MoE ponders plan to hire British, American teachers

MoE ponders plan to hire British, American teachers:

‘High school students weak in English’

KUWAIT CITY, Jan 22: In an unprecedented move to improve public education in the country, Ministry of Education has been considering the recruitment of British and American male and female teachers to teach the English language in public schools after results of the TOEFL exam revealed that high school students are weak in the language, reports Al-Seyassah daily.

At a workshop on quality education held recently in the presence of World Bank representatives, the Minister of Education Dr Nayef Al-Hajraf discussed the issue with officials of the British Council and asked for the general salary scale in Britain, indicating report will be reviewed to determine if the ministry could recruit teachers from there.

The minister is said to have criticized the unified secondary education system, noting the system enables students to obtain high grades without commensurable standards, which makes a review of the system necessary.

He also said majority of high school students obtain weak grades whenever they sit for the TOEFL in university, stressing the country spends lots of funds while the students are taking preliminary language courses for one year in the university.

“It is unfair for teachers and students to introduce teachers to teaching immediately after graduation. Thus, it will be nice for them to obtain teaching license renewable after five years,” the minister recommended.

Let's see, any Western teachers who think about working in a government school should first learn judo, take a self-defense class and have some protective gear to wear at all times. Get ready for children to talk back, children who become violent and children who really have no human feelings. The only way this would work is if they let teachers carry a stick and have the permission to whack the kids when they get out of line.

I remember when I was in elementary school in Pensacola and we had a scary vice principal who had Elvis pork chop side burns and slick back hair, he also carried a big paddle with him and was given permission by parents to spank their kids. Let's take schooling back to the old days when children feared teachers and out of that fear came respect.

Muslim women finally able to embrace manicures thanks to new 'breathable' nail polish that fits religious restrictions

Muslim women finally able to embrace manicures thanks to new 'breathable' nail polish that fits religious restrictions | Mail Online:

 A 'breathable' nail polish, which allows water vapors to pass through to the nail, is causing a stir among devout Muslim women who are unable to wear regular polish because of the washing involved in daily prayers.

Muslims' pre-prayer ritual includes washing the arms and face completely, where water must touch every surface - an impossible feat if a layer of paint is covering the nails.


But Inglot Cosmetics, a company from Poland which is available in the U.S. at Macy's, has released a new line of permeable polish called O2M which will allow Muslim women the freedom to wear polish as they please.

Health dangers of tattoos and its prohibition in Islam

A little FYI:

 Unhealthy practices, some even prohibited in Islam, are slowly creeping into our society; and it will take more awareness, education, and open dialogue to stay alert and stop these problems in their tracks before they spread.

Tattooing is viewed in the west as a harmless form of body art, an aesthetic procedure, a normal part of growing up for most adolescents.

Recently, tattooing has started appearing in Arab and Muslim societies as well. Apparently, it is extremely difficult but not impossible to find a place to get a tattoo done here in the Kingdom.

“It is not so rare and unusual anymore to get a tattoo, maybe not in Saudi Arabia but in other Arab countries.

“The most popular type of tattoo among some young Arab women is to get a permanent eyebrow tattoo to obtain the perfect eyebrow line without having to fret over bushy eyebrow hair,” said one young lady in Jeddah who preferred to withhold her name.

The wise person would look into why the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) explicitly rejected tattooing.

The following Hadith leaves no for debate or controversy.

Abu Juhayfah said: “The Prophet (pbuh) cursed the one who does tattoos, and the one who has a tattoo done.”

There a number of reasons behind the prohibition of tattoos.(link)

Dishdasha Night- AWARE Center

Can't wait! I will NOT be trying any worms, I googled the worms and ew! I will be looking forward to the food!

Cirque De Glace shows at Ice Skating Rink

Finally entertainment comes to Kuwait!!!!!! Yay!!!!!!! I've always wanted to see any Cirque event and finally it comes to Kuwait, I'm so excited!!!! Last event I attended at the skating rink was back in 2003 for the Kuwait Miami concert that was so much fun and nothing ever happened like that again.

The Ice Skating Rink will be closed from Feb 3, 2013 to prepare for shows to be presented by the Cirque De Glace team from Feb 6 to 9, 2013, a senior Touristic Enterprises Company official announced yesterday.

Meanwhile, the facility’s minor skating hall will remain open to the public everyday from 10:30 am to 1:00 am all through this period, Ice Skating Rink Supervisor Omar Al- Samaraie said.

Cirque De Glace, a professional team in ice skating displays, is set to perform 38 shows during its visit to Kuwait.

Kuwait Cultural Experience- Camp Arifjan

TIES Center will be having their Kuwait Cultural Experience program this Sunday in Zone 6. I might check it out.

 The picture on the flyer looks awfully familiar... that's because it's my picture taken at the P2BK festival last year. I doubt these guys will be there on Sunday.

 



I guess I'm flattered...at least they didn't steal my whole story and print it in the newspaper like Arab Times did when I first started my blog.

Harley Davidson Bike Show



An annual bike show organized by Harley Davidson of Kuwait.

The show this year will take place at Marina Mall the most popular shopping destination in Kuwait. The event will run over 25 January, 2013.

Invited participants will include all Middle East chapters. The bike show is a competition with different categories, where judgment will be taken on certain points by experts.

CIK- 3rd year Already!

I've learned a lot these past three years, I've met some great people and have enjoyed my blogging time. Some people wonder why my views can be harsh but this blog is not for my personal family experiences or for advertising, it's information about Kuwait and sometimes the surrounding GCC states in which I tend to voice my opinion about the matter. For those who understand me and continue to read I give thanks and for those who take offense to some of the things I say it's called freedom of speech, like it or hate it, it is what it is. Happy third anniversary CIK.

Parking Wars- Kuwait

UK woman assaulted:
Police are looking for five young men for assaulting a British woman who is believed to be in her 50s. The incident happened in the parking lot of the 360 Mall, reports Al-Shahed daily.
The woman has filed a complaint with the South Surra Police Station. In her complaint she said was involved in an argument with the suspects over a parking slot. The youths then assaulted her and escaped.
The complainant has submitted a medical report issued by the Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital. The report shows she is suffering from injuries and bruises.

I guess it's time to buy some protection and keep it in your car when you go out and try to find a parking space. At least they didn't get a cleaver and stab her like they did in the Avenues. This is getting really ridiculous now. Does finding a parking place have to end up in violence? Only in Kuwait it seems.

Why you shouldn't hire part-time Maids

Theft gang busted

Abu Hlaifa police arrested a gang of thieves led by a domestic helper who used her part-time job to gain access to victims’ houses. Detectives carrying out investigations in 10 reported home robberies found a common factor among all the cases as the plaintiffs had all hired a housekeeper to clean their homes at night before the thefts happened. Police managed to arrest the Sri Lankan woman who confessed to the crime and also divulged the identity of her two accomplices who were later arrested from Al-Fintas and Salmiya. The three remain in custody pending legal action. (link)

US citizen robbed: An unidentified US citizen has filed a complaint with the Mangaf Police Station accusing his Nepali housemaid of stealing his wristwatch worth KD 1,600, reports Annahar daily. (link)

A lot of these maids are runaways or illegal residents and expats invite them into their homes to clean and take care of their children because they don't want to hire them properly by going thru an agency. I guess the expats don't realize it's against the law to hire them part-time and they can get into trouble if they do. I would be scared to death to leave my kids with someone who comes and goes as they please. Expats learn from this crime.

Red Lobster's all you can eat Shrimp!

Don't miss Red Lobster's All You Can Eat Shrimp for AED 99 in UAE or QR 99 in Qatar on Sundays only!
This offer will be available in Kuwait starting January 20th for KD 6.95!

لا يفوتك عرض رد لوبستر للجمبري بلا حدود فمقابل 99 درهم في الإمارات و 99 ريال في قطر يمكنك أن تأكل كل أحد كل ما تشتهيه من الجمبري اللذيذ

يبدأ هذا العرض في الكويت يوم 20 يناير مقابل 6.95 دينار

 

I told my mom the only way I would go back to Red Lobster is if they have all you can eat shrimp, guess I will be going soon.

Sadu House program- The story of Sadu House

Previously banned expats now allowed to bring their Families to an already overcrowded Kuwait

Finally someone speaks up about the growing number of foreign laborers.

Despite all the problems we are suffering from and which should have been solved a long time ago, despite the three million expatriates rendering a million natives into a minority, despite the traffic jams that now mar even the inner city residential areas and make one hate having to leave one’s house to run an errand, despite the tremendous pressure on state-provided civic amenities which has affected their quality and speed of delivery, despite the crime rate zooming every year, despite so many things that are not in the interest of the country, the interior ministry has come up with a new circular. It has now decided to lift the ban on certain nationalities which were earlier debarred from entering Kuwait citing reasons that had to do with threat of terrorism and drug trade.

The decision smacks of a strange attitude as if Kuwait lacked enough problems of its own already. The interior ministry has opened the door for family visas for Syrians, Yemenis, Iraqis, Iranians, Pakistanis and Afghanistanis.

It will not be a long before we see the children of people of these nationalities gathered at the traffic signals or cooperatives’ parking lots begging under the garb of selling trinkets. Such influx of more expatriates from new nationalities will lead to new criminal gangs of thieves. As it is, there is no dearth of gangs in Kuwait.

The more skilled among them will undertake a training course on our cars in garages. Some wives and mothers of these new expatriates will have their share of activities and will be seen moving around charity societies and Beit Al-Zakat to receive their share. Some will indulge in the practice of sorcery, something the Abdaly border post bears mute witness to.

The interior ministry has left it wide open for expat employees in both government and private sectors to bring in their wives and children on the basis that they can share the burden of their livelihoods although it knows well that this is not true.

It is well aware about the fact that some people resort to forging their salary certificates in order to be eligible to bring in their families, especially in the private sector. Let the interior ministry excuse us but this is a decision that lacks wisdom.

What will Kuwait gain from allowing in families of these expats, especially when it is overcrowded with tailors, bakers, carpenters, constructors, Nikhi and Bajilla vendors, drugs traders and smugglers – these are professions some of the expats have excelled in, so why do we need more?

We used to criticize the UAE saying we could hardly notice one Emeriti citizen among thousands of expats in streets and markets. Now, it seems that criticism will come back to our doors to haunt us as we are trundling down the same road. I do not think the Interior Minister is unaware that Kuwaitis make up for less that one third of the population.

Who knows if they find themselves making up for only one tenth some day if the country continued with such a stupid policy.

We ask His Excellency, the Minister of Interior, will you play your role as someone tasked with keeping our country secure, using the authority you have or will you let things keep running the way they are doing? (link)

At least someone in the media has the nerve to stand up and say what others are thinking! Kuwait is full to the brim with marginal laborers and now they have a reason to never leave once they bring their families here. It's sad when the country's own citizens can't qualify for Bait Al-Zakat because they are making "too" much money not considering almost every household has some type of loan which takes up more than 50% of their paychecks each month due to greedy banks.

At least in UAE the citizens can live in other Emirates but where can Kuwaiti citizens go? I used to go out everyday when I first moved here, we used to love summer because most people would travel and the streets of Kuwait had no traffic but today I rarely even leave my house as I know what traffic awaits me. The country if full and has just about met its maximum capacity yet they open the door for more people who have no plans on leaving. Crime level has increased 10 fold and instead of closing the door to Kuwait and taking "inventory" of the people already here they open the doors wide open again.

Citizens are drowning and no one cares, it's all about money.

Foreign women the cause of Kuwaiti Spinsterhood?

 RESIDENCY HOLD ON EXPAT WIVES RECENTLY WED TO KUWAITIS

KUWAIT CITY, Jan 14: The Ministry of Interior has instructed the concerned departments not to issue residential permits to female expatriates, who got married to Kuwaitis after January 2010, unless they obtain permission from the committee formed by Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Humoud, reports Al-Rai daily quoting sources.

Sources said the committee members include representatives from the Interior, Foreign Affairs and Justice ministries, as well as the State Security Department.

On the other hand, Kuwaiti men who got married to foreigners before January 2010 must obtain residential permits for their wives from the immigration departments.

Sources explained these procedures are aimed at limiting marriages between Kuwaiti men and expatriate women. This came after the ministry noticed a remarkable increase in the number of such marriages over the last years, especially since there have been suspicions that some expatriate women are eyeing marriage with Kuwaiti men for personal benefits, not to start their own family.

In another development, the directors of immigration departments have instructed their staff to start receiving applications for family visas from Syrians, Iranians, Iraqis, Yemenis, Pakistanis and Afghans in line with the decision to lift the ban on issuing family visas to these nationalities.

Sources revealed many public and private workers with the above mentioned nationalities started visiting the immigration departments on Sunday to apply for visas for their families. Sources said a total of 97 applicants have, so far, started the procedures; adding that the ban on issuing family visas to Bangladeshis remains in effect. (link)

Really?? Are foreign women really the cause of Kuwaiti females not getting married? The reason could never be that the women ask for a wedding that is more expensive than their friends, a house, a luxury car, new furniture, luxury shopping and travel when they get married? Naaah....The empty promises made to the groom so he will marry her and after marriage she doesn't hold up her end of the bargain?Naaaaah..... Why isn't there a poll asking why Kuwaiti men won't marry Kuwaiti women? The truth????? You can't handle the truth.......

Zoo animals dying...can't somebody Help?

This is an instagram picture taken recently at the Kuwait zoo about an animal dying from eating a freaking SOCK????? WTH???? I've posted my own stories of neglect and careless people and nothing was done. Does anyone really care? I found this article from Arab Times about the Director of the zoo, I wonder if she is still in charge? If so I would think she would have more feelings toward animals since she is female and probably a mother.

Thanks to American Girl, Mark and the blogger Humans and Animals Kuwait for bringing this to our attention. Click on the link for Humans and Animals Kuwait for the full sad story and sign the 3 petitions so maybe one day we will be heard. I think they should increase the entrance fee and use that money to hire REAL security not the poor guys who work security and have no backbones. There should be a police station located at the zoo with someone of authority to report to when there are problems.

Meanwhile in Doha, Qatar this is their idea of how animals should be treated, by building a huge safari park, UAE also has a beautiful zoo like the ones in the states.

Kuwait?

Ties International Bazaar

This event is really great, I went to it last year with my family where I got to eat Mexican food from my friend who has a stand there. The kids also had their names written in Arabic. I recommend expats to experience the bazaar!

AWARE Center- Camel Races

I was just asking my husband to take me the other day maybe this will work better since he doesn't understand why a female wants to go to the camel races. Deadline to register is on Thursday!

Another Avenues Stabbing

Youth stabbed at Avenues | Kuwait Times:

 KUWAIT: A young man was stabbed when a scuffle broke out among a number of youth on Friday evening at the Avenues Commercial Complex. The fight which came less than a month after the much talked about murder of a 26-year-old Lebanese doctor, again underlined the poor state of law and order. Former MP and lawyer Osama Al-Shaheen said crimes like drugs usage, fighting involving knives and a deteriorating value system was a real challenge which must not be ignored. He said security personnel should concentrate on such crimes instead of tracking youth activists.

Another stabbing, what has happened to Kuwait? Even though I saw buff security guards with batons in Avenues recently someone was still stabbed? Time for metal detectors and not letting groups of single guys in the mall, the same thing they do in other malls. Great, now my hubby has another excuse not to take me there.

AWARE Center- Red Fort Tour

Saudis behead Sri Lankan housemaid for infant killing

Saudi Arabia beheaded a young Sri Lankan housemaid on Wednesday after rejecting appeals by her home country against her death sentence for the killing of an infant left in her care in 2005, Saudi and Sri Lankan authorities said.
The Saudi Interior Ministry said in a statement run by the official SPA news agency that Rizana Nafeek was executed in the town of Dawadmy, near the capital Riyadh, on Wednesday morning.
Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry said Nafeek was sentenced to death in 2007 after her Saudi employer accused her of killing his infant daughter while she was bottle-feeding. The Saudi Interior Ministry statement said the infant was strangled after a dispute between the maid and the baby's mother.
The Colombo government appealed against the death penalty but the Saudi Supreme Court upheld it in 2010.
"President Mahinda Rajapaksa made a personal appeal on two occasions immediately after the confirmation of the death sentence, and a few days ago to stop the execution and grant a pardon to Miss Rizana Nafeek," the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry said in a statement sent by email.(link)

At least one country doesn't have Wasta and politics when it comes to murderers. KSA is one of the only countries that WILL give you the deserving punishment. If only we had that type of strict judgement in Kuwait then there wouldn't be so much crime.

Camp Arifjan contractor Lawsuits

Experts panel approve half of cases so far

KUWAIT CITY, Jan 7: About 50 percent of the cases filed by employees representing various contractors having contractual relationships with major concerns including Camp Arifjan have been approved by the Experts Committee under the Court of First Instance.

Lawyer Masaed J. Al Riyahi, who represents the employees and has been fighting their cases since the beginning of last year, was speaking to the Arab Times recently. The employees, who are mainly Westerners, have charged their contractors with labor law violations.

The contractors forced the employees to work up to 12 hours a day without adequate compensation as stipulated in the labor law, Al Riyahi added. “Many of the employees were made to work on public holidays without any extra pay.”

Al Riyahi said that he first approached the Ministry of Labor Affairs as per the norm; but when all attempts to hammer out an amicable settlement fell through, the ministry referred the cases to the Court of First Instance.

The court ordered Al Riyahi to present separate reports on all his clients with details of their salaries and the violations they suffered. The reports were then handed over to an Experts Committee in the court.
The committee has approved more than half of the reports, and is continuing to study the rest, Al Riyahi noted. The full study will be submitted to the court in the next 3 to 4 months. “There is a strong chance that the reports approved by the committee will be accepted by the court, and the employees will get a favorable verdict.”

Some cases pertaining to the lack of indemnity payment for employees who were terminated on grounds of taking their contractors to the court were also taken up by Riyahi. “Many contractors were ordered to pay up and some employees with more than 10 years’ service record received huge indemnities.”
Riyahi added that indemnity claims have to be made within a year from the date of termination. Even if the case is filed a day after the completion of one year, the court will dismiss it as invalid.

Watch out sponsor companies they are coming for you!

Texas Roadhouse got their ribs...Finally

The first visit they ran out of ribs, second visit still no ribs and finally third time I got to try the ribs and they were good although the order got messed up and I didn't get my order as the waiter thought we were sharing but I forgive them because the manager is extremely nice. Great food!

Saudi rapes US boy in Vegas

A sergeant in Saudi Arabia's air force was arrested in Las Vegas after police say he pulled a teenage boy into his hotel room and raped him on New Year’s Eve.

Mazen Alotaibi, 23, faces charges including kidnapping, sexual assault with a minor and felony coercion that could get him decades in state prison, according to police and charging documents obtained Friday.

The boy, who is younger than 14, told police the man forced him into a room at the Circus Circus hotel on the Las Vegas Strip and raped him. Police arrested Alotaibi after being called to the hotel before 9.30am December 31.(link)

This happens all the time in Kuwait but when they do it in USA they will definitely pay and not get off with Wasta!

AWARE Center- Grand Mosque Tour

AWARE Center: 12 Jan 2013, 9:15 a.m.

For a rewarding, spiritual and informative experience. This is a 1 ½ tour of one of Kuwait’s most famous landmarks. Ladies are required to cover - long sleeves and long ankle length skirt, otherwise the mosque will provide a cloak. If you have your own scarf you’re welcome to bring it. Camera’s allowed. Children welcome. This tour meets directly at the Grand Mosque at 9.15am. Directions to the Grand Mosque. Take Gulf Street towards the Kuwait Towers. Pass the Towers with them on your right. Pass Souq Sharq with it on your right. Pass the Dickson House and Ministry of Planning with them on your left. By Seif Palace there is a large roundabout. Take the 2nd exit off the roundabout. The Grand Mosque is now on your left. At traffic lights turn left. Grand Mosque is on your left. To park go down to the roundabout and come back so Grand Mosque is on your right. Car Parking - If you are driving you can park at the mosque. The entrance is found by taking the side road between the Al-Babtain library and the Grand Mosque. Then you will see a barrier on your left. Tell the guard you are there for a tour and he will let you in, you follow the road round and can park in front of the mosque.

Losing 800 KD paid for Housemaid

KUWAIT: An Arab expat and head of a six-member household paid KD800 to a recruitment agency to hire a Filipino housemaid who soon after landing the job ran away.

The recruitment agency refused to return the money to the man – a case that has brought to the surface a prevalent problem about lack of protection for kafeels whose domestic helpers run away immediately after being hired. “When I hired the housemaid, I was told that if any problem arose, the housemaid could be sent back to the agency,” he said, adding that the housemaid was good and wanted to stay with his family.

