The War That Never Ends

I just read in The Guardian (aka The Paper That Kept Me Sane During the Bush Years) that Mustafa (Terry) Holdbrooks, a former Guantanamo Bay guard who converted to Islam, is being deported from the UK Sunday morning. (Actually, since it's Sunday in the UK, this is The Observer, but it's The Guardian's web site.)

Holdbrooks is a young man who currently lives here in the Phoenix area. I have been kind of keeping track of what he was doing, since he's a local guy, watching his YouTube videos, that sort of thing. He's currently writing a book about his experiences and you can read more in general about him at his web site. He got a lot of attention earlier this year when his story was published in Newsweek.

Holdbrooks was visiting the UK to speak at some events, one for Reprieve UK which supports the human rights of prisoners, as well as for Cageprisoners, which supports detainees of the "War on Terror," particularly those in Guantanamo. Unfortunately for him, the Cageprisoners event had already gotten on a lot of people's radar for the inclusion (by video from Yemen) of fiery preacher Anwar al-Awlaki. Cageprisoners has since been told they cannot have Awlaki speak at its dinner.

I should say that I have severe mixed emotions about this. On the one hand, I think Awlaki is problematic at best because of some statements he's made. (There are some allegations out there that Awlaki's preachments have gotten young men killed as they went to Somalia to "fulfill jihad," but I don't know the truth of this. However, Awlaki also has said some pretty bitter stuff about his birth country. Thanks, guy. Really. Thanks so much, bigmouth.**) On the other hand, I think that bringing out the ban hammer is stupid because all Awlaki will likely do is tape his video, put it up on the Intertubes and it will get a much wider distribution than just a few hundred activists and supporters at a dinner. Government FAIL, in other words.

However, Holdbrooks was going to speak about his own experiences and I'm irritated that people are deprived from hearing this young man talk about what it was like to be a guard in Guantanamo Bay. As an American citizen, and as someone who swore an oath to uphold the Constitution, I have ALWAYS been appalled at the inhumane, brutal and extrajudicial manner in which alleged "enemies" in the "War on Terror" have been treated. In the darkest days of 2003, I know I was one of the few people out there who quite vocally opposed the war, but it came anyway. Now we're reaping the whirlwind.

As I said, this is The War That Never Ends. Mustafa Holdbrooks is finding this out even now as I write this and I, as a citizen of the USA, am again distressed at the continued evil impact of wars that should NEVER HAVE HAPPENED.

===========

**Sarcasm.

Cat pic

I've been asked to put up kitty pics. Here's the first one.

And, why yes, that is a cat in the refrigerator. This is Xena Warrior Princess, who is aged 12 going on diva. She thinks she owns everything and my purpose in life is to be her personal valet. And she has a particular fascination with refrigerators. Not just this one. After 12 years, I've just given up. I let her stay in there for about 30 seconds, then I start snapping my fingers and pointing. Only occasionally do I have to reach in there and drag her out.

And if you think that's weird and unsanitary, let me assure you it's not. I know a guy who used to let his cat lick the butter in the butter dish. And he would cook chicken specially for the cat. (This cat has since gone on to feline heaven.) Letting Xena crawl in the fridge is NOTHING by comparison.

Oh yeah, Xena, being Siamese, talks. A lot. Especially when she wants something. More on that later.

Healthcare rationing

The Republicans would have you to believe that healthcare rationing would be the order of the day under a public option (or any option that doesn't allow their friends in the insurance industry to skim off the top). Let me disabuse you of that notion, courtesy of columnist Cynthia Tucker of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Ms. Tucker just relocated to Washington and sought referrals from her friends for a new doctor for her baby daughter. One name came up repeatedly: "Dr. Amy." Ms. Tucker was able to get an immediate appointment for "Dr. Amy," but the doctor is out of network for the AJC's insurance carrier, Aetna.

Here's the rest of the story:

Called Aetna. They explained I would pay several hundred dollars a year extra for the privilege of taking my baby girl to Dr. Amy.

So, I called another pediatrician who is “in-network.” She said she could see my baby at the end of October.

I have a choice to make: Pay through the nose for a highly recommended doctor who can see my baby immediately. Or, go to the doctor my insurance will pay for, which would mean my child would run months behind on her vaccination schedule. This isn’t a disaster, but it is certainly frustrating.

I think the president has been fudging on the absolute truth about your relationship with your insurance and your doctors under his proposals because he wants to satisfy those people who have perfect health insurance right now. I wonder how many people that could possibly be.

