اهداء لكل ام في عيد الام
Mothers are the most under-rated, under-appreciated, over-worked, under-compensated beings on the planet. It seems extremely ironic to give just one day of thanks to the person that carried us all for 9 whole months.
This is a time to make a big fuss over mothers, new, expecting, to-be etc. but remember that it should be maintained for as long and as much as possible.
To those that have lost their mothers, I truly apologise and cannot begin to fathom what you are going through, I just pray that in your hearts you know your mother looks down upon you smiling and wishing you all the very best in life.
Nothing we can say can ever be thanks enough to a mother, so let us celebrate by showing love.
I for one know I am not the perfect son to my mother, I get angry at times and yell when I shouldn't, but I know she knows how much I love her, and I never let a chance go by to tell her that and show her.
I get mad at my mom if she treats me like a child (don't forget to take this, that etc), but if I do forget, I blame her for not reminding me, even tho I got into an argument with her for coddling me.
That is the paradox; we hate it when we have it but we miss it when we don't.
God bless Mothers.
الجنة تحت اقدام الأمهات
Monday, March 21, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Kuwait Charity Run 21K- The Pictures
What a magnificent day it was yesterday.
Off the bat, the Kuwait Charity Run turned out to be a huge success; 57,000KD was raised for the Bait Abdullah Childrens Hospice, and much joyment was had by all who attended.
We started off early, I was there by 7am, ample parking, however no sooner did the clock hit 7:10 that the parking lot became jam-packed. I quickly walked over to Starbucks, amazed by my then leg-strength and feeling like a million bucks.
I met up with some friends and we started doing our own warm-up (lets face it, the aerobic/dance warm-up that they did was not useful and was more for show than warming up, honestly!).
I did meet my ex-PE teacher from, well, not SO long ago, but yeah! She was there!
Enter 8am, the race drew near. The 21K-ers were asked to line up first, the anticipation was killing me, I mean, honestly? To jog from Marina Crescent to the Kuwait Towers AND back? I decided to play it by ear, feeling that my cardio training at the gym would save me.
On your marks, Get Set, GO! And the race was on!
By the first 1K I was doing ok, good speed, but, as is my bane, I had to go all monkey and hurdle over the signs! I kept up my momentum till the 5K mark, then I started to slow down, conserve energy, and work on bursts of speed, people were catching up to me (some old folks mind you!) and I would be like, with my inner voice, "haha! I'll catch up to you later!"... Sadly I never did tho! And it was frustrating having people keep passing you! Anyway, it was not about the competition, but the cause, so I just kept going, like the Energizer Bunny.
When we came upon the 10K mark, never was I happier to see the Kuwait Towers, and never had I gazed upon them from that distance, and that angle, to fixate on them as a goal on foot for 10K is more than exhilarating. As a mark of actually passing the 10K mark (as if the tracking chip on my shoe was not accurate enough), a young child was giving out white hand bands (rather nifty I might add), and then the return journey commenced!
There were some folks from Japan out on the route, with Japanese flags, I said to them the only phrase I know in Japanese "Oregato Gozaimas" (thank you very much), I did not know any condolence phrases unfortunately, may god be with Japan in its time of need, and bless the Fukushima 50.
So, again, with the people passing me, but, if anything, I did have two victories in that one person who had previously passed me I was able to overtake, and another person that was neck-to-neck with me fell back after I pushed myself forward.
But, I was passed by quite a few people, including a fellow cyclist from the DBCK, who I estimate to be well over 50, but mashallah, he beat me by 10 minutes!
The final stretch, the last K, I almost got lost as I was running the wrong way in the parking lot, then I just turned my attention to the floats and voila, I passed the finish line at full speed.
I had originally intended or hoped to finish the race in 1hr45 minutes, apparently my internal clock got that mixed up and I ended up finishing in 1hr54! Not to shabby for me, as I usually run a weekly 13K in 1hr20, so yeah, I was proud of that moment!
Until ofcourse, I heard the official time for the #1 (I was #58), he finished the race in (hope you are sitting down), 1hr06!!
The race was well organised but not well hydrated, back in the 10K last November, at every K mark there was a stand with hydration etc. and persons to cheer you on. This time, there was not (water at every K) and the volunteers were more dispersed. What was better was the fact that they were giving out smaller bottles of wter than last time (a waste coz most people would take one sip and throw the rest away), or they were giving out cups of water. However, the cups of water cannot be drunk on the go, and you need to stop to drink it properly.
Despite all that, it was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon!
Now I leave you with the stills :)
Off the bat, the Kuwait Charity Run turned out to be a huge success; 57,000KD was raised for the Bait Abdullah Childrens Hospice, and much joyment was had by all who attended.
We started off early, I was there by 7am, ample parking, however no sooner did the clock hit 7:10 that the parking lot became jam-packed. I quickly walked over to Starbucks, amazed by my then leg-strength and feeling like a million bucks.
I met up with some friends and we started doing our own warm-up (lets face it, the aerobic/dance warm-up that they did was not useful and was more for show than warming up, honestly!).
I did meet my ex-PE teacher from, well, not SO long ago, but yeah! She was there!
Enter 8am, the race drew near. The 21K-ers were asked to line up first, the anticipation was killing me, I mean, honestly? To jog from Marina Crescent to the Kuwait Towers AND back? I decided to play it by ear, feeling that my cardio training at the gym would save me.
On your marks, Get Set, GO! And the race was on!
