Wishing all Muslims around the world a happy and blessed Eid Al Adha.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Monday, December 10, 2007
Did Iceland Teen Call Secret White House Phone?
When Vífill Atlason, a 16-year-old high school student from Iceland, decided to call the White House, he could not imagine the kind of publicity it would bring.
Introducing himself as Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, the actual president of Iceland, Atlason found what he believed to be President George W. Bush's allegedly secret telephone number and phoned, requesting a private meeting with him.
"I just wanted to talk to him, have a chat, invite him to Iceland and see what he'd say," Vífill told ABC News.
A White House spokeswoman Emily Lawrimore insisted to ABC News that the young man did not dial the private number but instead dialled 202-456-1414, the main switchboard for the West Wing. But that was not the case. The student gave ABC News the number. It is indeed an extention off the White House switchboard and goes to a security command post office in the building next door to the White House.
Vífill's mother, Harpa Hreinsdottir, a teacher at the local high school, said her son did, in fact, get through to a private phone.
"This was not a switchboard number of any kind," she told ABC News, "it was a secret number at the highest security level."
Vífill claims he was passed on to several people, each of them quizzing him on President Grímsson's date of birth, where he grew up, who his parents were and the date he entered office.
"It was like passing through checkpoints," he said. "But I had Wikipedia and a few other sites open, so it was not so difficult really."
When he finally got through to President Bush's secretary, Vífill alleges he was told to expect a call back from Bush.
"She told me the president was not available at the time, but that she would mark it in his schedule to call me back on Monday evening," he said.
Instead, the police showed up at his home in Akranes, a fishing town about 48 kilometers from Reykjavik, and took him to the local police station, where they questioned the 16-year-old for several hours.
"The police chief said they were under orders from U.S. officials to "find the leak" -- that I had to tell them where I had found the number," he said. "Otherwise, I would be banned from ever entering the United States."
Vífill claims he cannot remember where he got the number.
"I just know I have had it for a few years," he told ABC. "I must have gotten it from a friend when I was about 11 or 12."
Atlason's mother Harpa, who was not home at the time, said she was shocked to find her son had been taken away by the police but could not quite bring herself to be angry with her son.
"He's very resourceful you know," she said. "He has become a bit of a hero in Iceland. Bush is very unpopular here."
Vífill was eventually released into his parent's custody, and no charges have been brought against the high school student.
When ABC verified the number, it was the Secret Service Uniform Division, which handles security for the president.
"If the number were not top secret, why would the police have told me that I will be put on a no-fly list to America?" Vífill asked.
"I don't see how calling the White House is a crime," he added. "But obviously, they took it very seriously."
Calls to the Secret Service press office were not returned.
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Refugees Resort to Prostitution
The U.S. invasion of Iraq has definitely not benefited anyone. It has
caused great hardships and adversities for the many Iraqi refugees that
have escaped from worn torn Iraq. The majority of the refugees fled to the
neighboring country of Syria. Many of the men have been killed and left
widowed wives and young children behind. The number of Iraqi refugees in
Syria is an estimated 1.5 million and about 2 million in other countries
in the Middle East.
Violence, inflation, and the absence of government aid have left women
with very few options. There arent very many job opportunitues for
refugess; and especially women. With children to be fed, clothed, and
schooled women have to resort to prostitution in order to keep their
children alive. As little as $8 dollars a day women are compelled to sell
their bodies and souls just to keep a bit of food on the table in fear of
their children starving.
With the exception of Palestinians, refugees are not legally allowed to
have jobs in Syria. Numerous Iraqi refugees are living off their savings,
which are dwindled by daily expenses. Many are marooned in Syria,and few
western embassies are now authorizing visas, claiming that Iraq has
become a liberated country after the fall of Saddam. With the economic
situation worsening for refugees, officials say, “It's no surprise that
Syria is seeing a rise in child exploitation and prostitution”.
The silence surrounding the predicament of prostitution draws attention to
the international community’s failure to recognize the distressing
conditions of Iraqi refugees and provide them with better opportunities
and advantages.
Some of the women, in search of work outside the home for the first time,
and living in a country with a very high unemployment rate, find that
their only profitable way to make money is to resort to prostitution.
The inexpensive cost of prostitution has made Syria a well known place for
sex tourists from wealthier countries in the Middle East.
There is an estimated 50,000 Iraqi women working as prostitutes in Syria,
but it is not known how many of the prostitutes are children and teenage
girls.
The United States has repeatedly claimed that they have come to Iraq to
liberate and free the Iraqi’s from the tyrant ruler Saddam. But what I
really see in an imperialistic country that has bullied and vandalized
Iraq, caused sectarian violence, robbed the country from its only useful
resource, and have caused almost half of the country’s population to
become refugees.
The women who are 60-65 percent of the Iraqi population are being ignored.
Action needs to be taken to help these neglected women who are suffering
from casualties of war, the loss of their husbands and family, and the
cruel standards of living that they are forced to live as refugees.
The real victims of this chaos are women and children; they are left to
pay the price. I find it quite ironic that women consist of half of the
human race and they are subjected to oppression and degradation. I wonder
if life for women will ever change and become any better.
caused great hardships and adversities for the many Iraqi refugees that
have escaped from worn torn Iraq. The majority of the refugees fled to the
neighboring country of Syria. Many of the men have been killed and left
widowed wives and young children behind. The number of Iraqi refugees in
Syria is an estimated 1.5 million and about 2 million in other countries
in the Middle East.
Violence, inflation, and the absence of government aid have left women
with very few options. There arent very many job opportunitues for
refugess; and especially women. With children to be fed, clothed, and
schooled women have to resort to prostitution in order to keep their
children alive. As little as $8 dollars a day women are compelled to sell
their bodies and souls just to keep a bit of food on the table in fear of
their children starving.
With the exception of Palestinians, refugees are not legally allowed to
have jobs in Syria. Numerous Iraqi refugees are living off their savings,
which are dwindled by daily expenses. Many are marooned in Syria,and few
western embassies are now authorizing visas, claiming that Iraq has
become a liberated country after the fall of Saddam. With the economic
situation worsening for refugees, officials say, “It's no surprise that
Syria is seeing a rise in child exploitation and prostitution”.
The silence surrounding the predicament of prostitution draws attention to
the international community’s failure to recognize the distressing
conditions of Iraqi refugees and provide them with better opportunities
and advantages.
Some of the women, in search of work outside the home for the first time,
and living in a country with a very high unemployment rate, find that
their only profitable way to make money is to resort to prostitution.
The inexpensive cost of prostitution has made Syria a well known place for
sex tourists from wealthier countries in the Middle East.
There is an estimated 50,000 Iraqi women working as prostitutes in Syria,
but it is not known how many of the prostitutes are children and teenage
girls.
The United States has repeatedly claimed that they have come to Iraq to
liberate and free the Iraqi’s from the tyrant ruler Saddam. But what I
really see in an imperialistic country that has bullied and vandalized
Iraq, caused sectarian violence, robbed the country from its only useful
resource, and have caused almost half of the country’s population to
become refugees.
The women who are 60-65 percent of the Iraqi population are being ignored.
Action needs to be taken to help these neglected women who are suffering
from casualties of war, the loss of their husbands and family, and the
cruel standards of living that they are forced to live as refugees.
The real victims of this chaos are women and children; they are left to
pay the price. I find it quite ironic that women consist of half of the
human race and they are subjected to oppression and degradation. I wonder
if life for women will ever change and become any better.
Saturday, December 01, 2007
major quiz
Which College Major Should You Be? | |
Your major should be Psychology. You enjoy understanding people, especially if it helps you get their numbers. You can save the books for grad school, right now it's all about field work. | |
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com |
World Aids Day, December 1
I think it makes sense why those two girls were making a peace sign from their car window yesterday.
Today in your spare time, remember all of those lives lost to HIV and AIDS. You can make a difference in the global fight against HIV and AIDS. World AIDS Day isn't just about one day. With infection rates continuing to rise globally there is a great deal still to do, so get involved.
HIV is one of the biggest social, economic and health challenges in the world. It is a global emergency claiming over 8,000 lives every day. In fact 5 people die of AIDS every minute.
Young people (under 25 years old) account for half of all new HIV infections worldwide - around 6,000 become infected with HIV every day.
In 2006, over 4.3 million people acquired HIV, which means there are now over 40 million people living with HIV and AIDS. Despite best efforts from governments, non-profit organizations and healthcare practitioners around the world, HIV and AIDS is still having huge global impact.
More than 25 million people have died of AIDS since 1981.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Math has always been one of my many weaknesses.I seem to have this blackout whenever I think of math. But I had one teacher that made me look at math from a different perspective;it didn't last that long though.Hopefully with my new tutor I will be able to succeed and do much better.The worst thing would for my GPA to drastically drop just for one subject which would be math.
Someone once told me this joke about math, I don't remember it quite well.It was that the math department in some universities are next to the psychology department; i.e. psychologists use mathematicians as lab rats....?
Today when I was in the car, the most peculiar thing happened to me.I don't know if it was a coincidence but two young girls made a peace sign to me from their car window. It was quite random, but what really puzzled me was that it happened twice. Green Peace or Save the Whales... pondering
The man with the green tie at the co- op smiled and I was wearing a purple coat.Earl Grey tea with organic chips.
Someone once told me this joke about math, I don't remember it quite well.It was that the math department in some universities are next to the psychology department; i.e. psychologists use mathematicians as lab rats....?
