U - Topia

Moving to Blogsome.com

2005-07-15T18:28:00.000+04:00

Weekly report on human rights violations

2005-07-15T17:24:00.000+04:00

Weekly report on human rights violations
Report, PCHR, 15 July 2005

Posted in Palestine, Politics

Arabs call for action on barrier

2005-07-15T17:17:00.000+04:00

The Arab League called yesterday for the convening of an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council on the West Bank separation barrier after Israel approved a revised route around east Jerusalem.

The League said it would "work towards the convening of an urgent meeting of the Security Council and the General Assembly to take measures to stop the construction of the racist separation wall.

It added in a statement released after a meeting of its permanent delegates that Israel was continuing to build the barrier in a "flagrant challenge to the ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the resolution of the general assembly.

The ICJ has issued a non-binding ruling judgment which ruled that parts of the barrier which jut into the West Bank are illegal and should be torn down, but Israeli authorities have ignored the decision.

Source

Posted in Palestine, Politics

"All endings are also beginnings."

2005-07-14T16:47:00.000+04:00

"We just don't know it at the time..."

-The Five People You Meet in Heaven

When Adam felt too weak, sleepy to be precise but he didn't know what sleep is at that time. He thought it's the end. Thats how we think about death, something we've never experienced before, mysterious and powerful.

When Adam woke up the next day, he had a whole new world to deal with but he also had yesterday to make sense of. Yesterday was a day that had passed and today is a new day that will eventually end too. Our life will end by death, but life on earth will be a yesterday and in heaven we're going to start a whole new life after we make sense of our yesterday.

Posted in Humanities

Ten Iraqis suffocate in police lorry

2005-07-14T10:13:00.000+04:00

Michael Howard in Irbil
Wednesday July 13, 2005

Iraq's leading Sunni Muslim groups reacted angrily yesterday to reports that 10 Sunni Arab men suffocated to death in the back of a police lorry in Baghdad's sweltering summer heat.

The men are alleged to have died after being arrested by Iraqi anti-terrorist special forces on Sunday as they visited relatives at a hospital in the mainly Shia neighbourhood of Shula in north-western Baghdad.

A spokesman for the conservative Association of Muslim Clerics said yesterday that 11 men had been rounded up after an incident in which US troops fired at a group of construction workers.

The men, aged between 20 and 30, were taken to a detention centre where they were tortured, he alleged.

They were then herded into a police truck for up to 14 hours, where they lost consciousness and and all but one died. The temperature outside was above 40C (104F). The man who survived used his mobile phone to alert family members.

Source

Posted in Politics

2005-07-12T13:17:00.000+04:00

I woke up when the bus driver sneezed...

Posted in Me, Myself and I

Peace of Mind

2005-07-12T11:24:00.000+04:00

Ten Commandments for Peace of Mind

1. Do not interfere in others' business unless asked
2. Forget and forgive
3. Do not crave for recognition
4. Do not be jealous
5. Change yourself according to the environment
6. Endure what cannot be cured
7. Do not bite more than you can chew
8. Meditate regularly
9. Never leave the mind vacant
10. Do not procrastinate and never regret

Posted in Humanities

Arachibutyrophobia

2005-07-12T10:45:00.000+04:00

Definition: Arachibutyrophobia refers to an abnormal and persistent fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth.

Symptoms of arachibutyrophobia:

Your fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth can result in the following symptoms:
breathlessness, dizziness, excessive sweating, nausea, dry mouth, feeling sick, shaking, heart palpitations, inability to speak or think clearly, a fear of dying, becoming mad or losing control or a full blown anxiety attack.

You are not the only one to suffer from arachibutyrophobia. Most sufferers are surprised to learn that they are far from alone in this surprisingly common, although often unspoken, phobia.

Arachibutyrophobia is an intense fear of something that poses little or no actual danger. While adults with arachibutyrophobia realize that these fears are irrational, they often find that facing, or even thinking about facing, the feared situation brings on a panic attack or severe anxiety.

Trusted, Effective Treatment for Fear Of Peanut Butter Sticking To The Roof Of The Mouth Phobia

Posted in Misc, Psychology

How Sad

2005-07-11T19:01:00.000+04:00

You know how we sometimes sense something in the air?

I do sense it, the doubt in ourselves and our beliefs. The uncalled for shame and feeling of guiltiness has become disturbing.

I'm surprised to see those who live among us insulting our intelligence. How sad, all of a sudden everybody has something to say against us! What is happening to us? It looks like some will never rest before they handle us the new modernized and safe book of Islam.

Stupid people! who said that if someone said its haram to say "merry christimas" he's a murderer, a terrorist?? are you crazy? are you THAT scared? and from who? you're neighbors? you're friends and the ones who will definitely defend you once you get in trouble?

And whats with terrorism, terrorists, terror bla bla bla will anyone please invent a new word?

Who supported Bin Laden in Afghanistan? Who supported Saddam before they take a photo of him in his underwear?

Do you sympathize daily with those killed everyday in Iraq too? be honest! Do they sympathize daily too?

Some are ordering others to sympathize and show sorrow, they order us to denounce such acts and tell the world that Islam is innocent and has nothing to do with these people...They are afraid the rest of us will be brain washed, they dictate us on who to listen to and who not...does Muslim synonym with dumb to you? you're the dumb one if so. We don't need to denounce anything, if we do, its because we truely feel with them thats how things should be, we denounce the attacks as humans not as Muslims and not as Arabs. Just when are we going to stop dragging religions and ethnicities into everything?

Why did you think of protesting infront of the embassy? does not this very embassy represent their government? the one we hate, the one responsible about the war and occupation in Iraq and the one who brought the Jews to Palestine? How come you're insensitive to your people's suffering while you're so fucking sensitive to others'?

I do feel sorry for the innocent people who were killed, but I'm against the kissing up party we hold everytime something like this happens. It's so obvious how ashamed we are as if it has anything to do with us, as if its every Muslim and every Arab's fault!

When you march to denounce such acts also denounce what their governments are doing, shame on you if you for one minute forgot that you're people are suffering too, they are being killed everyday, they die from hunger while their governments are hunting for your people's oil, but nobody marches everyday...That is if we assumed marching changes anything at all.

What a pity, I guess if we were all following the same religion things could have been better eh? but thats because we're just stupid, truely we are savage creatures.

قال الله تعالى: {وإذ قال ربك للملائكة إني جاعل في الأرض خليفة قالوا أتجعل فيها من يفسد فيها ويسفك الدماء ونحن نسبح بحمدك ونقدس لك قال إني أعلم ما لا تعلمون}. البقرة 30-31.

Posted in Thoughts

Hi I'm God

2005-07-10T18:00:00.000+04:00

Now directly accessible, at the dawn of a new millennium, on my very own web site: Big Frequently Asked Questions (right, bigfaq). No churches, rituals, confessions, or collection plates – just answers to your biggest questions. So click away, for as long as you like. And you might want to check back from time to time – now that people know where to find me (virtually, anyway), I expect that additional questions will be asked. As soon as another big question has been asked frequently enough, I'll deal with it.

Posted in Misc

The Brits at a Crossroad

2005-07-09T22:38:00.000+04:00

It's time for the so called "war on terror" to be reconsidered. It's time for the British government and people to leave the sinking ship of bush and his administration.

Let's be pragmatic and accept the fact that no security arrangements can stop major attacks, unless they were accompanied by the right political arrangements.

If this was an attack by the elected British government on Iraq, it would have been called a "surgical attack" with "minimum civilian casualties". Didn't the first three weeks of the occupation war have such lables while thousands of Iraqis were being killed and injured?

So how come when London, not Baghdad, is under attack we watch blair's dry lips stuttering and bush's little eyes blinking while preaching to us about the value of human life? and about the evil terrorists who interrupted the G8 where the civilized world leaders were trying to protect the environment and support the poor...

What a bunch of crap...

Attacks against civilians and infrastructure are condemned wherever they occur, but they're more condemned when held by elected governments not underground radical groups.

The British government and people are at a cross-roads:

Either believe in the bushit of "evil terrorist who hate freedom": get stuck in the reactionary and violent cycle of US foreign policy, then attack and occupy more countries and wait for another 5 years to see whether more attacks will target your cities or not.

Or believe in Zapatero's pragmatic and rational solution (like the Italian government's decision today): fix the mess you caused in our part of the world and pull out your troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, apologize for the illegal wars that caused the death of hundreds of thousands of people and bring the war criminals to justice, and pay compensation to Iraq and Iraqis.

Via Raed in the Middle

Posted in Politics

Zanakha-Part 2

2005-07-09T20:50:00.000+04:00

what are ur opionion about my photo are me is beuty i said that also
By the way where are ur photo ,my benFrind ?
forget ur question because i will donot tell u from where i give ur email OK baby BY.

*big rolling eyes*

Posted in Me, Myself and I

Random Thoughts

2005-07-08T17:48:00.000+04:00

I'm not into lengthy posts so here you go...

#1 I think that Arab parents are miserable by default (generally speaking) and thats why they make their children miserable. They have nothing else in their lives except their kids, everything has to do with their kids, everything revolves around their kids. Thats why they often get too sensitive and they start personalizing everything, thinking that because they dedicated their life (its not always an optional decision) to their kids they might as well have the right to take their children's. Had they other goals in their lives, other "life" lets say maybe things wouldn't have gotten this bad. Just a personal opinion, don't bite me.

#2 It's funny how we sometimes say or do things that are totally not us! and it makes us look so stupid...so damn stupid and we regret it especially when we do that infront of someone we've just met, or sometimes infront of someone who we care about. We fear that this will make them change their minds.

#3 As much as I'm looking forward to my trip to Jordan, and how it feels to be home, I'm anticipating the pain I will shortly feel. Being home, as in the land, the air and everything JORDAN but not being home in terms of people, I've never felt home in terms of people anyway. Its hard not to stay at your own house let alone being looked at as plainly a young girl who is struggling to be nice to everybody so that they won't talk badly about her behind their back once she's gone, as if they forget sometimes that I'm their very same cousin and thats why I'm moving around the house trying to prove to them that I'm not a girl, I'm their cousin, period. They don't have to feel too shy nor they have to flirt! It hurts when relatives make assumptions and judge you, and I hate this "If my brother proposed to you will you accept it?" thingie. I just hope I won't have to go through any of this this time, it's supposed to be a vacation people!!

Posted in Me, Myself and I

13 year old Muslim girl starts a magazine

2005-07-08T15:28:00.000+04:00

In the United States there are magazines that cater to many different topics of interest and segments of the population. Now there is a magazine that targets Muslim Girls. It is called MG Magazine and not only is it FOR Muslim girls; it is written and published BY Muslim girls.

Today Yasmine El-Safy is getting ready to send the latest issue of MG Magazine out to its' subscribers.

Yasmine admits, "I can't work up against deadlines. I get crazy".
Yasmine El-Safy is MG magazine's founder, publisher and editor-in-chief. She is thirteen and a half-years-old. She says she started this magazine for Muslim girls because she couldn't relate to anything in the mainstream media. She also states, "They were fluffy and they just had, you know, like fashion and make-up and that's about it. I didn't see any value to any of them."

Living in a neighborhood in the Los Angeles area of California, with few other Muslim families, the magazine has also been a way for Yasmine to meet Muslim girls like herself.

Through websites and Internet discussion groups, Yasmine recruited other girls, one from as far away as Kuwait, to contribute to the magazine. They write about things such as peer pressure, and dressing modestly, and being a Muslim in a non-Muslim world. Yasmine's favorite article so far was by a university student in England.

Yasmine says, "This was the beginning of my path to self-discovery. I looked deep into my soul and asked myself where I wanted to belong. And I found the answer staring back at me. I wanted to be with the Muslims."

Read More

Posted in Islam, Women, Humanities

WOW!!

2005-07-08T14:09:00.000+04:00

nafooret 7obbena!

Click on image for a larger view

Posted in Misc

Attacks in London: Responsibility Claim Is Posted on Militant Site

2005-07-08T03:04:00.000+04:00

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: July 7, 2005

Filed at 9:05 a.m. ET

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) -- A group calling itself ''The Secret Organization of al-Qaida in Europe'' posted a claim of responsibility for Thursday's blasts in London, saying they were in retaliation for Britain's involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The authenticity of the message could not be immediately confirmed.

The statement, which also threatened attacks in Italy and Denmark, was published on a Web site popular with Islamic militants, according to Elaph, a secular Arabic-language news Web site, and Der Spiegel magazine in Berlin, which published the text on their Web sites.

''Rejoice, Islamic nation. Rejoice, Arab world. The time has come for vengeance against the Zionist crusader government of Britain in response to the massacres Britain committed in Iraq and Afghanistan,'' said the statement, translated by The Associated Press in Cairo. The AP was unable to access the Web site where it was posted, which was closed quickly after the reports.

The group al-Qaida in Europe claimed responsibility for the last major terror attack in Europe: a string of bombs that hit commuter trains in Madrid, Spain in March 2004, killing 191 people. Two days after that attack, a video was found in a trash can outside a Madrid mosque with a statement purported to be from the group's spokesman, called by the nickname ''Abu Dujan al Afghani.''

In the new statement, the group said ''the heroic mujahedeen carried out a blessed attack in London, and now Britain is burning with fear and terror, from north to south, east to west.''

''We warned the British government and the British people repeatedly. We have carried out our promise and carried out a military attack in Britain after great efforts by the heroic mujahedeen over a long period to ensure its success.''

''We continue to warn the governments of Denmark and Italy and all crusader governments that they will receive the same punishment if they do not withdraw their troops from Iraq and Afghanistan,'' the statement went on.

It was signed ''The Secret Organization of al-Qaida in Europe.''

Source

I'm speechless, truely, its not like those leaders give a damn, or do they??

Posted in Politics

Stuck up's

2005-07-07T19:31:00.000+04:00

Such people get on my nerves! How can anyone praise himself anyway? It feels stupid not to mention pathetic.

Say what are the things you love about yoursef?

My eyes
My hair
That I'm so cute (I just can't help it can I?)
That I'm so good-hearted and naive...
Those who know me will know that I'm just being honest!

Posted in Me, Myself and I

Zanakha

2005-07-07T14:46:00.000+04:00

Few months ago I received an email from a guy, a forward, so I replied back asking who is he. After what seemed like ages he replied with the weakest English ever that he wants to befriend me with other details about him. I asked him where he got my email from but he didn't answer that. I told him I'm interested of course. I think he got my email from an email forwarded to him, maybe he randomly picked my email from the list and decided to add me to his contacts.

What got on my nerves is that he knew my name! I don't know how, since my name is not displayed anywhere in my email which made me suspicious (I hade some stupid experience with a fanatic who refused to reveal himself before). What got on my nerves even more is to find my first name combined with a fake second name (its not my real second name), the second name sounded familiar but since I'm often mday3a I can't say I know this name.

Two weeks ago he sent me another forward and again I asked him who is he and where the hell did he get my email from (yes I'm paranoid but I have my reasons). He was like sorry I know you asked me not to send you anything but since you're on my list this email was sent automatically. Here is the funny bit: he's a programmer! and a show off too, he wrote me a small part of a prgram asking me to be his friend and sent me two pictures of him, he also asked me to send him my pic!

Why I wrote all of this? because he's soooo ugly that I have no idea where did he get all this confidence from, not only ugly but scary and I'm so tempted to post his pictures here in my blog...is that mean or anything?

Posted in Me, Myself and I

Compulsive Lying

2005-07-05T19:48:00.000+04:00

There are a number of reasons that people lie. The first is fear. This is the most common reason that people may lie, and they are taking shelter from a perceived punishment. It may be because they know they have done something wrong a single time, in which case it is not compulsive lying. But if they are always in fear of being punished, it may become a habit, which is a second reason for lying. In this case, it may become compulsive lying, which is lying by reflex. Even when confronted by the truth, they insist the lie is the truth in this case. A third case is learning to lie through modeling. When a people see others lie, especially when they get away with it, they may become more prone to lying. Finally, people lie because they feel if they tell the truth they won't get what they want. Thus, out of the main reasons for lying, only lying by habit can truly be called "compulsive lying."

Increased lying has been seen with a number of psychiatric diagnoses such as ADHD and Bipolar Disorder. With ADHD people will often say "I don't know why I did that", and when confronted about why they lied, their answer will be the same. ADHD children also display impulsivity, and they may lie implusively. Bipolar Disorder can be associated with low serotonin levels, which has been implicated in impulsivity, which, as indicated before, makes a person more prone to lie.

Pathological lying, though, can be thought of as being associated with a select few psychiatric diagnoses, which normally have their onset during adolescence. Namely, these are Conduct Disorder and Antisocial Personality Disorder. In conduct disorder, it is common to seelying, conning people and other forms of deceit. In Antisocial Personality Disorder, there is a pervasive pattern of disregard or the rights of others, and with this, the person with this disorder will often lie to get what they wish – usually money, sex or power.

Source

Inspired by some sick-minded people.

Posted in Psychology, Health

Sharjah Slasher Confessed Because He was Afraid

2005-07-04T18:30:00.000+04:00

The man accused of slashing four women with a knife in Sharjah says he only confessed to the crimes because he was afraid, his lawyer revealed yesterday. Jude Perera confessed to attacking the women after his arrest on March 14, but has since protested his innocence.

Police arrested Sri Lankan Perera at 11.28pm after they saw him running between the buildings on King Faisal road, his lawyer, Abdul Kareem Ahmad Bin Eid of Busit, Al Rokn and Associates, told 7DAYS.

After a brief chase Perera was arrested and admitted stabbing the women, saying he was mentally disturbed. The police then raided the home of Perera, who came to the UAE on January 20 to work as a computer programmer. Police found four craft knives in a tin, which Perera confessed he had used to stab the women, Bin Eid said.
7DAYS

In the wardrobe they also found a restaurant menu, which one witness said the attacker was holding when he stabbed one of his victims. The lawyer said Perera is facing four criminal cases, each of which contains two charges. One is physical assault and the other sexual harassment, as he stabbed the women in the lower back, Bin Eid said. A medical report showed that Perera was not mentally ill.

The first stabbing was at 12.00am on February 12. The Iraqi victim, aged 24, was attacked as she walked home from an ATM machine with her mother. The second attack was on a Chinese woman, 19, who was walking home from her work on Corniche road at 3.00am.

The third attack was on February 17 when a Jordanian, 27, was stabbed in the back at 11.45pm on King Faisal Road. That same day, a Syrian woman, 44, was stabbed at 2.00am as she entered her apartment building, court documents

Source

What's up with programmers turning out to be psychos?
I only hope they got the right person arrested not some poor helpless man who was promised to get paid if he confessed!

Posted in UAE

My Biorhythm

2005-07-04T11:23:00.000+04:00

Inspired by Jameed's post

Check out my biorhythm of today the 4th of July:

Physical 40% emotional 12% intellictual -79%

The weird part of this is that whenever I'm feeling good, no worries and very relaxed and content I find out that my physical and intellictual status in particular are bad! Oh well...

Those are my best celebrity matches:

Males

Trevor Penick 98%
Frankie Muniz 96%
Yao Ming 95%
Fabolous 94%
Robbie Tomlin 94%

Females (No I'm not a lesbian I'm just too curious, live with it)

Jessica Alba 100%
Bijou Phillips 98%
Luisana Lopilato 97%
Denise van Rijswijk 97%
Inge Schrama 96%

You can also test compatibility with whoever provided that you know their birthdate.

Upon Jameed's request:

Me and GWB

Physical 77%
emotionally 97% (whaaaat?!)
intellectual 14% (I thought so!)
total 63%

Source

Posted in Me, Myself and I, Misc

Blocked

2005-07-02T17:05:00.000+04:00

She blocked him!

Posted in Funny

Do Women Prefer 'Manly' Faces?

2005-07-02T10:44:00.000+04:00

What makes a face beautiful? What makes people seek out and desire to mate with the owners of beautiful faces? In recent years, scientists have turned to the theory of evolution to help us understand why some faces are judged to be more attractive than others.

According to the evolutionary view, the attractiveness of individuals is directly linked to their value as mates. A "high-value" mate is someone who best enhances your reproductive success. Going back into the evolutionary past of the human race, someone who noticed the cues to the value of a potential partner, and intentionally selected a high-value mate, would leave behind more children. These children would tend to inherit genes for attentiveness.

These faces are averages of 20 males. The face on the left has been moved towards a typical female shape, and that on the right towards a typically male shape

Posted in Health and Science

On Criticism

2005-07-02T08:23:00.000+04:00

When you crticize don't criticize their persons but rather the the things they've said, or the things they've done for if you criticize them then your disagreements with them has blinded you and you no longer are able to love them.

Criticize a person because you want the best for them not because they are different. Criticize when critisizm is needed, when offering your opinion might change a course of action, offer a new solution to a problem or a better view of things, other than that please don't bother!

Before you say anything ask yourself why do you want to citicize? and if you were in their shoes, how would you see this? is it positive? do you see the whole picture and know enough to actually disagree and point out fingers?

If yes then go ahead, criticize with love ;)

Posted in Thoughts

What is Your World View?

2005-07-02T02:24:00.000+04:00

You scored as Cultural Creative. Cultural Creatives are probably the newest group to enter this realm. You are a modern thinker who tends to shy away from organized religion but still feels as if there is something greater than ourselves. You are very spiritual, even if you are not religious. Life has a meaning outside of the rational.

Cultural Creative

69%

Existentialist

63%

Modernist

44%

Materialist

31%

Romanticist

31%

Postmodernist

31%

Fundamentalist

25%

Idealist

13%

What is Your World View? (updated)
created with QuizFarm.com

I love myself :p

Posted in Me, Myself and I, Misc

Indian Woman Ordered to Marry her Rapist!

2005-07-01T04:17:00.000+04:00

About 200 women protested outside a northern Indian court yesterday against a religious order prohibiting a rape victim from living with her husband after she was raped by her father-in-law.

"Punish the rapist, not the victim," the women shouted as the 28-year-old burqa-clad Imrana Bibi met a team from the National Commission for Women (NCW) which demanded justice for her under India's secular constitution.

"This is a question of the law of the land and the constitution is supreme. We want justice for the woman," NCW chief Girija Vyas told reporters in Muzzafaranagar in Uttar Pradesh state.

The case has sparked nationwide uproar pitting conservative Muslims against Hindu nationalists as well as feminists, communists and moderate Muslims in the Hindu-majority country where the 130 million Muslims follow Islamic personal laws.

"Personal laws should be modified and made gender-just and human rights-friendly. No religion punishes the innocent," Subhashini Ali, a senior leader of the All India Democratic Women's Association, told reporters.

Imrana Bibi, a poor rickshawpuller's wife in the predominantly Muslim town, was raped by her father-in-law earlier this month, prompting a Muslim village council to decree she had to live as the "wife" of her father-in-law and treat her husband as her son.

As uproar mounted, South Asia's most influential Islamic theological school waded in with a fatwa or order saying Imrana, a mother of five children, was prohibited from living with her husband – and in compliance with the Shariat law.

But it did not endorse the village council's stand that she had to become her father-in-law's wife. "Any Muslim who opposes our fatwa is not a true Muslim and is betraying Islam," said Mohammad Masood Madani, a cleric of the Darul Uloom Deoband, known for its conservative views. "She had a physical relationship with her father-in-law.

It does not matter whether it was consensual or forced. She cannot live with her husband." The slightly built Imrana, who was accompanied by her husband and sister-in-law, told reporters she would follow the Shariat. Imrana's father-in-law has been arrested.

"Whatever the Shariat says, I will follow that," she told a chaotic news conference. The debate in India comes after police in Pakistan rearrested four men this week convicted then acquitted in the notorious gang rape case of Mukhtaran Mai which attracted international condemnation.

What?! marry her rapist? those people are crazy, since when do Muslim women marry their rapists?? Oh God thats total BS, that's so unfair!!

Source

Posted in Women

Waiting for the inevitable

2005-06-30T18:00:00.000+04:00

Okay I'll be honest its not the coffee that ticked me off. That lady kept us waiting for her for almost 3 hours, and though I often try to find excuses for people knowing this woman I know that its her habbit and I did expect her to be late, never the less expeting a bad thing to happen doesn't always make one feel all better.
What kills me is that she's always late because she goes other places before she actually drives to our home, so why on earth doesn't she just think a little and gives us the real time of her visit? who cares when she's leaving her house???
I dislike this type of people, punctuality is a virtue indeed.

Posted in Me, Myself and I

Coffee Time

2005-06-30T01:09:00.000+04:00

Today I was suddenly pissed off when mom asked me to make coffee for our guests, I don't know why should we serve coffee everytime we have guests and why do guests expect us to make coffee everytime they visit us no matter what is the occasion!

Seriously, what's the deal? its boring! why coffee? we alter between the different kinds of hot and cold drinks but coffee is a must-apparently-.

My mom's answer was that kul ennas 3endhom haik, hay 3adet ennas!

Life is boring indeed.

Posted in Me, Myself and I, Thoughts

Another day of shopping

2005-06-28T22:48:00.000+04:00

Effft I'm tired of shopping, fitting clothes and looking at all those beautiful colorful clothes that can not be wear unless I was walking down the streets of Paris...
Hmmmm...Can't somebody just buy me what I need?
And my fascination of black and white clothes (either plain or mixed) is never ending!

Thats another day passed in my "SC go shopping" series :p nearly four weeks before my vacation starts but I've already panicked and I'm depressed, I need to buy lots of things but I end up buying what I don't need or buying nothing at all. And I need to catch up with my two summer courses too...

Today my sixth sense came to action, I had the feeling that mom's credit card won't work and so I ordered my little sister to stay in the shop and not leave before I'm done with payment...well, you can imagine the embarassment, I told them I hate credit cards urghhhh!

listening to Counting Crows' High life

Posted in Me, Myself and I

Veiled Women: Discriminated against in MUSLIM Countries?

2005-06-26T22:13:00.000+04:00

This post is inspired by my last shopping at several famous shops specialized in selling female clothes in the UAE.

An old yet remains up-to-date observation: decent clothes are heading towards extinction. Veiled or not veiled such clothes are so much for modesty but for a veiled woman, you need to wear at least 3 peices of clothes only as a top. Headscarves are what others (none veiled) wear around their nicks. Bottom line, even though it is supposed to be a Muslim society in the first place veiled females who consist a large proportion of the total number of customers are being totally neglected.

And here, the first rule of economy 101: increased demand will result in increased supply doesn't apply either because the sale person doesn't give a damn, and thats because our culture is almost against the famous motto "Customer is always right" and they need million of light years to know what does cutomer-oriented means, or because people in general are taken by brand names and everything western.

Sabbah wrote about hijab today, and what came to mind is the discrimination against veiled women! yes you heared me right, discrimination against veiled women in the Arab World. Take example in Dubai, a friend of mine who wears "niqab" ( piece of cloth that covers the face except for the eyes) was denied an administrative job that has to do with dealing with computers and was told the reason is that she wears niqab, the girl is an expat and what she was told exactly is that if she was an Emiraty she could have been allowed to wear sheila and abaya (the traditional custom of females in the gulf which covers the whole body+hair except for the face and hands) but since she's an expat, even if she was wearing a simpl hijab she must remove it if she wanted to work for this respectable (or not so respectable) copmany!

This incident is only one among many in which candidates did not receive a reasonable reason of why they were denied the job but knew deep inside it was because of their hijab. As if hijab hinders with looking good, or as if it affects quality of work.

In our society I noticed something, many people think wearing hijab is like holding a big sign on which "I'm perfect" is written, what people need to understand is that hijab is one of the Islamic practices like praying, fasting...etc. It doesn't mean in anyway that the girl who wears it is perfect, she doesn't claim to be an angel, she's basically obeying God by following his orders like many obey him (SWT) in many other things.

Posted in UAE, Women, Society

Power of Your Mind

2005-06-26T09:26:00.000+04:00

'Be a master OF mind rather than mastered BY mind' - Zen Saying

"Your own mind is a sacred enclosure into which nothing harmful can enter except by your permission."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Buddhist meditation masters know how flexible and workable the mind is. If we train it, anything is possible. In fact, we are already perfectly trained by and for samsara, trained to get jealous, trained to grasp, trained to be anxious and sad and desperate and greedy, trained to react angrily to whatever provokes us. In fact, we are trained to such an extent that these negative emotions rise spontaneously, without our even trying to generate them.

So everything is a question of training and the power of habit. Devote the mind to confusion and we know only too well, if we're honest, that it will become a dark master of confusion, adept in its addictions, subtle and perversely supple in its slaveries. Devote it in meditation to the task of freeing itself from illusion, and we will find that with time, patience, discipline, and the right training, the mind will begin to unknot itself and know its essential bliss and clarity.

“Training” the mind does not in any way mean forcibly subjugating or brainwashing the mind. To train the mind is first to see directly and concretely how the mind functions, a knowledge that you derive from spiritual teachings and through personal experience in meditation practice. Then you use that understanding to tame the mind and work with it skillfully, to make it more and more pliable, so that you can become master of your mind and employ it to its fullest and most beneficial end. Sogyal Rinpoche

We are so addicted to looking outside ourselves that we have lost access to our inner being almost completely. We are terrified to look inward, because our culture has given us no idea of what we will find. We may even think that if we do, we will be in danger of madness. This is one of the last and most resourceful ploys of ego to prevent us from discovering our real nature.

So we make our lives so hectic that we eliminate the slightest risk of looking into ourselves. Even the idea of meditation can scare people. When they hear the words egoless or emptiness, they think that experiencing those states will be like being thrown out the door of a spaceship to float forever in a dark, chilling void. Nothing could be further from the truth. But in a world dedicated to distraction, silence and stillness terrify us; we protect ourselves from them with noise and frantic busyness. Looking into the nature of our mind is the last thing we would dare to do. Sogyal Rinpoche

-"The all is mind: The universe is mental." Hermes - Thoth

Source

Posted in Psychology, Humanities

Downloading the Internet

2005-06-25T21:40:00.000+04:00

My brother is downloading the Internet on the other PC, and so my Internet connection is toooooooo slow urgh!!!

Posted in Me, Myself and I, Funny

Dubai residents await better public transport

2005-06-25T16:34:00.000+04:00

Desperate need

"However, while the Emirates Express has been praised, bus services on the outskirts of the city have come under fire. Residents have requested the introduction of buses to serve the ever-expanding Springs, Meadows, Lakes and Greens communities.

Maria Blake, who lives in The Meadows, just off Interchange Five on Shaikh Zayed Road, said: "We are in desperate need of some kind of public transport services. There are thousands and thousands of family homes in the area and no access to public transport."

And in Sharjah we are more than desparate believe me!

Posted in UAE

Shopping, School and Sweets

2005-06-25T10:35:00.000+04:00

I think I suffer from shopophobia...fear of shopping followed by hallucinations, that is being under the impression that I bought losts of clothes while I bought only 2 outfits.

While shopping for shoes I remembered Roba and her lovely shoes, the cute ones that I currently can not link to them since the pic is hosted on flickr, which is blocked by the Emirates proxy, which I hate with passion. I didn't find my size so I ended up with a similar design, a pink one that I'm going to wear at home only (no I'm not going to wear flashy pink shoes when going out).

At last, I'd like to say that I woke up with this feeling of hate towards school so I decided that I'm not going. I also woke up craving for sweets! I often eat sweets and go back to sleep, got no idea where did I get that habbit from but its so soothing and it helps fix my mood and makes me more relaxed.

Posted in Me, Myself and I

Blown Cover

2005-06-24T18:54:00.000+04:00

Dubai’s only shelter for battered women could be forced to move after its secret location was given away. One man, whom his wife says is violent, has already snatched back his two-year-old daughter. Several men have barged into the shelter in the past week looking for wives and daughters that have fled their homes, said Sharla Musabih, who runs the organisation.

Musabih blames a local newspaper for publishing a picture giving away the location of the home, which provides a safe haven for battered and abused women and children. “Yesterday a man was trying to follow us to the villa and we had to drive to the Bur Dubai police station,” said Musabih. Police detained the man so the women could return to the shelter, she said.

He had allegedly raped a girl, who now lives at the shelter, in order to force her to marry him. When a 7DAYS reporter visited the home yesterday a man stormed in, demanding the return of his children. After angry scenes he was persuaded by police to leave empty handed.

“My older kids hate him and would have never gone with him,” said his wife, who is hiding at the shelter because she says he used to beat her. “The place is really sensitive,” said Musabih. “We have had our doors always open for any women or children in distress. The villa has been home to hundreds of women and children.

“But when people from whom we are trying to protect them also start to enter through the same door, we need to think about security.” Musabih is now hoping to buy several villas in a new location, which can be fitted with a high wall and proper security. In the meantime sensitive cases will be moved to a new location, she said.

Musabih also hopes to improve security at the existing home. Cameras may be installed at the entrance, and the shelter is looking to recruit a permanent security guard to prevent unwanted visitors storming in. Since it opened in 2001, the privately-funded shelter has helped hundreds of women and children escape dangerous situations. The shelter recently rescued a woman who had lived in a shack in the desert for two years.

Source

Posted in UAE, Women

Technorati Joins Live 8 to Make Poverty History

2005-06-24T16:47:00.000+04:00

Live 8 is a series of concerts and events across the world which are being staged to highlight the problem of global poverty. It's a chance for ordinary people to call on world leaders at this year's G8 summit and tell them to put a stop to the needless deaths of 30,000 children every single day.

On 6th July 2005, the leaders of Great Britain, the USA, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Russia will meet at Gleneagles in Scotland to talk about world affairs, including Africa. They will be presented with a workable plan to double aid, drop the debt and make trade laws fair.

The G8 summit is in Scotland in July. This is a focus for the 'Make Poverty History' campaign, calling on the assembled government leaders to spend more on aid to developing countries & cancel debt. The anti-war movement have important arguments to add to the discussion - billions of dollars/pounds have been spent on the invasion/occupation of Iraq. This is money that could have been spent to help developing countries. The G8 leaders cannot expect us to believe that they have the interest of developing countries at heart when they launch military attacks to secure control of their natural resources.
Major demonstrations are being organised to coincide with the summit. The Stop The War Coalition nationally & locally plans to give these protests an anti-war flavour. Elsewhere in this newsletter you will find details of transport to the demonstrations in Scotland.

The live concert will be held on the 2 of July to support the event. Some of the names were mentioned are:

Annie Lennox
Bob Geldof
Coldplay
Dido
Elton John, Sir
Joss Stone
Keane
Killers, The
Madonna
Mariah Carey
Ms. Dynamite
Paul McCartney, Sir
Pink Floyd
Razorlight
REM
Robbie Williams
Scissor Sisters
Snoop Dogg
Snow Patrol
Stereophonics
Sting
Travis
U2
UB40
Velvet Revolver

WOW!!

For coverage of events around the G8 Summit make sure you check those quick links.

While at it, please sign this letter to President Bush asking him to help fight poverty.

Posted in Politics, Entertainment

Latest News: Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign

2005-06-23T01:27:00.000+04:00

Marda Villagers Under Attack as Resistance to Occupation and Apartheid Wall Steps Up

Several villagers were injured on Tuesday21 st July, as resistance to the Apartheid Wall and Occupation continued in Marda. Occupation Forces attacked Palestinians attempting to reach their confiscated lands, and fired tear gas canisters into houses and at demonstrators. Villagers remained steadfast in their rejection of the Apartheid Wall, which will work in conjunction with the settler-only bypass road system, to ghettoize villagers and steal a further 900 dunums of their land.

Gathering in the centre of Marda at 11 am, around 300 protestors marched towards the north of the village where 300 dunums of land have been confiscated for a new settler-only bypass road. Chants, slogans and speeches denounced the Apartheid infrastructure that the Occupation Forces are trying to impose upon Palestinians. They also focused on the Apartheid Wall, which will take at least 600 dunums of land in Marda.

As demonstrators approached their confiscated land Occupation Forces blocked their path, with around eight jeeps forming a chain to close off the village. Marda villagers continued their defiance of the Occupation and its Apartheid project and forced several of the jeeps back. Occupation Forces then declared the village to be a “closed military zone”. Clashes ensued as Occupation Forces went on a rampage through the village, firing tear gas canisters at houses and demonstrators. Several Palestinians, including young children, were injured. In retaliation rocks and stones were hurled towards Occupation jeeps, causing them to retreat with several smashed jeep windows. Villagers also responded by assembling a road block of rocks on a nearby settler bypass road, disrupting the Occupation for the second time in two weeks. Last week the road was shut-down as villagers gathered on the road during a protest.

More

Israeli Forces Seize Several Houses and Arrest Seven Peace Activists in West Bank

Posted in Palestine

Two types of poeple

2005-06-21T22:51:00.000+04:00

Some people used to have big dreams when they were but children, they grew up pittying themselves crying over their lost chances and their bad luck, though they hadn't made enough efforts to claim the right to fulfill their dreams. They accept whatever comes their way...

Some people used to have simple dreams that with time have grown big, instead of taking advantage of what they have and focus on their present they think of what they don't have, what is bigger than what they have. They want to make their destiney.

Posted in Thoughts

Snake Charmer

2005-06-21T11:10:00.000+04:00

Written by 7DAYS | Monday, 13 June 2005

Sherana Alansudhir bravely put herself in danger early yesterday morning to save a woman caught in the deadly grip of a large snake. The mother of three got hold of the snake’s tail – believed to be a young python – and unwrapped the four feet long reptile from the leg of a hysterical cinemagoer during the 11pm performance of ‘Mr and Mrs Smith’ at a cinema in the Wafi City area.

Via Sentiments

Posted in UAE

Bored

2005-06-21T10:25:00.000+04:00

I'm bored. I hate summer semeters, I have to sit from 9:30 to 12:30 just waiting for the bus!!!
You have no idea how hot it is in this country.

So nways I will start blabbering about whatever.

Today is the 21st of June and I'm already broken :( I wanted to buy some books, dye my hair, watch a good movie and have lunch with my friends...All lost :p

Yesterday I went out with my two younger sisters and their friends, we had fun but to be honest I was annoyed by their silly behavior some times. At the end of the day I couldn't take it anymore lol I yelled at them, because they were pointing out at the cars and people passing by in a very stupid way, as if we're not enough NOTICED by everybody. I know that wasn't too nice, but I didn't yell actually but it was obvious that I was annoyed, probably not because they were acting silly I don't know but next time I'll try not to do that. Oh, and they sat on the parked cars too. Half of me wondered if I'm such a rigid dull boring and so out of place person, and the other felt that they know nothing about behaving in public. I think its both.

I started reading "By the river Piedra I sat and wept", its quite boring I already stopped reading and I'm not sure I will continue reading that book.

I've grown bored of all the songs I have though they are too many, but I'm too picky in everything even music. I listened to Coldplay's new album and it was good but not that great, maybe I should listen to it again. I hate Arabic songs in general except for the oldies and few Arab artists like Kazem, Wassouf, Fadel and Najwa (though I'm not a big fan of her but I listen to her songs when I'm in the mood).

Before I travel I'll buy some books, cause I'm pretty sure I'll have plenty of time when I prefer to be left alone. Not that I'll be bored but some people will get on my nerves and the best thing to do is to sit in the garden reading. I can't wait for 4 weeks more! it sounds like an eternity.

Posted in Me, Myself and I

I'm off on vacation for 3-5 years

2005-06-21T09:29:00.000+04:00

COLOMBO (Reuters) - Want a tourism experience with a difference? Sri Lanka is converting a historic prison into a hotel so that visitors can enjoy the holiday of their lives -- presumably with time off for good behavior.
ADVERTISEMENT

The Daily News reported Thursday that Galle prison -- built in a centuries-old fort that is now a
United Nations world heritage site -- would be developed into a tourist site.

