Philosophy 380

I want to win the one million miles, that Lufthansa Mile&More are offering for the winner of best Nickname given to its new A380 airplane.

My nomination is:"Philosophy 380" :-)

Do you understand what is a One Million miles? It means I can travel the world with lufthansa, Twice! Twice! All the world, without paying a penny! Well, maybe the tax..but that's peanuts, no? ;-)

You can press on the link below and give it a good rate, If i get it, it will benefit All of us, won't it? After all MY happiness is "your" happiness. So, what are you waiting, hurry up and vote :P

My nomination for the first Lufthansa A380: "The A380 the new Lufthansa flagship, a special experience, the Lufthansa A380. Find out more about the fascination of a new era in air travel. Take part, Raffles, Downloads, Photos, Video, Gallery, First Flight in 2010."

Birds Courtship & Mating

I was lucky today. I was attending a workshop with a few other people. The room was on the 5th floor of my work place. This floor has a surrounding huge balcony (unfortunately used mainly by smokers, but also for having a good beer once a while when the sun shines here in copenhagen).

This room has large windows overlooking the balcony, and all of a sudden while talking about converting old products to new billing system or doing a clean up in legacy, the guy leading the workshop became distracted and was looking outside, he laughed and said: "These birds...". Of course we all were curious and looked outside as well.

A couple of pigeons (also known as Rock Dove) were standing on the rail, facing the panoramic view of copenhagen, and courting.

It's been so long since I last saw such a view. It was adorable. They seemed so in love, like in stories. They were kissing gently, looking at each other, waiting for a sign, kissing again, and so forth. Then one of the pigeons flew over the other pigeon touched it for a second and went back to its place, and kissed again.

We were all wondering, what was that act? was it mating? but it was too short. So I came home and I had to find out about birds mating. Something I never thought about, as if it was obvious, but it is not. Call me stupid or call me ignorant, but when I read about it, I was actually so fascinated, that I decided it's worth a post, so here are some of the things I learned.

They were mating :-)

Most birds mating takes place by the coming together of their "cloacas", an act that could take less than one second. Sometimes it is called "Cloacas Kiss".

Reading more about birds I was also fascinated by their different social structures, some are alike humans and some are so different and even more "advanced" if we compare it with western values.

Birds are divided into 4 major social structures:

1. Monogamous (One male for one female)

2. Polygynous (A male with several female mates)

3. Polyandrous (A female with several male mates)

4. Promiscuous (A"chaotic" structure - many to many)

But these two pigeons, they are going to spend their whole lives together, they are Monogamous.

What is more interesting in birds life (not only, also some other animals), and as opposed to human life, or maybe better say some human cultures (I would say, heavily spread in the middle east) is that the male is the one to dress-up; change colors, to sing, to dance and do everything to impress her so SHE can CHOOSE HIM.

The female birds usually have colors that integrate with nature, are not too bold, are not calling :"Look at me, I am here", are not looking for attention, because they know that they don't need colors to get any attention, they are confident of what they got. While the male birds, are colorful, are outstanding in their beauty. The colors and the "make-up" are there to make them feel special, they want attention and they want to be chosen and to be loved. Like it or not, seems that it is working.

Single mothers birds:

What grabbed my attention were the Polyandrous type of birds. Looks like some types of these female birds not only mate with several male mates, but the male needs to work extra hard to get them (unlike other types of female birds), and then after mating, they (the females) leave the male bird, build a nest and nest by themselves. She creates a single mother family!

Wow, there is still so much I would like to write about, but I guess it is enough..soon this post will look like a lecture, and it is Not ;-)

As an appreciation for pigeons, I attached a 10 seconds pigeon clip I created once for a theater play that I participated in its writing, acting, singing and most important, directing. It was called: "Life N' Shit".  About that, maybe I will write something in my next posts.

Copenhagen on a semi-icy day

Yesterday I went out to the city (Copenhagen). It was relatively warm (1-2C) after few weeks of below zero degrees and heavy snow that Copenhagen didn't know for more than 20 years. It is funny, that someone like me who is afraid of cold, can just walk around when it is below zero. I guess the human body and the human brain can adjust to anything if it knows how to deal with it accordingly - in this case, to learn how to dress properly. layers, layers, layers, no cotton, only wool.

The purpose of the walk in the city was to take some photos of the de-freezing canals and river. I love the view of the ice floating, breaking, melting. The ducks walking on the ice instead of swimming in the water.

Unfortunately it was a grey day, not so bright, but still i would like to share with you some of those photos.

You in my hometown Haifa, shame on you that you were spending your day on the beach tanning and swimming! Shame on you!

Digging into my mind..

Lately, I had to dig deep into my memory, into my brain, into my soul to find and to touch the leftovers. Time passes by and we stay with so many leftovers. Some are black and some are white. Some are pink and some are brown. Some are rotten and some just lay there waiting for a touch, a hand to reach out and do something. Something good or something bad, it doesn't matter as long as it is something.

So many leftovers. Most of it is sleeping. Some of it is waiting, some of it is crying or screaming, but the voice do not reach our ears. Or better say, our ears adjusted to different levels of waves... We don't want to hear, we don't want to listen, we want to....Forget and sleep.

I do not want to look into it. I know what I will see and I refuse to see it. I refuse to touch the places that hurt, why should I? we live once, then why dig into the shit of life? If we live only once then why not forgive, forget and live? It was hard, but relieving, beautiful, and then ugly, I couldn't look into it. But I had to.

Few weeks ago, although I didn't want to, someone made me look into it, made me push my hands into the mud and the pus, into the wounds and the blood, and grab my agony in my hands and look at it. Stare at it, as if it was a mirror. The mirror of my life, the mirror that directed me in life.

Avatar 3D

So finally after weeks of trying to watch the Avatar 3D, using the Telia Tirsdag promotion (buy 1 get 1 free on tuesday), we managed to find a seat.

Not that I ever care to be the 1st watching a movie, but it is never too late, for a nine Oscar nominations movie, including best picture, best art direction, best sound editing, best sound mixing and, of course, best visual effects.

Anyway, mission accomplished. 2 hours and 40 minutes of pure 3D pleasure, done!

The story? Banal!

Same story, different movie. We had hundreds of such stories about the American colonialism around the world, whether in year 2000, 2010 or 2154, it is all the same.  As Col. Miles Quaritch, the embodiment of American colonialism said: "we treat terror with terror" or translated to people's language, 'We want something, we call it terror, we are free to kill because we we kill for freedom'.

The destroyer, is american. The saviour, is american (Australian actually, but who cares..)

The visuals are amazing. Thinking that the human mind created such a world, so beautiful, so colorful, so fascinating - wow! The jungle looks like a place to fear of, but after all when we connect to it, when we bond, it is the safest place to be. It is the most beautiful place to be, it is where everything is complete, where spirituality flourishes and live.

This is not a review of the movie, it is just some thoughts i have..

Passports and stuff...

Couple of days ago I had a small chat with a good friend of mine from a tiny Island in the Persian Gulf , a kingdom, Bahrain (not one, but two seas).

I often fantasize about visiting her or other friends in the various arab countries. Have a good dinner together, chit-chat, see how they live, learn about the different cultures within the one huge culture..... Feel that I belong somewhere.

I say fantasize since it is not possible. As an Arab Palestinian, struggling to keep my identity within Israel and the occupied territories on daily basis, I am "denied" entry to most of arab countries.

As an Israeli passport holder, I am rejected by most arab countries.

I stopped fantasizing about lebanon, the wet dream of all arabs, I stopped fantasizing about syria, about UAE, about Aljiria, libya, Iraq (haha!), Kuwait, Oman, Saudia Arabia, Yemen, Comoros (did you ever hear about that?!), Djibouti (where french is the official language?!), Chad? (Is it arab? French? Other?), Mauritania, Sudan, Somalia?

I still have dreams of Morocco (should do again - what a fascinating place), Tunisia (Hopefully soon), Egypt (What a wasted country!), Jordan (Only if Majida el Roumi will have a concert) - In principle those are the arab countries that I can visit as a tourist with Israeli passport, preferably in a group of dancers or singers, then the authorities can issue a visa to Qatar too - Yeeee Haaaa.

The ironic that a country like Bahrain or UAE is so hard to travel to, after all it is not considered as an "enemy" country. So what is the fuss? The israeli passport, fine! What about the arabs holding an israeli passports? are we also the occupiers? so we need to be punished? Thank you really.

Or do the arab countries prefer the palestinians as refugees? in camps? without passports? without the possibility for mobility? Does it look better when we are victimized? So we are punished when we stand-up? when we say "here we are" - we exists and we want to visit you..

After all if i travel to an arab country then it is my cloth that are taken off, and it is me to be investigated, so i really do not need you to add salt to my wounds...So as I told my dear friend, "If you don't want me to visit you, then Lalli Alatu Leila (What Leila said), Europe and many other countries accepts me WITHOUT even a Visa!

For those who do not know what Leila said, then she said and pardon my "french": "La Tizi"

I guess I was not in my best mood, so i was politically correct NOT!

My dear fellows in the arab countries, Al wada3!

The Market

So, tonight as usual for the past week, i was playing Texas Hold'em poker..reached almost 3M$, but ofcourse became too tiered and on my way losing them. Now I am a bit below 2M$ - and just to remind you, few days ago all i wanted is to lose my chips so i can close this application. Addictive game, ha?

Anyway, while playing something interesting happened, the below chat:

Fesih: maya
Maya: hi
Fesih: msn
Fesih: ok
Maya: from where
Fesih: turky
Maya: plz 100k
Fesih: ok
Fesih: msn
Maya: soft-angle19

and then they both disappeared.

Needless to say that Fasih's picture looked like a man in his 50's, bold, large mustache, in some people's eyes he could be handsome, but you could easily say he was ugly, and Maya that had a picture of woman in her 20's (or maybe 19?), beautiful and her picture is considered as sexy.

I wonder what the virtual 100k$ could get Fasih? Probably another virtual commodity.

No matter where, no matter when? The Market exists. There are buyers and there are sellers. There are needs and there are people to satisfy these needs. It was not clear to me here who was the buyer and who was the seller..I am still wondering..

Morality? That's not for me to decide!

Andrea Bocelli & Google Buzz

Yesterday I was buzzed by google. It buzzed me to be buzzed, because i was not ready for buzzing. After i was buzzed, i thought to myself: "What is all the buzz aboutgoogle buzz?!", and then i realized, it is a catchy name! Buzz!, Buzz! Buzzzzzzz!!

It is so catchy like a Bee buzzing its sweet honey.

But i was disturbed:

1. There was no control of who can or cannot follow me! Who said that the lady from the post that i sent her an email 3 years ago to check out a delivery not received yet, should be able to follow me?

You may ask yourself, why would she? and I ask you, why would she NOT? We are much more followers than leaders. everyone wants and needs to follow.

2. People claim that this might/should replace facebook, and i think to myself, what a wonderful lie.

This Buzz is not going to replace facebook, not that i have shares in facebook but it is a different platform, different concept, so different. I would say, this should/can replace twitter. This "platform" that has no meaning in life, that is a waste of valuable time, exactly like my facebook status. But, people love it.

So Buzz is an enhanced twitter, it is instance, it is from everywhere, it is from the inside. It shares, it connects but no games or applications, or a valentines day gift, or xmas tree gift, or an animal to grow, not farms, no mafia, no poker, and no aquarium..It is Serious! for Serious people, who have important things to share...like: "good morning all my buzzies..", "I buzzed my boss, and he loves it - i expected a raise in my salary next Buzz..", "what a great Bozz I have, he Buzzed everyday on his way in the Buz".

Whatever..what's important today that i found out that Andrea Bocelli will be in copenhagen on 9.4.2010 for a concert. I hurried up to the internet and checked the prices, and wooops, the cheapest ticket is like 110 Euros, the most expensive is aprox 200 Euro. With all my respect to Andrea, our relationship is not that strong to spend a 200 Euro on him. We could spend time together in youtube and i will be just fine. If he do not like to strengthen our relationship, then let it be. I am not going to force it on him..

It would be different if he was fairuz, or majida el roumi, still we have blood relation, it is strong, it is majestic, it is divine..I hope Andrea will understand that i am not going to make the extra step this time, it is his turn. If not, then we are done. kaput. Khalas!

Texas HoldEm Poker

Just Folded. Now at this moment. Yup, facebook Texas HoldEm Poker. I tried last weekend to lose all my chips, I had around 500,000$ - I reached 70,000$ and then wooops, In 30 minutes approximately they became 1.3M$ !! Wow.. what am I going to do with that?!! The goal was to lose chips, to delete application and now I am winning chips and spending more time on this game than ever. Not good, not good.

Sometimes, I say money instead of Chips, but it ain't real money. I wonder whether i would play same way if it was real? I doubt it. I guess i'd be more careful and risk avert! Which means, losing slowly! No winnings without taking risks! never seen that.

High Risk, High Return. Low Risk, slow death..

I just raised, and lost, because it is not only about risk, but also about being very attentive to others, to the cards, to the table, to your guts.

Play risky, but play responsibly.

What is Bullshit Batata?

It is, "Bullshit", you all know what is that! and it is "batata", potatoes in arabic. Did it have any meaning? Nope. I don't think so, but it has now. It is my new Blog about my bullshit... and batata.

I usually, do not have the nerve to write any blogs, I had one long time ago, in a time of crisis, a secret one, under Bullshit name, a funny name though, i wrote for a while, it was good. good for the spirit, but then i abandoned it. I have always thought to myself that i should write a blog, anything, once or twice a week, doesn't matter about what, but come on, who has the time for this?

So why now? just because i found this "test" blog in my account and the design was ready, so i didn't need to do much, just write something, the set-up was already there.. This is why. No Crisis. I just found out about this "test" blog that i created in April 2008 :-) Yup, and now it has a new name.

Next step is to put a bet on: "For how long I would keep up with this blog, and when am I going to abandon it?" Any bets? come on (not that anyone of you know about this account, but as long as it has this bullshit, I ain't gonna publish it..Yuppi Yeaahh!

Have a good night from freezing (-5) copenhagen!

Up In the Air

So, I just came back from the movie "Up in the air" with Goerge Cloony. A nice movie, spoke so much about me, up in the air. I love it. Love being up in the air, traveling from one place to another, with my small bag, taking pictures here and there, counting the miles, getting free upgrades, free meals, sitting in the bar, ordering room service (he didn't), surrounded by people that i don't know and will never know. Never alone, always lonely. I love it. I miss it. I hate it.