December 24 2004

The Jordan-Israel Agreement

Jordan and Israel signed a long-awaited agreement on Thursday to reduce customs duties on trade exchange between businesses seeking to export to the European Union (EU).
The Professional Associations Council condemned the signing of this agreement and called on the government to stop cooperating with Israel and to “stand firm in supporting Palestinian and Iraqi people,” stressing that the only solution for the crisis in Iraq and Palestine is armed combat.
Source: Jordan Times

I personally think this shouldn’t have taken place. Yes, Israel is an enemy. A country that gives itself the right to kill innocent civilians, scatter families and demolish homes, giving no respect or attention to any international opinion opposing it, is to me, an enemy. And such an agreement will only add complications to the situation.
It might have some tiny little positive outcomes to the Jordanian economy, but I don’t believe it will be a huge reinforcement to the economic development in Jordan nor in the Arab World.
Even if we assume that it will reinforce the economic development, is this development worth this high cost of supporting Israel and sacrificing more Palestinians?!
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think the Israeli economy is used to anything but get more weapons to destroy more Palestinian territories and to sponsor more media to market Israel as a “victim”.
Why is it possible to go for agreements with Israel while it’s impossible to reach Palestinian hospitals, homes, and villages to send the minimum limit of basic medical and nutrition support?
Can’t we reinforce our economy by agreements with any other country but Israel?

Maybe the Professional Associations Council were a bit harsh when they said the only solution for the crisis is armed combat. But they surely have the right to condemn signing this agreement!

December 23 2004

ANNOYING!

These days I have unbelievable work pressure. Not to forget that my husband and I are having the BUSIEST week EVER.
So we’re not getting enough sleep. We’re working very hard, and we barely have time to eat.
As if that’s not enough, today I woke up with a very weird phenomena. My right hand is as cold as ice, while my left hand is like a burning hell.
Being right-handed, it’s getting on my nerves to use my freezing hand. While typing for example I have to stop every 2 minutes to blow warm air into my right hand, or put it in my suit pocket, or rub both my hands together. Meanwhile, I try to do the opposite to my warm left hand in an attempt to cool it down.

Apparently all my attempts have failed. And I also have no explanation to this. If any of you experienced this before, or have an idea about the causes, please let me know.

I just hate this! Hope it wont last any longer 🙁

Ah, gotta get back to work…

December 23 2004

Mystery Illness Threatens World’s Rarest Penguin :(

A mystery disease is killing off yellow-eyed penguin chicks in New Zealand in a fresh blow to efforts to conserve the world’s rarest member of the penguin family, a conservation group said on Thursday. The disease killed up to 80 percent of this spring’s chick’s in the worst affected areas on New Zealand’s South Island.

December 23 2004

“Homeschooling” In Deutschland

Das Vertrauen in das Schulsystem ist zerstört. Was die Eltern vermitteln wollen, Moral und Nächstenliebe, werde in der Schule nicht mehr ernst genommen. Deshalb gibt es in Deutschland viele Eltern, die ihre Kinder lieber selbst und zu Hause unterrichten, obwohl es wegen der Schulpflicht illegal ist.
“Der Druck ist so groß, dass es gar nicht mehr wichtig ist, was das Kind kann”, sagt Dorothee Becker. “Und deshalb habe ich für mich persönlich die Noten abgeschafft!”. Keines ihrer vier Kinder besucht eine öffentliche oder private Schule.

Dorothee und ihre Familie lebten 8 Jahre im Philippinen. Nachdem sie zurückkehrten, erlebten ihre 4 Kinder viele Schwierigkeiten in der deutschen Schule. “es habe nur ein halbes Jahr gedauert, bis die Kinder “kaputt” gewesen seien” sagt Dorothee.
“Obwohl die Lehrer sich sehr bemüht haben, aber die Kinder, die Sozialisation in der Schule, haben sie ganz negativ erlebt” sagt sie.
Alle vier Kinder wurden nacheinander krank. Dorothee schob das auf den Druck und den Frust in der Schule. Deswegen beschloss sie, ihre vier Kinder kurzerhand selbst zu unterrichten. Ganz normal von 8.00 bis 12.00 Uhr, am Wohnzimmertisch.
Das einzige Problem ist: In Deutschland besteht Schulpflicht, und Ausnahmen von dieser Regelung genießen nur Kinder von Zirkusfamilien oder Kinder, die lange im Krankenhaus liegen.
Dorothee Becker und die geschätzten weiteren 200 Familien, die diesen radikalen Schritt aus den unterschiedlichsten Gründen gehen, befinden sich in einer juristischen Grauzone. Ihr Handeln ist illegal, und trotzdem passiert es, dass die zuständige Schulbehörde ein Auge zudrückt und diese Entscheidung stillschweigend duldet – vor allem dann, wenn so ein überdurchschnittliches Engagement zu spüren ist.

Obwohl die Becker-Kinder im Alter von 10 bis 18 Jahren zuhause unterrichtet werden, können sie einen externen und anerkannten Schulabschluss machen. Zwei der vier haben das bereits geschafft.
Experten kritisieren bei derartigen “Schulverweigerern” ein fehlendes Sozialverhalten, sowie mangelnde Konflikt- und Durchsetzungsfähigkeit. Dorothee Becker sieht jedoch andere Vorteile: “Sie haben einfach die Freiheit zu lernen. Sie empfinden Lernen nicht als etwas Beengendes, als einen Zwang, von dem man so schnell wie möglich weg muss. Unser zweiter Sohn, der hat einmal nach zehn Tagen Urlaub gesagt: ‘Ich lern jetzt wieder!'”.

Quelle: DeutscheWelle

December 22 2004

Having A Baby Changes Everything…



All of us know that having a baby changes everything in the life of the parents. Some look at it as a positive change that will help stabilize the family and enhance marriage, whereas others fear that change, considering the responsibility a threat to their life, free time, and love.
I personally think that having a baby could be both positive and negative. It all depends on the timing. And for a couple to reach the right time for a baby, they must be ready to handle the challenge of having a kid. And being ready means reaching a very advanced level of love, trust, maturity and understanding that will make the couple feel secure and stable regardless of any other circumstances. When they reach that level, they’ll consider their baby a gift from God, and will feel their life being blessed. They might cry at times, get tired some nights, feel old some days, but in the end of the day, they know, it’s worth it. They know, nothing beats a true smile of their own child or a loving look from their baby’s innocent eyes. They know, they’ll do the impossible just to be there for him all the way as he grows…

Johnson & Johnson’s “Having a Baby Changes Everything” advertising campaign has succeeded in providing truly adorable ads that convey a very beautiful message: Before having a baby, you are the center of your universe. Then you have a baby. And the center of your universe moves from you to your baby.
The ads are worth watching. Check them out here! 🙂
Via: The Journey Starts Here

December 20 2004

Tunis Weblogger Meetup Group

My dear husband thought it was about time we have a Tunis Weblogger Meetup Group, which, I believe, is a great idea, thank you MMM 🙂
So, if you’re a Tunisian blogger or someone blogging from Tunisia, please do join the Tunis Weblogger Meetup Group.
I know that there are many Tunisian Bloggers who live abroad, and I hope we’ll be able to gather in this meetup.
Let me also thank Haitham, who told us about the success of the Bahrain Bloggers’ Meetup and encouraged us all to have similar meetups wherever we are 🙂
Via: Subzero Blue

December 17 2004

Dare to Believe…

Everybody Knows:
You can’t be all things to all people.
You can’t do all things at once.
You can’t do all things equally well.
You can’t do all things better than everyone else.
Your humanity is showing just like everyone else’s.
So:
You have to find out who you are, and be that.
You have to decide what comes first, and do that.
You have to discover your strengths, and use them.
You have to learn not to compete with others,
Because no one else is in the contest of *being you*.
Then:
You will have learned to accept your own uniqueness.
You will have learned to set priorities and make decisions.
You will have learned to live with your limitations.
You will have learned to give yourself the respect that is due.
And you’ll be a most vital mortal.
Dare To Believe:
That you are a wonderful, unique person.
That you are a once-in-all-history event.
That it’s more than a right, it’s your duty, to be who you are.
That life is not a problem to solve, but a gift to cherish.
And you’ll be able to stay one up on what used to get you down.
~ Author Unknown ~

December 17 2004

Recommended…

The following are really great posts.

Category: General | LEAVE A COMMENT
December 16 2004

The Dance Of Nature



Via:Pensées perdues

You can’t but be captured by the beauty of this tree which looks just like a ballet dancer hypnotized by the magic of melodies…Subhana Allah!