Lurpak back in Bahrain, is Jacko off to Netherregion?

China Daily reports

new religion

Any woman who is also a mother will tell you, that grocery shopping (esp @ C4) is like an event at the Olympics.
Therefore when you finally make it to the payment counter and see your things smoothly rolling down the belt; you know the distance to the plastic bag and home is not far.
But then suddenly an item is scanned and it does not create the correct beep. (btw if a "beep" is used to delete out every swear word - then how often does that machine swear?).
The cashier looks at you in that almost challenging way, as if to say, "what are you going to do now lady? You know will have to leave it behind, as no one will get the code, and if you insist, and I call the supervisor you know that could take a looooong time".
So you do the mental math and calculate where else you can buy it, how much more it will cost and so much more of your time will be wasted .
Then just as you are about to manoeuver your trolley to the exit, which is somehow functioning like a cycle rickshaw(ie on 3 wheels). Right then from your peripheral vision you see "IT" coming.
The ZOMBIES armed with their cheap Biro and clipboard.
You try to escape but all in vain.
"Hello Madam. Im conducting a survey on credit cards", IT says to you.
You try to gaze into the $ shaped pupils but see no sign of life.
Heres what I said today," I am sorry I cannot help you, my religion does not permit me to utilise credit cards. I am a CREMOSA'S WITNESS, and wives number 3 and 5 are not allowed credit cards. I am wife number 3." Make some cracked up greeting and WALK AWAY.
Do not LOOK BACK.
Welcome to the suburban housewife's repartee.

So where the bloody hell are you?

Greenland is not the most inhabitable place in the world, but for the Nakheel miniature version, it (affectionately called G-19) has become the first of the 300 islands to be occupied, that too by a family. Hamza Mustafa, the GM of this $1 billion project is an optimistic man. He believes the project is going to attract dolphins to lay their eggs on the site; the water and irrigation system is apparently easier to to build over here rather than an in a inland city. These and a few other insights make this ProperT.ae interview a fascinating read.

As a General Manager of this project, we can say you are on the top of The World… Have you been involved since the planning stages of the project?
I was initially working with the sales of The World project, but I always been involved with the project since day one, ever since the concept was initiated. It is now over one year since I have become the General Manager for The World. But I have also been closely associated with all the projects since I joined Nakheel from its start.

Rest of article here

P.S. It has to be said that not everyone agrees with Nakheel's PR statement(apparently backed up by scientic facts) of the islands being helpful to the environment.
And does anyone know which family has bought this G-19 where Nakheel had the show villa?

Emirates diplomat freed in Iraq

I hate working late, but how i feel is nothing compared to how Naji al-Nuaimi and his family feel right now!

A diplomat from the United Arab Emirates has been freed in Iraq after being held hostage for a fortnight, the UAE foreign ministry says.

BBC News

Head Case

I wish I'd taken a photo! We were in the fast lane on a flyover on the Emirates Road, passing Florence (?) and the Dragon Mall on our left, when I saw a police motorcycle ahead in the slow lane. Passing a truck, I saw that he was one of three uniformed and helmeted outriders riding before, beside and behind some 15-20 trainees (presumably) t-shirts flapping, and all enjoying the feel of the wind in their hair. Not one of the trainees had a helmet. Gaaaaaaah!

Vanity Fair's take on Dubai

The latest issue of Vanity Fair has some interesting insights about Dubai. From it's logic-defying real estate projects, the 'Cyclone experience' to the labour(or labor as they say) issues , it would have caused a flutter, or perhaps even be censored, had the people in Dubai spent some more time reading.
Some good photos as well, like the oft-used tennis on the Burj-Al-Arab helipad.
I have uploaded the 21-page article here.

Blogroll revamp

A new, paid account has been created at Blogrolling.com which allows us up to nine different blogrolls. The reason for this is to try to break down the really long lists into more visually digestible, smaller groups of blogs. The groups we have come up with so far are not fixed, they are still very much open for debate. Likewise, we've tried to fit different blogs into each group, but many blogs cross categories to some extent: it isn't an exact science. Please don't be upset if you feel your blog (or someone else's) is in the wrong category - just let us know and we will move it where it should be.

Community - community blogs, group blogs, blog aggregators
General - blogs with a mix of content, family/personal, random, uncategoriseable
UAE - blogs covering predominantly UAE news, view, politics, business, culture
Creative - creative writing, poetry, art, vlogs (video blogs), phlogs (photography blogs)
Specialist - blogs with a very defineable, specialist slant, such as cars, media, travel
Islam - as it says (can be renamed "Religion" if blogs of other faiths are submitted)
Arabic/non-English - as it says


And as always, please let us know of any new UAE-based blogs you find. We have two blogrolls left, so any suggestions to further categorise things would be appreciated. The only idea so far is a list of inactive/no longer updated blogs - this would be quite a long blogroll.

UAE Web of Life - Issue 5

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The Internet Magazine on what's happening in the local UAE Internet community.
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An ORB-UAE Creative Group Publication (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/orb-uae)
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Issue 5

CONTENTS
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1. UAE WEBSITES IN THE NEWS -
- Email
- Print Media
- Web (eGroups, Websites, E-Newsletters)

2. REGULARS - Cub (Cool UAE Blog) & Bug (Best UAe Group) Awards

3. INTERVIEW - Abdul Qader - Owner of the Win-Win Yahoogroup

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Want to feature your UAE website, online service, blog, forum, ezine etc. here? Got some online news to share? Want to send us your rants and raves? Email us at orbuae@gmail.com

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An ORB-UAE Publication (http://orb-network.ryze.com)
Copyright 2006 UAE Web of Life http://uaeweboflife.blogspot.com
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Read it at http://uaeweboflife.blogspot.com

BESIX Group - News

BESIX Group - News: "The Samsung-BESIX-Arabtec Joint Venture, main contractor of the Burj Dubai Tower, would like hereby to declare that the labour disturbances recently reported in the international press have
not taken place on the Burj Dubai Tower project and where (sic) under no circumstances linked or related to the performances / actions of the Samsung-BESIX-Arabtec Joint Venture. "

