I'm sick of it. I hate my Mac. There, I said it. 8 months ago, I was unable to wait any longer to take the Apple plunge. I couldn't have been more wrong. I'm not generally the type of person that goes with the flow, but I admit that I did in going with Apple. I heard all kinds of crazy things about it: how you don't get viruses, how Mac OS X rocks, and how productive it is. Well you know what, those are all lies. They make you believe in them. They make you fall for it. Once they get you, you are officially under their command. They work with some psychological aspects that make you think: "yeah, this is actually pretty good." Then you start saying crazy things like: "Macs are the best" and "I'm never going back to Windows". Well you know what, I can't wait to use Windows again. Allow me to decipher those claims of Apple:

1. You never get viruses on Macs: Hell yeah you won't. Not when you can't download any program you want. Not when you are restricted to the crappy Mac softwares. How in the world are you getting viruses when all you can use is stupid iTunes and iShit.

2. Macs are more productive: I've got news for you: they're not. You can't run any program you want on Macs, now can you? Just last quarter I was unable to use a program my University was using because I have a Mac. You can't listen to .ram audio files. All your files have to be in a Mac-accepted extension. What the hell?! Where's the productivity in that?

3. Mac OS X Rocks: It can rock my A**. When I click the green "Maximize screen" button, my window barely increases an inch in width. WTF?! Why is it called "maximize" then? Why is there a plus sign on it? Using the stupid Mac OS X, I have to resize my window by manually pressing and holding the bottom left corner and dragging. So much for being called an innovative company! And hey Mac: where's the freedom? Why can't I edit my music file info without having to use iTunes?!

Constraints, constraints, constraints. How can you be productive?

Can't wait for Win7...

I went to watch Drag Me To Hell yesterday, and I cam out very pleased. Many people say that horror movies lack a formidable story and good choreography (I am one of you), but this movie really turns the tide. I had very low expectations for the movie going in (since it's a horror movie), but was surprised at how well this movie was made. I especially liked the story and the ending, the movie always seemed to surprise me. My only criticism is concerning the acting. It wasn't bad, but could've been better. I highly recommend watching this movie.

What's up with Facebook? Everytime I login, there seems to be a problem. It seems like there is something wrong with their server. It's been ridiculously slow, and often freezes. I confirmed similar problems with a friend. Hmmm...

After straining my calf muscle a week ago (which should be no surprise to the people who know me), I decided NOT to take care of it. That is why I went out today, with my strained calf muscle, to play basketball. Surprisingly (sarcasm), I ended up hurting myself pretty badly. I pulled the calf muscle furthermore which prevented me from walking properly. Now I'm not that stupid, so I decided to take care of it this time. I just got this creme (do you write creme as "creme" or "cream" ? hmm) today which turned out to be a pretty good pain reliever. The nice thing about it is that it has a sort of sponge applicator (the same kind of sponge you use for cleaning your shoes), which you can apply with directly onto your muscle. This, I think, is a very smart idea as I always tend to squeeze out more than I need with regular creams. Now I can't play for 2 weeks. Nice...

Update: I just woke up earlier this morning with a VERY painful burning sensation on my calf muscles. The back of the creme does point out that this might happen, but that it will go away. It did go away, but it was harshly painful!

I wanted this for a long time now. I think it's so much fun. While I was at Dick's Sporting Goods, I found this package which had the item I wanted! I never thought they would make a "pro-like" finishing to a miniature basket; but they did. Now the cool thing about this is that it actually has a spring on the rim, so you can slam dunk all you want! It's amazing. Another great thing about this product is how it's packaged. It's very easy to assemble, and you have all the parts you need included in the box. Very nice.

I just stumbled upon an interesting post from Autoblog. It is basically about Investment Dar, and how they are trying to sell 20-30% of their share in Aston Martin. While it might not be news to many of you, but I just found out by reading this article that Investment Dar, a Kuwaiti firm, owns part of Aston Martin!

We've all heard about the Porsche Panamera. Dubbed as the "car of 2009" by Car Magazine, will it really live up to the Porsche brand? I personally think it will. I especially like the interior which looks very luxurious yet very comfy at the same time. Porsche are trying to cover all bases starting with the legendary 911 and ending with the Cayenne. Now it's bridging the gap with the new Panamera. So what do you think, a Hit or a Miss for Porsche?

I just came back from the Sony Style shop here in Columbus, OH. I was looking for a carrying case for my HX1. To my surprise, they didn't have any carrying cases for the HX1. The official Sony website indicates 3 carrying cases for the HX1. One of which they did have, but was way too big. The other two were not available! Hmm...

I just found out about this interesting new SUV (or Crossover) from BMW. This might be the result of me being a huge BMW fan, but I really think this car looks nice. Two things I don't like though: Different colored skirt and bumper, and the rear headlights could do some tweaking.

Is Pontiac really done? I just read in an article that GM will announce the end of the Pontiac Brand on Monday. Not big news for Kuwait, as we don't have Pontiacs, but the situation in the States doesn't seem to get any better, especially for GM. What next? The end of GMC? Now that will affect Kuwait a bit, as I know many people like GMC's vehicles. This might seem a little too "overstretched", but don't you think if some main automotive brands start relocating to the Middle East (where there's still a market) then we would benefit a lot from it? I think the Gulf countries should pounce on that idea and start to take advantage of it. (Although the idea seems to be a little to distant in my imagination). Who knows?

Update: WOW! I feel smart now ;p ... Qatar is eyeing Porsche now!! [Link]

Ok, so i've had the camera for a couple of days now and would like to share some thoughts about it. First off, let me tell you that all photos in this post are taken by the Intelligent Auto Scene Mode. Also, this review doesn't include any specs, as you can find these at Sony's official website. I got the camera from Sony Style store in Columbus, OH for $499.99 (Plus around $30 tax).

I really like the design of the camera. The grip is very tight and comfortable. The nice thing about this mega-zoom, is it is actually smaller than you would expect. Now I'm not saying you can carry it in your pocket, but it is considerably smaller than regular mega-zooms and dSLR's.

Zooming is amazing on this camera. With the autofocus button (half shutter down), a 20x zoomed photo is as clear as a 4x zoomed photo. The zoom range is very long at 20x max. Really neat for a mega-zoom.

4x Zoom

Overall, I would highly recommend this camera. I definitely like the Intelligent Scene mode, as it will automatically detect the type of shot and accommodate to the conditions in a split second in order to ensure that you take those fast shots before they're gone. I like the build of this camera. It feels rugged, yet comfortable in the hand. The mechanical shutter does deliver exceptional speed. HD Video mode, which I didn't cover, is as good as it sounds at 1080 HD. Minor things: Love the articulating screen on the back, package surprisingly doesn't come with a memory stick, optical view finder is a very nice touch.

I recently heard about this Swine Flu from a friend. I "googled" it and found out that it's actually a developing story. It is only recently (and by recently I mean a few days ago) discovered in humans. The source of this flu is supposedly from occasional contact with pigs and being around them. It is currently detected in Mexico and now in Southern American states. Read more about the Swine Flu [Here].

I have finally purchased the Sony Cybershot DSC HX1. I'm currently fiddling with it, but so far I found out that it doesn't come with a memory stick. I got it from the Sony Style store for $499.99 (Plus $30 tax). More to come soon...

Ok, so i've had some time to snap hundreds of shots, and so

 far I'm impressed. I only tried the panoramic function once, and it looked decent. Now the only problem I faced was with low lighting. It wasn't much of a problem, but I think I should take more time and try to shoot some more under low light. The only bad thing I can think of at the moment i

s the fact that a memory stick is not included with the camera. A little disappointing, I know, almost all electronics include at least a 256MB memory stick. So I had to pass buy Best Buy to get one. Anyways, the only thing I still didn't try yet is the HD movie mode. Here are some pictures that I've taken so far (Keep in mind that I'm not a pro, but suggestions as to how I could improve my photography skills are more than welcome).

So what have I been up to? Well, let's just say I became a car freak suddenly. I used to have memorized all car models back when I was 12 years old, and for some reason, I'm back! The weird thing is, I never loved F1 racing, but now I do. I'm looking forward to watching some races on TV. I've decided to be a Mclaren guy, simply because of Lewis Hamilton. I think he is one of the best drivers. Plus I like their new car (the MP4-24) pictured below.

As far as street-legal cars go, I've been going crazy over the BMW, and especially the M's. The M3 is a beast. I could confidently say that I have watched every single video of an M3 on Youtube! I really want an M3!

