Dubai Crisis: My Brief Testimony

These days are witnessing a massive market shakes due to the Dubai Government announcement to restructure its main conglomerate Dubai World, which owns 70% of Dubai $ 80 billion debt (some estimates put it at $90-120 billion..). Such action had recalled chaotic times of Lehman Brothers and Universal Credit Crunch; which threaten the fragile results of collective efforts to bring stability and sustainability to world financial order.. Critically to agree on a basic approach that true civilization or economic breakthrough will not be achieved through massive real estate developments, whatsoever. Real Estate as an economic cycle is closed and not sustainable, it is supportive to industrial or productive sectors, it serves and generates temporary payback not sustainable revenues.. It cannot be a horse, a wagon, a wheel or a coachman.. but a necessary Bonnet..!! Placing the role of Real Estate in Dubai economic model was the gates of hell, that yet to be closed..!!

I’m not a financial expert, nor a well-versed in investments..Yet, my core expertise in Technical Development is very close to these areas, which had forced me to look into the tie-in linkage between what I’m doing, and what those numerical-wizards used to do.. When I go through the archives and records of my chronicles on Dubai, I’m personally amazed.. Something in early 2000, told me that I should keep records; and I did.. At that time, I was working on my PhD thesis, but my archive went widely behind my research platform.. Not the thesis was completed, nor the thirst for knowledge faded out.. In 2002, I felt the happenings were too much and too many; and inevitably have to expand my work; against all roles of academic research.. Then, the degree lost its value, as mount of knowledge has more temptations.. I do recall my clam supervisor, Dr Soumyen Bandyophaya; of Liverpool citing: No one had the privilege to witness a community transforming from tribes into a nation; from nomad into a metropolis; yet you had that unique chance..!!

Dubai-2000 was a magnificent story, that surprisingly shocked the world, and changed the perspectives of how to do business.. Everybody was taken by the amazing reporting on how to create millions by simple change of your mind set.. The media had appreciated the same, with massive campaigns meant to deep-rooting the success story, and accordingly, fund-raising more investments to flow in.. Senior Managers were extremely “high” in their victorious announcements, enabling them to say anything, whatsoever.. No wonder that the cycle of monetary was great enough to confuse bankers, rating agencies, decision makers and also rotating back to finance managers themselves..!! In this massive colorful black hole, spinning around a great real estate bubble, retail, services, aviation, luxuries, etc., were spiraling up in greater speed that caught all  by surprise and confused the systematic patterns of valuation and monitoring..!!

Dubai success story had been launched by Engineers, who were both realistic on what to do, and also eager to mark the history with technical achievements.. Therefore and critical to note, that none of the projects carried out during 1996-2003 had failed..!!

In 2004, Finance managers wanted to get their name in bold on the newspapers, therefore, they managed to take the lead, turning all blue prints into spreadsheets, with maze of numbers. Associated by Lawyers, who advocated the need to run due diligence and compliance exercises to assure setting liabilities and obligations. 2004-onwards problems showed that all spreadsheets and legal documents were faulty and wrongly-tailored made to deliver a twisted massage that has no roots, yet allowed for massive (but truly temporary) profits to fire-work..!!

Now, you may understand, why as an Engineer, I have little faith in professionals working on Finance, Investment, Law, and Media..!! This four fields had created the chaos in Dubai Model, which had symbolized the hope for economic reforms throughout the Middle East and third world; confronting radicalism and futuristic threats.. I do acknowledge some fetal and mistaken issues that created the hidden roots of chaos in Dubai-2009, therefore, I share my views for possible benefit or record.. Many of these symptoms were related to Dubai itself, making its model not replicable in any other country. Qatar was the first to understand and withdrew all high hopes to compete with Dubai in 2005, then replaced with traditional growth formulas. Bahrain, Kuwait and Abu Dhabi as well had taken very conservative steps and measures to draw their own developments and achievements.

The relatively shallow bureaucratic history of Dubai did not support administration stability through the change. Despite Dubai management was always based on innovations; to confront siege of environment, surroundings and ambition on all socio economic and geopolitical fronts; the happenings were behind capacity to master. The hard-to-understand democratic system that was based on tribal ethics and mindset, had narrowed the chance for expatriate experts to dig deep and provide sustainable culturally adopted solutions for both problems and ambitions. This is in my view, is the most critical drawback in Dubai Model. Yes, there are many truly successful projects and initiatives that took place. However, the following Four elements would summarize the story, and give reasonable justification for why things went wrong:

Exaggerative Competitions: The slogans were excessively circulated, arguing all staff to break all codes and come up with extraordinary ideas and concepts. A senior manager once said: “If a tire busted, we do not stop the vehicle, but we repair it while driving..!!” You may imagine the resulted chaos in name of innovation.. In the process, many expatriates were imported on basis of personal likelihood not the professional capacity.. Many UAE nationals were pushed away from the lights of fame; while many festive were created..

Irrational Decentralization: In the vivid search for delivery, all text books were shelved and great sense of decentralization took the helm as sole route to innovate and bring the extraordinary alive.. Suddenly Dubai was ruled by more than 15 urban authorities, who do not communicate and acted being in a war zone.. Implications on services, utilities and infrastructure were time bombs, while plans for better living were often confronted with simple equations of resources and operations management..

Culture of Greed: The quick loud gains of 2000-2003 had inspired the newly appointed senior executives to shoot up their corporate revenues and profits. No demise was identified between the Managers personal interests and the Corporates’. Simply, boards were almost idle.. as no one dares to bridle, restrain or control the energetic horse.. No one examined the critical success factors of real estate boost: the facts of demographics, legal system, or micro economics.

Socio-Demographics Challenges: National resources are not more than 4-6% of human resources required to gear up Dubai-2008. Yes, some managers had successfully built up teams and created unique models of multiculturalism, but most were great failure as narrow minded selections to their natives. Certainly, the fruits of such boom did not add value to the national population, not as Kuwaiti example of richness, nor as Omani one of preparedness.. As no authority manages the social platform, the incapable media took it over in full blindness.

If the above are acceptable as root causes for Dubai Crisis, The solutions for both long and short terms plans can be extracted in a reflective exercise.. In addition, there is an imminent need to find a role for the produced and delivered real estate assets during 2007-2010, in order to draw a reasonable economic consensus and financial cycle.

Innovative Modeling of Surplus: It is a mission-critical, to utilize more than 100,000,000 square footage of built up areas; in appropriate, profitable or revenue generating usages. Laws of bankruptcy are close for issuing, which will knock down the prices further down within first half of 2010, leading to more bitter loses for existing developers and micro investors. Creating a business model which enables these assets to contribute to an economic cycle is an imminent necessity and critical demand. Replicas of Monte Carlo, Las Vegas or Singapore is not out of reach, considering the massively-built infrastructure, subject to restructuring of administration, strategic objectives and realistic resourcing.

Quality as a Driving Culture: This is a global call, which is inevitably addressed if any nation wants to participate in the economic universal drive. Dubai does not need more energetic cow-boys, but gray-hair administrators who are well versed in setting up agencies, policies and operations, apart from quick catches and wow-syndromes. Quality is not certifications or celebrations, but simply cutting short the potential shortfalls and ill-handling of procedures. It enables to build upon what received, without wasting time to check suitability and corrective-ness of inputs.

Social Cultural Planning: A social mandate is critically required for Dubai. This element was neglected for long, despite the influx of expatriates, representing more than 120 nationalities. The paradox had been created when the national identity was near crashing by multiple magnitudes while not ready for the challenge. Dubai is not exception in the third world, yet the imbalanced demographics had squeezed and cornered many individuals to situation of defense rather than competency. NGOs and Governmental efforts were not in focus enough to create a momentum, yet many praised attempts were launched, but need stronger and meaningful support.

Transparency for Good Governance: Strong and effective governing is usually not transparent.. This is a fact. To rule, a blank blind space is required between the boss and his subordinates. Building up an organizational structure means the up you go, the more critically you know. Transparency was never meant to construct relationships within the corporate itself, but in its interactivity with the government. Transparency is required for rating agencies, regulatory authorities and academic institutions to study, assess and establish general consensus on how things are going, or how to make them performing in a better way, to serve agreed targets and objectives.

More readings and tracking on recent financial stand:
http://www.arabianbusiness.com/574684-dubai-debt-news-latest%20http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091127/NATIONAL/711279794/1005
www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=16310
http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091127/NATIONAL/711279786/1133
http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091118/BUSINESS/711189902
http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/56620,business,is-dubai-about-to-default-on-its-50bn-debt?DCMP=NLC-daily
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=6§ion=0&article=128906&d=28&m=11&y=2009
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/nov/27/british-banks-exposed-dubai-crisis
http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1943212,00.html
http://www.arabianbusiness.com/574653-dubai-debts-crisis-latest-news
http://www.arabianbusiness.com/574548-uae-real-estate-market-has-hit-bottom---analysts
http://gulfnews.com/business/markets/investors-show-trust-in-dubai-1.532880?localLinksEnabled=false&utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20091127_GN_Morning_Newsletter_27_November&utm_content=&utm_term=Article%20click%20-%20Business+133342
http://www.arabianbusiness.com/574645-moodys-cuts-dubai-gri-ratings-amid-debts-delay
http://www.arabianbusiness.com/574645-moodys-cuts-dubai-gri-ratings-amid-debts-delay
http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/56620,business,is-dubai-about-to-default-on-its-50bn-debt?DCMP=NLC-daily
http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091128/BUSINESS/711289904/1183/enewsletter

US Mechanism

This is how the USA Establishment works

A chance for setting free your imagination to feel a regime based on complex, yet optimum scientific formulas and findings..

To feel it, as hard to understand it

If you manage to understand it.. Take next flieght, Land anywhere there, in a couple of years you can be a Congressman..!!

I really liked it.. It is a Piece of Art

Therefore, I'm a great fan of West Wing..!!

One day, a year ago; I had quoted:

"Change brought Obama, not Obama brings Change"

So far; very true..

Sudanese Refugee Day (29th Dec 2005)

In November 2005, hundreds of Sudanese refugees united to stage a peaceful sit-in protest. They constructed makeshift camps for themselves in Mustafa Mahmoud Square outside the UNHCR office in Mohandisin, Cairo. This wasn’t the first protest organized by the Sudanese. The year before, they staged a protest surrounding the issue of obtaining “yellow cards” from the government which had become a months long process. This protest, however, was centered around their living conditions within Egypt.


