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Those Darn Cartoons...

I guess if you have been following the news from the Middle East, there is a bit more than death and destruction. There is angry thousands marching in the streets, protesting the publishing of the Prophet Mohammad cartons, yes again, they are doing them in both Denmark and Germany.

It is a shame that editors of such newspapers chose to insult people's religion and vilify a great historical and spiritual figure in such fashion. As hurt as I am, I do think that there is no need for protesting in the streets and rioting....although the cartons are insults, I think the greater insult to Islam is to have people get killed as they riot in protest. I guess, what the West does not know that Muslims do not get humor and religion mixed together...publications at home are not allowed to depict religious figures, and figures period.

However what many Muslims fail to see that freedom of speech is a religion of it’s in some parts of the world, and many hold such freedom is sacred!

I think my Muslim brother and sisters should not allow others to control their feelings by getting offended and acting on that feeling. What happens is clear, the marching Muslims, empower some guy in Denmark to drive their action. This is a mistake.

I still believe that very few of the protesters have full-time jobs! Or families to look after. The two things that can keep you busy in your life are either a job or kids to look after...

Not to forget that in countries where freedom of speech is restricted, they would love to score cheap points by showing the dangers of freedom of speech. In other words, in Sudan, they might not have freedom of speech and the government does its best to vilify this right as dangerous and offensive, thus, allowing protest against cartoons does serve two purposes:

1-distract people from high unemployment rates
2-showing how freedom of speech is bad, bad, bad.

On the flip side, for the Danish editors, just because you are atheist and do not have a "holy cow" does not mean that all of us are the same, we are not! And remember this argument when you try to mock some other taboos. You are free to express yourself, but not free to incite...in the same fashion it is permissible to drive, and it is legal to drink, it is dangerous to combine both of them.

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No people can be great who have ceased to be virtuous.--Samuel Johnson

Israel warns of Palestinian 'holocaust' as violence in Gaza worsens:

Read the story of an Israeli official wanting to evoke the holocaust, not the ones they have museums for in every major city, but the one they are hiding....


Palestinian activists routinely claim to be suffering a "shoah" at the hands of Israel, but the Jewish state normally denies any moral equivalence between the suffering of Palestinians today and European jewry under the Nazis.


Matan Vilnai, deputy defense minister, broke that taboo when he used the term "shoah" during interview on Army Radio. Here is the link to the full story...two different sources

http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL2868601720080229
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/02/29/wholo129.xml

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Two Pictures...Two Concerts...Same Mentality

Now, these are two different pictures, two different concerts, two different singers, two different countries. I think you get the point! Now look at these pictures closely...really closely...click on them even to enlarge them and tell me what you see...

Here is what a see:

- A gorgeous female artist...
- A large crowd of men in suites (mostly, overweight)
- Most likely this is a hotel venue
- Many digital photography essentials, phones and cameras...
- There are absolutely no females in the audience...

Now, these guys in the pictures are not quite young kids, they are professional and young professional in two different Arab countries who are well of to be able to purchase a $100 ticket for such event. My point is that while not all professional in the Arab world are this way, but a great majority of them tend to be males, or at least who go to concerts with female performers! Now average Joe or Moe look at these pictures and say...who the hell are these guys?

A feminist might look at this pictures and mae two arguments:
1-Men objectify women and treat them as things, evidence the incredible amounts of cameras and other devices!
2-Women are doing far worse off than their male peers, because it is really hard to find a female in the audience at least in the picture

A Tech Savy looks at these pictures and say:

"Wow Arabs have lots of cool gadgets and tools that are superior to and maybe not available even in other developed countries" true, but South Korea beats everyone I think!

An Americans might look at these pictures and say two things:

1- The singers are hot...and the dresses are red
2-Arabs overdress to anything and everything (ties and suits)

A European might complements the dress choices for the performers, but trash the way how Arabs are dressed in terms of color coordination!

A Muslim clerck might look at the picture and say:
1- This is unacceptable, too much partying in time of crisis
2-Mixing of the races is not appropriate (even though there are no women)
3-Let's protest the Danish Cartoons instead!

