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Kuwait ranked 31st in the world in computer ownership. Doesn’t sound that bad until you realize Estonia, Slovania Slovenia, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Latvia scored higher than Kuwait. Not that I have anything against those countries mind you! [Link]

Update: I just purchased the ebook version of The Pocket World in Figures 2008 and here are some interesting facts I found related to Kuwait…

– Kuwait ranks second in lowest death rate per capita. UAE is first, Qatar is third.

– Kuwait ranks 20th in most deaths in road accidents, I used to think we were first?

– Kuwait ranks 2nd in most injured in road accidents, Qatar is first with more than 3 times the amount!

– Kuwait ranks 3rd in death by diabetes, UAE is first, Saudi is second.

– Kuwait ranks 2nd in largest amount of carbon dioxide emissions per person. UAE is first.

– Kuwait ranks 4th in “Proportion of a country’s population residing in a single city”. That city being Kuwait City which doesn’t make sense since not many people live in Kuwait City.

– Kuwait ranks 3rd in Least economically dependent on agriculture. I don’t know if thats a good thing, I doubt.

– Kuwait ranks 1st in Largest consumption of energy per head (oil). UAE is second, the US is 5th.

– Finally, Kuwait ranks 5th in most crowded road networks. Qatar is first, Hong Kong second and Germany third.

This looks like an interesting place to try out. Amaya Seafood as you can guess from the name is a seafood restaurant which is located at the Mishref Coop. I haven’t been there but judging by the picture above it looks like a cozy place. Amaya also seems very affordable, KD1.900 for sweet & sour prawns or prawn curry is actually really cheap. They have a website with more details on what they offer including the prices. I am going to try and pass by this weekend. [Link]

Thanks miss ghesquiere!

Back in October my agency pitched for and won the Wataniya Airways account. For those of you who don’t know, Wataniya Airways is the new “premium” Kuwaiti airline. I am highlighting the word premium because many people including me originally thought Wataniya Airways was going to be competing against the likes of Jazeera Airways as an economy no frills airline, it’s not. Wataniya Airways won’t even be using the regular airport instead they will be flying in and out of the new Royal Aviation Terminal, the exclusive terminal used by private jets. Anyway, the TV commercial is finally completed and here it is. I might later add some behind the scenes (making of) pictures but only if I find interesting ones. [YouTube]

update: Added a few behind the scenes photos below, might add more later.

Has anyone stayed at an easyHotel before? easyHotel is a no frills super budget hotel. I am going to London next month for 4 nights and I am looking for a cheap place to stay. The hotel I usually stay in costs around 130 pounds a night and isn’t anything special at all. I was checking out tripadvisor.com for other hotels in the area and I came across easyHotel in Paddington. It doesn’t have a closet, or a desk, or a phone, or Internet, or a safe but the room does have a double bed, window (there is cheaper option without one), and a cozy looking bathroom thats a size of a plane bathroom. The price for 4 nights comes out to 168 pounds. There is a flat screen TV but to use it I need to rent a remote which goes for 15 pounds for 5 days. House keeping is another 10 pounds. Reviews are all positive and since its in Paddington its 15 minutes from the airport via Heathrow Express so it seems practical. Still though, not too sure if I should go for it or not, should be an interesting experience if I do. They are opening up in Dubai next year which should be a big hit.

Update: Just booked a standard room with a window and a double sized bed for four nights. Total price with tax KD79. Thats just an extremely good deal. Makes London more affordable specially with the special offers like the one British Airways had, KD150 Kuwait – London Kuwait. Also found out they do have internet, 10 pounds for 24 hours and an extra towel is 1 pound. They also can store my bags, 5 pounds for 24 hours for up to 3 items. Thats perfect cuz last day my checkout is 11AM but my flight is in the evening so I can just store my bags with them while I shop. Early check in is also available for only 15 pounds. (1KD = 2.4 pounds)

Interesting fact, did you know that the Kuwait National Assembly was designed by the internationally known architect of the Sydney Opera House, Jørn Utzon? Jørn Utzon sadly passed away late last month on November 29th at the age of 90.

A cool toy by Playmobil, the user reviews on Amazon are hilarious:

From the Manufacturer
The woman traveler stops by the security checkpoint. After placing her luggage on the screening machine, the airport employee checks her baggage. The traveler hands her spare change and watch to the security guard and proceeds through the metal detector. With no time to spare, she picks up her luggage and hurries to board her flight!

