Religious backed U.S. companies in Kuwait- Timberland is a Jewish backed Company!

 Forever 21 prints a reference to one of the most oft quoted passages of the New Testament on the bottom of all of its bags.AP Photo

Purchase a skimpy $15 top or $19 skirt from trendy but budget-conscious clothing retailer Forever 21 and you may notice "John 3:16" printed on your shopping bag.

Printed on the bottom of each of the store's bags, the biblical reference is perhaps the most obvious reference to the religious beliefs promoted by the store's owners, the Chang Family, who are born-again Christians.

Mrs. Chang told Bloomberg Businessweek last year that the store had religious roots, citing that "God told her she should open a store and that she would be successful."

The store provoked criticism in the summer of 2011 when it released a slew of religious-themed tees emblazoned with slogans such as "Jesus ♥ You" and "Holy."

Does anyone have a shopping bag from the Kuwait location?

Curves founder Gary Heavin is an outspoken Christian and supporter of conservative and religious causes.Wikimedia Commons

Curves gyms are nationally known for creating a men-free environment where women of all shapes and sizes can work out.

It's lesser known that the company's founder Gary Heavin, is a born-again Christian who has garnered criticism for conservative political views and donating to anti-abortion causes, according to a 2004 Houston Chronicle profile.

Heavin acknowledged there has been some business "fallout" from his views, which prompted some members to cancel memberships.

We have Curves in Kuwait. Hmmm...

Timberland CEO Jeff Swartz says his Jewish faith motivated him to sever ties with a Chinese factory.flickr/paparain

Timberland CEO Jeff Swartz is well-known for his commitment to promoting corporate social responsibility.

For example, Swartz moved to sever the company's ties with a Chinese factory where human rights violations were allegedly occurring despite the fact that it took a hit to the shoe making company's bottom line. Swartz attributed his motivation to his own personal Jewish faith in a 2008 Fast Company profile.

"I can't show you the scripture that relates to the rights of a worker, but I can show you text that insists upon treating others with dignity," he said. "It says in the Hebrew Bible one time that you should love your neighbor as yourself, but it says dozens of times that you shall treat the stranger with dignity." Full Story

A lot of people in Kuwait are sporting Timberland gear. Hmmm......

Please vote for Operation Hope !!!!!!!

The founder of Operation Hope, Sheryl Mairza has informed me that OH has been shortlisted in the "Spread Some Inspiration" contest from Philly Arabia!

Quote from Sheryl:

"Dear Friends ~ please take a moment from your day to place your vote for Operation HOPE Kuwait. We have been shortlisted from the numerous submissions for this year's "Spread Some Inspiration" campaign sponsored by Philly Arabia. Kindly click on the link just below and click on the word "vote" located on our photograph. The public will now determine which order the shortlisted three will be awarded prizes: First, second, or third... Will you cast your vote today? Also, kindly share this with friends, colleagues and family, so that they, too, may support our standing with this campaign. Your support is most appreciated...! Blessings, Sheryll and the OH team! "

OH must gather all votes by May 8th, please share and put Kuwait on the map!

 Vote by clicking here! It's the middle box with the blonde lady surrounded by kids.

If you would like to know more about Operation Hope please visit our Facebook Page and thank you for your votes!

CIK article featured in Huffington Post- Woohoo!

CIK and Z District blogs were featured on the Huffington Post website. A Reddit user had uploaded photos of the "Villa Akbar" house in Kuwait. Huffington Post saw the picture and did an article about the house featuring posts from CIK and Z District, how cool is that?

Quote from HP:

"Upon doing some research we learned that this home is located in Mubarak Al-Kabeer, and someone wrote a blog about how it's the "ugliest house in Kuwait." There's also another post from Crazy In Kuwait, where the author suggests that interior designer Nate Berkus comes to transform the mansion. "Quick! Someone call Oprah and have her buddy Nate take a flight to Kuwait and help this poor guy out with some decorating tips!"

