I am getting goosebumps.. and it isn't the cold outside trust me. I did't draw my curtains yet this morning and I wont. I don't want to face the music. But it was snowing yesterday and last night and TV warnings show that more bad weather is coming our way. Hurray! That's my weekend fucked up already.. unless I want to go skiing and attempt to break my back, neck and leg in the process!
The above picture is one I clicked on December 31. It is the same today, I presume. You just know what the temperature is outside after sometime. Your body builds up its own met. observation and measurement systems and acts accordingly. Worrying thing, this human brain, I tell you!
But what's worrying me more today is what I would call the encroachment of mainstream media into the world of bloggers. Ok. I agree. This sounds so ironic coming from me, for until a short time ago, I used to wear two hats - that of a news editor of an English daily and a blogger.. but I separated the two.. I swear I did. Each had its different world and set of rules, for in our Arab world, the two can't meet eye to eye.
The fact that Arab media is taking a close look at blogs is alarming to say the least. A few months ago the Information Ministry in Bahrain, for instance, had ordered bloggers to register their blogs with the ministry or else face action, the minute some twit up there realised that there was a new craze called on-line journals. And now Al Wasat is trying to draw attention to bloggers and then the Cabinet and Parliament will hold extraordinary sessions to discuss the matter and we will, I repeat, we will petition the UN to .. to .. I don't know what.
I hope my ability predicting the end of blogging in Wonderland isn't as good as my expertise in forcasting the weather here! Will Mahmood end up behind bars for posting lewd scenes of parrots mating? Will Silveroo be banished to New Zealand for complaining too much about everything? Will Chanad have his gills gutted and thrown in the Arabian Gulf to rot? Will Zarnooq have nails drilled into his skull, in a bid to put things in perspective in that over-active brain of his? Will Jadd William (he brought the wrath of the media upon us!!!) be forever tied up to one of the posters he criticised as punishment for expressing his opinion? Will our smart and sharp tongued Bahrania be resurrected? And me.. oops...I don't want to open a can of worms..but what happens to me?
I am exhausted. Really. I need some sleep. And when I wake up, I want to be in a different place. Canada isn't a far enough place to escape away from Bahrain and its headache.
Perhaps the North Pole would be a good idea...or the South Pole? Don't know.. off to the travel agent!
15 comments:
The "discovery" would have happened sooner or later. I am surprised that it has actually taken this long, and only after Haitham met with the Al-Wasat's chief editor Nowaihedh did one of the main papers take the "project" up, but unfortunately it has been given to a junior editor or maybe a runner to highlight some posts from the blogs, nothing like a round-up, but taking Haitham's generosity of mind, it's early days yet and maybe the kid will get the hang of things, and we have to encourage him to do a better job.
As to being noticed? I'm not worried at all about the upper echelons of our fair isle, what I *am* worried about however, and I have seen traces of it on my blog already, are the "common" layers waking up to this medium... Can you imagine, even for a shuddering second, that you blog or at least some of your posts are translated into Arabic and then thrown to the wolves at bahrainonline?
Now shudder some more, but I warrant not from the cold this time.
I do like that picture you took though, it reminds me a bit of Bonny Scotland... maybe my escape in a retiring age!
SCary thoughts Mahmood. Yes. I have experienced having my articles disected and translated into Arabic to the rural crowds, who called for my head to be served on a bronze platter and then posted on the outskirts of Isa Town for all those who think they can aspire their opinions in a free and democratic Bahrain to SHUT THE FUCK UP!
And it isn't nice here. It is depressing - but the heatwaves coming from Bahrain are making me feel hot!
It looks like here in Finland, the picture.
But are you guys really physically in danger? When I read your texts, I always get the impression you aren't. It's different from Muttawa in Saudi Arabia. I have always got the impression of a sane man (=him) locked up in a lunatic asylum run by thugs (= Saudi Arabia).
Back on the cartoons again, I found this article, which warmed my heart:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3570205a11,00.html
Looks like the controversy is well and truly over here. I'm proud of New Zealanders (by that I mean New Zealanders new and old) that we can sit down and work things out. Also that we seem to be moving from a bi-cultural society to a multicultural one.
Also, you'll hate me for saying this, but it's SO HOT here right now.
Sarah,
Don't worry about us.. We will migrate enmasse to New Zealand, where the pasture is definitely GREENER!
Glad to know the cartoon fiasco is over there! I mean that it has finished there. hehe.
Haitham,
I would love to share your enthusiasm. But I can't...although I am still smiling ;)
Hahaha,
I don't know what drug you are on.. but the Happyland you come from would be worth a visit.
Mike C,
Panama? emmmmmmmmmmmm.. No thanks, I would opt for New Zealand ;)
oops.. Panu.. Don't worry. Again, we aren't in physical danger. They THEY really don't know what they are reading.. and if and when they do read into things, we can always read into what they read again!! It is really fun being in a silly silly world ;)
Finland.. emmm.. Yes. Definitely worth a visit. Hubby was there many moons ago and says we should visit together.
I'm glad you're enjoying the cold my dear. Be sure to blog about it when the central heating breaks down :)
But this Al Wasat blog gossip is quite amusing. Let's see how it progresses.
It (Al Wasat) sure is amusing .. but the cold isn't...And don't tell me that there is a possibility that the central heating could break down.. Please don't.
Finland.. emmm.. Yes. Definitely worth a visit. Hubby was there many moons ago and says we should visit together.
Certainly. But don't expect snow in summer. In fact, in August it sure feels like Arabia, at least here in southern Finland. But you can have an ice cream at every streetcorner, in August.
Ice Cream? hehe .. Silly Girl has ice cream all the time .. even in winter!
Silly Girl has ice cream all the time .. even in winter!
Oh, certainly. Ice cream is an old invention of the Islamic world, as we all know. But in winter, they don't sell it in the streets.
Panu,
Great to know that ice cream is another Islamic invention!
Really cools off all the hype going on about our latest innovation: Terrorism!
Mike C,
Will consider it! hehe .. you really want to send me to hot spots don't you?
Great to know that ice cream is another Islamic invention!
Well, of course people say that everything comes from China to start with, but as far as I know, sorbets and ice creams were Persian or Turkic court delicacies to start with, but were popularised and commercialised by Arabs, without doubt in the era of classical Islamic culture. At least it's from the Islamic world ice cream came to Europe.
I might remember wrong, but Wikipedia seems to be down, so I cannot check it there.
Yes, this is what Wikipedia says:
Ice cream was the favourite dessert for the Caliphs of Baghdad, Arabs were the first to make it or at least commercially as there were ice cream factories in the 10th century and the first to sugar Ice cream, it was sold in markets of all Arab cities in the past. It was made of a chilled syrup or milk with fruits and some nuts.
SBG
You haven't lived until you have faced some time with a broken furnace in a cold climate during the winter. I do admit it is better than no AC in the desert!
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