Dubai promises to astonish the world

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Business, Cities, Culture, Dubai, News, Politics, Tourism, Travel, World Expo

Celebrations are underway in Dubai, UAE, after the city won the right to host the world’s fair in 2020, the first in the Middle East.

“To the world: we renew our promise to astonish you at Expo 2020,” Dubai’s Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum tweeted shortly after winning the bid.

“Dubai will bring to life our vision: Connecting Minds, Creating the Future.”

Rival bids came from Ekaterinburg, Russia; Sao Paulo, Brazil and Izmir, Turkey.

My previous post on Expo 2020

Dubai was the front-runner from the very beginning of the bidding process, and on Wednesday it won in all three rounds of voting by member countries of the Bureau International des Expositions in Paris.

“Expo 2020 will breathe new life into the ancient role of the Middle East as a melting pot for cultures and creativity,” Sheikh Mohammed said.

“Our goal is to build a better future for the region’s youth. The UAE will achieve it through collaboration and inspiration at Expo 2020.”

The BIE noted that in just a few decades, Dubai had become one of the world’s most modern, innovative and technological cities, attracting investors and workers from more than 200 countries.

“With a target of 25 million visitors, the Expo will continue building Dubai and the UAE’s status as a world hub…”

Canada and Britain were among the countries supporting the Dubai bid.

Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird congratulated Dubai, saying in a tweet that it was the right proposal, right place and right time.

Sheikh Mohammed’s photo is courtesy of Dubai Government.

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Dubai is poised to win Expo 2020

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Business, Cities, Culture, Dubai, Life, News, Politics, Social, Tourism, Travel, World Expo

Delegates from nearly 170 countries are meeting in Paris this week to choose the host of the 2020 World Expo.

The competition is between front-runner Dubai, UAE, and Ekaterinburg, Russia; Sao Paulo, Brazil and Izmir, Turkey.

All indications are that the Bureau International des Expositions will overwhelmingly choose Dubai on Nov. 27.

There are many reasons for that, primarily no other city competing for the world’s fair can match what Dubai offers – it has ultra-modern infrastructure, solid financial backing and above all an impeccable track record of hosting mega events.

The Dubai Airshow that concluded just last week is just an example. It generated a record US$206 billion in business for Boeing, Airbus and others.

Dubai has also won the endorsements of several countries, including Britain, France and Canada.

“Canada believes it is time for the Middle East to host the world at a time of such hope and challenge in the region, and Dubai is best placed to bring together the most diverse group of peoples from around the world, to share ideas, aspirations, and concrete solutions for the future,” Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said in a statement earlier this month.

“Canada’s support for Dubai reflects our commitment to the dynamism, hope and future of emerging economies in the region and beyond.”

Former U.S. president Bill Clinton, a frequent visitor to Dubai, and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates also have endorsed Dubai’s bid.

“Dubai’s model of shared prosperity is more important today than ever and an inspiration to many countries in the Middle East,” Clinton told students of the American University of Dubai in April.

Dubai under its charismatic Ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has made dramatic progress in the past few years.

The emirate has delivered everything it ever promised. Expo 2020 will be no different. It would be another jewel in Dubai’s crown.

But win or lose, Dubai has made its case.

“The UAE will be successful whether it wins the bid or not, as we are working and moving forward with various development plans,” Sheikh Mohammed was quoted as saying this month.

All photos are courtesy of Dubai Expo 2020 and Dubai Government. The video, “Then and Now,” is from YouTube. 

UNICEF: Twittersphere’s choice

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Culture, International Organizations, News, Non-Profit, Politics, Social Media, Technology

The agency that looks after the welfare of children around the world is the most followed international organization on Twitter.

That is the conclusion of Twiplomacy, a study of the use of Twitter by governments and international organizations, conducted by the communications firm Burson-Marsteller.

The United Nations International Children’s Fund, @UNICEF, has almost 2.3 million followers.

“UNICEF is very active with an average of 11 tweets per day and mentions other Twitter users in every second tweet. Almost a quarter of its tweets are retweets and UNICEF often lends its social media power to promote other UN campaigns,” Burson-Marsteller said.

UNICEF is closely followed by its parent organization, the United Nations, the World Economic Forum, the UN refugee agency UNHCR and the World Wide Fund for Nature.

“However, the number of followers is not the only indicator of an organization’s popularity,” Burson-Marsteller said.

“Another important measure of influence is the number of times an account appears on Twitter lists. In this regard, the UN is the most listed international organization appearing on 25,643 lists.”

Along with the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, UNICEF is also among the most effective Twitter users, the study found.

“Their tweets are retweeted on average more than 100 times,” Burson-Marsteller said.

The UN is a distant third, followed by the WWF, Greenpeace and the World Health Organization.

The study revealed that their tweets are retweeted on average more than 63 times while the median average of retweets per tweet among all international institutions covered is only four.

For the study Burson-Marsteller identified 223 Twitter accounts of 101 international organizations.

The firm said it collected the data this month. More than 50 variables were considered, including tweets, following, followers, listed, the date the organization joined Twitter, etc.

Some other interesting conclusions of the study:

– All organizations combined have sent more than 770,000 tweets.

– Nabil Elaraby, secretary general of the Arab League, is the most followed head of an international organization, with more than 340,000 followers.

– Richard Sezibera, secretary general of the East African Community is the most conversational head of an international body. More than 65 per cent of his tweets are replies to other users.

– Christine Lagarde, head of the International Monetary Fund and NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen are in second and third position with more than 150,000 followers each.

Burson-Marsteller said the study showed that no international organization can ignore the power of digital communications and, especially Twitter.

All screenshots are courtesy of the respective organizations.

‘Selfie’ goes mainstream

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Language, News, Social, Social Media

It’s the sign of the times. The publisher of the Oxford Dictionaries has named “selfie” the Word of the Year.

A screenshot of the Oxford University Press post announcing the Word of the Year.

“The decision was unanimous this year, with little if any argument. This is a little unusual,” Oxford University Press said in a post on its website.

“Normally there will be some good-natured debate as one person might champion their particular choice over someone else’s. But this time, everyone seemed to be in agreement almost from the start.”

This year’s short list included “twerk,” “bitcoin,” “binge-watch” and “showrooming.”

The dictionary defines “selfie” as “a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website.”

The publisher said although “selfie” was the runaway winner, it was not a new word.

It had been included in the online edition of Oxford Dictionaries and was part of the publisher’s occasional Words on the Radar series last year.

“It seems like everyone who is anyone has posted a ‘selfie’ somewhere on the Internet. If it is good enough for the Obamas or the Pope, then it is good enough for Word of the Year.”

The publisher said the word was first used 11 years ago, at an Internet forum in Australia in 2002, long before people began posting their self-portraits on various social media sites.

It said the suffix “ie” in “selfie” could also explain its Australian origin.

“Australian English has something of a penchant  for ie words — barbie for barbecue, firie for firefighter, tinnie for a can of beer, to name just three.”

No word yet on when “selfie” would be added to the print version of the Oxford English Dictionary.

Oxford University Press is a department of Britain’s famous Oxford University.

Boeing 777X takes off with record orders

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Airbus, Aircraft, Aviation, Boeing, Business, Emirates Airline, Etihad, Lufthansa, News, Qatar Airways, Travel

Boeing’s newest aircraft – the 777-8X and 777-9X. Boeing photo.

Boeing made history on the opening day of the Dubai Airshow, announcing record-breaking orders worth almost $100 billion for its new 777X airplanes. The American aircraft maker said Sunday the orders for 259 airplanes represented the largest product launch in commercial jetliner history by dollar value.

Dubai flag carrier Emirates led the way with an order for 150 of the aircraft. Other Gulf airlines followed suit, with Etihad of Abu Dhabi ordering 25 and Qatar Airways 50. Joining them was the German airline Lufthansa with a commitment for 34 aircraft.

“We are proud to partner with each of these esteemed airlines to launch the 777X – the largest and most-efficient twin-engine jetliner in the world,” said Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO Ray Conner.

“Its ground-breaking engine technologies and all-new composite wing will deliver unsurpassed value and growth potential to our customers.”

The 777X is the newest member of the highly successful 777 family of long-haul airliners. It will be built in two versions: the 777-9X that offers seating for more than 400 passengers and the 777-8X, which will seat 350 passengers.

Boeing’s European rival, Airbus, also won a major order at the show, again from Emirates for 50 A380s worth $23 billion, boosting the airline’s fleet of the superjumbos to 140.

“The A380 continues to be the flagship of our fleet and after five years in operation it remains highly popular with our passengers,” said Emirates chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum.

The Airbus A380 in Dubai. Airbus photo.

He added that the latest order will help the airline meet both fleet expansion and fleet replacement needs.

“By strategically placing the A380 at the centre of its business, Emirates is maximizing its leading position with each day of operations,” said Airbus president Fabrice Bregier.

The airshow has attracted some 1,000 exhibitors from around the world. It runs through Nov. 21 and more orders are expected in the next few days.

