Read or LEAVE

Apologies to the one person who reads my blog - sorry mom.

I have been in Saudi (that bastion of truth and human rights) for the past few weeks - not out of choice - but cos I have been a bad boy and my company has decided to punish me.

I could go on and on about Saudi but whats the point....

Makes Dubai look like a free, fair and just society.


Moving ON:

Mouthpieces:

Read in Emirates Today (Friday 28th edition) that a statement was mad by one of the top officials that UAE cannot be classified as a 3rd world country....

And buried in the article was an interesting quote (which I have paraphrased/summarised/mangled but have kept the meaning intact): "Media and Journalists are the mouthpieces of the nation and as such have a responsibility to communicate the right image of said nation"

How True......

Good to see Emirates Today doing its best to be a good mouthpiece


Work or Leave:

Seven days (Friday 28th). Another official has ordered our lazy labourers to stop protesting/rioting/being rude and either WORK or LEAVE.

The Gauntlet has been thrown...........

Will I be blocked now??

An interesting article in 7 (actually 6) days today:

Still awaiting rise:

No this is not an article about people waiting for the next high rise building with bated breath or even for the rise in temperatures. But it is an altogether more depressing story:

"The expatriate employees of Dubai Municipality who were promised a pay rise last year, are still waiting"
http://www.7days.ae/2006/04/18/still-awaiting-rise.html

Do I hear a gasp?? Well if you haven't gasped yet read on:
"despite the fact that nationals, who were promised a pay rise at the same time, received the increase almost immediately after it was announced in April 2005."

Am I missing something here?? Both groups are working for the same employer. Both groups I assume have mouths to feed and bills to pay.

So why the double standards?? Is it cos, the expats are bad workers?? Is it cos those expats will go waste that extra money on booze and women and ruin the reputation of our beloved emirate??

No I suspect it is cos those expats are mainly subcons and the ugly R-word has raised its ugly head again.

If the promises to their own workers cannot be met, how can we expect them to regulate companies who dont pay their labourers. It would be kinda like the kettle calling the pot black.

And before you start with the whole, it is our country and the gov't should look after its citizens first, remember that these very same expats that you look down upon have worked hard, raised families and contributed to this community as much as you have.

Well, the good thing is these expats can always go home (and what great ambassadors for Dubai you think they will be??) , you my friend are stuck here.

excuse me while I go and throw up.....

Fun for the Family

For all those living in the free zones and not subject to the proxy hell that is imposed on the rest of dubai, a source of amusement can be found at:

www.expatriates.com

Go through to the UAE section and click on the personals page.

No where else will you find such levels of desperation (we are speaking about men of course) and greed (every women seems to be looking for a great guy. great roughly translates to wealthy and generous)

The other trend here seems to be the total disdain for the poor subcons.

Most ads are start or end with a "no Indians or Pakis" phrase.

Does dubai actually make people into racists. Or are these people closet racists who come to Dubai and feel comfortable letting this racism out as Dubai seems to accept and condone it.

Either way, we have some serious issues.



In other news, KT reported that a man was sentenced 3 months jail, fined 2000 Dhs and suspended his licence for Kidnapping and assaulting 2 women.

When I first saw this, I was outraged. First for a gang rape you get 2 months and now for kidnapping 2 women you get 3 months. Why these lax punishments?? Why are crimes against women tolerated.

Oh wait, they suspended his licence as well. That should show him. His kidnapping days are over. That showed him....

Civilisation???

Word was out sometime ago that the benevelont powers that be in Sharjah have instituted some new safety rules in our interest.

Now before the one reader I have cheers and does a cartwheel, allow me to elaborate and dampen your enthusiasm.

If you are a regular driver in the UAE you are most probably aware of who or what causes you to fear for you life daily. They list of dangers include:

• Blacked out 4x4s hurtling down on you.
• Tailgaters
• Last minute merging (the ass who waits until the last minute to enter the lane)
• 5 lanes turning into 3 (Garhoud Bridge for example)
• Hard Shoulder Drivers
• The racers
• The sluggish sunnys
• etc etc etc

Apparently the real cause for accidents (according to our friends in Sharjah) is not anyone of the above but, cyclists...... Cyclists. You know those old rusty ones ridden by the subcon labourers on their way to work or to deliver your precious groceries.

These scum on their cycles apparently are the most menacing and troublemaking element on the roads. With their ability to tailgate and hurtle down on you at speeds of over 10Km per hour, they have quickly become the major menace on Sharjah's gridlocked roads.

So Sharjah has gone ahead and banned the use of cyclists altogether, citing that the cyclists cause accidents and destroy the civilised look of the emirate. Thats right a space saving and environment friendly method of transportation is not civilised. People, I think we all need to take some lessons on civilisation from Sharjah the 40yr old emirate.

Who cares if we have just deprived these poor labourers of their only means of transportation. Who cares now that for many of these labourers the only alternative to get to work is to share a taxi (which they should definitely be able to afford on their 500Dhs salaries). Guess who owns the taxis.

Who cares if once again the labourers are singled out for no fault except to be born to the wrong set of parents.

Our roads are now safe and I no longer have to worry about these menacing cyclists.

Hooray for Sharjah.