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August 2005 Archives

August 31, 2005

Damned by Faint Praise

Well, here we are, well loved by Bou Aradvrak. I quote " Aqoul is a fun group MENA blog, and the home of Lounsbury (if you think that's a good thing)" in honour of New Blog Day.

Humph. If.

Well, just wait until your next edition of Sheikhly Love Investigations comes out, eh? With charts and graphics.

Posted by The Lounsbury at 07:28 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Blog Notes - Admin

In purely personal matters - Gulf Due Diligence note

For my Gulf based readers, a small side note.

In connexion with some ongoing 'change of venue' activities of mine, I have some due diligence to undertake. Names to check and reputations. I have my own means, but the thought came that leveraging my readership for comment could be useful as the proposition that finally came in from some Gulf connexions of mine contains names I want to check. Flattering as it is to see my name on the same pages last names as Bin Zayed and the like, it also makes me want to check.

However, in all confidentiality. For those who might be willing to give name feed back, send a note to collounsbury at yahoo. I should note for those who do not know me well this is a business issue.

Posted by The Lounsbury at 07:22 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Perso Biz Notes

August 30, 2005

Halal Beer - Instant Beer. Instant Halal Beer

A small item for consideration and reflection:
The brewer, his halal beer and a potential fortune: may sound quite mad but there are clear signs this is a real market.

What deeper meaning to take away? Not sure quite as yet, but worth pondering as one considers the modern MENA region.

There is proposal locally to create a Halal wine of discerning quality. If they can get their act together technologically and production-wise, well, I would put money into it.

Posted by The Lounsbury at 01:18 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Biz - Private in MENA

Foreign Exchange - The New Rip Off Promo for the Get Rich Quick Rip Off Artists?

A moderately tongue in cheek question as a recent comment posted in the archive here from my livejournal (as a side note I am slowly but surely pulling the livejournal archive into a publically accessible mode here at Lounsbury 'Aqoul) based on that June posting of mine wondering about the idiots at iraqinvestors.com

This reminded me of the issue (although I had a bit of sport trying to educate them for two or three days in mid August after an IMF Article IV consultation staff report was published), and by similar chance while researching something else I kept coming across bottom feeder For Ex services links on somewhat 3rd tierish websites with no obvious connexion to foreign exchange issues.

Continue reading "Foreign Exchange - The New Rip Off Promo for the Get Rich Quick Rip Off Artists?"

Posted by The Lounsbury at 12:44 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Perso Biz Notes

August 29, 2005

Among the things one learns at Embassy Citizen Services - or lumpy fools and marriage

There are many observations one can make after spending a morning with Embassy citizen services. One could uncharitably note the concept "service" is poorly developed, but I keep in mind normally Consular people deal with various scams and schemes to get visas by locals, and not straight forward service. Habits.

However, the one item that I retained today, having been blessed with the fine opportunity to spend the morning at Consul's office waiting to get a simple affadavit notarised (because the Civil Code system is positively mad about notarisations, and even better if done by Consuls - bloody waste but what can we say? Stupid Franco-Italian traditions), is the sheer number of lumpy and unattractive Anglo women getting married to young local lads far out of their league.

Without being entirely ungenerous, as after all looks are not everything (nor are they nothing), it's rather bloody obvious these are visa marriages. At least from the local's point of view. Painfully obvious really.

What's more peculiar is the goodly number of rather.... well, lower class lumps who are doing this (given their accent); great deal for their local lover, and I suppose these, ahem, somewhat marginal players in the domestic marriage market [I shall create the acronym, MPDMM] having taken a holiday in these sunny climes and been wooed with marginal sincerity (well lots of sincerity in regards to the visa opportunity to be sure), are taking advantage of taste and opportunity arbitrage opportunities. Certainly the country Arabs do like their women rather... differently structured.

This aside, I was also bemused that the sheer stupidity of several of these MPDMMs such as asking the Consular official to fill out the forms for her because she did not understand them. I suppose joined up sentences in her native language (i.e. English, presumably although Slurese might well be a better rendition) still present some problems.

Indeed contradicting my opening statement, the Consular officers were far too tolerant of this semi-illiterate ignorant cows in offering even the barest advice when packing them off for remedial English language courses and some training in proper decorum would have been more called for.

Posted by The Lounsbury at 10:37 AM | Comments (18) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Perso-Expatedness

August 26, 2005

Structuring Private Equity in MENA for Development (bis)

Added Thoughts on Private Equity for Devleopment MENA

I neglected to touch on a few key points in my original note, below are further thoughts on private equity and economic development for the MENA region.

Continue reading "Structuring Private Equity in MENA for Development (bis)"

Posted by The Lounsbury at 01:22 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Biz - Policy & Development , Biz - Private in MENA , Business , MENA Region General

Bou Aradvrak, MEPI, and Floundering

Our dear and agile Father of Ardvaarks has noted some oddness in the idea of the US Gov's spanky new (well not so new, actually a bit aged now come to think of it, as political initiatives go) Middle East Partnership Initiative being headquartered (I presume this is correct) in Tunis, Tunisia (aka Ben Ali Park).

As I noted in comments, when I first started seeing the Middle East Partnership Initiative diplos out and about, they were all about economic development and policy. In which case Tunis makes sense.

Now the US Gov seems to be obsessed (although surely this will only last for as long as Madame Cheney's attention does) with Democratisation. That does make Tunisia something of a... peculiar choice, given I understand from the diplos that Democracy and Governance are the new obsessions above all else.

Waste of money over all, the entire Democracy promotion effort in my opinion, but there it is.

So, in keeping with US Gov's general incompetence in the MENA region, it occurs to me that actually Tunis is a brilliantly symbolic choice of shambolic misconceptions, clumsy off-base symbolism and general floundering about.

Posted by The Lounsbury at 10:41 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Filed Under: MENA Region General , Politics - US FP

August 25, 2005

On Laptops

Looking at new laptops, wondering if any tech savvy persons have thoughts on the Thinkpad T42 versus the Dell Inspiron 700m.

I already have a T41, which I generally like as a tough little beastie that can travel. Wondering if the Dell machines hold up to travel and banging about as well. The pricing seems relatively similar in the 2k USD range from their online sites.

Posted by The Lounsbury at 07:07 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Perso

Structuring Private Equity in MENA for Development

Structuring Private Equity in MENA for Development

A few weeks ago I raised the subject of emerging markets private equity in particular in the context of US Gov efforts to utilize the vehicle to further its political / development goals in the Middle East – North Africa region. One of our online world colleagues if you will posed a question to me as to what the “The Lounsbury” approach would be, in the context of my expressed skepticism in regards to the investment vehicle / definition chosen by The Overseas Private Equity Corporation.

Ironically (well not really) at present I am working on materials closely related to just this question, although not really in regards to development – but as much of the private equity activity in region has been international development institution driven there is a clearly overlap. Now, having sent drafts of my materials off for comment I can take a moment to sketch out some preliminary thoughts on the issue that will be the basis for future comment.

First, my assumptions, based on personal experience in the region and in the “sector” if we can call it that. Again, these are my a priori assumptions and principes.

Continue reading "Structuring Private Equity in MENA for Development"

Posted by The Lounsbury at 05:05 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Biz - Policy & Development , Biz - Private in MENA , Business , Economics , MENA Region General , Politics - US FP

The Steven Vincent Tempest in a Tea Pot

I noted - by stumbling on Juan Cole's note in his Informed Comment - that there is a little mini-controversy in regards to some comments by Cole in regards to the journo Steven Vincent.

It's a queer little affaire, but seems to have set off the Right Bolshies a bit, as well as those easily offended, and the man's widow.

Well, like in the Nicholas Berg case, let me be my usual self and opine without regards to namby pambyism and faux concern.

Continue reading "The Steven Vincent Tempest in a Tea Pot"

Posted by The Lounsbury at 01:49 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Iraq , Society & Culture

August 23, 2005

In other matters, on joint ventures

The joint venture paper work is proceding apace. About 3 of 14 steps to registration have been solved. Remaining items include fabricating documents that the benight Third World rent seeking vampire bureaucrats have invented and exist only here, but which these Civil Code demons insist must exist globally because very obviously THE way to do things involves the most hideous intepretations of the already hideous Code Civil.

Today's success, which involved - and this is sadly the unvarnished truth - my calling on contacts so as to get a senior police official to come down from the Main office to expedite the obtaining of the Certificate of Residency, which of course is merely a certificate certifying that the information in my Residency Permit - issued by the self same government - is in fact, legal, valid and official.

This merely took a day. And 20 units of local currency for official taxes and the like.

All to obtain a document certifying that my official document certified official information that was obtained officially and officially did not contradict anything else, officially speaking.

Long live regulation. Why once we get fair trade..... everyone will be better off.... Really. And they'll have donuts too. Magicla ones.

I personally am looking forward to obtaining of the Certification of No Judicial Cases (or otherwise known as the Negative Certificate, although it is actually positive in the sense it is a negative response to a negative question), although this also requires me to obtain the self-same from my home country (where such does not exist, but I'll concoct something to dupe these little vamperous trolls - although it adds to total cost).

Posted by The Lounsbury at 06:15 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Perso-Expatedness

Wishing to drive a spike in my head

Another one of those conference calls that makes me wonder why I ever joined this firm. Their sheer idiocy and complacent incompetence makes me want to drive a spike in me head.

Continue reading "Wishing to drive a spike in my head"

Posted by The Lounsbury at 06:02 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Perso Biz Notes

Iraq, Negotiations, Rights. A Brief Comment

Across the online world I note much moaning and gnashing of teeth about rights, about theocracy and the place of women in the context of the emerging Iraq.

I suppose ultimatley I will make a longer comment, but my note at the moment is that this was all lost a year ago. I am personally actually pleased that the Ibn Bush Al Bush Adminstration is showing cynical pragmatism rather than continuing to try to push for some khayali dream of a nice pretty little women respecting Iraq.

Pissing and moaning about womens rights and the like is idiocy, moaning about an abstraction. The reality is security, and everyone's lives in Iraq will be a world of shit until something resembling a passingly stable regime with some vague semblance of control over its territory emerges. That it will be an ugly Egypt on the Euphrates or (and I recall a year ago I told my readers that was the best case scenario, to some scepticism) an Iran on the Euphrates, well that is a foregone conclusion. The milk was spilled.

Posted by The Lounsbury at 02:55 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Iraq

August 22, 2005

On MENA Business & Rescued Excel Sheets, a Sneak Peak

Being impossibly pleased with myself for having found a way to rescue the data which my untrustworthy Excel whacked this weekend, I thought I would share the product of that work (well a sample) and a quick note on something I intend to expand upon.

[Update, hmmm, I obviously don't know what I am doing with the image taggery, but if one reads discussion below one sees the image better/ Fixed -E]

Continue reading "On MENA Business & Rescued Excel Sheets, a Sneak Peak"

Posted by The Lounsbury at 06:04 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Biz - Policy & Development , Biz - Private in MENA , Business , Economics , Jazeera-Arabia , The Maghreb

Gone Native

I shall flesh this out a bit later, but I thought I would note my irritation at this phrase, "gone native" being used as a slur against me in regards to when I take people to task for being ill-informed.

This came up just now in regards to the Daniel Drenzer blog discussion (see Aqoul), and I confess it grates on my nerves. An empty and stupid statement, and I fail to see the sense of it, other than as a cheap way to dismiss being called on false presumptions and the like.

Posted by The Lounsbury at 02:34 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Perso-Expatedness

August 19, 2005

Entirely Because of Bou Aradvrak - Belly Dancing, Orientalism, Academic Cant and Pure Bemusement [And some added thoughts on Business Enviroment Data and Obsessive Charting]

I wish to share with my 'Aqoul compadres, cohorts, or whatever the bloody hell they are, the following:

Belly Dancing Resource of some kind and in particular, the Bellydancers and Harem Girls -- A[n] Historical/Cheesecake Gallery.

Continue reading "Entirely Because of Bou Aradvrak - Belly Dancing, Orientalism, Academic Cant and Pure Bemusement [And some added thoughts on Business Enviroment Data and Obsessive Charting]"

Posted by The Lounsbury at 07:00 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Perso-Expatedness , Society & Culture

It is so nice they care, but really.... (Jordan)

Well, very nicely Embassy back in Amman, who still can not quite get it through their thick heads that I am no longer resident there (although I do stop in of course, business), sent me another kind note asking me not to get assasinated or otherwise blown up on their watch.

Continue reading "It is so nice they care, but really.... (Jordan)"

Posted by The Lounsbury at 03:04 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Perso-Expatedness

Aqaba: New source of amusement, play the fire at US ships game

Repeating my comment on 'Aqoul, a small observation or two in re this:
Well, this news in the AM bemused me:

Missile Fired at U.S. Navy Ship in Jordan

It reports two missiles (in fact, it appears mortars, not quite the same thing, Mr. Halaby, or perhaps Katyusha rockets..... well something explosive in any case) were fired at US warships at Aqaba harbor.

Continue reading "Aqaba: New source of amusement, play the fire at US ships game"

Posted by The Lounsbury at 10:19 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Iraq , Politics - US FP , Sham-Levant

August 18, 2005

On Egypt and Democracy, An Amusing Comment

From Beh: Imperial Presidency, Chinks

This comment amused me. Unfair to a moderate degree, but only moderate:

Additional American State Department funds are also being earmarked for a “Women’s Political Participation in Egypt” project ($350,000) and “Establishing a Network of Democrats in the Middle East and North Africa” ($750,00). The latter seeks to establish “a formal network of democrats.” What’s that, I wonder? The announcement says “training sessions” will be organised and “moral support” proffered. Capital, where can I sign up? There’s nothing I’d love more than to spend my time being recruited and educated by the American government about democracy. I say, it’s so radically thoughtful of the Americans to offer us wretched natives some training in democracy.

