Soccer - Just Not Violent Enough...

I am an avowed -- Not Soccer Fan, Nor Soccer Hater. I simply don't give a damn. In fact - i never thought i'd be writing about soccer without a gun pointed at my head. (And i assure you no gun is near me.)

But since i am living in one of the countries competing in the AFF Cup, Soccer ---Oh excuse me, for the purist out there ---'football' is everywhere and unavoidable. What IS interesting, is the fans. Observing the way the fans act and react to every movement in the game.

It doesn't matter where you are, every time the home country makes a goal or touchdown --or whatever the hell they call it when they get the ball in the net-- you hear cheers roaring up from almost everywhere. A normally quiet and serene cafe. A road-side eatery. Even at the local mall.

And where there is soccer (oh screw the purists, i'll call it what i bloody well like) there is violence. Ugly riots are a common scene around the globe at big soccer tournaments. Police by the thousands arrayed in anti-riot gear.

And yet - the matches continue. The violence of the fans continues.
Nothing changes.

So - i got curious. Why is it soccer seems to be associated with such systematic and predictable violence from the fans? Why why why?
Why oh why oh why?

Yes. There is the occasional bit of mayhem or even slight breakdown in social order at other sporting events, but not as regularly and destructively as soccer.

Then it occurred to me. It's because it's not violent enough.
What?
Yep! Not violent enough ON THE FIELD. It's too damn genteel and sweet. Too civilized.
Remember - all sports are a proxy for WAR. Good ole blood curdling, pound 'em in to the ground VIOLENCE.

Consider hockey. A lovely sport that leaves no reservations about its true purpose or intent. You go out on the ice to put the puck in the net for sure. But - like rice in Asia or potatoes in Russia - no meal is complete without it.
Hockey without a bit of brain-bashing is just not hockey. Not satisfying.
Or Football. Yea. The real f**king football. The one where guys go out on the field to break bones.
The more the merrier.
 
Or consider Bullfighting. A delicious release of pent up passion and adrenaline in an almost artistic way...
Lately, the Wussbags have had some success in banning this ancient, and sublime pastime. But that's a subject for another post. 

Oh and lest i leave out Boxing. What could be more straight-forward. Two human being duking it out till one of em drops. Simple. Beautiful.

Lastly, let's talk about the granddaddy of them all : The Gladiators.
Have you ever heard about a riot or insurrection during or after a contest between gladiators?
Of course not. Because there is satisfaction. One man is down at the end. Never to rise again....

So I say - if you want to head-off, curtail and even avoid the violence OFF the field, provide the adequate and necessary blood curdling, brain-bashing, bone breaking, spear through the torso kind of violence ON THE FIELD.

Plain and simple. Play a real sport or reform soccer to be a true proxy for war. VIVA LA VIOLENCE!

SingaPOORean!

Yes. I've intentionally misspelled for dramatic effect. And to make a point. Look on any world survey of relative income by country, and you'll find Singapore near the top. It's even ahead of the US. But are they really rich?

Or - as I believe - are they desperately poor? But too full of their own arrogance and sheep-like mentality to even begin to realise their true poverty.

But let's start at the beginning. I'll be the first to admit Singapoor has come a long way - having so many wonderful and admirable accomplishments under its belt. In the space of 40 years, like the tittle of Lew Kwan Yew's 2nd autobiography, Singapoor has literally gone from 3rd world to 1st.

Remarkable indeed.

But a peek beneath the surface will reveal that the attitude of superiority many Singapooreans tote about is not supported by the reality of how they live.

Let's get specific.
I'm going to compare Singapoor to Hong Kong and Japan.
Hong Kong because it is their rival in so many ways. Among other areas of competition, they both aspire to be Asia's financial and tourist destination.
And both are predominantly Chinese.
Then there is Japan. The first in Asia to reach par with the West. The leader and model for many others.

Singapoor loses to both in nearly every respect.
Infrastructure. Japan is better. Service. Japan light years ahead in its superiority.
Examples:
Take a taxi or public transit. They are not the same.
In Japan, the taxi's are pristine with self-opening and closing passenger doors. No. They are not cheap, but compared to London or New York - not excessive.


Transport to and from the airport to the centre of town. Many fast, clean, efficient options to choose from in Japan.

Take a train or bus and the experience is the same. In Japan, you have a ticket machine at even most bus stop. And the bus provides change - no questions, hassles or stares.

