April 2009 Archives

Just when you thought Dubai could not be home to any more record breaking moments (counting all the architectural feats) there's another record being set about another skyscraper that is out of this world, and no, this is not a story about the British and French pair who jumped off the Burj Dubai, although that in itself is a video worth watching.

Among the man made palm shaped islands, island formations in the shape of the world map, hotels shaped like sails and waves, and the world's tallest free standing structure, there will now stand an 80 story building which changes shape. This is straight out of a futuristic Spielberg film. The Time Residences, as the building has been called, will be made of individual apartments which rotate independently around the core of the building.

As Internet technology universalized over the last decade, the value of not just information but more specialized knowledge increased exponentially. Basically, at present there isn't a single commercial or non-commercial venture that could continue functioning without having access to trained individuals and qualified professionals. If time is money, then having workers with the most up to date expertise will both save operational costs and boost revenues. This is why among the numerous free zones which have made Dubai the hottest commercial location in the world, the Dubai Knowledge Village has made it its top business to gather together the world's best educational institutions.

The last couple of months have shown one of the ugliest sides of the global recession. Property foreclosures have left over a million people without homes in the United States alone. A photo collection featured on The Boston Globe shows desperate scenes from the recession in the United States and around the world. Property values have plummeted all across the world, and the growing number of people who have lost their jobs even in powerful economies like China means that breaking out of the recession cycle needs a long term vision.