SEVAN BICAKCI

Sevan Bicakci was selected one of Tanzanite Foundation's five award winning independent designers. His jewelry designs and mostly the rings are like pieces of architectural masterpieces coming from the past. Every single piece makes you feel like you wear the miniature of a monument. (That's exactly what I was gonna say...) History combined with stones; perfectly hand crafted designs therefore make Sevan rings unique and precious. (Indeed -- I'm willing to sell my teeth)

He doesn't expect the masses to understand or desire his jewelry. He feels that he doesn't appeal to women looking for accessories (*sigh* if only he knew...)! Instead, he feels his jewelry puts itself in the foreground, shifting the role of the wearer to that of a medium between itself and the beholders (what?...Look, it's purddy...I get it, no need for big words!)

"I like jewelry that communicates..." -- Sevan Bicakci (Yeah well so do we...mass produce already - will ya?!)

Webby

"Edge of Arabia"

Edge of Arabia is a breakthrough initiative promoting contemporary artists from Saudi Arabia. A new generation of young Saudi artists is emerging, showing that momentum for change is possible even in a conservative country such as this. When it comes to exhibiting their work however, they have only been able to do that abroad.

Edge of Arabia

Some Fav scenes!

- HAHAHAHAHAH -

...in unison!

(Beijing)

(Bethelehem)

(Argentina)

(Nigeria)

(Tunisia)

(Afghanistan)

(Costa Rica)

(South Africa)

(Mexico)

(Italy)

...all together now...
Don't you just LOVE the World Cup?

-- `Jess' Stroup, --

Day 5 - Your Dreams

Dear Dreams,

Shine. Persevere. Remind me of your greatness. Never let me fail. Be there. Shine.

Yours Faithfully,
Amani

Destination - Erigabo

Mount Shimbiris - Erigabo

Day 4 - Your Siblings

Dear Brothers,

I got 3 of you to love & hate equally and I thank God for that. From our adventurous childhood to our boring present, I hope we're still the same in the unknown future. I hope we fight, laugh, joke, and conversate like we always have and just like we currently do.

Yours Sincerely,
Amani

Day 3 - Your Parents

Dear Hoyo & Aboo,

My inspiration. My role models. Thank you. I feel like right now that's all I can say. Thank you isn't even enough to make you understand that the level of gratitude I have for you is immense. I don't know if I'll ever be able to pay you back 10 folds but I assure you that is my second mission in life.

I love you.

Yours lovingly,
Amani

Ear candy

Adam

Hugh Dancy's elegant performance as a man with Asperger's Syndrome elevates Adam, an offbeat but touching romantic comedy. It's a movie that takes the next step from the "Rain Man" autism stereotype to a more contemporary perspective of the high functioning atypical autistic person.

Stumbled upon it last night and frankly sheer boredom led me to it. Loved it.

Destination - Zeila

Zeila

Pivotal in the birth of Islam in Somalia. Birth place of Ahmad Ibn Ibrahim Al Ghazi a.k.a Ahmed Gurey - Me being a history buff, I wouldn't pass it up.

Alhamdulilah

30 Letters...30 days!

So decided to take part in the 30 Letters challenge i came across in Deebambaataas blog.

Bring it on!

Meet Rags!

With endearing honesty and vulnerability, Raghava KK tells the colorful tale of how art has taken his life to new places, and how life experiences in turn have driven his multiple reincarnations as an artist -- from cartoonist to painter, media darling to social outcast, and son to father.

Da concert Last night & Today!

Straight FIRE!

Gotta admit it...the African's are the best musicians to date! Alicia Keys was a so-so and black eyed peas was a BORE!

I dunno if it's just me but Vieux Farka Toure sounded so Somali~ Then there was Tinariwen *Goosebumps*. Amadou & Miriam represented Mali and K'naan did his thing for Somalia (Did he get emotional towards da end?)

As for 2day...Cheb Khalid & Femi Kuti represented! What a great start to the day. Gotta love World cup fever! Catch it!

Group A - GO BAFANA!

Jef Aerosol

Jef Aerosol is a legend of Street Art. Characters are the focal point of Jef Aerosol’s art. Whether they are cultural icons or anonymous people, their attitudes carry a genuine emotion, magnified by texture effects, contrasted colours and provoking wording. Jef Aerosol masters the use of stencil. Like the best photographers, he can catch the truth of an instant to reveal its universality.

View More Photos and Masterpieces

STILL POWERFUL...

...he's all mine...

Majestic as the silver train
along his chin
gleamin with excellence as he grins
and laughs within
his eyes brimmed with humility
iris coloured in a shade of love

imagine his skin tinted,
chest, back, torso, feet standing firm
stirdy, shrouded with the exuberance of pride
draped in an ivory silk khamis
redolent of Paco Robanne XS mixed in with homemade incense
hands rough with experience
the captain of his patience

a son, a husband, a father, a provider,
the protector of all my dreams
a devout believer
in God and the heavens above
& he's all mine...

Islam = Peace & Tolerance. Don't let them forget that!

Islam is a religion of morals. It incultates in its adherents, high morality. Be the bigger person, be better than your foe. Violence is never a good retaliation.

The Prophet said, "Facilitate things to people (concerning religious matters), and do not make it hard for them and give them good tidings and do not make them run away (from Islam)." - Sahih Bukhari

The Stoning of Suraya M.

Pro-Ass-Whuppinnn!

So just got done watchin a segment on Tyra Show dat revolved around whether spanking yo kids is a good thing or a bad thing.

Personally, I aint gon' lie. "Ma ass got WHUPPED" and you know what yeah I didn't like it, yeah it hurt and yeah at the time I borderline carried nothin but HATE for my parents everytime they struck me. But it was a positive thing. I learnt from my mistakes and I feared to repeat them, well more like thought twice before I even did!

Some of them argued that ''spanking'' wasn't necessary when you can merely take away their privledges and once again my folks implemented both. But the main thing is, spanking/ass whuppin has a lasting effect.

In the end, I respect them for it, I understand why they did it and best believe I will be doing the same thang with my little people.

Necessity breeds Innovation

Malcolm Lateef Shabazz

Malcolm Lateef Shabazz was born in Paris, France in 1984. His mother is Qubilah Shabazz, the second of Malcolm X’s six daughters. She was only four years old when her father was killed right in front of her at the Audubon Ballroom in Harlem.

"I am [my grandfather’s] first male heir, his first grandson. [I’ve read and been told that] he always wanted a son. No boys in the Shabazz family until me.

People often describe me as troubled. I’m not going to say that I’m not. But I’m not crazy. I have troubles. A lot of us do. But you need to understand where I’m coming from and why I am the way I am. Considering what I’ve been through, it’s a miracle that I’ve been able to hold it together. I’m just trying to find my way. [I’ve read newspaper stories about me that] say, “Experts testify [that boy] is psychotic.” The way they describe me is wrong — bi-polar, depression, pyro, whatever. I know I’m not at all. Some of the things I’ve been through, the average person would have cracked."

Hmmmm...

Sultan's word is final on who Omani brides can marry

Omani decree allows women to petition sultan if their parents reject their choice of husband.

Omani parents who demand high dowries will no longer have the last word on who can marry their daughters, thanks to a royal decree issued yesterday by Sultan Qaboos bin Said.

Lutfi al Rashdi, a lawyer at Salmi Legal Consultancy in Muscat, said: “What the royal decree basically means is that if the court rules in favour of the parents, then the girl can appeal straight to the sultan and the judgment can be overruled, depending on the circumstances."

Source: Middle East Online