A little rant of mine on everything going on in our world at the moment.

My first blog posting of the new year, so a belated happy new years to all our readers.... all two of you.

First I'd like to share an amusing video with you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAnjJDQ7ey4

Your welcome

Next I'd like to talk about a topic which I think everyone has heard about

and has been moved by the events that followed, and that is Israel's

illegal seige on Gaza. Yes, illegal

Illegal why? Several reasons which I believe Hatem has covered in one

of his previous postings.

I'd like to make a comment though on what president Barack Obama

made in one of his pre inauguration speeches. He said that if someone

was attacking him with rockets while his children are sleeping he'd fight

back and that Israel has every right to fight back.

I'm sorry Mr Obama but I believed you to be an educated man. However,

an educated person does not make foolish statements such as those.

I know from my postings it seems that I am critical of Mr Obama, it may

seem that I don't like him, but your wrong I'm just making points on his

faultings. Why do I say a person who is educated would not make a

comment like that? Because a person who is educated ( and I don't

mean edcucated in the sense of degrees and honors and everything),

a person who is educated looks into a topic before making blank

statements.

I don't think you know this Mr Obama but Israel broke the ceasefire while

you were partying over your presidency win. Yes, Israel broke the ceasefire

, I'm sorry if i disappointed our fox news viewing readers but that is the fact.

On election day 2008 Israel fired rockets into Gaza, Hamas responded.

I myself am not entirely convinced with Hamas, but as Mr Obama said, if

someone is firing rockets at you while your children are sleeping you have

the right to defend yourself.

Another point I have to raise about the seige is (and excuse my language)

Where the f*** is the international community???? When Russia invaded

Georgia last summer it was all over the news. Why? Because the western

media opposes Russia, whereas they are in aid of the Israeli cause.

Western supremacy controlling media at its best. Not only was the seige

on Gaza illegal it was inhumane. Over 1300 killed and over 4000 injured

compared to 10s of dead Israelis is inproportionate attacks according to

Israel. YES IT IS inproportionate you dumb f***, just not the way your

describing it.I do not understand how the whole world could just watch a

massacre like that and do nothing about it? Where is our empathy? Where

is our compassion?

Lives are being taken, families broken, a country in carnage. And all

America the world's superpower can do is withdraw its vote from a UN

resolution seeking peace.

That my friend reminds me of a saying "with great power comes great

responsibility" (yes I know its from spiderman) and the USA is not at all

being responsible with the power that it has.

I don't understand how a country of 300 million individuals can be controlled by a tiny zionist state. Yes, controlled. If tomorrow, the UK decided to

attack some country, the US wouldn't allow it. However Israel decides to

commit genocide and the American government starts singing "you can do whatever you like".

Next topic, the credit crunch. coming soon.....

Barack Hussein Obama on Tuesday the 20th of January, has become the 44th president of the United States of America

It was a moment in which 100's of millions of people around the world watched, from the biggest of cities to the tiniest of villages, a moment that 'defines a generation'. Although we watch the American Presidential Inauguration we must consider that America and the American President will become the most powerful man on earth "officially". In times of crisis, economically and wars and conflict the world seeks for new hope and a dream of a better tommorow. The inaugural speech personally was captivating and had many themes and messages which struck hard and rough but at many times it was promise of rebirth and prosperity.

The main themes of the address include the very critical financial crisis that will be one of President Obama's toughest challenges. U.S. foreign policy, domestic issues, and a message of change, renewed freedom and leadership.

The address was in many ways a head-smacking of former president Bush, who disagreed on many of Obama's initiatives such as funding of embryonic stem cell research, which was one of the first changes made to federal spending in which Obama removed the limit of federal spending on this research. Facing a changing world and the leading role of America Obama said 'we must lead once more' which is an indication of the fact that the influence of America as a nation on the world is deminishing.

To the muslim world Obama addresses the fact that both the U.S. and the muslim world must find common interests and help each other, and to defeat the threat of terrorist violence that plagues stability, prosperity, and development.

