Yes, it does, REALLY, happen!
When I saw this over coffee this morning, I kind of went, “Huh, I haven’t seen too many of these recently… Wonder if they just aren’t publishing them any more.” Well, the statistics shown answered my “huh,” for me. We’ve only had two beheadings so far this year as compared to eighty-three last year.
So, it’s no wonder then, that about once a week last year, these little blurbs would be in the paper – with eighty-three beheadings – that comes out to be 1.596 per week, or one one week, and two the next…
And yes, as I would see these published this past year – the paper would actually tell how many total executions had taken place to date – again, I remember kind of going, “Huh, I don’t remember seeing so many of these for last year.” And, that’s because there were only thirty-five beheadings in 2004 – that comes out to be only two-thirds of a person per week…
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Kids...
Yesterday was an incredibly busy day… We started out the day with our usual “morning outing,” but it was cut short because “The Boy” [our oldest “kid] did not want to wear his “Doggles,” yes, sunglasses for dogs – called Doggles – needed more for the dust than the sun… Poor little guy has terrible dust allergies – and where are we living? Yep, we’re living in what is probably the dustiest place in the World! [I’ll post a picture one of these days of The Boy with his “Doggles” on. He looks too cool for words with them on – unfortunately he doesn’t think so, and usually puts up quite a struggle about wearing them.] And, “The Baby,” well, she just wanted to play and romp – and chase the birds to the end of her leash – but she did not want to walk. She doesn’t have allergies, and hopefully never will, nor does she have a pair of Doggles – I will buy a pink or fuchsia pair for her when we go to the states next month.When we returned to the house, as we walked in, I decided it was high-time to finish a project that I started several months ago. That it was going to totally consume the entire rest of the day was not my intent. Sometime before we last left for vacation, in February, I got that awful “spring fever cleaning flu” and started weeding out “stuff” from closets that we just do not have room for. The closet under the stairs was so bad that safety equipment wasn’t an option if you opened the door. Hardhat, goggles [or The Boy’s doggles!], and steel-toed work boots were a requirement to prevent serious injury. Thankfully the “flu” didn’t last long, but while it did… So, after determining what “stuff” we didn’t really need any longer – why the heck we even bothered keeping it to begin or had it in the first place is beyond me – was put into boxes and neatly stacked against the living room wall. [Yeah, instead of keeping it out of sight in the closet, I decide to put it out in the open – so much more attractive this way – nothing like a bunch of overstuffed boxes to compliment any décor!]
At six-thirty yesterday morning I was taking pictures of the “stuff” and madly typing ads to post everything on the “For Sale” section of my husband’s company website. I had no sooner hit “send” to list the “stuff” when the phone started ringing and didn’t stop. The old answering machine was a hot commodity. It was sold immediately. And the make-up mirror – I can’t tell you how many calls I got for this. [More men called about this than women, and although I didn’t ask any of them on the telephone, I just presumed they were calling for some “female” relation. It was when the young man who bought the mirror was at our house when I asked him if it was for his wife – no it wasn’t, he said he wasn’t married – oh, girlfriend, then – nope, he said he didn’t have one, and no – when I asked him if it was for a sister, he said he had no sisters. Maybe for his mother – I didn’t ask about her. He certainly was a handsome young man, I’ll give him that, and perhaps he wanted this lighted, magnifying make-up mirror for his own use… We will never know.]
So, in all, out of several dozen phone calls, if not more, probably about a dozen men ended up coming to our house, and of course, ringing the doorbell – if you have four-legged “kids” then you know what happens when a doorbell rings… My “kids” get all excited – wildly racing to the door, back to me, to the door, back to me and to the door again – simultaneously announcing – The Boy with his deep loud bark, and The Baby with her sharp, high-pitched bark – that the doorbell rang [just in case I didn’t hear it] and someone is “out there!” The floor to ceiling window on one side of the entry-way allows for anyone outside to see “the kids” responsible for the commotion coming from the inside. By the time I am able to reach the door whoever it is that is there is usually backing up down the walkway so as to avoid what must be anticipated as an “attack” about to happen. [No doubt that along with the barking heard coming from the inside of our townhouse, I can be heard commanding in my “Mommy” voice, “Get back, nooo, get back!” This may better explain why visitors back up down the walkway – although I doubt it.]
It is both amazing and sad how four-legged “kids” are regarded in this Country, and that so many people are really, really afraid of them. Very, very few Saudi’s on our compound have dogs – oh, sure there are a few, and in a community such as this, that is not very big, where you are so confined – walled in – you really do get to “know” about everyone. No, I do not actually, personally know everyone, but one does get to know people by sight, or in my case, by who has “kids.” There may be more, but of the many Saudi families here, I can only come up with four that have “kids” that I personally am aware of, versus the many, many Western families that do. As for Saudi’s outside the compound? With regard to having dogs as pets, I believe it would be a pretty accurate guess that but for a small minority –Saudi households are unlikely to include members with names like Spot or Rover.
[More horrifying and pathetic than amazing and sad, is the popularity of dog-fighting, here. This barbaric spectator activity is something that I am passionate about – it incenses me beyond words. Truly, if there was “one” thing I could change here in The Kingdom, it would not be allowing women to drive or go “uncovered,” it would not be ending domestic help “abuse,” or fixing any other number of social injustices or ills. I would make dog-fighting more illegal than smuggling drugs, and beheading – maybe worse – if there can be such a thing – the punishment for any participant in this event!]
That so many are afraid of dogs here, is almost downright amusing. All of the men [not one woman!] who came to our house yesterday to either see an item I posted for sale, to try to bargain for an item, or to actually purchase the “stuff” I am getting rid of, refused to come in because of my “kids.” Needless to say, the “kids” spent the late morning and most of the afternoon being crated and uncrated. The Boy’s crate is a haven to him and he freely and willingly goes in and out. If The Boy is told to “go to your crate,” he [usually] will trot right off and head into his crate without any fuss. The Baby, on the other hand, who less than two months ago spent some twenty-two hours in her crate traveling from North Carolina to The Sandbox, associates absolutely nothing good with being confined in such a manner. There is no treat [piece of American cheese] or cookie you can give her that alleviates her displeasure and she is most vocal about it – crying and whining and barking until the door is opened and she again is free from the confines of what she must think is akin to a prison cell.
That a “kid” or “kids” could cause such fear is just something I must just have not realized or had a great deal of association with in the past. Even when, a couple times yesterday, my communication with these men was at the very least strained, that they were terrified of the “kids” was abjectly clear. From the very little I am able to ascertain, there is absolutely nothing un-Islamic about having a dog. And, although keeping a dog inside one’s home certainly wouldn’t be expected, according to this article, having a dog would be acceptable. That so few do, and that a dog or dogs are the cause of such verbal and visible emotion, here, was for me, something rather unexpected.
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Here's a First!
Well, okay, so maybe not THE very first, but the first I can recall seeing this, that the Minister of Labor has
There is, of course, the usual backlash, and the author of the article states,
Unfortunately, Nawal doesn’t really seem all to willing to give it that “old college try,” wanting the regulation to provide for “justice to be fully served” by the sponsorees for committing violations and harming sponsors, etc. According to Nawal,
And, the math you show us to back-up your facts, Nawal, is this “new math?” The math I learned is “old math” and this just doesn’t add up for someone from the “old school” who learned "old math."
You tell us that SR41* million is spent on recruitment “of house labor.” Then you tell us that Saudi families incur losses of “approximately” SR 38 million as a result “of the running away of maids,” but factoring into this is that “citizens are required to pay SR6,000 before a maid arrives.” [Yes, the “word” problems ARE the hardest, aren’t they!?!]
First we divide 41,000,000 by 6,000; this equals 6,833.33 maids imported per year. Now, divide 38,000,000 by 6,000; this equals 6,333.33 maids. Using “new math” this means that of the 6,833.33 maids that come here to work 6,333.33 run away.
This leaves ONLY 500 maids – or sponsorees – who remain with their sponsors – that don’t run away. Nawal, you are right. If there are ONLY 500 maids that are not abused, that are paid, and that are content to stay with their sponsors, this really IS a HUGE problem – certainly a much, much larger problem than I ever imagined!
Gratefully, you’ve clarified a part of the problem for us by telling us that,
Nawal sums it all up – perfectly – wrapped in a pretty little package and tied with a bow – by finally – finally – answering for us that ever-nagging, age-old question as to whether the chicken or the egg came first – and states,
*SR = Saudi Riyals
SR41,000,000 = $10,991,957.10 [U.S. Dollars]
SR38,000,000 = $10,187,667.56 [U.S. Dollars]
SR6,000 = $1,608.57 [U.S. Dollars]
“. . . issued a decision to deny a Saudi woman, accused of abusing her sponsoree, the right to recruit a replacement.”
“It is indeed a commendable thing that the Minister of Labor has started implementing the new disciplines for recruitment of house help.”
“The new regulation protects all the financial and humanitarian aspects, foremost ascertaining a family’s actual need for house help and that a Saudi recruiter will indeed be able to financially afford and HENCE PAY the wages of these house workers.”[Emphasis added, is mine.]
“Moreover, any case of abuse towards these helpers will be referred to security authorities and to the regions’ emirates, the violators will then be denied the right to recruit any other help and will also be required to pay the travel expenses of their sponsorees.”This is ALL good. Someone truly does have the welfare of these imported domestic helpers in their sights and is actually willing to put into practice AND enforce new regulations.
There is, of course, the usual backlash, and the author of the article states,
“I would have very much liked for the new regulation to give Saudi sponsors rights.”You, see, Nawal [I do not know if this is a man or a woman], therein lies what has been the problem up until now. The sponsors had all the rights and the sponsorees had none. That the sponsors have lost the “right” to abuse their sponsorees doesn’t mean that the sponsors no longer have “rights.” Nawal also believes that the new regulation
“should have stipulated strict sanctions against all those who on the other hand commit violations against their sponsor, or harm them, or commit a crime, or run away before the legal contract period lapses.”Here’s an idea, Nawal – why doesn’t everyone give the new regulation “a good old college try” and see how it works by not abusing the sponsorees. I’m willing to go out on a limb here and bet that if the sponsorees are not abused and are paid their wages [on a timely basis] that they won’t react with committing violations against their sponsors, they won’t want to harm them, and they won’t need to commit crimes [in order to merely exist and survive]. If this works out and everyone seems to be “living happily ever after” probably a whole lot fewer sponsorees are going to want to be running away.
Unfortunately, Nawal doesn’t really seem all to willing to give it that “old college try,” wanting the regulation to provide for “justice to be fully served” by the sponsorees for committing violations and harming sponsors, etc. According to Nawal,
“The problem with these disciplines is that they have failed so far to solve the issue of the runaway house help, who once they reach the country use the first chance they get to run away.”Probably this does occur, occasionally, but I, for one, would be hard-pressed to believe it happens as frequently as Nawal would like for us to imagine it does.
And, the math you show us to back-up your facts, Nawal, is this “new math?” The math I learned is “old math” and this just doesn’t add up for someone from the “old school” who learned "old math."
You tell us that SR41* million is spent on recruitment “of house labor.” Then you tell us that Saudi families incur losses of “approximately” SR 38 million as a result “of the running away of maids,” but factoring into this is that “citizens are required to pay SR6,000 before a maid arrives.” [Yes, the “word” problems ARE the hardest, aren’t they!?!]
First we divide 41,000,000 by 6,000; this equals 6,833.33 maids imported per year. Now, divide 38,000,000 by 6,000; this equals 6,333.33 maids. Using “new math” this means that of the 6,833.33 maids that come here to work 6,333.33 run away.
This leaves ONLY 500 maids – or sponsorees – who remain with their sponsors – that don’t run away. Nawal, you are right. If there are ONLY 500 maids that are not abused, that are paid, and that are content to stay with their sponsors, this really IS a HUGE problem – certainly a much, much larger problem than I ever imagined!
