Victoria

Like I said, how the hell was she supposed to know?

They should have named it Focktard or perhaps Assh-hat: end of story, and no forty lashes

Maybe Islamic countries should give their foreigners a little culture pack of instructions, like what happens with Foreign Service officials.

When my parents went to Saudi for a seminar my father was invited to, my mother was going outside wearing a longer than usual skirt. Nope. The hotel manager caught up to her as she strode outside, and said that was impossible -- she might receive abuse of a very severe and even official kind. So, of course, she changed. When in Rome, as TeeJay said.

Unfortunately, she was still wearing her gold cross around her neck and when she disrobed at an all-female boutique, the shop clerk refused to serve her. Rome is full of potholes.

@Ryyannon below: ...they have sexy lingerie boutiques in Saudi Arabia, you know. Someone must not be upset at seeing half-nekkid wimminz. From Teddy Bears to Teddies.

@Ryyannon belower: "Sorry video no longer available". Wow the censors are mighty busy today...

If this was true, how the hell was she to know what she was setting herself up for?

I mentioned it in one of my replies up top.

She held a contest to name the Teddy Bear (democracy in action), and when the class chose to honour one of the most popular boys in class, who just happened to be called Mohammed, she went with their decision.

She should've asserted her natural superior rights as a teacher and elder, and said, NO. We cannot name this Teddy Bear Mohammed!! That is the Prophet's name! And I, being an unbeliever and a foreigner, will be targetted for abuse with others thinking I had insidiously tried to dishonour the Prophet (PBUH), by likening him to a ferocious, hirsute animal.

Democracy failed her bitterly. Lesson learnt.

She should've said, "Mohammed, nah. Let's call him George Tony."

Ptolomeo! Another 'Geek here, yay.

This shot is fantastic. My fave of all the 4 threads. Something about that ceramic mixing with the exotic transluscence of the marbles which lights both up.

I know about Paso and TTK, but netiher have the Aquanaut Jumbo. Are these the only two dealers carrying the real MBW models, or am I missing someone?

Narikaa. That's his forum ID here. I would PM him if you can.

Paedophilia: Something we find so morally repugnant that extremists call for executing the offenders.

Blasphemy: Something Muslims find so morally repugnant that extremists call for executing the offenders.

Paedophilia in the West: If proven, allows the State/Crown to sentence you to a period of incarceration.

Blasphemy amongst Muslims: If even hinted at, allows the State/Crown to sentence you to death.

There is a big difference between mob rule and rule of law, but when there isn't, it's for the State to intervene.

Here the State is part of the mob.

And she wasn't sentenced to 90 lashes. 15-days in prison isn't that far from western sentencing for some offences, like, for instance, a Judge imprisoning an entire courtroom (47 people) because one person's mobile phone went off.

Recently, in Peru (I know this because I watch SUR, a round-up cable channel transmitting 24/7 coverage of all the Hispanic South American newscasts) a girl was expelled from San Martin de Porres University in Lima, because her mobile went off during class. One ring. She had forgotten that one time to turn it off. Her prof and Dean objected, and she was summarily sent down.

Bureaucratic excess is nothing new under the sun. It happens everywhere, even in my sainted "Western world" examples.

What is different is the lack of volubility amongst moderates. The lack of fair coverage towards the other side, by media. And the lack of balanced laws by the State.

I'm not saying CNN are suddenly going to present "The North American Man/Boy Love Association (NAMBLA)" in a positive light, but they will invite spokesmen on to support their points (disgusting though they are), and they will certainly refer to potential suicide bombers as freedom fighters.

But i dont see have my rant here will change this desert religions.

But you see, Dani, this is the mindset in Norway that allows your beloved breed of dog to be banned. Because they are thinking of the welfare of the dog, and its effect on society...

No, you don't get people on the streets saying "Hang 'em high" about Conservatives. Maybe you missed the national rage over paedophiles in the UK a few years ago. It was exactly like the Teddy issue, apart from there were no machetes.

I have a cousin who was targetted at his University for being a Conservative (capital C) BY HIS PROFS, so let's just leave it at that.

Whatever outrage du jour we have in the UK, does not remotely resemble sentencing a woman to 90 lashes, and then deporting her from the country because she dared to name a teddy bear Mohammed, with calls for her death for good measure.

Unless you're making the argument that this "outrage" and the "outrage" at penetrating children's orifices is some way morally equivalent?

Every one speaks of moderate Muslims, but moderate Muslims do not speak. This is the problem in this region.

Exactly my point Vic.

Just what is it the moderate Muslims are afraid of? They would gain so much respect if the waged a 'war' against the extremists.

Let's hear their voices on TV, in the press, etc.

Emmzy, they would be hunted down and killed. Not because ALL Muslims would be in favour of this. On the contrary. But it's enough that there are a few active zealots who the rest are scared of, to shut the moderates up. Obviously, I'm not speaking of the Sudanese in these crowd shots. They are numerous enough.

