The One with the No More "The One With....."

Dear friends,

as we went enter into the new year that is 2005, I have decided to do away with the what now seems silly the way I titled each of my article post. It seemed cool in the beginning, but now I am going to change it and will just give some short snappy title, instead of The One with the blah blah blah. I hope that will prove to be more fun and enjoyable to read.

Hope you all have an awesome nwe year, despite the Tsunami coming and destroying so many lives in just days!

Mansur

The One with the Racist Comments

Hey all,

For those of you who have passed through the wonderful (?) airport of Jeddah, will surely have heard of scary stories of what happens at the immigration and customs desk. In short: rude and inattentive immigration officers, officers who get up from the desk whenever they want to leaving passengers waiting in lines, officers who refuse to stamp your passport simply because you moved from the longer line to a shorter one etc etc. All the officers are Saudis, and almost all have some sort of superiority complex going on. They do whatever they want to at the expense of the passenger's time.

There are scary stories of people passing through the customs: CD and DVDs are checked at the media room, books are looked at, magazines are ripped apart, food items are sniffed at, and almost always, it is the single men from the Indian Subcontinent who face the harshest treatment. I have had books and magazines confiscated as well had some DVDs looked over by the man in the media room.

But if you are a single male from the Indian Subcontinent, with dark complexion, you are subjected to harrassment and humiliation. They are taunted and are made to tear open the boxes and unpack the entire suitcases. The officers will never help the passenger to re-pack the luggage, and instead with hand gestuers will ask him to move away. If this passenger were someone with white complexion, and blond hair, they would get away with such kind of treatment. Ironically then, it is the Saudis who complain of rude treatments at US airports!! Why don't the Saudis look at the way they treat foreigners at their own airports, before complaining of the way they are treated abroad??!!

However, the attitude of the officers went below the belt when on my return from Dubai recently, the officer at the customs desk displayed his state of racist mind to me. I was no doubt angry, but did not create a scene lest I get jailed or something!

Following is the letter of mine that got published in Arab News on www.arabnews.com.

-----------------
Attitude Problem

Let me share with your readers an unhappy experience I had at the Jeddah airport recently when I returned from a trip to Dubai. I can agree with Mr. E.D (Dec. 25) when he describes the customs officers’ attitude as partly racist.

At the customs desk, the officer very politely asked me what I had in my luggage. After my explanation, he asked me where I was from and I told him the name of my country. He asked me if I had a British mother or father. On hearing that I am a Pakistani with a Pakistani passport, the attitude changed all on a sudden; he became rude and said to me: “You should not be a Pakistani. You have white skin. Pakistanis are not like that.” The experience was distressing and it hurts me to see that some Saudis think Pakistanis are only those people with dark complexion looking for menial jobs.

To be fair, this kind of attitude prevails all over the Kingdom and not just at the airports. As many have suggested, such attitude can only be countered through education and intensive awareness campaigns.

Mansour Ahsan • Jeddah published 28 December 2004
--------------------------------------------------------

Enjoy,

Mansur

The One with the Most-Visited Web-sites in KSA

Hey all,

I came across this page on the website of King Abdul Aziz City (what I am doing here, dont ask me!), which basically monitors the internet in the Kingdom. They have a list of the most popular sites. You should check it out-- you can get to know what the people of the Kingdom are like.

http://www.isu.net.sa/surveys-&-statistics/pupuler.htm

A recent newspaper article talked about how many people try to access porn sites, and that 92% of the internet users have tried to access porn at one time or another. These people don't include those who have internet through the satellite, which means they have uninterrupted and unfiltered access. There are also some people who know how to by pass proxy as well.

Oh well, what I can say is that at times, it is very annoying when you want to access a webpage and it is blocked and you are asked to fill in the "unblock website request form."

Take care,

Mansur

Happy New Year Friends!

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU, MY FAITHFUL BLOG-READERS!

Hey friends,

The year 2004 is almost coming to an end. I can go on and on about the hi-lites and low-lites of what happened in my life. I think there are a lot of things that were meaningful to me: working and earning, meeting with school friend, living in Jeddah, getting my driving license amidst others. Low-lites for me would include the political situation around the world and Bush’s re-election!

Anyhow, I don’t want to bore you with the summary of the year 2004, but instead am willing to share with you my resolutions for the year 2005. Here they are (mind you, some of them were resolutions I made in 2004!!)

1) Spend more quality time with parents, and siblings wherever opportunity arises
2) Be more prompt in replying to emails and staying in contact with friends
3) Reduce consumption of chocolates
4) Reduce consumption of chocolate milk
5) Exercise regularly and consistently
6) Write thank you letters to those people who make a difference in my life
7) Read at least one book every two weeks
8) Do volunteer work where I ever I can (especially with children)
9) Travel to a new location where I have not been before
10) Learn to play the guitar
11) Take up a new sport
12) Finalizing my house plans and elevations, and eventually the construction

These are just some of them. I have kept resolutions which I know are attainable, and I have a whole year to do them. I would love to know if you all have any—share them with me!

Here’s wishing you a Happy New Year!

Mansur

The One with the Obsession with Chocolate

O Chocolate, chocolate!
Wherefore art thou, chocolate?

You, O Chocolate, are

--- luscious, decadent, divine, seductive, heavenly
--- velvety, dark, rewarding, delicate, exciting
--- smooth, tempting, tantalizing, mouth-watering, delicious
--- sexy, vital, sinful, addictive, naughty
--- faithful, sweet, silky-smooth, irresistible, unforgettable
--- mesmerizing, warm, silky, comforting, bittersweet
--- essential, rich, sensuous, creamy
--- indulgent, alluring, fragrant, sacred, luxurious
--- sticky, sublime, aromatic, fulfilling, enticing


And you, O Chocolate taste, good with

--- almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, peanuts
--- raisins, caramel, coffee, coconut, marzipan
--- vanilla, milk, strawberries, ice-cream, chocolate
--- figs, honey, cream, rum, sugar
--- oranges, macadamias, pistachios, chestnuts


In short, O Chocolate, you make my world go round!

Love,

Mansur

The One with the Roller Coaster Ride in Jeddah!

Hey all,

today, history is made in Jeddah. There is a steel roller coaster, that takes the riders upside down three times, while going forward, and then, another three times when coming in reverse! It was an awesome experience for me!

For so many months prior to the opening of the latest theme park in Jeddah, I could see the roller coaster steel tracks being built, and I would say to myself: I am gonna get on that no matter what. It is yellow in color, and consists of three loops: two loops are in the boomerang and another one is a regular loop.

The ride starts by lifting the riders in reverse up the slope, and then once we are at the top, we are released. The riders come rushing down, everyone screaming, and then dash straight up into the first loop, which then curves and goes through another loop-- like a boomerang. Once we are all out of the second loop, we go through the third regular loop and then finally up onto the slope, facing the sky. Screams stop, people give a sigh of relief-- and then you hear some mechanism...and suddenly, whoooooosh!!!! You go through the entire track in reverse!! People screamed more when this happened. I screamed my lungs out, as was my sister. You never know when the loop is coming because everything is behind you!!!

I am sure you must have guessed by now... I have a weakness for roller coasters! I am like a putty, and you can make me do anything, only if I can sit on a roller coaster! Every time I go to the UK, I have to go roller coasters--- where-ever it is. I have a weakness for theme parks and fun fairs as well. I love the atmosphere: people, including me, screaming on rides, the way you can be thrown about in all directions, upside down and downside up, the adrenaline rush, the excitement, the cotton candy, and games, the dodgems cars....and everything else! It is a place where you can be anything you want to--- you have a great reason to scream your soul out and no one will say anything to you (psssst, a great way to relieve your frustrations!!)

Here is the link to the first proper theme park in Jeddah: (to those who live/d in Jeddah, Attalah is not, and was never ever, a theme park!!)

http://www.fakiehgroup.com/shallal.shtml

Do any of you have a favorite roller coaster? Tell me all about it!

yours from having-a-little-sore-throat-from-screaming!

Mansur
PS The following pictures are taken from web, but the track and design of the coaster is exactly the same!

Roller Coaster Part 1: In Its Full Glory!

The complete view of the entire track
(Boomerang coaster, Prater Park, Vienna)

Roller Coaster Part 2: The First Loop!

The first loop of the boomerang!
(Six Flags, San Antonia, TX)

Roller Coaster Part 3: Another View of the Coaster!

The Coaster in its entirety
(Prater Park, Vienna)

Roller Coaster Part 4: Aaaaaaaargh! The First Drop!

Aaaaaaargh! THE Drop!!!!
(Prater Park, Vienna)

The One where I am a Cartoon!

Hey friends,

can you imagine a cartoon series with me? Maybe something on the lines of SuperMan(sur)!! Hilarious! Actually, growing up, my favorite cartoon was The Pink Panther and I would rock my baby sister to sleep on that famous Pink Panther tune-- tedum, tedum,tedumtedumtedum, teduuuuuum....etc etc!! lol! Anyways, check out the caricature side of me! You can be at peace-- I dont wear the round eye glasses anymore, this was drawn way back in 1996!!!

Mansur




The Other Side of Me!

The One about the Madness Sale at Mango!