Here is an example of a user review:

From M. MCKNIGHT
This toy would be a lot more realistic with about 350 people standing in line for an average of an hour. It still makes a nice set with the interrogation room.

Check out what other people are saying about it [Here]

I needed to get a 7up so I went downstairs to the coke machine under my house and put 100fils in it and nothing happened. I put another 100fils and it still wouldn’t give me a 7up. The machine ate my money so I hit it a few times and pressed the money return button a few times and ended up getting KD1.200 back in change!

I’ve had this cookie recipe ever since I was in university and when used with proper ingredients it never failed me. Problem is I can’t find good chocolate chips in Kuwait. My favorite used to be Baker’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks but all I can find in Kuwait are the Nestle and Hershey ones which suck. Anyway I baked some cookies today (used the Hershey chocolate chip) and I think they came out a 2.5 out of 5. I might be able to score a 3 if I use better brown sugar next time but it would still be a hopeless case without the proper chocolate. Maybe I should just order packs from Amazon..

My favorite cookie recipe

1 cup (2 sticks) (226 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup (150 grams) white sugar

1 1/4 cups (270 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 3/4 cups (525 grams) all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons (10 grams) baking soda

1 1/4 teaspoons (6 grams) baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups (375 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 165 degrees celsius. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper (or use non stick cookie pans).

In a mixing bowl cream the butter. Add the sugars and beat until well combined. Beat in eggs one at a time making sure to beat well after each addition. Add vanilla and beat until incorporated.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and beat until just incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts, if using. The cookie mixture will be moist and hold together.

Using two tablespoons, drop about 2 tablespoons of dough (38 grams) on the prepared baking sheets. Do not flatten cookies. Bake on the center rack of oven for 12 minutes, or until golden brown and still soft when gently pressed.

Makes about 48 cookies.

I passed by My Toy a few hours ago and picked up a Tamiya Frog radio controlled buggy. Originally released in 1983 the Frog was re-released in 2006 and I think its one of the coolest looking buggies. Interesting fact, the largest off-road track in the world is currently being built in Kuwait. Check out this link for some pictures. [Link]

update: In case anyone is interested here is the phone number of My Toy 22256707

I posted just over a week ago about my kitchen from IKEA. Originally when I posted they were over installing my kitchen and it was a positive post but as the workers progressed with the installation things took a turn. In short they installed my kitchen bar crooked and had to fill the space on the side with a ton of silicon, also 2 panels were installed crooked and 2 major parts still weren’t in stock.

Surprisingly I got a call a few days later from a manager asking if everything was ok and if I had any feedback. He was a very nice guy and when I told him about my problems he offered to come by and check the kitchen which he did. He told us he would solve our problems and make sure the remaining items (two horizontal wall cabinets and two pull out corners) would be released from customs as soon as possible.

Today IKEA was back in my kitchen finishing up the install and fixing the problems from last time. When they were done I went to check the kitchen to make sure everything was fine. I opened the horizontal wall cabinet upward and the door came crashing down. I was like isn’t this supposed to stay open like the ones at display in IKEA? The employee was like this is the new model it doesn’t stay open. So every time I need to get something big from the cabinet I need to hold the door open with the top of my head while I use my two hands to take out an item? I didn’t get a response. I then opened the corner cabinets and to my surprise they had installed a rotating shelving system instead of the pullout I had chosen at IKEA. When I asked why they told me the pullout doesn’t fit in my cabinet, it needed a bigger cabinet. Fine but why didn’t the salesman tell me that instead of misleading me to believe I was getting the pullout? Not only that but we were really excited about the pullout shelves and we could have gone with larger corners if we had known.

A quick call to IKEA resulted in no help. There isn’t anything we can do about the corners, we were screwed by the salesman and to solve my wall cabinet problem they would replace our cabinet hinges with the older model off a display cabinet from the showroom.

