Sunday, 27 April 2008

You have to be kidding me!

I was surfing online and this popped up.


In case the text above is not clear enough, here is the whole message.

"Surf Safely

This website is not accessible in the UAE.

The internet is a powerful medium of communication, sharing and serving our daily learning requirements. However, the page you are trying to access may contain content that is not consistent with the moral, cultural and social values of the UAE.

If the website you are trying to visit does not contain any such content we request you to immediately inform us by sending an email to safesurf@du.ae for an evaluation of the inaccessible site.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation."


Unbelievable. Am I a 12 year old kid who needs parental supervision and guidance before getting access to information? Do I need to seek for someone else's approval before reading uncensored material? This is totally unacceptable.

I am an adult and am fully responsible for my own actions. I have the right to read whatever I desire. I have the right to access any information I want to know. I have the right to see whatever I want to see; I don't give a damn if the information is consistent with MY moral, cultural and social values. And I certainly do not care if it is consistent with the UAE's.

I was not even reading internet porn to begin with. (And in my humble opinion if one desires to watch internet porn, one should have the right to do so, it is nothing to be ashamed of.) It is neither gamble sites, game sites nor any sites that sell illegal stuff. Of course I do not know for sure what the site shows now because it is BLOCKED in the UAE. But I believe it should be harmless. Anyway, that's not the point. The point here is: Who should be calling the shots on what needs to be censored. What makes the censorship board's decision superior to mine? They are better educated? (Even uneducated adults deserve to read what they want to read.) They are more morally upright? If such materials can corrupt the general public's mind so easily, what is done to "uncorrupt" the censors who have viewed these websites and considered them worth censoring? Send them into exile? (I am aware of using keywords to block certain sites but I have come across other censored materials in printed materials in the UAE)

The same applies to those idiots who used BLACK MARKER pens to mark ALL OVER MY copy of Marie Claire. It is an innocent, harmless fashion magazine for goodness sake. Stay away from my websites and mags, you brainless morons!

Tuesday, 15 April 2008

Dubai Grand Racing

My friend had free tickets for the Dubai Grand Racing last weekend. We went together with a bunch of HKers and had both of my arms burnt at the end of the event.

Saloon car racing


Kart racing


Speedcar racing

A HKer on stage (2nd runner up)

Tuesday, 8 April 2008

When sand looks like gold...



Love these two shots with Paula. We were doing desert safari (my 3rd time) and the colour of the sand looked so nice in the sunset photo.

Monday, 7 April 2008

Paula in Dubai



Paula decided to visit Dubai and spent a 3-day weekend with me. She asked for a relaxing weekend and so I designed a non-activities packed holiday especially for her.

We had a great time. And to my amazement, catcat remembers Paula! They have only lived with each other for less than 3 years in total and didn't have the chance to get to know each other very well. But catcat remembers her right after Paula stepped her foot into my flat literally. She even showed off her belly when Paula was unpacking her luggage. This is a pic showing catcat sniffing Paula's shoes.

Wednesday, 2 April 2008

The Bucket Boys

Our office is at Burjuman Business Tower. The floor to ceiling height windows in the building have been in need for some cleaning ever since the sand storm and the rain started in Jan.

Today we finally get to see some actions. Normally buildings this size and height would use either monorail gondola or bespoke BMU system to clean the facade. For our building, there are the bucket boys, also known as the spidermen.