Archive for August 23, 2005
How do thinkers and intellectuals fare in jail, especially when subjucted to rough treatment and torture? It varies widely by individual, I was thinking. Michel `Aflaq, the Ba`th founder trembled so much in jail, and wanted to get out so fast that he quickly issued a humiliating statement, that Ba`thists would never be able to [...]
Posted on August 23, 2005 by As'ad
Lebanonese self-praise: I should have a regular feature titled Lebanonese self-praise. Today in An-Nahar, Samir `Atallah said that the Lebanonese people are one of the “most intelligent people there is”. Apparently, the same international commission that crowned the King of Potato restaurant owner in Hamra Street in Beirut as the “King of Potato” also declared [...]
Posted on August 23, 2005 by As'ad
Beware of “liberal” propaganda: What is this liberal commotion about Pat Roberston’s statement. One should be careful to avoid being dragged into media-generated, not-so-subtle “liberal” outrage which easily serves non-liberal purposes, and may not be all that inconvenient for the Bush administration. This is my point: which is more damaging and dangerous: Robertson’s words or [...]
Posted on August 23, 2005 by As'ad
An old house somewhere in Beirut (Furn Ash-Shibbak?)
Posted on August 23, 2005 by As'ad