Watermelon Found!!!!

In an earlier post, we talked about the interesting language that comes out of the Google translation of Arabic. At that time, we often came across the term "watermelon" but could not come up with a reference.  Well, here's one found on February 12, 2011 in a news bit describing ministers approved by Parliament:

"The most prominent of the ministries that have been approved by the electricity that is assigned to the Iraqi List led by Iyad Allawi. The source added that the ministers who approved them, they thunder Falh Ani (electricity) and the good of God’s good Babiker (trade) and just Mhodr Maliki (Municipalities and Public Works) and the invocation Zaidi (women). The regulation also includes the ministers of state beauty watermelon (without portfolio) and Amer Khuzaie (National Reconciliation) and exotic Kazem (for civil society)."


Oh, yeah!  But... just who thunders Fahl Ani anyway?  And who came up with the title of God's good Babiker for the Minister of Trade? I pray to God the Minister of Parliament given Exotic Kazem is a woman.  And, here we're getting to the crux of the matter... just what kind of portfolio do you think might have been under the control of the Ministers of State Beauty Watermelon? 

Oh, now I see.

Disappointment in Maliki Runs Deep

Surely the RV would happen by the end of 2010, the blogs said.  Surely it would happen in January, they hoped when it didn’t.  And now that Maliki has let the Feb. 15 deadline pass without RV, disappointment has hit a new high.  Here are avatars of active people on the dinar investment fora and some of their thoughts:

“I’ve had it with those rag-hat, sand-pounding, camel-eating illegitimate sons of Abraham.  No two of them speak the same truth.  A contract means nothing.”

“The pressure is so great – from the Arab world, the IMF, the Joe Biden Band, banks, businesses with contracts, governments, investors and the 28 million Iraqi people who are starving – something’s gotta happen and if the GOI doesn’t act soon – with tangible results, everything done to date will fall apart in anger.

“Everybody’s wrong while the dinar pumpers get rich.”

“The thing that gets me is all these so-called sources on the conference calls.  They are so confident, they sound so connected.  Thousands of us thirst for their words.  The hosts bow and scrape in gratitude for the nuggets being shared but, in fact, they are as much in the dark as every other person who’s not Maliki.  It’s all smoke.”

“If we are disappointed, think how the Iraqi people must feel.  Many are starving.  Most are unemployed.  The natural Arab drive for commerce is being squelched because the currency is worthless.  Frustration, frustration, frustration.  The country remains isolated from the world because its currency is not tradeable.  And the babies die.  And the fields remain uncultivated.  And the oil waits underground.  And the ships in the harbor rust at their moorings, unloaded.”

And so we wait.

Let’s Rate the Dinar Blogs

Once you jump into the swirling eddy of information that surrounds the IQD, it’s easy to get swallowed, kind of like being in a toilet while it is flushing.  I find new sources of info everyday… heck, I added this blog less than a month ago.  They all have their personalities.  And now, after swirling in the ever-quickening stream for over a year, I offer my opinion of each one based on its value as an information source.  Just my opinion, offered for your enlightenment and entertainment.  Would appreciate your opinion as well.

DinarVets - Rating ****

Adam Montana, the "guy who wrote the book on the dinar" operates this site on two levels.  In its public persona, it offers all the commentary, rumors and user-generated info any site can offer.  Very civil.  In its private, or VIP persona, it offers virtually no news at all.  News arrives by the site owner's email when it is absolutely true and a done deal.  The emphasis for VIP is what to do "after RV..."  how to cash out economically including offshore banking advice - and promises of business investment opportunities after RV.  You will never find "rate and date" info here but VIPs can expect text messages and emails once the RV happens - along with resources for taxes, estate planning, specially negotiated exchange rates with banks, etc.  Following DinarVets makes you believe the RV is real.

Dinar Daddy's Tidbits - Rating ****

The forum on this site is pure news with backup links.  There is no chitchat.  There is no sense of insidership.  The purpose of the site is to attract attention so they can sell more dinar.  Now that we understand that, and whether we buy dinar or not there, we still appreciate the up-to-date news - with better translations than found anywhere else.

KTF Missions - Rating ***

As arguably the most-visited dinar site in the world, KTFM offers voluminous user content led by Frank Villa, known as Frank26.  The site is heavily overlain with Christian sentiment including much prayer and a very caring on-line community.  Heck, they even have their own cook book.  It is here that the RV was first called "the blessing" which, when it occurs, certainly is apt. As for its news content, I would characterize the info on KTFM conference calls and written notes as well-reasoned, passionate, collaborative conjecture.  And maybe that's the best that can come out of a very unformed, secretive Iraq.  Frank26 is diligent as he sticks to his 1-2-3 predictions, cautions against reading too much into the information presented, and counsels people to be ever-patient.  People appreciate the effort he puts out with his mods and admins.

CurrencyChatter - Rating **

These guys, commonly known as the GET team, are way behind in the Iraq news cycle.  The site tries to do a lot of things, only one of which is Iraqi dinar info.  News is typically days old.  But rumors are fresh and common.  This is the home of Okie the Oilman and various other imaginative prognosticators so if you want a boost where you can hear someone say "It's happening TODAY," this is the place.  

Dinartrade - Rating *

This is not a news site but the sales site where Ali sells dinars.  Nevertheless, there is a button for "Latest news" and it is interesting to see what this Iraqi-based organization, chooses as news.  Most is economic, building a case for Iraq as a pending super-economy.  You'll never find a hint of rate or date here which is consistent with what Ali says in interviews.  Worth visiting once every other week... until the RV happens at which time, Ali will send you a text message on your phone with the best news of all. 

A Clash of Sources - Budget or No Budget

One of the great frustrations about following events in Iraq and especially those factors that affect the Iraqi Dinar is that the sources of information are voluminous and we can't really tell who knows what they're talking about.  There are innumerable bloggers - the best of which provide links to their sources.  There are also many news sources - which tend to contradict themselves.  And then of course there is the translation factor - we speakers of American English are just not able to easily glean the meaning of Googletranslated English from Arabic.

Whenever it happens, the banks are ready

Here is an example that happened today:
Source Number One says: "Iraqi Government Passes Budget."  We have been waiting for this for a long time; I'm about to jump out of my chair for joy.  Then Source Number Two says: "Budget NOT approved but Article 140 is passed."  Good thing I didn't jump out of my chair.  Then Source Number Three says: "An Amendment to Budget Has Passed (but not the whole thing)."  Okay, that's a step but still feeling deflated.  Then at 9:31 a.m. Source Number Four says (without a link), "Budget Reading Postponed to 2/13."  Now it's sounding like the original news is really bogus.  But then Source Number Five at 9:39 a.m. says (with link): "Budget Passed." Now I'm feeling good again.  Then the last source says:  "Budget to be voted on tomorrow."  Now, that's more like it.  Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow creeps time in its own petty pace, especially in Baghdad.   But I can live with that. 

In fact, I'll just live with whatever happens, but my question is, where there is a situation as cut-and-dried as having a bill pass or not pass, why aren't the sources consistent?  IT'S DRIVING ME NUTS.  How about you?  Anybody else following this stuff?  Lemme know.  Meanwhile, fingers crossed at least until tomorrow.