Gulf retailers were pulling Danish products from their shelves and ambassadors were being summoned for a dressing down over the publication in a Danish newspaper of cartoons depicting Prophet Mohammad. Saudi Arabia recalled its ambassador to Denmark last week to protest the Danish government's laissez-faire stance on the offending drawings, and Kuwait said it was summoning Denmark's ambassador.
Sheikh Ali al-Huzaifi, the imam of the holy mosque in Medina, urged Muslim governments to recall their ambassadors and freeze trade with Denmark and Norway "who permit such nonsense, calling it democracy."
"Ridiculing the Prophet is an appaling crime which should not pass without response, because that would allow others in the future to commit the same indecent act," he told Friday worshippers.
"They call [that] freedom of expression and democracy. They are liars and hypocrites," he added.
Monday, January 30, 2006
Friday, January 27, 2006
What?
Irony of the day:
The last name of Lebanon's "Sports and Youth Minister" is Fatfat.
I find that amusingly ironic.
The last name of Lebanon's "Sports and Youth Minister" is Fatfat.
I find that amusingly ironic.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Friday, January 20, 2006
Certifiable
I am now a certified speaker of German. Well, more like a certified mauler of German, since I only took the Zertifikat Deutsche, which isn’t a very high level. Still though, now I have an extra certification to list on my resume. Yipee!
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Death to those who annoy me
At about 1:50 this morning, a mosquito (better know to faithful readers as sky leeches) attacked me. It got in two good bites behind my ear before I woke up, which turned out to be a strategic mistake, because I was then in as much of a mood for blood as the sky leech. The little parasite took it, and I wanted it back with interest. Still though, I didn’t want to bother Mary Ann, so I used the LED flashlight built in to her cell phone to try and track the thing down.
I wonder what goes through a woman’s mind when she wakes up at two in the morning to find her husband using her cell phone to inspect the walls. Mary Ann is very patient.
Anyway, she told me to just be done with it and turn on the light. After a few moments of searching, I found the little beast and started my attack run. The closest weapon at hand happened to be Mary Ann’s pillow. Please see paragraph #2.
I’m proud to say that I brought death to my adversary in one blow. On a biophysical note, I found it interesting that I didn’t actually swat the little pestilence with the pillow, but somehow managed to kill it anyway. There wasn’t a smear on the wall, or a body squished on the pillow, but I later found the entire mosquito rendered lifeless on the bed, fully intact. Dead from my lethal thought beams no doubt.
Lebanese taxi drivers, you have been warned.
I wonder what goes through a woman’s mind when she wakes up at two in the morning to find her husband using her cell phone to inspect the walls. Mary Ann is very patient.
Anyway, she told me to just be done with it and turn on the light. After a few moments of searching, I found the little beast and started my attack run. The closest weapon at hand happened to be Mary Ann’s pillow. Please see paragraph #2.
I’m proud to say that I brought death to my adversary in one blow. On a biophysical note, I found it interesting that I didn’t actually swat the little pestilence with the pillow, but somehow managed to kill it anyway. There wasn’t a smear on the wall, or a body squished on the pillow, but I later found the entire mosquito rendered lifeless on the bed, fully intact. Dead from my lethal thought beams no doubt.
Lebanese taxi drivers, you have been warned.
Monday, January 16, 2006
I wish it was a joke
Sadly, it isn’t. Click here for the original.
*****
Hundreds of university graduates have held weekly protests for the past 15 years on the streets of the Moroccan capital, demanding safe government jobs because they fear the demands of private business. Mostly holders of degrees in the humanities and social sciences, some of the demonstrators say they would rather die than work for a private firm.
So they demand to be put on the public payroll even though the government has little use for them.
"In the private sector there is no security. You could work for years and one day or the next they will show you the door," said Driss al-Hassnaoui, a member of a 7,000-strong organization of unemployed graduates.
Hassnaoui believes the government is obligated to give him a job.
"We are ready to be integrated in any public position," he said, as protestors waved a banner reading "work or death."
Last month a young woman ate rat poison during one of the demonstrations but did not die. In another incident several other demonstrators suffered severe burns when their Molotov cocktails accidentally exploded on them.
Morocco's official unemployment rate is 10.9 percent. Some 13 percent of the workforce is employed in the public sector, or about 700,000 people. This year some 12,000 people are expected to get government jobs.
"Recruitment in Morocco is not equitable," said Mohammad al-Boukili of the Moroccan Human Rights Association.
"Those who are part of a certain social class or family are favored although the unemployed graduates, who often come from poor backgrounds, are the most in need of work," he said.
But the protesters have little sympathy from the government, which says it simply does not need more public servants with humanities degrees.
Driss Guerraoui, an adviser to the premier, said the graduates could not afford to turn their backs on the private sector.
"They demand jobs in the public sector but they don't have the qualifications for those positions where we need workers," explained the adviser, who is supposed to be dealing with the problem.
"We're looking for economists, telecommunications engineers, people with expertise in languages. We've suggested in vain that they get retrained.
"These unemployed graduates have made a profession of demonstrating," he said, adding that they needed to change their mentality "especially toward the private sector."
Hassnaoui said he was prepared to keep protesting for many more years. "We will continue our sit-in, even if it gets us nowhere for years to come," he said
*****
Hundreds of university graduates have held weekly protests for the past 15 years on the streets of the Moroccan capital, demanding safe government jobs because they fear the demands of private business. Mostly holders of degrees in the humanities and social sciences, some of the demonstrators say they would rather die than work for a private firm.