Here are some of things reported (cut/paste from google searches):
ITPBusiness.net {News: 10000 Besix workers down tools}
ITP.net is the Middle East's leading technology Web site, providing daily IT and business news, product reviews, games and competitions.www.itp.net/business/news/details. php?id=20705&category=construction - Similar pages
• UAE. Besix workers are sent home
• UAE. Was the Besix strike the tipping point for UAE labour relations?
Khaleej Times Online - Most Besix Co. workers report for work as ...
Khaleej Times, the No.1 English language daily newspaper published from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.www.khaleejtimes.com/.../ theuae/2006/May/theuae_May810.xml - 32k - Cached - Similar pages
Was the Besix strike the tipping point for UAE labour relations?ITP.net, United Arab Emirates - May 26, 2006This is home to some of the estimated 8,500 Besix workers who made history last week when they staged the largest organised strike ever witnessed in the UAE ...
One strike and you’re out for Besix workersITP.net, United Arab Emirates - May 26, 2006... But the one involving upwards of 8,500 Besix workers in Dubai this week does represent a significant departure from the more spontaneous nature of previous ...
Besix workers are sent homeITP.net, United Arab Emirates - May 26, 2006Their demands for a salary increase to at least US $163 (AED598) per month, along with a better food allowance and improved conditions, were refused by Besix. ...
10,000 Besix workers down toolsITP.net, United Arab Emirates - May 19, 2006Defiant Besix workers this week refused to return to work until their demands are met. Last week around 10,000 workers from Besix ...
UAE deports ring-leaders after 8000 workers strike for payCIOB International News, UK - May 26, 2006... authorities deported 86 construction workers accused of organizing a nationwide strike of around 8000 people working for Belgian firm Besix Construction, one ...
Dubai deports Indian workersHindustan Times, India - May 24, 2006The construction workers of Besix, the Dubai-based Belgian company were deported on Monday. As many as 8,000 Besix labourers had ...
50 who returned to work are in hidingGulf News, United Arab Emirates - May 21, 2006... About 50 labourers from Besix Construct returned to work on Saturday, breaking a protest that began on May 16, when 8,000 labourers in the UAE stopped work ...
Many construction workers deportedGulf News, United Arab Emirates - May 23, 2006... Eighty-six Besix construction workers were deported on Monday, confirmed a senior government official involved in labour affairs. ...
Horizon Terminals Limited led consortium awarded contract for ...AME Info, United Arab Emirates - May 28, 2006... importance of the Strait of Gibraltar region to East-West traffic is partly evidenced by the size of the bunker market, estimated for 2005 to besix million tons ...
Indian Workers Defy DeadlineAll Headline News - May 22, 2006The employees of Besix Construction Company have been on strike since May 16 demanding a minimum salary of $272.3, food allowance of $81.69 and an annual ...
Union troubles surface from beneath UAE’s glitterFinancial Times, UK - May 18, 2006... It states that as of May 16 the employees of Besix construction will no longer go to the work site until their list of demands is met. ...
7,000 Indians strike in DubaiFinancial Express, India - May 18, 2006The employees of the Besix Construction Company which has between 7,000 and 10,000 workers, stayed away from work yesterday and today demanding a minimum ...
Indian workers demand for better payEconomic Times, India - May 20, 2006The workers of Besix Construction Company were striking work since May 16 demanding a minimum salary of USD 272.3, food allowance of USD 81.69 and an annual ...
Back to work7DAYS, United Arab Emirates - May 21, 2006The strike, by Besix Construction workers, had seen several major building sites across Dubai, including the Burj Dubai and Garhoud Bridge expansion sites ...
12 lanes of freeflow traffic in Dubai?ITP.net, United Arab Emirates - May 5, 2006Contractor Besix won the US $106 million (AED388 million) project, which consists of three phases: the bridge crossing itself, onshore roads and ramps leading ...
Suppliers ready-mix it for the summerITP.net, United Arab Emirates - May 12, 2006... thick concrete pours required for the bottom slab of the underpass, which is 2.5 m at the thickest point,” explains Bernard Patze, project manager at Besix. ...
Gulf: Strikes could endanger jobsNewindpress (subscription), India - May 22, 2006... As many as 7,000 Indian workers of Besix Construction Company declined to report to work on May 16, demanding an increase in salary. ...
CLAMPING DOWN7DAYS, United Arab Emirates - May 20, 2006... work yesterday. The men have been striking since Tuesday, demanding more money and better conditions from Besix Construction,. which ...
Samsung Erecting World's Tallest Building in DubaiKorea Times, South Korea - May 10, 2006... won the bid to build the world’s tallest building in 2004 alongside partners Belgium’s Besix and Arabtec of the United Arab Emirates, outbidding seven ...
Selection of Danube Bridge II builder to begin in JuneDnevnik.bg, Bulgaria - May 2, 2006... shortlisted four companies: Spain's FCC Construction, a tie-in led by Germany's Zublin, a JV between Bilfinger-Berger and Belgium's Besix, and Germany's ...
Samsung E&C writes new architecture history in DubaiKorea Herald (subscription), South Korea - May 11, 2006... The Samsung-led consortium, which included Belgium's Besix and the UAE's Arabtec, won the $900 million project, by defeating seven other consortia, in December ...

I wonder if the Besix workers are familiar with the company's statement, Working for Besix:

Building your career with BESIX
BESIX is a leading company with a human touch, in which you are the most valuable asset. BESIX stimulates an active and long-term partnership with you based on growth, opportunities and mutual trust.

Found on the BBC

The BBC news website writes about internet censorship. Fame (of a sort) for "[s]atirical blogs, parodying the city and its residents, such as secretdubai.blogspot.com, www.dubaienquirer.com and onebigconstructionsite.blogspot.com ..."

No longer UAE… No longer inclined to stay here…

I’ve asked to be removed from the UAE community blog, based on the fact that I had a personal disagreement with one of the community blog administrators and they choose to take me off the ‘UAE’ listed blogs to the right, and relocate my link to the ‘General’ list on the left.

Since I certainly write more about and to do with the UAE than a lot of people listed under UAE (who weren’t relocated), and the fact that I live in the UAE unlike some others there, not to mention I’m one of the very few who can see the positive in the UAE, I can’t help but feel this is a sad, little attempt to abuse ‘power’ and ‘punish’ me.

Thus, my decision to dissolve any illusion of ‘power’ this person may think they have over me. Within a few hours at the latest, I will not have access to posting here, and you won’t find my blog listed on either list.

Just thought you all should be cautioned about disagreeing with certain administrators here before I left, even those of you who are cheerful about this little good-bye of mine deserve a heads-up.

Tata all

Model behaviour

"Get up close and personal with us lovely ladies on Souqwatch"

How others see us :: Vagablog (WaPo)

No surprise: The Burj ain't worth it.

Surprise: Dubai cab drivers converse.

Jack is back..

On Blogs and Books

(Originally posted here.)


It has been about half a year since I started blogging. Since then I feel like a modern Ibn Battuta or Marco Polo uncovering unchartered waters. Every time I discover a new blog, I discover life, and someone's unique perspective which is absolutely fascinating. However, in the last few months I have noticed that my book-reading has declined sharply.

I believe this is due to my blogging. The time I used to spend reading books of all sorts is not mainly dedicated to blogging. Fair enough, one can argue that both book authors and blog authors are authors in their own right, but I miss being able to sit at night reading my books with some quiet music in the background.

What triggered this question in my mind is one of my earlier posts. It's written in a much more academic way than my posts today, I guess unconciously I have been trying to make my posts more readable. After all who wants to read an essay?

Not many of you I guess would like to feel like English teachers correcting some kids' homeworks. However, I do miss my books, and I will try to dedicate equal times to blogging and book-reading.

Caferati Dubai gets together Dubai writers

Writers in Dubai met at BurJuman Centre recently at the first Read Meet of the Dubai Chapter of Caferati - a writers network with over 1,500 members worldwide.



We had coffee and tea, shared our poetry, and short stories, and blog posts. Not your usual Dubai night out. Better, and more stimulating (mentally).

Sharing our writing is just the beginning. In future meets, we shall be discussing writing techniques, challenges of writing for money, getting paid as writers, how to publish and market a book, and all the other fancy stuff writers talk about.

Come have a look at the event's pictures and a detailed account of the writers' literary adventures on the chapter coordinator's blog.

Want to join us? Mail the Chapter Coordinator on farrukh_copywriter@yahoo.com or call 050-7151722 to be a part of the Caferati Dubai writing community.

Entry is open to everyone passionate about writing, beginners as well as pros. And coffee addicts.

Also, why not work up your writing appetite by visiting the Caferati website and Caferati's active messageboard.?

It's time to jump right over the writer's block!

propaganda machine

Seeing as Etisalat has launched a new propaganda campaign, here is a comparison for you;


Yes. I have an internet connection 16 times faster than Etisalat's 512 offering, and guess what? It's the same price. hahahaha. hahahaha.

(it's a pity i'm downloading a game demo yet I don't even have a properly functioning mouse /: )

Name that Company!

Background Music?

Do you enjoy listening to quiet music while at work or while blogging or e-mailing? Perhaps some quiet jazz or classical piano? Well, you know the greats are all well-known, but if you wanted to try something different, something undiscovered, something original (me hopes) then check out the following music pages:

MKD Piano Album 1

MKD Piano Album 2

Lefty's Rhythm.mp3

More coming soon, much more actually, but I need to find the time to upload.

Major thanks to SD for making this possible.

(A bit of shameless advertising brought to you by BuJ)

The Smart Car Code

The Da Vinci Code Movie will be shown on May 31 here at the UAE. So, Are you ready to break the code?! (Oh my, what a lame line) The movie, despite of the many 'against it' religious groups still managed to rake up hundred millions of dollars in its international sales. Anyway, here’s something connected to the movie:

There’s only one authentic character in The Da Vinci Code movie, and that is the Smart car. The Smart car in the novel is played by Smart car itself. In the movie, the Smart is the main character as it saves Robert and Sophie from the secret organizations which are on their tail. A strong scene is created with high acceleration and sudden breaking, in which Smart does a great job and needs no stunt character to take its place!

‘This scene makes me wonder what would have happened if there were to be more than two main characters staring in this movie, would they have fit in the car? I know that usually, there are only two characters in each movie, a he and a she, that eventually end up together, but as Robert is a highly appreciated professor he could have had an assistant. It is a good thing he didn’t needed one though, and that they managed to create the scene with a reduced number of people and Smart was therefore able to star in this picture, although it had an intense season to handle.

Thus, Smart becomes the best city car which can succeed in avoiding the traffic and passes through two trucks, helping you get ride of any possible problem you might have.’

(Now this is Smart!)

There are Smart cars here, and you don’t need to be a character in a novel to drive one. It’s cute. But what’s with the craze that it’s the best city car? Ha?! Drive a Smart Car on Sheikh Zayed Road and get ready to be bullied by roaring four wheel drives! And if you’re lucky you’d even get to fly! —that is after a Toyota Land Cruiser bumped you.

~Falapeno ;)

Anonymous blogger at a bloggers' conference

For the sake of anyone who couldn't view this Toot post properly, here's the image reposted from Flickr to Photobucket:

Ninja Leprechauns

Hey, samuraisam, if you're still looking for those missing ninja leprechauns I think there are a couple of guys here who might be able to help you.

"Two men went on trial yesterday for conning a policeman out of dhs8,200 in exchange for the ability to control a magical genie."

Unfortunately this does nothing for the reputation of our boys in khaki.

"Dubai Is Tech Center of the Middle East"

Rob Enderle writes for TechNewsWorld about a recent quick visit he made to Dubai:

Dubai itself was most fascinating to me. You couldn't help but be stunned by the level of technological advancement going on in this, one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates, or UAE. After all, this is the place where a floating resort, and even a flying one, are supposedly in the works. The event I attended was held at Le Meridien, which boasts long white beaches, huge pools, and decent food. The people and staff were very friendly and most seem to have come from other countries for the work.

Something else really struck me as I watched the traffic, smog and trash blowing across the desert. Much like Beijing, the incredible rate of growth is resulting in increasing levels of pollution that, like it is in the West, will increasingly become a regional problem. I also wonder if Dubai is on the right track; currently it is a trading center and in the energy business. It appears to be trying to become a resort center as well and is making good progress on that strategy.

Intersting once again

Do you fancy reading a story about Al Qaeda, Royal death threats, a falcon trader named 'Parrot', Yasser Arafat threatening death to the children of royalty if they didn't donate to the PLO, and "Hercules C-130 military cargo planes filled with hundreds of SUV’s, weapons and even steamer trunks full of US dollars to be given to bin Laden as “gifts” to carry on the worldwide jihad." and [royalty] "then paid members of the Russian Mafia to break his bones", and "Russian Mafia as bodyguards and to procure most contraband items for them such as drugs, children or prostitutes for sexual purposes and even the smuggling of falcons" and somehow there is a link between falcon selling and the Al Qaeda or somesuch.

The only thing missing was a mention of ninja leprechauns...

then read this very interesting article here.

a capitalist powerhouse........

Dubai’s building frenzy lays foundation for global power
The Gulf emirate is spending £140bn to transform itself into a capitalist powerhouse that will be a model for its neighbours.

Interesting read this; for more click here folks....

Three Cute Kittens Up For Adoption

Hello all, i found three kittens on top of my house. I cannot seem to find the mom and i noticed she have neglected them, so i took them in. I am not an expert with cats but i am doing my best in teaching them how to use a litter box.

I am really hoping to find some good homes for these cute kittens. If you are not interested, get in touch with someone who might please.

I can deliver them anywhere in Dubai.

Thanks

F1 News > Changing times for Bahrain - Grandprix.com

Link: F1 News > Changing times for Bahrain - Grandprix.com

Formula 1 News' take on developments in Bahrain:

>> In recent days a Danish company called Henning Larsens Tegnestue has announced plans to build a skyscraper in Bahrain which will be twice as tall as the world's current tallest building - at a startling 1022m.

>> On Sunday seven vehicles belonging to construction companies were set on fire by protesters. These demonstrations are designed to draw attention to the tensions in the country, just as the riot that took place during the Grand Prix weekend in March was meant to do.

>> Perhaps economic development will eventually filter down to the man on the street and unrest will subside but Formula 1 needs to be aware and to watch developments carefully in the months and years ahead.

Gridskipper Interview: Secret Dubai Diary

Gridskipper Interview: Secret Dubai Diary

Once again, Gridskipper delivers a fine interview. Recommended.

It baffles me how an interviewer can do an interview with a fine writer and come up with something new you'd not necessarily get by reading her blog. But I'm glad Gridskipper has that talent.

UAE's Weekend Changes To Friday & Saturday Starting September

It was announced officially today! Following the direction of H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the ministry cabinet decided to change the weekend starting September from Thursday & Friday to Friday & Saturday in all ministries, institutions, government departments, government and private schools.

What do you think about this decision? Do you like the new weekend days?

WAM Article (Arabic)
WAM Article (Google Translated)

VOTE.COM | Column | HILL'S '08 HEADACHE

VOTE.COM Column HILL'S '08 HEADACHE

Dick Morris suggests that if Hillary Clinton (as in Hill') runs for President in 2008, her husbands affiliation with Yucaipa investment fund could be the next Whitewater/cattle futures scandal the Clintons will deliver.

And then there's the Dubai connection:

When Bill joined Yucaipa, the announcement said only that the former president would be working on two other funds - Yucaipa's American Fund and its Corporate Initiative Fund. But the Times reports, "Clinton is also a partner in a Yucaipa fund that invests in overseas ventures, for which he receives regular payments and would draw one-third of the profits when the fund is dissolved at least five years from now."

And Yucaipa last year joined with the Dubai Investment Group to create a new U.S. company: DIGL Inc., which invests the private funds of Dubai's crown prince, Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoun, the fifth-richest man in the world according to Forbes. Even if Bill's not directly working with that Yucaipa account, he and Hillary can expect to make millions via a company that works with the sheik.

(Of course, Dubai's known past generosity to Bill and institutions he controls, such as his presidential library, totals a very solid six figures. During the recent ports-deal flap, that relationship had former President Clinton advising and publicly defending Dubai - even as Sen. Clinton was denouncing it.)

Is Bill Clinton getting regular payments from a fund that invests the prince's money? Again, the Clintons should tell us.

If a foreign head of state is even indirectly paying the spouse of a U.S. senator and presidential candidate, the need for disclosure becomes obvious. (The same principle also holds for Bill's other hat - an ex-president posing as a disinterested commentator on America's Middle East relationships.)

Learn these facts well. The tycoon, the ex-president and the sheik are likely to be recurring topics as a Hillary presidential candidacy looms.

Political junkies will have fun with this one.

Blog cull

As we try to do regularly here, inactive blogs have been removed from the blogrolls. If bloggers start blogging again, we're very happy to add them back, and everyone keeps their membership here regardless. We just don't want the links lists turning into graveyards.

Also a few blogs have been swapped from General to UAE and vice versa, depending on how personal or UAE-related their content is. And a couple of duplications were fixed, and a couple of updates (renames) were done. The blogs that have been removed (ie those who haven't posted for at least two months) are:

Advance Warning - http://mariamreloaded.blogspot.com/
Alvida - http://alvida.blogspot.com/
Al's Place - http://alsplace.blogdrive.com/
Bewildered Expat - http://bewilderedexpat.blogspot.com/
coffee_chocolate_malls - http://coffeechocolatemalls.blogspot.com/
Dani in dxb - http://danixion.blogspot.com/
Designer's blok - http://www.artraj.com/blog/animate.html
Dreams - http://dreamsnm.rediffblogs.com/
Eyes wide open - http://elshahlab.blogspot.com/
Georgie's Jungle - http://georgiesjungle.rediffblogs.com/
Le Blog du Marketing Dubai - http://dubaimarketing.over-blog.com/
Marajaw Karajaw - http://www.stephenlloyd.blogspot.com/
Mare's Crazy Adventures - http://teachingmareaboutlife.blogspot.com/
MarkLisao.com - http://marklph.blogspot.com/
neglected-ism - http://neglectedism.blogspot.com/
NewDubaiResident - http://springsresident.blogspot.com/
Night's Prowling - http://nightsprowling.blogspot.com/
No Secrets - http://nosecretsdubai.blogspot.com/
Perpetual Motion - http://www.da-momma-blog.blogspot.com/
The Sage in Dubai - http://elshahlab.blogspot.com/
SwallowTales - http://swallowtales.blogspot.com/
To blog or not to blog - http://daallo.blogspot.com/
Virtual Scribbles - http://virtualscribbles.rediffblogs.com/

As always: here is an appeal for people to send links to new UAE blogs they have found, as well as to make known any changes/corrections needed. And if any of the inactive blogs resurrect themselves, please let us know!

Walk the World: Dubai

There will be a Walk the World event in Dubai, on the 21st of May to raise awareness about world hunger. I encourage you all to come with your friends and family to Zabeel Park on the 21st of May from 6pm to 10pm for a chance to really make history.

For more information, click here

Souq Watch

So many amusing and bizarre pics get posted here from all the souqs and malls, that I thought it might be useful to create Souq Watch as an easy way to archive the images.

Anyone is welcome to join and post their own photos - it's not for works of art, just odd, funny and quintessentially Sandlandian things that you just wouldn't find elsewhere. (Except in China, where everything seems to be manufactured).



Post below or drop me a line if you want to post pics. As usual, Blogger needs your email address to "invite" you.

good PR this for the tourist industry - i bet someone's not pleased.....

Police are looking at ways to screen tourists for AIDS.

It’s not clear how the tests would work, but anyone found to have the virus would be refused admission to the country, said Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Al Mur, director of the human rights department at Dubai police.

Money ≠ Good Taste

Read More....

Another Saudi Family Convicted of Slavery in Colorado

Gateway Pundit: Another Saudi Family Convicted of Slavery in Colorado

Call me crazy and off base, but I figure they're only doing what is common back home.

Khaleej Times Online - Teachers sacked by MoE sue accuser for blackmail

Link

I only hope that the language of teaching and testing is not English. And if it is, that this teacher is not a teacher of English. I have to assume KT elected to quote the teacher extensively to show what poor English these teachers have.

And blackmail? I don't get it.

Save water virtually

Given its skill doing it with mirrors, I bet Dubai could improve on this and provide an incredible golfing experience. And save water at the same time. I'd partake especially if the smell of grass was included, and they provided virtual golf carts too.

Blog Wars

In a move that will certainly replace the blog bites section from Emirates Today, it seems the recent behavior of bloggers writing to 7days, and signing their letters with their pseudonyms has ensured that blogger wars can transcend onto the letters to the editor column for countless thousands to enjoy.


Case in point…
Initial letter from Ugly Camel:


Response:


and a random tangent concerning 7days columnist Lizzy Millar:


oooh…

I for one find it funny; the popcorn is in the microwave as I write this. The only problem with inter-blogger bitch fests in the newspaper is that the turnover in the argument proceeds every 24 hours compared to the usually spontaneous and instantaneous arguments that seem to appear on/between, now people will actually have time to think about what they write.

Blog Bites

Yikes! No Blog Bites in today's Emirates Today. My weekend is ruined.

Breaking the Mold - Forbes.com

Reading this two-year-old profile of Sheika Lubna I found this tidbit about the proposed federal family law at the time:

Part of the draft law reportedly allows a husband to prevent his wife from working, even if she has a prenuptial agreement allowing her to get a job.

What is the law today?

What I know is that many husbands tell their wives they can have a life outside the home just as long as they personally perform all the duties expected of a traditional housewife. That of course is impossible to do, but it allows the husband to say (disengenuously) that he does not prevent his wife from working.

It is often said a country is wasting half of its people when half of them (refering to women) are not working. That view is wrong because it is saying that the work of stay-at-home mothers has no value and does not require an education. On the contrary it does have value and the quality of the work with your children is enhanced when you yourself are educated.

Yet when 70 percent of Emirati's who earn college degrees are female, I do wonder if that valuable work that a spouse does at home should be assigned to the husband, and the wife should be working outside the home.

rules of modern life

If England win the world cup this summer, people have to remember its just a heavily sponsered sports event and not the return of Admiral Nelson, victory at El Alamain, the climbing of Everest and the return of the British Empire and all the other stuff that British people use to remind themsleves they were once an important nation. It's just sport, so learn to accept this.

tell me more, tell me more.............

just something for the weekend sir................

Stop the Construction

M&J Adventures’ Halt the Hype (May 11th) and Desert Idleness’ Time to Go (April 15th)entries make interesting reading back-to-back.

Desert Idleness' thoughts on the quality of life and economic viability of Dubai/UAE have attracted considerable comment from expats here, which some will no doubt dismiss as the whingeing of the pampered chattering classes at having their toys taken away. Not so: sample the 7 DAYS Letters page, and see the difference.

Remarks regarding the need for industry in GCC countries made by Hossein Razavi, director of the World Bank's private sector finance and infrastructure department (MENA), appear to substantiate the individual impressions and genuine concern for Dubai's viability which underlie the comments expressed by and to Desert Idleness. Is the current type, and rate, of development wise? Will the end result be sustainable?

M&J Adventures notes India’s short- and medium- range plans, and the position of tourism as 34th (i.e. last) on the priorities list. OK, India and Dubai – not exactly identical twins. But then again, what if the physical, economic and social outcome of Dubai’s ambitious development so degrades the quality of life that both blue and white collar expat workers decide to pass; and Dubai-born Emiratis decide they’d be better off in one of the other emirates? Ah! There’s nothing like a bit of hysterical speculation at the weekend. Except that Dubai has risen extraordinarily fast on vision, talent and hard work It’s a prodigy; and prodigies are notoriously hard to nurture and guide. Mozart. Britney Spears. Know what I mean?

Sheikh Rashid and his sons have achieved great things in this sandy outpost in a physically hostile environment, with nothing much going for it apart from a commercial location and a little bit of the desirable black stuff. How can residents, visitors and the world at large not admire the vision and commitment involved in developing a diverse economic base when many of our neighbours’ petrodollars were being invested overseas or partied away? Dredging the Creek; building Jebel Ali's Port & Free Zone; the establishment of diverse and high profile tourist attractions such as the Shopping Festival and international sporting events; concrete efforts to develop this place as the region's IT and commercial hub by providing infrastructure and relatively liberal conditions. Anyone for Yemen? Tremendous.

But I am one of those who, from the evidence around me, worry that the powers that be are losing the plot, or that private enterprise has become a runaway horse. If the UAE’s 194,000 Indian construction workers (Emirates Today, Wednesday May 10th), most of whom work in Dubai, weigh relative income, cost of living and quality of life, and conclude that they'd be better off at home than here; and the rent-paying, school-fee paying expat breadwinners decide that there's not enough bread to meet spiralling costs, and that community ventures such as a sailing club, a rugby club, a social club, a diving club, will always be sacrificed to commercial interests, and conclude that they too would be better off at home, then this could be come the smartest ghost town there ever was.

It’s not all about the money, not for the people who live, work, raise families and support the economy here. Well, not for most of us; but the handful like DI's landlord, whose idea of good business practice is a 40,000 Dh. rent increase could well screw it for all of us, Emiratis and expats alike.

There have to be some controls, but within the framework of a long-term strategy for viable, sustainable development. I have great faith in the leadership in Dubai. What a team. But it seems to me that this is a pivotal phase in Dubai’s development, and given that it is still, beneath all the banners and concrete, a sandy outpost with not very much of the desirable black stuff, perhaps it is time to step back and consider the long view.

One wonders what Hossein Razavi would suggest in private consultation.

Wudu Washer: Islamic Pre-Prayer Ablution System

An automated Wudu (ablution) system that promises Muslims a time-efficient performance before each prayer has won qualified approval from scholars in the UAE.

The Auto Wudu Washer, developed by a Malaysian and endorsed by the Islamic Council of Qatar and Islamic Council of New South Wales, claims to be the world's first automatic pre-prayer washing and drying system.

"It has inbuilt washing units for ear, face, hands and foot, which allows a person to perform all functions without water spillage," said Anthony Gomez, chairman of AACE Worldwide and developer of the system, which was displayed in Dubai last month.

Is this a good idea or a bad one? Well, personally ... I would prefer the manual way for a better wudu and also to save water & possibly electricity. On the other hand, I might change my mind if I try this system ...

Read Also:
Now, a device for pre-prayer wash (Gulf News)
Gulf News Article Scanned

Good news from Dubai to Abu Dhabi

(Cross posted here)



This is great news! Competition amongst the Emirates? It's also great that they will be linked. So often we see great projects in individual Emirates but poor coordination at a federal level. I'm proud.

Let's wait and see and hopefully the end result will be something to be even more proud of!

Do I see a joint Dubai-AD taxi strike looming?

UNIVERSAL TRUTHS.........

I got to share these:

Peter Kay's Universal Truths

1) Triangular sandwiches taste better than square ones.
2) At the end of every party there is always a girl crying.

MORE MORE MORE I HEAR YOU SAY....

No more education for you!

A friend of mine is heartbroken in the UAE today. He found out last night that the new law passed by the federal goverment, the one that has arbitrarily decided that no one can obtain a Masters degree without first completing a Bachelor's, has no grandfather clause. He finished two years of his Batchelor's and is now halfway through his Masters, has paid for the night courses in the Masters program, and his matrimonial plans hinge on the fact that he's a man in pursuit of a Masters, not a guy with no degree whatsoever.

There's no room to budge on this one. His school won't refund his money for the Masters courses, there are no night classes for people who have full time jobs to go back and GET their Bachelor's, and there is no exception being made for a guy who had his entire life pinned to the rules as he understood them a week ago. And he'll be stuck at his current position at his job because he can't get any promotions without this Masters.

Someone pulled the rug out from under his universe, and I'm sure he's not the only one spinning from this arbitrary, unfair ruling. No warning, no compensation, no dispensation, just "Hey, let's ruin your life, Mr. 3.98 GPA!" And nothing can be done to change this -- except perhaps to wait until they change their minds again on a whim and introduce some new law.

And of course, can I find any information about this law? no i cannot. The Ministry of Education site is in Arabic, and I don't see any option to view it in English. If the newspapers are writing about it, I can't find any reference. Where was this change announced? Was anyone given any warning? Was any thought given to the young men and women studying here in the UAE who are smart enough, dedicated enough, to do the Masters work and skip all that boring undergraduate stuff?

Prominent Egyptian blogger arrested

Link (Sabbah's Blog): Prominent Egyptian blogger arrested during protest in Cairo in support of an independent judiciary.

The blogger arrested: Alaa of Manal and Alaa's bit bucket free speech from the bletches.

Article 19, Universal Declaration of Human Rights - Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Link via TigerHawk who provides other links about Alaa's arrest and gives suggests action by fellow bloggers. Shining the spotlight of the Egyptian government is one thing we can do.

Saudi Jeans: Ameena: The Latest Victim of the Religious Police

Saudi Jeans: Ameena: The Latest Victim of the Religious Police

Anyone care to defend the Saudi Religious Police? If not in this particular instance, how about in general? How about in principle if not as practiced?