The employees left and I was confused. The wall cabinet hinges are huge (pictured above) which doesn’t make sense if their only job is to open and close the doors. I also figured IKEA wasn’t stupid enough to make cabinet doors that don’t stay open so I took out the cabinet instruction manual and tried to see if I could fix it myself and guess what? I did! Turns out there was a screw they needed to rotate to the right like 30 times and that adjusted the door to stay open. The doors work perfectly now and stay open when lifted which means IKEA needs to start hiring people that read the goddamn manuals! My kitchen corners are screwed up but at least I don’t have to bang my head every time I take out a plate from the cabinet.

In conclusion, IKEA kitchens are affordable but you get what you pay for and that’s terrible finishing and sneaky salesman. If you do decide to get a kitchen from them make sure you not only go through the list of items one by one but also have the salesman show you each item one by one. A friend of mine had warned me about this based on his experience with IKEA and so I was careful but it seems not careful enough.

A friend of mine is building the coolest thing in his basement, his own LEGO world! Its still under construction and he still has along way to go but its already looking really cool. I need to find a way to convince Nat to let me do the same thing…

Last night I was checking out the Tamiya cars Frog and Hornet online and figured I would pass by the Tamiya dealer in Kuwait, My Toy to check and see if they had them. Today out of the blue my friend calls me up and asks me if I wanted to pass by the launch of the new My Toy store in Shuwaikh. Turns out they opened up a branch at the trendy Tilal Complex and the official opening was today so after work I passed by to check it out.

The new store is small but the location is really great and they had this huge indoor race track setup in the basement which I think RC fans will love. I spotted the Frog and Hornet on display but it was too packed to check out properly so I will have to go back this weekend. I used to love My Toy as a kid in the 80’s so its great to see the brand still alive.

Now someone please bring Kids “R” Us back to life!

I missed out on GulfRun this year but from what I’ve heard it was even more fun than last years. Lots of action and I am just waiting for everyone to start posting their pictures. Tonight at 11PM Watan TV is actually going to broadcast GulfRun 4 so if you want to check it out just tune in.

Update: Pictures are [Here]!

Update2: Its 11:12PM and it still hasn’t started, there is another show on so I guess the timing I got was wrong.

Official pictures of the new 4-door Porsche Panamera are out and the car still looks as ugly as the original spy shots. [Link]

This looks like an interesting yet strange and cheesy B-rated wrestling event. I don’t recognize any of the wrestlers and I doubt many people will but they do seem more entertaining than the pro wrestlers on tv. Here is some info about the event:

For the first time ever in Kuwait, wrestlers from different parts of the world are coming together to compete for the East Wrestling Championship Belt; 16 wrestlers, 11 nationalities, 1 title: East Wrestling Champion.

What?
EWC, East Wrestling Championship
16 wrestlers, 11 countries, competing for 1 belt, 1 title EAST WRESTLING CHAMPION

Why?
To host the first EWC Champion on Kuwaiti soil and bring back excitement and entertainment.

When?
1st, 2nd, & 3rd day of Eid Al-Adha (Dec 7,8,9)
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm (3 hour show per day)

Where?
Venue – Kazma Stadium

Who?
EWC CHAMPS:
1. Bambi Killer (Austria)
2. Gangrel (USA)
3. Micheal Kovac (Austira)
4. The Hawk (Lebanon)
5. The Sledgehammer (canada)
6. Joe E. Legend (Germany)
7. Alofa the Wild Samon (Samoa)
8. El Mariachi (Mexico)
9. The Arabian Giant (Palestine)
10. Nour Loubnan (Lebanon)
11. Kurgan (Canada)
12. Bruiser Bradley (USA)
13. Jean-Pierre Lafitte (Canada)
14. The Ring Unbreakable (Lebanon)
15. Gama Singh Jr. (India)
16. Fahad Al-Khaleej (Arabian Gulf Region)
17. Shak Khan (Pakistan)

EWC TICKETS:
Starting from ONLY KD3.000. Customer may purchase a single day pass or a Championship Ticket for ALL 3 days.

Ticket Prices:
KD 3.000
KD 5.000
KD 7.000
KD 10.000
KD 12.000
KD 25.000

EWC TICKET OUTLETS:
ONLINE: https://www.ewc.com.kw
VIRGIN MEGA STORE
PLATINUM GYMS
24 hrs CALL CENTER: 22986666

I personally will be rooting for Nour Loubnan (Lebanon’s Light) who is pictured above and my second favorite I think will be Jean-Pierre since he looks funny with the face painting.

Thanks Komsomol