2006-12-25

Attention all Kuwait Blog Readers / Bloggers / etc.

3baid has a very nice quiz about the different Kuwaiti blogs. I took the quiz and did not do so well but it was still fun. If you are interested, you can take the quiz here.

2006-12-23

Do you need a lie detector?

Skype v 3 the infamous instant messenger and voice communications software has a lie detector from kishkish as part of its suite of extras. It allows you to measure the stress level of the person you are talking to and let you know if they are truthful or piling it high and deep.

I have not tried it out yet.

Here is the install screen:


Install


and here is the stress analyzer:


Stress Detector


Of course, we all trust our friends and love them but it helps sometimes if we can cut the BS:


No BS



This will help our friendships be longer lasting and more robust.

Apple Macbook Pro

Extremely tiny, see it first here.

2006-12-22

Televison Proposition

I was walking fast in Sooq Sharq yesterday and as I was walking past the water clock in the middle of the Mall I got approached by a strange lady. "Excuse me! Excuse me!", she called out to me. In the past, I would stop and answer thinking those strangers needed help / directions / or knew me from before. Most times, they wanted to sell me some product I don't need, or wanted me to fill up a survey that "only would take 5 minutes" and end up taking something like 45 minutes.

This time, I turned to her still walking fast in the same direction I was going and the little lady was trying to catch up, "Yes?" I asked. "Do you want to be on Television?", she asked back.

Television, why do they want me on Television? I am not famous, so it would not be an interview, I was not wearing anything weird or have one those haystack haircuts that that the kids are sporting these days, so it was not for my looks. Flashbacks of different people on Kuwait Television answering an obscure Arabic literature question and getting it absurdly wrong came to my mind. I was never strong in Arabic Literature or poetry, so did not feel like being publicly embarrassed today. I replied to her, "Sorry, someone is waiting for me, maybe another time", and my fast walk turned into a brisk run as I headed towards the other side of the Mall.

2006-12-20

The Loans Issue in Kuwait

Have a look at this video about clearing the debt of Kuwaiti citizens.

It would be nice to have your debts cleared by the government and maybe get some extra cash but come on boys and girls (in the video) you make it sound like you are dying of hunger and your means of transportation is a skinny donkey that you have not fed for the last 3 days. Rather you are wearing the latest fashions and holding the latest mobiles and I can bet your luxury limousine is parked nearby with the driver waiting for you to bark your orders on his mobile.

Here is another video of the parliament session that was held a few days ago.





Sa3at yfashloon rabi3na.

2006-12-19

Indian Movie

If you ever saw an Indian movie, you will be amazed at the special effects, the endurance and suffering the hero must bear, and the love lost and regained for the customary happy ending. Here is a fine example of an Indian movie in cartoon form:

Indian Movie Cartoon

2006-12-18

Good Luck Car For Sale

Good Luck Car for Sale


Translation:

Cars for sale owned by the Businessman Hassan Ibrahim Al Mulla Al Jaaferi
For sale by installments. Cars will bring you good luck and it is said will give you a pleasing attitude that will affect you positively in your emotional and professional relationships.

2006-12-13

How Smart Is Your Right Foot?

This is so funny that it will boggle your mind. And you will
keep trying it at least 50 more times to see if you can outsmart your foot.

But you can't!!!

1. While sitting at your desk, lift your right foot off the
floor and make clockwise circles with it.

2. Now, while doing this, draw the number "6" in the air with
your right hand. Your foot will change direction!!!

I told you so... And there is nothing you can do about it. Make sure
you pass this on to your friends. They won't be able to believe
it either!

Fight Scenes

We all like fight movies like Rocky and the different sequels, they show the struggle of a man trying to make it and overcome obstacles to reach his goals. Another great fight movie is Kill Bill 1 and 2 with Uma Thurman taking revenge on the people that tried to kill her.

