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Saudi Arabia: Kinky Clothing on Sale

Amira Al Hussaini · 20:14 · Middle East & North Africa

lingua → fr · mg · es · bn · ar

Under the heavy veil and behind closely guarded doors, some Saudi women are being a tad bit naughty when it comes to dressing down for the bedroom. Blogger Nzingha reminds us, with photographs, that even women can be naughty in the ultra-conservative kingdom.

Kinky Clothes on Sale in Saudi Arabia Photo credit: Nzingha

To set the mood, Nzingha explains that there is more than meets the eyes in Saudi Arabia.

“Saudi for the most part has an image of being ultra conservative, an image that is rightly deserved in some areas. But when you actually live here and know what is going on, in secret and in open, you find out that people living in Saudi aren't necessarily that conservative. This ranges from the expatriates and their swinger parties, or the gay weddings and beauty pageants with cross dressers displaying their moves. Some of these events are cracked down upon by the police but for the most part it goes on and people whisper,” she notes.

She then takes us on a shopping spree for some kinky outfits, which she includes in her blog for their sheer entertainment value. Nzingha further explains:

“Being kinky doesn't have to be to these extremes a little fun and excitement in the bedroom can fit into the kinky mold. But, again, being in the conservative society of Saudi Arabia with veiled laden ladies one would think the kinky side couldn't be easily entertained. Think again! As I went out with Sister C the other day to a local ‘families' mall we stopped in a shop called “Oh La La” .. (a)nd there in the shop, protected by the single male employee, hung these kinky bedroom get ups.”

For more outfits, check out the link above.

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Georgia: End of a Fairy Tale?

Onnik Krikorian · 19:41 · Central Asia & Caucasus

lingua → es · zht · zhs · jp

Tbilisi Protests

It couldn't have come at a worse time with all three republics in the South Caucasus gearing up for elections to be held next year. Georgia, considered a beacon of [relative] democracy in the region until today, has set an unfortunate precedent given that the opposition in all three countries will protest leading up to the respective votes as well as afterwards. Even the November 2003 Rose Revolution that brought the Georgian president, Mikhail Saakashvili, to power was peaceful in comparison to crackdowns by the authorities in neighboring Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Today, that all changed with the ironically entitled Steady State publishing a post simply entitled “Crazy in Georgia…” and a link to coverage from TOL Georgia. The two blogs were both established by Transitions Online and in particular, TOL Georgia is a welcome addition to blogging in the region. It's coverage of the events as they unfold has been exemplary with recent updates now reporting attacks on the independent media in the country. Photographs recording scenes in downtown Tbilisi, some of which are posted here, are already up on Flickr courtesy of Davit Rostomashvili.

Following posts about Kavkasia TV and Imedia TV being taken off the air, TOL Georgia draws a frightening conclusion.

The Imedi TV journalists were threatened with force, kicked out from the TV station and had their mobiles phones seized.

[…]

A person was just beaten up by the additional internal affairs troops entering the TV station…

In how many democratic countries this happen???

Probably Imedi TV will be unveiled as Russian traitor TV… Shameful. This starts to look like clear-cut dictatorship…

Tbilisi Protests

According to the authorities, Georgia's traditional foe, Russia, is behind the trouble in Tbilisi. International media outlets are already reporting that Saakashvili is pointing the finger directly at Moscow. The Internal Security Services, for example, have already released audio and video recordings of meetings between opposition figures and alleged Russian intelligence service agents. Georgia's Ambassador to Russia has apparently been recalled.

The opposition denies the claims, as do bloggers such as Artmika at Unzipped who instead suggest that the Georgian government and Saakashvili in particular is using Russia as a scapegoat for the country's own internal problems.

I think Saakashvili seriously suffers from spy-mania. Actually, it’s a very convenient pathological condition, successfully used back in Soviet times and elsewhere to shut dissident voices. As expected, he blamed everything on Russia, and Russian “special agents”. An extremely convenient trick for anyone who perhaps feels that grounds under his power are shattering. He used it before too, and apparently from now on any discontent with his policy and regime will be considered a treason. Good old days are back. And good to ensure continuous Western support too.

The Armenian blogger, now based in England, does however mention a Georgian friend who is filling him in with details from on the ground. According to Unzipped, the situation is getting out of control on both sides. However, he concludes, the main blame lies with the authorities for adopting heavy handed tactics to disperse an opposition protest.

