2007-03-30

Microsoft does iPhone

I am still away but I had to post about this. Microsoft releases an iPhone like interface for its PocketPC OS. Check it out in this promo video here:





Microsoft also launched an independent company called ZenZui to run the show.

2007-03-27

Not Here

I am not here, meaning I am not in Kuwait. I will be back in a few days. I got some interesting stuff I would like to share with all of you. So, keep on checking.

2007-03-23

300 - A Kuwait Review

I saw 300 yesterday and it was awesome. It was so amazingly great that even the kids that usually shout stupid comments during any movie you see in Kuwait, where awestruck and silent.

If you have a weak stomach, you will not enjoy it, but if you like bloody battle scenes with limbs and heads flying after being slashed by swords, then you will love this movie. Do not expect any realism here, the movie 300 is more of a graphic novel adventure, mixed with Lord of the Rings epic battles, Gladiator like sword and shield fights and exagerated monsters.

The movie was not cut up as bad as I thought it might be by the Kuwaiti censors. The storyline was barely disturbed.

Here is a little preview of 300 with some blood spattering scenes (not the trailer) from youtube:



2007-03-20

A Star is Born

Talent, that je ne sais quoi that makes you want to stop what you are doing and listen, entranced, enamored and enchanted by the voice, the music, the style, the charisma. I proudly present to you Abdulsamiii3, a most talented fellow, singing wa7ishni.



Alena Searching for Mark

I get the usual ammount of Spam email which I delete promptly, but this particular spam was interesting, Alena wrote:


How are you? My name is Alena. I from Russia, city Cheboksary. To me 28 years. I shall tell to you about myself a little.

I corresponded with the man from the your country before. His name Mark. He is from your country. We had a long correspondence and Mark wanted, that I have arrived to him in the your country that I have seen what life there. We have together submitted the statement on reception of the visa in your country! Mark spoke, that will help my in our meeting. I thought, that have met on the Internet the love.

I and Mark made the big plans for the future, but in a flash all has changed. From the moment of submission of the statement for the application of the visa has passed 5 months. For these five months there was for what I least waited. Mark informed, that his former wife has returned to him and lives together with him. Soon they should get married. And now in Mark plans there is no me. I wrote to him some times after that, but Mark have wished


and then the email stops, what could have happened there? Was Alena suddenly interrupted? Did she find Mark? Maybe I should write back and find out.

2007-03-19

Tonight We Dine in Hell (or at least in 2 days time)


300


One movie that I am really looking forward to seeing is 300. I really like Gladiator when it came out and I saw it three times at the cinema and more when I got the DVD. 300 promises to be similar to Gladiator but a supercharged version.

The story of 300 according the brief is "Adopted from the epic graphic novel by Frank Miller, the film is set during the Persian-Greco war at the Battle of Thermopylae, where Spartan King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and 300 Spartans fight to the death against Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) and his massive Persian army. Their bravery and sacrifice against their out-numbered odds then inspire all of Greece to unite against their Persian enemy, which lead to the origins of democracy."

I don't care if I know the story of the movie before seeing the movie and I like to read spoilers. You can read the movie spoiler here. There are some R rated scenes according to the spoiler, I hope they don't get chopped off so much.

300 is coming soon in Kuwait on 21 March 2007, 2 days left.

2007-03-15

Kuwait's New License Plate

Cars started appearing in Kuwait's streets with the new License plate. Mark wrote about it here.

There is one license plate only available to the exclusive few, no amount of wasta will help you in getting it. This is the plate I yearn for.


License Plate


What makes this plate so special? It has Diplomatic Immunity, no police will stop you no matter how fast you drive, no bad parking violations, no worries.

2007-03-14

Go fly a Kite!

It is the weekend, the weather is not too hot, not too cold, no rain, no snow, no hurricanes, slightly windy. Before you think this is a weather report, what I want to say is it is a wonderful day to fly a kite. Here are some kites currently flying in Kuwait.


Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting


Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting


Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting


Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting


Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting


Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting


Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting


Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting


My Starbucks Coffee

I know this is an ad, but it was fun. Here is my preffered starbucks combination:


My Starbucks Coffee


You can make your own Starbucks drink here.

They also promised to give me a T shirt but I could not find a link to take me there, maybe they meant that I should make the graphics and print my own T shirt?

If anyone finds how I can get my T shirt, let me know.

2007-03-12

Driving Tip

Driving Tip for today, when you are driving, it is not a good idea to read the newspaper at the same time.


Driving Tip

Dubai Airport Closed

Fadibou's post about a crash landing at Dubai airport, made me do a quick search and I found out that:

Dubai airport, a major international hub, will be closed for at least eight hours on Monday after a Biman Bangladesh Airlines aircraft was involved in an accident while trying to take off, officials said.

more here from scotsman.com and from Gulfnews and chron.com

UPDATE

DCA Statement on Biman BG 006 Accident
DCA Statement on Biman BG 006 Accident - March 12, 2007



Biman, Bangladesh Airlines Flight BG 006 from Dubai to Dhaka had an accident during departure and failed to take off around 0630am today. All 236 passengers, including crew, are safe, and were immediately evacuated from the aircraft. Fourteen passengers sustained minor injuries.


Accident at Dubai Airport






Dubai Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) has announced an 8-hour closure for Dubai International Airport starting 0630 hrs, March 12, 2007. The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and DCA are investigating the cause of the accident.

2007-03-11

Kuwaiti Accent

A lot of Arab expatriates after living a few years in Kuwait manage to acquire a Kuwaiti accent. When they try to talk "Kuwaiti", true Kuwaitis can sense it immediately.

I have heard very few expats speak fluent Kuwaiti, unless they where born here or where Pakistani (funnily enough).

There are of course exceptions to ever rule, and this Saeedi proves it:



Drug Boat

This thing zoomed across the English channel 3 times per week and was
just a blur on the radar of the British coast guard.

Police were so blown away by the speed of the thing that they brought in a
specialized chopper and had to attempt to LAND the chopper on the boat
at high speed to get them to stop....

What was on board...... 300kgs of pure cocaine!


Drug Boat

2007-03-10

Somewhere deep in the Chadian desert...

a shepherd with his camel and cows stop at a parched water hole to rest and let the livestock eat the rough dry foliage.

High in the sky, a satellite takes a shot of this shepherd and immortalizes him on Google maps.

You can see this Shepherd here.

2007-03-09

Talking in 7 Languages

When you travel it is useful if you knew the language of the country you visit, or you could instantly learn 7 languages like this lady: