I haven’t posted in a while for a multitude of legitimate reasons. Primarily, I’ve been increasingly busy reporting. But on top of that, in those fleeting moments of free time, it can be difficult to summon the inspiration to even choose a topic to write about.
Such a process can end up so contrived. I don’t want to agonise over a notepad deciding what I feel is worth writing about. I’ve done that in the past with other creative endeavours and it doesn’t work for me. Donning a profound expression and staring out the window, on the other hand...
Inspiration itself is strange. The feeling, the inspiration to do something specific, erupts as unpredictably and overwhelmingly as a volcano. Sometimes you know why, and sometimes you have to look further into yourself to figure it out.
You can refine a sense of inspiration by sensing what inspires you, studying it and figuring out why it inspires you. But to summon that inspiration at will, while it lies dormant, is almost always impossible.
But inspiration doesn't have to be profound. Sometimes I'm inspired to stand up for my values, or communicate them to others. I'll watch Louis Theroux masterfully craft a story, exposing illogical and damaging attitudes, and give a proud albeit pathetic round of applause. Or I'll listen to Bob Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited and ask myself "from whence such words sprung?" for the hundredth time. Or put on Seven Samurai and yell childlike encouragement at the television every five minutes. Or pick out all the purple skittles and give away the rest.
Some people rarely feel, or come to terms with, their own inspirations - the values, views, and feelings that give their aspirations meaning. As an introvert, that’s alien to me. But obviously, different people are by nature different. Maybe juggling is your thing, or skydiving, or reviewing Korean barbeques. The more obscure, the better.
Personally, I mainly draw inspiration from moral ideals, and individuals who struggle or sacrifice to make the world a better place. But I’m also inspired by anyone that pursues their passion, in a way that doesn’t compromise their integrity. There’s something both infectious and admirable about someone overcoming the odds, ignoring all the self-titled ‘realists’ and conquering their ambitions - only to raise them.
In other words, samurais.
...and purple skittles.
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
EA Sports FC 25
Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
Company profile
Company: Verity
Date started: May 2021
Founders: Kamal Al-Samarrai, Dina Shoman and Omar Al Sharif
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech
Size: four team members
Stage: Intially bootstrapped but recently closed its first pre-seed round of $800,000
Investors: Wamda, VentureSouq, Beyond Capital and regional angel investors
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Temple numbers
Expected completion: 2022
Height: 24 meters
Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people
Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people
First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time
First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres
Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres
Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Essentials
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Los Angeles, from Dh4,975 return, including taxes. The flight time is 16 hours. Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Aeromexico and Southwest all fly direct from Los Angeles to San Jose del Cabo from Dh1,243 return, including taxes. The flight time is two-and-a-half hours.
The trip
Lindblad Expeditions National Geographic’s eight-day Whales Wilderness itinerary costs from US$6,190 (Dh22,736) per person, twin share, including meals, accommodation and excursions, with departures in March and April 2018.
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now