Today when I was in the car, the most peculiar thing happened to me.I don't know if it was a coincidence but two young girls made a peace sign to me from their car window. It was quite random, but what really puzzled me was that it happened twice. Green Peace or Save the Whales... pondering
The man with the green tie at the co- op smiled and I was wearing a purple coat.Earl Grey tea with organic chips.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Friday, November 09, 2007
A tale of online love inspired usually cynical New Yorkers this week to help a young man find the girl of his dreams after he spotted her on a crowded subway train.
For Web designer Patrick Moberg, 21, from Brooklyn, it was love at first sight when he locked eyes with a rosy-cheeked woman while riding in Manhattan on Sunday night. She was writing in her journal.
The train was so full that he lost her in the crowd when they both got off, so he set up a Web site dedicated to finding the mystery woman -- www.nygirlofmydreams.com.
He drew a picture of the girl, who was wearing blue shorts, blue tights, and a red flower in her hair, and posted his cell phone number, e-mail address and an appeal for help finding her.
It worked.
Within hours Moberg's inbox was overflowing with e-mails and his phone ringing non-stop. He told the New York Post that he even received e-mails offering him love. "Some people said I'm not the girl but you're so adorable, pick me instead."
Tuesday night a friend of the woman contacted him and sent him a picture so he could confirm her identity. "Found Her! Seriously!" a notice on his Web site said.
"We've been put in touch with one another and we'll see what happens."
The mysterious subway brunette was named Thursday as Camille Hayton, an intern at magazine BlackBook from Melbourne, Australia, who also lives in Brooklyn.
"This is crazy. I can't believe it's happening," Hayton, 22, told the New York Post.
But Moberg said he is now pulling the shutters on his love life, scribbling out the cell phone number on his Web site and leaving a message on his phone saying he will do no more interviews.
"In our best interest, there will be no more updates to this website," he wrote.
"Unlike all the romantic comedies and bad pop songs, you'll have to make up your own ending for this."
Some New Yorkers may already, wondering if Moberg had made it sound too easy to find a needle in a haystack in this city of eight million people.
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Friday, October 19, 2007
in to to ...
The train ride was considerably relaxing.I tried to go to sleep but I was too afraid that I might fall asleep and miss my stop.So I remained fully alert.I looked out the window and watched my surroundings while wondering about things, contemplating life, and envisioning paradoxical memories.I got off the train and went on the bus.But then I took the wrong bus stop.They didn't announce the stops on the bus.So I just went with my intuition and got off the first stop.I should have double checked before I got off.After about two minutes I noticed that I had taken the wrong stop.I wasn't nervous at all.I actually started laughing at myself.There wasn't anywhere to sit because the bench was full.So I just sat in the bush.I got a few funny looks,but I didn't really mind.It was actually pretty comfortable.Some sort of mossy grass.I was trying to remain discreet.
I finally got a hold of my sister and she was only a few minutes away from where I was
ring ring ring..
Hey where are you?
I'm right here.
Right where?
I'm in the bush!
lol I'm right across the street.
My car lights are flashing.Do you see me?
oh yess.I'll walk over there.
The next day I went to get the morning coffee.I felt so funny.The cafe was right across the street but I had to ask for directions.Terrible navigation skills.
For lunch I had sushi.New York rolls, spider rolls,mi so soup, and green tea.
After a long day of rigorous walking I had blisters on my feet and the back of heal was bleeding.I should have gotten more suitable shoes for walking.
Pete's Coffee was quite interesting.I had a green tea smoothie which was in to to delightful.
I learned a few new things about accounting, stocks, and shareholders.Its always nice to hang out in the city...
I finally got a hold of my sister and she was only a few minutes away from where I was
ring ring ring..
Hey where are you?
I'm right here.
Right where?
I'm in the bush!
lol I'm right across the street.
My car lights are flashing.Do you see me?
oh yess.I'll walk over there.
The next day I went to get the morning coffee.I felt so funny.The cafe was right across the street but I had to ask for directions.Terrible navigation skills.
For lunch I had sushi.New York rolls, spider rolls,mi so soup, and green tea.
After a long day of rigorous walking I had blisters on my feet and the back of heal was bleeding.I should have gotten more suitable shoes for walking.
Pete's Coffee was quite interesting.I had a green tea smoothie which was in to to delightful.
I learned a few new things about accounting, stocks, and shareholders.Its always nice to hang out in the city...
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Monday, October 08, 2007
mahabat paggle
It was the year of 1987, on a warm summer’s day in Bombay, India. Masumatra was making chai (tea) and nan (bread) for an afternoon snack. After she finished cooking, she tended to the laundry and went to the balcony to dry the laundry. As she was drying her clothes on the clothes line, she noticed someone sitting on a bamboo mat on the balcony across from hers.
The balcony was not too far from her sight. And Masumatra had an almost clear view of the handsome young man, who appeared to have noticed her as well. It seemed as if he was drinking a mango lassie (smoothie). She could tell by the faint orange color seen through the clear glass cup. It was one of her favorite drinks. The young man obviously saw Masumatra eyeing the glass and asked if she would like some. They both smiled, and by the brightness of the young mans smile, Masumatra’s cheeks warmed and turned brilliantly red. She was so bashful that she left the laundry and ran back in to the house.
Her mother saw her change of face as she came back in to the kitchen. Masumatra’s mother asked her if she had any secrets but Masumatra said that she hadn’t any. Her mother felt that there was something but remained quiet nevertheless. Masumatra waited till after dark to dry the remaining of her clothes. As night prevailed, she lied in her bed envisioning the handsome mans face. She slept soundly in her bed and dreamt as she usually does.
As she arose from her sleep, the sun crept through the window and the loud screech of the rooster forced her to inevitably awake. She instantly remembered the laundry and rushed to the balcony. She ran so fast that she almost tripped as she was going up the stairs. It was still quite early in the morning and the sun hadn’t fully risen yet. She removed all the clothes from the clothes line and put them in the basket.
After all the clothes were taken off from the clothes line, she could see the young man prostrating and reciting a verse from the Quran. Rushil was Muslim and she was Hindu. Even though it was her second time seeing him she had fallen for him the first time she laid eyes on him. Masumatra started to fold the laundry at the edge of the balcony, and as she raised her head she saw the handsome man staring her in mesmerization. She neatly and precisely folded the laundry and the young man watched her every move. She put the laundry aside and looked back into the young mans eyes. They locked eyes for the longest time which felt everlastingly. They didn’t talk but their eyes spoke for them. There is a hidden language of the eyes which only the free spirited can understand.
They remained like so for days and days at a time. On the days where they were not able to see each other, Rushil would write Masumatra a letter and toss it on her balcony. Masumatra’s mother kept quiet for a long time but couldn’t help noticing that she was not doing a very good job with the housework.
One day Masumatra’s mother called her but she did not reply. So her mother decided to see what she was up to. She looked all throughout the house, the corridor, the bedrooms, and the kitchen but she was no where to be found. There was only one place that that she had not searched for Masumatra: the balcony.She saw Masumatra and the young man speaking to each other by the edge of the balcony.Masumatra’s mother was so furious that she grabbed Masumatra by her sash and dragged her into the house. What do you think you were doing? Are you crazy Masumatra? I never want to see you on that balcony again!
The tale of the two admirers had become so notorious that even the goddesses had heard about their account.Maya the goddess of illusion was especially spellbound by their story and decided to help the two.Maya sprinkled powder from the clouds into their eyes during their sleep. The powder was called Samadhi powder.Samadhi is a state of complete control over the functions and distractions of consciousness.This special powder is supposed to bring and end to illusionary senses and also help the realization of truth.
The next morning they woke up at the same exact time. They both felt a sense of relaxation and peacefulness. Sometimes in life we want something so bad but we cannot attain it. You can never go against your fate. What’s written is your true destiny. Rushil and Masumatra remained in love until the last moments of perpetuity, but they couldn’t go against their parent’s wishes. They were both obedient and did not rebel. And because of their noble actions, Brahma gifted the two with a special endowment. Brahma awarded them with the gift of aum which is the gift of tranquility.
The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Makeup Tips
The less oxygen your makeup is exposed to, the longer it will last, so always screw those caps on tightly. And keep your cosmetics in cool, dark places - heat and light can cause makeup products' preservatives to break down.
If you use makeup with retinol, the retinol will "expire" and stop being effective in about a month. The makeup itself, though, should still be perfectly usable but you will not be getting the benefits of retinol.
Mascara is the item in your makeup arsenal with the shortest lifespan and the highest susceptibility to bacterial contamination. Experts agree that you should replace it every three months. (And remember basic precautions: Never share mascara, and toss any open tubes if you've had an eye infection.)
As a general rule, creamy products need to be tossed sooner than powders. Your cream blush, foundation, and concealer should last about a year. (Oil-based foundation, however, lasts longer than water-based - up to 18 months.)
Powdered products - facial powder, eye shadow, and powder blush, for example - are among the longest-lasting items in your medicine cabinet, and should last for two to three years.
When sharpened regularly, liners - eye and lip are good for up to three years. Thank goodness for self-renewing beauty products.
Lipstick is another one of the makeup world's great values, and should stay with you (barring any changes in fashion, of course) for a good three years.
These guidelines refer to the most common makeup brands. "Natural" products, however, have fewer preservatives and typically need to be replaced sooner. Another tip I've heard several times is that storing foundation and lipstick in the fridge can extend their shelf lives.
Of course, all of these guidelines are trumped by common sense: If you notice any unusual odors coming from your makeup products, toss them immediately. Changes in color or texture (like clumping or separating) are also a sign that you're due for a trip to the makeup counter.
Finally, don't neglect the tools you're applying all these products with - makeup brushes and sponges can harbor bacteria that lead to acne. Some unconfirmed studies have also suggested bacteria may contribute to rosacea.
Wash your makeup brushes and sponges in mild detergent every week (and replace sponges regularly). Always lay brushes flat to dry - stand them upright, and water can seep into the metal bands that hold bristles together, causing rusting and damage to their handles.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Within a blink of an eye summer has ended and September is here.Reminiscing on the days that I spent. I cant bear to think of them because it hurts to much. Only I wish for a few more moments.
As the days go by time flies more quickly. The one thing that I know is that I have to reach my goals that I have set for myself and overcome the obstacles of being a young lady.The road to success might be difficult but I know it will pay off in the end.
I felt the wind in my hair. And the breeze wisp through my fingers.I smelled the aroma of pine cones.The sand in between my toes.The icy cold water on my lips.I felt the hard concrete against my feet.The smell of diesel through my nose.Gulping down a can of soda watching the cars pass by.
Where do I go? Where do I belong?
As the days go by time flies more quickly. The one thing that I know is that I have to reach my goals that I have set for myself and overcome the obstacles of being a young lady.The road to success might be difficult but I know it will pay off in the end.
I felt the wind in my hair. And the breeze wisp through my fingers.I smelled the aroma of pine cones.The sand in between my toes.The icy cold water on my lips.I felt the hard concrete against my feet.The smell of diesel through my nose.Gulping down a can of soda watching the cars pass by.
Where do I go? Where do I belong?
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Arrival
I have finally arrived from my month long vacation.I promised to keep everyone updated but to my dismay I had a few minor complications at some of the local Internet cafes.The ongoing outage of electricity was one major factor.Well over all I enjoyed my stay.To tell you the truth I just needed to get out of the house.Change can sometimes save lives.I didn't get a chance too take very many pictures because I kept running out of batteries.
p.s. I didnt adjust the settings on the camera so disregard the dates.
p.s. I didnt adjust the settings on the camera so disregard the dates.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Vacation Update n.1
Hello everyone,
I just wanted to let you all know that Im doing ok.Im still trying to recover from jet lag, but other than that all is well.I haven't seen much, but this coming week we have a few things planned.Its nice to break the routine and have a vacation once in a while.I'll keep you updated about whats going on in the next few weeks.
take care
I just wanted to let you all know that Im doing ok.Im still trying to recover from jet lag, but other than that all is well.I haven't seen much, but this coming week we have a few things planned.Its nice to break the routine and have a vacation once in a while.I'll keep you updated about whats going on in the next few weeks.
take care
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Saturday, July 28, 2007
mini political analysis
Arnold Schwarzenegger told Democrats and other pessimists not to be "economic girlie-men".
I assume this statement was intended for Al Gore.The Global Warming movie and Live Earth.I'm sorry Mr.Gore
Personally, I think Mr.Gore is doing an astounding job.And I have great admiration for his concern about the economy.Regardless, of whether his movie was appealing or not.It was quite beneficial.
I assume this statement was intended for Al Gore.The Global Warming movie and Live Earth.I'm sorry Mr.Gore
Personally, I think Mr.Gore is doing an astounding job.And I have great admiration for his concern about the economy.Regardless, of whether his movie was appealing or not.It was quite beneficial.
Friday, July 27, 2007
a new day
A new day has prevailed.Somewhat of a new beginning.After three years of visits, today is the final day.The last goodbye.The last glance.A fresh new start and the future ahead of me.The essence of adolescence: learning new things and just trying to get by, day by day.You think you know everything, but you have only yet begun to learn.The past all behind her and the future ahead of you.Even though they were only three years, every minute counted.
Finally, my sixth month long boycott has ended today.A struggle that I do not regret.I didn't get much out of it, but the one thing I learned was perseverance.I decided that the boycott didn't really affect my well being, and that I had better fish to fry.I'm not a big fan of fried fish but I always seem to use that metaphor.
Sushi a new culinary discovery that has been oh so delightful.Spider rolls, miso soup and sea weed.
Sometimes we take others for granted and we don't know how much they mean to us until we loose them.Savor every moment together.Because you never know what will come tomorow.
As I look at the full moon and I admire its brightness and radiance, I see a face.The moon has its own personality and its face seems to be.... I just cant find the word to describe it.Trying to catch the moon and put it in my pocket,wanting to save its light.
Finally, my sixth month long boycott has ended today.A struggle that I do not regret.I didn't get much out of it, but the one thing I learned was perseverance.I decided that the boycott didn't really affect my well being, and that I had better fish to fry.I'm not a big fan of fried fish but I always seem to use that metaphor.
Sushi a new culinary discovery that has been oh so delightful.Spider rolls, miso soup and sea weed.
Sometimes we take others for granted and we don't know how much they mean to us until we loose them.Savor every moment together.Because you never know what will come tomorow.
