and then there was one...

So Dubai-Inc creeps towards becoming a world dominating entity. In fact, one news report claimed that the upcoming "merger" of Dubai Holding's real estate entities in to Emaar (they're being swallowed, come on, they sacked all their staff months ago) would create the largest corporation on earth.

Well, we have the biggest building, why not shoot high...

The news caused Emaar stocks to plummet, ostensibly because of the lack of data around the actual value of the assets being incorporated. It's a fair comment, as there is precious little information on any of them, as they're all private companies.

As the dust starts to settle in the sandpit and the bare bones of the restructure start to become visible, one just wonders whether anyone really knows what it's going to look like when it's done. I used to have faith that they did. I'm not so convinced anymore.

More ramblings

And so the debate over mainstream media coverage of the recent events in Iran wages on. In a slightly more lighthearted vein, Gulf News managed to put three of the most unrelated news stories next to each other yesterday.

The recount story. Important bit of news. I'd suggest that the deaths of 7 overnight, the beatings and burnings at the University, and a bit of analysis on overall situation might have been more worthy of the front page, rather than a rather badly written summary of the official statements issued by the Iranian regime.

Ok so, it's not a great story, but it is important world news worthy of top headline status, which it has got. Iran is right next door. And this is the Gulf News. And this country is full, full, full of Iranians, who are rightly rather upset and concerned about the events in their country.
So what do they put next to it? Paris fucking Hilton. The sub-head reads "Hollywood glamour burst from the doors of an aircraft at Dubai Airport as Paris Hilton touched down in the UAE - and Gulf News was there to capture the moment."

Gulf News was also there to "capture a moment" when the Iranians went out on the streets of Dubai to protest. That picture was buried in the back somewhere and I had to dig to find it on the web. There wasn't any mention of the protests on the streets outside the Iranian embassy in Dubai.

In contrast, there are big fat stories pondering "What Paris will do in Dubai?", "Paris' first comment on landing in Dubai" {when can i see the desert} "Competition - win Paris' handbag"
And to top it all off, the other story that made the front page..... "British women told to keep their tops on abroad." Right. Because all of us Brits have been flaunting our bosoms around Dubai like a fleet of Carry on up the Sheikh Zayed Road nymphettes.

I despair.

The light at the end of the tunnel for me tho, was a little snippet in dear old Gulf News reporting that Dr Al Fahim has been replaced as CEO of Hydra. I can't help but wonder if that might be related to the fact that the New York Times wrote a rather scathing article recently, noting that the University where Dr Fahim (as he insists on being addressed) doesn't actually offer the doctorate program in real estate that he apparently completed. Never has. Good plan that - make up a doctorate, create a TV show that is a complete rip off of "The Apprentice" and you've styled yourself as Donald Trump, sell a shed-load of real estate then forget to build the actual houses, buy a football team, and expect everyone to sit back and laud you with praise and reward.

The words - You're fired.... must be ringing in his ears...

Poooor lil senator...

Another lovely Twitter moment.

This evening I find myself in the Emirates lounge, waiting to board the 245am flight to Gatwick landing at 720am. I've read a mag, downed a few Canadian Club/Soda, played on facebook, and then turned to Twitter. To find the Twitterverse delighting in "handing the ass back" to a Republican senator from Michigan who'd decided to draw a parallel between the persecution that Iranian protestors are experiencing this week, and the drubbing that the Republicans received in Congress over something or other.

I didn't believe the initial tweet and replied to a contact. He sent me a link and it's true - this idiot actually thought that was a fair comparison. The mind boggles.

A sample of the (rather amusing) responses includes:
TPIP: hey @nancypelosi can you please tear gas @petehoekstra and beat him repeatedly with batons so he has something real to whine about? about 1 hour ago
•TahirDuckett: @petehoekstra ran through the sprinklers this morning, claimed solidarity with victims of Hurricane Katrina about 1 hour ago
• d_knox: d_knox @petehoekstra, i broke a glass today. now i know what the kristallnacht must have felt like
• _DeadBattery: All I'm saying is - imagine, time last year, someone told you that @JohnMcCain and @PeteHoekstra would be all buddy-buddy with Iranians. about 1 hour ago
• jdb: @petehoekstra I had to pay sales tax on some potato chips today... Now I know what our Founding Fathers went through. about 1 hour ago
• Mitch42: Uh No.: @petehoekstra (R - MI): "Iranian twitter activity similar to... last year when Rs were shut down in the House." #analogyfail about 1 hour ago
• ktcowen: RT @curtsmith responses to Rep.@petehoekstra comparing freedom fighters in Iran with Republicans are hilarious: http://bit.ly/Yumry (expand) about 1 hour ago
•Jdb: RT GOP Rep @petehoekstra: Iranian twitter activity similar to what we did in House last year when Republicans were shut down in the House. about 1 hour ago
• Cut_here: @petehoekstra I burned my finger this morning on a hot plate, now I know how Joan of Arc felt.. about 1 hour ago
• TahirDuckett: @petehoekstra and @johnculberson, those poor Congressmen have so much in common with disenfranchised Iranians dying for democracy. Pathetic. about 1 hour ago
•Trusloth: @petehoekstra Got a $0.25 library fine. Reminded me of debtors' prison #GOPFail about 1 hour ago
• Amysco: @petehoekstra Yep, you're just like the Iranians! I must've missed Nancy Pelosi and her army beating you with clubs... about 1 hour ago

That's just a sample. It amused me hugely. It illustrates so many of the key key key elements of any successful comms strategy - it doesn't really matter about the medium - if your message is flawed, you're fucked. Ok, so that may not be how I phrase it in training sessions, but essentially it boils down to one thing. The immediacy of the media today means that anyone in a position of responsibility immediately needs to be aware that anything they say, anywhere, will form and shape the dialogue around their particular sphere. Thus they must learn from comms pros, or work with comms pros, to decide what that message is. It's not rocket science. But it amuses me hugely that a half-brained republican senator from michigan stepped up so willingly as the sacrificial lamb to the cause. Alhumdillilah. If that's not too controversial a sign off...?

Intro...

Me: opinionated, slightly cynical comms person based in Dubai since '02.

This: somewhere to expand on the observations, rants, and thoughts expressed on twitter or Caribou. Likely to focus on the comms industry, meeja in general, and the state of Dubai. But unlikely to stick to that remit.

So, welcome. Please comment, it's much more fun that way.