Childrens Do Learn

On a continuation of a topic I spoke about a couple of weeks ago, Mr. President went against me and insisted that plurals sound better with an “s”.

Check it out here, again he opted to use a grammatically incorrect sentence when speaking of children scores. When I was googling the topic, I got this page which tries hard to correct me, Mr. President: I am sorry but you have to insist the google
keep up to speed with your hip lingo: “Is our children learning?” should be accepted by grammar checkers because it has entered the daily language. You wish.

Radi

Blogging from an E61i

Lucky for me the flavour of the day here at books@cafe -or whatever it is called since I feel ancient with all the changes that happen around Amman- is hazelnut. See I am now three days in using this phone and I am addicted to it. On the spot blogging is to be expected from now on, wireless connection permitting ofcourse.

It was also an opportunity to see a sign I seldom see in Ramadan. “Breakfast from: 7:00 am till 2:00 pm.”

Radi

I was horrified when I saw this video,

It is actually a video of someone being totally careless and deliberately disruptive, worst of all -حاميها حراميها- those are the people who are paid and entrusted to provide security in Iraq, they are running around shooting at people. Aegis are the people who made this video, they are currently immune from prosecution.

Then, two days before he left Iraq for good, L. Paul Bremer III, the Coalition Provisional Authority administrator, signed a blanket order immunizing all Americans, because, as one of his former top aides told me, “we wanted to make sure our military, civilians and contractors were protected from Iraqi law.”

This is according to this article, because Iraq the land of the Hammurabi code, Mesopotamia, is so horrific in it’s laws that killers and mercenaries need protection from. People focus on the blackwater while there are tens of other companies doing the exact same everyday and no one ever got convicted or even indicted.

Radi

I was horrified when I saw this video,

It is actually a video of someone being totally careless and deliberately disruptive, worst of all -حاميها حراميها- those are the people who are paid and entrusted to provide security in Iraq, they are running around shooting at people. Aegis are the people who made this video, they are currently immune from prosecution.

Then, two days before he left Iraq for good, L. Paul Bremer III, the Coalition Provisional Authority administrator, signed a blanket order immunizing all Americans, because, as one of his former top aides told me, “we wanted to make sure our military, civilians and contractors were protected from Iraqi law.”

This is according to this article, because Iraq the land of the Hammurabi code, Mesopotamia, is so horrific in it’s laws that killers and mercenaries need protection from. People focus on the blackwater while there are tens of other companies doing the exact same everyday and no one ever got convicted or even indicted.

Radi

democracy

This is a quote that really makes you think

Under democracy one party always devotes its chief energies to trying to prove that the other party is unfit to rule – and both commonly succeed, and are right.

H. L. Mencken
US editor (1880 – 1956)

It is true, when you watch the American stories about then potential party candidates and what others are saying about them and the dirt that is being dug up, you can’t help but wonder, is any one of these fit to rule.

I am going to go out on a limb here, I think by 2010 or 2011, there will be PM in Jordan that is actually elected from within the parliament, bu the problem will be that the choice will be so ill-suited that we will feel at once like the Americans.

Radi

Ramadan Prices

I wasn’t shocked when I realized that it happened, prices are going to climb every Ramadan, the government and His Majesty are trying to provide an outlet for the destitute and the impoverished, the effort is sincere but the self-gratification is inevitable.

In layman’s terms: tell the people we created a market for the poor, and you tell the people that all other markets are for the rich, merchants will think “I will raise the prices since there is a place for people who don’t like it.” I agree with Fahed Al-Fanek on this.

Check it out here and here

Obviously the government is not resurrecting the Ministry of Supply, but everyone who reads this blog knows I am no capitalist, but I do agree that people should not speculate when there are statistics, however, a 65% decrease in the cost of fruits and vegetables where taken directly from middle-men, intermediaries.

I think the governments role should be somewhere else, releasing support of any kind, to any industry, let the market take it’s place and then, like we saw in the banks, telecommunication, insurance and other sectors go back to the regulation role.

Why such a change of heart from me? Not really, the next step should be tax exemptions for collectives and co-ops which will pave the way for a more socialistic endeavour, more on that later.

Radi

Irony

Antione Ghanem died last night, an MP from the March 14 assembly, which includes these people. I wanted to stray off-topic but I had to mention these people to support my point.

Feb 2005: Ex-PM Rafik Hariri

June 2005: Anti-Syria journalist Samir Kassir

June 2005: Ex-Communist leader George Hawi

Dec 2005: Anti-Syria MP Gebran Tueni

Nov 2006: Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel

June 2007: Anti-Syria MP Walid Eido

Sep 2007: Anti-Syria MP Antoine Ghanim

I was watching LBC and they had an ad made of people welcoming kinships and family at the Airport. They ran it beautifully, it was leading to a proclamation that stunned me:

“The Safest Country in the World”

I live in Jordan and while we do have a fear of terrorism in the wake of our 9-11, which happened on the 9th of November almost two years ago, I can guarantee that Jordan is still safer that Lebanon. I can also tell of the Irony of watching a member of parliament not yet 48 hours in the country from his fearful stay outside Lebanon (in Abu Dhabi), foolowed by such a daring advertisement for lebanon.

Radi

Salon again

I ran into a Freedom Airlines pilot a week ago at Kennedy airport. We were standing in line together, catching a flight to Boston. He was a captain (four stripes), but looked about 17 years old. I was trying to figure out which company he flew for, but couldn’t make sense of the star-spangled logo on his I.D. badge. So I asked him.

“I fly for Freedom,” he responded.

I wasn’t sure if he was answering my question or making a political statement. I wanted to put my arm on his shoulder. “We all do, son. We all do.”

I am still laughing as I write this, this is an excerpt from one of my favourite columns, it is by Patrick Smith of Salon.com, check out this weeks episode from a career pilot.

Radi

Missionary

No, I am not going to start a series about sexual positions, nor am I even going close, I am talking about a missionary effort of another sort. See I believe in freedom of belief and religion, but I do not believe in being harassed by the Good News Magazine in their efforts to spread Christianity in the middle east, I believe all unsolicited mail to be harassment and illegal.

However, I must say that what they do write in their booklets -of which I am a frequent recipient- sometimes sounds appealing to my Muslim roots, I guess all religious people are conservative in the same way. To me, the belief system is based on predicting the future, which I know that no one can do. I am waiting for “What’s Ahead for America and Britian?” and “What does the bible say about Tithing?”

It is going to be amusing seeing clergymen defending sizable donations to the churches.

Radi

My favourite dogs

I always wanted to own this dog, I personally can’t think of another dog that has this much grace, I would have got one a while back when we were living in the farm, but my family insisted on a guard dog, and it isn’t. This is the Siberian Husky.

His well furred body, erect ears and brush tail suggest his Northern heritage. His characteristic gait is smooth and seemingly effortless. He performs his original function in harness most capably, carrying a light load at a moderate speed over great distances. His body proportions and form reflect this basic balance of power, speed and endurance. The males of the Siberian Husky breed are masculine but never coarse; the females are feminine but without weakness of structure. In proper condition, with muscle firm and well developed, the Siberian Husky does not carry excess weight. (Basically think of this dog as an endurance sleigh dog), his temperament of the Siberian Husky is friendly and gentle, but also alert and outgoing. He does not display the possessive qualities of the guard dog, nor is he overly suspicious of strangers or aggressive with other dogs. Some measure of reserve and dignity may be expected in the mature dog. His intelligence, tractability, and eager disposition make him an agreeable companion and willing worker. According to akc.org

I also think that its relatives of Nordic and in general northern species are also beautiful. These are the the Norwegian Elkbound, and the Alaskan Malamute.

Radi