2009

1. The Gunslinger - Stephen King
2. The waste Lands - Stephen King
3. The drawing of the three - Stephen King
4. Wizard and Glass - Stephen King
5. Wolves of the Calla - Stephen King
6. Song of Susannah - Stephen King
7. The Dark Tower - Stephen King
8. Eragon - Christopher Paolini
9. Eldest - Christopher Paolini
10. Host - Stephenie Meyer
11. The Tales of Beedle the Bard - JK Rowling
12. Dracula - Bram Stoker
13. Taxi - Khaled el Khamissi (Highly recommended)
14. Ayza Atgawez (Wanna be a bride) - Ghada Abdul Al
15. Gerald's Game - SK
16. Niran Sadika - Alaa Al Aswany
17. Twilight - Stephenie Meyer
18. New Moon - Stephenie Meyer


Reading:

Desperation - SK

( Read more... )

In response to the Egyptian-Algerian problem, actions of national pride and flags are flooding the country and instead of the usual pointless continuous talking, real actions and stances are being taken both by the government and by individuals, but other problems remain unaddressed.

Media coverage of the events in the Egyptian-Algerian problem has been unfair. But why doesn't Egypt have channel capable of delivering both the truth and the Egyptian point of view? Because media in Egypt is not up to the level of competition with channels like BBC or even Al Jazeera.

We HAVE been insulted in various parts of the world and nobody moved a finger, but before that we have been insulted in our own country and publicly. We have been insulted in our own police stations, in our elections and even in our streets.

We remain a country of culture and civilizations, but values like these are crushed by Egypt's poverty. Is music, film, theater and art as strong now as they once were? Do people even feel their importance in midst of their every day struggle? Now they do because something happened and they are looking for ways in which Egypt is better than other nations, but what about when the day comes and our negligence of culture hits a point where other countries tell us: We are the noble prize, the oscar winners and an elected president. Who are you?

I in no way intend to attack Egyptian pride specially under the current circumstances, it's because of Egyptian pride that I am jealous for my country. In order for Egypt to always stay the venue of culture and art, and for violation of Egyptians' rights to stop, and for the misrepresentation in the media to stop. In order for all this to happen, we have to resort to self criticism and change what is in our hands.

I always believed Arab nationalism died with Nasser. Today I have the proof.

In the end:

*They were in our stadium and we didn't even curse them while they burnt our flag.
*When they lost, they vandalized our air port. When we lost we tried to go home.
*When they lost in our land they were not attcked, and when we lost in Sudan they attacked us with knives!
*There is no proof any Algerian was hurt in Egypt or hurt by an Egyptian, but Egyptians were threatened in Algeria and were injured in Sudan by Algerians.
*When they lost in Cairo they resorted to violence and when they won in Sudan they resorted to more violence. Both are not justified, but at least rage at losing makes sense. Why the HELL are they angry now?

And to those who say that the Algerians who did all that do not represent Algerians, I say that OUR fans represent Egyptians and Algerian fans should represent Algeria. And I say that the fans Algeria CHOSE to send to Sudan DO represent it. We sent artists and they sent criminals.




Is a football match a good enough reason to burn MY flag on MY land in MY stadium?
And attack my citizens?

Back in Reuters, my group and I reported about swine flu. What we got from all sources was the same: It is less dangerous than normal flu. It is mild and is only dangerous to people with weak immunity like children, pregnant women and people who have a disease that affects immunity.

'Why do you think people are panicking then?' I asked the doctor and he said it was because the virus has a bad reputation of coming in a mild wave in summer, then mutating into a deadly strain and killing millions when winter comes. He even told me he wishes everybody catches the virus in summer to become immune to it when the weather gets cold. Naturally, I felt reassured. I looked at people who continuously talk about the pandemic, people who wear masks in the street, people who avoid football matches to stay away from the crowds, people who used disinfectants every minute and went like: ummmm!!! You are going to let something less dangerous than normal flu keep you from enjoying your life normally and put you on the boarders of OCD?

Apparently I was mistaken. The question I really would like to ask the doctor now is: Explain to me then why it took a girl in Alexandria university less than 2 days to die of swine flu? Noting that it is still hot enough for us to turn the air conditioners on all day here in Egypt.

( Read more... )

From Yahoo:

'Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is calling out his wife, Maria Shriver, for apparently violating a state law he signed — holding her cell phone while driving.

The celebrity Web site TMZ.com posted two photographs Tuesday showing Shriver holding a phone to her ear while she's behind the wheel. It says one was snapped Sunday and the other in July.

On his Twitter feed, Schwarzenegger wrote to TMZ.com founder Harvey Levin: "Thanks for bringing her violations to my attention. There's going to be swift action."

Schwarzenegger spokesman Aaron McLear says that by "swift action," the governor means he'll ask his wife not to hold the phone while driving.''

I don't even think it would EVEN be news if the Cairo governer's wife was photographed  holding her cell phone to her ear while driving, a day after  a similar law was issued in Egypt. We just KNOW it happens and that they are above the law. And Arnold actually responded. LOL!!!!

I finally climbed to the top of the dark tower to be faced with a shocking end to a long long journey. Talking about Stephen King's Dark tower trilogy here. Here are the theory's I found online about the ending.

----------SPOILERS ALERT----------

( The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed... )

I found this interesting comparison between wii fitness and the new wii active


Wii Fit. Wii Fit was the first widely successful Wii based video game to use the fun and fitness, exercise as the 'game' theory. Uses a board based program: Wii Balance Board.
Price: Around $90.
Activities: Yoga, Strength Training, Balance Games, Aerobics and tracking features.
Maker: Nintendo.

Wii Active. Wii Active is the new video game to use fun and fitness. Uses a jump-rope like hand-held device based program: the Nunchuck.
Price: Around $60
Activities: Various activities including running, dancing, punching, sports, and a wide variety of movement activities.
Maker: EA Sports, endorsed by celebrity trainer bob Greene.
Notable: Marketed mainly to women. Has an active online community that features weight loss profiles and a motivation center.


Nunchuck. Arm/hand based vs. bottom/foot based balance board. Depending on your activity favorites, the gadget may also be a determining factor. Those who love boxing/upper body activities may be excited about the Active. While yoga or lower body activity fans may be balance board loyalists.



I found this specially interesting since am planning to buy a wii soon. I think  I am more inclined to wii active for two reasons; because I like how fun the activities are. I mean I would rather be dancing than doing normal strength training. And because I am pretty satisfied with my lower body, if I am gonna be slimming down while I am playing, I'd prefer the nunchuck. The only problem now is SPACE. How much space do u think u need between u and the screen?

"And now for you, madam Mina, this night is the end until all be well. You are too precious to us to have such risk. When we part tonight, you no more must question. We shall tell you all in good time. We are men and are able to bear; but you must be our star and our hope, and we shall act all the more free that you are not in the danger such as we are."

...........

Manlike, they told me to go to bed and sleep; as if a woman can sleep when those she loves are in danger! I shall lie down and pretend to sleep, lest Jonathan have added anxiety about me when he returns.

Dracula



I am not sure if this is how Bram Stoker thought of the 'perfect woman' (as he describes Mina in the same book) and how she should be treated, or if this really is how women were in the 19th century. Either way, I am thankful I was born in today's world.

How are exams?

I get this question from friends I haven't spoken to in a while and from my mom's old boring friends. For some reason people think this is the best way to start a conversation. When I just finished my midterms and am celebrating a 3 week break before finals, somebody comes and asks about exams. When I just finished my finals and am enjoying a 4 week break,somebody comes and asks about exams. FINALS ARE OVER EXAMS ARE OVER. Oh when will u get ur result? when will the new school year start?

Grrrrrrrrrrrrr !

Two days ago, I was talking to a random girl and she asked me how old I was. I said 22. She told me I looked younger... And it suddenly hit me, I AM  growing and I am gonna be old one day. Isnt time to do all the things I always wanted to do before it is too late? Or to start going down the roads I want to follow for the rest of my life?

I am half way through Stephen King's Gerald's game and I am not disappointed. It is amazing how he can make something as small as taking a drink of water so thrilling.

My next book will be Eldest (the second part of the inheritance triology)  I didn't like the first part much. The story and events are great, but the writing style is too simple. I think it is because the writer is so young and it is targeting younger audience. Why am I reading the second part then? Well, I guess I just can't tolerate not finishing a story I started to read =D

Those are the books I have so far. Next I will buy:

Brinsingr (inheritance part 3)
The waste lands (Dark Tower 3)

That is if I find them of course. Not all books are available here in bookstores and online orders charge a fortune for shipment. It makes it really hard for me to go to the book store with a list because I usually dont find what I want o_O

Books I read this year so far:

Eragon - Christopher Paolini
The Gunslinger - Stephen King
The drawing of the three - Stephen King
Taxi - Khaled el Khamissi (Highly recommended)

A random paste form loversfaraway.  Kinda makes me feel bad. Ahmed hasnt been handeling me well at all lately.



That, and as everyone said, communication. I bottle everything up until it comes out in one big volcanic spew of words and tears and nervous breakdown. He can tell when I'm getting to that point and talks me down, something I never got from any previous relationship.

I'm exactly the same way and my bf has been the only one who can sense when I'm starting to bottle things up and is able to get me to talk before I turn into a huge spewing volcano. It's amazing and has taught me to deal with issues right away and not wait for later. :)

I just grabbed as many copies as I could from my university's magazine 'the forum' and I seriously plan to give everybody a copy. My articles is published! No my NAME is published. AND my picture. And t feels AWESOM!

I been having career second thoughts lately. And this REALLY helps. I think this IS what I want to do. I want to be seen and heard.

The better news? I just found out orbit (one of the major TV networks in the middle east) comes to my university's employment fair. I HAVE to be SO ready for that next year.

There comes a point in any argument when things are said that can never be forgotten, and you know that your relationship with that person will never be the same again. And I just wish I can forget and act normally, but I know that the damage done will never be repaired.

I don't want you to lose me...

Remember the pride sin shot in se7en? When he cut the girl's face and let her choose between calling for help and killing herself?
 The choice has always been so clear to me. I don't fear death as much as I fear ugliness. If something does happen to me, I would die. But what scares me more is the stuff that happen to you over the years and you just don't notice. You wake up one day, look in the mirror (or get on the scale) and there...

What made the feeling more intense is looking at Honey's pictures. She was my friend back in hgihschool and I really liked her alot, then we lost contact untill she added me on facebook a few days back. I can't believe she got so fat and ugly in just 4 years, it's scary.

I wanna be prettier...

Zamalek fans protested in the club headquarters after the team's 1/0 defeat against Bany Ebeed, a third devision team.

The loss comes after the 6 winless matches followed by a single win, and it costed Zamalek its Egyptian cup title. ' We lost the title and we are fifth in the League standings. We are fed up', says Fondo, a member of the Ultras White Knights.

The protest turned violent when some of the fans tried to jump over the club's walls, but the security contained the situation.

Zamalek's situation keeps getting worse and many think it is headed toward a downfall. Those who see light at the end of the tunnel put hopes on the possible return of French Manager Henri Michel attributing the continous losses to current German Manager Reiner Hollman. Michel's boss Ptrice Mompese said however that they turned down Zamalek's offer due to the coache's commitment to Sundowns and that he can not confirm that Michel is going nowhere because of that commitment.

Zamalek broke the curse and won against the police union team. The precious 3/1 victory came after six consecutive losses for Zamalek.

'Zamalek had to win at any cost. Our last win was in October and analysts were starting to doubt if we'd still be in the premiership league by the end of the season', says Yasmine Al Shazly, a member of Ultras White Knights.

Shikabala scored the first goal on the 12th minute of the match and Abdul Halim Ali followed with a goal of his own 8 minutes before the first half ends. Ghanian striker Agogo scored the third goal in the 70th minute of the match, in a come back from his 3 match suspension.

Zamalek will be defending their Egyptian cup title in their next match against Bany Ebeed on Friday.

Inner peace comes from understanding that things are the way they are because that's how nature made them. They don't choose to be that way and they cannot be blamed for it. In fact, we are to be blamed if we expect them to act against their nature.

Why does fire burn?
Because it is fire.

Why does a tiger bite?
Because it is a tiger.

Why does she act like a low envious uneducated b****?
Because she IS a low envious uneducated b****.