Early Mothers Day Story

I was on the phone speaking to mom yesterday, when she mentioned that dad was eating his dinner, I asked her how to make the dish that dad was munching on (Mlookhyah). the moment I asked her, she was like "Oh Hani, I wish you are here to make you all these nice things and take care of you", needless to say she got emotional! I managed to distract her by one of my infamous techniques, she got over it

Now compare that with an American mother where her son asks her for a recipe, I would imagine that the American mother would be very pleased for two reasons. The first your son/daughter is learning to be independent. Second, by asking you how to make something, they are paying you a compliment!

Granted not all mothers are alike, but truth is, mother is like many women back home , they always see it as duty to do what women do, cooking is included in those duties.

I love my mom so very much, but you know I am older now and I can take care of things, but as they always say "You will always be a child to your parents" I am waiting for the day, where my mom worries less about me and my wellbeing, she has done so much already.

P.S. Palestinians celebrate Mothers day is March 21, 2008

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Deja Vu

I have been unable to call my family for the past three weeks or so, I either did not have my phone, cannot find a phone card nearby, or was unable to connection at all. So I got a new phone yesterday, bought is from a guy of craigslist (valued at $600) if you know me, you know that I must have gotten a deal on it.

So now, i could call my family, I tried to call them, but the third party phone company I deal with had problems with their lines. I wanted to wake up at night and try to call them again, hoping to get a good connection. That of course did not happen..till 4:00 AM this morning! They called me.

They rarely call (pricey) and specially never call at odd hours. For some reason, i woke up to my new phone strange ring and answered it, it was my older brother who told me that my dad wanted to talk to me! I was like "Oh Man, this is bad" Dad will either tell me that I need to get married or that someone just have kicked the bucket. I was comforting to know that it was neither. Dad just wanted to say Hi at 4 AM. We spoke briefly, and I reminded him of an old song that he loved (I surprised myself that I could be this calm at 4 freaking AM)

But the timing was interesting, just on the day I make plans to call them, they just call me and find me, I was glad for the lack of bad news, and thrilled to talk to dad.

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Some Artist With too Much Time on His Hand

Found these pictures online for an Asian artist who does make interesting work, that does manage to feature his body in weird places. The artist does in deed lives his live on the edge.

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When it Rains is Pours

A family of four kids and their mother were killed yesterday as they were enjoying what later became their last breakfast. An Israeli missile went through the roof and did what missiles do best, kill as many as they can. I apologize for including a picture of them, but this was the least graphic picture I can find for them. I wish I have put pictures of them playing or doing what kids do, but it is unfortunate, they had to be dead to be heard of.

As heartbreaking this maybe to families in Gaza, very few reported the story in the mainstream media. 6 Hours later of this tragedy a friend of mine get killed by sniper fire in the chest and the head. Mua'ad was his name, he is 22 years old and they used to own a wholesale grocery store cross the street from ours. He was the best locking among his brothers and now he is gone.

These incidents made me reflect on how many people are happy to pay the Palestinians to die, they only compensate them and put their families on welfare once they are dead. On the other hand, so many of those in the developed world are happy to pay the Israelis to kill! So many military aid goes to Israel from more countries than i care to count. So this is one of the roots of the problems in the area, others create incentives for both Palestinians and Israelis to act they way they act. Palestinian die, Israeli make sure they do.

The only person, I recall who manged to get and an Arab nation and Israel compensated to not to kill each other was President Carter. Will there be another leader who would pay people to live? or at least not pay them to die or kill?

While Gaza mourns today, and I remember my friend Mua'ad, the Palestinians continue to chase delusions and the Israelis continue to do what they do best, provide excuses for inexcusable actions.

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Two 4 Two

In the course of last week, two things have happened. First, Israel Ambassador to the United Nations have called a former US President a bigot, and further calling him on meeting Hamas "He has blood on his hands" Politics aside, this shows no class. The second thing, United States authorities have uncovered an Israeli spy who might have compromised nuclear secrets. This person had a job in a United States nuclear reactor and was making copies of blueprints. The real insult is that this spy offered his work voluntary to the Israeli government, free of charge. Dare I say that there is double loyalty here?

I know many Islamic voices in the region have and continue insulted US figures, also they would love to get their hands on any secrets. However, none of these guys are labeled as "our most friend in the region"

Kudos goes to Carter for wanting to listen, and to the FBI for busting the sucker!

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Hostile All Around

Israel always talks of hostile Arab neighbors and how it is tough to be in existence when you have twenty countries who want to take you for a ride. How about hostile Arab in-laws? That is the tough business, at least when you are Israel, you have friends and allies who will bail you out! On the other hand if you have those hostile Arab in laws no one and I mean no one is your alley you are on your own Buddy. It can always be worse! And if you are in-laws are Arabs, you know that you at least will have 50 of them.

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My Phone and I

So, three weeks ago, my phone broke down! A week later, I have a new phone; a week later I lose my new phone! I dropped this one from my pocket on the Metro in DC on a Friday night. I checked the lost and found and I think my phone is a not coming back

I do not know why I keep losing my phones at such a regular basis, I lost another one about a year ago back at BYU campus. I forgot this one on the bus. My phones have gotten accustomed to public transportation, I guess!

I have came up with a way to make sure that my phone always comes back to me, no matter who finds it, will have to get it to me. If they do not get the phone to me, they will give it to the proper authorities. I will put some numbers that any one will see on my phone, will run to the FBI or the CIA to give them the phone since they will collect a reward for uncovering a plot. The following numbers will be on my speed dial

1-Osama Bin Hidey
2-Terrorist # 1
3-Hezballah dating Services
4-Terrorist # 2
5-Guantanamo Help desk
6-Supplies
7-Frequent Flayer Club
8-Virgin Airlines
9-Terrorist # 3

I guarantee whoever finds a phone with these numbers will turn it in to the proper authorities who in turn will further investigate it. I would either get my phone back right away or they may send me on a free vacation to that little small island in the Caribbean!

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Quote of the Day

Pat (not real name) is a friend of mine, is notorious for his relationships with females, and his skillful tactics he uses. It is only natural that A guy like Pat would have countless ex girlfriends and ex significant others. The thing that shocks me about him is the fact that he is still on good terms with all of the ladies in his life. He would send them presents, call them often, speak highly of them. All are good things, however, the volume of ladies sin his life and how he still maintain a good relationship with all of them surprises me. Why does a guy like this will go the distance to keep up the bridges with people whose lives he might have ruined.

I asked Pat this question: "Say Pat, how come are you so friendly to your exes?
His response is a classic "I do not know, I always thought of myself like the United States," "We do so much around the world," "invade people territories, ruin things for them," "and once we are done," "we give them aide and build an embassy there" "He noted that his exes are usually better of without his relationships" "because then rewards are bigger!"

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I Ate Your Fruit!

Here is an observation about people who wear their religion on their sleeves. Most people who know the Muslims religion, the imams, the scholars, and the good students of Islam, might study the same subject and come with different opinion about it, and as we are told, both will get rewarded first for getting right and second all gets the deeds for trying. However, in some cases you would quote a scholar to another and upon learning that their opinions are different, many will tell you to reevaluate the person who gave you that opinion. I have heard it so many times "Not everyone with a beard and a beads is a scholar". They will also ad, "Know them by their fruit"

Sounds good, and I agree. However, I wish many of those scholars will extend the courtesy to people who might not wear their religion on their sleeves, for example people not wearing a Hijab! Why do not such scholars listen to people who do not wear hijab and judge them by their fruit? The reason this came to my attention was that I learned about a British Muslim lady who is rich (and good looking) who started an interfaith group for dialog! Surprise surprise, she gets attacks on her from the right wing of the right wing in my faith.

