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6 car hacks to make driving much easier

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6 car hacks to make driving much easier

Your car needs the same care you give to your house, perhaps more, and because we spend a lot of time in our cars, things will eventually get messy and out of control, and you will absolutely need to do some chores which some car owners might find a little upsetting.

Since your car is an extension of your personality, you really want to make sure it is clean and comfortable for you and any passengers, family members, or friends.

To get things straight, make some improvements or even big changes, you will need nothing more than simple tools or household items.

So, save maintenance money and make your car experience more enjoyable with these simple hacks!

Use Container for the Trash

Keeping the car clean all the time is a hard thing to do, with dirt roads, grocery bags, sandwiches boxes, wrappers,  kleenex, bottles, cartoon cups, and the hair of your pet all over the seats, not to mention the food crumbs if you, your family, or friends like eating inside the car.

A plastic container or a cereal box should do the job and save you from turning your car into a messy place.

Then you can get rid of the whole box when it is full and avoid trash accumulating on the floor mats, under the seats, and everywhere else.

Clean Your Windshield Properly

Nothing is more convenient than clear, clean windshields to enjoy great visibility for your safety and comfort.

Use your favorite glass cleaner with a dry rag to get an optimal result

Put in your mind to make sure that the wipers are also clean so if you didn’t clean your windshields manually you will be able to clean them while in the car in case it was raining or something you need to make sure everything is clean

An Air Freshener Is Crucial

Poke holes in the lid of a mason jar and add baking soda until it is half full and then put about 20 drops of your favorite essential oil, shake it and enjoy the pleasant smell.

Or you can put wax instead of the baking soda and the oil, when the temperature in your car rises, the wax melts and fills your car with a lovely scent!

Clean Cloudy Headlights With a Toothpaste

To ensure your headlights have good light for the best visibility in the dark or fog, you need to maintain them in a clean condition.

Headlight lenses became yellowish and foggy because of the oxidation that formed year after year.

No need for changing the bulb, just grab a toothpaste tube and squeeze some on the lenses.

To have clean headlights you need to give them a nice scrub with an old toothbrush to scrape this layer completely, then rinse the toothpaste and oxidize with some water, dry the headlights lenses with a towel, and they are brand new!

Measure Your Tires Tread Depth with a Penny

Learning this hack is critical especially if you live in the UAE where tires get worn because of hot weather, so if you want to sell any car in Dubai for a better price, you need to keep an eye out for the health of your tires.

If you think that your tires are tired and that it is time to replace them, consider checking them before you spend more money on purchasing a new one.

An easy and quick check you can do is using a spare penny. Place the penny upside down into the tread groove, if you can see the whole head -Lincoln’s head- then your tires are worn and you need to replace them, if you can’t see the head then your tires are good and safe.

Use Hand Sanitizer for De-Icing

This one helps you during long winter months when it is literally freezing outside and your lock is frozen, you can use a hand sanitizer to de-ice the lock and be able to get into the car.

All you need to do is to put a little bit of that hand sanitizer on the key so it can slides into the lock easily.

Taking good care of your car doesn’t take as much effort or time as many car owners think, all you need to do is cleaning dirt on a daily basis, and fix what you have to fix as soon as possible to avoid exacerbating the problem.

Don’t forget to do regular checkups on the oil, tires, and AC gas. This will not only help you cut down a lot of hassle, and make your driving easier, it also helps you maintain the value of the car because you are keeping it in a good condition.

Contributed by: Sultan Asad from We Buy Cars DXB

Abandoned supercars in Dubai

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Abandoned supercars in Dubai

Among the countries of the Middle East, The United Arab Emirates is one of the richest. This status is not only because of petrol, but also due to its regional policy, diversification through tourism, and the luxury sector.

Despite the recent financial crisis and falling oil prices, the country’s economy remains somewhat standing. However, like any modern country, the United Arab Emirates has its share of challenges.

These problems range from typical challenges (poverty and excessively high cost of living) to more unusual ones.

One of the most unusual problems in the United Arab Emirates, particularly in Dubai, is the abandonment of luxury cars of all brands, from Mercedes, Ferrari, BMW, to Maserati and F430 spyder.

Why give up a luxury car in perfect condition?

When you know the reason, you will understand what motivated the owners to make this choice.

The owners of these vehicles either had fees on the cars that surpassed their value, or the car was involved in an accident, so they had to leave them behind.

According to law, not paying your debts or fees is a crime

In the United Arab Emirates. If you default on a payment, fail to pay your debts, or write a bad check, you are guilty of a criminal act. You are then liable to prison.

So, rather than going to jail, the owners of these supercars preferred to flee the country, leaving behind their luxurious rides.

These fancy cars have been around for a long time till dust covered them.

There is a Mercedes on which a passer-by had fun dusting the windshield with his finger to write: Here to stay.  

Among these cars are real little gems like Ferrari Enzo,whose ownerisa British who abandoned his supercar and his life in Dubai after defaulting on the finance payments and fleeing the city to avoid jail time.

Seeing these beauties on the side of the road is heartbreaking. One could not but imagine the heaviness of trouble the owner would have faced to have the strength to desert such a car.

Anyways, Once the police suspect an abandoned vehicle, local government inspectors issue a warning notice.

  • The main drawback of abandoned vehicles is that they occupy much-needed space in the airport parking lot.
  • The positive side is that police sell many of these luxury vehicles at bargain prices at auctions.

How can I buy an abandoned supercar?

  • Emirates police organize an auction for abandoned cars yearly. You can attend these auctions only by invitation.
  • To get your invitation, you must prove to the police that you have the needed money to buy any of the cars there. Then you receive your invitation as a potential buyer.
  • When arriving at the auction, you must have your ID, plus you need to deposit a fee (20% of the bidding limit you have set).

It is worth mentioning here that these cars will not be working perfectly. They have stood there for years so that dust and rust have covered them.

They need a lot of cleaning and repairs to get up and regain their car value in Dubai again.

Although buying these supercars is not impossible, it is very difficult.

You have to clean the sheet of the car, which means:

  • You have to dismiss all the cases against the owner.
  • You have to pay off all the debts and fines.
  • The owner has a period of 6 months to claim back his car. If he failed to, the police will take it then put it in the auction.

Car flippers and dealers wait like hungry sharks to get these cars at reasonable prices!

You may say to yourself: “why don’t I sell my car in Dubai and ride one of these beauties?”

 Well, DON’T!

Even though many of these supercars still have their original key inside them, you can not just start the engine and drive.

Driving an abandoned car without its legal papers and registration card is considered theft. Besides, the government will charge you with all the fees and the crimes related to the car.

You do not want to be a king for a day and a fool for a lifetime, do you?

Is it worth it buying an abandoned car?

There is nothing to guarantee that the car you got your eyes on is not a total lemon.

When buying such a car, you are buying an auto that has been in the hot and cold for years.

The first thing to do is to drain the fuel system. Then you should have a new brake system.

If you are lucky enough, nothing important will be missing. But there is a high chance that thieves have stolen many of the original parts like the car’s ECU, dashboards, seats, mirrors, tires…etc.

It is really sad to see these assets in the graveyard, not being roaring on the roads. This might be a good lesson for all of us to try not to live a life that we can not lead.

Author: Muhamad Omari from CarWise.ae

Don’t downplay the pain, we can be soda too

Ion
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Don’t downplay the pain, we can be soda too

They say, “Be a bottle of water not a bottle of soda so you won’t explode when shaken.” But, it doesn’t work that way all the time.

We can all be bottles of soda too. We cannot just tell another person to be as calm as water. Yes, a soda when shaken, explodes. But there’s a way to avoid it.

When shaken, don’t rush to open the soda. Leave it for some time. Allow it to go through its natural property being a soda. After some time, slowly open it. SLOWLY. It might spill a few but it won’t explode.

We cannot downplay the pain of others. We cannot rush to make them feel better. Give them the time they need to grieve, to hurt, and eventually, to heal. The only way to get past it is to go through it

How I got scammed in Dubai

Ion
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How I got scammed in Dubai

I wish someone had warned me before that there are also scammers in Dubai. But I guess we can’t have everything fed on us. So we had to learn a lot of them ourselves.

The worst scam we experienced was from someone pretending to be a cancer patient. She used a really emotional narrative to tell her pitiful story so she could solicit financial aid for her chemo sessions. This con artist has convinced us really well with her drama. She has all the medical records to support. And, she sounded so meek and “spiritual” when people talk to her.

Not too long after, suspicions arise and someone did a thorough background check. It was discovered that she’s been scamming people for years using different tactics. We lost 9,000 dirhams. But a total of 600k were lost from the other victims who gave money.

In another scam, a freelance agent offered to help us arrange a business visa for someone. Complete trust was built with all the legal docs and accreditation she presented. After giving the payment, we never heard from the lady again.

We lost 10,000.

Recently, a friend shared this new scam story. Like a typical plot, this fraudster couple is endearing themselves to her victims in the beginning. So apparently, they are renting out spaces in various areas in Dubai. Then they use their tenant’s names to register for utilities like landline and internet connections. Apparently, their IDs were used beyond that. It appeared that a crazy amount of debts were later credited to the victims. As of today, the damage has amounted to AED 1.2 million for 9 different people who were scammed.

Another one, this lady ordered bulk shirts from us to resell. We trusted her because she worked with me in the past. When she’s not being able to pay, we investigated and found out that she has swindling cases here and there. Lost money: 3,000 worth of products⁠.

There was also this event organizer who asked me to design the event logo. I never heard of him after I deliver the work. Then he ended up using my logo on all official event materials. Later he was arrested for a bigger fraud case related to the event he organized.

Pinoy, do you still trust your fellowmen abroad?

Before, we’re very comfortable here whenever we’re surrounded by our “kababayans.” Do we still feel the same today?

Really ironic how we feel safe in the foreign land but we worry about being taken advantage of by our fellow men.

What to do when you are scammed?

Some of these swindlers are still on the loose hunting new victims to devour.

I hope this will remind us all to be extra careful (also a note to myself). Never share your personal details especially over the phone. Never let someone else hold your Emirates ID. You should be the only one keeping your Emirates ID.

Fraud starts the moment you let someone take hold of it. If you ever got scammed, report to the police immediately. You can download the Dubai Police app, or visit the Smart Police Station kiosks, in case you don’t want to do it face to face with an officer. More often than not, the police here are very helpful in such cases. You just need to come complete with details and supporting documents.

If there are options, we cannot just say, “Si Lord na ang bahala.” Let’s try to do our part, then have faith na si Lord na ang bahala after that.

Police caught us cycling at a prohibited area in Dubai Canal

Ion
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Police caught us cycling at a prohibited area in Dubai Canal

When we came down from this Twisted bridge to continue cycling at the Dubai Canal, there’s no bike lane going back to the bike lane (Got it?). A legit law-abiding citizen would carry his bike until he reaches the designated lanes, right?

Usually, I am that citizen, but NOT this time.

Since no one else was in the area, we rode our bikes going to the bike lane. We even took the longer route.

After about a minute, we saw 2 cyclists approaching us. They were in cycling uniforms – maybe they’re a team. I even said, “See, there are also other cyclists here.” But they were looking at us sharply. Then they waved to stop us.

HALA PULIS! Two policemen patrolling the area.

(Suddenly the news about cyclists who got fined for biking at wrong places flashed back on me. Some even got their bikes confiscated.)

The men told us we shouldn’t be cycling there, “Not allowed!”

With a calm voice, we apologized. We told them the truth – that we came from the bridge and are on our way to the cycling path. They said we could be fined heavily.

We apologized again.

Then, the gentlemen showed us the direction to the bike lane. But they asked us to get off our bikes and just push them until we reach the right path.

And they left. No fines, no confiscation. Just a warning. What a relief!

Up there at The Twisted Bridge, Dubai Canal

Lessons learned

This experience reminded me of our personal accountability with God. We thought we can always get away because no one’s watching? Even the smallest of things? Well, think again.

As humans prone to commit mistakes, we need to recognize warning signs before they become penalties. These signs often come in form of convictions. The good thing about it, there is always a chance to make it right.

Are you seeing warning signs lately?

Take every success advice with a grain of salt

Ion
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Take every success advice with a grain of salt

When you hear advice from “successful people,” take it with a grain of salt before you do it. Look at the context too.

When they say, they sleep at 9pm and wake up at 5am. Are they referring to their NOW or was it like that even at the time they’re building up their road to success? Did they not spend sleepless nights too to reach the point of enjoying 8 hours of sleep every night?

It’s not a “one size fits all” formula all the time. What works for them might not work for you, and what’s effective for you, might not work well for others.

Success is personal and subjective.

Why do people still shame sellers today?

Ion
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Why do people still shame sellers today?

