What happens when you build sand castles in the air? Or artificial islands in the sea?

They go bankrupt. They sink.

Dubai's grandiosely named The World, a series of artificial islands constructed in the shape of countries with mansions and grand hotels for the super rich as luxurious retreats, is sinking according to this report in Britain's The Telegraph. Eroding sands, the foundation of the islands, are drifting into the channels between these artificial land masses, filling them up, making it difficult to navigate from the mainland.

And no, this is not the fault of global warming/global cooling/climate, George W. Bush, the US or the Zionists/Israelis/Jews. This is nature.

Dubai, a Muslim country, part of the United Arab Emirates, is also home to the world's tallest building which is reportedly also in financial difficulty.

Back in the real world, a company is suing Dubai's government owned developer.

"The islands are gradually falling back into the sea," Richard Wilmot-Smith QC, for Penguin Marine, said. The evidence showed "erosion and deterioration of The World islands", he added.

With all but one of the islands still uninhabited - Greenland - and that one a showpiece owned by the ruler of Dubai, most of the development plans have been brought to a crashing halt by the financial crisis.

Somewhere, the gods are laughing.