(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/mheiss01/Saudia%20Arabia/AbrajAlBait.jpg)
Is it just me, or does anyone else here wish we could think bigger then Green Cove Springs? This is being built overseas, damn shame it's not on the river front, Shipyards, JEA, and owned by the Seminoles!
This thing looks like it just fell out of the movie Metropolis.
Guess it's just me or what's in the bottle... SO CO!
OCKLAWAHA
The Arabian countries are really producing some stunning architecture. If you look at what's in the pipeline for sky scrapers globally, the US is lagging not only in number produced but also in stunning original creations.
http://skyscraperpage.com/ (http://skyscraperpage.com/)
Yeah I don't think Arabian and SOCO normally go together but this place is over the top. But then so is the giant sail building. I just get so damn frustrated with Jax and my beloved Jaxsons. Like the BOA building downtown, the original renderings had the upper terrace lined with palms! Don't recall if they were to be real or copper? but it was pretty stunning... NOPE didn't look JACKSONVILLE ENOUGH!
OCKLAWAHA
Quote from: Deuce on May 08, 2009, 09:17:05 AM
The Arabian countries are really producing some stunning architecture. If you look at what's in the pipeline for sky scrapers globally, the US is lagging not only in number produced but also in stunning original creations.
http://skyscraperpage.com/ (http://skyscraperpage.com/)
They are also leading us in human rights violations.
^ Oh yeah! Dubai is an amazing place full of world class architecture and recordbreaking buildings but the hidden truth is that all of that insanely massive construction is done on the backs of uneducated, malnourished, badly treated, dirt poor people that are practically slaves. They are bused in from "camps" to work and then bussed back home every day with hardly any money in their pockets.
Here are a few stories:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4249223.stm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/oct/08/middleeast.construction
Not all of the camps are poorly run though.
Just spent about an hour on sky scraper page...... China & Dubai are blowing up! I'm sure many of the buildings that are currently "proposed" will not be built, but they are still growing at an alarming rate. That is a great website, I encourage all to check it out (but maybe not for an hour).
Having been in a few Mid east countries I can attest to the fact that virtually all construction, labor intensive, and "dirty" work is done by workers from Pakistan, India, and the Phillippines. The arabs do very little of the work at these sites. It must be remembered that while these people are being treated poorly by western standards they come because...
"A construction worker here can earn up to 10 times what he would get in India. For many, it works out well - families back home are supported, houses get built, debts are paid off. "
They would work just as hard under the same conditions back home.... for much less money.
When did this thread turn into a discussion on human rights and labor practices?
Glad you enjoyed the sky scraper link Captain. I've spent hours there myself and thought others might enjoy it too.
Skyscraperpage is the site that eventually led to the creation of Metro Jacksonville via Urban Planet and MetJax. Although I don't visit as much as I did originally, I've been a member there since 2003. Its a great resource if you enjoy learning about other urban environments all over the world.
Quote from: BridgeTroll on May 08, 2009, 11:27:47 AM
Having been in a few Mid east countries I can attest to the fact that virtually all construction, labor intensive, and "dirty" work is done by workers from Pakistan, India, and the Phillippines. The Arab's do very little of the work at these sites. It must be remembered that while these people are being treated poorly by western standards they come because...
"A construction worker here can earn up to 10 times what he would get in India. For many, it works out well - families back home are supported, houses get built, debts are paid off. "
They would work just as hard under the same conditions back home.... for much less money.
In the never-to-be-humble opinion of Ocklawaha the GREAT, we better keep an eye on these nations. It's a given that Kim will lead North Korea into a semi-global conflict, unless he is killed or dies from lead poisoning. India is the next "blue water navy," (that means one that can project power around the globe). China is trying but India will probably beat them to the punch. For it's own protection JAPAN has launched a new class of AIRCRAFT carriers. The first being named IJN Musashi.
For those of you such as Stephen, Lakelander and myself, this has a more Bible based meaning.
Mushashi, was the legendary figure who rose from zero to create a unified Japan out of a 700 year Civil War, Japans "Abe Lincoln." Now as for the prophets, the words in The Revelations, that describe Armageddon, the final battle, does NOT translate as "Kings of the East," as many believe. "Kings of the East," taken to a realistic, word for word translation says, "SON'S OF THE RISING SUN!"
The Original, a sister to the worlds largest and most powerful battle ships: Yamato and Musashi
Now who's name reappears? The legend himself:
(http://newwars.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/hyuga.jpg)
Musashi, the greates Samuri of them all on the newest aircraft carriers in the world...AND they plan a whole fleet of them! someone please tell me how a carrier is a defensive weapon. It didn't work for Yamamoto, Honda, Toyoda, *(yes the same families we buy cars from today). The warning is, here they come AGAIN!
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
"In the first six to twelve months of a war with the United States and Great Britain I will run wild and win victory upon victory. But then, if the war continues after that, I have no expectation of success."OCKLAWAHA
Does anyone else watch "Build it Bigger" on the Science Channel? I love that show. Especially when they focus on the skyscrapers.
You know, there have been some pretty cool project proposals for Jacksonville, but they never get built. It's like someone/something forces them to leave. :-[
Quote from: Jason on May 08, 2009, 11:11:57 AM
^ Oh yeah! Dubai is an amazing place full of world class architecture and recordbreaking buildings but the hidden truth is that all of that insanely massive construction is done on the backs of uneducated, malnourished, badly treated, dirt poor people that are practically slaves. They are bused in from "camps" to work and then bussed back home every day with hardly any money in their pockets.
Here are a few stories:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4249223.stm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/oct/08/middleeast.construction
Not all of the camps are poorly run though.
Not sure if you've read this one yet, but it's one of the best pieces I've read in a long time:
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/the-dark-side-of-dubai-1664368.html
I stopped about halfway through... it was an agenda driven piece. :)
Quote from: KenFSU on May 08, 2009, 11:11:33 PM
Quote from: Jason on May 08, 2009, 11:11:57 AM
^ Oh yeah! Dubai is an amazing place full of world class architecture and recordbreaking buildings but the hidden truth is that all of that insanely massive construction is done on the backs of uneducated, malnourished, badly treated, dirt poor people that are practically slaves. They are bused in from "camps" to work and then bussed back home every day with hardly any money in their pockets.
Here are a few stories:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4249223.stm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/oct/08/middleeast.construction
Not all of the camps are poorly run though.
Not sure if you've read this one yet, but it's one of the best pieces I've read in a long time:
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/the-dark-side-of-dubai-1664368.html
Very good article, pretty much confirms what I felt when I was living in the UAE. Its bright and shiny on the outside but pretty nasty underside. I was working with a bunch of brits in Abu Dhabi, we were getting blitzed at the "british club" great beer selection. One of the older guys, had too much to drink, leaned over to me and said "Tim, don't let them fool you, your just another white ni**er to them, if they could treat you like the pakis they'd do it in a heart beat" About 6 months before my contract ran out, we were trying to explain to a senior Native manager, why what he was asking for was impossible. Then his mask slipped a bit. called us all a bunch of stupid Kaffirs, that pretty much iced it for me, I was heading out at the end of my contract and wash my hands of the place
Quote from: BridgeTroll on May 09, 2009, 08:22:18 AM
I stopped about halfway through... it was an agenda driven piece. :)
Well it is listed as "commentary" so I would expect it to have an agenda and opinion as opposed to a strictly news article
Civil, I agree with you, the media and do goods don't get it. In the 3Rd World there are often choices:
Being a virtual slave and eating...
or
Laying in a doorway until a police clean up team shoots your "lazy" ass...
Don't believe it? Buddy in Brasil they piled the bodies in a flat bed like cordwood, mostly unwanted homeless children.
There is always two other choices too for those lucky enough to reach an age of decision, (which might be 8 or 9 years).
Become a prostitute, in which the more on the edge you go the more money your pimp gets, thus you get better perks until some john beats you to death - at an arranged price of course.
Join the Guerrilla movement, Taliban, FARC, FALN, Los Pepes etc...
REALITY CHECK TIME Y'ALL!
(http://www.globaleye.org.uk/secondary_autumn04/eyeon/images/childsoldier.jpg)
(http://img.timeinc.net/time/photoessays/2008/child_soldiers/child_soldier_01.jpg)
AK-47 variant - some of these are US made!
(http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42342000/jpg/_42342559_soldier203b.jpg)
The sign by "FARC" says "Don't mistreat your children, they are our future!" F.A.R.C. Forces Armed Revolutionary Colombia
OCKLAWAHA
VIVA COLOMBIA!
One of the scariest aspects of this article was the passport seizure. I can sympathize with the poor individuals, mine was seized as well when I came into the UAE, wasn't expecting it and didn't get it back for 6 months. Fortunately I was classified as skilled and the US embassy was helpful. But still it was a scary experience, but I had some guys that had been inn country for a while to help me out.