October 29 2004

Have A Nice Weekend

I came across some really funny quotes and thought I’d share them here to make sure all of you will have happy faces during the weekend… Enjoy 🙂

  • Opinions are like feet. Everybody’s got a couple, and they usually stink. -Jim Slattery-
  • Show me a sane man and I will cure him for you. -Carl Gustav Jung-
  • The two most common elements in the universe are hydrogen and stupidity. But not in that order. -Brian Pickrell-
  • If you think nobody cares if you’re alive, try missing a couple of car payments. –Unknown-
  • We spend the first twelve months of our children’s lives teaching them to walk and talk and the next twelve telling them to sit down and shut up. – Phyllis Diller-
  • Don’t be irreplaceable. If you can’t be replaced, you can’t be promoted. –Anonymous-
  • Some people like my advice so much that they frame it upon the wall instead of using it. -Gordon R. Dickson-
  • If at first you don’t succeed, skydiving is not for you. –Unknown-
  • How do you feel about women’s rights? I like either side of them. -GROUCHO MARX-
  • Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing. -Redd Foxx-
  • If a person wants to be atheistic, it’s his God-given right to be an atheist.-Michael Patton-
  • Have you ever noticed? Anybody going slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac. -George Carlen-
  • What sane person could live in this world and not be crazy? -Ursula K. LeGuin-
  • She got her good looks from her father. He’s a plastic surgeon. -GROUCHO MARX-
  • Telling the truth to people who misunderstand you is generally promoting a falsehood, isn’t it? -Anonymous-
  • Drill for oil? You mean drill into the ground to try and find oil? You’re crazy. -Anonymous drillers who Edwin L. Drake tried to enlist to his project to drill for oil in 1859-
  • Philosophy consists very largely of one philosopher arguing that all other philosophers are jackasses. He usually proves it, and I should add that he also usually proves that he is one himself. -Henry Louis (H. L.) Mencken-
  • Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint. -Mark Twain –
  • No one is listening until you fart. –Anonymous-
  • I never forget a face, but in your case I’ll be glad to make an exception. -GROUCHO MARX-
  • If you don’t want to work, you have to work to earn enough money so that you won’t have to work. -Ogden Nash-
  • Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day. –Unknown-
  • Louis Pasteur’s theory of germs is ridiculous fiction. -Pierre Pachet, Professor of Physiology at Toulouse, 1872-
  • If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Then give up. No use being a damned fool about it. -W. C. Fields-
  • Always remember you’re unique. Just like everyone else. -Unknown-
  • Buy land. They’ve stopped making it. -Mark Twain-
  • We don’t necessarily discriminate. We simply exclude certain types of people. -Colonel Gerald Wellman-
  • Those are my principles. If you don’t like them I have others. -GROUCHO MARX-
Category: Entertainment | LEAVE A COMMENT
October 28 2004

Work Diaries (10): My Boss On Stage!

