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December 2006 Archives
December 31, 2006
In Lighter Moments
In watching TV last night one of the very young cousins, on seeing the video of Sadaam's execution, yelled out, "haouli1, mistaking Sadaam for a sheep.
It was quite amusing.
Of course the little fellow I think has only just learned the word.
Posted by The Lounsbury at 06:05 PM
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MENA Region General
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Religion
December 30, 2006
Ill Framed Concern: Always "Islamist" if it is bad
I ran across this arty in Yahoo, poorly done as it is, Morocco's Christian converts irk the world of Islam including a title that puzzles since it's only about Morocco (world of Islam?).
The essence of the article is the tiny thimbful of converts to Xianity are opporessed, and does the usual "liberal" versus Islamist contrast.
Continue reading "Ill Framed Concern: Always "Islamist" if it is bad"
Posted by The Lounsbury at 05:30 PM
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MENA Region General
Sadaam is Dead, Long Live Sadaam
Bad choice executing him before the Eid, rather too obviously Shi'a choice. Well, rather meaningless in the end. I expect much pointless whanking in the American press over this, all about navel gazing and Americans.
Posted by The Lounsbury at 12:18 PM
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Iraq
December 29, 2006
Islamic MBA...
A queer concept, really, the Islamic MBA, but the FT report on this from two weeks back makes for interesting reflexion on the emerging intersection of Islamist thinking - let's call it roots-Salafism (modernization oriented conservative piety as opposed to Wahhabite inflected nihilist messianic neo-Salafism of al-Qaeda) - and modern economic / socio-economic trends.
Some reflexion, then, below:
Continue reading "Islamic MBA..."
Posted by The Lounsbury at 06:28 PM
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Biz - Private in MENA
December 28, 2006
Venture Bank & MENA VC investment
Starting a new category of commentary that might hive off one day, I thought I would share this odd bit of news from the Khalij Times on Bahrain's queer new entity the Venture Capital Bank [an oxymoron really, but what can I say, Machreqi Arab usage in English is usually painful], (well if one can call things published in the Gulf newspapers 'news' in any meaningful sense, perhaps regurgitated PR...Reg-PeR. My new jargon, Reg-PeR news).
Taking the essentials,
DUBAI — Bahrain-based Venture Capital Bank (VC Bank) has announced the first closing of its recently launched $250 million MENA Small & Medium Enterprises Fund, the first Shaiah-compliant fund dedicated to small and medium enterprises in the Middle East and North Africa region.Co-managed by VC Bank and its technical partner, the US private equity firm Global Emerging Markets (GEM), the fund has raised more than the targeted amount for first closing of $75 million. Out of the total amount raised, almost 20 per cent has been committed by investors from USA.
I personally doubt the Fund will actually invest outside Gulf plus Egypt plus Jordan, knowing how the Gulf based funds generally work. Announced first closing at 75 million USD. Interesting part is they claim to have raised 20% from US investors.
Which US investors, well I am sure that is not disclosable.
Continue reading "Venture Bank & MENA VC investment"
Posted by The Lounsbury at 11:49 AM
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Filed Under:
Jazeera-Arabia
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MENA Region General
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MENA VC & Priv. Equity
December 27, 2006
Somalia: Appearances and Decisions
It is difficult to determine what precisely is occurring in Somalia with the Ethiopian intervention - which strikes me as rather typical of the Zeneoui government adventurism (as in Eritrea) - but the reports from the US media such as the Washington Post leads one to suspect that Ethiopian adventurism (combined with some real but limited security threat) is being egged on and supported by the Americans who are likely pointlessly giving themselves a black eye backing a government of feuding warlords over the Islamists.
Bad optics at best, probably a fundamental error - presuming that the reporting holds up.
Posted by The Lounsbury at 07:47 PM
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Filed Under:
MENA Fringe
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MENA Region General
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Politics - Foreign Policy
Kicking, still
Apologies to readers, such as they are. Have been away with a small hospitalisation. Some tedious issues tied to last year's unpleasant developments. May have to fuck off to foreign lands again for poking, but for the moment, back in the saddle.
Posted by The Lounsbury at 02:26 PM
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Filed Under:
Blog Notes - Admin
December 08, 2006
France 24: New player in the Sat News Game
Long planned the trilingual France 24 station is up and running I shall follow this as closely as possible, but another international player is interesting even if it is a very crowded market.
Posted by The Lounsbury at 01:57 PM
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Biz - Private in MENA
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MENA Region General
Poodle Bis: Servile Foolishness
I see the Poodle is still humping Bush ibn Bush, the Cretin hereafter's leg. Pity.
I await with impatience a Conservative government, but it is a pity the avalanche of realism has not jerked either the Cretin or the Poodle into reality.
