Could it be that my predictions of a depression in Dubai's economy may finally be coming to pass? The government has been spending way too much and the growth has gone unchecked. The infrastructure is unable to cope and massive projects to improve it have only added more government expenditure to the equation. Basic macroeconomics teaches us that increasing government expenditure or lowering interest rates are direct ways to boost an economy. Dubai has both and is showing no signs of stopping.

The signs are all around us. Inflation is painfully obvious to anyone who spends as little as six months in Dubai. Investor confidence is still high but some blemishes are appearing especially in the prime real estate market. There are several other economic factors but on top of all these, we have an ever-expanding collection of reasons that will indirectly affect the economy.

People are starting to hate Dubai. This isn't just a case of the discontented being more vocal than the content ones. People are really becoming fed up with life in the big city. The outlook is not so good as the discontentment arises from fundamental deficiencies of this part of the world so will not be addressed anytime soon. These deficiencies are part of another discussion for another time.

I have often said that the UAE has accumulated all the negative aspects of Western culture while simultaneously failing to assimilate any of the positives. In fact, I'd go one further and state that in this part of the world, many of the positive aspects of the West are seen in a negative light.

Exhibit A.
600 indentured workers protest the cessation of their 210 Dhs ($57) food allowance. What is more disconcerting is the statement at the very bottom of the article.

"Those who have instigated this protest will be caught and deported," said Al Oabed.

Al Oabed is actually speaking about a different protest; that protest was due to indentured workers demanding a pay raise. This continues to happen because there is obviously a demand for more buildings here in Dubai and cheap/unpaid South Asian labor is the easiest way to build those buildings.

Again, the people of the UAE are indifferent. Do not support this grave injustice. If you or anyone you know is planning investing in this hell hole, understand what goes on here first.

I hate the UAE. There's too much money and too little sense. Many outsiders only get to see the pretty buildings and the ostentatious projects. Here's a little insight into how bad it is over here:

• UAE man drives drunk and kills motorist, gets 1 year in jail
• Two British visitors found carrying under 2 grams of hashish, sentenced to 4 years each

This isn't an anomaly by any means. These cases occur frequently yet there's never any outrage. It's difficult to say why there's no outrage since, as in many aspects of life, there are several factors to be taken into consideration. For now, let's just say that people are effectively powerless and, as a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy, have become indifferent to such outcomes.

Another journal to start. Maybe I'll actually maintain this one. I wanted to maintain the one on Multiply but I sort of lost interest for no real reason. Who's to say that the same won't happen here? Nevertheless, it's somewhat exciting to start anew. I've been reading Slashdot for some time now but I haven't done much posting. On the whole, I've kept pretty much all to myself. That's fine. I'm not much for the limelight anyway.

Well, maybe this will give me some place to put my thoughts. I guess that's one of the finest things about writing; it allows me to express myself much more concisely. I have a good feeling about this.