We have our own fight movies, I present to you a Sudanese fight:



and a Saudi fight:

2006-12-12

Dentistry

If I wanted to study to become a Doctor, I would choose to be a dentist. A Dentist has the best job. During his studies all he needs to learn about are teeth for 5 years then he can be in business. He has his patients open their mouth and he takes a quick look in, if anything looks bad or smells bad, take out the tweezers and pull that sucker out. As a dentist there is no way you can accidentally kill your patient unless you drop something in his mouth and make him choke on it. You don't need a lot of fancy equipment also, a standard tool set from your local harware store is more than enough.




2006-12-11

Jerome Murat - The Man with Two Heads




Amazing performance by the French Mime Jerome Murat.

Stress at Work

If you feel stress at work, take a little break. Don't overwork yourself until you burn out or explode. Don't let this happen to you:



2006-12-09

Mayor Asks Kuwait to Build Police Station

It's the idea of one local mayor, and it's getting mixed results and raising some eyebrows.

"You mean Kuwait the other country? Why would we go to another country and ask for money," asked Allison Link of Manasquan, New Jersey.

That's the question a lot of people in this area are asking after word got out that 81-year-old Larry Chiaravallo, the Mayor of Lake Como, has been negotiating with the government of Kuwait to pay for a 3.7 million dollar police and fire headquarters in the tiny town, 2/10ths of a mile square.

Read the remaining here.


Unbelievable!

Can anyone blame Kuwaitis for asking for their debts to be paid up by the goverment, if they don't someone else will enjoy the extra cash floating around the country.

Saudi Road Skating





What more can I say, I am speechless.

2006-12-06

Arranged Marriage

In the traditional Kuwaiti marriage, a boy expresses his wish to get married to his family. His close female relatives check out the available young ladies at different social events like weddings, receptions, friends from school, neighbors, etc. then come back to the boy with their field report. The boy tries to get a glimpse of the different candidates somewhere public and if he likes what he sees, an informal visit or two get started by the boy's family. Later on things might progress to a formal engagement and if all goes well, a big wedding.

Things in the Caucasus area to the South of Russia are a little different, if a boy happens to see a girl he likes, he gets together with the stronger members of his family and friends and arranges to kidnap her. The abducted girl is taken to a secret hiding place and the boy's the womenfolk are sent to pressure and convince the girl to marry their son. When she eventually breaks down, a quick marriage is held.

Here is an example of a modern day bride kidnapping.




Quick, simple and a convenient way to avoid rejection and social awkwardness.

2006-12-05

Goverment Job

Jobs at the Goverment have the wrong reputation of being boring, no fun and monotonous. You go to work get bored out of your skull then come back home. Well, it is just the opposite, have a look:







Fun, fun, fun :-)

2006-12-04

Paying and Winning

When shopping in Kuwait or going to one of the bigger supermarkets or even fixing your car, after you hand over your cash you are presented with your invoice and tickets to fill up so that you can win the car displayed outside, exotic villa or the next hot thing in Kuwait.

The number of tickets you get depend on the amount you paid. You could end up with 10 or more tickets to fill. Writing your information on those ticket stubs is a painful process ,you need to micro-write your name, address, Civil ID number, house phone, mobile phone, email, invoice number, date, salesman's name, retail branch's name all in a tiny 1 cm by 1 cm box on the paper.

I never bother to fill these tickets and find the nearest bin to throw them in.

Samsung Plaza in Korea had a draw for a Ferrari and ended up with 444 winners. Read the whole story here.

Did you ever win anything here in Kuwait or elsewhere?

2006-12-03

Belly Blog

TOKYO (Reuters) - Two top officials at Japan's Health Ministry are to start a blog about their efforts to lose weight, including pictures of their bellies, as part of a campaign to encourage healthy lifestyles. (full article here)

What will they think of next, any suggestions?

2006-12-02

Dance

“Let us read and let us dance - two amusements that will never do any harm to the world.”

François-Marie Arouet de Voltaire



2006-11-26

Super Cool Laptop

Pocket sized yet so many features.



Survey from KNPC

Here is a survey from our very own Kuwait National Petroleum Company.






Click on the image to see the drop down job choices.

Can anyone tell me what the circled job means?

2006-11-25

Bathrooms and American Idol

I was sitting in the airport's bathroom stall doing my business and I hear this beautiful male voice singing, "if tomorrow never comes". I never liked the original Ronan Keating song but this time I was really enraptured. He had a wonderful voice and sang the song from begginning to end. He was better than the American Idol contestants we see with the pitiful attempts at carrying a tune.

I had a flash of inspiration just then, maybe American Idol can be held in the public toilets, with the three judges sitting in the stalls and the contestants entering and singing a tune. If the contestant gets two or more flushes from the stalls, the lucky winner gets to go to Hollywood.

Post inspired by the unidentified talent I heard and by Qatar Cat.

2006-11-23

Street Sculptures in Prague

I found some wonderful examples of street sculptures in Prague, this one is a cloak with a shadow inside but as you get closer you see it is only a cloak with nothing inside it. I love the illusion.

Cloak Street Sculpture


This one is of a boy and girl sitting close on a bench, the boy has his arm around the girl and his other hand has a bitten apple. They look so life like.


Boy Girl on Bench



As I looked closer, I saw that the boy had a cigarette in his other hand.

cigarette


I turned away and looked again and the cigarette was gone. Wow! that boy sure smokes fast for a statue. Notice the carved graffiti on the bench, I though someone vandalized the bench, looking again it was the artist himself that put the graffiti all over the bench. Impressive.

2006-11-22

Would You Put Your Money there ?

While walking down the street in Prague, Czech Republic, I came across this bank.


Bawag Bank


Would you put your money in Bawag Bank?

If you don't get it, ask a Kuwaiti what Bawag means.

2006-11-18

For Sale

Name for Sale

Good Cop Bad Cop


Police Car



I never had the privilege of being stopped by a policeman in the United States when I was driving there. I have seen enough TV to know that when a US policeman flashes his sirens behind you, you are supposed to pull over and have your hands clearly visible holding the upper part of your steering wheel. The police car will park directly behind you with the searchlight shining directly on your car. The American policeman will slowly walk against the side of your car, his hand over his gun's holster ready to draw it at the first threatening movement from the stopped car's passenger. The policeman will stand by your car window. He will instruct you step by step on what you need to do like displaying your license and registration and you are supposed to announce what you will do if you want to reach in your glove compartment, or put your hand in your jacket pocket before taking out the requested documents. Any sudden move from your part could get you cuffed or shot or worse. A Very tense situation for both the policeman and you.

Over here in Kuwait getting stopped by the police is more laid back. The policeman flashes his sirens, shouts in his loudspeaker telling you to stop, he then pulls over himself and waits for you to park behind him. The policeman expects you to get out of your car with the necessary documentation and walk up to him. You wait at his car door while he finishes his call on his mobile or taking a few pulls off his cigarette. You feel like you are standing at a goverment counter waiting for your papers to be processed. When the policeman has time for you, he will slowly slide down his window, turn his head and ask you some vague question waiting for your confession. You usually can talk your way out of any infraction unless the policeman had a bad morning. If he is still insisting on penalizing you then you can ask about his name, which district he belongs to and as soon as he confiscates your driving license and car registration, you can call up a few people higher in the policemen food chain and have your papers returned to you the next day. Just a minor inconvenience and no threats of bullets travelling through your soft body.

Which style is better?

2006-11-17

OFFICE POLICIES

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When I have my own little company, I am going to apply these rules and keep the serfs employees well behaved.

2006-11-15

Sony Erricsson free phone

OK THIS IS A HOAX, read more about it here.

Thanks Mishref for the update.

I got this email below:

Dear All

Please pass on to all your friends and relatives the following mail from Sony Erricsson.

Sony Erricsson is giving away phones for free. Sony Erricsson is trying word-of-mouth advertising to introduce its product and the reward you receive for advertising for them is a free phone free of cost. To receive your free phone all you have to do is to send this email out to 8 people (for a free Sony Erricsson j200i) or 20 people (for a free Sony Erricsson k400i WAP).

Within 2 weeks you will receive a free phone. (They will contact you through your e-mail address).

Please mark a copy to:- anna.swelam@sonyerricsson.com



Give it a try and let me know if you get a free phone.

2006-11-13

A Poor Man's Car Stereo

A few weeks ago my car battery died on me and I had to replace it. Everything is fine now except my car stereo stopped working. My car stereo would not turn on, not because of any malfunction, but because it has one of those advanced security systems that requires you to enter a code if you ever disconnect the system and reconnect it again. That might be useful in the States where car stereos get ripped away from cars every few seconds, in Kuwait it is relatively safe and if someone breaks into your car he would be better off stealing the whole car instead of just the stereo. The result is I have been driving in deadly silence for the last several weeks. I am too lazy busy to go to the car dealership to have the Stereo security system reset so I can listen to music again, instead I proudly put together the Poor Man's Car Stereo.

A Poor Man's Car Stereo


Actually, I think the set up I have is not that low cost, I should call it the Lazy Man's Car Stereo. It has several advantages over my regular stereo with a greater music selection and instant song selection. I don't recommend fiddling with your iPod while driving, only at red lights. Also I need to break the habit of instinctively turning up or down the volume on my car stereo instead of reaching for my iPod and increasing the volume.

2006-11-12

Picking Up in Vietnam

When you have a piece of furniture to move around, you wave down a wannette. Well in Vietnam, they do things a little differently:


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2006-11-10

Kuwait - Among the First

Different lists are floating around about Kuwait's transparency, UN New York Traffic violations, low productivity, etc. Not things we are very proud of. Well here is a little item that we can all be very proud of for our small country.

I was looking around Wikepedia and found that we are among the few countries that have fiber to the home. This list includes 8 European countries, The United States, Australia and New Zealand. In the Middle East, only Kuwait and Dubai Internet City (DIC) are included, and the DIC is only a plot of land and office complex and not really a city.

So walk tall and be proud, there are some good things here that are not very well advertised.

The Wikepedia article is here.

2006-11-09

Great Reasons To Be A Guy...

Phone Conversations are over in 30 seconds flat.

You know stuff about tanks.

A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase.

You can open all your own jars.

Dry cleaners and hair cutters don't rob you blind.

You can go to the bathroom without a support group.

You can kill your own food.

You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness.

Wedding plans take care of themselves.

If someone forgets to invite you to something, he or she can still be your friend.

If you are 34 and single, nobody notices.

Everything on your face stays its original color.

You can quietly enjoy a car ride from the passenger's seat.

Three pairs of shoes are more than enough.

Car mechanics tell you the truth.

Gray hair and wrinkles only add character.

You can drop by to see a friend without bringing a little gift.

Your pals will never trap you with: "So, notice anything different?"

You are not expected to know the names of more than five colors.

You know which way to turn a nut on a bolt.

You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes.

The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades.

Gas (at either end) is cool.

Your belly usually hides your big hips.

One wallet and one pair of shoes, one color, all seasons.

Fall of the Berlin Wall

Intlxpatr wrote about the fall of the Berlin Wall that happened on 9 November 1989, seventeen years ago from today. This represented the end of the Cold War and set the world on a new path.

On this occasion, here is Winds of Change by the Scorpions



2006-11-08

Vampires do not Exist, or do they?

University of Central Florida physics professor Costas Efthimiou claims that vampires do not exist and he proves it mathematically. The article can be found here.

His theory states that On Jan 1, 1600, the human population was 536,870,911. If the first vampire came into existence that day and bit one person a month, there would have been two vampires by Feb. 1, 1600. A month later there would have been four, and so on. In just two-and-a-half years the original human population would all have become vampires with nobody left to feed on.

Professor Costas is assuming that anyone bitten by a vampire would turn into a vampire. I suggest he watches a few recent vampire movies like Blade, Blade II, Blade Trinity and Underworld and Underworld Evolution. Maybe, read a few Anne Rice Books and watch a few Buffy episodes also.

