Drama dakwah perlu ada perubahan

Seringkali kita dimomokkan mesej drama di akhir cerita atau babak. Jika ada yang bertanya mana "moral of the story", jawabnya di akhir cerita atau drama tersebut. Persoalannya mengapa perlu tunggu hingga akhir drama baru dapat tahu apakah moralnya. Jalan dakwah tidak perlu berkonflik dahulu untuk mencari kenangan. Jalan yang yang aman damai mahupun suasana yang soleh itulah yang perlu dijadikan iktibar. Maknanya setiap perilaku, langkahan, gaya, bahasa, nada, perwatakan pelakon atau dramatis itulah yang perlu diterapkan di awal cerita hinggalah akhirnya. "nanti orang kata bosan pulak"..oh begitu.. tapi di sinilah kreativiti seorang pengarah mahupun penulis skrip dicabar untuk menjadikannya menarik walaupun tidak perlu babak seperti bergaduh, mengumpat jiran, melawan suami, kelab malam, melacur, mencuri, merempit, minum arak dan sebagainya. Mengapa perlu jadi jahat dan kemudiannya jadi baik semata-mata untuk memberi iktibar kepada penonton. Rata-rata drama jarang sekali mengutarakan persoalan kemanusiaan dari awal hingga ke akhir.

Apakah yang membuntu sebenarnya di dalam benak pengarah mahupun penulis skrip masa kini? Jom kita lihat filem Iran (Iran lagi). Walaupun tiada babak minum arak, kelab malam mahupun merempit, jalan ceritanya tetap menarik dan kadangkala menginsafkan dari awal hingga ke akhir. Ceritanya sangat dekat dengan masyarakat Iran itu sendiri dan tidak pula dibuat-buat. Setiap babak yang dipaparkan amat menyentuh perasaan dan anehnya tidak pula perlu perkara-perkara negatif dipaparkan terlebih dahulu. Drama kita ber"style' lama bila memaparkan isu dakwah, isu dakwah yang kemuncak apabila orang yang berdangdut itu berjaya pergi masjid, isu dakwah apabila kemuncaknya pakai tudung yang sebelumnya pakai seksi. Adakah gaya itu saja untuk paparkan nilai kemanusiaan dan keIslamannya. Kenapa tidak orang yang bertudung itu jalan ceritanya ialah bersusah payah untuk mengekalkan pemakaian yang dipakainya, kenapa tidak orang yang berilmu pengetahuan itu sukar beristiqamah dalam perjuangannya menyiarkan Islam. Bukankah itu lebih baik? Kenapa tidak diciptakan babak-babak bagangimana seorang budak lelaki yang menjaga tatasusilanya sejak dari awal drama hingga ke akhirnya? Sukarkah untuk mencipta adegan atau babak yang sentiasa baik dan positif dari awal hingga akhir? Mustahilkah? Jika tidak mustahil jadi mengapa perlu ada drama atau filem yang bertemakan gengster, kaki pukul, mat rempit, hantu puaka dan sebagainya?

Anak saya mungkin takkan kenal mat rempit jika media massa mahupun drama yang terpacul di kaca TV tdak memaparkannya kerana tak mungkin saya membenarkan anak keluar malam untuk melihat mat rempit. Namun sekarang ini, di mana-mana tempat kita merasakan anak kita tidak lagi selamat dan sukar mendapat nilai-nilai yang positif sungguhpun mengurungkan diri mereka di rumah sahaja. Orang yang baik bukan hanya tidak buat perkara haram malah menjauhinya. Tapi jika dalam rumah pun tiada perkara yang boleh diambil dari kaca TV, adakah mungkin TV perlu dipaku rapat? Tak mungkin saya bersetuju dengan pendekatan bahawa kenali yang buruk juga, jika tidak yang baik tidak tahu sempadannya. Namun persoalan maha penting adalah mana mungkin perkara baik itu ada sempadan jika yang buruknya tidak langsung dibicarakan.

Children of heaven: Antara filem Iran yang memaparkan nilai positif dari satu babak ke satu babak yang lain

Marc Faber: Why I am bullish on gold

Noted global economic analyst and investor Marc Faber says gold is the best investment among commodities and there is no harm in investors amassing the yellow metal even at these high prices.

In his latest June outlook on the global economy, Faber asked investors to stay away from industrial commodities. "Global growth is slowing, which means weaker demand and lower prices for industrial commodities," he said.

Faber who publishes the widely circulated Gloom, Boom, and Doom Report said that he still likes gold and recommends a gradual accumulation despite market fluctuations.

He said that longer-term gold can only go higher because of negative real interest rates. Even a deflationary collapse is unlikely to hurt gold because the Fed will simply debase the dollar to get nominal prices higher.

"If the Fed gets it right and successfully re-inflates asset prices, then inflation will be in the double-digits, which would be bullish for gold," Faber pointed out.

Faber predicted the top in the equity markets in Nov 2007 and caught the bottom in March 2009, making his subscribers a lot of money.

On the global stock market, Faber is still cautious on equities, believing that a more significant market correction is around the corner.

However, shorts should beware because they are fighting the Federal Reserve. If you have to be in the market, stick to consumer staples like MO, JNJ, KO, PG, etc. For the ultimate contrarian investor, take a look at some select housing stocks (TOL,LEN, KBH), but only if you have a high risk tolerance.

On bonds, Faber said he likes treasuries for a trade. He said taht 10 year yields could fall to 2.5% during a stock market correction. Longer-term Faber hates Treasuries and dismisses Albert Edwards call for sub 2% yields for the 10 year.

Faber said that it is very hard in this environment to predict what will happen in the markets. The Fed's manipulation of asset prices has caused large distortions. However, one thing is clear: the Fed will not let the markets fall too much.

This is why Faber thinks the stock market will trend higher (in nominal terms) or at least trade sideways for the forseeable future.

Source: Commodity online

Gold shines as secure commodity investment

Gold's standing as the perpetually valuable element has been repeatedly underscored this year when striking record high prices.

And the precious metal served as security during the deep recession caused by the financial crisis that began in 2008. Yet as government officials devote energies and effort into rejuvenating the moribund economy, questions remain as to gold's value as an investment tool.

Reuters reports gold is considered a stalwart through rough economic times as it has "regained its shine at the worst of times over the past decade" while also noting its advances when the value of the U.S. dollar descends. Such has been the case during the recent past as fiscal crises appear more prominent.

"The reasons for buying gold haven't diminished," senior analyst Jeff Clark of Casey Research in Sacramento told the news service. "Unless we change course of how we handle the debt and deficits, there is a good reason to buy gold."

Another good reason to buy gold is the precious metal never will sink to having no value. To the contrary, since the middle of 2001, gold futures have skyrocketed 500 percent, which is equal to an annualized return of 17.5 percent.

Interest in pursuing gold in Nevada, from where 80 percent of the U.S.' supply of the precious metal comes, also has soared, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports, citing data from the Bureau of Land Management of the Department of the Interior. The state's offerings are a significant factor as to why the U.S. is the globe's fourth-biggest producer of gold, trailing China, then Australia and top entry South Africa.

An outfit that enables members' pursuit of gold has seen significant boosts in involvement. The Nye Gold Seekers club brags as many as eight new members per month and stands at about 500 - after having started three years ago with 10 members.

"The price of gold has a lot to do with it," club leader Janisse Ager told the Review-Journal, also noting the group's membership drive was prompted by the rough economic waters and high jobless levels in the southern region of the state.

Members of the group literally sift through the dirt with hopes of finding the precious metal and often those dreams are far-fetched.

"Basically, they're thinking they're going to pick up gold off the hills," Ager said.

The record price of gold futures is $1,575.79 per troy ounce, a value set in early May. That followed an April that saw the precious metal devote the majority of its trading sessions to rising in value, breaking all-time record-high prices, and setting new top values. Gold set record highs more than once per trading session several times in April.

The various drivers of gold futures include when the value of the dollar decreases, concerns about turmoil with nations' financial systems and institutions like the euro zone, and geopolitical events that shake confidence in stability.

Though gold's performance in May was nowhere near its prowess during the month prior, many still believe in the precious metal's intention to continue rising in value.

"Gold will eventually go up to $2,000 an ounce," Mike Frawley, global head of metals at the Newedge Group in New York, told Reuters. But he said that is unlikely to occur "much before early next year."

Another outfit agreed with gold striking that $2,000 benchmark and also predicted a surge in value will occur sooner than later.

CItiFX Technicals of Citigroup predicted gold futures will press all-time record high prices within weeks and exceed $1,700 per troy ounce by the end of the year.

Source: Daniel Trading