To join the team "UAE Residents" please see this thread.
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Calling all National and Expat residents of the UAE.

Few people out there in cruncherville know anything about the UAE. The majority think that it is like Saudi, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Jordan etc and have no idea that it is modern forward thinking, multi-national, multi-religious, multi-ethnic society.
Many people think that there are no churches here, that women can't drive cars or own property and businesses and that alcohol is banned...REALLY!
If you want the world to know more about your country then please do post your thoughts here.



What do you think of the "Burj Dubai"?
It's not yet complete but is already the tallest building in the world and has already broken seven world records.




What do you think of the "Burj Al-Arab" the only 7-Star Hotel in the world?
Personally I think it is a magnificent and beautiful national icon on the outside and an horrendous, typically tasteless, Arabic mess of colours on the inside.




What do you think of the road toll system?
It has increased motoring costs but hasn't eased the traffic problem at all. Do you agree?

What do you think of the new Mono-Rail system?



Will it ease the traffic problem at all or will it just be an expensive white Elephant.
People are already saying..."But I still have to drive from my home to the station and find somewhere to park my car, and how do I then get from my destination station to my office?"
How can you go shopping and use the Mono-Rail? It does'nt go to the major Malls and how do you get your heavy shopping too and from, and on and off the Mono?

Did anyone else see the Air Bus Super Jumbo doing it's desert climate testing in Al-Ain?
What an incredible machine. My ears are still ringing from the noise!



What do you think about all the best beaches disapearing from the public domain as more and more tourist hotels are built?
Dhadna, Dibba, and other beaches that used to be secluded weekend getaway places are now spoiled by tourism.

What do you think of "The World" and the "Palms"
The sea levels are rising, many low lying islands around the world are sinking; Vanuatu, Seychelles, Maldives etc. are already cringing at the phenominal cost of building sea-defences; and the GCC countries are building low lying islands.
That's just crazy!



What do you think about the Atlantis?
The first total 5-Star resort with underwater 5-star hotel suites at $6000 per night.
Would you pay that kind of money to live in a 5-star fish tank?
The two-storey "Bridge Suite" in the centre is already booked for years in advance at more than $16000 per night.
That's just crazy money.



What about the second Trump Tower?
We already have one Trump Tower in Dubai, do we really need this monstrosity.
What shall we call it? The Trump Space age tooth-pick?



What do you think about the forthcoming introduction of 3% VAT and the new "Wealth Tax"?

What do you think of the new water consumption charges when the city authorities are still running huge fountains in the city ...and building new ones!

Let's here see your thoughts on the UAE please.

Cheers.

Whiskey.

To join the team "UAE Residents" please see this thread.

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Join the #1 UAE Team.

Let's here see your thoughts on the UAE please.

Fantastic post Whiskey, nice pictures and information ;)

When I was in my last year at university my partner at the time was offered a teaching contract in UAE. She wanted me to go out there with her, suggesting I was sure to find a job and would love it out there. I had no British passport then, no passport at all, still considered "an alien of unknown origin" by the British authorities, so I couldn't go. I couldn't afford the British naturalization process then, not on my student grant.

So she decided not to go, but to get a job in the UK (computer programming as it happened) to stay with me.

What could have been if I had that passport....

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flaming balloons

I always watch closely and am amazed at what they build over there. The Palm & World Islands, are truly inspiring, but I find it pointless to build them, when in 100 years, they'll be swamped. But it's all so beautiful!!!

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- Luke.

Let's here see your thoughts on the UAE please.

Fantastic post Whiskey, nice pictures and information ;)

Thanks Ice, a little appreciation is very encouraging :)

When I was in my last year at university my partner at the time was offered a teaching contract in UAE. She wanted me to go out there with her, suggesting I was sure to find a job and would love it out there. I had no British passport then, no passport at all, still considered an 'alien of unknown origin' by the British authorities, so I couldn't go. I couldn't afford the British naturalization process then, not on my student grant.

So she decided not to go, but to get a job in the UK (computer programming as it happened) to stay with me.

What could have been if I had that passport....

And as a British passport holder you don't need a visa to enter ex-British Colonial countries. When you arive at DXB (Dubai) you just walk thru the fast lane!

About 15 years ago DXB started a service called "Marahaba" (Greetings and Welcome)
I go to the airport "Marahaba" office and give them a photo of my incoming guests with details of the flight number and ETA, plus about $20 per guest.
I then telephone my guests at home and tell them to look out for a "Canary" with a name-board. Sometimes I don't telephone in advance; I just let the following events come as a surprise to my guests. :)

A pretty girl in a Canary Yellow jacket, along with a porter and a baggage trolley, greets my guests off the plane and Fast-Tracks them through baggage, immigration and customs to me. It's brilliant and is well appreciated by guests after a long flight.

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Join the #1 UAE Team.

I always watch closely and am amazed at what they build over there. The Palm & World Islands, are truly inspiring, but I find it pointless to build them, when in 100 years, they'll be swamped. But it's all so beautiful!!!

Yes. You can buy houses and apartments on "The Palms", or an island in "The World" on a 100 year lease, but they will be flooded in about 60 years!

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Join the #1 UAE Team.

What could have been if I had that passport....

I'll be honest with you Ice, the Emirates; to me; were more beautiful a decade and more ago. We used to enjoy getting away from it all to an isolated beach; driving the old Camel routes in a 4X4 and camping and diving.
Now; as I mentioned in the original posts; the beaches are all too easy to get to and are becoming crowded. The old Camel tracks are being "Black-Topped" and the old "Pioneer" feeling has long gone.

This is where I miss access to Crunchers Cafe. There is so much "UAE Stuff" that I would like to link to or copy/paste from.

Cheers.

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Join the #1 UAE Team.

This is where I miss access to Crunchers Cafe. There is so much "UAE Stuff" that I would like to link to or copy/paste from.

It's funny you should mention that. Crunchers is open again ;)

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flaming balloons

I like the mono-rail idea but to make it work it needs to be a part of an integrated transit system with busses as well. (And, of course, lot’s of parking available at the more rural stations.)

I was thinking that maybe you could start a thread in Arabic? (I am assuming that you have a computer capable of Arabic script.)

Might make folks feel more at home in SETI and BOINC and possibly help entice people from Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, etc. into crunching and push BOINC towards being more global. (Would probably help a little with mutual understanding between the west and the mid-east as well.)

I know that there is a German thread and I think that there was a French one at one time.

Tho it might give the moderators a challenge. . . :-O

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Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas.

Albert Einstein

أنا أتمنّى عرف أنا بعض العربية

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flaming balloons

Tho it might give the moderators a challenge. . . :-O

LOL.....never challenge the mods........

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"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

Crunchers Cafe is open for business again. Why not pop in for a look-see?

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AND...BACK ON TOPIC...

The United Arab Emirates.

Formerly "The British Trucial States" So called because the Emirates, Bahrain and Qatar were in disaray and at each others throats over land and territorial disputes and were commiting "Piracy" against trading ships in the Gulf waters..
The British stepped in and banged their heads together and made the Emir's sit down together and sign a trucial agreement with Britain.
There are still territorial and provincial disputes between the Emirates and also between The UAE and Oman, Iran and Qatar but these days they are being negotiated diplomatically.

There are seven Emirates.....

Abu-Dhabi,
Dubai,
Sharjah,
Ajman,
Um Al-Quwain,
Ras Al-Kaima and
Fujeira.

The Capitol city of each Emirate bears the name of the Emirate. Like New York, New York.
They all have only one major city except Abu-Dhabi which has a second city; Al-Ain. The garden city. It is the only city which is not a Port City. Al-Ain is inland and at altitude and therefore slightly cooler and has slightly more rainfall per annum.90% of Dates exported from the UAE are grown in Al-Ain.

The richest in oil; and largest in land area; is Abu-Dhabi, which; contrary to popular belief; is the Capitol city of the Emirates; not Dubai.
The most populous, most industrious and most diversified is Dubai.
Dubai is less dependent on oil revenue now than any other Arab nation thanks to the forsight of the ruling family.
Dubai has developed industry, shipping, banking, insurance, import-export trade, media, I.T. and tourism so that Dubai's oil income is now only approximately 30% of gross national product.

The seven Emirates each have their own Royal Family and their own ruler; a Sheikh.
The President of the United Arab Emirates is the Sheikh of Abu-Dhabi; the vice prez is the ruler of Dubai.

Each Emirate has it's own laws and it's own police force and judiciary but the Emirates have a single Military regime.
The highest judicial authority (Supreme Court) is the "Supreme Council" which is made up of the seven ruling Sheikhs and meets whenever neccessary in Abu-Dhabi.

Sharjah is the last remaining Emirate to enforce a ban on alcohol, but that has recently been relaxed.
In Sharjah there are no public bars, no beach bars, no alcoholic drinks in restaurants, no hotel bars, but hotel guests may drink alcohol in their own rooms.

Public drunkeness is a punishable offence anywhere in any of the Emirates. You can get as drunk as you like indoors, in a bar or night-club in Dubai etc, but you must then take a taxi home, door-to-door.

The laws on drugs and pornography are tough and are applied equally regardless of wealth or status.
There is no internet porn anywhere in the Arab nations and if you persist in searching the internet for porn sites, first your connection is cut, then there is a knock on your door!
Gambling is banned too. You cannot even access lottery tickets or Football Pools.

A British DJ arrived here in December to do the Xmas season around many hotels and clubs in Dubai. He was reportedly paid 12,000 pounds for a months work.
He was arrested at the airport in possession of a small amount of Marijuhana and a few pornographic CD's and is now serving 3 years in jail.
A few years ago a member of the Abu-Dhabi Royal family was sentenced to 10 years in jail for drug dealing.

Believe me; prison in an Arab country is real punishment and worse than anything that you can imagine. I speak from experience!

The beaches of the 7 Emirates have different coloured sand.

R.A.K. - White,
Abu Dhabi - Light Red,
Dubai - Red,
Sharjah - Brown,
U.A.Q. - Blue,
Ajman -Cream,
Fujairah - Black

A favourite tourist memento from the Emirates is "The 7 Sands" The 7 sands of the Emirates loosely sandwiched between 8 sheets of glass, in a wooden frame. You can buy them from approximately 10cm square to 30cm square. The largest weigh many kilo's!

The GCC. (Gulf Co-Operation Council) was formed in 1981.

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Join the #1 UAE Team.

Musandam, the Northern territory of Oman forms the southern shore of the Straights of Hormuz.
On the East coast is a small bay and a beach that can only be accessed by boat.
The beach is surrounded by vertical cliffs and it is pristine. The coral is fabulous because it is in a well protected bay. The sea life is abundant.
It is so far from any populated areas that at night there is no glow from street lights and you can see the "Diamond Necklace" on the shore and lay back and see shooting stars (Meteorites) every minute.

Pixie and I spent perhaps 20 or more weekends there, completely naked, never saw another human being, only boats passing by in the far distance.
Diving, snorkelling, Wind-Surfing. No engine noise, no electronic sounds, no concrete, glass, asphalt, steel, neon lights, not even air traffic.
Pix and I came home one time and found that Bob Hope had been dead for days. That's how far back to nature we were!
We named the place "Cosy Beach" (Hyggelig, in Danish)









We always hated having to break camp and leave Cosy Bay and couldn't wait to go back again.
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Crunchers Cafe has re-opened Please pop in and take a look :)

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Join the #1 UAE Team.

Hi Whiskey.....how are you doing?
Yes, it is a very interesting country. The financial,industrial,laboral growth is amazing in the U.A.E. They are investing *obscene* ammounts of money and resources into the hospitality/tourism sector, as well as onto ecological self-sustainable energy supplies and building life-friendly new towns and resorts.
It seems that the best is yet not good enough!!!
Though the muslim world is not far away from the Canary Islands, maybe some 70-80 Km eastbound from the nearest island of Fuerteventura to the coast of Morocco, I never thought seriously about learning Arabic. Chances for practicing are very good because a lot of Moroccans citizens are working here legaly.
Applying for a qualified job is a temptation.
May I ask you something? Do you speak Arabic? In case you speak, what´s your level? Are you a native speaker?
Greetings and cheers! with Jever Pils.
A good whiskey: Jack Daniel´s.

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Um... May I have a gasoline rebate?

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me@rescam.org

The #1 team for Emirati and Expatriate residents of the UAE.
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Happy Independence Day to our United Statsian cousins everywhere in the world.

Y'all have a good weekend now, and don't get too sober. ;)

Cheers.

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Join the #1 UAE Team.

The #1 team for Emirati and Expatriate residents of the UAE.
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Happy Independence Day to our United Statsian cousins everywhere in the world.

Y'all have a good weekend now, and don't get too sober. ;)

Cheers.

. . . Same to You SIR!!!

Be Safe also . . .

Enjoy Yourself though . . .

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BOINC Wiki . . .

Science Status Page . . .

Whiskey, thanks for the July 4th greeting, and the GREAT pics and commentary! Amazing what unrestrained wealth can do, isn't it? This is certainly a case of "shock and awe" for me. Breathtakingly beautiful...Breathtakingly obscene...Some of the greatest architecture the planet has ever seen...Hubris beyond belief...And if the World Trade Center was a target, what are these?

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"Good against remotes is one thing. Good against the living, that's something else." (Han Solo)

Whiskey, thanks for the July 4th greeting, and the GREAT pics and commentary! Amazing what unrestrained wealth can do, isn't it? This is certainly a case of "shock and awe" for me. Breathtakingly beautiful...Breathtakingly obscene...Some of the greatest architecture the planet has ever seen...Hubris beyond belief...And if the World Trade Center was a target, what are these?

And if the World Trade Center was a target, what are these?

That´s a very good comment.....I bet if all those terror cell-members of 9/11 would have had a good job, with perspectives, playing as a team with projects like these shown in the U.A.E., there would not have been such a strike. I hope some fundamentalists/orthodox change their minds a little bit by viewing and building great things which everybody will and can enjoy.
Here´s my tribute : Alabama

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Nice post, Whiskey!

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"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." - Dr. Seuss

Can´t keep a good man downHit me

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