Slow Down! My Speed is Monitored

I found this interesting on the streets of Abu Dhabi last Tuesday, any clue how?

Storm aftermath: coral reefs are severely damaged

Yesterday we took a trip along the east coast: Dibba, Khorfakkan, Fujairah. They've been hit by a storm pretty badly. Not as bad as our neighbours, but still, very seriously. It is not about people or buildings, it is a small thing that very few people notice these days: corals.

90% of coral reefs in most popular dive sites are gone. Torn off, thrashed and washed ashore by the storm. A bottom at Martini Rock, Snoopy island, Dibba Rock, small reef between Dibba and Zighi beach all bare rocks now. Most of the beaches covered by thick layer of broken coral.

Dive instructor Margaret at Maku dive centre says there are very few corals left. Lobsters, Moray eels and other fish who usually used to fined a refuge in coral branches are swimming frantically across the waters in search of vacant holes. Even sharks seem sort of disoriented by a total change in a bottom profile.

I do not like to use big words in such circumstances, but this is a serious ecologic catastrophe for the area.

Myspace and Youtube...blocked again?

Has anyone else been having problems accessing Myspace and Youtube over the weekend? No page of doom but continuous 'time outs'. Last week there were no images on Myspace and today there's nothing at all!

Not without my sheikh

A 51 year old Swiss lady has published her memoirs about her longterm love affair with a Dubai Sheikh. The title of her book translates to: "the forbidden wife"
She claims to have met the sheikh in England in 1979 when she was 23 and he was 17 (!?!).
In the book she calles the sheikh "Khalid" - although that is not his real name. Reportedly the sheikh is aware of the book and has congratulated her on the effort.
Well, I don't really buy that! However, if you read German you can find more details on my Blog as well as a link to order the book and an article about the book launch (with images of her) in pdf format. Enjoy!!!

Emirates royals threaten Tanzanian indigenous people

"afrol News, 7 June - The Hadzabe indigenous people of northern Tanzania are facing "a direct and serious threat to the survival" as their hunting and gathering grounds are falling prey to powerful safari organisers. Royals from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and their UAE Safari Ltd count on Tanzanian government support to drive out the Hadzabe, also called "Bushmen".

Last year, the Lower Yaida area in Mbulu District- around 200 kilometres west of Arusha - was ceded to an Abu Dhabi-based hunting company known as Tanzania UAE Safari Ltd. A second application was submitted to attain the remaining part of the Lake Eyasi basin in Karatu District. In end-May this year, the Karatu District Council rejected the deal, citing concerns over the well-being of the Hadzabe people. However, a new round of negotiating appears to have stronger government support.

The application by UAE Safari for a hunting concession encompasses an area of 3,975 square kilometres, including Lake Eyasi. UAE Safari is allegedly acting on behalf of UAE Prince Hamdan bin Zayed and Mohamed bin Zayed, who is chief of staff of UAE Air force. Both Prince Hamdan and Mr bin Zayed have visited the Yaida Valley.

...

On 21 May, Tanzanian police arrested Richard Baalow, a Hadzabe spokesperson and activist who has been trying to help the community express their opposition to the sale and dialogue with local government. Tanzanian human rights organisations see this as a form of intimidation to ensure compliance with the decision to contract with the UAE safari company.

While the Hadzabe still fight for their lands in Karatu District, in neighbouring Mbulu, the battle is already lost. In acrimonious circumstances, the Mbulu District Council last year agreed to sell 4000 square hectares to the UAE company. UAE Safari has already set up a camp on the concession, from which it soon is to start a commercial hunting and sports enterprise. The Hadzabe are asked to vacate the area.

...

According to the Hadzabe, they are seeking a way to negotiate a sustainable solution between themselves, the District Council and the UAE safari company, which will conserve nature, provide incomes from the sustainable use of natural resources, and nurture their unique cultural and knowledge systems in their aboriginal territory. The Hadzabe are not necessarily disputing the deal with the UAE, but are arguing that the deal should not put the Hadzabe at serious risk of displacement and cultural disintegration.

But the Hadzabe activists and the organisations supporting them increasingly feel they are met with intimidation. Mr Baalow remains in police detention. The Tanzanian press reports that Mbulu district authorities have already issued several ultimatums for the Hadzabe to vacate the area where UAE Safari has set up its camp. "

--more here

This problem is also explained in this PDF and on this page from the Indigenous Peoples of Africa Co-ordinating Committee (IPACC), and it is also reported here: http://www.ippmedia.com/ipp/guardian/2006/08/22/72886.html

And a good general summary of the problem here [PDF] (with my added emphasis):

