The Paranormal Piano Player

The other evening I was watching a Yamaha player piano performing by itself in a hotel foyer. For anyone unfamiliar with these marvels, a player piano is an automated real piano with a mechanism to work the keys and pedals. Watching it play happily to itself, it's quite easy to imagine an invisible pianist on the ivories, giving it big licks. Quite easy, but what makes the illusion not wholly

Is Dubai Trade Centre Metro Station Open Yet?

Paraglider is planning a trip to Dubai next week, and will be living close to BurJuman Centre Metro and working at the Trade Centre. He hopes some kind soul on the spot can confirm whether or not Trade Centre Metro is functional, as the Internet appears to have conflicting information on the subject.
The majority view will be accepted!
POSTSCRIPT: It wasn't when I wrote the above, but it is now :)

Is Waiting Doing?

More and more, recently, I've been aware that the standard response to any request for action (in certain quarters) takes the form of a claim to be waiting. What are you doing? Waiting for a response from Purchasing. What's happening about x? I'm waiting for y. Some people have raised this to an art form. Faced with any situation that seems to demand action, they will type a one-line question and

Pea Soup and Pigeons

An interesting side effect of the fog that is currently swaddling Doha is that it hides such traffic aids as speed limits, stop signs and 2D PCs (see below). This is clearly carte blanche for invisible silver Land Cruisers to hurtle headlong into the pea souper, headlights ablaze, rear fogs optional.
Each to his own. It's a good day to stand in the empty car park and watch Abdullah's birds

More Orry than Modhesh

So, you've been driving since you were seventeen, but just can't quite get to grips with these huge, octagonal, red-for-danger, bilingual STOP signs. What can they possibly be trying to tell you? Do they want you to turn left, change gear, check your mirror, test the windscreen wipers? It's a mystery, isn't it? And are you supposed to look at the big red bit on top, or is the steel pole carrying

Bob Marley and the Qatari Wailers

It's well known that Qataris don't frequent bars, except when they do. And then, they don't wear National dress, except when they do. And of course, they don't drink alcohol, except, you've got the pattern, when they do. And after all, why should they not, in their own country? But here's the greater mystery: when the spirit moves them to make a request, nine times out of ten, it is for Bob