Man is as intelligent as God

[_Bhodi]

Bhodi,

I am beginning to agree with the Doc, who suggested earlier in the thread that you "give it up".

You are beginning to make a fool of yourself.

The problem is that I really do know a lot about this, and I know I am not looking like a fool. You did not know that the weekend was Friday-Saturday. You did not recognize the name of Sunday in Arabic. Let’s ignore the fact that you do not know the days of the week.

You have demonstrated complete lack of understanding of almost everything related to Middle Eastern culture. It is entirely probable that you were in Oman, and that they fleeced you mercilessly. What I am describing is the recognized as the modus operandi of the region. Apartment pools, maid services, etc... Every statement you have made is not only incorrect, it is ludicrously incorrect. You have said...

" If EVERYTHING were negotiable, we could have walked into the hotels (the Ramada, for example) and obtained a rate that was lower than the posted rate."

Um...yeah. NO ONE pays the full price, unless you are grossly naïve. Are you really saying that I can go to Priceline and haggle in the US, but in Oman, you simply paid the public price, without any negotiations at all? You did not try to talk to the manager? You did not employ a local “fixer”, for lack of a better term, to get a better price for you?

Really?

When you go to the market and ask about a piece of brass work, what they tell you about the price is NOT the real price. No one ever offered you the “Good Friend” price?

Either you are making all of this up, or your company is being embarrassingly exploited in the most naïve and ludicrous manner I have ever heard of. This ranks up with the Simpsons where the college nerds fell prey to the “wallet inspector”.

Here is a website about hotel bargaining in Jerusalem...

http://www.jerusalem-hotel.co.il/170140 ... -in-Israel

"Even though Israel is usually associated with the West, the country is very much Middle Eastern when it comes to purchasing anything, whether it's new jacket or a stay at any one of the hotels in Israel. The name of the game in Israel is "bargaining," and if you don't do it, you're considered a "friar," or sucker."

It is completely unthinkable that you could claim to have lived in the region and not know this.

[_DrW]

Bhodi,

Sorry, my friend, but I do not feel like wasting any more time with you on this.

As to the days of the week, I was commenting on Sunday activities. How you got from these comments to the unwarranted assumption that I did not know what the workweek was in Oman, I will never know. Do you really think that someone would live there for seven months and not know what the work week was?

I have described in detail how we operate there and what it costs us. I have shown with real numbers (look 'em up) that your suggestion for apartment plus hotel accommodation would cost us more than staying in hotels only.

You assumption that we are getting "fleeced" apparently arises from projecting your willingness to live in less expensive accommodations onto us. My deleted comment about the Intercontinentals, Le Meridiens, and Crown Plazas was exactly to this point. Not everyone who does business in the Middle East chooses to live in low rent housing. Referring to your cheap hotel deals in Israel and Egypt does nothing for your credibility, by the way.

I have to agree with the Doc. You appear to be a Mopologist who was rattled by the comparison of my ex-Mormon lifestyle with that of Franktalk, and decided to try and attack my credibility having no idea as to our actual business or living standards while in-country.

[_Bhodi]

Bhodi,

Sorry, my friend, but I do not feel like wasting any more time with you on this.

I would quit were I you.

As to the days of the week, I was commenting on Sunday activities. How you got from these comments to the unwarranted assumption that I did not know what the workweek was in Oman, I will never know. Do you really think that someone would live there for seven months and not know what the work week was?

No, which is why your comments make no sense given your claims.

I have described in detail how we operate there and what it costs us. I have shown with real numbers (look 'em up) that your suggestion for apartment plus hotel accommodation would cost us more than staying in hotels only.

Which contradicts the numerous companies that operate in the region. Again, I have as many years of experience as you have months. What you are claiming is VERY odd.

You assumption that we are getting "fleeced" apparently arises from projecting your willingness to live in less expensive accommodations onto us. My deleted comment about the Intercontinentals, Le Meridiens, and Crown Plazas was exactly to this point. Not everyone who does business in the Middle East chooses to live in low rent housing.

And again, you seem to have no functional understanding of the region. I lived in very nice quarters, most Westerners do, simply without being fleeced. As the website I referenced says, you were either taken wildly advantage of, or you are not telling the truth.

I have to agree with the Doc. You appear to be a Mopologist who was rattled by the comparison of my ex-Mormon lifestyle with that of Franktalk, and decided to try and attack my credibility having no idea as to our actual business or living standards while in-country.

Yes, because there are a lot of Zen Buddhist Democrat Mormon apologists running around. That's a fairly common occurance. Also I am not attacking your credibility...you are. I am just very experienced and recognize that a huge disconnect exists between your claims, and reality on the street.

It is possible you are telling the truth, and that you were taken wild advantage of, this is possible. It is nothing to brag about, however.

[_DrW]

Bhodi,

Sorry, my friend, but I do not feel like wasting any more time with you on this.

I would quit were I you.

As to the days of the week, I was commenting on Sunday activities. How you got from these comments to the unwarranted assumption that I did not know what the workweek was in Oman, I will never know. Do you really think that someone would live there for seven months and not know what the work week was?

No, which is why your comments make no sense given your claims.

I have described in detail how we operate there and what it costs us. I have shown with real numbers (look 'em up) that your suggestion for apartment plus hotel accommodation would cost us more than staying in hotels only.

Which contradicts the numerous companies that operate in the region. Again, I have as many years of experience as you have months. What you are claiming is VERY odd.

You assumption that we are getting "fleeced" apparently arises from projecting your willingness to live in less expensive accommodations onto us. My deleted comment about the Intercontinentals, Le Meridiens, and Crown Plazas was exactly to this point. Not everyone who does business in the Middle East chooses to live in low rent housing.

And again, you seem to have no functional understanding of the region. I lived in very nice quarters, most Westerners do, simply without being fleeced. As the website I referenced says, you were either taken wildly advantage of, or you are not telling the truth.

I have to agree with the Doc. You appear to be a Mopologist who was rattled by the comparison of my ex-Mormon lifestyle with that of Franktalk, and decided to try and attack my credibility having no idea as to our actual business or living standards while in-country.

Yes, because there are a lot of Zen Buddhist Democrat Mormon apologists running around. That's a fairly common occurance. Also I am not attacking your credibility...you are. I am just very experienced and recognize that a huge disconnect exists between your claims, and reality on the street.

It is possible you are telling the truth, and that you were taken wild advantage of, this is possible. It is nothing to brag about, however.

Well, I'm glad you will admit to the possibility that I might be telling the truth.

Perhaps the thread on which I posted photographs I took in Oman will help you make up your mind. Please note the fairly precise location provided.

http://mormondiscussions.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=23258&hilit=Akhdar&start=21

http://mormondiscussions.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=23258&hilit=Akhdar&start=42

You might note that others on this board have seen and commented on these photographs. If they are reading this, they would probably agree with me that you are making a fool of yourself.

________________

Note to self: Must stop feeding the trolls.

[_Bhodi]

Well, I'm glad you will admit to the possibility that I might be telling the truth.

Perhaps the thread on which I posted photographs I took in Oman will help you make up your mind. Please note the fairly precise location provided.

http://mormondiscussions.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=23258&hilit=Akhdar&start=21

http://mormondiscussions.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=23258&hilit=Akhdar&start=42

You might note that others on this board have seen and commented on these photographs. If they are reading this, they would probably agree with me that you are making a fool of yourself.

________________

Note to self: Must stop feeding the trolls.

You have pictures. That certainly explains a lot considering you have no functional understanding of the region you claim you were visiting.

And you think this proves...what? You have no idea what you are talking about, but pictures somehow explain complete ignorance? It is not only that you said was wrong, it is that reality is almost 180 degrees opposed to what you have said, but pictures...

I am making a fool of myself because I know more about the place you claim to have lived than you do, but you have pictures, so...? I would think this would hurt, if true, it means you actually were someplace, about which you learned...nothing! But I am the fool?