Boeing set to steal the show in Dubai

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Airbus, Aircraft, Airshow, Boeing, Bombardier, Dubai, News, Transport, Travel

As the Dubai Airshow opens on Sunday, all eyes will be on Boeing 777X,  the newest addition to the highly successful 777 family of long-haul aircraft. The American company is widely expected to launch the airplane with a big order from the fast-growing Dubai carrier, Emirates.

Emirates is already the largest customer of Boeing 777s. Boeing photo

The airline has so far refused to comment on any potential deal, but it is already the largest operator of the 777s and the Airbus A380 superjumbos. “The 777X will include new engines, an all-new composite wing and will leverage technologies from the 787 Dreamliner,” Boeing said in a fact sheet posted in May. “The 777X will be the largest and most-efficient twin-engine jet in the world.”

Orders worth more than $63 billion were placed during the 2011 show, with Airbus winning a big portion of them. This year, all signs are leading to a mega order for Boeing.

Airbus has forecast that the Middle East will need 1,921 commercial aircraft by 2030 while Boeing has estimated the number to be at 2,520.

Flying high in Dubai: The Global Express flies past the iconic Burj Al Arab Hotel. Bombardier file photo

Canada’s Bombardier Aerospace has set up a special pavilion for its brand new CSeries aircraft, specifically designed for the 100- to 149-seat market segment.“Closely following in the footsteps of the CSeries aircraft’s historic first flight on Sept. 16, invited guests to Bombardier’s unique CSeries pavilion will be able to view the full-scale passenger cabin and cockpit demonstrators of this game-changing aircraft,” the company said this week.

Bombardier has received 177 firm orders for the aircraft, 10 from Gulf Air, the national carrier of Bahrain. Deliveries are expected to begin next fall.

Meanwhile, Bombardier’s static display will feature the wide-body Challenger 605 jet, the large Global 6000, and the Q400 NextGen turboprop airliner.

In all, 150 aircraft, including more than 50 business jets, will be on display at the five-day show at the new Dubai World central airport.

Airplane flies through fake ash cloud

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Airbus, Aircraft, Environment, News, Technology, Transport, Travel

Remember the Icelandic ash cloud of early 2010? The eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano led to the cancellation of thousands of flights, stranding millions of passengers worldwide for days.

An Airbus A400M test aircraft disperses Icelandic ash into the atmosphere.

This week an airplane flew through an artificial ash cloud over the Bay of Biscay in the northeast Atlantic Ocean to test how passenger aircraft can cope with such eruptions. For the experiment, European aircraft maker Airbus teamed up with Britain’s largest airline, easyJet.

Technology came from Norway.

During the test, an Airbus A400M dispersed Icelandic ash into the atmosphere while another aircraft, an Airbus A340-300 fitted with the AVOID volcanic sensor, flew towards the cloud, identifying and measuring it from almost 60 kilometres away.

Airbus said the ash cloud was created at between 9,000 feet and 11,000 feet, conditions consistent with the 2010 eruption.

A third aircraft took measurements to corroborate data from the AVOID system.

“The threat from Icelandic volcanoes continues and so we are delighted with the outcome of this unique and innovative experiment,” said easyJet’s engineering director Ian Davies.

An Airbus A340-300 fitted with the AVOID sensor.

He said easyJet intends to fit its aircraft with the AVOID system.

“Finding a solution is as crucial now as ever to ensure we never again see the scenes of spring 2010 when all flying ceased across Europe for several days.”

The Airborne Volcanic Object Imaging Detector technology was invented by Fred Prata of Nicarnica Aviation, based in Norway.

“The team has just executed a unique scientific and engineering experiment conclusively demonstrating that low concentrations of ash can be identified by the AVOID sensor,” said an excited Prata.

Dr. Prata

“The highly successful outcome of this complex experiment… is a testament to the commitment and skills of easyJet and Airbus engineers and a great example of industry and science coming together to solve an important problem.”

While the cloud was fake, the ash used in the test was real — it was from the 2010 eruption.

Ash ready to go into the atmosphere.

Airbus said it was collected and dried by the Institute of Earth Sciences in Reykjavik, Iceland. EasyJet then collected it and flew it to Toulouse, the headquarters of Airbus in France.  Charles Champion, Airbus executive vice-president and head of engineering, said the team wanted to prove that the ash-detection concept can work.

The AVOID test team.

