Frogger ... the Middle East road game that pays

For those of you who are old enough, no explanation of Frogger is required. For the younger crowd:

Frogger is an arcade game introduced in 1981.

The player starts with three frogs (lives). The player guides a frog which starts at the bottom of the screen. The lower half of the screen contains a road with motor vehicles, which in various versions include cars, trucks, buses, vans, taxis, bicyclists, and/or motorcycles, speeding along it horizontally. The upper half of the screen consists of a river with logs, alligators and turtles, all moving horizontally across the screen. The very top of the screen contains five "frog homes" which are the goals for each frog. Every level is timed; the player must act quickly to finish each level before the time expires.

The player must successfully guide the frog between opposing lanes of trucks, cars, and other vehicles, to avoid becoming roadkill.

I was recently in Muscat with my friend who was visiting from Canada. We stayed at the home of some friends of friends who moved to Muscat around the same time I moved to Dubai and the conversation turned to the differences and similarities between Oman and UAE from the common perspective of Canadian ex-pats (in fact fellow Calgarians woot woot!) One of the questions that arose is if I had seen "Frogger"? Indeed I had although I had not heard it referred to by that name. An amusing (but appropriate) label for a common occurrence.

An Example of Middle East "Frogger"

Sheikh Zayed Road is a busy 5 to 6 lane freeway that runs basically through the middle of Dubai. Speed limit is 120 km per hour, merely a suggestion although the multitude of speed cameras strongly encourages motorists to abide by this. Traffic in Dubai has improved in recent months however SZR can still be pretty hairy, especially at peak times.

Two weeks ago, I was on my way to meet my Canadian guest at Mall of the Emirates after work for some typical Mall activities ... shopping, dinner, more shopping ... and was cruising down SZR with the flow of traffic. Suddenly, a car in the next lane jams on his brakes ... and then everyone behind him ... and then the truck in front of me ... ahhhhh!!! Somehow disaster was averted and there was not a multi-car pile up!

I couldn't see right away what was causing such havoc but as I got closer ... two south-Asian "froggers"!!! They had succeeded in crossing lanes 1 and 2 (which was my lane) but lane 3 was proving to be fast and congested. So there they stood, in the middle of Sheikh Zayed Road during rush hour. As I whizzed past them, one of the froggers even stepped out of the path of another car but in doing so, stepped into the path of other oncoming traffic ... ME!

I honestly don't know where they thought they were going because even if they made it across all 5 lanes, the median between south-bound traffic and north-bound is a meter-high concrete barrier with a 6-foot steel fence and then another 6 lanes of hair-raising traffic minus the logs, alligators and turtles! Good luck with that one, boys! But other than a minor heart attack, the rest of the trip was uneventful (for me anyway, can't say as I stuck around to see what happened to the froggers.)

Blood money

In relaying the story to Jenn at the mall, she asked me about blood money. I had read that if the victim of a traffic accident was proven to be doing something stupid (like crossing a 5-lane freeway during rush hour), the blood money thing was null and void.

This from the Gulf News:

According to the Sharia, if one causes the death or injury of another person accidentally or intentionally, he or she has to pay blood money or diya. The blood money is to be paid to the victim's family as compensation and the amount is given in accordance with Sharia.

The blood money will only be payable if the person who caused the death of another person is found guilty under criminal procedure or legally responsible for committing a wrongful act, offence or crime.

According to Sharia, the life of a Muslim is evaluated for a larger amount of blood money than people of other religions, faiths or ethnic groups. But in the UAE the blood money is Dh200,000 for all males residing the country, whatever their religion or nationality.

The Sharia grants the family of a female, half the amount for a male, which is Dh 100,000. However, it is left to the judge who is in charge of the case to decide the amount of the blood money.

It was a comforting thought that as a law-abiding motorist, blood money is not automatically awarded because, as in the incident above, the "froggers" clearly have no regard for their own safety. And I would venture to say that some of them do it in the hopes of being "sacrificed" in order to provide for their families. For some of these low-paid, exploited workers making a few hundred dirhams a month, 200K dirhams goes a very long way back in their home country. Sadly they are worth more as road-kill than as un-skilled labour and the courts seem to be more swift in awarding funds due than some of the employers of these workers.

However, my relief in thinking that Sharia Law was fair and just when it comes to blood money was short lived as I read a news article in today's newspaper 7Days:

No jail for Grams

A woman who ran over and killed an Indian worker as he tried to cross one of Dubai’s busiest highways has been banned from driving.

Mum-of-three Sandra Grams, 54, hit the pedestrian when he ran out in front of her on Sheikh Zayed Road on March 18. Yesterday Dubai Traffic Court ordered her to pay dhs150,000 in blood money, a dhs5,000 fine and gave her a six-month driving ban.

Grams, who was on her way home from her office in Abu Dhabi at the time of the accident, said: “It’s a great relief that it’s over but the six-month ban is a bit of a shock.

“My conscious is clear bec-ause I was not speeding, I was not on my mobile and I was concentrating. The man ran into the side of my car and there was nothing I could do.”

The maximum penalty for causing wrongful death of a pedestrian is three years in prison, a dhs30,000 fine and deportation for an expatriate.

The Head of Dubai Traffic Prosecution, Salah Bu Farou-sha, said: “The judge thinks that the man has some responsibility because he crossed from a non-authorised place so the blood money became dhs150,000 instead of the usual dhs200,000.”

Bu Farousha also said the prosecution would consider appealing the verdict.

Grams, who has lived in Dubai for almost 30 years, wants to contact the victim’s family and offer support.

She said: “I think about him and his family all the time. A traffic accident is one thing but a fatality is something else. “I know he was a young man from Kerala and had converted to Buddhism.”

Grams and her family are continuing their campaign for more crossings and greater saf-ety measures on Dubai roads.

Grams’ daughter Daniella has met Road Traffic Authority officials to discuss plans for pedestrians which will be introduced as part of the Metro. Grams said: “I would also like to see a change to the law to protect drivers who find themselves in this situation - when they are involved in an accident that wasn’t their fault.”

The experience of this woman sounds a lot like my "frogger" experience except with a much more macabre ending. This article does not mention charges against the driver, an earlier article in 7Days says that she was charged with "wrongful death of a pedestrian" but it was reported in other publications that she was "powerless to avoid mowing down the pedestrian."

Bottom line is it could happen to anyone. And even if there is nothing you can do, you still have to pay the blood money, a sobering thought. If there was ever a reason to stop texting while driving, this is it. I'm reformed.

The Adventures of Flat Stanley

One of the other reasons I have been too busy to blog, I had a higher purpose, an assignment! A very important assignment for a very important person.

The Assignment: As part of their school work, the kids in my niece's class read a funny book called "Flat Stanley" by Jeff Brown. The book is about a young boy named Stanley who is accidentally squished "as flat as a pancake" when a bulletin board falls on him. The story goes on to tell how Stanley discovers some real advantages to being flat. He can slide under doors, go down into sidewalk grates and even fold himself up small enough to fit into an envelope and be mailed to California for an exciting vacation.

For my assignment, I was asked to "host" Flat Stanley in my city and he also came along on all my other travels. He then gets sent back to the class to tell them of the exiciting things he saw or did while he was away. Flat Stanley is now getting ready to report back to the class with a short movie about his adventures:



(Please note that this is pretty much my first venture into the world of multi-media so all you movie critics, go easy! It took eons to produce even this much ... technical difficulties, learning a new software, running out of memory, a non-existent DVD-burner and a movie camera with an obscure format that is not compatible with anything it seems! If I had another 8 or 9 months, I could do something *really* good! But maybe my British colleague has a point when he talks about "polishing a turd".)

