Comments on: Welcome to the UAE

Welcome to the UAE

growabrain — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 19:20:27 -0800

From Dubai: Go around twice if you're happy (YT): Vincent Fichard and Matthew Jones put up fake construction signs around town to test the response of passing motorists

By: patr1ck

patr1ck — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 19:36:29 -0800

Hahaha, I loved this. Brillant.

By: dontoine

dontoine — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 19:43:20 -0800

awesome

By: garethspor

garethspor — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 19:49:44 -0800

beautiful

By: East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94

East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 19:50:16 -0800

This is funny! Go Around Twice If You Want Representative Democracy Honk If You Want Basic Safety Regulations For Foreign Construction Laborers

By: delmoi

delmoi — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 19:54:37 -0800

I wonder what the Arabic translation of "... if you're feeling it" would be. Seems rather idiomatic.

By: facetious

facetious — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 20:07:56 -0800

That was just nice.

By: spec80

spec80 — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 20:13:19 -0800

That was adorable. I especially liked the music.

By: hortense

hortense — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 20:14:13 -0800

I love Mack The Knife!

By: The White Hat

The White Hat — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 20:14:45 -0800

I wonder what the Arabic translation of "... if you're feeling it" would be. Seems rather idiomatic. I think it says "If all things are peaceful..."

By: zeoslap

zeoslap — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 20:19:18 -0800

Wonderful

By: miss lynnster

miss lynnster — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 20:21:15 -0800

I loved it. But at the end, as the scooter went around the very last time I expected him to get mowed down by oncoming vehicles. Man, I'm so cynical...

By: revmitcz

revmitcz — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 20:21:50 -0800

I'm amused that both the taxi cab driver and the driver of the tractor (probably not the right description of the machinery) went around at least twice. I wondered if maybe they just wanted another chance to read the sign - but that seems pretty intentional. I hate roundabouts. I wouldn't drive around one twice if I was getting blown by Angelina Jolie* *this statement might be exaggerated

By: xorry

xorry — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 20:26:11 -0800

Honk If You Want Basic Safety Regulations For Foreign Construction Laborers posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 7:50 PM on November 13 [+] [!] go on! This is a perfect thread for it. I keep meaning to hook up with a friend in Muscat (grr.. not enough vacation time..) and the politics of the emirates are fascinating. i just sensed a little passive aggressiveness? and it seems like theres a lot of room for real passion here..

By: hjo3

hjo3 — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 20:33:47 -0800

I wouldn't drive around one twice if I was getting blown by Angelina Jolie Why drive at all?

By: brain cloud

brain cloud — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 20:37:03 -0800

That was great. I needed some happy today.

By: aubilenon

aubilenon — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 20:47:41 -0800

I like rotaries! And I'm from Boston so I call them that!

By: George_Spiggott

George_Spiggott — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 20:58:48 -0800

I love Mack The Knife! Indeed, I can't help wondering if there wasn't a bit of Ernie Kovacs influence here. He used to use a recording of the German version (can't find a suitable Kovacs segment on youtube, but it sounded not entirely unlike the one performed here) as music over absurdist silent sketches.

By: rouftop

rouftop — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 21:00:22 -0800

Far better than it should have been. The music definitely helped. Any clues on the performer?

By: spiderskull

spiderskull — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 21:10:24 -0800

I don't have anything to add except that this was excellent.

By: geekyguy

geekyguy — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 21:31:52 -0800

Wow. I liked it very much. Thank you. lights

By: Civil_Disobedient

Civil_Disobedient — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 21:35:40 -0800

And I'm from Boston so I call them that! Boston Rotary: Bangin' two U-ies in a row.

By: Salmonberry

Salmonberry — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 21:54:34 -0800

Fantastic! What a great idea.

By: dancinglamb

dancinglamb — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 21:56:21 -0800

Thank you. I needed that. :)

By: hortense

hortense — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 22:02:54 -0800

Harmless culture jamming^.

By: Ufez Jones

Ufez Jones — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 22:04:59 -0800

You know, I liked this a lot. I really did. But then I thought about what may happen if somebody tried this in the US and what the consequences might look like not just for the artists involved, but for every other driver in in the locale and I got kind of sad. Wait. You say they hate our freedoms?

By: Cranberry

Cranberry — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 23:54:53 -0800

beep beep this thread is useless without sound

By: Phire

Phire — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 00:18:19 -0800

Oh that was adorable. Absolutely adorable, and a wonderful break from calculus. Thanks for posting.

By: SteveInMaine

SteveInMaine — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 02:19:54 -0800

I hate roundabouts. I cut my eye teeth on roundabouts and rotaries in the northeast US. And I have to say I was pretty proud of myself during a trip in the UK where I did a good job driving them the opposite direction. Maybe it's because I'm left-handed. And yes, I sometimes drive around twice!

By: vbfg

vbfg — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 04:07:31 -0800

When you arrive by ferry in Zeebrugge in Belgium, and quite a few French channel ports, there's always a roundabout between the customs checkpoint and the open road. I assume they're there for British people to practice driving on the wrong side of the road because they serve no other purpose whatsoever.

By: davemee

davemee — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 05:42:18 -0800

"Go round twice if peak oil's a myth!"

By: inigo2

inigo2 — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 08:09:18 -0800

Hey look kids, there's Big Ben, and there's Parliament!

By: ooga_booga

ooga_booga — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 11:45:42 -0800

Loved it! I kept waiting for two cars to read the signs on the roundabout and just chase each other round and round. Then the front loader and motorcycle did exactly that!

By: quin

quin — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 11:47:55 -0800

How could you not be happy driving a front end loader? Just the thought of it brings a juvenile Tonka induced smile to my face.

By: fake

fake — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 12:28:25 -0800

I think the beauty of this piece lies in the contrast between it and the "culture jamming" we're used to. The problem with culture jamming, as in Adbusters or graf art, is that it ends up being like blog ranting -- a lot of negative energy with little effect, beyond generating more negative energy. This piece, in contrast, makes an interruption in daily life with an apparent net increase of joy, and in fact positive emotion seems to be exactly the point of the piece. Reminds me of the efforts of You Are Beautiful and the Icelandic Love Corporation.

By: Debaser626

Debaser626 — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 14:22:33 -0800

Awesome.

By: petersn1

petersn1 — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 16:59:28 -0800

a breath of fresh air!

By: lonefrontranger

lonefrontranger — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 19:26:39 -0800

bulldozer == awesome