The need to equilibrium our desires with our potentials; thus healing all sorts of our spiritual aches has never been more intriguing than nowadays.

Here lies the power and merits of Gemstones, the healing impacts of which stretch to cover all kinds of boosters and healing specs of whatever types of spiritual aches, personal drawbacks, as well as life complexities- with their varying imperatives.

Gems, pebbles of varying shapes and sizes, are mostly minerals, some of which are quite popular while others are only well known among those who trade them as well as energy healers and those who deal with alternative medicines.

While some may value particular gemstones for their looks and colors, their spiritual impacts and energy stimulations remain the core value that renders them essential at varying extents, depending on your need of them.
Among these stones:

Agate;
Almost similar to Quartz in composition and physical properties, Agate is said to be a stone of new beginnings- a stone that helps refreshing the soul, helping you in new challenges and the toughest of them all, for it renews your potential and wards off whatever blockage in the flow of energy that strengthens you soul. Its color is a mixture of green, blue, brown, red, and yellow.

Amazonite;
A blue, green stone that is said to open the heart Chakra allowing in love and related emotions. It also fixes one at his center that is to say, regain well-needed balances and absorbing stresses in all its forms, and that’s why it’s believed to facilitate communication.               

Amethyst;
A purple shaded stone is known for its powerful spiritual vibration that makes it a great healer and cleanser of soul, body and mind, stimulating the three. It’s a good shield against negative energy.

Aquamarine;
The famous blue stone with the beautiful waves’ colors varying between blue and green, is known as a good source of courage and tranquility, also a good trigger of positive emotions such as trust and sympathy.

Bloodstone;
Known as The Warrior Stone and consists of Quartz grains, with reddish and yellowish taints.  Bloodstone is a rich source of mystical and spiritual powers that absorb one’s feelings of fear and spiritual disorders.

Calcite;
A multi-colored crystal, sometimes blue, green, red, mangano, yellow, pink and orange, others Carnelian and White, Calcite is known as a catalyst of energy and effectiveness in whichever area of one’s life. Also a good booster of one’s psychic protection, Calcite is usually used in meditation as it helps connecting one’s spiritual being to his intelligence, creating emotional and spiritual intelligence.

Citrine;
Is known to be a potential soul cleanser that rejuvenates the flow of positive energy and eliminates any possible blockage, and that’s why it’s said to be also a very good energizer and a great booster of psychic power. Citrine is also known as a good protector against negative energy and thus can shield you against other’s spiritual abuse. It takes different colors varying between pure yellow to brownish yellow and light gold

Diamond;
Not just a beautiful stone pursued by all ladies seeking its mesmerizing look, it’s also a good energizer of love and all related emotions, and that’s why it’s said to be a good booster of love relationships and marriage. Also it’s whitish transparent color is a symbol of purity and innocence.

Emerald;
Is a semi transparent green stone that instills emotional, mental and spiritual balance. It’s also known as a good booster of recovery from many illnesses. It helps curing rheumatism, diabetes. It’s also said to be a powerful antidote to poison, and improves vision.

Garnet;
Gives a good boost to confidence, particularly self-confidence, and a powerful protector against negativity and all related weaknesses. Garnet is also said to be a good cleanser of Chakras, and thus a strong energizer. It’s also believed to be a good alarm against approaching dangers. It has various colors: Brown, red, orange, yellow, green, pink, and black.

Moonstone;
Is yellowish, white, creamy stone, with varying shades and sometimes blue and green tints. Moonstone is said to instill harmony between relationships. It’s also known as the stone of good beginnings.

Sapphire;
Is known as a good absorber of tension and stress and thus helps instilling spiritual calmness. It’s also known as the wisdom stone. Its colors are: Blue, green, black, purple, and yellow. 

Quartz;
A rich stone that takes various shapes and colors, each color carries special benefits; For Example Blue Quartz helps clearing the mind. Pink Quartz helps receiving and triggering emotions of love and thus is associated with all works of the heart. And Snow or White Quartz helps you go beyond your limitations and combat the feelings of fear and being burdened.

Turquoise;
The famous blue greenish stone is also known to be as a purifying stone and a powerful enhancer of friendships. Turquoise also enhances the body’s physical and psychic immune system, and a good anti-depressant as it fights mood swings and instills spiritual calmness, the lack of which cases all sorts of depression with varying levels of severity.

Unakite;
Is believed to be a good soul cleanser and balancer that also helps in recovering from major illnesses.

• Birthstones

Birthstones are gemstones associated with each of the year’s 12 months, according to the height of their healing powers, based on the belief that gemstones, whether precious or semi precious, attain their healing powers from cosmic energies absorbed from various planets the power of which, reaches the peak at a particular times of the year.

The tradition of wearing the gemstone associated with the month you’re born in seeking luck, goes back to the 1st century CE, and was first adopted in Poland during the 18th century.

Here’s a list of the 12 months’ birthstones as they are commonly acknowledged:

• Shapes

While a great portion of gemstones beauty value lies in their colors, their shapes and cuts play a central role in their brilliant looks.

Pointed, cone-shaped, rounded, multi-layered, and bubbly, gemstones come in various shapes and contours with different spiritual inferences and a variety of powers, but the most common shapes are: The Square Shape, The Pyramid Shape, The Egg Shape, The Natural Point, Clusters, Geode, The Ball Shape, Vogel-Type Wand, Elestial, Manifestation, Large and Reversed Scepter, Time Link, and Diamond Window.

The cutting technique also can add or water down their values and their credited impacts alike.

