Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Moving to a new address.

Dear readers, this blog is being decommissioned :-) My new blog is at this address.

http://samsoum-us.blogspot.com/

Pleases update your bookmarks and any links you may have on your blogs. It is very easy , change http://samsoum-usa.blogspot.com/ to http://samsoum-us.blogspot.com/ by removing the 'a'

Cheers,
Samsoum

Monday, January 22, 2007

Saturday, January 20, 2007

Hillary Clinton enters 2008 presidential race!

Finally it is official. It is going to be really interesting now :-) Would she be the first women to access the White house and the second senator in the history of the US to become a president? Doesn't matter as long as Bush is going out :-)

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Democratic U.S. Senator and former first lady
Hillary Rodham Clinton on Saturday entered the 2008 presidential race, officially joining a crowded field for her party's nomination.
The second-term U.S. senator from New York and former U.S. first lady had been widely anticipated to announce her bid to become the first woman to win the U.S. presidency. She is considered a front-runner among five other candidates in the Democratic White House field.

Her announcement comes days after a similar move by Democratic Sen. Barack Obama (news, bio, voting record) of Illinois, who is expected to be her leading party competitor and whose campaign could make him the first black U.S. president. Obama's candidacy has stoked enthusiasm among Democrats looking for an alternative to Clinton, who some fear could be too polarizing to defeat a Republican candidate next year.

"I am forming a presidential exploratory committee. I am not just starting a campaign though, I am beginning a conversation with you, with America," she said in a videotaped message on her Web site. An exploratory committee is a first step toward official candidacy and allows her to raise campaign funds and hire staff.

"After six years of
George Bush it is time to renew the promise of America," she said.

President George W. Bush was elected to a second four-year term in 2004.

The wife of former President
Bill Clinton made history with her bid for U.S. Senate in New York in 2000, becoming the first former first lady to win one of the most powerful political jobs in the nation.

Clinton, 59, was re-elected by a huge margin to a second Senate term in November.

AIMING AT BUSH

In her posted written statement, Clinton took immediate aim at what she called "six years of Bush administration failures."

"I have never been afraid to stand up for what I believe in or to face down the Republican machine," she wrote. "Only a new president will be able to undo Bush's mistakes and restore our hope and optimism.

"Only a new president can renew the promise of America -- the idea that if you work hard you can count on the health care, education, and retirement security that you need to raise your family. These are the basic values of America that are under attack from this administration every day," she wrote.

"And only a new president can regain America's position as a respected leader in the world."

Clinton said she would be launching a series of live, online video conversations with voters, beginning on Monday.

Before officially declaring her candidacy for U.S. Senate in 2000, Clinton traveled around New York on a "listening tour" to meet voters and hear their issues.

Prior to her husband's two terms in the White House, Clinton was a successful attorney and advocate of children's rights, a former member of several corporate boards and public-interest boards. She was active in causes ranging from lowering infant mortality to providing legal assistance to the poor.

"Let's talk about how to bring the right end to the war in
Iraq and restore respect for America around the world," she said a videotaped message on her Web site, mentioning several issues she would address in her campaign such as energy, health care and retirement security.

Clinton worked on the House of Representatives committee on the impeachment of President
Richard Nixon. She attended Yale Law School where she met fellow student Bill Clinton and followed her husband to Little Rock, Arkansas, where he was governor and she was a lawyer, mother and political wife.

Source

Sunday, January 14, 2007

Non-violent resistance.

Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968). Like Mahatma Gandhi, he preached non violent social struggle and civil disobedience to reach his goals and he did. He realized his dream (kind of) and nobody can deny his role in the social changes that have happened under his lead for American civil rights movement. This Baptist minister, one of youngest Nobel peace prize winner for his peaceful struggle for equal treatment had once a dream for his country. A dream where people, independent of their color and race will coexist peacefully as equals, and he got it. A proof, that dreamers can be influential and can make a difference. This speech, considered one of the greatest in history marked the 20th century in the US.

He said in regard to the declaration of independence of the US:
"In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked 'insufficient funds.'"

And also:

"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.'"

And finally:


"Let freedom ring. And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring — when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children — black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics - will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

As a reminder, nonviolence has been described by some as "the politics of ordinary people", that’s you, me and the majority of us. The Non-violence approach has been used by almost all cultures, specially the religions from Abraham’s to Mohamed (Peace be upon him). They all used non-violence approaches, at least in the beginning!!

