And the winner is……….

Dispatcher: 9-1-1
Caller: Yeah, I’m having trouble breathing. I’m all out of breath.
Darn….I think I’m going to pass out.
Dispatcher: Sir, where are you calling from?
Caller: I’m at a pay phone. North and Foster.
Dispatcher: ! Sir, an ambulance is on the way. Are you an asthmatic?
Caller: No
Dispatcher: What were you doing before you started having trouble  breathing?
Caller: Running from the Police.

Were you one of the millions of children worldwide who dreamed of being an astronaut? While it might be too late now for such a drastic career change, space travel as a tourist attraction has become a very real possibility. Since Jules Verne’s 1900 novel “From the Earth to the Moon,” man has dreamed of space travel. After that step was achieved, ordinary people started longing to follow in astronauts’ footsteps. Finally, on April 28, 2001, the first space tourist took off. After undergoing eight months of intensive training and spending 10 percent of his personal fortune, a staggering $20 million, Dennis Tito became the first person to pay for space travel.

Several people since then have paid for such trips, but it is only recently that the possibility of space travel on a larger scale has come about, as publicized by Beirut Travel Academy in a seminar Thursday.

“We need to create awareness,” explained Hassan al-Zein, who led the event. “Dubai is going to become the launching center for space tourism in the Middle East, so we need to inform people here about the very real possibility. It has now become affordable.”

While the cost for a full trip in space is still fairly prohibitive, there are other options available. For around $98,000 you can spend five minutes in orbit, or experience zero gravity with a parabolic flight for approximately $5,500 to $12,500. By 2012 Virgin plans to run flights from California to England in 45 minutes, with 20 minutes of the flight being at zero gravity.

(continued) 

Last night, me, fractal, mar, and my mom went to watch the Netherlands vs. Cote D’Ivoire game at Applebee’s. Me and fractal are major fans of the Dutch team and have been for years. Whereas Mar is a German chick who simply wanted us to lose and mom was supporting me, as long as my team did not embarass her.

Anyways, when the Dutch scored their first goal, I let out a somewhat loud cheer for them and so did Fractal but I realized no one else in the restaurant really cared so I figured no one was there to watch the game but to eat. I then decided to allow those people eat in peace while we quietly watched the game. So, when the second goal went in I just quietly jumped with joy. Now here is the thing that totally shocked me, when Cote D’ivoire scored everyone else cheered and clapped!!! Turns out they were there watching the game but cheering for the other side! Everyone else was cheering for Cote d’ivoire! Who cheers for Cote d’ivoire?! I know they played a good game yesterday and did not give up the entire game but who goes into the match cheering for them?? Me and Fractal looked at each other, wearing our Dutch tshirts in fear! Where did these people come from?

Anyways, I am glad we won and I am glad we did not get beaten up for proudly wearing our orange (not aouni or nabeeha but dutch orange) color!

I am really looking forward to the game against Argentina on Wednesday… I sense we will get out butts kicked but hell it’s worth to watch!

Damn what a game! I haven’t gotten so intense and excited in a game in so long!

Poland gave Germany a difficult time all throughout the game (and I loved it!). The Polish goalie did a really good job… so did swabowski… (sounds like swarovski)… the guy who got the red card…. he did a really good job in defense. I loved every minute of the game but seeing how the Germans weren’t giving up I knew they were going to score that I just wanted the game to end but the time wasn’t budging. At the start of the extra time, after 19 shots, the Germans finally scored a well deserved goal.

A well played game throughout, by both teams.

Check out the FIFA World Cup 2006 Statistics here - regularly updated 

I was browsing the net looking at internation ads when I found the following ad. It’s for a newspaper called Bild. “Read the world’s fastest newspaper” is the selling line. It humorous I have to admit but it gives me that icky feeling.

Agency: Jung von Matt; CD: Oliver Voss; Creatives: Christian Fritsche, Vera Hoescheler

I wonder how much it would cost to do such a thing in Kuwait. It’s impressive I must admit. Agency: TBWA, Germany

I also admire what Ikea did in New York last month:

An interesting one by Ikea and Absolut in Soho:

I like this one. It’s for a GPS … never get lost:

I was still sick today.  I seem to be getting worst instead of better.  I need to get back to work tomorrow so I decided to do something that might make me feel better: I went to marina mall and started spreading my germs there (thanks for the advice tooomz).  So, all of you who were at marina mall tonight and got sick… blame it on me hahahahahahhaaaaaaaaa (my evil laugh).

I just finished watching the game between Brazil and Croatia.  I must say Croatia played a good game.  I expected more from Brazil.  I really am not a brazil fan… more like anti-brazil.  I really wanted to see Croatia score and I was glad they never gave up.  This was the best game so far this week.

(By the way: for those of you who don’t know I cheer for Netherlands!!!!)

Five days are remaining and I am not on the top 3.