Happy Independence Day!
Posted on July 4, 2008
Filed Under News | Leave a Comment
To those living in the land of the free - free BECAUSE of the brave -
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!
Iran to introduce death penalty for blogging
Posted on July 3, 2008
Filed Under Media, Middle East, News, Stupidity | 1 Comment
You blog - you die!
Iranian terrorist regime goes completely bonkers in its fear of freedom of expression, and considers introducing another deadly (literally) measure to tighten its grip on the citizens, who are getting increasingly displeased with a complete failure of internal and dangerously escalating external policies of the fanatic ayatollahs.
Tehran: A law that could see the death penalty imposed for cyber crimes is set to be debated in Iran’s parliament, reports said on Wednesday.
Under the draft bill, those found guilty of promoting corruption, prostitution and apostasy on the internet may face the death penalty. The bill aims to “toughen punishment for harming mental security in society,” Iran’s ISNA news agency said.
ISNA said MPs placed the bill as a high priority discussion on the agenda.
Setting up weblogs and sites which promote any of the crimes listed in the bill are punishable by death.
According to the bill, those convicted of these crimes “should be punished as ‘mohareb’ (enemy of God) and ‘corrupt on the earth’.”
Iran imposes strict restrictions on internet access, blocking thousands of sites which may carry content deemed immoral or religiously and politically inappropriate.
I guess next time Iranian president is invited to speak in American university, he will be able to say “We don’t have gays and bloggers in Iran”
UN “peacekeepers” in another display of exceptional bravery
Posted on July 3, 2008
Filed Under Israeli-Muslim Conflict, Middle East | Leave a Comment
UNIFIL - United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon - does it again.
Soldiers of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) were forced by local Lebanese residents to delete photos of suspicious-looking underground cables, according a report submitted by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.
The incident constitutes the second time in recent months that the work of the peacekeeping force has been restricted because of pressures from local residents - this in strict violation of UN Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Second Lebanon War that brought the UNIFIL forces to south Lebanon.
According to the UN secretary general’s report, on May 28, UNIFIL peacekeepers located cables that were buried in southeast Lebanon.
They proceeded to take photographs of the cables, and were subsequently surrounded by local residents who hurled stones at them and in turn took pictures of the soldiers themselves.
The incident was brought to an end only after UNIFIL agreed to delete the photos, despite the fact that UN policy permits the use of cameras by the peacekeeping forces.
You can always trust the UN to be absolutely useless and uncompromisingly coward.
Practicing hatred through music in the Middle East
Posted on July 2, 2008
Filed Under Israeli-Muslim Conflict, Middle East, News | Leave a Comment
One might think that artists in general and musicians in particular should be among the moderate forces, driving their nations towards moderation. Middle East, however, is different at that (as well as at other things) from the rest of the world. Middle East is where the rabid display of antisemitism and hatred by the “artists” is a thing of a norm, even if it hurts their audience and fans.
Jordanian music festival boycotted over organizer’s ‘ties to Israel’
AMMAN: Arab singers will boycott a music festival in Jordan next month over claims it is being set up by the same company which organized Israel’s 60th anniversary celebrations in May, a union leader said on Monday. The month-long Jordan Festival, scheduled to open on July 8, will feature local and international artists including tenor Placido Domingo and jazz pianist and vocalist Diana Krall.
Several Arab singers will boycott it after calls by Jordan’s 14 Islamist-dominated professional trade unions, said Shaher Hadid, president of the Jordan Artists Association.
Jordan’s Tourism Board, however, denies that Publicis Groupe, the company involved in the Israeli festivities, is involved in the festival.
“Publicis Groupe has nothing to do with Jordan Festival,” Tourism Board chief Nayef Fayez told AFP. “Another French company, Les Visiteurs du Soir, is organizing the event and it has been contracted by the Tourism Ministry.”
Publicis has organized several events in Jordan, however, including the annual meeting of Nobel laureates, which was held last month in the ancient city of Petra
Hadid said that Jordanian pop singer Omar Abdallat and Egyptian crooner Amr Diab are among Arab singers “who have announced their boycott of the event in line with decisions by their unions.” The union of Lebanese artists also decided to stay away from the event and urged “Lebanese artists to boycott the festival or any event that is linked to Israel,” a statement said.
Jordanian trade unions maintain that the event is being organized by Publicis, which orchestrated events for the 60th anniversary of the creation of the state of Israel. For Arabs, and Palestinians in particular, the creation of Israel consecrated the occupation of Palestine.