There are others however, who want you to meet a threshold. If you are a man, you must wear a beard; if you happen to be a woman must have hijab. Once you have these conditions met, then they can say "Ok, now this guy look like us" "Now we can know them by their fruit" But have you not worn a hijab, then you would have been flat out dismissed! How convenient!

The truth is, most religious scholars are people of reason and a sense of fairness. However, there are those who stick to the peels of the religion and not the essence of the lesson. Such individuals might be good people, but they ignore the spirit of the law. I am reminded of the proverb my mom often quotes of people who get distracted from the reality "Like that who wears the hijab on top of a bikini"

This is not just limited to one religion or another, no religion is immune from this inconsistency. But I see this about the shortfall of the follower of a particular religion, not the religion itself.

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Dream to Nightmare

In any given election, you have a choice! I have to came to observe that the elections here are always about two candidates. The first sees you on your knees and promises you to help you get you up on standing again on your feet. The second, looks around and says, hey I am not going to help you get on your feet, but I will stop that guy (the bogyman) from putting you on the ground. Who will you chose? or better which guy will you be?

This is not an easy answer, it is complex, I understand, but this is the essence of post 9/11 election in the here and around the globe. Which one is it going to be the power of dreams or the horrors of nightmare?

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Some Random Decent Pictures Of the NeT

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Spoiling a Nightmare

Fear is how dictators rule parts of the world, fear is dictators best friend. Fear that if i go, you might not like what comes after me. Scaring people to vote for you in in deed does work, for some time. People like Musharaf and associates have long suggested that if he goes, the United States will invade their country; people of Pakistan stood grudgingly by him. Fear helped him a bit, but not for too long, he is hanging on thin air now.

I am sad to see some patterns in the United States election, in which presidential candidate on both sided of the aisle play footage of figures as bin Laden, Rev Wright, and other crazies and nuts out there. I know that in 2004 election, an election that I followed closely, some voters were scared to vote to a candidate, they might not like, but he simply reminded them by what they fear. By playing these footage, a candidate tell one thing, you might not realize your dreams with me, but with me I can stop your nightmares. In a way people who you love to hate end up affecting the election outcome. Why is it OK to let someone who brought death and destruction upon America and other places, play a role in such democracy? why let someone as controversial and offensive as Rev. Wright tell you who to vote for?

It's unfortunate that someone like Bin laden plays a major role in the US election, a role bigger than someone like Al Gore or someone like Allan Greenspan!

Granted, people like to dream and dislike nightmares, which one has a better and a more lasing impace on you? I know dreams is my answer!

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Annie Get Your Map

This is a newer version of the world map according to the average American citizen, I have seen several version of this map, and all of them made me laugh. I bet you that most people in the world have their own simplified world maps, I remember when I was growing up, I did not know much about Mexico or many of the South American states, I only know those who good soccer teams (Aka Brazil, Argentina) Having said that, I did not have the resources available here to improve my education, but then again, I learn less when I take my laptop to school with me. So I give you this map, and I hope it gives you a smile.

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Guns And Weddings

I have always looked down upon friends of mine and acquaintance who dance in weddings back in Gaza. Even my won brother Mahmood and nephew Omar have enjoyed walking around my brother's wedding parading their guns. It scared me to see these guys carrying things that could cause a tragedy while you are celebrating a happy event. I freaked out man when I saw all these guns at my brother's wedding, I am also talking about assult weapons, not just good old hand guns! The Bros at home, thought I was a softie since I resist the appeal of the "toys".

I do not believe that guns kill people, people kill people. Furthermore, when you have a crowded area and you fire your guns in the air at a weeding night does not seem a responsible act. My cousin Ibrahim got hurt in a weeding more than 10 years ago, when a bullet found its way to his arm, yes in a wedding!