And if you're a first timer? Just ask how much the fare is to your destination and pay when you leave.
No fumbling or impatience to be endured.

Hotels. Yes. Tiny. But of the highest quality and with every essential device and service. And all with a smile.

And what about how the locals live? Like Hong Kong and Singapoor, the high rise apartment is the norm. In Japan, though, everything works. And service is impeccable. As with the hotels, homes are small - even tiny - by Western standards, but one soon realises they can be very comfortable.

And don't forget convenience. Japan is, handsdown, the most convenient country I've ever lived in. If you live near a major train station in a town of any size, you'll usually find every essential service - supermarkets, departments stores, banks, restaurants etc - within easy walking or bicycling distance.

And even if you don't live near such a station, transport to this central marketplace is usually easy.


How about Hong Kong?
Well - Hong Kong has different attributes and advantages.
Like New York, the people are more brusque, short and impolite. Things don't always work as they should. But the opportunities to do or become almost anything your talent and ambition will take you is the limit.

While there has been some deterioration --some will say-- since Hong Kong was taken over the by the Chinese, it remains the closest thing on planet earth to a truly laissez faire capitalism. The tax rate is only 15%. Flat tax.

Now - back to Singapoor and why I have chosen to call it poor.
Simply this. While they have sheepishly surrendered their freedom, their vaunted infrastructure is not as good as Japan. Their service and attitude are abysmal.
Call a taxi? There's a charge of 2.5 Sing $ extra. Take one from the airport and you'll pay up to 5 Sing dollars just for having taken it from the airport.
Public transport?
You'd better have the correct change if you're boarding a bus. The metro? To be fair is actually quite good. But somehow doesn't seem to be as conveniently located as in Japan.

So why do I say Singapooreans are POOR?
Because : 1. They have diminished freedom and 2. Stunted Opportunity. And 3. A lifestyle inferior to Indonesia.
Japan and Hong Kong are both freer.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_Index

Singapoor comes in at number 82!

While Hong Kong provides unparalleled freedom of opportunity, high taxes, regulations and a repressive political system mean the barriers to freedom and wealth are much higher than in Singapoor.

And even the casual visitor will observe that things in Japan work. Singapoor still suffers from the third world manners and mentality of its people. Lee Kwan Yew even admits as much in his autobiography.

But enough of the survey and statistics. Let's get down and dirty. How does a middle class Singapoorean's quality of life and lifestyle compare with its still third world neighbor Indonesia?

In Indonesia, the majority of the middle class are entrepreneurs who live in a wide house with at least one maid. Often they have two or more maids and a driver.  When they go out, they dine at world-class hotels like J.W. Marriot and Sheraton.

They shop in fine, upscale markets purchasing the best imported produce and goods. Their desserts are from exquisite European bakeries. And many of the mundane tasks are taken care of by their servants. No hassles or waiting in lines.

When they even go to the bank, they are given gold-star treatment. In short - they enjoy a very high quality, life supported by many top quality service providers.

Their fellow middle class Singapoorean labors long hours in a dreary office working for someone else - handing over vast sums of their earnings to the government.

They handle all the mundane tasks without help. Drive a small cramped car. They wait in long lines as a matter of fact.

And when it's time to take a meal out, the middle class Singapoorean often finds him or herself at a hawker centre - one of Singapoor's famous outdoor cafeteria-style eateries known for their bustling fast food at plastic tables at crowded street-side corners.


It is not Singapoor's accomplishments I deny. It is the fact that they have traded their freedom for what? And where is the opportunity or even the lifestyle other countries take for granted.

In the end what do they have, but an inflated view of themselves and their achievements that make them sad, laughable and SingaPOORean.

SingaPOOR: The UN Welcome Mat

I used to admire and like Singapoor - having passed through its gates many times. Now - I find it revolting.
Has Sinapoor changed or have I? I don't know - but what is clear is that my opinion of it has changed. And I'm not the only one.

But first, what is the origin of my revulsion?

Simple. I hate arrogance unbacked by substance in anyone or anything. If you're going to be proud - even arrogant - you'd better have the goods to back it up.

'Put up or Shut up' I think the saying goes.
Singapoor used to be a place i admired for its order, cleanliness, safety and welcoming spirit. Not to mention the great eating and shopping. I don't feel that anymore. Now - on arrival - it feels like I've just landed in the Nazi-Republic.

