zizou from Djerba

Don d’organes et population tunisienne, attitude et opinion ?

zeeyed@gmail.com (zeeyed@gmail.com) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 13:55:03 PDT

Objectif

Le prélèvement d’organes humains en Tunisie reste en deçà des besoins. Ceci est en partie dû au refus des familles à ce que l’on prélève les organes de leurs proches en mort encéphalique. Nous avons réalisé une enquête sur un échantillon représentatif de la population de la capitale tunisienne (2,8 millions habitants) avec comme objectif de préciser, parmi les personnes refusant cette notion du don cadavérique, les déterminants du refus pour individualiser des pistes d’action.

Méthodes

Ce sondage d’opinion a été effectué dans la région de Tunis entre le mois de mars 2006 et le mois de février 2007. Les 16 questions de l’enquête répondaient à quatre thèmes principaux à savoir l’évaluation des connaissances, l’opinion et l’attitude du citoyen, la justification explicite du refus et les déclarations avancées en cas de refus du don d’organes.

Résultats

80,7 % des 902 individus sondés connaissaient la greffe d’organes en Tunisie. Une personne sur deux acceptait de donner ses organes après la mort. Parmi le groupe d’enquêtés refusant le don de leurs organes après la mort, l’absence d’un plaidoyer clair a été observée dans 55,3 % des cas. L’atteinte à l’intégrité du corps après la mort ainsi que l’obstruction religieuse étaient en tête de liste des déterminants du refus avec respectivement une prévalence de 79,9 % et 63,1 %.

Conclusion

La quête dans la relation corps et spiritualité et l’individualisme comportemental sont les deux explications de l’ampleur de ce phénomène de refus du don d’organes à Tunis.

La grande hypocrisie

zeeyed@gmail.com (zeeyed@gmail.com) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 03:37:52 PDT

Les temperatures avoisinent les 40 degres dans tous le pays. Les differentes etudes disent que sous des temperatures pareilles le corps humain au travail perd entre .3 et 1.2 L par heure. Sachant que ceux qui sont le plus acclimates a la chaleur sont ceux qui suent le plus. Cette perte demande a chaque personne de boire ntre 4 et 10 litres par jour. Il faut aussi savoir que la sueur a une concentration de sels mineraux d'environ 40 mEq . L-1.

Quand on sait en plus que la deshydratation inhibe la sueur et que l'inhibition de la sueur augmente la temperature centrale du corps (des effets negatifs sur le cervau). Quand on sait qu'une deshydratation de 4% du poids corporel (2-3 litres) diminue l'endurance musculaire de 18% et augmente le risque d'épuisement par la chaleur. Quand on sait tout ca, on ne peut que saluer le courage de Bourguiba, qui a demandé publiquement aux tunisiens d'arreter de jeuner.

Father and Son

zeeyed@gmail.com (zeeyed@gmail.com) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:21:48 PDT

J'ai regarde cette video ce matin. Une Pub Lee Cooper qui pour sa bande audio utilise la chanson de Yusuf "Father and Son". Quand j'etais au lycee j'aimais bcp cette chanson. Je l'ecoutais et je reflechissais en tant que "son" prenant les conseils de Yusuf en tant que conseils paternels... Aujourd'hui, en l'ecoutant, je n'ai pas pu m'empecher de penser au futur et de prendre un peu la place du"father".

En y reflechissant, j'ai pas pu m'empecher de penser que ceux qui sont né en 2009 vont avoir un futur bien meilleur que celui de ma generation. Ils auront en effet des classes moins surchargés et donc une meilleure education, un meilleur accés a la technologie, plus d'opportunités d'emplois ( avec le depart a la retraite de ma generation- plus nombreuse) . Ils pourront trouver un acces plus facile au logement car leurs nombre sera inferieur au notre... Ils trouveront un pays avec plus d'infrastructure avec un niveau de vie plus haut... Ils pourront surement voyager plus facilement ( Je pense que visa disparaitra dans 20 ans) et donc seront bcp plus ouvert sur le monde et plus tolerants...

Je suis optimiste... Je sais!

zizou from Central Park

zeeyed@gmail.com (zeeyed@gmail.com) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:11:36 PDT

Je suis a New York cette semaine. J'ai appris a connaitre cette ville et je m'y sens de plus en plus a l'aise. Elle ne m'est plus aussi etrangere qu'avant. J'y ai maintenant mes habitudes et mes reperes.

Mes coins preferes se trouvent du cote du Upper East Side. Pas loin du Metropolitan Museum of Art que je visite aussi souvent que je peux. D'ailleurs, je voudrais signaler l'originalite de l'approche "marketing" de ce musee qui n'a pas de prix fixe pour son ticket d'entrée. Il est libre a chacun de donner ce qu'il veut... selon son budget...
Je pense que si nos musee et sites historiques en Tunisie adoptent cette approche, les citoyens tunisiens auront un meilleur acces a notre culture et histoire et donc un meilleur ownership.

Hello Night: 2ème Album de Kesang Marstrand

zeeyed@gmail.com (zeeyed@gmail.com) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 01:05:55 PDT

Le deuxieme album de Kesang vient de sortir. Allez vite l'acheter!

"Hello Night" comporte douze berceuses originales. C'est un album de musique intime et secrete. Une voix et une guitare qui vous transportent dès les premiers titres à un monde lointain de rêverie et de songerie.

Vous pouvez écouter des extraits de ces chansons sur son site web!

L'été à la foret

zeeyed@gmail.com (zeeyed@gmail.com) — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 14:03:19 PDT

Passer l'été à la foret m'a toujours semblé bizarre. J'ai toujours grandi sur la cote et il me semble naturel de vivre à coté de la mer et d'avoir l'horizon a la portee des yeux. L'été pour moi etait synonyme de plage, de voile, de longues discussion avec les copains sous un parasol, de melon et de pasteque...

