Tag Archives: Khaleej Times

November 1, 2025 · 23:49

The other place

That is said, but what is the other place? The Khaleej Times alerted me to the fact that in Sharjah (the third largest city in the UAE) they are having an international book fair. (At https://www.khaleejtimes.com/entertainment/uae-will-smith-guest-speaker-sharjah-book-fair) and the title gives us ‘Actor Will Smith to be guest speaker at Sharjah International Book Fair’ this is fair enough. I wasn’t aware of a book fair there, let alone an international one. We are given “The 44th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) is taking place from November 5 to 16 at Expo Centre Sharjah, welcoming an exceptional line-up of global authors, including Nigerian literary icon Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Italian theoretical physicist and bestselling author Carlo Rovelli, and Irish Booker Prize winner Paul Lynch.” And it is not the only event happening, we are also given “Meanwhile, the 15th Sharjah International Publishers Conference, organised by Sharjah Book Authority, opens on Sunday at Expo Centre Sharjah. The event will feature more than 30 professional workshops focused on the future of publishing, along with dedicated networking and deal-making forums. It will bring together thousands of publishers and professionals from across the globe, including senior figures in publishing, marketing, artificial intelligence, copyright, and international market development. There will also be a series of workshops for publishers, experts, and distributors from around the world to exchange experiences and explore avenues for collaboration.” And these events are visited by “1.82 million visitors attend book fair this year; most of them aged 35 to 44” I am a little upset that this doesn’t get a much wider audience. An event with almost 2 million should get a wider international view and it seemingly does not. I only learned about this as Will Smith is taking the centre stage. If not, I might not have known. That is a little sad, but this is what life offers. We only have a limited amount of time to spend on outer events and today I learned about this and I missed the 43 previous events. And Sharjah isn’t just a village (it is much bigger) setting the setting of over 1.5k+ activities, 2.2k+ Exhibitors from 112 countries and showing over 1.3M+ titles. As I personally see this, it might be one of the biggest book fairs in the world. So why does this not get additional attention? We see all kinds of reporters doing the same thing and why is this not on their agenda? One of the highlights is shown next week when Sheikh Sultan allocates AED 4.5 million to enrich Sharjah’s libraries with the latest works from SIBF 2024. This is definitely worth mentioning. When was the last time someone put some serious coin into elaborating the Library in Sydney (or Burwood)? How much was added to the stockpile of the Library in Amsterdam? It might be a lot, I really don’t know. But that is what the media is for, educating and informing us, not repeating the news from May on why Superman could be banned from Australian cinema’s and the fact that Hoyts showed it with the ‘news’ of “July 10th 2025. Science Fiction Themes and Violence. Trailer; Watchlist. Follows the titular superhero as he reconciles his alien heritage” gives the signal that there is something massively wrong with the Australian media and as such I wonder when they will wise up and give us actual news (like the international book fair in Sharjah) which runs from November 5th until November 16th from 10:00 in the morning until 22:00 in the evening. As such you can let your inner bookworm go nuts 12 hours a day and for 11 days, how is that for your book needs? 

Guests from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Nepal, UK, America, Kazakhstan and several other countries, including a prince from Bel-Air, a rather fresh one. So you can wonder what is wrong with western media not giving (as far as I can tell) any time and space for this international event which has almost 2 million people attending this event. 

I think it is time to ask the western media some heavy questions whether it helps them to play courtesan to the digital dollar, because as I see it, the difference between the Western media and the Dodo is rather thin, perhaps even too thin.

Try to see if you can get something on Dr. Zubair Farooq. He is apparently the first Urdu poet from the UAE. He created 40 collections of Urdu poetry and ghazals. In addition, he has written poetry in Arabic and English. It seems like it is something on the side, but that is how you learn and how you grow. I have no idea how Urdu reads, but as he also created poetry in English, it might be worth finding out more about him. A small remembrance on Poetry. It is a literary art form that uses the aesthetic and rhythmic qualities of language to evoke meanings beyond the literal. Poets use careful word choice, sound, and rhythm to stir imagination and emotions, often employing devices like rhyme, line breaks, and meter. Poetry differs from prose by its structure and emotional depth, though the line between them can sometimes be blurred. 

My smallest exposure of self inflicted poetry could be seen through:

In creation of taxes, I stay silent
It is how I think it is meant
To not surrender your wallet for goods never gotten
Is one way to set your emotions to rotten
Not to blame the rich and many other kittens
It is merely the lack of options that got me smitten
And not in a good way, as such I sway
To avoid whatever taxes I must pay

Yup, not the best form of poetry, but I never got that class in school, it never mixed with Chemistry or Physics. So have a great day and see what you can learn today.

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October 20, 2025 · 12:52

The start of something bad

That is how I saw the news (at https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/tech/dubais-10000-ai-firms-goal-to-redefine-competitiveness-power-uaes-startup-vision) with the headline ‘Dubai’s 10,000 AI-firms goal to redefine competitiveness,  power UAE’s startup vision’ there is always a risk when you start a new startup, but the drive to something that doesn’t even exist is downright folly (as I see it) and now it is driven to a 10,000 times setting of folly. That is what I perceive. But lets go through the setting to explain what I am seeing.

First there is the novel setting and it is one that needs explaining. You see AI doesn’t yet exist, even what we have now is merely DML (Deeper Machine Learning) and it is accompanied at times with LLM (Large Language Models) and these solutions can actually be great, but the foundations of AI are not yet met and take it from me it matters. Actually never take my word, so lets throw some settings at you. First there is ‘Deloitte to pay money back to Albanese government after using AI in $440,000 report’ and then we get to ‘Lawyer caught using AI-generated false citations in court case penalised in Australian first’ (sources for both is the Guardian). There is something behind this. The setting of verification is adamant in both, You see, whatever we now call AI isn’t it and whatever data is thrown at it is taken almost literally at face value. Data Verification is overlooked at nearly every corner and then we get to Microsoft with its ‘support’ of builder.ai with the mention that it was goo. It lasted less than a month and the ‘backing’ of a billion dollar went away like snow in a heatwave. They used 700 engineers to do what could not be done (as I personally see it). So we have these settings that is already out there. 