Two incidents i personally endured [and will share later in this posting] and one my seatmate on the outgoing flight shared, should illustrate this point well.

Then there is the question of Value for Money. Singapoor used to be a great place to stop over - have a good meal at a fair price and continue on. Or if one had more time - exit the airport into the country and enjoy more of the same. Good food. Good accommodation. Good shopping and entertainment. All first-world quality at most reasonable prices.

No. I didn't say things were cheap. But by the price/quality standards you'd find in Western Europe, North America or Japan, things were reasonable. It was a haven. An oasis of civility and safety with a charm and welcome to match.

The operative word here is WAS.

One illustration:

It's a real small thing, but on this most recent trip I did as I've always done on arrival in Singapoor. I purchased a local SIM card for my mobile.

Though it had only been 6 months since my last visit - the price had tripled. Last time, there were phone cards available for Sing$10. Now the cheapest were 28 and 33, depending on your choice of carrier.


But that wasn't the worst of it.
I bought that card, spent the money as I always do - why? To avoid roaming charges on my home-country card. Quite expensive. Not to mention - it's just so much easier and more convenient to have a local number.


I soon made the horrible discovery that my card was being debited every time i took a call - Every time I took a call my mate had already paid for.


Keep in mind - I had a local Sinapoor card. Within the city all calls should be a local call charge. That's the way it had been just a few months earlier. And any calls from outside, should be free to receive. After all - isn't that what it means to have a local card?


Anyway - that's how it's always been in the past.


But now - every time my partner called and PAID THE CHARGES at the initiating end, MY Local Singapoor Card was debited.

This had never happened before.
And the charges were quite substantial. For just under 5 minutes - I had to pay nearly as many Sing dollars. Meanwhile, my partner had ALSO paid for the call on the other end.
UNBELIEVABLE.


I would really be interested to hear the lame excuse some drone from Singapoor Telecom might attempt for this.


And it's not just that. Hotel rates have gone through the roof.


Some might say I shouldn't compare countries, but since Bahrain and Singapore share some similarities in size and location next to much bigger countries. Since both are transit points and centers of entertainment, I think the comparison is more than fair.


Recently in Bahrain, my partner and I stayed in an apartment-like hotel. It was really a suite with a full kitchen. And a beautiful rooftop pool and sauna to boot. High-speed, unfiltered in-room internet was free. Truly - it was like a little home away from home.  For that we paid 90US. And the service was responsive and friendly.

No special discounts. Standard price from booking.com.



In Singapore - for 90US - you'll be lucky to find something with a simple bed and bathroom. Forget any thought of a living room suite or kitchen or finding a even hotel which is not not in the Red light district or a hotel frequented by tour groups from China.


There will be no balcony or pool. The walls will be paper thin. And there will be no extra services. Even asking for help with your bags will earn you incredulous stares of indignance. In Singapoor, their look and attitude say it all: 'I'm Sinapoorean. I don't carry bags. I'm too good for that.'

And any other services come at substantial prices for sub-par performance. [On this most recent trip, I paid 5 Sing dollars for 2 hours internet access from the hotel, but because of filtering in their system I could not access a site I needed for work. In the end, I found myself lugging my laptop to a local internet cafe in desperation.]


But for most visitors - every trip to Singapoor begins or ends with Changi. So - let's elaborate on the wonderful Singapoor Un Welcome.


On my most recent trip to the Nazi Republic, we were treated to a shocking reception. Instead of a warm welcome as we exited our flight, it was military hardware and hard stares.

As everyone was grabbing their bags, eagerly exiting the plane in anticipation of the delights awaiting them at the gates of Singapoor - we were instead met by at least 15 armed security guards directing us to a check point. Not pistols i mind you. The  had serious, military rifles. And hardened suspicious looks to match.


The area where our elephant trunk emerged had been cordoned off in an isolated, empty stretch at the very end of the terminal. The rest of the gates were empty. No one but us. And the angry-looking guards.

"What's up" was my first question to myself. We're ARRIVING. This is not a departure hall. We already went through two separate checks BEFORE we boarded this plane.

When i asked one of the armed menaces, he countered with some weak excuse about a random check.

Haaa!
Ramdom my ass!

The guard might have been stupid enough to believe that. I was not.

It was obvious to anyone with a brain, that this flight had been specially routed o this unused or evacuated bit of terminal at the very end. And the artillery?

How would YOU feel?


You're expecting to see lots of people and activity. Hustling and bustling by. Carrying or pushing carts of Carry-on. Dashing to the toilets. Flights departing. And people like yourself emerging out of the elephant trunk - getting their bearings - and moving on toward the transit area or baggage claim.

The last thing you expect is ghost town-like emptiness, silence and the excessive number of guards in goosestep with such an array of military hardware on display.

At this point, you realise this was planned with a specific intent. That of instantly inducing fear in order to produce sheep-like compliance. The element of surprise was in their favour. Planned. Not random.


Humiliation endured - I was on my way. But the bitter taste remained.


But really, this shouldn't have been such a big surprise. Just less than 6 months before we had been passing through Singapoor on our way from the Middle East back to Asia.

Remembering what a shopping paradise Changi is - I had done some research ahead of time and even reserved a laptop. We also purchased a designer bag, some booze and a few other knick knacks.

But when we arrived at the gate - even after the humiliating search and seizure, they couldn't stop with insult. They had to add injury.

Suddenly we were in violation of the amount of Carry-On allowed. Hmmmm. Funny they didn't say anything about that at check in. Nor during the search and seizure. Or when they were Oh-So-Glad to take our money at the various shops.

But the most ironic part, was that the offending item - the part that made us irretrievably bad citizens and obnoxious seat companions - was not what we had packed and brought with us. No. The offending contents were the items we'd bought right there in Singapore Airport.

The very thing they encourage people to do. Some might even say, the very raison-d'etre of Changi Airport: Fly BUY Singapoor. [Actually, I've taken a bit of poetic license with the slogan used by Dubai back in the late 80's: Fly Buy Dubai.]

But i guess it's not so much that they said something. It was the way they treated us like criminals for daring to take our purchases home. Shame on us.

To be fair - I don't like it either when fellow travelers have entered the plane with clearly too much in their hands and cause everybody around them hardship as a result. That I understand. But the point is - ours was still within reason.

Let's get specific: I had a laptop and a case of important papers no one was going to separate me from. My partner had a simple, small backpack with emergency clothes in case the airline DID lose our baggage.

Actually this is another reason I feel more and more of us are carrying more and more than ever before into the cabin. Maybe more reliable, secure baggage services might alleviate the need to carry so much into the cabin in the first place...

It certainly would make life easier if we didn't have to schlep all that around the airport - into every shop and restaurant and then onto every security belt.We would love to be able to give the airline our every item and await them safely and securely on the other end. But alas, that is not the reality of flying.


So, according to their own policy we had one bag each as laptops and purses are considered exempt. And one audacious bag of goodies. Shame on us.

After a very heated and unpleasant exchange, we were allowed on the flight. But the damage was done. We vowed right then to find another transit point whenever practical. And that IF indeed there was a need to go to Singapoor or  use it as a transit point, we would do our shopping elsewhere and make any stop there as short as possible.

If these 2 incidents seem small - and they are - they are nevertheless indicative of an attitude which we don't remember encountering in the past. In fact, we used to revere Sinapoor because they had found a way to maintain a first world experience without the invasion and humiliation so common in other republics of the West.

But not anymore.

Now - this city that lives and dies on trade and tourism is taking on the attitudes and ways of its more paranoid brothers in other parts of the world.

And, as I mentioned earlier, it's not just me. Other anecdotal evidence is emerging that something is very wrong in Singapoor.


My seatmate on the outgoing flight FROM Singapoor shared the following. Apparently this young university graduate had traveled with her 3 friends all over Europe and Asia this winter. Sinapoor was one of their last stops before returning home to the snow in England.

She showed me her passport and asked me the question of the day: Do you think I look like the picture in my passport?

'Why of course' was my incredulous answer. Mind you - this was a positive outgoing girl. Not the whining, complaining type in my estimation.


Well - apparently some official sitting at one of the immigration counters in the Nazi Republic had put her through the nineth degree because he didn't think she was the person in the passport. An incident she said really shook her. And not a great way to start her Singapoor leg.

Of all the countries she passed thought this winter, many with serious problems of illegal  everything to deal with had not found her picture or passport to be a problem. Why only Singapoor? Why only in the Nazi Republic? What has gone wrong in Lee Kwan Yew's perfect Dreamland?