Hey all,

Now that we have recovered from a day of tension from finding out who Button is, I feel more at ease and relaxed!

I took my sister shopping today to Mango, which is a deisgner store. We actually went yesterday but Mango was closed as they were preparing for the sale today. When we got to the store, there was no parking available. I had to park about five minutes walk away. I dropped my sister, parked the car and walked over to the store.

Once I got inside, seeing the whole store from 6ft4 high, all I could see were women in black abayas, scurrying here and there as if the place was on fire. It looked more like a loot sale. Clothes were thrown everywhere, off the racks, on the floor, over the railings-- just about everywhere. I was looking for my sister, and I realized that I am in for a major challenge: from behind, all women look the same. So I had to resort to looking at women in their faces. I was pretty sure they must have been thinking what a pervert I am, checking out the women!

I gave up, even after having close calls with some of the women, and my sister finally found me. I helped her pick out some items, and at the same time, I was looking at the way these women were: haggling, running all over, shouting, screaming, hitting one another, snatching clothes from other women's hands, all the while trying out clothes over their abayas and throwing them everywhere on the floor!

What annoyed me though was how some of the women came earlier, and picked out what they wanted, and then put them on reserve. I saw so many bags, which had clothes, which were reserved for the women who came earlier. It should not be like that; sale should be first come first served basis.

We finally managed to make it out of the madness that was at the sale. I could only think of the sale at Ikea, which resulted in three deaths. I think such situations at stores who have a sale is universal. My sister was sharing with me how people stand so early in line, as early as 6am, to get to the sale at designer stores so they can get the first choice.

Anyway, the important thing is that my sister and I made it back home in one piece!

Yours from-thinking-about-not-attending-anymore-sales,

Mansur

The One about the Mysterious Button

Hi all,

In my recent article, someone by the name of Button left a comment. Mystery ensued as to who this Button was. Button, in her folow-up comment left a message explaining who she is. However, one of her comment struck me: "Many of us here are interested in the Middle East bloggers. KSA seems very remote and mysterious."

Sure, for the people living in the US, the country of KSA can seem that way, but it does not have to be that way. With the internet and emails, information is freely available, and people in the US can venture beyond the Fox News and others to get the complete picture of events. However, I must say that in this blog of mine, I do not aim to belittle anyone, anything or any nation. I also do not intend to endorse the events that occur here in Jeddah. This blog is more about my life, and my thought processess. People can easily become judgmental of KSA, Jeddah or the Saudis. I do not want that to happen.

I am merely writing here what happens in my life. I am not here to defend Saudis, nor am I here to be critical of Saudis.

Thanks for understanding,

Mansur

The One about White Lies

Hey friends,

I am not sure if White Lies are ok or not. I recently got into an argument with my dad and my sister about this. Thay said that white lies are ok, just as long as you are not hurting anyone, directly or indirectly; whereas I felt that one white lies will lead to many other white lies, eventually making it black.

At a recent dinner party, someone asked someone:

Cool Girl #1: Hey girl, how's life in London? Did you go to China White?
Cool Girl #2: Hey there! London is great. Yeah China White is awesome.

Cool Girl #2 clearly lied. She does not know where or what China White is!! Cool Girl #2, in order to not come across as someone who is boring, decided to lie. Cool Girl #2 thinks, no one is being hurt, so there is no problem.

Cool Girl #1: Isnt that place great? What do you like about that place?
Cool Girl #2: Umm, actually, its been a while now. I just remember it was great.

Cool Girl #2 quickly turns the topic over to some other things she does know about!

What I am saying here is that sometimes people, including me at times, say white lies, maybe to not hurt someone or to not come across as stupid or boring. Following are moments where I clearly lied:

--- In school, when the report cards were out, I would lie about my grades
--- When we would get our exams or projects assignments back, I would always say a higher grade on something I did not do too good on
--- When my mom or sister asks me what I thought of their clothes or hairstyles, I would give false praise
--- When my friend asked me what I thought about that new bestseller book, I would say it was awesome and the ending touched me (when I clearly had not read it!)
--- Sending myself valentines cards and pretending to the people that I am popular
--- When someone says "I hope I did not bore you", and I say, "No, you didnt, I enjoyed your company", only to have that person stick around for longer!

I can continue to give you more examples, but my point now is that I did say many white lies, but today, I dont do that any longer. Sure there are some sticky situations, and I use my best judgment then, like, when my boss asked me what I thought about this 1.2 million riyals housing project, I could only say but good things about it!

But don't worry, today, I try to stay as honest as I can. You can be at peace, that there are no lies in any of my articles here in this blog!

Mansur
PS Confession Time: there are some anonymous comments in my earlier articles--- they were left by me! :S

The One with What Would You Do in This Situation?

Hey all,

If you could just bear with me, just imagine what you would feel in each of the following situations:

... you missed your morning appointment because you did not hear the alarm clock ringing.
... you missed the delivery man with the important package who left simply because you did not hear the door bell.
... you missed the punchline of the joke because some background noise interrupted the speaker.
... you could not hear the person on the other side of the phone and missed an important question.
... you did not answer the question in class because you did not hear the professor cearly.


I am off now

Mansur

The One with the Demonstrations in Jeddah

At 1130pm I received a frantic call from my sister: "Mansur, whatever you do, don’t leave the house. The demonstrators are out on the streets and they are right next to our house."

I could hear the helicopters hovering about in our area, as well as the sirens of the police cars.

For days, people were speculating that there will be widespread demonstrations in the city of Jeddah and Riyadh. The call to protest was called by a Saudi who is living in exile in London. He sent coded messages through his radio broadcast to the dissatisfied youth on the Kingdom to get out and protest against the Saudi Royal family. Tonight was the night.

Ultimately, we realized later that the frantic call my sister made was a false alarm. What actually happened, happened the next day. There were a handful of protestors, two were arrested, the others ran into a mosque, and eventually they were also caught. Two of the protestors fired gunshots from their car outside a mosque. All the images I had of a demonstrations, based on the ones I see in Pakistan and London, did not materialize here in Jeddah. Were the Saudi youths not brave enough? Were the Saudi Royal family so scared they deployed massive numbers of police forces? Were the youths here scared for their life?

Which got me thinking—how the heck can the people voice their grievances against the Royal family? Simply writing about the problems in the papers apparently is not making a huge impact. The government does not allow for public display of protests. The king himself receives only those members of the public he feels he can handle in a day. How can the people here voice their opinions?

Funnily enough, a tape was released by Jazeera television at the same time of these demstrations, claiming that it is Bin Laden on tape praising the attack on the US consulate in Jeddah recently. Right, and what about the Saudis and other non-American staff that were killed? They don’t matter to Osama. Osama is more concerned to kick out anything that has US stamped all over it. A very scary scenario for me indeed is if Osama is successful in over-throwing the Saudi government and establishes his brand of Islam--- suddenly everything American will be thrown out, women will be confined to homes, satellite and internet will be banned and men forced to grow beards! Gosh, we are living in a scary world!

Here is the link to the story of the not-so-purposeful-demonstration:

http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&section=0&article=56191&d=17&m=12&y=2004

Till you hear from me again,

Mansur

The One with the Littering

Hiya,

I see so many people throw litter out of a car. Even today, I saw one guy in his car on front of, driving in a brand new Mercedes, and driving down as if he owns the road. Suddenly, I see him lower his window, and out comes the cigarette butt, then a coke can and then a small plastic bag with other rubbish inside it -- all dumped out on the main road! I wanted to so badly ram my car into his rear bumper!

I do not understand why people do this. They will go to great lengths to take care of their cars, polish it, vacuum it, eash it, maintain the interiors, and yet so easily mess things around them! Why can't they keep the streets clean? They dont own the streets! They should learn to respect public properties.

I think the fact that people thrown litter out on streets goes to show something about themselves: they disrespect public property. As for myself, I keep a plastic bag in my car and throw my rubbish in that. I now go to the lengths of shouting at people who litter from my car when I am driving. I get upset and tell them: "at least you are educated, why do you have to mess the roads!?"

Yours from trying to keep the streets clean (just only!),

Mansur

The One about the Attack on the US Consulate in Jeddah!

Hello,

I am sure all of you know by now of the attack on the US consulate in Jeddah yesterday. I myself found out when I had come home for my lunch break. I did hear an exploding noise, but my colleague said that probably something big must have fallen on site. My workplace is about 5 minutes away from the US consulate by car.

I switched on the TV and watched the ticker news on one of the Pakistani channel: Jeddah-US Consulate attacked. I was in disbelief at first. Is this the same consulate where I went to get my I-20 back in 1996? Is this the same consulate that I made several trips to this summer with my sister when applied for her visa? Apparently, as the news became clearer, it turned out to be the same consulate.

I am not going go into the details of what happened, since there are still some conflicting and unconfirmed reports, but I will just give you a brief idea of what happened.

> Just before 11am, 5 gunmen drove up a car up to the main gate of the consulate and threw a grenade, which exploded very loudly.

> Gunmen made their way inside the consulate after exchanging fire with the Saudi guards outside at the gate.

> Local non-American staff taken hostage.