Then (two weeks ago) the Guardian gives us (at https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/oct/08/bank-of-england-warns-of-growing-risk-that-ai-bubble-could-burst) ‘Bank of England warns of growing risk that AI bubble could burst’ with the byline “Possibility of ‘sharp market correction has increased’, says Bank’s financial policy committee” now consider this setting with the valuation of 10,000 firms getting a rather large ‘market correction’ and I think that this happens when it is the least opportune for the UAE. This take me to the old expression we had in the 80’s “You can lose your money in three ways, first there are women, which is the prettiest way to lose your money, then through gambling, which is the quickest way to lose your money and third way is thought IT, which is the surest way to lost your money” and now I would like to add “the fourth way is AI, which is both quick and sure to lose your money” that is the prefix to the equation. And the setting we aren’t given is set out in several pieces all over the place. One of them was given to us in ABC News (at https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-20/ai-crypto-bubbles-speculative-mania/105884508) with ‘If AI and crypto aren’t bubbles, we could be in big trouble’ where we see “What if the trillions of dollars placed on those bets turn out to be good investments? The disruption will be epic, and terrible. A lot of speculative manias are just fun for a while and then the last in lose their shirts, not much harm done, like the tulips of 1635, and the comic book and silver bubbles of the late 1980s. Sometimes the losses are so great that banks go broke as well, which leads to a frozen financial system, recession and unemployment, as in 1929 and 2008.” As I personally see it, America is going all in as they are already beyond broke, so they have nothing to lose, but the UAE and Saudi Arabia have plenty to lose and the American first are good to squander whatever these two have. I reckon that Oracle has its fallback position so it is largely of, but OpenAI is willing to chance it all. And that is the American portfolio, Microsoft and a few others. They are playing bluff with as I see it, the wrong players and when others are ignoring the warnings of the Bank of England they merely get what is coming for them and it is a game I do not approve of, because it is based on the bluff that gets us ‘we are too big to fail’ and I do not agree, but they will say that it is all based on retirement numbers and other ‘needly’ things. This is why America needs Canada to become the 51st state so desperately, they are (as I personally see it) ready to use whatever troll army they have to smear Canada. But I am not having it and as I see “Dubai’s bold target to attract 10,000 artificial intelligence firms by 2030 is evolving from vision to execution, signaling a new phase in the emirate’s transformation into a global technology powerhouse. As a follow-up to earlier announcements positioning the UAE as the “Startup Capital of the World,” recent developments in AI infrastructure, capital inflows, and global partnerships show how this goal is being operationalised — potentially reshaping Dubai’s economic structure and reinforcing its competitive edge in the global digital economy.” I believe that those behind this are having the best interests at heard for the Emirati, but I do not trust the people behind this drive (outside of the UAE). I believe that this bubble will burst after the funds are met with smiles only for these people to go out of business with a bulky severance check. It is almost like the role Ryan Gosling played in the Big Short where Jared Vennett receives a bonus of $47 million for profits made on his CDSs. It feels almost too alike. And I feel I have to speak up. Now, if someone can sink my logic, I am fine with that, but let those running to this future verify whatever they have and not merely accept what is said. I am happy to be wrong but the setting feels off (by a lot) and I rather be wrong then be silent on this, because as I see it, when there is a ‘market correction’ of $2,000,000,000,000 you can consider yourself sold down the river because there is a cost of such a correction and it should 100% be on the American shores and 0% of the Arabic, Commonwealth or European shores. But that is merely my short sighted view on the matter. 

So when we get to “Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, said the goal reflects the UAE’s determination to lead globally in frontier technology. “Dubai’s target to attract 10,000 AI companies over the next five years is not a dream — it is a commitment to building the world’s most dynamic and future-ready digital economy,” he said. “We already host more than 1,500 pure AI companies — the highest number in the region — but this is just the beginning. Our strategy is to bring in creators and producers of technology, not just users. That’s how we sustain competitiveness and shape the industries of tomorrow.”” I am slightly worried, because there is an impact of these 1,500 companies. Now, be warned there are plenty of great applications of DML and LLM and these firms should be protected. But the setting of 10,000 AI companies worry me, as AI doesn’t yet exist and the stage for Agentic programming is clear and certain. I would like to rephrase this into “We should keep a clear line of achievements in what is referred to as AI and what AI companies are supposed to see as clear achievements” This requires explanation as I see whatever is called as AI as NIP (Near Intelligent Parsing) and that is currently the impact of DML and LLM and I have seen several good projects but that is set onto a stage that has a definite pipeline of achievements and interests parties. And for the most the threshold is a curve of verifiable data. That data is scrutinized to a larger degree and tends to be (at times) based on the first legacy data. It still requires cleaning but to a smaller degree to dat that comes from wherever. 

So do not dissuade from your plans to enter the AI field, but be clear about what it is based on and particularly the data that is being used. So have a great day and as we get to my lunch time there is ample space for that now. Enjoy your day.

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August 19, 2025 · 13:36

On the other side of the table

I have been weary of the other side of the table. In many cases it pays to see both sides of the table. As such, Today I saw the news by the Khaleej Times (at https://www.khaleejtimes.com/uae/residents-stranded-air-canada-flight-attendant-strike-high-prices) giving us ‘UAE residents stranded amid Air Canada strike stressed by vague responses, high flight prices’ and there we are given “A sudden strike by more than 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants has grounded hundreds of flights, leaving some UAE residents stranded in Canada as the disruption stretches into a third day. The walkout, which began on Saturday, has shut down operations for the carrier that usually transports 130,000 passengers a day. Despite a back-to-work order from Canada’s labour board, the union has refused to comply, demanding the airline return to the bargaining table.” At present I am not taking sides. I do not know the plight of the Air Canada flight staff and crews. Strikes happen and they aren’t nice. As a tourist I would vie for an extension (if possible), there isn’t much use walking on a airport for a few days. There is only so much you can do, and even if there is enough food, there is a larger concern here. 

The setting I do want to comment on was the small setting in the header namely “high flight prices” and the quote “UAE resident Emma Dylan, currently in Toronto, said the lack of communication from the airline has been frustrating. “They cancelled our direct flight without prior notice and moved us to an option with multiple layovers,” she said. “When I asked about compensation or alternatives, the response was vague. At one point, a staff member even suggested the Dubai route was cancelled because of the situation in the Middle East.” This left her confused and uncertain about next steps.” In the first Dubai is one of the safest places on the planet, as such that staff member should be fired (at the very least) and as far as we get ““Everything now is, of course, triple the price since it’s a last-minute booking,” she said, noting that she usually books her flights to/from Canada months in advance.” It is partially fair, Although, I am not sure how cheap here initial flight was, On the other hand, I would think that setting up a charter by Emirates, to pick up stranded Emirates might not be the worst idea and that could have been arranged as was on Saturday. One flight optionally taking care of the bulk from Saturday/Sunday night have been a solution, optionally costing the passengers something, but 

I reckon not as much as the ‘three times’ that quoted price. Optionally a setting that airlines can bring is a flight to London and subsequent flights from London to Europe and direct flights to Riyadh, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. That merely my brain contemplating the issue in less than 30 seconds. Was that hard? Was it even possible? As crews shut down in Toronto, planes might not get sustenance (read: fuel) I reckon that the Canadian air-force could fuel the planes and fill the plane up with pizzas. Just a thought to have. I am not turning against the strike, but everyone will realise that stranded passengers is a rather large call to make. 

So as we see “For now, passengers remain in limbo, refreshing their phones for updates, weighing costly alternatives, and hoping for a swift resolution between the airline and its workers.” We get that there are issues, but the setting how to resolve them is also up I the air (as expressions go), but a larger setting is, what can be done without setting off the unions and presenting the opposite side with an unmanageable evolving issue. 

I don’t have anything decent answers at present. I merely went into trouble shooting mode (without shooting people). And it was nice to see both sides of the equation. If you want to know more about the other side you can catch that in the publications of the CBC, so good luck with that. I just wonder what happens when you are with a business or First Class ticket at the Toronto lounges. I reckon I would gain a few pounds chomping down food and drowning in bubbly, but that is me, Always seeing to light in the darkness, even if Toronto was my destination, there is nothing wrong with a bottle of Champagne to wash down the Nova Scotia lobster rolls, Montreal style smoked beef, Bambi burgers, Poutine (mandatory), Nanaimo bars with Maple Taffy and in the end ash that down with some British Columbian ice wine. A nice way to get not a food coma to wait out the strike and at the end, simply ask them where the taxis are and you will have saved at least a day on your food budget. 

Have a great day, and it is now breakfast time in Amsterdam. So poffertjes, or Pancakes. I’m hungry again already. 

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August 18, 2025 · 19:15

Reasoning as is

That is at times the setting. We always THINK we know the reason, but do we really? I had my given settings on Abu Dhabi as early as 2025, August 2nd. I spelled it out in ‘As Hogwarts expands’ (at https://lawlordtobe.com/2025/08/02/as-hogwarts-expands/) and I stated “Yas Island becomes the most appealing choice for a whole flock of tourists, now definitely deciding that there will be a viable alternative for Orlando, and when Disney arrives in 2027/2028 also on Yas Island, Florida will see the largest downfall in economy they have ever had.” That was the setting I expected to see. Now we see Forbes (at https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinereid/2025/08/17/the-real-reason-for-building-disneyland-in-abu-dhabi/) giving us two weeks later “It is no secret that Abu Dhabi is building theme parks to diversify its economy. Its fortune was built on fossil fuels but as its reserves are beginning to run out it has brought global theme park giants to its shores to drive tourism revenue. That’s far from the only magic touch they have. Although Abu Dhabi and neighboring Dubai are seen as being playgrounds exclusively for the world’s wealthiest people, the vast majority of their residents are far from billionaires. There is good reason for this.”

I tried too get a job there once, I am not in oil (not even olive oil) but I do have a knack for IT and in alway am fluent in Dutch, a skill that I hoped would get me a job with ADNOC. Yet as America was setting the larger premise of a failed government in play, Abu Dhabi was giving me additional settings and if you pay close attention to Yas Island, it could be the lifeline of a larger setting that could given you a heralding ovation when you live there. As the UAE is massively crime free, more reasons to go there. In addition (to what I saw) its that Forbes also gives us “It explains why a staggering 88.5% of the 11.4 million residents of the UAE are expats according to Global Media Insight. The number of expats from the United States is reflected in the vast array of its stores and restaurants which have made their way to the UAE. They include everything from chains like Applebee’s, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit and IHOP to fine dining outlets such as California’s Urth Caffé and Sarabeth’s which began life as a small bakery-kitchen on New York City’s Amsterdam Avenue in 1981.” It is nice to see this, but I have to wonder why they never saw it when I saw the clear signs. And there is not the simple settings of “Although Abu Dhabi and neighboring Dubai are seen as being playgrounds exclusively for the world’s wealthiest people, the vast majority of their residents are far from billionaires.” I agree that is a clear setting, however lines like ‘Abu Dhabi’s real estate market records broad-based growth in first quarter’, ‘Abu Dhabi real estate is on fire in 2025 with deals soaring past Dhs51 billion in just six months’ and ‘Abu Dhabi and Dubai Ranked Top Emerging Global Data Center Markets in 2025 Report’ as well as the setting that 10,000 millionaires are replacing their ‘home’ towns with a proper setting in the UAE.

The is also happening in the last month alone. In support of it all we get ‘How Yas island is shaping Abu Dhabi’s real estate landscape’, as such, Forbes is telling the truth, but it letting certain parts take a backdrop to the larger picture. Abu Dhabi is the new place to be and America needs to realign the stupidity they are handling now. As I see it, their future is depending on it. 

But that is not the only parts. At this point Forbes gives us a side I never really looked at. They give us “It explains why data from the California-based Economic Research Institute shows that the average annual salary in the UAE comes to $48,993 (AED179,949) compared to $66,991 in the U.S., proving that you don’t have to be a billionaire to live there. The UAE has a wide catchment area to draw on as one-third of the world’s population is located within a four-hour flight of the country. It is also part of the largest global airline hub in the world, with 120 million passengers traveling through Abu Dhabi and Dubai each year. In order to welcome them as workers and tourists, the UAE has some of the friendliest visa regulations of any country.” Which is great for two reasons. Everyone likes a good show and an affordable show and the UAE is providing that. In addition, it shows how stupid the American VISA setting is now. As such, try to imagine millions of tourists giving up on America for the next 3 years and pointing their caps at the UAE. Millions of people who think that the hollow setting of America can be let go for at least three years. You wanna bet that this is scaring the theme parks in Orlando (and other cities) to death? 

That is the setting we see evoke the Forbes Article (in case you were willing to denounce what I gave you all). Yet Forbes gives you more. We are also given “The impact of this was laid bare in a separate report by the Khaleej Times in May which revealed that 23.7% of applications for visas to Europe’s Schengen area filed by UAE residents were rejected last year. That’s not because of the UAE, but the diversity of its residents as visa applications are based on nationality. The 11.5% of the population that holds UAE nationality benefits from having the world’s best passport, according to the Arnot Capital Global Passport Power rankings, with visa-free travel to 133 countries. The dark clouds aren’t just hanging over Europe. Recent data from the National Travel and Tourism Office revealed that the number of overseas visitors to the U.S. in July fell 4.9% on the previous year, only reaching around 86.6% of the pre-pandemic level despite it being one of the busiest seasons of the year. It is the latest development in a months-long trend which also saw international arrivals fall 6.6% in June.” As it can be seen, there is every chance that the operator on Yas Island will get a hell of a lot tourists more than it might have considered. All it needs it a great campaign and at present Warner Brothers could be chockablock full from this October until April 2026. Because people in Europe want to escape winter and as I see it, there is only Abu Dhabi as America is dealing with its political administration. As such the Canadians escaping Florida this Winter, these Snowbirds have just been advised of a much larger appealing destination this winter (and the next three years).

As this all comes to pass, America will merely see an incursion of debts, come and harassment, things the tourist does not need. 

As such I say YAY Yas Island, and ADNOC management seeking Dutch translators, please consider me as well.

The reasoning as is, is set to the joy of a vacation, As such the UAE is opening its borders to Abu Dhabi ad Dubai is a mere 30 minute train ride away. Have a terrific day today.

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July 20, 2025 · 21:07

Change of venue

Today there were three articles that called my attention. The third os for another day. It was loaded with sarcasm and if not that it would be the irony of the matter and that is for another day (probably tomorrow) but the first two drew my attention. The second towards the first, but that starts with an article by Sophos giving us ‘Sophos announces UAE data center’ (at https://news.sophos.com/en-us/2025/07/18/sophos-announces-uae-data-center/) where we learn that Sophos is about to open a new data centre. We get to see “This expansion is about democratizing access to cutting-edge cybersecurity, powered by AI, automation, and the strength of our partner ecosystem.” The rest is a combination of marketing and sales ‘initiative’ taking this setting is not wrong, I tend to see it as less effective and as it is on the Sophos site, but I get why this was done. There is nothing negative on the ‘announcement’ that they made. 

Yet the second article optionally grips into this should the centre be set in Abu Dhabi. There is the option that Sophos could entertain consultancy solutions for the embassies in Abu Dhabi. 

The second article (at https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/aviation/wizz-air-uae-employees-struggle-with-sudden-exit) is the Khaleej Times informing us of ‘‘Don’t want to leave UAE’: Wizz Air employees struggle with sudden exit, look for jobs’ the setting of Wizz Air where “pilots, cabin crew, managers, and other staff connected to Abu Dhabi operations, face uncertain future and seek clarity” consider that not all will be able to score a new job quick. There is the likelihood that most will be offered a new position by Emirates and/or Etihad Airways. It will give these people a way to continue their career. And the other? Well that is where article one comes into play. Sophos will need technicians, customer care, technical support and others and as such these people will have the option for all kinds of positions that they might easily be able to shift into and for Sophos it is a way to get localised people with motivation to do well. A setting that serves both sides in the process. But then I could be wrong and the idea goes nowhere. But there these two articles were and they might complement each other and that is a setting that should never be ignored. And if my suggestion solves two problems then it is 3-0 for me (I get an extra point for balancing the issues against one another) and that is how we create a positive balance. Unlike the profit seesaws that investors are trying balance towards personal profits. 

I think I get to feel pretty good about now. Tomorrow I get to throw in my own glasses as I exploit sarcasm and irony against one another. It is a too appealing way of life for me at this point.

Have a great day.

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March 20, 2025 · 17:50

A letter from Hugh

Yup, it happened to me, Hugh Grant send me a letter (a modern message in Email).

You know, the man who was made famous through the movie “Four startups and a Bankruptcy”. And behold, this morning there was a letter in my mailbox, stating:

Dear Lawrence,

For over ten years in opposition the Labour Party promised to implement the Leveson reforms.  These reforms would raise standards in the media and protect the public from intrusions into grief, blatant falsehoods, and other abuses. 

Sir Keir Starmer, meanwhile, talked a big game about ending corruption in politics and putting the public first.
Yet since his election as Prime Minister, Sir Keir has done nothing to keep his party’s promises and end the scandal of press abuse.

In his failure to act, he is protecting the status quo and putting newspaper owners ahead of the public.

We need to remind him: his Government is accountable to the British public, not newspaper owners.  And his Party’s promises – to ordinary people affected by press abuse, and the wider public – must be kept.

And here is the link to write to your MP (at https://www.hackedoff.org/campaign-actions/britains-press-power-without-responsibility-demand-real-press-accountability-now?utm_source=brevo&utm_campaign=Hugh follow-up&utm_medium=email&utm_id=38)

You will get to enter your UK Postcode and as I as a test enter a post code of Birmingham (as a test)  The system replies with 

Dear Shabana Mahmood,

Despite reaching over 70% of the public every month national newspapers are unregulated – allowing them to spread lies, disinformation, and to commit intrusions with impunity.

Every issue facing the country – from human trafficking to climate change to domestic violence – is affected by the ability of newspapers and their websites to cover them inaccurately and unethically.

The Government’s inaction on press regulation is holding Britain back from meeting these challenges – as well as leaving newspapers able to cause extraordinary damage to individuals’ lives through harassment and intrusion into grief.

You merely have to add your Name, Address and Email address details and the letter is ready. Easy, peasy, Chicken easy.

It will be a rough reminder for the Labour Party and his fellow minions to do something about the outstanding promise to set the Leveson papers in action. The media has become too much of a clear and present danger to the people, and many people in the UK have had enough. So this is a rather large remembrance page with the automation for the people to add their details and do something about it.

It gave me pause to think of hat the UK media is facing. It is already facing irrelevancy and a loss of readers on a global scale. No matter what our faith is, papers like New Arab, Arab News, Khaleej Times and several other newspapers are making string insides into the world population. And that is not all that is happening. In support we see that Dubai Media (the first recipient of my film script “How to assassinate a Politician”) is making rather larger visibility moves. Mostly in Bangladesh , Egypt and Indonesia, but it is a start). In this Al Saudiya (part of the SBA) is doing the same, but I am unaware how large their foot print is becoming. Mostly due to my lack of Arabic I cannot see the complete setting of the Saudi Broadcasting Authority. A Saudi TV group meant for 33 million is reaching out to a population of over half a billion (the Dubai Media group (UAE) as well). They are diminishing the channels that were until recently the targets of Reuters, AP News and the BBC. The people are through with these false prophets and are now giving these two a chance. After the track of the late eighties and 90’s that CNN had, they are given a green light by the people in many ways a similar setting.

Western people have had enough of the lies and innuendo that Western media gives us. As such the term sports-washing, meaning “Sportswashing is the use of sport to redirect public attention away from unethical conduct. The intended effect is to improve the reputation of the offending entity, by using the immense popularity of sport to ‘wash’ away poor publicity.” A term as I see it invented by the western media and nearly always used to describe Saudi involvement. But as I see it, the Western media should be using the same term (although not always involving sports) to strengthen their innuendo for digital dollars. They do, but to hide the actions of involved people like Sony (TPP policy 2016) and a few others. It was the first clear setting where I saw media ‘protecting’ big tech. I wrote (rather clumsily) about that in ‘Lessening the consumer?’ On April 27th 2016 (at https://lawlordtobe.com/2016/04/27/lessening-the-consumer/) after that I saw the actions by Microsoft and others and the media was holding the hands over the heads of Big Tech (speculatively to score advertisement money) and that was how I started to keep my eyes of the media until now and see how the media today has less value than the average porn magazine, they might reflect on ‘Sex Sells’ but the value of their contribution has lost its value and then some. As media largely goes into the same direction, not giving us news, but referring to out as entertainment and as I see it, the ABC News Channel is the only news channel giving Australia actual news, the rest is flaccid entertainment. This is the same all over the western world hiding behind the term “A news and current affairs show”, where the emphasis is set to ‘current affairs show’ and the ‘insiders’ referring to that being the same. The world is waking up to the setting of being lulled asleep by the media and the Leveson papers was the first stage to getting the people awake. That was the first step for the media to wake up and that so far The Leveson Inquiry was a judicial public inquiry into the culture, practices, and ethics of the British press following the News International phone hacking scandal, chaired by Lord Justice Leveson, who was appointed in July 2011. A series of public hearings were held throughout 2011 and 2012. The result were 4 documents giving us over 2000 pages of wake up medicine for the media regulations. So far it hasn’t happened, for reference the Lord Of the Rings is a novel a mere 1077 pages, so there is that too, one is fiction , the other is a rude awakening of what the media is up to. The News of the world owned by Rupert Murdoch shut down in 2011 when the News of the World, owned by News Corporation, had been regularly hacking the phones of celebrities, royalty, and public citizens. Murdoch faced police and government investigations into bribery and corruption by the British government and FBI investigations in the US. He got out when he was no longer able to hide the actions of some. But not all is lost, the Arabian versions of the news are now shown all over the world mainly the three I mentioned in the beginning. And now we see the growth of Saudi and UAE media and they now have solid systems that can reach the whole western world too. Now we might not get all the shows the 1st gives us, but that is merely one step away from coming. The fires in California have settles the people in optionally leaving California and the UAE and Saudi stations could give them a new beginning, many to Canada, but with the promise of decent incomes Saudi Arabia and the UAE could collect on the cream of American Script writers. I saw this option opening up and (even though magnificently unsuccessful)  , I decided to attempt to sell my first script in the UAE (Dubai media). There is an inkling of faith that it was merely my lack of skills, and it was my first script, but I have three more on route. As such other (a lot more successful than me) could open the road to more scripts and that is what Hollywood fears, the drain of knowledge. They thought they were on top of the world with their setting, yet as Covid hit, followed by the strikes and the California fires, the Hollywood setting is to some degree now an empty shell and that leaves Canada, the UK, Saudi Arabia and the UAE open to wildly grown in all directions. The Guardian gives us “The entertainment industry is estimated to create $43bn in wages every year for the Californian economy and recent events have not only forced a pause in the short term but also raised concerns over long-term recovery.” These incomes have been impacted from 2020 onwards. We were given “Many blockbusters originally scheduled to be released by mid-March 2020 were postponed or canceled around the world, with film productions also being halted.” Then we got the strikes in 2023 which stopped it all again and the fires on January 7th 2025, the impact has roasted the core of Hollywood with burning down what was left. Consider the setting that the people in Hollywood were given $43 billion annually and that their incomes have been impeded with a near 80% lacking of a total of over $200 billion. The quality of life is setting the massive options for the other nations and as the Hollywood moguls are happy to pay the others as little as possible, they and up having no recourse for themselves. 

And now we get yet again the Leveson inquiry hitting the UK shores. The mess is now near complete and the media will have to surrender market shares to the Arabian nations and see where they end up being, because the events in Saudi Arabia (2030) and the UAE will likely have all the Arabian journalists and very little other ones, especially with vloggers all over the place and YouTube (and TikTok) having the new fields all to themselves and their creators. That is what I see happening al up to late 2027 and that is long before Hollywood becomes a shadow of itself.

That is the reality of exploitation at some point the people give up and seek richer grounds, Hollywood is now becoming largely without cohesion to itself, so where do you go then? You all have a productive day.

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March 4, 2025 · 19:00

A coincidence by any other name

That happens. We walk in small social circles, so there is a point that where we see repetition, likeminded people have likeminded thoughts. That was my first instinct. You see, I saw something in the Khaleej Times yesterday and I merely saw it as read. That was until several hours ago when I saw almost exactly the same in the SBS News. Now, that doesn’t mean that there is an issue. But wait, let me set the stage by adding the articles here.

UAE obesity rates to hit 95% by 2050, highest globally: ReportDownload

This what I saw yesterday (at a glance)

And today we get:

Warning half of Australia’s kids will be overweight by 2050, but is it the full picture? | SBS NewsDownload

Now there is a chance of coincidence as there is an upcoming setting that involves more than we currently see. But at first I was take by surprise.

Lets get back to the Khaleej Times. Where the reader is hit with ‘UAE obesity rates to hit 95% by 2050, highest globally: Report’, where we are met with “The number of people in the UAE suffering from obesity—both males and females—will see a significant increase over the next two-and-a-half decades, says a new study.”, as well as “Co-lead author Dr Jessica Kerr from Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Australia said preventing obesity must be at the forefront of all government policies.” She is also in the other article. And this leads me to the following questions:

  1. What new Study?
  2. Where is that study?
  3. What were the parameters and how were they captured?
  4. How is this insight of “95% in 25 years” ascertained?
  5. What are the qualifications of Dr Jessica Kerr from Murdoch Children’s Research Institute?

As I see it simple questions that need to be addressed. The first question is partially addressed in “As per the Lancet study, overweight and obesity prevalence among adult males in the UAE aged 25-plus will increase from 84 per cent in 2021 to 94 per cent in 2050, the highest globally along with Kuwait and a few other countries.” So were the 2021 numbers matched? Was there correlation? Simple questions really and they are important as the writer Waheed Abbas paints across the article in acceptable ways, but this is related to science and we need more, especially as Dr Jessica Kerr and Murdoch Children’s Research Institute are mentioned only once. Like it was a ‘matter-of-fact’ that everyone knows. I am pretty sure that is not the case as the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute is in Australia and I never heard of them (I also have no kids). 

So off we go to the SBS article where we see:

“A new forecast estimates half of Australian children will be obese or overweight by 2050. But experts say it’s much more complicated.” As well as “The study, coinciding with World Obesity Day, used an established forecast model and Body Mass Index (BMI) data from 204 countries and territories.” OK, this is definitely more, but how was it all collected? You see, in Australia the amount of women how are size 14 and 45 KG is almost staggering, so was there any scientific principle at play here (just asking). The SBS article gives us more, like “What this means is that even if you want to lead a healthy lifestyle, it’s really difficult to do when you’re surrounded by an environment that’s telling you to do the opposite and is promoting obesity.” OK, I can get behind that, but the markers of how 50% of Australian Children are likely to become obese is still in the air. And here we also see some of my questions in action. We are given “But advanced accredited practicing dietitian and lecturer at Queensland University of Technology, Dr Fiona Willer, questioned the study’s methodology and its emphasis on children’s body size. “We now know, without a shadow of a doubt, that body size does not equate to healthiness and nor does it reflect people’s dietary patterns,” she said.” OK, not my area of expertise, but what Dr. Fiona Willer gives us makes a lot of sense and I do have questions, but what about the data and what makes the UAE child more likely to be obese than Australian children, it is a mere 85% versus 50%, but the difference counts. 

And then the SBS article gives us additional questions raised by Georgia Bates when we are given  “Georgia Bates, dietitian and committee member of Size Inclusive Health Australia adds that the complexities of obesity go beyond health implications,” including:

– Weight stigma and chronic stress, which can impact cardiovascular health and metabolic function.

– Weight bias in healthcare, which can delay or complicate diagnoses and treatment.

– Healthcare discrimination, where “people of a higher weight are often dismissed or have their health concerns attributed solely to their weight,” leading to delays in care.

– Workplace bias, where weight discrimination can impact hiring decisions, pay rates, and promotions.

– Interpersonal stigma, leading to bullying, unsolicited advice, or judgment about eating and exercise.

– Mental health impacts, with chronic exposure to stigma and bias contributing to anxiety, depression, and disordered eating patterns.

Kerr says that part of the recommended changes is to reduce individual stigma.

Proper questions, I still have my side of the issue, but I am a data guy, that is how I roll.

But in the interim I designed a new solution, which is based on Dubai and Abu Dhabi. A walk way and bicycle way that is partially ‘roofed’, A setting where we have 2/3 roof where a side and the top is covered with solar panels, allowing people to walk and cycle under the shade (avoiding pesky sun issues) and doubles as power generation for the area. Consider the Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, Nakheel Mall, Yass mall and so on (I don’t know them all). Having this walkway saves the people from the sun and let them walk off some of the calories they just ate. In addition the roof captures the sun’s energy and the sun sets the side of the panel, left/top, top or top/right. The panels align to the sun These walkways do not need to be long, no more than 2 miles around the malls, but that could increase activity among people and allow some people to cycle. To that I will offer additional options over time (still considering a few parts). But whilst others talk that something needs to be done, I created an option for the UAE to consider and when you consider the walk around Dubai mall or Yas Mall many will agree that getting out in the open might be a nice idea (when you are protected from the blistering sun). 

Have a great day.

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January 26, 2025 · 05:00

Saturation

We know it, we know it very well and we have known about it for 30 years. In the 90’s it was always about getting more revenue and the American companies ignored the fact that markets could get saturated. It was always about getting than next quarter and that 5% more. But the setting on what it was based on was forever ‘changing’ so they could base more on it and for a while that was OK, business was good. But after 10 years you would be doing twice the amount, getting close to twice the leads that your sales pipeline required to have to get the numbers. That is what we ruffled under the carpets but if you got there after 5 years you would be management (and useless to some), but you ‘knew’ the markets. As such I looked at the article at the Khaleej Times (at https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/realty/dubai-property-market-to-peak-in-2025-prices-for-high-end-villas-to-stabilise) where we get ‘Dubai property market to peak in 2025? Prices for high-end villas to stabilise’ with the extra line “However, many industry executives foresee the real estate market maintaining good growth in 2025 due to sustained demand and the gap between supply and demand.” And it is followed by “Going forward, ValuStrat sees Dubai’s residential market maintaining its upward trajectory in 2025, though at a slower pace, supported by economic growth, rising demand, positive sentiment, and increasing market maturity.” You see, all this is probably (I am not a Emirati real estate mogul, Mohamed Alabbar is). And I created IP (based on what I read in Emirati publication) to add to that pool. So I didn’t create something to replace whatever was, I gave my skull the exercise to create a new channel. At that time Real estate was “I speculated was “an additional stage that would bring more than Dh680 million.” This is not a massive growth, this would be the impact if my solution brought a mere 1% to that table. Anything more and it becomes a serious amount of money.” All things are done in baby steps. How large it would grow was dependent on the application and for me? I reckon that a simple 3% of that revenue would suffice, would you sneer at an income exceeding 20.4 million dirham per quarter?  And that was merely Dubai, once operational, the IP would be many times the investment. It was based on another piece of IP I had designed and it had much larger ramifications. Dubai showed me the impact of adding this sales channel to the larger places where it cold matter, London, Paris, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York all places where metropolitan saturation was seen. And the forward thinking person had the idea to try and invest in an additional channel would create a wave. Would it work? I believe it would as nearly all Real Estate did the feel and the growth based on one another’s idea. This was a completely new take on selling property. And that is where I was in January 8th 2024 (at https://lawlordtobe.com/2024/01/08/one-side-of-business/) the idea was created almost a year before that and it included  smartwear  that in conjunction of this IP could change the interaction between retailers and consumers. So in January 2024 I saw the article showing me the strides that people like Mohamed Alabbar and Hussain Sajwani made in the United Arab Emirates and when I created the initial IP (for shops) I was focussed on shops. Then I saw the wider application of one side and of course the impact that one foot of commerce could make and now that saturation is coming into play my idea resurfaces in my mind and is still seeing the added pool of revenue. Perhaps the added pool is not the right words, the additional channel of access that is created for consumers. 

As such I reckon that people like these two in this field are looking for ways to keep the call for properties higher for a longer time, which would be perfectly normal.

As such saturation was not an obstacle, it was a moment to show what more could be possible and it is not a replacement setting, it was a way to make a larger appeal to people on the spot. “This is a nice place, is anything for sale here? Where could I live? Can I live here now?” Al questions a real estate consumer has, and now the setting comes at their fingertips. 

That was just another moment of creative innovation on the fly and now I added a new sales channel to a formidable group tycoons who could expand their universal territory. 

What a creative lived we could lead when you let your imagination run free. It was based on what retailers could get in the Internet of things and now it gives Real Estate an extension towards the saturation point. Not a bad day. I earned my muffin for breakfast today. Don’t forget to have fun today.

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November 18, 2024 · 12:04

The return of the man

That is what I had to see when I engaged myself to what I had lost. The Khaleej Times (at https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/tech/is-bluesky-the-next-twitter-why-millions-are-ditching-elon-musks-x-for-this-new-platform) where we are given ‘Is Bluesky the next Twitter? Why millions are ditching Elon Musk’s X for this new platform’ And we get the starting sentence “As discontent with Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) grows, Bluesky has emerged as a fresh alternative, attracting millions of users in search of a better social media experience.” I currently have both. Hoping that this setting is the one that starts the cleaning services of X at the behest of Elon Musk. You see at present (at ZDNet) we get “According to the newest stats, it has shot up to more than 16.7 million since Tuesday, up from 9 million in early September and 12 million around mid-October.” At present the numbers give us 18.9 million users or a 9.3 member growth per second. Now we get that like me there are a few users that remain in both camps, but this will hurt the Musk advertisement numbers to no end. The giggle moment I had that there is even chance that at present X (yes, I use the expression now), there is a chance that bots are paying revenue to advertise to other bots. The reality is that brisk. To optionally lose 20 million people by December 1st should be a warning sign to Elon Musk (and not the first one mind you). And there is a larger concern for him. If every member attracts 3 to 4 other people The power of X will have been decimated to the largest effect before January 1st 2025. So what will come of this 45 billion dollar Edsel? Well, to close it down is to early to say, but there are a few suggestions that people from the FBI gave others, and I reckon that the NSA is on board with at least two of those suggestions. 

I gave the idea to Google a few months ago (merely because I wasn’t sure what Bluesky was up to) and I leave it to you to see where it goes from here. 

As I see it, there is a larger option for Bluesky and Nostr to get the bulk of what was formerly known as twitter to reduce its sentience to a mere hollowed out cadaver. How far this goes is up to Elon Musk and Linda Yaccarino to decide, yet in this I think that the shareholders would want to make a massive turn about. Merely because the idea of bots advertising views to other bots might seem hollow to them. Its like a salesperson engaging with a non-decider in a company. It is a waste of both times (well, the non-decider might get a few meals and drinks out of this). So as ‘advertisement’ revenue drops (like brick) in that setting the shareholders will be massively unimpressed and so they should be. As such Elon Musk and Saudi prince and billionaire Al Waleed bin Talal al Saud, who rolled over $1.89 billion in former Twitter shares at the time of the deal. Might presumably see their stock diminish in value for a little over 40% by the end of the year. Well, I gave prince Al Waleed bin Talal al Saud the option of control of an idea to the extend of $5,000,000,000. An expected idea, that was merely the setting of IP in the first phase, which could grow to a lowly estimated $15 billion to $20,000,000,000 annual, after the second phase would be possible (not guaranteed). This would have costed him my fee of $50 million (post taxation) plus 3% annual revenue for 20 years (pre taxation). I think there is a chance he missed out on both. The first failure I personally did not see coming. 

I expected Elon Musk to be more mindful of his sink (that visualisation can be used in both directions). A friend of mine had evidence ready to be presented to Elon Musk showing him that the 45 billion was too high a price (his data showed the valid reason of diminishing that amount by 30%-45%, not a speculation, he had lot more data than I did. So as I see it, this setting will bring back the man Jack Dorsey by a lot more visibility and overly carrying suitcases full of dineros. As such The recent reports of the UAE taking the steps to set the stage with X could be faltered by the mere reason that they should have included Bluesky. I reckon that before the en of the year that move would be evidently clear. 

I wonder how this all plays out at the lemon-lime brand named X at present and the closure of this year. We’ll just have to see it. Anyways my day goes to fruition nicely as I do not own any stock in X. Still I have no stick in BlueSky either, as such I could be doing better.

So hasta lasagna to everyone and a fair Monday to all as well.

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November 4, 2024 · 20:41

Its not just bread

We all relish bread. It is not always clearly on the front of our brains. But the one thing that keeps hunger at bay in every day of life is a piece of bread. The Khaleej Times gives us (at https://www.khaleejtimes.com/world/mena/uae-helps-gaza-bakeries-make-bread-again-amid-hunger-crisis) ‘UAE helps Gaza bakeries make bread again amid hunger crisis’ that the UAE has made clear moves to deal with this. 

Oh, and as far as I can see pretty much none of the others have done so. Can anyone show me clear evidence that the UNRWA has done the same to any degree? I do not see any of this information. Perhaps over the last 74 years that they were in some kind of office in Palestine whilst this oversight happened? The UNRWA gives us “Provide direct relief and works programmes for Palestinian refugees”, as such is bread not an essential initial need? Now we see “The UAE has started an initiative to help Gaza make bread again amid critical shortage due to the ongoing war. Countless of Palestinians have been surviving on bread as food supplies run out — but even bread is not always easy to find. Chaotic scenes have been unfolding at bakeries as crowds of hungry Gazan, young and old, scramble for a loaf.” As well as “As part of the drive, essential production supplies — including flour and other materials — have been provided so that bakeries could open again amid a worsening hunger crisis triggered by border closures and restrictions on food aid.”

It beckons the thought, did the UNRWA get anything done? No matter how ‘political’ the UN has become. The fact that the United Arab Emirates clearly shows the world that the UNRWA as well as the UN itself has become nothing less than a joke. We are given (in other media) “The UN system’s total revenue grew to US$ 74.3 billion in 2022 – an increase of US$ 8.4 billion, or 12.8%, compared to 2021. One of the entities with the highest absolute revenue growth is the World Food Programme (WFP)” an increase of $8.4 billion (not all WFP) is shown and how much went to the UNRWA? It is the Khaleej Times that gives us (see above) “As part of the drive, essential production supplies — including flour and other materials — have been provided” as such I wonder what that Russian Tool (António Guterres) is doing. He was ‘elected’ into office in 2017. As such he’s had plenty of time to seemingly do something. 

Only one day earlier we saw ‘UAE dispatches 12 trucks with urgent relief for 30,000 Palestinians’ with the underlying “So far, the country has provided more than 40,000 tonnes of urgent aid and it will continue its work to ensure the “immediate, safe, unhindered, and sustainable delivery of aid on a wide scale, through all possible means”” with that we see a first clear sign of evidence that the United Nations has a lot of explaining to do. 12 trucks is a clear start of doing just that. Whilst the United Nations is ‘discussing’ how to best go about it, the teams of Sultan Mohammed Al Shamsi is getting it done. I believe that the west, which is so stellar about the United Nations might reconsider who they think needs to be heading this disaster loaded organisation. 

That is my overly simplistic sense of this setting.

Have a great Monday.

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