Tallest Building

Friday, January 14, 2011

Casual Friday: Eiji on CNN Asia

Today we have a very interesting story that many of you already know, but it's cool to see in the media anyway. Our friend and producer Eiji Han Shimizu was featured on CNNGo, CNN's Asian division. Eiji is known for creating BioGraphic Novels, his line of graphic novels about real life heros like Gandhi and Mother Teresa. Also featured is Tom Shadyac, one of the most successful comedy directors ever and our executive producer.

Anyway, the story is pretty good, and features pictures that even I haven't seen, so give it a read!

Dubai airport duty free

Dubai Duty Free is most famous for its electronics and jewelry selection. You will also find shops that carry certified Dubai diamond jewelry, Souvenirs, Tobacco and some of the world’s best fresh chocolates (Kish’s favorites!).

Don’t blow your shopping budget out of the water and save some cash on the way back to catch your flight back home. You can get some very good deals at the Dubai Duty Free. I was in the market for the second generation Ipod in early 2008.

I had a couple hours layover in Dubai from my trip from India to US and was browsing the electronics store at the Dubai Duty Free. I found the Ipod to be $40 cheaper than the best price I found in the US!

Other wonderful bargains I noticed were on perfumes, cigarettes (amazing deals) and gold! The Dubai government has made sure to deliver quality airport shopping experience. The duty free looks no different than a mall. You will see the same glamour, same service and the same marble floors all over

Dubai airport duty free

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Where's J-Bay Again?

*snickers*

My current inspiration for blogging is. . . zero. Sorry, but not much has been going on lately. However, we may be moving in the next couple of months. Half way around the globe.

Maybe.

Tons of things would have to happen if we were to move, so I'm not going to say any more until I know for certain. Then I'll bombard everyone with the details. Or maybe not.

On a not so random note, I want to announce the next contest Leauphaun and I are holding. It won't actually start until I have 25 followers, so spread the word. I'm at 21 right now, therefore I only need another four. This contest will be very similar to the first one, but this time there will be three winners, not just two.

My brain's barely functioning well enough to write this much, so I should stop before this turns into a full-blown disaster.

I would also like to welcome all the new followers of my blog, including Barriss Offee, Elaine J. Dalton, David, Manny, Alex and Leia Skywalker Organa. *whew* I know you're all following my blog for a reason, I just don't know what it is yet.:) Don't hesitate to comment and let me know what it is you're interested in seeing (or reading) about. And, I'm sorry, but skydiving is out of the question right now.

I may take to signing off all my blog posts with my current favorite song. That's what I feel like doing today, anyway. This is the theme song for my novel's MC, and can be used with either this character or this one (my dear little prince). *sticks tongue out at random dude*

For whatever reason, this song makes me extremely happy. Almost giddy. Not entirely sure why.

Did this post make any sense?

P.S. If you're into Christian rock, check this blog out. It's just getting going, but it looks to be a good one. Head on over and offer your support.

P.S.S. My short story has stalled a little bit, but there's still plenty of ideas swimming around in the water depths of my head. Bug me like crazy if I don't post SOMETHING in the next three days. Please.

I suddenly feel like blogging again. Weird how that happens.

Leauphaun, where did did you put the pickles? I think I need one.

~God Bless~

Experts Figure Out that Cats and Dogs Make People Happy

Is it possible to feel sad after looking
at this picture? From DesktopNexus.

Who could have seen this coming? Tarumanagara University in Jakarta, that's who. According to an AsiaOneNews report, researchers are finding more and more links between pet ownership and happiness. Monty P. Satiadarma, a psychologist at the Indonesian University, says, "Having a pet allows a person to learn to take care of something and elevates the sense of caring, which positively supports the development of well-being." Satiadarma recently oversaw research on the benefits of pet companionship to the elderly.

In some cases, pets can be even better sympathizers than humans. For instance, a dog's powerful sense of smell can pick up on pheromones secreted by humans in times of emotional distress--signals that other people may not notice.

The benefits are not only emotional, but physical. According to an Australian study, pet owners have lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and lower triglyceride levels. They also have a reduced likelihood of heart disease than those without pets. These results apply even though pet owners consume above-average amounts of meat and fast food for some reason.

So what's the deal with pets? Do you like them or not? Unfortunately, the article doesn't settle the question of which animal is superior--dogs or cats--but feel free to post your opinions on the matter in the comments.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Return of the HAPPY Blog

From The Evanstonian

Yes, apparently it's time to come back. I had a wonderful vacation that consisted of me packing hundreds of DVDs into individual envelopes and then driving to the post office almost every day. Needless to say, The HAPPY Movie has sold extremely well. The money we made will be put toward getting the film a proper theatrical and DVD release (since this is a truly non-profit independent film, we don't have a studio to shoulder those costs, which are greater than you might realize).

If any of you have had problems receiving your order, either post a comment here or email info@thehappymovie.com and we'll take care of it. We have tracking numbers for almost all domestic orders, so we should be able to figure out what happened to any lost packages. International orders have been trickier, as we don't have tracking numbers for them and we can't prevent customs from holding them up.

Anyway, happiness news is still a bit slow this early in the year (as I said before my disappearance), but I should be able to start doing my regular updates again. See ya around!

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Dubai airport logo

The comments come on the back of France and Canada accusing Dubai flag-carrier Emirates of receiving government subsidies and preferential treatment at its home hub.

The comments were not received well by Dubai Airports Co. Chief Executive Paul Griffiths, who was quick to damn the comments.

"The only thing Dubai is guilty of is providing an environment that actually supports aviation.

"Most governments around the world treat aviation as a pariah, choking its growth with costly, misdirected regulation, instead of adopting policies that recognise its considerable socio-economic benefits and support its sustainable growth. They then compound the problem with parasitic forms of taxation that usually flow straight out of the sector.

"In Dubai, aviation is embraced as a strategic imperative. Another key to its success has been equal treatment of airlines. Dubai Airports and Dubai Air Navigation Services offer the same competitive rates and charges to all airlines.

"That, combined with the UAE's open skies policy and the attractiveness of Dubai as a business and leisure destination, is why we have 130 airlines operating into one of the fastest growing airports in the world."

And that growth may be the problem. Gulf majors like Etihad of Abu Dhabi and Qatar Airways have seen substantial growth in the last few years, which commentators say has unnerved older airlines and fueled mutual accusations of protectionism.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Dubai international airport

Flights for Holidays to Dubai, Airlines

Dubai International Airport is mainly served by Emirates and Flydubai. These air companies are responsible for the highest numbers of daily air transfers to the plenty of foreign destinations all over the world. In addition to this, Dubai International Airport is equipped with air service by Georgian Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, Finnair, British Airways, Pakistan International Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines, Saudi Arabian Airlines and number of others.