The Living Room Lounge 2nd Breakfast outing

Well, last Saturday I went again with my wife and the kids things this time.

The weather was amazing… and interestingly, the services improved so much that we were surprised when our orders came so fast! (to the delight of Danderma I’m sure ;) )

This was an amazing appetizer (I think). I forget its name, but it is Mozzarella cheese that is breaded or something (they have the same with Halloumi cheese as well, will try that next time).

And of course, no Breakfast is complete at TLRL without their amazing signature scrambled eggs.

The kids were ecstatic in with the weather, food and drinks… soon after grabbing the first bites, we couldn’t keep them sitting… they ran about and figured out how to get down to the beach side :)

Every time we take the kids to Marina Crescent, they through a huge fit when we pass by Color Me Mine. Admittedly, it’s very enjoyable for both kids and adults, however it can get expensive and takes a long time. This time, it was about a year since we last took the kids coloring, so we surprised them after breakfast and took them to Color Me Mine.

After breakfast, we noticed people enjoying the beach and swimming. I decided if the weather is suitable next week, I’ll take the kids early in the morning for a swim then get the take out breakfast from TLRL. The forecast looks ok for tomorrow (a bit sunny though, pack your sunscreens!). So, despite my wife’s objections, I’m planning to take the kids tomorrow morning (first high tide around 6:30AM, low tide by 10:45am or so).

So, see you there tomorrow if I succeeded in enticing you enough ;p

Breakfast outing to Living Room and FRIDAY MARKET!!

Well, after Danderma's inciting entry on breakfast at Living Room, I had planned to go there for breakfast that week (two weeks ago on 11-April, but I only got to blog about it now).

I went there with my mom, wife and her mom. Since I insisted we make it there before it is open at 10am, the breakfast outing turned out to be a full-day outing. We didn't get back until around 3:30PM. We headed to Marina crescent for desert, then I actually convinced them to stop by the Friday Market! My mother in-law mentioned excellent Truffles (Algerian) or Faqi3 she bought from there, so my mom wanted to try it out.

As Danderma pointed out, the service is rather SLOOOW! I think it's because their kitchen is too small and they can only make a few dishes at the same time? Our orders came in pairs with a delay in between :s. Although as she also pointed out, with the view and weather by the sea like that, who would blame the waiters for being a little out of it ;p

For some reason I didn't take photos of the Friday/Bird Market part, but here's shots from our breakfast at Living Room.

Don't miss their Scrambled Eggs.

And their Sangria pitcher is nice too.

We're leaving now to Living Room for another breakfast outing, this time with my wife and the kids only... too bad we didn't get ready earlier, the good tables will be taken by now :)
I'll blog about it when we're back (or while there since they have free wi-fi).

Dawn & Sunrise in Kuwait today and kids at beach (21-Mar-2009)

Greetings, earthlings and others.

Spending the weekend sea-side. Got to capture the pre-sunrise and sunrise.

This is for you intlxpatr :) The inspiration for this feat! ;D











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Kids at the beach. Same spot.





This is where we were staying. Policy Officers club.



If you look closely, you can barely make out the city high-rises behind the fence.

قناة سكوب: أبدعوى الجاهلية؟ دعوها فإنها منتنة!!

"أنا وأخوي على ابن عمي، وأنا وابن عمي على الغريب"

هل يمكن أن تصح هذه المقولة؟ ربما نعم، إذا كان العامل المشترك هو الإسلام (والولاء والبراء) وليس غيره! (أقصد عندما يُعتدى على ابن العم من قبل الغريب، وإن كانت بيننا مشكلة)
من عدة مصادر بتصرف:
"قد لا نلوم الأخت أم منيرة لكونها مكلومة في فقد حبيب وتنطلق من دافع عاطفي، ولكن نلوم ‘مؤسسات‘ إعلامية تتسلق عليها وتستغلها للظهور وزيادة شعبيتها مزايدة على الوطنية وأحداث الغزو دون تثبت التاريخ والتفريق بين مواقف الأطراف المختلفة والتي قد نختلف في مواقفها ولكن هذه المواقف لم تكن كلها على نفس الدرجة" لا تزر وازرة وزر أخرى.

"لا يمنع الإسلام من أن يحب المسلمُ بلدَه ووطنه الذي عاش فيه وتربى ، لكن المنكَر هو عقد الولاء والبراء عليه ، وجعل المحبة والبغض بسببه ، فليس من ينتمي إلى بلدك وينتسب إليها بأقرب إليك من المسلم في بلادٍ أخرى ، فلا ينبغي أن يكون سبب الموالاة والمعاداة هو الانتماء للوطن أو عدم الانتماء له ، بل الولاء والبراء ، والحب والبغض ميزانها جميعاً : الإسلام والتقوى .

فالنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يحب مكة لأنها أحب البلاد إلى الله ، ولم يكن ليحب كفارها ، بل قاتلهم لما حاربوا الدين وقاتلوا المسلمين ، ولم يكن هو ولا أصحابه ليقدموا حبهم لمكة على شرع الله تعالى ، فلما حرَّم الله تعالى على المهاجرين من مكة الرجوع إليها بعد هجرتهم منها إلا للمناسك وثلاثة أيام بعدها التزموا هذا ولم يمكثوا فيها أكثر من تلك المدة ، فلم يكن حبهم لمكة ليجعلهم يعصون الله تعالى فضلاً عن وقوعهم فيما هو أشد من ذلك .

واليوم ترى العصبية للوطن قد بلغت مبلغاً عظيماً فتعظم المشاهد الشركية لأنها في وطنه ، ويُعظم علَم الدولة لأنه يمثل البلد ، فيقف له الناس وقفة تعظيم وإجلال لا تجدها عندهم في صلاتهم ولا بين يدي ربهم تبارك وتعالى ."

ولستُ أدري سوى الإسلام لي وطناً *** الشام فيه ووادي النيل سيانِ

و كل ما ذكر اسمُ الله في بلدٍ *** عددت أرجاءه من لب أوطانِ

قال الله تعالى: { ياأيُّها النَّاسُ إنَّا خَلَقْناكُمْ من ذكرٍ وأنثى وجعلناكم شُعُوباً وقبائِلَ لِتَعارَفُوا إنَّ أكرمكُمْ عندَ الله أتقاكُمْ إنَّ الله عليمٌ خبير } الحجرات/13.

خلق الله تعالى آدم وحواء وجعل من ذريَّتهما الشعوب والقبائل والأجناس والألوان ، فالناس كلُّهم من آدم وحواء ، ولا تفاضل بين لون وآخر ، أو عرق وآخر ، بل كلهم متساوون أمام الله تعالى من حيث الأصل ؛ والأتقى لربه هو الأفضل والأكرم عند الله عز وجل.

ومهما تشعَّب الناس بعد ذلك إلى أمم وبلدان وأجناس فإنما تشعُّبهم هذا ما هو إلا كتشعُّب الأسرة الواحدة ، والإخوة من أب واحد وأم واحدة.

وهذه العصبية التي تظهر الآن في أكثر البلدان للجنس أو العرق أو اللون أو الوطن هي من نوع العصبية القديمة التي كانت تتفجر بين الأوس والخزرج ، وهي من بقايا الجاهلية ورواسبها.

لقد كان بين الأوس والخزرج حروب كثيرة في الجاهلية ، وعداوة شديدة ، وثارات وضغائن وفتن ، وكان بينهم قتال شديد ، حتى جاء الإسلام ، فدخلوا فيه ، فأصبحوا بنعمة الله إخواناً.

روى الطبري بسنده وغيره عن زيد بن أسلم قال: مر شاس بن قيس -وكان شيخا قد عسا في الجاهلية عظيم الكفر شديد الضغن على المسلمين شديد الحسد لهم- على نفر من أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من الأوس والخزرج في مجلس قد جمعهم يتحدثون فيه، فغاظه ما رأى من جماعتهم وألفتهم وصلاح ذات بينهم على الإسلام بعد الذي كان بينهم من العداوة في الجاهلية، فقال: قد اجتمع ملأ بني قيلة -يعني الأنصار الأوس والخزرج- بهذه البلاد، لا والله ما لنا معهم إذا اجتمع ملؤهم بها من قرار،
فأمر فتى شابا من يهود وكان معه فقال له: اعمد إليهم فاجلس معهم فذكرهم يوم بعاث وما كان قبله، وأنشدهم بعض ما كانوا تقاولوا فيه من الأشعار، ففعل،
فتكلم القوم عند ذلك فتنازعوا وتفاخروا حتى تواثب رجلان من الحيين على الركب فتقاولا، وقال بعضهم لبعض: إن شئتم رددناها الآن جذعة، وغضب الفريقان وقالوا: قد فعلنا السلاح السلاح موعدكم الحرة فخرجوا إليها وتحاوز الناس على دعواهم التي كانت في الجاهلية،
فبلغ ذلك رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فخرج إليهم فيمن معه من أصحابه حتى جاءهم فقال:
يا معشر المسلمين الله الله.. أبدعوى الجاهلية وأنا بين أظهركم بعد إذ هداكم الله إلى الإسلام وأكرمكم به وقطع عنكم أمر الجاهلية واستنقذكم به من الكفر وألف بين قلوبكم ترجعون إلى ما كنتم عليه كفارا؟!

فعرف القوم أنها نزغة من الشيطان وكيد من عدوهم، فألقوا السلاح وبكوا وعانق بعضهم بعضا، ثم انصرفوا مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم سامعين مطيعين، قد أطفأ الله عنهم كيد عدو الله شاس بن قيس.

"نتذكر القصة المشهورة التي رواها البخاري ومسلم عندما ضرب رجل من المهاجرين رجلاً من الأنصار، فقال الأنصاري:يا للأنصار، فقال المهاجرين : يا للمهاجرين، فقال النبي- صلى الله عليه وسلم-: (( أبدعوى الجاهلية وأنا بين أظهركم؟ ما بال دعوى الجاهلية دعوها فإنها خبيثة، دعوها فإنها منتنة)) رواية البخاري ((دعوها فإنَّها خبيثة)) ،ورواية مسلم: ((دعوها فإنها منتنة)) مع أن هذه " يا للأنصار يا للمهاجرين " أوصاف يحبها الله ورسوله ، فإنَّ الله عز و جل سمَّى المهاجرين بهذا الاسم ،وهو الذي سمى الأنصار بهذا الاسم فقال : (( وَالسَّابِقُونَ الأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالأَنصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحْسَانٍ )) (سورة التوبة :100) ومع ذلك لما أصبحت الدعوة هنا على غير حقٍ تعصب للباطل، أصبحت من دعوى الجاهلية."

(منقول بتصرف almski.com)

Outgoing Bush saving Israeli government face

It seems with time running out before the new administration takes over, the outgoing Bush administration is trying to save the current 'israeli' government's face for their upcoming elections!

Condoleezza Rice appeared overly ecstatic as she smiles and kisses blood thirsty Tzipi Livni in DC today. Out of no where, Livni flew to D.C. to sign a "memorandum of understanding" to curb the smuggling of weapons into Gaza by boosting intelligence cooperation and border monitoring. This allows Livni to tell the 'israeli' media that 'we got something important out of this' (to counter act the expectance of actual 'israeli' arm casualty figures after the dust settles)

In other words, the U.S. army arsenal (particularly gunships to block shipments through sea to Gaza) is now 'officially' under the disposal of 'israel' (The U.S. is already providing the white phosphors and other munition to 'israel' from its stockpiles in its basis in Qatar and Afghanistan)

The A.P. reports: "The two-and-a-half page document outlines a framework under which the United States commits certain assets, including detection and surveillance equipment, as well as logistical help and training to Israel, Egypt and other nations that would be involved in monitoring Gaza's land and sea borders."

It's very clear now. They are preparing to stop the attack and incursion into Gaza and want to squeeze Gaza further to strip the resistance of its weapons in the future; thereby curbing any effective opposition to expected 'israeli' terms. It seems they went to bed with the Egpytian regime and settled this issue, then consumated it with this memorandom.

By "logistical help and training" no doubt they mean monitoring Egypt's own monitoring of its borders with Gaza to ensure that they are halting the smuggling; this way Egypt loses this card.

Along with this news, some channels reported that the U.S. middle command base in Qatar is already on 'alert'.

The question now is, how will this all play out on the field? And how far will the Egyptian regime be able to committ to this with all the public pressure (Egyptian MPs and public demonstrations, etc...). And what other options and fronts, if any, will open for the resistance?

Will I see my son (alive) again?

As I dropped my kids to their school today and headed back to my car, I shuddered when I thought about parents in Gaza waking up this morning having lost all their children! Going to sleep tonight not knowing whether they'll still be parents in the morning or not?

I recalled the distraught gaze on the face of a father staring into his dead 2 or 3 year old son... kissing his face gently... repeatedly... repeating "you died my son? you died?" "متت يا ابني... متت؟"

Couldn't help but think as I drove away... will I see my kids alive again?

The Prophet (P.B.U.H.) said: "If the child of a person dies, Allah says to the angels: 'Have you have taken the soul of the son of my slave?' The angels say: 'Yes, our Lord.' Allah tells them: 'Have you taken the fruit of his heart?' The angels reply: 'Yes, our Lord.' Allah says: 'What did my slave say?' The angels reply: 'He praised you, and said we all belong to Allah, and to Him we return.' So our Lord, the Most Powerful, and Most Majestic says: 'Build a house for my slave in Heaven, and name it the house of praise.'" (narrated by Tirmidhi)

The women once told Prophet Muhammad: "The men have the advantage in your company over us, so make a day just for us." The Prophet said: "Yes." So the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) came to them one day, and he advised them and talked to them. And from among the things he told them was: "Any woman among you who has three of her children die before her, this will be a barrier for her from the hell-fire." So one woman said: "What about two children?" The Prophet said: "Yes, and two children as well." (Bukhari)

حدثنا ‏ ‏سويد بن نصر ‏ ‏حدثنا ‏ ‏عبد الله بن المبارك ‏ ‏عن ‏ ‏حماد بن سلمة ‏ ‏عن ‏ ‏أبي سنان ‏ ‏قال ‏
‏دفنت ابني ‏ ‏سنانا ‏ ‏وأبو طلحة الخولاني ‏ ‏جالس على ‏ ‏شفير ‏ ‏القبر فلما أردت الخروج أخذ بيدي فقال ألا أبشرك يا ‏ ‏أبا سنان ‏ ‏قلت بلى ‏ ‏فقال حدثني ‏ ‏الضحاك بن عبد الرحمن بن عرزب ‏ ‏عن ‏ ‏أبي موسى الأشعري ‏ ‏أن رسول الله ‏ ‏صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ ‏قال ‏ ‏إذا مات ولد العبد قال الله لملائكته قبضتم ولد عبدي فيقولون نعم فيقول قبضتم ثمرة فؤاده فيقولون نعم فيقول ماذا قال عبدي فيقولون حمدك ‏ ‏واسترجع ‏ ‏فيقول الله ابنوا لعبدي بيتا في الجنة وسموه بيت الحمد ‏ (سنن الترمذي).

