Not everyone who is wandering is lost: In The News: Ruler of Umm Al Quwain passed away

Friday, January 02, 2009

In The News: Ruler of Umm Al Quwain passed away

Posted by PennyZ

Published: January 02, 2009, 14:42
Shaikh Khalifa mourns death of Ruler of Umm Al Quwain

Abu Dhabi: President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan mourns the death of Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Umm Al Quwain, His Highness Shaikh Rashid Bin Ahmad Al Mualla, who passed away Friday morning in London.

A week long state of mourning has been declared during which flag will fly at half mast, while all ministries and other government departments and institutions will close for three days beginning from Friday.

XPress
The Gulf News
Arabian Business

We are waiting to hear an announcement as to whether tomorrow (Sundays are work days here) is a day off for the private sector as well ... cuz there just haven't been enough days off in this country in the last month or so ('lill bit 'o sarcasm there: National Day was December 2, then there were 5 days off for the second Eid, Christmas, Islamic New Year and now Gregorian New Year, it is estimated that Goverment employees worked about 5 or 6 days in the last month).

1 comment:

Don Buschert said...: this is quite amazing; what a contrast compared to a death of a leader in the West...
Hope you get some rest?!; 3 January 2009 at 07:16

Post a Comment

Oh The Places You'll Go!

Today is your day.
You're off to Great Places! You're off and away!

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You're on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go.

It's opener there in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen and frequently do
to people as brainy and footsy as you.
And when things start to happen, don't worry. Don't stew.
Just go right along. You'll start happening too.

Oh, the places you'll go!

You'll be on your way up! You'll be seeing great sights!
You'll join the high fliers who soar to high heights.
You won't lag behind, because you'll have the speed.
You'll pass the whole gang and you'll soon take the lead.
Wherever you fly, you'll be best of the best.
Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don't. Because, sometimes, you won't.
I'm sorry to say so but, sadly, it's true
that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you.
You can get all hung up in a pricklely perch.
And your gang will fly on. You'll be left in a Lurch.

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked. Some windows are lighted. But mostly they're darked.
A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin!
Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?
You can get so confused that you'll start in to race
Down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace...
and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space,
headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.

The Waiting Place ...
for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go, or a bus to come,
or a plane to go or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or waiting around for a Yes or No
or waiting for their hair to grow.

Everyone is just waiting.
Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.

NO!

That's not for you! Somehow you'll escape all that waiting and staying.
You'll find the bright places where Boom Bands are playing.
With banner flip-flapping, once more you'll ride high!
Ready for anything under the sky.

Ready because you're that kind of a guy!

Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done!
There are points to be scored. There are games to be won.
And the magical things you can do with that ball
will make you the winning-est winner of all.

Fame! You'll be famous as famous can be,
with the whole wide world watching you win on TV...
Except when they don't.
Because, sometimes, they won't.

I'm afraid that some times you'll play lonely games too.
Games you can't win 'cause you'll play against you.
All Alone, whether you like it or not,
Alone will be something you'll be quite a lot.

And when you're alone, there's a very good chance
you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.
There are some, down the road between hither and yon,
that can scare you so much you won't want to go on.

But on you will go though the weather be foul.
On you will go though your enemies prowl.
On you will go though the Hakken-Kraks howl.
Onward up many a frightening creek,
though your arms may get sore and your sneakers may leak.

On and on you will hike. And I know you'll hike far
And face up to your problems whatever they are.
You'll get mixed up, of course, as you already know.
You'll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life's a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.)
Kid, you'll move mountains!
So, be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea,
you're off to Great Places! Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting. So, get on your way!

Dr Suess

Countries I've been to:

Canada ... obviously!

1. United States

2. Mexico (1994)

3. Thailand (1999)

4. Myanmar/Burma (1999 ... for all of 10 minutes so not sure it counts)

5. Laos (1999 ... for all of 30 minutes so not sure that counts either)

6. Singapore (2003)

7. Malaysia (2003, 2009)

8. UK (2008 ... but only on a flight stop-over so probably doesn't count)

9. The Netherlands (2009 ... again, just a flight stop-over but if I'm couning UK, gonna count this one too. Its my list, I can do that).

10. United Arab Emirates (2008-2010)

11. Oman (2008, 2009, 2010)

12. Jordan (2008)

13. Hong Kong (2008)

14. Cyprus (2009)

15. Brunei (2009)

16. Germany (2009, 2010)

17. Cuba (2014)

18. ???

Not everyone who is wandering is lost

Pages

Friday, January 02, 2009

In The News: Ruler of Umm Al Quwain passed away

1 comment:

About Me

Blog Archive

What's going on in my world:

Oh The Places You'll Go!

Countries I've been to:

Not everyone who is wandering is lost

Pages

Friday, January 02, 2009

In The News: Ruler of Umm Al Quwain passed away

1 comment:

About Me

Subscribe To PennyZ

Blog Archive

What's going on in my world:

Oh The Places You'll Go!

Countries I've been to: