CSM: “In a strong message to Saudis seeking democratic reforms in the kingdom, authorities Sunday issued sentences of up to nine years for two academics and a poet who were calling for increased political participation.” This is surprising because I saw Osama Nakshabandi on Al-Jazeera saying the three activists would be sent free soon. I guess he was laying.

The New York Times announced that it would offer a new subscription-based service on its Web site, charging users an annual fee to read its Op-Ed and news columnists. “Let’s hope this doesn’t affect their policy re the links in their RSS feeds.”

BBC: “The Kuwaiti parliament has voted to give women full political rights.”

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I have said that some people are not going to like Jamal Khashggi’s nomination of Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Sistani for King Faisal Prize for serving Islam, and I was right. Yousef Makki writes one of the most gibberish columns I read lately. Please, if you can read Arabic, don’t waste your time reading such non-sense. In his column, Mr. Makki implies that Arabs do not care about Nobel Prize because it was given to some of Israeli’s prime ministers. Is it true? No. I think this man is exercising wishful thinking. He thinks that he can think for all Arabs. Thank you, but we have our own brains, and we can use them very well. Better than you do, apparently. He says that King Faisal Prize should not be given to someone who cooperated with the invaders (he uses much worse expression, but I don’t dare to use his language with such a respectful personality like Aytollah Sistani).

Correct me if I was wrong, but as far as I can recall, Sistani never met any American, or did he? I cannot assume the writer is blind and deaf, but to neglect Sistani’s role to prevent civil war, and his insistence on holding elections, is inexcusable to me.

The terrorists targeted Shiites many, many times. They have attacked Shiite holy places, and killed some prominent Shiite figures, such as Sayed Mohammed Baqer Al-Hakeem. Imagine what could have happened if Shiites were to payback to every terrorist attack. However, Sistani has always called Shiites to calm down, and advised them to show their resistance through living and rebuilding instead of killing and destroying. Ironically, Mr. Makki nominates Sheikh Hareth Al-Dhari for the Prize. With all due respect for you and Sheikh Al-Dhari, I have one question to ask: Are you serious?

The British ambassador to Saudi Arabia likes to be called Abu Henry, the Saudi way! Also, he is a good Arzah dancer, he likes sitting in tents and he likes the Saudi local meals and believes such meals are very healthy! Dir Sir, Whatever you like to do is fine with me, but I’m sorry to tell you that what you said about our local meals is not correct. Our local meals are not healthy at all.

To celebrate their fifth anniversary, the Arabic edition of Newsweek published a special issue with an exclusive cover story on the 43 most influential persons in the Arab World. The first name on the list was Nancy Ajram, the hot Lebanese singer. “It is not only about her music, which tempts everyone to dance, but it is also about the message behind her videos: sexuality and humanity, seduction and equality,” the magazine wrote. Well, I can’t think of Ajram as one of the most influential people in this part of the world. The previously mentioned video has assisted her to become a star because it was controversial. The magazine did not say that Ajram was singing since she was 12-year-old, and she had several plastic surgeries before releasing the “Akhasmak Ah” video. Nancy Ajram is a cute girl, but she is difintely not the most talented. I bet that without the controversy and plastic surgeries, Ajram would be just another so-so singer.