• Gemstones and Crystal Healing

Given their widely acknowledged and recognized powers, Gemstones are used as a source of medication, harnessing their potential in a watchable and pursued way.

Presently, they are used in very unique conventional and alternative healing practices that use such gems to evoke certain sources of energy in various areas of the body, basically by placing them on the body’s different chakra centers (energy centers), in a way that catalyses the flow of particular energy, directing it in a way that would balance the patient’s entire spiritual being and addresses, equally, physical and mental aches.

Chakras, or energy centers in the body are in general associated with colors that represent the stones, or the Crystals that evoke that particular type of energy.

The First Chakra, sometimes referred to as the Root Chakra, and represented by the color Red, is positioned at the base of the spine. Being situated at the center of the organs in this particular area of the body made it responsible for the basic human survival functions.

The Second Chakra, represented by the Orange Color is positioned slightly below belly button, and connected to the sexual organs, the reproductive system and thus relates to the sexual needs and desires.

The Third Chakra, sometimes referred to as the Yellow Chakra is located at the center of the Abdomen and sometimes called the Solar Plexus Chakra. It represents the body’s center of determination and will.

The Fourth Chakra, represented by the color Green and located near the heart position is, as its position may imply, responsible for the feelings of love and compassion.

The Fifth Chakra, lying right at the throat, is the center of creativity and is represented by the blue color, and thus is sometimes referred to as the Blue Chakra.

The Sixth Chakra, positioned at the third eye is more connected to the mind work and self- awareness and referred to as the Violet Chakra.

The Seventh Chakra is The Crown Chakra- located at the top of the head, and represents wisdom. It’s associated with the white color. Some, however, link it to Violet , but it’s widely recognized as associate it with White.

Wearing the particular gemstones meant for the healing case can also practice Crystal healing. They can also be placed in bed, put in a person’s bath or clothes in a way that would grant permanent attachment to the patient, or the person seeking certain cure.

Now even after listing all possible benefits gemstones represent and elucidating many of their secrets and mysteries, the belief in their powers remains a choice, a concept you may wish or refuse to endorse, all depending on many factors all engaged in the personal make up of individuals, with all their diversities and dissimilarities.

Like any other conventional practice or New Age concepts and beliefs, the sways of gemstones remain trapped between true believers in their impacts and those who deem them “just beautiful jewels”.

Maha Youssuf
First published in Euphoria Magazine

Iraq poised to surpass Iran in global oil league

By Carola Hoyos in London

Iraq is on course to overtake Iran as the holder of the world’s second-largest proven oil reserves, solidifying its position as the energy industry’s new frontier in the scramble to secure fresh resources.

Baghdad yesterday agreed to deals with Royal Dutch Shell and China’s CNPC for two large oilfields, following on from similar accords with ExxonMobil, Eni and BP in recent months.

Consultants who have analysed the deals struck by Baghdad said the contracts underlined the companies’ confidence that they would be able to use modern seismic and drilling technology to get far more oil out of the fields than had previously been thought possible.

Iraq’s proven reserves now stand at 115bn barrels, below Iran’s 137bn and Saudi Arabia’s 264bn.

But Iraq’s reserves data dates from the 1970s, before the improvements in technology that transformed the industry.

Raad Alkadiri, an Iraq expert at PFC Energy in Washington, said the companies offered Iraq very good terms in the recent deals because they believed that the oilfields held more recoverable oil than commonly assumed.

A second consultant, Falah al-Khawaja, who spent 41 years working in Iraq’s oil sector before becoming an independent consultant, calculated that on the basis of the bids that Iraq would jump Iran in proved reserves in three years.

“These are not small companies. They have been studying Iraq for some time,” he said.

Mr Alkadiri warned that the resurgence of Iraq as a significant oil producer would cause problems within Opec, as the oil cartel would eventually have to reduce the production quotas of many of its members to accommodate Iraq.

Iraq’s quota has not been enforced since United Nations sanctions in the early 1990s.

However, if Iraq’s reserves rise, Opec’s gentleman’s agreement that sees Iraq’s quota not exceeding that of Iran will come under pressure to be changed.

“The Iraqis are making it clear that they no longer see themselves in parity with Iran. They are eyeing themselves being potentially on par with Saudi Arabia,” he said.

The start of Iraq’s second oil auction yesterday saw Royal Dutch Shell and Malaysia’s Petronas win the right to develop Iraq’s giant Majnoon field after they promised to boost its production to 1.8m barrels a day from just 46,000 b/d today.

These latest awards come in addition to three big agreements Iraq has made with ExxonMobil , Eni and BP . In total, oil companies have now pledged to boost within the decade Iraq’s production by 7.3m b/d to nearly 10m b/d, more than Saudi Arabia produces today.

Iraq’s auction is not yet over. Today the oil ministry will auction off several other fields including the giant West Qurna one.

Published: December 12 2009 02:00 | Last updated: December 12 2009 02:00

Ya well..its almost the end of the year and YouTube have released their most watched video’s of 2009 list.

The number one video with 120 million views was that sexy minx Susan Boyle and her “I dreamed a dream” performance on Britains Got Talent and coming in at second place was my favourite David After Dentist closely followed by the JK Wedding entrance dance.

And because im feeling the Christmas spirit i’ve spared you the depression of watching the number 1 video and instead put the other two up so you don’t have to go look for them elsewhere.

Yes..just press play and get your happy juices flowing.

Good times.

Well November was a bit of a wash out for new posts due to my house move, but that didn’t stop November being the fifth busiest month of all time for hits! It was primarily down to one lady, Lisa Gerrard, who’s new album more than tripled the hits of the second placed artist. We’ll be reviewing all three new releases of Lisa’s this month.

01) Lisa Gerrard (2 months)

02) Tori Amos (^)

03) Brendan Perry (^)

04) Christopher Tin (v)

05) Hiroki Kikuta (^)

06) Imogen Heap (v)

07) Akira Yamaoka (RE)

08) Sarah Slean (RE)

09) Anonymous 4 (v)

10) Utada (RE)

—-

Games

01) .detuned (PS3)

02) Battle Tanks (PS3)

03) Numblast (PS3)

04) Shatter (PS3)

05) GripShaft (PS3)

The Guinness Book of Records named this Evian ad as the most-viewed online advertising ever with 45 million views. Go view it to make it 45 million and one.

Ok, the heading is a bit weird but…

Anyway…

Its cool how, at times, people just post videos on youtube for family and friends to see or just for fun and few months/years later, without them expecting, the number of views keep increasing to millions, making them well known, noticed.

Their dreams came true in an unexpected way. It’s nice to see people’s dream coming true=) So happy for them.

One example is Justin Bieber. He participated in some singing competition. Mainly for his friends and families that couldn’t come and watch/support him, his mom kindly recorded his performance and post it on youtube.

What happened next was kinda unexpected for him. From posting videos on youtube, to getting signed by Usher. Not only Usher, Justin Timberlake wanted to sign him to. Imagine growing up, being a fan of these two, and suddenly, one day, both are ‘fighting’ to get you. How cool is that? Now, he’s released 4 successful pre-album singles and his album is due to release next week, 16 November 2009.  What’s more exciting is that he is the only artist in Billboard history to have 4 singles from an album chart in the Top 40 of the Hot 100 before the album’s release.

Take a listen to his first single:

So, guys, if you have talent, what are you waiting for? Find ways to get noticed and youtube is a great way to start!

Apart from that,

there’s another video called ‘Charlie bit my Finger’. It’s just about two siblings, I mean, it’s about two superly, duperly, cannot-take-it, extremely adorablebly cute siblings, where the younger brother (charlie) bit his brother’s finger. Sound stupid, yeah I know. Even simple things like that can make them well known.

Now, the video has 132,277,879 views , MAKING IT THE MOST VIEWED VIDEO ON YOUTUBE! Cool much?

Hais, people nowadays.

Okay, that’s all. I’m going to bite my brother’s toe.

October saw HPM have three distinct leaders in the race for top spot and despite only being a listen-to-the-samples post, Lisa Gerrard topped the bill for October while we all wait in anticipation for “The Black Opal”. Christoper Tin and Winifred Phillips followed closely behind with their interviews and reviews while Anonymous 4 was quickly catching all three at the end of the month. The top 10 are listed below:

01) Lisa Gerrard (^)

02) Christopher Tin (v)

03) Winifred Phillips (RE)

04) Anonymous 4 (NE)

05) Brendan Perry (-)

06) Imogen Heap (v)

07) Tori Amos (RE)

08) Hiroki Kikuta (v)

09) OverClocked Remix (v)

10) Yasunori Mitsuda (RE)

————————————–

Game Reviews

01) Battle Tanks (PS3)

02) Shatter (PS3)

03) .detuned (PS3)

04) Trash Panic (PS3)

05) Numblast (PS3)

Dear Sheikha

Could you please explain to me why a Muslim man is permitted to marry up till four women? While Muslim women are not given the same right?

I can’t see what good allowing men have more than one wife can bring to the society.

However I mean no offense to your noble religion, I just feel puzzled whenever this issue is raised at any gathering.

Jessica from Chicago

——————————————————————————————————-

Dear Jessica

I can see that my dear readers have become interested in a variety of topics far from politics.

Polygamy in Islam is a rich subject that needs to be covered in more than one session. But let me give you a simple fact about our world that will help clarify the matter for you. But first I want to assure you that when Islam allowed men have up till four spuses it didn’t give this license without conditions, it limited it to certain circumstances and under certain conditions so that to ensure that nothing damaging affects the society.

Islam for instance set conditions for polygamy,

Let’s see what the noble Qur’an says in regards to this point. 

“If you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans, marry women of your choice, Two or three or four; but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one, or (a captive) that your right hands possess, that will be more suitable, to prevent you from doing injustice.”
– Qur’an (4:3)

And because Islam is a religion for all times it granted respect for women’s rights and set as a condition for polygamy that a man is able to deal justly with his wife (which is not an easy condition). 

“It is very difficult to be just and fair between women.”
– Qur’an (4:129)

So Islam permitted polygamy but very highly discouraged it.

Contrary to the widespread misconception about Islam’s polygamy, allowing men to marry more than one wife wasn’t for males’ sexual privileges and desires, but to ensure certain social order, including protection for the orphans and widows and preventing sins such as illegal sex and prostitution.

And what a lot of people don’t know is that Islam actually came to limit polygamy. Before Islam, there was no upper limit for polygamy and men had up till hundreds of wives.

Maha Youssuf
Extracted from my Al Jazeera column under the pen-name Sheikha Sajida

Dear Sheikha,

In Germany, the Nazis first came for the communists, and I did not speak up, because I was not a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak up, because I was not a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak up, because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I did not speak up, because I was not a Catholic. Then they came for me… and by that time, there was no one to speak up for anyone.

Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. This is not a way of life at all in any true sense. Under the clouds of war, it is humanity hanging on a cross of Iron.

I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.

