MunVaRay

I moved to Dallas in 2009 for work and, through a friend’s recommendation, discovered a local mosque in Plano. At the time, the East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC) was modest—just a small building that many in the community relied on for their prayers and events. That little structure, now used as the mosque’s medical clinic, was the heart of a growing, tightly knit community. Even though I’m Shia, I felt welcome at EPIC. My friends, who were Sunni, made me feel at home, and I found myself v...

Jack Had Rose. My iPad Had a $9 Case. None Survived. The Texas Highway Death Race So, this morning, I had the absolute pleasure of driving down Central Expressway 75 South—which, if you’ve never had the privilege, is basically a real-life Mad Max sequel, but with more trucks, minivans, fewer rules, and a whole lot of student drivers. Every car was going at least 80 mph, some even past 100 mph. I am sure. I wanted to slow down. I really did. But have you ever noticed how cars in Texas dr...

"The Whale", released at the end of 2022, was one of those films I'd put off intentionally. I'd heard the buzz about Brendan Fraser’s powerful comeback, the emotional intensity, and its reputation for reducing viewers to tears. Honestly, I was saving it. Some movies demand your full attention, and this was that movie for me. Plus, emotional films often set off my "allergies," leaving me misty-eyed. A few weeks ago, I finally found the perfect quiet moment, settled in, and pressed play. Wi...

A Comedy of Errors Imagine this: Pakistan is hosting the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, yet somehow, the final isn’t even happening on Pakistani soil. Instead, it’s being played in Dubai. To make things even funnier, Pakistan isn’t even in the final. The grand event they’re supposed to be hosting? It’s now just a formality for them—a glorified organizer while other teams fight for the trophy. Let that sink in. To be honest, though, I’ve lost all interest in Pakistan cricket—or cricket ...

A few days ago, I had an interesting lunch experience at a ghost kitchen. My Ghost Kitchen Experience 👻🍔 This particular ghost kitchen was set up like a food court at the mall, with a large bar area on one side and pickup on the far corner. What's a ghost kitchen? Well, it's a professional food preparation and cooking facility set up for the preparation of delivery-only meals. They're also sometimes called "cloud kitchens" or "virtual restaurants". A self-driving robot was deli...

When I bought those Lenovo ThinkSmart View for Teams devices, I wasn't sure what I'd do with them, but I knew one thing for sure: I'd be modding them for HA or some other Assistant. At home, we have an alarm clock that plays the Muslim Azan five times daily. These times change often. These specialized Azan alarm clocks use AA or AAA batteries. You set them up by pressing buttons, entering your location, and so on—but every time the battery dies, you have to start over. I got tired of t...

How a high school tech fair fueled my passion for technology (and taught me a thing or two about dealing with setbacks). I've always been fascinated by technology. As a child, I would spend hours taking apart computers and other electronic devices, trying to figure out how they worked. I also loved to build things, and I would often create my own electronic gadgets and toys. In high school, this passion led me to represent my school at the Sindh Board Tech Fair in 2001-02. I poured my h...

Caption: iPad Mini 7th Gen, The Lenovo m8 and the Nook Simple Touch going through a shell change operation. A while back, I was on a mission to find the perfect comic book reader. My search took me through e-readers, Android tablets, and everything in between. Eventually, I convinced myself that the iPad Mini 7 A17 Pro would be the ultimate choice—a small, distraction-free device dedicated solely to reading comics. I was so wrong. 🤦‍♂️ But not in the way I expected. 📱 Not Just ...

Picture Credit: Glen Wilson/Prime Video A few weeks ago, I saw Will Ferrell show up at an NBA game dressed as Buddy the Elf, and for a second, I wondered—was this just Will Ferrell being Will Ferrell, or was he out there promoting something new? Then I caught him on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where he talked about his latest film, You're Cordially Invited. They played a short clip, and from what I saw, it felt like another classic Will Ferrell comedy. That was all I needed to g...