Anyhow, I found this picture for a wedding in Texas, when the groom was walking around with a gun, a real gun. It's quite uncommon to see people celebrating weddings with guns in the States, but what purpose does it serve?

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Do Not Mess With Older Ladies

A funny joke from Ihab!

Older Woman: Is there a problem, Officer?

Officer: Ma'am, you were speeding.

Older Woman: Oh, I see.

Officer: Can I see your license please?

Older Woman: I'd give it to you but I don't have one.

Officer: Don't have one?

Older Woman: Lost it, 4 years ago for drunk driving.

Officer: I see...Can I see your vehicle registration papers please.

Older Woman: I can't do that.

Officer: Why not?

Older Woman: I stole this car.

Officer: Stole it?

Older Woman: Yes, and I killed and hacked up the owner.

Officer: You what?

Older Woman: His body parts are in plastic bags in the trunk if you want to see

The Officer looks at the woman and slowly backs away to his car and calls for back up. Within minutes 5 police cars circle the car. A senior officer slowly approaches the car, clasping his half drawn gun.

Officer 2: Ma'am, could you step out of your vehicle please! The woman steps out of her vehicle.

Older woman: Is there a problem sir?

Officer 2: One of my officers told me that you have stolen this car and murdered the owner.

Older Woman: Murdered the owner?

Officer 2: Yes, could you please open the trunk of your car, please.

The woman opens the trunk, revealing nothing but an empty trunk.

Officer 2: Is this your car, ma'am?

Older Woman: Yes, here are the registration papers. The officer is quite stunned.

Officer 2: One of my officers claims that you do not have a driving license..

The woman digs into her handbag and pulls out a clutch purse and hands it to the officer.

The officer examines the license. He looks quite puzzled.

Officer 2: Thank you ma'am, one of my officers told me you didn't have a license, that you stole this car, and that you murdered and hacked up the owner.

Older Woman: Bet the liar told you I was speeding, too.

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I Support More Ribbons that You Do

I am sick of how people make statements by ribbons, this is one cause that people love to brag about...supporting the troops by putting posters, pins, and bumper stickers. I like this image, I found on digg this morning, I am apologize for the offensive language. But these are the words, the picture authors saw best fit. Again, I am not against good, decent people no matter what uniform they were.

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Paintings are Real

I know this is drawing, but I cannot tell where the real part starts, because it seems that the drawing extends to touch the artist hand....the whole thing might be just really good drawing, but I cannot be too sure. However, I think whoever made these drawing is creative.

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Talking Trash in Public

I has been thinking lately about trash and the way people deal with trash in various places. Most people in Gaza do not mind throwing away things in the road, the street (assuming you can call them streets) and anywhere. However, in the States, most people dispose trash in prober containers and those are abundant wherever you go. Obviously, in Gaza we do not have trash bins in public places, not as much as here, so people do not even bother looking for one; just drop your trash wherever you are.

However, in the States, people tend to forgo this rule in theaters. That's why most of these theaters are trashy and sticky. but why do people discriminate in the way they handle their trash. Since, i have been in so many theaters around the States, I can only assume that people are mad at how much they are being charges for minor things in theaters. what you pay for a coke and a popcorn nowadays can fuel a hospital in Darfur for awhile. I would be mad too. I know that not everyone discards their empty popcorns tubs and sprite containers behind them, but the great majority does that, in the same way the great majority in Gaza does just that.

I guess the since of being ripped off causes people to do strange things, it would be interesting to do a study on the availability of trash containers in public, and the level of democracy in that place. but I remember in the UAE, they have those containers everywhere, UAE is not quite the democratic heaven. It might be safe to say that the existence of such containers did not guarantee that people will always utilize them.

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Help Wanted

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unLOAD

I doubt this picture is real, but the idea is funny! The only place where a mouse can hide from the cat is where the cat cannot see him/her




I guess this person really wants to fly, so the merger of Delta Airlines with Northwest drove this person's action!