Remember the INSAT party I talked about a couple of days ago! It was yesterday, my husband and I went. Besides the fact that this party is to collect money for the Tunisian Association for fighting AIDS and the sexually transmittable diseases, all I knew was that my boss was involved in a way. Before the party he told me: “Eman, we’re going to throw a party for the association. I’d appreciate it if you can show up. Actually, it’d be BETTER if you show up, since we’re involved”. Now what I understood in this “we” he kept saying, was “we” as in “the company”. Anyway, my husband and I went to the party, which took place in INSAT, a beautiful faculty of science, really big, and very nice decorated. They gave us the program of the party, some brochures, and a red ribbon to put on before we enter. To my surprise, the place was almost full. I didn’t think it was a big party. Anyway, we got ourselves a couple of nice-located seats and I started looking for my boss in the crowd, but couldn’t find him. Few minutes later I spotted his brother in the participants’ room behind the stage, knowing that he’s a tv producer, I thought he might be supervising the whole thing. Anyway, we kept tracing him till we found my boss, also in the participants’ room. Which was normal, I mean, if his brother is in a cosy room, where else would he be?! My boss went out of the room, to say hi to a “very important client” of ours, in the first or second row. After arguing whether it was the right time to go say hi to my boss, my husband and I made up our minds and head straight to the room. On our way, the speakers went on, participants were taking their places on stage AND MY BOSS WAS ON STAGE WITH A VIOLIN IN HIS HANDS!!! I thought he was holding it for a friend in the band, but NO, he was holding a BOW and was looking at the notes of the musical pieces!
We were almost there, we couldn’t return to our seats without saying hi to him, so we did. I was really shocked, and to add to my astonishment my boss’ brother took a place in the opposite corner and stood there with his CELLO!
It turned out, when my boss said “we”, he actually meant himself and the musical band he trains with, which mostly consists of university professors who teach in INSAT!
They played great music, some of them sang old songs, and it was really nice. It’s true that there were times when my husband and I couldn’t take our eyes off of our watches, waiting for it to end. But it was the fault of some few bad voices.
As for my boss, seems like he’s in love with violin and looks like he’s been training really hard, coz he played pretty good. And he looked so peaceful and calm, exactly like the person I deal with every day in the office 😛
Two incidents made me laugh like crazy yesterday, the first was when a kid shouted out loud at the end of the 2nd musical piece: “DADDY, ENOUGH PLAYING, COME ON, LET’S GO!”, the poor kid didn’t know there were still more 15 to go.
And the second was when a lady went nutts in the last song and danced like crazy in front of the people of the 1st row, LOL! She wasn’t embarrassed that all VIP’s in the 1st row were looking at her angrily, and her little daughter gave her one hell of a support. She’s not older than 5 years and she was dancing as fast and as professional as her mommy 😛 That was really funny.
All in all, it was a nice party, and it was well-organized. Not to mention the great fact that a decent amount of money would be going to aid victims of AIDS.
Hoping we’ll see more similar activities to help all those in need.

