Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Hareega in London

No I didn't just fly there, but an actual hareega was intentionally started in London.
There are many answers to why these nasty riots have started. My feeling is that some people were genuinely angry for some legitimate reason(s), but once a riot starts many other opportunistic douchebags join in to take advantage of the situation, rob stores, mug teenage kids, and burn down the city just because they like burning things down.

I have to say that seeing these places on fire brings a lot of anger because this damage is visible. You see buildings in flames. You see rioters beating others in the street. You see the damage in neighborhoods.

However we don't see it on camera when the rich rob hundreds of people with the strike of his pen. We didn't see CEOs go to jail when entire neighborhoods vanished after their people went homeless. We didn't see as much anger to the damage of world economy because of the greed of some people.

We only get mad for what see on camera, but not for what happens behind it. Since we are more developed creatures than monkeys, I expect something better from the human kind.

As for these rioters, they should be very thankful they don't live in Syria.

(I can't help write anything about London and not link to this super awesome song, you guessed it!!)

Thursday, August 04, 2011

Mubarak vs. Saddam: Not The Same



Saddam Hussain
Removed from power through an obscene war, declared for many wrong reasons, based on several lies and bad intelligence, even by the accounts of those who started it. He was sentenced in an unusual trial to death and a date for his execution was not announced until after he was actually executed. He was hanged by angry men who were screaming loud pro-Shiite slogans at the time of execution. A video was taped of the execution and distributed all over the web. Humans have reached a new low that day.

Dare I mention that the crimes he was executed for were ones committed mostly in 1982 under the approval, full acceptance and even support of those who eventually turned against him, and brought him down? However, they didn't pay the price.
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Hosni Mubarak
Powerful leader, responsible for massive cases of corruption in every government institution. Liar, thief and incompetent. Taken down by a series of protests by extremely brave people way before 2011, and their efforts succeeded eventually in bringing him down despite incredible amount of torture that they suffered (and still suffering) from. It wasn't only him but his two sons and the most powerful men who brutally ran the country stood in that cage like the little rats they've always been. These men are being held accountable for what they did DESPITE all the foreign and Arab support they had received over the past 3 decades.

These two men were brutal, they have their people's blood on their hands, and they deserved the harshest punishments out there. But the way they came down, and their trials, are not the same. They are the exact opposite of each other.

Monday, August 01, 2011

Quick Unprofessional Basic Movie Reviews for Movie Non-Buffs



I'm not a movie critic or movie expert, but here's a quick movie review of movies I have seen recently. Some are new, some are a little older.

1- Horrible Bosses- Very funny, not very witty, and not a classic. But what's great about it is that, finally, Jennifer Aniston is not very predictable. Not family-friendly to say the least. C+

2- Hangover II: if you haven't seen the first movie this movie will come as one of the best in your life. If you have seen it , then all I can say is that it follows the same story line. I hope Hangover III will be very different. C

3- Page One: Inside the New York Times. This documentary isn't about the New York Times, it's about journalism and the way it's taking a new shape. If you're someone who uses the internet, check this movie out. B

4- Midnight in Paris: the best word to describe this movie is beautiful. A beautiful movie, beautiful script, beautiful dreams and a beautiful actor. Mainly it's about many love stories none of them exists between the couple in the movie. If I say more I'll ruin it for you. B+

5- Source Code (SPOILER ALERT): I thought this would be a typical boring action movie, but it turned out to be really good. I wish the ending was a little different. The movie should have ended when everything paused and people were sitting around in the train listening to the comedian, which was about 10 minutes before the actual end of the movie. Somehow Hollywood aims to have the happiest end possible which ruined it for me. B

6- Cedar Rapids: Above-average comedy, good story but if they had chosen someone other than Ed Helmes I think it would have been a better movie. C+

7- Of Gods and Men: A French movie about monks in a very rural Algerian town who face terrorism with everyone else in town. what makes it a great movie is the extraordinary acting and the fact that it was a very true story. Makes you feel as if you're one of those priests even if you haven't stepped inside a church before. B+

8- Dead Poets Society: Old movie (1989) , but very inspiring, very artistic and Robin Williams plays a wonderful role here. I loved the movie even though I hated Shakespeare in high school. B

9- The Adjustment Bureau: Awful. Just plain awful. An inception-wanna be , but it was difficult to enjoy it. To be fair some people liked it, not sure why. D-

10- Inside Job: it won the Oscar for best documentary of 2010 and it was well-deserved. Talks about the economical crisis and why you should be very very concerned that things aren't any better for the market or the people. I don't get anything in business but I got this movie. B+

11- Stranded: I've Come From a Plane That Crashed On the Mountains (yes all of that is the title)- this is a documentary about the real story of a plane that crashed on the Andes mountains in 1972, and what the survivors had to do to stay alive. Even if someone narrated the whole script of the film to you, that shouldn't take anything away from the effect this movie will leave on you. It's one of those films that can stick in your brain for the rest of your life. One of the best I've ever seen. Powerful shit. A

12- Citizen USA: An HBO documentary about immigrants to the US who have just become citizens. Basically the director is asking them why did they choose to become US citizens, and the answers can surprise you. Well, they'll surprise you only if you're American. I think the movie was made for American-born citizens who often do not appreciate everything they have in their country. Quite a few Jordanians appeared in that one-hour documentary. C+
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