While I'm still trying to figure out how to post in Arabic and get all the paragraphs properly aligned to the right, please read this article (in Arabic) from Dr. Ahmed Al-Rubei, who gave a fiery speech last night at the rally.
It's more or less the same points he spoke about last night.
Wednesday, May 19, 2004
More on the Rally..
Now that I've slept on the issue and had time to replay the newsreel in my head overnight, here are a few more observations from last night's rally:
1. Every one of the speakers mentioned the segregation of Kuwait University as a landmark in the path to inevitable destruction that the Islamists are leading this country. To them I say: Where the $%&@ were you when that law was passed?! How could you possibly roll over and let them walk all over you?! And where the hell were the students themselves? Shouldn't they have been demonstrating against this grave assault on their livelihoods?! I keep having romantic visions of the student revolts of Paris 1968, and wishing something like that could happen here... sigh.
2. I'm a huge fan of the writer and poet Dr. Khalifa Al-Wegayan, and the poem that he wrote in 1984 and read out to us was so prescient of today's crisis situation. The second poem that he read should be scanned, photocopied, faxed, emailed and slipped under the doors of every Islamist around the world!
3. Many of the speakers very rightly criticized the supposedly liberal MPs - THAT'S YOU IN THE FRONT ROW, MOHAMMED AL-SAGER!! - for their inexcusable silence and lack of any counter intitiative against the relentless assaults on personal liberties.
4. All the speakers insisted that this wasn't just about the right to attend musical concerts (to all you readers outside Kuwait, I'm embarrassed just typing this!), and yet you can't help think that this was the straw that broke the camel's back.
5. As a founding - and sadly inactive - member of the National Democratic Movement, I pledge now in front of God and all of you to take a more active role in future.
6. Where the hell was MadM2000? Did anyone see him? I'm waiting for his take on the rally
Tuesday, May 18, 2004
The Rally for Freedom
Well it was more of a collection of speeches and a call to arms at the Graduate Society. It got off to a creaky start with the barely audible society's president, followed by a rousing and funny speech by Khaled Al-Mutairi, president of the National Democratic Alliance - of which I'm a proud charter member - followed by several speakers, some emotional and powerful, others less so.
The issue at stake is the relentless assault on our personal liberties by the fundamentalist Islamist nutjobs in collusion with our cowardly government that's been appeasing them for decades. And yet, I couldn't help wishing it was held in some other venue. One the main problems plaguing Kuwait's progressive liberals - and one they're not willing to confront - is that the great masses of the general public still view them as an elitist crowd that does not speak for them. This huge untapped silent majority may not like what the Islamists are doing to this country but they also don't feel that the Kuwaiti liberals speak for them either.
Today's rally was, in effect, "preaching to the converted" and was very cathartic for all of us. But what happens next? The Islamists are so organized, and they use fear tactics to gain followers (support us or burn in hell!), I fear people like me just don't stand a chance. But I refuse to give up. This is a fight worth fighting and I plan to make life hell for as many of them as I possibly can.
By the way, I didn't see MadM2000 there, mainly because I still don't know what he looks like
The issue at stake is the relentless assault on our personal liberties by the fundamentalist Islamist nutjobs in collusion with our cowardly government that's been appeasing them for decades. And yet, I couldn't help wishing it was held in some other venue. One the main problems plaguing Kuwait's progressive liberals - and one they're not willing to confront - is that the great masses of the general public still view them as an elitist crowd that does not speak for them. This huge untapped silent majority may not like what the Islamists are doing to this country but they also don't feel that the Kuwaiti liberals speak for them either.
Today's rally was, in effect, "preaching to the converted" and was very cathartic for all of us. But what happens next? The Islamists are so organized, and they use fear tactics to gain followers (support us or burn in hell!), I fear people like me just don't stand a chance. But I refuse to give up. This is a fight worth fighting and I plan to make life hell for as many of them as I possibly can.
By the way, I didn't see MadM2000 there, mainly because I still don't know what he looks like
Kuwaiti women get their full political rights!
Yeah yeah.. whatever.. I can't believe anyone would be stupid enough to fall for that government scam!
Kuwait's shameful exclusion of women from the political process has been an international embarrassment for so long, that it's almost ceased to matter. And yet our esteemed government suddenly saw fit to revive the issue even though it has no serious intention to support it.
And what a coincidence that it put forward this controversial issue right at the time when conscious free-thinking Kuwaitis are starting to agitate against the increasing influence of the predatory Islamist lunatics, the govermnent's pets. It's so obvious even to the casual observer that there's a nasty "quid pro quo" going here, where Islamists agree to drop their questioning of the Minister of Information in exchange for accepting women's political rights. Right.. OVER THEIR DEAD BODIES!
And for anyone living in a cave for the past few weeks (and those of you who live outside Kuwait), what do you think the Minister of Dis-Information is being questioned for? Why, the Star Academy concert of course!
This is too much embarrassment for one day.. I have to go lie down.
SEE YOU AT THE RALLY AT 7 PM
Kuwait's shameful exclusion of women from the political process has been an international embarrassment for so long, that it's almost ceased to matter. And yet our esteemed government suddenly saw fit to revive the issue even though it has no serious intention to support it.
And what a coincidence that it put forward this controversial issue right at the time when conscious free-thinking Kuwaitis are starting to agitate against the increasing influence of the predatory Islamist lunatics, the govermnent's pets. It's so obvious even to the casual observer that there's a nasty "quid pro quo" going here, where Islamists agree to drop their questioning of the Minister of Information in exchange for accepting women's political rights. Right.. OVER THEIR DEAD BODIES!
And for anyone living in a cave for the past few weeks (and those of you who live outside Kuwait), what do you think the Minister of Dis-Information is being questioned for? Why, the Star Academy concert of course!
This is too much embarrassment for one day.. I have to go lie down.
SEE YOU AT THE RALLY AT 7 PM
Monday, May 17, 2004
New Look
How do you like the new look? Nice, no? One of the reasons I've been so slow in updating the blog is that many of the features (behind the scenes!) were a pain in the ass to manage. Now Blogger have completely updated their management tools and its now so much easier - and faster - to post stuff.
So no more excuses from now on, I promise!
So no more excuses from now on, I promise!
The Genius of MadM2000
By now most of you are familiar with underground cartoonist MadM2000 and his outrageous, totally subversive work. I first became familiar with him through his parodies of Kuwait's popular hangouts Nino and TGIF, he then moved on to skewering Villa Moda and its customers and after that nobody was safe from his scathing cartoons and caricatures. As his cartoons become increasingly political, he has taken on a voice of hysterically funny indignation at some of the more absurd events on the Kuwaiti political landscape, especially the weekly outrages imposed on us by fundamentalist Islamist lunatics/criminals.
But all throughout his career, his identity has been known only to his immediate circle. Maybe I'm a bit behind but I still don't know who he is, and I don't really care as long as he keeps us laughing.
I've recently joined his mailing list, and now I regularly receive his hysterical cartoons as soon as he puts them out, including this one here. I urge you all to do the same by signing up to any of the following groups:
He says he'll be at the rally tomorrow at 6 pm. I hope I can spot him because I want to collaborate with him on a project.. a guidebook for anyone wanting to start a small business in Kuwait. I have just TODAY obtained a commercial license that I applied for in August 2003, after suffering untold humiliations and outrageous demands by government bureacrats. I've decided to catalogue these abuses in an illustrated guidebook and I think MadM2000 is the best man for the job.
What do you think? Post your comments below.
But all throughout his career, his identity has been known only to his immediate circle. Maybe I'm a bit behind but I still don't know who he is, and I don't really care as long as he keeps us laughing.
I've recently joined his mailing list, and now I regularly receive his hysterical cartoons as soon as he puts them out, including this one here. I urge you all to do the same by signing up to any of the following groups:
http://groups.msn.com/madm2000
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/madm2000
He says he'll be at the rally tomorrow at 6 pm. I hope I can spot him because I want to collaborate with him on a project.. a guidebook for anyone wanting to start a small business in Kuwait. I have just TODAY obtained a commercial license that I applied for in August 2003, after suffering untold humiliations and outrageous demands by government bureacrats. I've decided to catalogue these abuses in an illustrated guidebook and I think MadM2000 is the best man for the job.
