Safat: The KuwaitBlogs’ Aggregator

My Kuwait blogging friend, Bu Yousef, is about to send a donation to the World Food Program designated to help Haiti. He has set a challenge to all bloggers and blog readers. Please, go comment on his post. For every unique comment he gets on his post (one per person), his donation will go up $1 from a minimum $50 to a maximum of $200. It’s up to us.

I would love for BuYousef to hit his maximum. I would love for him to be so overwhelmed, that he ups his maximum to $250.

Please go say good morning/good evening to BuYousef, and do it NOW! Thank you!

Bu Yousef, AdventureMan and I will match your donation.

At some hour, while I was sleeping, the blog hit 1M hits. Pretty cool, even though it is just a number.

AdventureMan said “how about if I take you out for dinner tonight to celebrate.”

(Thursday night is always date night. We always go out for dinner. He was being funny.)

But he reminded me that I used to thank my readers, and I haven’t done that for a long time.

Most of us who blog, and who continue blogging (it’s the continuing part that is hard work) blog because that’s the way God made us – he created us wanting to share the written word. For me, it’s sort of like thinking out loud, and many times I throw out ideas hoping to get other points of view to help me see things more fully, from more perspectives.

You, my readers, have given me unexpected points of view many, many times, and I thank you. Months after I write an article, you will read it and comment – and I read every comment. Thank you.

Coming soon, AdventureMan and I are starting a whole new adventure. I’m not so sure I am going to continue blogging. I won’t be living in an exotic country; I will be living a more normal American life, as a Grandmama. I know it will fascinate me, but I am not so sure you will find it all that interesting, LOL.

Again, thank you for your support and input these three years of blogging, and for finding me and my ideas and my fascination with current events much more interesting than I find myself.

And, for those of you who always ask, yes, the Qattari Cat will be going with us, and yes, he is till with us (crying right now because AdventureMan has left for work and his heart is broken), I just haven’t taken a lot of photos lately because mostly he sleeps, and he looks pretty much the same.

At some hour, while I was sleeping, the blog hit 1M hits. Pretty cool, even though it is just a number.

AdventureMan said “how about if I take you out for dinner tonight to celebrate.”

(Thursday night is always date night. We always go out for dinner. He was being funny.)

But he reminded me that I used to thank my readers, and I haven’t done that for a long time.

Most of us who blog, and who continue blogging (it’s the continuing part that is hard work) blog because that’s the way God made us – he created us wanting to share the written word. For me, it’s sort of like thinking out loud, and many times I throw out ideas hoping to get other points of view to help me see things more fully, from more perspectives.

You, my readers, have given me unexpected points of view many, many times, and I thank you. Months after I write an article, you will read it and comment – and I read every comment. Thank you.

Coming soon, AdventureMan and I are starting a whole new adventure. I’m not so sure I am going to continue blogging. I won’t be living in an exotic country; I will be living a more normal American life, as a Grandmama. I know it will fascinate me, but I am not so sure you will find it all that interesting, LOL.

Again, thank you for your support and input these three years of blogging, and for finding me and my ideas and my fascination with current events much more interesting than I find myself.

And, for those of you who always ask, yes, the Qattari Cat will be going with us, and yes, he is till with us (crying right now because AdventureMan has left for work and his heart is broken), I just haven’t taken a lot of photos lately because mostly he sleeps, and he looks pretty much the same.

I know, I know, numbers are just numbers.

However.

In the next 24 hours, my blog is going to hit 1 million hits. There are blogs who get a lot more visitors than I do, but never did I believe I would get a million hits. Never. LOL, I’m surprised I’m still blogging!

I know, I know, numbers are just numbers.

However.

In the next 24 hours, my blog is going to hit 1 million hits. There are blogs who get a lot more visitors than I do, but never did I believe I would get a million hits. Never. LOL, I’m surprised I’m still blogging!