After months of protest, the UNHCR remained steadfast in their refusal to grant Sudanese refugee status. Conditions within the park were quickly becoming dire due to overcrowding and lack of any sanitation. Finally, UNHCR officials handed the matter over to the notoriously aggressive Egyptian police.
After months of protest, the UNHCR remained steadfast in their refusal to grant Sudanese refugee status. Conditions within the park were quickly becoming dire due to overcrowding and lack of any sanitation. Finally, UNHCR officials handed the matter over to the notoriously aggressive Egyptian police.

On the night of Dec. 29, according to published accounts, Egyptian riot police began blasting the group with water canons and yelling through bullhorns that the protesters would be removed by force. The drenched refugees huddled together in the cold, steadfastly refusing to abandon the park

The next morning, 5,000 Egyptian riot police stormed through the group of unarmed protesters. The security forces, under order to end the protest, began “beating people indiscriminately”. The beatings resulted in 27 deaths, among them: 11 children and 8 women.

News of the massacre spread throughout the world, but quickly lost the interest of the international community.

Read More Displaced



More Reading:
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-140425988.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/03/international/africa/03egypt.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6915187.stm
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=68039907456
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudanese_refugees_in_Egypt
http://www.fmreview.org/FMRpdfs/FMR33/52-53.pdf
http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article19503
www.jihadwatch.org/2005/.../egyptian-police-kill-10-sudanese-in-cairo.html
www.flickr.com/photos/fahamu/sets/1157901/
http://hub.witness.org/en/node/203
http://www.scdp-egypt.com/scdp_school.htm
http://news.adventist.org/2006/01/egypt-suaese-avetist-kille-i-cairo-violece.html
http://photos.cmaq.net/main.php?g2_itemId=6543
http://www.aucegypt.edu/ResearchatAUC/rc/cmrs/reports/Documents/schafer.pdf
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/30/AR2005123001331.html
http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1P1-115186740.html
www.northwestern.edu/studyabroad/documents/Emily_Eisenhart.pdf
http://www.stormfront.org/forum/showthread.php?t=256756
http://www.maplandia.com/sudan/news/26
http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Weekly/Sudan/20051226.html
http://www.rsdwatch.org/index_files/Page4070.htm
http://www.darfuraustralia.org/files/Sudanese%20Refugees%20and%20Asylum%20Seekers%20in%20Cairo.pdf
http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2005/770/eg14.htm
http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article13388
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L05481280.htm
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2006/01/13/cairo_sudan/index.html
http://www.buzztracker.org/2005/12/30/Cairo.html
http://www.gossmission.org/goss/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=144&Itemid=192
http://www.anhri.net/en/focus/2005/pr1100.shtml
http://globalvoicesonline.org/2005/11/28/egypt-sudanese-protest-in-cairo/
www.fmreview.org/textOnlyContent/FMR/27/50.doc
http://jrs.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/19/3/287
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2005/dec/30/sudan
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/30/world/africa/30iht-cairo.html
http://www.scdp-egypt.com/

Are We Ready for 2080..??

A majority of the population in sub-Saharan African lives in rural areas, where income and employment depend almost entirely on rain-fed agriculture. This population is today at high risk. Sub-Saharan Africa already has a highly variable and unpredictable climate and is acutely vulnerable to floods and droughts. A third of the people in the region live in drought-prone areas, and floods are a recurrent threat in several countries. With climate change, large parts of the region will become drier, increasing the number of people at risk of hunger and poverty by tens of millions.

Climate change is already affecting the region. Reduced rainfall across the Sahel, an increase in the incidence of drought and greater volatility are among the current symptoms. But the future points to far more extreme changes: warming between 0.2°C and 0.5°C per decade, with 10% less rainfall in interior regions under intermediate global warming scenarios, and water losses increased by rising temperatures. The warming will be greatest over the semi-arid margins of the Sahara, along the Sahel and interior areas of southern Africa. Climate-induced changes to crop yields and ecosystem boundaries will dramatically affect some of the poorest people in sub-Saharan Africa partly because many of them live in areas most prone to extreme climate events and partly because they have little capacity to adapt by turning to irrigated agriculture, improved seeds or alternative livelihoods.
Recent modeling has provided important insights that should serve as an early warning system. One illustration, shown on the map, is based on evidence of the relationship between water availability and productivity in the cereals sector. It highlights areas of acute threat, including a wide band across the Sahel region, stretching from Mauritania across Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad and Sudan. Large swathes of southern Africa face the prospect of steep declines in yields, along with chronically food-insecure countries such as Ethiopia and Somalia. (UNDP Human Development Report, 2006)

www.unep.org/dewa/vitalwater/article152.html

Taboo Ta Nina

It talks about the Second Sudanese Civil War that started in 1983, although it was largely a continuation of the First Sudanese Civil War of 1955 to 1972. It took place, for the most part, in southern Sudan and was one of the longest lasting and deadliest wars of the later 20th century. Roughly 1.9 million civilians were killed in southern Sudan, and more than 4 million southerners have been forced to flee their homes at one time or another since the war began. The civilian death toll is one of the highest of any war since World War II.[1] The conflict officially ended with the signing of a peace agreement in January 2005.

Handhalah.. where are you..?

נִדרָשׁ

ודא הוא כבר מת ..!

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMISSION FOR WESTERN ASIA (ESCWA) 2007

WANTED
Make sure he is already Dead..!!

Report on Aging Arab Population 2007

Arab or Maghreb..??

between Building a case, and Distroying another..

For more than thirty years, I was hard activist on Arabic Unity.. Was not an ethnic drive, but geopolitical and Cultural one.. Today, I watch the concept falling apart because of 90 minutes Football game; which was successfully monopolized and driven but many hands.. Bitterly enough, that the leading force for that proposed cultural unity, are the gear for its destruction.. Yet, need to salute the Algerian Media, who utilized the incident to promote for their own purpose: Maghreb Unity..!!

I had spent few hours browsing the web sites; which are intentionally created; following the hysterical football battle between Algeria and Egypt for the world cup 2010 bid.. Not only unprecedented amount of emotions and energy revolutionized, which would change the landscape of both countries, but also; lots of irrationality, hatred and awfulness that would mark history.. I believe the coming weeks would witness much more, as the Eygpt’s Mubark spoke firmly on protecting national pride and dignity against whoever breaches.. On the other hand, formal Algerian channels had played calm, allowing its private media to respond.. Meanwhile, FIFA had fined Egypt on earlier incident in Cairo against an Algerian player, as Common Egyptians are wishing actions against Allergies despite no complaints are legalized..

Regretfully, the amount of anger hysteria is growing fast in Cairo, while victory celebrations had lift minor space for the same among Algerians. The strong calls against Algeria mounted to be against Arabs in general, as a gift for pro-Pharosism lobby in Cairo. Some called to retreat all Egyptians working abroad, another called to deport all Algerians from Egypt, third took it into religious affirmation of Quranic note on Egypt superiority, fourth discussed the Algerian ethnicity, and so on.. Within the chaotic situation in Egypt, a rare and unique celebration of patriotism supersedes everything else; which uniquely drove the government to follow, not to control or guide as how things used to be. Many symptoms of government lost-control were observed, while funny tactics of crises management were advised to lead the chaos not to confront it..

The significance of the issues shows a repeated scenario of famous revolutions, when the intellectual elites followed the commons and justify their hysterical demands. Business leaders who are investing about $ 20 billion in Algeria started to announce actions of pulling out, the famous Egyptian entertainment league denounced any activities in Algeria, high quality posters were created and circulated in massive logistic operations, voluntary and unknown continuous feed was supplied for heating-up the public anger, a minister announced possible deploy of armed units to protect abroad citizens, Mubarak’s son publicly cursed Algerians, and so on.. Shocking enough, that high profile decision makers had joined the hysterical commons and comments. Fortunately, fewer academics had joined the madness; so far.. Some loyal Nasserists, who fought the regime in favor of Arab-unity and solidarity in the past, had amazingly joined the frenzy..

Potentials of agent hands and minds behind this escalation is not overruled, as other critical and serious issues had been temporarily shelved. The regular Sharm Elsheikh economic forum had been moved to Morocco, deadlocks of Gaza issue had widely hurt regime’s influence, deteriorated inter-Arabic relations affected flow of investments, open and loud condemnation of ill-governance spread all over the sectors, crack between social layers had grown enough to hurdle crossing dreams, cyber activists been encouraged after beating Husni in the UNESCO bid, modeling Iranian campaigns against a much tighter regime had encouraged repetition, the annual black smoke cloud above Cairo is helplessly growing, and many more.. Notably, while the tight and deteriorated living conditions are soaring in Egypt, it is not the same in Algeria, as commons still enjoy oil and gas revenues in more socialist approaches, despite the common political corruption, rising living costs and complex fundamentalist threats; which both countries shares..

There are few cultural notes, which triggered the latest chaos, as well as any previous confrontations between Egyptians and their Arabic speaking league.. Many of both sides do not understand the hostile situations that suddenly blow whenever an Egyptian-Arab competition takes place.. However, my own observations had brought the following conclusions:

1. Most Arabs are hot-tempered, Bedouin-mannered and extended-family people; believing in these social features which had declined in Egypt due to urbanism, mature bureaucracy and ethnic mixture. This had created a discomfort among Egyptians temporarily or economically migrate to other parts of Arab world, while they have to welcome the petro-dollars to feed Egyptian economy. State of false harmony was widely established..

2. Historical Egyptian prosperity was great magnet for fellow Arabs; which granted Egypt a Big-Brother role since the restoration of Abbasid Caliphate. Such a role is eventually declining with rapid economic and political growth in other Arab countries; which was widely ignored by Egyptian statesmen, leading to the eventual competition on changing roles. A state of patriarchy vs. munity was bitterly created..

3. Modern Media in Egypt was born mighty with rich heritage of theater, cross-border-communications, and significantly-long monarchy. The complexity of media structures, tools, and products were conceived with pro-Arab political projects that created a hidden monster which rules all aspects of Egyptian life. Recipients are powerless with well structured campaigns to exercise government controls and interests. This justifies the alliance between politicians and beneficiaries inside and outside the country. Therefore, reactions of both intellectuals and commons are not necessarily their independent choice, but resultant of complex and scientifically-driven political landscape. A state of totalitarian; occasionally turns fascism vs. enlightenment; occasionally turns democracy..

4. As how agreeable the popularity of Egyptian Slang among Arabic speakers, which was always empowered by both media and modernization, as it creates uncalculated element of confrontations. The same represents the difference between UK Slang and USA one. In Egypt, naming parents is commonly used in different levels of severity to curse someone; which contrarily means forbidden manner among Arabs. While in Egypt; it represents social, economic or political humor or disgrace, it ignites death fight among Arabs.. Adding to an urban value which replaces life-threatening-fight with words-temporary-fight, concluding a situation of risky misunderstanding and awful consequences. A state of mutual epistemic-blindness develops vs. cultural intimacy.

Yet, despite all above; location, population and urbanism of Egypt is critical for Arabic profile, which was always and in complicated manner, targeted by all anti-Arab lobbies in international politics. Arabs represent considerable resources for international economy, which did not diminish by Asian or African potentials due to various geopolitical factors. Therefore, it is well understood that cracking the Arabic solidarity starts by Egypt, as proven in endless occasions along history. Regretfully, Egyptian elites became addicted to miss the lesson, that their own security is not a matter of armed control of the neighbors, but in spreading urbanism and integration with. This is the scheme both Mohammad Ali Basha and Nasser had understood quite well, yet were interested in contrary results..!

Relaxing & Chill out..

It is Hajj Time...!

What's Love..

Human Love is just a little extraction from the Divine Love..

Therefore it is sacred and valuable; yet our greedy media, hysterical irrationality and dominating materialism had turned it to be a solely sought value..

True love would lead to contend positive dialogue with the universe, making real unique value of its emotional anxiety, and generate praised energy for a person to be a better one..

a worthy creation of a Mighty Creator..

Then, and only then; Love would have a lasting glorious exciting meaning..!!

"Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable tha...t you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being "in love" which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two."

-St. AugustineRead more

Sudanese Peace Agreements

This is a good reference for anyone interested..

The Sudanese Peace Agrements

The following text of the CPA, DPA, and ESPA offers an overview of the breakthroughs achieved through the signing of each peace deal. They form the basis of the transformation that the country has been undergoing since January 2005:

The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA)
The Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA)

The Eastern Sudan Peace Agreement (ESPA)
Sudan’s plan for restoration of stability in Darfur
Arabic version

Full UNDP Report

The Most Corrupt Countries..

http://www.transparency.org/policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi/2009

Afghanistan and Iraq, which receive billions of dollars a year in U.S. and other foreign support, are among the world's most corrupt governments, a monitoring group said in a report released Tuesday.

"The results demonstrate that countries which are perceived as the most corrupt are also those plagued by long- standing conflicts, which have torn their governance infrastructure," Transparency International said in its annual Corruption Perceptions Index report.
The report measures perceived levels of public sector corruption in 180 countries, drawing on surveys of businesses and experts. The United States is listed as the 19th least corrupt nation, with the report raising concerns about the lack of government oversight of the financial sector.

The report found that the most and least corrupt countries were:
The world's most corrupt governments:
1. Somalia
2. Afghanistan
3. Myanmar
T4. Sudan
T4. Iraq
6. Chad
7. Uzbekistan
T8. Turkmenistan
T8. Iran
T8. Haiti
T8. Burundi
T8. Guinea
T8. Equatorial Guinea

The world's least corrupt governments:
1. New Zealand
2. Denmark
T3. Singapore
T3. Sweden
5. Switzerland
T6. Finland
T6. Netherlands
T8. Australia
T8. Canada
T8. Iceland

Full 2009 Index
Source: Transparency International
Copyright © 2009, The Los Angeles Times

Tureky.. A Future Calling..

Turkey had managed to merge its eastern heritage with western mind-set.. Yes, the price was incredibly great.. maybe for many generations to come, till the final settlement will take place..

However, the beauty of their endeavor comes from three controversial approaches:

• The supremacy of the Government to defuse ethnic or cultural confrontations,
• The willing of the people to attach themselves to advanced European order,
• and The diminishing of religious establishment as true driver or controller on the nation..

Certainly, The dream of Greater Turkish State is great hurdles in the route, The search of alternative of national apology against earlier atrocities in Balkan and Armenia is yet unreachable.. and The raising religious spirit gets the authorities on their toes on a constant theme..

I do like Turkey, and see it an adequate relaxing, retirement and resting home..!!

You're just too good to be true..

Something from the elegant old days..!!

You're just too good to be true

Can' t take my eyes off you

You'd be like heaven to touch

I wanna hold you so much

At long last love has arrived

And I thank God I'm alive

You're just too good to be true

Can't take my eyes off you

Pardon the way that I stare

There's nothing else to compare

The sight of you leaves me weak

There are no words left to speak

And if you feel like I feel

Please let me know that it's real

You're just too good to be true

Can't take my eyes off you

I love you baby, and if it's quite alright

I need you baby to warm the lonely night

I love you baby

Trust in me when I say

Oh pretty baby, don't bring me down I pray

Oh pretty baby, now that I've found you stay

And let me love you baby

Let me love you

You're just too good to be true

Can' t take my eyes off you

You'd be like heaven to touch

I wanna hold you so much

I love you baby, and if it's quite alright

I need you baby to warm the lonely night

I love you baby

Trust in me when I say

Oh pretty baby, don't bring me down I pray

Oh pretty baby, now that I've found you stay

And let me love you baby

Let me love you

Indian professionals earn below 'average' salaries

Simply; Why..??

They are a product of great ancient, yet vivid civilization that taught them hard work and intension to the details.. Also, a product of a unique heavy social system that too complex to understand.. They are too humble chasing the chance to prove themselves, yet too keen not to fail..!! This is not new to any GCC resident; as one of the facts of life.. I had searched for roots, and found few irrelevant marks.. Such discrimination was not known in the GCC before 1990th.. yet surfaced with the flooding of Arabic and Western expats; who for many confusing reasons shared negative impressions and attitudes towards all natives from the Subcontinent.. Slowly, it became a corporate attitude as well..!! Despite all arguments; there is nothing called cultural supremacy.. but an evil inhumane discrimination!!

by Stuart Matthews on Nov 18, 2009
The average salary of a construction professional from India, working in the Gulf, is US $4111 (AED 15,087) per month, according to results from the ConstructionWeekOnline.com salary survey.
This figure is $1936 lower than the industry-wide average of $6047 per month.
A total of 1221 people took part in the survey, which was conducted online during April to September 2009. Professionals originating from India were the largest single nationality group identified in the survey, at 31% of respondents.
Project manager was the largest single designation of respondents, with around a quarter of those who provided both salary and job title details selecting this option to describe their role.
The average salary of a project manager from India is $5617 per month, compared to an industry-wide average of $7774.
Respondents work in all the GCC nations, but a large majority (77%) work in the UAE.
The top three countries of origin for survey respondents were India, the Philippines and the United Kingdom.
Responses were voluntary and passively solicited online. Respondents were not asked to provide their names or any contact details. Results were collected and collated by a third-party provider.
Full results and analysis from the survey will be published on Saturday 21 November, in issue 297 of Construction Week.

Only now Egypt lost the Sudanese fans..!!

The video stroked the red line..

Sudanese were never been Door-Keepers, nor foolishly idiots ..

The Nubians of Aswan are who used to serve Egypt’s doors and dining tables, not the Sudanese..!! Regretfully; it is the stereotype that keeps frustrating my folks..

Big Brother should knows well his Brothers..!!

However, best of luck for the best playing..!!

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=320457045701&ref=nf

Corruption fears in Mideast still a serious problem

The perception of corruption remains a serious problem in the MENA region, the results of a global study published on Tuesday revealed.

With only six countries scoring five or above (out of 10), and 13 countries scoring below five, the region was still hampered by concerns of business and political fraud, the 2009 Corruption Perception Index (CPI) said.

The index, published by Transparency International, said factors such as lack of transparency, insecurity and oil wealth continued to fuel corruption.

Countries where the political and security environment was particularly volatile, such as Yemen, Iran and Iraq ranked at the bottom of the list of 180 countries analysed.

Qatar was said to have the lowest perception of corruption in the region and was ranked 22nd in the global list while the UAE, which last year launched a major crackdown on corruption, was ranked 30th, an improvement of five places on the previous year's list.

In September, it was reported that a special taskforce had been set up to investigate the alleged corruption scandal in Dubai.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, ordered the Dubai Public Prosecution office to establish the unit to investigate fraud.

Several senior executives have been detained while companies caught up in the corruption probe include Tamweel, Nakheel, Istithmar World, Dubai Islamic Bank and Sama Dubai.

Elsewhere in the Gulf, Oman was ranked 39th, Bahrain 46th, Saudi Arabia 63rd - a leap of 17 places on its 2008 ranking - and Kuwait came in at number 66, the only Gulf nation to drop down the rankings this year.

Commenting on the improvement in the scores of Qatar, the UAE, Oman, and Saudi Arabia, the report said: "It remains to be seen whether this is due to increased political will to fightcorruption or whether the negative effects of corruption are being masked by large surpluses,particularly in the oil and gas-rich Gulf states, which are fuelling rapid economic development.

"In the case of the UAE, one explanation for an improved score may be the increase in corruption cases involving high-level executives, including UAE citizens, as well as the strengthening of the country’sFinancial Audit Department."

http://www.arabianbusiness.com/573812-corruption-fears-in-mideast-still-a-big-problem---survey

Afghanistan Quest

Afghanistan Quest had started with few millions to shot down the gun ships, and evolved as failed to arrange for more little to build schools..!!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgx5WkwSJzU
The merit of this true-story movie is not to spend nice time, or share the emotions on horrified life suffering.. but to understand the tools of the political game..
It was launched by a Congressman who had never heard about, yet used to boost his career, and finally discovered the truth he himself went a victim for.. Politicians do not care about people..
Just few millions were needed to change course of history.. which turns to be a great black hole for all parties..
The word Terrorism was never known before, as well as Taliban, Al-Qaida, Mujahideen, etc..
It is petty that many reads only the topics, believe in the newspapers.. (which was meant for people to believe..!!) Solgans of integrity, principles and values have nothing to do with actual work on the ground, or behind closed doors.. Enemies, and hostile situations which are fed by people emotions and public hysteria, are just for the people, not for the ivory desk-seaters who rule the people.. In politics, there is no enemies, nor friends.. Only interests..!!

Algeria vs Egypt..

Yesterday on BBC, a listener claimed that Egyptian Media keep reminding the neighbors (Arabs & Africans) on their past grants, aid and/or help; which always irritates those growing Nations.. Equally, keep reminding Egyptians on how they once had mastered and/or assisted (big-brothered) the others.. Factual Result: Massive ignition of bilateral patriotic tensions in any (supposedly peaceful) confront-venue.. If this is true; serious political recovery should be carried out to avoid (long term) emotional isolation and subsequent (time-bomb) political loss.. Yet, a prominent Russian Scholar claims that throughout the Arab world, there is no (actual or active) Academic Societies to lead any serious actions/change..!! The Jordanian Deputy Head of Olympics Committee stressed on Rule of Media to raise the people on true Sport Ethics.. It is a fine and delicate demise between getting ready to play a sport-game or go to a war..!!

