Tag Archives: Yas Island

Just a coincidence

That is what it looks like and that is what I think it is. You see, two days ago I wrote ‘Haters will be haters’ (at https://lawlordtobe.com/2026/08/25/haters-will-be-haters/) and I wrote more going back all the way back to May 2025. So when I saw Al Jazeera giving us ‘France, Saudi Arabia agree on $7bn theme park project near Paris’ (at https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/25/france-saudi-arabia-agree-on-7bn-theme-park-project-near-paris) I felt relief. You see, France might be the first step, but there is every chance that Saudi Arabia is taking that knowledge to parks in Saudi Arabia. So it was not what I did, I merely foresaw what would happen and the setting towards the United States losing the advantage had in theme parks is now at an end, and all whilst they paid $7 billion to $7.7 billion is the estimated cost to build Universal’s Epic Universe in Orlando, Florida just a year ago. And whilst this US administration is making matters worse, the world is uniting to make it more appealing to visit theme parks outside of the United States. Abu Dhabi with its Yas Island already achieved near perfection in theme parks and as I see it, Saudi Arabia is doing the same thing and optionally in different ways I still believe that an Arabian fairy tale park in Riyadh or Jeddah. My guess is that Jeddah might be the next thing. It has 4 million and it could divert congestion in Riyadh. Jeddah is ‘merely’ 955 km away. Should a high speed railway be added to this track that trip could be reduced to 3 hours and open up (allegedly) other settings as well. 

So as we read “France and Saudi Arabia have announced plans for a six-billion-euro ($7bn) amusement park near Paris, following talks between French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the Elysee Palace.” This is good for both countries. Knowledge and dividend go hand in hand here and I reckon that this will also have an appeal to the 6 million muslims in France. So as the setting increases the dividends also increase and too bad for the United States, less income for them. But that is baking up the wrong tree as they now proclaim ‘U.S. Remains World’s Largest Travel & Tourism Market But WTTC Warns That the Country is at a Crossroads’ with “The United States remained the largest Travel & Tourism market in the world in 2025 but is losing market share according to the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) latest Economic Impact Research, sponsored by its Lead Research Partner, Chase Travel.” (Source: World Travel & Tourism Council’s) and as I see it, they will lose a lot more in the years 2027/2028. Especially when the EU, Saudi Arabia and the UAE up the ante for tourism. So whilst I was right all along in a few ways, I cannot take credit for these actions. I feel certain that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as well of mist of the people in charge have never heard of my blog and I believer that this is the truth (no matter how much I need those coins) the truth of the matter is that I saw these settings come up and whilst some are in denial and ‘editing’ their numbers I saw the bigger game and that is why the United States with all their ‘toddler’ acts of changing Lake Ontario to Lake America these distractions are putting the media on the wrong foot, the real setting is that America is losing money and they are losing more and more and I was happy to help them lose money. You really shouldn’t attack people I care about (I meant Canada) and whilst we see more and more losses for America, I also thought it was important that the Commonwealth and the EU had places to go as such I saw Saudi Arabia and the UAE as the most likely candidates. The UAE had Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia had Riyadh and I think that they could use a second setting as such Jeddah and Dammam came up. Jeddah is bigger, as such more likely to have a lot to offer and the draw back of Dammam is that on the other side of the Sea of Dammam is Iran, not the best place until they are deleted from existence. On the other hand Jeddah is a mere 400 km from Medina, the place where the prophet Muhammed established the first Islamic state, united the local tribes, and built the political and religious center of early Islam. As such this place should be have a large appeal to the 1.9 billion Muslims and that needs to be taken into account, especially if there is a tourism growth in Saudi Arabia. 