Gratefully, you’ve clarified a part of the problem for us by telling us that,
“It is a known fact that gangs were formed to recruit the services of these runaway maids for higher salaries, particularly in Ramadan and the holiday seasons.”Then Nawal says that
“Recruitment of labor has risen by 14 percent even though the new regulation is now enforced.”If I use Nawal’s “new math” these gangs now have an additional 95.66 maids to lure away from their sponsors. And, this, irrespective of the fact that sponsors have lost the right to abuse the sponsorees. Hmmph. Who knew…
Nawal sums it all up – perfectly – wrapped in a pretty little package and tied with a bow – by finally – finally – answering for us that ever-nagging, age-old question as to whether the chicken or the egg came first – and states,
Why not, indeed…“As for why some maids run away, that is simple to answer, why not?”
*SR = Saudi Riyals
SR41,000,000 = $10,991,957.10 [U.S. Dollars]
SR38,000,000 = $10,187,667.56 [U.S. Dollars]
SR6,000 = $1,608.57 [U.S. Dollars]
Saturday, June 10, 2006
The Dreaded Saudi Spread
They say it happens to everyone – well – every woman, that is. You come to this part of the world, you have a whole new lifestyle, and you are going to gain weight. They tell you twenty pounds. I thought I was immune. It didn’t happen the first year, and it didn’t happen the second year. But this past year…
I know how it happens. Wearing an abeyah is not conducive to keeping a “trim” figure. You’ve got a damn tent on – it is free flowing and loose – underneath you can wear whatever you want – bike shorts, sweat pants – comfortable clothes. You never even realize that you’re adding additional pounds and inches to your frame until it is too late and they are both firmly – or not so firmly – as the case may be, affixed to your tummy, butt and thighs…
The lifestyle differences between here and “there” do not work in your favor. If you worked before – and thus expended hundreds of calories running around like a maniac doing the nine to five thing, along with taking care of your house, doing your own errands, cooking, laundry, etc., you probably aren’t doing that any longer. Oh, sure a few of the “wives” work, mostly part-time, what they call “casual” employment. Very, very few married women – who are not local – have a full-time job where I am.
It is more likely than not, that not only are you not working, but you are not cleaning your own house. I do not know anyone that doesn’t have household help – no one! I know I’ve not plugged our vacuum in since August of 2003. I’m not quite sure where our vacuum is kept at this point. I know we have one, we brought it with us, and I hear it every day, I just don’t know where it is. I’ve not even considered cleaning a bathroom, and we have three. This is another one of those “things” I’ll never quite understand here – we’ve got a small townhouse – it is just my husband and me, and of course, the two four legged “kids,” but we have three full bathrooms. Why? [For when you are entertaining twenty people – this way, there’s never a line? I don’t know. Just a guess.] I didn’t have that many full bathrooms in our house in the States and that had four bedrooms! Thank goodness. I mean, really, who wants to be cleaning all those bathrooms. Not me.
Here, you spend a great deal of time entertaining – or if you aren’t entertaining – you are being entertained. And in this regard, everyone tries to “one up” the other by going all out. It’s not like we didn’t entertain in the States, we did, but not nearly to the extent that we do here. I mean, really, what else are you going to do with all your free time? It’s not as if you can go to the movies – there are no movie theaters in The Kingdom. You certainly can’t go out to a nightclub dancing and drinking. There are none of those, here, either. [Any dancing lessons offered, privately, are called “Rhythmic Motion” or “Team Exercise” classes.] And, I mean entertaining to the extent that women get together in large groups for sit-down breakfasts! I haven’t actually hosted one of these, but I know my time is coming. I’ve been invited to far too many to not have one, so I guess, one of these days, soon… I’ve done brunch – doesn’t that count?
The “good dishes” that I used to use, which were perfect in the States for crowds of twelve or less, are now our everyday dishes, because here, I needed service for twenty. Yes, you entertain, and if you’re going to do it, you may as well do a crowd. And, besides, you have your household help to help you prepare, help you serve, and then clean up. Entertaining here in The Kingdom is a breeze! It is never just a “come for burgers on the grill,” type of situation. Oh, sure, you can do the “burgers on the grill,” but along with that you need barbequed chicken, a tray of some pasta – may as well make it stuffed shells or something equally yummy and caloric – salad, yes, and always more than one – an assortment of different vegetables – and desert. What meal is complete without desert? [I only just got off the phone, minutes ago, after deciding that the “entertainment” this coming Thursday evening will take place at our house. I’ll let you know what the menu is as soon as I’ve decided…]
It is truly serious entertaining on a very, very regular basis. Count on being invited somewhere at least once, and usually twice, a week – which means that you must then reciprocate [and I am, on Thursday]. I don’t have a problem with this, really, in that it is social, and it is fun, but geez… It becomes a never-ending cycle, and it really is just another full, sit-down meal of roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, sunshine carrots [umm, really, really good!], and chocolate cake. I may as well just cut slits in my hips and put a slice of lemon pound cake in each!
It’s easier to keep the additional inches from accumulating in the winter. You can be outside. It is most pleasant then, weather-wise. It is over a hundred degrees every day now, and up until this past week, the humidity made it almost unbearable to be outside. Thankfully the humidity has subsided and it is much, much nicer out, but still, it is pushing a hundred degrees by nine o’clock every morning. It will get much warmer, much, much warmer… Hardly weather that makes you want to grab your tennis racquet and head for the courts, or lace up those running shoes. I have a hard enough time dragging myself outside at 5:30 in the morning to walk the “kids” for an hour. And it has to be done then – or it’s just too damn hot for all of us! Today we actually left earlier than that. It is starting to get light outside much earlier, and in the next couple of weeks, the sun will rise around 4:30AM. You may as well get up and take advantage of that short opportunity when you can be outside or it will pass by you and you will be inside, in the air-conditioning either entertaining, or preparing to entertain.
So, now, I’m faced with either losing twenty pounds in three and a half weeks, before we go on vacation, again, or wearing my abeyah as I traipse through Savannah, Buffalo, Washington and Raleigh... Choices. Life is all about choices. There’s “Atkins,” and there’s liposuction. Hmmm…
I know how it happens. Wearing an abeyah is not conducive to keeping a “trim” figure. You’ve got a damn tent on – it is free flowing and loose – underneath you can wear whatever you want – bike shorts, sweat pants – comfortable clothes. You never even realize that you’re adding additional pounds and inches to your frame until it is too late and they are both firmly – or not so firmly – as the case may be, affixed to your tummy, butt and thighs…
The lifestyle differences between here and “there” do not work in your favor. If you worked before – and thus expended hundreds of calories running around like a maniac doing the nine to five thing, along with taking care of your house, doing your own errands, cooking, laundry, etc., you probably aren’t doing that any longer. Oh, sure a few of the “wives” work, mostly part-time, what they call “casual” employment. Very, very few married women – who are not local – have a full-time job where I am.
It is more likely than not, that not only are you not working, but you are not cleaning your own house. I do not know anyone that doesn’t have household help – no one! I know I’ve not plugged our vacuum in since August of 2003. I’m not quite sure where our vacuum is kept at this point. I know we have one, we brought it with us, and I hear it every day, I just don’t know where it is. I’ve not even considered cleaning a bathroom, and we have three. This is another one of those “things” I’ll never quite understand here – we’ve got a small townhouse – it is just my husband and me, and of course, the two four legged “kids,” but we have three full bathrooms. Why? [For when you are entertaining twenty people – this way, there’s never a line? I don’t know. Just a guess.] I didn’t have that many full bathrooms in our house in the States and that had four bedrooms! Thank goodness. I mean, really, who wants to be cleaning all those bathrooms. Not me.
Here, you spend a great deal of time entertaining – or if you aren’t entertaining – you are being entertained. And in this regard, everyone tries to “one up” the other by going all out. It’s not like we didn’t entertain in the States, we did, but not nearly to the extent that we do here. I mean, really, what else are you going to do with all your free time? It’s not as if you can go to the movies – there are no movie theaters in The Kingdom. You certainly can’t go out to a nightclub dancing and drinking. There are none of those, here, either. [Any dancing lessons offered, privately, are called “Rhythmic Motion” or “Team Exercise” classes.] And, I mean entertaining to the extent that women get together in large groups for sit-down breakfasts! I haven’t actually hosted one of these, but I know my time is coming. I’ve been invited to far too many to not have one, so I guess, one of these days, soon… I’ve done brunch – doesn’t that count?
The “good dishes” that I used to use, which were perfect in the States for crowds of twelve or less, are now our everyday dishes, because here, I needed service for twenty. Yes, you entertain, and if you’re going to do it, you may as well do a crowd. And, besides, you have your household help to help you prepare, help you serve, and then clean up. Entertaining here in The Kingdom is a breeze! It is never just a “come for burgers on the grill,” type of situation. Oh, sure, you can do the “burgers on the grill,” but along with that you need barbequed chicken, a tray of some pasta – may as well make it stuffed shells or something equally yummy and caloric – salad, yes, and always more than one – an assortment of different vegetables – and desert. What meal is complete without desert? [I only just got off the phone, minutes ago, after deciding that the “entertainment” this coming Thursday evening will take place at our house. I’ll let you know what the menu is as soon as I’ve decided…]
It is truly serious entertaining on a very, very regular basis. Count on being invited somewhere at least once, and usually twice, a week – which means that you must then reciprocate [and I am, on Thursday]. I don’t have a problem with this, really, in that it is social, and it is fun, but geez… It becomes a never-ending cycle, and it really is just another full, sit-down meal of roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, sunshine carrots [umm, really, really good!], and chocolate cake. I may as well just cut slits in my hips and put a slice of lemon pound cake in each!
It’s easier to keep the additional inches from accumulating in the winter. You can be outside. It is most pleasant then, weather-wise. It is over a hundred degrees every day now, and up until this past week, the humidity made it almost unbearable to be outside. Thankfully the humidity has subsided and it is much, much nicer out, but still, it is pushing a hundred degrees by nine o’clock every morning. It will get much warmer, much, much warmer… Hardly weather that makes you want to grab your tennis racquet and head for the courts, or lace up those running shoes. I have a hard enough time dragging myself outside at 5:30 in the morning to walk the “kids” for an hour. And it has to be done then – or it’s just too damn hot for all of us! Today we actually left earlier than that. It is starting to get light outside much earlier, and in the next couple of weeks, the sun will rise around 4:30AM. You may as well get up and take advantage of that short opportunity when you can be outside or it will pass by you and you will be inside, in the air-conditioning either entertaining, or preparing to entertain.
So, now, I’m faced with either losing twenty pounds in three and a half weeks, before we go on vacation, again, or wearing my abeyah as I traipse through Savannah, Buffalo, Washington and Raleigh... Choices. Life is all about choices. There’s “Atkins,” and there’s liposuction. Hmmm…
There is Good
It would be unfair to only, always, point out the “bad” in The Kingdom. There, truly, is some “good” as well. Okay, maybe the “bad” seems to more often than not outweigh the “good.” Regardless, the “good” should not go unmentioned or unnoticed.
This past weekend a couple of Saudi Youths rescued an ex-patriot who had been seriously injured and left for dead by an errant cab driver. The story goes that Parameshwaran Nair, who lost his arm in an industrial accident [rock-crushing machine] years ago, got into a taxi to go to work. When Mr. Nair went to pay his fare, the cabbie tried to snatch his wallet. Mr. Nair resisted, whereupon the driver pulled out an iron rod and smashed Mr. Nair’s leg “to a pulp,” and then dumped him on the roadside. Mr. Nair says that some Saudi youths found him lying unconscious under the blazing sun and took him to the hospital. To these heroes who happened upon Mr. Nair and provided assistance, kudos to you!!!
We, too, have experienced “good,” in Saudi youth. Last summer, as we were headed to Bahrain in what had to be record-breaking heat [is there such a thing, here, in Saudi?] and record-breaking traffic, we were forced to sit and inch along the causeway waiting to do the requisite “exit” from Saudi to Bahrain and go through customs. The temperature needle of our Land Rover just kept crawling up and up and up, toward the “red,” and we were trying to keep the air conditioning going at only the bare minimum so as to prevent the truck from overheating and prevent us from suffering heatstroke.
As we sat, uncomfortably squirming in the heat and our own sweat, two young men dressed in “thuggish” looking outfits [the “way too big” pants, and “way to big” tee-shirts that you see on teenagers at the malls in the States] approached our truck. I looked at my husband and said, “Honey, lock the doors.” One of the young men tapped on the window and my husband gingerly pushed the button to put the window down but just a couple of inches and said, “Yes?” In unison the young men told my husband that our radiator was over-heating and spewing its contents onto the ground under our truck.
I felt terrible that my first reaction had been “Honey, lock the doors” when all they wanted to do was help. Not only did these two young men point out a problem –but after making us aware of it - they went off in search of water to fill our radiator! While they were gone, several other [Saudi, or Arab-looking, anyway] men came to see if they could offer assistance – young and old alike – and offered water to us from their own drinking supplies. It was really quite impressive how many stopped and literally got out of their vehicles to assist us. [And it is worth noting, that not ONE single Westerner even bothered to look at us in our predicament, there on the Causeway, as they passed us!] I know we thanked every one of you who stopped and offered water or assistance, but the two young men who originally approached our vehicle were gone before adequate thanks could be proffered. So, belatedly, many thanks, Guys!!!
This past weekend a couple of Saudi Youths rescued an ex-patriot who had been seriously injured and left for dead by an errant cab driver. The story goes that Parameshwaran Nair, who lost his arm in an industrial accident [rock-crushing machine] years ago, got into a taxi to go to work. When Mr. Nair went to pay his fare, the cabbie tried to snatch his wallet. Mr. Nair resisted, whereupon the driver pulled out an iron rod and smashed Mr. Nair’s leg “to a pulp,” and then dumped him on the roadside. Mr. Nair says that some Saudi youths found him lying unconscious under the blazing sun and took him to the hospital. To these heroes who happened upon Mr. Nair and provided assistance, kudos to you!!!
We, too, have experienced “good,” in Saudi youth. Last summer, as we were headed to Bahrain in what had to be record-breaking heat [is there such a thing, here, in Saudi?] and record-breaking traffic, we were forced to sit and inch along the causeway waiting to do the requisite “exit” from Saudi to Bahrain and go through customs. The temperature needle of our Land Rover just kept crawling up and up and up, toward the “red,” and we were trying to keep the air conditioning going at only the bare minimum so as to prevent the truck from overheating and prevent us from suffering heatstroke.
As we sat, uncomfortably squirming in the heat and our own sweat, two young men dressed in “thuggish” looking outfits [the “way too big” pants, and “way to big” tee-shirts that you see on teenagers at the malls in the States] approached our truck. I looked at my husband and said, “Honey, lock the doors.” One of the young men tapped on the window and my husband gingerly pushed the button to put the window down but just a couple of inches and said, “Yes?” In unison the young men told my husband that our radiator was over-heating and spewing its contents onto the ground under our truck.
I felt terrible that my first reaction had been “Honey, lock the doors” when all they wanted to do was help. Not only did these two young men point out a problem –but after making us aware of it - they went off in search of water to fill our radiator! While they were gone, several other [Saudi, or Arab-looking, anyway] men came to see if they could offer assistance – young and old alike – and offered water to us from their own drinking supplies. It was really quite impressive how many stopped and literally got out of their vehicles to assist us. [And it is worth noting, that not ONE single Westerner even bothered to look at us in our predicament, there on the Causeway, as they passed us!] I know we thanked every one of you who stopped and offered water or assistance, but the two young men who originally approached our vehicle were gone before adequate thanks could be proffered. So, belatedly, many thanks, Guys!!!
Friday, June 09, 2006
Rape Unsimilarity
Surely you are familiar with the “Duke Rape Case,” it would be about impossible not to be. Maybe you’ve not followed every detail and do not know all of the specifics, but you probably know that there was an alleged rape that involved some Duke Lacrosse Team players. I have followed it only because Duke is in the city of Durham, where I worked at a personal injury law-firm in my last life, the one I had before moving to the Middle East. The case is about an “exotic dancer” who alleged, originally, that twenty members of the Duke Lacrosse team raped her on the night in question when the Lacrosse Team threw a party and hired the alleged victim and another young lady to dance for them. The story was later “changed,” and now the victim alleges that only three of the members of this team raped her. If you are that interested in keeping up-to-date with this saga, LaShawn Barber has covered it from day one and she’s done the best damn good job of anyone in doing so! Durham’s local paper, The Herald Sun also covers some aspect of this case on an almost daily basis.
There is a fairly recent rape case here in Saudi where seven men have been arrested for gang raping a woman in Riyadh. Okay, so the Duke case, now involves only three men – but originally it was twenty. The “similarity” between the Duke rape and this rape is that the rapes involved multiple “rapists.” The biggest glaring difference between the two cases, one of two “unsimilarities,” is that fact that while the victim in the Duke rape case has been shrouded in secrecy – no one – outside the Duke Lacrosse Team, Kim Roberts Pittman [the second “exotic dancer”], a few medical professionals and the Durham authorities [Police Department personnel and the Durham County Attorney’s office] knows who this alleged victim is. In the case, here, not only has the victim been identified by name, as has her husband, but a 4” X 8” color photograph of the victim was printed with only her eyes blacked out.
The other “unsimilarity,” is that in the Duke case all three young men involved have been identified – their names, ages, addresses, family incomes, outside interests, college majors, high-school records, previous criminal records, kindergarten behavior, bicycle colors, etc., have been displayed for all the world to see. Here, however, the rapist’s names have not been provided to us, and any other information that would typically be given, specifically the nationality of the rapists, is left out. This other glaring omission, that the nationality of the seven rapists has not been specified, did not go unnoticed. Today’s Arab News has three Letters to the Editor, the authors of which all zoned in on what isn’t there.
There is a fairly recent rape case here in Saudi where seven men have been arrested for gang raping a woman in Riyadh. Okay, so the Duke case, now involves only three men – but originally it was twenty. The “similarity” between the Duke rape and this rape is that the rapes involved multiple “rapists.” The biggest glaring difference between the two cases, one of two “unsimilarities,” is that fact that while the victim in the Duke rape case has been shrouded in secrecy – no one – outside the Duke Lacrosse Team, Kim Roberts Pittman [the second “exotic dancer”], a few medical professionals and the Durham authorities [Police Department personnel and the Durham County Attorney’s office] knows who this alleged victim is. In the case, here, not only has the victim been identified by name, as has her husband, but a 4” X 8” color photograph of the victim was printed with only her eyes blacked out.
The other “unsimilarity,” is that in the Duke case all three young men involved have been identified – their names, ages, addresses, family incomes, outside interests, college majors, high-school records, previous criminal records, kindergarten behavior, bicycle colors, etc., have been displayed for all the world to see. Here, however, the rapist’s names have not been provided to us, and any other information that would typically be given, specifically the nationality of the rapists, is left out. This other glaring omission, that the nationality of the seven rapists has not been specified, did not go unnoticed. Today’s Arab News has three Letters to the Editor, the authors of which all zoned in on what isn’t there.
Another Maid Abused
This poor Indonesian woman was dumped in front of a hospital, in an unconscious state, after being burned and beaten by her employer. The police say that her employer thought she was dead. She was covered in cuts and bruises, had fractures, head injuries and was suffering from internal bleeding. The article in today’s Arab News, says “the maid gave no indications why she was beaten in such a way. Police are currently investigating the case.” Another case of abuse that was investigated by the police comes to mind, Nour Miyati. If you are not familiar with Nour, this is but just a sampling of the articles her case generated.
I suspect the “maid saga” in some way, shape or form, will continue to be an issue for many years to come. Sad, but true. However, the “blame” for the situation cannot be put squarely on the shoulders of this Country, or any of the other Gulf countries where domestic help is considered to be a necessity versus a luxury. The countries from which the domestic help is imported must make drastic changes to their own dire economic conditions to prevent these people from having to seek the mere means of survival somewhere else.
Update: Today, the man who dumped this maid admits to doing so and offers an answer to the question “why.” It will be interesting to see how this plays out, and whether or not charges will eventually be brought against the maid, calling for punishment more severe than her employer’s.
I suspect the “maid saga” in some way, shape or form, will continue to be an issue for many years to come. Sad, but true. However, the “blame” for the situation cannot be put squarely on the shoulders of this Country, or any of the other Gulf countries where domestic help is considered to be a necessity versus a luxury. The countries from which the domestic help is imported must make drastic changes to their own dire economic conditions to prevent these people from having to seek the mere means of survival somewhere else.
Update: Today, the man who dumped this maid admits to doing so and offers an answer to the question “why.” It will be interesting to see how this plays out, and whether or not charges will eventually be brought against the maid, calling for punishment more severe than her employer’s.
Which Wine to Order
Life in The Kingdom has certainly provided a more simplistic way to decide which wine should be ordered at dinner. None. You’ll have to have a Diet Coke or tea or water, instead. [Diet Coke is not called “Diet Coke,” here. It is called “Coke Light.” Ditto for Pepsi.] Trying to be appreciative for the “small favors” bestowed upon one in a foreign land, as I was reading this little blurb about restaurants being fined for selling rotted fish, I couldn’t help but think, “well at least knowing which wine goes best” isn’t a problem.
Exercise in Futility
I tried, and tried, and tried… No less than a half dozen times yesterday I tried to log on to post a couple of items. I kept getting this:
Network Error (tcp_error)
A communication error occurred: ""
The Web Server may be down, too busy, or experiencing other problems preventing it from responding to requests. You may wish to try again at a later time.
For assistance, contact your network support team.
I could not help but think of the many warnings I’ve received from friends and other bloggers that my Blog could, and likely would, be short-lived, through no fault of my own. Should my Blog come to an end due to circumstances completely out of my control, I like Saudi Eve's viewpoint:
Network Error (tcp_error)
A communication error occurred: ""
The Web Server may be down, too busy, or experiencing other problems preventing it from responding to requests. You may wish to try again at a later time.
For assistance, contact your network support team.
I could not help but think of the many warnings I’ve received from friends and other bloggers that my Blog could, and likely would, be short-lived, through no fault of my own. Should my Blog come to an end due to circumstances completely out of my control, I like Saudi Eve's viewpoint:
What happens when a site gets singled out and blocked in Saudi?It gets more hits than it ever did.(Remember; there's no such thing as bad publicity)So, if you spent any time wondering why there was nothing new here, suffice it to say that my stilettos were stuck in the sand.
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
What is “domestic help” abuse
This article "Punishment is OK, But..." can’t go without comment. Sorry. Well, not sorry in the “true” sense of the word, but, it’s THESE types of articles that make me want to just grab someone – let’s start with the author – by the throat and start shaking them. What? Are you for real? WTF is wrong with you?!? Let’s assume, for the purpose of me ripping this person’s viewpoint to shreds, that “Haya” is a woman. Sounds like a woman’s name to me.
Haya begins by saying that she respects the Ministry of Labor’s decision to ban citizens found to abuse their maids and drivers from employing domestic workers. We’re both on the same page, so far. We’re not very far down the page, but we’re on the same page. This, however, is where Haya loses me – and we’re only on the very first paragraph! Haya “just wish[es] the ministry would identify the types of abuse such workers suffer so that others can learn and realize that maids and drivers are human beings with rights as well as needs.” Haya, if the Ministry doesn’t identify “the types of abuse” for you, does this mean that you think it is probably okay to beat them with a stick? Not pay them? Force them to work to 140 hours a week? Not let them eat? Chain them up so they can’t “escape?” What, Haya, would constitute abuse in your simple little mind? And, did you not ever think that they were “human beings” to begin with? They are not animals [let’s not even go here!], but they are not robots or clones, either. Do you think that just because they are imported from another country that, unlike you, they wouldn’t have any needs? As far as “rights,” well, this is an issue that I don’t think many employers of domestic help will ever be able to rationalize, so for time and length’s sake, we’ll pass over this, too.
Haya next says that she thinks that the ministry should “support” these employers in cases where “they suffer financial loss or any other harm by the misbehavior of employees or agencies.” But of course. As if the scales of justice weren’t tilted in favor of the “employer” over the “employee” so badly, now, that they about topple over now, let’s just throw the damn “scale” over on its side and get it over with then.
She substantiates this by saying, “when a maidservant [her word, not mine] or driver runs away from a household, no one reimburses the employer for the financial losses.” Haya continues to whine about how the employer might have to give the employee a travel ticket, blah, blah, blah. And, then, says, “There are many problems associated with drivers. Sometimes the police arrest them after car accidents, which often lead to paying…” Haya, honey, if this is a concern of yours – don’t get a driver. Take a cab. The only place you need to go anyway is the mall and your husband can take you on the weekend or when he gets home from work at night. And, until someone, here, does something about the driving, your chances of getting in an accident are better than not. But, for you to be concerned about the driver getting arrested, Haya, well – this isn’t the attitude I expect from you – so far you didn’t know that these workers were human beings or that they had rights and needs – why are you worried about a driver being arrested? Ahh, of course. It will cost somebody something. Here’s an idea: Since you’ve withheld this person’s pay for the last three or four years, why don’t you use that money to pay the fine? Surely you aren’t concerned about this person languishing in jail… And let’s just for a minute, take a look at why it is that the driver got arrested to begin with. Three words: He’s a foreigner. Everybody knows that only foreigners ever get arrested – they are the only ones ever at fault! It’s never a “local’s” fault! [Forgive me for even thinking so.] We’re still only on this third paragraph, and Haya has about exasperated me! She says, “The running away of employees is a growing and serious problem.” Yes, Haya, it is. The employees are wising up just a bit and realizing that they truly are human beings with rights and needs and that you can no longer abuse them – work them to the bone – lock your food up so they can’t eat – lock them up so they can’t get to the food – and NOT pay them! Goodness gracious. Why would anyone want to flee a situation as idyllic as that? Haya thinks it would be best if “rules and regulations were put into place that punish perpetrators [she is referring to the runaway maids and drivers, here, not the employers!] of such misdeeds.
I honestly don’t know if I can continue with this or not. It is just too unbelievable to me that there has been space in the paper allocated for this article where a large advertisement for our “World’s Largest Hypermarket” could be. I do believe I would much rather know how much a kilogram of carrots costs this week than read what Haya has to say. Certainly the advertisement would be a much more judicious use of newsprint.
Haya says that “we need to protect the rights of domestic employees; especially because some people abuse them by not paying them, overworking them day and night, physically attacking them and forcing them to work in different homes in a single day to collect salaries from different sources. Some people want servants to do multi-role[s] simultaneously as nannies, cooks and maids. I imagine such people are in the minority because in general Saudis by nature are soft and kind.” [You see why I wasn’t sure I could continue?] Haya, in the first paragraph of this article you didn’t know what “abuse” was. And, here, really I’m not quite sure if she believes this is abuse or not. Her last sentence, “I imagine such people are a minority…” She is probably correct. I doubt there are too many more “people” that are abusing their domestic help any more than what is stated here. How could they? I mean, really, what else could they possibly do to them? Amazing that she believes that some of this domestic help should do multiple jobs, i.e., nannies, cooks and maids. Speaking only for me, but when I grew up this was called “my Mother.” When I had my one and only son, it was “me.” I was THE nanny, THE cook and THE maid! [And I worked a full-time job, too!] The very last sentence, where it says, “… by nature are soft and kind.” They are soft, alright. Soft, as in dim, pathetic…
“Problems with employment are increasing and solutions are not forthcoming. There is a necessity to protect different involved parties, especially the citizen who spends an average of SR7,000 to SR8,000 to recruit a domestic servant or driver, an amount that is almost double the salary of a middle class Saudi [this IS monthly salary, not yearly]. So when a maidservant runs away people suffer financially.” Haya, if your income is only SR7,000 to SR8,000 a year, you CANNOT afford domestic help! You don’t have any extra money, so why would you employ a driver to take you to the mall where you can’t afford to buy anything?!? What, then, exactly are you doing with your time while the “maidservant” is cleaning, cooking and tending to your children???
Haya “assumes the implementation of a fingerprint system has become compulsory for the safety of all. This is especially the case since many maids are forced to leave the Kingdom because of acts of crime, immorality and even jeopardizing children’s safety.” [Yes, and they join gangs and take part in sorcery, the females “have babies on the streets” and they create “smelly areas.”] Well, Haya, if these people were given a decent wage, they probably wouldn't have to resort to any crime – hell, never mind given a decent wage! How about just paying them the measly wage you promised them!?! And, at some future point, I will address some of the other aspects of crime – I touched on it ever so briefly with the “supply and demand” theory, yesterday. I am, however, convinced that if all of the husbands of these women who are home abusing “maidservants” and “drivers” weren’t so busy with the other runaway maids that are involved in “immorality,” then there wouldn’t be any immorality! [For goodness sake, you’re allowed more than one wife! And that’s not enough for you? You have to find runaway maids to serve your needs on top of several wives? {Yeah, okay, maybe not the best choice of wording there.}] As far as jeopardizing children’s safety – let’s save this one for another time, also.
“I believe that it is every citizen’s right to protect himself and his wealth, which are being wasted in the employment of such people.” Once again, Haya, and I don’t know how many times I need to explain this to you, if you didn’t have this help, you wouldn’t be “wasting” your money. And, with a salary as you earlier stated, you need to be doing everything you can to protect your wealth. Oh, wait, you are. You don’t pay the help! Well, then, how can the money be wasted? And, Haya, as to “How can an employee return to the Kingdom after being forced out because of criminal convictions, immoral behavior and child abuse?” Oh, I don’t know, let’s just venture to guess that maybe there’s a bit of a pay-off system taking place. The same pay-off system that is used when people like you, as the “employer” are NOT supposed to be able to hire other household help after you’ve been caught abusing the help you had prior. Silly me – we have to wait to have “abuse” defined for us.
“Saudi citizens must be protected from cracks in the system so they don’t continue recruiting more maids each year because the last one ran away and others rebelled after arriving only three months ago.” Haya, I can’t take it anymore! You just don’t get it. And, apparently you never will. This is like a friggin’ hamster wheel! The system is one that will continue in one big never-ending cycle until the end of time here. No sense trying to explain to some people. It is just a waste of time. There is a bit more to the article. Let me know what you think.
It is probably a very, very good thing that I am virtually locked in a gilded cage – locked in! I hate to think how I might conduct myself if ever given the opportunity to confront one of these women and use all my might to make them see the light of day.
[I get this mental picture of a woman lying face down on the ground – no, not me – with another woman pinning the woman on the ground down – that would be me – holding on to the hair of the pinned down woman’s head, slamming it back and forth, back and forth, into the pavement, muttering through clenched teeth, “how can you NOT understand this, WHAT the FUCK is wrong with YOU?!?” over and over and over again… Ahh, now that’s idyllic…]
Haya begins by saying that she respects the Ministry of Labor’s decision to ban citizens found to abuse their maids and drivers from employing domestic workers. We’re both on the same page, so far. We’re not very far down the page, but we’re on the same page. This, however, is where Haya loses me – and we’re only on the very first paragraph! Haya “just wish[es] the ministry would identify the types of abuse such workers suffer so that others can learn and realize that maids and drivers are human beings with rights as well as needs.” Haya, if the Ministry doesn’t identify “the types of abuse” for you, does this mean that you think it is probably okay to beat them with a stick? Not pay them? Force them to work to 140 hours a week? Not let them eat? Chain them up so they can’t “escape?” What, Haya, would constitute abuse in your simple little mind? And, did you not ever think that they were “human beings” to begin with? They are not animals [let’s not even go here!], but they are not robots or clones, either. Do you think that just because they are imported from another country that, unlike you, they wouldn’t have any needs? As far as “rights,” well, this is an issue that I don’t think many employers of domestic help will ever be able to rationalize, so for time and length’s sake, we’ll pass over this, too.
Haya next says that she thinks that the ministry should “support” these employers in cases where “they suffer financial loss or any other harm by the misbehavior of employees or agencies.” But of course. As if the scales of justice weren’t tilted in favor of the “employer” over the “employee” so badly, now, that they about topple over now, let’s just throw the damn “scale” over on its side and get it over with then.
She substantiates this by saying, “when a maidservant [her word, not mine] or driver runs away from a household, no one reimburses the employer for the financial losses.” Haya continues to whine about how the employer might have to give the employee a travel ticket, blah, blah, blah. And, then, says, “There are many problems associated with drivers. Sometimes the police arrest them after car accidents, which often lead to paying…” Haya, honey, if this is a concern of yours – don’t get a driver. Take a cab. The only place you need to go anyway is the mall and your husband can take you on the weekend or when he gets home from work at night. And, until someone, here, does something about the driving, your chances of getting in an accident are better than not. But, for you to be concerned about the driver getting arrested, Haya, well – this isn’t the attitude I expect from you – so far you didn’t know that these workers were human beings or that they had rights and needs – why are you worried about a driver being arrested? Ahh, of course. It will cost somebody something. Here’s an idea: Since you’ve withheld this person’s pay for the last three or four years, why don’t you use that money to pay the fine? Surely you aren’t concerned about this person languishing in jail… And let’s just for a minute, take a look at why it is that the driver got arrested to begin with. Three words: He’s a foreigner. Everybody knows that only foreigners ever get arrested – they are the only ones ever at fault! It’s never a “local’s” fault! [Forgive me for even thinking so.] We’re still only on this third paragraph, and Haya has about exasperated me! She says, “The running away of employees is a growing and serious problem.” Yes, Haya, it is. The employees are wising up just a bit and realizing that they truly are human beings with rights and needs and that you can no longer abuse them – work them to the bone – lock your food up so they can’t eat – lock them up so they can’t get to the food – and NOT pay them! Goodness gracious. Why would anyone want to flee a situation as idyllic as that? Haya thinks it would be best if “rules and regulations were put into place that punish perpetrators [she is referring to the runaway maids and drivers, here, not the employers!] of such misdeeds.
I honestly don’t know if I can continue with this or not. It is just too unbelievable to me that there has been space in the paper allocated for this article where a large advertisement for our “World’s Largest Hypermarket” could be. I do believe I would much rather know how much a kilogram of carrots costs this week than read what Haya has to say. Certainly the advertisement would be a much more judicious use of newsprint.
Haya says that “we need to protect the rights of domestic employees; especially because some people abuse them by not paying them, overworking them day and night, physically attacking them and forcing them to work in different homes in a single day to collect salaries from different sources. Some people want servants to do multi-role[s] simultaneously as nannies, cooks and maids. I imagine such people are in the minority because in general Saudis by nature are soft and kind.” [You see why I wasn’t sure I could continue?] Haya, in the first paragraph of this article you didn’t know what “abuse” was. And, here, really I’m not quite sure if she believes this is abuse or not. Her last sentence, “I imagine such people are a minority…” She is probably correct. I doubt there are too many more “people” that are abusing their domestic help any more than what is stated here. How could they? I mean, really, what else could they possibly do to them? Amazing that she believes that some of this domestic help should do multiple jobs, i.e., nannies, cooks and maids. Speaking only for me, but when I grew up this was called “my Mother.” When I had my one and only son, it was “me.” I was THE nanny, THE cook and THE maid! [And I worked a full-time job, too!] The very last sentence, where it says, “… by nature are soft and kind.” They are soft, alright. Soft, as in dim, pathetic…
“Problems with employment are increasing and solutions are not forthcoming. There is a necessity to protect different involved parties, especially the citizen who spends an average of SR7,000 to SR8,000 to recruit a domestic servant or driver, an amount that is almost double the salary of a middle class Saudi [this IS monthly salary, not yearly]. So when a maidservant runs away people suffer financially.” Haya, if your income is only SR7,000 to SR8,000 a year, you CANNOT afford domestic help! You don’t have any extra money, so why would you employ a driver to take you to the mall where you can’t afford to buy anything?!? What, then, exactly are you doing with your time while the “maidservant” is cleaning, cooking and tending to your children???
Haya “assumes the implementation of a fingerprint system has become compulsory for the safety of all. This is especially the case since many maids are forced to leave the Kingdom because of acts of crime, immorality and even jeopardizing children’s safety.” [Yes, and they join gangs and take part in sorcery, the females “have babies on the streets” and they create “smelly areas.”] Well, Haya, if these people were given a decent wage, they probably wouldn't have to resort to any crime – hell, never mind given a decent wage! How about just paying them the measly wage you promised them!?! And, at some future point, I will address some of the other aspects of crime – I touched on it ever so briefly with the “supply and demand” theory, yesterday. I am, however, convinced that if all of the husbands of these women who are home abusing “maidservants” and “drivers” weren’t so busy with the other runaway maids that are involved in “immorality,” then there wouldn’t be any immorality! [For goodness sake, you’re allowed more than one wife! And that’s not enough for you? You have to find runaway maids to serve your needs on top of several wives? {Yeah, okay, maybe not the best choice of wording there.}] As far as jeopardizing children’s safety – let’s save this one for another time, also.
“I believe that it is every citizen’s right to protect himself and his wealth, which are being wasted in the employment of such people.” Once again, Haya, and I don’t know how many times I need to explain this to you, if you didn’t have this help, you wouldn’t be “wasting” your money. And, with a salary as you earlier stated, you need to be doing everything you can to protect your wealth. Oh, wait, you are. You don’t pay the help! Well, then, how can the money be wasted? And, Haya, as to “How can an employee return to the Kingdom after being forced out because of criminal convictions, immoral behavior and child abuse?” Oh, I don’t know, let’s just venture to guess that maybe there’s a bit of a pay-off system taking place. The same pay-off system that is used when people like you, as the “employer” are NOT supposed to be able to hire other household help after you’ve been caught abusing the help you had prior. Silly me – we have to wait to have “abuse” defined for us.
“Saudi citizens must be protected from cracks in the system so they don’t continue recruiting more maids each year because the last one ran away and others rebelled after arriving only three months ago.” Haya, I can’t take it anymore! You just don’t get it. And, apparently you never will. This is like a friggin’ hamster wheel! The system is one that will continue in one big never-ending cycle until the end of time here. No sense trying to explain to some people. It is just a waste of time. There is a bit more to the article. Let me know what you think.
It is probably a very, very good thing that I am virtually locked in a gilded cage – locked in! I hate to think how I might conduct myself if ever given the opportunity to confront one of these women and use all my might to make them see the light of day.
[I get this mental picture of a woman lying face down on the ground – no, not me – with another woman pinning the woman on the ground down – that would be me – holding on to the hair of the pinned down woman’s head, slamming it back and forth, back and forth, into the pavement, muttering through clenched teeth, “how can you NOT understand this, WHAT the FUCK is wrong with YOU?!?” over and over and over again… Ahh, now that’s idyllic…]
Training Programs
Although I really don’t want to make this a daily ritual - and the best explanation I can give for the reason that this jumps out at me first is because – English speaking persons read left to right – we open our newspapers in the front – and start at the top of the page, on the left side, in the very left corner. I grab the paper, pour half a cup of coffee, and stand over the kitchen counter, having opened the paper – left to right – and thus end up on the top of page two to begin reading, right here at Take a Stand. This is important. Remember this.
[Tomorrow I am going to start reading the paper from the middle – where the comics are – or from the back where the sports are. How is the Saudi team doing in the lacrosse thing? Is it over? Did they lose? Never mind. The second to the last page of today’s paper shows the Ukraine’s team, and thankfully it says “FIFA World Cup …” It’s soccer! Hey – here’s something – there have been more than thirty {30} singles “inspired by the World Cup will go head-to-head in a battle to top the British pop charts...” Who knew?!? The “list” of “Cup Songs” is shown. A sampling: Embrace: “World at your Feet,” Dreadzone: “Lion Shirt,” and Branded: “Tits Out for the Lads.” Well, alrighty then. Tits Out for the Lads. I would associate this with a group of Harley riders at “Bike Week,” not a bunch of soccer players. Out of the entire list the only person or group I’ve ever heard of is Toni Braxton. Hmm. I must really be out of the loop. I’ll find it and post it. Here it is, Cup Songs. And, now, because I surely will not be able to sleep without knowing, I am going to have to search for the lyrics to “Tits Out for the Lads.” What kind of “tune” would go to something like this? Here, how’s this, “Oh when the saints… go marching in… Oh when the Saints go marching in… Oh, how I want to be INNNN that number… When the Saints go marching in.” Yeah, sing it with me! Let’s do it again. “Oh when the saints… go marching in… Oh when the Saints go marching in… Oh, how I want to be INNNN that number… When the Saints go marching in.” Okay. Now, don’t you just HATE it when a little ditty gets stuck in your head and it plays over and over and over all day and you can’t lose it? The ONLY way you can feel any better about this – when it happens – is to share it with someone else. No, it doesn’t leave your “mind,” but just somehow knowing that you’ve passed this on to someone else ought to make you feel a little better. I know this works for me.]
[I did do a search for the lyrics of Branded’s, “Tits out for the Lads.” No luck. The single isn’t even being released until June 12th. UK Releases has it on a list. It’s in column one – if you read English, or column two – if you read Arabic. Just do a “find on this page” for the word “tits” and you’ll go right to it.]
Okay, something integral to my personality which you may or may not have figured out by now – I can ramble and get off track. But, only takes just but a minute to get back on… On the top of page two of the Saudi Gazette is the “Your Opinion Matters,” where three lucky candidates are chosen [from how many daily entries – no clue – at least three!]. The question of the day is, “Are training programs fulfilling the market needs?” Well, the question is a bit ambiguous, but we have our three winners. You surely thought I was off track, before I actually was, when I asked you to remember how English speakers read. Well, Arabic speakers read [and write – it is NOT easy] right to left. Remember this. So, of the three opinions stated, in response to the question, we have:
A man who claims the programs have been addressed “particularly” with regard to Saudi women. Huh?!? I was not schooled here in Saudi – I probably couldn’t go to school here even if I wanted to, I would not be allowed to [and this has nothing to do with the fact that I’m a woman – but nationality]. I’m not one hundred percent familiar with all the regulations and the way this works, but my understanding is that unless there is an American school here, I would not be able to attend school – not the Saudi school system. Do they have special classes here in the “girl’s schools” [genders do not mix!] that prepare the Saudi women how to give orders to their maids and drivers? Is this where they prepare – or learn – how to wear their abeyas and the scarves, or Hijabs? Are there special studies that prepare the women for learning how to cut into the front of the line, or “queue” as it is called here, at the grocery stores and shops in the malls? They certainly aren’t prepared to work. They aren’t allowed to! And if they are prepared to work, in the lingerie shops – someday – what good is this preparation doing them now and how is it fulfilling the market? Well, okay, then. The three winners are all placed along side each other. This winner and his response are on the far left-hand side. Candidate number one – if you read in English – responds that the women have been prepared; this would be candidate number three if you read Arabic. [This is exactly why I stated earlier to remember this.]
Onto our next opinion, and this will be Candidate number two – either way – if you read English or Arabic – he’s in the middle… Number two. This particular candidate rambles on almost as well as I do… He believes that the sponsors of the training programs should be “in sync” with the markets. Anyone care to venture a guess here as to what this means? Anyone? “In sync” with which markets – the stock market? The real estate market? The vegetable market? The livestock market? The automobile market? The tourism market? So many to choose from. And the trainers aren’t “in sync?” Candidate number two also believes that “Young Saudis who are not property trained or not trained in jobs required by the market will not be able to compete in the open market [got it – he means vegetable market! Why didn’t he just say this at the beginning, then]. Strategic job management is what is needed in our training programs. I’m sure someone with a much higher degree than I have can decipher this for me. It must mean something. My take on this? Umm, I don’t think that a whole lot of training is required to have someone tend to a produce stall in the open market. You show them what produce they need to sell – carrots, lettuce, onions – and tell them how much each of the different vegetable items should be sold for. It’s not rocket science. It’s salad!
As far as “strategic job management,” again, anyone with anything higher than an Associate’s Degree – feel free to jump in and take over for me on this, but if I were to try to guess what this means, my response would be, “There is not a whole lot of management required for a vegetable stand.” We all, however, know how this will work out. There will be a dozen or so managers. We’ll need the CEO for carrots, the CEO for lettuce and the CEO for onions. Each of the CEO’s will need an assistant CEO. We’re up to six employment opportunities, using this formula. There will need to be a manager of determining freshness of the produce for each of the three assistant CEO’s, along with a manager for determining the price. We are now up to twelve management positions for one produce stand selling three vegetables. However, there is still no person to actually be responsible for handling the produce – putting it into it’s respective bin, spraying it down with water occasionally to keep it fresh and crisp [looking, anyway], and someone to weigh the produce and smile at the customer and thank them for purchasing carrots or lettuce or onions and take the Riyals that the customer hands over – oh wait – sorry – my mistake – thirteen managers – a manager is ALWAYS responsible for taking the money.
I do believe that if this whole blogging thing doesn’t work out for me for one reason or another I could possibly do the job of training – at least for the “open markets.” I think I covered about everything, here. I was able to do it in two long paragraphs. That would require, what, maybe a half hour of “training” time in a classroom setting? I’m pretty sure, if I was getting paid to do this, I could drag it out long enough to qualify for at least a two-year degree program. Any takers?
Finally, we have candidate number three – if you read English – number one if you read Arabic – this candidate’s picture and response is on the right-hand side. I see this gentleman’s last name, Al-Zamil, and wonder if he is part of the Zamil family of the “dry goods stores here.” But of course he is… I’m sure he probably is. I like the Zamil’s store we have in Khobar, it is well stocked – if they don’t have what you are looking for, they are willing to get it for you if you just ask – the help is pleasant [this is where I had the run-in with the woman who tried to cut in front of me while I was being waited on but this has nothing to do with the help – this was just a rude woman who’d been “prepared” in both the areas of fully covering in black and rudely cutting in front of other people {see Candidate one, in English, or three, in Arabic – where the women are prepared to do this}].
[As an aside, yes, I had a run-in with a woman who could clearly see that the clerk was helping me – well, maybe she couldn’t clearly see, her face WAS entirely covered, but she must have been able to see enough to known where she had to go to “cut” in front of me. This had happened to me a few times before. I was still a relative new-comer in The Kingdom and not knowing what would happen – to me – to the situation – to my husband – whatever – if I didn’t let one of these black figures cut in front of me, I let it happen several times – probably four or five – until this one – the one at Zamil’s. I believe I was patient in this regard far longer than I ever would have been had this have happened in another country. At some point, you just say, “Enough is enough.” Well the morning this happened at Zamil’s was that “turning” point for me. It was long before I started taking any Arabic classes, so I wasn’t going to be able to communicate with this black figure in her native language, but there is a “universal language” and had this black figure wanted to pursue the issue with me any further than she did, I’m inclined to think that the universal language I’m referring to would have communicated my intent that she was NOT cutting in front of me quite clearly. As it was, it only took a minute or two for her to figure this out without the universal language.]
Mr. Al-Zamil is the ONLY candidate who gives a clear, no-nonsense response to a question that is far from clear or no-nonsense: “Our training programs are missing their targets. There is a huge difference between the needs and the goals. There is also a big gap between the needs and the skills being imparted to our youth. We have to be realistic in our training program otherwise unemployment with continue to grow.”
Ding, ding, ding!!! Folks, we have a winner!!! Candidate number three – in English, or Candidate number one – in Arabic – you are today’s winner, and yesterday’s to, for as much sense as that all made.
Really, is it that difficult to answer a question in a direct, straight to the point manner?
Anyone reading this in the Dhahan / Khobar area, please, by all means do shop at the Zamil’s and give this family your business. It is a rare businessman, indeed – the world wide, not just here in Saudi – that will give you an honest, straight forward answer. And, Mr. Zamil, let me add, it was quite refreshing!