What do you think? Post your comments below.
Film deal for 'Baghdad Blogger'
Congratulations are in order for Salam Pax, also known as the Baghdad Blogger who just signed a film deal based on his online diary. "He's like a Nick Hornby in the middle of a war," Scott Kroopf, chairman of the Intermedia's film division, told film industry website ScreenDaily.com.
As a huge Nick Hornby fan myself, I can say that this is indeed a great compliment, and the movie itself could be quite entertaining.
As a huge Nick Hornby fan myself, I can say that this is indeed a great compliment, and the movie itself could be quite entertaining.
Sunday, May 16, 2004
THIS TIME IT'S WAR!
And no I'm not talking about the situation in Iraq, but our own cultural war with the forces of darkness, the evil fundamemtalist lunatics who have hijacked Islam and distorted it beyond recognition to serve their own corrupt agenda, and held Kuwait hostage for the past 30 years while our esteemed leaders looked on approvingly.
"What the hell were they thinking?!" I hear you cry.. As far as our leaders were concerned, any liberal progressive movement was regarded a threat to their existence and so support was directed to the Islamist movements who have, in turn, slowly suffocated this country and are directly responsible for the state of decline that we're in now. Little did our short-sighted leaders realize that all the liberal progressives ever wanted was to adhere to Kuwait's constitution. Apparently, our leaders have always felt that the constitution was a thorn in their side and wished it never existed - as evidenced by the continuous assaults on the constitution both by the leaders and from their Islamist allies.
Well our leaders seem to have finally woken up - way too late if you ask me - to the fact that it is precisely their Islamist friends that want to overthrow them and assume the rulership of Kuwait. It is the Islamists that pose the greater threat to their existence, more than the liberals ever did.
There will be a rally at the Graduates Society on Tuesday May 18 at 7 pm to demonstrate against the latest assaults on our freedoms from the Islamists who now want to regulate all musical events in Kuwait with a long list of demands too ridiculous to mention here, but can be found in most Kuwaiti papers.
It's kind of sad that it took something as trivial as music concerts to finally wake everyone up to the homegrown menace that has been eating away at the constitution and at our civil liberties for years. Where was this outrage when Kuwait University was ordered to segregate its classes for boys and girls?
Still, better late than never I suppose... I urge you all to attend this rally and put your feet down and make your voice heard in defense of Kuwait!
"What the hell were they thinking?!" I hear you cry.. As far as our leaders were concerned, any liberal progressive movement was regarded a threat to their existence and so support was directed to the Islamist movements who have, in turn, slowly suffocated this country and are directly responsible for the state of decline that we're in now. Little did our short-sighted leaders realize that all the liberal progressives ever wanted was to adhere to Kuwait's constitution. Apparently, our leaders have always felt that the constitution was a thorn in their side and wished it never existed - as evidenced by the continuous assaults on the constitution both by the leaders and from their Islamist allies.
Well our leaders seem to have finally woken up - way too late if you ask me - to the fact that it is precisely their Islamist friends that want to overthrow them and assume the rulership of Kuwait. It is the Islamists that pose the greater threat to their existence, more than the liberals ever did.
There will be a rally at the Graduates Society on Tuesday May 18 at 7 pm to demonstrate against the latest assaults on our freedoms from the Islamists who now want to regulate all musical events in Kuwait with a long list of demands too ridiculous to mention here, but can be found in most Kuwaiti papers.
It's kind of sad that it took something as trivial as music concerts to finally wake everyone up to the homegrown menace that has been eating away at the constitution and at our civil liberties for years. Where was this outrage when Kuwait University was ordered to segregate its classes for boys and girls?
Still, better late than never I suppose... I urge you all to attend this rally and put your feet down and make your voice heard in defense of Kuwait!
