Seems like I’ve been getting regular visits from Herndon, VA. It shouldn’t be too hard for to guess who has some offices there - though their main headquarters is in McLEAN (Langley).
Oh, in other news:
In-Q-Tel, the investment arm of the CIA and the wider intelligence community, is putting cash into Visible Technologies, a software firm that specializes in monitoring social media. It’s part of a larger movement within the spy services to get better at using ”open source intelligence” — information that’s publicly available, but often hidden in the flood of TV shows, newspaper articles, blog posts, online videos and radio reports generated every day.
Article at Wired here.
I saw a blurb in the latest People magazine about a product that’s popular now:
MoroccanOil
As I’ve posted about before, it’s annoying to see marketers using ‘Morocco’ or ‘Moroccan’ for their products when it has little to nothing to do with the country.
Their supposed connection to Morocco in this product is that it contains argan oil.
This comment spells out the reality better than I can:
“I hate to be a spoil sport but all this hype about MoroccanOil being a natural product is hogwash. The ingredients are primarily silicones:
Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Cyclomethicone, Butylphenyl, MethylPropional, Argania Spinoza Kernal Oil (Aragan Oil), Linseed (Linum Usitatissimum) Extract, Fragrance Supplement, D&C Yellow-11, D&C Red-17, Coumarin, Benzyl Benzoate, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone.
And while it lists argan oil as an ingredient, it is less than 2% of the overall ingredients — about as significant as the droplets of fragrance and only slightly more than the artificial colorings. Why does it work? Check out the ingredients in Turtle Was and ArmorAll and you’ll start to get the idea why your hair will feel and shine nice as your freshly coated vinyl seats. The reason why bloggers rave about organic argan oil is that it is the “real thing” and this company irks me as they are exploiting people’s trust. By the way, they are a Canadian Company. And the reason no bunnies had to die for their product is that they didn’t have to test it before bringing it to market. Sorry to be a sad sack about this but some marketing practices really bug me…this is one of them. As for me, I love the argan oil and use one that is blended with essential oils (rose), a wonderful argan balm for night on my skin and the pure one for my hair.”
Furthermore, it’s not even made in Morocco - their production is done in Israel.
Further Note:
I saw this advertised here as “100% Pure Argan Oil!”
I don’t know the rules of advertising, so maybe they can get away with this because the 2% argan oil that’s actually in this stuff is the real deal. It still seems very underhanded to me.
Let’s compare the qualifications of the new U.S. Ambassador to Morocco, Samuel L. Kaplan, with the current Moroccan Ambassador to the U.S., Aziz Mekouar.
—————————————————————–
1. Former Diplomatic Experience, Overseas or Home Country -
Kaplan : None.
Mekouar : Moroccan ambassador to Italy, Malta and Albania, and permanent representative to the FAO (United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization) (1999-2002), Portugal (1993-1999), and Angola (1986-1993).
First counselor and deputy chief of mission at the Embassy of Morocco in Rome (1977-1985), and permanent representative of Morocco to the International Bureau for Information Technology (1978-1985).
Elected chairman of the United Nations FAO Council from November 2001 to November 2005.
2. Languages Spoken -
Kaplan : English. No other languages mentioned.
Mekouar : Fluent in Arabic, English, French, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish
——————————————————————
There is something very wrong about this.
I understand that the claim can be made that “this is the way ambassadors have always been chosen!” - however, since the position is supposed to be the public face of the United States in the designated country, I think it’s extremely arrogant to send someone who has no experience with other cultures, much less a MONOGLOT.
I haven’t watched it yet, so hopefully there’s nothing too offensive…
http://www.hulu.com/watch/48467/the-office-moroccan-christmas
OK, this is not Morocco related, but I’m branching out. Have a look at this guy’s woodblock prints - they’re astounding in their detail, and incredibly lovely. I just asked for some for Christmas. 
Woodblock Prints by Dave Bull