The Case of the Imaginary Blankets

So nearly a month has gone by and no posts ... shame on me! There has been a lot happening in the last few weeks, where to find the time?

I moved out of my apartment in International City which went fairly smoothly. About a week before I left, the washing machine handle broke so that will cost me a little over a thousand dirhams to replace. Sucks but oh well. At least I am paying for an actual physical washing machine and not a figment of the slum-lord's wife's imagination.

A snippet of a conversation from the move-out inspection:

SL's Wife: Where are the linens? (since the apartment was partially furnished, there were some things of the land-lord's there, most of which I didn't actually use.)

Me: What linens? (remembering) Oh, the pillows! They are in the closet. (goes to the closet, opens door, points to pillows on upper shelf)

SL's Wife: Where are the blankets?

Me: Blankets? There were no blankets.

SL's Wife: There were blankets, you have taken them!

Me: Uh there were no blankets. Were they on the list? (pulls out file folder with lease with list of all items present at move-in inspection ... signed by SL himself).

SL: (interject quickly) Oh they weren't on the list.

Me: (puts away the file folder) There were no blankets (weren't on the list my ass!)

SL's Wife: (muttering under her breath) You have taken the blankets.

Stolen Puppies and Good Deeds

For those of you who always say there is nothing good in the news, ya just aren't looking hard enough.

Stolen pup returned with apology note
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

BELLMORE, N.Y. - A stolen $3,000 chihuahua puppy has been returned to a Long Island pet store with an apologetic note.

Nassau County police say they haven't identified the man who took the 14-week-old dog back Tuesday to Worldwide Puppies & Kittens in Bellmore, just east of New York City. Store manager Christina Ingoglia says the man ran away after dropping off the pup in a shoe box. She says he left a note saying the puppy's abductors were sorry they stole it and didn't have the money to buy it.

Police have been looking for four apparently teenage suspects in last week's theft. A surveillance image shows one of the teens smuggling the chihuahua out of the store in his clothing.

Ingoglia says the dog is doing fine.

Canoe.ca

Now, no one can deny that taking the puppy was wrong. Who knows what the "abductors" motive was but one can speculate that they saw the puppy, fell in love with it (puppies are pretty cute ... even Chihuahuas!), couldn't buy it so they stole it. Their motive was probably not malicious; the suspects are teenagers, prone to spontaneous emotions and occasional bad judgement. The kid(s) probably took the puppy home only to find out that ... whoops! ... Mom and/or Dad are not so enamoured!

This is where the miracle in this story lies: somebody (probably the Dad) did the right thing. Continuing the speculation (its my blog so I can do that!), they are probably a family with limited financial means which could mean that the teenage "abductor" is probably more "at risk". Having just shoplifted a puppy, it would seem the kid is in need of some guidance.

At the risk of being caught, charged, exposed or at the very least embarrassed, the Dad took the puppy back to the store no worse for wear which probably took some fortitude on his part and someone took the time to write a note. One shudders to think of the fate of that little creature had the story gone in a different direction, there are more than enough stories out there of abandoned pets and cats in the microwave. Who knows, maybe the pet store is a "puppy mill". It would have been better to read that the Dad marched back into the store with the "abductor" in tow to apologize in person. But all's well that ends well and one can only hope that there was a lesson learned somewhere.

So the morals of the story:
#1 ... everyone makes mistakes. Its what you do after that that matters.
#2 ... not everything in the news is bad!

I'll get down from my soap box now.

Moving ... insha'allah!

The concept of common courtesy and an agreement in good faith are sometimes a bit iffy when dealing with people from other cultures. This is not an absolute truth, it is not always so, but I have come across it more than once ... a subtle prejudice towards white, western ex-pats which says we are rich so its OK to hose us. I am still a bit naive though, believing that what people say is on the up and up and on this premise, I gave a key to my landlord to show the apartment to prospective new tenants. I spelled out a few ground rules: he is to give me ample notice before coming over and under no uncertain terms was he to send over complete strangers with the key to let themselves in and have a look around! He moaned and groaned but finally had to agree that this was fair. Otherwise no key.

Last Saturday at 8pm-ish I had a missed call from the guy. 8:05pm-ish my door bell rings. Standing on my doorstep are my landlord, his daughter and his potential new tenants. WTF? The theatrics of his apology for the intrusion were annoying and amusing at the same time. Of course I was going to let him and his entourage see the place, I have no desire to hamper his efforts to re-rent his property. So I had a bit of fun with him first to make a point, gave him a stern scolding for such inconsideration, squashed his feeble claim that he HAD given me notice (a missed call 5 minutes ago doesn't count!), made him squirm a bit and concede the folly of his ways. Then I let them in.

In coming over unannounced, my landlord didn't do himself any favours. I'm sure his insolence did not go unnoticed by the prospective new tenants. And perhaps he didn't realize that in its normal state, my living quarters are less than tidy as any of my former room-mates can attest. Plus, I had already started packing. No word on the outcome of that viewing.

In parallel with the closing of the International City chapter, I have been seeking out a new place to call home. A former colleague recommended her managment company, Better Homes. Their website is very user friendly, so that's where I started. I decided on some criteria (budget, amenities, location), scouted out a few prospective neighborhoods and fired off some emails. Within a day, an agent called me back and we met to view two of her listings in the Burj area, a building called "8 Boulevard Walk". Both apartments were acceptable but having barely begun my search, I wanted to see a few more and look around in the Dubai Marina, which was one of my top choices. She had no listings there so I contacted one of her colleagues who did.

Another generalization about people I have made here is with respect to those in the real estate biz. Again, this is not an absolute statement but leasing agents rank right near the top of the asininity scale along with taxi drivers, lawyers and arab men on the volleyball court. Better Homes must have a quality control problem with their agents, I got more of a response from their customer relations department asking if I had gotten a response from the agent assigned to my query than I got from the agent herself! As time was quickly passing, I called the agent again. She "wuz gunna" call me and started in on a long, lame story about how terrible her week had been ... kids were sick, car broke down, client stood her up, blah blah blah. On the apartment front, she claimed that the listing I had enquired about was gone (gee, sorry 'bout your luck) and there were no others (Bullshit. Like I said, the BH website is stellar and I saw 6 or 7 other listings that seemed like good candidates), tried to convince me to increase my budget (and by extension, her commission -- hose the ex-pat!), pushed to show a place in a neighborhood I had no interest in (where exactly IS 'The Greens' anyway?) and promised to call to arrange a viewing. Needless to say that didn't go anywhere.

Getting back to the first agent, I decided to take the first apartment we saw, a 1-bedroom on the 20th floor with a view of the Arabian Gulf (and the construction site below but I can live with that) and so far this agent has been excellent. The week has been consumed with negotiating a fair price, paying the deposit, arranging cheques, arranging utilities and packing packing packing (but nothing on the scale of what was required last year! I'm still indebted to all those who helped me ... you know who you are!)

The agreed upon price is at the upper limit of what I was budgeting and I will now have to invest in furniture of my own so the costs will start to add up if I'm not careful. I waffled a bit about this. Despite the downward spiral of the rental market, this is still an expensive city. Perhaps I should look for something cheaper? In a lower-end district? Maybe even stay in International City? Wait a few months for rents to go down? But on one particularly foul drive home last week, the decision was sealed. I had cheaped out in going to IC a year ago and at the time, it served my purposes ... but I want out. I will pay the price and enjoy the view! We will sign the rest of the papers tomorrow ... insha'allah.

