29 October, 2007

So Long And Thanks For All The Fils

... but when did it happen that this blog community reached apathy saturation point?

There was a time there was righteous debate, brazen hatred, open racism, political engagement, media savvy conjecture and now it seems to be sliding into the slop of indifference.

Maybe that's just my take...

In the last couple of days there has been riots - which was not only an example of unbelievable greed - 600dhs a month pay FFS... plus media protection of the company - NAME AND SHAME PEOPLE, please let them be "listed" - and finally an example in exactly how Dubai Dream Inc TM does not understand how to manage a crisis or communicate their message of "Dubai Cares"...

And then the caring and sharing nature of a prank which was a tragic joke gone wrong... you try to kill yourself, but we'll deport your ass anyway...

These are just 2 of many things that are recently getting me really, extremely frustrated with the Dubai Dream Experience TM

don't even get me started on the f-ing dolphins...

Your's angryly,

Bluey.

PS I reserve the right to leave if I don't like it.

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

"An official from the company said when the office boy's health gets better he will be deported from the country after his visa is cancelled."

OMG, this is just UNBEARABLE.

Anonymous said...

Bluey,
Spill your anger and frustrations, if it helps :-)

Just one quote:

"The opposite of love is not hate, but indifference."

Elie Wiesel

PS: Will you feel better, if I may tell you that the glittering PR campaign is already wearing out?!

Anonymous said...

Finally!

A meaningful & angry post, after what seemed like a lifetime.

I'm just going to take it all out on my punching bag.

Life's a beach, not!

Anonymous said...

what a caring country. NOT!!!!!!!!!!

Nature Strikes Back said...

Dubai Scares ??

Anonymous said...

Unfortunate to have such problems in 2007

Jones. Bridget Jones. said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

These riots are raged by outsiders who want to mar the image of the UAE as a whole because of their spite and jealousy. Had this been the case in India, many of these dewy-eyed workers would have been beaten and even shot and sent to jail for unknown period of time. Thanks God that Dubai government was wise enough and aware of the reason behind agitating such riots and did not face violence with violence, although they had the right for self-defence.This is what haters want to see. They want to make another Myanmar in the Middle East.

Jones. Bridget Jones. said...

Bluey, from where I stand, we've had our share of brazen hatred and open racism alright in the last few weeks! It even put me off the UAE Blog for a while ha!

Scroll down and catch my post on Sarkozy's divorce.. argh!

Anonymous said...

@ Khaled-ad,
if the UAE government was wise they would make sure that Emiratis would receive sufficient vocational training and that they would receive an income according to merit in the private sector as well as instantly reducing their dependence on foreign labor.

What would make as happy is to see you as a construction worker and I will be very happy to take a shovel, set a good example and show you how it works – Germany is getting freezing these days anyway - so how about it?

Anonymous said...

SevenSummits
I would like to invite you to Liwa ( 250 km to the West of Abu Dhabi and in the heart of Al Ruba’ Al Khali Desert) during the summer. The temperature won’t be higher than 52 degrees Celsius. I promise. I will be teaching you how to plant palm trees and the shovels will be on me. By the way, I am not your “mistakenly” typical local.
With respect to your made-up income allocation system, that might better suit the German people who have no clue whatsoever why the heck they are still paying taxes on champagne levied on them since the second WW. Who knows? Perhaps to save it for the Third WW! Hooray to the honest autocracy and what a pity for the corrupted democracy.

i*maginate said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
i*maginate said...

KHALED !!!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!! hahahha your comment really made me crack up.

Please take me to Liwa with you...I would love to have a date under your palm trees ;-)

Editor said...

i*maginate, my personal opinion (not personal attack or insult) is that you won't survive in Liwa. Perhaps a date with a "“mistakenly” typical local" will be more to your liking.
Dubai is the one unique place in the Gulf, very different from the rest.

Anonymous said...

date under the palm trees lol. Just having dates?

The Woman in Black said...

Khaled an excellent post

Anonymous said...

Khaled,
ROFL :-) – I can see from that very good response that you are not a representative of the stereotyped “typical local” image –Thanks!
So I will take that as an invitation!!! and sorry to disappoint you, but I actually know where Liwa is located and also that it is one of the “socially disadvantaged” areas in the UAE. They do not exist, not worth mentioning! In addition no need for concern, since I usually go running up and down the beautiful AD Corniche in summer, the temperature will not pose a problem – well at least not for me. :-) How about you, dear – we will have to leave the air-conditioned car to plant a tree?! Moreover, you really want to plant another palm tree in that place – what happened to biological diversity? Mmmm – I already planted hundreds of trees in my life, but usually some acacia species and that means that a date palm will make an interesting new challenge. Looking forward to it! But really, better you leave the physical work part and the sweating for me, because we wouldn’t want to ruin this outing. How would I carry the responsibility for well manicured hands getting blisters?
However, you may carry our princess along – which I just renamed into “desert rose”© (more suitable for the environmental setting) for protection, if those roughly 250000 m² of الربع الخالي will not be sufficient to hide and run from my imposing lectures. :-)

You may also get the chance to explain how the concept of social democracy in Germany and even worse Champaigne (that is not really very German?!) relate to this topic. Anyhow, I do not drink alcohol, so maybe this tax has escaped my realm!

Just joking Khaled, no hard feelings please! Any death threats to sevensummitsuae@yahoo.com

i*maginate said...

*Editor, I didn't take it as an insult but perhaps Khaled can explain to you how many have not only survived the desert but mastered it. :)

Your comment is a little mixed up. What has Dubai got to do with locals in Liwa? Dubai is different, and so is AD and the rest of the emirates for that matter.

*anon 30-10 21:32 - depends on the extent of the hospitality. Not only dates!!!

Ideally a big serving of goat, some camel's milk, harees, grilled prawns, and to finish off, gahwa and dates. Perfect date under the palm tree ;)

i*maginate said...

*sevensummits hehe. I knew you would mention something about ecology, environmental protection and God knows what. I LOVE YOU TOO! :-)

Btw aren't you a guy? "manicured hands" ?

What is with this "death threat" thing sevensummits, and why are you addressing a UAE national with this term.

You may recall the only major threat I have received is from some whacko German who even set up a blog for me. No, it wasn't you, but he was a German. So there: Germans are no strangers to death threats.

Anonymous said...

Peace. By the way, just like heat is no problem to you,shoveling snow at -30 C is no big deal to me. In fact, I loved it.

Anonymous said...

Peace, mate :-)
Brrrr -30 C??? Khaled are you sure? Ok, I am a certified skiing instructor (Austria) and have done a lot of voluntary mountain rescue, but that is pretty damn cold! Not very common in most European countries, where exactly was this – Alaska, Canada or somewhere in Northern Scandinavia? Last time, I went thought this was above 5100m and somehow I don’t feel like repeating it for a while.

So you like shoveling snow? I will give you a call, in case global warming will permit a real winter for a change. Warm gloves are on me and I will try to match Khaleeji hospitality :-)

_________

I* - ah (Ice) Princess or “Desert Rose” :- ) – minus 30 C would make you sleep like a baby after a few minutes and that will be very, very tranquil – he, he :P

I heard guys are getting manicures in the UAE – just a rumor?? Anyhow never seen it, but actually only met one fellow that looked like he ever did some work with his hands – so with Ahmed that will make two! Don’t worry my hands have never seen one …

After getting one death threat already (sounded like an Emirati, but of course I am not sure), I thought that I might start collecting them for the fun of it. Consider it a natural selection process: Cowards can email me and real guys can respond – just like Ahmed did. Those “undefined attacks” will fall into the groups of cowards!

Oh, BTW could you make up your mind - I don't plan on sharing you with Ahmed. More fun / comfort will be with him and maybe he will agree to those eight kiddies, so whats your call? Or is it Al after all? You asked for it!

@ Bluey,
Have we managed yet to cheer you up?

Anonymous said...

Errata:
Shouldn’t try to do three things at the same time. I meant Khaled not Ahmed in those last paragraphs. My apologies for that!

Let's blame it on .... (insert whatever you like!)

i*maginate said...

My, my, Wolfgang (aka sevensummits). Only you could suggest a 3some in an environmentally ecologically friendly way.

As for manicures I already stated my opinion on this affliction on my princess blog ages ago. Manicures on man suggest too much time on their hands.

Glad you are not a woman, now my dreams can come true, only that you might be twice my age. No matter, we can work things out. I can cook the bread for dinner while you pleasantly lecture me on human rights and environmental protection throughout the meal. I would only hope the cheese is organic.

And btw, in your arms, even the -30 C weather would not put me to sleep unless I had your loving storytelling tactics about conflicts and humanity for company ;-)

Unknown said...

i just read that their salary is between 1000 and 1500 Dhs depending on the years of service...

and the riots are just to have their salary raised which is unacceptable because they signed a contract here in the UAE knowing how much they will get

Anonymous said...

Canada

Anonymous said...

Fantastic, once the "office boy" (a derogatory term if you ask me - some of these blokes are old enough to be my father) recovers (from a traumatic experience where he tried to take his own life) he then gets the privilege of being deported and then given the chance to perhaps complete in his home country what he started out doing in UAE. - What a marvelous display of justice, empathy and love for ones fellow being! Cheers Dubai!

Jones. Bridget Jones. said...

Thanks for the entertainment people :)

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