Welcome to rascott.com
This is a
personal site that reflects my interests in news,
current affairs, aviation and travel.
email me at robert@rascott.com
Now In Dubai:
Scott
Consulting
Photo Albums
My photographs have been moved off this site and are now stored on Picasa. They
were simply taking up too much space on my web host.
Please use
this link to see my list of photo albums.
Some
Useful links:
Information:
World Time
Clock
Exchange Rates
Journalism:
ForeignPolicy
Nationsonline.org
Project Syndicate
Amnesty International
Reporters w/o borders
The Guardian
BBC World News
CNN Asia
Bangkok Post
Daylife.com - news
Gulf News
Arabian Business
World News
WSJ - Asia
Good causes:
Sister
Joan - Bangkok
Regional Info:
BKK Magazine
HK Magazine
In
Singapore Magazine
TimeOut Dubai
Back in the UK:
Newton Ferrers
And for fun:
Lin Ping live panda tv
EarthCam
History
BBC Archive
National Media
Museum
The British Library
Imperial War Museum
There are many other links on my AOB blog page.
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An Occasional Blog
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Dubai based Airine bloggers
TampaxTowers
Egypt Thailand Blogs Bangkok Metblogs - city life Thai-blogs.com - rather serious
2bangkok.com
-
not really a blog but always up to date on Bangkok news
BKKOK.com
Thai
Girl The exotic adventures of a literary
sexagenarian.
Thai Films
Thai Mass Transit Systems Asia Unbound -
CFR
Dubai Blogs
dxbae
- picture blog
Al - Emarati - English language UAE blog
Grumpy
Goat
Arabic affairs blogs
The Arabist
Hong Kong Blogs In China: Danwei - media and advertising news from China
Shanghai
Diaries - self explanatory
Hong Kong Cinemagic
My Olive
Tree - Macau blog
In Singapore: Xiaxue - self-confessed mean, bitchy, sex goddess who says "wah" a lot!
Mr Brown
- colourful commentary from Singapore
In Burma:
In Canada:
Media:
Tabloid
Watch (UK) Aviation: Amadeus (airline schedules) Airline meals - see it b4 you eat it !
Airliners
- aviation forum, trip reports and pix
archive Planenation - commercial aviation news Airchive - a web museum of commercial aviation.
CrankyFlier - mainly US commentary
Sharjah -
1937
Johnny Jet News: The Guardian - UK
Arabian
Business China sites: Bangkok info sites Worthy Sites:
Rconversation - from Rebecca
MacKinnon, ex-TV reporter-turned-blogger.
Golf Sites:
Fun Sites:
Fun signs
Cooking
Technology Ideas:
Stuff -
gadgets
TNooz - Travel Tech
The Rest:
Black
Flamingo - recipes and life (no golf!)
Author
Robert Scott lives and works in Dubai; born in England I have since lived in Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok. I am very happily married to Tai.
If you want to know more you only need to ask! ask.
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31 October 2011 Tomorrow Singapore Airlines will unveil details about its forthcoming low-cost, long-haul airline. Scoot? ************************ ************************* Sunday nights in Madrid are crazy. Everyone is out in the city. Walking, shopping, eating, drinking. The sun is shining and there must be more cars and cafes in this city that anywhere else on the planet. But it is fun. People are out late. But they are not boorish; they are not vomiting in the streets or pissing on the walls. ie. This is not the UK. It is not Dubai either !! But how on earth do people get up for work on Monday morning? 26 October 2011 Surreal. Sitting in an apartment on the Costa Del Sol trying to watch BBC1's new series - The Frozen World. Five minutes into the programme and we have a visual of mating polar bears! David Attenborough is still a genius. And the quality of film work is truly remarkable. Stunning images. When the DVD is out we should all buy it but watch it while sitting in a fridge to get the idea of just how cold this film making was! ****************************** ******************************* 25 October 2011 How strange it is not to have internet access. Feels like part of me is missing. Tai and I are traveling with Alex this week. We started in Madrid on 22nd; and are now on the Costa del Sol....really the Costa del Brit given that the majority population here still appears to be British...staying at Benalmadena for two nights - great apartment, just no internet! So apologies if you missed me for a few days. 21 October 2011 All you need to know about the UAE's
traffic woes -
Why Are Dubai and Abu Dhabi's Roads Some of the World's Most Dangerous? So true: For all its faults, democracy provides much better retirement plans for its leaders. As Gaddafi is killed at last in Libya - ending 42 years of dictatorship. **************************** Not that he has much money to spend I suspect. ***************************** After all this was such a huge success when the yellow shirts took over BKK three years ago - by the way - was anyone ever prosecuted for that - thought not.... ******************************* One message on Thai Visa gets things about right among all the mud slinging: "This isn't the fault of the current government, but every government for the past 20+ years. Thailand is a country that has annual flooding. But it worsens each year when rampant deforestation is allowed for resorts and private mansions, which results is fewer trees and other types of growth which can soak up the rain, as well as provide stability for the soil. It happens when factories and housing estates are built in low lying areas, there by impeding the natural flow of water. And all of this is caused by the greed which permeates Thai society and thinking at every level. "Live for today, make as much money as you can, and who cares about tomorrow" should be the motto for Thailand, not "Land of Smiles". I don't see a lot of smiling going on now.....This flood is a tragedy which I doubt any Thai government could effectively deal with, or could have prevented under the current circumstances. The loss of lives and property, as well as businesses is sad by any means. The best Thailand can hope for is that they will actually LEARN from this, and then take the necessary steps to develop a new water management program that will benefit ALL of Thailand, and not just BKK." *********************************** 19 October 2011 The Nation is such a rag - "but the collapse of dykes here and there shows Yingluck’s inability to keep things under control." Yep - a government that has been in power for about two months. Does anyone honestly think that Abhisit's Democrats would have done a better job of managing the worst flooding in decades. Yingluck's difficulties have only been added too rather than aided by the Dems. The Dems control BKK and appoint the city Governor who has already said that his is the only voice to be trusted. It is a mess. Business and livelihoods have been damaged, in some cases beyond repair. But the predictable blame game in the Nation - disgraceful. ******************************** The argument that the airport is safe and secure is not convincing.... 18 October 2011 The trouble with the Pan Am TV series is that the TV version of the airline is flying to places that Pan American did not fly to in 1963 and probably never did fly to. Episode 4 took the crew to Jakarta, Rangoon and Hong Kong. Pan Am flew to Hong Kong. And back to America via Tokyo, Honolulu and onto SFO or LAX. Flights operated to Jakarta via Saigon and Singapore. This link takes you to the Pan Am timetable for 1 August 1963. ************************ This must be what the authorities referred to as the flood prevention plan at Bangkok's international airport. So what are the Thai people and thousands of tourists not being told? ************************* Exactly..... ************************** The flight operates from 03 November The timing is strange - it still looks as though it should be flying onto an additional destination. **************************** Meteorologists warn that visibility
is expected to remain at dangerous levels for several days at times when
many commuters are taking to the road. Happy Anniversary to us! How is it that we can get better French food in Bangkok that we can in France? And why is Saint-Tropez so outrageously expensive? Why have French people not yet learned the noble art of poop and scoop? 13 October 2011 Best advice for Bangkok right now: When your government tells don't
panic, it is time to scream and run. As Bangkok readies for the great flood this is just one example of how unprepared the authorities are - a tweet from the editor of the Nation newspaper - "Thai Airways has announced readiness to move to U-tapao if Suvarnabhumi runways are flooded "even by half an inch."" Sorry - logistically that is not going to happen - maybe one or two flights. No more than that. 7 October 2011 Nick Kristof of the New York Times left this facebook message today - and it is worth repeating: Happy 80th birthday, Desmond Tutu! You're the greatest, one of a kind. We all stand in awe of your integrity, courage and compassion. May you continue to serve the world until you're 180! *********************** Number 17 (MSN 080)is due for delivery to the airline is scheduled for October 27th 6 October 2011 ps: Steve Jobs died. Forget all these tv sensitive comments on his passing; he died! *********************** *********************** RIP - Steve Jobs. *********************** 4 October 2011 Channel 5's The Wright Stuff plumbed the depths today: "Foxy Knoxy: Would Ya? Dear oh dear ! ******************************* 2 October 2011 My first fantasy - at least that I can recall involved Wei Wei Wong - she was one of the original members of the UK's most popular television song and dance groups of the 70's 'The Young Generation' & 'The Second Generation.' They appeared on shows like The Rolf Harris Show. She also did a few episodes of The Golden Shot with Bob Monkhouse. OK - I was about 10yrs old. In The Man with the Golden Gun she played the bar girl in the Bottoms Up club. What I did not know was that sadly she died in 1999 - at the age of 51. Breast cancer. ************************* ************************** ************************** "Dad's Army is still on terrestrial
television. That odd, very historically specific scenario has amused and
touched a mainstream audience for more than 40 years. When it started,
many Home Guardsmen were still alive. Now wartime children are in their
dotage. Its writers, Croft and Jimmy Perry, used that small-scale setting
to be funny about enormous subjects — class envy, war, ageing, mortality,
fascism and even, in Sergeant Wilson's relationship with Pike's mother,
sexual shame – and to create intriguing characters whom millions loved. **************************** And winners of the first two and last two games meet in the semi finals - so there will be a northern hemisphere side in the final. South Africa v Australia is huge for a quarter final - and that all happens because the Irish beat the Aussies. With teams beginning to get bruised and battered and injured then it may come down to who has the strongest squad. OK - predictions - England v Ireland and South Africa and NZ in the semi finals; and an England v NZ final. *************************** And to think most people just thought that she was being honest for once! And in an even weirder message from the TAN news network: "Pheu Thai quotes intelligence sources claiming attempt to overthrow govt and wreak havoc through 9-step plan" Not a shred of evidence presented. 30 September 2011 Luke Donald's streak of holes without a three-putt ends at 449 at Dunhill Links....that is competitive golf on championship courses - 25 rounds of consecutive golf without a 3 putt! *************************** ************************** |
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29 September 2011 This would have been scary - Pilot’s toilet break mishap sent ANA jet into nose-dive 27 September 2011 Shakespeare's Hamlet - ultra condensed - "Whine whine whine...To be or not to be...I'm dead" *************************** So what will Emirates order? The Good Wife is back on TV - though she appears to be more like a naughty ex-wife making up for lost time ! And Pan Am debuted on TV as well. **************************** Part of the problem was with watching the movie in Dubai - the censor chopped out large chunks of nudity from what was originally an R rated movie in the USA. It wrecks the movies continuity. Gratuitous and horrible violence is fine. Nudity is a no-no. **************************** 129,000 voters were hand picked to elect 20 representatives to the 40 person Federal National Council - which has an advisory role and cannot create or veto legislation. The remaining 20 seats are filled by nominees of the rulers of the seven emirates. Of the 129,000 who were chosen to vote only about 28% bothered to do so. 24 September 2011 It is the All Blacks v France today. This will decide first and second in the group - with quarter finals against Scotland or England in two weeks. *********************** ************************ 22 September 2011 The new British Airways advertisement - to fly, to serve. Take a look. And this background film is fun as well. British Airways people and planes over the last 90 years ************************** ************************** *************************** Ben Amos, Ezekiel Fryers, Fabio, Antonio Valencia, Ryan Giggs (Paul Pogba, 45), Park Ji-Sung, Michael Carrick, Federico Macheda (Larnell Cole, 78), Dimitar Berbatov, Mame Biram Diouf (Danny Welbeck, 70), Michael Owen Two goals from Michael Owen. Forgotten by England. 21 September 2011 Chalerm's son Wan Yoobamrung has been made "Mr Airport Link" to lead crackdown on airport taxi mafia and be Airport Link presenter. Oh dear. 20 September 2011 While in Dubai - The Dubai Police
chief has urged all of his officers to continue dealing with the public in
the most courteous way possible. Maybe tell that to the officer at the Emirates Group HQ who tells tired crew, in not the most pleasant manner, that if they want a taxi they should go and stand at the bus stop. ************************** ************************** The Nation excitedly reports today
that Thai Government figures yesterday threw their support behind a
proposal by a group of legal scholars to expunge all records and judicial
decisions originating from the 2006 coup. I wonder if they can make me 5 years younger as well! 18 September 2011 Headline of the day for the Italian PM - Berlusconi slept with 8 women in 1 night ************************** The Emmy for best actor in a drama
series goes to Kyle Chandler, for Friday Night Lights. This is a surprise
– beating Steve Buscemi, Jon Hamm and Hugh Laurie. 14 September 2011 Phuket is ok for a short visit but I cannot imagine why anyone would want a longer stay here, Tourists in Thailand are basically prey not guests. This article on the tuk-tuk mafia tells you plenty about the attitudes here. And Thailand is a country that is seeking to double the number of tourists that it receives. It is more likely to drive away visitors than attract new ones. As the tide heads out Patong beach is covered in plastic bottles and bags. Have to be impressed by the length of service of many of the women working in the bar area - there appears to be very little staff turnover. 12 September 2011 Arrived in Phuket thanks to a venerable Thai Airways A300. I have no idea what is in the roll that is served in the snack box. But it has the worst taste of anything that I have ever eaten on an airplane. ******************************** ******************************* Note to every vendor in Patong: I do not need a tuk tuk 11 September 2011 Ten years ago. 11-9-2001 was a remarkable day; in all the horror it brought out so much that was good, so much that was heroic. And it is right to commemorate the day. The images were shocking. And of course it was America. It was New York. And it was live on tv. But as a result of the so called war on terror tens, even hundreds, of thousands or people have been killed in Afghanistan and Iraq. Most were civilians. Where is their memorial. That seems to be the part of the day that is missing. That is the part of the day that we are no commemorating. And there lies the disconnect. The family tragedies, the lost sons, fathers, daughters of Iraq and Afghanistan have not been seen or heard. Amazingly it is another bright and sunny day in New York; just like ten years ago. **************************** 9 September 2011 Emirates flight 374 from Dubai to Bangkok was more ordeal than experience last night. The flight was full. Mainly with passengers connecting from GCC flights and heading to BKK on Thursday night for the weekend. Departure was about 45 minutes late. Sleep was impossible due to Tai using me as a footrest, some turbulence and the little lad in seat A who was traveling as a UM and seemed to need the bathroom more times than a young lad should ! Message to one fellow passenger - you have a serious personal hygiene problem - which when Emirates seat people almost on top of eachother, really is very unfair to your fellow passengers. 10 across on a 777 may please the accountants but it is the most cramped you can be in economy on any flight. And anyone sitting at the aisle seats in guaranteed to be clunked into be anyone walking in the aisle - this is worst as passengers are boarding and their bags end up in your face, and when the crew are pushing trolleys like bambi on an ice rink ! Why cant Emirates ever serve drinks with the meal? A glass of wine would make the food tolerable. Instead even if you eat incredibly slowly the drinks always arrive long after you have eaten. We are staying at Siri Sathorn; for two years in 2003/4 this was my Bangkok home. Many of the staff are still here (always a good sign) and it is nice to be back among familiar faces. Tried to sleep in the morning - but only gave myself and even worse headache. So headed out in the afternoon for the usual haul around Silom, Siam Paragon and Siam Center and Siam Square..... And it is raining too much. 8 September 2011 Emirates Airline confirms plans to launch a daily flight between Dubai and Dublin from January 2012. ************************** 7 September 2011 With just four days remaining until the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attack on America there are many articles appearing. This New York magazine encyclopaedia of 9/11 is one of the more comprehensive series of articles. And Time Magazine's cover:
6 September 2011 Last night I saw the ghost of Gloria Gaynor at the foot of my bed. At first I was afraid, then I was petrified. *************************** Meanwhile the Lebanon beat the UAE 3-1 - and the UAE coach was immediately sacked. *************************** *************************** But is the new Orient Thai colour scheme meant to be a poor copy of Thai Airways? 5 September 2011 The usual pr smoke and mirrors....Formula Rossa, the world's fastest roller coaster based at Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi has been closed for the past week for annual maintenance but is expected to come back online "within days". No one would close the park's major attraction through the annual Eid holiday unless it was a safety issue. 4 September 2011 Alex arrived this morning - but he was hugely under whelmed by Emirates crew on the A380. It is an overnight (00.35 departure from HKG); he is in the window seat. He rings the call bell. An hour later a crew member arrives. He asks for a tissue as he seems to have an allergy. The staff say the tissues are in the bathroom; get it yourself. There are two passengers sleeping next to Alex that he has to wake up to get out to the aisle. Note to EK - you really have to do better. The A380 crews are rapidly getting a reputation for being a worrying combination of superior (we are the flagship crew) and idle. 3 September 2011 Golf today - but the humidity was back and for the most part I played like a donkey ! Two shirts; three gloves and gallons of water needed just to get around the course. **************************** ***************************** 2 September 2011 Rome, Madrid, Tokyo, Istanbul, Doha and Baku, Azerbaijan, have submitted bids to host the 2020 Olympics, the International Olympic Committee says The IOC will select the host city by secret ballot on September 7, 2013, in Buenos Aires, Argentina 1 September 2011 Every time I renew this page it amazes me that another two months has passed. ***************************** But some of the late night driving on the Emirates Road is truly alarming - must be something to do with the holiday. ******************************* So what is the Arab League doing in Syria?
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