Quoting Southern Province governor Kingsley T. Wickremaratne, the state-owned paper said guests would have to abandon their holiday finery on check-in and would be issued with prison uniforms for the duration of their stay.

"Unlike the star class hotels, there won't be luxury rooms fitted with hot water taps ... the rooms are none other than the prison cells fitted with iron bars," the governor said.

But the news said a "jailor" would allow guests to keep the keys to their cells and they could move about at will.

Galle Fort dates back to 1663 during the Dutch settler era and contains some of the finest examples of colonial architecture in the region.

Property in Galle fort is among the most expensive in Sri Lanka, and a number of grand old buildings -- which used to house the colonial Dutch and later British administrations, have already been converted into luxury hotels or museums.

A Sri Lankan company converted an old tea factory in the hill district of Nuwara Eliya into a hotel some years ago in its bid to offer tourism with a difference.

Sick people

Source

Posted in Misc

Saddam Insists He's Still Iraq President

2005-06-21T09:09:00.000+04:00

NEW YORK -
Saddam Hussein loves Doritos, hates Froot Loops, admires President Reagan, thinks Clinton was "OK" and considers both Presidents Bush "no good." He talks a lot, worries about germs and insists he is still president of
Iraq.

Those and other details of the deposed Iraqi leader's life in U.S. military custody appear in the July issue of GQ magazine, based on interviews with five Pennsylvania National Guardsmen who went to Iraq in 2003 and were assigned to Saddam's guard detail for nearly 10 months.

More

Posted in Politics

New weapon against settlers

2005-06-21T08:01:00.000+04:00

Israel May Use New Weapon on Settlers reports Foxnews -- "a device that emits penetrating bursts of sound that leaves targets reeling with dizziness and nausea".

Israeli armed forces employed the new device, which it dubbed "The Scream," at a recent demonstration by Palestinians against Israel's Separation Wall.

More:

The Israeli poison gas attacks: A preliminary investigation

EI: BY TOPIC: Weapons and Arms trade

Via Arjan El Fassed

Posted in Palestine

Warrior of Light: He takes every opportunity to teach himself

2005-06-20T04:51:00.000+04:00

"He is never taken in by appearances and makes a point of remaining silent when people try to impress him. And he uses the occasion to correct his own faults, for other people make an excellent mirror."

Posted in Humanities

Quit Smoking

2005-06-20T00:19:00.000+04:00

Smoking relapse is quite common so don't get very upset, you did NOT fail!

You either did not choose the proper coping method with your new situation or you went through a stressful event, it might be that people around you smoke as well.

Here are some basic prevention ways:

1- Focus on quitting not quitting-related issues like weight gain or nicotine withdrawal symptoms

2- Do not wait until complete success before you reward yourself, recognize your achievement and celebrate each small step you've taken so far

3- Keep contact with those who support you ( Mahjoob members can be a hell of support to you just tell us that you're quitting)

4- Never take a single puff...Anything but a puff!

I hope whoever could not make it will share his experience with others, the reasons why he couldn't continue and his personal opinion and thoughts. Say anything for it might be helpful for others and remember ITS NEVER TOO LATE...

I feel like standing on a mountain and scream on top of my lungs QUIT SMOKING PLEAAAAAASE

Those are threads from Mahjoob.com about smoking, smoking support and smoking relapse:

Smokers

Quit Smoking Support

Smoking Relapse

Posted in Health, Action

Short on coffee

2005-06-19T21:24:00.000+04:00

I have a headache and I'm nauseous. I don't like that, I've been feeling sick without being actually sick since a few weeks now.

Posted in Me, Myself and I

Short People

2005-06-19T11:55:00.000+04:00

Short People got no reason
Short People got no reason
Short People got no reason
To live.

They got little hands
And little eyes
And they walk around
Tellin' great big lies
They got little noses
And tiny little teeth
They wear platform shoes
On their nasty little feet

Well, I don't want no Short People
Don't want no Short People
Don't want no Short People
Round here.

Short People are just the same
As you and I
(A fool such as I)
All men are brothers
Until the day they die
(It's a wonderful world)

Short People got nobody
Short People got nobody
Short People got nobody
To love.

They got little baby legs
And they stand so low
You got to pick 'em up
Just to say hello
They got little cars
That go beep, beep, beep
They got little voices
Goin' peep, peep, peep
They got grubby little fingers
And dirty little minds
They're gonna get you every time

Well, I don't want no Short People
Don't want no Short People
Don't want no Short People
'Round here.

by randy newman

If somebody sings this to me I'll kill him, this is so deperssing :-D

Posted in Me, Myself and I, Entertainment

High Heels

2005-06-19T10:48:00.000+04:00

My recent experience with high heels was aweful, I couldn't believe that I'm the same high school girl who wore 13 cm high heels in her graduation ceremony nearly 3 years ago. I went shopping last weekend and I thought that for the sake of fashion and public taste I should wear white shoes that match with the tiniest spot of white in my clothes. The funny thing is that I almost fell down 3 times and my left foot was scratched by my right foot's high heels in a weird incident. That was embaressing of course but please focus on the pain.Its been a while since the last time I wore high heels, back in high school it caused me back pain and so I stopped wearing high heels especially that the new flat shoes were in and I loved how simple yet elegant they looked not to mention that after enrolling in college walking for relatively long distances became a part of my daily life and I had to get rid of my high heels unless I wanted to suffer from chronic back pain for the rest of my life.

I'm aware of the health problems of wearing high heels yet I'm planning to buy some and get used to walking in high heels again. They say if you don't wear them on a regular basis you'll be fine.

Posted in Me, Myself and I

Warrior of Light: Diminish your opponent's enthusiasm

2005-06-18T23:08:00.000+04:00

" Convince your enemy that he will gian very little by attacking you; this will diminish his enthusiasm."

"In war, the key to victory is the ability to surprise one's opponent."

Posted in Humanities

Improve traffic to your blog

2005-06-18T15:42:00.000+04:00

I searched Google to see how to increase traffic to my blog.

Here are some helpful tips:

16 Ways to Drive Traffic to Your Blog

1. Set up a Bloglet subscr ipt ion form on your blog and inv ite everyone in your network to subscr ibe: fam ily, fr iends, colleagues, cl ients, assoc iates.
http://www.bloglet.com

2. Set up a feed on MyYahoo.com so your s ite gets regularly sp idered by the Yahoo search eng ine (see tutor ial on http://www.b izt ipsblog.com)http://www.my.yahoo.com

3. Read and comment on other blogs that are in your target n iche. Don't wr ite th ings l ike "n ice blog" or "great post." Wr ite intell igent, useful comments w ith a l ink to your blog.

4. Use P ing-0-mat ic to p ing blog d irector ies. Do th is every t ime you publ ish. http://www.pingomatic.com

5. Subm it your blog to trad it ional search eng ines: http://www.submitfire.com

6. Subm it your blog to blog d irector ies. The most comprehens ive l ist of d irector ies is on th is s ite: http://www.masternewmed ia.org/rss/top55/

T ip: Create a form to track your subm iss ions; th is can take several hours when you f irst start so schedule an hour a day for subm itt ing or h ire a VA to do it for you.

7. Add a l ink to your blog in your ema il s ignature f ile.

8. Put a l ink to your blog on every page of your webs ite.

9. If you publ ish a newsletter, make sure you have a l ink to your blog in every issue.

10. Include a l ink to your blog as a standard part of all outgo ing correspondence such as autoresponder sequences, sales letters, reports, wh ite papers, etc.

11. Pr int your blog URL on your bus iness cards, brochures and flyers.

12. Make sure you have an RSS feed URL that people can subscr ibe to.

The acronym RSS means R ich S ite Summary, or some may cons ider its mean ing as Really S imple Synd icat ion. It is a document type that l ists updates of webs ites or blogs ava ilable for synd icat ion. These RSS documents (also known as 'feeds') may be read us ing aggregators (news readers). RSS feeds may show headl ines only or both headl ines and summar ies. To learn how news aggregators/RSS readers work, see th is s ite: http://www.rss-specifications.com/rss-readers.htm

13. Post often to keep attract ing your subscr ibers to come back and refer you to others in the ir networks; include l inks to other blogs, art icles and webs ites in your posts

14. Use Trackback l inks when you quote or refer to other blog posts. What is TrackBack? Essent ially what th is does is send a message from one server to another server lett ing it know you have posted a reference to the ir post. The beauty is that a l ink to your blog is now included on the ir s ite.

15. Wr ite art icles to post around the web in art icle d irector ies. Include a l ink to your blog in the author info box (See example in our s ignature below).

16. Make a comm itment to blog everyday. 10 m inutes a day can help increase your traff ic as new content attracts search eng ine sp iders. Put it on your calendar as a task every day at the same t ime.

T ip: Use a h it counter to track your v is itor stats: how many un ique v is itors, how many page v iews, average length of v is it. You can get a free h it counter at http://www.sitemeter.com

See what Technorati has about Blog Traffic

Posted in Misc

Cool!

2005-06-18T02:52:00.000+04:00

I'm in an extreme (yup always on the extreme)state of calmness and I don't feel like typing these days. I have to set, write whatever down on papers first. However I do surf the net and I still check other blogs as well.

Today a thought came to my mind as a result of being boring (no not bored, boring). I was thinking about the word "cool" and how it all started out. I have no idea who used it first but I can tell it has different meanings depending on the context specially when used by us Arabs. It can mean nice, great or no hard feelings. I remembered then a funny comment by a male college student I've read in a magazine, he was asked about what he likes in a girlfriend, he answered "cool w btefhamni" cool and understands me. Looking at the guy's picture I wondered what on earth does cool mean?

Probably one whose parents won't mind her having a boyfriend and certainly will NOT call if she had to stay at some party somewhere with somepeople after midnight.Or, a girl who will hang out with his friends not troubled with his female friends, she smokes argeeleh and doesn't give a damn about where he might be for she has her own business to mind...She's simply fay3a

Another common meaning of the word "cool", is care-free, somebody who is cool is somebody who does not care, he is careless, in other words "baleed" but at the same time he is "faye3 w mesh sa2el".

I always get too excited about things and people, guess I'm not cool :)

Posted in Me, Myself and I, Thoughts

Can you believe these are paintings?

2005-06-17T21:27:00.000+04:00

Posted in Humanities, Misc

Warrior of Light: He makes use of his opponent's energy too

2005-06-17T11:19:00.000+04:00

"Then he opens his heart to the universe and asks God to give him the inspiration he needs to turn every blow from his enemy into a lesson in self-defensce."

Posted in Humanities

The blessing of our dreams

2005-06-17T02:16:00.000+04:00

I'm thankful to God for the enlightment I get through my dreams. I know this might sound like a superstition thingie but its not, I believe that some dreams are visions we've been blessed by having them to guide us, warn us, or showing us what the future holds for us.

I'm glad that when I'm doing something wrong I'm warned, this way by God's will I get back to the right path. When there is something bad going to happen many times I see that long time before it happenes but I'm semi ready for it, you never ready for bad incidents but at least you know bad things happen to you as well not only others.

Two weeks ago I've read about something, I've decided that its obviously right to do it according to what I've read and my mind said its convincing and logical. Few days ago I've dreamt of something and I've felt that it surely means something (I can distinguish between meaningful dreams and dreams caused by my own thoughts and my subconscious or those annoying nightmares) and when I looked it up I could see how that means I've started to breach something that is wrong, and that I'm following what some other people have said. I thought that maybe it was about something else although the only thing I was determined on is that thing I changed my mind about and became convinced its right, I even started convincing everybody else which explains my dream but then last night I've seen something that means I'm going to do something very wrong, something that God's prohibited particularly I will earn money from an Islamically prohibited source, which was right I'm afraid.

In the end, I decided not to do it, I don't wanna do something I was told is wrong. I've learned long ago to believe my dreams, lets just say I'll remember that always.

Posted in Me, Myself and I

Gulf News reporter detained at airport

2005-06-16T01:00:00.000+04:00

Dubai: A Gulf News reporter was detained at Dubai International Airport on Wednesday morning and prevented from travelling to Greece on an official visit, following an arrest circular issued by Sharjah police.

Sharjah police had earlier warned Basma Al Jandaly, staff reporter, and Duraid Al Baik, UAE Editor, over an article published in February about a man who was stabbing women in Sharjah.

Immigration officials at the airport detained Al Jandaly after she asked them to investigate why the e-gate could not recognise her fingerprints.

She was taken to the airport security and then to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) office at the airport.

“I realised I would not be able to travel to Greece and that I had to reclaim my luggage from the aircraft that was about to depart.

“I was shocked and horrified. I didn’t know what to do, especially as it was about 7am and most departments were closed.

"An immigration official told me I would be detained until they transferred me to Sharjah CID on the orders of the security affairs director,” Al Jandaly said.

A police official told her the head of security at Sharjah police had issued the arrest circular because of an article she had written in February.

“It was a big surprise,” she said.

Dubai’s CID had informed the newspaper in March that Sharjah police wanted to arrest Al Jandaly and Al Baik after a complaint was made against them over the article.

