I was summoned for jury duty. It was the most boring experience ever, although I was not selected. Everybody I know assures me that I only need to open my mouth to be excluded by both sides. I took with me the autobiography of Shakib Arsalan (nicknamed Amir Al-Bayan). Why is this guy considered a liberal reformer? This guy advised Jamal Pasha and Anver Pasha, before AND after the hangings. And this book was not really an autobiography, and not even a memoirs. He writes about the history of the era but from his perspective. He told us about his childhood and education but only to share the praise of his teachers (he studied under some remarkable teachers, like Abdullah Bustani and later Muhammad `Abduh). He claims that he suggested to Egyptian poet, Ahmad Shawqi, to name his first Diwan, Shawqiyyat. Some people don't know that this Shakib Arsalan is the grandfather of Walid Jumblat (on his mother's side).