Saudi...

USB Mini Fridge

2007-05-23T20:34:00.000+04:00

The Water Mortar is good for the summer and so is this USB Mini Fridge launched today by Brando.

Think of it as a personal fridge in which you can keep the beer (or any soda) at a cool temperature just the way you like it during the summer time, obviously it is powered via USB so there is no need for normal batteries. Sadly this small fridge only has space for one can but maybe that is enough for the people that spend long nights (and days) working in front of the computer.

Price: $33

[Via The Uber-Review]

World’s Top 10 Futuristic Luxury Hotels

2007-05-21T02:51:00.000+04:00

The fast changing modes of travel would certainly one day make a big dent on the hotel industry. Only those will survive who have something special to offer or, at least, I would never settle down at a place with belts of my flying car or jetpack intact.

The designers of the hotels of tomorrow, perhaps, have kept this in mind while creating futuristic hotels to lure the global nomads, of course, in case the Time Machine doesn’t becomes a reality.

However, for now, here is a brief introduction to ten futuristic hi-tech luxury hotels, which are a living proof of the remarkable change we’re witnessing. Welcome aboard!

10. The Apeiron island hotel

Designer: Sybarite

Status: Concept

Estimated project cost: $500million

The ‘Apeiron’ island hotel is a seven star resort with a total floor area of 200,000m². It is 185-m high and boasts of over 350 luxury apartment suites. The hi-tech futuristic hotel screams of luxury and comfort with its own private lagoon, beaches, restaurants, cinemas, retail shopping, art gallery, spas and conference facilities. Its out of the world design is magnetic enough to deliver a spell-bounded experience to visitors. (Photo Credit: Sybarite)

9. Foldable hotel pods

Designer: m3 Architects, London

Estimated project cost: $72 to $104 million

The foldable and fully transportable pods are for those traveling geeks who find it hard to shun all the amenities of their luxurious life. You can move the pods to exotic locations around the world and the amazing concept abodes will come with ‘Active’ walls and floors where guests can focus images of their choice and a disposable unit to care of all waste. (Photo Credit: m3architects)

8. The hotel Burj al-Arab

Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Designer: Tom Wright (WS Atkins PLC), Khuan Chew

Status: Complete

Estimated project cost: $650 million

Cost per person: $1,000 to over $28,000 per night, $75 to have a glimpse from inside

Considered, unofficially, the world’s first and only 7-star hotel, the Burj al-Arab is a truly the most luxurious hotel imaginable and hence we couldn’t help including it in this list of futuristic hotels, which also perhaps triggered architects around the world to look beyond the fence.

The tallest, 321-metres (1,053 ft), hotel, designed as a sail of a dhow, is constructed on an artificial island 280-metres (919 ft) out from Jumeirah beach. The hotel boasts of the world’s tallest atrium, which is 180-meters (590 feet) tall.

The suspended helipad on the top adds to the grandeur of the hotel. The lavish interior skillfully mingles the best of design ethics from both the east and the west. The 8,000 square meters of 22-carat gold leaf and 24,000 square meters of 30 different types of marbles give the hotel an enigmatic touch.

The 28 double-story floors of the hotel accommodate 202 luxury suites with prices ranging from $1,000 to over $28,000 per night (for the Royal Suite). The hotel also features 8 restaurants, including bars and lounges, latest business, conferencing, fitness and recreational facilities. Carved in the midst of white beaches and the blue waters of the Arabian Gulf, the Burj Al Arab is a dream come true.

7. Waterworld

Location: Songjiang, China

Designer: Atkin’s Architecture Group

Status: Concept

This spectacular design by Atkin’s Architecture Group deservedly won the first prize award last year in an international design competition. The 400-bed resort hotel features underwater public areas, guest rooms, cafes, and restaurants. The major attraction is the extreme sporting facilities including a luxurious swimming pool, rock climbing and bungee jumping.

What more to say, the pictures are screaming BLISS. (Photo Credit: TheCoolHunter)

6. The Poseidon Undersea Resort

Location: Fiji, The Poseidon Mystery Island

Designer: Bruce Jones

Status: Under construction, will be completed by September 2008

Estimated project cost: $105 million

Cost per person: $15,000 per week

Our pursuit of unique spaces now goes straight 1,200-square feet under the sea in the lap of Poseidon undersea resort. The world’s first underwater resort will be ready by the end of next year with breathtaking coral reefs where you can literally immerse yourself.

Surrounded by 5,000-acre lagoon, the Bruce Jones’ Poseidon Mystery Island offers luxurious 550 square feet large suites.

Not only this, the Poseidon Resorts website says, “the first 1,000 guests will have their names permanently inscribed on two monuments one on the island, and one on the floor of the lagoon.” Now, that’s incredible!

Tourists can indulge in submarine piloting, deep reef excursions, scuba diving, sea track on the sea floor, water sports, para-sailing, cave exploration, and much more.

5. The Hydropolis: A self-acclaimed 10-star underwater hotel

Location: Dubai

Designer: Joachim Hauser, Crescent Hydropolis Resorts

Estimated project cost: $500-million

The Hydropolis Undersea Resort, especially designed keeping in mind that we’re around 60% water, endeavors to deliver the serene beauty of the ocean in its true colors. The one of its kind resort will encompass a whopping 1.1-million-square-foot of area offering shopping mall, ballroom, island villas, restaurant, high-tech cinema and surprisingly, a missile-defense system for your security 60-feet underwater.

Tourists can enjoy their stay in 220 theme suites within the submarine leisure complex. It is one of the largest contemporary construction projects in the world, covering an area of 260 hectares, about the size of London’s Hyde Park.

The resort is designed with a petal-like retracting roof to organize open-sky events.

Around 150 firms are involved in the project, which is expected to complete this year if all technical, land, and financial challenges are met, but it’s delayed as per the latest reports. Following the line and determined of the success of the Hydropolis, Crescent-Hydropolis is now planning a chain of underwater hotels around the world.

4. The Lunatic Hotel: Hotel on the Moon

Designer: Hans-Jurgen Rombaut, Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo (WATG)

Status: Blueprint ready, will take real shape by 2050

Orbiting in space seems more thrilling but Moon brings in a nostalgic aura. Perhaps, the Lunatic Hotel concept will serve it all with spectacular views sprinkled with joys of low gravity and an alien feeling. Designer Hans-Jurgen Rombaut of the Rotterdam Academy of Architecture in the Netherlands is quite optimistic to complete the dream project by 2050.

The ‘sensation engine’, as the designer calls it, will allow tourists to indulge in low-gravity games with the help of two 160-meters high slanting towers. The towers will be equipped with teardrop-shaped ‘habitation capsules’ which will serve as spaceship like suits for tourists.

The 50-cms thick hull made of Moon rock and layers holding water will protect inhabitants from the harsh lunar environment including extreme temperatures and lethal cosmic rays and solar particles. If the whole concept comes out successful, we can expect a real lunar village too. (Photo Credit: NASA)

3. Aeroscraft: The flying luxury hotel of tomorrow

Designer: Igor Pasternak (Worldwide Aeros Corporation), Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo (WATG)

Status: Prototype under development

The ‘Aeroscraft’ is a gigantic 400-ton blimp designed to carry passengers in its spacious luxury cosmos onboard. The flying hotel with an area equal to two football fields hangs in air with 14 million cubic feet of helium, huge electric and hydrogen fuel cell powered propellers and six turbofan jet engines. The hotel can accommodate 250 passengers driving them at a speed of 174 miles per hour up to 6, 000 miles.

Flying 8,000 feet above in the air, the 165×244x647 feet airship will provide tourists hi-tech amenities including casino, restaurants and staterooms.

Designer Igor Pasternak has also plans to float a cargo-carrying version too once the project takes off. (Photo Credit: WATG)

2. Galactic Suite

Designer: Xavier Claramunt of ADD+ARQUITECTURA

Status: On hold, prototype is ready

Designer Xavier Claramunt has tried to imbibe things especially to whet a adventurer’s dream with the Galactic Suite which will have around 22 rooms, measuring 7X4 meters, free of straight lines or angles and huge windows. It is termed as the first global project of its kind, next to Robert Bigelow’s space hotel. Different capsules will act as bars, restaurants, reception, and more.

The prototype is still waiting for investors to shell out their fortunes to make this project a reality.

1. Commercial Space Station Skywalker: The inflatable space hotel

Designer: Bigelow Aerospace, Las Vegas

Location: 515-kms above Earth

Status: The human space complex will be accessible by 2015

Estimated project cost: $500 million

Cost per person: $1 million a night

Certainly, we’ll have to stop this constant to and fro journey and make space our permanent base. And to make this a reality, the assembling of ‘CSS Skywalker’ kicked off with the launch of ‘Genesis I’ from Russia mid last year. Solar cells will power the inhabitable complex made of various sections that will inflate to take their real form in space. The sections or rooms of the CSS will allow rockets to dock. In future, the modules will be used as basis for space yachts and moon cruisers.

With a volume of 1,500.00 m3 and mass of 100,000 kg, the CSS Skywalker will have a maximum diameter of 30.00 m (98.00 ft).

The concept is a big challenge while it tests inflatable technology and fights to survive in hazardous conditions. Hope it’s made to face the wrath of the meteorites, though the hull of each module is made of three protective layers with an outer 18-inch-thick shield made of alternating woven graphite composite and foam to protect against orbital debris. (Photo Credit: CNet)

Passing reference: The Diamond Ring Hotel

Location: Abu Dhabi

The Diamond Ring hotel is just a concept right now and all we’ve are these images for you to feed on. If anybody reading this has more info, please share with our readers

[Via Born Rich]

The Times & The Sunday Times to publish ME editions in Dubai

2007-05-21T02:41:00.000+04:00

The Times and The Sunday Times, two well known newspapers in the world, will publish their international editions in the Middle East starting this May.

Licensing for The Times and Sunday Times in the region has been acquired by Saudi-based SAB Media. The paper will be published seven days a week and will be available in retail outlets or by subscription. The international editions are edited in London and will be printed in the UAE.

A recent survey found The Times to be the most trusted newspaper in the UK. It has one of the largest pools of foreign correspondents, with reporters based in locations around the world, including Beijing, Baghdad, Bombay, Delhi, Madrid, Moscow, New York, Paris, Tokyo and Washington.

The Sunday Times edition provides analysis of the week’s news stories, along with expanded coverage of sports, entertainment, lifestyle, food, travel and the arts.

The international edition will be published seven days a week, at 64 pages, with a 96-page Saturday edition and the 96-page broadsheet Sunday Times. In the UAE, the retail rate will be AED 7 for the daily edition and AED 15 for The Sunday Times; subscription rates will be AED 5 for the daily and AED 12 for the Sunday paper, with comparable rates around the region.

[Via Ad Blog Arabia]

Al-Jawal

2007-05-14T21:44:00.000+04:00

[Via Dotsson]

$6.86 Million For Abu Dhabi Car Number Plate "5"

2007-05-13T19:23:00.000+04:00

A UAE businessman yesterday paid Dh25.2 million ($6.86 million) for the car number plate “5” – a new world record price for a registration number. The proceeds will help traffic accident victims and people with special needs.

Read More...

Cars Will Be Seized

2007-05-13T00:08:00.000+04:00

Vehicles parked in spaces resereved for the disabled will be impounded for a week and owners will pay a fine of Dh500 effective of next month.

[Read More in Emirates Today]

Rules To Driving In Dubai

2007-05-11T22:20:00.000+04:00

1. If your road map is more than a few weeks old, throw it out and get a new one.

2. If you are in Rashidiya and your map is one day old, then it is already obsolete.

3. Forget the traffic rules you learned elsewhere. Dubai has it's own version of traffic rules, which can be summarized as "Hold on and pray!"

4. If it is your priority to cross, forget it and wait.

5. There is no such thing as a dangerous high-speed chase in Dubai . Everyone drives like that.

6. When you plan to get a new car, ask first about its acceleration from 80 to 160 Km/h (recommended: 3 seconds). Very important if you frequently use the Emirates Road

7. All directions start with Sheikh Zayed Road , which has no beginning and no end.

8. The morning rush hour is from 5:00 AM to 1:00 PM, The evening rush hour is from 1:00 PM to 10:00 PM .

9. Thursday's rush hour starts Wednesday morning.

10. If you slow down at a yellow light, you will be rear-ended and then given a ticket by the Dubai Police.

11. If you are the first one at the intersection, when the light turns green ignore the car honking behind you and count to five to avoid crashing into one of the cars running the red light in cross-traffic.

12. Construction on all main roads is a way of life and a permanent form of entertainment. (Sorry for the inconvenience)

13. All unfamiliar sights are explained by the phrase, "Oh, we must be in Sharjah!"

14. Car horns are actually toys for big boys.

15. Anyone in a Land Cruiser, Tuned Patrol, jeep or Mercedes with tinted windows has the right of way. Period!

16. If you are driving a Corolla, Sunny, or another small Japanese car, stay on the far right lane. No comment!

17. Most roads mysteriously change names as you cross intersections.

18. To ask directions, you must have good knowledge of Hindi/ Malayalam

19. A trip across town will take a minimum of four hours, although Sheikh Zayed Road has an unposted minimum speed of 150 Km/h.

20. It is sobering to realize that local Arabs are taught how to drive by Malyalyee.

21. 18 wheeler trucks are one of the fastest vehicles in Dubai ; they can do 120 Km/h on Hatta-Oman Road when fully loaded.

22. The minimum acceptable speed on the Emirates Road is 160 km/h. Anything less is considered downright sissy.

23. Al Khail Road is Dubai's daily version of NASCAR.

24. Dubai Autodrome has a new extension: The Emirates Road.

25. WELCOME TO THE UAE!

[By James Hamilton Via UAE Community Blog]

Random Time Infinite Wall Clock

2007-05-11T22:05:00.000+04:00

The Rnd -Time Infinite Wall Clock may just be the most unique / annoying clock ever conceived. The interesting thing about this clock is that its not really concerned with actually telling time. In fact, “Rnd_Time” stands for “Random Time” which makes sense given the fact that the numbered cubes can be placed randomly on a wall with little or no attention paid to sequence.

The concept is certainly interesting and the style is very contemporary cool, but one has to wonder why there are so many timepieces coming out that make telling time difficult or impossible.

Price: $204

[Via The Uber-Review]

PayPal

2007-05-11T21:50:00.000+04:00

Finally PayPal has added Saudi Arabia to their list of countries that u can subscribe from.

Another Cartoon By M1ke

2007-05-09T05:48:00.000+04:00

lol i liked this one...good job...

[Via Blog.code.ae]

Tiida Ads

2007-05-06T14:36:00.000+04:00

[Via Ad Blog Arabia]

Space Ads

2007-05-04T15:06:00.000+04:00

While NASA certainly has its share of funding troubles, we doubt that the money-making solution now being proposed by California Congressman Ken Calvert is the best way to get them the dough they need. Currently the ranking Republican on the House Space and Aeronautics subcommittee, Calvert wants NASA to get in the business of selling advertising on its spacecraft and other gear -- an idea that others have proposed with less of a straight face in the past (as seen above). While it's unclear just how much interest the proposal has garnered, The Register reports that the idea has been enough to raise the ire of "high altitude advertising" firm JP Aerospace, which feels that NASA would be unfairly muscling in on their turf.

[Via Engadget]

Domino's Pizza: Before Hungry Gets You

2007-05-04T14:56:00.000+04:00

[Via Ads 2 Blog]

Tubular Clock Tells Time With Words

2007-05-03T14:49:00.000+04:00

Like Art Lebedev’s (vaporware) Verbarius clock, this unique timepiece uses words to describe the current time, rather than using numbers.

Time is displayed on the Tubular Time Clock in phrases such as “quarter past four” and “five minutes past six” instead of the pedestrian “4:15″ and “6:05.” The clock mounts to any wall, and runs on a single AA battery. It’s quite large, measuring in at 33″ wide and a 4.5″ diameter, so you’ll need some space to hang this sucker.

The Tubular Time Clock can be found at Uncommon Goods for $160.

[Via Technabob]

New Mirdif Mall

2007-05-01T14:32:00.000+04:00

The new mall to be located on Emirates Road and Tripoli Street, will house more than 430 shops with provision for eight anchor stores. It will be as big as the Mall of the Emirates.

Mirdif City Centre – to be completed in 2009 – will stretch across 183,400 square metres and cost Dh2.6 billion to build.The project is expected to generate more than 10,000 jobs.

The facility will also have parking for about 7,000 cars and a 14-screen multiplex cinema.Visitors to the centre can also dine in more than 60 multi-cuisine restaurants and cafes in two food courts.

Read More...

Universal Studios To Land In Dubai

2007-05-01T14:16:00.000+04:00

Read all about it on Emirates Today...

Manchester United vs. Everton

2007-04-29T15:13:00.000+04:00

It was a really good match and manchester had a really nice come back...until the the beginning of the 2nd hald everton were winning 2-0 but manchester did it as always...thank god...the game ended 4-2 to manchester...

and the other good news is that chelsea (ranked as 2nd after manchester)had a draw match (2-2) against bolton wanderers which makes the 5 points away...well thats alot better than 3...

here are the goals of the manchesters game:

Alan Stubbs (12')

Manuel Fernandes (50')

John O'Shea (61')

Philip Neville (67') Own Goal

Wayne Rooney (79')

Chris Eagles (92')

Jet Airways To Offer It’s Travellers Private Cabin to India

2007-04-29T14:35:00.000+04:00

Luxury travel is getting more and more luxurious. If you don’t own your personal aircraft then too, you can now enjoy a luxury flight with facilities like those of a personal aircraft. We have earlier told you about Etihad and Emirates airways luxury seating with 180 degrees swivel, personal LCD video screen, mood lighting, built-in massage facility and fold-and-swivel meal tables and the Delta airways Lie-Flat Seats, but Jet Airways has gone a step higher with its private mini cabins. Yes..if you are a frequent traveler from London to India then you can now get as comfortable as it could get!

Jet Airways will be offering its passengers a luxury service dubbed the “Orient Express of the Skies” that offers complete privacy with mini cabins with colonial-style sliding doors. The exclusive mini-suites boast 26 square foot room, an 83-inch bed, a wall-mounted 23-inch flat screen TV with more than 200 hours of the latest movies and dining for two. Each passenger will even has his or her personal hanging wardrobe as well as office facilities for working. Meals are served on hand-painted Bernardaud porcelain dinnerware with Dom Perignon and Krug among the champagnes on offer. There’s also a communal bar.

And all this royal treatment would set you back for £4,422. Each of Jet Airways’ Boeing 777-300ER aircraft will have eight of these luxury suites and the first flight takes off from Heathrow on May 5.

[Via Born Rich]

Absolut-ly Over

2007-04-29T14:30:00.000+04:00

I didn’t know to feel when I read that Absolut is retiring it’s iconic ad campaign after 25 years of abundancy, especially as much of Absolut’s fame is directly tied to it. The campaign, featuring an object shaped like the distinctive Absolut bottle in the center and a title “ABSOLUT ____” at the bottom, started around 1980 and has had more than 1500 ads, making it the longest running ad campaign ever.

The Absolut Vodka bottle has become something of a modern icon, and the Absolut ads, having stretched the boundaries between advertising and art, have already been collector’s items for years. I’m sure their value as such will increase exponentially with the retirement of the campaign, making me wish that I buy/bought magazines.

Over the past 25 years, chosen artists, including sculptors like Arman, crystal glass designers like Bertil Vallien, fashion designers like David Cameron and John Galliano, were given complete creative freedom, the only stipulation being that the bottle must be visible in the work. The campaign has even made it to an 11 meter high ice-sculpture done in the Swiss Alps, and features works of every conceivable style from Dali-type surrealism to cowboy-kitsch.

Naturally, the campaign also has a golden star in the hall of fame of the advertising and design industries. Absolut is to date one of only three brands inducted into the American Marketing Association’s Hall of Fame, along with Coca-Cola and Nike. It is also the only product in history to have won both the most coveted prizes in the US advertising business – the Effie and the Kelly awards. On a scholastic level, complete design courses that dissect the campaign and nothing else are offered in several art schools. Even locally, I have seen the campaign make its appearance on slideshows and presentations a lot of times in my design classes at the UofJ.

Of course every campaign has to see an end, but 25-years is such a long run that I’m actually absolut sad to see it go.

[Via And Far Away]

Nice Ariel Ads

2007-04-28T01:31:00.000+04:00

[Via Ad Blog Arabia]

Virgin Marina Mall In Kuwait Shutdown

2007-04-27T20:55:00.000+04:00

Virgin in Marina Mall was shutdown because they were caught selling inappropriate movies.

[Via 2:48am]

Manchester United vs. AC Milan

2007-04-25T16:08:00.000+04:00

vs.

In General it was a really good game and manchester came around in the end...I am a Manchester fan btw...the score was 3-2 for manchester...

here are the goals:

C. Ronaldo (5')

Kaka (22')

Kaka (37')

Rooney (59')

Rooney (90')

I copied the links from kooora.com forums btw...

DHL

2007-04-25T15:51:00.000+04:00

Have you ever wondered what does DHL stands for?

Well today it occured to me so I looked it up, and it turns out that it stands for the first letter of the company founders last names: Dalsey, Hillblom and Lynn...

and here are some interesting facts i also found about the company:

Number of Employees: around 285,000
Number of Offices: around 6,500
Number of Hubs, Warehouses & Terminals: more than 450
Number of Gateways: 240
Number of Aircraft: 420
Number of Vehicles: 76,200
Number of Countries & Territories: more than 222
Shipments per Year: more than 1.5 billion
Destinations Covered: 120,000

Meshary Alruwaih

2007-04-22T15:29:00.000+04:00

I just opened The Kuwait Times web site to check if Meshary Alruwaih (the writer who wrote "How To Survive 10 Days In Riyadh") had any other articles about Saudi Arabia, and i just found out that he has an article "Saudi Arabia...I'm Sorry."

I felt waay better knowing thaat he didn't mean all the things he wrote earlier and I am sorry for calling you A Racist...

Here is the article he wrote quoting it from the newspaper's site:

"You know how sometimes you joke with a friend by teasing him or trying to be sarcastic about the way he looks or behaves? Usually you mean no harm, and certainly you didn't mean any disrespect. Still your harmless humour can end up causing discomfort to your close friend to the point that you see it through his eyes. Suddenly you realise how silly your remarks were, and you swiftly apologise.

I would like to apologise to Saudi Arabia.

A few months ago I wrote an article titled "How to survive 10 days in Riyadh" describing how boring my visit to Riyadh was, and making 10 basic rules to help me survive the boredom and depressing atmosphere of that city.
At the time it was published it did not really draw a lot of attention. But about a week ago, my article was all over the net sent to people as an attachment and posted on many forums.

I started getting tons of emails from Saudi guys, slamming my article. Some were respectful, others could not control their temper. But all agreed that the piece was offensive to their city of Riyadh and to the whole kingdom.

For that, I am sorry. In no way do I hold any negative feelings toward their country, the kingdom is dearly held in the hearts of many Kuwaitis, including mine, and its role during the Iraqi invasion is never forgotten and will always be appreciated.

Let me tell you something, writers love attention, they love their articles to be talked about, whether positive or negative, it does not matter as long as their names are mentioned and their ideas are being circulated, clearly that article achieved just that for me.

But I don't want to be known as the guy who talked ill about Saudi Arabia, I hate to have my name associated with any offences toward the capital of our big sister, if attacking the kingdom is the way to popularity, then I do not want it.

I see writing as a career, not something that I do when I have spare time so I'm aiming big, I dream and I aim for a future in this career, And believe me I do not want to be remembered one day as the guy who assaulted his neighbours.
So, yes, I do regret writing that article, still I do not regret the experience that taught me many lessons including the need to apologise when you offend a person or a society.

Apologies are not easy to make as they involve dignity and pride. But when you are wrong you are wrong, and when you apologise to your brothers they understand that your apology is not because you are weak. On the contrary, it's because you have the strength to come out publicly and say I'm sorry.

And certainly I do not regret the opportunity that allowed me to get to know a few Saudi guys who kindly explained to me how hurtful my words were and even invited me to Riyadh to see its good side and change my idea about it, very kind and generous invitations indeed. But I do know the good side of Riyadh and the kindness of its people. Maybe next time I'll visit Riyadh I'll come up with a new article titled 'How to enjoy 10 days in Riyadh.' "

Dubai...

2007-04-22T14:58:00.000+04:00

Dubai is like "Singapore on steroids", I just read that in an interesting blog An Englishman in Saudi Arabia.

You Are A Racist

2007-04-22T00:13:00.000+04:00

ok i just read your article "How to survive 10 days in Riyadh" and please read my comments

1- "you will end up watching animal planet" am pretty sure that the TV channels you get in riyadh are the same ones you get in kuwait, so if you end up watching animal planet then i think you enjoy it.

2- "spend long hours in your hotel room" if you don't have friends to go out with then that is also a problem with you. Try to be more interesting. As for going out, tell me where do you want to go:
Cinema: buy a movie and watch it in your room as you said.
Clubbing: Riyadh is in KSA and KSA is an Islamic country.
Cafes & restaurants: Riyadh has millions of cafes and restaurants.
Malls: there is all kind of shops in Riyadh.
Unless of course looking at girls in the mall is something you enjoy.

3- There are lots of people who go to Riyadh, so please don't generalize...and Kuwait isn't a really hot spot for travelers in case you haven't noticed.

4- You always have a near death experience when you drive, goo take driving lessons. All countries have stupid drivers and good drivers.

5- PRAY!! you should pray everywhere...and riyadh doesn't have any temptations, that is actually the first nice thing you said about Riyadh so thanks...as I said KSA is an Islamic country so if u accept that the same country that accommodates Makah and Medina, accommodates clubs and alcohol, you have another problem.

6- This one you just wrote to make the article look longer. It’s useless.

7- You are a MAN. You smoke 30 cigarettes a day. Something you want to show off.

8- Well Riyadh tries to be shisha free, whats wrong with thaat. It values its citizen’s lives.

9- You Italian men mashalla 3aleekom...this one show that you don't even qualify a writer since you don't like God’s creation.

10-"flawless" i won't say anything more because am not a racist and i accept that each country has a good side and a baad one.

I have to saay that after knowing that a newspaper could publish such article written by an obviously untalented writer is just something wrong. And this is not the first time, what about the Aprils fool prank...is thaat a newspaper or a comic book and to post it on the first page...mashalla. If u dont have something to fill your pages please reduce the number of pages then. Don’t fill it up with crap.

Huge Dubai Creek Extension

2007-04-20T15:59:00.000+04:00

A 13 kilometre extension to Dubai Creek, which will more than double its length, was approved yesterday by the Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. It will run from Ras Al Khor, which is the wetland at the end of the natural Creek, into the Gulf at Jumeirah, giving it two outlets to the sea.

Read More [Via Metroblogging Dubai]

Blocked

2007-04-16T18:25:00.000+04:00

I just read in UAE Community Blog that 40% of the internet is blocked her in the UAE...That is alooot...

The Wafi Roberry

2007-04-16T18:11:00.000+04:00

I dont know if you all heared but yesterday there was a roberry in wafi city...here is the story as people have told me...and u can check the video above...

two Audi A8 cars broke into wafi through the main entrance, they broke into one of the jewlery shops. there were six armored, masked and wearing all black men...they stole around 24 million, went out the other entrance...and some people say tha the cars were found a bit later set on fire...i also heared someone saying the robbery took about 1 minute and 50 seconds, while the police arrived after 3 minutes...

this is a really serious thing and its the first time it happens here in dubai and if they didnt get caught i think more people will be encouraged to do similar attempts...

but the weord thing that i opened Emirates Today and the only thing i found was a really short article about thee lines long in the right bottom end of the third page...

Vista Upgrade

2007-04-16T17:43:00.000+04:00

it has been while since i posted anything, but a couple of days ago i installed windows vista and it took me a while to update all my drivers and install all my programs so as of now everything is finally up and running...

Pay By The Second

2007-04-09T12:18:00.000+04:00

XBox 360 Qwerty Keyboard Rumors

2007-04-09T08:17:00.000+04:00

Earlier today, Gamespot made mention of an upcoming QWERTY keyboard add-on for the Xbox 360 controller. Since that time, the post was yanked, but Engadget posted some rather slick looking images of what the controller could might look like.

There were rumors as far back as 2005 that Microsoft would release such a device, but those never came to fruition. However, with the recent announcements about integration to Windows Live Messenger in the console’s upcoming Spring 07 Dashboard Update, now seems like the right time.

[Via Technabob]

Trucks Banned From Using The BB Bridge

2007-04-08T15:26:00.000+04:00

Lorries, tankers and other heavy vehicles have been banned from using Dubai’s Business Bay Crossing.

The order by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is intended to ensure the safety of drivers and keep traffic moving in both directions between Bur Dubai and Deira.

The ban applies to any vehicle weighing 2.5 tonnes or more and will be in force 24 hours a day as well as on all holidays.

It differs from the lorry bans on other crossings, which are lifted at certain times.

Maitha Mohammed bin Adai, Chief Executive Officer of the Traffic and Roads Agency at the RTA, called on lorry drivers and firms that owned heavy vehicles to obey the ban, which applies to the crossing and the roads leading to it. Salahaldin Al Marzoki, of the Traffic and Roads Agency, said the opening of the fourth crossing on the creek had helped to reduce traffic jams on the other three.

There was, therefore, no justification for a lorry or tanker driver using the Business Bay Crossing. Any accident involving a heavy vehicle will cause massive damage, he said.

Bin Adai said work on another crossing, the Floating Bridge, had reached a key phase – the development of roads and interchanges on either side of the creek. He said: “This is one of a series of vital projects being undertaken to upgrade roads and crossings.” “The project is in line with RTA’s strategy and its continual efforts to keep pace with the construction boom and the emirate’s social and economic development, and to meet the needs of Dubai’s growing population.” The sixlane Floating Bridge is being built half a kilometre south of the Al Maktoum Bridge. It will link the area around Deira City Centre and the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club with a new intersection on Riyadh Street between Dubai Courts and Creek Park. The bridge will be constructed using 20-metre-wide hollow concrete blocks that will float on water. Work began at the end of last year and the project will cost Dh127 million.

[Via Emirates Today]

Burj Dubai Towers With Storeys

2007-04-08T15:18:00.000+04:00

Burj Dubai, already the tallest structure in the Middle East and Europe, has set a new global record for having more floors than any other building in the world.

Currently at 120 storeys and 422.5 metres high, the iconic building developed by Emaar Properties is also one of the five tallest structures in the world.

Height-wise, the tower is now taller than the Empire State Building (381 metres) in New York City and the John Hancock Centre (344 metres) in Chicago – two of only five completed buildings in the world that have 100 storeys or more.

So far 304,800 cubic metres of reinforced concrete and 59,200 tonnes of reinforcing steel have been used in the construction of Burj Dubai.

“Burj Dubai is setting a new record with every passing day – in terms of height and the number of storeys,” said Mohamed Ali Alabbar, Chairman, Emaar Properties.

“This is the accomplishment of teamwork, with the world’s best in engineering, construction and design services working together to create a new landmark not only for the UAE, but for the world,” he said.

Burj Dubai, designed by Chicago-based Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, is being constructed by high-rise experts, South Korea’s Samsung Corporation.Turner Construction International is the project and construction manager of the tower.

When completed, Burj Dubai will be the tallest building in the world in all four categories recognised by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH). It ranks buildings on the basis of spire height, the highest occupied floor, roof height and pinnacle height.

Burj Dubai forms the epicentre of Downtown Burj Dubai, a Dh73 billion mixeduse project featuring residences, commercial space, hospitality projects and several retail outlets.

[Via Emirates Today]

A Catalogue of Errors Made a Man’s Life Hell

2007-04-08T15:14:00.000+04:00

A patient claims a doctor’s incompetence has turned his life into a nightmare.

Abu Mohammed went to a hospital in Dubai for treatment to remove stones in his left kidney – and ended up losing the organ and being infected with hepatitis.

He had been suffering from severe pain and a medical examination revealed the presence of kidney stones. His doctor said the procedure to break them down was simple and would not take long.

But hours after the procedure Mohammed, the Syrian who works for a private company, woke up in agony.

“I felt severe pain that no human can stand,” he said.

“Blood was oozing from my side – it stained my clothes and the bed covers. This continued for three days.

“The doctor reassured me that loss of blood was normal after the treatment. He told me to drink lots of water and take my medicine regularly, and said I could leave the state-run hospital.” But the pain and the flow of blood continued, and a day later Mohammed had to return for treatment to break down blood clots. He stayed in the hospital for 11 days enduring severe pain and growing weaker due to the loss of blood.

A further examination was then carried out and Mohammed was shocked to learn an artery entering the kidney had been cut during the original procedure.

“The doctor was greatly embarrassed and promised to correct the error,” he said. “He did his best to find a solution to the severed artery, using a blood-clotting agent to help repair the cut.” Mohammed was then sent home. But he again experienced intense pain and started bleeding heavily.

“My wife fainted when she saw blood oozing,” he said.

He had another operation and the doctor assured him he could continue his normal life. But two years later, Mohammed felt acute pain and visited a private hospital in Sharjah. It was then he received the worst news yet.

“The kidney consultant told me I was living with only one kidney,” said Mohammed. “The left kidney had contracted and hardened and was a real threat to the other one.” The doctor decided to remove the kidney, which he said was working at only four per cent efficiency. The surgery cost him Dh20,000.

And his ordeal did not end there – he was later diagnosed with hepatitis caused by the use of contaminated blood when he received transfusions at the government hospital.

He cannot have treatment for this condition as the drugs would affect the performance of his kidney.

“My life is hell,” Mohammed said.

[Via Emirates Today]

Liquids To Be Restricted On Board

2007-04-08T14:35:00.000+04:00

Passengers may have to give up liquids, pastes and gels under the government’s new safety rules covering hand luggage, Emirates airline conveyed yesterday.

Any drink, pastes, gels and lotions in containers larger than 100ml will have to be handed over before boarding. This restriction will apply to all fluids as well as aerosol sprays and creams.

The regulations, which are in line with the recommendations from the International Civil Aviation Organisation, are being introduced.

The new hand baggage restrictions apply to passengers boarding in Australia, China, the EU, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Japan, the Maldives, Mauritius, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, the Philippines, the Seychelles, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland and the United States.

Some carry-on duty-free items could be confiscated during transit desk security checks in any airport in any of these countries. Because of this restriction, Dubai Duty Free has introduced a service that allows passengers to have goods placed in the aircraft hold at the departure gate.

Airline baggage tags are attached to these items and passengers are able to collect them at their final destination along with their checked baggage.

Liquids, gels, lotions and substances of a similar consistency that passengers wish to carry on to an aircraft must be placed in transparent resealable plastic bag with a capacity of no more than one litre.

These bags must be held separately from hand luggage so that they can be presented for visual inspection. And each passenger may have only one bag.

Fluids in bottles or canisters larger than 100ml will not be accepted – even if the container is only partly filled.

The security measures have been introduced to safeguard passengers from the possibility of explosives being smug gled on board an aircraft in liquid form.

[Via Emirates Today]

Open-Door Jet Caper Lands Man In Cuffs

2007-04-08T14:31:00.000+04:00

Dubai Police have arrested a troublesome passenger who caused panic among 300 odd passengers of an Emirates flight during the landing phase of a six-hour non-stop flight.

Emirates airline officials have confirmed a passenger, who during the landing opened the door of EK040 from Birmingham to Dubai on Thursday, has been detained by the Dubai Police for interrogation as part of its investigation into the strange and unprecedented incident in the aviation history of the UAE.

However, Emirates officials have categorically ruled out that the incident was part of a hijacking bid.

None of the 307 passengers on board were injured in the incident that caused a 30minute delay for passengers to disembark.

“While taxiing to the terminal building after landing at the Dubai International Airport on Thursday, an aircraft door on flight EK040 from Birmingham was opened by a passenger.This caused the emergency inflatable slides to automatically activate,” said Sarah Shaughnessy, the official spokesperson of Emirates.

Read More...

Let Strepsils Be Your Mic

2007-04-06T05:40:00.000+04:00

[Via Ad Blog Arabia]

Microsoft BOB

2007-04-03T22:11:00.000+04:00

It turns out that the folks over in Redmond might have a sense of humor after all. I was working on getting my new install of Vista Ultimate up and running on my machine this weekend, and stumbled across this awesome easter egg.

It turns out that there’s an entire functional copy of the 1995 Microsoft BOB operating system hidden inside of Windows Vista. BOB was supposed to be an easy-to-use interface for Windows 3.2, complete with fuzzy animated characters (who eventually led to “Clippy” the paper clip in Microsoft Office.)

Here’s how I managed to activate it:

First, you need to make sure you have full administrative permissions on your machine. Then, go to the Start menu and enter “W.0.w.B.0.b.” (note that those are Zeros not Os) while holding down the Alt key. Then, set your system time zone to “Cairo”. The next time you reboot, type in the same phrase backwards and you’ll be in the Windows Bob environment, complete with all of the original features. Once BOB is activated you can set your clock back to your regular time zone.

Surprisingly, the new version of BOB has been updated to include integration with Outlook 2007, so you can actually see your calendar entries and e-mails in the BOB organizer. Post back and let me know which character is your favorite. Personally, I like Scuzz the Rat.

[Via Technabob]

The Rolling Bridge

2007-04-03T22:04:00.000+04:00

The idea behind a Rolling Bridge is just fantastic to say the least, I’ve never seen a bridge that could roll itself and become a circle, so this is surely a “new thing in town”, more exactly in London (UK) but I think this could become a great addition to the City of Water also known as Venice (Italy).

The rolling bridge measures 12 meters and is composed by 8 steel and timber sections, that I suppose measure 1,5 meters each and are almost symmetric. As you can see on the image the bridge is suppose to curl and become a big wheel.

Rather than a conventional opening bridge mechanism, consisting of a single rigid element that lifts to let boats pass, the Rolling Bridge gets out of the way by curling up until its two ends touch.

[Via The Uber Review]

Nice Cartoon

2007-04-03T04:06:00.000+04:00

[Via Blog.code.ae]

April Fools

2007-04-02T06:55:00.000+04:00

I saw this on so many blogs today...i totall agree with 2:48AM when he says newspaper shouldnt participate in April's Fool Day...i bet many people will take advantage of this...ok it is funny and nice but not in a newspaper...

Adidas: Love Competition

2007-04-02T06:50:00.000+04:00

[Via 2:48AM]

The New Showtime Arabia revealed today 1 April

2007-04-02T06:23:00.000+04:00

Apart from the big news that Showtime Arabia has won the rights to the English Premier League, there have been sweeping changes in the look of the station and its channels as of today, 1 April.

The new channels have been branded Showcinema, Showmovies, Showkids, Showsports and Showseries…. etc.

Three new Showsports channels replace the previous Sportsnet channels, and should provide Showtime with a leap in subscribers just before the next football season starts in August.

Showtime Arabia promoted it’s new look, through teaser promos for the past couple of weeks, as the network continues to gain marketshare in spite of the free-to-air challenge of MBC Group channels which follow a similar formula in Western entertainment programming.

ART, losers of the Premier League rights, are yet to announce any major shift in strategy to cope with the potential fall-out next season.

Without a doubt, there will be plenty of football-associated sponsors, like Snickers and Pepsi who will move to Showtime.

[Via Ad Blog Arabia]

Karate For Kids (Creative)

2007-04-02T06:02:00.000+04:00

[Via Ad Blog Arabia]

Eddie Griffin Crashes a Ferrari Enzo

2007-03-28T02:54:00.000+04:00

Watch Eddie Griffin (from Malcolm & Eddie) crash an Enzo:

[Via 2:48am]

It's Not a Book, It's a Pillow

2007-03-28T02:02:00.000+04:00

If you've ever awakened with the imprint of a book on your face, you probably wish you'd fallen asleep on one of these pillows that looks exactly like a way-thick textbook. Put one of these pillow/books on your desk and the boss might just think you're bookish enough to forgive you for sleeping on the job. You'd better be well-heeled for this pillow, though, it'll set you back $102.

[Via Gizmodo]

Faith In GPS Sends £96k Mercedes Downstream

2007-03-28T01:47:00.000+04:00

So far, over-dependence on GPS devices has resulted in more inconvenience than actual danger, but things took a turn for the worse earlier this month when a U.K. woman sent her £96k Mercedes SL500 flying into a river, trusting the car's optimistic GPS guidance instead of the road signs warning of impending doom. Matters were made worse as the river was swollen from recent heavy rains, which caused the vehicle to be swept some 200 meters downstream before the woman was able to escape. While she emerged unscathed, the car unfortunately wasn't quite so lucky, remaining stuck in the river for a week after the incident and now believed to be a complete write-off.

[Via Engadget]

We Need Them...

2007-03-27T03:34:00.000+04:00

ok you will notice that am really bored...i was going through wikipedia and now am searching the keyword "saudi" in the Time Magazine site...i found this article named "The Devil We Know" by Peter Beinart...to be honest i didnt really understand what he wanted to say, am not into politics at all but i found this interesting sentence...

"The U.S. can't completely distance itself from the Saudis--in our weakened position, we need their help."

if anyone understand the main idea behind this article then please tell me...

Starbucks

2007-03-27T03:32:00.000+04:00

i also searched starbucks...well nothing interesting except that i found out that starbucks is planning to open its largest branch here in dubai and its planned to open in the center of Mall of Arabia...

The First McDonald's

2007-03-27T03:14:00.000+04:00

Whenever i get bored, i open Wikipedia and start typing anything that comes to my mind...this time it was McDonald's and actually found some interesting stuff...here they are...

"The business began in 1940, with a restaurant opened by siblings Dick and Mac McDonald in San Bernardino, California. Their introduction of the "Speedee Service System" in 1948 established the principles of the modern fast-food restaurant. The present corporation dates its founding to the opening of a franchised restaurant by Ray Kroc, in Des Plaines, Illinois on April 15, 1955, the ninth McDonald's restaurant overall. Kroc later purchased the McDonald brothers' equity in the company and led its worldwide expansion."

Revenue: $20.460 Billion USD (2005)
Net income: $2.602 Billion USD (2005)
Employees: 447,000 (2005)

I thought that they make more money than that...another interesting thing i found was a picture of the first McDonald's...looks kind of cool...

Car Accidents in the UAE

2007-03-24T21:24:00.000+04:00

Men recponsible for 92% of deaths.

Drivers from the age group 18 to 27 have been held responsible for 37% of deaths.

Last year's death average was one every 28 hours.

Pakistani drivers were responsible for 25.6% of deaths, Indian drivers caused 20% followed closely by UAE nationals at 19%.

The number of accidents in 2006 was 243,386...an increase of 61% compared to 2005.

In these 312 people were killed while 1,812 were injured.

Fatal accidents at night made up 45 per cent of the total number of fatalities.

Private vehicles caused 1,164 accidents killing 167 people.

Heavy trucks were responsible for 128 accidents causing 32 deaths.

Light trucks were responsible for 133 accidents and 25 deaths.

Emirates Road continues to remain the most dangerous road, topping the list with 128 accidents in which 40 people were killed.

Sheikh Zayed Road stood second with 122 accidents although the death toll here increased to 45.

Al Khail Road followed closely with 34 accidents and nine deaths.

Dubai-Al Ain Road recorded 33 accidents and nine deaths.

Sheikh Rashid Road had 29 accidents and six deaths.

Al Ittihad Road had 24 accidents and seven deaths.

[Via Emirates Today]

Crazy Buliding In Singapore

2007-03-24T21:04:00.000+04:00

Singapore is building this crazy housing block with four towers kind of hanging off the sides of another, central tower.

The 153 meter tall tower will be located at the intersection of Scotts Road and Cairnhill Road, in close proximity to Orchard Road, Singapore’s famous shopping and lifestyle street. With 20,000m² of built floor area, the building will provide 68 high-end apartment units with panoramic views. The design strategically maneuvers within the highly regulated building environment to maximize the full potential of the site: Four individual apartment towers are vertically offset from one another and suspended from a central core.

[Via Boing Boing]

Congrats Itti

2007-03-24T04:23:00.000+04:00

as most of u know the day b4 yesterday the saudi team alittihad played against alahli and won 3-0...here are the links of the goals...enjoy

First goal

Second goal

Third goal

Review: 300

2007-03-24T00:02:00.000+04:00

yesterday i watched the movie 300...it was a good as i expected and i would rate it as 9/10

what i like in the movie:
the graphics, the actors, the music and the best thing was the fight scenes.

what i hate about the movie:
too many weird creatures that r not needed at all.

Prison Break's third season to get a new name?

2007-03-22T07:54:00.000+04:00

FOX has officially announced today that Prison Break would be back for a third season. But many sources say that the show will get a major overhaul, including a possible change in the show's title.

The FOX's press release announcing the renewal gives nothing about what Season 3 may hold. But series creator Paul T. Scheuring has been giving many hints, including at least one that may have fans shake on their seat hoping that the creator changes his mind.No matter what, Prison Break was never intended to be a long-running series. At first, people behind the show though it could last three seasons being laid out as follows: Season 1 = in prison, Season 2 = on the run, Season 3 = back in prison; but that the best plan was surely only two season.

However good ratings have made FOX order a third season. With how they mapped the second season, which includes wrapping up most (if not all) of the storylines, Prison Break needs to reinvent itself and here is how they plan to do it.

Read More...

The People of Saudi Arabia

2007-03-22T05:22:00.000+04:00

These are TV commercials airing in the United States, paid for by the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Washington.

The theme is “The People of Saudi Arabia: Allies Against Terrorism”.

[Via Ad Blog Arabia]

loool Creative

2007-03-22T05:16:00.000+04:00

This is an ad for strong kind of tape...its really good....the ad i mean...

[Via Ad Blog Arabia]

Ctrl + Z

2007-03-22T05:08:00.000+04:00

This ad is also the winner of the Print category Grand Prix in Dubai Lynx Awards...it deserves it...

in case u dont know: Ctrl+Z = Undo

Saudi Arabia Did it at Lynx...

2007-03-22T04:52:00.000+04:00

TV/Cinema Category:
Gold: GPS - Abdul Latif Jameel - Toyota Land Cruiser.

Print Category:
Silver: Smoke Detector - Goody - Hot Sauce.
Direct Straw - Pepsi International - Diet 7Up.

Bronze: Pool - Pepsi International - Pepsi.
Dots - Henkel Arabia - Persil.

Outdoor Category:
Gold: Pool - Pepsi International - Pepsi.

Direct Category:
Bronze: Gillette M3Power - Al Naghi Proctor & Gamble - Shaving Razor.

For the full winners list visit Dubai Lynx...

Dubai's Krispy Kreme

2007-03-22T04:19:00.000+04:00

Well first of all to be honest...i have never heard of krispy kreme until a month ago when everybody started saying that it will open in dubai...I got to know that its a really well-known doughnut place and i also got excited about it...

so today i went to krispy kreme to see what the fuss is all about...i bought like 6 different kinds and they are alll really good...but the Original Glazed one is just delicious...it was good enough to let me write a post about it :D for all of you who didnt try it, go and try the original galzed...

Giant Sticky Notes

2007-03-22T03:39:00.000+04:00

I think this is the best idea ever, you can get it for a £100, which is a bit pricey for a table with sticky notes but i think it could be worth it...it has 300 sheets and u can refill it once ur out of notes...

For more info or if u r intrested to buy one, visit Arash + Kelly

Saudi Cars

2007-03-22T01:10:00.000+04:00

Simply WooW

2007-03-22T00:41:00.000+04:00

Galeries Lafayette To Open In Dubai Mall

2007-03-22T00:39:00.000+04:00

More than three million square feet – 80 per cent – of the retail space in the Dubai Mall has been leased, according to a senior executive.

“We are quite selective, as we need the right tenant, the right store and the right merchandise,” Emaar Chairman Mohamed Ali Alabbar said, after announcing the launch of French department store Galeries Lafayette’s first foray into Dubai.

Dubai Mall, which is part of the Downtown Burj Dubai development, has a total gross building area of 5.8m sq ft, and leasable space of 3.77m sq ft.

“Our store will cover 192,000sq ft of retail space, and will be a key anchor tenant for Dubai Mall,” said Galeries Lafayette Group Chairman and owner Philippe Houze.

The department store will reflect a mix of European and Arabian culture and passion. “Dubai is our first step into this region. We see a lot of opportunities here, but we will go step by step,” Houze said.

Leading European brands have already ventured into Dubai, with the United Kingdom’s Harvey Nichols opening a store in the Mall of the Emirates, following a joint venture with Al Tayer Group. Saks Fifth Avenue, an American department store chain, has also opened a store at BurJuman.

[Via Emirates Today]

Hooters Opening In Dubai Soon :s

2007-03-21T18:02:00.000+04:00

I just found out that U.S. restaurant chain Hooters is planning to open at least one of its famous Hooters restaurant in Dubai sometime in the next 2 years. This is what Reuters reported yesterday ...

"The opening of Hooters in Israel is part of the chain's global expansion. Privately held Hooters said it planned to open 17 restaurants in Colombia, Dubai, Guam, New Zealand and India in the next two years."

With all the things taking place in Dubai, I don't know ... but I'm not surprised any more ...

[Via UAE Community Blog]

Hi-Tech Teenage Furniture With Built-In TV/Computer

2007-03-21T17:41:00.000+04:00

[Via Born Rich]

British Airways Sat Corpse In First Class

2007-03-21T17:37:00.000+04:00

A BRITISH Airways passenger travelling first class has described how he woke up on a long-haul flight to find that cabin crew had placed a corpse in his row.

The body of a woman in her seventies, who died after the plane left Delhi for Heathrow, was carried by cabin staff from economy to first class, where there was more space. Her body was propped up in a seat, using pillows.

The woman’s daughter accompanied the corpse, and spent the rest of the journey wailing in grief.

Paul Trinder, who awoke to see the body at the end of his row, last week described the journey as “deeply disturbing”, and complained that the airline dismissed his concerns by telling him to “get over it”.

“It was a complete mess — they seemed to have no proper plans in place to deal with the situation,” said Trinder, 54, a businessman from Brackley, Northamptonshire.

The woman died during a nine-hour flight on a Boeing 747. Trinder was catching up on sleep when he was woken by a commotion and opened his eyes to see staff manoeuvring the body into a seat.

“I didn’t have a clue what was going on. The stewards just plonked the body down without saying a thing. I remember looking at this frail, sparrow-like woman and thinking she was very ill,” said Trinder.

“She kept slipping under the seatbelt and moving about with the motion of the plane. When I asked what was going on I was shocked to hear she was dead.”

The woman’s daughter and son-in-law arrived soon after and began grieving. Trinder said: “It was terrifying. I put my earplugs in but couldn’t get away from the fact that there was a woman wailing at the top of her voice just yards away. It was a really intense, primal sound.

“I felt helpless. Grief is a very personal thing; it’s not as if there was anything I could do or say.”
Trinder, chief executive of Capital Safety, which makes products for the building industry, holds a BA gold card and travels more than 200,000 miles a year with the airline.

He became particularly concerned about the state of the body. “When you have a decaying body on a plane at room temperature for more than five hours there are significant health and safety risks,” he said.

After the plane landed, those in first class remained on board for an hour before police and a coroner gave the all-clear.

“The police even started interviewing me as a potential witness, although I had no idea what had happened to the woman. I just kept thinking to myself: ‘I’ve paid more than £3,000 for this’,” Trinder said.

When contacted by BA about the complaint, Trinder says he was told he would not be compensated and should “get over” the incident.

BA said the dead woman was taken into first class because the rest of the plane was full.
A spokesman said: “When a customer passes away on board it is always difficult and we apologise for any distress caused.”

He said there were about 10 deaths each year out of 36m passengers.

Other carriers use different procedures. Singapore Airlines has introduced “corpse cupboards” on its Airbus 340-500 aircraft. Cabin crews use the locker if there is no empty row of seats to place a corpse.

[Via Times Online]

Car Plate Sells For 3 Million Dirhams

2007-03-19T18:28:00.000+04:00

A two-digit car number plate has fetched more than Dh3 million at a Dubai auction. The “E 15” serial number broke all records at the Dubai Roads and Transport Department (RTA) number plate auction.

The number was sold for Dh3,120,000 with potential buyers locked in a fierce bidding battle.

Jumeirah Beach May Be Closed From Next Week

2007-03-19T18:16:00.000+04:00

A mystery behind the fencing of Jumeirah Open Beach has been solved after it was reported a property development is to take shape at the popular spot.

Joggers who found scaffolding around the beach early this week reported being told the area will be closed to the public from next week because of a new coastline property to be built by Zabeel Investments.

The beach is one of the greatest attractions of Dubai for tourists and residents alike. Zabeel Investments confirmed it is building a new coastal development off Umm Suqeim along Jumeirah Beach. The project will comprise residential, commercial and hospitality facilities, reflecting a beachfront lifestyle.

“Located on the prestigious stretch in Umm Suqeim, the development will cover both existing and reclaimed land and will overlook the Burj Al Arab which is just down the coast.

“The development will add to the existing beachside environment.The new project will further extend Dubai’s coastline and provide additional opportunities for a beachfront lifestyle,” said Mohammed Ali Al Hashimi, Executive Chairman of Zabeel Investments.

Refusing to reveal details about the project, he said: “We are in the early stages of this development and will shortly announce details of the project when it’s finalised.” Upon visiting the beach, Emirates Today found a 17-km iron fencing is being built along the beach stretching from Burj Al Arab to Port Rashid.

A worker who declined to reveal his name said: “We don’t know whether the beach is being fenced off to facilitate the new construction along the coastline, but we are also making gates that will allow access to the beach.” It was also said, though not officially confirmed, that the fence is being built to restrict entry to the beach through tickets.

The contracting company building the fence said it has no idea what, if any, construction project is being built on the beachfront.

“We have received the contract to construct a fence. Beyond that we have no clue,” said an official from PHD Modular Access, the company executing the contract.

Haifa Wahbi's Fall :s

2007-03-19T17:55:00.000+04:00

Visual DNA

2007-03-19T17:32:00.001+04:00

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Amazing KOHLER Bath

2007-03-19T01:01:00.000+04:00

[Via KOHLER]

Makkah to Get World’s Tallest Clock Tower

2007-03-17T17:30:00.000+04:00

MAKKAH, 14 March 2007 — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah ordered the largest clock tower in the world to be built in Makkah, according to a statement issued by Makkah Gov. Prince Abdul Majeed yesterday.

The clock is set to be placed on the fifth tower of the King Abdul Aziz Endowment Project at a height of 380 meters and could be seen from all sides. The name of Allah will be inscribed on each of the four clock faces. Two of the clock faces including the inscription will be 80 meters in height and 65 meters in width, and the dial diameter will be 39 meters.

The other two clocks will be 65 meters in height and 43 meters in width while their dial diameter will be 25 meters. Two lifts will take visitors to a balcony with a width of five meters below the clocks. The landmark edifice will also carry intricate Islamic decorative artwork.

The Makkah clock tower when completed will be the tallest in the world — taller than Warsaw Palace of Culture and Science in Poland, London’s Big Ben, Rajabai Clock Tower in Mumbai, India, and the Allen-Bradley Clock Tower in Milwaukee, US.

[Via Arab News]

Jumeirah Essex House

2007-03-17T17:10:00.000+04:00

I just stumbled upon the new Jumierah Essex House site...it looks like a really good hotel...
Jumeirah has something good going for them...

‘Ireland’ sold for Dh142m

2007-03-17T16:40:00.000+04:00

An Irish business consortium paid Dh142 million for “Ireland”, an island that is part of The World development of man-made islands off Dubai’s coast, developer Nakheel said in a statement yesterday.

The deal brings the total number of islands sold on The World to 40 per cent, the statement said.

Irish developers John O’Dolan, Noel Connellan, Ray Norton and Andrew Brett, who jointly purchased “Ireland”, said they will develop a project called Ireland In The Sun – a 225,000-squarefoot resort with a collection of homes, apartments, restau rants and retail amidst beaches, boating and leisure opportunities.

“We are delighted that Ireland will be developed with a distinct Irish theme reflecting the culture and heritage of Ireland. These are the type of developments we welcome on The World,” said Hamza Mustafa, General Manager of The World.

In true Irish tradition, O’Dolan presented Mustafa with a bowl of shamrock, customary for Irish business people and diplomats, while standing on the island of “Ireland”.

“The World is one of the most innovative developments I have ever seen and I admire the vision that is behind this project. The islands are truly spectacular and we look for ward to developing Ireland, which will provide the Irish homeowners with their very own place they can call home in the sun,” O’Dolan said.

The World is a series of 300 manmade islands shaped to form the map of the world and is located 4km off the Dubai coast. The project measures approximately 9km in width and 7km in length. It covers more than 9.5 million square metres and is visible to the naked eye from space.

The World, whose sales are by invitation only, is now 92 per cent reclaimed, Nakheel’s statement said, with full reclamation for all islands and breakwaters expected to conclude on schedule by the end of 2008. Nine islands, including “Ireland”, have been sold so far this year.

[Via Emirates Today]

The Kingdom

2007-03-17T05:22:00.000+04:00

I was surfing the net a while ago when I found out that there is a new movie called "The Kingdom" which is going to be about the attacks that happened 2 years ago in Saudi Arabia...and as usual, in the movie, USA will come in and save the day as if Saudi Arabia couldn’t do anything for themselves...

Its just frustrating to see that in all American movies, they always show that all countries are helpless and they are the untouchables…but when u look back 5 years ago where were the untouchables when the attacks happened on the twin towers…am not happy about what happened, it was a tragedy and I felt sad about it because all the people who died were innocents…I just don’t like how they are presenting their selves as the perfect nation…

I saw the movie’s trailer; it’s full of stars such as Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman and Chris Cooper…in my opinion it just seems like a stupid movie about a pointless thing…

Business Bay Bridge Is Half Opened

2007-03-15T11:43:00.000+04:00

The newly opened Business Bay Bridge remained relatively quiet yesterday, but offered little to the congestion on Garhoud Bridge at peak hours, Emirates Today observed.

Between 1pm and 2pm yesterday, a day after its official opening, the new bridge presented an unusual sight for Dubai motorists, who associate crossing the creek with heavy traffic.

Driving in both directions on the bridge, which connects Oud Metha Road in Jeddaf with Al Rabbat Road in Deira, was a stress-free experience as there were very few cars using the new facility.

This was in marked difference to the other three crossings, which motorists said were much busier at that time.
Just 1.5 kilometres away from Garhoud Bridge, Business Bay Bridge provides an easy link for motorists using the Al Khail, Ras Al Khor and Dubai-Al Ain Roads looking to cross the Dubai Creek to the other side of town. Heavy vehicles have been banned from using the new road link.

The bridge is currently operating at half capacity with only three lanes open from Deira to Jeddaf and two lanes in the opposite direction.

The whole project is expected to be completed within two to three months, when there will be 13 lanes servicing traffic in both directions.

Motorists coming from Al Khail Road or the Dubai-Al Ain Road are required to take the Bu Kadra Interchange in the direction of Al Wasl Hospital and go onto Oud Metha Road, from where there are plenty of signs showing the way for the new bridge. Once past it, drivers go on Al Rabbat Road where a new interchange offers connections to Ghusais, Sharjah, Nad Al Hammar, Al Warqa’a, Rashidya and further to Emirates Road.

The new link also offers an easy connection for motorists coming from the Airport Tunnel into Jeddaf.

The new bridge is part of the Dh1.8bn Ras Al Khor project, which will eventually provide a free-flow connection between the Airport Tunnel and Interchange One on Sheikh Zayed Road, also known as the Defence Roundabout.

Commuters yesterday welcomed the move, with many saying it is good to have another alternative to Garhoud Bridge where a Dh4 road toll will be introduced from this July.

However some motorists said they did not know about the opening of the bridge.

“This morning I saw the messages saying the Business Bay Bridge is now open displayed on the electronic message boards,” said Rachel, who lives in Sharjah.

“But I did not know which bridge this was. I though the project was called Ras Al Khor Bridge.This should have been made clear to the public in advance.”

[Via Emirates Today]

Renault Dahboard Gadget Holder

2007-03-14T15:01:00.000+04:00

Everyone has seen those little sticky/grip pads for a car, but those things work as well as an ice cream sandwich in hell. This dashboard tray can definitely hold your gadgets regardless of how reckless your driving is. Renault calls it the "Grass Mat" dashboard, and this mat is actually integrated into their vehicles.

Starship Voyager Apartment Now Up For Sale

2007-03-13T03:47:00.000+04:00

Tony Alleyne, the man who turned his apartment into the Star Trek Starship Voyager and went bankrupt has decided to place his humble abode up for sale. The one bedroom apartment is not cheap at £500,000 (approx $967,000 US) but it does seem like a bargain in comparison to the first time he tried selling it on eBay for over $2 million USD. The apartment is located in Hinckley, Leics, UK and has moulded walls, touch-panel blue lighting, and a command console. He even built a life-size model of the show’s transporter room with reshaped windows to look like portholes and set up vertical lights to give the illusion of being beamed up. He started transforming the apartment after his wife left him when he replaced the refrigerator with a ‘warp coil’.

Here is Tony’s Official Website: 24th Century Interior Design

For more images of the apartment, click here

[Via The Uber View]

Playstation Home Coming in October; Beta Next Month

2007-03-13T03:36:00.000+04:00

You PS3 owners who want to get Home will have your chance soon enough. There will be a 15,000 person private beta starting in April, with a 50,000 person public beta starting in August in anticipation of an October launch.

It's also been revealed that the Home software will come in at under 500MB, and Sony is looking to get some Home action on the PSP. What that might entail is anyone's guess, but it'll be interesting if Sony gets PS3/PSP integration working before Nintendo gets Wii/DS integration.

[Via Gizmodo]

House Is An Island

2007-03-13T03:31:00.000+04:00

Developers have turned a house into an island in China after the owner refused to move out.

The villa now stands alone in a 30ft deep man-made pit in Chongqing city, reports Jinbao Daily.

The Chongqing Zhengsheng Real Estate Company wants to turn the area into a £40m 'Broadway' square, including apartments and a shopping mall.

But the owner of the villa says he won't move out unless the company pays his price - the equivalent of £1.3 million.

"The villa owner refuses to move, so the real-estate developer has had to dig out all around it to force him to," says a saleswoman at Weilian Real Estate Sales Company.

"He wants 20 million yuan, or he'll stay till the end of the world."

[Via Ananova]

SMS Flight Tracking

2007-03-12T17:45:00.000+04:00

This simple to use service means that flight information can be delivered direct to your mobile phone with an UAE- Etisalat SIM card installed. The total cost for receiving the specified flight information will 18 fils if you are within UAE and 60 fils if you are abroad.

To use Flight Notification service:

1 - Create new message using your mobile phone
2 - Type FI then space then the flight number ( Example: FI EK001)
3 - Send the message to 4488
4 - Current flight details will be sent back immediately

Note: (-2 to +22 hours) Arrival/Departures Flights available for this service.

To use Flight Tracking service:

1 - Create new message using your mobile phone
2 - Type FIT then space then the flight number ( Example: FIT EK001)
3 - Send the message to 4488
4 - Current flight details will be sent back immediately, and keep tracking the flight for you

Dubai International Airport Resumes Normal Operations

2007-03-12T17:40:00.000+04:00

Dubai International Airport resumed normal operations at 1400hrs following an eight-hour closure. The airport closed all operations following an accident involving Biman flight BG006 at 0630hrs this morning.

The closure affected a total of 71 flights, of which 36 flights – that were ex-Dubai – were cancelled while 35 incoming flights were diverted to airports in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Al Ain, and Ras Al Khaimah in the UAE, and to Muscat (Oman), Kuwait and Shiraz (Iran). Less than 20 minutes after returning to normal, Dubai International Airport received its first flight, an Emirates airline flight from Islamabad, Pakistan.

Read More...

Nice Ads

2007-03-12T17:19:00.000+04:00

[From RatLab]

du

2007-03-12T13:35:00.000+04:00

I just got my new du line today...they have a really good campaign going on...well soo far it seems really good and after a week or so i will be posting to tell yoy if its better than etisalat or not...

Making The Sky The Best Place On Earth

2007-03-12T13:32:00.000+04:00

I saw this ad in Emirates Today paper...it caught my attention...

Retro Mod Round Dot Led Clocks From I.D.E.A.

2007-03-11T23:42:00.000+04:00

Cool LED clocks keep popping up on the radar lately, and this week I came across these nifty round LED alarm clocks out of Japan.

Designed for I.D.E.A., the clocks feature round LED pixel dots instead of traditional segments, and look great in either brilliant blue or green variants (they also come in traditional red if you prefer.)

For those of you who don’t feel like setting your own time, the clocks feature automatic time-setting via radio broadcast signal (although I’m not sure this feature will work in all countries.) They can be found at online retailer Rakuten for ¥6,300 (appx. $54 USD.)

Russel Peter Tickets

2007-03-11T11:07:00.000+04:00

Russell Peters has added more gigs to his Dubai tour to satisfy the cravings of his fans. The organiser, Midas Promotions, has announced a third and fourth date for Canadian comic Peters’ tour in Dubai.

Peters, whose second show sold out within just 30 minutes, will take to the stage twice in one evening to satisfy the overwhelming demand of his Dubai fans.
Canada’s finest will perform on March 18 at 7pm and then again at 10pm at the Crowne Plaza Ballroom.

“The response to Russell Peters’ shows has been uprecedented. The demand for tickets has been so great, that the Time Out Ticket online store crashed at one point, due to the sheer volume of fans logging on to purchase tickets.

“Although Russell Peters is on the final leg of an extremely demanding world tour, he did not want to disapoint fans in Dubai, so he agreed to perform two more dates, said Mel Tyer, group operations director, Midas Promotions.

“Many fans had been left disappointed following the ticket sales frenzy that took place after the first and second shows went on line.

“However, fans will now get another chance to purchase tickets when they go on sale today at 6pm.”

Read More...

"Emirati Dimensions"

2007-03-11T10:49:00.000+04:00

“Emirati Dimensions”, an exhibition displaying works of some of the most prominent UAE national artists as well as emerging talents started yesterday at Qanat Al Qasba in Sharjah.
The idea for “Emirati Dimensions” originated with the objective of fostering talent among the UAE artists.

This event is designed to create a platform for artists from different genres to exhibit their work.

Thirty Five professional UAE nationals will display their work at the exhibition that will run until May 2 from 10am to 10pm daily.

The exhibition features a diverse painting and mixed media category, and beautiful Arabic calligraphy in March, while April will showcase local photography. It will close with the digital art presentation.

Metro Work Goes Underground

2007-03-11T10:31:00.000+04:00

The Dubai Metro project is moving forward at a rapid pace. Right on schedule, work will soon start from the Jebel Ali Industrial station, moving towards Dubal station, and from Al Barsha station moving towards Tecom station.

Digging for the second tunnel will begin from March 25 from Al Rigga towards Deira City Centre. As a result, traffic in this area will be affected temporarily, and travellers are advised to take alternative routes. Efforts have been made to minimise vibrations to buildings along the route of the tunnel.

For the two new stations, there will be seven launching girders working on the Red Line with one already in operation near Interchange 5.5 on Sheikh Zayed Road.

This machine has completed laying six spans of track, each span 38 metres long, said Adnan Al Hammadi, Director of the Construction Department at Dubai Rail.

Progress is most visible in the construction of the 44.1 kilometres of elevated track on which the Metro’s trains will travel.The track is supported by an estimated 1,171 steel and concrete piers, which will be tested to take up to four times the expected load.

The viaduct along which trains will run will be laid out by seven machines called “launching girders”, which will lift the viaduct segments and lay them on the piers.

“We have chosen this method because it provides the best mechanism method of construction that has minimum disturbance to traffic,” said Al Hammadi.

Work is progressing on the line’s four underground stations in Deira and Bur Dubai. Motorists on Sheikh Zayed Road have already had the first glimpses of what the Metro’s 44.1 kilometres of elevated tracks will look like.

Behind the Dubai Municipality building, where Union Square station is located, a $7 million (Dh25.7 million) tunnel-boring machine has already started its journey, which will eventually see it passing under Dubai Creek and into the BurJuman Metro station.

“The operation went very smoothly from day one,” said Al Hammadi.

He said since the digging operation started, there have been no cases of water leakage anywhere.

New Mcdonalds Ads

2007-03-11T02:51:00.000+04:00

[From Ads 2 Blog]

Stop Speeding!

2007-03-11T02:42:00.000+04:00

[From Ads 2 Blog]

Kontrolfreak Gives You a Better Grip on Console Gaming

2007-03-11T01:46:00.000+04:00

Designed for both Xbox 360 and the original Xbox, Kontrolfreak is a small plastic attachment that gives you better grip on the analog sticks on your controllers. It's essentially two wings that ensures your thumbs don't slide off and go flying, which honestly hasn't been a problem for us as far as we can remember. But we don't really go ape shit when we play games, despite what Kotaku says.

The price is 2 for $9.95 (enough for one controller), and will be available around late April or May. – Jason Chen

[From Gizmodo]

One Thing PC Users Can Do That Mac Users Can’t

2007-03-11T00:29:00.000+04:00

This is funny, check it out (Link)

[From 2:48AM]

Prison Break Actor Charged With Manslaughter

2007-03-11T00:22:00.000+04:00

This is really ironic. One of the actors from the show Prison Break is actually going to go to prison for real! [Link]

[From 2:48AM]

Old Town Nights

2007-03-11T00:00:00.000+04:00

If you are looking for a new shisha place with a pleasent atmosphere check the pic below...

Snaps Competition

2007-03-10T23:52:00.000+04:00

If you have the talent...send ur pictures and earn yourself some cash...

Read More...

The World's Billionaires

2007-03-10T23:37:00.000+04:00

Al-Walid Bin Talal #13

Read More...