Natasha LaBalle ARAB 1001 The staggering rate of construction going on within the city of Dubai is astounding. It's amazing that a mere fifty years ago the area was a small, desert trading city and now it's a luxurious metropolis. I liked that the 60 Minutes segment provided more information on Sheik Mohammed himself. He has a brilliant insight into business and economics. I applaud his wanting the best healthcare and education for his people. The people of Dubai seem to genuinely like him. The human ingenuity involved in the creation of The Palm Island and the Burj al Arab is admirable, especially how they persevered despite many engineering difficulties and problems with storms. The city and its buildings are beautiful and ultramodern. I loved the colourful atrium of the Burj al Arab and the exquisite interior decorating of the rooms. However, its unfortunate that the average person who lives in Dubai can probably not afford most of the luxuries the city has to offer, though they themselves do enjoy a higher standard of living than the average person in most other cities in the world. I'm therefore somewhat conflicted because while Dubai seems to be a twenty-first century utopia, there do seem to be some problems with worker's rights violations, sex trafficking, classism, and overall rampant opulence despite the beauty and progressivism of the city.
I found these videos about Dubai very interesting. I know very little about Dubai, so the videos about the city's rapid industrial and economic growth proved to be rather insightful. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's visions are grand in scale and have benefited the city in a number of ways. What used to be level desert has transformed in a very short time into one of the most beautiful cities in the world. He advocates for religious tolerance,gender equality, free higher education, free health care, and no taxes. In many ways, it seems, he is trying to make Dubai into the best, most perfect city. However, this aspiration seems to be at the expense of several groups. The palaces and grand estates that he ordered constructed are not accessible to the workers who toiled to build them. They are prone to exploitation and subject to sub-par living and working conditions. Several of the non-native inhabitants, specifically women, have been brought to the city under false pretenses and forced into prostitution. I do not cite the Sheikh as responsible for these injustices, but it does not appear the much action has been taken to safeguard and prevent the exploitation of these individuals. The improved worker's compounds he asked for are a start, but the inequality, class-wise, is still present. The Sheikh, for all his good intentions for the people of the city, seems to be operating without any checks on his power, as the professor of political science in one of the videos has mentioned. The Sheikh has ordered the construction of several gravity- and nature-defying structures that seems somewhat excessive and narcissistic, i.e. "The World Islands." The only people who benefit from these creations are those who are equal or similar to the Sheikh in economic and class status. The man-made islands seem to be temporary, susceptible to the ocean that will erode them, and despite attempts he would make to keep them maintained, the effort would seem like a waste of resources. He also does not appear too fond of opinions that deviate from that of his own. His unflinching determination can seem too strong and makes him seem almost monomaniacal. He wants what he wants "now," a word that appeared several times in the videos. The environment that he is striving to create is on one hand awe-inspiring and progressive and on the other an exclusive large-scale Disney Land for the world's wealthiest.
Dubai is very fast developing nation. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the man behind all this success. He seemed like developing Dubai seemed to be his main and only goal in his life which makes him a great businessman. Since the year 2005 and so on Dubai grew all the towers, building, and basically had the biggest diplomatic area. It is true that his goals could cause consequences like labors being mistreated. But he has made strict laws for it because everyone should be treated equal. I liked the whole project and architecture about the palm island. It is located in the sea and they filled enormous amount of sand to build the island. But the island is expensive because it is newly built house are worth a lot of money.
The mega structures and incredible growth that Dubai has experience because of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum is truly astounding. Though, the woman at the end of the second video did make a good point, unchecked ambition can lead to negative consequences such as a housing bubble bursting or other economic disasters. I do wish other areas of the world would build the type of buildings that Dubai does, it would make the world just a little more interesting.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is a true visionary and he believes that anything is possible, with right amount of zeros written on a check. It is true that he has brought a lot of revenue to Dubai, but at what cost? And it’s not cost in money, it is opportunity cost. With the huge expansion of Dubai a lot of different things have happened that do not consist of good. Like it was stated, a lot of prostitution and human trafficking is going on and nothing is being to stop it or even to slow it down. Another thing is that the original natives of Dubai are being forced to accept the new ways at such a fast rate that it is almost uncomfortable. If Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum really cared for his people and not how deep his pockets go, then he would have asked their opinions and considered how they or at least gave them some type of compensation before he turned a desert into a metropolis, with an indoor ski resort, in five years.
