# Couple Of Questions



## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

Why do people, who I've happen to found my way onto their email list, feel the need to send me the same Eid Mubarak email 40 times?

Why do fridges in the UAE have locks on them?


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## Gigi 1974 (Aug 17, 2010)

Hey;

I have experienced the same, its called send and forward to all in your mailing list again, at least if you have read and open one, you can just delete the repeated ones again. usually if you are have a network and co workers and friends in the same group or industry that will happen to you.

On the fridge?, doesnt most have them?, usually works for me when your little ones start finding out where the soft drinks and chocolates are being stored, and they feel they want to hang on to it!


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## bonk (Jun 13, 2008)

Mr Rossi said:


> Why do people, who I've happen to found my way onto their email list, feel the need to send me the same Eid Mubarak email 40 times?
> 
> Why do fridges in the UAE have locks on them?


1. You can't have too much of a good thing.

2. So you can say you've lost the key and can't open the door when the beer patrol comes looking for your illegal stash (newbies might believe this ).

Why do taxi drivers always want to take me backside?


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## Laowei (Nov 29, 2009)

Why do mothers taking there precious prince and princeses to school loose the ability to join the queue of trafic waiting to turn into the street by the school, only realising at the last minute that all those other cars are actually there for a reason and then block the other lane waiting to cut in. Join the bloody queue you selfish morons. There thats better.


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## Gigi 1974 (Aug 17, 2010)

Tolerance and respect, should be the next biggest find for human population, all people who cut in front of any line should be moved to another planet, they just sour ones day.


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## ccr (Jun 20, 2010)

Gigi 1974 said:


> ...all people who cut in front of any line should be moved to another planet...


They are all in Cairo... Wait! that's another planet (when it comes to driving)


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## Shekamu (Aug 25, 2010)

Mr Rossi said:


> Why do fridges in the UAE have locks on them?


Haha, my dad has 3 fridges + 1 large freezer and none of them have locks.

I guess it's for people who share accomodation?

I knew this miser lady who once asked her maid to lock the fridge when I visited as a kid "because there's Pepsi inside".



bonk said:


> Why do taxi drivers always want to take me backside?


What are you on about?


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## pamela0810 (Apr 5, 2010)

Bonk, you're quite a charmer when it comes to taxi drivers, aren't you?!


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

The purpose of locks on fridges was to stop staff helping themselves to food.
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## pamela0810 (Apr 5, 2010)

Elphaba said:


> The purpose of locks on fridges was to stop staff helping themselves to food.
> -


Elphaba, you're kidding right? 
I thought it was to prevent fat kids from stealing chocolates, etc in the middle of the night but thought it's best if I didn't say this online!


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

pamela0810 said:


> Elphaba, you're kidding right?
> I thought it was to prevent fat kids from stealing chocolates, etc in the middle of the night but thought it's best if I didn't say this online!


Nope. Not kidding. 
-


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## pamela0810 (Apr 5, 2010)

I shouldn't be shocked as I'm sure there are plenty of people who do this out here anyway!


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## bonk (Jun 13, 2008)

Shekamu said:


> What are you on about?


You haven't been in a Dubai Taxi?



pamela0810 said:


> Bonk, you're quite a charmer when it comes to taxi drivers, aren't you?!


Ah, that explains it. It's some sort of compliment then ...


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## pamela0810 (Apr 5, 2010)

bonk said:


> Ah, that explains it. It's some sort of compliment then ...


Of course it's a compliment, next time someone asks to take you backside you must oblige. It would be rude not to!


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## bonk (Jun 13, 2008)

pamela0810 said:


> Of course it's a compliment, next time someone asks to take you backside you must oblige. It would be rude not to!


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## Shekamu (Aug 25, 2010)

A quick search for "Fridge Lock" on Google gives results related to child-proofing a house.

As for servants being prevented from accessing food - a lot of them are involved in food preparation, so they'd have access anyway, and providing them with food is part of the deal for most people.

Maybe I'm being biased/racist as is usual for anyone living in the UAE, but there are certain nationalities which aren't very used to having servants and they abuse them more frequently. In some countries it's actually still common to have slaves, and they treat their servants as such.

Anyway, interestingly, the etiquette for obtaining food is actually mentioned in the Quran: Surah 24. An-Nur, Ayah 61 | Compare Translations | Qur'an | Qur'an & Hadith | Alim.org

So, legally speaking, nobody can prevent me from accessing their fridge if I fit the criteria mentioned in the link above


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## pamela0810 (Apr 5, 2010)

Shekamu said:


> A quick search for "Fridge Lock" on Google gives results related to child-proofing a house.
> 
> As for servants being prevented from accessing food - a lot of them are involved in food preparation, so they'd have access anyway, and providing them with food is part of the deal for most people.
> 
> ...


So, if anybody needs me, I'll be having dinner at my neighbour's house while they're on vacation!


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

The question was why there were locks on fridges in the UAE & I gave the relevant answer. People may well use locks for different reasons in other countries, but here it was to stop maids stealing food. In many countries it is not common to find fridges with integral locks.


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## Shekamu (Aug 25, 2010)

Elphaba said:


> The question was why there were locks on fridges in the UAE & I gave the relevant answer. People may well use locks for different reasons in other countries, but here it was to stop maids stealing food. In many countries it is not common to find fridges with integral locks.


But how do you know that's the reason the UAE imports fridges with built-in locks? Does it say that in the user guide or brochure?

I've seen plenty of fridges without locks as well. Maybe we should ask one of the distributors.


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## wandabug (Apr 22, 2010)

Why has my bathroom got a bum gun AND a bidet????


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

Shekamu said:


> But how do you know that's the reason the UAE imports fridges with built-in locks? Does it say that in the user guide or brochure?
> 
> I've seen plenty of fridges without locks as well. Maybe we should ask one of the distributors.


Oh do stop being silly & argumentative. It is the reason & everyone who has been here for some time knows that. 
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## pamela0810 (Apr 5, 2010)

Is that a bidet?!  I thought it was a mini bathtub for babies! 
(I am kidding!)


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## Gavtek (Aug 23, 2009)

Why do people travel at the speed of light to get to the mall, performing all sorts of dangerous and risky maneouvers to save fractions of a second, then spend the next half an hour sitting in their car waiting for a space as close as possible to the door?


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## ccr (Jun 20, 2010)

Gavtek said:


> Why do people travel at the speed of light to get to the mall, performing all sorts of dangerous and risky maneouvers to save fractions of a second, then spend the next half an hour sitting in their car waiting for a space as close as possible to the door?


Same reason why kids growing up in the middle of the desert having vitamin D deficiency...


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

Gavtek said:


> Why do people travel at the speed of light to get to the mall, performing all sorts of dangerous and risky maneouvers to save fractions of a second, then spend the next half an hour sitting in their car waiting for a space as close as possible to the door?


That is closely aligned to the question - why do people drive huge 4x4s then slow to a snail's pace to go over a small speed bump.
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## Shekamu (Aug 25, 2010)

Why is everywhere in Dubai now called "Jumeirah"?

Okay, there's the Jumeirah hotel brand, but why did Nakheel name their development that's all the way out near Dubai Marina "Jumeirah Lake Towers"?

Also, Umm Suqeim, Al Wasl and Al Safa aren't "Jumeirah". For some reason, people just stop using the name once they reach Satwa.


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

Elphaba said:


> That is closely aligned to the question - why do people drive huge 4x4s then slow to a snail's pace to go over a small speed bump.
> -


Cause you literally fly over it if you go too fast and bump your head against the ceiling when the car literally takes off (slight exageration on my part but you get the idea )

Cause we're trying to annoy the guy in the Yaris behind us...as soon as he tries to pass, accelerate! Of course I would do no such thing... :angel:


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

Gavtek said:


> Why do people travel at the speed of light to get to the mall, performing all sorts of dangerous and risky maneouvers to save fractions of a second, then spend the next half an hour sitting in their car waiting for a space as close as possible to the door?


Ain't it fun though when you get there at the right time and beat them to the parking space just cause they had parked just of it! If looks could kill...

I had an incident when this Arab guy and an expat lady blocked my car in and refused to reverse cause they both wanted the space. I had to get out of my car and literally tell them that unless they both moved, neither of them would get the space as I obviously needed to vacate the space first and they were both blocking me in!!! Whoever said that common sense was dead!! :doh:
The Arab guy won the fight as he obviously had the bigger car and looked like he would have driven over that poor woman to get into that space!


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## wandabug (Apr 22, 2010)

Shekamu said:


> Why is everywhere in Dubai now called "Jumeirah"?
> 
> Okay, there's the Jumeirah hotel brand, but why did Nakheel name their development that's all the way out near Dubai Marina "Jumeirah Lake Towers"?
> 
> Also, Umm Suqeim, Al Wasl and Al Safa aren't "Jumeirah". For some reason, people just stop using the name once they reach Satwa.


Jumeirah Islands.
Jumeirah Lake Towers,
Jumeirah Park,
Jumeirah Village Central / South / Triangle
Jumeirah Heights..

They should just change Dubai to Jumeirah !!!

Mind you this is the place that held a competition to choose a name for the fountains and the winner was..........The Dubai Fountains !


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## Shekamu (Aug 25, 2010)

wandabug said:


> Jumeirah Islands.
> Jumeirah Lake Towers,
> Jumeirah Park,
> Jumeirah Village Central / South / Triangle
> ...


LOL.. which fountains? The one at Dubai Mall?

In case anyone was interested in the meaning of _Jumeirah_ it's the diminutive form of _Jamrah_ meaning 'burning ember' because of the glow it gave.


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## pamela0810 (Apr 5, 2010)

wandabug said:


> Mind you this is the place that held a competition to choose a name for the fountains and the winner was..........The Dubai Fountains !


:rofl: I wonder which genius came up with THAT name!


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

Shekamu said:


> LOL.. which fountains? The one at Dubai Mall?
> 
> In case anyone was interested in the meaning of _Jumeirah_ it's the diminutive form of _Jamrah_ meaning 'burning ember' because of the glow it gave.


*puts up hand* I'm interested. 

Do you know if there's a particular reason why the area was named after jamrah/burning embers ?
-


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## rsinner (Feb 3, 2009)

Okay - looks like a slow day at work, or maybe I am just being lazy. In any case, wasn't an easy answer to find

From this link FITCH - "_Jumeirah is a good name. *It comes from the coal used by the fishermen on the beach to signal their presence*, although few people know this today_."

Also, from Wikipedia "_Historically, Arabs living in the Jumeirah were fishermen, pearl divers and traders_." Jumeirah - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

So now it makes sense. Interestingly "_Jumeirah is generally agreed to be one of the most exclusive parts of Dubai and this has led to the use of the Jumeirah name as a brand which signifies exclusivity_"


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## bonk (Jun 13, 2008)

pamela0810 said:


> :rofl: I wonder which genius came up with THAT name!


Apparently 15 residents of Dubai who won a competition with a prize of 100,000 dhs.

Dubai Fountain


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## pamela0810 (Apr 5, 2010)

bonk said:


> Apparently 15 residents of Dubai who won a competition with a prize of 100,000 dhs.
> 
> Dubai Fountain


I would've called it "The Khalifa Sprays"  Seems more fitting considering it's proximity to the Burj Khalifa


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

The UAE has a history of being unimaginative when naming buildings & companies.

Burj = tower
Etisalat = communications
Nakheel = The palms
Ruwaad = property

See what I mean? 
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## Shekamu (Aug 25, 2010)

Ruwaad isn't property.

Anyway, 'saqam' is sickness and 'suqeim' is the diminutive. 

*Umm Suqeim* literally means the 'mother of sickness' but usually when used on land 'umm' just means that area has the following attributes, which in this case is sickness.

This was after a fever had spread in the area.

*Satwa* literally means ascendance. It's a word for domination and forceful takeover, as there were a lot of raids in the area (perhaps unchanged to this day).

The boring names came after these mass projects started with names like "Emirates Hills" - "The Meadows" and "The Lakes". The weird thing is their Arabic names are all translated. I thought they made that illegal years ago. They have to transliterate.

Emirates Hills should be called Telal Al Emarat as it's known in Arabic. The Meadows is Al Suhool, Dubai Marina is Al Marsa and Arabian Ranches is Al Marabe'.


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

Apologies, I was told that ruwaad meant property. What does it mean?

Interesting how only the English names are used for Emirates Hills area. I have never come across the Arabic names & doubt that most people would know about them.

Posting from the mother of sickness! 
-


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## Shekamu (Aug 25, 2010)

Elphaba said:


> Apologies, I was told that ruwaad meant property. What does it mean?
> 
> Interesting how only the English names are used for Emirates Hills area. I have never come across the Arabic names & doubt that most people would know about them.
> 
> ...


Ruwaad is 'leaders' or 'pioneers'.

The Arabic names of the new developments in Dubai are actually commonly used by Arabic-speakers. I use the Arabic name for all except a few like 'Meadows'.

An interesting development in the naming of buildings in Dubai was Mall of the Emirates. Its Arabic name is "Mall Al Emarat". I think it's one of the few cases where the English was transliterated into Arabic. Most other shopping centres are called "Markaz" in Arabic for centre.

They introduced the word 'Mall' into the Arabic language.


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

Interesting stuff. More please. 

(But I am a bit of a language geek.)


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## pamela0810 (Apr 5, 2010)

Hopefully Mr. Rossi now knows why his fridge has a lock!


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