Culture Exportation.

Culture exportation.

One US export that goes unmentioned is that of its culture. Its impact in promoting other exports is huge.

Halloween parties for example in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Beirut, Amman are more common now where they were non existent until.... Hollywood (mainly) among other factors.

Hollywood film and Hollywood television as well as the music industry spread the (US) American culture and while doing so promote American products. How us that?
Man see, man do.. Humans, not just monkeys tend to imitate others in what they say, what they eat, what they wear and even how they behave in different scenarios. We imitate what we see and we see people, on both the small and the big screen, smoking and we smoke because that character was smoking and seemed to enjoy inhaling the smoke. It must be "cool" and looks like a pleasurable activity. So, at a given chance we take up smoking, cough a little the first few times and then feel proud that the cough is conquered. Philip Morris just gained another customer or in the case of tobacco, an addict.. a victim!

And then we take up drinking... Pepsi Cola and Coca Cola, 7Up and others. Eating is no different either. Look at all the (US) American fast and not so fast food franchises littering the landscape, worldwide.

A whole slew of US products has entered and became part of a lifestyle that is foreign to people outside the US. From sugary cereals for breakfast to current "pop culture" and gangster lingo and expressions, from "wassup" to "WTF" are not indigenous to the cities and countries mentioned earlier or for that matter any country other than the US. Add to that even a certain mannerism and attitudes acquired from what is seen in Hollywood films and made for TV series and music videos.

So, what gives? Hollywood has become, without directly telling us what to do, what to eat and how to behave, a model people follow pretty much wherever Hollywood is allowed to play.
In his recent spat with V. Putin, B. Obama teased Putin about the number of Russian food franchises in the US. Probably and almost certainly none. That is also true for most other countries. One does not see foreign franchises in the US. On the other hand US food and clothing franchises are all over the world. Need I say McDonalds, KFC... People in the ravaged and blockaded Gaza (Palestine) were reported to have been smuggling KFC chicken buckets to Gaza from Egypt through tunnels. Need I say more. Oh, yes. In a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon some kids were drinking Pepsi Cola. This was in a small video games room where American products, games were used. Guess what these games indirectly promote.. a culture to inspire and imitate. This is what people do, they imitate what they perceive as good and marketers are good at presenting products in a good light. Movies and TV programs have even a better efficient, intended or not, in promoting culture (naturally), products and industries because they do it at a subconscious level. The culture part is natural because American life is played out. Even Americans take their certain behavioral queues from film and TV.
Some aspects of this cultural adaptation are positive, others are negative and in conflict with established ancient cultures; be it in Europe, Asia, Africa or Australia. The only places that remain unaffected are those that have not been touched by TV.

It's a cultural assimilation facilitated by a common language: English, American English unless you are down under, in India or the UK.

Bollywood, worth noting, does not have that cultural exportation effect because their films are in Hindi.

Happy Halloween y'all.

The Jewish Lobby claims another victim: Freedom of speech.

Hussam Salama and Mahmoud Al-Kumi were 2 Palestinian journalists that were targeted and killed by the Israelis.  As journalists, they were civilians armed with cameras and microphones and not  enemy combatants.

Newseum, a privately held organization decided to honor them.  With its many arms, Jewish organizations with many different names, acting as cover and are part of the Israeli lobby went to work.

After defending its position to honor the journalists, Newseum, that had a chance to stand up to the Israeli and "Jewish lobby" bullying, fell to their knees and now Newseum do not even offer an explanation for their decision reversal as reported by "ei" (electronic intifada) and that is typical when blackmail is involved.

By doing so Newseum, as an organization dedicated to the news reporting and freedom of speech did something very, very wrong.  Reversing its decision says a lot:

Now Newseum stands with the an organization, Israel, that supports targeted murder of civilians.  The Israelis and their lobby people in the US justify the killings because the journalists were part of Hamas "propaganda" machine. That is how they put it and to them it's a justification for murder.   By the same logic Hamas and or other Palestinian organization could do the same, target civilian journalists that they think could play as propagandists for the Israelis or against them. Palestinians know that many News organizations are propagandists in a way or another and that the editors at such organizations decide what airs and what does not; they also decide on how to manipulate news and incoming data from the field..  Should the editors also be targeted if one is to follow the Israelis' and their lobby's logic?

