That is what I am seeing. The news (at https://blooloop.com/news/yas-waterworld-guinness-world-record) is giving us ‘Abu Dhabi’s Yas Waterworld sets Guinness World Record with 55 waterslides’ as I see it, that is quite the record. The waterpark in The Hague (specifically: Wassenaar) only had 4 slides and we had a ball for hours. Here in WaterWorld you could spend a day trying waterslides and never having to do the same slide twice. Ad there is still more to do there. So we see “During a celebratory ceremony held at the attraction, Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, group CEO of Miral, and Rayan Al Haddar, general manager of Yas Waterworld, received the Guinness World Records certificate from Hanane Spiers, official Guinness World Records adjudicator for the MENA region and Türkiye.” As such I say well done Miral and well done WaterWorld. As long as the Al Raha river still exists when I get there (date unknown) so I can float in the sun in Hufflepuff shorts and a Hufflepuff bucket hat I will be happy. To protect myself from the sun I will most likely be wearing a Hufflepuff t-shirt with long arms, so the sun does not get me for the longest of times and I reckon that sunnies are also needed and a GoPro so that I can record just how awesome I think I look. Yet this is not the first record they set. In past events they also set:
Most water moved using a sponge in one minute: Achieved by George Massoud with 5,928.79 ml during a live event at the park.
As well as:
Most nationalities in a swimming pool: Set by 102 different nationalities gathering in the waterpark to celebrate the UAE’s Year of Tolerance.
As such WaterWorld proves itself yet again that Abu Dhabi is the place to be on your next vacation and it is only one of 4 parks to see (SeaWorld, Warner Brothers World and Ferrari world) then there is the Yas Mall with a few events and the Marina. Yes your package could be extended beyond what you expected, so whilst we wait for Harry Potter and Disney world to arrive, your vacation becomes a speed train of excitement. Talking about trains, the press to Dubai takes a little under an hour, so there is so much more to do, but as I see it, every other day cooling off in WaterWorld is not a bad way to get through your vacation time. That being said, the Warner Brother Hotel includes a voucher every day you are there, with that voucher you can select one of these parks to enter for free. Not a bad deal, is it?
So as we return to WaterWorld, we see “Yas Waterworld’s record comes after the launch of its recent expansion, which introduced 11 new rides, slides and attractions to the park, and brought Yas Waterworld’s total number of attractions to more than 70.” And you could be there all day long enjoying the events and tomorrow (today for me) that park will give you all the fun you can handle from 11:00 in the morning until 22:00 hours in the evening (that is 10PM), 11 hours of soaking, sliding and other activities. What a vacation setting that is.
So, to the people of Miral I extent my congratulations. It is an honour well deserved and it gives additional appeal to visit Abu Dhabi. A happy day to all here in my blog today. Time to catch the snore mill and get ready for some serious DML today.
That was the setting that I saw, the Wall Street Journal gave an article (that I didn’t read because it was behind a paywall) where we are given ‘A Dispute Over Opening Hormuz Drives a Wedge Into U.S.-Saudi Relations’ where we are given “Trump threatened kingdom’s supply of drone and missile interceptors when it refused access to bases and airspace for Project Freedom.” That is all I have, but I do not need more. You see, one of the oldest expressions I know if is about mending ones fences and the entire setting that Saudi Arabia gets bullied because of their inability to adhere to (what some call) an illegal war is beyond stupid. You see, Saudi Arabia could ask the Ukraine to deliver 50-150 drones, that request could also be made from China, as such Saudi Arabia has options, but at present the United States is left with less and less options. As Saudi Arabia pulls out whatever they have economically in the United States, amounts up to an estimated $490 billion, with an expanded, long-term commitment expected to scale toward $1 trillion, the united States could now lose that and be left to dry. The bully approach from President Trump is costing the United States more and more. In addition, whatever rare earth mining options Saudi Arabia has could now be awarded to Australia and the EU, costing the United States billions more. So what does a person this stupid do in the Administration of the United States? I am willing to believe that his advisers put this forward, but I reckon that this might be a lose cannon setting, as I personally see it, a stage for the current President. In addition to all this, Saudi Arabia now has an option to demand the extraction of United States troops and Saudi Arabia asking China if they are willing to replace the United States as a preferred option. This enables Iran to vacate Saudi Arabia as a target, because they are unwilling to hurt China, it would be the last mistake they ever made.
So whilst we mull over the setting that Saudi Arabia is facing with China as the up and coming preferred partner for defence, mining, construction and tourism, the chances of the United States making it with an intact budget to 2028 is getting rather small. And should President Trump now threaten Disney, Warner Brothers and Universal for whatever tourism gap comes, I have a few ideas that could spell a lot of bad news. In addition I am certain that China has its own version of entertainment in the works. Everyone is forgetting that Saudi Arabia has something that the United States desperately wants. So as we were given:
“The US government is aggressively pressuring oil and gas companies to lower prices. President Donald Trump and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent have berated retailers and the Department of Justice is actively investigating accusations of price gouging. They are demanding retailers drop pump prices to target $2.50 a gallon”
And whilst it came with:
“Direct warnings by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent issued a veiled warning to big oil, independent, and international retailers to be “good actors” or face “big problems” as the administration watches their record profits”, “Department of Justice investigations into claims that oil companies are failing to lower gasoline prices in line with crude drops” and “Market friction towards demands for cheaper gasoline heavily conflicts with their “drill, baby, drill” campaign promises, because prolonged low prices will disincentivize American drillers from expanding production”
As such I will take this rare setting where I (with a lack of economic education) teach that administration a few things:
“Commodities are dependent on what is available and what is needed. As such the strait of Hormuz is a setting for over 20% of what is needed and as such prices are going through the roof. Closing it, or better stating, your enemy closing it was perhaps one of the worst ideas for the United States ever.”