So I felt relief and actual happiness to learn that Saudi Arabia is growing its footprint in the EU. That this footprint is transferred to Saudi Arabia is merely simple sense in the matter. And my ego likes the feeling that I have been right all along in more than one way. I will admit that I did not see this setting come, but in light of what I learned in the Al Jazeera piece “The project stemmed from a discussion between Macron and MBS in December 2024 in Riyadh, where they discovered their “shared passion” for manga, “and in particular Dragon Ball Z”, an adviser to the French president told reporters.” And in my ‘haters will be hater’ story (see link above) I wrote “optionally the Boulevard City (Riyadh) if they could set this to famous Arabic cartoons.” So suddenly that part and the part where we see ““shared passion” for manga, “and in particular Dragon Ball Z”” are starting to take shape in a few connected ways. But that might merely be me. I didn’t know about the one and I am still believing that this coincidence was insightful, but nothing more than that. So whilst we look at these ‘coincidences’ we need to see that my insight has a setting that is driven to the growth of ideas and IP’s and my stories bare that out, so when other elements are proving me right, there is relief and I feel slightly less nuts (because for the most I am). So whilst the people give credence to calling a place that was appearing in maps and records by the mid-17th century and it is set in Canada and it is now ‘delusionally’ opted to be named Lake America, where are the crazy vibes coming from? I feel happy to give The United States more to worry about and hand tourism ideas to places outside of the United States and apparently French President Emmanuel Macron is on that same page (for obvious local reasons)

So have a great day and consider where you are now and where you need to be after 2028, because when the American dream comes crushing down, you are left with nightmares and that is not me, it came from Andrew Sheng, a prominent Malaysian banker who stated that in the documentary Inside Job (2010) he literally said “When those dreams turn out to be nightmares, other people pay for it.” As such it makes sense that you are away from that place when the nightmares come calling. But that might merely be me. Have a great day.

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Haters will be haters

That is the setting I saw. You see, I have been looking at some of the video’s on the theme parks and see what could be applied towards theme parks in Saudi Arabia and the UAE (not the same ideas) and when I saw the video on Universal Kids which is based in Frisco, Texas. So as I was expecting some hater view, but the delivery was pretty spot on, I would say that the people in Saudi Arabia and in the UAE (Miral) should see the video (or visit on person) to see how things should not be done. You see, I saw the setting of the park called Le Puy du Fou (France) and it would be a great idea for Sindalah giving the people (and tourists) a decent entertaining frontier for those in Sindalah. There was the setting of rides in the Dutch Efteling which could have embossed Warner Bros. World, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi (this was before the Harry Potter park was announced) but that should not have stopped the idea. You see, as the United States falls deeper and deeper into disfavor with the tourists in the world, these people want an alternative and as some people do not want the pressure and the massive heavy congestion, packed buses, and crowded pedestrian crossings that Tokyo brings (I still hope to see it with my own eyes at some point). But the settings are out there and I want to be careful not to promote haters (they’ll always remain haters) but the story behind Universal Kids is a warning that should not be ignored and whilst it is true that it is great for young children, the setting that rides like these should be added to Riyadh and Abu Dhabi. You see I am the kind of person that does not agree that it should fit all, there are places that are specifically for Kids (the young ones). The Efteling (Netherlands) has the mushroom forest, which is not for the adults (parents excepted). But this setting could easily be added to the Park Dubai Miracle Garden, and optionally the Boulevard City (Riyadh) if they could set this to famous Arabic cartoons. So whilst there are plenty of options, the stage for both requires additions (optionally upgrades) and the biggest seen setting here it Ferrari World, as I see it, it was created in 2010, as such upgrades/additions are pretty essential, especially as the official tickets go for $131.25, but there are cheaper versions like the Abu Dhabi pass which costs a mere $22, so plenty of money savers to be found, but I think that additions are required. And that gave me an idea to something I noticed, a setting that has a random factor in it all, I give you the following two pics. It is the mere setting of the ride (not the ride itself) you need to get a graphic designer for that.

and

So we see the first image and these circles are the ride connector discs, and whilst the ride has a random factor, the setting is that you go from disc to disc towards the end. There is a logical ‘randomisation’ on how the ride progresses and that ride gives a little extra, then the lower image is the second setting, and the three parts after that is the demarcation place at the end of the ride, after which the rides go back to the start. 

A few years ago I gave (based on the setting of the Efteling Dream flight) a magic carpet ride, but there are a few safety issues. I was going from a seat on the carpet with a safety belt on it. I came to the conclusion that a bag of gemstones and gold could be added as a chair and get the safety belt on that. But the appeal was the flight over the park and an added setting for the ride, as such it could still be added and whilst it might sound corny, the setting might work. So there was that. And it matters now, as there is too much negativity of the current parks of the United States. And whilst too many are seeking another option, one that keeps the United States out of it all, that setting is very likely to be in play in 2027-2031, because this president has made the United States a no place to visit for several years after he is put up to pasture (which is in 2029) and it will take years for tourism to pick up after that. As such, we need more and whilst the EU has its places (and very good ones), there is place for Saudi Arabia and the UAE to shine stronger as a tourist location and when you consider that they could find appeal to the 1.9 billion muslims there is growing interest from non-muslims. As such both places Abu Dhabi/Riyadh might increase the setting of a growing touristy population. 

As such the race is on, because some are seeing that the United States is becoming a no-go place (especially for Canadians) but other countries are feeling the same way. Have a great day all.

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News for the Indian tourist

That was the setting less than an hour ago. In this, I saw two posts that give a clear sign that the UAE is tinkering with the tourist setting (in a good way). So first there was FirstPost, give gives us that ‘Abu Dhabi is offering free UAE visas to Indians: Check eligibility, dates, and rules’ (at https://www.firstpost.com/lifestyle/abu-dhabi-is-offering-free-visas-to-indians-check-eligibility-dates-and-rules-14037280.html) where we see “Abu Dhabi is offering complimentary UAE entry visas to eligible Indian tourists. Check the dates, three-night stay rule, flight requirement and eligibility” the setting was not that steep (this is not the United States of America after all) which gives in addition “The emirate has launched a limited-period travel initiative under which eligible Indian passport holders can receive their UAE entry visa free of charge when they book a qualifying holiday in Abu Dhabi through participating travel partners. The offer, introduced by the Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), runs from August 1 to October 31, 2026 and is designed to encourage Indian visitors to stay longer and explore the UAE capital. The initial programme is expected to support up to 20,000 visas.” The setting is pretty simple, to get this complementary visa, you need to adhere to the following three rules:

Sounds simple, doesn’t it. And for those staying merely a week, it might be viewed as a luxury, because even if it isn’t expensive, the price given is “AED 252 – AED 400 ($68 – $110 USD)” for 30 days, is not that expensive, but considering that this is per person, it is good to have that discount in your pocket. And the time is from August 1, 2026 until October 31, 2026.

As said, it is a simple, but effective package to drown one of the costs of a vacation away and right along with this, we get CN Traveller giving us ’The Abu Dhabi islands worth visiting for beaches, wildlife and luxury stays’ (at https://www.cntravellerme.com/story/the-abu-dhabi-islands-worth-visiting-for-beaches-wildlife-and-luxury-stays) where we see “Made up of more than 200 islands, Abu Dhabi is an archipelago that’s abundant in diversity. The emirate’s islands are both natural and man-made, featuring natural wonders and areas purpose-built to increase the city’s footprint. Whether you want to unwind to the rhythmic sounds of the Gulf lapping sandy shores, explore the capital’s cultural landmarks, or get out into nature and explore rugged greenery and powdery desert dunes.” Awe then get a run down of the 10 islands prominently mentioned, with the 10th Yas Island (one that graces my first position on my bucket list) with “As the host of the star-studded Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas Island is all about the glamour and adrenaline. Yas Mall is the biggest shopping centre in Abu Dhabi and the second largest in the UAE, while the elegant bars and restaurants of Yas Bay are some of the liveliest in the emirate. [2] Stay at slick W Abu Dhabi – Yas Island (the only hotel in the world built directly over a Formula 1 racetrack) and take on the same fairways as the world’s top golfers at Yas Links, the golf club that stages the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship every winter.” Where I did miss the setting which I would have placed at [2]:

So when I saw these two articles, I knew that Abu Dhabi wasn’t tinkering on the side of the road letting the Iranian terrorist actions get a handle on them, they are actively getting the upper hand in their settings, as they are (remember: approximately 99% of all Iranian missiles hit nothing at all)

So it is good to see the UAE making a better setting and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the 20,000 free visas get passed onto tourists before the ink of the offer is even cold. Have a great day today.

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Its not the news

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.

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Who owes what?

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.

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The bare numbers

Politico gave us less than I day ago that Iran fired over 90% of its missiles and drones on civilian infrastructure targets. With ‘UAE official: More than 90% of Iran’s targets were civilian infrastructure’ (at https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/19/united-arab-emirates-iran-civilian-infrastructure-00880064) we see a few facts. The first is the absolute worthlessness of António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations and from me there is no reason to call him ‘His Excellency’, his silence on this matter is deafening. We are given “Reem Al Hashimy, the UAE’s minister of state for international cooperation, said during a Sunday morning appearance on ABC’s “This Week” that Iran was seeking to destroy the UAE’s “model of prosperity and tolerance.” With the additional ““We used our oil wealth to build an economic powerhouse. They used their wealth for nuclear programs that are nefarious, for missiles, drones, proxies, etc.,” she told host Jonathan Karl. “So whereas we tried to become and have become an international, global, responsible player, they are a pariah state. And they wanted to break that model, but they underestimated our resolve.” The UAE has faced a barrage of attacks from Iran since the U.S. and Israel launched joint attacks on Iran in late February. While the Gulf state, like many of its neighbors, initially opposed the war, it has since shifted its tone as it considers how to avoid the breakout of a larger regional war.

It seems to me that the United Nations is failing is plenty of ways, but perhaps they are busy playing host to another mission at present.  He ends with “Asked if she harbored concerns about Trump’s threats, Al Hashimy said the UAE believes that “maximum pressure” is necessary to move forward, while cautioning against civilian attacks. “Ultimately, we don’t want to hurt the Iranian people. That’s very important to mention. But at the same time, it’s the Revolutionary Guard that have taken forward a military stance and a posture not against the U.S. and Israel alone, but against the very neighborhood that they operate in through the Gulf states.”” I hope that the UAE optionally is willing to test the solutions I handed them (and the KSA as well) to destroy the infrastructures of Iran as well (I published them over the last month, one for shipping, one for trains and optionally one for trucking). It was my personal believe that Iran options come to a stand still when all three are hit. 

The fact that it seemingly is Politico illuminating that side of the nastiness of the Iranian war will find its way to the mainstream media soon enough. 

On the other side, the BS setting of influencers who give us that the Dubai mall is empty, usually with a picture of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on the starting page is making me angry, as such an image of the entrance to the mall of Dubai less than 24 hours ago.

I think that Google needs to do something about the use of misinformation on its YouTube pages. I am all for freedom of speech, but that comes with a healthy dose of accountability.

It seems that the UAE is under attack from several parties, not just Iran, it is easy to hide behind the bare numbers in the middle of Ramadan, but Ramadan is now over so whilst over a million people are attending the Hajj, an event that Saudi Arabia just officially opened the doors to, we need to see what is real and what is not. Perhaps the idea of a web view outside of the Dubai mall and perhaps some other places, so that the world can see the BS that these wannabe influencers are handing you.

Just a thought to entertain, I remain a decent ally of the UAE and the prosperity and goodwill they advertise. And even as Iran is still attacking Abu Dhabi, visiting Yas Island remains a firm number one on my bucket list for now, so it is my wish that the Harry Potter addition to Warner Brothers Theme parks, especially as the ones in the United States are basically no longer a good idea.

Have a great day

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And we’re off

That sounds like the starting noise of a race and you might not be wrong. You see, Abu Dhabi News gives us ‘Non-oil trade reaches 38.8 billion dirhams in nine months’ that boils down to C$15 billion in Canadian terms (A$ 15.2 billion in Australian settings). That is massive and this is excluding their largest stage, oil. As such it reflects on Real estate, groceries, Apple products and entry tickets to the attractions on Yas Island. This is big! 

We are given “The UAE and Kuwait continue to strengthen their economic and commercial relations through sustained bilateral trade growth, with non-oil trade reaching 50 billion dirhams in 2024, reflecting a 9% increase compared to 45.7 billion dirhams in 2023. This UAE-Kuwait economic partnership demonstrates the strategic depth of cooperation between the two Gulf nations, according to official data from the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism.” The idea that they surpassed their 2024 numbers by well over 9% is reason to give it more attention. It implies that the UAE is surpassing their non-oil stage by approximately 9% year on year. I personally think that their windfall is coming from tourism (with people being fed up with the United States) might speculative, but when you look at the presented windfall that Yas Island is giving Abu Dhabi that  speculation is not that much of a stretch. 

