Geeks In Crisis

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Snap Judgment: "JONAS"

When I was around 7 years old, I fell in love with re-runs of "The Monkees," which, in my opinion, never got the respect it deserved. Everyone gets hung up on the prefab band thing (they did eventually play their own instruments) and overlooked the show's pioneering wackiness. Certain friends of mine know that my affection for this show and the band members lasted well into my teen years. (Peter Tork, if you're reading this, you were always my favorite.)

So when reviewers compared the Jonas Brothers' newest vehicle for world domination, "JONAS," to "The Monkees," I was skeptical. Successfully combining comedy with music is harder than it looks, and I was prepared for this show to be about as entertaining as a marathon of "Wizards of Waverly Place." But just as I once underestimated their musical chops, I didn't give the Jonas Brothers enough credit in the humor department. The show is effortlessly likable, and there's a self-deprecating undertone to it.

The singers play slightly altered versions themselves, only they're rock stars who attend high school. The first episode would have us believe that Nick, the "serious" one, is always getting his heart broken. Right. Anyway, there is a genuinely funny song sequence involving a very awkward set of angel wings. Just when you think the show is going down Teen Cliche Avenue, it veers in the other direction. Apparently, one of the "JONAS" directors worked on the short-lived but innovative '90s show "Parker Lewis Can't Lose," and a similar zany spirit pervades this show. I could do without the hyperventilating fan character, but my children thought her scenery gnawing was hilarious.

Let's face it; the people watching this show are the trio's rabid kid-to-tween fans and any parent who happens to be in the room. Those convinced that the band epitomizes The Problem With Youth Today won't be converted, but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed "JONAS." I wouldn't put down a good book to tune in, but if I'm just folding laundry while the kids are watching it, sure. Unlike "Hannah Montana," it didn't make me want to flee.

Late Observations: "Twilight"

I tried to finish the first "Twilight" book. I really did. But after the author reminded me for the 798th time of how gorgeous, perfect and Adonis-like vampire Edward Cullen was, something inside me broke. So I passed the book along to a friend's 10-year-old daughter, who has since devoured it and moved on to "New Moon." I'm always happy to support literacy.

I still find "Twilight" fascinating as a cultural phenomenon, which is why I watched the movie over the weekend. If I were a 13-year-old girl, I would be all over this. My walls would be plastered with pictures of adorable Robert Pattinson, and I'd be arguing over minor plot points with my fellow fangirls. That's because "Twilight" hits the bulls-eye of young teens girls' fantasies: that a beautiful, soulful and vaguely dangerous boy is obsessed with you, and only you, and that the two of you will co-exist in a bubble of melodrama and sexual tension ... without having sex.

Pattinson was a great pick for the role of Edward, one of the pasty/intense Cullen vampire kids who keep to themselves at Forks High School. As Bella, Kristen Stewart makes the character much more appealing than she is in the book. Of course, that may be because the movie doesn't allow for the nonstop newscrawl of Bella's internal dialogue. Stewart is part of a long tradition of "ordinary" female characters being played by very attractive actresses.

Like the book, the movie version of "Twilight" never really explains why Edward is so smitten with Bella, other than the unique scent of her blood. But the two actors do have good chemistry, which might explain why their off-set relationship is on the cover of all the gossip rags. And maybe I just noticed this because I'm old, but I thought it was neat that the supporting cast was so diverse. Black vampires? Who knew?! I remember when you could watch a teen film from start to finish and see nary a person of color. (And no, I'm not counting Long Duc Dong from "Sixteen Candles.")

Granted, I laughed out loud a few times, like when Edward informed Bella, "I don't have the strength to stay away from you anymore." The whole sparkling-in-the-sunlight business made me giggle, too, but I realize I'm not the target audience. (Or am I? There seem to be an awful lot of women my age buying the books and swooning over Edward. That's .. interesting?) I'm not hating, though. Overall, "Twilight" is a perfectly serviceable movie that's worth a Neflix rental. On with the sequel.

On the birthday of His Majesty the King

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May Fourth ... The birthday of President Mubarak

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Dear Mr. President,
Come take a walk with me.

take a walk with me
Let's pretend we're just two people and
You're not better than me.
I'd like to ask you some questions if we can speak honestly.

What do you feel when you see all the homeless on the street?
Who do you pray for at night before you go to sleep?
What do you feel when you look in the mirror?
Are you proud?

How do you sleep while the rest of us cry?
How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye?
How do you walk with your head held high?
Can you even look me in the eye
And tell me why?

Dear Mr. President,
Were you a lonely boy?
Are you a lonely boy?
Are you a lonely boy?
How can you say
No child is left behind?
We're not dumb and we're not blind.

we're not blind.
They're all sitting in your cells
While you pave the road to hell.

What kind of father would take his own daughter's rights away?
And what kind of father might hate his own daughter if she were gay?
I can only imagine what the first lady has to say
You've come a long way from whiskey and cocaine.

How do you sleep while the rest of us cry?
How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye?
How do you walk with your head held high?
Can you even look me in the eye?

Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Minimum wage with a baby on the way
Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Rebuilding your house after the bombs took them away
Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Building a bed out of a cardboard box
Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Hard work
Hard work
You don't know nothing 'bout hard work
Hard work
Hard work
Oh

How do you sleep at night?
How do you walk with your head held high?
Dear Mr. President,
You'd never take a walk with me.
Would you?

© Pink : Dear Mr president

Dear mr president how do you sleep ...?!!

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سأل أحد المصلين " هل الحزب الوطني اللي بيحكمنا حيروح النار " ، فقال الشيخ بعد أن استحضر هيبة الله عز وجل : " جاء في الأثر أن امرأة دخلت النار في قطة حبستها ، وإذا كنا بالتأكيد أكرم عند الله عز وجل من القطط ، فبالتأكيد سيذهب الحزب الوطني إلى النار لأنه لا هو أطعمنا ولا هو تركنا نأكل من خشاش الأرض ... هذا والله اعلم  من كتاب " ما فعله العيان يالميت " لبلال فضل

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وصلة النفاق الحكومي
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[ Link ]

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[ كرم جبر ]

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[ محمد علي إبراهيم ]

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مبارك‏..‏ سنوات العطاء المستمر

[ أسامة سرايا ]

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عندما قرأنا ما كتبه الأستاذ ميردال في نهاية الستينيات عن الدولة الرخوة، لم يطرأ ببالنا قط أن كلامه يمكن أن ينطبق على مصر، فقد كانت مصر في ذلك الوقت أبعد ما تكون عن وصف الدولة الرخوة، ثم جاء عهد الرئيس مبارك، وكان كل يوم يمر منه يأتينا بدليل جديد على رخاوة الدولة المصرية .... الدولة الرخوة هى دولة تقوم بإصدار القوانين ولكن لا تطبقها , ليس فقط لما فيها من ثغرات ولكن لأنه لا يوجد في الدولة الرخوة من يحترم القانون، الكبار لا يبالون به لأن لديهم من المال والسلطة ما يحميهم منه، والصغار يتلقون الرشى لغض البصر عنه، وفي هذه الدولة تباع الرخص والتصاريح , ويعم الفساد، فرخاوة الدولة تشجع على الفساد، وانتشار الفساد يزيدها رخاوة ... الدكتور جلال أمين فى كتابه مصر والمصريون في عهد مبارك

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* مقال قديم لبلال فضل في شهر نوفمبر 2008 بعنوان السحابة السوداء حسبما أتذكر أعتقد أنه أكثر من مناسب

على وجه مصر سحابة سوداء، خنقت البلاد، وكبست على نَفَس العباد.

أناس من أولاد الحلال يقولون إنها طالت واستحكمت حلقاتها، لم تستمر سحابة سوداء فى العالم مدة ٢٧ سنة.. بينما يرى غيرهم أن «أكتر من كده وربك بيزيح».. آخرون يرون الأمل كالكذب خيبة، لكنهم يضيفون - من باب الدقة - أن عمر تلك السحابة اللعينة هو ٣١ سنة، كل سنة أسخم من التى قبلها وأرحم من التى تليها، بينما يحلف آخرون أكثر يأسا على المصحف والإنجيل أن تلك السحابة بلغت من العمر ٥٦ سنة، وهى بذلك لديهم تجاوزت السن التاريخية للانقشاع، وصارت قدرا لا فكاك منه.

لكلٍ وجهة هو موليها، أما أنا فأقسم لكم بحياة هذا الصباح الشريف، وحياة النعمة التى يحفى الفقير ليطولها، وحياة بحر إسكندرية الذى ما تمنيت قدامه أمنية وخذلنى، وحياة الأمهات اللواتى ما فوّتن صلاة الفجر يوما على أمل أن تحضرن ساعة توزيع الأرزاق دون أن تيأسن أبدا من تأخر وصولها، وحياة قصص الحب التى لم تنهزم على كوبرى قصر النيل أو فى نفق الزواج، وحياة خيال الأطفال وواقعية الآباء الذين لم تكسر قلة الحاجة هيبتهم.

وحياة الزرع الأخضر الذى يرفض التطبيع مع المبيدات، وحياة دوشة ماكينات الطعمية وهدير ماكينات غزل المحلة بعد إضراب ناجح، وحياة روائح الطبيخ وهى تشغى فى المناور التى لم تهزمها قماءة المواسير، وحياة شاى العصارى فى البلكونات النضيفة التى لم تبهدلها الكراكيب، وحياة صالات البيوت التى لم تخنقها الكآبة، وحياة نوادى الفيديو التى تعايشت مع زحف السيديهات واستمرت فى إسعاد المخنوقين.

وحياة العيش البلدى المحمص، إن استطعت إليه سبيلا، وحياة القهاوى الزحمة والأتوبيسات الرايقة فى المواقف، والمواقف المحترمة المكتوبة بروقان، وحياة غنا منير وصوت أنغام ومزيكة عمار الشريعى وأفلام وحيد حامد ومسلسلات أسامة أنور عكاشة وشعر الأبنودى وتشخيص الفخرانى وقصص محمد المخزنجى ونقاء محمد السيد سعيد وسحر أحمد خالد توفيق وسخرية جلال عامر وسمانة أبوتريكة وعقل هيكل وحس علاء الديب فى الدنيا، وحياة عيال وبنات ساقية الصاوى وستة أبريل وكفاية ورسالة وزاد وفاتحة خير وجروبات الـ«فيس بوك» الذين قد لايحبون بعضهم البعض، مع أنهم كلهم على بعضهم يتحبوا لأن شكلهم يفرح، حتى لو كان بعض كلامهم يضايق، وحياة المنفيين فى الأقاليم الذين ينتظرون أن يحل فرج الله على العاصمة، وحياة السكان الأصليين لمصر الذين يفضلون الغرق فى بلادهم على الغرق خارجها.

بلاش ياسيدى، وحياة ربنا المعبود الذى يحب الصابرين، إذا صبروا، أقسم لكم أن هذه السحابة السوداء التى كبست على نَفَس مصر ستغور، وأنه سيطلع علينا صباح لن نرى فيه هذه الوجوه الكريهة التى كانت تكذب أكثر مما تتنفس، فصارت تكذب ولاتتنفس، وأن مصر سترزق بصباح تستحقه، وساسة على قد مقامها، وأيام يمكن احتمالها، وأكاذيب يمكن بلعها.

وفساد يمكن التعايش معه، وتخلف له أول من آخر، وأنه سيأتى على مصر صباح يفوق فيه المصرى لنفسه ويتكسف على نفسه عندما يرى كيف أصبح حاله ويقرر ألا ينازع الخالق فى حكمه على البشر ويتفرغ لدوره الذى نسيه كمخلوق، صباح يصبح فيه ضرب مواطن فقير على قفاه ألعن من الخيانة العظمى، صباح يعيش فيه المصريون إما فقراء على القد دون أن يفقدوا الكرامة والستر، وإما أغنياء على راحتهم دون أن يفقدوا الإحساس والضمير.

سيأتى هذا الصباح، أنا أضمن لكم ذلك برقبتى، وأنا رقبتى أكبر من أى سدادة تتخيلونها.. لكننى، للأمانة ولكى لا أخدعكم، لا أضمن لكم متى سيأتى، ولا إذا أتى متى يمكن أن ينتهى فتداهمنا سحابة سوداء من جديد، أنتم تضمنون ذلك بأنفسكم ولأنفسكم، أما أنا فأعرف فقط أن ذلك الصباح سيأتى حتماً ولزماً، ومصر إذا شمت هواءه النضيف لن تفرط فيه أبدا.

ربنا كريم ومصر تستاهل.

belalfadl@hotmail.com

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Technorati Tags: Egypt, Mubarak, Birthday, His Majesty, Dear Mr president, Lyrics, Politics, Democracy, the Arab world, the Middle East, Mideast
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To Facebook Admins

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To Facebook Admins Please Reactive Our Friend Esraa El-taweel

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Hello Customer Support Team,

First of All, I would like to thank you in advance for your help and support...

My problem is that my friend Face Book account was disabled since (28/4/2009) and I would like to ask you for re-activating it again.

The rules and regulations of the Face Book which determine the use of certain features was not very clear to her but after taking a look on it in the Help Center - Spam section, I found out why her account was disabled and I assure you that the cause of blocking her account, which is the incorrect use of the messages feature according to your regulations, was not by any way out of evil will of her and was totally by accident

she will really appreciate if her account could be re- activated again promising you that she will avoid the incorrect use of the Face book features in the future

We love a lot and want to see pictures, videos and notes she written


Her Face Book Account Info:

Name:
(Esraa El-Taweel)

email:
(sosty@sostypasha.com)

Thanks in advance for your support,

Best Regards,‎

[Link]

 

The End of Batman's Long, Strange Trip

There's probably no way Neil Gaiman and Andy Kubert could have topped the first installment of "Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader," which was one of the best single-issue comics I've read this year. But while part two isn't as original as the first, it's still quite good.

We all know Batman's departure from the DC Universe is temporary; yet, Gaiman has managed to craft a story full of melancholy and meaning. In fact, his contribution is the only part of the "Batman's Dead" storyline that hasn't come off like a cheap stunt. Most of part two is a conversation between Bruce Wayne — who isn't sure that he's dead — and his late mother. (I'd be perfectly happy if I never saw another panel of young Bruce kneeling beside his murdered parents' bodies, but I'll let this one slide.) The tenderness of the dialogue between Bruce and his mother really affected me, though I wish he hadn't been in costume the entire time. Then again, Batman is no longer Bruce Wayne's alter ego. It's who he is. Maybe I've gone soft, but the ending, combined with some "Goodnight, Moon" moments, gave me the sniffles.

I think this a comic that readers will either love or loathe. The storytelling devices are well-worn, and there are no big surprises. Batman never gave up his lonely fight, and then, eventually, he died. That's it. It's just a quiet, heartfelt ending that isn't really the end.

Train-Wreck TV: "Toddlers and Tiaras"

Were she alive today, child pageant queen JonBenet Ramsey would be 18 years old. When she was murdered in 1996, the public was inundated with child pageant footage, which elicited a mass "What the !$#@?" JonBenet was a lovely kid, but the sight of her in heavy makeup and sequins always made my skin crawl, particularly after learning the particulars of her death. Inevitably, people in the "pageant community" felt that the press had given them a raw deal, as if it were perfectly normal to spackle a 6-year-old's face with foundation and blush and trot her out for judging.

More than a decade later, the world of child beauty pageants continues to fascinate/appall outsiders. And as TLC's "Toddlers and Tiaras" series proves, it makes for compelling, train-wreck TV viewing. We just got On Demand service, and against my better judgment, I watched two episodes of "TnT" over the weekend.

The show is pretty straightforward, with each episode focusing on a handful of pageant hopefuls with various levels of experience. What struck me immediately was that, in many cases, you can tell the parents don't have much money — yet, they're spending hundreds upon hundreds of dollars for their kids' highlights, spray-on tans, fake nails, hair extensions and God knows what else. And despite the shameless, relentless focus on their daughters' appearance and poise, many of the moms have let themselves go to hell. Whenever the dads are on camera, they seem vaguely mystified and resigned. They're proud of their little girls, but their wives are running the show. (I admit that there was one sweet moment when a girl's grandfather, a retired coal miner, helped her practice her "prissy" walk across the living room floor.)

As for the girls themselves, it's hard to tell what they think about being on the pageant circuit. Sure, it's fun to play dress up, win ribbons and have strangers tell you how pretty you are, but it seems like they'd be just as happy playing jump rope. I'm convinced that they'd be so much better off playing a sport than skipping across a stage in "casual wear." Maybe they're taking soccer lessons, too, but I'm skeptical.

At one point, my son took a break from saving the universe to see what I was looking at. When a girl who looked to be about four (his sister's age) began shimmying in a yellow, ruffled bikini, he put on his Serious Face and said, "Whoa, that is SO inappropriate!"

I don't have a problem with TLC for airing the show. Frankly, the child beauty pageant is an interesting, if bizarre, part of American culture, and the show is ripe for water-cooler analysis: Are pageants a harmless, fun way for girls to build their self confidence or an early, creepy introduction to sexual objectification? I know which one I'm going with.