Yet, at the end of the day one asks himself. Is this 'New' president all that he seems? Is he as good a leader and a changer as he is good at speaking(rather amazing actually, one to remember)? Well we will watch carefully at his actions and his initiatives especially in the first crucial 100 days of office, which will definetly include th closing down of the Guantanamo Bay Prison.

Gaza. Solidarity and Sympathy

The new year has come in with some bad news, Gaza. Although we must always look at the previous years' problems we must not forget the good times we've had even if it was just for a few seconds. Appreciating every moment and remembering the good always creates postive hope for the future. However, for the people of Gaza the New Year continues to bring in oppression and so I offer my sympathies, since there is little I can do apart from donate money, to the people of Gaza. May justice serve your cause and may God honour that who is righteous.



My condolences and respect and pity for all those who have died in this absurd conflict, however these are my thoughts on this:

1.It is ironic that Israellis call Hamas terrorists, when Israel has occupied the "Official" Palestinian land for over 40 years since 1967 and till this very day remains an occupant of these lands. Is this not terrorism is this not disrespecting other peoples' rights. Israel has continued to call any movement against it terrorists such as the PLO, Hezbolla and Hamas. When all these organizations are not aiming to kill for the sake of killing but defend the rights of Palestinians and voice the oppression they are feeling. If Israel really wanted to achieve 'peace" then they would have left these lands to the Palestinians quite a while ago. They still occupy the Golan hights even though it is rightfully owned by the State of Syria. Is this not terrorism.

2. The situation in Gaza has been dire following the total blockade of the strip. People struggle to find basic neccessities such as bread and clean water. Which is causing catastrophic humanitarian problems.

3. Hamas should not blame the Arabs, for example the Egyptians for not supporting them because when they ended the cease-fire and started shooting rockets at southern Israel they did not negotiate with the Egyptian and Arab governments they did not let them know of their strategy or motives. and so the questions is should a country such as egypt base and change it foreign policy to suite the organization of Hamas. Is this justifiable.

4. I personally find that Hamas is not doing a good political job. It has to learn to control it's anger for the sake of it's people. By keeping the area stable and providing necessities. Do not throw stones at someone if your house is made from glass.

5. The Palestinians within themselves have to come up with a suitable agreement. The same agenda, even if they have to compromise when they don't agree with certain issues. These are peoples' lives at risk and their future which has to be considered more seriously.

6. Israel has previously had a plan to deport palestinains to the sinai, egyptian land, and take over the gaza strip. The plan is still not off the table, and the opening of the egyptian-palestinian border, rafah, might trigger and mass migration or continuous migration of Palestinians from Gaza into egypt strengthening the Israeli plan. Finally. After years of negotiation on the side of the PLO and Mahmoud Abbas' government in the West Bank and the rest of the Arab states with Israel there has not been one positve action taking, a slight improvement might be israel leaving the gaza strip. So is fighting the only way to solve problems?

A DELICIOUS MEAL...Grill!!&!!CHILL

You always wonder oh! what do I want to eat after that long and tiresome period of exercise. Whether your lifting waits or driving yourself with some good old cardio, this meal is sure to satisfy your expectations, making you feel delighted, leaving you light, boosting up that muscle, and leaving a flavour that your taste buds wont forget.

Yes it's some gold old red meat, a rib-eye steak! Marinate that steak with whatever you like. I personally enjoyed it with some mustard, salt and pepper, butter, and barbecue sauce yet the choice is up to you. Cook it as you like it but there is nothing better than a good old medium cooked steak that leaves the redness in that meat and that is still full of that meaty juice.

Believe me it's a great feeling and good for your body too, especially after returning from exercise. This red meat contains a load of protein, which beats that protein shake in taste anytime. The protein giving you a great amount of energy after your workout and building those muscles up.

So get some good old steak, chill and grill!

Alienation that 'out of this world' feeling:P A MIND away

Have you ever felt as though you weren't part of this world? For a second you drifted outside of your body and observed the world from above and looked at yourself. It's an amazing feeling and something to be experienced, yet it is also an agitating emotion . You feel so lonely and very unsure of yourself. I seem to experience this feeling most when I'm sitting alone drifting into thoughts far and wide, things that I would not spontaneously think of. Opening your mind seems to spark this feeling and I think it also sparks some creativity in ones own self. It is only when one rests back and looks over the stresses of the day that one experiences the sensation, which, i think, is crafted deep within people to think and to wonder. It gives us a sense of purpose, imagination and being and a hideaway where we can get away from reality.

Why do people read books, watch T.V. or indulge into deep imaginative thought? I think its part of who we are as human beings. We have evolved developing society, culture and education to look beyond what is visible to us, and to imagine completely new worlds, new ideas and new possibilities. We indulge into stories and fantasies that take us away from the sometimes boring day and that spark imagination in our minds, and i think that is what makes us such a creative race. If it were not for our far reaching mind that is able to cut across visual barriers and existing paradigms then we would not have been able to develop such diverse ways of thinking, perception and cultures. Our strength lies in our diversity, a diversity that has created a heap of knowledge because different people think in different ways.

It is those that have indulged in the art of imagining, yes it is an art, into stretching their minds in ways sometimes impossible to imagine many of whom have created masterpieces of knowledge in science, literature, art and economics to name but a few.

However, although we look at the eccentric and artistic person we also have to consider the success of straightforward driven individuals, who have adapted their attitudes to there craft, that requires focus and persistence, quick thinking and decisiveness, yes it is a different truth.

The mind expands, and stretches in ways impossible to imagine and it is astonishing to say the least that we have been able to stimulate light(that which you see come out of the monitor) to send messages across oceans, skies and space. To land on that big cheese ball called the moon, yes it is remarkable!!! If it were not for the mind and the driven expansion of it, we would definitely not be here to day. So i salute you oh mighty brain, oh! abstract and crazy thought for you are the genius behind success, and improvement.

Eiffel Tower-Paris, France Tokyo Tower-Tokyo, Japan

Two cities, Two Towers, and so much a like....Yet, they're very far apart and very different..........

Reminiscing over memories of the past, remembering the good old days when I was in Japan with my buddies, and staring endlessly at pictures that sent me day dreaming into the past. I came up with these too magnificent pictures of the Eiffel tower in Paris and Tokyo tower in Japan. Guess what?? They're so much the same. The Tokyo tower is actually built to resemble its mother tower, the Eiffel tower. What i found so interesting is the resemblance yet the distance from each other. Both lie in completely antagonistic areas of the world, yet they are both so similar. While in Japan I've seen how the Japanese culture is a such mixture between east and west. It is immersed with new technologies, obsessions with Western culture from clothes to food to attitude, yet simultaneously there culture is extremely well preserved from customary eating traditions such as cuisine and sitting on the floor at a restaurant to museums, palaces and heritage sites that are so well preserved. I saw that the mixture of two cultures is an example of globalization that is at the paramount of greatness and sophistication in Japan and it was a worthwhile experience. I, sincerely, recommend visiting the place very much.

James Blunt!!!

James Blunt! is coming to the capital MCT . The tide is turning for the country I can see. It is very rare when non-arabic music arists visit the country. During the summer Hed Kandi visited Muscat...Last June, I do remember Hi Fm conducting a live chat with James Blunt and it seems that they organized or influenced his decision in coming to Oman, along with Dubai and Beirut. This is James Blunt's first tour and appearance in the middle east and I do hope it is a tour to remember... It seems that Hi Fm is starting to bring some artists to Oman including the Proclaimers that were here last summer. James Blunt, i do think, will be hosted at the Intercontinental Hotel Muscat but I'm not sure how thy'll be able to fit all these people into the intercontinental garden. The concert is scheduled on the 26th of february and tickets are on sale starting the 16th of December!!! Cant wait(hope he doesnt cancel lol)!!!:D