And the settings for a pairing of Kuwait and UAE stage seems a stretch, but as we are given “Kuwait ranks as the 14th largest global trading partner for the UAE in 2024 and fourth among Arab nations. Meanwhile, the UAE serves as Kuwait’s second-largest trading partner worldwide and first among Arab and Gulf states. The Emirates captures approximately 20% of Kuwait’s non-oil exports, according to official statistics.

Additionally, trade between the two countries represented nearly two-thirds of Kuwait’s total trade with GCC countries during 2024. The UAE holds the top position globally in receiving Kuwait’s non-oil exports, accounting for more than 15.7% of Kuwait’s total non-oil export volume. In imports, the Emirates ranked second globally for Kuwait in 2023.” It might not seems that much of a reach. I personally felt that over 5 years ago, the stabilizing factor that Saudi Arabia and the UAE might become to the Arabian table of economic placement was overreach (stated by some) but this news is sounding that I was right all along. As the western press seems to relish breaking up this winning team, there is a setting that we are not looking at. Even if there was some discord between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the need that this is properly looked at requires us all to consider Al Arabiya and the Khaleej Times to be a much better source of information than most of the Western media a they are in league with whatever influencers are baiting their digital dollars and the flames that these players like to present. In addition to the previous quote, it seems relevant to include “The UAE hosts more than 1,700 Kuwaiti trademarks, 13 registered commercial agencies, and 15 Kuwaiti companies, according to Ministry of Economy and Tourism data. Key Kuwaiti investment sectors in the Emirates include financial services and insurance, manufacturing, real estate, information and communications, wholesale and retail trade, mining, construction, hospitality, transportation, and professional services.” It implies that the stabilizing influence of the UAE is growing. Should Bahrain, Oman and Egypt find the solution on this stabilizing dinner table then there is no reason to see the Arab world anything else than part of a new world order where Islam could find its solace that they are well represented. If Saudi Arabia gets Turkey, Libya and Morocco onboard then we get a new setting, not merely an Arab world stage, but an expanding Arab world (something that makes both the United States and Israel frightening) but the reality is that the United States are pretty much done for and they always ‘screamed’ the phrase “Money Talks and bullshit walks”, now that they are held to the same premise might not seem nice but it is the reality they created and now that the $38 trillion of debt is biting them hard as the interest of over a trillion dollars is due every year is downing whatever they have left and as Canada is a commonwealth nation that is liking their optional EU setting and their optional new trading connections to China is setting themselves up for a larger slice of the economic pie, whilst the pie of the United States is getting smaller by the quarter. In that setting The Arab World is the new larger stage player that is seen in a positive light by both China and the EU and those Islamophobic influencer stories will be actively banned from the media (about a decade to late) and as such the stabilizing effect that I foresaw about a decade ago is coming to pass into reality. As such the story given to us by Sami Mohamed is not merely reporting it is prophecy coming to pass, but I must admit that it was seemingly my prophecy alone and I am kinda happy that this is happening. It means that I saw the stages over the last decade correctly and whatever ‘pseudo’ economists and journalists who were stating that the US economy is doing great are now in a ratchet state of denial and hiding behind excuses like ‘it was a complex situation’ my response? I saw it as a non-economist, you should have been on board from the get go. And I might do this later as I put it in my blog and recall their responses holding my non-economic degrees against their so called decades of expertise and time is my ally here. As the reports are set to Internet and their publications, I merely need to keep record and that might be frightening to them, but it is what it is and the settings by others are proving me right.

Within half a century the Arab world went from ‘appeasing nation’ into the invited head setting of any table and they waited long enough. Now those who called them ally (at a cost) are pulled into the limelight and held in front of a mirror. As such the Abu Dhabi News gave me more than one reason to celebrate and I reckon there is more to come, we only concluded one month in 2026, I reckon that by month 8 a lot more clarity is seen in several connections. 

So you all have a great day, I am feeling fine at present.

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The question remains

I am not here to pass judgement, because I have no idea what is at stake. You see, for most of the time (all of the time) I was in the understanding there was Yemen, the partially disposed Yemeni government and the Houthi terrorists. That is pretty much all of what I knew and now I learn that there are more sides to this. I actually figured this out around Christmas, so when I got the news that there is a rift between the UAE and Saudi Arabia I was confused (and massively unhappy). You see, I like both countries and it is becoming an issue where the child (me) needs to choose between his two parents (KSA and UAE) and that is making me unhappy. I for one still am in the dream settling one day retiring to Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, but I would still also like to visit Riyadh and the KSA. So this does not seem like a happy moment at present.

As such the New York Times (at https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/08/world/middleeast/saudi-arabia-uae-yemen-separatist-zubaidi.html) is giving us ‘Saudi Official Accuses U.A.E. of Helping Yemeni Separatist to Escape’ and we are given “Aidarous al-Zubaidi is wanted on treason charges in Yemen after he led a lightning military offensive that escalated a bitter feud between the Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

We are also given that Aidarous al-Zubaidi, leader of the Southern Transitional Council, in Aden, Yemen is seen as the group that has been pushing for an independent state in southern Yemen, with Emirati backing. And we see “Saudi Arabia on Thursday accused its neighbor and ally the United Arab Emirates of helping a separatist leader wanted on treason charges to escape Yemen, a claim that deepens a rift between two regional powerhouses. The separatist leader, Aidarous al-Zubaidi, leads a group called the Southern Transitional Council, which has been pushing for an independent state in southern Yemen, with Emirati backing.” And in addition we are given “Saudi intelligence determined that Mr. al-Zubaidi fled Yemen on a boat to Somalia early Wednesday morning and that he took a plane from there to the Emirates, according to Maj. Gen. Turki al-Maliki, spokesman for the Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen”. Oh, on a side note, congratulations to Turki al-Maliki, in getting promoted to Major General, last time I mentioned him he was still a Colonel. You might not think it is important, but his reports on the Houthi terrorists are beyond reproach (as I see it), as such I trust his intelligence and reporting on face value at present. In this setting we see there are a lot more settings to this and I am not passing judgement on them, but I am passing judgement on the western media as they have left us in the dark on most of this. So whilst we are given “A spokesman for the Southern Transitional Council, Anwar al-Tamimi, said by phone that the coalition’s statement was false and that Mr. al-Zubaidi remained in southern Yemen. The Emirati government did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Times could not immediately confirm Mr. al-Zubaidi’s whereabouts.” And as the Times could not verify his whereabouts, I merely see a setting that likely confirms the intelligence that the Major General has access to. 

So as we are given “The Saudi allegation was an unusually pointed salvo in the increasingly bitter feud between Saudi Arabia and the Emirates, two key U.S. allies. That feud has escalated since Mr. al-Zubaidi’s group led a lightning offensive across southern Yemen last month, seizing strategically located, oil-rich territory. Saudi officials denounced those moves, which encroached on a region bordering the kingdom, saying they threatened national security. This past weekend, forces allied with the internationally recognized Yemeni government recaptured most of the territory, plus some additional areas, with Saudi support.” I feel that this is another instance where the western media is betraying its readers by keeping them in the dark. 

So personally I am wondering what exactly the Southern Transitional Council is and what their motives are. Yes I see that the implications are that they want to slice up Yemen, I think that this is a bad thing, but that is me reacting on limited intelligence. If this setting proceeds the Houthi terrorists get to play piggy in the middle (is that an acceptable expression in a muslim setting?) with two governments in Yemen. It enables too many options for the Houthi forces and I cannot see if I am right or if I am wrong. Personally there should be no transition until the Houthi terrorists are permanently dealt with, but that I merely me and I could be way wrong here.

So as we see “Mohammed al-Ghaithi, a member of the delegation, said in a social media post on Thursday that the delegation “valued the efforts of our brothers in Saudi Arabia to invite us and host a conference on southern dialogue.”” We can clearly see that there is a dialogue with Saudi Arabia, with the additional “General al-Maliki said that Saudi intelligence had learned that Mr. al-Zubaidi had fled to Abu Dhabi, the Emirati capital, transiting via Somaliland with the Emirates’ help. The Emirati government has cultivated close ties to Somaliland, a breakaway state strategically located in the horn of Africa, roughly 200 miles by sea from Aden.” And here I get all kinds of confused interactions in my brain, but the clear picture is missing. The New York Times gives us a good story and that is fine, but the larger setting of the STC is missing, and without that there remains several settings of doubt and I already voiced one of them. The article ends with a question I can get behind “It is unclear why the Emirates backed the group. Some analysts speculate that the Emirati leadership would like to hold sway in Yemeni ports located on global trade routes. Emirati officials say only that they stand by Yemenis’ rights to security and self-determination. Yemen was divided into two countries for much of its modern history, before uniting in 1990.” But as it is stated, Yemen was divided into two countries so what were they originally? Considering that this was merely 35 years ago, there is a larger setting this implies that this was within one generation, so there might be issues with that generation. So as the New York Times is one of the few that is giving us a lot more than the rest is, it gives an incomplete picture and that has me wondering how my views needs some correction, not about the Houthi terrorists. They are terrorists plain and simple. There are however other setting which are not known to me and it gives a confusing setting (to me at least).

So have a great day today and I am considering  life on Iceland (it is 44 degrees celsius in my room at present, which is 3 degrees worse than yesterday).

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Wrong premise

That is what I see when I get the news from CBC at present. There are two articles in play. The first one (at https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-big-step-back-from-us-data-1.7637651) where we see ‘Canadians are taking a big step back from the U.S. — and here’s the data to prove it’ giving us the settings around American travel and goods. What was a little surprise that export to the UK had risen over 60%. With “Canadian exports to the U.S. have dropped off while those to non-U.S. foreign countries have surged — a pattern that could accelerate further as the government races to cut new trade deals and help businesses capitalize on the ones that have already been signed.” And as I see it, this setting will merely increase when Canada starts infringing on American exports to Australia by setting a stronger vibe towards Canadian Tire. And I reckon that Simons could make a decent entry into Sydney and Melbourne as well. 

You see the entire commonwealth is fed up with the White House and its [CENSORED] whatever. He might have thought that he was making pointers by slapping the ABC reporter around asking valid questions in the UK, but the answer was not accepted and we have an issue with bully tactics. 

So as the US Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra thinks (at https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/us-ambassador-to-canada-disappointed-anti-american-campaign-1.7637534) that the setting of “The U.S. ambassador to Canada is expressing frustration over the anti-American sentiment he sees in this country, including from politicians, after U.S. President Donald Trump hit most of the world with tariffs.” Which might have caused concern with Mexico (not his bother), United Kingdom (not his bother), Australia (not his bother) and the EU (not his bother either). The thing that is in his plate are the 51st state mentions. That got the Canadians in an uproar and for the most other Commonwealth nations as well. There is no mention of that from him, is there. I get it. He is the American Ambassador to Canada and he doesn’t want to acknowledge the failings of his own government. He is all about calling waves, but the fact that he is unsuccessful, is due to the larger failing of his own government. So as we get “Hoekstra said Prime Minister Mark Carney’s remark in the House of Commons on Monday that Canada currently has “the best deal with the U.S. worldwide right now” has helped “take the tone and tenor of the debate down.”” Is merely the beginning of a new chapter. The old chapter is now done for and Canada will seek other venues for their goods, as such Mexico and the Commonwealth are larger allies Canada can count on. There is also the setting of the EU and optionally Saudi Arabia and the UAE. You see, it is time for Canada to seek out the revenue spending nations (Saudi Arabia and the UAE). There might be a larger audience for the CG634 currently in use in Canada and the Ukraine (the last one die to donations by Canada) as such there is ample evidence that these helmets hold up in battle. And there is more Canadian hardware that could be sold to both Saudi Arabia and the UAE. And as Canada is developing technology to counter hypersonic missiles. There is every chance that Saudi Arabia might be up for a new trade partner, if only not to be dependent on China, replacing China with America gives them a similar dependency and there Canada (Aussies too) might be a willing trade partner. And again America is seeing the short end of that trade deal and it pays for Canada to seek visibility of Canadian Tire to whatever either Saudi Arabia and the UAE have. All options that are out in the open. 

The wrong premise is not that we are sick and tired of America (optionally that too), but when. America collapses, which is not that far away at present we all need alternatives and seeking them out now is merely good business. And in light of the disaster that Disney unfolded, there is a definite chance that there are options in tourism too in Yas Island and in Jeddah too. A 3.2 million population in the Mecca province is likely to need all kinds of entertainment and as the banning of Jimmy Kimmel is said to have cost Disney a simple $3,800,000,000 there is every chance that Disney needs to tighten the belt as of this year. All settings that the American Administration called on the world and the world is answering by looking for goods elsewhere. 

So as I see it the premise we see is incorrect, everyone has had enough of the tantrums of an American Administration that can’t get his head in the game and as everyone in the Business Intelligence can tell you, loyalty was a 1960 term that cannot hold up, not after 50 years.

Have a great day today this Monday, but not to fret, Friday is merely 4 days away now.

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In other bad news

That is how it reads, is this the reality of things? That remains to be seen, but as I see it, there is a rolling effect. A news source gave me this morning that IndiGo is starting two new routes. One between Abu Dhabi and Visakhapatnam, the other one is between Abu Dhabi and Bhubaneswar. They represent populations up to 3.2 million people, and that is the direct surroundings of these places. It is important to see that, as that implies that the setting that I predicted that America will lose more and more tourists is starting in this kind of situation. You might give credence to the ‘mumblings’ that this will soon pass over, and perhaps it will. But the direct setting is that those that rely on their one vacation a year, they are choosing Abu Dhabi (and Dubai) over American destinations. So when you decide to trust ‘The US tourism slump that never happened’ (source: Financial Times), or perhaps ‘Desperate U.S. Hotels And Tourism Operators Continue ‘Come Back’ Deals For Canadians’ (source: The travel) you are looking in the wrong direction. Yes, in a few years travel to the USA will bounce back, it is the next three years that matter and in the meantime the UAE is gaining traction in many ways. And over the next three years it will develop into a main destination for the better part of the globe. In the meantime America will be bleeding losses on all sides. And when the bounce back ‘fails’ or more precisely is delayed. The losses for America will merely add up to a lot more. 

That is beside the larger setting. You see, Visakhapatnam was in 2020 a finalist in the Living and Inclusion category of the World Smart City Awards. As such travel is interesting both ways, it also has its own share of beaches and it is the 5th busiest port in India, as such commerce is likely to blossom between the two nations. As for Bhubaneswar, is a hub of sports and IT in the country. As such there is a larger interaction possible between the two places. All options that are now a moot setting for the EU and America. And the fact that IndiGo is a low cost airline, the tourists cluster that will have the UAE on their international dreamless will increase rather sharply. We might look at all the ‘wealth’ that travels. But for every wealthy traveller the UAE sees, there will be 50 non-wealthy tourists and this amounts to a lot of visitors. I reckon that IndiGo is merely the first to see that influx of tickets sold. I reckon that by late November everything Indian who dreamt of seeing a Formula 1 race with his or her own eyes will flock to the UAE and that is just for starters. As I see it tickets for Yas Island will be the hottest ticket of the year. With all the extras you get to enjoy, the need for hotels and especially low cost hotels will explode in no time flat. 

Just two settings that America is currently missing out on and for the next three years. Have you considered the impact that VISA’s and ‘integrity fee’ options that America thought to help to guide them through. And more bad news in this category (as stated by some for 2026) are discouraging more and more tourists to America and now they have a stellar place to go from March 2024 onwards. And now the setting becomes that more and more are discouraged to visit America as it is seen. The larger setting becomes that Saudi Arabia will from 2027 onwards the next competitors for all these tourists who need a place to go. I reckon that some will chose China as a destination, but the numbers on that remain speculative and is not supported by factual data at present.

Have a great holiday to come in 2025

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