A Thousand and One Nights in Dubai

Tref · 01-06-2010, 10:55 AM

Artist's concept

Reality

The Dark Side of Dubai from The Independent:

"The thing you have to understand about Dubai is – nothing is what it seems," Karen says at last. "Nothing. This isn't a city, it's a con-job. They lure you in telling you it's one thing – a modern kind of place – but beneath the surface it's a medieval dictatorship."

To read the whole story, click here

BarTopDancer · 01-06-2010, 11:06 AM

Heartbreaking article but not surprising at all.

flippyshark · 01-06-2010, 02:08 PM

Wow, fascinating, and horrifying.

I almost got on board with a project in Dubai, but it didn't happen thanks to economic factors. I would have been 100% ignorant of any of this had I gone over there. sounds like I dodged a bullet. (Honestly, I hate malls, so Dubai would have been pretty hellish even in the best of circumstances.)

Moonliner · 01-06-2010, 02:14 PM

Same here, I was approached about some consulting work in Dubai but that dry heat makes my hair frizz and I hate that.

Chernabog · 01-06-2010, 03:08 PM

Then there's that whole thing about if you're seen with a female that isn't a relative that isn't your wife, then you're stoned to death stuff, that sort of turns me off. Sure, the mall is nuts around the holidays, but not usually quite that bad.

Stan4dSteph · 01-06-2010, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chernabog

Then there's that whole thing about if you're seen with a female that isn't a relative that isn't your wife, then you're stoned to death stuff, that sort of turns me off. Sure, the mall is nuts around the holidays, but not usually quite that bad.

That's in Saudi Arabia, not Dubai.

Chernabog · 01-06-2010, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stan4dSteph

That's in Saudi Arabia, not Dubai.

I was exaggerating

Actually you can't live with a member of the opposite sex in various parts of the UAE from what I understand, but it isn't really enforced in Dubai.

Kevy Baby · 01-06-2010, 07:24 PM

Okay, this one sentence bugs me:

Quote:

Suddenly it looks less like Manhattan in the sun than Iceland in the desert.

Dear, Iceland is the pretty/nice one and Greenland is the nasty one.

Alex · 01-06-2010, 07:52 PM

But Iceland is the country experiencing financial ruination currently and recently proved be completely puffed up on the outer edge of a financial bubble.

Which I think (though it is overly flowery so I might be wrong) is the analogy they were going for. Being a British newspaper teh Icelandic financial situation is one that the British reader would be well aware of since Iceland's collapse came very close to bringing down the UK (Brits were putting a lot of money into Iceland investments).

Morrigoon · 01-06-2010, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chernabog

I was exaggerating

Actually you can't live with a member of the opposite sex in various parts of the UAE from what I understand, but it isn't really enforced in Dubai.

Sweet, sweet irony.

Wow, what an article.

01-06-2010, 10:55 AM	#1
Tref Not Tref Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,188	A Thousand and One Nights in Dubai Artist's concept Reality The Dark Side of Dubai from The Independent: "The thing you have to understand about Dubai is – nothing is what it seems," Karen says at last. "Nothing. This isn't a city, it's a con-job. They lure you in telling you it's one thing – a modern kind of place – but beneath the surface it's a medieval dictatorship." To read the whole story, click here __________________ Tref3.0 Listen in aural 3-D to Pop's muzak! (New songs added semi-bi-daily) j & j Did you know that Emas eht yltcaxe is exactly the same spelled backwards?!
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01-06-2010, 11:06 AM	#2
BarTopDancer Prepping... Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Here, there, everywhere Posts: 11,405	Heartbreaking article but not surprising at all. __________________ Spork is the new MacGyver Postcards From My Edge
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01-06-2010, 02:08 PM	#3
flippyshark Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 2,852	Wow, fascinating, and horrifying. I almost got on board with a project in Dubai, but it didn't happen thanks to economic factors. I would have been 100% ignorant of any of this had I gone over there. sounds like I dodged a bullet. (Honestly, I hate malls, so Dubai would have been pretty hellish even in the best of circumstances.)
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01-06-2010, 02:14 PM	#4
Moonliner 8/30/14 - Disneyland -10k or Bust. Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 9,022	Same here, I was approached about some consulting work in Dubai but that dry heat makes my hair frizz and I hate that. __________________ - Taking it one step at a time.
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01-06-2010, 03:08 PM	#5
Chernabog Biophage Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: The Moon Posts: 2,679	Then there's that whole thing about if you're seen with a female that isn't a relative that isn't your wife, then you're stoned to death stuff, that sort of turns me off. Sure, the mall is nuts around the holidays, but not usually quite that bad. __________________ And they say back then our universe Was a coal black egg Until the god inside Burst out and from its shattered shell He made what became the world we know ~ Bjork (Cosmogony)
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01-06-2010, 07:52 PM	#9
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	But Iceland is the country experiencing financial ruination currently and recently proved be completely puffed up on the outer edge of a financial bubble. Which I think (though it is overly flowery so I might be wrong) is the analogy they were going for. Being a British newspaper teh Icelandic financial situation is one that the British reader would be well aware of since Iceland's collapse came very close to bringing down the UK (Brits were putting a lot of money into Iceland investments).
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