UrShalim

Young women in Fallujah are terrified of having children

mbachir@gmail.com (Moussa Bashir) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:02:00 PST

"Young women in Fallujah in Iraq are terrified of having children because of the increasing number of babies born grotesquely deformed, with no heads, two heads, a single eye in their foreheads, scaly bodies or missing limbs. In addition, young children in Fallujah are now experiencing hideous cancers and leukaemias. These deformities are now well documented, for example in television documentaries on SKY UK on September 1 2009, and on SKY UK June 2008. Our direct contact with doctors in Fallujah report that: In September 2009, Fallujah General Hospital had 170 new born babies, 24% of whom were dead within the first seven days, a staggering 75% of the dead babies were classified as deformed."

Will the UN or the USA or the UK ever acknowledge this serious problem in Iraq specifically in Fallujah, Basra, Baghdad and Al - Najaf? Will they implement the cleaning up of toxic materials that was used by the occupying forces to "bring democracy" to the people of Iraq? Was the use of Depleted Uranium and White Phosphorus, among other deadly and toxic weapons, necessary for the Birth of the "New Middle East"? Was it worth it? Just wondering...

Migrant workers face abuse in Lebanon

mbachir@gmail.com (Moussa Bashir) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:02:00 PST

October was a deadly month for female domestic workers in Lebanon. At least six have died under mysterious circumstances, constituting a "clear pattern that cannot be ignored," Human Rights Watch researcher Nadim Houry told the Daily Star.

Ethiopian (and all other nationalities of domestic workers in Lebanon) Suicide Blog is worthy of a visit.

Video below, dated 22 August 2009, by Al-Jazeera:

“Kteer mdaprass,” (I’m very depressed)

mbachir@gmail.com (Moussa Bashir) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 03:00:00 PST

"Lebanon ranks as one of the most highly depressed nations in the world, with 6.6% of the Lebanese population suffering from some form of depression, according to recent statistics produced by a Harvard Medical School and World Health Organization (WHO) joint study. The study lists Lebanon next to the other most dejected nations of the world, including the US (9.6%) at the top, Ukraine (9.1%), France (8.5%) and the Netherlands (6.9%).

“Kteer mdaprass,” (I’m very depressed): “mdaprass,” a Lebanese-Arabic adaptation of the English word “depressed,” was coined by Lebanese youth and is widely used in colloquial speech, understood as a casual expression of a state of utter frustration and dejection."

For more on this issue go to NowLebanon...

UrShalim by Any Name is Always Quds Al Aqdaas - قدس الاقداس

mbachir@gmail.com (Moussa Bashir) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:49:00 PST

Contrary to the Arrogant Zionist claim that the Apartheid State of "Israel" invented the name "UrShalim", the fact is that this name is so ancient, it even predates Judaism. And it certainly is a few thousands years older than any Racist Zionist. (You go do your research.)

Zionists have Orwellianly tarnished everything they have ever touched or pronounced. After forcefully and illegally occupying a Land that is not theirs and after massacring its people (Palestinians) and after lying and creating chaos and pain where ever they set foot, they created a naming committee that was given the task of erasing the names of thousands of Arab places, including those of hills, valleys and springs, and creating Hebrew names in their place.
Ben Gurion, told the committee: “We are obliged to remove the Arabic names for reasons of state.”
This was and still is the reason for every atrocity that the Zionist commit.

Today, the Zionist Occupiers are at it again. Promoting a new phase of their plot. Attempting to erase an entire people with their history and culture. An ethnic cleansing based on a sick "justification" of "Israel" being the state of a pure race/religion: "the Jewish State". Hence this new inhumane and illegal act of "Judaifying Jerusalem, Judaifying Al Quds or Judaifying UrShalim".

UrShalim is NOT and will NEVER BE the Capital City of the Apartheid State of "Israel".
UrShalim is the symbol of resistance to all forms of oppression, aggression, injustice, bigotry, racism and all forms of hatred propagated by the "Zionists".

UrShalim will always be Al Quds / The Holy.

And Until justice prevails for those whom UrShalim stands for, until justice for the dispossessed Palestinians is materialized, peace will be but a juvenile day dream for the delusional.

Beyond Brainwash

mbachir@gmail.com (Moussa Bashir) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:50:00 PDT

"The Lebanese forces burned my handicapped father, but it's Hasan Nasrallah who threatens me"

One billion worldwide suffer from hunger

mbachir@gmail.com (Moussa Bashir) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 23:35:00 PDT

"The silent hunger crisis - affecting one-sixth of all of humanity - poses a serious risk for world peace and security...
It's the first time in human history that we have so many hungry people in the world...
And that's a contradiction, because a lot of the world is very rich despite the economic crisis."

aliens with orange eyes

mbachir@gmail.com (Moussa Bashir) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 04:53:00 PDT

you've got to agree with the fourteeners when they talk about impending doom if FPM and Co. win the elections, i mean, look at their supporters: aliens with sharp fangs, orange eyes, yellow drool...

photo credit

orange flags

mbachir@gmail.com (Moussa Bashir) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 01:01:00 PDT

"I want one orange flag with the check mark,
look,they're everywhere,
how come everyone has one and I don't?
can I get one yellow one too, please"

That was my eight year old son, somewhere on the road, in Beirut, in one of those traffics...

bell curve

mbachir@gmail.com (Moussa Bashir) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:54:00 PDT

“Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.” - George Carlin

now think lebanese

now think fourteeners

now think...

whatever

just think

Twittering your life away?

mbachir@gmail.com (Moussa Bashir) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 11:12:00 PDT

"A young man struggles against the pressure to Twitter his life away.
From: "SuperNews!" An animated sketch comedy series..."

Tania Saleh: "Ya Wled"

mbachir@gmail.com (Moussa Bashir) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 10:36:00 PDT

Tania Saleh - "Ya Wled" [Oh Children], a tribute to all Lebanese politicians. "bikaffi..." [enough...]

Lebanon: Beirut World Book Capital 2009

mbachir@gmail.com (Moussa Bashir) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 10:44:00 PDT

Beirut's status as World Book Capital was officially hailed today in a ceremony held at the UNESCO building. President Sleiman spoke today praising UNESCO for their choice adding that this title is a challenge to improve literacy and encourage reading. The ceremony was attended by Speaker Berri and Prime Minister Siniora.

Beirut is the ninth city designated as World Book Capital, following Madrid (2001), Alexandria (2002), New Delhi (2003), Anterp (2004), Montreal (2005), Turin (2006), Bogota (2007) and Amsterdam (2008).

According to the selection committee, Beirut was selected “in the light of its focus on cultural diversity, dialogue and tolerance, and of its diverse and stimulating program.”

Lebanon boasts of having hundreds of publishing houses.
But Lebanon is also a country where the most sold books, in any book fair that Beirut hosts, are cook and horoscope books.
And Beirut is a city where the coffee shops, that once accommodated intellectuals from around the world, are being transformed into fashion outlets.
And where the environment, politics, economy, intellectualism, arts, etc, has reached a very low level by all standards.
A city where even selecting it as World Book Capital created petty squabbles among the officials regarding the funding (reported by BBC).
Where even the facebook group for this event has only 133 fans (when last checked).

And yes, despite all that, I will take part, plan and share responsibility in some of the activities to commemorate Beirut as World Book Capital.
Never despairing that transformations and imprints can always be made.

Beirut World Book Capital 2009 - Official Site
Beirut World Book Capital 2009 - Blog
Pierre Tristam's article on UNESCO's declaration

Lebanon: Poverty and "Faith of our Fathers"

mbachir@gmail.com (Moussa Bashir) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 03:57:00 PDT

"Chicken a la Carte" a short film by Ferdinand Dimadura (2005).
Showing a portion of society actually living on the refuse of others to survive. Simple yet moving.

On the other hand, (the right one), in this our Lebanon, 28.5 per cent of the population are below the upper poverty line (US$4 per capita per day).
That's more than a million out the almost 4 million Lebanese.
8 per cent of the Lebanese population live in conditions of extreme poverty.

But did anyone hear any of the upcoming election candidates address this issue?
Is anyone of them saying anything better than just trying to prove their birth-right to be in the parliament? Some only because they were transformed from that one lucky sperm coming out of their father.. (pun intended)?
What a miracle? Only possible in Lebanon.
Or am I missing something?

