A Strange Discovery

Scientists have discovered a Turkish family whose members suffer from a genetic defect that oblige them to walk on all fours and speak a rather primitive language. (Via Sploid)

Enfin Une Ligne Aérienne Tunis-Montréal

Bonne nouvelle pour nos compatriotes vivant au Canada!

(D'après Le Temps du 28/02/2006)

Bientôt, sera inaugurée une nouvelle ligne aérienne Tunis-Montréal via Keflavik (Islande) ou Francfort (Allemagne).La nouvelle liaison (lancement prévu mars 2006) sera la première entre la Tunisie et le Canada. Quelques milliers de Canadiens visitent actuellement notre pays, particulièrement en automne et en hiver.

Espérant que la même initiative soit faite pour les Tunisiens vivant aux Etats-Unis.

Quote Of The Day

Eskimo: "If I did not know about God and sin, would I go to hell?" Priest: "No, not if you did not know." Eskimo: "Then why did you tell me?"

~Annie Dillard

Ouvrage sur "Les Tourbas Dans La Ville De Tunis"

"Les Tourbas dans la ville de Tunis" est le titre d'un ouvrage écrit par M. Mohamed Béji Ben Memi, adjoint au Maire de Tunis. L'ouvrage en question traite des spécificités architecturales et de l’historique des deux principales « tourbas » (lieux de sépulture) dans la médina de Tunis, la « tourbet El bey » et la « tourba El Bechia » qui remontent toutes deux au dix-huitième siècle. (Babnet)

بيضة تحمل إسم الرسول صلّى الله عليه و سلّم

اكتشف مواطن فلسطيني بيضة دجاج تحمل إسم النّبي محمّد،صلعم،في مدينة نابلس شمالي الضفة الغربية

عن موقع إيلاف

Revirginisation

Well this is simply the surgical operation to recover a lost virginity, not before marriage as it is the case in most traditional and conservative societies where virginity is a very important issue, but for the sake of pleasure.In fact, It is the trend and the fashion now that married women over 40 or so seek "revirginisation" to surprise their husbands while celebrating their wedding anniversaries. Read the following story for more.

(Via Drudge)

Arab-American Psychologist: No Clash Of Civilizations But A Clash Of Mentalities

Take a look at this video clip that was aired by Al-Jazeera TV channel and that some among the faithful may find provocative and shocking. The transcript of the video clip is here.

(Via Memri TV)

More on the views of this Arab-American psychologist could be found here ( in arabic)

NY Authorities Have Their Eye On Bird Flu

Although the United States so far has been spared, New York authorities have their eye on live poultry markets in this culturally diverse city of 8.2 million, where shoppers have a choice of more than 90 markets from the Bronx to Chinatown and Spanish Harlem.

(Via Drudge)

Americans See Iran As Enemy Number One

According to a recent gallup poll, 31% of Americans consider Iran as their greatest enemy while Great Britain and Canada were ranked as America's best friends.

Watching America

This is the name of a web site that translates newspapers from around the world into english to show the way people talk about the United States in their foreign tongue. (Via The Philadelphia Inquirer).

Browsing into the web site I came across this article by Tunis Hebdo and which was translated into english.

Paradise Now & The Oscars

The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee issued a press release,expressing the Committee's

concern with reports of alleged pressure being exerted on the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ upcoming Academy Awards (the Oscars) with regard to the movie “Paradise Now” by Hany Abu Assad. “Paradise Now” is nominated by the Academy for Best Foreign Film Oscar, and last month was awarded the Best Foreign Film Golden Globe award...According to numerous news reports, some individuals have lobbied the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to label the movie as coming from the Palestinian Authority, rather than Palestine, because “a formal creation of the state of Palestine has not been declared.”

ADC adds

To be clear, Palestine has maintained observer status in the United Nations since 1974 and is recognized as a nation by over 115 countries around the world. Additionally, in past years the Academy has accepted entries, without much controversy, from Taiwan, Puerto Rico, and Hong Kong, none of which are part of the UN List of Member Nations. Moreover, the Taiwanese entry “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” won the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar in 2001.

Quelle Arrogance!

