The Illusion Of Absolute Freedom In America

I love America, and I like the many things we can do here. However my idea of America has never been that in which I dub America is a free for all society where anything goes. I once left a place because the lawless land can never be a free one. Freedom does not mean chaos, which seems what people mistake for democracy. For democracy to work, we have to have order.

Think about this:

You will never live in a free country and you will never find one to call home. If this is a problem for you then you have been looking at nothing but mirage. In America you are not free to incite violence, you are not free to tell jokes on airplanes now are you free to park in the middle of an intersection and block traffic. You are not supposed to walk naked in the streets even though technically you are doing no harm. And I think such things make America a better place. You do not have the absolute freedom to do anything you want in America, and that's a good thing, because living somewhere with absolute freedom means you live in a little place called Somali.

There are countless different laws and rules that come with existing in American, and the people have put such rules for a reason. Why else would we have stupid laws if it was not for someone making it necessary to pass such laws and ordinance. As a collective, people have to give their consent for such rules even they might overturn them or strike them later. In a republic doesn't scream "Hey you, go do whatever the hell you want." To me it means that no one else is supposed to step on your rights, violate you or wrong you. If that happens then the society with its institutions will make it right. This was defined a civilized society. But if stop being civil, then we really have no use for a civilization.

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My Interview With The National

If you want to take a look at Arabic Music news at the moment, make sure to read my latest interview with the National. This is a quick read if you want few words here and there about the state of Arab pop at the moment. Thanks.

For people completely new to Arab music, what three musicians shouldn't be missed?

For pop, tune in to Haifa Wehbe. If you want real music from a singer with rock-star swagger, it's Mohamed Mounir. Indie bands: Cairokee and Black Theama. For something really different, listen to [the Syrian traditional singer] Sabah Fakhri. 

Read here 

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Great! I Love Baseball Now

I am open to changing my mind, this time, I have changed my mind on what I think of Baseball. In the past I thought it was a boring game. I was coming from a mentality that the game should draw you in every single second, like soccer, something it always happening and you are on the edge of your seats. It's a game you go to to relax and get excited once in a while, you do not really have to watch every second of the game, you can take a break and come back and the game still would make as much sense as it did before you have  walked away.

But in baseball that factor is largely missing, there are moments when you are on the edge of your seat waiting for something exciting, but in general Baseball is a slow game. Then it hit me, the game itself should be only one part of the experience. I have concluded that going to baseball game at a ballpark is a true cultural experience. It turn out that it's a place where memories are shaped where young and old flock to see a game, but entertain themselves with various kinds of food--hot dogs is the all time original.

But for me, being with my friends and talking about the game and different things, then sharing a laugh over that drunk guy who is screaming various chants including but limited to "Let's Get Sexy!" all counts for the experiences. Then the giant screen they have, various movie clips they play, and the camera rolling showing dancing and all sorts of activities among the fans. The music they play also contributes to that atmosphere. Kids can be kids there, and couples can do what couples love to do....it's sort of bringing an entire community and letting them be themselves altogether in public.      

But perhaps the most fun part was dressing in my hometown baseball team color with a cap, only to be talked to by strangers who feel strongly about their team who just beat my own. It was a fun exchange on the metro like none I have ever had.

Sure, there are things, I still do not enjoy like overpriced mediocre foods and crowded everything, but at least for me this was a rare and beautiful outing.   

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Does Sacha Baron Cohen Support The Israeli Occupation

Sacha Baron Cohen loves to mock all and everything Arabs and Muslims. All of his three popular movies go out of their way to vilify Arabs and Muslims, like he did in his second film, interviewing some Palestinians guy and labeling him a terrorist. Ayman Abu Aita, a not for profit worker who was labeled terrorist in one of Sacha's movies, The guy sued Sacha in the district of Colombia two years ago. What does a show about a gay model have to do with Palestine beats me. His first movie is also about a journalist from a Muslim republic who does crazy stunts and shows a great deal of ignorance and resentment toward Israel--this really felt forced.
 Bruno and Zionist propaganda?

Now comes the third movie, the Dictator about an Arab/Muslim leader who is designed to make the entire Arab and Muslim faith look bad. While No one has seen the movie, form the many clips and trailers, it's hard to conclude that the movie will have anything nice to say about Muslims and Arabs. Looking back at the place that shapes Shacha's funny bone the London based comedy group Habonim, a group that describes itself as "a Socialist Zionist Culturally Jewish youth movement". Cohen comes from an observant Jewish family, he is a partisan of the Israeli cause

I'm sure when the topic of his support to Israel and its illegal occupation of Palestinian land, he will say this, "I am not engaged in those discussions" Fair enough, but why does bulk of his work focuses on making the Palestinians-like he did in Burno look despicable? An analyst from Bitterlemons.org, who was duped by one of Bruno's pranks had this to say about him "He is exploiting our tragic and painful conflict in the most cynical and deceptive manner. I doubt he'll give us anything in return."He cannot just punch one guy and smile in the face of the other guy and then look at the camera and say I am not taking sides. Take this example, Sacha found enough time to slam the protest over Toronto Film festival for its Tel Aviv event
  
Sure his movies can be funny because using a certain group as a punchline works. I have yet to see one movie or a statement from the actor picking on someone else other than Arabs and Muslims. Sure he did a good job in Hugo--a good movie by the way. It seems that any movie he leads, writes, produces will be doing nothing but advancing stereotypes about the Arab people. He wins when hos movies make a killing and he also wins when he sees his political agenda creeps into the mainstream culture. 

Sacha is free to think what he wants and make any movie he likes to make, but he is not free to claim impartial to the conflict. I only ask that he should be labeled as so, just like Israel labels those international activists and punch them in the face. 

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Arabs Might Not Swim Well, But Arabian Horses Do

Not too many Arab people can tell you they are good at swimming, many are no doubt, but most have a fear of water. But horses tell a different story.

Horse Swims 3 Miles 3 Hours!

An Arabian horse named William was rescued from the sea on Tuesday after he got spooked and ran into the water, swimming two miles out to sea. The 6-year-old horse bolted from a beach photo shoot near Santa Barbara, Calif. and plunged into the ocean, launching a rescue effort that included helicopter searchers. He was finally spotted two miles from the shore, swimming toward oil rigs. Rescuers attached a hook to the horse’s reins and pulled him into a boat. He was examined by a veterinarian and released back to his owner.

Horse takes three-hour swim in ocean after getting spooked during photo shoot on California beach. Owner Mindy Peters said the 6-year-old Arabian, whose official name is Heir of Temptation, was part of a photo clinic on the beach when it was spooked by waves and ran off.


So a man with a camera scared the Arabian, just like we human we freak out when we see an identified man with a camera....could it be he is working for one of those national security agencies? 

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

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Food Riots, My Bland Tasting Chicken and GMOs

Often Times, people talk about how food does not taste real and how food items like chicken, seafood and produce now taste bland. It's not that I disagree with them because I do agree with those observations. But this is why America has so many sauces and salad dressings, they help give flavor to otherwise dull food. No one needed sauces in the country side in the turn of century....food tastes good naturally.  No need to modify the taste or add some flavor to it.

Now a 10 years later, the world keeps on growing, and no sign this growth is slowing down. The more the merrier is how I live my life too, but when it comes to food something had to give. I come from a family of 10, so I won't preach the virtues of birth control and all that spiel. America and the world has found it easier to solve the food crisis than to tell people how many kids to have.

So they went to work working on genes, and harvesting better crops, that requires less water, less heat, less this and more that. That's why now food is so cheap in many parts of the world. America really feeds the world, all that corn and wheat, beef, potatoes in middle America helps maintain America's soft power. By controlling so much of many basic goods America has the upper hand without even firing a bullet. To their credit, they do some charity work with that food too. But we are all self interested, so charity is nit the first thing policy makers wake up with every morning.

GMOs, Hormones....and farm seafood are all necessary evil, we simply cannot afford to get on our collective high horses and preach that such things are bad for us. It's either these things or starvation. Have you checked out the price of an organic chicken lately? I bet you did not. My point is, to make food like my grandparents had would be costly and in fact sometimes selfish. A gallon of milk is cheaper than some high end gallon of water, do the math and give me call.

Food riots are nothing strange, in order for this world to be peaceful, food prices have to be as low as possible, and that's a relative term. No one wants to live in a world where people cannot afford the food, because this world will be anything but peaceful. So, go ahead and add all the sauce you want on those chicken breasts, you picked for $6.99 at frozen food section. If you enjoy a Mac Jr. hamburger for a dollar, you do not need to ask what's in it, it fills you up. I bet you could not make it if I have given you 3 bucks. By the same token, the watermelon might not be that sweet, but its price sure is.        

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This is What I Call Funny With No Subtitle

Someone in Egypt wanted to give people a hard time, and give us a laugh with it. Pulling prank on people for candid camera is always popular. Check out this reel with one guy causing shenanigans all over the place. This actor prankster is surely disturbing the peace. I must admit, I laughed few times and sometimes, I felt bad for the people who were either humiliated or scared.   

This is part of a show that will air in Ramadan 2012, so enjoy the teaser. Only in Egypt they can do these videos, somewhere else they would most likely get in trouble for it. 

اغلس واحد فى الدنيا هههههههههه

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Baby Clothes And Adult Wear Display

Ever noticed how department stores always display baby clothes near the lingerie section? Trust me on it, I did the research on this.

I am not sure why they would that, but something tells me this approach might be similar to the approach the department of health uses with tobacco warning. Enjoy this product, but we want you to know that you gonna die sucker!

1. Back to lingerie, the baby clothes do just that, a reminder that when you enjoy this product too, you will end up crossing the aisle any purchasing some baby clothes. This could be part of the conservative agenda. What a turn off.
2. But if I ask my grandpa father, he will think lingerie are also baby clothes. No wonder why so many Americans call their sweet ones, baby. It all makes sense now why they stock lingerie and baby clothes in one section. 
3. It also can be understood, that there's a close relationship between those who purchase baby clothes tend to spend more on intimate wear hoping to spice things up and kill the routine. Maybe also try to cover up those birth marks.

If you ask me I think these two items baby clothes and other baby clothes are overpriced.     

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