That is what Newseum's reversal to honor 2 Palestinian journalists means.  Two journalists murdered by a propaganda machine that wants to control the truth.  

Just imagine how much pressure and blackmailing it takes to have an, now suspect, independent organization like Newseum, to honor, defend and then retreat?

Paul Findley was a US congressman and supporter of Israel.  Once he decided to question a matter related to Israel and that same lobby set out to make an example of him to other US lawmakers.  How dared he "question"?  It was not enough that he was a great supporter of Israel.  The lobby wanted US lawmakers'  unquestionable LOYALTY to ISRAEL.  So at the next term elections the lobby set out to unseat him by supporting another candidate.. and the lobby succeeded.  He lost to his opponent by a tiny margin.  He is an author: "They dare to speak out".  In the book he describes his experience with the lobby.

Newseum is now another occupied territory. It lost its objectivity and integrity by allowing itself to be harassed and manipulated.  What does that say to others?

Congratulations to the board of Newseum! 

Newseum is not the only loser in this episode but as community that thrives on truth and free speech are losers as well.

Newseum could, after giving their decision more thought, do the right thing and restore some of their dignity.  Would they dare to do so, or too afraid?

November 2012:  Israel attacked the Gaza district of Palestine.

If a Jew were in my shoe, singular, because my parents could afford to buy only one pair of shoes (made in China) that I share with my sister and that, for fun, we sometimes swap left and right depending on the political mood of the country, a country that we don't have... I digress. 

If a Jew were in my shoe and lived on the seashore where Asia meets Africa.. The Jew would see soldiers in uniformed moustaches with two dark lines extending from the tip of the upper lip up to the nostrils. "Ari" was their name, each one of them! I hear glass breaking, again! and it's daytime but the Jew in my shoe thinks it's night, the night of the broken glass, kristallnacht! It's like a weird dream where me and my shoe and the Jew are scared of the soldiers with the black moustaches but this time the soldiers are the Jew, the Jew in my shoe! How could that be? The Jew was supposed to understand.. but the Jew took my shoe! 

Gaza girl.

Syria, now what?

Knowing what we know today about what has happened in Syria in the last two years, the thousands that died, the refugees, said to be in the millions, the destruction of historic landmarks, neighborhoods, towns and cities etc..

Knowing all that today would the powers that fed this "revolution" do the same thing today?
What could be done today to end the killing and the suffering?

Tunis is not a model to topple Arab leaders.   Egypt and Libya had different results and the African trio's revolutions are far from over.   Bahrain is quiet in the western media.. so the west does not look favorably on toppling Arab leaders that follow certain policies compliant to American interests, or so it seems!

When the Jordanians started acting up, American help in the form of money found its way to the Jordanian capital.  Money, channeled properly, seemed to cool things a bit there.

You can tell much about American and Israeli interests by the moves of one US senator..John McCain and his buddy, now retired, another staunch supporter of Israel, x US senator Lieberman who had been seen in video and photographs whispering in McCain's ear what to say at press conferences while touring the "Middle East"..  So, McCain goes to Libya, arms the rebels and brings the demise of Qaddafi in a short period of time.  After 40 years of his reign, the west saw fit the removal Qaddafi.  And the question is why now?

Trouble in Syria!! McCain stands on the senate floor and says let's arm Syrian rebels.  Al Qaeda and Al Nusra are enlisted and so is Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia providing enough to bleed Syria but not enough to bring down the Assad regime quick enough.. which would theoretically save lives, unless of course some Afghani-Taliban style Islamists take hold of the country, as they did in some small town in Syria, and try to impose a style of living that  the indigenous Syrian population does not know nor would approve of.  That would lead to bloodshed of a different sort and for other reasons.

Bleeding Syria seems to be the end game that might also weaken other players in the region.  In Lebanon there are people that support and others not, the Assad regime.   And this could start another fire in a place that needs it the least.