Why, Ms. Tucker, I think that'd be nobody, except for congresscritters, senators and the president. I haven't run into this problem myself, but I have run into the problem where I'm being nickled and dimed to death because this year my health insurance isn't covering all the charges being sent in for lab testing. And the cost of medications keeps going up, up, up. *facepalm*.

Something's gotta give.

How much further does the GOP have to go...

...before it hits rock bottom? From Talking Points Memo:

The Topeka Capitol-Journal reports that freshman Rep. Lynn Jenkins (R-KS) told a town hall meeting a week ago that the GOP still had to find a "great white hope."

"Republicans are struggling right now to find the great white hope," said Jenkins. "I suggest to any of you who are concerned about that, who are Republican, there are some great young Republican minds in Washington." As examples, Jenkins mentioned Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA), Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI).

For non-Americans and those younger than a certain age, this may not make a whole lot of sense. The phrase "great white hope" is astoundingly racist. It had its beginnings in the 1910 boxing match between Jack Johnson and James. J. Jeffries in Reno, Nevada. Johnson, an African American boxer, was then touted as the world champion, much to the chagrin of many white Americans, who were unabashed racists. So, when this match with Jeffries was set up (and Jeffries was an older boxer, who came out of retirement for this fight), these racists started calling Jeffries the "Great White Hope." For the record, the match was called after 15 rounds when the Jeffries camp threw in the towel. Jeffries later said that he couldn't have beaten Johnson even in his prime.

So, for a Republican congresswoman to say something like this, wow, just wow. I mean, seriously, are they going to start talking about darkies and n*****s too? Do they just simply despise the fact that our president is black? *Shakes head* Way to go, GOP, in making us look really wonderful to the rest of the world.

P.S. One of my more acerbic and witty friends has put it this way: the GOP is not looking for the Great White Hope, they're looking for the Great White Hood. As in pointy. And very white.

Conversation in arabic language

1. I buy a fruits=Ana asytari fawakih=Saya membeli buah-buahan
2. Buy a vegetable!=Isytari khudrowat=Belilah sayuran
3. Don't buy a cigarette=La tasytari dukhhon=Jangan beli rokok
4. I have to send a letter=Ana lazim arsil risalah=Saya harus mengirim surat
5. When do you send a money=Mita tursil fulus=?Kapan kamu kirim uang?
6. Friday=Youm jum'ah=Hari jum'at
7. Ok thank you=Syukron=Terima Kasih
8. Why don't you buy a dates=Leisy ma tasytari tamr=Mengapa kamu tidak membeli kurma
9. Where is minimarket=Wein Bagalah=Di mana minimarket
10. Buy 5 Kg!=Isytari khomsah kilo=Belilah 5 kg
11. What is do you read?Isy tagra'=Apa yang kamu baca?
12. I read a Qur'an=Ana agra' qur'an=Saya membaca al qur'an
13. Read good!=Igra' kuais=Bacalah yang baik
14. Wash a clothes=Gossil tub=Cucilah baju
15. Don't wash here!=La tugossil hina=Jangan mencuci di sini!
    

Conversation in arabic language

1. I buy a fruits=Ana asytari fawakih=Saya membeli buah-buahan
2. Buy a vegetable!=Isytari khudrowat=Belilah sayuran
3. Don't buy a cigarette=La tasytari dukhhon=Jangan beli rokok
4. I have to send a letter=Ana lazim arsil risalah=Saya harus mengirim surat
5. When do you send a money=Mita tursil fulus=?Kapan kamu kirim uang?
6. Friday=Youm jum'ah=Hari jum'at
7. Ok thank you=Syukron=Terima Kasih
8. Why don't you buy a dates=Leisy ma tasytari tamr=Mengapa kamu tidak membeli kurma
9. Where is minimarket=Wein Bagalah=Di mana minimarket
10. Buy 5 Kg!=Isytari khomsah kilo=Belilah 5 kg
11. What is do you read?Isy tagra'=Apa yang kamu baca?
12. I read a Qur'an=Ana agra' qur'an=Saya membaca al qur'an
13. Read good!=Igra' kuais=Bacalah yang baik
14. Wash a clothes=Gossil tub=Cucilah baju
15. Don't wash here!=La tugossil hina=Jangan mencuci di sini!
    

Listening skill.BBC Arabic‬ - ‮تقارير خاصة‬ - ‮بي بي سي إكسترا‬

‭BBC Arabic‬ - ‮تقارير خاصة‬ - ‮بي بي سي إكسترا‬

استمع لبرنامج بي بي سي اكسترا

Sentence in arabic

English to Arabic to Indonesia
Sentence = Kalimat = Kalimat

1. I read a letter = Ana Agro Risalah = Saya membaca surat
2. Read a letter! = Igro' Risalah = Bacalah surat
3. Don't read a letter = La tagro' risalah
4. I listen to the radio = Ana asma' radio = Saya mendengarkan radio
5. Listen to me = Isma'i kalami = Dengarlah kataku!
6. I sit on the chair = Ana ajlis ala kursi = Saya duduk di atas kursi
7. Sit down here = Ijlis Hina = Duduk di sini
8. Don't sit down there = La tajlis hinaak = Jangan duduk di sana
9. I send a money = Ana arsil fulus = Saya mengirim uang
10. Send a letter! = Irsil risalah = Kirimlah surat
11. Don't send a money now = La tarsil fulus dahin = Jangan kirim uang sekarang
12. I go to market = Ana ruh sug = Saya pergi ke pasar
13. I come from market = Ana arji' min sug = Saya pulang dari pasar
14. Go home = Irji' bait = Pulang ke rumah
15. Don't go tomorrow = La taruh bukroh = Jangan pergi besok

adjective in arabic language
cd tutorial komputer

Sentence in arabic

English to Arabic to Indonesia
Sentence = Kalimat = Kalimat

1. I read a letter = Ana Agro Risalah = Saya membaca surat
2. Read a letter! = Igro' Risalah = Bacalah surat
3. Don't read a letter = La tagro' risalah
4. I listen to the radio = Ana asma' radio = Saya mendengarkan radio
5. Listen to me = Isma'i kalami = Dengarlah kataku!
6. I sit on the chair = Ana ajlis ala kursi = Saya duduk di atas kursi
7. Sit down here = Ijlis Hina = Duduk di sini
8. Don't sit down there = La tajlis hinaak = Jangan duduk di sana
9. I send a money = Ana arsil fulus = Saya mengirim uang
10. Send a letter! = Irsil risalah = Kirimlah surat
11. Don't send a money now = La tarsil fulus dahin = Jangan kirim uang sekarang
12. I go to market = Ana ruh sug = Saya pergi ke pasar
13. I come from market = Ana arji' min sug = Saya pulang dari pasar
14. Go home = Irji' bait = Pulang ke rumah
15. Don't go tomorrow = La taruh bukroh = Jangan pergi besok

adjective in arabic language
cd tutorial komputer

The Piraha discussion continues

Via Language Log/John Cowan: Dan Everett's finally gotten around to publishing a few more examples of his claims about Piraha - notably, that they have no recursion, and in particular no subordinate clauses Even quoted speech and conditionals, he claims, are not embedded. Here it is: Pirahã culture and grammar: A response to some criticisms.

Now, recursion means being able to embed a given kind of phrase within another example of the same kind of phrase, as many times as you want. In "the door of the house", one noun phrase ("the door") is embedded within another one ("the door of the house"); in "I will visit you when it stops raining", a clause "it stops raining" is embedded within a larger one ("I will visit you when it stops raining"). You can also keep doing this ("the edge of the handle of the door of the house", "I will visit you when I know whether Khaled said that James is right about the forecast that it will rain tomorrow.") In Piraha, Everett reports that for noun phrases you can only do this once (no more than one possessor), and for clauses that you can't do it at all (he insists that all the examples that look like subordinate or adverbial clauses are actually separate sentences whose linkage is left for the listener to interpret, and in this paper presents some arguments for this.)

The thing is, a language with such properties has obvious potential to be expanded into a language like English or Arabic. For possessors, all it would take is a little analogical expansion - that's what allows us to interpret a phrase like "my brother's wife's cousin's friend's cat's teeth" as grammatical, even though you may well never have heard a noun phrase with six possessors before. For subordinate clauses, all it would take is grammaticalising some kind of erstwhile adverb or intonation pattern or quotative marker into a signal that these two clauses are more closely bound than others; such changes occur all the time in languages that already have subordinate clauses (eg "with what" > "in order to" in Algerian Arabic.) If the Piraha haven't done this, then why not? If they used to speak a language with multiple possessors and subordinate clauses in the past, why and how did they abandon these features - and if they never have, then why have most languages gained these features? In short, what motivates the expansion of grammar, and how does it happen?

