Better late than never, the old saying goes. Here again with a new posting after a week off. While reading MAKE magazine, an article attracted me which describes how to scrub out unwanted logos using sugar cubes from your PDA/Mobile phones etc. First of all, let me give you a warning…please do it your own risk and don’t call me to repair your mobile. Unfortunately, I am not a technician.

Anyhow, it goes like this. Keep ready these utensils: your mobile/PDA, one transparent adhesive tape roll and few sugar cubes. The tape really is essential as you don’t want sugar into the phone. Stick tape on the logo which you want to remove. The main concern is actually not that you scratch the casing but that you scratch off the tape. Then hold your mobile by one hand and take one sugar cube in other hand. Slightly start rubbing over the tape which is above the logo now. It will take sometime to get the result. Be patient and continue rubbing over the tape. It is easiest to use the corners of the sugar cubes. Periodically you will have to remove the tape and put ne tape on as you might have damaged and loosened it with too vigorous rubbing. 

See the result…….the unwanted logo vanished away ….Once the whole logo is off; you can use a cloth to wipe of the sugar. The tape may have left a mark over the phone, just clean it with a cloth. Don’t do it with mobiles with a plastic coating. It will just make scratches only.  Anyway, this technique is applicable for any metal products.

Over the years of my expatriate life, a number of times noticed persons those are jumping over the problems without a second thought. Before listen / learn the complete matter, reaching in conclusions and commenting on it or taking immediate action on the matter.  It gets little bit easier if you spend couple of minutes to listen the person who is talking to you or find out the reality before working hard to solve.  I dedicate the following old story to all those persons are not having enough patience or hesitant to trace out the problem before acting on it. Please read it till end of the story.

One fine day, a bus driver went to the bus garage, started his bus, and drove off along the route. No problems for the first few stops - a few people got on, a few got off, and things went generally well. At the next stop, however, a big hulk guy got on. Six feet eight, built like a wrestler, arms hanging down to the ground. He glared at the driver and said, ” Big John doesn’t pay!” and sat down at the back.

The driver was five feet three, thin, and basically gentle? Naturally, he didn’t argue with Big John, but he wasn’t happy about it. The next day the same thing happened - Big John got on again, made a show of refusing to pay, and sat down. And the next day, and the next.

This grated on the bus driver, who started losing sleep over the way Big John was taking advantage of him. Finally he could stand it no longer. He signed up for body building courses, karate, judo, and all that good stuff. After few months, he had become quite strong; what’s more, he felt really good about himself. So on the next Monday, when Big John once again got on the bus and said, ” Big John doesn’t pay!”

The driver stood up, glared back at the passenger, and screamed, ” And why not?”

With a surprised look on his face, Big John replied, ” Big John has a bus pass.”

Moral of the story: Be sure there is a problem in the first place before working hard to solve one.

One week gap of blogging is really too much. I apologize. I have searched here and there about stuff that is suitable for blogging and unfortunately couldn’t success. Also having a break on blogging is really not good as it is quite difficult to come back again to the blogging track. Today read the news about the name change of Bangalore …and let me have a new start of blogging with it.

Names are being changed the world over and people accept it. Peking became Beijing and Bombay is now Mumbai. The name change in Indian subcontinent is very common now as most of the states are changed the anglicized version city names to local. The name change of Bangalore, India’s technology hub, was announced to mark the 50^th anniversary celebrations of the formation of Karnataka state, of which the city is the capital. Bangalore changed its name to “Bengalooru”. The attraction is the meaning of new name. “Bengalooru” derived from “Bendakalooru”, actually means “Town of Boiled Beans” in the local dialect.

Bengalooru is home to more than 1500 computer software and back office firms…including global giants such as IBM, Dell, Intel, Google and Oracle

Trying to book a flight to Bangalore….and couldn’t find the name on the list of cities or on a map…Don’t forget…it is now Bengalooru……Difficult to digest the change…don’t worry, gradually you will be used to it…Anyhow, world is changing under the flag of religion and language…It is normal to feel difficulty in welcoming new changes…but we have to accept it.

There is a big tree in front of the house where I am living in Riyadh. Birds like the winter. They are one of the winter migrants to Riyadh and some of them find their accommodation on this tree. The chirping of these tiny birds is quite interesting and it will boost your energy level especially in mornings. Winter is cooler with an average temperature of 14°C in Riyadh. Winter temperature can drop below freezing in the central (Riyadh) region.

Besides the chirping of tiny birds before winter, the transition period from summer to winter which is really a “cold” season with head aching and your nose running with sore throat. You can hear the nose blowing noises wherever you are going. Indeed it is not nice anyway to hear this noise and it can be nice for the person who is having a cold to take a day off, and spend most of the day in bed. There are so many cold remedies…like herbs, hot tea, vitamin C, pepper tea and lozenges to clear the throat. Some may work and they may not…then antibiotics and other medicines. However, we are going to be in low energy level for couple of weeks. We do learn that colds are mostly passed on from hand to (desk, telephone, mouse, keyboards etc) to hand contact and not passed through the air. So, if you are having cold, don’t try to shake the hand of others…please…just stay on your desk and don’t try to use others mouse / telephone and don’t try to become a migrant bird which is flying from one to another tree….

The Saudi Post had planned a new service couple of months ago and installed several boxes around the city, at the door of each building or house with a number on it. If anyone may then rent one of these boxes and make is it his P.O.Box. It means your mail will be delivered directly to the doorstep of your home. 
   

As seen on above photos, those boxes had sabotaged by citizens and expatriates. Perhaps Saudi Post couldn’t provide much protection on it and they couldn’t give the public more awareness on the benefit of this program. However, still you have to go the post office to collect the letters from your post box. I don’t know whether this program success anywhere in Saudi Arabia or not. Even this is going to implement now, anyone to think twice to hire a box……

A man is flying in a hot air balloon and realizes he is lost. He reduces height and spots a man down below. He lowers the balloon further and shouts: "Excuse me, can you tell me where I am?"

The man below says: "Yes you're in a hot air balloon, hovering 30 feet above this field."

"You must work in Information Technology" says the balloonist.

"I do" replies the man. "How did you know?"

"Well says the balloonist, everything you have told me is technically correct, but it's no use to anyone."

The man below says "you must work in business."

"I do" reply the balloonist, "but how did you know?"

"Well", says the man, "you don't know where you are, or where you are going, but you expect me to be able to help. You're in the same position you were before we met, but now it's my fault"

The first ever movie produced by Saudis “Keif Al Hal” (How are you?) is now running all Arab countries except Saudi Arabia where cinemas are banned. As read in newspaper this movie is a hit in neighboring Arab countries during EID holidays.  This is the only feature film that comes from the Saudi Arabian world, a country with not one legal movie theatre. Keif al-Hal" (How Are You?) is the first produced by Saudi-owned Arab entertainment company Rotana owned by reform-minded Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal. Also, first time a Saudi Actress is playing as the best friend of heroin. Normally in Saudi dramas and television serials, Saudi female roles are playing by actresses from other Arab countries. However, the role of heroin acted by a Jordanian actress and the hero’s role played by a Saudi heartthrob Hisham al Huwaish.

I have spent the first two days of EID holidays in the eastern region of Saudi Arabia. This is an area where the most people spent some considerable time at the seaside corniches in Alkhobar or in the sandy beaches in Rastanura.  The waterfront corniches are popular places for picnics, fishing and other water sports. Mostly expatriates are visiting these areas especially in weekends or the occasions like EID holidays.

Camping is a popular activity among Saudis with tents in the middle of the desert or along the coast. These camping trips are popular during EID holidays and it is mostly suitable for families. However, the weather of eastern province is not pleasant compare to Riyadh these days due to high humid. Riyadh roads are almost empty as most of expatriates and Saudis are away enjoying their holidays.  The last two days of EID holidays I have spent in Riyadh and seen some fire works in the outskirts of Riyadh during night. Overall, Riyadh is quite calm and cool these days. The holidays will be over tomorrow and again back to busy life……As Ramadan is over, the energy level will be high and expect to post more messages coming days.