Wednesday, April 07, 2004
GUYS!! Lose That Spare Tyre Around Your Stomach!
Hypoxi Kuwait will open its men's facility at Club Elite at JW Marriott, so now men can also benefit from its unique therapy. VACUNAUT is a unique revolutionary alternative method combining vacuum therapy and gentle exercise to target fat burn in the abdominal area.
An initial consultation with our on-site therapist is recommended to determine the number of sessions you will require, based on your weight and your body-fat measurements. The sessions are taken in courses and are priced as follows:
Club Elite members are entitled to a 10% discount on all courses.
To book your appointment, you can call the central booking number on 264-0419. Alternatively, you can stop by Club Elite at the JW Marriott - 15th floor - for a consultation with our on-site therapist and plan your required sessions.
There will be only one Vacunaut machine (for now) at the club, so hurry and book soon!
An initial consultation with our on-site therapist is recommended to determine the number of sessions you will require, based on your weight and your body-fat measurements. The sessions are taken in courses and are priced as follows:
12 session course KD 175
18 session course KD 250
24 session course KD 325
Club Elite members are entitled to a 10% discount on all courses.
To book your appointment, you can call the central booking number on 264-0419. Alternatively, you can stop by Club Elite at the JW Marriott - 15th floor - for a consultation with our on-site therapist and plan your required sessions.
There will be only one Vacunaut machine (for now) at the club, so hurry and book soon!
How low can you go?
Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse at our esteemed Parliament, or National Assembly, or whatever the hell it's called these days... we've hit an all-time low with one of our shadier MPs losing his temper and throwing a glass of water at another MP. Don't believe me? Take a look
Saturday, April 03, 2004
The Clown Wins!
As expected.. Arab audiences across the Middle East, in keeping with tradition, decided to vote for the clown over the truly talented contestant. In a dramatic, tension-filled final episode of the talent contest Star Academy Kuwait's Bashar Al-Shatti lost to Egypt's Mohamed Attiya.
Of course, Bashar never stood a chance of winning due to simple numbers: Kuwait's small population of voters vs. Egypt's endless millions. But if it was just that, we wouldn't really mind; Egyptians are just as entitled to blind nationalist favouritism as anyone else. But it's the rest of the Arab world - assuming they actually voted - who chose to play politics instead of picking a winner based on talent alone. I'm not one to believe in wild theories, and I accept the loss with an open mind, but a quick read through the silly text messages scrolling across the various music channels reveals an irrational hatred and gloating over Bashar's loss just because he's Kuwaiti.
We Kuwaitis may not be very popular among other Arabs for a variety of reasons, some of our own making, but this is ridiculous. And yet I'm sure we would be gloating if he had won. Still, most Kuwaitis are taking this loss very hard - its just the latest in a long string of losses. But to everyone, I say DO NOT DESPAIR. If everyone really hated Kuwaitis as much as you think, Bashar would NOT have made it all the way to the finals. There is no way that he got to the finals simply on Kuwait's votes.
Anyway, tonight Bashar will return to Kuwait triumphant. A new Kuwaiti star is born, with a promising musical career ahead of him. Mohamad Attiya will do a couple of silly video clips, and a really bad movie and then disappear into the seedy nightclubs of Cairo. Shame, because he seems to be a nice guy.
Of course, Bashar never stood a chance of winning due to simple numbers: Kuwait's small population of voters vs. Egypt's endless millions. But if it was just that, we wouldn't really mind; Egyptians are just as entitled to blind nationalist favouritism as anyone else. But it's the rest of the Arab world - assuming they actually voted - who chose to play politics instead of picking a winner based on talent alone. I'm not one to believe in wild theories, and I accept the loss with an open mind, but a quick read through the silly text messages scrolling across the various music channels reveals an irrational hatred and gloating over Bashar's loss just because he's Kuwaiti.
We Kuwaitis may not be very popular among other Arabs for a variety of reasons, some of our own making, but this is ridiculous. And yet I'm sure we would be gloating if he had won. Still, most Kuwaitis are taking this loss very hard - its just the latest in a long string of losses. But to everyone, I say DO NOT DESPAIR. If everyone really hated Kuwaitis as much as you think, Bashar would NOT have made it all the way to the finals. There is no way that he got to the finals simply on Kuwait's votes.
Anyway, tonight Bashar will return to Kuwait triumphant. A new Kuwaiti star is born, with a promising musical career ahead of him. Mohamad Attiya will do a couple of silly video clips, and a really bad movie and then disappear into the seedy nightclubs of Cairo. Shame, because he seems to be a nice guy.
Wednesday, March 31, 2004
Vote for Bashar on Star Academy!
I can't believe I'm getting carried away with this whole Star Academy business. In the UK, Fame Academy was a tacky TV show that pitted contestants from across the UK. Here the Arabic version has taken on a whole new dimension as it becomes a show of national pride between various Arab countries. Sure, the Arab League Summit fell apart for unexplained reasons but at least Arabs are united in their love for "Star Academy"... a sad state of affairs indeed. Anyway, leaving nationalistic considerations aside.. Bashar is truly the more talented of the two remaining finalists.
As an aside, however, most people don't realize (yet!) the sense of empowerment that shows like "Star Academy" and "SuperStar" (the Arabic Pop Idol) have given Arab audiences. You see, for the first time in their lives, many Arabs of all ages, religions and genders are free to VOTE!! Yes, they are FREE to vote for whoever they like without any coercion or bribery, and no retarded Islamists or Bedouins telling them that they can't vote.
Should we look forward to a day when all Arabs can choose their leaders as freely?
As an aside, however, most people don't realize (yet!) the sense of empowerment that shows like "Star Academy" and "SuperStar" (the Arabic Pop Idol) have given Arab audiences. You see, for the first time in their lives, many Arabs of all ages, religions and genders are free to VOTE!! Yes, they are FREE to vote for whoever they like without any coercion or bribery, and no retarded Islamists or Bedouins telling them that they can't vote.
Should we look forward to a day when all Arabs can choose their leaders as freely?
A literary event
And trust me, there ain't too many of those around here! I was honored to be invited to a book launch reception for our very own Dalaa Al-Mufti (aka Dalaa Al-Sultan). She has just published her first novel titled "Hunna... Lasna Anti" or "They.. Are Not You", and the reception was held at the wonderful Qurtas Bookstore right in the middle of the old souk in downtown Kuwait City. The setting was great, and the turnout was just as good. We all got autographed copies of the book.
I will read the novel as soon as I can (hopefully this weekend!), it is supposed to be a "roman a clef", a work of fiction rooted in reality, so it has to be a great read! I urge you all (well, those of you who can read Arabic!) to buy this book now and lend your support to a burgeoning talent!
Well done Dalaa! Woo hoo!!!
I will read the novel as soon as I can (hopefully this weekend!), it is supposed to be a "roman a clef", a work of fiction rooted in reality, so it has to be a great read! I urge you all (well, those of you who can read Arabic!) to buy this book now and lend your support to a burgeoning talent!
Well done Dalaa! Woo hoo!!!
Tuesday, March 30, 2004
The end of ski season
I would kill to be on skis right now, as the season draws to a close and the sunshine is relentless
Burn Fat at Hypoxi Center!
About that small business I mentioned in the last post.... My siblings and I have opened a new studio called Hypoxi Center. It offers a unique treatment that visibly reduces fat and cellulite in the most stubborn areas of your body such as the thighs and stomach, using a patented vacuum method. The resultant increased blood supply and circulation causes concentrated fat breakdown to take place in precisely the cellulite and fat prone areas of the hips, thighs and buttocks. The unique similtaneus activity of vacuum suction and exercise increases the supply of nutrient and oxygen rich blood to the PROBLEM ZONES speeding up metabolism and fat burning to reduce the appearance of cellulite with lasting positive results.
I could go on, but it's best you stop by for a consultation or go through the website. Sadly, our center in Shaab is a ladies-only facility. BUt we will be opening a men's facility very soon.
The phone number at Shaab is 264-0419, and yes you all need it!
I could go on, but it's best you stop by for a consultation or go through the website. Sadly, our center in Shaab is a ladies-only facility. BUt we will be opening a men's facility very soon.
The phone number at Shaab is 264-0419, and yes you all need it!
I'm sorry.. I really am!
Has it been that long?? I promised to post on a more regular basis but somehow it just slipped my mind. Plus, I've been so busy the past month with work, renovating the house, opening up a small business (more on that later) and traveling to Beirut and Dubai, for both work and pleasure. March seems to be the longest month, but I like it here because the weather is so pleasant.
So yes.. I'm back for real this time :-)
So yes.. I'm back for real this time :-)
Wednesday, February 18, 2004
Wednesday, February 11, 2004
A weird feeling..
It's that time of the year when everything is in limbo because of the shortest month of the year being riddled with holidays, like a torn shirt
On one hand we having the growing Halliburton corruption scandal, which will no doubt be swept under the rug for more pressing issues such as Hala February (gotta love the groan-inducing description!) which threatens to tear apart the very fabric of Kuwaiti society, as impressionable youngsters fall under the evil spell of commerce, art and music!!!
Now I ask you, which of the two issues is more "evil"?
On one hand we having the growing Halliburton corruption scandal, which will no doubt be swept under the rug for more pressing issues such as Hala February (gotta love the groan-inducing description!) which threatens to tear apart the very fabric of Kuwaiti society, as impressionable youngsters fall under the evil spell of commerce, art and music!!!
Now I ask you, which of the two issues is more "evil"?
Tuesday, January 27, 2004
Flu Season
Watch out everyone... it's out there. I'm sick with the flu and staying at home in the foulest mood EVER!!! :-(
Monday, January 26, 2004
He's Back Ladies & Gentlemen!!
And with a vengeance too! I'd had enough of blogging after the war ended (honestly, I don't know how all you bloggers out there keep up!)
I even tried my hand at a totally anonymous blog in which I could freely trash anything and anyone here in Kuwait - and God knows there are plenty of targets - but even that fizzled out. I wasn't sufficiently motivated, and I couldn't get it to work properly either and forgot how to upload pictures which made it rather dull...which is another reason I'm reviving this blog. It's already set up to function exactly the way I want it to, so why reinvent the wheel and start another one?
I stayed complacent for a while but suddenly something in me snapped and I decided that it was time I went back to writing.. perhaps to find an outlet for my frustrations.
So without further fanfare, I'm returning to the original "Live from Kuwait" blog, only this time I'm calling it "Kuwait Unplugged" (very original) and it won't have much to do with Iraq and the dismal situation over there. There are plenty of excellent bloggers in Iraq whose voices are finally being heard after years of oppression. Some of them are already listed on the left, with more to come very soon.
This blog will be totally random and irregular (i.e. I'll post whenever I feel like it), and it will contain a broad range of topics. You can see samples from the few posts that I did on the anonymous blog between May and November 2003. They're just too nasty to throw away :-P
I even tried my hand at a totally anonymous blog in which I could freely trash anything and anyone here in Kuwait - and God knows there are plenty of targets - but even that fizzled out. I wasn't sufficiently motivated, and I couldn't get it to work properly either and forgot how to upload pictures which made it rather dull...which is another reason I'm reviving this blog. It's already set up to function exactly the way I want it to, so why reinvent the wheel and start another one?
I stayed complacent for a while but suddenly something in me snapped and I decided that it was time I went back to writing.. perhaps to find an outlet for my frustrations.
So without further fanfare, I'm returning to the original "Live from Kuwait" blog, only this time I'm calling it "Kuwait Unplugged" (very original) and it won't have much to do with Iraq and the dismal situation over there. There are plenty of excellent bloggers in Iraq whose voices are finally being heard after years of oppression. Some of them are already listed on the left, with more to come very soon.
This blog will be totally random and irregular (i.e. I'll post whenever I feel like it), and it will contain a broad range of topics. You can see samples from the few posts that I did on the anonymous blog between May and November 2003. They're just too nasty to throw away :-P
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