“JetBlue 171, contact departure,” the unidentified child told one flight.

“Over to departure, JetBlue 171, awesome job,” a pilot said in response. Then a man’s voice is heard: “That’s what you get, guys, when the kids are out of school.”

If i was flying an aircraft coming in or out of JFK and a child’s voice came over from the control tower,  i think i would be a little worried.

An air traffic controller at New York’s JFK airport has been suspended from work after allowing a child to direct flights in and out of one the world’s busiest airports.  The incident took place on February 17 and an investigation has been opened. The child is also recorded saying “Adios, Amigo” to a Mexican pilot leaving the airport.

Accidents can happen with traffic in the air by different planes, maintenance problems, weather etc….  and now children taking over air traffic control….

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After the blizzard that hit the states a few days ago, a few guys took their snowboarding kit and headed for the streets. They were even followed by a car from the fire department.

When I first saw the title of this article I got angry, first because I was thinking that is giving birth to a child in Kuwait that bad? second why did Kuwait got singled out for comparison for such a topic? do they still think that women here give birth in tents in the middle of the desert?

It seems that Mr. Robert Dominguez is just an idiot, he just made the title sound bad, he thought that California should have a much higher ranking than Kuwait (warzone) and Bosnia (another warzone) it just sounds cool. but in reality its a different story. As I did some research *cough* Google *cough* I found out that Kuwait is one of the safest places to give birth in since it has one of the lowest Maternal mortality ratios in the world.

Kuwait is safer than a lot of countries like: United Kingdom, United States, Germany, Norway, Finland, Italy…… and the list goes on.

So for all of the women that are planning to have their babies abroad saying that the hospitals in Kuwait are crap, relax you’re fine Enshalla :)

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The end has finally dawned, and GulfRun 5 at the Bahrain International Circuit was over. I think everyone who participated or went to the event enjoyed it, as there was all out safe action and surprises down the way.  Last night was the closing ceremony in Lenotre, and GulfRun with their sponsors, handed out the timings of all the drivers and events and their awards.

Quartermile Drag

For the Street Category :

1. BMW M5

2. Lexus ISF

3. Audi RS4

For the Super Category :

1. Porsche Turbo

2. Mitsubishi Evo-X

3. Honda S2000

For the Unlimited Category :

1. Porsche Turbo

2. Porsche Turbo 99

Continue below for all the times and more pictures.

Autocross

For the Street Category :

1. Lotus Exige S240

2. Audi RS4

3. VW R32

For the Super Category :

1. Porsche GT3RS

2. Porsche Turbo

3. Cadillac CTS-V

For the Unlimited Category :

1. Mitsubishi Evo-8

2. Caterham

3. Lamborghini LP-560-a

Inner Circuit

For the  Street Category :

1. BMW Z4M

2. Lotus Exige S240

3. Nissan 350z

For the Super Category :

1. KTM X-Bow

2. KTM X-Bow

3. Porsche GT3RS

For the Unlimited Category :

1. Ferrari 430 Scuderia

2. Caterham

3. Mitsubish Evo-8

GP Circuit

For the Street Category :

1. BMW Z4M

2. BMW M3

3. Lotus Exige S240

For the Super Category :

1. Nissan GTR

2. KTM X-Bow

3. KTM X-Bow

For the Unlimited Category :

1. Caterham

2. Porsche Turbo 99

3. Ferrari 430 Scuderia

Overall it seems there is alot of variety with the cars getting podiums and top times. The BMW M-Series have done well in alot of different categories, as well as the Lotus Exige.  The more track-oriented cars like KTM X-Bow and Caterhams are also around the top times.  Alot of different variety of street and supercars were on show here. And splitting them up into different categories also made it more realistic to race similar types of models (power-wise). Even though there were alot of awesome machines at the track this year lets hope some new ones show up next year to add more competition….

All in all, a special thank you to GulfRun, Marzouq from Zdistrict , and also Al-Falah Car Wash for their great dedication and help in making this possible for everyone. Until next year… drive safely.

Yesterday we passed by Info Connect at the International Fair Ground to see what’s new. We weren’t expecting much from there except for some new DSL prices but we still had to wonder around checking stuff out before ManU/Arsenal – Egypt/Ghana games.

To our amazement we found a cleaning solution in an Tech/IT expo.

we ended up buying 3 of this AMAZING Kleaner :/

Also when walking around we noticed an unreleased Android mobile device on display in a protected glass case.

Yes it is the SonyEricsson’s upcoming X10. it will be the company’s first android device that should be available as early as next month.

Zidaneoo was also looking for a new laptop. So, we had a quick look around and saw an i7 and an i5 HP laptops that had a very good price. cant remember the exact pricing and specs. but I should have the up soon.

We took our time there wich made us miss both game’s kick-off. and when we got to Showtime’s booth i saw this.

Of course they were watching the Egypt game.

And when it was time to leave, it was raining and we were greeted with a lightnings show.

So, not much to say about the Expo. With the exception of semi-good ADSL prices.

Yesterday was the third and final day of the GulfRun. The whole day was drag racing only. The disappointing thing is that not all the cars participated in the event, but it was still a lot of un. Took some cool pictures.

All good things must come to an end. Thank you GulfRun you were wonderful.

T.Pain took me for a 5 min drive in the Caterham today here at the Bahrain GP Circuit. The car is amazing in cornering and has great acceleration, I really loved it.

Thanks T.Pain

Today was a really good day, the weather was a bit hot but very pleasant in the shade. All drivers participated in the full track, and also we saw some compete in the drifting competition that somehow transformed into a doughnut competition.

I also got to jump in a BMW M5 (above) and a Caterham (below) and be driven around the track.

Tomorrow, Day 3:

The drag race and the conclusion of the GulfRun 5 event. Practice should start by 9:30AM and then the elimination rounds. Should be fun.

will upload some videos shortly.

Thanks to both AAA Jr. and T.Pain for the rides.

Today was the first day in the Gulf Run 5 event, there was a very good turn up. we saw a lot of people that we knew there. we also saw a lot of bloggers.

We saw a lot of beautiful and exotic cars there as expected.

This was just the first day, and I took almost 400+ pictures, will filter and upload them when I get back.

Tomorrow: Day 2

All cars will have a go at the full track tomorrow. We might also see some drag racing too.

The above is Afghanistan….

The above is in Russia…

The pics after the break are from the 360 mall GulfRun car show. Click below to check them out.

The set up was great, there was a DJ with nice music and lots of booths for most of the sponsors as well as the GulfRun booth selling their merchandise along with raffle tickets for the 2 Vespa’s. Our great friends Marzouq from Zdistrict was there as well as elwehbi from thegulfrun blog and brakebanzeen among others.

The following photos below were all taken by a 2 and half year old boy. This was his first time using a camera and it was a Nikon P6000, he is currently looking out for job offers.

Also a raffle will be held on January 16th at 8pm for two special edition GulfRun Vespas. A GulfRun pearl white Vespa, and a special edition black Vespa. With all proceeds of the raffle being donated to Hayat Cancer Foundation.

Lots to be seen and enjoyed during the event at 360. Please make sure to pass by the GulfRun booth to buy raffle tickets as it being set up for a very good cause by the Hayat Cancer Foundation.  There will be other Gulf Run memorabilia items also on hand at the booth as well.

So I’ll be doing some short posts about NY, first will be about the hotel I stayed in, AKA New York.

This is not a big hotel, as you can see from the photo above this is the lobby+ reception area. It looks cool but its also small. The hotel is located at 123 West 44th st.  which is very close to Times Square. In fact, it was a 1 minute walk to the middle of Times Square as you can see from the map below.

The room was amazing, it had a soft modern look to it, not too fancy but looked great. it also had a small kitchen and a huge refrigerator. And the price was excellent for something with that location and that spacious.

More after the break

I really loved my stay there and am most definitely going to stay there again.

Hotel AKA

Thought I should include my on pics.

Weather in the UK at the moment

Link

I made a quick 2 day trip to Cairo last weekend to attend a wedding. It wasnt the first time i attended an Egyptian wedding but it put into perspective the differences between weddings in Kuwait and weddings in Egypt for instance. From the beginning of the wedding procession or “zaffa” , the bride and groom were dancing all the way down with each other, and friends and family would effortlessly jump into the circle with them and do the same. They were also surrounded by a band with their drums and instruments, as well as 2 dancers with candlestick headpieces doing a balancing act while vigorously “shaking it”. It wasnt only down the aisle, it was from outside the ballroom and this whole process was about 30 minutes long as they would take their time and stop in certain places. Everyone was ecstatic and having a great time and there was no alcohol being served, it was just a natural high. Inside, the party and dancing continued til the early hours of the morning. Women/ladies with head scarfs were dancing without a second thought, and the bride and groom also pitched in. Men, women, and children were on the dance floor and some people did not stop the whole night. It is always a fun experience to go to a wedding like this. I dont remember the bride and groom sitting down for more than 15 minutes which was to take some pictures with friends and family. Now we go to a Kuwaiti wedding. For the men it is like you are giving your condolences. You walk in and shake hands usually with the father of groom, groom himself, and the father of the bride. Sometimes you just do that and walk out. Other times you hang around and mingle, some have dinner and then you leave. If you stay from beginning to end its a whopping (sarcasm intended) 2 hours to 2 hours and a half. The women in Kuwaiti weddings do their part of dancing in their respective weddings, but for most the time the bride is sitting down just watching and snapping shots.  Its a big difference, but what i felt is that the bride, groom and invitees, were all having a lot of fun in Cairo, as it is more of an obligation to go give your blessings in a Kuwait wedding than a source of fun. This is in relation to the traditional segregated weddings in Kuwait of course. “To each his own.”

LONDON
300 KD – This includes 1 economy class ticket on Etihad Airways, and a double room at Thistle Marble Arch with breakfast. 

DUBAI
270 KD – This includes 1 economy class ticket on Jazeera Airways, and a double room at the Four Points Sheraton on Sheikh Zayid Road, Room Only.

For more ideas, visit their website or call them at (965) 22476870.

*prices above are per person with a minimum occupancy of 2. Prices are subect to change according to availability.

Anyone who has been to the Maldives will rave on about the crystal clear blue oceans, the amazing diving and the most luxurious of resorts in the world. Boasting the worlds first “under sea restaraunt” , they now can also add the first under water cabinet meeting as well.

The Maldivian president and ministers held the world’s first underwater cabinet meeting on Saturday, in a symbolic cry for help over rising sea levels that threaten the tropical archipelago’s existence.

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The application is called Wikitude World Browser.

So what is augmented reality exactly?  According to Wikipedia…

Augmented reality (AR) is a term for a live direct or indirect view of a physical real-world environment whose elements are merged with-, or augmented by virtual computer-generated imagery – creating a mixed reality.

Basically it uses real images to overlay computer generated images onto the physical environment. It may sound very confusing, but it is a very simple concept with a great experience for the user. To try and grasp the concept some more you may want to take a look at the video below.

There is a second part of the video you can find here.

So basically in Kuwait i have used it to see such things as al-Fayha, al-shamiya, al-rawdha, Moghul Mahal, Olympia tower, etc. just to name a few. You will get alot of areas in Iraq the more you extend the range of scope. Of course this is the kind of application that will be more useful when you are abroad as it has more points of interest like most GPS/points of interest/augmented reality apps.

It can basically become a travel guide with you when you are out of town trying to find different areas to explore. From regular buildings to museums to restaraunts, you will find it all in this application. Of course you have the option to refine your search and select content overlays. Then you will select which display you want from three : CAM, MAP, LIST. All this on the home screen where it lists your current position according to your network provider if your GPS is turned off.  And then all you do is point, and move around like your using a video camera until you find something you like; then you can select it and see information about it among other things.

Wikitude is currently available for free in the Android Market and should be available any day now for all you iPhone 3GS users through the iTunes App Store.  A great app that is alot of fun to use and at the same time very helpful.

*Random information for the day : Disney will buy Marvel for $4 billion dollars, pending share-holder approval. Thats alot of zero’s. link

I never thought one day that I’ll go to Bali, not because that I didn’t want to but didn’t feel the need to do it since I already explored most of southeast Asia. But when you have a free one … hey why not :). So I packed my bags and decided to go, and with all the problems I faced before leaving (ticketing issues and even a bruised 5^th metatarsal) I wasn’t going to miss such an opportunity.

It was a 14-hours fly on Qatar airways, and after sitting next to a non-stop talking surgeon who “claims” that he assemble classic cars down in Indonesia!!! And a bunch of drunk/smelling European along the way, I started to question my decision to take the trip.

On the way to the hotel, I felt that I’m in Thailand only cleaner (all southeast asia countries look the same to me) and a lot of people say that Bali is a cleaner version of Phuket (never been there). But everything changed when I reached Nusa Dua. Nusa Dua is a resort-packed gorgeous area, very organized and full of tourists from all around. After passing the numerous check-points (because of the aftermath of Jakarta bombings) I arrived to my hotel; the Ayodya Resort.

The hotel got this lovely Balinese style in it and was really huge. Located on a 11,5 hectares; this hotel have around 8 restaurants, 2 tennis courts, a squash court, 18-hole golf course and a theatre to name a few. It may not be the best hotel in but it certainly one of the finest in the Nusa Dua area.

Rooms were not that fancy and looked extremely used although the hotel is less than 2 years old but hey, that what you got for ~$100/day (cheap SPE). I thought I was going to spend most of my time in the room, I even asked N for something to watch but after seeing the room the only thing I watched was the charity shield match and a program called let’s speak Korean (don’t ask)!!! And yes, shyuh-ssuh-yo means wrong number (at least part of it :)). So I decided to go around and explore.

Beside Bali collection which is an outdoor area of shops/restaurants in Nusa Dua, I went to Kuta (for those who love the night life) which I visited in the afternoon by the way :), Sangeh for Monkey forest (yeah I know but I had to go) and Ubud where we stopped for a coffee break in one of Bali most mesmerizing resort; the royal Pita Maha.

This place is located in the center of the village of Ubud on a valley landscape that descends down to the Ayung River where people are using it for rafting.

Ubud as well as the most of Bali are filled with places called Art shops (more like souvenirs shops) where everything is made of wood. It seems most Balinese people are either crafters or painters but they really are gifted.

Overall, the trip was a success … I’ll definitely consider going back to Bali once more but will consider more luxurious hotel and will surely extend my stay more than 5-meeting packed-days.

And for those planning to go; 1,000,000 Rupees ~ 30KD, or use US dollars instead.

Situated strategically, the weather is much better and cooler than in other gulf countries, lying between mountains and valleys in different bodies of water makes it ideal for many different excursions.

Oman is a breath of fresh air for the perfect relaxing weekend getaway.

Want to catch some Mahi Mahi but not up to a long trip to the Maldives, Mauritius or Seychelles? Just charter a fishing boat with skilled anglers in Oman.

Or maybe you just want to relax by the infinity pool and sip on whatever it is you sip at one of the elite resorts?

It doesnt stop there, how about if you’re sick and tired of the traditional drive to the hotel and need some more adrenaline pumping? Well, you can paraglide of a cliff and land at the hotel while your scared spouse watches you semi-offroading her/his way in a jeep to the hotel.

But i still suggest you try to reel in some big game, how about yellow fin tuna?

And if your really lucky you might even catch….

A SAILFISH! Their population has diminished in recent years due to trawlers, but if your’re lucky you might still catch one.

Or you can just go back to relaxing by the pool until sunset and enjoy a nice gourmet dinner at your luxury hotel.

Images are of Shangri-La, The Chedi and paragliding to the Six Senses Resort all located in Oman.

Alot of people, myself included, do not prefer to travel during summer since everwhere is just packed and you tend to run into almost everyone you know wherever you go. So you’re stuck with the months from September to April.  But as usual I always have a master plan, being the resort and sun loving person I am, I would rather avoid the colder areas of Europe and the US. So the first stop will be in Mauritius, specifically the Four Seasons at Anahita. Its located South of the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean consisting of a large island as opposed to the many scattered islands of the Maldives.

Getting there  you will take a late flight out of Kuwait on the beloved, overpriced Emirates Airlines, you will be taken almost at a sprint to the gate and board the 6.5 hour flight to Mauritius and arrive around noon Mauritius time, probably losing your luggage in the process as the very little time spent in Dubai will be insufficient to board your bags.

*Disclaimer* Emirates Airlines will not fly a 3-ship formation to Mauritius as the picture above, no matter how much you beg them.

You will arrive and take the scenic drive along the beach for about 45 minutes to the hotel. As Four Seasons hospitality, you will be taken care of and well pampered from when the car awaits you in the airport. If you feel the need to have a Rolls Royce Phantom pick you up, the hotel will arrange that, or you can ride in the 7-Series BMW. But if the credit crunch has hit you hard you will have to do with the Mercedes E- Series.

What does the hotel look like? Here you go.

You will arrive at the Reception, pictured above, and be checked in to you room. Suites/Villas either come with a lagoon view and garden, or a garden. All have outside seating, outside showers and a plunge pool with a relatively big garden.

The bedroom above shows the indoor and outdoor sitting areas overlooking the plunge pool and lagoon shown below….

Then you have the outdoor shower in the other garden on the opposite end of the suite, your private parts will be kept private don’t worry, unless James Bond is staying at the same resort as you.

Obviously you have the other facilities such as the outdoor pools, golf courses and the boat house which has many inclusive activities.

From the Four Seasons boat house you can do parasailing, skiing, , wakeboarding, windsurfing, kayaking and take the Hobiecats out , with or without a guide free of charge. Not to forget snorkeling and shuttles to nearby Island with restaraunts and more watersports and the Anahita residential resort with some other restaraunts and facilities. You can also go out on a glass bottom boat for free, and also for around 40$ go small game fishing not far out the lagoon or big game fishing into deep blue sea.

Now for the excursions outside of the resort. From just outside the resort into the ocean you can enter a river between mountains and witness a fresh water waterfall. Also, you can climb up the rocks and swim in it, and get a highpowered jet-like massage against your body, and when you’re all done you can slide down the small rapids aimlessly…

Or you can just stay and get your traditional treatments at the resort’s spa….

But i would recommend something more fun, like an underwater walk. Obviously, you will snorkel and scuba dive in the amazing crystal clear waters, but this is an experience you have to try. With only weights and a astronaut like helmet, you get to walk the seabottom off a platform in the middle of the Indian Ocean and mingle with the fish.

As you can see in the middle picture above, even if you’re an Indian Seik  you can still enjoy this activity.

 This guy is one lucky hipster!

And of course our lovely met7ajba beauties with their yoghurt cups in their head just might be able to pull it off as well….

Enjoy the alien nation undersea.

On top of that I would also love to explore the ocean and try to finally catch one of these guys…

Big game fishing is done predominatly on the East and West coasts of the island.  The east cost will almost guarantee a catch of mahi mahi, dorado or tuna and with some luck a medium sized marlin.  On the west coast you may not catch anything at all, but if you do it will be a huge mammoth sized behemoth of a marlin!

Overall, compared to the Maldives you will find that the water is not as crystal clear, but just as breathtaking. You will find the same standard of cuisine in the gourmet restaraunts, as well as the romantic feel. But in Mauritius you will have more activities to do and it will be a more thrilling experience, honeymooners may stick to Maldives if you just want to lounge about all day. If you want more fun and activities, Mauritius is the place to go.

Four Season’s Resort at Anahita

So, me and my brother went there just before Asr prayer, and it was really hot, I MEAN REALLY HOT.

The place is huge, we didn’t go through it all, but it was very organized, and was broken down into sections so you can find what you are looking for very easily.

I was there mainly for electronics, I wanted to know what could I find there. But walking though the different sections you see odd and funny stuff.

When I arrived to the electronics section I really had fun, I found a burnt toaster oven, a broken VCR, a pile of 15 year old motherboards that would make a better use as a serving tray and a pile of Playstation controllers on almost every stand.

I’m definitely going back there again soon.