Thereafter, Abdul Hamid Ahmad, Editor-in-Chief of Gulf News, wrote a letter to Brigadier Ali Saleh Al Mutawa, Commander-in-Chief of Sharjah police, asking for a clarification.

In the letter, Abdul Hamid said the newspaper would deal with the complaint according to the UAE’s publication laws and issue a correction if the article carried was incorrect or inaccurate.

Gulf News did not receive any response from Sharjah police. Abdul Hamid’s special assistant followed up the case for three days with the police.

“We were informed that no arrest warrant had been issued against Al Jandaly or Al Baik. The two had to report to Sharjah police and bring their passports as well, to be referred to the public prosecution,” Abdul Hamid said.

The newspaper then agreed for Dr Fahd Al Sabhan of the Al Sabhan Legal Group to handle the issue.

Sharjah CID officials repeatedly told Dr Al Sabhan’s representatives that no orders to arrest the two reporters had been issued.

Officials told the lawyer the two had to provide their testimonies after a complaint had been lodged against the story in February.

Abdul Hamid said: “We were completely surprised by Basma’s detention and the fact that she was prevented from traveling though the lawyer received frequent confirmations from the police that there was no arrest warrant.

“Gulf News respects the law. Yet, any arrest warrant against journalists, in libel cases, is considered a violation of the law - and of the freedom of expression, which is protected by the UAE Constitution as well as the Publications’ Law. It is regrettable that such a violation was committed by a law enforcing authority,”

The Editor-in-Chief called on Lt. Gen. Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Interior Minister, to instruct all UAE police departments to observe the press or publication laws and not to misuse the authority given to them by law.

He praised Dubai police and the CID for the way they handled Al Jandaly’s issue. The Dubai CID were very cordial and released Al Jandaly so she could settle the issue once and for all.

Gulf News has contacted the Commander-in-Chief of Sharjah police for comment on the incident, but he referred the newspaper to the public relation’s department. The department was contacted twice but there was no reply.

Al Jandy said: “Sharjah police called me a number of times saying they wanted to see me without giving the reason why, they refused to reveal why three times. I asked them to send an official letter to the newspaper, but they did not.

“The police official who called me warned that if I did not to come to the police office, an arrest warrant would be issued against my name and circulated around the UAE.

“He was shouting at me. I told him to send an official letter to the newspaper saying I was wanted by Sharjah police. I asked them to follow procedures according to the UAE publications law,” Al Jandaly said.

Source

Posted in UAE

Stupidity or what? If it wasn't for Dubai's police that murderer would be chasing girls at Sharjah's streets stabbing them in the back!

Warrior of Light: All the World's Roads Lead to the Heart of the Warior

2005-06-15T10:09:00.000+04:00

I've just started reading this book yesterday, it has a highly spiritual value to it and I found that reading one chapter everyday is the best way to do it. I'll post some everyday as well, only parts that are worthy to remember.

" He embraces his passions and enjoys them intensly. He knows that there is no need to renounce the pleasers of conquest; they are part of life and bring joy to all those who participate in them"

Posted in Humanities

My friend Ola

2005-06-14T09:24:00.000+04:00

LOL the way she laughs is just hilarious :-D I should call her more often! and I thought my laugh is unsual :-D

Posted in Me, Myself and I

Did not attend my class...Again

2005-06-14T09:22:00.000+04:00

Thats it I need to see a psychologist.

Posted in Me, Myself and I

Arabic Commercials and Women

2005-06-13T11:16:00.000+04:00

I wanted to write about while I was having my finals but I couldn't, I wasn't in the mood to write. Being up all night I had this sudden longing for TV! I used to watch all the re-runs and all the Syrian series I refused to sit and watch before. To make a long story short, I've noticed that Arabic commercials are increasingly degrading to women. There is that fair and lovely ad, it got on my nerves, but I'm not going to talk about it again since Natasha wrote about it.

Another commercial is one about cars, Capress to be specific, in which a father initiates a conversation with his young son. At first you'll think he's talking about a woman, and he's son will think so too but the son says he's not ready yet bla bla bla and then the father had put an end to the conversation by saying this: "ma ra7 tesma3elha 9out!" you won't hear her her voice then the father gives the old car keys to his son! Sometimes I wonder what goes in their minds when they make such commercials. Do I even need to talk about women pads' commercials??

Posted in Women

Starting Over: Damn right we need that!

2005-06-12T20:57:00.000+04:00

As if our local production is not enough we decided to import this garbage called Reality TV from the west. The latest show is called Starting Over in which a constantly changing group of women who were experiencing some psychological and social problems and joined the program in order to start their lives all over again after getting rid of all the problems they used to have. In the show you'll see them crying every episode for the lamest reasons ever, most of the times trying to show their best performance on the camera, sometimes its the mere thought that they are women and hence they HAVE to be sensitive and delicate just for the heck of it. On many occasions you'll see them fighting! arguing about the un-arguable, blabblering about whatever and disagreeing with each other also for the heck of it. After watching the series many men started to wonder if this is what women are all about, cat fight and weeping.

I can't grasp the idea of this show, Interviewing those women every episode and asking them to talk about the other women which is an indirect invitation to back-stab them is freaky. Video taping them all the time (or most of the time) specially in awkward moments is disgusting as well as degrading to those women. If the intention behind this stupid show is to help those women they could have helped them without making them sound like monkies in a cage, without abusing them and taking advantage of their problems.

However, I don't blame mbc I blame those women and their families for allowing such thing to happen. Its an insult not only to those women but to all the women of the Arab World. I can't believe we're going down, blindly mimicking American Reality Shows which are ironically attacked and rejected by many people outhere who consider themselves conservative, who believe that their lives and their privacy are more valubale than that. Even by ethical codes abusing people like that is not acceptable!
So...whats next?

Please take the time to vote: هل برأيك البرنامج يطرح واقع المرأة العربية ؟

Posted in Women

The Wall of Hate

2005-06-12T11:23:00.000+04:00

Click on the image to enter

Watch one of their videos

Posted in Palestine

War and Love

2005-06-10T22:37:00.000+04:00

Perhaps one of the most unromantic definitions of love belongs to Nietzche: love as the eternal war (mortal hatred) between the sexes. It can sound even repulsive. Unfortunately though, a glance at what is going on in the majority of the so-called love relationships could testify the truth in Nietzche's definition of love.

What may really be the causes of such a war, such mortal hatred?

In the same book, Ecche Homo, and the same chapter, Nietzche makes another statement that clearly hints at the cause of such a war. He says that in nature women are superior to men. Now considering the fact that in the natural division of labor, the task of survival is mainly a feminine task, therefore, women should be superior meaning that they should enjoy a more efficient immuno-physiological system. In Nietzche's words, males are only an instrument in this respect.

Thus, from a masculine point of view, such natural feminine superiority may very well be the cause of that hatred and war. But what about women? What may be the cause of their hatred toward the opposite sex?

The most obvious reason that immediately comes to mind is the patriarchal religious social cultural framework dominating the world since the beginning of history with its resulting inequalities between the sexes. The extent of these religious, cultural and social inequalities is so wide that we can even speculate that the formation of patriarchal societies may be an unconscious reaction (revenge) of the naturally inferior sex! But enough has been said about these societies by feminists. What I would like to explore here is the deepest probable core for this hatred.

For that the first appropriate question is what is that masculine quality that females lack and for that they can be hateful to the opposite sex?

The most obvious answer is that females are naturally physically weaker. And what is the immediate consequence of this weaker physical strength? Fear of the stronger.

There can be little doubt that the most basic feminine fear is the "fear of getting raped and pregnant." Such a fear does not exist in males. Males' immediate fear in this respect can only be "not to find a woman to rape at least!" Of course, this does not mean that males can not be raped by females. The technique used is different. We have a very specific feminine quality called allurement, which is the technique used by Eve against Adam in Heavens! However, there is a little difference between these two techniques. First of all, while the end result of allurement is not always what is intended, in other words, it may fail, when there is the question of physical power, the end result is always the victory of the more powerful. Secondly, males can not become pregnant! [1]

Going back to the subject of love as the war between the sexes, from what has been said we can conclude that the root of this war is on one hand, the feminine natural survival superiority and on the other hand, the masculine natural physical superiority. In the language of psychology, men suffer from a natural inferiority complex while women suffer from congenital insecurity. This is enough to start and feed an 'eternal war between the sexes,' is it not? But as Nietzche says the hatred should be 'mortal' in order to allow survival of the species. So as much as males can hate females for being the more favored sex by nature, females can hate males for being a potential threat to their lives, security and safety.[2]

If from one perspective, the rise of patriarchal societies is an unconscious masculine reaction to feminine natural (survival-wise) superiority, what can be the effects of that inborn feminine insecurity on her psychology and thus the society?

Any insecure person needs a protector. As his/her survival is dependent on this, he/she is ready to compromise whatever necessary. For example, for years I wondered how could Arab mothers allow their husbands to burry alive their newly born girls? And after I became a mother, the question became harder to answer. It sounded like an earthquake to The Myth of Mother – that all-sacrificing human figure. But let us leave the genders alone for the time being, and ask the above question in this way: what was there to make humans to act so 'un-naturally?' To commit such barbarian act?

Today, we know about the barbarians much more than our ancestors who called a group of human beings as barbarians, no matter where they were on earth. Today, after closer observations of still existing Barbarians, one conclusion is that they seem to be the most un-barbarian race of human species. Cannibals are not some animals, but they do such cruel acts because of their beliefs. How come when it comes to the so-called civilized people, the same belief (to act according to one's beliefs) is considered sacred, sacrificial, truly religious (Christians, Moslems, Hindus and… they all agree on this single point.)? So holy to be killed for one's beliefs! That's how soldiers have been sent to wars throughout history... Coalition forces are now getting killed in Iraq in their great struggle to enforce "democracy" and…

Nietzche makes his definition of love - 'eternal war between the sexes'- on the basis of survival instinct. The mental cause for this war is the natural superiority of females and physical superiority of males; and the consequences? Just watch our lives.

[1]In an article published in the last issue of MSF newsletter, it is said: "In the early 1990s, systematic rape was used as a weapon of war first in Bosnia (women were raped and then sequestered so they could give birth to a "Serbian baby") and then in Rwanda (with the systematic rape of Tutsi women – between 300,000 and 500,000 female survivors of the genocide are thought to have been raped."

[2]This in itself can answer another puzzling question. Why have prostitutes surrendered to pimps? Why have they been ready to pay up to two thirds of their 'salary' to a man? They have surrendered because they need a male protector (or an old competent awe-inspiring female – probably due to her reliable influential male protectors) to protect them from all kinds of possible abuses that men can impose on women only because of their greater physical strength.

Read complete article

Well, that was like stating the obvious to me except for the fact that males feel naturally inferior and that (from what I could understand) they try to compensate for that by somehow psychologically challenging females phsyically which is so true...

Irish Football Protest Against Apartheid Israel

2005-06-10T21:08:00.000+04:00

Worldwide Activism, The Grassroots Palestinian Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign, June5 th,2005

Several hundred Irish football fans and Palestinian solidarity activists demonstrated against the ongoing Occupation and colonization of Palestine in advance of the Ireland-Israel football match in Dublin on Saturday June4 th. As part of the wider movement for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Apartheid Israel, many protesters called for sporting boycotts to be put in place similar to those against the apartheid regime of South Africa.

The National Demonstration for Justice for Palestine, organized by the Ireland Palestinian Solidarity Campaign (IPSC), began at Dublin’s Central Bank at3 pm, where speakers addressed the growing crowd. Stalls were set up in Grafton Street, one of Dublin’s main shopping streets, and shoppers signed petitions calling for an end to the Occupation. Hundreds of protesters then marched several kilometers, past the Dail – the seat of the Irish government – before heading to the Israeli embassy.

Read full article

Its very embarressing, its our case yet we do nothing while others who are not affected neither directly nor indirectly are trying their best. Is it that we're truely helpless and that we've lost hope or we're simply cowards/apathetic?

Is corruption in our blood?

2005-06-09T11:18:00.000+04:00

http://sugarcubes.blogsome.com/2005/08/31/what-what-did-i-do-now-2/

How Many Iraqi Women Are Getting Raped?

2005-06-06T11:38:00.000+04:00

by James Glaser
January 26, 2004

A Denver Post article of January 24th by Miles Moffeit and Amy Herdy is about "Female GIs reporting rapes by U.S. soldiers." "Women say response lacking within military, some even threatened."

Now in a combat zone where soldiers have been told to shoot first and ask questions later, it is not hard to believe that the American military command would look the other way if soldiers started raping Iraqi women. It looks like some of them have looked the other way even when they rape American women.

There has always been a perceived stigma put on any women who reports being raped and for those in the military I can only imagine that it is worse. That is why I believe that the number of rapes must be very high if at least 37 women that served in Iraq and Kuwait have sought sexual-trauma counseling from civilian rape crisis organizations. The total number of women raped will never be known.

These women, from the enlisted ranks and officers too, have reported poor medical care and incomplete criminal investigations. Also some say they were threatened with punishment after reporting assaults.

"The Pentagon did not respond to repeated requests for information about the number of sexual assaults reported by service personal," in the War on Terrorism. They will only say that they will not tolerate sexual assault in their ranks. Well tolerate or not, rapes are happening. If American soldiers feel safe enough to rape other soldiers and even officers, I can't even imagine how many Iraqi women are getting assaulted.

