Category: Information

Girl’s, you’ve let us down. I don’t understand how Bahrain could beat us?! [Link]

Thanks FYI

I spotted this new air conditioned bus stop today in Kuwait City. It’s pretty spacious on the inside with one split unit providing the cold air and a long bench for seating. What’s interesting is the no smoking or you will be fined KD15 warning plastered inside. I wish they would apply that to malls and restaurants and not just bus stops.

Before I started 248AM I had another blog called Miskan. Before Miskan I had a photo blog (that sadly doesn’t exist anymore) called Moblogging in Kuwait. Before Moblogging in Kuwait I started off blogging at qHate.com back when the only bloggers around were just me, Nibaq and Zaydoun from Kuwait Unplugged. Thing is I’ve posted about so much stuff in the past 7 years that I’ve completely lost track of what I’ve posted about and what I haven’t. For example it recently came into my attention that I haven’t posted about Q8Books or the original Kuwait Bookshop although I could swear I’ve posted about them before. Turns out I discovered both those places back during my Moblogging from Kuwait project in 2004 but only mentioned it briefly on Miskan and with a picture on Moblogging from Kuwait (actually called Nat my girl friend in that post back then!) yet I thought I had done a proper post about it here on 248AM. Anyway since I haven’t I figured I would do so now.

Q8 Books
Q8 Books is the only used books shop I am aware of in Kuwait. There actually aren’t that many places that sell used anything here in Kuwait which makes Q8 Books even more special. The place is filled to the brim with a ton of used books ranging from novels, kids books to cooking books and more. The owner of the place is a great guy who opened the place and runs it out of passion. They even have a website that contains all the books they have in the shop, how cool is that? The store is located on the mezzanine floor of the shopping center behind Johnny Rockets Salhiya. For store opening hours and to check out their collection of books you can visit their website www.q8books.com

The Kuwait Bookshop
Everyone knows the large Kuwait Bookshop located in the basement of Muthana Complex in Kuwait City but very few people know about their first and original store located a few hundred meters away. The original Kuwait Bookshop location was the first English bookshop to open up in Kuwait (so I was told) and the location is still open and active. Although the Muthana branch is pretty cozy the original branch is even cozier. The store is two stories with the top floor being my favorite since it feels like it contains hidden treasures. I’ve been there a few times and never seen anyone in the shop but the employees tell me they do get a lot of customers. The original Kuwait Bookshop is located near Restaurant 99 on the Sheraton Roundabout.

Note: Off topic but I think Moblogging from Kuwait was my best blog so far. Sadly it was hosted on textamerica.com which shutdown and took my blog with it. Luckily most of it is still archived on web.archive.org although 99% of the pictures aren’t. It’s still fun to flip through and read my old posts there. I used to post from my Sony Clie UX-40. To read my old posts, follow [this link] click on the first image and then keep clicking next.

Seems a huge fight broke out at the Avenues last night. According to one manager working at the Avenues the fight involved around 80 people and started at Gant next to Pinkberry. According to him a lot of people were injured and there was blood on the floor. [YouTube]

Thanks Miguel

Note: Video is from Hi Kuwait

According to a survey by EuroCost International, Beirut is now the most expensive city in the Middle East and 10th world wide when it comes to housing. Beirut, “the Paris of the Middle East” is ironically more expensive to live in than the real Paris. Second place is Abu Dhabi coming in at 12. Dubai this year is off the Top 20 list. [Link]

via BlogBaladi

Last month I posted about Aysha, the Bahraini blogger who found out Al-Qabas newspaper had stolen a picture of her and published it in the newspaper without permission. Well Al-Qabas posted an apology a couple of days back… and posted her picture again.

If you remember, my whole issue was that the newspaper took a picture, my picture, from my blog without my permission. So, when I was informed that there would be a published apology on their site and the newspaper I never, ever imagined that they would actually REPRINT my image. Are they kidding? Are they seriously that naive or genuinely apologizing? My whole issue to begin with was having MY image plastered/printed in the bloody paper to begin with. They must be joking right? A cruel, pathetic joke!

You can check out her full post on her blog [Here]

Yesterday BuYousef emailed a link to an article in LIFE about Kuwait dating back to 1959 which contained a good amount of pictures and information. He had found that article by using the search feature in Google Books and it made me realize I might be able to find other hidden treasure and I did. Since his email I’ve been reading old articles none stop and I’m still not 0.0001% through them all.

A search for Kuwait in Google Books will get you tens of thousands of results but I managed to narrow down the search a bit and found the ones below:

1952 Venus is a crook in Kuwait
1955 Proved in the Blazing Heat of Kuwait!
1958 Fresh Water from the Sea
1959 Kuwait: the fabulous sheikdom
1961 A dusty vigil
1965 Everything’s up to date in Kuwait
1975 What happens when the oil is gone?
1979 Bite that tiger
1980 Solar power station for oil-rich Kuwait

Some of the interesting stuff I read weren’t just articles about Kuwait but articles that mentioned Kuwait. I didn’t post them above because there were too many but I did read some interesting stories like I was reading an article from 1961 about a Nazi war criminal that was hiding in Kuwait and then I read another small snippet from someone in Kuwait who had sent a letter to Boys Life. It’s just random bits like that which I found really entertaining to read. Google Books is just amazing.

Not sure if many people have noticed this but street lamps have unique numbers on them. I remember reading once that these numbers are used to identify the location in case of emergency like say you get into an accident and you call for help, you could read them the number on the lamp post and they would know exactly where you are. I wonder if that applies in Kuwait.

Spotted this bus on my way into work this morning. Turns out there was a building under construction that was lifting some metal beams via a crane but the beams crossed over the main road where a Citybus was passing by.

On a similar subject some of you might not be aware of this but the employees of KPTC, the public blue buses are on strike because they’re protesting a KD50 salary cut. [News]

Posted by Fahad AlYehya | Core Fitness – Kuwait

This generation’s females are anemic, bulimic, and anorexic. They deny those things ad infinitum, of course, but you can’t really trust anything they say. They think cupcake is a food group.

Because I want to be fair and balanced, I will write this post with my “female” voice. (Yes, I do have a female voice. I keep it locked away safe and sound though. And my female voice is still a beast that will scratch your eyes out. Don’t mess with Lupita, yo!) Take it away Lupita:

75% percent of us are ova’weight, ese!
It sucks to be fat and anemic at the same time; it’s like you’re fat for nothing. Malnutrition here translates into eating junk calories devoid of any essential vitamins and minerals, replaced by traditional wholesome food.

But you told us to satisfy our cravings in moderation, homes!
I worked with women who eat nothing but chocolate, cupcakes, muffins and donuts all day long. Eating desserts and sweets all day moderately is anything but moderate. Eat your 2-3 square meals first and enjoy snacking in between them but in moderation.

Psshhh, wha’eva fatty! I have a high metabolism and I can eat wha’eva ah want.
If only I had a fils for every time I heard that, I’d be able to cross all of Lupita’s 160 cousins over the border. Studies conducted in Kuwait have shown that females between the ages of 14-18 are playing Russian Roulette with high cholesterol levels and diabetes. You don’t have high metabolisms; it’s called skinny fat. A person with a high metabolism looks like an anatomy chart. You look like a skinny stripper with extra jiggle.

Like I could care less what you tink. I’m enjoyin’ life and I’m happy! And my momma tinks I’m too SKINNY!
My mother, Allah bless her heart, is overweight and your mother’s also probably overweight. Mothers should set better examples by teaching their children on how to eat properly. Unfortunately, mothers enjoy dessert and sweet consumption more than their daughters. No one wants to be fat alone, so listen to mommy and have that extra cupcake. With whipped cream. And mango juice. And ice cream. With fondue on the side. Maybe cookies. Screw it, I’m adding in cookies.

OK OK! I get it! Save me from my own demise, papi!

I thought you’d never ask.

Awhile back a reader sent me some PDF files related to the construction of the Kuwait Towers and Kuwait Water Towers. The PDF’s contain photos, sketches and information regarding the projects. For example according to one of the PDF’s the total cost of the Kuwait Towers was KD4,700,000 (or $16,450,000) while the cost of the Water Towers was KD2,800,000 (or $9,800,000).

Among the different sketches and architectural plans lies an interesting bit of information. According to one of the diagrams (close up crop above) there was a discotheque and dance floor planned in the Kuwait Towers on top of the restaurant along with an indoor garden. That would have been a pretty cool club although I don’t know how efficient the elevators would have been carrying the crowd up and down. You can download all the PDF’s and check out a ton of pictures from the construction to the completion of the towers by following this [Link]

Posted by Fahad AlYehya | Core Fitness – Kuwait

The first day of Ramadan was a total bust. True epic failure. You guys would’ve been disappointed at the horrors that took place at my family’s futoor table.

Yet, like the phoenix, I rise again and avail in favor of sticking to my plan like every other dedicated fitness enthusiast, which lasted a few seconds right after the kanafa, atayef and cheese cake arrived, where I yet again continued to disgrace my will and testament in keeping my mouth shut and saving dessert for later.

Of course a few cups of sage, thyme, ginger, white tea, gymnema sylvestre and peppermint post pig-out should minimize the gut-damage, at least in accordance to my mother.  On a side note, I’ll be discussing more about those 6 herbs and how they can benefit you when indulging in belt-widening carby and fatty mixtures from hell.

This Post’s About Dessert BTW

I guide you how to eat dessert responsibly, I throw in a few jokes, then you follow my advice by eating dessert responsibly and we all live happily every after. The usual Q&A is available for any necessary inquiries in regards to the subject or any other relevant areas in fitness, health and nutrition.

Snacking Rules:

*Dessert should never go above 300 calories.

*Each snack should contain all macro nutrients, including junk-nutrients such as sugar and fat. Inclusion of all macros balance out the snack, providing a more subtle release of blood sugar.

*This is bullet point #3 and isn’t remotely relevant to the subject at hand.

*Snacks are to be consumed 2.5-3 hours after a meal or before a meal.

I posted a couple of days back about how AlQabas newspaper stole an image from a Bahraini blogger and published it in the newspaper. Well just an update, Aysha the blogger will be contacting a lawyer who will be sending a letter to AlQabas. Depending on the response they get they will then decide what action to take. Personally I am curious to see what the outcome of this will be.

On another note, I emailed the editor of Arab Time asking him if he was aware of various cases in which they copy pasted posts from local bloggers into their newspaper without giving any credit. I haven’t gotten a reply yet.

A Bahraini blogger called Aysha was surprised to find out that not only did Al-Qabas newspaper steal one of her pictures and publish it in the newspaper but that the picture they stole was a picture of herself. She was completely shocked and surprised to find her picture plastered in Al-Qabas and now wonders if there is anything she can do. She has a full write up on her blog which you can check by clicking this [Link]

Sadly I doubt there is anything she can do about this and we all know this isn’t the first time that Al-Qabas uses pictures without permission.

I was in Phase II of the Avenues when I heard what sounded like a movie being played loudly in the middle of the mall. I followed the sound all the way up to the second floor near where Kenneth Cole is and found something called the XD Theater. Turns out for KD3 you can watch a short 3D movie that’s around 5 minutes long. It’s kinda like a small movie theater in the middle of the mall.