Category Archives: Uncategorized

The Lebanese Army We’re Required to Love and Support Unconditionally

War and violence brings out the worst and best of us – we need to avoid war at all costs because there are peaceful and humane things that can bring out the best of us more often.

A Separate State of Mind | A Blog by Elie Fares

They say a picture is worth a 1000 words. How about a video?

And the man was unarmed.

This is the other side of the Fadel Shaker video in which he, disgusting as he is, was proud of killing two army men.

This is to those who believe the Lebanese army should be beyond reproach, beyond questioning, beyond any form of accountability.

This is to those who believe Lebanon should become a military state because military rule is what we need.

There’s nothing that can justify the behavior in the above video. Absolutely nothing. There is a minimum of human rights that are guaranteed to every human being, whether that person was actually fighting with Al Assir or not and by the looks of it, the person in this video was not.

What’s next? Army men coming after us because they don’t agree with our brand of politics? Because we…

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EDL members main losers after Osborne tells jobseekers to learn English or lose benefits

Pride's Purge

(satire?)

Thousands of English Defence League supporters will be forced to learn English to the standard of a nine-year –old or face losing their benefits under new plans announced by the Chancellor George Osborne in parliament today.

Mr Osborne said it was a ‘reasonable requirement’ to expect people who want to work in Britain to learn the language.

Mr Osborne said:

From now on, if claimants such as EDL members or BNP supporters don’t speak English well, they will have to attend language courses until they do.

This is a reasonable requirement – it will help them compete with the foreigners who come here to find work and speak English much better than they do.

Around a third of the £350million in savings announced by the Chancellor will be spent on English lessons for EDL members to reach Entry Level Two standard – the average language ability of a 9-year-old.

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U.S. to Retire Most Chimps From Research – NYTimes.com

The decision, which follows the recommendations of an agency advisory group, does not end biomedical research on N.I.H. chimpanzees. But it calls for retiring about 310 animals that the agency owns over the next few years, to sanctuaries from which they cannot be recalled for research. A colony of up to 50 will be kept at a site yet to be decided in case there is a compelling need to use them in research for human health. And new guidelines will be in place for any future research and for chimpanzee housing.

via U.S. to Retire Most Chimps From Research – NYTimes.com.

Gay rights no longer immigration bill obstacle – Carrie Budoff Brown and Seung Min Kim – POLITICO.com

The Supreme Court’s decision Wednesday to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act settles a major unresolved issue in the immigration reform debate by clearing the way for gay U.S. citizens to sponsor foreign-born spouses for green cards.

The debate over including protections for gay couples had been one of the lingering tension points as the Senate nears passage of the landmark immigration bill. The federal law prohibited American citizens in same-sex marriages from receiving immigration benefits, including the right to assist their partners in applying for legal permanent residence.

via Gay rights no longer immigration bill obstacle – Carrie Budoff Brown and Seung Min Kim – POLITICO.com.

A Protester’s Guide: Simple Tips

June 30 Cairo, Egypt Demonstration guidelines

Egyptian Streets

On June 30, nationwide protests are planned against Egypt’s President Morsi. Analysts have stated that this could easily rival the number of protesters witnessed during Egypt’s 2011 revolution. So, whether you are protesting against President Morsi, or in support of the President, here are some simple tips that each person going to demonstrate should keep in mind.

  1. Do not go alone. Let your friends and family know where you are going and with who. Ensure they have phone numbers of friends who are joining you in case your phone dies. If you leave without any notice, your family and friends will panic, and this would make it much harder for them to find you if you are arrested or are in an accident.

  2. Search where the demonstration is being held and make note of potential emergency exits and alternate routes in case any dangerous situation arises. When you get to…

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Morsi Condemnation Of Lynchings Not Enough

Nervana

Egyptians carry the coffin of a Shi'ite victim, who was killed in sectarian violence, after funeral prayers in Cairo

(Egyptians carry the coffin of a Shiite victim, via Reuters)

I wrote this piece for Al-Monitor

My guidebook described it as “the ideal mosque in Las Vegas.” This odd statement motivated me to visit Sayyida Zeinab‘s shrine in southern Damascus. Immediately, I understood what the travel writer meant; the stunning shrine with its golden dome and blue tiles, its spectacular design and elaborate architecture and the happy, animated crowd were simply overwhelming. Yes, it was like a pious version of what we might find in Las Vegas, minus the black garments and religious services. Shiites are always elaborate in their happiness as well as in their sadness; their attitudes, mosques, core theology and historical narrative differentiate them from their fellow Sunnis. These differences are as old as Islam and have fueled a centuries-old conflict that was often bloody and ruthless. Egypt luckily had not experienced what countries like Iraq…

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Police to shift crime fighting focus away from shagging hippies to catching criminals

Pretty revolutionary idea – grin

Pride's Purge

(satire – or is it?)

POLICE forces across the UK are set to radically change the tactics they use to combat crime by shifting their focus and resources away from shagging hippies and smearing murder victims to trying to catch criminals.

The unprecedented plan to fight crime by attempting to catch people who break the law comes after criticism that previous tactics by the police whereby undercover officers had sex with animal right’s activists and spied on families of black murder victims has proven to be ineffective at reducing crime.

The new approach to fighting crime is expected to include the following changes in police tactics:

  • Fewer officers to be deployed in the vaginas of female animal rights activists.
  • Shifts in focus away from the surveillance of the families of black murder victims to the investigation of possible suspects – even in cases where officers suspect the perpetrators may be white.

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2013 Consumer Action Handbook

2013 Consumer Action Handbook.

The Consumer Action Handbook is your go-to guide for planning a purchase, knowing your consumer rights, and filing a complaint.

The new interactive edition of the handbook features additional resources, including:

Downloadable templates for a sample complaint letter (MS Word) and social media will (MS Excel).
Easy access to tools that can help you get updates about product recalls, calculate college costs, check the background of an investment professional, compare health care providers, or conduct a home inventory.
How-to videos on getting a free credit report, protecting your privacy in everyday life, avoiding job search scams, and more.
Infographics to help you navigate a purchase, file a consumer complaint, and understand your credit card statement.