Caption: Just love the perfect size of this tablet. For years, I’ve relied on two devices for my reading habits—a Lenovo M8 tablet for comics and a Nook Simple Touch for books. The Nook Simple Touch, a 2012 classic, has been an absolute workhorse. Its battery lasts forever, it’s lightweight, and it’s been through years of daily reading. But now? The battery is dying, and the sticky back issue (if you know, you know) has only gotten worse. My Lenovo M8, on the other hand, has been my ...

Politics in Sindh has always been an intricate dance—one step forward, two steps sideways, and a whole lot of waiting for the "right time." The issue of water channels being built on the Indus is no different. The People’s Party (PPP) is watching, waiting, and—if you ask me—secretly hoping that the people of Sindh take matters into their own hands. Let’s be real: PPP will only take a firm stand when the people hit the streets. That’s how politics works in Pakistan, especially in Sindh. If...

Yesterday, I published my thoughts on DeepSeek—China’s latest AI powerhouse—and how it might reshape the tech trust (or distrust) equation between East and West. Now, after mulling it over (and maybe losing a bit of sleep scrolling through AI subreddits), here’s what’s still lighting my fire about the future of AI: 🤖 Accessible AI for All DeepSeek’s approach—brute force or not—means AI tech could become super affordable, with licensing structures (like MIT) making it ridiculously easy to ...

China’s tech industry has been on a silent meteoric rise for years, quietly shifting from “the factory of the world” to a hotbed of innovation. This shift has given us everything from high-speed rail breakthroughs to popular consumer apps, and, now, it’s brought us DeepSeek—an AI project that’s catching Western analysts by surprise. Why? Well, DeepSeek seems to have come out of nowhere, built on minimal resources, and maneuvered around restrictive U.S. tech policies. In a sense, it’s symb...

Migrating your existing knowledge base into Salesforce can feel overwhelming if you don’t have a clear strategy. From formatting challenges to AI-driven context and chunking limitations, there are several crucial factors to keep in mind. In this article, we’ll explore proven best practices for ensuring your knowledge assets are properly formatted and primed for AI consumption—helping you unlock the full potential of Salesforce and more so, Salesforce Data Cloud. 1.🤔Understand the Limitation...

Marvel’s Ultimate Universe is back, and it’s not just back; it’s back with a vengeance. This reboot feels like Marvel has handed their creators a blank slate and said, “Forget the rules, let’s make magic!” And the centerpiece of this audacious relaunch? Wolverine’s radically reimagined backstory. Let’s dive in because, trust me, this is a game-changer. In the new Ultimate Wolverine series, crafted by the brilliant Chris Condon with stunning art by Alessandro Cappuccio, Logan isn’t the cla...

Preparing Large PDFs for Salesforce Knowledge: A Simple, Smarter Approach If you’re managing a knowledge base in Salesforce Knowledge—especially with Einstein AI—you’ve probably encountered the challenge of large PDF files. Here’s the deal: importing big, bulky PDFs directly into Salesforce Knowledge is a recipe for frustration. They’re messy, inefficient, and far from ideal for AI-driven systems. Let’s break down why they’re a bad idea, how to convert them into Markdown, and tools to split the...

In a recent article, I talked about Vivitrol injections and how they can support people on their journey to overcome addiction. Vivitrol works by reducing cravings and blocking the "high" from substances, making it easier to stay on track with recovery. But as many of us know, getting clean is only part of the journey. For a lot of individuals in recovery, dealing with depression is another major challenge—one that doesn’t necessarily disappear once substances are out of the picture. Depr...

In a move that feels a bit like an early holiday gift, VMware announced that starting today 11/11, its popular desktop virtualization software, VMware Fusion (for Mac) and VMware Workstation (for Windows and Linux), are now free for all users. That’s right — free, no fine print. This shift is a pretty bold pivot for VMware. After a rocky year in the enterprise space, where it faced some backlash over its hypervisor approach, it looks like VMware is trying to reset its image, especially wi...

Overcoming addiction isn’t easy. For anyone trying to stay sober, the fight against cravings and the risk of relapse can feel relentless. Vivitrol injections are a treatment option that offers hope by reducing cravings and blocking the effects of alcohol and opioids, making it easier to stay on track. Disclaimer: I do not own or have any affiliation with Vivitrol or its manufacturer, Alkermes, Inc. The information shared in this article is based on personal experience, research, and gene...

Are Computers Learning to “See” Like Us Technology has been on an exciting journey, and lately, we’re seeing a shift that feels almost… human. Just as our brains are wired to prioritize visual information, computers are doing the same—focusing more on specialized visual processing and less on sheer CPU horsepower. Nvidia’s potential new CPU, reportedly aimed at competing with Intel and AMD, is a sign of this shift. But what does this mean, and why does it feel so different from the CPU wa...

For decades, Afghan migrants have faced unimaginable hardships, forced to flee their homeland due to war, poverty, and political instability. Their journeys, often filled with hope for a better life, lead many into dangerous situations, seeking refuge across perilous borders. One such tragedy unfolded at the Iran-Afghanistan border, where Afghan migrants were massacred, an event that shocked those aware of it. Yet, the real tragedy lies in how little attention this incident has received on the g...

Introduction As the 2024 presidential election approaches, many Muslim Americans find themselves grappling with difficult questions about their role in the political process. As a Pakistani-American Muslim living in the U.S., I initially opposed the idea of supporting the Green Party, which had gained traction in some circles of the Muslim community as a form of protest against the mainstream political choices. After discussions with friends and family, I reluctantly began to consider this as a...

Sometimes, as I wander through these busy streets, caught in the unrelenting demands of daily life, I pause and ask: What am I really pursuing? What does it mean to live well, to feel truly fulfilled? In this land of dreams and ambition, the idea of eternal love—love without beginning or end—often whispers to me from the quiet corners of my mind. Why does this notion resonate so deeply? In a world where everything has a lifespan—careers, gadgets, even relationships—this timeless love stands out...

Your Brain is a Soap Opera on Repeat If you’ve got ADHD, you probably know how weird things can get. Like, here’s the scenario: you get mad at someone, right? Maybe it’s something small, maybe not, but you’re mad. And then… whoops, you’re not. You’ve moved on. Your brain’s already jumped to the next thought, like "Did I ever finish that snack in the fridge?" Honestly, it’s like ADHD gives you this weird ability to just forget being mad, like some emotional superhero who can’t hold a grudge. ...

Taking a Trip Down Memory Lane with Vince McMahon Watching the Vince McMahon documentary on Netflix was like opening up a time capsule filled with wrestling moves and nostalgia. It took me right back to the 90s when, like every other kid, I was obsessed with pro wrestling. Whether it was trying out a Stunner on my cousins, perfecting the Rock Bottom with my friends, or throwing my brother around on our parents' bed like we were at WrestleMania—it was a golden time. I mean, who didn’t want to be...

Wolverine and Jean Grey's Confusing Relationship There’s something fascinating about certain relationships in comic book lore—the ones that never quite fit into a defined category, always teetering between friendship and something more. One of the most compelling of these dynamics is the story between Wolverine and Jean Grey. Their connection is intense, filled with longing, but never fully resolved. It's a perfect example of how sometimes, no matter how strong a bond feels, you can be left won...

After almost 20 months, it’s time to say goodbye to a client I’ve had the pleasure of working with since November 2022. It all started with me coming in to offer some architecture advice before they signed off on a deal. Little did I know that what was supposed to be a short engagement turned into a full-on project that’s taken us right up to now, September 2024. We quickly realized this project was way bigger than anyone thought, and it grew from there. Fast forward, and today the client is li...

Their story highlights both the struggles and the strength that come with building a relationship around neurodiversity. ...

Book Review: Dirty Laundry by Richard Pink and Roxanne Emery After discovering my ADHD "superpowers" later in life, like many millennials, I immediately jumped online to learn more about others' experiences with late diagnoses. To my surprise, I found there wasn’t much out there. Why is that? Dirty Laundry by Richard Pink and Roxanne Emery tackles this head-on, explaining how shame keeps so many of us quiet. I had already been introduced to the concepts of shame and vulnerability through Brene...

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ― Maya Angelou ...