Depuis que je suis a Seattle, je me suis petit a petit habitué à l'idée de partir en foret pour ce detendre. Il faut dire que la foret est juste à coté ce qui facilite bcp la chose. Mon dernier séjour en Tunisie m'a un peu surpris et m'a confirmé un présentiment qui me dérange... Je ne suis plus aussi fan de la plage que je l'ai été avant... Peut etre parce que mes amis n'y sont plus? peut etre parce que je n'ai pas eu vraiment le temps de me poser et de l'apprecier vraiment... Je ne sais pas... La foret et la montagne me manquaient et je ne me suis senti vraiment en vacances que quand je me suis trouvé à la montagne a mon retour de "vacances"...

Tikhiy Don - And Quiet Flows the Don

zeeyed@gmail.com (zeeyed@gmail.com) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 18:38:09 PDT

Le weekend dernier, j'ai eu le temps, la patiente et la motivation pour regarder un film russe tourne en 1958 qui dure 6 heures... (4 DVD)
Sincerement, je dois avouer qu'un tel enthousiasme n'est etranger et je suis le premier a en etre surpris... En meme temps j'ai ete tres content d'avoir eu la chance de voir ce film. C'est un des films les plus romantiques, les plus epiques, les plus passionants que j'ai regarde. J'ai ete egalement tres impressionne par la performance de la grande Elina Bystritskaya qui devrait avoir droit a la meme reconnaissance que les Sophia Lauren, Catherine Deneuve et Cie...

Je ne sais pas si ce film se trouve en Tunisie mais je suis sur que ceux qui sont en France pourront se le procurer... A voir Absolument ( Revisez votre Histoire du 20 eme siecle avant de le regarder). Vous Pouvez aussi lire le roman

You've been invited to Google Voice

zeeyed@gmail.com (zeeyed@gmail.com) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 00:31:17 PDT

You are invited to open a free Google Voice account.

If you haven't already heard about it, Google Voice is a service that makes using your current phones much better!

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A personal phone number that rings all of your existing phones when people call
All of your voicemail in one inbox with unlimited online storage and free voicemail transcripts sent to your phone and email
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To learn more about Google Voice before registering, visit: http://www.google.com/voice/about

Please note that Google Voice is only available for sign up in the US.

We hope you enjoy Google Voice,

The Google Voice Team

Angelina Fares: une histoire qui ne vous laissera pas indifferent

zeeyed@gmail.com (zeeyed@gmail.com) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 21:39:37 PDT

Une adolescente druze qui reve de devenir Miss Israël. Une histoire qui a fait couler les larmes de millions d'americains hier.

Rouz Djerbi (Riz Djerbien)

zeeyed@gmail.com (zeeyed@gmail.com) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 22:38:27 PDT

Oeil de l'espagnole: عين الإسبانيورية

zeeyed@gmail.com (zeeyed@gmail.com) — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 19:18:31 PDT

une specialite tunisienne bien delicieuse!

Qualite de l'eau

zeeyed@gmail.com (zeeyed@gmail.com) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 01:38:40 PDT

La semaine derniere. J'ai recu ca au mail! c'est le rapport annuel 2008 sur la qualite de l'eau de robinet a Seattle. Ce rapport m'a bcp plu et m'a ouvert les yeux sur les efforts de la ville en matiere de gestion d'eau ( A Seattle, on a pas de compteur d'eau. On paye un forfait). Depuis, je cherche a trouver un rapport equivalent sur la qualite de l'eau a Tunis mais je ne le trouve pas... En attendant, voici le site de la sonede si vous ne le connaissez pas.

Ce weekend: Felfel Mehchi au four

zeeyed@gmail.com (zeeyed@gmail.com) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:46:26 PDT

Pour la deuxieme semaine d'affilee: Samsoum et Naddou m'ont embarque dans un deuxieme projet culinaire. Vivement le troisieme!

Voulas offshore cafe

zeeyed@gmail.com (zeeyed@gmail.com) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 19:13:02 PDT

Zied and I agreed that a rainy, late Saturday morning would be best spent brunching somewhere populated by locals. The internet suggested Voula's Offshore Café, so we climbed into our '85 Nissan truck and google mapped our way to the U. District. Stalling at each stop sign and red traffic light, we slowly bumbled along amidst the sleek cars made in this and the previous decade, until we reached our gastronomical destination.

Voula's is a Greek diner that bustles with friendly locals, serving, ordering, and delighting in comfort food and coffee. Nestled under the I-5 Bridge, the location seems less than ideal, but a colorful mural naively depicts the surrounding neighborhood and makes it seem just perfect. Zied and I sat at the bar watching the hashbrowns brown, and the bacon sizzle, while our appetites were simultaneously aroused, and satisfied. We both remarked on this, agreeing that the air was full of food vapors. Zied sipped his coffee, and I, my ice water, and we glanced at the tv screen on the wall showing a horse race. "Pick a horse," Zied said. I chose number four who, not surprisingly to me, gained on the three horses ahead of him, overtook them, and won.

Our waitress was smiley and attentive. She answered my questions about each dish, described Greek sausage ("spicy and made with beef"), and not long after she took our order we watched our "Greek Hobo" being prepared, the same way it has been prepared countless times before, I'm sure. The "Greek Hobo," is a combination of Greek sausage, mushrooms, onions, and hashbrowns, scrambled together with eggs and topped with feta cheese( not crumbled, but grated so it melts), and it is so delicious that I am salivating as I write this. No, I am not still hungry, just having a moment here. That is my Voulas story. Zied and I shared one meal which was plenty for two, and instead of going to the museum, which was part of the plan, we headed home a bit sleepy but feeling quite happy. If you spend a rainy Saturday in Seattle, go to Voula's... you're welcome to sit with Zied and me.

Kesang

Le Discours de Obama au Caire: un moment d'Histoire

zeeyed@gmail.com (zeeyed@gmail.com) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:04:48 PDT

Quand j'etais au lycee, on avait etudié le discours de martin Luther King:" I have a dream". J'espere que les prochaines générations de lycéens en Tunisie étudieront ce texte:

Good afternoon. I am honored to be in the timeless city of Cairo and to be hosted by two remarkable institutions. For over a thousand years, al-Azhar has, had stood as a beacon of Islamic learning. And for over a century, Cairo University has been a source of Egypt's advancement. Together, you represent the harmony between tradition and progress.