Category: My Work Diaries | LEAVE A COMMENT
October 28 2004

Der Ramadan in Palästina

Der Zusammenhalt in der Familie bzw. Der Sippe ist groß, sowohl auf dem Land als auch in den Städten. Im Ramadan spiegelt sich dies in folgender Begebenheit wider: Der Mann lädt täglich seine Schwestern und weiblichen Verwandten zum Iftar ein. Jeder Mann ist traditionell für seine weibliche Verwandtschaft verantwortlich, auch wenn diese wohlhabend sind. Er muss jede von ihnen mindestens einmal im Monat Ramadan zu sich einladen. Bei denen, die bedürftig sind, muss er dafür sorgen, dass sie täglich kochen können. Das gleiche gilt für die Nachbarn und die Bekannten.
Diese guten Taten werden durch Absperrungen, Ausgangssperren, Schutzmauern und andere ähnliche Maßnahmen teilweise oder vollständig unterbrochen. Zum Beispiel: Eine Schwester wohnt 100 Meter von ihrem Bruder entfernt. Die beiden sind aber durch die Mauer voneinander getrennt worden. Um zu der nächsten Möglichkeit, die über dieses Hindernis führt, zu kommen, muss der Bruder eine halbe Tagesreise auf sich nehmen. Wenn ein Familienmitglied nun im Gaza-Streifen lebt und die übrigen Familienmitglieder in der Westbank, vergehen Jahre, bis sich eine Möglichkeit ergibt, um sich wiederzusehen. Es bleiben einem nur die Internetcafes oder das Telefongespräch.
Sahur und Tarawih Wie in anderen islamischen Ländern gibt es einen Mann, der die Muslime mit einer Trommel zum Sahur weckt. Nach dem Isha-Gebet wird das Tarawih-Gebet in den Moscheen gebetet. Beides ist jedoch nicht allen Muslimen zugänglich, da es oft große Schwierigkeiten gibt, zu der nächsten Moschee zu kommen, die, wie im vorher beschriebenen Fall, zwar eigentlich nur 100 Meter entfernt ist, jedoch der Weg dorthin durch eine Mauer oder Absperrung blockiert wird. Das Tarawih-Gebet ist je nach Moschee zwischen 8 und 21 Raka’a lang.
Besonderheiten beim Essen im Ramadan Eine tägliche Suppe, Qataif-Taschen (süße Ramadan-Spezialität). Die meisten Muslime essen nach dem Adhan. Es gibt keine Iftar-Kanone mehr. In früheren Zeiten wurde diese eingesetzt, um den Muslimen die Zeit des Fastenbrechens (Iftar) anzukündigen, da der Gebetsruf nicht überall gehört werden konnte. Diese Tradition kann jedoch seit der Besatzung nicht mehr durchgeführt werden. Nach dem Tarawih-Gebet wird nicht mehr gegessen. Zum Sahur haben wir 2 mal Adhan. Der erste ist, um die Leute aufzuwecken, so dass sie den Sahur zu sich nehmen können. Der zweite ist, damit die Leute wissen, das die Zeit für den Sahur vorüber ist. Restaurants und Cafes schließen tagsüber ihre Türen. Die christlichen Mitbürger nehmen Rücksicht auf die Gefühle der muslimischen Nachbarn und essen nicht in der Öffentlichkeit oder vor den Muslimen. In manchen Orten werden zum Fastensbrechen auch die christlichen Nachbarn eingeladen. Nur den Bewohnern von Jerusalem und dem 48er Bezirk (Palästinenser mit israelischem Pass) ist es gestattet, in Jerusalem, insbesondere in der Al-Aqsa-Moschee, zu beten. In der Al-Aqsa-Moschee gibt es einen täglichen Iftar, und in der Nacht zum 27. Ramadan (der Lailatu l-Qadr) ist es den Muslimen erlaubt die ganze Nacht in der Al-Aqsa-Moschee zu verbringen. An anderen Tagen muss die Moschee nach dem Tarawih-Gebet geschlossen werden. In der Nacht zum 27. Ramadan kommen ca. 30.000 Muslime zum Iftar und zum Tarawih in die Al-Aqsa Moschee.
Quelle: Muslime fasten

Category: Palestine, Posts in German, Religion | LEAVE A COMMENT
October 27 2004

Between Sohour & Iftar :)

It’s been really hot the past few days. Totally unexpected for the weather in the end of October. But Thank God, last night it rained for a very long time. It got so cool in the evening, and when we woke up this morning the weather was so beautiful. Sky is clear, air is fresh, it’s amazing. Actually I find such a beautiful weather so tempting 😛 I’m in my office, wishing I’d be out for a nice walk. Ah! Wouldn’t that be wonderful!.

Ramadan is just great. Although I’m the kind of people who get hungry really fast. The funny thing is, we wake up at 4 a.m. every day for sohour. So we have about an hour of eating before it’s time for the morning prayer 😛 and I do eat in sohour more than I do in Iftar. Then we wake up at 7:10 a.m. to get ready for work, which is about two hours from sohour, but still, when I wake up, I feel really hungry :P. At around 10 I call my husband and go like: I’m STARVING!
When it’s Iftar, I feel like eating only soup and some fatty fried “yummies” 😉 yes, I don’t always feel like the main dish, which I cooked with such a passion. And after Iftar I go sweets’ crazy, lol! Yes, I feel like chocolates, dates, middle-eastern and Tunisian sweets. Oh, and I just love eating those with a hot cup of tea, or coffee.
Ramadan is such a bless. Everything in it feels better. It’s so peaceful, and gives the person a chance to get back on the right track and become closer to God. Thinking of it, sometimes I say to myself: old days were better. People were all sticking to their religion, praying, fasting, and helping others. It wasn’t such a burden to fast, you’d find all people respecting each others’ religions. But nowadays, and although we have everything made easier, transportation, communication, work, and almost everything, people are always complaining. The easier life gets, the more difficult it becomes for people to practice their religion, and to stick to its rules. Weird!
Unfortunately, the number of Muslims who do not fast is increasing. Not only this, but they also have no problem with eating in public, which I find disrespecting. I believe in personal freedom, but I also believe that if an action will affect the public negatively, then it’s no longer freedom of the individual, it becomes a public matter. We were out shopping the other day, and foreigners were on the counters of fast-food restaurants buying takeaway lunch meals, while Arab Muslims were so freely eating their meals in public without the least sense of respect to others. This is such a shame. If you don’t want to fast, it’s between you and God, you’re responsible for your own acts. But don’t disrespect or offend others by your acts, do it in private, although I feel sorry for all who can’t stick to a religion they say they belong to.

