Safat: The KuwaitBlogs’ Aggregator

Why?

A Kuwaiti blogger posting as an anonymous who talks about various subjects, and from which you can’t help but notice his love for this country! He support other bloggers in every way possible! I asked him to help me with the awareness campaign and he did, but he did not stop there… He asked if I needed more help and support too!

The sky is the limit with Frankom! Posting about new services, offers, family, events, and MUCH more!

WTG Frankom! Kuwaiti, to the bone!

I just want to welcome Muna AlGurg on bloggersville!

Very vibrant and amazing person inside out! She is currently Director of Retail for the 50-year-old family business and responsible for strategy development for the group!

Her passion for arts led her to be a Director on the Board of the Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre in 2004.

Since 2008, Al Gurg has been Vice Chairperson of Young Arab Leaders, UAE.

Check out her blog

I just want to welcome Muna AlGurg on bloggersville!

Very vibrant and amazing person inside out! She is currently Director of Retail for the 50-year-old family business and responsible for strategy development for the group!

Her passion for arts led her to be a Director on the Board of the Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre in 2004.

Since 2008, Al Gurg has been Vice Chairperson of Young Arab Leaders, UAE.

Check out her blog

I just want to welcome Muna AlGurg on bloggersville!

Very vibrant and amazing person inside out! She is currently Director of Retail for the 50-year-old family business and responsible for strategy development for the group!

Her passion for arts led her to be a Director on the Board of the Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre in 2004.

Since 2008, Al Gurg has been Vice Chairperson of Young Arab Leaders, UAE.

Check out her blog

Why?

Well… their blog is multifunctional! They talk about sports, gadgets, news, causes, and much more! I do not get bored of this blog, as a matter of fact I check it more than once per day! I trust their reviews so much for that I feel the genuineness in it! Really a group of brilliant young men, specially FAH and Alvaro – two of my favorite in the team!

I love their blog so much!

After all, I won one of their contests and they gave me the green iPod!

WTG Buzberry! Awesome team 

Title: Act Now – Change the Future | Greenpeace International
Link: http://gotaf.socialtwist.com/redirect?l=-167497348830706583921

Title: Act Now – Change the Future | Greenpeace International
Link: http://gotaf.socialtwist.com/redirect?l=840225541427896255311

A while back, there was a blogger, Fonzy, who was more here there and everywhere than . . . Here There and Everywhere. He found some of the most amazing resources, and Real Age was one of them.

I took the Real Age test, and got a shock; there were things I really needed to do to keep my health and fitness at peak. I hadn’t been doing them, thought I could slide. Real Age won’t let me.

Every week I get bulletins from them on new findings in health issues. They are always packed with valuable information. Here is one of the most recent ones:

Boost Your Natural Immunity
June 30, 2009 3:14 PM by Mehmet Oz, MD and Michael Roizen, MD

New flu strains. Antibiotic-resistant tuberculosis. Germs in and on the foods we buy in supermarkets and in restaurants. Flesh-eating bacteria. Feels like you’re in the midst of a scary twenty-first century germ invasion. And while you try your best to keep from meeting the nastiest bugs, there’s only so much you can do without living in a bubble. That means boosting your immune system matters more than ever.

And steps you take to boost your immunity may also protect you from the chronic diseases associated with aging. See, immune busters — everything from aging and stress to lack of sleep, too little exercise, and not-so-smart eating — can pull the plug on how well your white blood cells, natural killer cells, and chemical messengers can attack and destroy foreign invaders. Didn’t know you had an army of defenders, did you? Well, you do. And the very same actions that lessen their ability to fight off bugs also cause trouble by encouraging chronic inflammation — a hot-button health risk now linked with asthma, heart disease, diabetes, and even some types of cancer.

Keeping your own personal security force strong and disciplined is easy:

Feast on fin food. EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), the essential omega-3 fatty acid found in fatty fish (and fish oil, of course), limits several cellular processes (involving dendritic cells and interleukin 12; aren’t you glad you asked?) associated with inflammation, so they can’t do their dirty work. Serve yourself salmon or trout at least twice a week, or get 2,000 milligrams of EPA plus DHA, another omega-3, from supplements daily. Don’t like the fishy taste or the size of the pill? Just get the DHA from pills made from algae — that’s where the fish get it.

See red or go nuts. Red wine, red grapes, and peanuts are great sources of resveratrol, a compound that protects against immune system aging and inflammation.

Learn the art of ahhhh. Your nervous system and your immune system are linked more closely than fraud and Bernard Madoff. Extreme stress reduces your natural killer cell count — one reason widows and widowers are more likely to get sick after the death of a spouse. Even periods of short stress (say, road rage) can boost levels of proinflammatory chemicals called cytokines. Set aside 10 minutes a day for relaxation, whether it’s meditation, intimacy, a walk, or the pure bliss of playing with your kids or grandkids. And learn some coping skills that help you talk your stress level down while you’re still in traffic or whatever situation gets on your nerves.

Tuck yourself in. Sleep deprivation torpedoes immunity and increases levels of proteins associated with inflammation. Stop shortchanging yourself and jump into the sack a half hour earlier tonight . . . and every night this week. Add another half hour next week, and keep going until you’re getting 7 1/2 to 8 hours of shuteye per night. Every night!

Take a walk today. Regular physical activity can help keep immunity where it should be. You don’t have to be a gym rat: When a group of overweight couch potatoes started exercising five times a week, they gained a definite cold-fighting edge over nonexercisers.

Pop some vitamin D. This vitamin can’t do its immunity-boosting job if you don’t get enough of it . . . which includes at least 30% to 40% of us. Since it’s difficult to get what you need from food alone, get 1,000 international units a day from a supplement if you’re younger than 60, 1,200 if you’re 60 or older.

Munch apples, broccoli, and red onions. All are bursting with quercetin, a flavonoid that shores up immunity, even when you’re fatigued. The fiber and antioxidants in these natural goodies also help reduce or mute inflammation instigators.

Think zinc. Go to the end of the alphabet for a mineral that supports immunity (it may also thwart cancer cells). You can get the zinc you need — 12 milligrams a day — from crab, oysters, pork, poultry, beans, cashews, and yogurt. Or find a good multivitamin with less than 15 milligrams. Too much of the stuff could stop other important minerals from doing their jobs.

Don’t forget classic “C.” This vitamin helps you produce more bullets to kill invading germs. Bell peppers are chock-full of vitamin C; other good C options include strawberries, cantaloupe, and broccoli. Or take 400 milligrams of vitamin C as a supplement three times a day.

A while back, there was a blogger, Fonzy, who was more here there and everywhere than . . . Here There and Everywhere. He found some of the most amazing resources, and Real Age was one of them.

I took the Real Age test, and got a shock; there were things I really needed to do to keep my health and fitness at peak. I hadn’t been doing them, thought I could slide. Real Age won’t let me.

Every week I get bulletins from them on new findings in health issues. They are always packed with valuable information. Here is one of the most recent ones:

Boost Your Natural Immunity
June 30, 2009 3:14 PM by Mehmet Oz, MD and Michael Roizen, MD

New flu strains. Antibiotic-resistant tuberculosis. Germs in and on the foods we buy in supermarkets and in restaurants. Flesh-eating bacteria. Feels like you’re in the midst of a scary twenty-first century germ invasion. And while you try your best to keep from meeting the nastiest bugs, there’s only so much you can do without living in a bubble. That means boosting your immune system matters more than ever.

And steps you take to boost your immunity may also protect you from the chronic diseases associated with aging. See, immune busters — everything from aging and stress to lack of sleep, too little exercise, and not-so-smart eating — can pull the plug on how well your white blood cells, natural killer cells, and chemical messengers can attack and destroy foreign invaders. Didn’t know you had an army of defenders, did you? Well, you do. And the very same actions that lessen their ability to fight off bugs also cause trouble by encouraging chronic inflammation — a hot-button health risk now linked with asthma, heart disease, diabetes, and even some types of cancer.

Keeping your own personal security force strong and disciplined is easy:

Feast on fin food. EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), the essential omega-3 fatty acid found in fatty fish (and fish oil, of course), limits several cellular processes (involving dendritic cells and interleukin 12; aren’t you glad you asked?) associated with inflammation, so they can’t do their dirty work. Serve yourself salmon or trout at least twice a week, or get 2,000 milligrams of EPA plus DHA, another omega-3, from supplements daily. Don’t like the fishy taste or the size of the pill? Just get the DHA from pills made from algae — that’s where the fish get it.

See red or go nuts. Red wine, red grapes, and peanuts are great sources of resveratrol, a compound that protects against immune system aging and inflammation.

Learn the art of ahhhh. Your nervous system and your immune system are linked more closely than fraud and Bernard Madoff. Extreme stress reduces your natural killer cell count — one reason widows and widowers are more likely to get sick after the death of a spouse. Even periods of short stress (say, road rage) can boost levels of proinflammatory chemicals called cytokines. Set aside 10 minutes a day for relaxation, whether it’s meditation, intimacy, a walk, or the pure bliss of playing with your kids or grandkids. And learn some coping skills that help you talk your stress level down while you’re still in traffic or whatever situation gets on your nerves.

Tuck yourself in. Sleep deprivation torpedoes immunity and increases levels of proteins associated with inflammation. Stop shortchanging yourself and jump into the sack a half hour earlier tonight . . . and every night this week. Add another half hour next week, and keep going until you’re getting 7 1/2 to 8 hours of shuteye per night. Every night!

Take a walk today. Regular physical activity can help keep immunity where it should be. You don’t have to be a gym rat: When a group of overweight couch potatoes started exercising five times a week, they gained a definite cold-fighting edge over nonexercisers.

Pop some vitamin D. This vitamin can’t do its immunity-boosting job if you don’t get enough of it . . . which includes at least 30% to 40% of us. Since it’s difficult to get what you need from food alone, get 1,000 international units a day from a supplement if you’re younger than 60, 1,200 if you’re 60 or older.

Munch apples, broccoli, and red onions. All are bursting with quercetin, a flavonoid that shores up immunity, even when you’re fatigued. The fiber and antioxidants in these natural goodies also help reduce or mute inflammation instigators.

Think zinc. Go to the end of the alphabet for a mineral that supports immunity (it may also thwart cancer cells). You can get the zinc you need — 12 milligrams a day — from crab, oysters, pork, poultry, beans, cashews, and yogurt. Or find a good multivitamin with less than 15 milligrams. Too much of the stuff could stop other important minerals from doing their jobs.

Don’t forget classic “C.” This vitamin helps you produce more bullets to kill invading germs. Bell peppers are chock-full of vitamin C; other good C options include strawberries, cantaloupe, and broccoli. Or take 400 milligrams of vitamin C as a supplement three times a day.

A while back, there was a blogger, Fonzy, who was more here there and everywhere than . . . Here There and Everywhere. He found some of the most amazing resources, and Real Age was one of them.

I took the Real Age test, and got a shock; there were things I really needed to do to keep my health and fitness at peak. I hadn’t been doing them, thought I could slide. Real Age won’t let me.

Every week I get bulletins from them on new findings in health issues. They are always packed with valuable information. Here is one of the most recent ones:

Boost Your Natural Immunity
June 30, 2009 3:14 PM by Mehmet Oz, MD and Michael Roizen, MD

New flu strains. Antibiotic-resistant tuberculosis. Germs in and on the foods we buy in supermarkets and in restaurants. Flesh-eating bacteria. Feels like you’re in the midst of a scary twenty-first century germ invasion. And while you try your best to keep from meeting the nastiest bugs, there’s only so much you can do without living in a bubble. That means boosting your immune system matters more than ever.

And steps you take to boost your immunity may also protect you from the chronic diseases associated with aging. See, immune busters — everything from aging and stress to lack of sleep, too little exercise, and not-so-smart eating — can pull the plug on how well your white blood cells, natural killer cells, and chemical messengers can attack and destroy foreign invaders. Didn’t know you had an army of defenders, did you? Well, you do. And the very same actions that lessen their ability to fight off bugs also cause trouble by encouraging chronic inflammation — a hot-button health risk now linked with asthma, heart disease, diabetes, and even some types of cancer.

Keeping your own personal security force strong and disciplined is easy:

Feast on fin food. EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), the essential omega-3 fatty acid found in fatty fish (and fish oil, of course), limits several cellular processes (involving dendritic cells and interleukin 12; aren’t you glad you asked?) associated with inflammation, so they can’t do their dirty work. Serve yourself salmon or trout at least twice a week, or get 2,000 milligrams of EPA plus DHA, another omega-3, from supplements daily. Don’t like the fishy taste or the size of the pill? Just get the DHA from pills made from algae — that’s where the fish get it.

See red or go nuts. Red wine, red grapes, and peanuts are great sources of resveratrol, a compound that protects against immune system aging and inflammation.

Learn the art of ahhhh. Your nervous system and your immune system are linked more closely than fraud and Bernard Madoff. Extreme stress reduces your natural killer cell count — one reason widows and widowers are more likely to get sick after the death of a spouse. Even periods of short stress (say, road rage) can boost levels of proinflammatory chemicals called cytokines. Set aside 10 minutes a day for relaxation, whether it’s meditation, intimacy, a walk, or the pure bliss of playing with your kids or grandkids. And learn some coping skills that help you talk your stress level down while you’re still in traffic or whatever situation gets on your nerves.

Tuck yourself in. Sleep deprivation torpedoes immunity and increases levels of proteins associated with inflammation. Stop shortchanging yourself and jump into the sack a half hour earlier tonight . . . and every night this week. Add another half hour next week, and keep going until you’re getting 7 1/2 to 8 hours of shuteye per night. Every night!

Take a walk today. Regular physical activity can help keep immunity where it should be. You don’t have to be a gym rat: When a group of overweight couch potatoes started exercising five times a week, they gained a definite cold-fighting edge over nonexercisers.

Pop some vitamin D. This vitamin can’t do its immunity-boosting job if you don’t get enough of it . . . which includes at least 30% to 40% of us. Since it’s difficult to get what you need from food alone, get 1,000 international units a day from a supplement if you’re younger than 60, 1,200 if you’re 60 or older.

Munch apples, broccoli, and red onions. All are bursting with quercetin, a flavonoid that shores up immunity, even when you’re fatigued. The fiber and antioxidants in these natural goodies also help reduce or mute inflammation instigators.

Think zinc. Go to the end of the alphabet for a mineral that supports immunity (it may also thwart cancer cells). You can get the zinc you need — 12 milligrams a day — from crab, oysters, pork, poultry, beans, cashews, and yogurt. Or find a good multivitamin with less than 15 milligrams. Too much of the stuff could stop other important minerals from doing their jobs.

Don’t forget classic “C.” This vitamin helps you produce more bullets to kill invading germs. Bell peppers are chock-full of vitamin C; other good C options include strawberries, cantaloupe, and broccoli. Or take 400 milligrams of vitamin C as a supplement three times a day.

A while back, there was a blogger, Fonzy, who was more here there and everywhere than . . . Here There and Everywhere. He found some of the most amazing resources, and Real Age was one of them.

I took the Real Age test, and got a shock; there were things I really needed to do to keep my health and fitness at peak. I hadn’t been doing them, thought I could slide. Real Age won’t let me.

Every week I get bulletins from them on new findings in health issues. They are always packed with valuable information. Here is one of the most recent ones:

Boost Your Natural Immunity
June 30, 2009 3:14 PM by Mehmet Oz, MD and Michael Roizen, MD

New flu strains. Antibiotic-resistant tuberculosis. Germs in and on the foods we buy in supermarkets and in restaurants. Flesh-eating bacteria. Feels like you’re in the midst of a scary twenty-first century germ invasion. And while you try your best to keep from meeting the nastiest bugs, there’s only so much you can do without living in a bubble. That means boosting your immune system matters more than ever.

And steps you take to boost your immunity may also protect you from the chronic diseases associated with aging. See, immune busters — everything from aging and stress to lack of sleep, too little exercise, and not-so-smart eating — can pull the plug on how well your white blood cells, natural killer cells, and chemical messengers can attack and destroy foreign invaders. Didn’t know you had an army of defenders, did you? Well, you do. And the very same actions that lessen their ability to fight off bugs also cause trouble by encouraging chronic inflammation — a hot-button health risk now linked with asthma, heart disease, diabetes, and even some types of cancer.

Keeping your own personal security force strong and disciplined is easy:

Feast on fin food. EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), the essential omega-3 fatty acid found in fatty fish (and fish oil, of course), limits several cellular processes (involving dendritic cells and interleukin 12; aren’t you glad you asked?) associated with inflammation, so they can’t do their dirty work. Serve yourself salmon or trout at least twice a week, or get 2,000 milligrams of EPA plus DHA, another omega-3, from supplements daily. Don’t like the fishy taste or the size of the pill? Just get the DHA from pills made from algae — that’s where the fish get it.

See red or go nuts. Red wine, red grapes, and peanuts are great sources of resveratrol, a compound that protects against immune system aging and inflammation.

Learn the art of ahhhh. Your nervous system and your immune system are linked more closely than fraud and Bernard Madoff. Extreme stress reduces your natural killer cell count — one reason widows and widowers are more likely to get sick after the death of a spouse. Even periods of short stress (say, road rage) can boost levels of proinflammatory chemicals called cytokines. Set aside 10 minutes a day for relaxation, whether it’s meditation, intimacy, a walk, or the pure bliss of playing with your kids or grandkids. And learn some coping skills that help you talk your stress level down while you’re still in traffic or whatever situation gets on your nerves.

Tuck yourself in. Sleep deprivation torpedoes immunity and increases levels of proteins associated with inflammation. Stop shortchanging yourself and jump into the sack a half hour earlier tonight . . . and every night this week. Add another half hour next week, and keep going until you’re getting 7 1/2 to 8 hours of shuteye per night. Every night!

Take a walk today. Regular physical activity can help keep immunity where it should be. You don’t have to be a gym rat: When a group of overweight couch potatoes started exercising five times a week, they gained a definite cold-fighting edge over nonexercisers.

Pop some vitamin D. This vitamin can’t do its immunity-boosting job if you don’t get enough of it . . . which includes at least 30% to 40% of us. Since it’s difficult to get what you need from food alone, get 1,000 international units a day from a supplement if you’re younger than 60, 1,200 if you’re 60 or older.

Munch apples, broccoli, and red onions. All are bursting with quercetin, a flavonoid that shores up immunity, even when you’re fatigued. The fiber and antioxidants in these natural goodies also help reduce or mute inflammation instigators.

Think zinc. Go to the end of the alphabet for a mineral that supports immunity (it may also thwart cancer cells). You can get the zinc you need — 12 milligrams a day — from crab, oysters, pork, poultry, beans, cashews, and yogurt. Or find a good multivitamin with less than 15 milligrams. Too much of the stuff could stop other important minerals from doing their jobs.

Don’t forget classic “C.” This vitamin helps you produce more bullets to kill invading germs. Bell peppers are chock-full of vitamin C; other good C options include strawberries, cantaloupe, and broccoli. Or take 400 milligrams of vitamin C as a supplement three times a day.

A while back, there was a blogger, Fonzy, who was more here there and everywhere than . . . Here There and Everywhere. He found some of the most amazing resources, and Real Age was one of them.

I took the Real Age test, and got a shock; there were things I really needed to do to keep my health and fitness at peak. I hadn’t been doing them, thought I could slide. Real Age won’t let me.

Every week I get bulletins from them on new findings in health issues. They are always packed with valuable information. Here is one of the most recent ones:

Boost Your Natural Immunity
June 30, 2009 3:14 PM by Mehmet Oz, MD and Michael Roizen, MD

New flu strains. Antibiotic-resistant tuberculosis. Germs in and on the foods we buy in supermarkets and in restaurants. Flesh-eating bacteria. Feels like you’re in the midst of a scary twenty-first century germ invasion. And while you try your best to keep from meeting the nastiest bugs, there’s only so much you can do without living in a bubble. That means boosting your immune system matters more than ever.

And steps you take to boost your immunity may also protect you from the chronic diseases associated with aging. See, immune busters — everything from aging and stress to lack of sleep, too little exercise, and not-so-smart eating — can pull the plug on how well your white blood cells, natural killer cells, and chemical messengers can attack and destroy foreign invaders. Didn’t know you had an army of defenders, did you? Well, you do. And the very same actions that lessen their ability to fight off bugs also cause trouble by encouraging chronic inflammation — a hot-button health risk now linked with asthma, heart disease, diabetes, and even some types of cancer.

Keeping your own personal security force strong and disciplined is easy:

Feast on fin food. EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), the essential omega-3 fatty acid found in fatty fish (and fish oil, of course), limits several cellular processes (involving dendritic cells and interleukin 12; aren’t you glad you asked?) associated with inflammation, so they can’t do their dirty work. Serve yourself salmon or trout at least twice a week, or get 2,000 milligrams of EPA plus DHA, another omega-3, from supplements daily. Don’t like the fishy taste or the size of the pill? Just get the DHA from pills made from algae — that’s where the fish get it.

See red or go nuts. Red wine, red grapes, and peanuts are great sources of resveratrol, a compound that protects against immune system aging and inflammation.

Learn the art of ahhhh. Your nervous system and your immune system are linked more closely than fraud and Bernard Madoff. Extreme stress reduces your natural killer cell count — one reason widows and widowers are more likely to get sick after the death of a spouse. Even periods of short stress (say, road rage) can boost levels of proinflammatory chemicals called cytokines. Set aside 10 minutes a day for relaxation, whether it’s meditation, intimacy, a walk, or the pure bliss of playing with your kids or grandkids. And learn some coping skills that help you talk your stress level down while you’re still in traffic or whatever situation gets on your nerves.

Tuck yourself in. Sleep deprivation torpedoes immunity and increases levels of proteins associated with inflammation. Stop shortchanging yourself and jump into the sack a half hour earlier tonight . . . and every night this week. Add another half hour next week, and keep going until you’re getting 7 1/2 to 8 hours of shuteye per night. Every night!

Take a walk today. Regular physical activity can help keep immunity where it should be. You don’t have to be a gym rat: When a group of overweight couch potatoes started exercising five times a week, they gained a definite cold-fighting edge over nonexercisers.

Pop some vitamin D. This vitamin can’t do its immunity-boosting job if you don’t get enough of it . . . which includes at least 30% to 40% of us. Since it’s difficult to get what you need from food alone, get 1,000 international units a day from a supplement if you’re younger than 60, 1,200 if you’re 60 or older.

Munch apples, broccoli, and red onions. All are bursting with quercetin, a flavonoid that shores up immunity, even when you’re fatigued. The fiber and antioxidants in these natural goodies also help reduce or mute inflammation instigators.

Think zinc. Go to the end of the alphabet for a mineral that supports immunity (it may also thwart cancer cells). You can get the zinc you need — 12 milligrams a day — from crab, oysters, pork, poultry, beans, cashews, and yogurt. Or find a good multivitamin with less than 15 milligrams. Too much of the stuff could stop other important minerals from doing their jobs.

Don’t forget classic “C.” This vitamin helps you produce more bullets to kill invading germs. Bell peppers are chock-full of vitamin C; other good C options include strawberries, cantaloupe, and broccoli. Or take 400 milligrams of vitamin C as a supplement three times a day.

Lockerbie – a tale of two briefings

Shared via AddThis

Last week me and my boss did a department assessment to divide the work and accommodate a new member, so part of the process my boss asks me “So what would you wanna do?”. There was an empty slot for projects since the current one is ready and eager to be handed down to my colleague. “Well I want to handle communications via social media” I said. “Blogs, wikis, social networking sites, and forums”. That is something I am really interested in since I have already read two books about it and the third on is on my shelf (Groundswell, The New Rules of Marketing and PR, and Plugged In) I am looking for the opportunity to implement. I have full trust that companies in Kuwait should be more proactive in that area. Case Study: The recruitment team are all expatriates and they are looking for a certain demographic “Kuwaiti Nationals” so one of the recruiters have approached me asking if I could post something as a facebook note. After awhile I removed the note and I had friends messaging me asking about it.

I found this video on the Viral Video Charts for YouTube titled: Social Media Revolution

One of the reasons I love going to museums over and over again is because I can only absorb so much at one time. Every time I see an exhibit, I learn something new. The next time I go to the Doha Islamic Museum I am going to go by myself, get the headsets, and get an overview. It will be my seventh trip to the museum. I am ready to go a little deeper.

You know you have read a good book – even if you didn’t like it when you read it – when your mind keeps going back there, time after time, mulling over questions, thinking of alternative endings, thinking even about what you didn’t like – a book that troubles you enough to make you THINK is a good book.

John Lockerbie’s website, Catnaps does the same thing for me. As I drive around Kuwait and Doha, I see things and get the great “aha” because I have read articles he writes about Islamic / Arabic houses, their origins, how the earliest houses were constructed, problems with modern constructions. I can’t absorb it all at once, so I visit again and again. I look for window shadings, and I look for air conditioning. Because of his website, I am more aware when I take in the architecture.

Here, for example, is a relatively new building, but look what they did for air conditioning. I was in the building next door; the offices are air conditioned but the hall is hot and breathless.

As I went to the site today to get the reference, I got lost once again in the boat section. Now, I do know my shuw’i from my booms! I’m still working on the others. The very cool thing is John Lockerbie is always learning new stuff, too, and often updates what he has written, so there is always something new to learn on this site.

Don’t try to take it in all at once. Go often to visit and peruse. There is so much there that will enrich your stay in the Gulf if you understand a little more about what you are seeing.

Mr. Lockerbie used one of my photos to show a shaded garden. I haven’t the heart to tell him that the very next week they came and took off the tops of all my trees so the lawn would grow, but now my garden has harsh sunlight like the rest of Doha. The trees grow really fast – several feet per year – so it won’t be long before I have some shade once again.

“Don’t become a wandering generality. Be a meaningful specific.” – Zig Ziglar

In my professional life I have no problem being a ’specific’ but these days I am having thoughts on narrowing this blog for a specific type of readership. Its not that I have a target audience or anything but I like to have my posts in the same field which is my field of interest: Marketing reviews, corporate PR and advertising trends. How am I planning to do that? Well apparently the hours I am spending on blogging or thinking what post about, I should also include research. I am thinking of subscribing to newsletters such as Zawya, Arab Ad and Gulf Marketing Review. And restructure my categories in names of the sectors and their communication plans (advertising, PR, marketing, corporate social responsibility, employee engagement campaigns). This year we all know why  marketing budgets are being compromised, with this make-over I would like to point out that it is not a wise move (debatable topic there). Then I just might be introduced to strangers as “Meet Hussain, author of Read My Blog”, wouldn’t that be nice?

I woke up this morning and the blogosphere was talking about the death of Micheal Jackson. My earliest memory of MJ was seeing my cousin trying to moonwalk. Prior to the Moonwalker movie I had no idea who Micheal Jackson was. From what I have learned I could recognize the phases that he went through; Jackson 5, Diana Ross, Elisabeth Taylor, Thriller as best selling album, Man in the mirror and other philanthropic causes, Pepsi ads until the recent ones such as Child molestation charges, dangling his child out of the window in Germany, moving to Bahrain, press saying that he wasn’t paying his legal support, moving back to US. They say that he died from a heart attack which comes as no surprise after what he had to live through.

I admit it. When I saw Ansam on her new blog had a Kuwait Paper Dump certificate, I was green with envy! I knew I didn’t deserve one – I have only contributed once, and even my contribution wasn’t truly acceptable because I don’t have a fax, so I took photos and sent them to Abaid.

Yesterday, when I opened my e-mail, I almost cried. He sent me a badge for my support and positive mentions. Honestly, it is the best badge I have ever sported on Here, There and Everywhere.

I’m from Seattle, remember, where recycle cans are issued, and sorting and recycling is mandatory. I’m also from the hippie generation, the back-to-the-earth movement that springs up every now and then, you know, make your own paper, make your own soap, grow your own tomatoes and basil. That my son, his wife, my sisters and my nieces and nephews and this new generation of Kuwaitis are all into saving the environment – it is just icing on my cake. And the candle on my cake is the new badge. You can see it here, and you can see it for the rest of the life of the blog under Kuwait Paper Dump in the Blogroll.

For those of you not familiar with the website, 3baid gathers up paper from around Kuwait from restaurants, service providers, Kuwait resources, events, etc. and publishes them all in one place, eliminating our need to keep track of all those papers. When you want to know what the possibilities are from a particular restaurant, you will find the menu there. When you want to know who has mushroom pizzas, you can click on “mushroom pizzas” and find out which places have them. It is an amazing public service they provide at Paper Dump, and they do it entirely as volunteers, serving the community.

The Kuwait Times did an full article featuring Kuwait Paper Dump and its origin – and its originators – back in February. You can read it here.

I am so totally honored. Thank you for the badge. Thank you, too, for your quiet, persistent leadership in the Kuwait environmental/Green movement.

“Human life is directly connected to the quality of our water, both within and all around us.” – Masaru Emoto
I found out about Masaru Emoto from the movie What the bleep do we know, there is a scene where they show same water but were exposed to different settings. Without contaminating the water you will find that the molecule is different from each mental environment. I myself do believe that a thoughts can affect a person’s biology but I was amazed that it starts on a molecular level. So if ideas and thoughts can do this to water think about what it can do to individuals. On a different note this confirms what i have studied back in college in linguistic relativism and linguistic determinism. A case where neuro-linguistic programmers can claim that the choice of words affect your well-being.

In the case of the movie ‘Stranger than fiction’ the storyline mixes literature with screenplay writing. It isn’t the type of movie that I would watch once instead I should have it in my collection. The main character Harold Crick (Will Ferrell) was living a life of a mundane routine and everyday was the same by the second. One day he finds out that his life was being narrated and he is a character in a book that has yet to be concluded. My favorite part in this movie is when his wrist watch which everything in his life depended on malfunctions, and throws him on the track of uncertainty. I do believe that what I do today will affect the rest of my life, and that to me adds value to the present and the now. I would recommend all my friends to watch it even though not all would appreciate it.

My dream job has evolved so much when i was 7. I thought I would be a cartoonist because I loved cartoons. Then later I devoured my sister’s biology text book and that’s when I said I should be a biologist. As much as I love science my acting skills had a spotlight in drama class, ‘I will be a famous actor one day’. Well as I neared the end of high-school I felt I should be the person behind the scenes rather than in the limelight, how about a cinematographer or film director? (as i wrote in my yearbook) I started college and I had to make a choice: shall I pursue film directing/writing as a Communications Major, where I would focus on the message and purpose, or will I specialize in film making via the Design College where I am at the mercy of aesthetics. I took the first choice, attended couple of lectures and ended up with a passion for Marketing. 20 years since my decision of being a cartoonist i could say that my career has a direction, I need to have a 10 year plan. I do believe that to reach a goal you have to start by writing it on a piece of paper. Well I think writing it on a post would communicate this affirmation to the universe also. I will be a Chief Marketing Officer before 2019.

After that…  I should have found a passion to start my own business.

“People disappear when they die. Their voice, their laughter, the warmth of their breath. Their flesh. Eventually their bones. All living memory of them ceases. This is both dreadful and natural. yet for some there is an exception to this annihilation. For in the books they write they continue to exist. We can rediscover them. Their humor, their tone of voice, their moods. Through the written word they can anger you or make you happy. They can comfort you. They can perplex you. They can alter you. All this, even though they are dead. Like flies in amber, like corpses frozen in ice, that which according to the laws of nature should pass away is, by the miracle of ink on paper, preserved. It is a kind of magic. “

Maybe that’s why we blog, hoping for a little immortality? Or maybe that’s why we delete entire blogs, entire entries, uncomfortable with the thought that this passing mood or passion will live to be an embarrassment?

In every country where I have lived, we have felt like honored guests. This week, I have been truly honored, my blogging friend Hilaliya has asked me to be an occasional guest blogger on his revamped blog, now featuring a Kuwait Blogging Diwaniya. Pretty cool, huh? I have to admit it, I have a smile from ear to ear.

The revered blogger Don Veto led the way with an article yesterday, and I jumped in today.

In honor of my ear-to-ear smile, it’s called Smile for me Baby - Let Me See Your Grill but fair warning - it’s political polemic, about parliamentary gridlock, so you will see a grittier side of Intlxpatr.

It all started 2 weeks back when i saw this ad on the newspaper titled: Heal Yourself with Hand Reflexology.

1- I always wanted to know more about reflexology

2- Hand reflexology can be very handy in the office (lame pun intended)

3- So I would have something to share with my readers

4- Forget it.  It’s embarrassing.

So on a Saturday morning, I showed up at 10 am at the Ruby Tuesday’s conference center near Kuwait Towers. Our lecturer started with the theory behind reflexology (it’s actually interesting)  then had every one of the attendees form an energy ball in their hands (apparently it is charged via the crown chakra!). We had to review the chart and learn where to apply pressure for different body parts and organs. Well i have this whole week to press the pain away.

The clouds are gone, and it is looking like a beautiful day in Kuwait. With the schools out for winter break, the roads are even driveable! Wooo HOO, Kuwait, get out there and have yourselves a great day!

In the hard copy of yesterday’s Kuwait Times (unfortunately, not the electronic edition) there was a small article featuring a Kuwait meteorologist who said that due to the south (easterly?) winds prevailing at this time of year, we could expect rain frequently throughout February. We sure need it. Yesterday was such a treat, but to quote Jewaira we need “More! More!”

This is today’s entry from Anu Garg’s A Word A Day.

Wordsmith.org The Magic of Words

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. -Martin Luther King, Jr., civil-rights leader (1929-196

Here is what Anu Garg isn’t saying, and my guess is he hasn’t thought twice about it. He is an American. He was not born in America, he immigrated to America - as most of us did, meaning our forefathers and mothers came from Europe, from Africa, from Asia and from India and the Middle East and - and - and. As an immigrant, as an American, he is free to say what he wants. Free to be happy Obama is president, and at the same time free to say that the system is not yet free enough.

I also totally love it that his quote for today is from Martin Luther King, who we are celebrating in America, on this national holiday.

We don’t have to agree. I love it that he is passionate about his beliefs, and that he provides A-Word-A-Day as a public service, entirely free, every day sending a new word, defined and used in context, to subscribers in every nation in the world. I admire people like him, like the Rajab family here in Kuwait, like Andrew Carnegie who started most of the small town libraries in the United States, people who use what they have been given to give back to the world-at-large.

You can see A Word A Day leads my blogroll. You can subscribe by clicking on the blue type above.

I found a link on one of the blogs to a book club community co-organized by Starbucks called Diwan Books Club. I was looking for such a thing to happen in Kuwait and with out even wondering what am i getting myself in to i filled in the application. Yesterday was our first meeting and I was surprised by so many things such as; number of people who showed up (there were around 25 out 53 who registered), most of them prefer to read  in Arabic, most of them prefer to read novels, history, philosophy and politics and some of them are married and I thought its a chance to meet single women. The meeting started with a coffee seminar which Starbucks usually does every now and then with coffee tasting and how to recognize the boldness and acidity of the House Blend coffee. Then we talked about how the books will be nominated, groups will be divided and how to utilize Starbucks branches as a meeting point. Almost everyone introduced themselves in Arabic while i presented mine in English (since there were members who don’t speak Arabic.)  I would say it was a good start and kinda exciting.

Join activists from around the world by uploading your photo to be projected at this year’s UN meeting on Climate Change. Let the government leaders know that the World is Watching what happens at this year’s meeting.

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My magazine just got out of the printers and yesterday & today I was distributing them from a portal cabin outside my office. Apparently not everyone is excited to pick up their copy since I still have stacks of boxes staring right back at me. The magazine is a quarterly and it covers internal news for the employees. So basically I am waiting in my cabin which I am very thankful that it has an internet connection, AC, desk and comfortable chairs. But there’s something new today. The firewall that was installed by our IT department usually stops users from getting in to Facebook and other fun sites including my blog. I guess my prayers have been answered. Now I can write a post about something my experience in magazine distribution.

Nominations for Mashable
’s Open Web Awards have officially opened, and we hope our faithful users, publishers and followers will help us be voted the #1 Social Bookmarking tool and Blog Plugin!

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Nominations for Mashable
’s Open Web Awards have officially opened, and we hope our faithful users, publishers and followers will help us be voted the #1 Social Bookmarking tool and Blog Plugin!

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This Halloween, Conservation International wants to spook you – in a good way – by showing you some of the planet’s most exciting creatures and get you thinking about conservation. At first glance, the animals featured in our new video and photo gallery may seem creepy, or crawly, or bump-in-the-night-y, but really, they are anything but scary.

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This Halloween, Conservation International wants to spook you – in a good way – by showing you some of the planet’s most exciting creatures and get you thinking about conservation. At first glance, the animals featured in our new video and photo gallery may seem creepy, or crawly, or bump-in-the-night-y, but really, they are anything but scary.

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This Halloween, Conservation International wants to spook you – in a good way – by showing you some of the planet’s most exciting creatures and get you thinking about conservation. At first glance, the animals featured in our new video and photo gallery may seem creepy, or crawly, or bump-in-the-night-y, but really, they are anything but scary.

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Posted in Blogroll      

This Halloween, Conservation International wants to spook you – in a good way – by showing you some of the planet’s most exciting creatures and get you thinking about conservation. At first glance, the animals featured in our new video and photo gallery may seem creepy, or crawly, or bump-in-the-night-y, but really, they are anything but scary.

read more | digg story

This Halloween, Conservation International wants to spook you – in a good way – by showing you some of the planet’s most exciting creatures and get you thinking about conservation. At first glance, the animals featured in our new video and photo gallery may seem creepy, or crawly, or bump-in-the-night-y, but really, they are anything but scary.

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Escalating violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo could have tragic consequences for the entire region, according to the United Nations.
Swiss aid workers on the ground say the situation has been deteriorating for some time and fears of a return to civil war have been realised.

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Escalating violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo could have tragic consequences for the entire region, according to the United Nations.
Swiss aid workers on the ground say the situation has been deteriorating for some time and fears of a return to civil war have been realised.

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While a marathon might be enough of a challenge for most people, Ironman contestants have to start theirs after the gruelling swim and bike ride
Photograph: Hugh Gentry/Reuters

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While a marathon might be enough of a challenge for most people, Ironman contestants have to start theirs after the gruelling swim and bike ride
Photograph: Hugh Gentry/Reuters

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While a marathon might be enough of a challenge for most people, Ironman contestants have to start theirs after the gruelling swim and bike ride
Photograph: Hugh Gentry/Reuters

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While a marathon might be enough of a challenge for most people, Ironman contestants have to start theirs after the gruelling swim and bike ride
Photograph: Hugh Gentry/Reuters

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Solid Edge is a feature- and history-based modeling system, meaning each modeling operation is stored within a history tree. When edits are made, the system needs to re-calculate each one after the other, to arrive at the final form.

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Sarah Palin could still end up as a footnote to history, the same way Geraldine Ferraro did after the Mondale-Ferraro ticket plummeted to defeat in 1984 when Ronald Reagan won his second term. Or she could be back in the coming years as a major Republican player on the national scene

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Animan - Magazine de reportage et de photographie consacr
é aux voyages, à la nature et aux sociétés traditionnelles

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Sign the “I’m Ready” Petition — Green Jobs Now: National Day of Action to Build the New Economy

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Most of you know that I have a niece I admire as well as adore. She speaks Arabic fluently, and even better, she is interculturally fluent, from Morocco to the Gulf to Beirut, she flows with the Arabic culture, and works with an organization promoting intercultural understanding. I couldn’t be more proud of the work she does.

Please, before you read any further, take a deep breath. This is going to get bad.

Today, Little Diamond wrote about a DVD sent out by a facade-organization through newspapers in US swing states. The DVD is called Obsession: Radical Islam’s War Against the West.

Although it never claims to be a Republican support organization, or a McCain support ad, what the DVD does is to try to scare people into voting for McCain. The message is this - all Muslims are radical, and we need a strong leader like McCain to counter their insidious influence.

As my niece says, she doesn’t believe McCain would ever approve such a tawdry piece of nasty propaganda; the Clarion Group who sent this DVD out probably did it on their own.

I urge to to go to Little Diamond’s blog and read her experience, and the comments. She quotes one individual, saying:

“Whoever they are, they sure must have a lot of money. H pointed out last night that each DVD probably cost $1 to produce and $1 to distribute. That’s $56 million, not to mention the cost of placing the DVDs with each newspaper. Even if H’s estimate was too high, assuming $.50 to produce and $.50 to distribute means $28 million + advertising contract costs. That’s quite a lot of money for a no-name non-profit to have gathered since its creation in 2006.”

Elections can bring out the best in people and/or the worst. Both McCain and Obama have so far treated each other respectfully, as is appropriate for educated, senatorial leaders of a country. This kind of hate-tactic is NOT the American way. It makes me see red.

Joe Biden: Thorns Road engineer

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For the last several years I have tried to start my day by reading my daily readings in the Lectionary (which is also listed in my blogroll there at the right, so you can click on it any time to see what I am reading) and the daily reading from Forward Day by Day (also on the blogroll list).

I think my days go better when I do. I’m human; there are days when I have forgotten, or gotten caught up in the frenzy of daily life and neglected my readings, but it is my commitment and my habit, and I am fairly faithful to it.

Today’s reading in Forward Day by Day (oops, I can see that it is actually Monday’s reading, but as I write, it is still Monday in the USA where it is homed) has to do with poverty.

I thought I would share it with you because I know from what you share with me that during Ramadan, as you grow closer to Allah/God, that part of the expression of that closeness is giving to the poor. I have read of many different ways in which this is expressed - medical expenses paid, food given in Iftar meals, eyeglasses purchased for the needy, a year’s rent paid for a widow with children - what generosity!

I have worked with the poor. I have known what agony it is to have to choose between making an expensive car repair and getting a dental exam. We kept a pantry full of food for those who could barely make the rent, and had nothing left over for food. These were the working poor, the can-we-make-it-from-month-to-month poor. There is a whole other level, the street poor, with their worldly possessions in a garbage sack, or shredding backpack, who never know if they will get food for the day.

I see people here in Kuwait scouring the beaches for something to throw in the soup to make it nourishing, people who beg just for a little bread.

The problems can be overwhelming.

In Kuwait, one group refuses to be overwhelmed. Every month of the year is devoted to alleviating the suffering of the poor. That group is Operation Hope Kuwait. While you are considering where to make an impact this Ramadan - or any other time of the year when you are feeling thankful and generous - please consider Operation Hope Kuwait. They gather all kinds of resources and distribute them to the poor. They faithfully act as God’s hands here on earth, serving the needs of the most desperately poor and needy. Whatever you give them will be stretched to the maximum; they don’t waste a penny, not a fil. Please, give generously.

Psalm 41. Happy are they who consider the poor and needy! the LORD will deliver them in the time of trouble.

But the problem of my heart and how it regards the poor-the problem of my own generosity to the world around me - is not intractable. Economic theory and political allegiance are not the crucial questions before us. How I regard the poor is a matter of deep importance in the relationship of my heart with God. The psalm could not be clearer: happy are those who consider [do good to] the poor. It offers a promise to us as well that God will deliver us when we find ourselves in the day of trouble.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will pay a historic visit to Libya next month..!!

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After years of suspected torture and abuse, Binyam is close to total physical and mental collapse. Unless moved to a part of Guantanamo with a less extreme regime than Camp 5, Amnesty and his lawyer fear for his life. Digg this story and email the UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband to plead for mercy on Binyam’s behalf. There isn’t much time.

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My friend Lofter, over at Life at the Foot of the Stairs has honored me with the Arte y Pico Award, “given to those who are creative and have a penchant for art.” I am truly honored, Lofter, and I thank you.

There are responsiblities that go with this award:

1. Pick 5 blogs that you consider deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also for contributing to the blogging community, no matter what language.
2. Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog.
3. Each award winner (upon acceptance) should show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award.
4. Show the link of Arte y Pico blog , so everyone will know the origin of this award.
5. Show these rules.

So here are my selections:

1. Suresh Gundappa and Meditation Photography. I don’t know how I found this blog, but I find myself returning to it often. We don’t share the same religion, but we share similar values. His photos knock my socks off.

2. In a move of flagrant nepotism, I choose my niece, Little Diamond, at A Diamond in Sunlight because she also has lots of photos, describes daily life in the turbulence of Beirut living, and did I mention she is my niece?

3. Because they is also here, there and everywhere, writing about any and every interesting thing from technology to food to sky photography, and because they have only been blogging since October and have had amazing response, I choose Some Contrast, with bloggers Yousef and Mishary.

4. The Queen of all Kuwait Bloggers, Jewaira because her Jewaira’s Boutique delicately manages to introduce controversial topics without setting the blog-world aflame, because she has the most amazing headers and because she is smart and savvy and a great writer.

5. This last one is a stretch, but I select Purgatory because, like VanGogh, he is an original, people don’t always “get” him, I don’t always get him, but he does original works of art, he thinks way outside the box, and he lets Jacqui give him a new, and usually very artistic look from time to time.

Again, thank you, Lofter, for selecting me for this award.

Beijing has yet to call for international assistance, but the Swiss government and non-governmental organisations say they are ready to contribute to disaster relief efforts.
Numerous schools, factories and dormitories collapsed after the 7.9-magnitude quake on Monday.

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“Developing countries are a fantastic source of opportunities for companies,
” says Kux, who is a member of the electronics giant’s group management committee

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Whistle blown on forced prostitution policy….Despite countless international resolutions against women trafficking, victims in Europe remain largely unprotected, say two authors.
Corinna Milborn and Mary Kreutzer say that with only a month to go until Euro 2008 kicks off in Basel, the prostitution industry is getting into gear.

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Fighting for freedom of speech
The 18th World Press Freedom Day is a time to remember that working in the information field can come at a high price.

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When I saw the sunrise this morning, I thought of Jewaira, another blogger who in her own way and in her own head is also here, there and everywhere. She loves silvery sunrises, and oh man, this is one shimmering, silvery sunrise:

It must be the haze that exaggerates the size of the sun so - and makes it appear to throb, even in the photo.

It is 79°F / 26°C at 0630 with dust expected today according to Q8weather.com.

UNICEF welcomes the release of 232 child soldiers in Burundi

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Switzerland and Germany have agreed to a fresh start in efforts to solve a long-standing dispute over flight noise from Zurich airport.

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Switzerland’s only glassworks has built up a remarkable reputation in the 20 years since Robert Niederer took over the factory from his father Roberto.
The proof is that almost three out of four people recognise the name and praise the quality of the small company’s products, according to a survey carried out on the image of Swiss firms.

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Ethiopian forces and forces of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia (TFG) have been accused of targeting civilians in an attack on a Mogadishu mosque that left 21 dead.

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He is an adventurous world-traveler overcoming seemingly impossible obstacles with a grin and a wry comment. The roles he plays in movies – like the upcoming Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull – sometimes do the same.

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http://my.mashable.com/mashaii

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Together we are sending out a clear message to the government that we will no longer tolerate the abuse of human rights in the name of ‘the war on terror’.

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A centrifugal pump might seem an odd thing to be grateful for on Thanksgiving, unless you are John Allen, maintenance superintendent for Owensboro Municipal Utilities in Kentucky.

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