Naeem's Blog

OK, I'm here to rant a bit. I know, you're probably thinking, 'sheesh Naeem that's all you do, so what's so different now?'

Fine, you have a point...can I continue?

Anyways, here goes:

Foods Tastes Better With McDonald's Logo, Kids Say

You all know about my distaste for fast food (especially McDonald's). Plus I've recently found another reason not to like Burger King: they fry many of their products in the same oil as their pork sausage and pork fritters (although here in Saudia that isn't a problem since pork based products are not sold here. Woohoo for me.)

But this article at Forbes really takes the cake. It cites a recent study that found that advertising by McDonald's "literally brainwashes young children into a baseless preference for certain food products."

This is truly disgusting and extremely conniving. But hey, all's fair in love, war, and capitalism.

"It is estimated that McDonald's spend more than $1 billion dollars per year on U.S. advertising..."It's really an unfair marketplace out there for young children," Robinson said."

No S**t Sherlock!

"McDonald's responded by saying that it is dealing with the problem."

By laughing all the way to the bank. Those bastards.

"There is general consensus among those of us in public health that the marketing of foods of poor nutritional quality to children should be regulated, if not abolished," Katz said."

Gee, you really gotta hand it to these 'professionals'; they come up with the most ingenious finds.

Naeem, who is totally unprofessional, says, "There is a general consensus among those of us *with common sense* that the marketing of foods of poor nutritional quality to children should be regulated, if not abolished."

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Muslim Panel to Promote Dialogue

Here is a continuation of a very unfortunate trend: Government appointed scholars taking the lead in directing the Muslim Ummah. Egypt and Saudi Arabia have institutionalized this. The Jordanian monarchy is now trying to make a name for itself in this field. They spearheaded the Amman Message several years ago and now this.

I recall having a discussion over at Saifuddin's blog and he mentioned this as one of the first steps in reforming our current situation, namely the separation of government and our scholars. I'm beginning to see the wisdom behind his opinion.

Our tradition has clearly established that scholars and state don't mix. I forget if it was a saying of the Prophet or someone else, but it goes something like this: 'Don't trust the scholar who is found at the doorstep of the sultan rather trust the sultan who is found at the doorstep of the scholar.'

Before I get labeled as a secularist, these are two very different issues. Secularists call for a strict separation of religion and the state. I am simply saying that I don't trust a group of scholars who are on the government payroll to pass on truly objective knowledge.

Just as the west has discovered that an independent judiciary is necessary, the Muslims need to come to a similar conclusion – our ulema need to be independent.

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Musharraf wants exiled Pakistan leaders to stay away

Our favorite two exiled Pakistani prime ministers are back in the news. Why the hell aren't Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif rotting in jail somewhere in Siberia?!?

But instead, like vultures flying around a rotting carcass, these two scavengers are hovering around smelling Musharraf's political blood and waiting to dive in for the scraps.

I just can't believe that these two jokers are even in the news.

Bhutto was unceremoniously ousted from her Prime Minister position due to corruption scandals, not once, but TWO TIMES! Her Wikipedia entry reads like a international criminal rap sheet – Pakistan, Switzerland, Poland, France, and Middle East. Bhutto and her weasel husband are accused of funneling tens of millions of dollars into foreign bank accounts (Pakistani government's estimates are closer to 1.5billion).

I mean, for god's sake, Interpol had issued a 'red notice' (falling just short of a warrant) for her arrest last year!

Nawaz Sharif, no choirboy himself, was in power between Bhutto's two stints. He shares with her an uncanny penchant for corruption (truth be told, that's a genetic defect found in many Pakistanis). He was convicted of stealing millions of dollars and is currently exiled in KSA.

And what does it say about a people who have thrice kicked out their prime ministers on corruption charges and they are still talking of returning?!

Pakistanis are very forgiving? Maybe, but I'll stick with abject poverty and other societal ills sidetracking the polity from 'petty' issues of who will govern the country.

"Bhutto and Musharraf met secretly in Abu Dhabi last month but Bhutto has insisted that Musharraf should resign from the army to pave the way for any pact.

Sharif, ousted by Musharraf, petitioned the Supreme Court last week, seeking directives for the government to lift restrictions on his return."

Three scoundrels looking for ways to get a piece of the Pakistani pie. How nice.

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Iraq Contractors Accused in Shootings

This is a news item that needs repeating. There are as many 'private military contractors' (a gentle euphemism for mercenaries) in Iraq as US military personnel. They are ABOVE local Iraqi law and they are ABOVE the US uniform code of military justice:

"They operate in a decidedly gray legal area. Unlike soldiers, they are not bound by the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Under a special provision secured by American-occupying forces, they are exempt from prosecution by Iraqis for crimes committed there."

Not sure why this isn't bigger news.

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Divorce Among Young Couples Widespread

A semi-surprising article on the alarming rate of divorce in Saudi Arabia. I say semi-surprising because everything the article mentions is very evident to anyone living in Saudi. The youth are spoiled beyond belief. The parents are very detached from their children. Saudi bedouin society has been propelled into the 21st century without a substantial transition period. Not the most suitable environment for young marriages.

The article does state one interesting finding:

“Parents also play negative roles in advising their children. Fathers tell their married daughters to leave their husbands when marriages become rocky. They tell them they’re welcome to stay at their house, while husbands are told by their dads that they’re allowed to divorce and at liberty to marry 10 other women,” said Abu Rashid.

I can potentially see such a similar trend happening in the west. Affluent Muslim families will play a more active and even aggressive role in fending for their married daughters. At the first sign of trouble, the parents will be more than willing to 'bail out' the daughter. Whereas in poorer societies, taking on a responsibility for a divorcee with several children was not economically feasible, that obstacle is not there anymore.

There are obviously more variables involved in making such decisions (such as abuse by the husband, etc.), but the impatience of the parents ought to be considered as seriously problematic.

I'm working on a separate post on Muslim divorces, so I'll go into more details then.

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Pencil removed from German's head

"A woman in Germany who has spent 55 years with part of a pencil inside her head has finally had it removed."

Hey if a woman can remove a pencil stuck in her brain after 55 years, there's hope for the Muslim Ummah to remove the countless pencils stuck in our collective brain after a thousand plus years.

See, I'm not all negative ;-)