Nooooooooooooo! But I love KFC

Dammnit , it looks like its time to put our collective consumer power to something slightly more important than self service petrol stations. Shame really , I felt like chicken tonight !! So KFC is off the finger lickin good list.

Actually , it seems like just about all meat is off the list . Having just braved THIS video ( not for the faint hearted , you have been warned ) from a link in a peta website ( well, I did ask for it ) I'm feeling ever so slightly guilty for the hummus with meat I am about to tuck into . I know its wrong, I also thoughts vegans were bleeding heart hippies and the fact that I like most meat coupled with the fact that its the natural order of things- I made my peace with it . Until I saw this video - I'm not naive enough to presume that the lamb chops on my plate were not once living and breathing ,frolicking about a field....but now it seems they lead an horrific existence field with cruelty straight from the dark passages of a Hannibal Lector style genius, and never even made it to that field. What to do....I wish I was still in ignorant bliss !!

Loving Asa !

Could only get the accoustic version of this .. but love it all the same ... rising star - loving it ! :D

Weltschmerz

This is the only word I have to describe things these days.
Weltschmerz
Pronounced velt-shmehrts

From the German welt, meaning 'world', and schmerz, which can be translated as 'pain', 'grief', or 'agony'. Weltschmerz is often translated as world-sorrow, or world-weariness. It is often capitalized.

1. World-weariness.

2. Sadness over the state of the world. (Many dictionaries define it as "sadness over the woes of the world", or "Sadness over the inability of the world to live up to ideals").

3. Pessimism, especially romantic pessimism.

4. A mood of sentimental sadness.

5. Slang for heroin withdrawal.

I dont even speak German , and who knew Zee Germans would have been so insightful as to coin a word which perfectly describes the sorry state of the world- or at least what our reaction to it usually is.

So ... why the glum face? Where to begin !! Well lets start at the recent state of maniac decapitations in the world , in Canada , Santorini, Saudi, UK.... the list seems to go on! When did this become so popular - its cropping up all over the place seemingly , and the more media coverage it gets - the more frequently it is occuring !

What else? How about Zimbabwe's looney tunes leader Mugabe , the man who wont leave office anyother way except in a box - this one is ensuring his longevity as leader is preserved the old fashionned way - as the world looks on.

Lets not even go into Mr. Bush's legacy after his second term in office. The fallout from his foreign policy has severed even further race relations in the world - with East and West being pitted against each other - each one convinced the other is standing directly against all that it stands for.

The Jumeirah Janes of this world continue to write into seven days news paper , soapboxing with thg over different issues in their lives. Nobody is happy with their lot these days - and I , for one, am thinking of opting out !

So , is Weltschmerz just an Emo sensation or is it a genuine reaction to how f%&*ed up the world has become? I dont think this word is a new concept - its definately pre-bush , so the question is - shouldnt there be some new version - like "uber - super- funky-weltschmerz"

I would love to ask a little girl in China ,Yang Peiyi , what she makes of her world - and if SHE thinks the word Weltschmerz applies to her existence...

To Wii or not to wii....?

I woke up this morning and once again was faced with a grey/white sky that looked like it belonged to a gloomy morning in December in Northern Europe. The only difference being that humidity has shot up once again , as have the temperatures. Now, we all know what summer in the Emirates is like (and for those who don't - the answer is 'uncomfortable'). But what are some of the consequences of living in such a harsh climate - for a least a good part of the year.

I know its a global problem - but one that is sinking its teeth nicely into the emirates is the problem of obesity , particularly diabetes! The unbearable weather , coupled with not very many footpaths for pedestrians- UAE is not exactly condusive to healthy living. Yes, yes, before you say it , there are no shortness of personal trainers and fitness centres here, but if you DONT fancy giving your hard earned cash to Fitness First and its ilk in order to achieve what should be perfectly attainable without their help - you're between a rock and a hard place in Dubai!Furthermore, as a resident of the lovely Sharjah , I would rather come home from work and be able to catch an hour of non-working activity before heading to bed. A detour to the gym is sure to lead to hours of traffic and delays on top of what is an already hellish commute.

For fear of this turning into a 'reasons why I shouldn't exercise" post, allow me to make my point!The only way I have ever been able to exercise , has been through a brisk long walk - which, contrary to popular belief - its brilliant aerobic exercise. Its also 'do-able' just about anywhere. Anywhere , that is , except most parts of Sharjah , where you will take your life into your hands and risk being run off the road by those lovely trucks with the dangly jingly decorations hanging from the back! Heat , of course is also something that is a strong deterrent for me to get out onto the roads . Also, being in Sharjah, I have noticed that I am distinctly uncomfortable walking as a woman on my own. Am not appreciating the stares of some who cant keep their eyes in their heads. The obvious answer to this would be to throw on an abaya , but seeing as heat is a detterent for me , well thats not going to improve my personal situation now is it !

Enter the Wii. As a teacher by profession , anybody who knows me , knows that I am anti - computer games, and I'm basing that souly on having met ten year olds who cannot conduct a normal conversation due to hours of sitting slack jawed in front of a screen perfecting their thumb dexterity and becoming shockingly desensitised to violence. However, I feel nintendo have somewhat redeemed themselves with the wii. Anything that makes you get off your rear and start to move is a good thing in my book , add to that the fact that if you miss a day - you are asked what happened! Well its working for me!

It has , in the past, come under harsh criticism in recent times in the UK because it allegedly called a young girl "fat". I dont think any parent with a brain should be putting their kids on the wii BMI monitor - it IS fairly honest - and perhaps , as described, inaccurate for developing kids.

But in my book, the wii remains untarnished - anything that gets you moving, and is fun and interactive is a keeper!

Lets face it , if healthy living and an active lifestyle is the norm in your household - then why on earth would you even need to test your BMI on a computer game - let alone allow your children to do it?

Ignorance is bliss ...

Lawmakers slam calls to introduce sex-clinics in Bahrain

I am gritting my teeth on this one. Having come from a society where, not too long ago , the method du jour of informing people about sexual health was based on scare mongering and a restriction on solid information , I can unequivocally state - THIS WONT WORK!
The results of a lack of open information in Ireland gave rise to such things as the Magdalene Laundries, the legacy of which has been long documented in films and in books. Entry into these institutions was prompted by anything from being flirtatious , too attractive , to the ultimate faux pas of being pregnant out of wedlock.

Far be it from me to start to preach about the evils of sexual activity outside of marriage, but I think that looking at the Irish example, a lack of information can have disastrous effects on a society . For a pious and god fearing country such as Ireland in the 50's, 60's 70's and so on, would a sex clinic have encouraged unmarried citizens to engage in the ultimate of sins? Doubtful, it wouldn't change their awareness that their activity was considered a sin. At least , would it have done a better job of keeping things in check than the old laundry tactics?

Thankfully , the Gulf countries , to the best of my knowledge ,dont provide institutions akin to the Irish phenomenon, however, who is to say that informing young people about sexual health is in effect calling on youth to engage in sexual relations? It looks like this clinic will not go ahead - and so be it , but its a shame that in this day and age information is still equated with intent !

Now, what I would have done is ....

Enough with the soap box stuff - but found this website which perfectly illustrates just how things in this world have been "mismanaged" Take the 3 TRILLION spent on the war in Iraq and redistribute the cash .I , for one , am going to think globally on this one ( right after I treat myself to a house , a car and a wii fitness - oooh yeah! ) I particularly like the non violent leadership training for 10 million leaders - a snip at 4 for just $300,000 each !Put yourself in the position of power ... could YOU have done a better job with this money? Computer says ...YES!

Go to 3trillion.org/

Sign of things to come?

THAT couple on the beach ....This story perhaps best describes the kind of issues that the UAE has been facing of late. While not all of us choose to relieve ourselves of our sexual frustrations on a beach after a boozy champagne lunch , I think it can be safely said this extreme example of lack of respect for local sensitivities typifies the struggles of a cultural melting pot in a sensitive region.But lets be frank here , if you decided to have a drunken romp on a public beach - ignored a caution from a police officer , then proceeded to hurl abuse and a high heeled shoe at him when he returned to find you have ignored his warning , then no matter what country in the world you are in - you will find yourself with a slap on the wrists. Add now to this the fact that you are in a region of the world where this behaviour is unthinkable .Enough has been said about the Ex-pat Dubai resident and her new husband, but leaving this case aside - can we expect now that the powers that be will finally be forced to employ a stricter set of rules and regulations for its expat residents. The amount of media coverage this case got ( including a wonderful little write up in the uk sun newspaper ) means that this is an issue that is rapidly gaining momentum and bringing with it negative publicity to Dubai as a tourist destination , not to mention highlighting to Emiratis their country has been colonized once more , only this time , they invited it into their society!There is a hedonistic quality to Dubai socializing - one which has been played out privately for many years - and the authorities have been very accommodating to people on the provisions that they discreetly lived their lives. If you want to consume alcohol - go through the correct procedures and consume it in hotels or at home . Be respectful of the culture and its residents and you cant go wrong.However , this event may finally be the straw that breaks the proverbial camels back. Have Western expats finally overstepped the mark in the ultimate insult to a culture - no longer respecting the boundaries imposed by their hosts? What will the fallout of what is becoming worryingly frequent behaviour be ?For years now, I have encountered the “if you don’t like it , leave !” response to my general grumblings about UAE . It’s a line that usually angers me , with its head in the sand attitude, nonchalance, and undying conviction that THIS system is the right way ! I maintain this view with issues concerning competence, organization , traffic…etc etc , but to IF you feel that the decency laws ruling this country will stretch your ability to keep it all in check - then for once, I will preach this right back at you “ if you don’t like it - leave “. Because trust me , its not worth it !With a local population that is feeling the effects of being a minority in their own land , and generations of perpetual immigrants living here but not calling this home - what does the future hold for the UAE? And exactly who will be paying the price for the massive changes occurring here on a weekly basis?