By the first 1K I was doing ok, good speed, but, as is my bane, I had to go all monkey and hurdle over the signs! I kept up my momentum till the 5K mark, then I started to slow down, conserve energy, and work on bursts of speed, people were catching up to me (some old folks mind you!) and I would be like, with my inner voice, "haha! I'll catch up to you later!"... Sadly I never did tho! And it was frustrating having people keep passing you! Anyway, it was not about the competition, but the cause, so I just kept going, like the Energizer Bunny.
When we came upon the 10K mark, never was I happier to see the Kuwait Towers, and never had I gazed upon them from that distance, and that angle, to fixate on them as a goal on foot for 10K is more than exhilarating. As a mark of actually passing the 10K mark (as if the tracking chip on my shoe was not accurate enough), a young child was giving out white hand bands (rather nifty I might add), and then the return journey commenced!
There were some folks from Japan out on the route, with Japanese flags, I said to them the only phrase I know in Japanese "Oregato Gozaimas" (thank you very much), I did not know any condolence phrases unfortunately, may god be with Japan in its time of need, and bless the Fukushima 50.
So, again, with the people passing me, but, if anything, I did have two victories in that one person who had previously passed me I was able to overtake, and another person that was neck-to-neck with me fell back after I pushed myself forward.
But, I was passed by quite a few people, including a fellow cyclist from the DBCK, who I estimate to be well over 50, but mashallah, he beat me by 10 minutes!
The final stretch, the last K, I almost got lost as I was running the wrong way in the parking lot, then I just turned my attention to the floats and voila, I passed the finish line at full speed.
I had originally intended or hoped to finish the race in 1hr45 minutes, apparently my internal clock got that mixed up and I ended up finishing in 1hr54! Not to shabby for me, as I usually run a weekly 13K in 1hr20, so yeah, I was proud of that moment!
Until ofcourse, I heard the official time for the #1 (I was #58), he finished the race in (hope you are sitting down), 1hr06!!
The race was well organised but not well hydrated, back in the 10K last November, at every K mark there was a stand with hydration etc. and persons to cheer you on. This time, there was not (water at every K) and the volunteers were more dispersed. What was better was the fact that they were giving out smaller bottles of wter than last time (a waste coz most people would take one sip and throw the rest away), or they were giving out cups of water. However, the cups of water cannot be drunk on the go, and you need to stop to drink it properly.
Despite all that, it was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon!
Now I leave you with the stills :)
 |
| a huge round of applause for the volunteers, without their help non of this would have been possible |
 |
| Reach for the skies! (I'm the odd one out :P) |
 |
| The excruciating route! |
Thursday, March 17, 2011
The Real Proposal
Heres hoping we can do something similar ;)
(but with less people and back-up dancers ofcourse!)
(but with less people and back-up dancers ofcourse!)
Single Guys - aka Pariahs, Lepers of Society
Once upon a time, being single was a great thing. Now, it seems as though the tides have shifted, and single guys are "singled out" as the pariahs of our society, mocked, looked at with scorn, and completely and utterly disregarded.
What compelled me to write this post was a recent invite to a "Desert Party", where the prices were as follows:
Couples 13KD
Stag girl 5KD
Stag guy 15KD
Wait, say that again? Stag guy 15KD? Don't worry, it was changed later i.e. completely removed.
The Cinema, everybody loves the cinema, but why is it that seating is segregated, families and bachelors? Why, again, are the bachelors singled out and given the crap-fest seatings (when a movie is sold out), what is it that the cinema-execs are afraid will happen inside if bachelors and families should, heaven forbid, mix? That, in itself, is a ridiculous affair, cinema seats should be on a first come first served basis. But why is it that single girls are treated as families? Or groups of girls? Why the sexist profiling?
Its not just Kuwait, it is a global pandemic. Clubs in Sharm Al-Sheikh are (or rather were) just advertising free entrance for ladies, The Hard Rock Cafe in Nae'ma Bay does not admit single guys - period (I witnessed guys standing outside just asking random women to pretend to be their "dates" so they can get inside"). Pashar has a couples only/ single females policy at the door (that blew my chances of seeing Bob Sinclair last November).
Why so sexist?
Granted, some men are slime, but the rest are out to have a good time!
The Science of Single Guys
Guys will hang around in packs, but "picking up women" is not a group sport, and no one is willing to share. There are two types of guys in the world today, wait, three types: Those that have the girls, those that know how to get the girls, and the average joe who knows one of or neither of these two guys.
It is next to impossible to pick up a lady (notice the use of the term "Lady", not anything else that some guys seem to be on the prowl to pick up) in Kuwait for the noblest of purposes. Sure, you can exchange smiles with strangers etc (at your own risk, I am not condoning this), even the occasional flirt here and there, but in public, for a girl to talk to a stranger, much less a guy, is frowned upon (not taboo in the strictest sense).
You go to parties hosted by private individuals hoping that the change of scenery would increase your odds, but guess what? You are a single guy, you've already been marked as a threat, and will be forced to shelf out more to get there, and when you do get there, guess what? The girl-guy ratio is still lopsided.
I find it very funny how on any website when a girl makes a comment, there are a million and two guys who respond, most, if not all, with the unspoken words of "notice me, notice me!", whereas if a guy were to do the same thing, the response to him would be lukewarm at best.
It is said that in captivity, male hamsters will fight over who gets the female, the finale is always the dominant male castrating the other. Which is in fact, what is happening in the world today (sans the castration part, metaphorically speaking).
I think that, if men respected women more often, as opposed to the sometimes barbaric and downright dangerous and life threatening behavior they sometimes exhibit (Three Words: 2nd Ring Road - aka Love Street), this wouldn't be the case, but alas, what is done is done, and a few deprived individuals have robbed the rest of the populace the chance to mingle (for all the right reasons).
The Single Guy - Ostracised since the beginning of time.
PS my engaged friends are of the opinion that the engagement ring is somewhat of an ice-breaker, and dare I say, a stimulant?
Just sayin'.
What compelled me to write this post was a recent invite to a "Desert Party", where the prices were as follows:
Couples 13KD
Stag girl 5KD
Stag guy 15KD
Wait, say that again? Stag guy 15KD? Don't worry, it was changed later i.e. completely removed.How did this happen? When did society decide to impose a "single" tax on males? Is there no union we can go to protest (pardon the word) this injustice?
The Cinema, everybody loves the cinema, but why is it that seating is segregated, families and bachelors? Why, again, are the bachelors singled out and given the crap-fest seatings (when a movie is sold out), what is it that the cinema-execs are afraid will happen inside if bachelors and families should, heaven forbid, mix? That, in itself, is a ridiculous affair, cinema seats should be on a first come first served basis. But why is it that single girls are treated as families? Or groups of girls? Why the sexist profiling?
Its not just Kuwait, it is a global pandemic. Clubs in Sharm Al-Sheikh are (or rather were) just advertising free entrance for ladies, The Hard Rock Cafe in Nae'ma Bay does not admit single guys - period (I witnessed guys standing outside just asking random women to pretend to be their "dates" so they can get inside"). Pashar has a couples only/ single females policy at the door (that blew my chances of seeing Bob Sinclair last November).
Why so sexist?
Granted, some men are slime, but the rest are out to have a good time!
The Science of Single Guys
Guys will hang around in packs, but "picking up women" is not a group sport, and no one is willing to share. There are two types of guys in the world today, wait, three types: Those that have the girls, those that know how to get the girls, and the average joe who knows one of or neither of these two guys.
It is next to impossible to pick up a lady (notice the use of the term "Lady", not anything else that some guys seem to be on the prowl to pick up) in Kuwait for the noblest of purposes. Sure, you can exchange smiles with strangers etc (at your own risk, I am not condoning this), even the occasional flirt here and there, but in public, for a girl to talk to a stranger, much less a guy, is frowned upon (not taboo in the strictest sense).
You go to parties hosted by private individuals hoping that the change of scenery would increase your odds, but guess what? You are a single guy, you've already been marked as a threat, and will be forced to shelf out more to get there, and when you do get there, guess what? The girl-guy ratio is still lopsided.
I find it very funny how on any website when a girl makes a comment, there are a million and two guys who respond, most, if not all, with the unspoken words of "notice me, notice me!", whereas if a guy were to do the same thing, the response to him would be lukewarm at best.
It is said that in captivity, male hamsters will fight over who gets the female, the finale is always the dominant male castrating the other. Which is in fact, what is happening in the world today (sans the castration part, metaphorically speaking).
I think that, if men respected women more often, as opposed to the sometimes barbaric and downright dangerous and life threatening behavior they sometimes exhibit (Three Words: 2nd Ring Road - aka Love Street), this wouldn't be the case, but alas, what is done is done, and a few deprived individuals have robbed the rest of the populace the chance to mingle (for all the right reasons).
The Single Guy - Ostracised since the beginning of time.
PS my engaged friends are of the opinion that the engagement ring is somewhat of an ice-breaker, and dare I say, a stimulant?
Just sayin'.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Caught Red Handed - Always Trust your Gut
This is a story about how you should always trust what your gut instinct is telling you in a situation, and always try to think atleast 3 steps ahead.
So I was at the gym yesterday, for the past week, and against gym policy, I had been leaving my bag in the locker overnight.
This proved a point that they were lying when they said that all lockers will be inspected and cleaned between the hours of 2~5am.
So, I was wrong, I admit. But it was so much easier! And what is one locker anyway? Ofcourse, if everybody thought like I did, we would have a huge problem.
Yesterday, as I was changing clothes, I noticed that there was an attendant buzzing around in an unusual manner, I thought nothing of it (first gut instinct, should have atleast closed the door to my locker).
He came up behind and he peered inquisitively into the locker, I believe the item that gave me away as an overnighter was the the presence of several metallic hangers (that I brought myself, coz I always go the gym straight after work see, and I'm all in my formal wear, so I must hang it up properly).
So, he turned around, we made eye contact. I knew something was up.
Believing myself to be a detective, I decided to jump ship and change lockers, however, I wasn't smart enough to move far away, I just jumped one locker down.
Had I thought ahead, I would have also locked the original locker as a diversion.
But sadly, I did not.
As I was exiting the gym, I saw the attendant at the front desk. I failed to register my gut instinct at that time telling me something was wrong.
However, I knew something was up.
Today when I got there, the locker I had been occupying was cleared out, and my bag was no where to be found.
I had to take the walk of shame up to the front desk and ask for my bag back, they made me sign something, I refused to sign until they returned my coat hangers, to save face :P
Let that be a lesson to all, always, always, ALWAYS go with your gut!
So I was at the gym yesterday, for the past week, and against gym policy, I had been leaving my bag in the locker overnight.
This proved a point that they were lying when they said that all lockers will be inspected and cleaned between the hours of 2~5am.
So, I was wrong, I admit. But it was so much easier! And what is one locker anyway? Ofcourse, if everybody thought like I did, we would have a huge problem.
Yesterday, as I was changing clothes, I noticed that there was an attendant buzzing around in an unusual manner, I thought nothing of it (first gut instinct, should have atleast closed the door to my locker).
He came up behind and he peered inquisitively into the locker, I believe the item that gave me away as an overnighter was the the presence of several metallic hangers (that I brought myself, coz I always go the gym straight after work see, and I'm all in my formal wear, so I must hang it up properly).
So, he turned around, we made eye contact. I knew something was up.
Believing myself to be a detective, I decided to jump ship and change lockers, however, I wasn't smart enough to move far away, I just jumped one locker down.
Had I thought ahead, I would have also locked the original locker as a diversion.
But sadly, I did not.
As I was exiting the gym, I saw the attendant at the front desk. I failed to register my gut instinct at that time telling me something was wrong.
However, I knew something was up.
Today when I got there, the locker I had been occupying was cleared out, and my bag was no where to be found.
I had to take the walk of shame up to the front desk and ask for my bag back, they made me sign something, I refused to sign until they returned my coat hangers, to save face :P
Let that be a lesson to all, always, always, ALWAYS go with your gut!
May I see your badge please? Dealing with Fakops
There is an issue I've been thinking of as a result of the string of news articles that have apparently become a growing trend in Kuwait.I am talking about the fake-cops, the Fakops (you pronounced F**kUps) if you will, and the rising of this disturbing phenomena.
Too often you read in the newspaper about how some hapless expat was "pulled over" by person(s) claiming to be police officers, (whether or not they are dressed in uniform/ civilian clothes) apprehended, taken to a remote location, beaten (if they are lucky), robbed and left for dead.
At times it is even worse, where they are abducted, raped (gender plays no preference), and discarded.
All the while, the perpetrators are in the guise of Police.
Now, I know it is not easy to score a police uniform (I think some are made in the area behind the Chamber of Commerce), and a while ago, there was a viral video of a prostitute parading around in a policemans uniform. By examining the footage, the police were able to determine who the leud person was and they were tried accordingly.
But what is our defense, as expats, against these Fakops? Do you dare to ask a cop to show you their ID, whether they are in a cruiser, in uniform, in civilian clothes or an unmarked vehicle?
Apparently, the Kuwaiti Citizenship comes with an added bonus of being civilian police, capable of citizens arrest.
To prove my point, a couple of years ago I was doing some work with the Ministry of Finance, requiring me to go to the Ministries Complex, normally I would walk that distance from Muthana Mall (close to where I worked) to the Complex, but this time, I chose to take my car. Big Mistake.
The parking lot for the Ministries Complex is an absolute disgrace. With cars parked in driveways, near exits, on top of the pavement, wherever you can throw a stone, you can park a car.
So as I was cruising near an exit, I saw a car pulling out, now keep in mind I'm at the exit, and I know its wrong but, show me one person in that parking lot that is actually following the rules. So I pulled in, unfortunately for me, another guy coming in the right was also spotted the spot, and wanted in. Through careful and expert maneuvering, I was able to park there.
However, much to my dismay, the other car was waiting behind me. At most, I expected a telling off, so as I was gathering my papers and leaving my car, the man in the other car, with the worst sneer on his face, waves me over and, get this, asks for my license and registration, all the while maintaining his position inside his car.
The car was a loaner, so I handed over its registration but did not give him my licence, using the excuse I was in a hurry so I left my wallet in the office.
Bullet points of this man's actions:
1) I will have your licence revoked
2) You and your kind are the reason for all this traffic mess
3) You cannot drive
4) I will have you retake the driving exam
Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera, and so on and so forth.
After wasting my time, he just handed back my registration and drove off.
So, the question remains, what does the expat do when faced with such a situation? Forget the story I just mentioned, I was at fault (albeit the response being severely over-the-top), but what if I'm just walking along the street, minding my own business, when an unmarked car pulls up next to me, and a cop (uniformed or plain-clothed), tells me I need to be searched or that I fit the description for something.
I am wondering, if I pull out my phone and dial 112, and ask them to check his number for me on their system, would they take offence?
I do not want to be robbed, I do not want to beaten, and I definitely do not want to get raped, whats my protection as a resident?
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
The Irony of Alcohol
Why is it that when an alcoholic decides to give up alcohol and live a sober life, they are viewed as heroic,
whilst a person that has never had a drink in their life is viewed as pathetic?
whilst a person that has never had a drink in their life is viewed as pathetic?
Pre-Race advice: What to do before the half-marathon run in Kuwait this saturday
1- Drink plenty of fluids during the 48 hours before the race. Aim for at least 2 liters of water per day.
good to know, i was gonna go for the usual cup of joe in the morning and be done with it!
2- Eat a meal consisting of complex carbohydrate such as rice (brown is best) or whole wheat pasta and lean meat for your evening meal before the race.
i had planned on having a bowl of oatmeal, will look into getting brown bread and lean meat, lean meat? whats that?
3- Eat your breakfast no later than 2 hours before the race.
4- Do your last run 2 days before the race and keep it short and easy (20-30 minutes max). Save your legs for the day!
so I should stop running the usual 3hrs of cardio at the gym as of wednesday night.
5- Arrive in plenty of time to change into your running kit and be ready for the pre-event warm up with Augusto at 7:30 am.
6- Start the run at a steady pace well within your own capabilities and make use of the aid stations along the way.
7 - Do not wear a new pair of running shoes on the day of the race.
good to know, I had recently bought a new pair of running shoes to be debuted on the day of the race, but I thought about this myself. Good to hear the advice from the experts!
8- Last leg massage 48 hours before the race.
anyone know how to give a leg massage? ^^,
9- Cut down on teas and coffee because it dehydrates you.
but caffeine is soooo good!
10- ENJOY the experience of Kuwait’s 1st half marathon.
You Bet!
KCR team
good to know, i was gonna go for the usual cup of joe in the morning and be done with it!
2- Eat a meal consisting of complex carbohydrate such as rice (brown is best) or whole wheat pasta and lean meat for your evening meal before the race.
i had planned on having a bowl of oatmeal, will look into getting brown bread and lean meat, lean meat? whats that?
3- Eat your breakfast no later than 2 hours before the race.
4- Do your last run 2 days before the race and keep it short and easy (20-30 minutes max). Save your legs for the day!
so I should stop running the usual 3hrs of cardio at the gym as of wednesday night.
5- Arrive in plenty of time to change into your running kit and be ready for the pre-event warm up with Augusto at 7:30 am.
6- Start the run at a steady pace well within your own capabilities and make use of the aid stations along the way.
7 - Do not wear a new pair of running shoes on the day of the race.
good to know, I had recently bought a new pair of running shoes to be debuted on the day of the race, but I thought about this myself. Good to hear the advice from the experts!
8- Last leg massage 48 hours before the race.
anyone know how to give a leg massage? ^^,
9- Cut down on teas and coffee because it dehydrates you.
but caffeine is soooo good!
10- ENJOY the experience of Kuwait’s 1st half marathon.
You Bet!
KCR team
Countdown to the Bait Abdullah 1st 21k Half-Marathon in Kuwait
last day of registration is tonight at 10pm. Join us on Thursday & Friday for Registration & Race kit collection in the expo village in Marina Crescent from 3-8pm & 10am-8pm.
Thursday is for the 10K runners (no tracking chip)
Friday is for the 21K runners (with tracking chip)
I have been conditioning myself by watching what I eat for the past two weeks, as well as spending 3 or 4 hours daily at the gym, with one hour for weights, abs, legs etc. and 2 or 3 hours for cardio.
My thighs feel bigger, and I can run easier now, so we wait and see what the run on the 19th of March (this saturday @ 8am) will bring us.
Anyone else joining? Want to discuss strategy? How have you prepared for the race?
I did break my rule of no fast food today in the office, I can't help it! Someone was passing around fatayer, and I didnt want to the food to go to waste, so I had a few, they were cut in quarters, I must have scarfed 2 or 3 whole pieces :S
Will burn it off in the gym today, definitely!
Those running the 21K please remember that you are due for a reimbursement of 10KD once you return the tracking chip to the organisers!
Ready, Set, GO!
(Here is the link to their facebook page)
Thursday is for the 10K runners (no tracking chip)
Friday is for the 21K runners (with tracking chip)
I have been conditioning myself by watching what I eat for the past two weeks, as well as spending 3 or 4 hours daily at the gym, with one hour for weights, abs, legs etc. and 2 or 3 hours for cardio.
My thighs feel bigger, and I can run easier now, so we wait and see what the run on the 19th of March (this saturday @ 8am) will bring us.
Anyone else joining? Want to discuss strategy? How have you prepared for the race?
I did break my rule of no fast food today in the office, I can't help it! Someone was passing around fatayer, and I didnt want to the food to go to waste, so I had a few, they were cut in quarters, I must have scarfed 2 or 3 whole pieces :S
Will burn it off in the gym today, definitely!
Those running the 21K please remember that you are due for a reimbursement of 10KD once you return the tracking chip to the organisers!
Ready, Set, GO!
(Here is the link to their facebook page)
The Audacity of Drivers in Kuwait
I am sure I am not the only person driving in Kuwait who, at times, feels like taking their licence and simply snapping it in half.
As many fellow motorists are aware of the special circumstance surrounding the traffic light on the Maghreb Expressway (the 40), where the emergency lane suddenly becomes a fully fledged lane near the traffic light. This gives some people an excuse to drive on the last stretch of the emergency lane, I admit, I have done it before, and the ramifications were horrendous. I was not going at a breakneck speed, on the contrary, I was slowing down, but the vibrations of the car atop the emergency lane were enough to deter me from ever doing that again, I felt as though my car would fall apart, or the wheels would explode.
How is it then, that you find people in much more expensive vehicles, deliberately and intentionally SPEEDING in the emergency lane, in their Lexus's, their Porshe's, their Hummer's, their Mercedes and their BMWs. How?
When I come to take an exit from a highway, I always join the queue, but am thoroughly aggrevated by the behemoths who feel too important to stand in line and instead opt to speed to the exit and cut-in, yesterday I had someone do that in such a manner that if I did not react, I would have been collided into, and guess what? To add insult to injury, the ghitra clad motorist had a sign on his rear windshield "Baby on Board".
