Here There and Everywhere

Expat wanderer

Great Kuwait Sunset Challenge Deadline

So here is how it is going to work. I am going to give you this one last weekend and one last week to come up with your sunset photo. Bu Yousef, AbdulAziz and Someday have shown us that yes, it is possible to find a sunset in Kuwait without streetlights and electrical wires, even a sunset over the water.

I haven’t seen a sunset behind a mosque, or behind one of the fabulous dhows or . . . Liberation Tower, Kuwait Towers. There are still a lot of options out there, and you have ONE WEEK. One week, today, I will post a series of photos narrowed down – some have already been disqualified, because although they were beautiful, they were not Kuwait.

YOU will vote. For one week, bloggers and commenters can vote. Together, we will choose the one we think wins the Great Kuwait Sunset Challenge.

(I already know what the next challenge is going to be. 🙂 )

October 10, 2008 Posted by | Arts & Handicrafts, Beauty, Community, ExPat Life, Kuwait, Living Conditions, Photos | | 3 Comments

Warning for American Expat Taxpayers

Many American expats working in the Gulf put off filing taxes because they are working so hard they don’t have the time or energy to pull it all together.

We received a bulletin from our tax preparer today saying the following:

IRS CRACKS DOWN ON LATE FILING EXPATS – To receive the FEI exclusion, the IRS requires that you file within 1 year from the original due date of the return (determined without regard to any extensions). The IRS has recently issued guidance to begin enforcing this long overlooked tax rule. If you have not filed your Expat tax returns for 2006 and earlier years, please contact us ASAP to discuss your options. Worse case scenario – if you owe taxes the IRS can disallow your FEI exclusion, even if you have earned it, thus making 100% of all of your earnings taxable without any benefit of the FEI exclusion. Working in a combat zone does not guarantee Expats any relief from the IRS.

Our tax preparer specializes in expat taxes. He has a thriving business, and really knows our unique situation.

Steven Palazzo, CPA
Palazzo & Co, CPA
PO Box 4634
Biloxi, MS 39535
228-396-8800 – Office
866-272-9224 – Toll Free
305-768-0483 – Fax
WWW.PALAZZOCPA.COM
spalazzo@palazzocpa.com

I publish this because the earned income exclusion is probably the best tax deduction most of us will ever have. You don’t want to lose the exclusion, and your hard earned money, by failing to file in a timely manner.

October 10, 2008 Posted by | Bureaucracy, ExPat Life, Family Issues, Financial Issues, Living Conditions | , | 1 Comment

Gigantic Sunrise

It must be an accident of atmospheric refraction or some other optical illusion – I did not photoshop this photo, the sun just turned out huge. I took others where the sun is smaller, but this one made me laugh out loud, and I hope it will brighten your day, too.

Good Morning, Kuwait!

For my non-Kuwait, non-Gulf readers, today is like Thank-God-it’s-Thursday. Tomorrow is the holy day (even many Christians go to church here on Friday) and some people also have off Saturday, some don’t.

At 0800 in Kuwait, it is 82°F / 28°C – my favorite temperature conversion, because it is easy to remember, same backwards and forewards. Yesterday, I even saw my first laborer wearing a neckscarf because of the cooler temperatures, LLLLOOOLLLLLLLLLL!

Blogger Mathai, at Just Blog It posted four sunsets, which are lovely, but scroll down his page to the October 6th entry for one of the most beautiful photos of downtown Kuwait I have ever seen. Taken during the Eid, the skys are SO blue!

October 9, 2008 Posted by | Blogging, ExPat Life, Kuwait, Living Conditions, Photos, sunrise series, Weather | 9 Comments

Imagine That!

Today I am so honored. I received a letter from MR.JOHNSON TSVANGIRAI the son of
MR.MORGAN TSVANGIRAI leader of the MDC(Movement for Democratic Change) in
Zimbabwe. Imagine that! He is writing to me! And . . . he wants to share a LOT of money with me.

It must be because I love Africa so much – do you think? I mean, how did he get my name (Intlxpatr) and why else would he be so generous to me?

But I don’t really have the time right now, so I am passing along this “opportunity” to you. It claims to be from a Zimbabwean, but it sure sounds Nigerian scam to me!

