10 Reasons why it's great to live in Dubai

Dubai has been the subject of gazillion news items in for several years now. Ranging from articles written in owe of the huge progress and growth the city experienced, to the bashing of its policies and it's "supposed" decline. Nevertheless, everybody agrees that the buzz this city created throughout the world is unmatched in the region, and in fact many regions across the world. 


Reflecting on my five years I spent in this city, prompted by a discussion with a friend who finally decided to go back home, I decided to share with everyone some of the reasons why I, and many like me I would argue, consider Dubai to be one of the best places to live.

10. Business
Despite all what the doubters say, and indeed despite of the mistakes Dubai committed during its astronomically fast growth, it remains a perfect hub in the region. Let's face it. Dubai has the infrastructure needed to be the link between the East and the West. It also has what it takes to be the starting point for a regional and international business. 


A huge airport, and a first class airliner, in Emirates, gives Dubai the privilige of being the perfect highway people can take travelling anywhere in the world through this region. Numerous Free Zones catering to the needs of multinational companies provides a perfect home for regional offices and logistic centres. Free zones like Jabal Ali, Internet City, Media City, Knowledge Village, Healthcare City, Dubai International Financial Centre cater to numerous business segments and model.


It's also equally important that Dubai historically doesn't mix business with politics. This is most clear in the huge trade volume between UAE and Iran despite of the differences the two countries have, and the ongoing occupation of two UAE islands by Iran. Therefore, you won't  worry that one day the ruler will wake up on the wrong side of his bed one day and decide that certain country nationals are no longer allowed to enter the country, or conduct business in it. 

9. Weather
Europeans are in love with Dubai. The reason being that for a period of six month you constantly live under sunshine and temperatures ranging from 19 to 29 throughout the day. It's the perfect recipe. Perfect weather with a lot of sunshine that will significantly wipe off most of the reasons you might think of to be depressed. The only reason weather is not ranking higher than 9, is that for 4 months during the summer the weather is very unpleasant.

8. Mobility 
For many of us, who are not blessed with having a passport stating in one way or another that your are not a terrorist, or not an illegal immigrant, living in Dubai gives you a great deal of mobility. Your visit visa is less likely to be rejected if you are planning for a vacation in Europe for example. Apparently, they believe that if you live in Dubai, then you have a good job and no good reason to runaway or go and kill yourself somewhere! So, if you are a Lebanese, Jordanian, Syrian, Egyptian, Iranian or from any of the other doomed countries, your chances of being able to travel are better off if you live in Dubai than if you live in your own country. Suffice to say, you are more likely to be able to afford it if you have a job in Dubai, in most cases.


Equally important is that of all the countries in the Gulf Region that offers financial stability and career opportunities, Dubai as part of the UAE offers the greatest level of freedom to expats. You don't need your sponsor's approval to go on a vacation, and if you want you can leave for a 2-day trip on a weekend without the need to request your passport from the company because you are entitled to have it with you at all times. Trivial you might think. But if you live in Saudi or Qatar you will know what I mean.

7. Safety
This is not to say that Dubai is the safest place on earth, or that crimes don't happen in here. But if you are familiar with cosmopolitans, you will notice the difference in Dubai. Whether a male or a female, you will notice that you can walk almost anywhere in the city at three o'clock in the morning without fear of being attacked or hassled. You can leave your car running, apartment open, laptop bag on a chair in a coffee shop and you are sure that they will be untouched by the time you come back. This is in large due to the fact that UAE has a strict policy of deportation of criminals, as well as the fact that most residents are professionals who are benefiting from their presence in the city and they don't want to jeopardize that fact.

6. Freedom
Whether you are Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, atheist or a follower of any other religion in the world, you have the freedom to practice your religion. The city has several churches and Hindu temples. Christmas is celebrated in a similar fashion like Eid, and Diwali is equally as important. 


In Dubai you can choose to be conservative or a liberal. You can wear hijab and you can wear shorts. You can relax on the beach in your bikini, and you can set there dressed in a proper islamic costume. Alcohol is available in hotels, clubs and bars for those who drink. If you are a non-Muslim you can acquire a liquor license and have your own alcohol stock at home. The bottom line is, as long as you don't abuse it, and start getting crazy or intimate in the streets, no one will bother you. You do your own thing, as long as you are not publicly disrespecting the country's traditions and values. 

5. Luxury
Everything in Dubai was built to reflect a life of luxury. From hotels to malls. Streets to parks. Public transportation to cars. Everything is new and done neatly. You can drive an SUV while you'll be dreaming about it in Europe. You can own a Porsche, while you would only call it a DREAM car elsewhere. Even in the metro, you can have your gold section tickets and commute as if you are on board a world class airliner. 

