Latest posts by Amira Al Hussaini from September, 2007
Syria: Corporate BS
“Nothing pisses me off more than Corporate Bullshit. I’m not sure why Corporate Bullshit (CBS from here on in) works me up, but then again, people have the weirdest pet peeves. If you worked for a big company then you know what I’m talking about,” rants Syrian blogger Omar in...
Syria: Fish Recipe
Abu Fares, from Syria, shares Ramadan's spirit with his readers and dedicates to them a famous fish recipe.
Syria: The Destruction of Old Damascus
Rime Allaf, from Syria, links to an article on the destruction of old Damascus.
UAE: Elaborate Ceremony for the New Academic Year
Brn, from Al Ain, UAE, writes about the elaborate ceremonies staged to usher in the new academic year at the university. “Each year, Sheikh Nahayan, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, as well as Chancellor of the UAE University, comes to give his opening address, and the red...
UAE: The True Meaning of Ramadan
Satsuka, who lives in the UAE, discovers the true meaning of Ramadan. She writes: “Today, a Muslim colleague explained to me why Ramadaan gives him such great joy. He said: Throughout the year I do things for myself in praise of Allah, but in Ramadaan, I do everything for God...
UAE: Social Commitments
UAE blogger e3ashig reflects on social life in the Middle East: “Social commitments are one of the biggest wastes of time and I can see why it is difficult to be dedicated to your work or be creative as there is always some social thing to interrupt you: a death...
Israel: The Plot Thickens
Snoopy the Goon from Israel writes: “As if it were not foggy enough, now we have Peter Beaumont of the Observer jumping into the fray with a new version of the event. First of all, he came up with a name for this sortie: Operation Orchard. Now, of course, the...
Israel: Remembrance Day
Rav Yossie, from Israel, writes: “Rosh Hashana's official liturgical name is “Yom Hazikaron,” Remembrance Day, so it's quite appropriate to reflect on our recent history this week.”
Iraq: Al Sadr Withdrawal
Raed Jarrar from Iraq writes about the official withdrawal of the Al-Sadr group from the United Iraqi Alliance (UIA), formed originally as the Arab Shia coalition and its implications on Iraq.
Egypt: Save Us from Stupid Women
“Anything along the lines of “save the poor oppressed arab women” written by stupid women like this one just makes me puke. Yes we do have thousands of problems to struggle against but please don’t act like everything is perfect where you come from, and what’s with the disturbing generalisations?”...
Egypt: Crackdown on Journalists Not New
“Thursday’s sentencing and fining of four independent newspaper editors is not particularly new or surprising… (T)he two incidents do not herald an impending crackdown on the press, for the simple reason that Mubarak’s regime has been continuously cracking down on and intimidating independent journalists, from at least the early 1990s...
Yemen: Refuge for Iraqis and Somalis
Yemeni blogger Omar Barsawad gives us a chilling insight to how Somalis risk all to escape to Yemen in this post, which also touches on the plight of escaping Iraqis. “For both Somalis and Iraqis: is there a solution in sight? Will Somalia and Iraq settle down and allow its...
Jordan: How to Force a Marriage
Naseem Tarawnah from Jordan links to a story about how a man was jailed for having a relationship with a girl, whose parents turned him away. He set up a tent on a main street, where he had sex with the girl for seven months.
Iraq: Collaborator Tells All
Ladybird from Iraq writes about how an interpreter is threatening the safety of other ‘collaborators with the occupying forces.’
Iraq: Sadr Withdraws from Iraqi Government Alliance
Iraq the Model explains what the withdrawal of the Sadr movement from the Iraqi government means in this post.
Iraq: Change of Life in Hurriya
Alive in Baghdad brings us face to face with the changing face of Hurriya, a neighborhood on the western side of the Tigris was at one time a mixed neighborhood where Sunni and Shi’a lived together, married together, and existed peacefully, like any other neighborhood. The case is no longer...
Iraq: Sunshine Speaks to the World
Iraqi Sunshine had her moments in the limelight when BBC allowed her to speak to the world about her thoughts. Read this post to see how she managed to overcome the odds, Internet and electricity cuts and the fear of bomb explosions to make her voice heard.
Algeria: US Embassy Staff ‘Incompetent’
“(F)or some reason American embassies are staffed with illiterates and space monkeys, rather than helpful personnel with a sense of duty to American citizens. I say this from my own experiences as well; it is not easy for anyone to get into the American embassy in Algiers. With so much...
Bahrain: Job Hunting
Tito84, from Bahrain, is looking for a job and has given us a breakdown of the troubles job hunters face in Bahrain where even educated candidates are offered BD200 ($530) monthly salaries.
Egypt: More than a Million Killed in Iraq
A new poll suggests over one million dead in Iraq since the invasion, reports Issandr El Amrani from Egypt, who provides a link to the study.
Egypt: The Fagnoon World
Maryanne Stroud Gabbani, who lives in Egypt, introduces us to the Fagnoon in this post. Fannan means artist in Arabic and Magnoon means crazy. Click on the link to enter the world of the Fagnoon!
