May 21, 2012

Freedom Fighters Fighting

It’s like Peter piper picked peppers, freedom fighters fighting over who is a better freedom fighter.

I really do not believe in career “freedom fighters” who make a living out of their writings and appearances, usually this turns them into mercenaries, they say sometimes the end justifies the means, but when push comes to shove, no one likes the lime lights to be taken away from them.

You see, there is some good money talking BS, take Thomas or Maureen for example, other figures are trying to get some of that light to shine on them, and had they really had their hearts in the right place (with the oppressed) then you would think they wouldn’t care who took the credit as long as the world becomes a better place in the end.

The world keeps turning.

Apr 4, 2012

Lifestyles of the Rich and Ostentatious

Qusay News 6 Comments

Rich and ostentatious, it seems like two Saudis with nothing better to spend their money on, are in a competition to show who has a bigger… black American Express.

The first bought $60,000 Bottle of Champagne at The Tippler, in New York in March, the other splurged $136,000 on a bottle of champagne at Dubai’s glitzy Cavalli club.

The names were never mentioned, but being the one percent, they know who the other is, if the news is true, I am sure.

It is their money, and they can chose to spend it however they want, I will not get into that, had they not been Saudi, their names would’ve probably never made it to the news… except, spending that much on a bottle of bubbly, you want the world to know

However, no one will ever mention a particular issue… even though buying alcohol is forbidden, and wasting money, according to the Quran, makes a person a “brother to the devil”

But what do I know… If I ever struck it rich someday… I might get myself an iced grill… but for now, I’m just gonna brush my shoulders off.

Mar 17, 2012

Syria – One Year Later

Qusay Politics, World 3 Comments

I cannot believe it has been a year since the Syrians started their uprising, and I cannot believe how nothing is happening.

I have a very good friend who is from Homs, where most of the rioting is taking place and I cringe every time I hear anything about it in the news. I know he is well, And I hope he and his family and the rest of his country are all well.

It saddens me that the world (including me) are just looking like what’s happening is in a movie.

(source of picture: Rachel Roberts)

Jan 7, 2012

Abushaklak

Qusay Personal 0 Comment

Abu-Shaklak, an abbreviation of a yel3an abu-shaklak (damn the likes of you) which I find myself using way to often as I drive, and since I have a child in the car I have to keep the cussing to a minimum.

Now driving in Saudi is not for the faint hearted, and the drivers are reckless… Of course this has a bit of what George Carlin said “anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac” I will not exempt myself from that.

So with me, it goes like this, a guy cuts me off, abu shaklak… a guy cuts a red light, abu shaklak… a guy does not stop at a stop sign, abu shaklak… a guy opens the window and throws his rubbish out on the streets, abu shaklak… and so on.

So one day, I was driving with my son in the car, the road was clear and I was approaching a traffic light which was green, it turned yellow just as I was on the zebra, so I kept going, it turned red just as I finished crossing the intersection… all was cool… except that my son looked at me in bewilderment and all wide eyed and said… and I quote “Daddy! Now WE are abushaklak!”

All I could say was… yes we are… yes we are.

Dec 31, 2011

Goodbye 2011

Qusay Personal 0 Comment

What a long year 2011 has been, as I try to recall all the events that happened in it, I still cannot believe it all happened in one year, the global social tectonic plates shifted violently this year, and I am sure the aftershocks will continue to happen for a while.

I have not been away, but unfortunately some russian hackers injected some bad code into my blogs and redirected people to their website, it took me a looooong time to clean it all up, especially with how busy work and personal life has been lately.

So here’s to a year I will never forget, I just hope there are no more surprises… However, if the Mayans were right, then we have not seen the beginning of it.

Dec 4, 2011

Like a Virgin Driving For The Very First Time

Qusay Politics 5 Comments

I first read this as it spread through twitter, then it popped up on Facebook. It was first on the daily mail, then on the BBC.

While far fetched, and no release in Arabic of this news at the time of this post, and no names of who from the counsel approved and submitted the claims if women drive in Saudi “there will be no more virgins” and homosexuality will be rampant, I cannot buy it, something must have been lost in translation.

And the guy who says he was at a cafe in a neighboring country and a woman was checking him out, alright Muhannad, even Kanye with his ego is not that sure if a women was checking him out (link to song).

If this is true, then it would not be more far fetched then the WA Liberal MP who claims Australians are unknowingly being converted to Islam by eating Halal meat, in a speech addressed to the Australian Parliament nonetheless… I just wonder how those people make it all the way to the top like that, but then I remember George W. Bush and I get even more frustrated, oh well, it ain’t all good like Shaka khan sang with De La Soul, that’s the truth.

Oct 23, 2011

The Passing of Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz

Qusay News, Politics, Saudi 3 Comments

“It is with deep sorrow and grief that the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud mourns the loss of his brother and Crown Prince His Royal Highness Prince Sultan Abdulaziz Al Saud.” (source)

Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz passed away on October 22, 2011 in his mid-eighties, may he rest in peace. His passing is significant on the world scene because of his position as Crown Prince of the country which sits on more than a quarter of the world’s known oil reserves.

The issue of succession is raised again.

In Saudi (and the world), there is this fear, that the next inline would be more controlling or less controlling, more “religious” more “liberal”, more this, that or the other depending on who you talk to and what they would like to see. The rumors and so called “intelligence reports” about King Abdullah that were online back when he was crown prince, were nothing to be optimistic about, yet in reality, his impressive accomplishments are something most of us are proud of (I sure am, here, here and here as an example, and I don’t think I am alone in that).

Prince Sultan left behind him a legacy also, while some do question it, he was still a man that left an impression on the people, mostly due to his infectious smile and his generosity as I read from reports, and many on twitter on the day of his passing.

My memories of Prince Sultan are only that of passing by his palace in Jeddah on my way to school most of my schooling years, always wondering if he was there or not, now I know… he won’t be living there anymore.

Most Pictures are from alriyadh online newspaper, the last one is mine.