That's a question the discerning reader will have to answer for her or himself. But as for me and my mate, we believe Sinapoor is trying to imitate its more paranoid brothers - not realising it's life blood comes from its visitors.

In the final analysis - Mr. Yew's Dreamland is no longer value for money - nor is it welcoming. But rather has become the overpriced Nazi Republic. They might as well hang a sign at the gates to the city saying : Be prepared to surrender your freedom and your money upon entering here.


That at least would be more accurate and honest.


At any rate, we will be avoiding Singapoor until further notice...

Is Bali Part of Indonesia?

This was a question put to us by a young tourist from Europe. We won't name the country because we don't want to shame it.

But it does reveal a deeper reality. Because as you may have noticed, many people --myself included-- talk about Bali like it's somehow different from Indonesia. Yet it IS one of the islands of Indonesia.  IS ruled over by the government of idiots in Jakarta. DOES use the Indonesian currency etc....

So why does it seem to be treated so differently - as if it's in a category all by itself?

For one: Bali has carved out a reputation and an identity for itself on the world stage. You'll see 'I Love Bali' tee-shirts everywhere on the island and off. But you'll look long, hard and wide for an 'I Love Indonesia' shirt.

I've just never seen one.

To go a step further. There is no quintessential dish Indonesia is famous for. America has hamburgers. England has Fish n Chips. Germany has Schnitzel and Wurst. Japan has Sushi. Korea has Kimchi. Malaysia has Laksa. Even Singapore has its Chili-crab.

And so it is with the wider country. While Bali figured out long ago it would be a hedonists paradise. Indonesia is still fighting amongst themselves - trying on different identities. I think it is largely split between wannabee Saudi Arabs, and Wannabe American businessmen, with a smaller contingent of Wannabee Chinese.

Second. The Balinese don't give a damn! They are easy going to a fault. As long as they can practice their religion, they don't care what anybody else does. They don't even care if they eat. Just let them pray.

And this is key.

While Bali is Hindu. The rest of Indonesia --except for pockets of Christians in Papua and Sulawesil, and embedded Budhism in the Chinese community-- Indonesia is 86.9 Islam. It is oppressive. It is like living in Riyadh or one of the narrow little 'Bible Belt' towns in the deep South of the US.

Of course, Bali isn't the only beautiful place in Indonesia, but it IS one of the only ones that is open and accepting. Consider this. Aceh's beaches are even more pristine and better for surfing than Bali, but it is illegal to wear a bikini. What a shame and a waste. 

Going from (Islamic) Java to (Hindu) Bali is a lot like driving from a small town in Georgia to South Beach in Miami. Or like crossing the mountains separating the conservative Central Valley in California to the promiscuous coast. Like driving from Riyadh to Bahrain.

Bahrain is the devil's peninsula next to Saudi Arabia. Saudis go there to do such evil and sinful things as going to the cinema, visiting a bar or buying books banned in their country.

In a second - the whole atmosphere changes. You can smell the freedom. Sense it in your bones as every muscle and fiber of your being begins to relax in the easy openness. As you begin anticipating being able to be who you are and enjoy simple -- yet often -- pleasures which are forbidden back home.

And I think that's why even the local Indonesians are discovering Bali. Paradise in their backyard. And for a bargain price.


So, while Bali is politically part of the areas ruled by Jakarta -- part of Indonesia-- in every other way it is as distinct and different as night is to day. And that makes all the difference.

Living in Bali/Indonesia - The Quick Fix Document

In follow up to Living in Bali 3, below is a copy of the actual document your Indonesian sponsor (family member or friend) will need to submit to obtain a Sosial Budaya/ Family Visit Visa.

This is the visa that will get you into the country for 60 days and which is renewable --in country-- up to 4 times thereafter for a total of 180 days maximum.  

The highlighted parts need to be customized to your situation. Ie your name, your relationship to the sponsor and at which embassy or consulate abroad you're getting your visa processed.

This is an example of an Indonesian wife sponsoring her foreign husband.

XYZ Jalan 39, Jakarta, 99999  INDONESIA

Perihal : Permohonan Visa sosial budaya untuk suami a/n John Smith

Kepada Yang Mulia:
Bapak Duta Besar Republik Indonesia
Up. Bapak Kepala Bidang Imigrasi
di Singapura

Dengan hormat,

Kami yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini :

Nama: Dewi Hartono
Tempat & tgl lahir: Jakarta, 1 Juni 1980
Pekerjaan: Ibu rumah tangga
Kebangsaan: Indonesia
Alamat sekarang : XYZ Jalan 39, Jakarta, 99999  INDONESIA 

Dengan ini kami mengajukan permohonan kepada Yang Mulia Bapak Duta RI agar berkenan memberikan Visa sosial budaya yang berlaku 60 hari kepada suami sah saya yang datanya tersebut di bawah ini:

Nama: John Smith
Kelamin: Laki-laki
Tempat/tgl lahir: Sydney, Australia
Pekerjaan: Penulis
Kebangsaan :Australia

Perlu kami sampaikan bahwa permohonan ini kami ajukan karena suami saya yang tersebut di atas akan mengunjungi saya sebagai istrinya, dan akan tinggal di Jakarta-Indonesia, serta keberadaan suami di Indonesia akan tanggung jawab saya.

Demikianlah permohonan ini kami buat dan atas perhatian. Bantuan serta kebijaksanaan Bapak, kami mengucapkan terima kasih.

Hormat kami,

Dewi Hartono

Dream Job or Nightmare in Saudi Arabia

Things are a changin. Yep. Saudi is opening up. Nope. I don't mean they've decided to go liberal and close down their mosques, allow drag-racing or start opening up bars and brothels. No. No. No. It is STILL Saudi. There are still so many things you can't do. So many taboos and limitations -- especially if you're a woman. And Yet -

It is more popular than ever. Why?

Because for one it is safer than ever. That's right. It was just a few short years ago - as early as 2003 - that many of the westerners there kept (illegal;) firearms on their person and in there homes on the guarded compounds. Remember the Compound bombings? And the movie made about them : The Kingdom.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riyadh_compound_bombings

For those not familiar with Saudi Arabia, it was a tacit agreement at high levels struck years ago between the country with the largest military in the world and the one with the largest oil reserves on the planet. Protection for Oil. It was also at this time, that the Saudi's began the long process of digging out of the dark ages.

They welcomed Western expertise, know-how and efficiency. What they wanted to shield themselves and their population from was the evil influence of the unwashed KAFIR. The Arabic for Infidel or one who doesn't believe in Islam.

The solution? Guarded Compounds. Very much like prisons on the outside. Like a piece of suburbia on the inside. This kept the Kafir tucked away where they wouldn't poison the local population with their alcohol, lewdness and lascivious lifestyle of Sodom.

It suited the Westerns too since not only could their safety be secured, but their was a little oasis of Western freedom and modern facilities which simply didn't exist on the outside.

But two major changes have taken place.

1. The security situation has vastly improved and,
2. The Saudis are on a major building binge.

The security situation has improved ---due to the efforts and policies put in place by His Majesty, The Guardian of the Two Holy Mosques (I'm always amused by the official title the King goes by....) --- to such an extent that many companies, like Vinnell Corp., have eliminated special allowances for danger - also known as Danger Pay - altogether.


And if you think there are a lot of cranes in China - per capita, Saudi may have the most on planet earth.

They are literally building WHOLE cities out of nothing. Where nothing but sand existed just a few short years ago, today you'll see cities rising up --literally-- out of the sand. And immense, gargantuan university campuses are under construction as well.

The building boom is on a scale almost unimaginable.

Those two things and hard times back in the West have begun bringing many many new workers to Saudi of late.

And as a result of that famous Law of Supply and Demand, more and more companies are beginning to look at the bottom line with a more squinted eye. And cutting back.

As there are more people than ever who are discovering the delicious tax free earnings available in the desert kingdom, companies don't have to offer as much as in times past. Fewer and fewer are willing to pay the generous expat packages of yesteryear. Case in point, school fees for the children. Gone. Compound housing? Companies are cutting back, reducing allowances and in many cases outright saying no - especially to those at the lower ends of the food chain.

So it's a mixed bag. It is easier to live in than ever before. And for people in construction and telecommunications there has never been more opportunity. But for those in the less glamourous fields or where demand is falling off, pay and conditions are deteriorating rapidly.

ESL is one great example. It is really opening up - at the low end. Those great jobs you heard about in the past. They are disappearing faster than a footprint in the sand during a sandstorm.

The Good News: There are more and more opportunities for people who have little experience and few credentials in the field. Most companies across the board are still asking for 5-10 years experience and superior credentials - in all fields.

