Maktoob Business Blog

The UAE’s claims to fame is due to its decadence, sometimes excess and creating a great deal of something out of nothing. The flip side to this is the carbon footprint that it leave behind, or ecological footprint, as some call it. It’s almost a slap in the face of Kyoto, a dig in the ribs of WWF, and a “Who are you, Mr Gore?” Arguments about whether the data is actually correct, on how it is

Partaking in some Mint Tea is regular occurrence in the Middle East, but for the westener who enjoys their Latte from Starbucks or their teabagged cuppacha, mint tea, or a sulemani, in general, oozes a sense of cool, more associated with culture of a region than laser dance tricks.

And while the film “Ocean’s Twelve” didn’t quite live up to the sexiness of its predecessor, there were certain

Abu Dhabi is changing its badge. Once thought of as just the Oil and Gas king of the UAE, it it currently being built from the bottom up. Most who visit Abu Dhabi, in isolation, will consider it a little sleepy. There’s not too much to do, but you can sit on a beach and get a tan without too much bother. It’s not paradise but there is an air of relaxation. Throw the gorilla of Dubai into the

A toy manufacturer in the US is trying to make a bit of cash by producing a hanging Saddam Hussein doll.

If you are interested, probably not in buying one, but just seeing what these guys do, Herobuilders has made more than 100 figures. You might remember the OBL one and there is TB dressed as action man.

The question is - who buys this stuff?

See more of these dolls at VICALE CORPORATION

Ever seen a drunken partygoer exit from one of the many bars in Dubai, (even one of the seedier establishments where “ladyfriends” come home with the partygoers) , stumble into a taxi before slurring his location to the Muslim driver. It’s a normal occurrence on the streets of Dubai. And why not? - in a city where tourism is king, a blind eye is turned to acticities normally associated to Western

In relation to this, this is applicable.

Update from Slate on Dubai:

There is profound wackiness afoot here. But I wonder: Is something more interesting happening, too? Because I can’t help but find reason for hope in this crass spectacle.

Read the whole thing, with some reference to falconry later.

One of the worrys of living in the UAE is that you could be struck down. There’s always a chance of being knocked down by a car, but it is more prevalent in the UAE than most places in the world. I know a handful of people who have had direct relatives killed by the ego driver, the driver that doesn’t care, the driver who thinks that the Sheikh Zayed highway is level 3 on the latest release on the

Despite all the rants, the traffic, the cost of living and all the other problems, the UAE seems happy:

From The Map of Happiness

Anyone else spotted this?
Chelsea V Liverpool

Is International Life Vice President just a title?