Dear Sir/Madam,
With warm heart I offer my friendship and greetings, and I hope this mail meets
you in good time.I humbly ask that you take due consideration of its importance
and immense benefit and also sincerely seek your confidence, as I make this
proposal to you as a person of integrity.I am MR.JOHNSON TSVANGIRAI the son of
MR.MORGAN TSVANGIRAI leader of the MDC(Movement for Democratic Change) in
Zimbabwe.

I got your contact through Network online in my search for a reliable and
reputable individual to handle a very confidential transaction which involves
the transfer of funds to a foreign account and I decided to write you because
of the present political situation in my country today which forced me to seek
political asylum in the Netherlands as instructed by my father because his life
has been threatened by the present leader of ZANU-PF (Zimbabwe African National
Union ? Patriotic Front) and president of Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe,My
father who holds a seat in parliament presently in Zimbabwe envisaged this
crisis hence he had transfered most of his liquid funds to Johannesburg – South
Africa to deposit the sum of US$9.5 Million (Nine Million Five Hundred
Thousand United States Dollars)with a Security and Finance Company as if he
foresaw the looming political danger in Zimbabwe.

The money was deposited in a Box as valuables/Antiques to avoid much demurrage
from the Security and Finance Company. These funds where meant for the purchase
of New Machineries and Chemicals for Farms and the establishment of new farms
in Lesotho and Swaziland. The land and political problem arose when President
Robert Mugabe introduced a new land act that wholly affected the Rich White
Farmers and some few black farmers.we vehemently condemned the “Modus Operandi”
adopted by the government. This resulted to mob action by the war veterans and
some political thugs. Heads of governments from the west,especially
Britain,France and United States of America have voiced their condemnation of
Mugabe’s plan. Subsequently, South African Development Community (S.A.D.C) has
continuously supported President Mugabe’s new land act, it is against this
background that I and my family who were residing in South Africa have decided
to transfer my Father’s Estate Funds to the Netherlands.

As the eldest son of my Father, I am saddled with the responsibility of seeking
a genuine foreign partner that will participate in investing these Funds in a
Lucrative Business, These funds have been transferred without the knowledge of
my government who are tactically freezing our family’s wealth and South
Africa’s government seems to be applying the same policies as that of the
present government in Zimbabwe. I am faced with the dilemma of investing this
funds in South Africa for fear of encountering the same experience in future
since both countries have almost the same political history.
For more information concerning the brutality of the Mugabe government please
click this links:

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1833968,00.html
http://allafrica.com/stories/200806240076.html
http://www.america.gov/st/peacesec-
english/2008/June/20080606162832dmslahrellek0.9750025.html
http://www.ambafrance-uk.org/Presidency-communique-on-Zimbabwe.html

More so, the South African Foreign Exchange policy does not allow such
investment hence I have gone to the Netherlands to seek “POLITICAL ASYLUM”.As a
businessman I want to entrust my future and that of my family into your hands,
I must let you know that this transaction is 100% risk free and the nature of
your business does not necessarily matter. For your assistance, we are offering
you 20% of the total sum, 75% for Me and My Family while 5% will be mapped out
for any expenses we may incure during the course of this transaction. We wish
to invest our share of the money on commercial property based on your advice.

Finally, all we demand from you is assurance that you will not sit on this
funds when it finally gets to your personal or company’s account in your
country. If this proposal is acceptable by you, please confirm your interest
via Email and i shall forward for your perusal any documentations to satisfy
you that this project is Legitimate.

Thank you for your Anticipated Co-operation as I await your prompt response.
God bless.
Yours Faithfully,
Mr.Johnson Tsvangirai.
(For the TsvangiraiFamily).

October 8, 2008 Posted by | Crime, Entertainment, ExPat Life, Financial Issues, Fund Raising, Zimbabwe | , | 7 Comments

Sunset Someday

Awwwww. . . .I couldn’t resist. Here is the Great Kuwait Sunset Challenge entry from Kuwait Blogger Someday (Red) who actually found a vantage point for a sunset WITH NO STREETLIGHTS!

Woooo Hoooo on you, Someday!

I totally love the way she framed the photo with palm branches, don’t you? She urges you to look closely, there really is a setting sun in the photo!

October 8, 2008 Posted by | Arts & Handicrafts, Community, ExPat Life, Kuwait, Living Conditions | , | 5 Comments

Seven Day Warning: Blog Action Day October 15

Only one week to go! Today is Wednesday, October 8th – just one short, sweet week before Blog Action Day.

