Life & Style | Gadgets & Tech
Blogosphere: January 29, 2008
Gulf News web editor Adam Flinter plunges headlong into the blogosphere to find out what bloggers from the Middle East and beyond have on their minds.
- By Adam Flinter, Web Editor
- Published: 00:22 January 29, 2008
- Can you spot The World in there?
- Image Credit: Gulf News Archive
Gulf News web editor Adam Flinter plunges headlong into the blogosphere to find out what bloggers from the Middle East and beyond have on their minds.
Pick of the week: The universe
Not only does Nakheel own 3 huge palms, and the world, they now will build and own the whole Universe!
Isn't that huge or isn't that huge!
Read the article and make your own opinions!!
Global recession? What? Where?
I think ship captains will be asking for a big raise soon!
http://bujassem.blogspot.com/
A universe of Islands?
Sunday, on the heels of the completion of a massive project, property development company, Nakheel, unveiled another Dubai mega-project. If given the go ahead, The Universe Islands would add more than 7,500 acres worth of man-made islands to an already crowded coastline.
Apparently ready to jump back into the water only a week after completing their flagship World Islands , Nakheel's new project is expected to take up to 15 years to complete. The new project will go in the space directly between the coast and the World Islands, with Nakheel's Palm Islands sitting on both sides.
http://inventorspot.com/articles/
universe_manmade_islands_coming__10100
Bringing the universe to Dubai
As if building islands in the shape of the world weren't enough, Dubai has just announced the construction of islands representing the Universe. The islands will take the shape of the sun, moon, planets and other elements of the solar system.
Most new projects in Dubai sound wow, and most of the times they are. But when they are not, they are totally not, like this Universe project for example. Look at the picture and tell me which part of the islands are supposed to be the Universe.
Clueless? Confused? So was I. It's the section in the middle-right, between the two Palm Islands, surrounding the islands that form The World. From which angle does this look like the Universe?
http://www.gadling.com/2008/01/22/the-
universe-in-the-centre-of-dubai/
First the world…
Dubai is now competing with Shanghai as the architectural environment that represents the beacon of the future.
Development is rapid, often skyward and sometimes not representative of the best architecture has to offer.
Off the coast of Dubai, there's an extraordinary development that involves building islands in the shape of countries and selling them. The site is aptly called "The World".
While it might not be the most creative piece of thinking, it fits perfectly with the motivations of the uber-wealthy who can afford this land, they dream of owning countries. Clearly, this strategy has paid and most of "The World" has been sold.
The ... developers in Dubai have gone one better and are now creating "The Universe", making all those people who purchased countries in the world, look somewhat foolish, given that planets are now available.
http://www.influxinsights.com/blog
Life in ad-land
It is a dangerous science reading too much into the world imagined by the advertising industry. If aliens were to land on earth and catch a five minute ad-break they would conclude human teeth are white and straight, credit is easy to come by, and drinking soft drinks causes people to sing and dance.
We accept the ad industry sells us a fantasy, but that shouldn't mean it loses touch with the real world. Middle East advertising asks consumers to suspend their grip on reality. The industry appears to have drawn up some very strange rules.
http://19thfloordubai.blogspot.com/
Labour law improvements
The situation regarding lower paid workers is the subject of discussions in Abu Dhabi, where twenty-two nations representing labour importing and exporting countries are meeting. It's another of those ‘catch-up' areas where laws and actions are way behind the times.
In fact the countries involved have been sending or receiving labour for decades so the improvements are long overdue.
A big problem was highlighted and it's one that plagues businesses in all industries in this region - the lack of hard data. It's difficult to formulate policies if you don't have hard facts on the details of the problem.
One particular area that's long needed attention is unscrupulous agents - usually in the supplying country - who in simple terms mislead and rip off the workers. They charge huge amounts and make promises of salaries and conditions that simply don't exist. The worker gets here to find the situation is far different from the promise, but because s/he is in debt to the tune of thousands of dollars can do nothing about it.
One excellent move is that the UAE will establish processing centres in labour sending countries where applicants will be given local knowledge about where they're going, have labour contracts explained and their eligibility for employment confirmed. They'll also receive literature in their local languages.
http://dubaithoughts.blogspot.com/
Narratives under siege
Palestine Center for Human Rights, Gaza, PCHR, is publishing a series of "Narratives Under Siege" on their website. "These short articles are based on personal testimonies and experiences of life in the Gaza Strip, and we hope they will highlight the restrictions, and the humanitarian crisis, being imposed on the people of Gaza."
The first one begins:
Moin Ali Mahmoud Al Wadiya was working in the Al Zaytoun district of East Gaza City when Israeli Occupying Forces invaded Al Zaytoun on January 15. The 48-year-old mechanic immediately tried to flee the intense IOF shelling, but when he stopped in order to drag a critically wounded civilian to safety, the ground beneath him exploded. When he regained consciousness in Gaza City's main Al Shifa Hospital, Moin Al Wadiya had lost his left foot. His right leg is smashed, and he has serious lacerations across his stomach. "I have six children," he says, "but now there is no one to support my family."
http://umkahlil.blogspot.com/2008/01
/pchr-narratives-under-siege.html
Share this article
More from Gadgets & Tech Gadgets & Tech
More from Life & Style
Covering everything from entertainment and lifestyle daily
Popular in Life & Style
-
Horoscopes
Daily Horoscope
Shelly von Strunckel reveals whats in the stars today
Life & Style editor's choice
-
Sexy beast: Maserati Gran Turismo
What does a bespoke Brioni suit have to do with the Maserati Gran Turismo S?
-
Things to see and do in Abu Dhabi
Explore takes a lap round the vibrant and ever-changing UAE capital
-
Me, my friends and Miami
You won't know what fun this city is, unless you are there with your gal pals...
