It describes the current emphasis on social media as not being new. We tend to think the connected have evolved for the better on account of the advances and innovative paradigms of web 2.0 technologies. If we stretch the time scale though, we’re actually not dragging society to a fresh citizen centric model. This “new” power to the people is actually returning us to a formerly prominent model.
Power to the people, just as we were hundreds of years ago.
The formal media establishments were the misnomer – perhaps we were just in the eye of the cyclone.
I was forwarded this story via email. It follows a bit of a pattern. When someone does something you would not ordinarily worry too much about elsewhere, but when it happens in the UAE they have paid a terrible price. I’m not sure all of the others I’ve received are totally true, this one on the other hand looks authentic.
“I didn’t think the consequences of telling the truth would be so harsh,” Darren said. “I’d like other people to be very careful. You’re in a different country and the laws are not always the same.”
The humble car horn is not the perfect substitute for giving the finger, but it sure beats going to jail. It’s interesting how the two things don’t nearly have the same effect here. In Brisbane I’d consider using the horn and giving the finger exactly the same except one is louder. I guess Australians generally use the horn as a swear word. Here it’s really more of a conversation. And it’s a bit of a worry, but sometimes it’s even a two-way conversation.
Addendum
The story’s been confirmed in the Australian press:
Aussie jailed for flipping the bird at driver in Dubai | The Courier-Mail (2 May 2009)
But all the stories follow a basic theme. As a permanent resident of Dubai it’s made interesting reading, mainly to identify all the inaccuracies. While some of the concerns are correct, some of the conclusions are questionable at best.
My eyes have certainly opened to the level of bias in various forms of media. I’ve never been ignorant of it, but just how much the mainstream press sells its news is quite a shock.
I’m glad people have sent the stories on though. Ever since friends and family have learned that we were planning to here, we’ve been getting a steady stream of emails of all things Dubai. Some promote the wonder of Dubai and all the extreme developments, but more and more it’s been the stories of Dubai sinking amidst the financial crisis and suffering from being too ambitious.
All I really know is things aren’t as bad as they seem. I can’t remember if it was Frank Sinatra or Carrie Bradshaw who once said that New York is so big that no matter what you’ve heard about it, it’s probably true. Well, I would suggest no matter how many articles get written about Dubai it’ll never be like New York.
Reading Time: 6minutesSome of my pix from the Terry Fox Run & Abu Dhabi – click for more.
This morning I decided to participate in the 14th Annual Terry Fox Run in Abu Dhabi. To get to Abu Dhabi around 8am for registration meant I had to catch a 6:20am bus from Bur Dubai. Some people warned me against catching buses, but although it was quite smelly and cramped, it got me there in time. I think the main problem with my seat was that I was one of the last to board the bus, so the only seats left were the dodgy ones above the back wheel. Just like I found on the abras, they don’t leave until it’s full. Luckily it never takes long on either to get packed. To get to Abu Dhabi was around 2 hours each way. And to go there and back cost a mere 35 AEDs – about $14 AUD. You can’t complain at those sort of prices. Although taxis are relatively cheap here, I’m scared to think how much they’d charge to cross an emirate, and go the same distance.
I wasn’t able to find an Abu Dhabi map the night before when I hatched the plan. So as I didn’t know where the Sheraton was from the bus station, I hailed a taxi. I have previously written how much better things in Abu Dhabi are. An exception to this, are their taxis. The majority of the fleet are either the Nissan Sunny – which in Australia we know as a Pulsar – or a Toyota Corolla. Another concern I had with my taxi was that there were no seat belts. Fortunately the driver seemed to drive much safer than his Dubai counterparts.
They didn’t have the facilities I’ve come to expect at this kind of event, such as portaloos. And as I went there on my own, I had a bag with a few things and there was no where to leave your belongings. Unfortunately the nearby Sheraton said they don’t have these kind of facilities, but I slipped the guy at the desk a 50 and he happily looked after it in one of his cupboards. As long as I didn’t tell anyone.
After I registered, there was still plenty of time before the 10am start. So I searched out a small supermarket which was hidden away, and bought a local newspaper, and a make-shift breakfast of a chocolate donut, a can of Red Bull, and a water bottle. Nearby there was a tall building being constructed, where they were trying to lift in and install a massive generator. So I plonked myself down in a chair there where I could view the activity. The shopkeeper came out to join me. It seems he was surprised to see an out-of-towner. He asked where I was from, what Australia was like, where I was living over here, and what I was doing here. He we such a nice, friendly and genuine guy I gave him one of the Terry Fox shirts I bought. I only had a big denomination note with me when I registered, so I felt bad clearing out their change so I bought two shirts which made it slightly easier for them. It wasn’t until that night when I saw my reflection in the lift that I realised it says 2008. I’m not sure if I bought some old stock they were clearing out – or was the run meant to have happened last year.
After I finished the paper, two guys wearing overalls came up to me and started talking Arabic. I had no idea what they were trying to say, and they didn’t understand any English. But going by their dodgy charades I think it was their job to wash the cars in the parking lot. I thought that maybe they thought I was impinging on their turf by sitting where I was. Not sure, but they seemed friendly enough at the end, after initially looking a little perplexed.
Anyway, when I went back to the race area there was around half an hour to go. By this time, the place was buzzing with people. I had a chat with some people from Aussies Abroad – Abu Dhabi in matching yellow shirts that grabbed your attention. Although they don’t have a chapter in Dubai, they suggested keeping in touch and keeping an eye on the events on their web site. They’re certainly a well-organised group.
One of the crown princes was also in attendance as a dignatory. He walked extremely close-by, and it looked to me like he was not a big fan of all the attention. The attention was a bit like a pop star, or movie star. I have Googled for him, but have found no information. His name was Chakram, or something similar, and he was one of the sons of the Abu Dhabi ruler.
There were some really stirring speeches before the run from people who had survived cancer, including Canadian paralympian, Jeffrey Adams. The Canadian Ambassador in the UAE gave a nice history of the Terry Fox legend, and explained how much the event meant to Canadians, and how encouraging it was to see so many people out to support the work of one of their national heroes.
Of all the places where the Terry Fox Run occurs around the world, Abu Dhabi is the second largest. The only bigger one is in Terry’s home country of Canada.
To get a full description of the event, and learn about Terry Fox you should go to the official site, but I’ll just say it was very emotional to hear the accounts, and to be part of an event to support his legacy.
took the camera with me on the run, and stopped to take pictures whenever I spotted an interesting site. I haven’t been running properly for over six months now. Thankfully there were many things to take pictures of to punctuate the run. It wasn’t until around the half way mark – when I had snapped most of the land marks – that I started to break a sweat.
It was a picture perfect day in terms of weather. One of the buildings had a temperature display where I saw that it was a pleasant 22 degrees. Everyone keeps telling me it’s just going to get hotter from now on, which is a bit of a worry. Particularly since I forecast my long training runs for my next marathon will fall in the middle of Summer. Depending on who you talk to, and which web sites you read, it either doesn’t get below 25, 30, 35, or 45 in the hottest months. I’m hoping it’s the 25 – but I don’t think so. On the impartiality of the media, I have heard there’s an edict that when the temperature is recorded as being over 50 on any given day, people don’t need to go to walk. However, the newspapers have never actually reported it being over 50, despite most thinking it certainly has been.
When I finished the run, I visited my new mate at the Sheraton who told me I made his day, which was a nice end to the event. I found my way back to the bus station by following the general direction I remembered from the taxi ride, and looking out for a street numbered 4 which made things simple. It doesn’t make it easy at other times, when there are several streets with the same number.
I took a few pictures on the way back to the bus station. Including one picture of a random stranger. I was snapping a mosque between two high rise buildings that caught my eye, when he was set to pass me. But instead, he stopped and stood in front of me, and motioned for me to take the picture where he beamed a nice large smile.
For after the run, I actually packed a towel, change of clothes, and a can of deodorant (shower in a can). But I decided to not use any of these to get some revenge on the other bus passengers for the odours I had to endure on the trip to Abu Dhabi. I don’t think I made any impact though. I think it all just blended in. At least I had a more spacious seat. I read my book until I fell asleep, just like on the first trip. I made sure I fell asleep with a tight grasp on my bag which contained my valuables. Just in case.
After I got off the bus back to the Bur Dubai bus station, I caught an abra for the first time. These are the motorised boats that cross the creek. It’s an interesting experience. Everyone who comes to Dubai should try. I expected a normal boat ride, with the sounds of the sea. There were plenty of seagulls flying about. But nope. Just like their roads, there were horns going off every which way. And the drivers of the boats, pointing and motioning with their hands in quite a violent manner to each other.
That got me within 10 – 15 minutes from my apartment. So I walked back, to have a quick shower, a skype with the wife and kids, then head off to a friend’s place for a lamb roast dinner with other expats. It was absolutely beautiful! Plus I got a doggie bag.
It was quite a wonderful day. I look forward to doing the Terry Fox Run again next year. Although, I may drive there next time.
