Romeo & Juliet of Persia; And Go Away 'Matchmaker' says Arabian singleton!

A terrible tale of Iranian activists committing suicide once released from jail, begs inquiry into the horrors of a brief internment that killed a romance to live for; Whereas an Arab singlet is not feeling the love-bird song of romance and could do without a well-meaning match-making just now; In Beirut the state is starting to watch you; And why not marry a mama's boy?

Two associates of Iranian detained activist-blogger, Nahal Sahabi and Behnam Ganji who bonded on-line, off-line and in prison are now dead at their own hands after being released from jail. The couple said to be romantically linked may have suffered post-jail syndrome in conjunction with Romeo-Juliet suicide style despair.

Global Voices [2]

Iran: A “Missing” Blogger and Two Love-bird Tragic Suicides

Romeo and Juliet of Persia: "Although one should resist romanticizing or seeking causal explanations for suicide, many bloggers believe the traumatic experience in prison pushed Ganji to end his life. The pair was believed to be romantically involved, and their story has captured the popular imagination."

Winter Samar [3]

Matchmaker, Matchmaker…

"Please don’t make me a match! Lately, my family and friends have been trying to set me up with random guys. This is not unusual, but I’m just not feelin’ it. I’m not feeling the constant desire that people have to set me up. I am not feeling the sorry looks I get when I say that I’m single. I’m not feeling the fact that people think they know what is best for me. I’m not feeling the rejection. I’m not feeling the way I have to dress up and say the right things to meet a guy. I’m not feeling love."

Rita KML [4]

Beirut Traffic Control Center

"I already have trouble to choose what to wear before I got to any ATM or to any place where there is a security camera. It’s important to look good. I mean, you never know who might be watching the tapes…"

Egyptian Chronicles [5]

30/9 : In photos

"Here are couple of photos I took from 30/9 protest at Tahrir square. I could not post them tomorrow because I was and am still so tired. Currently I am uploading them on patches." "I am working on the video clips I shot also at the protest, they are not so many like other protests."

American Bedu [6]

Saudi Arabia: Is YOUR Saudi a Mama’s Boy?

"An article was brought to my attention which listed ten reasons why no girl is good enough for a mama’s boy. Now this article and the web site it is hosted on is more oriented to the Western world and dating. However just the thought about the consequences of marrying a mama’s boy gives me lots to ponder."

Muftah [7]

Iraq: Patterns of Violence Against Civilians

"Max Weber once famously defined the nation-state as “a human community that (successfully) claims the monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force within a given territory.” Since then, many have associated civil war with an attempt by groups to control territory through the exercise of violence and coercion directed towards civilians." "Over the course of two years, with the help of five James Madison University students, I have aggregated and standardized the IBC variables describing civilian death in the Sunni Central region of Iraq from March 2003-December 2009."