Remember the Pink Glove Dance? Today, in AOL News, is a report that over three million people have clicked on the U-Tube Video promoting free mammograms for women who can’t afford them:

Pink Glove Dance Reaching Millions
AOL News

(Dec. 5) — A video showing hundreds of dancing hospital employees wearing pink gloves in support of breast cancer awareness has become an Internet sensation.
The video, put together over two days with the help of 200 employees at a Portland, Oregon hospital, has more than 3 million hits and thousands of comments on YouTube.

The janitor who closes out the video with a solo performance had a mother who battled with breast cancer. Moore said he told her, “This is just a disease that just keeps touching lives.”

Remember the Pink Glove Dance? Today, in AOL News, is a report that over three million people have clicked on the U-Tube Video promoting free mammograms for women who can’t afford them:

Pink Glove Dance Reaching Millions
AOL News

(Dec. 5) — A video showing hundreds of dancing hospital employees wearing pink gloves in support of breast cancer awareness has become an Internet sensation.
The video, put together over two days with the help of 200 employees at a Portland, Oregon hospital, has more than 3 million hits and thousands of comments on YouTube.

The janitor who closes out the video with a solo performance had a mother who battled with breast cancer. Moore said he told her, “This is just a disease that just keeps touching lives.”

One of today’s readings in The Lectionary are these verses from a much longer reading, Psalm 107. When I read these lines, I can’t help thinking how this very dull and flat land, Qatar, this little thumb sticking up into the Gulf, has greened, how the oil and gas have served to green this land, to change its face, and how much money is flowing out from this country to many other countries of the world.

All those of us from far away countries who labor here are benefitting from these springs of wealth, sending money home.

33He turns rivers into a desert,
springs of water into thirsty ground,
34a fruitful land into a salty waste,
because of the wickedness of its inhabitants.
35He turns a desert into pools of water,
a parched land into springs of water.
36And there he lets the hungry live,
and they establish a town to live in;
37they sow fields, and plant vineyards,
and get a fruitful yield.
38By his blessing they multiply greatly,
and he does not let their cattle decrease.

39When they are diminished and brought low
through oppression, trouble, and sorrow,
40he pours contempt on princes
and makes them wander in trackless wastes;
41but he raises up the needy out of distress,
and makes their families like flocks.
42The upright see it and are glad;
and all wickedness stops its mouth.
43Let those who are wise give heed to these things,
and consider the steadfast love of the Lord.

For my Christian readers, Muslims also use the Psalms as holy readings –

“The Qur’an (Surah An-Nisa 4:163) states “and to David We gave the Psalms”. Therefore, Islam confirms the Psalms as being inspired of God.”

Did you know that?

Sometimes change happens, and it happens so slowly or so subtly that you don’t really realize it has happened until something draws it to your attention.

Kuwait blogger Touche, one of my old virtual-blogging-buddies commented on a driving post, wondering about the baby steps it takes to change a mentality. The subject was driving, and I know he was right, I am writing “endlessly” about how annoyed I get by the lack of civility in driving here.

What I am not writing about, I noticed, is how annoying it is to be breathing other people’s smoke while I am eating.

Because it is not happening.

Who knew?

When we lived in Qatar before, people would sit right under the NO SMOKING signs and light up.

I saw things change in Kuwait. From the time we got there to the time we left, there were fewer and fewer times someone would light up in a restaurant.

Things CHANGED.

Expectations changed. I am guessing the smokers felt pressure, not just from the community, but also from family members. I don’t know if there are fewer smokers; I am inclined to think not, because I can see them smoking in their own cars. Hey – as long as I do not have to breathe their smoke, it’s fine with me, it’s their choice.

But the significant thing is – I didn’t believe it could ever change. And it did change, and it changed faster than I would have thought possible.

So I have hope for the driving issue. I think it starts with seat belts. I think if Mothers and wives start buckling up, and buckling up their children, that will be a first step. I think if there is an emphasis on driving manners, things could change. It’s a mind-shift before a behavior shift, an awareness of safety and an awareness of our interconnectedness. One thing I have seen in the Gulf is that parents raise their children to have good manners; manners are an important consideration also when considering a mate. If you take the driving problem as a manners problem, and emphasize the need for good manners on the road, maybe there is a possibility of change . . .

There is another area where I think change can happen – throwing things out the car window. If it becomes a commonly held value that throwing trash / cigarette butts / food wrappers out the window is bad behavior, I think it will stop. Maybe hand out car trash bags to raise awareness?

Have you seen the change in smoking? What I am noticing is that my dinners are no longer ruined by someone nearby lighting up. I don’t smell smoke in the malls. I don’t smell smoke in the airports. Pretty amazing, don’t you think?

Sometimes change happens, and it happens so slowly or so subtly that you don’t really realize it has happened until something draws it to your attention.

Kuwait blogger Touche, one of my old virtual-blogging-buddies commented on a driving post, wondering about the baby steps it takes to change a mentality. The subject was driving, and I know he was right, I am writing “endlessly” about how annoyed I get by the lack of civility in driving here.

What I am not writing about, I noticed, is how annoying it is to be breathing other people’s smoke while I am eating.

Because it is not happening.

Who knew?

When we lived in Qatar before, people would sit right under the NO SMOKING signs and light up.

I saw things change in Kuwait. From the time we got there to the time we left, there were fewer and fewer times someone would light up in a restaurant.

Things CHANGED.

Expectations changed. I am guessing the smokers felt pressure, not just from the community, but also from family members. I don’t know if there are fewer smokers; I am inclined to think not, because I can see them smoking in their own cars. Hey – as long as I do not have to breathe their smoke, it’s fine with me, it’s their choice.

But the significant thing is – I didn’t believe it could ever change. And it did change, and it changed faster than I would have thought possible.

So I have hope for the driving issue. I think it starts with seat belts. I think if Mothers and wives start buckling up, and buckling up their children, that will be a first step. I think if there is an emphasis on driving manners, things could change. It’s a mind-shift before a behavior shift, an awareness of safety and an awareness of our interconnectedness. One thing I have seen in the Gulf is that parents raise their children to have good manners; manners are an important consideration also when considering a mate. If you take the driving problem as a manners problem, and emphasize the need for good manners on the road, maybe there is a possibility of change . . .

There is another area where I think change can happen – throwing things out the car window. If it becomes a commonly held value that throwing trash / cigarette butts / food wrappers out the window is bad behavior, I think it will stop. Maybe hand out car trash bags to raise awareness?

Have you seen the change in smoking? What I am noticing is that my dinners are no longer ruined by someone nearby lighting up. I don’t smell smoke in the malls. I don’t smell smoke in the airports. Pretty amazing, don’t you think?

Sometimes change happens, and it happens so slowly or so subtly that you don’t really realize it has happened until something draws it to your attention.

Kuwait blogger Touche, one of my old virtual-blogging-buddies commented on a driving post, wondering about the baby steps it takes to change a mentality. The subject was driving, and I know he was right, I am writing “endlessly” about how annoyed I get by the lack of civility in driving here.

What I am not writing about, I noticed, is how annoying it is to be breathing other people’s smoke while I am eating.

Because it is not happening.

Who knew?

When we lived in Qatar before, people would sit right under the NO SMOKING signs and light up.

I saw things change in Kuwait. From the time we got there to the time we left, there were fewer and fewer times someone would light up in a restaurant.

Things CHANGED.

Expectations changed. I am guessing the smokers felt pressure, not just from the community, but also from family members. I don’t know if there are fewer smokers; I am inclined to think not, because I can see them smoking in their own cars. Hey – as long as I do not have to breathe their smoke, it’s fine with me, it’s their choice.

But the significant thing is – I didn’t believe it could ever change. And it did change, and it changed faster than I would have thought possible.

So I have hope for the driving issue. I think it starts with seat belts. I think if Mothers and wives start buckling up, and buckling up their children, that will be a first step. I think if there is an emphasis on driving manners, things could change. It’s a mind-shift before a behavior shift, an awareness of safety and an awareness of our interconnectedness. One thing I have seen in the Gulf is that parents raise their children to have good manners; manners are an important consideration also when considering a mate. If you take the driving problem as a manners problem, and emphasize the need for good manners on the road, maybe there is a possibility of change . . .