Just yesterday as I was heading to the gym from work, driving down the 55 (airport road), I saw a "religious man", all clad in ghitra, full beard and prayer beads in his hand, forcibly inject his monster truck from the extreme right lane into the adjacent left one.
Do these people, him and his likes, not know that religion, is not just about prayer beads and beards? It is not about being ontime for prayer every day, at the mosque all the time? It is how you treat your fellow human being?
When will the cops of Kuwait take an active stance to combat this growing phenomena of reckless driving?
As many fellow motorists are aware of the special circumstance surrounding the traffic light on the Maghreb Expressway (the 40), where the emergency lane suddenly becomes a fully fledged lane near the traffic light. This gives some people an excuse to drive on the last stretch of the emergency lane, I admit, I have done it before, and the ramifications were horrendous. I was not going at a breakneck speed, on the contrary, I was slowing down, but the vibrations of the car atop the emergency lane were enough to deter me from ever doing that again, I felt as though my car would fall apart, or the wheels would explode.
How is it then, that you find people in much more expensive vehicles, deliberately and intentionally SPEEDING in the emergency lane, in their Lexus's, their Porshe's, their Hummer's, their Mercedes and their BMWs. How?
When I come to take an exit from a highway, I always join the queue, but am thoroughly aggrevated by the behemoths who feel too important to stand in line and instead opt to speed to the exit and cut-in, yesterday I had someone do that in such a manner that if I did not react, I would have been collided into, and guess what? To add insult to injury, the ghitra clad motorist had a sign on his rear windshield "Baby on Board".
Just yesterday as I was heading to the gym from work, driving down the 55 (airport road), I saw a "religious man", all clad in ghitra, full beard and prayer beads in his hand, forcibly inject his monster truck from the extreme right lane into the adjacent left one.
Do these people, him and his likes, not know that religion, is not just about prayer beads and beards? It is not about being ontime for prayer every day, at the mosque all the time? It is how you treat your fellow human being?
When will the cops of Kuwait take an active stance to combat this growing phenomena of reckless driving?
Negativity & Naysaying
It has become increasingly apparent that people will say almost anything, at any point of time, as a result of any given event, that will reverberate short-term feelings rather than long-term thought.
The simplest thing to do nowadays seems to be to say "no".
For example, Egypt: No to constitutional reform, No to return of police.
Kuwait: No to prime-minister, No to bedoun segregation.
There was even an event on facebook that invited people to say no to nuclear power, and calling for all the world to stop using nuclear power.
I won't turn this into a political debate of what is going on in Kuwait, Egypt, Bahrain, Yemen, Libya etc. rather, I will focus on the last issue with nuclear power.
Japan has been hailed as a country at the mercy of the elements.
This is a map of the world based on tectonic plates, now, all the following information is from my own head, as a result of the imprint imparted there by my middle school geography teacher, Mrs Parsons, god bless her. Hence, pardon the lack of technical terminology.
Tectonic plates are basically the divisions of the world, forget countries, these are the earthly borders that shape up the planet earth. These plates move, in different directions, a few cm's or so every hundreds of years or millenia or so.
Now, the movements of these tectonic plates can be abrasive (where they move in opposite directions, therefore rubbing into each other), destructive (where they collide into each other and cause massive earth quakes), or the last one which I cannot remember, but basically the plates move away from each other, this causes volcanoes to errupt (earths magma, the liquid crust) and forms new land.
Now, what happened to Japan is tragic. I highly doubt you can find one person who will tell you otherwise.
However, the idea of using this tragedy as a basis for an argument to ban nuclear power is laughable at best.
The problem is, you have temperamental people arguing for the sake of arguing, with no facts, only recent events.
"Oh, look what happened to Japan, the Fukushima reactors are leaking, the world is in peril."
You have everyone running around now claiming, "Chernobyl" all over again.
Lets draw a line between nuclear weapons and nuclear energy.
As of date, nuclear energy is the "cleanest" renewable source of energy that provides sustainable energy at moderate prices (Physics, year 8), the harms ofcourse are the half-life of nuclear elements and isotopes, and the waste left, and the water required to cool the reactors etc.
However, I do not see the naysayers providing any viable substitute for nuclear energy. Oil? the silent killer, same as coal and the other non-renewable resources that blanket the earth in a shroud of carbon dioxide, building he green house effect that will, eventually, see us all burnt like toast in the distant future.
Unfortunately for me, the world seems to operate according to Rawl's Principle:
The simplest thing to do nowadays seems to be to say "no".
For example, Egypt: No to constitutional reform, No to return of police.
Kuwait: No to prime-minister, No to bedoun segregation.
There was even an event on facebook that invited people to say no to nuclear power, and calling for all the world to stop using nuclear power.
I won't turn this into a political debate of what is going on in Kuwait, Egypt, Bahrain, Yemen, Libya etc. rather, I will focus on the last issue with nuclear power.
Japan has been hailed as a country at the mercy of the elements.
This is a map of the world based on tectonic plates, now, all the following information is from my own head, as a result of the imprint imparted there by my middle school geography teacher, Mrs Parsons, god bless her. Hence, pardon the lack of technical terminology.
Tectonic plates are basically the divisions of the world, forget countries, these are the earthly borders that shape up the planet earth. These plates move, in different directions, a few cm's or so every hundreds of years or millenia or so.
Now, the movements of these tectonic plates can be abrasive (where they move in opposite directions, therefore rubbing into each other), destructive (where they collide into each other and cause massive earth quakes), or the last one which I cannot remember, but basically the plates move away from each other, this causes volcanoes to errupt (earths magma, the liquid crust) and forms new land.
Now, what happened to Japan is tragic. I highly doubt you can find one person who will tell you otherwise.
However, the idea of using this tragedy as a basis for an argument to ban nuclear power is laughable at best.
The problem is, you have temperamental people arguing for the sake of arguing, with no facts, only recent events.
"Oh, look what happened to Japan, the Fukushima reactors are leaking, the world is in peril."
You have everyone running around now claiming, "Chernobyl" all over again.
Lets draw a line between nuclear weapons and nuclear energy.
As of date, nuclear energy is the "cleanest" renewable source of energy that provides sustainable energy at moderate prices (Physics, year 8), the harms ofcourse are the half-life of nuclear elements and isotopes, and the waste left, and the water required to cool the reactors etc.
However, I do not see the naysayers providing any viable substitute for nuclear energy. Oil? the silent killer, same as coal and the other non-renewable resources that blanket the earth in a shroud of carbon dioxide, building he green house effect that will, eventually, see us all burnt like toast in the distant future.
Unfortunately for me, the world seems to operate according to Rawl's Principle:
The Burden of Proof
Rests with those who Favor Restricting the Activity
This means that, they can make as many uneducated, biased, fictional claims as they want, it is up to those who want to refute them to prove them wrong.
What I am trying to impart here is that the easiest thing to do is say no. Try it, have anyone ask you for anything, no matter how simple or trivial it is, "pass the salt please", "No.", as opposed to actually having to physically move your arm across the table, reach for the salt, pick it up, and pass it over. But where is the logic?
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
Dubai & JazeeraAirways - an Unholy Alliance
So the past two weekends placed me in different Gulf states and gave me a different perspective on life in Kuwait.
By far, if I had to choose a place to relocate to, it would definitely be Qatar.
Dubai is overhyped. It is more like Don't Buy. I seriously detested the airport treatment to get a visa. Here is why.
You get there, and you have to go to Room 1 to get a silly form to fill out, you have to go to a special area to fill out the form, then you have to go to the bank to pay the fees. With so many visitors to Dubai, you would think the bank would have more than one teller. You would be mistaken.
To add further insult to injury, the lines move at snail-pace, and they give you a retinal scan before entry.
However, in all fairness, the clerk there was immensely friendly, and we spoke about the team shirt I was wearing at the time.
However, what I do not understand is the nationality segregation in Dubai. You would think they would have learnt their lesson with the assassination of Mabhouh and the letting of Europeans/ Canadians/ Americans in without screening, but no. Its still the downtrodden who remain downtrodden. The Egyptians, the Lebanese, the Syrians, The Bangladeshi's, the Indians.
I was actually standing in line and saying, Hey! If you are of fair skin and hair, go over there to the shorter queues!
My Irish team-mates were waiting for an hour for me to exit.
Then, to add insult to injury, Jazeera Airways postponed the return flight for about 4hrs. On the phone they cited something about flights from Alexandria, then at the airport they said something about a sandstorm in Kuwait. Neither were true.
By far, if I had to choose a place to relocate to, it would definitely be Qatar.
Dubai is overhyped. It is more like Don't Buy. I seriously detested the airport treatment to get a visa. Here is why.
You get there, and you have to go to Room 1 to get a silly form to fill out, you have to go to a special area to fill out the form, then you have to go to the bank to pay the fees. With so many visitors to Dubai, you would think the bank would have more than one teller. You would be mistaken.
To add further insult to injury, the lines move at snail-pace, and they give you a retinal scan before entry.
However, in all fairness, the clerk there was immensely friendly, and we spoke about the team shirt I was wearing at the time.
However, what I do not understand is the nationality segregation in Dubai. You would think they would have learnt their lesson with the assassination of Mabhouh and the letting of Europeans/ Canadians/ Americans in without screening, but no. Its still the downtrodden who remain downtrodden. The Egyptians, the Lebanese, the Syrians, The Bangladeshi's, the Indians.
I was actually standing in line and saying, Hey! If you are of fair skin and hair, go over there to the shorter queues!
My Irish team-mates were waiting for an hour for me to exit.
Then, to add insult to injury, Jazeera Airways postponed the return flight for about 4hrs. On the phone they cited something about flights from Alexandria, then at the airport they said something about a sandstorm in Kuwait. Neither were true.
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
Kuwait's Gaelic Football Team
This past weekend I had the tremendous honor of being a part of the Gulf Gaelic Games, representing Kuwait in the sport known as Gaelic football.
What is gaelic football you ask?
Had you asked me this question a few months earlier, I would not have been able to answer. Now, it is what I swear by.
The team is still in development, we had only been training for a few weeks prior to the competition, but that did not stop us from heading out to Dubai (on our own dime mind you) and having a great time.
What is gaelic football you ask?
Had you asked me this question a few months earlier, I would not have been able to answer. Now, it is what I swear by.
The team is still in development, we had only been training for a few weeks prior to the competition, but that did not stop us from heading out to Dubai (on our own dime mind you) and having a great time.
 |
| Thats me, the Red BandIT |
Despite being at a severe disadvantage of having only one substitute, the guys went out and gave it their all. We may not have won, but we came close to victory and surpassed our wildest expectations, being recent additions to the sport, the main objective was to have a great time and that we did, they were competitive on the field and friendly off it, mixing with various teams, guys and girls, from all across the middle east, and even from as far away as South Africa (can't nobody party like the SAFers too!)
As we regroup and rethink ways to enhance the team, I would like to take this opportunity to send out a request, to any and all sportsmen, young and old, if you want to try a new sport, then this is the sport for you.
As you can see, it is 60% football, so it should slide well with almost everyone who grew up in Kuwait.
Kuwait can learn a thing or two from Qatar
Wow, it has been some time since my last post, the reason being I have had the most hectic two weeks of my life!
On the 25th, I travelled to Qatar for the first time ever, what an adventure!
Qatar airways is amazing, the whole printing of the boarding pass and express check in is a life-saver! Also, it is the easiest thing to pass thru Qatar customs, you merely pay 100 Qatari Riyals at the desk, unlike the horrid, disgusting and terrible treatment at Dubai Airport (last weekend) where they make you jump through several hoops and delay you for an hour before letting you pass...
Anyhoo, whilst cruising around in Qatar, I realised how different and similar it is to Kuwait, and how Kuwait should Aspire to be better.
First off, due to the fact that Qatar will be hosting the world cup in 2022, major renovations are taking place all over, in preparation for the influx of visitors and tourists by then. Roads are being widened, tunnels are being dug etc.
How has the Kuwaiti infrastructure changed since, 20 years? We have a partially completed "thing" on the first ring road. Everything else is EXACTLY the same, and that is the main reason why we have such deadlock traffic, the population is rising, and yet the infrastructure is stagnant. The greedy are building higher buildings with more apartments, and there is virtually no planning for parking.
And unlike in Kuwait where every plot of land is razed and a commercial complex is erected, Qatar actually has Gardens! Open gardens mind you, not like Salmiya Park which is fenced. Aspire Park, right next to the Villagio Mall, was a wonder to walk through, vast, open expanses of land, man-made hills etc. and all for the jogging/ exercising pleasure of everyone.
Traffic lights; the blinking greens, afterwhich nobody dares to cross for fear of a traffic violation of 6,000QR.
No littering, or minimal, as that is also punishable by threat of monetary penalities.
No spitting in the street too.
We rode by 2 bikers on the road at like, 4am, and we asked them to do a stunt (after giving them the thumbs up), they reciprocated and actually did a stunt!
Whilst cruising in our 6-Cylinder Hyundai Santa Fe, my cousin came up behind an Audi A8, for fun, he flashed him, the Audi did not take offence, or pull over and come out to hash it out with us, he merely tapped the gas and flew farther than my cousins kick down could ever get us.
The Corniche in Qatar is soo wide, and it has not been turned into a commercial property for restaurants, people want to walk on the beach, enjoy the water and the air, but here in Kuwait, the beachfront is littered with restaurants.
Souq Waqef, the old market of Qatar, has that cool system for parking where theres a light above each parking space, and if its green the area is free, if its red its occupied.
It was truly an amazing weekend, and definitely not the last time I visit Qatar!
On the 25th, I travelled to Qatar for the first time ever, what an adventure!
Qatar airways is amazing, the whole printing of the boarding pass and express check in is a life-saver! Also, it is the easiest thing to pass thru Qatar customs, you merely pay 100 Qatari Riyals at the desk, unlike the horrid, disgusting and terrible treatment at Dubai Airport (last weekend) where they make you jump through several hoops and delay you for an hour before letting you pass...
Anyhoo, whilst cruising around in Qatar, I realised how different and similar it is to Kuwait, and how Kuwait should Aspire to be better.
First off, due to the fact that Qatar will be hosting the world cup in 2022, major renovations are taking place all over, in preparation for the influx of visitors and tourists by then. Roads are being widened, tunnels are being dug etc.
How has the Kuwaiti infrastructure changed since, 20 years? We have a partially completed "thing" on the first ring road. Everything else is EXACTLY the same, and that is the main reason why we have such deadlock traffic, the population is rising, and yet the infrastructure is stagnant. The greedy are building higher buildings with more apartments, and there is virtually no planning for parking.
And unlike in Kuwait where every plot of land is razed and a commercial complex is erected, Qatar actually has Gardens! Open gardens mind you, not like Salmiya Park which is fenced. Aspire Park, right next to the Villagio Mall, was a wonder to walk through, vast, open expanses of land, man-made hills etc. and all for the jogging/ exercising pleasure of everyone.
Traffic lights; the blinking greens, afterwhich nobody dares to cross for fear of a traffic violation of 6,000QR.
No littering, or minimal, as that is also punishable by threat of monetary penalities.
No spitting in the street too.
We rode by 2 bikers on the road at like, 4am, and we asked them to do a stunt (after giving them the thumbs up), they reciprocated and actually did a stunt!
Whilst cruising in our 6-Cylinder Hyundai Santa Fe, my cousin came up behind an Audi A8, for fun, he flashed him, the Audi did not take offence, or pull over and come out to hash it out with us, he merely tapped the gas and flew farther than my cousins kick down could ever get us.
The Corniche in Qatar is soo wide, and it has not been turned into a commercial property for restaurants, people want to walk on the beach, enjoy the water and the air, but here in Kuwait, the beachfront is littered with restaurants.
Souq Waqef, the old market of Qatar, has that cool system for parking where theres a light above each parking space, and if its green the area is free, if its red its occupied.
It was truly an amazing weekend, and definitely not the last time I visit Qatar!
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