Hannibal TV

Tunisia’s first private TV company doesn’t seem to have any elephants. (Via Karim)

Anti-Americanism and self-censorship in the German media

It would be interesting to run a similar study here to this one by Ray D. Many Spanish journalists and even more columnists accept the old socialist-fascist consensus that the US and its friends deserve all that can be thrown and flown at them, but many others are often unaccountably silent.

Why Spanish imperialism failed

The Spanish didn’t realise the importance of enforcing pidgins and creoles, says noted scholar, Cornelius DuBois, over at Speculative Grammarian.

Moorish scientist

No, not Abu al-Qasim al-Zahrawi. I’m talking about Noble Drew Ali, prophet of possibly “the only religion ever to be founded in Newark, NJ”, Moorish Science. Although his early career as a magician in a gypsy troupe took him to Egypt and conversations with a high priest, I don’t think he ever went to Morocco,…

Buried Moorish treasure

This bit from James Richardson, Travels in Morocco (1860) sounds like the many Spanish myths of troves (often guarded by dragons) left behind by the outscored hordes: The inhabitants of Barbary all bury their money. The secret is confided to a single person, who often is taken ill, and dies before he can discover the…

Antwerp talk

Check out Godzjumenas’ Antwerp dialect or language or whatever blog, Aentwaereps. The spelling system is of his own invention and he writes occasionally on grammar, which, as he says, is currently undocumented–most writers claim it has none ;-) (I love Antwerp. The harbour has some of the finest mafia bars in Europe; lose your heart…