There is another area where I think change can happen – throwing things out the car window. If it becomes a commonly held value that throwing trash / cigarette butts / food wrappers out the window is bad behavior, I think it will stop. Maybe hand out car trash bags to raise awareness?

Have you seen the change in smoking? What I am noticing is that my dinners are no longer ruined by someone nearby lighting up. I don’t smell smoke in the malls. I don’t smell smoke in the airports. Pretty amazing, don’t you think?

From today’s Gulf Times:

Debate on Qatari press law

The event coincides with the National Day for Human Rights, which falls on November 11 every year.

There was an earlier report, on June 24th, that most of the original members of the DCMF had resigned:

Media Freedom Centre team leaves office

Ménard, who became director-general on April 1, 2008, was the founder of Reporters Without Borders, which he headed for 23 years.

I imagine this is going to be a very interesting “vigorous” debate, of interest to all those who write – or blog – on Qatar. One of the things I notice in both Kuwait and Qatar is that in the interest of self-preservation, the newspapers self-censor. For example, when a crime is committed, if it is an Asian, or even, rarely, a westerner, the name of the criminal can be printed. If it is a local citizen, they do not print the names, not ever, unless it is a rare case where the defendant is convicted and appeals – on rare occasions, the name will appear then. In order to spare the family the embarrassment, I have been told, but I would think that the fear of embarrassing the family would have a strong deterrent effect on young men, for example, who think it is OK to abduct, rape and humiliate young men and women, without fear of having their crime made public.

In Kuwait, they publish the crimes committed, at least. In Qatar, you would think from reading the papers, that these crimes don’t exist. They do. They aren’t reported.

I think it is very cool that in Qatar, many of these issues are opened for public debate, as in this media debate, and in the ongoing Doha Debate series.

A lot of my life is just like yours – fairly routine. Regular meetings, regular obligations, regular trips to the market to keep my family in food, meal preparations, etc.

Lately, even my mother commented I’ve been eating out a lot. No! No! It’s not true!

We do eat out a couple times a week. I don’t always take photos because many of the places we eat, we have already reviewed at least once.

When guests come to town, we often eat out a little more because we are on the go.

And so like during one trip, I can take photos for a number of different posts. One trip to Souq al Waqif and I have mermaid fabric photos, a restaurant review, a photo of the new tower, maybe a few shots for the school calendar, some traffic revision shots upon leaving – see what I mean? It’s not like I am eating out all the time, but when we go someplace new or when I need something to blog about, I dig them out.

This is one of those “just one more thing” shots – they are setting up at both the Museum of Islamic Arts and at the Souq al Waqif for the upcoming Tribeca Film Fest. They say Robert de Niro will be here (Wooo HOOOOOO!) There is a lot of excitement building, and I can understand – they are going to a lot of trouble to make sure it is a BIG deal.

You can find out more about the Tribeca Film Fest 2009 by clicking on the blue type.

The answers to that question could fill a hundred pages of Google search results.

The opportunity to share one’s words with the rest of the world is such a dazzling prospect that, after only a few years of its creation, the word “blog” has become a household term. I’m blogging about this, and you’re blogging about that, and the world is blogging about the world.

I haven’t posted anything for a while because, in truth, I didn’t feel that I had anything substantial to contribute. Blogging has become a means of transmitting thoughts, opinions, critiques, news, and even personal updates (although twitter/facebook has taken the lead on that). But really, there are critics to give critiques, CNN to give us the news, columns and newspapers for people’s opinion, and real life interaction to update people on what is going on in your life.

Blogging, simply, is a new perspective. Have you ever sat down and looked at a complete stranger and thought, “That person has a life of their own. They have their thought, friends, family, hobbies that are completely unrelated to mine.” Personally, I find it mind blowing to think about how obsessed we have become with our own life that we actually find it fascinating to think that other people have a life of their own.

And so enters the world of weblogs; a chance to see the world from a completely new angle, and a glimpse into the thoughts and lives of other people through meaningful discussions. When reading these words, and any other blogs, you are, reader, looking at the world through the eyes of a stranger, if only for a few minutes.

And so, no matter the ridiculous nature of the blog posts, the constant criticism of the blog or the limited number of readers for a certain blog, blogs will continue to grow for now, because we humans love to see how other people are living on this planet.

And so blogging is truly summarized in the slogan of the original MadReds Blog… to “See life OUR way.”

- B.A.

Hey Everyone,

Blog Action Day is this Thursday, October 15!

We’re excited to report that more than 5000 bloggers have already registered from 126 countries, with more signing up each day.

If you haven’t registered yet, it is not too late. Sign up here: http://www.blogactionday.org/en/blogs/new

Once you’ve signed up all you need to do is write a post about climate change this Thursday. We’ll have a live feed of all your posts on our homepage so you can track the conversation.

But, you may be asking, what am I going to write about?

We’re here to help. Climate climate impacts nearly all aspects of our lives, from business and technology to food, transportation and travel. Here’s a list of ideas and places to look for inspiration when deciding what to post on Thursday.

Food: Agricultural production around the world is responsible for nearly as much greenhouse gas emissions as all forms of transportation put together, so it shouldn’t be surprising that the food choices we make have a big impact on the climate. Read more and check out a few explanatory videos here.

Travel: More than 30 top travel blogs are participating in Blog Action Day. Check out who’s blogging and get ideas for writing about the connection between travel, geography, transit and climate change.

Events: If you want to write about what people around the world are doing locally to take action on climate change, check out our friends at 350.org. They’re organizing an International Day of Climate Action around the world on October 24. You can also check out their tools specifically for bloggers. For more events and actions to write about, go to: http://blogactionday.org/en/takeaction.

Business: Take a look at our post on 5 Ways Climate Change Will Change Business in the 21st Century to get some ideas of where climate change will have a big impact, and opportunities for the business sector.

Politics: It’s hard to ignore the connection between climate change and politics — from international negotiations to local and domestic policy debates. We’ve profiled some of the best political blogs participating in Blog Action Day this year where you can brush up on the inside information.

None of these topics fit your interest? We just put up a blog post with a longer list of topics and how they connect to climate, including design, technology, family, health and more. Take a look and add your ideas in the comments for everyone to see.

How you write about the way climate change affects our lives is up to you. The most important thing is that you participate so that together, we can help create an expanding global conversation about one of the most important issues we face.

Thanks so much,

Robin Beck
Lead Organizer
Blog Action Day 09: Climate Change.

Teeny Teeny Tiny Article in today’s Gulf Times:

Kuwait censors ‘terror’blogs, websites: report

Kuwait has blocked a number of Internet blogs and websites with links to “terror” cells and groups, a top official said in comments published yesterday. “The ministry has blocked blogs … used by some to communicate with terror cells and extremist groups,” communications ministry undersecretary Abdulmohsen al-Mazeedi told Kuwait’s An-Nahar newspaper. He said the ministry had also blocked sites deemed offensive to God and the emir and which undermined what he called national unity, in addition to sites promoting pornography. Mazeedi said the ministry was applying the law and “aims to preserve Islamic values.”

More information, from Al Watan:

Kuwait blocks terrorـlinked Web sites
KUWAIT: Kuwait has blocked a number of Internet blogs and Web sites with links to “terror” cells and groups, a top official said in comments published on Friday.

Last updated on Saturday 26/9/2009

OK, I made it more panorama by cropping out the excess sky, and I bumped up the saturation a little, and that is about all I can do, other than sepia, which doesn’t look right at all, and some other general effects that don’t enhance.

BTW, do you notice that the Sheraton – that pyramid shape at about 2/3 way across skyline – has just disappeared? It used to be the most striking building on the skyline and now, it disappears.

I LOVE what Yousef did. It’s a slow Saturday, nothing much going on. If you want a crack at this photo, take it. Play with it. Send it back to me, show us what you’ve done. Keep it clean.

Yousef:

is that a WOW or what?