He needs to know that you do not become a vampire by being bitten by one, you need to be sired by a vampire to become one, meaning having the vampire offer you some of his blood to drink resulting in you joining the undead.

Therefore, mathematically, vampires can exist. Good try Prof Costas, but your comclusion is wrong.


Selene Baring her fangs in Underworld

Wonderfully Weird Photos

or is weirdly wonderful photos? Anyway, enjoy and have a wonderfully weird weekend, or is weirdly wonderful?

Just enjoy your weekend ;-)


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2006-11-06

Um Said Bargaining

Bargaining:

1 : to negotiate over the terms of a purchase, agreement, or contract
transitive verb
1 : to bring to a desired level by bargaining
2 : to sell or dispose of by bargaining.

For an example of an expert bargainer , watch Um Said in action:

Turkish Airlines


Turkish Airlines


Shawarma while flying is the best ;-)

2006-11-05

Saddam Hussein Sentenced and His Reaction

Former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein sentenced to death by hanging today for his role in the killing of 148 Shiite Muslims in the northern Iraqi village of Dujail following an attempt on his life there in 1982.

Saddam shouted slogans as he heard his sentence. He was also dissapointed because he was sentenced to hang instead of being shot by a firing squad.

Ramsey Clark, former United States Attorney General and part of Saddam's defence team, was promptly ejected from the trial of Saddam Hussein after passing the Iraqi judge a note claiming that the trial was a travesty.



2006-11-04

Words of Wisdom

Work like you don't need the money; dance like no one is watching; sing like no one is listening; love like you've never been hurt; and live life every day as if it were your last.

Saddam's Palaces are now Internet Hot Spots

I saw an ad for Satellite Internet in Iraq similar to the set up I have at home. The service provides Internet access to remote locations with no existing communication infrastructure such as phone lines. I was curious to see what prices they are offering so I clicked on the site and found a list of all the installations they have in Iraq. These installations where US army bases and Presidential Palaces.

What was amusing was the Saddam / Presidential palaces having Internet Coverage. I counted 63 Palaces that would mean that if Saddam wanted to sleep in all his palaces during the year, he would average 5 nights in each palace. I don't know about Saddam but I need a few days to get accustomed to a new bed before I can soundly sleep. It takes me 3 days to get used to my new surroundings, so that would mean if Saddam was like me, in 5 days Saddam would only get 2 nights of good sleep and 3 nights of insomnia. Maybe that was why he was bad tempered most of the time.

The full list can be found here.

2006-11-02

Back from Eid Vacation

Sorry for the long pause, I was busy vacationing. More posts coming soon.

Here is a little hint of where I am.

Where

And here is a cool 3D Dinosaur for your viewing pleasure.

Dino



Note: the two pictures are not related, I was not excavating dinosaurs in some remote area of the world.

2006-10-17

Happy Birthday in Restaurants


Happy Birthday


You are busy carving into your huge slab of moo moo meat, stuffing yourself with hot Buffalo wings, or drinking from your reservoir of Electric Lemonade, the Waiters and Waitresses gather round your table. Your friends smile, your mouth is bursting with food, the people round you start singing happy birthday, everyone looks your way, your face turns deep red. You want to hide under the table. You came to have a meal, not to be publicly embarrassed. Now you can get back at the restaurant. You can sue them because Happy Birthday, the song, is copyright material.

For instructions on how to sue everyone in on the conspiracy, go to unhappy birthday.

2006-10-16

Skype Missed Fortune

Fortune brings in some boats that are not steered.

William Shakespeare

Unfortunately for those fortune seekers con men, my fortune is not for the taking.

Don Veto

Someone through youtube.com tried to scam me, now someone through skype sent me this elaborate message. My comments are italicized.




[17:40:47] keneth camel says:

Barrister Kenneth Brown.esq
R.G.C Jenkins & Co.
26 Caxton Street
London SW1H 0RJ
United Kingdom.
Tel: +447040121147
Email: kent_479@yahoo.co.uk

R.G.C Jenkins & Co. is real law firm, specializing in patents, trademarks and design. Nice touch, having an orginal law firm.

