Search: “sti”

Kuwait won the Gulf Cup just as I was about to leave Salmiya and go to my martial arts class in Shuwaikh. Luckily I managed to avoid the Gulf Road and the 30th just in time and hit the 4th Ring Road which was still moving. Some people weren’t as lucky but on the bright side there was no foam (or at least I didn’t see any). [YouTube]

Update: A reader requested I post the picture of her cat Jacob celebrating the Kuwait win. Cute.

I thought I spotted a car on the Gulf Road a couple of weeks back that looked like the taxi from the video game Crazy Taxi. Turns out I wasn’t imagining things since I spotted the picture above on the blog Hunny Was Here. Lots of cool pictures of other interesting cars as well check them out [Here] and [Here]

Thanks to the help of some readers I managed to create my own customized survey for the blog. Basically I currently have no idea who reads this blog, what issues you might have with the blog and what you expect from my blog for the coming period. So, I created a survey that will help me improve things.

The survey is short and should take you around 2 or 3 minutes to complete. Please take the survey and help me make this blog a better place.

[Click here to take the survey]

Thanks!

Update: The response has been really great and some of you have been leaving a lot of interesting comments and feedback. Once I take down the survey and collect the results I will most probably dedicate another post answering some of the concerns that have been brought up through the survey. If you still haven’t taken the survey please do.

Update2: So far over 750 of you have participated in the survey. I was expecting originally to get only 200-300 participants this is really great. My limit actually is a thousand so in less than 24 hours we’re already nearly there. Thanks!

Update3: The survey is now closed since I exceeded my 1,000 submission limit. For everyone who took part thank you again!

So a reader sent me a link to her blog where she wanted me to check out this toy gun she found being sold here in Kuwait. I didn’t see what was so interesting about it until I watched the video. Not sure if I find this funny or serious since it goes both ways depending how you look at it. Make sure you have the volume loud. [YouTube]

Thanks Elle

Last week I posted about how you could order an ambulance online via Kuwait’s EMS website. Well someone from the EMS commented with the following bit of information:

Thank You For The feedback..
I work for E.M.S Kuwait and this is a Non-Emergency Ambulance request, so in case of emergency you can always use the number 112. The form only requires you to fill the basic requests in order to avoid any sort of confusion like the name of the patient, age, sex and the location where the patient is located and the location to where he is to be transported. The code at the end is to make it secure from spammers.

As soon as some one clicks submit the form will be visible in the control room located in Subhan. An operator will then call to confirm that the request is a genuine case and will arrange the ambulance at the specified time for the genuine cases.

The system Installed in Subhan E.M.S is a world class one, so if anyone of you has the time please visit us in Subhan. All the ambulances in Kuwait are now fitted with laptops with a navigation system installed. Its not a regular navigation software alone but also contains a lot of other information that is passed on from the Control room like the location, age, name, condition of the patient etc. There is a new pre question and answer software as well. In emergency cases the operator will give the necessary instruction to the patient or the third party on how to do basic life support procedures like CPR. The system is developed by CyberMAK which is the I.T wing of M.A Kharafi.

Here is a link to the EMS Kuwait website [Link]

Some of you might have noticed a small pop up window appearing in the background when visiting my site asking you if you would like to be surveyed. The reason for that is I am trying to get a better idea on who actually visits my site so I can better cater my content. Please take a minute or two to answer the questions it would help me out a lot.

thanks

Update: I’ve disabled the survey for a number of reasons
1) For some reason the survey showed up only for some people and not all
2) I don’t have a direct link to the survey to share
3) I don’t have control over the questions in the survey.

Basically the survey was asking questions like who does the grocery shopping in the house which I don’t care to know the answer to and don’t see how it could be helpful to me. So instead I will be creating my own custom survey instead and once I have it setup will share it with everyone.

Thanks again

It looks like the camera ban was just a rumor since Kuwait Times have posted a retraction! [Link]

On Saturday, November 20, 2010 the Kuwait Times published an article titled ‘Multi ministry camera ban frustrates artists’ in which incorrect information was provided. The newspaper regrets failing to verify the information. The article wrongly stated that a ban on DSLR cameras was implemented by the Ministries of Information, Social Affairs and Finance. This information is false. In a follow up investigation, it was proved that no such ban has been issued. We regret this error and deeply apologize for any inconvenience caused.

We apologize for any inconvenience? After having the world mock us based on their article they apologize for the inconvenienced caused? I would really hope the government fines them or gives them some form of punishment for all the bad publicity they gave Kuwait with their article.

For some odd reason there is a stamps exhibition currently taking place at the Avenues. I say odd not because I am not a stamps fan but because it’s 2010 and I thought stamp collecting was dead. I still have my stamp collection tucked away somewhere in my bookshelf and I should probably pass by the exhibition and see if I have anything that’s worth something. The exhibition is going to be there until the 27th and they’re located in Phase II opposite Diesel and Marc Jacobs. It’s a stamps exhibition!

I first heard about G-FORCE back when k.thekuwaiti posted about them on my blog back in 2008. I thought the place looked amazing (check above) but I never ended up passing by them until recently. I needed to get some paint work done on my Z4 since the previous paint job I got was starting to peel for some odd reason. My friend recommended I pass by the G-FORCE body shop since their prices were cheaper than the dealers and yet their paint work was better. So I passed by for an estimate and to check out the place.

I passed by them in the Free Trade Zone (behind Villa Moda) and was met by their sales manager. I asked him if I could check out the place first since it was my first time there and he gave me a tour. On the ground floor is their car showroom where they display their Cobras (by Backdraft Racing), Big Bear Choppers bikes (they’re the dealers) and other random but interesting cars for sale. The Cobra on display looked incredible but I figured it was one of those if you have to ask then you can’t afford it kinda cars so I never found out how much they cost. They looked really amazing though. On their top floor they had a whole bunch of items on display ranging from clothing and racing gear to car parts and memorabilia. Turns out they had a ton of cool brands like Sparco, Recaro, HRE wheels, Autoart, some other brands I don’t remember and even Fomula 1 and MotoGP clothing. In one corner they had a signed Rubens Barrichello racing suit which had worn and won in but it wasn’t for sale. At first impression this place looked nothing like a garage should look like and I mean that in a very good way.

Anyway once we were done I went out back and checked out their body shop, it was super clean and organized even though they were busy working on a bunch of cars. I got to check out their DynoJet (yup they have one) and then check out their prep/paint booth which according to k.thekuwaiti is Ferrari approved. Their painter checked out the panels I needed painted on my car and he told me right away what was wrong with the previous paint job. It was a bit too technical for me to understand but basically the previous painter hadn’t prepped the panel properly and so the paint wasn’t sticking to the car. I got a price quote which was better than I expected and booked an appointment to drop my car.

They ended up doing a great job on the paint job and since it turns out they also did mechanical work I had them fix a small oil leak I had. I figured I would post about them so I asked the guy what other services they offered and he told me they did everything from 1000hp upgrades to custom paint jobs and get this… they have something called the G-Force Advanced Driving Academy. Twice a year they take 24 people from Kuwait to the Autodrome track in Dubai where they hire out cars (TT’s, R8’s, single seater racers) and teach them basic to advanced driving techniques. I thought that was pretty cool but again I didn’t ask how much it cost. Anyway if you’re interested to find out more you can visit their website [Here] and their Facebook page [Here].

Has any paper other than the Kuwait Times mentioned anything about the DSLR ban in Kuwait? A lot of news sites online have been posting about the ban and their only source is Kuwait Times. Isn’t that a bit odd?

I just found out that Shake Shack is opening in Dubai in March while Kuwait still doesn’t have a launch date! This absolutely sucks. It’s the worst food related news I’ve heard this year even surpassing the mechanically separated chicken post.

Dasman Diabetes Institute is having a big event this Thursday for World Diabetes Day, check the below for more information:

——————————————

How much do you know about diabetes? Did you know that Kuwait has one of the highest rates of diabetics in the world? You know that beautiful glass building in front of Souq Sharq? Ever wondered what it was? Be it “yes” or “no” you are invited to join us at the Dasman Diabetes Institute to celebrate World Diabetes Day.

When: Thursday, 25th November
Time: 4:00PM to 9:00PM
What: A jam packed event of educational and entertainment including:
– A cooking class by celebrity Kuwaiti chef Adlah Al-Sharhan who will show us how to make healthy machos
– Interactive gallery where you can learn, feel and explore modern ways of healthy living
– Outdoor performances by Traditional Kuwaiti Musical Band and Takht Sharqi
– A special performance by Electrik Crew, a local Kuwaiti urban dance group
– In house doctors and nurses performing free medical screenings and health stats and personalized nutrition consultations

For kids:
– Nintendo Wii tournaments
– Fas9la fitness un
– Face painting
– Nutrition knock-outs
– Magic show
– Balloon art

Snacks and refreshments included. The purpose of this event is to promote awareness, education and prevention of diabetes.

For more information contact: 22242999 ext 1160
Here is a link to the [Invite]
and here is a link to the [Facebook Page]

I’m not a big fan of True Value (I prefer Ace) but I was there over the weekend looking for something when I found two interesting items.

The first is this fire safe/waterproof external hard drive. The idea is that you back your stuff onto it and in case your apartment catches on fire your data would be safe. Price was expensive at around KD180. It costs KD113 on Amazon without shipping and the thing is heavy but I doubt that shipping with Aramex would cost more than KD30 or KD40.

The second interesting thing I found were Daisy brand air rifles. They had the Daisy 840 Grizzly rifle for KD39 (KD12 on Amazon) and the Daisy 880 with Scope for KD49 (KD16 on Amazon). They looked pretty nice.

[YouTube]

I don’t know how many people remember Abdullah Al-Moussawi or know who he is but two years ago a video popped up on YouTube of this young charismatic Kuwaiti 9 year old playing football against older kids and outplaying them. He had long curly hair and people were saying he was the next Maradonna and watching the video above you could understand why. Well anyway a reader emailed me a story about Abdullah he wanted to share, it’s kinda long but it’s interesting to read.

[YouTube]

The story talks about how a talent scout in Holland saw Abdullah’s video on YouTube and came to Kuwait to watch him live. Abdullah was then given an opportunity to go to Holland and compete in a few trials where he proved to be extremely talented and one of the top young players they had ever seen. He was then accepted into one of the best football academy’s on a scholarship without any binding contracts or strings attached. Problem was Abdullah couldn’t move to Holland without his family so they asked for help from Kuwaiti officials who agreed which prompted the family to move with Abdullah to Holland so he could attend school there and join the football academy. They even made a documentary about Abdullah which was broadcasted on Dutch TV and also screened in the Gulf Film Festival held in Dubai last year (promo clip above). Problem is Kuwait never ended up helping out and so the parents were forced to move back to Kuwait after 2 months with Abdullah ending what could have been an incredible experience for him.

That’s basically a quick summary but I recommend you read the full story. It’s very sad how Abdullah was extremely popular and big in the Dutch media while no one gave him any attention locally. It’s also sad how things turned out in the end and I wonder how Abdullah is doing right now. Check the full story below.

Posted by Fahad

A lot of people crucified Core Fitness thinking that our 20-minute version of a workout was for everybody. As per what Mark has stated earlier, our 20-minutes were meant to cater to those who a) don’t have time for high-volume conventional training, b) new to the world of health and fitness, c) are the center of mockery and scrutiny because they’re too fat and d) hate to pursue health and fitness, but need to lose some weight due to health and Sharm Al Shaikh reasons.

To shed some light on our 20-minute workouts, we are merely a single idea in the fitness industry. We don’t defy ourselves as the be-all and end-all of exercise; we represent a technique that combines both convenience and intensity in one package. One big huge gargantuan awesome incredible package.

Gradual Transition

Back in January when Mark signed up with Core Fitness, I honestly thought the dude was a hopeless case. He looked motivated, but acted kind of lazy. Mark wanted to get in and out and just live life outside of the gym. Gradually, he kept on coming for more and asking for harder diet plans. He even low-carbed his meals without inquiring with me, and refrained from cheating for over a month (which is something I wouldn’t even think of doing).

I remember the day he sluggishly walked into my office. Last Thursday, the dude walked in with his shoulders back and his chest high, ready for what’s next.  I presented him with the idea of signing up for 60-minutes. What shocked me the most is his prompt reply; I even had a list of come backs in order to negotiate him into 60-minutes. Conclusively, Mark now dedicates 5 days of his week to gym and MMA work; he has officially caught the fitness-bug.

By Popular Demand

In order to cope with the  “high volume” and the “we-have-more-than-20-minutes-to-spare” fitness crowd, we at Core Fitness developed a training technique roughly 3 times as intense as our initial 20 minutes, but with 40 more minutes of pain and agony. Keep in mind that we would like our clients to stick to the 20 minutes, so expect 1-hour training to be our way of saying “Today, we will give you 60 reasons why you should stick to 20 minutes. FUL.”

Offering Healthy Lifestyles Since 2008

Does anyone remember the last time Mark posted a burger review? Go ahead and look back at his posts. Taco Bell was a total bust, but they do have a semi-healthy menu. The Abercrombie and Fitch post was LOLingly homorific, but I’ll give him credit for finally setting a target. And what does every strict dieter do? Post about their next cheat meal.

It’s safe to say the fitness-bug he caught also effected his posts, including activity oriented articles and topics pertaining to how people can achieve a healthy lifestyle without sacrificing their current one (Michel Dines in Hell).

The point is, Core Fitness offers lifestyles and not just a means to an end. We at Core want you to be healthy, stay healthy and live healthy, since health and fitness is our business. We promote diversity with our clients by asking them to try out what the market has to offer, and only then can they differentiate a Core Fitness workout from a conventional one. The point is we do lose clients like any other business, but we rarely fail to permanently stamp them with healthier lifestyles.

All top-notch health clubs and gyms in Kuwait already have 60-minute personal training services far before Core existed, but how many of them offer you individualized lifestyles and a training technique?

Training Services

Mark’s currently enrolled in Muscle Building, since he earlier decided to dedicate 30-minutes of post-workout treadmill cardio work to his already activity-infested routine. Mark and cardio don’t mix at all, and I couldn’t convince him to do 10 minutes (I swear to God). Those 30-minutes were his idea.

For the 60-minute personal training workout, we offer 4 training categories specified below:

– Muscle Building

– Fitness Boxing

– Fat Loss

– Sports Performance

20-Minutes is still our Bread & Butter

For those of you contemplating on signing up, I’d advise you begin with at least one 20-minute workout membership to get the feel of the technique. The intensity of our 60-minute workouts are no joke and require a certain level of physical fitness experience. We designed it to transition our current 20-minute clients who have already been through the short torture.

Follow Mark’s foot steps and gradually increase workout intensity and meal planning. You’ll look good, feel good and hopefully live longer assuming a bus doesn’t run into you anytime soon.

For more questions and inquiries concerning timings, prices and location, feel free to contact Core Fitness at 22520407 starting at 12:30 pm to 10 pm, or contact me via my blog here.

Posted by Fahad