Can't argue with a fair bit of this.
Discussion
Erm, well, s/he hates Dubai, that's clear. S/he makes some interesting and accurate points but most of it full of sh!t! Talk about cherry pick the facts and generalise! My boss is an Emirate, works her arse off and it as smart as a cookie. Her family are very wealthy, so she could easily sit at home and do nothing. So now I'm confused. I have this author telling me that all Emirates never want to work and waft through life, however I see that as an exaggeration (or a blatent lie) on a daily basis.
The roads here aren't full of Lambo's or Porsches, and I saw neither on my drive to the office this morning.
And when the author talks of short-term residents not wanting to put down roots, well OBVIOUSLY...wouldn't be short-term then, would it? I also know people who have been here 20 years and do have kids etc here. So that's that part rubbished as well.
And not all Emirates are rich, rude and soul-less. I've met loads who see themselves as ambassadors for their country and have been excellent company, including many very senior people not only in the Banking/Financial world, but also in the community. My first landlord was the Ex Police governor, and now runs the RTA...I think. He wanted to meet us, so we had tea in his office. Lovely old chap.
How many gangs of these kids have you seen? I've not seen 1 and only heard of 1 incident where a gang stabbed a boy in Rashadiya. That's it in about 18 months. Wonder what the stats for the US/UK were in that time period.
Now, the Financial side of things. Yeah, can't argue I guess! However, Dubai maybe broke, maybe it isn't. I guess it depends of who or what you read. I do know that Abu Dhabi, it's oil rich brother shed she loads of cash, and as we've seen be happy to bail it out of trouble in the future.....Who could do the same for the US or for the UK? Wonder if they'd ever need it, no idea.
Was there a comment about it being souless? I've always struggled with the notion that a place has a soul...or feeling. For me, I have a cracking time when socialising, as our friends are friends for a very good reason and love being at home at the weekends. Oh, and the weather. This week It's cracked 30 degress here for the first time in what, 4 months? I refrained from jumping in the pool yesterday, as it was a little chilly! Could have put the heater on, but I'm a bit tight like that!
In a nut-shell the article paints a picture of Dubai that simply isn't as accurate is it's been portrayed. But then again, in journalism that's nothing new.
The roads here aren't full of Lambo's or Porsches, and I saw neither on my drive to the office this morning.
And when the author talks of short-term residents not wanting to put down roots, well OBVIOUSLY...wouldn't be short-term then, would it? I also know people who have been here 20 years and do have kids etc here. So that's that part rubbished as well.
And not all Emirates are rich, rude and soul-less. I've met loads who see themselves as ambassadors for their country and have been excellent company, including many very senior people not only in the Banking/Financial world, but also in the community. My first landlord was the Ex Police governor, and now runs the RTA...I think. He wanted to meet us, so we had tea in his office. Lovely old chap.
How many gangs of these kids have you seen? I've not seen 1 and only heard of 1 incident where a gang stabbed a boy in Rashadiya. That's it in about 18 months. Wonder what the stats for the US/UK were in that time period.
Now, the Financial side of things. Yeah, can't argue I guess! However, Dubai maybe broke, maybe it isn't. I guess it depends of who or what you read. I do know that Abu Dhabi, it's oil rich brother shed she loads of cash, and as we've seen be happy to bail it out of trouble in the future.....Who could do the same for the US or for the UK? Wonder if they'd ever need it, no idea.
Was there a comment about it being souless? I've always struggled with the notion that a place has a soul...or feeling. For me, I have a cracking time when socialising, as our friends are friends for a very good reason and love being at home at the weekends. Oh, and the weather. This week It's cracked 30 degress here for the first time in what, 4 months? I refrained from jumping in the pool yesterday, as it was a little chilly! Could have put the heater on, but I'm a bit tight like that!
In a nut-shell the article paints a picture of Dubai that simply isn't as accurate is it's been portrayed. But then again, in journalism that's nothing new.
It sounds like he's taken all the bad news from the last ten years and pretended that it all happened in the time he was here.
But - while I agree with what you said, it is a generalisation for the most part, but I have also met many of the Emiraties portrayed in the article and while there are some cracking locals, they all seem to be of the older generations to me.
But - while I agree with what you said, it is a generalisation for the most part, but I have also met many of the Emiraties portrayed in the article and while there are some cracking locals, they all seem to be of the older generations to me.
Edited by Asterix on Sunday 13th March 10:10
It's a shame that A A Gill has been sucked into the Dubai bashing mentality. He is usually such a good writer/journo. Read this article on another website this morning and as you say he has taken all of the bad bits, distilled them and also presented opinion and lies as facts.
Absolute drivel.
Absolute drivel.
Third time I have seen this since Thursday, just a diatribe from another ill informed Journo.
Yes there are issues here but there is a reason we are here, generally speaking it offers a much better quality of life than the UK (or wherever else).
But then what do I know, I fall under this part "none of them are very clever"......
Yes there are issues here but there is a reason we are here, generally speaking it offers a much better quality of life than the UK (or wherever else).
But then what do I know, I fall under this part "none of them are very clever"......
Boring drivel for those who believe they live a better life because Vanity (f
king Vanity Fair?!) tells them so. I've always considered Mr Gill to be sharp yet rather pointless; like a 'thinking man's' Jeremy Clarkson. Shame really. More fuel for the haters, which I see as brilliant because life has never been so good and the longer we keep the secret safe the better!
Of course we could all be in the UK drowning in our own st like everyone else who's not a millionaire luvvie....
king Vanity Fair?!) tells them so. I've always considered Mr Gill to be sharp yet rather pointless; like a 'thinking man's' Jeremy Clarkson. Shame really. More fuel for the haters, which I see as brilliant because life has never been so good and the longer we keep the secret safe the better!Of course we could all be in the UK drowning in our own s
t like everyone else who's not a millionaire luvvie....AA Gill claims to be friends with Clarkson - and I think he is trying to copy Clarkson's writing style but with all the humour removed.
He is best known as a food and televison critic, but obviously now sees himself as a travel writer and a social commentator.
As mentioned above, he has taken all the stereotypes and rolled them into one article.
Very poor form Vanity Fair.
He is best known as a food and televison critic, but obviously now sees himself as a travel writer and a social commentator.
As mentioned above, he has taken all the stereotypes and rolled them into one article.
Very poor form Vanity Fair.
I was surprised not to see it published in the Guardian. Dubai is the antithesis of their left-wing social ideal.
I think AA Gill is forgetting where he's living, the UK is ste, and getting worse by the day. The UK is probably more bankrupt than the UAE, with much higher crime figures, and a much lower quality of life.
I think AA Gill is forgetting where he's living, the UK is s
te, and getting worse by the day. The UK is probably more bankrupt than the UAE, with much higher crime figures, and a much lower quality of life.
Very mild when compared to his musings on Norfolk which he claims is full of "weird, web-footed, dribbling, six-fingered sister-shaggers who shop with traps and eat stuff live" 
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/mar/0...
This is how Gill is. Borderline genius.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/mar/0...This is how Gill is. Borderline genius.
I get the acerbic nature of his writing style. I just find it all a tad obvious - Dubai being full of champagne swilling tarts and, Norfolk full of inbreds, is hardly pushing the boundaries of observational 'comedy'.
I dislike how he is known as A.A too. It is a tad desperate. Adrian must not have been cool enough for him.
Yours,
H.H.Hitch78
I dislike how he is known as A.A too. It is a tad desperate. Adrian must not have been cool enough for him.
Yours,
H.H.Hitch78
Mattt said:
I was surprised not to see it published in the Guardian. Dubai is the antithesis of their left-wing social ideal.
I think AA Gill is forgetting where he's living, the UK is ste, and getting worse by the day. The UK is probably more bankrupt than the UAE, with much higher crime figures, and a much lower quality of life.
his 3-4 page piece in the sunday times magazine this week was about him having his own bespoke tweed made up and tailored into a 3 piece hunting outfit. hard reality does not intrude into his world all that often.I think AA Gill is forgetting where he's living, the UK is s
te, and getting worse by the day. The UK is probably more bankrupt than the UAE, with much higher crime figures, and a much lower quality of life.Gassing Station | Middle East | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff