Real Women Drive Cars

When I was about four years old, I used to live in Saudi Arabia. I remember that my childhood was great in Saudi Arabia and I met many great people that I am still in touch with today. I had a lot of great memories in Saudi Arabia simply because it is a very nice place with very nice people. However, with every positive there always comes a negative. I remember seeing my mother's rights taken away from her. I remember at every family outing or any outing for that matter, she had to be covered from head to toe. She had to wear a long black abaya (a long robe like dress) and a hijab (head scarf) not because she wanted to, but because she had to. I also  remember not being able to go out until my dad came home from work, because by law, women are not allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia. 

Earlier this year, a Saudi Arabian woman's rights activist by the name of Manal al-Sharif started a women's right-to-drive campaign and defied this law and drove her car in the city of Khobar. She videotaped herself driving and put it on both youtube and facebook. On May 21, 2011 she was detained and was arrested the following day. She spent nine days in prison simply because she is a woman and she drove her car. Manal encouraged women accross Saudi Arabia to drive their cars on June 17, 2011 in the hopes of encouraging this movement and giving women their right to drive. This is not the first attempt for this campaign. In 1990, a group of women protested their right to drive arguing that women should have the freedom to go to the store or drive to work. This same group of women were also cheered on as 'whores' and most of them were banned from travelling for one year as a punishment for their behavior. 

I would expect this kind of law in the stone age when women didn't have rights. However to this day, women are still treated as property and as second class citizens in Saudi Arabia. These laws just don't make any sense to me, how can someone live in a country knowing that they are forced to dress and act a certain way? or that they are someone's property? or that their freedom and their rights are taken away simply because of what is between their legs? 

Women are beautiful people and need to be recognized for their beauty and treated with respect and dignity. Don't get me wrong, I love Saudi Arabia very much because most of my childhood was there and I grew up there, I just wish that their laws be revised and that women all around the world are given universal human rights. 

My message to Manal al-Sharif and all Saudi Women drivers: Fight for your rights and build a better tomorrow for future generations. Don't ask for permission to drive. JUST DRIVE! It is your human right and you are human. You are equal to man whether they like it or not! Driving is not a crime!

                         Women's rights are human rights!

My Canada Goose Experience

As I was driving through the city of Toronto today at around 7:30 pm, I was forced to stop in the middle of Eglington Ave because a Canada Goose was crossing the street. What caught my attention is that this Canada Goose was hopping on one leg and struggling to move the other leg. This Goose was definitely injured and had what looked to be like a broken or twisted bone in his or her left leg. 

Being the animal lover that I am, I naturally felt it was my duty to report this and to try to get this helpless animal any sort of attention. I followed the Goose and walked behind it making sure that I can visibly see it while contacting Toronto Animal Services. I called Toronto Animal Services where I was instantly put in an automated phone system that told me to press "1" if my call was an emergency call or if it was regarding an injured animal. Naturally, you would think that an emergency call would be answered instantly right? WRONG, I was following the goose for about 20 minutes until I finally got an operator named Sherry on the phone. When I explained my concern about the injured goose, there was an awkward silence, it was almost as if what I was saying was the most absurd thing she has ever heard of in her life. She then proceeded to tell me the most absurd and ridiculous thing that I have ever heard in my life. In a nut shell, she explained to me that she can contact someone to help me however, because it is after business hours, they will likely resort to "putting down the animal". I explained to Sherry that the Goose just needs some medical attention and does not need to be put down, she interrupted me and told me that these were the procedures and asked if she should contact someone to pick up the goose. So, after 20 minutes of being on hold and 5 minutes listening to the garbage she was saying, I was convinced that leaving the goose there to fend for itself was a lot better than killing it. Sherry proceeded to tell me that if I am still concerned tomorrow to go back to the area and look for the goose and call Toronto Animal Services during business hours and an inspector can come and take a look at the goose and give it the help it needs. Basically after hours, they resort to killing an injured animal, however during hours they would be glad to help. This is the STUPIDEST thing that I have ever heard and this is definitely not something I would expect from the city of Toronto.

I could be overreacting simply because I have a passion and a soft spot for animals. However, I can't help but wonder how valuable the Canada Goose really is. The Canada Geese are protected under the Federal Migratory Bird Act of 1918. This Act makes it illegal to harm or injure a goose or damage or move its eggs without a Federal permit. Failure to comply with this law results in fines ranging from $5000-$10,000. 

My concern is, we as Torontonians love our animals and agree with this law. However when it comes down to it, the city is more concerned over the fine or payment that you will be paying rather than the actual health of the animal. As I saw today the Canada Goose means practically nothing to the city. 

      I expected more from our city. What a shame. 

The truth behind the dolphin smile

My good friend Kaleigh Henderson recommended that I watch a documentary called “The Cove.”  This documentary has literally changed my life. This is the most powerful documentary that I have ever seen. It sends out such a strong and an important message. Everyone needs to know the truth.

This movie takes place in Taiji, Japan where approximately 23,000 dolphins and porpoises are slaughtered annually. This is the largest dolphin slaughter on the planet. Some selected dolphins end up shipped to several aquariums where they are held in captivity, while the rest are brutally killed and sold as food.

Most of the approximately 500 dolphins currently held in Japan's 50 dolphinariums were captured during a violent and deadly dolphin drive hunt. This hunt starts by taking boats with long poles that reach underwater into the middle of the sea and use hammers to create a loud wall of sound which creates stress on the dolphins. Due to their extremely sensitive sense of hearing, Dolphins are easily frightened by loud noises, therefore, when the dolphins hear the uncomfortable and extremely loud bang under the water, they are frightened and literally run for their lives in the direction opposite of the sound – the shore. After reaching shore, the dolphins are very stressed and overwhelmed. The babies and parent dolphins are split up some are taken to marine parks while the others are to be killed. 
The fishermen  snatch these beautiful creatures from their natural habitats, hoist them into nets, load them onto airplanes and drop them into a cement tanks all around the world. Taiji is the largest supplier of dolphins to marine parks and swim with dolphin programs around the world.  The remaining dolphins are brutally stabbed until they are dead and then sold as seafood. It is important to know that Japanese dolphins contain 2000 ppm of Mercury. This means that the dolphin meat is poisonous and if consumed can cause many medical illnesses, deaths, and deformations. Many Japanese people have been eating dolphin meat and have been poisoning their body without being aware of it. 
The reality is that not many people want to eat dolphins. Putting dolphin meat on a shelf at a grocery store, simply will not sell. As a result, the dolphin meat is carefully placed into cans of tuna, and/or sold in fish markets and relabeled under a different type of fish. The government of Japan is aware of this, but they continue to support and cover for the fisherman of Taiji.

The fishermen continue to do this business regardless of the immortality of it. These fishermen are generously rewarded for this brutality. For each dead dolphin they are rewarded $600 for each alive dolphin they are paid a minimum of $150,000.

 A lot of people don’t realize the problem with holding dolphins in captivity in places such as sea world. I, like many others assumed that dolphins and orcas enjoy living at Sea World and other marine parks. They always seemed to be smiling, jumping merrily around their tanks, eager to put on a show for human spectators. However, |Once the friendly joyful music starts playing and the dolphins start dancing and smiling, it’s difficult to see the problem. "The smiles you see on these animals are not true reflections of happiness” explains Rick O’Barry, a dolphin rights activist and the producer of the 'Cove'. “In actuality, they hate to be enclosed in their holding tanks and are often not fed until it is time to perform their daily routines” explains Rick. Dolphins create the greatest deception; they create the illusion that they are always happy. However, behind their smiles is a big despair. In every aquarium, there is a fish house where the dolphins are given Malox and Tagament to treat ulcers on dolphins who are stressed.

One aquarium in Baltimore, had a high death rate for dolphins. Workers and experts soon discovered that the filtration system in the aquarium was too loud for the dolphin to tolerate that it was causing a lot of noise that was overwhelming the dolphins, evidently this loud sound killed the dolphins. 
Accoustics and sound are the primary senses of the dolphins. Due to sound and acoustics, dolphins are considered one of the smartest creatures on the planet. They can literally see right through you. They can see your bones, they can see your heart, and they can tell if you are pregnant, they get a lot of information by just hearing and making sounds.

Captivity simply doesn't work because in the wild, they are travelling at least 40 miles a day, they could be surfing one area in the morning and the next hour they can be 25 miles away. Confining dolphins in a limited amount of space in a tank surrounded by a stadium of screaming people, it simply isn’t right and it isn’t fair.

After “The Cove” was released, many people became aware of this disgusting slaughter and many actions were taken. Due to the awareness the movie has made, the dolphin slaughter has dramatically decreased. Unfortunately, dolphin slaughter still continues in Taiji, however not nearly as much as it did before. Dolphin slaughter still exists and it’s up to us to save these beautiful creatures. We need to defend and give a voice to those who cannot speak.

Louis Psihoyos, director of The Cove, says “The cove is proof that one passionate person can make a difference and that together a few like-minded people can change the world.”

  Join me in taking a pledge to never buy a ticket to a dolphin show. 

 

Do it for the Cookies!

I use to see the Blood Services truck driving by me and always think "wow, there must be a lot of blood in this truck" I would always shiver and quench at the thought of even seeing blood. Just going for a blood test alone needed some serious preparation. 

Then it suddenly hit me! What if I donated blood? What is more important, my fear of needles and blood or potentially saving someones life? I thought long and hard and by coincidence, I was at the mall and the blood donation clinic was there. Without giving it a second thought, I immediately went to the registration desk and registered to donate. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. 

As I approached the nurse she asked me some personal questions and pricked my finger. She could tell that I was nervous and scared and was slightly hesitant in allowing me to donate. However, she allowed me to donate anyways.

Once I got to the final stage, I lay down on the bed waiting to finally donate my blood. I looked away,  as the nurse stuck the needle in my arm and told me to relax and squeeze my hand. She also put a paper towel on my arm so that I don't see the needle. 

My First Blood Donation

Ten minutes later, I was done; it was that fast! I had my cookies and my juice and sat with a veteran who has donated blood over 300 times in his life. During my conversation with him, he explained to me that each blood donation that you make saves three lives. 

I realized the importance of donating blood. It's not about the acknowledgment you may get, it's not about conquering your fears, it's not about you at all. It's about saving a life. 

It's only 1 hour every 56 days. That's 1 HOUR out of 1344 HOURS!

The ten minutes of pain that you may endure will save someone who has been living their whole life in pain. In the time it takes for your to check your Facebook, you could save a life. 

Think about how many people will have a smile on their face simply because of your blood. There are the three people whose life you have saved, and their friends and their families whose lives have been blessed, and all this simply because you donated your blood. It is the best and most rewarding feeling in the world. 

So, why is donating important to me? I donate because I want to. I love donating blood because it's my way of giving back, there's nothing better that I can do for myself and others than give back. I donate because I care about people in pain. It's important for me to donate because it makes me happy to know that a part of me will give someone the gift of life. I donate because a part of me will make someone happy.  

                                          

                    Don't forget, after every donation you get FREE COOKIES! 

Food Worth Dying For

I recently came upon this video that I simply had to share with everyone. The Heart Attack Grill is one of the most unhealthy food establishments I have ever heard of. This establishment is a hospital theme restaurant that refer to their waitresses as "nurses", take orders "prescriptions" from the customers "patients" A tag is placed on the patient's wrist showing their orders. The manager, known as "Dr. Jon", examines each patient with a stethoscope before and after their meal.
The menu consists of four types of cheese burgers; "Single," "Double," "Triple" and "Quadruple Bypass hamburger (named after the Heart Bypass Surgery). These burgers range anywhere from 0.5 to 2 lb of beef (up to 8000 calories) and all you can eat fries.
To make matters worst, they do not have any diet beverages and their French Fries are deep fried in 100% lard. The hamburger buns are also toasted with a lard spread. They have no lettuce in their hamburgers because lettuce is considered healthy. Their milkshakes consist of milk, chocolate and butter.
If you are able to eat an entire Triple Bypass or Quadruple Bypass, you get a final check up by the Doctor and then transported from your seat to your car seat in a wheelchair by one of the nurses.

Perhaps the most astonishing thing about this restaurant is the fact that the owner of The Heart Attack Grill  was originally a nutritionist! Another shocking fact is that customers over 350 lb (160 kg) can eat for free and have unlimited burgers as long as they can prove their weight by weighing themselves with a "doctor" or "nurse" before each burger.

I wasn't too sure of what to think when I saw this video, I was speechless and shocked at the amount of success this restaurant has. Looking at the burger, it doesn't even look appetizing - it just looks absolutely disgusting. The message alone that this restaurant sends out encourages people to live an extremely unhealthy lifestyle and to live for the moment that really and truly won't last. According to Jon Basso (owner of the establishment) you only live once so you should live each day at a time. I agree with this statement to some extent. I agree that we should live each day like it's your last try new things and new adventures, live for the moment. However, I do not encourage 'living for the moment' when it becomes a risk for your health. No matter how amazing the food is, the taste is only temporary,the calories will last. It is a matter of smart thinking, do the things you wish to do but within reason. If you are extremely over weight, you already have several health conditions that you need to take care of. Harming your body further is the last thing you want to do. This is literally food worth dying for, and this was the case for the spokesman of The Heart Attack Grill who died at the age of 29 on March 1, 2011 weighing in at a whopping 575 lb!

I woke up, wishing I was in Egypt

Egypt's Vice President Omar Suleiman announced on February 11, 2011 that Hosni Mubarak has officially stepped down as president and that the Egyptian Military will take over temporarily until the next elections in September.
I want everyone to realize something realize the beauty of this revolution. It is because the youth of Egypt took a stand for what they believe in! These are people who are my age, your age, parents, sisters, brothers, aunts uncles, cousins.. They all came together to change Egypt to make a better Egypt. This means that every single one of us can make a difference and that's what its about.. its about our generation making a difference in the world. Don't ever let anyone tell you you can't change the world because believe me, you can. Don't ever stop dreaming because dreams do come true!

The Beauty that is Egypt

As a child, I noticed every part of Egypt. You don't have to be a genius to realize the beauty that is Egypt

I remember pointing out the Pyramids and think that there is no greater beauty in the world

I would think of the History of Egypt and think if I ever have a daughter, her name would be Cleopatra

I would go to the Pharaonic Village millions of times and still be fascinated by history every single time 

I went to Luxor and Aswan and decided, I want to be a tour guide to let everyone know what history is about

I was so young, and so clueless, yet I was fully aware of the beauty that is Egypt

I was aware of the history and the culture that made Egypt what it is and I loved Egypt because of it

I remember the heart of the Egyptian people

I have never in my life met a group of people who were so willing to pay for my meal

So willing to literally give me their last drop of water 

I have never met anyone who will continue to smile even though their day was not worth smiling about

I will never forget looking at the Nile and thinking there is no greater moment than this

I have never felt so secure in my life than this very moment

I remember visiting Alexandria and carving my name on the shore of the Mediterranean 

I would drive by the Baron castle and stare at it in amazement even though I live five minutes away from it

The most memorable memory I have in Egypt, would be when I volunteered at the Awladi Orphanage

I would go daily after school to visit this orphanage to see the kids there

I was only in grade 6 but, I guess my kindness comes from the Egyptian heart that I have

These kids didn't have money, clothes, homes, parents, yet these kids would smile over the smallest things.

This is what Egypt is. Egypt is happiness. Egypt is kindness. Egypt is generous. Egypt is love. 

And it is because of all this Mother, that I truly believe that there is a heaven on Earth

It is right by the Nile and the pyramids and in your heart. 

And it is because of you Mother That I am who I am today 

You are the beauty that is within me. 

The truth behind the lies

1. Who voted for Mubarak anyways? 

The reason why I singled out the word "president" is because he is nothing more than a selfish, ruthless dictator. He is far from a president and I personally would be scared if this guy was to manage a coffee shop let alone manage an entire country.
Hosni Mubarak was appointed as the Vice President of Egypt in 1975 and became president of Egypt in 1981 after the assassination of Anwar El Sadat. He has now been the ruling president of Egypt for almost 30 years. Mubarak did not rightfully earn his peoples votes as president, he was appointed president because he was a vice president. Ever since he became president, many people have been uncomfortable to vote due to the thugs that threaten the Egyptian people by being present where the voting takes place as well as watch closely who you are voting for. The elections are rigged anyways so it's pointless to even consider voting because your voice is not heard.

2. The Case of Ayman Nour

Ayman Nour wanted to run against Mubarak as well as make running for government open to all candidates and has a strong interest in human rights. Nour was a threat to Mubarak because Nour used his political party (Liberal Democratic Perspective) as a platform to call for constitutional reform therefore limiting the presidents power. Ayman Nour was arrested on January 29, 2005 for "forging Powers of Attorney" on which happens to be the same year as elections. While in prison, Nour denied the charges and was believed to be innocent by most of the Egyptian people as well as by some political leaders. The White House released this statement shortly after Ayman Nour's arrest:

"The United States is deeply troubled by the conviction today of Egyptian politician Ayman Nour by an Egyptian court. The conviction of Mr. Nour, the runner-up in Egypt's 2005 presidential elections, calls into question Egypt's commitment to democracy, freedom, and the rule of law. We are also disturbed by reports that Mr. Nour's health has seriously declined due to the hunger strike on which he has embarked in protest of the conditions of his trial and detention. The United States calls upon the Egyptian government to act under the laws of Egypt in the spirit of its professed desire for increased political openness and dialogue within Egyptian society, and out of humanitarian concern, to release Mr. Nour from detention."
Ayman Nour was released from prison due to health issues and joined the Protest on January 25, 2011. While praying in the mosque, he was hit in the head with a stone or a rock that was thrown at him. He was in the hospital where he is now in stable condition. 


3. Theifs


The British Guardian newspaper reported that Mubarak and his family might be worth anywhere between $40 - $70 billion due to corruption, kickbacks and business activities. Mubarak shares this wealth with his family, they have houses in London, Paris, Madrid, Dubai, Washington, New York, Frankfurt and several houses in Egypt. Mubarak's sons Alaa and Gamal both have Hyundai dealerships and own a few Chili's restaurants as well. Now for all those who think that they can seize Mubarak's assets and fortune when he leaves office are sadly mistaken because Mubarak has his billions stacked in Swiss and British bank accounts. 
Mr. Mubarak, what have you done for 30 years? Robbed your people of their freedom, their democracy? Their life? Where did you get the billions of dollars that you have? Why are people literally searching the garbage trying to find food Mr. Mubarak? Where has our tax money gone? Where is the 1.3 billion dollars that is suppose to be given to Egypt annually? Mubarak, all you have done in your 30 years of power is stacked billions and starved millions.
A few people have told me that I don't give him enough credit because he was a soldier in the October 6th war and fought for Egypt and risked his life for Egypt. Mubarak, you were not the only soldier on the 6th of October so don't call yourself a war hero. Mubarak, you are a criminal, you are a loser and you do not deserve Egypt.

4. Omar Suleiman
I won't get into too much detail about Omar Suleiman as the next sentence pretty much sums what kind of person he really is. Suleiman was appointed as vice president of Egypt on January 29, 2011. That's right.. it took Mubarak 30 years to finally appoint a vice president. Mubarak appointed Suleiman whose career is marked by widespread abuses. Reporters, victims of torture and human rights groups charge that as head of Egypt's main intelligence agency, Suleiman had overseen the systematic use of torture on detainees, sometimes under the United States command and in one instance he personally tortured a detainee. He recently threatened and warned the street demonstrators of a potential martial law. Egyptians refer to him as Mubarak II. This is our vice president, the head of the CIA who is known for the torturing of detainees. Can you imagine what he would do to anti-government activists that have been in the media spotlight?

5. Emergency State Law

The Egyptian emergency law rule states that by law, police powers are extended, constitutional rights are suspended and censorship is legalized. The law also states that any non-governmental political activities such as street demonstrations, non-approved political organizations, unregistered financial donations are formally banned. Under the emergency state law, the government has the right to imprison an individual for any period of time and for virtually no reason therfore keeping them as a prisoner without trials for any period.
Again for those who are in denial lets take a look at the protest that happened on January 25 2011. How many people were killed during this protest which was intended to be a peaceful protest? Mubarak gathered his thugs along with police to do whatever needs to be done to get people off the streets. These martyrs were killed simply because they were asking for their rights as human beings. Others severely injured simply because they want to be treated like human beings they want their God given rights in which they deserve. Ayman Nour is a great example of how and when an innocent person can get locked up for virtually no reason. Censorship is legalized in Egypt, during this revolution the Egyptian State television broadcasts inaccurate information showing PRO Mubarak peaceful protests and fails to show the main protest in Tahrir (Liberation) Square where the PRO Mubarak protesters are on camels and horses, with weapons and tear gases trying to beat all the anti-Mubarak protesters.

