I can perfectly understand why men in the Middle East go gaga about Haifa Wehbe. She is hot, a great singer and simply delicious (with some help of plastic surgery - which seems very popular in the Middle East).

Is plastic surgery islamic?

But as usual religious fundamentalists couldn’t handle all her sexual power and banned her from performing in Bahrain. Muslim Fundamentalists would not only ban her and put her in a Burka, but ban music in general. Even cell phone ring tones are considered a disturbance of faith. I can’t wait for a fatwa against Nokia.

I am just afraid that she will be the target of an attack - like it has happened against other outspoken woman before. So much about the reference for woman is Arabic countries.

Hey Darling, you can perform in my place anyday!

BBC News:  A ‘George Washington’ for Europe

Starting next year the European Union will get it’s first “head honcho” - some sort of President of the European Councils who resides over our endless squabbles about milk quotes and that the Poles are unthankful bastards.

Too be honest I don’t thing we need a “permanent” el Presidente - I think that rotating chairman worked pretty well by not giving anyone a lot of power for only six months.

Most of all I despise the mere chance of Tony Blair or maybe later Berlusconi speaking for all of Europe. Yuck! Plus this President will be elected by other politicians - and not by us mere mortal (Europeans).

I would rather have some real monarch getting a ceremonial job to bring the people of Europe together (I hereby nominate Price Charles for the job, because he will never be King, but he is extremely wacky and therefore well suited for the job). But another super-politician on top other head of states is usually a bad idea.

More politicians just breed more politics, but not solutions. Doesn’t matter if it’s the EU or any other place in the world.

The Chinese Politburo has certainly learned it’s lessons from Stalinist Russia and Nazi Germany: Counter-Propaganda is important.

During the recent and ongoing protests against Chinese oppression in Tibet - the Politburo was busy sending it’s own message on the streets and flooding threads in Blogs and on YouTube with “angry” Chinese comments. I am pretty sure many “real” Chinese Patriots raised their voices too - but overall the propaganda and stupidity was annoyingly very visible.

And let me point out some “delicious” Chinese hypocrisy …

We have seen in recent years several very angry and violent protests against Japan for it’s war crimes and it’s stubbornness to apologize to the Chinese (and Korean) people. Funny enough China’s own war crimes and genocidal politics against the Tibetan people are ignored.

But that’s always the problem with “Patriots”, they can only see the “others” mistakes not the faults of their own country. Doesn’t matter if it’s China, the US or Liechtenstein …

Most Chinese students protesting in foreign nations should remember this: their right to protest in France, Germany, USA, Britain or “evil” Japan is granted by a democratic constitution that safeguards the right to protest. If you would protest in China against ANYTHING the government wants you to do you probably face very stuff police and legal action.

So in the context of free speech here is my reply to you: Go and fuck yourself and your evil government. Unless you fight, win and establish your right to protest and rule of law instead of tyranny in your own country don’t play your ignorant patriotic games here.

Do we care about our TV animal celebrities only because we feel guilty for killing off the rest of the species? Do we watch and say to ourselves “See, they are not all gone!”

Isn’t mass illusion a nice thing to clear our collective consciousness?

Every May Day the same procedure here in Germany: some wacky lefties battle the Police all night, small store windows, burn cars and scream stupid slogans. Sure the slogans have been updated to reflect the currently struggle against “globalization” - but I pity these ignorant fools.

This kind of reoccurring violence without any REAL context is simply stupidity and predictable. If your protest is as predictable as Christmas you loose credibility, since it only shows that you insist on violence without context. And politics without context is blind - and nobody takes you serious.

And smashing up the usual symbols of consumerism (McDonalds, Banks, Police cars etc.) is so 1980’s (or shall we rather say 1968ish) - grow up!

Plus: update your enemies list. China’s ambitions and actions are as evil as the “standard enemy” the US. Where are your protests against such idiots like Robert Mugabe?