My Georgian friend from Tbilisi blamed opposition too. He condemned government’s excessive use of force but suggested that opposition was to blame too. They provoked police and were not really up for a dialogue with the ruling regime, and “both sides acted ugly.” I am sure that opposition is not any better (just names of people who are behind the opposition are enough to put me off; also ridiculous mass prayers during their rallies – oh dear…). But I know one thing, when those in ruling power use excessive force against civilians, there is something wrong with their power. Therefore, I blame government. […]

The blogger concludes that “as long as [Saakashvili] is in power, there will be no calm in Georgia and no prospect for democracy.” On his other blog, he posts photographs from today's clash, and back at TOL Georgia, jibs concurs with Artmika's dismay at blaming unrest on Russia.

Just listened to President Saakashvili’s speech on the latest developments in Georgia, involving the forceful dispersal of the opposition demonstration.

[…]

He put the blame on Russia again.

I think Russians need to pack on and leave somewhere towards South America, so that they are not blamed for Georgia’s internal affairs.

[…]

How can all this be blamed on Russia? Are those 70,000 people that showed up in the first day of the protests ALL Russian puppets? […]

[…]

Long live our savior and protector against the Russian dark magic!

Tbilisi Protests

Gregory Levonian at GL.Mimino.Org writes from Tbilisi on the day's developments even though he admits he tries to steer clear of politics on his blog. Saying that “things are not well” in Georgia, the blogger perhaps represents how most Georgian citizens feel, regardless of their ethnicity. He praises Saakashvili for what he has achieved, but is now concerned about the direction the country is heading in.

[I]ts really hard to support the opposition here since they really don't have much of a platform and it also seems to me that people have always had unreasonably high expectation of Saakshvili but all this notwithstanding there is no question that our Misha (as he's often called) has become less and less sensitive to those around him.

[…] He is a populist. He marginalizes those who disagree with him.

But still, he was truly committed to Georgia and the best democrat the country had ever seen.

At least, that was until today. Now, nobody knows what's happening and the whole city is in shock and horror.

[…]

I can't believe I'm writing this, but the city has the feel that it's under occupation. […]

Others observing from afar also have mixed feelings about what is occurring in the Georgian capital. underWater desert Blogging, for example, remembers visiting the country and says that it was “amazing.” Indeed, the blogger obviously had such a good impression of Georgia that they hope something positive will occur.

There are huge possibilities for good in this country and I hope that the President, Saakashvili is smart enough to be able to quell this thing without having to resort to Soviet era tactics of repression. I will be an unequivocal supporter of him if he can figure out a way to address the core of what the protestors are saying […].

Global Voices' Veronica Khokhlova at Neeka's Backlog, however, does not seem so convinced. Posting a story she wrote at the time of the 2003 Rosie Revolution hoping that Georgia's problems would now be behind it, Khokhlova seems as disappointed and shocked at what is happening as almost everybody else.

I really hoped Saakashvili would let them protest all they wanted, but he's an impatient guy, unfortunately, and so he ended up using some force today to get them out.

I haven't been following the situation in Georgia too closely, but BBC tells me “the protesters accuse President Saakashvili of corruption and of not doing enough to tackle poverty” - and I've no reasons not to believe them.

More updates on events as they happen will undoubtedly be found on the excellent TOL Georgia and on BBC correspondent Matthew Collin's This is Tbilisi Calling. Indeed, as writing this post comes to an end, TOL Georgia has made one more post announcing that a State of Emergency has now been declared.

Four years ago, the current authorities came to power through mass demonstrations against the Shevarnadze regime, and back then the mass media was left untouched. Saakashvili does it differently — this must be a democratic measure I have never heard about.

This is why the demonstrations swept Georgia in the first place, and not because of an “evil” Russia. Russia looks way more democratic right now than Georgia. This is the end of the Rose Revolution myth in Georgia.

Or as Unzipped put it earlier in the day, “This is the end of Saakashvili's fairy tale. […] Georgians will not forgive him for this attack.”

Tbilisi Protests

Photographs accompanying this post are © Davit Rostomashvili. These and other photographs can be viewed at http://www.flickr.com/photos/barrygeo/.

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Pakistan: Stability, Activism and the Emergency

Neha Viswanathan · 17:13 · South Asia

lingua → pt · es

As the reality of the emergency sets in, reactions from bloggers explore the idea of democracy and stability in the country, looking at the consequences of the current political situation. Metroblogging Lahore points to the ups and downs in the biggest stock exchange in Karachi, and that a similar trend could be seen at the Lahore Stock Exchange.

Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE 100) nose-dived on the first trading day under Emergency rule this Monday while registering a record fall of 635 points. However, the market regained some ground on Tuesday by jumping up 146.87 points to close at 13,426.1

The blog also provides a running update on a student protest at Lahore.

iFaqeer has a different take on the situation, a perspective that underlines that people are probably not going to be passive participants in the political situation.

As Adil says, people see a picture and all they feel is shame for the 5 policemen beating up a lawyer; I feel nothing but pride, for I see one Pakistani putting his self on the line for his principle. People see a media blackout; I see journalists that a dictator has no choice but to ban.

