Looking clear, Amir?

Amir Peretz, Israel’s minister of Defense, was caught observing his troops through binoculars - with the caps firmly on.

Peretz’s popularity has been going downhill since the war on Lebanon last July, and this is yet another blow to his popularity.

The BBC and Yediot reminded their readership the Ariel Sharon and George W. Bush were caught doing the same thing.

Well I think that the moment that

som

eone starts to be compared to GWB, it’s

probably time for them to leave - being caught in a clumsy moment is far less embarrassing than being compared to Bush.

The Jimmy Carter story: Apartheid? Anti-Semitism? Utter nonsense?

Jimmy Carter, former US president who oversaw the signing of the 1978 Camp David agreements between Egypt and Israel, has published in 2006 a book he titled "Palestine: Peace or Apartheid". (click on the title to reach the Amazon.com page of the book, which features an interview with the author).

And since then, well, it was easy for everyone in the US who wanted to score pro-Israeli cookies to criticise him. Carter: "I have been called an anti-Semite," he said. "I have been called a bigot. I have been called a plagiarist. I have been called a coward. This kind of accusations, they concern me, but they don't detract from the fact the book is accurate and is needed." (from Yediot).

Recently, he appeared on “This week with George Stephanopoulos” on ABC, the former president said "It's almost politically suicidal in the United States for a member of the Congress who wants to seek reelection to take any stand that might be interpreted as anti- policy of the conservative Israeli government, which is equated, as I've seen it myself, as anti-Semitism."


Of course, the question moved more than one person on our campus. The Palestine Action Committee invited Norman Finkelstein to Harvard to comment on the book and the ensuing debate. Finkelstein was actually pretty interesting, and his main argument was that there was nothing particularly new in Carter’s book - it’s mainly the title of the book that seemed to have upset people...
And he also mentioned that the president of Brandeis Uni called on Carter to debate Alan Dershowitz (whom Finkelstein referred to as ‘a clown’).
Guess what: Harvard Students for Israel is inviting Dershowitz anyway. The man is supposed to talk tomorrow at the College.

This thing has already gotten way out of proportion. And here is the thing, though: apparently, it was generally overlooked in Israel.
It is true that hardcore pro-Israelis in the US are often more extreme than their counterparts in Israel...

To all Marxists out there... // Meet Sala-i-Martin!

(am stealing from, you won't believe it, Xavier Sala-i-Martin's website. More on that below).

GROUCHO MARX SAID...

"She got her good looks from her father. He's a plastic surgeon."
"I never forget a face, but in your case I'll be glad to make an exception."
"I've had a perfectly wonderful evening. But this wasn't it."
"While hunting in Africa, I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How an elephant got into my pajamas I'll never know"
"The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made." "A child of five would understand this. Send someone to fetch a child of five"
"Good sex is like good Bridge. If you don't have a good partner, you'd better have a good hand."

And my second to favourite...
"Marriage is the chief cause of divorce."
(I love the awesome rationale).

And the winner is..
"Military justice is to justice what military music is to music".

Oh, and what is that Sala-i-Martin thing? Is that the Sala-i-Martin I'm thinking?
Answer: YEP.

well, first, go see the website. Especially if you don't know who the heck this is. Then come back here.
Done? then I guess you've discovered that Xavier Sala-i-Martin is one of the planet's leading economists, and the author of the reference book 'Economic Growth' with Robert Barro. (and guess who selected the painting on the book's cover?)

Professor at Columbia U, hardcore Catalan independentist (Bon dia, Jordi!!!!) and pretty insane. In a good way, of course.

Oh, and apparently, he was appointed the President of the FCB (the Barca!!) (okay, he presided some sort of transitory presidency if i understood this correctly, but still).

And he hangs out, of course, with the Barca team, and with some other celebrities, including this cutie here.

They were right when they said 'Economists do it with models' (if you didnt laugh then you didnt get the joke), only Sala-i-Martin seems to be on the good side of the pun...

Oh yeah. If you happen to be interested in his economics books rather than his jet-setter life, click here or go see his books list on his webpage.

Imperial History of the Middle East in 90 seconds

(ripped that off from Sandmonkey)

Okay, well the dates at the bottom don't really match and they are not always very accurate with the maps BUT the thing is well done.
5000 years of history in 90 seconds. Not bad!
Surely worth a minute and a half of your time! Click here!

Palestinians harrassed by settlers

((( Yay, post number 100!! :)))

A 1:46 minute clip from ABC News about Palestinians being harrassed by settlers in the Occupied Territories. This happens on a daily basis - people are harrassed, insulted, hit, sometimes murdered by settlers and their children. Shameful.

Go visit Global Themes!!!

I contribute to a photoblog, titled 'Global Themes'. It is gorgeous, you must check it out!!!
And, here is the cool news: we made it to the final nomination round (decided by the Photobloggies judges) of the Photobloggies Awards 2007!

On May 1st the winners (1 finalist out of 8 in each category) will be announced and we are currently up for two categories, Best kept Secret and Best New Photoblog, so, as Shaykhspeara says, all fingers and other objects crossed please!

Just a bit of humour...

The purpose of posting this video is not to make fun of Americans (okay, just a little little bit) but
a) to entertain my kind readership, and
b) to shed the light on the type of people that make me feel that universal suffrage was a bloody bad idea. If it is idiots like those who get to choose the person who rules the country that rules the world, then I think the World should impose some sort of trusteeship on the US.

This video was made my CNNN, an Australian homour website i believe.

Enjoy :)

Borrow a Muslim from the Library

I'm shamlessly stealing this post from Rami's old blog. What could I do, the original source is in swedish!!! (i did ask for his permission, though :)
(Oh, and Rami just got engaged! Mabrouk!!!!)

--------------
The Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet reported on March 12, 2005, that the Blågården library in Copenhagen has started a program inteded to explain misunderstandings and promote cultural exchange, through which a Dane can go to the library and, in essence, check out a Muslim for an hour (over coffee paid for by the library). Although the program advertises this service in a tongue in cheek humoristic way, the intent behind it is rather serious.


For Scandianvians, strangely enough, this is probably a good option. Although the Danes are considered the more extoverted than other Scandinavians, the lot of them are usually a bit reserved. On top of that, it is pretty common that Scandinavians and immigrants live in almost separate spheres of existence within the same country. (Of course, individual cases are different, but on average, especially places like Finland). This library system seems to bypass both of these problems. Danes can ask questions and find out more about Muslims and Islam from a real-live Muslim, without having to go through formalities of small talk, afraid to offend. The point of the meeting is education, question, information, view-points, so things go straight to the point. It makes it easier to actually, meaningfully have a discussion with a person you might not otherwise be able to meet, or be shy to ask questions of.

"I believe I have gotten many to let go of their prejudices," says Ali Nicolaisen, 35, the resident Muslim at the library.

"He is tops," said the library chief Ågot Berger. "He is more popular than our most checked-out books...There was such a high demans especially on muslims, that we have had to contact several more to participate." The library also plans on loaning out a Swede, a policeman, a Danish priest, an Arab etc., but the Muslim is the most sought after so far.

---------
I would totally be for people renting me out of the library. As long as I get to be carried like the guy in the photo :))

I'm curious if we could do that at the Kennedy School... I mean, if not renting people out :), then some sort of 'Ask a Muslim' table or something! What do you think?

Go Sarah! Planners 1, Searchers go home

(Thank you Paula!!)

Never thought I'd advertise for Sarah McLachlan. Not that I have anything against the girl, but she surely was never in my top 10..

Well, not anymore. She's been promoted :))) And the reason is her new song, 'World on Fire'. And the story behind it.

The concept is simple: how much does shooting a video clip in LA cost? Well, about 150,000 dollars.
So she decided to DONATE the money. And that's what the video is all about: interwined with shots of her performing the song - barefoot :) - with photos of all the beneficiaries of the donations.

Because paying a production assistant in LA costs $200 A DAY - the same it costs to enroll 100 kids for a term in Ethiopia.

Now do that with $150,000. The result is fantastic. Bottom line: 150 grand can do a video clip - or affect the lives of a million people.


Below is the video clip and the list of charities.

Conclusion: yes, dropping a lot of money on poor people can change the world. A million worlds, actually. We need to get started. Sarah McLachlan is on the right track, and is bringing us along. Imagine if every singer did that for 1 video clip. Imagine if we managed to cut waste in so many areas and donate the money. The possibilities are endless.

Planners 1, Searchers 0. Bill Easterly, go f*ck yourself.

Check out the 'World on Fire' website (that's the title of the song, btw).

CHARITY	FOR	AMOUNT
Carolina for Kibera	• 12 room clinic and land deeds • Medicine for 5000 people for 6 months in Nairobi Kenya	• $22,500 • $7,500
Comic Relief	• Running street children’s hospital in India for a year … Feeding 10 street children in Calcutta 3 meals daily for 1 year • Schooling for 100 street children in Tanzania • Education for 200 students in Ethiopia	• $11,050 • $3,000 • $2,500 • $400
CARE USA	• Building of 6 wells in S.E Asia, Latin America & Africa • Helping 100 widows to develop income generating activities in Afghanistan • Sending 145 girls to school for one year in Afghanistan • Equipping 10 classrooms in Afghanistan • Training 10 teachers in Afghanistan	• $10,200 • $5,400 • $5,000 • $480 • $400
DORCAS	• Total running costs of orphanage in South Africa • Improving the lives of 10 elderly people in Eastern Europe	• $16,500 • $3,500
Engineers Without Borders - Canada	• To purchase and implement a Multi-Function Platform in Ghana • Christy Yaa: scholarships • Nana Yaa: scholarships	• $15,000 • $1,000 • $1,000
Help the Aged	• Mobile Medical Unit (MMU) vehicle providing medical treatments	• $15,000
Film Aid	• Entertainment & escapism for refugees	• $9,500
War Child	• 70 former child soldiers to receive schooling & psychosocial support • 7 young people in Sierra Leone to receive job training • Education, shelter & food for orphans in Ethiopia	• $3,500 • $1,500 • $500
Heifer International	• 1 heifer, 2 goats, 1 buffalo • 2 sheep, 4 goats, 2 llamas and 1 heifer • A pig • Chicks • Ducks	• $1,000 • $1,500 • $120 • $20 • $20 • $20
ITDG	• Scheme which would allow 300 families to remove smoke from their homes • 10 smoke hoods • 5 bicycle ambulances • Nuts & bolts to secure houses of monsoon victims • Sudanese irrigation	• $1,925 • $250 • $1,300 • $500 • $1025
Action Aid	• To aid and implement programs in Khlaipathar village, Orissa, India to encourage families to be able to stay together • 5000lbs potato seeds for planting vegetable gardens	• $5000 • $160
	TOTAL	$148,270

Argh!! It's the beginning of the end of YouTube!

A few days ago, the Financial Times informed us - on its front page! - that Google/YouTube had failed to reach an agreement with Viacom about allowing YouTubers to use the music that Viacom distributes in their clips. Which means that Viacom has decided it would not allow its video clips to be uploaded, and watched, on YouTube.

Well guess what...
I was just looking for a song -- The Fray, How to save a life (great song, look it up!! Or see below.. ;) and I got THIS:


It says 'This video has been removed at the request of copyright owner Viacom International, because its content was used without permission".

Hmm. The end of YouTube as we know it?

Hey, here is something for you to comment on: is it the end of YouTube? And do you think that people should be allowed to watch those video clips on YouTube like they do on MTV or something?

In any event, for all those who dislike copyrights on music, please find the song in question... courtesy of YouTube. Nyahahaha. Enjoy.

Votez Nicolas le Pen, alias Jean-Marie Sarkozy!

(J'ai failli ecrire ce post en francais, et puis je me suis dit, allez, autant partager avec tout le monde :))






What can I say? I dig :o)

This photo has been put all over Paris!! For those who do not know the dude in the photo, that's Nicolas Sarkozy, french minister of interior, UMP (centre-right party) candidate to the 2007 French elections. The man is one of the most extreme politicians we've ever had, and he is working on turning France into an absolute, quasi-totalitarian security State. The kind of State that gets me, Arab-looking brown boy, randomly arrested and searched on the street (yes, on boulevard Saint-Michel, in front of the McDonald's across from the Jardin du Luxembourg...)

Sarkozy is also extremely anti-immigrant, and has been mass-deporting people (back to Africa, of course, not to Eastern Europe. They've got the right colour :) He is also a racist son of a bitch - referring to the immigrant kids of the french suburbs (yep, again, me!) as 'scum'.

Here's the funny thing, though: Sarkozy is the son of a Hungarian immigrant who made it to France 2 years before Nicolas was born. And his father was some kind of a refugee, and didn't speak french when he arrived.
Which, technically, makes me more French than Nicolas Sarkozy. (Never that I've got my residency permit revoked. :-P)

Le Pen is the president of the Far Right party, the Front National. The man is the quintessential fascist figure in French politics. He is, well, everything a far right party should be. Only he, unlike Sarkozy, doesn't attempt to hide it.
Worth underlining that, in the 2002 presidential elections, Le Pen actually came in second after Jacques Chirac (centre-right) and ahead of the nominee of the Left, Lionel Jospin. This triggered a huge campaign of criticism against the left for losing the trust of the electorate.
But people failed to underline that 22% of the French had voted for a racist, fascist pig. That's more than 1 out of 5 persons who want me out.

But I am rambling.
Just to tell you that this poster has been all over Paris recently, and it has Sarkozy's photo with 'Vote for Le Pen' on it.
Ouch. That's gotta hurt. BRAVO to whomever did that!!!!! :)




And this is a good clip about Sarkozy and the Security State... This thing has been so popular that it actually deserved a mention in the very serious daily 'Le Monde', which reported that this video got more than 1.5 million hits on Dailymotion (a Youtube sort of website).
Enjoy.

Painting Freedom

That's an old story - but it's great, I love the photos, and I like to share with people! (plus I've mentioned that to someone not too long ago but I can't remember whom -- so whoever you are, I hope you're reading this post :)

In August 2005, a Bristol street artist, Banksy, painted a series of 9 paintings on the apartheid wall in the West Bank. They are GREAT.
He paints ladders, he paints balloons, he paints what the world outside the wall should be.

Here are some photos, and a UK Channel 4 piece on this event.











For more info and photos, check out his website and what wikipedia has to say.

There's a hole in Wolfowitz's moral code - and in his socks

This is too good not to be blogged. (thanks to M. Al-Ississ!!)
Paul Wolfowitz, president of the World Bank and Neo-Con notoire, is not only an asshole - but he is also bloody cheap!!! :)

The man makes, according to the World Bank report, $ 391,440. And that, my friends, is a lot of money.
BUT his socks have HOLES in them - in both socks, actually. Nyahahahahaha.. this is hilarious...
The incident occurred during a visit to a Mosque in Turkey - and in a mosque, well, you take off your shoes. So Wolfie's toes were out there for cameras to spot. BBC News just had to run a story on it :o) (The photo is by AP).

(On a separate announcement: I'll try to add a few stories from the Lebanon trip. Keep visiting, and leave your comments! ;)