Free Coffee

We don't need to pay for our coffee at work. We just go to that coffee machine, choose for either coffee, espresso, hot water for tea and so on... then select if the desired drink extra or less strong, then press the "start" button where on the top small black screen it gives in red letters the choices made, and at the end of the selection text the following sentence is displayed: Free of Charge!!!!!!

It is free of charge, we know that! or is it like a favor the company is giving us and would like to remind us every time we feel like a drink?

I wish they also serve Stroopwaffles with the coffee, that would be great :)

Largest Flag

I read a couple of days ago about a collective work by a number of Palastinian and Syrian activists in Damascus, Syria, which resulted in making the biggest ever Palastinian flag and according to these activits, the largest in the world, which qualifies it as a record breaking that can be included to the Guinness World of Records

However, searching the net revealed that Israel and the United States each claims to be the one breaking Guiness World records! In addition, information on Wikipedia showed that Cyprus claim to be the one breaking the Guiness World record. Oh! but wait a minute, I should have more in depth look into this subject. I should categorise the term the largest flag and from there pick up a winner. In other words, I should specify "the largest flag hanging" or "the largest flag representation"... etc As in this list

Two things I don't like about that: the first is the way such a competition has been carried out! each party claiming that he is the best and he did the one deserve to be breaking the world record. The second thing is: it ruined the whole idea of having something unique made by man!

Detainees

This is video of detainess somewhere in Iraq ... that's only what I have to say!

Deviantart

Last November I shared tribute with Zahra, an Iraqi graphic designer who commemorated the loss of her cousin's dad by making a beautiful picture and put it on Deviantart website. One thing I thought I did since then is to give tribute to the Deviantart website itself for being a community that brought millions of visitors, graphic designers, professional photographers, models, artists and amateurs altogether to share and discuss the beautiful art of photography, pictures manipulation, tutorials, among many others.

For that reason I put on the daily top 5 deviants on my blog as an appreciation to the work and effort being done on that site.

Congratulations, Lebanon...

Army chief Michel Sleiman became the country's 11'th
president after six months vaccum created by constitutional and other political fued between the government and the oppsition. This is the first time in the history of Lebanon that a president being elected with wide Arab and International delegations present.

One thing worth mentioning about the new president during his days as Army chief is his achievement in perserving the army from being inflicted with the secterian tension between the different groups in the country. Many people have great expectations that Lebanon's new president will bring unity and prosperity to the country despite the big challenges ahead.

Get A Life!!!

I met him for the first time at a birthday party two years ago, when he told about his first visit to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. I met him again last weekend at some friends and to my surprise DID tell the same story again. The frustration was very clear on the voice and face expressions of that 50 something years old Dutch man. He is extremely bitter about everything over there! this is the impression I can get. He is against the fact that Pakistani and Benglaishi building workers are under the burning sun for more than (according to him) 60 hours a week working. He is not happy with people enjoying the air conditioning everywhere they go. He is against the fact that families have nanies and people working as servants in gardens, car drivers, cooking...etc He is against the pay standards for labour in that country...

This time I didn't say anything but watching him talk and talk. I didn't have the mood to repeat what I said to him during the first time meeting. I am not going to address my point of view about what is wrong and what is right on this issue, because this is not the subject of the matter now! Further more, I am not against someone talking about the same subject on two or more occasions, BUT I AM AGAINST, and it makes me extremely mad when someone talk negatively about certain culture by comparing it to his own; by fully condemn many aspects in other people's culture, because in the Netherlands it is dealt with differently.

I don't want to be misunderstood here that I am against Dutch culture (or defending Dubai's culture), nothing like that! I adore the fact that in this world there are different countries, heritage, religions. I respect fully other cultures, even if they would contradict or might conflict with my own, as long as it won't force itself on me as a person!

The thing is that that man went to Dubai a number of times, not only once. He didn't pay a cent for a hotel or residency or anything else, except for his cigarettes, maybe, because of some relatives or close friends living there for years now! While he was talking I was wondering if he would ever think of visiting Dubai in the first place and worry about those poor men working under the burning sun, if it wasn't for his relatives living there!

The only conclusion is that this man either jealous of his relatives living in Dubai - there are who act and say bad things about people and countries if they are jealous, that's a fact! or it was an attempt to play the role of the ultimate protector of people's rights on a spot somewhere on this planet! or he is out of words and decided to initiate some kind of hot topic!

Image courtesy of VIPwnt

Dream Band

What a coincidence, yesterday I was thinking of what my dream band would be. I laughed today when I knew that I am not the only one who would dream of the almost the same lineup. Gus G, of the band Firewind has almost similar "wish", except for the choice of the who would be on vocals and drums. His choice are very similar to mine, of having Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell) on guitar, Steve Harris (Iron Maiden) on bass guitar, Jon Lord (Deep Purple - Whitesnake) on Organ/Keyboards. The guitarist of Firewind put Ronnie James Dio on vocals and Cozy Powell on Drums. However, not that I don't want Dio on lead vocals (he is one of my favorites), but I would put my nr.1 favorite singer instead, no other than the mighty Ian Gillan. Not only that he is the lead singer of Deep Purple, but he did "Born Again" with Sabbath, for God's sake!! Considering Cozy Powell being out of the question due to his death back in 1995, Gus G and I should pick up another drummer for this dream band. What would be my choice? Slayer's Dave Lombardo? I don't know if he would fit in considering his style! or Tommy Aldridge (Ozzy Osbourne - Whitesnake)?

I am not familiar with the music of Firewind, but one thing I am going to do today for sure, to give a listen to The Premonition!

Image courtesy of guillhermes

Captain Iraq

Below is the latest work by, Lattuf, a cartoonist from Brazil. His work is inspired by Captain America comics character who fought the Nazis during world war II.

Is it really that hard for humanity to persecute those who committed crimes against humanity that we are desperate for a super hero to act on our behalf?

Arab Comics

This website rocks!! it is as simple as that!! It is excellent work to revive old comics translated from the likes of Marvel, DC, even Manga (Japanese comics art) and other. The effort done by the men and women on that website is extraordinary, by taking time scanning old comics or translating original ones, and above all assisting each other to put these comics in a very elegant and professional way on the website. The phenomenal effort and time taken from the members of that site to do all that voluntarily without seeking commercial profit or something deserve big applause.

Many people visited the site acknowledged something of a dream come true reading their old favorites and own them digitally after all these years.

Some poeple from non-Arab countries thought that "arabising" comics published by Marvel and DC, for example might ruin the feel and essence of the story. Some mention that giving comics characters Arabic names itself is a bad idea. On the contrary, a lot of people from the Arab world enjoyed the characters of "Klark Kent" named "Nabeel Fawzi", or "Jimmy Olsen" named "Nadeem Hilmy", or "Louis Lane" named "Randa" in the Arabic versions. By the way, due to public demand and success of such book-reading, the translation of famous comic books extended to included other European languages, such as French and Dutch, where Tin Tin (or Kuifje in Dutch - Belgian) were enlisted among many other comics characters.

The translation of known comic books is not new to the Arab world - I mean it is not part of the reforms George Bush is pressuring Arab governments to pursue. Lebanon and Egypt have been the leaders in such for many and many years back. On Arabcomics.net I read one of the first Batman comics that has been translated back in 1966. They were some ups and downs with the publishing of Arabic comics, especially in Lebanon, because of the Civil War and political situation, but it remains to this day loved by many. Recently a Kuwaiti private sector company has contracted with Marvel to translate their comics and re-introduce them to the Arab world in a new look.

The work on Arabcomics.net regarding translation and scanning is considered by myself as first class work by first class artists. It is not only a hobby by some men and women who wanted to re-live their childhood through exploring forgotten translated comics

I bow my hat for you, guys!

Aqoul's Review On "Infidel"

Very interesting review by Aqoul did on the latest book called "infidel", written by former Dutch MP, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a woman who is known to many for her controversial stand against Islam and Muslims!

