I was really looking forward to the new year especially since both the Hijri and Gregorian new year fall only within a couple of days of each other so it’s a new year both religiously and globally. But the crisis in Gaza has seriously put a damper on everything. Like they say on the world [...]
Entries from December 2008
December 24, 2008
Suicide in Saudi Arabia
What brought this to mind is that recently someone in my circle of acquaintances committed suicide. Attending the funeral, no one, not a single person used the term suicide. They would mention things that were so obvious like that the departed sat her older sister down just a few days before dying and told her that [...]
December 15, 2008
A picture that’s worth a thousand words
Yesterday during a press conference with Bush in Baghdad a journalist threw his shoes at Bush’s head. According to eyewitnesses, he stood up about 12 feet from Bush and shouted in Arabic: “This is a gift from the Iraqis; this is the farewell kiss, you dog!” He then threw a shoe at Bush, who ducked [...]
December 14, 2008
Somebody do something!
I came across this ad on expatriates.com offering a 2 year old girl for adoption. I called the local police station and they don’t answer and then I called the Ministry of Social Affairs and a man working in the orphanage department told me that he can’t do anything unless I send an official fax [...]
December 13, 2008
Foiled Kidnapping
Last week a five year old girl and her mother got a lucky break when a Saudi man, Ali Al Shammari, was able to rescue the girl from an attempted kidnapping. It all happened when the widowed mother went to a charity center to get a Eid holiday give-out. She had taken her daughter along. [...]
December 5, 2008
Prominent Saudis: Rania Al Baz
Rania Al Baz might be a prominent Saudi but is far from liked by Saudis. She used to work as a presenter on the Saudi national channel. In April 2004 she was seriously beaten up by her husband. After a photo of the aftermath was published in local media, sympathy came pouring in. Her hospital [...]
December 3, 2008
Making Light of Gender Discrimination
The Saudi woman cartoon: Please insert one riyal + a letter of permission from your male guardian authenticated by a stamp from his office of employment + 2 photocopies of the family registration card + a certificate of commendable conduct authenticated by the protection of fungal life association + an aerial photo of your house [...]
