Abez Is... 
Green Eggs, Citizen Journalism, and Ham.
I came across an article the other day that made reference to "citizen journalism," a phenomenon so powerful that news conglomerates and spin doctors could no longer cover up unsavory events. Try as they may to keep things hidden, news gets out because somewhere, someone blogs about it. I find that both a little reassuring and a lotta scary- reassuring because however small, and however obscured by blogs about the dog and why I hate the girl at my office, the public still has a voice.What's a little scary though, is that the media is so unreliable and hopelessly twisted by political and private slants that we only know what they want us to know, and even when we find out, they distract us with pretty pictures and colored lights and we forget our indignation and buy iPods and move on. (Oooh, shiny!)
HF and I own a second-hand iPod btw, it's fantastic for listening to ibooks in the car. Living in the UAE means living in traffic alot. Moving on-
So in the spirit of (hemhem) Citizen Journalism, I would like to pretend like my blog is a news forum and throw out a question- Would you carpool? I've started freelancing for papers here, and in the spirit of the recent focus on how very badly the traffic in Dubai stinks, I'm supposed to be writing up on how to fix the problem instead of just whining about it.
So, would you carpool?
Would you, could you, carpool?
Would you carpool from your house?
Would you carpool with a louse?
I would not carpool from my house.
I would not carpool with a louse.
I would not carpool from the docks.
I would not carpool in my socks.
I would not carpool here or there.
I would not carpool anywhere.
I would not carpool, Sam-I-Am
Not even in your new Grand Am.
-ahem-
posted by Abez @ 11/19/2006 11:03:00 AM
16 Comments:
Dude, the journo-writing is getting to ye. It's addled your brains. You're one step away from being me. Be afraid, be very afraid.
I would not carpool, because I hate it when people do not like the music I listen to, and no-one likes the music I listen to....yes, I am a big champion of freedom of choice that way...the freedom to choose to like what I like.
But I strongly advocate car-pooling for the UAE road-dwellers...I clap and give thumbs up every time I see two people in a car on my morning drive to work...In those 90 minutes of pure agony I always end up finding at least one car where there are three people in one car, and I thank them for reducing two cars on the road...those guys probably do not have music players in those cars...or maybe two out of every three are deaf...or maybe they all just listen to good music, and where's the fun in that...
But, yeah, people ought to car pool.
It it were convenient to my lifestyle, yes. But as it is, I would not drag two other people everyday to my babysitter's house and back to my house (backtracking anyone?) on a daily basis. It doesn't work for us.
you know, they otta print your poetry in the paper, it's much more interesting than the news they print.
the dr.suess poetry is just plain funny. you should get them to publish that!
This is really weird... just as a story about Rupert Murdoch controlling the British Press finished on the news... I read this.
I reckon the UAE should siphon some of its truckloads of money into reliable, little-polluting public transport. And I'm saying this even after having spent a couple of hours in the suffocatingly packed London Tube. I'd rather be stuffy than be rained on by acid, see?
And I love the fact that blogs make such a difference! Although, having seen some of the many Islamophobic anti-Mexican immigrant white supremacist blogs, you've got a lot to combat, Citizen Journalism. (I know it's not meant to be a noun - but it just sounds so cool as one. Like Citizen Kane.)
Lol, it's always great to have intelligent feedback- I've been away from the blog for a few days and was pleasantly surprised by what's accumulated in the comment box.
I was wondering though, can I quote you guyses>? All of yous? (AOIF, Saira, Knicq, Owl)
And Lawrence, Hemmie, if I can somehow work the poem into the article, believe me, I will :D
You sure can!
(BTW which paper is this and is it viewable online?)
It will be in the Emirates Today, and it's available online, yesh.
I am just wondering why you would want to quote Owlie's comment above in this article...On second thought, knowing how you write, I am sure its going to be entertaining...hope Owlie doesn't mind!
Sorry guyses, due to space constraints I had to cut down all ut three quotes- one from Hemmie, one from a guy who DID share his ride, and one from someone who felt they couldn't trust ridesharers. :(
When the border tax arrives, only carpools will save the poor crossborder commuters.
You did good in the Hijab counterpoint feature, Abez.
Oh yeah - congrats on the chamchamaata, naya domain name. I see you now have a really sweet supporting cast too.
Good to be back.
With two blogs of my own ;-)
farrukh
DUDE!!! update?
Oh, right! hehe
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