Photos from the listing on the Better Homes website (not necessarily my exact unit but same building, very similar):

Many, if not most, rental units in Dubai do not come with an equipped kitchen. Tenants buy their own appliances. In this building, the kitchen is equipped with appliances c/w dishwasher! Oh how I miss my dishwasher!

At my current apartment in IC, the water heater has been suffering a slow death me thinks. As a result, I have not had a HOT shower for months (except when I was in California; if there is now a water shortage there, its my fault!)

The view. Ahhh the view! Yes, that is the Arabian Gulf in the distance. I must admit, this did factor into the equation and tipped the scales in favour of this [more expensive] apartment. I justified this to myself by saying I will further reduce my latte intake so as to off set the extra cost! And it is 10 minutes from the office, so instead of being 35 minutes late every morning, I will only be 5 minutes late! Every little bit helps!

In The News: In Dubai, a renters’ migration takes hold

An interesting and timely article in The National last week about the rental situation in Dubai:

DUBAI // Steadily falling rents across Dubai are spurring a population shift to residential developments in the city that were considered unaffordable less than a year ago, property analysts and residents say. Residents who had opted for inexpensive housing in areas such as Dubai’s International City, Sharjah and even Al Ain are now moving to Dubai Marina and other central areas. Families in two-bedroom flats are searching for three- and four-bedroom villas in upmarket places such as Umm Suqeim and The Springs.

Photo credit: Dubai Marina, which has suddenly become affordable for residents who had been forced to live outside the city. Paulo Vecina / The National

The shift represents an effective reversal of nearly a decade of climbing rents that drove people in search of inexpensive housing to the outskirts of Dubai and into neighbouring emirates.“This is the ultimate flight to quality,” said Blair Hagkull, the Middle East and North Africa managing director for Jones Lang LaSalle, an international commercial property firm.“Before, as things became more expensive, people tended to move further out. But as things become more affordable, people start to have choice and choice is a very powerful motivator. When you’re talking about real estate it’s not just a commodity; it is where people live, work and play and ultimately it’s central to their lives.”

According to Landmark Advisory, a property consultancy firm, rents have fallen significantly in all categories. Deflating prices are also bringing about a change in the bargaining power between landlords and tenants, said Jesse Downs, the head of research at Landmark Advisory. Whereas landlords could demand a full year’s rent eight months ago, tenants are now paying month to month and asking for extra clauses such as 60-day lease terminations.

There is also speculation that rents could fall further as waves of families move back to their home countries after the school year. “It’s hard to quantify it right now,” Ms Downs said, “but my feeling is that in July there will be additional downwards price pressure as schools let out and families make that decision to go home.” The prospect for further declines is already persuading some landlords to take their properties off the market, she said.

What makes this article so timely? Well, some of you may remember that about 11 and a half months ago, I moved to that place called International City for exactly the reason mentioned in the article: sticker shock. International City was cheap (relatively speaking.) And, as the article says, I am looking to upgrade and I have to say, the Marina is up there on my list of favorites!

Just after I returned from my trip to California, I received a call from my land (slum?) lord. In fact I was still in the Airport when he called. We had a conversation that went something like this:

SL: Are you going to renew the lease for the place at which you are staying?

Me: I'm not sure, I just returned from vacation so I will have to get back to you.

SL: When? You were supposed to give two months' notice if you wanted to renew!

This was news to me. To the best of my recollection my agreement expired beginning of May which was a little over a month away. I resurrected the lease, no such clause. I Googled Dubai tenancy laws, nothing there either. I would say he is full of BS but others people have said the same thing as him so I'm really not sure.

Me: What are the terms of the renewal?

SL: (confused) Huh?

Me: How much is the rent?

SL: (still confused) Well, I am raising the rent (like duh!) But for you I will raise it ... say 5000 Dirhams. Only 5000 Dirhams. Just for you.

Now, the laws here with respect to rental increases have been the subject of much discussion and debate and they have flip-flopped a few times. They are nothing short of vague and for the most part, they do not favor the tenant. In searching online, several "directives" have been issued by the powers that be. Directives are not exactly laws, more like "suggestions" of what a law should be.

As of late last year, there is a governing body which oversees real estate called the, "Real Estate Regulatory Authority"; RERA for short. The existence of RERA has managed to bring some sanity to the rental market and has started to rein in the free-wheeling landlords. RERA even have a handy-dandy online "rental increase calculator" to find out if you are subject to an increase! The unfortunate part is that under the relevant "decree" from those same powers that be, until a rule is published in the official gazette, it may not be considered “effective.” Again, a law that is not really a law. The waters get even muddier. But in my research on Dubai rental laws/rules/directives/whatever happens to be in effect at the moment, no where did I see anything to suggeste that his generous offer to raise the rent by "only" 5000 dirhams ($1648CDN) per year was legal.

Irrespective of laws (or lack there of), one can never ignore the forces of the free market. More than likely, my landlord is fully aware of the new market but me thinks he's playing dumb to see how much I know.

The conversation continues:

Me: how many cheques are you asking for?

SL: (still confused and now audibly irked) One!

Me: SEE ya! Wouldn't wanna BEE ya!

OK, I didn't really say that last part (with my outside voice) and in reality, I had made the decision to move elsewhere long before he called to ask about renewal. International City was a good start for me here: it was affordable and the suite was partially furnished. Those were the "pros". Now for the "cons" since I have been here a while:

Smelly outside.

Smelly inside.

Remote location and virtually no amenities.

No hot water. Luke-warm? Yes, Hot? No.

Perpeturally stopped up sinks and plugged toilets (... and no, it nothing to do with the fiber in my diet!)

The orange couch (and matching drapes).

Did I mention that it is smelly outside? ... and inside?

Random Pictures: Tower Tour

I have been wanting to do a "tower tour" of Dubai since I arrived but for various reasons (such as not having a camera) I didn't get around to it. Today started out with an entirely different plan but as things often go in my world, I got side-tracked and spent the afternoon driving around and taking pictures. I'm not going to post a lot of details about the buildings, check facts, etc; that takes more time than I have right now but in future posts, I hope to do "profile" of some of these buildings with more information, photos, useless trivia where possible. They really are amazing when you start to look around here.

All the photos here were taken by yours truly. I state up front that I am definitely NOT a seasoned photographer so be kind in your critique! And of course, I am missing some of the other famous ones. There is only so much toodling one can do in a day.

So without further adieu, here are the results of today's adventures ... enjoy!


Dubai skyline.










Dubai skyline.











This is the one that started it all: the Trade Center. It was erected in the very early 90's when there was nothing around but sand and a road to Abu Dhabi. It was the beginning of a vision... but not necessarily a plan.


















And there she be: The Burj Dubai. Currently the tallest free-standing man-made structure in the world, at least last time I checked it was. It is scheduled for completion later this year. This is a project being managed by our people however I have not yet succeeded in convincing them to let me visit the top. A few base-jumping lunatics managed to get up there and jump. The authorities didn't really have a sense of humour about that and security is now pretty much air tight.














Towers towers and more towers! Business Bay area.











This is the building that inspired today's toodling! I have seen renderings and photos and thought it was one of those crazy pipe-dream designs that would never be built. To my amazement, its for real and its kewl! Its marooned in the midst of a massive construction zone, I had to trespass on some rather ropey construction access roads to get even that close! Surprisingly, I was not the only one cruising the back roads taking pictures and even more surprising, security was pretty much non-existent around these ones.












Jumeirah Emirates Towers. This pair are an icon of the Dubai skyline and they also happen to be a NORR project. The taller of the two is offices and the other a hotel. Our office is on the third floor. Unfortunately I no longer have a window office. Times are tough. :-(















Emirates Towers again.











Not sure what this one is but I like it.