[_Bhodi]

As to your claim that EVERYTHING is negotiable in the Middle East, you are making a silly statement. If EVERYTHING were negotiable, we could have walked into the hotels (the Ramada, for example) and obtained a rate that was lower than the posted rate. Try it sometime. If you are lucky they might reduce your rate by a small amount just to be to be polite. More likely than not, they would decline to do so and politely suggest you seek less expensive accommodations elsewhere. They might even suggest someplace else for you to go.

I would like to do the same.

Just as an FYI, when friends or family visited I DID ask for a lower rate. I could cut the rate by 25% - 50% by haggling. You're REALLY wrong on this, and I do not understand how you could claim you lived in a region, even bragged about it, and have such little understanding.

[Guest]

Well, I'm glad you will admit to the possibility that I might be telling the truth.

Perhaps the thread on which I posted photographs I took in Oman will help you make up your mind. Please note the fairly precise location provided.

http://mormondiscussions.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=23258&hilit=Akhdar&start=21

http://mormondiscussions.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=23258&hilit=Akhdar&start=42

You might note that others on this board have seen and commented on these photographs. If they are reading this, they would probably agree with me that you are making a fool of yourself.

________________

Note to self: Must stop feeding the trolls.

You have pictures. That certainly explains a lot considering you have no functional understanding of the region you claim you were visiting.

And you think this proves...what? You have no idea what you are talking about, but pictures somehow explain complete ignorance? It is not only that you said was wrong, it is that reality is almost 180 degrees opposed to what you have said, but pictures...

I am making a fool of myself because I know more about the place you claim to have lived than you do, but you have pictures, so...? I would think this would hurt, if true, it means you actually were someplace, about which you learned...nothing! But I am the fool?

Yes, my friend, you are the fool. All you have provided are links to cheap hotel websites outside of Oman. We have no evidence that you have done what you say other than your statements on this thread, which included a patently ridiculous claim that one could live in the Middle East, comfortably no less, on $100 a month. That is $3.33 a day, about the cost of a cheap McDonalds hamburger. Do you really expect anyone to believe such a statement?

I have shown you hotel rates at three and four star hotels in Oman (Muscat and Duqm), and you claim that we were being fleeced. I have shown you that your statement about apartment living costing half as much as hotel living is simply not true, given our schedule.

I have even named three of our clients, since (by your own criteria) you have been able to identify none of them, although they are well known organizations in Oman, I must assume that you have no local knowledge in Oman whatsoever.

And since you keep harping on your strawman arguments based on countries other than Oman, arguments that I have shown to be invalid and/or irrelevant, I am beginning to think you may be more than a fool, you might even be even an idiot.

[_Bhodi]

Yes, my friend, you are the fool. All you have provided are links to cheap hotel websites outside of Oman. We have no evidence that you have done what you say other than your statements on this thread, which included a patently ridiculous claim that one could live in the Middle East, comfortably no less, on $100 a month. That is $3.33 a day, about the cost of a cheap McDonalds hamburger. Do you really expect anyone to believe such a statement?

I have shown you hotel rates at three and four star hotels in Oman (Muscat and Duqm), and you claim that we were being fleeced. I have shown you that your statement about apartment living costing half as much as hotel living is simply not true, given our schedule.

I have even named three of our clients, since (by your own criteria) you have been able to identify none of them, although they are well known organizations in Oman, I must assume that you have no local knowledge in Oman whatsoever.

And since you insist keep harping on your strawman arguments based on countries other than Oman, arguments that I have shown to be invalid and/or irrelevant, I am beginning to think you may be more than a fool, you might even be even an idiot.

You did not know what day Sunday was in Arabic.
You did not know the work week.
You claimed that people could not haggle hotel prices.
You did not know companies operated furnished apartment pools in the region for business purposes.

You have demonstrated not just a lack of understanding, but negative understanding. You have no clue what you are talking about. You bragged about your experience which is either non-existent, or an experience from which you learned, not just nothing, but less than nothing.

