every martyr in this jungle

"If you're a Muslim, why not be religious?" | The New York Times

A fascinating discussion of a complex issue, for which the participants suggested an overly simplistic solution.

The UAE is not a traditional Muslim country, even though officially 96 percent of its population practices Islam. Women drive, go shopping alone, many do not wear veils and most certainly do not get arrested for being with a member of the opposite sex not related or married to her. There is no religious police, families and singles mingle in every venue, and men flirt with women while driving on the highway. It's a pretty liberal atmosphere here, even by Western standards.

The American University in Cairo students took issue with a Times article that, among other points, said that bored, disadvantaged and disillusioned young Muslims are filling their lives with religious fervor instead. And, fine, that has holes as Osama bin Laden is heir to a fortune, but it's the latter part of their discussion focusing on religion's role in society that I can't stomach. They unanimously suggest that the government should operate by the tenets of Islam. Except some of them wear headscarves, and some don't, and one of the students gives a noncommittal answer as to whether these female colleagues were sinning because of that. Yet all of them claimed to be religious.

Do they not see the problem here? They're proposing to canonize a religion whose mandates they disagree on.

The freedom to choose what religion means to you and how you live your life in accordance with it is something that's only relevant on a personal level. But problems arise when attempting to choose one of the many interpretations thereof, even within a single religion, to impose on an entire population. I'm glad that these kids have found a liberal enclave in an increasingly conservative society and enjoy an enlightened, privileged vantage point from which to experience their religion, but that's not everyone's Islam. More than that, like seemingly every other religion on this planet, their holy book makes reference to killing nonbelievers. Should that be ordained? I'm just picking on an extreme example, but that concept is no less legitimate than women covering their hair if the criteria is, "What does the book say about this?"

I'm just saying that religions have books, yet even scholars who make a life of studying them don't always agree on its passages, let alone laypeople. Much like the Constitution of the United States, in fact, except I haven't heard of people killing each other in its name because that document says nothing of purging anyone, nonbeliever or otherwise. I'm not saying democracy is the answer - its track record is checkered at best - but I'm down with a malleable courts system, freedom of and from religion, and not having my fashion choices criticized with stoning.

As in any good market-driven economy stores here in the UAE need to make money. Making something illegal, especially something highly anticipated that they've already ordered tons of, isn't likely to keep them from selling it.

Which is to say, Mike walked into a Dubai video games retailer yesterday and asked a clerk for Grand Theft Auto IV. As he tells it, the man's customer service smile slipped and he seemed to get a little shorter. He went behind the counter and had a spirited, if whispered, discussion with the rest of the staff, then disappeared into the back of the store for a long minute. However, at the end of the day, Mike walked out with the game for the relatively low black-market price of Dh300 (about $82).

Personally, I couldn't care less about the game, but the fact that we can get it here means a lot to me as a believer in not making people give up their lifestyle because they move to a new neighborhood (with the inherent so-long-as-it-doesn't-hurt-others clause). In all fairness (and the reason I can imagine living here for a long time) the UAE government is pretty good about that - we have liquor stores, special sections that carry pork products in some markets, access to (some) Western television, relatively minimal Internet filtering. Now if we could only get that weather thing handled...

After a lot of drama involving the electricity in our otherwise would-be apartment building, we got letters today to get our power turned on at the Abu Dhabi Distribution Center. The way it works here is that instead of running a credit check since so many people don't have any sort of history with credit cards or subscription services, we need our company to vouch for our stable employment.

Unless you're a married woman, in which case your own employment is not good enough no matter how glowing a recommendation of your earning potential. Brandon had to leave his shift at work to get a taxi during the busiest time of day to sign a piece of paper I filled out otherwise.

It's fairly rare to be reminded that we live in the Middle East, but this was a big one.

UGH. Abu Dhabi reached 100 degrees on April 1, but today felt like a reprise with bonus humidity. Let me tell you how much fun it was to walk from my arctic hotel room, where I keep moisturizer in three strategic places, into the AQUARIUM of the outdoors. Now, I came here from Florida so neither concept is new, but I swear it was like being smothered with a wet towel the entire walk to Mike's car. Good thing I didn't have to hail a cab.

Our lunch excursion was rewarded with a preview of the Red Bull Air Race that begins properly on Thursday. The gigantic inflatable buoys have been in the bay for days, and the huge Hollywood sign-esque display erected last weekend, but today the stunt planes were practicing swoops and dives and spins between the pylons, skimming the water then flipping sideways and roaring past the Marina Mall picture window where we ate. Our work schedule was pushed back to 4 p.m. this week, which means we can get in a good two hours of fun.

Carpooling registration to be made compulsory | Khaleej Times

Possibly the dumbest thing I've heard all week. You're fining carpoolers in a city already stretched to the breaking point by congestion that will only get worse as it gets hotter and more people rely on more cars because there is no public transit? Seriously, what bus service there is here posts no schedules, or even a list of stops. And the Roads and Transport Authority's solution is applications and this:

"Once we get the information, we would first evaluate it and investigations would be conducted. Investigations would be intensive and could take time."

When I mentioned feeling like we're back in elementary school needing signed permission slips to do anything, I wasn't exaggerating.

This would be hilarious were it not for our deputy editor's recent un-Photoshopped ordeal with a balcony he would not be able to access without some acrobatics:

When I first agreed to take the flat, back in early November for heaven's sake, its great selling point seemed to be the wonderful wraparound terrace. But recently a minor snag presented itself. There's no way out on to it, unless you feel like climbing through windows or abseiling from the roof.

Needless to say, he has since found more suitable accommodations. In the meantime, we remain homeless, but there are persistent rumors that we'll be handed keys on Thursday afternoon to kick off the weekend. One can only hope.

Today, we discovered the practical aspects of Abu Dhabi's towering concrete jungle besides overpriced apartments: protection from the sun, which is coming to bear down nicely, thanks, and shelter from wind, which is sandy even when a sandstorm isn't going on. Tomorrow? A sturdy parasol.

Raids on mixed-sex housing under way in Sharjah | Gulf News

Sharjah is the most conservative of the UAE's seven emirates. There, you could be arrested for being with a member of the opposite sex not your spouse or relative, having a tattoo and possessing pornography, alcohol or a dog (considered highly unclean in Islam). Now, that is not Abu Dhabi, where people have dogs as pets and stores carry pork (in special areas with highly visible signage). Still, the possibility of the same thing happening here remains as cohabitation is technically illegal. I'm suddenly very glad we didn't brush off the warning about that and stepped up the marriage plans.

Thursday, March 20, is the birthday of Mohammed (pbuh) and it will be a day off for all staff. We return to work on Easter Sunday.

Related point of fact: the UAE is 96 percent Muslim. Additionally, PBUH is short for "peace be upon him," which must be included after any mention, written or spoken, of Mohammed when not preceded by "prophet."