Everywhere on Internet (especially Facebook) and in the media, the headline event is the murder of the muslim woman inside a German court by a German citizen.
The German government is saying that this is a single case, the guy was an unstable fanatic, and full stop.
In Egypt however, the case is taken much more seriously and millions are feeling offended, they are screaming to the increasing islamophobia, called the murdered woman the "Headscarf martyr" and asking for maximum sanctions for the killer.
People are angry and saying that the sign of this "islamophobia" is the murder of the woman... I am of course sad and I feel compassion for her familly, (especially the husband and the little daughter), but I still think that it was a single incident...
Lunatics and psychos exist everywhere, and a few years ago, a German policewoman was stabbed in the neck inside a German police patrol car, she died centimetres away from her colleague.
Was there a xenophobic act that day?Yes!
Was it the murder of the woman?No!
What was it?
When the German police entered the court to save the situation, they saw a blond guy with a knife covered with blood in his hand, an agonizing woman (18 stabs)on the floor, and her husband, also stabbed and screaming from shock and pain,, first thing the German policeman thinks: looks arab = danger ! And he shot the victim in his leg, assuming that the blond guy can not be the bad guy, and it is the other who looks more like a terrorist who should be the criminal!!!
That was the revolting act that day, and that is THE proof of xenophobia (I don't want to use the term "Islamophobia").
There were two victims that day: the woman and the man. The death of the woman can be described as a single case, but the man who was 100% innocent and who was shot by the German police (dont tell me they are psycho or fanatics) is definitely a victim of negative stereotypes and xenophobiaa. And this is much much worse than the murder of the woman by the killer.
If we should be angry, AND WE SHOULD!, then we should be angry of the German police acts, and not of the unemployed psycho!!
If anyone is still mad at the blond criminal more than at the German police, then he definitely is shortsighted, not to say an idiot! People! please open your eyes wide and put your fingers on the right signals!!!!
Risk doesn’t mean danger—it just means not knowing what the future holds. That insight resides at the core of risk management for companies, whether in managing the potential downside of an investment or putting a value on the option of waiting when making irreversible decisions. In this video Peter L. Bernstein also explains why in the real world the most sophisticated mathematical models can sometimes fail.
When I was ten, I used to listen to my late father's stories about the fall of the Berlin wall, how they lived the War of 1973, how they saw history being written, and he simply told me that I shouldn't be jaleous of his generation because we will also witness amazing historic events... like the following one:
General Motors is officially bankrupt.
Once the dragon of the american economy and the symbol of a booming industry GM was the global sales leader for 77 consecutive calendar years from 1931 to 2007, the company
broke another record by being America's biggest ever industrial failure with debts of 172 billion $.
I spare you the details of the new structure of the bust company, but I emphasize on one very ironic fact concerning the brand Hummer.
Hummer is originally the vehicle of the american army, then with the H1 it started being available to the public, and with the H2 it incarnated the American dream. It also symbolises new bourgeoisie and is an ambassador for gas-guzzlers.
However this symbol of a successful america is today being sold to the chinese commies: The republic of the people will be the producer of THE american vehicle.
In a real german university (like the BTU Cottbus): you meet the president of the university in the toilet, pee side to side, and he waits behind you for his turn to use the hands towel.
In a fake german university (like the one in Cairo): you see the president (same applies to the "president of the board of trustees) on your first day when he promises wonders and outstanding performances to new students and their parents, and the rest of the time you see the black Mercedes E class parked in the shadow.
The European PVC industry club organises a yearly essay competition with prizes of a few thousands €, they say it is part of their commitment to sustainability. I participated this year with an essay in which I express my dislike to today's invasive globalization, criticizing the over-interdependence of states when it comes to food and energy supply. I urge countries of the world to become self-sufficient in food and energy production; that was my answer to the question: "Faced with food and energy crisis, how can society improve its well-being?"...
Wrong answer!! You don't come up with leftist protectionist ideas in 2009, it is just not on the agenda... food and energy sovereignty? NO WAY! All these decades spent to control the world, and now you want us to step back? Sorry mister, you are completely on the wrong path!
We prefer people who blame it on the booming population or even on unsustainable ways of consumption, the first shows the crisis is not our fault ( it's the fault of ignorant people in third world who don't use contraception methods), and the second is very trendy :)
Anyway, I still believe that food and energy sovereignty are capital, and that they will keep the vital needs secure even in times of global economic crises, you can read my essay by visiting the official website of the contest and choose Tunisia under "countries" (the only Tunisian participant), or here if it is removed from their server for any reason.
I also recommend to read the winners' essays which - I have to admit- are of good quality.
P.S: I dedicate this post (my #100) to Naddou and Zizou who inspired me and supported me to start blogging (meme si c'est pas assez romantique pour etre "dedicacable":)).