Anyway, today while having sohour, I felt like talking 😛 so I kept talking and talking to my husband, I was so awake, and was enjoying my meal so much that the Athan of morning prayer started before I drank my cup of water 🙁 yes, I’m dead thirsty! And watching the lake from my window, I feel like throwing myself inside it and drinking it all up 😛
I hope weather is beautiful in your part of the world. Wishing you all a great happy day…

Category: Just Personal, Religion | LEAVE A COMMENT
October 27 2004

Raed’s Humanitarian Campaign

With the withdrawal of most of the foreign humanitarian organizations from Iraq, and the incapability of the Iraqi “government” of funding itself much less funding local groups or organizations, the humanitarian crisis in Iraq is getting more serious.
Raed and his family members have decided to start a small individual humanitarian campaign for a month (maybe they’ll extend it) for buying basic things like some medical stuff, food, blankets, and other necessities and send them directly to hospitals in the most affected cities and towns. They will try to work under the supervision of one of the few functioning NGOs in Iraq (e.g. Occupation Watch, or others) to give more transparency to this small campaign. Their working plan is as follows:
*Money will be donated through PAYPAL to Raed’s account, (Jarrar_raed@hotmail.com), and will be reported on his blog frequently.
*His brother Majid will collect the money from Victoria in Canada and wire it to Raed in Jordan through Raed’s bank account.
*Raed will buy everything from Jordan, and publish the receipts on his blog.
* Raed will send things to his family in Baghdad, where they will send it in turn to hospitals depending on the priority and accessibility of the towns and cities.
*They will get official papers from the hospitals to insure they received the certain amount of supplements; they will publish them on their blogs too.
*They’ll publish a financial break down at the end of the month (end of Nov.)
You can send money from your credit cards too; even small amounts of money can do much in Iraq.

I believe this is a very impressive and helpful act. Iraq and its good people need our help to survive. Raed and his family opened the door for us. Rescue a soul, donate whatever you can.
And thank you Raed, and thanks to your family, for taking such a wonderful step. Good Luck!

Category: Arab Societies | LEAVE A COMMENT
October 26 2004

Pornography & Wireless Web Services!

Mobile phone users around the world will spend $1 billion a year on pornography sent to their handsets by 2008, which may boost the wireless services sector much as it fueled growth in the fixed-line Internet, a market research firm said. Mobile operators, which are struggling to drive up data traffic as a new source of revenue, have so far been reluctant to cash in on the opportunity, although many industry experts consider pornography to have been the first profitable service offered on the fixed-line Internet in the second half of the 1990s. More…
I personally believe this is just pathetic and stupid. People are going out of their minds. They’re doing anything to make more money, putting aside all negative consequences. HOW DISGUSTING! This is going too far. Porn is found on TV, internet, videos, cinemas, streets, clubs, bars… it’s EVERYWHERE! I consider this disrespect to human dignity, they’re dealing with people as animals, and we, people deserve it, because we’re peacefully watching porn being spread so easily without doing anything about it. All we’re good at is complaining. We complain about the intolerable sad condition our society has reached. Diseases, crimes, wrong behavior from older and younger generations…etc. I feel sick, I really do. People are forgetting about everything for few minutes of pleasure. To satisfy their desires they go for the easier way, they no longer care about anything. As long as they can afford it, they want to “enjoy their lives”, and to hell with everything else.
Why don’t people enjoy their lives the right way?! The way that protects their health, and their self-respect. Why did people become obsessed with sex? Because they’re empty! They think like machines. They live to eat, make money and satisfy their desires. They do this while widely shutting their eyes, and while limiting themselves to the easy cheap options. Unfortunately, this is what life is all about for most of the human beings, what a shame!

