Is Burj Dubai safe?

This building has been broadcasted as the most elaborate building of all time, in height and design, however it certainly hasn’t been plain sailing all of the way. At the current moment in time, a large amount of the workers are suffering extremely low wages, work very long hours and in extremely dangerous conditions.

In the Middle East, with the amount of construction that has been going on, there have been many accidents in other projects. An example was a while back, when a fire broke out and four workers were killed. There have also been lots of protests at the new Burj Dubai as workers are being treated appallingly, as Dubai are trying to do everything on the cheap.


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On the issue of Dubai breaking health and safety rules, to ensure sure they can open the building on time they have not had the required cladding installed to help keep the building more rigid and strong from the prevailing winds. This results in the concrete skeleton of the building remaining bare, which is a grave and potentially fatal error. This is because the Swiss company that had been contracted to provide the cladding have been made redundant, with no replacement being found.

Not only is that an issue but cracks have been found in the main foundation, which is not advisable for any building let alone the impending tallest building in the world. Instead of hiring experts to provide strategies as a way of overcoming such problems, they have painted over the cracks with white paint. It is a massive shame that despite all the commercial success Dubai is enjoying with its economical boom, they are not willing to invest enough funds for the building to be built safely and properly.

My interviewee, a business woman dealing with clients buying rooms in the Burj Dubai said, “This is the way the emirate nations have always been, trying to do everything on the cheap and still be the best. They haven’t learnt the concept that a lot of hard work in safe conditions goes a long way rather than exploiting workers.”

Instead they are exploiting the workers for less than minimal wage and covering up serious issues with construction, literally painting over the cracks. These workers have resulted in causing over 1 million pounds worth of damage to vent their frustration at their treatment, according to an AP article.

Is Dubai truly the place for what is known as the American dream? Or is it grossly misrepresenting itself to the world?
http://homepage.mac.com/j.monro/070129BurjDubai/BurjDubai.html
http://www.thedubailife.com/index.php/main/newsfull/burj_dubai_is_hit_by_delays/
http://www.burjdubai.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burj_Dubai
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/949045/worlds_tallest_building/

Burj Dubai; defining Dubai

Over the past 40 years Dubai has transformed from a vast desolate region into a multibillion dollar metropolis. The emirates have earned money and power through their trade with other countries on its precious resource oil. It is no wonder that they are investing so much money in creating such majestic buildings like the Burj al Arab and the Burj Dubai.

The Middle East has decided to create the tallest building in the world which will be considerably taller than the current one, named Tapei 101, by 40 percent in overall size.

The Burj Dubai (Arabic: برج دبي‎ "Dubai Tower") is a skyscraper currently under construction in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and is currently the tallest man-made structure on Earth.




Construction for this colossal building began on September 21, 2004, and it is expected to be completed and ready for occupation in September 2009.

This building is just one in a number of recent constructions in the Middle East that are taking place. They hope to construct buildings that will encapsulate the economic boom that the emirates are experiencing and define themselves to the world.

The reason the emirates have decided to create such luxurious outlets is because sooner or later the country will run out of their leading expenditure product, oil. The Emirates have made a fortune in terms of trading with the US, Britain and other leading nations in providing this resource.

However, once the oil runs out they realise they will need to pursue another money making scheme. The emirates have decided to focus on the tourism option, attracting holiday makers to visit and spend money all year round.

The Burj Dubai is one of the buildings that the emirates hope will define the Middle East as a strong rising power.

The Burj Dubai itself is based on an abstracted desert flower native to the region. The projected height of the building is somewhere between 800 metres to 905 metres tall, however the true height remains a secret. My Interviewee said,” the height remains a secret because if any other nation decides to build their building taller, the structure has enough support to add floors to keep it as the world’s tallest building.”

This building will be a monumental step in changing the definition of what a skyscraper truly is. With the building being so tall it will need to have an aircraft light at the tallest point of the building, warning incoming planes that will be landing in the emirates.

This building purely states the United Arab Emirates’ desire to be a leading nation, to turn their city into a lush metropolis and attracting as many people as they can Dubai.

http://www.funonthenet.in/images/stories/forwards/dubai%20projects/Burj%20Dubai.jpg
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=2
http://www.burjdubai.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burj_Dubai
http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=burjdubai-dubai-unitedarabemirates
http://www.burj-dubai-tower.org/gfx/burj_al_arab.jpg

Who is the right man for the Lions

Who do you think is the right man for the job. With Warren Gatland fresh from six nations success and Jake white from World cup success who is really the main man to carry the lions tour to South Africa.

