November 2008

The city is getting terrorized with a well-coordinated sophisticated attack. A friend of mine was two blocks away from the blasts but luckily he’s okay. Unfortunately, not everyone is.

Amanpour sheds light.

May the victims rest in peace, and may we see an end to this ongoing madness as soon as possible.

Via MEMRI:

Saudi Arabia’s education minister has ordered the removal of two extremist books from school libraries, in order to protect youth from extremist ideas.

One of the books is by Muslim Brotherhood thinker Sayyid Qutb, and the other is on jihad.

Source: Al-Watan, Saudi Arabia, November 25, 2008

If it’s true, it’s certainly a commendable move. But hey, just because the minister ordered it, doesn’t mean his orders will be implemented.

Anyways, I’m guessing it has something to do with those books producing people who not only fly planes into buildings, but also want to blow up Saudi oil facilities and pipelines.

It’s a conspiracy to try and seem fair, don’t be fooled.

This week the ICC prosecutor submitted a sealed application to the judges requesting an arrest warrant be issued against three Darfur rebel leaders whose names were not disclosed.

The counts against the rebel leaders included war crimes of violence to life, intentionally directing attacks against personnel, installations, material, units or vehicles involved in a peacekeeping mission and pillaging.

The U.S. special envoy to Sudan, Richard Williamson in an interview with Reuters welcomed the ICC move against rebel groups.

“I believe that for justice to be credible and for restorative justice to take place, all sides who commit crimes against humanity, war crimes, genocide have to be held to account” the US official said.

Conspiracy, I tell you!

Remember that Rai song I posted called Aicha by Cheb Khalid? Well this one is an R&B remix of another Rai song called Abdel Kader which featured Cheb Khalid too, hence the new genre Rai&B.

Me LOVES!

For more information on one of my favorite musical genres, read this:

Raï (Arabic: راي‎) is a form of folk music, originated in Oran, Algeria from Bedouin shepherds, mixed with Spanish, French, African and Arabic musical forms, which dates back to the 1930s and has been primarily evolved by women in the culture. Raï literally means opinion but is colloquially used as an interjection along the lines of “oh, yeah!”

By far one of the best articles on Sudan I’ve come across in recent weeks. Great analysis.

… in the past few weeks three newish factors have coalesced to create a set of circumstances that could shake the country up: for better, if matters are handled carefully, or for much worse. The first is the prospect of national elections next year; the second is the beginning of proceedings against President Omar al-Bashir by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of genocide over Darfur; and the third is the election of Barack Obama as the next president of the United States. Each of these factors, on its own, would not bother Mr Bashir much. But the three together are now putting considerable pressure on him to change course in Darfur and get serious about peace with the south.

Keep reading it here.

(hat-tip: Nobody)

… I mean the Muslim and Arab hypocrisy in regards to the Darfur conflict. He succinctly says what I’ve been hammering across here for ages together with some active commenters.

~*~

Muslim minority: Hey, there are Muslims getting killed in Darfur.

Muslim majority: Really? By the evil Joooz?

Muslim minority: No, by other Muslims.

Muslim majority: …

““Is”, “is.” “is” — the idiocy of the word haunts me. If it were abolished, human thought might begin to make sense. I don’t know what anything “is”; I only know how it seems to me at this moment.” - Robert Anton Wilson

And on continues my battle with ways of figuring what is real Vs what is perceived. Go down the rabbit hole of epistemology, and I suspect you’ll never be the same again.

Related:

• Reality Vs ‘Reality’: Mediums, Sound Waves and Music That Moves
• Kant On Reality and Empiricism

I received a number of legitimate critiques which I responded to. Please click here to read the important update.

Comments in this post are closed so please comment in the other updated post. Thanks.

This is the best post-election analysis of Elephants I’ve come across so far.

… John McCain lost because the country was suffering from Bush backlash, a reaction against a deeply damaged Republican brand, which had become associated with low and divisive attacks, arrogance and ineptitude in office.

… more troubling for Republicans is the fact that their base is shrinking: older traditionalist white voters in rural areas are not a growing demographic, almost by definition.  Preaching to this choir might draw populist crowds but it’s a long-term loser.

…  Great parties have to be willing to grow, and in the GOP’s case, become more diverse.  But if socially conservative activists and cynical play to the base politicians continue to impose rigid social conservative ideological litmus tests, the Republicans will be in the wilderness for a very long time.

Read it in its entirety.

Then of course, you have responding comments like these from some dude called Chuck Pelto attacking the author:

…obviously have no real grasp of Christianity. Let alone any bedrock form of morality.

And that my friends is one example of the rigid mentalities screwing up the Elephant party from within.

I’m not sure where the commenter stands on abortion but he sure does sound like those who want to ban it in all cases including rape and incest because you know, that’s what Christianity “demands.”

Less Sarah Palins please.

I received this short silly text message from a friend shortly after Obama was announced winner:

Women all over the world are shaving their pubic hair after Obama won the presidential election. Their message to the world?

“READ OUR LIPS - NO MORE BUSH”

 Seriously, do NOT worry!

Dear Campell Brown, thank you so much for stating the obvious.

Warms up your heart, doesn’t it?

MOGADISHU, Somalia - A 13-year-old girl who said she had been raped was stoned to death in Somalia after being accused of adultery by Islamic militants, a human rights group said.

Dozens of men stoned Aisha Ibrahim Duhulow to death Oct. 27 in a stadium packed with 1,000 spectators in the southern port city of Kismayo, Amnesty International and Somali media reported, citing witnesses.

To all those idiots out there supporting al-Qaeda, this is the kind of shit you’re going to end up with if they ever get to rule your neighborhood.

I understand you may have your own “kinder” interpretation of Sharia, but the kind featured above is precisely what they’ll be busy shoving down our throats. I’m sure you’d love to see your daughters or sisters go through similar “holy” trials if they too get raped and can’t produce four witnesses to confirm that the crime took place, right?

Disgusting.

For the zillionth time, Sharia is NOT holy, and never will be. I speak in practical terms, because Sharia’s enforcement requires an initial interpretation of religious scriptures - both activities ultimately being the product of fallible humans, people just like you and me.

So please dear Muslims, don’t fear criticizing Sharia. Go ahead. Feel free to tear it apart where appropriate if you wish to do so, and if anyone pushes the “hey, how dare you criticize God’s law?” argument in your face, you know what to do.

Even God’s laws or so-called laws require interpretation, something which is inevitably exercised by imperfect, fallible bearded men (rarely women in case you haven’t noticed), many of whom are just power-hungry morons who hide behind a veil of piety to shield themselves from criticism.

Cool?

Now excuse me while I go and continue puking.

UPDATE: There are a number of legitimate questions from fellow (albeit traditionalist) Muslims which have popped up in the comments section. While I responded in a comment, I thought it would be better if I added it here in the post to make it more visible.

[click to continue...]

He’s getting accused of being one from left and right… well, no, pretty much just from the right really.

Now here’s the thing. I am by no means an expert on complex economic issues but I’m certainly wondering how the accusation of Obama being a big fat socialist can have any real weight if he’s got the richest man in the world, billionaire Warren Buffet endorsing his economic plan. Heck, even Google’s CEO endorsed it, and let’s not forget the backing billionaire George Soros has been providing too.

So, Obama… a socialist or just a “lesser” capitalist who wants to bring about “corrective” measures?