Monarch Towers, one is a hotel, the other is offices.



8 Boulevard Walk in the Business Bay / Old Town district. Kinda plain-Jane tower you say, what's so special about it? I am moving at the end of this month (more on that later) and I looked at a couple of apartments in this building. Nice area if you don't mind the construction!



8 Boulevard Walk and it's famous neighbour, the Burj.



Etisilat (phone company) building near the Trade Center. I believe this is supposed to resemble an Arab man in his robe. Most of the Etisilat buildings have the ball on top which on this one is cleverly disguised as the man's head!



The Etisilat building from the rear. What's nice about this one is as a new-comer to Dubai and not knowing where I was half the time, this building was a beacon! I could usually figger out where I was just by which side if this big guy I was looking at. One of those small things that get ya by!



The new metro station nearest Defense Round-about. The metro is scheduled to start operation in September 2009.



Not sure what the building is (apartments?) but this picture shows a "wind tower". In the pre-a/c era, this was a natural ventilation system that captured the breezes higher up to cool the living spaces below.


Yes indeedy-dooo that says 35 degrees Celcius! Summer is coming.

In the News: Good News for All Private Sector Employees in the UAE (Local Banks are also included)

This came around via email this morning courtesy of a colleague:

GOOD NEWS!!!!!!

The Finance Minister of UAE has approved a rule which comes into effect on 01.04.2009 and it states that all privately held companies need to give a minimum salary increment of 15% to all employees every six months during the years of recession.

This comes as a relief to petitioners appealing against the growing work hours in the privately held organizations (including private banks) and which do not have a proper system to check overtime. The rule further mentions that all employees be provided a minimum of 30 days of casual leave every year.

Please see the attached document for the list of companies which will be brought under the umbrella of the new rule in the first round of implementation. And if the name of your company features in the list, kindly circulate this mail amongst your colleagues.

Of course this was very interesting and exciting news but it smelled fishy from the get go ... I did not fall of the apple cart yesterday! But because one has to investigate all that seems too good to be true ... (30 days of casual leave? Count me in! And a raise to boot!) ... I opened the attachment:












Bummer. Oh well, back to work I go.

Happy One-Year Anniversary To Me!

Who woulda thunk it ... one whole year in Dubai already and what a crazy year it has been! Actually Saturday morning would have been exactly a year since I landed here; the thought occurred to me as I was landing in Dubai on Saturday evening from my trip to LA ... almost exactly one year later.

In some ways it seems like I just got here and in other ways, it seems like I've been here a life-time. And just because I am all nostalgic about life and home and what the future may or may not hold, here is a picture of my home town in Saskatchewan (I scoffed it off of someone's Facebook profile ... I know, shame on me.)




In some ways, you can never go home again. But then again, as long as you have it in your mind's eye, its kinda like you never really left.

A toast ... to homes of the past, the present and the future ... !

The Calm After the Storm

Just realized I have not posted since Black Thursday a few weeks ago. At the end of the day, about half the company was gone. Within the office itself, there was some downsizing, purging, re-shuffling and consolidation and things have settled down into a "new normal". New normal is rather quiet and morose.

Back from Holidays in California

Well, I guess I can't really complain about how rough things have been since I just returned from another week's vacation. Sweetie and I met up for a Christmas/New Year/Valentine/Sweetie's birthday rendezvous this past week. For various reasons, Los Angeles, California was our destination of choice and other than the 17 hour direct flight from DXB to LAX (ugh!), it was an enjoyable, relaxing break.

Here's a few photos, will post more and video (insha'allah) a bit later.
Photo credit: some of these are my own photos but the good photos are from Sweetie's camera.

J Paul Getty Museum. I enjoyed this a lot, not that I am a big "art" fan or anything but the architecture is amazing! Definitely worth the visit ... which, other than a $10 fee for parking, is free! Yes, FREE! Like, what in this world is ever free?! But indeed, this was.

Posing with the statues in front of the Museum is also free. Hey, other people were doing much more riskee poses!


Venice Beach in 60mph winds! One can really see how those California wild fires spread out of control!

Hollywood walk of fame. I dunno, a bit too cheesy for my liking.

Sweetie and his puppy at the start of our hike near Big Bear Lake. He is a recent convert to Starbucks.

The destination of the hike was an outcropping of rocks at about 7000 feet elevation (2300m). Yes, indeed I am wearing the absolute worst footwear for such an activity and yes, my feeties were a little cold by the time we finished the hike! But the view of the area was worth the effort.

This is me, slip-sliding down the mountain!!! Freddie: you would have been proud :-)

Thank Gawd we didn't see the creature that goes with this paw print! If I watched a few more episodes of "Man Tracker", I would probably know what it is, Sweetie says it is probably a wolf (on steroids me thinks!) In the wilderness, one does not have to run fast, one only needs to run faster than at least one other on the trail. For next time, note to self about the shoes, me thinks even Jazz, the 15-pound Pekingese would have out run me in my slippers!



A 15-hour flight home, one quick stop at the duty-free and that was the end of my holidays. Tomorrow will be the dreaded first day back after vacation combined with across the planet jet-lag -- should be interesting!

Next adventure in a little over a month when my friend will be visiting.

Economic Crisis: A Day in the Life

6:05am: My alarm rings; I hit snooze.

6:15am: My alarm rings; I hit snooze.

6:25am: My alarm rings; I hit snooze ... but I wake up enough to remember that its Thursday, I must get up soon.

6:35am: My alarm rings; I hit snooze. But this time I actually do get out of bed.

8:19am: In my usual style, I am late. Parking is always gnarly at this time of day. I cruise by my favourite parking area next to Emirates Towers in hopes that there will still be space and low and behold, there is! Lots of space.

One of the silver linings of the recent downsizing of Dubai is this: when an employee's job is terminated in the UAE, so too is their residency. As companies down-size en masse, so too are employee's visas expiring and they must leave. The mass exodus of people means less cars and a noticeable easing of traffic and parking. A small relief for those of us who remain.

8:33am: The Design Manager walks through our department. He is dressed in black. The Production Manager (my boss) arrives also wearing his funeral best.

8:53am: An impromptu meeting for all the Production staff. As we make our way to the conference room, my Iraqi friend makes an insightful reference to the Tom Hanks movie, "The Green Mile" with one notable difference: our carpet is (or once was) burgundy. Though recently cleaned, it is visibly "mature" beyond its life expectancy but not likely to be replaced any time soon.

It would seem this week's rumour mill and my 'Black Thursday' theory are correct and as a group, we are confronted with the reality of it: we cannot escape the effects of the economic crisis. There will be changes. Expect lay-offs. LOTS of lay-offs. Half of the people in the room by the end of the day. For those who remain: salary reduction. Throughout the day, one by one, each individual can expect a letter from management and a private meeting which reveals their fate.

And so begins the wait.

9:17am: We return to our desks. My fellow Job Captain and I are quietly joking about the letter scenario, likening it to American Idol auditions: the contestants who get the axe leave dejected and humiliated; the winners emerge jumping and cheering and waving their paper in the air.

9:20am: I had a "take-away" Starbucks this morning so no cup to clean. I begin cleaning my desk, sorting, filing, purging. There are no guarantees but there is comfort in tying up loose ends.

9:31am: Since my scale grew legs several months ago, I frequently borrow one from my Lebanese friend. Yesterday he asked me a strange question: do we need to return the "goody bag" we all got when we were hired? Today he asks me if I want a kettle and a clothes iron ... he is downsizing, he says. Come on Dude, I say, you haven't even received your letter of truth yet so how do you know?! I find out later that he had advance notice as to what his letter would say.

