Norm_uk

The region has changed a lot in the last 1400 years...a lot of cultures are gone or almost gone, dominated by one group whose predominant beliefs don't think beer is a good idea apparently.

Beer is considered to be one of the requirements along with bread (or similar rice and or maize products) for becoming a civillisation...fermentation technology is a sign you're not simply following your goats around wearing animal skins but settling down and using your brains to farm and build.

It's the most popular drink in the world after tea...and that's only because there are no decent alcoholic teas yet

N.

Boomhauer

I woulda thought Soda was most popular drink or 2nd most . If there is a beer that tastes like soda

I wonder what % of Emirati locals drink ?

khitan004

Alcoholic tea! Yes. Do it. Somebody get onto that right away.

Paracletus

Get some cheap white spirit, mix it with your tea and loads of sugar..the subsequent behaviour is simply out of this world.

Norm_uk

I'm actually working with the Chinese on a green tea fermentation. The big factor is where do you get the sugar from, honey, beet or cane? Decisions, decisions...

N.

Bahtatboy

Dunno what you lot in Doha are whingeing about--seems great from this perspective:

The average summer temperature here is 45C. But Qataris are confident that when the world has enjoyed a successful tournament in air-conditioned stadiums, it will remember Qatar's wealth and can-do mentality.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-16758726

co durham boy

There's a standing joke in town when refering to the W.C most people say 2024 !

The irony would be lost on them as they actually think it would be ok to be 2 years late and why would the whole world be moaning about it...

Boomhauer

The comment about "can-do-mentality" should ellicit vomiting as without the slaves/indentured servants and highly exploited menial labour class, the Qataris would have nothing to boast about.

I wonder Britain or US could accomplish in infrastructure renovation/building if they had a slave class.

Miss Anne Thrope

Um, that's easy to answer: just look at what's left of 18th century London and 19th century Washington for starters...

Norm_uk

A lot of London was built with paid labour working for pittance in shocking conditions...but some of the money was gained from slave labour in the colonies.

No idea about DC - they didn't slavery until decades after us and we were banning it in the homeland years before an empire wide ban.

Saudi (those cheeky progressives) ended slavery in 1967 - and their buildings are still crap. They only use slaves to clean their houses and look after their children while they shop it seems

N.