"No kingdom is an island, particularly when it sits in a sea of revolution."

THE hole in the doughnut is Riyadh. On the map of revolt in the Middle East, the House of Saud is surrounded - Mubarak, gone; Jordan, restive; Iraq, roiling against corruption and poor services; Iran, opposition ballsy; Bahrain, dangerous; Oman, awakening; and Yemen, a powderkeg.
Combine all that with the extent to which Saudi Arabia's army of overeducated and underemployed youth are wired to the rest of the world by new-age media like Twitter and Facebook, and it becomes clear that all is not well in the world's biggest gas station.
http://www.smh.com.au/world/kingdom-adrift-in-a-sea-of-revolution-20110304-1bi0b.html

Four Year Old Egyptian Children Chant for the Downfall of the Regime

"...after classes she was walking a group of the 4-year olds to the schoolbus. The kids were walking in an orderly line when suddenly one started chanting: الشعب يريد اسقاط النظام [(People want the downfall of the regime)] followed by الشعب يريد اسقاط الأتوبيس [(People want the downfall of the school bus)].  Soon the whole line of 4-year olds was chanting along, to the surprise of all the other middle and high school students who were waiting in line for their buses. Most unfortunately, there is no video of the event."

http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2011/03/slogans-and-school-children-in-arab.html

Massive Protests Loom in Saudi Arabia or Saudi Arabi Bans All Protests and Marches

Massive anti-government protests are impending in Saudi Arabia following the arrest of a senior cleric who called for political reform in the country, an analyst says.

The recent "crackdown” in the city of Qatif on a protest for the release of political prisoners will have dire repercussions for the government in Saudi Arabia, political analyst Mohamed al-Massari told Press TV on Saturday.
“They made a stupid mistake by attacking women and so on because they think Shia women do not have ... the honor protection like the rest of the women in the country. But attacking women in Saudi Arabia, in an Islamic country is very severe, very negative and catastrophic ... and this will have dire repercussions,” al-Massari said
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/168262.html

RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia has banned all protests and marches...
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2011/03/05/world/middleeast/news-us-saudi-protests.html?hp

The ban on public demonstrations comes amid media reports of a huge mobilisation of Saudi troops in Shia-dominated provinces in order to quell any possible uprising.
According to The Independent, a British newspaper, 10,000 security personnel are being sent to the region by road, clogging highways into Dammam and other cities.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/03/201135143046557642.html

Egypt: Protestors Storm Alexandria's State Security HQ

Around 1,500 protesters have stormed Alexandria's state security headquarters after earlier clashes with police, gaining control of its lower floors and driving police officers to hide in the upper floors of the building, witnesses and protesters told Al Jazeera

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/03/201134228359128.html

Video:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12656776

Queen of Jordan on Twitter

Queen Rania: tweeting to the end

I can see Queen Rania tweeting her way to the every end.  I can imagine her last tweet: I am in a dark place. It may be the trunk of a car.  I have not seen my idiot husband who brought us to this.  I am told he was dangling from an electricity pole somewhere in Amman.  I think that the people of Davos will miss me.  I wonder if I look glamorous in the trunk of this car.  Where are you Oprah to save me?

http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2011/03/queen-rania-tweeting-to-end.html

From the Queens own website:

"A keen runner, and seeker of good jogging tunes, Queen Rania enjoys spending time with her family and friends in Aqaba, where she can relax and get into a great book. She also makes a mean chocolate chip cookie."

http://www.queenrania.jo/rania/bio

Jordanian children seek democracy as they rise up against their principal that struck one of them:

Dead Baby Dolphin Count in Ms. and Ala. For the First Two Months of the Year: 2009-1, 2010-2, 2011-36

But it has nothing to do with the British Petroleum oil spill. Right?

GULFPORT -- The phenomenon of new born or stillborn baby dolphins washing ashore from the Gulf or the Mississippi Sound continued through the weekend and today.
The total in Mississippi and Alabama alone is 36 calves and eight adults or young adults, as of mid-day today.


http://www.sunherald.com/2011/02/27/2901315/more-tiny-dolphins-wash-ashore.html

Russia Calls US and West Liars

Kurdistan

At least 4 people have so far been killed, with countless injured. The protesters, inspired by popular uprisings throughout the Arab world, are calling for an end to corruption, nepotism, and a lack of basic services.




http://www.presstv.ir/detail/167341.html

Oman

 

"Oman is on fire and al-Jazeera is quiet, and so is al-Arabiyya who only reported on points lost in Oman stock market. And of course Omani channels are not saying a word.  Reuters reported this yesterday:  but the number of protesters was higher, around 3000; the police used tear gas and the protesters reacted by attacking the police injuring a high ranking one and sending him to hospital. The road to al-`Ayn in the Emirates was temporarily closed.  And this is what is not being reported:

Yesterday there was a demonstration in Sour and a police center was burned.   Today: more protests in Sohar and the police used live ammunition killing a 15 year old boy. Banks are closed in Sohar now. The Wali of Sohar came out with other tribal leaders to calm people down but they were attacked and ran away. A police station was put on fire. It seems tanks are deployed there now. There are protests in Salala too.  I don’t know if you know this, but Omani police and mukhabarat get much of their training in Jordan.   How did I get this info?... is sending me updates. info is reliable (my ... People are spreading he news there be telephoning each other).   If you report this, please don’t mention my name and try not to provide all the details:" 

http://angryarab.blogspot.com/

From the AP:
"The U.S. has long counted on the Gulf's rulers as reliable partners — particularly their common ground over concerns about Iran's efforts to expand its influence. No ruling system has given way, but cracks are evident."
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2011/02/27/world/middleeast/AP-ML-Gulf-Protests.html?_r=1&hp

No nation has been as successful as the US in expanding Iran's influence. See Iraq.