10:42am: A long time employee is beckoned to the office. There is discussion. He returns to his desk and he appears calm and normal.

Since my stapler grew legs several months ago, I go to borrow his; we share a chuckle over the color ... hot pink! (apparently he is comfortable with his masculinity). It is only when he hands me the stapler along with a box of paperclips, post-it notes, a needle nose pliers (huh?) and the drawings he has been working on that I realize all is not well. But he is not fazed. He is busily cleaning his desk and explains that our Manager has probably found him an alternate position within the organization for which he is most grateful. I have no idea if I should accept the items from him, I have not yet received my letter of truth.

11:15am: My fellow Job Captain goes to the office. He leaves. He doesn't look happy.

12:21pm: An email from the Office Manger; there will be an office gathering in "the pit" at 4 o'clock. If one didn't know the situation, it would seem like a celebration. Rather strange.

1:23pm: Lunch. I rarely stop for lunch, opting instead to stay at my desk and continue working. But today I have my sandwich on the Terrace in the company of the other long faces from the office, some of which already know their fate. Ironically (or perhaps by design), the lone Production Department casualty from the previous Black Thursday stops by to say hello. He is well but his wife was recently laid off and they are now preparing to move back to India.

2:06pm: Return from lunch. Nothing much happening in our department. The wait continues. So does the cleaning.

2:13pm: In my bottom drawer, I discover a small bag of Inukshuk pins from my Yellowknife friend. I had forgotten about them! She gave them to me with the intent that I give them away as gifts and today seems like as good a day as any. I explain several times where the pins come from and what is an Inukshuk (and then repeat the word "Inukshuk"; I'm not even sure I pronounce it correctly but no one here knows any better). On an otherwise gloomy day, it brings a few smiles.

3:25pm: "I'm out" ... the message from my Engineer friend and Hong Kong travel companion.

3:29pm: My friend Sofia and I lament the loss of our Engineer friend. Sofia already knows she is safe. I am still waiting.

3:33pm: The draftsman who sits beside me comes to my desk. My scissors grew legs several months ago and I frequently borrow his. Seems he is now bequeathing them to me. I tell him that I am so sorry to hear that he is leaving but he replies that he is not sad. He understands the situation and was expecting it. He will be returning to the Philippines.

3:36pm: An incoming call from my colleague in Abu Dhabi. We are very close to the end of a lengthy and particularly arduous process with the Municipality; he has one more request to complete this, he will email the details in the next few days. Uh, I dunno, I say, you better send it today.

3:52pm: Seems the private meetings are running a bit longer than expected so to speed up the process, we are now facing the "letter squad" in groups. Four of us are summoned together, including my favourite draftsman. We are in the second category, we will be staying. A collective sigh of relief. A salary cut is the lesser of the two evils.

4:13pm: Hor d'erves and a speech from the CEO. It is gracious and apologetic. Samosas make a suitable comfort food.

4:54pm and onwards: a steady stream of good bye's, good luck's and keep in touch'es. No one is surprised but for some this will mean certain hardship. Some are already looking for other work, some will go home.

My Iraqi friend brought his camera for one last group photo. I am losing my favourite Arabic tutor. Just yesterday he taught me a new Arabic word, "KHattah!" ("shit!")

5:10pm: Another call from my colleague in Abu Dhabi. He has one more task for me. I inform him that I will indeed be back on Sunday and will complete it then. We chat for a few minutes, seems that in total, about 40 people were released. A sizable number for a company our size.

5:35pm: A few of the survivors linger in a dwindling group. My fellow Job Captain who had left earlier returns and enquires if I have moved into his office yet??? I say, no. I was eyeing it up a few months ago when, under much better circumstances, he was vacating. But not today.

5:50pm: I head home. Twas a long, crazy day. I am tired and going to sleep early.

Sunday will be a new normal around here.

The Wardrobe Watch

The rumour-mill is churning. Seems the big project that currently consumes most the office (and most of my free time lately!) is on shaky ground right now and another round of lay-offs is imminent (so says the rumour-mill). Black Thursday ... deja-vu all over again.

During the previous rounds of cuts, I was fairly confident that I held the immunity idol -- the projects I was associated with were strong. In fact, in the January carnage, our department let go of only one person. But things have changed. One project is all but wrapped up, others are officially and indefinitely on hold and this one is teetering on the edge. While I believe my name is not at the top of the list, there are no guarantees. I could very well get voted off the island. Or, if I'm lucky, I may be given a choice among a few other options, some of which are better than others. It will be an interesting week.

I have a theory as to why it has become known as "Black Thursday". The 'Thursday' part is obvious because ... well, these things usually happen on a Thursday (which, for those of you who are wondering, is the end of the work week here). The 'Black' part comes from observing the managers on these auspicious Thursdays: seems they reserve the same attire for lay-offs and funerals. Coincidence? Conspiracy? Company policy? I dunno. I just know that any morning I see my manager arrive wearing all black, I will go clean out my coffee cup ... just in case.

Going to Larnaca, Cyprus

Unlike Canada (especially Alberta), there are very few long weekends here (December 2008 was an exception more public holidays than working days!) As happens with all the Muslim holidays it seems, it was announced on very short notice that Saturday will be Prophet Mohammed (PBUH)'s birthday. For the private sector, this means Sunday is a public holiday.

PBUH = Peace Be Upon Him. This is a phrase used to refer to certain deceased people of significant importance (Wikipedia).

Since I have been working like a dog for what feels like an eternity and after speaking with a co-worker about her vacation to Thailand next week (can you say green with envy?!), I decided I need to have another travel adventure too.

So this weekend I am going to Larnaca, Cyprus. Why Larnaca you may ask? Or more importantly where is Larnaca??? Well, south of Turkey, west of Syria, north of Egypt, east of Greece. As for why? It is relatively cheap, it is relatively close geographically, it does not have complicated Visa requirements and it is (apparently) the best diving in the region! I'm there!!!

Fact Sheet:

Official Title: Republic of Cyprus

Capital: NicosiaPopulation (million): 0.79

Total Area: 9,250 km2

Currency: 1 CAN$ = 0.38 pound (CYP)(2008)

National Holiday: October 1, Independence Day (1960)

Language(s): Greek, Turkish, English

Government of Canada Travel Advisories website:

There is no Official Warning for this country

Most Canadian visitors to Cyprus do not experience problems. Exercise normal security precautions and ensure personal belongings, passports, and other travel documents are secure at all times.

Cyprus is an independent country that continues to be divided into two de facto autonomous areas and, contrary to United Nations resolutions, into two separate zones. The Government of the Republic of Cyprus, the internationally recognized authority, exercises control only in the Greek Cypriot southern part of the island. The northern area operates under an autonomous Turkish Cypriot administration.

Exercise caution, as driving standards are poor. While modern highways link the major cities, rural and mountain roads are often narrow, winding, and poorly maintained. Enforcement of traffic laws and regulations is inconsistent. Running of traffic lights, speeding, and tailgating are common causes of accidents.


Canada Cyprus relations:

Canada and Cyprus enjoy close bilateral relations through our shared membership in the UN and many of its agencies, the OSCE, and the Commonwealth where the ongoing dispute between Greek and Turkish Cypriots is regularly discussed. Canada has been very active in seeking a negotiated settlement of the Cyprus question since it first deployed troops as a major contributor to the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) when it was formed in 1964. Before the withdrawal of the Canadian contingent in 1993, over 50,000 Canadian soldiers served in UNFICYP, 28 of whom lost their lives while deployed.
Trade and Investment


Bilateral commercial relations with Cyprus remain relatively modest. Canada’s exports are mostly machinery, wood products and vegetables. Canadian imports from Cyprus are mostly ships and boats, machinery and edible fruits and nuts.