La Secrétaire d'Etat américaince Condoleezza Rice a refusé de rencontrer le Président libanais Emile Lahoud lors de sa visite surprise au Liban.Quoi???. Non seulement une visite surprise mais le fait de refuser de rencontrer le Chef d'un Etat, sois disant souverain, je trouve ca scandaleux! C'est comme quelqu'un qui te rende visite sans préavis, entre dans ta maison et refuse de te voir. Est-ce normal ca? j'ai vraiement pitié pour le Président Lahoud...

Palestinian Brewery Launches " Hamas" Non-alcoholic Beer

Worried about his brewery's survival under a Hamas-led government, Palestinian beermaker Nadim Khoury launches a new product - a nonalcoholic microbrew brandished with a label that coordinates perfectly with Hamas' trademark color. ( Via The Daily Star)

مقتطف من قصيدة "بلقيس" لنزار قبّاني

.. شكراً لكم
.. شكراً لكم
فحبيبتي قتلت .. وصار بوسعكم
أن تشربوا كأساً على قبر الشهيدة
وقصيدتي اغتيلت وهل من أمة في الأرض
إلا نحن .. نغتال القصيدة
بلقيس كانت اجمل الملكات في تاريخ بابل
بلقيس
وتتبعها أيائل
بلقيس
يا وجعي ..
يا وجع القصيدة حين تلمسها الأنامل
هل يا ترى ..
من بعد شعرك سوف ترتفع السنابل ؟
قتلوك يا بلقيس ..
أي امة عربية ..
تلك التي تغتال أصوات البلابل ؟
أين السموأل ؟
المهلهل ؟
والغطاريف الأوائل ؟
فقبائل قتلت قبائل ..
وثعالب قتلت ثعالب ..
وعناكب قتلت عناكب ..
قسما بعينيك اللتين أليهما ..
تأوي ملايين الكواكب ..
سأقول يا قمري عن العرب العجائب
فهل البطولة كذبه عربية ؟
أم مثلنا التاريخ كاذب ؟
بلقيس
لا تتغيبي عني
فإن الشمس بعدك
لا تضيء على السواحل ..
سأقول في التحقيق :
أن اللص اصبح يرتدي ثوب
المقاتل
أقول في التحقيق :
أن القائد الموهوب اصبح
كالمقاول ..
وأقول
أن حكاية الإشعاع
اسخف نكتة قيلت ..
فنحن قبيلة بين القبائل
هذا هو التاريخ يا بلقيس
كيف يفرق الإنسان ..
مابين الحدائق والمزابل

The Controversial Seaports Deal

The recent announcment of a business deal that will allow a Dubai based company to control a number of US seaports has sparked a widespread fury and strident opposition mainly from US lawmakers who threatened to block the deal for national security reasons. On the other side, President George Bush threatened to use his veto ( if it happens this would be the first time, President Bush uses this executive prerogative) to override whatever action that might be taken by US Congress.On the other hand several Arab observors believe that the fury over the seaports deal is due to a sense of "arabo-phobia and islamophobia and it is clearly politically motivated"...

(Via Drudge)

The Deadly Toilet Paper

A Florida man has beaten his roomate to death over a toilet tissue...

(Via Drudge)

More On US Presidents

The following are 20 things you didn't know about U.S. Presidents. Enjoy!

Netroots Or The Rise Of Political Blogs

A neat article I came across reading In These Times.This piece explores the growing trend of netroots, or political blogs, which the author considers as having often been most effective as populist fact-checkers, challenging, refuting and correcting perceived errors in news coverage.

Blogs are literally vox populi—or at the least the voice of the people who post entries and comments, and, to a lesser extent, of their devoted readers. Telling bloggers that they’re wrong or to shut up is somewhat like telling respondents to an opinion survey to simply change their mind. When journalists reject bloggers as cranks or wingnuts, they also do the same to a large segment of the American public who see blogs as an expression of their views. Such dismissals feed the very alienation that makes blogs and bloggers popular.

British Historian Faces Jail For Holocaust Denial

An british historian, David Irving, is facing a maximum sentence of ten years in jail under an Austrian 1946 Banning Law which makes it an offence to publicly diminish, deny or justify the Holocaust.Mr. Irving who backtracked on his holocaust denial, conceded that he was mistaken when he denied the existence of gas chambers at Auschwitz...