It is very hard for me to read a serious book, I can not force myself to concentrate on something too academic, boring, and monotone, It is exactly like forcing yourself to eat a fatty tasteless paste. I prefer books that are captivating, with a touch of humour and sarcasm. And since I always wanted to know more about the history of the US, I asked my friend Dan (he is an anthropologist) to recommend a book on the history of the states that is easy to read. He recommended this book: he said he recommends it to all his non-american friends...It illustrates the history of the states since the discovery in 1492, until the mid 90's. Colonisation, slavery, civil war, labor movement, world wars, cold war... it covers the most important milestones in the (very short) US history and gives a good background for general knowledge.
The book is written and drawn in a very captivating way, with so much humour and sarcasm, and I finished it in a few days, not only for the purpose of learning, but also because the suspense is so thrilling, it is more like reading a story.
And though I have the feeling the author chose some events over others, and covered some better than others (not in the best glorifying way, believe me :)), I am very glad I discovered this book, I learned a lot and was very entertained reading it, and I think I became a fan of Larry's work :).
Thanks Dan for this great recommendation, and I recommend it too to all those who want to know more about the history of the US, in a different way than in boring history classes.
Another scholarship opportunity I found in my mailbox, and which I decided to share with my readers :).
This one is not in the US neither in a EU country, but it is simply in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The MASDAR institute represents the vision of the future for the local government, and in addition to building a state of the art carbon neutral city fueled by renewable energies, the idea is to import knowledge, so they established a partnership with MIT, and now it is possible to do a masters in engineering there.
I personally have a bad experience with newly found universities (especially in the arab world), but for a poor student this car be the door to a new dimension. Trying costs nothing :)
The MASDAR Institute of Science and Technology in Abu Dhabi is pleased to announce full scholarships to highly qualified graduate students from around the world. (6-10 scholarships are available to U.S. students).
The MASDAR Institute is the centerpiece of the MASDAR Initiative, a landmark program by the government of Abu Dhabi to establish an entirely new economic sector dedicated to alternative and sustainable energy. The MASDAR Institute is a private, not-for-profit, independent, research-driven institute developed with the support and cooperation of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). MIT provides assistance in recruitment of faculty members and senior administrative staff and the provision of course curriculum, amongst other matters. The Institute is located inside the world’s first carbon neutral, zero waste Masdar City which will be powered solely by alternative energy, mainly solar energy.
The Institute offers Masters and (in 2011) PhD programs in science and engineering disciplines, with a focus on advanced energy and sustainable technologies. It welcomes and encourages applications from qualified students and provides scholarships to talented students who meet its high admission standards.
Beginning September 2009, the MASDAR Institute will offer five 24-month Master of Science programs (coursework and thesis).
MSc in Engineering Systems and Management
MSc in Information Technology
MSc in Materials Science and Engineering
MSc in Mechanical Engineering
MSc in Water and Environment
Full scholarship is available to qualified talented students who meet its high admission standards which include appropriate TOEFL score, GRE and an excellent CGPA from a recognized university. A minimum CGPA of 3.0 (on a 4 point scale) or 2:1 in the British system, minimum TOEFL score of 577, and a minimum GRE quantitative score of 700 are the basic requirements without which an applicant will most likely not be considered.
Students accepted into the Masdar Institute will be offered a full scholarship which includes the following:
100% tuition fee scholarship
Textbooks
Laptop
Medical Insurance
Housing in a single unit apartment (at the Masdar campus)
International students will receive reimbursement of travel expenses (economy class air-ticket) into Abu Dhabi and back home after completion of studies. Travel expenses (return economy class air-ticket) back to the student’s home country at the end of the 1st year of studies will also be reimbursed.
Reimbursement of TOEFL and GRE exam fees (upon registration at Masdar Institute and submission of original receipts)
A competitive stipend per month (cost of living allowance).
No bond or conditions to the scholarship upon graduation
The scholarship and benefits are subject to the student maintaining a minimum CGPA as determined by Masdar Institute of Science and Technology and satisfactory progress on their research.
Details of faculty profiles, current research, programs offered, course description, scholarships, and other information is available on the website at www.masdar.ac.ae.
Any questions about the Institute and scholarships may be directed to Stephen Lee, Assistant Provost, at slee@masdar.ac.ae.
Have a look at this thing, amazing user-friendliness! Pure science fiction! It makes the iPhone, the Surface, the TouchWall seem as technologically advanced as a spoon.
In 1998, during an "Information Walfare" conference in Austria, Prof. Panarin from Russia predicts -in front of 400 fellows- the end of the United States of America in 12 years (2010).
His argument was that the economic system would collapse, and helped by moral and social degradance, a civil war will take place between the wealthier and the poorer states, and it would result in dismanteling the USA into 6 parts detailed in the map below.The world is now devided between supporters of this scenario and people who are laughing at the idea.
I think that although the US are facing a very hard period (maybe the hardest) in their history, there is no possibility of division of the states. We all know the result of the last American civil war. Maybe the US will be very weakened internally and internationally, but the Americans wouldn't give away their freedom and go hide under the umbrellas of the other forces in the world.
For more infos about the guy and his thesis, click on this link.
"Politicians are like diapers, they are changed frequently, and for the same reason".
A comedy about a political comedian who runs for president and gets elected thanks to a computer bug. Not very serious or deep, but funny enough and light like a decent Robin Williams.