What The Hub! A Million Dirham Home Page?

The idea of The Million Dollar Home Page was the first of its kind and it received alot of publicity. Alex Tew, 21 year old student, from England came up with the Million Dollar Home Page ... he did it to pay for his university tuition. He even put the last 1,000 pixels for sale on eBay (click here) and he received $38,000 instead of the regular price ($1,000)!

Now that the Million Dollar Home Page campaign in over, many people are copying the same idea for the sake of making money. It is about time a person from UAE would "borrow" this idea. I admit, it is much more creative than fooling people to send SMS messages to vote for a singer or to vote for the best reciter of the Holy Quran.

What do you think about idea of advertising? The Hub generated (AED 27,200) so far for selling only 2.8% of the available space so far. The Hub is donating 5% of the sold pixels to charity.

Read Also:
The Hub
The Million Dollar Home Page

Distorted Poll

Why would a UAE citizen marry a foreign wife? is the title of a new poll on the Arabic newspaper albayan.ae. I used Google Translator to translate from Arabic to English.

As you can see, the poll is distorted and skewed. What happened to marrying for love? or finding a good Muslim wife regarding of nationality! Lately, Albayan Newspaper has been covering this issue in depth and for the most part been biased.

Dubai's Training and Rehabilitation Center

BOBO OF ARABIA offers a picture, and cut&paste of the entire May 5, 2006 NYT article in which the Center is mentioned.

Quote from the article:

The patient at Dubai's Training and Rehabilitation Center, a lush facility complete with swimming, art classes and a gym, deep in the desert, says he cleaned up briefly before returning to drugs. He was in the army at one point, in the police force at another, but simply could not hold down a job as his life seemed to spiral out of control. Then one day he was caught and briefly jailed before his family had had enough.

At the center he receives psychological counseling and training and is taught to ease back into society. Relapse rates are high, officials at the center admit, as many drug users return to the environment in which they were using drugs. Nonetheless, the government intends to continue with the program as a central effort.

"The drug problem here is really an invasion," the man said, insisting that he had cleaned up for good. "There is money, the place is open, so it's bound to happen here."

"And briefly jailed before his family had had enough." So his family sprung him from jail?

There are no easy solutions to drug abuse and the UAE is not alone. But it should not be overlooked the role that wealth takes. Families can afford to put pride first and not let their sons take up occupations they might enjoy and find fulfilling even if they family might be embarassed. And, from the other side, too many sons know they will be bailed out by the family in more ways than one.

Forbes ranking of billionaires

Link: CNN

Quote:

Kings and sheikhs of the oil-rich Gulf Arab states still top the Forbes list [of individual net worth], to be published in its May 22 edition.

Saudi King Abdullah is number one with an estimated $21 billion, followed by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei at $20 billion and United Arab Emirates' President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan at $19 billion.
...
Perhaps the most industrious of the leaders listed is Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, ruler of Dubai, with a net worth of $14 billion.

Forbes estimates the renowned racehorse breeder also helped raise Dubai's gross domestic product from about $8 billion to nearly $40 billion since 1994 by diversifying its industries outside of oil and making successful investments overseas.

May 6th: UAE celebrates Armed Forces Unification Day

Link: DubaiCityGuide.com : News - UAE celebrates Armed Forces Unification Day

Quote:

The United Arab Emirates will celebrate tomorrow the 30th anniversary of the armed forces’ unification day.

On May 6th 1976, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and his brothers the Supreme Council Members and Rulers of the Emirates agreed to unify the armed forces under a single banner to become one of the main pillars of the federation.

Throughout the past 30 years, the UAE has been able to build a modern army capable of confronting all challenges and defending the nation’s achievements thanks to the unlimited support by H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President and Supreme Commander of UAE Armed Forces.

Bye bye pineapple

'Donald Trump’s hair is not the only weird-looking construction he’s intending to create. The Trump Palm is as unique as The Donald’s quiff'

After some negative comments on its design the pineapple-shaped building supposed to be built in The Palm Jumeirah is now redesigned.

'The new ultra-modern design, features a split linked tower – an innovative open core design that minimizes shadows – constructed with stainless steel, glass and stone.'

But I think it would be cool to have a pineapple in the palm tree.

~Falapeno ;)

More Cartoon Controversy

Page 3 of the Gulf News today
Shocked residents find anti-Islamic pamphlets on their car windscreens

Dubai: Anti-Islamic pamphlets were discovered on car windscreens in Bur Dubai yesterday morning.

The comic book tells the tale of a conversation between a Muslim and a Christian man discussing the difference between the two religions, and ends with the Muslim converting to Christianity and denouncing his faith. In the course of the conversation, the "Christian" man insults Islam, describing Muslims as "moon worshippers" and claims that Islam is a fake religion. The "Muslim" meanwhile insists that the "Islamic flag" will fly over the White House by the year 2010. Muslims will kill all "infidels" then, the book says.

The actual cartoon is not on the Gul News site. Did anyone get one in the wipers?

BBC - Religion & Ethics - Baptism of the dead

Link: BBC - Religion & Ethics - Baptism of the dead

In much of the Islamic world, it is illegal to prostelitize, Islam excepted. I wonder if that includes baptism of the dead? If not, the Mormons have a fertile mission field amongst departed Muslims.

Quote from BBC link above:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes that a dead person can be baptised by proxy, which means that a Mormon can be baptised on behalf of someone who has already died.
. . .
Confirmation and higher ordinances can also be performed by proxy.
. . .
Mormons believe that this doctrine ends the injustice [of] millions of people being damned just because they died without learning of the gospel of Christ.
. . .
There have been complaints that particularly enthusiastic Mormons have been carrying out proxy baptisms for prominent historical and religious figures including the members of other faiths.

For example the Ba'al Shem Tov, the 18th century founder of the Hasidic Jewish movement, was baptised a Mormon. In 1995 the Church agreed to halt proxy baptisms of Holocaust victims and other deceased Jews, and to remove the names of all Holocaust victims from the files. Such names are now only accepted if they are resubmitted by a direct descendant or if consent is obtained from the dead person's immediate family.
. . .
Members of other faiths argue that it is just plain wrong to baptise dead people and make them Mormons when they can't have any say in the matter.

Mormons say that this is a fundamental error. No-one has to accept a proxy baptism. Just as the soul in paradise has a free choice to accept or reject the true gospel, they have a free choice to accept or reject the baptism. If they choose to accept the gospel, the proxy baptism means that they are fully equipped to move on in their spiritual life.

One quote from this Guardian article expresses how I feel about the practice:

'Any Christian will tell you that these rituals do not harm the soul of the dead. But it hurts the feelings of the believers who see these rituals with the names of the deceased as equal to the desecration of graves by Satanists.'

I wonder if Muslims feel the way I do.

Post 9/11 building design - Is Dubai getting it right?

New York - Designing in a post 9/11 world has forced architects and planners to revisit some basic tenets and beliefs. - Europaconcorsi

The volume of building in Dubai has generated lots of post 9/11 construction.

What's the verdict? Has Dubai generated good examples of post 9/11 design? What does the design of new buildings in Dubai tell us about whether Dubai is taking terror threats seriously?

UAE needs more good citizens

Link: The Science of Traffic Jams - Yahoo! News

Quote:

"If everyone would be good citizens and move over when the signs tell you to, traffic would move more quickly," said Davis, a physicist at the University of Michigan. "It's the science of complexity. In large group dynamics special things happen because each individual is trying to maximize their own benefit."

In America, selfish steering costs about $100 billion a year—from wasted time and fuel....

When a car in front does something unusual, drivers often respond by hitting the brakes. That in turn makes the next driver brake. Soon, a wave of commuters are flashing red brake lights.

Humans typically take 3/4 of a second to slam on the brake pedal. Talking on a cell phone can slow response time even more. The delayed reaction creates instability in an otherwise steady stream of traffic.
. . .
Physicists tend to think of the build-up of traffic like water turning to ice.

Smooth traffic moves freely like water. When water freezes and turns to ice, it requires more energy, in the form of heat, to melt back into water. Similarly, it takes more time and work to get gridlock [un]going again.

There is a lot of "unusual" driving in the UAE. If we all got less creative, we'd all get to our destination quicker. But what if everyone followed my advice? Then I could drive like a wildman and get there before any of you.

My advice, if you want to get ahead? -- don't follow this advice from Dr. Davis:

-Look past the car in front of you to anticipate what's coming up ahead.
-Act altruistically. When people are trying to merge from an on ramp, slow down and let them merge in front of you.
-Don't procrastinate. If highway construction shuts down lanes, merge early on before the lane closure.

A lot of drivers in the UAE seem to be following my advice.

The DP world deal on 60 minutes

Robot Park

Doesn't this seem like more of a head-ache than a convenience? I mean it is pretty cool and it does make better use of limited space, but I don't think I'll be using it any time soon...and lets say, I forget my mobile in the car, how do I get my car back?

Imagine This

Imagine This is an audio mash up of GW Bush singing the John Lennon classic "imagine", it has been a worldwide hit and has made it into (John Peel's) BBC Radio 1 Music Festive 50 on UK Radio 1.

The audio was produced by Waxaudio, and this guy has created a video for it by tracking down over 40 separate video clips from George Bush speeches, He lip synched these clips to the audio and interspersed them with footage from the original imagine Video, along with some Iraq war footage and some other bits and pieces. This creates a powerful and moving, yet humorous visual accompaniment to the track.

No for the faint hearted but View it people.

Credit to John Callaghan at http://cal-tv.net

Labourers' salaries

I understood that the average "unskilled" general construction labourers earned about AED400-600 a month. That's UAE dirhams.

But a couple of the recent articles in the international papers have them much higher. The Washington Post describes two Bangladeshi construction labourers:

Amin is 24, Miah 19. Both look 14. Here for three years, Amin makes about $400 a month, Miah $245. Each paid an agent in Bangladesh more than $3,000 to secure a visa and work in Dubai, and both still owe a large share of that.

The Globe & Mail has a Kashmiri construction worker:

"Mr. Khan came to Abu Dhabi for the first time in 1997 and took a job as a digging-machine operator at $750 (U.S.) a month. According to a letter of reference the company gave him when he left in 1999, he was a "sincere and hard worker."

"He quit that job because another company, a small contractor called Abdul al-Kaseeri General Transport, offered him a job that paid about $1,200 monthly."

A thousand dollars a month is a staggeringly high salary here for non white-collar jobs (and even for many of them). Could it be that these newspapers are confusing dirhams with dollars? And if so, can you imagine their horror if they realised the workers were actually getting just over a quarter of the meagre wages cited?

Of course these figures may well be accurate, and perhaps these guys are all in semi-skilled positions.

Big

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed launches leading hospitality investment project :: Dubai Holding

Quote:

Bawadi project has been conceived to develop capacity for the forecast dramatic increase in tourism to Dubai, which is set to reach more than 15 million visitors over the coming years, compared to the current six million tourists who visited the Emirate in 2005. . . . Bawadi will add an additional 31 hotels to the Emirate over the next eight years, nearly doubling the current number of hotel rooms in Dubai. Centerpiece of the development will be the world's largest hotel, Asia-Asia, which alone will provide 6,500 rooms, combining 5,100 four star and an additional 1,400 five star rooms.

Here's a tip: If you don't like crowds, Dubai might not be the place to be.

See: Yogi Berra.

there are more questions than answers...

If a person owns a piece of land do they own it
all the way down to the core of the earth?

Why can't women put on mascara with their mouth
closed?

No answers but more questions on Underground Dubai.

fuel prices

King Abdullah has issued a royal decree on reducing petrol prices for consumers in the Kingdom by about 30%.

I leave the comments to you

Dubai makes Time

Dubai to Relocate World's Most Luxurious Hotel onto World's Largest Statue