عن أبي سعيد , رضي الله عنه , أن النساء قــلن للنبي محمد صلى الله عليه

وسلم اجعل لنا يوماً , فــوعظهن وقــال : أيُما امرأة مات لها ثلاثة من الولد

كانوا حجــابا من النار , قــالت امرأة واثنان قال النبي محمد صلى الله عليه

وسلم واثنان. (رواه البخاري)

The photo of a 6 month old dead infant below killed along with other children by Israeli rockets in Gaza way before the current conflict. This was back in February 2008!! See story at: http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9345.shtml

Why Hamas?! Yes WHY?

Yes, we ask Why Hamas? Why?




This is not a question directed at Hamas, no. What I mean is why is 'Israel' targeting Hamas at this time and in such a blatantly Holocaust like way (modernized holocaust that is, courtesy of U.S. weapons) which is not usually used by other countries and is abhorred by most of International laws and regulations?

Dr. Mohamad Al-Awadhi exposes the real reason in an excellent article this morning on Al-Rai (http://www.alraimedia.com/Alrai/Article.aspx?id=102490)

To summarize/translate:

Any follower of typical movements around the world will notice they fall often under one of two categories: a- Either they are Liberation Movements that fight for independence and liberation of countries against a colonizing occupier. b- Or they are political movements working along the internal political reform line; e.g.: Nationalistic, Islamist, Reformist, Leftist and other political denominations/movements.

In both old and modern history, we never find a political movement that worked on both fronts (liberation of a country and political reform at the same time) and succeeded in both!

On the first front, Hamas succeeded in liberating Ghazza (even with the barricade) and in kicking-out the jews during Sharon's time.

On the other front (Internal political front), Hamas as a opposing movement/party took power peacefully through honest elections and in an amazing landslide, then formed the government and legislative council (notice: a success from the first try and not in a gradual process/period and more importantly, as part of the resistance agenda).

This two-part or two-front success was a major cause of concern for two entities:

1- The military success in the field as a liberation movement caused distress to the zionists and the American system. Therefore, they decided to get rid of Hamas because it is the worst alternative to the previous Palestinian Authority (the authority of foresake, compromise and corruption).

2- As for the political success of Hamas as a political movement and what it offered in terms of suggestions, improvements and reform projects... this political success carried indications and evidences that the new Hamasi government is going to succeed in practice, why? Becuase from its foundation, they were in control of many municipalities, workers' unions, student unions and they managed large social/charity institutions that sponsored martyrs and prisoners families, the poor and orphans. They provided an amazing and excellent example and great pragmatic success that increased their trustworthiness among the Palestinian public and it promised a lot more success for their new government.

Just as the Military success grabbed the attention of the zionists and the Americans and caused them discomfort, their success in political reform and state management bothered the corrupt Palestinian Authority and the Arab regimes that are even more corrupt. Therefore, they feared a repeat of this (successful) 'experiment'.

Thus came the alliance between the two arab corruptions (PA & regimes) and Zionist-American to destroy Ghazza and all those in it and not just 'Hamas', but also all the Ghazza population as a punishment for them choosing of Hamas (in the elections).

They were much dismayed and irritated that after a blockade of nearly two years, hundreds of thousands of Ghazians attended the gathering/festival that Hamas held just days before the attack started!

THAT is WHY when we listened to the Zionist leadership as it listed the specific targets for bombardment, the result was not just the destruction of the infra-structure for the Hamasi government, but also we saw the destruction of schools, universities, tens of mosques, residential buildings, money-exchange stores and even a part of al-Shifa hospital which is full patients and doctors!!

The writer then concludes:

I write this article to dispel the naive/idiotic views that abbreviate the graveness of the event and its prepositions, circumstances, accumulations and complexities.... abbreviate all that and claim that the reason for the war (attack) is Hamas' missiles!!!! Bush is saying the war will not stop until Hamas stops its missiles, then the arab media repeats the banality of this statement, and then the Arab citizens swallow this 'joke' and repeat it with great naivety!! But the truth is EXPOSED to all.

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Excuse the rough translation. The original is at http://www.alraimedia.com/Alrai/Article.aspx?id=102490

end.