And thoughts?

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Bash The Muslims and Kiss....

I could not help but notice that the debate has changes now, between the Republicans, Democrats and others all have different agendas, and priorities and different ways for doing business. But the one thing they all seem to agree on, reject any love from the Muslims and embrace any love that comes from the Jewish voters!

Obama had to "reject and denounce" the unsolicited praises he has received from the Nation of Islam...Hillary wanted to score on this point by saying, no I reject Muslims more...and love Israel more..Obama handled her well on the Jewish questions!

Earlier a conservative radio persona introduces Barack Obama as Barack Hussein Mohammad Obama and repeats it countless times to an audience warming them up for a speech by McCain! Yes, it was fear and smear campaign again...people want to say that he is Muslim to indicate something negative about him...

Even earlier, reports that the Clinton campaign releases a photo of Obama dressed as a Somali elder...whatever that means...Obama said he does not believe that was done to help his campaign, Hillary denies any relations to the photo!

The guy said he is not a Muslim, publicly denounced anti Semitic statements made by some supporters, but does that suggest that Muslims are anti-Semitic? I do not know if that is possible, because Muslims are Semites...

As if I was not just sick and tired of seeing my faith already being damaged from people who claim it...now even those who have nothing to do with my faith are not only rejecting it, but also using it as a smear tactic!

So If Jewish groups give money to a candidate, this candidate will brag about this support, but if a Muslim or an Arab gives a dime, it will be either rejected or never mentioned! Like if it was blood money...

I do not live on a different planet, I live here I see the bad reputation and violent crimes that Muslims commit in the name of religion...so I am not delusional! what I dislike is when 40 people a third of whom are children and infants are killed by Israel in 48 hours (I would post the pictures but trust me, they are too graphic)...that act does not take anything from our friend! Politicians still brag about how Whipped" they are and supportive of Israel! Supporting Israel is one thing, but bashing others to give the appearance that you support Israel is shameful. Not only that's this is shameful, but also this arguments starts on a false premise that all Muslims want the destruction of Israel.

Have they gone too far?

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Good ol' Ads! Ol' Fashion

Since I will be doing some new Stand up routine next week on Monday March 3rd in Arlington, VA Eleventh Hour Lounge! not that big of a crowd, but good setting...I am in a funny mode! I found those funny Advertisements forwarded to me by my friend Ihab, i thought to share them with you all! I like the fact that they mainly sell things that I do not buy...but they are rather bold to say the least! Go ahead, have a laugh

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Samuel Johnson

I stumbled upon a British literary figure, he is little known with the public, but he is the second quoted man after Shakespeare! He has a lot of books and his master piece what his work on a major English dictionary...he list in 1709-1784. I found a lot of his quotes that I thought are either inspirational or interesting. I do have to admit that what he has to say about women is kind of old school, but still holds true with some. And the last three quotes of his I think speak of the conditions of politics in America and Gaza. I hope you find these quotes of value, I know I have learned something

Great works are performed, not by strength, but by perseverance.

A man is in general better pleased when he has a good dinner upon his table, than when his wife talks Greek.

A man may be so much of everything that he is nothing of anything.

A man of genius has been seldom ruined but by himself.

Being in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being drowned.

I have to agree with that one, since I have never been in a boat for longer than one hour

By taking a second wife he pays the highest compliment to the first, by showing that she made him so happy as a married man, that he wishes to be so a second time.

I have nothing to do with this!

Exercise is labor without weariness.

He that undervalues himself will undervalue others, and he that undervalues others will oppress them.

Great line, I think all dictators and spouse abusers have a low self-esteem. Also see that Dictators are frustrated idealists

He, who does not mind his belly, will hardly mind anything else.

That's why people need to work out....if you do not care for what goes on with your own body, why would you give a darn about anything else?

He who praises everybody, praises nobody.

I really agree with that one, someone should tell BYU professors that

He who waits to do a great deal of good at once will never do anything.

Get it to it now!

I will be conquered; I will not capitulate.

I hope Olmert and Israel defense minister see this.

I never desire to converse with a man who has written more than he has read.

I swear I do read...news mainly and some books about grammar

I would not give half a guinea to live under one form of government other than another. It is of no moment to the happiness of an individual.

Libertarian Go Ron Paul...

If pleasure was not followed by pain, who would forbear it?

In order that all men may be taught to speak the truth, it is necessary that all likewise should learn to hear it.

I love this....this is true, no one even tell you or train you to hear the truth, only to say it

It is better that some should be unhappy rather than that none should be happy, which would be the case in a general state of equality.

It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than open one's mouth and remove all doubt.

It is better to suffer wrong than to do it, and happier to be sometimes cheated than not to trust.

I see what he is saying, but I really do not like the victim mentality...like people who like to be perceived as "victims" or helpless

It matters not how a man dies, but how he lives. The act of dying is not of importance, it lasts so short a time.

To all my heroes goes this one...there are few

Let me smile with the wise, and feed with the rich.

Love is only one of many passions.

Love is the wisdom of the fool and the folly of the wise.

Nature has given women so much power that the law has very wisely given them little.

I do not know about that one, but it sounds like a good pick line that would only work on someone that you are better off without

Praise, like gold and diamonds, owes its value only to its scarcity.

The future is purchased by the present.

The natural flights of the human mind are not from pleasure to pleasure, but from hope to hope.

There are some sluggish men who are improved by drinking; as there are fruits that are not good until they are rotten.

I love that one...he is right on the money!

To keep your secret is wisdom; but to expect others to keep it is folly.

Do not tell me your secrets, please even if I tell you otherwise!

To love one that is great, is almost to be great one's self.

To strive with difficulties, and to conquer them, is the highest human felicity.

Treating your adversary with respect is striking soft in battle.

I think my gal Hillary has read that one...

While grief is fresh, every attempt to divert only irritates. You must wait till it be digested, and then amusement will dissipate the remains of it.

Whoever thinks of going to bed before twelve o'clock is a scoundrel.

Your manuscript is both good and original; but the part that is good is not original, and the part that is original is not good.

No people can be great who have ceased to be virtuous.
—Samuel Johnson, on the behavior of the British colonists in America; "An Introduction to the Political State of Great Britain.

A fly may sting a stately horse and make him wince; but one is but an insect, and the other is a horse still.

And my favorite and Something Obama should quote more often when confronted with not wearing a flag pin

"Patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrel." - Samuel Johnson

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Before and After

So I got fed up with my hair, I have been growing it for more than months now, at some point I was like, "Darn it" so I asked Carlos to put these two pictures together to see the difference for myself and I think I like my hair shorter, however, keeping it long and curly makes a statement! By the way, when I went home more than 2 years ago, I had my hair long, and I was reminded that the type of long and curly hair back home either called "Falafel" or another racist name "Negro" but the word back home does not have the same social connotation, the word is horrible I admit! so go a head have a laugh!

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Girl Scout Cookies, Israeli Mo'sad, and Diet

What do the Israeli Mo'sad and the Girl Scouts Organization of America both have in common?

They both go after the brownies!

I think as an Arab I should be allowed to join the girl scouts organization, it is only natural for a brownie to become a girl scout!

Girl Scout's best selling cookies are thin mints, but of course none of which makes me thin, thick mints would be a cooler name and a more accurate one!

My next door neighbor has a daughter in the girl scouts and he asked me to buy some of their cookies, not only did I buy some cookies, but I also helped the girl sell 29 more boxes for $3.50 each. Selling those cookies was easy, just bug my co-workers about it and they will buy some! All of them bought some because they wanted to help out, all bought cookies, but one! he claimed he is on a diet!

Speaking of diets, my doctor told me two days ago, that I have dropped about 15 pounds since I have visited with him. Now I stand at 192 pounds, as tall as ever...I am only 4 pounds heavier that what I used to weight in 2004! although I think I have gained some muscles now, but I am almost there! I hate to blow my own horn, but it is kind of hard to say that when you have a blog! But I am not visiting the gym 10 times a week, and it is great....I have a gym buddy, professor Eric Hyer (abu Jehad) and he is a great support...we now even have a matching uniform now!

To tie in the Mos'ad and Diet, since Mos'ad is good at blowing things and people up, I think this is some sort of extreme dieting, i mean who des not want to lose 2oo hundred pounds in few seconds? I hear the entire population of LA are interested!

Also girl scouts cookies are tax deductible, only if you pay for them and not take the order. So you can keep the reciept they give you, but not taking the cookies, then you can write it of! Just a little note

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Arabs and V-Day

Here are various pictures of 3 different concerts with big Arab Divas to celebrate V- Day. Notice two things, the red color, and the ratio between men (who are fat by the way) and women!


I cannot believe that so many people celebrate Valentine day! It is true that so many stores, restaurants, florists, Chocolate Stores and business in the United States make the day look special by offering so many discounts and deals for that one day! I am not against it, it is good that we have a day in which we are allowed to be dorky and not feel so self counious all the time.

I still maintain my policy about how I much rather see a woman with roses and flowers, and not a guy with the same thing. For a woman to be with flowers is like an athlete with medals and actors with an Oscar. I did well, I am hot, and people recognized that and gave me a trophy! The guy with roses on the other hand, he is usually goofy looking, and wake in shame as you look at them, they look to the ground! And you feel they are telling you "Hey, you there with the brown jacket stop staring at me! these are for my wife" do not judge me, "I still like Basketball"

The thing that got me to write this entry was the unbelievable amount of concerts and gifts that take place on Valentine day back home. So many artists make special songs for this day and I mean A-list singers like Ehab Tawfik, Meryam Faris...etc. and every single Arab artist had a concert somewhere either in a hotel in Egypt, a university in Jordan, a stadium in Oman, a public park in Dubai, a restaurant in Lebanon, an arena in Yemen...and the list goes on.

On the other hand, Saudis are not supposed to celebrate this day, like if you wear red, you are busted. But that's not the worst part, the worst part is how the Western media makes this a bigger deal that it is. Do not get me wrong, I am all for personal freedom, but those religious minority in Saudi do nothing more than give their country a bad name! For example, as my friend Jehad noted I think the West wants Saudi women to drive more than Saudi women want to drive! It is obvious that not even Saudi men drive, everyone in Saudi Arabia has a personal driver! so I also want Saudi men to start driving themselves, but I should not be telling people want to do, and that's what people forget, that the reason you want something to happen because others tell you to do something else, but the moment someone else comes and tell you to do something even though you wanted to do this thing (say Saudi women driving) you will be like, open both sides people want to tell me to do something I do not necessarily want. Same argument goes for wearing the Hijab or not wearing it, both passionate sides, forget that it is about the principle not about the act.

I think the reason we sometimes act certain ways is either to defy authority or because we are expected to do so! You lose either way! Because the person that you want to defy has leverage on you and now controls you even though you defy that person. And by doing what you are expecting to do, you are not necessarily doing the right thing...you are going along...you are opting for mediocre!

Back to V-day, those who celebrate the day back home should not do it to be boneheaded, or just celebrate it because, it is what others do. So many individuals back home want to show that they are "civilized", "cultured", or even "upper class" by making a big deal out of this day...they are so wrong. such individuals will be "civilized", "cultured" in my book, by showing up to work on time, but striving to excel at whatever it is they do, and not by going to a concert and wearing red! Such acts are nothing but "peels" of civility.

As my friend shadi says about his coworkers who never been to America or the West, but yet manage to have promiscuous opinions and ideas about social subjects including heavy partying, and when Shadi both American and European educated calls it on such ridiculous thinking, they point fingers at him and label him as a "radical" and "traditionalist" So here you have someone who lived in the West, learned and enjoyed his experience there, being labeled as a traditionalist because he wants to take the best of a culture and marry it to his, and not just take the superficial aspects of the Western culture (drinking is an example)!

