Doing Good is Good for Business

One day in the city of Medina circa 600AD, in what is modern day Saudi Arabia, the Caliph (governor) of the time had a chance meeting with the Imam (religious leader) of the time. After having spent most part of the day distributing money amongst the poor and destitute of the city that had visited him, the Caliph found before him the Imam. On seeing his distinguished guest, the Caliph ordered that the biggest bag be filled with gold coins and handed to the Imam in reflection of his station. Taking the bag, the Imam handed it over to a servant of the Caliph that had accompanied him into the court. Then, turning to the Caliph the Imam said: “This man straightened my sandals out of respect when I removed them before entering. This is the reward for his goodwill. Now, lest you had forgotten, we are forbidden from accepting charity, as ours is a destiny tied to benevolence, by failing to exercise our obligation to giving, we risk losing our privilege of receiving”.

This story always stuck with me through the years, flashing back to me every time I’d confront the reality of the disparity of the world in which we live. It’s a very simple logic really, if only we all had the capacity to think this way.

Imagine – idealistic as it may be for a single moment the impact on a society or group of people with a mindset that the objective of wealth, was not possession but distribution. Looking at the disease of inequality from a spiritual perspective and based on the principle of the scales of divine justice, it’s interesting to see the irony that those privileged with great wealth will have to account for how they dispersed the good fortune bestowed upon them, whereas those who languish at the very bottom of the economic pyramid, have very little to answer for.

The debate surrounding global prosperity and its distribution, or lack of has never been as profound as it is today. 2011 delivered to us a poignant and tragic display of individual defiance and desperation, which triggered an Arab uprising that morphed into a worldwide awakening. As I sit here writing from a snug armchair, in the confines of a warm coffee shop, there are people camped on the streets from Manhattan, through Manama, and into Moscow questioning the justice of the world they have inherited. Ralph Nader once wisely observed, “If we had justice, we wouldn’t need charity.”

Since joining APCO Worldwide and having the opportunity of working on the communication strategy of a client at the forefront of energy management, I invariably found myself confronting a term I had encountered often, but knew little about.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) also known as corporate conscience or corporate citizenship or social performance, or sustainable responsible business, is according to Wikipedia ‘A form of corporate self-regulation, integrated into a business model and responsible for a company's actions to encourage a positive impact through its activities on the environment, consumers, employees, communities, stakeholders and all other members of the public sphere.’

Richard Branson is arguably the most revered and respected entrepreneur in the world today, and also one of the foremost champions of CSR thinking, so naturally when he talk’s people listen. In fact his book on CSR, the somewhat candidly titled ‘Screw Business as Usual’ is the inspiration behind this expression of thoughts.

Engineered on a concept called ‘Capitalism 24902’, a refreshingly new and exciting approach which romanticizes a desperately warranted economic renaissance, the new system reflects and endorses a seismic shift from the way business is presently undertaken. An approach that no longer sights shareholder value and profitability as the ‘holy grail’ and ‘be all and end all’, the concept challenges the notion that business exists solely to make profit, arguing instead that it exists for a much higher purpose.

During a recent conversation with a friend, who regrettably lost a great deal of money through personal dealings, he said: “I don’t care about not having the money, I know I can make it back again. What eats away at me on a daily basis, is how careless I was with it, half the world’s population lives on less than $2 a day. You do the math.” The numbers unfortunately are the most disturbing element of the mix, bringing everything sharply to life, illustrating the degree of inequality.

For example, World Healthcare spending clearly shows that only 10 per cent of the money the world spends on health each year is devoted to diseases or conditions that account for 90 per cent of global disease. Of the 1,500 new drugs approved in the past twenty-five years, less than a meager 20 were for neglected infectious diseases that disproportionately affect the poor. 

“Those of us who have been fortunate enough to acquire wealth must play a role in looking at how we use these means to make the world a far better place”, says Branson.

In an age of austerity where governments of even the most affluent nations are failing to deliver on their most basic obligations, there is a mass soul searching amongst all factions of all societies attempting to look above and beyond the jargon of the economists and the bloodsucking banksters, to understand who is ultimately responsible for their dignified survival and well-being.

