He: but how can we maintain this momentum, how can we continue this level of lovemaking
She: we agreed that it is not the romantic love, it is not the ah and oooooh love, it is stronger, it is the mind love
He: indulge me please, I feel lost, for the first time I feel that I am not in control. Love but not love, mind-making love, are you creating a revolution in the love making process, as we know it.
She: I am! but I am not! It has existed forever but people thought that it comes from the heart though it really comes from the mind. I am of course talking here about the normal love making process; I am not talking about the love making that exists because of any other factors.
He: any other factors? What is this? Am I talking with an analyst here or am I talking with a sensual female that drove me nuts in the number II state of love conversation.
She: I drove you nuts because my mind was in full gear, in full satisfaction, in full desire, and my body just responded naturally to a very stimulating conversation.
He: that is too much for me, too much calculation, too much mind or whatever processing, I just want to make love, can we please do it, I am in the mood.
She: I am not! We are not animals here; I must feel stimulated before...
He: honey, love, baby, cutie pie... come to daddy...
She: my heart is telling me go, my body is pushing me to respond to you playing with me, I can not resist your hands and fingers, and your body indulging, but there is something missing...I can not..
He: Something is missing alright, for sure...too much thinking, you do not feel my love, my touches, we were unbelievable last night, until this brain thing came between us. Please honey, give your mind a break, let your body talks, listen to your body, it is begging you.
She: no dear, my body is not begging me, you are the one that is begging and it is so pathetic... honey, talk to me, stimulate my brain.
He: (busy roaming his everything all over her)
She: baby, stop, no more for now, I cannot make love with my body, I cannot make love with my heart, and I have to make love with my mind. I know it is hard, I know it is unnatural, I know that we are revolutionizing the love making process, I know it feels as if we are machines, but we are not, my mind has to get warm before my body part does.
He: ok, you go ahead and revolutionize the love making process, as for me, I'm not a revolutionary person, I go by the flow, and I'm very happy with the good old fashion love making process, where I use my other parts to make things happen and give my brain a break and just let the animal senses do the job
She: well, with me, tonight, right now, your animal senses cannot work.
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*Disclaimer:
For entertainment purposes only. Any resemblance with any real life situations or people is just a mere coincidence. These conversations are not related to any specific person or persons. They are general human observations from life.
Jamil Shawwa's Wire will focus on analyzing the news and the news behind the news, from all over the world and on any topic. Politics, peace, democracy and human rights will always be the headlines. Arts, books, human relations and human dimensions will also be present. The site is positioned to be a bridge that connects events and people. Objectivity, though in the eyes of the beholder, will always be paramount.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
*State of Love II a Sequel .......by Jamil Shawwa
He turned around in a very slow motion, in a very lazy way, more like rolling rather than turning and there she was with her eyes wide open, wearing nothing but her sensuality and a little warm cotton blanket that complemented her vibrant, silky and warm body as if it was part of hers. Her looks were so confident and satisfied as she was walking through his motions- with her eyes only- noticing every movement he has been making even before he woke up, looking towards him as if she was expecting him to look, roll or turn. He said good morning,
Good morning, she said, and gave him the smile of the victor, the satisfied, and her long by the shoulder, as he likes it, straight hair added vigor to her smile.
He: I am so happy
She: I am happy too
She: it is amazing
She: what
He: we were both together, in the same time, it rarely happens
She: rarely very true
He: how
She: not sure, and I do not want to know
He; you are right, why ruin the moment
She: no way, I still feel it
He: really
She: of course, it is still with me
He; oh yes, I remember now, we immediately slept
She: yes, we could not move from the bed and the bed did not want us to leave, there was a little of a struggle there but the bed won as if it wanted everything that happened to stay still.
He: I wonder if we can repeat the story, the action, I wonder if we can hit the replay button and have it all over again with no changes, just duplication
She: no way, I do not want to duplicate, I do not want to repeat the same thing; I do not.
He: but you said that it was something that rarely happens
She: yes, and that is why I do not want to duplicate...
He: so is it love
She: no, I mean it is not love the way we say and feel love, it is stronger, as if our minds who made love and not our bodies. Our minds made love even before we met. What followed was natural. It is so strong; we can make love to each other any time anywhere, even if we were not together. What we had was not love; it was the meeting of the minds in a very complicated way with the love making as the climax of that meeting.
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*Disclaimer:
For entertainment purposes only. Any resemblance with any real life situations or people is just a mere coincidence. These conversations are not related to any specific person or persons. They are general human observations from life.
Good morning, she said, and gave him the smile of the victor, the satisfied, and her long by the shoulder, as he likes it, straight hair added vigor to her smile.
He: I am so happy
She: I am happy too
She: it is amazing
She: what
He: we were both together, in the same time, it rarely happens
She: rarely very true
He: how
She: not sure, and I do not want to know
He; you are right, why ruin the moment
She: no way, I still feel it
He: really
She: of course, it is still with me
He; oh yes, I remember now, we immediately slept
She: yes, we could not move from the bed and the bed did not want us to leave, there was a little of a struggle there but the bed won as if it wanted everything that happened to stay still.
He: I wonder if we can repeat the story, the action, I wonder if we can hit the replay button and have it all over again with no changes, just duplication
She: no way, I do not want to duplicate, I do not want to repeat the same thing; I do not.
He: but you said that it was something that rarely happens
She: yes, and that is why I do not want to duplicate...
He: so is it love
She: no, I mean it is not love the way we say and feel love, it is stronger, as if our minds who made love and not our bodies. Our minds made love even before we met. What followed was natural. It is so strong; we can make love to each other any time anywhere, even if we were not together. What we had was not love; it was the meeting of the minds in a very complicated way with the love making as the climax of that meeting.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Disclaimer:
For entertainment purposes only. Any resemblance with any real life situations or people is just a mere coincidence. These conversations are not related to any specific person or persons. They are general human observations from life.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Religions In Public Schools....by Jamil Shawwa
I was fortunate enough to exchange some ideas with very distinguished friends on Facebook and I thought to bring my notes regarding religions in public schools into this third and final trio on public education. I believe in the separation between religions and public schools, Religions in public schools cannot be taught because of the diverse- in open societies- background of the students. Religions also are a private matter between the person and God or the persons' faith and whom they worship. Countries at some point must choose if they want to adapt secularism or theocratic form of government. Having a mix will not and does not work. There will always be conflicts between the two. In the United States, religions are not taught in public schools, period. There are countries though with special status as the Vatican and to a certain extend Saudi Arabia that the teaching of the religion is in the core of their existence. In the case of the Vatican, it is clear, as the head of the Catholic Church. In the case of Saudi Arabia, the country really is not a regular country with regular form of government but is fully based on the religion or the alliance between the royal family and the Wahabi sect of Islam. The family runs the country affairs and the Wahabi runs the religious foundation. It is for the Saudis as any other country to decide if they ever have the chance to decide. For the rest of the world, Parents who are interested in teaching their kids religions, any religion, can do that through private education. When students go to higher education, colleges and universities, they can study anything they want if it is their choice. Public schools by definition, is the main, free primary education for all. See the links below. While at school In Gaza and Jerusalem, my heart broke during the religion class every time my colleagues who happen to be Christians would leave the classroom and go to another classroom. This should not happen; no one should ever feel different based on religion, race, color, cultural background, language, gender, etc. Maybe the logistics demanded this situation, but the style and the procedures matter. That practice existed and probably still exists in The Middle East even in private schools. Still, public schools are different, they are usually funded completely by the taxpayers’ money and it is for all. I agree that students from other religions had their religious teaching but the point I want to make is that those who happen to be Christians had to leave the classroom, and not us the Muslims, why? Because they were few students, less than 5% sometimes of the class population. This was humiliating. Now, maybe if we all had to leave that class and go somewhere else, maybe the picture would have been easier to swallow. Again, people will differ about the role of religions in society, I think religious schools can exist and should exist in any society as parallel to the public education. In the United States, you can send your children to any kind of schools as long as it is authorized and licensed by the state. We have here Jewish schools, Christian schools, Muslims, Hindu, etc.
In Cairo University, also, the non-Muslims were required to go through Islamic laws and the Quran teaching concerning the legal system classes because it is part of the legal system. Again, what if a society decides with their 100% free well that they want the religion to be part of the system and that they want the religion to be taught. In that case, religions in law schools for example must be taught to all because it is part of the legal system and has nothing to do with coercing a student to learn something that is not part of their beliefs.
During our Facebook discussion which actually was triggered by a piece of news that came from Egypt stating that there were acts in certain areas of forcing non-Muslims to read and memorize verses of the Quran. I replied stating if that practice exists, forcing nun-Muslims to read and memorize verses of the Quran, then this is a crime by itself in my book and it should immediately be banned and fought by all legal means.
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Read: http://arabamericanwire.blogspot.com/2010/04/public-education-in-united-state.html
http://arabamericanwire.blogspot.com/2010/04/education-in-arab-world-by-jamil-shawwa.html ...
In Cairo University, also, the non-Muslims were required to go through Islamic laws and the Quran teaching concerning the legal system classes because it is part of the legal system. Again, what if a society decides with their 100% free well that they want the religion to be part of the system and that they want the religion to be taught. In that case, religions in law schools for example must be taught to all because it is part of the legal system and has nothing to do with coercing a student to learn something that is not part of their beliefs.
