The “Green” Wonderland of Dubai, United Arab Emirates November 15, 2008

By Bob Ferrari

Dubai in the United Arab Emirates is fast becoming “the place to visit and drop a lot of money”. The US is not the only country to figure out that the vast oil reserves of the Middle East are NOT endless. It is estimated that there is possibly 20-30 years left of oil production in the Middle East.

Brilliantly, the UAE leaders acknowledge this and have taken steps to protect their wealth from the pending oil outage. They have taken their vast oil wealth and are using it to develop Dubai at record breaking speeds. Every year there seems to be some development that seeks to out-do the previous record holder, not just in sheer height, but in some other extravagant design concept.

Here is one of the latest. 125 stories, with a turbine (propeller) – and a restaurant in the middle of the turbine, of course – is designed for the Dubai architectural wonderland by the British firm Atkins. As in all the developments in this future-looking city, this one also seeks to be completely self-sustained. A foward-looking-green and self-sustaining future plan that comes from the minds of those that are dripping in wealth from oil. The US needs to think along the same lines, certainly the country that has all the oil is doing so now.

Self-sustaining Anara Tower Dubai

There is a “hanging” garden every 27 floors…. and a huge swimming pool. The building is self-sustaining, as most of new projects for Dubai.

Sustainability from a city birthed from oil

Visit Anara Tower: http://www.anaratower.com/

More info on Dubai: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubai

Don’t Let Low Fuel Prices, Fuel Alternate Fuel Complacency November 13, 2008

The Times Tribune

Don’t Let Low Fuel Prices, Fuel Alternate Fuel Complacency

Published: Thursday, November 13, 2008
Updated: Thursday, November 13, 2008 4:20 AM EST

Back in July, when the gasoline per-gallon price was flirting with $4 and a gallon of diesel fuel was well on its way to $5, a wide array of analysts predicted that the high prices would be permanent. Gasoline, many of them said in the spring, would cost $5 a gallon by Labor Day.

Now, with oil prices south of $60 a barrel after peaking at about $145 in mid summer, many analysts predict that gasoline will cost about $2 a gallon by year’s end.

It would be a tragic mistake if consumers and the government, as they have in the past, regard the new prices as permanent. This year has demonstrated that price volatility is truly the permanent feature of the oil market.

More Info after the Jump:

http://tinyurl.com/5ay3ze