Redundant...

THIS my friends, is an educational institute!

The Dubai University College (for want of a better name), should become, as is the norm in Dubai for everything to be the world's largest, biggest, best, etc... , the world's most ridiculous example of redundancy!

P.S. for the slower ones who don't get it ... It is called Dubai University College ....Still don't get it?

I'm Spiritual!!

I went online, and discovered those many tests that one can take that reveal nothing or sometimes something about oneself, and decided to take the following tests:

1) Which religion do you best fit?

YOU FIT IN WITH SPIRITUALISM

Your ideals are mostly spiritual, but in an individualistic way. While spirituality is very important in your life, organized religion itself may not be for you. It is best for you to seek these things on your own terms.

40% spiritual.

60% reason-oriented.

2) My Epitaph

- Given my love for sarcasm, i kinda like this one actually -

Breakthrough!!

FINALLY!

I've been working on this project with AIESEC and the Dubai Ethics Resource Center to raise awareness and build capacity in the area of Corporate Responsibility in the Region. It is an exchange project and given the Middle East's vast knowledge (*sarcastic snicker*) of CSR, you can imagine how difficuly a sell it is to convince some companies to take interns to work in the Corporate Responsibility field.

Yesterday, after two months of struggling, I signed the first internship form with Microsoft Gulf. They want an intern to work for a year on their Corporate Responsibilty programs. Let's hope there's more to come!

Am I a Blog-a-holic?

You know you're a blog-a-holic when:

1) The first thing you do online and the last thing you do is no longer check your mail - It's checking your blogsphere
2) You are a regular at more than 5 blogs (and most of them are not those of your close friends)
3) You check blogs every 10 minutes to see if anyone's replied to your comments
4) You check your own blog every 5 minutes to see if anyone's commented on your entries
5) When someone asks "How are you?" your reply is "You can find out from my blog...xyz.blogspot.com"
6) Your company IT department decides to add "blog" to the list of banned words because of compulsive useage
7) You take your camera everywhere, not because you want to keep pictures as a memory, but because you want to blog about it


Any more signs of Blogaholism??

If you're a blogaholic, add this logo to your website!

St. Paddy's Day in Dubai

With the number of expatriates in Dubai, St. Patrick's day here was just like St. Patrick's day almost anywhere else in the world, maybe except for Ireland. But for a taste of that we decided to venture to the Irish Village, a pub here in Dubai that's more Irish than Dublin. We got there at around 11:00pm and the place was packed with green people. Leprechauns of all shapes and sizes. And as you will see from these pictures, drunk leprechauns, gay leprechauns, just all round crazy people! The atmosphere was incredible, the booze was flowing and the music was great, although I don't know how Irish "American Pie" and "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" are, we also got a taste of my personal favourites, the Dubliners. All in all, it was a good night out. I ended up packing 10 drunk people in my car from the Irish Village to the lebanese bakery at 3:00am for food, after we which we headed to a "Brazilian Party" - one quick shot of tequila each and we were out of there....So there it was, St. Patrick's day with a Latin Twist.

Radio Fools

On the way to work this morning I decided to listen to the radio instead of my morning ritual of "Lighthouse Family" on the way to work. So I tune in to FM 92.00 ... Chris Fisher in the morning.........
As I tuned in, I heard the following exchange:

Chris Fisher(DJ): Hello, what's your name?
Caller: Morning Chris, I'm Dave.
Chris Fisher: Hello Dave, you're from Scotland I take it (With a heavy braveheart accent, which sounds hilarious coming from a Liverpudlian)
Dave: Yeah, from Edinburgh
Chris: That's the only place in Scotland I've ever been to, beautiful city. Anyways, Dave, are you ready to play "What's in the Box?"

....
(just an explanation, this is a game, where there are 10 boxes with Chris in the Studio, containing gifts ranging from apples and lemons to Home Theatre Systems and Refrigerators. The contestant picks a box number and Chris tries to buy the box back from them in sort of a blind auction where the caller has no idea what in the box and should either ask for more money or take what's in the box. And today's box was, according to Chris, a large one)
...

Dave: I'll take box number 10 please
Chris: Box number 10, you've gone for the bottom of the pack. Well, let me tell ya, this is a large box. shall we start bidding?

Dave: Yes, go ahead
Chris: 5 Dirhams (1 dollar = 3.675 Dirhams)
Dave: Sold! - No just kidding, That's very Scottish of me.
Chris: What? You mean tight?
Dave: Laughs.
Chris: Ok, I'll up the ante, 505 Dirhams
Dave: I'll go for more
Chris: 667 Dirhams
Dave: I'll go for more
Chris: 823 Dirhams, hey, no one said it has to be a round figure
Dave: Let me just clarify one thing, at what point do you stop offering more money?
Chris: I've got tons of money here, i could go on all morning.
Dave: In that case, i'll go for more.
Chris: 1130 Dirhams
Dave: Hmm...It's a large box, could be a TV, i'll stick with the box
Chris: 1300 Dirhams and that's as high as i'm gonna go..
Dave: Thinks a bit...I'll take the money
Chris: Congratulations, you've just collected 1300 Dirhams for............"Drum Roll" ... "Sounds of opening the box"......... And you've given up..... A Pair of old shoe laces!!!!

