Many of my compatriots are complaining about the recent increase in the prices of meat, due to shortage of supply compared to the rise in demand or may be due to many monopolies that control the market. Meat has been one of the main tenets of Egyptian culture. Eating it is a sign of wealth and it is supposed to bring you health and happiness. It is an integral part of our religion Islam, Muslim celebrate their feast by eating meat to commemorate Prophet Abrahams sacrifice of his son Ishmael and God ordering Abraham to slaughter a lamb instead . In addition, Meat is a rich source of important proteins that are called essential amino acids that crucial in formation of muscles.
However, Egyptians consume too much meat which undermines to their health. Over consumption of meat is really harmful because meat has an abundant amount of Cholesterol, a chemical that is linked to cardiovascular diseases and high blood pressure. Cooking red meat produces cancer causing compounds that causes colon and breast, also high Iron content and nitrosamines encourage cancer cells to grow faster. Large amounts of proteins put an extra load on the liver for processing them and on the kidneys.
Overconsumption of meat also is a waste of resources, because it takes 4.8 pounds of grain to produce one pound of meat. This grain wasted in feeding cattle could have been used to feed three times more people than the number fed by the cattle. Our country is a desert with a projected water shortage; it would be wiser to plant wheat and crops to feed more people. It would be also cheaper to import more grain and vegetables than livestock.
Over consumption of meat destroys the environment, cattle waste is a significant polluter to our water streams. The energy needed to produce one pound of beef is enough to drive for 20 miles, there is energy wasted on growing grain for cattle, energy wasted in breeding cattle and energy wasted on getting rid of cattle waste.
Finally, remember that an increase in meat prices may not be a curse. Take it as a chance to improve your health by adding variety to your diet, save the environment and also some money.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Monday, April 5, 2010
Easter Sunday
Today is Easter Sunday, a holiday for forgiveness. Today Jesus Christ has forgiven his enemies after all the pain and anguish they caused him. Prophet Mohamed has also forgiven the Arabs of Mecca in the public after all the wars between them, he declared “what do you think I will do with you, you are all free”. God has forgiven the Children of Israel every time they have repented for their sins. In Buddhism, the feelings of hatred and ill-will leave a lasting effect on our mind karma and the teachings of Buddha have encouraged the wise to forgive others. In Hinduism, Vidra has said that people misunderstand the forgiver as being weak and Lord Krishna has said in the Gita that forgiveness is one of the characteristic of the Devine state. Even until today, God has not given up on humanity with all their sins and greed.
Forgiveness not only means letting go of the grudges that one has against others, but also learning to pardon him/herself for the shortcomings. Forgiveness helps to free oneself from the prison of the past by letting go of bad feeling of haltered envy, thus letting one live in the present. We all have our disappointments at others and our selves. By realizing that no one is perfect including me, I became a more accepting human being and I can let go of the bad feelings. Forgiveness frees the forgiver to live on and heal his wounds.
Revenge never helps anyone, It never moves time back to undo the damage and it never heals the wounds. As Gandhi said “eye for an eye makes someone blind”. I advise, to avoid living in the darkness as a monster waiting for revenge or like Shylock waiting for his pound of flesh. I want you to live and enjoy life.
However, it is also important to learn from the lessons of the past, thus it is important to forgive your enemies, but keep your guard so that you are not hurt again. It is also important to uphold justice in the society by punishing criminals, thus deterring future crime. This means that one has to still be careful and learn from the past mistakes, a fool always repeats his/her mistakes. However, one cannot be a prisoner of the past and making it a hurdle towards one progress.
I realize that this is much easier in theory than practice; one cannot take a forgiveness pill. It takes will power to forgive and it takes courage to defeat the ghosts of the past. Start now by writing on a piece of paper all the situations that people have wronged you with or when you were disappointed by yourself , say out loud that you pledge to forgive everyone including yourself and then set it on fire, you will feel great trust me.
Forgiveness not only means letting go of the grudges that one has against others, but also learning to pardon him/herself for the shortcomings. Forgiveness helps to free oneself from the prison of the past by letting go of bad feeling of haltered envy, thus letting one live in the present. We all have our disappointments at others and our selves. By realizing that no one is perfect including me, I became a more accepting human being and I can let go of the bad feelings. Forgiveness frees the forgiver to live on and heal his wounds.
Revenge never helps anyone, It never moves time back to undo the damage and it never heals the wounds. As Gandhi said “eye for an eye makes someone blind”. I advise, to avoid living in the darkness as a monster waiting for revenge or like Shylock waiting for his pound of flesh. I want you to live and enjoy life.
However, it is also important to learn from the lessons of the past, thus it is important to forgive your enemies, but keep your guard so that you are not hurt again. It is also important to uphold justice in the society by punishing criminals, thus deterring future crime. This means that one has to still be careful and learn from the past mistakes, a fool always repeats his/her mistakes. However, one cannot be a prisoner of the past and making it a hurdle towards one progress.
I realize that this is much easier in theory than practice; one cannot take a forgiveness pill. It takes will power to forgive and it takes courage to defeat the ghosts of the past. Start now by writing on a piece of paper all the situations that people have wronged you with or when you were disappointed by yourself , say out loud that you pledge to forgive everyone including yourself and then set it on fire, you will feel great trust me.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Muslims Today
Today is the birthday of our prophet Mohamed (peace be upon him), although he was deceased more than 1400 years ago his legacy is still with us today. Whether, you believe he was a great man or disagreed with his vision, his teachings are followed by around 1.5 billion people that live all around the world. The early Muslim philosophers live Averroes were able to preserve the Greek and Roman philosophies. Muslim mathematicians translated the decimal system from Sanskrit , thus benefiting humanity. Hassan Ibin al Haytham were one of the few scientist who focused and refined empirical research.
Currently, the Muslim is in a predicament economically, politically and socially. Muslim countries are the poorest the world. Politically 50% of the world refugees are Muslims. If one looks at the Arab world as a microcosm of the Muslim world, there are 53 news papers to 1000 Arab citizens showing the lowest information media to population ratios. There are 4.4 books translated to a million Arab, furthermore Arabs spend less than 0.2% of their gross national production on research and development. There are also 371 Arab scientists per million. It seems that we Muslims have forgotten the first command that God have ordered him prophet, “read”. Islam has encouraged people to analyze and think, yet governments have abused the religion by aligning themselves with orthodox theologians than encourage the status-quo helping to maintain government control and stifle dissent.
The problem is much more complicated than it looks. Creating a knowledge society that encourages free thought requires freedom of expression so that those thinkers do not fear prosecution and creates a meaningful exchange of ideas. Good education systems that focuses on scientific research and develop the critical thinking of students, is required. A free media that is accessible so that scholars can exchange information and also interact with the public is important.
Many would claim that Muslims do not have the resources to build a knowledge based society. However, I believe that ignorance is the reason behind our poverty. Muslims waste most of their resources on consumption and importation of technology rather than innovation. Most governments and companies attempts to focus on industrial productions were based on imported factories, these factories eventually became outdated and new machines had to be re-imported. Hence, technology importation led to a spiral of technology importation and further waste in resources.
Currently, the Muslim is in a predicament economically, politically and socially. Muslim countries are the poorest the world. Politically 50% of the world refugees are Muslims. If one looks at the Arab world as a microcosm of the Muslim world, there are 53 news papers to 1000 Arab citizens showing the lowest information media to population ratios. There are 4.4 books translated to a million Arab, furthermore Arabs spend less than 0.2% of their gross national production on research and development. There are also 371 Arab scientists per million. It seems that we Muslims have forgotten the first command that God have ordered him prophet, “read”. Islam has encouraged people to analyze and think, yet governments have abused the religion by aligning themselves with orthodox theologians than encourage the status-quo helping to maintain government control and stifle dissent.
The problem is much more complicated than it looks. Creating a knowledge society that encourages free thought requires freedom of expression so that those thinkers do not fear prosecution and creates a meaningful exchange of ideas. Good education systems that focuses on scientific research and develop the critical thinking of students, is required. A free media that is accessible so that scholars can exchange information and also interact with the public is important.
