[TheOtherOne]

I thought this was interesting and would be good fodder for FR on a Sunday.

[MeekOneGOP]

The use of "al" in Arabic names varies from country to country, and even within families. Some Arabs use "Al"; others use "al". Some separate the "al" from the following name with a space or a hyphen. Some Arabs use "el" instead of "al."

We have enough problems with the Al's we have here, thank you. For instance, Al Gore, Al Sharpton, etc. . .

[buickmackane]

What was that Paul Simon lyric, didn't it go something like "If you'll be my buddy, I can be your long lost pal / I can call you Betty if you'll call me Al"? :)

[John Locke]

King Abdullah -- ab-DUHL'-uh

Perhaps AP would be able to pronounce Arabic a little better if they actually knew the language? "Abdullah" is simply "Abd + Allah", "servant of God". To break the 'd' out of "abd" is about as stupid as, perhaps:

Pittsburgh -- pitt-SBURGH'

Sigh.

[Slyfox]

Al-Qaida -- al-KY'-ee-duh

Now, that is the third different one I've heard.

Al-KAY-duh
Al-KY-duh

[Hank Rearden]

I don't care how you say 'em - just keep bombing the Moos.

[Timesink]

Anyone here know where one can access AP daybooks online? I miss reading them.

[Maedhros]

Mumia Abu-Jamal -- COP KILLER

[IronJack]

surrender -- suhr - REND - uhr , verb, "to yield, capitulate, or otherwise throw in the towel and run like a scared jackrabbit. Also see [Taliban]."

Osama bin Laden -- o SAHM uh bin LAH duhn, proper nominative, "Arab word for coward, deluded paranoic, murdering merchant of mayhem. Also see [chicken excrement, dead man walking]."

[Looking4Truth]

This reminds me of some astronomical event several years back involving the planet Uranus.

Everyone on the planet that I had ever heard prouned it (forgive my phonetics) 'your-anus', then the media started falling all over itself to pronouce it 'urine-us', so no one would be 'offended' I guess. Like there was a big difference.

Idiots.