"Commanders at every level have to take appropriate steps to prevent it, protect victims, and to hold those who commit them accountable," a written statement from the Pentagon said.

Now let us be honest here for a while. Young American soldiers are given life and death control over a whole population. These soldiers are under incredible stress, they are young and immature, their leaders have told them to kill civilians if they even think their lives are in danger??.so, what is a rape?

If Americans are raping Americans, it has got to be open season on Iraqi women.

The American public has no idea of what happens in a war zone. Nice young American boys change into monsters. No not all of them, but a small percentage of them do. Some guys will kill a civilian just so they can say they shot somebody in the war. Yes I know that is sick, but it happens.

Some guys think they are going to die any day now in that war zone, so what does it matter if they rape some "rag head"? The Pentagon has already reported that over 600 soldiers have had to be taken out of Iraq for psychological problems and military doctors are saying that over 20% of the troops are going to suffer from Post Traumatic Stress, when they get home.

War zones turn into a little piece of hell and the things that some people do there would never be done by them any place else. Some soldiers, not a lot, but more than you would think, go a little nuts, murder civilians and yes, rape women. The Pentagon and commanders in the field are not about to do anything, because it would make the United States and the Army look bad and it would hurt the careers of those in charge.

I don't know about any big ones, but I have no doubt in my mind, that there have been little massacres several times in Iraq. Scared soldiers that have lost friends lose it in a raid in the middle of the night when something unexpected happens and everyone opens up on a family and kills them all. We put awesome firepower into the hands of every American soldier out on an operation. One person opens up and you don't wait to see if they were right. You open up too.

A convoy comes under attack and civilians are in between the enemy and the convoy. Civilians get killed and the troops drive away. Hey it happens, way more times than the United States Army would like and nobody is about to say anything.

Are Iraqi women getting raped? No doubt. If American soldiers are so desperate for power and control over somebody, that they will rape an American woman, an American women that could send them to jail for years, you have to know that it is open season on Iraqi women.

It doesn't take long for those that will commit a crime like this, to learn that their commanders will look the other way.

Source

I'm posting this so as to spread it on the net. Some might stumble over my blog by mistake.

Anger management

2005-06-06T11:11:00.000+04:00

If you're angry and you know you have to let it out but you don't wanna hurt anyone what would you do?

Next time I'm angry I will not let it out unless in the most peaceful way, after counting to 100...I'm serious this time :-D

Will the US attack Iran this month (June/2005)?

2005-06-06T01:34:00.000+04:00

First time I read this, excuse my ignorance

"Save the Date", Solidarity with Palestinian People in New York

2005-06-06T01:23:00.000+04:00

NEW YORK, May 25, 2005, (WAFA)- The Palestine Activist Forum of New York (PAFNY), has called for joining the "stand up for justice in Palestine", on June 5th, 2005.

The participants would dress in black to mourn all hundreds of thousands of Palestinian victims who have lost their lives and homes due to the aggression of the Israeli Occupation. They also would wear kuffiyas and bring Palestinian flags in solidarity with Palestinian people.

Under the slogan of "Save the Date", PAFNY organizes such activity on Sunday, June 5th, 59th Street & 5th Avenue, NY.

The PAFNY activity comes in the 57th anniversary of the Palestinian NAKBA, and to protest over the salute of Israel parade.

It reminded also the whole world that 6000,000 Palestinians forcibly live in Diaspora due to the Zionist attacks against Palestinian cities and villages in 1948.

S.A.S. (15:10 P) (12:10 GMT)

Source

University of Sharjah

2005-06-05T23:18:00.000+04:00

Finally I managed to my camera and take some photos.

August and everything after

2005-06-05T22:24:00.000+04:00

When I listen to counting crows my feelings of nostalgia and lonliness accumulated.

In the mean time, August and everything after describes exactly how I feel.

TFEH again

2005-06-05T11:26:00.000+04:00

Sorry I don't mean to be rude :p

Remember that day when I saw the word "TFEH" written on some car's spare tire on the back?
well, thats exactly what I saw:

LOL, and here's the man's website: http://www.tfeh.com/

I wonder what kind of TFEH stuff does he sell...

Human Shield, Drink Urine Merely Samples of Humiliation Conducts against the Palestinians

2005-06-04T07:58:00.000+04:00

PALESTINE, MAY23,2005 (IPC+Agencies)---Israeli TV, channel 10 reported on Monday night, that Israeli occupation soldiers used a Palestinian child as a human shield in the village of Doura, near the West Bank city of Hebron.

Channel 10 showed a video footage showing the 17-year-old child, who was identified as Fadi, being led to a building in the village, where the occupation soldiers were hiding.

Fadi was blindfolded and led by the soldiers to the second floor of the building, then to its balcony as one of the soldiers was hiding behind the child and pointed his rifle at a group of youth throwing stones at the soldiers.

Israeli occupation forces denied the report, which was captured on film and claimed that the child was throwing stones at them, and that soldiers did not use him as a human shield "but kept him under guard", until he was transferred to police custody.

The footage shown on the Israeli TV clearly showed the child handcuffed, blindfolded and being led by soldiers to every location they moved to, while one of them was hiding behind him.

Member of Knesset, Yossi Sarid, from the Yahad party, described the event as a "war crime" and demanded prosecuting the soldiers involved in this incident.

Also, Sarid added that the moralities of the Israeli army had critically deteriorated "to an unprecedented level".

In a related inhumane atrocity, the Israeli central martial court in Jerusalem sentenced the Israeli occupation policeman "Guard border" four months after he was convicted with humiliating Palestinians. The soldier forced one of them to sip the soldier's urine until he felt unconscious

Read full story

No Second Chances for Women

2005-06-04T05:35:00.000+04:00

No this is not inspired by Issam's topic about second chances.

It happened that I heard of a man who in the meantime is getting a divorce from his ex-wife, they've been married for about 10 years. The same guy is also living the sweetest love story nowadays, he's extremly happy, simply put he's so in love. Nothing is sweeter than two persons in love but thats not why I'm writing this. The question I asked myself after hearing about that guy is, why women are not given second chances? Why are they always the giver and never the taker?

You may think my questions are irrelevant but they are totally relevant, valid and it makes sense to think about them. In our culture divorced men have no problem marrying again, not only just marry but fall in love and perhaps marry a much younger woman than themselves. Divorced women...well, don't get me started.

A non-virgin guy will have a normal life, get married and have kids (I'm not against that I'm only pointing out the double standards!). A woman who committed adultery or even if she was raped is basically a dead-woman (that is if her family did not kill her to cleansen their honor).

No second chances for women, sometimes no first chances either.

Woman jumps to her death from eight-storey building

2005-05-26T22:43:00.000+04:00

By Ahmad Barakat

AMMAN — A female employee at the Water Authority committed suicide on Wednesday by jumping off the roof of the authority's eight-storey building in the Shmeisani area, Ministry of Water and Irrigation Spokesperson Adnan Zu'bi said.

He added that the 31 -year-old typist was found at around8 :30am at the scene of the incident, blindfolded and lying on the tiled ground.

Divorced with no children, the employee had worked for the authority since1993 , according to Zu'bi.

Meanwhile, Minister of Culture and Government Spokesperson Asma Khader said the deceased had a "record of previous attempts to commit suicide in her house, and was constantly threatening to kill herself."

"It seems she had financial troubles, family problems, and she used to receive psychiatric treatment for depression," Khader said.

"There was an investigation under way into allegations that she forged an official letter to obtain a bank loan."

Thursday, May26 ,2005

JordanTimes

Happy 59th Birthday Jordan : )

2005-05-25T21:22:00.000+04:00

I couldn't let it pass without looking for pictures, i might not be knowledgable when it comes to jordan as much as other jordanians are, however i share them their love and homesicknesses.

my favorite fruit

Pictures via Mansour Mouasher's gallery

Have you seen my glasses?

2005-05-25T18:16:00.000+04:00

I can't find my glasses, dunno where i put them last time. i can't live without my glasses! i'm so used to them. i'm this close to cry :'(
how i'm gonna study for my final exam tomorrow?!

Stating the Obvious

2005-05-25T03:56:00.000+04:00

(And, oddly enough, in dry weather there's none at all!)

"A truck driver was driving along on the freeway. A sign comes up that reads "low bridge ahead." He tries to turn off but, before he knows it, the bridge is right there and he gets stuck under it. Cars are backed up for miles.

Finally, a police car comes up. The cop gets out of his car and walks around to the truck driver, puts his hands on his hips and says, "Got stuck huh?"

The truck driver says, "No, I was delivering this bridge and ran out of gas" "

"If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure."

....George W. Bush, Jr.

"As fulfilling as it is to make fun of people for stating the obvious, you should at least be aware that doing so properly can be (and is) an integral part of many noble endeavours. Most proofs in philosophy and mathematics start out by stating facts that are widely known/considered to be true (ie, obvious), both to lay the foundation for inferences later on, and to orient the reader to the writer's progression of thought. You and I both know that an odd number n can be represented in the form 2k+1 (k an integer), but if I don't come out and say so at the beginning of my proof, you'll scratch your head when I tell you that n squared is 4k^2+4k+1. And you'll either take longer to infer my meaning (reinventing the wheel in the process), or just lose interest. The Socratic method is structurally little more than stating the obvious and asking your pupil whether a series of seemingly obvious consequences do or do not follow logically.

But outside the realm of argument, stating the obvious is one of the most basic elements of small talk, which is almost always the first step towards having meaningful conversation with another human. Unfortunately, we can't just walk up to strangers and ask them about their thoughts on the nature of the soul... it's socially unaccepted, but for a good reason. Subjective issues (religion, politics, musical taste, etc) are the most touchy, and when conflict and disagreement erupt around them, people become upset. A new person you're interested in starting a conversation with has no interest in getting into an argument with a stranger. Conversation based around deep thoughts and strong opinions and radical ideas doesn't occur until after you're fairly well acquainted with someone (unless you're part of a society similar to E2). Prior to this, you're confined to asking innocuous questions ("What's your major?" and "Have you seen such-and-such movie?", once you've been talking for a few minutes), and stating the obvious ("It's a scorcher out here today" or "That's a cool shirt") to show that you're willing to engage in verbal communication and exchange a little vulnerability for the possibility that the other will respond with something interesting ("Yeah, I was born in such-and-such, where the weather is...", "Thanks, I bought it from NORML, which meets the first Tuesday of...")." Source

i often use sarcasm when someone states the obvious or says something very expectable , like something was repeated so manytimes before.

Latest News: Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign

2005-05-25T01:54:00.000+04:00

Protestors Descend on Muqata Calling for Destruction of Apartheid Wall

May 24th, 2005

Around 300 demonstrators � most from the nearby village of Bil�in - gathered in downtown Ramallah during the evening of May 23rd to protest the ongoing colonization of their lands by the Apartheid Wall. Congregating at the city�s Al Manara central square, demonstrators lit torches and marched to the Palestinian Authority (PA) Muqata Compound with a message for Mahmoud Abbas on the eve of his trip to the US, voicing their anger at the international support and complicity for the brutal Occupation and its Apartheid Wall.

Villagers mobilized for the demonstration in Ramallah to highlight their struggle and ongoing resistance to the Wall. A large crowd congregated at 8 pm at al-Manara Square before lighting torches and marching through the city centre to the Muqata, chanting for an end to the Wall not only in Bil'in but also in solidarity with the neighbouring village of Saffa, which is similarly affected.

More

Too complicated for me

2005-05-25T00:15:00.000+04:00

I thought i should write this down so as to document it, make it official!

i find people too complicated, frustrating and hard to understand. its hard to explain their reactions.

most of people are...well...double-minded. they say things that they don't mean, and when you remind them of what they said they will get angry and start yelling telling you that they didn't mean it literally! for God's sake, there are things that can not be anything but what they are, can not mean anything else other than what they really are, so please unless you mean it don't say it, you're confusing me.

i guess its human beings' nature, but truely people are giving me hard time trying to understand them, what they want and what they mean. and then they wonder why i'm so naive, i'm not naive, i just believe you, USED TO actually. recently, i've lost trust in people. i no longer believe what i think is right or true. why do people have to be complicated? why make scenes and then pretend they weren't real? why the drama? why lying to yourself? if you don't know yourself how do you expect me to know you? if you don't mean more than half the things you say or do why should i believe you anymore?

on a second thought...maybe my mind is tooooo thick.

2005-05-23T22:06:00.000+04:00

I've written something about why i envy dark skinned people but a pop-under ad appeared and when i closed it finally all my windows were closed...so...i guess today's lesson is: if you're a light skinned person never post something about you envying dark skinned persons because you'll lost ur post just before you submit it :@

this is how i look right now:

Gay Israeli artists seek Arabs to fall in love with

2005-05-23T13:20:00.000+04:00

By Claudia Parsons

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Two gay Israeli men have installed a huge double bed in a New York art gallery and are inviting Arab men to become their "lover" as part of an exhibition called "Sleeping with the Enemy."

But the artists who like to be known simply as Gil and Moti talk about the project in romantic terms, saying it's about "falling in love" rather than sex. Gil said visitors should not come to the show expecting to see pornography.

"The bed is there for us to live in. Artistically there are three pillows to symbolize unity of three people which goes along with the whole concept of make love not war," he said.

"We try to actually open up a dialogue and debate which is about more important issues than just sexual matters and if there's sex, OK, but it's not something we're interested in discussing," Gil said.

The sales pitch for the show in which the two live and work in the gallery surrounded by their art reads: "Israeli artists Gil and Moti are gay, married and in love. For 5 weeks, they court an Arab lover."

Since late 2002 they have made contact online with as many as 300 Arab men from across the Middle East. They typically send a message through a dating site asking if they can paint a picture from the man's photo and explaining who they are.

They then scan and e-mail the painting as a means of "seduction" and hopefully start a dialogue and meet, Gil said.

The gallery called Jack the Pelican, in Brooklyn, is displaying over 100 of the watercolors, priced at $700-$900, along with some transcripts of e-mail exchanges, photos and oil paintings and the bed.

"We felt frustrated with the political situation in the Middle East," said Gil. "As Israelis, we grew up with Arabs but we were encouraged by the education system to hate and abuse them so we thought we must do something about it."

"So we decided to fall in love with one of them."

STILL SEARCHING FOR THE RIGHT MAN

Moti is coy when asked whether the bed might actually be put to use if they meet an Arab man they like.
"We want people to think about sex when they enter the show because we have a bed in the front and it's clear that we are living here, but we're not interested in showing that," he said, appearing a little bashful for a man standing in front of paintings of naked men in graphic sexual positions.

Gil said they had not invited anybody to join them yet but one local Arab man had invited them to his home.

The exhibit includes video and pictures of a Lebanese man called Oliver who lived with them for nearly a year in the Netherlands. One photograph shows the three men standing naked and covered in mud in a wood, holding hands.

"We actually fell in love, with the three of us," Gil said. "He saw us as one person because we're together 24 hours a day, I think it's no longer clear how individual we are."

"He said he loved not just us but the concept. But at some point it got complicated," Gil said, explaining that Oliver found the pressure of living with performance artists who consider their life a constant show too difficult, so he left.

Aged 37 and 33, Gil and Moti, who met 11 years ago at art school in Israel, dress alike, on this occasion in yellow tee-shirts embroidered by Gil's mother with flowers and their names in Arabic, and both wear their hair gelled into spikes.

Source

So we're screwed up in both cases!

Homes Are Demolished in All Baghdad(s)!

2005-05-23T13:03:00.000+04:00

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Reuters) - Baghdad, Iraq, might be accustomed to seeing houses destroyed. But villagers in Baghdad, Brazil, were surprised and angry when police demolished 100 of their homes -- apparently by mistake.
Upset villagers came to Maranhao state capital Sao Luis on Wednesday claiming the police had demolished their hamlet of Vila Baghdad instead of a squatters settlement about five miles away.

A judge had ordered the demolition of illegally built houses in Formigueiro village and some 70 police with bulldozers Monday went to the area and carried out the work.

"The villagers have a plan of the properties and according to this plan the demolition occurred in the wrong place," Pedro Barreto, a Maranhao state prosecutor, told Reuters on Thursday.

Raimundo Branco, head of the Maranhao state land agency said Vila Baghdad residents were also mostly squatters, but many of them had received ownership documents for their land five years ago.

"If in fact it is proved that their homes have been destroyed we'll provide them with all legal assistance. They can sue the police or the state," he said.

Vila Baghdad residents complained of police violence during the operation. Police denied any violence and said they only followed orders from bailiffs about the location.

Source

Its in the water.

2005-05-20T00:40:00.000+04:00

So monday will be the first day in the final examination period, i have no idea what the hell i'm waiting for.

I watched Star Wars today, first time i watch it. it was cool, i was dying to go out honestly so any movie will be good enough to me. sometimes i feel that whoever is sitting behind me or sometimes next to me is about to yell at me because of the sounds i make while eating and drinking :-D

I'm in the mood for Linkin Park songs these days. when i format this stupid PC soon i'll download songs for Limp Bizkit. nothing seems loud enough for me.

Your Iris Says Alot About You

2005-05-19T19:46:00.000+04:00

http://sugarcubes.blogsome.com/2005/09/01/your-iris-says-alot-about-you/

Honor Killings Protested in Palestine

2005-05-17T23:20:00.000+04:00

After reading about the latest honor crime in jordan I decided to search more about honor killing, fortunately I stumbled over this article:

05/14/05
By Rasha Elass
WeNews correspondent

More than 300 Palestinian women took to the streets in protest of honor killing, demanding legislation to protect the mostly young women who are killed by male relatives for "dishonoring" the family or tarnishing its name with "unchaste behavior," reports Al Jazeera on its Web site this week.

Last week a Palestinian Christian in Ramallah confessed to murdering his 20-year-old daughter for marrying a Muslim without his consent.

On Monday a Palestinian man in East Jerusalem murdered his two sisters and forced his third sister to drink acid in what the police say appears to be honor killings.

In light of a recent increase in honor killings, "The Palestinian Authority is now looking to implement a law which deals with civil crimes," said Zuhaira Kamal, Palestinian Women's Affairs Minister.

Current laws in the Palestinian territories consider honor killing a crime of passion with "extenuating circumstances," and treats the culprit with leniency, giving on average sentences of six months. The proposed legislation would treat honor killing similarly to other murders, which would make it a capital crime.

Source

Why don't jordanian women start similar protests?

Huh?

2005-05-17T13:27:00.000+04:00

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am Mark Taylor of the European Reagion of Close Brother Treasury Serives LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM here in London Our firm is a security company of high repute with years of outstanding service to the People of United Kingdom and Europe and Africa. I have decided to contact you through this medium based on business proposal that will be of mutual benefit to both of us and our unborn generation. I have not discussed this transaction with anybody because it is of top secret.

To be explicit and straight to the point. Some time early 1997, a reputable client of ours deposited a consignment in our company's vault for safe keeping. And since then our client has failed to come forward to claim his consignment, which has accumulated a considerable amount of money in demurrage. Consequently, in my bid to contact this client to redeem the demurrage which his consignment had accumulated I discovered that my client was arrested by the Putti Government and have been in jail.

This client happens to be Mikhail Khodorkovsky the Richest man in Russia and owner of the following companies: Chairman CEO: YUKOS OIL (Russian Largest Oil Company) Chairman CEO: Menatep SBP Bank (A well reputable financial institution with it’s Branches all over the world). As the personal account officer I am fully aware that none of his benefactors has come forward to claim the consignment with us, which means that non of his relatives or aids had any knowledge of this consignment.

Hence out of curiosity I decided to secretly open the two boxes that our client deposited in our vault. And to my surprise I discovered that the two boxes that were registered as family treasures by our client actually contained a considerable amount of money in United States Dollars amounting to about US$100.5million. Since this development, I have been nursing plans secretly. I also found out from enquiries and the foreign media that my client siphoned a lot of money from his country while he was in office as a Minsiter. It is my conviction that the consignment in our vault was part of the money that our client siphoned, and now that he will be convinted there is no trace to this money in our care.I am now soliciting your noble assistance to assist me in transferring this money out of London to your country for immediate investment with your assistance.

YOUR ROLE: All I need from you is to stand as the beneficiary of the Above quoted Sum and I will re-profile the funds with your name, which will enable The European bank transfer the sum to you. I have decided to use this Sum to relocate to American continent and never to be connected to any of Mikhail Khodorkovsky conglomerates. The transaction has to be Concluded In 2 weeks before Mikhail Khodorkovsky is out on bail. As Soon as I confirm your readiness to conclude the transaction with me, I Will provide you with the details.

I have also decided that you will generously be entitled to 15% of the total amount. Upon my receipt of your reply confirming your willingness to assist me on this transaction, I will immediately arrange and transfer all the rights of ownership of this consignment to your name to facilitate your easy clearance and transfer of the
complete funds to your country.Secondly, I will arrange for the consignment already labelled as family treasure to be lifted by diplomatic means to our security company's
correspondence in Spain where I will meet with you. You have nothing to worry about, as I will be there to assist you in anyway necessary with all proper documentation. This transaction is 100% risk free.

Please maintain absolute confidentiality on this matter.

Please reply to the above email address or call me immediately upon the receipt of this letter.

19-year-old reportedly murders his married sister

2005-05-17T08:43:00.000+04:00

http://sugarcubes.blogsome.com/2005/05/17/19-year-old-reportedly-murders-his-married-sister/

اسرة في اربد تسكن كهفا تعود حقبته التاريخية الى قرون

2005-05-16T20:20:00.000+04:00

اربد - العرب اليوم - عدنان نصار

لم يجد رضوان مبارك محمد الابراهيم، مفراً من »الضحك بسخرية بكائية حين دخلنا عليه في مسكنه »الكهف« الذي يقيم فيه مع زوجته فاطمة واطفالهما الاحدى عشر في منطقة »خربة يارين« غرب بلدة كتم في محافظة اربد منذ 15 عاما بطريقة عيش اقرب ما تكون الى العصر الجاهلي بسبب فقر تجاوز خطوط الفقر المدقع او غيره من مسميات الفقر.
ولم تجد زوجته فاطمة سوى البكاء بصوت مرتفع حين اقبلنا على باب »المغارة« لنستأذن بالدخول اذ لم نجد ما نطرق عليه سوى لوح مهترىء من »الزينكو« وبعض اخشاب محطبة للتو ومكورة على المدخل الترابي الى جانب »رجم« من الحجارة تسد الجانب الايمن من باب »المغارة«. نعم المغارة التي يسكن بها »13« فردا يحملون الجنسية الاردنية وارقاما وطنية في شروط عيش لا تتفق مع ابسط الحقوق الانسانية.

ولم تخف رشا ابنة رضوان الابراهيم التي تدرس في الصف التاسع في مدرسة كتم اندهاشها من وجودنا عندما جاءت من المدرسة راكضة لتتفاجأ بضيوف يجلسون في »صدر« المغارة، لتبتسم قبل ان تداري وجهها عن كاميرا »العرب اليوم« تفادياً لاي احراج في المدرسة.
الظروف القاسية التي تعيش فيها اسرة المواطن رضوان مبارك الابراهيم في »مغارة خربة يارين« لا يحتملها اي كائن حي.. لكن ظروف الحياة والفقر المدقع دفعا بالمواطن الابراهيم ان يختار هذه المغارة قبل نحو 15 عاما ليستقر بها هو وزوجته وثلاثة من اطفاله لتكبر الاسرة وتصبح 13 فردا اصغرهم الطفلة اسمى وعمرها شهران واكبرهم رشا في التاسع وراية في الصف الثامن ومبارك في الصف السابع ومحمد في الصف السادس وعبدالله في الصف الخامس ونور في الصف الاول بالاضافة للاطفال راكان 4 سنوات وضيف الله 3 سنوات وحمزة البالغ من العمر سنتين.
يقول المواطن رضوان مبارك الابراهيم البالغ من العمر 51 عاماً: ان ظروف الحياة القاسية دفعته ليفكر بالعيش في هذه المغارة المنزوية على طرف الجبل الجنوبي لبلدة كتم فاختارها في العام ،1990 وصارت ملاذا ومسكنا له واسرته التي تعيش على »اعطيات اهل الخير« وصدقات بعض الناس.
ويضيف المواطن رضوان الذي زارته »العرب اليوم« في مغارته انه حاول مرارا وتكرارا العثور على عمل في اي مجال الا ان الصعوبات التي اعترضت طريقه اكبر من ان تحتمل، فاضطر للعمل في زراعة اراض لا يعرف اصحابها والعمل بها للحصول على مصروف لاسرته الا انه اصطدم باشياء منعته من العمل كون الارض التي يزرعها ليست ملكه.

ويعاني المواطن رضوان من مرض »الدوخة« بموجب تقرير طبي مصدق من مستشفى الاميرة بسمة في اربد وبناء عليه تقدم بطلب لمديرية التنمية الاجتماعية يشرح وضعه المعيشي والمرضي من اجل الحصول على معونة نقدية متكررة الا ان طلبه لم يستجب له لاسباب لم يعرفها هو على حد قوله.
وبينت زوجته فاطمة ان المعاناة التي تعيشها واطفالها »امر« من ان تحتمل مشيرة الى ان اقصى امانيها ان »تشبع هي واطفالها الخبز والماء« وتسكن في بيت وسط الناس لاجل راحة اطفالها وبناتها الطالبات في المدارس.

وتقول رشا التي كانت ترتدي مريولا مدرسيا اخضر وتحمل حقيبتها المدرسية على ظهرها: ان امنيتها الوحيدة ان تعيش بعيداً عن الافاعي والعقارب والحشرات الضارة مؤكدة انها رأت قبل ايام افعى بين اكوام الحجارة امام »المغارة« التي تسكن بها اسرتها فيما تؤكد راية الابنة الثانية للمواطن رضوان ان عقربة سقطت من سقف المغارة على فرشتها ليلاً وهي نائمة ولم تتمكن من الحراك خوفاً.
يحدث في الاردن ان اسرة ما زالت تسكن في »كهف« تعود حقبته التاريخية الى قرون خلت وان افعى تطل عليهم بين الحين والاخر من رجم الحجارة وتتسلل احيانا الى داخلها على مرأى من الاطفال لتمنع الام فاطمة زوجها من قتل الافعى لانها لم تؤذ احداً من الاطفال خلال السنوات الماضية، هذا ما اكدته الزوجة لـ »العرب اليوم« معتقدة ان الافعى ان لم تؤذها لن تؤذيك!
ويشير الابن مبارك الذي يدرس في مدرسة كتم في الصف السابع الى حلمه الذي يراوده لترك العيش في »المغارة« ويعيش في منزل فيه ماء وكهرباء وتلفزيون مثل باقي اقرانه بعيداً عن الخوف من الافاعي والحشرات الضارة.. فيما يذهب الابن الصغير عبدالله في الصف الرابع الى التزام الصمت ثم يروح الى العبث في جوانب المغارة التي اعتاد على العيش بها منذ ولادته.
منزل ليس اكثر، هذا ما نحتاجه، هذا ما تقوله الابنة راية في الصف الثامن وهي جالسة على قاطع خشبي قديم وتضع على حجرها شقيقتها اسماء البالغة من العمر شهرين ويجلس جانبها شقيقها الطفل حمزة الذي كان وقتها يأكل قطعة خبز مبللة بالشاي.

