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BorderCrossed

BorderCrossed
A traveler trying to cross national, cultural, and ideological borders

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World?s tallest architectual structures - Taipei now, Dubai later
2007-05-30 06:48:00
The tallest building in the the world, a title widely coveted, is being claimed by 3 cities, namely Kuala Lumpur Petronas Towers Chicago Sears Tower Taipei Taipei 101 On measuring the height of a building, various definitions exist. Depending on which one you use, the answer is different 1. Height to ...
More About: World , Dubai , Structure , Architect

World?s tallest architectual structures - Taipei now, Dubai later
2007-05-30 06:48:00
The tallest building in the the world, a title widely coveted, is being claimed by 3 cities, namely Kuala Lumpur Petronas TowersChicago Sears TowerTaipei Taipei 101 On measuring the height of a building, various definitions exist. Depending on which one you use, the answer is different 1. Height to ...
More About: Taiwan , World , Dubai , Late

World's tallest architectual structures - Taipei now, Dubai later
2007-05-30 06:48:00
The tallest building in the the world, a title widely coveted, is being claimed by 3 cities, namelyKuala Lumpur Petronas TowersChicago Sears TowerTaipei Taipei 101On measuring the height of a building, various definitions exist. Depending on which one you use, the answer is different1. Height to the structural or architectural top (including spires and pinnacles, but not antennas, masts or flagpoles). Taipei 1012. Height to the highest occupied floor. Taipei 1013. Height to the top of the roof. Taipei 1014. Height to the top of antenna. Sears TowersBut Taipei 101 will not hold its record for too long. In Dubai , a structure is going to surpass all previous records, and can claim to be the tallest building in the world, without any doubt. It is still under construction. When completed, it will be about 800 meters tall with 160 floors. As of now, it is already one of the 5 tallest buildings in the world, set to climb up the ladder as construction goes on. Every time I drive by...
More About: Late , Structure , Architect

Kuwait?s oil dependency
2007-05-28 18:39:00
Kuwait is a major oil exporting country, and it’s economy is highly dependent on the oil sector. Here is a piece of interesting statistic that I’d like to share. Below is a list of the 10 largest industrial and service sectors in Kuwait, and their contribution to GDP. Oil is the largest sector, bigger than all ...
More About: Kuwait , Epen , Wait

Kuwait's oil dependency
2007-05-28 18:39:00
Kuwait is a major oil exporting country, and it's economy is highly dependent on the oil sector.Here is a piece of interesting statistic that I'd like to share. Below is a list of the 10 largest industrial and service sectors in Kuwait, and their contribution to GDP. Oil is the largest sector, bigger than all the 9 other top 10 sectors combinedWhile the economy is booming now due to high oil price, this situation should not be taken for granted. If oil price plummets, the economy will face big problems. It should diversity its economy away from oil to better react to oil price fluctuationsGDP contribution from each sector2005 figures, in USD millions1. Energy, Mining and Quarrying (24)2. Public Administration, Sanitary and Personal Services (8)3. Business Services (3)4. Real Estate & Dwelling (2)5. Petroleum Refineries (2)6. Financial Institutions (2)7. Retail Trade (2)8. Wholesale Trade (1)9. Communications (1)10. Transportation & Storage (1)The...
More About: Epen , Wait

2 related stories - An Autumn's Tale (?????) and Daniel Fung (???)
2007-05-23 22:16:00
Life is full of surprise. At one of the Jumeirah hotels in Dubai, I randomly bumped into Daniel Fung (???). He was with some African delegation thenDaniel is quite an influencial person in Hong Kong. A few years ago, he was narrowly passed over for the Secretary of Justice, now belongs to Mr. Wong Yan-lun. He is now head of the Hong Kong Broadcasting Authority, the city's regulator of mass media. Apparently Daniel is not a fan of pop culture. Recently, he ruled against broadcasting one of my favorite movies, An Autumn's Tale, or Chou Tin Dik Tong Wah (?????, or ????), in fullAn Autumn's Tale is a classic in 1987, starring Chow Yun-fat (???) and Cherie Chung (???). It tells a lot about how life used to be in New York's Chinatown. The script was so well-written that some phrases are still well remembered among people in Hong Kong. No wonder Daniel's decision has triggered much public outrageHere are some phrases that resonate among people in Hong Kong. I only wish I had the talen...
More About: Stories , Tori , Late , Related

Flight timetable software
2007-05-22 21:04:00
For frequent fliers, finding the best route is a constant headache. People always want to find flights thatMeet their time schedule- For those who travel during the week, flights departing 7 - 9pm are the best. Then you can work the whole day in one city, travel to another and start the next dayHave the least number of stops, or ideally, non-stopHave the best timed connections- You don't want to wait in Heathrow for 8 hours for your connecting flight. Examples of well-timed connection are flights from Taipei to Shanghai, via Jeju Island. Barring direct flights, this is the shortest route between Taiwan and Mainland China, with travel time just ~4 hoursThese are some tools that help you plan your trips. Using these programs, you can look at flights and find the route that best fits your need. An handy feature of these programs is that you can use them on the go, without the Internet. The timetables are downloaded automatically when you're online, and are stored in your computer. Th...
More About: Software , Flight

Volunteering for Beijing Olympics
2007-05-21 08:46:00
Beijing Olympics is coming in a year’s time. There’s one way to see your favorite sports star, free of charge! (This is not scam) The way is to become volunteer Applications are open to Chinese living inside and outside China , Taiwanese, and foreigners. Many types of positions are available, so you can either apply the skills ...
More About: Beijing , Beijing Olympics , Volunteering

Volunteering for Beijing Olympics
2007-05-21 08:46:00
Beijing Olympics is coming in a year’s time. There’s one way to see your favorite sports star, free of charge! (This is not scam) The way is to become volunteer Applications are open to Chinese living inside and outside China, Taiwanese, and foreigners. Many types of positions are available, so you can either apply the skills ...
More About: Beijing , Beijing Olympics , Volunteering , Volunteer

Volunteering for Beijing Olympics
2007-05-21 08:46:00
Beijing Olympics is coming in a year's time. There's one way to see your favorite sports star, free of charge! (This is not scam) The way is to become volunteerApplications are open to Chinese living inside and outside China, Taiwanese, and foreigners. Many types of positions are available, so you can either apply the skills learnt in your normal job in the Olympics, or acquire a new skill via volunteeringDeadline for applications will be March 2008. But don't miss the opportunity - so apply early!The official website isn't a one-stop shop. People from different regions have to apply differently. Here's a brief guidance on where you should go, depending on where you are. Hope it helps!Applicants from Taiwan: www.bjtx.orgApplicants from HK: www.hab.gov.hkApplicants from Macau: www.sport.gov.moOverseas Chinese: http://www.bjqb.gov.cnNon-Chinese volunteers: www.ebeijing.gov.cnMore information about Beijing Olympics Site for volunteers of Beijing OlympicsBeijing Olympics official we...
More About: Beijing , Volunteering , Volunteer

American soliders in Iraq - mental health survey
2007-05-20 00:18:00
The Pentagon has released a report on the mental health of American soldiers in Iraq . The results are worrying. My read on its findingsFactors affecting soldiers' mental health, pretty logical, no surprise1. Soldiers are more likely to have mental problems the longer they stay in Iraq2. If they are actually engaged in combat, they get significantly higher stress levels3. Marines and soldiers suffer equally (dismissing claims by many that marines are better, tougher fighters)Soldiers' attitude towards treating non-combatants, reflecting their status of mental health. Alarming!1. 41% of soldiers and 44% of marines believed that torture should be permitted if it would save the life of a fellow soldier or marine2. 36% of soldiers and 39% of marines said torture should be allowed to extract important information about Iraqi insurgents3. 47% of soldiers and 38% of marines felt that non-combatants should be treated with dignity and respect, as required by the Geneva ConventionsWhile ackn...
More About: Health , Mental , Survey , Mental Health

Kuwait airport satisfaction, or dis-satisfaction?
2007-05-19 23:23:00
I have always had bad experience with Kuwait International Airport . Lately I've spent many hours just waiting for visa to be issued. They employ a lot of people, but they don't seem to care about passengers. Rather, they just play with their phones, smoke, make fun of each others, in front of many disgruntled customers! The tip from me is to always have visas pre-arranged before you reach Kuwait soil. That'd save you 2 hours PER TRIP!To contribute to the world's body of knowledge on airport satisfaction, or share some of your dissatisfactions with your fellow travelers, feel free to fill in this surveyAlternatively, if you are impressed by the service that an airport has offered, you can nominate your airport of choice for the World Airport Award. In the past, the winners have been Singapore, Hong Kong and Dubai. Coincidentally, all of them used to be British colonies. If only Heathrow can match them in terms of waiting time, I'll be 10 times happier
More About: Satisfaction , Wait , Kuwait Airport

Kuwait airport satisfaction, or dis-satisfaction?
2007-05-19 23:23:00
I have always had bad experience with Kuwait International Airport . Lately I’ve spent many hours just waiting for visa to be issued. They employ a lot of people, but they don’t seem to care about passengers. Rather, they just play with their phones, smoke, make fun of each others, in front of many disgruntled customers! ...
More About: Satisfaction , Wait , Kuwait Airport

Old consulting joke
2007-05-16 22:29:00
This is an ever-green joke that has been circulated among the email joke community for a long time, and I receive it again today. For the guys who laugh at it, I'm glad you understand the similarity between the two occupations. They are both showbizAre you a prostitute or a consultant?You work very odd hours.You are paid a lot of money to keep your client happy.You are paid well but your pimp gets most of the money.You spend a majority of your time in a hotel room.You charge by the hour but your time can be extended for the right price.You are not proud of what you do.Creating fantasies for your clients is rewarded.It's difficult to have a family.You have no job satisfaction.If a client beats you up, the pimp just sends you to another client.You are embarrassed to tell people what you do for a living.People ask you, "What do you do?" and you can't explain it.Your family hardly recognizes you at reunions (at least the reunions you attend.)Your friends have distanced themselves fro...
More About: Joke , Consulting , Cons

Kuwaiti and Croatian friends
2007-05-16 13:05:00
I’m extremely delighted to be able to spend time with two fine gentlemen, a Kuwaiti (Mr. K) and a Croatian (Mr. C). Because of them, I truely feel how fortunate I have been. Both of them have experienced wars first-hand. Mr. K with the First Gulf War and Mr. C with the Yogoslavian war in ...
More About: Friends , Ends , Wait

Kuwaiti and Croatian friends
2007-05-16 13:05:00
I'm extremely delighted to be able to spend time with two fine gentlemen, a Kuwaiti (Mr. K) and a Croatian (Mr. C). Because of them, I truely feel how fortunate I have been. Both of them have experienced wars first-hand. Mr. K with the First Gulf War and Mr. C with the Yogoslavian war in the early 90'sOne of the conversations with Mr. K goes like thisMe: What do you think about the US?Mr. K: Well, I can't say that I agree with the US foreign policy. But I have to be thankful to them. Without America, there's no Kuwaiti. By the way, our security depends on the US now. So we are friendsMe: Do you feel happy being a friend of the US?Mr. K: I know their intentions. They didn't help us because they really love Kuwaitis. But I was in Kuwait City during the whole duration of Iraqi occupation. Life was tough. When the Iraqis retreated, they took everyone they could see hostage. No matter how evil their intentions are, the outcome is that the US saved usMe: Do you like to continue worki...
More About: Friends , Ends , Wait

Kuwaiti and Croatian friends
2007-05-16 13:05:00
I’m extremely delighted to be able to spend time with two fine gentlemen, a Kuwait i (Mr. K) and a Croatian (Mr. C). Because of them, I truely feel how fortunate I have been. Both of them have experienced wars first-hand. Mr. K with the First Gulf War and Mr. C with the Yogoslavian war in ...
More About: Friends , Ends , Kuwaiti , Wait

Triggers of development - Buj Al Arab in Dubai
2007-05-15 17:17:00
Although the fate of cities often may depend more on luck than meticulous planning, Governments often try to spearhead development by launching grand projects. Officials are perhaps inspired by the few success stories, and the glory that come with themOne rare success story is the Buj Al Arab hotel in Dubai Before the hotel, Dubai was a small town in the Gulf. Without much oil, it was economically and politically unimportant than UAE's capital, Abu Dhabi. Completion of Buj Al Arab has marked Dubai's transformation to a vibrant international city. Overnight, people have started flocking in. It gives hope, showing that nothing is impossible, if you have a dream. So the Dubai dream has attracted many international talents to work there. The city then enters a virtuous cycle. Everyday, new buildings are added and new grand schemes announced. It's now one of the most dynamic cities to be inArchitectually, the hotel is a masterpiece. It combines Dubai's tradition, sailing, fishery and ...
More About: Development , Triggers , Develop

Team room culture - long hours, low satisfaction
2007-05-13 21:50:00
There is one thing I absolutely hate about today’s working environment. On projects, I sometimes work in the so-called “team rooms” These creatures are usually 10 feet x 10 feet rooms without windows (although sometimes smaller), originally designed as storage. They have found another use - to host unwelcomed guests. Working conditions can be compared with ...
More About: Culture , Team , Long , Room , Satisfaction

Team room culture - long hours, low satisfaction
2007-05-13 21:50:00
There is one thing I absolutely hate about today's working environment. On projects, I sometimes work in the so-called "team rooms"These creatures are usually 10 feet x 10 feet rooms without windows (although sometimes smaller), originally designed as storage. They have found another use - to host unwelcomed guests. Working conditions can be compared with those experienced by child laborers at the start of the industrial revolution. Usually 5 people cram into those boxes and labor for 16 hours a dayThey make my life less pleasant than they should be, and make my workdays 3 hours longer, on average. In my opinion, they are special structures designed to humiliate every worker, except for the manager. Managers like team rooms, because they can keep annoying each person, and shout to them whenever they wantA much better setting is separate desks for work, and rooms designed for meetings only. That'd allow much better concentration and employees can work at their own place. After all,...
More About: Culture , Team , Long , Room , Satisfaction

City design in East Asia vs. the Middle East
2007-05-13 21:49:00
Having spent many years in East Asia , cities in the Gulf are amazing to me. Highways are everywhere, everybody drives, the poorer people take taxis. I still miss being able to walk across the street and buy groceries, travel to work by subway, and going to remote tours by train Density in Gulf cities are a ...
More About: Middle East , Design , The Middle East

More articles from this author:
1, 2, 3