No Women Elected To Kuwait's New Parliament

Khsara :( ama el 3ibra bil moucherka !

The World Is So Small...

Yesterday, while doing some shopping at a food store, I bumped into one of my former american professors who taught me linguistics in Tunisia. The last time I have seen him was in 1996, the year of my graduation.Since then we lost contcat but I have never thought we will meet again especially in a huge country like the US! Indeed the world is so small!

It Was A Month Ago...

It was a month ago since I have stopped smoking. Honestly, it was not an easy decision to make but now I can see clearly the difference!:)

What Superhero Are You?

Your results:
You are Superman
You are mild-mannered, good,
strong and you love to help others.


Superman

---

100%
Green Lantern

---

95%
Supergirl

---

85%
Hulk

---

80%
Robin

---

70%
Wonder Woman

---

65%
Catwoman

---

65%
Iron Man

---

65%
Spider-Man

---

55%
Batman

---

55%
The Flash

---

55%


Click here to take the Superhero Personality Test


Via The Moor Next Door

طريق واحد

أريدُ بندقيّه..
خاتمُ أمّي بعتهُ
من أجلِ بندقيه
محفظتي رهنتُها
من أجلِ بندقيه..
اللغةُ التي بها درسنا
الكتبُ التي بها قرأنا..
قصائدُ الشعرِ التي حفظنا
ليست تساوي درهماً..
أمامَ بندقيه..
أصبحَ عندي الآنَ بندقيه..
إلى فلسطينَ خذوني معكم
إلى ربىً حزينةٍ كوجهِ مجدليّه
إلى القبابِ الخضرِ.. والحجارةِ النبيّه
عشرونَ عاماً.. وأنا
أبحثُ عن أرضٍ وعن هويّه
أبحثُ عن بيتي الذي هناك
عن وطني المحاطِ بالأسلاك
أبحثُ عن طفولتي..
وعن رفاقِ حارتي..
عن كتبي.. عن صوري..
عن كلِّ ركنٍ دافئٍ.. وكلِّ مزهريّه..

أصبحَ عندي الآنَ بندقيّه
إلى فلسطينَ خذوني معكم
يا أيّها الرجال..
أريدُ أن أعيشَ أو أموتَ كالرجال
أريدُ.. أن أنبتَ في ترابها
زيتونةً، أو حقلَ برتقال..
أو زهرةً شذيّه
قولوا.. لمن يسألُ عن قضيّتي
بارودتي.. صارت هي القضيّه..

أصبحَ عندي الآنَ بندقيّه..
أصبحتُ في قائمةِ الثوّار
أفترشُ الأشواكَ والغبار
وألبسُ المنيّه..
مشيئةُ الأقدارِ لا تردُّني
أنا الذي أغيّرُ الأقدار

يا أيّها الثوار..
في القدسِ، في الخليلِ،
في بيسانَ، في الأغوار..
في بيتِ لحمٍ، حيثُ كنتم أيّها الأحرار
تقدموا..
تقدموا..
فقصةُ السلام مسرحيّه..
والعدلُ مسرحيّه..
إلى فلسطينَ طريقٌ واحدٌ
يمرُّ من فوهةِ بندقيّة

نزار قبّاني

إلى أمّي

صباح الخير...يا حلوة
صباح الخير يا قدّيستي الحلوة
مضى عامان يا أمّي
على الولد الذي أبحر
برحلته الخرافيّة
وخبّأ في حقائبه
صباح بلاده الأخضر
وأنجمها،وأنهرها،وكلّ شقيقها الأحمر
وخبّأ في ملابسه
طرابينا من النعناع والزّعتر
وليلكة دمشقية

****

أيا أمّي أنا الولد الذي أبحر
ولازالت بخاطره
تعيش عروسة السّكر
فكيف...كيف يا أمّي
غدوت أبا ...ولم أكبر؟



من رسائل نزار قبّاني الشعرية إلى أمّه

Magharebia & Tunisian World Cup Performance

Once again Magharebia tackles the subject of World Soccer Cup and how the Tunisian bloggers put positive spin on the performance of the Tunisian team.

The Great Divide: How Westerners & Muslims View Each Other

This is the title of the new report by the Pew Global Attitudes Project. I have not read the report but according to Daniel Pipes,director of the Middle East Forum in Philadelphia,this global survey reveals that many Muslims are at war with reality and bound by extremist theories.

You can download the full report here (PDF).

PS: I do not agree with Pipes' views especially when it comes to the Middle East and Islam but his article via The Australian, is to show how the mind of an extremist is reacting to such issues, thus not helping in finding the real problem but, unfortunately, further complicating it.

Technicolor Snake

Reserachers have discovered in Borneo island a new venomous species of snake that can change its skin color...

Ben Laden & The World Soccer Cup

Check this animation here. ( Via The Australian)

Top Ten Alien Encounters Debunked

Here are 10 alleged alien encounters that have been definitively debunked over the years.

Quelle Déception!!!!

Tunisia 0- Ukraine 1

:((((

Magharebia On The Use Of Dialects in The Maghreb

In this blog review Magharebia brings up the issue of the use of dialects in the Maghreb and how North African bloggers (mainly algerian and Moroccan) support a wider usage of their vernacular languages.

العثور على ثلاثة قواقع مزخرفة يرجع تاريخها الى مائة ألف عام

واشنطن: أعلنت الجمعية الأميركية لتطوير العلوم عن العثور على ثلاثة قواقع مزخرفة فى الجزائر واسرائيل يعود تاريخها الى مائة ألف عام مضت بما يعد دليلا على أن السلوك الانساني المتحضر ظهر تدريجيا وليس كما كان شائعا من قبل عن أنه قد ظهر مباشرة فى أوروبا

Paying With Your Index Finger

According to The St. Petersburg Times, at the Coast to Coast Family Convenience store in Tampa,FL., customers can pay with cash, a credit card, or their index finger, thanks to what the business says is the State's first biometric payment system. Customers give the store a fingerprint and their bank account information; when they purchase something, they stick their finger in the scanner and the amount is automatically debited from their account. " People either love it or think it's a sign of the coming apocalypse," said owner Amer Hawatmeh. " But to me, it's the wave of the future."

( Via The Express,a daily publication of The Washington Post)

Jewish-Amazigh Friendship Association

It seems that a new friendship association is taking shape between Jews and Amazighs in Morocco. The initiators, Moroccan and Israeli civil society activists, hope that this assocaition will help foster relations between Moroccan berbers and Jewish Amazighs living in Israel as well as fight against antisemitism and promote Amazigh culture in Israel.

(Via Jeune Afrique)

Hannibal & Qindil Bab Mnara

I came across this article via the magazine "Réalités" (in french) about the historical and famous carthaginian figure Hannibal Barca.Frankly, I have read the article over and over and I couldn't grasp what the author is trying to convey or at least the morale of the story...

The Maghreb Center: Fostering Understanding & Development Of The Maghreb

The Maghreb Center is a newly created non-profit organisation in Washington DC. Its founder and President is a Tunisian World Bank consultant on International Development.

[The Maghreb Center] is dedicated to understanding and analyzing the political, economic, and social climate in the five countries of North Africa that are also known as the Maghreb: Mauritania, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya. The center disseminates this information amongst policy-makers, academics, the media, and the American public at large. Beyond promoting a greater appreciation of the Maghreb in terms of history, culture, accomplishments, and challenges, the center also aims to contribute to development in the region.

A Bachelor's Degree In Computer Hacking

Abertay University in Dundee, England, is offering the country's first degree in computer hacking, the Daily Record reported. Classes in the major will teach students how to find out passwords and log-in information, and how to shut down computer systems; the aim is to produce hackers that could work for the government against computer criminals. However, even teachers in the discipline say teaching criminal activities could produce more criminals.

( Via The Express, a daily publication of The Washington Post)

Saudi Women Turn To Blogs To Unveil Opinions

JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA - In this country where women are forced to completely cover themselves in public, are barred from driving, and need permission to travel abroad, it's small wonder many are embracing the freedom of anonymity on the Internet.

(Source: The Christian Science Monitor)

Sunscreens: Some Facts

Sunscreens generally do a good job filtering out the ultraviolet rays that cause sunburn — UVB rays. But with sunburn protection, many people get a false sense of security that keeps them under the harsh sun much longer. That adds to the risk of eventual skin cancer — both deadly melanoma and the more common and less-threatening basal and squamous cell cancers.

(Via AP)

Operation Return To Sender

US Immigration agents are cracking down on illegal immigrants both in Boston and Washington Dulles Airport. (Via Drudge)

مصل الأنفلونزا مقابل الأرض

تناقلت صحفنا نبأ الهزة الأرضية التي أحدثها مليون طالب في بريطانيا، عندما قاموا بالتنطيط في لحظة معينة، مشاركة في دراسة عن تأثير الهزة التي يحدثونها على أجهزة رصد الزلازل، ويقال إن الصين الشعبية واجهت ذات عام أزمة زراعية بعد أن هاجمت أسرابا من طيور الزرزور الصغيرة المحاصيل، وقضت على ملايين الأطنان من الحبوب، فما كان من الحكومة إلا أن دعت مليار صيني إلى الخروج إلى الشوارع والصياح المتواصل، مما جعل الطيور في حالة تحليق دائم حتى أصيبت بالوهن وسقطت الملايين منها ميتة، وفي العالم العربي حيث يتم تزوير الأرقام حبا في التزوير، وليس بالضرورة لغايات سياسية أو أمنية، بالدرجة التي بات فيها شائعا أن يتم حذف بضع درجات من مقاييس الحرارة صيفا (من فرط إنسانية حكوماتنا فإنها ترى نفسها مسؤولة عن توفير الطراوة والنسيم العليل)،.. لا يعرف أحد على وجه التحديد كم يبلغ عدد سكان هذا البلد أو ذاك لأن المسؤولين، وبحكم العادة، يختلسون كذا مئة ألف أو مليون نسمة، كما أن المواطن العربي لا يعطي معلومات صحيحة لموظفي التعداد فيطرح بضعة أشخاص من عدد أفراد أسرته، خوفا من عين الحكومة الحارة، أو يزيد العدد متوهما أن الحكومة ستحنّ وترق لحاله وتعطيه علاوة استثنائية

