Oprah's Farewell (See ya later!) probably not her final curtain call but MBC will miss her.

Oprah makes her grand exit stage-left, but we suspect she'll she'll be back when she misses us; Taking opportunity to celebrate 'other' heroic women, opening up the Mid-East stage to a new forum that empowers women; and marking anniversary of Ibn Khaldoun- one of the Arab world's finest philosophers, while lamenting another man's terrible AIPAC commotion last week.

Pic. credit: WNN breaking news portal. Oprah descends on Arabia- via MBC and Arabic subtitles: the show has aired in the Middle East 5 days a week for 6 years.

Brittaj17's Blog [3]

5/25/11 OPRAH FINAL FAREWELL SHOW; NO THRILLS, NO SURPRISES

It's probably not the grand finale because she'll probably inevitably be back if not sooner then certainly later to stage some sort of senior, more matured version of her show, as most long-standing celebs are wont to do (make re-appearances) . Therefore, not the grand spectacle people anticipated. But great expectations are usually best treated to a more subdued show. Less is more, particularly for a legendary woman who has filled our TV screens with so much for so long. No need to impress now. "OPRAH WINFREY aired her final show today, May 25th, 2011, after 25-years. But for audience members hoping for a last show spectacular offering favorite things, mega stars, surprise guests or incredible farewell gifts, they may have been a bit disappointed. Not to say they were not excited to be a part of history, but expectations of an “over-the-top” final show was probably on their minds."

MAX BLUMENTHAL [4]

Feeling the Ignorance at AIPAC 2011

Disappointment from trained 'ignorance' at AIPAC: "I interviewed several AIPAC delegates in the streets outside the conference. While few, if any, of them were able to demonstrate the slightest degree of sophistication in their understanding of the Israel-Palestine crisis, they had been briefed inside on how to respond to critics. No one I spoke to would concede that Israel occupied any part of Palestinian territory."

O Seriously [5]

On working women and Femeo

While we have you ladies' undivided attention on this day that Oprah leaves our screens (but not our hearts!) allow us to bring to you, courtesy of Dina Batshon, a lowdown an alternative to Oprah tool to empower womenkind in the region. "What with me spending most of my life online, I come across some interesting networks and communities, and they each deserve a post of their own to introduce them to the people. So today I will start with a relatively new community that aims to help and empower working women in the Middle East, it’s called Femeo. Mind you, I personally think Femeo has something to offer everyone and not just working women."

Lama's Scrapbook [6]

Untold tales of courage: Part 2

We are surrounded by strong women figures in our lives, at home and in the region. "A few months ago, I attempted to start a series of posts about courageous women who lived some amazing stories during the Lebanese Civil War. I started with one about my friend's mom but then never pursued it. Until today. The story for this post is very special to me, because it was written by my own mother. "

Clicker Blog [7]

Is Oprah Really Leaving? How to Keep Her in Your Life After She’s Gone

Since Oprah came to the Middle East courtesy of MBC 6 years ago, we will miss her in the region too- she is everywoman's superheroine talkshow host and more. She'll leave a lasting legacy without doubt: "Whether you love her or hate her, there’s no denying that Oprah has been a staple of daytime TV for the past 25 years. This is why we were so sad to hear that The Oprah Winfrey Show will be ending with a finale episode on May 25th (next Wednesday, to be exact). What will we watch when we stay home from work sick? Who else will give out surprises under guests’ seats? Who will catapult other daytime TV stars such as Dr. Phil or Dr. Oz to stardom? Oprah’s shoes certainly will be mighty hard to fill. So what’s an Oprah fan to do?"

Crazy Yet Wise [8]

Book Review: Oprah (A Biography)

In praise of Oprah! An ode to Oprah! Now a book review that seems to combine the above.... "If you wanna know Oprah’s darkest secrets then you’re gonna have to read this book! Even though it wasn’t written by her and that it’s been categorized as un-authorized, somehow I feel that every single word is true and genuine!"

Waleg [9]

Anniversary of Ibn Khaldoun

Google celebrates a male figure of great achievement on this, regionally, woman- focused day: But they say behind every great man stands a woman... "Google's logo today celebrates a great Arab historian and sociologist ... Ibn Khaldoun. Ibn Khaldoun is most famous for his "Muqqadima" مقدّمة ابن خلدون. The great philosopher, who was born in Tunis in 1332 AD/732 AH and died in Cairo in 1406 AD/808 AH, is considered the father of modern historiography, sociology and economics. He is no doubt one of the greatest philosophers to come out of the Arab world."