Guns, Guns, Guns

Seabee over at "Life in Dubai" kicked over a hornets nest with his recent post about Obama. The comment section turned into a web based discussion for the 2nd Amendment. I won't try to continue that discussion. However, I want to point out that Emiratis have a fascination with firearms as well. When I am in Dubai, I frequent the Jebel Ali Shooting Club and the Saharjah Shooting Club. Both places have indoor pistol ranges and organized competitions. I can't count the number of times times I have seen Emiratis trying to shoot the .357 magnum at Sharjah. Usually, they can't control the power and have difficulty hitting the target. I think the attraction for it is the macho factor of shooting a big handgun and the big "boom". Myself, I prefer accuracy and would rather put 8 shots in the 10 ring and a double tap to the head.

Saudi Appeals Court Upholds Death Sentence

In a blow to Canadian Mohammud Kohail, the Saudi appeals court has upheld his sentence for murder. The story is here. His younger brother is also to be re-tried and could face the death penalty. It is not clear how quickly the courts will act on the verdict on Mohammud. It appears that only a pardon by the King can save him.

Head Count

Saudi Arabia played a little catch up and executed 13 last month. One was a rapist and the rest were for drug charges and murder. This brings the year to date total to 84, not quite on track to equal last years record head count.

In other news, the fate of the Canadian Kohail brothers, currently in jail for murder, is still in question. There has been no news about their appeal.

Dueling Appeals

In a new twist in the beach sex scandal, the Dubai Public Prosecutor is appealing the 3-month sentence given to Michelle and Vince. He is saying that it is normal for a longer sentence to be imposed and is looking for at least 6 months. They are due back in court on November 18 to hear the results of the defendant’s appeal to their sentence. It’s not clear if the prosecutorial appeal will be decided at the same time.

The point that there will be no “public displays of personal affection” in the Emirates has been made. Every Ex-Pat in the Middle East has got the message. It is time to stop beating this camel, deport the offending infidels and let life go on.

Appeal for Amorous Expats

Yes, an appeal has been filed. We now need to wait until November 18 to hear the final result. Stay tuned.

The news about their conviction was international news for a couple of days. Everywhere you looked on the net you saw the story of the couple arrested for having sex on the beach. Why does Dubai want this kind of publicity? If I were sheikh, I would send them home and blacklist them from ever returning. I would do it quietly and quickly. It would protect the sensibilities of Emiratis and, at the same time, send a message. And it would do it without negative international publicity. (And the same goes for those found with miniscule amounts of drugs or OTC drugs purchased abroad. Send them back and don't allow them to return.)

A Good Way to Slow Down Growth

Dubai recently invited New Orleans Recovery Czar Ed Blakely to speak at a conference in Dubai. It seems that he was invited at the request of Sheikh Mohammed.

Ed Blakely is a classic example of the axiom, “Them that can’t do, teach.”

His performance in New Orleans has been dismal. Hurricane Katrina gave him a clean slate. He bragged about “cranes filing the skyline” as he led the rebuilding effort into a glorious future. In truth, he has nothing to show for his time in New Orleans despite being given an almost free hand to do as he wanted. Brad Pitt has done more to rebuild New Orleans than Ed Blakely - and he has done it for free.

If Dubai’s objective is to slow down their exponential growth rate, then Ed Blakely is the man for the job. In fact, the people of New Orleans would welcome Dubai hiring him away.

Take Ed Blakely, please! We’ll keep Brad.

Sex on the Beach Finale

They were given 3 months, fined 1000 dirhams and will be deported at the end of their jail sentence. So ends the saga of the amorous affair on Jumeirah Beach.

The international publicity can't have done Dubai and the Emirates in general any good.

Hanoi Jane receives Lifetime Achievement Award???

Gulf News has the story that Jane Fonda has received a lifetime achievement award at the Middle East International Film Festival. There are some that think she just deserves life, with no parole.

And Barbarella would be banned in the UAE.

Dubai Going Broke?

This story in Bloomberg hints that Dubai may be approaching a credit problem.

This is a quote from the article:

While Dubai's economic model ``has proved successful to date, cumulative liabilities are currently rising faster than investments are able to generate returns, which increases Dubai's medium term susceptibility to execution risks and necessitates a clear understanding of wider implicit federal support when rating key government-backed corporations,'' Lotter said.

Sounds like economics-speak than means the debt is rising faster than Dubai's ability to pay the monthly note.

Infrastructure at Capacity

The National has a story about the recent sewage dumping and beach closing. Its another indicator that the infrastucture in Dubai is at capacity and must be expanded if growth is to continue.

Put The Gris Gris on 'em

It seems a UAE footballer (that's soccer player to you) was arrested recently for witchcraft.

I'd hate to think what would happen to sports in the US if players were not allowed to have their superstitions and rituals. But I guess trying to put a hex on the other team is a serious crime.

Head Count

September coincided with Ramadan so the Saudi swordsman had the month off. There were no executions in the Kingdom. The total to date for 2008 remains at 71.

In other legal news, the President of the UAE granted a pardon to the British DJ “Grooverider” who graced this blog last February. He was one of some 700 pardons given out during Ramadan by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Alas, there was no pardon for the British couple arrested for boffing on the beach. (shagging by the shore?) They still have to face the judge next week.

Separation of Church and State

A non-Muslim couple have been fined 1000 dirhams (about $275) for drinking juice in public in Dubai during Ramadan. You see, Dubai law (not just religious tenets) prohibits eating and drinking before sunset during Ramadan. It is punishable by one month in prison and fines up to 2000 dirhams.

This is why our Founding Fathers insisted on the separation of church and state.

Where I Was Then

I was working in the 50 story building owned by a major oil company in New Orleans. I had dropped my wife off at the airport that morning. She was going to Connecticut via Atlanta for a meeting. I first heard about the towers when I went downstairs to the coffee shop. I came back to my office but was unable to get into CNN to get the news. I had to go through BBC to find out what had happened. Shortly after that, the major oil company decided to evacuate the building feeling they may be a target as well so I left the office and walked to my car. While I was walking, my wife called me. She had finally gotten to a phone and was stuck at the Atlanta airport. I told her I was on my way and would find her - somehow. As I left NOLa, I saw that the Superdome was surrounded by State Police. I wasn't sure what I would find on the highway, whether it would be roadblocks or crazy people, but I headed for Atlanta some 8 hours away with the clothes on my back and no side arm.

It turned out that all the police were on duty guarding buildings so I had a free run on the interstate. I put the hammer down, set the cruise control on 80, and went to get my wife. She eventually called me and told me she was in a Holiday Inn. It seems the mayor had asked local hotels with empty rooms to send vans to pick up people at the airport and take people out. My wife got a ride and a room. Thank you Mayor of Atlanta and Holiday Inn.

My wife told me that the airline had told them very little - only that they had to land as a problem in the northeast had grounded all air traffic. The passengers soon learned what happened when they started making phone calls about their changed plans. She sat on the runway for a few hours before getting to a gate. Then all passengers were told to get out of the gate area and go to the main lobby of the Atlanta airport.

We spent the night at the hotel and then drove home the next day.

Sex on the Beach

Michelle Palmer, the female half in the “Sex on the Beach” scandal in Dubai, failed to show up in court for her scheduled hearing citing “stress”. The hearing has been postponed until October 7.

PE wonders what Dubai is trying to prove by keeping Michelle and Vince Acors, her partner in crime, hanging around awaiting trial in the Emirates. They were arrested on July 5 and have been in limbo, stuck in Dubai, since then. They have lost their jobs and reputations. They face jail time followed by deportation. The news story mentions a lack of any DNA evidence indicating that sex, in the classic sense (meaning penetration and ejaculation), had taken place. This means that Michelle was subjected to a vaginal swab, possibly against her will, to gather this evidence. The accused admit to heavy petting and that’s all. The only witness is the policeman that found them. The case is weak but the Dubai legal system has pounced upon it like a pit bull on a mouse.

