Is thinking 'positively' bad for you?

Blogs today: The 15 year old blogger, spelling problems in Jordan, the Qatar world cup and memories of Christmas past.

American Bedu shares some melancholy memories of Christmas past.

Positive thinking increases disappointment

Are negative people happier? This article suggests that, at least in Egypt, they may definitely be wiser. According to this tongue-in-cheek article research by the Egyptian Meditation Ministry shows “that upbeat attitudes lead to chronic disappointment as well as bad health.” Crushingly the lead research, Kebeer El Guruhat, observes “mantras such as ‘I am a confident person’ or ‘I am attractive to the opposite sex’ only help set people up for disappointment whenever they enter a social setting and re-realize they are neither.” The article goes on to cite examples – commuters in Cairo who believe the “traffic is not that bad” tend to develop buttock cancer, those hoping for better living standards are obviously in for a disappointment, while the mantra “President Mubarak is immortal” is suggested, as despite new “life-extending technologies,” it could possibly one day lead to a pleasant surprise.

Ammanis [3]

Dear Jordanian University Professor, how on earth did you get your PHD?

A student at the University of Jordan is not impressed when a medicine professor spells “opportunity” as “apportunity,” “law” as “low,” and “survived” as “surveyed.” The student points out that although the professor may be knowledgeable, there’s a serious issue if that knowledge can’t be properly communicated.

Grapeshisha [4]

Qatar 2022

Like so many blogs, Grapeshisha effuses about the World Cup coming to the Middle East in 2022. He suggests that 2022 isn’t all that far away, and that as the USA lost out on the bid “expect there to be some Arab bashing along the way.” Grapeshisa points out that slave labor, heat, alcohol, and sharia law will all rightly or wrongly come into focus. That said by 2022 Qatar and Dubai will be well established – and will see a massive boost in tourism. Although there are challenges Grapeshisha argues that “if Qatar was smart enough to land the world cup it is smart enough to get it right.”

American Bedu [5]

Saudi Arabia: Wishing to Push Back Time

American Bedu writes of Christmas memories during “an all too short marriage.” She writes of the excessive lengths her husband at the time would go to in order to find the perfect presents in the USA, or how her “Arab Santa Claus” would fill stockings with memorable gifts when in Iraq. Last year was their last Christmas, she writes, although they did not know it at the time. She is recovering from chemo, while he continues to battle leukemia. The last time they met was 10 months ago.

Geog Designz [6]

Best of the Web – Nature’s glow

A 15 year old graphic web designer and web developer compiles a “Best of the Web” for eco-themed websites. It’s a great looking site, and quite possibly the envy of designers twice this young man’s age.