The Race for Art Island Abu Dhabi

The Guardian Newspaper carries an article that seems to accept the fact that Abu Dhabi has taken on the New Cultural Capital, cementing its differentiation from Dubai. However, the article spends as much space highlighting the political ambitions of Chirac to link to the Middle East than it does on the Louvre and on the importance of Culture. It goes further in suggesting that this type of project is France trying to flex its muscles overseas.

"My feeling is this is a project more determined by political than artistic considerations," Philippe Régnier, editor of the French paper Journal des Arts, told the Guardian. "It is about France's presence in the region and its economic concerns. This isn't a project piloted by the museum or its curators, it has been taken over by the ministry of culture."

But with Abu Dhabi paying a rumoured €750m for the prestige, some might say that this is more about Abu Dhabi buying itself onto the world stage.

from the Guardian

Life plus life equals?

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With all these hotels...

...that will be built, many at Bawadi, there will need to be some sort of gimmick to each of them. I guarantee one of them will have this:


The Luxor hydro massage bathtub with a 42″ auto-rising plasma TV, features a 14” LCD screen with video input, adjustable air & water massage jets at the bottom with underwater lighting at the base and built in shampoo and body wash dispensers.

From Bornrich

Sheikh Khalifa Interview

Transcript of an interview given by UAE President HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan to the London-based Arabic daily Al Sharq Al Awsat
posted on 20/11/2006
Q: Two years after the death of Sheikh Zayed, one senses an overlapping between the previous era, marked by significant reforms in the areas of politics and development, and the current era under your leadership, with growing ambitions and aspirations. Does this over-lapping provide any thrust to come up with new formulae for the handling of responsibilities or do you feel simply that the sustaining of Sheikh Zayed's rich legacy adds to your expanded responsibilities in the period ahead?

A: It is not just a feeling, but a reality. Activity in any given society is not undertaken within isolated or separate circles but as part of a well-linked chain, provided that the society's objectives are clear and specific and as long as the transition process is smoothly taking place. In the case of the UAE, both requirements are met and, therefore, an overlapping is something that is not only expected but is also desired. We are not starting from scratch - we still take our inspiration from that rich experience of the past to continue serving our country and our people.
There is no doubt that the achievements made during the reign of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan put additional duties upon us, as we need to safeguard the achievements made and to continue with the development and protection of the (UAE) federation in such a way as to enable it to adapt to the rapid changes in regional and international affairs.
Perhaps the most important legacy left by Sheikh Zayed is the clarity of the goals that he laid down. Though governed by development needs and standards, those goals are in essence are driven by humanity and by our deep-rooted traditions. They reflect the special characteristics of the UAE citizen, who is a proud Arab and Muslim.
In my speech last year on the occasion of the federation's 34th anniversary, I said that we are entering a new era we called "the enabling era", which is distinct from the previous "foundation era". I said that both eras compliment each other, seek to reach the same goals and ends.

Read the whole thing from WAM

The Arabian Persian Gulf

Some feel a little bitter about that water that is nearby. The metric of google occurrences seems to be the benchmark of what is correct these days:

Until about a year ago a Google search for the term "Arabian Gulf"‌ in the news, would generate almost 900 results. But this number has now gone down to less than 400 thank to the efforts made by an independent and small group of Persians (Iranians).

Whatever one thinks, apparently establishing oneself in the Gulf provides a good vantage point to see what is going on in Persia.

Dubai Internet City?

To the uninitiated, the concept of the DIC would seem to be more than it actually is. I have had cause to listen to some people dig holes as deep as to say "It's the silicon valley of the Middle East". That is a gross exaggeration. I don't think there is anything close to the level of creativity to match SV any time soon, not in many cities, and certainly not in Dubai. In fact Dubai and the Internet continue to veer further away from each other, with DIC not able to provide it's residents the freedom that the term "free zone" might allude to. And the metrics of success these days appears to be % of services online, which the Dubai Municipality and Dubai International Airport recently shouted about. With even Dubai World hee-hawing about the fact that it has redesigned its website, can someone please put things into perspective? Please do something groundbreaking with the medium of the Internet that would result in the West sitting up and taking stock. Then we can rename DIC with its full title - Dubai Internet City.

Grapeshisha's New Mascot

The Armenian Trade

Hetq Online investigate the Armenian Prostitutes in Dubai, in their documentary, Desert Nights. While the focus is on Armenian, this is one of the more in depth, on the ground detailed exposes of the sex trade in Dubai and the UAE. Perhaps things have changed since 2004. Perhaps not. Worth viewing, though long.