As I look at the full moon and I admire its brightness and radiance, I see a face.The moon has its own personality and its face seems to be.... I just cant find the word to describe it.Trying to catch the moon and put it in my pocket,wanting to save its light.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Saturday, June 30, 2007
A cup of coffee is remembered for forty years…
Coffee isn’t just a beverage; it’s an infusion of flavor that is indescribable. Some people might think Java City is just an ordinary café. But its not, it’s extraordinary. Java City isn’t just your average coffee shop. It was a place full of reminiscences and memories. It’s a very big disappointment that it has closed down. There really isn’t any other coffee shop that can suffice.
Starbucks is on every corner and every turn, its been practically dominating the whole world. There isn’t an airport or shopping mall that doesn’t have a Starbucks nearby. Sometimes there are even three Starbucks within a one mile distance. A little bit too over-rated, don’t you think? Many people take coffee shops for granted and do not know how special they are until they close down or go out of business. Sorry to say but I had to experience this type of loss. Sometimes a really good cup of coffee is just impossible to find.
Java City was the one place where you could go and just talk about your worries and try to find possibilities for them. It was a place full of hope and familiarity. Every time you went, it was almost inevitable that you would make a new friend. The most striking thing about Java City was its immense diversity. You could always find people from so many different cultures and nationalities. And proof of that, was if you listened really carefully you could hear so many different languages and sometimes try to decipher what they were saying. People would play chess, meet with friends and family, do homework, and just relax and sit back while looking at the passer byes.
You wouldn’t know what the coffee shop was like until you have actually been there. As you open the door to the coffee shop, you instantly smell the strong scent of coffee beans and freshly baked sweets. Looking around for a chaise lounge, you find a vacant seat while you are waiting for your order to finish. The atmosphere is calm, until night becomes near, and all of the night owls approach and the café is filled with people. As you look outside the window you spot someone familiar and wave. You decide to sit outside and greet that person. As you take a closer glance, you notice that you have never seen her before. You ask if you can take a seat, and she kindly says yes. Surprisingly, you both seem to have a lot in common and talk for hours. Would you like a piece of my almond croissant? You both enjoy it and keep conversing about this and that. Suddenly, you look at your watch and notice that its half past midnight. But still decide to stay just a little longer. Drifting off in a long utter of nostalgia you tell stories about your longing for a finjan qahwa ( a small cup of Arabic coffee). And how your mother used to serve you coffee with crushed cardamom, as you arose from your midsummer nap. Fresh kaak with sesame seeds was always a must with your coffee. Slowly fading away and about to close your eyes, you awake from your vision and notice that its closing time. You gather up your things and say your goodbyes, wishing everyone a pleasant night. Steadily making your way back home you think about tomorrow and your next cup of coffee.
A cup of coffee is remembered for forty years…
[Turkish Proverb]
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Dear Traveler
Oh you who has traveled
You left and did not tell me
I thought you were right beside me
As I closed my eyes you were gone to a far away land
I wish I was able to take your hand
You left everlastingly and never returned
My misery will not leave until you return
I spent so many sleepless nights waiting for you
by the light of the moon
Oh you who loves the waves and loves to travel
please come back to me again
I understand you cannot go against your fate
but my heart yearns for you my dear traveler
I hope to see what becomes of you after your many journeys
Where have you gone where have you traveled?
You left and did not tell me…
I traveled to the land of seven seas
A land where the waves caress your cheek
A land where the sun is ever shining
A land where the blazing deserts whisper in your ear
A land of beauty that fools the eye
A land of youth and prosperity
I traveled many countries but have never saw countries like these
The lands of North Africa and the Middle East
Oh you unfortunate man he who has not seen these
May you pray to God that you see them before it is your time
I told you my secrets now you tell me yours
I loved the land that you loved now you love mine
Saturday, June 02, 2007
Thursday, May 31, 2007
May His Soul Rest In Peace
Allah yirhamu.3atak 3omro il youm.I still can't believe it.Is this really happening?He was 16.We laughed and argued together.Fought and got along with each other.We always talked about the most random things and we would make fun of each others taste in music.Walked to Save Mart and bought otter pops.Told jokes about old Hubert.Practically terrorized Roberts car.We didn't have much in common but we were close in age and just liked to have fun and tell jokes.Jealousy sometimes got the best of us and we both had our reasons.But no matter what, we would always have a good time just being ourselves.I didn't mean to embarrass you at your graduation.Thank you for all of the little gifts you got me.I'm going to miss your Olivia noises and your weird meat and jelly sandwiches.I think we were both unique and had very odd personalities, but never intimidated to be different from others.I had alot of fun at that fishing derby and I'm semi-glad to have been introduced to Mardale by you.And Abraham Lincoln as well.Scrabble will never be the same again without you.We will try our best to take good care of Juan for you.
We all had good times together and we miss you very much.
Iza za3latak bi shi anjad Im sorry.
Rachida
"Rachida" is a pretty, young school teacher.The title character, as the centerpiece of this story which spends most of its time looking at the problems which beset Algeria in the 1990s when the country was struggling with civil war. This testament by its female Algerian director digs into life as a woman in the Sunni Muslim patriarchal culture and the day to day living with anxiety and fear as bands of guerrilla thugs roam the streets.A dramatic movie about terrorism,romance, betrayal of traditions,and living in a country where the uncertain may happen at any time.It is a film definitely worth watching.
Monday, May 28, 2007
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Saturday, May 26, 2007
quote by Mone
Once you reach your inner it is always unique...anyone has the capacity to reach that, it is not only for chosen people. And once u connect, it will always show as a different color and different taste..No one is the same and each one has a unique message...
Friday, May 25, 2007
Thursday, May 24, 2007
peace
"There are no military solutions.There are no political solutions.There are no cultural solutions. There never have been. There never will be. There are only personal choices. Today, I choose not to kill; I choose not to hate; I choose not to steal. Today, I choose life over death; I choose love over anger; I choose charity over greed. That is our true struggle - the struggle within - the struggle to subjugate our own Evil Impulse."
As a wise man once said "give peace a chance" ....
As a wise man once said "give peace a chance" ....
quote
A fool with a sense of his foolishness
is at least to that extent wise.
But a fool who thinks himself wise
really deserves to be called a fool.
is at least to that extent wise.
But a fool who thinks himself wise
really deserves to be called a fool.
quote
Do not dwell in the past,
do not dream of the future,
concentrate the mind
on the present moment.
do not dream of the future,
concentrate the mind
on the present moment.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Amazing facts from Quran
Check this out, very interesting findings of Dr. Tariq Al Swaidan might
grasp your attention:
Dr.Tarig Al Swaidan discovered some verses in the Holy Qur'an
that mention one thing is equal to another,i.e. men are equal to women.
Although this makes sense grammatically, the astonishing fact is that the
number of times the word man appears in the Qur'an is 24 and number of times the word woman appears is also 24,therefore not only is this phrase correct in the grammatical sense but also true mathematically, i.e. 24 = 24.
Upon further analysis of various verses, he discovered that this is
consistent throughout the whole Qur'an, where it says one thing is like
another. See below for astonishing result of the words mentioned number of
times in Arabic Qur'an:
Dunia (one name for life) 115. Aakhirat (one name for the life after this
world) 115
Malaika (Angels) 88 . Shayteen (Satan) 88
Life 145 .... Death 145
Benefit 50 . Corrupt 50
People 50 .. Messengers 50
Eblees (king of devils) 11 . Seek refuge from Eblees 11
Museebah (calamity) 75 . Thanks 75
Spending (Sadaqah) 73 . Satisfaction 73
People who are mislead 17 . Dead people 17
Muslimeen 41 . Jihad 41
Gold 8 . Easy life 8
Magic 60 . Fitnah (dissuasion, misleading) 60
Zakat (Taxes Muslims pay to the poor) 32 . Barakah (Increasing or blessings
of wealth) 32
Mind 49 . Noor 49
Tongue 25 . Sermon 25
Desite 8 . Fear 8
Speaking publicly 18 . Publicising 18
Hardship 114 .... Patience 114
Muhammed 4 . Sharee'ah (Muhammed's teachings) 4
Man 24. Woman 24
And amazingly enough have a look how many times the following words appear:
Salah 5, Month 12, Day 365,
Sea 32, Land 13
Sea + land = 32+13= 45
Sea = 32/45*100=71.11111111%
Land = 13/45*100 = 28.88888889%
Sea + land =100.00%
Modern science has only recently proven that the water covers 71.111% of the earth while the land covers 28.889%.
grasp your attention:
Dr.Tarig Al Swaidan discovered some verses in the Holy Qur'an
that mention one thing is equal to another,i.e. men are equal to women.
Although this makes sense grammatically, the astonishing fact is that the
number of times the word man appears in the Qur'an is 24 and number of times the word woman appears is also 24,therefore not only is this phrase correct in the grammatical sense but also true mathematically, i.e. 24 = 24.
Upon further analysis of various verses, he discovered that this is
consistent throughout the whole Qur'an, where it says one thing is like
another. See below for astonishing result of the words mentioned number of
times in Arabic Qur'an:
Dunia (one name for life) 115. Aakhirat (one name for the life after this
world) 115
Malaika (Angels) 88 . Shayteen (Satan) 88
Life 145 .... Death 145
Benefit 50 . Corrupt 50
People 50 .. Messengers 50
Eblees (king of devils) 11 . Seek refuge from Eblees 11
Museebah (calamity) 75 . Thanks 75
Spending (Sadaqah) 73 . Satisfaction 73
People who are mislead 17 . Dead people 17
Muslimeen 41 . Jihad 41
Gold 8 . Easy life 8
Magic 60 . Fitnah (dissuasion, misleading) 60
Zakat (Taxes Muslims pay to the poor) 32 . Barakah (Increasing or blessings
of wealth) 32
Mind 49 . Noor 49
Tongue 25 . Sermon 25
Desite 8 . Fear 8
Speaking publicly 18 . Publicising 18
Hardship 114 .... Patience 114
Muhammed 4 . Sharee'ah (Muhammed's teachings) 4
Man 24. Woman 24
And amazingly enough have a look how many times the following words appear:
Salah 5, Month 12, Day 365,
Sea 32, Land 13
Sea + land = 32+13= 45
Sea = 32/45*100=71.11111111%
Land = 13/45*100 = 28.88888889%
Sea + land =100.00%
Modern science has only recently proven that the water covers 71.111% of the earth while the land covers 28.889%.
Red Rose
From Quran Surat Ar-Rahman Ayah 37 and the Hubble Telescope via NASA See the picture above, the RED ROSE NEBULA, see what Quran said at Surah 55 (Ar-Rahman), Ayah 37! We see it now in the years 1999/2000! and Quran mentioned it almost 1400 years ago. The picture is taken by the NASA Hubble Space Telescope of the "Cat's Eye Nebula." It is an exploding star 3,000 lightyears away. They should have called it the "Oily Red Rose Nebula." As the Quran states in Ar-Rahman, "When the sky is torn apart, so it was (like) a red rose, like ointment." Quran [Surah55:Ayah37]
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Petrolyphs
Man and mountain and river are one.
Through pride in the land and pride in the earth
The people now celebrate a rebirth.
To give is to love, to love is to give;
To sing is to breathe, to dance is to live.
The feet caress the earth below,
Drawing the strength, releasing the flow.
The hands reach up to the sky above,
Catching the beauty, expressing the love.
Freshness and innocence, tenderness, grace -
In this Garden of Eden my soul's found its place.
Earth, fire, water and air:
The fire's in my heart, the water's a tear
Friday, May 11, 2007
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Rely Upon Allah
If you rely upon Allah, trusting him completely, He certainly would provide for you as He provides for the birds. The birds set out hungry in the morning, yet return satisfied at dusk.
-The Prophet Muhammad (SAW), as reported by Umar bin al-Khattab
-The Prophet Muhammad (SAW), as reported by Umar bin al-Khattab
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Friday, April 27, 2007
the scent of resistance
A new perfume carrying the "scent of resistance" and celebrating Hizbullah's "divine victory" has been released on the market in Lebanon, according to a report which appeared in the Lebanese Daily Star on Monday.
"If you've ever wondered what resistance smells like, then try a dab of 'Resistance Perfume,' which comes 'exclusively' with a political message and a picture of Hizbullah's secretary general, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah," the Daily Star article said.
"Apparently, the scent of resistance is a strong and musky one that comes with a single pledge -- 'a truthful' one," the report added.
A slogan on the perfume box, quoting Nasrallah during a wartime speech made over the summer reads: "You are the truthful promise... and I have great faith in you and I promise you divine victory."
The Daily Star, which placed quotation marks around every mention of Israel in its report, added that the package comes with "a digitally manipulated picture of a sinking ship, meant to represent the 'Israeli' warship damaged by a Hizbullah missile during the conflict, along with reprints of Nasrallah's speeches and messages from the 'Lebanese prisoners in 'Israeli' prisons.'"
'Hizbullah not a commercial venture'
Mohammad Dekmak, CEO of the Bint Huda chain of stores in the south Beirut area, told the Daily Star: "We thought it was a catchy idea, as now the perfume is more than something that smells nice, it is a political statement."
The report said the perfume's designer initially came by the Beirut store "carrying 40 samples of the perfume in a plastic bag -- and sold them all within minutes."
Hizbullah Spokesman Ghassan Darwish was quoted by the Star as saying: "We don't like to encourage people to turn Hizbullah into a commercial venture, but since the perfume is called 'Resistance' and not 'Hizbullah,' we have no right to really prevent it from being sold as resistance is a broad ideology not limited to one party."
Respnding to the perfume, a pro-Hizbullah demonstrator in Beirut told the Lebanese newspaper that he was "content with showering and using plain soap."
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
point of view
Friday, April 20, 2007
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
...
Monday, April 16, 2007
can you read this?
Can you raed tihs? Olny smoe plepoe can. I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! if you can raed tihs forwrad it.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
lets party
I had so much fun tonight.It was amazing.I hadn't had that much fun in almost a year!
It was an all girls party.No guys allowed.And I was happy.Who needs guys anyways?A lot of girls were dressed very fancy.I decided to just go casual.I was comfortable and thats all that mattered.They didn't have much food served but I was too busy dancing and talking to my friends to eat.I only needed water.I met a really nice girl named Yasmine.She was very sweet and we got along very well.I was very reluctant to go to the party but my best friend persuaded me so I decided to go.I needed to enjoy myself because I haven't done that in a long time.I'm glad that I went.
Good Night...
Now that I have had my fun its time to get back to work! I need to finish my biology tomorrow.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)