Before March 2011 Syrians did not enjoy freedoms of a free country, many wished to travel abroad and stay abroad dreaming of a better life.  Americans too want to find a place where the economy is good and jobs are plentiful and they too are having a hard time.  The difference is that, here in the US, the government keeps printing money and keeps borrowing money, in the trillions and any economist would tell you that this is not good.  There are people protesting and many movements such as the Occupy people, they  demonstrate from sea to shining sea however, another difference between the US and Syria here is that there is no Syrian senator McCain to arm these American rebels.

So, knowing what we know today about the events of the past 2 years on the Syrian scene:
1- Would the players make the same moves leading to the same results we see today?  and
2-  What's done is done.  What can be done to end it?

In Love with a Slut.

You are such a slut...   
you give yourself to whomever can afford a piece of you.  
you are shameless.  
I see you on little kids faces, in their little hands. To young and old and no matter the gender, come and take me, you say, get me out of the wrapper!
You are such a slut.  You can't wait to be anyone's and everyone's.  You come on so nice and so strong.
You make them smile and as you pleasure them they kill you and yet you come back for more.  You just can't get enough. you are an insatiable circle of seduction, pleasure and death... and resurrection; but i love you!
Just tell me one thing.. What are you made of? chocolate!

Tamriyyeh

Some sweets are much less known than others in a part of the world that prides itself on making Baklava (Ba2lawe), Knafeh, Karabeej Halab, Znoud el Sitt, Halawet El Jiben among many others.  Such less known sweets surface on special occasions in Lebanon namely something called Tamriyyeh.

Tamriyyeh comes to life on the Feast of St. Elias and the Feast of Assumption of Mary (3eed El 3adra), the latter on August 15.  These are two religious feasts at two locations where Tamriyyeh is made fresh before you.  The one that takes place at St. Elias in Mazraa (Mar Elias Btina) is huge and hosts many Tamriyyeh vendors or at least it used to.  The other one has one vendor  that sets up in the Kniset El Saydeh, Makhoul Street, Ras Beirut (parallel to Bliss).

Wow, I can almost smell Tamriyyeh!!  

Smeediyyeh, the filling for the pastry is already made and ready.  The dough is oily.  It's stretched out and cut up into squares.  A piece of Smeediyyeh is placed in the center and pressed down lightly.  The dough is then folded from the corners to the center on top of the white Smeediyyeh filling and pressed again, picked up and dropped in oil.   There it fries until golden brown.  When removed it is placed in a strainer to allow excess oil to drain.  One must wait a little for the Tamriyyeh to cool down and then the Tamriyyeh is topped with some confectioner's sugar just before serving.  Ready!    MEEN BADDOOOOO??  want some :)

photos are copyright their owner!

Tamriyyeh -

Some sweets are much less known than others in a part of the world that prides itself on making Baklava (Ba2lawe), Knafeh, Karabeej Halab, Znoud el Sitt, Halawet El Jiben among many others.  Such less known sweets surface on special occasions in Lebanon namely something called Tamriyyeh.

Tamriyyeh comes to life on the Feast of St. Elias and the Feast of Assumption of Mary (3eed El 3adra), the latter on August 15.  These are two religious feasts at two locations where Tamriyyeh is made fresh before you.  The one that takes place at St. Elias in Mazraa (Mar Elias Btina) is huge and hosts many Tamriyyeh vendors or at least it used.  The other one has one vendor  that sets up in the Kniset El Saydeh, Makhoul Street, Ras Beirut (parallel to Bliss).

Wow, I can almost smell Tamriyyeh!!  
Smeediyyeh, the filling for the pastry is already made and ready.  The dough is oily.  It's stretched out and cut up into squares.  A piece of Smeediyyeh is placed in the center and pressed down lightly.  The dough is then folded from the corners to the center on top of the white Smeediyyeh filling and pressed again, picked up and dropped in oil.   There it fries until golden brown.  When removed it is placed in a strainer to allow excess oil to drain.  One must wait a little for the Tamriyyeh to cool down and then the Tamriyyeh is topped with some confectioner's sugar just before serving.  Ready!    MEEN BADDOOOOO??  want some :)

 

The potos are copyright their owner!

