Celtics Baby!!!

Just a friendly reminder.

You didn't win. Take the summer off Kobe, spend time with the family, reflect on what went wrong, and remember, no matter what, if you could change anything...you would get the same result.

Text message from the Dubai Police

You can't hide from big brother in this country.
Right before I walk in to The Great Kabab Factory in Old Town for an early dinner, my partner shows me his phone and asks me if I was joking with him. His iPhone just received a text message from the Dubai Police.
Okay, so now I'm thinking what the hell is this about. How did the Dubai Police get his number, why the hell are they texting him, and why did try have to text him in Arabic. That's great, we are foreigners, and the police gives us a ticket in Arabic and follows that up 2 days later with a text that we can't read. Awesome.
We call the police and tell them that this text message was sent to him by them, but his phone doesn't have Arabic language so he doesn't even know what it says. They put him on hold and he talks to someone else, and this guy tells him "I'm busy with paper work, call me later,
but don't worry if we want you we will get you." haha what the hell? These guys are like, we will send you a text message to let you know were looking for you, so you've got time to run, but don't worry we will find you in the end.
Tomorrow - hit the embassy and say hi.
The saga continues...

Oil in the Middle East grosses GDP

Came across these crazy facts the other day:

If the annual average price of oil per barrel hits $150, then The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the UAE will have a capital flow of $25.7 trillion, with $16.6 trillion going to the kingdom and the rest split evenly between Kuwait and the UAE. The GDP in the US, said Brad Bourland, Chief Economist and Head of Research at Jadwa Investment in Saudi Arabia, is $13 trillion. If the average price is $100 per barrel, the three GCC countries will earn $17.2 trillion. Even at an average price of $50 per barrel, the three countries will have a capital flow of of $8.6 trillion.

Like I said, Arabs have more money then they deserve. They can have all the money in the world but can't work together and bring unity to our people in the Middle East. Makes me sick...

Give me a break...this is getting out of hand

So after humiliating my partner in basketball, 1-on-1, we decided to get some food before going back to our place. TGIF was on the way, so I parked in a handicap parking space, put my hazard lights on, he ran in and made the order. We were there for 10 minutes waiting for the food. Dubai Police came, and said "1 min okhay, 2 min, no okhay." As he was being a prick to us, our food came out. So I tell the guy sorry, here's our food, look at the order time. He said something in Arabic, took my passport, and came back with a ticket written in Arabic. Two tickets, parking in a cripple spot, and no drivers license. The food sucked, and the police here are assholes.
Here the story in pictures:

Yash Raj Gettng A Theme Park...or Something?

Dubai Infinity Holdings brings Yash Raj Films to Dubai, the largest entertainment house in India

Yup, I guess there making some type of themepark here. So the facts are that the Bollywood industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. They produce more films then Hollywood in the US, and some may argue that the superstars in Bollywood are as, or more, popular then US film stars. Yash Raj has made some of the most memorable films to date in Bollywood and now his films will be leaving the big screen and coming to the real world.

I'm sure someone named Patel, Khan. Naziri, Qureshi, or Singh will care.

Gay boosts US Olympics

Gay boosts US Olympics
Originally uploaded by MrTooDamnGood

Thumbs up!

Qatar's Queen Modernizing The Middle East

No matter where I am I keep some reading material around me. When I left New York on my way to Dubai I picked up a special on the middle east; Time Magazine - my way to Kuwait I read an amazing article in Time Special Report: The Divided World Of the Middle East. The magazine was pointing at key social and economic differences within middle east countries like Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates, but one particular article caught my attention.

Araby's Beating Heart was an article they did on how the Sheikh and Sheikha of Qatar. Qatar has made a ridiculous amount of money over the last decade from oil and natural gas, and they are pumping billions back in to the development of the country, making it the second fasting growing economy in the world. So what's the point? What about the Sheikha? Sheikha Mozah is beautiful, educated, strong willed, and is spear heading the social progress within the country single handedly. She has brought respected American universities like Texas A&M to Doha as satellite campuses and is outspoken against critics uninformed about women and Islam.

Bonnie and Clyde of the Middle East...

Land of Oil

9:45pm I am standing in a bus filled with people that's taking me
from my gate at Dubai International Airport to my plane thats already
sitting on the runway. Isn't that how planes get hijacked in the
movies? I really wasnt expecting this in Dubai.

10:13pm Walking up these steps and looking at this plane helps me
understand why John Travolta has a couple of planes in the hanger.
These things look magnificent when your looking back at it from the
cockpit door.

Okay, now smoke is filling the cabin, it looks the cabin is a club in
Vegas and the fog machines just turned on. Another first for Dubai, I
am officially on the worlds largest flying humidifier. I guess
there's a first for everything.

Im flying Al Jazeera Airlines, I think maybe it's owned by the Royal Family in Qatar..? The Emir of Qatar is also the genius who started Al-Jazeera. On the speakers and overhead monitors they just recited and displayed a prayer for traveling. Pretty interesting. This would never happen in the states.

90 minute flight, 20% battery left on the iPhone - enough to listen to a few cuts on the new Usher album, post these via mobile blogging, and read one Busines Week and one Time magazine.I'm set for a good flight.

Ras al Khaimah - a hotspot for foreign investment

Ras al Khaimah is like the Palm Springs of LA. What I mean by that is that it is the place to get out of the city and enjoy a weekend without traveling out of the UAE. The climate is typically cooler there, the beaches are said to beautiful, and you can experience a different type of cultural atmosphere then you would in Dubai or Abu Dhabi. I am planning a trip to Ras al Khaimah in two weeks, so expect some pictures and my opinion about the area.

Also, referring to this article, it is quite the place to invest. Rakeen Developers are comparing the investment opportunity at Al Marjan Islands to the early investors who took advantage of the The Palm Islands concept, who are now looking at over 400% return on their investment.

Time will tell the sustainability of their project.


Buying overseas: Goodbye Dubai... - Property, House & Home - The Independent

Bollywood Bachan buys Villa in Jumeirah

Last week Aish and Abishek purchased a Villa in Jumeirah Golf Estates. I don't really care too much about this, but I guess its news for some people that are fanatical bollywood lovers. Not me. So, yeah...thats it.

Aishwarya, Abhishek buy home in Dubai - Bollywood - Entertainment - MSN India

Brad Pitt part time job: Architecture consultant for 5 star Hotels

That's right. Even Brad Pitt is contributing his name, as a brand, to the ever growing Dubai market. He will be contributing to the design team. I guess he has an interest in architecture and design because he has an ongoing relationship with this particular firm. Brad Pitt planned to build 150 homes with the firm in the Katrina ravished New Orleans area. Dubai is becoming more like Las Vegas everyday, now with Hollywood making its mark here too.
Brad Pitt turns architect and designs Dubai hotel - Telegraph

James Hotel Lollapalooza Package - Luxist

Anyone going? Not a bad package for Lollapalooza. I'm down if someone else wants to roll. I have a big year planned, get your bank roll up!
Cyprus
San Diego
Dubai
Ras al Khaima
NYC
Atlantis Dubai

Take the days off, stack up your chips, and make time to see Kanye in Chi. Homecoming baby! Lets go!
James Hotel Lollapalooza Package - Luxist