Sharon Alexander

“Time – the one asset none of us are ever going to get more of.”
– Gary Vaynerchuk

[Dera II @Neutral_OC]

This Korean journalist was covering the World Cup in Mexico, and a Mexican lady walked up and kissed him on live TV 😁

[Antidepressant Content @depressionlesss]

Kindness matters ❤️

[positive side of X 🌞 @positivityofx]

This is Otis. Since he was adopted he has a non-negotiable bedtime ritual. Of Getting tucked in bed with mom . Then those satisfied licks of victory. perfect angel please leave him a heart ❤️

[The Star @staronline]

5. "Chinese Trump" brings parents to Malaysia, seen enjoying local delicacies including durian
https://t.co/MQZ9XeoVUL

[Peter Girnus 🦅 @gothburz]

I am a diplomatic aide in the Sultanate of Oman's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

My job is logistics. When two countries that cannot speak to each other need to speak to each other, I book the rooms. I prepare the briefing materials. I make sure the water glasses are the right distance apart. You would be surprised how much of diplomacy is water glasses. Too close and it feels informal. Too far and it feels like a tribunal. I have a chart.

We had a very good month.

Since January, Oman has been mediating indirect talks between the United States and Iran on Iran's nuclear program. The talks were held in Muscat and in Geneva. The Americans would sit in one room. The Iranians would sit in another room. I would walk between them. My Fitbit says I averaged fourteen thousand steps on negotiation days. The hallway between the two rooms at the Royal Opera House conference center is forty-seven meters. I walked it two hundred and twelve times in February. This is good for my cardiovascular health. It was less good for my knees. Both are in the service of peace.

By mid-February, we had something.

Iran agreed to zero stockpiling of enriched uranium. Not reduced stockpiling. Zero. They agreed to down-blend existing stockpiles to the lowest possible level. They agreed to convert them into irreversible fuel. They agreed to full IAEA verification with potential US inspector access. They agreed, in the Foreign Minister's phrase, to "never, ever" possess nuclear material for a bomb. I have worked in diplomacy for seven years. I have never seen a country agree to this many things this quickly. I made a spreadsheet of the concessions. It had fourteen rows. I color-coded it. Green for confirmed. Yellow for pending. By February 21 the spreadsheet was entirely green. I printed it. It is on my desk in Muscat. It is still green.

That phrase took eleven days. "Never, ever." The Iranians initially offered "not seek to." The Americans wanted "will not under any circumstances." We landed on "never, ever" at 2:14 AM on a Tuesday in Muscat. I typed the final version myself. I used Times New Roman because Geneva prefers it. The document was fourteen pages. I was proud of every comma.

Here is what they said, in the order they said it.

February 24: "We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity." — The Foreign Minister, private briefing to Gulf Cooperation Council ambassadors. I prepared the slide deck. Slide 14 was the implementation timeline. Slide 15 was the signing ceremony logistics. I had reserved the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Room XX. It seats four hundred. We discussed pen brands for the signing. The Iranians preferred Montblanc. The Americans had no preference. I ordered twelve Montblanc Meisterstucks at six hundred and thirty dollars each. They arrive on Tuesday.

February 27, 8:30 AM EST: "The deal is within our reach." — The Foreign Minister, CBS Face the Nation. He sat across from Margaret Brennan. He said broad political terms could be agreed "tomorrow" with ninety days for technical implementation in Vienna. He said, and I wrote this line for the briefing card he carried in his breast pocket: "If we just allow diplomacy the space it needs." He praised the American envoys by name. Steve Witkoff. Jared Kushner. He said both had been constructive.

I watched from the Four Seasons Georgetown. The minibar had cashews. I ate the cashews. They were nineteen dollars. The most expensive cashew I have ever eaten. But it was a good morning and we were within our reach.

February 27, 2:00 PM EST: Meeting with Vice President Vance, Washington. The Foreign Minister presented our progress. Zero stockpiling. Full verification. Irreversible conversion. "Never, ever." The Vice President used the word "encouraging." His aide took notes on an iPad. The aide did not make eye contact for the last nine minutes of the meeting. I noticed this. Noticing things is the only part of my job that is not water glasses.

February 27, 4:00 PM EST: "Not happy with the pace." — President Trump, to reporters.

Not happy with the pace.

We had achieved zero stockpiling. Full IAEA verification. Irreversible fuel conversion. Inspector access. And the phrase "never, ever," which took eleven days and cost me two hundred and twelve trips down a forty-seven-meter hallway.

Every American president since Carter has failed to get Iran to agree to this. Forty-five years.

Not happy with the pace.

February 27, 9:47 PM EST: The Foreign Minister's flight departs Dulles for Muscat. I am in the seat behind him. He is reviewing Slide 14 on his laptop. The implementation timeline. Vienna technical sessions. The signing ceremony. The pens.

I fall asleep over the Atlantic. I dream about water glasses.

February 28, 6:00 AM GST: I wake up to push notifications.

February 28: "The United States has begun major combat operations in Iran." — President Trump.

