CHICAGO – A would-be terrorist tries to board a plane, bent on mass murder. As he walks through a security checkpoint, fidgeting and glancing around, a network of high-tech machines analyzes his body language and reads his mind.
Screeners pull him aside.
Tragedy is averted.
As far-fetched as that sounds, systems that aim to get inside an evildoer's head are among the proposals floated by security experts thinking beyond the X-ray machines and metal detectors used on millions of passengers and bags each year.
On Thursday, in the wake of the Christmas Day bombing attempt over Detroit, President Barack Obama called on Homeland Security and the Energy Department to develop better screening technology, warning: "In the never-ending race to protect our country, we have to stay one step ahead of a nimble adversary.''
The ideas that have been offered by security experts for staying one step ahead include highly sophisticated sensors, more intensive interrogations of travelers by screeners trained in human behavior, and a lifting of the U.S. prohibitions against profiling.
Some of the more unusual ideas are already being tested. Some aren't being given any serious consideration. Many raise troubling questions about civil liberties. All are costly.
"Regulators need to accept that the current approach is outdated," said Philip Baum, editor of the London-based magazine Aviation Security International. "It may have responded to the threats of the 1960s, but it doesn't respond to the threats of the 21st century.''
Here's a look at some of the ideas that could shape the future of airline security:
The aim of one company that blends high technology and behavioral psychology is hinted at in its name, WeCU – as in "We See You.''
The system that Israeli-based WeCU Technologies has devised and is testing in Israel projects images onto airport screens, such as symbols associated with a certain terrorist group or some other image only a would-be terrorist would recognize, company CEO Ehud Givon said.
The logic is that people can't help reacting, even if only subtly, to familiar images that suddenly appear in unfamiliar places. If you strolled through an airport and saw a picture of your mother, Givon explained, you couldn't help but respond.
The reaction could be a darting of the eyes, an increased heartbeat, a nervous twitch or faster breathing, he said.
The WeCU system would use humans to do some of the observing but would rely mostly on hidden cameras or sensors that can detect a slight rise in body temperature and heart rate. Far more sensitive devices under development that can take such measurements from a distance would be incorporated later.
If the sensors picked up a suspicious reaction, the traveler could be pulled out of line for further screening.
"One by one, you can screen out from the flow of people those with specific malicious intent," Givon said.
Some critics have expressed horror at the approach, calling it Orwellian and akin to "brain fingerprinting.''
For civil libertarians, attempting to read a person's thoughts comes uncomfortably close to the future world depicted in the movie ``Minority Report," where a policeman played by Tom Cruise targets people for "pre-crimes," or merely thinking about breaking the law.
One system being studied by Homeland Security is called the Future Attribute Screening Technology, or FAST, and works like a souped-up polygraph.
It would subject people pulled aside for additional screening to a battery of tests, including scans of facial movements and pupil dilation, for signs of deception. Small platforms similar to the balancing boards used in the Nintendo Wii would help detect fidgeting.
At a public demonstration of the system in Boston last year, project manager Robert Burns explained that people who harbor ill will display involuntary physiological reactions that others – such as those who are stressed out for ordinary reasons, such as being late for a plane – don't.
The system could be made to work passively, scanning people as they walk through a security line, according to Burns.
Field testing of the system, which will cost around $20 million to develop, could begin in 2011, The Boston Globe said in a story about the demonstration. Addressing one concern of civil libertarians, Burns said the technology would delete data after each screening.
Some say the U.S. should take a page from Israel's book on security.
At Israeli airports, widely considered the most secure in the world, travelers are subjected to probing personal questions as screeners look them straight in the eye for signs of deception. Searches are meticulous, with screeners often scrutinizing every item in a bag, unfolding socks, squeezing toothpaste and flipping through books.
"All must look to Israel and learn from them. This is not a post-911 thing for them. They've been doing this since 1956," said Michael Goldberg, president of New York-based IDO Security Inc., which developed a device that can scan shoes for hidden weapons while they are still on people's feet.
Israel also employs profiling: At Ben-Gurion Airport, Jewish Israelis typically pass through smoothly, while others may be taken aside for closer interrogation or even strip searches. Another distinquishing feature of Israeli airports is that they rely on concentric security rings that start miles from terminal buildings.
Rafi Ron, the former security director at Ben-Gurion who now is a consultant for Boston's Logan International Airport, says U.S. airports also need to be careful not to overcommit to securing passenger entry points at airports, forgetting about the rest of the field.
"Don't invest all your efforts on the front door and leave the back door open," Ron said.
While many experts agree the United States could adopt some Israeli methods, few believe the overall model would work here, in part because of the sheer number of large U.S. airports – around 400, versus half a dozen in Israel.
Also, the painstaking searches and interrogations would create delays that could bring U.S. air traffic to a standstill. And many Americans would find the often intrusive and intimidating Israeli approach repugnant.
Some argue that policies against profiling undermine security.
Baum, who is also managing director of Green Light Limited, a London-based aviation security company, agrees profiling based on race and religion is counterproductive and should be avoided. But he argues that a reluctance to distinguish travelers on other grounds – such as their general appearance or their mannerisms – is not only foolhardy but dangerous.
"When you see a typical family – dressed like a family, acts like a family, interacts with each other like a family ... when their passport details match – then let's get them through," he said. "Stop wasting time that would be much better spent screening the people that we've got more concerns about.''
U.S. authorities prohibit profiling of passengers based on ethnicity, religion or national origin. Current procedures call for travelers to be randomly pulled out of line for further screening.
Scrutinizing 80-year-old grandmothers or students because they might be carrying school scissors can defy common sense, Baum said.
"We need to use the human brain – which is the best technology of them all," he said.
But any move to relax prohibitions against profiling in the U.S. would surely trigger fierce resistance, including legal challenges by privacy advocates.
What if security were left to somebody other than the federal government?
Jim Harper, director of information policy studies at the Washington-based Cato Institute, a free-market-oriented think tank, says airlines should be allowed take charge of security at airports.
Especially since 9/11, the trend has been toward standardizing security procedures to ensure all airports follow the best practices. But Harper argues that decentralizing the responsibility would result in a mix of approaches – thereby making it harder for terrorists to use a single template in planning attacks.
"Passengers, too, prefer a uniform experience," he said. "But that's not necessarily the best security. It's better if sometimes we take your laptop out, sometimes we'll pat you down. Those are things that will really drive a terrorist batty – as if they're not batty already.''
Harper concedes that privatizing airport security is probably wishful thinking, and the idea has not gotten any traction. He acknowledges it would be difficult to allay fears of gaping security holes if it were left to each airline or airport owner to decide its own approach.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Dunya nadir elementin pesinde
KEITH BRADSHER
04.01.2010
GUYUN KÖYÜ, Çin - Elektrik arabalarından tasarruflu ampullere ve dev rüzgâr türbinlerine, çağın en çevre dostu teknolojilerinden bazıları doğada nadir bulunan eser element denilen maddeler sayesinde mümkün oluyor. Dünyanın da bu cevherlere bağımlılığı hızla artıyor. Ortada yalnızca bir problem var: Bu elementlerin hemen tümü çevreye çok fazla zarar veren ve suç şebekelerinin kontrolündeki madenlerin yer aldığı Çin'den geliyor. Batı başkentleri Çin'in bu alandaki tekele yakın konumundan endişe ediyor. Çin'in geleceğin teknolojilerinde ezici bir hâkimiyet kurma potansiyeline dikkat çekiyorlar. Ordunun Çin kaynaklı nadir toprak elementlerine bağımlılığına dair kaygılarını dile getiren ABD Kongresi, diğer seçenekler üzerinde çalışma yapılması talimatını verdi. Çin'in güneydoğusunda yer alan gür bambu ormanları ve muz ağaçlarıyla çevrili Guyun Köyü'nde çevre kirliliğinin yol açtığı zarar, bir zamanlar pirinç yetiştirilen tarlaların yer aldığı arazilerin kırmızı-kahverengi çamur, balçık ve kille kaplı olmasıyla görülebiliyor. Madenciler toprağın üst kısmını kazıyor, kürekle altın-benekli kili kum çukurlarına taşıyorlar. Daha sonra asit kullanarak eser elementleri çıkarıyorlar. Burada kullanılan asit nehirlere akarak çeltik tarlalarını, balık çiftliklerini yok edip su kaynaklarını kirletiyor. Geçenlerde yağmurlu bir öğleden sonra 41 yaşındaki Zeng Guohui bir zamanlar çalıştığı eski bir madene giderek kum ve çamur yığınını incelemiş. Madendeki eser elementler üç yılda tükenmiş. Ancak madenin kapanmasından on yıl sonra hala kimse arazide pirinç tarlalarını yeniden sürmeye kalkışmamış. Disprozyum ve terbiyum gibi ağır nadir elementlerin çıkarıldığı küçük madenler yakınlardaki tepelerde işletilmeye devam ediyor. Zeng, "Sürekli protesto eylemleri düzenleniyor. Çünkü tarım arazilerini kirletiyorlar. İn sanlar her zaman tazminat istiyorlar" diyor. Çin Endüstri ve Bilişim Teknolojisi Bakanlığı'nda eser elementler sektörü denetleyicilerinden Wang Caifeng, "Pek çok yerde madencilik suiistimal ediliyor. Bu durum ekoloji ve çevreye büyük zarar verdi" diyor. Dünyada bazıları aslında tam olarak nadir denemeyecek 17 eser element var. En önemli iki tanesi ağır eser elementi disprozyum ve terbiyum özellikle çok aranıyor. Bunun nedeni her iki elementin çevreci enerji ürünlerinde oynadıkları mucizevî rol. Çok küçük miktarlarda disprozyum elektrik motorlarındaki mıknatısları yüzde 90 hafifletirken, terbiyum lambalarda elektrik kullanımını yüze 80 azaltıyor. Disprozyum fiyatları 2003'ten beri yaklaşık 7 kat arttı. Terbiyum fiyatları da 2003-2008 arasında 4 katına çıktı. Çin, dünyada yer alan disprozyum ve terbiyumun yüzde 99'unu çıkarıyor. Çin'de üretimin büyük çoğunluğu Guangdong'un kuzeyiyle komşu Jiangxi eyaletindeki 200 madenden geliyor. Çin, aynı zamanda endüstride yaygın kullanım alanı olan hafif eser elementlerin de hâkim üreticisi. Fakat madencilikte bu elementlerin arzı daha da düşük olduğu için çıkarılmaları daha fazla denetleniyor. Sektör yöneticileri ağır eser elementlerin yarısının lisanslı diğer yarısının ise yasa dışı yollarla çıkarıldığını işaret ediyorlar. Fakat Zeng'in de çalıştığı yasal madenler bile ciddi çevre felaketlerine yol açıyor. Hong Kong'da bir dönem polis istihbarat şefliği yapan ve şimdi küresel güvenlik şirketi International Risk'in CEO'su Stephen G. Vickers, Çin ana karasında cinayet işlemekten kaçınmayan suç çetelerinin yerel yetkililerle bağlarını olduğunu ve madencilik faaliyetlerinin büyük bölümüne ellerinde tuttuğunu söylüyor. Endüstri ve Bilişim Teknolojisi Bakanlığı geçen Nisan'da ağır nadir elementlerin ihracını durdurmaya yönelik bir taslak plan hazırladı. Bunun nedeni kısmen çevreci grupların tepkileri kısmen de hükümetin diğer ülkeleri Çin'de üretilmiş mamulleri satın almaya teşvik etmek istemesinden de ileri geliyor. Plan, 1 Eylül'de duyurulduğunda Batılı hükümetler ve şirketler buna şiddetle karşı çıktı. Ve Wang, 3 Eylül'de hükümetin ihracattan tamamen vazgeçmeyeceğini ve planın tümünü gözden geçireceğini açıkladı. Fakat sonra bakanlık tüm eser elementler için yıllık ihracat kotasını yüzde 12 kısma kararı aldı. ABD Kongresi tepkisi ise Savunma Bakanlığı'na 1 Nisan'a kadar Amerikan ordusunun gece-görüş ve telemetri gibi cihazlarda Çin'e bağımlılığını incelemesi talimatı vermek oldu. Ağır eser elementlerin Batılı kullanıcıları Çin'den satın aldıkları bu minerallerin ne kadarının yasalara uygun çalışan madenlerden geldiğine dair hesaplama yapacak olanakları olmadığını ifade ediyorlar. Çokuluslu şirketler ağır nadir elementlere bağımlılıklarını gözden geçirmeye başladılar. Toyota eser elementleri içeren araba parçaları satın aldığını ama tedarikçilerin alımlarına karışmadığını duyurdu. Alman Siemens firmasının ışıklandırma birimi Osram'dan olabildiğince düşük miktarlarda nadir element kullanıldığı açıklaması yapıldı. Önümüzdeki yıllarda ağır nadir elementlerin en büyük kullanıcısı büyük rüzgâr türbinlerini üretenler olabilir. Rüzgâr türbinleri kulelerindeki 5 tonluk jeneratörler için çok hafif mıknatıslara ihtiyaç duyuluyor. Dünyanın en büyük rüzgâr türbini üreticisi haline gelen Danimarka şirketi Vestas yeni nesil prototiplerinin disprozyum kullandığını ve şirketin arz konusu üzerinde çalıştığını açıkladı. 1,3 milyar dolarlık eser element madenciliği sektöründeki üst düzey yetkililer, temiz enerji teknolojilerinin üretiminin önemi göz önünde bulundurulduğunda, çevreye daha az zararlı madenciliğin gelişmesine ihtiyaç olduğunu söylüyorlar. Müteahhitler Kanada, Güney Afrika ve Avustralya'da madenler açmayı umut ediyorlar. Bununla beraber şirketlerin büyük çaplı üretime geçmeleri yıllar alacak. Bu madenlerde hatırı sayılır ölçüde hafif eser element çıkarılacak. Üretilecek ağır eser elementlerin rüzgâr türbini sektöründen gelen yüksek talebi karşılamak üzere büyük olasılıkla kapışılacağı tahmin ediliyor. Avustralyalı Lynas Şirketi'nin Başkanı Nicholas Curtis, "Bu sektör dünyayı kurtarmak istiyor. Bunu yaparken başka yerde insanları öldüren bir ürün miras bırakamayız" diye konuşuyor.
