2:48AM - Entertaining Kuwait since 2003
Reporters without Borders just released the 2008 Worldwide Press Freedom Index and Kuwait came first among Arab countries ahead of both Lebanon and UAE. It isn’t really a surprise since the top spot is usually always a fight between Kuwait and Lebanon but when Kuwait wins it always feels more impressive. [Link]
This looks like its going to be a really cool hotel but its strange that they’re opening the first Missoni Hotels in Edinburg and Kuwait. I thought I had posted something about it before but can’t seem to find my post. This is the hotels launch movie which is beautifully done. [YouTube]
As many of you already know starting October 17th Kuwait is shifting from 7 digit numbers to 8. Zain numbers will get a 9 added at the beginning, Wataniya a 6, landlines will get a 2 added and commercial numbers that start with eight will get a 1 added to the front. Already over this weekend Zain and Wataniya started adding the extra numbers so its basically time to start converting all your phone numbers as well.
There are now a number of ways to convert all your numbers automatically. Zain and Wataniya both are offering this service. For Zain you need to send the letter B by SMS to 99509 and for Wataniya users you need to SMS the same word BACKUP but to 1618 instead.
Now if you would like to take matters into your own hands some guys have created applications that will do the conversion automatically.
For Windows users the blogger Q8ba7th has created an application that will take all your numbers and convert them with the new digits. You can download his application from his blog [Here]
For Mac users the blogger Q8i has created an Apple script that will also convert all your numbers to the correct format. You can download his script from his blog [Here]
Finally, iPhone users, you’re in for a treat because the local blogger Bojacob has created an iPhone application that will convert the numbers for you directly on your phone. To find out how to install his app visit his blog [Here]
Update: Here is the link to the Zain Mobile Backup site [Link]
I passed by the Kuwait Regency Palace today and managed to take some pictures of the construction thats taking place there. Many of you might remember Kuwait Regency from before the Gulf War, it was one of the best hotels in Kuwait and most school graduation ceremonies used to be held there, I’ve had two graduations there personally. They were also known for their incredible indoor tennis courts and during the Iraqi invasion the hostages from the British Airways flight 149 were even held captive at the Kuwait Regency. Well the place is getting a huge makeover and as you can see from the picture above the tennis courts are currently being used as offices. The hotel should be soft launching by the end of the year with the proper launch by early next year. I took some more pictures which you can see by clicking on continue below.
I think its really great that the place is getting a renovation instead of being completely demolished and rebuilt. I also love the way the name has progressed in time, when it first launched it used to be part of the Hyatt group of hotels and it was called Hyatt Regency, it then became Kuwait Regency and now with the relaunch it will become just The Regency. Sadly the indoor tennis courts will no longer exist once the renovation is completed.
SONY could slap their logo at the end of this and release it as part of their Color Like No Other campaign. [Vimeo]
Tonight I had dinner at what was Hitlers favorite Italian restaurant, Osteria Italiana. The place used to be called Osteria Bavaria and Hitler used to eat there so often that he had his own armored room in the middle of the restaurant which I got to see. The food was incredible, very authentic and delicious. I heard this story that supposedly happened recently about this girl who came to the restaurant daily in hopes of seeing Hitler. She came in daily for a month and when she got fed up of waiting she asked the waiter if he knew when Hitler would be coming. When the waiter told her Hitler was dead the girl went into a depression and tried to shoot herself. She ended up in a failed suicide attempt and it now paralyzed neck down. Pretty weird.
Confashions from Kuwait has pictures of a new cafe that opened up in Marina Waves called Living Room Lounge. Based on the pictures it looks like a really cool place. Can’t wait to try it. [Link]
I just started watching the new TV mini-series called House of Saddam and its actually pretty good. The show charts the rise and fall of Saddam Hussein and it focuses on his family and his relationship with his closest advisers. The mini-series is only four episodes long and I’ve already gone through two of them. It actually sucks that there are only four episodes because it is an interesting subject and there is a lot to cover but I guess four episodes are better than one. If you’re interested in watching the show its broadcasted on BBC or you can do what I did and just download the episode off of torrents. [Link]
A few days ago there was a news article that took many by surprise. A young Kuwaiti football player called Ibrahim Al Faresi got signed to a top Italian football team, the problem is no one had heard of him before. Well by sheer coincidence my good friend choowy goowy guy turned out to be friends with Ibrahim and was involved in the organization of the signing event that took place here in Kuwait. So who exactly is Ibrahim Al Faresi?
A couple of years ago Ibrahim was playing football with his friends in front of the Bulgarian embassy here in Kuwait when an employee at the embassy took notice of Ibrahim and told him he should go play football in the Bulgarian league. He offered to help him and hook him up with the right people so Ibrahim decided to take the chance and traveled to Bulgaria where he tried out for a football team and ended up joining them.
After awhile Ibrahim realized he wanted more and so went to the FIFA website and sent an email to a licensed agent so he would be able to travel and play in any club without issues. His new agent took him to England first where he was going to get signed to Crystal Palace F.C. But due to the fact that if you want to play in the English Premiership you need to have a work permit and also need to have played in your countries league at one point, Ibrahim couldn’t join them.
His agent then took him to try out at A.C. Siena in Italy. While there a very famous goalkeeper scout called Senior Silvano who had previously discovered the worlds best goalkeeper Gianluigi “Gigi” Buffon told him not to sign up with A.C. Siena and instead offered to have him trained more so he could get him signed up in a better team. Ibrahim accepted and went and trained under the guidance of Senior. After a short period Senior took him to try out for A.C. Milan and ACF Fiorentina. Fiorentina where right away impressed and instantly offered him a spot on their team.
And thats basically the story of Ibrahim. In a weeks time he is leaving Kuwait and heading to Italy for some medical test and some more training before officially signing for the club. Its a great story and it just goes to show that there are a lot of untapped talents here in Kuwait. I’ve always believed that there are some amazing football players here in Kuwait but I think the football league here is just not as strong as it used to be to draw in these talents. Hopefully this story will prove to be an eyeopener.
Picture from Al Azraq
I was just reading a post from a blogger in Beirut and I found out two interesting things about Sultan Center.
The first which was a surprise is that Sultan Center is now operating the large supermarket chain in Lebanon called Geant. Geant is a large French based supermarket chain like Carrefour which is why I found that interesting. Could Sultan possibly open Geant in Kuwait? Or will they rebrand Geant’s to Sultan Center in Lebanon? I don’t know if Sultan operating Geant in Lebanon will have any effect here in Kuwait but nevertheless a lot of interesting things could happen.
Now the second thing which I found funny actually is that it seems the problem Sultan has in Kuwait with expired produce has worn off onto Geant in Lebanon. The Lebanese blogger purchased rotten meat from the supermarket and had a bad experience with the management there which is why he posted about Sultan and Geant in the first place. This blog by the way is my favorite Lebanese blog so it has some pretty interesting stuff. [Link]
Update: I just found out about another local blogger who found expired food at Sultan Center and was able to document his finding with pictures. He took it up with management and when they found out about his blog they threatened to sue him if he didn’t remove the post. I think thats extremely bad for their image. Threatening a blogger for posting about expired food he found at their supermarket. If anything they should thank him for highlighting the problem. Here are his posts on his experience with Sultan Center…
Sultan center in trouble!
Sultan center did It AGAIN!!!!
Sultan center STRIKE 3!
Note: Please take into account that the above information might not be true. There is no way for us to verify that the bloggers above are telling the truth and we haven’t heard Sultan Center’s side of the story. I for one only shop at Sultan Center.
Nat just told me about this website here in Kuwait where people sell and buy pets from. Sounds normal until you actually check the site and realize people are selling everything from ponies and monkeys to crocodiles and cheetahs. My favorite though has to be the rare french dwarf goat, I wish I had a farm so I could get it. [Link]
Update: I called and asked about the cheetah, its 8 months old and the guy is selling it for KD1,200. He had four originally and this is the only one left. Is this even legal? How are people allowed to buy and sell cheetah’s or tigers?? Why isn’t there some kind of control? This is really upsetting.
Update2: Here is a video on YouTube of a guy in Kuwait who had a baby cheetah in his house. Although its very cute keep in mind this is a WILD animal and not a house pet so what he’s doing is very cruel. [Link]
Two videos for today, this is the first one. Its a video of some people flying kites in Kuwait, I posted about them before but now there seems to be wayyyy more kites and not small regular kites I am talking about really cool big ones, just check out the video. [YouTube]
There is a cool post on the New York Times blog on 11 food items we should be eating. I am going to start eating more blueberries since supposedly it improves memory and mine needs a lot of improving. [Link]
This looks like an interesting gadget. Plant Sense is a device that will help you monitor your plants and in case it finds a problem it tells you how to solve it. The device comes in two parts, one plugs into your USB port and the other into your plant. Once the device gets the readings it uploads them onto the Plant Sense website where using a bunch of algorithms it can either recommend what plant you should grow or if you are already growing a plant it will tell you whats wrong with it and how to treat it. Yes its geeky but in a cool way. Costs $60. [Link]
