# Arab Sheikh carves name in desert; visible from space



## Catenaccio (May 2, 2011)

Al Futaysi island: Hamad carves 2-miles-long name in sand visible from SPACE | Mail Online

Hamad, the biggest name in the desert: Arab sheikh carves two-miles-long name in sand until it's visible from SPACE
By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 8:52 PM on 21st July 2011

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Every child has written their names on the beach at some point.
But whereas most people's 'sandwriting' is washed away, one super-rich Arab sheikh has ensured that his doodles will last a little longer.
Hamad Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, 63, has scrawled his name in sand on an island he owns with letters so big they can be seen from space.

Making a sand: A satellite image from space shows the enormous letters of the name 'HAMAD' carved into the sand on Al futaysi island in Abu Dhabi

Beach life: The sea runs into the H, A and part of the M in the name of super-rich 63-year-old Arab sheikh Hamad Bin Hamdan Al Ahyan
The word 'HAMAD' measures 1,000 metres high and is a staggering two miles long from the 'H' to the 'D' on the Al Futaisi island.
And rather than allow the writing to be washed away by the ocean, the letters actually form waterways that absorb the encroaching tide.The ruler's name is even visible on Google's map service.

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Hamad dreamed up the idea and had his workmen toil for weeks to craft the enormous piece of sand graffiti. It is not known how much it cost to make.

Anything's possible: Hamad, 63, ordered workers to write his giant name in the sand
However, the sheikh boasts a personal fortune second only to the Saudi king's.
Hamad, also known as the 'Rainbow Sheikh', is a member of the Abu Dhabi Ruling Family.
He is understood to have some 200 cars including seven Mercedes 500 SELs painted in different colours of the rainbow which he stores in a giant pyramid.
The Arab sheikh has a taste for doing things on a large scale. He built the world's largest truck - eight times the size of the Dodge Power Wagon, with four bedrooms inside the cabin.
Hamad constructed a motor home in the shape of a giant globe which is exactly 1 millionth the size of the actual earth.
Alongside his lavish displays of wealth he has become a well-known philanthropist in medicine and supplied a complete kidney stone operating theatre to a public hospital in Morocco where he continues to fund its staff.


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## bigtex1989 (Feb 7, 2011)

Human hubris knows no bounds!


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## TheBeanie (Apr 8, 2011)

Hah, I live right around the corner and I hadn't heard of this.


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## MiriMiriAru (May 1, 2011)

What a colossal waste of time and money, as well as being just a massive display of utterly pointless arrogance and self-aggrandizement. I had a look for it on google maps, it looks even more unbelievably stupid than it sounds.


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## sprinkles (Feb 7, 2010)

I'm more impressed by the surveying skills of the workers who actually did this.


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## MiriMiriAru (May 1, 2011)

sprinkles said:


> I'm more impressed by the surveying skills of the workers who actually did this.


That is pretty impressive, it didn't occur to me. It's a shame that these skills were wasted on something so frivolous though.


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## Catenaccio (May 2, 2011)

It shows to the world the cutting edge skills and technology which a country like the UAE can afford, thanks to their good economic policies which have not squandered oil wealth, as happens in Iran, Venezuela etc. It is a projection of their national confidence to the world, like other public displays, such as the Olympics, or monuments. This is a country going forwards, it's not like the people are poor and the ruler is wasting money.


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## Bast (Mar 23, 2011)

I can't stand it. The ultimate expression of human arrogance through destroying nature.


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## sprinkles (Feb 7, 2010)

Catenaccio said:


> It shows to the world the cutting edge skills and technology which a country like the UAE can afford, thanks to their good economic policies which have not squandered oil wealth, as happens in Iran, Venezuela etc. It is a projection of their national confidence to the world, like other public displays, such as the Olympics, or monuments. This is a country going forwards, it's not like the people are poor and the ruler is wasting money.


He could have done something impressive AND actually useful at the same time with that money rather than writing his own fucking name in the sand. And if he _had_ to do sand writing, he could have written a platitude like "Peace" or the name of somebody else admired. BUT HE WROTE HIS OWN FUCKING NAME. 

Lots of money yes. And spent in a rather thoughtless and juvenile way, too.



> I can't stand it. The ultimate expression of human arrogance through destroying nature.


Thankfully it is sand, and not a rainforest or something. But yeah.


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## MiriMiriAru (May 1, 2011)

sprinkles said:


> He could have done something impressive AND actually useful at the same time with that money rather than writing his own fucking name in the sand. And if he _had_ to do sand writing, he could have written a platitude like "Peace" or the name of somebody else admired. BUT HE WROTE HIS OWN FUCKING NAME.
> 
> Lots of money yes. And spent in a rather thoughtless and juvenile way, too.


Exactly. How is writing your name in the sand, not squandering wealth or wasting money? I mean, i would have preferred that he had built a massive building (similar that the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore) that formed his name when viewed from above, because at least the buildings would have served a purpose (probably making more money as it would have likely been a rich person's hotel or resort or some such, but at least it's doing something). Or perhaps he could have built parklands in the shape of his name, since at least this could be utilised by people (although it likely would have been a private park for the Sheikh, or again, a resort for the super-rich). Seriously, he had some really big ditches dug. Having a lot of money doesn't mean building pointless things isn't wasting it.

As @Bast said, it's just destructive arrogance. Utterly pointless.


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## Catenaccio (May 2, 2011)

Zombie Jesus said:


> Exactly. How is writing your name in the sand, not squandering wealth or wasting money? I mean, i would have preferred that he had built a massive building (similar that the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore) that formed his name when viewed from above, because at least the buildings would have served a purpose (probably making more money as it would have likely been a rich person's hotel or resort or some such, but at least it's doing something). Or perhaps he could have built parklands in the shape of his name, since at least this could be utilised by people (although it likely would have been a private park for the Sheikh, or again, a resort for the super-rich). Seriously, he had some really big ditches dug. Having a lot of money doesn't mean building pointless things isn't wasting it.
> 
> As @_Bast_ said, it's just destructive arrogance. Utterly pointless.


Well he created jobs through this, which money is now in the workers pockets, and will be spent in the economy, instead of staying in his bank account, yes or no?


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## MiriMiriAru (May 1, 2011)

Catenaccio said:


> Well he created jobs through this, which money is now in the workers pockets, and will be spent in the economy, instead of staying in his bank account, yes or no?


That's a rather short sighted way to view it. The same benefit would have been found in the alternative projects I suggested, but they would have provided ongoing benefits/uses, unlike a bunch of well dug ditches in the sand.


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## Catenaccio (May 2, 2011)

It's his own disposable income. Thanks to the market economy, they have the money and technology to "waste" on this kind of thing. Compare to a closed economy like Iran where they don't "waste" on such things because...they can't. And no prizes for guessing whose citizens have better living conditions.


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## MiriMiriAru (May 1, 2011)

Catenaccio said:


> It's his own disposable income. Thanks to the market economy, they have the money and technology to "waste" on this kind of thing. Compare to a closed economy like Iran where they don't "waste" on such things because...they can't. And no prizes for guessing whose citizens have better living conditions.


An interesting comparison. The UAE is a small developed country, with a small population, with huge oil wealth and has had the benefit of continued growth since it's independence. Iran is a relatively large semi-developed country, with a population nearly ten times that of the UAE, a history of political turmoil and economic sanctions. I don't think this a particularly quality comparison you're making. And regardless, now matter how you try to justify it, writing your name in the sand, so that people in space can read it, is a waste of money no matter the cost. Which is unknown, incidentally. As is how much the workers were paid. And before you compare it with other monuments (although I believe you already have), I'll point out that I consider them a pointless extravagance as well.


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## fffffffffffffigs (Jun 23, 2011)

He could've at least gone with a better font :|


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## Catenaccio (May 2, 2011)

Zombie Jesus said:


> > An interesting comparison. The UAE is a small developed country, with a small population, with huge oil wealth and has had the benefit of continued growth since it's independence. Iran is a relatively large semi-developed country, with a population nearly ten times that of the UAE, a history of political turmoil and economic sanctions. I don't think this a particularly quality comparison you're making.
> 
> 
> OK then, if you prefer, compare UAE to Libya, which has a small poplation, and Saudi Arabia to Iran. The point stands. And to point out that the UAE is developed, to support your own argument, is ironic, because it became developed thanks to the policies of its government, while Iran has been stuck in under-development because of its terrible governance.
> ...


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## sprinkles (Feb 7, 2010)

Yes his income and yes he apparently had a 'right' to do what he pleases with his money. Still a waste. 

He is of course free to waste his money on whatever epic, monumental foolishness he pleases.


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## Catenaccio (May 2, 2011)

You feel that way, I disagree. Such is life.

This is the Science and Technology subforum. This thread is to admire the *technical *acheivement. If you don't agree, why keep repeating the same old *political* point? I am pretty chilled about a one off comment, but the insistence on derailing, has now become tiresome. I have been very into politics all my life, but I do not personally derail non-political threads to make my own political points.


I am not annoyed, just politely requesting.


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## MiriMiriAru (May 1, 2011)

Point taken.

This _is_ a technical achievement of great difficulty and ingenuity. And also of dubious value or purpose, but I won't discuss that further.

Congratulations Sheikh Hamad, now your name is known and will be remembered by LEO dwelling people everywhere!


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## sprinkles (Feb 7, 2010)

Yes, those workers did a good job, as I said before. They have skills. Too bad it's some guys name who most probably didn't even lift a finger.


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## Donkey D Kong (Feb 14, 2011)

Pshh, that's small time. I pissed my name in the snow... IN CURSIVE


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## MiriMiriAru (May 1, 2011)

Axe said:


> Pshh, that's small time. I pissed my name in the snow... IN CURSIVE


But is it visible from space?


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## Catenaccio (May 2, 2011)

Zombie Jesus said:


> Point taken.
> 
> This _is_ a technical achievement of great difficulty and ingenuity. And also of dubious value or purpose, *but I won't discuss that further*.


Hmmm...emphasis mine.

I thought to myself: "I'll let him have the last word, and won't comment on the trickeryof saying 'I won't discuss this further' while repeating himself one last time, just to not prolong a dead discussion".

However, clearly not even letting ou have the last word works - you'll come back for a Post-Script! 

The biggest lesson of this thread - when a group of commies wants to circle-jerk, it will do so, regardless of time and place. No force of nature can prevent them.


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## Donkey D Kong (Feb 14, 2011)

Zombie Jesus said:


> But is it visible from space?


If you use a telescope


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## MiriMiriAru (May 1, 2011)

@Catenaccio, I admit tacking on a last response to my post saying I wouldn't discuss the worth of the project further was a bit unseemly. But my last post was just an attempt at humor entirely based on @Axe's post. It was not intended to be a post-scrip read in relation to the previous discussion. I suppose that may not have been clear.

My thanking your post genuine, just so you know. The thought of a unstoppable communist circle jerk gave me a good laugh.


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## Catenaccio (May 2, 2011)

I predicted you would like it. ;-)


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## fffffffffffffigs (Jun 23, 2011)

Catenaccio said:


> This is the Science and Technology subforum. This thread is to admire the *technical *acheivement.


No really, it's ugly as hell. I hate looking at it. If you're going to put that much effort into something so monumental at least make it aesthetically pleasing. It's not as if it serves any purpose other than to be looked at... from space.

I don't think it's a very good technical achievement.


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## Catenaccio (May 2, 2011)

fffffffffffffigs said:


> No really, it's ugly as hell. I hate looking at it. If you're going to put that much effort into something so monumental at least make it aesthetically pleasing. It's not as if it serves any purpose other than to be looked at... from space.
> 
> I don't think it's a very good technical achievement.


Nobody claimed it served another purpose other than to be visible from space.


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## Cheveyo (Nov 19, 2010)

How much would it cost to replace the "HU" with just a "U" and to add a question mark at the end?

A troll face would probably be exceptionally difficult to do, though.


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## Ben (Aug 23, 2009)

I looked at the picture before actually reading the article and thought that was pretty cool and that I'd want to see my name from space. Then I read and realized just exactly how they did it. If I were this guy I wouldn't have wasted all that time and effort (and, no doubt, money), but it's his resources so to each his own, I guess.

I'd want to visit the letters, though, to see how the engineering aspect of it works.


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## Erudis (Jan 23, 2011)

I guess he misinterpreted it when someone said to him that only great men are able to carve their name in world history.


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## Vaan (Dec 19, 2010)

I bet he would've been pissed when a sandstorm came rolling in :/


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## absentminded (Dec 3, 2010)

As stupid as this is, I'm not wasting any more time on it.

It's over and done and there's nothing we can do about it.


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## 3053 (Oct 14, 2009)

Sup Hamad,,


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## sprinkles (Feb 7, 2010)

Ben said:


> how the engineering aspect of it works.


Surveying - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## DarklyValentine (Mar 4, 2010)

My penis is available from space...
and half the internet, if you know what I mean and am sure that you do, has seeen it


this sheikh sounds inadequate and i challenge him to whip it out now


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