*Getting my Oscar speech ready*

Baqala Convenient Store on Highway 40

The new gas stations are being built with convenient stores but most are still empty. This one is of  Highway 40 before the 210 exit. It's nice and clean and has a Subway restaurant inside.

It almost reminds me of home minus the fountain drink machine, slurpee machine and hot dogs.

Money = Sick Cars

Some new cars coming soon so get your wallets ready. First is a new Rolls 4x4 concept car. It looks kind of weird but anyone who has the money to show it off will want it even if they don't like it.

Then we have the new Rolls-Royce Wraith which will be one of the fastest Rolls so far. I think it's kind of manly.

Although I love the Rolls-Royce Phantom it would come second to my all time favorite Lamborghini Murcielago. Now Lamborghini has come out with the Veneno (named after a lethal fighting bull). They cost over 3 million dollars and will have three different designs as a tribute to Lamborghini's 50th anniversary. There will only be three made and they are already sold. I wonder if one of the buyers is from the GCC?

Next thing to do is check out Wrecked Exotics website to see if any of these cars will come up crashed.

The Rape of Kuwait by Jean Sasson

I remember checking this book out from the library and didn't put it down until I had finished it. The author Jean Sasson flew to the Gulf when she heard about the Iraqi invasion and interviewed Kuwaiti refugees. This book is their stories and it is definitely an eye opener. When you see the fancy cars, designer bags and what looks like extravagant spending you would never have thought that at one time Kuwaiti citizens were "refugees."

 

Yes, they celebrate each year in February but does the new generation even know what the celebration is actually about? My hubby was there as a teenager and told me countless stories of survival and how the Kuwaiti citizens came together and supported each other which is something you don't see any more. These days there is an internal conflict amongst the citizens and everyone is fighting each other. What happened to the unity and tears shed when Kuwait was liberated?

How would the martyrs react to the new generation dancing and singing to Iraqi songs? Yes, the war is over and not all people of Iraq are bad but why should this nation forget what was done to them? Now there are flights to and from Iraq, how times have changed, once they were killing, raping and torturing Kuwaiti citizens and now they want their business? For those who have forgot about what happened or have no idea I would suggest reading this book as it will take you back to those days and you will feel what the refugees felt. You can order it from Amazon

What To Do in Kuwait- Sheikh Mubarak Kiosk

I had to pick up some kohl from Mubarakiya and I spotted the Sheikh Mubarak Kiosk which I didn't know existed until I got the brochure of museums from the National Museum. Since the celebrations are on I guess they got a couple dudes to dress up in the old Kuwaiti uniforms which was cool and I would like to see some more people dressed up in historical attire when visiting various museums.  

A little history:
The kiosk consists of two levels. It was the headquarters of Sheikh Mubarak Al- Sabah and a plce where he supervised trade, followed up onissues of citizens, resolve their issues and negotiated with them according to the Kuwait Museums guide.

By this time my hubby had has his fill of Kuwait history and wanted to head home. The kiosk is located in Souk Mubarakiya across from the currency exchange market next to the date souk. 22408496

Inglot O2M "breathable" nail Polish

A while ago I posted about the "breathable" nail polish that has been approved for Muslim women. There is an INGLOT store in the Avenues if anyone is interested and if you want to find more locations click here.

 

 

Unfortunately the creator of this polish has passed away suddenly on Saturday at the age of 57 after suffering internal hemorrhaging. (link)

K's Path Work Truck Road Rage

This morning I heard the story of the K's Path truck involved in road rage with one of my co-workers. He was driving to the base this morning when he had flashed a slow moving "work" truck in front of him. All of the sudden the work truck turned on bright yellow lights and slammed on the brakes as the guy avoided hitting the truck he noticed the words K's Path in blue letters on the side. As he got back in front of the truck again the yellow lights were turned on as if to intimidate or something. It was a white guy in his late 30's driving the truck with license plate 14258 or 12458. Did the driver of the K's Path truck think he was tough or something? After all it was 6 in the morning which is a little early to be ticked off. It's not just Kuwaitis who drive crazy, everyone does it.

Interesting facts about Kuwait's Independence Day

Here's a press link from Kuwait Times about Kuwait and it's Independence Day. (link)

Police in full effect- Be Careful!

This past week there has been a cop posted on the street above the 40 highway. He has a radar gun and knows how to use it. This is the road leading to Arifjan and the perfect position to catch speeding vehicles coming from KSA or the chalets.

 

He has been there every day for the past week so I wonder how many people are going to have to pay fines soon. On my way home from Arifjan the 30 is covered with police vehicles pulling over people. Every day I count at least 10 police cars on the highway so everyone slow down because you may not see them but they are lurking somewhere. The MOI is raking in the dough!!!!!

Holy Quran verse posted at Harvard University

The US Harvard University has posted a verse of the Holy Quran at the entrance of its faculty of law, describing the verse as one of the greatest expressions for justice in history, a Saudi newspaper reported on Sunday.

Verse 135 of Sura Al Nisa (women chapter) has been posted at a wall facing the faculty’s main entrance, dedicated to the best phrases said about justice.

A Saudi student who studies at Harvad published a picture of the poster in his Twitter page, according to the Saudi Arabic language daily Ajel.

“I noticed that the verse was posted by the faculty of law, which described it as one of the greatest expressions for justice in history,” Abdullah Jumma said.

Harvard University was established in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1636 as the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States.(link)

How the UAE handles debts of their Citizens

This is how UAE is working out defaulted loans by their citizens:

Up to 1,600 UAE citizens have signed up for a AED1bn (US$410m) government-backed personal debt settlement scheme, the Gulf state's deputy prime minister said.

Speaking at the Government Summit in Dubai, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed said Emirati nationals were "blindly" signing up for personal loans that they were unable to pay back later, leading the government to create a personal debt bail out scheme.

“A loan is a dilemma, do not get into it. You should be careful when it comes to personal loans,” he said. “The banks are taking advantage of the unawareness of some Emiratis who blindly sign on the contracts.”

Last year, UAE authorities set aside AED1.05bn (US$410m) for the Nationals' Defaulted Debts Settlement Fund, a programme aimed at clearing defaulted debts owed by Emirati nationals.

Under the directive, rescheduling of loan repayments by indebted citizens will not exceed 50 percent of their monthly salaries, while banks have agreed to cut interest on monies owed by 1 percent.

Sheikh Mansour said the fund had dealt with approximately half of the 3,200 registered Emirati applicants. “There is a lot of confusion about the law; it is simple and clear. Any person that with personal loan debts and not commercial or trade loans unpaid before December 2011 will have it covered by the programme.”

The 17 banks taking part in the fund include are National Bank of Abu Dhabi Bank, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, First Gulf Bank, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Union National Bank and Al Hilal Bank.

“The agreements endorse mechanisms for settling defaulted loans owed by nationals against whom courts of law have passed judgments or cases are pending,” a statement read.

Authorities in November freed around 290 Emiratis who were jailed for bouncing security cheques, considered a crime in the UAE. They have been presented with certificates to protect them from any future prosecution while citizens in similar situations should report to the Public Prosecution to receive their certificates, state news agency said. (link)

Good to know Kuwait is not the only country with defaulters, at least UAE is doing something to help them out.

TIES Desert Camp

TIES Desert Camp:

All are welcome for an outdoor event like never before! Its TIES Center all day Desert Camp on Saturday, Feb 16, 2013 from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm. Transportation will be provided. Don’t miss out!! For reservation please call us on 25231015/6 or 97228860 or visit our website www.tiescenter.net

This is Hijab

Kuwaiti restaurant in Jeddah, KSA

JEDDAH –– Food enthusiasts may casually overlook and skip the chance to try Kuwaiti food, mistakenly assuming that it is similar to foods from other Gulf countries, such as Saudi Arabia.

Much to my surprise, after trying Kuwaiti food for the first time, I discovered that it is more stimulating and spicy than the traditional Saudi cuisine which is actually quite bland in comparison with food from this neighboring country.

