Planking: Not just an internet craze but a sign of protest?

What is planking? 


Planking is a prank that involves lying face down in a public place, with photos posted on social networking sites.


It was invented by two friends in Somerset who called it the Lying Down Game


But it also emerged later in Australia and was nicknamed planking.


It recently gained national attention in the Philippines when protesters "planked" on the streets as a sign of protest against the rising fuel prices.


The action prompted a congressman to file a bill in the Congress to ban planking, which ultimately became a trending online topic. 


Since then, planking has been a part of every protest.

The Rise of the Parking Sheds

There's a large open piece of land in front of our building which is being used as a free parking lot for residents/guests of the apartments around it, and even by worshipers at the nearby mosque.

Sometime this year, a parking shed (right, photo below) was constructed by a resident obviously for his own use. A few months later, another shed (left, photo below) followed just a few meters from the first one.

Just a couple of days ago, another resident built his own in between the first two.

Photo taken Sept. 15, 5:50  pm

Photo taken Sept.16, 7:20 am

 I won't be surprised if more parking sheds appear soon.

UPDATE: When I came home today from work....voila!..there's goes another one...

Photo taken Sept.17, 5:37 pm

and I haven't even finished writing this blog!........


This practice has been happening not only in my area but also in other parts of Kuwait...people claiming a piece of public land for their own selfish motives as if they paid for it..

Or did they?

I don't think so.

I remember one incident that happened last month. It was past 1 am and most of us were already sleeping when we were awakened by a noise coming from outside. Apparently, the "owner" of the leftmost shed arrived to find another car parked in her "territory". So she (yes, she's a woman) was deliberately blowing her horn (without any regard for her neighbors) continously for almost 30 minutes hoping to alarm the "invader". A patrol car came, probably alerted by one irate neighbor. At about the same time, another lady from the building across came rushing. She was the driver of the other car. After a short discussion and gesturing, the "invader" moved her car, the original "owner" reclaimed her "territory" and the police left the scene, without even bothering why there's a parking structure there in the first place!

Maybe it's not my business but I mean, come on...the last time I checked that lot is a government-owned piece of land and I believe whatever structure built there, even if temporary, is definitely illegal...

Or is there any exemptions to local regulations that I am not aware of?

SEEN: Baklavaji

A Turkish sweets shop in Maidan Hawally

HUMOR: With due respect to the members of the third sex,  "baklava" sounds like the Filipino phrase "bakla ba?" rougly translated "Is he gay?" or "Are you gay?".

FACTS:  Baklavaji is a sweets shop in Maidan Hawally selling popular Turkish sweets particularly the "baklava".

Baklava is a rich, sweet pastry made of layers of phyllo dough, filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup and honey. It is a widely popular dessert in the Middle East, served in every special occasions.

Ji is generally used as a suffix in names and title in the Indian subcontinent.