In the (Canadian) News: Dub-ya to Speak in Cowtown

The UAE newspapers carry a surprising amount of Canadian content ... news, events, hockey scores. I read in The Gulf News this afternoon that George W. Bush will be speaking in Calgary next month. I can't find the article on the GN website but a quick Google search turns up plenty of hits. Since all the news agencies seem to get their stories from the same place, here is a mash-up of what's out there (spelling mistakes and all!):

Bush to speak to Calgary audience

Former U.S. president George W. Bush will give one of his first speeches since leaving office to a Calgary audience next month.

"It's our understanding it's one of the first -- if not the first -- times he'll speak since leaving office," said Geoff Pradella, vice-president of public and government affairs at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, which is partnering in the event.

Organizers Andy McCreath and Christian Darbyshire said Bush will speak to an anticipated audience of 1,500 at a private event on March 17 at the Telus Convention Centre. Darbyshire declined to give details on how much tickets will cost, what Bush will speak about or whether the former president is being paid for his appearance. The same organizers reportedly paid former U.S. president Bill Clinton $150,000 for a March 2006 speech in Edmonton, and have hired Lance Armstrong and Colin Powell for other high-profile speaking engagements in the past.

Invitations to the event say Bush will share his thoughts "on eight momentous years in the Oval Office. "The former president will also speak about "the challenges facing the world in the 21st century." The American Chamber of Commerce in Canada whose goal is to promote Canada/U.S trade is all for Bush's decision to speak in Calgary, says its executive director Norman Leach; "When George Bush speaks here and it is the first one on his speaking tour, people around the world are going to note that Calgary is in those leagues of the Londons and New Yorks and Paris'."

Mount Royal College political scientist Duane Bratt predicts protests but also says there will be many willing to pay what are expected to be lofty ticket prices to hear Bush speak; "The draw that you get is the draw of the presidency, the draw of the office, I mean this is the guy who held the highest post in the world for eight years."

An appearance in Calgary is a good way for the former president to try "dipping his toe" in the public arena, said David Taras, a University of Calgary political science professor. "I think he's probably nervous about how he'll be received, and so Calgary's a safe place," he said, pointing out the city is very conservative and pro-American.

... news of the appearance was given a muted response from Alberta's premier. When Ed Stelmach was asked in a news conference yesterday what he thought of the former president's visit to Alberta, he didn't exactly call out the Welcome Wagon for Bush. "He's a free man," said Stelmach. "He can travel to any country he wants."

(Gotta love steady Eddie ... he calls 'em as he sees 'em!)

CTV
CBC
Canoe.ca
The Toronto Star
CHCA News
ViveleCanada.ca
CityTV

Some reader comments from around cyberspace:

So, the war criminal president is speaking before a private audiance of supportive Canadians. The public is not invited. Sounds like the same stuff he was doing when he was pres. It just seems more pathetic now. He needs to watch out for being arrested for war crimes and having shoes thrown at him. That's quite a leader we just had.

Bush is not coming to Canada to address Canadians, we want no part of him. Bush is coming to downtown Calgary to address the executives of American Oil Companies that have co-opted Canada's petroleum reserves through the corruption and take-over of our democratically elected government.The streets will be lined with citizens holding shoes. (GWB should be so lucky to see citizens only holding their shoes, it's the flying ones he's gotta be worried about!)

Not doing themselves any favours: Albertans have a bit of a reputation as rednecks. Having Bush speak in Calgary isn't going to go very far in dispelling that myth.

1500 invited? Wow! That's 3000 shoes!

Now do I wear my Adidas or Nike shoes? My Sorel boots would hurt more, but they might be hard to throw.

Forget about wearing sneakers, wear ice skates instead.

The former president will also speak about "the challenges facing the world in the 21st century." Does this fool not realise that these "challenges" are the Bush legacy to the world. I hope nobody tells this clown that cowboy boots are the preferred choice of footwear in Calgary.

Why would any one pay to see a chimp trying to speak? C'mon Canadians! something little heavier than a leather shoe this time please..how about a steel toe boot?

Will the Comedy Channel care it?

LOL Bush is going to "speak"? Funny, he couln't speak for 8 years! He couldn't even put a sentence together with verbs, nouns, etc. Did he all of a sudden learn a new trick? 'Spot, roll over", "Fido: sit up". "Rover: fetch". You might know he was going to speak to an Oil company! Go figure! I'm like the others here! Lock the border! Don't let him back in! He committed "war" crimes. He committed crimes against this country! :(

... please don't call george bush a no good dog. It gives all dogs a bad name and the dogs certainly don't deserve to be lumped in the same category as little george.

Who gives a rats fat butt if the former president comes to Alberta or Canada for that matter. He clearly had nothing but distaine for our country when he was president. I think we shoud make him feel as welcome as he made Canada feel. Honestly, I coudnt imagine that there are 1500 people that hard up for something to do with their evening! Might I suggest dinner and a movie!

I'm not a fan of "W" but admit, I would go see him just out of curiosity, kinda like driving by a car crash. My invitation to the private event was probably lost in the mail though. As an aside, I saw the movie "W" a month ago, kind of a bizarre movie -- part docu-drama, part parody -- I suggest waiting until it comes out on DVD ... or the discount bins at Walmart.

I like president George W. Bush. A lot. Always have. In spite of what the press reports and the late night comedians portray, he is fundamentally a decent man. President Bush is far smarter, more articulate and less ideological than his plentiful detractors scream, and, ultimately, he will be judged by history - not by vengeful Democrats, hate-filled Hollywood, envy filled Canadians, corrupt foreign governments, an imploding mainstream media or fleeting approval ratings. Most Canadians and Americans pay closer attention to American Idol than to Operation Iraqi Freedom. Intelligent independent critical thinking is absent. When peace and prosperity come to the Middle East, and it will, the President Obama and the Democrats and left wing media will attempt to claim it as their success. But history will judge Bush according to his Bush Doctrine and will judge him kindly. He will receive the credit for that success, and will receive the Nobel Peace prize circa 2030.

As far as I am concerned, former President Bush is always welcome here in Canada.

I put these last two in here because they were the only pro-Bush comments I read. Perhaps there will only be 2,996 shoes thrown his way.

So Dubya will "share his thoughts on eight years in office" Did he have any?

Yup, apparently he did! Read on:

MAKE THE PIE HIGHER
by George W Bush
I think we all agree, the past is over. This is still a dangerous world. It's a world of madmen and uncertaintyand potential mental loses. Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?Will the highways of the internet become more few?

How many hands have I shaked? They misunderestimate me. I am a pitbull on the pantleg of opportunity. I know that the human being and the fish can coexist. Families is where our nation finds hope, where ourwings take dream. Put food on your family! Knock down the tollbooth Vulcanize society! Make the pie higher! Make the pie higher!
(ha ha ... the spell/grammar checker had fun with that one!)

Maybe they ought to change the title of his debut speech as past-president. My suggestion: "Make the PILE higher."

Locked out: A Keyless Saga

About 2 weeks ago I called the Mitsubishi dealership for an appointment to have the Pajero serviced, which was long overdue. This morning was the day to take it in. After an hour and a half search all through Al Quoz, I finally found the damned place! By this time, work was already calling -- three missed calls and a "where are you?" SMS -- so I hurriedly filled out the service forms, handed over the keys and zipped off to join the work day already in progress. It was a relatively normal day but then a strange feeling as I was leaving to catch a taxi home: I gave away my vehicle key which, unfortunately, still has my apartment key attached! Doh! How was I going to get in???

