1 year Anniversary

I just realised it's been a year of Muscat Confidential. I've enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. And thanks for reading.

You're here in this traffic chart below somewhere I bet. And IMHO, you make a difference. Thanks for stopping by.



If you invert the graph there is a scary similarity to world stock markets over the same period. This is entirely coincidental.

More classic Times of Oman self promotion

Just a quick one - this classic item of self promotion in the 'hard hitting' Times of Oman today, about how fantastic Essa bin Mohammed Al Zedjali the editor of Times of Oman is. In fact the paper quotes the Omani Ambassador to China, Abdullah bin Salleh bin Hilal Al Saadi, as naming him "the author of English journalism in Oman"

Meanwhile, the continuing problems at Blue City, usually hailed by Essa as the most important project in Oman's history, remain surprisingly unreported by the Times. Just co-incidence that Essa's relative is the Chairman of the main company responsible for the development. Oops. More on that soon.
UPDATE: Just to clarify/expand, its Essa's son Said Anees Issa Al Zadjal who is Chairman of BCC1, the company responsible for the development of Blue City Phase 1.

Envoy to China hails ‘Times’ initiative
From Arif Ali
Tuesday, August 12, 2008 12:09:14 AM Oman Time
BEIJING — Abdullah bin Salleh bin Hilal Al Saadi, the ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to China, yesterday hailed the initiative of Times of Oman in producing Oman in Beijing, a special publication to mark the Sultanate’s participation in the Bejing Olympics, which will be launched today at his residence in the presence of the Omani contingent and Chinese officials.

“I am deeply impressed by the imitative of Times of Oman which is bound to boost the growing Oman-China ties in addition to bolstering the morale of the Omani squad taking part in the Olympics,” said the senior envoy as he made a special mention of Essa bin Mohammed Al Zedjali, chairman and editor-in-chief of Times of Oman and Al Shabiba, for his sterling role in producing Oman in Beijing, striking both in manner and matter.

“Sheikh Essa remains the author of English journalism in Oman and we value his contribution to the promotion of mass media communication,”, said the ambassador who remains an avid reader of his hard-hitting and widely-read weekly column — Viewpoint — published also by the sister Arabic daily Al Shabiba.
...

The comment describing the Viewpoint opinion piece as hard-hitting made me laugh hardest.

Will the real Omani intellectuals please stand up?