04.01.2010
GUYUN KÖYÜ, Çin - Elektrik arabalarından tasarruflu ampullere ve dev rüzgâr türbinlerine, çağın en çevre dostu teknolojilerinden bazıları doğada nadir bulunan eser element denilen maddeler sayesinde mümkün oluyor. Dünyanın da bu cevherlere bağımlılığı hızla artıyor. Ortada yalnızca bir problem var: Bu elementlerin hemen tümü çevreye çok fazla zarar veren ve suç şebekelerinin kontrolündeki madenlerin yer aldığı Çin'den geliyor. Batı başkentleri Çin'in bu alandaki tekele yakın konumundan endişe ediyor. Çin'in geleceğin teknolojilerinde ezici bir hâkimiyet kurma potansiyeline dikkat çekiyorlar. Ordunun Çin kaynaklı nadir toprak elementlerine bağımlılığına dair kaygılarını dile getiren ABD Kongresi, diğer seçenekler üzerinde çalışma yapılması talimatını verdi. Çin'in güneydoğusunda yer alan gür bambu ormanları ve muz ağaçlarıyla çevrili Guyun Köyü'nde çevre kirliliğinin yol açtığı zarar, bir zamanlar pirinç yetiştirilen tarlaların yer aldığı arazilerin kırmızı-kahverengi çamur, balçık ve kille kaplı olmasıyla görülebiliyor. Madenciler toprağın üst kısmını kazıyor, kürekle altın-benekli kili kum çukurlarına taşıyorlar. Daha sonra asit kullanarak eser elementleri çıkarıyorlar. Burada kullanılan asit nehirlere akarak çeltik tarlalarını, balık çiftliklerini yok edip su kaynaklarını kirletiyor. Geçenlerde yağmurlu bir öğleden sonra 41 yaşındaki Zeng Guohui bir zamanlar çalıştığı eski bir madene giderek kum ve çamur yığınını incelemiş. Madendeki eser elementler üç yılda tükenmiş. Ancak madenin kapanmasından on yıl sonra hala kimse arazide pirinç tarlalarını yeniden sürmeye kalkışmamış. Disprozyum ve terbiyum gibi ağır nadir elementlerin çıkarıldığı küçük madenler yakınlardaki tepelerde işletilmeye devam ediyor. Zeng, "Sürekli protesto eylemleri düzenleniyor. Çünkü tarım arazilerini kirletiyorlar. İn sanlar her zaman tazminat istiyorlar" diyor. Çin Endüstri ve Bilişim Teknolojisi Bakanlığı'nda eser elementler sektörü denetleyicilerinden Wang Caifeng, "Pek çok yerde madencilik suiistimal ediliyor. Bu durum ekoloji ve çevreye büyük zarar verdi" diyor. Dünyada bazıları aslında tam olarak nadir denemeyecek 17 eser element var. En önemli iki tanesi ağır eser elementi disprozyum ve terbiyum özellikle çok aranıyor. Bunun nedeni her iki elementin çevreci enerji ürünlerinde oynadıkları mucizevî rol. Çok küçük miktarlarda disprozyum elektrik motorlarındaki mıknatısları yüzde 90 hafifletirken, terbiyum lambalarda elektrik kullanımını yüze 80 azaltıyor. Disprozyum fiyatları 2003'ten beri yaklaşık 7 kat arttı. Terbiyum fiyatları da 2003-2008 arasında 4 katına çıktı. Çin, dünyada yer alan disprozyum ve terbiyumun yüzde 99'unu çıkarıyor. Çin'de üretimin büyük çoğunluğu Guangdong'un kuzeyiyle komşu Jiangxi eyaletindeki 200 madenden geliyor. Çin, aynı zamanda endüstride yaygın kullanım alanı olan hafif eser elementlerin de hâkim üreticisi. Fakat madencilikte bu elementlerin arzı daha da düşük olduğu için çıkarılmaları daha fazla denetleniyor. Sektör yöneticileri ağır eser