can forget all about you...........
Everyday spend lost in thoughts, in misery
All left of me is just a depressed wreck'
yet can't seem to forget the moment.


Standing alone on the edge of darkness
bleak is the future, all their is lonliness
all around me wearing masks, so untrue
Two faced friends, ironic this world is
Yet can;t seem to forget the moment.

© 2010 posted by Mustafa Ali Khan Afreedi (DarkMystic)

The Engineering stereotyping

What in the world is going on? why on earth are engineers being stereotyped as dull, guys with no fashion or style sense and just nerdy guys, come on people engineers can be cool and smart. There are many many examples of this.

so stop confining yourself in a box, think outside innovate, and unleash the engineering  innovations while looking good.


Short post today, cause mondo tired people

© 2010 posted by Mustafa Ali Khan Afreedi (DarkMystic)

Terror at Lahore!!!Panic attack!!

5 Killed and 80 injured in the twin blasts at Lahore in the morning.!!! AS if this was not enough horror for the senses of the people of Lahore, another 5 blasts in a single locality took place the evening of 12th March 2010, although no serious injuries were reported but Lahore is in a vice like grip of Panic. People from all over Pakistan are together in hearts and minds with the people of Lahore.

Now the question that revolves in everyone's mind, WHO ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING IT?
Most people would not even think before pointing fingers at the West or some foreign agency. But that;s not the main point, the point is the one's who are doing these attacks, either planted or suicide, are unfortunately  are our own people, Why do they do this??

They are not Muslims, Christians, Hindus or in fact belong to any religion for no religion of the world in its true form preaches to kill the innocent.

I hope sincerely that this wave of terror ends, and Panicking is the worst thing we can do at times like this for the goal of a terrorist by definition is to cause terror, and if we panic then they have succeeded in their nefarious designs. So people of Pakistan unite, forgo your petty differences and prejudices, forget cast, creed, color, sect, province, remember we are first and foremost Pakistani's and then anything else, if you can believe in it, then we are a nation otherwise we are sadly never going to be a nation.

What is a nation? that question i will answer is some later post for it requires a certain amount of arguments and proofs regarding how do we define a nation.

© 2010 posted by Mustafa Ali Khan Afreedi (DarkMystic)

Memories (Dedicated to my Grandparents)

This is dedicated to my grandparents ( MAy Allah rest their souls in peace)
 and as my grandfather's first death anniversary passed a few days back i have decided to post it again.

All alone sitting in the dark
crying my heart out
can;t feel a thing, world going numb
can;t believe your gone
Feels like a part of me died
keeping me strong; the memories in my mind


All alone sitting in the dark
Remembering all the words you ever said
Remembering all the advices you ever gave
Remembering all the lessons you made me learn
Running in circles in my mind
Keeping me strong; the memories in my mind..


All alone sitting in the dark
trying to comprehend the truth
the loss; the pain; leaving me numb
trying to hold you, grasping only empty air..
All that is left are the memories in my mind
Keeping me strong the memories in my mind.

All that is left are the memories......
Keeping me strong; keeping me awake..
Are all the memories in my mind.. in my mind......

© 2010 posted by Mustafa Ali Khan Afreedi (DarkMystic)

The Power of Music

Today I simply tell everyone about something which is universal, and which we all listen to. Yes my friends this is all about Music. Now all of us listen to music but have any of us ever thought; how do we define music? How does it influence our mood, our perspective of life and many other things?

Music is best defined by the words of Musicologist David Tame "Music is the language of languages. It can be said that of all the arts, there is none that more powerfully moves and changes the consciousness."

All of us has heard the saying that music is the International Language it is a very simple thought but with much meaning behind it. And it is true, for even if you do not know the language of a country you can still enjoy it, dance to it. Even though we may not get the words but still we do understand the beauty of that musical selection and which makes music international…..

Although mathematics is another universal language of the mind; music is the language of the heart, as the great composer Robert Schumann called "the perfect expression of the soul."


Music has been around for millennia affecting the way people think, act, feel and will continue to do so for generations to come…Have you ever heard the saying, 'Music soothes the savage beast?' It's true. Music can calm and revitalize us in ways even a lengthy nap can't. Music holds the power to elevate our moods above our worries and relieve debilitating depression.

In general it has been seen that music not only affects our mood but also our physical being is also affected by it. Music is known to help increase learning capabilities especially Mozart’s pieces, this effect are known as the Mozart effect. Music is also seen to bring changes in our body’s measurements such as heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature and many more; I think the medical students would better understand the significance of these figures.

Many scientists have been studying the affects of music on people one of them is
Dr. Adam Knieste, a musicologist; he said: "It's really a powerful drug. Music can poison you, lift your spirits, or make you sick without knowing why”.

Music is a very powerful force I, this world my friends but people just don’t realize that as said by Eddie Mason: "Music is used everywhere to condition the human mind. It can be just as powerful as a drug and much more dangerous, because nobody takes musical manipulation very seriously."

Its power although not recognized and appreciated by the general public has been appreciated by many influential people including Napoleon himself while giving his thoughts about music he said:
"Give me control over he who shapes the music of a nation, and I care not who makes the laws."

Such is the power of music… although this is something which can make up my doctorate thesis but we will continue this series of the effects and power of music some other day in the end all that can be sad is

Music is life. Music is someone's passion and love all in one. Music is everywhere. In the harmony of nature in the flow of streams in the moving waves of the ocean, in our breathing in and out. You can't get rid of it. It's in the human soul

© 2010 posted by Mustafa Ali Khan Afreedi (DarkMystic)

Tea with a Living Legend!!

In life at times you meet people who are living legends, and such meeting are forever burned in your memories. I had such an opportunity this past Sunday to meet such a man. This man is Mr.Lutfullah Khan.

Having heard about him from my mother, and read about him, through various sources I was intimidated to meet a man of his stature, his passion is unrivaled in my own experience. When I first saw him, this frail looking 93 year old man, he radiated this aura of power, and knowledge.

Now what makes Mr.Lutfullah Khan a living legend, it is his collection. He has been avid collector of poetry, prose, photographs, audio, cameras, coins, books, movie posters of old and many more, the vastness of his collection can not be defined by a mere blog, but is in itself deserving a book.

A small sample of what this man;s collection is like would be, that he has the works of 800 poets of the subcontinent. His audio collection is unrivaled in the world in my opinion,  the poetic works of a great many poets recited in their own voice, Faiz Ahmed Faiz recorded his entire poetic works for him. And the list goes on and on my friends.

This is a treasure unlike any other, but sadly this is a treasure which may be lost in the sand of time, for all tapes have a life, and there is so much a 93 year old man can do, to convert these shelfs upon shelfs of meticulously cataloged audio archives into digital media.

It is this blogger's wish that an NGO, buy this treasure and create a muesum so that future generations can hear and experience  the unique audio visual history of the Indo-Pak subcontinent.






I am still trying to comprehend the vastness of his collection, for a man to be able to do so much in a lifetime is a monument to Mr.Lutfullah Khan's passion his Junoon.

Lutfullah Khan Sahib A living Legend (Check this link form more info about this great man)

© 2010 posted by Mustafa Ali Khan Afreedi (DarkMystic)

Women's Day Special

Since today is 8th of March and women's day so today the mind's eye sees something special, today I will present an argument steeped into logic and theology regarding my opinion of women rights.

My Friends

Everyone knows the story that God created Eve from Adam's rib. Now the point being here is that the rib is from the side, not above, not below but the side, the mid, (symbolizing equality). So God meant Eve to be Adam's compliment, his equal partner, and that's what women are, our compliments, they are the protons to us electrons you can say. Hence the rights of women are equal to men, if God wanted otherwise, wanted women to be inferior God would've created Eve from part of the leg bone or superior from a bone from our heads or shoulders.

If that is not enough than another interesting fact, and this is a proven medical fact. Each of us has 23 pairs of chromosomes for a total of 46 chromosomes. and when the baby is conceived, 23 from the father and 23 from the mother make up the 46 of the baby, now this screams of equality and proof in my opinion that women are our equals.

and for the machoists or sexist among the male population, women are strong they are not weak, for God's sake child birth is a testament to their physical and mental strength.

And as a concluding note  i just have to say,
without women, there would be no mother's day, no children's day no father's day.

this is my tribute to women, to our better halfs, to our compliments, to the protons of us electrons.

and on a lighter note, men are from earth and women are from earth deal with it.

© 2010 posted by Mustafa Ali Khan Afreedi (DarkMystic)

The First step

This is kind of my first step into the world of blogging

So just a little introduction is in order.

This blog is how I see the world, my experience, my thoughts, my opinions on the world. Some may like them some may not, and some things might be controversial.

About me: My passions are the arts and literature and music,

a mystic at heart.

and an electronic engineer by profession.

So come with me on the journey to see the world through the mind's eye, through my realm

© 2010 posted by Mustafa Ali Khan Afreedi (DarkMystic)