Plan A: call the dealership, take a taxi there, get my key and then taxi home. Nope. Al Habtoor Motors closes at 1:30pm on Thursdays (and customer service as we know it is virtually non-existent here ... no after-hours number, no answering service, not even a "call back when we're open" recorded message!) And tomorrow is the weekend so they will not re-open until Saturday. Doh!

Plan B: Did I happen to stash a key outside my apartment? I remember thinking I should do that for exactly this kind of situation. But did I do it? I couldn't remember. I remember having a mental debate of the pros and cons of a stashed key; the pro being peace of mind, the con being security. Obviously security won out. Or I just never finished that thought. Either way, no stashed key.

I was starting to feel very drained. It was the end of a long, busy day. What if I can't get in? Where will I go? I could call someone and ask to crash on their couch ... but how embarrassing! Will I have to wander the streets of Dubai for the next 36 hours until the garage re-opens and I can get my key back? The mental picture that was emerging was not appealing.

Plan C: If all else fails, go to a hotel. Just need a bed to sleep. Wouldn't be the end of the world. I've often thought I would like to stay at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel, maybe I could do that tonight? I hear it is very nice albeit a bit pricey! The same clothes for 36 more hours? Nah, go buy new ones, that's what credit cards are for! Heck, it could be like a mini vacation! Room Service, satellite TV, a beer from the mini-bar! Maybe this won't be so bad after all!

Plan D: There's a locksmith a few blocks from my building. Twenty minutes and 200 Dirhams later, I was home. I was kind of balking at the price but compared to Plan C, it was the more sensible solution.

As the locksmith was finishing up, the conversation went like this:

"Madam, we have 24-hour emergency service. I forgot my
business cards back at the shop. Perhaps I will bring you one."

"That's OK, I already have one. Maybe I should put it in my
wallet for next time (ha ha!)"

"Maybe you should put one of your spare keys in your
wallet."

Touché.

Random Pictures

I bought a video camera in October but have barely used it yet. On Saturday, one of my few days off in the last little while, I was gonna go to the Ras al Khor bird sancuary, something I have intended to do for a long time. I drive by the flocks of flamingos and hurons(?) everyday and I want to get some pictures. I got to the sanctuary only to discover that my battery was out of juice :-( Yes, I should probably just stick to being Rhonda's sherpa. Ras al Khor will have to be another time.

For still shots, this camera is surpisingly poor. I think I will end up buying a digital camera afterall. None the less, with battery charged, I took a few random shots on my way home tonight.




The new Dubai World Trade Center under construction across the street from Emirates Towers. I can see this from the window of our offices. When I arrived DWTC was just a big hole in the sand. All year they've been busily building building building ... hauling, piling, forming, pouring ... but its still pretty much only at ground level.







Everything here that is green is irrigated. If not irrigated, it quickly tuns brown. The grounds of Emirates Towers are very lush and green, it is a lovely area except when the sprinklers come on at night. They use "grey water" to irrigate and the smell is ... uh ... less than fresh.




The shopping center nearest International City is the Dragonmart. Also known as "China Mall". There doesn't seem to be a very big oriental population here but those that are here seem to congergate at the Dragonmart. The bottom left corner is a bit fountain with dragons spewing water.



This is Russia cluster in International City. I do not live in Russia cluster. All that water you see in front of the building? Not really water. More like sewage overflow and yes, it has flooded that whole side of the street. Suddenly grey water does not seem so bad!

Italy cluster. Home sweet home. Well, until my lease comes up in May anyway. One of the benefits of the economic bust and the exodus of ex-pats en masse is the supply and demand graph is ever so slighty tipped in favour of the tenant and the ridculous rents demanded by greedy landlords a year ago are ever so slightly less ridiculous now.

UPDATED: A Sign of the Times

One day I will figger out all the intricacies and nifty tricks of the blogosphere. There is a way to "backtrack" to another blog but at the moment, I don't have the time so I have to just plagiarize in my usual way.


Anyhow, here is the subject of this post:

I first heard about this on a radio interview with the Porsche owner, Andy, a Construction PM who was (obviously) looking for a new job here. He said the back of the car needed to be "redone" anyway so he wrote on it.

The photo was taken by "Seabee" and posted on his blog Life in Dubai. The media in the UK picked up on it and from there the photo and the story have circled the globe! "Seabee" called in during the radio interview and talked about why he took the photo. Kind of a sign of the times.

Losing your job here is a big deal. One must be "sponsored" in order to live here and for most of us, that is our employers. The employment laws are rather convoluted but as I understand it, when one loses their job, your Visa is cancelled and you have a one month grace period (maybe two if your employer is generous) to either find another job (or sponsor) or leave the country. Since employment prospects are rather grim now, many people are pretty much forced to pack up and go home.

**************************************

UPDATE: 28 February 09

The good news for Porsche-Guy (aka Andrew Blair) is that all the exposure around the photo of his car resulted in a new job. Someone called the number enquiring about the car and ended up hiring him. Nice to hear. The National newspaper.

The bad news for Porsche-Guy is because of all the exposure around the photo of his car, his driving record and outstanding fines came under scrutiny and the car was impounded! In Dubai, one can go to the Dubai Police website, type in a license plate number (not necessarily your own) and see all the dirty little secrets of that car's owner. Since the plate number was on the original photo, some bloggers with more free time than I have checked it out; seems he had 3,850 Dirhams ($1,336CDN) in unpaid fines.

Porsche-guy says he has been humbled by the experience (having to take taxis everywhere will do that to ya!), it has opened his eyes to the fragility of this place and alls well that ends well

Incidentally, I have 1,500 Dirhams ($520CDN) in fines. They opened up the new Za'abeel Road a while back and I was using that beautiful new 3-lane freeway everyday for a few weeks before I noticed that the speed limit is only 80kph. Dubai is more or less "tax-free" but they've got other ways of generating revenue.

The Jack-Ass in Court

Yesterday (or today if you are on that side of the planet) was the next court appearance in Calgary for my jack-ass ex-boyfriend. This was for the charges filed against him on my behalf from our "domestic incident" five and a half years ago.

When I attended court in November, the judge ordered him to attend anger management counselling and he was to reappear in court on February 20th. If he completed the counselling program at that time, the charges would be dropped; if he did not, the case would go to trial.

The good news from yesterday is that the charges were not dropped. Judging from the attitude of the Crown Prosecutor in November, I half expected that the whole thing would be dismissed whether he fulfilled his end of the deal or not. He has requested more time and the matter was adjourned until April 15th.

The bad news is he obviously has not had counselling yet. I don't know the reason for the adjournment but it is probable that the counselling services have a long waiting list. Or he is just so messed up that the counsellors are still trying to figger out what to do with him.

Or (my conspiracy theory) he is exploiting the system again. In the same way he hid from the law for 5 years so the charges would eventually fall off the books, he is applying the same stall tactics through the courts except that he now has a lawyer who's as slippery as they come.

I saw the inner workings of his psyche when we were together and I have no reason to believe there is anything different now. He has a deep down need to "get away with it" ... "it" being anything he can! Sneaking into movies, a free meal, excessive use store return/refund policies (buy it, use it, throw a loud and public tantrum if they will not take it back), use of people's things (computers, cameras, vehicles) without their knowledge and/or consent, driving without a licence, continuing to "play the field" ... the list goes on and on. Any means necessary to perpetuate his free ride is justified in his mind and that includes lies, bullying and physical force. Having seen first hand the lengths he went to to try and get out of the charges against him by another previous ex-girlfriend, I am happy to be out of the country and out of reach. Fortunately he did not succeed in weaselling his way out, he was convicted but then failed to complete his sentances. My fear is that he will get a counsellor who buys into his crap instead of digging for the truth and looking for a real solution to the "Rick" problem.