elementlerin yarısının lisanslı diğer yarısının ise yasa dışı yollarla çıkarıldığını işaret ediyorlar. Fakat Zeng'in de çalıştığı yasal madenler bile ciddi çevre felaketlerine yol açıyor. Hong Kong'da bir dönem polis istihbarat şefliği yapan ve şimdi küresel güvenlik şirketi International Risk'in CEO'su Stephen G. Vickers, Çin ana karasında cinayet işlemekten kaçınmayan suç çetelerinin yerel yetkililerle bağlarını olduğunu ve madencilik faaliyetlerinin büyük bölümüne ellerinde tuttuğunu söylüyor. Endüstri ve Bilişim Teknolojisi Bakanlığı geçen Nisan'da ağır nadir elementlerin ihracını durdurmaya yönelik bir taslak plan hazırladı. Bunun nedeni kısmen çevreci grupların tepkileri kısmen de hükümetin diğer ülkeleri Çin'de üretilmiş mamulleri satın almaya teşvik etmek istemesinden de ileri geliyor. Plan, 1 Eylül'de duyurulduğunda Batılı hükümetler ve şirketler buna şiddetle karşı çıktı. Ve Wang, 3 Eylül'de hükümetin ihracattan tamamen vazgeçmeyeceğini ve planın tümünü gözden geçireceğini açıkladı. Fakat sonra bakanlık tüm eser elementler için yıllık ihracat kotasını yüzde 12 kısma kararı aldı. ABD Kongresi tepkisi ise Savunma Bakanlığı'na 1 Nisan'a kadar Amerikan ordusunun gece-görüş ve telemetri gibi cihazlarda Çin'e bağımlılığını incelemesi talimatı vermek oldu. Ağır eser elementlerin Batılı kullanıcıları Çin'den satın aldıkları bu minerallerin ne kadarının yasalara uygun çalışan madenlerden geldiğine dair hesaplama yapacak olanakları olmadığını ifade ediyorlar. Çokuluslu şirketler ağır nadir elementlere bağımlılıklarını gözden geçirmeye başladılar. Toyota eser elementleri içeren araba parçaları satın aldığını ama tedarikçilerin alımlarına karışmadığını duyurdu. Alman Siemens firmasının ışıklandırma birimi Osram'dan olabildiğince düşük miktarlarda nadir element kullanıldığı açıklaması yapıldı. Önümüzdeki yıllarda ağır nadir elementlerin en büyük kullanıcısı büyük rüzgâr türbinlerini üretenler olabilir. Rüzgâr türbinleri kulelerindeki 5 tonluk jeneratörler için çok hafif mıknatıslara ihtiyaç duyuluyor. Dünyanın en büyük rüzgâr türbini üreticisi haline gelen Danimarka şirketi Vestas yeni nesil prototiplerinin disprozyum kullandığını ve şirketin arz konusu üzerinde çalıştığını açıkladı. 1,3 milyar dolarlık eser element madenciliği sektöründeki üst düzey yetkililer, temiz enerji teknolojilerinin üretiminin önemi göz önünde bulundurulduğunda, çevreye daha az zararlı madenciliğin gelişmesine ihtiyaç olduğunu söylüyorlar. Müteahhitler Kanada, Güney Afrika ve Avustralya'da madenler açmayı umut ediyorlar. Bununla beraber şirketlerin büyük çaplı üretime geçmeleri yıllar alacak. Bu madenlerde hatırı sayılır ölçüde hafif eser element çıkarılacak. Üretilecek ağır eser elementlerin rüzgâr türbini sektöründen gelen yüksek talebi karşılamak üzere büyük olasılıkla kapışılacağı tahmin ediliyor. Avustralyalı Lynas Şirketi'nin Başkanı Nicholas Curtis, "Bu sektör dünyayı kurtarmak istiyor. Bunu yaparken başka yerde insanları öldüren bir ürün miras bırakamayız" diye konuşuyor.
