Stop Global Warming - i`m making a difference

For all Live Messenger users, I guess you have noticed that some of the users are displaying the i'm icon in their nicknames. You can see different codes, such as *help, * naf, *unicef, *komen, etc... There are several organizations you can support.

To join, you can visit this link here, and you will need Windows Live Messenger v. 8.1.

I am currently showing support to the "Stop Global Warming" Organization, I hope more bloggers will post about this, so more people can add the icon to their nickname, and the following will happen.

i’m is a new initiative from Windows Live™ Messenger. Every time you start a conversation using i’m, Microsoft shares a portion of the program's advertising revenue with some of the world's most effective organizations dedicated to social causes. We've set no cap on the amount we'll donate to each organization. The sky's the limit.

Let's make a difference.

Taboo subjects

There actually still exists a lot of taboo subjects in Lebanon, in some places more than others however in general, they are present.

First topic - Homosexuality:

Homosexual persons are still struggling to come out, many living a lie in order to succumb and be in form with the society's standards and judgmental members.

Second topic - Sex

Pre-marital sex in specific, and virgins, those who where, those who weren't yet had a "certain" operation to return to being a virgin in worry of the wedding night and being exposed as non-virgins, and those who are not and labelled by many as "bad" girls. Focussing on girls, because guys don't really have this problem, they have another, and I will share my theory with you next time.

Third topic - AIDS

HIV Positive does not only scare a person because this means they are no longer healthy and death awaits in years, it is because they worry of what their parents will say and how they will react. They are scared that they will be labelled. Immediately the term HIV positive labels a man as gay, whether he is or he isn't, it is not the issue, the issue is, some people believe "he deserves it" or "she deserves it".

To be elaborated more about in the future, for now, if anyone has any experience or story or opinion to share, please do, I am looking forward to hear your words.

Russia

Did you know that Russia actually exists in Asia and Europe?

Being more of a Math person and astronomy person, History and Geography really didn't intrigue me during school, and I regret not being interested in them back then. I don't think that I was the only one who wasn't interested in materials such as History and Geography, and for many Math wasn't interesting at all, it is because the importance of such knowledge and information are not emphasized and explained. We pass through school as just a phase. History was never a story, it was a text that we needed to recite as it is.

I remember always thinking and telling myself: "If one day I am a surgeon operating on a patient, would I be telling the patient what happened during World War I, would this save their life?" Of course, my question was wrong in principle, because I wouldn't be doing the integral of a function either...

Moral abuse

After coming in to the office today, late, I went in to my colleagues office to greet them, colleagues who became friends, and as soon as I saw my friend, I was 100% sure she didn't have any allergies or sickness, but that she had cried all night.

Even when I know the reason, I still feel helpless, all I have is my words, my cheap words...

How can you tell someone to get out of moral abuse, it is much harder than we think it is, it is not as easy as it sounds, leaving such an issue after dealing with it for years, is life-changing, and a person is too upset with themselves for the mistake they have done, that they keep hoping that maybe it will get better and wash off their mistake... but meanwhile, things would be getting worse, and the person would be drowning deeper, lacking more and more oxygen to swim up and save themselves...

I got stuck in the bathroom for 3 hours

How did YOU spend your Saturday afternoon? Well, on Saturday afternoon, sitting along at home, I decided to go see a friend whom I haven't been speaking with for the past 4 years, and finally water got under the bridge and we decided to meet and catch up. So I told her I will meet her in Starbucks Zalka at 4:15 pm. Then I remembered that my car wasn't with me, and my brother had parked it in Dora, so I needed to go and get it. I told Joe that he will need to give me a lift to my car in 30 minutes or so, moreover he was waiting for my cue so he can come and pick me up.
At 3:35 pm, I thought I would go to the bathroom (you know, better at home than public restrooms), get dressed and leave for my appointment.

I got out of the bathroom at 6:45pm. You're wondering why? Well continue reading then.

I have this reflex for many things I do on a daily basis, and locking the door is one of these things. So when I went in the bathroom, I locked it while on my pc a song for Jimmi Hendrix was playing, "Hey Joe", however, it's screwed up and it keeps making all those khhhhhhhhh, khwaaaaaaaaaaaakh shiiiiiiiiish sounds, you would think it's been inhabited by demons. As it pissed me off so much, I didn't really do anything in the bathroom, decided to get out, turn off the media player then get back in. And tadaaaaaaaaaaa the lock wouldn't open. It got stuck, and not "there is hope to open" stuck, but stuck-stuck!

All those thoughts rushed through my head like "What's wrong with me? Why did I lock the door when I am home alone?", second I thought "Wish I told Joe to pick me up directly and not just wait for my call!", third "If this doesn't open, then they will have to break the front door, because I have it locked from the inside" and concluded "Wow, is this ridiculous or what, breaking two doors to rescue me from my own bathroom because I am too paranoid!"

Of course, the girl I was supposed to meet called me 5 times, however couldn't answer as the mobile was in my room. Then Joe called me almost 20 times, then after 2 hours and a half he finally confirmed that something's definitely wrong!

By the time he got here, I heard him, told him what's happening then he checked with the neighbors and stuff, the neighbors came, broke the front door then the bathroom door and finally I got out.

What did I do during those 3 hours? Well I found one scissors, so I used it to dig a whole around the lock and maybe try and open the door myself, if I had 90 more minutes myself I think I would've succeeded. Anyway I was also surprisingly positive, because I knew Joe would finally notice I was missing, and that I didn't have a migraine orelse the experience would've sucked dramatically!

Dad told me the next day in order to prevent from such things to happen, I will need to store keep food in the bathroom :P

Salamander Tongue Is World's Most Explosive Muscle

The greatest burst of power from any animal muscle comes from the tongue of a tropical salamander, scientists have announced.

The giant palm salamander of Central America (Bolitoglossa dofleini) captures fast-moving bugs with an explosive tongue thrust that releases over 18,000 watts of power per kilogram of muscle.

That shatters the previous record of 9,600 watts per kilogram, held by the Colorado River toad.

Continue reading here...

Isn't this amazing or what?

Life is weird

Life is weird, when you want something you don't get it, when you get it, you don't really appreciate it, when you appreciate it, you start wanting something else.

I can't remember the last time I was laughing from my heart or being genuinely happy. Until now, the only times that were really fun were unplanned. Every time something is planned, it is completely and utterly unsurprising, unnatural and fake.

So we wait for those surprising, natural and real moments, and then...? My French literature teacher at school used to always say: "Le bonheur n'est pas dans la possession, le bonheur est de le souvenir".

The only answer I believe is go crazy, act like a complete bonehead, scream and not give a crap of what other people thinkl; go on adventures, without worrying how much you're spending or if you're allowed to take off days at work.

We're such cowards. (by we I mean me, and whoever else wants to join me :P)

P.S. That's me in the picture, maybe 4 years ago in our network staring at the pc like the robot, I still stare this way.

Girls can't program

Can you believe that there are still some guys who think that girls can't program, believing that the girl's brain cannot process such information and analysis?

7aram 3anjad :S

Anta Akhi: Fête des mères

From Anta Akhi, Mother's day package, a cook book, containing international recipes written in 3 languages for 30.000 LL.

"Le monde au Menu"
170 pages couleurs en 3 langues, des recettes de tous les continents! Entrées, salades, plats et desserts délicieux et faciles à faire! La fête des mères approche, pourquoi ne pas offrir ce livre à votre maman!

Ce livre sera livré chez vous à 30.000 LL seulement! Pour chaque achat, vous recevrez en cadeau, un sac de 200g du délicieux chocolat SeSoBEL que vous aimez tant!

Merci de continuer à nous aider à assurer une vie meilleure à nos 400 enfants et 57 adultes atteints de lourds handicaps, du SeSoBEL et de Anta Akhi!


Pour plus d'informations et pour vos commandes n'hésitez pas à appeler Chantal au 04.408890 ou en envoyant un mail à: antaakhi@inco.com.lb

Perhapsi yes perhapsi no

He asked me: "Don't you want to get the answer now?"
I replied: "Well sure, why not!"
He called the other guy, they both sat down, had some laughs on my expenses.
The first said: "You know, it could be a yes or a no."
I laughed, knowing from the first moment, that it is a yes, but still hiding my excitement and smile, I made myself think of death so I stay calm.
After some time of teasing and back & forth questions and answers, they said: "Welcome".

And then I smiled, a very big smile. If I had a chance, I would've said what Homer Simpson says:

"WOOHOO"

OzZi In UL

I decided to pass by my old college and pick up my diploma (yep it's been 5 years and I didn't bring it), I thought it wasn't important and it's only a decorative tool for the wall, turns out it is important.
Of course, the people were gone home by then, so I will have to go again, but I went for a walk to places where we used to hang out... with every step, a memory. I was happy to be there... Finally I remember I am one of those crazy people who write their names everywhere and draw stuff... I searched till I found this.



