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Vanity site of Dubai sheikh who pardoned US music producer

Xeni Jardin at 7:17 pm Wed, Jul 5, 2006

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Dubai's leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has pardoned music producer Dallas Austin, after the American was sentenced to four years in jail for drug possession at Dubai International Airport. Austin flew back to the states earlier today, no doubt grateful.

But who knew Sheikh Mohammed's personal vanity site offers a free web quiz to test your knowledge of his superb original poetry? My favorite, btw: "Jilted":

Lightening from your side, flashes, I and my camels follow
Your eyes, my agony, say that you are enchanting me
Oh you, bewitching, after hurt, no I never want kindness
If you fail the poetry quiz, a little javascript popup window appears and beats you with a virtual rubber hose.

Image: the site also displays this montage of his many excellent fashion moods. And if you're in Dubai, you're probably not reading this. BoingBoing and many sites more important than BoingBoing are blocked there by the government-controlled ISP. (thanks, oliver!)

Boing Boing editor/partner and tech culture journalist Xeni Jardin hosts and produces Boing Boing's in-flight TV channel on Virgin America airlines (#10 on the dial), and writes about living with breast cancer. Diagnosed in 2011. @xeni on Twitter. email: xeni@boingboing.net.

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