can you say: Oops?

From the Oman Tribune:

Foreign security guards killed two women on Tuesday, opening fire on their car in the centre of the Iraqi capital and then speeding off “like gangsters,” witnesses and Iraqi security officials said.

The shooting in Karrada came two days after Iraq vowed to punish US security firm Blackwater after a probe found that its guards were not provoked when they opened “deliberate” fire in Baghdad three weeks ago, killing 17 Iraqis.

Dubai-based security company Unity Resources Group (URG) said one of its security teams was involved in the shooting.

Shopkeeper Ammar Fallah, a witness to the Tuesday’s shooting, said the guards, who were escorting a civilian convoy through the streets, signalled for a woman driving a white Oldsmobile car to pull over as they passed.

“When she failed to do so they opened fire, killing her and the woman next to her,” he said. “There were two children in the back seat but they were not harmed. The women were both shot in the head.” Iraqi officials confirmed the incident, which occurred at the Masbar intersection in Karrada.

Oh boy. I do not want to be in their shoes right now - Like; ouch, man.

Eid Mubarak .. everyone

After having come back from hospital once again in a dreadful state of health. I can only say that it is just great to get out of that environment and sickness feeling that someday you too, would be gone.

But never mind that, right now.

It's time to focus on the present and leave the future to what would be.

Therefore, in the news that Eid Al Fitr is just around the bend, I would like to congratulate every single one of you on this auspicious occasion, wishing you and all your loved ones, and family a wonderful Eid Mubarak.

May God praise with many happy times, and fill your souls with the much needed happiness that every one of us needs these days.

should we sue Muscat Municipality?

Everyone in the Sultanate of Oman, especially in the modern capital of Muscat is more than aware of the development projects that are happening around in and out of the capital. But this post is focusing on one of them in the Qurum 29 area. The one where there are just about 20 Earth-breakers breaking down a mountain behind a moderately-high populated area.

Why is this is so important?

For one, it has been more than 'just a few months' and all you can ever hear in that area is the ground-breaking noise that goes on for the entire 24 hours restlessly, hardly breaking for a few dawn hours to rest before they resume at around 6am all over again. Causing the entire neighborhood to shatter below their noise just to 'get their work done'.

Secondly, the dust that accumulates. Now, imagine the workers with their masks and how they are suffering by being in direct contact with such pollution, never the mind that this dust blows also into the air and moves on to the villas that are below the mountain level causing dusting of the private property, automobiles, and probably making it an unsafe environment for the children to play in the closeness that their own back yards provide.

Thirdly - and more importantly - the matter of creepy crawlies. Last night I found a scorpion inside my bedroom of which I had to kill to provide myself the safety that I can live through the night without having to dream of where that simple, yet, very deadly creature could cause from a single sting of it's tail.

You don't find scorpions inside houses. In fact, you never find them inside houses; according to an environmentalist expert - my father. So then, why was this one here?

Explanation?

Due to the breaking down of the mountain area above the houses, all matter of creepy crawlies have had to seek refuge someplace else, therefore, endangering lives of citizens that have little or no knowledge whatsoever over how to deal with them, should they get infected.

So, then, it is without a doubt that Muscat Municipality's workers are causing all these problems. But what is one to do about it? A letter was written to one of the local newspapers in an attempt to highlight the issue. By that time there was only 4-5 pieces of machinery. After the article got published, not two days later was the arrival of the humongous cavalry of machines to 'speed up' things.

So, the question sets itself again: what should we do?

Pens of Passion open to general public

I have finally opened up general public access to the newest blog that I have established under the title Pens of Passion.


This is a collaborative blog that would invite anyone with a talent for writing, be it something such as an article, a piece of poetry, or maybe even a short story - in any language. All is all welcome. Just surf over to the blog and email me there if you're still interested and we'll sign you up quicker than you can say .. well... quicker than you can say anything, really.



Come.. and breathe in the air of ... passion.

TimesofOman.com: Struggle Against Odds

This is the new article that has just been published onto the TimesofOman.com website. The article is under the title "Struggle Against Odds". I hope you all enjoy reading it.

If you do have any thoughts about it, do let me know.

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Life isn't always perfect for us – in fact – it has never been since the dawn of time. We take for granted what these troublesome times actually do to us in the sense of shaping our personality, our endurance towards future difficulties, and perhaps a better mind in judgment.

Some of imperfect timings in our life also allow us to better value things in our life that we never thought we could, one day, go one day without. The bitter and sore experience of cyclone Gonu taught us that in many ways on how to be ready for worst possible scenario.

We're blinded by the illusion that everything comes to us easily without a simple care in the world. But behind every action we make, there is a consequence to which is taking place –– slowly, but steadily.

The environment around us is a good example of such a phenomenon. Back in the late 1980s, scientists believed that the earth's atmosphere would eventually be terrorized by toxic fumes through the extensive use of CFCs, burning the rain forests and more so the expanded killing of wild animals for mere fun and enjoyment.

The public laughed at their predictions back then. But as we see now, there is nothing to laugh about, as the global warming issue takes a world debate to ensure the safety of earth's inhabitants and the safety of the resources that are slowly degrading population-wise.

God gave a mind to each and every human being on this earth and asked us all to use it in making the good choice in differentiating between what is right and wrong. In the struggle against the odds, we are at a crossroads of choices of balancing what is needed and we want, as a nation, as a race, and as survivalists.

In this struggle, we should choose the path of the greater good for the sake of the future before we make the ultimate disaster a reality.

Horizon newsletter: Experiencing Ramadhan

This is the latest article that I had sent off to the Horizon newsletter for publication; I haven't had word if it has or hasn't. So, I'll just post it here for your enjoyment and reading pleasure until I do.

Let me know what you think of it..

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Experiencing Ramadhan

To think that a month alone could change someone's behavior is somewhat naive in the sense that without taking the proper measures or procedures to actually grasp what such a month, such as Ramadhan can hold in terms of benefits for the human body, mind and soul.

For it holds the power to lift you up, only if you are willing to be lifted, there is no such thing as being elevated above the ground to be on 'road of glory' or any fictional path we may have conjured up in our heads.

Ramadhan is an experience that should be taken in with broad arms for an education that crosses vastly beyond modern information and what it has come to from the beginning of time to this very minute.

It is an experience that should be reached out to, no matter what obstacles stand in our way. For a soul and mind is entrapped in the body that needs to be nourished the right source of information and Ramadhan is a perfect timing for such a thing to happen.

Between now and then, Ramadhan has changed a lot in the society; it seems to have moved from the spiritual meaning of life and all its endeavors to the materialistic needs and wants of today's families.

Is it not time, we rekindle the affair we long always had with Ramadhan once again?

new post on 'Your Choice of Music'

I've just updated the blog 'Your Choice of Music' with another post about the MTV VMAs 2007 (Video Music Awards).

Feel free to go there and check out the post along with the blog's contents.

I know it's Ramadhan and all, but a little improvement is on the way to that blog, things are taking kind of a slow pace on my blogs as I mentioned earlier in one of my posts but surely enough, come after Eid holidays, things will be back to normal, inshallah.

To check the new post, click here.

something eery going on here..

There's something very fishy going on here and I intend to put a stop to it.

There's someone around the blogosphere that is going around copying my ideas off my blogs and putting it in their style in an indirect manner. I don't, for one second, want to have to name anyone around here, but if my theory is correct, then there'll be a very long legal battle between me and this so-called blogger.

I don't like it not one bit.

If you like my material then it doesn't hurt you to ask me if you can put it on your blog, but then to come out of the blue right after I start the idea only to have the same idea isn't plain coincidence, it's bloody lack of creativity from your side.

You know who you are, and if I catch you - so help me God - I will make sure you burn down to the ground.

Movie Guide - Oman open to public

This is just to notify you all that I have thrown the doors open to public access to the newly established blog Movie Guide - Oman.

Only registered bloggers are allowed to comment on my blogs to stop anyone from spamming, or posting insulting comments on them. I regret this procedure throws people who wish to keep their identity hidden into a corner. But I have no choice, as it is permanent.

Many thanks for your understanding and hope you like the new blog; please don't hesitate to drop any suggestions, complaints whatsoever at my email.

Thank you again.

PS: There is a new post on the blog about an upcoming movie, should this interest you.

'where's that new post?'

It's not much you get asked about howcome you're never around to do your job unless you're actually dodging it, which, in my case, is not what is happening - obviously.

I never had the time to do anything I wanted because I had just come out of hospital so I just took a cruise with an old friend of mine for a little time, then came back and published the post you see below this one and went to sleep.

