Dubai the biggest and deepest S.H. on planet Earth

[Von Richtofen]

part 1

The ideal place to raise your kids

Dubai's choking traffic jams are contributing to some of the world's worst air pollution, according to an study by Dubai Municipality.

The city rank among the worst in the developed world using an On-road Vehicle Emission Measurement device, which assigns a percentage score for the levels of harmful pollutants including hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and carbon dioxide.

Over a 10-month period from May 2007 to February 2008, Dubai scored 13%, compared to 2.5% in Virginia, 2% in Michigan, and 4.7% as an average across Canada.

The scoring system assigns a higher percentage based on two variables: the volume of cars on a road during the testing period, and the level of emissions from each vehicle.

On both counts, Dubai scores badly in comparison to developed cities: there are more cars on the road at any one time, and each car is spewing out more pollution.

Dubai Municipality conducted the survey at 43 locations across the city in cooperation with Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Dubai Police.

The study was conducted in order to amass data that will help define future pollution-reduction measures in the city.

Engineer Redha Hassan Salman, head of the environmental protection and safety section in the Environment Department of Dubai Municipality, who oversaw the study, said the problem was bad and getting worse.

"Two factors point to a worsening air pollution situation in Dubai - the rapid pace of urbanisation and motorisation. Dubai's statistical data showed that motor vehicles increased by an annual average of about 12 percent. Dubai has about 541 vehicles per thousand population, which is higher than New York (444), London (345) and Singapore (111)," Salman said.

Salman said there has been an increase of 30% in the number of vehicles in Dubai from that of the 2005 figures (465,000 vehicles including 5,000 taxis).

"Vehicles in Dubai take 3.1 million trips a day, which is expected to increase to 13.1 million trips a day by the year 2020. This is precisely the reason behind embarking on such a project to know the percentage of vehicles exceeding the emission limit compared to other countries of the world," he added.

Two solutions need to be found at the same time: reducing the number of journeys made by car, and reducing harmful emissions from each vehicle.

Salman welcomed the creation of mass transit systems such as Dubai Metro, but said that these initiatives need to be accompanied by a move to get the worst polluting cars off the road. He suggested that cars more than ten years old should be banned.

Currently, 17% of the petrol vehicles and 24% of diesel vehicles on Dubai roads are more than seven years old.

[Von Richtofen]

part 2

The ideal place for a a swim

For several weeks some of the emirate's fabled beaches have been covered with the stinking contents of septic tanks as Dubai suffers the consequences of its frantic and poorly controlled development.
The foul effluent, which threatens to damage Dubai's image, highlights one of the paradoxes of the emirates -- it can build the world's tallest tower (http://www.smh.com.au/news/news/worlds-tallest-tower-heads-for-the-clouds/2008/09/03/1220121319925.html) and six-star hotels (http://www.smh.com.au/news/activities--interests/spa--resorts/dubais-atlantis-the-latest-word-in-gulf-excess/2008/09/29/1222650978747.html) but has not constructed the sewage works it needs.
Dubai officially had 1.3 million inhabitants at the end of 2006 but its population is ballooning.
New apartment blocks and neighbourhoods are rising everywhere at a record pace, but infrastructure is dragging behind.
For example, the city still has no main drainage system, hence the need for tankers to collect the contents of septic tanks and transport the waste to the emirate's only sewage treatment works at Al-Awir, out in open desert.
A second plant is under construction but will not be in use until next year.
For the moment, the existing site is operating at full capacity and the queue of tankers awaiting their turn to unload snakes out of site amid a miasma of nauseating fumes.
"The wait can be more than 10 hours. It is hard to bear, especially when it is hot," Ijaz Mohammed, a tanker driver from Pakistan, said.
Drivers are paid by the journey and in September some of them got fed up with the long queues and started offloading into the ditches intended as run-offs for the rare showers of rain.
-- The dumped effluent drifts onto fashionable beaches--
The dumped effluent first runs into the sea, then drifts onto beaches, in particular those of the fashionable Jumeirah district, home to some of Dubai's swankiest hotels.
"This pollution is accidental and results from the practices of certain drivers," Mohammed Abdelrahmane Hasan, held of the city council's environmental services department, said.
Punishment is heavy for illegal offloading of waste, with the employer of any driver caught in the act being liable for a fine of up to 100,000 dirhams (A$40,907). The vehicle can also be impounded.

The local authority has decided to encourage informers after 55 drivers in one week were spotted while dumping their loads.
It has set up a public freephone number with the incentive of a 2000 dirham (about A$818) reward if the offence is confirmed.
However, the illegal unloading goes on, and not just into watercourses leading to the sea.
A British man driving a 4X4 vehicle in sand near the port of Jebel Ali, west of Dubai, was surprised to come across a lake of excrement, local newspapers reported.
Doctors have warned of a heightened risk of catching diseases such as typhoid or hepatitis but adults and children continue to bathe in the sea.
The situation is starting to worry some tourists, such as "Anna", a young Russian encountered outside a grand hotel.
"Yes, I've heard about that and it worries me. I am going to spend more time shopping, at the pool and sunbathing," she said.
Tourism is the motor of the local economy and the problem could have serious consequences if it starts to affect Dubai's image as a clean city, something it prides itself on.
This is why the city council tries to be reassuring.
"Pollution is only affecting an area of beach and all tests prove that bathing is risk free," insists Hasan, the environment chief.
AFP

[Von Richtofen]

Part 3

The ideal place for romance


British couple have received three month jail sentences for having sex on a beach in Dubai.
Michelle Palmer, 36, and Vince Acors, 34, were found guilty of having sexual intercourse outside marriage and offending public decency. They were also fined £200 for drunkenness and ordered to be deported from Dubai on their release.
It had been feared that the two Britons might face several years in jail in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Friends of Ms Palmer – who maintains her innocence – told The Times yesterday that she was “not surprised” by the court’s decision.

She denies having sex with Mr Acors and intends to appeal against the verdict as a “matter of principle”. She is desperate to return home to Oakham, Rutland, one friend said. She and Mr Acors, from Bromley, southeast London, remain free on bail but are barred from speaking directly to the press or leaving the country.


The couple’s case has become a symbol of a culture clash in the UAE that pits Dubai’s Western expatriate minority against the conservative Arab laws.
Analysts here say that their relatively light punishment was meant to strike a balance between sending a clear message that visitors must respect local laws and culture, and maintaining the UAE’s image of welcoming outsiders and their business.
In the past five years, Dubai has transformed itself into a global economic hub, luring foreigners with double-digit growth and a tax-free lifestyle.
Ms Palmer, who was sacked from her job as a publishing executive after her arrest in July, is a prime example of the young, single, ambitious professionals Dubai seeks to attract.
Her encounter with Mr Acors, who was visiting on business, began with a champagne brunch at a five-star hotel near the airport. They were arrested on a public beach later that night.
Ali Mohammed Yacoub, the policeman who arrested the pair, did not testify in court.
In a written statement, the officer reportedly said: “I was passing near Jumeirah Beach by the [hotel] Burj al-Arab when a couple of guys stopped the patrol car and said, ‘There is a guy having sex with a girl on the beach’. I took a torch and went down to the beach and saw them.”
The accused have denied having sex on a lounge chair on Jumeirah beach, with Ms Palmer saying that they were only “hugging and kissing”. She has also rejected rumours that she insulted Islam and abused the officer as he arrested her.
Ms Palmer said DNA evidence proved that they did not have sexual intercourse.
Pauline Crowe, chief executive of the British charity Prisoners Abroad, said that the case should serve as a warning to other travellers: “As this case illustrates, what may seem like an innocent act or misdemeanour in the UK can often land people in serious trouble when abroad.”
Neither defendant was in court yesterday to hear the verdict.
Ms Palmer is said to have been suffering from severe anxiety and depression since her arrest. She was excused from appearing in court for “medical” reasons, according to court documents.
She has blamed the press for spreading “lies” surrounding the circumstances of her arrest, and feared that intense media scrutiny would undermine her chance of a fair trial.
Asked earlier whether she believed she would ultimately win her freedom, Ms Palmer replied: “I honestly want this all to be over so I can just go home.”






(http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article4953188.ece#comments-form)

[Von Richtofen]

Part 4

A place better you clean your shoes before you come



A father-of-three who was found with a microscopic speck of cannabis stuck to the bottom of one of his shoes has been sentenced to four years in a Dubai prison.

Keith Brown, a council youth development officer, was travelling through the United Arab Emirates on his way back to England when he was stopped as he walked through Dubai's main airport.
A search by customs officials uncovered a speck of cannabis weighing just 0.003g - so small it would be invisible to the naked eye and weighing less than a grain of sugar - on the tread of one of his shoes.
Dubai International Airport is a major hub for the Middle East and thousands of Britons pass through it every year to holiday in the glamorous beach and shopping haven.
But many of those tourists and business travellers are likely to be unaware of the strict zero-tolerance drugs policy in the UAE.
One man has even been jailed for possession of three poppy seeds left over from a bread roll he ate at Heathrow Airport. Painkiller codeine is also banned.
If suspicious of a traveller, customs officials can use high-tech equipment to uncover even the slightest trace of drugs.
Mr Brown was detained and arrested in September last year and has been held in a cell with three other men in the city prison ever since.
This week the youth worker, who has two young children and a partner at home in Smethwick, West Midlands, was sentenced to four years in prison.
A 25-year-old Briton who was found with a similar speck in one pocket as he arrived on holiday has been awaiting sentence since November.
Meanwhile a Big Brother TV executive has so far been held without charge for five days after being arrested for possessing the health supplement melatonin.
The authorities claim to have discovered 0.01g of hashish in his luggage.
Last night Mr Brown's brother Lee said his case "defied belief".
"For that sort of amount common sense should prevail, from where it was found it was obviously something that had been crushed on the floor - it could have come from anywhere."
Rastafarian Mr Brown had been returning from a short trip to Ethiopia, where one of his children lives and where he owns property.
He was travelling with his partner Imani, who was also stopped and detained for more than a week.
Normally he flew direct to and from the UK, but decided to stop off in Dubai.
"He was incensed when he called me," said driving instructor Lee, 57. "It would be funny if the circumstances weren't so unpleasant.
"Bugs are crawling out of his mattress when he's sleeping. His family are frantic with worry and can't call him."
Last night campaign group Fair Trials International advised visitors to Dubai and Abu Dhabi to "take extreme caution".
Chief Executive Catherine Wolthuizen said: "We have seen a steep increase in such cases over the last 18 months.
"Customs authorities are using highly sensitive new equipment to conduct extremely thorough searches on travellers and if they find any amount - no matter how minute - it will be enough to attract a mandatory four-year prison sentence."
Mrs Wolthuizen added: "We even have reports of the imprisonment of a Swiss man for 'possession' of three poppy seeds on his clothing after he ate a bread roll at Heathrow.

Held: A campaign is underway to secure the release of Cat Le-Huy from a Dubai jail


"What many travellers may not realise is that they can be deemed to be in possession of such banned substances if they can be detected in their urine or bloodstream, or even in tiny, trace amounts on their person."
Only two months after Mr Brown was stopped economics graduate Robert Dalton was detained in almost identical circumstances.
Mr Dalton, from Gravesend, on Kent was with two friends when he was stopped and asked to empty his pockets.
Officials found 0.03g of cannabis in a small amount of fluff. He is currently on trial and if convicted, is likely receive a four-year prison sentence.
Last night his brother Peter, 26, told how it took 24 hours to find out why he had been stopped.
"As we understand, the amount of cannabis was barely visible to the human eye and was at the bottom of the pocket of an old pair of jeans.
"He's not a drug user, but he goes clubbing and the speck was so small."
Last week Cat Le-Huy, a London-based German national, was arrested on arrival at the airport.
Mr Le-Huy, 31, head of technology with Big Brother production company Endemol, was arrested on suspicion of possessing illegal drugs after customs officers found melatonin, a health supplement used for jet lag available over the counter both in Dubai and in the US.
Authorities also claim they discovered fragments in one of his bags which they believe to be hashish. Fair Trials International said the amount was 0.01g.

[birrddog]

With regards to part 3, I have it upon good information, the young lady was given an opportunity to apologize and leave Dubai, but did not take it up.

[Von Richtofen]

Part 5

A place where they care for the environment


The UAE has one of the world's highest levels of domestic waste. Per capita household waste has reached an average annual 730 kilos in Abu Dhabi and 725 kilos in Dubai. In the US the average is 710 kilos, in Australia 690 kilos and in the UK 300 kilos. Additional refuse comes from street litter, gardens and from the waste dumped in the sea and on beaches.

[Von Richtofen]

Part 6

A paradise for workers

The United Arab Emirates’ proposed labor law falls far short of international standards for workers’ rights, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The law should be revised to protect workers’ rights to organize, bargain collectively and strike, and to cover excluded groups such as domestic workers.
On February 5, the UAE Labor Ministry published a draft of a revised labor law on the internet and invited public comment (http://www.uaelabourlaw.net/). Human Rights Watch welcomed the move, but has provided critiques and recommendations on a number of issues.
In a 15-page report (http://hrw.org/backgrounder/mena/uae0307), Human Rights Watch details how the UAE’s draft labor law violates international standards – and how it needs to be revised. The law fails to address a series of abuses against workers that Human Rights Watch has documented in two reports published within the past year. Migrant workers, who comprise 95 percent of the country’s workforce, are particularly at risk of abuse.
“The Labor Ministry’s request for comments on the draft law represents an important step toward reform and transparency in the UAE,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “We hope that the Labor Ministry takes advantage of this process to revise the serious flaws in its draft law.”
In blatant contravention of international standards, the proposed law contains no provisions on workers’ rights to organize and to bargain collectively and explicitly punishes striking workers. The UAE is currently undergoing a dramatic construction boom, and most of the 700,000 construction workers in the country are from South Asian countries such as India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
In a report released in November, “Building Towers, Cheating Workers,” Human Rights Watch documented the government’s refusal to allow construction workers to organize trade unions and to bargain collectively, and the recent passage of a resolution banning striking workers from employment for at least one year.
“The UAE must amend its draft law to respect workers’ rights to organize, bargain collectively and strike,” said Whitson. “In the past year, the authorities have put down attempted strikes with violence rather than addressing the poor working conditions that fuel labor unrest.”
The draft labor law also violates international standards by arbitrarily excluding from its purview all domestic workers employed in private households, public sector workers, security workers and most farming and grazing workers, leaving them at risk of exploitation.
In a report released in July 2006, “Swept Under the Rug,” Human Rights Watch documented how domestic workers in the UAE have few remedies in cases of abuse. Domestic workers often report exploitative working conditions, including forced confinement, nonpayment of wages, denial of food, and excessive working hours with no rest days. The UAE employs more than 600,000 domestic workers, primarily from Sri Lanka, the Philippines and Indonesia.
“The government should extend equal labor protections to domestic workers instead of reinforcing the discrimination that they already face,” said Whitson.
In addition, the draft law includes a number of provisions that discriminate against women workers. In violation of international human rights norms banning discrimination on the basis of sex, the proposed law limits women’s access to nighttime employment and “heavy” work. By sanctioning punishment for male guardians who violate the laws applicable to women, the law treats women workers as dependents rather than as competent adults with full and independent legal capacity.
The draft labor law also fails to incorporate the 2001 Dubai Court of Cassation ruling that prohibited employers from confiscating the passports of employees. In its report on construction workers in the UAE, Human Rights Watch found that the court’s ruling, in practice, has had virtually no impact.
“It’s an open secret that employers in the UAE often confiscate the passports of their employees,” Whitson said. “Yet the government chooses to ignore this widespread and illegal practice and refuses to punish the offending employers.”
Human Rights Watch urged that the proposed labor law require that employment contracts and instructions be made available to workers in a language they speak fluently to combat the misinformation and deception that further fuel the exploitation of migrant workers in the UAE.
The government should show real commitment to enforcing its labor laws by providing effective penalties for violations of the law and punishing employers who violate the law. The current law continues to provide weak financial penalties of between 6,000 and 12,000 dirhams (US$1,600-3,200) for employers found in breach of the law.
“The new labor law will not be able to curb employer abuses if it’s not coupled with serious enforcement and real penalties,” said Whitson. “The current fine of a few thousand dollars isn’t even a slap on the wrist for employers with multi-million-dollar contracts.”

[Von Richtofen]

Part 7

A place where to take you kids in vacation
Dubai Rape Case Reveals Horribly Stunted UAE Legal Code


A stunning report (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/01/world/middleeast/01dubai.html?_r=4&hp=&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print&oref=slogin) on how UAE officials are bungling a gang-rape case and in the process revealing a massively out-dated legal system:
Alexandre Robert, a French 15-year-old, was having a fine summer in this tourist paradise on the Persian Gulf.... He bumped into an acquaintance, a 17-year-old native-born student at the American school, who said he and his cousin could drop Alex off at home.
There were, in fact, three Emirati men in the car, including a pair of former convicts ages 35 and 18, according to Alex. He says they drove him past his house and into a dark patch of desert, between a row of new villas and a power plant, took away his cellphone, threatened him with a knife and a club, and told him they would kill his family if he ever reported them.
Then they stripped off his pants and one by one sodomized him in the back seat of the car. They dumped Alex across from one of Dubai’s luxury hotel towers.
Alex and his family were about to learn that despite Dubai’s status as the Arab world’s paragon of modernity and wealth, and its well-earned reputation for protecting foreign investors, its criminal legal system remains a perilous gantlet when it comes to homosexuality and protection of foreigners.
The authorities not only discouraged Alex from pressing charges, he, his family and French diplomats say; they raised the possibility of charging him with criminal homosexual activity, and neglected for weeks to inform him or his parents that one of his attackers had tested H.I.V. positive while in prison four years earlier...

Why bungle the case? It seems so straightforward. Here's the kicker:
United Arab Emirates law does not recognize rape of males, only a crime called “forced homosexuality.” The two adult men charged with sexually assaulting Alex have pleaded not guilty, although sperm from all three were found in Alex. The two adults appeared in court on Wednesday and were appointed a lawyer. They face trial before a three-judge panel on Nov. 7. The third, a minor, will be tried in juvenile court. Legal experts here say that men convicted of sexually assaulting other men usually serve sentences ranging from a few months to two years. Dubai is a bustling financial and tourist center, one of seven states that form the United Arab Emirates. At least 90 percent of the residents of Dubai are not Emirati citizens and many say that Alex’s Kafkaesque legal journey brings into sharp relief questions about unequal treatment of foreigners here that have long been quietly raised among the expatriate majority. The case is getting coverage in the local press.
It also highlights the taboos surrounding H.I.V. and homosexuality that Dubai residents say have allowed rampant harassment of gays and have encouraged the health system to treat H.I.V. virtually in secret. (Under Emirates law, foreigners with H.I.V., or those convicted of homosexual activity, are deported.)

It gets worse. They tried to blame the victim:
Alex stayed in Dubai in order to testify against his attackers, and went back to school in September, despite suffering unsettling flashbacks. In early October, however, the family said, their lawyer warned Alex that he was in danger of facing charges of homosexuality and a prison term of one year... In business and finance, the nation has worked hard to earn a reputation for impartial and speedy justice. But the criminal justice system has struggled, balancing a penal code rooted in conservative Arab and Islamic local culture, applied to an overwhelming non-Arab population of foreign residents.
A 42-year-old gay businessman who would speak only if identified by his nickname, Ko, described routine sexual harassment by officials during his 13 years living in Dubai. He cut his shoulder-length hair to avoid attention, he said, but after years of living in fear of jail or deportation, he is leaving the country.
Although rape victims here generally keep quiet, some who have been raped in Dubai have shared testimonials in recent days on boycottdubai.com, a Web site started by Alex’s mother.ustice for future rape victims here.

[Radar Contact]

Ace post, love it! :D

[Wizofoz]

Some accurate information here, but some biased cherry-picking of information too.

In the case of the young man who was raped, the perpetrators got sentences of 15 years followed by deportation-probably harsher than they would of recieved in the "Developed" world.

Sex in public isn't on anywhere.

[Craic Ore]

Wizofoz,

Please post the reference for the "15 years in prison and deportation." Deportation to where? They're emiratis, not foreigners, so I think they'll be roaming the streets here sooner rather than later. Just plain creepy and sad, imo.

As for the rest of the posts, they highlight the dark side of Dubai. These things are rarely pointed out and people have to realize that this place is sinking into and beyond the same $hit that is faced in other nations around the world. Yeah, there WAS a vision for this city, but it seems it was clouded by greed and a lack of forethought.

There's an analogy I came up with when I moved here years ago and it has never changed - It has a first world crust with a third world filling.

Hey, it's not all bad, but it sure as hell ain't all good here either.........

[Avi8tor]

Having travelled far and wide on this sphere, I have yet to find perfection when it comes to places to live. I can find horror stories about pretty much any country on this planet.

The nice part is nothing forces anybody to live or work here. If it's not your cup of tea, go back to where you came from.

On balance, I find Dubai a pretty cool place to live, excuse the pun. :}

[Wizofoz]

CO,

Stand corrected on the deportation, I thought only one was Emirati, but they did get 15 years.

A pair of Brothers who were resposible for the pack rape of several teenage girls just got their sentences REDUCED to a little over 5 years by a Sydney court.

Brand,

It's an Islamic country. More liberal than Saudi or Afganistan, less so than Sweden. I'm sure you like people who come to your home country to follow the laws of your country, even if they differ from where they come from.

[nolimitholdem]

It's an Islamic country. More liberal than Saudi or Afganistan, less so than Sweden. I'm sure you like people who come to your home country to follow the laws of your country, even if they differ from where they come from.

Spare us the relativistic bull**** please. That something falls within the bounds of a legal system bears no relationship to actual justice. The point is well made by these few (of many similar) stories.

Oh, and fyi defending Dubai by saying "it's more liberal than Saudi or Afghanistan" is hardly a ringing endorsement. Pretty sad.

The more light that gets shone on the dirty little secrets of this dirty little place, the better. It is the excruciating hypocrisy of the place, and the arrogant way it is misleadingly marketed that grates. Not the fact there is crime and injustice, which as noted is not unique to Dubai.

[ODMEA]

A bloody brilliant marketing machine BUT the reality often falls abismally short of expectation.

Oddy

[wannabe-aviator]

Funny that Dubai is trying to be today What Lebanon was in the late 50s up until the Early Seventies and what Lebanon is trying to re acheive the difference is, we have a much broader religious and cultural base with 17 different sects including Jews, Muslims and Christians amongst others.

Mix those with the fact we have 15 million people of Lebanese Origins outside of Lebanon each bringing a different culture and Language of the world from as Far out as New Zealand and Chile to as close as Cyprus and Syria.

You dont become the Favourite holiday destination of the Likes of Frank Sinatra and Marolene Monroe in the 50s/60s and become the home of famous writers such as Robert Fisk, if you dont have something special.

The UAE will never be like Lebanon regardless of how many buildings they build, or try to immitate other Cultures they just cannot reach Lebanon's level, had it not been for the many wars that Lebanon has suffered throughout 7000 years of History you will must probably be wanting to fly in Lebanon and work in Lebanon and Live in Lebanon, but soon enough am sure Lebanon will regain its former glory.

As for the UAE, its History started in May 1985 that means the only History this place has is 23 years old I grant you they built a lot of buildings and such like, but buildings do not make a mortal heaven nore do they make a country a country.

WA:ok:

[Jet II]

name a "civilized" country where you get 3 months in the slam for appearing drunk in public (not drinking) which was the charge :=

depends on what you mean by 'civilized'?

UAE is one of the safest places on earth - mainly due to their harsh penalties for crime. So if by 'civilized' you mean a country where you are more likely to get raped, robbed, attacked or murdered then yes you could say that the UAE is not very 'civilized'.

[Jet II]

Part 3

The ideal place for romance



Two drunks having sex in public is a rather strange idea of 'romance' :E

[shortfuel]

[WA: In case you did not notice it...it is not a thread about Lebanon, leave that country in peace. It's kinda pathetic when you try to compare it to the UAE. You (and Oddy perhaps) should open a "Lebanon", "MEA", "my bed sheet is red and white" thread and enjoy it together]

For those who don't know, Dubai is not Disneyland...! For those who live here, they already know.
Richtofen, you can report whatever sad stories you read in the newspapers, I could answer with 100 times more from 'civilized' countries.
Fact is criminality remains less endemic than in western countries...why? Because most people are here for work!

[MrMachfivepointfive]

Our colleague TG was arrested on 06November when arriving with 0.006g Hashish in the lining of his denim's pocket. Urine test came out positive, which made him a user too. He spent some time in the deportation centre - which he hated every minute of. Mostly due to the lack of bog rolls. We visited him there a number of times and found the place quite 'civilized'. Prosecutor gave him benefit of the doubt for using substance abroad, but not in DXB. This made it a simple case of possession. TG got deported on 24.12 and left Dubai in a Business Class seat. He was home in time for X-mas dinner.
My conclusion: If anybody ends up with 4-10years in Dubai, then there is more to the story than what the 'innocents' want to make you believe. After all, even Dubai doesn't want to give you three free meals a day for 4 years if they don't have to.

[40&80]

Was/is...TG a pilot or Emirates ops management?
British, American or what?
Whatever if you can believe the test results he was a user...silly person if he was.

[QCM]

We can always find good reasons to stay in Dubai,or to leave the place...
The main thing is,IMHO,that if you don't like it,which I can understand,don't stay there,pack your suitcases and find a better place to live in...although it's obviously not a perfect world,we must know why we are here,nobody forced us to come!!!!:=

[Karl Bamforth]

Well said QCM, you just saved me writing it.

[Jet II]

And on a personal note I've had 6 friends killed/assassinated during my 12 years here.


6 friends assassinated in Dubai? - who are you? - James Bond? :ooh:

[atpcliff]

Hi!

I bet if you look at the death rate per 100,000 people in each country, UAE would rank up there pretty high in the "safe" category.

No place on earth is safe:
Hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, accidents, murders, diseases, etc., etc.

I also think if you look at the murder rate per 100,000 people in each country, UAE would rank even higher as a safe country.

cliff
KGRB

[skyvan]

Come on now Baron, is this thread not just your way of letting us know that you will be leaving as soon as you can get a job in the next S.H. that will take you?

Moaning on pprune won't change anything, the only way to change anything is the change you youself can bring about.

If you are able to extract yourself from what is causing you stress, then you should leave, for your own sake. If you cannot leave, for whatever reason, then you must try to minimise the effect of the environment in which you are stuck.

But if you are staying (if only for a while), then please try to restrain yourself from these outbursts, they really help no-one, not even yourself.

Good luck for the future.

[5star]

You forgot to mention the shocking case of LOCAL ****** who INTENTIONALY drove over an English mother after an argument. He even reversed his 3Ton truck and drove over her a second time. She died on the spot under the eyes of her husband. The UAE A*hole got 12years and is appealing the verdict. Btw he is a free man as we speak.

The Dubai ship is sinking.... Let them try again in a couple of centuries.

[MrMachfivepointfive]

What difference did it make whether he was pilot or management? The test result was positive because he DID smoke pot.

[troff]

A!
Da guy, 'e 'ad it in 'is blood, but mebbie 'e never smoke it, a? I mean, 'e could 'av been in one of dem splif bars in Hamsterdam, an 'e get it in is blood dat way.
Maybe 'e didn' inale it if 'e try it in a brownie wen 'e was at a buddy's place in a trailer park in Nouveau Brunswick... a?
I tink Clinton got away wit dat, a?
T

[kingpost]

Von Richtofen

If you don't like it #iss off.

[nolimitholdem]

The "if you don't like it, leave" crowd has to be the most predictable and boring bunch of unimaginative gits on the forum. Their ilk is found in all sorts of locales, unfortunately not limited to the internet. If you can't present an argument or refute facts, just tell them to leave. *yawn*

yeah, if you don't like it, piss off. Don't stay and keep pointing out that raping 13 year old boys is wrong. Instead, let's just keep pouring on the rhetoric about how everywhere else has their problems like, um, earthquakes 'n stuff. Cause that's really relevant and a stunning counter-argument.

But hey, for some it IS a pretty good life in Dubai. As long as I have that great villa in the Greens, a nice big tank-like SUV (fueled with artificially inexpensive petrol, of course) to ferry the kids to their (company-provided) private schooling, a nice Filipino maid to raise the kids (cheap) and can keep banking those tax free dirhams...who gives a ****? If you don't like it, leave. I'm all right, Jack, and I'm gettin' mine...

God I hate it when people remind me there's more to the picture outside of my (V-Cool) tinted windows...life is so much simpler (and easier on my conscience, what's left of it) when I can pretend reality matches that snazzy recruiting DVD....

For all of the incalculable money and effort that is expended to make Dubai seem like the greatest Miracle Of Civilization, (*sarcasm alert*) these types of postings only strike a very small blow towards restoring some balance. So small and probably insignificant that the strident negative responses make one go...hmmm.

I guess one could say...if you don't like these posts - leave. (the forum)

:}

[Mr.Shaft]

nolim.....Hey I agree with your assesment!!!! Some do always see opportunity as a half empty cup. Go figure!!!

If I can ask.......what area's are new joiners villa's located? Are any allocated around the Greens? Does EK give moving allowance? And one more question...can joiners change villa's after you move and you don't like the area/house?

[Andu]

nolim.....Hey I agree with your assesment!!!! Some do always see opportunity as a half empty cup. Go figure!!!

If I can ask.......what area’s are new joiners villa’s located? Are any allocated around the Greens? Does EK give moving allowance? And one more question...can joiners change villa’s after you move and you don't like the area/house?Mr Shaft, I feel I must warn you of another potentially major pitfall in your (it would seem) inexorable* move to Dubai. Apart from morals police, they also have that most dreaded of all police forces - the Apostrophe Police.

(*”inexorable” because it would seem, as a “glass (glas’s?) half full kinda guy”, you only want to hear positive comments about the place.)

[Jet II]

The "if you don't like it, leave" crowd has to be the most predictable and boring bunch of unimaginative gits on the forum. Their ilk is found in all sorts of locales, unfortunately not limited to the internet. If you can't present an argument or refute facts, just tell them to leave. *yawn*

yeah, if you don't like it, piss off. Don't stay and keep pointing out that raping 13 year old boys is wrong. Instead, let's just keep pouring on the rhetoric about how everywhere else has their problems

why do you feel the need to point out that raping 13 yr old boys is wrong - nobody around here is going to dispute that and as far as I'm aware it it illegal in pretty much every country including the UAE.

There are many things wrong with Dubai - whinging expats being one - but to criticize Dubai because of the crime when it is has one of the lowest crime rates in the world is just being a bit silly.

[captplaystation]

All the money and all the oil in the world doesn't change a nations "civility".
They are what they are ,AND were, & if you choose to live there it is by their rules. And if you are a woman, unfortunately your status is not what most of us here would aspire to for our dogs. :}
As someone said earlier on, it is a shame none of us will probably live long enough to see them going back to riding around on flea-bitten camels, just have to hope for re-incarnation to see that one. :hmm:

[White Knight]

All I can say Birdbrain is be effing careful who you marry:ugh::ugh: If you're a stupid white chick that is!!!!! Something about "the stars from heaven have fallen and landed in your eyes" kind of balls that they really go for!!

I don't need to argue this point either - seriously, if you don't like it, leave.. I've said this for quite some time now (so I guess I'm not new here, I've had dealings with the police - didn't have any problems there - and my car's been hit 3 times by other drivers - all arabs, I've always had the green ticket). Indeed we live by their rules - end of story boys (and girls):}

[FlyingCroc]

just as the rest of it. All the sychophants here pretentending it is otherwise, wait until the **** hits the fan. Beside the fact that you as a EK pilot live a pampered life, this place has one of the worlds worst human records in slavery, human trafficking, rape, beatings of maids, sodomy etc. And yes a lot happends in the West, but here the victims have NO recourse to the law, it does not exist. Welcome to the Gulf. :yuk:

[troff]

A!
I like dat no limit guy!
'E can play on my team any day.
(say it while sucking in...)
"ffffffftttt... ffffttt. fft."
(now 'old your bret')
"..'ere"
T

[Northbeach]

Stage 1 - Excitement
The individual experiences a holiday or 'honeymoon' period with their new surroundings.
They:
. Feel very positive about the culture
. Are overwhelmed with impressions
. Find the new culture exotic and are fascinated
. Are passive, meaning they have little experience of the culture
Stage 2 - Withdrawal
The individual now has some more face to face experience of the culture and starts to find things different, strange and frustrating.
They:
. Find the behaviour of the people unusual and unpredictable
. Begin to dislike the culture and react negatively to the behaviour
. Feel anxious
. Start to withdraw
. Begin to criticize, mock or show animosity to the people
Stage 3 - Adjustment
The individual now has a routine, feels more settled and is more confident in dealing with the new culture.
They:
. Understand and accept the behaviour of the people
. Feel less isolated
. Regains their sense of humour

Stage 4 - Enthusiasm
The individual now feels 'at home'.
They:
. Enjoy being in the culture
. Functions well in the culture
. Prefer certain cultural traits of the new culture rather than their own
. Adopt certain behaviours from the new culture

[ruddernstick]

If you don't like it turn right around and go back to where ever you and your family started from. You have a choice.

I would suggest that you do your research as to how this place has come to be, after we the so called developed world has moved in and inflict our will...


:D

[Bitburger]

The only rule that is respected in Dubai is the rule of who you are and who you know.

If you are high up in the food chain you can get away with anything.....always, even if you are an ex-pat.

[kit330]

BitBurger; isn't it the same in the west!!!!?? It's only done differently and called by a different name..that's all...:=

[sayap-patah]

Well Von, your information absolutely correct!!!! :ok:meanwhile the rest of the city nearby ( Doha , Kuwait, abu dhabi, or even worst city in saudi ) is almost the same.

[Monty77]

Well sayap

May I recommend Gainsborough, UK for you to take up gainful employment in paradise?

If you guys think Dubai's a s*hole, take a stroll down any UK town centre at about 11pm. It's fab. Pissed up, pasty-faced, tattoed chavs will punch you in the face just because you aren't white, look as though you may have a job, or for no reason whatsoever.

You will be fined 200 quid if you put too much rubbish in the bin you pay 200 quid a month to be emptied twice a month.

Park with a tyre just over a line? Clamped. 100 quid and a 2 hour wait.

Did I mention the taxes? The weather? EU law?

Children in school assaulting teachers? Then their parents joining in?

Rapists out after 5 years for 'good behaviour'. That's a laugh.

People claiming benefits and free rent because if they get a job, they end up worse off and lose their free state money, therefore they stay on benefit forever, doing nothing, while those who work and pay tax end up working harder and paying more tax.

Somebody rude to you? Sexual discrimination. Sue. Lawyers make money, taxpayer pays.

Go to Gainsborough. It's waiting for you, and it truly is a sh*thole of gargantuan proportions. I've been to both.

No matter where you go in this world, somebody will always slag it off. I met a chap in Bermuda who complained about 'island fever' and a lack of highways where you could 'just drive for an hour or two'. For f*ck's sake.

Anyway. Happy New Year to you all, regardless of creed, colour, sex, religion or choice of football club (as long as it's not Manchester United, who are bastards, as we all know).

:ok:

[Bitburger]

No my friend it's NOT the same in the West. If you have powerfull friends in the West you can get away with a few things but not with everything.

I do however understand the reaction of some of the British on this thread regarding their own country. It is mainly these Brits that can pull some strings in DXB as well.

Two cultures that walk hand in hand.

[Von Richtofen]

Part 8

I'm just reporting fact and there is no reason to attack me.

I already left the S.H. and I went back to life.
No money on earth can replace freedom of speach, democracy and legality so imagine the crap money that Emirates pays. I just think that to like the S.H you have to be out of alternatives and trying to convince yourself or you have to be affected by a strong Stockholm syndrome. But at the end all of you in some deep corner of your minds knows that Dubai is the biggest S.H. on planet earth.
And a bankrupt one now.

[Wizofoz]

I'm just reporting fact and there is no reason to attack me.


VR,

You are exclusivley reporting negative facts expressed in the worst possible terms. Tell us which country you are now so blissfully living in and I'm sure a list of unflattering "Just the facts" could be compiled.

Good on you for choosing to leave somewhere that so obviously didn't suit you. I take it it did at one time or you wouldn't have come.

Are you sure it's people still in Dubai trying to convince themselves of something?

[recceguy]

DOSC ..... Dubai Offload Septic Club

I just came with this one early this morning

At least one public beach in the vicinity had to be closed also ("the National" this morning)

This, with the announced sudden cancellation of the New Year celebrations (same source) will not help turism and business too much.
Fortunately with DXB working mainly as a hub, there will still be passengers for us.

And also for the deepest sh... (see title of the thread) they call it - same newspaper again, quoting some DXB municipality official: " a lagoon " (!!!??!!) "in the outskirts of Dubai" - so the 1000 $ question is, where will it be ?"

[Jet II]

And also for the deepest sh... (see title of the thread) they call it - same newspaper again, quoting some DXB municipality official: " a lagoon " (!!!??!!) "in the outskirts of Dubai" - so the 1000 $ question is, where will it be ?"

It's at Lehbab - about 30km down the Hatta road.

Why, are you planning a picnic?:E

[Bitburger]

VC

Yes I am bitter for the simple fact that European Airlines have to compete with EK on an unfair basis. We have to comply with strict rules and regulations while EK has the DGCA in their pocket.

But the corruption is spilling over the borders and soon you may see some action in European coutrs that will shock the banks that borrow money to EK.

[mensaboy]

Oh come on, EK has absolute influence within the GCAA. Take a look at our FTL's. Whenever a new route appears, or one that cannot be completed under the normal FTL's during certain periods of the year, then a Variation appears to cover it. Usually rest is given after such stupid pairings, but that does no good in the last stages of approach to land at 0530AM.

How else are the insane rest facilities on board allowed?
CRC facilities are a joke. Captain at the back of the aircraft for rest?? Brilliant! Temperature and humidity controls that simply do not work. Noise beyond belief in the A380.
Non-CRC rest was required in a fully reclined first class seat, blocked off from other passengers. We don't even have fully reclining seats so that was never followed. Then the adjacent seat was allowed to be sold. Now ED and TCAS have once again shown their lack of intelligence and credibility by not fighting against business class only rest seats (noise, rude and loud passengers, service etc).

Correct me if i'm wrong, but I read that EK has more employees per aircraft than most operators, yet less pilots per aircraft. In addition to that, we fly our aircraft more hours per day than almost any other operator. Something is out of whack there.


Pick up at off-blocks minus 2 1/4 hours. Duty starts at off-blocks minus 1 hour (we're already into our pre-flights by that time). Duty ends at on-blocks. Remember the attempted ''factored'' flight times? Only after ASR's and a massive increase in health related issues and sick days did the GCAA intercede. And that took effect... not immediately... but after another month of craziness.

Attempted layovers that defy sensibility. Fatigue problems are not an issue with EK management. Simple as that!

Training days went from 2 ground-school and 2 sim days, to potentially ONE sim day. Plus we no longer receive credit for training days.

EK controls, manipulates and decides what the GCAA does. To think otherwise is to be naive. The only areas where the GCAA restrict EK, are with respect to things such as licence re-issue time frames, medical re-instatements and such. EK throws them these bones to make everything look on the up and up.
The GCAA only responds when inundated with ASR's and only after they conclude they would potentially suffer some legal responsibility in the event of a fatigue related accident.

Buddy who posted above is absolutely correct. EK does not operate on a level playing field. This is good for us in one respect because it makes our jobs more secure and our company profitable, but the downside is an operation that over-extends it's employees. Do not kid yourself, EK would do even more if not for the ''appearance'' of impropriety. ASR's are our only recourse, because they are documented proof of insane practices.

[dxbpilot]

Is this thread for real ? Is everyone that is complaining a new comer to the UAE or something ?

You live in the middle east, what do you people expect ?

I am sure that everyone who hates it so much has left and gone back to their home countrys right ?

[Inspector Clueless]

I did almost 13 years in the sand pit.

It is my humble opinion that EK "could" have been the finest and most sought after job in the world-and DXB as a place to live-BUT they blew it in a big way on both fronts through greed,hubris and utter arrogance.Im am afraid the arrival of CK,AS & ED were the nails in the coffin for me and many of my era(150 plus in 2 years),they truly did absolutely nothing except do as their masters demanded by worsening a once decent job,yet all had long tenures at major unionised carriers.They conveniently left any integrity behind.Having now met colleagues of all at their previous airlines all were held in low esteem EK took them. AAR started the slide,he has been helped along by the UAE DGCA and EK underlings topping up significant non UAE pensions "back home".In the meantime many pilots who would not dream of coming to DXB previously came as their airlines went to the wall.There were x2 Americans when I joined....the success of EK has been amazing but it most certainly was not on a level playing field,but to suggest it was and still is is really hard to accept.The PR people did a great job.

The first 5-6 years were good but the arrival of arrogant and spineless "managers" both expat and local was the start of the slide for me.The experience I gained was great as it is for many,early command,widebody,etc etc but for me the lack of freedom of speech and utter hypocrosy of the locals and their expat sycophants running EK made the job unattractive and tiring beyond belief on "adjusted FTLs",cost neutral,etc ploicies aided by a compliant authority.

The job is easy and secure,but be realistic if you ever fall through the cracks on the glossy veneer of DXB there is NO safety net.I saw at very close hand death on the roads,astonishing medical incompetance and break ins,the DXB police were frankly unbelievable.Expect zero help from your embassy.

VR posts some inconvenient truths for the uninitiated and others can draw upon personal experience.My neighbour was even called to the office by CK and told in no uncertain terms to "keep quiet" about the break in to his villa,as it doesnt "help encourage" pilots to join.

There are drawbacks to being back in Europe of course as highlighted,but I would never return nor could I live in DXB again but it can offer a great deal providing you remain aware of the fact that as an expat you mean nothing and you never will to EK or the UAE.Take what you can for you and your family but beware there is an increased risk should you ever fall through the cracks.DXB aspires to greatness but of course it cannot and never will be a true 1st world city until democracy arrives with a fair honest legal system,and we all know that is unlikely-ever.

There remains life after EK,but it is taxed.:cool:

Happy New Year & safe flying,

IC:cool:

[FlyingCroc]

That basically sums it up. Happy landings and a happy new Year. :)

[ShinjukuHustler]

Like practically all Gulf nations, Dubai has chosen the the worst of western excesses while ignoring all that is good, freedom of speech / religion, democracy, womens rights just to name a few. Some are better like Bahrain imo and some are worse such as Saudi (the real deal when it comes to gulf 5h1t holes)

Anyone with some spare time and some web building know how (I have neither) might follow the example of this site QATARSUCKS | and the world needs to know! (http://www.qatarsucks.com)

Interesting and alot in common with DXB, apart from just sucking..

[captplaystation]

Ludlow, if you refer to Inspector Clueless. I think he is far too eloquent for that, don't you ?

[Flygulfair]

May I recommend Gainsborough, UK for you to take up gainful employment in paradise?

If you guys think Dubai's a s*hole, take a stroll down any UK town centre at about 11pm. It's fab. Pissed up, pasty-faced, tattoed chavs will punch you in the face just because you aren't white, look as though you may have a job, or for no reason whatsoever.


OK NOW THAT SOO WRONG, i am "not white" and i can walk in a town centre at 11pm! NO ONE WILL HURT YOU :mad: only if you go in places where your asking for it!


You will be fined 200 quid if you put too much rubbish in the bin you pay 200 quid a month to be emptied twice a month.


How old are you? Seriously, You dont "get fined" as far as i know. And you pay £200 for COUNCIL TAX it is much more than taking you rubbish.

Park with a tyre just over a line? Clamped. 100 quid and a 2 hour wait.


"over the line" :ugh: arnt you exaggerating a bit there?

Did I mention the taxes? The weather? EU law?


ok so you dont like any of that? Well thats how you run a country except for the weather, seeing as you may be "not white" and you ancestors may not british why not go back to your native country?

Children in school assaulting teachers? Then their parents joining in?


Oh ok so u have this image in your head, hmmm try going in schools some are bad some are good, NOT ALL SCHOOLS ARE PERFECT! and yep only about 1/30 students do something bad during lesson, not that bad that the teacher dies. :=

Rapists out after 5 years for 'good behaviour'. That's a laugh.


And where the proof?


People claiming benefits and free rent because if they get a job, they end up worse off and lose their free state money, therefore they stay on benefit forever, doing nothing, while those who work and pay tax end up working harder and paying more tax.


Oh sorry, you see thats the diffrence between other countries, free health care etc. Did you notice that? oh and the government does not "splash" out money it makes SURE the person is genuine, have you ever claimed benefits? Even seen the amount of letter, time frames form etc you are better of working. About your "forever" mark, thats not true they FORCE you to work.


somebody rude to you? Sexual discrimination. Sue. Lawyers make money, taxpayer pays.


Oh ok so if i say "move" i can get done for sexual discrimination :ugh: there is people like that in all countries


Go to Gainsborough. It's waiting for you, and it truly is a sh*thole of gargantuan proportions. I've been to both.


They seem ok.


No matter where you go in this world, somebody will always slag it off. I met a chap in Bermuda who complained about 'island fever' and a lack of highways where you could 'just drive for an hour or two'. For f*ck's sake.


I agree with you there.

Anyway. Happy New Year to you all, regardless of creed, colour, sex, religion or choice of football club (as long as it's not Manchester United, who are bastards, as we all know).

[Jet II]

Oh sorry, you see thats the diffrence between other countries, free health care etc.


where is this nirvana where you get free health care?

When I was in the UK health care cost me a fortune, what with punitive rates of tax, prescription charges, dental charges, fee's to BUPA etc.

So if there is someplace where you free health care then please let us all in on the secret.:ok:

[sayap-patah]

free health care ?????????????????????/
about doha ..................yeah agree 100%:ok:

[calvin.&.holmes]

To Von Richtofen
Some facts,
The South African courts convicted him for many violent “crimes” and he served 27 years in prison.
And after being released from prison he was the president of a country for four years.
He was Nelson Mandela.
If you write certain facts in a certain way you can be very misleading.
I am not comparing Dubai with the great Nelson Mandela.
Dubai has its share of the good, the bad, and the ugly. But come on man if you dig deep any where you will surely find dirt even in the most “safest” of the nations.
As the saying goes “NOBODY IS PERFECT”.
But still there are no gun wielding maniacs in schools.

[saviboy]

"Free" health care doesn t exist, there is no such thing as a free lunch somebody is paying for it.

It is because of this 'free health care" belief that certain european countries have a huge public deficit:
"oh my head aches, should I go the doctor?
Sure why not Its FREE!!!"
or
" I just worked for 6 months, now I m going to resign and collect unemployement: after all I paid for it. I pay tax for 6 months and get it back the following 6."
Result: billions of euros of public deficit.
When you are in a system where you get more money by sitting on your butt (thru completely free health care, free public transportation, free food at school for your kids, food stamps, etc....) at home than working a low salary job, then you know the system is flawed.
Who do you think pays for all that? In France, a portion of the population (the middle class for the most part) pays as much as 45-50% of tax (thru income tax,VAT,RDS (reimbursment of social debt), expensive oil,etc...)
The government feels so much pressure due the to public deficit that it gets very creative when it comes to inventing new taxes.
the latest project is the "PICNIC tax":
to tax non-recyclable throwaway plates and cutlery. The tax would apply to non-recyclable cardboard but not plastic tableware.

don t get me wrong, I don t think getting help from the government is bad, it s good if your situation really justifies it. However, it s a mistake to think it s all free, IMO.

Italy, like France, has a "free health care system"
In 2007, the cost of "free" health care was over 400 billion Euros to the French citizens.

So who says health care is free?
:O