Kidnapped in Beirut.

Beirut, Lebanon.  During the civil war..

Being at the wrong place at the wrong time carries great risk if you are in a war zone.  Being in a civil war with a multitude of factions could be a lot worse and gets very complicated.  One morning I found myself at the wrong place at the wrong time!

When the Kalashnikov appeared from behind a car, it was held by a young man, and what came to mind instantly was my mother.  I worried about my mother the instant I thought I was going to die.  I truly believed I was about to be shot, but I was not and you would understand why I worried about my mother, whom was safe at home,  soon enough.

A man across the street yelled: "shou dinak?" Oh well, sarcasm, I get to live few more seconds and my answer could hasten my fate.  He wanted to know what my religion was and I told him.  Apparently he did not like my answer:  “w wi2e7 kamen, jibo la hon" he said.  He exclaimed that I was audacious and ordered for me to be brought in.    

At times like these adrenaline rushes through your blood so fast that things seem to move in slow motion.  I have visual pictures in my head of a little alley that the car I was driving was moved to, a few steps that I climbed, after being blindfolded.  Yes, blindfolded. "Put him with the rest" said the man and I objected: "I know no one, may I see the person in charge?" I asked.

The truth is I had no time to be scared, I worried about my mom at first and now my priority was to keep my composure.  The last thing I want to feel and show is fear.

Earlier that morning I drove my car few streets from my house and through Clemanceau street where at one point people from one political party were offering their newspaper.  I hesitated and thought about the consequences and what would they think and more importantly do if I did not stop and get their paper?  I kept driving and the car's speed and momentum helped me make the decision.  Keep going, don't stop.  One afterthought, good thing I did not pick up that paper, that decision may have saved my life.

I arrived at my destination, a storage building for audio equipment and supplies.  I wanted to buy some branded blank cassette tapes.   I found a parking spot on the left side of the street and I parallel parked my car without noticing anything unusual except for the lack of traffic which in a time of civil war is not unusual.  Earlier it was reported on the radio that things are quiet and that there was no fighting, a truce perhaps.  Why else would I venture out?

They took me to the man in charge.

It was a tiled area in front of a small one house. It was typical to have such a space in older Lebanese homes.  That's where people and neighbors visit and spend time in the shade of a tree perhaps or enjoy a cool night breeze with friends.

What these people were looking at was a young man yielding a reddish long beard dressed in blue jeans and wearing a pair of clogs.  Yes, clogs! The most comfortable things I have ever put my feet into.  This is not a very conforming image of a typical Lebanese youth at the time. The car that I was driving, a light blue FIAT 125 Special with red interior and a 5 gear stick shift.  Unimportant detail in this story but it won’t hurt.  So, if they were making any first background assessments it would have been on these.  But the most important one was the direct question by the man across the street:  "shou dinak?"

The war in Lebanon was simple and yet complicated but this is not for me to assess except for the part where I was involved, or rather really not involved and not by choice.

During the war there were a lot of kidnappings from the different sides that were fighting.  Often you would read in the papers or hear on the radio that a body was found in a plastic bag and under some bridge.  The parents and or relatives of that person would be looking for that person and had not heard anything for a long time and as things go or went in Lebanon, would have called on all influential people they knew to help find their missing relative not knowing if he or she is dead or alive and hoping for his or her safe return if not safe at least knowing if the person is dead or alive is actually relieving to the family.  If the person is known to be alive then the family would work on their safe return if not then they would hope to get the body for burial so that they could grieve and go on with their lives, as shattered as they may be.

That is why my initial thought went to my mother when I saw that Kalashnikov.  I did not want my mother to go through the horrors many parents went through looking for their sons. 
Thousands are still missing to this day.

I sat down and the man offered me coffee.  I never turn down coffee, well, almost never.  "jibe 2ahwe ya mara" he said.  Even though it was an order, it was friendly.  It was what people that have known each other and like each other do, put away formalities.  I felt comfortable just from the way he asked his wife, a fairly good assumption, I admit, to make us some coffee.

The man asked me many questions, name, nationality, what was my business in the area, why I was on their street. 

3osmalleh was the coffee, not too sweet and not too bitter that is.  The conversation took a different turn and was more of a discussion on the war itself.  I don't know where and especially in my situation, where I found the courage to tell the man that, between all the fighting factions Lebanon was being destroyed, and that they, all the factions that is, are responsible for the destruction.  There was another man sitting there on the conversation as well and at one point he said: "I lost a cousin and I want 10 of them in exchange for his blood".  The revenge cycle does not help Lebanon, mistakes were made on all sides and that was not the way to help the country.  That way of thinking won't end the war. And I spoke my mind to that effect.  For a moment I was telling myself to be quiet but I love Lebanon and what was happening was wrong, and I gave my opinion freely knowing real well that I am at risk and my fate could be at the whim of a stranger.  Luckily I think they judged me by my sincerity.  I was not attacking them, with words, I was merely showing general concern about the war and the people and how this war is forcing my family to leave.  My family was making preparations to immigrate to the US. 

The people that offered me the coffee were Muslim.  I don't know if they were Sunni or Shia and I did not ask.  It mattered not to me.

They decided to let me go.  They had searched my car and found a picture of the Virgin Mary. My dad had placed in the car.  They, the Muslims said, this is what saved you today.   And I said to myself, good thing I did not pick up that newspaper on the way here, the paper was from an opposing faction, I think.

The man that had asked me "shou dinak?" offered and I had no choice but to accept, to ride with me around the block.  “I am riding with you because the Kurds up the street know me and will let you through without hassle”.  Good thing he said, you stopped here (in his area) because if you went further into the Kurds area they would have killed you first and then asked questions.  That man also told me that he was a Christian Armenian.  That made no sense to me and he explained: "we're neighbors and we're looking out for each other".    Well, how about that fact to confuse a complicated civil war in progress.  That part of the war was civil where the civil war itself was not.  I don’t think that there is civility in people killing each other.  A civil war is a misnomer.

Once I was on the main road I dropped him off and I went home without my blank cassettes.   I went home to see my mother.  I fortunately did not cause her to suffer.  It would have killed me to see her pain over my death or disappearance.   I made no conscientious effort to think about my mother the moment that Kalashnikov appeared, it was purely instinctive.  That’s where we go when in danger, a comfortable happy place we call mama.

Happy Mother’s day!

copyright author and assigns

Palestinian Refugee Camps celebrate Israel's 64th anniversary !!!!

ElAl is doing a promotion for Israel's 64th Anniversary.

ElAl fails to invite Palestinians living in and outside Refugee Camps for the celebrations.

This is to draw attention to the 64 year old problem that Israel and company have created.

Refugees, victims of systematic 

and ONGOING ethnic cleansing..

and the world is supporting the RAPIST.

 

Feel free to use the "Timeline" cover below 

and or the poster on your social media 

and spread the word

Poster size

Timeline cover size - 

My kitty loved ice cream :)

The cat was thought to be a female so I named it Shiba or Shibeh, a term used in the sense of playfully mischievous, an endearing term. When Shibeh turned out to be a boy, I had to change its name; meet Shibo.

Shibo, a tabby kitten was shy for the first few days but soon would own the house.  Cats are notorious for that and Shibo did not disappoint.  Shibo also thought he was human, whenever I sat down to have a meal he wanted to share; he wanted me to share my food with him even though I never asked to share his.  He had a love affair with anything dairy, be it milk, cheese, yogurt and of course ice cream.

On occasion I would get some ice cream, the kind that comes on a stick, get one from the freezer and go to the living room, sit on the couch, lift my feet up on the coffee table and get ready to relax and enjoy my ice cream.