ATTN:

ENQUIRY

With all due respect , I am Barrister Kenneth Brown, a senior partner in the firm of R.G.C Jenkins & Co ( Legal practitioners , advocates, corporate finance consultants and patent/registered trademarkattorneys) We are presently conducting a STANDARD PROCESS INVESTIGATION / RECOMMENDATION on behalf of PACIFIC TRUST FINANCE , a conglomerate of the PACIFIC TRUST GROUP. This questionaire may be an embarrassement to you since you have never met me before, but the importance of my enquiry serves as an opportunity for me to write you privately. As it may interest you to know, i got your contact from a very reliable source during my recent search for any existing relative to the deceased despite fruitless attempts in the past.

This investigation is in respect of a deceased customer who shares the same surname with you including circumstances surrounding his death.

The PACIFIC TRUST FINANCE customer died INTESTATE and nominated no successor in title over the deposited funds he had in a vault with the finance company. This client is presently having an unclaimed deposit in care of PACIFIC TRUST FINANCE COMPANY and we have been asked to make necessary enquiry and investigation to confirm whether this PTF late client have any extended relative or blood relation to secure his unclaimed funds before the company gets it confiscated since they have failed in previous searches through the embassy and mailing questionaires to his addresses both here and abroad have proved abortive.

I have personally contacted you in order to answer the following questions :

1. Are you aware of any blood relative or extended family of yours born on the 17th of February 1946 who shares the same surname with you and whose last known whereabout was England ?

My family was in Kuwait in 1946, it was the end of World War II, I did not have any relatives vacationing in England, I don't think blitzkrieg bombed London was a very touristy place just after the war ended.

2. Are you aware of any reasonable financial deposit made by this person at PACIFIC TRUST FINANCE ,an offshore financial investment arm of the PACIFIC TRUST GROUP?

3. If you are not related to this person, can you confirm your willingness to receive this unclaimed lodgment with PTF if you are LEGITIMATELY RECOMMENDED by my law firm to the finance company as the stand in next of kin?

Here is the bait, promises of fortunes untold if I make a false claim

4. Will you accept to donate a reasonable part of this sum as grant to charity and needy after receiving this payment?

With a nice little moral twist, it is ok to make a false claim, after all, it will be for charity!

It will be appreciated if you give true answers to the above highlighted questions to enable me determine whether or not you are to be recommended to the finance firm as the funds inheritor before they get it confiscated.

Be advised that, we are being restricted at this point from giving you further details in respect of this deceased customer and investigation / recommendation process for security reasons.

No further details, no mention of how much $$$$$, pounds, or kilos of Gold I will gain if I cooperate

I urgently await your response including answers to the above highlighted questions

Thank you .

Yours Faithfully,

Kenneth Brown . esq
Senior Partner,
R.G.C Jenkins & Co.
Tel: ,+447821761798.


No thank you, I don't need your money, and you can't have any of mine but thank you for considering me.

2006-10-15

Youtube Missed Fortune

I got a few videos posted on youtube.com which I linked to on this blog. Those videos received a decent number of hits, such as:

Yemeni Hip Hop with 8,682 views, Musical Indian with 3,646 views and others.

Youtube alerts me if someone sends me a message, so I got the following message:



--> Hey, I work for a site where you can upload videos and make money. Interested? Email me at -------@gmail.com if you want to know more.


DV> how much money ?

--> I'd rather not broadcast this on Youtube.. i'll give you all the financial details in a private email..

DV> Sorry Dude, tell me about the money or no vids for you.





Lesson for today: if anyone is offering you an easy way to make money, you can be sure it is a scam.

2006-10-13

North Korea has the Bomb

But no food, no electricity, no life. Here is a picture of the whole Korean peninsula at night, the lower part is South Korea, bright and shiny, and the dark part is North Korea, dark and depressing. I would bet that single dot in the North is the President's palace.


Korean Peninsula