But then, the Hymnal goes:
"Faith of our fathers, holy Faith, we will be true to Thee till death"
and who am I to disagree.

More on poverty in Lebanon

"Geagea wanted us to fight the Shia" says Jumblat in this Video [updated]

mbachir@gmail.com (Moussa Bashir) — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 01:19:00 PDT

Despite the poor quality of this video (taken by cell phone), Walid Jumblat can be heard accusing the Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea and "some of the Sunnis" of wishing for a Druze-Shia conflict. He can also be heard saying "we saw the Sunni in Beirut, they brought 1000 fighters from Akkar and did not last 15 min [during the mini-civil-war of May 7, 2008]. "They wanted us [Druze and Shia] to fight each other and then they would just sit and watch", he said. He stressed that the Druze dignity is preserved [despite not being dragged into a full fledged war]. At the end of the video, while talking about the elections in the Mountain, he accuses his Maronite allies of going back to "Isolationism", describing them as "once of bad quality, always of bad quality." Saad Hariri is a novice, he adds. This video ends with, "as for the Shia, England is holding dialogue with Hezbollah, [United States of] America is opening up to Iran...

I think sectarianism, feudalism, sheepism, isolationism and all their isms cousins should be eradicated before rabies spread out of control in this Lebanon.

Update: excerpts of Jumblat's clarification :

"The video was part of a long discussion which talked about the isolationist trend in the country," Jumblat said about a mobile phone video in which the Druze leader criticized Maronites and some March 14 leaders.

"I wish that (Maronite) Patriarch (Nasrallah) Sfeir and all Maronites would take the bad and insulting word I used – and which was taken out of context from a long discussion about isolation – as a mere description of the situation that caused isolationism" in Lebanese sects,

"I was expressing (my point of view on) choosing candidates particularly by the March 14 alliance. The latest victim was Nassib Lahoud who decided to withdraw his candidacy. This attitude doesn't only exist among March 14 but also rests with the other party."

Lebanese Campaign for the Boycott of Zionism

mbachir@gmail.com (Moussa Bashir) — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 09:50:00 PDT

Statement of Academics in Lebanon

In this latest onslaught against Palestinians, Israel has attacked a university, the Ministry of Education, schools across the Gaza Strip, and several UNRWA schools. Such attacks against learning centers are not unique for Israel. Most particularly since 1975, Israel has infringed upon the right of education for Palestinians by closing universities, schools and kindergartens, and by shelling, shooting at, and raiding hundreds of schools and several universities throughout the occupied Palestinian territories.

Nor have these attacks been limited against Palestinians. As academics in Lebanon, we are all too familiar with Israeli onslaughts against educational centers. In its latest assault, in 2006, for example, Israel destroyed over 50 schools throughout Lebanon, and particularly schools designed for the economically disadvantaged in the South.

We thus stand, as academics in Lebanon, in urging our colleagues, regionally and internationally, to oppose this ongoing scholasticide and to support the just demand for academic boycott, divestment, and sanctions against Israel >>> the rest is here ...

Lebanon is Mouseland

mbachir@gmail.com (Moussa Bashir) — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 22:01:00 PDT

Just watch the clip.
Funny but true about us and our elections, sooo true it's pathetic. It fits us like it was tailor-made for the Lebanese.

"Israel's" crimes against Lebanon continues

mbachir@gmail.com (Moussa Bashir) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 11:37:00 PDT

Israel deliberately flooded Lebanese farmlands with excess rainwater from an Israeli orchard, located off the southern town of Mais al-Jabal [South Lebanon] early Tuesday ruining crops and properties.
Tuesday's flooding is part of a systematic practice by the Israeli authorities to turn the highly-fertile land into swamps by channeling rainwater into the fields via trenches, which were dug for that purpose.

Four candles will be lit to the glory of God and the three Prophets if the Fourteener, who was screaming on the pulpit in Biel last Saturday, mentions this crime, even if without fervor, even remotely...