Starting that attack on Iran was badly considered. I gave Saudi Arabia and the UAE defensive settings in March and I also gave a few tactical settings that could have hobbled Iranian tactics and in light of that their refineries are still pumping oil. Before I was, the art of war was and they told generals (2500 years ago) how you scuttle an enemy resources. This pentagon clearly never learned from that. This pentagon also never learned from the French resistance (aka clambake 1939-1944) and that also gave me some ideas in March. As such I became the March Hare (I just saw Tim Burtons Alice in Wonderland) everyone seemingly ignored. What matters is that Saudi Arabia has a few more options at their disposal, it does not require the United States as much as the United States requires the coffers of Saudi Arabia. And Saudi Arabia can sell to China and the EU, so it has options. I reckon that should Saudi Arabia play less nice, Iran will run for the hills. And as I personally see it, Saudi Arabia has the intent and motivation to make sure that Iran sees the light for their stupidity.
And the was merely the first part. You see, Saudi Arabia is deep into construction for what they need for Vision 2030 and they cannot do it alone, so these contracts are now considering the EU and China as contributors. So what is this bully tactic costing the United States? I warned them for this in ‘When it rains, it pours’ on December 2nd 2024 (at https://lawlordtobe.com/2024/12/02/when-it-rains-it-pours-2/), I feel decently certain that there is some MoU between China and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia floating around in the Ministry of Defense (the one on the King Abdul Aziz Road) as such the entire bully setting against Saudi Arabia was short sighted and ill conceived. As the image (implying) that this threat was directed at Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud might not have been a stellar idea, but I reckon that President Trump is likely a ‘thanks you’ notice from the President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping. Personally I am hoping that I still get the 0.25% commission for enhancing the chances of China selling the 20 Chengdu J-20, which comes at a total of $2,200,000,000 ($110M each), which leaves me with a shabby $5.5 million making me happy beyond believe. So I have an illusional vested interest in all this, and who doesn’t want to retire with $5,500,000? So the United States can cry me a river, but they elected the current president, as such they dug their own grave as I see it. So you all have a great day and consider what you will lose out on in the long run. I am likely not getting that commission, but that is the cross I have to bare, or is that bear? Gee, I made another funny, must be the Tim Burton effect of Alice in Wonderland.
It was an idea I had last night. The setting of Paramount taking over WB (at least parts of it) opened an idea that could give the UAE, in particular Abu Dhabi a lot more tourism. You see, the Star Trek Universe has somewhere between 100 and 300 million fans and no one has seen a complete theme event on Star Trek? I am hesitant to call that place a ‘park’ but it comes close to it. A place where you can see and optionally walk on the bridges of the original Enterprise (TOS), the Galaxy class version (TNG), Voyager, and the Titan class (Picard) then there is the stage of the sets of the Defiant, parts of Deep Space 9 (Terok Nor) perhaps a section to show part of a Borg ship, millions if fans would love to see that and as I see it, the United States are done for, for at least a decade and likely there won’t be a United States after that, so Paramount needs to bet its hedges and look beyond that space. The UAE has a theme park riddled Abu Dhabi, so it makes sense to have it there. There is also the correlation (indicated but unproven) that those who love Star Trek also love Harry Potter, as such there is a pressure to consider them. I don’t think that they should be in the same location, because of the dangers of congestion at that point, also I am in doubt whether Yas Island would be the bet place, but Abu Dhabi is so much larger and has plenty of options. I think that this is a stage where Miral should have serious talks with Paramount on this setting. Perhaps a combination with a wax museum showing all the characters of Star Trek and its connected series. All things that are currently not existing. The Deep Space 9 setting with shops and a Quarcks (under new Ferengi management) could be considered. I wonder how many millions will sip at least a glass of of Canard and optionally take a bottle home as a keepsake. This setting might bring billions into the coffers of Miral. I wonder if anyone considered combining all the ships and show the bridges in one place. And display technology has evolved over the last few years alone, so seeing a part of the Borg ship with a large gap into space is now easily arranged with the display technology out there. A wax museum showing the casts of the two enterprises, Voyager, Deep Space 9 and optionally the Star Trek Movies too, could stir the hearts of millions of Star Trek Fans and as an addition to the already large theme park settings might be the one boost they get to do this (and soak up the sun and the UAE beaches) as I said, it is merely an idea, but as the UAE already has several settings and with Disney coming to Abu Dhabi as well, the UAE could become the preferred location for millions of additional tourists. That setting optionally enhanced with all the selfie moments, but perhaps even a place to have a film camp, a setting every Sci fi lover dreams of at some point. To make your own Sci-fi film, all ideas that feed the blender of creation. What remains can bear the scrutiny of many accountants at Miral (I a guessing that they have a fleet of them looking at all the venues and results). The setting that is out in the open, it always was, but the merger between WB and Paramount is driving this to the surface. The question becomes, does Miral think it is worth considering?
As I said, it was just an idea and anything to take my eyes of the BS that is called USA-Iran negotiations. I like the headline from the Times the best at present ‘Trump, Iran and the Denial of Defeat’ it kinda sums up the entire fiasco, so whilst some are trying to spin this into some form of victory, the reality is that soon Iran will have to be dealt with, I have no idea who or how, but I do not believe that the United States will be the one doing it. They wasted (according to there own numbers) “The U.S.-Iran war cost the Pentagon an estimated $29 billion to $40 billion in direct operational expenses, but total economic and long-term costs could range between $600 billion and $1 trillion” I have not been sitting with an abacus, so I do not know, but consider the wasted money and the lack of results. It would have been something if all the refineries were hit as well as a few other tactical places, but that was not the case, so Iran can still buy hardware from whomever is willing to sell to them. As such I believe it to be important that the UAE gets whatever mens they can to increase their economic foothold on the Middle East, they have don’t quite well and they still have a few more options to that effect, but I merely gave the tourist idea, because it is something I would like to see and the idea that I get a two week vacation in Abu Dhabi where every day is filled with fun and adventure (yes, a visit to the Yas Mall could be both fun and adventure) would be an excellent idea. I believe that millions have that same feeling, because at present the United States is not that inviting, add to this the YouTube videos on their Epic Universe with several rides allegedly breaking down does not instill any thoughts that Orlando will be the place to go. With the economic foothold that is diminishing in Florida, we see one side saying it is good, but we also see “The U.S. travel sector is projected to lose between $12.5 billion and $29 billion in international visitor spending.”, with the added “Foreign arrivals have dropped by roughly 5%, with major month-over-month contractions from Asia (down 7.5%) and Europe (down 5.2%)” as well as “Canada, historically the largest source of inbound U.S. tourism, has driven a massive portion of this decline, with Canadian travel to the U.S. dropping by roughly 22%” the numbers do not add up, with this decline we still see “Florida boasts the fourth-largest economy in the United States, with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of roughly $1.76 trillion. If it were an independent nation, the state would rank as the 15th largest economy globally.” In addition to this, the negative YouTube videos keep on swarming around Epic Universe. I cannot say if they are real or if they are Epic Universe haters, that option remains a reality, but as I see it, the numbers do not add up and I reckon that the next president when they make their numbers openly known, we will see what an alleged curse President Trump has become to the United States. As such places like paramount needs to find new ventures to survive and it is my personal opinion that the UAE is such a space. And in light of what WB already has set up, the numbers might give satisfaction to the board members of Paramount. So, the question becomes is Miral ending that solution a good option to consider.
Have a great day, it is 5:30 now and only 7 degrees, I am freezing. So there is another appeal to be smitten by the 39 degree non-freezing weather that Abu Dhabi could offer my poor old shivering bones.
That is a setting we often wonder about and I did when I saw ABC giving us ‘Australia downgrades travel warnings for Middle East but region remains volatile’ it gives us that “Australia has downgraded its Middle East travel advice for key Gulf hubs, easing warnings from “Do Not Travel” to “Reconsider your need to travel”.” It is true and it holds water (as the expression goes), but the absence of Iranian pushy and bully needs, together with the absolute setting of why the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar were targeted in the first place is seemingly absent from this discussion. As I stated, it was not up to the news, but they are so “driven” to give us the whole shawarma (enchilada applies to Mexican travels) I wonder why this is absent. So I get that it impartial news to some effect, but the stage where no one seems to hold Iran applicable, all whilst they are seemingly driven to unfreeze billions in Iranian funds. I am merely of the setting that the UAE is due tens on billions in travel damages and a few millions in actual damage done to the UAE. So there is the stage where I also want to know what the trigger is for the “Do Not Travel” setting, as I do not know what the reason is that this was ‘still’ in place as the stage for flights to and from Abu Dhabi gradually resumed in early March after precautionary airspace closures. Etihad Airways launched a limited commercial schedule on March 6, and UAE airspace officially reopened for normal air navigation in May. And we are now in mid June, so what gives that delay? So whilst we get the need for “Reconsider your need to travel”, it also sets my schedule t this need as I haven’t had a vacation since 2005, so my need is optionally high and Abu Dhabi is still on my bucket list (as is Toronto), but that is another story. So whilst we are given “Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Assistant Foreign Affairs Minister Matt Thistlethwaite said in a joint statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) had assessed the conditions in the specified countries and determined it appropriate to drop the level.” So, whilst I get that we are given “Australians are being told to closely monitor warnings, avoid crowds and prepare for emergency scenarios including military escalation. “If warned of an imminent attack, move to an enclosed hardened shelter,” Smartraveller advice states.” I can’t stop wondering whether this is done to siphon off some travel to the UAE towards the United States (a place much less appealing at present) So, I get that the average civil servant tends to be a pussy, the delays that are seemingly in place, do not make much sense. Unless there is a delay factor in place where others are seemingly really helped by the delays towards other destinations. So, I do get that people think of me as a ‘doom speaker’ or a ‘conspiracy individual’ but consider the setting we have seen on the last three months and consider what Iran has been pushing for, including bombing places that have nothing to do with the American-Iran Clambake (with special appearance of Israel). At what point was the UAE ever part of this and when is the media exposing that part of the essential finger pointing at Iran? So whilst we get that Google Gemini is now saying that “Abu Dhabi was officially back on the radar for Australian travelers on June 17, 2026. On this date, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) officially downgraded its travel advice to the United Arab Emirates (UAE)—including Abu Dhabi and Dubai—from a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” to a Level 3 “Reconsider your need to travel”” where my point of view is that this should have happened at least a month ago, as such we need to see what is in play at this setting and what are we not told?
Yes, I do sound like a conspiracy theorist in all this, but consider what has taken place (like some president claiming 38 times that a truce is about to be signed) the fact that the global media is seemingly in the dark from the attacks on the UAE where we have been notified that from 9 April 2026, the UAE has intercepted and destroyed 537 ballistic missiles, 2,256 drone attacks and 26 cruise missiles fired from Iran and the only ‘setting’ that we are given that part of a plan Khamenei designed before his death, ordering that in the case of war with the United States and Israel, Iran will cause regional chaos across the Middle East, with the purpose of pushing their Gulf neighbors to pressure for a halt to the attacks, and as such there needs to be a clear warning towards Iran that this has to stop, I even gave the UAE and Saudi Arabia designed IP to scuttle whatever Iranian options there were to destroy its infrastructures, because that is what concerned citizens do to the enemies of what these citizens see as friends, we don’t bully or threaten, we just come to their aid with whatever we can and I gave them IP that would stop Iran, but that is neither here nor there. You see, it is about the media and the media has been playing a dangerous ‘hands off’ setting and now we see that the politicians were playing along, because as I personally see it, Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Assistant Foreign Affairs Minister Matt Thistlethwaite could have given that speech at least 2 to 3 weeks ago, so what was the delay? Was this the most they could delay that for? You might think I am a loon (actually, I am bat crazy), but consider the timelines. What attacks did Abu Dhabi airport endure? We know that at least three confirmed drone and missile attacks over the last decade. They were February 28th, 2026, January 17th, 2022 (by Iran backed Houthi terrorists) and July 26th, 2018 (also by Iran backed Houthi terrorists) so when you know of this, what was the lowering of travel advice not done sooner? I reckon that May 2026, when Etihad completely resumed its flight schedule would have been a good point lower the travel advisory, which was 5 weeks ago, but I get that (optional) pussies are bound to delay these settings. So we can say that the ABC news is a little overdue, but not due to their efforts. I think that several governments have to make amends to the UAE, but that might be merely me seeing this setting.
So, you all have a great day and I (optionally affected by a little too much oxycodone) will do some dreaming of the Warner Brothers theme part whilst also floating on the Al Raha River a 300-meter peaceful lazy river located at Yas WaterWorld in Abu Dhabi. We dream what we can especially when we are in a winter setting in Sydney at 17 degrees, dreaming of 32 degrees sunny weather that is in Abu Dhabi. We do what we can.
So here I was (as I am) and I got thrown an interesting article thrown my way from a source e named PYOK, which after some searching was an abbreviation called ‘paddle your own kanoo’ and weirdly enough, I giggled. I had never heard of this source and I do recall that expression from a very long time ago (I think I paddled a kanoo with a guy named David Crockett, a former member of the US Congress) but that was yesterday’s news. What matters is the article he placed. I cannot vouch for the accuracy, but it starts with the headline ‘Etihad Airways Plans to Expand Capacity Above Pre-Iran War Levels Despite Continuing Uncertainty in the Region’, its all signed with his name (Mateusz Maszczynski) and his site is filled with airline crew and airport articles, so I personally believe that this man is all on the up and up.
The article makes sense, there is no goal in planning for long term uncertainty and planning for a larger presence makes perfect sense, especially as Iran is pissing of people faster than an army of cockroaches in an apartment building. So as we are given “Etihad Airways plans to increase capacity beyond its pre-Iran War levels within days and is finalizing a massive new order for wide-body aircraft, despite continuing uncertainty in the Middle East, its chief executive, Antonoaldo Neves, has confirmed. The Abu Dhabi-based airline is currently operating up to 78% of its pre-war schedule, but by June 15, Neves claims the carrier will have added around 8% more capacity than it was operating before February 28, when the U.S. and Israeli conflict with Iran began. Abu Dhabi Zayed International Airport escaped relatively unscathed during Iran’s massive bombardment of ballistic missiles and kamikaze drones fired towards the UAE throughout March and April, although one civilian tragically died when debris from a low-altitude drone interception fell on the outskirts of the airport.” I tend to agree with this setting, at some point the hostilities are gone and those who hesitated will get eaten by worms, so being on top of this seems the way to go. And we are also given “Following years of shrinking back to profitability, Neves was brought in to accelerate the airline’s growth plans, with his ‘Journey 2030’ transformation program marking a “pivotal turning point in Etihad’s journey.” Journey 2030 will see Etihad Airways expand its route network to 125 global destinations and double its fleet size to 160 aircraft. Last May, the airline placed an order for 28 additional wide-body Boeing aircraft, including 787 Dreamliners and the yet-to-be-certified Boeing 777X. Speaking on the sidelines of the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) annual general meeting in Brazil, Neves struck an optimistic tone despite the continuing security issues impacting travel demand through the Persian Gulf.” The entire setting makes sense, because there are a few other parts (not mentioned here, nor was it needed). You see, the United States paused of its allies to such an extent that the 70 million people they did have (due to Walt Disney World (featuring Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom), Universal Orlando Resort, and SeaWorld) will get left outside looking for other places to go and here Abu Dhabi and Dubai will be the call for many. There is doubt that this will start in 2026 (because of Iran) but there is every indication that 2027 that it could receive the bulk of 20 million Canadians that are now shunning the United States. Then you get the Europeans, Asians and people form the Commonwealth, they have all had it with the United States, its bully tactics and considering major theme parks like Disney World and Universal, quick-service meals run $15-$25, and full-service dining can easily reach $50-$75+ per person. So, consider those expenses from a vendor that doesn’t seemingly even want you there, the choice is easy and the UAE is tactically sound, especially with Yas Island having most options right there, all in walking distance and the fast train will take you to Dubai and its world famous mall in 30 minutes. That is a steal at twice the price. As I see it the United States are done for as a tourist destination until deep into 2031. As I see it, Etihad is getting ready for some major tourist increases and so they should. Taking into account that Abu Dhabi already has most of the attractions in place (Disney is still building) there is little that Orlando can offer that the UAE isn’t, and for the car enthusiasts, Yas Island has a Ferrari world with the world’s fastest roller coaster—Formula Rossa—reaches a staggering top speed of 240 km/h (149.1 mph), this is something Orlando does not have. So if you were a gambling man, put your money on the UAE, if you are not, see what the UAE currently has to offer and see what you could be seeing at a much reduced rate and with the UAE being a zero tax place there might be more than one reason to look towards the UAE as a place of relaxation and as It seems (according to PYOK) Etihad is getting ready for the increased tourist pressure, that being said they have an airport that Zayed International Airport (AUH) has an ability to scale up to 80 million. The facility is built to handle up to 11,000 travelers per hour, which is a lot more than Orlando ever could and with their ‘diminished’ staff, nearly 1,600 Spirit employees in the Orlando area lost their jobs, marking one of the most significant aviation workforce contractions at the airport, as such they are not ready to see any increase of tourists in their area for some time to come. As such banking towards the UAE and Etihad is banking for gold and now PYOK has given me (and others) the confidence that the UAE is not taking chances and they are getting ready for a massive influx of tourists. I reckon that Yas Island will be getting a massive appeal for a lot of people, on a personal note I think ALBAIK needs to expand into the Yas Mall, there are plenty of good places already, but I so want to try their food in the Yas Mall when I get there. As I see it, their new slogan should become “Better than Macka’s, better than Burger kind and cheaper than both”, but that is merely me and I have been wrong on many things, but never about food and I have the (massive) size to match this statement up.