Noon the man for England

After speculation over the outside centre berth. Jamie Noon looks to step in with fellow falcons team mates Johnny wilkinson and Toby Flood. With man of the match from the World cup final Matthew Tait being left on the bench it is further question of Ashtons ability as a top level coach.

Newcastle falcons were delighted to have all three key positions in the back line filled up with Falcons director of rugby, John Fletcher, saying: “I’m over the moon for Noony, because I know how much it means to him.
“To have the whole of the England inside backs for a Six Nations Test come from Newcastle Falcons, plus Mathew Tait on the bench, is another statement about the progress we are making as a club, and I’m sure all four will give great accounts of themselves over in Italy.”

http://www.newcastle-falcons.co.uk/36_3844.php

Future Lions Coach ?

With this years six nations already living up to punters and critics expectations its no wonder that a lot of focus has been drawn towards the next lions coach. With ireland finding their form and Wales undeafeted a lot of names have been thrown into the mix.

Mike Cleary states for the Telegraph "In pole position is Ian McGeechan, a man steeped in Lions' lore, comfortable with its ethos and values, and wholly in tune with the unique nature of managing a disparate bunch of blokes who have spent the previous three years knocking lumps out of each other and who, for a brief few weeks, are expected to become blood brothers."

Its only fair that Ian McGeechan is a strong choice with the way welsh rugby union is going at the moment. However like all sports it seems that the idea of a foreign coach being thrown into the mix would only be a matter of time. "Lions manager Gerald Davies has not ruled out appointing a foreign coach for the 2009 tour to South Africa.
World Cup-winning coach Jake White has expressed his interest in the job, while Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan is among a group of domestic contenders. "

So will we see a foriegn coach for the tour of South Africa or will it be another home nations coach.


Links
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/7224192.stm
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/02/24/srackf124.xml

Welsh stun English

At half time at Twickenham no one was prepared for what was to happen in the remaining forty minutes of what many presumed was a match all but over. But then again that’s England for you, having established a 16-3 lead at half time. It’s hard to say what happened whether Warren Gatland and Shaun Edwards had put something in the water but many believe the shirts of both teams’ players had just been switched.With England dominating the first half and playing some very fluent rugby with some attacking flair it looked as though England were on course for their first win of the six nations campaign. Within the opening 10 minutes winger David Streetle produced a dazzling run that split open the Welsh defence only to see him choose the wrong option and give Wales the chance to clear. Unfortunately Streetle picked up an injury and on stepped Lesley Vanikolo aka the volcano for his first bit of six nations fever and he did not disappoint, on the stroke of the 20th minute a cross-field kick from Wilkinson found the volcano who rose above Mark Jones to claim the ball, with a little flick of his wrist he was then able to lay it off to Toby Flood for England’s only try of the game.With the first half going all England’s way and the Wales defence living on the offside line it was only a matter of time before the fans thought the floodgates would open however with Sackey looking to go over just before the interval it was not to be as some heroic welsh defence kept the English at bay. Going in at half time with a 10 point lead and dominating all areas of the game, it was a mere touch up job for England to ensure a victory.However the Welsh dragons roared back in sensational fashion with their game being played in broken field the Welsh exposed an English defence that looked tired and drained. The welsh capitalised midway through the second half when the ever so reliable Wilkinson overthrow a pass to new comer Cipriani for the first mistake that the welsh duly converted into a try. However in this period of time it was 10 minutes of madness that cost England with Tindall and Tom Rees going off injured, the welsh exposed the gaps in defence and scored yet another try. However it was going to be a mistake from Balshaw that was going to cost England as the controversial selection failed to clear his lines in what would have been routine for any fullback. He took too long to release his kick and was punished by a Welsh side that Warren Gatland had pin picked as the English's weak link.The Welsh unlike the English managed to maintain their seven point lead in the closing 10 minutes as they played a tight and territorial game they did not allow England in. Afterwards Brian Ashton merely listed the wounded players as an excuse for England’s demise in the second half. All that can be said is let’s hope England don’t fade away next week.