The kafeel transferred her residency under his name. When the formalities were over, the maid decided that she no longer wanted to stay in his home. “The reason she gave was that she could not stand my children and decided to go back to the agency that found her the employment. “I did not wish to let her stay against her will, so I referred her back to the agency,” he said. The recruitment agency promised to return him the money when the housemaid was employed by a new kafeel. After a few days, however, the Arab expat received a call from the maid who informed him that she ran away from the agency and was under the embassy’s protection.

Under these circumstances, the agency refused to return the money he had paid for the maid. “They informed me that it was not their fault that the housemaid left and that they cannot return my money,” he narrated. Even after the Arab expat threatened that he would complain to the ministry, the recruitment agency urged him to go ahead and file a complaint. “I filed a complaint with the overseeing body but have not received a positive answer.

Instead, I was told to forget about the money I had paid. The body overseeing recruitment agencies informed me that I had hired a housemaid from an illegal agency,” the Arab expat said. An agency owner who spoke with this reporter on the condition of anonymity said that it was impossible to have illegal recruitment offices operating in Kuwait. The recruitment agency questioned the legitimacy of such an employer.Kuwait Times Link

Maybe the Philipino embassy should start having to pay back the sponsors if a housemaid runs away to the embassy before the 100 days are up. I can understand abuse but deciding that she didn't like the kids isn't a reason to go to the embassy. He did the right thing in taking her back to the agency as we are all told if the housemaid doesn't like the family or vice versa then it's ok to bring her back before the 100 days are up in which the sponsor can choose a new one or have the money returned back. Lack of control has the recruiting agencies making tons of money as they charge 800 KD for a housemaid from the Phillipines.

There are other nationalities as well and the prices continue to rise due to the Ministry not controlling the agencies and we all know someone in the Ministry is making lots of money off this epedemic as well. Wasta and money can make the impossible possible. Maybe the new members should try no Wasta for a year which means every citizen in Kuwait has to follow the rules or face the penalty. As if.

Fire destroys Mubarakiya Shops!!!

Fire-fighters battling the huge blaze that gutted the old Mubarakiya market

 KUWAIT: More than 35 shops were charred and an old four-storey building was destroyed in Kuwait City’s Mubarakiya Market on the morning of the New Year’s first day. However, no casualties were reported. The massive blaze left a trail of destruction in Kuwait’s traditional market.

It took five fire tenders to bring the fire under control. The fire was reported at the ‘Souk Al-Hareem’ (women’s market) side of the historical place, where at least 40 firefighters and 14 fire trucks were rushed after an emergency call was received at 9:17 am. The first unit reached the site within three minutes of the emergency call. Following a comprehensive plan, firefighters evacuated the building, cut off power supply from nearby generators and fought the flames. The fire was brought under control within a record time, considering the size of the affected premises.

Except for “a mild case of suffocation suffered by a firefighter,” no other casualties were reported, General Director of the Kuwait Fire Services Department, Major General Yousuf Al-Ansari, said. An investigation would now determine the cause of the fire while KFSD Deputy General Director, Brigadier General Khalid Al-Mikrad, hinted at legal action in view of violations pertaining to safety and security conditions. The fact that the roof of the four storey building was being rented illegally to house the workers may also attract punitive action. In another development, fire broke out in Souq Al-Hareem in downtown Kuwait yesterday.

Medical emergency department sent seven ambulances to the site with 14 medical technicians in anticipation of any possible causalities. Only one causality was however dealt with and the injured was rushed to Amiri Hospital. The injured was an Ethiopian expat who broke his right leg after falling from the building. (link)

I'm so sad!!!!!!!!! I haven't been there in a while, you never think it will one day be completely destroyed. This is another historical site destroyed and a blow to saving what's left of Kuwait's past. Did any officials check the buildings on a regular basis? Probably not. Was there any protocol in case of a fire? Doubt it. I place blame on the management who takes care of it, if they looked after it properly and made sure it was up to code annually this might have been prevented. People don't care about historical sites because the focus of the new generation is to have the latest Louis Vuitton bag or to drive the most expensive cars not looking back to when their family lived in tents. It can be rebuilt of course but it will never be the same. When I see the old pictures of the souk it stills looks almost the same as it does or did today. I now wish I would have gone there and taken my children but now it's too late. *heartbroken*

Happy New Year! Welcome 2013!