4. Services and Facilities
If you are a European, you will know deep in your heart, even if you don't admit it, that Dubai provides a world class service in most aspects of life. All your bills and transactions can be done online. If you pay a handsome some of money for an apartment, you get your pool, Sauna, gym, security, facility management and parking with it. No compromises. Barring International City and Discovery Gardens, you always get value for your money. More so now that rents have went down to a more realistic and acceptable levels. 


Gas stations are malls. business buildings are fully equipped, and almost everybody have their delivery services. Dubai residents are spoiled to the point of laziness when it comes to services, and people love it. 

3. Activites
If you are an outdoor activities' fan then Dubai is the place to be. Walking, cycling, golfing, fishing, sailing, windsurfing, desert activities, fresh water activities and beach & sea activities. The facilities are available. You can always join a club or a community or do it on your own. 


skiing, ice skating and bird watching. When in the desert, you can take the pleasure of activities like camel safari and desert jeep safari.

You can enjoy the sea with activities like scuba diving, snorkeling, sailing, parasailing and deep sea fishing

Team Sports? No problem. Some popular outdoor games are ball games like football, Basketball, Volleyball and Rugby.

2. Events
One of the most interesting things about Dubai is that you always have a feeling that there is something going on. It's true that the buzz went down a little bit after the crisis, but this normal even if you go anywhere else in the world. 


Concerts and tournaments. Art galleries and plays. Fashion shows and exhibitions. The cultural agenda in Dubai is always full, and you can count on a dozen of big time events every year that will break you routine and give you a taste of how life is all over the world. In the past few month Nickelback and Sting were here. Soon David Guetta will play in Dubai, preceded by Kelly Rowland. Bands like The Killers, Coldplay, Scorpions performed in Dubai. The Dubai Movie festival is an annual event. Circus de Soleil is a regular fixture. Car, Technology, Healthcare, arts and architecture events take place all the time. In simple words, you will not be bored. 

1. Multicultural Taste
In a world destined to shrink further into a tiny village, Dubai has taken the lead in becoming the melting pot of different cultures from all over the world, and definitely the only place in the middle east that practically lives the global village dream. 


It's not abnormal to be sitting on a table with 10 people from 10 different culture and be able to call them friends. This unique experience helps you get out of your box. Learn to understand people in a different way that the one you were made to understand through TV and mainstream media. Dubai gives you the chance to meet people from different religions and social background, and serves as a bridge that helps people see beyond stereotypes. It's a given that through mingling with different cultures you create this panoramic view of life, and learn as you go about what matters and what doesn't. You become more adaptable to change. More flexible in dealing with the other. You learn about what's important to people and what they hold important to their heart and values, and this to me is the greatest thing about this city.

Half-Baked Ideas: Life, Raising Kids, and Arab's Memory

Of Life and Expectations.

Life happens in a very random way. It's somehow depressing yet refreshing to know that your plans will most likely fall apart. So my advice is never plan farther than a year or two. Don't assume or expect. Things and people change. Life twists and turns in weird ways. One of your best friends will be someone who you haven't seen for 10 years. People you had many things in common with will soon drift and others will replace them. Places you planned to settle in might be the places you send postcards to, and those you used to send to might be your new home.

Raising kids

This advice comes with a great deal of credibility. Mainly because I'm single and have no kids, and so, I'm free of all inhibitions and psychotic protective behaviors.

if you want your kid to be more successful than you are when he/ she grows up, as a rule of thumb, they should be different from you!

Unless you want them to be copy cats and bad re-runs, you should unleash them and let them do their thing in their own way. 

More successful means not the same as you are. It means different. 

On Arabs' Memory. 

 In general terms, Arabs don't have a big interest in their own personal history. Interestingly, we more than anybody else tend to retain the biggest stock of our cultural history, and in many cases take it with us, oh so romantically, to the grave.

We are not big on birthdays and anniversaries. We don't usually celebrate milestones, and we definitely have a thing against pictures. You are unlikely to find an Asian who doesn't have a dozen pictures of himself in the cradle, whereas you can find many Arabs who don't even remember how they looked when they were young.

It's probably a reflection of what's going on on the political scene in our era. We celebrate our long and glorious history, but we rarely take actions on our current events or celebrate our successes, if there was any to celebrate anyway!

Chapter 2: Jordanians "THE WINGERS"

THE WINGERS


In a world of superstars and celebrities those people take the different route of annonymity. They are socially outdated, and barely ever took a look at today's dictionary of Who's Who. They run through life with selfless dedication and make the best out of nothing. They're the ticking clock behind every functioning or barely functioning family, but life breezes past them like summer wind, and their unforgivable cluellessness is their only triumph.

They are deaf to The obscenely loud buzz of life, as somewhere along the line of their monochromatic life someone taught them that this is the best they're ever going to get. With an 80's hairstyle, and a 20JD- leather jacket they wake up everyday to do the same thing they did the day before. A weekend is for house shores. A picnic is a barbecue task on Airport road. Eid is family visits, and Jabal Al Hussein is the equal of the strip in L.A.