Dubai hits the heights again
Burj Khalifa, by the numbers:
95
The distance in kilometres at which Burj Khalifa 's spire can still be seen
124
The floor location of `At The Top, Burj Khalifa.' the world's highest and only publicly accessible observation deck with an outdoor terrace
160
The number of luxury hotel rooms and suites
605
The vertical height in metres to which concrete was pumped in the construction of Burj Khalifa , a world record for concrete pumping.
504
The distance traveled, or `rise' in metres of Burj Khalifa 's main service lift, the most of any elevator
49
The number of office floors, including the 12-floor annexure
57
The number of elevators
1,044
The number of residential apartments inside Burj Khalifa
3,000
The number of underground parking spaces
5,500
The capacity in kilograms of the tower's service lift
31,400
The amount of steel rebar in metric tonnes used in the structure of Burj Khalifa
28,261
The number of glass cladding panels making up the exterior of the tower and its two annexes
15,000
The amount of water in litres collected from the tower's cooling equipment that will be used for landscaping irrigation
900
The length in feet of the world's tallest performing fountain, The Dubai Fountain, that lies at the foot of the tower
19
The number of hectares of lush green landscaping that envelops the foot of the tower
12,000
The numbers of workers on site during peak of construction
DUBAI–This place is no stranger to icons.
There's the Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts' Burj al Arab – the billowing sail-shaped hotel that launches millions of desktops and prompts an email forwarding frenzy like no other.
And there's the 12-million-plus square foot Dubai Mall – a shopper's dream and a shopping spouse's nightmare.
This week, they unveiled their latest ace in the hole.
The Burj Khalifa (originally called the Burj Dubai, but renamed Burj Khalifa this week in honour of Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan, head of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Abu Dhabi) – the world's tallest tower – opened on Jan. 4. It's more than 800 metres tall, with more than 160 floors and cost about $800 million U.S. to build.
After a turbulent and unprecedented financially unstable fall, the new source of pride is likely to be as much about asserting Dubai's stability as it is about showing off the Emirate's flair for all things, bigger, taller and unexpected. Burj Khalifa joins its sister projects in keeping Dubai at the creativity forefront in architectural design. It has big shoes to fill.
When the Burj al Arab garnered the world's attention 10 years ago, it created a whole new level of hotel dreams. Pegged as the world's only seven-star hotel – a feat in and of itself since the star rating system only goes to five – Dubai's most lavish signature property (which took five years and a man-made island to build) immediately caught the attention of celebrities, business travellers and daydreamers alike.
Royston Sixtus is the assistant concierge manager at the property and has been on the front lines since the Jumeirah team began the hotel's pre-opening plans.
For him, the 10th anniversary is a statement about the Emirates' development as a whole.
"I have seen an ocean of change with rapid development of hotels, residential areas, shopping malls, infrastructure, the Dubai Metro and most striking of all is that there are seemingly endless skyscrapers now," says the 39-year old native of Bangalore, India.
But while you may find celebrities popping into the Dubai mall, trying their hand at an indoor ski lift or taking a dhow (boat) down the Dubai creek to dinner, the most photographed spot in the Emirate has got to be the Burj al Arab.
A pre-marital-woes Tiger has hit golf balls off the helipad and Andre Agassi played Roger Federer a game of tennis there long before his drug-use admissions.
Celebrities at the height of their success regale in the opulent suites which can run as much as $30,000 a night. Common folk pass through, too (you can tour the hotel free with any restaurant reservation) and leave with photos proving they were inside the world's tallest atrium (180 metres).
"By exceeding their expectations and focusing on their individual needs, we make all our guests feel like celebrities," says Sixtus. "We transform them into kings and queens, princes and princesses as soon as they enter the premises."
It's not all flash. With more than 1,600 staff from more than 55 different countries looking after the 202 suites, there's an 8-to-1 ratio of staff to guests. A receptionist on each floor and 24-hour butler service further heightens service.
Developed by Emaar Properties PJSC, the Burj Khalifa seems intent to press the high-expectation envelope Burj al Arab fans have come to expect.
