"The plan was money. The architect was money. The designer was money and the builder was money. And if you ever wondered what money would look like if it were left to its own devices,
it's Dubai."
posted by vidur
on Mar 13, 2011 -
69 comments
The Dubai Job: One year ago, an elite Mossad hit squad traveled to Dubai to kill a high-ranking member of Hamas. They completed the mission, but their covers were blown, and Israel was humiliated by the twenty-seven-minute video of their movements that was posted online for all the world to see. Ronen Bergman reveals the intricate, chilling details of the mission and investigates how Israel's vaunted spy agency did things so spectacularly wrong
(previously)
posted by allkindsoftime
on Jan 5, 2011 -
73 comments
The
pitch was
extravagent: a
man-made archipelago of 300 islands constructed to approximate the land masses of Earth, located 4 kilometers off the coast of Dubai. Claim part of The World for your own, or as an investment.
Angelina Jolie And Brad Pitt bought Ethiopia,
Tommy Lee bought Greece for ex-wife Pamela Anderson,
David Beckham and Rod Stewart were each rumored to have bought an island, joining
other celebrities who had purchased part of The World. The
environmental impact of World-creation was raised, and
Sir Richard Branson warned that the islands would be submerged in 50 years if global governments did not address climate change. The warning in 2007 did not dissuade the developers, and
the final rock was placed in the breakwater in January 2008. The end of The World has not been brought about by rising tides, but
financial woes have put the development on long-term hold, potentially ending the project.
[more inside]
posted by filthy light thief
on Oct 2, 2009 -
47 comments
Mark takes us on the A380 (warning: image heavy) from Dubai to New York with meticulous photographic detail. For $7300 you can fly the
A380 with access to amenities like
showers and a full-service
bar, and stroll down to see the plebs in
steerage. Arguably the last time a flying hotel was tried in earnest was the post-WWII Boeing 377
Stratocruiser, a staple of Pacific routes until jet-powered 707s appeared on the scene.
posted by crapmatic
on Nov 20, 2008 -
90 comments
Chaffee,
White,
Grissom &
Freeman are the names of four artificial islands immediately off the Southern California port of Long Beach.
From the shore, they each look like an inhabited island
paradise, complete with waterfalls, interesting buildings, many palm trees and
crazy nighttime party lighting. In fact,
they are offshore oil wells, built on 10 acre Dubai-esque
man-made islands created for the purpose of housing the oil wells, and disguised so as to comply with local aesthetic standards.
posted by jonson
on Apr 11, 2007 -
25 comments
A growing crop of towers pushing 2,000 feet: though just shy itself, the
much-redesigned Freedom Tower is finally under construction for completion in 2011; but there is also the
stunning Fordham Spire,
approved in Chicago, that will rise to 2,000 feet by 2010. Moscow is planning
the tallest tower in Europe, while there are a number of
sightseeing and
radio towers under construction in Asia. In Dubai, two towers under construction (
despite worker protests) are
racing to be the world's tallest, both are keeping their final heights secret, but will likely be over half a mile in height -- the
Burj Dubai and the
Al Burj. As
previously discussed, there are great illustrations comparing buildings both
built and
under construction. Bring on Frank Lloyd Wright's
The Illinois!
posted by blahblahblah
on May 16, 2006 -
63 comments
DUBAI (AFP) - The United Arab Emirates is to mount robot jockeys on racing camels later this year after a ban on using children in the region's popular sport.
posted by Tlogmer
on Apr 11, 2005 -
7 comments
More
Dubai Madness. The
Dubai Waterfront will be 2½ times size of D.C. or the size of Manhattan. The Dubai Waterfront will be a mix of canals and islands full of hotels and residential areas that will add 500 miles of man-made waterfront.
posted by stbalbach
on Feb 7, 2005 -
23 comments
The massive engineering feat of Stonehenge meets the conspicuous nature of fiercely gated communities. The resulting bastard child:
The Palm, a man made island community shaped like a palm tree off of the coast of Dubai, UAE.
(warning: site entirely flash-based) (via willnot)
posted by Ufez Jones
on Jul 24, 2003 -
10 comments
The Economist recently completed a survey of Gulf countries. Much of the content is 'premium access only' or available in the print version. This article, subtitled "The Gulf states have come a long way, fast. Now they need to think about where they are going" is online and examines the swift changes in economy, institutions, and population trends in this in-the-spotlight region. Some fascinating stuff.
posted by cell divide
on Mar 25, 2002 -
1 comment