A thought and comment provoking discussion at Sepia Mutiny as Abhi writes

To be clear, I do not condone the jailing of lawyers and judges but Pakistan is not ready for the type of democracy they currently protest in favor of. There is not one shred of proof pointing to a better outcome if elections were to take place, nor a single candidate that one could point to as a competent successor to Musharraf, one likely to provide stability in Pakistan and by extension in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Amardeep, another blogger at Sepia Mutiny argues against this point of view.

My point is this: elections are necessary for democracy to occur, but they aren’t sufficient for democracy to sustain itself. What Musharraf should have done, if he really cared about transitioning to democracy, was, first of all, let the Supreme Court rule on whether the recent Presidential election was valid. Secondly, he needed to give up his uniform (though admittedly, that should probably have happened first). Thirdly, Parliamentary elections.

Law and Other Things, an Indian blog reflects on judicial activism given the turn of events in Pakistan. Indian Muslims comments on Pakistan having been taken to the past again, and how Musharraf seems to have no support from any side.

Gradually Musharraf has found himself losing his grip. Tribesmen accuse him of killing his own people and have adapted suicide bombings, a deadly new import to Pakistan. The secular Pakistanis chafing under dictatorship accuse him of failing to protect Pakistan from the growing reactionary extremism within Pakistan.

Activism seems to be in the air. Chapati Mystery links to a document -

From students and activists in Pakistan comes The Emergency Telegraph [pdf link] - the first issue of a comprehensive booklet that hopes to fill in the vacuum created by the media blackout in Pakistan”. It includes a short note from Asma Jahangir as well other links, eye-witness reports etc.

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China: Standard of the white-collar

Bob Chen · 14:52 · East Asia

(Note: The Chinese Academy of Social Science has denied the publishment of the list, which under hot discussion for quite a few days proved to be faked)

In Chinese concept, white-collar is related to a decent life and a desirable living style. How much have you got to earn to be a qualified white-collar worker in China? A recently published report by Chinese Academy of Social Science gives people an official standard.

Here is an excerption (in RMB/ month)

一档：香港 18500，澳门 8900；二档：上海 5350，深圳 5280，温州 5020，北京5000；三档：杭州 4980，广州4750，苏州 4300，厦门 4100，青岛 4000；四档：南京 3780，福州 3380，无锡3200，天津3150，济南3120，大连 3000；五档：郑州 2880，昆明 2800，武汉 2680，海口2600，长沙 2480，三亚 2360，重庆 2250，沈阳 2100,乌鲁木齐 2100，西安 2080；六档：成都 1900，哈尔滨 1700，呼和浩特 1700，贵州 1600，长春 1500，兰州 1500，银川 1100，西宁1000；七档：拉萨900。

Class 1: Hong Kong (18500), Macao (8900)
Class 2: Shanghai (5350), Shenzhen (5280), Wenzhou (温州), a southern city famous for retail goods（5020）, Beijing (5000)
Class 3: Hangzhou (4980), Guangzhou (4750) Xiamen (4100)
Class 4: Nanjing (3780), Fuzhou（福州）,a city by Taiwan Strait (3380)
Class 5: Kunming (2800), Wuhan (2680), Changsha (2480)
Class 6: Chengdu (1900), Harbin（哈尔滨），a northern city (1700), Guizhou (1600), Yinchuan (1100)
Class 7: Lhasa（拉萨）, provincial capital of Tibet (900)

The coastal cities took the head of the list, while the mid-China cities mainly on the middle and several distant inner-land cities on the bottom. However, though a report by the national authoritative institution, the list was questioned by many netizens. Most of them grumbled that the report terribly underestimated the earning needed for one to survive like a real white-collar in China today. That is, a “white-collar” according to the standard can hardly live a decent life in such a society of surging prices.

A blogger in sina.com thought it unbelievable:

据说这是他们的研究成果,天啦!!!!!!!!!!!!这个研究也太可怕了,白领竟然难以解决温饱问题??????

This is a result of their research? Oh my God! Such a terrible research! A white-collar can’t even eke out his/her daily living?

人生若只如初见, though with her beautiful name, commented:

蓝领差不多

It fits for the blue-collar only.

Baby Ninie (宝贝妮妮) from Ji’nan sighed:

也不知道到底什么是白领，我是济南的，反正按你说的那个标准在我们这里也就是个中农吧，哈哈。我觉得我一个月一万块钱也不够花啊，而且还没供房子。现在什么都涨价，这个标准是现在的吗？我看着不大像，要是一个月收入3000多，连车子都快养不起了呢，光说这油价吧，97#的都快六块钱一个了，这肉吧，都十五块钱一斤了

I don’t know what the white-collar really is. Whatever! According to that criterion, someone with the earning is only a so-so farmer here. I think 10000/month is nevertheless not enough, even though I am not paying mortgage installment of housing. Everything is now going more expensive. With 3000 RMB (the standard of his city), I couldn’t maintain the automobile. And the pork price, solely, has hit 15 RMB/500g. What a life!

