As I begin considering home ownership - I'm looking for the best deal - affordable, great location, maximum square footage for my buck. Even in this market, while I was hunting and pecking, someone chirped foreclosure. Now as unsavory as that sounds, foreclosure isn't a bad option for new buyers who do manage to secure such a house in a decent neighborhood. Just that I can't seem to shrug off the feeling of saving a buck off someone else's crunch.
Talking of misfortunes... I was flying back home when trying to avoid the crazed thanksgiving crowd at the airport, I chanced upon an article about investors and life insurace policies in the WSJ. People who find themselves in financial dire straits now have the option of selling their life insurance to 'investors' for a fistful of money. Investors continue to pay the premium to the insurance companies until they move in for the kill. Euphemistically phrased - These 'investments' yield returns when the seller passes. In other words, people wish other people die so they can afford that summer cabin in the mountains. Oh and just imagine the returns today. There sure is a silver lining in every cloud.
Source: Wall Street Journal, November 26 2007, front page.
11.28.2007
11.18.2007
The amazing technicolored dream coat
I have a new appreciation for shopping in the Men's 'special occasion' aisle. Buying a suit is not as simple as I fooled myself to believe. As we trudge from a department store to a men's only boutique (who the hell knew, in downtown Chicago not Lincoln Park!) late into the evening. Here are some things I have learnt to look for.
Jacket:
Some online easy read sources to check out:
The Morning new - Men's fashion
New York Times - Slim suit: the Attraction is physical
So you wanna buy a men's suit?
Video clips:
aol show me fasion - How to buy a suit for men?
Business week
Labels to check out:
Ralph Lauren, Prada, Armani, Hugo Boss, Paul Stuart and maybe Paul Smith.
Places to check out in Chicago:
Saks fifth avenue, Prada, Armani Exchange, Hugo Boss and Paul Stuart. A quick note about Paul Stuart: go here only if you are a middle aged, white man (pending hateful blog post about my experience at Paul Stuart).
Jacket:
- Single breasted vs. double breasted: we settled for the more contemperory 2-button, single breasted for a slimmer fit rather than dated almighty executive Johnny Bravo look.
- Shoulder pads: The two kinds I have seen most often are roped-padded and soft shoulders. Roped-padded are good for those with narrow shoulders to visually add heft. Soft shoulders are for those who have broad shoulders or are pectorally endowed. No added bulk necessary.
- Length: for a more younger look, the lower edge falls a quarter an inch below the crotch line.
- Vents: Double, single and no vents. Vents should sit flat against the tush (aka seat). Don't rely on vents to accomodate wide hips and bubble butts. Beware the double vent- ajar pet door effect.
- Fit: Tapered, straight and relaxed.
Trousers:
- Pleats or no pleats: Pleated for the tall and lanky. Flat front, no cuffs for everybody else.
- Fit: more contemperory slim leg, traditional straight leg and the more roomy relaxed fit.
- Length: For a more cooler, modern look pants graze the top of a low riding shoe edge.
Some online easy read sources to check out:The Morning new - Men's fashion
New York Times - Slim suit: the Attraction is physical
So you wanna buy a men's suit?
Video clips:
aol show me fasion - How to buy a suit for men?
Business week
Labels to check out:
Ralph Lauren, Prada, Armani, Hugo Boss, Paul Stuart and maybe Paul Smith.
Places to check out in Chicago:
Saks fifth avenue, Prada, Armani Exchange, Hugo Boss and Paul Stuart. A quick note about Paul Stuart: go here only if you are a middle aged, white man (pending hateful blog post about my experience at Paul Stuart).
11.12.2007
Wrestling with slow cooking
Big groups tend to move at a cautious speed of a snail. With processes set in place for ages, creating a stir is like struggling to stir bread batter with a plastic spoon - painful and can lead to ugly blisters or a broken spoon. Okay, now that I have stretched that metaphor to its breaking point, time to move to another. Just kidding.
Creative ideas more often than not call for group action to really tease out the creases and refine the initial doodle. The doodle matures to a sketch which if fed right then grows into a dashing young prototype. Well, larger groups, in the spirit of self preservation, shoot down doodles early enough to kill the pandemoniacal stir to settle back comfortably into their wonted routine of 'process'. This is exactly when growth begins to plateau and over time stagnates to putrefication.
Right now, I'm trying my hand at the plastic spoon.
Creative ideas more often than not call for group action to really tease out the creases and refine the initial doodle. The doodle matures to a sketch which if fed right then grows into a dashing young prototype. Well, larger groups, in the spirit of self preservation, shoot down doodles early enough to kill the pandemoniacal stir to settle back comfortably into their wonted routine of 'process'. This is exactly when growth begins to plateau and over time stagnates to putrefication.
Right now, I'm trying my hand at the plastic spoon.
11.04.2007
Pretty in Pink (in Pakistan)
Instead of talking about the declared State of Emergency, Benzir's harried flight from Dubai and back, the media blackout, I'm going to talk about Begum Nawazish Ali.
When I think of women talk show hosts in Pakistan, I think of Pakistani renditions of Simi Garewal - dressed in white, blush that blends into a blurry glow posing mind numbing, politically correct questions from a shared script to equally prepared and bored guests. In Pakistan, where women talk show hosts are inconsequential, this fiesty character created by the 27 year old Saleem Ali has created quite a stir. Saleem Ali, in character is Begum Nawazish Ali - a fiesty, candid, provocative and sometime audacious woman who invites politicians, stars and starlets for a tete-a-tete afternoon. She presents herself with pagentary and pomp befitting a true player in the field. In Pakistan, where a woman talking about sex and politics on TV is sacrilegious, Begum Nawazish Ali had found the sweet spot until ofcourse the show was pulled off air after the 82nd show. Like all good things, in Pakistan, this too must come to an end.
When I think of women talk show hosts in Pakistan, I think of Pakistani renditions of Simi Garewal - dressed in white, blush that blends into a blurry glow posing mind numbing, politically correct questions from a shared script to equally prepared and bored guests. In Pakistan, where women talk show hosts are inconsequential, this fiesty character created by the 27 year old Saleem Ali has created quite a stir. Saleem Ali, in character is Begum Nawazish Ali - a fiesty, candid, provocative and sometime audacious woman who invites politicians, stars and starlets for a tete-a-tete afternoon. She presents herself with pagentary and pomp befitting a true player in the field. In Pakistan, where a woman talking about sex and politics on TV is sacrilegious, Begum Nawazish Ali had found the sweet spot until ofcourse the show was pulled off air after the 82nd show. Like all good things, in Pakistan, this too must come to an end.
9.06.2007
Wipping it up in Atlanta
On the menu today: reverse outsourcing - Wipro Technologies has set up a software development center in Atlanta, Georgia. Yes not the usual fare of Sales but Development with a dash of Marketing. Why does Wipro have an appetite for 500 American devs when it can get 5000 back home for the same cost - Reason Raja Velazaumi, HR Director at Wipro, tactfully highlighted on NPR this morning was so that Wipro can add the key ingredient of cultural know-how through their developers towards creating more market specific products. Needless to say market intelligence is only the aperitif. The main course, more hearty and filling is 'more business into the door'. This facility will increase visibility in America - bringing the option of outsourcing to the masses. Bigger companies had no qualms with outsourcing, its the smaller ones that Wipro is trying to invite to the table. And ofcourse, confusing the 'out with outsourcing' lobbyists since this is afterall creating jobs for Americans is a nice little treat to go with the meal.
Bravo.
Bravo.
8.31.2007
The Top 20 Reasons Not to Move to Dubai
This is an interesting piece. CK - Thanks for sending it my way. The 'real' truth about Dubai revealed - my response to Tia O'Neill's list is in red.
Disclaimer: Growing up in Dubai was a painful experience for me as a woman. Also, I haven't been there for 4 years now - so most of the details I share with you below is second hand knowledge through family, friends and media.
Warning: Long post ahead.
The Top 20 Reasons Not to Move to Dubai (in no particular order!) By Tia O'Neill
August 2007
Living in Dubai is not wonderful and glamorous, as many would have you believe. Forget about what you've read, seen, and heard; those shiny buildings and manmade islands are all just smoke and mirrors. There are so many things wrong with this place that I have decided to compile a list, a must read if you are considering a potential move to Dubai.
1. There is no standard address system making mail-to-the door delivery impossible. In fact, it makes anything nearly impossible. The taxi driver, here for only two days, and having learned English from old Beatles albums has no clue where your house is. He won't tell you that of course, he'll just keep calling and saying, "Okay, okay. Yeah, yeah." When you purchase something that requires delivery they do not have an address line, but a box where you are expected to draw a map. Not able to draw a map? Explain like this: I live on the street after the airport road, but before the roundabout. Go past the mosque and make a U-turn.
They infact do have a standard address system in Dubai. It is a pretty dense city - its unrealistic to rely on descriptive directions only. I have been using the postal service for a while now and never had problems with fedex, dhl, postal mail, etc.
The cab drivers are dicey unless you know exactly where you are going.
2. The government blocks all web sites that it deems "offensive" to the "religious, moral, and cultural values" of the UAE. That's hard to swallow for a freedom loving American, but I get it. I do not understand, however, why all VOIP access and related web sites are blocked. I guess the government also takes offense to people inexpensively contacting their families back home. You're welcome to call using the analog service provided by the government-owned telephone monopoly, but it will cost you a whole lot more. So much so, in fact, your frequency of calls will be greatly diminished if you can afford them at all. The government says VOIP is blocked for security reasons, yet even the residents of communist China and North Korea have access to these inexpensive calls.
Yes this is true -- its the imposition of a 'Islamic' way of life. Resented it as a teenager.
3. It is really hot outside. Not Florida in July hot; Hot as if you were locked in a car in Florida in July with sufficient humidity to make it feel as though you are drowning. Hot as in 120 degrees with nearly 100% humidity. Do not look to the wind for relief. This is the equivalent of pointing a hairdryer on full blast directly at your face. Pour fine moon dust-like sand over your head as you do this and you get the picture.
Well, what the hell were you expecting - It's in the middle of the desert!
4. There are too few trees, plants, and grass – or living things aside from us crazy humans, for that matter. Ever see a bird pant? I have. In my opinion, human beings were not meant to live in such a place. If we were, there would be sufficient water and shade. The only greenery around are the roadside gardens planted by the government, who waters the hell out of them in the middle of the day. Thanks a lot! Didn't you say we should cut down on our water consumption because you are unable to keep up with the demand? I have an idea: let's all move someplace where it's not 120 degrees outside.
The green patches keep the landscape bearable. It does take its toll on the water supply. Again, birds pant and people die of heat strokes (on a leisurely afternoon stroll) in Dubai - she should have expected it.
5. This country prides itself so much on its glitz and glamour that it put a picture of its 7-star hotel on the license plate. Yet, the public toilets in the king-of-bling Gold Souk district are holes in the ground with no toilet paper or soap. Hoses to rinse your nether regions, however, are provided. This results in a mass of water on the floor that you must stand in to pee. Try squatting without touching anything and keeping your pants from touching anything either. Oh yeah. It's 120 degrees in there too.
Now this (hole in the ground) is partially a valid complaint and partially a culturally ignorant rant. Gold souk should be retrofitted with loos for foreigners since they are trying to attract a diverse clientele. However, holes in the ground should stay as well, for locals - it is after all their country.
Agree about the 7-star hotel on license plate bit -- very tacky. This is a country that's celebrating energy guzzling architecture when they have a wealth of vernacular architecture to pull from. Its a bunch of rich boys running a club.
6. This country encourages businesses to hire people from other poor countries to come here and work. They have them sign contracts that are a decade long and then take their passports. Even though taking passports is supposedly illegal, the government knows it happens and does nothing to enforce the law. These poor people are promised a certain pay, but the companies neglect to tell them they will be deducting their cost of living from their paychecks, leaving them virtually penniless – that is, if they choose to pay them. Companies hold back paychecks for months at a time. When the workers strike as a result, they are jailed. Protesting is illegal, you see (apparently this law IS enforced).
These people will never make enough to buy a ticket home and even if they do, they do not have their passports. They live crammed in portables with tons of others, in highly unsanitary conditions. The kicker: they are building hotels that cost more to stay in for one night than they will make in an entire year. Things are so bad that a number of laborers are willing to throw themselves in front of cars because their death would bring their family affluence in the form of diya, blood money paid to the victim's family as mandated by the government.
She hit the nail with this one. U.A.E (United Arab Emirates), relies on expatriates (85% of the population) to keep the country's economy afloat and the effers treat them like dirt. If the Gulf rush were to end tomorrow they'll collapse like a sand castle. I'm ashamed that even though India has a large population in the Gulf (and other places) - the government doesn't have any measures in place to protect them on foreign soil. A very telling, recent example of our governments reticence is the case of Indians being attacked in Germany.
7. Things are not cheaper here. I'm sick of people saying that. I read the letters to the editor page of the paper and people say to those who complain about the cost of living rising here, "Well, it's cheaper than your home country or you wouldn't be here." The only thing cheaper here is labor. Yes, you can have a maid – but a bag of washed lettuce will cost you almost $10.
Yes.
8. There are traffic cameras everywhere. I consider this cheating. Where are the damn cops? I drove around this city for weeks before I ever even saw a cop. Trust me, they need traffic cops here. People drive like idiots. It's perfectly okay to turn left from the far right lane, but speeding even just a couple of kilometers over will get you fined. These cameras are placed strategically as you come down hills, or just as the speed limit changes. Before you know it…BAM! Fined. Forget to pay the bill and your car will be impounded..
uh..I'm not sure I understand her gripe here. Technology is good. Why have cop cars crowding the place when you can use technology. I have no context for camera placement - so no comments.
9. The clothing some of these women wear makes no sense to me. I understand that as part of your religion you are required to dress in a particular way, but a black robe over your jeans and turtleneck and cover your head when it is 120 degrees outside? In the gym some women wear five layers of clothing…sweatpants and t-shits over sweaters with headscarves. Yet the men's clothing makes absolute sense: white, airy, and nothing underneath but their skivvies.
Okay my reaction to this statement is a bit mixed. Firstly women wear abayas ( the black robe over clothes) - I haven't met an Arab woman who wears a turtle neck in 120 degree weather outside. However, given the use of icy air everywhere indoors - I can understand why someone would choose to dress warm. Besides you will be hard pressed to find women or men strolling around town. Secondly, I feel like this person has written this without much fore thought and research into why the dress styles are the way they are: Arab women traditionally lived indoors in traditionally built homes with wind tunnels which is surprisingly very cooling. They needed something to preserve the warmth and at the same time be loose enough to let air pass through (and of course mask the shape of their bodies). Men on the other hand worked outside hence the loose white dishdasha.
Arab women are still very conscious of their attire in gyms (a western artifact) - again not surprising given that they are used to a very different decorum from what Americans expect to see in gyms here.
10. People stare at you. I am sick of being stared at. I'm stared at by men who have never seen a fair-skinned blue-eyed woman before, or who have and think we are all prostitutes so it's okay to stare. They stare at me when I am fully covered or with my husband, and even follow me around. It's beyond creepy and has brought me to tears on more than one occasion. The staring is not limited to men, either. I'm stared at angrily by female prostitutes who think I am running in on their territory by having a few drinks with my husband at the bar.
Guess what -- small town American hicks stare at darker folks all the freakin' time. Yes its uncomfortable and sometimes very intrusive. Dubai locals and expats for that matter are still not used to white faces around. So its only normal that they will stare. The problem in Dubai is that its putting up a farce of being a culturally diverse and an open society. But the very fact that its a monarchy based on Islamic law (women are still treated as second rate citizens) is in complete contradiction.
To assume a white woman drinking at a bar is a prostitute is a result of whats going on in gullies of Dubai. In the 80s and 90s there was a huge explosion of Russian prostitutes in Dubai - guess why - Horny Arab farts would pick up women on their trips to Europe come to Dubai and let them loose as soon as they got tired or married, whichever came first.
Your regular Dubai Jo Blo has not really warmed up to seeing decent white women on the streets yet.
11. Prostitutes? Oh hell yes, there are prostitutes. Tons of them. So, let me get this straight, I can't look at a naked picture of a person on the Internet in the privacy of my home, but it is okay to go out in public and buy a few for the night?
I don't see anything morally wrong with prostitution. It should be legal. But the hypocrisy highlighted here is right on mark.
12. Alcohol can only be sold in hotels and a handful of private clubs. A person must own a liquor license to consume in the privacy of their own home. To obtain a liquor license you must get signed approval from your boss, prove a certain level of salary that determines how much you are allowed to buy, and then submit several mug shots (aka passport photos) for approval. Pay the fee and the additional 30% tax on every purchase and you may drink at home. Then again, you can just pick up a few bottles in the airport duty free on your way in to the country, but two is the max. Why not just drive out to Ajman where it's a free-for-all and load up the SUV? It's easy enough, but crossing the Emirates with alcohol is illegal – particularly in the dry emirate of Sharjah, which just happens to lie between Dubai and Ajman. Go figure.
Again - Islamic society. Enough said.
13. Not only do you have to get your boss's approval to obtain a liquor license, but you must also get the company's approval to rent property, have a telephone, or get satellite TV.
Really absurd attempt at controlling what the masses are consuming.
14. Back to the craziness on the roads: If I see one more kid standing up and waving to me out the back window while flying down the road at 160 kph…whatever happened to seat belts?
Yes, they need a Ralph Nader.
15. When is the weekend again? Let me get this straight: the weekend used to be Thursday and Friday, but no one took off all of Thursday, just a half day really. Now the government says Friday and Saturday are the weekend, but some people only take off Friday, others still take a half day on Thursday, but some might just take a half day on Saturday instead. Anyway you slice it, Sundays are workdays and little business can be accomplished Thursday through Saturday.
My eye is twitching at this one -- it happens when I'm trying not to go completely batty. Muslims consider Friday a holy day - hence its a holiday. Usually Thursday, Friday is considered off or Friday, Saturday. Sunday is holiday-ed in this country because thats what Jesus would do. Please don't impose Christian values of judgement on other cultures.
16. There are few satellite television operators:. The movie channels play movies that are old and outdated. Many of them went straight to video back in the States. Every sitcom that failed in the US has been purchased and is played here. Old episodes of Knight Rider are advertised like it is the coolest thing since sliced bread. The TV commercials are repeated so often that I am determined NOT to buy anything I see advertised on television here just for thee principle of it. When I say repeated often, I mean every commercial break - sometimes more than once.
When I was growing up they had Arab channels for the locals, one English channel with BBC programs and Indian movies Thursday nights. And anything more than that get cable. TV sucks in Dubai unless you are an Arab. I incidentally watched Arab channels - they had some interesting stuff going on there.
17. The roads are horribly designed. Driving ten minutes out of the way to make a U-turn is not uncommon. People are not able to give directions most of the time (remember reason #1), and the maps are little help because most have few road names on them, if any. Where is interchange four? You just have to hope you got on the freeway in the right place and start counting because they are not numbered. Miss it and you'll likely end up on the other side of town before you are able to turn around and go back.
Haven't driven there in a while. But the traffic is stressful.
18. Taxi drivers are dangerous and smell. Taxi drivers work very hard here to earn a living because travel by taxi is still relatively inexpensive, even though the cost of living is not (see reason #7). Because of this you may have a driver who has had little sleep or the opportunity to shower for several days. Many of these drivers have just as much difficulty finding their way around as you do, but add to this a third-world country driving style and extreme exhaustion and, well, remember to buckle up for safety.
yes.
19. Speeding is an Emirati sport and Emirates Road is just an extension of the Dubai Autodrome. I know I keep mentioning the roads, but really, much of this city's issues are encompassed by the erratic and irrational behavior displayed on its streets. Visions of flashing lights on even flashier, limo-tinted SUVs haunt me as I merge on to the highway. Local nationals are somehow able to get the sun-protecting dark window tint denied to us lowly expats and use it to hide their faces as they tailgate you incessantly at unbelievably high speeds, their lights flickering on and off and horn blaring repeatedly. It doesn't matter that you can't get over, or if doing so would be particularly dangerous, they will run you off the road to get in front of you. Don't even think about giving someone the finger; the offense could land you in jail. Tailgating is, unbelievably, legal.
Oh I despise Arab drivers -- they are, more often than not Arab teenagers high on testosterone racing through the streets in their Bazzooka SUVs.
20. Dubai is far from environmentally friendly. Ever wonder how much damage those manmade islands are doing to the delicate ocean ecosystem? Coral reefs, sea grasses, and oyster beds that were once part of protected marine lands lie choked under a barrage of dredged up sea sand. Consider the waste that occurs from erecting buildings on top of these sand monsters and from the people that occupy them coupled with the lack of an effective recycling program and you have an environmental disaster on your hands. Add to this more gas guzzling SUVs than fuel-efficient cars on the road and the need for 24-hour powerful air-conditioning and its evident that the environment is not high on the priority list of the UAE.
Yes yes yes - couldn't agree more!
So while I'm sure there are benefits to living in Dubai, tax breaks, multi-cultural environments, and beautiful buildings aside, reconsider your plans to move here if any of the above mentioned reasons strikes a chord within you. Dubai is a city caught in an identity crisis. Struggling somewhere between its desire to be a playground for the rich and its adherence to traditional Islamic roots, rests a city that lacks sufficient infrastructure to support its delusions of grandeur. Visit if you must, but leave quickly before you are sucked into its calamitous void.
Well concluded. (But hey, atleast, Dubai is trying something different from other countries in the Muslim world).
Disclaimer: Growing up in Dubai was a painful experience for me as a woman. Also, I haven't been there for 4 years now - so most of the details I share with you below is second hand knowledge through family, friends and media.
Warning: Long post ahead.
The Top 20 Reasons Not to Move to Dubai (in no particular order!) By Tia O'Neill
August 2007
Living in Dubai is not wonderful and glamorous, as many would have you believe. Forget about what you've read, seen, and heard; those shiny buildings and manmade islands are all just smoke and mirrors. There are so many things wrong with this place that I have decided to compile a list, a must read if you are considering a potential move to Dubai.
1. There is no standard address system making mail-to-the door delivery impossible. In fact, it makes anything nearly impossible. The taxi driver, here for only two days, and having learned English from old Beatles albums has no clue where your house is. He won't tell you that of course, he'll just keep calling and saying, "Okay, okay. Yeah, yeah." When you purchase something that requires delivery they do not have an address line, but a box where you are expected to draw a map. Not able to draw a map? Explain like this: I live on the street after the airport road, but before the roundabout. Go past the mosque and make a U-turn.
They infact do have a standard address system in Dubai. It is a pretty dense city - its unrealistic to rely on descriptive directions only. I have been using the postal service for a while now and never had problems with fedex, dhl, postal mail, etc.
The cab drivers are dicey unless you know exactly where you are going.
2. The government blocks all web sites that it deems "offensive" to the "religious, moral, and cultural values" of the UAE. That's hard to swallow for a freedom loving American, but I get it. I do not understand, however, why all VOIP access and related web sites are blocked. I guess the government also takes offense to people inexpensively contacting their families back home. You're welcome to call using the analog service provided by the government-owned telephone monopoly, but it will cost you a whole lot more. So much so, in fact, your frequency of calls will be greatly diminished if you can afford them at all. The government says VOIP is blocked for security reasons, yet even the residents of communist China and North Korea have access to these inexpensive calls.
Yes this is true -- its the imposition of a 'Islamic' way of life. Resented it as a teenager.
3. It is really hot outside. Not Florida in July hot; Hot as if you were locked in a car in Florida in July with sufficient humidity to make it feel as though you are drowning. Hot as in 120 degrees with nearly 100% humidity. Do not look to the wind for relief. This is the equivalent of pointing a hairdryer on full blast directly at your face. Pour fine moon dust-like sand over your head as you do this and you get the picture.
Well, what the hell were you expecting - It's in the middle of the desert!
4. There are too few trees, plants, and grass – or living things aside from us crazy humans, for that matter. Ever see a bird pant? I have. In my opinion, human beings were not meant to live in such a place. If we were, there would be sufficient water and shade. The only greenery around are the roadside gardens planted by the government, who waters the hell out of them in the middle of the day. Thanks a lot! Didn't you say we should cut down on our water consumption because you are unable to keep up with the demand? I have an idea: let's all move someplace where it's not 120 degrees outside.
The green patches keep the landscape bearable. It does take its toll on the water supply. Again, birds pant and people die of heat strokes (on a leisurely afternoon stroll) in Dubai - she should have expected it.
5. This country prides itself so much on its glitz and glamour that it put a picture of its 7-star hotel on the license plate. Yet, the public toilets in the king-of-bling Gold Souk district are holes in the ground with no toilet paper or soap. Hoses to rinse your nether regions, however, are provided. This results in a mass of water on the floor that you must stand in to pee. Try squatting without touching anything and keeping your pants from touching anything either. Oh yeah. It's 120 degrees in there too.
Now this (hole in the ground) is partially a valid complaint and partially a culturally ignorant rant. Gold souk should be retrofitted with loos for foreigners since they are trying to attract a diverse clientele. However, holes in the ground should stay as well, for locals - it is after all their country.
Agree about the 7-star hotel on license plate bit -- very tacky. This is a country that's celebrating energy guzzling architecture when they have a wealth of vernacular architecture to pull from. Its a bunch of rich boys running a club.
6. This country encourages businesses to hire people from other poor countries to come here and work. They have them sign contracts that are a decade long and then take their passports. Even though taking passports is supposedly illegal, the government knows it happens and does nothing to enforce the law. These poor people are promised a certain pay, but the companies neglect to tell them they will be deducting their cost of living from their paychecks, leaving them virtually penniless – that is, if they choose to pay them. Companies hold back paychecks for months at a time. When the workers strike as a result, they are jailed. Protesting is illegal, you see (apparently this law IS enforced).
These people will never make enough to buy a ticket home and even if they do, they do not have their passports. They live crammed in portables with tons of others, in highly unsanitary conditions. The kicker: they are building hotels that cost more to stay in for one night than they will make in an entire year. Things are so bad that a number of laborers are willing to throw themselves in front of cars because their death would bring their family affluence in the form of diya, blood money paid to the victim's family as mandated by the government.
She hit the nail with this one. U.A.E (United Arab Emirates), relies on expatriates (85% of the population) to keep the country's economy afloat and the effers treat them like dirt. If the Gulf rush were to end tomorrow they'll collapse like a sand castle. I'm ashamed that even though India has a large population in the Gulf (and other places) - the government doesn't have any measures in place to protect them on foreign soil. A very telling, recent example of our governments reticence is the case of Indians being attacked in Germany.
7. Things are not cheaper here. I'm sick of people saying that. I read the letters to the editor page of the paper and people say to those who complain about the cost of living rising here, "Well, it's cheaper than your home country or you wouldn't be here." The only thing cheaper here is labor. Yes, you can have a maid – but a bag of washed lettuce will cost you almost $10.
Yes.
8. There are traffic cameras everywhere. I consider this cheating. Where are the damn cops? I drove around this city for weeks before I ever even saw a cop. Trust me, they need traffic cops here. People drive like idiots. It's perfectly okay to turn left from the far right lane, but speeding even just a couple of kilometers over will get you fined. These cameras are placed strategically as you come down hills, or just as the speed limit changes. Before you know it…BAM! Fined. Forget to pay the bill and your car will be impounded..
uh..I'm not sure I understand her gripe here. Technology is good. Why have cop cars crowding the place when you can use technology. I have no context for camera placement - so no comments.
9. The clothing some of these women wear makes no sense to me. I understand that as part of your religion you are required to dress in a particular way, but a black robe over your jeans and turtleneck and cover your head when it is 120 degrees outside? In the gym some women wear five layers of clothing…sweatpants and t-shits over sweaters with headscarves. Yet the men's clothing makes absolute sense: white, airy, and nothing underneath but their skivvies.
Okay my reaction to this statement is a bit mixed. Firstly women wear abayas ( the black robe over clothes) - I haven't met an Arab woman who wears a turtle neck in 120 degree weather outside. However, given the use of icy air everywhere indoors - I can understand why someone would choose to dress warm. Besides you will be hard pressed to find women or men strolling around town. Secondly, I feel like this person has written this without much fore thought and research into why the dress styles are the way they are: Arab women traditionally lived indoors in traditionally built homes with wind tunnels which is surprisingly very cooling. They needed something to preserve the warmth and at the same time be loose enough to let air pass through (and of course mask the shape of their bodies). Men on the other hand worked outside hence the loose white dishdasha.
Arab women are still very conscious of their attire in gyms (a western artifact) - again not surprising given that they are used to a very different decorum from what Americans expect to see in gyms here.
10. People stare at you. I am sick of being stared at. I'm stared at by men who have never seen a fair-skinned blue-eyed woman before, or who have and think we are all prostitutes so it's okay to stare. They stare at me when I am fully covered or with my husband, and even follow me around. It's beyond creepy and has brought me to tears on more than one occasion. The staring is not limited to men, either. I'm stared at angrily by female prostitutes who think I am running in on their territory by having a few drinks with my husband at the bar.
Guess what -- small town American hicks stare at darker folks all the freakin' time. Yes its uncomfortable and sometimes very intrusive. Dubai locals and expats for that matter are still not used to white faces around. So its only normal that they will stare. The problem in Dubai is that its putting up a farce of being a culturally diverse and an open society. But the very fact that its a monarchy based on Islamic law (women are still treated as second rate citizens) is in complete contradiction.
To assume a white woman drinking at a bar is a prostitute is a result of whats going on in gullies of Dubai. In the 80s and 90s there was a huge explosion of Russian prostitutes in Dubai - guess why - Horny Arab farts would pick up women on their trips to Europe come to Dubai and let them loose as soon as they got tired or married, whichever came first.
Your regular Dubai Jo Blo has not really warmed up to seeing decent white women on the streets yet.
11. Prostitutes? Oh hell yes, there are prostitutes. Tons of them. So, let me get this straight, I can't look at a naked picture of a person on the Internet in the privacy of my home, but it is okay to go out in public and buy a few for the night?
I don't see anything morally wrong with prostitution. It should be legal. But the hypocrisy highlighted here is right on mark.
12. Alcohol can only be sold in hotels and a handful of private clubs. A person must own a liquor license to consume in the privacy of their own home. To obtain a liquor license you must get signed approval from your boss, prove a certain level of salary that determines how much you are allowed to buy, and then submit several mug shots (aka passport photos) for approval. Pay the fee and the additional 30% tax on every purchase and you may drink at home. Then again, you can just pick up a few bottles in the airport duty free on your way in to the country, but two is the max. Why not just drive out to Ajman where it's a free-for-all and load up the SUV? It's easy enough, but crossing the Emirates with alcohol is illegal – particularly in the dry emirate of Sharjah, which just happens to lie between Dubai and Ajman. Go figure.
Again - Islamic society. Enough said.
13. Not only do you have to get your boss's approval to obtain a liquor license, but you must also get the company's approval to rent property, have a telephone, or get satellite TV.
Really absurd attempt at controlling what the masses are consuming.
14. Back to the craziness on the roads: If I see one more kid standing up and waving to me out the back window while flying down the road at 160 kph…whatever happened to seat belts?
Yes, they need a Ralph Nader.
15. When is the weekend again? Let me get this straight: the weekend used to be Thursday and Friday, but no one took off all of Thursday, just a half day really. Now the government says Friday and Saturday are the weekend, but some people only take off Friday, others still take a half day on Thursday, but some might just take a half day on Saturday instead. Anyway you slice it, Sundays are workdays and little business can be accomplished Thursday through Saturday.
