World Information

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Apple's 'Mecca Project'

On October 10, 2006, an Islamic website posted a message alerting Muslims to what it claims is a new insult to Islam. According to the message, the cube-shaped building which is being constructed in New York City, on Fifth Avenue between 58th and 59th Streets in midtown Manhattan, is clearly meant to provoke Muslims. The fact that the building resembles the Ka'ba (see picture below), is called "Apple Mecca," is intended to be open 24 hours a day like the Ka'ba, and moreover, contains bars selling alcoholic beverages, constitutes a blatant insult to Islam. The message urges Muslims to spread this alert, in hope that "Muslims will be able to stop the project."
From The Register we learn that it's a bit late to stop the project since the store opened for business back in May (gee, too bad). However, the building is not called the "Apple Mecca", it "does not serve alcoholic beverages, and neither Jack Straw nor Salman Rushdie work behind the counter." So the outraged members of what many believe to be the religion of perpetual outrage should be able to breathe more easily, until they find some other ridiculous offense to become outraged over - again.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Shanghai Expo 2010

Expo Shanghai 2010
Brief intro to World Expo 2010 Shanghai China May 1 to October 31, 2010

World Expositions are galleries of human inspirations and thoughts. Since 1851 when the Great Exhibition of Industries of All Nations was held in London, the World Expositions have attained increasing prominence as grand events for economic, scientific, technological and cultural exchanges, serving as an important platform for displaying historical experience, exchanging innovative ideas, demonstrating esprit de corps and looking to the future.

With a long civilisation, China favours international exchange and loves world peace. China owes its successful bid for the World Exposition in 2010 to the international community's support for and confidence in its reform and opening-up. The Exposition will be the first registered World Exposition in a developing country, which gives expression to the expectations the world's people place on China's future development.