So in these times where a lot of politic movements preach violence without any tangible results, perhaps they should consider dreaming and non-violent struggle like Gandhi or King who showed very good ones.

Martin Luther King, rest in peace.

Thursday, January 11, 2007

Qui sont-ils? Et Pourquoi ces réactions?

Même après que le pouvoir a reconnu semi-officiellement le fait que les combats armés au sud de Tunis étaient avec des groupes terroristes, les questions persistent. Qui sont-ils? Combien sont-ils? Comment ils ont eu ces armes automatiques? Sont-ils tunisiens? Qui est derrière eux? Qu’est ce qu’ils veulent? Pourquoi?

Est-ce possible que des tunisiens passent a la lutte armée a cause du Hijab comme on le dit, je ne le crois pas. Que des jeunes ont été manipulés par des clans au pouvoir est invraisemblable. C’est quoi alors toutes ces rumeurs. Pourquoi, au lieu de s’inquiéter, on se tourne l’un contre l’autre.

On a le droit de savoir qu’est ce qui se passe dans notre pays, la ou vivent des êtres chers a nous. Demander l’information est maintenant perçu comme un acte de trahison! N’est ce pas notre droit de se demander quelques éclaircissements sur des faits aussi dangereux et inédits que ceux qui se sont déroulés aux portes de la capitale. Quelques uns se croient plus patriotes que d’autres et nous donnent des leçons simplistes, comme quoi dire la vérité nuit à notre réputation. Quelle maturité intellectuelle ? Je me demande c’est quoi le fil de pensée qui les a mené a cette conclusion ? Peut être le fait de se taire est devenu une culture et celui qui ne la respecte pas est un marginal, un traitre, un vendu.

On divise au lieu de s’unir, on monte les uns contre les autres parce qu’on se croit plus tunisien que l’autre. Eh bien non, on est tous tunisiens et je n’ai jamais connu un tunisien qui méprise son pays au point de le vendre. On aime tous notre pays, ceux qui vont a la mosquée et ceux qui vont aux bars. Essayer de voir la réaction de n’importe quel tunisien en face d’un étranger qui dit du mal de la Tunisie, même s’il a raison, et vous comprendrez. N’entrez pas dans le jeu politicien qui veut utiliser ces événements pour marginaliser l’opposition ou pour affaiblir le pouvoir.

Et puis la vérité ne nuira pas au pays, au contraire, elle prépare la population à contrer ce danger qu’on ne connait pas et à se mettre la main dans la main et le combattre. Qu’il soit interne ou externe, de quel courant qu’il soit. La France est un des pays qui reçoit le plus de touristes au monde. Les attentats ou les manifestations même violentes comme celle des banlieues n’ont pas été passé sous silence par crainte que les touristes ne viennent pas. Arrêtons de simplifier les choses et a nous insulter l’un, l’autre.

Que Dieu préserve la Tunisie et TOUT les Tunisiens. Et n’oublions pas qu’on est tous responsables de notre pays, TOUS sans exception et qu’ensemble, on doit le protéger et prévenir ce genre d’activités, TOUS. Pour cela, on doit savoir ce qui se passe.

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

The wisdom of Georges W Bush...


Georges W Bush admitted finally that he made a mistake, but he admitted the wrong one. He said that he was wrong by not deploying more troops to Iraq, and that’s why the situation is not acceptable to the American people. He also warned us that by deploying more troops, we will have more casualties as a reaction to his decisions, but that’s the right thing to do. He also made it clear that he is aware of Mr Maliki relationship with the Shiite Militia of Sadr but he is going to trust him this time that he will be fair and won’t mix politics and feelings. And last he made it clear to us that the 3,000 dead soldiers and the $400B were worth the effort and that an Iraq fighting terrorists is better that an Iraq harboring them.

Thank you Mr President for your wise decisions!!!!!!! What a nightmare…

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

اللهم احمي بلادنا تونس وأهلها


اللهم ياسامع الصوت وياسابق الفوت وياكاسي العظام لحما بعد الموت ويا من اجاب نوحا حين ناداه وكشف الضرعن ايوب في بلواه وسمع يعقوب في شكواه ورد إليه يوسف واخاه وبرحمته ارتد بصير ا وعاد النور الي عيناه وليس بعزيز عليك وليس بعسيرعليك ان تحمي بلادنا تونس وأهلها من شرّ الفتن سبحانك لااله الاانت ياذا الجلال والأكرام يارب يامن نجيت محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم حين نسجت على الغارخيوط العنكبوت وآمنت يونس في بطن الحوت وحفظت موسى في اليم والتابوت ليس بعسيرعليك ان تحمي بلادنا تونس وأهلها من شرّ الفتن سبحانك لااله الاانت ياذا الجلال والإكرام يارب ياخالق السماوات والأرض والليل والنهاروالشمس والقمروالنجوم والكواكب والشجروالدواب والماء والتراب وكل شي وعلمت الأنسان مالم يعلم ورفعت السماوات بغيرعمد نراه ليس بعسير عليك وليس بعزيز عليك ان تحمي بلادنا تونس وأهلها من شرّ الفتن سبحانك لااله الاانت ياذاالجلال والإكرام يارب اللهم اني عبدك الذليل الفقيرالمسكين سجدت لوجهك العظيم ابتهالا وتضرعا ورجاء واعترافا بذنبي وضعفي وعجزي وقله حيلتي وهواني على الناس ويقينا واعترافا وتصديقا بأنك انت الله وحدك لاشريك لك لك الملك ولك الحمد بيدك الخيركله وانت على كل شي قدير اللهم اني اسالك بانك انت الله الاحد الصمد الذي لم يلدولم يولد ولم يكن له كفوا احد ولم يتخذ صاحبه ولاولد واسالك اللهم باسمك الاعظم الذي اذاسئلت به اعطيت واذا دعيت به اجبت واذااسترحمت به رحمت واذا استفرجت به فرجت ياارحم الراحمين يامالك يوم الدين اياك نعبد واياك نستعين احمي بلادنا تونس وأهلها من شرّ الفتن سبحانك لااله الاانت ياذاالجلال والإكرام اللهم ياذا العزه والجبروت يامالك الملك والملكوت اسألك اللهم بكل اسم هولك سميت به نفسك اواستأثرت به في علم الغيب عندك اوعلمته احد من خلقك ان تحمي بلادنا تونس وأهلها من شرّ الفتن سبحانك لااله الا انت ياذاالجلال والاكرام يارب يامالك الملك يامن تؤتي الملك من تشاء و تنزع الملك ممن تشاء وتعز من تشاء بغير حساب ليس بعسير عليك وليس بعزيز عليك ان تحمي بلادنا تونس وأهلها من شرّ الفتن سبحانك لااله الاانت ياذاالجلال والاكرام اللهم انك قلت وقولك الحق ادعوني استجب لكم اللهم انا دعوناك كما امرتنا فاستجب لنا كما وعدتنا يااكرم من سئل ويا اجود من اعطى وحسبنا الله ونعم الوكيل

Les rumeurs étaient fondées.

http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_Arab.php?cat=Terrorism&loid=8.0.374465860&par=0

C'est bien des combattants salafistes armés aux dents (RPG,arme automatique..).

Rabbi yba99i essoutr 3lina we barra.


Update: voila une autre link http://www.meo.tv/?id=44160

Sunday, January 07, 2007

Bush pushing the envelope!

Oops, Bush did it again. A month ago, while signing a postal reform act voted by the congress, he did not miss the chance to push the “envelope” by attaching a signed statement that gives the right to his administration to seize and open citizen mail “in exigent circumstances, for foreign intelligent collection”. As usual, nobody noticed right away, until recently when civil rights associations found out about this obvious Big brother law coming reminding us of Orson welles’ 1984.

This is becoming a pattern of this administration; they amend innocent laws at the last moment and take us back a few dozen years by taking our right to privacy. The reason as you can imagine is “Let us read your mail or terrorists will get us”, efficient isn’t?

There are two very dangerous aspects to such actions. First, it is the loss of privacy to American citizens and permanent residents. Second is the loss of credibility for the USA when they go teach lessons to other countries about human rights and freedom. How can they ask other countries to do what themselves don’t?

If this is not pushing the envelope, what is? :)

Saturday, January 06, 2007

James Brown: The Godfather of Soul (1933-2006)

On the 25th of December 2006, the godfather of Soul passed away. James Brown is a case study of strong will and self determination and big achievements. Born in poverty in South Carolina and abandoned at 4 years old, he grew up on the streets of Augusta, Georgia and had many episodes of law breaking until adopted by a friend’s family where he got introduced to Gospel and founded his first band the Gospel Starlighters in the early 50’s.

He started in the R&B and made it in the top 10 by 1956 with “Please,Please,Please”, since then he revolutionized the world music and influenced the last half of the 20th century music. His music was an influence for soul, rock, rap, break-dancing and hip-hop. James Brown’s music has even been re-mastered and replayed by rappers like Fat Boys and Public Enemy. Many of his 800+ songs were used by hip hop samplers and DJ’s.

His innovations and hard work gained him the nicknames of “Hard working man in show business” and “The godfather of Soul”. His fast foot movement’s dance inspired Michael Jackson and Mike Jagger and so did his costumes.

JB rhythms are still present in current music and his vocal style too. This man is a god, he did it all, and he had it in him. Songs like “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” , “I Feel good”, "Get Up I Feel Like Being a Sex Machine", “I Got the feeling” still make my day anytime I listen to them.

I'll let you enjoy these 2 very old videos, the first is for "Sex Machine" and the second for "I Feel good". Notice the foot dance in the second one and don't tell me that Michael Jackson invented the moon walk.








JB, rest in peace and May god bless your soul.

Friday, January 05, 2007

Sectarisme.

Hier, pour la première fois j’ai regardé la vidéo de l’exécution moyenâgeuse de Saddam. Au moment fatidique, on entendait les représentants officiels de gouvernement de Mr Maliki scandant «Moqtada,Moqtada.. ». Bref ca se résume ainsi. Les shiites ont pris le pouvoir et ont exécuté le grand Satan sunnite. Un cas classique de sectarisme ou tout est simplifié et ramené a une appartenance ethnique ou religieuse ou autre secte religieuse, sociale..etc.

Comment peut on être aussi aveuglé et arriver a déclencher des guerres et des génocides pour défendre son appartenance a une secte ou groupe. Les guerres civiles et les génocides qui se sont déroulées pendant la deuxième moitie du vingtième siècle le montrent. En Yougoslavie, Rwanda, Somalie,Soudan Moyen orient et maintenant en Iraq. Les gens prennent les armes et s’en vont tuer leurs voisins pour leur appartenance à un groupe ethnique ou religieux qu’ils n’aiment pas. Ahurissant, non ? L’être humain est vraiment une énigme.

On m’a demandé une fois, c’est quoi la différence entre un iraquien shiite et sunnite. J’avoue qu’après l’avoir expliqué a mon interlocuteur américain, je me suis moi-même étonné, tellement les différences sont non significatives, surtout pour un américain !

Pourquoi aller très loin, voila un cas comique et extreme. Il y a quelque mois, ma cousine a été demandée en mariage par un des ses collègues au travail. La première question que son frère lui a posée est « Est-ce qu’il est espérantiste ? » et je vous jure qu’il ne plaisantait pas et il était même stressé quand sa sœur lui a fait savoir qu’elle n’avait aucune idée et qu’elle allait lui demander. Et mon cousin, c’est un bac+5, directeur financier dans une grande entreprise a Tunis et tout ce qui le préoccupait a propos de l’avenir de sa sœur c’est l’équipe de football que son futur beau frère préfère !!

Ce sectarisme est partagé par les grands de ce monde et les plus petits. Je n’arriverais jamais à comprendre comment l’être humain arrive a justifier un tel comportement !!


Thursday, January 04, 2007

And Justice For All...



Don't be that surprised. A 40 years old father of a teenager have no choice but to listen to trash :-). Seriously the more I listen to Metallica, the more I appreciate the lyrics and "Justice for All" is no exception and shows that at least the text is not trash. If they can lighten up the music, it would be perfect :-)). I am copying the lyrics in case you don't appreciate the music :-)). I know MetalicaNaddou will ;)


Halls of justice painted green
Money talking
Power wolves beset your door
Hear them stalking
Soon you'll please their appetite
They devour
Hammer of justice crushes you
Overpower

The ultimate in vanity
Exploiting their supremacy
I can't believe the things you say
I can't believe
I can't believe the price you pay
Nothing can save you

Justice is lost
Justice is raped
Justice is gone
Pulling your strings
Justice is done
Seeking no truth
Winning is all
Find it so grim
So true
So real

Apathy their stepping stone
So unfeeling
Hidden deep animosity
So deceiving
Through your eyes their light burns
Hoping to find
Inquisition sinking you
With prying minds

The ultimate in vanity
Exploiting their supremacy
I can't believe the things you say
I can't believe
I can't believe the price you pay
Nothing can save you

Justice is lost
Justice is raped
Justice is gone
Pulling your strings
Justice is done
Seeking no truth
Winning is all
Find it so grim
So true
So real

Lady justice has been raped
Truth assassin
Rolls of red tape seal your lips
Now you're done in
Their money tips her scales again
Make your deal
Just what is truth?i cannot tell
Cannot feel


The ultimate in vanity
Exploiting their supremacy
I can't believe the things you say
I can't believe
I can't believe the price we pay
Nothing can save you

Justice is lost
Justice is raped
Justice is gone
Pulling your strings
Justice is done
Seeking no truth
Winning is all
Find it so grim
So true
So real

Seeking no truth
Winning is all
Find it so grim
So true
So real

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

What’s going on?

