Categories
Apps Interesting Video Games

Second Life

second life

I had heard of Second Life numerous times but for some reason I never bothered to try it. Then a few days ago a reader emailed me a link to Second Life and I decided what the heck let me try it.

Second Life is really freaky, its literally a second life. Its another world and its not a game its just a different parallel universe. You can make money, sell stuff, buy stuff or just party and have fun. Today for example I went to this club which had Tiesto playing then I visited an art gallery followed by a walk on the beach. Everything we have in real life is available in second life. Actually if you are living in Kuwait there is more stuff in Second Life like alcohol, casinos and strippers.

There are over 3 million other users in Second Life so there is a lot to do and tons of places to visit. The experience is free, you just download the software from the Second Life website and create a free account. It runs on Windows and Macs and the setup file is like 60MB only. If you haven’t tried it yet then you should. [Link]




Categories
Information Interesting Kuwait

On the Kuwait Airways Emergency Landing

A Jazeera Airways pilot left the following comment regarding my previous post on the Kuwait Airways crash landing:

Ok the replacement plane is one to fly passengers back its not a charity, you do have a return flight you have to make. They aren’t giving Kuwait a free plane. Secondly, that plane is repairable unless there is structural damage or the cost to repair is too high, and crash landings or gear being stuck is a common problem, has nothing to do with the age of the aircraft. There is a manual release on gear, this breaks open the gear doors locks and releases the hydraulic system which is why the gear doors are hanging down like that. Finally, the use of emergency slides is a crew discretion, in a situation like this they would probably fear hydraulic fluid catching on fire or any other substance around the plane, pilots can’t tell what is going on outside thus they want to clear the plane as quickly as possible, remember they can’t tell whats going on behind them. From my view, Good job on handling the situation.

And another point sure KU customer service is crap, but trust me the people in Dubai are an outstanding team, they try their best, I’ve personally seen them in action a few times. The hotel situation is not up to them, you can’t find 50 hotel rooms in a busy traveling season in seconds or hours, and also do you think Dubai has a lot of empty top notch hotels. Upper management is corrupt in KU not the people who are holding the fort in the stations abroad. And yes KU has lost its touches around 2001/2002. They now officially suck.




Categories
Interesting Kuwait News

Men Can no Longer Sell Lingerie in Kuwait

From Naharnet today:

Kuwait issued a decision Sunday banning men from working in shops selling “private” women’s garments like lingerie.

The decision, issued by the ministry of social affairs and labor, gave businesses until April 7 to implement the ban or face a fine of up to 700 dollars for each violating worker.

It said that special inspectors from the ministry would enforce the ban.

The ministry also ordered its labor departments to stop recruiting male migrant laborers for employment in women’s lingerie shops.

I didn’t know men WERE allowed to sell lingerie in the first place…

Thanks Shak




Categories
Food & Drinks Interesting Kuwait

Burger Co.

Burger Co

Anyone heard of or been to Burger Company? I first heard about it 10 days ago in the forum but today someone else mentioned it to me. Its supposed to be a 24 hour diner, the first in Kuwait. The place is located in Hawalli opposite “the college of business studies”.

Picture by vampire




Categories
Interesting Television

Seinfeld Half Syrian

I was just checking out Jerry Seinfeld on Wikipedia and it seems his mother is Syrian. I didn’t know that.

Seinfeld was born in the Brooklyn borough of New York City to Jewish parents. His father, Kalman, was of Hungarian Jewish background and his mother, Betty, was of Syrian Jewish background.

[Link]




Categories
Interesting Videos

Convoy Ambush in Iraq




Categories
Information Interesting

Sony Ericsson Prices

The Sony Ericsson dealer in Kuwait (Barrak) has a website online with all the Sony Ericsson models available and their prices. Its not a pretty website but it gets the job done. [Link]




Categories
Food & Drinks Interesting Kuwait

OGO Oxygen Water

ogo

I have gotten a lot of things to try out because of my blog but I don’t think I have ever gotten anything like this… water. I came in today morning to find a box of OGO Oxygen Water on my desk. At first I thought it was a new client of ours but then I found out that a company who imports OGO to Kuwait wanted me to try it out and get my feedback on it.

According to the label and website, OGO water contains up to 35 times more oxygen then regular bottled water. What I was more interested in was the actual bottle. It reminded me of the magic potions Asterix and Obelix used to carry around with them which is a cool thing.

Anyway, if anyone is interested you can place an order by phone. Minimum 5 boxes, each box holds twelve 330ml bottles and costs KD6. So thats 500fils per bottle. The number to call is 4341209 or 7242595.

www.OGOlife.com




Categories
Interesting Kuwait Videos

Watan TV

watan tv

Was just flipping through the Watan TV website and I found some interesting short video clips. The site is like a video blog, just a bunch of random clips related to Kuwait. [Link]




Categories
Interesting Music

Billy Corgans Journal

Billy Corgan

Wow, Billy Corgan has a Live Journal?! For those of you who don’t know who he is, he was the lead singer for Smashing Pumpkins. For those of you who don’t know who they are, too bad, you are missing out, they are one of my favorite bands ever. [Link]




Categories
Information Interesting Travel

United Airlines – Kuwait to Washington DC

united airlines logo

A reader called Steven emailed me his review on the newly added United Airlines direct route, Kuwait to Washington DC. Its kinda long but it might be interesting for people who are considering this route (or airlines even). Here is his take on the flight:

—————————-

Hi Mark, I am a frequent traveler from Kuwait and have gold status in the frequent flyer programs of Kuwait Airways, Emirates and British Airways. I decided to try United Airlines new direct flight from Kuwait to Washington DC (14 hours) this weekend and I have to say that the flights there and back on United Airlines were some of the worst I have flown.

The flight UA981 on January 20th from Kuwait was one and a half hours late to fly because of computer problems on the aircraft. They did serve welcoming drinks – water. Once the aircraft flew, the inflight entertainment system was partly bad and the airmap which I like to use to track progress was not working. The business class seats have a very uncomfortable headrest in which the lower part presses onto your shoulders and forces you to sit in an uncomfortable position. The food aboard was very poor and service staff was not very attentive. To make matters worse, the lavatory drainage in business class backed up causing their sinks and floors to fill with foul smelling brown goo. I am sure there was some serious health hazards there.




Categories
Automotive Information Interesting Kuwait

Gulf Run 2007

Gulf Run

Think Gumball but on a local level and you have Gulf Run 2007. From the first couple of pictures on the Official Gulf Run website I can see 2 Porsches, a Ferrari, 2 Nobles, 2 Lancers, a 350z, and a Corvette but in total there are 22 cars participating this year. The drivers will be heading from Kuwait to Bahrain where they’ve booked the Bahrain International Circuit for a full day. I didn’t get any invitation to participate this year (must have been lost in the mail) so for now I will just keep checking their site for picture updates. K.TheKuwaiti is participating in the race this year. [Link]




Categories
Automotive Interesting Kuwait

Last picture of the Gulf Road speed camera

Yesterday I posted about the Missing Speed Camera on the Gulf Road. Well Ratlab have a picture of the camera on its death bed, turned out it was killed by a black Trail Blazer. Check it out. [Link]




Categories
Interesting

Jazeera Airways going to get hacked?

I just got the following email from someone threatening to bring down the Jazeera Airways IATA system which I am guessing is the ticketing system. Here is the email:

JAZEERA AIRLINES IATA SYSTEM WILL BE UNDER ATTACK BY NEXT MONDAY GET READY FOR THE TAKING OVER !!!

HACKERS FOR REAL WE AIN’T BULLSHITING YOU PEOPLE

WAIT ON MONDAY AND SEE WHAT WILL HAPPENED TO THESE FOOL INDIAN TECHS THEY HAVE IN THERE !

CIAO BUDDIES !




Categories
Gossip & Rumors Information Interesting Kuwait

The Shark of Kuwait Rocks

shark of kuwait

Yesterday night I finally got to meet Shark of Kuwait and I have to say, he turned out to be wayyy cooler then I expected him to be. We decided to meet in Starbucks Marina Mall which as you might have guessed is one of Shark’s most seen places. I got there first and he came in a few minutes later, we shook hands, sat down and we started talking. We spoke for around an hour and half to be exact before I had to leave. Here are some things I found out:

His name is Ahmed, he is 43 years old and he works in customs under the anti drugs department. His schedule is pretty cool, he goes to work one day then has two days off, and the cycle repeats, 1 day work, 2 days off, 1 day work, 2 days off etc. When he does have work its from 9PM to 7AM which is also pretty convenient. He used to be in the Kuwait Special Forces back in the day, nowadays though he freelances as a VIP security escort. He has a couple of clients which require his services whenever they travel abroad.

How did he get the nickname Shark?
When he was a kid he saw the movie Jaws and fell in love with it. He kept watching it over and over and got really obsessed with the movie and he even started scribbling the word shark on his jeans. Thats when his friends started calling him Shark and the nickname has stuck with him ever since.

He is a health freak. He doesn’t smoke, drink nor has he ever done drugs. He is on a vegetarian diet five days a week eating mostly his homemade salad creations. On weekends he allows himself to indulge in meat but he never has junk food. He likes anything extreme like parachuting or car/motorbike racing.

His regular day looks something like this:
– Wakes up 12pm
– Goes to Starbucks and has coffee
– He has a small snack at 3PM
– Goes to the gym from 5 to 7:30
– Showers, cleans up and then goes back out to meet friends usually at various Starbucks around Kuwait but mostly either Marina Mall or Souk Sharq

His music style is a split between two different styles. He likes techno and specifically Scooter. I tried to tell him how much Scooter sucked but I wasn’t able to convince him. Now here is the cool part, he also likes Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Ozzy Osborne, and Guns N Roses. I asked him if he also liked Nirvana but he told me he didn’t… he found them “too noisy”.

I asked him about his look and if he likes sticking out. He told me that guys today mostly dress like fags with their spiky hair and wrinkled up jeans. He prefers the more masculine look and thats why he dresses the way he does. He actually designs some of his clothes himself like the jeans he was wearing during the interview and honestly they weren’t half bad. He told me it amuses him how sometimes people freak out when they turn and see him but he also doesn’t like the problems his looks sometimes cause him. When he travels he sometimes isn’t allowed to go into clubs. The bouncers look at him and think he is a trouble maker so they tell him he can’t come in. He told me that although he gives out this aggressive and tough look he is actually a regular joe on the inside.

shark of kuwait

The Shark also has a passion for cars. He has a Bugatti racer but its a kit car not the original thing. He also just got a hold of an excellent condition 1972 Camaro which he had shipped in from Switzerland. He collects VW Beetles, he has a 1970, 1975 and 1981 model. I think he told me the 81 model was a convertible. He also has 2 Harleys, a Road King and a 1977 Shovel Head. And yeah he loves the show American Chopper. For his everyday car he has an Audi S8. He is also a mechanic. He takes care of his car himself and even does engine swaps and repairs. He just purchased a souped up engine for one of his Beetles and he will be swapping out the engines himself.

His favorite place in the world is Thailand. Every year he spends 3-4 months there chilling with his friends who also come in from various countries around the world most of whom are body builders and Harley riders too.

When March comes he will be traveling to Siberia to get married. He met his fiancee in Thailand while scuba diving. She is Russian, 23 and a really hot model. He showed me pictures of him and her together and they looked like a nice couple. He loves her a lot and he can’t wait to be with her.

Thats basically everything. He showed me a lot of photos of himself all over the world having fun with his friends. He is a really chilled out guy who is having the time of his life. I am really glad I got to meet him. Everyone who knows him says he is an extremely friendly and trustworthy guy and I can easily imagine that. I asked him if he had anything he wanted to say to my readers and he said all he wants from people is to leave him alone and let him be. And I agree, let him be.

www.SharkofKuwait.com