Friday, December 23, 2005

Radars


TRAFFISTAR S 340 (MODULAR CONCEPT FOR SPEED MANAGEMENT)

The stationary speed monitoring system TraffiStar S 340 can be used to permanently defuse accident spots that are beset by excessive speed. Without the need for any personnel, the measuring system operates fully automatically. Synchronous frontal or rear pictures can be taken for conclusive proof of guilt of motorbikes, and powerful flashlight technology gurantees an optimum illumination of the object field in unfavourable lighting conditions. The TraffiStar S 340 speed camera is equipped with a ROBOT SmartCamera, which documents traffic violations and makes it possible to control and monitor the entire system at the same time using an integrated PC.

http://www.roadtraffic-technology.com/contractors/photo_enforcement/robot/index.html

These radars have been installed throughout the main highways in the Sultanate. I believe reaches until the Oman-UAE border too. With the extensive efforts made by the ROP, we , as Omani citizens congratulate them on their support and care for the Omani citizens and residents.

For speedy drivers, there is a way to avoid getting punkd by the advanced radar. In Oman, there are always ways to avoid you from being put into hard-like situations. If you see the radar photo again (scroll up), at the sides of the radar there are "fins". You cannot see them in this particular photo, but you will know what I mean if you check them out in the street. If you see the "fins", that means that the radar will take a snapshot from your side of the road. Therefore, with that particular same camera, the opposite traffic can enjoy speeding.

I am not a speedy driver. However, there are things called "emergencies" and getting punkd by the radar for a 1 time emergency can cost you lots! Try this technique at night to see for yourself!

Drive over the speed limit. 140km/hr will do fine. When you approach the radar with fins, let it take a snaphot. (you'll have to pay the fine when you renew the car's registration unfortunately). Continue driving with the same speed until you approach another radar with fins, but this time, slow down to the speed limit BEFORE YOU pass the radar. This is a 100% guaranteed pain free technique!

Remember, the ones that do not have fins will NEVER EVER take a snapshot, so no need to slow down! I don't know why I'm calling them fins, but they look like fins!

I'm not encouraging people to drive fast, but just in case you have an emergency, this definitely will help.

Still, DRIVE SAFELY!!!!

Peace!

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peace!

What a weekend!

I had to do some changes and adjustments this weekend. First of all I had to change my "hanging around" crew or gang whichever you want to call them. So this wednesday a couple of friends from work decided to have a get to gether again. I agreed on going. This time, its more of a chill kick back chillax type of environment. Location is the most important thing to me, so I handled that. How many were we.. 5 people from work, and 3 outsiders. So 8 total! 1 left after he sat for 10 mins..So 7 people .Yep, all guys! No girls hehe.. ANYWHOOOS!!!
So we met at the bar, had a couple of drinks, and 4 of us got wasted.. What a shame .. (WRONG STORY :P)
just kiddin'
We met up at the most popular coffee shop in town, known as the kargeen. I'm starting to hate it as much as I hate freaks because of the crappy service that they offer. It took them 20 mins to get some charcoal. I can light up my ass and put the whole place on fire in 20 mins. sheesh!
Among the 8, 4 were having sheesha, while the rest were trying to avoid it by fighting for political control over who can sit in the corner in order to run away from the smell. We orded some food n drinks, the usual stuff too.
Everyone started to show off some of the new technology that they have..by switching on their BLUETOOTH. Just imagine the scene right here. 7 people sitting in a circle, each one of them has his cell phone on. I didn't like the sawalif that was going on, simply cuz we sounded like desperate 16 year olds, but I had to go with the flow. The person who was sitting next to me on my right.. no names mentioned, was the one who was keeping me busy with what's happening. Other than that, the rest had their eyes on their cell phones, or booties.. I don't blame them, but at least, they should just take it easy u know.
ugh..

After we left, that same person next to me needed a ride home, so I dropped him. I drove back home as slowly as I could. It took me 20 mins from qurum to shatti. I just felt like driving like im on top of an egg (translate that literally). Didn't call the night girl :P .. Didn't feel like it! (YEA RIGHT).. I just switched off the cellie anyhows, and hit the bed.
End of Wednesday