I always have loved London - what a great city. When London reelected “Red Ken” as it’s Major I was thrilled. But after eight years Londoners wanted to kick Gordon Brown for his miserable job and kicked out good old Ken and elected the weird ‘Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson’ instead. Oh, the tragedy …

Boris has been more on television in game shows in actually running any tiny local anything so far. Even George W. Bush had more experience running ’something’ than Boris. His political view are terrible - when he presented the TV documentary The Dream of Rome his remarks and historical conclusion were way of the scale.

He is an old school populist born in the wrong century. He would have loved living during the 17th or 18th century - the heydays of the British Empire. But - dear Boris - these days are long gone …

BBC: A Tribute to Rumsfeld

Donald Rumsfeld and his former Boss George W. Bush are the worst public speakers ever. The must me either related or suffer from the same disease. The BBC has some of the greatest moments from Rumsfeld’s war press conferences in one painful and agonizing clip. Enjoy!

Wow, isn’t it a shame that all these huge organization, these gazillions of governments and agencies didn’t do anything to PREVENT the current crisis?

I remember several articles last year warning that the bio fuel boom will drive food prices up and that our wheat and rice reserves are emptying fast.

Most governments are not spending too much brainpower to prevent such predictable human disasters. What a shame!

Here is a HIGHLY recommended article about the current food production and distribution system and how it needs to be adopted for a better future.

After all that bullshit - this expresses my thoughts perfectly (at the last quarter of this video). Thanks Bill!

Where are the Burgers?

Pope Bene doesn’t seem to have the traveling bug like his Polish predecessor. But at least he made it to the US of A - and received a Presidential pickup at the airport. Something Bush has never done before.

One has to wonder how much political power is left with the Catholic Church? It certainly is much weaker in Europe, but seems to flourish in the Americas and Asia. Especially in the new capitalistic China people long for a “meaning” now that they are richer on one side and “feel” emptier in a harsher consumerist society. Weird.

I really hope Pope Bene will publicly kicks Bush’s ass for being a torturer and war criminal - and make some day a stand for Tibet.

Europeans always love to laugh at Americans for electing the stupid Mr. Chimp twice. Hold your laughter now Europe: it seems that Italy has elected Berlusconi for a third term. Who is laughing now?

Every country gets the government it deserves - but Berlusconi is bad. This will be the 62nd post-war Italian Government.

Crystle Stewart ain’t your usual bimbo: she has a university degree, runs her own business and isn’t blonde.

But still the whole contest is fixated on finding the most beautiful and fertile cow in the country - bikini contest and all.

Here is a troubling image: Chinese soldiers carrying monk robes - why? I am pretty sure they are not going to a fancy dress party or converting to Buddhism. So why are these guys haven ALL shaved heads (short hair is normal in the military, but all freshly shaved?) and carrying these robes?

I wouldn’t be surprised if China would be pushing the truth on the propaganda front to make the monks looks as like “aggressors”.

Does anyone know the story behind this?

I am loving this.

China get exactly that kind of publicity it wanted to avoid by carefully orchestration the Olympic Games - especially by locking away ANY critical voice in China.

Now the Olympic Flame has to travel in Chinese style: heavily protected by the police against the “evil” outside world - while everybody inside is crammed into a prison.

But sorry you capitalistic communists: here in Europe we still have freedom of speech and the right to assemble and protest against such people like you.

I am still ashamed that the EU has taken a serious step to scold China or even boycott the games. The IOC has blood on their hands - these greedy old bastards. Can you believe that the International Olympic Committee is more or less a private organization only responsible to itself.

The IOC knew well in advance that China would continue to trample human rights and that the games would be abused as a PR act by the communists to look “nicer”. Amnesty International and many other human right organizations warned the IOC.

From Wikipedia:

Criticism of the 2008 Olympic Games host selection

Some international groups attempted to pressure the IOC to reject Beijing’s bid in protest of the state of human rights in the People’s Republic of China. One Chinese dissident who expressed similar sentiments was arrested and sentenced to two years in prison for calling on the IOC to do just that at the same time that IOC inspectors were touring the city.^[10] Amnesty International expressed concern in 2006 regarding the Olympic Games to be held in China in 2008, likewise expressing concerns over the human rights situation. The second principle in the Fundamental Principles of Olympism, Olympic Charter states that The goal of Olympism is to place sport at the service of the harmonious development of man, with a view to promoting a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity.^[11] Amnesty International considers the policies and practices of the People’s Republic as failing to meet that principle, and urged the IOC to press China to immediately enact human rights reform.^[12]

Bastards!

Expanding NATO is a good thing. Expanding NATO to get new cannon fodder for war that has hardly anything to do with NATO is a bad thing.

When America attacked Afghanistan after 9/11 NATO stood behind the US of A and pledged it’s support with troops and money.

It was understood that America would take the military lead and the Europeans would do the whole nation building stuff (together with the brave Canadians and Australians) - like they did in Kosovo.

But instead of finishing the job in Afghanistan the Americans rushed off to fight another little war in Iraq and dropped the ball. Suddenly the rest of NATO found itself in the hot zone.

Once again Bush showed is incompetence building alliances and offending his allies. And still Afghanistan doesn’t get the support it needs to rebuild the country and provide security - and some European countries should do more … it’s not all the Americans fault …

Geert Wilder should be happy, instead of starting a new war between Muslims and Europe he has delivered a useful challenge to both sides. Of course there were the usual Muslim riots in some countries (and mostly by people who haven’t seen the movie anyway), but overall the reaction of European Muslims was neither angry nor violent.

Worldwide food prices are on the rise - sometimes up to 20-30%! While people in rich countries will still be able to fill their bellies - in many poorer nations many will face hunger. In China and the Philippines for example Governments tried to reassure consumers that they won’t face any shortages and prices won’t continue to sky rocket. Famous last words.

And it’s not just developing and poor nations facing problems. In Italy the price for pasta has risen up to 30%. And pasta is certainly not a luxury food.

Have we hit the “sound barrier” for human (over) population? Is the current industrial food production sustainable with higher and higher oil prices and more and more serious damage to the environment?

Maybe we are facing food riot?

Keith Olbermann once again points out the truth: the US Goverment made huge efforts to legalize their perverse desires and allow torture again as a means of interrogation.

It is such a sad story.

BBC News: Mugabe’s Zanu-PF loses majority

Hardly any politician makes my blood boil as much as Mugabe. He is the Messiah that missed his exit and totally ruined his beloved country.

Hopefully the 84 year old will finally retire peacefully?!?

How many years will it take to remove his legacy and make Zimbabwe once again a leading country in Africa? So much blood has been spilled - it will take decades to heal these wounds? And it will take also a lot of good faith and hard work to get it’s economy back on track.

Great work Robert!

Earth Day is one of these new holidays that give me the creeps. They always have a good intention behind them, to raise awareness and hopefully get people to do something.

Instead it’s a humiliating reminder that 99,9% of our fellow humans don’t care or simply don’t know what’s going on.

I personally would prefer if some great catastrophe would wipe out a big city or kill a million people - MAYBE then everyday would be Earth Day?

In China air pollution kills at least 100.000 people a year. But this number hardly registers when your population is over 1.000.000.000.

Don’t forget: 22nd of April is Earth Day! Either kill someone to reduce the human stress on our planet or do something nice for mother nature …

Not everybody grows up with the perfect (grand)parents and in a perfect time. But that’s not important - what’s important that you want to change the presence for a better future.

We all have family members that have weird or simply terrible opinions and convictions. But we can’t be held responsible for that - only for our own actions.

Update: Here is a new version.

Update: The movie has been removed from LiveLeaks - you can still click the player above - but you only get an official statement. I will try to download the movie from another source and repost it here. What a shame!

Since all the world is going bonkers about this movie - watch it yourself and judge it for yourself. (Warning: LiveLeaks stream is currently overwhelmed by demand - so the video could be jerky.)

Let me know what you think?

I am pretty sure it appeals to some of my new conservative American friends.

This video is certainly made to provoke and wake up the world / Europe / the Dutch to the “dangers of Islam”. For me Islam is as dangerous as any religion when it is commanded by Fundamentalists and Terrorists as an excuse to kill or suppress others, because they can’t cope with diversity.

Should the video be censored or forbidden? Of course not. It may be not the best video ever made - but it expresses valid concerns and simply states a political opinion (doesn’t matter if you agree or not). Religions and violence are not beyond criticism.

Plus I like to point out that some stuff that is broadcast by some official Arab TV stations is much harsher than this. And al-Quaeda and Jihadist recruiting videos are pure hate and blood. So in terms of propaganda this Dutch video is rather lame.

But this video is also not beyond criticism: the associations and connections this video sometimes makes are wrong at best and stupid in some cases.

Stupid rhetoric’s from both sides are not helping.

Muslims have to ask themselves if they want to tolerate or maybe combat those fundamentalists who have hijacked their religion and commit murders in their names. And they have to accept that many place in the world don’t care about religious piety and will continue to allow attacks, ridicule and humor against Islam.

And the West has to learn that Islam is not simply bad - and that not every bearded Muslim is a terrorist.

More? Wikipedia entry

Some reactions:

BBC: Dutch MP posts Islam film on web with comments

Graphic images from the bomb attacks on London in July 2005 and Madrid in March 2004 are shown.

Pictures of a woman being stoned, scenes from a beheading and images of the Dutch director Theo van Gogh, who was murdered by a radical Islamist in 2004, are also included.

And pictures appearing to show Muslim demonstrators holding up placards saying “God bless Hitler” and “Freedom go to hell” also feature.

The film shows a young girl in a headscarf making derogatory comments about Jewish people.

Economist: Flat-earth fears

The leaders of both countries have tried to discourage these ventures. They are doing their utmost to soothe bruised sensibilities abroad. The Dutch prime minister, Jan Peter Balkenende, has had several talks with his Danish counterpart, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, about how to cope with the incipient crisis.

One sign that events are escalating came this week, when Mr Wilders secretly visited Copenhagen in an attempt to persuade Danish television to broadcast his movie. As in the Netherlands, the argument against doing so is to avoid provoking retaliation. Already Danish goods are being widely boycotted in Muslim countries.

The Danes seem to have had their fill of the controversy. An opinion poll in Jyllands-Posten, the newspaper that first published Mr Westergaard’s cartoon, showed that almost 60% of Danes thought republication was ill-advised—whereas a majority supported publication the first time round. On the other hand, the Danes (and Dutch) are staunch believers in free speech. A Danish minister has talked of offering a Dutch-Somali politician, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a safe bolt-hole. Two Danish television stations also aired clips of “Submission”, the film made by Theo van Gogh, who was murdered by an Islamic fanatic in 2004, for which Ms Hirsi Ali wrote the script.

There is also a natural unwillingness to bow to bullies. In the Netherlands, Mr Wilders is admired for his free-speech stance even by those who hate his politics. When two Danish soldiers were killed in Afghanistan, Mr Fogh Rasmussen rejected calls to bring the troops home. “Violent groups are trying to halt progress. They must not succeed,” he said. Many Europeans apply the same logic to free speech and Islamists.

France - like Germany - is in dire need of reforms. Sarko started his campaign for his Presidency with the promise of change (sounds familiar). Many French people liked his busy and aggressive style - and had high hopes for some positive change.

But with his ugly divorce and stupid handling of his own affairs he has lost a lot of political capital. In recent local elections Sarko’s party has lost many votes.

France still is in need of reforms, but they new leader has busted a lot of his power for silly personal affairs. Too bad, because I won’t help him and his still necessary task.

Sarko admires the British economy and it’s success in recent years. Tony Blair inherited many necessary - but painful - changes made under Thatcher and built his success on it. France is not in such a bad shape as Britain in the late 1970’s, but still there is a lot to be done.

Sarko is especially fascinated by London’s vitality, something Paris lacks (his won words). In terms of international importance, stock market and political influence London easily beats Paris. Only the number of high ranked restaurants is higher in the French capitol.

So no surprise that this visit to Britain is so important to Sarko, he needs some serious political action to restore his credibility and some backing for his ideas for change. Maybe some serious glamor from the British Crown will rub off and the dry Mr Gordon Brown can add some intellectual spice as well …