My eye is twitching at this one -- it happens when I'm trying not to go completely batty. Muslims consider Friday a holy day - hence its a holiday. Usually Thursday, Friday is considered off or Friday, Saturday. Sunday is holiday-ed in this country because thats what Jesus would do. Please don't impose Christian values of judgement on other cultures.
16. There are few satellite television operators:. The movie channels play movies that are old and outdated. Many of them went straight to video back in the States. Every sitcom that failed in the US has been purchased and is played here. Old episodes of Knight Rider are advertised like it is the coolest thing since sliced bread. The TV commercials are repeated so often that I am determined NOT to buy anything I see advertised on television here just for thee principle of it. When I say repeated often, I mean every commercial break - sometimes more than once.
When I was growing up they had Arab channels for the locals, one English channel with BBC programs and Indian movies Thursday nights. And anything more than that get cable. TV sucks in Dubai unless you are an Arab. I incidentally watched Arab channels - they had some interesting stuff going on there.
17. The roads are horribly designed. Driving ten minutes out of the way to make a U-turn is not uncommon. People are not able to give directions most of the time (remember reason #1), and the maps are little help because most have few road names on them, if any. Where is interchange four? You just have to hope you got on the freeway in the right place and start counting because they are not numbered. Miss it and you'll likely end up on the other side of town before you are able to turn around and go back.
Haven't driven there in a while. But the traffic is stressful.
18. Taxi drivers are dangerous and smell. Taxi drivers work very hard here to earn a living because travel by taxi is still relatively inexpensive, even though the cost of living is not (see reason #7). Because of this you may have a driver who has had little sleep or the opportunity to shower for several days. Many of these drivers have just as much difficulty finding their way around as you do, but add to this a third-world country driving style and extreme exhaustion and, well, remember to buckle up for safety.
yes.
19. Speeding is an Emirati sport and Emirates Road is just an extension of the Dubai Autodrome. I know I keep mentioning the roads, but really, much of this city's issues are encompassed by the erratic and irrational behavior displayed on its streets. Visions of flashing lights on even flashier, limo-tinted SUVs haunt me as I merge on to the highway. Local nationals are somehow able to get the sun-protecting dark window tint denied to us lowly expats and use it to hide their faces as they tailgate you incessantly at unbelievably high speeds, their lights flickering on and off and horn blaring repeatedly. It doesn't matter that you can't get over, or if doing so would be particularly dangerous, they will run you off the road to get in front of you. Don't even think about giving someone the finger; the offense could land you in jail. Tailgating is, unbelievably, legal.
Oh I despise Arab drivers -- they are, more often than not Arab teenagers high on testosterone racing through the streets in their Bazzooka SUVs.
20. Dubai is far from environmentally friendly. Ever wonder how much damage those manmade islands are doing to the delicate ocean ecosystem? Coral reefs, sea grasses, and oyster beds that were once part of protected marine lands lie choked under a barrage of dredged up sea sand. Consider the waste that occurs from erecting buildings on top of these sand monsters and from the people that occupy them coupled with the lack of an effective recycling program and you have an environmental disaster on your hands. Add to this more gas guzzling SUVs than fuel-efficient cars on the road and the need for 24-hour powerful air-conditioning and its evident that the environment is not high on the priority list of the UAE.
Yes yes yes - couldn't agree more!
So while I'm sure there are benefits to living in Dubai, tax breaks, multi-cultural environments, and beautiful buildings aside, reconsider your plans to move here if any of the above mentioned reasons strikes a chord within you. Dubai is a city caught in an identity crisis. Struggling somewhere between its desire to be a playground for the rich and its adherence to traditional Islamic roots, rests a city that lacks sufficient infrastructure to support its delusions of grandeur. Visit if you must, but leave quickly before you are sucked into its calamitous void.
Well concluded. (But hey, atleast, Dubai is trying something different from other countries in the Muslim world).
8.20.2007
Hard at work in Chicago
Last few months I have been intermittently working from home. Few ground rules if you are doing the same:
- Schedule a few short conference calls and speedy email responses several times a week with anybody who works with you, since they are probably at the office cursing your name. This will show them you are 'around' and fully engaged in the business of the day, which, of course, you are!
- Don't ever say "I'm working from home' - no one needs to be reminded that you are in fact home.
- Don't leave your Kinks album playing in the background while you talk with colleagues. Word will get around.
- Don't wear PJs all day and please don't conduct any sort of business in your underwear. People will know - don't know how, but they will.
- And finally, don't guilt yourself into working a 60-hour weeks just because you are working at home.
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