Posted by The Lounsbury at 10:06 AM
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Filed Under:
MENA Region General
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Politics - EU FP
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Politics - US FP
December 05, 2006
Economic Freedom in MENA versus Oligarchies: How?
I take as axiomatic that the real place for reform in the MENA region is found in creating economic liberty that will, in the long run, help create the social conditions necessary for MENA socio-political systems to move to real pluralism from their long love affaire with Dirigisme and Oligarchic autacracies.
However, in looking hard at what I do in fact in terms of what economic actors and agents are necessary to deal with to make a successful business, I am left with a contradiction. There is no natural exit from the death grip of the Oligarchs. It strikes me that the "West" needs to support economic liberty, but how does one do so without letting economic liberty be captured by the Oligarchs. And don't anyone tell me "regulation" or other such socialist nonsense, for rather clearly the Oligarchs in MENA are very happy with the "Socialist" systems and state domination, for they milk Leviathan rather well. And the masses are sold on "solidarity" that is not.
Continue reading "Economic Freedom in MENA versus Oligarchies: How?"
Posted by The Lounsbury at 01:46 PM
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Biz - Policy & Development
Flocking to Sukuk... well, maybe
The Financial Times has a moderately interesting article on the supposed flocking of Western investors to the sukuk market.
I am skeptical that the end buyers are in fact 'Western' but I was amused by the framing at the opening, with its perhaps unintentional, but certainly very clever accuracy as to reality, if adopting the double-language of the Islamist take:
Continue reading "Flocking to Sukuk... well, maybe"
Posted by The Lounsbury at 01:36 PM
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Filed Under:
Biz - Private in MENA
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Economics
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Jazeera-Arabia
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MENA Region General
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Politics - Islam(ic)
Smart Phone & PDA
I have grown sick of both my current phone and my current PDA. Perhaps some of the nerds who read this may have ideas as to business oriented (meaning able to edit easily MS Office docies, sync up with Outlook on contacts and calenders -yes I am sure there are better choices out there, but that does me fuck all of good) PDA or potentially Smart Phones. Blackberry is not an option I may add.
Posted by The Lounsbury at 12:53 PM
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Filed Under:
Perso-Expatedness
December 04, 2006
Bolton Pisses Off - Good Bloody News
Good news, although as usual the Bush ibn Bush manages to undertake the clean up in a clumsy, ungraceful manner that neither looks credible nor even leverages the moment.
Sadly the US President's comportment underlines his personal incompetence and inability to live up to the historic situation his own incompetence created. Worse than a mediocrity, an incompetent mediocrity who believes himself Theodore Roosevelt or Churchill.
Posted by The Lounsbury at 08:33 PM
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Filed Under:
MENA Region General
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Politics - US FP
December 02, 2006
Agitprop Blogs: Or Does It Explode
For a rather long time I believe eerie has had the blog, "...Or Does It Explode?' on the aggregator. For just about as long, I have rather not been taken with the same, for all its purported focus on "Civil Right" in MENA - a claim I would say is bollocks. Today, however, a post took me over the edge (and not only me, as another commentator - unless deleted - shows).
Continue reading "Agitprop Blogs: Or Does It Explode"
Posted by The Lounsbury at 11:17 PM
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Filed Under:
MENA Region General
Belgian?
I have always wondered why European (and many other) Franocphones take me for Belgian.
Posted by The Lounsbury at 11:08 PM
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Filed Under:
Perso
Caftan
I am presently trapped in hell. A fashion show for Caftans that a woman has sucked me into (what one does to get a night in bed with dark girls). Thank god for the WiFi and blogging fad, such that I can pretend....
Posted by The Lounsbury at 09:53 PM
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Perso-Expatedness
Dec 1: Traditional New Month Open Comments Post
By hoary old tradition, my new month commentary thread, which I am sure to ignore and/or abuse.
Posted by The Lounsbury at 12:47 AM
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Filed Under:
Blog Notes - Admin
Whither Gulf Markets?
The pulling of the Oger IPO is interesting and leads me to think that the Gulf infatuation with public listings may be breaking down under the sustained pressure of the correction.
On the other hand, there is so much liquidity shloshing about, and American "anti-terror" money chasing makees Western markets danerous for Muslim money - however clean.
Posted by The Lounsbury at 12:40 AM
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Biz - Private in MENA
December 01, 2006
Back to the Dollar Obsession
Being dollar denominated in terms of compensation is getting painful again. The FT notes fears of a hard landing, which you may read as a dollar collapse cropping up.
With the extremely poor fiscal management on the part of the so very clearly generally incompetent Bush Administration, there is real fear in the circles I travel in that a dollar valuation slide could provoke a serious crisis. Not a necessary crisis, but one provoked by delusional policy response.
There is a MENA angle as well with respect to the sustainability of commitments.
Posted by The Lounsbury at 09:36 PM
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Filed Under:
Perso Biz Notes
