Saturday 12 September 2009

Last week's media round-up

Here is a sample of what I've been reading in the news during last week.

1- Saudi Arabia on UAE ID cards:

http://www.gulfnews.com/opinion/columns/nation/10346497.html

Irena and the pursuit of renewable energy: The UAE is shooting itself in the foot and any success it achieves in this area will undermine the strategic role and value of oil.

" The nuclear programme: The UAE has gone it alone and has agreed to very aggressive terms in signing its nuclear deal. This has created an unfortunate precedent for any future negotiations that other Gulf States may embark on.

" Security and the Central Bank: The economic openness of the UAE has attracted many shady characters (members of the intelligence services, mafia, thieves, etc.) and this is the reason why the Gulf Central Bank cannot be hosted in the UAE.


The words of: Dr Kamal Bin Mohammad Al Asbahy, adviser to the Department of Developmental Projects, Decision Making and Problem Solving in Saudi Arabia.

2- The Jewish jumper:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8241631.stm

"She never came in the shower with us, so we thought she was a little weird, but I had absolutely no idea she was actually a man." - contemporary of Dora Ratjen.

"I thought it would be a much better thing if a Jewish girl can show she can compete with anybody in the world." - Dora Ratjen


3- October 1st - Arab Israeli citizens strike

http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090909/FOREIGN/709089850/1184/enewsletter

"The increasingly harsh political climate in Israel under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government has prompted the leadership of the country’s 1.3 million Arab citizens to call the first general strike in several years.

The one-day stoppage is due to take place on October 1, a date heavy with symbolism because it marks the anniversary of another general strike, in 2000 at the start of the second intifada when 13 Arab demonstrators were shot dead by Israeli police."


from The National.

4- Sheikh Zayed's Advisor:

http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090906/LIFE/709059970/1188/enewsletter

"Dr Zaki Nusseibeh is as excited as a child with a new toy. The ­latest hi-tech audio equipment has just been installed in his elegant drawing room, giving him access to his massive collection of classical ­music at the touch of a button. Two space-age silver and black speakers stand like slimline ­Daleks, ready to pour out his ­beloved ­Wagner so perfectly that it sounds as if the Bayreuth Symphony ­Orchestra is in the room.

...

When Jerusalem was occupied in 1967 his father, who knew Sheikh Zayed, suggested he come here. And although he started his career as a journalist, Nusseibeh’s linguistic skills (he speaks Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Russian) soon made him an indispensable member of the court.

Today, he serves as an adviser at the Presidential Court and interpreter for Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, President of the UAE. He founded Abu Dhabi’s two classical music festivals, serves as vice chairman of the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage and is a member of the board of the Sorbonne University."


from The National as well.

10 comments:

Dubai Jazz said...

Interesting ramblings by Dr. Kamal Al Asbahy :)

" The economic openness of the UAE has attracted many shady characters "

Translati
on:

"We in Saudi Arabia are very peculiar about who we let in our country and who we don't. We make people's lives miserable when they try to apply for a work or business visa, and once they're in, they're stuck forever in the labyrinthian, passport control system where the sponsor has ultimate power over the enslaved.

We also don't allow women to visit unless they're accompanied by male guardians.

We have religious police who roam the streets and remind people that they can't live their lives the way they desire.

In short, in the current open global economy, we're better suited to host the GCC central bank!"

soreal said...

among ur news, the only topic i have a specialized opinion about:

nobody says iran is shooting it self in the foot for going nuclear... and we all know the reason behind the "international" community fury about it..

for the case of uae, the reasons are the same, they simply using a different tactic..

in this state of age, a nuclear program is a must. oil is a non renewable source of energy, meaning, it will run out one day

nuclear (specially fusion) and solar energy are the future.. and whoever behind this initiative in the uae is a long sighted person ..

i wish i can get an opportunity to be part of that program..

nzm said...

Perhaps it's about time that Dr Zaki Nusseibeh is introduced to the compositions of BuJ Al Arab? ;.)

Anonymous said...

We have religious police who roam the streets and remind people that they can't live their lives the way they desire.

I wish we had this here. I would join.

Oh! So thats who is filtering what Sh. Khaleefa hears! Explains why the country is going to hell in a hand basket.

Anonymous said...

Economically speaking, Oil will never really run out.

1st to explain why gets a lollipop!

soreal said...

@blessing in tragedy

if you mean investing the oil money somewhere else, kuwait in the 80s had a similar policy... then something like the iraqi invasion happened... kuwait's funds got frozen at that time.. then the liberation war got kuwait in dept.... or did u think the USA liberated kuwait for free?

in a way you can think of a nuclear program as a similar investment, but the difference is its an investment in the know how...
in case this is not clear... the future is in the hands of those who invest in their human (as opposed to natural) resources..

BuJ said...

DJ: oh well, did u have to spoil it by spilling out the beans? hehe
Still cannot believe they allow officials in any country to release statements like that. A country so near couldn't be farther than us.

Soreal.. I agree.. I wish everyone can play their part in the energy game. Even if it's switching off the lights when you don't need it (this also applies to construction sites) or installing solar panels on the roof. The future indeed is fusion rather than fission since it's so clean and leaves no dangerous waste. However we're many decades away from that, at least.

I agree as well that war is not cheap, and war is NEVER for free, especially during the first Gulf war.

NZM: No way!!! I never thought of that. Indeed a good thing might result if Dr Zaki hears of my music. I actually tried to upload some of my works last night but was shocked to find that my kind host www.secretdubai.com is now blocked in the UAE, thus you cannot download the mp3s. Need to get around it.


ABIT, so you take everything at face value? You really think this country is "going to hell"? Plus where was this mentioned in the article? This isn't reading between the lines, this is writing your own lines!

Anonymous said...

Do you still believe the news BuJ ?

BuJ said...

IYM, I don't believe in news or comments :)

I believe in facts!

Anonymous said...

You don't need your comment section then..