“We are at the beginning of an invention which could become a useful solution for commercial aviation to prevent large-scale disruption from volcanic ash.”  Experts believe the risk of another Icelandic eruption remains high and the AVOID technology could help open up large areas of airspace that would otherwise be closed during an eruption.

All photos are courtesy of Airbus.

Newmarket wins Google eTown Award

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Business, Cities and Towns, Honours, Internet, News, Social Media, Technology

Newmarket is a small town north of Toronto, with a population of just 84,000. But when it comes to adaptation of technology it’s in the big league.

Downtown Newmarket

It has just won a Google eTown Award, which the search-engine giant says honours the towns and cities whose businesses are embracing the opportunities of the Internet.

“I am delighted to receive this prestigious award and congratulate our business community for embracing the Internet as a key driver of economic growth,” said Lois Brown, member of parliament for Newmarket-Aurora.

“I encourage all entrepreneurs to get online and experience for themselves the power of social media and how it can help their business grow.”

Lois Brown receives the award from Google’s Sophie Chesters

The business-friendly Newmarket was one of five cities recognized this week. The others are Halifax, Saint-Sauveur, Que., Canmore, Alta. and Whistler, B.C. In choosing the five, Google said it worked with the independent research firm IPSOS to analyze the online strength of local small businesses across Canada.

“We’re proud to recognize the growing entrepreneurial spirit in Newmarket,” said Chris O’Neill, managing director of Google Canada.

“Every day, Canadians turn to the Internet looking for products and services, and it’s the businesses and communities engaging with consumers online that will lead Canada’s future economic growth.”

O’Neill noted that despite the growth of Internet use in the country, more than half of all Canadian small businesses still do not have a website.

The Newmarket photo is courtesy of the Town of Newmarket and the award photo is courtesy of Google Canada.

Do you have a saree body?

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Dress, Fashion, Life, Social

“I‘ve a saree body!” declared Oprah Winfrey during a fitting session in Mumbai, India, last year.

The former talk-show queen is one of many western celebrities who have expressed admiration for the traditional Indian attire, which many call “six yards of pure grace.”

Years earlier, Winfrey had her own saree-wearing lesson on national television, from one of India’s biggest stars, Aishwarya-Rai Bachchan.

At five metres, it’s the longest strip of unstitched cloth worn by women. There is a saree for every occasion and in wealthy Indian households, like a wedding dress, no saree is worn twice! The popularity of western fashions in India has failed to dent the interest in sarees.

A billboard outside a saree store in Kerala, India.

One major retailer says it could take up to five artisans almost 30 days to weave one of its exclusive silk sarees.

While everyday sarees cost anywhere between $10 and $100, sarees for special occasions such as weddings and festivals can set you back thousands of dollars.

In 2008, a silk saree was sold for a whopping $100,000 in the southern Indian city of Chennai.

Saree-draping is no easy job, though, and there are dozens of ways of wearing it.

French anthropologist Chantal Boulanger was one of the first researchers to study the sarees. After spending over 15 years in the country, she documented more than 100 ways of wearing it.

Boulanger’s book, “Saris: An Illustrated Guide to the Indian Art of Draping,” was published in 1997, seven years before her death.

“She was particularly concerned that many of these styles would be forgotten if they were not documented,” her husband Peter Maloney later wrote in a tribute.

Boulanger was so fascinated by the saree tradition, in 1999 she founded the Institute of Draped Clothes in London for the study, preservation and promotion of draped clothing.

As the global interest in the attire grows, it may be well worth going on a saree safari to India (or to the Gerrard India Bazaar in Toronto) to see whether you’ve a saree body.

The Oprah Winfrey video is courtesy of YouTube; Chantal Boulanger’s photo is courtesy of IDC; All other images are by the author.

New Dreamliner completes test flight

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Aircraft, Airlines, Boeing, News, Travel

The only Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner fitted with elements of the passenger interior has successfully completed its test flight.

The test aircraft, known as ZB002, flew from Paine Field in Everett, Wash., to Seattle’s Boeing Field on Thursday afternoon, the company said.

The four-hour, 18-minute flight tested various aspects of airplane performance. Ground tests on the airplane were completed earlier.

It was the second test of the Dreamliner 787-9 after a debut flight in September.

The 787-9 is six metres longer and can seat 40 more passengers than the Dreamliner 787-8, which went into service in October 2011.

Air New Zealand is the launch customer of the 787-9. It has ordered a total of 10 aircraft.

The airline plans to use the aircraft on the Auckland-Perth route, starting next October.

Twenty-six customers, including Air Canada, have ordered 396 Dreamliner 787-9s.

All photos in this post are courtesy of Boeing.