But in ESL, there are more and more places now willing to take someone with only a year or two experience and a basic certificate. The salaries range between 2,000 and 3,500 US.

But consider the freedoms you'll have to give up for that: There is no alcohol in the desert kingdom. Except, of course, home brewed. If you're inside a compound - not a big deal as long as you're discrete. Some compounds even have bars. But outside, you always run the risk of a visiting MUTAWA. They are an unofficial force of religious police, but who have an extremely wide latitude of power.

There is no trial. No questions. If accused, you are guilty and there will be repercussions.

Then their other ideas about morality can be a serious inhibition to any sort of fun. For example -

You can be put in jail or unceremoniously shipped out of the country for holding hands or kissing in public. Even hugging can get you in trouble. And technically, you aren't even allowed to be with a member of the opposite sex who is not a family member.

You can kiss dating goodbye. Yes. There are parties at the embassies. But that is not quite the same thing as going to a club or relaxing with friends over a beer at the local pub.

And there is no culture. No cinemas. No live theatre or music. No art. No libraries. And precious few bookstores.  In fact, other than the Koran, many Saudis don't even read.

And yet - this is also one of the best things about living and working in Saudi. There's very little to spend money on.

That makes saving money easy -- if you're motivated and can entertain yourself. Otherwise - it can be a lonely place.

The economics: I found prices in Saudi to be on par with a the US in most respects. The one big exception is Petrol. About 1 Riyal (US 27 cents) per litre.

And the second best thing about life in Saudi - is that most companies still pay for your initial and annual return flights, housing, medical and all visa expenses. And of course - all salaries are tax free. The only exception is if you have the misfortune to be an American. The US is the only country on the planet which collects tax based on citizenship instead of residence.


All in all - Saudi is a great place to work and save money. It may be a bit short (to put it mildly) on culture, entertainment and lifestyle. As a result - most people head home (where ever that is) when their bucket of money is full.

The Always Amazing Government

Governments everywhere daily demonstrate their stupidity. So why should I be surprised and why is this worth writing about? Maybe it is. Maybe it's not.

What I find so amazing is how they never learn from their mistakes  -- repeating them over and over and over again.  Each time they are white-faced with surprise.

The story today in all honesty could be from almost anywhere. So don't let the foreign names throw you. The Indonesian government deems it necessary to subsidize the price of petrol among other things. Fine. As they wish.

Today the news channels in Indonesia are all abuzz. Apparently the state owned petroleum company (and only authorized, legal distributor) of petrol has recently introduced a NON-subsidized line of petrol as well.

The way the system works - anybody - whether they live on $2 or $200/day can pull up to the pumps and fill up at the lower price. About 50 cents US/liter.


But picture this. You now have the choice when you roll up to the pumps to choose between the subsidized and the non-subsidized.

Stop just a minute and ask yourself (because obviously the government didn't ever think this through): Who is her right mind is going to choose to pay the higher price if there is absolutely NO DIFFERENCE between the two? And there is no other incentive or element of coercion.

So to combat the fact that everybody still opts for the cheaper - subsidized petrol - what does the state owned Pertamina do? They put each station on a fixed quota of the cheap stuff. But remember - it's still first-come, first-served.

There are no individual ration cards or any mechanism established to control who is given access to the subsidized goods. So...

You guessed it. Stations are running out of the cheap petrol.


Any sane, thinking, intelligent - even self-serving government that just wanted to save itself a lot of heartache would have thought things through a little better and either announced it well in advance and just gone cold-turkey.

'Sorry folks - No more subsidies. We just can't afford it anymore....' or

They would have provided some other mechanism to deal with the dual pricing confusion... or provided another way to subsidize the people they felt needed help.

Or.... There are a hundred other intelligent ways to deal with this.

This reminds me of the debacle several months ago when the government of idiots decided it wanted everybody to convert from using kerosene to LPG for cooking. In itself a wonderful idea.

But it was the way they went about it. In a word, they had no education mechanism set up to teach people how to use the LPG tanks. The price of the LPG was higher than the equivalent amount of kerosene.

And guess what?

Yep. It gets worse. The government in all its infinite wisdom decided it would give away small 3kg tanks of LPG to the poor.
Many, many of these literally exploded. Killing many people and leveling the only home many poor people had.

'Government' and 'intelligence' are two words which seldom seem to belong together...