I'm grateful for your hospitality and the hospitality of the people of Egypt. And I'm also proud to carry with me the good will of the American people and a greeting of peace from Muslim communities in my country: Assalamu Alaikum.

(APPLAUSE)

We meet at a time of great tension between the United States and Muslims around the world, tension rooted in historical forces that go beyond any current policy debate. The relationship between Islam and the West includes centuries of coexistence and cooperation but also conflict and religious wars.

More recently, tension has been fed by colonialism that denied rights and opportunities to many Muslims and a Cold War in which Muslim majority countries were too often treated as proxies without regard to their own aspirations. Moreover, the sweeping change brought by modernity and globalization led many Muslims to view the West as hostile to the traditions of Islam.

Violent extremists have exploited these tensions in a small but potent minority of Muslims. The attacks of September 11, 2001, and the continued efforts of these extremists to engage in violence against civilians has led some in my country to view Islam as inevitably hostile not only to America and Western countries but also to human rights.

All this has bred more fear and more mistrust. So long as our relationship is defined by our differences, we will empower those who sow hatred rather than peace, those who promote conflict rather than the cooperation that can help all of our people achieve justice and prosperity. And this cycle of suspicion and discord must end.

I've come here to Cairo to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world, one based on mutual interest and mutual respect, and one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap and share common principles, principles of justice and progress, tolerance and the dignity of all human beings.

I do so recognizing that change cannot happen overnight. I know there's been a lot of publicity about this speech, but no single speech can eradicate years of mistrust nor can I answer in the time that I have this afternoon all the complex questions that brought us to this point.

But I am convinced that in order to move forward, we must say openly to each other the things we hold in our hearts and that too often are said only behind closed doors. There must be a sustained effort to listen to each other, to learn from each other, to respect one another, and to seek common ground.

As the holy Quran tells us: "Be conscious of God and speak always the truth."

(APPLAUSE)

That is what I will try to do today, to speak the truth as best I can. Humbled by the task before us and firm in my belief that the interests we share as human beings are far more powerful than the forces that drive us apart.

Now, part of this conviction is rooted in my own experience. I'm a Christian. But my father came from a Kenyan family that includes generations of Muslims. As a boy, I spent several years in Indonesia and heard the call of the azaan at the break of dawn and at the fall of dusk.

As a young man, I worked in Chicago communities where many found dignity and peace in their Muslim faith. As a student of history, I also know civilization's debt to Islam. It was Islam at places like al-Azhar that carried the light of learning through so many centuries, paving the way for Europe's Renaissance and Enlightenment. It was innovation in Muslim communities...

(APPLAUSE)

It was innovation in Muslim communities that developed the order of algebra, our magnetic compass and tools of navigation, our mastery of pens and printing, our understanding of how disease spreads and how it can be healed. Islamic culture has given us majestic arches and soaring spires, timeless poetry and cherished music, elegant calligraphy and places of peaceful contemplation. And throughout history, Islam has demonstrated through words and deeds the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality.

(APPLAUSE)

I also know that Islam has always been a part of America's story. The first nation to recognize my country was Morocco. In signing the Treaty of Tripoli in 1796, our second president, John Adams, wrote:

"The United States has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Muslims."

And since our founding, American Muslims have enriched the United States. They have fought in our wars. They have served in our government. They have stood for civil rights. They have started businesses. They have taught at our universities. They've excelled in our sports arenas. They've won Nobel Prizes, built our tallest building and lit the Olympic torch. And when the first Muslim American was recently elected to Congress, he took the oath to defend our Constitution using the same holy Quran that one of our founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson, kept in his personal library.

(APPLAUSE)

So I have known Islam on three continents before coming to the region where it was first revealed. That experience guides my conviction that partnership between America and Islam must be based on what Islam is, not what it isn't. And I consider it part of my responsibility as president of the United States to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear.

(APPLAUSE)

But that same principle must apply to Muslim perceptions of America. Just as...

(APPLAUSE)

Just as Muslims do not fit a crude stereotype, America is not the crude stereotype of a self-interested empire. The United States has been one of the greatest sources of progress that the world has ever known. We were born out of revolution against an empire.

We were founded upon the ideal that all are created equal. And we have shed blood and struggled for centuries to give meaning to those words, within our borders and around the world.

We are shaped by every culture. Drawn from every end of the Earth, and dedicated to a simple concept, E pluribus unum: Out of many, one.

Now much has been made of the fact that an African-American with the name Barack Hussein Obama could be elected president.

(APPLAUSE)

But my personal story is not so unique. The dream of opportunity for all people has not come true for everyone in America, but its promise exists for all who come to our shores. And that includes nearly 7 million American Muslims in our country today who, by the way, enjoy incomes and educational levels that are higher than the American average.

Moreover, freedom in America is indivisible from the freedom to practice one's religion. That is why there is a mosque in every state in our union and over 1,200 mosques within our borders. That's why the United States government has gone to court to protect the right of women and girls to wear the hijab, and to punish those who would deny it.

So let there be no doubt...

(APPLAUSE)

... let there be no doubt, Islam is a part of America. And I believe that America holds within her the truth that regardless of race, religion, or station in life, all of us share common aspirations: to live in peace and security, to get an education and to work with dignity, to love our families, our communities, and our God. These things we share. This is the hope of all humanity.

Of course, recognizing our common humanity is only the beginning of our task. Words alone cannot meet the needs of our people. These needs will be met only if we act boldly in the years ahead. And if we understand that the challenges we face are shared and our failure to meet them will hurt us all.

For we have learned from recent experience that when a financial system weakens in one country, prosperity is hurt everywhere. When a new flu infects one human being, all are at risk. When one nation pursues a nuclear weapon, the risk of nuclear attack rises for all nations.

When violent extremists operate in one stretch of mountains, people are endangered across an ocean. When innocents in Bosnia and Darfur are slaughtered, that is a stain on our collective conscience.

(APPLAUSE)

That is what it means to share this world in the 21st Century. That is the responsibility we have to one another as human beings. This is a difficult responsibility to embrace, for human history has often been a record of nations and tribes, and, yes, religions subjugating one another in pursuit of their own interests.

Yet in this new age, such attitudes are self-defeating. Given our interdependence, any world order that elevates one nation or group of people over another will inevitably fail. So whatever we think of the past, we must not be prisoners to it. Our problems must be dealt with through partnership, our progress must be shared.

(APPLAUSE)

Now, that does not mean we should ignore sources of tension. Indeed, it suggests the opposite. We must face these tensions squarely. And so, in that spirit, let me speak as clearly and as plainly as I can about some specific issues that I believe we must finally confront together.

The first issue that we have to confront is violent extremism in all its forms. In Ankara, I made clear that America is not and never will be at war with Islam.

(APPLAUSE)

We will, however, relentlessly confront violent extremists who pose a grave threat to our security because we reject the same thing that people of all faiths reject, the killing of innocent men, women and children. And it is my first duty as president to protect the American people.

The situation in Afghanistan demonstrates America's goals and our need to work together. Over seven years ago, the United States pursued al-Qaida and the Taliban with broad international support. We did not go by choice. We went because of necessity. I'm aware that there's still some who would question or even justify the offense of 9/11. But let us be clear. Al-Qaida killed nearly 3,000 people on that day.

The victims were innocent men, women and children from America and many other nations who had done nothing to harm anybody. And yet al-Qaida chose to ruthlessly murder these people, claimed credit for the attack, and even now states their determination to kill on a massive scale. They have affiliates in many countries and are trying to expand their reach.

These are not opinions to be debated. These are facts to be dealt with. Make no mistake, we do not want to keep our troops in Afghanistan. We see no military — we seek no military bases there. It is agonizing for America to lose our young men and women. It is costly and politically difficult to continue this conflict.

We would gladly bring every single one of our troops home if we could be confident that there were not violent extremists in Afghanistan, and now Pakistan, determined to kill as many Americans as they possibly can. But that is not yet the case.

And that's why we're partnering with a coalition of 46 countries. And despite the costs involved, America's commitment will not weaken. Indeed, none of us should tolerate these extremists. They have killed in many countries. They have killed people of different faiths but, more than any other, they have killed Muslims. Their actions are irreconcilable with the rights of human beings, the progress of nations, and with Islam.

The holy Quran teaches that whoever kills an innocent is as — it is as it if has killed all mankind.

(APPLAUSE)

And the holy Quran also says whoever saves a person, it is as if he has saved all mankind.

(APPLAUSE)

The enduring faith of over a billion people is so much bigger than the narrow hatred of a few. Islam is not part of the problem in combating violent extremism; it is an important part of promoting peace.

Now, we also know that military power alone is not going solve the problems in Afghanistan and Pakistan. That's why we plan to invest $1.5 billion each year over the next five years to partner with Pakistanis to build schools and hospitals, roads and businesses, and hundreds of millions to help those who've been displaced.

That's why we are providing more than $2.8 billion to help Afghans develop their economy and deliver services that people depend on.

Now, let me also address the issue of Iraq. Unlike Afghanistan, Iraq was a war of choice that provoked strong differences in my country and around the world. Although I believe that the Iraqi people are ultimately better off without the tyranny of Saddam Hussein, I also believe that events in Iraq have reminded America of the need to use diplomacy and build international consensus to resolve our problems whenever possible.

(APPLAUSE)

Indeed, we can recall the words of Thomas Jefferson, who said: "I hope that our wisdom will grow with our power and teach us that the less we use our power, the greater it will be."

Today America has a dual responsibility to help Iraq forge a better future and to leave Iraq to Iraqis. I have made it clear to the Iraqi people...

(APPLAUSE)

I have made it clear to the Iraqi people that we pursue no basis and no claim on their territory or resources. Iraq's sovereignty is its own. And that's why I ordered the removal of our combat brigades by next August. That is why we will honor our agreement with Iraq's democratically-elected government to remove combat troops from Iraqi cities by July and to remove all of our troops from Iraq by 2012.

(APPLAUSE)

We will help Iraq train its security forces and develop its economy. But we will support a secure and united Iraq as a partner and never as a patron.

And finally, just as America can never tolerate violence by extremists, we must never alter or forget our principles. 9/11 was an enormous trauma to our country. The fear and anger that it provoked was understandable. But in some cases, it led us to act contrary to our traditions and our ideals.

We are taking concrete actions to change course. I have unequivocally prohibited the use of torture by the United States. And I have ordered the prison at Guantanamo Bay closed by early next year.

(APPLAUSE)

So America will defend itself, respectful of the sovereignty of nations and the rule of law. And we will do so in partnership with Muslim communities, which are also threatened. The sooner the extremists are isolated and unwelcome in Muslim communities, the sooner we will all be safer.

Now, the second major source of tension that we need to discuss is the situation between Israelis, Palestinians and the Arab world. America's strong bonds with Israel are well-known. This bond is unbreakable. It is based upon cultural and historical ties and the recognition that the aspiration for a Jewish homeland is rooted in a tragic history that cannot be denied.

Around the world the Jewish people were persecuted for centuries. And anti-Semitism in Europe culminated in an unprecedented Holocaust. Tomorrow I will visit Buchenwald, which was part of a network of camps where Jews were enslaved, tortured, shot and gassed to death by the Third Reich.

Six million Jews were killed, more than the entire Jewish population of Israel today. Denying that fact is baseless. It is ignorant, and it is hateful.

Threatening Israel with destruction or repeating vile stereotypes about Jews is deeply wrong and only serves to evoke in the minds of the Israelis this most painful of memories while preventing the peace that the people of this region deserve.

On the other hand, it is also undeniable that the Palestinian people, Muslims and Christians, have suffered in pursuit of a homeland. For more than 60 years, they've endured the pain of dislocation.

Many wait in refugee camps in the West Bank and Gaza and neighboring lands for a life of peace and security that they have never been able to lead. They endure the daily humiliations, large and small, that come with occupation.

So let there be no doubt, the situation for the Palestinian people is intolerable. And America will not turn our backs on the legitimate Palestinian aspiration for dignity, opportunity and a state of their own.

(APPLAUSE)

For decades, then, there has been a stalemate. Two peoples with legitimate aspirations, each with a painful history that makes compromise elusive. It's easy to point fingers.

For Palestinians to point to the displacement brought about by Israel's founding and for Israelis to point to the constant hostility and attacks throughout its history, from within its borders as well as beyond.

But if we see this conflict only from one side or the other, then we will be blind to the truth. The only resolution is for the aspirations of both sides to be met through two states, where Israelis and Palestinians each live in peace and security.

(APPLAUSE)

That is in Israel's interests, Palestine's interests, America's interests and the world's interests. And that's why I intend to personally pursue this outcome with all of the patience and dedication that the task requires.

The obligations — the obligations that the parties have agreed to under the Road Map are clear. For peace to come, it is time for them and all of us to live up to our responsibilities.

Palestinians must abandon violence. Resistance through violence and killing is wrong and it does not succeed. For centuries, black people in America suffered the lash of the whip as slaves and the humiliation of segregation. But it was not violence that won full and equal rights. It was a peaceful and determined insistence upon the ideals at the center of America's founding.

This same story can be told by people from South Africa to South Asia, to Eastern Europe to Indonesia. It's a story with a simple truth: violence is a dead end. It is a sign neither of courage nor power to shoot rockets at sleeping children or to blow up old women on a bus. That's not how moral authority is claimed, that's how it is surrendered.

Now is the time for Palestinians to focus on what they can build. The Palestinian Authority must develop its capacity to govern with institutions that serve the needs of its people.

Hamas does have support among some Palestinians, but they also have to recognize they have responsibilities, to play a role in fulfilling Palestinian aspirations, to unify the Palestinian people, Hamas must put an end to violence, recognize past agreements, recognize Israel's right to exist.

At the same time, Israelis must acknowledge that just as Israel's right to exist cannot be denied, neither can Palestine's. The United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements.

(APPLAUSE)

This construction violates previous agreements and undermines efforts to achieve peace. It is time for these settlements to stop.

(APPLAUSE)

And Israel must also live up to its obligation to ensure that Palestinians can live and work and develop their society. Just as it devastates Palestinian families, the continuing humanitarian crisis in Gaza does not serve Israel's security, neither does the continuing lack of opportunity in the West Bank.

Progress in the daily lives of the Palestinian people must be a critical part of a road to peace. And Israel must take concrete steps to enable such progress.

And, finally, the Arab states must recognize that the Arab Peace Initiative was an important beginning, but not the end of their responsibility. The Arab-Israeli conflict should no longer be used to distract the people of Arab nations from other problems. Instead, it must be a cause for action to help the Palestinian people develop the institutions that will sustain their state, to recognize Israel's legitimacy and to choose progress over a self-defeating focus on the past.

America will align our policies with those who pursue peace, and we will say in public what we say in private to Israelis and Palestinians and Arabs.

We cannot impose peace. But privately, many Muslims recognize that Israel will not go away. Likewise, many Israelis recognize the need for a Palestinian state.

It is time for us to act on what everyone knows to be true. Too many tears have been shed, too much blood has been shed.

All of us have a responsibility to work for the day when the mothers of Israelis and Palestinians could, can see their children grow up without fear, when the holy land of the three great faiths is the place of peace that God intended it to be, when Jerusalem is a secure and lasting home for Jews and Christians and Muslims and a place for all of the children of Abraham to mingle peacefully together as in the story of Isra — as in the story of Isra, when Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed — peace be upon them — joined in prayer.

(APPLAUSE)

The third source of tension is our shared interest in the rights and responsibilities of nations on nuclear weapons. This issue has been a source of tension between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran. For many years, Iran has defined itself, in part, by its opposition to my country. And there is, in fact, a tumultuous history between us.

In the middle of the Cold War, the United States played a role in the overthrow of a democratically elected Iranian government. Since the Islamic revolution, Iran has played a role in acts of hostage taking and violence against U.S. troops and civilians. This history is well known.

Rather than remain trapped in the past, I've made it clear to Iran's leaders and people that my country is prepared to move forward. The question now is not what Iran is against but, rather, what future it wants to build.

I recognize it will be hard to overcome decades of mistrust, but we will proceed with courage, rectitude, and resolve. There will be many issues to discussion between our two countries, and we are willing to move forward without preconditions on the basis of mutual respect.

But it is clear to all concerned that when it comes to nuclear weapons, we have reached a decisive point. This is not simply about America's interests.

It's about preventing a nuclear arms race in the Middle East that could lead this region and the world down a hugely dangerous path.

Now, I understand those who protest that some countries have weapons that others do not. No single nations should pick and choose which nation holds nuclear weapons. And that's why I strongly reaffirmed America's commitment to seek a world in which no nations hold nuclear weapons.

(APPLAUSE)

And any nation, including Iran, should have the right to access peaceful nuclear power if it complies with its responsibilities under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. That commitment is at the core of the treaty. And it must be kept for all who fully abide by it. And I am hopeful that all countries in the region can share in this goal.

The fourth issue that I will address is democracy.

(APPLAUSE)

I know there has been controversy about the promotion of democracy in recent years. And much of this controversy is connected to the war in Iraq. So let me be clear. No system of government can or should be imposed by one nation by any other. That does not lessen my commitment, however, to governments that reflect the will of the people.

Each nation gives life to this principle in its own way, grounded in the traditions of its own people. America does not presume to know what is best for everyone, just as we would not presume to pick the outcome of a peaceful election.

But I do have an unyielding belief that all people yearn for certain things: the ability to speak your mind and have a say in how you are governed, confidence in the rule of law and the equal administration of justice, government that is transparent and doesn't steal from the people, the freedom to live as you choose. These are not just American ideas. They are human rights. And that is why we will support them everywhere.

(APPLAUSE)

Now, there is no straight line to realize this promise. But this much is clear. Governments that protect these rights are ultimately more stable, successful and secure. Suppressing ideas never succeeds in making them go away. America respects the right of all peaceful and law-abiding voices to be heard around the world, even if we disagree with them. And we will welcome all elected, peaceful governments, provided they govern with respect for all their people.