Fourteener IQ Test

mbachir@gmail.com (Moussa Bashir) — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 01:17:00 PDT

Mark with an arrow the: 1-wimps 2-liars 3-warmongers 4-corruption perpetrators 5-war criminals 6-war criminal cook 7-chameleons (oops, this is for another test) ...

photo credit: 14 March Conference at Biel 2009

Closed Zone Gaza

mbachir@gmail.com (Moussa Bashir) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 12:38:00 PDT

Santino has autonoetic consciousness

mbachir@gmail.com (Moussa Bashir) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 23:32:00 PDT

"I'm personally convinced that at least chimps do plan for future needs, that they do have this autonoetic consciousness*" Dr Osvath said. A conclusion that was made upon observing Santino, a chimpanzee at the zoo in the city north of Stockholm. Santino calmly collected stones and stored them to be used later as missiles. Santino was also observed as having the ability to learn and do things that furthered his cause.

A greater scientific feat would now be to find out whether the specie inhabiting Greater Lebanon possesses autonoetic consciousness and if not (highly probable) how to induce or infuse it into them.

*Autonoetic consciousness constitutes of the ability to remember and mentally relive past events in addition to imagining the future and making long term plans.

Abooouuuut, FACE

mbachir@gmail.com (Moussa Bashir) — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 22:59:00 PST

Commander in Chief of the enlightened-sectarian-futuristic-racist-life-lovers-hookah-puffers-fourteeners has delivered his assertive and snappy command: "about FACE!"; the disciplined lieutenants of the fourteeners' troops immediately complied. Suddenly, as if through divine revelation, they discovered that Syria can play "an important and constructive role" in the Middle East. Parroting their CIC, the lieutenants started fitting the new view into the sacred slogans of democratic and independent Lebanon; land of the free miracles and sovereign war-criminals turned into saint-leaders.
Compared to this CIC and his lieutenants, the General stands out as a visionary who is a couple of steps ahead of many.

Naffikh alayha tanjali.

Raging against Israel's Apartheid

mbachir@gmail.com (Moussa Bashir) — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 04:18:00 PST

Israeli Apartheid Week 2009: a week dedicated to raise awareness to the Israel's Apartheid practices against Palestinians.
Weeks and weeks of never ending rage is needed to bring the world out of its slumber and into recognizing the atrocities committed by zionists in occupied Palestine.

التطرف كل الحقـيقـة والاعتدال نصف الباطل

mbachir@gmail.com (Moussa Bashir) — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 21:01:00 PST

Extremism is the whole truth; neutralism is half the shit.

Mothers across the world for Gaza

mbachir@gmail.com (Moussa Bashir) — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:36:00 PST

Dear Friends,

On Sunday, February 8, 2009 mothers in at least THIRTEEN cities around the world will be gathering with their children, families and friends in solidarity with the Palestinian people, offering their support and condolences to the mothers and families in Gaza.

Marking the 40th day anniversary of the death of the first child in Gaza, we are gathering in Beirut, in Amman, in Nablus, in Dubai, in Derry, in Palo Alto, in Edmonton, in Helsinki, in Manchester, in Ballybofey, in Boise, in East Lansing, and in Cape Town, ... These gatherings of mourning are called to fight the de-humanization of the children, women and men killed in the Israeli war on Gaza, by reciting out loud the name of each child killed.

Today, despite the ceasefire, the siege on Gaza has not been lifted, the war on the occupied Palestinian territories has not ended, and Palestine remains hostage. We gather to show our solidarity with the people of Gaza, to show that we have not forgotten the deaths of hundreds of children and that we will not ignore the on-going blockade.

Three weeks ago, on January 18, 2009 more than 500 women, children and men gathered at the Beirut shore at sunset to collectively express our outrage at the devastating Israeli war on Gaza, and to show our solidarity with Palestinians under siege.

We will be doing it again, this time in global solidarity.
Come with your children
Hold a candle
Make a banner
Wear black
Take a stand

Place: Ralmet el-Bayda Corniche (Facing Al-Ajami on the sea front)

Date: Sunday February 8th, 2009; 5-6:30pm.

For more information visit http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=21133799949

Never Again / Over Again

mbachir@gmail.com (Moussa Bashir) — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 22:52:00 PST

Links for 2007-03-30 [del.icio.us]

Sat, 31 Mar 2007 00:00:00 PDT

UrShalim