So its not over yet. And in the mean time he is still out there, probably looking for his next meal ticket.

On another note, a couple of people I know saw a psychic a few weeks ago and the predictions she gave have been eerily accurate so far! I am curious but at the same time, not sure I want to know. I called anyway; she is fully booked for the next few months. Coincidently, I have an appointment to see her in April just a few days before jack-ass ex-boyfriend's next court date. Since the courts and the 'system' are not too forthcoming with information, maybe she will tell me what's going on and how this is all going to end!!!

In The News: UAE to safeguard jobs of nationals

A new law came into effect this week regulating the termination of an Emirati national's employment. They can not be made redundant for "flimsy" reasons. Here is a mash up of clips and quotes from The Financial Times, The National and The Gulf News:

UAE to safeguard jobs of nationals

The United Arab Emirates labour ministry on Wednesday said it would regulate the dismissal of nationals working in the private sector, raising another level of protection around the local workforce as the ravages of the financial crisis cut deep into the Gulf state.

Issued by Saqr Gobash, labour minister, the order threatens to raise concerns among investors in the Arab world’s second-largest economy as the financial crisis forces companies to trim staff levels that ballooned during the six-year petrodollar boom.

Property and financial companies, especially in Dubai, have been shedding staff since the credit crunch triggered a real estate crash in the emirates. The gloom has spread to other previously vibrant sectors, such as tourism, with the recently opened Atlantis hotel cutting staff and Dubai hospitality giant Jumeirah planning redundancies.

Any company wanting to terminate the employment contract of a UAE national must be able to prove that the worker is inefficient or has violated labour laws:

• absenteeism


• arriving to work under the influence of alcohol (if most are Muslim, is this really a problem???)


• stealing from the company


• forging identity documents


• non-performance of basic duties. "The decision is to regulate the termination of Emiratis working in the private sector. It does not deprive the employer of the right to hold Emiratis accountable for their low-performance," said Bin Deemas.


• committing mistakes, which result in substantial material loss for the employer
  

The economic downturn will not be reason enough to make Emirati staff redundant. Even in cases where Emiratis underperform or their positions are scrapped in a general staff reduction, they must be retained in other roles.

Employers seeking to dismiss locals will have to apply to the labour ministry 30 days in advance of any termination order, Humaid bin Demas, acting director general of the labour ministry, said at the ministry’s Dubai office.

One human resources officer, who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue, said the move could affect the flexibility of employers and hurt Dubai’s competitiveness. Emiratis already have stronger employment rights than expatriate counterparts, and firing nationals is tricky, say employers.

A corporate headhunter, however, said the policy was a “knee-jerk reaction” by the Government that “could backfire”.

“I have lived in Middle East and Saudi Arabia for over 16 years. where they had passed policies like this that have led to a huge problems in the workforce,” said Jack Montgomery, an independent executive-recruitment consultant based in Dubai. “In Saudi you will find locals not hiring locals because when they do hire them they find it extremely difficult to shift them. “Companies would now avoid hiring Emiratis when once they looked for nationals as a matter of pride and as the face of the organisation.”

Mr Montgomery said companies with a large number Emirati employees – especially banks, where up to half the employees are Emiratis – would be affected the most. “Usually when companies are laying off people it means it is either folding the company or getting rid of those who underperform. So now, where would companies get the money to retrain Emirati staff that they can’t shift to another department? Especially in a time like this it would be difficult.”

The ministry passed the order after studying a proposal from a government body that promotes local employees in the private sector, which highlighted the case earlier this month of 20 nationals made redundant by local conglomerate Al Futtaim Group, which has extensive retail and real estate interests.

Al Futtaim Group had said they were terminated because the company was "restructured in light of the current global financial crisis." In reference to about 20 Emiratis who were made redundant last week by Al Futtaim Group, Mr bin Demas said: “It is our social responsibility to keep all Emiratis in work, and I would like to play down fears that people are losing their jobs because they are not and you can see that by the number of complaints we have had in the last year.” He said the Al Futtaim layoffs were the only cases of Emiratis losing their jobs for economic reasons.“Our concern is the concern of all Emiratis, all companies and expatriates and I would like to move and reassure everyone and calm down talks of hysteria.”

UAE nationals form a tiny proportion of the private sector workforce, preferring the more comfortable public sector, along with “quasi-governmental” companies, which, while nominally private, maintain close links to the government.

But some businessmen are worried the order will make it even harder to discipline and manage local staff. The ministry shrugged off such concerns. “How can 15,000 locals out of a 3m private sector workforce be such an issue?” said Mr bin Demas.

The onshore financial sector could be particularly affected, but not the Dubai International Financial Centre, which like other free zones is exempt from such labour legislation.

Under the existing Emiratisation quota system, banks have to recruit nationals at a rate of 4 per cent annually, and insurance companies at 5 per cent. Any commercial company that has more than 50 employees has to recruit UAE nationals at a rate of 2 per cent.

Feddah Lootah, acting director-general at the National Human Resource Development and Employment Authority (Tanmia), said this decision will curb the practice of some companies to exploit the current global financial situation to escape from their Emiratisation responsibilities.

I'm not sure what all the fuss is about. It is somewhat rooted in the "national pride" movement and no one can fault them for trying to protect their own in these shaky times; the EU and the US are talking protectionism too. This law covers 0.5% of the overall work force. Granted, most of the work force are foreigners and the law is intended to benefit the locals. However, it covers only that minority portion of UAE nationals in the private sector and further reduces the count by excluding those employed in the free-zones. It was the result of a complaint by 20 individuals (0.13% of those who are covered). Two of the big property developers Nakheel and Emaar (both "quasi-government" companies) are huge employers of Emiratis, their layoff announcements have been among the most shocking. I'm curious how many of those were Emiratis (who are not covered by this week's law.)


A very miniscule percentage of the overall workforce (0.0006%) have managed to get an entire law dedicated to their cause ... and this Mr bin Demas thinks this will not be a management problem how? Perhaps he is correct in that it is probably not HIS problem. Same guy also says he "would like to play down fears that people are losing their jobs because they are not". There's a LOT of sand in the UAE and his head is firmly buried under a big freakin' pile of it!

Bottom line is the squeaky wheels got greased and some of the big wigs got some mileage out of the media coverage.

In surfing around the net and reading some comments and forums, I was surprised to see the resentment of some locals towards the ex-pats telling all of us to go home and one actually used the word "invasion". There were also apologies from other locals for their country-men's rude attitude. I have personally experienced mostly kind hospitality from of the people here so long as you respect their culture and country (which I try to) and allow them to feel they are superior (OK, whatever).

In general (but by no means absolutely), Emiratis in the workforce are not thought to be the most productive and responsible of employees. They do their job but usually on their own time and terms. They seem to be rather unmotivated as a whole and the government is trying to implement initiatives to raise their level of education, their language skills (English and Arabic!) and their expertise in subjects that matter (Engineering, business) instead the soft sciences (art history, anthrology).

Interestingly, there is a difference between the "have" Emiratis and the "have not" Emiratis. I believe that in the Northern Emirates, many of the locals live a much lower standard than in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. I have not spent much time there so can't really say.

When I first arrived here last year, the Emiratis were described to me as not being able (or willing) to do the menial jobs but not equiped to take over the high level executive-type jobs. Without the expats to wait tables, clean toilets, pump gas and do business here, there would be no modern Dubai. They like to enjoy the fruits of the "new" Dubai (as they should) but they also like to resent those of us here building it for them and with them. You can't really have it both ways.