Saturday, March 7, 2009

My first non-traveling post

I felt compelled to write a short blog entry based on this very cool initiative I stumbled across. Everyone has probably heard of Dubai City by now, right? They are making islands in the shape of the world, have billions of dollars being pumped in to their infrastructure, making a super duper Disney World type theme park, have something like 75% of the world's cranes (since there is so much construction going on).

Well, due to the recent economic depression, Dubai is in terrible shape. I read an article in the Wall Street Journal a few weeks back about how the depression is affecting things there. People bought Audi's, Mercedes, etc. all on credit. Now, they are unable to pay off their debt as many jobs are being eliminated left and right. People are abandoning cars with notes on them apologizing for not holding up their end of the bargain. But what choice do they have...it's either flee the country and not pay off the car loan, or be put to jail (that's the penalty in Dubai for stopping payments you are obligated to pay). And these cannot get a job ANYWHERE... so what else are they to do? And what would you do, if you came there to work from another country and your job was slashed. You'd probably go home, too.

Abu Dhabi is another city located in the United Arab Emirates. It, too, has a lot of neat things being planned. Abu Dhabi was once more recognized than its cousin city Dubai... and now I think they will once again re-take that title. It's looking more probable each day that Dubai will be the biggest bust since the Yankees dropped 4 straight in 2004 to the Boston Redsox. Masdar City, however, seems to be on the right path.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWVsi0UtmgI

I urge you to take a look at this YouTube video as it shows what we as humans are capable of doing. I need to do a lot more research before I 100% back up this project, especially not knowing the history/background of who is funding it. But what this video shows is the amazing planning strategies that go into some of our world's most important projects.

Maybe I will end up here in a few years, or at a similar type project. I guess this post does relate somewhat to travel after all. The world is at my fingertips, right?

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