This last point is important because there are some who advocate for democracy only when they're out of power. Once in power, they are ruthless in suppressing the rights of others.

(APPLAUSE)

So no matter where it takes hold, government of the people and by the people sets a single standard for all who would hold power. You must maintain your power through consent, not coercion. You must respect the rights of minorities and participate with a spirit of tolerance and compromise. You must place the interests of your people and the legitimate workings of the political process above your party.

Without these ingredients, elections alone do not make true democracy.

(AUDIENCE MEMBER SHOUTS)

Thank you.

(APPLAUSE)

The fifth issue that we must address together is religious freedom. Islam has a proud tradition of tolerance. We see it in the history of Andalusia and Cordoba during the Inquisition. I saw it firsthand as a child in Indonesia where devout Christians worshipped freely in an overwhelmingly Muslim country.

That is the spirit we need today. People in every country should be free to choose and live their faith based upon the persuasion of the mind and the heart and the soul.

This tolerance is essential for religion to thrive. But it's being challenged in many different ways. Among some Muslims, there's a disturbing tendency to measure one's own faith by the rejection of somebody else's faith.

The richness of religious diversity must be upheld, whether it is for Maronites in Lebanon or the Copts in Egypt.

(APPLAUSE)

And if we are being honest, fault lines must be closed among Muslims as well as the divisions between Sunni and Shia have led to tragic violence, particularly in Iraq.

Freedom of religion is central to the ability of peoples to live together. We must always examine the ways in which people protect it. For instance, in the United States, rules on charitable giving have made it harder for Muslims to fulfill their religious obligation.

That's why I'm committed to work with American Muslims to ensure that they can fulfill zakat. Likewise, it is important for Western countries to avoid impeding Muslim citizens from practicing religion as they see fit, for instance, by dictating what clothes a Muslim woman should wear.

We can't disguise hostility towards any religion behind the pretense of liberalism. In fact, faith should bring us together. And that's why we're forging service projects in America to bring together Christians, Muslims and Jews.

That's why we welcome efforts like Saudi Arabian King Abdullah's interfaith dialogue and Turkey's leadership in the Alliance of Civilizations.

Around the world, we can turn dialogue into interfaith service so bridges between peoples lead to action, whether it is combating malaria in Africa or providing relief after a natural disaster.

The sixth issue — the sixth issue that I want to address is women's rights.

(APPLAUSE)

I know, and you can tell from this audience, that there is a healthy debate about this issue. I reject the view of some in the West that a woman who chooses to cover her hair is somehow less equal. But I do believe that a woman who is denied an education is denied equality.

(APPLAUSE)

And it is no coincidence that countries where women are well-educated are far more likely to be prosperous.

Now let me be clear, issues of women's equality are by no means simply an issue for Islam. In Turkey, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, we've seen Muslim-majority countries elect a woman to lead.

Meanwhile, the struggle for women's equality continues in many aspects of American life and in countries around the world. I am convinced that our daughters can contribute just as much to society as our sons.

(APPLAUSE)

Our common prosperity will be advanced by allowing all humanity, men and women, to reach their full potential. I do not believe that women must make the same choices as men in order to be equal. And I respect those women who choose to live their lives in traditional roles. But it should be their choice.

That is why the United States will partner with any Muslim-majority country to support expanded literacy for girls and to help young women pursue employment through micro-financing that helps people live their dreams.

(APPLAUSE)

Finally, I want to discuss economic development and opportunity. I know that for many, the face of globalization is contradictory. The Internet and television can bring knowledge and information but also offensive sexuality and mindless violence into the home.

Trade can bring new wealth and opportunities but also huge disruptions and change in communities. In all nations, including America, this change can bring fear; fear that, because of modernity, we lose control over our economic choices, our politics, and most importantly, our identities, those things we most cherish about our communities, our families, our traditions and our faith.

But I also know that human progress cannot be denied. There need not be contradictions between development and tradition. Countries like Japan and South Korea grew their economies enormously while maintaining distinct cultures. The same is true for the astonishing progress within Muslim majority countries from Kuala Lumpur to Dubai.

In ancient times and in our times, Muslim communities have been at the forefront of innovation and education. And this is important because no development strategy can be based only upon what comes out of the ground nor can it be sustained while young people are out of work.

Many Gulf States have enjoyed great wealth as a consequence of oil, and some are beginning to focus it on broader development. But all of us must recognize that education and innovation will be the currency of the 21st century. And in too...

(APPLAUSE)

And in too many Muslim communities, there remains underinvestment in these areas. I am emphasizing such investment within my own country. And while America, in the past, has focused on oil and gas when it comes to this part of the world, we new seek a broader engagement.

On education, we will expand change programs and increase scholarships like the one that brought my father to America.

(APPLAUSE)

At the same time, we will encourage more Americans to study in Muslim communities. And we will match promising Muslim students with internships in America, invest in online learning for teachers and children around the world and create a new, online network so a young person in Kansas can communicate instantly with a young person in Cairo.

On economic development, we will create a new core of business volunteers to partner with counterparts in Muslim majority countries. And I will host a summit on entrepreneurship this year to identify how we can deepen ties between business leaders, foundations and social entrepreneurs in the United States and Muslim communities around the world.

On science and technology, we will launch a new fund to support technological development in Muslim majority country and to help transfer ideas to the marketplace so they can create more jobs. We will open centers of scientific excellence in Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia and appoint new science envoys to collaborate on programs that develop new sources of energy, create green jobs, digitize records, clean water, grow new crops.

Today, I'm announcing a new global effort with the organization of the Islamic Conference to eradicate polio. And we will also expand partnerships with Muslim communities to promote child and maternal health.

All these things must be done in partnership. Americans are ready to join with citizens and governments, community organizations, religious leaders, and businesses in Muslim communities around the world to help our people pursue a better life.

The issues that I have described will not be easy to address, but we have a responsibility to join together to behalf of the world that we seek, a world where extremists no longer threaten our people and American troops have come home; a world where Israelis and Palestinians are each secure in a state of their own and nuclear energy is used for peaceful purposes, a world where governments serve their citizens and the rights of all God's children are respected. Those are mutual interests. That is the world we seek. But we can only achieve it together. I know there are many, Muslim and non-Muslim, who question whether we can forge this new beginning. Some are eager to stoke the flames of division and to stand in the way of progress. Some suggest that it isn't worth the effort, that we are fated to disagree and civilizations are doomed to clash.

Many more are simply skeptical that real change can occur. There is so much fear, so much mistrust that has built up over the years. But if we choose to be bound by the past, we will never move forward. And I want to particularly say this to young people of every faith in every country. You more than anyone have the ability to reimagine the world, the remake this world.

All of us share this world for but a brief moment in time. The question is whether we spend that time focused on what pushes us apart or whether we commit ourselves to an effort, a sustained effort to find common ground, to focus on the future we seek for our children and to respect the dignity of all human beings.

It's easier to start wars than to end them. It's easier to blame others than to look inward. It's easier to see what is different about someone than to find the things we share. But we should choose the right path, not just the easy path. There is one rule that lies at the heart of every religion, that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us.

(APPLAUSE)

This truth transcends nations and peoples, a belief that isn't new, that isn't black or white or brown, that isn't Christian or Muslim or Jew. It's a belief that pulsed in the cradle of civilization and that still beats in the hearts of billions around the world. It's a faith in other people. And it's what brought me here today.

We have the power to make the world we seek, but only if we have the courage to make a new beginning, keeping in mind what has been written. The holy Quran tells us: "Mankind, we have created you male and a female. And we have made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another."

The Talmud tells us: "The whole of the Torah is for the purpose of promoting peace."

The holy Bible tells us: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."

(APPLAUSE)

The people of the world can live together in peace. We know that is God's vision. Now that must be our work here on Earth.

Thank you. And may God's peace be upon you. Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Mes Fricasses made in Seattle

zeeyed@gmail.com (zeeyed@gmail.com) — Sun, 31 May 2009 16:48:38 PDT

Grace a Nadou et a Naddou, je me suis lance! et voila le travail. Samsoum m'a encourage jusqu'au bout et s'y est mis lui aussi! Merci a tous les twitteurs tunisiens pour leur soutien :-) et inchallah a bientot pour une nouvelle competition culinaire.

Folklife Festival 2009

zeeyed@gmail.com (zeeyed@gmail.com) — Tue, 26 May 2009 13:47:18 PDT

Marimba at Folklife from Doug Plummer on Vimeo.

Le weekend dernier c'était l'édition 2009 du folklife festival. Un vrai moment de bonheur pour tous ceux qui veulent découvrir des groupes de musique locaux, manger de la nourriture bien grasse, danser aux rythmes de la musique du monde, faire connaissance avec des artistes hors du commun... plus de 900 performances musicales, plus de 250.000 visiteurs un festival gigantissime... un des plus large des etats unis! Cette annee CT mon troisieme folklife! vivement le 4eme!

Voici mon album photo de l'evenement

Seattle folklife festival from Dixon Hamby on Vimeo.

Co-op a Capitol Hill

zeeyed@gmail.com (zeeyed@gmail.com) — Thu, 21 May 2009 01:35:12 PDT

Quand je suis revenu a Seattle l'hiver dernier, j'ai cherche a louer a cote du centre ville. J'en avais un peu marre de vive dans de grandes maisons dans des quartiers residentiels assez calme et j'ai pense qu'un appart dans un quartier plus chaud et plus vivant serait une experience a ne pas rater.
Apres qlq semaines de recherche, j'ai trouve l'appart ideal. Il donne sur une rue calme, a un paté de maison de mon super marche prefere (trader Joe's) et surtout au plein milieu du quartier hip de Capitol Hill.
J'ai trouve donc un appart juste comme je le voulais et je l'imaginais... Sauf que cet appart se trouve dans une Co-op. Co-op est un raccourci du mot cooperative. Un modele d'habitation/ propriete que je ne connaissais pas ... Pour resumer le concept en une phrase, je dirais que dans une co-op on ne possede pas son appart mais on possede des actions dans la coop dont le prix equivaut a la valeur de l'appart. Plusieurs formules existent mais ca tourne generalement autour de cette idee centrale de partage...
Pour demenager dans cette Co-op, il a fallu que je sois accepte par l'ensemble des proprio represente par leur bureau directeur. J'ai du donc passer une entrevue ou j'ai fait connaissance avec mes "futurs" voisins et ou j'ai lu et accepte le reglement de la Co-op. Ca s'est vraiment tres bien passe et j'ai apprecie le fait de faire connaissance avec presque tout le monde avant meme de demenager.
La! ca fait 6 mois que je vis dans l'immeuble et la lune de miel avec ma co-op et mes voisins continue. On se connait, on se salue toujours, on s'invite les uns chez les autres. Plein de volontaires sont toujours autour pour faire du jardinage ou ou passer un coup d'aspirateur... Je trouve ca vraiment incroyable! vivement des Co-op en Tunisie!

18 jours sans bloguer...

zeeyed@gmail.com (zeeyed@gmail.com) — Sun, 17 May 2009 13:17:15 PDT

je ne sais pas ce qui m'arrive mais je perds de plus en plus l'envie de bloguer... Est ce l'effet Twitter? Est ce l'ambiance de la blogosphere tunisienne? Est ce l'arrivee du printemps a Seattle? Est ce le travail? Est ce l'envie de privacy ou de garder les choses pour soi de peur qu'elle soient mal percues, mal interpretee? Je ne sais vraiment pas... C'est surement le tout a la fois!
Je vais essayer de m'y remettre... et ce n'est pas facile!