So they demand to be put on the public payroll even though the government has little use for them.
"In the private sector there is no security. You could work for years and one day or the next they will show you the door," said Driss al-Hassnaoui, a member of a 7,000-strong organization of unemployed graduates.
Hassnaoui believes the government is obligated to give him a job.
"We are ready to be integrated in any public position," he said, as protestors waved a banner reading "work or death."
Last month a young woman ate rat poison during one of the demonstrations but did not die. In another incident several other demonstrators suffered severe burns when their Molotov cocktails accidentally exploded on them.
Morocco's official unemployment rate is 10.9 percent. Some 13 percent of the workforce is employed in the public sector, or about 700,000 people. This year some 12,000 people are expected to get government jobs.
"Recruitment in Morocco is not equitable," said Mohammad al-Boukili of the Moroccan Human Rights Association.
"Those who are part of a certain social class or family are favored although the unemployed graduates, who often come from poor backgrounds, are the most in need of work," he said.
But the protesters have little sympathy from the government, which says it simply does not need more public servants with humanities degrees.
Driss Guerraoui, an adviser to the premier, said the graduates could not afford to turn their backs on the private sector.
"They demand jobs in the public sector but they don't have the qualifications for those positions where we need workers," explained the adviser, who is supposed to be dealing with the problem.
"We're looking for economists, telecommunications engineers, people with expertise in languages. We've suggested in vain that they get retrained.
"These unemployed graduates have made a profession of demonstrating," he said, adding that they needed to change their mentality "especially toward the private sector."
Hassnaoui said he was prepared to keep protesting for many more years. "We will continue our sit-in, even if it gets us nowhere for years to come," he said
Discovery
This weekend, the family went down to the local park. The highlight of the trip was Stella discovering the mother of all puddles. Loads of fun, but it was a trifle cold.
Friday, January 13, 2006
Testing
Just got out of my certification test for German. I’ll find out my score on Tuesday at 5pm. If I did well enough, they’ll allow me to move on to the verbal portion of the test. I suppose that will be scored within a week. I’m not really sure what score I’m going to end up with, but I’m glad I tried it out.
While I was there, I signed up for a Library card. Unfortunately, most of their AV materials are video tapes, but it’s something at least. Benjamin Blümchen, here we come!
While I was there, I signed up for a Library card. Unfortunately, most of their AV materials are video tapes, but it’s something at least. Benjamin Blümchen, here we come!
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
houseshopping
I've blogged about shopping for French castles in the past, but this one has really made an impression on me. It's just outside Batroun, in the north-ish region of Lebanon. Of course, it would need a lot of work to be habitable, but it's just so picturesque. How can you not like this place?
Monday, January 09, 2006
Rumors of death
I have not yet died as a result of my recent sickness, but my will to blog certainly has. However, in consideration of those of you who are gracious enough to check this site on a regular basis, I have decided make a post. For all those of you who are dying to buy me something, or for those of you who know what my birthday is, I post the following birthday wish, because irony isn't dead either.
Gift idea (SFW)
Gift idea (SFW)
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Last 24
A few of the events from the last day of my life:
Registered for a German language certification test.
Found out about German school for Stella.
Registered for Chinese classes.
Got my first employee evaluation since joining the UN (I'm decently happy with it).
Ate a nasty tasting but decent looking hamburger (I was very hungry).
Regretted eating the hamburger, as I now feel rather sick.
Registered for a German language certification test.
Found out about German school for Stella.
Registered for Chinese classes.
Got my first employee evaluation since joining the UN (I'm decently happy with it).
Ate a nasty tasting but decent looking hamburger (I was very hungry).
Regretted eating the hamburger, as I now feel rather sick.
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Redefinition
Some people tell me that as you get older, perception of certain flavors change. Things you didn’t like before suddenly become palatable. I think the same think can happen with words. For example a few days ago, I realized that two words have dramatically changed their meaning for me. Sometime in the last year, I have been unable to hear the words “bear down” without thinking of contractions.
For some reason, this phrase has been popping up rather frequently. For example:
Jayhawks bear down, Vinson sparks Kansas' victory
Brink of danger, Teams monitoring levees as storms bear down
'Bear Down' composer Lee dies
Music giants bear down on lyric search apps
Kind of changes the meaning doesn’t it?
For some reason, this phrase has been popping up rather frequently. For example:
Jayhawks bear down, Vinson sparks Kansas' victory
Brink of danger, Teams monitoring levees as storms bear down
'Bear Down' composer Lee dies
Music giants bear down on lyric search apps
Kind of changes the meaning doesn’t it?
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Around town
I like this photograph for a number of reasons, the old architecture, the symmetry, and for the fact that this little old lady has really made a difference by caring for her apartment.
The effect is even more clear when I zoom in.
On a completely different note, this sign was at the entrance to a park we visited yesterday. Caption: "No fun allowed"
The effect is even more clear when I zoom in.
On a completely different note, this sign was at the entrance to a park we visited yesterday. Caption: "No fun allowed"
Sunday, January 01, 2006
Fast Food
I'd like a whole goat to go please.
At least I think it's a goat. It might be a smallish cow.
At least I think it's a goat. It might be a smallish cow.
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