Oil Up!

How important is oil to the world?  Well, do you like to travel?  Do you like to smell good?  Do you like to eat?  Yes, all those activities, and just about everything else has some type of connection with oil.  So is it any wonder why we are so enthralled with the subject of it?  Is it any wonder that we are so dependent on it?  Don't kid yourself into thinking that you would be fine without it.  You would be a hungry, immobile, stinky person!
Much of the world's oil comes from the Middle East.  Bahrain is not specifically rich in the resource, but they still have it.  And what's more is that they produced more of it this year than last year.  33% more!!!  That's a reason for excitement for everyone.  The consumer can hope for lower prices because the supply is up.  The supplier can hope for more trade opportunity because he has more to trade or sell.
Energy Minister Dr. Abdulhassain Mirza said, "We find this achievement (of producing 33% more oil) remarkable given that before Tatweer Petroleum was set up, there were people writing off Bahrain's oil production as a disappearing asset."
Well, obviously it's not only NOT disappearing.  It is being found and produced in higher quantities.
This new production looks to be a great building block for Bahrain and an opportunity to reestablish itself as a premier venue for energy.

To read entire article, please visit Trade Arabia.

Your American Idol Is...

Another season, another idol.  Perhaps that is what people were thinking as this year's hit reality contest was the worst viewed in the history of the contest.  Why has the luster been lost?  There are lots of opinions, I am sure.  From a decline of talent, to the departure of Simon Cowell, to the boredom of the same old thing.  Who can really say.  But one thing still remains the same, and that is there has to be a winner.

Last night, guitarist Phillip Phillips from Georgia sang his way into the club called "Your American Idol."  He tallied enough votes to defeat teenager Jessica Sanchez in the Finale that featured performances from Aerosmith, Jennifer Lopez, Reba McEntire, along with other music stars, and a few American Idol alumni.
Congratulations to all the contestants, and especially to Mr. Phillip Phillips.

Focus on Leadership

With no leadership, people suffer.  With bad leadership, it's almost worse!  That is why good leadership is so hard to come by.  Who wants to take responsibility?  The leader rarely receives praise, but is the first to be criticized and fired.  But every once in a while, we see people that are willing to step up to the challenge, and make their family, community, and the world a little better.
Every leader needs to be trained by mentors and others who have bee successful.  That is why several of Bahrain's business leaders got together with leadership, training, and education experts to discuss the practice of leaders.  They met at the Bahrain Financial Harbour in the Capital Club.  The event was sponsored by Managing the Service Business and Lancaster University Management School, and was part of the Leading Change event series.
This training event for the people of Bahrain is a great symbol of where their commitment is.  They care deeply about the people, about their success, and about their happiness.  They care about providing good service and opportunity for each other.
That is what leadership is all about.  It's about not only making yourself better, but more importantly, making others better.

To read entire article, please visit Gulf Daily News.

Private Space Travel Begins

Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, said of his historic step, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."  Another giant leap has occurred in space exploration.
The first "private" space shuttle, Falcon 9, took flight early this morning en route to the International Space Station with a cargo of 1,000 pounds of space station provisions, all inside the passenger, a capsule named Dragon.  The ship was unmanned.
This is the first time that a private company has sent up a ship into space.  Previously, this type of work had only been done by major governments, such as the United States and Russia.  SpaceX. the private company that is spear heading the new era of space travel, was very pleased with Falcon 9 and its flight.  The White House quickly offered its congratulations to SpaceX upon hearing of its successful launch.
It is said that astronauts will soon be able to take flight once again.  If all goes well, we could see people in the private ships in three to five years.
Docking at the space station will happen on Friday, pending everything else goes well.
Congratulations to SpaceX for its unprecedented and historic accomplishment!

To read entire article, please visit FoxNews.

Forgiveness + Peace = Unity

For most everything in life, there is a simple formula.  Of course, following that formula has proven to be the hardest part for all of us.  Whether it be math class or life class, formulas are easy to parrot, but hard to practice.  But that doesn't mean that we should not try.
In Bahrain, there are volunteers traveling to different villages to teach children and students the formula to unity. The Caravan of Peace project, as it is known, will target the children and students and use them to spread the word to their classmates and friends.  The purpose is to reach as many young people as possible in attempt to unite the country's young generation.  The students who carry these lessons back to their classmates are known as "Knights of Peace."  The will share the lessons of forgiveness and peace with them, and methods of working together, regardless of background.
This program has been put in place at a very crucial time, when many do not truly understand what is happening in their country.  They hear both sides crying for peace, but still hear of contention.  The education of these children, especially in this subject, will prove to be paramount in the future of the kingdom of Bahrain.

To read entire article, please visit Gulf Daily News.