Adam, this is for you. SUPRMAN!!!

I saw this today outside of the Dana Mall's movie theater...

That's all I can write, 'cause I'm laughing too hard hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fused for your safety!

Remember those heaters that Josh bought last week or so? This morning (I should say afternoon) when we woke there was an intense burning smell in the living room. Upon investigation, we found our wall outlet that the heater was plugged into nearly on fire. The adapter is fused, so in case there is an overload or short (and in this case it was quite obvious that there was) it will kill the appliance plugged in. Well, our little 1200 watt heater was still running, happy as could be. That fuse didn't so shit. The cord to the heater was red-hot (we know because Josh's dumb ass grabbed it) but the heater was still functional. Nothing like playing with 220.

That's 2 mechanical fuck-ups in the last 3 days in our flat. First the water pipe, and now the outlets. Hmm, what's next? An RPG through the window?

Mobile Petting Zoo

Snapped this on the Sitra Causeway yesterday. It appears to be 3 ponies, an Arab dude, and a cart all in an open-air trailer. Who gives a shit about safety?

"Climb in, Ahmed. We won't go faster than 120 km/hr. I promise. In a collision Allah will save you by the softness of the ponies you are in between. Think of them as Nature's airbags!"

"Ah, you are very insightful, Yousif. Fuck it, I'm in!"

I am INSANELY BORED

And that's an understatement. It's just after midnight today, and I spent an entire day doing nothing. We've been on vacation for the better part of two weeks, and still have a week to go. Now while that sounds all fine and dandy, try doing said vacation in a island country smaller than Rhode Island. It gets real old, real fast. Especially if it is the holiday season, and especially if you haven't been away from home during the holidays before--the homesickness sets in. Even though I think my dad is being a total ass, I still miss the entire family--him included. I suppose this break would have been mentally easier if Rachel were here, but she's in India flying by the seat of her pants on vacation. So here I sit, by myself, typing on my blog, listening to Pink Floyd and missing home. I'm trying to find stuff on the net to read to keep me preoccupied, but I've already gone through all the major news network headlines three times today, read all the blogs I can possibly read, and checked my email 50 times. I've even stooped to going to a website like bored.com to find something to keep me entertained. That lasted a whopping 15 minutes. Fortunately, I have things to look forward to like new years, a mystery dinner party next week, Rachel coming back, and school starting. But right now (or at least tonight) the only thing that's keeping me sane is the fact that Mikey is uploading some music for my iTunes.

Such is life, I guess. Maybe I'll go to bed.

I'm almost at R

I hit 1000 kilometers at 1:15 PM the other day, which means my car is due for its first service. And can someone please tell me what 1 and R stand for on my gas gauge?

Food Transportation

I scored this photo the other day when Josh and I went to Hardee's for lunch as we were sitting at our table looking outside. When you order delivery (and everyone delivers, even McDonalds) the preferred mode of transportation is a moped with a hotbox on the back. It makes sense, because a business can buy 4-5 of these things new for what one car would cost. And these things are extremely mobile. They skirt in and around traffic, up and over sidewalks, where ever there is a foot-and-a-half space they go. Trust me, you get your food when they promise...

And some more...

And the last set. The first is of Josh, Gina, and I enjoying another present Josh got me for Christmas--a bag of salt and vinegar chips which I was convinced didn't exist on this island. I was wrong. The next is what was on the plasma during the party--a Columbus Blue Jackets game. Can you believe that? In Bahrain? Holy shit!! And the third is reason number 178 why I love our pass-through kitchen window. Also check out the YouTube videos of me opening my Christmas present, Shamsu dancing, and more.

More XMas Pics

And some more. The first is Kate grabbing a present from under the tree. Josh was nice and went out and bought a bunch of small gifts and did a grab bag gift thing for the people that showed up so everyone got a small gift on Christmas, even Shamsu. The next one is Josh and Kate with Kate showing what was supposed to be a birthday present cum Christmas present. The third is me showing off with Josh with what he got me for Christmas--a tabletop IPod speaker system that will be bad-ass in my classroom during free periods. And the third picture is a great picture of Shamsu, Gina, and myself. Merry Christmas!

Our Christmas Party

So the next shitload of pictures are going to be from our very small party that we had on Christmas at our place. The first one is of the usual crowd with the exception of one new face--Zach's Bangladeshi grocery guy, and unfortunately I can't remember his name for the life of me. The second is a good one of Shamsu wearing Josh's new straw hat, the third of me with my Christmas presents from Laurie (a bathmat to keep my eternally wet bathroom floor semi-dry), and the fourth of Laurie with her new dog, Jaxy.

MERRY XMAS!!

Josh and I got the bright idea to make a huge "MERRY XMAS" sign out of lights outside on our balcony wall for the Christmas party we were having that night. So we enlisted the help of Shamsu, who was more than happy to help. He got his homemade ladder and some nails and went to work while I ran the electrical cords and Josh provided moral support. 100 bent nails and 2 hours later, we had an end result that was something very cool. You could easily see it from the highway out front, so of course we had to walk out there and get pictures. Sweet.

You want me to park WHERE?

Another one of my many random photos. Check out the sign on the wall...

Movenpick Hotel

I know I've already told you about our little adventure at the Movenpick Christmas eve, so I'm not going to repeat myself. What I haven't show you all (this is a ByronInBahrain exclusive!!) is a picture of Tim Dewey. Mr. Dewey is Josh's uncle (the guy in the middle in the first picture) and the reason quite honestly why both of us are out here. Mr. Dewey (for those of you from Bula) went to the same high school as Josh and I --Edgewood Sr. High. His father also owned a tree farm on Dibble Road across from Brant's apple orchard about 3 miles from where I grew up. Mr. Dewey is currently in his last year as high school principal at MKS. He has been in Bahrain for over 20 years, and knows the island like the back of his hand. He's a super cool guy and I owe him tremendously for giving me the opportunity to come and teach out here. That is his wife Cathy in the first picture on the right, and her sister Janie in the second picture with me. The third picture is a poor shot of the scantily-clad Filipino singers that were belting out Christmas carols in the lobby of the hotel. Oh yeah--the crowns! Those apparently are some type of British tradition where you pull on one end of a explosive-laden (small charge, of course) cardboard roll gift bag/container thingy with the person sitting next to you who pulls on the other end. When the thing explodes, you are left with some torn cardboard, a small gift, and a paper crown that you are supposed to wear during your meal. Interesting.

Sexy Studs

Here's something you don't see everyday--Josh and myself wearing ties. Holy shit--must have been a cold day in hell!!

Actually, we were being treated to a 5 course Christmas eve dinner at a 5 star restaurant so we had to look the part.

Filipino Christmas presents

Josh's fuck buddy/part-time girlfriend Filipino nurse Grace gave us wrapped presents for Christmas and since it wasn't quite Christmas she told us we weren't allowed to open them until Christmas. So, naturally Josh and I opened them as soon as she left--and were shocked. You can obviously see the "what the fuck is this?" look on my face in the pic. I'm not even sure what these are--and frankly, we don't know if these were joke gifts OR if she truly had good intentions OR if she hates us. We can't tell because her English isn't good enough to discern what she is saying. Amazing. Oh well, at least I got the duck and not the chick.

Boys and their toys.

Boys and their toys. If you look closely in the second picture of Josh you can see the dented back door, or as I like to call it the middle eastern badge of honor. Josh hit a parked car going to school last month and put a nice little dent in is brand new Mitsu. Almost every car on this island has scraped bumpers because of A. poor driving skills and B. close-quartered driving. It was only a matter of time before he hit someone or someone hit him. I know it is inevitable that the same thing will happen with my Clit, but even still I'm going to be uber pissed when it happens. Anyway, the third picture is of the inside of my car and is for my brother Ben, cause I know he wanted a picture. Ben--look at my bad ass diamond plate floor mats :)

Black flags

Josh and I went driving around the other day and stumbled across this nice little area of black flags. I know I've told you all before what they mean and how we, as Americans, aren't supposed to be in or near these areas according to the state department. Oh well... In that first photo I count 28 black flags. The second is a good shot of Mickey D's con black flags. And don't forget to check out the YouTube videos. I think I have fixed the YouTube issue so these should work...

Crisis averted

It just so happened that I was up at 2:30 AM (now), on my computer in the living room and by doing so just averted a potentially huge disaster. Just as I was getting up to go to bed I heard a sound like someone was using my shower. Now seeing as how Scott is in the states and that was impossible, I went to investigate. Upon investigation I saw that the hose connecting the wall to the toilet had blown apart and water was spewing everywhere. I quickly turned off the wall spigot, but had I not been awake that would have been disastrous. The bathroom was already flooded and that was only after about a minute or so of the water running. Had that been much longer, the rest of the flat would have obviously started to flood. We have 220v power strips on the floor (zzzappp!!), expensive rugs, you name it of shit that would have been ruined and/or exploded had that water been left to run and flood the apartment until one of us woke up in the morning. Job well done, Byron. Looks like I'm calling the landlord in the morning--but in the meantime I'm off to bed.

Look what I found!!!

I was doing a vanity search (when you search your own name) on Google because I was bored and I stumbled across this article that was published about me years ago in the Ashtabula Star Beacon.

If you want to know something interesting about me and my past, this is one that should entertain you all, and for those that have known me for years will remember this...



BYRON GUNTER takes in the cameras right after his battle with school administrators over a goatee was revealed.

Chin in the spotlight

Edgewood student hopes his moment of fame means something

BY MANDY WHITE
Staff Writer
ASHTABULA TOWNSHIP - Byron Gunter is sitting in the Ashtabula Mall's food court with his laptop computer blinking on the table.
"Way to go Byron!" a young guy in a Edgewood jacket approaches, and pats him on the shoulder. "How's it goin' man?"
"All right.," Gunter replies. Aforesaid young guy leaves. Gunter laughs. "People have told me that I'm the most popular guy at school. Not that everyone likes me, but they all know me."
As well they should. Like it or not, 18-year-old Gunter has been enjoying his 15 minutes of fame in a big way as the most (for the moment) famous teen in Ashtabula County.
The story is familiar to most due to media attention. Briefly: there is a policy at Edgewood Senior High School which states that while students may be mustached, goateed is just a hair past bounds. An unpopular rule, Edgewood students have often complained only to be told by administrators nothing could be done.
Gunter, who was made to shave or face detention, decided over Christmas break to write U.S. Rep. Steve LaTourette for some advice.
LaTourette, perhaps smelling some good publicity, supported Gunter by listing some positive role models sporting beards. The Cleveland Plain Dealer was apparently tipped off that a story was brewing and interviewed Gunter. At press date, "the goatee story" has been covered by all three major television networks, as well as Fox, UPN and Cleveland channels 3, 5 and 8. A crawl line appeared on CNN about his story.
There have been three pieces about Gunter in the Plain Dealer, an article and an editorial in the Star Beacon, plus an AP story that was published in newspapers across the country.
A few weeks after the first blush of excitement, television cameras no longer greet Gunter after school. However, Gunter is determined to make sure the hoopla surrounding chin hair isn't reduced to last week's clippings.
"The whole point of all of this is to get this on the (school board) agenda," Gunter says. "A goatee is an expression of individuality. It's something worth fighting for."
His method of fighting, - going above school hierarchy - has made him rather unpopular with Buckeye Local School's Superintendent Joseph Donatone and the Buckeye Local School Board. Gunter says, however, that he and his parents have tried to explain Gunter's position and why the facial hair rule should be changed to both board and Donatone. Gunter wrote a letter addressing the board, as well as a letter to the superintendent.
"(One of the board members) told my mom that if I didn't like (the goatee policy,) I could go to Ashtabula or Conneaut," Gunter says.
Feb. 17, a Buckeye school board meeting will take place. All students in Edgewood's senior government class have been asked to attend. Gunter says he plans on bringing the issue directly up for discussion and for consideration to be put on the agenda.
"My plan is to make a spectacular presentation to the board. My parents are coming and some other adults and some of my friends."
Gunter says that despite reluctance for the issue to be put on the board's agenda, he and his parents will continue to fight. The senior contacted the American Civil Liberties Union about the issue last week through a letter, though ACLU hasn't yet responded. Gunter won't say if court proceedings are the next step.
"I'll fight until the end of the year if I have to. I'll fight until I've won."
What do fellow Edgewood seniors think of such a "fight"?
Most asked had an opinion one way or another. Tonya Morrison, a senior at the high school, smiled evilly when asked about Gunter, dialed a phone number and handed the reporter the phone.
"SHE'LL tell you how it is."
The phone number belonged to Audra Hatch, an Edgewood senior who is well known in school for her school spirit.
"He's dealt with it for three and a half years. He's only got three and a half months left," Hatch points out. Hatch says that a lot of students think the issue is a bit insignificant; even worse an embarrassment to them and Edgewood itself due to some media ridicule toward the school.
"For the first time since I've been a student here, I'm embarrassed to be an Edgewood student," she says.
Jimmy Howell, senior class treasurer, U.N. president and holder of the sacred chalice, is diplomatic. "Whether or not I approve of Byron's crusade is irrelevant. However, I admire his fortitude to pursue his goal. Not too many people are aware of the opposition he has faced."
Andrea Cozza, senior class president and student council vice president, walks a fine line between supporting Gunter and understanding the school's position. The fact that she has been dating Gunter for the past five months doesn't help. Cozza believes that no matter what the outcome, having this issue come up has been positive for Edgewood students and especially Gunter.
"He's so much more confident now," she says. "I think it gave him a lot more ambition to change things that people think can't be changed."
"But it hurt him in a way too," she adds. "A lot of people look at him differently now. I don't think Byron ever intended it to get this big."
A friend of Gunter's, who prefers to remain anonymous, says he's sick and tired of hearing about it.
"Byron's my friend and all, but I think he's got a really big head from all the attention."
Gunter doesn't dispute it. "Oh yeah, my head is big. I'm enjoying this a lot. I'm enjoying fighting. I'd do it again."
Gunter may have to do it again, and again if the board refuses to put the goatee issue on the agenda. Stay tuned.

*There were two more smaller articles that followed this one. Fuck it. I'll post those as well, although one was just a cut-out goatee. Too bad the image isn't popping up on the site that I got these articles from--I should just be happy I found them.*

Times aren't changing

A BOB LEBZELTER COLUMN

OK, OK. So I don't look as young as most of the columnists who usually appear on this page.
Just look at me compared to Laura Dowler. Even with her new photo, it doesn't take more than maybe two minutes - three at tops - to realize I'm older.
Anyway, keep reading, darn it. I'm going to make a point. You know, be patient. Us old folks sometimes ramble.
A few decades ago, I was a junior in high school. The 60s were over (yeah the period from the TV miniseries) but rebellion was still in the air. The year before, four students were killed at Kent State University during a protest over having military training on campus.
We had a rule at my school. No blue jeans. They were disruptive. They didn't create a conducive atmosphere for learning. Or as it came into we kids' ears: "Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah."
So something like 28 seniors, including many good students, came to class in blue jeans and were promptly told to go home.
It got everybody fired up and you could feel the tension throughout the day. Rumors abounded. An assembly was called in which there was a lot of shouting. We had TV cameras. Area newspapers picked it up, although the local paper played it inside because the editor apparently didn't believe in what the kids were doing.
My opinion on a lot of subjects has changed over the years. But back then I thought the whole thing was pretty silly. It was a power trip for the adults in authority. It wasn't about a learning environment, it was about who was in control and letting those controlled know it. In this, my opinion hasn't changed.
I also thought in the 1970s with all of the drugs and other problems kids elsewhere were getting into, making a point about blue jeans was pretty petty.
How petty was it? One kid took his education-stopping jeans and bleached them overnight. With all of the color drained, they were deemed appropriate for school.
Check out the play "Here and Now," opening tonight at 8 at the Ashtabula Arts Center and continuing through Saturday at 8 and Sunday at 2 p.m. It's about conflicts between kids and adults. One point in the play is kids are pretty much told what they can do and how to act all through school and this, somehow, is supposed to make them able to make their own choices and do their own thinking once they get out.
Anybody around during the blue jean controversy well remembers it, I'm sure. And if you would have asked me back then what it would be like at the millennium, I would have said nobody would be that petty.
Certainly by that science-fiction sounding date of 1999, with people driving around in space cars and visiting Jupiter, we would all be a little smarter.
And in all fairness, people are. Educators across the county have privately indicated the Buckeye school system's policy on goatees isn't worth the effort. Don't sweat the small stuff.
It's about time Buckeye Local Schools' board and administrators stuck their own chins out and got updated at least to the 1970s before the old century ends.
As for the blue jean controversy, a few months later the school board decided to get rid of its dress code. It didn't want to deal with potential legal squabbles.
An old 60s icon, Bob Dylan, who is still doing concerts today, once sang, "The times, they are a changing."
Not necessarily so, Bob. But maybe they will yet.
Lebzelter, who edits the Teen/Currents page, never did too well at growing a goatee. Now he has trouble growing hair in other places.

---

Hair's an experiment

So with all of the publicity about goatees at Edgewood Senior High School, you probably have a million questions.
Are goatees uncomfortable?
If I had a goatee would I be even dumber than I am now?
Is Mother Nature sexist because girls can't grow goatees?
What would I look like with one? Are they uncomfortable?
Well, as a public service, Teen/Currents is providing you with a goatee. Just save this to your hard drive, size it to fit your face, print it and paste it on.
You're welcome.

The British Club, Christmas Time

I guess these pictures are a few days overdue, but that will happen when you are on vacation and are being incredibly lazy. As with the following post's picture, these were taken at the British club in the late evening on the 23rd. Yep, that's right. Josh and I were seated outside in the middle of December in the evening eating our meal. Notice how the pool in the background (in the last post) is still open. Gotta love the middle east for exceptional winter temperatures.



Although I miss lake effect snow.

Let's have a chat

Shall we? It's 2:44 AM here the day after Boxing Day and I'm incredibly bored and awake, so I figure it's time to update you all with what I did this holiday. Christmas eve saw Josh and I at the Movenpick Hotel, a 5 star hotel, for a spectacular 5 (more like 8) course meal. It's the first time yours truly, (Captain Hillbilly) has ever experienced anything like that. We went there with and courtesy of Cathy Murphy, a teacher at the DOD (Department of Defense) school (a long-time friend of Dewey, Josh's uncle) along with Dewey, his wife Cathy, Cathy's sister who is visiting Bahrain for the first time, and obviously Josh and I. It was way out of my ballpark in terms of etiquette, but I had a good time nonetheless. It was a much better alternative than spending Christmas alone.

And speaking of Christmas, Josh and I had a little get-together at our place in the evening. It was a good time, and I'll post pictures on here when I catch up with my blogging.

Today (Boxing Day) Josh and I went to Dewey's place for a social gathering. It was a good time, albeit a bit boring. I guess that will happen when you have 15 40+ year old teachers conversing about life experiences and you happen to be a 26 year old newbie. Don't get me wrong--you can learn quite a bit from them, but it can get old when they are talking about the newfangled "technology" i.e. cellphones.

Anyone having problems with the YouTube videos?

Josh says he can't view them. Is anyone else on here having the same problem? I made them private on YouTube, but to me they work perfectly on the blog. Leave a comment for me either way. This is a good opportunity for those of you who don't know how to leave comments to figure it out...

Merry Christmas EVE EVE

This is how warm it was during the day on the 23rd of December here. Josh had zero problem standing outside on our balcony with his shirt off, albeit it was semi-revolting to everyone else watching, including me. Anyway, it was in the mid 70s during the day, and we had the windows down as we drove around the city in the car. It's not anything like home, that's for sure...

This is illegal in the states

But apparently perfectly legal here. What you are seeing Josh and I caress is a bottle of red absinthe that Josh bought at the liquor store. Absinthe is a liquor that contains wormwood, an alleged mild hallucinogen. I've done shots of Absinthe before (even in the states) and while my personal opinion is that it is all show and no go, it is still cool to purchase something that is illegal in the states in a ridiculously conservative country like Bahrain. However, I must say I've never done a shot of red absinthe, and it was disgusting. No, more like absolutely revolting. Hence the YouTube video...

That bottle is going to spend a considerable amount of time in the freezer, that's for sure.

If you have a minute

Read this. It was published originally here and is a bit over a year old, but well worth the read if you want to know ANYTHING about Bahrain.


Far from democracy in the gulf
Bahrain: the royals rule

President George Bush has hailed Bahrain’s progress towards democracy. Yet Bahrain’s emir proclaimed himself king three years ago, promulgated a constitution giving him full powers and has attacked the few remaining civil liberties. Arbitrary imprisonment is commonplace and one of the main human rights organisations has been closed.

By Marc Pellas

THE police officer who took Abd al-Hadi al-Khawaja, vice-president and executive director of the Bahraini Centre for Human Rights (BHRC), into custody in the middle of the night, cautioned him with these words: “You have accused the prime minister of corruption. You are charged with fomenting hate of the regime and broadcasting misleading news. You are under arrest.” There was every likelihood he would spend several years behind bars.

The Bahraini police arrested Khawaja on 24 September 2004. Two days earlier, speaking at a symposium on poverty and economic rights, he had linked Bahrain’s bankrupt economy, increasingly unequal distribution of wealth, government corruption and the predicament of 80,000 people struggling to survive below the poverty line.

Five years ago things seemed quite promising. On 15 February 2001 the new emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, organised a referendum to approve a National Action Charter, which affirmed the political system’s democratic basis, the separation of powers and the supremacy of popular sovereignty. It seemed to mark the end of 25 years of oppression (1) in Bahrain, reputedly one of the Gulf’s worst dictatorships. Security forces had tortured adults and children with impunity, and had fired on unarmed demonstrators with live rounds.

Hundreds of intellectuals and executives had to go into exile. About 1% of the population was in prison; constitutional rights had been suspended since the dissolution of the first elected parliament in 1975.

In an apparent change of course, the new ruler discussed the spirit and terms of the charter with opposition parties. They accepted the monarchy and the hereditary dynasty in power, as well as its far-reaching executive powers. In exchange they obtained guarantees that genuine legislative democracy would be restored. The referendum proved an unexpected success, with 98.4% of the 198,000 voters endorsing the charter.

The purpose of this political opening was to start a virtuous circle in society and government, boosting confidence and foreign investment, give a new impulse to a stagnant service economy and reduce lower-and-middle-class unemployment (15% of the workforce). Restoring constitutional rights had two key aims: to restrict the concentration of wealth, in particular property, in the hands of the ruling caste; and to halt widespread corruption.

More than 200 years after invasion and conquest by the Khalifa family in 1783, many Bahrainis - 65%-70% of whom are Shia Muslims - still feel their country is occupied.

The excitement following the referendum coincided with the release of political prisoners, triumphant return of exiles, proclamation of an end to torture and repeal of the State Security Act (3). Then the government and opposition set about deciding how political parties would work within the limited framework of the 1973 constitution accepted by both sides.

Opposition movements were preparing to celebrate the first anniversary of the adoption of the charter when, on 14 February 2002, the emir proclaimed himself king. The next day, on opening their newspapers, they discovered he had promulgated a new constitution, which had been decided without prior consultation and came into force immediately.