Operation Epic Fury. Coordinated airstrikes. The United States and Israel. Tehran. Isfahan. Qom. Karaj. Kermanshah. Nuclear facilities. IRGC bases. Sites near the Supreme Leader's office. Israel called their half Operation Roaring Lion. Someone in both governments spent time choosing these names. Epic Fury. Roaring Lion. I spent eleven days on "never, ever." They spent it on branding. The President said Iran had "rejected American calls to halt its nuclear weapons production."

Rejected.

Iran had agreed to zero stockpiling. Iran had agreed to full verification. Iran had agreed to "never, ever." Iran had agreed to everything in a fourteen-page document that I typed in Times New Roman.

The President said they rejected it.

I do not know which document the President was reading. I know which one I typed.

February 28, 18:45 UTC: Iran internet connectivity: four percent. — NetBlocks, confirmed by Cloudflare. Ninety-six percent of a country went dark. You cannot negotiate with a country at four percent connectivity. You cannot negotiate with a country that is being struck. You cannot negotiate. This is not a political opinion. This is a logistics assessment.

February 28: The governor of Minab reported forty girls killed at an elementary school.

I do not have logistics for that. There is no slide for that. The water glass chart does not cover that.

February 28: Lockheed Martin: up. Northrop Grumman: up. RTX: up. Dow futures: down six hundred and twenty-two points. Gold: five thousand two hundred and ninety-six dollars. An analyst at AInvest published a note titled "Iran Strikes: Tactical Plays." The note recommended positions in oil, defense stocks, and gold.

The most expensive cashew I have ever eaten was nineteen dollars. The most expensive pen I have ever ordered was six hundred and thirty dollars. The math suggests I have been working in the wrong industry. Defense stocks do not require water glasses. Defense stocks do not require eleven days. Defense stocks require one morning.

February 28: Israel closed its airspace and its schools. Iran launched retaliatory missiles toward US bases in the Gulf. The Supreme Leader promised a "crushing response." Israel's defense minister declared a permanent state of emergency. Everyone is using words I recognize in an order I do not. I recognize "permanent." I recognize "emergency." I do not recognize them next to each other. In diplomacy, nothing is permanent and everything is an emergency. In war it is the reverse.

February 28: The Foreign Minister has not made a public statement.

The briefing card is still in his breast pocket. It still says "within our reach."

[The Star @staronline]

Malaysian Oscar-winning actress Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh unveiled her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles on Wednesday (Feb 18).

Read more at https://t.co/7seOamdyC2

[Free Malaysia Today @fmtoday]

#FMTNews Housewife R Viknesvary is suing two veterinarians, a veterinary hospital in Penang and another company for the death of her pet dog three years ago.

Full Article: https://t.co/W5CDXlwEUg

[Arvin Rao @LeMysterio]

People are completely misunderstanding what this post is about. This has nothing to do with illegally built temples. This is specifically in relation with the Thaipusam festival.

[SAYS @saysdotcom]

Pai Ti Kong: Things You Need To Know About The Hokkien New Year

Read more: https://t.co/dLHlJ2Esav https://t.co/dLHlJ2Esav

[Sadho @sadhosays]

Every year during Thaipusam, the same cycle of racism and bigotry floods social media. Devotees are called "demons" and their rituals are ridiculed by those who don't understand them.

I believe racism is often fuelled by ignorance. We fear and hate what we don't understand.

[Mr PitBull Stories @MrPitbull07]

"I'm so sorry to call you this late."
It was 3:47 AM when the rescue coordinator's voice cracked through my phone. I'd picked up Mochi earlier that day—a sweet, cream-colored Pittie with the softest ears I'd ever touched. Standard foster. Two weeks, maybe three, until she found her forever home.
"Her sister is destroying our intake kennel," the coordinator said. "She hasn't stopped screaming since Mochi left. We've tried everything. Blankets with her scent. Kongs. Thunder vests. She broke a tooth trying to chew through the gate."
I looked down at Mochi, who was sleeping at the foot of my bed. Except... she wasn't really sleeping. Her eyes were open. Staring at the door. Waiting.
I drove to the shelter at 4 AM in my pajamas.
Matcha was a disaster. Hoarse from screaming, paws raw from pacing, trembling so hard she could barely stand. The second she smelled Mochi in my car, she collapsed against the crate and went completely still. Like she could finally breathe.
"Just foster them together for a few days," they said. "Until we figure out placement."
That was eight months ago.
They sleep in a pile every night. They eat from the same bowl even though I bought two. When Mochi goes to the vet, Matcha comes. When Matcha gets groomed, Mochi waits in the lobby.
I was supposed to be their temporary stop. Turns out, I was their destination.
📍 Location: Portland, Oregon
🐕 Dogs: Mochi & Matcha

Credit: WomenAreGreat(dot)com

[Mr PitBull Stories @MrPitbull07]

While shopping at Walmart one afternoon, I noticed a woman quietly following me and my dog, Juno. He’s a ten-year-old GS wearing his service vest—just a regular grocery trip for us. But she kept her distance, watching us from aisle to aisle. It didn’t feel threatening, just deeply sad.

When we reached the parking lot, she finally came over.

Her voice trembled as she asked, “I’m sorry to bother you… but is his name Juno?”