Are there many people like those at home? No, they are few, but they matter because they are all over media outlets, very vocal! Do they get anything right? Yes, I like their stands against violent!, but they moment you tell them they are wrong, violent they will be!

I only say these things because I see myself as part of the Arab World, a place I love, people I adore!

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Dollar Bill

When they were designing the US Dollar bill, they had many designs submitted by many Founding Fathers and others, but my favorite one phrase that Benjamin Franklin wanted to but on the Dollar Bill was "Resisting tyranny is a Service to God" how cool is this man? I was impressed once I heard this story!

I do agree with Ben, I think there is that essence that resisting tyrants of the world is a service to God. I know that some will over do it and say that wars are God's Work or that concepts such as Holy Wars go under this manta. I know for me the phrase represents individuals standing for oneself and stopping the wicked who is doing you harm from advancing their agenda because as it says somewhere "When the Wicked Rules and Righteous Mourns"

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The BreakOut President

Since, I do not vote in the States, nor have I voted anywhere else, I usually stay quite. However, that does not mean I do not have an opinion or favorite, I do like politics after all and enjoy the games and debates and public reaction to such games.
I have to confess something, Lately, I have not been a fan of the Republican Party. Even though, I wanted President Bush to win in 2000 and he did, I was happy, really I was and that's because I thought Lieberman--Al Gore's running mate was awful on issues of importance to me! I was never fond of John Kerry 2004; he did not speak to my mind nor to my heart.

But now I honestly, look at McCain and hear him speak of 100 year war and more wars and say God Help us, and I hear Huckabee speak and like it, but deep down I have fears of his rethroric. Hillary is just bad on Palestine issues, it is not her fault since she is a Senator from New York, and it is hard to do without Jewish supporters. This leaves me with the default candidate, Barrack Obama, I am a fan!

Truth is, McCain wants to take part of a staring contest with the terrorists, to see who would blink first. Perhaps a pissing content too! And Huckabee he wants to out pray the terrorists, he thinks that be out zeal using the bad guys, we can beat them. I disagree with both. Hillary, keeps on reinventing herself every election cycle! It is true that Obama needs experience, but a good mind and great advisors will compensate for that.

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Arab Leaders and Rich people have something in common. Both want to give the perception that they are popular and well liked by others. I was watching the media coverage for President Bush's visit to the Middle East especially the Gulf countries where he went Lawrence of Arabia on us. Obviously, these leaders in that part of the world wanted their people to see that the President of the greatest country on earth is their guest , schmoozing with their leaders. At some point, it seemed that President is more popular in countries like Israel, Qatar and Kuwait that in his own home. Leaders of such countries are not so democratic, but might be popular, but such high profile visit could boost such leaders. The Amir gets credit for putting his country on the US 8 PM news, and President Bush might establish the closest thing to a legacy he can muster. I really think that president Bush came around and realized that Palestine/Israel issue is essential to healing many of the ill feelings in the area. Too bad it is too late, we are only couple of months away from end of his presidency!

I think Israel asking any nation not only to recognize them, but also to recognize their legitimacy is unprecedented. I mean, in the United States for example, if a country wants relations with the United States, the US does not force countries to sign treaties recognizing the Disposition of the Indians as a justifiable action in order to normalize relations. A simple recognition will do!

In America, they have laws against trespassing, in some States; you can shoot anyone who comes uninvited to your property. The same people, who will shot you for trespassing your property, will tell the Palestinians to be nice to the Israelis. Excuse me? In the Palestinian view, not only the Israelis trespassed their properties, but also confiscated it. Clearly, I am against violence, but what I am also against inconsistency and hypocrisy.

All my life, even back home heard that conservative men take advantage of women or viewing as a lesser creature by asking them to be an extension to a Man. The word conservative covers all those that subscribe to some religion. However, it seems to me that Liberals in their own ways take advantage of liberal women, by always expecting them to fit a mold and bee Free! Liberals also do label people, those who disagree with them as "old school" I think balance is good and thinking for your own is a good start.

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You Bama! A Politician to Respect

Here is Barack's Super Bowel ad!

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