What's in a Number?

In celebration of metro launch--Gulf News image >>

Shaikh Mohammad punched in the first ticket exactly at 9pm, 9 minutes and 9 seconds.
Gulf News report

It's 11:11 pm as I write. I'm sitting at home, still almost 7 hrs before my first metro ride. Checking the latest news on the metro launch tonight, Gulf News announces once again the significance of the number 9:

The ninth second, of the ninth minute, of the ninth evening hour, of the ninth day, of the ninth month, of the ninth year of the second millennium is when the first metro ticket was swiped!

So what is the significance of the number 9? A quick Google check reveals...

9 - Number of the Moon; Container of all numbers; Number of known astronomical planets. Eternity; Yesod; Endings, echatology; Moons of Saturn; Number of Muses; In the I Ching, 9 is the number of Yang. Arabic Ta (Secret Knowledge ). Number of absolute completion, perfection and wisdom. Since the ennead is the final limitation, it is the acceptance of solitude and the beginning of the inward journey to the Infinite.

OK, not the best of lists--not even worth a link, but we get the picture.

Besides all of that, no one need doubt that the number nine is, from this day hence, Dubai's number!

My own images from tomorrow.