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The Palace of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
Status: Email hoax (real pictures, fake caption)
Bad: Falling for an email hoax. Worse: Using the hoax as the basis for your presentation to the local city planning commission, thereby displaying your gullibility to the entire public.As reported by the Muncie Star Press (no link), Don Love gets the award for doing the latter. He received an email containing a series of pictures of an opulent estate (shown below), with the caption:
In case you're wondering where this hotel is, it isn't a hotel at all. IT IS A HOUSE! It's owned by the family of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the former president of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Abu-Dhabi.
Enraged, he made a slide presentation out of the pictures and showed them to the planning commission, as part of his effort to get them to approve construction of an ethanol plant. His point was that they should promote local energy projects, to prevent all the city's money going to greedy, oil-rich sheiks. He told them: "This is the type of thing being done with your petro dollars that I want to re-patriate. Keep in mind the gentleman has more than 20 wives. This is one of 70 baths. Some are bigger than my house. This is his little swimming pool. These are his cars."
Of course, the pictures don't show a sheik's palace. In reality they show a fancy hotel in Abu Dhabi called the Emirates Palace. All the stuff about 20 wives is bogus too. If Love had bothered to do any research, he would have found this out. He probably could also have found some real pictures of a sheik's palace, which would have been a more effective way of making his point. Incidentally, my other house (the one in my daydreams) looks just like the one in the pictures.
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Posted By: Alex | Date: Tue Nov 15, 2005 | Permalink |
Total Comments: 66
Category: Email Hoaxes, Photos/Videos, Places
Category: Email Hoaxes, Photos/Videos, Places
Listed in chronological order. Newest comments at the end.
Page 4 of 4 pages « First < 2 3 4
THIS IS CRAZY! :| A LOT of people are dying each day all over the world and you spend your money on something not important? >:| this is insane. :| this is TOO MUCH for a person. i sure don't have much but. i share my blessings to those in need. not like this crazy man who built a house for himself only. it's funny why a rich person cannot share what he has and a person who doesn't have much can give a lot. funny right? :| >:|
Posted by bangboom lalala in there on Fri Mar 20, 2009 at 04:57 AM
Obviously this hoax has been going around for a long time from the dates of the replies I see. I just got the email today.
Before beleiving it I did some research and found out that yes, you can book a room at this hotel, and the Sheikh the email is portraying was a peaceful, well respected man throughout the world.
I think the email is disrespectful.
The email speaks about God and praying to God but the writer is a liar.
Posted by Joseph Murro in New Jersey on Tue Apr 14, 2009 at 01:25 PM
Before beleiving it I did some research and found out that yes, you can book a room at this hotel, and the Sheikh the email is portraying was a peaceful, well respected man throughout the world.
I think the email is disrespectful.
The email speaks about God and praying to God but the writer is a liar.
ALLAHU-AKBAR. MAY WE NOT BE LEFT BEHIND
Posted by Faisal in Lagos, Nigeria. on Sat May 30, 2009 at 01:49 AM
just i think always with my self that will i be becom rich ohhhhhhh idont think so
Posted by waheedullah in kabul afghanistan on Sat Oct 17, 2009 at 10:15 PM
A car made of silver metal ie without a steel substrate could only be ornmental.There are no camel droppings so must be a full blown hoax. You'd have take a camel to get from one room to the next.
Posted by Doug Beames in Holland Park on Mon Nov 02, 2009 at 01:27 AM
Amazing palace, nice cars!! where can I see more photos?
Posted by Andrew Backs in Dubai on Thu Mar 11, 2010 at 02:24 PM
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