Tuesday, September 30, 2008

ويمكرون وكان تروتسكى خير الماكرين

في وسط الأزمة، ومن بين عشرات المقالات والتقارير والآراء التى قرأتها وسمعتها مؤخراً، توقفت أكثر من مرة أمام هذا التقرير المقتضب الذى نشرته قناة الجزيرة، وجمعت فيه بين رأى الرئيس الفرنسي ساركوزى والسيدة الفاضلة كوندليزا رايس.

ساركوزى كرجل أعمال ناجح أيقن بعد مسيرة طويلة أن المال ليس كل شيء وأنه يحتاج أيضاً إلى السلطة، اعتبر الأزمة المالية النهاية لنظام السوق المفتوح المعروف عندنا في دول العالم الثالث ذات الخلفية اليسارية بالرأسمالية المتوحشة، ونادى ساركوزى بنظام رأسمالى جديد يخضع لقيود وسياسيات تحميه من الجنون.

ما طالب به ساركوزى بالطبع ليس سياسية جديدة أو تصحيح للنظام للرأسمالى، بل ببساطة خلطة قديمة بين رأس المال والفساد السياسى، جربنها قبل ذلك في مصر وتمت تجربتها في أكثر من دولة والنتيجة كانت طحينة سببها سياسيين مثل أحمد عز يتحكمون في وضع القوانين التى تخدم مصالحهم فقط. وهذا على الأرجح ما يرغب فيه أشخاص فاشيين مثل ساركوزى يحاولون الاختباء حول شعارات اشتراكية.

* * *

التصريح الثانى للسيدة الفاضلة كوندليزا رايس وفيه تدافع "رايس" عن الرأسمالية وتؤكد أنها سبب كل التطور الذى شهدته البشرية في السنوات الأخيرة، وأنه لا حل إلا الرأسمالية. طبعاً هذا كلام مسخرة لأن ألمانيا النازية مثلاً هى التى اخترعت البلاستيك وعشرات الاختراعات الأخرى وهذا لا يجعل النازية صالحة لكل زمان ومكان، وإذا كانت الرأسمالية هى السبب في ظهور نظام وندوز فهذا لا يعنى أنها النظام الصالح لكل زمان ومكان، بل يعنى أنها نظام الإدارة الذى قام بدوره على أكمل وجه اتجاه الإنسانية والآن جاء الدور لكى يتنحى جانباً ويترك المجال لنظام آخر..

نظام لم تتحدد ملامحه بعد، ولا أحد يمكنه تحديد شكله، لكنه بالتأكيد لن يكون النظام الذى سيترك مصير الإنسانية، في يد حفنة من التجار الذى يتربعون على رأس الشركات والتكتلات الإقتصادية الكبري، ولن يعمل هذا النظام على دعم النزعات الاستهلاكية لدى الأفراد العاديين، من خلال حسابات بنكية افتراضية... ببساطة لأنه

أولاً ثبت أن تحويل الأفراد إلى قطعان ماشية لا تفكر إلا في الحصول على المنتج المعروض في الفترينة، لا يؤدى إلى نمو اقتصادى حقيقى بل مزيد من الأموال المسحوبة من خلال بطاقات الائتمان دون ضمانات حقيقية. وفي النهاية لا تعبر حركة الأرقام والمؤشرات التى تعكسها البورصة والنشرات الاقتصادية عن ثروة حقيقية بقدر ما تعبر عن مجموعة من الديوان الافتراضية التى تنتقل من اليمين إلى اليسار ومن اليسار إلى اليمين.

ثانياً لأن البعض أخيراً بدأ يقتنع بأن الثروات الموجودة على سطح الكوكب تتناقص يوماً بعد يوم.

ثالثاً لأن جورج بوش تبين في النهاية أنه ليس عضو في الحزب الجمهوري، بل عضو في خلية شيوعية سرية ذات نزعة تروتسيكه تعمل على تقويض دعائم النظام العالمى، من خلال تخريب النظام الاقتصادى الأمريكى، وعدم احترام أهم مبادئه وهى حرية السوق وعدم جواز تدخل الحكومة وتلاعبها بذلك السوق، فبوش يسعى بهمه إلى توريط الحكومة في أزمة البنوك بحيث تتحول الديون من ديون البنوك والأفراد إلى ديون الحكومة، وبدل من أن تعلن البنوك إفلاسها ربما يأتى يوم تعلن الحكومة إفلاسها، وبهذا تتضح حقيقية انتماءات بوش السياسية اليسارية المنحرفة.

رابعاً: فقد أثبتت الحوادث الأخيرة والأزمة التى تتضخم يوماً بعد يوم صحة المقولة التى تقول "ويمكرون وكان تروتسكى خير الماكرين"، وإن كان هذا لا يعنى بالطبع صحة ما ينادى بها السيد ساركوزى من عودة الإشراف الحكومى للسيطرة على السوق.

خامساً: من يدري، ربما تكون هذه الأزمة البداية الجديدة لنظام جديد، يوفر حرية التنقل للأفراد والبضائع لا الشركات الكبري فقط، ويضع حداً لسيطرة الحكومات في العالم كله وتداخلاتها في رأس المال، ويفتح الباب لسوق حر لا يخضع لأى شروط إلا لشروط القوى العاملة التى تقوم بالإنتاج والتى تتحمل لوحدها عبأ النجاح أو الفشل دائماً، سوق لا يخضع فيه رأس المال لسيطرة الحكومات الفاسدة أو حتى الديمقراطية بل لسيطرة العرض والطلب، وقانون النقابات العمالية المستقلة التى هى الأدرى بالتأكيد بقدراتها.

سادساً: نترككم مع الحاج روجر وترز يغنى لنا عن المال، وخدعه التى تكشفها الأيام، كما ندعوكم لقراءة تدوينة صاحب الأشجار وإن كنا لا نحبذ تصديق شائعته التى يروج فيها لسقوط الفيمار

Saturday, September 27, 2008

The first presidential debate smothered by political correctness

I watched the debate at a bar near my hotel, and sat through the 90 minutes wondering when things would heat up-they didn't. Maybe it's because the candidates are weary, maybe they've vented all their frustration in Washington at the bailout talks, but either way, neither McCain or Obama hit the jackpot last night.

Other than McCain calling Obama inexperienced and unknowledgeable a couple of times, there were no low blows during the debate, and neither of the candidates said anything particularly new. Rather it was a sort of sum up for anyone who hadn't been following the elections for the past 6 months on what the candidates' positions were. While the polls say that people think Obama did slightly better, my modest opinion is that neither candidate had very much of an effect on undecided voters last night. While I respect the seriousness of last night's debate, I think with the polls so close, the stakes are too high for either McCain or Obama to hold back. I think more hard hitting, agressive discussion is going to be necessary if these debates are going to determine the next president of the USA.

Either way, it should be fun to watch Biden and Palin next Thursday. I predict that Palin will compose a total of 3 coherent arguments with proper syntax. But that's just me.

سارة بالين وشمهورش - فيديو حقيقي ونادر


سارة بالين طلعت مريوحة وليها في الأسياد

Friday, September 26, 2008

فلتفعلها اذا فزت يا جون

مرة أخري أعود إلي النهاية المسرحية التي اختتم بها أوباما المناظرة حين حكي عن ابيه الذي هاجر من كينيا لهذا العالم الفاتن المسمي "أمريكا" وتأكيده علي حتمية استعادة أمريكا مثل هذه الصورة عبر دعم عمليات خيرة ومفيدة مثل "التعليم"..

النهاية علي الرغم من أنها تحولت بقدرة قادر من جملة استعراضية بارعة للسيناتور اوباما الذي تخيل انه سيسحق العجوز الممل جون ماكين،إلي إقرار بالهزيمة .."مادمت ستفوز بها..فلتعمل علي استعادة وجه امريكا الجميل ياعزيزي جون".

