A Moroccan case that rather smells of scores being settled

The Lounsbury | Comments (0)
December 7, 2009 08:15 PM

The former president of Morocco's largest bank, Attijariwafa - who got the boot in 2007 after a bit too much success, and outshining his palace masters (the bank being owned by ONA with its palace connexions) is now being sued for "corruption" around events that go back several years. Entre...[More]

Lord of the Rings in Jihad style

The Lounsbury | Comments (0)
December 7, 2009 06:41 PM

This is amusing, although I don't know how accurate it is. الآراء من الغرب Views from the Occident: Cyber Jihadis' Lord of the Rings ObsessionSomeone should, however, tell the graduate student that Views from the Occident would be better translated as "min al ghrarb" as he (or she) presently really...[More]

Algeria's charming obsession with "settling scores" with foreign investors

The Lounsbury | Comments (3)
November 29, 2009 10:48 PM

Profits being sinful and all that (oh and buying another foreign investor out without the prior blessing (and cut) of the Pouvoir): L'Algérie veut renforcer sa présence dans le secteur du ciment | Reuters: which is about the Algerian government's scheme to magically make its state cement plants competitive entities...[More]

Funny side item on Dubai

The Lounsbury | Comments (0)
November 28, 2009 02:56 PM

I love Roula Khalaf FT.com / Comment / Opinion - Reality catches up with the Gulf’s model global cityPerhaps none of this should surprise us. Dubai is a place where investors fell for trick advertising a few years ago that said the emirate would build a “bubble city”, a development...[More]

Eid Mubarek and fine memories (on a 4 yr anniversary)

The Lounsbury | Comments (0)
November 28, 2009 02:21 PM

I recall this series of updates well.Lounsbury: An amusing hospital room conversationSo, afternoon my time, someone from the central office, evidently unaware of my hospitalisation – which would be natural since I never tell them anything if I can possibly avoid it as they tend to overreact and blunder about...[More]

3.5 Years

The Lounsbury - January 11, 2010 08:29 PM | Comments (0)
Filed Under: Perso

Passed another scan - well I believe so. The charming French doctors who are treating me now are so very laconic. "Nothing to remark" is the characterisation, real dossier to be sent to Home Doctor.

This also marks 4 years since starting chemo.

Otherwise, apologies for the silence, in the midst of negotiations and end of year reporting arrangements.

The Madness of USofA Security Overreaction

The Lounsbury - December 27, 2009 01:01 PM | Comments (3)
Filed Under: Business , MENA Fringe , Perso-Expatedness , Politics , Politics - US FP

While understanding that Americans are sensitive creatures unused to risk, and sympathising with being rattled by the incompetent Nigerian cretin who failed in his terror attempt (but seems to have done a fine job in burning his inner thighs, I hope with the proper results to his privates as well insofar as reports suggest the materials were in his undies areas):



What kind of lunacy is this: New American flight rules, no getting up from seat during last hour of flight and no electronics.
No more than one carry on, including handbags. The reports from others flying into the US of A seem to confirm this hysteric over-reaction in now in place.



What the logic of this is escapes me insofar as no reports indicate any electronics were involved, the explosives (same failed method as that Jamaican sneaker-non-bomber cretin) were power sewed into his pants.... and the mere fact he did it in the past minutes of the flight seems to have fuck-all to do with methodology.



Well. I for one am cancelling my plans for a business meeting in New York. Let the fuckers come out here, damned if I am going to spend 9 hours on a flight without my laptop.



And for the US TSA: get some fucking ball you cowardly gits. All the Al Qaeda people need to do now to send America into a hysteric tizzy is to yell boo for fuck's sake.

A personal note (a wee obs on cancers and the like)

The Lounsbury - December 23, 2009 09:20 PM | Comments (0)
Filed Under:

Today marks the day that my dear doctors told me that I would be joining the cancer (suvivors) community. My post was brief.
tt
Well actually I was told I was fucked. But all is well that ends well. It was an interesting Xmas present. (Well I am not a Xian, but much of the family is).

Well, inchallah, the next scans are good, and otherwise... fuck it, in for the penny, in for the fucking pound.

Algeria, Tourist Destination

The Lounsbury - December 7, 2009 10:35 PM | Comments (1)
Filed Under: Biz - Policy & Development , The Maghreb

I am amused by this: Reuters AlertNet - INTERVIEW-Algeria counters violent image to woo tourists 

ALGIERS, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Algeria is an emerging tourist destination which is spreading the word to potential visitors that the image of a country overshadowed by extremist violence is out of date, the tourism minister said in an interview.

Ahem, as Algerian security convoys are still being attacked, I would say the image is not really out of date at all. Never mind the horrible standards of hosting service.... Algeria isn't ready to be a beach destination (as the Minister would like per the arty).