They pass by you like a Friday. As they exist, but to us we managed to strip them off every single meaning of spirituality. They've learned some 50 years ago that being a woman is a test. Being a man is an obligation. Work is routine, and life is a big greyscale scene.

They studied in public schools. They admire and resent those brats who graduated from schools usually referred to by 3-letter acronyms. Gel is as bad as Alcohol, and trendy Jeans are as sinful as thongs.

They roam the streets of East Amman and Every Jabal something during early evenings, wearing an empty look. Carrying a black plastic bag that is the only source of joy to that family. they are usually overwhelmed by how life left them behind. How their values are antiquities from the past, and how days move so freaking fast. They grow frustrated with the shadow they cast, but it's as far as the next morning that this feeling will last.

There pen is a stamp. They know how to guide you to the next office of that civil building with as few words as possible. they puff their cigarettes earth bound. They searched for their ambition but it's nowhere to be found. Unlike others, they usually underestimate themselves, but they compensate for that with their self-proclaimed high standard of morality.

They are the Janitors of a hospital. The infantry of a military. The traffic cops at intersections. The TA's in a faculty. The full backs in a football team. They play on the premises of the play. They walk at the edge of life. They are the wingers going forward and the guardians going back. They are the wings of a falcon. For without wings a falcon can't fly. But as he poses and stairs at you, those wings are held back. They just don't have the knack.

In their world, love is convenience, and respect is obedience. Fun is a travesty, and change is a tragedy. In their shells they are contained, writers, scientists, geniuses and hard workers! Unfortunately for the world, only few of them will ever break through that bottle knick called self esteem.

Algeria, Egypt and the Arabic competition culture

To start with, we have to congratulate Egypt for a convincing win over Algeria. It doesn't get clearer than 4-0, and the win is obviously well deserved. Having said that, this game is a living example of everything that is wrong with Arabic football, and this reflects the many flaws we have in other aspects of life.

Algeria is probably as good as Egypt, maybe a little better or a bit worse. 4-0 might lead observers to believe there is a huge technical gap between the two teams , but what it really reflects is how bad we are at losing, and how unequiped we are in defeat. 3 red cards for a team of professional footballers who've just celebrated a birth in the coming World Cup! One might be a result of an honest mistake, or a clumsy challenge, but 2 or 3 is just an indication of emotional immaturity! They gave up, were pissed off and decided to have a go at the players to vent and conceal their weakness! Let's be clear, what the Algerians did doesn't reflect dedication, patriotism or professionalism. It only indicates bankruptcy and desperation. We are emotionally defeated and immature. We give up and as a result we change the course of the fight and start our own objectives which no one cares about but ourselves. There should be a very big question mark over the maturity of those red carded, and their involvement in the team going for the World Cup should be re-evaluated.

As for Egypt. Well, a game of football can not be equated to October War. Sending the whole population on full alert and having actors, singers and all sorts of celebrities charging up the atmosphere is an indication of desperation and utter absurdity. You lost the game and Algeria deserved to go through to the world cup. Live with it. If they were aggressive in supporting their team, you were not exactly the most gracious of hosts! Algeria is not the enemy. Much bigger rivalries exist in the footballing world! Argentina and Brazil, Italy and Germany, Italy and France, Argentina and England who played each other few years after the Falkland War, and till now the players respect and show admiration of each other! Grow up and accept the fact that you always choke when it comes to the World Cup!

Egypt are likely to go home with the cup, and Algeria are likely to lose 3 games in the World Cup and go home. In both cases our media will hail the result as a success, and we will still talk about that game Algeria won against Germany back in 1982. Basking in old glories just as we do in any other field of life.

We need to be reasonable and consistent. We need to be mature and rise to the occasion. We need to stop choking when things matter and accept our failures and successes as our own doing.

To all those reasonable Egyptian fans, congratulations and good luck in the final. To all those reasonable Algerians fans, hard luck and better luck in the World cup. To all the rest, get a life!

Dada egh!

I can proudly boost that the last time I intentionally tuned to an Arabic music channel was 8 years ago. The reason is that I got disgusted and ashamed by the extravagant amount of bullshit they play. And although I commend Melody for the great job their marketing team is doing promoting the channel with themed sketches like "Melody Tunes, all engelish all za time", "Melody tatahadda al malal", and "Melody aflam, aflam arabi... Om el agnabi", I can safely assume that they also have outclassed everyone else with their outrageous and shameless clips!

Today, and while I was vegging with a friend of mine doing absolutely nothing, we ended up throwing away the remote with Melody on. Suddenly, appeared on TV what initially looked like a joke, or maybe a new sketch. Much to our surprise it was actually a song by a girl called Pamela Quwaiq! The song was titled "Dada egh!". Still not knowing what is it that is just about to be thrown at us we kept watching! If I want to best describe her I'd say she looked like a cheap prostitute. With a dress barely covering her butt, she appeared to be acting in the opening scene of some porn movie! Things got better with her first two lines:

Dada dada egh.. Ngegh ngegh!!...

Now, I can't claim that the girl is not pretty. She probably qualifies as a candidate for Hareega's Mikro-blogging eye candy, but letting her sing on satellite TV is an insult to everyone! The point is, if I wanted to see flesh or a naked girl I would've simply got me a porno and cut straight to the chase! My question is, what purpose does this video serve??

This is definitely not a song for adults, cause dada egh is barely the line you'd use to address your lover, and if it's directed to kids then the amount of prostitution on display makes it inappropriate for humans well into their 40's! It's worth mentioning that the clip was directed by the "artist" herself.

Just as it ended we were treated to a song by Rami Ayyash - who is still convinced that he is sexy- and Ahmad Adawyya! Bullshi again. Less amount of prostitution though. Finally, a guy called Nabil Ajram caused my a Diarrhea with his " Bet'azzebni leh" clip. Prisoners sporting gayish unifroms being persecuted by wanton girls.

We decided the best thing to do is to go to sleep.

When I have my own kids I'll do the same thing our neighbor in Jordan did and will delete Melody, Mazzika, Rotana and the rest from my channel list.

Finally, I've predicted in an earlier post that we will start exporting porn to the rest of the world in 50 years. I'll revise that. It's going to happen in 20.

Dubai... A Middle Eastern Dream

As I grew up people dreamt about going to the US, the land of opportunities. Some wanted the UK, others wanted anything out of this stagnating region!

As I graduated there was a new destination. One that is unusually close, and easier to fit in. An Arab country. Somewhere we don't worry about being descriminated against or punished for who we are or what we believe in. People came from all corners of the world to experience it and live it. To be part of the boom and part of the phenomenon. This place is Dubai.

Unfortunately, the world is not fair. And while we always demand the best from governments and coutnries, we tend to crucify those who dream. Even if there dream worked for awhile. We rush and compete in bringing those who dream down. We point the fingers of blame and we open our mouths and we say: I KNEW IT!

I don't blame Europeans or North Americans. It just amazes me how middle easterners and specifically arabs feel so vendicated by what's going on now! What was it that you wanted? One more mundane place? Inorganized, flat, dirty, dull, Oil-dependant, aid-dependant & grey City? 

Dubai offered people an alternative for our corrupted countries and cities. A place to work and live in security and peace. A multi-cultural environment. A platform to meet people from other cultures in an unbiased condition. Prejudice free. Tax free. 

Everyone is allowed to dream, and everybody is encouraged to. nevertheless, we jump into the forefront and race to step on the the shoulders of a giant that fell down to accelerate its demise.

One question for, Egptians, Lebanese, Jordanians, Palestinians, Iranians, Indians, Filipinos, Australians and others; What is your alternative? What is your plan B?

Was Dubai perfect? Definitely not. Was everyone here happy and living the perfect life, absolutely not! But for many of us it was the perfect solution and the perfect alternative? Thousands of families lived on remittances from this country. Thousands of other families were built because of careers and expereicnes which would have been otherwise impossible. 

I still believe that it is not over. Maybe it will never be the same booming city it was before. There were mistakes and they will definitely need to be fixed, but that doesn't mean that the dream is dead.

It better still be alive. For everyone's sake! 

More than 40000 people are over 100 years old

Japan has decided to teach the world another lesson in survival, after the rise from WWII Hiroshima and Nagasaki’s inhuman attacks, they stood up, dusted themselves, worked really hard to come back as the world’s second biggest economy, but they didn’t stop there, they worked on their health also to stun the world with probably the healthiest people on earth (I don’t have any studies about that but it’s not so hard to figure it out), they have more than 40000 people over the age 100 years.

“TOKYO – The number of Japanese centenarians has doubled in the past six years to a record high of more than 40,000, with women dominating the list of those whose lives have spanned more than a century, the government said Friday.

Japan will have 40,399 people aged 100 or older this month, surpassing the previous record of 36,276 last year, the Health and Welfare Ministry said in an annual report marking a Sept. 21 national holiday honoring the elderly. More than 86 percent are women.

The number of centenarians in Japan has risen at an accelerating pace for nearly 50 years. The centenarian population surpassed 10,000 just 10 years ago, reached 30,000 in 2007 and grew another 10,000 in the past two years, the ministry said.
By 2050, Japan's centenarian population is expected to reach nearly 1 million, according to the U.N. projections.”

And why is that? The answer is below...

“Officials have stepped up programs that encourage older citizens to stay active and continue working. The government is gradually extending the retirement age to 65 from 60, and some advocate pushing it further to 70.

Japan has one of the world's longest life expectancies — 86 years for women and 79 years for men.”

Yes, the answer is work, we are fighting to lower the retirement age, because we don’t want to work, we want to sit there and die peacefully, they want to die in the field, working and producing, being useful, we want to import everything, we don’t want to invent we want to buy the ideas (and buy we I mean Arabs who live in the Arabic countries, ironically, those who live in other parts of the world are fine).

I’m not saying that we are stupid, not at all, we are not, we are just too scared to injure our brains if we think, because work is not part of our culture anymore, although in the past it was the center of our lives.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090911/ap_on_re_as/as_japan_centenarians
By MARI YAMAGUCHI, Associated Press Writer

09.09.09

The date 09.09.09 is now an important day in the history of the Arab nation, it’s the launching day of Dubai Metro, the first modern train in the gulf region.

Celebrating this day was a must on every Arab who lives in the gulf region; it shows that we are capable of adapting new and modern ideas, and as always Dubai is the pioneer in this, always giving us the hope that we can rise and take the place that we deserve on earth, giving us the hope that we might one day advance from the third world to the first world, the way we were before.

So, I was happy in that day and glued myself to Dubai One TV because I didn’t know when the ceremony will start, waiting waiting waiting,..., and finally it started, and what a shame, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, the officials were speaking English and there was no Arabic translator, I couldn’t believe it when an Egyptian reporter asked his question in Arabic, he got the answer in English, and to be fair, not good English, the English of a beginner, nothing professional in it,....

Why Dubai, why couldn’t you do it in Arabic and provided translators to the most important languages? What is wrong with speaking your own language?

YOU ARE NOT GOING TO LOOK LESS CIVILIZED IF YOU SPEAK ARABIC, or at least learn to speak good English.

Photo was taken by (Ali Haider / EPA / September 9, 2009)

The best Arabic TV show ever made

Khawater is a TV show that compares between Japan and the Arab world, in terms of life style.

This programme shows on MBC1 at 15:15 GMT, and I can say without even thinking about it that this show is the best show ever shown on TV in Ramadan, and probably the best Arabic TV show ever made.

Why am I saying that? It’s because I stopped watching TV about 3 years ago (apart from sports and news) because simply I lost any hope that the Arabic media will one day make a show or a documentary that will prove to be useful, they don’t want to, they just want to be like Melody Hits or the other prostitution channels we have on our great NileSat.

This show is the best because the presenter shows the truth, no compromise, no “ass kissing”, he simply is answering the question that every Arab has asked themselves one day, why does all the world call us the 3ed world? Or maybe a more direct question, why are all the others better than us?

The answer is simple, just watch one episode of this show and you will know.

Today's Dose of Wisdom: Marriage!

Being in Jordan, you find yourself forced to share the joyful and scandulous wedding atmosphere of everyone around you!! Even those you don't know. From Parades and convoys in the street that force you to line up and participate in the horn-honking contest to the social obligation of showing up in every single wedding of a member of your super-extended family!! All of this merits a scratch of the brain, and A call for wisdom. Especially that the hot topic of this mating season is marriage!

Here are some quotes to help you through the casual discussions while you'rE driving around with your friends/family, or while you'rE engaging in the social activity of smoking shisha in one of the Zillion coffee shops around the city!!

"A good marriage would be between a blind wife and a deaf husband."
Honore de Balzac

"A husband is what is left of a lover, after the nerve has been extracted."
Helen Rowland

"A journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it." John Steinbeck

"A man marries to have a home, but also because he doesn't want to be bothered with sex and all that sort of thing." W. Somerset Maugham

"A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person." Mignon McLaughlin

"All marriages are happy. It's the living together afterward that causes all the trouble." Raymond Hull

"Bachelors know more about women than married men; if they didn't they'd be married too." H. L. Mencken

"We, as Humans, are bound to make mistakes. If nothing else, we get married." Ehab

"Humans go against nature all the time. For example; We get married, animals sleep around." Ehab

If you look closely you'll find Spirms flying all over the city!!

HAPPY MATING SEASON EVERYONE!!

Michael Jackson, he was...

He was an icon.. He was an innovator.. He was unique.. he was an entertainer.. He was deep.. he was vain.. he was popular.. yet he was lonely.. he was loved, yet he was despised. He was a source of pride, and of shame.

He was neither black nor white. People looked up to him, yet he was no role model. He was a man, yet he was a child.. and he loved children, maybe a little too much.

He did a lot of good things, and equally bad ones. He is a manifestation of every flaw a human being has, and a live example of how one can make his own destiny. It was a great one, but it was ill-fated.

Michael was a phenomenon.. He was a star!! He lived like a star. shone brighter and brighter everyday.. exploded with energy until he eventually imploded and turned into a black hole!!

We made him a legend!! just as we did with Kurt Cobain and Jimi Hindrix!!.. Remember how they died?!?

We only glorify those who destroy themselves!! I wonder what that says about us.. and what that makes them!



People loved him, and others believed he was a freak!!

The Seven Arab Girls You Should Never Date

P.S. No images were included for lack of authentic material or time for creativity. Image donations are accepted and will be attributed to the donor!!

This one is inspired by the post at www.andfaraway.net, which in turn is inspired by the one at www.KabobFest.com!! But since the purposes of dating vary hugely, and since I would assume that the purpose implicitly stated in the previously mentioned posts is a long lasting relationship, then I will build the list based on that assumption. Because honestly speaking, the list might become the most wanted in case you were looking for something else.

It is also worth mentioning that I didn’t try to categorize girls based on their favorite hangout, hobbies, clothes, or upbringing background, but more on their mentalities.

I’m not sure whether the point I’m trying to make here is clear to everyone, or is it just clear in my head. Anyway, there goes nothing. Below is a list of eight girls you should not date in Amman.

1.The “ENNU” girl!! a.k.a The “I WAS LIKE” girl:

Boosted with a couple of private school years under her belt and a self-induced feeling of sophistication, she sticks the above mentioned words/phrases in every sentence replacing all punctuation marks. She thinks that the world revolves around her, and that guys would die at her feet just because she knows how to say Oh My God and she remotely resembles Europeans. She spends her time hours on end gossiping with her equally light-headed friends, usually about the other group of her light-headed friends and vice versa. She is usually rich.

She usually wears shades that cover half her face, and makeup covering the other half. Has more bags than an airport belt and relentlessly brag about her love for shoes.

2.The feminist:

-And no, by definition, not all females are feminists- Usually she’ll smack you with a speech about how women are equal to men, and how they can perform almost all tasks and duties a man can do! For obvious reasons, she will not come to mention semen. She will use every chance to mention her passion for work, and the nightmares about marrying a guy who will stop in the way of her career. Usually will complain about guys manners in queues, buses and restaurants because they don’t behave as gentlemen towards women, and will make no secret of her desire to quit work a few years from marriage.. Sighting numerous reasons, one of which is the presence of the kid!

No single dress code usually fits the group. As it is more related to an age bracket.

3. The plastic girl:

Usually have done a couple of surgeries to enhance her assets! And as much as it is pleasing to us, all will become negligible next to the empty space between her ears. She thinks that cars and clothes are assets, and believes that a guy’s love is directly proportional to how much money leakage he is willing to accept. The most annoying treat in a man for her is; him being stingy.

What she is wearing? Brands, brands and more brands. And more brands.. and yet more brands

4. Shareefet Makka:

The girl whom you were the first to kiss!! Touch or, exercise any kind of foreplay with. Because according to her you are the first… but the truth is, there is a long line of firsts. Note: Virginity is not a measure, since this type of girls is so accommodating through other entry points.

5. The Ugly one: For obvious reasons

6. The age-conscious girl.

She is so insecure about her age, and about still being single. You can easily spot that type because they talk a lot about marriage, and their refusal to marry the first guy knocking at her door. She is keen on mentioning all suitors knocking on her door, and the reason why she allegedly “rejected” them. Reason for not dating her is simply because she will hook up with a monkey if he is coming close to raising a marriage LPO. Turn on your detectors around those older than 26, because this is the threshold for Jordanian girls. Usually it takes them 2-3 years after graduation to get over the career dream, and then they develop into men-hunters!


7. The “not so sure about this” girl:

Testy girls who want to make a challenge of every little thing. She wants you to get into her heart through a treasure hunt contest. Reason for not dating is simply because she should go fuck herself. There is a lot of fish in the sea, and it has been proved times and times again that it is not worth it!


The purpose of this post in not primarily to be funny… It has a point, and if you don’t get it, then you are beyond help.

Validation can actually make your life better!

I haven't seen an idea as genuine in a long time!!! And I must admit, Mohammad Abbas looks funny as a Yasser Arafat :)... But I get too many parking tickets here in Dubai to be able to overcome that particular trauma!! :S

It's all Christmassy in Dubai!!

In a world struck by a financial crisis, hunger, famine, war, and environmental decay it's nice to celebrate an occassion even if you don't directly relate to it!!

But then again, Christmas is like Eid. It's all about family, feeling blessed, giving gifts and receiving some if you are lucky! Never forgetting of course that during these occassions you can't fly anywhere unless you've made your booking a year ago!

In Dubai, Christmas is special! It is so because Dubai is, by definition, a Muslim city! Granted that 90% are expats, but the fact that Dubai like all other Gulf cities and states makes sure none of those lives the crazy dream of being a national, makes the freedom they have here exceptional!!

There is no census that gives you a breakdown of population by religion here, but you definitely can not call Muslims a minority here. Despite all of that, Christmas is being celebrated, and given so much attention that you can not find a single shoppiing mall that doesn't sport a HUGE and sparkling Christmas tree. It gives you a warm feeling. It makes "Merry Christmas" that you say to your Christian friends more meaningful.




