On Canada and Palestinian/Israeli Conflict

Tomorrow’s book launch of The Ugly Canadian: Stephen Harper’s Foreign Policy, by Author Yves Engler here in Edmonton, encouraged me to review an article related to Palestinian/Israeli-Canadian conflict published a few days ago in The Gazette: “UN Palestinian rights envoy unapologetic in face of Canadian calls for his resignation”, by Lee Berthiaume from Postmedia News. On reading it, I was surprised and refreshed to see this seldomly presented side of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as opposed to the Conservative government’s side expressed in other newspapers articles. Thank you, Lee Berthiaume, for writing this article and informing the Canadians about Richard Falk’s stance.

As the UN special rapporteur to Palestine, Falk only lived up to the duties of his position too well. How else could an observer ethically respond in any other way than endorsing a boycott of companies that are profiting from Israeli settlements built on occupied Palestinian land?

A Beautifully Stupid Netflix Add :)

I know Canadians love to smile out of courtesy and good manners. You know how when you meet someone in a lineup and they don’t know you and they feel they want to tell you they are a “good” not an “evil” other person in line? Yea. But nobody ever grins this wide while searching through movies to watch on Netflix! I mean look at the picture and their smiles and how they are even sitting horizontal to the TV screen. My neck hurts looking at them. It’s an add all right, yea, but make it more comfortable to the eye and brain… We fight and boil while searching through films to watch. That’s it. I’m done. :)

http://www.Netflix.com/canada

All Animals are Equal BUT…

Do you remember that line from George Orwell’s Animal Farm, “All animals are equal but some are more equal than others”? Well, it has been smacking my brain for the last few weeks. I don’t Know why. Maybe, just MAYBE, because…

The UN General Assembly meeting this year flaunted a parade of Muslim leaders (including Turkey’s Erdogan) asking for a renaissance of the dark ages by enforcing international regulations against any expressions attacking “SACREDNESS”−as if the concept of the sacred that philosophers grappled with since antiquity is such a sweet piece of cake to come to terms with objectively; maybe because Muslim residents in France demand that

You Got to Love the Rhetoric!

This is just a quick post. Towards the end of last night’s movie, I mean debate, an audience member asks Romney about the difference between him and fellow Republican ex-president George Bush. This is a smart question: not only both are republicans, but businessmen, filthy rich ones, governors of states, and look not so bright.

In his reply, Romney explains each had his strategy for what fits the times. Interestingly, Obama’s reply was almost a praise to Busch. You got to say Obama still has it. By attributing some praise to Bush, Obama is basically telling people: “If Bush is better than this man (Romney), … (fill in the blank space).” The End. [image source]

Romney: “Go get some women!” and “I will not get oil from the Arabs!”

The US presidential debate between Barak Obama and Mitt Romney is a very rich material to reflect on the future possibilities either way. It also provides an entertainment venue with the low quality movies on nowadays, doesn’t it? But, I will mention two of my reflections. First, it frightens me to think that this is actually possible. This man could be the next President of the United States. In Mitt Romney’s attempt to sound more gender-friendly in the workplace in his state, Massachusetts, he blew the wind on his own seeds and portrayed women as objects. Upon looking at the files and binders for job applicants in the government of his state, he notices all were men and thus he calls his guys, in what means, “Go get some women.” The concept of a quota takes us back ages and is demeaning for what woman has achieved thus far in the workplace and elsewhere. To assume that woman needs such a push from man in power is unprofessional and degrading to the actual qualification of woman. If there was need to push, let it be through legislation, not “Go get some women” sort of second-lower-hand solution.

My Poem “Female’s Foolishness” on Diwan Al-Arab حماقة أنثى – ديوان العرب

حماقة أنثى – ديوان العرب.

لماذا تقولُ أُحِبُّكِ؟

ويغدو الكلامُ وكلُّ الأغاني

سراباً جميلَ القوافي

يُداعِب قَلبي ويُلهِمُ شَوقي

فأهذي لِحين انشقاقِ الصباحِ…

Jordan Canada FTA: Tim Horton’s and Jameed

I have been in Canada exactly five years from today, October 10, and still remember how devastated I was to know that Tim Horton’s−one of the most popular coffee brands/shops in Canada and now opened in peace-keeping zones for Canadian soldiers, as well−is, in fact, not a Canadian company, but American. It seems I was on some sort of hunt for seeing the trade mark phrase “Made in Canada” as opposed to, for example, “Made in China.” Needless to say, Mission Impossible!