dlish

Dear fellow TFPers

just recieved an sms from my ISP wishing to inform me that "as of the 14th April 2008 that they will be blocking sites with content that do not conform to the moral, social and cultural sensitivities of the United Arab Emirates."

Now, i dont know where this leaves me and TFP. ive been a member for a long while now..since 2004, and to be honest, TFP brings me some sanity having a window to the world where you have so much ideas, ideals, opinions and disparity between so many different people.

i dont know if the TFP will fall under this collosal umbrella. Collosal in that it could be blocking any sites it feels necesary. im certain that porn and adult sites will be blocked. that does not worry me. I do worry that TFP may fall under the 'adult content' site and i may not be able to access TFP any more.

so this may be the last day i post here...its unfortunate, but ive got to look at the worst case scenario. if i didnt care, then i dontthink id be writing this. i couldnt leave without saying goodbye.

what pisses me off the most is that its involuntarily. i didnt ask for them to take this away from me. i guess thats the beauty of living in a western democracy. i do have the choice to do as i please when i please. I do love Dubai..but im starting to reconsider. although my stay in the UAE will never be forever, i did plan on being here a while.

i dont want this thread to become an arab country bashing or a muslim society bashing. for those in the know, and i do know that there are some historians amonst us, that the UAE was based on a british system with lots of british influence etc etc.. but this isnt about this.

last week after hearing of China and the Tibet issue on the news, i thanked god that i didnt have that sort of burden on me. that my internet content wasnt monitored, that i was free to roam where i please. my wings have been clipped and i may as well be living in china.

i do hope to wake up tomorrow and click on the favourites tab and go to my first link "TFP" and click on it to get the customary green screen that ive come to depend on in some ways. a window into another world. another dimension. i really do hope i will be able to see it. if its for my sanity.

will i survive if its gone? sure i will. but i sure would miss the likes of jazz hal cyth abaya will bobby, snowy, mixedm, WK,OCM, bastid. GG..and even ustwo and host. i will miss the slinging matches with will and ustwo. i will miss WK's straight to the point but seemingly sarcastic comments... ill miss a lot and ill miss out on a lot. heck ill even miss posting my travels in my 'gday from dubai' thread.. maybe i should be renaming this thread 'Goodbye from Dubai'

you guys make the TFP for what it is. this is more painful than what i thought it would be.

i do hope that i will see you guys again.. or catch up when im back in the states again later this year. if anyone has any ideas, then feel free to email me. ill update my email address im my contact details after i post this. if theres a way around it then let me know!

at the moment i feel caged. life isnt meant to be like this. and for those that know me..im a wanderer. i love to travel and do my own thing. i dont infringe on anyone..but now i feel like ive been infringed on... oh god i miss sydney right now.

if this is my last post, then i wish you all well. i will miss every bit of TFP.

Thank you for the open window into your lives. Hope i have shared enough of mine so that the feeling is reciprocated. i will always be indebted!

Always
N

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