According to ‘Capitalism 24902’ the new era of prosperity must be ‘all encompassing’ ensuring success and dignity for each and every individual. Naturally, such idealism is viewed with a degree of skepticism and with the direction current world affairs are heading this temperature only looks set to increase. Nevertheless, if we put aside for a moment the dancing politicians, their acrimonious hostilities and incessant fascination with drawing apocalypse, it is unmistakably clear that a new direction is not only necessary but vital.

The ‘24902’ in Capitalism 24902 came about from an apparent light bulb moment. During one particularly charged brainstorming session with Richard Branson and his team as they sat around pondering what to name their new approach to CSR/philanthropy one sheepish young voice broke the silence by announcing somewhat randomly that the circumference of the earth is 24902 miles – and that was that. In fact, thinking about it the name couldn’t be more appropriate. Not only does it align perfectly with the theories all-encompassing ideology of being socially responsible across the globe, it also represents a formidable challenge. The thought of covering 24,902 miles by air, sea or land is daunting enough, as are the challenges of reducing disastrous carbon emissions, prevent devastating disease and famine and empowering the disadvantaged with genuine opportunity for a better future. Challenges daunting no doubt, but only challenges nonetheless. Bogani Tshbalala an entrepreneur with the Branson Centre in South Africa said: “I believe that nothing is impossible, because impossible is nothing”, Capitalism 24902 seems to think along the same lines.

However, there should be no doubt that the future challenges the world faces, including the ever present threat of climate change are not the sole responsibility of CSR, the main component of this planet and CSR by default is people, so what ever happened to ‘HSR’ or Human Social Responsibility? Surely we all have a significant part to play.

Ultimately, the solutions to the challenge will emanate from a marriage between the three pillars of government, business and the social sector. Branson restates that for far too long big business has traded off health and state of the planet for growth and profit. Ironically however, business remains the most powerful agent for positive change – but crucially not business as we know it.

We learn that at one time in history brutal uncivilized cavemen fought amongst one another, primarily for survival and supremacy, fast forward a few thousand years and today more than ever in recent years society remains a broken rabble led, or rather misled by a few brutal war lords who continue to plunder the earth’s resources without recognizing any value for them since they’ve been as Branson aptly puts it, used and viewed as ‘free services’. Consequently these actions lead to the hypothesis of ‘generational tyranny’.

Despite however, the over-riding sense of doom and gloom Branson emphasizes excitingly positive examples of the power of effective sociable responsibility, revolving around the theory of ‘doing good is good for business’. One particular example, being that of the well document achievements of Mohammad Younus and his ‘Grameen Bank’ which empowered the poor and mainly women in rural Bangladesh by pioneering the idea of small loans or ‘micro-credit’ so they could enterprise and start small businesses, ultimately working themselves out of poverty. Today, micro-credit has facilitated the fair lending of billions of dollars to under-privileged individuals and families around the world who would otherwise not be eligible for borrowing or would simply be at the mercy of extortionate money lenders, and with an unprecedented repayment rate around 80% the success of the system is in stark contrast to that of domestic retail lending for instance. The initiative even attracted similar philanthropically minded businesses such as France’s Danone to initiate campaigns which have since proven immensely popular and valuable. After all ‘doing good is good for business’.

Another fantastic example of the profitability of ‘doing good’ is a US based leader in renewable energy. Focused on solar and wind, the company that started in 1997 after the inquisitive young daughter of its founder asked: “daddy what are you going to do about all the toxic waste being put into the air?” was eventually sold 15 years after that fateful day for $350 million in cash. A look at the website of the company today displays a live counter which as of this moment reports that its customers have saved 15,543,833,510 pounds of CO2 emissions, the equivalent of 504,289,463 cars off the road or 4,667,732,800 households turning off their lights for a day. Bear in mind this is a live ticker changing every second.

The shipping industry, responsible for 90 per cent of the world’s global logistics emits over one billion tons of CO2. Through simple and comprehensive efficiency measures the ‘Carbon War room’ a leading ‘do-tank’ on the fight against carbon emissions estimates that industry-wide reductions could amount to 30 per cent i.e. $70 billion. A truly staggering saving and even more so when put in the context of emission reductions.

Another serial culprit in the war against carbon is inefficient buildings, an area where my client is making waves. Accounting for 50 per cent of worldwide carbon emissions, the opportunity posed by solutions that increase efficiency in not only buildings, but entire cities is one of the finest examples of Capitalism 24902 and the notion of ‘doing good is good for business’. Energy efficient cities could create millions of jobs and save five out of the 25 gigatons of CO2 emissions we need to avoid disaster. Only today a Chinese company announced the completion of a 30-story mega hotel in just 15 days, and that’s arguably the least impressive statistic. The structure built in 360 hours using cutting-edge technology, uses six times less cement, is five times more efficient than regular construction material, can withstand a 9.0 magnitude earthquake, and boasts a filtration system with air 20 times purer inside than outside. You get the picture.

Even coffee can be efficient. One leading alliance represents over 260,000 coffee, tea and cocoa growers who in turn represent 75 per cent of the ownership, helping improve the lives of 1.8 million people. So there is little arguing, companies that focus most on profits are not necessarily the most profitable companies, as the marriage of mass consumption and greed have lead down a path which is clearly no longer sustainable. As a result we need to return to a time when ‘profitability’ was a bi-product, a pleasant bonus of doing business, while the main purpose was to fulfill a need in turn for remuneration which met ones requirements.

A recent study conducted by the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) reported the height of environmental consciousness amongst young people and emphasized the idea that we are gradually moving away from an ‘industry orientated’ to a ‘people orientated’ mindset, from the ‘industrial age’ to the ‘age of people’, the rise of a movement that represents a shift between a world created for privilege, to a world created by community.

So, as for my client it is clear that they are in the right business, according to Jigar Shah CEO of the Carbon War Room “clean energy will clean up in the market place”, and as a global leader they truly are leading by example. Their award winning CSR mandate is helping develop and deliver access to reliable, affordable and clean energy across the world by addressing, the lack of appropriate equipment, the lack of financial resources available for innovative energy entrepreneurs and the skills and expertise shortage through technical and business training.

Gandhi once famously said: “be the change you want to see in the world”. Somewhat fittingly as we look forward with the utmost optimism and anticipation to a greener and fairer future, we can sense that there is something in the air. Let’s just hope it’s not the polluting kind.

The Audacity of Despair

Hope, "with her clothes in rags, her body scarred and bruised and bleeding, her harp all but destroyed and with only one string left, she had the audacity to make music and praise God... To take the one string you have left and to have the audacity to hope.

These were the words of Jeremiah Wright the former pastor of the 44th and current President of the United States, Barack Hussein Obama II. Obama would later adapt Wright's phrase "audacity to hope" to "audacity of hope", and make it the title of his 2004 Democratic National Convention keynote address – The speech that propelled him to national prominence in less than twenty minutes, and established his candidature to enter a future presidential race. The title of Obama’s speech would go on to grace the cover of his second book.

During a visit to Borders, I wandered in to get a copy of Fatima Bhutto’s ‘Songs of Blood and Sword’, albeit 12 months later than originally intended. Glancing along the rows of books, I became side tracked by a smiling picture of Obama looking accompanied with the words, ‘The Audacity of Hope’. I’d come across the book before, but my cautiously nurtured and ever increasing contempt for the author forbade me from lending my time to his thoughts. Nevertheless, despite my predisposition I loved the title and always had.

Featuring Obama’s trademark smirk, a public endorsement by Oprah Winfrey, and the imminent declaration of his aspiration to become the next President of the US, ‘The Audacity of Hope’ was named both Amazon and New York Times bestseller in 2006. Looking down on Obama, I concluded the book had substance. After all it sat pompously atop the display stand 5 years on from its first print. But with no intention of supporting Obama plc, I swiftly moved away from the stand, signaling a crucifix with my fingers, I backed away from Barak – but with a dangling thought.

‘Audacity’ according to the Oxford dictionary; ‘a willingness to take bold risks’: he whistled at the sheer audacity of the plan; he demonstrated a complete impudent lack of respect with his audacious remark.

There is something unique about this word. Perhaps, it’s the notion of brazen nonconformity, individualist defiance that it translates? Or maybe it’s the sense of ‘daring’ it conjures up in the mind?

However, it is the audacity of an opposing nature that seems to be front and center on the US agenda of late. From the audacious apparent assassination of Osama bin Laden, right through to this week’s revelation of a superficial plot to kill a Saudi diplomat in true Hollywood style by the Iranian government and ratchet up the temperature in a region already at boiling point. These and similar occurrences this year must surely leave us questioning how the masses remain so passive. This is the manifestation of the audacity of despair, an ideology hell bent on destruction, desperate times calling for desperate measure.

Ladies and gentlemen, dark days lie ahead, and although we are by nature a race of optimists, the practitioners of the audacity of despair are slowly but surely leading us down a very precarious path.

Teddy Wayne the author of the award winning novel Kapitoil, perhaps put it best in a blog saying, ‘Well, if it’s sunny, that’s because it’s late evening in America, and our star is not rising over the horizon but setting. And, after it sets, it’ll be exploding in a supernova that obliterates the entire solar system.

The irony of it...

It was the office of Johnson Controls just behind Sheikh Zayed Rd where I had the meeting. And as I entered the building, there behind the reception was that picture which adorns the wall, mantle place and windowsill of every self-respecting Muslim household... Of course you know which one I am talking about, it’s the picture of Masjid al Haram in Mecca in all its divine magnificence during the peak of the annual Hajj pilgrimage. But there was something about this print which caught my fleeting attention. There was something particular about it and it wasn’t the fact that it was approximately 3 meters by 5 meters in size (imagine that in your living room!).

So as I sat there waiting for my customer, who for the record was notoriously late, it gave me the time to just look and ponder. And ponder I did over this extraordinary gathering of hundreds of thousands of men, women and children from every possible part of the world... Down there were those that had saved for a life time to make this journey, and those who were blessed with the means to be making their 3^rd even 4^th trip, those who were there but didn’t quite know what the point was, and those who would not remember any of it in a few years when they looked back. Those that had been good and those that had been bad, all together as equals facing toward this fascinating, unearthly structure dressed in a majestic glowing black cloth and decorated with the most exquisite glittering golden calligraphy. Suddenly, I was there wrapped in a single white cloth walking around the Ka’ba with my sister and my Mum in her wheelchair, raising our hands toward al-Hajr e Aswad. As we completed our tawaf (circumambulation), a million emotions surrounded us, some walked with tears streaming down their faces, whilst others sat trying to comprehend the magnitude of their surroundings. It was especially interesting to observe the expressions of those people who were looking upon the Ka’ba for the first time. If they were not crying they were speechless and fascinated at the site of tens of thousands of people moving around causing a perfect, mystical almost hypnotic swirl.

So after my day dream had elapsed and I found myself back in the office of JC still waiting for this guy I hasten to add, I began to think about this extraordinary image and what it was trying to convey. And just then for the first time in my life the age old adage of "A picture is worth a thousand words" finally made some sense.

There are approximately over 1.5 billion Muslims in the world, though I beg to differ. And these 1.5 billion are the followers of the teachings of the final Prophet of Allah (saw) and the best of creation the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh&hf) whose miracle was not to walk on water or to have the power to control the earth and everything on it or any other miracle that previous Prophet’s had possessed. His miracle was Al Quran a compilation of divine revelations instructing the way of life as per the instructions and commandments of God. 

This got me thinking, not only do the Muslims posses the most precious of the worlds natural resources but also a manual for life as prescribed by the same Prophet that all Muslims follow unconditional of sects. But, despite the evident blessings why then such detriment, desolation, distance, despair, depression, dejection, despondency, disparity and pure and simple difference amongst the faithful?

The solution to the predicament is common knowledge after all Muslims and non Muslims alike are aware that the disunity amongst Muslims, or to be more precise the politicians’ acting as Muslims is to the extreme disadvantage of the religion and its adherents. And a truly genuine and resolute reconciliation would redeem both the faith and its followers and beyond doubt give renewed life to the glorious religion of God.

Now as I stood and looked at the picture even more intensely it struck me that without much doubt this was the most uniform mass gathering of people anywhere in the world, standing side by side indifferent of any explicit characteristic of one another, dressed simply in a single white sheet, men women and children, standing before God for the sake of God. Now let’s think about this, according to all three monotheistic faiths the Almighty is so far above and beyond anything that we can comprehend or attribute, that no amount of worship and devotion, or lack of, can have any effect on His greatness. So why then are we ordered to make the pilgrimage to the holy house in our millions, surely not just to appease Him? We can perhaps speculate that in His infinite wisdom the Almighty was fully aware of the divisions that would shackle the children of Ishmael even more so than the children of Isaac. So, He instructed his Prophet to announce the gathering together of the divided to the holy house every year to be united side by side in an almost perfectly symmetric fashion as a constant reminder that the lack of this unity is at the core of the dysfunction.

In fact if we look into it more deeply, why does the Quran recommend people gather and face toward the Ka’ba and pray 5 prayers each day? With added emphasis on the Jumm’a (Friday) prayer which is null and void unless read amidst congregation? Perhaps the entire action of worship is a subtle reminder to all Muslims that when you are together in complete sincerity you are impenetrable and when you are divided regardless of the reason, you are defenceless.

Finally, as my contact arrived and ushered me into the meeting room I spent one last moment looking at the image and felt a cocktail of emotion, one of despair, shaken not stirred with hope and topped off with a little umbrella of defiance... Despair at the status quo which has lingered for as long as I have lived, yet hope that if we can throw aside our acrimonious differences and put our wholehearted faith in the unseen, then reconciliation, uniformity and ultimately triumph are only an action away.

Written in honour of all those who now find their sustenance with their Lord, from the street vendor to the Grandson.

Some feedback would be nice :-)

Very, very, very short post for all this evening. Sorry for the elongated absence, but I didn't have much access to the internet whilst I was caste away at sea by the ever so understanding and welcoming UAE authorities :-) Placed me on a rubber dingy and said 'khallas habibi' and before I knew it I had washed up on the Abu Dhabi coast about 100km south with nothing but a ragged underwear and an overgrown beard and mullet! Well not really, but on a serious note I have to make what they call here the 'visa run' tomorrow. For those of you who don't know what it is, it basically involves driving to the UAE-OMAN border crossing over and then crossing back in the space of 30 minutes with a fresh new visa! Don't ask me why the longgggg process but as Floyd Mayweather said 'I don't make the rules and I sure as hell don't break em'. So off I will go tomorrow with my packed lunch at the ready (smoked salmon and cream cheese baby)!

Anyway its been a busy few days at work and what not so I didn't really get too much time to write which was disappointing because I really do enjoy this part of my day. In light of that comment it appears that not only do I enjoy the writing but it looks as though you seem to enjoy reading it, which makes all the difference after all it is for the readership :-) So here are some interesting facts for you all, in the maiden month of blogging there was a total of 758 views believe it or not. The UK came in first place with 469 views, UAE was next with 135 followed by the US on 59, Morocco 35 (not quite sure who would be interested in that part of the world...?) And the tail was made up of Netherlands, Singapore, Germany, Mauritius etc... So quite a diverse crowd I am sure you will agree.

So here is the deal, it is becoming quite difficult to write a regular blog on a daily basis, so I have been thinking about something for a few days which could be an interesting concept at least I think so. Basically, I have been writing a fictional story for a couple of years on and off and never really got around to completing it. I have written the first few chapters and really want to work on it and complete it as soon as possible. So the idea is that instead of blogging which I will still do occasionally I am going to start a new blog under the title of the story and will deliver you a chapter twice or maybe 3 times a week a bit like EastEnders except for the rampant incest and general crap that the BBC manage to churn out.

So let me know your thoughts if you care to give your opinion. The story itself is a drama/thriller with quite a few twists I have tried to add a little something for everyone.