Je Hais Les Dimanches

Tous les jours de la semaine
Sont vides et sonnent le creux
Bien pire que la semaine
Y a le dimanche prétentieux
Qui veut paraître rose
Et jouer les généreux
Le dimanche qui s'impose
Comme un jour bienheureux

Je hais les dimanches !
Je hais les dimanches !

Dans la rue y a la foule
Des millions de passants
Cette foule qui coule
D'un air indifférent
Cette foule qui marche
Comme à un enterrement
L'enterrement d'un dimanche
Qui est mort depuis longtemps.

Je hais les dimanches !
Je hais les dimanches !

Tu travailles toute la semaine et le dimanche aussi
C'est peut-être pour ça que je suis de parti-pris
Chéri, si simplement tu étais près de moi
Je serais prête à aimer tout ce que je n'aime pas.

Les dimanches de printemps
Tout flanqués de soleil
Qui effacent en brillant
Les soucis de la veille
Dimanche plein de ciel bleu
Et de rires d'enfants
De promenades d'amoureux
Aux timides serments

Et de fleurs aux branches
Et de fleurs aux branches

Et parmi la cohue
Des gens, qui, sans se presser,
Vont à travers les rues
Nous irions nous glisser
Tous deux, main dans la main
Sans chercher à savoir
Ce qu'il y aura demain
N'ayant pour tout espoir

Que d'autres dimanches
Que d'autres dimanches

Et tous les honnêtes gens
Que l'on dit bien-pensants
Et ceux qui ne le sont pas
Et qui veulent qu'on le croie
Et qui vont à l'église
Parce que c'est la coutume
Qui changent de chemise
Et mettent un beau costume
Ceux qui dorment vingt heures
Car rien ne les en empêche
Ceux qui se lèvent de bonne heure
Pour aller à la pêche
Ceux pour qui c'est le jour
D'aller au cimetière
Et ceux qui font l'amour
Parce qu'ils n'ont rien à faire
Envieraient notre bonheur
Tout comme j'envie le leur
D'avoir des dimanches
De croire aux dimanches
D'aimer les dimanches
Quand je hais les dimanches ...

~Juliette Gréco
Parole: Charles Aznavour.Musique: Florence Véran (1952)

Quote of the Day

"Aimez vous les uns les autres ou bien disparaissez..."

~ Juliette Gréco

USA: Top 10 Worst Presidential Blunders

According to a survey of presidential historians organized by the University of Louisville's McConnell Center, US President James Buchanan is rated number one on the list for failing to avert the Civil War...

Libya: 10 People Killed In Cartoon Protests

That's really sad.

Maghreb Blog Review XVI

Maghreb blog review for the month of february.

Quote of the Day

"A woman knows the face of the man she loves as a sailor knows the open sea."

~Honoré de Balzac

"Valley Of The Wolves, Irak", A New Turkish Movie

"Kurtlar Vadisi,Irak" or "Valley of the Wolves,Irak", is a new turkish movie,

which opened last week in movie theaters in Turkey, Austria and Germany, is a Rambo-like action story involving, in this case, Turkish gunmen who seek revenge against a tyrannical occupying army.The enemies in this feature are the American opposing forces, who are being punished for offenses against Turkish as well as Iraqi pride and honor.

Check the movie's official website here.

(Via Drudge)

Just Another Bush

To make things clear, I am posting this video clip just for the sake of fun nothing more...my apologizes if some may find it "racist".

What A Bad Pilot!

Poor passengers...

Extremely Funny!

Watch this video clip , I am sure you won't regret it!

Did I Miss This Family Guy Episode?

This Family Guy episode may be seen by some as funny, others may think it's ridiculous!

When Cats Give Dogs A Massage!

This one is really hilarious!

When Cats Bark!

That's not a doctored video clip check it out it's pretty funny!

Syria Switches To Euro

The Syrian state-owned Commercial Bank of Syria (CBS) switched, today, its foreign currency transactions to euros from dollars.Commenting on the Syrian move, a middle eastern economist said that "It looks like a kind of pre-emptive action aimed at making their foreign assets safer, preventing them from getting frozen in case of any conflict,".
(Via Drudge)

In 2004, the US Treasury Department designated the CBS as

"primary money laundering concerns".It accuses Syria of using the CBS as a "conduit for the laundering of proceeds generated from the illicit sale of Iraqi oil" and Syria's failure to transfer the remaining proceeds, which were in frozen accounts at the CBS to the Development Fund for Iraq.

Syrian President Appoints New Foreign Minister Or Did He?

In a recent "government reshuffle", Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, appointed a new minister of Foreign Affairs,Walid Mouallem, while promoting Farouk Al-Sharaa to the post of Vice-President in charge of Foreign Affairs. Al-Sharaa is by no contest the only arab official who held the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs for at least 22 years! ( Via The Daily Star)

Washington, DC, Wearing Its Snow Garb

Quotes Of The Day: Propaganda

Propaganda is to a democracy what violence is to a dictatorship.

~William Blum

Propaganda is a soft weapon; hold it in your hands too long, and it will move about like a snake, and strike the other way.

~Jean Anouilh

Propaganda has of course a purpose, but this purpose must be disguised with such shrewdness and virtuosity that he who is supposed to be filled with this purpose never even knows what is happening.

~Paul Watzlawick

US Plans Massive Data-Mining, Including Blogs

According to The Christian Science Monitor,the US government is developing a massive computer system that can collect huge amounts of data and, by linking far-flung information from blogs and e-mail to government records and intelligence reports, search for patterns of terrorist activity. ( Via Sploid)

Remembering Betty Friedan

I just figured out that Betty Friedan the famous American feminist, social activist and writer passed away on February 4, 2006. Friedan is best remembered by her best-seller "The Feminine Mystique", published in the 60s, and which some people considered as the spark that spurred the second wave of feminist movement.The book depicted the role of women in industrial societies and the stifling full-time homemaker role that women had to endure during that time.

Algerian National TV Bans "Star Academy"

According to the Algerian Al-Watan newspaper, "les gardiens de la vertu et de la morale nationale" (The Guardiens of Virtue and National Morality) have succeed in putting the lebanese entertainment show "Star Academy 3" off the air from the Algerian National TV. ( Via The Arabist)

Peregrinations : A New Tunisian Blog Is Born

Peregrinations is the title of a new tunisian blog by a fellow tunisian friend who is currently living in the USA.This blog will focus on personal thoughts on various issues ranging from poetry, literature, arts, philosophy, religion, international relations etc...so please go and check it out for it needs your precious input.

Ashura Day

While angry protests continue throughout the arab and muslim countries, Muslim chiites celebrate today, Ashura, considered by chiites as the most important day of the longer Muharram festival. For more information on this event check my last year's post here.

English Journalist Asks Islamic World For Apology

I came across this article reading Sign and Sight, the author is an english journalist Sonia Mikich who following the Danish cartoons, felt offended not by the tasteless toons but by the reaction of the Muslim world. She claims that her traditional values and cultural identity were trampled upon by "bearded ones" and she asks the Islamic world to apologize to her.Great Ms. Mikich!( the family name doesn't sound english to me but this is not a big issue). Now the Muslim world has to apologize for a reckless and irresponsible mistake by a western newspaper? What made me upset and sorry for Ms. Mikich were her hateful comments and threats to the Muslim world look at this:

I demand that the governments of Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Indonesia and Egypt apologise to me. Otherwise I am unfortunately forced to threaten, beat up, kidnap or behead their citizens. Because I am somewhat sensitive about my cultural identity.

I feel offended.
I demand that Hamas, the spokesman of the French Muslims and the Director of the Al-Azhar-University apologise to me. Otherwise I will never spend a holiday at the Taj Mahal, I will call for a boycott of Palestinian fruit and I will set the embassies of Tunisia, Qatar and Bangladesh on fire.

OMG! What?? she will set the Tunisian Embassy on fire?? shall we consider this a " a real terrorist threat" or pretend that she was joking? I hope she was joking.

I feel offended.
I demand that all the editors in chief of newspapers and television broadcasters in the Islamic world apologise to me, because they do nothing to prevent these obscenities.

I am really sorry Ms. Mikich, this kind of ideas won't solve the problem, instead it only adds fuel to fire.

Correction: Ms. Sonia Kichi is born in England but she is also german.

"Turn On": The New Sex Soda

"Turn On" is the brand name of a new soda drink promising those who drink it to sexually arouse them.The drink which tastes like cherry soda, was banned in France and Denmark!(Well yes Denmark bans products too!).Turn On is sold online for $3.50 a can and will soon be available in stores, I can't wait to try it :)

In Need For An Explanation

The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a travel advice notice warning its citizens not to travel to 14 arab and moslem countries following the ongoing protests in the region over the Danish cartoons. The countries in question are the following : Morocco, Algeria, Tunesia, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Oman, United Arabic Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kuwait. And now why the notice dosen't mention Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Irak, Afghanistan,Palestine where most of the violent acts have taken place??? Ok you may say that's taken for granted but still this confuses me!

Away from the crowd this is what exceptionnally happened in Tunisia and make your own judgements.

NB: between 500 and 700 Danish people live or work in Tunisia.

New Witnesses:Princess Diana Crash Caused By "Laser Beam"

New witnesses have told British detectives,that the crash that killed the Princess of Wales and her lover Dodi fayed was caused by a laser beam being flashed into the eyes of their driver. ( via Drudge)

No Ossama Tape?

We've been used to tapes from members of Al-Qaeda to react to a particular situation or event especially those pertaining to the War in Iraq or the US policy in the Middle East. Some are wondering why this network remained silent after all what is happening now in the Muslim and Arab world following the publication of the Danish cartoons. I am not looking for a new tape by those extremist groups but how come they tend to choose specific times and particular events and incidents and make declarations and threats which many consider as serving the Western agenda to pursue "the war on terror". I am just puzzled...

The Situation Is Out Of Joint

Following the news, I felt disgusted, humiliated and dismayed by the recent wave of violent acts and nonsensical incidents that took place in some Middle Eastern countries over the Danish Cartoons.Things seem to be out of joint in the absence of some reasonable and wise voices that will calm the situation down. We are all outraged, angered and disappointed by these tasteless cartoons but why turn to violence while the region is already submerged in violence? who is benefitting from all that? What will be the short and long term damage? Do moslems need more stigma? It is time to stop all this kind of irrational and hyperemotional acts that will not serve the unfortunately already tainted image of Islam and Moslems all over the world. We need to use our minds before our hearts and try to solve issues in peaceful ways for violence will bring more violence and at this moment I think we do not need more.

Egyptian Ferry Tragedy

1,000 feared lost on doomed Egyptian ferry.

My most sincere condolences and deepest sympathy to the families of the deceased.

USA: Cartoons Are "Offensive"

The State Department criticized today cartoon drawings in Europe of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), calling them "offensive to the beliefs of Muslims.".

NYC: A Painting Of Ossama As Christ-Figure

Will this painting ignite the same controversy over the Danish cartoons? let's wait and see.

Maghreb Blog Review XV

February's Maghreb Blog Review Roundup.

Roundup Of Tunisian Blogosphere's Reaction to European Union Cartoons

I said I won't blog anymore on what is now more than never a very controversial issue. The Danish Cartoons. But I would like to bring the attention of my dear readers of a roundup concocted by my dear fellow blogger Adib at Maghreblog of what Tunisian bloggers had to say on this issue. Most of the posts are in french, some in english and few in arabic (try google translation it may help).

Quote Of The Day

"I value the friend who for me finds time on his calendar, but I cherish the friend who for me does not consult his calendar."

~Robert Brault

Censoring Cartoons

No it is not about the Danish cartoons anymore. Enough is enough. This time it is about a cartoon by Toles at the Washington Post and which required the DOD's Joint Chiefs of Staff to send a letter to the Post saying the cartoon was "offensive". ( Via Americablog)

It Was A Year Ago...

I can call it a day! I was somehow distracted today from blogging but I just figured out that my blog is already one year old! isn't that cool one year passed since I first started my blog. Time runs really fast indeed but I am proud of my blog and above all I am thankful to my friend Don Jim who without his encouragements this blog might not have seen the light. I would like also to express my appreciation for all the bloggers who contributed in a way or another in making this blog a real passion for me.