بث مباشر حول المناظرة الرئاسية: ما قالته عاملة البار

في البار، جاءت النادلة الأمريكية الجميلة ذات البشرة السوداء، وسألتنى "هل تشاهد هذا" وأشارت إلى التلفاز حيث تعرض المناظرة الرئاسية.

"نعم... هل تريدين تغير المحطة" جاوبتها..

-لا مادمت تريدها، أنا فقط أجد هذا غريباً، نحن في بار من الغريب أن نشاهد برنامج سياسية.

-لكنها المناظرة الرئيسية، ألا تهتمين بالسياسة.

-أنهم لا يهتمون بي، يتحدثون، يتحدثون، يعدون، في النهاية لا يهتمون إلا بالأغلبية التى تختارهم وهم أصدقائهم بالطبع، لكن لا يوجد أحد منهم يهتم بالطبقة العاملة.

فليبارك الرب كبار السن الماكرين

وها هو العجوز بايدن نائب أوباما يظهر علي شاشة CNN ويتدارك كثيرا مما حدث،ويسخر من ماكين ويهاجمه بقسوة وبراعة تليق بعجوز متمرس لا يشرب اللبن قبل الذهاب للفراش.

بث مباشر حول المناظرة الرئاسية الأولى: حكام العالم

يشعر المشاهد أن المناظرة ليست بين مرشحى للرئاسة الأمريكية بل بين مرشحى للرئاسة الكوكب، تتقرر في المناظرة مصائر دول وأمم كاملة، بداية من روسيا التى حتى بعد انهيار الاتحاد السوفيتى لم تصبح دولة ديمقراطية، وحتى فنزويلا التى تحولت لدولة إجرامية. طبعاً في منتصف الحوار تغيرت أسماء كثيرة وظهرت أسماء كثيرة مثل "الإراك" و "أهمد نداد"

وهكذا فعلها ماكين

انتهت المناظرة بين أوباما وماكين بعد ساعة وخمس وثلاثين دقيقة بالضبط،وقد طبع كل منهما قبلة علي وجنة زوجته..

بدأ أوباما حماسيا وماكين خافتا ،وانتهت المناظرة علي العكس تماما من إيقاع بدايتها، حيث تمكن العجوز ماكين_من وجهة نظري_ من هزيمة منافسه الديمقراطي الشاب باراك أوباما..إن كان هنا مساحة لاطلاق احكام من قبيل انتصار وهزيمة...

أكثر ماكين من قول: "السيناتور أوباما لا يستوعب".."السيناتور أوباما لايفهم".."السيناتور أوباما لا يستطيع التفرقة بين هذا وذاك"

فيما_للأسف_انزلق السيناتور الشاب لتأييد العجوز الماكر في أكثر من موضع،وانتهت المناظرة وقد أظهر المرشح الجمهوري نظيره الديمقراطي كمراهق طائش تنقصه الكثير من الخبرة، لايدري كيف يتصرف،ولن يتمكن بحال من الأحوال من إدارة الولايات المتحدة...

حاول اوباما مداعبة مشاعر الجماهير وحمل علي اسامة بن لادن والقاعدة ربما ليظهر أنه ليه في اللوش والعوء يعني،لكن ماكين عاجله :"انت ستجلس الي نجادي وهوجو شافيز؟"..."ستجلس مع رجل يريد ازاحة اسرائيل من علي الخريطة؟".."لا تقل ان الجلوس اليه دون شروط مسبقة سذاجة..انها شيء كارثي"..

"العراق؟ أنت ذهبت الي هناك يا اوباما ولم تلتق بيترويس..أوباما انت لا تفرق بين التكتيك والاستراتيجية"...

طبع باراك قبلة حزينة علي وجنة زوجته ميشيل،بينما غمز ماكين للجمهور بعد المناظرة...

بث مباشر حول المناظرة الرئيسية الأولى: الانطباع الأول

الملاحظة الأولى التى يمكن للمشاهد رؤيتها، هى أن أجزاء كبيرة من شعر السيناتور باراك أوباما قد تحولت إلى اللون الأبيض، أم الملاحظة الثانية هى أن السيناتور جون ماكين لا يعرف كيف يرسم على وجه ابتسامة لطيفة.

:))

ديلي اورانج

الصورة من مقر صحيفة"الديلي أورنج" بساركيوز،وهي الجريدة اليومية التي يصدرها طلاب الجامعة بأنفسهم وسط أجواء أكثر من رائعة..ولكم تمنيت أن أكون معهم..

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Democracy: The Dark Ages


This transparent ballot box was used in North Carolina from the mid eighteen hundreds till about 1920, when North Carolina adopted the secret ballot box. Before that everyone could tell who you were voting for because of the color of the ballots.

Yes, you read correctly, even in America, Democracy had to be built bit by bit.

* Picture taken in the North Carolina Museum of History, Raleigh.

Interesting Interaction

I am not the Sandmonkey or أحمد or Wael Abbas. I respect their diligent and consistent blogging and the fact that they have loyal audiences. They (and many others including writers on this blog) are serious bloggers, writers and journalists. I, on the other hand, write mostly for my own amusement and do not usually care much if anyone bothers to read what I write. I have realized, however, how much more of an interesting experience blogging can be once there is interaction with readers, feedback, and an exchange of ideas between blogger and blog devotee or critic. It is especially interesting when your readers come from a diversity of cultural and political backgrounds, which is why this blogging project is so interesting for me.

One of the opportunities we were fortunate to get to interact with a wider public has been the link to our blog generously posted on WRAL's (North Carolina's biggest news channel) GoLo site, which is an interactive, blog-oriented site maintained by the channel. It has been no less than fascinating to read the comments North Carolina readers have left about our blog. The great majority of the comments have been respectful, interesting and interested.

There have also been some comments which I have found, mmm, shall I say, revealing? Egydiva earlier posted one of these comments and her response to it. I don't think that these commenters are representative of anything. I do, however, think it is important to know that this frame of mind exists. I'm also not sure that everyone would have the same reaction to these comments that I did, so I thought I'd post the comments and my responses here and get a wider variety of opinions.

From a commenter named Rationality: " When I went to Cairo a few years ago I was bombarded with accusations that Bush and Isreal were behind 9/11. It really got old after a while. It's interesting to get the other point of view, but it's going to be skewed with the fact that they don't have the freedoms of speech and religion over there that we have here."

My Response: "Please don't assume that me or any of my fellow bloggers are incapable of free, rational or critical thought because of your perceptions about what kind of atmosphere I live in. Please don't be patronizing about the quality of my thought production.Most Americans cannot locate foreign countries on maps and do not even own a passport. Yet, not only does America have an opinion about just about every place under the sun, but voting tax payers money is used to support unpopular governments, fund wars and determine the fates of millions. That, to me, is "skewed."

From a commenter named GetRight: "I would very much like to know, on an individual basis, each one's opinion of the violent tactics employed by Muslims all over the world to accomplish their political goals. Their responses to this subject will define where they stand and tell us a great deal about how they may portray "us" when they return home.While all Muslims are not terrorists there ARE many, who would not participate in terrorism, yet they are very sympathetic to the cause and methods of terrorists. When these sympathizers are journalists they may sound a whole lot like a terrorist to us."

My Response: " I am curious as to which of our posts sounded to you like it promoted terrorism?I have already stated my opinion on violence. Should I now ask every individual American jounralist what they think of violent tactics used by America and its allies in every corner of the world for political purposes? Surely someone of such a global outlook as you must know that this exists abundantly?I believe terror is terror whether you have the largest army in the world or an illegal milita. More people have been killed in the last two decades by American funded wars and weapons as well as American soldiers than by all the terrorist attacks (Islamic and otherwise) combined. Believe it or not, not all of those people deserved to die. But I believe that this comparison is petty and misses the point.It shouldn't matter who killed more people. All that should matter is that it stops. I will do my best to promote a true and non violent Islam, will you do the same for America?"

From a commenter named GWALLY: "Carnegie Endowment, USAID, journalism schools, Arabs.....well.... I'm quite sure THIS will be a POSITIVE discussion about America and it's support and how without America NONE of the ABOVE would even exist!!!!"

My Response: " I can assure you, and I repeat, assure you, that Arabs would have existed without the United States."

Shout out to North Carolina

Ever since EgyDiva and I have been in North Carolina we have been amazed at how nice, kind and helpful people have been. Southern American kindness and hospitality are nothing like I've ever seen, and I think It's contagious: EgyDiva and I have become considerably nicer people since we've been here. I'm still a city girl and New York and Seattle are probably the only places I would live in America, but the folks here are mighty nice and I'm just a darned sucker for the South!

Disclaimer

For the past three weeks I have been surrounded by journalists of all shapes, sizes and colors. And I mean that both metaphorically and literally. It has been great: Journalists are usually sharp, witty, critical and well informed. Some of them are so impressive that they're just darned sexy. They make for interesting conversation, and are probably great at other things too, like knitting and drinking games.

But there are other qualities which journalists pride themselves on portraying and inhabiting. Certain words make you feel warm fuzzy and glowing with pride in the crazy and chaotic world that is the media, these include objectivity, fairness, balance and detachment.

I am not a journalist by training, nor do I have any serious journalistic aspirations. I like to write, and I like to give my opinion when I have one. To give my opinion means that I will not always necessarily be objective. I want to retain that right. While I think objectivity is not a bad thing to aim for, I believe that the idea of objectivity obscures the fact that I am a human being who sees the world through a particular lens. One, I believe, which is valuable particualrly because it is subjective.

To write I must care enough to channel my energy towards formulating articulate ideas about a particular topic. Most of the time, this means that I care enough to have an opinion about what should be rather than what is. I don't believe in detatchement from my subject matter, and will not aspire to be detatched.

Because I am not a reporter or news journalist, I am also not always concerned with presenting both sides of the story, or making sure that I am balanced. Having said all of that, I do try to be fair. I do try to check my facts and make sure that I am not citing make-believe figures. I try not to accuse anyone of anything too outlandish without proof and I generally attempt to stay away from unfounded hypotheses or offensive content.

Writing, for me, is a continuing experiment, sometimes more succesful than others. Throughout my time in the US I have been giving out the adress of this blog to a myriad of journalists, writers and even politicians. With blogs being treated as the new medium for journalism and the so called " death of the newspaper," I feel that some might expect this to be a consistent, coherent and "professional" blog about the US elections. While I don't speak for any of my fellow bloggers on this site, I will say that I do not always aim for consistency, I don't hold myself to the standards of professional journalism, and I blog about whatever I feel I can write intelligently about, even if it is not directly related to the US elections.

There are many bloggers in the US who are journalists, and many others who provide day to day election coverage. That is not, I believe, why we are here.I approach this project as a creative social, intercultural and political experiment. There is much that bloggers, even those of us who do not call themselves journalists, can learn from journalism as a profession. But I also believe that there is much we can contribute because we are so diverse, versatile and unhemmed by certain professional or technical standards.

It is in that spirit that I invite you to have an open mind when reading our blog, and follow us as we try to make of this more than a cliched East meets West encounter, or a boring comparative commentary on America versus Egypt. For me, this is about what is striking, what is interesting, and mostly, like everything else I write, what is personal. Happy reading, and happy elections.

Should Egypt blog America?

Currently based in North Carolina, me and Zeinab went to visit the largest TV station in North Carolina, WRAL, who also include a blog-ish section called Go-lo, and they included a link to our blog
Some locals expressed some interest, others were less impressed. Naturally, I got into a bit of a, lets say, encounter with the skeptic who said:

"I've been out and missed a lot of the discussion but let me tell you where I'm coming from. Arabs for the most part are muslim. In my opinion all muslims are potential terrorist due to their upbringing, training, education, and religion. Most of the terrorist tragedies in the world in the last 20 years were perpetuated by insane muslims. They have no respect for anyone except their own beliefs. As long as we're giving they take but then they don't reciprocate. Again, I don't see where their opinion about our elections matters one bit."

Because I was annoyed, and because indeed this was the first unfriendly remark i'd received here in the all-too friendly American south, I tried to be diplomatic in reply:

"Dear Mohawk, im one of the bloggers on the collective blog that angela was talking about and who WRAL was nice enough to invite for a visit of the station. Am i supposed to ignore your offense remark? Following your logic, or at least your example, I have every reason to believe that every american is a xenophobic, narrow minded, stubborn racist. However, Ill choose not to make stereotypes, and ill try to take the example of the other, friendlier americans ive met here in North Carolina to make a more informed impression about American society. I advise you to do the same, not just about muslims, but for the sake of how you seem to see americans too. everyone else, please check the blog! and we appreciate the feedback."

Our friend, named after an outdated and mishaped hair cut was quick to retort:

"Dear Egydiva, I am not a racist, never have been, never will be. I base my opinions on facts and my own life experiences. Muslims at the present time present a danger to the world that only a fool can ignore. I don't know what the answer is but I do know I don't want their opinion inserted into my country's presidential decision making process. I can forgive but not forget. I recommend you do some soul searching and research of your own.PS: I checked out the blog which is a slap in the face at the American political system. It's all onesided. I apalled that WRAL would even consider providing a link to it."

Thanks for the heads up Mohawak, Ill be sure to renounce my terrorist ways (despite that they are intrinsically instilled in me genetically) and stay out of American presidential business, just like the americans have stayed out of mine.

بعض مما سمعت هنا


"هل سأصدمك لو قلت لك أنني لن أصوت لأوباما؟..دع ذلك سرا بيننا"

نانسي سنو،استاذ الرأي العام بجامعة ساركيوز


"أنا لا أتخيل أن تكون سارة بالين هي نائب رئيس بلادي"

"زاك" طالب بالصف الثالث،بكلية الاعلام، جامعة ساركيوز

"أسود أم أبيض،الأهم أنه_أوباما_ رجل جيد"

"طوم" علي بوابة محطة مترو البنتاجون سيتي بولاية فيرجينيا محاولا اقناعي بأوباما

"الحلمة الانتخابية هي ابننا الثالث"

ميشيل اوباما،زوجة السيناتور الديمقراطي المرشح

"هو خيار بين سيء وأسوأ..لكني أميل لأوباما"

"بدر" سائق تاكسي مغربي بالعاصمة دي سي

"ألا تعتقدون_كعرب_ أن عدم خبرة أوباما بالشؤون الدولية أمر مقلق؟"

"أوستن" شاب من ولاية تكساس يدرس بساركيوز

"الغريب ياعزيزي أن العرب واليهود هم الذين يساندون أوباما!"

وليام آدم،استاذ العلوم السياسية بجامعة جورج واشنطن

سكول هاوس روك - قصة أمريكا للأطفال بدون هنود حمر أيضا

A dissenting view on the Bailout

Godot Basha offers the counter argument!

Uh-Oh

Ok, now we know why they have been hiding her from the press all this time.



She doesn't have her own solution to the crisis and doesn't even know the record of her running mate.

People, if McCain wins, it will be a good idea to keep him frozen and preserved every time he goes to sleep and pray very hard that nothing happens to him through his term. Maybe the McCain people should call the Mubarak people: Those fuckers know how to preserve a really old President.

Get her someone who knows economics, quick. I know that Biden is an idiot, but he ain't ignorant, and that's her problem right now!

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

McCain is my role model

The financial crisis is too important to continue blogging.


Passing on the Bush Legacy





Few presidents have been as openly, consistently and relentlessly ridiculed and mocked as George Bush (the 2000 edition). Few world leaders are regarded so commonly as a below average, inarticulate, even, idiotic. incoherent.
fewer presidents still, or none at all to my knowledge, have had calendars dedicated to the stupid statements they stutter, or websites to aggregate their abudance of blunders.

Now, one must wonder, after Palin's repetitive and retarded recklessness in responding to recognizably predicatble inquiries, after her utterly unbelivably ignorance about unusually common questions, after russia, after the Bush doctrine- or lack thereof-, after the "ill find some and get back to ya" one must wonder: is American making a trend of voting for leaders whose misquotes and inaccuracy, incompetence and incoherence are enough to fill 365 pages of the calendar EVERY year?? Are the publishers and producers of the anti-george "Bushisms" propaganda in such a panic at the dwindling of their source of idiotic inarticulations, that they scheduled interviews on CBS and with Katie Courik just to secure the "Palinisms" of 2009? If Sarah Palin was indeed, beneath that hot pink blazer, smart enough to be regurgatating all those impossibly ignorant and nonsensical narratives as part of an intense comic business plan, i might consider being mildly impressed with her I.Q and accede that it does narrowly surpass that of a red brick thrown at the side of a dirty sidewalk somewhere in the rain.

And since we're so caught up with polls in light of the elections perhaps I can get your opinion on something regarding impressions about Sarah Palin. Clearly, you should Only proceed with his poll if you do actually agree that Sarah Palin is incoherent and a fumbling nincompoop:

Does Sarah Palin know that she's legging it and bullshitting, or DOES she actually think she's making any sort of coherent sense resembling any thing close to actual substance?

We will tally the votes.

عندما سألت الفتاة السمراء الكلبوظة: وأين كنا نحن يابروفيسور؟



في جامعة ساركيوز_حيث تقف الحياة علي حدود المدينة الفاضلة_كانت محاضرة اليوم التي ألقاها برادلي جورهام ،استاذ علوم الاتصال،حول التحيزات الاعلامية الكامنة في الخطاب الصحفي والتلفزيوني بأمريكا، أكثر من رائعة..

جاءت المحاضرة،لتؤكد علي بعض ملاحظاتي،و لترضي الكثير من تحيزاتي للسيناتور أوباما،عندما كشفت عن بعض ملامح الضربات العنصرية الموجهة اسفل حزام المرشح الأفرو_أمريكي..

استعرض الرجل كارتون "بوتقة الانصهار"،كعملية ارتجاع تاريخي لاعادة قراءة المكون الامريكي،وبعدما انتهي الفيلم الذي يسرد تاريخ الولايات المتحدة وتكوينها العرقي والاثني،كان واضحا للجالسين انه لم يتطرق سوي للمهاجرين الاوربيين فقط،وساعتهاٍ سألت البنت الأفرو أمريكية الكلبوظة الجالسة أقصي يمين القاعة ببراءة واندهاش "بروفيسور وأين كنا نحن* إذا؟"

*عائدة علي الزنوج بالطبع

As if this election isn't enough of a TV show drama, McCain throws in a TWIST!


Tactically, it's smart. It breaks the Obama momentum, and takes the leadership initiative on the issue. But let's face it. It's a gimmick. McCain will debate, but he will come back, appearing to work for the country, and will change the format of the debate at the last minute to the economy instead of foreign policy, throwing a wrench in Obama's preparation for the debate. Plus, if they work something out, McCain gets credit, they don;t work something out, McCain will lambast Obama for not coming with him and making it work. It's cynical, dirty and politics at its best.


LOVE IT!

The Palin Rape kit rumor is not true!

There has been a nasty rumor going on that during Palin's tenure as mayor of Wassila, female rape victims were required to pay for their own rape kits. It was supposed to be another example on how Palin was really a man and hated women and wanted them all to stay home barefoot and pregnant.


Imagine my surprise when you find out that this is not true.


In reality, and had any journalist in the MSM outlets bothered to do their job instead of working for the Obama campaign 24/7, there was a state law forbidding charging victims of rape for their rape kits since 2000. As for where it all came from, the chief of Police( chief of police, not Palin) in Wasilla wanted to have the Insurance companies(Insurance companies, not the victims) to pay for them, with the intention of billing it ultimately to the rapists eventually. However, there isn;t a single piece of record that shows that a single victim's insurance was ever billed for it. If this practice still seems creepy or exclusive to macho, rough-and-tumble Alaska, well, it happens to be the practice in other states, too, like North Carolina (until recently) and ... Illinois.


And can you guess who co-sponsored that bill in Illinois?


Can you say Barack Obama?


Have a nice day!

The Problem with Wikipedia....

Is the Edit This button!

Palin on A.J.

She was supposed to talk to the anti A.J. rally, but they canceled her because Hillary was attending. Here are her remarks regardless:

I am honored to be with you and with leaders from across this great country — leaders from different faiths and political parties united in a single voice of outrage.

Tomorrow, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will come to New York — to the heart of what he calls the Great Satan — and speak freely in this, a country whose demise he has called for.

Ahmadinejad may choose his words carefully, but underneath all of the rhetoric is an agenda that threatens all who seek a safer and freer world. We gather here today to highlight the Iranian dictator's intentions and to call for action to thwart him.

He must be stopped.

The world must awake to the threat this man poses to all of us. Ahmadinejad denies that the Holocaust ever took place. He dreams of being an agent in a "Final Solution" — the elimination of the Jewish people. He has called Israel a "stinking corpse" that is "on its way to annihilation." Such talk cannot be dismissed as the ravings of a madman — not when Iran just this summer tested long-range Shahab-3 missiles capable of striking Tel Aviv, not when the Iranian nuclear program is nearing completion, and not when Iran sponsors terrorists that threaten and kill innocent people around the world.

The Iranian government wants nuclear weapons. The International Atomic Energy Agency reports that Iran is running at least 3,800 centrifuges and that its uranium enrichment capacity is rapidly improving. According to news reports, U.S. intelligence agencies believe the Iranians may have enough nuclear material to produce a bomb within a year.

The world has condemned these activities. The United Nations Security Council has demanded that Iran suspend its illegal nuclear enrichment activities. It has levied three rounds of sanctions. How has Ahmadinejad responded? With the declaration that the "Iranian nation would not retreat one iota" from its nuclear program.

So, what should we do about this growing threat? First, we must succeed in Iraq. If we fail there, it will jeopardize the democracy the Iraqis have worked so hard to build, and empower the extremists in neighboring Iran. Iran has armed and trained terrorists who have killed our soldiers in Iraq, and it is Iran that would benefit from an American defeat in Iraq.

If we retreat without leaving a stable Iraq, Iran's nuclear ambitions will be bolstered. If Iran acquires nuclear weapons — they could share them tomorrow with the terrorists they finance, arm, and train today. Iranian nuclear weapons would set off a dangerous regional nuclear arms race that would make all of us less safe.

But Iran is not only a regional threat; it threatens the entire world. It is the no. 1 state sponsor of terrorism. It sponsors the world's most vicious terrorist groups, Hamas and Hezbollah. Together, Iran and its terrorists are responsible for the deaths of Americans in Lebanon in the 1980s, in Saudi Arabia in the 1990s, and in Iraq today. They have murdered Iraqis, Lebanese, Palestinians, and other Muslims who have resisted Iran's desire to dominate the region. They have persecuted countless people simply because they are Jewish.

Iran is responsible for attacks not only on Israelis, but on Jews living as far away as Argentina. Anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial are part of Iran's official ideology and murder is part of its official policy. Not even Iranian citizens are safe from their government's threat to those who want to live, work, and worship in peace. Politically-motivated abductions, torture, death by stoning, flogging, and amputations are just some of its state-sanctioned punishments.

It is said that the measure of a country is the treatment of its most vulnerable citizens. By that standard, the Iranian government is both oppressive and barbaric. Under Ahmadinejad's rule, Iranian women are some of the most vulnerable citizens.

If an Iranian woman shows too much hair in public, she risks being beaten or killed.

If she walks down a public street in clothing that violates the state dress code, she could be arrested.

