Archive for December 9, 2009
Reckon
I had two issues of the Economist with me on the plane. I swear: in the first feature articles in both issues I encountered the inevitable “reckon”. Also, the magazine is going a bit more right-wing in its coverage, especially in Middle East coverage…
Posted on December 9, 2009 by As'ad
Exemplary models of governance
“Corruption in the country has reached such a scale that Ashraf Ghani, a former World Bank executive and presidential candidate, says that a senior Karzai adviser told him that one government minister made $25 million in a single year, and a northern g…
Posted on December 9, 2009 by As'ad
White Man Approves
Look at this sentence: “The CIRHS is an independent body whose work is respected by western-based human rights groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.” So the organization is only credible because Western organizations approve of…
Posted on December 9, 2009 by As'ad
Nasrallah’s Speech
I knew it. I knew it. I knew that MEMRI’s version of Nasrallah speech will exclude the part when he said that “our problem” with Israel has nothing to do with them being Jewish, and that the conflict is not religious or ethnic. Miraculously, that pa…
Posted on December 9, 2009 by As'ad
Hymen
Hymen reconstruction in Syria. (thanks Sara)
Posted on December 9, 2009 by As'ad
“From the Memoirs of a Ghost”
Comrade Sinan writes from “From the Memoirs of a Ghost.”
Posted on December 9, 2009 by As'ad
Obama bombs
“The statement said six civilians, including a woman, were killed in NATO’s pre-dawn attack. Almost all NATO troops deployed to eastern Afghanistan are from the United States.”
Posted on December 9, 2009 by As'ad
Who is lying?
“The New America Foundation, a policy group in Washington, studied press reports and estimated that since 2006 at least 500 militants and 250 civilians had been killed in the drone strikes. A separate count, by The Long War Journal, found 885 militants…
Posted on December 9, 2009 by As'ad
History textbooks in Beirut
“Based on the book’s definition of terrorism, the US invasion of Iraq is considered a terrorist act, while the killing of 1,400 human beings in Gaza could be justified. Perhaps in the next edition, we will not find a single picture of them, but we wi…
Posted on December 9, 2009 by As'ad
If Muslims did that, they would be mocked on the front pages of US newspapers
“Posters displayed throughout ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods in Jerusalem are calling on residents to report yeshiva students who own computers and are connected to the internet for fear of “to’eva (abomination).”"
Posted on December 9, 2009 by As'ad
A wall for you, Jamal Mubarak: Israel will now bless you
“Egypt has begun the construction of a massive iron wall along its border with the Gaza Strip, in a bid to shut down smuggling tunnels into the territory. The wall will be nine to 10 kilometers long, and will go 20 to 30 meters into the ground, Egyptia…
Posted on December 9, 2009 by As'ad
Wanted!
For those who are looking for Amer Mohsen and Nir Rosen, they were spotted sharing a meal at Barbar in Hamra in Beirut. (thanks Raed who took this picture with a hidden camera)
Posted on December 9, 2009 by As'ad
Enjoy the company
“But the United Nations complains that the Convention’s implementation is uneven, with seven countries still holding back ratifications: Iran, Nauru, Palau, Somalia, Sudan, Tonga and the United States.”
Posted on December 9, 2009 by As'ad
Europe’s historical values
“President Nicolas Sarkozy called Tuesday for tolerance among native French people but warned that arriving Muslims must embrace Europe’s historical values and avoid “ostentation or provocation” in the practice of their religion.” Historical values: li…
Posted on December 9, 2009 by As'ad
carol
“More than 60 protesters demonstrated outside a church which held a carol service with alternative songs condemning Israel.”
Posted on December 9, 2009 by As'ad
Basically
The vision of Sheikh Mo is exactly that of Paris Hilton. No wonder, he liked to always invite Paris Hilton to Dubai. And she loved it.
Posted on December 9, 2009 by As'ad
Now the Lebanese will brag: they will think it is some kind of honor
“Individuals with a passport from Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Libya, Syria, Sudan, Afghanistan, Lebanon,Somalia, Iraq, Yemen, or Algeria, should be given additional screening unless there are specific instructions not to.” So Saudi Arabia ie exempted. (t…
Posted on December 9, 2009 by As'ad
The vision of Sheikh Mo
“In a sign that Dubai World may struggle to keep its prized assets, the sovereign wealth fund’s investment unit Istithmar lost control of its W Hotel in Manhattan in a foreclosure auction on Tuesday for $2 million, after buying the property for $282 …
Posted on December 9, 2009 by As'ad
Shared values
“So far, only the United States and Israel have used the planes for strikes, but that number will grow.”
Posted on December 9, 2009 by As'ad
When mini-Hariri reads
Comrade Khalid on the reading abilities of mini-Hariri.
Posted on December 9, 2009 by As'ad