After Communicate‘s PR stunt, here comes the UAE Press Release Generator. Brilliant.

NY Times says the familiar tokens from the Monopoly board game are getting a modern — and, some might say, mercenary — makeover. An updated edition of the game will include tokens that are styled after name-brand products: a Toyota Prius hybrid car, an order of McDonald’s French fries, a New Balance running shoe, a cup of Starbucks coffee or a Motorola Razr cellphone. However, the 11 tokens in the classic version — including the battleship, cannon, iron, shoe, thimble and top hat — will remain unchanged. I used to play Monopoly as a kid, but did not like it very much because I felt it was all about the money, which is not one of my favourite things in life.

Arab News: “Saudis and expatriates have welcomed the decision taken by the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques Affairs to reject a proposal to shift the women’s prayer area in the mataaf (circumambulation area around the Holy Kaaba).”

Have you ever read posts where internet shoppers write about their anticipation for the brown box from Amazon to reach their door step? A friend of mine has, and he wanted to experience that feeling, but was very disappointed when the package arrived. Usually, this is how a package from Amazon would look like:

Well, what my friend got was a little bit different. Instead of receiving that neatly packaged brown box, he got this:




The box was in miserable state. However, it is not the Saudi Post Service that is to blame here; actually, it is the so-called ministry of information. Apparently the censorship unit at the ministry had some curiosity regarding the content of the box, so they shamelessly and brutally opened it up, and after finding nothing dangerous inside they did not have time to return to its original state. Moreover, they have proudly stamped their logo on the box. I think my friend can now feel very comfortable when he reads the books knowing that they were approved by the ministry, or can’t he?

Talking about the ban on the sale of dogs and cats in Jeddah, Abeer Mishkhas says it has nothing to with our culture and traditions. To be honest with you, I never thought Jeddawis would let this so-called morality squad ruin things there.

Nzingha: “The idea that women are going to be told to pray in a certain area away from the mataf as a way to ‘protect’ them is outrageous.”

How far would some people go to express their disliking to a below-the-average chick-lit novel? Next Saturday, the Court of Grievances will decide if Banat Al Riyadh is enough to fine its author, Raja Al Sanie, and to crack down on the sale of her book. Those who filed the lawsuit accused Al Sanie of slandering Saudi society. How ridiculous! I think those who filed the lawsuit should be sued for ignorance and/or denial of what has been going on in their country in the past few years. How about that now, huh? Anyways, I guess the court will rule against Al Sanie who can appeal, or simply pay the fine and consider it money spent on publicity.