I can go on and on with the corrupt government, the police brutality, the dictatorship, the lies, the stealing and crimes, people such as Habib El Adly and Ahmed Ezz who are involved in these crimes and so forth but I believe that these things speak for themselves when you see stations such as BBC and CNN. All I can say is that these people are professional liars and no matter what they say, we demand democracy.

Here is a personal message I would like to send to all the PRO-Mubaraks, the Mubarak Regime, and anyone else who has the smallest ounce of respect for Hosni Mubarak :

I would personally like to thank Mr. Mubarak for his amazing leadership. Thank you for ruining Egypt for the last 30 years. Thank you for making sure that Egyptians do not have any rights or freedom. I would also like to thank him for allowing each Egyptian civilian to live freely and equally. After all, Christians and Muslims in Egypt are treated equally right? I mean, I am a Muslim and I can build a mosque anywhere I want without a license or permit but for my good friend who happens to be a Coptic Christian, she has to take permission to build a church. Thank you Hosni! Now I would also like to take time to thank Mr. Mubarak for taking five days to respond to the Egyptian protesters on the streets. I would like to thank him for choosing a vice president from the same regime as him. This is his way of making 'change'. He sure does care about Egypt doesn't he? Where was Hosni when the museum was getting broken into and our history was getting stolen? Sun bathing in Sharm El Sheikh. Where was Hosni when Tahrir (Liberation) Square was on fire and the thugs are firing gun shots and killing the protesters? What rights do the protesters have? God forbid they ask to be treated like human beings. Stop blaming everything on the Islamic brotherhood, they will not gain power as the people of Egypt will not allow it and will continue to protest until someone who is not from a military force or a religious sector is chosen. 
It is pretty ridiculous that you don't mind Mubarak staying in power until September. Of course, let him stay in power until September its no big deal. Never mind the martyrs that got killed because they wanted freedom. Nevermind the fact that they died trying to defend you and fight for your rights. They died so that Egypt can live. Nevermind the thugs that were bribed by the Mubarak regime to get rid of the anti-government protesters. You will probably agree with Mubarak about the fact that these PRO Mubarak's are just regular people protesting. Regular people don't have weapons, they don't have batons or tear gases and they certainly don't have horses and camels. But it's okay, let him stay until September so that he can continue to steal our tax money and continue to steal the funds coming from the United States. Do you know that Egypt is the second highest country to be funded by the United States? Egypt alone gets 1.2 billion dollars from The U.S. Obviously neither you nor I nor will any Egyptians actually see that money. I wonder where that money went because it's clearly not going to the people. Clearly it's not going to the country -- it is going into someone's pocket. We struggle for food, we struggle for water, we struggle for bread and for the simple necessities of life. We have low income and can barely afford the over priced food the economy continues to sink in Egypt but it doesn't matter because poor people don't have a voice in Egypt. They are poor, they don't deserve to be heard. This is the type of garbage you are trying to tell me. I don't care if you are Muslim, Christian, Black, White, Straight or Gay we are all humans and should be treated as such. But it's okay, we should let Hosni Mubarak stay in power to continue to starve the people who work incredibly hard for to get $100 or $200 a month. We should let Hosni Mubarak stay in office until September to ensure that he steals as much money as he could to make a nice account outside of Egypt. Under Mubarak's power, he has the right to arrest people without charge, detain prisoners indefinitely, limit freedom of expression and assembly and maintain a special security court. This is our emergency law! 
So when Mubarak is in office until September and for the next 8 months when Egyptian's don't have any rights as human beings no one should complain because apparently it's okay not to have human rights. 
One way of the other we are going to have our voices heard. Our dreams will come true no matter what. Kill us, burn us, torture us, abduct us, do whatever you want to do to us but our dreams will come true. No longer will we sit back and watch you destroy our home, our history, our lives. Do you hear me Mubarak? Our voices will be heard and your days are numbered. You are an embarassement to Egypt and you should be ashamed of yourself for allowing one drop of blood to drip on our soil while you grip onto power. 
I have never seen so many people wear their hearts in their sleeves hope for hope and live for their dreams. We stood silent for years while shedding tears over you. Mother we love you and we will always take care of you. 

                                                  
        Mubarak, get the hell out of our country!