Many would claim that Muslims do not have the resources to build a knowledge based society. However, I believe that ignorance is the reason behind our poverty. Muslims waste most of their resources on consumption and importation of technology rather than innovation. Most governments and companies attempts to focus on industrial productions were based on imported factories, these factories eventually became outdated and new machines had to be re-imported. Hence, technology importation led to a spiral of technology importation and further waste in resources.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
The Dragon's problems
Many believe that democracy and freedom play no role in the building of nations, some even point to the Chinese model of developments as an example. China is communist elite have been holding to power, while at the same time its economy is leaping by giant strides.
However, I believe that many analysts are mistaken in their assessment of China's growth. The whole country's economy is based on manufacturing products designed in the United States and Europe due to its low labor costs. China is artificially making it products cheaper by devaluation of its currency. Without freedom, there is little room for innovation and the creation of the knowledge based economy. Free minds are active creating solutions and are more dynamic in facing problem.
Many assume that the situation in China is static, but one has to look closely around to see that China is becoming more open to the world and gradually allowing political freedom. There are set back and government backlash against the oppositions. There are also ethnic problems between the Chinese Hans and the Igur Muslim minority, but the government now is acting in more restrained fashion in comparison on how they dealt with the student protests in Tiananmen Square.
Government officials are worried about political stability so that China could lure investors. Nevertheless, what happens in China does not stay in China, due to the development of digital media technology, a video can be shot discreetly from one's mobile camera sent around the world using the Internet and via multi-media messages. Although, the government has tried its best to sensor search engines and ban websites, many are able to overcome these filters. For example a Chinese student invented software called Free-gate to bypass the governments ban on Wikipedia.
Accountability is one of the cornerstones of democracy, ideally government officials are held accountable in front of the people that are elect them. For a country to develop, government officials need to be proactive agents of the people, taking their best interest at heart, balancing the opportunity costs of development with the environmental impact. However, the Chinese officials care only about economic growth, thus making China one of the world largest polluters. This is going to have a massive impact on human health and will also replete the natural resources for the next generations of Chinese.
Today in an increasingly competitive economies, the situations change very fast decision makers at the local level need to act fast in an ever more complex world. In this complex world, to remain competitive governments have to become more agile and less decentralized regional and local government officials will have to play more key roles in the country future. Yet,it is important for Beijing to watch its path and choose for itself
However, I believe that many analysts are mistaken in their assessment of China's growth. The whole country's economy is based on manufacturing products designed in the United States and Europe due to its low labor costs. China is artificially making it products cheaper by devaluation of its currency. Without freedom, there is little room for innovation and the creation of the knowledge based economy. Free minds are active creating solutions and are more dynamic in facing problem.
Many assume that the situation in China is static, but one has to look closely around to see that China is becoming more open to the world and gradually allowing political freedom. There are set back and government backlash against the oppositions. There are also ethnic problems between the Chinese Hans and the Igur Muslim minority, but the government now is acting in more restrained fashion in comparison on how they dealt with the student protests in Tiananmen Square.
Government officials are worried about political stability so that China could lure investors. Nevertheless, what happens in China does not stay in China, due to the development of digital media technology, a video can be shot discreetly from one's mobile camera sent around the world using the Internet and via multi-media messages. Although, the government has tried its best to sensor search engines and ban websites, many are able to overcome these filters. For example a Chinese student invented software called Free-gate to bypass the governments ban on Wikipedia.
Accountability is one of the cornerstones of democracy, ideally government officials are held accountable in front of the people that are elect them. For a country to develop, government officials need to be proactive agents of the people, taking their best interest at heart, balancing the opportunity costs of development with the environmental impact. However, the Chinese officials care only about economic growth, thus making China one of the world largest polluters. This is going to have a massive impact on human health and will also replete the natural resources for the next generations of Chinese.
