The World is a bold project started in 2006 2005 set out to artificially create a set of islands shaped as Planet Earth. These islands, likely to be encrusted with platinum and children-mined diamonds, are to be located off the shore of Dubai India within the Arabian Gulf Persian Gulf. It has elaborate plans to possess it’s own transportation system, commercial shopping centers and marinas. Islands are available to private investors for insane amounts of money, probably a total of which is enough to solve world hunger 30 times over. Investors are already jumping on this ‘prime’ real-estate, with the most recent sale being as high as $28 million to a Chinese Businessman. Tip:If any of you millionaire readers want to buy into this, you better hurry, because ‘The World’ has already been 90% reclaimed.

birds eye view of The Word in April 2007

If that weren’t enough, ‘The World’ tenants have the ability to Terraform their islands into the desired size, perfectly fulfilling their desires and needs. (image below)

An excerpt from the TheWorld.ae:

An array of island parcels means an array of possibilities. Engineered to be flexible and designed to be unforgettable – a blank canvas in the azure waters of the Arabian Gulf. An incomparable destination, The World is a collection of private islands that form a singular expression of exclusivity. Located off the coast of Dubai’s most desirable address, and created by Nakheel, Dubai’s premier developer, The World is quickly evolving into a one-of-a-kind destination and investment opportunity.

One of the The World’s Principles is ‘exclusivity’. This really ticks me off, hence my satirical approach to this editorial: Due to the increasing power and limited numbers of the Wealthy Class, it is hard for these powerful individuals to feel as though they are ’special’ or ‘unique’. Because now that everyone in the ‘elite family’ own a Yacht, Ferrari, Game Room, Mansion and the Genomes to Several Endangered Species, these people’s ego has finally surpassed their rate of consumption to a point where nothing is good enough. A manifestation of uncertainty is created within those who have relied on money, power and material goods for happiness their entire lives. The void within them has not been filled, and probably won’t be until they press the red button and kill us all. As an attempt to salvage and further fuel their incredibly superficial self-worth, they must obtain their own private island. A perfect example of the diminishing morality of Planet Earths most rich and powerful people.

Am I supposed to feel sorry for them or something?

So my question is, what happens when the water level rises a couple feet or a wave comes? Insurance scam?

There couldn’t be any better of a metaphor to correctly frame the premise of ‘The World’ other than quicksand

thanks Laurie =)

2007 isn’t even over yet, but it would be pretty damn hard for anybody else to create a science-fiction as immersible as what I am about to share with you! But first, I’m going to rant the apparent differences between Commercial and Independent media. (skip the next paragraph if you don’t care).

Traditional television and it’s disruptive, incoherent nature have been miserably failing to the likes of ‘user generated’ video media. It would be my (presumptuous?) assumption that people are simply tired of reality television shows, sitcom’s repetitive story-lines and sugar-coated premises with no present-day relevance; besides the fear factor. Nothing too surprising, the commercialism that fuels it’s creation has diluted it’s quality. While in the inter-world, YouTube offers user-generated content that cannot be persuaded by profit.

‘Afterworld.tv,’ is a prime example of this tantalizingness we know and love as ‘Independent Media.’ It is an on-going Cross-Platform Science-Fiction Internet Series that took off with a quiet bang early 2007. Took me 8 months to stumble-upon this Sci-Fi series, but only 3 hours, 30 cups of Maté and a lot of ‘wow’ factor to zip through all 53 episodes (and rising). Every second I was on the edge of my seat, intensely involved and interested in it’s mind-blowing take on the end of the world. If you are like me, and delve into the end-of-the-world type sci-fi, this is right up your dark alley!

Each episode of Afterworld is 3-5 minutes long. Each one a tastefully and masterfully digitally animated wonder manufactured to leave you hanging from a 1000 foot cliff; every damn time. The creators release a new episode daily, Monday through Friday, with a recap video every Saturday.

A little background on ‘Afterworld:’ Afterworld is a premise based on the life of a man named Russel Shoemaker from Seattle. Russ takes a business trip to New York, one that is supposed to change his family’s financial life forever. Radical change was in his future, but not the way he expected. Upon waking up in his 4 star hotel room and making a trip to the lobby, he was shocked when there was nobody around. It didn’t take this frightened city-slicker long to figure out an unknown and very mysterious event had occurred which resulted in the disappearance of 99% of the population, and the extinction of technology and electricity. At first Russ is scared and lost, without a plan. But as time goes on, he finds other ’survivors’ and learns more about his own humanity. His decision to make a 3000 mile voyage back Seattle to reunite with his family comes quickly; and this ill-planned voyage becomes a discovery of the truth, accompanied by a plethora of clues that obscurely outline the cause of ‘The Fall.’

Watch the very first episode below, you’ll be hooked like a heroine addict. (minus the track marks) fish. (that was bad)

Remember, new episode shorts are released Monday-Friday! (I just watched episode 54, can’t wait for 55!!!!)

Has begun in Peru:

Hundreds of people in Peru have needed treatment after an object from space - said to be a meteorite - plummeted to Earth in a remote area, officials say. They say the object left a deep crater after crashing down over the weekend near the town of Carancas in the Andes.

Then again, maybe not.