But in the face of this harsh regime, the Iranian women have shown courage. Despite threats to their lives and their families, Iranian women have sought better treatment through the "One Million Signatures Campaign Demanding Changes to Discriminatory Laws." The authorities have reacted with predictable barbarism. Last year, women's rights activist Delaram Ali was sentenced to 20 lashes and 10 months in prison for committing the crime of "propaganda against the system." After international protests, the judiciary reduced her sentence to "only" 10 lashes and 36 months in prison and then temporarily suspended her sentence. She still faces the threat of imprisonment.

Earlier this year, Senator Clinton said that "Iran is seeking nuclear weapons, and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps is in the forefront of that" effort. Senator Clinton argued that part of our response must include stronger sanctions, including the designation of the IRGC as a terrorist organization. John McCain and I could not agree more.

Senator Clinton understands the nature of this threat and what we must do to confront it. This is an issue that should unite all Americans. Iran should not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons. Period. And in a single voice, we must be loud enough for the whole world to hear: Stop Iran!

Only by working together, across national, religious, and political differences, can we alter this regime's dangerous behavior. Iran has many vulnerabilities, including a regime weakened by sanctions and a population eager to embrace opportunities with the West. We must increase economic pressure to change Iran's behavior.

Tomorrow, Ahmadinejad will come to New York. On our soil, he will exercise the right of freedom of speech — a right he denies his own people. He will share his hateful agenda with the world. Our task is to focus the world on what can be done to stop him.

We must rally the world to press for truly tough sanctions at the U.N. or with our allies if Iran's allies continue to block action in the U.N. We must start with restrictions on Iran's refined petroleum imports.

We must reduce our dependency on foreign oil to weaken Iran's economic influence.

We must target the regime's assets abroad; bank accounts, investments, and trading partners.

President Ahmadinejad should be held accountable for inciting genocide, a crime under international law.

We must sanction Iran's Central Bank and the Revolutionary Guard Corps — which no one should doubt is a terrorist organization.

Together, we can stop Iran's nuclear program.

Senator McCain has made a solemn commitment that I strongly endorse: Never again will we risk another Holocaust. And this is not a wish, a request, or a plea to Israel's enemies. This is a promise that the United States and Israel will honor, against any enemy who cares to test us. It is John McCain's promise and it is my promise.

Thank you.

الديبات اتلغي يارجاله

ماكين قال انه مش هيحضر المناظرة اللي كانت المفروض يوم الجمعه اللي جاي
وقال انه المفروض يروح واشنطن علشان مشكله الاقتصاد
ودلوقتي الاعلام في انتظار تصريح اوباما

هما هبوا بعض

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

The inevtiable conclusion

You know you will soon be getting these in the mail:

Dear American:

I need to ask you to support an urgent secret business relationship with a transfer of funds of great magnitude.

I am Ministry of the Treasury of the Republic of America. My country has had crisis that has caused the need for large transfer of funds of 800 billion dollars US. If you would assist me in this transfer, it would be most profitable to you.

I am working with Mr. Phil Gram, lobbyist for UBS, who will be my replacement as Ministry of the Treasury in January. As a Senator, you may know him as the leader of the American banking deregulation movement in the 1990s. This transactin is 100% safe.

This is a matter of great urgency. We need a blank check. We need the funds as quickly as possible. We cannot directly transfer these funds in the names of our close friends because we are constantly under surveillance. My family lawyer advised me that I should look for a reliable and trustworthy person who will act as a next of kin so the funds can be transferred.

Please reply with all of your bank account, IRA and college fund account numbers and those of your children and grandchildren to wallstreetbailout@treasury.gov so that we may transfer your commission for this transaction. After I receive that information, I will respond with detailed information about safeguards that will be used to protect the funds.

Yours Faithfully

Minister of Treasury Paulson

On the Bailout

Ok, seriously now, y'all have to stop this Bailout from ever happening. This is the most ridiculous shit I've ever seen in my life. Let's review this for a second:

1) You have a consumer-based economy that relies totally on consumer's wealth, which means that it relies on home-ownership wealth, because that's where the american people have their wealth concentrated, in their homes.

2) You have a stagnating economy where everyone told you that the only safe bet is investing and flipping houses, and that one can make millions doing just that without much effort really. So many people start buying houses they can;t afford thinking that they will be able to flip them to other people and make a quick buck in the process, and they are aided in that with banks making mortgage taking very easy.

3) You have banks and lending institutions that wanted to raise their revenues, but no serious economic or manufacturing expansion was being sought out by the industry leaders (with industry moving to India and China and all) and thus no business loans, so they start focusing on giving out personal loans and mortgages. Realizing that there are so many real eligible homeowners out there, they start to give out mortgage loans to people they know can't afford it, hoping that most will eventually be able to afford them and that this will somehow diversify the risk and give them some method of hedging against any economic crisis that may occur if the bubble bursts. But just in case they can;t do that, they will lump a couple of those mortgages together, call them "financial instruments" or "derivatives", and then will sell them to Insurance companies, making the cash now, but with the gurantee that they will collect the money for them and cover the loans that fail to keep making payments. They figured, hey, how many of those could exist anyway? And then they took that money and gave it out as more bad loans, because, what's the worse that could happen?

4) The Insurance companies realize that they have a lot of money, and they need to invest it in order to be able to pay the insurance premiums for those customers who died, houses burned, whatever. So they take the cash they collect from their customers and decide that they need to invest it in something profitable, long-term and secure. Where to invest, where to invest? Oh boy, I know, the housing markets. And those Banks are offering to sell us those financial instruments comprised of hundreds of mortgages on a discount, and will promise to cover the loans if the customers failed to pay up. That sounds like a great deal, and a very secure one at that. And no, we won't check to see if those mortgages are good or bad, after all, the banks must've did their homework on this. They just don't dole out money to anybody who asks. Right?

5) And so far we have the making of the housing bubble: People who want to make a quick buck start buying houses they can't afford and sell them to other people for profit, who in turn buy them on mortgages they really can't afford, and take them and try to sell them to other people for profit, who in turn buy them on mortgages they really really really can't afford take them and try to sell them for profit, until that is no longer possible because the price has hit a ceiling and no one is willing to pay that much for that house anymore. So those plucky home investors find themselves facing one of two choices: 1) Either face foreclosure on the house, and thus lose whatever money you made on it, and the bank ends up with a piece of property that no one wants to buy at its current price anyway, and the investors's credit rating gets fucked and possibly affects all his other loans and mortgages, or 2) they sell the house at a loss, take a second mortgage on their own home, which they they really can't afford now, so they start getting behind on their payments, face foreclosure, lose their own house to the bank and become homeless. And when that happens, they will look at you with sad eyes and say "I don't know how this happened. They told me that house prices always go up".

6) And now the banks are freaking out, because they now have lots of overvalued property- thanks to all those bad loans- and little cash, so they start going after those who have been paying their mortgages on time and up their rates, cause, hey, we gotta make our money back one way or another. So those who have been financially responsible start getting fucked, many of them unable to make those payments now either, so they also lose their houses, and the bank ends up with more property no one wants to buy, and thus faces bankruptcy and possible shut down.

7) And now the insurance companies start to freak out because the banks are unable to collect the mortgage payments, and are unable to cover the price of the house and are entering the arena of going concern- i.e. they might just get bankrupt and shut down. So they start going through their books to see how many such bad mortgages they have bought in those financial instruments anyway, and low and behold, it's in the billions. They better start calling other financial institutions for help, quick. Wait, everyone did this? Fuck, I guess it's time to ask the government for help. They have money up the ass anyway.

8) The executive branch of the government realizes that the people paying their campaign contributions are about to go bankrupt, and shut down. So they freak out. They also freak out more when they are told that when this will happen, those companies will bring down the stock market, which will bring down the whole world economy, unemployment will rise and everyone will suffer. So those companies, regardless of their reckless behavior, need to get bailed out immediately. How much of a bailout you say? 700 billion dollars? That sounds about right to me. Send it to congress!