This continuation of this story in the international press is damaging Dubai’s reputation as a progressive and rational nation. Dubai needs to let this case drop from the news by deporting them and never allowing them to return. Why Dubai wants to keep hammering home the point that “public displays of personal affection” are illegal is beyond me. And in addition, it’s a waste of time and legal resources.

Ramadan is an excellent excuse to show some mercy and send them home.

Trade with Iran

There is a very good article about the cross Gulf trade between Dubai and Iran. The most amazing thing is that it happens out in the open along Dubai Creek. PE remembers seeing dhows from Iran in Dubai back when they were holding the US hostages and pictures of the Eye-o-tolla (sp) were all over the creek. (PE was in Dubai when the rescue operation failed)

Trade between the two countries has been going on for centuries. I always thought it was a few sailing vessels but the article outlines the sheer extent of trade that is taking place.

It might help explain why the fundamentalist Muslims leave Dubai alone.

Oh, the major Navy base mentioned in the story is merely a single dock out on the edge of Jebel Ali with no logistics support (cranes), maintenance buildings or any permanent structure. The biggest installation there is the USO tent. So, if you happen to be a US citizen and you are in the Emirates, drop a donation off at the USO because they are the only folks taking care of our guys over there.

Head Count

Five people were executed in Saudi Arabia. They were mostly for drugs with a rapist thrown in for good measure. Year to date total is 71.



There was finally news about the Kohail brothers, two Canadians convicted of murder in The Kingdom because of a death that occurred during a brawl. The older brother got his appeal approved but the younger brother, who was sentenced to 200 lashes and 1 year in prison, may get retried as an adult, which seems in violation of anyones double jeopardy rule.

I'm Baaaack!

I’m back after a little vacation. The Mrs. and I cashed in some frequent flier miles and took a trip to Paris and into Provence. I thought I was totally away from The Sandbox until two Lamborghini showed up one day and parked in front of the Hilton Tour Eiffel. They both had Abu Dhabi registrations. (But not low numbers so they must have belonged to a low level sheikh) My wife asked my why they would have Abu Dhabi license plates if they were in France. I explained to her that the sheikh probably loaded his personal cars into his personal jet airplane before departing for France. She found the concept of someone having that much wealth difficult to reconcile with her life experience. But, as she is fond of saying, “The rich are different”.

On scanning the Gulf News, I see that Ras al Khaimah has instituted a special plan to arrest beggars during Ramadan. It seems they use the Holy Month to take advantage of people’s charity and the police are only trying to protect the citizens. And besides, this was in the works before Ramadan. I may be a lapsed Anglican, but I thought that charity, and giving Zakat, was one of the main points of Ramadan. Anyway, stay out of RaK if are a panhandler.

I’ll have an update shortly on the fate of the Kohail Brothers and their arrest in The Kingdom. These are the two Canadian boys that ran afoul of the law and were subsequently tried for murder.

Pump It Yourself Coming to Dubai

Emiratis will now be forced to pump their own gas at several stations. It's the end of an era. Of course, the west made this shift years ago. Gone are the days when a young man checked your oil , water and air while he filled your tank. Many a senior citizen had their first job as a gas jockey back in the 50's and 60's. But in the Emirates, I fear for the safety of the public. Most Emiratis are not familiar with manual labor and mechanical devices. The operation of a gasoline pump may be beyond their ability without extensive training. Second, too many Emiratis like to smoke and pump gas at the same time. And I always took advantage of the free windshield wash that came with the fill up. In the dusty atmosphere of the Emirates, washing your windshield is a continuous job. And don't forget the heat. Who wants to jump out and pump gas in 130 degrees? And finally, there's the man/woman thing. I can't see Emirati women (and they do drive in the UAE as opposed to KSA) pumping their own gas.

PE thinks its a bad idea, and possibly a dangerous one. And the poor guys working at the station don't earn enough for there to be an economic reason for the change. Anyone care to wager which station has the first fire?

Head Count

July was a very slow month for the executioner. Only one murderer was beheaded in Saudi Arabia bringing the year to date total to 66.