30 October 2008
This hurts my heart, listen here:(Real, Windows)
I was bawling as I listened to the podcast in the car on my way to a meeting with a client.
The situation in Darfur is so sad. The Arab media has not covered the conflict at all. It is horrible. Gut-wrenching, stomach turning, goosebumps all over kinda horrible.
Also, female genital cutting makes me sick (and sad).
26 October 2008
On Judgement: Remembering Ma'ez
I've heard somewhere, probably the Oprah show, that life keeps presenting us with a lesson until we learn it. I feel like for awhile now lessons about judgment have been presenting themselves to me.
Over the past couple of weeks, I've heard stories either through friends or about friends where restraining my thoughts and judgment about the "perpetrator" of these stories has been quite a challenge.
Between alcohol poisoning, OD-ing, rape, adultery and abusing parents, these first or second person accounts have been soap opera worthy.
It just all makes me wonder if I'm being tested. I mean, my morally righteous friends and I, who have have perhaps made "good decisions" whether guided by personal beliefs "7aram", fear of societal shame and worries about reputation "3aib", or because our lives have not given us the opportunity to stray yet, do we really have the right to judge anyone?!
As a Muslim, I feel judging people can be detrimental to my own Eman. Do I think I'm infallible? Or just because their sins are so pronounced and mine are concealed (atleast for now) that I am somehow better? Do I not believe that they are capable of tawba (repentance) and that God is all-loving and all-forgiving?
Withholding judgment is not easy by any means. But just recognizing that we are passing judgment and that we're probably not that much better off than those being judged could somewhat help restrain my thoughts. Also, remember the Prophet's words about Ma'ez (link in Arabic).
After all, who knows if you're last few minutes on Earth will be spent in the arms of a five-dinar-hooker? (Or as a five-dinar hooker?)
I realize my recent posts have been heavy and philosophical. I'll try to get something light and funny up here sometimes soon.
Whatever. It's my blog. I can do anything I want. You're not the boss of me.
Over the past couple of weeks, I've heard stories either through friends or about friends where restraining my thoughts and judgment about the "perpetrator" of these stories has been quite a challenge.
Between alcohol poisoning, OD-ing, rape, adultery and abusing parents, these first or second person accounts have been soap opera worthy.
It just all makes me wonder if I'm being tested. I mean, my morally righteous friends and I, who have have perhaps made "good decisions" whether guided by personal beliefs "7aram", fear of societal shame and worries about reputation "3aib", or because our lives have not given us the opportunity to stray yet, do we really have the right to judge anyone?!
As a Muslim, I feel judging people can be detrimental to my own Eman. Do I think I'm infallible? Or just because their sins are so pronounced and mine are concealed (atleast for now) that I am somehow better? Do I not believe that they are capable of tawba (repentance) and that God is all-loving and all-forgiving?
Withholding judgment is not easy by any means. But just recognizing that we are passing judgment and that we're probably not that much better off than those being judged could somewhat help restrain my thoughts. Also, remember the Prophet's words about Ma'ez (link in Arabic).
After all, who knows if you're last few minutes on Earth will be spent in the arms of a five-dinar-hooker? (Or as a five-dinar hooker?)
I realize my recent posts have been heavy and philosophical. I'll try to get something light and funny up here sometimes soon.
Whatever. It's my blog. I can do anything I want. You're not the boss of me.
21 October 2008
There are no words....
to express my outrage!!
Things like this make me stabby.
Ministers' Al-Sabeeh (Education) and Al-Humoud (new porfolio: i dunno what) have not been confirmed by our glorious Parliament because they do not wear hijab.
What kind of demented power struggle is this? Where do they think they are? Really
This is soo retarded...there are no words.
Also, i'm taking it out on the keyboard which is not good.
Things like this make me stabby.
Ministers' Al-Sabeeh (Education) and Al-Humoud (new porfolio: i dunno what) have not been confirmed by our glorious Parliament because they do not wear hijab.
What kind of demented power struggle is this? Where do they think they are? Really
This is soo retarded...there are no words.
Also, i'm taking it out on the keyboard which is not good.
19 October 2008
The Undead.
Those people who I seem to walk amongst, not really alive yet going through the motions of living.
Waking up and braving traffic to go to places they don't really want to be, to do things they don't want to do, to get paid and buy things they may not even want. Marrying people they're indifferent to.
Having children who they love dearly but don't really care for.
As I people watch in malls I often wonder if they're happy, if they realize how much of their life is on auto-pilot and if they could change it would they?
Then again I'm usually quite envious of them. They seem so satisfied. Their lives so simple. So well-adjusted.
Sometimes, I wish I was undead.
Ugh! Enough with the introspection and judgment. What do I know?
Waking up and braving traffic to go to places they don't really want to be, to do things they don't want to do, to get paid and buy things they may not even want. Marrying people they're indifferent to.
Having children who they love dearly but don't really care for.
As I people watch in malls I often wonder if they're happy, if they realize how much of their life is on auto-pilot and if they could change it would they?
Then again I'm usually quite envious of them. They seem so satisfied. Their lives so simple. So well-adjusted.
Sometimes, I wish I was undead.
Ugh! Enough with the introspection and judgment. What do I know?
18 October 2008
Economic crisis: Mommy'll take care of you.
I had a long wordy post about the "panic" about the economic crisis in Kuwait which I don't understand at all considering our welfare socialist system.
But Naji Saoud Al-Zaid said it more eloquently and consisely in today's AlQabas.
عساها... عادة تنقطع!!
كتب ناجي سعود الزيد :
لماذا الخوف في الكويت من كساد البورصة؟ ولماذا ضخ اموال لا تحصى من ثروة الجيلين الحالي والقادم من اجل انقاذها؟ واذا كان العذر بأن اميركا وبريطانيا ودول اوروبا ضخت اموالا لا تحصى لكي تستعيد الاسواق العالمية عافيتها وتتشافى الدول من الكساد، فانها معذورة جداً، فالكساد يعني البطالة، والبطالة تعني الجوع وفقدان السكن لعدم تسديد الاقساط للديون العقارية... وبالتالي اضطراب الشعب واحتجاجه.
في الكويت، هبوط البورصة او الكساد لن يؤديا الى ازدياد حجم البطالة، فالشركات المتداولة اسهمها ليس فيها اكثر من عشرة في المائة من العمالة الوطنية، وحتى الشركات الصناعية عمالتها رخيصة ولن تتوقف عن العمل لان اسهمها نزلت اسعارها ولن تعوض خسائرها بالتوفير في الرواتب من خلال، «تفنيشهم».
فلماذا تضحك الحكومة على الشعب بأن تدخلها مهم وحاسم لدعم الاقتصاد؟، اقتصادنا متين لان لدينا نفطا نصدره و«نقبض نقدي» سواء كان السعر 60 دولارا او 160 دولارا والاموال التي تأتينا «راهية علينا» مهما حاول البعض تضخيم الامر وكأن الدولة على وشك الافلاس، ويجب علينا كمواطنين ان ندفع الثمن... ثمن ماذا؟ لا نعلم!
اوروبا واميركا وجنوب شرق آسيا مواطنوهم دافعو ضرائب، لذلك هناك خوف كبير من قلاقل ومظاهرات وغيرها من الامور، اما الكويت فلا ضرائب فيها ولن تخرج مظاهرات لان «البورصة» اسهمها انخفضت، فما ذنب من ستذهب مدخرات وطنه لتنقذ بورصة انتاجيتها صفر على مستوى دخل الدولة؟!
اي مواطن دخل البورصة، دخلها بمحض ارادته ويعلم ان تداول الاسهم ربح وخسارة، والدولة وقوانينها واضحة في هذا المجال. ثم ان تجربة المناخ ليست بعيدة عن اذهان المواطنين، حيث لم يعاقب اي مسيء بالحجز على امواله بعد ان سجل معظمها او حولها بأسماء آخرين.
فهل الحكومة لاتدرك مدى خطورة ضخ اموال غير منتجة في سلع «بايرة» في بورصة غير موثوق بها وليس من بين شركاتها الا القليل مما هو منتج ومفيد للدولة؟!
لدينا بنوك من افضل بنوك العالم، ومنها ما هو حريص على اموال مساهميه وزبائنه، وهذه البنوك لن تخذلهم... على العكس من بنوك اوروبا واميركا، فلماذا الخوف من شبح لا يثير امره الا من تسبب في هبوط البورصة و«خم السوق» ليجني ارباحا اكثر عند ارتفاعها... والحكومة تعلم بذلك، والبنك المركزي يعلم بذلك فالارصدة موجودة ولكنه «مكتَّف» لان النفوذ لم يعد بيد الدولة او الحكم، بل بيد من يتحكم بالمضاربات البورصوية على مزاجه وبماله وبنفوذه؟!
د. ناجي سعود الزيد
But Naji Saoud Al-Zaid said it more eloquently and consisely in today's AlQabas.
عساها... عادة تنقطع!!
كتب ناجي سعود الزيد :
لماذا الخوف في الكويت من كساد البورصة؟ ولماذا ضخ اموال لا تحصى من ثروة الجيلين الحالي والقادم من اجل انقاذها؟ واذا كان العذر بأن اميركا وبريطانيا ودول اوروبا ضخت اموالا لا تحصى لكي تستعيد الاسواق العالمية عافيتها وتتشافى الدول من الكساد، فانها معذورة جداً، فالكساد يعني البطالة، والبطالة تعني الجوع وفقدان السكن لعدم تسديد الاقساط للديون العقارية... وبالتالي اضطراب الشعب واحتجاجه.
في الكويت، هبوط البورصة او الكساد لن يؤديا الى ازدياد حجم البطالة، فالشركات المتداولة اسهمها ليس فيها اكثر من عشرة في المائة من العمالة الوطنية، وحتى الشركات الصناعية عمالتها رخيصة ولن تتوقف عن العمل لان اسهمها نزلت اسعارها ولن تعوض خسائرها بالتوفير في الرواتب من خلال، «تفنيشهم».
فلماذا تضحك الحكومة على الشعب بأن تدخلها مهم وحاسم لدعم الاقتصاد؟، اقتصادنا متين لان لدينا نفطا نصدره و«نقبض نقدي» سواء كان السعر 60 دولارا او 160 دولارا والاموال التي تأتينا «راهية علينا» مهما حاول البعض تضخيم الامر وكأن الدولة على وشك الافلاس، ويجب علينا كمواطنين ان ندفع الثمن... ثمن ماذا؟ لا نعلم!
اوروبا واميركا وجنوب شرق آسيا مواطنوهم دافعو ضرائب، لذلك هناك خوف كبير من قلاقل ومظاهرات وغيرها من الامور، اما الكويت فلا ضرائب فيها ولن تخرج مظاهرات لان «البورصة» اسهمها انخفضت، فما ذنب من ستذهب مدخرات وطنه لتنقذ بورصة انتاجيتها صفر على مستوى دخل الدولة؟!
اي مواطن دخل البورصة، دخلها بمحض ارادته ويعلم ان تداول الاسهم ربح وخسارة، والدولة وقوانينها واضحة في هذا المجال. ثم ان تجربة المناخ ليست بعيدة عن اذهان المواطنين، حيث لم يعاقب اي مسيء بالحجز على امواله بعد ان سجل معظمها او حولها بأسماء آخرين.
فهل الحكومة لاتدرك مدى خطورة ضخ اموال غير منتجة في سلع «بايرة» في بورصة غير موثوق بها وليس من بين شركاتها الا القليل مما هو منتج ومفيد للدولة؟!
لدينا بنوك من افضل بنوك العالم، ومنها ما هو حريص على اموال مساهميه وزبائنه، وهذه البنوك لن تخذلهم... على العكس من بنوك اوروبا واميركا، فلماذا الخوف من شبح لا يثير امره الا من تسبب في هبوط البورصة و«خم السوق» ليجني ارباحا اكثر عند ارتفاعها... والحكومة تعلم بذلك، والبنك المركزي يعلم بذلك فالارصدة موجودة ولكنه «مكتَّف» لان النفوذ لم يعد بيد الدولة او الحكم، بل بيد من يتحكم بالمضاربات البورصوية على مزاجه وبماله وبنفوذه؟!
د. ناجي سعود الزيد
11 October 2008
من يمسح دمعة هذا المسكين?
MOI blocked megavideo where I watch all my television.
Video doesn't seem to work through proxy sites I know.
Help me.
Video doesn't seem to work through proxy sites I know.
Help me.
04 October 2008
Big Bus Company a la Balalee6 style
Yesterday, I gave an out-of-town friend a tour of Kuwait's Gulf Road and all the landmarks along it. We started GE&B's unofficial tour at Dar Salwa (Sheikh Sabah's residence) and ended it at the oil sector headquarters (is that what it's called?) across from the old Salam Palace. Speaking of which, does anyone know why it hasn't been renovated since the occupation?
Seeing Kuwait through fresh eyes and realizing how much my life-story and it's landmark are intertwined...left me nostalgic and feeling awkwardly patriotic. As anyone who knows me will tell you my rah-rah patriotism is tepid at best. I love Kuwait but I'm not blinded by patriotism to see how sucky we can be.
I guess I sort of introduced Kuwait to them as my crazy aunt who I can't help but love but am perpetually annoyed by her. Sometimes though, more than anything I hate loving her and love hating her.
Also, between Dasman Palace, the Sha'ab Palace and Dar Salwa, I was very proud of our Shyookh's relatively humble palaces (compared to my friend's country).
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