Scenes from a wedding

By Shabbir | May 27, 2003

After being up for twenty four hours (six of them playing blackjack and craps), I stumble into a Days Inn in St. Louis for the third of five weddings I’m supposed to attend this month, not counting the one in China. An hour from now I need to be downtown to attend yet another Catholic wedding of a dear friend.

I’ve spent long stretches of time underground in caves with the groom, sometimes with inadequate light, not enough food or water, and occasionally without a map and lost. I have no doubt today will be a walk in the park for him.

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Graduation speech

By Shabbir | May 22, 2003

I love graduation speeches. No, not to sit through them. Heaven’s no. The graduation speeches I attend usually suck. However the graduation speech is one of the modern podiums that provides a required aura of thoughtfullness for both the speaker and audience. And, quite often, there is significant breakout potential for the good one, as…

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The Fall of the House of Saud

By Shabbir | May 17, 2003

Last month’s Atlantic Monthly has an excellent piece by Robert Baer on the state of the ruling family in Saudi Arabia, and their precarious position. Though the article isn’t available online (it’s being folded into an upcoming book by Baer), I found this interview with Baer that touches on the same themes. Check it out.

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