Since when in Tunisia we have people shooting at something other than a quail or a wild boar? Now they are shooting at police officers. What’s going on? Is it drug? I thought that this was supervised by the powerful corrupt families like the couscous connection linked to who you know. Is it the salafists?

One thing for sure is that the politics followed by our government to eradicate fundamentalism is not working. The plan of eradicating poverty and raise a middle class because fundamentalism is linked to poverty won’t work in a country where 1% of the people own 95% of the wealth.

In a country where corruption is present at all levels, we should not be surprised to see arms getting smuggled in; it is just a matter of paying whoever is in charge. When you see luxury cars being sold at the same price as in Europe despite a 200% custom tax, we should expect everything.

All what it takes to get a container full of whatever you want is to befriend one of the new lords of Tunis. The same people who are protected by the government are helping destabilizing it, that’s what you get when you have abuse of power from stupid people. It is not even a Mafia, because real Mafiosi are way smarter to initiate self-destruction.

Anyway, let’s hope that I am way wrong and that’s really coming from outside. But in this case it is scarier. I am really worried for my country, what happened to us or what is happening to us?

Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Le fantôme de Samsoum.

Je voulais commencer ma première note de l’année par vous souhaitant une très bonne année 2007. Malheureusement mes vœux n’atteindront jamais ceux qui vivent dans mon pays de naissance. Le pays où je viens de passer avec ma femme et mes enfants les meilleures vacances de notre vie. Je viens de rentrer il ya quelque heures pour m’apercevoir que mon jeune blog a été censuré en Tunisie. Incroyable mais vrai. J’étais offline jusqu’au 30/12 et quand j’ai essayé de connecter a Tunis le jour de l’aïd, j’ai eu le fameux 404 mais je n’y ai pas cru et je n’avais pas le temps de vérifier. Aujourd’hui j’ai la confirmation, mes chers lecteurs tunisiens ne liront pas mes vœux de bonne année !!

C’est bizarre ce que je sens en ce moment. Vu que ma vie a été toujours un combat personnel, je me suis habitué à accepter tout genre de challenge et de m’investir a fonds dans ce que je fais et j’ai pris l’habitude d’analyser tout par échec ou réussite. Mais la ce n’est ni un échec ni un succès. C’est une mort. C’est ce que je ressens, je sens une partie de moi qui est morte, inaccessible, invisible et je ne peux rien faire. On ne combat pas la mort, on la subit. Je suis un fantôme, je peux voir les gens, les écouter, mais quand je parle, ils ne m’entendent pas, ils ne me voient pas. Je n’existe plus pour eux !! J’ai été la victime d’un meurtre prémédité, il n ya même pas de motif !

Que fait-on quand on devient un fantôme ? On se tait ou on continue à parler à soi même ?

Je suis déçu de cet excès de zèle de la part de fonctionnaires qui croient veiller a la sécurité de mon pays en pratiquant des coups de ciseaux en milieu de terrain pour envoyer la balle en touche, une balle sans danger pour leur buts.

Que faire mes amis ? Cela me fait très mal et je n’ai pas l’habitude de réagir de la sorte devant les obstacles, mais la c’est différent, c’est abject, il n’y a même pas de règles de jeu.

Je suis dégouté, je me sens violé, volé, tué… mais bon la vie continue avec ou sans mon blog.

Je tiens à remercier tout les bloggeurs pour leurs actions de solidarité contre cet acte de censure, ca m’a vraiment fait chaud au cœur. Je suis très fier de cette réaction de nos jeunes tunisiens qui veut beaucoup dire pour moi et qui démontre qu’il y a toujours de l’espoir.

Je ne suis pas un opposant, je ne suis pas un activiste. Je suis un technologiste, un père, un entrepreneur et un immigré. Mes notes ont été toujours représentatives de ce que je vis ou de ce que je crois juste ou de ce que j’ai lu ailleurs et que je trouvais assez pertinent à partager. Pour cela je suis devenu un fantôme !!