(1 votes, avg: 5.00 of 5) This started out as a post on facebook sharing a photo depicting an abbreviation of an Islamic Hadith of the prophet Mohammad. This particular hadith was deemed by some people to be sexist as it claimed women are deficient in mind and in religion. The debate eventually evolved into a general debate about Muslim ideas and how Atheists view them.
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Our story today is about a famous Amman restaurant called Fruit salad with 2 branches in Madeena Al Munawara & 2nd Circle
I won’t lie to you, the fruit salad there is fresh and the place is clean despite its humble appearance. Unfortunately that’s where the humility ends as this place decided to join the list of pretentious and discriminatory restaurants to practice the couples only policy meaning they don’t allow a man or group of men into their dining room unless accompanied by a woman. This is really uncivilized, a form of mental illness and an insult to every decent man.
Yesterday I left work at 11PM with 4 colleagues. The temperature was around 3 or 4 degrees Celsius. We headed for Fruit Salad. Once we got there we were surprised that the owner would not allow us into the dining room and asked us to sit on a lone table by the door in a drafty area that’s freezing unlike the heated dining room. I felt like a black person in 1960s American South where many restaurants had signs saying (No entry to blacks and dogs!). I wanted to leave right away, but didn’t want to disappoint the guys as we don’t go out together very often.
Accordingly I’ve decided to add Fruit Salad to the list of Restaurants I will boycott until they learn how to treat human beings, and encourage you to do the same.
Other notable offenders: Mecca Mall (owned by Kurdi group), Rotana Cafe (owned by Al Waleed Bin Talal’s Rotana group)
قصتنا اليوم عن مطعم اسموا فروت سالاد موجود بشارع المدينه المنورة و إلو كمان فرع علدوار الثاني
ما بضحك عليكم الفروت سالاد عندو طازه و المحل نظيف بالرغم من شكله المتواضع. مع الاسف التواضع بينتهي بشكل المطعم لانوا قرر ينضم للقاءمة السوداء من المطاعم العنصرية المتكبرة الذين يمارسون سياسة ال كبلز اونلي اي انهم لا يسمحون لرجل او مجموعة من الرجال بالجلوس بالصالة الا اذا رافقتهم انثئ. عن جد انو هذا نوع من التخلف الحضاري و المرض النفسي و اهانة لكل شب محترم.
امبارح طلعت انا و ٤ من زملاءي من الشغل الساعة ١١ باليل و كانت درجة الحرارة ٣ او ٤ و رحنا علئ فروت سالاد. اتفاجئنا بصاحب المحل بيمنعنا من دخول الصالة بمقولة الصالة للعائلات فقط و اشرلنا نقعد عطاولة وحيدة بجانب الباب بعكس الصالة بدون تدفأة وبيلعب الهوا فيها لعب. بصراحة حسيت حالي متل السمر في امريكا ايام استينات وقت ما كانوا ممنوعين من دخول معظم المطاعم بيافطات تقول ممنوع الدخول للكلاب و السمر. حبيت اضلني طالع بس ما هان علي اكسف زملاءي.
بناءاً عليه اضفت فروت سالاد لقائمة المطاعم التي يجب مقاطعتها حتئ يتعلموا كيف يعاملوا البني ادمين و بشجعكم تعملو نفس الشي
(1 votes, avg: 3.00 of 5) Yesterday my aunt was visiting us. During dinner table conversation, she jokingly brought up a little piece of gossip she’d heard from my mom around 20 years ago. I had forgot all about this but the memories came flooding back.
I was around 11 and living in Ramallah. I had started 7th grade at a new school in Jerusalem. It had 2 major differences from my first one. It was an international school with students from all over the world, and it was a mixed sex (co-education). Some time during my first week of school a blonde blue eyed girl introduced herself. Let’s call her Vee.
A few minutes later she declared that I was now her boyfriend! Apparently I had little choice in the matter, because whenever we were in the same room, she would announce it to everyone. She was attractive, but I didn’t appreciate being “acquired” like a piece of meat.
A week later seeing that I wasn’t responsive, she moved on to a tall red-headed Norwegian guy. Same MO. She simply announced our “breakup” and that the Norwegian is now “her guy”. Good riddance I thought, and that was that. It was easy to ignore it since she was a year older and in a different grade.
Only it wasn’t. About a year later I was walking to class and saw her approaching. She smiled, said hi, and then for reasons unknown, she kicked my thigh slightly above my right knee. I wasn’t amused, and instinctively kicked her right back. Same strength, same location. She was furious, and huffed then walked away.
The following day, I went home, and sat at the dinner table with my family. Each day at that time we all had to listen to my sister give mom a detailed report of everything that happened to her at school. Sharing is caring, right?
That particular day’s newscast was different though. I was part of the headlines. Apparently Vee approached my sister who was in a higher grade than her, and told her that I had kicked her and that if she showed the school principal where I had kicked her, I would probably be expelled. I explained that she attacked me, and that I was merely defending myself, but that made the story less interesting! Again I thought that was that.
About a year later, my cousin from Amman was visiting us in Ramallah. Since I had a spare bed, we shared my room. One night shortly before bed time, he asked me why I hit girls! I didn’t understand. I asked him what made him think that? He explained that my mom told everyone that while she was visiting them in Amman. *shock*
You have to understand that my mom is the kindest person I know, and that she would never intentionally try to hurt me, but as gossip goes, when one is in good company the truth tends to get lost for the sake of telling an anecdote that will get a laugh even at the expense of someone else. People are like that.
Back to my aunt 20 years later retelling that same mistold anecdote. Again I explained, she attacked me, but both my mom and aunt looked at each other and shrugged saying Vee must have been teasing.
She probably was, although that doesn’t make it right. If you can’t see it, reverse roles for a moment and think of a guy teasingly kicking a girl who doesn’t want anything to do with him. Not so funny now? Your stereotypes would have no problems identifying the victim in that case.
The incident is 20 years old, we were kids after all. Vee and getting kicked are far from my mind, but as I grew older and wiser, I realized the lesson to be learned. When a man and a woman are in a dispute of any sort, most people will assume the man to be malevolent by default, and the woman to be victimized unless proven otherwise.
I remember discussing a related case with my college ethics teacher after watching a documentary in class. If you hear your neighbors arguing, and you call the cops, they will come take the man down to the station for questioning, while another officer will talk to the woman separately. In one case the cops did this even though the woman appeared fine while her husband was bleeding from a blow to the head. Later they found that the woman had a history of physically abusing her husband.
So why do we have this idea on the nature of men and women ? I can think of 2 reasons:
The first is statistics. Men tend to perform more evil acts so it is natural to assume they are at fault. Let’s take the worst crime possible, murder. Most murders are committed by men. Right? So what’s the other side of the story? Most murder victims are also men. Both male and female murderers prefer to kill men. So we are the greatest perpetrators and also the most victimized.
The second reason is what I’d like to leave you with. Thinking women are by default mentally, physically, and/or emotionally weaker, and generally less capable in any given situation is simply a sign of lingering prejudice from our past traditions. It’s a double edged sword. It might give them an advantage in some cases, but overall it holds them back. Equality comes with responsibility and accountability.
(1 votes, avg: 5.00 of 5) To behold people in their truest form; stripped of all the walls and masks conditioned by class, income, education, appearance, gender, religion, race and all manners of conformity; one need only observe a child.
Let’s skip Infants as they are powerless to affect the world around them short of crying, cooing, smiling, swallowing or throwing things. Before we can make choices (good, bad, or neutral), we have to have the means (the power) to make them.
Flash forward 3 years when a child can walk, talk, and socialize. How much power is that? By robotics standards they are autonomous. Something Japanese multimillion dollar androids have not yet achieved.
This kid has choices, but surely an adult has much more power and freedom? No. The difference is that the child is unconcerned/unaware of the consequences of their actions, and unlikely to be held accountable regardless. Accountability balances power.
So what does the average child do at this age of ultimate power and freedom? What comes most naturally of course. They throw and break things just for the fun of it. They fight. They shout. They argue, steal, and genraly wreak havoc. Think of Darth Vader, only shorter.
As we grow older, experience teaches us the limits of our power, and forms a behavioral boundary. The fact that most humans conform then isn’t a testament to their natural goodness, but that they have little choice. The ultimate measure of human goodness is how they behave given ultimate power without consequences.
Conclusion: History teaches us that the most powerful men and women (those with the greatest possible choice) have always abused their power with total disregard if not exploitation, or annihilation of the weak. Their actions exemplify human nature at its truest form. In 3 words: We are scum.
Short list of related history and statistics – our proudest moments:
1.Slavery: practiced by every powerful nation in history be it Roman Empire, America, China, Ancient Egypt/Carthage, Islamic Caliphate, Persia, Aztecs etc…
2. Genocide: Numerous examples in history. Recently Bosnia (200K), Rwanda (800K), Cambodia (2 million), Holocaust (6 million), Stalin’s forced Famine of Ukrainians (contested) (7 million), Turkish Genocide of Armenians (1.5 million)
3. Weapons: The ultimate tools of murder. Modern warfare starting with gunpowder, artillery, tanks, bombers, then atomic chemical and biological weapons. Naturally the most powerful and technologically advanced nations have been at the forefront. Before someone argues that weapons can be used defensively. The evidence speaks to the contrary.
A. Weapon Sales: If you sell the weapons you are responsible for what they’re used for. Aside from the moral implication of making money off of murder ? The top 10 arms dealers the world by % sales: USA (41%), Russia (17%), Other-European (11%), France (8%), UK (7%), Germany (4%), Italy (3%), China (3%), Other (6%)
B. WMD Development-Stockpile: Ordered by Size of stockpile: Russia, USA, France, China, UK, Israel, Pakistan, India
C. WMD Use: The only historical true use in warfare of weapons of mass destruction by any country: USA Bombing Hiroshima & Nagasaki (80K immediate deaths, and 500K developing radiation sickness) as Authorized by President Harry Truman.
D. All forms of none-defensive warfare: This has of course been ongoing since the dawn of man. From empire building through conquest , to European style colonialism, up to the modern Bush doctrine of pre-emptive war on entire countries based on the action of individuals (terrorism).
4. Religion: The most religious are ruled by consequences like the rest of us, but above all they are ruled by fear. Fear of death, Fear of God, and fear of Hell. Of course they are not afraid of killing everyone else! So they started out with ritualistic human sacrifices to please God. Naturally God was most pleased when one sacrificed their enemies and political opponents. Subsequently religiously inspired Warfare flourished. How else can you get some idiots to fight for you free of charge ?
A. christian crusades invading middle east with the pretext of liberating the holy land from the heathens
B. Islamic Caliphate Conquests covering Asia, Africa Persia and Spain supposedly to spread Islam by the sword
C. Modern Israel established in Palestine by force with initial assistance from Britain (Balfour) and later the United States (first country to recognize Israel) as a home for Jews escaping the holocaust.
5. Drugs: Hmmm making money by making people sick.
6. Racism: Enough said.
(1 votes, avg: 3.00 of 5) 
I’m not inclined towards anything artistic, but one night in college I woke up around 3AM, and for reasons unknown I thought it would be nice to write a poem. I jumped out of bed, turned on my computer, spent a couple of hours on it, then went back to sleep. This hasn’t happened again since.
The Challenge
I hear of it; still I am too young.
I boast how easily I will defeat it; too foolish to know otherwise.
I imagine it, and what magic I will need to vanquish it.
I idolize those who’ve overcome it; eager to prove I am as capable.
I prepare to face it, aware now of the size of my task.
Those around me think me ready, but I know I am alone.
I see it from a distance; it already eclipses everything.
It mocks me; my pride ignores the thought.
I look back, and contemplate how far I’ve come.
I confront it, seemingly helpless, but not disheartened.
At last I attack it, forgetting all else.
It wounds me; my pride remains unharmed.
It growls, seeing its imminent defeat.
I persist relentless, and perhaps ruthless.
I scream savagely, proclaiming my victory for all.
Suddenly it is quiet and once again I am alone yearning to face it.
As I awaken looking at a ceiling, it evokes a distant memory.
I hear of it; still I am too young.
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