What Muslims and Jews Have in Common

What Muslims and Jews Have in Common http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rabbi-marc-schneier/what-muslims-and-jews-hav_b_4392088.html

We only see what we want to see

My cousin and several friends dropped me an email with the below link and comment.

PLEASE OPEN THE SITE BELOW AND SEE HOW PEOPLE LEAVE WITH NO FOOD AND WAITING FOR THROWING FOOD FROM THE RESTAURANT. THANKS GOD FOR WHAT YOU HAVE.

Click at the hyperlink and see the how people live in the real world, and thank God for what you have.

http://www.cultureunplugged.com/play/1081/Chicken-a-la-Carte

This happens in every country.

Go to http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/poll/1,,661-5037790,00.html and vote 'No' for banning Hijab.

Clean up day

Monday, was a day for me to clear up my inbox (email) from all the junk mails & forwarding from friends and co-workers.

I managed to delete nearly 1000 mails, which weren't relevant to work and some of them I sent it to my personal email in order to post it at my beloved journal to share it with you.

At some point I wanted to keep some of the religious mails but I felt its been there for over a year and I won't read it.


I attended an advanced related course from Tuesday to Thursday, which was good for me, had brainstorm of some ideas related to work.


Friday, as a day I went to have lunch at my Auntie's place and had a good time with my cousins, I joined them later in the evening for coffee at the The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in Al Bahja mall, the first outlet in Oman.

Most of the people used to go to Al Bahja mall because of the movie cinema and kids play section, but since last year when Costa Coffee opened it's outlet, more people started going. Now many people are expected to go, they need more proper restaurants, i mean beside fast food franchises.


After coming back from the mall, the movie 'Freedom Writers' on DVD. It's a good movie, which inspired me too, they fought their battle and changed their lives by writing and how a teacher helped them to get it over with it and supporting them to reach their dreams.

Their dreams became reality via 'The Freedom Writers Diary: How a Teacher and 150 Teens Used Writing to Change Themselves and the World Around Them' , and I will go and look for the book if it's available in the local bookstore or in the neighborhood country or I'll order it online.

The movie has inspired me to read and write. I'm trying to write more positive way.


Few months ago, I came across wonderful online journal known as Hegab Rehab, which the author mostly post about the styles of Hegabs /Hejabs and accessories for Muslims women wear it and known part of Muslim woman dress code. Another journal 'Chasing Jannah', which is written by a Muslim woman.


The Omani community has been promised for the past few months that one of the most popular fast food franchise, known as Burger King will be back to operate in Oman. Up to now, the reserved space is empty and no signs of it's going to exists. Read more about it here were trying to figure out why it was closed at the first place.


The 'dark side of Dubai' brought you by UAE community blog.

My latest web gadget

Yes, their are also web gadgets in the world of WWW, and my latest is twitter.

It's another form of soicial network, like facebook. The reason I joined it, because allot of my fellow bloggers joined and prasing about it, I just felt left out. It's kind of fun and adictive too, I use it via my mobile, and able to use it at work after 2 PM local timing GMT +4, luckly they haven't blocked it (but not for long).

My username is 'Shulab', incase you want to follow me; and I may be your follower.

Tagged Tagged Tagged

I have been using facebook for over year, I can't even remember when I really started using it. One thing I hate is to be Tagged in a photo.

It seems most of the women in my family including my self removed personal photo even the tagged link, as others may see it and are able to save it in their desktop. The facebook has its advantages and vise verse; allot of people arround the world got affected.

I am not against using it, I like it as it's the simple way to get in touch with the family and friends.

Hot Dog Toaster/ Palestinian Holocaust Museum

While, I as watching TV, I’ve heard the word ‘Hot Dog’ and decided to search for information about it.

So I started to wikipeding, while doing that I found out that there is an invention so called ‘Hot Dog Toaster’.

I never knew that such invention/ appliance exists as I never seen it in UAE nor Oman stores.

But now, with the click of a button, you can purchase it via Amazon.com.

At Amazon.com, you can find hot dog cooker and hot dog roller.


On Second Life
Guess who has entered the virtual world of Second Life, its the 'Palestinian Holocaust Museum' supported by IslamOnline.net. Be honoured and visit the 3D Museum, before that, you must download and install the SL software.

In UAE

This thought came to me when I read an article 'Locals not allowed' by Osama in Arabic, about not allowing locals wearing their national cloths dine in fancy restaurants as part of policy.

In UAE:

• The local citizen is a foreigner,
• It’s a western not eastern country,
• Bars and discos open 24/7,
• 24/7 developments.

Hippie or not
Over three years ago, I mate a young man, from the same community, I always found thing strange in his behaviour and character, which made me feel uncomfortable.

Since then, I was trying to figure out, which group he may fit in, he looked like a care free person, long hair, I realized he has a Hippie character, don‘t ask me, I just sense it.

The question is, are their Hippies in the Arab world or not?

Aqim Salatak

AqimSalatak.com, A Message For Every Muslim.

Bits and Bytes

• Husband blames iPhone for smutty pictures that upset his wife. (Read more)
• Nawras won the 2nd Fixed-Line bid in Oman.
• Emarat Al Youm, an Arabic UAE-based newpaper has been banned for publishing for 20 days from 20th Nov 2008 and Mr Sami Al Reyami, the editor-in-chief of Emarat Al Youm has been fined DHS 20,000.

AIESEC in Oman

The following article is from TheWeek Issue 297, the whole purpose is to develop the local workforces and explore them to the internationally, which will benefit both the individual and the country.

One of the world's largest international organisations for students, AISEC, is all set to start operations in Oman with an innovative foreign internship programme.


At 19, Saqib Khan is like any other student within the Majan College premises in Muttrah but for one thing. Come February next year this third year student of computer networking will be off to Keio in Japan for a three-month internship with Kiban, a technology company dealing with e-commerce. Saqib, will be the first person rom Oman to go on an internship arranged by the international youth organisation AIESEC.

He will be the first of many hundred more young people from the sultanate who will be off in the coming years on an exchange programme that opens the doors for Omani youth to develop their skills abroad. At the same time, AIESEC’s programme will offer local busines-ses a chance to tap into an international talent pool especially for temporary roles.

“At the moment, AIESEC, with 32,000 active members, is present in more than 108 countries and territories around the world. We have a deep history in the Middle East-North Africa region, dating back to the 1960s,” said Brett Borkan, director of business development, AIESEC official extension to Oman.

“With student chapters in Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Algeria, Jordan, Iran, Bahrain, Qatar, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Oman is logically the next step in our efforts,” he added.

Although AIESEC has been present in Oman for some time now, their official launch is expected to take place at year-end. The organisation itself, which is run entirely by students and recent graduates of higher education, was launched 60 years ago in 1948 in Stockholm with just seven member countries.

The aim was to promote peaceful relations between these seven nations in a world fresh out World War II. In its first year the then fledgling organisation arranged 89 traineeships. Interestingly enough, many of these early internship exc-hange programmes were between France and Germany, a country that had occupied much of France during the war.

But how does all this make a difference to people in Oman? Kenneth MacFarlane, senior country partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC), which is AIESEC’s global partner and also its local partner in the sultanate, has this to say. “PWC absorbs around ten Omanis into its permanent staff each year.

The main attraction for me is to get Omanis on outbound internships where they can gain international exposure,” he expl-ained, adding that this would help build a young national workforce that would come armed with knowledge of how things work outside their own country.

MacFarlane’s argument is vindicated by the views of inbound interns who are already working in Oman. “I have already worked with PWC in Mexico City. I wanted to see how the firm operated elsewhere so that I could learn about its global operation methods,” said 25-year-old Rebeca Rubi Alvarado, a student of accounting from Mexico. Yet, the idea of overseas internships is not the only attraction for AIESEC’s members.

A non-profit global organisation run like a business house, it gives its members the opportunity to try their hand at being professionals before even exiting the academic world. “Firstly, I enjoy the sense of responsibility that comes with being a key member of the organisation. Secondly, as the vice-president of marketing, I get practice in reality what I learn in the confines of the classroom,” said Hasna Sultan, who recently graduated from the Modern College of Business and is the vice- president of marketing for AIESEC’s local committee in Bausher.

For Rashad al Jamali, president, local committee, Bausher, AIESEC, it was the whole professional aura of its members that drew him in. “I got to know about AIESEC when Brett and a friend were promoting the organisation in our college. At the time I thought the whole thing seemed a lot more professional than anything else,” he said.

Since then Rashad has attended two international AIESEC conferences, one in Bahrain and another in Tunisia, and the only thing that he thinks could be a deterrent to more people joining the organisation is the need for time management. “It can get difficult to manage time on occasion, especially during exams,” he said, adding that he would nevertheless recommend becoming a member.

Meanwhile Saqib’s initial excitement about going to Japan has given way to apprehensions about the change in environment. “Language is probably going to be a big problem. Unlike in Oman where most people speak in English, everything in Japan is in Japanese,” he explained, adding with a nervous smile, “And I don’t know a syllable of Japanese.” According to 26-year-old Kristina Mader, a student of finance and tax audit from Germany, the only way to get over such apprehensions is to take the plunge and find out what the situation on the ground is really like rather than depend on second hand experience or the opinions of others.

“Back home, everyone has a negative opinion of the Middle East region because of what they read or see in the media. But no one really knows what things are like here. Only after coming here do you realise that not all of the Middle East is a conflict zone,” she said.

Besides, according to Adriana Marinaro, senior manager, assurance/business advisory services, PWC, being an AIESEC member might even work out in your favour when it comes to employment.

“Having AIESEC on your CV immediately communicates that you are more likely to be a dedicated employee,” said Adriana, who was a member of the organisation for three years and is now coordinating PWC’s activities with AIESEC in Oman. So, does being a member of AIESEC mean a ticket to overseas internships, fancy designations and an easier route to a job? Not quite. “You could either choose to be a passive member or someone who is actively involved. Most people who benefit from their time as AIESEC members are the latter,” said Adriana.

After all you get what you give. Email BrettB@aiesecom.org or log on to www.aiesec.org for more details

H E Dr abdullah al sarmi undersecretary, ministry of higher education, speaks to THEWEEK

What will AIESEC be able to accomplish for Oman and its youth?
AIESEC, the world’s largest international student organisation and the second largest organisation registered with the United Nations (UN), has taken recent steps in a bold initiative to bring new human development opportunities to the youth in the Arab region.

In Oman, AIESEC will work with higher education institutions to give students the opportunity to participate in its empowering programmes. These would offer students the chance to participate in conferences with youth from across the region and the world and in skills training from local and global businesses in Oman.

In addition, they will help develop a sense of community and giving back through cultural programmes; foster a greater understanding of what is happening in the Omani society and in the world. What exactly is the ministry’s role in the establishment of AIESEC in Oman?

The ministry has already liaised with the government sectors involved in this regard. AIESEC is now registered in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, as an independent body, and can exercise its functions, one of which is to sponsor visits of inbound interns to Oman.

The ministry has also encouraged public and private higher education institutions to participate and contribute with AIESEC in order to activate its noble functions. What sets AIESEC’s internship programme apart from others? The exchange programme will open the doors for Omani youth to develop their skills in any of the countries where AIESEC currently operates, and at the same time give Omani businesses the chance to access an international talent pool to fulfill their business needs in temporary roles while building future local capacity.

Oman Nightlife from Facebook to Global

Who ever joined Facebook and wanted a snap shot of the nightlife in Oman, he/she would have joinned 'Oman Nightlife' group to get the latest all kind of events and activities that take place in town.

Now Oman Nightlife is going to offer for the rest of the world its services by lunching it's website via http://www.omannightlife.com/. At the moment the Oman Nightlife team working on making it work smoothly. The offical launch has not been set yet, but keep your eyes open.

Bits and Bytes
Two Omani youths jailed for rash driving.

Blogger is blocked by Omantel

For the first time in my life I see the Oman Community Blogger.com are fuming with anger that they are been deprived from their rights of accessing their blogs via Blogger.com. The other blog publishing tools websites are working perfectly.

My fellow bloggers say that there are been blocked from accessing via Omantel ISP to Google child sites beside Blogger.com such as Gmail, they also been suffering from resections from accessing Google it self.

Is Omantel high-tech monitoring application gone crazy and got infected with virus or worms and Trojan horses?

Best wishes with Omantel and TRA.

Read the related posts:
Blogger Blocked,
Suck This Omantel
Blogger.com blocked in Oman?

Now it sinked in

The day of Eid, I felt my heart has just crashed, it just sinked in, my father has died, I won't go to see him today nor tomorrow or for the rest of my life; I won't wish be able to wish him, to see his face full of suprise and happiness expression of seen me and my sibling came to greet him in the morning.

I walked to my baby sister and told her how I felt, couple of days ago we were arguing about reducing number of houses we have to visit, on that day I disagreed with her, but in Eid morning, I told her I'm fine with it, I managed to reduce over half of the houses, we both couldn't manage to walk-in allot of people, our heart couldn't take it anymore, we were mourning in our on way all this time, trying to be braive.

When we went to have Eid breakfast for the first time in my life since moved in Oman, I greeted my uncle then I ran back to my room, I cried for the first snice my dad's death.

I am just praying for him when ever I remember him. I miss him allot.

I feel my life has changed allot, my principles and concept of life, family, etc. I realised I am not social enough that I don't visit most of my relatives and don't know most of them. I don't want to be unknown or forgoten, I don't want to be a stranger within my people.

Oman Idol

Who ever watched American Idol, an American reality-competition show that is aimed in for Search for a Superstar, Sultanate of Oman is finally ready to join Part of the Idol franchise as the first Arab country joins as a national Idol franchise, is now ready to lunch it's own Superstars in few months time.


The Omani name of Idol franchise will be Oman Idol. This show will be carried out at Studios of Radio Sultanate of Oman & Al Sawadi Beach Resort.

The first Idol show started in UK as Pop Idol on October 5, 2001. There are national and regional Idol franchises. The Arabian version of Pop Idol is known as Super Star, and its part of the regional Idol franchises. The contestants from multiple Arab countries and the winners of 5 seasons are mainly from Jordan, Libya, KSA, Tunisia & Lebanon.

Oman Ministry of Tourism is trying to boost Oman tourism by lunching this show.

Spread our wings

Be proud of your self been a Muslim & spread the word about your religion, by purchasing Sytleislam product.

Sytleislam is not just a name or a brand of a product, it's a symbol of your your identitiy, it's a message and reminder for your slelf and everyone that I\ You\ He\ She\ They\ Them\ We are Muslims, Islam Is Our Religion and Mohammed is our Massenger from God (Allah).

You can read about, blog and shop around at Sytleislam, and don't forget to spread the word arround.

Visit other blog.

Oman Legal Zone

Oman Legal Zone the first offical legal website in Oman and Middle East. It's the brainchild of Rozalin Al Bulushi, an Omani legal advisor at Oman Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA).

This is quoted from Oman Legal Zone official website.

Oman Legal Zone is one of the first legal websites in Oman which provides legal services via the internet. It is our belief that the law is the foundation upon which modern society is built. Thus it is your right as an individual, a company, and a member of society to have access to the best legal services wherever and whenever you are.


It is for this reason that Oman Legal Zone’s mission is to provide the best legal services to everyone, in the shortest possible time, and at reasonable and affordable rates.


Oman Legal Zone has a team of highly qualified legal counselors and lawyers and we are proud to be associated with the most prestigious legal firms in the Sultanate. Your time is valuable to us and that is why The Oman Legal Zone Team assures you of the highest quality services, in the shortest possible time.

Mr. Blue-Chi has mentioned about the website and the founder in his journal under the title 'New Website Alert: Oman Legal Zone'.

Muscat Festival 2008

On 21 of January 2008. Sultanate of Oman has lunched the Muscat Festival 2008, organised by Muscat Municipality under the theme, ‘Fun and communications’.

Events

The fistival events has been devided into several areas:

• Qurum Natural Park
• Art Events Festival Plaza - Al Athaiba
• Al Sahwa Park
• A' Seeb Beach Activities
• Qurum Commercial Area

In addition to Cultural Events which are scattered in different locations:

• Cultural Club
• Grand Hayat Hotel - Muscat
• Technical College Theater- Muscat
• Sultan Qaboos University
• Al-Noor Hall
• Oman College for Technology

And finally Variety Events which are scattered in different locations:

• ROP Cavalry – Wattaya
• Bait Albranda
• Sultan Qaboos University Hospital
• Cultural Club
• Boushar Dunes
• The old Muscat Road, Riyam
• Qantab Beach
• Bait Muzna

Enjoy.....

Violence Against Domestic Servants

I'm shocked when I hear about domestic violence against servants at home by their sponsors for illogic reasons.

The hight rate of violence on servants has dynamicaly increased, verbal as well physical abuse has high rate inner effect in pearson's mind & soul. The sponsors who do such crime as feel inferior & they take out on their servants as they think they are weak, low cast and in need of them. They do that to feel superior.

The sponsors think no one will know, but they don't know the awareness & knowledge the servants have through the embassy & the network of social community about the their rights.

What's more worst that those who commit such behavior give a reson for thier servants to spell their sponsor's dirty laundry to the neighbours & boom the social status & respect goes down the drain.

Finally to all the servant sponsors, if you think you are above everyone, above law, you are wrong, God is the only one above everyone. Go back to your holy book what ever your religion & it clearly states how to treat other mankind even animals. If you think you can gain the respect through violence, you are wrong, people will despise you. Learn from the prophet Mohammed (S.A.A.W.) how he treated his enemy when they visit his house, etc, learn from the illitrete the ethics that made him the most influenceal & respected man in the whole world upto this date & time .

Socially interconneted

Today I went to pay my condolences to my co-worker for the death of her brother who passed away yesterday afternoon in a car accident. Her surname is the same as my grandmother's surname but she comes from another community. When I arrived there, I've seen several women who are my blood relative & some by inter-marriege, some how my other team members knew them.

My point is never say that someone you think you don't know you or your family & its ok to behave as you like in front of them & nothing will reach to your family then you are wong, that person or someone he knows can be linked to someone in your family, as we are at any point we are socially inter-connected.

Mentor

Mentor

I have past through a lot of barriers past my path that made me fail several times along the way, but thank god I always find the way to get back on track after taking alternative decisions and came up with solutions that helped me pass through my difficulties.

I thank first God for giving me the faith and power to get over it and pick up what left in me to pursue my career; I thank my parents and members of my family as well as my lectures who have guided me and believed in me; and the most people I thank are those who have criticized me since my childhood up to now.

A person who I thought and looked up to her as my mentor tried to bring me down several times by destroying my motivation, 1st by saying that my major in IT won't be useful in my career wise, 2^nd that the family doesn't expect me to pass as they know and used to it that I am after all a failure and they are actually are hypocrites in front of me. I carried allot when she said about the family but God's mercy, I forgot about it and I didn't keep any grudge against them, After two years I recalled the incident and that the family really supported me that they were paying for my education, I realised that what she was saying was all a lie because she envied me and did not want me to be successful person and add value in the society and she wanted me to look like an idiot that I don't have a goal or a purpose in life, and I thank God she didn't succeed.

recently I had spoken to several people and unfortunately found out that the same woman tried to destroy others people's lives too in different levels, some of them got effected badly as the incident has happened when they were in their teens and some managed to get over it by other people helping them and guiding them at the right path. Allot of them are trying to help each other to get over it and the red alert is on and destruction recovery plan is been implemented.

I like to share my knowledge and experience with people on one hand in order to increase their knowledge and productivity and in their other hand to minimize their mistakes. I have seen the limitation of guidance I have been exposed and I do not want anyone to mess up their lives and career.

I love doing researches via the internet, my sister calls me 'Wikiphedia Geek' as I refer to it most of the time for a quick answers, I call it the sandwich encyclopaedia as a fast resource for me, I do not 100% depend on it when I do my assignments/projects, I go through other websites too, when I use it I go through the references too.

When it came a debate if Wikiphedia is really reliable source as anyone can add and edit it as long as they can support with references and some school teachers as well as universities and colleges assign their students to add and edit papers in Wikiphedia, an idea came into my mind that what if I use the same concept with my family members who are in their primary and elementary school, they have to write an article based on what they have read or studied that interest them, it has two be written in Arabic and English language, the objectives of this method are:

Strengthen the grammar and vocabulary.

Develop writing skills.

Develop their interests.

Use the internet resources in an assertive manner.

Develop their social and career techniques.

Add value.

Based on above my next project is to a mentor for my younger generations to prepare them to be a future successful entrepreneurs.

My first steps to achieve it

Talk to my aunts about my idea.

Create an online journal

Add the candidates

The first articles will be posted by the end of every week starting from summer 2008.

In school days, one article every month.

The journal will be viewed by the parents to see the progress of their children.

Pray for me it works out.

Starbucks quality standard going down

Every person wants to get the best service from any one or place etc, but the quality, effectiveness and efficiency are the high priority. You won’t come back again if the standard goes down.

Starbucks café at Muscat City Centre got blown down with the quality of their product by trying to handle maximum number of customers, specially on a weekend and Ramadhan season.

Read my post ‘Starbucks can’t handle the peak’ at Oman Community Blog.