saudi arabia

Showing posts with label saudi arabia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label saudi arabia. Show all posts

2008/02/09

Hell


Today it finally got me. Boredom. Saudi Arabia is very good place if you want to earn some cash, but very bad if you want to spend it and are not interested in cars.

It is like prototype version of hell: you live for ages,  have everything you need, but nothing to do. Well you can eat of course, but now I have thoughts such as - "Man, eating today? Not again..".

Imagine the situation, where you cannot go insane, you do not die and are sitting in the dessert. Like you are alive, but have nothing to do. Just you and your thoughts. After few thousand years you finally understand that you cannot escape from it. And it is boring as hell.

So life here reminds me that image of hell - you are in survival mode, not because it is difficult to survive, but just you do not need any other function. No headaches, no long nights, no drug abuse - nothing.

This has been an advertisement for meditation.

Hell


Today it finally got me. Boredom. Saudi Arabia is very good place if you want to earn some cash, but very bad if you want to spend it and are not interested in cars.

It is like prototype version of hell: you live for ages,  have everything you need, but nothing to do. Well you can eat of course, but now I have thoughts such as - "Man, eating today? Not again..".

Imagine the situation, where you cannot go insane, you do not die and are sitting in the dessert. Like you are alive, but have nothing to do. Just you and your thoughts. After few thousand years you finally understand that you cannot escape from it. And it is boring as hell.

So life here reminds me that image of hell - you are in survival mode, not because it is difficult to survive, but just you do not need any other function. No headaches, no long nights, no drug abuse - nothing.

This has been an advertisement for meditation.

2008/01/31

Working week summary


Still can feel muscle and bone pain after soccer. Some very young arabs have kicked our asses pretty hard - it has been clear from the begining that they like this game. Around 8PM all fields were rented. Still it is nice to remember young days.

Have tried Korean food - strange shit! The meat has been one of the best I had in ages, but vegetables were undescribable and tasted the same. Like cut socks or something. The service has been superb.

Washed clothes in the laundry, which is run by the guy from pakistan. I was surprised, but received all of them back. for seven shirts and 1 pair of trousers I have paid 17 SR and received them packet nicely.

Finished "Friday" with roasted steam chicken.

Working week summary


Still can feel muscle and bone pain after soccer. Some very young arabs have kicked our asses pretty hard - it has been clear from the begining that they like this game. Around 8PM all fields were rented. Still it is nice to remember young days.

Have tried Korean food - strange shit! The meat has been one of the best I had in ages, but vegetables were undescribable and tasted the same. Like cut socks or something. The service has been superb.

Washed clothes in the laundry, which is run by the guy from pakistan. I was surprised, but received all of them back. for seven shirts and 1 pair of trousers I have paid 17 SR and received them packet nicely.

Finished "Friday" with roasted steam chicken.

2008/01/27

Red shoes and locals


Tomorrow I am going to play soccer so had a nice walk in the shopping avenue (suitable only for cars) searching for shoes. Fucking country - they are obsessed about good quality, branded shoes, average prices around 500 riyals. For one evening of soccer game it is a bit too much. So I have walked and walked around and found some Puma shop with "special prices". The result:

Pic-0286

for 125 riyals (approx 25 euroes).

While going back to the hotel I have been morally abused by locals. Or at least they have tried to do it and failed for these simple reasons:

a) I am not indian

b) I don't speak arabic

c) If you are shouting while driving - look at the road.

BTW, I have got new charger for 10 riyals (approx 2 euroes). The question was - "do you want real one or a fake?".

Red shoes and locals


Tomorrow I am going to play soccer so had a nice walk in the shopping avenue (suitable only for cars) searching for shoes. Fucking country - they are obsessed about good quality, branded shoes, average prices around 500 riyals. For one evening of soccer game it is a bit too much. So I have walked and walked around and found some Puma shop with "special prices". The result:

Pic-0286

for 125 riyals (approx 25 euroes).

While going back to the hotel I have been morally abused by locals. Or at least they have tried to do it and failed for these simple reasons:

a) I am not indian

b) I don't speak arabic

c) If you are shouting while driving - look at the road.