If Santa was a Middle Eastern dude, that would be in his bag, but Santa has very few fans in the area, so I guess this picture was taken in Russia!

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Good Article by Gershom Gorenberg

Ehud Olmert, Marwan Barghouti, and Zeno's Paradox Updated
The following statement was not shouted by a long-time Peace Now activist into a megaphone at a demonstration outside the Israeli prime minister's house:

You have to understand that a very large population of Palestinians lives here...

Take a 50-year-old man who lives here. A man who has spent most of his life -- 40 years, since he was a 10-year-old child -- under the watch of the Israeli soldier. The same soldier who carries a rifle, for all the most justified reasons in the world. But this is that man's narrative. Take those who were stripped at the checkpoints only because there might be terrorists among them. Take those who stand for hours at the checkpoints for fear that a booby-trapped car could pass through...

No, those words were Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's. He was speaking to brigade commanders in the West Bank, telling them to show "understanding" and to "act wisely" in the time before Israel withdraws, so that they do not leave damage that "casts a shadow over our lives" for generations. So Ha'aretz reported on the weekend. I admit I checked to make sure I was reading correctly, and then checked to see if I'd forgotten the date and this was an April 1 spoof.

It wasn't. That was really Ehud Olmert, whose father was in the rightwing Irgun underground and afterward represented the hard right in the Knesset, Ehud Olmert who went into politics around the time he started shaving and who represented parties irrevocably and eternally dedicated to Israeli rule of the Whole Land of Israel -- until just over four years ago, when he called off eternity and declared he was in favor of giving up most of the West Bank, as long as Israel could do it unilaterally, imposing whatever borders it chose on the Palestinians. Even knowing he'd made that shift -- more dramatic than Milton Friedman accepting socialism -- and that he has since accepted the need to negotiate with the Palestinians, I didn't expect to hear him talking like a fiery Machsom Watch grandmother about the suffering of Palestinians at roadblocks.

In his talk to the brigade commanders, Olmert said, "I am a Jew who was raised all his life to believe that this is the Land of Israel" -- meaning, really this is our homeland and it all belongs to us "and I haven't changed my mind." Except, as much as it hurts him, he knows we're going to leave. And in the meantime, the brass should look at Palestinians as people.

Now, don't start shouting at me -- you there, the divestment activist in Ann Arbor with the angry twist of muscle near your mouth who knows that there is a good side and a bad one in every conflict, the bad one defined by having more power, and who is about to click on "comment" to tell me about Olmert's crimes. I can outdo you at listing what Olmert has done wrong, down to the latest approval for new settlement construction. I know how weak Olmert can be. I once described him as "Willy Loman with a vision: a glad-handing hack politician who was ambushed one day by a truth" -- the truth being that Israel's rule of the West Bank will lead it first to "apartheid" (his word) and afterward to the end of the Jewish state.

I still assert we can learn two outrageously hopeful lessons from Olmert's comments about the roadblocks: First, people are not stones, and politics isn't geology. People can change, and accept difficult truths. Second, in doing so, they often hold onto the previous truth. Someone can believe that the whole land belongs to his side, and be willing to split it. The discovery that we have been made to live with such dissonance is reason to shout hallelujah.

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Doctors With Borders

Click on the picture for a larger image...


since in most cases, i cannot tell what is the proper name for various specialists in medicine, I might as well laugh at this complicated world of words. Next time I see my eye doctor, I told him that my stomach doctor is having an affair with my foot doctor, he instructed me to talk to my self (mind) doctor.

this is cool chart of various stereotypes folks like me have about doctors and the things they do or do not do...I find it true.

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China Gears, China Gains

A good Samuel Johnson quote comes to mind is "no nation can be great that ceased to be virtuous."