Thursday was more of an adventure. I woke up at 9, went to the bank so that I transfer some money to my US bank account. I still didn't pay my credit card debt! The bank has been emailing and calling my friend over there so much, that they decided to file me to court! OUCH! hehe.. One piece of advice to those who are studying abroad: DO NOT get a credit card whatsoever, even if the bank is willing to pay u! It's a real pain! I enjoyed parking my car at the "paid parking area" because I got to use the very new and convenient parking payment, thru sms (slow message speed).
So that was handled properly.
One of my relatives decided to go out for a coffee.. I didnt mind that. Long time no morning coffee. So we starbucked for an hour or so, and each one of us headed back home.. I still had to change my hanging around crew. The evening approached, was kinda BLEAK and repetitive.. dinner, maqha, and the usual, I have to tune in to the Oman English FM at 9 to listen to the stand up comedy show with that DJ. Faisal is his name I believe. That show has the highest number of prank calls ever in 1 night. I lost track on the number of pranks that were made! But that's not the reason why I tune in. The main reason is because of this cryptic "omani daakhel" type of person named mohammed sale7. I know the person very well. He's really nice n friendly, but the only problem in him is his accent, and he admits that! You should listen to the radio more often every thursdays and fridays from 9pm until they close (they should operate 24 hours, we're in 2006 now -- almost). I sound so boring! lol!!

So at 12 midnite sharp, he (mohd) received a call from a weird number, and picked up. I was with him at that time. It was the DJ from the radio station!! He wanted to invite Moh'd to the show. We both were speechless. Even more, he insisted on meeting up with him at that moment!! In the middle of the night! Poor Moh'd, he didn't have anything better to do except to meet up with him. I was his bodyguard in case he got raped. Meeting location: Qurum Natural Park. (Where murders and rapes originate). Now we both got suspicious. WHY this location in particular.. but who cares anyways. The probability of me getting killed was much higher because I'll be standing right next to that DJ (if it was really him)!!! So.... he parked the car RIGHT next to the street in case anything happens. Hehehehe
Along came the so called DJ, n we introduced ourselves.. DJ was like "you've been calling up my show EVERY week since august, and after your call, everyone is asking about you.. you have a special taste in the show, i'll have to bring you to the studio one day"
Moh'd got all jolly and excited, and got a wonderful Vitamin W (participating at the radio station, which was one of his dreams). I'm really happy for him, n I really support him even with his messy accent!.. ALL HAIL FOR MOHD!! WOOOOOO HOOOOOO!!!!! Please support him!

End of Thursday



Friday: Today, woke up to write this blog. 12:30pm. Mom n sisters are coming from dubai...they just crossed the border.. Ugh! 2 hours to go. God help me!

Soo... I'll hook y'all up with more updates soon. Hope you enjoyed this fanciful tale, farfetched story.

Peace V!

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Trying to be nice!

Driving is a privilege. It is an assett to your daily skills. Buying your own car, or rather, having your own car (whether it's owned by yourself or by your parents), is also a privelage. I have to admit, it's far too exciting. I used to be one of those crazy ass drivers, but not anymore. Oh well, let me just go to the butter of the subject (zibdat el mawthoo3). Apparently, I'm a designated driver without payment recently. I can't enjoy my lunch hour every other day. My colleage has also volunteered to join the hell that I'm living in, and I really thank him for that. It's not that I'm cheap or anything, no, it's just that I don't have the ultimate freedom to move around wherever I want, whenever I want. I now feel how the drivers feel when the owners just tell them to get a can of pepsi (just 1 can of pepsi) at 3 in the afternoon. Or to drop someone at 6 am or to be familiar with a certain neighborhood at 11 pm or whatever it is. It's always a WRONG timing. BAD timing! You have to cancel all your other commitments and priorities and just deal with the current situation to keep your positive image of being helpful. Although it won't give u the path to get a promotion, it just keeps your image positive. It's been nearly 10 days working as a designated driver without payment, and within a few days, I'll just have to let some people get screwed. No need to mention names or anything. It's just getting in my nerves.

"Ali, can you please drop me to the nearest taxi stop and I'll take a taxi from there"... THATS SIMPLY MEANS ALI CAN YOU PLEASE DROP ME!!! There are taxis everwhere, you'll even find one cruising at the sand dunes! If you were in China or Ghana, and just wave your arms at a cab he'll stop for you. It's universal! What's so hard about it?

Another daily example is, when the weekend comes, random people come up to you and start asking you about what's happening and what are your plans and that sort of stuff. When do they ask you? Wednesday or Thursday night, and simply tell you "oh why not come join us" or "OK we should do something this weekend". Helloo? The weekend ended! It's already thursday night. Why didn't you tell me before. That simply means "THERE ARE NO PEOPLE COMING SO WHY DONT YOU JOIN".
I am starting to write things that I don't understand hehehe.. This article isn't meant to offend anyone, it's just what I view things. And I don't read people's minds its just a thot.

Now after stating this problem, there has to be a solution to it. The only solution is simply to .......................... that's right. Be direct!
Mujamalat are no good anymore.

Peace ! :)

Monday, December 19, 2005

End of Probation Period

Saturday the 17th of December marks a new era of change. A new era of improvement. The end of the probation period at work. I just started working as an official employee from the 17th of September. I was like a prisoner before then during a 3 month training period. No proper lunch, no proper concentration, no proper fun no proper talk no proper nothing. I wouldn't want to comment on the officials who participated in this training program for 2 reasons. The first reason is that I don't want to get fired, but I'll tell u in a year or 2! The second is that I can't stop talking about them.

I was bombarded with lectures, seminars, workshops, and all different types of shit. However, my life went smoothly during those 3 months with 7 other friends, who also felt the same way. We all passed the training period, and each one of us separated into their own path. Oh yea I just turned 21 (so I'm legal now :P) the first day of training and they didnt even bother getting me a samboosa! Anywhoos, so 17th of September. Mr. Ali Al- Rahma. No department, no title! CRAP! What the hell am I supposed to be referred to? Couldn't care less, as long as Benjamin$ is pa$$ing thru I really didn't care much what department I was. It was more like someone pushed me in a large pool where I don't know which direction to swim to. So what is a probation period?? Well it's a period where you are stranded in 2 places, office and home. Nowhere else. You do not have the right to vote, the right to fight back, the right to make decisions, the right to fully participate in all aspects. But, you have the right to get fired, and the right to leave with no questions or no warning! How smart can this definition of a probation period be??

December 17th, end of the probation period. I am now entitled to all the rights. How the hell am I entitled to all these rights? If they were rights, then I SHOULD HAVE them at the first place. But nevermind! So all in all.. WOOO HOOOO!!!! *Calling for a large celebration*!!!!

:D
peace!

More pix from bbq

RIGHT---> : Yousef, Mohd and Sami preparing.






Below: Salim, Nabil and myself ... no comments :D

Sunday, December 18, 2005

Pics from the bbq gathering


<--LEFT: Sami, Ahmed and Nabil just sneakin' inside the cam like never before!!!

ABOVE: Nabil ready for some beefin'



<---LEFT: Shabab lookin' hungry and worried! It was goooood :D










These were some of the pics that were taken (from my cam), sooo dont get too sad, other pics will be published very very veryyy soon. I should've taken a snapshot of the moon cuz it was a full one last night. People look different on shorts n tees!
Good job guys!!

BBQ at Ghubra-Athaiba Beach

I still don't know where we had our bbq get together. Ghubra? Athaiba? Ghuthaiba!
Anywhos,
So a couple of peeps from the company decided to have a bbq at the beach. They waited until last nite so that they could enjoy the light of the full moon (and with that light you can clearly see whether the bbq is cooked or not)!

First was the location. It took 3 days to decide until there was a compromise and an agreement by all parties that it will be held at Athaiba beach (ill be using athaiba for my own convenience). So we all had a meeting together to confirm whether everyone was commited or not. As usual, people try to give excuses the last minute even though they have been informed 9 months ahead about a particular plan. But still, we were going to have this bbq anyhows! I believe 10 people were supposed to go. 1 person had an excuse beyond his control. So we're left with 9. 1 hour before the occasion started, another person couldn't come because again,it was beyond his control. While the fire started, I got a call from a third person telling me that he wont be showin up, whether it was beyond his control or not was questionable. (it was cuz he's stuck in traffic in Amerat).

So each and every one of us took a bbq stick full of meat and just slammed it at the stand. Damn that smell, and the sound..It's so amazing. The problem is, that Omanis are never patient! We just put the bbq in the fire, and 15 mins later, everyone's like.."let's eat"! If you wanna eat right, you gotta be patient! Its just like fast food.. easy come, easy go! ugh!! dont want to remember that. I had to share the celebration by eating the first round of half cooked meat. Second round was the same process. I didn't eat at the second round. Just waited for the final round.
I created my own style, well not my own style, but like, just went and handled the bbq while the others were chewing the half cooked meat (which was ok, but could've been better!). 30 mins later, everyone started to gather around the bbq stand.. and I then realized that hunger had striked their bellies. So, within an instant flash, we finished the last round of bbq!

Clean up time was smooth. I drove back home, the car smelled like kerosene (which was dripping for some reason. Just freaked out a little bit and threw the lighter outta the car.. n thasss it :D
pix n vids will be posted soon...soo stay tuned!
Special thanks goes to : Mohammed, Yousef, Kamakazy, Nabil, and Sami
and to the ppl who supported.

Peace out y'all. Pix n vids will be submitted soon. If I don't forget!

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

Welcome to my new blog

I would like to welcome everyone to my new blog where dodgy thoughts and feelings start. Hope you enjoy! Please be active and visit me blog frequently!

Cheers