Category: General | LEAVE A COMMENT
October 26 2004

Earth Can’t Keep Up With Our Demands

We are consuming about 20% more natural resources than the planet can produce, WWF International has warned. “We are spending nature’s capital faster than it can regenerate,” WWF’s director general Claude Martin said following the launch of its “Living Planet” report. “We are running up an ecological debt which we won’t be able to pay off unless governments restore the balance between our consumption of natural resources and the earth’s ability to renew them,” he said. Each person occupies an “ecological footprint” equivalent to 2.2 hectares in terms of their capacity to pollute or consume energy and other resources including food. But the planet can only offer them 1.8 hectares each, the 2004 report said.
The country with the largest overall footprint in 2001 was the United Arab Emirates, with just below 10 hectares per person, mainly due to energy consumption that accounted for more than 70% of that. It was followed by the U.S. and Kuwait. Australia was the fourth largest burden on the world’s resources, followed by Sweden and Finland. The two Nordic countries have relatively low energy consumption, But they have the highest demand for “food and fibre” mainly due to the timber industry’s use of their forests. More Information.
For Arabic Click Here.

Category: Nature & Environment | LEAVE A COMMENT
October 26 2004

Beyoncé: Künstlerin des Jahres

Bei den Radio Music Awards in Vegas war Beyoncé Knowles wieder unter den glücklichen Gewinnern. Beyoncé kam mit ihren Kolleginnen von Destinys Child. Den Preis „Artist of the Year“ räumte sie allerdings allein ab. Zu den Show-Hightlights gehörten die Auftritte von Elton John, Alanis Morissette und Ashlee Simpson.
Janet Jackson erhielt von Rapper Nelly den „Radio-Legend-Award“.
Quelle: DeutscheWelle

Category: Entertainment, Posts in German | LEAVE A COMMENT
October 26 2004

Music Pillows!

These Music Pillows from Pioneer look like a stoner’s pipe dream. Imagine laying back in a hot tub with your head resting on an inflatable pillow, soothing sounds wafting up from the two speakers recessed into either side. Okay, sure, you could just wear headphones and use another, less expensive pillow that you wouldn’t mind getting soaked (or popped!), but where’s the fun in that? On the other hand, encouraging heads to put full-sized speakers next to the tub is a good way to exterminate the hippie threat, so maybe we should keep these quiet.
SorobanGeeks
Via: AraBlog , Source: Gizmodo .

Category: Cool Stuff | LEAVE A COMMENT
October 25 2004

Donate For ATL MST/SIDA

The Musical Club of the Faculty of Science INSAT and Mr. Tawfiq Al-Thouioui’s Musical Zone of Ariana will be throwing a musical party on Wednesday, October 27th, in INSAT- Tunis, at 21:00.
All the revenues will go to ATL (Association Tunisienne de Lutte contre Les MST & le SIDA), The Tunisian Association for fighting AIDS and the sexually transmittable diseases.
Ticket price: 7 TND.

If you’re in Tunisia, and you’re free on Wednesday, and you feel like spending good time, and doing something good, consider donating 7 TND for the ATL MST/SIDA.
For more information, you can contact the Association, Tel/Fax: 71.701.195.

Category: Tunisia | LEAVE A COMMENT