Day two: Nizamuddin

Had a great first full day of Lumen Dei 08. Pretty tiered. So without going into a lot of details, here are a few shots from today's shoot. By the way we have a lot of very talented photographers in this group. I am looking forward to posting some of their images in the future. After tomorrow we shift to Ladakh and we will not have internet so the posting will nill to sparse. So keep checking back.

A Day of Shooting

Yesterday (MY time), I had the change to finally get out and shoot. To be real honest, I was a bit disappointed. Maybe with myself, maybe with the area I shot, I am not quite sure which. The day before Alou and I were in George Town (Is this city spelled with one word or two, I see it every way?) looking for furniture for the house. I kept seeing great images. So, yesterday afternoon I grabbed my camera and took Jessie out and we went to take some pictures. Out of the handful of people I try to take a snap of, most asked me not to, very suppressing. I will say this, they all were Chinese. So maybe this makes a difference. Mr. Goh and Mr. Tan could not understand why people cared and were eager to have their photo's taken. So HERE are a few images from the first day of real shooting in Penang.

By the way, if anyone knows how to embed a slimbox gallery like the one I used here, into a blog please email me and let me know how to do it. But until then, if you want to view the photos from yesterday click the image above and travel to the gallery.

A Response to Selling Out

This is a follow up to Anonymous. I have written it here because I want to make sure it gets a broader readership than it would in the comments. Anonymous feels America is "selling out for profits." I think it is far worse. I believe America has it's head in the sand and is resting on its historic laurels. Like any great photographer or actor or any creative person, you are only as good as your last creation and we have not had any great ideas in a long time. The new ideas, in manufacturing, technology and ways to compete are all coming from places like China, India and other Asian countries. We are losing because we don't compete in the new market. We're living a reality that is 25 to 30 years old. Read The World is Flat, by Thomas Friedman. Here is a short excerpt from the Amazon description. It addresses this very point.

"Globalization 3.0, as he calls it, is driven not by major corporations or giant trade organizations like the World Bank, but by individuals: desktop freelancers and innovative startups all over the world (but especially in India and China) who can compete--and win--not just for low-wage manufacturing and information labor but, increasingly, for the highest-end research and design work as well. (He doesn't forget the "mutant supply chains" like Al-Qaeda that let the small act big in more destructive ways.)" - Amazon Books

I think that makes my point. America is asleep at the wheel when it come to change, whether it be in manufacturing or the ever-growing threat of a right wing Islamic fundamentalism. Note here, I am not saying we need to be fear mongers nor do we need to be building higher walls. But we do need to understand that there is an agenda and we can not combat it with bullets. Reading between the lines, you may have formed the conclusion that I'm a pacifist. Well, I don't think I am, at least not yet. I think America has a right to defend herself, but weapons are not going to squelch an ideology. We are not fighting the Soviet Union any more that we are competing in the world's economy with big business. The times have changed. The World is Flat, and we need to understand it.

A Cry to Stop the Hatred.

Below is a link to a very significant letter released on Oct 13th to the World's Christian leaders by 138 influential Islamic leaders. The leaders represent millions of Muslims around the world, from Chad to Uzbekistan, from Indonesia to Mauritania and from Canada to Sudan. It is not just Sunni or Shiite, but many other sects of Islam as well.

The letter is a cry to stop the hatred and mistrust between our faiths. It is not asking for anything outrageous; it is not asking Christians to align with Muslim belief. It is taking a few central themes of Christianity and Islam and saying let's live together in peace, the world's survival depends on it.

Simply, it is about the Love of God; Love of Neighbor, and an invitation for Christians and Muslims to join hands, in the name of God and for world-peace. Only when we begin to love one another and speak to one another will we be able to share the love of Jesus. Will you join with me in endorsing this document? Please read the following links and make up your own mind. If you agree with me, please go to "A Common Word" and sign the endorsement.

For Peace between Christians and Muslims

Matt