One place (doubtless not the only one) where I think you can see expansion of grammar in action is technical terminology; consider mathematics. "The set of all p/q such that q!=0 and p, q are integers" is perfectly clear mathematical English, but is rather unlikely to be heard in everyday English (? "the set of all couples such that the husband is not an accountant and both the husband and wife are from Belgium"). The needs of mathematical communication have motivated the use of a kind of relative clause, with a complementiser and neither a gap nor a resumptive pronoun nor a relative pronoun, which is at best marginal in normal English; if enough people were trained as mathematicians, it might get used more widely. Maybe multiple possessors and subordinate clauses are technical features to cope with the demands of socialising with large numbers of people. Or maybe Piraha has a little more embedding than Everett reports. Speculation is fun, but a nice big, searchable, publicly available corpus would be a lot more convincing.

Adjective

English to Arabic to Indonesia
Adjective=Ahwal=Sifat atau Keadaan

1. Hungry=Ji'an=Lapar
2. Satisfied=Syab'an=Kenyang
3. Tired=Ta'ban=Capek
4. Diligent=Nasyit=Rajin
5. Lazy=Kaslan=Malas
6. Thirsty=Atsyan=Haus
7. Broken=Kharban=Rusak
8. Wrong=Gholtan=Salah
9. Right=Sohih=Benar
10. Big=Kabir=Besar
11. Small=Sogir=Kecil
12. Sorry=Asif=Maaf
13. Easy=Sahel=Mudah
14. Difficult=So'eb=Sulit
15. Heavy=Tagil=Berat
16. Fine=Kuwayis=Baik atau sehat
17. Sick=Wij'an=Sakit
18. Happy=Mabsut=Senang
19. Angry=Za'lan=Marah
20. Far=Ba'id=Jauh
21. Near=Garib=Dekat

Time in arabic or indonesian language

Adjective

English to Arabic to Indonesia
Adjective=Ahwal=Sifat atau Keadaan

1. Hungry=Ji'an=Lapar
2. Satisfied=Syab'an=Kenyang
3. Tired=Ta'ban=Capek
4. Diligent=Nasyit=Rajin
5. Lazy=Kaslan=Malas
6. Thirsty=Atsyan=Haus
7. Broken=Kharban=Rusak
8. Wrong=Gholtan=Salah
9. Right=Sohih=Benar
10. Big=Kabir=Besar
11. Small=Sogir=Kecil
12. Sorry=Asif=Maaf
13. Easy=Sahel=Mudah
14. Difficult=So'eb=Sulit
15. Heavy=Tagil=Berat
16. Fine=Kuwayis=Baik atau sehat
17. Sick=Wij'an=Sakit
18. Happy=Mabsut=Senang
19. Angry=Za'lan=Marah
20. Far=Ba'id=Jauh
21. Near=Garib=Dekat

Time in arabic or indonesian language

Time

English to Arabic to Indonesia
Time=Zaman=Waktu

1. Now=Dahin=Sekarang
2. Tomorrow=Bukroh=Besok
3. Yesterday=Ames=Kemarin
4. Today=Alyaum=Hari ini
5. Later=Ba'dein=Nanti
6. Morning=Subuh=Pagi
7. Afternoon=Masa'=Sore
8. Night=Lail=Malam
9. Second=Taniyah=Detik
10. Minute=Dagigah=Menit
11. Clock=Sa'ah=Jam
12. Just Now=Dubu=Barusan
13. Week=Usbu'=Minggu
14. Month=Syahar=Bulan
15. Year=Sanah=Tahun
16. Date=Tarikh=Tanggal
17. After Tomorrow=Ba'da Bukroh=Lusa
18. Tonight=Billeil=Nanti Malam
19. Lasnight=Al barihah=Semalam

stationery in arabic language

Time

English to Arabic to Indonesia
Time=Zaman=Waktu

1. Now=Dahin=Sekarang
2. Tomorrow=Bukroh=Besok
3. Yesterday=Ames=Kemarin
4. Today=Alyaum=Hari ini
5. Later=Ba'dein=Nanti
6. Morning=Subuh=Pagi
7. Afternoon=Masa'=Sore
8. Night=Lail=Malam
9. Second=Taniyah=Detik
10. Minute=Dagigah=Menit
11. Clock=Sa'ah=Jam
12. Just Now=Dubu=Barusan
13. Week=Usbu'=Minggu
14. Month=Syahar=Bulan
15. Year=Sanah=Tahun
16. Date=Tarikh=Tanggal
17. After Tomorrow=Ba'da Bukroh=Lusa
18. Tonight=Billeil=Nanti Malam
19. Lasnight=Al barihah=Semalam

stationery in arabic language

Things I should not wear, part 1

Red lipstick.