[Tomorrow I am going to start reading the paper from the middle – where the comics are – or from the back where the sports are. How is the Saudi team doing in the lacrosse thing? Is it over? Did they lose? Never mind. The second to the last page of today’s paper shows the Ukraine’s team, and thankfully it says “FIFA World Cup …” It’s soccer! Hey – here’s something – there have been more than thirty {30} singles “inspired by the World Cup will go head-to-head in a battle to top the British pop charts...” Who knew?!? The “list” of “Cup Songs” is shown. A sampling: Embrace: “World at your Feet,” Dreadzone: “Lion Shirt,” and Branded: “Tits Out for the Lads.” Well, alrighty then. Tits Out for the Lads. I would associate this with a group of Harley riders at “Bike Week,” not a bunch of soccer players. Out of the entire list the only person or group I’ve ever heard of is Toni Braxton. Hmm. I must really be out of the loop. I’ll find it and post it. Here it is, Cup Songs. And, now, because I surely will not be able to sleep without knowing, I am going to have to search for the lyrics to “Tits Out for the Lads.” What kind of “tune” would go to something like this? Here, how’s this, “Oh when the saints… go marching in… Oh when the Saints go marching in… Oh, how I want to be INNNN that number… When the Saints go marching in.” Yeah, sing it with me! Let’s do it again. “Oh when the saints… go marching in… Oh when the Saints go marching in… Oh, how I want to be INNNN that number… When the Saints go marching in.” Okay. Now, don’t you just HATE it when a little ditty gets stuck in your head and it plays over and over and over all day and you can’t lose it? The ONLY way you can feel any better about this – when it happens – is to share it with someone else. No, it doesn’t leave your “mind,” but just somehow knowing that you’ve passed this on to someone else ought to make you feel a little better. I know this works for me.]
[I did do a search for the lyrics of Branded’s, “Tits out for the Lads.” No luck. The single isn’t even being released until June 12th. UK Releases has it on a list. It’s in column one – if you read English, or column two – if you read Arabic. Just do a “find on this page” for the word “tits” and you’ll go right to it.]
Okay, something integral to my personality which you may or may not have figured out by now – I can ramble and get off track. But, only takes just but a minute to get back on… On the top of page two of the Saudi Gazette is the “Your Opinion Matters,” where three lucky candidates are chosen [from how many daily entries – no clue – at least three!]. The question of the day is, “Are training programs fulfilling the market needs?” Well, the question is a bit ambiguous, but we have our three winners. You surely thought I was off track, before I actually was, when I asked you to remember how English speakers read. Well, Arabic speakers read [and write – it is NOT easy] right to left. Remember this. So, of the three opinions stated, in response to the question, we have:
A man who claims the programs have been addressed “particularly” with regard to Saudi women. Huh?!? I was not schooled here in Saudi – I probably couldn’t go to school here even if I wanted to, I would not be allowed to [and this has nothing to do with the fact that I’m a woman – but nationality]. I’m not one hundred percent familiar with all the regulations and the way this works, but my understanding is that unless there is an American school here, I would not be able to attend school – not the Saudi school system. Do they have special classes here in the “girl’s schools” [genders do not mix!] that prepare the Saudi women how to give orders to their maids and drivers? Is this where they prepare – or learn – how to wear their abeyas and the scarves, or Hijabs? Are there special studies that prepare the women for learning how to cut into the front of the line, or “queue” as it is called here, at the grocery stores and shops in the malls? They certainly aren’t prepared to work. They aren’t allowed to! And if they are prepared to work, in the lingerie shops – someday – what good is this preparation doing them now and how is it fulfilling the market? Well, okay, then. The three winners are all placed along side each other. This winner and his response are on the far left-hand side. Candidate number one – if you read in English – responds that the women have been prepared; this would be candidate number three if you read Arabic. [This is exactly why I stated earlier to remember this.]
Onto our next opinion, and this will be Candidate number two – either way – if you read English or Arabic – he’s in the middle… Number two. This particular candidate rambles on almost as well as I do… He believes that the sponsors of the training programs should be “in sync” with the markets. Anyone care to venture a guess here as to what this means? Anyone? “In sync” with which markets – the stock market? The real estate market? The vegetable market? The livestock market? The automobile market? The tourism market? So many to choose from. And the trainers aren’t “in sync?” Candidate number two also believes that “Young Saudis who are not property trained or not trained in jobs required by the market will not be able to compete in the open market [got it – he means vegetable market! Why didn’t he just say this at the beginning, then]. Strategic job management is what is needed in our training programs. I’m sure someone with a much higher degree than I have can decipher this for me. It must mean something. My take on this? Umm, I don’t think that a whole lot of training is required to have someone tend to a produce stall in the open market. You show them what produce they need to sell – carrots, lettuce, onions – and tell them how much each of the different vegetable items should be sold for. It’s not rocket science. It’s salad!
As far as “strategic job management,” again, anyone with anything higher than an Associate’s Degree – feel free to jump in and take over for me on this, but if I were to try to guess what this means, my response would be, “There is not a whole lot of management required for a vegetable stand.” We all, however, know how this will work out. There will be a dozen or so managers. We’ll need the CEO for carrots, the CEO for lettuce and the CEO for onions. Each of the CEO’s will need an assistant CEO. We’re up to six employment opportunities, using this formula. There will need to be a manager of determining freshness of the produce for each of the three assistant CEO’s, along with a manager for determining the price. We are now up to twelve management positions for one produce stand selling three vegetables. However, there is still no person to actually be responsible for handling the produce – putting it into it’s respective bin, spraying it down with water occasionally to keep it fresh and crisp [looking, anyway], and someone to weigh the produce and smile at the customer and thank them for purchasing carrots or lettuce or onions and take the Riyals that the customer hands over – oh wait – sorry – my mistake – thirteen managers – a manager is ALWAYS responsible for taking the money.
I do believe that if this whole blogging thing doesn’t work out for me for one reason or another I could possibly do the job of training – at least for the “open markets.” I think I covered about everything, here. I was able to do it in two long paragraphs. That would require, what, maybe a half hour of “training” time in a classroom setting? I’m pretty sure, if I was getting paid to do this, I could drag it out long enough to qualify for at least a two-year degree program. Any takers?
Finally, we have candidate number three – if you read English – number one if you read Arabic – this candidate’s picture and response is on the right-hand side. I see this gentleman’s last name, Al-Zamil, and wonder if he is part of the Zamil family of the “dry goods stores here.” But of course he is… I’m sure he probably is. I like the Zamil’s store we have in Khobar, it is well stocked – if they don’t have what you are looking for, they are willing to get it for you if you just ask – the help is pleasant [this is where I had the run-in with the woman who tried to cut in front of me while I was being waited on but this has nothing to do with the help – this was just a rude woman who’d been “prepared” in both the areas of fully covering in black and rudely cutting in front of other people {see Candidate one, in English, or three, in Arabic – where the women are prepared to do this}].
[As an aside, yes, I had a run-in with a woman who could clearly see that the clerk was helping me – well, maybe she couldn’t clearly see, her face WAS entirely covered, but she must have been able to see enough to known where she had to go to “cut” in front of me. This had happened to me a few times before. I was still a relative new-comer in The Kingdom and not knowing what would happen – to me – to the situation – to my husband – whatever – if I didn’t let one of these black figures cut in front of me, I let it happen several times – probably four or five – until this one – the one at Zamil’s. I believe I was patient in this regard far longer than I ever would have been had this have happened in another country. At some point, you just say, “Enough is enough.” Well the morning this happened at Zamil’s was that “turning” point for me. It was long before I started taking any Arabic classes, so I wasn’t going to be able to communicate with this black figure in her native language, but there is a “universal language” and had this black figure wanted to pursue the issue with me any further than she did, I’m inclined to think that the universal language I’m referring to would have communicated my intent that she was NOT cutting in front of me quite clearly. As it was, it only took a minute or two for her to figure this out without the universal language.]
Mr. Al-Zamil is the ONLY candidate who gives a clear, no-nonsense response to a question that is far from clear or no-nonsense: “Our training programs are missing their targets. There is a huge difference between the needs and the goals. There is also a big gap between the needs and the skills being imparted to our youth. We have to be realistic in our training program otherwise unemployment with continue to grow.”
Ding, ding, ding!!! Folks, we have a winner!!! Candidate number three – in English, or Candidate number one – in Arabic – you are today’s winner, and yesterday’s to, for as much sense as that all made.
Really, is it that difficult to answer a question in a direct, straight to the point manner?
Anyone reading this in the Dhahan / Khobar area, please, by all means do shop at the Zamil’s and give this family your business. It is a rare businessman, indeed – the world wide, not just here in Saudi – that will give you an honest, straight forward answer. And, Mr. Zamil, let me add, it was quite refreshing!
Only in Arkansas
Well, no, not really. It’s illegal in Arkansas. I was getting myself all worked up and ready to start in on this one Cousins Marrying Cousins. Thought it would behoove me to actually find out exactly how many states it is legal to marry your cousin. I was surprised. Quite a few actually, twenty-one, and more “with conditions or restrictions.” Interestingly enough, it’s legal in more states than it is not. See the list, all nicely-color coded for quick and easy reference, Legal States. It is illegal in Arkansas. Okay, Mississippi, then? Nope. And, not Kentucky, either. When “we” make jokes about Southerners, or Red-Necks, these are the states that tend to be much-abused in this manner and are typically used first. There is a comedian – Jeff Foxworthy – who based his entire monologue around Redneck Jokes. “You might be a redneck if … your sister is also your cousin,” Yeah, okay, not all that funny, but after a few beers… Never mind. Anyway, I was quite surprised to find out that twenty-one states allow you to marry your cousin – I have been under the impression for a long, long time that it was illegal in the States – in all but just a SMALL handful of states – not almost half! And, then to find that the state that I consider to be “home,” which is North Carolina, at this point – um-hmm – it’s on the list, too! However, it has some sort of restriction: You are allowed to marry your first cousin, but “double cousin marriage is prohibited.” Duh! You’re only allowed to marry two people here, in Saudi Arabia, or in Utah!
Needless to say, to find out that cousins marrying cousins isn’t nearly as “taboo” as I was originally under the impression that it was, that less than half of the states [twenty-four] prohibit it, and that North Carolina actually condones this, well, kinda just sorta took the wind right out of that sail.
Needless to say, to find out that cousins marrying cousins isn’t nearly as “taboo” as I was originally under the impression that it was, that less than half of the states [twenty-four] prohibit it, and that North Carolina actually condones this, well, kinda just sorta took the wind right out of that sail.
More than One Wife
I know a Western man, here in The Kingdom, that thinks it is funny to joke with his wife about how he’ll just find another one [wife] if she doesn’t reorganize his sock drawer, or iron his collars both on the top and bottom, and then with the proper “crease” along the top – where it folds over, or ________ [fill in the blank with some other trivial tidbit]. The wife of this particular man has no problem holding her own and responds, “Honey, you can’t handle the one you have now, how will you ever handle two?” And, better, “Go ahead and find another wife. I could use a ‘good wife’ around here, too. I hope she likes to cook a whole lot more than I do.” It will never happen – this Western man taking on another wife. Oh, sure, it’s good for the occasional chuckle, but that is where it ends. And, besides, not only can “this” Western man barely handle the “one” wife he has, I’m pretty certain he can’t afford two wives.
His current wife has an extensive shoe collection and she is constantly, always on the look-out for others to add to it; she is also a “clothes horse” [the meaning of which is here, dictionary]. But even worse, for him - better, for her, over the years, this wife has developed an acute ability to walk into a shop – any shop – clothing, “kids” toy stores, house wears, furniture – and immediately gravitate to the most expensive item without ever even looking at the price tag. It’s just “exquisite” taste. However, that isn’t really the point I’m trying to make. This is the point: Since Islam dictates that each wife MUST be treated equally, that would mean that if the first wife bought shoes then the second wife would get a pair. Nope, with a decree like that – that it must be equal – the Western man I know won’t be taking on a second wife. And, this is purely from a financial aspect, forget about the rest of it – sharing your time equally among your wives, etc. [Oh, stop it you guys. You’re not all as studly as you think you are, and unless you have a prescription for those little blue pills, there’s no way you are going to be able to keep up with all those wives!]