They sent this reminder today:

7 Days to Go – Have you Registered?
Hello Bloggers!

We’ve got just 7 days to go before Blog Action Day 2008 – and we want to make sure everyone who participated in 2007 has had a chance to register their blogs to post up on October 15th and join us once more in shaking the internet!

Register at: BlogActionDay.org

In 2008 we’re discussing Poverty and we’re all set for a huge year with thousands of bloggers registered to participate, including dozens of top bloggers like TechCrunch, LifeHacker and more!

Additionally we have members of both the Spanish and English parliaments planning on participating, a ton of great organisations including the United Nations Millenium Campaign, Friendster, MySpace, Kiva, BlogTV, Blog.de, and lots more.

Head over to BlogActionDay.org for all the updates and news!

We have a lot of material here in Kuwait. I see we already have a lot of Kuwait bloggers registered! Wooo HOOOO on Kuwait! 🙂

October 8, 2008 Posted by | Blogging, Community, ExPat Life, Health Issues, Kuwait, Living Conditions, Social Issues | Leave a comment

600 Speeding Tickets Issued over Eid Holidays

600 speeding tickets issued over Eid

From today’s Al Watan staff

KUWAIT: Highway Traffic Police launched a campaign against reckless and speeding drivers during the Eid holidays, which was aimed at eliminating tragic car accidents. According to instructions passed by Major General Mahmoud AlÙ€Dousari, Highway Traffic officers set up surprised checkpoints along the King Fahed Expressway.

They succeeded in handing out over 600 speeding tickets and seized 20 violating vehicles.

A reliable source said: “A reckless motorist driving a German car was speeding on the safety shoulder of the highway bypassing all other vehicles, which were lined up at a security check point. Highway patrols pursued the speeding driver before arresting him.”

I wish they had the police out regularly. The roads yesterday were full of people weaving in and out, too fast. We watched one car clip another entering the speedway, neither of them slowed a bit.

October 7, 2008 Posted by | Community, ExPat Life, Health Issues, Kuwait, Law and Order, Living Conditions, News | 4 Comments

Cough! Cough!

I was out enjoying the weather yesterday, when I noticed around noon I had a little tickle in my throat, and I was sneezing a little, too. Thought it was just the dust. By evening, I had a deep-chest cough, the kind that makes you sore after you cough a few times.

I don’t know if I picked something up or if it was just the dust. I am hoping it passes quickly, and inconveniences me very little.

Is there something going around in Kuwait? Is this just the time of year for health challenges?

October 7, 2008 Posted by | ExPat Life, Health Issues, Kuwait, Living Conditions | 7 Comments

Good Samaritan

This is from today’s Arab Times, but I think there was a very brief write-up of it before – a Kuwaiti, coming out of mosque during Ramadan, saw her walking naked and dazed down the street, wrapped a “cloth” – I am guessing his gutra – around her and took her to the hospital. I remember thinking what a good, decent man this was, coming from mosque, during Ramadan, having compassion on this poor abused woman. Or maybe that was another, totally separate incident where four young men abduct, gang rape, and dump an Ethiopian maid. (sigh)

Police hunt gang rapists: Police are looking for four young men who allegedly kidnapped and raped an Ethiopian girl, reports Al-Watan Arabic daily.

Police received information about a girl in a semi-naked state in Kabad and rushed to rescue her. The girl said four youths dumped her in the middle of the road after having forced sex with her successively.

I tag this Women’s Issues, but if you read the papers, you will know that young men are as vulnerable to abduction and gang rape as young women.

October 6, 2008 Posted by | Community, Crime, ExPat Life, Family Issues, Kuwait, Law and Order, Living Conditions, News, Relationships, Social Issues, Women's Issues | 2 Comments

Excuse Me? Say What?

From today’s Arab Times:

Drunkard creates nuisance: Police have arrested a Kuwaiti man for consuming alcohol and spreading panic in Adan Hospital, reports Al-Watan Arabic daily.

The well-built drunkard, who was visiting his brother in the hospital, caused nuisance and insulted policemen who rushed to the place, say sources.

It was found that the drunkard is wanted by law for insulting an employee on duty.

Don’t you find this write-up a bit strange?

OK, what does being “well-built” have to do with anything??? This is a news story!

October 6, 2008 Posted by | ExPat Life, Kuwait, Living Conditions, News | 8 Comments