Mine your Mind

If you mine your mind you will feel fine,

If you close your mind you will feel morose,

Rewind your mind and don't leave it behind,

Most of all, do not bind your mind!

Hani Badawi

December 13, 2012

If

With apologies to Rudyard Kipling, here is my version of "If":

If you have a wish
and will not allow it to cause you anguish;

If you have a whim
and can subdue it by going for a swim;

If you have a prayer
and will not allow the outcome to make you swagger;

If you have a desire
and can make sure it doesn't lead you to a quagmire;

If you have a talent
and can use it without being flippant;

If you are caring
and are able to express it without yapping;

If you are facing a problem
and will not let it lead you to a bedlam;

If you are confused
and are able to remain unbruised;

If you are in love
and thank the Lord above;

If you are in need
and accept what you are dealt without greed;

If you are in a bind
and not cease to think about mankind;

If you are in frenzy
and not allow yourself to go crazy;

Then you will lead a life
without much strife!

 

Hani Badawi

October 6, 2012

Thoughts on Nations

If the question is : What is a simple description of the most important thing that defines the wealth of a nation? I would say: "It's people".  

 

If the question is:  What makes the leader of a nation succeed (or fail) in his/her mission to improve (or worsen) the living conditions of his/her nation? I would say: "It's people".

 

If the question is:  What makes people of one nation have an edge over people in other nations? I would say: "Education"!

Hani Badawi
September 30, 2012

Criticism

Whereas it is important to criticize what you don't like, it is more important to have an objective and responsible plan to demonstrate a process and action for overcoming what you are objecting to.

Subjective and irresponsible criticism is like a "hit and run" accident!

Hani Badawi
June 28, 2012

Theories and Theorists

Information for consideration if and when you devise a theory:

In the field of Natural Science theories are devised and tested and only the viable ones stand the test of time. Theories in that field (within its diverse disciplines) are proposed by specialized professionals after they conduct their research and provide proof in the form of technical publications. The technical publications, in turn, before they are accepted and before they finally find their way into the public domain, are rigorously examined by other experts in the pertinent fields.

Such is the way in the field of Natural Science!

Hani Badawi
June 27, 2012

Egyptian Presidents

Here is a fact that is worth reflecting on:

In the USA, in addition to the President in office (Barak Obama), there are 4 living ex-Presidents, namely: Jimmy Carter, George W. H. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.  When George W. Bush became president in 2001 there were 5 living ex-presidents, namely: Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

In Egypt after it became a republic in 1952, there were only 2 occasions when a President in office had one ex-President alive at the same time.  The first occasion was during Gamal Abdel Nasser's presidency when Mohamed Naguib was alive (albeit under house arrest!).  The second time was during Anwar Sadat's presidency when Mohamed Naguib was still alive. The third time may happen soon if when Mohamed Morsy is sworn into office the deposed Mubarak remains alive (albeit incarcerated)!

It is conceivable that, after the inclusion (in the constitution) of a maximum limit of 2 terms in office for the President, the future Egyptian generations will look back at history and wonder what happened to Egypt during the 60 years when the President served for life whilst imposing a life sentence on the population!!!

Hani Badawi
June 27, 2012

A couple of muses of the day

Muse 1:

Propaganda very often replaces information in the news media.
Politicians very often use propaganda for their personal benefit.
Question: Does the media serve the masses or the politicians????

Muse 2: 

When an education system fails to fulfill its role, self-appointed preachers and teachers will sprout like mushrooms!

Subjectivity and Objectivity

My definition of subjectivity and objectivity:

When subjectivity replaces objectivity in analyzing matters one should expect a subjective result to which an objection will invariably be refuted!!

When objectivity replaces subjectivity in analyzing matters one should expect an objective result to which an objection will be subject to further objective analysis!!

In politics, unlike science, it is apparent that that subjectivity rules supreme!!

Future Attire!

Based on lore that was passed on to us over the past several millenniums, the earliest human attire consisted of plant leaves (and I leave [excuse the pun] the details to your imagination!).
As the human race continued to evolve, the element of style and comfort in the clothing evolved too. Evolution of clothing from primitive fibers and plant leaves to today's synthetic fibers (which I don't endorse) reflects a multitude of innovations and inventions.
Heaven only knows what will happen in the next 100 years, let alone in one millennium or more from now, especially with the resources that are being rapidly depleted.
Perhaps plant leaves will become en vogue again!

Ghazal/Gazelle and Bias

In the Arabic language the use of the word "ghazal", meaning gazelle, is used as a simile for beauty (amongst other things).
Quoting a common Arabic proverb: Elqerd fi 3ein ommoh ghazal, meaning: In his mother's eye, a monkey appears to be a gazelle.
The equivalent English language proverb is: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
There are more common things in different cultures than people care to believe!
There are also differences between cultures that, if mutually accommodated and respected, the world understanding would be so much better!

Egyptian Reform Process

To my dear Friends and Family in Egypt:

It is important to approach the next phase of Egypt's presidential selection process with interest and care.

It is important to review the agendas proposed by the different candidates and their political/professional/social stance and achievements.

It is, however, more important to cast your votes with the notion that the next president will NOT be allowed to remain in office for more than 2 terms, and that what really matters is the dire need for reform for an effective socioeconomic/sociopolitical system and its institutions.

Most important, remember that, whereas criticism of the individual candidates is a natural and healthy reaction, your individual and constructive contribution to the reform process is the only path for a better future.

Hani Badawi

March 18, 2012

Further reflections on life

Our reflection of the past, present and to a lesser degree our future, becomes more acute as we get older (at least for me!).  In time, memories become somewhat blurry, very much like an "out of focus" image in the view-finder of a camera.  However, the analogy almost stops here!  

Whereas bringing the image into focus in a camera is a simple physical process of either adjusting the lens position or moving closer or farther from the object of interest, bringing memories into focus is a very complicated matter. 

Without delving much into the complexity of the human brain (of which I only have a little knowledge), there are a few things in life that help us sharpen our memories.  To name a few: Photos and videos from the past, old letters, diaries (if kept), chats with old friends, revisiting places of the past. These aids may (or will) help in sharpening our memories of events, but, what about old feelings and how they inter-mesh with our present and possibly future feelings? 

This leads us to a yet more complex field of view for which sharpening our memories would necessitate the help of a psychiatrist or psychologist.

My message from the foregoing comments is: One's life can be complicated by the events we encounter in our journey of existence. Whereas events cannot be reversed, feelings can, to some degree, be manipulated to either make one's life easier or more difficult. 

A "flash" of the camera analogy comes back to me one more time: In the camera world a lens shutter adjusts the exposure level of an image.  In the human world, peace with others is determined by the level of peace with oneself!

Hani Badawi
March 19, 2012

Coin or Cube?

Are the 2 extreme slogans in Egypt, namely: 
كرهناكى يا ثوره and يسقط حكم العسكر 
two sides of the same coin? Or are they twos sides of a cube? Should people toss a coin or throw a die for determining where things need to be heading for the welfare of the masses and the nation?

The meters in the nation's proverbial dashboard are indicating numerous alerts, and yet the proponents of the above 2 extreme factions are selectively looking at what they prefer to follow. Would you be safe driving a car where you only pay attention to one meter on the dashboard and ignoring the rest?

Coin or cube? A nation's future should not be subjected to a gambling/probability approach.

Hani Badawi
February 4, 2012

Reflections on Reform

My comments on reform in Egypt (or any other country coming out of a revolution)
Like arrows, accusations and blames are darting to and fro between different factions and ideologies.
Individuals are suffering from either physical or mental harm or both in other instances.
Public property has been and still is being damaged.
Adding fuel to the fire has become the order of the day.
Guess who is the culprit? Yes, you guessed right, it is your country and yourself.
If you truly care, then it is time for you to rise to the occasion and help build your nation.
What has been physically destroyed can be rebuilt quickly; broken feelings on the other hand, take a long time to rebuild.
The longer the flying darts are allowed to continue, the harder it is to rebuild and heal the wounds.
Democracy does not mean that you can exercise libel and slander freely. In a true democracy criticism is encouraged, whereas defamation, libel and slander are treated as offences or crimes. As the English proverb states: “Loose lips sink ships”. An equivalent Arabic proverb states: “Your tongue is like a horse (or your protector), if you protect it, it protects you, if you abuse it, it abuses you [OR if you betray it, it betrays you].
لسانك حصانك إن صنته صانك و إن هنته هانك
Or
لسانك حصانك.. ان صنته صانك ..وان خنته خانك
Enough time has passed since the revolution of January 25. I use the word “passed” instead of “wasted” as the use of the latter may be perceived as another dart aimed at a certain group of people. This is an example of using caution in using my tongue and still relaying the same message.
I pray for true reform and peace in Egypt and the rest of the world.
Hani Badawi,
November 20, 2011

Prayer of the day

Prayer of the day from China:

I pray that the atrocities and bloodshed in Afghanistan will cease soon.

I pray that the Durban Climate Change conference will effect some positive resolutions for a cleaner planet (I say that from the heavily polluted city of Beijing!).

I pray that the turmoil and 9 months of strife and bloodshed in Syria will be halted to allow the citizens of that country to live an honorable life worthy of their long history.

I pray that the global economic meltdown will be reversed soon to avert the otherwise more dire consequences.

I pray that the politicians of the world will learn soon that political science (which is not truly an exact science) needs to be reformed.

I pray that uniforms worn to differentiate people's belief are not over-emphasized and that religious leanings are not driven by a herd mentality.

I pray that nations will make a better effort to work closer together to eliminate famine, illiteracy and crime.

I pray that the next generations wherever they may reside in this world will enjoy a better life.

Hani Badawi,

December 6, 2011

Egyptian Revolution: The Unfinished Symphony! Part 2

Six months ago I wrote a note about "The Egyptian Revolution: The Unfinished Symphony". At the time of writing it I did not imagine that uninvited "wannabe" maestros were going to crash the rehearsals and wave their batons in threatening motions at the players (the noble Egyptian youth).

Alas, these uninvited maestros are leading to a cacophony that needs to be repaired before the next movement of the symphony is completed.

The symphony will be completed when the perpetrators realize that there is no standing or sitting room for them!

Hani Badawi

December 17, 2011

Beijing Subway Experience!

I am composing this message as I am rocking back and forth on board of a crowded subway train in Beijing.

As I happen to be heading towards a suburb that is 40 minutes away from the city center, I also happen to appear to be the only foreigner on board!

In every direction I look, I see passengers thumbing notes on their cell phones, and I couldn't help thinking to myself, how long has it been since humans started using their thumbs with such dexterity?

I look around again, and this time I can't help thinking: Are they writing a similar message about this foreigner who is merrily thumbing along a note on his phone!

Hani Badawi

December 17, 2011

Balanced Approach!

If we examine many aspects of life we will find that a balanced approach is necessary.

In all fields of science one must use checks and balances for verifying and proving theories.

In diverse fields of finance checks and balances are used for balancing budgets.

In medicine, a balanced diet is recommended for leading a healthy life.

All religions call for a balance between worldly and worship/divine matters.

A successful school curriculum relies on a balance between, humanities, social science and natural science subjects.

Temptation often steers us away from an otherwise balanced state of affairs, however, corrective action is possible if one reacts in time before the balance tips one way or the other!

Hani Badawi

December 8, 2011

Woe is Me!

In solving crossword puzzles I often encounter "woe is me" as a common clue for the word "alas". Although the phrase appears to be grammatically incorrect, in fact it is a correct but archaic form of expressing grief and sorrow.

I don't know about you, but, from time to time, I find myself playing with words in my mind, much in the same way as a baby would shake its rattle for the sheer pleasure of hearing a familiar sound.

My latest "grown-up rattle" seems to echo the following sentence: "Woe is me for the daily conflicting reports and comments about the events in Egypt"!

Although I ceased to live in Egypt for nearly 40 years, I still love it and cherish the memories of my family and friends and my early days there.

When I express my optimism regarding the outcome of the ever unfolding events, I must admit that much of this optimism is based on a hope that has persistently dwelt and continues to dwell in my mind.

Perhaps it is a perception. After all, "perception is reality"!

Hani Badawi

December 27, 2011

Remembering Martin Luther King Jr.

To commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968), I have chosen the following few (and there are many) of his notable quotes:

"An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity".

"He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it".

"I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant".

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that".
"A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus".

"A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom".

"Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness".

If only humans worldwide would heed these words! In his memory, let's together have a dream, perhaps some day it will be realized!

Hani Badawi

January 16, 2012

Jitters

In life we are confronted with a multitude of factors that lead us to becoming jittery. These factors may be events (e.g. wars, accidents, loss of dear ones, etc.) or stimulants (e.g. coffee, tea, etc.).

The degree of our jitters in the past decade or two has grown to new heights, thanks primarily to the exponential growth in technology and the advents of the internet, e-mail, cell-phones, hand-held communication/entertainment devices, twitter, facebook, smart-phones, tablets, etc.. Thus, effectively we have a relatively new jitter triggering factor, one that I would like to call the "electronic jitter" or "e-jitter" factor.

It is easy to visualize that the e-jitter effect emanates from the many hours per day that we now spend working/playing with/on all of the aforementioned devices/applications! It is also easy to visualize that we now depend to a large extent on being under the influence of the new form of jitter!

So, effectively, we have become addicted to being e-jittered.

Now, imagine what would happen to us if we were to abandon all the components that contribute to the e-jitter phenomenon. I bet that we would develop an e-jitter withdrawal reaction leading to what I would elect to call the" e-jitterless jitter"!

Jitterly yours,

Hani Badawi

January 19, 2012

The Humor Balm

The Humor Balm! 

In Egypt, a common adage that is often heard and is mainly used to lighten up people's moods (yours truly included;) winking) is: اضحك تضحك لك الدنيا which literally means "Laugh, and the world will laugh with you". The adage has a continuation which goes: ابك تبكي وحدك which translates to "Weep, and you will weep alone". In this note, however, as implied by my above chosen title, I will only address the former part of the adage.

In all cultures and all known civilizations, satirists and humorists were, and remain, an integral part of the societies that they emanate from. In fact, beyond the scope of a single nation or culture, thanks to all forms of media, the cross-fertilization of humor amongst different nations with different cultures has been growing rapidly. In my humble opinion, when humor transcends cultures and nations (with their varied customs and beliefs), it is a powerful vehicle for diminishing the barriers that are typically erected by humans by virtue of historic baggage and exaggerated prejudices.

The power of humor may be exemplified in these quotes:

"If I had no sense of humor, I would long ago have committed suicide". Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869-1948)

"Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not; a sense of humor to console him for what he is". Francis Bacon (156-1626)

"Humor is emotional chaos remembered in tranquility". James Thurber (1894-1961)

I say: Humor is the magic balm that heals emotional wounds, whether they are self-inflicted or inflicted by others.

Hani Badawi

January 19, 2012