Procession of traditional figures: When Singapore celebrates, even bridges become colourful stages.

Smile, you are in Singapore!

4.12.2013

A city state that takes care of every need

When thinking about Singapore, the main assets instantly coming to mind are those of enormous progress, long-term prosperity, high efficiency in all perceivable divisions, safety, discipline, a reliable work place and a good income for every citizen, handsome, well-educated people communicating in excellent English, a luxury-hotel scape, advanced meeting venues, an award-winning airline, an ever increasing traffic volume rigorously tidied up simply by means of an alternating calendar, a sensational food platter of untold diversity, Singapore Sling, the bar at the Raffles, Singa, the Lion guarding over the harbour, a mainly fenceless zoo, relentless sunshine, giant concrete trees versus tropical lushness, shopping opportunities galore and adamant cleanliness:

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Dubai: HH Sheikh Hamdan raises UAE national flag atop Burj Khalifa.

Dubai wins bid for Expo 2020

4.12.2013

On November 27th, 2013, at 5.30 pm – during their General Assembly – the member states of The Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) based in Paris, elected The United Arab Emirates host country of the World Expo 2020. The exhibition will be held in Dubai from October 20th, 2020 to April 10th, 2021. Expected number of visitors is 25 million. Contestants in the race were Brazil, Russia and Turkey. After the third voting round the UAE emerged as the winner, beating Russia with 116 votes versus 47. The World Expo in Dubai in 2020 is the first to be held in the MENASA (Middle East, North Africa and South Asia) region.

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Dawn in the African bush: Preserving nature and resources are prime goals of humankind.

TED Talk: Let’s go all-in on selling sustainability

4.12.2013

Coming from the non-profit consultancy Climate Group, Steve Howard is now the chief sustainability officer at a furniture megastore and talks about selling sustainable products to millions of people by implementing eco-friendly materials and practices. Ikea buildings have sprouted solar panels and wind turbines, the shelves inside are stocked with LED lighting and recycled cotton. An investment of €1.5 billion flows into renewable energy sources.

298 Ikea stores have seen more than 690 million customers in 2012, buying sofas, lamps, bookshelves and other goods worth € 27 billion. More than 1,000 suppliers worldwide do business with the furniture giant.

“I don’t think we’ve fully realized the extent to which sustainability is going to shape society and the business landscape over the next couple of decades.”

South African Shanty Hotel: Human Dignity for Sale?

4.12.2013

A “long drop” from propriety

A hotel resort in South Africa insists that this is ‘an experience of a lifetime’: staying at their imitated Shanty Town! This offer is cynical, tactless, disrespectful and simply outrageous and it mocks the destitute population living at the margins of native society. The related website shows more than 2000 likes!

goodmeetings.com draws two equally disconcerting scenarios for phoney-poverty seeking guests, whose contorted assessment of the actual conditions inside a Shanty Town seems to be light-years away from reality:

1. Poverty – the fake: ‘Becoming poor’ as a pastime

Yippee! Isn’t that exciting?! Contain yourselves, please! Not really poor, of course, just pretending to be poor for the „fun“ of it, inside a hotel Shanty Town established especially for those hopelessly saturated by affluence. Those now craving to sample the gourmet side of poverty for the ultimate kick. With invisible floor-heating, running water and wireless internet access for the comfort they would not miss for anything in the world – not even when voluntarily poor, albeit mercifully temporary! After all, this is ‘the only Shanty Town in the world equipped with such luxury’! They also provide you with a ‘long drop effect toilet’. Emphasis on effect. It’s not the genuine thing, but then again: genuine is not what you are looking for. Moreover, you are probably being given some candles and old-fashioned paraffin lamps to help you douse your hut in a romantic light and – just like in any truly desolate slum – you can kindle a crackling fire in a rusted old barrel drum and leisurely ‘braai’ yourselves senseless open-air every day in any weather…
(quote hotel)… within the safe environment of a private game reserve that is ideal for team building, braais and fancy theme parties. (Quote ends)

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New Zealand: Is Middle-earth closer than we think?

4.12.2013

Those who believe that middle-earth is far away, err: for New Zealanders and Australians and some of the islanders in the neighbourhood, it is pretty close. For inhabitants of other destinations usually dubbed ‘long-haul’ like Shanghai, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Hong Kong and Tokyo, ‘it is just a sleep away’, says Jodi Williams, head of Global Brand Development of Air New Zealand. That may be true. Europe, however, is painfully remote – and for us over here New Zealand, indeed, ‘is tucked away at the bottom of the earth’. Meaning, that most of us are deprived of ever experiencing the awesome scenery live, that has been filming location for a series of unearthly movies of monumental calibre.

 

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