! Te echo de menos!

Libano...

Get this widget Track details eSnips Social DNA

Angelina Jolie in Syria

Heard it two days ago on radio, but became official today as even the tabloid announced it. Angelina Jolie has been on an incognito visit to some of Syria's Iraqi refugee camps on behalf of her work as Goodwill Ambassador to UNHCR. Hopefully her voice will be heard.

LiterNet

A nice Romanian cultural site where a writer friend of mine has posted some of his writings. Yes, I do know famous people, which doesn't mean I'm going to forgive him for not giving me a signed copy of his freaking book, nor that I'm going to tell which of them writers he is in the first place. Anyway, a nice site, if one's interested in Romanian contemporary culture (which is quite good, if you ask me, seen from all perspectives).
Oh, let's say the Gods have punished my friend since he chose going on vacations to Greece the same day the fires ignited. Hope he's fine, though, wouldn't want him incinerated before I get a chance at lynching him.

Lady D'Arbanville

Don't understand exacly what he had in mind when he wrote it, but I love the song. Enjoy.

Get this widget | Share | Track details

In Memoriam

April 3 1924 - July 1 2004

Anouar Brahem

to Renegade

Get this widget Share Track details

My Other President

It may or may be not known that I have Romanian citizenship as well. That makes me Null Citizen, since it's hard being on both Axis of Evil and Washington London Bucharest Axis. I think I didn't mention him much as I regarded him as an ugly family secret, the one you like keeping in the closet. But, hell, I voted for this guy, can you imagine that? As always I was compelled to vote for the lesser evil. Sometimes I wonder...

Stumbled onto this site while browsing Ben Heine's great cartoons. These two caught my attention:

This is Ben Heine's version. I understand he must have heard Basescu's notorious "Greater Firefly" quote.

In this other cartoon by Uruguay cartoonist EDEN he slightly reminds of a parrot. Another representative thing, since he often yells "You parrot!" at those journalists that don't kiss his ring. Of course, this is the lightest of insults he uses when confronting the mass media.

Syria in a Nutshell

Far from mainstream stereotype conception, I feel this Syria Day poster captured the essence of all things Syrian. Thanks to Orwa for the link and good luck with his exhibition.

Speachless

... y-yes... whatever...

Well...

I believe...

I believe I'm alive, or at least got along with the idea so far.
I believe there are no gods. And if there actually are, they're sick and tired of us humans.
I don't believe in religions. I believe they're the precursors of political parties.
I believe those who put their faith into hocus-pocus Judgment Day, Rapture and 72 sex-less Houri to be beyond idiocy. How can one believe so feverishly in things nonexistent rather than believing one's own eyes?
I believe in folklore, tradition, mythology. These are the true voice of history.
I believe in Art. Impressionism, most of all. Don't know why.
I believe I would like to own a Van Gogh. I should find a time portal, I can't figure any other way to actually acquiring one.
I believe Metropolitan Museum i a good thing. I don't be live it's nice for it being so far away.
I don't like that the Bushmerican won't let me visit the Museum for my being Arab.
I am proud for being in the Axis of Evil. I am Syrian, but I don't believe that we're Arab.
I believe that were we truly Arab, Saudi Arabia wouldn't treat us like shit.
I believe we're Tamerlane's bastards. And Tamerlane's bastards is better than Mohammed's bastards.
I believe that we Romanians are Syrians. Cornelius believes this one too.
I believe we Syrians are over-tolerant. Tolerant isn't superior. Just tolerant.
I believe Lebanese to be stark stupid for putting their trust in all their former Syrian-puppets, present US-puppets, politicians. A puppet is a puppet is a puppet...
I believe I wouldn't trust Junblat as far as I can spit. I believe neither his mother would.
I believe Politics is a whore.
I don't believe Syria is responsible with Hariri's assassination. Don't get me wrong, I don't believe our boys are smart enough to come up with such a plan. Too Hollywood-ish, if you ask me.
I don't believe Syria and Israel are going to war. As I said before, this is because I don't trust either side not to betray (their own people) and sign treaties behind the scenes.
I believe though, that if a war were to start, it would be another unnecessary bloodshed in our Humanity's long history of carnage.
I believe I should visit Iran now, as it still exists.
I believe Bush has the sex-appeal of a gibbon, and I truly feel for Mrs. Bush. My sympathies...
I believe Miss Condi to be spineless for accepting to play the puppet of the Supermachist White Man.
I believe I might have some respect for Rumsfeld and Powell, now that I don't see their faces that often. I still believe I want to see them in court in Haga.
I believe I don't like pundits. Of all sorts.
I believe World is much plainer than it seems. You just have to see it to understand. However, it's much easier to keep sleeping this bi-polar Marvel Comics World that's been poured into our brain than actually see how deep the rabbit hole goes.
I don't believe the World to be divided in Good and Evil, Black and White. I believe it's a whole array of gray shades.
I believe under all that nihilism, fatalism, cynicism and pessimism, I'm just too idealistic...

Happy Birthday, Syria

Today is our National Independence Day as a moden western defined nation. No, I'm not going to be cynical, therefore, I'll dedicate my post to Syria, a country, a "nation", an entity.

Ruins at Ugarit

Palmyra

The Eastern Minaret, Omayad Mosque

Maalula

Passageway, Saidnaya

Romanesque Hall, Craq des Chevaliers

Marqab Fortress

Bougainvillea Garden, Dmascus

Bazar at Night, Damascus

Easter Sermon

Dabke Folcloric Dance

Ficus Trees, Lataquia

Art

Seen Ghost in the Shell Innocence, but still trying to figure it out. If you thought the first one was philosophy, wait till you see this one. I guess I'll have to watch it some other 5 or 6 times to find some tread for solving it. Another fine thing that I enjoyed was it's heavy "film noir" atmosphere which reminded me of Blade Runner, the ultimate SF noir masterpiece, in my book.

Well, I'll leave you with some eye-candies from both films, just a small reminder why Japanese Anime should be glorified. Chapeau!

Red Herring

Sometimes I wonder of my name. Puppeteer. Derived from "Ghost in the Shell" vilain, The Puppet Master, who in fact is anything but a villain, as great Japanese Anime go. You know, the ones who everybody is human, natural and subjected to such human phenomena like change.

But lately, I wonder why haven't I named myself otherwise. Like Red Herring, for instance. Or Ohma, or even Cactus Repubilc Citizen (because we don't have bannanas in Syria, only cactus)... Just a thought.

Breaking News

In an unprecedented way, Colonel Moammar Qaddafi, the Lybian Leader, have won the latest elections with a 99% of votes.

Very Personal Post

I got these by email last night:

Now this one here is the Omayad Square in Center Damascus. This masterspiece of a tunnel took some 6 years until now and is yet to be accomplished. We had a joke back in the 90's with Bush Sr. asking God whether he'll live to see world democracy. I don't think I'll live to see the Omayad Square finished.

April's Fool Beauty King

While talking with Orwa tonight, we bumped into this annoying dilemma: who is more rightful to be crowned Beauty King of Middle Eastern politics? I know mocking some one's physical traits isn't the most orthodox of things, yet, these guys aren't exactly orthodox themselves. So, everybody vote: who should be April's Fool Beauty King of Mid East?

Ohma

This here is Ohma. I've mentioned more than once lately how impressed I was with Miyazaki's Nausicaa, one of the most philosophic stories that I read. The character that left the deepest mark upon my soul is Ohma, the Warrior God of Plague. Maybe because he is by far the most tragic of all characters, or maybe because he's closest of my concept of godhood: a human made entity, disappointed of it's creators and creation, thus retired and forgotten, until humans stirred it's peaceful slumber and summoned him up to help with their murderous ways. Tragic because he was the cause of the war in the first place, he was a creation of death and horror, and yet always conscious of his cursed existence.

This is Ohma, Arbitrator, Warrior and Judge. From now on, he will be my profile icon.

Out of Service

Still out, down, you name it. Mind lost, whom finds please kindly keep. Anyway, one uncertainity blurs my ravings: I need to convert some music files to mp3's. I've tried baptism and shahada, but none worked so far.
Stop.

Trance + Opera

Not Wagner, though.

Eternity.mp3-matt ...

Raving

Motto: There are two ways I see space: on Wagner and on RAVE!

Royksoepp - what e...