Mrs Sythe found these while poking around on Pinterest... I think some of them are so clever I'm sharing them with you all :)
le fin.
le fin.
Showing posts with label Stuff. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stuff. Show all posts
Sunday, 28 October 2012
Sunday, 1 April 2012
April Fools!
Well, some of you may have read my post earlier today regarding a rapid bus lane planned for Muscat.
It is, of course, an April Fools joke. The especially observant ones of you may have clocked that the ONTC spokesperson, Faisal Dropoly, is actually an anagram of April Fools Day!
Even though a dedicated HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lane would be a pretty sweet development for the city's growing traffic problems, there are currently no plans that I'm aware of for anything of the sort.
ONTC really are on a 5 year plan, and their website is being totally overhauled and will be launching in 8 days.
Have a nice evening everyone!
More tomorrow!
le fin.
Monday, 13 February 2012
Happy Valentines Day
As is becoming sort of tradition here on MM, here's some lolcatz.
Happy Valentines day everyone that cares....
le fin.
Happy Valentines day everyone that cares....
le fin.
Friday, 11 November 2011
Book review: Storm Front
I dont think I've written a book review since I was 10 and had to write a review about James and the Giant Peach, but this time I wanted to share with you all the latest book that I've just finished reading:
I won't go into detail about the book, but it's very well researched, and well written and very informative. Very enlightening the way that the Accession to the throne of His Majesty is described in the opening chapters of the book. And as for the battle at the end in Mirbat, I could not put the book down it was so interesting to me.
Click this Amazon link for more details (don't worry it's not a referral thing!).
Well worth the tenner it currently costs.
The blurb says:
In early 1970, the Commanding Officer of 22 SAS flew into the strategically critical Sultanate of Oman on a covert intelligence mission. A Communist rebellion in the south threatened not only the stability of the Arabian Peninsula but more importantly the vital oil routes through the Persian Gulf.
Within six months, the Regiment arrived in theatre to lead a fierce, secret war against the rebels.
From a remote RAF airbase in the desert, an elite band of British pilots, flying difficult, dangerous missions in Strikemaster jets and Vietnam-era Huey helicopters, were scrambled alongside them.
For the British soldiers and airmen, it was to be no easy victory. The enemy were well supplied with weaponry and training from China and the Soviet Union, and despite confronting the largest assault force ever deployed by the SAS, many months later the rebels were still fighting back.
At dawn on 19 July, 1972, a force of nearly 300 heavily armed, well-trained guerillas attacked the little fishing port of Mirbat without warning. Between them and glory stood a team of just nine SAS men, and the skill of the British fighter pilots. The scene was set for an epic encounter; a modern-day Rorke's Drift. Their heroism would become SAS legend.
Drawing on extensive interviews with participants from the SAS, the RAF and the Sultan's Armed Forces, most of whom have never spoken about their involvement before, as well as previously classified documents from both the UK and Oman, Storm Front weaves an unputdownable tale of intrigue, action, daring and astonishing bravery in the face of overwhelming odds.
I highly recomend reading it.
le fin.
I won't go into detail about the book, but it's very well researched, and well written and very informative. Very enlightening the way that the Accession to the throne of His Majesty is described in the opening chapters of the book. And as for the battle at the end in Mirbat, I could not put the book down it was so interesting to me.
Click this Amazon link for more details (don't worry it's not a referral thing!).
Well worth the tenner it currently costs.
The blurb says:
In early 1970, the Commanding Officer of 22 SAS flew into the strategically critical Sultanate of Oman on a covert intelligence mission. A Communist rebellion in the south threatened not only the stability of the Arabian Peninsula but more importantly the vital oil routes through the Persian Gulf.
Within six months, the Regiment arrived in theatre to lead a fierce, secret war against the rebels.
From a remote RAF airbase in the desert, an elite band of British pilots, flying difficult, dangerous missions in Strikemaster jets and Vietnam-era Huey helicopters, were scrambled alongside them.
For the British soldiers and airmen, it was to be no easy victory. The enemy were well supplied with weaponry and training from China and the Soviet Union, and despite confronting the largest assault force ever deployed by the SAS, many months later the rebels were still fighting back.
At dawn on 19 July, 1972, a force of nearly 300 heavily armed, well-trained guerillas attacked the little fishing port of Mirbat without warning. Between them and glory stood a team of just nine SAS men, and the skill of the British fighter pilots. The scene was set for an epic encounter; a modern-day Rorke's Drift. Their heroism would become SAS legend.
Drawing on extensive interviews with participants from the SAS, the RAF and the Sultan's Armed Forces, most of whom have never spoken about their involvement before, as well as previously classified documents from both the UK and Oman, Storm Front weaves an unputdownable tale of intrigue, action, daring and astonishing bravery in the face of overwhelming odds.
I highly recomend reading it.
le fin.
Friday, 5 August 2011
The start of my latest nightmare: Moving house
It's been a time of change for me lately, and now I've also decided to change my house.
Essentially my land lord is a douche, and so after 4 years of living in one of his properties, enough is enough and we're moving out. We've found a new house to live in, not very far away, but I'm already expecting massive problems with moving our life there.
A cursory ten minute inspection of the Omantel website netted absolutely zero information about how to transfer services from one building to another. This should be enlightening. For those of you that have moved, can you make any suggestions? Warnings?
I've already decided to ignore OSN and just pay someone privately to come and move my dish to the new property - i've heard it can take weeks to get OSN to come and do it.
So, if any of you have any tips with regards to moving within Oman please do let me know!
le fin.
Friday, 29 July 2011
Ramadhan treats with a twist.
Once again, we are nearly in Ramadhan and the mountains of caramel pudding and evaporated milk have been erected faithfully in Lulu and Carrefour just tempting you to buy 24 packs of the stuff. Dont forget to also pick up a handy 12-pack of hot-sauce as well. You can never have too much hot sauce.
So yes, Ramadhan. And with this time, comes two great things (other than the obvious religious benefits):
1. Awesome sales in the shops.
and, 2. Iftar and the foods that come with it.
It's become quite popular I have noticed in the last few years to give large bouquets of chocolates and such to friends/clients/etc with Patchi leading the way in the fancy chocolate stakes. Well, this year I received from a friend a box of BreadTalk mini pastries. I actually received 2 boxes, I guess they know I like sweet things. Being the nice person I am, I decided to share these beauties with the colleagues in my office. I had one Omani colleague asking me if she could have more than 1 and seemingly beyond herself with excitement at eating these pastries. She is pregnant so I'll give her a pass - glad she enjoyed them!
Someone had been in the office earlier with a box of 24 Dunkin Donughts and there were still a few left in the box, but these beauties were consumed in record time - I felt bad when 3 guys came looking for some of the pastries only to find they had all gone! You snooze you lose!
Anyway, it was such a success, I have decided that this year I'm going to give these BreadTalk boxes instead of my usual Patchi gifts to friends and clients. Check them out at Bareeq Al Shatti (Shining Shatti) - the box package costs RO 5 for a 16 piece box and makes for a nice change to the usual chocolate gifts :) I'm told if you buy 5 for RO 25, they'll give you a box for free as well, how nice! I wonder if they are in partnership with VLCC for people wanting to go on a diet after eating them!
So yes, Ramadhan. And with this time, comes two great things (other than the obvious religious benefits):
1. Awesome sales in the shops.
and, 2. Iftar and the foods that come with it.
It's become quite popular I have noticed in the last few years to give large bouquets of chocolates and such to friends/clients/etc with Patchi leading the way in the fancy chocolate stakes. Well, this year I received from a friend a box of BreadTalk mini pastries. I actually received 2 boxes, I guess they know I like sweet things. Being the nice person I am, I decided to share these beauties with the colleagues in my office. I had one Omani colleague asking me if she could have more than 1 and seemingly beyond herself with excitement at eating these pastries. She is pregnant so I'll give her a pass - glad she enjoyed them!
Someone had been in the office earlier with a box of 24 Dunkin Donughts and there were still a few left in the box, but these beauties were consumed in record time - I felt bad when 3 guys came looking for some of the pastries only to find they had all gone! You snooze you lose!
Anyway, it was such a success, I have decided that this year I'm going to give these BreadTalk boxes instead of my usual Patchi gifts to friends and clients. Check them out at Bareeq Al Shatti (Shining Shatti) - the box package costs RO 5 for a 16 piece box and makes for a nice change to the usual chocolate gifts :) I'm told if you buy 5 for RO 25, they'll give you a box for free as well, how nice! I wonder if they are in partnership with VLCC for people wanting to go on a diet after eating them!
le fin.
Sunday, 19 June 2011
It's Fathers Day
So, if like me, you forgot that today is Fathers Day, this is a public service posting!
If your a father, congratulations, if you have a father, be sure to wish him well today!
le fin.
Saturday, 26 March 2011
Help raise money for Edna Adan Hospital in Hargeisa, Somaliland
I recently learned about a trip due to depart shortly to Somaliland to help with the Edna Adan Hospital in Hargeisa city. Now, I realise that helping a hospital in a distant country might not be the top of your list for helping things out (Japan is definitely in need of help too right now), but the people raising money to help this hotel are based here in Muscat, and this is their facebook page - go check it out.
They have been very generously donated with a number of Onyz Boox 60 e-readers. These things regularly retail for RO 150 (US $399) but they are on sale for RO 60 to help raise funds for the hospital. If you are interested, you can email v_balboa@hotmail.com for more information, I understand that there are quite a few for sale.
Doing some googling, I found a review of the device here and here. In short, the device works with all current formats of ebook (including .pdf) and has a wifi connection, mp3 player, internet browser and memory card slot.
So if you are looking for an ebook reader, you can get a nice one, for less than half the price, and also help out a hospital in Africa to boot.
le fin.
They have been very generously donated with a number of Onyz Boox 60 e-readers. These things regularly retail for RO 150 (US $399) but they are on sale for RO 60 to help raise funds for the hospital. If you are interested, you can email v_balboa@hotmail.com for more information, I understand that there are quite a few for sale.
Doing some googling, I found a review of the device here and here. In short, the device works with all current formats of ebook (including .pdf) and has a wifi connection, mp3 player, internet browser and memory card slot.
So if you are looking for an ebook reader, you can get a nice one, for less than half the price, and also help out a hospital in Africa to boot.
le fin.
Oman Forum back up
Just a small post to update those of you who are wondering what has happened to Oman Forum. A few days ago, the forum was hacked by an unknown person or group of people. Rather than your standard "ha ha we hacked you" bragging, it appears that the damage is much more significant, and so a lot of work has had to be done.
"Neo" the forum's chief administrator has been working over the weekend with his technician and the forum is now back up, pending a few further changes to the look and feel of the forum. Back to normal then!
le fin.
"Neo" the forum's chief administrator has been working over the weekend with his technician and the forum is now back up, pending a few further changes to the look and feel of the forum. Back to normal then!
le fin.
Sunday, 13 February 2011
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