Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Doha. Montreal.
Two unique, beautiful cities.
Photos courtesy of QatarCat, Harris, QPS Images, and Google Images.
Photos courtesy of QatarCat, Harris, QPS Images, and Google Images.
Random Natterings
“Propaganda is to democracy what violence is to totalitarianism”- Noam Chomsky.
We all know what propaganda is and how it is used to alter people’s perceptions. In totalitarian regimes, I suppose propaganda is crude and easy to recognize. However, in democratic societies, propaganda is not as easily recognized and is generally much more subtle.
Freedom of the press has gradually disappeared along with the advent of large corporations. It seems to me that many journalists are so busy trying to be the government’s “watchdog” they have overlooked big corporations, which are now in control of not only their media institutions, but the government as well. Whether it comes with campaign money or advertising dollars, these big corporations now have the ability and resources to control every aspect of our lives from what we eat to what we wear and what we read.
Naturally, the general public is not informed of issues that could possibly outrage it, and therefore does not demand change… It’s like a cycle of mass ignorance, whether it applies to chemicals and hormones in our food or distressing environmental standards. This mass ignorance has become a means of controlling the public, while letting it live under the perception that it lives in a free society because democracy grants it freedom of speech and the right to elect its leaders.
Media operations have become complex organizations, which not only inform the public of current events and news, but are multifaceted PR machines. The way in which this PR industry operates has effectively marginalized and now controls the public; ironically, violence achieves the same affect. The only difference is that people have become ignorant and oblivious; therefore they would never revolt because they see no reason to rise against their ‘egalitarian’ leadership. It is difficult to understand why a democratic leadership would have its own management - influential, authoritative corporations with a bottom line.
In the United States, media outlets are profit-producing businesses and those who own and manage these businesses have common interests with business leaders and CEOs of other large corporations. The media is also dependant on advertising revenue, making media leaders vulnerable to the requests and stipulations of their major advertisers. This state of affairs has resulted in weaker news media that fails to report to the public regarding alarming realities that affect our lives.
This manipulative power of the ruling elite is the basic idea of ideological hegemony; that the ruling class can maintain control through violence and/or ideology. The United States heavily relies on ideology, fear, ignorance and patriotism to dominate the majority. The structure of the media system and the unquestionable “good” of the U.S government has made the American people susceptible to propaganda, half-truths and slogans, thus creating a though-controlled society in ‘the land of the free’.
Reflecting on this silent control of people’s thoughts makes me wonder what would happen if people stopped to scrutinize the vocabulary used by the reporter, or the images chosen by the editor on the evening news. Would individuals stop existing in perceived realities and demand transparency from their news outlets? Or have people become too busy working towards their goals to be concerned with what is going on around them?
We all know what propaganda is and how it is used to alter people’s perceptions. In totalitarian regimes, I suppose propaganda is crude and easy to recognize. However, in democratic societies, propaganda is not as easily recognized and is generally much more subtle.
Freedom of the press has gradually disappeared along with the advent of large corporations. It seems to me that many journalists are so busy trying to be the government’s “watchdog” they have overlooked big corporations, which are now in control of not only their media institutions, but the government as well. Whether it comes with campaign money or advertising dollars, these big corporations now have the ability and resources to control every aspect of our lives from what we eat to what we wear and what we read.
Naturally, the general public is not informed of issues that could possibly outrage it, and therefore does not demand change… It’s like a cycle of mass ignorance, whether it applies to chemicals and hormones in our food or distressing environmental standards. This mass ignorance has become a means of controlling the public, while letting it live under the perception that it lives in a free society because democracy grants it freedom of speech and the right to elect its leaders.
Media operations have become complex organizations, which not only inform the public of current events and news, but are multifaceted PR machines. The way in which this PR industry operates has effectively marginalized and now controls the public; ironically, violence achieves the same affect. The only difference is that people have become ignorant and oblivious; therefore they would never revolt because they see no reason to rise against their ‘egalitarian’ leadership. It is difficult to understand why a democratic leadership would have its own management - influential, authoritative corporations with a bottom line.