Instantly, my guard went up. “How do you know that?” I asked.

And then, right there by the shopping carts, she started crying.

“I was his puppy raiser,” she said through tears. “I took care of him from eight weeks old until eighteen months, then sent him off for guide dog training. That was nine years ago. I’ve thought about him every single day.”

She showed me photos on her phone—baby Juno with the same curious eyes, and a final picture of her holding him, both of them crying the day she had to let him go.

“They told me he didn’t finish guide dog training,” she continued, smiling softly through tears. “Said he was too friendly. I always wondered where he ended up.” Her gaze fell on his vest. “What does he do now?”

“Diabetic alert,” I told her. “He’s saved my life sixteen times.”

I hadn’t planned to say the number, but it came out naturally.

She covered her mouth, sobbing again. “That makes sense,” she said. “Even as a puppy, he knew when something was wrong. He’d bring me my phone if my medication alarm went off. No one taught him—he just knew.”

We talked for twenty minutes. She told me stories only someone who truly loved him could remember—how he used to steal socks, run from the vacuum, and sleep upside down with his paws in the air.

Before leaving, she knelt down. Juno walked right over, wagging his tail, and rested his head on her shoulder as if no time had passed at all.

“Thank you for keeping him safe,” she whispered to him. Then she looked at me. “And thank you for letting me see that he’s exactly where he was meant to be.”

Now, I send her a photo of Juno every week.

And yes, he still sleeps on his back with his legs in the air.

For everyone who’s ever fostered, raised, or loved a dog they couldn’t keep—know this: they never forget you. You live in their hearts forever.
Juno’s journey is a beautiful reminder of the unbreakable bond between a dog and those who raise and love them. Want to learn more about the profound impact a service dog can have and the incredible role of puppy raisers in shaping their future?

Credit: Thomas cooper

[Simons @Simon_Ingari]

“Can I bring my baby to the interview?”

The message came in at 11 PM:

“Hi, I have an interview with you tomorrow at 2 PM. My childcare fell through. Can I bring my 8-month-old? I understand if you need to reschedule.”

Old me would have rescheduled.
Unprofessional. Distraction. Red flag.

New me replied:
“Absolutely. See you tomorrow.”

She showed up with her baby on her hip.
She apologized three times before even sitting down.

Ten minutes in, the baby started crying.
She tried to soothe him while answering questions.
She apologized again.

I stopped the interview and said:

“Hey. You’re managing a fussy baby, answering complex questions, and staying calm under pressure. That’s literally the job. Handling chaos while staying professional. You’re already proving you can do it.”

Her eyes filled with tears.

We hired her.

She’s been with us for a year now.
The most reliable team member we have.

Why?

Because when you’re used to handling a screaming infant at 3 AM and still showing up to work the next day, workplace stress feels like nothing.

Working parents, especially mothers, are some of the most organized, efficient, and resilient people you’ll ever hire.

Yet we lose them because our hiring processes are built for people with zero caregiving responsibilities.

If your interview process can’t accommodate a parent facing a childcare issue, you’re not filtering for professionalism.

You’re filtering for privilege.

[The Rakyat Post @therakyatpost]

‼️ Your RM100 is Expiring on the 31st of December! 😩
It’s okay bestie, we have some easy steps for you to use it before you loose it 😉

From household essentials to medicine to school stuff, it’s substantial.
If you don’t know what to buy, why not grab some items and donate to those in need ✨

Share this with your last minute friends, you know who they are.

Produced and Edited by Kirthana Kuhendran

Source:
MyKasih

[The Star @staronline]

“Auntie, I am rather light. Let me go down to save him,” the girl told the woman.

https://t.co/ZPb3bkMqHe

[The Independent @Independent]

Dolly Parton shares hilarious Kevin Costner ‘bodyguard’ anecdote https://t.co/cyxnBiku7X

[Somewherewithpaws @JustKimfromoz]

Happy Trick or Treating friends ❤️ from 🇦🇺

[James Chin @jameschin110]

The M. Indira Gandhi case starkly exposes fatal flaws in the dual legal system, undermining the rule of law and deepening communal divides. In 2009, Indira's estranged husband converted to Islam, unilaterally converting their three children without her consent and securing custody through a Shariah court—bypassing civil jurisdiction. This jurisdictional clash sowed chaos, with civil courts initially deferring to Shariah rulings, eroding legal predictability and equality before the law. Only after years of litigation did the 2018 Federal Court intervene, voiding the conversions and affirming civil supremacy. Yet the Malaysian state, especially the police, appears to refuse to have nothing to enforce the ruling. (read story). The ongoing saga reveals profound unfairness to non-Muslims: a Hindu mother was stripped of her parental rights overnight, her pleas ignored by a system that privileges Islamic law in family matters. Worse, it signals that Muslims wield superior rights—conversion grants access to a parallel Sharia framework that can override non-Muslim claims, incentivizing opportunistic faith switches for legal leverage. This not only traumatizes families but entrenches inequality, signalling Islamic identity trumps universal justice. True rule of law demands unified courts, not faith-based favouritism.
#Malaysia #PoliticalIslam #Conversion #Hindu #NoJustice