Sincere Condolences for a Sad Sad Loss

تعازينا القلبية لهذا المصاب الأليم

A Sad Sad Loss. Sincere Condolences.

The War on Ducks

الفرق بين الأباطرة والقراصنة

مسألة حجم.

Pirates & Emperors

Schoolhouse Rock
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Extreme Wiring 2

كيف تتعرف على الأخ المتطرف

By: Wael Nawara

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التطرف موجود بكثرة ووفرة شديدة والحمد لله ولا يستطيع أي شخص إلا أن يشكر جميع المسئولين وخاصة السيد الدكتور اللواء وزير التعليم على الضخ المستمر لأعداد غير محدودة من الإخوة المتطرفين في كل محفل. والتطرف ولله الحمد موجود وسط المتدينين وغير المتدينين، في صفوف المسلمين والمسيحيين واليهود والقوميين والشيوعيين، ولكن معظم فصائل المتطرفين تشترك في خصال وأورام حميدة وخبيثة متعددة، ومن طول معاشرة الأخوة المتطرفين ومعايشتهم في كافة المحافل والمستشفيات ودور العبادة ومقاهي وسط البلد، رأيت أن نتذكر ونتدارس بكل تقدير صفاتهم المتفردة، وذلك حتى تعم الفائدة على الجميع، ومن فاته التطرف يجتهد ليدركه، وعلى الله الأجر والثواب.

درس في التشريح

بالإضافة للصفات العقلية المتفردة للأخ المتطرف، يعاني المتطرف أيضاً من بعض التشوهات التشريحية والعقلية والبدنية مثل:

تصلب في العنق وفي مقلتي العين
يعاني الأخ المتطرف ربنا يشفيه ويعافيه من تصلب شديد وأحياناً تليف في عضلات العنق، وقد يصل هذا في الحالات المتأخرة إلى تكلس في فقرات العنق، ويظهر هذا في فقدان جزئي أو كلي للقدرة على تحريك المريض لرأسه ليرى الموضوعات من زوايا مختلفة، ورغم أن الطبيعة قد حبته بقدرة استدراكية (باك أب سيستم) ليحرك عينيه، إلا أن فيروس التطرف الخبيث يصيب أيضاً عضلات مقلتي العين، فيفقد المريض القدرة على رؤية أي شيء خارج زاوية محدودة ولهذا نقول أنه Tunnel Visioned فهو تقريباً مثل الأعمى ينظر في اتجاه واحد.


انخفاض في مستوى التحليل اللوني بما يصل لعمى الألوان
وبينما أنعم الله على البشر بقدرات فائقة في مجال رؤية الألوان والنور والظل، حيث يستطيع معظم الناس أن يميزوا بين آلاف الدرجات المختلفة من الألوان، ومن هنا نشطت حركة البيع والشراء في الدهانات والأزياء وفواتير الألوان التقليدية والمستحدثة، إلا أن المتطرف ربنا يشفيه يرى سلخة (شريحة) صغيرة من عجلة الألوان تحتوي على لون واحد واللون المقابل له في الناحية الأخرى من العجلة وهي ظاهرة القطبية اللونية الثنائية.

انخفاض في الذاكرة المتاحة LOW RAM Random Access Memory
في أجهزة الحاسب الآلي تنقسم الذاكرة إلى نوعين رئيسيين، الذاكرة المتاحة RAM والذاكرة المثبتة ROM، وهي التي تم برمجتها من قبل المصنع. ونظراً لأن الأخ المتطرف عادة ما يكون ضحية لأحد المبرمجين الذين يعملون من خلال التلقين على شحن مخ المتلقين بجرعات تكرارية من نفس الفلسفة أو الدوجما التي يقومون بتسويقها من خلال ضحاياهم وأتباعهم من المتطرفين والباعة الجائلين للصنف المغشوش المطلوب تسويقه، نجد أن معظم الذاكرة الباقية لدى الأخ المتطرف هي ذاكرة مبرمجة من قبل ROM أو Read-only-Memory أو الذاكرة المحروقةBurnt Chips وهذا قد يجعلنا نقول أن الشخص المتطرف عنده غسيل مخ Brain Wash، بينما في الواقع هو عنده حرق في المخ لتعرضه لجرعة تكرارية زائدة من نفس الصورة أو اللون، بما يتسبب في حرق خلايا التفكير.

