I AM DEMOC

Human Rights Report Kuwait

2009-02-27T07:24:00.000-08:00

I've been reading the Human Rights report on Kuwait. Its rather interesting, its quite general with some area's that go a little more in depth. I believe they leave quite a few issues out for political reasons.

A few interesting aspects I've come across one of which is the freedom of speech limitations beyond the obvious "do not insul Islam, The Emir, or Crown Prince" there seems to be one that protects the neutrality of the courts and the public prosecutors office. Does that mean one may not say that the courts could be also corrupt? or that a verdict may have been influenced for political or financial reasons?

Also mentioned in the report is famed blogger Bashar Al-Sayegh.

"On November 11, the Court of Cassation sentenced the person who posted a comment insulting the emir on Bashar Al-Sayegh's Web site in 2007 to two years in prison. Al-Sayegh himself was acquitted of any charges on February 2."

Who is that guy? Where is he? still in prison?

Read the Report at http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2008/nea/119119.htm

A lot of Work can be done for the better in Kuwait. Lets get to it.

10 Weird Human Sex Facts

2009-02-25T21:14:00.000-08:00

Sure, animal sex is weird, but humans are part of that strange kingdom. Here are 10 Weird Sex Facts that prove we’re civilized here at the top of the food chain and yet still pretty freakin’ gross…

1. During sweaty sex, men ooze testosterone. And it’s actually a biological turn on for women!

2. There’s almost 500 different types of bacteria in your mouth. Almost 50% of them live on your tongue. So perhaps the French Kiss should be renamed the Twice As Dirty Kiss.

3. One out of seventeen, or 400,000,000 people have sex a day. 4,000 people are doing it right now! So, the world is a rockin’, don’t go a knockin’.

4. Turn up the heat, in every way. The hotter the room, the fiercer the orgasm. Vasocongestion, or the heat flush on your skin, is akin to blushing from sex.

5. Your vagina is also a great swim coach. The pelvic spasms caused by an orgasm actually move sperm up stream towards fertilizing your eggs.

6. Pops likes to get it on. Seventy-three-percent of 70-year-old men are still potent. Whoa, down boy!

7. The endorphins released during sex actually relieve a headache. So that old excuse isn’t just tired, it’s just plain wrong!

8. Back in 1609, Dr. Wecker found a dead man with two peckers! Since, 80 cases of double headers have been reported. But no word on whether or not those guys ever got them both on in a threesome.

9. You can go from zero to 60 fast! The fastest speed a sexy sensation can travel from your va-jay-jay to your brain has been clocked at the Ferrari-fast speed of 156 mph.

10. Erotic asphyxiation didn’t just kill INXS lead singer Michael Hutchence. Cutting off oxygen to your brain to feel a strong new sensation during sex causes around 500 American deaths every year.

Simcha's avatar Posted by: Simcha
Source: http://www.thefrisky.com/post/246-10-weird-human-sex-facts/

Professor Supporting Terrorists in Kuwait

2009-02-25T20:28:00.000-08:00

And this is what we have to teach the future generations?.. WTF!

The Kuwait Status Qou

2009-02-22T13:09:00.000-08:00

We need to look hard at our current situation in Kuwait. On the outside, the mere veneer an apparently robust economy, a happy people, a complacent society with a positive flow to a better future. Poverty Is Low. Free Education. Free Health care. A Government that pays the people instead acquiring payments in the form of taxes for services. A Dream that surpasses the great American Dream at times. So great a dream that impovershed people of thrown away their passports once across the border of Kuwait to claim Citizenship.

Below that perfect veneer, lies a dark and vicious nightmare that only surfaces itself into the vision of the ordinary eye rarely. A Nightmare so horrific it scares the "beegeies" out of the knowing few who have taken a short peep show into that nightmare that could one day become reality. Like any cause, there is a reaction and the reaction varies across varying prospective dreamers.

Our System is currently incredibly corrupt. Take the immense capital of wealth out of the nation and their lies nothing at all to have pride in. Pure disgust of a potential most possibly already ruined. In light of Proud to Be Kuwaiti. P2BK, an exhibition of Kuwait entrepreneurship aiming to focus the countries future in business it falls short of what Kuwaiti's ought to be proud of, yet there is nothing really to take pride in.

Our Educational System is a complete mess. From the Bottom-Up, Teachers that barely can teach, to supervisors and administrators that have befallen to corruption, to the students that are brought up not to respect other nationalities simply because of a financial difference - an interesting way of encouraging Nationalism. Heads of Departments to the Chairs of Various councils in regards to education are corrupt and have a different order of things when it comes to setting priorities in education and educational standards. The Root of the Mess? I am not quite sure about, but in most societies governments require the masses to be uneducated, in order to be dependant on the state for career oriented jobs and fill in positions for the army, police, etc.. Beyond that, an uneducated mass is easily subject to propaganda and brainwashing, and more over simply easier to control. Education is Knowledge and Knowledge is Power. To Allow Power to transfer onto the people in anyway, shape, or form would be re balancing power away from its current holders. When a country is run by a few powerful and wealthy individuals who look to further empower and increase their monetary values that will be the case. In a country where the people are united, and work together for the better of the people and that is priority number one, the people will only look to further their knowledge and their overall power against the powers against them as a people-as a whole. Education is no Longer Feared, it is Welcomed and Sought.

The State of the Police. A Corrupt monopolizing power that is slowly bankrupting the nation of beyond monetary means. Bankrupting us of decent ideals and morals as the hold an authoritative state and position of the ideal role model and ruining the image by moving in opposition of decent morals and ideals. Their Jobs guaranteed by the government as to always be standing, incapable of firing, an abuse of their positions by a lack of performance and a corrupt standing within our society. Which is exponentially worsening due to the government backing of the force as it is across the entire world.

How many of you ever filed a complaint at the police station and got their rights? Been served and protected?

How many of you have heard of or witnessed a total disregard of personal rights? A woman beaten by a man in broad day-light sitting with her family for hours at a station in order to file a report with.. Alas with an outcome that is inhumane in nature. The perpetrator walks free.

How many of you have heard of incidents of "wasta" where from something minor as verbal abuse to something as large as murder is turned a blind eye to in favor of the perpetrator who had the "wasta" required in order to get away with the crime. Recently in the news a man who killed an entire family while speeding at260 KM is freed, with only blood money payments by the perpetrator.

How many of you have ever proposed a complaint to get the common answer "What do you want me to do about it?" from the police officer while he drinks his tea and smokes his cigarette at work.

How many of you have heard or been victim to police harassment or brutality and been offered the exit door while registering your complaint?

Today the common remark at the police station would be "Have you got wasta?" if you've got someone to pull your rights for you..maybe we'll do something.

If you have the "Wasta" today maybe you won't tomorrow.. maybe your children won't or their grand kids would you want them victim to such crimes and be disregarded? This is part of the peep show nightmare that some have witnessed and reacted to..

A State with a current overabundance of money is squandering it away as it loses sight of priorities and instead favors personal pockets. Recently at one of the Large Kuwaiti Malls, a woman gets "fingered" in front of her family members and a huge fight breaks out, even though it slowly escalated and the Mall has its own police office. It reached to the degree of having the need to bring in "Riot Police" in order to control the crowd. Do you think the girl or her family got their rights? What incentives do police have in order to perform their righteous duties instead of drinking tea, coffee and smoking cigarettes all day?

Something to think about: What has caused Kuwait's social downfall beginning in 1996? Please do not come back with answers like "Western Influence" or a religious appeal. Its not that, countries that are heavily western and even some that are overly atheist are decent and more well mannered than some Kuwaiti's (Sweden).

Kuwait Health care. Kuwait one of the richest countries in the world "Today" per capita is "even though offering free health care" has one of the most horrid health care systems. One of the main hospitals Mubarak Hospital is nicknamed the Hospital of Death due to the careless nature of the doctors and hospital staff. Kuwait hires doctors on a low salary and what do they expect to get? The low end of the job force, ones that could not make it even in their own countries.

What happens when you or most other people visit a government hospital? They hand you paracetamol (Basically Panadol without the Brand) for every possible symptom and that's if your Lucky. If your not. You may be asked to come in for Injections or given medication that is wrong as the diagnosis was incorrect in the first place. So to keep the rich alive and those with "Wasta" (wasta meaning connection to someone of power) they offer flights and care abroad.. if you get your name on the list.. That system too is known for its blatant abuse by those in powerful positions.

Guess what else? Doctors here in Kuwait are hired, and don't take regular examinations to update their knowledge. They keep the same knowledge or degrade it over time without any further testing or standardized testing while the world advances itself in medicine. (Perhaps to encourage Private Sector Spending Unethically).

Why does this all happen in one of the wealthiest Nations of the World?

The Kuwaiti Parliament and Kuwaiti Politics is riddled with corruption. I do not state anything new, it is been long known. It is obvious and there are systems place in order to promote and protect such immoral actions. MP's are safe from prosecution in regards to monetary theft or unethical dealings, they may be simply be removed from office.

How to become a parliament member? Speak and Write Arabic and maybe a high school degree. With enough family members and backing your only a step away from a Parliament seat.

Kuwait is still a tribal society, and politics is surely influenced by it. The Larger the Tribe the larger the chance that a selected member wins. Primary elections are banned, but still done. Deals are done between tribes in order to make use of each others 3 remaining votes of the total 4 that every citizen is allowed to make. There is no sure system that can double check the governments counts of votes to the public, and the remaining votes of the "powerful" must be winners are secured through influence - media campaigns aligned with the owners of the media, and of course the well known use of "public funds" in order to buy votes. Each Winner is guaranteed 250,000 or 500,000 from the government on winning a position and on top the contributions may be more from "anyone" including members of government that may or may not have access to government funding without checks.

How are the people just standing by as such indecent , immoral, and unethical actions take place? while the countries future hands on the balance.

Well, they are kept quite through the "temporary" I say temporary as it surely won't be for long, monetary payments and subsidies that the government and members of parliament pass out or encourage. They are brainwashed into materialism, and the need for more material, the constant want is fed with small denominations of cash and cash equivalents. That is not to say that such payments are wrong, they should still be in existence - but without the evil motives that surround them.

Parliament has abused the powers they have been granted by the state. They have held the country ransom, creating hostages of the people for the benefit of their pockets. They use the powers of impeachment, so called "grilling" at every opportunity they see fit in order to push their agendas. They decide to focus on bullshit matters that work against the people, such as the banning of music, the segregation of men and women at schools and providing no choice to the people, seeking the inhumane legislation to ban women from work after 8 PM. They have prioritized unimportant trivial matters that are only good for argument at social gatherings, while putting aside important issues that will effect the future of the state and its people. Kuwait's democracy is a joke. They have protected their joke of a job by pushing a law that calls for the arrest of anyone that would try to push for the closure of their parliament, their temple of evil and destruction as it should be named. Kuwait once lead the region. Now it drags behind, if not moving in the opposite direction to a Kabul, Afghanistan like state.

The people need to get together, and put aside their personal differences and empower there commonalities as the people of Kuwait to move toward a positive and better future where great potential resides.

This is that nightmare that those who know have peeped into, unlike any other peep show- this one is so awkwardly menacing than titillating. It has bread a variety of reactions, reactions in the face of fear. It has lead more and more people to steal and rob the country as a possible last resort to save themselves and family before it is too late. It is a self-fulfilling nightmare. In order to stop the nightmare to becoming a current reality, our perspective must change to be more positive, our reactions must change to be more positive and duelly our outcome will change for the positive, but the movement must be united. One Nation United Under One Common Goal- Survival and Success as a Nation of People.

Lost City of Atlantis FOUND on Google

2009-02-21T15:51:00.000-08:00

Caroline McCarthy Just brought on some insight on the latest finding on Google Earth. Google Eart 5.0 offers undersea Image Data, and apparently "a British aeronautical engineer was playing around with the new Google Earth 5.0, which includes undersea data, and noticed something funny off the coast of Africa, about 600 miles west of the Canary Islands, that resembled a pattern of a street grid"

Arguments have been have on the story for and against the findings. Google in its latest cover-up has declared the findings reminents the large tanker that surveyed the area, whilst others have used Plato's works to prove the findings as the old Lost City of Atlantis.

Can't Get Enough - Peace Can Come with These Isreali Girls!

2009-02-18T17:43:00.000-08:00

Blogs a Little Boring Lets Spice it Up With Army Girls!

2009-02-18T13:43:00.000-08:00

Opinions?

Sheikh Ali Al Salems Acquital

2009-02-18T02:25:00.001-08:00

Al Watan Daily- Owned either partially or in whole be Sheikh Ali Al Khalifa Al-Sabah has Published todays News with a "Emphasized" box regarding "Sheikh Ali's Acquital" stating through it that "The Court Stressed that the dorr for any more petitions int he case has been permanently closed" even though several people strongly believe it should be otherwise.

Perhaps this is why the Courts should be 100% transperant with every decision having a reason and a set of applicable laws and evidence presented entirely to the public. But that would'nt happen because some people may want to keep things under-wraps...

Transperency would further prove to the people beyond any reasonable doubt that one is innocent or guilty. Helping the hand of the accused, the rights of people, and the honor of the judicial process.

Segregation Law Possibly Beaten Out!

2009-02-18T02:17:00.000-08:00

Great! Another Move Square one.. Yet it shows we could be Moving Forward. Apparently the recently placed Segregation Law presupposed the "Immorality" of Students. Law Makers will be fighting to remove it. It shouldn't have been placed in the first place, and should have be a possibility. Choice rises above all else. There are both Male and Female Schools as well as Mixed ones. Parents and Students have the right to choose which ones they would prefer to attend, that goes above the unequal-ness and the unnaturalness that gathers through separation.

Lets Stay Updated!

All Hail the Saudi King! Making Way for the Future!

2009-02-18T02:05:00.000-08:00

Have you noticed that the King of Saudi Arabia has recently made some dramatic changes in the government lately. My personal belief is that he had a dream and it was turning out to be good the way things were heading. Change was needed and he has taken the first step to the action required!

He replaced the head of the religious police with a more Liberal one, and installed in a Female Minister!

Saudi wasn't heading for a very prosperous future with the way things were going. Its mostly a barren desert with a capital that has a few buildings. A typical Males day is composed of heading to work, home for lunch, and spending most of the day at a pretty much run-down sheesha (Hookah) Bar. Starting a Business is exceptionally hard due to Bureaucracy and other obstacles, meeting members of the opposite sex besides family is almost impossible as the possibility includes the threat of death by hanging or stoning. It gets much worse for woman who can barely enter the workforce, have to cover from head to two have no rights and can't drive legally. If it wasn't for the oil money.. Saudi Arabia would be one of the worst places to be born in the entire world - one could say synonymous to the waiting room after death and before heaven and hell.

Anyhow, change is on its way. I hope things turn out for the better- more liberties and freedom to the people. Incentives for business within the poorer area's. Anti-corruption Ministries, with rotating heads. A full on System for a Better Future, along side "Sustained" growth - A Dubai sort of idea yet with Morality, Choice, and an Understanding for the People of the Kingdom First.

Dubai, UAE going down the Old Evil Path..

2009-02-18T01:29:00.000-08:00

Dubai known for its large real-estate projects, innovative minds, a massive foreign populace these days didn't always start out as such. Only 15-20 Years ago it was mostly desert with most initial projects being funded by families within the other Gulf States. Gulf Citizens bought land in Dubai, including citizens and members of the ruling families within the neighbor emirati states (Ajman, Ras Al Khaima, Sharjah, etc). One example is the Intercontinetal Hotel of Dubai at the heart of the Old City and the several hospitals around the majority of the states that were built and funded by Kuwait.

One day a vision came into place. That vision was initially funded by Gulf Arab states- Then began the ordeal of getting International Funding and a need for a growing expatriate population and a touristic enterprise.

So began the Sex Tourism, the setting up of brothels and the importation of sex slave workers- primarily Russians and other eastern Europeans. Tourism in Dubai grew. People became fascinated with the acceptance of alcohol legally and the "we turn a blind eye to" acceptance to prostitution. It was reaffirmed with Police managing traffic at the late night Whore Clubs such as the well known Dubai Cyclone Club.

Then began the implementation of Free Trade Zone's. Allowing International Expatriates to deal in business within the Emirate directly without an agent. Allowing them to have bases for the region with foreign staff that were also amused by the haven of what was Dubai.

However- Land was important for such growth and what did Dubai do to overcome this- They began seizing all property from those Gulf Arabs and Neigbouring States that initially bought into the Emirate of Dubai. They offered the same value of money that it was initially bought for even though at the time the land value had gone 100 times (10000%) up and even more to this date.

Now with the Land, The Free Trade Zone and Foriegn Investment they needed to keep the money flowing in. Projects began expanding into Real-Estate in order to House Foriegners who wanted to own homes (previously not allowed). They Sold properties within the Freehold Zones and adjusted the laws to allow for foreign ownership. They sold and Sold and Sold. Unitl there was no more Land Left. Dubai Was Growing at an immense rate.

Property Value and Rents were Skyrocketting further pushing the greed to build more. The types of projects which were once figments of the imagination became realities and cost was no issue. A lot of the money came in through money Laundering. Property Giants would travel to the Russia and accept payments from all sorts of people. There was a system in place to protect them and allow for such dealings. When it became too obvious they began placing laws and punishing violators in order to offset the competition. It all seemed too well orchestrated.

They began to Clean up their image. Place the right laws in place. The ends were met, the means were over.

One day.. A Gigantic Crash Came Along.

Once Immoral Always Immoral. The means were once again required..

A DUBAI DEAL CALLED INTO QUESTION AS BOOM ENDS

By MARGARET COKER

DUBAI -- Amid the movers and shakers of this glittering city, Shahram Abdullah Zadeh cut a wide swathe. He cruised around town in a white Bentley and dined with royalty as his company developed one of the emirate's premier office complexes.

But last February, a phone call from Dubai's state security effectively ended it all.

Shahram Abdullah Zadah

Hauled in and locked up for 60 days, Mr. Zadeh says he was interrogated about his role in Dubai's freewheeling real-estate sector and his business relationship with the brother-in-law of Dubai's ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. When released, Mr. Zadeh says he had been frozen out of the real-estate company he had helped start.

Mr. Zadeh's experience, compiled though court and company documents, offers a rare window into the murky business world that helped transform this city from an empty coastline into a metropolis. It also may offer a cautionary tale for investors lured to the city, which bills itself as the modern face of a new Middle East. Dubai is one of seven semi-autonomous emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates.

The U.S. government and human-rights groups have long criticized the judicial system in the U.A.E for a lack of independence and oversight. In the good times, investors didn't fret much about these shortcomings. Now, some of the same deals that helped build Dubai are coming undone -- in particular, a tradition of off-the-book business partnerships between Emirati citizens and elite expatriates like Mr. Zadeh, who was born in Iran.

Mr. Zadeh claims his detention came after a business dispute with his partner at Al Fajer Properties, Sheikh Hasher bin Juma'a Al Maktoum and his son, Sheikh Maktoum bin Hasher al Maktoum. Both men are members of the extended family of Dubai's ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Mr. Zadeh alleges the two men took control of the firm while he was in custody, according to a lawsuit he filed with Dubai's public prosecution office last year.

Mr. Zadeh has not been charged with a crime. But for the past year, authorities have held onto his passport, making it impossible for him to travel or find work.

"I used to believe in the miracle of Dubai. But now I see it all as a mirage," said Mr. Zadeh, 37. Sheikh Hasher denies any wrongdoing. He says he was not responsible for Mr. Zadeh's jailing and that he removed him from the company because Dubai authorities said he had offered bribes, an allegation Mr. Zadeh denies.

"I don't need to defend my reputation. He does," Sheikh Hasher said in a telephone interview. "This man is crazy. He is a crook with a sweet tongue."

View Full Image

Al Fajer Properties

Shahram Abdullah Zadeh's planned $750-million development (shown in an artist's rendering) with Al Fajer Properties in Dubai ran into turbulence.

Some of Mr. Zadeh's claims are impossible to verify independently. His only copy of the real-estate partnership agreement is missing, and official company documents show the Sheikh Hasher as sole owner. Dubai's security services, the public prosecutors' office and the Dubai ruler's court all either declined to comment or didn't respond to repeated requests for comment.

Last fall, the Emirates' Human Rights Association, a government body, wrote to authorities asking for an explanation about why Mr. Zadeh's passport was being held. The group did not receive any response, according to his lawyers.

Mr. Zadeh grew up in Dubai, attending school with the children of some of the city's top families. He managed his family's hotel and retail holdings and decided to go into business himself in 2000. Real-estate development was off limits to foreigners, even longtime residents like himself. So, he turned to a common practice -- a silent partnership with a U.A.E. citizen.

Typically, such partnerships involve an Emirati acquiring a business license and then granting his foreign partner management control. The foreigner either pays an annual fee to the Emirati or the two share profits. The terms are set forth in a parallel set of documents, separate from those submitted to the government. Such contracts are so common that courts here have upheld them in disputes, according to commercial lawyers here.

In 2004, an old friend of Mr. Zadeh's father brokered an introduction with Sheikh Hasher. The sheikh owns Al Fajer Enterprises, a conglomerate that includes a large construction and contracting arm.

In affidavits filed with Dubai's prosecution office, Mr. Zadeh contends that he and Sheikh Hasher verbally agreed to a partnership, signing a contract on Feb. 1, 2006. The partnership, Mr. Zadeh says, established the two men as co-owners of Al Fajer Properties. The men would split profits equally and would invest equal amounts of capital. The contract named Mr. Zadeh as chief executive.

Mr. Zadeh provided $335,000 in start-up capital, and he invested another approximately $30 million in the company, according to bank documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. Mr. Zadeh's affidavits contend Sheikh Hasher didn't contribute any capital. Sheikh Hasher denies the equity partnership ever existed.

Business took off quickly. One of Al Fajer's biggest projects was a planned $750-million development of five office towers, set just inland from Dubai's man-made, palm-tree-shaped island. Mr. Zadeh bought three of the five plots for the 40-story towers with his own money, according to financial documents. With investors lined up for units, he then awarded $215 million worth of contracts to the construction arm of Sheikh Hasher's Al Fajer Enterprises, according to company documents.

But by late 2007, the contractors were behind schedule, according to company documents and former employees. Al Fajer Properties was facing fines for the delays, and buyers were starting to complain. Sheikh Hasher wanted payments to continue to his companies, but Mr. Zadeh claims he said no. The sheikh complained in a series of text messages that unless Mr. Zadeh released more cash, his contracting companies would go bankrupt.

On Feb. 21, 2008, Mr. Zadeh claims, he received an unusual phone call from State Security, asking him to come in that evening for a talk. When he arrived, , he claims that police blindfolded him, put him into a sport-utility vehicle and drove him to a detention center.

In the eight weeks he was jailed, Mr. Zadeh says he was never accused of a specific crime or shown an arrest warrant. Instead, he says, he was repeatedly interrogated about his personal life and Al Fajer's operations, and gave his interrogators the combination to the company's safe after they asked for it. "They told me that if I did not cooperate that they would ruin me," Mr. Zadeh said.

Mr. Zadeh contends the only copy of his partnership agreement with Sheikh Hasher was in the safe. Former employees of Al Fajer say the company safe was emptied while Mr. Zadeh was jailed.

On March 6, Sheikh Hasher's son, Sheikh Maktoum, was named the new chief executive of Al Fajer Properties. Sheikh Hasher hired international accountants to audit Al Fajer's books, according to former employees. He then presented the findings to employees and select clients, accusing Mr. Zadeh of embezzling funds. Phone calls and emails sent to lawyers and accountants of Al Fajer Properties were not returned.

Sheikh Hasher says Mr. Zadeh stole money from him, but did not provide evidence, or the audit, to back his claim. Mr. Zadeh denies it.

Prosecutors refused to investigate the case, citing an order from Dubai's attorney general, an official appointed by the ruler. In November, Mr. Zadeh tried one last option. He approached the ruler's diwan, or court administration, and asked for mediation from Sheikh Mohammed himself.

So far, there has been no reply.

Write to Margaret Coker at margaret.coker@wsj.com

Source: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123457503562586691.html?mod=fox_australian
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Sending out "The Secret" Police to gather information, torture and illegally imprison for your own gain, making the Police your own personal Henchmen- Abiding by your will for your benefit in business. The Courts follow what you say.. What would you be called?

Invest in Dubai!

Kuwaiti Deb Purchases Take A Religious Turn

2009-02-18T01:16:00.000-08:00

Monday - 16th - Feb. Members of the Parliamentary Finance and Economic Committee announced that they were quite enthusiastic about the issue of purchasing debts owed by citizens, MP Dhaifallah BuRamia disclosed on Sunday. -- Al Watan

Also Within the Same Article..

A request will also be filed to discuess the issue on the house during the said session. Reacting to remarkes made by MP Khalid Al-Sultan who was qouted as saying that purchasing debts is forbiddien under the Islamic Law, the lawmaker asserted there are no restrictions concerning this subject under the Islamic Law, thereby contradicting Al-Sultans statement. Al Sultan, however affirmed that his view is based on a religious editct (Fatwa) which forbids the purchase of debtys incurred by individual citizens.

What the Crap? Lets take away the debts! no lets not! Its anti Islamic according to this fatwa! but hold up! Another Fatwa says this! and that Fatwa says that! FYI: Fatwa's are edicts released by religious people regarding decisions around faith, these days have also taken a poltical economic stance. Why Listen to the Economists when we have Religious men in Beards to Issue Edicts?

I cannot believe our parliament argues on such grounds. It gives the feeling of prehistoric cave meetings with a lot of pointing, shouting and chest beating.

Expat Labor in Kuwait Enjoying Xmas Party

2009-02-13T15:15:00.000-08:00

I'm happy to see that atleast givin their circumastances (salary, 5-7 inhabitants to 1 room) they manage to find time to enjoy themselves and celebrate. Yet there are still some people that want to take that right away as well..sadly to say.

2006 Womans Rights Campaign

2009-02-13T14:54:00.000-08:00

Cannot Believe this is happening in 2006.. Of Basic Human Dignity and Rights.

John Solecki, a seized American - Just Released Image

2009-02-13T14:35:00.000-08:00

2 hours 2ago: This is an image from mobile phone footage released by Online Photos Friday Feb. 13 2009, purportedly showing John Solecki, a seized American U.N. worker. The kidnappers have threatened to kill Solecki within 72 hours unless more than 100 prisoners are released. The threat was contained in a letter delivered with a grainy video of the hostage to a Pakistani news agency on Friday. Solecki appears blindfolded in the short clip and appeals to the world body to act quickly to secure his release.

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I shall tell you that these people who do these things are the enemies of the people. The enemies of freedom. They ask for the release of criminals by acting crimanily themselves. They have a misconstrued image of religion. These are the people that want to have power and have us live by their ways. They are a network, they recieve funding via these networks. The fact that they are typically masked proposes other theories - That they may also lead lives as ordinary people, or that they may not be who they claim to be.

No Comment:

2009-02-13T13:49:00.001-08:00

The Banning of Valentines Day - Further Loss of Choice/Rights

2009-02-13T12:53:00.000-08:00

Kuwaiti's Like Saudi's are now unabble to celebrate valentines day legally. All Forms of Love and Celebration will be punished. The agenda of the religious factions are gaining more and more power. The Free has lost another Battle.

This is it. The rise of Islamic Fundamentalism and Extremism. They have pushed forth such doctrines along with the segregation of women in schools and universities. They will continue until all they preach is in order and all our rights are gone. There is no better way to control a people than through a religion who has ultimate power and is impossible to argue with. Similar and worse than the past sovereign ruler-ship of Medieval Kingdoms of Scotland, England and Europe. The Control of the Throne chosen by God, but this time the systems a lot better to their gain. There is no ultimate ruler-ship for the values are what rules and the law that they have enacted in place to their benefit, where there people and those like them benefit the most. And more importantly an unarguable stance of dictatorship by God and His book. Its Holy War V.3.0 , yet this time around the rest of us care too little to defend ourselves until its too late. ____

Links to Read:

http://www.236.com/news/2008/02/14/be_my_saudi_valentine_under_pe_1_4354.php

http://globalvoicesonline.org/2007/02/14/valentine-special-is-love-in-the-air-in-the-middle-east/

READ! http://globalvoicesonline.org/2008/02/15/middle-east-protesting-love/

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Kuwaiti MPs plan Valentine's Day ban

by Amy Glass on Thursday, 14 February 2008

NO LOVE: Kuwait plans to ban Valentine's Day (Getty Images)

Valentine's Day celebrations that contradict Islamic teachings and values will be banned in Kuwait, government officials have warned.

Islamist MPs said they will investigate the possibility of amending existing laws to ban the celebration of Valentine's Day, Kuwait Times reported on Thursday.

A committee which monitors practices alien to Kuwaiti society met on Wednesday with representatives of several government ministries to study preventive measures, including monitoring hotels, restaurants and retailers that sell Valentine's Day items

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WTF!

Kuwait's Heading Backward -The Loss of Rights

2009-02-13T11:29:00.000-08:00

Kuwaits heading backward and its getting bad. Real bad. Thing is no ones really taking action against the rise of individuals that promote such inhumane practices. While they move toward toward building a world of unequalness, a world with no rights, no choice - basically taking us back 1400 years ago and indeed for their own benefit. So that there kind and their ways of life may propser without the opposition having any say.. WE DO NOTHING.

Whats with the segregation of schools and universities? Its always been a choice to attend a co-ed school or a single sex school. Why has that choice been taken away? The all male and all female schools had lead us, and examples can be provided of a misunderstanding between men and women. We do not live in a world where men and women are on different planets, we live together and the process should be the same from childhood into adul

thood.

What sad to say is that the possible future ahead could be the involentary removal of women from the work force due to a lack of education, and thereby a further de-evolution of womans rights in which there would be no logical reason for in counting their vote. Simply because they not educated enough to make a decision around important issues.

This would happen as schools are seperated, while men who are culturally accepted as the family provider and bread provider, continue to recieve the highest form o

f education at "price" and profit the instituitions. The level of education would decrease for woman under the assumption and the culturally accepted norm that woman are the care-taker and bringer of children- basically a life v

essel for procreation, and for that the need for a higher standard of education would decrease as would the possible profiteering of such a democratic by the institutions. Eventually womans education would be so low that only the wealthy would be able to travel abroad to attain a proper education, and the majority would either not attend such indecent lev

els of education. Slowly but surely, the majority would end up uneducated, the social norm would be that woman are not competent enough to work and then be phased out of the work force. Once such a process has been accomplished- the only thing left would be the removal of the womans voice in society- through the removal of the womans vote. Leaving only one demographic for such "Evil Men" to cater to- providing the most benefit to themselves at the expense of women. Making one side happier is alot easier.

WTF!

We need to Continue to Fight the War against Fanatical Extremism!

Religion - A Video Posting

2009-02-13T10:33:00.001-08:00

The following is excerpt from Zeitgeist. Condensed into 3 short parts. The full video may be viewed at the zeitgeist website. (Available at http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/ ) The follwing is only a short portion of the two Zeitgeist movies . Both are a must-watch for all. Adendum does not include reference to religion and has a heavier focus on the economy, global players and our current recession.

In Order

Link:

The Award Winning ZeitGeist Website: http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/

If your looking for answers that make common sense and are logical use your mind. The Zeitgiest video is a knowledge-base some points could be untrue but answers await you.

Atheist Appeal

2009-02-13T09:09:00.001-08:00

Video 1

Video 2

Links
Home page: http://www.atheist-experience.com/
Blog: http://atheistexperience.blogspot.com/
The Non-Prophets Radio:http://www.nonprophetsradio.com/
Wiki: http://wiki.ironchariots.org/
Fan club: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid...
Live stream: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/the-ath...

