Negev Rock City is the personal blog of Neal Ungerleider, a Tel Aviv/New York-based writer, editor and journalist. Neal currently writes about the Middle East for True/Slant and contributes regularly to a number of print and web publications. All opinions expressed herein are that of the author alone and do not represent any institutions or organizations that he may be affiliated with.About the editorE-mail the editorTumblr (3.0; @negevrockcity)http://negevrockcity.com/<object width="400" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/x-64CaD8GXw&rel=0&egm=0&showinfo=0&fs=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/x-64CaD8GXw&rel=0&egm=0&showinfo=0&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" height="336" allowFullScreen="true" wmode="transparent"></embed></object><br/><br/><p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-64CaD8GXw" target="_blank">Dropkick Murphys - Shipping Up To Boston</a><br/><br/>Some good pre-Saint Patrick’s Day music. This is one of the things I missed most in the Middle East. The locals, regardless of religion or race, didn’t seem to get Irish music. It was up to us expats to keep the faith…</p>http://negevrockcity.com/post/439555519http://negevrockcity.com/post/439555519Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:45:17 -0500musicvideos<p>I know that. The job hunt and related things falling under the keeping-your-head-afloat-in-the-economic-collapse-of-journalism rubric have been distracting me lately. Sorry, friends.</p>http://negevrockcity.com/post/439497310http://negevrockcity.com/post/439497310Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:07:36 -0500“One American official recently conceded that Somalia’s “best hope” was the government’s new military chief, a 60-year-old former artillery officer who, until a few months ago, was assistant manager at a McDonald’s in Germany.”<br/><br/> - <em><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/world/africa/10somalia.html?ref=todayspaper" target="_blank">Foreign Policy LOLz</a></em>http://negevrockcity.com/post/439332019http://negevrockcity.com/post/439332019Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:04:53 -0500somaliageopolitics<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2010/03/middle-east-partisans/37068/?rss=37068">The Best Article On Reporting The Israel-Palestine Conflict In A Long Time...</a>: <p>Fuggedabout Andrew Sullivan vs. The New Republic. This one is <em>interesting</em>.</p>http://negevrockcity.com/post/439291404http://negevrockcity.com/post/439291404Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:33:54 -0500journalismisraelpalestine<a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/eating-with-the-enemy-why-russia-loves-georgian-food-1918859.html">Eating with the enemy: why Russia loves Georgian food</a>: <p>A quick primer on the awesomeness of chicken tabaka, cheese bread and cilantro.</p>http://negevrockcity.com/post/439250703http://negevrockcity.com/post/439250703Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:02:51 -0500foodrussiageorgia<p>Just wrote this <a href="http://trueslant.com/nealungerleider/2010/03/10/the-jihadis-of-philadelphia-and-ireland/" target="_blank">extremely interesting piece</a> over at True/Slant. Please read it and enjoy.</p>http://negevrockcity.com/post/439209405http://negevrockcity.com/post/439209405Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:32:26 -0500geopoliticsterrorismirelandphiladelphiabooksjournalism“Bank of America apologised to a woman after one of its contractors allegedly trashed her house and took her parrot while wrongly repossessing her home.<br/><br/>Forty-six-year-old Angela Iannelli sued the bank on Monday.<br/><br/>She claims her mortgage was up-to-date when one of the banking giant’s contractors damaged furniture, took her pet parrot, Luke, and padlocked her door in October.<br/><br/>In a statement, the bank said it “sincerely apologises” and has tried for months to resolve the issue.<br/><br/>The bank said it has “zero tolerance for this kind of error” and said it will quickly review the lawsuit’s allegations and consider any hardship that resulted.<br/><br/>The woman, who lives in the Pittsburgh area, said she eventually got her bird back after repeated calls to the bank.”<br/><br/> - <em><a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/bank-apologises-for-removing-customers-parrot-1919039.html" target="_blank">Bank apologises for removing customer’s parrot</a></em>http://negevrockcity.com/post/439188168http://negevrockcity.com/post/439188168Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:15:51 -0500wtf<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kz2nnmbowX1qznrpwo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>A complete guide to the genius of Kinky Friedman. (<a href="http://www.avclub.com/articles/week-29-kinky-friedman-the-smartass,39014/?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=feeds&utm_source=avclub_rss_daily" target="_blank">via</a>)</p>http://negevrockcity.com/post/439148894http://negevrockcity.com/post/439148894Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:44:54 -0500music<img src="http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kz2naccfnW1qznrpwo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Al Jazeera: <a href="http://blogs.aljazeera.net/middle-east/2010/03/09/falafel-falafel-every-day-falafel" target="_blank">How Baghdadis learned to love falafel</a>.