Today in an increasingly competitive economies, the situations change very fast decision makers at the local level need to act fast in an ever more complex world. In this complex world, to remain competitive governments have to become more agile and less decentralized regional and local government officials will have to play more key roles in the country future. Yet,it is important for Beijing to watch its path and choose for itself
Saturday, December 12, 2009
What can we learn from the British Mistakes
Humans were created as intelligent creatures that learn from their mistakes and repeat their success. Humans did this by learning from their history. However, some mistakes regardless are timeless and repeated through history. One of the main ones is the invasion of Afghanistan, no American politician have tried to take the dust off their history books and learn about the failed British occupation, or even look at how the Afghans became the Lass nail in the USSR coffin.
The British have invaded Afghanistan in 1838 to support the corrupt ruler Shah Shuja who enjoyed negligible local support. The soviets in 1979 have put a series of puppet presidents under their rule. American is doing the same mistake by their support of Karazi. He is seen by his compatriots no different from Shuja or the soviet puppet Najibu-allah.
The Afghan campaign was lead by sir William Hay Macnaghten who viewed the Afghans as savages that need western values of democracy peace and prosperity. Macnaghten failed not only to see that the Afghan culture that is built on conflict and bloodshed , he tried to create a modern western democracy and impose western values. Today, America is committing the same mistake trying to impose democracy in a fragmented country that has a culture of the rule of the strongest. Afghans tribesmen see Karazi as a weak ruler who cannot live without America, they see Karazi acceptance of a rerun as a sign of weakness.
When Macnaghten came to Afghanistan, he wanted motivate his soldiers, thus he allowed them to bring their wives and servants from India. He also tried to build theatres in Kabul and encourage the spread of western culture. This further polarized the Afghani public opinion and made them feel that those invaders are imposing their own culture. Today, the Americans are trying to support Afghan women rights and education for young girls, which is galvanizing the Afghans who are afraid that America came to force them to change.
Macnaghten was not provided with enough forces to overwhelm the strong Afghan tribes, because the British want to keep the campaign’s expenses down. Today, Mac- crystal asked for 140,000 additional troops, but Obama sent him 70,000, half the required number. Today, Afghan war-lords still as corrupt as ever and still they demand to be paid, Macnaghten died because he decreased the amount of money he paid to the loyal warlords. It is prudent to try to build an Afghan army and buy the support of the war-lords if American want to rule.
Finaly, One has to remember that out of 16000 British, only one returned home alive Dr William Brydon. The stakes are high and it is not an easy country to rule. But once, under Americans establish their dominance , it can provide a great strategic advantage bordering the former Soviet states, Iran, China, Pakistan and close to India and Russia backyard .
The British have invaded Afghanistan in 1838 to support the corrupt ruler Shah Shuja who enjoyed negligible local support. The soviets in 1979 have put a series of puppet presidents under their rule. American is doing the same mistake by their support of Karazi. He is seen by his compatriots no different from Shuja or the soviet puppet Najibu-allah.
The Afghan campaign was lead by sir William Hay Macnaghten who viewed the Afghans as savages that need western values of democracy peace and prosperity. Macnaghten failed not only to see that the Afghan culture that is built on conflict and bloodshed , he tried to create a modern western democracy and impose western values. Today, America is committing the same mistake trying to impose democracy in a fragmented country that has a culture of the rule of the strongest. Afghans tribesmen see Karazi as a weak ruler who cannot live without America, they see Karazi acceptance of a rerun as a sign of weakness.
When Macnaghten came to Afghanistan, he wanted motivate his soldiers, thus he allowed them to bring their wives and servants from India. He also tried to build theatres in Kabul and encourage the spread of western culture. This further polarized the Afghani public opinion and made them feel that those invaders are imposing their own culture. Today, the Americans are trying to support Afghan women rights and education for young girls, which is galvanizing the Afghans who are afraid that America came to force them to change.
Macnaghten was not provided with enough forces to overwhelm the strong Afghan tribes, because the British want to keep the campaign’s expenses down. Today, Mac- crystal asked for 140,000 additional troops, but Obama sent him 70,000, half the required number. Today, Afghan war-lords still as corrupt as ever and still they demand to be paid, Macnaghten died because he decreased the amount of money he paid to the loyal warlords. It is prudent to try to build an Afghan army and buy the support of the war-lords if American want to rule.
Finaly, One has to remember that out of 16000 British, only one returned home alive Dr William Brydon. The stakes are high and it is not an easy country to rule. But once, under Americans establish their dominance , it can provide a great strategic advantage bordering the former Soviet states, Iran, China, Pakistan and close to India and Russia backyard .
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
What is love-----
is love a problem without a solution
is it a conflict that needs diffusion
is it the heart that you tore
is it the cross that I bore
is it a sin that can not be forgiven
is it in hell or in heaven
--------------------
love is life, it is sweet and sour
love is not a meal to devour
love requires serious commitment
Love is hard work after hours
Love is not a war with a winner and a loser
love is a partnership so be a wise chooser
is it a conflict that needs diffusion
is it the heart that you tore
is it the cross that I bore
is it a sin that can not be forgiven
is it in hell or in heaven
--------------------
love is life, it is sweet and sour
love is not a meal to devour
love requires serious commitment
Love is hard work after hours
Love is not a war with a winner and a loser
love is a partnership so be a wise chooser
Thursday, October 1, 2009
It does'nt work everywhere
Importing technology and foreign systems of Government not only encourages meaningful exchange of cultures, but also provides new ideas and solutions from a different perspective. Some might see that the core nations are extending its hegemony on peripheral nations by imposing its own version of development based on democracy and capitalism. Many are weary about foreign influence on native culture and see it as a new form of colonialism.
Nevertheless, it is important to note that democracy is product of diverse culture and civilizations from the ancient Greco-Roman tradition to the Islamic concept of shuraah and to the American declaration of independence and the British Magna Carta. Many diverse philosophers have contributed to democratic ideals like Aristotle, Ibn- Rushed and Mill. No one can deny the cumulative nature of science across time and culture and how the language of science and technology is universal. International commerce was an intricate part of human development, since the silk road and the Arabic caravans.
However, it is not appropriate to impose a system or copy and exact system from outside. A system might work great in a social, economic and culture environment, but may not work in a different one. A good example is the west failure to impose its version of democracy on Iraq and Afghanistan. One has also observe the stark difference in American, British, French and Israeli democracy, each was successful because they were products of their environment and years of their citizens struggle to gain freedom and build institutions.
This should not be convenient excuse for totalitarian rulers to delay reforms and use foreign pressures as a means to rally popular opinion around the flag and delay reforms. Many Arab regimes unleash the media to accuse their political rivals of treason; this unfair play will ultimately backfire. Political oppression creates wide discontent and makes citizens less likely to defend the regime; one has to look at how Saddam's regime crumbled in front of American invasion and how different opposition parties allied themselves with the invaders because they were not able to take part in the political process.
Nevertheless, it is important to note that democracy is product of diverse culture and civilizations from the ancient Greco-Roman tradition to the Islamic concept of shuraah and to the American declaration of independence and the British Magna Carta. Many diverse philosophers have contributed to democratic ideals like Aristotle, Ibn- Rushed and Mill. No one can deny the cumulative nature of science across time and culture and how the language of science and technology is universal. International commerce was an intricate part of human development, since the silk road and the Arabic caravans.
However, it is not appropriate to impose a system or copy and exact system from outside. A system might work great in a social, economic and culture environment, but may not work in a different one. A good example is the west failure to impose its version of democracy on Iraq and Afghanistan. One has also observe the stark difference in American, British, French and Israeli democracy, each was successful because they were products of their environment and years of their citizens struggle to gain freedom and build institutions.
This should not be convenient excuse for totalitarian rulers to delay reforms and use foreign pressures as a means to rally popular opinion around the flag and delay reforms. Many Arab regimes unleash the media to accuse their political rivals of treason; this unfair play will ultimately backfire. Political oppression creates wide discontent and makes citizens less likely to defend the regime; one has to look at how Saddam's regime crumbled in front of American invasion and how different opposition parties allied themselves with the invaders because they were not able to take part in the political process.
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