Basil in Riyadh

! لنستضف الشعب الياباني

2011-04-11T20:17:00.000+03:00

تعرضت اليابان يوم 11/3/2011 لأعنف زلزال في تاريخها، نتج عنه وفاة أكثر من 13,000 شخصاً وإصابة آخرين. كما نتج عنه تسرب نووي قد يؤدي لعواقب كارثية تجاه البيئة والناس. و يُتوقع أن تستمر الهزات الارتدادية لمدة عام من تاريخه.
وبما أن المملكة العربية السعودية من الدول السبّاقة لفعل الخير وإغاثة الملهوف (وهو أمر مشهود لها) فإن من واجبنا إغاثة الشعب الياباني في هذا الوقت العصيب. وهذا ما فعلته المملكة بالفعل. فقد عرضت، بالاتفاق مع الصين، إمداد اليابان باحتياجاتها من الطاقة في حال جاهزية مرافئها وبنيتها التحتية لاستقبال الدعم.
ولكن لماذا لا تتخذ المساعدات شكلاً آخر؟
على سبيل المثال، لم لا نستقبل اللاجئين اليابانيين و ننشئ لهم مدينة كاملة على الطراز الياباني؟ في هذه المدينة سنتمكن من مراقبة طريقة الشعب الياباني في العمل والحياة. وسنفهم كيف استطاع اليابانيون النهوض بعد الحرب العالمية الثانية وتحويل دولتهم إلى دولة متقدمة في وقت قصير. وعندما يعمل السعوديون مع اليابانيين جنباً إلى جنب، فمن يدري، قد يتطبعون بطبع اليابانيين ويصبحون محبين للعمل مخلصين فيه! كما أننا سنستفيد من أسلوب الحياة الياباني بكافة جوانبه بما فيه التنظيم في التخطيط العمراني، والكفاءة في النظام المالي والاقتصادي، والمحافظة على الصحة، وأساليب التربية والعمل بروح الفريق، وغير ذلك كثير!
قد ينتج عن ذلك إنتاج سيارات سعودية الصنع تضاهي السيارات اليابانية، وأجهزة الكترونية سعودية تتفوق على اليابانية، وقدرة إنتاجية تنافس مثيلتها اليابانية. وقد ينتج عن ذلك تحول المملكة إلى دولة صناعية متقدمة في ظرف بضع سنوات.
قد يبدو هذا الكلام كالحلم الجميل، أو ضرباً من الخيال، ولكن من يدري ما تخبئه الأيام؟ فكل شيء جائز.

بلاد العرب أوطاني

2009-04-16T21:34:00.000+03:00

Israeli newspapers alter photos because they contain "women's pictures!"

2009-04-04T20:16:00.007+03:00

Well, I certainly had a Déjà vu experience while reading this. HAHA.

Read in BBC NEWS | Middle East.

Two ultra-Orthodox Jewish newspapers have altered a photo of Israel's new cabinet, removing two female ministers.

Limor Livnat and Sofa Landver were grouped with the rest of the 30-member cabinet for their inaugural photo.

But Yated Neeman newspaper digitally changed the picture by replacing them with two men. The Shaa Tova newspaper blacked the women out.

Publishing pictures of women is viewed by many ultra-orthodox Jews as a violation of female modesty.

Other Israeli papers reprinted the altered images next to the original photos, with one headlining it "Find the lady".

The ultra-Orthodox community separates itself from mainstream society through its traditional religious practices and distinctive attire of black hats, coats and sidelocks for the men and long skirts and sleeves for the women.

Restrictions include using only Kosher telephones, and not accessing websites with content deemed inappropriate.

Palestine before 1947

2009-03-15T02:38:00.001+03:00

A Guitarist with a Different Style..

2009-02-20T14:29:00.004+03:00

When someone talks about guitarists, a Latino, long-haired, mariachi image pops up to my mind. Or some gypsies gathering around in the wilderness. But a Saudi style guitarist, that I would have never guessed. I am saying this because recently, I came across a really nice video of a Saudi guitarist (in thobe and Ghotra) playing a Francisco Tárrega capriccio. The guy, Adil Zahrani, is a self-taught, very skilled guitarist and Oud player. See for yourselves:

I keep asking myself until when will my country ignore the development of art and the nurture of new talents. Really, it's such a great loss to have so many local musicians without a single institution to support them.

I Quit Reading

2009-02-14T03:15:00.005+03:00

Books are Bad

Reading is bad for your health and there are various reasons for that.

1- It keeps you alone.Although a good book may be more interesting than your friends' company, you pay a social price by choosing the book over society.

2- It prevents you from REAL learning. It does! There is a difference between reading about Cuba and visiting Cuba. You don't learn it unless you experience it. So instead of wasting your time reading about Cuba, move your ass and go there!

3- It turns the world into an unbearable, miserable place. When you read a book, your imagination is doing half the work. It's not like watching a movie, it's much richer. And as a result, the harsh reality would fail in comparison with your sky-is-the-limit imagination.

4- You do not think. You are just reading what you are told or what you like, and as someone with wisdom once said, you can't interrupt the writer.

For the preceding reasons, I declare that I will quit reading books. However, Internet newspapers, work materials, and my own blog are to be excluded.

You think the Isaeli-Palestinian Conflict is complicated? Think Again...

2009-02-07T22:04:00.005+03:00

يخلق من "الشنب" أربعين

2009-01-31T19:38:00.003+03:00

Tony Hanna and Jean Ferrat

I should be studying right now

2009-01-25T23:27:00.004+03:00

But in fact I am listening to this. The violinist, Eduardo H. Asiain, produces an incredible sound. And most of the time his accompanist is his sister Lily Asiain. This piece is from an two-act opera entitled "La Vida Breve" (The brief life) and it is composed by Manuel de Falla, a Spanish composer. De Falla has composed some other great pieces, which I'll probably post here some time later. Anyway, enjoy this and don't let it distract you ;)

Celebrate your individuality. Declare your independence...

2009-01-23T23:47:00.006+03:00

Or die.

Photos by Eugenio Recuenco.

Un inglés que vino de London

2009-01-17T19:55:00.000+03:00

Encontré esta canción por casualidad. Y me gustó mucho! ¿Alguien puede explicarme el contexto histórico en que viene?

Nina Simone VS. The Animals

2009-01-15T13:33:00.008+03:00

hypnotizing Vs. passionate.

Brave

2009-01-13T23:43:00.001+03:00

Go young man. Get the fucker.

Nina Simone - House of the Rising Sun

2009-01-12T21:27:00.007+03:00

The one and only Nina Simone.

Although this song was more recognized by The Animals' performance, I think Simone does it better. Here it sounds as if a friend were telling you a story. Or as if someone were talking to themselves, which goes quite well with the song's theme. And of course her unique voice is a great plus.

For more about the song click here

Caprice Basque - Sarasate

2009-01-07T23:28:00.006+03:00

If you haven’t noticed yet, I am a big fan of Pablo de Sarasate. His music is distinct, individualistic, sophisticated, and emotional, in my opinion. It’s quite difficult to articulate one’s thoughts about music, because musical taste is very personal. But in the end the music speaks for itself.

Although the quality of sound is not perfect in this clip, I find this particular interpretation (Sarasate’s interpretation) of this piece very beautiful. Check it.

Balada - Sarasate

2009-01-06T12:02:00.001+03:00

I like very much. Nice piece and nice interpretation.

Donate Blood.. Help the Palestinian Victims

2008-12-29T22:15:00.005+03:00

King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Riyadh is organizing a blood drive to help the Palestinian victims of the current clashes in Gaza strip. If you want to donate blood, please go the hospital's Blood Bank any time between 7:30 a.m. and 12:00 a.m.

Here are their contact details:
Hospital’s phone no. 014647272
Website: www.kfshrc.edu.sa

ينظم مستشفى الملك فيصل التخصصي بالرياض حملة تبرع بالدم لإخواننا الفلسطينيين. على من لديه الرغبة بالمساعدة التوجه لقسم بنك الدم بالمستشفى من الساعة 7:30 صباحا وحتى الساعة 12 من منتصف الليل.

هاتف المستشفى: 014647272
www.kfshrc.edu.sa :الموقع الالكتروني

That place...

2008-12-25T15:02:00.003+03:00

-Tell me sir, what do you see when you go to that place?
- Many sites. And each site contradicts the other. You see huge shiny buildings that are a few steps away from a dead desert. You see tents that are built inside peoples’ houses, and on festivals, you see people dancing in a very strange manner.
- Strange manner? How so?
- They, young and old, hold swords in their hands and dance with them or leave them on their shoulders. Some hold drums, and they all sing and chant ardently. And in the middle of all that, you see children’s eyes following around, trying to catch anyone who makes a stronger move or a wilder dance.
-Oh, their festivals seem so gladsome.
- But they do not last long, as that place quickly returns to silence and its people quickly forget their events. But somehow, when you talk to their old people, you might hear a man talking about how life was beautiful fifty years ago, and in a moment of ecstasy, he would not hesitate in describing this place as the prettiest in the world, God’s Paradise on Earth!!
-God’s Paradise! Tell me more.
- Their women, my dear fellow, are different from their men; their souls are different and much softer. You do not see them very often, but late at night when it is so quiet and calm, you can hear them murmuring and laughing, and their laughs turn everything into a dream.
-Oh sir, this seems to be a very strange place.
-It is. And its people are strange too. They all sing and fall in love, but in secret. No one trusts anyone. And everyone is afraid of the others. It is not only that. When they are in love, you see how confused they become. Instead of making them calmer and happier, love turns these people into beasts. Just like an injured animal, they feel that love makes them weaker and more vulnerable. Instead of enjoying their lover, they keep thinking and worrying about the day when she would pack up and leave with the tribe or with an unknown husband. And when this day comes, the whole place falls into silence, except some sobs that you hear from time to time. You see white birds flying over the horizon of the sad lover and making little screams, telling him they feel what he feels. Some people assure you that they see an angel who comes as a shiny light and prays for this place and its people.
-But sir, don’t these people travel? Don’t they change?
-Sometimes they travel, but they never change. Even if their appearances change, their inside is still the same, because whoever lives there and drinks from the water of that place can never change, even if they stay away for a hundred years.

Panorama or MBC FM?

2008-12-21T02:09:00.003+03:00

Something that causes me an ongoing frustration in Riyadh is it’s radio. Usually in my car, I prefer to listen to radio over playing a CD because radio is very informative. In the past, I have discovered many interesting people, discussions and thoughts by listening to the radio while driving. But clearly this is not the case in Riyadh.

Riyadh’s radio channels are such a pain to listen to. First, the radio channels are very limited; you can count them on your fingers. And second, the content they broadcast is so silly and commercial.

I dream of turning on the radio one day to listen to someone discussing some of the serious issues we are facing such as the high divorce and crime rates, the alarming increase in traffic, unemployment, the Palestinian question, the Middle East affairs, and etcetera. But all I get is: vote for your favorite song and we’ll play it! Vote and support you favorite team! Call us and send your greeting! This is sickening and I do not think this situation is natural.

Can someone serious and not related to the government make a radio station please? because the senseless is taking over and I am about to shoot myself.

الملحن سهم يبعث الأمل في الموسيقى الخليجية

2008-12-02T19:00:00.004+03:00

من مجرد نظرة واحدة على الموسيقى الخليجية، ستشعر بمدى التدهور الذي وصلت إليه الحال في السنوات الأخيرة. فالأغاني، كلمات وألحان، خالية من أي تجديد أو فكرة غير تقليدية. كلها واحد. ولذلك، كانت مفاجأة كبيرة لي عندما استمعت إلى بعض الأغاني الجديدة من ملحن يلقب نفسه بــ سهم. لأنك ستشعر مباشرة أن صاحب هذه الألحان درس علم التلحين ولذلك فهو يمتلك المعرفة التقنية اللازمة له، بالإضافة إلى امتلاك حس خلاق وجرأة على التجديد. وهذا، كما يبدو لي، هو المطلوب. لعله يستمر على هذا المنوال و يمتعنا.

أترككم مع إحدى أغاني عبدالمجيد عبدالله، وألحان سهم. اسم الأغنية لا زاد.

اضغط هنا

Orientalism, a Must Read Book.

2008-09-22T21:58:00.002+03:00

Orientalism, Edward Said’s book and arguably his Magnum Opus covers a very important topic, that is the academic role of Orientalists in creating stereotypical images of the East that are not always realistic.

The reason, Said argues is because the occidental scholar looks at the East through the eyes of a Western, and criticizes it depending on how similar or different it is to the Western culture. This approach is quite faulty, because it lacks the objective perspective any scholar research should have. When studying a culture, a scholar should try to free her/himself from their Western background and look at the field of research in a more cosmopolitan manner.

I highly recommend this book, not only to Western scholars, but also to people coming from the East, especially those who come from previously colonized countries such as Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Libya and Subsaharn Africa.

If you are not a fan of reading and prefer watching a video instead, here are some short clips that would give you a general idea of what I and Orientalism are talking about.

Enjoy :)

Magic System, Le Zouglou Dance

2008-09-22T20:24:00.000+03:00

No matter how blue you feel, this song is guaranteed to get you back on track. The spirit of those folks is amazing!!

However, I still don't know what "on va tanguer" means. It's not in the dictionary!!