Lately, I received almost half a dozen emails accusing me of being too “pro-Dubai,” “a brown-nose for the government”, “too blind to see what is really happening here” and -my personal favorite- “I get paid by Dubai’s gov to promote positive news about it.
I won’t post any of those emails because they don’t deserve that credit.. but allow me to clear it out for those nice chaps..
If because I admire HH Sh Mo, you’re gonna call me a brownnose, then knock yourself out.
I am one of the biggest fans of HH Sheikh Mohammed and my only wish before I leave this earth is to have the opportunity to shake his hand. This man is doing so much for his people and country, few leaders have come close to his accomplishments.
No, I am not too blind to see what is happening in Dubai. As a matter of fact, I see more clearly than many of you because I refuse to be herded like cattle to blindly follow the drivel published about Dubai in some of the world mainstream media.
And yes, Dubai government is paying me…… and you and you and everyone. Not in cash, but in something much more valuable: An experience.
Living and working in Dubai gave me the chance to be. To do things and go to places I wouldn’t even dream of. Dubai is one of the safest places I have ever been to. (And believe me, I’ve been around). I am usually happy to see Dubai police officers, in many other places I’ve lived in before Dubai, I was beaten, insulted and humiliated by police officers for literally doing nothing. I’ve left my car, house, office unlocked, many many times and nothing happened to them. If I have a claimed right, there is a law mechanism that I can count on. It may take time, but I know I will get my right.
I am not saying there is nothing wrong with this place. There is plenty of room for improvements. Everywhere needs improvements. Even the most advanced “1st world cities”. ‘Improvement’ is a journey, not a destination. No body or place will reach a point, stop and say: “that is it. we are fully improved”. You just keep that engine running. And this is what Dubai is doing.
So, bottom line to all ye Dubai-haters out there: Yes, I am pro-Dubai. A 1000 times more than you think. Now go @#$! yourselves.
Sphere: Related Content Posted 1 year, 1 month ago at 9:55 am. View Comments
Yougov Siraj is the Indian UAE version of Yougov, a global polling company that pays people $1 for every poll they participate in. These fine chaps decided found out that people here digg Nokia the most, as a brand that is.
And the top 3 are: 1. Nokia, 2. Google and 3. Sony. Riiiiight. Why can’t anyone say what is Dubai’s worst? I mean, if Yougov’s really got it, it should have the balls to reveals Dubai’s 3 worst and most hated brands. Right, we didn’t think so either.
Lets agree on one thing. A hated brand is one that’s whenever causally mentioned, you are hit with queasy gagging feeling and an urge to regurgitate your last meal. Its also one that you simply rather caught getting intimate with a goat than telling people that you work for that brand/company.
So, since no one has the kojones to say it outloud, here it is: Dubai’s most hated 3 brands:
No. 3: Etisalat.
For helping the UAE achieve global accolades such as (1) offering one of the worlds most expensive iPhone plans, and falsely blaming the regulator for it (2) making the UAE one of the most highly Internet-sensored countries (3) Keepign the UAE telecom sector as one of the world’s least competitive by deliberately delaying systems that allows competition in the UAE.
I’ve contemplated including du for its nightmarish coverage and the never-ending dropped calls, but lets face it; du’s competition with Etisalat is like locking up a confused Chiwawa with a constipated Pitbull: Pointless that ends with shit splattered all over the place.
No.2: RERA
I am sure the guys at The Real Estate Regulation Authority (RERA) are genuinely nice people. Unfortunately, they haven’t succeeded in doing anything to ease one of the most painful things about living in Dubai: Cost of accomodation.
When rents were uncontrollably going thru roofs and landlords were butt-raping every tenant they see, RERA decided to launch a Rent Index that, more or less, gave landlords more thrust for their tenant deviant conquests (just read the comments there!)
Not only that, but RERA has drastically failed to keep up with this index, which till today, no one seems to find it a true indicator of how rents should be.
….And Number 1 goes to….
RTA
Think of everything you loathed about living here: congested traffic, endless road works, random fines, parking lot suffering, renegade bus drivers, unreliable taxi service and … wait a minute… SALIK; and now, give it all to one organization to handle: That’s Road and Transport Authority for you.
I have mixed feelings toward the RTA. For fairness, they’ve been trying, not too hard though, to perhaps get on Dubai’s better side by saying stuff that sound like ‘Calm down people! A Dubai Metro ride will cost less than we actually wanted to’. Still the negative sentiment (abdominal restlessness, blurry vision … etc) that comes along the 3 letter logo; it has rightfully earned that organization the rank of Dubai’s most hated brand.
Who else do you think should be there?
Sphere: Related Content Posted 1 year, 1 month ago at 6:33 am. View Comments
