Not to worry. They missed me by several miles. No activity in my little sphere of activity. Airline flights are on schedule. Traffic downtown is all screwed up.
The troops at our gate are doubled up and we are all locked in for the night.
Really nothing to report.
Good to hear you are okay. The reports on NPR here sound promising. Stay safe.
Glad to hear it as well - I thought about you when I heard the news story this morning, and then I hoped I was probably just being silly.
Yeah, me too. Thanks for checking in!
wipes brow, very relieved
Glad you’re safe.
Did you hear anything, like explosions or gunfire?
Not a thing. All the news on the base came through the cell phones. Nothing exciting at all. We were locked in last night here at the compound.
Good to hear you’re safe. I hope and pray other foreigners in the Kingdom remain safe and sound, and that dangerous elements are found, rounded, and “dealt with” swiftly.
May the attackers be pitted for eternity.
Now I have this picture of Paul looking at them, holding two fingers up and saying, “I’m crushing your head!” 
Glad to hear you’re safe.
Glad to see you are OK Pauk. I thought about you as soon as I heard the news.
Maybe you could include in these wishes the Saudi citizens? You know, those who are at home there? (Which includes those who are now dead).
Salaam. A
Ah, you are most correct. I am very sorry.
I hope Saudi citizens - all people within the boundaries of the Kingdom - remain safe, except for those who conduct these vile attacks. May the perpetrators be caught and neutralized as swiftly as possible, and may stability be restored in the Kingdom.
(I am still very, very stunned by firefights that occured many, many months ago in the holy city of Mekkah between terrorists and Saudi forces. If terrorists have no qualms of abusing the sanctity of Mekkah, we can be sure that there is no limit how far they will be willing to go.)
WRS/Thû
Believing that you are chosen by G-d to be better than anyone else happens to extremists in any religion.
Oh well, the heat of the moment and all…
Proves once again my point when I say: These kind of people are less Muslim then my cat is.
Yet it’s not the first time in Islamic history that Mekka or even the Ka’aba were in the centre of a fight.
Salaam. A
I’m glad you’re ok Paul I thought of you when I heard the news.
Unfortunately, Aldebaran’s quite right.
A long, long, long time ago, the Qarmatians harrassed caravans of pilgrims. Then they attacked Mekkah. They abducted the Black Stone (on one of the corners of the Ka’ba). They didn’t kidnap it for ransom - they just took it. Rulers pleaded with them to return it, but they refused. Later on, they threw it back, broken in pieces. Such is its state to this day (held together, of course, with silver thread). Of course, it shocked many people, but this was before Mekkah was in stable hands.
Once, when the Ka’ba was made of wood, it was burned down by a flaming arrow aimed at the building. Maybe it was the Qarmatians again. I forget. Oh, those crazy, crazy Qarmatians.
Now, of course, it’s firmly in the House of Saud’s hands. As much as I may not like the House of Saud, I’m glad for the sake of Islam that the Haramain are in firm hands.
WRS/Thû - where’s your sig, A? I love your sig.
Good to hear, Paul. How’s Onan?
Glad to hear you’re okay, Paul. Your updates always provide a unique perspective.
[Norman Mailer]
Keep a tight asshole.
[/Norman Mailer]
Onan is doing well, although I have never met a more distrustful animal. He no longer screams at me when I come near, but I cannot touch him. Darn it, I want a bird I carry on my finger!
Further, He does not seem to explore his Parrot Palace much. He plays with the same toys, never going near others.
As I said, I think he was abused by a previous owner.
I understand his namesake was known for that, too.