BTW, I have got new charger for 10 riyals (approx 2 euroes). The question was - "do you want real one or a fake?".

2008/01/26

Fighting cybercrimes in Saudi Arabia


Few bits of information about cybercrime laws in Saudi Arabia:

  • Persons found guilty of running websites in support of terrorist organizations will be jailed for 10 years and fined SR5 million
  • Persons who illegally take others’ money or obtain bank and credit data will be jailed for three years and fined SR2 million
  • Persons who attack others’ private life using mobile phone cameras and the like and try to defame them will be sentenced to one year and SR500,000
  • Those who use information technology to spread and market pornography face up to five years in jail and a SR3 million fine
  • Those who produce and distribute IT material that violate public law, religious values and public etiquette will also receive the same punishment
  • Those who eavesdrops to email messages or other messages sent through computer will be sentenced to a maximum of one year and fined up to SR500,000
  • Those who threaten or blackmail a person as well as hackers who enter into others’ websites to change their designs and destroy or change data will also receive the same punishment
  • The new law will also impose the same punishment for anyone caught tampering with computer systems or destroying computers to obstruct access to data within (DDOS)
  • People who encourage others to commit IT crimes will get the same punishment received by those who committed them

More information about this in Arab News - New Law to Combat Information Technology Crimes

Fighting cybercrimes in Saudi Arabia


Few bits of information about cybercrime laws in Saudi Arabia:

  • Persons found guilty of running websites in support of terrorist organizations will be jailed for 10 years and fined SR5 million
  • Persons who illegally take others’ money or obtain bank and credit data will be jailed for three years and fined SR2 million
  • Persons who attack others’ private life using mobile phone cameras and the like and try to defame them will be sentenced to one year and SR500,000
  • Those who use information technology to spread and market pornography face up to five years in jail and a SR3 million fine
  • Those who produce and distribute IT material that violate public law, religious values and public etiquette will also receive the same punishment
  • Those who eavesdrops to email messages or other messages sent through computer will be sentenced to a maximum of one year and fined up to SR500,000
  • Those who threaten or blackmail a person as well as hackers who enter into others’ websites to change their designs and destroy or change data will also receive the same punishment
  • The new law will also impose the same punishment for anyone caught tampering with computer systems or destroying computers to obstruct access to data within (DDOS)
  • People who encourage others to commit IT crimes will get the same punishment received by those who committed them

More information about this in Arab News - New Law to Combat Information Technology Crimes

2008/01/25

Arabian weekend and families


Today is like Sunday for Arabs. The concequences of that are very simple - in most shops, restaurants etc you are allowed in you are going with your family only. At first I have been very angry about that, but later have found starbucks coffee :)

While drinking grande mocha with caramel and eating steak panini, I have been thinking that it is a very good idea to connect family together. For example: father wants to pasmaksot, so he has to take his son together and socialize at least a bit. Mother wants to go shopping - must take a daughter with her. And if you want to eat somewhere on Fridays here - you must marry a girl. Interesting..

Arabian weekend and families


Today is like Sunday for Arabs. The concequences of that are very simple - in most shops, restaurants etc you are allowed in you are going with your family only. At first I have been very angry about that, but later have found starbucks coffee :)

While drinking grande mocha with caramel and eating steak panini, I have been thinking that it is a very good idea to connect family together. For example: father wants to pasmaksot, so he has to take his son together and socialize at least a bit. Mother wants to go shopping - must take a daughter with her. And if you want to eat somewhere on Fridays here - you must marry a girl. Interesting..

Conspiracy against me


Today I could not find my phone charger in the hotel room - they are trying to cut off my local communications probably. Complaining to the staff did not help - they have promised to search for it and of course it could not be found. I will check tomorrow - maybe I have left it in the office, just in case and if not - then will think about counter attack.

Conspiracy against me


Today I could not find my phone charger in the hotel room - they are trying to cut off my local communications probably. Complaining to the staff did not help - they have promised to search for it and of course it could not be found. I will check tomorrow - maybe I have left it in the office, just in case and if not - then will think about counter attack.

