Sunday Morning with Pushkin

Chanced upon this lovely translation of Pushkin by Katharena Eiermann. Enjoy:

Confession

I love you, though I rage at it,
Though it is shame and toil misguided,
And to my folly self-derided
Here at your feet I will admit!

It ill befits my years, my station,
Good sense has long been overdue!
And yet, by every indication
Love's plague has stricken me anew

You're out of sight - I fall to yawning;
You're here - I suffer and feel blue,
And barely keep myself from owning,
Dear elf, how much I care for you!

Why, when your guileless girlish chatter
Drifts from next door your airy tread,
Your rustling dress, my senses scatter
And I completely lose my head.

You smile -I flush with exultation;
You turn away - I'm plunged in gloom,
Your pallid hand is compensation
For a whole day of fancied doom

When to the frame with artless motion
You bend to cross-stitch, all devotion,
Your eyes and ringlets down-beguiled,
My heart goes out in mute emotion

Rejoicing in you like a child!
Dare I confess to you my sighing,
How jealously I chafe and balk
When you set forth, defying

Bad weather, on a lengthy walk?
And then your solitary crying,
Those twosome whispers out of sight,
Your carriage to Opochka plying

And the piano late at night -Aline!
I ask but to be pitied,
I do not dare to plead for love;
Love, for the sins I have committed,
I am perhaps unworthy of.

But make believe! Your gaze, dear elf,
Is fit to conjure with, believe me!
Ah, it is easy to deceive me...
I long to be deceived myself!

Fitna Launched

The controversial movie Fitna is now out and can be found on several websites and youtube links despite massive blocking attempts by the PTA. It is an almost 20-minute movie and attempts (to an extent successfully I think) to put terror of Islam and Muslims in the minds and hearts of all who watch it.

It starts out with a recitation of some verses (with references) in the Quran followed by images of 9/11 and other bombings and acts of terror carried out by fanatics in the name of Islam, in an attempt to link the verses with these acts. It goes on to show clips of hate speeches and anti-West/anti-Jewish rhetoric of some known and unknown clerics and imams across the world, including various parts of Netherlands and Europe and more videos/newsclips of actual deeds done by Islamist extremists which reflect support for this type of hate-thinking.

The movie clearly shows the various restrictive ideologies in practice and the dismal state and treatment of women, children, gays and non-muslims in Muslim countries, and points to the rising number of Muslim immigrants in Europe who are calling for curbing Western freedoms in the West and implementing these ideologies. If various imams in Europe's mosques actually do preach the kind of hate that the movie has shown them to do, then I am not surprised with the fear of Islamization that Wilders is attempting to create in his viewers.

Personally I find it an unacceptable idea that immigrants (from anywhere) come to a society in search of a better life and then forcefully try to impose their own drastically different ideologies on the adopted society expecting it to yield and submit instead of themselves adapting to the new society! Why choose to live in the West if Western norms are so not acceptable?

This problem is not just the West's. Pakistan is also a victim of exactly the same phenomenon. Thirty years ago Pakistani society was far more tolerant and free than it is today. It was the Afghan war and the consequent influx of Afghan refugees and the Taliban and their unacceptably intolerant ideology that has brought about the dismal state of affairs that Pakistan is in today, i.e., in the heart and frontline of the war on terror. It is sickening to know that the governments of the time and also successive ones did not do enough to stop the growing menace of religious fundamentalism and extremism in the country.

Coming back to the movie, I think it should be allowed a viewing because it gives an insight to the way Islam and Muslims are being perceived today by the West and the very reasons for this as well. We cannot put the onus on Western societies to understand and accomodate us if we are not willing to face our own internal issues and deal with these - no one (and especially no one in Pakistan) can deny that religious extremism is indeed a huge problem we need to deal with, and deal with as a top priority.

It is not simply freedoms of the west but the very survival of our own society that is at stake here. We all MUST say a huge, resounding NO to extremism.
It must begin at home.

Management Gem 2

From a management and organization development point of view, I believe there is one thing worse that than low performers: mediocre performers. Low performers are relatively easier to deal with, as an obvious or repeated low performance can be the basis for redundancy. But mediocre performers can be a dilemma -they are able to meet some of the targets and therefore get away with average ratings. Average performers who are and will always be average are like slow poison eating into the quality and soul of the company, never letting it grow from good to great.

I would say managers must keep a continuous eye out for mediocrity, and root it out as soon as possible replacing it with good talent thereby allowing both people and the company to develop and flourish.

Fitna

Dutch MP Geert Wilders, known for his anti-Islamic views, has chosen the word 'Fitna' as the new title for his 15-minute, explosive anti-Islamic film to be released in March. The word fitna is Arabic and occurs a number of times in the Quran, referring to spreading malice or having malicious intent.

According to Mr Wilders, “I insisted on using a phrase that’s also found in the Koran. Islam and the Koran are my ordeal. I use the term in an inverse sense… For me the poisonous Koran is fitna.”

The 15-minute movie will apparently contain an animated cartoon of the prophet Mohammed, and some Dutch media have suggested that the end will show Wilders burning a copy of the Quran.

Fearing an international backlash against the Netherlands, the Dutch government already has instructed its embassies worldwide on how to act after the movie has been released. Security at Dutch embassies is to be increased, while Wilders has been advised to go into hiding abroad after the movie is released. Wilders is already under constant security protection since 2004 because of threats to his life due to his very vocal criticism of Islam in the wake of the murder of Dutch film director Theo Van Gogh.

The debate between provocation and freedom of expression is a very interesting one and has been ongoing for quite some time now, but the question is where do we draw the line? There is a serious need for engaging in reflection and constructive dialogue over this. In the same context, what would we call this movie, freedom of speech or fitna?

Obama: Threat to Pakistan?

I've seen a lot of support for Obama in the press and media, and especially by so many Pakistanis living in the U.S. While I like him compared to Clinton (and any Republican) on a number of important issues, what is really bothering me is his stand in support of bombing targets inside Pakistan territory if Islamabad is not willing to cooperate.

He said on Tuesday, “I never said I would bomb Pakistan. What I said was that if we have actionable intelligence against (Osama) bin Laden or other key Al Qaeda officials and Pakistan is unwilling or unable to strike against them, we should."

Striking targets inside the territory of a sovereign country? Is that not arrogance? And yet Pakistanis abroad support Obama. Why?

Out'bursts'!

By now six nights have passed since the result of the elections were announced, yet there is no reprieve from the loud noise of Klashinkov and TT bursts that seem to be echoing all over Karachi till the wee hours of the morning. I had no idea ordinary people had so much weaponry and ammunition to use with such impunity in expressing their jubilation that there is a total disregard for public peace or safety.

How exactly are we different from our tribal neighbours?

Management Gem 1

One of the first things to frustrate me after taking on managing a team of people for the first time back in late 2005 was how difficult it was to be pleased with the work of other individuals. No matter what the task, I was simply never satisfied with the quality I expected. After a number of frustrating weeks I realized I was simply trying to create my clones here.

The key learning for me has been to realize that managing people is not about getting them to perform as good as you think you can, but as good as they can. It's been great fun managing since then and developing people by helping them to realize their own true potential.

Origins of the word 'Assassins'

I was reading an interesting letter in Dawn yesterday, commenting on Jawed Naqvi's article tracing back the origins of the word Assassins. Accurate or not, it nevertheless gives an interesting version:

A breakaway section of the Fatimids (the followers of Nizam, the 19th Ismaili Imam) was trying to establish a sovereign Ismaili state independent of Egypt. It was after Imam Nizar’s (487 AH - 490 AH) murder that Hassan B. Saba, a staunch adherent, did not accept sovereignty of his brother, Imam Mustaali, who succeeded as 20th head of the sect and escaped to Persia making Persian Ismailis autonomous of Fatimids.

B. Saba’s (1034 - 1124) endeavor was to establish Nizari Ismaili ascendancy in Persia. Saba created a sect from a bunch of die-hard Fedayeens he collected, who after inhaling intoxicant potion of Hashish were prepared to offer lives at the order of the master. These Fedayeens moved freely in adjacent territories targeting their adversaries at will. Their targets were generals and statesmen or any prominent persons who were considered opposing them in achieving their objective. The Nizari sect rose in Persia as a result and its influence extended up to Syria Nusayriyya Mountains where they held many hill forts.

These Fedayeens were eventually named by the Crusaders as Hashishins or Assassins and with this appellation they became part of modern lexicon.