BBC has a story on a Gazan who likes running, I am impressed to know there are other Gazan who enjoy running...I will make sure I look him up when I head to Gaza in few years. I was amazed by the number of many young Gazans who took running as a sport....I saw many running at night for fun...I was impressed. of course you know I ran on the Gaza beach for a while and then found out about a stadium in my hometown that I used. Too bad they count using meters not miles to count distance.Again and again, Nader el Masri ran for us. We were filming a number of different mini-features with him. Sometimes, he just had to run a couple of hundred metres, over and over. At other points during the day, he had to put in a 20-minute stretch.
Each time, his running style appeared nothing short of perfect: a picture of symmetry, his upper body still, his eyes cast downwards in imperturbable concentration.
Remember Matt?
I have always liked the government, but today I had one more reason to fall in love with the federal government here in DC. The BATHROOMS!
Since Ramadan is approaching us fast, less than 3 weeks away Now. I just wanted to say that Ramadan is not hard to observe....not all...but I think being an committed vegetarian the other hand is really hard. I came to think of this when I read about the trouble vegetarians go through to try to replicate foods likes cheese. So not eating for a day might be tough, but not being able to eat what you really like never again is tough.
7203 balls is what it took to smash the world's record in the number of people bouncing basketballs at the time time.
I got some good news this morning, I mean 5 AM morning....
Ever since Hamas won the 2006 election, the Palestinians have witnessed one of the greatest political divisions in their modern history. Upon my visit to Gaza a year ago, I have heard of many stories and countless accounts of divisions among Palestinians. While most of these divisions and political differences enrich the debate in the Palestinian society, those divisions can also undermine the cause. Throughout the conflict many Palestinian homes had siblings who supported different political factions without breaking up the family. But now things look different. Two recent events raise alarm;
• Two weeks ago Hamas came out and declared in order for Abbas to visit Gaza he needs to get the green light from them. Needless to say President Abbas got furious with this response, and reported to have said, “I am the President and can go where I want to see my people,” to which Hamas said, “Sorry, your term has expired!” neglecting of course that their own term has also expired.
• The latest round of accusations and pointing fingers is blaming each other for the electricity outage. Instead of providing services both sides are leaving the people of Gaza in the dark −literary and figuratively. Thousands of Palestine homes do not have power because the two parties are bickering over whose responsibility to pick up the bill for needed fuel to keep the Gaza power plant running. The PA has been paying the bill; but Hamas does not want to collect from Gaza’s consumers out of fear of being deemed the bad guy by collecting money from Gaza’s poor.
The war of words is a political zoo where those leaders spend most of time squabbling over the littlest of trivial details and find themselves engaged in political posturing after another just to prove a point that one part or the other has the legitimacy while the other lacks it. This is however is never about Palestinian people but rather about influence and power. The people seem to be the only causalities of this political gridlock.
As of now it seems that both parties are interested in preserving the status quo where Hamas gets to keep Gaza and run a government (it does not matter if this government is actually providing any services) and the Ramallah politicians get to keep the West Bank where many parts thrives and tell those who disagree with them, “If you do not like it here, try Gaza”
In Gaza Hamas dominates the great majority of mosques. Just about every neighborhood has one and as you all know, each one has a microphone for announcing prayer times. Hamas sure does make good use of those Mosque microphones and broadcasting systems to announce their messages, recently received news items, and demonstration times and dates. Due to the fact that most people live near a Mosque, Hamas is able to effectively reach all those who live near a mosque. Mosques billboards are another territory Hamas controls, using the advertising space for their activities.
Hamas is now in the movie-making business and not just in it to make cheap, lame movies either. For a long time, Palestinian movie fans have been watching American actions flicks and until Hamas got in the game, no Palestinian movie had been made about a local figure. Hamas established a movie and production studio house called Asda’a,? located on the grounds of one of the liberated settlements in the Gaza Strip. Hamas has a better TV broadcast, In the meantime Fatah has a stronger presence in the internet and the new media; Fatah is more popular on college campuses. Hamas has better relation with the common man in the Arab street; Fatah has better access to Arab and foreign politicians and media outlets.
To understand the complexity of the political gridlock, look at the recent spat over the Palestinian unity pact. The government of Egypt has mediated a reconciliation deal between the two movements since Hamas’ takeover of Gaza in 2007, but now Hamas is picking a fight with the Egyptian mediators after Hamas failed to get them to accept Hamas’ suggestions on the unity government pact. The Egyptian government said they will not be making any modifications to the unity document since Fatah signed is late last year and Hamas has yet to. Hamas politicians have accused Egypt of not being fair and placing themselves as the sole and only broker between the two factions. Hamas has nominated other brokers like Qatar and Turkey, but Egypt and Fatah both maintaining that Egypt is the only broker for the unity government. Early this week Hamas Foreign Minister Mahmoud El-Zahar criticized in an Egyptian newspaper interview Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit for not wanting to listen. This Sunday Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hossam Zaki dismissed Hamas’ reactions as “emotional and confused.” Speaking of Hamas leaders, “some of them don’t want to understand, while others are filled with joy over what is happening and possibly want to make matters even worse”.