“It’s unimaginable that Arab singers take part in such a suspicious event … [meant] to open the door to normalization with the enemy [Israel],” the unions said in a statement.
Although Jordan and Israel are bound by a 1994 peace treaty, many Jordanians are opposed to normalization.
Here is the thing. If they are so eager to boycott Israel, why don’t they boycott such companies as Intel, Microsoft and others by using alternative computers and operating systems? After all, these companies are also “linked to the enemy”. I doubt these “artists” will ever do that. In fact, if they were consistent in their act, they’d be boycotting most of the things surrounding them in their everyday’s lives, including their work.
Hypocrisy at glance. Oh well, “Peace” in the Middle East…
Israel’s electric car project to receive $100 Million investment
Posted on July 1, 2008
Filed Under Economy, Environment, Israel, Middle East, News | Leave a Comment
“Project Better Place” initiated by Israeli entrepreneur Shai Agassi, with the help of private investment group and Israeli government, aiming to install the world’s first electric car network in Israel by 2011, receives a major boost
Israel Corp. (TASE: ILCO) to inject a further $15.5 million into Project Better Place, the electric car project headed by CEO Shai Agassi.
In an announcement to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange this morning, Israel Corp. said it would inject cash in accordance with its share of the project. This is in addition to the $7.5 million that it has already invested in it.The company said it would invest up to $100 million in the venture. This follows a presentation to the Israel Corp. board of the Better Place budget, including milestones and a fund-raising plan.
Vehicle industry sources said that the amounts invested in the project so far were fairly small compared with its planned scale. Most of the investment to date is apparently slated for assembly of a fleet of available electric cars that will be used to demonstrate and test the feasibility of the concept among private and government sector customers in Israel and other countries.
Project Better Place plans to launch a pilot with a few cars in Israel by year-end, and expand to several dozen more cars during 2009. The pilot will precede final development of regular electric cars by the Renault Nissan Alliance. The cost of each demonstration model, such as the Renault Megane that will be assembled in Israel is estimated at $80,000-100,000, of which $40,000 is for the car’s special batteries.
Israel Corporation is Israel’s largest holding company and a global player with core holdings in fertilizers and specialty chemicals, energy, shipping and transportation.
From Tel Aviv Stock Exchange: ILCO
New low for Lebanon
Posted on June 30, 2008
Filed Under Economy, Israeli-Muslim Conflict, Middle East | Leave a Comment
Remember how after July 2006th war the terrorist Shiite organization, Iranian puppet in Lebanon - Hezbollah - boasted about the “divine victory” over Israel?
Here is another fruit of this divine victory
BEIRUT: The World Bank said Lebanon ranks 150th globally and 13th in the Middle East and North Africa region in terms of government effectiveness. In its annual governance indicators, the World Bank said Lebanon has fallen in general terms of rankings on five of the six indicators in 2007. The indicators cover 212 countries and are rated on a scale of -2.5 to +2.5. The indicators measure the competence of the bureaucracy and the quality of public services delivery. Globally, Lebanon came ahead of Cuba and Pakistan and ranked behind Ukraine and Kenya. Regionally, the country ranked ahead of Iran and came behind Algeria. Also, Lebanon ranked 201st worldwide and 18th in the MENA region in terms of political stability. Globally, it came behind Nigeria and ahead of Cote d’Ivoire, while regionally, Lebanon came behind the West Bank and Gaza and ahead of Iraq.
Behind the West Bank and Gaza? Wow!! Ahead of Iraq? Ehmmm…congratulations.
Divine victory indeed.
Forbes: Israel best place for business in the Middle East
Posted on June 30, 2008
Filed Under Economy, Israel, Middle East, News | Leave a Comment
According to Forbes ranking for best countries for business, Israel does not only top the list of the Middle Eastern countries in overall business climate, but ranked 16th in the world, out of 120 countries
The Middle East countries’ ranking:
Israel - 16
Saudi Arabia - 47 (not the gap from Israel’s ranking)
Oman - 48
Kuwait - 58
Jordan - 61
UAE - 74
Syria - 119
Yemen, Lebanon and Bahrain did not enter the list.
Another remarkable achievement for Israel - it is ranked 5th in the world for investor protection.
Conclusion - society that is built on the values of democracy, and science and technology development, beats oil-based economy.
The top 10 list:
1. Denmark
2. Ireland
3. Finland
4. United States
5. United Kingdom
6. Sweden
Go Israel!
