Archive for June, 2009
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Dubai Profile According to official figures, 99 per cent of the residents of the small, once insular United Arab Emirates (UAE) reside in Dubai City. This makes the distinction between city and Emirate very small indeed.
Dubai is growing faster than any other city in the Persian Gulf region. New and luxurious hotel complexes, shopping centres and high-rise apartment buildings are being built daily. The face of this highly modern city with over a million inhabitants is constantly changing, yet always a bit eccentric. In addition to countless corporate headquarters, ultra-luxurious hotels and resorts, and high-end shopping malls, Dubai is also home to the largest indoor snow park in the world, fittingly called Ski Dubai, itself located inside a gargantuan shopping mall. Opened in December 2005, the temperature inside the facility at the edge of the Arabian Desert is a constant —1 °C, while the temperature outside soars to 40 °C under the merciless desert sun. It would seem that in the city of Dubai, anything is possible.
Oil — black gold of the Emirs.
Dubai has been governed for over 170 years by the Al-Maktoum clan. Under their leadership, and with substantial investment from Britain, the harbour of Dubai has become the most important commercial port in the Persian Gulf. The local inhabitants used to earn their living by diving for pearls. Their lifestyles changed drastically with the discovery of oil in 1966 and the economic boom that followed.
Persian Gulf tourist destination.
In addition to the oil industry, Dubai’s economy relies on tourism, banking and trade. Great efforts have been made to promote Dubai as a tourist destination. The most exclusive residential quarter of the Emirate now boasts a number of world-class luxury hotels, including the famous Burj At Arab, the “Arab Tower”. Designed to resemble the sail of a traditional Persian Gulf ship, the 54-storey hotel is 321 metres tall. It is the tallest, most expensive and most luxurious hotel in the world. Visitors can play tennis at a dizzying height on top of the “helipad” overlooking the Arabian Gulf 311 metres below. The Wild Wadi Water Park and Madinat Jumeirah shopping mall are located nearby in the suburb of Jumeirah. Then there are the Palm Islands, tear-shaped artificial land masses built in the shallow gulf waters. They provide additional land for vacation homes, villas and hotels. Several nearby Gulf islands await similar development.
The river that is not a river.
The wetlands known as Ras Al-Khor divide Dubai into northern and southern sections. Ras Al-Khor is not a river but a shallow inland bay. Small passenger ferries called abras carry people from one side to the other for a small fee, or traditional lateen sailboats can be rented for a more extensive tour. A protected national wildlife area, the Ras al-Khor is home to over 100 species of birds, including a resident population of 500 greater flamingos.
Tourism promotes restoration.
Most of the places of greatest interest to visitors in Dubai’s Old City are found along the Ras Al-Khor. Naturally, there are also many mosques in Islamic Dubai. The Great Mosque, built in 1998, is between the al-Fahidi Fort and Ras al-Khor. Al-Fahidi Fort was once the seat of the emirs of Dubai. Restored in 1970, it is now the National Museum. The Bastakia Quarter is one of the oldest parts of the city, making up the larger part of its historic centre. Having survived the twentieth-century building boom without sacrificing its ancient charm, the government now plans a complete restoration, including a museum, cultural centre, restaurants and art galleries. Houses in Bastakia are notable for their “wind towers”, a traditional means of air conditioning. Cool air currents are pulled into the centre of the house through vents and windows. The system is so cleverly designed that that even the smallest breeze circulates through the rooms below.
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Microsoft has named it’s new search engine, Bing, as a “decision engine.” It’s planning name was Kumo.
It is supposed to integrate multiple services, like reviews, shopping, and videos into one result page. The interface changes in response to the search, and it gives the user many options. There are hot spots which reveal new facts, suggestions for refinining your search, and deep linking into sites for finding specific results.
According to wikipedia, notable changes include the addition of search suggestions as you type and related searches (called “Explorer pane” on the left side of search results), based on semantic technology from PowerSet which Microsoft purchased in 2008. Bing also includes the ability to Save & Share search histories via Windows Live SkyDrive, Facebook, and e-mail.
There are plenty of people that view this as direct competition to Google. Good luck Microsoft 
That’s a bit like calling Google Docs a direct competitor to Microsoft Word.