المهم دعنا نقول إن عدد العرب 200 مليون نسمة، وإن كلية الألسن والبلاغة في الجامعة العربية قررت تحريك مئة مليون منهم إلى الحدود مع إسرائيل (طبعا بعد مفاوضات تستغرق خمس سنوات مع الدول المحيطة بإسرائيل لمنحهم تأشيرات زيارة بدون كفلاء)، وأن هؤلاء المئة مليون نسمة وقفوا على امتداد الحدود مع الشقيقة إسرائيل في الثانية صباحا ولأربع ساعات متتالية وهتفوا بصوت واحد: بالروح والدم نفديك يا فلسطين..طبعا لن يكون أي واحد من تلك الملايين مطالبا فعلا بأن يفدي فلسطين حتى بالدموع (دعك من الروح والدم) فالغرض هو حرمان الإسرائيليين من النوم، وليس هناك في القانون الدولي ما يحرم حرمان دولة مجاورة من النوم، وبالتالي فإن ما ستقوم به تلك الملايين لا يعتبر معاداة للسامية..وتذهب ملايين وتأتي أخرى لتحل محلها حتى يرهق الأرق الإسرائيليين، ويقرروا الرحيل، أما إذا صار دمهم "تقيل" ولم يجد معهم الصياح المسبب للأرق، فما من سبيل سوى حقن ملايين العرب بفيروس الأنفلونزا ووضع المتأنفولزين على الحدود ليعطس كل واحد منهم في اتجاه إسرائيل ليوم كامل، وبعد يومين، أي بعد أن يتمكن الوباء من الصهاينة تتحرك قيادة عربية موحدة صوب الضفة الغربية للدخول في مفاوضات تحت شعار "مصل الأنفلونزا مقابل الأرض".

جعفر عباس

(Via Babnet)

Philly "English Only" Eatery Faces Probe

Update: The Philly "English Only" Eatery is facing probe: The city's Commission on Human Relations yesterday filed a discrimination complaint against Geno's Steaks over signs that read: "This is AMERICA ... WHEN ORDERING SPEAK ENGLISH."

(Via Drudge)

Beer Ingredient Might Fight Prostate Cancer

According to a new study a main ingredient in beer may help prevent prostate cancer and enlargement.But researchers say don't rush out to stock the refrigerator because the ingredient is present in such small amounts that a person would have to drink more than 17 beers to benefit.

John Updike's "Terrorist"

No, the author of "Rabbit" series, is not a "terrorist" and has nothing to do with "terrorism", but this is the title of his recent novel, where he tried to explore the reasons that push someone to be a "terrorist". In this recent article, The New York Times consideres Updike's "Terrorist" as a "maladroit novel" adding that

Unfortunately, the would-be terrorist in this novel turns out to be a completely unbelievable individual: more robot than human being and such a cliché that the reader cannot help suspecting that Mr. Updike found the idea of such a person so incomprehensible that he at some point abandoned any earnest attempt to depict his inner life and settled instead for giving us a static, one-dimensional stereotype.

Tattoo Nation

According to a survey,scheduled to appear Monday on the Web site of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology,

24 percent of Americans between 18 and 50 are tattooed; that's almost one in four. Two surveys from 2003 suggested just 15 percent to 16 percent of U.S. adults had a tattoo.

( Via CNN)

This Is Tunisia : When Ordering Speak Arabic!

No worries this is not a new ad in Tunisia and I don't think it will work either, but in a Philly Cheesesteak joint,(Geno's), the owner has posted small signs telling customers, "This Is AMERICA: WHEN ORDERING SPEAK ENGLISH.".

Joseph Vento (Geno's owner) whose grandparents struggled to learn English after immigrating from Sicily in the 1920s, said he posted the sign about six months ago amid concerns over immigration reform and the increasing number of customers who could not order in English when they wanted Philly's gooey, greasy specialty — fried steak, sliced or chopped, in a long roll, with cheese and fried onions.

