Search: “sti”

No idea what happened, supposedly it was over a girl but that’s still unconfirmed. There are also some graphic pictures of the victim currently circulating Whatsapp, Instagram and Twitter but I won’t be sharing them here.

Picture by Fajer188x

Update: A friend sent me the following video, no idea who the source is but that’s a lot of blood.

[YouTube]

Update2: Just posted the facts on the stabbing [Here]

This is another music video that was emailed to me but this one has a very interesting story behind it. A dear friend of Feras the musician was diagnosed with breast cancer and was given very little to no chance of survival. The song “Won’t Let You Go” takes the listener through Feras’s experience since he wrote and composed the song to illustrate how to deal with such situations. The overall message is to stay strong, keep the faith, and never let go. Feras’s friend who’s survival chances were so thin ended up being cured and she went back to her everyday life continuing to inspire.

Feras Abushaar is 17 years old and is currently a senior at Al Bayan Bilingual School. The song is available for purchase on Amazon and iTunes with all proceeds from all his sales (100%) will go directly to (Hayat Cancer Organization). No profits will be made from the project. [YouTube]

You can purchase the single from Amazon or iTunes

It’s pretty impressive that a company founded back in 1889 still exists today and is considered one of the most innovative and creative companies in their field. Nintendo has survived throughout these years not by sheer luck, but by being able to adapt to markets and get ahead of the game. Nintendo didn’t always make video games – it started out making playing cards and when that business was waning the CEO of the time Hiroshi Yamauchis decided to move into other businesses like instant noodles, a taxi company, and even a TV network. Eventually, Nintendo made its way in the video game business and released the NES; 27 years later, Nintendo has finally released its sixth console, the Wii U.

Nintendo’s philosophy has never been about creating the most powerful console with the best graphics, but to create a console that anyone could enjoy, developers could create fun games for, and is affordable. They constantly try to innovate without going overboard. The Nintendo 64 was the first console to introduce analogue sticks and 4 player controller ports right out of the box that competitors adapted in the future. We’re seeing similar advancements with motion controls that Nintendo introduced with the Wii and now Nintendo has taken another step forward by introducing the Wii U and the Game Pad.

Mark was able to hook me up with a Wii U from X-cite to review and I got the chance to test it out by playing Super Mario Bros U, ZombiU, Nintendo Land and Batman Arkham City.

The first thing I was curious about was Nintendo’s new social network called the Miiverse and so far it’s been informative, entertaining, and pretty promising. For those who don’t know, the Miiverse is where you interact with other Wii U users through a community for every app or game out for the Wii U. So if you want to discuss some Youtube videos, you can go to the Youtube community and post about it there and other users can reply or give you a “Yeah!” (equivalent to a Facebook “Like”). If you want to discuss a specific game and you’re unsure about buying it, you can go to that game’s community and ask them about it. Other times, people will draw some really elaborate drawings using the Wii U’s gamepad and the community walls turn into a temporary art exhibit. And it works well – comments are posted instantly without delay. People will comment and try to solve things. For example, I was going through the ZombiU community and found a thread with over 25 comments of gamers trying to decipher some code someone found spray-painted on a wall in the game. I wouldn’t be surprised if communities like this sprang up in the next iteration of consoles Microsoft and Sony release.

[YouTube]

I’m going to take part in a Spartan Race. [Link]

Update: Just found out about the Tough Guy competition (video below) which is based in the UK. Here is a exceprt from Wikipedia:

It has been widely described as “the toughest race in the world”, with up to one-third of the starters failing to finish in a typical year.

After 25 stagings of the winter event, Wilson still claimed nobody had ever finished the course according to his extremely demanding rules. The race, and its summer equivalent, has suffered two fatalities during its history.

Tough Guy™ from Mr Mouse on Vimeo.

Sounds like a lot of fun and the UK version of anything is usually more hardcore than the US one (Dirty Sanchez vs Jackass).

A super talented friend of mine just released a new single called Tara Aadi. It’s very cool since the music is made up of 8-bit sounds generated from a GameBoy. Here’s some interesting trivia regarding Tara Aadi:

1. All the sounds in the music played was generated by a real Gameboy console

2. The melody was conceived in Kuwait, but arranged in Bad Soden, Germany

3. The vocals were recorded at the Arabic Theater HQ, one of the main founders of Kuwait’s performance art scene

4. Besides collaborating with Hussa Alhumaidhi on the melody, Mishari was responsible for every aspect of its production

5. Mishari mixed the song in Aziz’s car on the way to get treated in Hadi Hospital. Mishari resumed to mix the song in Hadi’s parking lot in his PJ’s and a robe.

6. The song was made with the intention of getting people to smile, preferably while dancing.

You can check out the song by hitting play above or you can check out his other songs on [SoundCloud]

The Center for Gulf Studies at the American University of Kuwait in association with EBLA International presents a film screening entitled:

Teswa? (Was it worth it?)

A national drive safe campaign documentary film showcasing the effects of reckless driving in Kuwait.

