17.May.2009 Al-Kindi, a great Arab polymath
The more I dig into our past, the more I realize what a great culture we once had. In a world where we are simply labeled as ignorant terrorists, it is heart warming to pour into books and to realize that it wasn’t always like this. Yesterday I came across this name: Al-Kindi. I had [...]
29.Apr.2009 Khede Kasra: the power of Arabic script
A very interesting post about a successful campaign in Lebanon.
23.Apr.2009 Christmas comes very early to Lebanon this year
So the Lebanese have finally managed to capitalize on the international interference in their affairs. Our elections are coming up shortly and the NY Times estimates that hundreds of millions of dollars are being funneled to Lebanon to support the warring factions. The global economy is shrinking and Lebanon is swimming in cash. Typical! As [...]
13.Mar.2009 Facebook in Arabic
This just in. I wonder how many Lebanese will switch over though.
27.Jul.2008 A sad day for Arab cinema
The great director Youssef Chahine passed away at the age of 82. He is a landmark in Egyptian cinema and will be greatly missed. In 1997 he was awarded the Cannes award for lifetime achievement. More info here. My favorite Arabic movie is his Al-Massir (The Destiny) and I heartily recommend it. ps. We have [...]
12.Mar.2008 Great opening credits: The Kite Runner
I saw this a while ago in the theater and loved the movie. Today I thought to post a link to the opening credits. Great score and wonderful animation with faux-Arabic. These people did their research and were able to create a wonderful mood. In case you do decide to watch the movie, bring tissues. [...]
27.Oct.2007 Decoding Arab culture: cartoons
My Lebanese friends and I sometimes talk about our favorite cartoons when growing up. Who wouldn’t want to have endless hours of watching cartoons? I searched online and it seems that in the past year all sorts of videos have been posted on youtube. You’ll notice no Disney movies here, since those came to Lebanon [...]
23.Sep.2007 Decoding Arab culture: Music: Abdel Halim Hafez
One of the icons of the 50s and 60s and music legends is Egyptian singer Abdel Halim Hafez. His voice is deep, melodic, and heart warming. He was primarily a singer but starred in many films and it is through these that my generation got to meet him. The black and white Egyptian movies are [...]
17.Sep.2007 Lebanese money
28.Jul.2007 khatt kufi & Kaffiya | Symposium on Arabic Visual Culture
Next month I will be speaking at this event, and it should be interesting for people interested in Arabic Typography: khatt kufi & Kaffiya The Khatt Foundation Symposium on Arabic Visual Culture 24 August 2007, Amsterdam