> American staff retreat into “safe haven,” which is like a bunker or a panic-room. The local staff included people from different countries: Sudanese, Pakistani, Indian and Filipino.

> Ambulances and Saudi police arrived on the scene in about 25-30 minutes, and by that time there was a huge smoke billowing out of the compound. Sporadic gunfire could be heard from inside.

> Police and army men went inside the compound, and from my understanding of the events, started shooting at one another randomly. The gun battle lasted for about 3 hours.

> Aftermath: 3 gunmen killed, 2 gunmen arrested, 4 Saudi guards killed (although the Saudi Interior ministry denies this) and 5 local staff killed, some after succumbing to serious injuries.

There were reports of buildings with glass shattered from the impact of the noise of the grenade explosion. There was even one report which said that a window of the 9th floor of a shopping center some 400meters away was shot at. Roads were blocked; traffic was at least a mile long. Schools were off early. Parents rushed to get the children. One of my friend, whose office is close to the consulate, sms-ed me and told me “gun shots are so loud.” All the while, I was glue to the TV. I was in the middle of a serious event in Jeddah.

It seemed so surreal to me at the time. It was scary, and I did not know how the whole thing would end. It is different when you hear news of an event which is over, but it is more terrifying to listen to what’s happening while the event is still on going. I was thinking about the 4 Saudi guards who were killed. They were guards that I would see every time I passed by the consulate. What did they do to deserve death like this? How would they that that fateful morning, death would come to them? I could imagine now what people go through in Iraq, or in any other city which is attacked by terrorists. I can imagine their fear, anger and shock.

There were mixed reactions from the local people. Some Saudis were glad that this happened. “Americans should know what it is like to be killed.” Some were angry and upset that an event like this happened in Jeddah. I fall into the second category. I was really upset and shocked to hear of something like this happening in Jeddah. Jeddah is where I grew up; it is almost like a second home to me. Yet, something like this happens here. I don’t feel so safe anymore now. I think twice now about hanging out in places like Chilis, McDonalds, TGIF and Starbucks now.

I hope and pray that the situation does not get worse. I am thankful to two friends who wrote to me, showing their concern for me.

Till then, take it easy,

Mansur

The One about What Love Is!

Dear friends,

someone recently asked me what I thought love is. I could only come up with somewhat childish reasons, and not a solid, definte definition of what I thought love is. Love is "trust', love is "unconditional" and so on and on. I decided to search on Google for definitions of love. I came across this one passage, and I thought, hey, this is almost as close as to what I had in my mind, but did not have the words to express it. Here is what I think Love is:

"Love is patient and kind;
love is not jealous, or conceited, or proud;
love is not ill-mannered, or selfish, or irritable;
love does not keep a record of wrong-doings;
love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth.

Love never gives up: its faith, hope and patience never fail."

1 Cor. 13:4-7

I ask you all married couples out there, or those who have fallen in love, to let me know what they think love is!

Warmly,

Mansour

The One about A Time To....

Dear friends,

I think my last post was somewhat depressing, but after watching so much horrible things happening in Iraq, how can one not be depressed?

I think it would help us to keep in mind that God is in control of the world's situation. God is All-Knowing, and Wise, and so there has to be a Master Plan that God has in His hands right now. We may not be able to understand why the world has changed so much, but God does! I never imagined that I would get to see four wars in my life (Gulf War, War in Yugoslavia, War in Afghanistan, War in Iraq). Keep in mind that one of the signs of the End of the World is the increase in wars. I would love to know when I am face to face with God why He allowed to let so many innocent people die?

I was browsing through my sister's Chicken Soup for the Teenage soul, and I found a passage, which I thought perfectly captured my frame of mind. There is a time for everything in this world!

"To every thing there is a season,
and a time to every purpose under heaven.

A time to born, and a time to die;

A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill, and time to heal;

A time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;

A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to get and a time to lose,
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

A time to rend, and a time to sew;

A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

A time to love, and a time to hate;

A time of war and a time of peace."

--- Eccles. 3:1-8

Surely, if we are going through a time of war now, we will also go through a time of peace. :)

Warmly,

Mansur

The One about the Reality of War

Hi all,

I just read a passage in the book I am currently reading, and it made me realize the terrrifying reality of what war is like. Sitting here in my home, watching the Iraq war unfold on the television set, I am not able to comprehend what it is like to be in a war-like situation. It is only through other people I get to know the reality of the situation. I do not believe the media broadcasters a whole lot anymore, from Fox News to Al-Jazeera. Embedded journalists are asked to mention fewer number of casualties than the actual number. Friends in Iraq tell us that a higher number of coalition forces are being killed, but the Western media is downplaying the numbers. Iraqis are going through a lot right now, which I cannot comprehend. I think the following passage gave me a good insight of what it would be like to be in war!

Here is the passage from the book Travelling with Djinns by Jamal Mahjoub, who refers to the Gulf War in 1990 in the book, and could very well apply to the present war in Iraq:

"The war began on television [...]. The picture on the screen was quite hypnotic. Necklaces of dotted light arched slowly upwards into the Baghdad sky. It was like a fireworks display, only more serene, as though it were all happening underwater. It was hard to believe that those graceful sprites were burning-hot pieces of sharp metal, tracer shells capable of killing and maiming. [...]. During the bombing, he said, it was like being in a dream from which you could never wake. Light travels faster than sound. You saw the explosion before you heard or felt it. Buildings, cars, walls, people would vanish in front of your eyes in a flash of light and smoke, and then the shock wave would hit you. He said horror was a physical thing. It gripped your entire body; some people froze, others could not stop moving. Gradually you got used to it, the air raids became part of life, like powercuts, he said. He lost his five-year-old daughter one night when the ceiling of their flat caved in."

Sincerely,

Mansur

The One about the Saudi Elections

Dear friends,

I have been following intensely the elections procedure held here in Saudi Arabia. These elections are historic, and for the first time, people could nominate themselves, and vote. However, the one glaring obvious thing is that women are not allowed to vote.

The official policy had to change "citizens can vote" to "men can vote" to steer clear of the confusion if women could vote or not. What was even more devastating was when the government announced that the "male prisoners" can also vote! I was outraged.

Many countries don't even allow for prisoners to vote, because they see prisoners as people who have lost some of their rights as citizens for the crime they committed. Yet, here in Saudi Arabia, male prisoners are given the right to vote. If I were a Saudi women, I would have been terribly upset. Society upholds male prisoners on a higher pedestal than women here. And they talk about women's equality and the better treatment they give to women than they do in the West!

Of recent there have been two journalists here in Arab News who have been discussing the pros and cons of women voting. One of them, Raid Qusti, was dead against women voting, citing that the country is not ready to have women vote (his reasons are illogical and dumb)! The other journalist, Abeer Mishkhas, writes more sensibly, and poses some great questions, and mentions the pros of having women voters. She was also upset at the fact that the male prisoners have been given the privilege to vote, whereas women have been barred.

I can only hope and pray that the women in this country get their chance to do all that the male population have been doing for so long is vote, drive and work in businesses!

Take care,

Mansur
PS if interested, check out www.arabnews.com for regular news on Saudi Arabia

The One with the Scene at the Death-bed

Hi all,

I was recently reminded of a scene from a movie that I have seen several times. The movie is caled Kal Ho Na Ho (loosely trasnslated to Tomorrow May or May Not Come-- if you think you can come up with a better translation, please let me know!)

The particular scene that I am reminded of often is the final scene, where the main character, Aman, is on the hospital bed, knowing that his heart condition will cause him to die. He knows he is going to die soon. However, the beauty of the scene is that the people who matter to him the most are all there in the hospital with him- right from his uncle to his neigbors down to his best friend and the girl he fell in love with. It sure is hard to see someone so close to death. All you want to do is grab hold of the person and bring back to this world.

What got me thinking was: How many people will come to my funeral? I think about how many people will show up when I am dead? How many people will remember me when I am gone? ALthough I am only 27 now, and I will get to know more and more people, like my future in-laws and will hopefully have kids of my own, but how many people will really come to my funeral? Will I get a chance to meet everyone before I die? Will the people who matter to me most be present at my bed side to see me off to my death?

I do not know the answers, but I do know that I am honored to have a small gruop of friends, who I know for sure will be there for me. I can envision the same scene from the movie, with me on the hospital bed, and my friends standing there. I think far too often, people always praise the deceased person after their death: "Oh, he was such a nice man," "She was very loving and always kind," and so on. What good does that do? The person is dead! I think it is important to let people know how you feel about them while they are still alive!

All right, I am off to bed, I mean work! Take care you all!

Mansur

The One with the Mineral Water Bottle Warning

(Click on the 'bottle' to open on new page to read the text!)



Doing my part to warn you of the dangers of re-using mineral water bottles! Which means I have to throw out those amazing Evian water bottles, with a hook on top! :( I used to be an environmental freak, and am still environmentally conscious today!

Here's hoping you do your part to preserve the environment,

Throwing-away-old-Evian-bottles,

Mansur

The One with My Letter to the Letters to the Editors

Dear all,

someone recently wrote an article in the letter to the editors in the Saudi Gazette. The article provoked me, and I was a little angry at someone like this person. I wrote back a reply and it got published. I did not think it would, but it has. Imagine the 1000s of people who would get to read my letter. My mom was initially upset when she saw it, but after explaining to her, she agreed with me. My dad agreed with me right from the start.

My basic problem is how some people are quick to blame others for their own ills. People in the Kingdom blame the West for all things wrong. They never take the moment to think that maybe they themselves are the ones for their ills in society. I hate people who reason like this particular person did. I was angry and upset at the level of intlorence and acceptance they have.

How can mere picture corrupt someone, unless that someone is very weak of nature in the first place. This man contradicts himself. He talks about being religious and all, and yet claims to be so easily "corrupted" by mere pics! Goes to show how strong his "faith" is!

Here is what he wrote:
(unfortunately, the paper has not yet made the newspaper available online yet!)

Here is what I replied:
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/sgazette/Data/2004/11/11/Art_162696.XML

It is so amazing when you get to voice your opinion and it is heard!

Looking for more topics to talk about,

Mansur

The One with the Reunion After 11 Years!

Hi all!

I am really happy and delighted today. I met up with a friend and her husband after 11 years. My friend and I went together to school here in Jeddah. We were actually good friends, and even shared some of the same classes. We still fondly remember the English Literature class we took for our O'Levels. After graduation, I left for Pakistan. I still stayed in contact with her, even though it was through postal mails, since emails were not commonplace then. I left for the US, and my friend was in Canada. I had access to email in Texas and we emailed back and forth quite a lot. I left the US after my first year and came to Dubai. I lost contact with her for about five years.

It was last year when a common friend of ours told me that my friend is here from Canada. I knew my friend had married and was here in Saudi with her husband. We restablished contact, and this year we actually texted message a lot to one another over the mobile phone. Today, that day finally came when we met one another face to face.

We had dinner at Chilis. The dinner and desserts were over fast, and we spent almost an extra hour sitting at the table talking about so many things. I had an opportunity to meet's my friend's husband. What was amazing that he grew up in Mombassa, and my mom and her family also grew up in Mombassa! What a small world! However, the highlight for me was when we started reminiscening about our times in school! Teachers, classes, friends, sick notes, weird teachers, affairs, what we would do in classes and so on and on! We were actually laughing out loud. At the end of it all, our friend said 'those were the good times.' I could not have agreed with her more. Those were indeed really the good times. My friend and her husband paid for our dinner as well.

What I am amazed is that I got the opportunity to meet my friend after 11 years. I did not really think that such an opportubnity would rise. But when God has a plan, He has a plan. I am thankful for my friend, and she has been a good friend. In case, if any of you are curious, she is the one who has been leaving most of the comments on my early blog articles. Her blog, if you are interested is < www.zainahsworld.blogspot.com >

Friendship is indeed a gift in life, and I can honestly say that I witnessed the manifestation of "friendship" tonight.

Yours all delighted and smiling,

Mansur

The One About How All Our Actions Affect Those We May Not Know

A warm welcome,

I spent about two hours at the painting workshop on site today. There were only two people there, Hanif, who is a carpenter, and Aziz, who is a mason. I wanted to spend time away from my work at the office, and so joined Hanif and Aziz. They were there sanding the wood moldings, for the glass frames for the offices for the Sheikh, who is our client.

We talked about almost everything; from television, to Pakistan, to money, to food, to families, to work, to rude bosses all the way to my hearing aids. You see, Hanif is also deaf, although he has it because of old age. Hanif is nearing 70. He was 60 when he worked on the house that I live in today. Ten years ago, Hanif came to our house to fix the wooden doors for all the room. What he told me really touched my heart, and confirmed to me that all that we do in this world affects other people.

Hanif had come to our house to fix the doors. Hanif said that he was asked by my driver if he wanted anything to drink. Hanif lied and said no. he said that he felt a little bit ashamed to ask for a drink. My driver did not force anything on him. It was later, as Hanif recalled when my father came in to see the work being done, and said to my driver to bring some juice for Hanif. Hanif still rejected. Again, it was later on in the day, when my mother came and, as Hanif said, was a little upset that no drinks had been served to Hanif. My mother asked my driver to get tea and juice and something to eat.

What was amazing to me how well Hanif had remembered this incident. He said that he was so thankful to us all for the simple act of kindness we showed. I could imagine how he felt because I know for a fact that Saudis here do not usually treat people who come and work in their house with kindness and I have been a victim of such a situation as well.

Hanif’s situation reminded me of a book I finished reading. It’s called The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom. Very briefly, the books talks about what happens to Eddie who dies and meets five people in Heaven. These are people who are connected to Eddie in one way or another. A very cleverly written book, the underlying message is that all that we do, good or bad, affects the people around us. Often times we do not realize it, but even a smile or a simple handshake may mean the world to the other person. To hear from Hanif, ten years later, how much the actions of my mom affected him, so much so, he remembers it clearly, given his age as well, proved to me that our actions towards other have a deep and profound affect!

Yours from ready to spread kindness!

Mansur

The One About the Creepy Crawlies and Why I Am Scared of Them!

“Mansur!! Come here quick!” shouted my mom. “And get a shoe!”
I sprang up from the sofa I was in watching TV. I spent a couple of seconds looking for the right kind shoe. Should I take my sandals? My dad’s work shoes? My Nike? My mom’s sandals? I didn’t care and picked up the one closest to me.

In my mom’s room, I saw her standing next to her book shelf. ON the shelf, there was a small lizard. The lizard was about the size of my small finger. It was a baby lizard, not the huge ones, where you can see the veins protruding from under their skin.

“Kill it Mansur!”
Sadly, I said, “Mom, I cannot!”

I left to get Raid, the effective pest killer. I sprayed a lot of Raid on the small lizard. I could not bear to get close to it. I feared that if I sprayed on it, the lizard would jump quickly and leap onto my face climbing into my mouth or my nose! I hated the thought of it. I sprayed so much of Raid; it was covered with a small layer of white foam. It was still moving, but was also dying. I could see closely the small heart beating rapidly. It is amazing how much you can see through their almost paper thin like skin. I had to eventually call in my dad to kill the lizard. He picked up the shoe and slammed it down on the insect and squashed it. I shivered for a few seconds. He took some tissue papers and grabbed it in his hands and threw it in the dustbin. The whole time he did this, I was as far away as I could be from him.

You see, lizards, cockroaches and spiders all scare me. Other insects are okay, but these three scare the life out of me. I do not know what caused to me to be so scared. I stay away from them. I can never bring myself to kill any of these insect in any way. I admire those people who so bravely stomp over a cockroach. I run away or get someone else to do it. I think it may have been one incident when I was young that may have caused me to fear such insects.

In our home, my father, mother, brother and I were about to go to sleep after having watched a movie on TV. When we got up, my brother noticed a huge cockroach on the wall. He alerted my dad, who got ready with his shoe. HE tried to hit but it moved rather quickly from one place to another. It scurried away into the next room. My whole family moved into the next room as well. There several attempts to kill the insect revealed something new to me. This cockroach can FLY!! I got scared. The more my father tried hitting it, the more it flew around the room. It was a big ugly cockroach, which had wings. I hated the color of such an insect and hated the body make up with antennas and spiky legs. My father still was trying to hit the cockroach, when suddenly, as it was flying in the room, the huge cockroach landed directly on my face. Keep in mind that I was only 6 years old. I had a small face. I could see the huge thing on my nose, climbing up to my forehead. I started screaming and panicking. I thought I was going to die. The cockroach walked up to my head, and I began to cry. What actually was a few seconds, seemed like eternity to me. Still today, I can see the cockroach climbing up my nose.

I also hate those huge spiders, which have hairy legs. The thought of it scares me and beings me to an almost near-panic situation if I would see one. Lizards have the same effects on me, especially the big ones, which are as big as a green chili.

I do not know what I can do to overcome my fear of these insects. I cannot even watch programs on Animal Planet when it is based on Spiders, Lizards or Cockroaches. Somehow, all other insects I can deal with and face them. In the spirit of “Lion, Tigers and Bears” from The Wizard of Oz, here I am singing off “Lizards, Spiders and Cockroaches, Oh My!!”

Yours being glad that the baby lizard is dead,

Mansur

The One Where I Was Impressed With Mohammad's Hospitality

Hey all,

I have to share with you about my recent trip to Medina. I last went to Medina back in 2002. That was over two years ago. Somehow, I always liked going to Medina more than going to Makkah. I think it has to do something with the fact that whenever I go to Medina I spend a night there. I also think that it is a more relaxed trip than a trip to Makkah, where one usually has to perform the pilgrimage or circumambulating around the Kabaa and walking seven times between the two hills.

We left on Thursday morning, and I had taken a day off from work. Six people packed into the Nissan Patrol: two in front, two in middle, and two in the back. My mom and I were in the middle. We also got our usual stick of water, drinks and other snack items. I also got several pillows which were rotated amongst the passengers.

The landscape evolved from flat barren desert to mountainous and green regions. It was so amazing to see such a transformation. I had forgotten that there were huge mountains. Someone one pointed out that the mountains are volcanic, and that was the reason why they were so black. Medina is towards North-West of Jeddah, and this particular region received rain in the last few days, which was why we were able to see more natural greenery than in Jeddah. Since we were all fasting we could not stop at a convenience store to get chocolates and soft drinks.

I am not going to bore with every details of the trip, but would rather tell you the highlights.

Medina has been historically known as a friendlier city than Makkah. Every one of the guests that we have received who went to Makkah and Medina, have said that they felt more welcome in Medina, and saw a definite change in the attitude of the people. History also testifies that when Prophet Muhammad had to flee Makkah, it was the people of Medina who received him with a warm welcome. It is interesting to note that among the early people of Medina, there were also some several tribes of Jews. How ironic that today Muslims are so anti-Jews.

On Thursday night at 330am, we were all invited to a Saudi’s family house for early morning breakfast (Suhoor). I was not in the mood, nor was my friend. The parents had to go. I was so glad I went. Upon entering the huge compound, which consisted of several houses, which we later realize were guest houses, we were driven into the main house. The women were whisked away to the side, and I was guided towards the main entrance. I met Mohammad at the main door, and talked to him in Arabic, asking him how he was doing. Inside the main entrance, there was a huge round table with flowers on top of it. I was led into the golden living room on my left.

In typical Saudi fashion, all the men were seated along the sides of the room, on chairs and sofas. I shook my hands with each one if them, saying Assalam-u-Alaikum, and Kayf Halak (Hello, and How Are You?) There were 12-13 people. The room was painted in yellow, with exquisite attention paid to the details. With the gypsum plaster décor on the ceiling, even some of that was painted in Gold. I was served the Qahwa, which I always take out of courtesy, because it is impolite to refuse, and just had a sip. The coffee tables were covered with golden covers, complete with golden accessories. The carpets were of several different kinds strewn about on the floor. The cushions were decorated with huge ribbons and bows, all of golden color. I was so thankful I was not going to be in this room the whole time otherwise I would have started seeing golden and yellow everywhere. The host said that the meal was ready, and we all walked out of the room into the huge lobby beyond the smaller lobby at the main entrance. From here there were huge staircases leading up to the first floor. We went into the small passageway, which opened up to a big bathroom, where the host asked if we wanted to wash our hands. We all did that.

Walking through the bigger lobby, around the staircase, I paid attention to the details. There were chairs place around the edges of the room, and even the chairs were decorated as if it were a piece from some antique museum. The huge dining room had a dining table for about 24 people. There was also a small comfortable sitting area at the end of the dining room. The tables and chairs and the shelves around the room were all ordered from Egypt. They were very loud and garish, and started to hurt the eyes after a while. The side tables were decorated with salads and desserts like one would see at a hotel buffet. The dining table itself was set out with all kinds of cutleries and glasses, as well as the food. Yes, the food!

There were two huge round plates, with a lamb in the middle surrounded with yellow rice. The smaller dishes included okra, appetizers and salads. The host, who went out of his way, served the main meal to everyone. He would always put more than one could eat. He made sure that we were well fed. That was how hospitable they were. I became impressed. No matter how much I refused to eat more, my plate was being filled up with more and more, so much so, the host put the entire brain of the lamb on my plate! Feeling so full and bloated from the main meal, we were offered desserts and juices and fruits. Most of the food was homemade and it was rather quite delicious. My favorite dish was the dessert which was the kunnafah. They even got us lemons, which they said was of the best kind and sliced it up for us. After the dinner, we went back to the golden living room, where we were given repeatedly more tea. There was only so much one could take, but the host felt it necessary to offer the tea.

What may seem overwhelming to you all, I was certainly impressed by the level of hospitality shown to me. I strained to remember when the last time was when someone really looked after me like the way Mohammad and his family did tonight. I could not think of anything. I felt so welcome, and I began to feel like as if I knew this family for a long time. Despite my broken Arabic, I still managed to get along with his conversation. I felt so welcome, I wanted to go to sleep right there on the sofa. Time came for us to leave. Mohammad kissed me on my cheeks, like the Arabs do as a sign of friendship and close relations, and said to me, “Mansur, we are like your brothers. Anytime you need anything, please let us know.” I was impressed. Here I am, visiting this house for the first time, and already I was offered so much friendliness. Sure, some people say nice things, but tonight, I knew that whatever Mohammad said, he meant it from his heart. And that is precisely what prompted me to write all about this.

On a more unfortunate note, my mom fell sick from the food. Everyone one else were ok.

The following day, we left Medina and went to Yanbu, which is a coastal city north of Jeddah. I slept for most of the way, but the drive was really interesting, with roads curving around the mountains. Fortunately, I was able to see some of the old ruins, which were abandoned and derelict houses from years ago, made from square stone blocks. IN Yanbu, there was a dinner, where I ate too much.

In Jeddah, the next day, before I could go to work, I threw up the entire meal I had eaten in Yanbu.

Yours having recovered now,

Mansur

The One about the Absurd Game of Cricket

Dear friends,

I think the game of cricket is absurd. I know I will get a lot of stares and weird looks, but I honestly think it is a long drawn out affair to watch a game of cricket. Of recent, Pakistan is playing with Sri Lanka. I could barely get through the One Day matches, and now they are playing Test match, which lasts for five days. Why would anyone dedicate their time to watch a game that lasts for five whole days is beyond my comprehension!! I can never get through a game of cricket. If I watch it, I'd rather watch the highlights, which show the entire game in 30 mins or less!

A game of cricket is so long, with 50 overs, and each over has 6 balls, so that means that a spectator has to watch 300 balls being bowled. Each ball being bowled takes about a minute. Now, I know there are some people who get all obsessed with the condition of the ball, whether it is worn out or not, whether it is scratched or not and how fast the ball is bowled. They get all uptight about the speed of the ball and talk about how fast the particular bowler is. What I dont understand is why the bowler has to rub the ball on his groin each time he is ready to bowl? Does that give the ball some extra power? Does that make the ball go faster? I think it is such a funny sight to see bowlers rubbing the cricket balls on their groin!

Ok, and what is the deal with this obsession of screaming out loud that a player is out? All bowlers think that each of their ball is lbw and scream out loud OOOUUUTTTT! And when it is not out, they grumble and moan. Also, what is this lbw thing? Once the batter is not out, the tv screen suddenly put these graphics up to show how good or bad a decision the umpire made of not giving out or out. You see this huge strip of red bar leading from one set of stumps to the other where the batter is standing, and you see replay in slo-mo of how the ball did not hit the leg. LBW-- what does that stand for?

Sometimes I am amazed at how much analysis is given to the game. Someone could probably do a PHd research on the game of cricket. With the latest graphics on screen, showing where each and every ball was shot, in what direction, and how far it went. They show us how many runs were made in each over, and compare it to the other teams. We get statistics on each player, their best score, when and where. Why do you want to see so much analysis. Even the commentators talk about the game of cricket, commenting on each and every ball, how well it was thrown, talk about the pitch, the conditions, brief anecdote here and there. Gosh-- information overload!

Then you have this mumbling and grumbling by the team when they lose a match. They blame every thing, from the weather, bad umpiring, light conditions, team mates, bad coaching when they lose a game. When they win, they give all the credit to the players, and suddenly the weather, umpiring etc are all thrown out of the window. And who cares who made the fastest 50 anyway?

I really dont understand how some people can watch a Test match-- gosh, a game of cricket for five days. How much more slower can you get? I know of some people who get obsessed, and watch the entire game, so much so, they watch each and every ball, and discuss the ball as if it were the only ball ever thrown in the game!

I am talking about cricket in general and not talking about any one nation or tournament. I can only watch a game of cricket when Pakistan plays. When we win, everyone says Pakistan is a great team. When we lose, everyone bad mouths the teams and blame the players! Cricket is really a funny game...and I still have yet to learn to like it. Most people, when they find out I dont really like cricket, think I have something against Pakistan. Its like mirchi (chili)-- I dont like mirchi nor cricket, and both these things are very popular in Pakistan. Mansur, are you sure you are a Pakistani? How can you not like cricket? Dont you support your team?

Cricket: What Is It Good For? a PHd Research soon published in the near future by Mansur!

Bye for now,
Mansur

The One about the Massacred Iraqi Soldiers

The bodies of some of the executed men who were ambushed and shot in the head in Iraq.

It is with a note of sadness that I write this entry. 49 Iraqi men were butchered by insurgents, who now claim to be a group led by Al-Zarqawi. What I did not understand was how an Iraqi group could choose to kill Iraqi men. I am hearing from different people that the insurgents are angry that the Iraqi soldiers were working with the US forces and were being trained with them. In other words, these Iraqi soldiers are working with the enemy. That may be an arguent and a justification purported by the insurgent group, but I dont agree with them.

These Iraqi soldiers are merely making a living. They have families to support. Jobs are scarce. There are women and children and parents to feed. They need money to have electricity, food, water, clothes and shelter. The conditions are such in the country that people are willing to work at whatever job they can get. So if the Iraqi men want to work for the National Army, what do the insurgents have a problem with? If the insurgents are not keen on having men work for the National Army, then they should support them! Groups like Al-Zarqawi should give these men an alternative jobs or money, instead of discouraging them to work for the National Army. Sure, these groups would love to have these men join their group to kill the invading coalition forces. But not every single Iraqi men is willing to do such a thing. There are some desperate people who are desperate to make money.

For sure, the country is in a mess. Even the higher authorities are admitting that the crisis has worsened. More people are dying. More bombinbgs are taking place, and one person even went as far as saying the the number of attacks on such groups of soldiers will increase in an effort to discourage voters to vote for Bush in the United States.

Lets all hope for a better future.

Take care friends,

Mansur

The One About The Sunnis, The Shias and The Sufis

Hello all,

today we had someone over from Pakistan. He had come here with his wife to perform umrah at Makkah and Medina. He was here for just a short while. The conversation steered towards the Sunnis, the Shias, the Sufis and Mystical Islam.

How did it all start? It all started when we asked our guest where his wife was, and he said that his wife was asked by her "sheikh" that she should not distract her pilgrimage by leaving either Makkah or Medina. She she went directly to the aiport, since she was not allowed to go anywhere else. What is this "sheikh" and how could he prevent her from coming to Jeddah?

Our guest started off by saying that she is a part of a group called "Silsila" in Pakistan. These are groups where people meet once a week and have a discussion on Islamic topics, and have a question-answer session. It is not like the religious lectures where people are usually criticized and judged by the lecturer. The Silsila group stress mostly on Love and Tolerance. This was for the first I was hearing something like this. Almost always, I hear of meetings and lectures by apparently learned scholars who do a good job of making the people feel guilty and strum fear into their hearts to start doing Islamic things to avoid hell fire. They spend too much time criticizing and judging others, making people feel guilty, making them fearful of the afterlife, and reminding them again and again of the hellfire that awaits them! It was with surprise when our guest said that Silsila are a growing group of people in Pakistan, who are moving away from the more rigid style of teaching into the kind of teaching which is based on Love and Tolerance.

I did not know what to say. Or guest continued to talk about how God wants for us to connect to him through our souls, and not through our strict intrepretations of the Quran. While he was talking, I realized that our guest was into the Sufism branch of Islam. Sufism are those group of Muslim who believe that God is basically love and that we can connect to God through spiritual devotion of prayers, music and love. I admired his boldness to share all this with us.

I asked him if this particular belief was deviated from the main branch of Sunni and Shias, and he said that it has not deviated, but rather is more closer to Sunni. He said that he did not understand how he could see five people in Medina praying in five different ways. He was put off by the different intrepretations by different people. He felt that prayer was something that should be common in all different schools of thoughts in Islam, but here he was seeing five different ways. Someone in the room said that the differences are minor, and that ticked our guest off. He started talking about how radically different Sunnis are from Shias. I myself got a better idea. I thought the Shias were only different on a few accounts, but it turned out, they are following a completely different religion; with a different creed and a different Quran and a different prayer!

He got me really interested into Sufism, and I plan on checking it out on the internet to see what it is that is drawing people to Sufism in Pakistan. Our guest said that his life has changed dramtically four years ago when he met his Sufi saint. He came across as a very open minded person, as a caring and intelligent person. Surely, his belief in this particular branch of Islam changed him.

I am now going on the net to do more research on this Silsila group. Our guest promised me to show the group when I am in Pakistan next. However, in his words, he said "Silsila works in mysterious ways, and are bit secretive about their group."

Here are websites for further reading: (The first one is the best)
http://www.geocities.com/pak_history/sufi.html
http://www.alwaiz-arts.com/sufism.html
http://www.sabiree.com/introduction.htm

Till then, take care friends,

Mansur

The One about Imran Khan (not my cousin!)

Hi all,

I recently had the privilege of having Imran Khan-- the world famous cricketer-- stay at our house in Jeddah for couple of days. He was actually passing through Jeddah to perform Umrah to go on to London to spend time with his two sons.

I remember when it was way back in 1993, right after my O'Levels, that I was excited like a little boy when Imran was here in Jeddah. It was a dinner party, and I excitedly took a piece of paper and went behind the sofa he was sitting on and asked for his autograph. Neither him nor I realized that 11 years down the road, we would meet again face to face in my home! I did have several chances to meet him again in person in Pakistan when I was at high school there, but it was not as personal as it was now.

There was one time when I was upset from him. My class had wanted to invite Imran to speak at our commencement ceremony when we were in 12th grade. Since my father knew Imran, I had decided to take the responsibilty of officialy inviting him. The class president wrote out a letter as an official invitation. I had called Imran's house and got an appointment. By the time I got there, his servant had answered the door. I was led in to his drawing room, which was in the process of being renovated. I sat there for about 30 minutes, during which time I was not offered anything, and had to endure his dogs. He came down from his shower, and I introduced myself and handed him the letter and verbally invited himt o speak at our commencement ceremony. He did not even sit down, and instead started to walk towards the main door. I had no choice but to follow him, and in less than a few seconds, I found myself out on the street getting into my car. What? Gosh! How did this happen? After this time, I thought to myself that Imran is so arrogant and proud and that he talks to only those people who he knows can help him.

God, was I wrong about that!!

At that time, I was very upset! How can Imran act like this? If he wants to be a politician, he has to be accessible to people! I chose to stay quiet about the whole experience. I wanted to give him the benefit of doubt. People around me would ask me again and again to recount my experience. I stopped talking about it after a while. At that time, he had also married Jemima and that created waves in the media and political circles. Of course, as we all know today, he has divorced Jemima.

I know I can get bogged down into the personal life of Imran, and talk about all that is going on in his personal life, but I will make a deliberate choice to not do that. Instead, I want to take this opportunity to write about all that he has been doing for the nation of Pakistan. I truly admire all that he has done for the poor people of Pakistan who suffer from cancer. The time and energy he devotes for this particular cause is unbelievable. The zeal and fervor he has for his cause to serve the poor of the nation is a great source of encouragement for me. The numerous trips and traveling he makes to raise funds for the hospital is so amazing. The number of people he has to meet is more than I can list on top of my head. He is one person, who I can honestly say is a hard-working, honest person who is doing something for the nation of Pakistan.

There are always some people who like to discredit the good others are doing. There will always be someone out there who will talk about his marriage and the divorce. But very few will actually talk about the good he is doing. I want to take this opportunity to say that I have faith in Imran, and I believe that he will continue to do wonders. You get a whole new perspective when you get to talk to the person himself as opposed to the picture of the person that has developed in your mind through the media.

His hospital is one of the world's best, and I have yet to see another hospital which would treat its patients for free!

http://www.shaukatkhanum.org.pk/

Warmly,

Mansur

The One About My Loss of Wisdom

Hi,

I am losing wisdom nowadays. The first time when I sensed that I was losing wisdom was back in 1993. The second time was when I was in London, in summer of 2002, when I realized that I am about to lose some of my wisdom. That same year, in October, I lost some more wisdom! Now, tomorrow, I will lose more wisdom! How do I realize how I am losing wisdom? By losing wisdom, am I making bad judgments? Is my thinking and reasoning screwed? Am I basically becoming more dumb as my age progresses?

I can honestly say no to all the above answers, despite losing my wisdom!

The dentist will take out my last wisdom tooth tomorrow. Why they are called wisdom tooth, I have no idea. I wil have to do some research into it.

Here is a website that I found useful:

http://www.umanitoba.ca/outreach/wisdomtooth/wteeth.htm

In-anticipation-of-losing-wisdom,

Mansur


----------UPDATE--------- 14-10-04-------------------

My wisdom tooth is out now. So now I am totally, completely, absolutely widsom-less. The procedure took more than 30 minutes, with two injections and many grunts and shoving taking place inside my mouth. The gripping device was battling with the nerves holding down my tooth in my jaw. The dentist won the battle. The nerves had a strong grip on my tooth, rendering it immobile. It was as if the tooth was stuck in my jaw with superglue. Two gripping devices later, the nerves loosened their grip, and the tooth started moving. Huge shoves and pushing and grunting later, the tooth came out smoothly into the grip of the device. It was covered in blood, about several centimeters long. Now, there is a cavity at the back of my mouth. I cannot believe that all four my wisdom tooth are out!

The One about Christopher "Superman" Reeves' Death

Dear friends,

Today, Christopher Reeves passed away. Christopher Reeves was forever immortalized as the Superman. Whenever Reeves’ name is mention, images of Superman come up in people’s mind. I still remember watching the first Superman movie—that made me believe that a man could fly! I dreamt of flying myself at that young age, and would pretend to play Superman: flying, using my vision to cut through steel and blowing hard to blow away the villains!

Reeves carried on his persona of a superman into reality when he fell off his horse during horse-riding. He broke two of his vertebrae and was paralyzed from neck downwards. He was bound to a wheelchair. He simply could not move. That was a drastic change from a man who made the world believe he could fly to a man who was made immobile. However, as we all know, Reeves kept his hope, courage and determination high. He was very optimistic that he would be cured. He rallied for the cause of paralysis world over and initiated a foundation – Christopher Reeves Paralysis Act and was set up to carry out research. Reeves became a role model world over for people who suffered from paralysis, but I feel that Reeves was also an inspiration to others who suffered from even the minor form of ailments. Reeves showed the world that you did not have to be down and out with the ailment, but rather can be optimistic through being hopeful and determined. In fact, Reeves said in his interview in Reader’s Digest (October 2004) “I focus on the opportunities that comes along my way and rather than on the things that haven’t arrived yet.”

One thing that almost everyone is saying is that Reeves wife, Dana, has been on his constant side. She has been very patient and has contributed a lot of her time and energy to care for Reeves. Reeves said in the same in the interview that “the love and support of my family, and the fact that I’m needed” is really what kept him going through his sufferings. The biggest gift Reeves said he got was “the growth of his family, the support we give one another—my two older kids [from previous relationship], and Will [his son from Dana], and of course Dana, who is by my side no matter. And that’s really extraordinary.” I think at a time when people have the conception that family values have been eroded from the Western society, particularly America, this comes as a fresh breath to me.

I have left my small tribute to Reeves at BBC Online. I know I never shared any of this with you earlier, but I secretly admired Reeves for his bravery, hope, courage and determination. As someone who is deaf, and uses hearing aids, I took some lessons from Reeves as to how deal with the situation. There is an old adage which goes something like “there is always someone worse off than you.” I would think of the situation Reeves is in, and would count my blessings!

Here is the website if you are also interested in leaving your tributes:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/talking_point/3732366.stm

Yours,

Mansur

PS The BBC have closed the section where you can leave your tributes.

The One about the Discrimination Against Saudi Women

(Ruba and Rania- This is for you!)

Dear faithful readers of my blog,

The Arab News headline screamed: WOMEN BARRED FROM POLLS! That one line disappointed me so much. When will the women get a fair chance in this country?

What is the Kingdom so scared of? Are the men-folk so scared that the women will perhaps do a better job? (I can tell you from my experience at university that Saudi girls are much better students than the Saudi boys who were at my university to show off their assets and to enjoy the open-ness in society in Dubai!) Do the men fear losing their power and authority once women come into the workplace? (And by workplace, I don’t mean schools, hospitals and women-only boutiques!) I mean, for God’s sake, how can you women feel so comfortable going into make-up and lingerie shops and purchase items while being served by a man? Don’t you women feel least bit concerned that you are being served by a man when you ask him you’re looking for a particular sized bra? Don’t you find it a bit funny when a man demonstrates to you what particular shade of blusher would suit your skin?

I was more disappointed, because women being barred from the first ever elections in the Kingdom is a big blow to all the women out there, who are being marginalized. The interview of several men showed the mindset of the men here: “women’s place belongs at home,” “first women need to handle the home, only then can they work outside,” “the society is not ready to have women in the workplace,” and the most absurd “women will not be able to perform effectively.” If I were a Saudi woman, I would have been deeply insulted by these comments! Who are these men here to comment on what women can and cannot do? I think the women and the liberalized men are tired of repeating over and over again about how much freedom women enjoyed during the Prophet’s time; they talk about women running business, dealing with men, riding camels and so on. It’s about time they stop bringing up examples from the past and do something for the present! But the Kingdom of Saudi is not ready to have women out in the real world!

Why there is this much discrimination against women, I don’t understand. Sure, I can hear some of the women out there saying to me “look at the bright side Mansur. We women don’t have to drive in this crazy traffic, no parking hassles, men do all the paperwork for us, no single teens to bother us in all family areas” and the list goes on and on. If you are happy being relegated to an almost second class citizen—all I can say is enjoy!

I went out yesterday to get something from the supermarket. The temperature was a scorching 42 degrees centigrade. I was sweating profusely, even though I was in jeans and t-shirt. On my way to the supermarket from my car, I saw a woman sitting on the steps. She was an African, rather robust, sitting in such a position, I thought she was going to fall over and die. She was covered entirely from head to toe, save her eyes, which were peering out from the slits. My God, how can you sit like this in the heat in an all –encompassing ‘black’ abaya (covering). You are going to faint here. Don’t you know ‘black’ absorbs heat! Ironically, all the men have it easy, they wear ‘white’ thobes, and we all know white reflects off heat. Don’t you think that’s a tad bit weird? I think it’s very unfair.

Women represent more than 50% of the Saudi society. Women are given less than a ¼ area in the area surrounding the Kaaba in Mecca. Isn’t that weird? Islam talks about one of the signs of the End of Days will be when there will be 50 women for every one man. Don’t you think the authorities would have enough sense to provide more space to women in Mecca?

I must however say that there are women in Saudi who are brave enough to stand up and fight for their rights to equality. There are three women who stood up for elections, sadly to be barred now.

I had two Saudi female friends, Ruba and Rania, in my architecture class at university. Once they finished architecture, I had asked them what they will do and where they will work. Both of them said that they have to go back to Saudi Arabia and stay there. But you can’t work there, I asked. Yeah, we know we cannot work there. Our only option left is to get married. Friends, this is the year 2003, and Saudi females graduates like Ruba and Rania cannot even work. Ruba married after moving to Saudi within a few months of graduation, and is not using her architecture degree for which she worked extremely hard for five years. The last I heard of Rania was that she left the country to work somewhere else.

I do look forward to that day when the women here will be given a fair chance to work in Saudi.

Yours,

Mansur

The One with the Prayer for Pakistan

Dear Friends,

I had been meaning to write this particular blog for quite a while now, and so here I am. This is one is meant for all the Pakistanis who are living abroad. There have been so many times in my life where I asked myself “what can I do to help Pakistan be better?” Having lived outside of Pakistan for my whole life, making occasional trips to Pakistan for holidays, I never really really lived there. Often times, I would criticize at the way people behaved with me, at the way the prices were raising in the markets, at the way people would drive, at the level of corruption and dishonesty and the idle youth. Of course, the number of problems can go on and on. However, I later realized that I am doing anything for Pakistan by sitting outside of the nation, and criticizing.

Whatever I may wear, whatever language I speak, wherever I travel all over, whatever I eat and drink, whatever media I watched, I am still a Pakistani at heart. That is my identity. Pakistan is where I was born. I believe that in order to be at peace with oneself, one has to define what their identity is. For me, that is being Pakistani. Sure, you don’t see me wearing green and white clothes all the time, nor see me carrying the flag all over town, but by not doing that does not make me less patriotic than those who do. I don’t speak excellent Urdu, I don’t really enjoy the game of cricket, I don’t even know the full national anthem in Urdu—but these things don’t mean that I am not a Pakistani.

For someone like me, who has lived outside of the country, it can often become confusing as we enjoy the environment of two different worlds. For those who have been living in the West find it even more difficult to define their character. Are they western, or are they Pakistanis, or are they a mixture of both? Sadly, most people are not able to come to such a conclusion, and are often confused about their identity. I think the saddest thing for me is to see Pakistanis, who claim they are Britishers or Americans, just by having a passport from that nation. Of course, there are some who have an American or Canadian passport, but tell others that they are Pakistanis. They are people who have matured and made peace with themselves.

So, it came down to the situation: how and what can I do to help Pakistan prosper? I think the best thing that I can do, right now, is to pray for the nation. I have already made up my mind that eventually I will move to Lahore, Pakistan and work there, but after having gained international experience. Here is what I am praying for Pakistan once a week. I hope this will help you as well to those who ask, what can we do to help Pakistan?

(1) 50 Years Of Misrule
a. Praying for the years of corruption and dishonesty at all levels of society to be eliminated.
b. Praying for the people in position of power to deal justly and fairly with the public, especially the police and ministers.

(2) Antagonistic Ideologies
a. Pray for the elimination of those madrassahs (religious school) where young boys are brainwashed into hating the Indians and the Americans, or anyone who is not a Muslim. Pray that this kind of brainwashing is erased so the young people of the new generation can be more tolerant of others. (The brainwashing has been so deep; my dad was telling me that young boys are being told that the more number of shias they kill, the higher their position will be in heaven!)

(3) Unjust Laws
a. Pray against discriminatory legislation and for the implementation of a fair system of justice and police force that will apply these laws
b. Pray for the elimination of laws such as the Blasphemy Law, which has been used in most cases very unfairly to target the minorities, as well as the Hudood Ordinance, which is unfair for the women. (One friend of mine asked me: how can a woman, who has been raped by a man, bring in four witnesses to prove her case true as Islam requires one to do so? If she cannot produce four witnesses then she is guilty of adultery and the man is set free!)
c.
(4) Persecution and Intimidation
a. Minorities, women and children are often the most targeted. Pray their suffering is eased and that they are not abused.
b. Police forces are notoriously known for abusing and torturing prisoners for their benefits. They are known for taking prisoners innocent people and torturing them.

(5) Religious Strife
a. Pray for the religious strife to end between the Sunnis and the Shias.
b. Pray for the end of harassment of minorities, such as the Christia and Hindus in the nation.

(6) Leadership Training
a. Pray for the young generation that is coming up now that they get the proper values and skills imbibed in them so they can lead the nation with just minds, free from corruption and dishonesty

I think the least I can do is at least pray for Pakistan. I believe in the power of prayer. I believe I can make a difference this way, and I am proud to say that I am at least doing something for Pakistan.

Yours praying away,

Mansur

The One about the Weird Time at Dunkin Donuts

Today was a dangerous day for me. The Frenchman’s death was on my mind from last night. I talked to my boss about it at work. Details were still sketchy. It felt so weird knowing that the murder happened so close to home.

I went to Dunkin Donuts in the morning to get my breakfast— Dunkin Donut is a craving I fell for today!

Standing there at the counter, waiting for the man to make my egg and cheese croissant sandwich, I heard a loud “excuse me” from behind me. It was a heavy and coarse voice. Don’t turn around Mansur- he is probably asking for the man behind the cashier. “Excuse me!” It was the same voice again. I turned around to see who it was.

He was a Saudi man, clearly in his 40s, with graying hair and moustache. He had a cigarette in his hand, having clearly ignored the no smoking sign at the entrance. There was a coffee and a half eaten donut in front of him on the table. He looked directly at me. I looked back at him, sternly.

“Where you from?” he said, in a rather loud and rude tone, with improper English grammar. I could not believe he was talking to me in that manner. Who does he think he is?

“Aish mushkillah!?” (What’s your problem?) I said back to him. I said it rather sternly.

He backed down and returned to drinking his coffee.

The scene, which lasted a quick few seconds, played over and over in my mind the whole day. Who was that man and what was his business with me? Was he asking me where I am from to make sure I was a not a westerner? Surely, I had ‘Westerner’ written all over me: Gap cap, Gap Athletic t-shirt, cargo pants, and Teva Sandals!

Having talked to my parents, they said next time, don’t talk back at anyone like this in Arabic. I thought maybe if that man heard me in Arabic, he would leave me alone. Dad told me that a lot of westerners talk Arabic now, and even keep a copy of the Quran with them in the car to convince people that they are not “infidels.” Talking Arabic to people is a bad option for me. I replied back to him Arabic to shut him and his rude manners. I was also told that talking in English is a better idea, because in such a public situation, people run away from westerners and no one really would kill someone in broad daylight. Had I talked to that rude man in English, maybe he would have backed down. The best option for me, as told to me by several people, is to tell the people directly that I am a Pakistani. No one wants to kill a Pakistani! Someone had the nerve to suggest that the man was probably picking me up! Yucccck! How disgusting!

I have restricted my outings now- at least for the time being. I cannot let those terrorists win. I cannot let this one killing take over my life. Some people want me to be more careful and alert, for there are “devils out there prowling around like roaring lions!”

Yours having-enjoyed-the-egg-and-cheese-croissant,

Mansur

The One where Terrorism Strikes Close to Home!

Terrorism has struck close to home!

A Frenchman has been shot dead in the city of Jeddah, in a district right next to where I live! There is a compound in that district known as Sierra Village. It was a compound that I had frequented when I was at school here. Most of the residents there were from the West. It comes as shock to me, and to others, that a targeted killing of a westerner has taken place in Jeddah.

Jeddah had always been a city that I felt very safe in, in comparison to a city like London or Lahore. Jeddah, my adopted home for 26 years now, is seeing the ugly face of terrorism now. Growing up, I never imagined seeing someone being murdered, and here I am today, hearing about the death of a person in the streets. I cannot believe how fast the world is changing nowadays.

Until now, I had been reading about killings in other parts of the Kingdom, mostly in Riyadh or Khobar. For days I would wonder why nothing happened in Jeddah. But now its Jeddah’s turn.

I don’t understand why a Frenchman was targeted.

I played out different scenarios in my head. Since France has opposed to Bush’s war on Iraq, surely this Frenchman was not killed because of the war on Iraq. Wait, maybe, he was targeted by the killer to send a message to the French president to take back the decision to ban hijab/ head coverings in French schools. Or simply, he was killed because he looked like a westerner. What was the Frenchman’s crime? I think his only crime was that he looked like a ‘westerner’: blond haired, blue eyed, white skin- the definition of a westerner that people have in mind. What if that Frenchman was a convert to Islam? The killer would have innocent blood on his hands now!

Sure, there will be some people who will talk about how many women and children are being killed in Iraq. Today, fifteen more civilians have been killed in an air raid by the US military. They will say that it is unfair of me to talk so much about this Frenchman and not talk about those who are dying daily in Iraq. Does the life of a Frenchman mean more to me than the lives of those in Iraq? Not really. To me, a person is a human, no matter what his race, nationality or religion is—he is a person created by God. The Frenchman’s life to me is as equal as the life of a child who was burnt in Iraq today because of the air raid. My sympathy is for both of them—since in the eyes of God, they are equal.

Why I am writing about this Frenchman is because his death has occurred in an area that is only five minutes away from me. When something like this happens, the reality of terrorism strikes close to my heart. It seems more real to me. It becomes more apparent. It makes me realize: I could very well be the next target. (for that, I will have to write to another piece!)

Already some people have told me to not go out anymore and cancel my weekend plans. People are speculating that after the westerners are targeted, it will be the turn of the expatriates of other nations. I am determined to not let the ignorant terrorist win. I am determined to stick with my plans and enjoy my life here. I don’t believe for even a second that what has happened here today in Jeddah is what most people would call ‘jihad.’

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3690650.stm

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/09/26/saudi.france/index.html

Yours on-alert,

Mansur

The One with the Body Mass Index

Dear Friends,

check out the following link.

http://nhlbisupport.com/bmi/bmi-m.htm

Just fill in your height and weight, and it will calculate yoru body mass index. That way you can figure out whether you weigh normal or are overweight or not. Since I am going to the gym regularly now, I am more aware of what I am eating daily. I have started to keep a daily log of what I eat and what exercises I am doing. Tonight, I will be going out to Chilis for dinner. I have already made up my mind to have just the salad!

take care friends,

Mansur

The One with the 18yr Old Suicide Bomber

18yr Old Suicide Bomber in Palestine (23-09-04)

This picture shocked me out of my wits (just like the Abu Ghraib Prison Scandal pictures did!) I never expected the local Saudi Gazette to publish this. They just never publish anything like this. I am publishing it here not because I am saying that it is all right to go bomb other people (which is a very debatable issue and a very sensitive one) but am putting it here because it breaks my heart to see someone like her, who is merely 18yrs old, come to such a desperate situation. It breaks my heart to see people like her, not just in Palestine, but world over, who are robbed of their childhood: young people forced into child labor, exploited, prostitution, abused, harassed, killed, murdered, child soldiers and so on and on.

This is not an aim to make you feel guilty. This is not an attempt to justify suicide bombers. This is just something that has touched my heart deeply. I still wonder what the girl was thinking that morning. I still think about her emotions and feelings as she proceeded to go ahead with this act.

Its not a pretty scene, I agree, but I think thats the reality of the situation, and it is upto people like us to at least pray for a more peaceful world! The future generations deserve a better world than the world we received from the older generation!

Take care folks,

Mansur

The One About My New iPod Mini

Hey everyone,

The countdown is finally over. The number of days I had been counting for this past Tuesday to come is finally over. For days I had been dying to get my hands on it. I finally received my iPod Mini!!It is silver in color, with white ear phones. There is also a belt clip to which I can attach my iPod Mini and be on the move. I have also receive a two-year apple protection plan, which means that if anything goes wrong, Apple will fix the iPod Mini!

Having checked out at several shops here in Jeddah, they were being sold out like hot cakes, and at almost double the price than the US. Since my sister was there in the US, I had asked her to get me one from there. Even there, in Cleveland and Houston, the iPod Mini were being sold out. She finally found the iPod Mini from a shop in L.A, California. Having realized what a big thing iPod Mini had become, she went ahead and bought herself one as well!

It is such a cool device….imagine, 1000 songs with you on the go! 1-0-0-0 SONGS! Can you believe that? I certainly couldn’t. I am just dying to get all my songs on there and then using the infamous “shuffle” button, and wait for the next song to come. I think that’s an amazing option to have…not knowing what the next song will be. You could be listening to Harry Belafonte’s Day-O Song, and then get switched to Jennifer Lopez’s latest single, and then get switched to Cyndi Lauper’s Time After Time, and then to Backstreet Boys Quit Playing Games…gosh, I can hardly contain my excitement. What’s even nicer is that the iPod Mini includes a calendar, to-do list, and games and also acts as an external hard disk.

Now all this is really cool, except for the one thing: actually getting the songs onto the iPod Mini.

My Macintosh Power book is an older version and I have not yet upgraded to Mac OS X, and although I have the CD for Mac OS X, it is just taking ages to get that OS onto my computer. I have about 400 songs on my laptop, and I am dying to get those on iPod Mini. My Windows PC is giving me problems as well. It is not really loading the iTunes program from the installation CD I got with the iPod Mini. So, I am sending my PC to the repair shop today!

Whatever it is, I am so excited with the iPod Mini. I cannot wait to use it at the gym, while I am driving and while I am sleeping!

Check out http://www.apple.com/itunes/

While talking on iPod Mini and Apple, you guys have to check out the latest G5 computer from Apple...it is simply amazing,

http://www.apple.com/

and sorry folks, I will have to say this once again:

APPLE RULES ALL THE WAY AND IT LEAVE WINDOWS EATING THE DUST!!! (mansur doing his villanous evil laugh har-har-har!!!)

Take care folks,

Mansur