المواطن رضوان مبارك الذي تحتفظ »العرب اليوم« بعنوانه ومكان اقامته يؤكد ان فريق المسح السكاني قد زاره في المغارة واحصى افراد اسرته باعدادهم ثم وعدوه ان يبلغوا ما شاهدوه الى المسؤولين في وزارة التنمية الاجتماعية وما زال مبارك وعائلته ينتظرون منذ نحو عام ليؤكد مرة اخرى هو وزوجته بالقول لـ »العرب اليوم«: »دخيل عليكو لا تنسونا اكتبوا كل اللي شوفتوه«.. وها نحن نفي بالوعد، هل من ضمير يتحرك وعين تدمع لحل مشكلة عائلة المواطن رضوان مبارك؟

Art of Spending Day at Work

2005-05-14T20:17:00.000+04:00

Anti-US protests over Quran report grow

2005-05-14T00:49:00.000+04:00

Thousands of Muslims have staged protests around the world over the alleged desecration of the Quran at the US detention facility at Guantanamo Bay.

Protests in Palestine, Egypt, Sudan, Pakistan and Indonesia followed demonstrations across much of Afghanistan in the past few days in which 14 people were killed and dozens injured after clashes with police.

Saudia Arabia, Iraq and Syria have registered displeasure at the alleged desecration.

The spreading anger comes after a report published by Newsweek magazine said that US interrogators at Guantanamo Bay desecrated copies of the Quran by leaving them in toilet cubicles and stuffing one down a lavatory.

Read more

Please send emails to protest against the assault to the following addresses:

president@whitehouse.gov

vice.president@whitehouse.gov

Those who live in the US, please call:

1111-456-202

Would I be painted with a penguin, lilly, daisy or a horse?

2005-05-13T23:57:00.000+04:00

I have this crush on Leonardo Da vinci, yea i know he was gay but as the joke goes all the good guys are taken and the nice are gays. the man is dead anyway :p

So i was looking for his paintings (again) and i found out that his portraits of women often included an animal as a symbol, it sometimes referred to the name of the lady or simply a quality of her's like purity or modesty. In some paintings he used trees like in the Ginevra de' Benci, in the background you can see juniper trees, the Italian word for juniper is "ginepro," it is said that da vinci used it as a pun on her name. and also junipor was a symbol for chastity back then.

The Virgin and Child with St. Anne

Of course we all know what kind of symbols the lamb is.

Lady with an Ermine

Her name is Cecilia Gallerani. Leo represented her holding an ermine either as a pun on her name (the Greek for ermine is galay) or because Ludovico Sforza's (her lover) emblem was "L'Ermellino", though it is also read as a symbol of purity.

Virgin and Flowers or Madonna with the Carnation

The flower is a symbol of passion.

There is also, "Leda and the swan", but there is nudity so i skipped this one.

Build Your Nation!

2005-05-11T21:05:00.000+04:00

My Nation

The Republic of Sugar Hills

"Make Your Reality"

UN Category: Democratic Socialists
Civil Rights:Average
Economy:Developing
Political Freedoms:Below Average

Location: the South Pacific

The Republic of Sugar Hills is a tiny, environmentally stunning nation, remarkable for its strong anti-business politics. Its compassionate population of 5 million are fiercely patriotic and enjoy great social equality; they tend to view other, more capitalist countries as somewhat immoral and corrupt.

The government -- a sprawling, bureaucracy-choked, socially-minded morass -- concentrates mainly on Religion & Spirituality, although Education and Healthcare are secondary priorities. The average income tax rate is 42%, but much higher for the wealthy. Private enterprise is illegal, but for those in the know there is a slick and highly efficient black market in Automobile Manufacturing.

Crime is relatively low. Sugar Hills's national animal is the penguin, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its currency is the sugar cube.

See my nation

hehe sounds cool! try it

Top Things To Do When You Have Insomnia

2005-05-11T08:50:00.000+04:00

1 Mow the lawn - if you can't sleep, then nobody will!

2 Use up your leftover fireworks from the 4th of July and New Years Eve

3 Google every person you have ever known to see if any of them are famous

4 Count your nose hairs, compare to yesterday, make line graph

5 Create lists for Keepers

6 Invent a religion

7 Dress up like Batman and run around your neighborhood calling out for Robin

8 Play with the cats since they are up anyway

9 Play "Name That Infomercial"

10 Take advantage of your free nights and weekends - call all your friends

11 Wake up your sleeping partner so you'll have company.

12 Build a life size replica of the Golden Gate Bridge out of toothpicks

13 Map those bumpy things on the ceiling

14 Watch reruns of '70s sitcoms

15 Hunt vampires

16 Build an army of destruction and take over the world while everyone is asleep

17 Plan a pre-emptive strike on Iraq

18 Drive around town playing "Spot The Hooker"

19 Add items to this list

20 Count the bats flying over your house

21 Go to Starbucks and drink expresso until you explode

22 Laundry

23Try to break the world record for longest time playing video games

24 figure out a way to get to sleep

25 Hit your head repeatedly with a brick until you are "cured"

26 Plot your revenge

27 Binge on leftovers

28 Update your website

bold font indicates things i've done before.

may i suggest the following:

- make tea pot and drink all on your own and when you're done drink coke

- write a poem

- send ready texts to everyone in your mobile phonebook

- try to wake the deads by wandering in the corridor

- solve all your assignments and homeworks

- bake some cake

- open your window and stare at whatever

UAE to enact tough law on cyber crimes

2005-05-10T21:05:00.000+04:00

The UAE authorities will introduce a law to combat cyber crimes by imposing tough punishment.

Legal sources told Gulf News the law will be enacted by the end of the year and will fine or imprison individuals involved in cyber crimes.

Gulf News obtained a copy of the draft federal law that outlines cyber crimes and the proposed punishments.

One of these crimes is producing, publishing or downloading pornographic content for distribution. Any individual involved in such an act will be fined and/or imprisoned.

If the pornographic content involves juveniles, the individual will be imprisoned for not less than six months and fined a minimum Dh60,000.

The internet and other cyber technologies are not to be used to blackmail individuals or to publish scandal and information that violates the privacy of an individual, the law says.

Those who use the internet for blackmail purposes will be jailed and fined up to Dh50,000. If the blackmail was intended to force an individual into prostitution or into committing a crime, the prison sentence will increase to 10 years.

Individuals who publish content that attacks religions or supports terrorist groups and their activities will be jailed and fined.

"Never before have such individuals been punished," a legal source said. "The UAE authorities monitor websites and block those with offensive content, but they do not have the power to punish individuals who publish this content."

Foreigners will be deported and the machinery or equipment used in the crime will be confiscated. The place in which the crime was committed will also be shut down, says the law.

Residents were relieved by the news of the introduction of the law.

"Blocking websites does not make a difference because nearly everyone knows a way around the proxy," a female UAE national said on condition of anonymity.

"Nearly every security and virus program can be attacked. I am glad that the UAE will introduce such a law," she said.

The law also provides punishment for such crimes as hacking and spreading internet viruses. Anyone who introduces a virus that damages or disrupts a system will be fined Dh50,000.

Source

Wow, you'll think its a good move, but then you'll see the emphasis on pornography and prostitution and wonder why don't they stop the prostitution industry in Dubai which is far more destructing to the people both locals and expats?

And i'd like to take the opportunity to express how much i hate Emirates proxy!
God, a few months ago they blocked the image search from google.

The World We Live In

2005-05-10T11:17:00.000+04:00

Note: The following is a forwarded email

An eye opener...
Last month, the Norwegian diplomat Charung Gollar was asked to present
the
UN with a graphic showing the main problems in the world in 2004.
He presented a set of 8 pictures entitled "The power of stars" and was
applauded for the simplicity of his idea.
In spite of having no pretension at all, his work was presented to
participate to the Nobel Price of Politic Marketing.
Attached are the 8 pictures presented. Read the legends...

Click on any image to enlarge

Men More Admired for Showing True Emotions!

2005-05-10T11:07:00.000+04:00

http://sugarcubes.blogsome.com/2005/05/10/men-more-admired-for-showing-true-emotions/

Cleudo

2005-05-08T21:38:00.000+04:00

Inspired by Lina's childhood nostalgic mood

Any one used to play it? it was one of my favorite childhood games. I remember those cards or papers we used to write down our notes about the suspects, the crime scene and the crime tool as the game processes. I used to enjoy playing Monopoly too, but it comes second after Cleudo. I miss those days when we used to play it with my cousins at their house.

Abdullah opens doors of Zayed City to Palestinians

2005-05-08T13:43:00.000+04:00

8/5/2005, 08:23 (UAE)

Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Information and Culture, yesterday inaugurated Zayed City, a new neighbourhood north of Gaza comprising 736 apartments.

Earlier, Shaikh Abdullah conveyed the greetings of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen), when the latter received him.

The residential complex, built at a cost of Dh227 million, will shelter over 25,000 Palestinians.

The recipients include families whose houses had been destroyed by the Israeli army.

Before cutting the ribbon, Shaikh Abdullah, accompanied by Palestinian Deputy Premier and Minister of Information Nabeel Shaath, was received by cheering crowd who rained flowers.

During a meeting between Shaikh Abdullah and Abu Mazen, Shaikh Abdullah reiterated to the Palestinian leader the UAE's support for the Palestinian people.

He said Shaikh Khalifa was committed to continuing the support for the Palestinian people in all areas, including health and housing.

Abu Mazen expressed gratitude and the regards of the Palestinian people to President Khalifa and the UAE people for their continuous support.

He said the UAE was always at the forefront of those providing support for his people and the UAE always took the initiative of embarking upon large projects in the Palestinian occupied territories, adding other countries had begun to emulate the UAE's good work in the area of housing, health and infrastructure.

Shaikh Abdullah visited the tomb of the late Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, to pray for his soul before he held discussions with Abu Mazen at the Muqata'a.

The Palestinian Journalists Association has presented an award to Shaikh Abdullah for his and the UAE role in serving Palestinian and Arab media as well as the just Palestinian cause.

Shaikh Abdullah was flown into the new city by a Jordanian helicopter.

Addressing the crowd on behalf of the UAE delegation, Saeed Khalfan Al Rumaithy, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Development Fund, conveyed the greetings of Shaikh Khalifa and the people of the UAE and government to the Palestinian people and leadership.

"Our presence here today is an expression of solidarity with you. The completion of this residential complex underscores our modest commitment to alleviate your suffering," Al Rumaithy told the jubilant crowd.

He said the project was initiated by the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. He told the gathering that Shaikh Zayed cared about alleviating the suffering of the Palestinians.

Underlining the UAE commitment to support the palestinian people, Al Rumaithy said: "As you know, we just completed a similar project in Jenin and very soon we will accomplish another in Rafah."

Source

I'm coming I'm coming I'm coming

2005-05-08T00:34:00.000+04:00

To Jordan...right after i'm dong with my summer course, on the 25th of july. Can't wait!!

I'm so busy but i just couldn't wait until I have a better chance to talk about it. I'm soooooooo happy : )

Quotes on Children, Memories & Age

2005-05-07T17:57:00.000+04:00

I came across some interesting quotations about Children and aging, I thought it would be nice to share them...

The best way to keep children home is to make the home atmosphere pleasant--and let the air out of the tires. Dorothy Parker (1893 - 1967)

You know that children are growing up when they start asking questions that have answers. John J. Plomp

Outings are so much more fun when we can savor them through the children's eyes. Lawana Blackwell

People who say they sleep like a baby usually don't have one. Leo J. Burke

How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child! William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616)

There is not any memory with less satisfaction than the memory of some temptation we resisted.

I'm very pleased with each advancing year. It stems back to when I was forty. I was a bit upset about reaching that milestone, but an older friend consoled me. 'Don't complain about growing old - many, many people do not have that privilege. Earl Warren (1891 – 1974)

Before you contradict an old man, my fair friend, you should endeavor to understand him. George Santayana (1863 - 1952)

No matter how old you are, there's always something good to look forward to. Lynn Johnston (1947 - )

You're never too old to become younger. Mae West (1892 - 1980)

Old age is not so bad when you consider the alternatives. Maurice Chevalier (1888 - 1972)

To be 70 years young is sometimes far more cheerful and hopeful than to be 40 years old. Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809 - 1894)

To keep the heart unwrinkled, to be hopeful, kindly, cheerful, reverent - that is to triumph over old age. Thomas Bailey Aldrich