tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-381004692012-01-27T18:01:39.455+03:00Rational thoughts on irrational subjects. In and around Kuwait.Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.comBlogger2931100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-58860555211540980452012-01-27T18:01:00.001+03:002012-01-27T18:01:39.464+03:00

IT IS a proud boast of Singapore that this very small but immensely wealthy city-state is the least corrupt and best place to do business in the world. And a chief reason for that, at least according to the politicians, is that they themselves are by some way the highest-paid elected officials in the world. Why would a minister bother with corruption, so the argument goes, when he can take home S

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-39144296402305469462011-12-10T11:49:00.001+03:002011-12-10T11:49:06.110+03:00

His central message, which has remained the same through global booms and recessions, is admirably humdrum. He seeks to describe, in detail, how great bosses run their companies. After decades of minute observation, he concludes that hard work and perseverance matter more than genius. His heroes are self-effacing company men who spend years patiently building their organisations, rather than

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-64851285571651652752011-11-18T10:52:00.001+03:002011-11-18T10:52:17.510+03:00

AS PROTESTANT Europe, in its own eyes virtuous and thrifty, wrestles with the debt problems of the continent’s Catholic and Orthodox countries, the idea that religious affiliation may influence the way people save, work and spend is more appealing than ever. The toppling of Arab tyrants has lent urgency to a similar enquiry: do Islam and Islamism permit the legal and social conditions that make

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-22485442967661668042011-11-05T22:47:00.001+03:002011-11-05T22:47:50.448+03:00

"I try to look nice. I comb my hair, I tie my tie, I put on a jacket, but I draw the line when it comes to trimming my eyebrows. You work with what you got." -- from an essay on his eyebrows, Nov. 24, 1996"We need people who can actually do things. We have too many bosses and too few workers. More college graduates ought to become plumbers or electricians, then go home at night and read

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-49111367176637484252011-10-08T01:56:00.000+03:002011-10-08T01:57:08.808+03:00

www.wahaby.com

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-85533539455990665702011-09-30T23:31:00.001+03:002011-09-30T23:31:39.103+03:00

At the influential TED conference last year, Bill Gates declared that if he were allowed one wish to improve humanity’s lot over the next 50 years, he would choose an “energy miracle”: a new technology that produced energy at half the price of coal with no carbon dioxide emissions. He explained that he’d rather have this wish than a new vaccine or medicine or even choose the next several American

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-10833915741069652392011-09-27T22:51:00.001+03:002011-09-27T22:51:51.672+03:00

In most times and in most places, the group was seen to be the essential moral unit. A shared religion defined rules and practices. Cultures structured people’s imaginations and imposed moral disciplines. But now more people are led to assume that the free-floating individual is the essential moral unit. Morality was once revealed, inherited and shared, but now it’s thought of as something that

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-45557667491981214372011-09-13T22:58:00.001+03:002011-09-13T22:58:09.904+03:00

With Dominique Strauss-Kahn out of the running there is just one French Socialist primary candidate who understands all this. Manuel Valls, a deputy and mayor with a refreshingly modern view of the left, says Socialists are not being straight by promising retirement at 60. He dares utter such truths as “we need to tell the French that the [budgetary] effort…will be as great as that achieved after

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-77817789194339701492011-09-12T14:36:00.000+03:002011-09-12T14:45:17.848+03:00

The recent gyrations in global stock markets are just the beginning, says U.S.-based economist and author Harry Dent, who believes the Dow will fall below 10,000 in the near term before crashing to around 3,000 in 2013.Dow Could Crash to 3,000 in 2013: Author - CNBCRemember the book Dow 40,000? When published in 1999 perhaps it was an early sell signal and a predictor of the Dot Com crash that

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-35377336923825527572011-09-10T20:27:00.000+03:002011-09-10T20:28:20.544+03:00

He returned to Apple as an adviser in 1996, when the firm was in dire straits. A year later he was made interim chief executive. Asked at the time what he thought Mr Jobs should do with Apple, Michael Dell, a rival computer-maker, helpfully suggested that he should shut it down.Mr Jobs ignored that advice. Instead he led the company on to its greatest triumphs. Steve Jobs resigns: The minister of

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-31404107628488185982011-08-30T19:38:00.000+03:002011-08-30T19:39:21.305+03:00

EVERY so often something comes along which shows that almost everything you know about a subject is wrong. Such a development is happening in the world of foreign aid. It is a proposal by India to set up its own aid agency to distribute $11 billion over the next five to seven years. That’s aid from India.Official development assistance: Aid 2.0 | The EconomistThis could very well extend to

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-27388139764038245082011-08-25T04:05:00.000+03:002011-08-25T04:06:24.409+03:00

“You could make the case that Steve has injected so much of his DNA into Apple that Apple will continue,” said Guy Kawasaki, who was an Apple executive in the late 1980s. “Or you can make the case that without Steve, Apple will flounder. But you cannot make the case that Apple without Steve Jobs will be better. Hard to conceive of that.” Jobs Stepping Down as Chief Executive of Apple -

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-50628447317477042982011-07-13T19:27:00.001+03:002011-07-13T19:27:10.359+03:00

This is precisely why LinkedIn’s founder, Reid Garrett Hoffman, one of the premier starter-uppers in Silicon Valley — besides co-founding LinkedIn, he is on the board of Zynga, was an early investor in Facebook and sits on the board of Mozilla — has a book coming out after New Year called “The Start-Up of You,” co-authored with Ben Casnocha. Its subtitle could easily be: “Hey, recent graduates!

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-2031860541702642442011-07-13T18:51:00.001+03:002011-07-13T18:51:19.820+03:00

Unlike eastern Europe, all Arab countries (those with oil wealth and those without) have capitalist economies, in which prices and private enterprise play a big role. Yet it is a distorted, patriarchal capitalism, characterised by a dominant state, kleptocratic monopolies, heavy regulation and massive subsidies. This has fuelled corruption, stunted growth and left millions without jobs. High oil

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-14431034498949674792011-06-12T16:57:00.000+03:002011-06-12T16:57:01.010+03:00

Last year Vijay Govindarajan, of Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business, along with Christian Sarkar, a marketing expert, issued a challenge in a Harvard Business Review blog: why not apply the world’s best business thinking to housing the poor? Why not replace the shacks that blight the lives of so many poor people, thrown together out of cardboard and mud, and prone to collapsing or

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-21581747106793658632011-05-31T19:09:00.000+03:002011-05-31T19:09:00.328+03:00

Martin Seligman, a former president of the American Psychological Association, would approve. He has uncovered various structured ways of perking people up, all of them, he insists on the very first page of his new book, “grounded in careful science”. Much of this book consists of the results of various complex tests and interventions designed to reduce depression and anxiety and increase

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-23564951714389613072011-05-27T11:39:00.000+03:002011-05-27T11:39:00.644+03:00

These aren’t theories. They come from decades of collective experience of top executives who have learned firsthand what it takes to succeed. From the corner office, they can watch others attempt a similar climb and notice the qualities that set people apart. These C.E.O.’s offered myriad lessons and insights on the art of managing and leading, but they all shared five qualities: Passionate

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-77084231376746791632011-05-16T00:03:00.000+03:002011-05-16T00:03:00.773+03:00

The Colombians had entered the United Arab Emirates posing as construction workers. In fact, they were soldiers for a secret American-led mercenary army being built by Erik Prince, the billionaire founder of Blackwater Worldwide, with $529 million from the oil-soaked sheikdom. Blackwater Founder Forms Secret Army for Arab State - NYTimes.comIt seems Libya is not the only place where mercenary

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-22604480685148872762011-05-14T00:39:00.001+03:002011-05-14T00:39:02.184+03:00

On these trips he would have a vague plan A, a goal in view, for he had learned to appreciate planning during a wartime spell in the navy; but plans B and C might be good, too. Like Tristram Shandy, he preferred the apparently random and open-minded route. His scientific method was to gather huge amounts of data, with exuberant curiosity, in order to let some discovery surprise him. “

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-12818522406536922772011-04-25T19:29:00.001+03:002011-04-25T19:29:15.030+03:00

Unlike Jeffrey R. Immelt, the chief executive of General Electric, who spends much of his time on airplanes traveling the world to visit the company's 287,000 employees and oversees a giant campus and management team in Fairfield, Connecticut, Mr. Buffett ``manages'' Berkshire's 257,000 employees with just 21 people at his headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska.NEWS ANALYSIS Dissecting Buffett's

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-2145187328938259462011-04-22T17:03:00.001+03:002011-04-22T17:03:15.883+03:00

I am a brain child of two major turns of history, mainly european history but those turns had a major bearing on the world history: the Renaissance and the Enlightenment.The Renaissance is essentially an italian story, starting in the XVth century (the quatrocento), soon developing in the Netherlands and finally over most of Europe (France was late, when it started we were just finishing the one

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-77639991449577487672011-04-19T22:00:00.001+03:002011-04-19T22:00:51.869+03:00

Segregation was the civil war’s long tail. In 1963, two years after the mock inauguration of Jefferson Davis, George Wallace, Alabama’s governor, stood on those same capitol steps and declared that “from this cradle of the Confederacy, this very heart of the great Anglo-Saxon Southland…I say segregation today, segregation tomorrow, segregation for ever.” Segregation was so unjust that it is easy

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-6082976005760713272011-03-18T11:24:00.001+03:002011-03-18T11:24:20.915+03:00

A typical course of a modern talk therapy, such as cognitive behavioural therapy, consists of 12-16 hour-long sessions and is a reasonably efficient way of treating conditions like depression and anxiety (hysteria is no longer a recognised diagnosis). Medication, too, can bring rapid change. Nevertheless, treating disorders of the psyche is still a hit-and-miss affair, and not everyone wishes to

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-65576755081530790972011-03-12T12:49:00.003+03:002011-03-12T13:03:28.449+03:00

I got a chance to watch this wonderful and inspiring movie that deservedly won Oscar awards. The acting was impeccable. The message that came through the stuttering, and in spite of the stuttering, was loud and clear.A King was facing external battles, in the form of Hitler's Germany lurking by as well as difficult succession of a passing King, and internal ones, lack of belief and an ensuing

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-73357945382960428532011-03-09T20:11:00.000+03:002011-03-09T20:11:00.185+03:00

He first trotted out the notion of a Maison de l’Histoire a few years ago while concocting a ministry for immigration and national identity. The president described both undertakings as responses to the country’s dwindling morale. His culture minister, Frédéric Mitterrand, chimed in, promising that the history museum would illuminate France’s “soul,” whatever that meant. Henri Guaino, the

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-78620409396959695472011-03-04T15:54:00.000+03:002011-03-04T15:54:00.140+03:00

In Saudi Arabia itself, last week, seven men were thrown in jail for establishing a political party. This week King Abdullah, who is 86, returned to the country after lengthy medical treatment overseas. He offered $37 billion in new public spending to stave off unrest. Civil servants will get a pay rise; unemployed students will get grants; more housing is to be built. But as Shibley Telhami, a

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-76684691593917062462011-02-21T23:37:00.000+03:002011-02-21T23:37:00.762+03:00

For too long, conventional political thinking about the Arab world was based on a false dichotomy: authoritarian regimes or fundamentalism, extremism, terrorism. The leaders of those regimes also seemed to believe in their roles as guardians of stability. Behind the façade, however, severe social and economic problems kept mounting. Stagnating economies, pervasive corruption, the widening chasm

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-15348804597999302352011-02-12T20:50:00.000+03:002011-02-12T20:50:00.990+03:00

I spent part of the morning in the square watching and photographing a group of young Egyptian students wearing plastic gloves taking garbage in both hands and neatly scooping it into black plastic bags to keep the area clean. This touched me in particular because more than once in this column I have quoted the aphorism that “in the history of the world no one has ever washed a rented car.” I

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-86164347675504163242011-01-02T10:00:00.001+03:002011-01-02T10:00:25.609+03:00

Whether it is by learning a new language, traveling to a new place, developing a passion for beekeeping or simply thinking about an old problem in a new way, all of us can find ways to stimulate our brains to grow, in the coming year and those to follow. Just as physical activity is essential to maintaining a healthy body, challenging one’s brain, keeping it active, engaged, flexible and playful,

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-15325075752161867462010-12-02T23:02:00.001+03:002010-12-02T23:02:57.707+03:00

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani was in attendance in Zurich, and he thanked Fifa for "believing in change"."We have worked very hard over past two years to get to this point," Al-Thani continued. "Today we celebrate, but tomorrow, the work begins."We acknowledge there is a lot of work for us to do, but we also stand by our promise that we will deliver."BBC Sport - Football - Russia

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-7424049255008651842010-11-15T05:37:00.001+03:002010-11-15T05:37:56.266+03:00

Kuwait part of the honor list!

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-87465971505117225102010-11-01T23:45:00.001+03:002010-11-01T23:45:47.300+03:00

Alcohol is more harmful than heroin or crack, according to a study published in medical journal the Lancet. BBC News - Alcohol 'more harmful than heroin' says Prof David NuttSays Prof. Nutt..

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-20196399616127747782010-10-29T16:51:00.001+03:002010-10-29T16:51:09.855+03:00

Their greatest legacy may be on the Arab-Israeli conflict, in which both Israel and its Islamist opponents have inexorably moved away from a struggle between competing nationalisms and toward a historic clash of religions — more messianic, more grounded in identities as Muslims and Jews and, in that, more dangerous. Bringing the sacred into the debate makes compromise altogether more difficult.

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-15413800875290048542010-10-15T09:36:00.001+03:002010-10-15T09:36:51.641+03:00

To my father with love..

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-35864446527389088602010-09-15T17:21:00.000+03:002010-09-15T17:21:00.039+03:00

I remember visiting the theater as a child. It was quite an experience back then. Something to look forward to, especially during Eid. The local children theater was very good and constructive unlike nowadays. But some positive signs emerge. I just read a newspaper review about a new play that is very promising. It is in the classical Arabic language. It proved to be very entertaining,

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-25116130133781869192010-09-12T12:15:00.000+03:002010-09-12T12:15:00.957+03:00

Roger misses out on what would have been an epic final at the US open against Nadal. Touch luck champ. Next time around!

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-11564327011881579792010-08-19T02:30:00.001+03:002010-08-19T02:30:38.387+03:00

Most of us are perfectly capable of making distinctions within the Christian world. The fact that someone is a Boston Roman Catholic doesn’t mean he’s in league with Irish Republican Army bomb makers, just as not all Orthodox Christians have ties to Serbian war criminals or Southern Baptists to the murderers of abortion doctors.Yet many of our leaders have a tendency to see the Islamic world as a

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-42590933357780187502010-08-15T02:17:00.000+03:002010-08-15T02:17:00.905+03:00

US President Barack Obama has staunchly defended controversial plans to build a mosque near Ground Zero in New York.Opponents have protested against the construction of an Islamic cultural centre and mosque several hundred feet away from the site of the Twin Towers.Mr Obama acknowledged "sensitivities" surround the 9/11 site, but said Muslims have the same right to practise their religion "as

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-63733074479129337972010-08-02T23:28:00.000+03:002010-08-02T23:28:00.944+03:00

In the past few centuries the Arabs, once pre-eminent in a host of skills, from astronomy and algebra to architecture and engineering, have seen their societies stagnate and fester. Though blessed with natural resources, especially the oil that has enriched Arab dynasties and their subservient elites while often leaving the masses in penury, few Arab countries have seen their non-oil economies

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-63609364916571012842010-07-28T21:28:00.000+03:002010-07-28T21:28:00.084+03:00

After reading the book Azazil by Youssef Zeidan, which revolves around the history of Christianity and created much controversy, I fired some question to my "history mentor" Jacques soliciting his valuable contribution. Jacques did not disappoint. I copy his response here and his invitation for further discussion. First the word "Christ"; Many people believe this is the "last name" of Jesus:

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-74267383326543639362010-07-01T21:01:00.001+03:002010-07-01T21:01:16.554+03:00

It began 25 years ago when Gulf Air, a politically contrived joint venture between Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar, decided (inexplicably, in retrospect) to cut back its services to Dubai, which was already the region’s transport and trade hub. Dubai’s then ruler, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, responded by asking his younger brother, Sheikh Ahmed, to launch a rival airline. With $10m of

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-47249761616923328072010-07-01T20:57:00.001+03:002010-07-01T20:57:27.138+03:00

About 42m people a year pass through the airport’s three terminals now, according to Paul Griffiths, Dubai International’s chief executive. Earlier this year it became the world’s third-busiest international airport. With passenger growth running at an annual rate of nearly 20% and capacity planned to reach 90m in the next few years, it will not be long before Dubai overtakes Heathrow.Aviation in

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-78052873964872697012010-06-25T15:47:00.001+03:002010-06-25T15:47:28.535+03:00

The Queen of England meets the King of Tennis. Good luck Roger in Wimbledon.

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-83264657414595389692010-06-11T11:13:00.001+03:002010-06-11T11:13:37.188+03:00

Thomas has retired after an uproar over her recent remarks that Jews should ''get the hell out of Palestine'' and go home to ''Poland, Germany and America and everywhere else''.Long career of White House favourite ends on sour noteWhile her comments have led to her retirement in the US, Helen Thomas would be a hero in the Middle East! Regardless of those comments, where do you draw the line on

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-75435363934329160622010-06-06T11:27:00.001+03:002010-06-06T11:27:37.829+03:00

Francesca Schiavone became the first Italian woman to win a Grand Slam title with a superb victory over Australia's Sam Stosur in the French Open final.BBC Sport - Tennis - Italy's Francesca Schiavone wins French Open titleI must say it was one of the most exciting womens' finals I have ever watched! The Italian gave it her all and came up with a truly spirited performance. Point after point it

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-77008722737113787112010-06-02T19:26:00.003+03:002010-06-02T23:53:52.987+03:00

"You move on," he said. "You move on to the grass and forget a little bit." BBC Sport - Tennis - Roger Federer 'proud' of Grand Slam semi-final runHard luck Roger on French Open quarter final exit. Good luck on the grass court season. Let's hope the grass is greener!

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-68427087195682053922010-05-31T21:59:00.001+03:002010-05-31T21:59:06.493+03:00

Steven D. Hayworth, chief executive of Gibraltar Private Bank and Trust, is thrilled that his daughter will be working this summer at a women’s clothing store before heading to college in the fall. It is not the particular job that pleases Mr. Hayworth. Rather, he is hoping his daughter will make the connection between how much she earns each day and what that will buy. Wealth Matters - Teaching

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-5338904402017197672010-05-28T12:05:00.000+03:002010-05-28T12:05:59.156+03:00

Granted, every religion has a sense of exclusivity as part of its core identity. Even so, I believe there is genuine potential for mutual understanding. While preserving faith toward one’s own tradition, one can respect, admire and appreciate other traditions.An early eye-opener for me was my meeting with the Trappist monk Thomas Merton in India shortly before his untimely death in 1968. Merton

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-28678702111259651182010-05-21T11:02:00.001+03:002010-05-21T11:02:37.645+03:00

Centuries ago, a young boy in Japan was preparing for a long journey. “You will need much drinking water,” said his master. “Construct a barrel that will catch the rain.”After a quick run to his local Pagoda Depot for supplies, the boy built a large barrel, open at the top. When it rained, the barrel filled quickly.“Good,” said the master. “Now pack it up.”“But master,” the boy protested. “This

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-14717762227533173632010-05-20T20:57:00.001+03:002010-05-20T20:57:00.658+03:00

The four-time French Open champion will play matches wearing a Richard Mille watch designed specifically for Nadal, with materials used in space exploration. Mille says Thursday there are 50 for sale—at a price of about $425,000.Time is money: Nadal wears luxury watch at French - Tennis - Yahoo! SportsTime for Rolex to come up with a watch for Roger Federer.

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-9246357566452218892010-05-12T03:42:00.000+03:002010-05-12T04:01:15.411+03:00

THE Arabic language is dying. Its disloyal children are ditching their mother tongue for English and French. It is stagnating in classrooms, mosques and the dusty corridors of government. Even such leaders as the Lebanese prime minister, Saad Hariri, and Jordan’s foreign-educated King Abdullah struggle with its complicated grammar. Worse still, no one cares. Arabic no longer has any cachet. Among

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-59652399717621205192010-04-28T18:33:00.001+03:002010-04-28T18:33:35.013+03:00

He then uttered a phrase that he would never have been expected to come out with as recently as this time last year. “It’s probably good for me – it’s a wake-up call.” He even repeated it as the languages changed as the conference wore on. “You have to have losses like that, they wake you up.”News - Internazionali BNL d'Italia - Official SiteThat was Federer reacting to his surprise loss in the

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-6087041886552896032010-04-23T13:23:00.001+03:002010-04-23T13:23:39.440+03:00

Tiger Woods’s penchant for cocktail waitresses and porn actresses ended up costing an astonishing amount of money: two economists at the University of California, Davis, have calculated that his biggest corporate sponsors, such as Nike and Gatorade, saw as much as $12 billion wiped off the value of their shares in the wake of the scandal.Schumpeter: Brand rehab | The EconomistTired of Tiger

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-90105647179946509262010-04-05T22:18:00.001+03:002010-04-05T22:22:26.084+03:00

We had an excellent visit of the Tariq Rajab museum, where we met Mr and MrsRajab themseves. Our tour was guided by Dr Géza Fehérvari himself, a hungarianborn archeologist who works at Tareq Rajab Museum for many years now. His enthusiastic tour was a fascinating introduction to the regional culture. Itwould deserve a higher support (and more Kuwaiti visitors). The collection is of an interest

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-64528791076723815702010-03-23T04:30:00.001+03:002010-03-23T04:30:07.649+03:00

The French Open could be forced into a "heartbreaking" move away from Paris in the next few years due to problems with the infrastructure at Roland Garros.Organisers have long considered ways of extending the current stadia but these have stalled because of opposition from the public and environmentalists. BBC Sport - Tennis - French Open could move away from Roland Garros in ParisInteresting to

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-62162875933962342172010-03-05T15:01:00.001+03:002010-03-05T15:01:27.077+03:00

What on earth is the point of that? The note is not legal tender. It is simply a piece of paper the colour of a 50-rupee note with a picture of Gandhi on it and a value of nothing. Its aim is to shame corrupt officials into not demanding bribes.Fighting corruption in India: A zero contribution | The EconomistWe should start carrying 0 KD notes! A smart idea by Indian anti corruption campaigners.

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-19595685288949649212010-02-10T22:37:00.001+03:002010-02-10T22:37:56.082+03:00

What about the argument that economic development, at least in its early stages, is best pursued under a benign despot? Lee Kuan Yew, an ex-prime minister of Singapore, once asserted that democracy leads to “disorderly conduct”, disrupting material progress. But there is no evidence that autocracies, on average, grow faster than democracies. For every economically successful East Asian (former)

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-73732832157070373652010-01-31T19:42:00.001+03:002010-01-31T19:42:53.979+03:00

How can you make breaking records look so easy? Ask Roger Federer. He did it here Sunday night, winning his 16th Grand Slam title in straight sets over Andy Murray and perhaps taking the words “arguably” out of the title of the greatest tennis player ever.Federer Wins Australian Open Title - NYTimes.comCongratulations Federer on yet another historic performance!

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-86498787766851736412010-01-23T11:35:00.001+03:002010-01-23T11:35:48.578+03:00

The winners fall into two camps. Some waited until prices had fallen further before buying. Qatar’s investment fund and prominent individuals in Qatar and Abu Dhabi participated in Barclays’ capital raisings in June and October last year and have made money. Others negotiated well. Kuwait and GIC invested in Citigroup in January 2008 but the fine print protected them from share-price falls. The

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-43029634623674089472010-01-17T23:40:00.001+03:002010-01-17T23:40:01.795+03:00

Roger Federer was delighted after a series of exhibition games ahead of the Australian Open raised funds for the victims of the Haiti earthquake.BBC Sport - Tennis - Roger Federer & stars play tennis match in aid of HaitiIt was nice to see the tennis stars put a show for a good cause to raise money for the earthquake victims in Haiti. More than $200 thousand was raised and more important is the

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-72123033286625690532010-01-15T00:37:00.001+03:002010-01-15T00:37:52.298+03:00

MAN is one of a number of animals that make things, but man is the only one that depends for its very survival on the things he has made. That simple observation is the starting point for an ambitious history programme that the BBC will begin broadcasting on January 18th in which it aims to tell a history of the world through 100 objects in the British Museum (BM). A joint venture four years in

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-71287744323364312172010-01-04T22:24:00.001+03:002010-01-04T22:24:32.148+03:00

The world's tallest building has been opened with a dramatic fireworks ceremony in the Gulf emirate of Dubai.The Burj Khalifa was revealed to be 828m (2,716ft) high, far taller than the previous record holder, Taipei 101.Known as the Burj Dubai during construction, the tower has been renamed after the leader of Dubai's oil-rich neighbour, Abu Dhabi.Last month, Abu Dhabi gave Dubai a handout of

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-7204614129799914562009-12-07T09:59:00.001+03:002009-12-07T09:59:01.402+03:00

Disgraceful. That is the only way to describe the success of a right-wing initiative to ban the construction of minarets in Switzerland, where 57 percent of voters cast ballots for a bigoted and mean-spirited measure. Under Switzerland’s system of direct rule, the referendum is binding. Switzerland’s 400,000 or so Muslims, most of whom come from Kosovo and Turkey, are legally barred from building

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-75069053430248266402009-12-02T11:12:00.003+03:002009-12-03T22:18:14.885+03:00

They say becoming a parent is a life changing experience. I confirm. As I sat in the delivery room waiting for the new arrival, I thought to myself I should be overwhelmed with emotions. To tell the truth I wasn't. A moment later as I heard her first cry, it hit me! I have become a father.Dearest Lulu,Even though I have yet to fully comprehend the miracle that unfolded in front of my eyes, I

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-61244795714023657482009-11-15T00:45:00.001+03:002009-11-15T00:45:41.232+03:00

The country that has led the world in promoting entrepreneurship has also done the most to plug itself into global markets. The Israeli government’s venture-capital fund, which was founded in 1992 with $100m of public money, was designed to attract foreign venture capital and, just as importantly, expertise. The government let foreigners decide what to invest in, and then stumped up a hefty share

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-77743242880657234932009-10-31T23:33:00.001+03:002009-10-31T23:33:06.516+03:00

From Tolstoy to MJ's This Is It. I saw the movie in the new 360 mall Imax movie theater. I absolutely loved it. It is as if you were attending the concert. The movie  is a collection of scenes of his practice for the This Is It concert put together in a way that comes very close to actually witnessing the concert. It lasts for an hour forty five minutes and it will blow you off your seat! I could

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-27467243781331670622009-10-23T08:12:00.002+03:002009-10-31T23:38:56.863+03:00

I meant to document my reading of War and Peace in a more elaborate way than I did here in the blog. So I put my thoughts together and I sent them over to Dr. Rumaihi the editor in chief of Awan newspaper. He pleasantly surprised me by publishing my writing. I would like to share my journey with you. My apologies to non Arabic readers as I will try to translate to English at some point.

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-69589599306671422972009-10-18T22:30:00.001+03:002009-10-18T22:30:28.223+03:00

As soon as swine flu vaccinations start next month, some people getting them will drop dead of heart attacks or strokes, some children will have seizures and some pregnant women will miscarry.But those events will not necessarily have anything to do with the vaccine. That poses a public relations challenge for federal officials, who remember how sensational reports of deaths and illnesses

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-33621071806915324622009-10-10T13:53:00.001+03:002009-10-10T13:53:04.987+03:00

The Hôtel Lambert, in a corner of the Île Saint-Louis overlooking the Seine, was once one of Paris’s best-kept secrets. But when a high-rolling Qatari prince bought the crumbling 17th-century palace in 2007 for $88 million, the Lambert became the center of attention, not all of it so attractive.Paris Journal - A Palace Overhaul, Treading on French Heritage - NYTimes.comI wonder why the French did

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-21616869523868148092009-10-08T21:58:00.001+03:002009-10-08T21:58:16.625+03:00

France's Culture Minister Frederic Mitterrand is facing intense pressure over a book he wrote that described paying for "young boys" in Thailand.The book was written four years ago, before he joined the government, but is back in the headlines following his impassioned support for Roman Polanski. BBC NEWS | Europe | French minister in 'boy sex' rowInteresting that no one performed a background

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-6724625972064724852009-09-30T00:22:00.001+03:002009-09-30T00:22:25.400+03:00

Here's an oldie but a goodie: Dow 10,000.We last saw that level (on the way up, that is) six years ago, and we first crossed Dow 10,000 a full 10 years ago. (The latter fact is no doubt deeply depressing to buy-and-hold investors, but at least it has a nice symmetry to it.)Dow 10,000? Slam dunk. Dow 11,000? Not so much. -- DailyFinanceIt's interesting to observe the chart: Dow first reaches

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-26766273684225255242009-09-29T01:33:00.001+03:002009-09-29T01:33:21.654+03:00

A leading Egyptian scholar has demanded that people caught importing a female virginity-faking device into the country should face the death penalty.BBC NEWS | Middle East | Egypt anger over virginity fakingI wonder what those "scholars" will think of next? Death penalty for flying on Virgin Atlantic?! Anything is possible sadly!

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-58930083675604855172009-09-23T21:17:00.002+03:002009-09-23T21:19:26.027+03:00

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he said, should be solved by the creation of a single state, which Mr. Qaddafi called Israteen, but Mr. Qaddafi stressed it was wrong to infer that Arabs hate the Jews. “You are the ones who burned them, not us. You expelled them,” he said, referring apparently to European nations.Qaddafi’s First U.N. Speech Is a Rambling Diatribe - NYTimes.comA speech at the UN

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-5393288671517007152009-09-21T00:52:00.001+03:002009-09-21T00:52:27.072+03:00

Businesses in low-income countries struggle with twice the burden of regulation as those in high-income countries. Developed countries have an average of ten times as many newly registered businesses for every adult as countries in Africa and the Middle East. Almost two-thirds of the world’s workers are still employed in the informal sector. The World Bank’s latest progress report, optimistic

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-23986652305002515122009-09-04T15:32:00.001+03:002009-09-04T15:32:56.133+03:00

  They argue that it would be better to concentrate on vaccinating those most likely to spread the virus—both schoolchildren and people between the ages of 30 and 40, who are likely to be the parents of those children, and who are, at the moment, at the bottom of the vaccination priority list. Influenza vaccination: How to stop an outbreak | The Economist Rather than vaccinating the elderly,

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-81790720474602296702009-08-25T11:57:00.001+03:002009-08-25T11:57:56.392+03:00

Punching the Clock Here's how long it takes several star athletes to make approximately $100,000, based on the amount of money they've earned this season. ATHLETE/SPORT TO EARN $100,000 Alex Rodriguez, MLB                            6 pitches Ben Roethlisberger, NFL*                   4 snaps Tiger Woods, golf                                    11 holes LeBron James, NBA

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-26832088779192699912009-08-22T14:04:00.001+03:002009-08-22T14:04:50.181+03:00

Ramadan Kareem. It's the month of fasting turned upside down. The whole point is to share the feelings of the less privileged during this month through fasting and feeling the hunger and thirst. Yet it became the month of excesses. As soon as the sun sets we start a marathon of eating and feasting continuously throughout the  night. And what happened to the prayer and quite time. Forget it. Turn

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-62290372143142244352009-07-29T10:24:00.001+03:002009-07-29T10:24:36.965+03:00

  “The beat of my heart has grown deeper, more active, and yet more peaceful, and it is as if I were all the time storing up inner riches…My [life] is one long sequence of inner miracles.” The young Dutchwoman Etty Hillesum wrote that in a Nazi transit camp in 1943, on her way to her death at Auschwitz two months later. Towards the end of his life, Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “All I have seen

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-77589368172214109782009-07-26T10:30:00.001+03:002009-07-26T10:30:59.944+03:00

  Yes, happiness is a function of our expectations — or, as it has been said: “Happiness equals reality minus expectations.” Given that neat formulation, there are two ways to attack the problem: boost our reality or lower our expectations. Most of us choose the former. We’d rather stew in our misery than trim our expectations. Lowering our sights smacks us as a cop out, un-American. Better a

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-48961564085367915192009-07-24T10:58:00.001+03:002009-07-24T10:58:06.184+03:00

    Wimbledon champion Roger Federer is the proud father of twin girls after his wife Mirka gave birth in Switzerland on Thursday night. BBC SPORT | Tennis | Federer celebrates birth of twins Congratulations on the twin girls named Charlene Riva and Myla Rose. Aren't girls pretty :)

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-92131081297137837922009-07-18T20:29:00.001+03:002009-07-18T20:29:57.812+03:00

I thought I'd switch gears and read something fun for the summer. I picked up Sampras book A champion's Mind. Now that his 14 Grand Slam record is broken I was curious to get a glimpse of his life and to learn about the tennis  tour. I was never a fan of Sampras. Despite being an avid tennis follower, Sampras went under the radar for me. Despite his achievements he lacked the charisma and

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-61057767432376357712009-07-08T04:57:00.002+03:002009-07-08T13:46:38.176+03:00

It was one year back when I embarked on this literary pursuit. A year later my mission is accomplished and it is worth all the time and effort. Reflecting on this masterpiece here and now would not do it justice. I just want to mark the end of a journey. I enjoyed every moment along the way. In essence you don't read War and Peace; you live it. It is a reflection of life itself narrated through

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-72481968985172170602009-07-05T22:28:00.001+03:002009-07-05T22:28:24.684+03:00

Congratulations Roger on record breaking 15th Grand Slam title. It couldn't have come in a better way with an epic final at Wimbledon (where it all started) against Andy Roddick with Pete Sampras (holder of 14 Grand Slam title record) in attendance. Well done to the greatest player in Grand Slam tennis history.

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-52943821143503516152009-06-08T09:27:00.001+03:002009-06-08T09:27:59.164+03:00

  The ceremonial first tear escaped during the playing of the Swiss national anthem, down his left cheek, followed by more. Finally, the French Open was played Sunday by Roger’s rules, No. 1 being: there is crying in tennis. Sports of The Times - Open Emotions From Federer - NYTimes.com Well deserved win for Federer at Roland Garros (French Open). This completes Roger's Grand Slam

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-63502880249613135832009-06-04T19:16:00.001+03:002009-06-04T19:16:01.192+03:00

  This last point is important because there are some who advocate for democracy only when they are out of power; once in power, they are ruthless in suppressing the rights of others. No matter where it takes hold, government of the people and by the people sets a single standard for all who hold power: you must maintain your power through consent, not coercion; you must respect the rights of

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-47071860157343053632009-06-01T23:04:00.001+03:002009-06-01T23:04:16.848+03:00

  It was the winner as it turned out. “Honestly, I made it and said voila,” Federer said. French Open - At the French, the Elephant has left the Room - NYTimes.com For tennis fans, this year's French  Open is full of surprises. The biggest is the exit of 4 times champion and number 1 ranked Rafael Nadal.  So you would think this would clear the way for the number 2 ranked Roger Federer to

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-69568512866637400272009-05-17T08:38:00.001+03:002009-05-17T08:38:56.329+03:00

  "It's a victory for Kuwaiti women and a victory for Kuwaiti democracy," Ms Awadhi told AFP news agency. "This is a major leap forward," she said. The right to vote and stand for election to Kuwait's parliament, the oldest in the Gulf, was extended to women in 2005. BBC NEWS | Middle East | Kuwait votes for first female MPs A truly festive result. At least in one dimension. Four

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-56226701267361171642009-05-05T18:42:00.001+03:002009-05-05T18:42:03.148+03:00

Returning from Frankfurt to Kuwait, the minute we stepped out of the plane there were nurses lined up taking our temperature. I thought to myself this is interesting how Kuwait is taking precautions against the Swine flue, especially that I have not come across anything like this in the European cities I have been in. After taking our temperature they gave us a form to fill out then wait in a

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-54636621519829820402009-04-12T11:36:00.003+03:002009-04-12T12:13:37.216+03:00

Ready to give up on democracy? You are probably not the only one. I was feeling frustrated by the political situation here in Kuwait as we approach yet another election after parliament was dissolved. I could not see how things could get better. That is until I read the comments of my dear friend Jacques, and the source of countless intellectual and historical anecdotes. His comments came in

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-81844150570456885382009-04-05T23:10:00.001+03:002009-04-05T23:10:35.703+03:00

  While all around the world there is a backlash against the rich, or as they are called around here "حيتان",  it seems local censorship is busy going after the boobs!

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-47764219265940140242009-04-04T18:31:00.001+03:002009-04-04T18:31:45.732+03:00

I was on a trip to East Africa lately (Tanzania). The minute we arrived in the airport we were greeted by Zain signs (above) all over the airport. It was a pleasant surprise that made me proud to see national company go abroad and this far. Even in small towns and villages signs of Zain were all over the place. I started a conversation with the driver who was driving us around. I asked him

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-28376284429685178442009-03-03T11:43:00.003+03:002009-03-03T12:01:26.563+03:00

KUWAIT CITY, Mar 02, 2009 (AFP) - Three Islamist MPs on Monday filed a request to quiz the prime minister of Kuwait over his performance, in a move expected to further strain relations between parliament and the government.I must say using the term "quiz" sounds much nicer than questioning. It's like the Prime Minister taking part in some TV show.. Jeopardy anyone?!

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-76800763752693071542009-03-03T09:58:00.001+03:002009-03-03T09:58:35.219+03:00

"The stupefying losses in mortgage-related securities came in large part because of flawed, history-based models used by salesmen, rating agencies and investors," he wrote.He went on: "These parties looked at loss experience over periods when home prices rose only moderately and speculation in houses was negligible. They then made this experience a yardstick for evaluating future losses. They

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-90399239801297182392009-02-28T15:58:00.001+03:002009-02-28T15:58:06.920+03:00

All these tasks require a leadership with a profound understanding of what is needed, and an iron will to carry it out, in the face of vested interests, political apparatchiks, much ignorance, out-of-date thinking and even fanaticism. To be better prepared for the difficult tasks awaiting him, the next prime minister would do well to study the moral and real-political lessons of Abraham Lincoln

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-32165025488310206492009-02-25T22:40:00.001+03:002009-02-25T22:40:09.602+03:00

Ok so I am letting steam off. I just spent hours on the stupid Sony Reader PRS-505 that I bought against my better judgment from London. Unless you are a tech specialist, and not any tech specialist, working for Sony.. don't bother with it! First of all you have to install the Sony Reader software that restricts you to buying ebooks from Waterstone UK, if you manage to do that, with limited book

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-21449997258727795672009-02-25T13:48:00.002+03:002009-02-25T14:01:23.362+03:00

Basic stock market index funds generally aspire to nothing more than matching the returns of a market benchmark. So in a miserable year for stocks, index funds may not look very appealing. But it turns out that, after fees and taxes, it is the extremely rare actively managed fund or hedge fund that does better than a simple index fund.Strategies - The Index Funds Win Again - NYTimes.com Even in

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-4487120532039007732009-02-16T10:02:00.002+03:002009-02-16T19:21:03.861+03:00

  More importantly, the Kindle and similar devices made by Sony and others represent only one side of the evolving e-reader market. They are for aficionados, since paying $359 for a device makes sense only if you read quite a lot of books, newspapers or magazines on it. The march of the Kindle | Well read | The Economist I recently purchased the new version of the Sony Reader from London. It

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-29253111362158004412009-02-09T23:03:00.001+03:002009-02-09T23:03:33.950+03:00

  [T]hey should not let the best be the enemy of the good: crisis management inevitably results in inconsistencies that a subsequent reconciliation and reform effort must address. PIMCO - Viewpoints El Erian New Thinking Dec 08 Members of Parliament and the general public should keep the above in mind when considering the stimulus package unveiled by the Governor of the Central Bank of Kuwait

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-43349061087229503032009-02-05T21:19:00.001+03:002009-02-05T21:19:30.322+03:00

  A few years ago, a faculty committee at Harvard produced a report on the purpose of education. “The aim of a liberal education” the report declared, “is to unsettle presumptions, to defamiliarize the familiar, to reveal what is going on beneath and behind appearances, to disorient young people and to help them to find ways to reorient themselves.” What Life Asks of Us - Op-Ed -

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38100469.post-9971888504948584272009-01-21T20:34:00.001+03:002009-01-21T20:34:11.713+03:00

  What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility -- a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character than giving our all to a difficult task. Transcript - Barack

Bu Ziyadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800692996425418103noreply@blogger.com3