HX Report
Irishman in the Middle East
Business As Usual
Gave you some MB pics from Jeddah last week lads. Posted an album on FB. Take a look if interested:
No cinemas in Saudi lads. They are not allowed. Haram. Despite the restriction, MB watched the new James Bond movie ‘Skyfall’ during the week. Not impressed. Just decided to download a real movie for some Saudi weekend entertainment – Snatch. And will follow that up with Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels. If you have never seen either lads please get a life and purchase or download both. But suspect most Crossers have seen. Found this comparison:
In recent times I have given you many many business opportunities lads. From various ‘mega buck return’ deals in Nigeria, to camel meat & milk franchises, to Yemeni honey, to Australian mining shares and God only knows how many more. The opportunities provided to you all lads have been truly endless, and fruitful if you took a punt. This week I bring you a cracker lads. An opportunity that comes from heaven itself. No kidding this time lads.
- Log on to ringtokk.com and register with the website. You are then good to go. Put say 10 USD on your account with a credit card.
- Open the website to dial the number you want to connect to. It can be land line or mobile number – it does not matter. The process is simple.
- Few seconds after you dial the number from your laptop or PC your own phone will ring. Answer it. Voice tells you that you are being connected to the other number and you will hear the ring tone.
- Other person picks up and you speak phone to phone over the net.
I have tried the system and must admit its very impressive. Simple to use and extremely high quality sound. Much better sound quality than skype and you will not lose connections. In the next month or so you will be able to download an app onto your smart phone and carry out the whole process without using laptop. Then it should really take off.
The opportunity arises lads due to fact that the 2 boys need some seed capital as they have used up all their personal funds to get the whole thing to this stage. So if anyone interested in sticking in a few dollars then you will take a slice of the pie. Minimum investment 1,000 dollars. Contact MB if any interest. Check it out lads:
Congrats EH – Sideline
Want to give some publicity lads to one of our Crosser members who came up with a business idea as part of a school project. Think she’s about 15 years old. Now her company/business will feature on the the Irish TV programme Dragon’s Den – for start up companies to get some funding if they succeed on the show. It’s related to the Irish sport of hurling and like most great ideas its very simple. Won’t say much more. The video link explains all. But if you are involved with a club back home, or involved with hockey, then the product will be of interest. And nice Christmas idea if your partner or friends are involved in the sport. Best of luck EH, who hails from the HX heartland. Contact details:
ehoulihan08@cik.ie
Link to EH product
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U97HJTDVepw
Link to Irish sport of ‘Hurling’ (for the non-Irish who may not be familiar)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__L1NiWbruI
Leeds Utd
Not satisfied with owning Man City and Paris SG we have now snapped up Leeds Utd lads. Will be some interesting conversations between the Leeds accents and the Arabs!
http://gulfnews.com/sport/football/new-leeds-owners-plan-to-awaken-sleeping-giant-1.1108394
How many times have I told you about the legendary Sheikh Mo lads? How many times? Many many times lads have I given you tales of his most regal greatness lads? So many I have lost track. I know there have been doubters amongst you lads. Especially those of you from the poverty inflicted lands of Western Europe who do not have first hand experience of the exploits of his most Royal Highness. Then doubt no more lads. Will you take Land Rover’s word for Sheik Mos greatness lads? Yes indeed lads, I think you will.
The two Range Rover vehicles delivered to His Highness were the first to be handed over globally. One vehicle with the symbolic DUBAI 1 registration plate was delivered to His Highness along with an additional vehicle with the registration DUBAI 11 for His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai.
Saudi Crosser XXX
We featured last week lads a contribution from Saudi Crosser XXX about the situation in his homeland. This week I give you the conclusion of his piece. Thanks XXX.
To be fair, the situation today is nothing like the situation yesterday & isn’t entirely dire thanks to the new generations and new social media that allow some freedom. There are some 2.9 million Twitter users in Saudi Arabia, according to one recent study, and it is the world’s fastest-growing Twitter zone . see this link in the New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/21/world/middleeast/saudis-cross-social-boundaries-on-twitter.html.
In a country that sand trickles through an hourglass at a steady rate, the recent announcement of a sudden change at the top of the kingdom’s powerful ministry of interior replacing prince Ahmad (72 Y) with prince Mohamed (50 Y) who come from the second generation of king Abdulaziz progeny indicated a slight improvement toward reform and perhaps an end of those who said that unless and until Islam the only belief on earth, there will be NO peace, this is the mentality that was supported by the earlier minister (It is not only Islam, but Christianity also “holy wars” for 1000s of years) .
The main theme of the third report of the National Society for Human Rights was that the government executive bodies have failed to meet the ambitions of King Abdullah. At the end of the report, NSHR provided a list of recommendations including suggestions for partial elections of the Shoura Council as well as limiting transgressions by security forces and CPVPV members against citizens. Just yesterday, the fifth session of the ongoing trial of the two prominent human rights activists Mohammad Al-Qahtani and Abdullah Al-Hamid was held. The judge insisted in the last trial session to make it private, but the two activists firmly refused. The judge finally changed his mind and made this session public. Every single details of the trail was available to twitter users and I doubt that this is the case today in the official newspapers.
In conclusion yes, there are a lot of things that need to be changed in Saudi Arabia politically, socially, religiously and constitutionally and I hope this is will happen soon for a bright future to SA and hope that our children will have a peaceful society.
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UAE kids play
Interesting survey on the playing habits of kids in the UAE. Approx 60% play alone.
Dubai: 62 per cent, or roughly six out of 10 of UAE children play alone which could potentially negatively affect their development, a new UAE study revealed.
The study titled Children’s Play Index in the UAE aims to gauge if UAE children have a good balance between play and other activities. It was independently conducted in between July to September 2012 by TNS Research Agency and commissioned by family leisure company Fun City. The study was released on the occasion of the Universal Children’s Day that is celebrated annually on November 20.
The research involved 400 family respondents of different nationalities and particularly focused on the play behaviour of their children from ages two to 12.
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Drugs in the Middle East
Problem all over the world lads including Middle East where its considered serious crime. Often punishable by death. As these 5 lads have just discovered in RAK, one of the Emirates of the UAE:
Ras Al Khaimah: The Criminal Court on Wednesday sentenced five people to death. They were involved in drug possession and drug trafficking.
The court session presided by Judge Bilal Abul Baqi passed the sentence on an Omani and four Pakistanis after they confessed to drug trafficking through the Oman-Ras Al Khaimah border. A senior court official said they will be executed by firing squad. The official added the Omani was searching for a buyer for one kilogram of opium and another kilogram of hashish when the RAK Anti-Narcotics Dep-artment received a tip-off and sent an undercover agent to do the deal with him.
http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/crime/five-drug-traffickers-to-face-firing-squad-in-rak-1.581202
And of course, most parents worry as they do in the West, about their kids coming into contact with drugs and getting sucked into the scene:
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Middle East Kids – Parents Worry
Had interesting chat with Arab Muslim friend during the week about the worries that parents out here have as they try their best to rear their kids. Surprisingly, he told me he considered it more difficult to bring up a son than a daughter. Told me most ordinary Muslim parents worry about their sons falling under influence of the more extremist Muslim practitioners. This man knows of many families where the son comes home one day and announces his new found beliefs and starts trying to convert all the family to a more extreme brand of the religion. Starts to grow a beard, starts to fight regularly with his parents, pointing out all their ‘haram’ behaviour as he sees it. For my friend this is a bigger fear for him than his 13 year old son getting involved in the drug scene. Can not remember ever hearing of any Western kid screaming at his parents to go to Mass on Sunday lads. Let me know if you have.
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Chelsea
Fans are going crazy. Crosser JB amongst them. Took one of his recent day postings from Fb for you all lads. Armageddon approacheth, according to many.
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DH
Desert safari pic from Sharjah. Idea if you ever come for holiday break. DH landed herself in hot water this week with the Sharjah forces of law & order
DH was busted in Sharjah, UAE this week lads. Read on:
http://thereluctantemigrant.wordpress.com/2012/11/19/busted-in-sharjah/
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Salam Lads
Ok lads. That’s it for another week. TC.
Ajman Fishmarket, UAE
MB
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