So whilst people are upset that they will miss FIFA as it is (in part) in the United State, we still have 2 years before the next Olympics arrive (also alas in the United States) and as we just got past the Winter Olympics (Cortina, last February). For all those showing withdrawal symptoms of missing out on sport gigs. The United Arab Emirates has you covered. For Abu Dhabi has over 1000 athletes descent on them for ‘More than 1,000 athletes to take part in UAE Games 2026 in Abu Dhabi’ (at https://gulfnews.com/amp/story/uae/more-than-1000-athletes-to-take-part-in-uae-games-2026-in-abu-dhabi-1.500559614) where they will compete over the next week from June 6 to 10 and “The event will officially begin with artistic and rhythmic gymnastics competitions at Wellfit – Circle Mall in Dubai on June 3, before international delegations arrive in Abu Dhabi on June 5.” So basically it all starts tomorrow and whilst it starts with technical meetings we will see basketball, football, badminton, bowling, bocce and esports. For the non-informed bocce is closely related to English bowls and French pétanque, with a common ancestry from ancient games played in the Roman Empire. So we can say that it is a sport with history. In addition to all that we will see on “June 8th, the Games will also host the Fit 5 fitness program in collaboration with Active Abu Dhabi. The initiative is designed for athletes with lower physical abilities and will include workshops for more than 250 athletes.” As well as “For the first time, the Motor Activity Training Program (MATP) will also be included in the UAE Games. The program is designed for athletes with severe disabilities and will take place on June 9.” As we get that the Special Olympics UAE has announced the full program for the UAE Games 2026. Also coming to Yas Island are the NBA Abu Dhabi games 2026 in October (as far as it was revealed to me) so of you are in a downer because the United States is not the place to enjoy games and gaming, the UAE has you covered for pretty much the rest of the year. So, If you are Emirati and over 6 foot and 6 inches, shine your best sneakers because October is the time to get discovered by the NBA on Yas Island.
So as we get ready for all kinds of sport games, and we acknowledge that “the UAE Games 2026 are supported by several major partners, including ADNOC and Aldar. Other supporting partners include AD Ports Group, Integrated Transport Centre, ADNEC Group and Zayed Sports City.
Special Olympics UAE said several cooperation agreements and partnerships supporting sports for people of determination will also be announced during the event.” For me there is no other reason than to inform you that these 24 hour cable sport solutions tend to leave things unsaid and I reckon that this might be one of these events that tends to fall into the creases of sport coverage. I wonder how busy it will be on Yas Island over the next week and I hope that there will be plenty of YouTubers showing this majestic setting to viewers all over the globe, especially those who cannot afford to go there at present.
That remains to be seen, as President Trump is (close to) begging for any deal with Iran, EuroNews reports “Donald Trump says that countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait “owe it” to the US to sign the Abraham Accords during a Cabinet meeting Wednesday. Trump added that he was “not sure we should make a deal” with Iran until other countries joined the Accords.” I personally translate this towards “We can’t make a deal that Iran approves, so in that case we add an element that many Gulf States and Iran most definitely will reject out of hand, so in that case I will not look like a loser” that is how I see it and “he was “not sure we should make a deal” with Iran until other countries joined the Accords” Is as I see it, the response of a loser, the response of someone who never figured out that attacking Iran was a dangerous option. As I see it, Saudi Arabia doesn’t owe the United States anything. If Saudi Arabia signs a deal with China tomorrow and tells the United States to vacate Saudi locations for good. There will be hell in Wall Street, whatever they had in the past will be vented into despair and the EU would happily sign on for the American share, even for part of that in a heartbeat and there is additional data setting that stage. I reckon that the setting now “the United States imports roughly 250,000 to 350,000 barrels of crude oil per day from Saudi Arabia. This volume accounts for a relatively small fraction (around 7% to 10%) of total U.S. gross crude oil imports, as the vast majority of U.S. oil imports come from Canada and Mexico” is about to change a fair bit, because the United States pissed off Canada and Mexico to no small event, that means that Brent oil will have to service America first and that is not something they are (seemingly) wiling to do, because that means that the cheap oil import will become zero. Consider that $5 (a fictive amount) on 300,000 barrels each day is at least $1.5 million a day revenue lost. After squandering tourism and other revenue steams, the United States cannot afford to lose this too. I reckon that there will be a culling on investors coming up short in Wall Street, there are no definite numbers. But there will be signs.
So, what are the Abraham accords? The Abraham Accords are a series of U.S.-brokered agreements signed in 2020 that established formal diplomatic, economic, and security normalization between Israel and several Arab nations. Now I personally see no disadvantage to them, but I reckon that it takes a muslim view on how they see a significant realignment in the Middle East. I get that not all gulf states are happy about this, but it is for them to decide what they find acceptable. Some have signed on, they see the benefits of not arming for Israel makes sense. And as I see it, outside of Iran and its terror network (Hamas, Hezbollah and Houthi) there are people considering this. But the larger setting for the United States is that it allowed the U.S. and its regional partners to foster stability outside the traditional framework of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, acting in part as a regional counterbalance to Iranian and Chinese influence and it is the “counterbalance to Chinese influence” is what the United States fear. You can try to forcefully blend Iran into this, but Iran will do business with anyone who will deal with them and that is what matters to the gulf. And as I see it, several gulf states are ready to make deals with China, especially as the United States destroyed the calm they had before 2026 and China seems to be OK with that sentiment. But as I see it the United States destroyed its influence it had in the world and the data proves me right, so with some hesitation I give you:
I like the image, but as the data sources are ‘missing’ I would advice you to caution you against just blind fully accepting this, even if is says “Pew Research Center (illustrative map based on surveyed public opinion)” It looks nice, but the N (responses) per nation is missing as is the larger data and my reason for that is to consider how Nepal is included and how many have internet there? It has a lot less then Greenland and that remains ‘Unclear’ even after all Trump did there? Go bake me a cake (preferable a Black Forest cake).
So there are settings that make sense and there are settings that apparently is scaring America, so as news.com.au is giving us ‘‘We want you here’: US tourism chief pleads with ‘scared’ Aussie travelers’ he might have more luck getting Russians to get to go to the United States. My mind is set to Toronto (Canada) and Abu Dhabi (Yas Island, UAE), whichever I can afford to see first. As I see it, the United States with its Epic Universe is until 2035 no longer an acceptable option. The idea on how lovely these two places are, filming it with a DJI Osmo Pocket 4 feels like heaven. Filming my fishing expedition in LADURÉE at the Abu Dhabi Mall Store and my first Lunch at AlBaik (Abu Dhabi) makes my mouth water.
(I tend to torture myself with all kinds of dishes I am not having today). And feast your eyes on this deal, for only $3.80 you get these two wraps, that is a steal at twice the price. And Al Baik has proven itself several times over in both Dubai (in the Dubai Mall) and Abu Dhabi. So are you surprised that the world is giving the United States a miss with its MacDonalds Fries for $4.50? And at Universal Epic Universe, the famous Mac and Cheese Cones are priced around $16.99. As I see it, the United States tourism industry is bound to take another few dives in the next few years. And as the world is hungry for real food and real entertainment Abu Dhabi and optionally other gulf states (like Boulevard City, Riyadh) might offer a better vacation than the United States with its Karen’s, MAGA and ICE could ever hope to entice tourists with and such is the setting, because this is still about the Iranian setting and the United States are coming up short on several levels and whilst I have faith in my IP to destroy Iranian infrastructure (which I handed to the UAE and Saudi Arabia) it seems the my ideas were more devastating and a lot cheaper than the United States could ever hope to deal with and hiding behind “They are not willing to accept the Abraham accords, boo hoo hoo hoo” is as I personally see it, the hallmark of a loser who lost yet again. And as I see it, China is willing to step in, make Iran cry like a baby (and still get all the oil it needs, because that is likely the deal China is making), but to Iran it comes across as they defeated the intent of the United States and that is fine with them. A geopolitical setting requires you to see a lot more than some envision and as we are given ‘Crude Oil Prices Rise as Iran Dampens U.S. Deal Hopes’ (43 minutes ago) we need to see that this film flam setting is merely the stage of people trying to get away from that fallout, because that is bout to get worse, until China comes in as the savior of the Gulf States. I do’t necessarily think it is correct, but that is how I see this will be played. Iran made the United States its bitch, China is setting a better stage for nearly all and Israel? I have no idea what will happen there, they went in with the United States and they had a very good reason to attack Iran, they have had that for years, perhaps even decades. But there’s a chance that Israel will become a casualty of war and the United States will merely go to its own side of the Atlantic river saying ‘sorry’.
So who owes what? Before the attack the strait of Hormuz was open, fuel was affordable and there was progress, not that much for the United States, but they made their own bed. Perhaps President Trump needs t make a tally on what his shortsighted ideas led to. Have a great day today, my Sunday is 62.5% gone now.
That is the question, so this is not about IP, or even about hardware. This is a software question, my software. It becomes the setting, am I a delusional paranoid, or a paranoid delusional? You might think this is fun, but I woke up at 03:30 when thoughts hit me and I looked online to seek some kind of verification (I really believe in verification, because that leads to validation) So I found CNBC (at https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/21/iran-war-us-peace-talks-trump-hormuz.html) where we see ‘Iran reviews U.S. peace proposal as Trump says he’s willing to wait ‘a few days’’ and my first question was “He is willing to wait a few days?” The article where we see “Iran Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the Islamic Republic had received the views of the American side “and are reviewing them,” according to the state-run agency Nour News.” The article was all neat and shiny (particularly the shiny part) and it merely increased the tensions within me. And I wonder if it is just me, or are there sides that others had picked up on? There is no blame to the media here, they merely reported on items and they did that. I think there is no oversight on their part, unless they all look at the complete picture from March 1st this year. Where some might see “President Trump used the phrase “bomb them back to the Stone Ages” in an April 2026 primetime address regarding the U.S. war with Iran. In the speech, he threatened to hit Iranian infrastructure “extremely hard” to force Tehran into negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz.” Yet the second article gives us (at https://www.nbcnews.com/world/iran/iran-us-talks-trump-tehran-gaps-nuclear-deal-pakistan-war-rcna346258) where we see ‘Iran-U.S. diplomacy intensifies as Trump seeks ‘right answers,’ Tehran signals gaps ‘reduced’’ and as I see it, President Trump never waited for right answers, you can look up his responses right back to the start of the 51st states mentions. The man talks before his brain kicks into motion. And the byline “A visit by Pakistan’s army chief Thursday was aimed at “reaching the point of officially announcing acceptance of the memorandum of understanding,” Iran’s semiofficial ISNA news agency reported.” Might have been the settler of it all. It comes with “Tehran was responding to Washington’s latest proposal, which had “reduced the gaps to some extent” between the two sides, the semiofficial ISNA news agency reported early Thursday. It said that a visit by Pakistan’s army chief was “aimed at reducing these gaps and reaching the point of officially announcing acceptance of the memorandum of understanding.”” The seed in me evolved and it blossomed right into a Castor Bean plant in my brain. The thought that had evolved was “Was this war about destabilizing the Middle East?” The attacks on the UAE was another part, the attacks on Saudi Arabia and Qatar seemed to be supporting this all. The entire setting is a sort of death jerk by the United States to stop the decrease of what is overwhelming them, as to reduce the damage that seems to be coming for them. The successes that the UAE got in Tourism and to some effect Saudi Arabia too, President Trump sees the lack of tourism that is coming for them and Canada exasperated that notion. The numbers aren’t adding up and why? Why are at least 3 government installations in the United States cooking the books? (Or at least that is what it looks like to me) and my mind around 02:00 this morning hammered me awake with this notion. The United States are destabilizing the Middle East to avoid total disaster before 2027. I don’t think they will, but the underlying setting then becomes is Iran in on this? They might like to destabilize Saudi Arabia and the UAE as well, and they are willing to play their part. I have no idea where Israel is in this and they might merely like the idea of bombing Iran, they have been their target for long enough.
So the question becomes “Am I merely a paranoid delusional individual or am I also a delusional paranoid?” It is a fair question to ask myself, and the answer could go either way, but I don’t believe that anyone has a clear answer. Perhaps the media has, but they are likely to busy chasing digital dollars. And the media answers are tainted to say the least. And as I see it Google Gemini (yes, I confronted a second source in this) gives us: “Middle East destabilization is currently driven by the active Iran war that began on February 28, 2026, when US and Israeli forces launched preemptive airstrikes. The resulting regional escalation—including retaliatory strikes on Gulf states and threats to global shipping—has shattered the pre-existing geopolitical balance and triggered severe diplomatic and humanitarian crises”, as such I don’t think I am entirely wrong. It might be flawed as the notion is subjective and that tends to come with data gaps, but the thoughts are there.
So, as I put this to printed paper, perhaps my mind will relax and I might still get around 150 minutes of ZZZZZ time. Have a great day.
The famous and iconic quote by Dr. Leonard McCoy, first stated by Deforest Kelly, after that by Karl Urban. So, it’s space but not as we know it. We are given ‘Abu Dhabi-based space company plans massive $1 billion satellite network’ with the quote “The space technology company, linked to Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed’s International Holding Co. (IHC), will launch its first satellite in October. Nine more are scheduled for next year as the firm builds an AI-powered Earth observation system. CEO Hamdullah Mohib confirmed plans for 40 additional satellites within five years.” Who would have thought that the 2017 movie Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets gave us a look into the actual future?
Of course I went to the cinema, I grew up with the comics of Valerian (in Dutch, where he is called Ravian) one of the comics even gave me the idea for a story with elements based on that setting, I even Included parts of the idea of Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed Origin, specifically the The Curse of the Pharaohs part. There were no pharaohs, or curses in my story, but the ships sailing through the weeds and the location of Aten and Duat gave me ideas. But this is about the UAE, who is launching 50 satellites. I have no idea what the competitive yank was doing when Elon Musk (yes, that guy) has launched over 11,500 starlink satellites. But the UAE, is a different matter. I have no idea what area, although some sources gave me “Middle East, Africa, and the surrounding regions”, the question becomes will it include at lest parts of Europe? You see, that would give a massive boost to the UAE streaming channels as they could reach these area’s too and that could mean all kinds of revenue (like advertising). It is me personal view to not include this would be folly. I also see the need to increase YouTubers, TikTok makers, and likeminded local crowds. I can see that the limitations is decently showing for Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah. The world needs to see what the UAE can offer as the resentment for visiting the United States is increasing on a near daily basis, especially as someone ‘claims’ that Cube is now easy pickings (they used a different term). But that warmongering claim and the sounds that we hear as Hegseth criticized NATO allies for not standing with the U.S. during tensions with Iran, questioning the strength of the alliance when allies are unwilling to support U.S. efforts is as some say “going down the wrong pipe”, as such there is a higher need for more diverse information and it might be nice to do that, but I believe that the best view on the Emirates should be given by an Emirati, should be simple, right? And there is enough sample materials. I am privy to see the works of Johny Strides, but there is also “The Ken Continuum” as I see it, plenty of stuff for Emirati’s to show Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah on a near daily basis. I just looked on the recently uploaded vlogs and what I find is ‘Inside Yas Mall Abu Dhabi 🇦🇪 | Luxury Shopping & Walking Tour’ from the Canada Family Vlogs. One in one day, there were a few more in 3-6 days and plenty of shorts, but the famous Yas Mall? I would have expected at least a 6-12 in a day and I think it is important for the UAE to show itself and there is plenty of evidence that the Emirati’s love their country, as such I am a little bewildered why there is so little (perhaps there is a reason, but I am unaware of it) And Yas Island has a mall and 4 theme parks. And when. I look towards Sharjah, I get ‘Sharjah Separating From UAE? The Hidden Crisis In UAE Right Now’ I have no idea if that is real (most likely a doom speaker) but something should be done, especially when the UAE is adding 50 satellites and they all want to give and receive all kinds of data (I reckon a lot will be videos). But it is essential that the UAE will upgrade the quality of what is out and about, especially from Emiratis. I saw several good videos in the past for both Abu Dhabi and Dubai, but the pickings are getting slim. Show the people what shopping in Carrefour is like, show Affordables in Khalidiyah mall and Al Wadha mall (a mere example), foodcourts in Dubai, most people in the Commonwealth have never seen Al Baik and that is just the surface of things. Yes, people show us the Dubai Mall (which is lovely) and show us the Bugatti hotel, but there is more. And there are good vloggers, Dubai has Alone in Dubai, which shows us all the splendour of Dubai, I have seen numerous videos from that provider on YouTube. But there should be more, because not everyone likes one particular person, we all have different tastes. I get that, and by showing us more, we learn more and we accept that Dubai and Abu Dhabi needs to be on everyones bucket list especially now that the people tire of the United States. I reckon that with 50 satellites, there will be a lot more interactions and as these 50 satellites come online between now and 2031, it becomes essential to do this, especially as the telecom companies want to grow and there is room for growth especially towards Europe as I see it, so as the UAE shows its technological prowess, it needs to consider what is there to show and at times I think it might be better and these could be more. The UAE set out in 2024, to ‘Chris Hemsworth criticised over tourism ad promoting Abu Dhabi despite ‘notorious’ human rights violations’, which I personally consider BS. What Human Rights violations? The Guardian showed “The international non-governmental advocacy organisation Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said the UAE “invests in a strategy to paint the country as progressive, tolerant, and rights-respecting while carrying out repression against dissent”.” With a massive page where it mentions Khashoggi, Saudi Arabia and we get “The ACTU had said the UAE would be “one of the most repressive countries any Australian government has ever done a bilateral trade agreement with”.” So, where is the evidence? Because all I have seen on YouTube (mostly by British people) is a place that is a lot prettier then Florida ever was, I have not seen any repression and the BS I saw on the dangers in Google Search are as I see it massive lies too. The UAE is seen (by a lot of people as one of the safest places on the planet), plenty of women claimed that they felt safe in Dubai (on their YouTube videos), as such to counter this BS from wannabe human rights phonies it is time now to open the valve, because all this takes time to create traction and the UAE has 5 years to give us a whole range of videos of life in the UAE. I reckon that this is an essential call towards the people in the Emirates and I do believe that you need to see the local settings and as such the UAE has its challenge cut out for them, and I believe that they can meet them, because I see on Twitter (on a daily basis) the proclamation of Emiratis and the love they have for their rulers and their country. I saw a few videos regarding National day and it was clear that these people love their country, I think it is time that this is brought to the larger audience. I saw them as I watched a lot of walkthroughs on the first covid lockdowns. I was in me apartment, nothing to do, as such I watched what was available. London, Toronto, Dubai, Stockholm, Rotterdam and a few other places. As such I also saw the National day parades, cultural performances and I believe it was the first time that I saw the global village in Dubai. The UAE has so much to show, as such I believe it is needed to show it so that these people proclaiming repression, either show us evidence, or shut up. But that might be my oversimplified setting on the matter. But what is now known is that the UAE (with French help) will put 50 satellites in orbit in the next 5 years, as such it is time to see what there is and how it could aid others in seeking optional fortune and challenges. As I see it, the UAE is now where the United States was in 1952, a land of opportunity and as such the larger players and the smaller innovators have a new destination and you might think that the story I started with is merely talk, but consider that the UAE has Dubai+, Dubai One, and Dubai Sports, Shahid, STARZPLAY, OSN+, Abu Dhabi Media Network (ADmn) brands, Abu Dhabi TV, Emarat TV, and Abu Dhabi Sports. So what do you think will happen in 2031? When they grow outside of their UAE borders, they will need materials and that is your opportunity. That is the grow setting that is now getting lost in the United States. Some will go towards Canada, but the Middle East is where it will take on serious grow settings. I reckon that the European script writers are already looking in this direction, because they have materials that might fit in the Emirati media circles. So it will be life for all, but not as we have known it, it will be new and as such it will be interesting to see and it will be enticing. So have a great day today and consider where your future lies and as I read it (might be a typo) ADNOC has 555,845 open jobs. So anyone seeking a job? Have a great day.
That is what I saw yesterday (among other ideas). Although this morning I hoped to run into Mal Lanyon APM (police commissioner Sydney), he got into this job today, making my giggle moment even better. You see, I was going to walk up to him and inform him that I increased in rank today as the new Commodore (I turned 64 today) and see how that goes over. I am not anything but a dedicated glutton for chaos when the setting gives me the opportunity.
But that is neither here nor there.
The setting is tourism in the Middle East and as I have given a few ideas to the UAE, it only stands to right I do something similar for Saudi Arabia. The first thing that came to mind was what was there’ and we can see that Hollywood Boulevard is there, but as I see it nearly 249 million Europeans (aged 15+) made at least one personal tourism trip in 2024, as well tens of millions of Canadians make travel their touristic setting and I am happy to see more than 90% that will no longer make the United States that destination. A lot will seek out Europe and Asia their destination, yet it would be nice to see a lot more going to the Middle East (Saudi Arabia and the UAE) as such I thought of reasons for them to seek the locations out. The UAE has its pigeons in a row and I added an idea or two there, but now it is time for Saudi Arabia to get a few ideas. They have several options, but I reckon not enough. You need to ‘entertain’ these flocks for over a week and here I see options. One of them is that the Netherlands has the holy land foundation, the idea is nice, but what if this village is more representing an educational view of Saudi Arabia from before it was founded? A place representing the looks of an Arabian village (circa 1700-1900) complete with the guides and ‘local’ population to give it form? It could serve as an educational setting for the local population as well. Combine this with a few of the 1001 tales, not the politically correct ‘adjusted’ version of Ali Baba and the 40 fighters for the Palestinian cause. So consider that the 1001 tales includes numerous stories depict jinn, ghouls, ape people, sorcerers, magicians, and legendary places, which are often intermingled with real people and geography, I reckon that you could have at least a dozen stories all over the place and there are more to include or even replace the ones that have been there for a few seasons making the attraction a long term want to see idea. I reckon that it should be in Riyadh, but that would be up to the Saudi government to decide upon. In addition, the Dutch also have the Archeon, a place with historic settings of three villages, a bronze age dwelling, a Roman dwelling (complete with a fighting rink), a bathhouse and a few other settings and a middle age village (from around 1400), these places are built using the materials that were available in those days and they had their own cuisine. The roman lamb was magnificent and the Abbeys Waffles with hot cherry sauce and whipped cream has to be tried to be believed. There are merely two settings and there is a lot more. Stockholm has the Vasa museum, and it has power because of the only almost fully intact 17th-century ship that has ever been salvaged, the 64-gun warship Vasa that sank on her maiden voyage in 1628. The idea cannot be replicated, but France has the Puy du Fou in the Vendée region being the most prominent, offering an immersive walkthrough attraction titled Le Mystère de La Pérouse. That idea can be translated to a walk though on a replication of a VOC ship (I wrote about this earlier) and these settings are for the Saudi population just as entertaining as it is for tourists. Add to that a eating place (you cannot call that a restaurant) in the image of the galley of a Man of War which should hold enough place and it could evolve into a place with more than this, optionally a modern submarine (complete with periscope) would be the tourist setting that Saudi Arabia adds to this collection. It was my thought to stay away from the ‘American’ entertaining ideas. Abu Dhabi already has these settings in place and they did this rather well. As such the idea is to create things that are NOT there. And these are the three ideas I see. So whilst we are now given ‘Most Americans Now Say U.S. Foreign Policy Ignores the Interests of Other Countries’ it is now the goal to isolate ‘that’ United States from the rest of the world and fortunately Europe and Asia have plenty of ideas to fuel the beacons of Saudi Arabia and its tourism attractions. It might be shallow but I came up with these settings in merely a few days and these setting s could be transferred to other places. It might not all be placed in Riyadh, for example the Puy du Fou could be added to the Sindalah resort, right next to its Marina. And other places could be considered as well as Saudi Arabia seeks to franchise a new setting that is created with branding and visibility, so that tourists and Saudi’s see the places they recognise from other places and they need not be identical. It was one of the attraction that gave places like Planet Hollywood its attraction on a global setting.
So as I see it, there is plenty to do and as Saudi Arabia gets a slice of these 249,000,000 tourists, the setting is to do this now, when the United States is creating global disgust. A good place to start I say.
Have a great day, Vancouver joins us to today in 15 minutes.
