I've just experienced my first share of dumb & arrogant Shams behavior, courtesy of a restaurant in Deira.

At the offices of a business client, I was invited to stay back and have a quick brunch of zaatar, a herb coated Arabic bread. To our astonishment, the restaurant delivered a cheese coated bread, which was alright with my client (who had one) but I'm very specific about cheese due to food allergies. Having called the restaurant that they had made a mistake with our order, they had it picked up while we went back to work under the impression, we'd get the right order, second time around.

Guess what?

Wrong as in wrong can be.

After waiting 20 minutes for our replacement, we got floored with another surprise!

It was the same cheese bread but with zaatar sprinkled over it!

Is that dumb or is that dumb?

Or is that plain arrogance with a touch of dumb? I've heard pretty much about these guys but this one's way too much.

From all the Arabic joints that we've visited, the Lebanese take the cake for rendering excellent service with a smile. No wonder, they have a steady flow of customers and refill business while their neighbors wish it was them.

At the rate they're going, I doubt they ever will.

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Dubai Cares ties up with Microsoft to provide digital technology to the needy.

That's a first.

How's that possible, I wonder, without basic education?

Unless, Dubai Cares and Bill Gates intend to target specific students with a higher than normal IQ for their own benefits.

But then, it's no longer associated with Care but more so Exploitation.

Well, anything is possible in this competitive, survival of the fittest day and age.

I kinda dig this vision, but with an emboldened capped NOT.

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I think one has to travel outside the United States to truly understand how unpopular, Americans are, outside the US continent. Not that we've faced major problems. On the contrary, we've been welcomed to every place here in town.

A recent experience came in the form of criticism and mockery against President Bush when he recently visited the United Arab Emirates, as part of his Middle East tour. To add insult to injury, the city was practically shutdown, as a security measure.

As far as I can recall, it's a first for any Head of State's visit, anywhere!

I guess, people all over the world fail to understand that Bush is not America, nor America all Bush.

I believe there's a dire need of a field trip for the people of this region to see and experience this and many other facts for themselves.

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All tenancy agreements are to be ratified by RERA (Real Estate Regulatory Authority).

Does this mean, unscrupulous landlords and real estate agencies are about to be reined in?

Or is this another way of scamming the general public?

Or is this another way of generating income for the Dubai Government to compensate their loss in the ongoing stock market slide?

Or I'm just being negative about this whole thing.

Or whatever.

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The Gulf News reported on its front page today about the Saudis easing restrictions on women.

Well, it's about time these guys dragged themselves out of their cooped-up shells and see what the real world looks like.

Meanwhile, I ponder whether it's a fact or just a sham?

At the risk of not sounding too negative, I keep my fingers crossed and hope it's a fact.

Is that a first sign of victory on the horizon?

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Not at all an interesting day but alright for today.

Rumor has it that January 21st is the most depressing day of the year.

That could be the reason for the winter blues of this day.

Not exactly a great way to start this blog but what the heck, that's life.

And that's it, I guess, for today.

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