If all is well I shall start posting from next week.

Loadsa love & keep smiling :-)

Raz

p.s. oh and I forgot to add Barca are 1 up against Almeria, that is now 14 goals against the poor buggers in the space of 2 and half games (45 minutes still to go) the interesting prospect of a final with the scum awaits :-)

Something in the air...

Well it’s been an interesting couple weeks, finally met the guys from the Netherlands who were good fun, seeing Marty the technical whiz in his element is pretty awesome I quickly came to the conclusion that he has the same effect on IT geeks (I can say that right?) as Angelina Jolie has on young men except for only their mouths dropped they don’t actually drool, that would have just been plain and simple nasty. Edu on the other hand was the personification of a ‘cool cat’ watching and observing his prey patiently and when the time was right POW! He would hit them with a point so authoritative that it left them quietly pondering, where had we been all there lives… Oh by the way turns out Marty is a semi-professional dancer, so not just brains but the boy can move! Owwww (Michael Jakcson sound) though on this occasion I wasn’t able to persuade him to show us ‘what he was made of’ but I did think I had cracked it in TGI’s only for him to slip out of the net again! I know you read this Blog Mr. Just remember that I am scheduling another visit for you while we speak and this time I will make sure you can’t slip through! J

So most of the week was spent with the guys which was good as I was missing the common sense of humor that we Europeans enjoy, well apart from the Germans… I swear they taught us at school that the Germans don’t have a sense of humor or was it the French??? Ah well, not that it matters seeing as I am in the Middle East. So yeah in between hosting the Oranges (Dutch) and trying to close some business, a revolution broke out in Tunisia taking much of North Africa with it and ended up somewhere in Egypt (Hosni, looks like time is up) Oh and on the side line the political landscape in Lebanon got turned upside down in the space of a 2 days and now looks like the country is heading for a spot on the United States of America’s official axis of evil list, oh what a splendid achievement. Which brings me onto the topic of this evening that ever prevalent topic of ‘Politics’ or more prominently I should say ‘Politicians’ after all they are the ones who fail to get the politics right, right? Come on think about it after the events of the past few weeks here in the MEA and around the world in general it really makes one think is there such a thing as a good politician? In fact I was asking myself that very question as I walked back to my apartment and the only one that kept creeping into my mind was that little Papa Smurf lookalike, you know what his name… That’s it! Lula of Brazil! Coming to think about it the man was a revolution in himself almost single handedly dragging Brazil out of the ‘slums’ and into the positions of one of the world’s fastest growing economies. And then to top it off he bowed out like a real hero, well done sir. But that was it, I couldn’t actually think of anyone else, not a single politician. Well actually there is Asif Ali Zardari of Pakistan but I am not sure if I can talk explicitly about his achievements as I don’t think we are passed the watershed just yet.

I think in order to understand the modern day ‘politician’ we have to look a little deeper into the whole scenario, now I don’t know if it is true or not but apparently the world ‘Politics’ actually derives from the Latin ‘Poly’ meaning ‘many’ and tics being ‘blood sucking insects’. Thus the modern day politicians are nothing more than a bunch of blood sucking creatures, which if you ask many of the repressed masses here in the region would happily agree with. Egypt for example, I only read today that over 50% of the population lives on less than $2 per day which is below the international poverty line. But my biggest frustration is trying to figure out exactly what these people do especially the individuals or groups that assume the central role of leadership. The other thing which I cannot seem to fathom is why the majority of world leaders are incredibly wealthy businesses men, does being good at business automatically qualify you to be successful as the leader of your nation?? Take a lesson from the Brazilians, Lula was from the working class when he won the elections and assumed power and turned his peoples fortunes right round… maybe there is a lesson in that. After all it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that people confine, trust and relate more in someone who has come from the same place as them (not literally) and likewise an individual who was born with a silver spoon in his or her mouth or acquired it at some point along the line and is refined for the finer things in life, is hardly going to be able to genuinely and sincerely solace with someone living on $2 per day. And perhaps it’s not their fault. Perhaps their lives are so different the privileges are so vast between the 2 personalities that it is impossible for the well off to understand let alone feel the pain of the common folk.

Now being a self made billionaire and running a country is one thing, but sitting in a seat of power and usurping the ‘bait al maal’ the wealth of the people for decades while they struggle on a daily basis is quite something else and deserves nothing less than the wrath of the people as we have witnessed over the last few days. After all, I often struggle to understand what politicians are actually paid to do?? I mean look around you the world is an increasingly dangerous place with each passing day and the very individuals or governments that claim to be responsible for keeping the peace and order are in fact the ones who cunningly stoke the flames, ask Noam Chomsky he will tell you what I am talking about.

And while the majority of the World’s inhabitants find themselves lost not really knowing who to turn to or what to follow, a caravan of men, women and children black clad, numbering millions make a journey by foot to the shrine of a man who was killed some 1400 years ago by a despotic regime very much like those of today a man whose name sung sends infants to sleep, a man whose name chanted brings grown men to tears, a man who continues to live in the hearts of so many faithful followers, a man who needs no introduction or mention for that matter. For those who want to know him already know him.

On the occasion marking the 40^th day since the sacrifice of Karbala, I send my deepest condolences to all the faithful and all those who stand up against oppression and injustice wherever they find it rearing its ugly head.

Be it by mind, mouth or action.

May you rest in peace O’ Hussein

O Mustazafin (deprived, oppressed) of the world!

I wasn’t really going to post tonight, but as I sit on my sofa reading a book I just happen to come across words so pertinent! That despite my drowsiness it is my moral obligation to share with you…

‘Let me say at this point that this politico-religious testament of mine is not made with the noble people of Iran only. Rather, it is recommended for all Islamic nations and the oppressed peoples of the world regardless of religion or nationality…’

‘O Mustazafin (deprived, oppressed) of the world! O Muslims and muslim countries of the world! Arise and wrest your right by your teeth and fingernails! Never mind the rigmarole and propaganda cries of the superpowers and their puppets! Drive out from your lands your wicked rulers who hand over your wages to your enemies and the enemies of Islam. Yourselves and the dedicated Public servants should take charge of the affairs of your country. Gather together, all of you under the proud banner of Islam and fight the enemies of Islam and of the deprived peoples of the world. Advance toward an Islamic sovereign government with so many free and independent republics. If you realize this, the arrogant powers shall retreat to their rightful positions and all the Mustazafin will come to inherit the earth and attain to guardianship over it. Look forward to the day when God’s Promise shall be fulfilled!’

(Wassalam-o-Alaikum wa Ala Idabillah-e-salehin.)

THE POLITICAL AND DIVINE WILL OF HIS HOLINESS

IMAM KHOMEINI (sa)

The resurrection of the Green revolution!

Yes ladies and gents the Green revolution of Iran is back and stronger than ever by the sound of things! This time however they aren't taking to the streets of Tehran and troubling the Islamic Republics government. Instead, they have taken over the Midnight cafe in their throngs and are creating quite a boisterous atmosphere, tell you what I reckon they would even give the mighty and ever messy English a run for their money? Unfortunately for the majority crowd inside the Midnight however the evening ended disappointingly. A brilliant solo effort from Korea's Bit-Garam Yoon in the first half of extra time was the difference between the 2 sides in what was the most anticipated of the 2011 Asian Cup quarterfinals pitting together the 2 regional heavyweights.

Seeing as we are on the topic of football and moreover sport I was very surprised to read about the very disappointing local support of this years Dubai Marathon which took place here yesterday. Local support for the event including the 42k main race, 10k race and 3k fun run constituted a mere 1.5%! A problem highlighted by both the chairman of the UAE Athletics Federation, as well as the event director.

OK, don't ask me how, but super waiter has just served me with a drink that I did not even ask for... Either he misheard me or he is actually a damn good salesman. Either way Barca are 3-0 up so all's well.

Sorry for the short post, but I must dash.

p.s. Oh and sorry for not concluding the story tonight I am still recovering from the trauma... Maybe I will be up to it tomorrow :-)