Liberalism vs. Fundamentalism

How the current Egyptian authorities deal with the revolution

It seems as if the Egyptian revolution is moving in a vicious circle. After about five and half months from the start of the movement that toppled the long reigning Egyptian dictator, the pattern of how the current authorities deal with the unrest in Egypt seems to becoming clearer, and it's not in the revolutionaries favor.

Fundamentalists' Biggest Enemy

Fundamentalism is the enemy of progress, whether it is social or political. A fundamentalist always looks backward, making himself totally disconnected from reality. Fundamentalism may come in religious or political tones, and is characterized by the contempt of freedom and the utter belief that they only hold the truth and that all other voices should be muted.

This cartoon is based on the situation in Egypt after the revolution.

WikiLeaks' Brilliant MasterCard Commercial Parody

If we try to interpret this video literally, we'll find that it is trying to say that Wikileaks caused the Egyptian revolution, which is totally untrue. But if we look at it in a broader sense, then we'll find that it is all about the war on secrecy. Secrecy is a tool of totalitarianism, and indeed during the Egyptian revolution many secrets of the corrupt regime were unfolded. So, in a way, this revolution was a war on secrecy and a loud call for transparency. And that's exactly the message of Wikileaks.

When you have governments and big corporations fighting against transparency, it's easy to choose which side to support.

Conversation with Chris Hedges- Media Roots TV

In this interview Hedges talk about the transportation of media from the printed form into the digital form and its implications on how the public perceive the news. He addresses the disinformation of the public, his expectations of how critical and informative journalism will be further marginalized, and his take on the American debt.

His views are cynical and pessimistic. But they are realistic too.

Lupe Fiasco - Words I Never Said ft. Skylar Grey [Music Video]

Few singers have the gut to say what they believe in songs that seems to be against the mainstream. Lupe Fiasco is one of those brave singers. In this song he takes on Obama, Israel, Islamophobia, and the war on terror.

Watch: The Princess and the Frog

Nostalgic and progressive at the same time

After a long hiatus, Disney is back in the hand-drawn 2D medium and it doesn't disappoint. The Princess and The Frog is another take on the genre of fairy tales in a typical Disney style.

The movie, which is based on the variation of The Frog Princess tale, adds twists to the original story, making changes in the location, the characters, as well as the incidents that take place. These variations added some originality to the story and allowed the smooth insertion of some typical Disney elements.

Early in the movie, a comparison is drawn between Tiana, an African-American, who works hard to fulfill her late father's dream of having a restaurant, and her friend Charlotte, who lives with her rich father a relaxing life. When Prince Naveen, Prince of Maldonia, comes to town after being disinherited by his parents due to his lifestyle, Charlotte expresses her wishes to marry him. Prince Naveen, who lost all his fortune and isn't ready for hard work, is lured by Dr. Facillier, an evil Dr. of voodoo. Dr. Facillier, who is looking to take Charlotte's father wealth, replaces Naveen by his valet and transforms the prince into a frog; a frog which needs a princess' kiss so as to be a man again.

As far as the story goes, I find the Disney take on the classic tale very entertaining. As with most other Disney movies of the same genre, Tiana has her share of goofy friends, funny moments, and lovely adventures. Even the villain, Dr. Facillier, seems destined to take his place deservingly among Disney's most interesting villains -- I think he should have taken a greater role, though.

It would be unfair, however, to compare this movie to Disney classics like The Little Mermaid and The Lion King. It surely follows the same movie making philosophy, but is not as powerful as these classics. But I think this is due to the excellence of these classics, rather than any downside in this movie. This is also evident in the soundtrack, which is very good, but not to be compared with Disney's previous soundtracks -- especially in the two mentioned classics.

The Princess and the Frog brings a nostalgic feeling for all those who were anticipating Disney's departure from the cheap sequels business. It follows a legacy of more than 60 years of film making and it certainly shows that the decision to stop developing 2D movies was a bad one.

A revisit to the concepts of good vs. evil, hard work vs. laziness, love, and friendships, this movie will sure appeal to kids and adults alike, Even if the movie doesn't fair impressively in the box-office, it will hopefully bring back to life a medium that many people thought was all but dead.

Score: 4/5

Official The Princess and the Frog