The Amir of Kuwait passed away earlier today.
A sad day for Kuwait, as the only Amir we ever knew has left us.
He was a good man and a kind hearted soul.
May God bless Baba Jaber's soul and may God protect Kuwait from its enemies and the greed of some of its people.
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Saturday, January 07, 2006
Interesting Movie
A friend sent me this link:
The Fifth Pound
I thought the producer was so bold in introducing such a topic to the Arab World.
People need to wake up and realize that covering up, enforcing censorship and introducing strict laws will never make us better people!!!
The Fifth Pound
I thought the producer was so bold in introducing such a topic to the Arab World.
People need to wake up and realize that covering up, enforcing censorship and introducing strict laws will never make us better people!!!
Saturday, December 24, 2005
When are you getting Married X 1000
It is very frustrating how most of the things that everyone talks about these days are marriage & relationships. Just because one is not married, does not justify being bombarded with those classic questions / comments from family members or family friends:
"Your friend Bu-Shama got married recently, come on get your act together and follow his footsteps, what do you think of the following girl ....."
"Inshallah next year, we see you with your wife when you come visit us!!"
"What are you waiting for, just tell us which girl you like and we will hook you up!!"
Why cant they just let nature take its course? What if the person has a plan in his mind but does not want to share it? What if the guy already has a girlfriend / potential wife, who is not ready to get married yet?
Why put single men and women who are eligible for marriage into so much pressure?!
It would be nice to live your day without worrying too much about relationships, drink your cup of coffee without having to waste the caffeine on answering the mundane questions you get, and sleep at night without trying to find a way for people to just leave you alone!!!
"Your friend Bu-Shama got married recently, come on get your act together and follow his footsteps, what do you think of the following girl ....."
"Inshallah next year, we see you with your wife when you come visit us!!"
"What are you waiting for, just tell us which girl you like and we will hook you up!!"
Why cant they just let nature take its course? What if the person has a plan in his mind but does not want to share it? What if the guy already has a girlfriend / potential wife, who is not ready to get married yet?
Why put single men and women who are eligible for marriage into so much pressure?!
It would be nice to live your day without worrying too much about relationships, drink your cup of coffee without having to waste the caffeine on answering the mundane questions you get, and sleep at night without trying to find a way for people to just leave you alone!!!
Monday, December 19, 2005
Marina's Inventions
I have been looking for this device but I do not think it has been invented yet, or maybe I am not looking hard enough.
I want a Bluetooth enabled storage device - preferably 60 GB or more.
I think it will be so cool to have such a device, where I can simply enable blue tooth whenever I want and exchange files wirelessly. I will not need a USB, and I will be able to transfer documents from my phone directly to the storage device without having the computer be the middle man.
If anyone has stumbled across what I am talking about, please post a comment.
Speaking of inventions, over the past month or so Marnia FM, a local Kuwaiti Radio Station, has been asking people about their ideas for new inventions. You would think that the listeners must have some imagination and think of things that are really amazing or interesting atleast to actually share with other radio listeners, but sadly this is what I have heard so far - A flying car, A car than can park on its own, A car that goes wherever I tell it to ... And the list goes on and on with these boring, car oriented inventions!!!!
Once the car inventions cooled off, I started hearing those food related ones - I want a fridge that prepares food for me, I want a device that prepares Kuwaiti food in a touch of a button !!!!
In conclusion - the listener's creativity is limited to both cars & food !!! Oh wait that sums a big part of Kuwaiti life !!!! Sad, but to a large extent true :(
I want a Bluetooth enabled storage device - preferably 60 GB or more.
I think it will be so cool to have such a device, where I can simply enable blue tooth whenever I want and exchange files wirelessly. I will not need a USB, and I will be able to transfer documents from my phone directly to the storage device without having the computer be the middle man.
If anyone has stumbled across what I am talking about, please post a comment.
Speaking of inventions, over the past month or so Marnia FM, a local Kuwaiti Radio Station, has been asking people about their ideas for new inventions. You would think that the listeners must have some imagination and think of things that are really amazing or interesting atleast to actually share with other radio listeners, but sadly this is what I have heard so far - A flying car, A car than can park on its own, A car that goes wherever I tell it to ... And the list goes on and on with these boring, car oriented inventions!!!!
Once the car inventions cooled off, I started hearing those food related ones - I want a fridge that prepares food for me, I want a device that prepares Kuwaiti food in a touch of a button !!!!
In conclusion - the listener's creativity is limited to both cars & food !!! Oh wait that sums a big part of Kuwaiti life !!!! Sad, but to a large extent true :(
Monday, October 10, 2005
I hope this message goes to them and their superiors!!!
Them: The cops in charge of issuing driving licenses in Kuwait.
Why: I could not believe how corrupt and inhuman they are!!!
What happened: Many Indians working in Kuwait complained on numerous occasions that they have failed the driving test although they:
a) Have an Indian driving license and have been diving there for more than five years.
b) Paid for and taken driving lessons in Kuwait (Kindly note that paying for these lessons is quite a financial burden on many of them).
c) Swear that they performed very well on the driving test and were sure about passing but the cop was just inhuman and did not want to make them pass.
I am not sure how the Indians react so calmly when these cops insult them too (happens quite often apparently that I wish these cops would rot in hell), but simply imagining myself in their shoes makes me furious, so I wonder how they must really be feeling!!!
What makes it even worse is that I was told that these cops usually get paid on the side to issue a license. They don't seem to get paid directly, but a middleman collects the money from the Indians and takes care of the cop to issue them a license !!!
If thats how the hard working Indians are treated in Kuwait, how on Earth would one expect them to save their money and invest in Kuwait!!!
Why: I could not believe how corrupt and inhuman they are!!!
What happened: Many Indians working in Kuwait complained on numerous occasions that they have failed the driving test although they:
a) Have an Indian driving license and have been diving there for more than five years.
b) Paid for and taken driving lessons in Kuwait (Kindly note that paying for these lessons is quite a financial burden on many of them).
c) Swear that they performed very well on the driving test and were sure about passing but the cop was just inhuman and did not want to make them pass.
I am not sure how the Indians react so calmly when these cops insult them too (happens quite often apparently that I wish these cops would rot in hell), but simply imagining myself in their shoes makes me furious, so I wonder how they must really be feeling!!!
What makes it even worse is that I was told that these cops usually get paid on the side to issue a license. They don't seem to get paid directly, but a middleman collects the money from the Indians and takes care of the cop to issue them a license !!!
If thats how the hard working Indians are treated in Kuwait, how on Earth would one expect them to save their money and invest in Kuwait!!!
Friday, October 07, 2005
Do your job right... You might get a ...
NOBEL PRIZE !!!
Although I believe this guy ( Mohammed El Baradei) did a great job as head of the IAEA to handle the various nuclear weapon related issues this year, he was still just doing his job!!!
It is not fair that he gets the Nobel prize while various less visible activists who are actually sacrificing their lives to spread peace do not get anything!!
He is of Arab descent and I am really proud that there is an Arab personality like him, but he just does not deserve it in my opinion. Whether he deserves it or not should not undermine what he has accomplished. He should become an inspiration to Arabs and I hope to see more people like him in the Arab world and can accomplish their dreams without the need to live abroad.
Wishful thinking!! I hope not.
Although I believe this guy ( Mohammed El Baradei) did a great job as head of the IAEA to handle the various nuclear weapon related issues this year, he was still just doing his job!!!
It is not fair that he gets the Nobel prize while various less visible activists who are actually sacrificing their lives to spread peace do not get anything!!
He is of Arab descent and I am really proud that there is an Arab personality like him, but he just does not deserve it in my opinion. Whether he deserves it or not should not undermine what he has accomplished. He should become an inspiration to Arabs and I hope to see more people like him in the Arab world and can accomplish their dreams without the need to live abroad.
Wishful thinking!! I hope not.
Friday, September 30, 2005
Put more money or else we will freeze your account!!!
To avoid a crash in the Kuwaiti Stock Market "God forbid" I decided to save some money in the bank and get minimal heartbreaking interest. The opportunity cost was so high and it was hard for me to take that decision, yet I knew it was the right thing to do.
I figured I will open a new account in a bank that is not my main one, in order to forget about the money and not be tempted to invest it in equities.
A year and a half passed by and I was quite impressed with my ability to forget about my money for so long. However, when I checked my account online to see how much interest I managed to collect, I was shocked that my actual gains were so much lower than I had calculated / anticipated. I went to the bank the next day and they told me that your account was frozen and that's why you did not get the interest you had in mind!!
Why the hell did the bank freeze my account? I am giving them a chance to utilize my funds for lending and trading, yet they were so greedy and did not want to pay me interest after 6 months, the time it took to declare my account frozen !!
Why do Kuwaiti banks do that? Why not take a fee and keep my money slowly growing?! Is freezing an account a threat to enforce regular deposits into an account?!?!? Is this the only way to be competitive!!! Cant they enhance their services and offer more products to entice people to save?!?
I figured I will open a new account in a bank that is not my main one, in order to forget about the money and not be tempted to invest it in equities.
A year and a half passed by and I was quite impressed with my ability to forget about my money for so long. However, when I checked my account online to see how much interest I managed to collect, I was shocked that my actual gains were so much lower than I had calculated / anticipated. I went to the bank the next day and they told me that your account was frozen and that's why you did not get the interest you had in mind!!
Why the hell did the bank freeze my account? I am giving them a chance to utilize my funds for lending and trading, yet they were so greedy and did not want to pay me interest after 6 months, the time it took to declare my account frozen !!
Why do Kuwaiti banks do that? Why not take a fee and keep my money slowly growing?! Is freezing an account a threat to enforce regular deposits into an account?!?!? Is this the only way to be competitive!!! Cant they enhance their services and offer more products to entice people to save?!?
Friday, September 16, 2005
Good Arab Comedy... Please !
I love Saturday night live, the Simpsons and Futurama and I sometimes wish we had similar shows running all year long in the Arab world.
We need some good comedy for a change, something that you can simply relax watching. I wish we he had our comedians collaborate in creating a funny Arab cartoon like the Simpsons for example. Block 13 was a good start, but it was too Kuwaiti oriented.
I have met quite a few people in Kuwait who are genuinely funny. They will say the funniest jokes / stories and make the most hilarious comments on anything.
Arabs from all nations have their share of comedians, but most of them have not been in a position to use their comedy professionally. We need to laugh and loosen up a bit, cause that will most probably ease our melancholic lives.
I feel Arab blogs should aim for creating networks of people with common abilities and capabilities and brainstorm to create something unique such as an Arab comedy blog. Such platform may be used to connect the funny Arabs to collaborate in creating a new hit and open new doors for so many others from promoters to financiers.
Blogs in our part of the world should aim for the next step and become a platform for new ideas and a workbench for innovation.
Just a suggestion.....
We need some good comedy for a change, something that you can simply relax watching. I wish we he had our comedians collaborate in creating a funny Arab cartoon like the Simpsons for example. Block 13 was a good start, but it was too Kuwaiti oriented.
I have met quite a few people in Kuwait who are genuinely funny. They will say the funniest jokes / stories and make the most hilarious comments on anything.
Arabs from all nations have their share of comedians, but most of them have not been in a position to use their comedy professionally. We need to laugh and loosen up a bit, cause that will most probably ease our melancholic lives.
I feel Arab blogs should aim for creating networks of people with common abilities and capabilities and brainstorm to create something unique such as an Arab comedy blog. Such platform may be used to connect the funny Arabs to collaborate in creating a new hit and open new doors for so many others from promoters to financiers.
Blogs in our part of the world should aim for the next step and become a platform for new ideas and a workbench for innovation.
Just a suggestion.....
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
He played against an Israeli Player - Who cares!!?!?!
I don't get it!! Why is Kuwait banning a young talented player from tennis because he played against an Israeli opponent!!! Who cares!!?!?!?!!
I was furious to hear about this whole incident and I could not believe how stupid this country has become.
Palestinians are negotiating / working / playing sports with the Israelis, yet for some outdated law, Kuwaiti players are not allowed to do so!!!!!
Is it because the tennis association is so worried about the Islamic parliament members making a big deal about this whole incident and potentially removing them from their seats!!!
Why should a young talented player be punished for the shallow minds of some people in his society!???!!
Should I be banned from working in Kuwait because during my college years I worked on a project with an Israeli!!!
I really think we should do something about this. We cannot just let this kid be a scapegoat for a society controlled by stupid, short minded individuals, by a law that does not consider today's realities, and by the shear selfishness of the Kuwaiti Tennis Association, who are simply worried about their positions!!!!!
I was furious to hear about this whole incident and I could not believe how stupid this country has become.
Palestinians are negotiating / working / playing sports with the Israelis, yet for some outdated law, Kuwaiti players are not allowed to do so!!!!!
Is it because the tennis association is so worried about the Islamic parliament members making a big deal about this whole incident and potentially removing them from their seats!!!
Why should a young talented player be punished for the shallow minds of some people in his society!???!!
Should I be banned from working in Kuwait because during my college years I worked on a project with an Israeli!!!
I really think we should do something about this. We cannot just let this kid be a scapegoat for a society controlled by stupid, short minded individuals, by a law that does not consider today's realities, and by the shear selfishness of the Kuwaiti Tennis Association, who are simply worried about their positions!!!!!
Friday, July 01, 2005
Its all about the money!!!
..... dum dum duh dee dum dum
Life on the KSE (Kuwait Stock Exchange) -
An IPO a day,owners cash out and potentially rip people off!!
Most of the IPOs that came to market recently are really shady companies in my opinion. The owners plan to make full use of the high liquidity out there and possibly run with your money!!
IPO anything from schools to dry cleaning stores and you can become a rich person over here !!!
Kuwaitis are generally thought to be good investors around the GCC, but they also have this quality or weakness (depending on your view), which is the love for money no matter how unethical the methods for getting it. Most have a gambling mentality that is not healthy at all in this market - A market that moves on fundamentals (good) but in trance with rumors and and what "lead spears" tell them (really bad).
Many Kuwaiti investors are aware that some of the companies are just another empty pistachio shell, yet they are willing to put their money because they know that an IPO in the short run will make them rich.
How short is the short run? I challenge every investor out there. When do you take your money out?
I feel that the potential for this country is huge, however, not every stock should benefit from this potential. There are some crazy multiples, shady accounting and greedy people in Kuwait and this post is just a reminder of the ugly side. I am still investing in this market, but I urge people to watch out and really consult with the experts out there. By expert, I mean someone in a foreign bank who had experienced booms and busts and hedged the risk of his / her investor base.
I also suggest watching the movie "Bolier Room" because I believe a lot of boiling and cooking is going on in this market. Don't wanna see average Abood & Hamood be burnt and ask the Government to compensate them for their losses!!!
Life on the KSE (Kuwait Stock Exchange) -
An IPO a day,owners cash out and potentially rip people off!!
Most of the IPOs that came to market recently are really shady companies in my opinion. The owners plan to make full use of the high liquidity out there and possibly run with your money!!
IPO anything from schools to dry cleaning stores and you can become a rich person over here !!!
Kuwaitis are generally thought to be good investors around the GCC, but they also have this quality or weakness (depending on your view), which is the love for money no matter how unethical the methods for getting it. Most have a gambling mentality that is not healthy at all in this market - A market that moves on fundamentals (good) but in trance with rumors and and what "lead spears" tell them (really bad).
Many Kuwaiti investors are aware that some of the companies are just another empty pistachio shell, yet they are willing to put their money because they know that an IPO in the short run will make them rich.
How short is the short run? I challenge every investor out there. When do you take your money out?
I feel that the potential for this country is huge, however, not every stock should benefit from this potential. There are some crazy multiples, shady accounting and greedy people in Kuwait and this post is just a reminder of the ugly side. I am still investing in this market, but I urge people to watch out and really consult with the experts out there. By expert, I mean someone in a foreign bank who had experienced booms and busts and hedged the risk of his / her investor base.
I also suggest watching the movie "Bolier Room" because I believe a lot of boiling and cooking is going on in this market. Don't wanna see average Abood & Hamood be burnt and ask the Government to compensate them for their losses!!!
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