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See the original image at flickr.com —

A View From The Top: Burj Dubai

flickr.com — The pictues says it, best view of burj from the top.

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  • zplot, on 05/24/2008, -5/+86And it still has more construction to go! Jeeez
    • wjfox2008, on 05/24/2008, -3/+17Yep, about 170 meters still to go. Latest photos can be seen here:

      http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=534 ...
      When complete, it will be 819m/162 floors. To give you an idea of scale, that's like stacking 2 World Trade Centers on top of each other!
    • CrispRain, on 05/24/2008, -5/+6Do you see that patch of grass to the bottom right? Yep the environmentalists rallied alot for that!
      • abhiroop, on 05/24/2008, -1/+23Dubai is a DESERT so any patch of grass is quite hard to come by.
    • Micktion, on 05/24/2008, -0/+26I lived in Dubai for 6 months and I can tell you, "and it still has more construction to go!" is Dubai's Catch phrase. Every time I go back its like rediscovering a whole new city all over again. I think everyone has been saying for about the last 10 years, "...well its total chaos now and a total pain in the arse to live here, but man when its all finished the place is going to be a dream city". Once they're done.....

      Once they're done on this tower, they will begin work on an even taller tower that will be just over 1km tall!

      I think rather than building new towers they really need to wow us all by building the most impressive mass transit system in the world, traffic there is a real nightmare.
      • hamidious, on 05/25/2008, -0/+1Completely Agree about the traffic. There should be trains all over and under the city.
    • imacbook, on 05/24/2008, -13/+5Buried as inaccurate for not being "a view from the top" - it's a view high above the top from some sort of flying vehicle and I believe the whole thing may be shopped anyway.
      • DillonHinson, on 05/24/2008, -2/+3Photoshopped


        Nah, just kidding. But yeah, it's not really a view "from the top". It's a view from a helicopter flying over the top of the tower. Two very different views here. But you'd probably get a much better sense of how tall it is if you were actually standing on the very top of the tower looking out over the city. Because in this photo you cannot see anything on the horizon to reference to, this picture is basically useless.

        And I doubt that flickr page owner actually took that photo. Some serious violations there.
    • encrypteduser, on 05/25/2008, -1/+5We apologize, the comment you are attempting to view has been blocked due to its content being inconsistent with the religious, cultural, politcal and moral values of the United Arab Emirates.
    • tetfsu, on 05/25/2008, -1/+3if you want to find out more about the tower and the construction timeline, process, materials, fire and safety, etc. you can go to the website for the building at > http://www.burjdubai.com/ They have a lot of pretty cool info there.
  • DeskFlyer, on 05/24/2008, -5/+12I got dizzy looking at that.
    • yuanzhoulu, on 05/24/2008, -13/+0i don't understand this fascination with building things higher. just because of the way the earth and the universe works, everything is going to eventually get destroyed. every building will crumble with time, every city will turn to ash and rock with time. most often these events happen suddenly when natural disasters hit. when that happens, this thing will just get knocked to the ground and kill everyone in it, while 2-storey and 3-storey buildings at least spare a chance of survival to the inhabitants.
    • beatmyguest, on 05/24/2008, -0/+2This video was posted here a few months ago but still a nice view from the top.
      http://www.metacafe.com/watch/949045/worlds_talles ...
  • thundacracka, on 05/24/2008, -6/+206Dubai looks very.... sandy.
  • Henweigh, on 05/24/2008, -2/+65The sepia tones.... they blind...
    • likeyehokwhatev, on 05/24/2008, -1/+15The goggles, they do nothing!
  • nirav72, on 05/24/2008, -9/+29Looking at the picture closely...all the buildings around the Burj are under construction also. Bubble anyone?
    • HyperionHK, on 05/24/2008, -1/+24I believe they are. Apparently Dubai is creating an entirely new Downtown Dubai with the Burj Dubai being just one part of the $20 billion project
    • wejmahtin, on 05/24/2008, -5/+13Not a bubble. Stop watching American news :) There's 0 income tax for people who live in Dubai, so most of the people living on the man-made islands are from abroad, and bring a ton of money into the area. Saying Dubai's continual construction is a bubble is like saying corporations in the US will stop incorporating in Delaware.
      • silikon2, on 05/24/2008, -6/+4It's the rate of building that makes it a bubble or not, not whether the conditions are favorable.
    • DD00, on 05/24/2008, -0/+950% of the world's cranes are in Dubai currently. Yes, that little place has 50% of them. Beyond insane.
  • iamh2, on 05/24/2008, -1/+278It looks like the entire city is being built at one time.
    • scotticus, on 05/24/2008, -16/+28I predict that city will be a ***** in ~40 years. I don't see how this rapid growth is going to be followed by anything but a crash.
      • MOJIRA, on 05/24/2008, -11/+8If and when the rest of the world gets off oil, yes the city they're building will be unsustainable seeing as how no one lives there (slight exaggeration).
        • mooseontheloose, on 05/24/2008, -2/+18Oil only accounts for 6% of Dubai's revenues
        • abhiroop, on 05/24/2008, -2/+14Yes the WHOLE point of this is so that when the world "gets off oil" Dubai can carry on progressing. Tourism is becoming HUGE.
        • Goblin, on 05/24/2008, -1/+6Dubai is reinventing itself, or to be more accurate inventing itself, as a centre of tourism and business. It really is expecting to be the centre of the world within twenty years.
        • yuanzhoulu, on 05/24/2008, -2/+8dubai's location also makes it a great place to implement solar power, with the scorching hot sun and continuously dry climate. i suspect if they do things right they can live off green power too.