Shibo is already there, well not even 5 seconds after I sit down on the couch he is there and keeping his eyes on the prize.  He's on the coffee table or in my lap with his eyes fixed on the ice cream that is now disappearing, lick by lick, bite by bite.   Shibo tilts his head as the ice cream continues to disappear and I can sense that he is getting anxious.  Sure enough he lets a little moan out accompanied by a paw movement. He lifts a paw and gently reaches for the ice cream without touching it, he knows his limits.  Then he comes a little forward and persists.  There is little ice cream left on the stick now and a little meow comes out.   Shibo knows though that he always gets his share.  How could I not give him his treat.  Now Shibo!  I offer him the stick with the vanilla ice cream on it - cats by the way should not be fed anything chocolate as it will make them sick and even kill them -  and I hold the stick while he licks away.  I turn the stick to the other side and he finishes off the rest in no time and gives the wooden stick a couple of extra licks just to be sure that nothing is left there.  Once satisfied that there is no more ice cream he loses his anxious mode and settles in my lap or next to me for a little nap or some petting followed by some heavy breathing, purring happily.

Shibo was the only cat out of six that I have that enjoyed and demanded dairy products.  Mr Sheebs, another nick name for Shibo, used to do many unique things:  like fetching a little soft ball.  He could do that for an hour and not get tired of the game.. well when he was younger.  He would fetch that little soft red ball and drop it in front of me and then find a chair or a corner to hide behind and anticipate the next throw.  His hind legs would be tapping the floor making his hips look like they are moving from side to side, faster and faster as the moment of the throw, as he anticipated it draws to a close and off he goes, the ball goes up in the air and he jumps and with one move of his right or left paw blocks it.  Rewind, repeat, loop mode.  

There was a time when I had a regular job and I would come home almost at a regular hour.  Shibo would be waiting at the bedroom window that is closer to the back patio door that I used to enter the house.  As soon as I disappeared from his view, I would have 4 more steps to go before I got to the door and opened it.  Shibo would already there even though he would have to jump off the window sill run out of that room, turn a sharp left, and another sharp left and go towards the heavy glass sliding door.  I would take off my shoes and massage his belly with my foot.  He knew the routine and he would lay on his back and enjoy the little rub.  All of a sudden he starts playing rough and grabs my foot with his front paws while his hind legs start painfully kicking me. I'd laugh and manage to get lose.

If I was sidetracked with a phone call or something when I first entered the house Shibo would chase me position himself next to me and then would paw me, he would paw my arm repeatedly until I gave him attention in the form of petting and eye contact.  If I'm too close to him he would rub his face against mine.  For Shibo that was love, recognition renewed daily and often.

The thing he (not it) did often that was human like motion and sound was when he looked me straight in the eyes and his head moved up and down slightly accompanied by a gentle emmmh sound. I suppose it meant different things depending on the time, I would like to eat now, how about some ice cream (you worked hard and I deserve it), hello or maybe let's chat a bit, how does google translate or  interpret “meow”?

Shibo enjoyed playing with balls made out of chocolate rappers.  He was easy to please and yet demanding, but demanding for attention and affection.  Sometimes I would hear him meowing as if crying, well that’s what it sounded like.  And I’d look and see him with one of his toys in his mouth.  I’d call him by name and he would come and drop the toy at my feet.  He wants to play, but other times he acts like that, like babies do when they’re tired and sleepy. 

Shibo died December 9, 2010 and I miss him.  Thanks for the memories Mr. Sheebs :') <3

To Palestine or not to Palestine

photo by simon hanna (copyright)

WHAT SHOULD THE PALESTINIANS EXPECT FROM THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AT THE UNITED NATIONS?..  


(Judge them by their actions!)

LINK. Jewish Assimilation

Not all Jews appreciate Israel's new anti-assimilation campaign - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News

Father's side or Mother's side? This will clear things up for uncles, aunts and cousins.

The Arabic language distinguishes between whose side of the family an uncle, aunt or cousin is. And now, the English and French languages DO NOT HAVE TO SUFFER FROM THIS LINGUAL AMBIGUITY ANYMORE !!

I would like to UnVague the english language when it comes to the use of the words uncle, auntie and cousin,  since none would tell you which side of your parents the uncle, auntie or cousin is from.

What applies to the English language also applies to the French language.

I will use two letters to revolutionize the French and the English:
M and F  for English and M and P  for the French.