You can insult me, belittle me, and people can believe it. I really don't care. I actually did live there, for years, and I know you're completely embarrassingly wrong. You can get as many people to pat you on the back and tell you what a great job you did, but it's empty. Nothing I have said here is untrue, and I know this. If you do not, then you really need to stop embarrassing yourself.

That's the reality, either you're not telling the truth, or somewhere in Oman, there is a group sitting around, drinking sheesha, and laughing about how absurdly silly foreigners are, for letting them fleece you. Truth told, it does make my life easier.

[_DrW]

Yes, my friend, you are the fool. All you have provided are links to cheap hotel websites outside of Oman. We have no evidence that you have done what you say other than your statements on this thread, which included a patently ridiculous claim that one could live in the Middle East, comfortably no less, on $100 a month. That is $3.33 a day, about the cost of a cheap McDonalds hamburger. Do you really expect anyone to believe such a statement?

I have shown you hotel rates at three and four star hotels in Oman (Muscat and Duqm), and you claim that we were being fleeced. I have shown you that your statement about apartment living costing half as much as hotel living is simply not true, given our schedule.

I have even named three of our clients, since (by your own criteria) you have been able to identify none of them, although they are well known organizations in Oman, I must assume that you have no local knowledge in Oman whatsoever.

And since you insist keep harping on your strawman arguments based on countries other than Oman, arguments that I have shown to be invalid and/or irrelevant, I am beginning to think you may be more than a fool, you might even be even an idiot.

You did not know what day Sunday was in Arabic.
You did not know the work week.
You claimed that people could not haggle hotel prices.
You did not know companies operated furnished apartment pools in the region for business purposes.

You have demonstrated not just a lack of understanding, but negative understanding. You have no clue what you are talking about. You bragged about your experience which is either non-existent, or an experience from which you learned, not just nothing, but less than nothing.

You can insult me, belittle me, and people can believe it. I really don't care. I actually did live there, for years, and I know you're completely embarrassingly wrong. You can get as many people to pat you on the back and tell you what a great job you did, but it's empty. Nothing I have said here is untrue, and I know this. If you do not, then you really need to stop embarrassing yourself.

That's the reality, either you're not telling the truth, or somewhere in Oman, there is a group sitting around, drinking sheesha, and laughing about how absurdly silly foreigners are, for letting them fleece you. Truth told, it does make my life easier.

I am happy for you. And you can have the satisfaction of knowing that I will be still be trying to figure out how wrong I am while transferring my share of our next funds transfer from Oman into my bank account.

[_Bhodi]

You did not know what day Sunday was in Arabic.
You did not know the work week.
You claimed that people could not haggle hotel prices.
You did not know companies operated furnished apartment pools in the region for business purposes.

You have demonstrated not just a lack of understanding, but negative understanding. You have no clue what you are talking about. You bragged about your experience which is either non-existent, or an experience from which you learned, not just nothing, but less than nothing.

You can insult me, belittle me, and people can believe it. I really don't care. I actually did live there, for years, and I know you're completely embarrassingly wrong. You can get as many people to pat you on the back and tell you what a great job you did, but it's empty. Nothing I have said here is untrue, and I know this. If you do not, then you really need to stop embarrassing yourself.

That's the reality, either you're not telling the truth, or somewhere in Oman, there is a group sitting around, drinking sheesha, and laughing about how absurdly silly foreigners are, for letting them fleece you. Truth told, it does make my life easier.

I am happy for you. And you can have the satisfaction of knowing that I will be still be trying to figure out how wrong I am while transferring my share of our next funds transfer from Oman into my bank account.

Just out of curiosity, please explain one statement. You said "If EVERYTHING were negotiable, we could have walked into the hotels (the Ramada, for example) and obtained a rate that was lower than the posted rate."

Did you really not know that people do exactly that, walk into hotels and negotiate for a far lower price?

The problem is not that you do not know, it is that you are so oblivious to what you do not know. And arrogant about what is clearly not there.