Reason for Optimism in Palestine?

"We must expel the Arabs and take their places, and if we have to use force to guarantee our own right to settle in those places -- then we have force at our disposal." David Ben-Gurion, Israel's "founding father" and first prime minister, 1937.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18939.htm

الجواب الـــمُـــفـــحـــم

جواب الشهير برناردشو حين قال له كاتب مغرور :أنا أفضل منك ..
فإنك تكتب بحثا عن المال وأنا اكتب بحثا عن الشرف
فقال له برناردشو على الفور: صدقت، كل منا يبحث عما ينقصه...
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سأل ثقيل بشار بن برد قائلا : ماأعمى الله رجلا إلا عوضه فبماذا عوضك؟
فقال بشار: بأن لا أرى أمثالك
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تزوج أعمى امرأة فقالت : لو رأيت بياضي وحسني لعجبت
فقال : لو كنت كما تقولين ما تركك المبصرون لي

Nokia's Mobiles Timeline

Click on the photo to enlarge.

Photos of the Week!

"[This] is an ergonomic infant pillow designed by a mom to mimic the size, weight, touch, and feel of her hand and forearm to help her baby with comfort, support, protection, and development."

"If you are traveling a lot and don't always know the language of the country you are visiting, then this T-shirt is for you. It has a phrase book printed on it so just point a finger at the pictogram you need and then point it twice at the question mark, which means, "Where is it?" and in no time you have found what you were looking for... or not."

"This transparent toaster allows you to see the bread while it is toasting so you just have to take it out when the colour is right."

"Younger Muslims Tune In to Upbeat Religious Message"

Interesting article.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/01/AR2007120101803_pf.html
The website of the guy of concern:
http://www.moezmasoud.com

Pan's Labyrinth

In my opinion, 2007 was a year full of Hollywood over-bloated movies with Spiderman 3, Pirates 3, and Transformers each making around a billion bucks.
Amidst these puffed products lies a great creation, called 'El Laberinto del Fauno.' Yes, a spanish movie, with the title poorly translated to a more Americanized 'Pan's Labyrinth.'
This one got three oscars for the 2006 year though! Best cinematography, best art direction, and best make-up is all that a NON-AMERICAN movie is allowed to take!
A contrast between a real-world-like picturesque of 1944 facist Spain, and a little girl's day-dreaming, the movie has 'What happens when make-believe believes it's real?' for its tag, and you can't describe it any better!
It's a rest-of-the-world, MUCH improved and more interesting, version of 'Cronicles of Narnia' series. And according to Wikipedia, Pan's director refused to direct the second Narnia movie to focus on his 'Pan's' creation, literally. He is a producer and the writer of the movie!
I warn you, this is a bloody one, with many vigorous bashes, MUCH blood and real-time head-shots! If you would like a screening, I will be happy to provide you with it! Yes, I'm giving the movie free publicity!
My 2007 movie roundup: ( ***** 5 Stars: Sicko, Jesus Camp, Pan's Labyrinth, Zodiac, Ratatouille ) ( **** 4 Stars: Amazing Grace, Meet the Robinsons ) ( *** 3 Stars: Children of Men, Pirates III, Spidey III ) ( DISAPPOINTING: Transformers, 300, many others! ).

Great Words

• "They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel." Carl W. Buechner
• "There are two ways of meeting difficulties: you alter the difficulties, or you alter yourself to meet them." Phyllis Bottome
• "You see things; and you say 'why?'. But I dream things that never were; and I say 'why not?'." George Bernard Shaw
• "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is." Albert Einstein

Great Transportation Constructions!

"THE MILLAU VIADUCT is part of the new E11 expressway connecting Paris and Barcelona and features the highest bridge piers ever constructed. The tallest is 240 meters high and the overall height will be an impressive 336 meters, making this the highest bridge in the world."

Portugese Airport

"The airport's runway with a length of 2781 meters, which 1000 meters of the runway is supported by 180 pillars, each pillar 50 [meters] height (about 17 floors ). Surprisingly, the runway designs are for B-747."

The Story of Stuff

20 minute video of views on the story of manufactured stuff.
http://www.storyofstuff.com/

Middle East History Flashback

Oversimplified! Enjoy:
http://www.mapsofwar.com/images/EMPIRE17.swf

Autodesk Inventor

"Autodesk Inventor software is [a] foundation for digital prototyping."
A whole software environment for semi-final whole product design, I guess, but whole product prototyping. It contains sketching, mechanical and electrical layout prototyping. It can be linked to Ansys stress analysis software, but not to any electronic analysis :'( software. Check out the 'Demonstrations' page, but prepare to be amazed! (They protype a car in the first 2 minute video!).
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?id=9682461&siteID=123112

2007: The Year in Technology

Wireless Power Transfer, Paper Batteries, Electric Pulses Destroying Cancer Cells, Self-Healing Materials Mimicing Human Skin. These are some of the technologies showcased in NASA's Tech Brief's Article '2007: The Year in Technology'.

http://www.techbriefs.com/content/view/2472/36/

I Know Your Details, Dear Viewer!

Ferrari Dino Concept

3-D Processors

3-D transistors are being developed! This can be an amazing, especially from the guy who invented flash memory.
http://www.ime.a-star.edu.sg/html/highlights_200712_02.html

الواقع العربي المعاصر

Shared by a relative.

World's Craziest PC Processor Today

http://www.guru3d.com/article/processor/471/1/
Gamers... Meet your new friend/foe... Your choice...
Around 20,000 in 3DMark 2006 overclocked a whole GHz... No comment...

Photos of the Week!

First Apple Computer: the *prototype* Apple I

Oh! So we actually had inflation for a while now! hmmm...

عبد الباري عطوان: أنابوليس.. القادم أعظم

"اسرائيل خرجت فائزة من هذا المؤتمر الذي يتمثل نجاحه في انعقاده، فقد ظهرت امام العالم كدولة وديعة محبة للسلام لا تملك اكثر من ثلاثمئة رأس نووي، وتحتل ارض الغير بالقوة، وتحتجز اكثر من احد عشر الف اسير علي الاقل نسبة كبيرة منهم دون اي محاكمات قانونية "
http://anaharame.blogspot.com/2007/11/blog-post_28.html

Art?

Whether we agree with the views or not, this thing can reach a lot of people.
http://www.sonypictures.com/classics/persepolis/main.html
I aim to see the movie, or at least understand what it wants to say. Shared by a relative.

سهيره مطربة الراب الألمانية من أصل فلسطيني

حجابي لا يشكل عائقا في طريق فني
سهيرة: "الألمان يريدون معرفتنا وهم محتارون ولديهم حق في ذلك فنحن كعرب ومسلمين قصتنا قصة، وأنا أتحدث معهم بصورة مختلفة وجيدة" حضرت المغنية "سهيره" ذات ال28 عاما إلي مصر لأول مرة لإحياء عدد من الحفلات في إطار احتفالية نظمها معهد غوته تحت عنوان "فنانون مسلمون من ألمانيا..الفن والهوية" وأجرت نيللي يوسف معها هذا الحوار

http://www.qantara.de/webcom/show_article.php/_c-367/_nr-422/i.html?PHPSESSID=f28b413f6bdc330310b7e574ad856573