</p>http://negevrockcity.com/post/439099490http://negevrockcity.com/post/439099490Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:06:11 -0500foodiraq<img src="http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kz2mkpdL1m1qznrpwo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Mario’s and Luigi’s restaurants, Claremont Road, Manchester. (<a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/03/photo-of-the-day-marios-and-luigis-side-by-side-in-manchester.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+seriouseatsfeaturesvideos+%28Serious+Eats%29" target="_blank">Via</a>)</p>http://negevrockcity.com/post/439078017http://negevrockcity.com/post/439078017Wed, 10 Mar 2010 09:50:48 -0500photosfoodbritain<img src="http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kz1covzF2R1qznrpwo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>These trilingual English/Arabic/Hebrew keyboard stickers are both uncomfortably cute and comfortably useful.</p>http://negevrockcity.com/post/437559361http://negevrockcity.com/post/437559361Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:19:43 -0500photoscomputers<img src="http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kz1ch0BWpw1qznrpwo1_250.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Missed connection at the Staten Island Ferry.</p>http://negevrockcity.com/post/437550249http://negevrockcity.com/post/437550249Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:15:00 -0500photos<img src="http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kyzio8ANAb1qznrpwo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Big hamburger. (<a href="http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2010/03/ed-walkers-drive-in-restaurant-giant-burger-review-fort-smith-ar.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+seriouseatsfeaturesvideos+%28Serious+Eats%29" target="_blank">Via</a>)</p>http://negevrockcity.com/post/435395317http://negevrockcity.com/post/435395317Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:33:43 -0500foodtravel<a href="http://nymag.com/news/features/64626/">The Best Magazine Article Of 2010</a>: <p>We’re only three months in and already have a winner. Take a half-hour out of your day to read this piece. Simply amazing.</p>http://negevrockcity.com/post/435391103http://negevrockcity.com/post/435391103Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:31:24 -0500journalism<object width="400" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/U4ao_VTXQtw&rel=0&egm=0&showinfo=0&fs=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/U4ao_VTXQtw&rel=0&egm=0&showinfo=0&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" height="336" allowFullScreen="true" wmode="transparent"></embed></object><br/><br/><p>The Simpsons in Arabic. آل شمشون</p>http://negevrockcity.com/post/435286657http://negevrockcity.com/post/435286657Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:31:29 -0500televisionvideosfunny<p>1. Send out story pitches.<br/>2. Check for jobs.<br/>3. Work on thesis revisions.<br/>4. Go to Arabic class.<br/>5. Go to gym.<br/><br/>6. Not have any chance to enjoy beautiful NY spring day.</p>http://negevrockcity.com/post/435048696http://negevrockcity.com/post/435048696Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:51:00 -0500<a href="http://trueslant.com/nealungerleider/2010/03/08/who-is-the-american-al-qaeda/">Who is the ‘American Al-Qaeda’? - True/Slant</a>: <p>Our extensive investigation into whether Pakistani authorities really captured the (ahem…) US-BORN JEWISH DEATH METAL FAN WHO BECAME AL-QAEDA’S CHIEF PROPAGANDIST.<br/><br/><em>Sorry about that: We just wanted to highlight the fact that the terrorists are, by any objective standards, weird.</em></p>http://negevrockcity.com/post/434809369http://negevrockcity.com/post/434809369Mon, 08 Mar 2010 10:48:17 -0500geopoliticspakistanterrorismafghanistan<object width="400" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lBTwHVw5kIc&rel=0&egm=0&showinfo=0&fs=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lBTwHVw5kIc&rel=0&egm=0&showinfo=0&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" height="336" allowFullScreen="true" wmode="transparent"></embed></object><br/><br/><p>Nearly forgot that tomorrow is the Hoboken St. Patricks Day Parade, aka The Only Day When It Is Socially Acceptable To Vomit On The PATH At 2pm. Also, guess who’s not going anywhere near Hoboken tomorrow.</p>http://negevrockcity.com/post/428890997http://negevrockcity.com/post/428890997Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:46:00 -0500nycdrinking<img src="http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kyttxl7Sw21qa7g49o1_500.png"/><br/><br/>Note to people spoofing Arabic-alphabet signs: Make sure you use an actual Arab typeface instead of a bunch of isolated forms.<br/><br/>Best,<br/>Language Dude<p><a href="http://torahfied.tumblr.com/post/428811250/i-hope-this-was-made-for-lol-purposes" class="tumblr_blog" target="_blank">torahfied</a>:</p> <blockquote><p>I hope this was made for “lol” purposes …</p></blockquote>http://negevrockcity.com/post/428823188http://negevrockcity.com/post/428823188Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:00:03 -0500wtfpolitics<object width="400" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/GP1cjN3vNGM&rel=0&egm=0&showinfo=0&fs=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/GP1cjN3vNGM&rel=0&egm=0&showinfo=0&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" height="336" allowFullScreen="true" wmode="transparent"></embed></object><br/><br/><p>Leatherface - Razor Blades & Asprin<br/><br/>Posted in honor of tonight’s show…</p>http://negevrockcity.com/post/428657507http://negevrockcity.com/post/428657507Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:51:33 -0500musicvideos