2008/01/22

Some news about news


Today I have been reading Arab News newspaper and thought to share some articles with you, just to have overview about current problems in the region:

"...

Reasonable discussions and taking time for things to cool down would definitely bring about progress and reconciliation in a peaceful manner. Wives and mothers have a very important role to play in any man’s life. Women tend to have other women to talk to when they want to give vent to their emotions, but a man has only his wife. Soft-spoken words and gestures of love definitely have a positive impact on any man. Unfortunately, we do not see that a lot happening. When will women understand?" - "Behind Every Divorce Is a Foolish Woman"

"...

Two day ago, Israel announced a “complete closure” against Gaza — as if it was open before. Prior to this decision of a complete closure everything was already closed. Gazans’ suffering continues. The other day as I was playing with my son, I heard a massive explosion that shook the house and made my four-month-old started crying in fear. I turned on the radio to hear that an Israeli F16 has fired a half-ton missile on the building of the former Interior Ministry in Gaza. The building was destroyed and a woman was killed and another 45 persons were injured..." - "What Bush Left Behind"

 

"...

She admitted that she was not looking forward to the lack of amenities. Washing will be limited to the absolute minimum, for example but that, she thought, was all part of the challenge..." - "Strand to Sand; Young Saudi Woman Takes the Desert Challenge"

Some news about news


Today I have been reading Arab News newspaper and thought to share some articles with you, just to have overview about current problems in the region:

"...

Reasonable discussions and taking time for things to cool down would definitely bring about progress and reconciliation in a peaceful manner. Wives and mothers have a very important role to play in any man’s life. Women tend to have other women to talk to when they want to give vent to their emotions, but a man has only his wife. Soft-spoken words and gestures of love definitely have a positive impact on any man. Unfortunately, we do not see that a lot happening. When will women understand?" - "Behind Every Divorce Is a Foolish Woman"

"...

Two day ago, Israel announced a “complete closure” against Gaza — as if it was open before. Prior to this decision of a complete closure everything was already closed. Gazans’ suffering continues. The other day as I was playing with my son, I heard a massive explosion that shook the house and made my four-month-old started crying in fear. I turned on the radio to hear that an Israeli F16 has fired a half-ton missile on the building of the former Interior Ministry in Gaza. The building was destroyed and a woman was killed and another 45 persons were injured..." - "What Bush Left Behind"

 

"...

She admitted that she was not looking forward to the lack of amenities. Washing will be limited to the absolute minimum, for example but that, she thought, was all part of the challenge..." - "Strand to Sand; Young Saudi Woman Takes the Desert Challenge"

2008/01/20

Lost in datacenter


Today I have visited datacenter of arabian telecom. Niiiiiice!!! Looks like paintball playing area or like old ruins from some 3d shooter: old monitors stacked near the wall, signs with "WARNING DO NOT ENTER SHOOT ON SIGHT" everywhere. The guard has checked everything very carefully, but after that surprised me by welcoming to Saudi and wishing me nice stay here in very warm way. If I had fallen on some rack - probably would left half or Saudi Arabia without internet and telecommunications. In the news - "Saudi is upgrading from dial-up to fiber and in the end of this year will replace 256kbps connections with 30mpbs links for almost the same price" (news in the paper regarding internet for private individuals).

Lost in datacenter


Today I have visited datacenter of arabian telecom. Niiiiiice!!! Looks like paintball playing area or like old ruins from some 3d shooter: old monitors stacked near the wall, signs with "WARNING DO NOT ENTER SHOOT ON SIGHT" everywhere. The guard has checked everything very carefully, but after that surprised me by welcoming to Saudi and wishing me nice stay here in very warm way. If I had fallen on some rack - probably would left half or Saudi Arabia without internet and telecommunications. In the news - "Saudi is upgrading from dial-up to fiber and in the end of this year will replace 256kbps connections with 30mpbs links for almost the same price" (news in the paper regarding internet for private individuals).