9) The nice people in congress are divided over the Bailout: Should they give it to the companies that were irresponsible in their lending, buying bad mortgages and not really checking them? Or should they bail out the people who knowingly took out mortgages they can't afford in order to make some quick profit and never saw this logical end coming? The question of the day becomes "Which irresponsible group should we help out?" , instead of "Why are we helping those irresponsible people anyway?" or "Ain't 700 billion dollars just a tad too much money to spend on failing irresponsible financial institutions, especially that this is the taxpayer's money we are talking about here?"

10) And finally, there is you, the good ole responsible working American, who didn't try t make a quick buck and who took only mortgages he/she could afford. Suddenly you find that the rates on your mortgage went up for no reason, so your house is in jeopardy, followed by an announcement by your bank that it is going bankrupt, and those savings you've put in there? Ehh, might not be there anymore dude. Oh, and the part of your savings you've put in the stock market or let those financial institutions invest for you in their mutual funds (part of which, naturally is invested in the housing market), well, that's going to shit as well. But don;t worry, the government will take the money you gave them, and give it to all of those people instead of spending it on government programs- such as education or road maintenance, or medicare- like they told you they would. And if they can;t afford to make such a payment, they will issue bonds to other countries which you later on will have to pay anyway. Don't you just feel blessed to live in the greatest country in the world now?

People, wake up. Fuck the financial institutions, let them fail. Fuck those people who gambled with your future, let them be homeless. And fuck the government that wants to bail them with YOUR MONEY, it's your money anyway, and having it used to reward stupidity and recklessness is surefire way to waste it. There is no averting this economic crisis, it's here to stay and it will be a while before it goes away. Deal with it, and move on, because all of this bailout talk is nothing but a short-term solution to a long-term problem. Just do nothing, and let the market correct itself. Trust me, you will be better off, in the long run, that way!

In Laymen's terms

*Location: random Irish bar on 42nd and 6th in Manhattan
* Date: few days ago, around 7 pm
*Who: Me and my friend K., whom I've known since college

K: Ok, so you have studied all of this economic stuff. Can you please explain to me what the hell is going on and why are people this freaked out?

Me: Ok, do you want me to go with route of laying out all the financial terms and how it all played out, or would you rather I go with the simplistic Laymen's terms of it all?

K: Go with Laymen's terms.

Me: Ok, so imagine the economy as this big nice Bonfire y'all have created a while ago.

K: Ok...

Me: And instead of enjoying this bonefire, you know, getting warm next to it, or roasting marshmallows on it or something, you keep obsessing about making the fire bigger. Every year the fire has to be bigger than the year before or you have all somehow failed at something. So you keep throwing wood to the fire, because it has to keep getting bigger, right? Well, as any stupid camper would tell you, if you keep getting the fire bigger one of two things will happen: Either you will run out of wood, and the fire will eventually cool down and be put out, or the fire will get to be so big, that no one will be able to control it, and it will burn everything around it.

K: And which happened here?

Me: Both!

K: We are screwed, aren't we?

Me: In more ways than one my dear. More ways than one!

البت ووتر جته الصايعة اللي خلت سي نيسكون يتنازل


العنوان ده مستوحى من مسرحية المتزوجون لما كان جورج سيدهم الله يرحمه بيكلم مراته في السياسة عن فضيحة ووترجيت الشهيرة في السبعينات التي أدت إلى إزاحة نيكسون من رئاسة أمريكا
أما الصورة فهي من داخل عرين جريدة الواشنطون بوست والمعلق على الحائط هي الزنكة التاريخية التي طبع عليها العدد التاريخي الذي يحمل عنوان إستقالة نيكسون
دي اول مرة أشوف الزنكة دي مع إني رحت الواشنطون بوست مرتين قبل كده
وكل ما أروح أسأل على بوب وودوارد وكارل بيرنستين أول صحفيين في التاريخ يشيلوا
رئيس جمهورية
لأني باعتبرهم قدوة ولو في الحتة دي بس
وكان نفسي في نفس الوقت يكون في مصر المدونين هم اول مدونين في التاريخ يشيلوا رئيس جمهورية
ودي مش تخاريف صيام
دي أمنية عندي من زمان من أيام المدونين ما كانوا بيقوموا الدنيا وما يقعدوهاش تاني
لكن الأمنية دي كل يوم بيتبخر منها حته
لحد ما قربت تبقى مشهد كوميدي زي مشهد جورج سيدهم بنفتكرها ونضحك على هبلنا

TOURIST KIDNAPPING UPDATE

FROM AP:

"NEW YORK (AP) — Egypt's U.N. mission said Monday that 11 European tourists and eight Egyptians kidnapped in a remote desert region near Egypt's border with Sudan have not been freed and an earlier announcement by the foreign minister that they had been released was based on incorrect information.

"They are not yet released so far and the government is doing their best to release them," Ismail Khairat, a spokesman for Egypt's U.N. mission, told The Associated Press. He said Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit's earlier announcement that they had been freed "was based on primary information and it was not correct."

Aboul Gheit made the announcement to reporters in New York where he was attending the annual U.N. General Assembly.

Kidnappers seized the European tourists and their Egyptian guides during a Sahara desert safari to a plateau famed for its prehistoric cave paintings. The tour company had been negotiating with the captors, who demanded millions of dollars in ransom.

The group included five Germans, five Italians and one Romanian.

(This version CORRECTS Makes important UPDATE with Egyptian officials saying foreign minister's earlier announcement that tourists had been freed was based on incorrect information; note this story has been incorporated into BC-ML--Egypt-Kidnapped Tourists.)"

______________________________________

FROM NILE NEWS:

قال مسئول بالخارجية السودانية اليوم ان السلطات حددت مكان 19 رهينة خطفوا من الصحراء المصرية لكنها لا تخطط للقيام باي عملية انقاذ خوفا على الرهائن.

وقال مطرف صديق وكيل وزارة الخارجية السودانية انه تم تحديد موقع الخاطفين في منطقة عند حدود السودان وليبيا ومصر.

من جانبه ، أكد وزير السياحة زهير جرانة حرص الحكومة على ضمان سلامة وعودة تسعة عشر شخصا إختطفهم ملثمون على الحدود الجنوبية الغربية المصرية يوم " الجمعة " الماضى بينهم 11 سائحا.

وقال "انه تلقى اتصالا هاتفيا ظهر اليوم من السفير الالمانى بالقاهرة برند اربل أكد فيه استمرار مفاوضات الحكومة الالمانية مع الخاطفين حول الفدية المطلوبة لاطلاق سراح المختطفين جميعا".

ونوه جرانه إلى أن السفير الألماني أكد أن حكومة بلاده تبذل قصارى جهدها من أجل الافراج عن المختطفين سريعا وضمان سلامتهم جميعا.نافيا الأنباء التى ترددت عن تهديد الخاطفين بقتل المختطفين.

وأضاف " اننا نتابع أولا بأول المستجدات بشأن عملية الاختطاف التى تمت لتسعة عشر شخصا.مؤكدا إستمرار غرفة العمليات التى شكلها أمس "الاثنين" في متابعة عملية الاختطاف حتى الانتهاء منها والإفراج عن الرهائن والاطمئنان على سلامتهم.

هذا وأكد مصدر رسمى ان هناك جهودا تتم على عدة محاور وبالتنسيق بين مختلف الجهات المعنية للافراج عن السياح المختطفين والمجموعة المصرية المرافقة لهم, وأن المعلومات المؤكدة حتى الان لدى السلطات المصرية أن جميع المختفطين بحالة جيدة وأنهم موجودون داخل الاراضى السودانية.

كما أكد المصدر أن السلطات المصرية لم تتلق أى إتصال مباشر من المختطفين وأنها لم يطلب منها أى فدية للافراج عنهم.

كما أن السلطات المصرية لم تتلق أى تهديدات بقتل المختطفين فى حالة التحرك للافراج عنهم. وكان أحد المختطفين قد أجرى عدة إتصالات بزوجته آخرها إتصال أجراه صباح اليوم وأكد لها أنهم جميعا بحالة جيدة.

يذكر ان المختطفين قد تعرضوا لهجوم مسلح من قبل أربعة ملثمين يوم الجمعة الماضى أثناء قيامهم برحلة سفارى بدأت يوم السبت الموافق 13 من شهر سبتمبر الحالى ولم ترد عنهم أى أخبار الى أن أجرى صاحب الشركة أول إتصال بزوجته الالمانية مساء يوم الاحد 21 سبتمبر وأبلغها بواقعة الاختطاف.

وناشد المصدر وسائل الاعلام المختلفة التأنى وعدم التسرع بنشر أى معلومات تصدر عن مصادر غير رسمية وذلك بغرض الحفاظ على سلامة المختطفين والحرص على أرواحهم وعدم التأثير على الجهود المبذولة للافراج عنهم.

والسياح هم 5 المان و5 ايطاليين وروماني واحد اما المصريين فهم اربعة سائقين ومرشدان سياحيان واحد افراد حرس الحدود ومالك شركة السياحة التي نظمت الرحلة وهي " ايجبتوس انترترافل ".

وتقع المنطقة التي حدثت بها عملية الخطف جنوب مصر بالقرب من الجلف الكبير التي تظهر مناظرها الطبيعية الخلابة في فيلم "المريض الانكليزي" الذي عرض في العام 1997.

وتزداد سياحة "المغامرة" بشكل ملحوظ في هذه المنطقة الصحراوية الواقعة على بعد الف كيلومتر من القاهرة وعلى بعد 500 كيلومتر من اقرب مكان مأهول.

Links on the economic crisis

Palin defends McCain on the Economic crisis quote, and helps explain what he meant. Now, Hero, I know you ain't the economics guy, but when Barracuda - she who never took a single economic theory class- defends you, maybe it's time you get yourself an adderal prescription and some books. Just saying!

Bush is assuring world leaders that his efforts of instituting corporate socialism is under way, and that the 700 billion dollars he is doling out of tax-payers money to help failing financial institution will be spent regardless, because, like, what's 700 billion dollars in the big scheme of things anyway?

There is a short-selling ban at the moment for a number of companies and it includes GM and GE, in order to stop regular people from abusing the current economic situation to make money, stating that such abuse is usually reserved to his friends only. Come on people, it's a market correction and thus we are all fucked, let's all make money here.

And finally, Obama seems to be gaining in the polls thanks to the economic crisis, which I guess is supposed to make his supporters happy. Good on you Obama, you get the presidency of a debt-laden government and a failed economy. You sure you still want this?

Obama pulls out of North Dakota..

.....after pulling out of Georgia and Alaska, and instead moving them to Minnesota (which he should have easily) and Wisconsin. By doing that he is closing down 11 offices in that state alone. The reason why I am bringing this up is due to that previous post I wrote about Obama running out of money. He is out-raising McCain all right, but he also has a much bigger on the ground operation than he probably needs, and it's costing him lots of money. For a lack of a better term, the overhead is killing him. Add to that fact that people will be less likely to donate now to him due to the current economic crisis, and you find that McCain's decision to just go with Federal funds to be an interestingly smart choice, in hindsight of course!

Oh well, one month to go.

Monday, September 22, 2008

روح القطيع

1

شَاهدت في التلفاز وفي وسائل المواصلات حملة ضخمة لحث المواطنين الأمريكان على استخدام الغاز الطبيعى بدلاً من البنزين. نفس الحملة اذكر أنى شاهدتها بشكل آخر في مصر قبل سفري.

الإعلانات في مصر كانت بسيطة، تحمل رسالة واضحة للمستهلكين إذا استخدمت الغاز لا البنزين فسوف توفر الكثير من الجنيهات، لأن الغاز أرخص من البنزين، وعلى الهامش كان أحياناً يتم الإشارة إلى أن ضرر الغاز على البيئة أقل من ضرر البنزين.

الإعلانات هنا في أمريكا مختلفة، فالإعلان عبَارة عن عدد من الجمل التى تظهر بشكل مُتتابع توجه رسَالة للمستهلك ملخصها أن أكثر من ربع الدخل القومى الأمريكى يذهب إلى شراء البترول الأجنبى، وأنك عزيزى المستخدم باستخدامك الغاز للبنزين تحافظ على الدولارات الأمريكية في داخل الأراضى الأمريكية.

بعد أكثر من أسبوعين اكتشفت أن العادة في هذه البلاد استخدام شعارات جماعية ووطنية لتسويق السلع التجارية، تذكرت أيضاً في ذلك الوقت ما كتب عنه أحد منذ أشهر، وهو ما وجدته بكثرة هنا.

أبشع مثال على ما سبق إعلان وجدته في محطات المترو في دى.سى يصور جاموس وحشى ينقض عليه نمر، وفوق الجاموس سهم مكتوب عليه "أنت هنا"، وفي الجانب الآخر قطيع من الجاموس وسهم فوقه مكتوب عليه "يجب أن تكون هنا".

2

حتى في أشد الأوقات التى كانت فيها مصر خاضعة للحكم الديكتاتوري العسكري كوقت جمال عبد الناصر مثلاً، لم تكن الإعلانات تأخذ هذا المنحنى وهذا الطريق. والآن في مصر إذا حاول أحدهم الترويج لأى سلعة أو حملة على أساس أنها لمصلحة البلد الوطن سوف تفشل حملته فشلاً ذريعاً وسوف تواجه بعاصفة من السخرية والضحك. تريدون مثال على ذلك انظرواً مثلاً إلى حملة نحكم عقلنا، نتفشخ كلنا..

لأنه ببساطة لا يوجد ما يسمى بمصلحة البلد أو الوطن، ولجوء المواطن إلى استخدام الغاز لن يحقق أى مصلحة إلا لشركات الغاز، ثم بالطبع المواطن الذى سيوفر ماله الخاص. أما لجوء الدعاية والإعلانات المختلفة إلى تحويل القضية أو السلعة إلى مسألة قومية ومعركة جماعية، فهو شيء مقلق، وغير مفهوم خصوصاً في بلد يفترض أنه قد قام على احترام الخصوصية الفردية، ونمط الإنتاج الرأسمالى الذى يقدس الفائدة والمنفعة لا الشعارات الفارغة مثل "توقف عن أكل البطاطس لنحافظ على الوطن رشيقاً"!

3

باراك أوباما أحد اللذين يستخدمون ضمير الجماعة بكثرة في خطبة وخطاباته، أوباما يعتمد أيضاً طوال الوقت على رسائل جماعية تغذى روح القطيع، أكبر مثال على ذلك شعار حملته "نعم نستطيع" دون أن يوضح من "نحن" وما الذى نستطيعه؟

فقط يظهر أوباما على المسرح مرتدياً قميصه الأبيض، ثم يبدأ وصلته بالهجوم على ماكين أو ساره بالين، ثم بعد ذلك يبدأ وصلة غناء موسيقي الصول "Yes We Can" فترد عليه الجماهير " Yes We Can" وهكذا يتصاعد الكريشندو الحماسى إلى ما لا نهاية.

4

في واشنطن دى.سى لاحظت أن الولاية كلها تقريباً غارقة في الأعلام الأمريكية، كلما ذهبت إلى أى مكان وجدت العلم موجوداً، بعد ذلك تكون عندى انطباع مؤكد أن الأمريكان يحبون بشكل خرافي علمهم، وهو أيضاً ما وجدته غريباً وغير مفهوماً. جيري ريتش أستاذ العلوم السياسية بالجامعة الأمريكية في القاهرة وأحد اللذين ساعدوا كثيراً في تنظيم هذه الرحلة، برر روح القطيع التى تسود الدعاية والإعلانات وحرص الجميع على إبراز العلم بأنه نتيجة لتكون أمريكا من مجموعة من المهاجرين والأعراق والجنسيات المختلفة، حيث تحاول كل مجموعة التأكيد على هويتها الجديدة وإظهار نفسه في مظهر الممثل الحقيقي للروح الأمريكية.

لكن إذا صح هذا التفسير، فهذا الروح الوطنية سوف تنقلب مع الوقت –هذه إذا لم تكن قد انقلبت- إلى فاشية، لن تضر الأمريكان فقط بل ستضر الكوكب كله، من التاريخ ومن الجغرافيا جميعاً نعرف أن الفاشية لا تؤدى إلى أى شيء جيد.

5

لا أصدق حتى الآن وجود ساره بالين بتسريحة شعرها وابتسامتها الكارتونية. بالين لا تعرف إلا الانجليزية، ولم تسافر خارج ولايتها قبل ذلك، وتحب الصيد، والنكتة فعلاً أنه يمكن أن تصبح شخصية سياسية في منزلة نائب الرئيس.

محبى ساره بالين حينما يظهرون في التلفاز ويدافعون عنها، يقولون أن ساره تمثل نماذج السيدة الأمريكية البسيطة، هى نموذج أمريكى بسيط، واضح وقريب من الأمريكان، يشعرون اتجاهه بالألفة. هؤلاء الأشخاص الذين يستخدمون مثل هذا الخطاب والذين يتبنون هذا الخطاب هم بصراحة الخطر الحقيقى ليس على أمريكا فقط بل على البشرية جمعاء..

مثل هؤلاء الأشخاص في الحزب الجمهوري، الذين يتعاملون مع الناخب الأمريكى على اعتبار أنه قطيع، سوف يحب أن يتولى أمره حمل وديع يشبه بقية القطيع، هم نفس الأشخاص الموجودون في مصر أو في الصين أو في كل مكان، الذين لا يملكون أى احترام للحرية والتمايز الفردى، والذين تنبع فائدتهم ومصلحتهم من تحويل البشر إلى قطعان متشابهه يسهل السيطرة عليها وقيادته وزرع الخلافات والتناحرات بينها.

Obama bumper sticker

in Nebraska ... situation is Different

BREAKING NEWS - UPDATE

FROM NILE NEWS:

قامت مجموعة من الملثمين اليوم "الاثنين" بإختطاف أحد عشر سائحا على الحدود الجنوبية لمصر.

وصرح وزير السياحة زهير جرانة بأن السياح المختطفين بينهم خمسة إيطاليين وخمسة ألمان وسائح رومانى واحد , اضافة الى ثمانية مصريين.

وقال "ان مفاوضات تجرى حاليا مع الخاطفين لاطلاق سراح المختطفين مقابل فدية".

_____________________________________

FROM ISRAELI YNET:

Egypt: Kidnappers set $15 million ransom for tourists

Armed group that seized European tourists in Aswan region launch negotiations for their release, demand millions for their safe return. Cairo stresses abductors are criminals, not terrorists

Ynet and agencies

Latest Update: 09.22.08, 17:43 / Israel News


The armed men who abducted a group of foreign tourists in the Aswan region in southern Egypt are demanding a $15 million ransom – Egyptian and Italian media reported on Monday.

The Egyptian Tourism Ministry reported that the group was comprised of five German nationals, five Italians, one Romanian and four Egyptians. According to the Foreign Ministry, the incident took place two days ago during a jeep tour.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem refuted earlier reports that the group included two Israeli citizens.

The sources said it was possible the group had been taken to Sudan. The Egyptian and Italian foreign ministries confirmed that five Italian tourists were abducted. The ministry in Rome said it was in contact with other countries involved, but gave no further details.

Egyptian Tourism Minister Zoheir Garana said the abductors were veiled and made an official ransom demand.

The manager of an Egyptian travel agency told Ynet, "All we know for sure is that there were five Italians. I heard there may have been two Jews, but this isn't clear. Egyptian television has yet to report about it."

A security official in Aswan, 425 miles (685 kilometers) south of the capital Cairo, said authorities there were trying to determine the circumstances of the abduction.

An Egyptian government official said the kidnapping took place at a remote location near the Sudanese-Egyptian border south of Aswan. He too said that details remained sketchy.

"We don't know yet who did this and we don't know the whereabouts of the tourists," he said.

The two Egyptian officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the media.

The Counter Terrorism Bureau recently issued its bi-annual travel advisory regarding imminent threats on Israelis the world over.

Security officials emphasized that these warnings are not new but have decided to reiterate the specific dangers apparent in the Sinai Peninsula and pertaining to kidnappings in general.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak recnetly called on hikers to visit the Negev following recent warnings that Hizbullah plans to kidnap Israelis in the Sinai Peninsula. "I recommend the Ramon Crater," Barak said during a visit to the Zeelim base in southern Israel.


"The state of Israel is located in a not so simple area. We are surrounded with attempts to hurt us. Being Israeli is a great responsibility but also a great source of pride"


"We must be alert, and it's difficult when a warning is issued to return from a trip and not to travel there. This means that there is a concrete threat and that one must simply return from Sinai," the defense minister added.

Roee Nahmias, Nir Magal, Roni Sofer, Hanan Greenberg, Ahuva Mamos, Jonathan Weber, The Associated Press and Reuters contribute to this report

First Published: 09.22.08, 13:56


____________________________________

It is amazing how the Isreali media turned this incident into something about Israel, not Egypt, Italy, Germany, or Sudan... Yeah it does seem that even though this is happening to Egypt, on Egyptian territory, involving Germans, Italians, and Egyptians, turned on the pages of Ynet to something all about Israel and Israelis. On the other hand, the Egyptian media isn't exactly giving this much attention either. I mean look at the amount dedicated to this on the Nile News, versus Ynet. Either way this isn't looking good. May God Help us.
_____________________________________
FROM LIFE IN ITALY: A little different..

"(ANSA) - Cairo, September 22 - The kidnappers of five Italians and six other foreign nationals in southern Egypt have opened ransom negotiations with the wife of the tour operator who took them there, the Egyptian tourism ministry said.

The ministry earlier denied negotiations were taking place with the kidnappers. The Reuters news agency reported the five Italians, five Germans, one Romanian and an unclear number of Egyptian drivers and guides had been moved across the border into Sudan.

The kidnappers were probably Sudanese, it said.The 11 tourists were on an adventure in an area of southern Egypt that featured in the popular film and book The English Patient."
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Religious America


by Wael Abbas

Help Feed Sarah Bernhard

She is a fifth rate comedian who used to be something in the 80's and needs some publicity and money. So she went off and insulted Palin, calling her a turncoat Bitch and hoped she gets gang-raped by black brothers in New York. Cause that's what other women wish on women who disagree with them: Rape!



But I digress, she needs the work, people. And that's why she urges people to send the video to everybody. And she did say that the rape thing is part of "a larger nuanced argument". Cause there is a lot of nuance into wishing women to get raped.

God I love US politics and the freaks it unleashes!

BREAKING NEWS - EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED!

CAIRO, Egypt -- A group of 15 foreign tourists, including five Italians, were kidnapped Monday in southern Egypt, according to Egyptian officials and the Italian Foreign Ministry.

Details remain unclear and a breakdown of the tourists' nationalities wasn't available.

A security official in Aswan, 425 miles south of the capital Cairo, said authorities there were trying to determine the circumstances of the abduction.

An Egyptian government official said the kidnapping took place at a remote location near the Sudanese-Egyptian border south of Aswan. He too said that details remained sketchy. "We don't know yet who did this and we don't know the whereabouts of the tourists," he said.

The two Egyptian officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they aren't authorized to speak to the media.

There has been virtually no violence against tourists in the Nile valley and southern Egypt since an uprising by Islamist militants during the mid-1990s was put down by the government of President Hosni Mubarak.

The last major attack on foreign tourists in the Nile Valley took place in 1997 when 58 were killed by militants in the ancient temple city of Luxor, just north of Aswan.

Copyright © 2008 Associated Press