The Karatu Dstrict Council in has turned down a request from the United Arab Emirates based tourist hunting company known as Tanzania U.A.E Safari Ltd, which wanted to exploit a wide variety of wildlife in the Lake Eyasi basin for hunting. The councilors wanted to be first see the contract itself, the hunting company profiles, its objectives as well as thorough explanations on how the company will guarantee the sustainable utilization of wildlife prior to granting the Abu Dhabhi-based hunting company green light. Lake Eyasi basin historically reserved as the most important corridor for immigrants wildlife, for animals moving between Lake Manyara National park and the Ngorongoro Crater basin. A salt lake situated between the Rift Valley's Eyasi escarpment and the Kidero Mountains, the area around Lake Eyasi is home to the Hadzabe Bushmen, some of the last remaining hunter-gatherers on the continent. The Hadzabe have inhabited the Acacia forests and scrub land around the Lake Eyasi area for reportedly over 10,000 years. African Indaba reported in a previous issue about the Abu Dhabi hunting concession

Green Jihad

On the occasion of the World Environmental day the Jumeirah Islamic Learning Centre is pleased to announce a lecture under the title " Green Jihad, our role in protecting the environment "

Our Guest Speaker will be Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al Nuami. known as the Green Sheikh.

Al Nuami, has been at the forefront of the green movement in the UAE. He is a member of the Ajman ruling family, and is also a tireless social worker and heads the Al Ihsan Charity Foundation. He is also the chairman of the Emirates Holistic Health Association and founder of the Greenbase Environmental Services

Date: Thu 07/06/07

Venue : Jumeira Islamic Learning Centre.
Time : 8.30 p.m.

Tel & Fax : 04 394 94 61
Mail: sara_ina@yahoo.com
SMS: 050 6326937

Cyclone Gonu

Without sounding panicky, does anyone have any updates regarding the Category 5 cyclone that is on course for the Straits of Hormuz? Apparently there is a small chance of it entering the Gulf ............YIKES!!!!!!!!!


UPDATE: more here.

Very Scarey Pics here.

QSTP TECHtalks an Eye Opener.

Qatar Science and Tech Park held its QSTP TECHtalks conference. bizzwhizzdubai.com was invited and it turned out to be a very encouraging event. The steps QSTP is taking are phenomenal, all poised to making the region a flat ground for young entrepreneurs to walk on. It will be interesting to see how thess effect the region and if stronger economies like UAE would follow or lead. Just a bright idea and an enthusiasm to make it happen would get you in. Of course the business would need to relocate in Qatar but that is it.

What really inspired me were the changing IP Laws and the open doors policy with no constraints of origin. Details here...

bizzwhizzdubai comments are mentioned in the press release as coming from a dubai entrepreneur.

Sheikh Mo in Tony Blair's Speech

An interesting speech by Tony Blair today at the "Islam and Muslims in the world today" conference, hosted by the University of Cambridge.

Important topics of education, (education, education - is there an echo in here, Tony), Islam and integration were touched on.

But the role of education goes much wider than simply religious education. At the recent Middle East World Economic Forum, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced the creation of a groundbreaking $10 billion foundation to promote education in Arab countries.

The foundation will focus on human development, supporting and empowering young minds and focusing on research, education and investment in the infrastructure of knowledge. It will provide scholarships for study at world-reputed institutions. In neighbouring Qatar, the Government has invited top international universities to develop an "Education City" with the aim of becoming the beacon of educational excellence in the Arab world.

Many of these initiatives are designed to tap into the ages-old tradition of Islam where - in line with the Koran - knowledge is revered and Muslims urged to pursue it.

The transcript is here.

Paying Du Bills

Ok, so here it goes, for the past 2 months I have had a wonderful adventure, it's called Du. I really really really tried to be supportive to this new network, I really really really tried to appreciate their teething problems that arise due its new existence, I really really do appreciate that those poor guys and gals in the customer care centre are working with NOTHING! They will try and help you but they have no rights to the following:

• to reactiviate your account
• reset your password
• reset your username
• tell you what your code is
  

As for Du, well I read the welcome package I was sold the number and was provided with thousands of locations to pay for this number of mine, but alas when the time came to make a payment in person, there existed only four in payment points in Dubai.

• Al Ghurair Centre (do people still go there?)
• Jumeira Plaza (was under construction)
• Al Khaleej Center (supposedly in deira)
• I think Ibn Battuta
  

So I thought ok let me try the only method since I am not passing by any of those places any time soon. I go to register online and receive a code (which I'll call the code) which one assumes it is a one time registration code that you don't need to remember 'cause you'll register your own password and user name.

right?.... read on here

Sheikha Lubna Launches Her Own Fragrance

Economy Minister Sheikha Lubna Al-Qassemi, the first woman minister in the United Arab Emirates, has launched her own perfume with part of the proceeds going to charity, the Khaleej Times newspaper reported today.

Sheikha Lubna unveiled the fragrance - "Mukhalat Sheikha Lubna" - at the Dubai branch of the luxury Saks Fifth Avenue store.

The event was held recently with several VIP guests present, including Shaikha Lubna and her associates, Saks Clients and members of the media. 20 per cent of sales made on Mukhalat Shaikha Lubna will be donated to the Friends of Cancer Patients, a charitable organisation based in Sharjah.

“Fragrance is known to stir positive emotions in a woman’s heart — the new mukhalat will stir even more emotion as 20 per cent of the sales will be donated to the Friends of Cancer Patients," said Shaikha Lubna.

Shaikha Lubna’s patronage comes as a form of support to young national women entrepreneurs. 'Mukhalat Shaikha Lubna' is the creation of Al Tanhat Company that is specialized in producing and mixing Arabian perfumes.

Read Also:
The scent of a strong woman (Khaleej Times Online)
UAE minister launches her own perfume (France 24)

Class-Action Firms Extend Reach to Global Rights Cases

"I'd like to thank the nice man who bought me from my parents for being so concerned about me as to provide me with a safety helmet..."

From today's NEW YORK TIMES:

The plaintiffs are thousands of boys from South Asia and Africa who say they were abducted, enslaved and forced to ride racing camels to entertain the rich in the Middle East. The defendants live in the United Arab Emirates.

But the case is pending in Miami, and the jockeys are represented not by human rights groups but by Motley Rice, a leading contingency-fee class-action firm based in South Carolina known for its work in tobacco, asbestos and other domestic injury cases.

The class-action bar is going global. Until recently, international human rights cases in American courts were brought mainly by public interest lawyers more interested in calling attention to abuses and in establishing universal legal standards than in a potential payday.

I'm not a big fan of frivolous lawsuits, but this is actually a pretty cool idea -- make countries that want to be part of a larger world economy financially responsible for the abuse of human rights within their borders.

A very sad comment from someone...

I made this comments, from this comment of "[fake name removed]" because I think it was irrelevant to the topic and it is important for me to answer it, a comment like this is not acceptable for I am a Filipino.

This comment by [fake name removed] from my post in this blog regarding a boy asking for a little help for his operation. Drive to save boy from leukaemia an article also posted in Gulfnews by Nina Muslim.

comment says:

Posted by [fake name removed] on 30 May, 2007 09:47
filipinas /filipinos are filthy people!indians are the best!

All comments read here

I'm there during the events and I witness that not only Filipinos came there to help but also other nationalities was there including Indians who have heart of giving and heart to share.

In what basis he/she made a comment like this, we are only asking for help for those people who wants to give help. If you are having a problem in one or two Filipinos you work with here in Dubai make a comments to them not to include all Filipinos. We already know that the Politics in my homeland Philippines are dirty but not the people "ordinary Filipinos who lived there" they are only victim of the situations.

I have one question for you to answered if you will read this again...

What will you do if the same trials "same situations" came to your family?

Now I will make a suggestion with you why not visit the Philippines then make a comments regarding your experienced when you return.

Read More

EDIT by SD: I have removed the name of the alleged commenter, because I am satisfied they did not post that comment. (1) it is not their style, (2) it did not link to their Blogger account, (3) that person has a history of being spoofed/framed by fakers. I fully agree that the comment was vile and ignorant, but we need to be careful blaming innocent people for stuff that is not their fault.

Irresponsible headlines

It pays to read the whole story: Marriage between close relatives 'does not pose health risk'

Take it to the next level

American Enterprise Institute:

Newsstands carry the slick English-language magazine Arabian Woman, modeled after American glamor magazines. (There is also Arabian Man.) Much less flesh is displayed, and the whole is far less steamy than its American equivalents, but the subject matter is the same. Although published in Dubai, a more liberal place, the magazine is sold and advertised freely in Saudi Arabia. One issue, featuring a "regional report" on the decline of pre-marital virginity, contained this passage:

As teenagers enter into high school, many of them find it difficult to preserve their chastity. Remaining a virgin until marriage is neither an easy nor common choice in schools or colleges in this region. Deena, a 16-year-old Yemeni student in Sharjah, UAE (United Arab Emirates), shared her first sexual experience . . . "One night, when I met Ali at our regular building terrace, he began joking about taking our physical relationship to the next level. At first I was nervous and embarrassed. I mean, although I had discussed oral sex with my friends before, I didn't really know that much about it. But almost everyone in school was having a physical relationship with their partners. So it didn't seem wrong. . . . Immediately I regretted doing it, but when I got to school most kids were pretty supportive and said that everyone did it. At least I hadn't lost my virginity."

No doubt this portrait, assuming it is accurate or representative, depicts life in one or more of Saudi Arabia's more permissive neighboring countries. Still, Saudis who read it were not learning about the infidel West but about their Muslim Arab cousins. The impact is not difficult to imagine.

As for homosexuality, although same-sex acts can be punished by death, a recent article in the Atlantic claims that homosexual behavior is in fact widespread in Saudi Arabia, but that it does not necessarily signify gay identity. Because contact with the opposite sex--especially in private--is so difficult, people are more likely to have same-sex experiences.

Read the whole thing.