A Saudi Life

Sony Pulls Game in Fear of Offending Muslims

Oct 20, 2008 Saudi News 5 Comments

Little Big Planet

Story

The release of one of the most hotly awaited computer games in the past year has been delayed over concerns some of the background music may offend Muslims.

“LittleBigPlanet” has been delayed due to background music that Muslims may find offensive.

“LittleBigPlanet,” described by review Web site IGN.com as an “instant classic,” has been pulled from warehouses after it was noticed that one of its music tracks contained words from the Islamic holy text, the Quran.

Source CNN.com

Commentary

So a game is polled off the shelf just as it was being launched due to complaints from Muslims that one of the tracks in the game consisted of Koranic verses with music. I have to say I am conflicted about this. On the one hand I applaud Sony for respect Muslims and not wishing to offend them (even if its all about business). However I do believe that Muslims are becoming oversensitive. If something offends you don’t buy it don’t go out and start an outcry. Why are Muslims making big deals about cartoons, games, movies etc.. when there are more serious problems out there? We have poverty, illiteracy, famine, terrorism, etc… Muslim civilisation has fallen because Muslims forgot the big picture and whats important. Its time Muslims figured whats important and stop being babies.

Popularity: 28% [?]

Saudi Authorities Starts to Prosecute Terrorists

Oct 20, 2008 Saudi News Leave a comment

Story

Riyadh General Court

Today Monday October 20th 2008 Saudi authorities started the prosecution of 70 terrorists who have supported or performed terrorists acts in Saudi Arabia during the last few years. This has been an overdue prosecution as some of these men have been in prison for years with no official charges which has upset many human rights organizations. The Judaical authorities have assigned 10 judges to

look into these cases and the security around the court house has increased.

Commentary

This has been long overdue. The Saudi government has been using the excuse that investigations were not completed and that many of these terrorists had information that was helpful in cracking down their colleges. That is understandable but it only made other terrorists more dangerous. As for the last few years many who were arrested were freed for good behavior and for abandoning their terrorist believes as long as they didn’t help to kill or killed anyone. Compassion and help is not what terrorists need, what they need is an iron fist and the death penalty to know where they end up with such horrifying acts.

Popularity: 17% [?]

Why no news or podcast this month?

Oct 7, 2008 Announcements & Updates Leave a comment

Well sorry for not posting this month, been busy searching for a job and with family. As for the podcast there will be one this month but had to push it back as for the first time I will have a guest on the show an expat working in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia who happens to be out of town on business this weeek. So keep an eye out for the next podcast sometime next week.

Popularity: 25% [?]

Happy Eid

Sep 30, 2008 Announcements & Updates 1 Comment

I wish everybody a Happy Eid as the Islamic world celebrates Eid ElFitar (the conclusion of the holy month of Ramadan)

كل عام والجميع ان شاء الله بخير

Popularity: 28% [?]

The Phileas Club Episode 6

Sep 29, 2008 Announcements & Updates Leave a comment

Well Patrick the host of the phileas club was nice to invite me once more to participate in his show. We were joined by Tom Merrit from Buzz Out Loud and had a blast. So please check it out and let me know what you think.

http://www.thephileasclub.com/

Popularity: 26% [?]

Saudi Religious Leader asks for jail and lashes for Journalists

Sep 19, 2008 Saudi News 1 Comment

Sheikh Abdullah bin Jibrin

Story

A Saudi religious leader Abdullah bin Jibrin has come out on a TV show and issued a new fatwa. When asked about the slow movement to freedom of speech in Saudi Arabia where journalists and writers are now given space to question and attack Saudi religious leaders he responded by issuing a fatwa where such writers are to be jailed and lashed for such writings.

Commentary

Well we just got a new fatwa in Saudi Arabia and its a good one. Apparently religious leaders in Saudi Arabia are prophets that can not be questioned or attacked and anybody that does such a thing is a sinner that must be punished.

Somebody needs to stop these stupid fatwas that have nothing to do with religious and all to do with supporting backwordnes and fundimntalists.

Popularity: 38% [?]

Head of Saudi Courts says Death to TV Station Owners

Sep 17, 2008 Saudi News 2 Comments

Sheikh Saleh Al-Luhaidan,

Story

The head of the Saudi Judaical System issued a fatwa on a radio show declaring that the owners of TV station who broadcast material deemed inappropriate may be punished by death.

“If the evil of those who promote corruption in belief and actions cannot be held back through lesser punishments, then they can be put to death through the judicial process,” Lohaidan, head of the Supreme Judicial Council said.

The reaction to this fatwa has gained national and international reaction.

“The extremist elements will take advantage of the fatwa and start recruiting our young people to bomb the locations of such TV stations,” al-Obeikhan, who is also an adviser at the Saudi ministry of justice, was quoted as saying to the Saudi Al Jazeera newspaper.

Commentary

So this is basically old news by now but its important. Of course I followed this fatwa as it happened but decided to hold back posting it and commenting on it due to my unbalanced negative reaction to it and I didn’t want to say something that I would regret.

Plain and simple this is the most idiotic fatwa I have ever heard and a very dangerous one. I quoted part of the fatwa in the story however it might not sound as bad translated and only showing a part of it. When the fatwa in its whole and in Arabic is repeated it sounds even worse. Even though the fatwa does say that the death of the owners must be through the courts it is so open to translation that fundamentalist and terrorist organizations could use it as a support to killing and blowing up TV stations and their owners.

The truth of the matter is that the courts would never be able to prosecute any of the TV station owners let alone pass the death penalty against them as the government would never allow this. Luhidan knows this just as everybody else in Saudi Arabia knows this, so why a fatwa declaring death to TV station owners when he knows it will never happen? Clearly its a message for fundamentalist and terrorist organizations to take matters into their own hands.

Luhidan did come on TV the next day to clarify his fatwa however his explanation was complete bull s*** as it was most about how great he was and how knowledgeable and sticking to his fatwa just clarifying that it is for the Judaical system to follow it and not individuals.

Its time for Luhidan to resign and have someone with more sense take over the Judaical system.

Popularity: 41% [?]

Two Historical Bedouin TV Series Stopped

Sep 9, 2008 Saudi News Leave a comment

A Screenshoot of "Funjan AlDam"

Story

Two Historical Bedouin (Arab nomad tribes) TV series were stopped from being broadcast on TV as planned during the holy moth of Ramadan. The first titled “Fingan ElDam” (Cup of Blood) was stopped

before even being broadcast. The step by the Arab TV network MBC was taken due to requests and demands from many Arab tribes to not broadcast the show as they believed it would have resulted in hatred and historical mistakes. The second show on Abu Dhabi TV “Sadon ElAuagy” was canceled by the president of the UAE after 8 episodes in response from tribal leaders and members.

Commentary

So freedom of speech is shot once more due to tribal traditions. Tribes are very proud and they think they are the best and the rest are below them. Any attempt to show otherwise is meet with resistance and could even result into a tribal war. Each tribe has its own truth and the rest are lies.

Clearly since MBC promised to show the show after reviewing it after Ramadan that MBC took a marketing response. Afraid to loss viewers during its most profitable month they decided to wait till Ramadan and show the series. This would hurt the MBC at a minimum and make it possible to recover by next Ramadan if the show received negative responces and boycots. Abu Dhabi TV however seems to have ignored the requests to stop the show and as a result were forced to stop after only 8 days by order of the UAE president after the complaints reached him.

Popularity: 48% [?]

A Saudi Life Episode 26

Sep 9, 2008 Show Leave a comment

Well this is the first episode of A Saudi Life that I record after my return to Saudi Arabia. This is a quick and short episode as I am busy settling in and starting the next step in my life. Also I need to get more questions from everybody out there to answer and discuss on the show. I am also hoping to have a guest or two on the next show, will post details when guests are confirmed.

As always you can get the show from iTunes, using your favorite RSS reader or from the player below, and please rate my show on iTunes.

PS: Sorry for the poor voice quality as I lost my mic in the move, hope to get a new one for the next show.

Popularity: 52% [?]

Unemployed Hacks Ministry of Labor website

Sep 5, 2008 Saudi News Leave a comment

Hacked Ministry of Labor Site

Story

An unemployed Saudi citizen hacked the website for the Saudi Ministry of Labor. He did that by replacing the front page with a message saying the site was hacked and the phrase “We are bored of unemployment can you listen”

Commentary

Unemployment is becoming a serious problem in Saudi Arabia and with the current rate of inflation its just getting worse. Saudi Arabia’s main problem is a young population (50% of population is estimated to be under 15 years old) and reliance on foreign workers (about 5 million immigrant works are officially declared). But I do wounder what does hacking the site will do to solve the unemployment problem? It does show how poor the site is and after visiting it I can say I can make a better site in less than an hour.

Popularity: 51% [?]