EBLA created the first investigative film inquiring into the reasons behind Kuwait’s road accident death toll, disclosing the factors that make Kuwait the country with the highest global statistic of lethal car accidents per capita.

The 30 minute film covers a wide range of issues identifying the source of the problem, ranging from institutional to societal factors, and concludes by offering proposed solutions. The aim of the film is to inspire proactive change, raise awareness and to empower society to produce change. The film is launched in tandem with a nation-wide marketing campaign that includes outdoor media, magazines, radio and newspapers.

Date: Tuesday, 11 December 2012
Time: 6PM
Location: AUK Auditorium

My favorite Chinese restaurant used to be Peacock but since it closed down I really haven’t found a good alternative. I still go to Caesars every now and then but that isn’t really authentic Chinese food.

I’m looking for a new place and figured I’d ask, what’s your favorite Chinese restaurant (preferably a hole in the wall and a dine in) and how can I find it? Let me know.

Picture above is of the Chicken Thai Dynamite from Pei Wei

I’m probably one of the few people left in Kuwait who hadn’t been to Oriental Cuisine before. I had heard about the place but never really felt like going until a couple of days ago. For those of you who don’t know, Oriental Cuisine is a Thai restaurant located in Kuwait City. It’s not a new place but it started off as a small and awhile back expanded into a larger restaurant.

I went with a friend and we ordered a whole bunch of things including:

Chicken Satay KD1.750
Khanom Pang Na Moo (Shrimps on toast) KD2.750
Tom Yum Soup (prawns) KD2.750
Kaeng Khiao Wan (chicken green curry) KD1.750
Honey and garlic chicken KD1.750
Pad Thai (chicken) KD2.000
Plain rice KD0.300

People told me everything on the menu is good and from my one time experience there it seems that could be possible. All our dishes were at the very least good but most were great. My least favorite was probably the chicken satay since there wasn’t much flavor there but on the other hand my favorite dishes were probably the honey and garlic chicken along with the shrimps on toast which I couldn’t have enough of.

Their prices are pretty affordable and they weren’t stingy with the food quantity. My only complaint about the place would be the fact that their service wasn’t that great. When I arrived no one greeted me and I had to wait at least 5 minutes for anyone to give me any sort of attention. Other than that minor quibble it’s a pretty cool place. If you’re interested, they’re open all week except on Mondays and their phone number is 22470400. Here is their location on [Google Maps]

According to Arabian Business, Apple will officially be launching the iPhone 5 in Kuwait and the GCC on December 14th. So if you were planning to purchase an iPhone 5, put it on hold until it’s officially out. My guess is the 16GB version will end up costing around KD220 when it’ officially launched here. [Link]

This story begins with an honest truth: A summer survey of Kuwait’s public access desert would reveal a landscape comprised primarily of farm animals, garbage, and earth (sand, dirt, and dust). A careful eye would notice some plants, but very few, very small, and nearly dead. I’m talking about those areas outside of the city, where urban civilization ends and nature begins. The obvious reason for the lack of plant life is that we live in a desert. We get very little precipitation. Plants need water. Sand is the natural substrate of the desert. These factors combined equal a quasi-moonscape, right? If you’ve made these conclusions, you are, I’m happy to say, mistaken, and it is my goal in writing this to amaze you with the beauty of Kuwait and encourage everyone to do better for the sake of our natural heritage.

The images of giant drifting sand dunes and storms that swallow up entire houses that so many of us associate with the word desert simply do not represent Kuwait. Our ecosystem is harsh: it’s hot, it’s dry, it’s wind-swept, it’s dusty, but most importantly, it is positively teeming with life. Actually, it SHOULD be positively teeming with life, but for the most part, it isn’t. It would be teeming with life if nature were allowed to take its course. Instead, we see the results of decades of under regulated grazing, off-road driving, and winter camping. It seems grim, I know. I’m here to tell you there is hope. More than that: there is life out there, just waiting for a safe place to live.

Enter the Abdaliya Nature Project.

The Abdaliya Nature Project was conceived in late 2010 by Kuwait Oil Company employees with a particular interest in seeing the restoration of Kuwait’s desert. These employees, acknowledging their role to utilize petroleum resources while protecting Kuwait’s natural environment, took the initiative to preserve an area of desert approximately 1.5 million square meters in size. Prior to reutilization as a nature project, this area was in the public domain and was being used for winter camping. Winter camping in Kuwait, while originally nothing more than a traditional way to enjoy the cool winter months has become so invasive and destructive that the desert ecosystem cannot compete with the concrete, garbage, tires, and other pollution dumped annually upon the spring abandonment of the campsites.

The project began with months of clearing garbage and debris left behind by more than a decade of camping. The most common forms of waste removed included water tanks, concrete blocks, concrete septic tanks, car tires, food and beverage containers, and materials used for shade. With a clean slate to work with, the next steps included constructing access roads and water pipelines followed by the planting of nearly 40,000 seedlings and saplings. Why not simply let the plants return on their own? The answer is diversity. While the “if you build it they will come” model is less costly and much more simple, the result is an imbalance of species. Much like a farmer’s field left empty and consumed by weeds, bare desert in Kuwait will result in a few species taking over the entire ecosystem, thus absorbing nutrients and precipitation and excluding other plants. From the very beginning Abdaliya was planted with a diverse group of native species.

Replanting commenced in early 2011. In less than a year, the Abdaliya Nature Project transformed a barren and utterly destroyed wasteland patch of desert into a unique and incredibly beneficial oasis of flora and fauna. During this period, K’S PATH has proudly been working with KOC on this project doing clean up, wildlife monitoring, anti-poaching, feral dog management, and more. Even in this relatively short period, we have seen a dramatic increase in the number of birds, lizards, snakes, rodents, and insects in the project, none of whom were introduced. Our goal for the next two years is to introduce fox and hedgehogs to the area as we continue to strive toward a natural, balanced, and well-managed ecosystem. KOC is also planning to build an education center at the site so that we can begin to spread this message of diversity and protection for Kuwait’s future. The fact is that it will take all of us working together to protect Kuwait’s natural heritage for future generations.

If you participate in winter camping or drive off-road, please consider the implication of your actions. Properly dispose of your waste, remove everything you bring into the desert, and stick to established driving tracks.

For more pictures click [Here]

Post by John Peaveler
Managing Director
Kuwait Society for the Protection of Animals and Their Habitat (K’S PATH)

Tonight was such a crazy evening. Me and a friend headed to Avenues at 2:30PM so we could get into Millions of Milkshakes before the mall got crowded. Kim was supposed to arrive at 4PM but she ended up coming around 2 hours late. I wasn’t too surprised really since this was Kim Kardashian and I was expecting her to be fashionably late although I figured she might be around an hour late and not two. I was planning to stream Kim’s arrival live from location but for some reason the alleyway where Millions of Milkshake was located didn’t have a strong 3G connection so the video that I was streaming online turned out to be very choppy and low res. That’s why I decided to stop the live stream and shoot a regular video and upload it to YouTube instead. As soon as Kim arrived everyone went crazy as you can see in the video below. I have no idea why people over react like that.

[YouTube]

Once Kim got into Millions of Milkshake things didn’t get any better there either. Although there wasn’t a large crowd inside people were still pushing and shoving trying to get to Kim. We stayed out of the way as much as possible and tried to take our shots from a distance. I then got some really great and close up shots of Kim when she was making milkshakes. Because the crowd was so chaotic they ended up changing her schedule a bit and I didn’t manage to get my video interview done tonight. I am disappointed but it’s fine since I know how unexpected events can screw up schedules. Hopefully I’ll be able to get it done tomorrow night at the gala dinner. On the bright side I did get my picture taken with Kim and I think she looked really hot. I took a bunch of shots tonight but my favorites are the ones below. Overall I had a good time tonight and I got to make some new friends. Tomorrow tonight things should be less dramatic.

[Stream Removed]

I will hopefully be streaming Kim Kardashian launching Millions of Milkshake live on this blog at around 4PM. The reason I am saying hopefully is because the 3G connection in this part of The Avenues is very dodgy and keeps going and coming. No 3G means no stream. Anyway check back at 4 for the stream. If she’s going to be late I’ll update you guys with the timing.

Update: connection here is horrible so am killing the stream and instead will record a video and upload it right after the event.

Update2: it’s 5pm and Kim still hasn’t arrived

Me and a friend went through all the questions submitted in the giveaway held a couple of days ago on the blog and managed to choose 4 really good questions which we will be asking Kim this week when we interview her. I will be contacting the winners soon but this means there is still 1 more ticket I need giveaway.

So, if you want to meet Kim Kardashian and get photos taken with her at the Millions of Milkshakes grand opening this coming Thursday, all you need to do is leave a comment below with your favorite milkshake flavor and using random.org I will randomly choose a winner.

Rules: Only one entry per person and please make sure you use a working email since the winner will be contacted by email. If winner doesn’t respond within 24 hours another winner will be randomly chosen.

Update: I’ve closed commenting

Update2: The number that won is comment #204 which is Dima DaveyWalker. Someone will contact you soon.

Update3: A reader made me realize I made a mistake with the counting. I was counting from inside wordpress which turns out displays the comments from new to old while on the blog its old to new. So the actual winner is DaveyWalker.

[YouTube]

Manchester United are going to be holding their #IAMUNITED fans party in Kuwait this coming December 9th. The party will feature a live broadcast of the biggest game of the season between Manchester United and Manchester City. This is a pretty big event since Kuwait has been chosen as only the 3rd venue for this party following the previous ones that were held in New York and Jakarta.

Supposedly ex Manchester United goalkeeper and captain Peter Schmeichel will be attending this event as well.

If you’re interested in tickets to the party they’re free and you could apply for them on the Manchester United website [Here]

Thanks MUSCKW

By strange I mean borderline gross. Click on the link below to see all the pictures along with their descriptions.