So . . . I don’t have all these tools. Go for it. The shot is in the Eid morning photos you will find here so have some fun with it.

i dunno, Mathai.

This one cracks me up – the names make it sound so credible, right? WRONG!

Offer Coming From U.A.E
This letter must come to you as a big surprise,
but I believe it is only a day that people meet
and become great friends and business partners.

I wait your urgent response.
Regards,
Mr.Andre Sayegh

Got this one – as Intlxpatr – today. Hee heee heee, I grinned thinking of a big check made out to “Intxlpatr” packed in a box marked “old African cloths.”

Good Day!

Best Regards,
Mr Melvine Parker (ESQ)

It took me 20 days, but I finished Barack Obama’s Dreams From My Father. I didn’t read it because he is President of the United States, although that would be a good reason, but I read it because our book club is reading it, and I know how busy the next few months are going to be, so I read ahead during the slower times of summer.

And the trick to finishing it was not allowing myself to read anything else until I had finished – I had a stack of really intriguing books to urge me on. “As soon as I finish, I can read . . . ” Even with all that incentive, Obama’s book is a slog.

He is a gifted orator. He is a plodding writer. There is also a problem I find with autobiographies by anyone – we all fool ourselves, we all position ourselves in a better light, and we have no idea how transparent we are when we do so. Fellow bloggers, do you ever read anything you have written a couple years ago and squirm with embarrassment, or even delete? To be an author is a very very brave thing, when you have a book published, there is no going back, your transgressions are all right out there, and the public can be cruelly critical.

What I liked about the book is Obama-as-Third-Culture-Kid, a man of mixed identity. Most kids who have grown up moving or grown up in different countries from their own, or who have immigrated, can tell you, being an alien is no fun. Obama learns how to adapt, how to look for clues to fitting in, how to pass. It’s a common theme in Third-Culture-Kids.

My favorite part of the book was his return to Kenya, his openness to his African roots, the open-armed love with which his Kenyan half-brothers and sisters welcome him and his response. He had some truly extraordinary adventures, working out just who his father had been as a person. He was blessed to recognize the richness of his inheritance.

The book plods along, but it was worth the time. For all it’s flaws, I find I like that man, and I understand more about where he is coming from. (for grammarians, I understand more about from where the man is coming.)

There are a lot of factors in blogging that I don’t control. I have no control over the policies of the countries I live in. I have no control over who might like my posts and tell their friends. And I have no control over what posts might tickle interest among blog readers.

Kuwait has a lively, active blogging community, even in the face of competition from FaceBook and Twitter. Many bloggers have gone inactive, working in new areas, and have come back to blogging. Leaving Kuwait, moving to Doha, I lost about 300 – 500 regular viewers per day. I know, I know, some of you found the sunrise-over-the-Gulf daily photos SO so boring, but there were Kuwaitis all over the world who checked in just to see what Kuwait looked like each day, and having been in their position (I still check Seattle every day, and Pensacola) I know how they feel.

Some posts I consider “filler.” Maybe I can’t think of anything to say, so I share a piece of news that interests me. Or I ask a question. Posts I just tapped off and posted without giving it a lot of thought then take off, and over the months and years maintain a steady popularity. The posts I like the best are posts where my readers have stepped in, commented and we’ve all learned more about something.

At Halloween, I had my all time high stat bump – on an article I had written two years earlier. Last night, I watched the numbers climb irrationally on a news article on the Perseids – and oh, by the way, even though last night was the peak, they are still out there, and if you can find a quiet, light free spot, you are in for a thrill. I remember one year, AdventureMan and I headed for Clearwater Beach, and it was like Spring Break except it was dark, what a hoot! Everyone had blankets or beach loungers, laying out flat, looking up at the sky – with all their clothes on! It was night!

This is what I could see this morning:

Ah well, coming up are Friday and Saturday, the two worst-stat days of the week. Some days I don’t even bother blogging on Saturday!

Have you ever had an irrational stat bump? Did anyone in Kuwait or Doha go out last night to watch the Perseids? Any luck?