Earlier I had made a note on my FB page about the 3rd World War between Egypt and Algeria, in their endeavor to qualify to world cup 2010.. I believed that the notable Chauvinism had been created by the (one and only Mighty in the region) Egyptian Media during the last 30 years; and it will be hard to control, or recover its causalities.. New generations were born and brought up on such chaotic mind-set..!! Regretfully; led by the so-called intellectuals.. (Inevitably, many will appear to curse me now..!!) This applies in all Arab, African and third world undemocratic and illiterate regimes..!!
A dear Egyptian Friend had considered: "The whole thing as the only window governments open for people to release their anger and frustration, people who don't fight for their own simplest rights, they instead fight themselves in bread lines, in government service offices, in the street, in their own homes, they may as well fight over a football game.....This goes both sides, Algerians and Egyptians...the two countries once presented millions of martyrs to the cause of freedom.."

I never blamed the people for any actions.. but who monopolize them, neglecting the awful consequences of such passionate campaigns.. Ironically, they are the only two countries who had shared everything.. 1962, 1967, 1973.. Remember Egyptian arms for "Guerre d'Algérie", Convoys of Sonatrach in 1970, and many other great stories that gone forgotten for some to rule; in both countries..
I'm not a Football fan, yet played it when was young, still keeping some track on English and European leagues, and believe that NO Football is there in our sympathetic underdeveloped countries, as the survival life cycle of any player is only 3 years; once his name came out in the newspapers..!!
True measure of success is never temporary or temporarily..!!
People: Stop illusionizing yourselves.. It went too long and so far to come back to Reality..!!
It is petty.. I’m sorry for such hilarious state; today’s Arabs are blindfully and witched to live-in..!!

Attached to love...

I really enjoyed the informative article below.. The topic is usually goes humble in most people’s minds.. part as denial of being motivated by their infant experience.. part as feeling proud about the obtained degrees which should make them better persons, regardless.. and part of complex psychological order drives them to look in opposite direction to who really they are.. Humane being has its magical attraction of being diverse and sometimes so complex to understand..!!

Filed under: attachment, social relations — Tags: adult attachment, ainsworth, attachment, bowlby, harlow, love —

By Cecilia Solis
If you were to ask a girl to describe the perfect man, her answer would most likely be something along the lines of- caring, loving, comforting, supporting, sensitive, and go...od to his mother. These are often the top qualities sought out it in man but do we really know where they come from? Are they adaptive traits that give humans a selective advantage in finding sexual partners? Or does something else help to determine them?

Harry Harlow was one of the first psychologists to suggest the idea that contact comfort has always served the animal kingdom as a motivating agent for affectionate responses. The value and influence of a secure base was further explored by John Bowlby who developed the theory of attachment (Meyers, 2007). The theory of attachment tries to understand the intense distress experienced by infants who are separated from their parents. From an ethological perspective Bowlby concluded that crying and searching were adaptive responses to a separation from the attachment figure associated with protection and care- giving. His colleague Mary Ainsworth was influential in expanding the basic understanding of attachment behaviors through her study of infant-parent separations. Her research showed that there are three different categories of infant-parent attachments: secure, anxious resistant, and anxious avoidant. Not all infant-pair bonds, however, can be classified into these categories. Presently these categories have been modified and expanded by different researchers to describe attachment in terms of romantic partners. Ainsworth demonstrated that these differences were connected to the quality of the parent-infant interactions during the first year of life. But just how much of an effect does the quality of early life attachments affect an individual?

Bowlby for example believed that attachment characterizes human experience from “the cradle to the grave”. His theory that adult relationships could be attachment relationships was not empirically tested until later. Research on adult attachment was conducted by Cindy Hazan and Phillip Shaver in 1987. Their study explores the association between differences in adult attachment and the way people think about their romantic and filial relationships.

Hazan and Shaver (1987) tested the attachment-theory approach to romantic love through diverse questionnaire studies. The first questionnaire known as the “love quiz” sought to measure the three-attachment styles by translating Ainsworth’s descriptions of infants into terms of adult romantic partners. The quiz asked individuals about their most important relationship, whether it was current or past, about their childhood relationships with their parents and about how they generally felt in relationships. One portion of the questionnaire asked individuals to classify themselves as avoidant, anxious/ambivalent, or secure in their most important romantic relationship by having to choose from fairly simple descriptions of the three attachment styles. The resulting figures from the study were comparable to proportions reported in other studies of infant-mother attachment (62% secure, 23% avoidant, 15% anxious/ ambivalent) displaying a relative pervasiveness of attachment patterns in adulthood similar to those in childhood.

Hazan and Shaver found that adults who were secure in their romantic relationships were likely to report having had affectionate, caring, and accepting relationships with their parents. Other research on adult attachment has shown that secure adults tend to be more satisfied in their relationships than insecure adults. They are also more likely to seek support from their partners and to provide the same support in situations of distress. It is possible however for a person’s early attachment pattern to change or to show inconsistencies over time. Hazan and Shaver concluded that romantic relationships, like infant-parent relationships are closely-related forms of attachments. R. Chrish Fraley also found a fair degree of overlap in individual’s self-report measures of their current attachment style both with a parent and with a current romantic partner. He found correlations ranging from .20 to .50 (small to moderate) between the two kinds of attachments. So, although on a different behavioral dimension, our experiences in childhood can influence our attachment styles as adults (Fraley & Shaver, 2000). It might not be such a bad idea thus, to ask potential partners about what kind of relationship they have with their parents.

References:
Fraley, C. (2004). A brief Overview of Attachment Theory and Research. Retrieved february 27, 2009 from http://www.psych.uiuc.edu/~rcfraley/attachment.htm.
Carey, B. (June 29, 2004). Addicted to Mother’s Love: It’s Biology, Stupid. The New York Times. Retrieved February 27, 2009 from http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F06E5D91438F93AA15755C0A9629C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2.
Hazan, C., Shaver, P. (1987). Romantic Love Conceptualized as an Attachment Process. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Vol 52(3), pp. 511-52. Retrieved March 27, 2009 from psycINFO (CSA) database.Read more

Water..

The 21st Century is the Resources Century.. and Water’s Wars are the most expected dominated features across the Globe.. Dr M.; as usual, sharp and intelligent with soft messages, draw the attention, not only on International relations, but also within the national composition.. I guess this might be helpful for the decision makers back home in Sudan, in Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Libya, Niger, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, China, etc.. !!

1. Pahang will soon be selling water to Selangor/KL. I don't think Pahang would be happy to receive 3 sen per thousand gallons.
2. Melaka has been paying Johore 30 sen per thousand gallons and is still doing so and will continue to do so I suppose. Would Johore be asking for more than 30 sen in the future? God knows.
3. In 2011 the first agreement with Singapore to sell 350 million gallons of raw water daily at 3 sen per thousand gallons will end. What would we do then? I suspect despite Singapore's famous Newater, it would still need the 350 million gallons daily.
4. The other treaty would end by 2060 in which the price is also 3 sen per thousand gallons. But without the 350 million gallons daily according to the first treaty, Singapore's rapidly increasing population of new immigrants would not have enough water.
5. So, the amount supplied according to the first treaty would be even more crucial despite Newater and desalination.
6. The Government of Tun Abdullah had very cleverly decided not to raise any of the issues outstanding with Singapore after the bridges were jettisoned. I suppose this charitable act would help cement friendship with that city-state with a per capita income of US$36,000 (Malaysia's per capita incidentally is US$7,000, i.e one-fifth of Singapore).
7. 2011 is not too far away. Have we thought about extending the 2011 treaty or not extending it or negotiating a new water supply agreement? Are we going to be charitable again and sell raw water at 3 sen per thousand gallons to our rich neighbour?
8. Being charitable and not raising prickly issues is a good way to make friends. But what is the cost to the people of Malaysia.

Dr M on FB

The Muppet Show...

I do belong to a generation; inspired by those simple Muppets

Seen in more than 100 countries by an estimated audience of 235 million dedicated viewers world-wide between September 1976 and its final edition. 'The Muppet Show' was the grand tradition of variety given a green felt twist and a foam rubber punch courtesy of creator Jim Henson's manically misfit band of phenomenally popular puppet performers.
A British/American television program featuring a cast of Muppets, which was produced by Jim Henson and his team from Sesame Street. The show stars Kermit the Frog as a showrunner who tries to keep control of the antics of the other Muppet characters (and his temper), as well as keep the human guest stars happy and secure. The television show depicts a vaudeville- or music hall-style song-and-dance variety show, as well as the behind-the-scenes aspects of such a show.
The show was known for outrageous physical (slapstick), sometimes absurdist comedy, and particularly for using its puppet characters to create humorous parodies. Each show also featured a human guest star; after the show became popular, many celebrities were eager to perform with the Muppets on television and in film. By the end of its run, over one hundred guest stars had appeared on The Muppet Show.
'The Muppet Show' attracted a plethora of genuinely top flight guests during the course of its 130 episodes ranging from George Burns, Zero Mostel, and Steve Martin to Rudolf Nureyev, Roger Moore, Elton John, and a memorable appearance by Peter Sellers as respectively, a mad German chiropractor who tied a pig in knots, and a pompous actor reciting lines from 'Richard lll' while squeezing a clucking chicken tightly under each arm.
Muppet performers over the course of the show include Henson, Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Louise Gold, Kathy Mullen, Eren Ozker, and John Lovelady. Jerry Juhl and Jack Burns were two of the show writers. A number of the Jim Henson puppets have proved their existence by setting up YouTube accounts and posting new footage online.


For more readings:
http://www.muppetcentral.com/
http://supertremendous.com/Content/the-10-funniest-moments-in-muppet-show-history.html

Globalization Meets Urbanization in China

Labor Market Reform, Income Inequality, and Economic Growth in the People’s Republic of China

"The development path that the People's Republic of China (PRC) has been following during the past thirty years has led to both internal and external economic imbalances, and is now greatly challenged by the global crisis. This unbalanced growth path was primarily a result of the PRC's labor market reform which took the years of the mid-1990s as its turning point. Before the mid-1990s, the scale of rural-to-urban migration was limited, but it has grown dramatically since then. 1996 also saw drastic employment restructuring in urban areas of the PRC. Labor market reform, accompanied by the foreign exchange system reform in 1994, confirmed the PRC's comparative advantage of low labor cost, and therefore further increased the PRC's reliance on exports. However, the increased income disparity that resulted from the labor market reform may jeopardize sustainable growth if no adjustment is made. To sustain the high economic growth, especially in face of the current crisis, the PRC needs to adjust its reform and development strategies to promote income equality."
Read More as added by Zunia on November 12, 2009