Although, I despise places where respect for the county and the country's figures is more important that respect for the individuals. There are many countries operate like that including many Arab and Muslims countries...just look around to what is happening in jailing bloggers and people on youtube, you will understand what I am trying to get to it. However this pictures shows that there is hypocrisies do exist as well all around us. Those who protest an entity might not realize that hey are as guilty as those who they condone, only difference is that they unaware of their level of involvement (including myself).

For example, it is not secret that many Palestine despise Israel and its practices, however, when it comes to buying Israeli goods, they do not mind. I do have to mention in most cases, people do not have a choice, but that's not always the case. Here is another example.

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More LOL Pictures

I keep digging up these pictures, I love it, hope you enjoy these shots! I do like Salt and Bacon (Halal)! and now I know that money does grow on trees!

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Honoring Tough Women

Click on This link and watch a short clip

http://www.anthonyjudelawrence.com/wp-content/uploads/image/smackdown.gif

Good for Her

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Odds of dying

Here is a nice illustration of the odds of dying, the larger the circle, the bigger the odds of dying from the death cause. I have to say some of them are rather shocking, others only tell you that they are over estimated or over reported! I mean I wish all of you to be immortals, but truth is everything comes to an end! Which way would you rather die? I chose to die by lighting!

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Sexisim Vs. Racism

I have heard this so many times over the course of the presidential campaign, so many people feel that "it is still ok to be a sexist, but you cannot be racist" in other words, some people feel that Hillary is having such hard time with her campaign (among other things) that there is a sense that it voters and others are a bit sexist and they do not fear being called that, they do however fear being called racist.

I thought about that for about two weeks, and I do not know if I completely agree with it, but assuming that there is a sense that sexism is not as bad as racism, I think there is a reason behind such mentality.

I guess, we all have women in our lives (mothers, sisters, significant others, spouses...etc.) in fact none of us here today would exit if it was not for our mothers (fathers help too.) Since we have so many females in our lives, we would like to think that these women love us and care for us. In other words, if the women in our lives had to vouch for us, they would say that we like them and they like us (in most cases)

However when it comes to race issues, not all of us have Asian friends, African friends, Hindu, Muslim friends or other ethnic friends. In some parts of the country, one might never see a person of color. So since the absence of that person, people are not sure how the "other" views them. They won't be sure that the person will vouch for them as not being racist.

We all have females in our lives, no matter what color or race you are, there is a woman in your life, but not all of us have a friend of other race of creed.

In other word, people are insecure about their relationship with people of other race, but they are positive of their relationship with the other gender.

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Yes, some Fun News From Israel

Deomcracy Now website reported these two interesting stories coming from Israel..

http://www.democracynow.org/2008/4/8/headlines#9


Report: Israel Is Secretly Importing Iranian Oil

An Israeli energy newsletter has revealed Israel is secretly buying oil from Iran despite an official boycott. The newsletter EnergiaNews reports Israeli companies get around the boycott by having the oil delivered to European ports, where it is then bought by Israelis. The oil is then imported into Israel by the Eilat-Ashkelon Pipeline Company, which keeps its oil sources secret.
Israel Shuts Radio Station Set Up to Bring Together Israelis & Palestinians

Meanwhile, police in Israel have shut down a Jerusalem radio station whose stated mission was to bring Israelis and Palestinians together. During a raid on Monday, police confiscated the station’s equipment and detained eight workers. Israeli officials accused RAM FM of broadcasting without a permit. The station broadcasts in Jerusalem and Ramallah. It was started a year ago by a South African Jewish businessman who modeled it after a South African station which was set up in apartheid South Africa in the 1980s.

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By Their Oil, You Shall Know Them

A cool map of the world of oil, the size of your country is illustrated in terms of the amount of oil reserve! This must be the coolest thing in Saudi Arabia, Also Russia and the States look much smaller, quite shocking! I do not know, I really do not know if the map takes into calculation the new oil discoveries in Brazil!

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I could use a LOL Could you?

I have three things to say:

-Nuns are like us, they like to fiddle around!
-UPS Is good
-Milk: You have to have it!

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