Finally, I think the past couple of years, and the coming couple of years should be the perfect time to bring us together. December has been and will continue to be in few years to come a festive season for everyone! Starts with Eid Al Adha, then Christmas, then Islamic new year, and the The New Year!! You can hardly get any work done during this period, but it would be wonderful to see different people greeting each other, and wishing each other a blessed Eid or Christmas. Making new year's resolutions together, and exchanging gifts! Dubai is being underestimated and reduced into a wannabe business hub and a shopping destination! I personally think that it can do a great job breaking down the barriers and bridging the gaps! Make people see beyond the haze! Beyond Fox & Sky. Beyond Bush & Bin Lden.









MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE.

Queen Rania!! Queen of Jordan!! An Arab Woman!!

You know... I can't really say much here! She is just wonderful!!!

Top Ten Annoying Phrases/Expressions!!

Words are magic! You always hear about these keywords once uttered people get excited, enthused, and determined. They understand the message and the mission, and embark on fulfilling the related dream. On the other hand, only in few times did I come across an article that talks about annoying words, annoying phrases and metaphors! Those tacky words that give you a feeling of disbelief, annoyance, and sarcasm. The first thing that crosses your mind once you hear them is that you are about to hear a stream of crap of the highest quality.

I personally have my list, and I'm going to share it here. Definitely, it will be different from others' lists, and I would be very interested in reading about those lists.

And so, down to business. from tenth most annoying to the most MOST annoying!!

10. Touch base!!
It is extremely annoying to hear this word over and over again, in every single meeting and conference call. X will touch base with Y, Y will touch base with Z, and Z will touch base with John who has touched base earlier with X about the need to touch base with Ahmad about why figures are not met!! I personally don't understand the concept of BASE TOUCHING. Does that mean that you're going to talk about headlines which usually have nothing to do with the real situation? Or, are you going to have a TALK about how the situation has turned to a disaster, and understand who screwed things up?! However you put it, TOUCHING the BASE adds no value to anything, and it is merely an attempt to show others that you'll be doing more than TALKING when you're actually not!

9. Deep Dive!

Quite the opposite of the previous one! Yet, almost always you tend to hear the two terms in a great proximity to each other. X will touch base with Y to do a DEEP DIVE into the reports. My theory goes like this; DEEP DIVE is your way of telling someone that they need to do a lot of donkey work while putting it in a self esteem boosting way!

8. It is what it is, except when it's not!!
As if we don't have enough confusion. Usually this phrase is uttered by two people who have no clue what they are talking about, but one of them is in dire need to prove the opposite!

7. What's your good name?!
I don't know how many people have heard this phrase before, but it is pretty common where I live. So when you want to ask somebody about their name you go "What's you good name?". The first thing that pops into my head is that he's going to elabortae and tell him, don't tell me the bad one!!. I don't know about you, but I haven't met many people with two given names!. So imagine the following conversation!

X: Good morning.
Y: Good morning.
X: What's you good name?
Y: Shadi.
X: And your bad one?
Y: Ballota!

6. This is an IN place!
It's just amazing how teenagers have a need to invent things "Usually useless". It's equally amazing how adults criticize them, and then quote them!

5. How much is this? ... It's coming 40$!!
This is just new english to me!

4. What the Frack!!
I just think it's not cute. You're better off saying the real F-word if you really need to!

3. talk the talk, and walk the walk.
I can't explain why, it's just too annoying!

2. Give a 110%!!
The best way to describe this "Action" was a forward email I received a couple of years ago. Basically, if you assign a number from 1 to 26 to each letter of the alphabet based on their alphabetical order, Bull shit scores 110% and Ass kissing scores 120%!

This is basically people's strategy to get ahead in corporate life!! do a lot of 110% & 120%

And the winner, the number one annoying phrase for me is:

1. George W. Bush said...:
Let's face it, anything and everything he says is annoying! There is no limit to his stupidity! For the past 8 years David Littermann had enough material from this guy to fill episodes for the coming 8 years!

There you go! These are the phrases that step on nerves! I'm very interesting in knowing yours.

The Zenith of Egyptian politics

I have always admired the way Egyptians can turn anything into a joke. Their ability to laugh and ejoy their lives even when the going gets tough. With the majority of the Egyptian population living in poverty, and with the ever worsening political situation in that cradle of civilization, the Egyptian people never lost their ability to draw a smile on their face, or draw one on others' faces. Although, recently a couple of Egyptians I met claimed that this issue was one of the major accomplishment of this government's reign, It managed to make more and more Egyptians frown on a daily basis for no apparent reason, which is something Jordanians are accustomed to and do effortlessly.

Yesterday, I read an article in the newspaper! It was a disgusting, pathetic, sad & embarrasing story, and yet I couldn't afford but to smile while reading it!! Maybe irony is way stronger than simple humor.

Mr. Hesham Tala'at Mustafa, a prominent politician & businessman, just like many of the members of the ruling party, is currently under investigation with connection to the gowing evidence that he was actually the one who issued the order for Suzan Tamim to be killed!! We covered this before, and most of us know about the story. However, the newest twist in the whole saga is that Mr. Mustafa has been convicted recently by a court in Dubai for committing adultry with an Uzbek prostitute!! Hilarious! The other funny twist is that, it took a lawyer and a deep investigation using a lot of resources and documentation to detertmine who the husband of Suzan at the time of her death was! A few guys showed up, claiming sincerely that she was their wife. The actual husband(The mourner??) had to prove with proper documentation that he was actually the husband.

Just a thought here. We all know that in Islam, marriage can be legal if there was an agreement in the presence of two witnesses, and that papers were not introduced until late times to preserve the rights of both spouses. In other words, it wouldn't be hard for someone to get married 700 times without anyone knowing about it. Fortunately for us, Islamic courts noticed the dilemma here and fixed this problem long time ago.

This is the tip of the Iceberg when it comes to our politicians and artists! This story actually got exposed. Many other stories don't. One might say, that this happens all over the world, and I agree. It definitely happens, and Bill Clinton who surprisingly hasn't lost his credibility can tell you all about it. But... The thing is, we were never used to have these stories in this region!

Ah, I know what this is usually called.... PROGRESS!!

The Evolution of Truth (The maturity of Hypocrisy)

I had in my head dozens of ways in which I thought the media could change the public’s perception. I knew that there were countless methods and endless angles by which you can turn right to wrong, and wrong to right.

I’ve seen images where the butcher became the victim, and the oppressed became the oppressor. I was even fooled by those teary moments that made me seriously believe that we are all one. I would always take a moment to say, even if in my head, what if?! What if this piece was shown from a different angle? What if those people had seen what happened on a different channel? What if this country had access to the right book? What if that network crashed and we never heard from those brainwashing machines!

But silly me! I thought it was still about the wrong input. I thought that people could change their minds when it comes to their perceived truth! I thought that they would actually think twice before they judge someone. It turned out that it is a little bit too late.

Why talk about human rights? Why talk about equality? Why talk about fairness? Why talk about democracy? I think the Civilized have been enlightened enough to be criminalized for the double standards we are seeing everywhere.

I think the truth has been permanently defined.

You, will always think what you were programmed to think.

And we will always be close-minded terrorists!

Cultural Understanding: Reality Show!!

Somewhere in France, in the forests of Versailles a few people met. Some from Europe, some from the Middle East. A great group of people who give colors to your life. That night however, was destined to be a weird night. In a game of cultural understanding, the following conversation took place!

Q: How do you see French People?
Rob "Dutch": Arrogant!!
Metron "French": Really??!!

Q: How do you see Russian People?
Nikola "Serbian": Aggressive.
Elina "Russian": Are you F***ing kidding me?! Who told you that? "$%%^^#&*$" "something in Russain" Then, are you still living in the 50's?!?!

She definitely proved him wrong!!

Q: How do you see Turkish People?
Alberto "Spanish": Proud & Nationalist.

Poland was playing Slovakia for the 2010 WCQ!! Poland is losing 1-2. Adam is pissed. A discussion about football is ignited. Somewhere along that conversation, I make my main and defining contribution!!

I: You know what, I admire the Germans! Even when they have a shitty team they reach the final.
Ines "German": "Smiles"
Adam "Polish": They are F***ers!! ..
Ines: !!!!!!
Adam: I mean. you know... Podolski is Polish!

Well done Adam!!

Q: How do you see Jordanian People?
....... Long pause!!!.... Then
Silviu "Romanian": I love your Queen.
I: Silviu, Is that a way of telling me you are a terrorist, but you chose to be polite!?

It turned out to be a Dare or Truth thing... But you know, nothing that a Draft can't erase.

Then Metron invited us for an all-cheese dinner!! And then, I just wanted to kill myself.

The Forgotten Millions - 30 years in the wrong direction

Thirty years ago, Iraq announced that there are NO iletirate people in the country. So, to be on the safe side, I'd say the literacy rate was more than 95%, and Iraq was going through what I would dare to call a renaissance.

Now, in the twenty first century, the new statistics are:

1 Million divorced women
2 Million Widows
4 Million Iletirate

Why?
Was it because of the 8-year war between iraq and iran?
Was it because of the Gulf war?
Was it beacause of the decade-long economical seige the world enforced on Iraq?
Was it because of the American invasion of Iraq?
Or, Was it because of the ongoing occupation, and the mess associated with it?

No matter the reason, or the excuses. No promise, no goodwill, nothing, can make us escape the bleak outlook of the Civilization of Iraq! A whole generation has been lost, and all we can say is God saves the one coming.

Iraq has always bounced back. History is there for everyone to see! This nation never dies. Shame on those who think it will, and shame on the world for watching while all sorts of dogs, and vultures tried to kill it.