Lauren Booth Converts To Islam

Tony Blair's sister-in-law has converted to Islam after having what she describes as a "holy experience" during a visit to Iran.

Journalist and broadcaster Lauren Booth, 43 – Cherie Blair's sister – now wears a hijab whenever she leaves her home, prays five times a day and visits her local mosque whenever she can.

She decided to become a Muslim six weeks ago after visiting the shrine of Fatima al-Masumeh in the city of Qom.

"It was a Tuesday evening and I sat down and felt this shot of spiritual morphine, just absolute bliss and joy," she said in an interview today.

When she returned to Britain, she decided to convert immediately.

Booth – who works for Press TV, the English-language Iranian news channel – has stopped eating pork and reads the Qur'an every day. She is currently on page 60.

Booth has stopped drinking alcohol and says she has not wanted to drink since converting.

Before her spiritual awakening in Iran, she had been "sympathetic" to Islam and has spent considerable time working in Palestine, she said, adding that she hoped her conversion would help Blair change his presumptions about Islam. -- The Guardian

Arab-American Babe is Miss USA 2010

Rima Fakih is a hot babe. She is 24, from Dearborn, Michigan, Muslim and is the new Miss USA who will represent this land of milk and honey in the Miss Unverse pageant.

This dark-haired beauty, I reckon, just broke that glass ceiling, as it were. I sure don't recall any Arab-American or/and a Muslim ever being chosen Miss USA.

And the Donald (Trump) might have been the one to have made it possible for Rima!

You wanna know more...just click HERE!

Just waiting for any brickbats and negative feedback from sore, oka ok...ugly Americans over Rima's win!

Lena Horne : 1917 -2010

The day Lena Horne died, President Barack Obama twitted: "Saddened to hear about the passing of Lena Horne, a great enetrtainer and a tireless worker for justice and equality."

That said it all.

"Lena Horne, the enchanting jazz singer and actress who reviled the bigotry that allowed her to entertain white audiences but not socialize with them, slowing her rise to Broadway superstardom, died Sunday (May 9). She was 92. (The Associated Press)

The Greek Story -- And What You Must NOT do.

You must not have too much free lunch because, someONE has to pay for those free lunches.

Here's from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

Greece's problems with money shouldn't seem so foreign.

Anyone with a checking account knows you can't buy more than you spend -- at least not indefinitely, anyway.

"People like to pretend budget deficits and entitlement programs are so complicated and hard to understand," said Craig Thomas, senior economist at PNC Financial Services Group in Pittsburgh. "They really aren't. You have income coming in and spending going out. ...

"Greece shows it's not more complicated than this."

Despite promises of a $146.5 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund and other countries that use the euro, Greece's deep debts threaten to take down the European Union -- and perhaps jump across the Atlantic.

Rioting by Greeks upset over proposed cuts in wages and public benefits left three people dead last week.

Indirectly, the European crisis caused jitters on Wall Street, adding to a dramatic decline in the Dow Jones Industrial Average on Thursday and instability through week's end. The Dow on Friday ended down 139.89, to close the week at 10,380.43.

The message about Greece's carefree spending translates around the world, economists said.

If countries want to provide great social services, that's fine -- but they need to pay for them.

"What is happening in Greece is expected," said Dan Donchev, a private economic analyst in Tetovo, Macedonia, which shares a border with Greece. "Obviously, the time has come when our southern neighbor should pay for its free lunch."

Check Your BO The Next Time You Take A Flight

BO : body odour.

Here's why.

A man on Jazz Air, a regional airline in Canada that also serves U.S. cities, was reportedly kicked off a plane earlier this month because of his strong body odor.

And I'm wondering if this is the first ever case.

Careers On The Way Out

Some careers have simply faded away over the past 10 years. In most cases, advances in technology eliminated the need for certain jobs. Americans are also more focused on conservation. Here are a few jobs that are being phased out; hopefully your career isn't on this list!

1. Bank Tellers

While the need for banking services has increased, services traditionally performed by tellers (receiving and dispensing cash, depositing money, etc.) is now performed electronically. The use of ATMs and online banking continues to increase. Tellers are only needed for complex transactions.

2. File Clerks

Even the most paper intensive organizations have decreased their use of paper files. Imaging, electronic forms and careful attention to process efficiency reduced the need to maintain paper files. One of the biggest threats to the file clerk occupation is the push toward environmental sustainability (preserving trees by using less paper). The new "file clerk" is a Database Report Writer who knows how to run database queries.

3. Telephone Operators

Even the smallest company can now use sophisticated telephone systems that allow callers to select their own options for needed information. Callers simply listen to pre-recorded telephone directory names and select the person they want to talk to. Voicemail, email and even texting have become preferred forms of communication in addition to traditional telephone conversations.

4. Data Entry Clerks

There is no doubt the amount of data generated over the past decade has swelled. But it was all electronic to begin with, so there's no need to hire a person to copy it from other sources. The ability to integrate systems and make various systems exchange date automatically also reduced the need to for a person to translate or manipulate data

5. Mail Clerks

Yes, there is still plenty of mail, only it's electronic, so the need for people to sort and distribute paper mail has decreased. Also, bar code readers sort mail and pre-printed postage eliminates the need for weighing and applying postage stickers. Today's mail clerks have new tools to allow more work to be done with fewer people. (Not all careers are ho-hum. These 10 have a very high percentage of happy employees.

6. Photo Processors

With the prevalence of digital photography, the need for photo processing has greatly diminished. Even people who still choose to print their photos use self-service kiosks. Photo processors who used to run machines in retail stores, as well as in processing centers, are becoming obsolete.

7. Travel Agents

The internet now makes it possible for the public to schedule their own trips. While there are still many travel agents, incentives once offered by airlines, hotels and car rental companies make the occupation less profitable. Today's travel agents often book long or complicated trips, while the weekend getaway or quick business travel is scheduled individually online.

8. Watch Salesperson

Who needs a watch when your cell phone tells you what time it is 24/7? Everything around you shows the time - most electronic devices have a clock. Even billboards show the current time. Watches and watch salespersons are becoming a thing of the past.

9. Video Store Clerk

Remember the video store? Clerks collected returned video tapes and checked them in. They used to stick the tapes in a re-winder then pluck them back in their cases. Even DVDs are being upstaged by online movie viewing and cable companies with user-selected movies. You can now even watch movies on your video game console. Traditional video stores are going away, and so is the need for workers.

The Bottom Line

The past decade ushered in job market changes that closed out old careers and started new ones. In many cases, the processes performed in old jobs were replaced technology, but in some cases, the processes simply went away. One thing is for sure, there will always be change. The unemployment rate may be high, but that doesn't mean you need to sit on the sidelines.

Now. here's the list of jobs that are here to stay:

1. Automotive technicians and mechanics repair and maintain automobiles and light trucks. Motorists need these services near their homes and businesses, meaning this hands-on work would be pretty hard for someone in another country to do. So rest easy. This job is staying close to home.

2. Teachers help children and adolescents develop intellectually and socially through hands-on instruction that can only be done onsite. With the U.S. Census Bureau projecting that some 56 million K-12 students will enroll in the 2009-2010 school year, teaching is a solid job that's here to stay.

3. Physical Therapy Assistants work with physical therapists to assist in the rehabilitation of patients who have suffered from injury or illness. The work involves using the power of touch to heal and inspire, which means that this work must be done locally.

4. Electricians light up our lives by installing, maintaining, and repairing electrical systems and components. With work done onsite at our homes, offices, and factories, electrician jobs cannot be sent overseas.

5. Veterinary Assistants assist veterinarians in handling pets and nonfarm animals, administering medicine, and taking x-rays. Most animals can't travel far for their health care

(source: Yahoo)