"The sheer size, scale and architectural detailing of Burj Khalifa demanded an unprecedented degree of engineering innovation," says Mohamed Alabbar, Emaar properties chairman of the building that will be at the centre of the new downtown Dubai. It's down the street from the world's largest mall and around the corner from the world's tallest performing fountain. While the Burj Khalifa is more business tower than tourism opportunity, there will be ways for tourists to enjoy it as well.
An outdoor viewing terrace on the 124th floor of the tower offers breathtaking views of the Emirate that was once all desert sand and camels and now boasts more five-star hotels than anywhere else in the world.
The Park, an 11-hectare green space that is sure to become a downtown draw with six water features set among greenery, flowering trees and shrubs.
The world's first Armani Hotel and Residences, corporate suites and retail options.
Whether the Burj Khalifa will have the longevity of attraction its sister has found remains to be seen. For now, travellers know that, for the time being at least, Dubai has done it again.
Heather Greenwood Davis is a Toronto-based freelance writer. Her trip was subsidized by Dubai Department of Tourism and Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts.
95
The distance in kilometres at which Burj Khalifa 's spire can still be seen
124
The floor location of `At The Top, Burj Khalifa.' the world's highest and only publicly accessible observation deck with an outdoor terrace
160
The number of luxury hotel rooms and suites
605
The vertical height in metres to which concrete was pumped in the construction of Burj Khalifa , a world record for concrete pumping.
504
The distance traveled, or `rise' in metres of Burj Khalifa 's main service lift, the most of any elevator
49
The number of office floors, including the 12-floor annexure
57
The number of elevators
1,044
The number of residential apartments inside Burj Khalifa
3,000
The number of underground parking spaces
5,500
The capacity in kilograms of the tower's service lift
31,400
The amount of steel rebar in metric tonnes used in the structure of Burj Khalifa
28,261
The number of glass cladding panels making up the exterior of the tower and its two annexes
15,000
The amount of water in litres collected from the tower's cooling equipment that will be used for landscaping irrigation
900
The length in feet of the world's tallest performing fountain, The Dubai Fountain, that lies at the foot of the tower
19
The number of hectares of lush green landscaping that envelops the foot of the tower
12,000
The numbers of workers on site during peak of construction
DUBAI–This place is no stranger to icons.
There's the Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts' Burj al Arab – the billowing sail-shaped hotel that launches millions of desktops and prompts an email forwarding frenzy like no other.
And there's the 12-million-plus square foot Dubai Mall – a shopper's dream and a shopping spouse's nightmare.
This week, they unveiled their latest ace in the hole.
The Burj Khalifa (originally called the Burj Dubai, but renamed Burj Khalifa this week in honour of Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan, head of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Abu Dhabi) – the world's tallest tower – opened on Jan. 4. It's more than 800 metres tall, with more than 160 floors and cost about $800 million U.S. to build.
After a turbulent and unprecedented financially unstable fall, the new source of pride is likely to be as much about asserting Dubai's stability as it is about showing off the Emirate's flair for all things, bigger, taller and unexpected. Burj Khalifa joins its sister projects in keeping Dubai at the creativity forefront in architectural design. It has big shoes to fill.
When the Burj al Arab garnered the world's attention 10 years ago, it created a whole new level of hotel dreams. Pegged as the world's only seven-star hotel – a feat in and of itself since the star rating system only goes to five – Dubai's most lavish signature property (which took five years and a man-made island to build) immediately caught the attention of celebrities, business travellers and daydreamers alike.
Royston Sixtus is the assistant concierge manager at the property and has been on the front lines since the Jumeirah team began the hotel's pre-opening plans.
For him, the 10th anniversary is a statement about the Emirates' development as a whole.
"I have seen an ocean of change with rapid development of hotels, residential areas, shopping malls, infrastructure, the Dubai Metro and most striking of all is that there are seemingly endless skyscrapers now," says the 39-year old native of Bangalore, India.
But while you may find celebrities popping into the Dubai mall, trying their hand at an indoor ski lift or taking a dhow (boat) down the Dubai creek to dinner, the most photographed spot in the Emirate has got to be the Burj al Arab.
A pre-marital-woes Tiger has hit golf balls off the helipad and Andre Agassi played Roger Federer a game of tennis there long before his drug-use admissions.
Celebrities at the height of their success regale in the opulent suites which can run as much as $30,000 a night. Common folk pass through, too (you can tour the hotel free with any restaurant reservation) and leave with photos proving they were inside the world's tallest atrium (180 metres).
"By exceeding their expectations and focusing on their individual needs, we make all our guests feel like celebrities," says Sixtus. "We transform them into kings and queens, princes and princesses as soon as they enter the premises."
It's not all flash. With more than 1,600 staff from more than 55 different countries looking after the 202 suites, there's an 8-to-1 ratio of staff to guests. A receptionist on each floor and 24-hour butler service further heightens service.
Developed by Emaar Properties PJSC, the Burj Khalifa seems intent to press the high-expectation envelope Burj al Arab fans have come to expect.
"The sheer size, scale and architectural detailing of Burj Khalifa demanded an unprecedented degree of engineering innovation," says Mohamed Alabbar, Emaar properties chairman of the building that will be at the centre of the new downtown Dubai. It's down the street from the world's largest mall and around the corner from the world's tallest performing fountain. While the Burj Khalifa is more business tower than tourism opportunity, there will be ways for tourists to enjoy it as well.
An outdoor viewing terrace on the 124th floor of the tower offers breathtaking views of the Emirate that was once all desert sand and camels and now boasts more five-star hotels than anywhere else in the world.
The Park, an 11-hectare green space that is sure to become a downtown draw with six water features set among greenery, flowering trees and shrubs.
The world's first Armani Hotel and Residences, corporate suites and retail options.
Whether the Burj Khalifa will have the longevity of attraction its sister has found remains to be seen. For now, travellers know that, for the time being at least, Dubai has done it again.
Heather Greenwood Davis is a Toronto-based freelance writer. Her trip was subsidized by Dubai Department of Tourism and Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts.
CanWest Satista
Canada's largest newspaper group is on the auction block amid the biggest upheaval in the country's media industry in years.
CanWest Global Communications Corp., whose late founder Israel (Izzy) Asper once dreamed of creating a worldwide media empire, put most of its big-city dailies into bankruptcy protection Friday after sinking under about $3 billion of debt.
The move ends almost a decade of efforts by the Asper family to make many of Canada's leading newspapers a key part of their drive to turn what was once a small, Winnipeg-based company into a national powerhouse, influencing opinion across the country and beyond.
CanWest said its newspapers – including the National Post, its only daily not now under protection from creditors – are looking for new owners in hopes of wiping out some of the company's debt while keeping the newspapers in business.
The long-anticipated filing for a court-supervised restructuring comes as the newspaper industry undergoes wrenching changes. Advertising revenue is beginning to recover after the recession, but the move by readers and advertisers to the Internet remains a major challenge for the industry.
"It's a sad day for me. The Aspers have lost control of Izzy's legacy," said Ray Heard, a longtime Asper family adviser. Izzy Asper died in 2003, leaving his son Leonard in charge as CanWest's CEO.
The company hopes to fetch between $1 billion and $1.5 billion for the newspaper group – less than half what it paid Conrad Black's Hollinger group for it in 2000.
Last October, CanWest took many of its broadcasting properties, including Global TV, into bankruptcy protection.
The Aspers intend to retain control of their broadcasting business, the foundation of the family's shrinking empire, but they are likely to have little role in the future newspaper company.
CanWest Global Communications Corp., whose late founder Israel (Izzy) Asper once dreamed of creating a worldwide media empire, put most of its big-city dailies into bankruptcy protection Friday after sinking under about $3 billion of debt.
The move ends almost a decade of efforts by the Asper family to make many of Canada's leading newspapers a key part of their drive to turn what was once a small, Winnipeg-based company into a national powerhouse, influencing opinion across the country and beyond.
CanWest said its newspapers – including the National Post, its only daily not now under protection from creditors – are looking for new owners in hopes of wiping out some of the company's debt while keeping the newspapers in business.
The long-anticipated filing for a court-supervised restructuring comes as the newspaper industry undergoes wrenching changes. Advertising revenue is beginning to recover after the recession, but the move by readers and advertisers to the Internet remains a major challenge for the industry.
"It's a sad day for me. The Aspers have lost control of Izzy's legacy," said Ray Heard, a longtime Asper family adviser. Izzy Asper died in 2003, leaving his son Leonard in charge as CanWest's CEO.
The company hopes to fetch between $1 billion and $1.5 billion for the newspaper group – less than half what it paid Conrad Black's Hollinger group for it in 2000.
Last October, CanWest took many of its broadcasting properties, including Global TV, into bankruptcy protection.
The Aspers intend to retain control of their broadcasting business, the foundation of the family's shrinking empire, but they are likely to have little role in the future newspaper company.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)