Untimely death

[kroz]

The death of the Ruler of Dubai's son is strange.  He was only 33 and in good health!

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Dubai-declares-three-day-mourning-over-death-of-rulers-son/articleshow/49024177.cms

I was just discussing Dubai with a classmate at my 50th class reunion last weekend.  My son travels there for meetings and Dubai is an anomaly in the ME.   Very odd!

[kroz]

Dubai is ultra westernized but enforces sharia law.  It is truly an anomaly.  They want the best of both worlds.  But there is no "best" of Islam and sharia.

They have over developed and have empty buildings like China.

[Cryptic Bert]

I would really love to visit some of these countries but two thing stop me. 1) How they treat women. 2) There is no alcohol.

[kit saginaw]

-Died of a heart-attack, I guess.

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/09/19/Dubai-declares-three-day-mourning-over-death-of-ruler-s-son.html

I only follow The Golf Channel's coverage from there every year. 

2 words describe the place: 'dreary splendor'.

[carlb]

Dubai is ultra westernized but enforces sharia law.  It is truly an anomaly.  They want the best of both worlds.  But there is no "best" of Islam and sharia.

They have over developed and have empty buildings like China.

Well, there's an oxymoron!

[Solar]

Well, there's an oxymoron!

Like San Franfreako from the air, it too is extremely deceiving, having an air of invitation about it, but rotten to it's core.

[kroz]

I would really love to visit some of these countries but two thing stop me. 1) How they treat women. 2) There is no alcohol.

When we arrived in Saudi in the 70s, our employer gave us a book called "The Small Blue Flame" which told you how to build and operate a small home distillery safely.  Some people did, but we did not.

When in public I was asked to cover myself from neck to ankles.  Arms were to be covered also. Pants were allowed but frowned upon unless your top was worn down to your thighs.  Nothing form fitting!

So I bought some pretty cotton fabric and had the tailor make me several long dresses just like the white ones worn by the men.  They were fairly cool in the hot desert summers.

When in Rome, do as the Romans!   

[carlb]

When we arrived in Saudi in the 70s, our employer gave us a book called "The Small Blue Flame" which told you how to build and operate a small home distillery safely.  Some people did, but we did not.

When in public I was asked to cover myself from neck to ankles.  Arms were to be covered also. Pants were allowed but frowned upon unless your top was worn down to your thighs.  Nothing form fitting!

So I bought some pretty cotton fabric and had the tailor make me several long dresses just like the white ones worn by the men.  They were fairly cool in the hot desert summers.

When in Rome, do as the Romans!  

I wish THEY would adopt that philosophy when they're "guests" in OUR countries.  Years ago, a girlfriend from Spain, living in the U.S., remarked, more than occasionally about all the Moroccan "immigrants" in Barcelona, in their "Halloween" outfits. That was funny/sad. I'm sure all of Europe is much worse now.

BTW, good move not making your own alcohol in those countries. I wouldn't even consider it.

[kroz]

I wish THEY would adopt that philosophy when they're "guests" in OUR countries. Years ago, a girlfriend from Spain, living in the U.S., remarked, more than occasionally about all the Moroccan "immigrants" in Barcelona, in their "Halloween" outfits. That was funny/sad. I'm sure all of Europe is much worse now.

BTW, good move not making your own alcohol in those countries. I wouldn't even consider it.

That has long been a bone of contention for me!!!!  Yes, they should reciprocate!  However,  while Saudi Arabia is building mosques all around the world including our country, they do not allow ANY churches in Saudi Arabia.

Muslims challenge us daily in the courts for restricting their worship.  Christians are TOTALLY restricted in Saudi from demonstrating ANY evidence of Christianity... even a Christmas tree!  There is NO recourse for the Christians except to leave the Country.

They are cruel and oppressive if we are under their control, but they are demanding and belligerent if they are under our control.

There is such a double standard.  Our government should not allow this!  They CAN and SHOULD demand reciprocity.

[Billy's bayonet]

I would really love to visit some of these countries but two thing stop me. 1) How they treat women. 2) There is no alcohol.

Dubai is different...more like Malaysia....Muslim customs apply only to Muslim women. You can see westerner women wearing thongs on the beach in both Dubai and Panang (Malaysia) you can have a drink in the bars and you can buy booze in the super market (most of which have signs about prohibition of alcohol sales to Muslims).

[kroz]

Dubai is different...more like Malaysia....Muslim customs apply only to Muslim women. You can see westerner women wearing thongs on the beach in both Dubai and Panang (Malaysia) you can have a drink in the bars and you can buy booze in the super market (most of which have signs about prohibition of alcohol sales to Muslims).

Yeah, I have been to Panang and it is very western.  My son was in Dubai recently and he was telling me about all the shopping malls and western lifestyle.  I have been to the Dubai airport and it was very nice, but I was just making a flight connection there.

It's funny, I have absolutely no desire to return to the ME.  I went to almost all of the ME countries many years ago (including Pakistan and Afghanistan) and that was enough for me!

A lot of the third world countries have changed considerably in recent years.  It was amazing how much Indonesia changed while I was there.  In the beginning there were very few cars.  It was mostly bicycles and bicycle taxis, tiny three wheel taxis and motorcycle taxis.  Most of the locals road their bicycles everywhere.  By the time we left there were cars everywhere.  Traffic was a major problem because there was not adequate infrastructure.  There was an emerging middle class which had not existed before.

[Billy's bayonet]

A lot of the third world countries have changed considerably in recent years.  It was amazing how much Indonesia changed while I was there.  In the beginning there were very few cars.  It was mostly bicycles and bicycle taxis, tiny three wheel taxis and motorcycle taxis.  Most of the locals road their bicycles everywhere.  By the time we left there were cars everywhere.  Traffic was a major problem because there was not adequate infrastructure.  There was an emerging middle class which had not existed before.

I used to call those three wheel trikes  MOBILE COFFINS.

Part of the mobility is the influx of cheaply made motorbikes and even cars from China as well as surplus vehicles cheap from Japan those suzuki trucks they make into mini buses. But you are correct, there is an emerging middle class in that part of Asia, especially Malaysia which seemed to grow more un-Islamic every day. They really cater to Western Tourists, they know where the money is.

[kroz]

I used to call those three wheel trikes  MOBILE COFFINS.

My kids used to ride in those sometimes when they came home from school and missed the bus.  The three wheeled bicycle taxis are called becaks.  The three wheeled motorcycle taxis were bajajs.  The government eventually rounded up all of the becaks and took them out in the ocean and dumped them.  That was the only way to get them off the streets when the traffic increased exponentially. 

Entrepreneuring Indonesians went out in the ocean and attempted to fish them out!   

Jakarta had a very distinctive smell.  Erma Bombeck once wrote a hilarious article about buying a dress made in Indonesia.  No matter how many times she washed it, she could not get that smell out of her dress!!