Adventures Around Flicker and Kuwaiti Fear

2009-02-11T15:11:00.000-08:00

I've been venturing around the world of Flicker and more specifically the Kuwaiti Journals and have been alerted time and time again about peoples fear and run-ins with the cops and possible arrests for taking pictures around Kuwait. Apparently one needs a licence to take pictures in public and without such a license you are likely to get arrested. Why is this law in place? We may all come to some conclusions, an old method of containing information within the borders of the state. Today..I guess such a law doesn't apply so well with everyone carrying a camera phone, internet photo albums.. The law should be ammended before Kuwait starts to look like a "bad-guy" tyranical state that deprives people of liberties and for Kuwaiti Photographers to capture images at peace.

Certain Ammendments may be placed to protect peoples personal spaces and privacy. Such as any non-celebrity or non-government employee may not have their photographs published to the public without their personal permission. "I say published" in order to allow the photo to be taken in the first place but place a law to protect privacy afterwards. If anyone is clearly seen in a picture that they did not authorize they may claim damages.

What other laws do you think pertaining to this issue do you think should be ammended? and what are the easy ways to get the required licence? what are the pro's and con's of such a licence?

Illegal Personal Property Damage by Kuwaiti Private Corp

2009-02-11T11:06:00.000-08:00

Mark Posted the following image on his Flickr Album: The Miskan Project that consisted of taking a picture a day. Rather intriguing as he also places an explanation to each and everyone. As far as my perception takes me he's going to produce a book with the images and explanations which ought to be rather unique and special in terms of books of Kuwait and historical depictions usually done from a bird-eye view of events. This ones going to be from the life of an Expat living in Kuwait. The Real Deal.

I believe the picture he took above is of a ticketing system Marina Mall and Management have taken unto themselves to set-up in order to punish illegal parkers by placing a hard-to-remove and rather annoying sticker (the type that shreds when you tear it off) to illegal parkers. I'm not sure about the legality of such a system - which is sort of mildly damaging personal property yet at the less costly (to the car owner) than a ticket.

I guess Marina knows they have a parking problem on weekends and don't want to punish so called shoppers, and instead place this sticker when drivers illegally park on non-eventful days. Keeping the Police out of the way for the weekends. Have you noticed no one gets tickets at marina parking when illegally parked.

Reason Why Women Should Vote (Womans Police Uniform)

2009-02-11T10:04:00.001-08:00

The Police uniform for the first generation of police woman in Kuwait is going to debut with the new force. Perhaps we should put it to a vote. Here goes mine.. Anyone else?

Just for you all to know its a joke, but perhaps I really wouldnt mind if they were all fit, and making the world safer and prettier at the same time - just remember my statement here is sexist as it places woman within a sexual catagory and demeans them from who they actually are and can be.

Perhaps if you've attended a mixed school or univesity its quite easy to realize its most commonly the women that are at the top of the class, the most studious and honorary ones. They've worked hard to reach such a position of "greater right" within society and I hope they strive to continue and be equal to men or rather even better.

Bahrain: Bloggers united against decision to block websites

2009-02-05T06:16:00.000-08:00

Bloggers in Bahrain are fuming at a decision by the country's Minister of Information to block access to scores of websites, as well as prevent access to proxy sites which enable surfers to get to sites in a roundabout manner.

Ammaro is defiant:

MINISTRY; HERE'S A SPECIAL MESSAGE FOR YOU. YOU CAN BLOCK A DOOR, YOU CAN BLOCK TWO, BUT YOU'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO CENSOR THE INTERNET, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT. THERE ARE A MILLION AND ONE WAYS TO GET AROUND YOUR BLOCKADES, AND YOU'LL NEVER KEEP UP WITH THEM.

Rayyash says:

إنتبتني الدهشة وأنا أشاهد القرار الصادر عن وزيرة الإعلام والقاضي بحجب المواقع على صفحة الانترنت، وسبب الدهشة ليست الشق الخاص بإغلاق المواقع الإباحية والتي أتفق واطالب بحجبها جميعاً ولكنه الشق الخاص بإغلاق أي مواقع آخر قد يصدر قرار بشأنه!!! والسبب هو أني دائماً لا أعول كثيراً على حسن الظن بالأنظمة العربية!!

I was surprised when I read the order issued by the Minister of Information to block websites on the Internet. The reason I was surprised was not because of the part related to banning pornographic sites which I agree with and call for censoring, but the part which says that any other site could also be blocked. The reason for this is that I don't believe that Arab governments have good intentions

Hussain Marhoon has a slightly different position:

في المبدأ، شخصياً فأنا ضد قرار الحجب في المطلق، بما في ذلك حجب المواقع الجنسية. وإذ لست أدري ما قيمة أن أكون “ضد”، مع ترجيح أن تكون لا شيء، أدري في المقابل عن موجة “التديين” التي صارت تطال بالتقسيط، نواحي حياتنا.

In principle, I am against the banning of websites altogether and that includes porn even though I don't know the value of being “against”. I know that there is a religious wave that is starting to have an impact on all areas of our life.

Jenan asks:

لم لا نحظى بحرية الكلمة و أيننا من ليبرالية التعبير يا هل ترى؟

Why don't we enjoy freedom of speech and where are we as regards liberalising expression?