Normally, I don't wear makeup beyond scrambling to find my ChapStick. I just don't. Back when I was a teenager, makeup was all full of perfume and just horrid to wear if you're even the least bit sensitive, like I was and am. (Aachoo!)

But I've always had a jones for red lipstick, so I bought some today and brought it home, along with some foundation and eyeshadow and so on. I suppose it would have looked ok EXCEPT that I have big old pores and more than a few wrinkles. So when I got done, I looked like an old gussied-up madam (you know, keeper of a House of Ill Repute). Out came the water and the tissues!

What I need is either (a) new skin or (b) some way to minimize the pores (the wrinkles I earned, they stay). Or just go on in my "I really don't give a d*mn" way. Or hie myself off to Sephora and dump bucketloads of cash on overpriced facial paints...

Although I noticed my hair desperately needs coloring...this weekend. (Yes, haircolor, my only true vanity.)

P.S. There are no pictures of this travesty. Thankfully.

Ramadan Mubarak!

Blessings to all Muslims at the beginning of the month of Ramadan!

تنزيل نسخة إلكترونية من الكتاب (ملف PDF - أكروبات ريدر (1.05 MB))

تنزيل نسخة إلكترونية من الكتاب (ملف PDF - أكروبات ريدر (1.05 MB))

One of the best Grammar book for native and near native Arabic speaker.

كتاب جامع يضم بحوثاً في قواعد اللغة العربية على ما قررها منهاج الجامعة اللبنانية، وفي كل بحث من بحوث الكتاب ما يجب على كل طالب معرفته من قواعد اللغة العربية ولكل بحث ملحق خاص بالشواهد المناسبة منسوبة إلى قائليها، ويشتمل الكتاب على بحوث في الأفعال والأسماء، وبحوث صرفية وبحوث عامة.
يبين المؤلف نهجه في مقدمة الكتاب فيقول: ((جريت في تفصيل مواد الكتاب على خطة غير بعيدة فعنيت بالشواهد وانتقيتها بليغة من عيون كلام العرب في عصر السلامة، تنمية لملكة الدارس وتوسيعاً لآفاقه في إدراك أحوال أمته، لكون هذه الشواهد مصورة أحوال مجتمعات أصحابها أصدق تصوير، تصويراً لا نجده - بهذه الدقة والصفاء - حتى في كتب التاريخ نفسها، وهي متى استوعبت أعْوَد على الملكات من كثير من القواعد المحفوظة والتعليلات المكلفة. وجنبت الدارس الأقوال المرجوحة والمذاهب الضعيفة، مختاراً ما ثبتت صحته على الامتحان.))
ويتميز الكتاب في عمومه بما يتناسب مع مناهج الجامعات في مختلف الأقطار العربية وبإيجازه وتكثيفه وسهولة أسلوبه.
يسمح بنسخ وتوزيع هذا الكتاب لأغراض غير تجارية
بناءً على موافقة ورثة المؤلف رحمه الله وجزاهم الله خيراً

Please see this link for more Free books

http://www.fikr.com
http://alex.rewayat2.com/

Stationery in arabic language

English to Arabic to Indonesia

Stationery = Adawat Katibah = Alat Tulis Kantor

Pen=Galam=Pulpen

Paper=Waragah=Kertas

Postage=Tawabi=Perangko

Envelop=Zorf=Amplop

Ruler=Mistarah=Penggaris

Glue=Ghara=Lem

Isolate=Lazzagah=Isolasi

Ink=Hibir=Tinta

Pencil=Galam Rosos=Pensil

Ball Pen=Galam Nasyif=Bol poin

Typewriter=Alat Katibah=Mesin Ketik

Fruit in arabic language

Stationery in arabic language

English to Arabic to Indonesia

Stationery = Adawat Katibah = Alat Tulis Kantor

Pen=Galam=Pulpen

Paper=Waragah=Kertas

Postage=Tawabi=Perangko

Envelop=Zorf=Amplop

Ruler=Mistarah=Penggaris

Glue=Ghara=Lem

Isolate=Lazzagah=Isolasi

Ink=Hibir=Tinta

Pencil=Galam Rosos=Pensil

Ball Pen=Galam Nasyif=Bol poin

Typewriter=Alat Katibah=Mesin Ketik

Fruit in arabic language