I am not planning to buy the book or read it, for various reasons: First because it won't serve any purpose in reading (and profiting the author by buying it in the first place) a book of someone who continuously exploiting freedom of expression granted to everyone in the Netherlands to achieve political or personal gains. Second, I won't support anyone using / attacking any religion to acheive political and personal gains. I consider that as the dirtiest attempt to reach fame and glory. The third reason is generalization; In the Netherlands there is a big Muslim community living in every single village and town. This community consists of people coming from the east and west of the Muslim world i.e. practice of Islam differs from one country to the other. Conclusion, Harsi Ali's problem with her traditions has nothing to do with women in Egypt or Iraq, for example, therefore, women from Egypt or Iraq won't have sympathy or support for "the cause" that Harsi Ali is "fighting for".

Bush Visit To Dubai

I didn't think that such a fiasco has been created during the last visit of the American president to Dubai. Adventures in Dubai blog summoned everything up here

Another Change In Iraq's Flag

After the fall of the Saddam’s regime, news broke out of adopting a new Iraqi flag instead of the current one, which became a taboo after Saddam put Allah Akbar “God is Great” on the flag on the eve of 1991. The flag caused big opposition and rejection, mainly because of its similarity to the flag of Israel! Today the parliament discussed a draft legislation related to the same issue with the recommendations (from the Kurds) to change the font to Kufi (Arabic font) and the color of the word “Allah Akbar” from green to yellow. The parliament also discussed a new legislation to make each star of the three centered in the Iraqi flag to represents Peace, Tolerance and Justice, instead of what has been perceived for decades as the three principles of Ba’ath party: Unity, Freedom and Socialism. A few days ago, I read in the news that a competition is in the preparation to come out with a new anthem and design for the flag! Does the discussion in the parliament means that no competition will go on and that the flag will go through face lift only?

Iraqi TV After 2003

It is really amazing to find out that there are 28 Iraqi satellite channels exists today. At least this is what I managed to count so far. All these channels were launched after the end of war, and the fall of the Iraqi regime in 2003. The former Iraqi regime used to prohibit the use of a sattelite dish - Anyone caught owning a dish on the roof of his house will face punishment and imprisonment, one of them I heard had such a fate was an old neighbor of mine. The Iraqi government had two ground channels and one official satellite channel. The sattelite channel has been bombed by the US during the last war. I still remember the final images from that channel, particularly, the repetition of a song by young Iraqi singer, Qasim Al Sultan, carrying a golden Klashinkof, standing in the middle of old and young soldiers, and singing for Iraq - after the war there were many romurs that this singer was shot dead for singing that song! After the end of the war, the wave of "independent" channels began with the launch of Alsharqiya TV, a channel made and still managed by Saad Al Bazaz (former head of Iraqi TV and owner of Azzaman newspaper). The channel also sponsored financially by Sheikhs from the United Arab Emirates. When Alsharqiya began broadcasting, it brought a smile on the faces of many Iraqis, especially those living abroad for so many years, because it carried the same spirit Iraqi TV used to have during the 1970 and the 1980s (if I can describe it in such a way correctly).

However, Alsharqiya became one of many channels, when the US government decided to have its own media means in Iraq, by launching AlHurra, which runs on the same frequency the ex-official Iraqi satellite TV used to run on before the fall of the regime. Al Hurra was clearly a CNN but in Arabic, so the effort was put to launch another channel, Al Iraqiya, which became the official TV station for "new Iraq"! With the flow of money coming from all directions into Iraq - regardless of the financiall or political profit can be gained, the number of satellite channels increased rapidly. We have now Al Furat, which is sponsored by Abdel Aziz Al Hakim. There are other Shiite orientated channels, such as Al Zahara, Ahl Al Beet, Karbala and Salam TV. However, other ethnic groups in Iraq decided to follow suit and have their own echo heard through the ether: Some of them were there before the fall of the regime of Saddam, such as Kurdistan TV, and KurdSat - The latter began during the late 1990s advertising late night half naked girls, and a telephone number with Arabic and Kurdish text on top of the screen!

Most of Iraqi channels are trying so hard to be colorful with the variety of shows they broadcast; Al Diyar TV, for example, focuses on domestic issue in Iraq more than anything else. Also, there is Al Fayhaa TV, a channel launched first from the United Arab Emirates after the fall of the regime, and played a big role during the last elections and during the trail of Saddam in the past two years, by broadcasting live interviews and live phonecalls with ordinary Iraqis from around the globe, which I think put the cast of that channel into problems and caused it suddenly to diminish with its popularity later on! Worth noting other TV channels trying so hard to boost their popularity among the wave of Iraqi and Arabic satellite channels, such as Afaq, alsumaria and Baladi. In addition, there are regional satellite channels, such as Salah Il Dien TV, which gives news and information on the activities taking place in that province.

There are some other channels launched with the help of other countries, such as Turkmen TV (with the support of Turkey of this ethnic group), and to ensure the rights of other minorities, other ethnic groups, such as Christians launched their own TV stations, such as Ashur TV, Bet Al Nahrain TV, and Ishtar TV stations, which shed some light on the activities of Iraqis abroad as well as inside the country.

Other channels were directly hostile towards the US troops, such as Al Zawra, did not have anything but low quality fragments of attacks by armed groups against US forces in Iraq, mostly taken from the internet, mainly, and with a news bulletin running horizontally below the screen announcing the latest news and messages coming across on latest "victories against the occupier". The channel used to broadcast from Egypt, and caused some sort of crisis between Egyptian and US government because the latter wanted to close that channel forever. One other TV channel broadcasting from Egypt, known for its use of advanced TV technology is Al Baghdadia TV. This channel remains the center of attention and in my opinion the only one that can compete with Alsharqiya regarding the nature of shows and news update it brings to the viewers.

By the end of 2006, different types of Iraqi channels were launched. The variety which established competition among TV channels pushed some to launch specialized TV channels. We now see Iraqi channels limited to sport events and news, such as Iraq Sport. In addition, music channels showing young men and women never seen before as singers in video clips now can be seen 24 hours a day. One of these music channels called Vinus - I heard that it is broadcasting from the United Arab Emirates.

One might ask the question: does such channels feed the separation of Iraqis taking into the consideration the ethnic and political crisis we have in Iraq? Some argue that this is the consequences of decades of dictatorship, which resulted now in a chaotic atmosphere, even in the media. Others argue that this democracy and every Iraqi have the right to express his opinion and point of view the way he or she sees suitable. But would that enlarge the gap between anarchy and freedom?

Kuwaiti Analyst View On Al Sahwa

I heard many says that the US has the main role in putting security in Iraq, esepcially, with the clearly witnessed decline in violence, particurly in Baghdad. One Kuwaiti analyst was interviewed on Al Jazeera TV channel today said that the emergence of Al Sahwa, a movement started from the western provice of Anbar, and spread into other Iraqi provinces, such as Mousel and Baghdad to fight Al Qaeda, is mainly due to US support and encouragment. I don't know if this is the same support and encouragment the US offered, which empowered the Shiite militias couple of years ago.

However, this Kuwaiti analyst is entitled to his own point of view but he is in fact denying Iraqis the credit of trying to make their country's future better! This to include reconsuliation and free its cities and villages from outsiders and occupiers. One other thing, this analyst is forgetting that part of the problem in Iraq is the US itself, so how can a problem can be solved with the use of another problem?

An Opinion

Artist's Comments:
this is clearly a street sign and a stop sign but when you look at them at a sertin angle you read them like this!!!War: A useless invention and tool of man...well I think you no MY opinion... it is a statement but also a work of my clever mind... any who there you have it!!!!

Courtesy of ~random-shadow

Press Conference In Egypt

In his latest visit to Egypt at the end of last year, and during a joint press conference with Egyptian president, Mubarak, French president Nicolas Sarkozy called on Syria to act using its influence to end the ongoing presedential crisis. The tone used by the French president angered the Syrian officials, and two days later the attitude backfired when Syria decided to cut communication channels regarding Lebanon with France.

The press conference started when Egyptian President Mubarak read slowly from a paper his speech welcoming the French guest, and as in any speech he emphesized on strong economic and political ties with the Republic of France and its president, and gave his compliments to the French effort in restoring peace and security in the middle east generally. However, Sarkozy was different, he was swift and straight forward in his speech. He did not read from the paper before him - maybe he had only some points written about what he want to talk about. He improvised from the way he was addressing the journalists. He showed big pride in the way his government using in dealing with the different issues world wide, and gave big gratittude and tribute to the efforts made by his foreign minister, Kouchner, in this regards.

Of course he focused on considering dialogue the only means in dealing with all issues concerning the middle east, and nothing but the dialogue between conflicting parties in that region. He rejected the concept of showing power and strength! Sarkozy reminds me of two invistegators trying to get confessions from someone in a police station; one enter the room where the detainee sitting alone, he start shouting, cursing, and sometimes beating that detainee. He exit the room to let the other investigator enters; the other one speaks calmly and softly. he put his hand on the detainee's shoulder to calm him down and put his fears into peace! Does Sarkozy and his ties with the United States (which he publicly proud of and vow to improve further) allow him to play the role of the second investegator?

Maybe, but at the same time we see some else in the tactics used by the French President, esepcially after his latest visits to countries bordering the Medeterranean region, in particular, north african countries. One thing for certain, Sarkozy want a new France, a new France in the region, a new and powerful France in the region. This has been clearly illustrated during his visits to North African countries. The aim is economic ties with these countries, and ensure that these countries can be a good candidate to be economically dependent on France. However, this time the tactics is different and the product is not food or military or goods; it is nuclear technology. During the press conference with Egyptian president Mubarak, the second or the third point the French president made in his speech was how Egypt can benefit from having French nuclear technology for peaceful means. Any observer realize that Egypt was not the first North African country to receive such an offer, Lybia is another example.

Interesting, though, that after decades of the west is depending on energy source from the east, the west, this time, is within the initial steps to be the source of energy for the east, among many other things! Will the future hold for us a new phenommenan?

Know Your Enemy

Human Weakness

During an interview conducted on Al Baghdadiya satellite TV station with Faisal Al-Yasiri, known Iraqi TV director and former head of Iraqi Television station before the fall of Saddam's Regime, he shed some light on his days during the making of the controversial political show "Al Malef" (the dossier, in English), which is a weekly show consist of an interviews with ministers and government officials from Saddam's regime. Al-Yasiri explained how some ministers were dead afraid of their own answers they used to give to their host on the show. They even asked Al-Yasiri more than once after the recording of the interview to edit them and erase some of their answers so they "won't be misunderstood by others"!

Sadoon Hammady and Mohammed Al Sahaf were the most difficult to interview, according to Al-Yasiri, because both were not happy to be interrupted while answering certain quesiton.

Al-Yasiri described the behavior and attitude of those government officials and ministers at that time as "human weakness". He tells how each minister used to come with stack of papers carried with them behind by their employees accompanying them. These papers were referenced to most frequently when needed during the interview. All this to avoid giving the "wrong" or "inappropriate" answer which might anger Saddam and other people very close to Saddam. They didn't want to trespassing the boundaries Saddam has put before them!

Happy New Year!

Its good to be back, for almost three weeks didn’t do anything related to computers and the internet – even I a feeling of awkwardness when my finger tips touches the keys on the keyboard.

It might be a little bit late, but want to say Happy New Year and wish the world, east to west, north to south healthy, happy and easy 2008.

Retirement & Consciousness

Another retired military/intelligence expert decided to come out and admit using harsh treatment to prisoners. How come the notorious Donald Rumsfeld didn’t follow suit like Lieutenant General Ricardo S. Sanchez? It seems that those guys looked in the mirror more often after retirement and decided collectively to take the next step for them to clear consciousness, and to disclose either their disgust with their superior’s policy or admitting doing wrong (soft word for crime against humanity).

P.S. picture is courtesy of Eddi The Yetti