In the United States, media outlets are profit-producing businesses and those who own and manage these businesses have common interests with business leaders and CEOs of other large corporations. The media is also dependant on advertising revenue, making media leaders vulnerable to the requests and stipulations of their major advertisers. This state of affairs has resulted in weaker news media that fails to report to the public regarding alarming realities that affect our lives.
This manipulative power of the ruling elite is the basic idea of ideological hegemony; that the ruling class can maintain control through violence and/or ideology. The United States heavily relies on ideology, fear, ignorance and patriotism to dominate the majority. The structure of the media system and the unquestionable “good” of the U.S government has made the American people susceptible to propaganda, half-truths and slogans, thus creating a though-controlled society in ‘the land of the free’.
Reflecting on this silent control of people’s thoughts makes me wonder what would happen if people stopped to scrutinize the vocabulary used by the reporter, or the images chosen by the editor on the evening news. Would individuals stop existing in perceived realities and demand transparency from their news outlets? Or have people become too busy working towards their goals to be concerned with what is going on around them?
Perception is Reality
Perception is reality, therefore what we believe to be true, is the truth. It is interesting to examine how 'perceived realities' affect everything from our every day lives, to the sciences, our faith or lack thereof and ongoing political conflicts.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been, in many ways, a war of slogans and propaganda. Both sides believe their own narrative to be the only truth, their suffering to be greatest and most importantly that the other side is unrelenting, unwarranted, unreasonable, creating rifts that have proven thus far impossible to overcome.
The Israeli ‘side’ considers survival to be most essential, while the Palestinian ‘side’ assumes no one can hear them cry. The media and propaganda on either side reflects these attitudes, and the news outlets have utilized their people’s feelings to sell their newspapers and harden their stances. Palestinians and Israelis watch their respective news sources, which provoke feelings of anger, bitterness and distress. Media outlets all over the world have consistently failed to present a balanced picture of what is happening. Viewers who fail to scrutinize their news sources and analyze stories and images being presented to them become uncompromising people with hard line political beliefs and ideals.
An ambiguous image or text has multiple interpretations on the perceptual level, and this confusing ambiguity of perception is exploitable by media sources. In this war of images and words, the real issues are lost in the middle as slogans, accusations and party lines have become the debatable subject matter. The conflict has consistently been abused to exploit people’s sympathies as countless images have been taken out of context; so many stories have been sensationalized, angering people further and creating a vicious cycle.
Both narratives are valid to their believers, creating two realities, two truths. People’s behavior is determined by what they perceive to be true and not necessarily the reality therein, therefore either side’s perception of the other is crucial to how they treat one another and respond to each others actions.
We are all sometimes deceived- by images, news writers, politicians, regular people- therefore it is plausible to think that we have all been deceived by the media of either side of this conflict, as they inflate disasters, exaggerate massacres, and demonize 'the other'.
Thinking about this makes me wonder what would happen if Israelis and Palestinians stopped to scrutinize the vocabulary used by the reporter, or the images chosen by the editor on the evening news. If Israelis and Palestinians started analyzing their situation with the same reasoning they apply to other questions and if reporters and editors started applying some journalistic integrity, would we still have a conflict almost sixty years later?
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been, in many ways, a war of slogans and propaganda. Both sides believe their own narrative to be the only truth, their suffering to be greatest and most importantly that the other side is unrelenting, unwarranted, unreasonable, creating rifts that have proven thus far impossible to overcome.
The Israeli ‘side’ considers survival to be most essential, while the Palestinian ‘side’ assumes no one can hear them cry. The media and propaganda on either side reflects these attitudes, and the news outlets have utilized their people’s feelings to sell their newspapers and harden their stances. Palestinians and Israelis watch their respective news sources, which provoke feelings of anger, bitterness and distress. Media outlets all over the world have consistently failed to present a balanced picture of what is happening. Viewers who fail to scrutinize their news sources and analyze stories and images being presented to them become uncompromising people with hard line political beliefs and ideals.
An ambiguous image or text has multiple interpretations on the perceptual level, and this confusing ambiguity of perception is exploitable by media sources. In this war of images and words, the real issues are lost in the middle as slogans, accusations and party lines have become the debatable subject matter. The conflict has consistently been abused to exploit people’s sympathies as countless images have been taken out of context; so many stories have been sensationalized, angering people further and creating a vicious cycle.
Both narratives are valid to their believers, creating two realities, two truths. People’s behavior is determined by what they perceive to be true and not necessarily the reality therein, therefore either side’s perception of the other is crucial to how they treat one another and respond to each others actions.
We are all sometimes deceived- by images, news writers, politicians, regular people- therefore it is plausible to think that we have all been deceived by the media of either side of this conflict, as they inflate disasters, exaggerate massacres, and demonize 'the other'.
Thinking about this makes me wonder what would happen if Israelis and Palestinians stopped to scrutinize the vocabulary used by the reporter, or the images chosen by the editor on the evening news. If Israelis and Palestinians started analyzing their situation with the same reasoning they apply to other questions and if reporters and editors started applying some journalistic integrity, would we still have a conflict almost sixty years later?
Monday, February 27, 2006
It's crunch time...
... And I'm procrastinating again.
Too much to do. Not enough time.
They need to make the days longer and the years shorter.
I think that it's a fantastic idea.
Anyone with me?
Too much to do. Not enough time.
They need to make the days longer and the years shorter.
I think that it's a fantastic idea.
Anyone with me?
Saturday, February 25, 2006
365 days
365 days.. really, doesn't sound like all that long, does it? Funny how so much can happen in 365 days.
This last year has been filled with turmoil.
2005 was.. long, quick, hard, fun, tough.
It was an interesting ride- but I don't want to get on again. Once is enough. Too much is crazy. I need peace.
One year? Is that all?
I miss you.
This last year has been filled with turmoil.
2005 was.. long, quick, hard, fun, tough.
It was an interesting ride- but I don't want to get on again. Once is enough. Too much is crazy. I need peace.
One year? Is that all?
I miss you.
Friday, February 24, 2006
Oh Fuck
S.D. House Approves Abortion Ban Bill
"Republican Gov. Mike Rounds said he was inclined to sign the bill, which would make it a crime for doctors to perform an abortion unless it was necessary to save the woman's life. The measure would make no exception in cases of rape or incest.
Under the measure, doctors could get up to five years in prison for performing an illegal abortion.
Opponents of the bill argued that abortion should at least be allowed in cases involving rape, incest and a threat to a women's health.
``The idea the rapist could be in the child's life ... makes the woman very, very fearful. Sometimes they need to have choice,'' Heeren-Graber said."(MORE)
So, I'm scared.
What the hell is happening to the world? What happened to a woman's right to choose whether or not she wants to have a baby? Especially by her rapist?!
I'm nauseated to think that this is a trend... that could move to other states. They cant TAKE AWAY abortion. Too many people have fought long and hard to give women today the rights that we have.
No, abortion should not be used as contraception- but a simpler solution is education- NOT forcing women to have children that don't want.
That's all I'm going to say before I start hyperventilating!
peace
"Republican Gov. Mike Rounds said he was inclined to sign the bill, which would make it a crime for doctors to perform an abortion unless it was necessary to save the woman's life. The measure would make no exception in cases of rape or incest.
Under the measure, doctors could get up to five years in prison for performing an illegal abortion.
Opponents of the bill argued that abortion should at least be allowed in cases involving rape, incest and a threat to a women's health.
``The idea the rapist could be in the child's life ... makes the woman very, very fearful. Sometimes they need to have choice,'' Heeren-Graber said."(MORE)
So, I'm scared.
What the hell is happening to the world? What happened to a woman's right to choose whether or not she wants to have a baby? Especially by her rapist?!
I'm nauseated to think that this is a trend... that could move to other states. They cant TAKE AWAY abortion. Too many people have fought long and hard to give women today the rights that we have.
