2:48AM - Entertaining Kuwait since 2003We found 5,101 results for your search.
As of 12:15AM, anyone who is on a Qualitynet connection at the moment can access ANY site they want without the Qualitynet block page appearing. Try it and see, nothing is blocked.
update: many readers are reporting that everything is still blocked so it could be area dependent or just my connection? Its 9AM now and nothing is blocked on my connection.
There is this guy who is always running on the Gulf Road no matter how bad the weather is. The other day when it was raining, he was running, when its 50 degrees in the middle of summer he is out running. He is always running. So I decided next time I see him I would ask him if I could interview him like I did with Shark of Kuwait.
Well today while parked in one of the parking spots on the Gulf Road taking pictures of the Infiniti I saw him run by me. I quickly gave Nat my camera and told her to wait there while I ran after him. I must have ran behind him for a minute yelling out for him to stop before I was able to overtake him and make him stop. By then I was completely out of breath. The guy looked at me waiting to say something and then he fucking yelled out extremely loud in Kuwaiti “Tabi shay mini?” meaning “Do you want anything from me?” By the time I could catch my breath to say anything he yelled out something else and ran off.
I stood there still trying to catch my breath and wondering why he was so aggressive and why the hell was he shouting at me even though I was standing right next to him. Someone previously commented that he was a champion runner does anyone have information on him?
So I came in to work today on my motorbike and I was planning on parking my bike in the underground parking lot where I usually park my car but I was stopped at the entrance. The parking people told me I couldn’t park my bike inside. I was like why? I am still going to pay you. They were like they aren’t allowed to let bikers in because bikes are “light” and “small” and “anyone can come and carry them out”. They don’t want the responsibility for having my bike get stolen. I was like huh???
So now my bike is parked outside the entrance in front of the parking peoples office. I told them to keep an eye on my bike and they were like fine… which contradicts their earlier argument. Weird people.
As some of you might have noticed I have a new sponsor, Waa7a.com. They will be replacing Al-Ghanim Automotive who had been with me since April of last year.
Waa7a is a restaurant database and review site. Its all user generated content so if there is a restaurant thats not listed you can add it and if there is a restaurant you want to rate and review you can do so. Someone for example gave Hard Rock Cafe a positive review which I disagreed with so I wrote another review that reflected my experience which was negative one. Its a pretty cool idea and should be even cooler once a lot more people start posting their reviews.
The site design and features are still being adjusted and fine tuned so if anyone has any feedback you can email it to them or leave it below in the comments. I am posting reviews there under the name “Mark” and so far I think I have only 5 or 6 reviews.
So if you feel like writing reviews and rating restaurants then check out Waa7a.com
Tuesday me and my partner at work should be receiving an interesting package. A guy we know has a friend who has a 1.5meter long python and he is looking for a new home for it so we volunteered to take it. Should be fun having it in our office, don’t think anyone will want to piss us off. We are going to call the snake Jake after Jake the Snake from WWF if anyone still remembers. I will take pictures of Jake once we get him.
Just finished watching Rocky 6. Its definitely not my favorite Rocky, that honor falls on Rocky 4. I think my biggest issue with Rocky 6 is the fight scene, they tried to make it look and feel like a real boxing match on Pay TV which I didn’t like. Anyway it was still a good movie to watch.
While watching the movie though I wondered why Sylvester Stallone would bother doing it. He doesn’t need the money and he definitely wasn’t looking his best because as you can guess he is a pretty old guy. I think he did this movie for all us Rocky fans, thats the only explanation I can think of and for that I have to thank him. It was a nice farewell to one of the greatest movie franchises ever. Now I can’t wait for Rambo 4 and if he has the time I hope he also does a sequel to Cobra, but I doubt that will ever happen.
I was supposed to ride to work today on my bike but I woke up and the sky was cloudy so I was like its going to rain. I checked three weather websites and they all said it would be cloudy but no rain. I looked outside again and I was like no its going to rain, so I came to work in my car. Now its nearly 12 and it still hasn’t rained. Where is the rain?
Today before I left the office I swapped my Lacie 19inch CRT monitor with a brand new Apple 20inch display. It was supposed to be for another employee but he didn’t want it so I took it. Its nothing compared to Nats 30inch display but its still cool and sexy.
I am going to start off by saying I am not a fan of Wataniya. I have been an MTC user since 1995 and I am very loyal to the brand. So, when I was contacted by Wataniya to try out their new W-net internet router I wasn’t very thrilled because I would rather it had been MTC calling me. But I still went ahead and met with the Wataniya guy who turned out to be cool and a Nintendo Wii fan and he explained to me what W-net was and told me that Wataniya had hooked me up with a 6 month prepaid subscription. I was thinking worst case scenario if the connection turned out to be crap I could take the router to work and hook it up over there since my office lacked a wifi connection which annoys the hell out of me whenever I take my Macbook to work. After using the device for over 2 weeks I can say I am impressed.
When I first opened the package I found the Quick Start Guide which involved 11 steps on how to setup the connection. I ignored the guide, turned on the router and connected to it via wifi on my Macbook. Thats it, I was connected to the Internet. Its a lot easier then 11 steps.
The Wataniya router works on the HSDPA network which is a 3G mobile protocol. Currently 3G isn’t covered everywhere in Kuwait so if you don’t have 3G in your area you will end up connecting onto the much slower EDGE network. So if you want to take full advantage of W-net you better hope you live in a 3G zone. I live in Salmiya and I have 3G here.
The most impressive thing about the W-Net connection is the download speed. I have a 512 DSL connection by Qualitynet and I usually download files at around 63 KB/sec. With W-net on the other hand I download at around 107 KB/sec which is nearly twice as fast as my DSL connection. The upload speed is slow though at around 15 KB/sec where as my Qualitynet hits around 35 KB/sec.
Loading websites feels slower on the Wataniya connection. When I type in a URL its always quicker to load on my Qualitynet connection. I thought it was because of the connection latency but I pinged mark248am1.wpenginepowered.com on both my Qualitynet connection and the Wataniya connection and the results were very close so I don’t know why the lack of acceleration.
Qualitynet
PING mark248am1.wpenginepowered.com (66.199.240.42): 56 data bytes
64 bytes from 66.199.240.42: icmp_seq=0 ttl=45 time=321.393 ms
64 bytes from 66.199.240.42: icmp_seq=1 ttl=47 time=305.564 ms
64 bytes from 66.199.240.42: icmp_seq=2 ttl=45 time=325.444 ms
64 bytes from 66.199.240.42: icmp_seq=3 ttl=45 time=356.846 ms
64 bytes from 66.199.240.42: icmp_seq=4 ttl=45 time=376.722 ms
Wataniya W-Net
PING mark248am1.wpenginepowered.com (66.199.240.42): 56 data bytes
64 bytes from 66.199.240.42: icmp_seq=0 ttl=45 time=306.380 ms
64 bytes from 66.199.240.42: icmp_seq=1 ttl=47 time=327.925 ms
64 bytes from 66.199.240.42: icmp_seq=2 ttl=45 time=383.964 ms
64 bytes from 66.199.240.42: icmp_seq=3 ttl=45 time=295.931 ms
64 bytes from 66.199.240.42: icmp_seq=4 ttl=45 time=472.001 ms
For the geek users, you can customize the settings of the router to your liking just as if it was an ordinary router. It originally came set with the IP address 192.168.1.1 but my network runs on 192.168.0.X so I just logged in to the router settings and just changed stuff like turning of DHCP and changing the routers name. The router has an Ethernet port so you can connect it to the regular network or directly to your computer in case you don’t have wifi.
The price of the router plus Wataniya data line is KD135. The monthly charge for the connection is KD28, or KD300 for 1 year and KD565 for 2. I don’t know if you can order a different cheaper router off the web and use it with the Wataniya data line, I guess it could work.
Would I give up my DSL connection for W-Net? No I wouldn’t. I upload a lot of stuff all the time and 35 KB/sec is slow for me yet alone 15. I also browse the web a lot and like it when pages load instantly. The W-Net connection reminds me of my previous Shownet connection (which was Satellite based). It has a high top speed but slow acceleration meaning when browsing websites you don’t really feel the connection is fast only when you start downloading files do you notice it.
Would I recommend the W-Net connection? Yes in certain situations. For example in my old place in Salwa I couldn’t get a DSL line setup because the phone network in my street didn’t support it. My only option was a Satellite/Dialup combo which sucked. If I was still living there then I would definitely get W-net. Also for people who can’t get phone lines for one reason or another or for people who simply want an Internet connection wherever they go (camping, challet, anywhere with a power outlet) then this would also be a good option.
Am I going to take the router to the office? Nope, whenever I have files to download I just switch over to the W-Net connection and download them. Its really convenient having it because its cutting my download time in half. Anyway if you have any questions regarding W-Net just leave a comment below and I will try to answer it.