Mohammed Marhoon also has a question:

ألسنا في عصر الإصلاح والشفافية؟!.. لا مبرر لفرض الوصاية على المرسل و الملتقي على حد سواء!

Aren't we in the era of reform and transparency? There is no excuse for imposing a guardian on the sender and recipient at the same time!

The Redbelt says:

Let me try to paint you a picture:
It is the 1980’s. No internet and no Satellite TV channels and nothing. The only communications we have with the outside world are videotapes, cassettes, books and magazines. In these simpler times, banning something would actually work. If the government says for a reason or another that a film for example is unacceptable and not wanted, the majority of the population, if not all, will not get to see it. Tapes will be easily found and confiscated. And then what? Banning media at that age was quite effective. But that was a long, long, LONG time ago. Just look at my brother, he was a mere idea in ’86 and was born in ’87. Today he is a 186 cm tall man, with a goatee, driving license and a college degree. Media has grown that much too.

Eyad wonders about the business logic:

Let’s not look at the internet as the super highway of information but look at it as a product, the people in their homes are paying a good amount of money and on a monthly bases just to access the internet and have a good time doing so, based on that fact [telecommunication companies] are heavily investing in networks and technology to get that connection to every home and business in the country; what if people based on giving these circumstances stop subscribing to internet services or resorting to other options like subscription sharing, how can these ISP’s justify their investment and effort to improve services when the Government is not helping at all.

Funaki says:

We have been blessed with a mind of our own that we can use to make decisions and distinguish between right and wrong. I don’t need anyone from outside coming and telling me what is right and what is wrong.

Yagoob makes a similar point - and has a request for the Minister:

People should be free to do whatever they want online, whether it’s safe or sinful is really none of the government’s business… We are not cattle that need to herded and shown the ‘righteous’ or better put ‘the government’s’ way. […] Your Excellency, blocking these websites will in the short and long term continue to undermine the freedoms given to the Bahraini people through the constitution and depriving useful websites from the residents of Bahrain for no reason whatsoever. Please reconsider and lift the ban off these websites and let us as a people grow more knowledgeable, educated and inspired…

Source and More at:
http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/01/28/bahrain-bloggers-unite-against-decision-to-block-websites/

Over-reliance on oil deepens crisis

2009-02-03T03:55:00.000-08:00

Tue, Feb 03, 2009, 08:14 GMT

Monday, Feb 02, 2009

Despite continual political bickering and a stagnant reform process, Kuwait has in recent years been able to rely on oil revenues to support growth and keep its citizens happy.

Yet after years of healthy growth rates, some economists are warning that Kuwait may be the hardest hit of all Gulf countries this year.

Mauled by slumping oil income, production cuts and a domestic financial crisis, the country is in danger of suffering its worst economic contraction since it was invaded by Iraq in 1990, National Bank of Kuwait - the country's largest financial institution - warned in a report last week.

"I think people are being too timid with their forecasts, shaving a percentage point or two here and there. The reality is very different," says Randa Azar-Khoury, NBK's chief economist. "The pain is definitely going to be there."

NBK forecasts that the Kuwaiti economy will contract 4 per cent in real terms this year, and 32 per cent in nominal terms, unless the government acts swiftly to boost spending.

Kuwait is an important member of Opec, and the cartel's record production cut will be the main cause of the recession, according to economists.

Yet the non-oil part of the economy may contract by 2 per cent as shell-shocked Kuwaiti companies and individuals cut investment and spending because of a domestic financial crisis and a precipitous decline of consumer and business confidence.

Though relatively isolated from the global financial crisis, many Kuwaiti financial institutions are struggling after borrowing heavily abroad and investing in illiquid assets such as real estate and private equity.

One of the country's largest and most prominent investment companies, Global Investment House, recently defaulted on most of its $3bn debt. Bankers say many others are teetering on the edge of insolvency.

The commercial banking sector is healthier, but there too problems have emerged. Gulf Bank, one of the country's largest lenders, required a state rescue last year after losing $1.4bn when a currency derivatives trade went awry, and all lenders are coming under pressure.

Moody's Investors Service placed four Kuwaiti banks under review for possible downgrades in December because of concerns over falling real estate prices, a tumbling stock market and "calls on the country's banks to extend long-term secured funding to [investment companies]".

Individual Kuwaitis are also faring poorly. Many have ploughed money into stocks in recent years, hoping to capitalise on the region's recent economic boom. The collapse of the Kuwait Stock Exchange has dealt a blow to confidence and led to demonstrations against the government last year.

"The market and the economy are collapsing and there will be social and economic consequences on citizens," Adnan Abdulsamad, a Kuwaiti parliamentarian, said last month. "If the government does not intervene, the economy will collapse. We want the government to act."

Before it was forced to resign over a dispute with parliament, the government set up an investment fund to offer succour to investors to be managed by the Kuwait Investment Authority, the country's $200bn sovereign wealth fund.

Though it has started buying shares and improving liquidity in the stock market since January, the sums involved "are nothing like the scale of wealth destruction that has taken place", says Ms Azar-Khoury.

A local newspaper reported last week that a parliamentary panel is discussing a rescue plan with a ceiling of KD24bn ($82.7bn), but the country is beset with political infighting and a lethargic bureaucracy that may stymie decisive action.

Unlike the travails of many other countries in the global financial crisis, "Kuwait's wounds are self-inflicted", says a senior regional banker.

By Robin Wigglesworth

Article originally published by Financial Times 02-Feb-09