No, abortion should not be used as contraception- but a simpler solution is education- NOT forcing women to have children that don't want.
That's all I'm going to say before I start hyperventilating!
peace
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
156 km/h
Toronto was.. good.
Lots of indo-chinese food (why, oh why is there no indo-chinese food in Montreal? It's like.. the one flaw!)
Lots of hanging out with auntie Puni.. she kicks ass.
Lots of driving around. Thank God I don't live in Toronto.
Went to the Zoo. Gorillas are cool. Leopards kick ass. Polar bears are cute.
********
I got a ticket. 156 km/h. Bastards. I have to go to court. Fuckers.
Apparently I was going so fast, I was outside the officers jurisdiction. So now I have to go to court and fight it out with the judge. In Bumfuck nowhere Ontario. Some place with mobile homes- cuz that is where I got caught. At 9:30 am. e.g. Dawn. And its two and half hours away..
Anyone wanna come?
********
My dad kicks ass.
Me:"I got a ticket"
Him: "How fast?"
Me:"156"
Him:"Miles, or kilometers?"
I loves him :P
OUT
Lots of indo-chinese food (why, oh why is there no indo-chinese food in Montreal? It's like.. the one flaw!)
Lots of hanging out with auntie Puni.. she kicks ass.
Lots of driving around. Thank God I don't live in Toronto.
Went to the Zoo. Gorillas are cool. Leopards kick ass. Polar bears are cute.
********
I got a ticket. 156 km/h. Bastards. I have to go to court. Fuckers.
Apparently I was going so fast, I was outside the officers jurisdiction. So now I have to go to court and fight it out with the judge. In Bumfuck nowhere Ontario. Some place with mobile homes- cuz that is where I got caught. At 9:30 am. e.g. Dawn. And its two and half hours away..
Anyone wanna come?
********
My dad kicks ass.
Me:"I got a ticket"
Him: "How fast?"
Me:"156"
Him:"Miles, or kilometers?"
I loves him :P
OUT
Thursday, February 16, 2006
T DOT
Midterms are over. Classes are over. Spring Break/Reading Week/Downtime- whatever the heck you wanna call it- It's here!!
I felt a huge sigh of relief after I walked out of the last midterm today (the one I was convinced I would fail).
Either way, it doesn't matter- It's OVER! Hoo Haa.
Tomorrow: the darkroom- yay!!
***
The day after:
Confused Arab Chick is "packing her bags and hopping on a train"
Except, this has been planned way in advance.
And I'm driving.
Oh well- I try. ;)
At least I'm getting out of the city.
I'm gonna go see my boys, sleep in, get fed and generally laze about for a few days.
The suburbs are always fun. They have trees and stuff- :P
So, there will probably be no posting till.. Whenever I come back. Probably Monday, possible Tuesday- I'm leaving it open.
Leave comments and let me know y'all miss me!
OUT
I felt a huge sigh of relief after I walked out of the last midterm today (the one I was convinced I would fail).
Either way, it doesn't matter- It's OVER! Hoo Haa.
Tomorrow: the darkroom- yay!!
***
The day after:
Confused Arab Chick is "packing her bags and hopping on a train"
Except, this has been planned way in advance.
And I'm driving.
Oh well- I try. ;)
At least I'm getting out of the city.
I'm gonna go see my boys, sleep in, get fed and generally laze about for a few days.
The suburbs are always fun. They have trees and stuff- :P
So, there will probably be no posting till.. Whenever I come back. Probably Monday, possible Tuesday- I'm leaving it open.
Leave comments and let me know y'all miss me!
OUT
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Saint Valentine
I know this is a Hallmark holiday. I don't care. I love Christmas and Eid and Halloween too- so there you go.
May all of you have a wonderful day with the people you care about.
I hope "s/he" calls, remembers, makes an effort, takes you skiing- whatever it is you want.
Don't forget to wish people far away. Yes, its stupid and sappy- but you know you love them, and you know you want to.
Remind them that you remember them. Make someone smile.
******
Ok, I've over-sappied myself for the year. Till 2007.
Happy Valentine's Day
May all of you have a wonderful day with the people you care about.
I hope "s/he" calls, remembers, makes an effort, takes you skiing- whatever it is you want.
Don't forget to wish people far away. Yes, its stupid and sappy- but you know you love them, and you know you want to.
Remind them that you remember them. Make someone smile.
******
Ok, I've over-sappied myself for the year. Till 2007.
Happy Valentine's Day
Sunday, February 12, 2006
The Darkroom
Blackness.
Slowly, your eyes adjust.
The sounds.. running water, buzzing enlargers..
On: Bzzz. Light
Off: Water. Darkness
Expose
Develop
Image Appears
Stop
Fix
Wash
Repeat
Peace :)
Slowly, your eyes adjust.
The sounds.. running water, buzzing enlargers..
On: Bzzz. Light
Off: Water. Darkness
Expose
Develop
Image Appears
Stop
Fix
Wash
Repeat
Peace :)
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Prejudice
"And at the lecture, there were these two Muslim girls.. They were very intelligent and well-spoken. I was really impressed"
Me: ???
"You know what I mean, it was in front of a whole room of people.. They weren't timid or anything"
Me: ???
"I mean, they were very articulate, and weren't scared to explain their point of view."
Me: ???
To the rest of the world: Please listen to me!
There are a lot of "good Muslim girls" that don't need your sympathy. They are highly educated, intelligent, perceptive, well-informed AND articulate. They love the arts, the sciences, philosophy, politics, and all the things you love.
The veil is not inherently oppressive. Many women choose to wear it. They identify with the message the veil sends out. Just like you identify with the message of your Metallica t-shirt. They feel it is "right" to wear it. Like you feel it is "right" to eat kosher, or confess your sins.. or watch the evening news every day.
Respect them, don't underestimate them, and for Gods sake stop pitying them.
They don't live in a village with no running water, they live in your city. They watch the same movies and go to the same classes, and read the same paper.
Muslim women are WOMEN. Like your sister, your mother and your girlfriend.
Is that so difficult for your little brain to accept? Now.. who's "limited'?
Me: ???
"You know what I mean, it was in front of a whole room of people.. They weren't timid or anything"
Me: ???
"I mean, they were very articulate, and weren't scared to explain their point of view."
Me: ???
To the rest of the world: Please listen to me!
There are a lot of "good Muslim girls" that don't need your sympathy. They are highly educated, intelligent, perceptive, well-informed AND articulate. They love the arts, the sciences, philosophy, politics, and all the things you love.
The veil is not inherently oppressive. Many women choose to wear it. They identify with the message the veil sends out. Just like you identify with the message of your Metallica t-shirt. They feel it is "right" to wear it. Like you feel it is "right" to eat kosher, or confess your sins.. or watch the evening news every day.
Respect them, don't underestimate them, and for Gods sake stop pitying them.
They don't live in a village with no running water, they live in your city. They watch the same movies and go to the same classes, and read the same paper.
Muslim women are WOMEN. Like your sister, your mother and your girlfriend.
Is that so difficult for your little brain to accept? Now.. who's "limited'?
Confused Again
What I want
What I can do
What I can't do
What's fair?
What's right?
...What's wrong?
************************
Salon de L'amour & de la Seduction du Montreal and sucking dick lollipops. Fun. Another attempt at this "relaxing" stuff. I think I'm getting the hang of it. :P
Me be trying boss!
Shabbat Shalom
What I can do
What I can't do
What's fair?
What's right?
...What's wrong?
************************
Salon de L'amour & de la Seduction du Montreal and sucking dick lollipops. Fun. Another attempt at this "relaxing" stuff. I think I'm getting the hang of it. :P
Me be trying boss!
Shabbat Shalom
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Relaxation
Her: "What do you do to relax?"
Me: ??
Her: "Dude, everybody needs to relax!"
Me: "I know"...
Her: "So, what do you do?"
.. And there you go.
Confused Arab Chick relaxed today.
And ate poutine. And a cheeseburger. From Angela's.
It's been a long time.
Bring it on!!
OUT
Me: ??
Her: "Dude, everybody needs to relax!"
Me: "I know"...
Her: "So, what do you do?"
.. And there you go.
Confused Arab Chick relaxed today.
And ate poutine. And a cheeseburger. From Angela's.
It's been a long time.
Bring it on!!
OUT
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Jordanian paper publishes "the cartoons"
I didn't want to bring those damn cartoons in here.. but this is worth mentioning:
The Jordanian weekly paper "Shayhan" published 3 of the J-Posten cartoons and urged Muslims to think rationally.
The paper's editor, Jihad El Momeni, had something very interesting to say. "What insults Islam more?" he asked in his editorial. "a foreigner who drew the prophet or a Muslim who donned a bomb belt and committed suicide in the midst of a wedding party in Amman or anywhere else?"
"What forces the world more to blaspheme Islam, cartoon drawings or a real beheading scene of a hostage with the cry of "Allahu Akbar" being heard in the background?" El Momeni asked.
http://www.alarabiya.net/Articles/2006/02/02/20782.htm (its in arabic guys, sorry!)
RESPECT
The Jordanian weekly paper "Shayhan" published 3 of the J-Posten cartoons and urged Muslims to think rationally.
The paper's editor, Jihad El Momeni, had something very interesting to say. "What insults Islam more?" he asked in his editorial. "a foreigner who drew the prophet or a Muslim who donned a bomb belt and committed suicide in the midst of a wedding party in Amman or anywhere else?"
"What forces the world more to blaspheme Islam, cartoon drawings or a real beheading scene of a hostage with the cry of "Allahu Akbar" being heard in the background?" El Momeni asked.
http://www.alarabiya.net/Articles/2006/02/02/20782.htm (its in arabic guys, sorry!)
RESPECT
Palestinian Budget Crisis Deepens
Yasser Arafat "wasn't serious"
Mahmoud Abbas "couldn't control terrorists"
Now:
An official in the prime minister's office, told AFP: "We will not unblock these funds until we can be sure that they will not be used to finance a government made up of terrorist elements."
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/89C2CC32-472E-4341-9776-27A61AAC9EB0.htm
.. I mean COME ON!
you want democratic elections. You got them.
Deal with them already.
Mahmoud Abbas "couldn't control terrorists"
Now:
An official in the prime minister's office, told AFP: "We will not unblock these funds until we can be sure that they will not be used to finance a government made up of terrorist elements."
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/89C2CC32-472E-4341-9776-27A61AAC9EB0.htm
.. I mean COME ON!
you want democratic elections. You got them.
Deal with them already.
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
My Life.. and what it has become
It has become busy- what is boredom? If I remembered, I think I might miss it.
I miss: (in no particular order)
watching TV for no reason {other than my sunday night dose of desparate housewives..:P}
walking around and exploring my city
reading books that I want to read- not for a class
partying without worrying about what I have to do tomorrow
sushi with the girls being spontaneous
packing my bag and hopping on a train for a weekend away
magazines
sleeping till noon
laying in bed for no reason
keeping in touch with friends far far away
cooking
yoga
the darkroom
my camera on my shoulders
empty inboxes
"you have _no_ new messages"
...The life if a college student. I wouldn't trade it for the world :)
What do YOU miss?
I miss: (in no particular order)
watching TV for no reason {other than my sunday night dose of desparate housewives..:P}
walking around and exploring my city
reading books that I want to read- not for a class
partying without worrying about what I have to do tomorrow
sushi with the girls being spontaneous
packing my bag and hopping on a train for a weekend away
magazines
sleeping till noon
laying in bed for no reason
keeping in touch with friends far far away
cooking
yoga
the darkroom
my camera on my shoulders
empty inboxes
"you have _no_ new messages"
...The life if a college student. I wouldn't trade it for the world :)
What do YOU miss?