I just found out about this university (which I believe is fairly new) in Saudi Arabia. I think this university has a pretty decent potential. The campus looks great (from photos). I got a flyer today at OSU which invites all students to admit to this university where they will receive a full scholarship for their studies here at OSU then get full coverage for their master's studies at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). I think this is really good for the gulf countries. Many good universities are opening up, and it's become an alternative to studying at foreign countries. I know many parents who don't allow their kids to study abroad, and they feel that their future has been destroyed because of the limited choices they have. Not anymore. I just hope a DECENT university opens up in Kuwait...

I'm really looking forward to this new show called "Parks and Recreation". The cast looks pretty good with Amy Poehler and Rashida Jones. Interestingly, this show is from the makers of The Office and SNL, so the potential in this show is pretty high. Hope it lives up to it. The series premiere is on April 9th.

I was looking for an alternative to the Cybershot HX1 (Just in case it gets really bad reviews once it is released) when I found this. Is Amazon really selling the Canon Powershot G9 for $799.77?! You can also see from the snapshot that the G10 is selling for $409.88. Weird.

On another note, if anyone has ever used/owned a Powershot G9 or G10, your comments are highly appreciated. Thanks!

This is why I always like to choose Hampton Inn as my hotel wherever I go. I just came back from NYC (although it was fun, I must admit that NYC is not my type of city), where I stayed for 5 nights at Hampton Inn. Let me start by saying that the location is amazing. It is not right in the middle of the action (Times Square), but located precisely within a 5 minute walk. It had a very convenient location as we (me and my friend) were able to commute to and fro our hotel very easily to places like Times Square, Madison Square Garden, and Rockefeller. Now I must say that this is not your typical 5 or 4 star hotel. No. It's more of a 3.5 star hotel. The management and cleanliness, though, would earn 4 stars easily. The only difference is that some amenities aren't provided here that you would typically find in a Sheraton (such as a swimming pool). Nonetheless, this hotel provided free Wi-Fi, breakfast (which I never got to try), and a small gym room. Also I must note something that surprised me, which is that there was no fridge in our room for some reason. I highly recommend this hotel for people who want to be very close to the action, go easy on their wallets, and want a comfy stay.

Ok, double posting time. I've watched pretty decent comedy movies as of late, so I only hope that these two movies are good too. Miss March was a very witty idea with a new plot. Basically, the guy gets into a coma the day he was supposed to get laid. The humor continues from that point on. It was a very good comedy film. I laughed so hard. I Love You, Man stars Rashida Jones from The Office. I didn't think she looked attractive on The Office, but she sure did in this movie. The laughs didn't stop in this movie either, although if I were to choose the better movie, it would be Miss March by a hair. Two very good movies, Must-Sees.

While everyone is flooding to the beaches of the world for a crazy spring break, I decided to lay back a little. Ok, that was a lie (although I'm still not going to any beach). I still haven't decided what to do with my spring break, and it starts tomorrow for me! I already bought tickets for a Cavalier's (basketball) game in Cleveland, but that is like for 1 day. I would really like to drive to a nearby state, but I'm not feeling like researching stuff! I might just end up staying put in Columbus...

American's have their way of irritating everybody. I personally think that they are "falsafchiyeen" zyada 3an il lzoom. Allow me to clarify:

Why do you use feet when everyone else in the World uses meters?

Why do you use miles per hour when everyone else uses Kilometers per hour?

Why do you use pounds when everyone else uses Kilograms?

Why do you use the fahrenheit scale when everyone else uses the celsius scale?

Those are a couple of questions brought up by the fact that I just failed my Finals because of conversions between scales.

This is meant to be. I lost my last point and shoot camera (Casio Exillim Z1000) around 3 months ago, and it's time to get a new one. Unfortunately, the HX-1 isn't available till late April. Still though, I think this camera has exactly what I want. I'm not a professional photographer, so I don't want a dSLR, yet I want something with stronger capabilities than a compact point and shoot. Along with Panorama and HD video recording capabilities, there is no reason for not getting this (except that its price is a little too much at $499).

April 29th, my calendar is marked.

For the past two days, I haven't been able to use the internet because my computer won't let me. Everything was fine with the laptop, when suddenly it stopped letting me get on the internet. The connection was established with the router, and I have a wireless signal, but Safari itself won't open up the homepage. Somehow, miraculously, everything is back to normal, and I can connect to the internet. Weird...

I just watched one of the worst movies of the year (even possibly of all time). I wasn't even expecting much out of this movie, and it still sucked. It was very very bad. I wouldn't recommend watching it. A waste of time, really.

I just can't get this song out of my head! It is very good --> Let It Rock - Kevin Rudolf feat. Lil Wayne.

I know everyone pretty much knows everything about the ipod Touch (probably even have one). In this post, I am just going to blog my personal opinion and experience so far.

What I like: Huge touch screen - Fast and very intuitive web surfing - Youtube App - Other Apps (although I have yet to download any)

What I dislike: Back cover is fingerprint magnet - space between screen and outline on the edges.

Overall: I'm loving it! The web surfing is very quick and easy, plus I have yet to add apps (which i'm most psyched about). Oh, and this is my FIRST touch screen gadget :-)

I finally found the right shoe. I purchased a pair of hyperdunks a couple of months ago, but my feet never got used to them. This shoe (Jumpman Elite 1) however, which is actually my first Jordans, is very comfortable and tight. From my experience with basketball shoes, you always have to sacrifice one for the other (comfort or tight grasp on the foot). This shoe though is definitely an exception. I'm really liking it. (To the people who are thinking: "how the hell does anyone buy such shoes, then this post is probably not for you ;p)

I just love powerful machines coated with carbon fiber. Last time I had a Lenovo, it was a thinkpad. As far as I recall, i was smashing it with my shoe after it stopped working completely and no one in Hawalli was able to fix it. I think this is different. I know I just recently got a macbook, but I don't think it will be long before I change my notebook. The problems I've been having with the Macbook is its weight and the fact that the software I use works on PC only. Yes this notebook is 3 inches bigger, but it is carbon fiber coated and I think is even lighter than the macbook! I also like the fact that it has an HDMI port (which my macbook doesn't) and an option of adding a blu ray player. Now while I'm probably not changing very soon, I'm really loving this machine.

They are amazing. I heard about this group from a friend a week ago, and now I just can't stop listening to their music/parodies. If for some reason you still don't know these guys, then you should go kill yourself. Seriously, see for yourself:

...You use a hanger to rip open your envelopes!

What need I say about this film? It is definitely one of the best since The Dark Knight. It is amazing. I liked how it was humorous but never got out of the line of the story's plot. Make no mistake this is a drama, but you will enjoy a couple of laughs here and there throughout the movie. To sum it all up: Clint Eastwood is stellar. GO SEE THE MOVIE!

We keep hearing everywhere we go how America is civilized, and have laws that everyone abides by. We also hear that they have the best well-thought rules and regulations. Let me tell you now that their traffic regulations and laws are utterly stupid. Anyone who has ever come to the states knows that we in Kuwait have better traffic laws (although we don't follow them). I just wanted to point this out since everyone keeps comparing Kuwait to other countries and it always comes out to be on the negative side.

So I had more problems on my Beats Headphones. I went back to the Apple store with a smile on my face because I knew I was dealing with the best customer service (considering what they did last time I had problems with the headphones). Apparently I was mistaken. Apple told me that I should contact Monster (the company that made the headphones) and tell them that I have problems with my headphones. WTF?? I mean it's an agreement between Apple and Monster, why should I be the one who contacts Monster? Now I'm stuck with a pair of headphones that don't work! Apple should've kept the headphones with them and they contact Monster and work out whatever they have to do, and then Apple would call me when I have a pair of working headphones. This is crap.

First of all: How the hell do people use Zain e-go?? It SUCKS!! I've been using it for two weeks here in Kuwait, and it is so bad. I know that there has been a problem with the internet lately, but that's not the only problem. The device (e-go) is very sensitive and you have to keep on disconnecting it and reconnecting it to your laptop (that's if it didn't disconnect by itself. Anyways, bottom line: it sucks.

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Second: I'm being delivered back to Ohio to continue my University journey. Expecting a lot now that I have been accustomed to the place. And yes, I can't wait for the snow there!

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Lastly, I am in serious need of a digital camera. I'm pretty much looking at all sorts of cameras right now (I must admit: I don't exactly know what I want). I want to dive into the SLR stuff and become a photographing enthusiast, but then again, I'm not sure if I'm going to give it a lot of time. I also don't know if I need a digital camera or video cam. Yup, that's how much I'm lost!

Later,,