Which brings us to "this stud" – umm, yeah. You THE man! It isn’t the first time we’ve seen articles that [old] men are taking [young] wives for the umpteenth time. This man wanted a fifth wife who can cook [didn’t I already say that I wanted one of these, too? Well, a second one, not a fifth one, anyway…]. And, this man has had so many wives he can’t remember their names [sad, if you ask me]. This guy got really lucky! One of his wives gave him another wife as a gift. [Just how do you wrap this up? Oh, my gosh! As this flashed through my mind – I got this mental picture of simply gathering up all the loose black material at one end, the bottom, and tying a ribbon around it. Ditto for the top. Oh, yes, by all means, choose a contrasting color – a bright, vivid color like fuchsia or teal would be a must! With a really BIG bow! Problem solved. {You did not know that this newbie blogger had a Martha Stewart-streak in her, did you… Yeah, well, neither did she.} Now that we all know how we would wrap this kind of present, fret no more ladies! When that next special gift-giving occasion rolls around and you’re at a loss to find the perfect present for your husband… Get him another wife! No need looking for a box to wrap it her - you probably won’t be able to find a box – you never can when you need one [or find the scotch tape, for that matter]. I have just graciously shared this “how to” with you – how to put a bow on a “wife” when you are giving one as a gift. You’re welcome!] And, this guy, who’s married some fifty-something times, has divorced almost as many times. [In skimming these articles, did any one happen to notice a pattern in line with the number fifty? Must be something to that “magic number.”] Multiple marriages. You get the idea. Lest you think that this really is the “norm,” here in Saudi, there are some sane, rational men out there. I do actually rather like this man, Tariq Al-Maeena, purely from an intellectual standpoint, mind you, and I tend to agree with his viewpoints more often than not. And, finally, I’m pretty sure this is highly illegal in ALL states – regardless of whether or not she’s your cousin, and I don’t think any joke would be funny if it involved marrying a ten year-old! The mother says she was shocked! Just shocked! Ahh, “Umm Bint,” [“mother of girl” in Arabic] were you in a coma when your TEN YEAR OLD got married the first time?!? I can think of a reaction but it is not shock. It. Is. Sick!
His current wife has an extensive shoe collection and she is constantly, always on the look-out for others to add to it; she is also a “clothes horse” [the meaning of which is here, dictionary]. But even worse, for him - better, for her, over the years, this wife has developed an acute ability to walk into a shop – any shop – clothing, “kids” toy stores, house wears, furniture – and immediately gravitate to the most expensive item without ever even looking at the price tag. It’s just “exquisite” taste. However, that isn’t really the point I’m trying to make. This is the point: Since Islam dictates that each wife MUST be treated equally, that would mean that if the first wife bought shoes then the second wife would get a pair. Nope, with a decree like that – that it must be equal – the Western man I know won’t be taking on a second wife. And, this is purely from a financial aspect, forget about the rest of it – sharing your time equally among your wives, etc. [Oh, stop it you guys. You’re not all as studly as you think you are, and unless you have a prescription for those little blue pills, there’s no way you are going to be able to keep up with all those wives!]
Which brings us to "this stud" – umm, yeah. You THE man! It isn’t the first time we’ve seen articles that [old] men are taking [young] wives for the umpteenth time. This man wanted a fifth wife who can cook [didn’t I already say that I wanted one of these, too? Well, a second one, not a fifth one, anyway…]. And, this man has had so many wives he can’t remember their names [sad, if you ask me]. This guy got really lucky! One of his wives gave him another wife as a gift. [Just how do you wrap this up? Oh, my gosh! As this flashed through my mind – I got this mental picture of simply gathering up all the loose black material at one end, the bottom, and tying a ribbon around it. Ditto for the top. Oh, yes, by all means, choose a contrasting color – a bright, vivid color like fuchsia or teal would be a must! With a really BIG bow! Problem solved. {You did not know that this newbie blogger had a Martha Stewart-streak in her, did you… Yeah, well, neither did she.} Now that we all know how we would wrap this kind of present, fret no more ladies! When that next special gift-giving occasion rolls around and you’re at a loss to find the perfect present for your husband… Get him another wife! No need looking for a box to wrap it her - you probably won’t be able to find a box – you never can when you need one [or find the scotch tape, for that matter]. I have just graciously shared this “how to” with you – how to put a bow on a “wife” when you are giving one as a gift. You’re welcome!] And, this guy, who’s married some fifty-something times, has divorced almost as many times. [In skimming these articles, did any one happen to notice a pattern in line with the number fifty? Must be something to that “magic number.”] Multiple marriages. You get the idea. Lest you think that this really is the “norm,” here in Saudi, there are some sane, rational men out there. I do actually rather like this man, Tariq Al-Maeena, purely from an intellectual standpoint, mind you, and I tend to agree with his viewpoints more often than not. And, finally, I’m pretty sure this is highly illegal in ALL states – regardless of whether or not she’s your cousin, and I don’t think any joke would be funny if it involved marrying a ten year-old! The mother says she was shocked! Just shocked! Ahh, “Umm Bint,” [“mother of girl” in Arabic] were you in a coma when your TEN YEAR OLD got married the first time?!? I can think of a reaction but it is not shock. It. Is. Sick!
The no longer buxom Miss Buxley
I don’t know if this will work or not, but I’m going to try to scan in the Beetle Bailey comic strip from today’s Arab News. My husband noticed this before I did. [“Ah, Honey, are you reading ‘that’ for the ‘story line’ or for the ‘pictures?’”] When he said, “Look at this comic.” I did. I read it. Not only did I not see anything all that amusing about it, but I didn’t see the white block across Miss Buxley’s chest, either. Thanks, Honey, for pointing it out to me. [Ooohh! Wait. They use the word “hat tip” in the blog world. Pardon moi! Well, then, hat tip goes to “Honey.”] My eyes just didn’t pick up on this, and probably wouldn’t have.Interestingly enough, the comic strip underneath Beetle Baily, Between Friends, did not get censored. [I shall report this, immediately!] The second “cell” shows a woman stretching her arms out, and my, oh my, her little bosoms are pointed right out there for the whole entire world to see and there is no “white block” covering her! Am thinking “little” would be the key word in the description there, and apparently no need to censor something that looks like two little mosquito bites versus the voluptuous vixen of the Beetle Bailey strip.
You know, maybe, so that we can make sure that there is no stimulation of any testosterone here, we should eliminate the comics altogether. Please, any men reading this blog, or women, too, if you are even slightly titillated by Miss Buxley, do me a favor. Grab your local paper. Does it have the Beetle Bailey comic strip in it? Presuming it is an uncensored version of this comic, I’d appreciate it if you’d take just a minute and answer the following questions for me:
Did looking at Miss Buxley get you excited?
In what way?
How would you rate this excitement on a scale of one to ten – with one being “not at all excited,” and ten being “highly excited.”
If you rated this anything higher than say – a three – which is right down there with “barely excited,” are you, now, not able to concentrate on anything else, thinking only of how those soft, pillowy mammaries of Miss Buxley straining at light-weight black jersey fabric of her dress, are crying out to be set free?
What are you going to do next?
Are you touching yourself, now?
What do you have on?
Oh my gosh, I’m just kidding! Give it up! Never mind…
Seriously, though, I think that probably more men are going to pick up on this [yeah, obviously!] now that Miss Buxley has been “censored,” than if they would have just left her alone.
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
It is Not Enough!
Do you think this man, Nurul Islam, is still working here in The Kingdom? Having the nerve to find fault with the salary one receives probably isn’t the most politically correct move Mr. Islam could make in efforts to advance further up the ladder rungs at his place of employment. On the “bright side,” there probably isn’t another ladder rung below the one he’s currently standing on. Nope, he doesn't have to worry about falling off that ladder!
The salaries of some of The Kingdom’s workers really need to be looked at by the authorities, and it appears as though they will be. But like so, so many things here, any change will take time. I wouldn’t count on this Committee of Labor Overseers making any decision to adopt a “minimum wage” this week, next week, or the week after that.
One of my neighbors in Bahrain, Tooners, had a recent column on being a Bragger, and umm, gee, I hate to “brag” [although I hardly consider what I’m about to say bragging! let this one slide, will ya’ please, Tooners?], but what these poor guys are making for monthly salaries is what I spend on groceries for two or three days. In terms of U.S. Dollars, 300 Riyals a month is approximately $80.50. If you are fortunate enough to be making the big bucks – or in this case, the big Riyals - 400 a month is about $107.25. And, yes, certainly both my husband and I could afford to decrease the amount of calories we consume, and I could spend quite a bit less. Just food for thought. Ha! Now, there’s a diet idea I’ve not given any consideration…
Not to make light of the situation, these guys do work very hard, long days, in conditions that no Westerner – or Saudi, for that matter – that I know would even, or ever, consider working under. It is hot here in the summer. Very, very hot. There is little shade. These men are working outside, in the sun, for a minimum of eight hours and for some ten or twelve hours, typically six days a week, in full [long-sleeved, pant legged] cover-alls. The proposed minimum of 750 Riyals a month [$201.00] would be a much-deserved, long overdue, increase.
The salaries of some of The Kingdom’s workers really need to be looked at by the authorities, and it appears as though they will be. But like so, so many things here, any change will take time. I wouldn’t count on this Committee of Labor Overseers making any decision to adopt a “minimum wage” this week, next week, or the week after that.
One of my neighbors in Bahrain, Tooners, had a recent column on being a Bragger, and umm, gee, I hate to “brag” [although I hardly consider what I’m about to say bragging! let this one slide, will ya’ please, Tooners?], but what these poor guys are making for monthly salaries is what I spend on groceries for two or three days. In terms of U.S. Dollars, 300 Riyals a month is approximately $80.50. If you are fortunate enough to be making the big bucks – or in this case, the big Riyals - 400 a month is about $107.25. And, yes, certainly both my husband and I could afford to decrease the amount of calories we consume, and I could spend quite a bit less. Just food for thought. Ha! Now, there’s a diet idea I’ve not given any consideration…
Not to make light of the situation, these guys do work very hard, long days, in conditions that no Westerner – or Saudi, for that matter – that I know would even, or ever, consider working under. It is hot here in the summer. Very, very hot. There is little shade. These men are working outside, in the sun, for a minimum of eight hours and for some ten or twelve hours, typically six days a week, in full [long-sleeved, pant legged] cover-alls. The proposed minimum of 750 Riyals a month [$201.00] would be a much-deserved, long overdue, increase.
Do Illegals Pose a Threat?
The Saudi Gazette made some changes to its format a few months ago, and now, on the top of page two of the paper every day is a section that asks for opinions. Every day three lucky individuals get chosen to have their responses printed. The question on June 4, 2006, was: “Do the illegals pose a threat to the Kingdom’s security?” All three of those responses should be posted here Take A Stand, if not today, then within the next day or so.
The gist of what was said, without actually directly quoting the three individuals, was that yes, illegals do pose a threat: they form criminal gangs whose activities cause panic and insecurity; the illegals are the ones that get involved in sorcery and criminal acts and steal money; that there are so many of them sleeping on the streets that the authorities don’t know where to start sending them back to [oh, yes, they do, too!]; female illegals [just the females? are you sure?] have actually given birth on the streets*; and finally, because these illegals are living on the streets with “personal facilities” not readily at their disposal they have created “smelly” areas.
Because the question was, “Do illegals pose a threat to the Kingdom’s security?” apparently I am missing something here. I cannot help but ask myself how the crimes these illegals commit are considered a threat? Musing, just for a minute or two, at the mere thought of a few illegals stealing money, getting involved in sorcery, having babies in the streets, and creating “smelly” areas just doesn’t make me tremble and shake in my stilettos. My idea of a threat is more along the lines of something that puts me in imminent danger, or some sort of perilous circumstance. Maybe it’s just me. Or, perhaps the question could or should have been posed differently…
*But of course there is a perfectly logical explanation for this - a topic that I will try to remember to address in the short term.
The gist of what was said, without actually directly quoting the three individuals, was that yes, illegals do pose a threat: they form criminal gangs whose activities cause panic and insecurity; the illegals are the ones that get involved in sorcery and criminal acts and steal money; that there are so many of them sleeping on the streets that the authorities don’t know where to start sending them back to [oh, yes, they do, too!]; female illegals [just the females? are you sure?] have actually given birth on the streets*; and finally, because these illegals are living on the streets with “personal facilities” not readily at their disposal they have created “smelly” areas.
Because the question was, “Do illegals pose a threat to the Kingdom’s security?” apparently I am missing something here. I cannot help but ask myself how the crimes these illegals commit are considered a threat? Musing, just for a minute or two, at the mere thought of a few illegals stealing money, getting involved in sorcery, having babies in the streets, and creating “smelly” areas just doesn’t make me tremble and shake in my stilettos. My idea of a threat is more along the lines of something that puts me in imminent danger, or some sort of perilous circumstance. Maybe it’s just me. Or, perhaps the question could or should have been posed differently…
*But of course there is a perfectly logical explanation for this - a topic that I will try to remember to address in the short term.
Adoration for Alhamedi
We are all saddened that The Religious Policeman has bid us a temporary farewell. It goes without saying that the blogging Alhamedi did on The Religious Policeman will be missed by many. The sentiments continue to be generated in the comments of this final post in a very poignant tribute to a man who clearly captivated an audience making – and leaving – an enormous impression and impact on the minds of people from all over the world! One could only hope to someday receive the same outpouring of response for sharing part of their world on issues relating to Saudi Arabia as Alhamedi has. It is not likely that anyone else, anytime soon, can come remotely close to even comparing. [Sigh… Heavy sigh…]
If you missed the interview that CerebralWaste did with the esteemed Alhamedi, it is posted at his site and is a must read! It made my adoration of Alhamedi stronger than it was before – if that is even possible! I know we all wish him the very best, hope that he is able to look into his computer screen and let the musical-lull of his fingers tapping on the keyboard gush forth with the words he needs so that he completes the historical novel he is going to publish, and rejoins us soon!
[Alhamedi – Do I get a discount on a signed copy of your book for posting this? Min fadlak? Min fadlak jameel?? Wait - is it supposed to be, Jameel min fadlak???]
If you missed the interview that CerebralWaste did with the esteemed Alhamedi, it is posted at his site and is a must read! It made my adoration of Alhamedi stronger than it was before – if that is even possible! I know we all wish him the very best, hope that he is able to look into his computer screen and let the musical-lull of his fingers tapping on the keyboard gush forth with the words he needs so that he completes the historical novel he is going to publish, and rejoins us soon!
[Alhamedi – Do I get a discount on a signed copy of your book for posting this? Min fadlak? Min fadlak jameel?? Wait - is it supposed to be, Jameel min fadlak???]
Rumor Mill Thrill
Many of you already know, our dear Alhamedi [The Religious Policeman] has decided to just up and quit blogging in favor of writing a historical novel. What?!? As yet, none of us have been successful in convincing him to just write a short story instead and continue blogging. I live in the land Alhamedi wrote of, and admittedly there are times when you just have to create your own fun. Appearances can be deceptive at times, and from the following one might get the impression that it would appear that I obviously have just a little too much time on my hands [au contraire!] because I felt the need to create my own fun...
A couple of days ago I sent an e-mail to a co-commenter from Alhamedi’s site that I’ve gotten to know, only just barely, but whatever the reason decided that she could handle what I was going to send her. I accused “her” of being the reason that this fabulous blog was Khalas! [Arabic: finished! no more!] My e-mail went something like this:
As a relatively short-time, but very, very devoted and faithful reader, I knew that eventually it would be my duty to get the truth out there, that the readers deserved to know, and that it was an obligation I had to live up to and come clean with, just spit it out – tell them – such an omission would be a serious injustice. I further concluded that my withholding the information would likely constitute a violation pursuant to the voluminous Rules and Regulations for Bloggers – and a fairly serious one at that - for which a first-time offender is punished by not being allowed to use his or her computer mouse for twenty-four hours and has to resort to using “shortcut” keys. Lastly, not only was this an injustice to everyone – that I knew but wasn’t telling – but the weight of the situation was such that I just had to get this off my chest or eventually the heaviness would eliminate my ability to breathe properly.
And, so, now you all know why I have consciously made the decision to not allow selfishness or confidentiality or any such other ridiculousness keep me from preventing the truth from being told. Yesterday I sent an e-mail to another co-commenter about this, but held back quite a bit. It was my sincere hope that the person at fault would step up to the plate and take her licks so that I wouldn’t have to be the one to rat her out. That was two or three days ago and it hasn’t happened yet. I am pretty sure it’s not going to happen tomorrow or the next day, either; she’s been given ample opportunity. Unfortunately, the e-mail that I sent yesterday, needless to say, quite upset the recipient who could hardly believe that the person responsible could possibly be the one at fault. You know who you are, “recipient,” and I regret that it was me and not “her” who told you.
So as to clear up any further confusion and prevent the rumor mill from spreading wildly out of control, I think it is only fair for you to know, should you hear from so and so that I know such and such… That my knowledge of this whole issue is totally, thoroughly void of any fact whatsoever, and that the theory I have concocted is based entirely on speculation and a vivid imagination. I figure that since this doesn't stop politicians all over the world from spewing rumors and vociferous falsehoods like lava from an erupting volcano, it shouldn’t stop me either!
A couple of days ago I sent an e-mail to a co-commenter from Alhamedi’s site that I’ve gotten to know, only just barely, but whatever the reason decided that she could handle what I was going to send her. I accused “her” of being the reason that this fabulous blog was Khalas! [Arabic: finished! no more!] My e-mail went something like this:
“I'm guessing Alhamedi must have started making this decision - to stop blogging as The Religious Policeman - before today. These types of decisions, as we all know, are not ones made just willy-nilly, in a jiffy of a split second. I figure he started considering that there was just no sense in going on any longer - just shortly after you posted a comment that you wouldn’t be around to comment because you were planning a little the weekend get-away.”I cannot possibly be the only one to conclude that this is highly suspicious: At the VERY SAME POINT IN TIME that this cute little commenter decides to take a “weekend get-away” she VOLUNTARILY relinquishes the oh so stunning cubic zirconia Tiara she’s been wearing for two or three weeks – maybe longer – an honor bestowed upon her for consistently and continually being the very first to post a comment on our favorite blog every day. Merely just a coincidence? Oh, I think not. My e-mail continued:
“Yep, NOW it's AAAALLLLLLL starting to make sense... Had you not have gone on your little weekend get-a-way [and, without a laptop? Why? Oh, why?!?], and then PUT THE ICING on Alhamedi's CAKE by relinquishing The Tiara, Alhamedi would NEVER have even considered giving up a daily column.”Until just yesterday, mum was the word. I didn’t tell another sole that I had this knowledge, but for the accusation and confrontation via e-mail to the commenter that I believed should be the fall-person and take the blame for all that has happened in the blogosphere world these past few days. [Yep. Not only is “this” issue her fault, but if she can single-handedly be the cause of one blogger’s end, how do we know she hasn’t been a cause to the demise of others, as well?] I patiently held my tongue keeping this salacious scoop to myself - the why and how that the Religious Policeman is Khalas!
As a relatively short-time, but very, very devoted and faithful reader, I knew that eventually it would be my duty to get the truth out there, that the readers deserved to know, and that it was an obligation I had to live up to and come clean with, just spit it out – tell them – such an omission would be a serious injustice. I further concluded that my withholding the information would likely constitute a violation pursuant to the voluminous Rules and Regulations for Bloggers – and a fairly serious one at that - for which a first-time offender is punished by not being allowed to use his or her computer mouse for twenty-four hours and has to resort to using “shortcut” keys. Lastly, not only was this an injustice to everyone – that I knew but wasn’t telling – but the weight of the situation was such that I just had to get this off my chest or eventually the heaviness would eliminate my ability to breathe properly.
And, so, now you all know why I have consciously made the decision to not allow selfishness or confidentiality or any such other ridiculousness keep me from preventing the truth from being told. Yesterday I sent an e-mail to another co-commenter about this, but held back quite a bit. It was my sincere hope that the person at fault would step up to the plate and take her licks so that I wouldn’t have to be the one to rat her out. That was two or three days ago and it hasn’t happened yet. I am pretty sure it’s not going to happen tomorrow or the next day, either; she’s been given ample opportunity. Unfortunately, the e-mail that I sent yesterday, needless to say, quite upset the recipient who could hardly believe that the person responsible could possibly be the one at fault. You know who you are, “recipient,” and I regret that it was me and not “her” who told you.
So as to clear up any further confusion and prevent the rumor mill from spreading wildly out of control, I think it is only fair for you to know, should you hear from so and so that I know such and such… That my knowledge of this whole issue is totally, thoroughly void of any fact whatsoever, and that the theory I have concocted is based entirely on speculation and a vivid imagination. I figure that since this doesn't stop politicians all over the world from spewing rumors and vociferous falsehoods like lava from an erupting volcano, it shouldn’t stop me either!
Technologically Challenged
That IS an understatement! This is all new to me, this being on “inside” of the computer. [Oh come on, now, didn’t you, as a child, just ONCE think that there were little people INSIDE the television set doing all the acting?] This is totally uncharted and unfamiliar territory for me and I will readily admit right off the bat that I’m not quite sure how everything works – this whole “blog” thing. I know this will probably come back to bite me in the ass, but I’m just gonna do it – jump in head first and pray there’s water in the pool! Okay, let me give myself more credit than that. I do check to see if there’s water, I just don’t check to see whether it is ice cold or scalding hot. Yes sireeee, life is all about chances... Good Lord, I hope I have the right shoes for the journey that I am about to embark on!
In that vein, as a first-time blogger, but for reading the Terms of Service when I set this blog up, any other rules and regulations are, as yet, quite unknown to me. Surely there are some, and if anyone reading this wants to provide me with just a little direction, including a hint as to what shoes are best to wear while blogging, I’d appreciate it. Am I allowed to post things here I’ve copied from somewhere else? Can I copy them if I give the author credit? Do I first obtain permission, then I copy, then I give the author credit? Do I have to pay to use certain things that I want to copy and give the author credit for? And, if I do copy something that I’m not supposed to copy, am I going to get sued? [There an old proverb: “You can’t get blood from a stone.” Or, “You can’t squeeze blood from a Turnip.” Either way, I, personally, have nothing. No property, no money, no job, and no job prospects for any potential income. So, go ahead, sue me.]
In that vein, as a first-time blogger, but for reading the Terms of Service when I set this blog up, any other rules and regulations are, as yet, quite unknown to me. Surely there are some, and if anyone reading this wants to provide me with just a little direction, including a hint as to what shoes are best to wear while blogging, I’d appreciate it. Am I allowed to post things here I’ve copied from somewhere else? Can I copy them if I give the author credit? Do I first obtain permission, then I copy, then I give the author credit? Do I have to pay to use certain things that I want to copy and give the author credit for? And, if I do copy something that I’m not supposed to copy, am I going to get sued? [There an old proverb: “You can’t get blood from a stone.” Or, “You can’t squeeze blood from a Turnip.” Either way, I, personally, have nothing. No property, no money, no job, and no job prospects for any potential income. So, go ahead, sue me.]
Monday, June 05, 2006
I swear, this is the first time
…I’ve never posted a “personal” ad before. Actually, that would be the truth. I have never in my entire life written, been the subject of, or responded to a “personal” ad. Those little ads – you see them in the backs of those independent weekly papers that clutter the stands located just inside the door of your local pizza joint, or the grocery store. They used to be good for a few mindless minutes of entertainment. Absolutely no thought process required when skimming down the columns. The best ones weren’t the usual “Women seeking Men,” or “Men seeking Women,” or even the “Women seeking Women,” and “Men seeking Men,” but a section called “Variations.” The “Variations” category had by far the shortest list of ads. It was quite obvious that the authors of this relatively short list were prowling for a change of pace, seeking something new and different and sometimes highly unusual from life’s ordinary fare:
"MBF, 28, 145lbs, 5'7", slim and very athletic, well-endowed, looking to share first encounter with SWM or SWF, to satisfy while husband watches. Must be willing to experiment with snakes and gerbils.”
So, hopefully, in this highly competitive, already over-saturated world of bloggers, I can at least once in a while, offer a bit of variation. Just a few minutes, now and then, of some mindless entertainment... Wish me luck!“MWM, 45, Seeks submissive WM, 23-53, for light bondage, body shave, spanking, etc., while wife is away. Likes large pacifiers and wearing rubber pants.” Limits respected. Discretion assured."
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