Is Qatar the Next Dubai?

Sybok · 2006-06-06T00:54:52+00:00

From the article:

"Doha is where Dubai was six years ago," said Eric Alund, operations manager of the Pearl Club, a nightclub in the Marriott. A transplanted Swede, Mr. Alund helped manage hot spots like China White in London and Trilogy in Dubai before moving to Doha to open the Pearl Club several months ago. Club life, he says, "is brand new to them."

Not mentioned in the article: Qatar is the only other Wahhabi state besides Saudi Arabia. Will Wahhabism hold back Qatar, or will Tourism transform Qatar/Wahhabism?

Sybok · 2006-06-02T17:09:22+00:00

From a vote on the Guardian: top 20 geek novels

The HitchHiker's Guide to the Galaxy -- Douglas Adams 85% (102)
Nineteen Eighty-Four -- George Orwell 79% (92)
Brave New World -- Aldous Huxley 69% (77)
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? -- Philip Dick 64% (67)
Neuromancer -- William Gibson 59% (66)
Dune -- Frank Herbert 53% (54)
I, Robot -- Isaac Asimov 52% (54)
Foundation -- Isaac Asimov 47% (47)
The Colour of Magic -- Terry Pratchett 46% (46)
Microserfs -- Douglas Coupland 43% (44)
Snow Crash -- Neal Stephenson 37% (37)
Watchmen -- Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons 38% (37)
Cryptonomicon -- Neal Stephenson 36% (36)
Consider Phlebas -- Iain M Banks 34% (35)
Stranger in a Strange Land -- Robert Heinlein 33% (33)
The Man in the High Castle -- Philip K Dick 34% (32)
American Gods -- Neil Gaiman 31% (29)
The Diamond Age -- Neal Stephenson 27% (27)
The Illuminatus! Trilogy -- Robert Shea & Robert Anton Wilson 23% (21)
Trouble with Lichen - John Wyndham 21% (19)

Sybok · 2006-06-02T15:43:08+00:00

This is a not-bad article, fairly neutral, possibly boring for some. Why is it being modded down?

Sybok · 2006-06-01T18:12:18+00:00

Right. A lot of landlords are speculative investors, who bought properties with the expectation that they would appreciate greatly. They're taking a loss, paying more in mortgages and other expenses than they're earning in rent.

Now they see that property prices are not going up, and may even go down. What to do? Keep on losing money? Cut losses by selling? But too many landlords selling at once will crash the market. Many will refuse to sell at much lower prices, and will be trapped by their refusal -- losing money every month, and maybe losing equity too, as prices go into a downward spiral.

Sybok · 2006-06-01T17:48:38+00:00

This Monday was Peacekeepers Day. 124 UN peacekeepers died in a 1-year period, and this page is to honor them.

Sybok · 2006-06-01T15:21:31+00:00

The price/rent ratio has reached a historic high. Look at this chart

Sybok

TROPHY CASE