June and July are always good months for surfing on the Indian Ocean - just before the monsoon season starts you consistently get swells rolling up from the south, and combined with the fact that the weather in the gulf region and subcontinent is on the wrong side of 40 degrees C, places like Salalah along the south coast of Oman are ideal surfing getaways.
I've been keeping an eye on the weather systems all week, but then out of nowhere what looked like just a nice tropical depression turned into a full-blown category 5 cyclone. Now this weekend instead of looking for the beaches with the biggest surf, we'll be going out of our way to find somewhere more sheltered where the waves will only be a lot less than the 40 foot plus monsters that they're predicting all up and down the Omani coast.
foook me
Indian Ocean surf spots on google maps
US Navy Wave Reports
Cyclone Gonu to hit land
Muscat: Oman's weather officials said that the centre of cyclone Gonu will hit the eastern coast of the country on Wednesday morning and that it remained a category five storm.
Speaking to Gulf News, Ahmed Al Harthy, Director at the Department of Meteorology Department said: "The speed of the cyclone has accelerated and is expected to land at the east coast after 1am (Wednesday)"
He added that the tropical cyclonic storm was just 100km from Oman's turtle nesting site at Ras Al Hadd and moving at 14kmh.
The cyclone is heading towards Muscat along the coast. "We expect Gonu's impact over Muscat at around 4pm on Wednesday," he said.
Dr Kamal Bhatt, a Senior Specialist Surgeon at the Sur Hospital in the east said that the impact of cyclone was being felt from late evening.
"Strong wind and heavy rain started coming down by 7pm and we also struggled to catch television signals even as the intensity of wind kept increasing," he said.
The Royal Oman Police (ROP) last night issued a statement urging residents to stay indoors for the next two to three days or until the impact of cyclone recedes. "We have lifted the alert level to maximum," a statement from ROP said last night.
"The wind speed will range between 212 to 260 km/h and waves could rise up to 25 metres on the east coast," warned the ROP statement.
All ports in the country were closed and larger ships were ordered off to anchorage to avoid any possible damage to berths during high waves.
Oman's oil and gas producing companies also briefly shut operations with Oman LNG in Sur shutting their operations until cyclone passes while Petroleum Development Oman suspended all loadings at their Mina Al Fahal facility in Muscat.
Omifco in Sur also shut their operations and sent all staff home.
Grand Theft Auto IV
Only shame of it is that this doesn't get released until October (Insha'Allah). So then what do they expect us to do here for entertainment whilst avoiding the 45+ C summer heat?
Okay, this is starting to make me a little nervous ...
In case your middle east geography isn't what it used to be - Dubai less than 200km away from the southern-most part of Iran.
MOSCOW, March 27 (RIA Novosti) - Russian military intelligence services are reporting a flurry of activity by U.S. Armed Forces near Iran's borders, a high-ranking security source said Tuesday.
"The latest military intelligence data point to heightened U.S. military preparations for both an air and ground operation against Iran," the official said, adding that the Pentagon has probably not yet made a final decision as to when an attack will be launched.
He said the Pentagon is looking for a way to deliver a strike against Iran "that would enable the Americans to bring the country to its knees at minimal cost."
He also said the U.S. Naval presence in the Persian Gulf has for the first time in the past four years reached the level that existed shortly before the invasion of Iraq in March 2003.
Col.-Gen. Leonid Ivashov, vice president of the Academy of Geopolitical Sciences, said last week that the Pentagon is planning to deliver a massive air strike on Iran's military infrastructure in the near future.
A new U.S. carrier battle group has been dispatched to the Gulf.
The USS John C. Stennis, with a crew of 3,200 and around 80 fixed-wing aircraft, including F/A-18 Hornet and Superhornet fighter-bombers, eight support ships and four nuclear submarines are heading for the Gulf, where a similar group led by the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower has been deployed since December 2006.
The U.S. is also sending Patriot anti-missile systems to the region.
"The latest military intelligence data point to heightened U.S. military preparations for both an air and ground operation against Iran," the official said, adding that the Pentagon has probably not yet made a final decision as to when an attack will be launched.
He said the Pentagon is looking for a way to deliver a strike against Iran "that would enable the Americans to bring the country to its knees at minimal cost."
He also said the U.S. Naval presence in the Persian Gulf has for the first time in the past four years reached the level that existed shortly before the invasion of Iraq in March 2003.
Col.-Gen. Leonid Ivashov, vice president of the Academy of Geopolitical Sciences, said last week that the Pentagon is planning to deliver a massive air strike on Iran's military infrastructure in the near future.
A new U.S. carrier battle group has been dispatched to the Gulf.
The USS John C. Stennis, with a crew of 3,200 and around 80 fixed-wing aircraft, including F/A-18 Hornet and Superhornet fighter-bombers, eight support ships and four nuclear submarines are heading for the Gulf, where a similar group led by the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower has been deployed since December 2006.
The U.S. is also sending Patriot anti-missile systems to the region.
In case your middle east geography isn't what it used to be - Dubai less than 200km away from the southern-most part of Iran.
It's official. For those that haven't heard, Halliburton - the inventors of neocon U.S. foreign policy, parking tickets, Monday mornings, crying babies, sagging tits, Richard Simmons, and just about everything else evil under the sun - is moving to Dubai. Even better, their new shiny headquarters will be located in one of the freezones where I happen to spend a good portion of my working hours. It's like living down the hall from Ghengis Khan ... only different.
"There's big news involving Vice President Dick Cheney's former company Halliburton -- the one that issued him a $34 million severance package. They're taking their over $10 billion in no-bid government contracts and moving their headquarters from Houston to Dubai -- a Middle Eastern city that's home to the world's largest shopping mall, the world's tallest hotel, an indoor ski resort with real snow, and an artificial archipelago where you can live on a man-made island in the shape of continents. And the guest workers there - civil rights free. How do they do it all while still being a plotting ground for the 9/11 hijackers? Well, let's just say that's what happens when Las Vegas and Saudi Arabia have a baby."
--Jon Stewart
--Jon Stewart
The holidays couldn't feel any more alien than they this time around. Instead of the usual routine of slogging through the slush along the sidewalks of Bloor Street past the Christmas window displays, we have, well, nothing really. Sure the big hotels are still blasting lousy Christmas muzak all day and night, sure the local grocery store still sells ugly plastic trees (for the low-low price of 500 AED), and sure lots of people here still decorate their homes, but it's just not the same - I have to work on the 25th, for chrissakes!
I don't mean to complain cuz I've never been a huge Christmas person. So in the spirit of the season I'd like to share some sage advice I received on selecting a perfect gift for that special someone. This needs no further introduction, enjoy.
I don't mean to complain cuz I've never been a huge Christmas person. So in the spirit of the season I'd like to share some sage advice I received on selecting a perfect gift for that special someone. This needs no further introduction, enjoy.
After a brief hiatus (and much harassment from a couple of regulars - I'm talking to you, DH) it's about time I get back to updating this thing. What's new in six weeks? A lot, really. Started a new job, won a 25-hour endurance kart race, broke a few ribs on a botched landing while attempting the big jump at Ski Dubai, and have just recently started apartment hunting - we're finally movin' on up to the east side and out of the ghetto that is Bur Dubai.
In my absence it also seems the spam bots have been having a field day with the unsecured comment forms on this here blog, so until I get around to adding a skill testing question to beat the dumb ones back I've had to disable the feature.
The impossible has also happened here in Dubai this past month - the weather's gotten really nice. I'm talking days with 17 degree highs and 12 degree lows and lots of rain. It's only supposed to rain here a few times a year, but in the past month we've had many days of solid, heavy downpours. And what a sight it is - flash floods in the streets, major traffic calamities as everybody freaks out when they see a bit of water on the pavement, and let's also not forget the sight of locals running around wearing thick, winter rain jackets over their dish dashas.
You truly know it's a slow news day in Dubai when the lead story in 7 Days is about the new Borat movie and whether or not it will be banned in the UAE. Now it's not as if that particular newspaper is trying to be the region's answer to the New York Post or anything, but still I'd have serious trouble justifying that story as news. That said, the photo included with the story has to be one of the funniest things I've seen in print here, and believe me, that's saying a lot.
7 Days Story
The story gracing the front pages of several local papers this week was the World Wildlife Fund's 2006 Living Planet Report, which claims that people living in the United Arab Emirates are placing the most stress per capita on the planet, ahead of the United States, Finland, and Canada. Having lived here for the past six months I can't say I'm at all surprised by that conclusion. From the constant hum of air-conditioners 24 hours a day 365 days a year, to the ridiculous amount of water used to keep the city's green spaces ... well ... green, to the heaping piles of trash produced with sadly limited recycling program, it's an ugly state of affairs that no amount of palm-shaped islands or seven star hotels can hide.
What was surprising was the UAE government's feeble attempt at a response. After dismissing the report "inaccurate" and "ridiculous", Majid Al Mansouri, the Secretary General of the Environmental Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) questioned why the report was focused on a per capita model and went on to tell Gulf News "The UAE has contributed to projects in Pakistan, Morocco and other countries building, roads, hospitals and schools. Look at our involvement in the rebuilding of Lebanon. Millions of dirhams go out of the UAE, with expatriates supporting their families back home. Why don't they focus on our global contribution."
Well, thank you. That's a weight off my mind. Shame on the WWF for writing a report about the precarious state of the environment without first examining the UAE's international road-building programs. I bet they also didn't take into account the fact that we have the world's biggest shopping mall.
What was surprising was the UAE government's feeble attempt at a response. After dismissing the report "inaccurate" and "ridiculous", Majid Al Mansouri, the Secretary General of the Environmental Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) questioned why the report was focused on a per capita model and went on to tell Gulf News "The UAE has contributed to projects in Pakistan, Morocco and other countries building, roads, hospitals and schools. Look at our involvement in the rebuilding of Lebanon. Millions of dirhams go out of the UAE, with expatriates supporting their families back home. Why don't they focus on our global contribution."
Well, thank you. That's a weight off my mind. Shame on the WWF for writing a report about the precarious state of the environment without first examining the UAE's international road-building programs. I bet they also didn't take into account the fact that we have the world's biggest shopping mall.
Came across a posting on Digg about the physical fitness standards required to become a Navy Seal .... not that I was planning on doing that anytime soon. Surprisingly, the first phase actually looks like with some serious training I might actually have a chance of getting through some of it without a major coronary incident. That is, until I'd get to the drown proofing test, where I'd probably just sink like a stone. But phase two - 5 1/2 miles in the ocean? Yeah, maybe on the deck of a nice sailboat with a Mai Tai in my hand.
PHYSICAL EVOLUTION REQUIRED TIME
FIRST PHASE
50 meter underwater swim PASS/FAIL
Underwater knot tying PASS/FAIL
Drown proofing test PASS/FAIL
Basic Lifesaving test PASS/FAIL
1200 meter pool swim with fins 45 min
1 mile bay swim with fins 50 min
1 mile ocean swim with fins 50 min
1 l/2 mile ocean swim with fins 70 min
2 mile ocean swim with fins 95 min
Obstacle course 15 min
4 mile timed run 32 min
POST HELL WEEK
2000 meter conditioning pool swim without fins Completion
1 1/2 mile night bay swim with fins Completion
2 mile ocean swim with fins 85 min
4 mile timed run 32 min
Obstacle course 13 min
SECOND PHASE
2 mile ocean swim with fins 80 min
4 mile timed run (in boots) 31 min
Obstacle course 10:30
3 I/2 mile ocean swim with fins Completion
5 1/2 mile ocean swim with fins Completion
THIRD PHASE
Obstacle course 10 min
4 mile timed run (in boots) 30 min
14 mile run Completion
2 mile ocean swim with fins 75 min
http://www.navyseals.com/community/navyseals/navysealworkout_main.cfm
PHYSICAL EVOLUTION REQUIRED TIME
FIRST PHASE
50 meter underwater swim PASS/FAIL
Underwater knot tying PASS/FAIL
Drown proofing test PASS/FAIL
Basic Lifesaving test PASS/FAIL
1200 meter pool swim with fins 45 min
1 mile bay swim with fins 50 min
1 mile ocean swim with fins 50 min
1 l/2 mile ocean swim with fins 70 min
2 mile ocean swim with fins 95 min
Obstacle course 15 min
4 mile timed run 32 min
POST HELL WEEK
2000 meter conditioning pool swim without fins Completion
1 1/2 mile night bay swim with fins Completion
2 mile ocean swim with fins 85 min
4 mile timed run 32 min
Obstacle course 13 min
SECOND PHASE
2 mile ocean swim with fins 80 min
4 mile timed run (in boots) 31 min
Obstacle course 10:30
3 I/2 mile ocean swim with fins Completion
5 1/2 mile ocean swim with fins Completion
THIRD PHASE
Obstacle course 10 min
4 mile timed run (in boots) 30 min
14 mile run Completion
2 mile ocean swim with fins 75 min
http://www.navyseals.com/community/navyseals/navysealworkout_main.cfm
I'm sure after CNN posted this article enlistment in the Canadian Armed Forces just tripled
Canada troops battle 10-foot Afghan marijuana plants
Canada troops battle 10-foot Afghan marijuana plants