During our Facebook discussion which actually was triggered by a piece of news that came from Egypt stating that there were acts in certain areas of forcing non-Muslims to read and memorize verses of the Quran. I replied stating if that practice exists, forcing nun-Muslims to read and memorize verses of the Quran, then this is a crime by itself in my book and it should immediately be banned and fought by all legal means.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Read: http://arabamericanwire.blogspot.com/2010/04/public-education-in-united-state.html
http://arabamericanwire.blogspot.com/2010/04/education-in-arab-world-by-jamil-shawwa.html ...
Friday, April 16, 2010
Public Education in the United States... Political Analysis by Jamil Shawwa
In Brown Vs. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954), The Warren Court, in reference to Earl Warren, the United States Supreme Court Chief Justice, the *Court declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students and denying black children equal educational opportunities unconstitutional. That ruling at that time reestablished The United States Supreme Court active role in shaping and reshaping the nature of the political system in America. Public education movement started in my opinion from that day on. In 1957, President Eisenhower used the ultimate federal power by sending troops to Little Rock, Arkansas- Hometown of Bill Clinton- to open the road and the path for nine black students to attend an all white public school. That action has not been done since reconstruction that followed the civil war between the south and the north. President Kennedy in the early 60s did something similar. All these historic events were the foundations to the current public school system that we have now here in the United States. The system politically is not perfect yet, states specially in the south until now tries to rezone certain districts to avoid just appealing as discriminatory, making sure to try to avoid a one ethnic public schools. Of course, it is there now but not based on segregation among ethnic groups but mainly due to the demographics. **The public school system provides the rights to all children in America to have a free education until grade 12, or the end of high school. The system is run by the states with overall ***legal supervision and monetary influence from the federal government. The education concept in America is different than any other country or at least it's purpose is highlighted in a way that you do not find in any other society as ****Jeanne Lombardo explains and I quote "Yet, many Americans also believed that too much learning might set one citizen above another, thus violating the democratic ideals that education was supposed to promote. Education should, in the minds of ordinary people, be geared to provide direct practical benefits. It should focus on providing training for a livelihood. Anything beyond that was considered elite." when I first went to school, then college, and then to the graduate school, my goal really was to obtain the degrees but the concept above makes all the sense. Education is not a goal by itself or it should not be a goal by itself, it is a vehicle to a goal, better living, more enjoyment and giving back to the community that you live in and personal prosperity. Our public schools though the concept is excellent; the practice is not. The system is falling behind in many states and within each state for many reasons. Teachers are not inspiring children as they used to do, they are worried rightly so in part about there livelihood, schools can downsize and either relocate teachers, moving them to part time or laying them off. Some teachers as here in the District of Columbia, Washington DC, have been fighting to keep the tenure system, which in a way provides employment for life though many are not qualified. Michelle A. Rhee, Washington DC School Chancellor has been pioneering this effort of breaking the tenure system. I know Washington DC and I know some other areas, and I know the teachers and I know that the system needs to be reformed.
*****"Waiting For Superman" a movie that tells the stories of many children across metro areas in America as Washington DC, Los Angeles, and New York City that focused on the deteriorating state of our public schools system across the country. It shows stories about kids who could not read or do math and it shows according to it's writer, see footnote below, how our kids are getting depressed because the system is telling them that they are below average and that they can not keep up and that they are in a sense do not belong here. Our kids are suffering; the way we grade our first grade and second grade kids is appalling, so complicated that when I looked at my daughter's report card I got shocked, first I did not understand and had to bring an interpreter, the wife, who said that she does not recall having the same thing when she was a kid and then I went to my regular teacher-parent conference and that teacher looked at me as if I was coming from outer space or some sort of an alien. The kids in second grade are judged based on 14 categories, again, I, with two law degrees could not understand who is the genius or the lunatic, it depends on how you look at things, which came up with such system. What are we trying to do here, are we trying to create a super human, and are we trying to outcast any child that might appear as normal or not genius.
I had lunch today with a gracious lady friend who told me that her relative's 12 years old daughter was required to do an Excel sheet with graphs and point markers, what is that, and present a power point presentation. Ok, we need to compete and we need to be the best in everything but at what price, and if we are doing it, are we succeeding, and if we have been succeeding, why are we importing scientists and medical experts, doctors and nurses from all over the world to cover the shortage we have here. I must though intercept myself here to state that America has and will always be the place that will attract people from all over the world to come and succeed. This is how America was built and this is part of America’s genius, it is really the melting pot of all human civilizations. After that interception, I have to say that to continue that strategy, we must as well take care of those at home and continue to promote a solid inspiring education. The kids are afraid and they should not, the teachers are worried and sometimes not qualified and they should not. One more thing, to those mad geniuses that created the grading system and the report cards and all these psychological tests to check the abilities of our normal kids, I have one or two words, get a life.
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* wikipedia
**wikipedia-Public education can also be post-secondary education, advanced education, or universities, colleges, .... University Press of America. ISBN 0-7618-3331-5.
*** States have to comply with the constitution of the United States and federal court decisions and federal laws.
**** suite101.com
***** http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2010/04/what_to_fight_for_in_americas.html
*****"Waiting For Superman" a movie that tells the stories of many children across metro areas in America as Washington DC, Los Angeles, and New York City that focused on the deteriorating state of our public schools system across the country. It shows stories about kids who could not read or do math and it shows according to it's writer, see footnote below, how our kids are getting depressed because the system is telling them that they are below average and that they can not keep up and that they are in a sense do not belong here. Our kids are suffering; the way we grade our first grade and second grade kids is appalling, so complicated that when I looked at my daughter's report card I got shocked, first I did not understand and had to bring an interpreter, the wife, who said that she does not recall having the same thing when she was a kid and then I went to my regular teacher-parent conference and that teacher looked at me as if I was coming from outer space or some sort of an alien. The kids in second grade are judged based on 14 categories, again, I, with two law degrees could not understand who is the genius or the lunatic, it depends on how you look at things, which came up with such system. What are we trying to do here, are we trying to create a super human, and are we trying to outcast any child that might appear as normal or not genius.
I had lunch today with a gracious lady friend who told me that her relative's 12 years old daughter was required to do an Excel sheet with graphs and point markers, what is that, and present a power point presentation. Ok, we need to compete and we need to be the best in everything but at what price, and if we are doing it, are we succeeding, and if we have been succeeding, why are we importing scientists and medical experts, doctors and nurses from all over the world to cover the shortage we have here. I must though intercept myself here to state that America has and will always be the place that will attract people from all over the world to come and succeed. This is how America was built and this is part of America’s genius, it is really the melting pot of all human civilizations. After that interception, I have to say that to continue that strategy, we must as well take care of those at home and continue to promote a solid inspiring education. The kids are afraid and they should not, the teachers are worried and sometimes not qualified and they should not. One more thing, to those mad geniuses that created the grading system and the report cards and all these psychological tests to check the abilities of our normal kids, I have one or two words, get a life.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* wikipedia
**wikipedia-Public education can also be post-secondary education, advanced education, or universities, colleges, .... University Press of America. ISBN 0-7618-3331-5.
*** States have to comply with the constitution of the United States and federal court decisions and federal laws.
**** suite101.com
***** http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2010/04/what_to_fight_for_in_americas.html
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
*A Journey in a Woman's mind...by Jamil Shawwa
She is confused,
She is angry
She does not know what to do
She thinks that she is in love
Nevertheless, she does not know how to handle
He is different,
He is stubborn
He is strong, or maybe he thinks he is
She is weak, or maybe she thinks that she is weak
She thinks that he is strong
She might have misunderstood his kindness as a sign of
Weakness
She has someone that she does not love
Or she thinks that she does not love
She is bored with her life or thinks that she is
She is confused, but not desperate, she fluctuates and
changes her mind faster than a bird switching or flying from tree to tree, or a crazy driver swaying from lane to lane, not knowing where to go or how to go...
She is not willing to enjoy the ride or the Journey. She is only looking for the destination.
She does not know that in order to reach the destination, you must go through the Journey
She might have finally realized that she is best if she is left to the way she is, no change needed, change is difficult, and sometimes it is just not needed. She prefers security to happiness.
He wishes her the best, and wishes her love and stability; she deserves them, every human does.
-------------------------------------------------------------
*Disclaimer:
For entertainment purposes only. Any resemblance with any real life situations or people is just a mere coincidence. These conversations are not related to any specific person or persons. They are general human observations from life.
She is angry
She does not know what to do
She thinks that she is in love
Nevertheless, she does not know how to handle
He is different,
He is stubborn
He is strong, or maybe he thinks he is
She is weak, or maybe she thinks that she is weak
She thinks that he is strong
She might have misunderstood his kindness as a sign of
Weakness
She has someone that she does not love
Or she thinks that she does not love
She is bored with her life or thinks that she is
She is confused, but not desperate, she fluctuates and
changes her mind faster than a bird switching or flying from tree to tree, or a crazy driver swaying from lane to lane, not knowing where to go or how to go...
She is not willing to enjoy the ride or the Journey. She is only looking for the destination.
She does not know that in order to reach the destination, you must go through the Journey
She might have finally realized that she is best if she is left to the way she is, no change needed, change is difficult, and sometimes it is just not needed. She prefers security to happiness.
He wishes her the best, and wishes her love and stability; she deserves them, every human does.