There was no longer any social contract between the monarch and his sovereign people. The constitution set up a parliament, divided into an upper and lower chamber. The 40 members of the Council of Deputies (lower chamber) would be directly elected.

But the king would appoint the 40 members of the Shura Council (upper chamber), an advisory body originally set up in 1992. He would also name the prime minister and cabinet, members of the constitutional court and all judges.

If the two chambers disagreed, the Council of Deputies would not take precedence. In theory the king might require a two-thirds majority in parliament for a law to be passed, thwarting any attempt to introduce new legislation. Lest there be any doubt as to the seat of real power, the king can amend the constitution at will and pass laws by decree.

In the months after the constitutional coup, a series of royal decrees established the rules for future democratic process. They ranged from measures setting electoral boundaries to a ban on any examination by MPs of decisions by the previous government. One decree directly contradicted the UN convention against torture, ratified by Bahrain. It granted immunity from prosecution to police officers and members of the internal security forces who operated torture chambers from 1975 to 1999, and protected them from any applications for compensation by victims or their families (4).

The opposition denounced the award of Bahraini nationality and voting rights to an increasing number of foreigners, especially Jordanian, Syrian, Egyptian and Pakistani judges, police officers and civil servants, and people from countries belonging to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) (5). It claimed that issuing tens of thousands of passports to grateful Sunnis might upset Bahrain’s sociological and demographic balance (6).

No one was surprised when the two main opposition movements - the National Accord Association (Shia) and the National Democratic Action Society (secular) - and two smaller groups - the Nationalist Democratic Rally and the Islamic Action Association - announced they would not field candidates for the general election in October 2002. They hoped to highlight the constitutional crisis and limit turnout at the election (7).

When two pension funds under government management went bankrupt in April 2003, an official inquiry was set up. The committee issued a report of its findings, recommending that parliament hear evidence from the three ministers directly concerned. To counter any risk of the personal implication of Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa (the king’s uncle, and prime minister since independence in 1971), the government donated $45m and several plots of land in the capital to the two funds. But not before the speaker of the Council of Deputies and prime ministerial protege, Khalifa al-Dharani, had asked fellow MPs not to rock the boat.

This was a barely veiled reference to the dissolution of the first national parliament after its refusal to pass the State Security Act (8). Nor did the authorities relax their control of political life, maintaining severe restrictions on press freedom and the right of assembly.

Under the circumstances the four main opposition movements had little choice but to react. Encouraged by assurances from sources close to the king, they organised a conference, on the symbolic date of 14 February 2004, to present the work of Arab and European constitutional experts contradicting the official line. The aim of the conference was to attract international attention and frame proposals for restoring dialogue with the regime, in the hope of finding a way out of the constitutional crisis.

But events took a different turn. Only a few hours before the conference was due to start, the authorities announced it had been banned. Members of the dreaded National Security Agency met foreign guests - European lawyers and academics, MPs and representatives of NGOs - at Manama airport and sent them straight home.

With the conference centre no longer available, the 300 Bahraini participants fell back on the Oruba Club, a favourite venue for civic and cultural events over the past 60 years. After two days of discussion they published a declaration that criticised the political deadlock that had gripped Bahrain for two years.

Since the arrest of Khawaja, disbanding of the BHRC, temporary closure of the Oruba, and resumption of arrests during protest demonstrations, the pace of political life in Bahrain has changed. On 21 November a court sentenced Khawaja, considered a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International, to a year in prison. But he was released the same day, thanks to a royal pardon.

The GCC summit in Bahrain in December was a flop, shunned by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Abdullah. He was furious about a free-trade agreement with the US (9) and in no mood to receive a lesson from the Khalifa family on how to stay on good terms with Washington. In January the king confirmed the appointment of 10 members of the Khalifa family as ministers (including the prime minister) of the 21 member cabinet.

Then the court opposed the opposition’s traditional right of petition to the sovereign. Its refusal was understandable. The opposition had united and collected 70,000 signatures - a third of all registered voters - to demand that the constitutional law comply with the principles established in 1973.

Building on the success of this operation, the opposition organised a second constitutional conference, and announced it would boycott the next general election unless changes were made to the constitution and electoral boundaries. The government-sponsored press countered with accusations of systematic opposition and anarchy.

Under these conditions the only hope of restoring dialogue between the regime and the opposition is a new law on democratic rights, covering the right to peaceful assembly, freedom of association and the formation of political parties. Though political organisations are currently tolerated, they are denied the status of political parties.

Civil society hopes that the new law will strengthen individual and collective rights, but some people fear that the regime’s old guard will seize the opportunity to make a mockery of King Hamad’s democratic pretensions. No one really knows whether it is the king or his uncle, the prime minister, who has the final word.

With the end of the second Gulf war in 2003 and the worsening crisis in Iraq, the Bush administration proclaimed the strategic necessity of promoting democracy in the Arab world. This initiative, floated by the neo-conservatives, would pave the way for a peaceful Middle East on good terms with the US and Israel. The Arab principalities, sultanates and kingdoms of the Gulf had to stop allowing nepotism, tribalism and sectarian values to govern the allocation of property, investment and jobs in the public or private sector.

Bahrain, the neo-cons argued, would be an ideal test for democratic transformation, its elected bodies exerting almost no real power. Here was a chance for Washington to show what could be achieved.

However, there was no question of upsetting the traditional balance of power, which would risk opening the door to nationalists, communists or Islamic fundamentalists. Nor was there any question of embarrassing the royal family, which had obligingly turned Bahrain into a base for the US navy (10), air force and special forces. The US Army Central Command, now responsible for “shaping the Central Region for the 21st century” (11), is also based in Bahrain.

In September a report by the Defence Science Board (12) questioned this approach and said: “Today we reflexively compare Muslim ‘masses’ to those oppressed under Soviet rule. This is a strategic mistake . . . Muslims do not ‘hate our freedom’ but rather, they hate our policies.”

The board argued that the challenge facing the US was not to put across the right message, but “a fundamental problem of credibility” in the eyes of Muslims. Every day in the media they could see that “American occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq has not led to democracy there, but only more chaos and suffering”.

It will be difficult to convince public opinion in the Middle East of the sincerity - and the realism - of the Bush administration’s plans to promote democracy, until it is seen to ask as much of its allies, particularly in the Gulf and Egypt, as it demands of Iraq or the Palestinian Authority.

Perhaps that is why the state department explained that talks between the former secretary of state Colin Powell and King Hamad on 29 November 2004 had stressed the importance of progressing with reforms and protecting individual freedom. If such were the case, it would mean the end of the road for Bahrain’s political old guard, worn out and discredited after three decades of oppression and failure.

Who gives a shit if you are 14

Just so long as you are non-Muslim. These signs are outside of every liquor/beer store in the country. Not that this sign means much, though. Today Josh and I saw three cars full of mandresses pull up to the store and honk their horns. Suddenly some Indian workers came out of the shop, took these guys' orders, and returned with the bottles. So just because they can't ENTER the store doesn't mean they can't BUY the stuff. And it's funny because I, nor anyone I know, has been carded at one of these places. Just so long as you're not wearing a thobe inside the store you are good to go.

One of those wow moments...

Jesus Christ--if you are going to paint the name of the manufacturer of your truck on your tailgate, at least spell the name of the company correctly...

Ohio in the middle east

I've been feeling a bit homesick the last couple days (who wouldn't wouldn't spending their first Christmas away from home) and so I wanted to go somewhere American today for food for a little reminder of home. So, Josh and I wandered over to Applebees for lunch. And I finally got this picture while we were there. I've been meaning to snag this pic of this Ohio license plate on the wall every time we go in there and this time I finally managed to do it. Awesome. If only the guy in Cincinnati (Hamilton County) who had this plate at one time knew that it ended up on the wall of Applebees in the middle east...