I was selling homemade donuts on the streets when I was 10. Then my mom would bake mamon and brownies to sell in our canteen. I was tasked to deliver them every morning when I go to school. My schoolmates would see me carrying huge plastics bags and would make fun of me, saying things like, “Eeeww nagtitinda sya!”, “Bata, bata ano tinda mo?” and they would laugh.

I developed low self-esteem because of such treatment towards me. I had the stigma na, “nakakahiyang magtinda.” I wanted to reach school early to avoid those kids.

I wasn’t telling my parents about it, but my actions say that I didn’t like bringing those pastries to school. My mom would tell me not to be lazy about it, else I won’t get my 2-peso daily allowance.

Back then, there were popular TV series portraying how lowly people selling on the streets are. It has had a huge impact on my young mind.

In High School, we would set up a table outside the house to sell home-cooked meals and street foods. I would be asked to look out for it. Because of the bullying from Grade School, there was embarrassment especially when a group of well-off teens would pass by. (Triple that feeling when my crush was one of them.)

The turning point

Then one day, a wise old man told me, “Selling is honorable because you provide answers to people’s needs (and wants). Everybody lives by selling something. So don’t be ashamed because you have the advantage of learning the ropes at an early stage.”

True enough, the Bible also tells us to pursue whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable – anything excellent or praiseworthy. And as long as we’re within ethics in selling, we’re responding well to this message.

So upon hearing that, my perception has changed. I found joy in facing customers. I would sit at the table and hope my favorite customers would pass by. I also gained more friends in the community when I started to love what I was doing.

Not long after, in college, I found myself selling personalized CDs with MP3 – which I consider my first ‘business venture.’

And then I started selling my designs. I sold domain names and web hosting too. Fast-forward today, I’m still selling, shirts and other merch online.

We must do something

This unpleasant part of our past plays a big factor in why some people are still shaming sellers today.

This old-school mindset is very dangerous if not changed – not only on how low they see people selling but also on how this thinking crosses out the idea of entrepreneurship.

Like what the wise old man did, we need to keep telling people that selling is such a noble thing to do. We have a part to do in helping people unlearn those limiting beliefs to stop the transfer of such false ideas to the next generation. 

Photo from pexels.

A lesson after an embarrassing moment

Ion
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A lesson after an embarrassing moment

I followed Francis Kong ever since I heard him talk in an event in Manila 16 years ago. I always wanted to listen to him. So when an opportunity to interview him came along, I grabbed it, even though I was just starting to make videos at that time. (I didn’t have a good camera; I have no microphone, and I was only using a selfie stick.)

I sneak out from work to meet him at Emirates LitFest. The organizer told me to make my interview quick because it’s lunch break and has back-to-back talks. So after a quick chat, we started the interview. The topic was around “Passion, purpose, and productivity,” tailor-made for OFWs. It was a value-packed 12 minutes of walking and talking. I couldn’t believe that was happening.

I checked the playback right after. The video wasn’t there! I realized, I DID NOT PRESS THE RECORD BUTTON. 😨😰😱

I blacked out! Nanlumo talaga ako! It felt like the world collapsed on me. I told him that 12-minute video was not recorded.

Mr. Francis Kong was speechless and was just nicely smiling back at me. I was trying to compose myself of what to do next while my head was grinding.

So, at the height of embarrassment, I collected all my guts to asked him if we can do it again (knowing that he has to take his lunch already and prepare for the next talk).

Looking straight to my eyes, he said, “Sure! We need to do it again,” while tapping my shoulder as if he was telling me, “don’t worry young man!” – very true to his gracious character.

I was very conscious (and shaking) during the second take that I didn’t know if I was still asking the right questions. But nevertheless, the output was equally valuable, if not, more valuable.

We both ensure that the video was captured this time. 😛

To date, this vlog remains one of the most interesting conversations I have ever done, not only because of my experience but because of the value the viewers would take away from his wisdom. Thanks to his calm persona and very generous self that he was willing to repeat it with someone like me.

He even invited me to join him and his daughter Rachel for lunch. If not for an upcoming meeting at work, I would’ve joined them.

The way Mr. Francis Kong encouraged me to do it again, despite the shame and inhibitions, reminded me of a valuable lesson – people who messed up deserves another chance.

This moment signaled the beginning of my vlogging journey with gained confidence through the way Mr. Francis Kong has spoken and has modeled to me.

Here’s the video:

Why game nights are important in the family?

Ion
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Why game nights are important in the family?

Playing as a family is an opportunity for us parents to show the kids how to strategize and solve problems creatively. Every game night is also an avenue for them to develop discipline in following rules and mechanics while having fun.

This is also a good time for parents to show how to be competitive yet graceful both in winning or losing. It’s the best avenue to develop sportsmanship.

If you’re not yet doing it, try to set a game night at least once a week. It’s one good way to establish a fun routine… and, needless to say, a good BREAK FROM THE GADGETS.

What are good board games to buy for family game nights?

You can find many age-appropriate board and tabletop games at noon.com. Below are a few ideas on what games to play. I’ve added the links where you can find them at noon.com.

You may use my promo code ‘BOYDUBAI’ to get up to 10% discount on your total order.

BANANAGRAMS

Gameplay involves arranging one’s tiles into a grid of connected words faster than one’s opponents. The object of the game is to be the first to complete a word grid after the pool of tiles has been exhausted. 

SONY DSC

You can buy it here: https://www.noon.com/uae-en/search?q=bananagram

Dubai-themed Monopoly

monopoly game night dubai

You can buy it here: https://www.noon.com/uae-en/search?q=monopoly

Twister

If you want something moe physical, Twister is for you. It is played on a large plastic mat that is spread on the floor or ground. The mat has six rows of large colored circles on it with a different color in each row: red, yellow, green, and blue.

A spinner is attached to a square board and is used to determine where the player has to put their hand or foot. The spinner is divided into four labeled sections: left foot, right foot, left hand, and right hand. Each of those four sections are divided into the four colors (red, yellow, green, and blue). After spinning, the combination is called (for example: “right hand yellow”) and players must move their matching hand or foot to a circle of the correct color. The game promotes itself as “the game that ties you up in knots”.

You can buy it here: https://www.noon.com/uae-en/search?q=twisterr%20game

Swish

Swish is a transparent card game that comes with 60 challenges of increasing difficulty, from beginner to expert, and is one of the best gifts you can buy for kids who like smart games and a challenge.

Swish is built to develop critical thinking skills. Playing through the increasingly difficult challenges will improve logical reasoning and visual perception skills, all through fun gameplay.

You can buy it here: https://www.noon.com/uae-en/swish-a-fun-transparent-card-game/N44871858A/p?o=cf2e35644b676abb

The Game of Life

In The Game of Life game players choose a path and move their car tokens around the gameboard. Who is headed for wealth and fortune? Pick a path for a life of action and unexpected surprises, but spend cash wisely because the wealthiest player at the end wins the game. Land in the Day of Reckoning space and try to become a Millionaire Tycoon to instantly win!

You can buy it here: https://www.noon.com/uae-en/the-game-of-life-family-board-game/N46444144A/p?o=da454a04e7b0dd4e

More board games for the family

You can explore more board games and tabletop games for the family of all ages here.

Why are Filipinos sensitive about being targeted?

Ion
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Why are Filipinos sensitive about being targeted?

“Kabayan, sibuyas, piso tumpok, ilan bili mo?” – says the Indian at the vegetable market.

Here in Dubai, many non-Filipino vendors speak fluent Tagalog when talking to Filipinos. They know all Tagalog names of the fruits and veggies they sell. Of course, they’re doing that to attract buyers. And even though we don’t buy all the time, we are amused by the gesture.

Taxi drivers say “Kumusta ka?” Officemates greet us “Magandang umaga!”

KFC had their “Kabayan meal,” Taza added chicken Inasal to their menu, Dunkin Donuts introduced Ube donuts using Tagalog words. Dubai Police covered their patrol cars with, “Manatili sa bahay” stickers for their COVID-19 campaign.

But no one here ever said, “Let’s cancel that Indian, nagta-Tagalog para bumenta;” or “Let’s unfollow Dunkin, they’re exploiting our ube flavor to make money;” or Let’s report Dubai Police, kunwari concerned sa Pinoy!”

Part of creating content or any business project is knowing your audience. You cannot succeed without a target market strategy. One of them, EMPATHY.

So why point finger at the creator if you are the one vulnerable? If something turns you off, simply don’t buy. Don’t subscribe. It’s just not for you. Let them continue their creation, and you control your action.

Why are we so good at making issues from supposed non-issues?

At a time when the world wasn’t looking at us, we plead. We wonder why we don’t get inclusion on the global stage When people say unfavorable remarks about our race, even in fictional TV shows, we cry foul.

I guess we won’t ever be content with whatever content.

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