A mix of Indian and Persian influence is noticeably evident in the sharp tastes and strong flavors of Kuwaiti food.

With the use of diverse spices and herbs, Kuwaitis take even the basic grilled chicken and rice recipe to a whole new level. The rice which accompanies your choice of chicken or lamb is heavily garnished with raisins and cooked lentils.

The tomato and chili pepper sauce is a must-have side addition to any rice platter.

In the Kuwaiti cuisine, Makbous (machboos) is the Saudi equivalent to Kabsah.

Kuwaitis are also well known for making Biryani, just as well as any Indian cook, loaded with onions, garlic, raisins, saffron, cumin, cardamom, and coriander.

The first and as a matter of fact the only authentic and specialized Kuwaiti restaurant opened here in Jeddah about three months back; and it is already bustling with curious diners.

Fareej Bin Agool is located on Al-Rawdah St. and serves a warm, freshly cooked breakfast, lunch and dinner. “Fareej is a common Kuwaiti word, meaning village or neighborhood. A deep-rooted and popular Kuwaiti folktale has it that an old man, Bin Agool, moved to an area in Kuwait with his tribe where he later settled down there and where oil was later found.(link)

I love Kabsah with daqoos on the side.

Dralion- Cirque du Soleil- Dubai

Dralion of the Cirque du Soleil family of shows is coming to Dubai the first week of February!

 

Fusing the 3000 year-old tradition of Chinese acrobatic arts with the multidisciplinary approach of Cirque du Soleil, Dralion draws its inspiration from Eastern philosophy and its never-ending quest for harmony between humans and nature.

Dubai World Trade Center
February 6-9, 2013

Criminal outcomes- Kuwait vs. KSA and Iran

KUWAIT CITY, Jan 30: The detention renewal judge has renewed the detention of the three suspects who are accused of murdering a Lebanese dentist at the Avenues Mall until Feb 20, 2013.

The suspects have denied allegations against them. They affirmed they did not plan to kill the man and said what happened was an ‘accident’ during a fight.

Earlier it was reported an altercation at Avenues Mall that Friday night had led to stabbing to death of a young Lebanese dentist, identified only as Jaber Samir Yousef, 26, born of a Kuwaiti mother.
He was repeatedly stabbed to death following a disagreement with four young men. It was also reported the four young men followed Jaber into the mall after a fight began over a parking space.
There have also been reports Jaber suddenly stopped his car, causing the suspects to crash into him, and in turn angering them.

The Public Relations Department of the Ministry of Interior in a statement had said a 22-year-old Bedoun suspect had been arrested and charged with the murder.

Majority of criminals get away with murder and crime which is one of the reasons why crime continues to rise. There is no justice anymore, murder is murder, eye for an eye or blood money like the old days. Say NO to WASTA!(link)

This is how they handle murder in KSA:

RIYADH — Two Saudi nationals were executed on Wednesday after they were sentenced to death for separate murders, the Interior Ministry announced. Marwan Al-Balawi was convicted of stabbing to death another Saudi, Saif Al-Wabsi, during a dispute in Madinah, said a ministry statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency. Hussein Al-Yami was executed for having shot dead Hamad Al-Jaafar in the southwestern province of Najran, SPA said.(link)

This is how they handle they handle crime in Iran:

Tehran, Jan 20 (IANS) Iran hanged two men in public Sunday morning for armed robbery, Xinhua reported.

A video footage posted on the web and aired on state TV last month had showed a group of robbers, on motorbikes and armed with machetes, assaulting a man in a street of Tehran and forcibly robbing him of his money and documents.

The two executed men, named Alireza Mafiha and Mohammad-Ali Sorouri, aged 23 and 21, were sentenced to death by a revolutionary court in Tehran. The sentence was confirmed by Iran's Supreme Court, ISNA news agency reported.

Two others involved in the attack were sentenced to 10 years in jail, 74 lashes and five years in exile.

Crimes including drug trafficking, murder, adultery, rape and armed robbery are subject to death penalty in Iran. (link)

Or:

According to the INSA press agency, the man shown getting his finger cut off was charged with robbery and adultery by a court in the southwestern city of Shiraz. He was also accused of being at the head of a criminal organisation…he was [also] sentenced to three years in prison and 99 whip lashes.(link)

Every day in the newspapers people are being "acquitted" for their crimes due to police messing something up does anyone actually serve time? I know there are 2 American women serving time in Kuwaiti prison. One is serving 7 years and might be released after a couple more years. How is it possible that 90% of criminals get away or get "acquitted' after being charged? Could this be one of the reasons behind the increase in crime? There are also the victims who don't report the acts because they know the police have little interest in putting down their glasses of tea and trying to solve crime.

I found that out when I saw kids breaking the windows on the bus and recorded them only to go to the Abu Halaifa police station to report it and the officers (with tea in hand) looked at me as if I was the crazy one who was interrupting their lounging. Of course they didn't do anything and I'm sure that bus driver probably had to pay for the damage. How does one expect a country to move forward when there is no respect or authority?

MoE ponders plan to hire British, American teachers

MoE ponders plan to hire British, American teachers:

‘High school students weak in English’

KUWAIT CITY, Jan 22: In an unprecedented move to improve public education in the country, Ministry of Education has been considering the recruitment of British and American male and female teachers to teach the English language in public schools after results of the TOEFL exam revealed that high school students are weak in the language, reports Al-Seyassah daily.

At a workshop on quality education held recently in the presence of World Bank representatives, the Minister of Education Dr Nayef Al-Hajraf discussed the issue with officials of the British Council and asked for the general salary scale in Britain, indicating report will be reviewed to determine if the ministry could recruit teachers from there.

The minister is said to have criticized the unified secondary education system, noting the system enables students to obtain high grades without commensurable standards, which makes a review of the system necessary.

He also said majority of high school students obtain weak grades whenever they sit for the TOEFL in university, stressing the country spends lots of funds while the students are taking preliminary language courses for one year in the university.

“It is unfair for teachers and students to introduce teachers to teaching immediately after graduation. Thus, it will be nice for them to obtain teaching license renewable after five years,” the minister recommended.

Let's see, any Western teachers who think about working in a government school should first learn judo, take a self-defense class and have some protective gear to wear at all times. Get ready for children to talk back, children who become violent and children who really have no human feelings. The only way this would work is if they let teachers carry a stick and have the permission to whack the kids when they get out of line.

I remember when I was in elementary school in Pensacola and we had a scary vice principal who had Elvis pork chop side burns and slick back hair, he also carried a big paddle with him and was given permission by parents to spank their kids. Let's take schooling back to the old days when children feared teachers and out of that fear came respect.

Health dangers of tattoos and its prohibition in Islam

A little FYI:

 Unhealthy practices, some even prohibited in Islam, are slowly creeping into our society; and it will take more awareness, education, and open dialogue to stay alert and stop these problems in their tracks before they spread.

Tattooing is viewed in the west as a harmless form of body art, an aesthetic procedure, a normal part of growing up for most adolescents.

Recently, tattooing has started appearing in Arab and Muslim societies as well. Apparently, it is extremely difficult but not impossible to find a place to get a tattoo done here in the Kingdom.

“It is not so rare and unusual anymore to get a tattoo, maybe not in Saudi Arabia but in other Arab countries.

“The most popular type of tattoo among some young Arab women is to get a permanent eyebrow tattoo to obtain the perfect eyebrow line without having to fret over bushy eyebrow hair,” said one young lady in Jeddah who preferred to withhold her name.

The wise person would look into why the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) explicitly rejected tattooing.

The following Hadith leaves no for debate or controversy.

Abu Juhayfah said: “The Prophet (pbuh) cursed the one who does tattoos, and the one who has a tattoo done.”

There a number of reasons behind the prohibition of tattoos.(link)