Overall, these videos portrayed Dubai in a very positive light. I think Sheikh Mohammed has great ambition for his people, but I wonder what will happen in Dubai once Sheikh Muhammed is no longer the ruler. His ambition and opinions drive the development of Dubai, but the next ruler may change how things are done in Dubai. Another concern that arises from my background in Public Health is the environmental impact of the rapid development in the region. This development is being conducted with little thought given to the potential damage that is being done to local ecosystems. Urbanization is known to contribute to air pollution, which increases incidence of asthma and other serious respiratory diseases. The construction of artificial islands has an absurd impact on the local ecosystem that could decrease water quality, leading to collapse of fish and wildlife communities in the area. The goal of providing increased quality of life for the people of Dubai is a noble one, but Sheik Muhammed's actions could have unforseen negative long-term consequences.
I feel like Dubai has about as much of rags to riches type tale as a country can have. They go from your stereotypical impoverished country to one with very high class establishments, such as the resort and a government that looks to continue that trend. It’s inspiring and a model for other countries.
Austin Branham ARAB 1001 Sheikh Mohammed has done a remarkable job with his plans for Dubai. Transforming pretty much a desert with a road 10-20 years ago into one of the global centers of commerce soon to be on par with New York City and London. Perhaps the most remarkable part of the new Dubai are there artificial islands which look spectacular today, since this video is from a few years ago. It is certainly one of the main cities I would love to see in my life it now has a skyline that can compete with any other city in the world. Although this grand new city has come at a cost for the people who built it who have deplorable living conditions and deserve better which I hope the Sheikh adresses soon. But overall the city serves as a shining example to the rest of the middle east of what they can do with their economies outside of oil.
Dubai is almost a fairy tale story for investment. I'm glad that the videos touched on the negative affects of such incredible growth in a very short period of time. The exploitation of foreign workers is a serious problem, yet somewhat expected in such a rapidly growing area. It's also absolutely terrifying that there aren't environmental regulations. I can't imagine what those artificial islands are doing to marine life. It was mentioned in the video that the Sheikh has ambition without limitation, and that can be dangerous, obviously. Hopefully future growth will be led with caution.
The coverage of Dubai by 60 minutes portrayed the country in a good way. I had both positive and negative responses to certain areas of the videos. I particularly liked the ambitious vision of Sheikh Mohammed for Dubai and its people. It is amazing how much has developed within a short span of time. The main concerns I had with all the development was the impact on the environment and gap in social classes to where people are immigrating to the country to be used more or less as free labor living in horrible conditions. I commend Sheikh Mohammed for his vision of Dubai but I feel it is a vision that only looks at the present and not future outcomes that may be detrimental.
Kelsey Flannery, Arabic 1001 Dubai has become an amazing place over the last 20 years or so. It's palm island has attracted many tourist and even those who are more local. This island was no small project and it is remarkable that they were able to build a whole palm made of nothing but rock and sand! Although they still have problems such as prostitution, trafficking, and some say violation of labor laws, all cities, states and countries have these same issues or other similar problems. It looks as though Dubai is trying to make a name for itself in a good way. And after watching these videos you can't help but want to visit this beautiful, growing place!
The growth of Dubai is occurring at an alarming rate. Sheikh Mohammed has many ambitions for his country and his people. He is working to bring not only tourist attraction but also develop and expand what is already there for the nationals. However, it is possible that he has “ambition without limits.” Despite being told the Palm Island were a bad idea he continued anyway regardless of the environmental impact. In addition, there are those that believe he needs to focus more on the labor law issues as well as the prostitution. No one can deny that what Sheikh Mohammed is attempting to do is more that exceptional but there need to be boundaries as far as what is to be allowed. One cannot simply focus on the now he must also consider the future. Danaris Madera ARAB 1001
Natasha LaBalle ARAB 1001
ReplyDeleteThe staggering rate of construction going on within the city of Dubai is astounding. It's amazing that a mere fifty years ago the area was a small, desert trading city and now it's a luxurious metropolis. I liked that the 60 Minutes segment provided more information on Sheik Mohammed himself. He has a brilliant insight into business and economics. I applaud his wanting the best healthcare and education for his people. The people of Dubai seem to genuinely like him. The human ingenuity involved in the creation of The Palm Island and the Burj al Arab is admirable, especially how they persevered despite many engineering difficulties and problems with storms. The city and its buildings are beautiful and ultramodern. I loved the colourful atrium of the Burj al Arab and the exquisite interior decorating of the rooms. However, its unfortunate that the average person who lives in Dubai can probably not afford most of the luxuries the city has to offer, though they themselves do enjoy a higher standard of living than the average person in most other cities in the world. I'm therefore somewhat conflicted because while Dubai seems to be a twenty-first century utopia, there do seem to be some problems with worker's rights violations, sex trafficking, classism, and overall rampant opulence despite the beauty and progressivism of the city.
Jackie Simmons
ReplyDeleteElementary Arabic 1001
I found these videos about Dubai very interesting. I know very little about Dubai, so the videos about the city's rapid industrial and economic growth proved to be rather insightful. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's visions are grand in scale and have benefited the city in a number of ways. What used to be level desert has transformed in a very short time into one of the most beautiful cities in the world. He advocates for religious tolerance,gender equality, free higher education, free health care, and no taxes. In many ways, it seems, he is trying to make Dubai into the best, most perfect city. However, this aspiration seems to be at the expense of several groups. The palaces and grand estates that he ordered constructed are not accessible to the workers who toiled to build them. They are prone to exploitation and subject to sub-par living and working conditions. Several of the non-native inhabitants, specifically women, have been brought to the city under false pretenses and forced into prostitution. I do not cite the Sheikh as responsible for these injustices, but it does not appear the much action has been taken to safeguard and prevent the exploitation of these individuals. The improved worker's compounds he asked for are a start, but the inequality, class-wise, is still present. The Sheikh, for all his good intentions for the people of the city, seems to be operating without any checks on his power, as the professor of political science in one of the videos has mentioned. The Sheikh has ordered the construction of several gravity- and nature-defying structures that seems somewhat excessive and narcissistic, i.e. "The World Islands." The only people who benefit from these creations are those who are equal or similar to the Sheikh in economic and class status. The man-made islands seem to be temporary, susceptible to the ocean that will erode them, and despite attempts he would make to keep them maintained, the effort would seem like a waste of resources. He also does not appear too fond of opinions that deviate from that of his own. His unflinching determination can seem too strong and makes him seem almost monomaniacal. He wants what he wants "now," a word that appeared several times in the videos. The environment that he is striving to create is on one hand awe-inspiring and progressive and on the other an exclusive large-scale Disney Land for the world's wealthiest.
Isa Saleem
ReplyDeleteARAB 1001
Dubai is very fast developing nation. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the man behind all this success. He seemed like developing Dubai seemed to be his main and only goal in his life which makes him a great businessman. Since the year 2005 and so on Dubai grew all the towers, building, and basically had the biggest diplomatic area. It is true that his goals could cause consequences like labors being mistreated. But he has made strict laws for it because everyone should be treated equal. I liked the whole project and architecture about the palm island. It is located in the sea and they filled enormous amount of sand to build the island. But the island is expensive because it is newly built house are worth a lot of money.
The mega structures and incredible growth that Dubai has experience because of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum is truly astounding. Though, the woman at the end of the second video did make a good point, unchecked ambition can lead to negative consequences such as a housing bubble bursting or other economic disasters. I do wish other areas of the world would build the type of buildings that Dubai does, it would make the world just a little more interesting.
ReplyDeleteJulius Smith Arabic 1001
ReplyDeleteSheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is a true visionary and he believes that anything is possible, with right amount of zeros written on a check. It is true that he has brought a lot of revenue to Dubai, but at what cost? And it’s not cost in money, it is opportunity cost. With the huge expansion of Dubai a lot of different things have happened that do not consist of good. Like it was stated, a lot of prostitution and human trafficking is going on and nothing is being to stop it or even to slow it down. Another thing is that the original natives of Dubai are being forced to accept the new ways at such a fast rate that it is almost uncomfortable. If Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum really cared for his people and not how deep his pockets go, then he would have asked their opinions and considered how they or at least gave them some type of compensation before he turned a desert into a metropolis, with an indoor ski resort, in five years.
Overall, these videos portrayed Dubai in a very positive light. I think Sheikh Mohammed has great ambition for his people, but I wonder what will happen in Dubai once Sheikh Muhammed is no longer the ruler. His ambition and opinions drive the development of Dubai, but the next ruler may change how things are done in Dubai.
ReplyDeleteAnother concern that arises from my background in Public Health is the environmental impact of the rapid development in the region. This development is being conducted with little thought given to the potential damage that is being done to local ecosystems. Urbanization is known to contribute to air pollution, which increases incidence of asthma and other serious respiratory diseases. The construction of artificial islands has an absurd impact on the local ecosystem that could decrease water quality, leading to collapse of fish and wildlife communities in the area. The goal of providing increased quality of life for the people of Dubai is a noble one, but Sheik Muhammed's actions could have unforseen negative long-term consequences.
I feel like Dubai has about as much of rags to riches type tale as a country can have. They go from your stereotypical impoverished country to one with very high class establishments, such as the resort and a government that looks to continue that trend. It’s inspiring and a model for other countries.
ReplyDeleteAustin Branham ARAB 1001
ReplyDeleteSheikh Mohammed has done a remarkable job with his plans for Dubai. Transforming pretty much a desert with a road 10-20 years ago into one of the global centers of commerce soon to be on par with New York City and London. Perhaps the most remarkable part of the new Dubai are there artificial islands which look spectacular today, since this video is from a few years ago. It is certainly one of the main cities I would love to see in my life it now has a skyline that can compete with any other city in the world. Although this grand new city has come at a cost for the people who built it who have deplorable living conditions and deserve better which I hope the Sheikh adresses soon. But overall the city serves as a shining example to the rest of the middle east of what they can do with their economies outside of oil.
Dubai is almost a fairy tale story for investment. I'm glad that the videos touched on the negative affects of such incredible growth in a very short period of time. The exploitation of foreign workers is a serious problem, yet somewhat expected in such a rapidly growing area. It's also absolutely terrifying that there aren't environmental regulations. I can't imagine what those artificial islands are doing to marine life. It was mentioned in the video that the Sheikh has ambition without limitation, and that can be dangerous, obviously. Hopefully future growth will be led with caution.
ReplyDeleteKacie Thorne-ARAB 1001
ReplyDeleteThe coverage of Dubai by 60 minutes portrayed the country in a good way. I had both positive and negative responses to certain areas of the videos. I particularly liked the ambitious vision of Sheikh Mohammed for Dubai and its people. It is amazing how much has developed within a short span of time. The main concerns I had with all the development was the impact on the environment and gap in social classes to where people are immigrating to the country to be used more or less as free labor living in horrible conditions. I commend Sheikh Mohammed for his vision of Dubai but I feel it is a vision that only looks at the present and not future outcomes that may be detrimental.
Kelsey Flannery, Arabic 1001
ReplyDeleteDubai has become an amazing place over the last 20 years or so. It's palm island has attracted many tourist and even those who are more local. This island was no small project and it is remarkable that they were able to build a whole palm made of nothing but rock and sand! Although they still have problems such as prostitution, trafficking, and some say violation of labor laws, all cities, states and countries have these same issues or other similar problems. It looks as though Dubai is trying to make a name for itself in a good way. And after watching these videos you can't help but want to visit this beautiful, growing place!
The growth of Dubai is occurring at an alarming rate. Sheikh Mohammed has many ambitions for his country and his people. He is working to bring not only tourist attraction but also develop and expand what is already there for the nationals. However, it is possible that he has “ambition without limits.” Despite being told the Palm Island were a bad idea he continued anyway regardless of the environmental impact. In addition, there are those that believe he needs to focus more on the labor law issues as well as the prostitution. No one can deny that what Sheikh Mohammed is attempting to do is more that exceptional but there need to be boundaries as far as what is to be allowed. One cannot simply focus on the now he must also consider the future.
ReplyDeleteDanaris Madera ARAB 1001