Welcome Year 2005

Dear Friends,

I finally entered the year 2005. Sure, today is still same as yesterday and I am sure tomorrow will be the same as today and yesterday. So, no big deal. But, I am still going to usher in the year 2005 symbollically.

I read the 2004 supplement in Arab News, where all the main events were recaptured. I had forgotten some of the events already. It was a very depressing supplement to read--- more than 90% of the news was depressing, dealing with deaths, destructions, killings, accidents, tsunamis and Bush's re-election! What a way to end the year 2004-- with the deaths of over 150,000 people over few days. Also events such as Iraq War, the numerous shoot-outs in Saudi, Madrid bombings, Tsunamis and so on also were the major events-- where are the good ones? If I could think of the one event that totally devastated me, it has to be the abuse by the US forces at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. That scandal just made me lose hope in humanity.

However, an article by Mr. Khaled Al-Maeena in today's Arab News (31-12-04 @ http://www.arabnews.com/?page=7&section=0&article=56783&d=30&m=12&y=2004 ), gave me a glimmer of hope. There are still people in this world who do good; they are "silent heros.' Also, despite the havoc that the recent tsunamis have created, the people are all united in their effort to help one another-- suddenly, there is no religion, caste, nationality, color, age or race barrier. Humanity has united.

I pray and hope that as the world has made it out alive through the year 2004, let 2005 be a better year for us all. In the mean-time, I am going to bring in my new year in my own way, by watching one of my favorite movies of all time: Misery. Hey, my sweet popcorn and coke are ready, I need to go.

Take care friends, and good luck in all that you do!

Your blogger-friend,

Mansur