Oh for the record, my nickname is Ozzi since 8 years or so.

Someone said she loves her job :|

I thought I would never hear this, but apparently, some people are happy... at their job!

Children of men and Arabic writings

I wanted to talk about this 2 weeks ago when I saw the movie "Children of men", a good movie, makes you think and get depressed a bit. Anyway in the movie, there is graffitis and writings on walls of this weird city, talking about Al-Intifada, and they had it written in Arabic, however, what's disapointing is they did not even bother to get someone who knows how to write arabic, and not just match Latin alphabet with Arabic ones.

They wrote it like this: انتفادا

Ma heik?

Climate change Wake up call!

Sign Petition here so we can reach 100'000! DO IT!

Ze ring Ze revenge

I was taking a picture of myself yesterday with one of Tori Amos' album in order to upload it so I can be part of the big mosaic made of fan pictures, anyway, this is how my picture came out

I am dying in 7 days!!!!

Anta Akhi: Valentine (English)

(Check below post for French)
Because we believe that love is the last to have its say, Anta Akhi offers with the coming of Saint Valentine's holiday, a white towel embroidered in red (35 x 50 cm) with a small package of delicious chocolate from SeSoBel.

This nice package will be delivered to you in only 15,000 LL.

A small participation from you end will help us face the economic crisis that has landed on our home and our handicapped youth.

For your orders, please contact Chantal by email on antaakhi@inco.com.lb or by phone 04.408890.

Thank you for everything.

Anta Akhi: Valentin (French)

(Check above post for English)

Parce que nous croyons que l'amour aura toujours le dernier mot,
Anta Akhi vous propose, à l'approche de la fête de Saint Valentin, fête de l'amour,
une serviette blanche brodée en rouge (35 x 50 cm) avec un petit paquet
du delicieux chocolat SeSoBEL.

Ce joli paquet sera livré chez vous à 15.000 LL seulement.

Une petite participation de votre part nous aidera à faire face à la
crise économique qui menace notre foyer et nos jeunes atteints de
lourds handicaps.

Pour vos commandes, prière de contacter Chantal par email à
antaakhi@inco.com.lb ou par téléphone au 04.408890

Merci pour tout!

In the Morning

Would love to see Norah Jones in Concert one day.

Enjoy.

State of Panic

During lunch break, 2 of my colleagues informed me that they are going to ABC mall in Ashrafieh to check the 50% sales. So Yippeeeeee, I went with them. But of course, for those who are not familiar with the Sale in Lebanon, it is usually a slightly more complicated formula. In general a sale is on an Item's price which is X, if it is 30%, the final price F will be:
F = X x (100 - 30) / 100

Now in Lebanon it goes like:
Y = X x (100 + 20) / 100
F = Y x (100 - 30) / 100

Got it? Okay for those who don't like math, first they increase the original price X to Y, then they do a sale on Y and not on X. So eventually the 30% is not really a 30%, it's much less!

Anyway, I went to Aizone, I only go there when I am with my friends and THEY want to buy anything. I don't like paying much for clothes just because they are branded and their quality is not really the best quality in the world. I saw a Coat, leather coat, it is something I might wear, long, beige, so I looked at the price, something I instinctevily do, being poor and stuff. At first I thought it was 386'000 LL, "a bit expensive but maybe worth it", I reflected, but to my surprise (and I almost fainted), there was a 4th Zero, it was actually 3'860'000 LL, which is a bit more than 2'500 US$.

Conclusion: it is actually cheaper to travel to Turkey, get a real leather coat and come back!

38 ways to win an argument

38 ways to win an argument, or a more eloquent description of the matter, "The Art of Controversy". Surprisingly, while reading these ways on this link I have come to realize that I among many other close and distant persons use some of these ways, the more instinctive ones. I bet the husband is pretty familiar with #38. It's a pretty effective method, just make it person and get angry, now who can argue with you anymore. However, this method cannot be used with just everyone, so if you're having an argument with your boss for example, maybe #37 can save your day.

So again, if you're interested in learning or increasing your knowledge in the Art of Controversy, which can be reffered to in slang language as "Kickin' Yo Ass!", just click here.