One thing is to be perceived as an unbeliever. It's quite another thing to be an apostate.

nice watches guys and Vic and maybe other women I cant recognise

I wish another lady poster posted in these Wristies, Pubus, like one does at Repgeeks (in fact, she's a Mod!). There is one photo she has this week, which is killer.

She has her hands folder over paintbrushes, with oil paint smudges on her palm, whilst she's seen wearing her Yachtie over the backside of her wrist. The effect is breathtaking.

I'm sure Rembrandt would've worn his watch "reversed" too.

Never told you this, but this is surely one of the best photos ever posted in these threads. The colour contrast of the shirt and jeans and especially the framing of the shot, magic.

Change the word "Blasphemer" to "Paedophile" and the vitriol is the same.

Change the word from Paedophile to Conservative and the vitriol is the same, in some other quarters.

Don't worry, there is ALWAYS a strap you will want, that you won't have. What if someone discovers another wreckage, and they make leather out of that?

Enjoy the two you have now!

Possibly later you can start collecting vintage PAVs, though I know you have that lovely 91 already. There's one famous Risti member who has a whole little collection of PAVs, and since they cost about $800 each, that's well over $5,000 for a few straps.

Sorry, but that old expression "When in Rome..." comes to mind here.

Earlier, I had written then promptly deleted, "in our replies, please let's be aware that we have at least one prominent Muslim in the group", but I realised that sounded both out of place and preachy.

Just to let you know, this is why I am using the word zealots constantly, because I know YOU would never condone such an action, TeeJay. But then, you're a convert...

Just a few points, since on paper, you said some things I agree with otherwise.

Also, before people start getting all worked up about Islam and Muslims, just remember that these people in Sudan are about as 'Islamic', as the 'Christians' who live in the UK and US and never set foot in a church or observe any other religious holidays.

Generally these nominally "Christian" people don't use religion as their crutch, though. These people do.

I'm sure the people there go through all the motions involved with Islam, but in an indoctrinated way rather than one of personal choice.

Quite so, in madrassas the world over.

So where are the converts in this situation, petitioning, and calling for calm amongst their Umma? Surely they have some pull in the matter? Surely they must know that every time this happens, it makes the rest of them look bad?

Every one speaks of moderate Muslims, but moderate Muslims do not speak. This is the problem in this region.

I know you know, but just to keep the thing on topic we are of course talking about somewhere in Africa. And a teddy bear.

When I saw those people protesting it made me think of the kind of xenophobic vitriol you find in the Daily Mail or the media pretty much anywhere.

This is not remotely close to anything spewed by the Daily Hate and similar rags around Europe, Cornerstone. You tell me one EU administration which would encourage its citizens to shout death slogans against a woman, because on paper, they could give her the lash.

I understand that some people feel queasy at Western "triumphalism", and become moral relativists to compensate for that, but there are some things our societies have conquered, one bitter rung in the civilised ladder after another.

These people are about 300 years behind Westeners, just where we were around the Thirty Year's War.

It's going to be a long wait, watching them catch up on their own.

Gee Hambone, thats really interesting. Thanks for sharing this amazing tale .

Gee Hambone, thats really interesting. Thanks for sharing this amazing tale.

Hey, what did you want! You revealed you saw a lovely lady wearing a Panerai in a place all of us want to be in -- Vegas.

Moreover, said woman was stylish & British, she was wearing a gen Panerai, and shopped at Harrods AND might be in the market for yet another pricey watch. I love her already! But other guys probably had a really bad scare.

Maybe switch watches to the gorgeous Assioma tomorrow, and see if you can engage the couple in another convo. They sound distant (I would be too), but with watches, you're in there.

Times like this when it's a bit tough to be a girl. The Nautilus is elegant, even dainty in its own way (the dial), but for ME at least, one of the quintessential guy watches out there.

otherwise I will be very disappointed, but so far, so good, it's going to be tough getting through the night though.

Wow, that sucks, Corgi. Here's sending you positive vibes. Nothing is worse in this hobby than falling in love with a dud. That won't be your case.

Photo courtesy Jellybean-the-dog

MBK Patek Nautilus: $350

RWG Supporter Membership: 30

http://timeconnection.biz/Merchant2/mercha...Product_Count=9

This carbon fibre beauty, over 100 dollars normally priced, is at an incredible 37.77 for the Friday Special (I paid $44.44 for my 24mm one). I'm getting one for my Fiddy, stat.

How many times did I type 'gen' and 'rep' in this post? Geesh, sorry- had quite a bit of wine with the wife while we were sitting here watching "Gangs of New York"-me with the laptop as usual.

Vino or not, if this is your 6th post and you have this to offer as anecdotes in future, I will be one of your most avid readers. You're like Saki, without the sake.

Laughter is often the best defense.

"I urge everyone reading this to get their bids in quick, I believe that the Sudanese government has requested its extradition under the 1302 We don

i'll be the first to warn you -- many people feel this way when they first get here, then end up eating their words and get addicted to pams like the rest of us. so whatever you do, just don't buy a pam. next thing you know, you'll have eight of them.

Wish I could hunt down my newbiest post here, where I said I hated Panerai, hate hate. My internal thoughts:

"Big, bulky, fashionista dross, what do people see in them, hey you know that one is kinda cool, maybe Panerai aren't so bad, let me just try one, but that strap has GOT to go, ooh wow, this is kinda nice, so sleek and elegant. MORE!"

17 Panerai and 150 straps later, here I am. Still without a Bell & Ross.

Sorry, but that's something of a false generalization.

I totally agree.

Look around at the membership of this, and other, forum(s). Many of the people here have the means to purchase the real thing, but, for various personal reasons, choose to buy reps instead.

Absolutely.

Sure, not everyone can afford gens, so they'll buy a rep, but, that doesn't mean that everyone who buy reps can't afford gens...

Yes. Now, the difference is that possibly people who buy reps are not able to have the same arsenal of gens that they would reps. But that doesn't stand to reason that gen owners are more able to, either. In fact, so many rep owners are also gen owners, or will become ones, so the original sentence is false, a priori.

It's just that most middle-class people have to make economic choices. Leaving aside the moral considerations (loathe though I am, as you know), buying reps is about maximising your revenue. Given that we have a choice, we exercise it.

If the choice were taken away, and those same rep owners never became gen owners, then what was said might be correct -- I doubt it though.

Curiously, if the rep scene were totally cracked down on (impossible...), would the price of the reps be the ones skyrocketing? I think so.

they get alot of help from the US Gov and all the gas junkie SUV drivers in the US

The Chinese will make Americans look like Mormons, we'll be so dry. The faster we find alternative fuels, and let these people fall back into the morass of backwardness that TE Lawrence found them in, can't come soon enough for me.

As a woman, I am utterly repulsed and wonder where NOW (National Organisation of Women) are, where are Code Pink, where are feminists the world over, when they read these stories. No doubt still sending angry emails to CBS about Wardrobe Malfunctions being exploitative to women. Ugh.

then decide if I want to keep the Aquaracer

Dibs on your Aquaracer. Oh and the term is WIS not watch nut -- stands for "Watch I Spend".

Just ask Victoria from England, total warfare occured in Europe on a scale unimaginable to the civilized human today, killing civilians by the thousands all to weaken the morale of the military machine of that nation.

Yes, but we all did a lot of killing in the names of our religion, Watchbuff, people will say. They are right. Thing is, some people have moved on since then, even God bless I never thought I'd say this in my own lifetime -- the Irish. When the IRA did away with their arms, a part of me rejoiced well beyond anything human like crying victory. It was a primordial cry of thankfulness and belief in man.

This Clash of Civilisations (you know Sam Huntington must be the most sought-after academic in the world, and Francis Fukuyama must be burying his head somewhere in the sand) is like many clashes -- a contest not only of specific peoples, but of resolve, courage, and self-belief.

So far, no culture of death has survived when challenged. The same things were said about people loving death more than we love life, were said about the Japanese in WWII. We still won.

Every incident like this proves their zealots' hatreds, in the most immediate gut-punching way possible. No where in our Western world will you find this a condonable action to take on others, by our zealots. Those that transgress are promptly sanctioned.

I have faith. Not in religion, but in what we stand for. They do in theirs. But ours is based on life. We will win.

However one thought that keeps popping up in my mind is that we are talking about a 54yo teacher who would have been briefed by her employer before going, and should have taken much time researching the place she was going to.........is all of this a tragic stuff up on her behalf?

An interesting question.

Unlike the Jesus Snot anecdote, it's not translateable from one religion to the other, because some religions are more flexible than others.

Where she erred, is thinking that little innocent kids should be able to name a beloved plush toy for the greatest exponent of their religion.

(BTW, she allowed this not because of the Prophet -- PBUH -- but after one of the most popular boys in class, who was named Mohammed)

But just like after the cartoons flap, when Iranians renamed "Danishes" to "Roses of the Prophet Mohammed", it's not the name that irked, but that anything in their religion was touched on by a filthy unbeliever. It's okay when they do it, not too okay when others do.

That's where she went wrong.

She wasn't savvy enough, and therefore, cultured-enough to figure out you stay well away from that topic -- because there are people who will HUNT YOU DOWN AND KILL you in that region, if you don't.

Worse is to come, apparently the Teddy Bears are planning a huge riot.

:lol:

This WOULD be funny...if this situation weren't so tragic, real and stupid. Zealots disgust me. Like when they killed an Italian nun in Somalia over the Jyllands-Posten (corr.) cartoons. Get real, you morons.