          natural resources aren't necessary for a country to be sustainable. singapore is extremely prosperous ultimately because of intellect and the very high standard of education that allows most of the country to work mental skill-requiring jobs, for example.
        • RobotCitizen, on 05/25/2008, -1/+4Preparation for Peak Oil and beyond is the whole reason this construction is happening. The UAE government want's Dubai to become an epicenter for business and tourism.
        • AROZ, on 05/25/2008, -0/+2Dubai is far from the traditional business centres like New York, London and Tokyo. Oil is needed to transport tourists and business people to Dubai. The more expensive it is to travel, the more Dubai will be affected. It probably won't become some urban failure, but its grandiosity might be diminished.
      • celticspringers, on 05/24/2008, -1/+4You never know. Singapore was a poverty stricken patch of dirt until the 1970s. Hong Kong wasn´t much different. There are a lot of precendents for sudden and enduring economic growth.
      • Nevotraz, on 05/24/2008, -0/+4I doubt it. Dubai is doing the right thing by diversifying their economy in every way they can. Only a very small fraction of their GDP depends on oil revenue these days.
    • Homerr, on 05/24/2008, -7/+22That's funny, all I can see is record oil profits in that picture.
      • MtheoryX, on 05/24/2008, -3/+12Hey, look in the lower right corner. That's my $72 fillup last week sitting right there. Cool.
      • eclipxe, on 05/24/2008, -2/+12You should get your glasses checked then. Dubai's economy and expansion is largely funded by tourism, not oil profits. Roughly 10% of their income comes from oil (http://www.economist.com/cities/findStory.cfm?CITY ... oil that is scheduled to be depleted by 2010. Dubai made a wise decision to branch out into different revenue streams (tourism, tech business) as to NOT be dependent on only supplying oil.

        Please do some research for a change before posting stupid comments.

        • notoneofus, on 05/24/2008, -2/+3Tourism and financial services. Though most of Dubai's money doesn't come from oil directly, they are the largest repository in the middle east for oil money.
    • macrymble, on 05/24/2008, -0/+15They must be Protoss.
    • notoneofus, on 05/24/2008, -0/+1Just another of its sub-cities, which will house a population almost the size of Eugene.
    • jake86, on 05/24/2008, -0/+4Alas, Dubai wasn't built in a day.
    • ErikHK, on 05/24/2008, -0/+1fun fact: The city is the most crane-dense city in the world.
    • dabura, on 05/25/2008, -0/+1guess who's paying for all those construction
      Hint: starts with hummer-douches
  • SoIcanDigg, on 05/24/2008, -1/+45Those ants look busy.
  • eszymczyk, on 05/24/2008, -1/+52more cranes! we need more cranes!
    • Lazydriver, on 05/24/2008, -0/+8You require more Vespene Gas.
    • urrea, on 05/24/2008, -0/+1I read somewhere that in dubai are using like 25% of the world's cranes inventory...
      • Anfidurl, on 05/25/2008, -0/+1I've seen that statistic too, but others quote stats between 17% and 50%.
    • Zaggynl, on 05/26/2008, -0/+1Construct additional py--cranes!
  • kingofinternet, on 05/24/2008, -5/+140when are they going to put the jedi temple in there?
    • spamalot69, on 05/24/2008, -1/+13when the Sith leave
    • rydermann, on 05/24/2008, -0/+3It looks the the beginnings of Coruscant!
      • thepretext, on 05/24/2008, -1/+3I thought it was starting to really look a lot like New Mombasa, from Halo.
  • KhanneaNL, on 05/24/2008, -3/+111http://www.planetizen.com/files/oped/20050531.jpg ?
  • yoris, on 05/24/2008, -3/+19Orthanc FTW!
  • GeektoriousBIG, on 05/24/2008, -6/+6The good news is from that perspective another building will be looking down on that building in the next 10 years. Nah that's bad news.
  • Cerpin_Taxt, on 05/24/2008, -1/+58Construction as far as the eye can see. A Civil Engineer's dream!
    • Homet, on 05/24/2008, -5/+3...or complete nightmare
    • Voxxov, on 05/24/2008, -5/+3Or nightmare, depending on how you look at it...
    • Zaggynl, on 05/26/2008, -1/+1"One of your imps does a great Impression of you, he can even do the ears."
  • Quote737, on 05/24/2008, -5/+7All I can say is "Wow".
  • cave, on 05/24/2008, -23/+23I'm sorry but this town looks *****. They desperately need to plant some green there already.
    • evil-doer, on 05/24/2008, -1/+32that whole area there is a contruction zone. the trees will come later
    • housemaster49, on 05/24/2008, -0/+12also dubai is mostly a desert, they mostly "import" plants and try to grow them there. look at the rest of dubai too.
    • RADI0ACTIVE, on 05/24/2008, -0/+7
      As an American in Dubai, I can say that, yep, there isn't much greenery (though Safa Park might surprise you...do a google image search for it). But, really, all of that is out of place. Dubai really is a beautiful place at times. When you go out into the desert, the orange dunes that have baked in the sun for generations are majestic and when you go into the gulf the water is very clear and warm like bath water.
      • Idolatry, on 05/25/2008, -0/+1I am an American in Dubai too! I have taken a liking to this place.
    • sassafras1232, on 05/24/2008, -0/+5I don't think it's a good idea to waste fresh water growing greenery in the middle of the desert. Then again, I have no idea what the water supply situation there is like...
    • directedition, on 05/25/2008, -0/+1Yes, that's the problem with deserts, they generally are lacking in the tree area.
  • Seventus, on 05/24/2008, -21/+33Nice to see where all the money spent on oil is going...
    • magic6435, on 05/24/2008, -8/+22What? you mean to build a city and infrastructure? Yea man how horrible
    • kestrel7e7, on 05/24/2008, -9/+9Oil money should be spent on finding solutions to peak oil and global warming, not gigantic phalluses.
      • yetAnotherCroc, on 05/24/2008, -3/+13Dubai only gets 6% of their revenue from oil
        • petska, on 05/24/2008, -2/+6the UAE gets over 40% of their revenue from oil. Where is Dubai?
        • diggrnumber1, on 05/24/2008, -1/+4dubai still only gets 6% of its revenue from oil. dubai is not the same as abu dhabi or the other emirates of the uae. each emirate has its own emir, or king. they're almost their own countries. it seems kind of like the articles of confederation, except it's a monarchy and it is successful.
      • RobotCitizen, on 05/25/2008, -1/+2This IS part of the solution to Peak Oil. Peak Oil is about more than "how will I power my house and car?" It's about building an economy that's viable in the future. And frankly, it's the top oil _consuming_ nations that need to lead the alternative energy charge.
    • abhiroop, on 05/24/2008, -3/+10Again oil is not as important to Dubai as it is to most other Arab states.
    • tolgafiratoglu, on 05/24/2008, -1/+6The share of oil in UAE's GDP is %6, mostly money comes from finance, Tourism and free zones for technology and media. Which can be accepted as a good development process.
  • Scottc320, on 05/24/2008, -16/+56Sand people.
    • nycmac247, on 05/24/2008, -0/+4are you saying what I _think_ you're saying?
      (or are we not supposed to talk that way until after the oil runs out?)
    • cyrusthevirus, on 05/24/2008, -0/+8...travel in single-file to hide their numbers.
    • jaalin, on 05/24/2008, -0/+0how would you spell out the sound they make anyways?
      KERRRRR-RRRRRR ?
      GEHHHHH-HHHHHH ?
      CROAAAA-AAAAAK ?
  • 0biKwiet, on 05/24/2008, -4/+12Man, it's real life Si-Fi.

    That's going to look purty when they finally get all the landscaping done.
    • franklymister, on 05/24/2008, -1/+12Sci-Fi

      As in "SCIence FIction."
      • yuanzhoulu, on 05/24/2008, -2/+1modern architecture of most islamic nations looks very "sci-fi", actually. google the following for pictures:

        - kingdom centre, riyadh (looks like the eye of sauron)
        - petronas towers of malaysia
        - telekom malaysia tower of malaysia
        - ministry of the interior, riyadh (looks like a UFO taking off)
        - sakhir tower, bahrain
        - tabung haji, kuala lumpur, malaysia
        ...
        • RobotCitizen, on 05/25/2008, -0/+1Yes, it does. Eastern cultures seem to favor arches and curves. We see less of that in western buildings.
  • jp12380, on 05/24/2008, -19/+6Who is going to want to live there when the oil is gone?
    • andydread, on 05/24/2008, -4/+13They don't have Oil. They are a banking/financial hub.
      • itsthebrod, on 05/24/2008, -1/+4They used to have oil, but now that they're running out, they're turning the place into a tourist trap.
        • bman1984, on 05/25/2008, -0/+0A tourist destination for the rich. Namely others with oil money. Its not directly oil money, but its oil money. Or american taxpayer money ( ie. halliburton )
    • coollettuce, on 05/24/2008, -1/+15The reason they are building it up is to increase tourism in order to have a second booming industry for when the oil runs out.
    • OC73, on 05/24/2008, -1/+24They'll become the Arab version of Vegas.
      • HouseCentipede, on 05/24/2008, -1/+7Yes, a version of vegas where you're thrown in jail for having a molecule of marijuana on the bottom of your shoe.

        http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/article-512815/ ...
        • brettmurf, on 05/24/2008, -0/+4Yeah, I couldn't believe that story when I heard it. He didn't even want to stay in the god damned place, but was just passing through.
      • JStraum, on 05/24/2008, -0/+4But with no booze...
        • Goblin, on 05/24/2008, -0/+5You can legally buy alcohol in Dubai from licensed premises such as bars in hotels and private clubs. Unlike a lot of Arab nations it is not completely dry, mostly because of the desire to be a tourist and business destination.
      • BassMastr, on 05/24/2008, -0/+2You mean New York
      • FutureGuy, on 05/24/2008, -0/+1yes there will be stip shows where the ladies cover their faces.
  • Reggin, on 05/24/2008, -6/+155Has anyone been to the UAE? I went for 3 weeks last summer... it's actually really clean and beautiful--although scorching--and people (both men and women) are surprisingly kind-hearted even after they realize you're American.

    Hardly typical for "savage, unethical" society as some would say about most Arabs.
    • cave, on 05/24/2008, -21/+32"people (both men and women) are surprisingly kind-hearted after they realize you're male, straight white American."

      There, I fixed it for you.
    • MOJIRA, on 05/24/2008, -2/+62You'll find that most Arabs and Middle Easterners are very kind. Egyptians in particular are ridiculously hospitable.
      • hasoon87, on 05/24/2008, -3/+11except if you go to Egypt they won't hesitate to rip you off. YOU KNOW ITS TRUE!
        • MrSlumberjack, on 05/24/2008, -1/+4That's how it is in any country around the world when an American is spotted.
        • MOJIRA, on 05/24/2008, -0/+10It's really true of any place in the world when they spot a tourist. Most people figure if you're wealthy enough to travel and go on vacation then you can afford to be charged extra.
        • RobotCitizen, on 05/25/2008, -0/+1It's a culture of haggling and bartering. A lot of western visitors aren't prepared for that. But I'm not excusing the pick-pocketing. That just plain sucks.
      • 808ethan, on 05/25/2008, -0/+6...until you break the tiniest of their laws.

        Then you're hamburger.
    • tehpwnerofn00bs, on 05/24/2008, -3/+18Dubai is a pretty nice place, especially as far as middle eastern countries go. My only problem with it is that people seem to be either dirt poor or billionaires. I'm afraid it will turn out like parts of Mexico that have a fancy waterfront tourist area, but a few blocks back you get into slums.
    • RADI0ACTIVE, on 05/24/2008, -0/+30I live in Dubai now. It's a lot of fun, and you're right...people are generally quite nice. We Americans a sold a bill of goods from the current administration and some media outlets. Americans are looked up to in these parts. Anytime someone finds out I'm from the US, the typical response is one of admiration. Once, when I said I was from Los Angeles, one guy asked me if I knew Tupac. That? Was funny.

    • bombayslim, on 05/24/2008, -1/+8I just spent a week there ( Indian-american living in chicago ). I too was surprised at how clean and friendly the place was. Also to find out that its not built on the profits of oil was equally as surprising. They defiantly have a vision of making sure that the Emirate's economy will always be strong due to the business and tourism. Its sad to see the amount of negative comments on digg in general whenever there is an article or link about Dubai. Most of it is closeted racism against the Arab world in general
    • cyrusthevirus, on 05/24/2008, -4/+4Well, seeing as how a lot of their tourism comes from super-wealthy Americans, I would think that they'd probably treat them well.
      • minimaximus, on 05/24/2008, -2/+3Wow, American ignorance and arrogance has no limits... Actually, American tourism is pretty paltry in this part of the world. Now get back to your trailer and leave the civilized world alone please.
    • FadieZ, on 05/24/2008, -1/+7The people in the UAE are generally very friendly, and I've noticed the same trend with the rest of Middle-Eastern countries. This whole savage unethical ***** is just one of those retarded stereotypes the media feed on.
    • Ellipsys, on 05/24/2008, -1/+8I hear the horror stories about UAE travelers being detained for having even the hint of marijuana or some other substance deemed illegal. The "Pot-shoe" guy was locked up for something like 4 years, was he not? I'd like to travel to that part of the world, but considering that I read that many common over the counter drugs are illegal to be kept on your person, I'm not sure if I'd feel comfortable. I manage a chronic pain condition with opioid painkiller - I'd probably be rotting in a cell for a long time, or have to go the entire length of my stay without my medicine? Is there any truth to all this?
      • willaggs, on 05/24/2008, -0/+3I've heard of things like this happening too. If you need to bring meds, make sure you get a very formal doctors note.
    • nationalist, on 05/24/2008, -0/+19OMG TOO MANY INFORMATIVE COMMENTS
    • AManWithNoName, on 05/24/2008, -1/+4Well, duh, Americans are pretty much handing millions of dollars to them. You'd be nice too if your greatest investor showed up at your door.
    • sassafras1232, on 05/24/2008, -2/+8Of course they're nice to you. You're a tourist and you have money. The whole city is founded on taking money from tourists. Try asking one of the construction workers how nice the people there are to him.
    • kinerry, on 05/24/2008, -0/+3Hard not to be nice when you're richer than richy rich
    • pauls88, on 05/24/2008, -1/+4You do realize that its just Americans that "dislike/have a problem with" or whatever the hell it is with other countries and not the other way around?

      everywhere is normal and welcomes people.
      • KMartSheriff, on 05/26/2008, -0/+1*****. There are a lot of places that are not normal and don't welcome people, American or otherwise.
      • solid12345, on 05/26/2008, -0/+1"Everywhere is welcome"

        Yeah go take a stroll down certain streets in Beirut with Hezbollah militants on the roofs with AK-47's and see how long you last.
    • solid12345, on 05/26/2008, -0/+1When will you people get that when some of us put down parts of the middle east, it is not because we think "oooh Arabs they are inferior!" rather we see countries like the UAE as models for the future and it is better for the middle east in general when a government invests in capitalism and business and helping its people rather then spending its money on military parades and terrorism like Syria and Iran.

      Countries like the UAE and Jordan do not tolerate militias roaming their streets with guns and that is why they are safe and progressing nicely.
  • cappa1983, on 05/24/2008, -7/+44I was there last year, and was surprised to discover that Dubai is not built upon the profits of Oil, but rather the business of selling goods such as airplanes... but, nonetheless, the opulence is grand and everywhere to be found.
    • franklymister, on 05/24/2008, -3/+11You don't have to be directly involved in selling oil to profit from the oil industry.
    • SystemsGuy, on 05/24/2008, -4/+9Yeah, keep telling yourself that. From the UAE's own web page :
      The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is important to world energy markets because it contains 98 billion barrels, or nearly 10 percent, of the world's proven oil reserves. The UAE also holds the world's fifth-largest natural gas reserves and exports significant amounts of liquefied natural gas.

      (and yes, I know there's more to UAE than just Dubai.)
      If you think Sheik al-Maktoum's not still burning oil money, you are sadly mistaken. I will admit he's desperately trying to move away and develop Dubai as a tourist and financial center, but he's not there yet....

      http://www.abudhabienergy.com/
    • cappa1983, on 05/24/2008, -1/+1SystemsGuy, Oh I'm positive, they have their hands in the cookie jar from the oil profits, it's just that being an American, you hear of a middle eastern country like Dubai and naturally assume it's main export is Oil... on another note; I hope our country can break the dependence of oil... i can't imagine my company surviving if say oil were to reach 5.80 a gallon.

      They also have this strange thing there.. since money is not a factor anymore, how does one Emarati differ from the other? by the number of their license plate... .the lower the number, the more "important" you are... of course, the number 1 is and always been reserved for the Ruler of Dubai. ( Full Name: Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum )

      As straight forward of a guy as you could expect.
  • wrigglesmcguff, on 05/24/2008, -54/+19Dubai is a creepy spot on earth where I never want to be.
  • cutekelvins, on 05/24/2008, -9/+8Why is land not so beautiful from such a great height. Generally it is.
    • defectDS, on 05/24/2008, -1/+4But everything looks perfect from far away.

      "Come down now!"

      But we'll stay.
    • DesdinovaEL, on 05/26/2008, -0/+1Its all the construction going on in the area im sure. ...And the desert this city is located in:D
      -abc
  • ihazstatus, on 05/24/2008, -6/+93***** thing is gonna be a half mile high. A half a ***** mile! *****!

    Unbelievable.
  • SAKevin, on 05/24/2008, -7/+31Is this the new Halliburton headquarters?
  • v1c1ous, on 05/24/2008, -13/+6i would have figured they could have sacrificed 2-3 floors on the building to finance a couple of trees and shrubs to offset all the BROWN.

    all the brown tints make it look like a next-gen game.
    • itsthebrod, on 05/24/2008, -0/+7Last I checked, landscaping comes AFTER major construction work. Not the other way around...
    • yetAnotherCroc, on 05/24/2008, -0/+4Landscaping is generally done after construction is finished
    • notoneofus, on 05/24/2008, -0/+1If you look at any of the designs, this is not just a building, but several malls, garages, and something like 90,000+ apartments. I think there will likely be some green in there.
  • friendlyman, on 05/24/2008, -3/+23Deny my credit card application, will you?
    • amdahlj, on 05/24/2008, -0/+4*Waits for someone else to get it*
    • esfisher, on 05/24/2008, -1/+7"Ah, the famed Apollo Theatre. Boo me off stage on open mike night huh? I'll show you!"
    • Goblin, on 05/24/2008, -0/+8Settle down Zoidberg.
  • edelay, on 05/24/2008, -11/+3Yes it is a cool picture and the building is cool, but let's stop posting Digg articles until the damn thing is done.
    • addysonclark, on 05/24/2008, -1/+2You could just not digg them. The great thing about this site is it becomes popular if a majority of people like it, and guess what!? You don't have to look at it if you don't want to. I ***** LOVE FREEDOM.
  • OC73, on 05/24/2008, -0/+14Looks like something from the movie 'Total Recall.'
  • motivatedguy, on 05/24/2008, -18/+5No wonder gas is is over $4 a gallon...
    • Macrophallus, on 05/24/2008, -1/+4Because you idiots insist on driving SUVs and your useless army is the biggest consumer of oil in your country?
      • itsthebrod, on 05/24/2008, -3/+1Horray for idiotic and inaccurate generalizations.
  • nullpass, on 05/24/2008, -2/+29We'll make great pets.
  • almightyzam, on 05/24/2008, -35/+14ATTENTION AMERICANS, THIS IS THE PRODUCT OF YOUR $70+ WEEKLY GAS RE-FILL.
    • addysonclark, on 05/24/2008, -5/+11Attention dumbass. They don't make their money from oil.
      • mercurialsaliva, on 05/24/2008, -5/+1"Dubai continued to grow from revenues generated from oil and trade"
        u cant say it all didnt start with oil dumbass..
      • SystemsGuy, on 05/24/2008, -3/+2Yeah, keep telling yourself that. From the UAE's own web page :
        The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is important to world energy markets because it contains 98 billion barrels, or nearly 10 percent, of the world's proven oil reserves. The UAE also holds the world's fifth-largest natural gas reserves and exports significant amounts of liquefied natural gas.

        (and yes, I know there's more to UAE than just Dubai.)
        If you think Sheik al-Maktoum's not still burning oil money, you are sadly mistaken. I will admit he's desperately trying to move away and develop Dubai as a tourist and financial center, but he's not there yet....

        http://www.abudhabienergy.com/
      • Mkjts, on 05/24/2008, -1/+0Your talking about Abu Dhabi
        They get most of their revenue from oil
        Dubai doesnt
    • cowsgonemadd3, on 05/24/2008, -2/+3WRONG
    • magic6435, on 05/24/2008, -4/+8ATTENTION AMERICANS. STOP DRIVING THEN. No one gives a ***** about your escalade.
    • CrispRain, on 05/24/2008, -1/+2Attention dumbass. Bush.
    • redxninja, on 05/24/2008, -1/+2It is their oil and all you ***** need it.
    • minimaximus, on 05/24/2008, -1/+5Why is the image of Arab = Oil = Greedy = Terrorist so ingrained in the minds of dumbass Americans such as yoursefl? maybe the media and your sub-retard IQ has something to do with it?
    • RobotCitizen, on 05/25/2008, -0/+2Yeah, how dare they charge money for their product! They should give it to America for free!
  • yarto, on 05/24/2008, -2/+3necessary
  • aserer511, on 05/24/2008, -9/+4Ballin' outta control
  • bartman85, on 05/24/2008, -15/+16The CN Tower is still prettier. But I'm biased, i live here lol
  • supersonikzlad, on 05/24/2008, -14/+31. Spend hours trawling through Flickr for something interesting to submit to Digg.
    2. Submit to Digg.
    3. ????
    4. Profit
    • darecamel, on 05/24/2008, -0/+1What is the profit?
    • magicaltrevor, on 05/24/2008, -2/+1Don't give MrBabyMan any more ideas...
    • brettmurf, on 05/24/2008, -0/+7Isn't that the point of Digg? Share interesting tidbits that would otherwise go under the radar?
  • konkushn, on 05/24/2008, -15/+7This tower will be a newer and better Sauron. Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and Rove will merge into one pure evil all seeing eye, that will put everyone in darkness. Then we will have to send a little dude to take it down. Who shall that be? Who will be our Frodo?
    • ericnorris1, on 05/24/2008, -0/+1O fine, ill volunteer...im short anyway, i meet half the requirements, all i need now is a pedophile to follow, and another short guy to carry my *****
    • LCapitan, on 05/24/2008, -0/+0Ron Paul. It seems he has a higher tolerance against evil influences than mortal men. Sort of like a.... Hobbit?
  • suckaPU, on 05/24/2008, -11/+5i don't know why but dubai really sketches me out.... something just isn't right
  • unclebuck, on 05/24/2008, -8/+52Wow, this makes me a little sad as an American. When was the last time the USA built a real skyscraper? Back in the 50s and 60s that could have been an areal shot of a major US city. Now it seems like all we build around here are the same cookie-cutter strip malls, tract homes, and "luxury" apartment complexes.
    • itsthebrod, on 05/24/2008, -7/+10When was the last time the USA NEEDED a skyscraper? They're extremely costly and not worth it unless you're trying to build a LOT of something in a very tight area. Last I checked the USA wasn't running out of space.
      • DeadPanDan, on 05/25/2008, -1/+1No, but we are running out of cheap oil. If we spread out we will need cars to get even the basic necessities (food, jobs, skeeball...). But these towers do reach limit because of elevators and water pumping. I've heard that 40 floors is the limit of economical size. It's all show from there up.
    • drgreenberg, on 05/24/2008, -3/+10There are at least 3 under construction. The Chicago Spire, Freedom Tower and Trump hotel (also in Chicago) are all set to be finished in the next 3 years. However, by and large, skyscrapers don't make money and thus have fallen out of favor here. I'm more proud of the somewhat shorter but greener and more sustainable structures that we're building, such as the Hearst Tower (http://www.hearst.com/tower/). Such projects make economic sense, are responsible and show that aesthetics and the practical can be combined to excellent effect.
      • Eddiecoaster, on 05/24/2008, -2/+1The Spire isnt under construction currently. They are waiting to sell more units before they break ground.
        • mediaman2, on 05/24/2008, -0/+3The Spire has been under construction for some time now. I live next to it and my view includes the daily dozens of dump trucks hauling away excavated dirt, the cement trucks pouring concrete into the pillars 120 feet into the ground chiseled into bedrock, and the 70 foot deep foundation that has been built.

          Ground has been very much broken.
      • LBobRife, on 05/24/2008, -0/+1Yeah while America may not be building ridiculously tall buildings en masse, every city is constantly building new mid-sized buildings that are more and more sustainable as technology improves.
      • tcpip4lyfe, on 05/25/2008, -0/+1http://hearstcorp.com/tower/
      • sammydeath, on 05/25/2008, -0/+1Hester tower by fosters in NYC is pretty cool and quite recent
    • MadOtaku, on 05/24/2008, -0/+1It's nothing to be sad about. In the '80s skyscrapers looked really profitable and a whole ***** went up rather quickly; this flooded the market and vacancy rates went way up. That slowed us down for quite some time and we've also had a lot of space to use horizontally, so we haven't built as many. I'd also guess that banks are a bit reluctant to lend money for a tower after so many foreclosed in the '80s.
    • brad3378, on 05/24/2008, -0/+5Just like owning a Hummer,
      Sure they look cool, but they are a waste of resources.
    • cdigioia, on 05/24/2008, -0/+2As far as grandiose skyscrapers go - I think people are people, I could draw an analogy to rap stars in the US.

      Right now, UAE is new money, and really big on showing it off (similar to Shanghaii). Europe/US are old money, not so big on showing it off.
    • sassafras1232, on 05/24/2008, -2/+3Yeah it turns out that it's expensive to build skyscrapers when you can't use slave labor to do it.
    • lewystud, on 05/24/2008, -0/+0Look at the Chicago Spire going up in Chicago. www.chicagospire.com
  • yoris, on 05/24/2008, -0/+152I'm sure Saruman is pleased with the progress...
    • brettmurf, on 05/24/2008, -3/+1*Saruman or Sauron. Unless ths is a hybrid of both.
    • selmer, on 05/25/2008, -0/+1They're *sniff*...building a ladder to heaven...to see their dead friend Kenny...oh God, ohblargh, OHGAHHHagggg!!!!!
      • nhdw, on 05/25/2008, -0/+1They're trying to get to those 72 virgins using alternative methods....
    • Quicksilver4648, on 05/25/2008, -0/+1I immediately thought of the Lord of the Rings when I saw this.
  • Skelly11, on 05/24/2008, -0/+7and you know someone is going to try and jump off the top of that
  • kestrel7e7, on 05/24/2008, -10/+7I'm surprised the locals don't see it as a phallic western symbol of faithless decadence and topple it.
  • franklymister, on 05/24/2008, -2/+55Looks like somebody's overcompensating...
    • minimaximus, on 05/24/2008, -4/+3Are you saying that American penises were short around the turn of the 20th century so they started building all these skyscrapers?

      Actually, this signals a shift in power from the US to Asia, India, and the Middle East. Sadly, Americans are asleep at the wheel and will only realize this when it's too late, or when their desparate government starts the next war of conquest as it tries to hold on the last source of its world control (oil). Sad...
      • franklymister, on 05/24/2008, -0/+2Having money isn't the same as having power. Look at all the musicians and rappers that spend millions on flashy cars and homes, then end up broke years later like MC Hammer because they didn't know what they were doing.

        I agree that Asia and India are growing in power and influence - whether it's a shift or just a new relationship like the one between the US and Europe remains to be seen.

        The Middle East is not the same. Their money was found in the ground, not earned - and as long as their moneyed classes continue to act like spoiled American teenagers, ignoring the general welfare of their citizenry, they won't be able to sustain their current spending binge.
  • progg1e, on 05/24/2008, -3/+3Don't wan't to live/work in that building :)
  • jaydoj, on 05/24/2008, -0/+8"Neo, this... is the real world" =]
  • happystatic, on 05/24/2008, -23/+16I will laugh when that thing falls over.
  • blueRAP, on 05/24/2008, -0/+8The huge complex to the upper left is going to be Dubai's world's largest mall, twice the size of Mall of America.
  • CIAVT, on 05/24/2008, -5/+10First off, Dubai isn't an oil rich nation.

    Second, look around in that photo. Construction as far as the eye can see. And I thought the one house being built behind mine was a loud annoyance...
    • senkmajer, on 05/24/2008, -3/+5from a comment by SystemsGuy earlier in the thread:
      "From the UAE's own web page : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is important to world energy markets because it contains 98 billion barrels, or nearly 10 percent, of the world's proven oil reserves. The UAE also holds the world's fifth-largest natural gas reserves and exports significant amounts of liquefied natural gas."

    • JimmyJoseph, on 05/24/2008, -0/+15First off, Dubai isn't a nation!
    • cjmal, on 05/24/2008, -1/+3That's one of the first thing's I noticed - all the construction going on around. Pretty damn amazing.
  • infamousjre, on 05/24/2008, -5/+73A View *OF* The Top
  • shdwsclan, on 05/24/2008, -3/+2There is not much to look at except rubble, sand, cheap labor, poor construction and burkas...
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