2:48AM - Entertaining Kuwait since 2003
Last night while at the Kuwait Airport waiting for my Lufthansa flight I got the message above on my phone. They changed the departure gate after I checked in so Lufthansa sent me an SMS informing me of the gate change. I thought that was pretty cool.
The Shams Power Company opened their Shams 1 concentrated solar power station this week in Abu Dhabi. The station generates 100 MW and can power 20,000 homes while reducing CO2 emissions by 175,000 tons per year. [Source]
Kuwait is currently in the process of building a solar power station as well and is expected to be completed by the end of this year (2013).
The project took about two years and $600 million to build. [Source]
Now this is what I find interesting. Their solar power station is costing $600 million to build while ours is costing just $16 million. So our power station is either going to be super tiny or they got ripped off pretty badly.
On a similar subject, here is a link to vintage photos of the Shuwaikh Power Station taken back in the 1950s. [Link]
K’S PATH is holding their first fundraising event of the year in a fantastic setting inspired by Alice in Wonderland. You’ll spend the afternoon drinking tea accompanied by music and a host channeling the eccentric Mad Hatter. Seats are limited; email [email protected] to know how to purchase tickets. The event will be hosted at The Kuwait Riding Center.
Date: Friday, 29th March 2013
Time: 11AM to 1PM
Location: The Kuwait Riding Center
Ticket: KD15
Update: Event has sadly been canceled.
First a bit of background, a few weeks back Daft Punk released a 15 second commercial during an episode of Saturday Night Live which featured a 15 second sound sample. That 15 second sound sample from the commercial was taken a remixed to a bunch of things (I love the internet) including a drunk Ron Swanson jigging to the song.
This brings us to the video above, it was done by Patrick Semaan and its a video loop of Kuwaitis dancing to a loop of the 15 second sound sample. [YouTube]
The American International School has an exhibition taking place today at the AIS Art Gallery where they will be exhibiting over 150 works including drawings, paintings, sculptures and installations. If you’re interested here are the details:
Date: Monday March 18th, 2013
Time: 6PM to 8PM
Location: American International School, Medan Hawalli
Under the change, Kuwaitis will be given priority for medical checkups at public hospitals and clinics during the morning, with foreigners only able to access doctors in the afternoon, unless it is an emergency.
Staff also will be segregated according to their nationality, with Kuwaitis working in the morning and expat doctors in the afternoon. [Source]
Even though this doesn’t apply to emergency treatment it still doesn’t make it less racist.
Since today is Saint Patrick’s Day I found this fitting. [YouTube]
Thanks Maytham
Isma3ni is an monthly open mic night features all types of artists from comedians and musicians to storytellers and poets. Every open mic night has 15 performers and everyone gets a 5 minute time slot. I haven’t been to any yet (they’re held inside an argeela place) but my friend went to the last two and said it was pretty entertaining. The next Isma3ni event is going to be this coming Friday. Below are the details:
Date: Friday March 22nd, 2013
Time: 7PM to 9:30PM
Ticket: 5KD, includes free drink
Location: Argeela Bar, Salmiya
Keep AUK parking lot on your right and on Salem al Mubarak Street you will see a building with a sign that says ‘DJ Spikes’ on your left. That is Amar Plaza where Argeela Bar is located
For more information visit the Isma3ni event site [Here]
Here is the link to their Facebook page [Link]
I have been here over 3 years and Kuwait has given me a lot to be thankful for despite the setbacks and usual things people tend to debate here and I just wanted to say thank you to it and those who I have had the good fortune to come across in it. – TJC
Shot and edited in one day. [YouTube]
World’s Unfriendliest Nations
1. Bolivia
2. Venezuela
3. Russian Federation
4. Kuwait
5. Latvia
6. Iran
7. Pakistan
8. Slovak Republic
9. Bulgaria
10. Mongolia
That article is currently on CNN’s main page under “Editors Choice”. The ranking is based on the ‘Attitude of population toward foreign visitors’ category in the latest report by the World Economic Forum. Not good. [Link]
Thanks Allen
When DJ Africa came to me he said he just wanted to make a simple fun video. Fun to watch and fun to make that is. And it defo was. DJ Africa is hilarious. His unique flow and style a hybrid of Reggae,English and Arabic sets him apart from all the other rappers in Kuwait. He is also a producer. We shot this whenever and wherever we felt like shooting. The Gulf Run Car Wash, during a break in the Big D Matrix shoot, our Kuwait Underground Show Practice and some random party. The BBoys of Electrik Crew and the staff of the car washmhad a good time too as you will see. -TJCFILMS
[YouTube]
Wanna know how an alcohol permit used to look like in Kuwait? Check this one out by clicking [Here]
Update: On a related note and from the archives.. Oil, Oil Everywhere, But Not a Drop to Drink
It’s pretty common to hear about expats being discriminated in Kuwait so it was interesting to read a post by yousefq8 who writes about how as a Kuwaiti he was being discriminated the whole time while apartment searching. It seems most of the places he was checking didn’t want to rent out to Kuwaitis and so he resorted to lying and talking in English to make things easier for himself. I have no idea why they would discriminate against a Kuwaiti, maybe expats don’t feel they can live comfortably when there is a Kuwaiti living next door? Not sure but you can read his post [Here]
FIVE TWELVE is the largest videogame tournament thats been hosted in Kuwait and it will be taking place next week. The participants will be competing in EA’s FIFA 13 football game and the winner of the competition will be getting KD5,000.
FIVE TWELVE are giving away 3 copies of the FIFA 13 game along with free registration to the event (usually a KD20 fee) and all you need to do to win them is leave a comment in the post below mentioning what gaming system you have. I will then randomly choose 3 winners who each will win a copy of the game and the free registration to the tournament.
For more information on the FIVE TWELVE tournament including the rules and regulations click [Here]
Rules: Only one entry per person and please make sure you use a working email since the winner will only be contacted by email. If winner doesn’t respond another winner will be randomly chosen. Winner gets to choose the console version of FIFA 13.
Update: I closed the post for commenting and using Random.org I chose three winners and one backup. The winners are: #107 vampire, #87 hansel and #14 pickles. The backup in case one of them doesn’t reply is #94 neoark25.