The world thanks you.

Thank you for your attention, best regards.

Lauro from Brazil

 ——————————————————————————–

Dear Lauro,

I receive numerous messages asking the same question? Has World War III begun??

In my previous predictions, I noted that a third and a fourth world war is very likely, with turmoil and bloodshed plaguing several countries.

Like so many others, my thoughts and feelings about current wars all over the world make me highly expect more wars as devastating and catastrophic as World War I and II.

The current quagmire in Iraq, and the daily massacres and civilian casualties in Afghanistan, two wars that had been initiated by the United States, seem to me continuing for some years.

Another bloody conflict is Israel and Palestine war that has been going for long years and claimed the lives of thousands of Palestinians- Had the world reacted or put a solution for the Palestinians’ daily nightmares? No. Had the world super powers consider taking actions against Israel to stop the atrocities committed on the occupied territories? Also No.

Moving to the UN’s role. Unfortunately the UN has failed, in every sense of the word FAILURE, to act as an international monitor and protector of the nations human rights. Starting with the Iraqi people’s devastation under the sanctions imposed during Saddam’s rule, ending with its deaf silence over the U.S. war crimes and series of breaches of international laws and treaties.

I’m afraid that anger has reached its peak among several nations and the results are unpredictable. If things continued the way they are, I’m afraid we’re heading towards a third and a fourth bloodier world wars.

Analysts have developed a scenario for a Third World War, which envisions an attack on Iraq, Iran and/or Syria, several decades ago. And here we are watching the world moving towards such a war as predicted 

Maha Youssuf
Al Jazeera Magzine 2007 under the pen-name of Sheikha Sajida

Dear Sheikha,

Another state in America has just opened the way for gay marriage; hope you have the same in the Middle East. 

I just can?t understand why same-sex marriage is still banned in many countries, especially in the Arab and Muslim states. Those people should be respected, as well as their needs. It only shows the lack; or I?d rather say the absence of tolerance in those states.

God bless America!

Tom from U.S.

Dear Tom,

The reason why gay marriage or homosexual behavior is prohibited in Islam and thus banned in Arab and Muslim states is the devastating effect and chaos it’d inflict on the moral and social fabric of society. Same-sex marriage is reversal of the natural order, it’s a moral disorder. It?s violation of the limits prescribed by God. Islam, unlike what your statement implies Tom, is a religion of peace; that teaches tolerance; and protects people?s rights and freedoms.

I don’t see legalizing gay marriage as protecting people?s rights in any way. Some people claim that a sodomite is genetic, but scientifically speaking that’s not true. A sodomite is an undesirable and bad habit, like being addicted to drugs or alcohol. It begins with a trail and turns into addiction and disease. If it was genetic, God wouldn’t have prohibited it in all religions.
In the Qur’an, Allah says;

“And Lot! (Remember) when he said unto his folk: Will ye commit abomination such as no creature ever did before you? Lo! ye come with lust unto men instead of women. Nay, but ye are wanton folk.” 

Qur’an 7:80-1 

Not only Islam. The holy Bible includes many examples where homosexuality is condemned and prohibited; let me list a few:

1- But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? Bring them out unto us, that we may know them. 
[KJV Genesis 19:4-5]

2- Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.
NIV Leviticus 18:22]

3- If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads. 
[NIV Leviticus 20:13]

I recall when gay marriage was considered in Hawaii, a conservative Christian organization, Hawaii’s Future Today (HFT), filed a brief with the court rejecting it, saying that same-sex marriage would introduce “a radical reform in the basic institution of marriage, jettisoning long-recognized cultural values and drastically redefining the fundamental structure of our society…” 

I lay a huge a portion of the blame for having gay marriage in many U.S. States and the Western nations on the United Church of Christ, the first major U.S. Christian denomination to support same sex-marriage, by passing its hypocritical resolution affirming “equal rights for couples regardless of gender”. Although the decision was not binding and didn?t not require pastors to marry same-sex couples, some actually do. 

I thank God we don’t have that type of freedom in the Middle East, if you consider allowing men marry one other and women become couples a form of “freedom”?

Maha Youssuf
Al Jazeeera Magazine 2006 under the pen-name of Sheikha Sajida

The Iranian-British crisis that began almost two weeks ago has ended as suddenly as it began.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced yesterday the release of the 15 British sailors and marines arrested in the Persian Gulf nearly two weeks ago, yet insisting they “invaded” Iranian waters.

He said they have been pardoned as a “gift” to Britain.

But there will inevitably be lingering questions- Does the British sailors’ sudden release mean that they didn’t illegally Iranian waters?

Also the sudden release will trigger a series of question about the treatment of the British captives, who were filmed “confessing” that they had illegally entered Iranian waters.

Also inquiries about what the Iranians’ expectations, or I’d rather call them ambitions, behind the move, will spark debate about whether the release of the British captives will bring relative calm to the current war between Tehran and the West over its nuclear program.

Iran refused to embark on a propaganda campaign similar to that the British government launched to use the dispute to lobby international support on its side. But the Iranian President’s speech, in which he announced the release of the British sailors, was a slap on the face of the British Prime Minister Tony Blair;

“The Blair government chose the path of media hype and sent the issue to the UN Security Council. The British people can ask its government what the British soldiers are doing in Iraq or in Iranian waters”, President Nejad said, adding that Iran “has every right to put these people on trial”,

The release of the Britons, he said, was a “present to the British people to say they are all free.”

“I’m asking Mr Blair to not put these 15 personnel on trial because they admitted they came to Iranian territorial water,” he said.

“Instead of occupying other countries, I ask Mr Blair to think about the justice, to think about the truth and work for the British people not for himself.”


“Not brave enough”

“Unfortunately the British government was not even brave enough to tell their people the truth, that it made a mistake.”

There’s no doubt the arrest of the Britons and the attitude of the Iranians as well as how Ahmadinejad’s government handled the dispute before offering their release, will boost the image of the Islamic Republic, already facing UN sanctions and speculation about a U.S. attack over its nuclear program.


“Don’t think about attacking Iran”

The arrest was a clear message to the U.S, currently engaged in military build up in the Gulf, probably for a future attack against Iran. A message saying “Don’t think about attacking Iran”. It was also a clear message to the West, telling Europeans to expect troubles from Iran if the West continues to pressure it to give up its legal right to pursue peaceful nuclear technology.

Iran seems to have already achieved some of its objectives.

The announcement of the release of the Britons came a day after the release of an Iranian diplomat who was kidnapped in Iraq, most probably by the U.S. forces.

The sudden release of the 15 British sailors, which signaled a peaceful end to the crisis, was a clear sign that the Iranian regime is not a “hardliner” as the West claims, which may encourage Europeans to engage in real diplomatic talks with Iran to end the standoff over its nuclear program “diplomatically”.

Maha Youssuf
Under the pen-name Sheikha Sajida- Al Jazeera Magazine 4 May 2007 

Dear Sheikha,

The United States had adopted a violent conduct since World War II to dominate the world under its model of democracy. It has invaded many countries and attacked others.

It spied on many countries far away from its border.

If this country succeeded in Iraq, it will emerge as the unchallenged Shaitan (Devil) to threaten the world.

The Iraqi resistance must not be limited to the liberation of Iraq. It is the last forces to deter this empire from its fantasy to force the world into a very dangerous order.

M. Sultan

—————————————————————————————-

Dear. M. Sultan,

Looking at the long history of fear, poverty, struggle and oppression the Iraqi nation lived; I hope those people see the day where they don’t have to suffer more, where an Iraqi doesn’t have to fear for his mother, wife or sister going out alone; where the family doesn’t fear losing any of its members in the blink of an eye.

The Iraqis suffered oppression under Saddam, poverty and starvation under the UN merciless sanctions, and suffered all that plus death, torture and humiliation under the illegal occupation of the United States, known for its rich history of seeking dirty and illegal means to reach its ends and maintain power and hegemony all over the world.

It was the U.S. which pushed the ousted Iraqi leader to invade Kuwait, bringing misery and devastation to both nations.

It was the U.S which ousted the Iranian Prime Minister Dr. Mohammed Mossadegh in 1882 to place its puppet Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of

Iran.

It was the U.S. who started the current quagmire and instigated ethnic tensions in Iraq that will soon result in an imminent civil war that will bring more deaths to the Iraqi civilians and American troops serving in Iraq against their will.

The U.S. needs its own regime change.

Maha Youssuf
Extracted from the daily column I used to have in Al Jazeera Magazine under the pen-name of Sheikha Sajida

An annoyingly simply idea: compile the 100 most watched YouTube clips together, paste over your new single and create a new YouTube video that has generated over 2.5m views.

Now if they converted that into single sales/downloads, they’d sell more than the combined total of the biggest selling UK singles from the past three years:

2006: Gnarls Barkley – Crazy 820k

2007: Leona Lewis – Bleeding Love 788k

2008: Alexandra Burke – Hallelujah 888k

This is excellent marketing, no denying, however is the product better than the promotion? Does it matter?

Welcome!
This is the first post (of many to come) from the Official Affiliate Think Tank Blog. We are dedicated to answering any questions you may have about webmastering and will be posting numerous links to webmaster tools, resource pages, and helpful articles. This blog is open to any related discussions, and is a platform for comments as well.

If you were ever under the impression that making money online is difficult – you were wrong. All it takes is familiarity with your PC, and love for home based work. We will sift through all the get rich quick schemes, and make money from home scams so that you dont have to. If it’s here It’s real because we did it!

AFFILIATE THINK TANK
The Best Webmaster Blog ~

Dear Sheikha,

What we’re witnessing in Somalia is another killing field, another poor killing the poor, devastation, and another war.

It seems a familiar scenario.

The Ethiopians’ foreign minister said they have been pushed in this nonsense war but he didn’t dare to spell it out saying who had pushed them.

Today, the West fears losing its old monopoly. 

AB from Iran 

————————————————————————————-

Dear AB,

I agree with your view wholeheartedly.

The U.S. has begun another war. Having failed to win Iraq war and get its goals implemented as desired, Washington opened another battlefront in Somalia, not to fight Al Qaeda but to lay hands on the country’s oil reserves and ensure a tighter grip and stronger hegemony in the region.

Some laugh at the suggestion that Somalia could ever rank among the world’s major oil producers, but the story of Somalia and its oil wealth goes back to the colonial period when British and Italian geologists first discovered oil deposits during that period of imperialism.

Conoco, Chevron, Amoco and Philips- four U.S. oil companies- have concessions in nearly two thirds of Somalia. They were granted oil contracts in the final days of Somalia’s deposed dictator, Siad Barre. 

And it is believed that the first American military engagement in Somalia was fully supported by Conoco.

No one doubts that the U.S. is supporting Ethiopia to lay hands on Somalia’s oil wealth, whether it will pursue same policy and scenario we witnessed in Iraq or not, only time will tell.

Maha Youssuf
Extracted from my daily column at Al Jazeera Magazine 2006 under the pen-name of Sheikha Sajida

Dear Sheikha,

I still don’t understand why the Israelis bombed power plants in Palestine.

There must be some genius tactics against starving the Palestinian nation.

Could you explain to me please why they bombed a power plant.

M. Croatia

——————————————————————————–

Dear M,

I think by now it’s become clear that Israel is not interested in reaching a peaceful solution for the hostage crisis.

As a matter of fact Israel had the chance to stop the Palestinians from carrying out the attack on its military post near kibbutz Kerem Shalom, in which its soldier Shalit was kidnapped, but it chose not to.

Shalit’s kidnapping provided a good reasoning for Israel to step up violence in the Strip it withdrew from last year, and may be a good chance to reoccupying it without having to face global condemnation.

Another point I need to stress here is that the ongoing Israeli campaign on Gaza is not actually a military operation aimed at securing the release of the kidnapped soldier, but a means for pressuring the Hamas-led government to force it step down.

The true target of the current onslaught is Hamas, which won a landslide victory in democratic legislative elections in Palestine last January.

Bombing Gaza power plant last week shows that the Israelis intend to keep the Palestinians in the dark and in grinding poverty for as long as the Hamas is ruling the government.

This “arm-twisting” is not new.

Israel wants to force Hamas resign if it wants to save the already devastated and extremely poor Palestinian nation.

Maha Youssuf
Extracted from my daily column at Al Jazeera Magazine 2006, under the pen-name of Sheikha Sajida

Dear Sheikha Sajida,

If you were president of the United States, what are the three most important changes you would make toward the U.S. policy in the Mideast?

And how do you think such changes would impact the United States?

Paul
Los Angeles, CA

————————————————————————————————
Dear Paul,

We all know that the United States has been trying hard to be a dominant super power in the Middle East since the end of World War II, relying on brutal, repressive regimes, like Iran under the Shah, Saudi Arabia, and Israel to get its barbaric policies implemented as desired.

The initial outpouring of international sympathy for America following the September 11, 2001 attacks, had been replaced by anger at the U.S. policy of deception and barbarism that has usurped many nations’ rights and resulted in the death of many thousands innocent civilians in the Arab and Muslim world.

The U.S. non-stop efforts to lay its hand on the Arab world and the Middle East rich resources, oil to be precise, were not only the reason for the current bloodshed and turmoil in the Middle East and the entire world, but also tarnishing the image of the U.S. and Americans as the world foremost freedom and democracy advocates.

After long years of continuous attempts to control the Arabs and the Middle East governments, it should not be surprising that the U.S. is viewed with suspicion and hostility by the Arab and the Muslim populations.

It is time for the U.S. to realize that its tarnished image in the Muslim world is due to its policies.

For the U.S. to wipe out this stain it should first end its military presence not only in Iraq, but also its military units deployed in almost all of the Arab and Muslim states.

Another important reason for the Muslims’ anger at the U.S. is the massive number of innocent people Washington holds at its Guantanamo jail without knowing their charges. So the U.S. should release those detainees or hold credible trials to prove its claims that they pose a real threat to the U.S. and the world.

“No justice, no peace!”

Maha Youssuf
First published in Al Jazeera Magazine 2006 under the pen-name of Sheikha Sajida

Dear Sheikha,

Do you really believe that we as a nation want to be in a distant land fighting a war? Well I’ll answer it for you- No. The fact is that after 9/11 we as a nation decided that any future threats had to be dealt with in order to ensure our security.

The Iraqi dictator was one of those threats. Yes war is sad. War is the worst thing that anyone can go through. However, everything that is good in this world had to be achieved through war.

Personal freedom does not come free. The price is war. And yes, innocence is lost and many souls are saddened but the outcome for the Iraqi people will be a free democracy.

Let us not forget the suffering the American people went through during the civil war to attain their freedom as a sovereign nation.

The Middle East for so long has had so much animosity towards America. We are a model of success. The future generations in the Middle East will be grateful to their ancestors for the suffering they endured. Look at the big picture, not just small details.

Matt from USA

 —————————————————————————————————————-

Dear Matt,

Obviously, you have fallen into the trap of your President, a trap covered with a bunch of lies and faulty assumptions.

I agree that every new democracy has gone through a series of challenges and confusion, but let’s first define the term “freedom”.

Do you call “freedom” that comes on the expenses of the stability of a sovereign country and the safety of its people true “freedom”? Butchering civilians and destroying a whole nation in the name of “freedom” is clear hypocrisy.

I grieve for those who lost their lives in the brutal attack of September 11 on the United States, but I as well refuse and denounce any violence that springs from the theory that the West is threatened by some hidden international terror organisation, and to root out this threat America or Europe is given the green light to attack any Middle Eastern or Arab country under the guise of fighting this threat.

The American President is still trying to sell more lies to his nation, he’s still trying to propagandize that the invasion of Iraq, the needless deaths of the U.S. soldiers, as well as tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians; all this mayhem, was done in the name of “freedom”.

I remember a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson, an American essayist, poet, and philosopher, that says:

“The meaning of good and bad, of better and worse, is simply helping or hurting”.

The world is now aflame in an epic battle between good and evil, but despite ongoing bloodshed on earth I am still convinced there is a chance for achieving peace. Good shall triumph over the evil.

 Maha Youssuf
First published in Al Jazeera Magazine 2006 under the pen-name of Sheikha Sajida

Hello Sheikha,

Why was the rape and sexual harassment of Iraqi women ignored by worldwide media?

Photos depicting rape and sexual abuse of the Iraqi women by U.S. occupation forces have been completely omitted from the Western news reports so as not to fuel the anger among the Muslim world aroused by Abu Ghraib scandal.

It is understood why the West would try to hide such facts, but what pains me is that the issue has been similarly ignored by the Arab press.

I think raping Arab and Muslim women should have stirred worldwide anger and disgust even more than Abu Ghraib scandal. 

Mona from Austria 

———————————————————————————————-

Dear Mona,

“Respect for women… can triumph in the Middle East and beyond,” was President W. George Bush’s words at the UN in September 2002.

For those who may question or suspect that those incidents took place, the Organisation of Women’s Freedom has confirmed that not less than 400 Iraqi women have been kidnapped and raped at Abu Ghraib jail and elsewhere in Iraq since the U.S. illegal war began, to the extent that some streets in Iraq turned into no-woman zone.

Also the International Committee of the Red Cross reported that the occupation forces held some 30 women at Abu Ghraib jail near the Iraqi capital in October last year.

I add my voice to yours Mona, crimes of sexual harassment, rape and torture of Iraqi women by the occupation forces should get the same attention given to Abu Ghraib scandal.

The United States, who claims to be the foremost defender of freedom and human rights, has been involved in hideous human rights violations, breached each and every international law, and abused and humiliated the Iraqi.

Let me remind you that under the rule of Saddam Hussein, whom the U.S. accused of torturing and abusing his nation, the Iraqi women enjoyed unquestionable quality rights to education and health, they also enjoyed freedoms not found in many Arab and Western countries. But now, under the brutal and merciless occupation, Iraqi civilians and particularly women are denied the basic human rights.

During Saddam’s rule, the Iraqi women formed about 40% of the public-sector work force and they were getting equally paid as men.

This is the kind of “democracy” and “freedom” the U.S. brought to Iraq…

Maha Youssuf
First published in Al Jazeera Magazine 2006 under the pen-name of Sheikha Sajida

Hello Sheikha,

Are the Arabs satisfied with their governments? Are those governments credibly elected?

I didn’t vote for President Mubarak, and I’m completely against him. Also I don’t trust the credibility of the recent elections.

However, I see no logic in the argument supporting the U.S. mission in the Middle East to bring democracy as part of President Bush’s so-called “war on terrorism”.

The Middle East and the Arab world has long showed great ability of solving their problems on their own. The U.S. help is definitely not needed.

Remember January election in Iraq? It was nothing more than an American movie made to convince the world that “mission is accomplished” in Iraq.

The Arab nations paid a high price for their leaders’ weakness and permitting America meddle in their countries’ affairs.

Amina from Egypt

 ——————————————————————————————————————————-

Dear Amina,

I totally agree with you. The United States’ policy in the Middle East has brought nothing but chaos and mayhem.

Washington has long accused the Arab governments of being repressive. But the truth is problems started surfacing in the Middle East countries with the initial stages of the U.S. interference, a vivid example is Iran. In 1953 the U.S. plotted for the removal of the democratically elected Iranian government to place the puppet Shah.

If we’re going to discuss the Arab leaderships we must also consider bright examples from the past and the future, but unfortunately the West often look at the present and forget the past.

The current havoc in Iraq and the slump in Bush’s ratings are a glowing example of the tumbling down of American politics.

Indeed, the U.S. has a long history of placing puppets in power.

But I can see in the emergence of a new generation of Arab youth whose hearts crave for freedom; a sure solution for the U.S. influence in the Middle East and the weakness of their leaders.

Maha Youssuf
First published in Al Jazeera Magazine 2007 under the pen-name of Sheikha Sajida

Hello,

Bush, Cheney, Powell, Rumsfeld, and Rice all sold America for a pack of lies- The facts as reported speak for itself…What more do we want?

The tragedy is that majority of the American public accepted the pack of lies, and the biggest crime is that these liars are in power and deciding for the future of the United States and the world.

Impeach the lot I say and put them on trial at international criminal court of justice together with their allies Blair, Sharon and Howard.

Haji MF from South Africa

——————————————————————————–

Dear Haji,

Now, of course, we all know that Bush lied, Cheney lied, Powell lied, as well as Rumsfeld and Rice, and they continue to. Also we all agree that we don’t have the authority to bring a direct end to death and human devastation in Iraq that result from the U.S. persistent military presence there.

But let’s try to look at the bright side- I’ve come to realise that an increasing number of Americans started to believe that their President has deceived them, and that there’s something beyond their government-controlled media that they need to listen to and believe.

Less than half of Americans now believe that Bush is an honest President who possesses “strong leadership qualities,” while a solid majority say he is a liar.

I receive numerous messages from Americans apologizing for the horrible crimes their President has committed and the terrible suffering and chaos he brought to the world.

I’m as much concerned about Americans, who are now facing great animosity worldwide brought to them by this illegal war, as much as I am about the Iraqi people dying everyday under the U.S. occupation.

We need to realise that this war has brought nothing but death to the Iraqis and hate against the Americans. I add my voice to all the Americans who feel ashamed of their President, and I reiterate a nation should not be punished for crimes committed by its leader.

I call on the world citizens to put aside hate. I urge them to unite and be fair in their judgment- this is the only way to bring peace and end brutal dictatorships in this world.

Maha Youssuf
First published in Al Jazeera Magazine 2007 under the pen-name of Sheikha Sajida

In another attempt to tighten the occupation grip over Iraq through “Divide and Rule” method, the American forces plan to soon wall off massive areas of the Iraqi capital with barricades, imprisoning the inhabitants of neighborhoods.

“The campaign of ‘gated communities’ – whose genesis was in the Vietnam War – will involve up to 30 of the city’s 89 official districts and would be the most ambitious counter-insurgency program yet mounted by the US in Iraq,” wrote Robert Fisk in one of his most recent articles on The Independent, which acquired details of the so-called “security campaign”.

The plan, set by General David Petraeus, the US commander in Baghdad during a six-month command and staff course at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas, is aimed at restricting the movement of rebels and would involve a crack-down on fighters, eliminating any traces of their existence from civilian streets that will be walled off. 

Joint US-Iraqi military bases will be set up in at least nine of the 30 districts to be “gated” off. 

Only residents, who will be given ID cards, will be allowed into these areas that will be subject to visitor registration and restrictions on movement outside- a campaign previously used in 2005 in Tal Afar which involved erecting a wall around the Iraqi town to restrict the movement of gunmen and weapons.

“Civilians may find themselves inside a ‘controlled population’ prison, Fisk, “the most famous foreign correspondent in Britain” as described by The New York Times, wrote.

The army will deploy five brigades, including about 40,000 men – south and east of Baghdad, with at least three between the capital and the Iranian border.

The plan would focus on blocking Baghdad markets and Shia areas, and would involve arrests of men of military age, added Fisk, whose reporting and famous books, based on his field notes and recordings, usually criticised governments and leaders of the Middle East as well as the hypocrisy of the British and United States governments.

Former US officer in Vietnam who is aware of the new campaign in Baghdad voiced concerns and skepticism over the motives and results of the new plan, according to Fisk.

“The first loyalty of any Sunni who is in the Iraqi army is to the insurgency,” he said. 

“Mortal danger”

“Any Shia’s first loyalty is to the head of his political party and its militia. Any Kurd in the Iraqi army, his first loyalty is to either Barzani or Talabani. There is no independent Iraqi army. 

These people really have no choice. They are trying to save their families from starvation and reprisal. At one time they may have believed in a unified Iraq. At one time they may have been secular. 

But the violence and brutality that started with the American invasion has burnt those liberal ideas out of people … Every American who is embedded in an Iraqi unit is in constant mortal danger.”

One of the principles of the new plan is the unification of civilian and military activities, citing “civil operations and revolutionary development support teams” in South Vietnam, assistance to Kurdish refugees in northern Iraq in 1991 and the “provincial reconstruction teams” in Afghanistan.

Army generals who took part in drawing up the new plan were largely responsible for the seminal – but officially “restricted” – field manual on counter-insurgency produced by the Department of the Armyin December of last year, code-numbered FM 3-24, according to The Independent.

According to FM 3-24, “with good intelligence, counter-insurgents are like surgeons cutting out cancerous tissue while keeping other vital organs intact.” 

The Independent furthermore, quoted another former US officer who commented on “gated” communities’ project, as saying;
“Once the additional troops are in place the insurrectionists will cut the lines of communication from Kuwait to the greatest extent they are able,” 

“They will do the same inside Baghdad, forcing more use of helicopters. The helicopters will be vulnerable coming into the patrol bases, and the enemy will destroy as many as they can. The second part of their plan will be to attempt to destroy one of the patrol bases. They will begin that process by utilising their people inside the ‘gated communities’ to help them enter. They will choose bases where the Iraqi troops either will not fight or will actually support them.

“The American reaction will be to use massive firepower, which will destroy the neighbourhood that is being ‘protected’.”

Although the Bush administration approved recently the deployment of additional 15,000 US troops in the war torn country and despite a massive military crackdown in the capital, the security situation in Iraq continues to deteriorate and civilian casualties are on the rise.

Casualties among the US army are also growing. Violence was renewed last Tuesday, resulting in the death of four Iraqi soldiers and the injury of 16 US troops. And early today, a man blew up his vehicle at a major bridge in Baghdad. The explosion led to the collapse of the steel structure and sent cars present at the scene of the attack into the Tigris River below. At least 10 people were killed and 25 others were wounded.

Maha Youssuf
First Published in Al Jazeera Magazine 2007 under the pen-name of Sheikha Sajida 

Dear Sheikha,

I’m a Muslim convert and I have an inquiry that I’d like to have your reply about.

Rumors had been circulating over the past four months that the king of pop, Michael Jackson, is “on the verge” of converting to Islam- He’s said to have pledged to erect a mosque in his adopted home of Bahrain- but nothing to prove that.

Waiting to hear your reply on this important topic,

Thanks for your time and consideration

—————————————————————————————–

Halim from Germany

Dear Halim,

Well, as you said Halim, nothing to prove or deny that King of the Pop has converted to Islam.

But what I can say is that if Michael Jackson did embrace Islam he has nothing to hide and we could’ve seen him announcing the news himself on one of America’s famous TV programs- We could’ve heard his own words on the subject in a press release.

Why would he conceal embracing Islam?

African American history is full of great figures who converted to Islam and were proud of embracing this noble religion, we all remember Mohamed Aly, Malcolm X, and many others. Also we have the famous pop star Cat Stevenson now named Youssuf Islam after becoming a Muslim.

America is probably the largest Muslim convert population in the Western world.

I remember Musa Qutub, president of the Islamic Information Center of America, in Des Plains, once saying that Americans are accepting Islam at all levels of age and profession, high school students, attorneys, doctors, common workers.

Maha Youssuf
First published in Al Jazeera Magazine 2006 under the pen-name of Sheikha Sajida