Explosion Kills 12 in Qatar Gunmen Seize Crimea Seat of Power
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Explosion Gunmen Clippers kills 12 in seize Crimea down Qatar10 seat13 of power Rockets44 Max 21º Min 04º FREE www.kuwaittimes.net NO: 16090- Friday, February 28, 2014 SEE PAGE 4 Local FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014 Conspiracy Theories ‘Street wars’ trigger Guns for a water gun sales good cause Toy shops make record sales during celebrations By Nawara Fattahova Fun-seeking individuals, however, days and said that despite rising have quickly found an alternative to cel- demand, he didn’t charge more for the s part of Kuwait’s National Day ebrate the holidays. Water guns and toy guns. Fernandez, a salesman at a Acelebrations, Gulf Road has water pistols have replaced foam bottles. shop in Shuwaikh selling toy guns in By Badrya Darwish become the major battleground Although this year’s parade was free of bulk, explained that location is one of of this year’s revelers spraying water and foam, the streets turned into war zones the primary things responsible for a toy shooting each other with loaded water with troopers of all ages and nationali- shop’s success. “I sold seven cartons of guns. Spraying foam at cars driving by ties spraying water at each other and at big water guns, which was basically my has been an essential feature of the passing cars. The increased interest in whole stock. Each carton contains 12 [email protected] National and Liberation Days celebra- the “water celebrations” was a boon for pieces. The price ranges between KD 16- tions since 1991 when Kuwait was liber- the country’s toy shops selling guns at 26. Now, I only have the small water pis- ated from Iraqi invasion. The more cele- prices ranging from KD 1 to KD 6. tols available, which is not in demand ife has many unpredictable turns that human brations were held, the more people much because they don’t have a big Lbeings cannot control or think about, no matter started complaining about the misuse of Huge sales water container”. He pointed out that how creative he or she is. Sometimes you work foam which in some cases could cause “We sell water gun toys all year long toy shops in Mubarakiya witnessed the hard all your life and you do not get much profit. damage and injuries. Owing to this, the but in the past two days, we made biggest sales. What gave me this idea are the celebrations. The fes- Ministry of Interior banned the use of record sales,” said Hassan, a salesman at Mahmoud, a salesman in another tivities of our national days see kids and adults carry- foam last year. Importing foam could a local toy shop in Salmiya. He explained wholesale toy shop in Kuwait City, ing plastic guns loaded with water roaming every cor- also put a company in trouble. that he sold more than 100 pieces in two agreed that they had record sales of ner of Kuwait spraying at people, cars and passersby. water guns this year. “Our store sold Did the sellers of such a simple plastic toy ever more than 1,000 cartons, each contain- thought that they will be selling thousands of guns ing 12 pieces. Medium was the preferred for a day or two? size since it’s cheaper and suits kids God has his own ways of granting things to human more. Our prices ranged between KD 1-9 beings. I am 100 percent sure all small toy shops that I per piece,” he said, adding that all prod- drive by in Salmiya or any other toy shop never ever ucts are made in China, and the differ- dreamt that they will one day run out of their pre- ence in price depends on the size. cious plastic water guns for children for two days. The Throughout the year, he said, the shop amazing thing is that not only children were using sells small water guns, which are not these guns. The craving came to adults too. The funni- popular around this time. He also est thing I saw was a video sent online to me of a few revealed that many of his customers Bangladeshi workers carrying plastic water guns and bought the guns in bulk to sell them in spraying the cars. The caption under the photo said in the desert. broken Arabic: “Look, we are not afraid.” According to Rida, a salesman in a toy I think that the water guns got upgraded when a shop located in Sharq, location is not a man hired a water tanker to roam the streets - I mean major factor in sales. He said that despite a tanker that supplies water to homes and residential his shop being located near Gulf Road, areas. He had big hopes and started spraying water at this year’s sales weren’t as good as last cars. He was not content with the small children’s year’s sales. “This year, we sold less than guns. He got a water tanker - something more sub- 100 pieces. Last year, we sold more” he stantive. said. Rida also said that many roaming That took me back a few years before the removal vendors sold their water guns this time of Saddam in 2003. From the time between Kuwait’s and that some people bought their guns liberation in 1991 and 2003, people were not very KUWAIT: A Kuwaiti girl shoots her toy gun during celebrations to mark the at Gulf Road while others used ones they relaxed. There were lingering fears. Especially when 53rd National Day and the 23rd Liberation Day.— Photo by Joseph Shagra bought last year. Saddam fired two missiles and everyone was scared. We were taping our windows and doors and were afraid that he might throw a missile at us. I ran to the Local Spotlight co-op to buy tapes and they told me that everything was finished. I remember I and the driver going around to every co-op and baqala to get tapes. Death on the roads Was it possible that overnight these tapes were gone? Did the tape importers ever dreamt that they at all. They seem to be on suicidal missions. The law may punish would get rid of the tapes that had been on their By Muna Al-Fuzai the driver but it was this person who acted carelessly and must shelves for many years? Of course not. Life is very be punished for his mad act. unpredictable in its many ways. It is also nice that But, feeling sorry for those who lose their lives on the roads is these water guns were sold for a nice cause and for not enough. Some suggestions have been made to prevent fun, not for threats. those less than 18 years old to get a driving license until they Have a nice weekend! [email protected] turn 21, while some have suggested to stop granting expatri- ates driving licenses. But how do we expect all those people to study by the Institute for Transportation Research at the reach their work and study places while Kuwait lacks decent University of Michigan showed Kuwait stood third in the bus stops or decent means of public transportation like a metro Aworld over fatalities from road crashes as a percentage of or subway that everyone can use easily and peacefully? I know fatalities from other leading causes of death. UAE stood first many expats don’t use taxis because it cost a lots of money and with 15.9 percent, followed by Qatar with 14.3 percent and would rather use the bus because it is cheaper although it lacks Kuwait 7.9 percent. This is considered large for a small country even a seat to sit on or shades at bus stops during the heat of like Kuwait. In fact I think it is a worrying trend and needs a summer or rain in winter. study on how to control this tragedy that takes many lives every So, the bottom line here is that as long as we don’t have any day. developed and modern methods of public transposition or In Kuwait, it doesn’t need an expert to see that although we control on giving driving licenses to people, the situation will have some large roads and the traffic system is reasonable and fester and roads will keep getting inundated with cars that acceptable, the human element is key in the large number of exceed their normal capacity. accidents and death on the roads. Most road accidents are due I know that right now there is campaign over unfastened to speeding and carelessness of others. Their misfortune leads seatbelts and using mobiles while driving, but I have seen many them to be in the way of those who drive their vehicles like people ignoring it. We need more undercover police to punish rockets. Some others use their mobiles, engaged in long conser- those who challenge this law because they put the life of inno- vations, forgetting that driving requires their attention. cents in danger. I believe if no enforcement of law is made, the Sometimes you see pedestrians who try in crazy ways to roads will consume more lives every day. Death on the roads cross the highways! You wonder if these people have any brains can happen to any one of us. Drive safely. Bangladeshi workers spray cars with plastic water guns. 4 Local FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014 Philippine embassy in Kuwait haunted Chaos, disorder as ‘restless spirits’ create hysteria at Philippine embassy shelter By Ben Garcia everal runaway maids currently housed at the SPhilippines embassy shelter in Jabriya claim that they were possessed by a dead woman’s ghost.