La grippe porcine H1N1: Ca ne touchera pas la Tunisie

zeeyed@gmail.com (zeeyed@gmail.com) — Sat, 02 May 2009 00:54:39 PDT

Ne vous inquietez pas. La Tunisie est immunisee contre ce genre de fleau et heureusement pour nous. Les autorites veillent sur notre territoire et toute les mesures possibles sont mises en place pour que chaque citoyen se sente en securite et puisse aller travailler et aussi pour que tous les touristes puissent jouir de nos installations balneaires sans aucun probleme. :-)

Maintenant, si vous n'avez pas confiance dans notre systeme de surveillance et de sa transparence ne vous inquietez surtout pas! Ce virus nouveau n'est pas aussi virulant qu'on peut se l'imaginer. Alors qu'on parle de plus de 6 cas a Seattle et une centaine aux USA , je peux me permettre de dire qu'il y'a plusiseurs elements qui laissent croire que cette pandemie ne sera pas synonyme de haute mortalite. Il ya certaines caractéristiques, des signatures moléculaires, qui manque dans ce virus, en particulier un acide aminé qui semble augmenter le nombre de particules virales dans les poumons et rend la maladie plus mortelle. Il y'aura surement plus de cas, plus d'hospitalisations, et, malheureusement, plus de décès. Mais ca ne sera aucunement pareil a une epidemie de grippe "normale" qui aux Aux États-Unis, infecte entre 5% et 20% de la population et tue 36.000 personnes (un taux de mortalité entre 0,24% et 0,96%) surtout que la saison de la grippe touche a sa fin avec l'entree de l'ete.

Deux facteurs sont toutefois important a noter: les virus de la grippe sont connus pour être notoirement imprévisible, et cette souche pourrait muter à tout moment - soit en des formes plus dangereuses ou plus bénignes. le mieux serait que ce virus disparaisse comme il est apparu car plus le virus survit plus longtemps, plus il a de chances de muter en une forme redoutable. En d'autres termes : "Si ce virus continue de se propager pendant l'été, on a de quoi s'inquieter pour l'hiver". En attendant profitez bien de la plage et de la saison estivale!

Avez vous déja gouté au couscous israelien?

zeeyed@gmail.com (zeeyed@gmail.com) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:12:30 PDT

Israeli Couscous en promotion dans le magasin du coin.

Pour la foire du livre: N'oubliez pas d'acheter mon livre.

zeeyed@gmail.com (zeeyed@gmail.com) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 09:40:56 PDT

La foire du livre ouvre ses portes ce vendredi. Je compte sur vous pour faire passer le mot et inviter vos amis à jeter un coup d'oeil sur mon premier livre (Co-ecrit avec le Pr Haffani). Il est publié par le Centre des Publications Universitaires (186 pages).
Pour en savoir plus, lire ici et ici et contacter ici

Tunisia: Trading Freedom for Stability May Not Last - An International Security Perspective

zeeyed@gmail.com (zeeyed@gmail.com) — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 17:35:42 PDT

Si qlq un peut m'emailer cet article, je lui serais tres reconnaissant.

Author: Alejandro Sanchez ^a

Affiliation:

^a International Security Analyst, Center for International Policy, Washington, DC, USA

DOI: 10.1080/14702430802666660

Publication Frequency: 3 issues per year

Published in: Defence Studies, Volume 9, Issue 1 March 2009 , pages 85 - 92

Subjects: Small Wars & Insurgencies; World Military History;

Formats available: HTML (English) : PDF (English)

The blogs of the U.S. and UK Ambassadors to Tunisia

zeeyed@gmail.com (zeeyed@gmail.com) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 11:43:43 PDT

Je voudrais signaler et saluer l'initiative de leurs Excellences Robert F Godec et Christopher O'Connor. Ils viennent en effet de se mettre au blogging et de perpetuer ainsi la tradition commence par son Excellence Alan Goulty. J'ai personnellement eu la chance d'interagir avec son excellence Alan Goulty dans le cadre de son ONG Soudanaise et j'ai ete tres impressionne par le travail qu'il sont en train de faire pour servir la population soudanaise. Tout ca pour dire qu'au dela de leurs fonctions d'ambassadeurs, ces diplomates sont des hommes dotes de grande qualites intellectuelles et humaines et leurs blogs vont le refleter surement. En cette annee electorale, j'espere que nos politiques s'inspireront de ces exemples de e-gouvernement et penseront a utiliser les nouvelles technologies pour essayer de se rapprocher des citoyens electeurs que nous sommes.

A Sousse: Le taux de tentatives de suicide est 2,9%

zeeyed@gmail.com (zeeyed@gmail.com) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 14:53:43 PDT

Suicidal attempts in primary care: Prevalence and correlates in a Tunisian area
Y. El Kissia, G. Amaraa, S. Bannoura, S. Ben Nasra and B. Ben Hadj Alia

European Psychiatry
Volume 24, Supplement 1, 2009, Page S779
17th EPA Congress - Lisbon, Portugal, January 2009, Abstract book

Un échantillon de 1249 sujets âgés de 18 ans ou plus, représentatif de la population adulte beneficiant de soins de sante primaires de Sousse a été obtenu pour cette etude et les sujets ont été interrogés par des cliniciens formés à la version tunisienne du Composite International Diagnostic Interview 2.1.

L'âge moyen dans l'échantillon était de 43,4 ± 17,62 ans. le sexe féminin (70,9%) et un lieu de résidence urbain (67,8%) ont prédominé. 62,3% des participants étaient mariés, 27,3% celibates et 10,4% divorcés ou veufs. 68,4% d'entre eux ont un faible niveau d'éducation et 70% étaient sans emploi au cours des 12 derniers mois. Les tentatives de suicide ont été constatées dans 2,9% des participants. Ils ont été corrélées à "moins de 40 ans" (p = 0,036) et a "diagnostic des épisodes dépressifs majeurs" (p <10-3), "un trouble dépressif majeur récurrent" (p = 0,005) et "un trouble dysthymique" (p <10-3). Parmi les grands épisodes dépressifs, seuls ceux qui sont "graves" ont été associés à plus forte prévalence des tentatives de suicide (p <10-3).

Conclusion
La prévalence des tentatives de suicide à Sousse dans une population beneficiant de soins de sante primaires a été de 2,9%. Il a été corrélée à l'âge et de troubles dépressifs.