-------------------------------------------------------------
*Disclaimer:
For entertainment purposes only. Any resemblance with any real life situations or people is just a mere coincidence. These conversations are not related to any specific person or persons. They are general human observations from life.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
*I have a Headache; I am not in the Mood.......by Jamil Shawwa
She: I am not in the mood
He: you are never in the mood, not sure what to do
She: not sure what to do with what? The lovemaking or me?
He: well, now this is a cheap shot. I meant you. No problem there in the lovemaking.
She: try new things, you always do your routine, I am bored.
He: well, why do not you be creative this time and try to finesse me...
She: Not in the mood, I have a headache
He: oh, yeah, the headache story...again, it is the oldest trick in the book
She: what do you mean; you think I am lying, and what book are you talking about?
He: The lovemaking book, anyway, but it has been a month since you have been having these headaches, maybe you should examine your head_ he is saying that maliciously, he means her mental status.
She: no, I am ok, it comes and goes... and I got the real meaning by the way, do not try to be clever.
He: yes, it comes and goes when I come and it goes when I leave the bed. I notice things, you know, I am not completely blind as you think.
She: well, you have to live with it.
He: until when
She: until I am in the mood
He: oh, very kind of you, so you want me to be on a leash, a poppy dog, you call and cuddle when you are in the mood and kick away and lock somewhere when you are not in the mood. Well, no more.
She: no, honey.
He: please do not honey me; I have not tasted it for over a month and it all because of you
She -maliciously-: I have few Jars in the kitchen; help yourself.
He: oh, thanks a million, I live here and I do not know where the honey is
She: you asked
He: you know what I meant; stop playing mind games
She: I do not understand; I am not excited anymore, I mean, I do not get excited easily anymore.
He: why don't you take some hormones, they might help, even you
She: even me, ok, I will let it pass this time. It is not the hormones, I checked, I am ok.
He: well, then, this left only one other reason for your condition, maybe... me.
She: I do not know, it is not the same
He: the same! You just said that you do not want to do it because it is the same routine, now you are saying that you do not want to do it because it is not the same... I think we might need to test your mental status, Love.
She: Love... you have not called me love in quite some time
He: I have been calling you, but you have not been listening, you see my lips moving but you do not hear me. You look at me and I am just a ghost.
She: honey, stop it, not sure what happened but I am starting to feel your words in my ears, your picture is getting clearer, I see the real you. Baby, it seems that the headache is gone all of a sudden, not sure why, I'm starting to feel my body more; it is talking back to me, it is urging me to do something, it is kicking all over. I am starting to notice things in you that I have not seen in quite some time, at least from this angle. Go ahead, use the same routine, and do not change a thing...
He: well, I am...
She: Shush, turn off the lights and wrinkle the sheets.
He: Yes, Ma'am
-------------------------------------------------------------
*Disclaimer:
For entertainment purposes only. Any resemblance with any real life situations or people is just a mere coincidence. These conversations are not related to any specific person or persons. They are general human observations from life.
He: you are never in the mood, not sure what to do
She: not sure what to do with what? The lovemaking or me?
He: well, now this is a cheap shot. I meant you. No problem there in the lovemaking.
She: try new things, you always do your routine, I am bored.
He: well, why do not you be creative this time and try to finesse me...
She: Not in the mood, I have a headache
He: oh, yeah, the headache story...again, it is the oldest trick in the book
She: what do you mean; you think I am lying, and what book are you talking about?
He: The lovemaking book, anyway, but it has been a month since you have been having these headaches, maybe you should examine your head_ he is saying that maliciously, he means her mental status.
She: no, I am ok, it comes and goes... and I got the real meaning by the way, do not try to be clever.
He: yes, it comes and goes when I come and it goes when I leave the bed. I notice things, you know, I am not completely blind as you think.
She: well, you have to live with it.
He: until when
She: until I am in the mood
He: oh, very kind of you, so you want me to be on a leash, a poppy dog, you call and cuddle when you are in the mood and kick away and lock somewhere when you are not in the mood. Well, no more.
She: no, honey.
He: please do not honey me; I have not tasted it for over a month and it all because of you
She -maliciously-: I have few Jars in the kitchen; help yourself.
He: oh, thanks a million, I live here and I do not know where the honey is
She: you asked
He: you know what I meant; stop playing mind games
She: I do not understand; I am not excited anymore, I mean, I do not get excited easily anymore.
He: why don't you take some hormones, they might help, even you
She: even me, ok, I will let it pass this time. It is not the hormones, I checked, I am ok.
He: well, then, this left only one other reason for your condition, maybe... me.
She: I do not know, it is not the same
He: the same! You just said that you do not want to do it because it is the same routine, now you are saying that you do not want to do it because it is not the same... I think we might need to test your mental status, Love.
She: Love... you have not called me love in quite some time
He: I have been calling you, but you have not been listening, you see my lips moving but you do not hear me. You look at me and I am just a ghost.
She: honey, stop it, not sure what happened but I am starting to feel your words in my ears, your picture is getting clearer, I see the real you. Baby, it seems that the headache is gone all of a sudden, not sure why, I'm starting to feel my body more; it is talking back to me, it is urging me to do something, it is kicking all over. I am starting to notice things in you that I have not seen in quite some time, at least from this angle. Go ahead, use the same routine, and do not change a thing...
He: well, I am...
She: Shush, turn off the lights and wrinkle the sheets.
He: Yes, Ma'am
-------------------------------------------------------------
*Disclaimer:
For entertainment purposes only. Any resemblance with any real life situations or people is just a mere coincidence. These conversations are not related to any specific person or persons. They are general human observations from life.
Thursday, April 08, 2010
*State of Love....by Jamil Shawwa
She: you cannot love me
He: why
She: because you do not love me, you love the woman inside me
He: same thing
She: No, I am unique, I am me, nobody else, but the woman in me is found in every woman
He: I am afraid that you have lost me...maybe I am not smart enough to follow this complicated logic and philosophy
She, smiling: that we know.... when you look at me, you do not see me, when you touch me, you do not touch me, when you make love to me, it is not with me.
He: I am listening
She: it is the female that you are seeking, it is the joy that you have in the company of women..This is your life; I am just one that happened to be passing by you. You did not find me; you stumbled by me. I see it in every minute you spend with me or when I am away from you.
He: you are giving me more credits than I deserve, that is if we want to consider what you just said a credit.
She: maybe, you love every woman on earth, you enjoy the touch of any woman, and you would love to make love to every female body. When you go to places, your eyes are all over the place, it is so embarrassing, to me I mean, not you, you love it. I feel your love but I do not feel special, I do not feel unique, I just feel a number and not a human. Probably if I leave now and another woman passes by your table, you would invite her and continue the conversation we had just before I left but not with me, with her, as if nothing has changed and as if no new woman, another woman is setting with you and not me. How can I feel unique if I know that this is the way you feel. I do not want to be a number, I want to be yours, but I cannot stay with you if you cannot remember my name
He: your name is....
She: see, I told you, you could not even say it. You just love love.
-------------------------------------------------------------
*Disclaimer:
For entertainment purposes only. Any resemblance with any real life situations or people is just a mere coincidence. These conversations are not related to any specific person or persons. They are general human observations from life.
He: why
She: because you do not love me, you love the woman inside me
He: same thing
She: No, I am unique, I am me, nobody else, but the woman in me is found in every woman
He: I am afraid that you have lost me...maybe I am not smart enough to follow this complicated logic and philosophy
She, smiling: that we know.... when you look at me, you do not see me, when you touch me, you do not touch me, when you make love to me, it is not with me.
He: I am listening
She: it is the female that you are seeking, it is the joy that you have in the company of women..This is your life; I am just one that happened to be passing by you. You did not find me; you stumbled by me. I see it in every minute you spend with me or when I am away from you.
He: you are giving me more credits than I deserve, that is if we want to consider what you just said a credit.
She: maybe, you love every woman on earth, you enjoy the touch of any woman, and you would love to make love to every female body. When you go to places, your eyes are all over the place, it is so embarrassing, to me I mean, not you, you love it. I feel your love but I do not feel special, I do not feel unique, I just feel a number and not a human. Probably if I leave now and another woman passes by your table, you would invite her and continue the conversation we had just before I left but not with me, with her, as if nothing has changed and as if no new woman, another woman is setting with you and not me. How can I feel unique if I know that this is the way you feel. I do not want to be a number, I want to be yours, but I cannot stay with you if you cannot remember my name
He: your name is....
She: see, I told you, you could not even say it. You just love love.
-------------------------------------------------------------
*Disclaimer:
For entertainment purposes only. Any resemblance with any real life situations or people is just a mere coincidence. These conversations are not related to any specific person or persons. They are general human observations from life.
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
Education in The Arab World.... by Jamil Shawwa
In my opinion, and I lived in couple of places in The Middle East and The Arab World, that, well, probably again as in any society in the world, education starts with the family and then schools. The main problem in the education system in the Arab world is that it is so centralized and so under the complete and sole responsibilities of the governments. There are of course private schools as anywhere else, but the focus of this piece here is on public education. Schools in the Arab world are not schools but are shelters to put the children in, open their brains and pour the information, then close the brains on anything else. There is no creativity and there is no training on how to think. The education should be based on the following, and I am talking from my own experience with the education in four places: Gaza, Jerusalem, Cairo, and the United States:
1- Free education for all up to 12th grade, secondary school. Decentralized the schools to accept funds, and donations and create a parallel PTA system- Parents Teachers Association to monitor and support the school system. Public schools in America are free until the end of high school. PTAs help schools be better, raise funds, participate in school activities and maintain the schools physically with the help of the local governments, the state and the county.
2- No more, free higher education. My law school in Cairo University was like a warehouse and not a place for enlightenment. Once, I had -arguably- a mentally retarded dean by the name of Dr. Noman Gomaa, who became later the chairman of Al-Wafd political party and then was kicked out for trying to dictate and at some point violently his ways on the party; he was calling for democracy and he was the ultimate dictator. While he was dean of law school at Cairo University, he banned us, the students, from entering the main entrance of the main building and ordered the staff to administer the student work through windows from the outside. This dean is not the exception. Egypt's example applies probably to every Arab country; I mentioned it because I happened to study there and not to pick on the country. Egypt has contributed tremendously to the overall modernity in the Arab world and it continues to do so.
3- Free, the government or the state owned universities, meaning, create board of trustees to run the universities as in all advanced societies. The board of Trustees is responsible to raise funds and establish the overall policies. This type of universities- as in the US- though technically established and funded by public funds, it is chartered to run its own affairs and it has complete independence under the overall general guidelines of the state.
4- Allow, based on a credential process, the establishment of private schools. It exists right now in almost every Arab country but it needs to be more encouraged.
5- Most importantly and hopefully, as in any advanced society, companies and individuals once they see the transparency and the credibility of the school system, would donate funds for their schools and colleges. Business people and private companies and organizations are not encouraged to donate, they feel that their donations might open a can of warms as for the source of their fortunes. In a culture that believes in conspiracy theories, self-doubt and random and baseless accusation, people with means to contribute are extremely discouraged. Education is a lifetime process, it starts through the parents or the guardians from the moment the child opens its eyes to the end. In between the start and the end, there are many stages, schools are the spine of education, straighten the spine and the whole body will be straight and healthy.
1- Free education for all up to 12th grade, secondary school. Decentralized the schools to accept funds, and donations and create a parallel PTA system- Parents Teachers Association to monitor and support the school system. Public schools in America are free until the end of high school. PTAs help schools be better, raise funds, participate in school activities and maintain the schools physically with the help of the local governments, the state and the county.
2- No more, free higher education. My law school in Cairo University was like a warehouse and not a place for enlightenment. Once, I had -arguably- a mentally retarded dean by the name of Dr. Noman Gomaa, who became later the chairman of Al-Wafd political party and then was kicked out for trying to dictate and at some point violently his ways on the party; he was calling for democracy and he was the ultimate dictator. While he was dean of law school at Cairo University, he banned us, the students, from entering the main entrance of the main building and ordered the staff to administer the student work through windows from the outside. This dean is not the exception. Egypt's example applies probably to every Arab country; I mentioned it because I happened to study there and not to pick on the country. Egypt has contributed tremendously to the overall modernity in the Arab world and it continues to do so.
3- Free, the government or the state owned universities, meaning, create board of trustees to run the universities as in all advanced societies. The board of Trustees is responsible to raise funds and establish the overall policies. This type of universities- as in the US- though technically established and funded by public funds, it is chartered to run its own affairs and it has complete independence under the overall general guidelines of the state.
4- Allow, based on a credential process, the establishment of private schools. It exists right now in almost every Arab country but it needs to be more encouraged.
5- Most importantly and hopefully, as in any advanced society, companies and individuals once they see the transparency and the credibility of the school system, would donate funds for their schools and colleges. Business people and private companies and organizations are not encouraged to donate, they feel that their donations might open a can of warms as for the source of their fortunes. In a culture that believes in conspiracy theories, self-doubt and random and baseless accusation, people with means to contribute are extremely discouraged. Education is a lifetime process, it starts through the parents or the guardians from the moment the child opens its eyes to the end. In between the start and the end, there are many stages, schools are the spine of education, straighten the spine and the whole body will be straight and healthy.
Sunday, April 04, 2010
*Wife Says: Words, words, words, and more words….you only give me words….by Jamil Shawwa
He: It is my turn to speak up now; enough silence and enough complacency. You have no feelings.
She: wow, someone is up early this morning, I wish though if it was the other thing, my little thing..
He: yes, I am up and I am not going down until I get justice around this house or something. Oh, please, and what are you talking about that other thing, you have no shame, it is always ready but it does not have the right key to turn it on.
She: do not play the victim part here, do not use what you think is a political skill that you have; you do not, to turn the tables upside down.
He: you cannot blame me for revolting, all these years of no communications, no talk, even when it was done, the thing you know, it was so mechanical, no feelings and no warmth.
She: well, you need to warm me up.
He: oh, God, not again, you set there do nothing and except me to warm you up. Please work with me here.
She: you lost interest; you do not like me anymore. Your interests are somewhere else, far away or maybe close, not sure.
He: all this love, that is it, no use, I do not know what to say. There is one word remaining in my dictionary that I am very hesitant to use.
She: go ahead, have the guts to use it, you are afraid, you know that I have the same word but I have the guts to use and so far decided not to.
He: you do not deserve it, you never did.
She: what; it seems that we are talking about different words. Ok, I have an idea, let us write our words on paper and open them up together and see if we both have the same word.
He: ok, here goes nothing
She: oh, God, I cannot believe it, maybe we should not play this game.
He: let me see what you wrote. Aha, I knew it, your word was Divorce me, and my word was; I love you. Well, that is it I guess, no more peace efforts, no more negotiations, and no more nice and little talk. The time is now, either now or never..
She: ok, ok stop it, lunch is ready.
-------------------------------------------------------------
*Disclaimer:
For entertainment purposes only. Any resemblance with any real life situations or people is just a mere coincidence. These conversations are not related to any specific person or persons. They are general human observations from life.
She: wow, someone is up early this morning, I wish though if it was the other thing, my little thing..
He: yes, I am up and I am not going down until I get justice around this house or something. Oh, please, and what are you talking about that other thing, you have no shame, it is always ready but it does not have the right key to turn it on.
She: do not play the victim part here, do not use what you think is a political skill that you have; you do not, to turn the tables upside down.
He: you cannot blame me for revolting, all these years of no communications, no talk, even when it was done, the thing you know, it was so mechanical, no feelings and no warmth.
She: well, you need to warm me up.
He: oh, God, not again, you set there do nothing and except me to warm you up. Please work with me here.
She: you lost interest; you do not like me anymore. Your interests are somewhere else, far away or maybe close, not sure.
He: all this love, that is it, no use, I do not know what to say. There is one word remaining in my dictionary that I am very hesitant to use.
She: go ahead, have the guts to use it, you are afraid, you know that I have the same word but I have the guts to use and so far decided not to.
He: you do not deserve it, you never did.
She: what; it seems that we are talking about different words. Ok, I have an idea, let us write our words on paper and open them up together and see if we both have the same word.
He: ok, here goes nothing
She: oh, God, I cannot believe it, maybe we should not play this game.
He: let me see what you wrote. Aha, I knew it, your word was Divorce me, and my word was; I love you. Well, that is it I guess, no more peace efforts, no more negotiations, and no more nice and little talk. The time is now, either now or never..
She: ok, ok stop it, lunch is ready.
-------------------------------------------------------------
*Disclaimer:
For entertainment purposes only. Any resemblance with any real life situations or people is just a mere coincidence. These conversations are not related to any specific person or persons. They are general human observations from life.
Thursday, April 01, 2010
*Divorce Socrates Wife.....by Jamil Shawwa
Socrates wife was very famous, not as famous as her husband was, the great Greek philosopher but she was famous. She was well known not for enriching the world with science and philosophy but for her terrible temper, bad manners and the daily dose of mental torture of which she used to supply her husband.
Some claim that if it were not for her mental torture and abuse, he would not have been the great philosopher who gave humanity a wealth of information on all subjects of life; Theories historians and modern scientists built on. He was famous of trying to get answers to anything and everything, loved to argue and discuss, of course, this style did not set well with the wife.
I do not want to judge Socrates wife, I was not there to witness the treatment. Maybe he was terrible with her, maybe he never understood her, maybe she was very demanding -or not at all- in bed and elsewhere, and he did not enjoy making love with her, maybe his type of women are different.
Again, the maybes go on and on. The main issues here, regardless if it was his or hers, that there have been problems and the problems are, why we humans or some of us at least keep associate ourselves with people who torture us, mentally I mean. Why do we stick with them? Why Socrates did not divorce his wife, and why she did not ask for a divorce, maybe she did, I am not sure.
We tend to accept the norms, we tend to stay with what we think is secure; probably we do not know any better or mostly we are lazy to make a change, that is sometimes a drastic however so important change.
A woman who does not love her companion once said that she is with him until someone else or better comes along. What logic is this and what character is hers. That woman is not alone, probably most of us share the same mentality or opportunistic approach, and that is why most people are still married or in relationships.
We tend to accept the comfortable, and to accept destiny without questioning. Again, it is laziness more than anything else-in my opinion, probably that is the main thing, or there are other people that depend on the relationship to continue. Socrates was the exception to the rule, we are not; we are just normal humans.
Some claim that if it were not for her mental torture and abuse, he would not have been the great philosopher who gave humanity a wealth of information on all subjects of life; Theories historians and modern scientists built on. He was famous of trying to get answers to anything and everything, loved to argue and discuss, of course, this style did not set well with the wife.
I do not want to judge Socrates wife, I was not there to witness the treatment. Maybe he was terrible with her, maybe he never understood her, maybe she was very demanding -or not at all- in bed and elsewhere, and he did not enjoy making love with her, maybe his type of women are different.
Again, the maybes go on and on. The main issues here, regardless if it was his or hers, that there have been problems and the problems are, why we humans or some of us at least keep associate ourselves with people who torture us, mentally I mean. Why do we stick with them? Why Socrates did not divorce his wife, and why she did not ask for a divorce, maybe she did, I am not sure.
We tend to accept the norms, we tend to stay with what we think is secure; probably we do not know any better or mostly we are lazy to make a change, that is sometimes a drastic however so important change.
A woman who does not love her companion once said that she is with him until someone else or better comes along. What logic is this and what character is hers. That woman is not alone, probably most of us share the same mentality or opportunistic approach, and that is why most people are still married or in relationships.
We tend to accept the comfortable, and to accept destiny without questioning. Again, it is laziness more than anything else-in my opinion, probably that is the main thing, or there are other people that depend on the relationship to continue. Socrates was the exception to the rule, we are not; we are just normal humans.
Mr. Putin Runs Moscow.....by Jamil Shawwa
A relative once told me: Son, Intelligence Services rule the world. This statement is at least true when it comes to the star of this article, the former KGB officer and the former Russian president and the current Prime Minister of Russia under his protégé the Russian president Medvedev, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin.
Putin has become a Russian phenomenon. People of Russia love him, trust him, and in the same time are afraid even to question him not out of fear but out of the unknown. the Russians have used since and before the Bolshevik revolution to have a father figure to run the country, the Cesar was until the bloody communist revolution erupted in 1917 and ended the Romanov Family reign of power and it continued with the communists.
Mr. Putin is what some writers and philosophers refer to as the "just dictator" that societies are willing to surrender some of their rights to that one person who they can trust that will provide the basics for them, shelter and security.
I think Russia is moving away from this social contract. Putin will continue to govern the Russian Federation either as number one or number two or he might just at some point withdraws from the scene once he feels comfortable about the stability of Russia.
I was talking the other day with a Russian, originally Ukrainian, woman at work and she said that she does not think that Putin wants to be president again, she said that she believes that he is more comfortable in being the king maker rather than the king himself. I am not sure that I agree completely with her views, I think he might run for president again after the term of Mr. Medvedev ends in 2012. He after all might not follow the conventional wisdom.
Prime Minister Putin has succeeded to a certain degree in stabilizing Russia after the transitional period of president Yeltsin. He controlled to a certain degree but to a comfortable degree the outlaws that run havoc of the country kidnapping and killing the innocent and each other.
Moscow and Russia are much safer right now more than they have been through the first few years following the collapse of communism, the departure of the last communist president, Gorbachev and the reign of Boris Yeltsin.
Still, investors need to have more rule of law to invest heavily in Russia and more due process to ensure that the mood swings no longer exist and that capital can invest freely without the fear of a government takeover or confiscation.
Putin and the Russian government control directly or indirectly the oil section and it will continue for a while; it is in their opinion the lifeline of Russia. In the United States, our oil companies are controlled by their boards of directors, in Russia Putin is the board of directors.
The most recent and ongoing challenges for Putin have been the terrorists coming from Chechnya and this is Russia's focus now. The terrorists can be defeated, it is not a dreamer's wish, but it is a reality, however, their defeat cannot be done by ignoring the basic needs of Chechnya's and the other republics that felt for ages that the central government in Russia treats them like, correctly so, third class citizens. Russia and Putin must embrace diversity and by doing that, he will isolate the terrorists. Terrorism strives in unjust societies; it feeds on the suffering of the masses. Cut that carbon monoxide from the people, the masses, allow the oxygen to come in their veins and the terrorists will disappear. This is not wishful thinking, it is a way that deserves to be tried and examined.
Russia is a vast country with multiple ethnic groups, republics, cultures. Putin's job is to recreate the Russian identity and build bridges and tunnels to connect the country. He can do that maybe by living to the name of Russia, The Russian Federation, by creating the states system as we have here in the Untied States with each state having an elected governor and parliament to run its affairs while the federal government maintains the overall harmony and sovereignty.
With the state system, you can have a federal government, a federal high court and a federal police and military. Each state, again as in the US, will have its own local state and county law enforcement powers and local or state high court. This system if done and agreed upon in a referendum would ensure Russia's future and will establish Putin as a world and historic leader. I think, as little as I know, that Putin has the seeds to be a great leader, he has the charisma, the experience, the temperament and the popularity. What else does Putin need, one thing, action and actual show of leadership.
Putin has become a Russian phenomenon. People of Russia love him, trust him, and in the same time are afraid even to question him not out of fear but out of the unknown. the Russians have used since and before the Bolshevik revolution to have a father figure to run the country, the Cesar was until the bloody communist revolution erupted in 1917 and ended the Romanov Family reign of power and it continued with the communists.
Mr. Putin is what some writers and philosophers refer to as the "just dictator" that societies are willing to surrender some of their rights to that one person who they can trust that will provide the basics for them, shelter and security.
I think Russia is moving away from this social contract. Putin will continue to govern the Russian Federation either as number one or number two or he might just at some point withdraws from the scene once he feels comfortable about the stability of Russia.
I was talking the other day with a Russian, originally Ukrainian, woman at work and she said that she does not think that Putin wants to be president again, she said that she believes that he is more comfortable in being the king maker rather than the king himself. I am not sure that I agree completely with her views, I think he might run for president again after the term of Mr. Medvedev ends in 2012. He after all might not follow the conventional wisdom.
Prime Minister Putin has succeeded to a certain degree in stabilizing Russia after the transitional period of president Yeltsin. He controlled to a certain degree but to a comfortable degree the outlaws that run havoc of the country kidnapping and killing the innocent and each other.
Moscow and Russia are much safer right now more than they have been through the first few years following the collapse of communism, the departure of the last communist president, Gorbachev and the reign of Boris Yeltsin.
Still, investors need to have more rule of law to invest heavily in Russia and more due process to ensure that the mood swings no longer exist and that capital can invest freely without the fear of a government takeover or confiscation.
Putin and the Russian government control directly or indirectly the oil section and it will continue for a while; it is in their opinion the lifeline of Russia. In the United States, our oil companies are controlled by their boards of directors, in Russia Putin is the board of directors.
The most recent and ongoing challenges for Putin have been the terrorists coming from Chechnya and this is Russia's focus now. The terrorists can be defeated, it is not a dreamer's wish, but it is a reality, however, their defeat cannot be done by ignoring the basic needs of Chechnya's and the other republics that felt for ages that the central government in Russia treats them like, correctly so, third class citizens. Russia and Putin must embrace diversity and by doing that, he will isolate the terrorists. Terrorism strives in unjust societies; it feeds on the suffering of the masses. Cut that carbon monoxide from the people, the masses, allow the oxygen to come in their veins and the terrorists will disappear. This is not wishful thinking, it is a way that deserves to be tried and examined.
Russia is a vast country with multiple ethnic groups, republics, cultures. Putin's job is to recreate the Russian identity and build bridges and tunnels to connect the country. He can do that maybe by living to the name of Russia, The Russian Federation, by creating the states system as we have here in the Untied States with each state having an elected governor and parliament to run its affairs while the federal government maintains the overall harmony and sovereignty.
With the state system, you can have a federal government, a federal high court and a federal police and military. Each state, again as in the US, will have its own local state and county law enforcement powers and local or state high court. This system if done and agreed upon in a referendum would ensure Russia's future and will establish Putin as a world and historic leader. I think, as little as I know, that Putin has the seeds to be a great leader, he has the charisma, the experience, the temperament and the popularity. What else does Putin need, one thing, action and actual show of leadership.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Call Me Anything But Do Not Call Me Sir... by Jamil Shawwa
I knew that I got older or old, it depends how you and I look at things, when a 20 years old girl called me Sir at a restaurant here nearby the job. I went to my usual place but not in my usual time, and the place was packed by, yes, you guessed it, young people or younger people, couples around 20 something, beautiful girls but all hooked, there was not even one for Jamil to look at just as at least an appetizer. Any way, I sat on my usual booth only for one but on that day I did not get my usual waitress, everything is crumbling around me, I tell you. Instead, I got her mother, a fine Vietnamese woman who was the most gracious. I went ahead and ordered the usual, but the place and the people looked unusual. I was probably the oldest in the crowd, I even felt some eyes looking towards me not with admiration but with some sort of “what is Daddy doing here, go away". I ignored all the looks, and focused on my food until the kids, see I'm old, I'm calling them kids, next table decided to play a little, so the boyfriend threw something at his girlfriend but it did not hit her, what is she thinking, still keeping that boyfriend, is she crazy, instead it landed perfectly next to me in my booth. I looked a little to see what is going on, and the guy looked up to me and apologized saying sorry Sir, then his beautiful companion made it worse, when she gave me a very sensual, alarming swing from her eyes and said with a heavenly voice, Sorry... Sir. I said any time; I meant to say no problem. That is it with me, call me anything you need, but do not call me Sir. To make the story short, I will continue to go to that restaurant; maybe the girls will bring their Moms.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Mr. Brown's Magnum Opus by Jamil Shawwa
The news coming from Great Britain is mixed, no clear picture yet as when the next parliamentary election will be held, though some news is indicating May 8 as the date.
The other piece of information that came from England in the past few days is that the conservative party- Tory- lead by Mr. Cameron has hired the international advertising firm Saatchi to revamp the party's campaign and put life back to the momentum that the conservatives few months ago thought they had to win the next elections.
The polls indicating that the Labour party is closing the gap quickly which makes it an election difficult to predict right now? The third piece of information is the announcement from the biggest tabloid newspaper, The Sun, supporting for the first time the conservative ticket rather than the Labour.
These three pieces if put together- aside from the Sun endorsement- would definitely tell us that Mr. Brown who everyone thought would be another John Major- the prime minister that succeeded Margaret Thatcher in the early 90s- might pull a big surprise and win the next elections.
If he wins, it would be one of the biggest surprises in Britain in generations. I say that for the following reasons: Mr. Brown succeeded the charismatic Tony Blair in a time that the Labour party has been in office for three terms, and one thing about the British is that they like change, probably as any other developed and democratic country, but also the British like to pump new blood in their political life. Tony Blair, as Margaret Thatcher before him, though won the elections did not stay in power for all the terms; the parties do not like to have leaders who stay too long even if they were winning leaders. The second reason is that Mr. Brown governs Britain in a time of economic downturn, housing market is down as in the US, unemployment rising and third which was a big one few months ago but started to lose steam as time goes by is the British participation in the war in Iraq.
These in my opinion are the main reasons that will shape and are shaping the next elections. The other sidetrack was the discovery of a financial scandal that rocked some members of the Labour party whom the news reported accepted bribes or gifts from lobbying groups to pass some projects.
Again, David Cameron does not come across as Margret Thatcher did when she brought down the Labour government and then broke down the solid influence the Labour unions England had prior to her won.
The times anyway are different. Mr. Brown had a guiding light on his side in Alistair Darling, the chancellor of the Exchequer- equivalent to the secretary of the treasury here in the US and usually the number two in the British government hierarchy- who is very articulate, besides the point right now if what he says stands correct or not, and very methodological in his thoughts.
I saw Mr. Darling the other day in a session of the House of Commons broadcasted on C-Span and I was amazed from the attention he got while talking, not only from his party but also from the conservatives, they were all just staring at the person.
In politics and in England this can be the ticket to win the elections. Probably, millions of people all over the UK who are ready to reshape the political map of England also noticed what I have noticed.
I hate to do this, but I am going to do it, and probably I am swimming against the tide or just being so naive that I think a speech from a politician would really make a difference but I think the Labour party might be on the verge of winning the elections. What Mr. Brown lacks in charisma, he does not have it, I used to change the channel when he first came to office, he compensates in steady political temperament and noticeable perseverance.
He withered all the storms since Blair left office, and he absorbed like a sponge the committee to investigate the Iraq war, the financial collapse, the scandals within his party and the multiple resignations of different cabinet members in the past year.
Mr. Brown reminds me in looks and in political shrewdness with our former president Richard- Dick-Nixon without the paranoia and the Watergate scandal. I even want to go further to say that he now looks more confident than Richard Nixon ever was.
Mr. Brown has Mr. Darling, if he wins, whom he needs to keep but revamp the cabinet, maybe change the foreign minister and other key members. He needs to continue to talk about how he has the plan to left Britain from the financial downturn and polish the dust off its status. He also might need to tackle the complete participation in the monetary system with the EU. Mr. Brown does not want Germany to be the only dealmaker in Europe.
The other piece of information that came from England in the past few days is that the conservative party- Tory- lead by Mr. Cameron has hired the international advertising firm Saatchi to revamp the party's campaign and put life back to the momentum that the conservatives few months ago thought they had to win the next elections.
The polls indicating that the Labour party is closing the gap quickly which makes it an election difficult to predict right now? The third piece of information is the announcement from the biggest tabloid newspaper, The Sun, supporting for the first time the conservative ticket rather than the Labour.
These three pieces if put together- aside from the Sun endorsement- would definitely tell us that Mr. Brown who everyone thought would be another John Major- the prime minister that succeeded Margaret Thatcher in the early 90s- might pull a big surprise and win the next elections.
If he wins, it would be one of the biggest surprises in Britain in generations. I say that for the following reasons: Mr. Brown succeeded the charismatic Tony Blair in a time that the Labour party has been in office for three terms, and one thing about the British is that they like change, probably as any other developed and democratic country, but also the British like to pump new blood in their political life. Tony Blair, as Margaret Thatcher before him, though won the elections did not stay in power for all the terms; the parties do not like to have leaders who stay too long even if they were winning leaders. The second reason is that Mr. Brown governs Britain in a time of economic downturn, housing market is down as in the US, unemployment rising and third which was a big one few months ago but started to lose steam as time goes by is the British participation in the war in Iraq.
These in my opinion are the main reasons that will shape and are shaping the next elections. The other sidetrack was the discovery of a financial scandal that rocked some members of the Labour party whom the news reported accepted bribes or gifts from lobbying groups to pass some projects.
Again, David Cameron does not come across as Margret Thatcher did when she brought down the Labour government and then broke down the solid influence the Labour unions England had prior to her won.
The times anyway are different. Mr. Brown had a guiding light on his side in Alistair Darling, the chancellor of the Exchequer- equivalent to the secretary of the treasury here in the US and usually the number two in the British government hierarchy- who is very articulate, besides the point right now if what he says stands correct or not, and very methodological in his thoughts.
I saw Mr. Darling the other day in a session of the House of Commons broadcasted on C-Span and I was amazed from the attention he got while talking, not only from his party but also from the conservatives, they were all just staring at the person.
In politics and in England this can be the ticket to win the elections. Probably, millions of people all over the UK who are ready to reshape the political map of England also noticed what I have noticed.
I hate to do this, but I am going to do it, and probably I am swimming against the tide or just being so naive that I think a speech from a politician would really make a difference but I think the Labour party might be on the verge of winning the elections. What Mr. Brown lacks in charisma, he does not have it, I used to change the channel when he first came to office, he compensates in steady political temperament and noticeable perseverance.
He withered all the storms since Blair left office, and he absorbed like a sponge the committee to investigate the Iraq war, the financial collapse, the scandals within his party and the multiple resignations of different cabinet members in the past year.
Mr. Brown reminds me in looks and in political shrewdness with our former president Richard- Dick-Nixon without the paranoia and the Watergate scandal. I even want to go further to say that he now looks more confident than Richard Nixon ever was.
Mr. Brown has Mr. Darling, if he wins, whom he needs to keep but revamp the cabinet, maybe change the foreign minister and other key members. He needs to continue to talk about how he has the plan to left Britain from the financial downturn and polish the dust off its status. He also might need to tackle the complete participation in the monetary system with the EU. Mr. Brown does not want Germany to be the only dealmaker in Europe.
*How to Train Your Dragon ........ Critical Review by Jamil Shawwa
The story of this movie begins with a new generation of Vikings prepare to take over the profession of their forbearers, hunting, torturing, and chasing dragons all over the universe. The star of the movie, a boy by the name of Hiccup was not into this business, and therefore was ignored in the first quarter of the movie. He felt that he was different; he had questions about this profession. The story continues with Hiccup as he stumbles with a notorious dragon that could not fly, so he attends to it and created an artificial wing for this dragon. Hiccup called this fearless creature, Toothless. He thought in the beginning that the dragon did not have teeth. The dragon felt the love, and Hiccup kept this relationship hidden from the other Vikings who ridiculed him for not being a real Viking. The story evolved to the point that the secret was uncovered and the decisive moment came when Hiccup threw his weapons and in a show refused to kill any of the caged dragons. His father disavowed him. Hiccup questioned the methods and this way of life and decided that enough bloodshed and enough killings. In a conversation with his father, Hiccup said that the time has come to make peace with the dragons and the father answered but how can we do that and they killed thousands of us, Hiccup answered that we did the same. Hiccup managed at some point to help the Vikings change their way when the dragons nest was uncovered and every one found out that the dragons themselves were hostages to a zealous dragon who kept them jailed in the mountain. While the Vikings were chasing the dragons in that mountain, they released them but angered the zealous dragon. The story keeps going on to show a new alliance between the Vikings and the dragons in the fight against that monster dragon. The story is well done and the visual effects were marvelous, though I opted to watch the cheaper version, no 3D, but still was fantastic. The bottom line is this, everything is possible, and the enemies of yesterday can be allied today. It takes sometimes one courageous person to change the world and the mindset, that person in that story was a weak underachiever, ignored boy by the name of Hiccup.
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* check link to movie trailer at the end of this page.