While there is plenty of blame to go around the Palestinians people sees that their two leadership fail to see what is at stake here. The Arab street is a tricky one, many Arabs and Muslims are sympathetic to Hamas and that is largely due to a better media strategy and sharp honed talking points Hamas puts out. The other reason for this support is an awkward one. All the popular Arab and Muslim Dictators’ support Hamas; the unpopular ones seem to root for Fatah. So when an unpopular dictators take a shot at Hamas, they are only making them more popular.
Many respectable Palestinians figures dismiss those inner divisions as trivial and call on those leaders not to forget about the bigger fish they have to fry in dealing with Israeli policies that has negative impact on the people of Palestine and their future state. I find myself in agreement with those voices, but if we do not the current Palestinian leadership does not learn to compromise, and stop regional players from fiddling in internal Palestinians politics, I and many Palestinians can hardly see a light at the end of the tunnel.
I think both Fatah and Hamas need to open up dialogue with the people and not just let few elite tell the people to shut up, claiming they know what’s good for them. They both need to listen to the pulse of the people, they rarely do, they have TV stations that spits out talking points after another, but not a single line to take feedback or comments from the people. It’s not coincident that Palestinians are fed up with both parties and looking for a third way. I am convinced that those divisions are political and reflect little of the reality of the unity of Palestinians who remain united, their politicians not so much.
Jail time for Arab who impersonated a Jew and raped through fraud A court sentenced a resident of East Jerusalem who lied to a young woman and told her that he was Jewish in order to have sexual relations with her to a year in a half of prison time. “Protect the public from such criminals.”By Shmuel Mittelman, 19 July 2010 14:38
full story here
So had he been a Jew this would not be considered a rape, but since he is not Jewish, making him a rapist? I have no sympathy for the guy....he gets what he deserves.....but he is no rapist, a lair he is. Does this lady's action help advance women causes?
I took on two different companies in one week, and I am just getting started....
Young Lebanese Star Academy contestant Rami Shmali, 23 years old was visiting his friend in Cairo Egypt and as he was driving his car at high speed he seems to have lost control of his vehicle, he was declared dead on spot, 61 year old Egyptian retiree was in the other car with his wife was also killed. Rami’s friend Mahmud Shukri (an Egyptian contestant in the same show) remains in the hospital in critical condition. We do not really know much about Rami as he is a new comer to the celebrity life, we know he has a college degree in agricultural studies. He did leave the academy with a good reputation, a respectable fan base and a strong presence. His fans still talk about his manly voice and his charming looks.
This event took a bizarre twist when LBC, the network that produces Star Academy unearthed a video of Rami describing a dream about his end in a car accident, not knowing where to go. This is a very touching story To get to the moment where Rami tells about his dream, forward to minute 3:16 and allow yourself to be amazed. I also think the songs performed during this exchange are a proper farewell for this young star.
Here is a video about the star and his short lived career to remember him. I send my thoughts and prayers to his family and his friends at those troubling events. I also pray for Mahmud’s to get well soon. You can read more here
This originally published on the Hot Arabic Music Blog
Watch this video of Darth Vader from Star Wars franchise walks into a subway place If this happened in any other place, people will care, but since New York, the Big Apple has seen it all, no one cares if they spot some aliens on a subway.
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Yesterday, I was shopping for a couch as Roa decided we need one, as we passed a large number of stores that sell furniture in the Districts, I came up with a conclusion....
Good bye World Cup congratulation to Spain (I was for the Netherlands) their team had a good game and played well to the last minute.
I would usually cheer for the little guy, but Uruguay does not have my vote and I hope Germany beat them and beat them badly. My fall out with this South American team came in the wake of their game with Ghana.
I often take the bus to work as I do not drive and my options thus are limited...here are few observations:
Fireworks all over the place in the District of Columbia, I do not know why crazy people go to the National Mall as early as 7 AM in the hopes of seeing the fireworks. What they get is dehydration in the process, and a small worse than rotten kimchi.
People are fun, parties are also fun people who over share stories about themselves at parties are priceless.
Ghana should have won the game against Uruguay, the cheaters...they lost it, but they put a out a great game. Not only do I want Uruguay beat in their next game, I want them schooled.
The smartest study you will read this week
Robert Pape of the University of Chicago studied the most recent cases: "The central fact is that overwhelmingly suicide-terrorist attacks are not driven by religion as much as they are by a clear strategic objective: to compel modern democracies to withdraw military forces from the territory that the terrorists view as their homeland. From Lebanon to Sri Lanka to Chechnya to Kashmir to the West Bank, every major suicide-terrorist campaign--over 95 percent of all the incidents--has had as its central objective to compel a democratic state to withdraw."
Read the article here
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