However, Democracy is in with the State Department politicos, so you're going to get rather lame democracy education efforts run by bright eyed Americans, like the ones I meet here going the same thing. Very earnest. Very clueless.

Posted by The Lounsbury at 08:31 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Egypt

August 17, 2005

Tel Quel, Maghrebine Media and the Fine

My dear Bou Araadvrak, to use a Maghrebine form, has bring [edit: ahem brought, I of course meant to write brought, maybe brings.... well no matter, self corrected, defending my reputation for some marginal level of literacy] attention to something breaking in the fine Moroccan kingdon, the fining of the outre French language publication, Tel Quel.

Well, what do I think?

(update with further thoughts)

Continue reading "Tel Quel, Maghrebine Media and the Fine"

Posted by The Lounsbury at 03:58 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Biz - Private in MENA , Politics - Local , The Maghreb

August 16, 2005

Private Equity and MENA

First, a small link over to my general post on this subject at 'Aqoul: Pimping Equity or Pissing it Away?: Private Equity & US Gov Efforts, some quick notes, where I am responding to some interesting observations by a certain Nadezhda.

Second, on a perso note, I opened my email this AM to find another fund proposal. Looks like things are hotting up as they say in Jamaica.

Continue reading "Private Equity and MENA"

Posted by The Lounsbury at 12:21 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Perso Biz Notes

Right Bolshies, Magical Thinking, US Diplo "Reform"

Following from my comment here at On Diplo Services and Reform a further observation in regards to the prospect of United States diplo service reform, primarily motivated by this stunningly ignorant (and/or dishonest, hypocritical) comment claiming that CPA was a State Department Shop that failed for lack (yes, lack! This moron claims lack!) of political appointees.

(Factual orientation may be had through this decent wikipedia summary and this defenselink.mil summary.

Continue reading "Right Bolshies, Magical Thinking, US Diplo "Reform""

Posted by The Lounsbury at 10:03 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Politics - US FP

August 15, 2005

Gaza, the withdrawal

Besides suffering through a long marriage (not mine I may add), and working on a crunching MENA data for some private equity work, I had the occasion to take in the Gaza withdrawal coverage on the Euro and Arab Sats.

I was bemused. Most particularly I was bemused by the fact the Israelis are destroying houses as they leave. Penny-wise - Pound-foolish spite.

Posted by The Lounsbury at 02:16 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Sham-Levant

On Diplo Services and Reform

I thought I might be lazy and refer to some comments I made on the site of the dear Zenpundit regarding a perceived need to reform the United States' diplomatic service, at A State Department Worth Creating largely for further discussion here if there was an interest.

Continue reading "On Diplo Services and Reform"

Posted by The Lounsbury at 01:49 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Egypt , Politics - US FP

August 11, 2005

Market Madness or Brilliance? US Gov Private Equity for MENA Announced (cross from Aqoul main)

At the risk of descending into flackery or something approaching it, I thought a brief comment here might be fun.

OPIC BOARD APPROVES $75 MILLION FOR MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA FUN

Certainly this plays into my personal interests. (and in this cross post I indulge in them)

Continue reading "Market Madness or Brilliance? US Gov Private Equity for MENA Announced (cross from Aqoul main)"

Posted by The Lounsbury at 06:22 PM | Comments (7) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Biz - Policy & Development , Biz - Private in MENA , Business , Economics , Egypt , Iraq , Jazeera-Arabia , MENA Region General , North Africa , Politics - US FP , Sham-Levant , The Maghreb

August 10, 2005

It's Overseas Residents Season

And this fine city is filling up with our dear European resident Maghrebines, on vac to visit family, engage in modest levels of contraband product sales, pretend they are more successful than they really are, and generally behave in most peculiar manners while their friends, cousins and the like try to milk them for every Euro they can.

Continue reading "It's Overseas Residents Season"

Posted by The Lounsbury at 06:20 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Perso-Expatedness

August 09, 2005

In yet other matters, I assure my minders I am not planning to get blown up

Amusingly once more local Embassy has sent us its kind note to the effect of "please be mindful and don't get blown to bits on our watch, the paperwork is a killer and it looks bad."