Officer Delicious

Officer Delicious is the code name given to an undercover police officer at west Palm Beach, FL. To this point nothing is unusual except that Officer Delicious is actually a man dressed in drag to hand out tickets to people who run red lights. ( Via Drudge)

Magharebia Blog Review

Magharebia sums up discussions by Algerian and Tunisian bloggers over football.

Algerians bloggers complained about the exorbitant fees broadcasters are charging for World Cup coverage, while Tunisian bloggers mourned the death of a football fan.

Magharebia mentions our friend The Moor Next Door and our fellow Tunisian blogger Infinity.

Pentagon Sets Its Sights On MySpace

Pentagon is now targeting MySpace and other social networking websites... ( Via Sploid)

Woman Names Her Baby After The Devil Child In The Omen

What a strange world!! After the english woman who fought with the hospital to induce her sooner to avoid delivering a baby on the demonic date of 6/6/6, here is another woman who

named her baby Damien after the devil child in the The Omen, who was also born on June 6.

Suzanne went one better than the movie by hitting the full Number of the Beast with the date - 6/6/06.

Special needs teacher Suzanne, 36, was also induced for six days before Damien arrived at 6.59am, tipping the scales at a spine-chilling 6lb 6oz.

(Via Drudge)

وداعا هدى سلطان

القاهرة : وداع مؤثر ودموع صادقة وحزن كبير، شهدتها جنازة الفنانة الكبيرة هدى سلطان ظهر أمس، في مسجد الصباح بالهرم ، بحضور عدد كبير من الفنانين، وأسرة وجماهير الفنانة الراحلة

Poll: More Than 40% Of Americans Skeptical About 9/11 Story

According to a recent Zogby International Poll, More than 40 percent of Americans believe that the 9/11 Commission Report that investigated the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks is a cover-up...

(Via Sploid)

Cultures Clash As Latinos Turn To Islam

In the US, Latino immigrants are redefining themselves through Islam but they are confronted with cultures clash...(read more)

(Via The Washington Post)

Da Vinci Code Banned In Some Arab & Muslim Countries

Egypt, Lebanon and Pakistan banned the controversial "Da Vinci Code" for religious reasons. I wonder what's the case in Tunisia?

(Via The Daily Star)

Place Tiananmen: 17 Ans Après

Pékin était calme dimanche matin pour le 17e anniversaire de la violente répression, place Tiananmen, du mouvement démocratique de 1989, passé sous silence comme chaque année par les médias, et que quelques dissidents, comme d'habitude sous étroite surveillance, entendaient commémorer discrètement.

Quote Of The Day Bis

"The most spiritually perilous traits to Humanity:

Wealth without Morality
Pleasure without Sacrifice
Science without Conscience
Knowledge without Principle
Politics without Character
Commerce without Humanity
Worship without Work"

Tarek C. 4 June 2006

Quote Of The Day

"The most spiritually perilous traits to Humanity:

Wealth without Work
Pleasure without Conscience
Science without Humanity
Knowledge without Character
Politics without Principle
Commerce without Morality
Worship without Sacrifice

You must be the change you wish to see in the World."

~Mohandas K. Ghandi

Cultural Christianity

In this article, Michael Burleigh, author of "Earthly Powers: Politics and Religion in Europe", discusses the issue of what he calls "Godless Europe" and its relation to "the growing trend of radical Islam in Europe and the fear of transforming the Old continent into an Eurabia". Burleigh rejects the idea that Europe is becoming Godless but suspects that religious instinct has simply metabolized into other forms such as cultural Christianity...

( Via The Australian)

Mona Lisa's Voice Recreated

TOKYO - The Mona Lisa may hide many secrets behind her enigmatic smile, but the sound of her voice may no longer be one of them, thanks to the work of a Japanese forensics expert.

Check it here!

Tunisie, Histoire De Femmes...

"Tunisie, Hisroire de Femmes" est le titre d'un film documentaire de l’historienne et réalisatrice tunisienne Fériel Ben Mahmoud. Tout en se basant sur le film en question, l'article suivant que nous propose la journaliste franco tunisienne, Feriel Berraies Guigny, jette un regard assez critique de la condition féminine en Tunisie.

Pour Mme Guigny, la femme tunisienne est libre et émancipée certes dans les textes et dans son attitude, mais jouit-elle vraiment de toutes ses opportunités ?

(Via Babnet)

US Company Proposes A Tracking Device For Immigrants

Scott Silverman, Chairman of the Board of VeriChip Corporation, has proposed implanting the company's RFID tracking tags in immigrant and guest workers. He made the statement on national television earlier this week. ( Via Sploid)

Europe's Oldest Surviving Book

Archaeologists are trying to uncover the text of what seems to be the oldest surviving book in Europe and which may hold a key to understanding early monotheistic beliefs.