Archive for August 24, 2007
Somebody has to translate this for the readers here. Religious police stops an “entertainment show” in Saudi Arabia. How dare they be entertained? For the House of Saud: entertainment is only for the royal family, while the masses have to settle on the recitation of the Qur’an for entertainment. (thanks Haytham)
Posted on August 24, 2007 by As'ad
It bothers me in the Arab world that people take very seriously the silly Guinness World Records. They seem to think that it is a big deal. They must have gotten that misconception from the capital of ranking, Beirut.
Posted on August 24, 2007 by As'ad
Lebanese media are still suspiciously mostly avoiding covering the Elie Nahhas scandal. Here is an article in Al-Akhbar. New TV reported that there are names of politicians in Lebanon and Gulf that came up in the investigation.
Posted on August 24, 2007 by As'ad
“To be a Palestinian in the Age of Division” by Suheir.
Posted on August 24, 2007 by As'ad
Hisham on US support for Lebanon.
Posted on August 24, 2007 by As'ad
I linked to an article a few days ago about Al-Arabiya ratings. The full article (available through subscriptions) contained remarks by director of Al-Arabiya (former editor-in-chief of Prince Salman’s mouthpiece, Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat). He said that his favorite work as a journalist was covering the space program of NASA. Only later I realized what he was [...]
Posted on August 24, 2007 by As'ad
This columnist in Prince Salman’s mouthpiece is railing against environmentalists. House of Saud is not keen on environment, eh?
Posted on August 24, 2007 by As'ad
Conspiracy? What conspiracy? From the opinion page of Hariri rag.
Posted on August 24, 2007 by As'ad
Somebody should study this scientifically: the wealthiest Muslim countries are the least democratic (Saudi Arabia, UAE, etc), and the poorest Muslim countries are less undemocratic (Pakistan, Bangladesh).
Posted on August 24, 2007 by As'ad
Nir Rosen on Future TV: not white enough for Lebanese TV. So while working out, I watched Nir Rosen on Future TV. The man kicked ass big time. He was strong and assertive, although he appears expressionless and emotionless on TV. Some forms of drugs can change that–I am told. The host, the able Najat [...]
Posted on August 24, 2007 by As'ad
Iyad `Allawi is posing as the alternative to Nuri Al-Maliki and Jibril Rajjub is posing as the alternative to Muhammad Dahlan. This is like Hamid Karzai posing as an alternative to…Hamid Karzai.
Posted on August 24, 2007 by As'ad
The Syrian government and Hizbullah deserve the attacks on them by Walid Jumblat. They both have done their utmost to help him (in more ways than one) over the last 15 years.
Posted on August 24, 2007 by As'ad
The tomb of Rafiq Hariri. People in Lebanon have been wondering why there is no monument erected at the tomb site of Rafiq Hariri. I am told that the reason is due to Hariri family’s deference to Wahhabi doctrine, which forbids such measures. In fact, Ayatullah Muhammad Husayn Fadlallah recently expressed outrage at the razing [...]
Posted on August 24, 2007 by As'ad
The King of Jordan–away from his PlayStation. (thanks Nour)
Posted on August 24, 2007 by As'ad
I came across this. “President Hrawi visited Libya, so Qadhdhafi asked him about Walid [Jumblat], and sent him his regards. So President Hrawi transmitted the regards to Walid and told him: The man likes you, why don’t you visit him? He replied: “May God preserve you, your excellency. Call him and tell him that you [...]
Posted on August 24, 2007 by As'ad
“Among those who cite spirituality as the most important thing in their lives, a larger majority report being happy with life (80 percent) compared to those who say spirituality is not an important part of life (60 percent). Religion and spirituality are integral to nearly half of America’s young people (44 percent). More than half [...]
Posted on August 24, 2007 by As'ad
I had a nightmare last week. I was walking on a street in Pakistan, and suddenly, a group of men shove me into a car. I was taken into a very crowded neighborhood, with chicken running around. And I discover to my horror that it was Al-Qa`idah hideout, where Bin Laden was living with men [...]
Posted on August 24, 2007 by As'ad
From the Dancing with the Stars special.
Posted on August 24, 2007 by As'ad
Red Flag over Beirut. The Lebanese Communist Party held a rally yesterday in Beirut. There was little coverage in the Lebanese press. (Haytham Al-Musawi, Al-Akhbar).
Posted on August 24, 2007 by As'ad
“The personal assistant of the top general in the California National Guard has been placed on leave after revelations that the aide’s personal Web site contained derogatory statements about women, jokes about black Jamaicans as “cannibals,†and violent references.”
Posted on August 24, 2007 by As'ad