My building has underground parking, 3 floors of it to be exact. The last floor is divided in half, half parking spots and the other half storage areas. Two days ago I noticed that some workers were emptying the storage rooms. I didn’t think of it much until today while snooping around through the boxes the building janitor spotted me and told me I could take whatever I wanted because they were going to throw everything out tomorrow. I was like cool and went upstairs and told Nat about it. A few minutes later we both went back down armed with two Maglite’s, a swiss army knife and camera.
There were a whole bunch of boxes lined up everywhere just filled with books, toys and electronics. We started going through them one by one and as we found stuff we just filled them in the trunk of my Wrangler.
I found a whole collection of National Geographic magazines from 1967 all the way till the early 80s. I found an excellent condition Apple II, a excellent condition NES with the gun and the Super Mario Bros / Duck Hunt cartridge. I also found a clean SNES, a box full of DC comics cards, and a couple of cool books including a copy of Stephen Kings The Shining dated from 1977. My trunk is full of vintage treasures and I need like a shopping cart or something to help me take them upstairs. I even found a pristine condition ALGOL computer programming book dated 1968. I hadn’t heard of the ALGOL programming language up until two hours ago.
Anyway, this weekend I am probably going to pass by IKEA get me some new shelves. For now, I got junk in my trunk. I love this stuff..
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.
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.
From the Arab Times:
The above photo was taken Jan 5, 2007 of dead horses right outside the gates of the Ahmadi Governate Equestrian Club. Their location is approximately 200 meters from the front drive and across the street from the International Veterinary Hospital on 306-Wafra Road. The horses did not appear to have been shot, but either euthenized on the spot or dumped there by the Equestrian Club staff.
The first set of dead horses can be found approximately 50 meters from the roadside and very close to campers. They are easily seen from the road. The photographer counted 14 carcasses; some appeared fresh and others had been there for quite some time. One of the horses still had it’s ankles bandaged and was obviously cared for at some point in time. The fresh carcasses appeared to be young horses approximately 2 to 5 years in age.
Not only is this a gastly sight for anyone unfortunate enough to see, but highly unsanitary. Animals feeding off these carcasses can easily spread disease throughout the country.
Reason I posted this is because whenever we leave the vet over there, Nat tells me she sees dead animals on the side of the road and I tell her thats not possible and she must be seeing things. Turns out she was right…
Thanks Amerab
I am going to be meeting Shark of Kuwait tomorrow night for coffee and I will be interviewing him for the blog. Anyone have any questions they want me to ask him?
I had the best chocolate cheese cake ever today. I was at Lorenzo having lunch when I decided to try their dessert. I heard a lot of good stuff about their cakes but I am usually too full to have any. Today I still had room after I finished lunch so I decided to order the chocolate cheese cake.
Its the best chocolate cheese cake I have ever had. Its also not too expensive. The whole cake costs KD7.500 while a large slice costs I think KD1.750 but its sooo worth it. I mean I would easily pay KD10 for the whole cake without thinking twice.
I actually heard Lorenzo supplies cake to a lot of places in Kuwait. Starbucks for example get their oreo cheese cake from Lorenzo. Speaking of Starbucks, has anyone noticed how terrible their cookies taste a the moment? It seems they changed their cookie supplier and the new one just sucks.
Anyway back to the chocolate cheese cake, if you are a cheese cake fan you HAVE to try it. It easily gets a 5 out of 5 stars. Lorenzo is located across the street from Sheraton in Kuwait City but by end of the month they are moving to Salhiya near Johnny Rockets. You don’t have to have lunch there to have their dessert, if you go into the restaurant the cakes are located on the right hand side. They also have chocolate marble cheese cake and chocolate pie which I want to try the next time I go there.
I am watching a really cool documentary which I downloaded on the Coke Vs Pepsi war from the beginning up till today. They were just talking about how Fanta was created and I found it very interesting so I thought I would share it. Here is some info taken from Wikipedia:
Fanta was invented during World War II in Nazi Germany by the German Coca Cola (GmbH) bottling company. Due to restrictions on shipping between Nazi Germany and the United States during hostilities, the German bottling plant could no longer get Coca Cola syrup. The CEO of the plant, Max Keith, needed to do something to keep the plant in operation and came up with a fruit flavored drink made from whatever he could find. Using apple fiber left over from cider presses and whey, a byproduct from cheese manufacture, Fanta was created and became quite popular.
The name ‘Fanta’ came during an employee contest to name the new beverage. Keith told them to let their Fantasie (German for imagination) run wild. On hearing that, salesman Joe Knipp spontaneously arrived upon the name Fanta.