وعلى سبيل المثال، فشاشة الصراف الآلي ATM Machine Screen نجدها محروق فيها تقريباً الشاشة التقديمية Welcome Screen لأنها تبقى لفترة طويلة على الشاشة، وبالتالي فإن الحبيبات التي تتكون منها الشاشة يحدث بها حرق جزئي على الصورة المستخدمة في الشاشة التقديمية، وهذا ما يجعل شركات الكومبيوتر تضع سكرين سيفر Screen Saver لتجنب أن تصاب الشاشة بهذا الحرق الدائم فتصبح مثلها مثل المتطرف غير قادرة على استعراض الصور المختلفة بنقاء وحيادية.

بالمناسبة، طبياً، عين الإنسان لابد أن تتحرك باستمرار ليستطيع الإنسان أن يرى الصور، ولو تم تعريض عين الإنسان لصورة واحدة دون أي تغير لعدة ثوان مع ثبات العين دون أي حركة، تتحول الصورة الساقطة على الشبكية إلى اللون الأسود. جرب بنفسك هذا، انظر لصورة واحدة دون أن تسمح لعينك بأن تطرف أو تتحرك على الإطلاق، وستجد أن الدنيا تسود أمامك والعياذ بالله، وهذا ما يحدث لنا جميعاً بعد عدة لقاءات مع الأخوة المتطرفين.

كانت هذه هي بعض صفات الأخ المتطرف.


والآن طريقة التعامل مع الأخ المتطرف:

كيف تتصرف مع الأخ المتطرف

أولاً: لا تدخل مع الأخ المتطرف في مناقشات حول الموضوعات المثبتة في ذاكرته المحروقة حتى لا تضيع وقتك

ثانياً: تجنب استثارة الأخ المتطرف تحت أي ظرف

ثالثاً: قصر وانجز لجل تقفل وتسنكر الدكانة وتروح سليم لأهلك

رابعاً: ادعيله ربنا يشفيه

آمين.

First Published June 2008

The Three Rings of Honor

خواتم الشرف الثلاث

من العشرية – The Decameron

لجيوفاني بوكاتيو

Giovanni Boccaccio

اليوم الأول – القصة الثالثة

ملخص القصة

يحكى أن السلطان صلاح الدين في سبيل حروبه المتعددة قد أنفق أموال الخزانة، وأراد أن يقترض بعض المال من أحد المرابين اليهود من الأسكندرية، ولكنه كان يعلم ببخله، ولم يكن صلاح الدين براغب في أن يجبره على إقراضه، فأراد أن يستخدم الحيلة معه.

استدعاه السلطان وسأله، أي من الأديان الثلاثة على الحق، الإسلام أم المسيحية أم اليهودية؟ أدرك المرابي وكان رجلاً حكيماً واسع الاطلاع أن السلطان ينصب له فخاً، فاحتال أن يفلت منه.

قص المرابي الحكيم على السلطان قصة رجل من النبلاء، يمتلك الجواهر والمال، ولكن أعظم كنوزه تمثل في خاتم ثمين، وأن هذا الرجل قد أعلن أن من يحوز ذلك الخاتم من أبنائه وقت وفاته، يرث ماله ومراتب الشرف ومقاعد النبالة التي يتبوأها.

فانتقل الخاتم من يد ليد ومن جيل لجيل وسط أحفاده، إلى أن وصل لرجل له ثلاثة أبناء، وكان الرجل يحب أبناءه جميعاً بنفس الدرجة، فلجأ لصانع ماهر اجتهد في صنع خاتمين مماثلين للخاتم الأصلي، حتى أصبح من المستحيل التمييز بين الخواتم الثلاثة. أعطى الرجل لكل من أبنائه أحد تلك الخواتم، وعند وفاته، ظلت قضية الوارث الشرعي له قضية غير محسومة ليومنا هذا. وهكذا شأن الأديان، كل منها لديه الكلمة والأوامر الإلهية، لكن حسم المسألة يبقى ليوم الدينونة.

أدرك صلاح الدين حكمة اليهودي، واعترف له بغرضه الحقيقي، فأقرضه اليهودي المال عن طيب خاطر، وبعد أن سدد صلاح الدين لليهودي دينه، بعث له بالهدايا الثمينة تقديراً لحكمته وفضله.

From the Decameron

THE THIRD STORY

Day the First

MELCHIZEDEK THE JEW, WITH A STORY OF THREE RINGS, ESCAPETH A PARLOUS SNARE SET FOR HIM BY SALADIN

Neifile having made an end of her story, which was commended of all, Filomena, by the queen's good pleasure, proceeded to speak thus: "The story told by Neifile bringeth to my mind a parlous case the once betided a Jew; and for that, it having already been excellent well spoken both of God and of the verity of our faith, it should not henceforth be forbidden us to descend to the doings of mankind and the events that have befallen them, I will now proceed to relate to you the case aforesaid, which having heard, you will peradventure become more wary in answering the questions that may be put to you. You must know, lovesome[46] companions[47] mine, that, like as folly ofttimes draweth folk forth of happy estate and casteth them into the utmost misery, even so doth good sense extricate the wise man from the greatest perils and place him in assurance and tranquillity. How true it is that folly bringeth many an one from fair estate unto misery is seen by multitude of examples, with the recounting whereof we have no present concern, considering that a thousand instances thereof do every day manifestly appear to us; but that good sense is a cause of solacement I will, as I promised, briefly show you by a little story.

Saladin,—whose valour was such that not only from a man of little account it made him Soldan of Babylon, but gained him many victories over kings Saracen and Christian,—having in divers wars and in the exercise of his extraordinary munificences expended his whole treasure and having an urgent occasion for a good sum of money nor seeing whence he might avail to have it as promptly as it behoved him, called to mind a rich Jew, by name Melchizedek, who lent at usance in Alexandria, and bethought himself that this latter had the wherewithal to oblige him, and he would; but he was so miserly that he would never have done it of his freewill and Saladin was loath29 to use force with him; wherefore, need constraining him, he set his every wit awork to find a means how the Jew might be brought to serve him in this and presently concluded to do him a violence coloured by some show of reason.

Accordingly he sent for Melchizedek and receiving him familiarly, seated him by himself, then said to him, 'Honest man, I have understood from divers persons that thou art a very learned man and deeply versed in matters of divinity; wherefore I would fain know of thee whether of the three Laws thou reputest the true, the Jewish, the Saracen or the Christian.' The Jew, who was in truth a man of learning and understanding, perceived but too well that Saladin looked to entrap him in words, so he might fasten a quarrel on him, and bethought himself that he could not praise any of the three more than the others without giving him the occasion he sought. Accordingly, sharpening his wits, as became one who felt himself in need of an answer by which he might not be taken at a vantage, there speedily occurred to him that which it behoved him reply and he said, 'My lord, the question that you propound to me is a nice one and to acquaint you with that which I think of the matter, it behoveth me tell you a little story, which you shall hear.

An I mistake not, I mind me to have many a time heard tell that there was once a great man and a rich, who among other very precious jewels in his treasury, had a very goodly and costly ring, whereunto being minded, for its worth and beauty, to do honour and wishing to leave it in perpetuity to his descendants, he declared that whichsoever of his sons should, at his death, be found in possession thereof, by his bequest unto him, should be recognized as his heir and be held of all the others in honour and reverence as chief and head. He to whom the ring was left by him held a like course with his own descendants and did even as his father had done. In brief the ring passed from hand to hand, through many generations, and came at last into the possession of a man who had three goodly and virtuous sons, all very obedient to their father wherefore he loved them all three alike. The young men, knowing the usance of the ring, each for himself, desiring to be the most honoured among his folk, as best he might, besought his father, who was now an old man, to leave him the ring, whenas he came to die. The worthy man, who loved them all alike and knew not himself how to choose to which he had liefer leave the ring, bethought himself, having promised it to each, to seek to satisfy all three and privily let make by a good craftsman other two rings, which were so like unto the first that he himself scarce knew which was the true. When he came to die, he secretly gave each one of his sons his ring, wherefore each of them, seeking after their father's death, to occupy the inheritance and the honour and denying it to the others, produced his ring, in witness of his right, and the three rings being found so like unto one another that the true might not be known, the question which was the father's very heir abode pending and yet pendeth. And so say I to you, my lord, of the three Laws to the three peoples given of God the Father, whereof you question me; each people deemeth itself30 to have his inheritance, His true Law and His commandments; but of which in very deed hath them, even as of the rings, the question yet pendeth.'

Saladin perceived that the Jew had excellently well contrived to escape the snare which he had spread before his feet; wherefore he concluded to discover to him his need and see if he were willing to serve him; and so accordingly he did, confessing to him that which he had it in mind to do, had he not answered him on such discreet wise. The Jew freely furnished him with all that he required, and the Soldan after satisfied him in full; moreover, he gave him very great gifts and still had him to friend and maintained him about his own person in high and honourable estate."

The above English text is taken from John Payne's translation of The Decameron, originally published in a private printing for The Villon Society, London, 1886.

Ten a Day

The Shift to a Man-Centered World

Giovanni Boccaccio's

Master-piece

The Decameron

Tales of plague and death
But out of despair Love is Born
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The shift from a God-Centered world of perfect moral pretenses
To a Man-Lived experience of conflicting interpretations and perceptions
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Giovanni Boccaccio's master-piece, the Decameron
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English Translation
Of the 100 tales of Great Italian Prose
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Ten a Day

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The Decameron Web

http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Italian_Studies/dweb/

First Novella

http://www.stg.brown.edu/projects/decameronNew/DecShowText.php?myID=nov0101&expand=day01&lang=eng

Full Text

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/23700/23700.txt

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** Irrational Reactions to the Swine Flu pandemic presents us with an opportunity to re-reconsider the relationship between science and mythology in our daily lives and the way we think of things.

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Post Realism 7

After 30 Years on Camp David Accords

Will the Mountain Come to Mohamed?

The Egyptian humiliating defeat of 1967 was a hard blow to an era of unrealistic dreams. Unearned dreams, really. An era of Romanticism and seemingly great ideals. Ideals which sadly turned out to be hollow. The 1979 treaty of Camp David between Egypt and Israel put an official end to that era of Romanticism and signified an era of Realism.


The era of Realism recognized that power and military might alone shall reign supreme in our world. With total disregard for justice, legitimacy and other “hollow” ideals. Justice became like a thin shell or a mask. The substance inside is power. And without that internal substance, justice would be easily cracked. It would not stand a chance in the “real” world. Justice is there only to protect the rights of the strong. As for the weak, justice is blocked by lobbies and vetoes. The “weak” is not meant to demand, or even request, justice.


But Realism without Justice, Honor or Vision, led to the events of Sep 11th 2001 and what followed. The irony is that the strong started to use the terms of "International Legitimacy". International Legitimacy became a hard currency. Marred with double standards, past failures and a tall pile of UN SC vetoes, an effective International Justice system was nowhere to be pointed at. The world was just not designed to work in that way.

On Sep 11th 2001, the world entered into a new era, without even realizing what it was. Some called it the “War on Terror” which was more like a “War of Errors”. Errors of diagnosis and judgment. Instead of realizing that military power alone, without justice or legitimacy had given birth to hatred, extremism and terror, therefore shifting focus to designing a new International Justice system to resolve pending conflicts, George W. Bush did the exact opposite, initiating new wars, creating more enemies and fueling more hatred and extremism.


Instead of seeing past Realism to Post-Realism, the Neocons continued the same deadly path towards clash and global conflict as if working towards the old self-fulfilling prophecy of Armageddon. But as Iraq turned ugly, Iran more radicalized, Hezbollah rising in Lebanon and Hamas reaching power in Palestine, the entire world, perhaps except Bush and a few of his supporters had realized the failure of the NeoCons strategy. The old wisdom of “Realism”, that power alone can impose peace or security, even for the strong, turned out to be false. Values like justice, legitimacy and the rule of law, started to regain weight and thickness. This is a terrific opportunity to work towards ending all conflicts. Not with the old idea of negotiations which would still favor the strong, presenting only a temporary solution and a short-lived peace that would sooner or later break as violence and conflict erupt, but through International Justice. Arbitration. International Courts of Justice, existing or to be erected.


Signing the Camp David Accords in 1979 solved a key problem for Egypt, restoring sovereignty over Sinai and ending a quarter-century state of war, which was meant to pave the way for development, prosperity and democratic transformation. But the key problems were not solved by 1979 agreement. The key conflict was about the Palestinians and not about Egypt or Sinai. Israel, and the world, thought that they could do by neutralizing the biggest Arab country, Egypt, through Camp David. That signing a peace treaty between Egypt and Israel will buy security and peace. But that was a mistake. The core problem remained and the conflict worsened.


I do not think that Egypt needs to demand amendments to Camp David Accords. Israel will soon demand such amendments! The peace treaties to come, if and when they come, will automatically impose new game rules and mandatory changes on the Camp David terms. This time the mountain might just come to Mohamed.

Also See:
If Pakistan Falls
Obama Administration Takes Stronger Line With Israel

Post-Realism 6
Post-Realism Demystified
Post Realism 4
Post Realism 2
Post Realism 3
Isratine or a Swiss Cheese State

My Right to Write

One Day

You Shall NOT Like What I Write

Depending on what you day you meet me, you will either love me or hate me. If you met me on the day when I wrote about religious bullying of little Christian school children in Egyptian schools by none less than their own country’s ministry of education which forces them to study Quran, the Muslim’s holy Book with their Arabic language curriculum, then you will think that I must be Christian or lobbying on behalf of Christians. If you met me the day I wrote about American soldiers in Afghanistan abusing the rules of engagement and proselytizing the Christian faith, then you will think that I am defender of the Islamic faith. If you met me on the day when I coined the idea of Post-Realism and how Israel is pushing the world towards chaotic global confrontation by stalling peace negotiations and trying to bully the Palestinians to accept less and less while Israel delivers nothing and continues to build settlements and confiscate land, then you would think I am totally siding with Palestinians.


Many people meet me and warm up to me thinking that I am really on their side. They befriend me and praise my writings and then a few days later, when I happen to talk about something they do not like, a fall out occurs. I had to put it in my Facebook status: “I promise you that one day you will not like what I write. But I will always say what I think to be right.” It does not mean that I believe that I am always right. I make errors in judgment just like the next guy. But I really try to be objective and that does not seem to suit the general public. Someone gave me a valuable piece of advice. Look at your audience and decide which segment you will suck up to. It is possible in politics to choose your segment and design policies which will maximize your appeal amongst your voters. But when I write, I am not looking for popularity or any one’s approval. I just write what I believe to be right. It is not necessarily your cup of tea, but yet again, you do not have to read what I write.

So, I tell you this in advance to spare you the disappointment. You are most certainly going to dislike what I write one day. But it is OK. We do not always have to agree. We can still be friends while you absolutely hate what I write!

I write, I write and write.

It does not mean that you are wrong or that I am right.

I just write, write and write.