Baashi, lost your num. PM me saxib (can't pm you for some reason). I'm in AD tomorrow IA

^The Monday Sports section is the best.

^I live in a Villa mate

Originally posted by -Lily-: p.s. I'm suprised you read The Times anyway Norf. I DON'T! Only looked it up after it caused a bit of a stir in this morning's radio talk show. Sophist, I don't associate myself with all that climbing up the social ladder stuff. Waste of time if you ask me.

Blimey. Talk about upping the ante.

Originally posted by Nephissa: Horta Somalida dad ka qaab daran! Intas magacyo wadamo/continent ay la baxaan sida Baarliin, Hindiya, Iglan, Istarliin, Aasiya. Ma arkeesid mid Somalia la baxaayo.. , marka JB adiga noo biloow nin wadani ba tahaye, Somaliland u bixi gabadha. or even better, Burco

LoooL JB Give us a list of who they are saxib.

Stand still, wimp – only failures run off to be expats http://www.timesonli ne.co.uk/tol/comment /columnists/jeremy_c larkson/article59925 55.ece :mad: :mad:

The old boy will be patient. Riyaale being Riyaale will no doubt try something in Oct. Is MM still calling for a 'just war' in SOOL?

^lambar 7 dhe

Ah! Football will be on at a decent time again :cool:

On the bith of his daughter today. May she be safe, a good Muslim and make her parants proud. Amin. ps, imisaad maraysa saxib?

^Who are you talking to?

Sultan Al Qassemi * Last Updated: March 29. 2009 8:30AM UAE / March 29. 2009 4:30AM GMT Did you ever wonder how landlocked and wealthy Switzerland escaped the wars that plagued Europe in the past century? In fact, the last war that Switzerland entered was in 1812, which happened to be the very year it instigated mandatory military conscription for its citizens. After Saddam’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990 the Gulf states briefly understood their precarious position in a difficult neighbourhood. But even though these states lie in a volatile region of the world and are surrounded by countries that enforce mandatory military conscription such as Israel, Turkey, Syria, Egypt and Iran, they have yet to introduce the same. In Kuwait, the procrastinating parliament, when not in self-destruct mode, skirted the issue of military service for 18 years with a draft law that was proposed only last autumn. When Kuwait’s flags were pulled down in 1990 and replaced with Iraq’s it sent a shiver down the spine of every GCC citizen and our governments promptly acted by seeking western assistance to expel Saddam’s forces. But what did we do next to protect ourselves? Not much. Did we introduce mandatory military service to defend our sovereignty? No. Did we teach emergency rescue education in schools? Not a chance. Did we train our citizens how to respond to disasters both natural and man-made? Not in the least. Apparently, what we did do was gain weight, lots of it in fact. We now have one of the world’s highest rates of diabetes; obesity in adults, obesity in children, high blood pressure, and cardiac and artery illnesses – an impressive list of killer diseases by any standard and all related to lack of mobility. One idea for tackling these diseases is a proper military indoctrination – push-ups and all. Lavish wealth in the region has bred complacency and a culture of outsourcing work and activity to others. Mandatory military service offers another, more important advantage, too: it instils a sense of patriotism, which in the Gulf, mostly manifests itself during the occasional football game. For instance, few Emiratis know the lyrics to the national anthem that were written by the Emirati poet Aref Al Sheikh Abdullah Al Hassan. Fewer still even know that these lyrics aren’t actually recognised as official. Saudi Arabia celebrated National Day for the first time in 2005, after King Abdullah ascended to the throne; previously it came and went without much notice. Military service in which all citizens are treated as equal would also cement a sense of egalitarianism within the country, requiring the sons and daughters of leaders and prominent families to train with their countrymen from across the societal spectrum. Gulf rulers have a tradition of sending their sons to military academies abroad. In fact, several current rulers in the Gulf have been trained at top schools such as Sandhurst in Britain including the Abu Dhabi and Dubai crown princes, Bahrain’s king and crown prince, the Sultan of Oman, Qatar’s Emir, and the late Kuwaiti hero Sheikh Fahad Al Ahmed, who tragically died defending the gates of the Emir’s home in 1990. If military training was beneficial for so many of them, than its benefits should be applicable for all GCC citizens. Israel is an example of a country that was able to unite people of a diverse ethnic and religious background together using the military. Many people in the Arab world aren’t aware that Arabs – Muslims, Druze and Christians – served in the Israeli army including Abdel Majid Hamed, a decorated Arab lieutenant colonel. Scores of Arabs have served in the Israeli army and some have died fighting for it. They are heroes in Israel, traitors in the Arab world, but ultimately they are an extreme example of how a secular military service can unite natural adversaries let alone people who share the same aspirations such as those in the Gulf. A mandatory military service would also result in trained citizens who are able to protect our borders, assist in international peace efforts and operate the ultra-expensive weapons our governments continue to purchase. Dr Mustafa Alani, the director of security at the Gulf Research Centre in Dubai, was quoted by The National recently as saying that Israel “relies on hi-tech to replace the shortage in manpower”, a challenge that is also evident in the Arab Gulf nations. However there is no doubt that the Jewish state can rely on a larger pool of citizens to operate these mighty military gadgets than the Gulf states due to its systematic mandatory military service. After all, Switzerland didn’t protect itself with 200 years of pampering its citizens; a rigorous, secular and egalitarian military service can secure the Gulf’s future like it secured Switzerland’s past. Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi is a Sharjah-based businessman and graduate of the American University of Paris. He is the founder of Barjeel Securities in Dubai

^If you do your research I don't see why not. Adnaan, I would suggest you do 2 to 3 years where you are then move to the ME. Companies don't generally hire graduates over here. You will land a plumb job once you have a few years under your belt.

Adnaan, Good stuff. Working for contractors doesn't mean you get a fixed term contract with them. They will employ on a permanent basis just like any other company. Contractor - the firm doing the actual building work (by employing sub contractors etc). Once the job is done they move onto another. Good place to get your experience. Thats what I did before moving into consultancy. What unethical issues will you be facing? They are saying Dubai will pick up again in 2010.

A good read. This is all due to Muslims practicing Islam openly even in the harshest of circumstances. This is what those who are lost and seeking guidance are inspired by,,,,,,,,,,, New Muslims are born everyday.

Adnaan, are you a civils man? The job market here has been hugely effected by the economic down turn. Dubai has seen the worst of it with major projects cancelled or put on hold over recent months. This has seen many people lose their jobs on all sides (contractors, consultants and developers). Are you looking to work for a contractor? Where do you live?

Originally posted by NGONGE: ^^ Hollywood makes movies. Their driving force is making profits. Movies that deal with contemporary issues will only make money if they appeal to moviegoers. Hollywood is not obliged to be fair or just. They only have to be entertaining and make movies that people WILL like. Sadly, Muslims being the bad guys is NOT a Hollywood invention. You are trying to present some sinister conspiracy theory to portray Hollywood as some sort of tool to continue the suppression of Muslims. That’s fair and ok in Ibti’s girly chats but if you bring it here for discussion, of course I will ask you for proof. Waxa la yedhi wont cut it, saaxib. I agree with most of your first paragraph. However, I didn’t say it was a Hollywood invention. I said Hollywood is ‘contributing’ to the negative view of Muslims (perpetuated mainly through the media over the years) through it’s movies and is implying that the death of Muslims (civilians or not) and the destruction of property is, in today’s climate, perfectly normal. I believe such a portrayal is designed to negatively influence the mindset of moviegoers/watchers towards the value of a Muslim’s life. In addition, I highlighted the lack of coverage given to US/Nato strikes on Muslim lands compared to a few years ago and the resultant ‘normality’ this has created. Hearing of such news today is not unusual and seeing the 10 second slot given to it by various media outlets indicates that, in their opinion, the value of a Muslim’s life has decreased over the years. Now, with regard to your request for proof, what kind of proof are you looking for? What would get you to agree with the above? An article? An essay? A movie perhaps?

Originally posted by NGONGE: Stuff and nonsense. All conjecture with no proof at all So you disagree. Are you saying Hollywood has done no such thing or are you merely looking for 'proof' saxib?

VW Polo also.

The Geordie lad will do well.

^Its a multi thronged approach dear. What I have realised of late the 10 second news section on a US drone attack in Pakistan/Afghanistan . Is it just not news worthy anymore? Is the death of civilian not a big deal anymore? Hollywood has been catching up quick to cover over cracks in the US' policies and approach over seas.

^VW Golf Plus (can't go wrong with a VW) My second car This one died on me as well :rolleyes:

Hollywood’s normalisation of Muslim deaths It has taken a while but finally, and predictably, it’s here. The obscure locations, the high-tech gizmos, the web of informers and the notion that the good will eventually win over evil. Hollywood has been in top gear recently selling us movies based on agents in foreign locations doing their utmost to safeguard their country against terrorists. In doing so, the death of Muslims (whether they be ‘terrorists’ or civilians) has become perfectly normal. We all know that when civilians are killed as a result of any fighting it is known as ‘collateral damage’. This, ‘collateral damage’ has become normal in movies. We are all aware how Hollywood has in the past used movies to shape people’s minds in the past. During the cold war many a movie was based around the Russian and Chinese being the bad guys. Backed up there media, Russia was considered the bad guy by most (including myself). Now, when you turn on the news and here about a drone attack in Pakistan or Afghanistan with reports of civilian casualties how does the general public react considering they’ve seen these movies again and again? Hollywood supported by its subsidiary media is realizing that its goal of normalising the deaths of Muslims is being achieved. Today, in the eyes of many, the deaths of Muslims at the hands of the US and its allies, without much in the way of reason is perfectly normal.