Monday, December 28, 2009

Lucky Number 13

13 years ago, today
An anniversary is a time to celebrate the joys of today, the memories of yesterday, and the hopes of tomorrow

To My Lovely Wife:

Happy 13th Wedding Anniversary

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Family Visit

30/11/09
Left office exactly 1730 for the airport.
Parents and nieces arrived in Dubai at 1810.... and came out at 1850... Thanks to Marhaba.
What a great feeling to kiss my parents hands again after 4 months.

Cousins, enjoying themselves in the pool


01/12/09
Had to go to work... parents and nieces needed some rest after the long flight.
Wife took them up to the swimming pool... they had a good time.
Came home late... had to help with the setting up of the 5-aside Asean Cup.
More photos HERE


The family, after a hearty dinner at Tawassol Restaurant

02/12/09
UAE National Day.... 5-aside Asean Cup... was on duty in the morning as a volunteer.... left at about 12 noon.
Planned to take the family and watch the National Day parade in Jumeirah.
Went to send something to a friend’s in Umm Suqeim. Make a round at the kids’ school to show Atuk & Uwan and Aisy & Iman their school.
Went to Jumeirah Rd afterwards... missed the parade but saw some young Emiratis doing the “Drift”.
Went to DFC to buy Bakugan for Apit.
From DFC, went to Tawassol Restaurant for dinner. They really enjoyed the Mendi and Bukhari rice with chicken and fried sherry fish.
Went home at about 2200.

More photos HERE


Cousins at Ski Dubai.... (-4degrees C)

03/12/09
Spend the morning resting.
After Dzuhur, took them to MOE. Atuk and Uwan wanted to take their grandkids to Ski Dubai.
So, we took the nieces to buy a pair of gloves each and the entry tickets.
Suit them up and send them off to the Ski Dubai entrance.
Their Atuk and Uwan stayed with us.... we took them for a late lunch at MOE food court.
They came out at about 1600.... hungry.... we took them to the food court and bought them their lunch.
The next day, Musandam, Oman beaconed....
More photos HERE

At the Khasba, Musandam jetty

04/12/09
Woke up at about 0400... got everybody ready.... we left home at about 10 minutes to 0600.
Destination: Musandam, Oman.
From the rendezvous point (Emarat station near Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club), we travelled in a convoy of 7 vehicles....the time: 0730
Reached Al-Dahra, RAK, UAE exit point at about 0900... Spent about 15 minutes with the immigration processes.
Exited UAE into Oman.... bought Oman insurance worth Aed100... after about 30 minutes standing in the line.
Then, went to the Omani immigration and got the immigration form....and start queuing... the time: almost 1000.
The line was so slow.... didn’t move for almost an hour.... the Omani immigration people should do some Kaizen to their system.
Then, there’re these queue cutters who thought that they could do it because they are Arabic.... WTF!!!... What the heck are you thinking about.... being an Arab doesn’t mean that you can do whatever you like.... Get in the line please!!!!
Aside from that..... we’re finished at the Omani immigration at about 1230... and proceeded with the journey.
We stopped by at what seemed to be like a fishermen’s small port area.... with small boats, fishing nets and etc. We ate lunch and performed Dzuhur & ‘Asar (Jama’ & Qasr... remember, it’s Friday and we missed Jumaat when we got stuck at the immigration counter).
We left the area at about 1330.... along the winding coastal road of Musandam towards Khasba. On the right were the rocky cliffs and on the left was the Arabian Sea (or the Gulf of Oman?).
We didn’t get to see a lot of dolphins, tho’.... only a few of them and they are too far away for a good snapshot.
Returned at about 1700... after some group photos, we went back.
Luckily, there were no hassles at both Immigration points.
We stopped by for dinner and prayers at an Eppco station not far from Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club.
More photos HERE

At Karama Wet Market

05/12/09
Resting.... took Mak to the wet market in the afternoon.

Uwan, Atuk, Imn & Aisy in front of Atlantis Hotel, Palm Jumeira

06/12/09
Felt unwell.... got an MC from the doctor.
Felt better in the afternoon... took the whole family out to Jumeirah area. ‘Asar with Ayah at a near-by mosque.
Took photos at Jumeirah Public Beach... with Burj Al Arab as the background. Everybody was enjoying themselves, especially Ain and Apit...
Took them to the Palm Jumeirah.... took some photos at the Atlantis...
Stopped at Mercato Mall... performed Maghrib and had dinner at the food-court. The girls wanted to watch New Moon....(KKG betul).... Send them off to the movies at 1900 and went back.... the movie will end at about 2115.
Picked them up at about 2130 and went home.
Tomorrow....first day at the office after a long holiday.
More photos HERE

------------------------------------
07/12 – 10/12/09
At the office...during the day... no activities for them....
On Thursday evening, took them to Naif... Ayah wanted to buy Kanduras.... Mak wanted to see some “yard cloth” (Kain ela).... so, took them to Phulwani’s .
------------------------------------

Syeikh Zayed bin Sultan Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi

11/12/09
Mission: Abu Dhabi
Left Dubai at about 1100.
Ayah wanted to see where I work...so, did a little de-tour into Jebel Ali Free Zone.
Stopped at a mosque 20KM outside Abu Dhabi for Jumaat prayer
Arrive in Abu Dhabi... first destination Syeikh Zayed Grand Mosque.... the 8th largest mosque in the world.
Lunch at a KFC restaurant near the Zayed Sport City.... it’s beginning to rain...
Next destination... Corniche and Marina Island.
Unfortunately, no parking spaces and rain got heavier....
Turned back and headed for the Grand Mosque once again for Maghrib & Isha’....
Went home....it rained all the way from Abu Dhabi to Dubai.
More photos HERE

12/12/09
Took them shopping at Max, Oasis Center.... Mak & Ayah bought something (clothing mostly) for the family in Malaysia and the Kids....
Then, to Dubai Mall... the Kids wanted to go to Candylicious.... Mak & Ayah spent some time looking at the fishes in the Aquarium... just in front of the candy store.
Got home at about 1830.... had MY-UAE exco meeting at 2000 at DFC.

13/12/09
At the office..... itching to go home early....when suddenly got an email from the HR Director.....
“Dear All,
Due to the incessant rains, the company transport buses will leave at 4:15 p.m. today.
We have arranged for one more bus to leave at 5:30 p.m. for those who need to sit awhile longer to complete their work.
For all others in their personal transport, I would suggest that you also leave by 5:30 today and be extra careful whilst driving.
Thank you.”
Yesss....Thank you Sir....

14/12/09
Final day.... went to the office in the morning.... got back at about 1200....
Waited for the Kids to come home from school....
Left for the airport at about 1600... the wife and kids took taxi... Mak, Ayah, Aisy & Iman rode with me....
The flight was re-scheduled to 1930 (originally 1840).
Checked them in at MAS counter.
The hardest thing came.... it’s really hard to say good-bye and let them go.... but we had to....
Hugs & kisses... said good-bye..... and went home...

* Looking forward to next month when Mak Long & Pak Long come for the Dubai International Marathon

P/s: Along, Ain & Apit wish Atuk Mat Zean a Happy 64th Birthday......

Wednesday, December 09, 2009

12 tips to prevent climate change

In light of the Copenhagen Climate Change Summit, we look at 12 simple ways to help prevent the threat of climate change
Gulf News Report
Published: 15:38 December 7, 2009

Leave the car, take the Metro
Driving your car an average of 16,000km a year can release up to 2.6 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. Try using public transport whenever you can especially now Dubai Metro is up and running, or carpool to work. You can also keep your car in good health with properly pumped tyres to minimise air pollution. Driving with under-inflated tyres can affect your vehicle's gas mileage by two to three percent. Over a year, this is like wasting an entire tank of petrol.

Go local
Did you know that the average food product travels about 1,500 miles to get to the supermarket? And that transporting food accounts for 30,800 tons of greenhouse gas emissions every year? Try to shop for locally produced fruits and vegetables whenever possible. You can even opt for organic produce once in a while which is grown with no pesticides or fertilisers that can pollute groundwater reserves.

Water waste
Making plastic water bottles for drinking water releases significant amounts of air pollutants that you should try to use multi-use bottles, like the one you'd use during exercise. The manufacture of one kilogram of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) - enough to make about 17 1.5-litre bottles - entails the release into the air of 40 grams of hydrocarbons, 25 grams of sulfur oxides, 18 grams of carbon monoxide, 20 grams of nitrogen oxides, and 2.3 kilograms of carbon dioxide.

Bin the burgers
Burgers not only harm your waistline but also the environment. From field to fork, growing animals to eat accounts for about 18 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions globally - more than emissions from transportation. Beef and lamb require by far the greatest amount of energy while poultry, dairy or pork requires far fewer energy inputs. For people who choose to eat meat and dairy products, reducing your consumption of animal foods is the most effective way to reduce your carbon "FoodPrint." According to a recent study, the fossil fuel requirements of an omnivorous diet were more than twice that of a vegetarian and seven times greater than a vegan. Every meal makes a difference, so you can begin by switching to a veggie option once a week.

Recycle, recycle, recycle
Despite the fact that bottled-drinking-water bottles can be totally recycled, of the 14 billion water bottles sold in the United States in 2002, 90 per cent wound up in landfills. There are recycling bins in the UAE so locate one immediately in a school or supermarket near your home. You can also recycle paper packaging and glass. It might take the extra effort of getting your valuable recyclable material to a bin rather than have someone pick it up, but it is well worth it in the long run.

Offset when you jet off
Going home or on holiday can put a serious amount of CO2 emissions into the air as you will most likely be flying out of the UAE. Dubai to Paris will emit around 1200 kgs of CO2 according to www.carbonfund.org which calculates the distance of your trip and offsets on your behalf by financing three projects based on renewable energy, methane, energy efficiency or reforestation and avoided deforestation. Offsetting that return flight to France will cost just Dh44. Try it with any destination.

Save water, save money
Save water to save money and save the environment. You might not realise it but the UAE is suffering from a serious water shortage. The water that comes out of your taps is essentially sea water that has gone through an expensive and energy-consuming process called desalination. All the salt is removed so the water meets international quality standards, but isn't it a waste to just let it run out the drain? Take shorter showers to reduce water use. It's precious. And make sure you have a faucet aerator on each faucet. These inexpensive appliances conserve heat and water, while keeping water pressure high.

Go easy on the A/C
Turn off the air conditioning. As temperatures drop around the region, open the window and let the breeze in. You should also use a drying rack to dry your clothes all year round - there's enough sunshine to dry it quickly. You could also set your thermostat a few degrees lower if you really need to have it on. In the summer set it a few degrees higher and you'll notice the savings you make on your bills. Behind the scenes, less energy will be consumed to create the electricity that powers your A/C.

Recycle your phone
Keep electronics out of the rubbish. You don't need to throw your mobile phone away, or your television because you can also recycle it. There is an ongoing phone recycling campaign going on with Nokia, who accept all phones. Drop-off points are listed here: http://mea.nokia.com/find-a-store-en/store-locator/application-container?storelocator_content_country=AE. Your local municipality should have information on where you can take your hazardous products. E-waste contains mercury and toxics that never degrade and can accumulate in soil and water bodies year after year to levels sufficient to contaminate the food chain.

Switch to energy saving lightbulbs
How many residents does it take to change a lightbulb? Change all your lightbulbs to energy saving bulbs which consume about one-fifth of the power of incandescent bulbs, last 10 times longer and emit 70 per cent less heat, thereby reducing the need for air conditioning. Lighting accounts for about 15 per cent of the electricity bill. The best way to reduce the bill is to reduce the cost of lighting by using energy-efficient LED light bulbs. When you reduce your bill you reduce your impact.

Turn it off
Don't leave your electrical equipment on. A third of household energy use is down to TVs, DVDs and computers being left on stand-by which uses almost as much electricity as it does when it's switched on. So to turn it off and unplug. In the UK it was found that gadgets left unnecessarily on standby or connected to chargers squander electricity worth £740m each year and are responsible for 4m tonnes of excess carbon dioxide emissions each year.

Say NO to plastic bags
Say NO to plastic bags and use one of your own made of cloth, jute or even a backpack. As long as you reuse it and even minimise the amount of plastic bags leaving the store, you are helping. Those 'free' bags are not really doing you any favours so pack your own shopping and use your own bags. Plastic bags are ugly, kill wildlife and pollute the environment as they are discarded of carelessly.

From HERE





Tuesday, December 08, 2009

Welcome to Hopenhagen


On December 7, leaders from 192 countries will gather at the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen to determine the fate of our planet.

Hopenhagen is a movement, a moment and a chance at a new beginning. The hope that in Copenhagen this December – during the United Nations Climate Change Conference – we can build a better future for our planet and a more sustainable way of life. It is the hope that we can create a global community that will lead our leaders into making the right decisions. The promise that by solving our environmental crisis, we can solve our economic crisis at the same time.

Hopenhagen is change – and that change will be powered by all of us.
OUR MISSION
To connect every person, every city, and every nation to Copenhagen. To give everyone hope, and a platform from which to act. To create a grassroots movement that’s powerful enough to influence change.
Sign up to be a citizen of Hopenhagen HERE

Wednesday, December 02, 2009

UAE - 38th National Day


HAPPY 38th NATIONAL DAY

TO THE CITIZENS & RESIDENTS

OF

THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES