Well if you like Dunkin Donuts come and join us tomorrow at the bloggers meeting at Dunkin Donuts next to Fanar Mall from 5.30 to 7.30 pm…Thanks Exzombie for the new slogan “We are bloggers We don’t bite!” ….So you bloggers out there show up guys and stop hiding!
Archive for January, 2007
Another Addiction!!
January 28, 2007I was happy that I was introduced to blogging and got addicted to it…now another thing is becoming my addiction and am scared to become its prey…it’s FACEBOOK..Jazz i’ll kill you for inviting me!! Facebook is the most interesting interactive way to communicate with your friends,family…much better than Hi5…for those who haven’t registered yet go to FACEBOOK
The World Is Mine
January 27, 2007Nothing better than listening to this song..When will the world be mine?
My trip to Madagascar..
January 26, 2007The story began in 2003 when I was still in HSBC Lebanon. The bank made a deal with Earthwatch institute for 50M USD for a period of 5 years.What does banking has to do with environmental projects? Well HSBC group really concentrates on community projects and they do a lot of contributions every year.I submitted my nomination form which had lots of questions about environmental issues and I had to state my field of interest.So I chose Marine life,forests,and savanna..this was around May2003…There were around 40 ppl who applied and they wanted only 3 volunteers from Lebanon for 2004 projects…In Sep03 I got an email from them as well as HR informing me that I was accepted for one of the projects…I was so happy and couldn’t imagine how lucky I was!! Details of the project were sent a week later…the project was in Tanzania and about forest birds..Good one huh?
However due to gold mine discoveries there and my life could be exposed to threats they cancelled my project and shifted me to another one. Which was more exciting!! The other project was in Madagascar and was focused on Sharks of Madagascar!
I was kind of hesitant at the beginning because of the idea of sharks!! So I gave myself a week to think if I can make it or not coz it was the only project left. The project was from Jan27 to Feb14 (in 2004). Finally I decided to go because such opportunity will not occur again to me…However what am I going to tell my parents? My dad knew it was about sharks but mom I had to lie and tell her that the project was about sea turtles!! She was like ok it’s very interesting but are you sure you can adapt to the conditions there..
In Dec03 nearly all details of the project was in my hands…I had to do many vaccinations..so it was a crazy month for me..I advised my parents that the place I’m going to is very remote..no electricity,no phones,just me and my tent….but still parents couldn’t believe me that there’s a place in the world where I can’t make phone calls..they insisted to take my mobile with me…bass mako fayda..I left some imp numbers for them as I was told by the institution in case of emergency for them to call me…It was the US embassy number…
Finally time came and I nearly finished all my packing..My trip itinerary was beirut paris then madagascar total flight hours around 18 hours…Damn i was excited but at the same time hesitant but I can’t do anything about it…i’ve approached point zero!
My flight was a 2 am in the morning…i got to paris around 6:30 am and was supposed to leave from there at 10:30 am.The flight was delayed an xtra hour because it was snowing like hell…it was -5 degrees!! When we boarded they announced that again there’ll be a delay for 45 mins since it’s still snowing..However took off happened at 1 pm nearly….It was a non-stop flight and took us around 14 hours to get to Antananarivo airport…it was around 2 am when I arrived to madagascar…Finally i arrived to my hotel at Hilton…i was just seeing my bed infront of me…damn the flight was hectic..for me i thought it ended here..but was surprised with the wake up call at 6 am that we should leave and take another flight to the project site…I was like huh? I thought the place was close to where we stayed….but i was wrong coz the project site was on an island called Ampasindava which is 3 hours flight from Antananarivo!
I forgot to mention that five other members of HSBC staff were also on the same project..I met Nicole from Dubai,Philippe(France),Bradley(UK),Angus(South Africa),Patrick(USA),Ryan(USA) and Lyn(USA/she’s the project researcher).I met Philippe in Paris,the rest I met them at the project site except for Nicole who arrived a day earlier at the hotel…Damn i really miss those guys!!
We left to the airport again to take another flight to Ampasindava…I was shocked to know that our plane was an old propeller plane and only takes around 30 ppl…adventure started here…we took off but remained in a very low altitude…it took us 3 hours to reach the most remarkable airport i’ve seen….it was a grass football field…with little of asphalt on it…Can you imagine how exciting the trip so far?? I was bursting laughing when I saw this…what the hell brought me there??
We were welcomed at the airport by a blonde lady in her late 50s…wearing a green t-shirt with Earthwatch on it and tight shorts with slippers…she was so cool!! The first thing she told us was ” If you have any phone calls to make just do it at the airport coz there’s no phones or network at the site.” I went to call my parents just to let them know that if I don’t call then it’s ok…but unfortunately after several attempts couldn’t get hold of them…I thought that we have reached the site but again surprised to know that we had a 3 hours land rover drive to get there…It was an old landrover with 3 people behind with their luggages…the roads were very bumpy and slippery due to the rain that hasn’t stopped for the past 10 days as she said. It was supposed to be sunny and I had in mind that i’ll enjoy the beach and get a good tan..Finally we arrived the project site around 3 pm..started unpacking..my friend Bradley helped me to fix my tent…we all slept in individual tents..there was a small house where we ate together and there was a primitive bathroom with no water!!
For me it was very difficult to cope with the harsh conditions around me esp it was my first time in life where I had to camp on the beach and not anyplace but Madagascar the 10th poorest country in the world…We had so many questions to ask Lyn…esp that we are going to dive in waters with sharks!! All what she said you are 90% secured…sharks won’t harm you unless you excite them with colorful clothes or if they smell blood..I was terrified at the beginning and felt that I shouldn’t have went from the beginning…but then I convinced myself that it’s all GOD’s will if I wanna die it would have been in a plane accident…I crossed 2 continents to get there and now I’m feeling regret…No way ” I WILL SURVIVE NO MATTER WHAT”.
The first day we had a stroll in the village which was close to our site…Met the chief who hosted a party for us at the beginning…he’s the only person in the village that knows French…the most educated man! We always obeyed the rules of the village people…were some signs or things we believe in are taboo to them like never point to someone with your finger..just bend it and point…don’t wear red color coz it’s bad luck…if you see a villager walking just keep walking behind him don’t ever pass by him…wait until he reaches his destination…also there’s a rule there that children are registered under the mother’s name and not father…So a girl can have children from anyone even if she doesn’t marry.. It was nice talking to village people and knowing their traditions…
The second day was work day…it was my first journey in the sea…we had this wooden boat that resembles everything except a boat…thks GOD it had a motor..and a guy with a bucket to throw the water inside the boat back to the sea coz the boat was perforated with little holes…So you can imagine!
Our normal working days were going out with the fishermen and getting the sharks (dead ofcourse) to shore,identifying their species,sex,taking their height and weight..etc. We did this same task for a week nearly..
Shark fins is a major source of income for Malagasy people…since eastern asia countries use the fins for different things they buy it from the fishermen for 8 USD per klg and sell it in hong kong for around 600 hong kong dollars (~ 77USD). So you can have a clear idea how shark killing is prosperous in Madagascar..
Unfortunately the project was cancelled due to the cyclone that hit the island.We had 2 options left for us to evacuate since the landrover was stuck due to the rain in a town called diego and can’t come to pick us..Option 1 is to rent an ox cart and 2 is to go walking!! Walking WTF…no we’ll rent an ox cart..apparently the owner of the ox wasn’t in the mood of taking us although we paid him a big amount of money…
So we went walking..yes 13 km walk to reach the landrover with a handbag weighing 10 kgs…We finally reached the car got in and left to diego…
Diego was another story…it was a cool place…nice beaches but the weather was bad so no beaches simply nothing to do…I stayed at a motel with 2 other guys…I was in my room when suddenly i saw green creatures crawling on my bathroom glass…I was freaking scared..they turned out to be green lizards like chameleons and actually i didn’t realize that one was on the ceiling in my room!! So i called the receptionist to tell him about this issue…he was like yah it’s normal these eat insects and flies…don’t be afraid…I was like what??? Don’t u have mosquito spray!!! Don’t ask me how i slept that night!! The next day i booked another flight to the capital city Antananarivo,me,Nicole and Philippe..Angus and Bradley stayed in Diego….
Before leaving Diego we had the chance to spend a whole day in the Amber mountains which is considered as a rain forest..It was my first time walking in a rain forest.We saw monkeys,lemurs,birds and other animals in trees it was exciting.We hanged out in a lodge with the group.It was fun…
Staying in the capital city was the best days for me I booked in Hilton,5 stars..with all the nice amenities,had my own bedroom,jacuzzi,and some night entertainment…:)
Spent my time on the beach,shopping,and eating the best sea food dishes….
It was the best trip I’ve had in my life despite all what I went through…Had some new friends who i’m still in contact with..Going to such a project made me appreciate nature more,be patient and also enjoy the idea of team work…For those interested pay a visit to Madagascar!
For pics click here
Metrosexuality…
January 24, 2007Metrosexuality: Gay or Straight? Hard to tell!
Metrosexuality is, according to British journalist Mark Simpson, the trait of an urban man of any sexual orientation (usually heterosexual) who has a strong aesthetic sense and spends a great amount of time and money on his appearance and lifestyle. Simpson describes them as Male Impersonators: Men Performing Masculinity. He relates it to the effect of consumerism and media proliferation, particularly the men’s style press, on traditional masculinity.
Where did the word come from?
The origin of the term traces to an article titled “Here come the mirror men,” dissecting the new urban man by Mark Simpson, published on November 15, 1994 in The Independent. It it is disputed whether Simpson actually invented the term metrosexual at all. In the early eighties a former Metro Radio presenter Mitch Murray claims he is the progenitor. The word had a different connotation at the time as it was simply a play on words involving ‘Metro Radio’ and heterosexuals. From his home in the Isle of Man, Murray would send a weekly tape via data post to the local radio station in Newcastle upon Tyne containing bits and pieces of celebrity interviews, sketches and various other humorous stuff.The engineers at Metro Radio would play music in between them. Very early during the process, he made a few station identification segments one of which included the phrase ‘We are the Metrosexuals’. Since then, the term has been adopted and adapted.
The typical metrosexual is a young man with money to spend, living in or within easy reach of a metropolis – because that’s where all the best shops, clubs, gyms and hairdressers are. He might be officially gay, straight or bisexual, but this is utterly immaterial because he has clearly taken himself as his own love object and pleasure as his sexual preference.
What is accepted as “masculine” has shifted considerably throughout the times, so the modern concept of how a man “should be” differs from the ideal man of previous eras. Some styles and behaviors that are today considered feminine were, in the past, part of the man’s domain (e.g. knee britches, makeup, jewelry, appreciation of art and music, etc.). Hence, as the concept of femininity conquered more territory, masculinity became more restricted. Perhaps metrosexuality is a reaction against this shift, as some men feel too confined within the gender roles.
Media explaining the term often rely on citing a few individuals as prime illustrations. David Beckham has been called a “metrosexual icon and is often coupled with the term. And other personalities such as Brad Pitt, Arnold Schwarzenegger and George Clooney.
With pavilions representing top men’s fashion designers such as Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren and Giorgio Armani and all the latest ‘grooming’ products, It’s a Man’s World is, as Peter Stuart, GQ publisher, describes it, ‘a terrific shopping experience.’
In the Eighties he was only to be found inside fashion magazines such as GQ, in television advertisements for Levis jeans . In the Nineties, he’s everywhere and he’s going shopping.
Metrosexual man wears Davidoff ‘Cool Water’ aftershave (the one with the naked bodybuilder on the beach), Paul Smith jackets (Ryan Giggs wears them), corduroy shirts (Elvis wore them), chinos (Steve McQueen wore them), motorcycle boots (Marlon Brando wore them), Calvin Klein underwear (Marky Mark wears nothing else). Metrosexual man is a commodity fetishist: a collector of fantasies about the male sold to him by advertising.
Even the POPE wears Prada shoes and Gucci sunglasses!
Metrosexuals are the creation of capitalism’s voracious appetite for new markets.
In some contrast, there is also the view that metrosexuality is at least partly a naturally occurring phenomenon, much like the Aesthetic movement of the 19th Century and that the metrosexual is merely a modern incarnation of a dandy.
My personal opinion I don’t find it wrong if a guy really takes good care of his looks and health. In our days your look has a big impact on your society, friends, and work environment. I care much about how I look, not to the extreme as I see guys here, but to an acceptable level that makes me feel satisfied.
Do you consider yourself “METROSEXUAL” ?
Sushimania!!
January 23, 2007What’s wrong with the sushi phenomena in Kuwait? Why people are so crazy about sushi restaurants? Is it a trend that will last for a short period? Or people actually like sushi? Sushi restaurants have increased dramatically during the last couple of years esp in our Arab world…
I am a sushi lover but not obsessed and go like 3 or 4 times per week…I go coz I think it’s healthy and tasty food…But what makes me astonished the way people react here to everything new…It’s amazing…I guess people will get fed up of sushi restaurants very soon…So there should be some alternatives? Do you think Japanese people like raw meat? or favor the idea of eating it? What have we done to impose our culture on them?
What do you think?
Euthanasia…"Assisted Suicide"
January 20, 2007The debate over “end-of-life issues” raises fundamental questions:
Who decides whether a life is worth living or not? Many people say they would rather die than suffer in great pain, or be trapped in a vegetative state. Should people have the right to decide when and how they will die? Should others — their families, their doctors, the government — be able to decide for them?
Is euthanasia — the supposedly merciful killing of the terminally ill — an act of kindness prompted by a sense of mercy and respect for an individual’s wishes? Or is it an act of murder and a violation of the Hippocratic oath?
Dying, for most people, has become far more complicated than it once was. A century ago, most people died at home of illnesses that medicine could do little to defeat. Now technology has created choices for dying patients and their families, choices that raise basic questions about human dignity and what constitutes a “good death.”
Most people die in hospitals or institutions where the staff makes a valiant effort to keep patients alive until there is no reasonable chance of recovery. For many people, that’s exactly what they want: a no-holds-barred effort to fight off death as long as possible. For others facing terminal illness, however, there may come a point where the fight no longer seems worth it.
If legally recognized, would physician-assisted suicide permit dying people a measure of control over the timing and manner of their death? Or would it lead to a slippery slope of neglect for the old, the poor, the disabled and those who are emotionally distraught or seriously ill? Would the right to die become the duty to die when living would be too costly for patients and their survivors?
Physicians continue to face a pointed dilemma. “For over 2,000 years, the predominant responsibility of the physician has not been to preserve life at all costs but to serve the patient’s needs while respecting the patient’s autonomy and dignity,”
Although it is widely condoned around the world, only one nation, the Netherlands, has made physician-assisted suicide legal.
What are the religious and moral questions here? For people in many faiths, these decisions touch on their most deeply held belief that life and death should be left to God, not human beings. Others argue that life is to be cherished and not abandoned, no matter the circumstances.
Are there other alternatives? What do you think?
It’s play time….
January 19, 2007Durex recently launched for the first time products that enhance your sexual life….for more info click here
There are some interesting stuff!!
