Christian Warrior Gary Faulker - In Search of Bin Laden

I am not entirely awake yet, but on the way to work I was listening to Joe Rogans podcast and he mentioned a guy called Gary Faulker, the Christian Warrior on a hunt to find Osama Bin Laden, apprently armed with a sword and a bible he made several trips to Afganistan/Pakistan mountains to find the man who is believed to be responsible for 9-11....

I suggest you read. this man is quite courageous

Hot Topic - New Fatwa in Saudi - Breastfeeding

A recent Fatwa introduced in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, played on the religious ruling that any women who breast feeds another male can be seen as her "Son" in the eyes of Islam, In KSA there is a male who works very closely with the family on a daily basis who is not a family member this is the families driver. Most Families in KSA will need to have a driver as women in the country are still not allowed by law to drive. The Fatwa states that Women are allowed to breastfeed their driver and by doing so will lawfully be making that man her "son" and enabling that man to mingle with the family as another male family member would. Thus making everyone's lives easier all round. It is also mentioned that female maids within a household can breastfeed the man (husband) of the house in order that maids can also mingle with the family as other female members would be able to (ie. Daughters)

My thought regarding this odd new Fatwa is can Saudi Women in fact make milk on demand? Because the way its worded is like (in my imagination) The Man and Woman of the house have a conversation which might go a little something like this:

Sitting at the table eating breakfast
Man: What are you up to today wife darling
Woman: Not much, need to go food shopping at some point, and need to get a new manicure
Man: That's nice darling, I was wondering if you could do me a favour though today
Women: Whats that?
Man: Well was just thinking last night, it would make life alot easier for you, and our Daughters if you could breast feed Raj
Woman: Excuse me
Man: Well apparently its allowed now, just squirt some of your breast milk in a cup and ask Raj to drink it, then he can come into the house when we need him to and you wont have to fuss around for half hour making sure your Abaya and Niqab are on right.
Woman: Excuse me
Man: Yeah so anyways thanks for breakfast I'll see you later, just sort that thing out for me for when I get home. Love you bye.
Woman: Excuse me

Now I am of course a woman and I'm well aware of the fact I cant produce milk on demand (or do I have something wrong with me?!) now if I was breast feeding my baby, I would find it very odd to have to give that milk to someone other than my baby, and does Raj the driver get a say about drinking his employers breast milk? in KSA are you kidding me? if its anything like the UAE (and I'm sure its worse) that family OWNS Raj and no Raj won't get a say he'll just have to hold his nose and gulp it down.

Friends Season 2 Episode 2 - The One With The Breast Milk - For more funny movies, click here


Additionally I wonder if, since Saudi sees this as a plausible Fatwa (of course as they live by Sharia Law) and since being able to see a women other than your wife and daughters without Niqab is the biggest of all wrongs, that the KSA government might be inclined to Give Raj from India Citizenship in their country. Since in the eyes of the religion he is in fact her son. hmmm no? Thought as much. Could KSA be "using" a religious law to their advantage? of course not, they would never misinterpret the religious texts to their advantage would they? seeing as that's all I've been told (and proven) since I moved to the middle east (by other Arabs of various nationalities) it seems this is a common opinion. Just look at the Niqab, and Abaya, this is not required anywhere in the Quraan. yet they are law in the Kingdom, Covering ones hair by wearing Hijab. yes. Not showing off ones womanly features (we know what those are!) to anyone other than ones wife. yes. but Niqab? no. I believe this IS extreme and seeing as this is not a religious regulation, I am not opposed to several European countries banning it as many have done.

The Niqab



Various Hijab Styles





As you can see there is a big difference, When I first move here I remember I even used to look at the various Hijab wearing women and thinking how glamorous some of them are, obviously now I've got used to it! Glamourous partly BECAUSE they aren't wearing clothes that reveal skin, but most do it in a way that they also don't show the curves of their body as well, which IS hard when shopping but when done right has a unique charm to it that in a way I am envious of.

Anyways, the main part of the article I have attached as reference is that women in Saudi are becoming increasingly frustrated and I'm sure there are some men on their side as well that they cannot drive. I can only imagine how they might feel, as I myself adore driving, my other half still knows where I am 90% of the time, and when he doesn't its for menial tasks he probably wouldn't care to know anyway. therefore having a driver 100% of the time takes away an important part of marriage - the element of trust. you still here stories where drivers are bribed by wives to take them to their lovers etc so there is no fool proof solution, yet a man would still rather trust a (quite often) poor man who might be open to bribery WITHOUT an honourable agreement such as marriage, rather than his wife. that is, if he is AGAINST women being able to drive. The article attached suggests women have become to desperate in the region they are threatening to Breast Feed their drivers (from what I can gather without a cup although I cant quite make that out) if they are not given the "freedom" the drive. this is a desperate measure from any women, especially one who spent (no doubt) their whole lives never showing even a wrist or an ankle to a man other than her husband or her father, and yet she is willing to show such intimacy with an employee.....

Call For Action - Break Israeli Siege!

Check out the site......

Dont want to turn this into a political blog, just check it out...

Flotilla

I just wanted to take 5 minutes out of my day to send my thoughts out to those people trapped/angry/hurt.... or worse on any one of the 6 aid ships currently off the coast of Gaza. I would also like to send my thoughts out to any injured innocent Israeli's. Despite what some may say, many people despite race, religion, or sex no one deserves to feel pain especially those who are simply "doing as they are told".

Anyways I don't think I should enter into any debate (with myself it seems) about Israel and it's people. My thoughts just go out to those suffering any inhumane treatment at the hands of another.

Breast Cancer Vaccine

There is not much to say about this article because it pretty much speaks for its self but I always say if one life can be saved, the effort is well worth it.

My Grandmother had breast Cancer when I was a child, I vaguely remember sitting at her bed side in the hospital, this isnt what stuck me as the hardship of Breast Cancer, yes of course having a mastectomy is very hard, but when faced with such a decision I cant imagine you have to think twice, nowadays it seems common place to have silicon breasts as replacements (not sure if this is covered by the NHS and if its not it bloody well should be!) But when my Grandmother had the procedure it was the late 80's and this wasnt quite so common place, for years shes had the battle of where to buy the special bras (like with boob included!) etc and I know its a daily struggle, no thin straps, only white bras available, only mail order - to a man this might not sound like a big deal and even to some women, but putting up with these things as well as the strain it may take on a relationship for 2 decades. well I cant help but try to support any Breast Cancer awareness scheme I can.



So I truly hope we can take on the Breast Cancer Battle and one step at a time, Cancer as a whole.

UK - Rape Defendants to be given anonymity

I know this is in the UK not in Dubai or even the UAE but I think as a woman this is a subject that deserves a mention.

Now as far as i'm aware most countries around the world following a common law live by the rule "innocent until proven guilty" now I know the rape issue is a hard one sometimes to convict/prove however if someone is proven "Not Guilty" in the eyes of the law, they didnt do what they were accused of. So don't these men deserve not to be labelled? despite the fact someone was proven "not guilty" if the world/country/city/village whatever hears that someone was accused of rape, likeliness is that guy will always be under question, or known amoung gossips/friends/families as "the man accused of rape" i can hear people now debating who "lied" or "what really happened" and of course "do you think he did it" this I have to say, isn't fair. of course you also get women who make me sick and lie about these things, for whatever reason (none of which make the lie any better) and does a man who was found innocent really need this talk going on behind his back? One can only imagine life after (perhaps) not doing anything wrong, when something like Rape is in question.

Despite the article mentioning that "women’s groups immediately branded an insult." I dont see HOW this is an insult, if the man is found guilty everyone will know, however if he's innocent let him live his life!!!!

Emirati Women Retracts Rape Statement

This story makes me cringe, if she made it up she is giving women a very bad name, a woman should NEVER cry Rape unless it is true.

However if it is true and she has retracted her statement due to pressure/pending sentence for illegal sexual intercourse (despite the men being convicted of rape), then someone needs to answer some strict questions because if she was rape the whole point is it was not her decision.

I dont like the sound of this case one bit.

Emirati Women in the Workforce

So I stumbled across this article (on twitter obviously!) and I wondered, if more Emirati Women go to further education than Emirati Men and yet less Emirati Women actually use their education than men... why is this?

Surely if you go to University it is for the purpose of working, and surely if your family accepts/supports your decision to go to University they too are accepting that you will have a career. or am I wrong?

Knowing a few local women, in different working circumstances, some work, some dont, some are currently studying - I wonder if some simply go to university because it is the done thing here, because if you don't you seem to be considered less of a person. or whether some simply go for "something to do" and don't actually intend to work at all, but like the "social status" because a graduate gives you.

I didn't go to University, until 5 years ago I was all my life in my home country, England I went to school there and followed school as most do with College courses, in fact I took several more than most I took AVCE's (several subjects make up an A Level instead of taking an A Level in 1 subject) as well as 2 National Diploma's. I did this simply because I wanted to know more about certain subjects and figured it would be benificial in the work place however once I had finished College for a few years I didn't see any advantage in going to University, especially since I knew some friends who were so in debt after graduating University and also couldn't find jobs and were working in Bars. I was "lucky" enough that I found a decent job straight after college and have since worked my way up into a job that OK is not my dream job, but then a friend of mine was at Uni for 4 years and was made redundant from Woothworths!

When I came to Dubai, things changed I was 21 pretty confident in finding a decent job, which I did yet when I started meeting people the normal Dubai conversation started: "where are you from", "how long have you been in Dubai", "Where did you go to Uni" I found it quite upsetting that people here felt that the fact I didn't go to Uni seemed to make me less of a person which of course it doesn't.

So I wonder if the article enclosed (click on the title) actually fully reflects the situation, are Emirati Women not working because they come across hurdles? or because they don't have to? or because they get married and have children and it is no longer at the top of the agenda?

In the 5 years I have been here Emirati Women seem to play an increasingly important role in the building, education and culture of the UAE. Does the fact less Emirati Women work than men mean they are any less important?

National Curriculum in Dubai Schools

So I just saw this link, on twitter of course, in Arabian Business' online magazine....

so apparently a survey was conducted that resulted in 60% saying they would like to see a national curriculum type arrangement in schools in the UAE.

My First thought is why isnt there one already?
My Second though is what would the curriculum be compared to?
My Third thought is, arn't schools here a year or so longer than the time you spend in school in the UK? does this mean they are behind? or do they do extra studies? and if so if you go back to the UK during the time your children are at school do they fall behind?

what do you all think about a curriculum? or do you choose you school based on the education level now? and does education and results here reflect the cost?