I was knackered as Hell, I couldn't breathe well because of pulputations, and I sweating like nobody's business for some reason (apart from the fact that it was hot when I did go out). But I was determined on getting my things done and never ending up again in the hospital - not even for a simple cold.

Three weeks out of your life all messed up is just too much to compensate and I am not planning to ever make that same mistake again.

Ever.

two new blogs

This is just to let you know that I have established two new blogs, one of which is my answer to the ridicule that happened over at a blog that I had established and, thus is called; Pens of Passion. A blog totally dedicated to writing about anything and everything in whichever manner seems readable and raises attention whether it is personal or political, you name it.

The other blog is one that aims to offer a complete guide of what movies there are to offer from anywhere in the globe - hopefully - not lacking the synopsis and where you can get the movie from whether online or outside the Sultanate of Oman, including those of movie theatre releases; olden goldies and the best of the best. This blog is under the name of Movie Guide - Oman.

Both blogs are now still under construction and therefore access to them has been denied to the general public. Hopefully, this would change after the Eid holidays.

Horizon newsletter: inspirative society

The new article in the Horizon newsletter has been published some 4 days ago under the title 'Inspirative Society'.

Hope you all like it - share your thoughts and comments if any.

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Inspirative Society

It is known that education is an important and integral part of the developing mind in order to come to a certain level that would push forth the creative and practical purpose of mankind to rise up the sophistication of human kind the world over in certain period of time.

However, every person – due their societal, environmental, and behavioral differences – perceive the level education in their own way. Some may think that studying a major that is irrelevant to their environment is waste of time, effort and money. Others like to see it as an extra benefit to them and their society. It is perception that holds us back or pushes us forth into accepting or rejecting the true purpose of a subject – whether we, as individuals, like it or not.

The true purpose of education, therefore, lies within the secret that it is a reform of the individual mind. Correcting and perhaps building upon existing data that we had already learnt in past years.

Education is also a tool of empowerment; not just towards seeking employment at a company or a governmental ministry, but also towards building a new generation with new, creative ideas on how to solve problems, reverse faults and after effects and help the current community grasp and endure what it is lagging behind.

In short, education can be seen as a tool towards building an inspirative society. One that would inspire other future generations to build upon the mechanism of a fundamentally strong society with sustainable growth and development.

Rising from the ashes..

Horizon newsletter: Life

The Horizon newsletter has finally resumed publishing my articles after such a long wait.

This article was published on Tuesday evening/Wednesday morning.

Check it out and let me know what you think of it.

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La Bruyere once said; "Life is a tragedy for those who feel and a comedy for those who think."

One too many times we are caught in a gap of time whereby everything in our lives goes wrong, things that we have set our minds to and hoped to achieve one day. We get caught in those moments not because of what we know we are going to miss in the future but because we are focusing our entire energies on what misery has been set upon us.

A child that runs along the ground falls on his face only to get up, smiling, laughing – why should we be any different? Does it really take the innocence of an infant to keep us in our tracks and set us again on our destined paths?

Life isn't life if we were to smile, laugh and playfully enjoy all our times, simply because we would never learn anything in our life and what experiences we could ever meet in times to come. Therefore, the miseries that we are bound by – just as much as the happy moments that pass us by – are nature's way of striking a balance, even though it would seem that things are quite unfair to us in the most hideous ways.

It is wrong to forgo the chance to become a great personality in submission to anything that comes our way. In the way that most people who give up easily are surely bent on their short term needs and have no idea of what the bigger picture is all about. It is those who are bent on using their passion more than their minds in the obstacles that they need to overcome. Thus, allowing them to repeatedly be 'stabbed' in the heart over and over again because they indulge their hearts into the issues at hand more than they care to look at it in a much bigger perspective.

For what is true and what is not; the mind cannot bare. The life; the solitude; the feelings we care not to share. For what life has in store; it has in store for us all. And with it lies the truth; that awaits us all.

on the other hand..

Nawras is celebrating Ramadhan this year with a few good tricks up it's sleeve.

In addition to the annual 'Nawras Goodwill Journey - 3' that promotes giving back to the society as part of being of one being a responsible telecommunications organization; Nawras has also unleashed a few offers to public and made other subscribers green with envy by offering 10 baizas/per minute for any call made any day of the week between 2-5pm between any two Nawras subscribers (offer found here).

Then there's the new acquisition of value-added services that allows Nawras subscribers to dedicate a song, or a funny voice message, or a text message or even chat through SMS through the new NawrasChat service at the nominal charge of 10bzs/per text. Along with with availability of the traditional, yet exciting services that Nawras has to offer such as downloading themes, games, ringtones, wallpapers and video cards (offer found here).

This year; Nawras really does bring the true meaning of it's slogan - Get Closer.

my tribute to OmanTel ..

This is my tribute to OmanTel since they're so damn good at their job.

Big UPs to OT! :P

Ramadhan Kareem .. Everyone

I would like to wish everyone out there in all the world a wonderful Ramadhan this year. May it be a blessed opportunity for every one of us to reach out to Allah Almighty and ask for forgiveness, for help on becoming a better person and and cleansing our souls, as well as our body from any sins that we have committed in the past or the present and ask that we become better people in the future until the next Ramadhan of 1429 H, inshallah.

May Allah grant you all your wishes that you have ever wished for and help you all become a better person.

On this occasion, I invite anyone who would like to contribute about the traditions that they embrace and endure during the holy month of Ramadhan to email me if they wish to make a contribution to the newly established blog; Ramadhan Spirit.

Do take a look around and if you are interested, don't hesitate to send me an email.

getting a good laugh

I got a good laugh when someone I knew was complaining about how his mobile was not functioning. At the first few times, we both thought that the malfunction was due to the mobile handset being that of old age and how things can become wary over time, especially when it comes to technology.

We drove into a repair shop and to our surprise, we got told that the network was down for the last 30 minutes or so. And this was around 8:15pm or 8:10pm. His mobile was using an Oman Mobile SIM card whilst I'm a Nawras fan.

I had a good laugh because I was always getting beat down about how Nawras is this or that and how it's worth nothing since it's still new. Well, there you go.

The odds have been claimed and I rest my case.

:P

Ramadhan Spirit is now active..

Just one or two days before the holy month of Ramadhan, and as I got the chance to come back from hospital - I took the advantage to put some smooth touches here and there on the new blog that would look into the traditions of what everyone does during the holy month in the year 1428 H.

I have also made it public but with caution that only registered blogger users can comment on it. Users with prank, spam, hateful and distasteful comments that have nothing better to do than try to put down the creativity and hard work of other fellow bloggers will find no place on any of my new blogs.

The new blog is titled: Ramadhan Spirit.

And the link to it is here.

TimesofOman.com: The Spirit of Ramadhan

Glad to be back and away from that horrid hospital environment. And now I can get back to what I love and makes me feel like I am doing something in this life of mine.

Below you can all ready and comment on the latest article that was published on the TimesofOman.com website, under the title 'The spirit of Ramadhan'.

Do enjoy:

Ramadhan approaches in less than five days from today and we're barely even set into the mood. I'm not talking about the mood of festivities whereby one goes out and goes on a frenzy of buying everything that is on discount or special offers. Or partying out at the latest new trends of Ramadhan tents at a hotel or some restaurant.

For once, I would be glad if Ramadhan to everyone was just about being around the family, going to the mosque every night lending your ears at least once in a year to hearing the Qura'nic verses of the Holy Quran or a lecture from the Imam at a near mosque whether it was a moral to be learnt about the story of our beloved Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) or one his age-old battles that helped conquer Islam after seeing that it was the solution to spread the religion that believes that there is ‘No God But God’.

For once, I would like to see people actually making an effort to putting the energy that they put during the holy month of Ramadhan throughout the whole year. They have no idea what it is they’re missing out on. The feeling of joy that fills someone up and lights up their soul is beyond all meaning and all measures that could ever be looked into. It would be like seeing a young child smile an innocent smile with the entire gleam in their eyes.

This is month that God closes the doors on Hell and locks up the Devil away during the entire month and sends the Angels down to Earth to help protect and see the good deeds that God's subjects are into during the holy month. This was the month that God delivered the Holy Qur'an upon His last Prophet, Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him).

I really hope this would be the month that would truly change a person's life from bad to good, from worst to fair, and from better to great.

I really hope and wish that everyone would just think for a second about what the Ramadhan spirit is all about.


(The views expressed are solely those of the author and do not reflect the views of timesofoman.com)