NO COMMENT from my side, feel free to leave yours!

New Features...

It's taken me a looooooooooooong time to do this, but finally it's here...
If you look to the left of the screen, you will see that i've finally added links to other blogs. Those of myfriends and some interesting blogs on the net. If i've left anyone out, i'm terribly sorry, please just leave a comment with your link and you'll be added instantly.

Who Am I?

My Personal DNA

My next book - "Outsourcing for Dummies"

No, it does not exist.
No, I don't plan on writing it.
But YES - I wish someone would. Here's WHY.


Internet privacy and censorship has been a huge issue in China of late, as most bloggers would know. Also recently, I read this funny article on The Egyptian Sandmonkey's Blog, one of the most entertaining blogs around. The way it is done here is that Etisalat, the UAE Telecom Monopole (until about a month ago when DU started) hires a consultancy in Seattle to give them the sites, on a daily basis, that they should block based on a list of criteria which includes obscenity, political liberality, pro-israel sites, pornography sites, etc... (now it's extended to some blogs that they believe will provoke people).
I personally think it is ridiculous and hope that when DU launch their internet service it doesn't include this ridiculous censorship! (it would be really funny if DU was censored by Etisalat!!!) Personally, I think the monopolization of Telecoms in UAE for the past umpteen years is ridiculous and I am one of the first people who will jump onto the DU caravan once they start their services. I'm changing my mobile phone, I'm changing my ISP, i'm changing my land line # at home, the works. I invite everyone who's suffered enough from Etisalat in the recent years to do the same, should teach them a valuable lesson!!!!!!!


This blog entry was initiated by something i saw on Holly's blog this morning, about Flickr (the site all Nomads are using for uploading pics) being blocked here, (which is why we haven't been able to see most of the pictures that nomads are uploading lately!. Well spotted Holly, ...here's another weird one ... Today i needed to contact business groups in the UAE for work purposes, so i tried to access the website for the Embassy of Finland in the UAE to get the contact for them. Guess WHAT!

Don't believe me? Check it out...(blocked by emirates internet!)

http://www.finemb-abu.com/

Frustrated ...

Sherif

Trip to Al Ain

Last weekend my family dragged me kicking and yelling (proverbially) to Al Ain, another city in the heart of the UAE. Well, all I have to say is WOW. It was amazing. I had a really good and relaxing time. We stayed at the Mercure Grand Hotel which is on top of a mountain. We didn't stay that long, but I already know I want to go back. It's not that far, only an hour's drive from Dubai and apart from the view and the relaxation there's also alot to do that I didn't have time for this time. Who's game for a trip to Al Ain soon???


Ancient Roller Coaster in the Mountains


Shrine in the middle of the desert


Water Slides...FUN


Chillin by the bar in the pool! (beer was in hand, unfortunately sister was too slow taking picture...beer finished!)


The view from our hotel room!



Another view from our room - Tennis and volleyball up in the mountains anyone?


Feel like jumping? - I know I did



The zig-zag road between the mountain


Zig-zaggin again...


Rocks..



More Rocks at sunset...



Eric...this one's for you...Rocks falling...and if they land on your head...What good is that sign?


Never thought there was this much greenery in the middle of a UAE Desert!

How well do you know me?

I was browsing through several blogs and i found this interesting site linked in one of them. It's fun to know just how much your friends really know about you. Take the test and come back in a week's tie to see the top ten scorers on the

Knowing Sabaza Quiz

Have fun ... create your own quiz too...

Adios!

Oh Captain! My Captain!

Over the weekend we were talking about favourite movies and actors, and it just so happened that my favourite actor is Robin Williams.

Every Sunday, at 8:00pm, Wafi Mall Roof Top is turned into an outdoor cinema "Under the Stars". It is a very chilled atmosphere and to my joy, this week's movies were:

1) Dead Poet's Society



I'm not going to take up space here saying how GREAT this movie is because if you've seen it, you know it, and if you haven't...GO AND WATCH IT NOW! It had been a while since i've seen it so watching it again last night brought back alot of emotions and inspiration.

2) Good Will Hunting



Now anybodo who's seen Ben Affleck acting would be surprised that a person who is such a terrible actor and seems so simple minded could co-write this Oscar winning script! It is also surprising watching the two Robin Williams performances juxtaposed, to know that he won an Oscar for his role in Good Will Hunting and only a nomination for Dead Poet's Society.

He lost it that year to Daniel Day Lewis for "My Left Foot". That was a disappointment to me, a Robin Williams fan, and also i thought at least three of the other four nominees were better performances that year (Morgan Freeman - Driving Miss Daisy, Tom Cruise - Born on the Fourth of July (if he didn't win it for that, i don't think he ever will), and Robin Williams - Dead Poets Society. For the record the fifth nominee that year, if my memory serves me right, was Kenneth Brannagh for Henry the fifth.)