 PBOM is live at the London School of Economics for a speech by Saif al-Islam al-Ghaddafi (Gaddafi, Qaddafi, Khadafi...), the son of the Brother of the Revolution, Colonel Muammar al-Ghaddafi. Saif is Chairman of the Orwellian Ghaddafi International Foundation for Charity and Development. See our previous posts on Gaddafi here. 8:09 - Speech is done. When Saif stood up (to leave) the front two rows (of Arab men in suits) stood up immediately in unison. Kinda creepy. 8:06 - He answered the hardball question (see below) by saying that what I am saying about participatory democracy is not new, this is all in the green book, so there is no dispute on this between me and my father. He says the difference is that he wants to do it more efficiently. On a question about the relations between Libya and its neighbors-- one great line: We don't trust them. On women in Libya, he says they are already too powerful (jokingly). 7:59 - Great question from the crowd: ""Forget brain drain, no Libyan I know wants to go back. So called democracies can be easily manipulated by those in power. How can you explain that his won't happen in Libya?" Look like time will run out before he has to answer, he's been busy rambling about the other softballs about tourism. 7:48 - Says don't listen to rumors, all Libyans want to go forward, there is no "old guard", bureaucrats are all pro reform. It "is not like Iran." So then what are we waiting for? Now he's answering a question about why hasn't he mentioned his father in his speech, Colonel Ghadaffi. He says we have facts in Libya, we are Arabs, Muslims, and barbarians (apparently Saif made a bad translation in his head of "Berber"), and that Colonel Ghaddafi is not only his father, but also the Father of the Nation, and nothing can happen without him. Spontaneous applause in the theater. Supporters have been placed very cleverly, because this not the first time that this has happened. The applause isn't confined to the front row, and people who don't look Libyan at all are applauding. Click "Read More" to Continue --------------> Scam Watch: Krispy Kreme in Turkey? 08/25/2009
That's right-- the Almana Group is bringing Winston-Salem's finest donuts to Turkey. According to the Charlotte Business Journal, the Qatar-based firm, which is also responsibly for introducing KFC and Pizza Hut to Turkey, plans to open 25 locations in Turkish cities over the next five years. Absolute scam*. I for one cannot wait to eat a dozen Blueberry Old Fashioned donuts in Konya. Here's to globalization, eh. *Note: In this context the word "scam" means anything ridiculous that comes from the developing world. Please see the "Scam Watch" category or consult our good friend Dimitri Lemos for details.  Pick out the crazy dictator In honor of our good friend Dimitri Lemos, we are starting a new category- "Scam Watch." In Dimitri's parlance, a scam can refer to anything ridiculous that comes from the Third World. Colonel Muammar Gaddafi has ruled Libya unchallanged for the past 40 years. He moved past conventional dictatorial behavior--murdering dissidents, dying his hair, banning independent social organizations--and developed a fondness for ridiculous outfits and international terrorism in the 1980s. Gaddafi infuriated Britain and Israel by funding the IRA and the PLO, and offended the world by senselessly bombing Pan Am 103 and the lesser known French UTA 772. In a country that exports nearly as much oil per capita as Saudi Arabia, one must wonder what Gaddafi does with all his money now that his international terror and nuclear proliferation days are over. Now we know: the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation. What a scam. | By Evan Tachovsky and Jon Friedman
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