Continue reading "In yet other matters, I assure my minders I am not planning to get blown up"

Posted by The Lounsbury at 05:54 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Perso-Expatedness

Iraq - Reconstruction - Knowing when to get out of the way [Cross from Aqoul]

This article from The Washington Post (Op Ed actually) struck me as if not important a useful point of reflection for a moment:
Less Is More in Iraq
By Michael Rubin
Tuesday, August 9, 2005; Page A17

Let us leave aside Rubin's sketchy history in regards to Iraq as part of what one might properly and non-abusively call a "Neo Conservative" circle in Washington re Iraq (and his direct and personal contribution to the fiasco via his work with CPA-Iraq). Let us leave aside as well the question of whether a US draw down of troops is a good or bad thing (I might argue either way on any given day). Rather, merely look at the question of the US contractor presence.

Continue reading "Iraq - Reconstruction - Knowing when to get out of the way [Cross from Aqoul]"

Posted by The Lounsbury at 05:46 PM | TrackBack
Filed Under: Biz - Private in MENA , Business , Iraq

In Other Observations

I continue to be annoyed at the fact that every bloody time a friend who has been out of touch writes me (or even my bloody family), they always (and seriously) manage to include some line implying (or state) they think I work for some intelligence agency or another. Just happened again and I feel moved to rant.

Continue reading "In Other Observations"

Posted by The Lounsbury at 05:35 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Perso-Expatedness

A bit of silence on my part

Afraid my negotiations with the Fund, being serious, are taking up my time. Shall continue to do so for several weeks until closing or break off.

Continue reading "A bit of silence on my part"

Posted by The Lounsbury at 04:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Blog Notes - Admin , Perso , Perso Biz Notes , Perso-Expatedness

August 06, 2005

Expat Scum & Boston, options

Well the results of today's discussion in re the Fund are that I am to go to Boston to start, and if all closes and moves properly, will be lead on opening Maghrebine affaires office.

Hmmmm, do this or not? Some self indulgent reflection.

Continue reading "Expat Scum & Boston, options"

Posted by The Lounsbury at 06:32 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Perso-Expatedness

August 04, 2005

On LJ Archives

A small note, I have begun, somewhat randomly transfering some entries from the hidden archive to public avail. here. There is, as of yet, little rhyme or reason.

Posted by The Lounsbury at 03:28 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Blog Notes - Admin , LJ Archive

Dinners & Amusement

Last night's dinner was useful, if only because I heard some hilarious stories about Bolton.

Continue reading "Dinners & Amusement"

Posted by The Lounsbury at 12:21 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Perso Biz Notes

August 03, 2005

In Random Matters, for the ADSL-Router Literate

In setting up my home office I am faced with a not entirely bewildering but nevertheless daunting set of choices in terms of technology.

In particular as to the ADSL service with which I wish to endow myself with.

Continue reading "In Random Matters, for the ADSL-Router Literate"

Posted by The Lounsbury at 05:42 PM | Comments (13) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Perso

Tempests & Tea Pots

In reading around the usual suspects I note a rather absurd and overdone debate has emerged due to the following posts:

First, Juan Cole's War on Terror Over at Bush Administration

Second, Glittering Eye's Critics - Neo Colonialists

Third, (and stopping there for sheer laziness in this unedifying circle jerk), Fisking Cole Photo Montage

My call, a bunch of absurd overreading, mixed in with the usual tedious American politics being fought via strained foreign policy pretexts. Also, confrimed for me Totten is a gullible idiot (not that his idiocies about the Lebanese intefada did not already), and a fool, as in the idiotic mix and match with Hizbullah, Dar Far etc.

Continue reading "Tempests & Tea Pots"

Posted by The Lounsbury at 04:24 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Society & Culture

August 02, 2005

Big Move Forward

Well, the word is in. The Fund has agreed I am more valuable in region than in the US of A. Major move forward in my negotiations for a bright new future.

Continue reading "Big Move Forward"

Posted by The Lounsbury at 03:11 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Perso Biz Notes , Perso-Expatedness

August 01, 2005

How (Not) to Execute Meaningful Privatisation Policy

I found this morning, despite being rather dead due to perhaps a bit too much scummy extracurricular sportingness, and a terrible weekend being surprised by a face to face with some fuqaha as part of the ongoing transaction to close the Apartment Plus Joint Venture, myself a bit upset with policy issues.

The Moroccan government, in all its (non-)brilliance announced that it was selling off the State sugar refineries in block (good thing) to the King's holding company in a rather peculiar result from the international tender it ran.

Continue reading "How (Not) to Execute Meaningful Privatisation Policy"

Posted by The Lounsbury at 03:21 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Filed Under: Biz - Policy & Development , Biz - Private in MENA , Business , Economics , North Africa , The Maghreb