Article

2004-02-25

From the ground: Slow but gradual change sweeping Saudi Arabia

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Posted by Fred Pruitt 2004-02-25 00:01|| || Front Page|| [1 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 C'mon. That job is loud, hard, and dirty. And the pay?

Posted by Lucky 2004-2-25 12:26:20 AM|| 2004-2-25 12:26:20 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 When I asked him whether he would consider such a job, he insisted that he would ...

One of my favorite colleagues at the U, molecular cardiologist, just got tenure, said to me once that everything she needed to learn in medicine and science she learned as a server at a restaurant as a teen. That's where she learned to keep people with impossible demands happy, how to juggle confusing orders, keep up a rapid pace, how to treat people well even when you were miserable inside, and handle change (both monetary and in the work of the day). It made sense then and it does today.

If young Jasim were to do this he just might find himself sitting in the catbird seat in twenty years, instead of lugging a rifle around in some desolate mountain range, or sitting in front of a water pipe telling everyone that he could have been a contender.

Posted by Steve White 2004-2-25 1:21:35 AM|| 2004-2-25 1:21:35 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 Yeah...the mall. Everyone knows you get a good cross-section of the entire nation at the mall.

More like a good cross-section of people who are materialistic and who don't mind paying too much for foreign goods. It speaks volumes about this journalist's internalized prejudices that he instinctively heads for the mall when seeking opinions.

Posted by gromky 2004-2-25 5:35:55 AM|| 2004-2-25 5:35:55 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 The sound of change you hear is that of Saudi society getting sucked under the sand. Would it be otherwise but I have absolutely no optimism about that dump.

Posted by Hiryu 2004-2-25 8:05:51 AM|| 2004-2-25 8:05:51 AM|| Front Page Top

#5 Gromky-
Actually, in the KSA, the mall does have a pretty solid cross section of people, from the TCNs to sheiks. That's one reason I went whenever I got the chance - it was the best way I knew of to meet realSaudis.
BTW, the one thing that shocks the hell out of infidels when they see a Saudi mall is the longerie stores. The window displays make Victoria's Secret look like a relgious wear supply house.

Mike

Posted by Mike Kozlowski 2004-2-25 9:03:45 AM|| 2004-2-25 9:03:45 AM|| Front Page Top

#6 "Slow but gradual"?

As opposed to what? Slow but sudden? Quick but infinitesimal?

Posted by mojo 2004-2-25 10:48:36 AM|| 2004-2-25 10:48:36 AM|| Front Page Top

#7 "Slow but gradual" translates to "level in all directions" in my book. Which equals zero.

Posted by Alaska Paul 2004-2-25 2:47:45 PM|| 2004-2-25 2:47:45 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 Is this like one of those koans where "the shadow of the broom sweeps over the floor, but raises no dust" things? 'Tis so subtle that my meter failed to register the hit.

Posted by .com 2004-2-25 3:03:04 PM|| 2004-2-25 3:03:04 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 I'm being followed by a broom shadow, broom shadow, broom shadow.
It's better than a cruise missle, cruise missle, cruise missle.

Posted by Abu Stevens 2004-2-25 4:46:03 PM|| 2004-2-25 4:46:03 PM|| Front Page Top

#10 So slow, you can hardly see it...

Posted by tu3031 2004-2-25 10:17:42 PM|| 2004-2-25 10:17:42 PM|| Front Page Top

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