Moreover, another focus of the blogsphere is the deteriorating living condition and heavier pressure on the white-collar, the people working in urban offices. A widely circulated saying tells the life of the white-collar:

干得比驴都累，吃得比猪都差，起得比鸡都早，下班比小姐都晚，装得比孙子都好，
挣得比民工都少，看着比谁都好，其实勉强解决温饱。他们不过是一群听起来很爽，看起来很美，却干着辛苦活儿，拿着血汗钱，受着脸面与金钱双重熬煎的穷人

We work harder that an ass, eat worse that a pig, get up earlier that a rooster, ring out later than a street girl, adulate more than a kiss-ass, merely eking out basic living, though looking better than any other. We look cool, sound good, but live a life so poor, with money earned by sweat and toil, grinded by self-respect and salary.

辰雨如君 spoke for the blue-collar:

白领们都在叫着薪水不够，我们蓝领真该去要饭了。现在看快了，离要饭仅一步之遥。

As the white-collar are yelling for being hard up, we blue-collar had better go begging. It’s soon when I am going to be a beggar.

Finally, let me cite the introspection of blogger 大智若, who discussed why people tended to make white-collar as their identities and whether the category is necessary, to end the post:

阶级的政治属性越来越淡，逐渐归位于经济属性。在城市，已经进入了全民流浪的时代，他们在匿名的竞争中无法喘息，怀着家园寻找乡愁，他们共有一个类似的伤痛感，在无家可归的迷惘中失去了自己的身份，我是谁？我属于谁？我到那里去？

The political nature of class differences is fading away and gives the place to the economic nature. In the cities, a new era of all people wandering has come. We immerse ourselves in the reminiscence of old homes and have a pain in common, the pain that we lost our identities in perplexity. Who am I? Where do I belong to? Where am I going?

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Kazakhstan: Interview with Akhan Satayev, Film Director

Adil Nurmakov · 11:03 · Central Asia & Caucasus

lingua → de

Tomorrow the movie theatres of Kazakhstan and Russia will start shows of “Racketeer”, one of the first Kazakhstani commercial film-making experiences. The audience is invited to learn the biographical story of a young boxer from Almaty, who decided to fight for a better life with his own fists in uneasy 1990s, but had to pay a high price for this decision later on. Below is the (Neweurasia presents) interview with the director and producer of the film Akhan Satayev, who has been known earlier for his works in the sphere of video-advertising.

The history of world cinematograph features many examples of highly successful debuts of clip-makers. What are your expectations for the box-office? Are you happy with the result?

Yes, I think that production of advertisements, which we are doing already for 10 years, served as a good school for us. It was very comfortable to make the movie with the same team. I really hope that box-offices will turn out to be okay (if pirates are not going to spoil everything). And, yes, we are 99 per cent happy with the outcome! (more…)

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Uganda: Remembering Bangi

Rebekah Heacock · 09:32 · Sub-Saharan Africa

The death of Ugandan radio personality Wilfred Bangirana on Sunday has the blogren fondly remembering his talents as an oldies DJ. Eddyslahh at Mixed Notions posts a sweet tribute:

I remember one time when i went with my uncle to the disco for the oldies night where Bangi played and the guy refused step off the dance floor becouse to him, Bangi had taken him back to them days when they were still young and energetic,where getting off the floor would only be when the bouncers were asking them to get out coz it was time to close….

Bangi is one of those people who made me love old music and for that reason i never missed his wind down zone programme on sanyu fm becouse he always knew what to play, its as if the guy knew exactly what i wanted to listen to.

Reactions to President Yoweri Museveni's declaration that he “do[es] not need money to leave power,” a thinly veiled slight to former Mozambican president Joachim Chissano after his acceptance last month of the $5 million Mo Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership, were considerably less tender.

Minty queries:

Why does my computer’s automatic correction give me the words Amusement and Uneven when I try to type the name of our dear visionary president Museveni?
Does it have anything to do with this story?

While The Phantom frets:

I wish this were a lie, a conspiracy orchestrated by the media to discredit the good name of the paterfamilias. There would be heads rolling and people apologising and all that but this is a small price to pay for the alternative. That the president actually thinks the prize is about the money.

And finally, a series of beautiful pictures from Bethany, taken in Kampala's Owino Market on a rainy Saturday afternoon: