It's getting to be a little messy in the Middle East. No, I don't mean the weather, it couldn't be nicer. The temperature touches 90 most days, with clear skies and no rain. The mess in the region is man made. The sun has definitely stopped shinning during the "Arab Spring". The civil war in Syria is exploding into an area war that is effecting Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, and Israel. It seems that the US is paralysed and wounded from the events in Libya. People here are talking about the "scandals" surrounding our government now, but mostly just asking questions about what is happening. From here, the sex scandal involving Petraeus, Allen, Kelly and Broadwell seem like a far fetched spy thriller, and we still don't know if and how the sordid affairs affected us in Benghazi. A fuse has been lit over here, hopefully it will be snuffed out before the whole region blows up.
My cold that started at the end of October has just about fizzled out. I still am horse from the cumulative effect of coughing for 3 straight weeks, but hopefully my voice will come back this weekend. I feel like I have lost 3 weeks of my life as I drag around exhausted from lack of sleep and my ability to communicate greatly effected as I have become the "horse whisperer". Nothing like hearing a sales pitch from a raspy, fast talking American...sigh. Oh well, it has begun to finally get better. I am having a sales meeting in the morning for our "food service" team, and I am sure it will be brief because I just don't feel like talking (I know, you long to witness the day that I don't feel like talking...lol).
Yesterday was New Years Day for the Muslim world. Most people had the day off here in the UAE, but unfortunately we were open for business. It is a challenge for me to fix this "working" mentality to fix this aversion for employees to have a paid day off. It definitely effects moral, and clearly the worker bees are counting on me to fix it. The next holiday over here is "National" day on December 2nd (UAE Independence Day). Let's see how successful I am on getting the employees a day off.
From the UAE crime blog this week, the authorities caught an Asian smuggling heroin into the country at the Dubai airport. The "mule" will almost certainly get the death penalty. He had almost a kilogram of heroin in his stomach (over 2 lbs) and was paid $300 to try and bring it here. Such a small amount to lose your life over. I know drug Lords don't care, but what a sad thing they have done to this man and his family. The chances of him being alive by spring are slim. The strange news from the "death Row" of the UAE involves a couple of Russians. They killed an Indian salesmen back in 2001 and have lingered on in Death Row ever since. They have been pardoned by the victims family from India. The way this works, is that there was a "Blood bounty" placed on the heads of the two Russians by the Courts (total amount of $40,000) and when that amount was finally paid to the victims family, they submit a written request to the court requesting a pardon. The official pardon mentions the blood money having been collected, the two Russians are pardoned and will be deported and freed to their families in their motherland. The value of life (or death) obviously varies, and your passport nationality or your bank account can effect the wheels of justice. It is a very safe place to live, but you definitely want to stay on the right side of the law.
I have been really enjoying watching American Football this year. Somehow, I am still in first in the "big pool" that I participate in back in the States. I have never finished in the top 10, so to be in first with 8 weeks to go is very exciting. We will see how this finishes up, but I am enjoying the ride. Speaking of nice satisfaction, today the 8,000 hit will happen on this blog. I know that there are about 65 of you that are regular followers, and although it must be very unrewarding to read this blog on most Fridays, I want to thank all of you for hanging in there with me. When it gets lonely or I get homesick, it is nice to know that there are so many of you that continue to stick it out with me. Next week, when you and your loved ones gather around the Thanksgiving table, know that I will be here (hopefully watching the Cowboys win...lol) thinking of you, and I appreciate the blessings that I have gotten from being here the last two and a half years. Please keep me in your thoughts as we count our blessings....God willing, I will see you back here on "Black Friday"...
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