The Quiet Matador

Barcelona sun falling on her blush-rose cheeks,

through the grapevine canopy,

while they dine with family and friends. 

He professes his love to her from across the veranda, 

without words and without moving his full red lips.

She smiles and looks away,

onto the vineyard stretching farther than the eye can see!!

Then she looks back in his direction,

their eyes meet and linger in a sweet embrace.

He conveys his desirous longing,

with wordless murmurs and rending sighs,

she frees an acquissant smile in return,

as if needlessly seducing a willing bull!

His pointed glances find her heart,

effortlessly, 

her Catalonia wind-soaked laughter confirms her love,

and will to die with every arrow slung, over and again!

Dr. Azzam Elayan

September 27, 2013

The Reasonable Language of Food: Bourdainian

The reason "Parts Unknown: Jerusalem" resonated so deeply with so many Palestinians and so many Israelis is that the program's host, Anthony Bourdain, spoke Palestinian to Palestinians, without uttering one sentence in Arabic, and spoke Israeli to Israelis, without uttering one sentence in Hebrew.

He talked about a basic idea which everyone could understand and agree on: eat together, live together, with no hatred, no check points, no suicide bombings, no barbed wire, no violence, no walls, no ugly walls, no occupation, and no war.  He spoke in a language which both peoples could understand but it's not a language that either side has ever claimed as their own.

In honor of Mr. Bourdain, I will call this language Bourdainian, because it is distinctly his own.  It is the language of compromise around what we love and, obviously, need: food.  Not just any food but good, wholesome, and delicious food.  Indeed, it is food which is made with much thought, much care, and much attention to details.  It may be food with national identity, regional character, and ethnic heritage, but it can be enjoyed and cherished by all.

Unfortunately, Anthony's critics, the people who were so offended by his innate moxie and daring to mount the double-humped beast that's the Palestine-Israel dichotomy from a non-customary, humanist perspective, can or choose only to speak either Palestinian or Israeli.  To those I say re-educate yourselves-learn Bourdainian.

Dr. Azzam Elayan

September 24, 2013

The Google Gard

Google has invested billions of dollars in creating a very diversified portfolio, with huge holdings in energy, real estate, fiber optic networks, materials R&D, banking, insurance, telecom, mobile technology, and no surprise, wifi access technology. And now.....and now this...Calico! Are you ready for your life extension? It's almost here!

http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-77461385/

One day, each of us will only need to carry one plastic card for all our financial transactions and the card, which will be known as the "Gard," is going to have only one word on each side: Google! The scannable Gard will also contain one's entire credit history, driving record, online activity, voting record, shopping pattern, sexual orientation, professional profile, legal record, "Like and Comment" history, medical history, insurance record, genetic make-up cross-checked against likely disease predisposition as a function of medical history and life style! The good news is that the Gard will be offered in both of our favorite colors: pink and blue!

Dr. Azzam Elayan

Wednesday, September 18, 2013