Used in the following manner, M and F will unveil this cognitive dilemma:
A "muncle" is an uncle on the "M"other's side, while a "funcle" is an uncle on the "F"ather's side.
So, why not Mauntie and Fauntie, Mousins and Fousins.

For the French the spelling and pronunciation is slightly different:
Moncle, Poncle, Mante and Pante, Mousin and Pousin (and the gender consideration: cousine et fousine (not available -yet- in English)).

You get the idea.

Use at your own risk!



(copyright 2007-2011 simon sakkab)

Show me yours, I'll show you mine. LIKE-A-TITION?? what is that?

(No offense to anyone..  just some observations on this cultural phenomenon).  


Facebook page promotions are run under the guise of "Competition" where the most likes determine the winner. Competitors solicit their family and friends for votes or Likes and post a plea on the "Competition" page repeatedly, so as to maximize visibility to new page dwellers and get their vote.  Such persistence seems to pay off as well.  Some invitations sound like this:  your vote gets mine, Like mine and I'll Like yours, Support me please, Help me win


There is absolutely nothing wrong with this except for one word:  competition.


To put this into perspective imagine a race where a slow runner that comes in last in the race would actually win the race because the runner had the most audience or spectators' cheers.  Finish last and get the recognition and the awards, ok maybe not necessarily last and maybe not even finish the race,  but you get the idea.  Ok, another example  would be a dancing competition but the audience, who decides the winner, supports a mediocre performer.  This is how these so called competitions are run on Facebook and the real winner is the page itself as it builds, if it builds, a large audience and recognition to itself or its agenda.


One cannot blame entrants for directing the traffic to their thing to vote on.  Sometimes the sheer number of entries discourages people from browsing the entries and "liking", but that is what they're supposed to do.  Many would just satisfy the urge to be done with the task of helping one or more in need by linking to them directly.  So, the system is not perfect!


Again, there is nothing wrong with that activity except the name, competition.  That, it is not.  Call it what it is, "Like-a-tition".. how is that for a new word?  Win prizes based on your ability to get "Likes".


Here are some screen grabs from a very successful page promotion for an event:  
AUB Outdoors 2011 Samsung Photo Competition.

It's Dandelawns when dandelions prevail.

I'm thinking of dandelions.  Why do people spend so much time and energy trying to kill them and get them out of their lawns.  Who said lawns have to be 100% green, and the cost to keep that perfect green could amount to quite a bit of money.  So, why not let the dandelions take over.  They seem happy to take over your lawn and for free at that.  And what is the difference to you and your neighbors anyway?.  Besides, if you get hungry you can grab few dandelions and have them for lunch :p
Well, the other difference is color.  Your lawn would reflect a very bright yellow with some dark green which would actually bring out the yellow.  A yellow and green lawn.  I love it.  Let them dandelions prosper and multiply.  Dandelions, they're not a weed anymore, they are dandelawns.

The Girls got milk, but watch out for skunks!

From a distance one's reaction to the view might be "oh what the heck".  These skunks must have hit a huge patch of steroids except that they are cows and not skunks.  These cows adorned skunk colors, all black and a wide white strip running from head to tail.   I had never seen cows trying to pass for skunks before.  There were normal cows too, but if you don't believe me when I say these cows have skunk features, well, take a look at the evidence.

I tried to talk to the owner about this phenomenon, so I walked towards the barn and when I finally got there I announced myself but no one came out.  I got closer to the door and stuck my head in and to my shock and surprise there was this big mean skunk..  Oh my God, what's this skunk doing? Oh, the horror!  I had to get away in a hurry; besides, the stink of  pungent ammonia smell suddenly filled the place. But is it possible that the skunk, uh! no can't be!!  

They say cows never forget a face.

Many just stared at me..

..and stared, maybe it's the camera. 

Well girls, you sure are pretty..  and who's that in the distance?

doesn't she look like "Pink" the singer?

and moo to yoo too!

ok, now look straight head, pretend you're thinking.  aaaaaaaand perfect. thanks.

I think the girls got milk, whatchu think?


Location:  somewhere in Virginia, the "Bonanza" state

an attempt to get one more face for the 1001 Faces project :D

1001 Faces Lebanon - free to join