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* check link to movie trailer at the end of this page.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Germany To The Rescue......by Jamil Shawwa
Germany has just lead- with France- the European Union to create a monetary package to rescue the financially struggling Greece into some sort of an economic relief. The news also indicated that the EU countries agreed on Germany's demand to have the IMF- International Monetary Fund headquartered here in Washington DC- to be involved in the process. I do not have details yet about the technical terms of the deal but the symbols are more important, in my opinion. What an irony, over sixty five years ago, Germany, hijacked by a criminal minded gangs, the Nazis- dragged the world and humanity to disaster, invaded Europe in the name of German purity and refused any offers for peace and inclusion. Now, today, Germany insists, despite the opposition of some European Union members, to include the world community in the financial efforts to rescue a member country. Other European countries wanted to keep this affair within the EU, Germany said no; the world must witness and approve. Things have evolved dramatically for this nation. Germany's creativity and leadership abilities are shaping Europe's present and will continue to contribute peacefully to world efforts. The Germans though are very smart, they still did not want to come across- wisely, so- as leading Europe or as if, they are intervening in another European's country affairs by offering easy money or immediate loans. Germany until the last minute continued to insist that Greece has to meet certain economic conditions to qualify for this rescue package and that there must be an involvement from the world community represented by the IMF to ensure that this process is not an isolationist process or regional process. Smart move from the New Germany.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
*Who Are You......by Jamil Shawwa
Background: She tries repeatedly to test him. However, maybe she is fed- up. Let us see.
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She: Who are you..
He: oh, please, not again, I give up; I do not get it
She: you never did sweetie but anyway let us move on.. Maybe there is still hope to reform you.
He: ok, I will go along, whispering, I guess I have no choice, it has been a while, and I need to be nice to her...
She: you are like a man with a thousand faces, I do not know whom Am I going to see tomorrow.
He: a thousand face! You are complimenting me, I wish.
She: your mood swings and habits are just too much
He: You know, honey, you just criticize, you set in that Ivory tower of yours, looking down at me and just give a daily doze of these things that I really can not understand or comprehend
She: you know why I do that, because I am a woman, and you know why you do not understand or do not want to understand, because you are a man...
He: so you really think that we men are and to say it as politely as possible, dumb...
She: this is the least to say, this is the best thing you have said since we started these conversations.
He: I really feel honored to be called dumb by you. Remember, few days ago I was just a mere Jackass. I am climbing the ladder.
She: or maybe you are just going down the ladder, depends on my mood.
He: ok, you win, I can not take it anymore" he is acting because again the goal is to reach the Promised Land"
She: ok, stop, you sound so fake and pathetic, I already told you that I am not in the mood...
He: I am speechless, do you think I am being nice for a purpose, for a goal, for the destination and not the journey. Do you think that I'm saying what I’m saying and doing what I’m doing just to feel your warm and hospitable body, to smell the roses coming out of your nest... you are crazy
She: hospitable body, what is that? Do you think my body is a hotel, an airport runway, planes touch down and fly. You are such an obnoxious pig.
He: yes, darling, you are hospitable and you are like a hotel and you are like a runway, but you are only hospitable to me, and I am your only plane on the runway and I am your only hotel guest.
She: so pathetic...
He: the night is young...
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*Disclaimer:
For entertainment purposes only. Any resemblance with any real life situations or people is just a mere coincidence.
These conversations are not related to any specific person or persons. They are general human conversations from life.
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She: Who are you..
He: oh, please, not again, I give up; I do not get it
She: you never did sweetie but anyway let us move on.. Maybe there is still hope to reform you.
He: ok, I will go along, whispering, I guess I have no choice, it has been a while, and I need to be nice to her...
She: you are like a man with a thousand faces, I do not know whom Am I going to see tomorrow.
He: a thousand face! You are complimenting me, I wish.
She: your mood swings and habits are just too much
He: You know, honey, you just criticize, you set in that Ivory tower of yours, looking down at me and just give a daily doze of these things that I really can not understand or comprehend
She: you know why I do that, because I am a woman, and you know why you do not understand or do not want to understand, because you are a man...
He: so you really think that we men are and to say it as politely as possible, dumb...
She: this is the least to say, this is the best thing you have said since we started these conversations.
He: I really feel honored to be called dumb by you. Remember, few days ago I was just a mere Jackass. I am climbing the ladder.
She: or maybe you are just going down the ladder, depends on my mood.
He: ok, you win, I can not take it anymore" he is acting because again the goal is to reach the Promised Land"
She: ok, stop, you sound so fake and pathetic, I already told you that I am not in the mood...
He: I am speechless, do you think I am being nice for a purpose, for a goal, for the destination and not the journey. Do you think that I'm saying what I’m saying and doing what I’m doing just to feel your warm and hospitable body, to smell the roses coming out of your nest... you are crazy
She: hospitable body, what is that? Do you think my body is a hotel, an airport runway, planes touch down and fly. You are such an obnoxious pig.
He: yes, darling, you are hospitable and you are like a hotel and you are like a runway, but you are only hospitable to me, and I am your only plane on the runway and I am your only hotel guest.
She: so pathetic...
He: the night is young...
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*Disclaimer:
For entertainment purposes only. Any resemblance with any real life situations or people is just a mere coincidence.
These conversations are not related to any specific person or persons. They are general human conversations from life.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Barack Obama Vs. Martin Luther King ... by Jamil Shawwa
In a health care rally here in Virginia, few miles away from Washington DC, president Obama made one of the last pitches for the American people to put pressure on their elected officials in the House and The Senate to pass a health care reform that the president and the democrats feel is vital to their success politically and their chances to maintain control in congress as well as for the president to win because it was one of the main platforms that he ran on and won in 2008. Having said the latter does not minimize the importance of having a universal health care for all Americans that many presidents since Harry Truman after World War II felt the country needs but continues to be blocked by a conservative point of view lead by the republican party and other right wing groups that feel that this process is another democratic scheme to have a bigger government, more control over the people and more leftist approach. President Obama in that speech at George Mason University did not sound to me like the Obama that ran for office in 2008 and the man that won the minds and hearts of not only Americans across the United States and the world but sounded like the great 50s and 60s civil rights leader Martin Luther king. Here is the problem in my opinion; he should never even try to sound like him, he was elected as the unique Barack Obama and no one else. In the speech, he sounded more like a preacher than a smart futuristic and energetic politician that again won our minds and hearts in 2008. If he tries to be a preacher with some sort of higher moral authority or as if he is here on earth on a mission from God, he should stop now, and he should not proceed. If the American people including myself start to equate president Obama with anyone else except the unique, smart and energetic Obama, then he will lose the next election in 2012. The president should be very careful not to be anyone else but himself. Again, we did not elect him because he was black, or because we felt guilty of the treatments of the blacks and minorities in the past in the United States, but we elected him because he is unique in the way he came across as a different type of politician. Maybe he was fortunate to come in this era and at this time of economic distress and wars that our country is facing abroad not to mention the ongoing war against terrorism, but still he should just look at himself in the mirror every morning and repeat after me, I'm Barack Obama and not Martin Luther king.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Concepts and Cultures. Part III: Croissant for Breakfast by Jamil Shawwa
Who does not like croissant in the morning, who does not like to dip it in an Earl Grey tea or freshly brewed coffee, who does not like to open it in the middle or just cut pieces and stuff it with fresh butter and Jam, who does not like the view of croissant basket. To me, a basket of freshly made, freshly baked croissant is like having real morning roses at the table, to me mornings and croissant go hand in hand and side by side. I had croissant everywhere I went and lived but I am going to mention few places where I had memorable croissant and breakfast in general. I was born in the American University- AUB- Hospital in Beirut, Lebanon, my mother, God bless her, is originally Lebanese, now Lebanese- American, and my first memory of a breakfast was at my grandmother’s house few blocks from the Mediterranean sea where every morning you would smell croissant and the toasted French baguette sliced just right, the way I like it, with a platter of few kinds of cheeses including the best Haloum, fresh mint, the way I like it too, and tea, must be Earl Grey and nothing else. I never lived in Lebanon but used to visit the family every summer until 1975 when Lebanon lost it's humanity and engaged in a civil war that showed the real and ugly face of some groups there for over 15 years, but this is not the *subject today. In Gaza, at my mothers of course but also at the **Hummus, fool and the falafel places. Another fantastic place, In Tel-Aviv with the famous Israeli breakfast everywhere, it is amazing in Israel, same breakfast style, of course different layers of elegance among the various places there, but you will find a remarkable buffet breakfast in the bus station and in the nicest hotels such as the King David in Jerusalem or the Tel-Aviv Hilton on the Mediterranean. In Cairo, wow, as well, but maybe the best breakfast in Cairo was my aunt- God bless her soul who married a distinguished Egyptian gentleman, God bless his soul too- breakfast, with the aroma of the fava beans-Fool- boiled eggs, various kinds of cheeses, of course croissant, and other stuff. Another place was at the Ramses Hilton- by the way, I am talking the Middle East up to 1990, when I was last there- In Amman-Jordan at also my aunt house with the labana- thick creamy cheese, and the cheese from Nablus, in the West Bank. In Paris, everywhere, you can grab a croissant on the move. I went so far once to Paris. I first had croissant at le Fouquet's at the corner of les Champs-Elysées and avenue Georges V. and then then had a great lunch there- the best potato purée I had in my life with roasted baby lamp chops- do not get me started, and later went to a Lebanese restaurant for a shawerma sandwich across from the Four Seasons Georges V hotel. I used to afford to travel, not like now, but hopefully the US econmony and mine will be getting better soon. You find croissant almost everywhere in the world, same shape but different tastes, I guess it is as life, life is the same, humans are the same, we all have the same human concept but we are different and in our difference, we must celebrate life. Start your morning with croissant and Earl Grey tea, and maybe you will feel better.
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*Search Lebanon in this blog.
** Small breakfast shops that made all the ingredients fresh every morning. Hummus is mashed check peas, Fool is fava beans, Falafel is mixed parsley and other vegetables that are made in the shape of small balls and fried in hot oil. Google for specific information.
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*Search Lebanon in this blog.
** Small breakfast shops that made all the ingredients fresh every morning. Hummus is mashed check peas, Fool is fava beans, Falafel is mixed parsley and other vegetables that are made in the shape of small balls and fried in hot oil. Google for specific information.
Hiphugger Vs. Jockey by Jamil Shawwa
Hiphugger: you ignorant, you called me hiphunger in a previous article.
**Jockey: Until now, I do not know what is this hiphugger, do you hug the hip or what.
Hiphugger: see, I am wasting my time chatting with an old fashion like you. Wake up and smell the...
Jockey: smell what, you?
Hiphugger: you wish
Jockey: listen, I have to be honest here, to me you are just a barrier, an obstacle
Hiphugger: obstacle to what you narrow minded uptight short
Jockey: I like open spaces and open tunnels, I am not used to see all this stuff.
Hiphugger: please, you should see the admiration I get everywhere I go.
Jockey: they do not admire you; they admire what you hide
Hiphugger: typical you, only one thing in your mid, how to conquer, how to throw me out
Jockey: I am really starting to see a side of you that was not clear to me
Hiphugger: what side
Jockey: I have never appreciated the fact that you protect very valuable assets that you take care of the little things in life, that you feel the pain of the monthly visit and that you have to be pulled up and down many times a day.
Hiphugger: well, you know, I have to do what I have to do.
I mean you work hard too.
Jockey: I guess...
Hiphugger: it is peace then
Jockey: what kind of peace are you offering?
Hiphugger: that we do not make fun of each other, that we respect our boundaries and the assets that we protect, that you do not act like an animal every time you see me.
Jockey: oh my God, how could I resist you, how could stay away from you, how could I stop looking at you, how could I not try to pull a trick or two to convince you to share with me the assets that you are hiding. You are asking me to be someone else, you are asking me to be inhuman, you are asking for the impossible
Hiphugger: I said it before and I will say it again, no peace with you, no treaty of mutual respect, you only think in one direction, you can not see what I see, you do not look at the brains but just at the body, you do not see the colors that I come with, the material that I'm made of, the protection that I give. You are such an animal, but I love you.
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* For Entertainment purposes only.
** Jockey is trademark of Jockey undergarment.
**Jockey: Until now, I do not know what is this hiphugger, do you hug the hip or what.
Hiphugger: see, I am wasting my time chatting with an old fashion like you. Wake up and smell the...
Jockey: smell what, you?
Hiphugger: you wish
Jockey: listen, I have to be honest here, to me you are just a barrier, an obstacle
Hiphugger: obstacle to what you narrow minded uptight short
Jockey: I like open spaces and open tunnels, I am not used to see all this stuff.
Hiphugger: please, you should see the admiration I get everywhere I go.
Jockey: they do not admire you; they admire what you hide
Hiphugger: typical you, only one thing in your mid, how to conquer, how to throw me out
Jockey: I am really starting to see a side of you that was not clear to me
Hiphugger: what side
Jockey: I have never appreciated the fact that you protect very valuable assets that you take care of the little things in life, that you feel the pain of the monthly visit and that you have to be pulled up and down many times a day.
Hiphugger: well, you know, I have to do what I have to do.
I mean you work hard too.
Jockey: I guess...
Hiphugger: it is peace then
Jockey: what kind of peace are you offering?
Hiphugger: that we do not make fun of each other, that we respect our boundaries and the assets that we protect, that you do not act like an animal every time you see me.
Jockey: oh my God, how could I resist you, how could stay away from you, how could I stop looking at you, how could I not try to pull a trick or two to convince you to share with me the assets that you are hiding. You are asking me to be someone else, you are asking me to be inhuman, you are asking for the impossible
Hiphugger: I said it before and I will say it again, no peace with you, no treaty of mutual respect, you only think in one direction, you can not see what I see, you do not look at the brains but just at the body, you do not see the colors that I come with, the material that I'm made of, the protection that I give. You are such an animal, but I love you.
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* For Entertainment purposes only.
** Jockey is trademark of Jockey undergarment.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Concepts and Cultures Part II: Garbage!
In the city I grew up in, we used to have as any city or place that has humans, garbage collectors who would come every day to collect the trash, empty the cans, and get their human counterparts ready for a new day and new garbage.
In my city right now, the picture is the same, in the morning, garbage collectors come over, not every day here, but twice a week, but you have to have a contract with a garbage collector otherwise you and your garbage are on your own. In the city I grew as a child and up to finishing High school, Gaza- garbage people or collectors were unfortunately and I am sad to say that either mentally retarded or act as mentally retarded to avoid the daily humiliation from the kids and adults who treated them as subhuman. I know that this concept does not belong only to Gaza but I am sure in other parts of the world as well. I have seen it in Cairo and other cities. I am comparing the garbage here in my country and city, the USA, and the garbage elsewhere. First garbage is garbage but people are not the same. Garbage is the same everywhere but humans differ from one place to another. Actually, I should say that humans are the same everywhere; it is the way we treat humans that differs from one place to another. Let me make it clearer here, to me, and I came to appreciate this fact later on, a garbage collector is as dignified and important as a doctor is, and I am talking a medical doctor. What is the difference, doctors try to cure our bodies and garbage collectors try to clean our homes from the human trash. Both doctors and garbage collectors are vital to our well- being, no one can deny this fact and if you do, try to take care of your garbage on your own for one week. Of course, I am talking here taking care of the garbage by disposing it in the right place and not leaving it in the street or dump it somewhere that it does not belong. Back to the garbage collectors, they come in the morning in trucks, in Cairo, we used to have them on donkeys- I think donkeys are banned now from the streets of Cairo and I know that Cairo still has a garbage problem despite all the efforts to find even foreign companies that are ready to clean Cairo from it's garbage or convince the dear people of Cairo to use plastic bags to place their trash instead of just dumping everything in the container itself and make it dirtier- and I forgot how it was in Gaza, maybe donkeys too. Poor donkeys, we use them to describe the worst mental thing in humans, stupidity, we say what a donkey, or Jackass, to describe our fellow humans, I know that I have described myself as a Jackass before, many times, but I did that to bring some respect or vice versa to the donkeys of this world. I must say that I have respect to this hard working animal. Again, back to the subject at hand- garbage- the collectors of human trash collects our physical trash but who collects our mental trash and who cleans our souls. See the problem here, besides my midlife crises that I'm talking about garbage, we have people that clean our houses, gardens, cars, planes, everything but I think there is one thing that you can not hire anyone else to clean for you except yourself which is you. I understand that you can hire beautiful girls to give a you a Turkish bath- never done it personally but heard of it- but who can clean you from the inside, no one except you. So let us show respect to the garbage collectors, let us say thank you to them from time to time, and let us not give them the looks of disgust as they are cleaning us, at least from the outside.
In my city right now, the picture is the same, in the morning, garbage collectors come over, not every day here, but twice a week, but you have to have a contract with a garbage collector otherwise you and your garbage are on your own. In the city I grew as a child and up to finishing High school, Gaza- garbage people or collectors were unfortunately and I am sad to say that either mentally retarded or act as mentally retarded to avoid the daily humiliation from the kids and adults who treated them as subhuman. I know that this concept does not belong only to Gaza but I am sure in other parts of the world as well. I have seen it in Cairo and other cities. I am comparing the garbage here in my country and city, the USA, and the garbage elsewhere. First garbage is garbage but people are not the same. Garbage is the same everywhere but humans differ from one place to another. Actually, I should say that humans are the same everywhere; it is the way we treat humans that differs from one place to another. Let me make it clearer here, to me, and I came to appreciate this fact later on, a garbage collector is as dignified and important as a doctor is, and I am talking a medical doctor. What is the difference, doctors try to cure our bodies and garbage collectors try to clean our homes from the human trash. Both doctors and garbage collectors are vital to our well- being, no one can deny this fact and if you do, try to take care of your garbage on your own for one week. Of course, I am talking here taking care of the garbage by disposing it in the right place and not leaving it in the street or dump it somewhere that it does not belong. Back to the garbage collectors, they come in the morning in trucks, in Cairo, we used to have them on donkeys- I think donkeys are banned now from the streets of Cairo and I know that Cairo still has a garbage problem despite all the efforts to find even foreign companies that are ready to clean Cairo from it's garbage or convince the dear people of Cairo to use plastic bags to place their trash instead of just dumping everything in the container itself and make it dirtier- and I forgot how it was in Gaza, maybe donkeys too. Poor donkeys, we use them to describe the worst mental thing in humans, stupidity, we say what a donkey, or Jackass, to describe our fellow humans, I know that I have described myself as a Jackass before, many times, but I did that to bring some respect or vice versa to the donkeys of this world. I must say that I have respect to this hard working animal. Again, back to the subject at hand- garbage- the collectors of human trash collects our physical trash but who collects our mental trash and who cleans our souls. See the problem here, besides my midlife crises that I'm talking about garbage, we have people that clean our houses, gardens, cars, planes, everything but I think there is one thing that you can not hire anyone else to clean for you except yourself which is you. I understand that you can hire beautiful girls to give a you a Turkish bath- never done it personally but heard of it- but who can clean you from the inside, no one except you. So let us show respect to the garbage collectors, let us say thank you to them from time to time, and let us not give them the looks of disgust as they are cleaning us, at least from the outside.
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