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Mo is a 22 year old Kuwaiti student currently studying at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. When I first saw some of his illustrations they instantly grabbed my attention since I found them very strange. I contacted him by email and spoke to him regarding his thoughts and future plans.

According to Mo his illustrations come from the core of his personality, it’s who he truly is without the filters of ego and peer pressures. He’s also excited about coming back to Kuwait after he graduates since he feels there is a lot of potential now more than ever for Kuwait to generate culture on its own.

A lot of culture in Kuwait is homogenized, it comes from the West for the most part. There is the traditional Kuwaiti culture, but that is really just a backdrop being humored for the popular culture, the influx of movies and other entertainment is where the interest of younger and even older generations truly lie. People today have the wonderful luxury of taking in media from around the world, and I think some of the talented and passionate people in Kuwait today are digesting influences from both Western and Eastern creators into their subconscious minds. Something that has popped up in the GCC area has been the advent of interesting and funny animated programs, not to mention the lauded 99 comic book series. I believe that I can help contribute to this newly generating culture, and offer something different than the humor of the animated series and the super-hero stories of the 99.

He’s got a bunch of his illustrations up on his blog which you can check by clicking [Here]

I just got the March schedule for Cinemagic and it looks like I’ve only watched one of the movies showing this month which is Triplets of Belleville. It’s a really strange but cool animation which is definitely worth watching. Check out the full schedule below.

Thursday, March 1st at 7:30pm
THE MILK OF SORROW
Fausta is suffering from a rare disease called the Milk of Sorrow, which is transmitted through the breast milk of pregnant women who were abused or raped during or soon after pregnancy. While living in constant fear and confusion due to this disease, she must face the sudden death of her mother. She chooses to take drastic measures to not follow in her mother’s footsteps.

Saturday, March 3rd at 7:30pm
BARTON FINK
In 1941, New York intellectual playwright Barton Fink comes to Hollywood to write a Wallace Beery wrestling picture. Staying in the eerie Hotel Earle, Barton develops severe writer’s block. His neighbor, jovial insurance salesman Charlie Meadows, tries to help, but Barton continues to struggle as a bizarre sequence of events distracts him even further from his task.

Thursday, March 8th at 7:30pm
TRIPLETS OF BELLVILLE
When her grandson is kidnapped during the Tour de France, Madame Souza and her beloved pooch Bruno team up with the Belleville Sisters–an aged song-and-dance team from the days of Fred Astaire–to rescue him.

Saturday, March 10th at 7:30pm
THE SWEET HEREAFTER
This film documents the effects of a tragic bus accident on the population of a small town.

Thursday, March 15th at 7:30pm
NETWORK
A TV network cynically exploits a deranged ex-TV anchor’s ravings and revelations about the media for their own profit.

Saturday, March 17th at 7:30pm
RUSSIAN ARK
A 19th century French aristocrat, notorious for his scathing memoirs about life in Russia, travels through the Russian State Hermitage Museum and encounters historical figures from the last 200+ years.

Thursday, March 22nd at 7:30pm
CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS
Werner Herzog gains exclusive access to film inside the Chauvet caves of Southern France, capturing the oldest known pictorial creations of humankind in their astonishing natural setting.

Saturday, March 24th at 7:30pm
DOWN BY LAW
The story of three different men in a Louisiana prison and their eventual journey.

Thursday, March 29th at 7:30pm
THE SON’S ROOM
A psychoanalyst and his family go through profound emotional trauma when their son dies in a scuba diving accident.

Saturday, March 31st at 7:30pm
500 DAYS OF SUMMER
An offbeat romantic comedy about a woman who doesn’t believe true love exists, and the young man who falls for her.

Cinemagic Kuwait, is organizing these events as part of its efforts to contribute to the development of an internationally competitive Kuwaiti audio-visual production industry, partly by bringing the filmmakers and audiences together and by Increasing the public’s interest in – and appreciation for – the art of film-making. Cinemagic movies are screened in the old Salmiya, on the roof on top of Alghanim Electronics and LG. Entrance is free of charge and includes refreshments, popcorn and much more. Here is a link to their Facebook group [Link]

I accidentally switched over to 99.7 the other day and heard an advert about The Athlete Foot selling ghutras made by Puma. I think they said that they were created either just for Kuwait or for the region not really sure but I decided to pass by and check them out. Turns out they’re not actually selling ghutras but clothing with the ghutra pattern. Would have been cooler if Puma actually made ghutras.

A reader took these pictures yesterday of paragliders flying over the Gulf Road celebrating National Day. I have to say the cityscape in the background looks pretty cool in this light.

Thanks Maro

The Repercussions of an Attack
Destroying Iran’s many reactors and processing facilities could release large amounts of radiation and create radioactive dust storms. Winds would carry this toxic miasma over Afghanistan and its large U.S. military garrison. Dangerous radiation would also extend to Pakistan, western India, Iraq, Kuwait and to the Gulf, where large numbers of U.S. military personnel are based. Equally ominous, radioactive dust could blanket oil fields in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. High-altitude winds would spread radioactivity around the globe, as occurred at Chernobyl in the Ukraine, but at a factor of twenty times or more. [Source]

This is currently my favorite Kuwait time lapse video. [YouTube]

I got the following by email but have not verified this:

More than 150 visitors to Failaka Island including small children and women were stranded at Failaka Island on Sunday, 26th Feb. The visitors all of whom went to the island using KPTC’s ferry from Salmiya in the morning were told that the return ferries would arrive at 3:30 pm and the last one would be at 4pm. The people who arrived early to get a seat on the ferry had a surprise. There was no sign of the KPTC boat at either 3:30 or 4 pm. The tired crowd was informed by someone that a boat would arrive at 5 pm. But around 5:30 pm when the boats still had not arrived some one in the crowd contacted the KPTC’s office in Salmiya only to be told that there would be no boat arriving as the boats were blocked from leaving the Salmiya jetty because their licence had expired!!!

The people who had bought return tickets on the KPTC ferry were left high and dry on the island with no other mode of transport available nor any alternative plan made by the KPTC to help the stranded passengers. Someone called 112 and were told that they could not do anything about the situation. Finally at nightfall some of the people managed to contact friends and relatives in Kuwait and managed to get some private boats paying exorbitant prices just to be able to leave the island and reach home. Some including ladies who could not afford the boats were still on the island waiting for the ferry which one report suggested might arrive the next day!

– CD

If this is true then it’s messed up.

Failaka Ferry Photo unrelated and taken by Jafar

I’m really excited to post about this place since it’s about damn time we get a specialized photography store in Kuwait. Over the weekend I was planning to order a Think Tank bag from Amazon. I didn’t go through with the order since I was planning to go to Dubai today and figured I would get it from there. My trip got cancelled and I was going to order the bag tonight when I found out on twitter about Alghunaim Photography. Talk about the perfect timing!

Alghunaim Photography just recently opened up in Baitak Tower. They’re a small store but they’ve got some very cool brands including Think Tank bags, Manfrotto tripods and bags, National Geographic bags, Hoodman accessories, Kata bags, Lenspen, LockCircle, Datacolor products, Black Rapid camera straps and more. They actually still have more brands on the way but even with what they have right now they’re already my favorite photography store.

The bag I was interested in was the Think Tank Retrospective 5. It’s a small shoulder bag that I wanted for my tiny Panasonic GX1 camera. It costs around KD40 on Amazon and with tax and shipping to Kuwait it was going to end up costing me at least KD50. At Alghunaim they’re selling it for just KD45! The owner is actually trying his best to match his prices to Amazon. With the Manfrotto items for example he told me his prices should be equal to that of Amazon which I think is great. They also have a lot of National Geographic bags although I didn’t spot the tiny one that’s popular with X100 owners.

Another interesting thing the owner is trying to do is create a used camera market. He wants to start displaying and selling used cameras in his store so if you have one you’re planning to sell you should pass by.

I really hope the store does well and I also hope the prices stay the same. They don’t have an online website yet but their store is easy to find and there is a ton of parking as well. They’re located in Baitak Tower in Kuwait City (facing Safat Square) and they’re on the ground floor opposite Starbucks. You can also call them on 99066601 or 90023334.

You could also visit their website [Here]

More pictures below.

Why do we NEED to spray each other during National Day? What happened to the old fashioned way of hanging outside the car with flags or dancing in the middle of traffic?

Photo by Hareesh

Update: I just witnessed two incidents which kinda puts into perspective why spraying of any kind during National Day celebrations should be stopped.

I decided to walk to Marina Mall instead of taking the car to avoid traffic. While standing at an intersection with other people to cross, a car drives by with two girls I would say around 20 years old and they slow down and started spraying everyone waiting to cross the street with water.

The second incident I witnessed was on my way back home. I left Marina Mall from The One exit and there was a gang of around 8 guys walking with Super Soakers. They started spraying these three Egytian guys who were sitting on a bench outside The One minding their own business. The Egyptian guys were begging the guys to stop and the guys just kept laughing and spraying them. They soaked them completely with water and laughed and continued walking looking for new prey.

This is not normal.

I took these pictures from the Napket balcony around a week ago. I wonder if the whole area outside is going to end up being covered.

Here are some photos from the 1977 National Day Parade that took place on the Gulf Road. All the photos are by mgmaniac.

Below are shots of me at what I think is the 1979 National Day Parade since I look around a year old in the pictures.

Back in 2008 Kuwait announced they were going to build a nuclear power plant to satisfy our electricity consumption. Two years later they announced they were actually building not one but four nuclear plants and they would be up and running by 2022. Well, it seems the plans to go nuclear have now been scrapped because of the Fukushima disaster [Link]

The Meteorological Department is holding a photography contest. If you want to participate you need to submit a photograph you’ve taken related to a meteorological phenomenon in Kuwait. First place prize is KD100, second is KD75 and third place is KD50. Fourth to tenth place will also receive KD30 each. Not very large amounts of money but it’s very easy to take part in and there are going to be 10 winners in total. Closing date for the competition is March 13th. Check their contest page for more information [Here]

[YouTube]

Just a few days ago I posted about an article in the Kuwait Times on how stray dogs were being poisoned. Well a reader who works in the Free Trade Zone sent me some pictures and a video he shot today. According to him they have a lot of stray dogs in the Free Trade Zone and they’ve never caused any trouble and they usually stay out of peoples way. But, it seems someone must have complained about them because someone came and placed poison for the dogs and a whole bunch ended up dying today.

So today morning while I’m sitting on my desk I saw every one standing near the windows watching something, I didnt give it much attention because usually we watch the Flamingos but this time it was different the dogs ate the poisoned food and started to have these weird shakes so i went out side running and I found them dead. -J

The video above and pictures below are graphic. Please look at them.

What upsets me even more is the fact there is a solution to the strays and it’s already being applied in Ahmadi and it’s working! The program is very successful so why can’t it be applied all over Kuwait?

[YouTube]

This has to stop!

Earlier tonight I passed by Ubon, the new trendy Thai restaurant that opened up in Kuwait City. I’m not a big fan of Thai food but the place is located in my office tower and the interior looks amazing so I had to try it. Below is what I ended up ordering.

Tom Yum Goong Soup (KD2.400) It’s a hot and sour prawn soup with mushroom and vegetables. I asked mine to be made medium spicy which turned out to be too spicy for my liking.

Chicken Satay Sticks (KD2.200) These were really great. I kinda wish the peanut sauce was a bit thicker but that’s an issue I have with Thai food in general.

Green Curry Chicken (KD3.000) + Jasmine Steamed Rice (KD1.000) I loved this dish but next time I’m ordering it without the veggies.

Sticky Rice with Mango (KD2.800) This was the biggest surprise. I ordered it unwillingly since I didn’t find anything else on the small dessert list. It didn’t sound great (rice dessert?) and when it came it didn’t look that appetizing either. But after scooping up a bit of rice with mango and taking a bite I fell in love with it. 99% of the desserts I have involve chocolate so it was extremely refreshing to finally find a chocolate free dessert that I can really enjoy.

Fried Banana with Honey (complimentary) I originally wanted to order this for dessert but was told it wasn’t available. After my Sticky Rice with Mango arrived they told me that the Fried Banana was available and they would serve it to me after the Sticky Rice. I’m honestly glad they had originally told me it wasn’t available or else I wouldn’t have discovered the Sticky Rice. The Fried Banana is a very safe option and wasn’t that exciting. My recommendation would be to go with the Sticky Rice.

I had a good experience tonight and I can’t wait until they start opening for lunch since it would be very convenient for me. Right now they’re open from 6 to 11pm. Price wise they’re very reasonable and the portions are pretty good. I’m glad someone decided to open something other than a burger or frozen yogurt place. Now if someone would open a small trendy Chinese restaurant.

To find out more about Ubon visit their website [Here]