I couldn't help but wonder...
More images here.
I dare someone, anyone, to join the wordgame programmers listserv.
Tarboush Tip: Kabobfriend Sarah
Showing posts with label fun. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fun. Show all posts
Thursday, March 27, 2008
For Nerds Only - Arabic Scrabble
Monday, August 13, 2007
CIA Report: Arabs Spotted at Milwaukee's Waterfront
KABOBfriend Noor is not somebody to miss out on a fest. Especially if that fest is about Arabs or Kabob. So, to combine all of her hobbies and interests in one fun-filled weekend, she went to the Arab World Fest in Milwaukee this weekend and reviewd the celebration for KABOBfest:
Arab World Fest, Milwaukee, August 10-12, 2007
By Noor
If you have never been to Milwaukee's Arab Fest, or if you haven't gone in a while, now is the time to go. Why? Because its new president, Ihsan Atta, has broken the taboo of politics and it is bad ass. You know what that means. Zionists are bound to start bitching soon, so the more financial support the fest gets, the better the chances are of preserving a festival that has grown into its own. You can download a membership form at the fest website and send donations. The more grassroots support, the less dependent they are on sponsors who could censor them.
Milwaukee is known for its ethnic festivals during the summer weekends. Officially now known as Arab World Fest, this one is the youngest and it has been struggling since its inception in 1998. What was originally called "Arabian Fest" turned out to been run by, well, a crook, who is now in prison. A collective cringe was shared among Milwaukee's Arab community over that debacle. A transitional period followed as concerned community members tried to save face. Last year Ihsan Atta took the reigns and from outside appearances seems to be doing quite well. Previous leadership would not overtly acknowledge the elephant in the room that we all know to be PALESTINE, but thanks to Israel and America's asinine behavior in Lebanon and Iraq, politics of the region could no longer be ignored.
Last year, free Hattas were passed out at the gate entrance. Huge Palestinian, Iraqi and Lebanese flags were displayed for people to write on them with messages of solidarity. The documentary Occupation 101 was screened continuously to a full house in a small tent.
This year, it got even better. There was a film festival with 10 different films - 2 on Iraq, the rest on Palestine. Occupation 101 was included again, along with Paradise Now, The Iron Wall and Iraq in Fragments. In the back of the movie viewing area was a small replica of the apartheid wall, graffiti and all. Posters with facts about the wall and Israeli apartheid were tacked to this replica. One section read "actual size 25ft" with an arrow pointing to a black mesh cloth that hung from the ceiling to the top of the replica wall to give you a powerful sense of how truly obscene the real deal is.
Other highlights included London-based Palestinian rapper Shadia Mansour whose voice reminds me of Ivy Queen. A binder of currency from Arab countries slyly contained Iraqi paper money with Bush's face and images of American troops pointing guns at Iraqis. Chicago's Palestine Solidarity Group (PSG) was selling a rare gem of a poster that everyone should own. The dying art of Palestinian cross-stitch on traditional thobe dresses originally had designs unique to each city [See Will's post below, a complete coincidence, for images]. This poster had a map of Palestine with a picture of a thobe next to its corresponding town. Recommendation: every Palestinian with school age daughters buy one and have your daughter present this poster to classmates while modeling a thobe of her own (c'mon, if you're falah, you know you got one from all those khutbas). Quick! Before Zionists start calling them "Israeli" thobes!
There's still plenty to do for non-political hipsters. Henna tattoos, hookas, camel rides (no joke), the ubiquitous debka line, and white women bellydancing – it’s all there. Mediocre baba ganouj, hummus and falafel are sold to vegetarians who think these condiments are actual meals and to people who’ve never tasted a homecooked Arab dinner.
For kids there was a playground, a bouncy castle, arts & crafts, and pet-able baby sharks! It was cool to see the ground covered with Arab kids’ names (Mariam, Reem, Hanady, etc.) written in colored chalk.
Before I close with few suggestions for the fest, let me acknowledge the effort put forth by the board and volunteers. They have a limited budget, so they do what they can with what they've got. On the subject of fighting appropriation of Arab culture, how about a display of kuffiyas, explaining the real meaning along the lines of Fayyad's post? Also, it would be nice to see more representation of other parts of the Arab world. I would love to see a rai singer, for example. Attendance is still low except for Saturday night when an Arab pop star is flown in each year, but this mostly just appeals to Arabs. More classical Arab music acts might be a bigger draw for non-Arabs exploring the culture for the first time [KABOBfest nominates Simon Shaheen]. Once it’s more familiar to them, then they can lower their standards down to listening to Haifa like everyone else. If all else fails, they could resort to booty-shaking khaleegi dancers to boost attendance. After all, sex sells. Just ask Haifa.
Milwaukee is known for its ethnic festivals during the summer weekends. Officially now known as Arab World Fest, this one is the youngest and it has been struggling since its inception in 1998. What was originally called "Arabian Fest" turned out to been run by, well, a crook, who is now in prison. A collective cringe was shared among Milwaukee's Arab community over that debacle. A transitional period followed as concerned community members tried to save face. Last year Ihsan Atta took the reigns and from outside appearances seems to be doing quite well. Previous leadership would not overtly acknowledge the elephant in the room that we all know to be PALESTINE, but thanks to Israel and America's asinine behavior in Lebanon and Iraq, politics of the region could no longer be ignored.
Last year, free Hattas were passed out at the gate entrance. Huge Palestinian, Iraqi and Lebanese flags were displayed for people to write on them with messages of solidarity. The documentary Occupation 101 was screened continuously to a full house in a small tent.
This year, it got even better. There was a film festival with 10 different films - 2 on Iraq, the rest on Palestine. Occupation 101 was included again, along with Paradise Now, The Iron Wall and Iraq in Fragments. In the back of the movie viewing area was a small replica of the apartheid wall, graffiti and all. Posters with facts about the wall and Israeli apartheid were tacked to this replica. One section read "actual size 25ft" with an arrow pointing to a black mesh cloth that hung from the ceiling to the top of the replica wall to give you a powerful sense of how truly obscene the real deal is.
Other highlights included London-based Palestinian rapper Shadia Mansour whose voice reminds me of Ivy Queen. A binder of currency from Arab countries slyly contained Iraqi paper money with Bush's face and images of American troops pointing guns at Iraqis. Chicago's Palestine Solidarity Group (PSG) was selling a rare gem of a poster that everyone should own. The dying art of Palestinian cross-stitch on traditional thobe dresses originally had designs unique to each city [See Will's post below, a complete coincidence, for images]. This poster had a map of Palestine with a picture of a thobe next to its corresponding town. Recommendation: every Palestinian with school age daughters buy one and have your daughter present this poster to classmates while modeling a thobe of her own (c'mon, if you're falah, you know you got one from all those khutbas). Quick! Before Zionists start calling them "Israeli" thobes!
There's still plenty to do for non-political hipsters. Henna tattoos, hookas, camel rides (no joke), the ubiquitous debka line, and white women bellydancing – it’s all there. Mediocre baba ganouj, hummus and falafel are sold to vegetarians who think these condiments are actual meals and to people who’ve never tasted a homecooked Arab dinner.
For kids there was a playground, a bouncy castle, arts & crafts, and pet-able baby sharks! It was cool to see the ground covered with Arab kids’ names (Mariam, Reem, Hanady, etc.) written in colored chalk.
Before I close with few suggestions for the fest, let me acknowledge the effort put forth by the board and volunteers. They have a limited budget, so they do what they can with what they've got. On the subject of fighting appropriation of Arab culture, how about a display of kuffiyas, explaining the real meaning along the lines of Fayyad's post? Also, it would be nice to see more representation of other parts of the Arab world. I would love to see a rai singer, for example. Attendance is still low except for Saturday night when an Arab pop star is flown in each year, but this mostly just appeals to Arabs. More classical Arab music acts might be a bigger draw for non-Arabs exploring the culture for the first time [KABOBfest nominates Simon Shaheen]. Once it’s more familiar to them, then they can lower their standards down to listening to Haifa like everyone else. If all else fails, they could resort to booty-shaking khaleegi dancers to boost attendance. After all, sex sells. Just ask Haifa.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Middle Eastern Ingenuity
Nadeem, this is for you.
We're all sorry that you ended up with a job where you have to actually do... well, work.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Israel Celebrates Yom Yerushalayim
Israel not only has the distinction of being the Middle East's only true secular democracy (that's right Turkey!), it is also harbors the region's most educated, enlightened, and peace-loving people.
This week a festival-like atmosphere will fall over the Old City to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Six Day War. Activities and games will include; the running of the Arab, a humus eating contest (Ariel Sharon holds the record with 35Kg consumed in 3 minutes), bobbing for falafel while it cooks in oil, and my personal favorite, throw the Arab from his apartment.
The arts and crafts bazaar will have many goodies for festival goers; such as 1:141 paper mache scale models of the Temple Mount (Jerusalem Post recycled paper of course), and for those with a sweet tooth a 1:1967 ginger bread scale model of the Temple Mount will also be available from vendors.
The festival will conclude with a demolishing of a replica of the Moroccan quarter followed by a tear the scarf off of the hijabi girl's head contest in which the winner will get receive a life-time supply of either Teva sandals or those trendy Crocs that every Israeli in Berkeley wears.
A King Hussein of Jordan bobble-head doll will be handed out to the first 144,000 non-Arab festival goers.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