Bing also seems more like a search portal, which really makes is more of a competitor to Yahoo. Microsoft Live Search is currently a very distant third behind Google and Yahoo! in search. Maybe this is a response to Microsoft’s failed attempt at acquiring Yahoo?
Based on my stats, Microsoft has only about 3 - 5% of the Australian search market. Maybe bing will improve this? I don’t really know.
As with live.com, bing seems to put too much weight on the title tag and keywords in the domain. It’s also obvious that it uses the number of incoming links and the link anchor text as part of it’s search algorithm. I’ve only done a few tests and you may wish to do your own.
I really like the clean but stylish interface and will give it a trial for a week or so.
Interestingly, bing was launched without much fanfare in Australia. the first I noticed it was when I looked at some web stats and notice multiple bing entries. What the hell is bing I asked.
Bing was made available at www.bing.com on the June 3rd 2009. It replaced Microsoft Live Search. If you go to live.com.au you will end up at bing.com
http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/http://www.eroticmassagebusiness.com
http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/http://www.egocars.com.au
http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/http://www.digitalbrands.com.au
http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/http://www.digitalbrandsaustralia.com
http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/http://www.techcrunchers.com
http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/http://www.unfairconsulting.com.au
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Fun in the Sun
Israel’s summer months, which occur during the winter for Australians, are completely dry. If you are coming for the sun, beaches and water sports, you can rest assured that not even one day of your visit will be interrupted by rain.
Israel boasts hundreds of miles of beautiful beaches dotted with world-class beach resorts. Para-gliding, wind-sailing, snorkeling and scuba diving opportunities are abundant. Scuba enthusiasts will especially enjoy the unique opportunity to dive among ancient Roman-era ruins in the shallows of the Mediterranean Sea, or enjoy the grand coral displays nestled in the clear blue waters of the Red Sea.
Israel also caters to hikers with vast networks of marked, but largely untouched hiking trails crisscrossing geographical locations as diverse as deserts, pine forests and snow-covered mountains. Come during Israel’s winter months and you can even ski!
A Culinary Experience
Israel has something special to offer the culinary tourist as well. Home to Jewish immigrants from around the world and Arab clans from all reaches of the Middle East, Israel’s national menu is as diverse as they come. Chefs who compete at the highest levels in European competitions stand ready to serve up this wide array of specialties at an every growing number of gourmet establishments.
Complementing Israel’s rich assortment of foods is a local wine industry that is starting to grab the attention of top international critics. Wines from many of Israel’s boutique and larger wineries - all of which offer tours and tastings - continue to win international awards and accolades.
Historical Crossroads
Having played host to some of the world’s most ancient civilizations, Israel is a paradise for history buffs. Just about every patch of dirt in Israel has some bit of history underneath it, often making construction of new structures a nightmare.
Fully developed archeological sites providing a glimpses of life in pre-historic times, the biblical period, the Roman era and the Middle Ages - to name just a few - abound in Israel. Each and every historical site carries a unique story that could fill books, and many have.
A special bit of history for Australians is the famous charge of the Australian Light Horse Brigade during the Battle of Beersheba in 1917, widely reputed as the last successful cavalry charge in history. The charge effectively broke the Ottoman Empire’s southern defenses, allowing British General Lord Edmund Allenby to advance on and capture Jerusalem and marking a major turning point in World War I.
A memorial to the Australian Light Horse has been erected in the southern Israel city of Beersheba, and more than 1,000 Australians, New Zealanders and Britons came to Israel in 2007 to reenact the charge on its 90th anniversary.
The Holy Land
Israel is best known to travelers as the Holy Land, an area central to all three of the world’s monotheistic religions.
Jerusalem is the heart of the Holy Land, hosting the Temple Mount, Western Wall and the Garden Tomb where Jesus is said to have been buried. But the rest of the country is not left wanting for religious significance.
Jesus’ boyhood home of Nazareth and his base of ministry on the shores of the Sea of Galilee are sites not to be missed. Nor would any tour be complete without visits to locations in Israel’s southern desert and central mountain regions that the biblical patriarchs called home.
All in all, Israel is a well-rounded travel destination for every kind of tourist, and is second to none for those interested in history and religious pilgrimage.
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