black & white magazine issue 62

A galaxy of fun!A galaxy of fun! p30p30

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Villy Doctor – a beacon of light p48

4September - October

2 0 1 3B&W

All a

bout

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When sharks smell blood…By Adarsh Madhavan

There is someone out there who is worried sick

about something. When this man’s business took a

big hit and almost leaked to death, he plugged it by

borrowing quite a substantial amount from a ‘private’

money lender. Of course, he had never borrowed

such a big amount from anyone before, and in fact,

many years back, when he had to leave to a foreign

land from his home, he had sought a loan from a

friend of a friend. He managed to pay that amount

back but it took almost a year before he could fully

return it, paying monthly interest. He had heaved

a huge sigh of relief after repaying and had then

vowed to himself that he would not indulge in any

loans. But coming to his dreamland away from home

in order to earn something more, become someone

and live a life of fulfillment, he was suddenly caught

in two minds: should he or shouldn’t he? It was not

better sense that prevailed of course, for according

to him, he had little or no choice. It was a question of

whether he should shut down his business and plod

back to the country he had escaped from or grab an

opportunity out there and still fight back. He took the

easier option and plugged the leak with borrowed

money and things went on fine until he realised that

the plastic rose he held was full of real thorns.

He is now in a living hell for not only is he unable

to pay the loan installments, but he is also unable

to focus on his business. Work was suffering, his

family, who had little or no clue as to what the

poor man was undergoing, were worried and sad

about the sudden change in a once lovable family

man who was now irritable, angry and fearful of

something unknown lurking out there.

Things were horribly wrong because the loan sharks

smelt blood and were after him. They had a job to

do of course. He had borrowed their money and he

was now defaulting on the installments. How dare

he not lift the phone; they have been calling him

[email protected]

constantly and he was not lifting his phone. Calls and

messages to his office were left unanswered. He wasn’t

in his office since a week, it seems and now the office

phones were going unanswered! Time now to settle the

issue, send along the guys who knew what to do and how

to coax such borrowers who played hide and seek when

payment was due. That’s right! And where was he going to

run anyway? His passport was safe with them. There were

personal cheques… Deposit one cheque and file a case,

plus, make a firm announcement that the passport was

going to disappear and even if an emergency happened

back home, he would not be able to go.

And…and if he still did not seem to buckle under such

simple pressures, well, there are other methods. For this

is not a business for the fainthearted or the fool. If he

managed to abscond and even found his way back to

his home country, they had already set a net back there

and then the methods employed to get their ‘rightful’ due

would be, in theatrical terms, quite difficult to describe. It

happened, sometimes it happened that a borrower tend

to panic and absconded only to miserably realise their

mistake for they would all pay a heavy price, something

best left unspoken.

And so this man was worried sick. He had already

defaulted on two counts, and the calls were coming in a

flurry and he had shut down his business for couple of

days, giving a lame excuse of a viral fever and had asked

the existing staff to take some days leave…but as is the

nature of such dealings, where could he hide, where

could he go, and what would he do even if he managed

to escape their clutches momentarily…for he was going

to be finally nabbed and the consequences he would

have to pay would be too huge…he had a family, he had

children…and he was bleeding…

(Disclaimer: The above is a fictional account of a reality

plaguing some unfortunate expats in various parts of the

Gulf.)


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Good music should be like this

Enjoyable time

Readers

colu

mn

Mail your views and opinions at

[email protected]

Now we know why Sami Yusuf’s albums sell by the

millions! His concert at the Sultan Qaboos University

Grand Hall was mindblowing! It really took my breath

away! I have never witnessed a singer like this in my

entire life; to see Sami Yusuf sing live is an experience

that I would give my life to.

The whole hall was reverberating with his music and

we were also quite enamoured by his team, especially

the young and talented Hesham, whose masterly

command over his songs was quite amazing.

Black & White has given us a treat that we will never

ever forget. Good music should be like this!

All the best to B&W’s future events and we promise to

support you with our presence for all the events!

Nasser Al Zadjali, Seeb

We had quite an enjoyable time at the Sami Yusuf

concert. Although we reached late, we still managed to

be a part of almost three quarters of the show and we

enjoyed it thoroughly.

Hatim and Sara, Al Khuwair


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Black & White’s attempt at highlighting the Holy Quran

schools in Oman and the fact that these schools played

and still play a great role in moulding the minds of young

impressionable children made good reading. I must say

that it is a commendable effort from your side to bring

about such stories that give all readers an insight into the

silent efforts of the government of the Sultanate of Oman

in raising true leaders of the future!

Kudos to you B&W and keep up the good efforts!

Salim Rashid, Muscat

Overeating kills and overeating during the Holy Month is

surely a crime to themselves. I truly believe in this and I have

seen many of my friends commit this crime on themselves.

Even during the last holy month, I have witnessed my

close friends engaging in greedy iftar atrocities, which I

wholly condemn, but also report in whatever form so that

the public also gets to know this belly aching approach of

well heeled, properly educated, ‘decent’ people in town

who act as they have been starving for days when they

attack and devour food during the break time. I also enjoy

good food, but this was the season of austerity, this was

the season of giving and not a season of feasting and

mindless hedonism. Of course, don’t get me wrong, I am

not saying that these folks are indulging in any real crime,

but, somehow their mindless actions, which of course

pose more harm to themselves, are unpardonable. Why

can’t they realise that overeating is dangerous; or, if they

could at least spare a thought to the thousands out there

who are unable to get a square meal a day, they could at

least cut down on their gluttony? At least during the next

holy month, I hope my friends would spare themselves the

agony of overeating!

Abdul Arub Abu Backer, Wadi Kabir

It is important to have a professional photography studio

set up (issue 61) in the country. Oman clearly lacked

such a facility and it is great to hear that we have, finally,

a fantastic new set up: Infin8. Looking forward to their

activities and hope they start off their workshops and/or

informal photography classes.

A photography lover. (Name withheld)

I had made a special fitness goal for myself last concluded

Ramadhan and I must proudly say that I have achieved it.

Although I am not a Muslim, I still fasted like any faithful

during the Holy Month and I also took great pains to have

a very strict diet that comprised of just one meal. That

is to say, I broke with juices and fruits during iftar and I

had one proper dinner. Throughout the month I continued

exercising – of course, nothing heavy duty – and I made

sure that I did it without fail every single day. I have not

only lost weight, but I also felt great! The benefits of fasting

during the holy month are one too many to be enumerated

here.

Joyce Rebello, Al Khuwair

It is not easy to die and it is never easy to die young.

Imagine the fear in the minds of these young ones (issue

59) who are on death bed and have virtually no time left.

Imagine the plight of the parents who know that their child

will not live for a long time and are putty in the hands of fate.

It is a tragedy of life and not quite digestible. But, when an

initiative such as I Wish brings a smile on the face of these

children and their families enduring such emotional and

physical hardships, it is a commendable effort. We all wish

I Wish all success in their endeavour!

Roopani and Anitha, Muscat

Silent efforts bearing fruit

A crime called overeating!

Infin8 clicks with all

A fitness milestone

A wish for I Wish

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2 0 1 3B&W

Published by: Muscat Press & Publishing House SAOC

Black & White

Postal address: P O Box 86, PC 115, Madinat Sultan Qaboos

Office location: Hatat House A, II Floor, Suite No: 212, Wadi Adai

Ph: 24565697 Fax: 24565496

Website: www.blackandwhiteoman.com

Editorial: [email protected]

Printed at Oman Printers

Xclusive

Editor-in-chief Mohamed Issa Al Zadjali

Managing editor Priya Arunkumar

Work editor Adarsh Madhavan

Editorial Khadija Al Zadjali

Design & production Beneek Siraj

Photography Haitham Al Balushi

Advt. & marketing Priyanka Sampat

Conte

nts

Fully into a world where her altruism

and her humane nature stood out,

Villy Doctor started the non-profit

organisation Light of Life (LoL) Trust

that looked into unveiling the true

potential of rural India

No honking please!

Muscat does not suffer honkers

lightly; especially the blatantly noisy

ones. So, it was a surprise when a

bit noisy man pumped his car horn

at literally everything that moved

recently in a quiet neighbourhood

48

40

12 So be(ard) it!

Villy Doctor – a beacon of light

Bitter Batter

You may want to grow a beard

because you may want to find out

how you look with a beard and

may feel that you need a change

of appearance and your are right, a

beard will give you a totally different

look. Now, are you men going to be

better looking, handsome etc with a

beard?

The fun galaxy30Majarat Oman – the first ever theme park of its kind in Oman -- is slowly taking shape in Al Sawadi Beach Resort

compound. And it is all set to woo all fun lovers and amusement seekers, regardless of age, top officials of this exciting

project commented recently


2 0 1 3B&W

Every Eid, or any holiday in Oman, Nasser bin Humaid Nasser Al Dahli, a

senior official of the Muscat Municipality, would quietly head to his home in

Wadi Sahtan, Rustaq.


2 0 1 3B&W10

September - October2 0 1 3B&W

Pla

ygro

und

Nasser bin Humaid Nasser Al Dahli


2 0 1 3B&W

“Yes, be it Eid or any holiday, I never

go anywhere. Why should I? My

family and I can’t wait to be in our

beautiful village,” he recently told

Black & White. In fact, he claims it is

not just him, almost every one in his

green-draped village preferred to stay

put there. “Our village is a treasure

trove of natural beauty and adventure

possiblities and I would say almost

everyone in the village feels the

same way and would love to stay

here instead of running away to other

destinations outside Oman – home is

sweet home for all of us,” Nasser Al

Dahli enthused.

Wadi Sahtan in the Rustaq region

is lined with plantations and small

settlements. There are many villages

at the bottom of this mountain

bowl as well as high up along the

escarpment. “A tourist or a nature

lover’s dual interest can be satisfied

if they come to Wadi Sahtan as it

offers good possibilities for strolling

and walking around and enjoying

the beautiful scenery of the area,”

Nasser Al Dahli said, adding that the

locale offered endless possibilities of

exploration, hiking, trekking, camping

and simply nature gazing.

“I am proud of Wadi Sahtan and as

the name suggests, our village is a

little Mandoos… filled with natural

treasures. The wadi gets filled

when the rains come and for us, the

villagers, our village beckons us on

all holidays and occasions.”

ALL CELEBRATIONS AT

WADI SAHTAN

“I don’t remember a single Eid, be

it Eid Al Fitr or Eid Al Adha, when

our families were not in the village.

All of us in the village share a very

close bond and on every occasion

or celebrations, we get back to our

village. We don’t feel the need to fly

out to a summer or winter destination.

All our special memories are at Wadi

Sahtan. The sad part is most of the

time there aren't any direct black top

roads to our village and we all need a

4WD to get there. The village is self

sufficient and it has four schools and

a health centre.

“The forts, hot springs and the souk

are really very famous, but not many

know of our little village,” Nasser

Al Dahli said. Nasser, who joined

the Muscat Municipality 16 years

ago is today in a senior post. “Ever

year, during Eid and other holidays

I drive back to my hometown to

be with my family and relatives. I

wish the domestic tourism thrives

and the locals and residents get to

know more about our village and its

beauty.”


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Men r

ead

12B&W

September - October2 0 1 3


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While this may be a subject of discussion, the overriding

factor remains that men do look good with a beard, with

some of them even looking quite decently mature and

distinguished.

Growing a beard is not like growing a moustache.

It is an entirely different ballgame.

But, why grow a beard?

One good reason: because it is there and well, it

grows. Whether you want to grow it or not is an entirely

different point, but then if you chose to, it is also equally

important that you learn to maintain it well and not let it

untended like some of the gardens you might see that

spoils your morning walk.

You may want to grow a beard because you may want

to find out how you look with a beard and may feel that

you need a change of appearance and your are right, a

beard will give you a totally different look. Now, are you

men going to be better looking, handsome etc with a

beard? Well, leave that to viewers’ discretion! But, rest

assured it will change your appearance. And in many

quarters, it will make you look more distinguished. The

flip side to this is that a beard may not suit some men.

Somehow, it may have the opposite effect among a

small section of men. But, for those whom it fits, there

are some valuable tips to keep it well.

Let us say that your beard has just sprouted and people

are slowly noticing it: “Hey, Arnold, you growing a

beard or not?” Or, to the more lame, “Your barber is

on leave?” You may have to surmount such unwanted

comments and moments to reach your peak. Do not

give up if indeed you are planning to grow a beard. For,

you cannot cut or shape or trim a beard unless you

grow it to a certain length. Let it grow to an inch, or an

inch and a half, and that is the time you can give it a

shape.

Ok, now, assume you have a beard, but how are you

going to take care of it? The first thing to understand

that whether it grows on your chin or whether it is just

a small craggy growth, it doesn’t mean that it is not

hair. And like you take care of your hair, you also need

to take care of your beard, properly. A beard has to

be washed always. And not with a bar soap, you have

got to shampoo it. If you are able to use a mositurising

shampoo, well and good as it will help prevent the hair

from getting brittle. You may also use a conditioner.

Now, when it has reached a certain length and you are

already in the ‘bearded’ league, where others brand you

as “that man with a beard” etc., it is time that you take

care of it a bit more. And that is also ‘snip snip’ time.

Time to trim it. If you are doing it at home, then take

extra care. If you have an electric trimmer, it will help.

But for shaping you need proper scissors and a comb.

Over the period of time you will learn to shape it well.

Now, like we have said before: there are men who can

grow a beard and there are others who simply can’t.

If you belong to the second category, then give up the

hairy pursuit because if, after even two or three months,

it is all but scraggly, just shave it and move on. One can

still live without a beard!

He that hath a beard is more than a youth, and he that hath no beard is less than

a man… So said the bard.

But, is this true? Is this right?

What will a bit of hair on the chin or on the jaw make us? Are we going to declare

ourselves as men just because some hair is spouting from our chin?


2 0 1 3B&W

SAMI YUSUF’s music bowls over Oman fans

Sami Yusuf arrives at Muscat International Airport

Attends Press Conference with sponsors of the event at Radisson Blu Hotel

Photos: KJ George

Music mogul Sami Yusuf’s live and spirited performance

at the Grand Hall of the Sultan Qaboos University (SQU)

drew in a multitude of his fans, both locally and a few

even from outside Oman. The British singer-songwriter,

composer, producer and musician’s music won the

hearts of the audience who called for an encore, which

the artist obliged to thundering applause. Audi was the

presenter of the show. Platinum sponsors were Merge

and Al Wisal, gold sponsors were Oman Oil, Khafeef.

The official airline was Oman Air, while Times of Oman

and Al Shabiba were the official newspapers.

The silver sponsors: Assarain, Oasis Water, Amalia

Perfumes. Official host: Radisson SAS.

The concert was organised by Black & White in

association with Bandera Events LLC.

Om

an w

atc

h


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I am just a numberBy Adarsh Madhavan

O

ff th

e wall

[email protected]

“I am Christian,” I heard a tiny little boy saying, his shrill voice

rising above the splashes in the children’s pool of a hotel

near my home. “What are you?” the boy asked my son, who

was perhaps a year older than this kid. Elder he was but not

old enough to handle such a query. Plus, he was far less

worldly, in these aspects, perhaps even than his younger

counterparts.

So, my poor son looked a little nonplussed. He had no clue.

He made some guttural sounds, the kind he often uttered

when he had no idea as to what reply he should give to

questions, especially questions like this. My son was totally

uneducated to such theories of life; such labellings; such

brandings, such truths.

In fact, we were at fault, we never taught him to say what

he was -- Christian, Muslim or Hindu. I never wanted him

to think about all that at his age; he was going to find out,

anyway.

He stopped splashing in the pool and turned and looked at

me a little bit bewildered. I made a weak smile and waved at

my son. I was a bad father, who had no clue to the answer

he sought. I did not want to say anything. I did not want to

brand him. Let him grow up to what he wants to be is how I

felt his life should be. And in these last five years, I have not

tampered with that belief. I wanted my son to grow up into a

man. Other aspects, other brandings, he could take it up as

he grows into the role he has to play, I always thought. I am

his dad, but, who am I to tell him what he is; even I did not

know clearly what or who I am. Besides, I am not in any way

ideologically inclined; I am not part of a cult; I never believed

that that men should hobnob only with their kind (whatever

that was) and I never wanted to be part of a culture that

promoted divisions between people; I did not want to be

together with only my sect of people; or play only with my

type (again whatever that means). Imagine, if I was born into

someone else’s household other than mine, I would have

been a different person, perhaps of a different nationality. I

could have become anybody. That I was given a role to play;

that I was born into my household, of parents that are mine

is all a matter of fate; I never wrote the script of my life and

even as I hold a pen and try to make sense of these things,

I know that I will never ever make full sense of it. No point in

trying. I could pretend that I was someone, but deep inside I

knew that I could never ever be what I portray to the outside

world; I am, as you may soon find out, dumber than I

look.

“What are you?” the little boy insisted to my son who

apparently was more sensible than I, for he settled

the matter splashing the pool water on to the boy’s

face, drowning further queries.

But my son’s splashes were not enough to drown the

queries, the doubts, the incessantly raging theories

that played within me. They burned in me, an undying

meteor, disappearing from sight, but still simmering in

doubt.

This query by a little boy in a pool to my son had a

totally different effect on me because it raised more

questions in me and sunk me into a bigger pool of

uncertainty. I knew perfectly that one day I would rise

from this whirlpool with a clear head, but somehow

I have my misgivings. My head is usually among

the clouds and therefore such pertinent questions

always befuddled me. Of course I know what to write

in official forms that made such queries and I know

what to say most of the times, but then, there are

occasion when this query, what/who are you, catches

me off guard. I suddenly felt like my five-year old son

who had no clue as to what he was. Of course, he

knew who he was. And I heard him telling that to the

other kids later on in their pool innings. He was asked

by some other kid what his name was and I heard

him say: I am Anirudh Adarsh. YB2A! And yes, that

answered the first question the other boy had asked.

Of course, that is what he was!

And, I think I better follow suit. Why should I bludgeon

my head with doubtful queries as to who I am, what I

am etc, where I am from…

I am Adarsh Madhavan…

Or better still, let me get an Adhaar (*) card, it would

be better if I was just a number…

(*) Unique identification card from India

Off

the w

all


2 0 1 3B&W

Nawras family member Dalia Al

Hassani was honoured with the

Women at Work Leadership Award at

the 4th Asia’s Best Employer Brand

Awards 2013. The ceremony, held

in Singapore, saw Dalia receive one

of many awards of her career, which

has progressed rapidly with Nawras

since joining the company in 2005.

She also won Al Mar’a Excellence

award for Technology in 2012. Dalia

is Oman’s first female expert radio

network design engineer and has

recently been promoted to radio

solution design section head.

Dalia said, “I am inspired and

motivated to grow and develop with

Nawras, as they continue to offer

more innovative services in an ever-

changing market. The opportunity

of being in management has made

me set more new goals to fulfil

endless possibilities in the industry

and personal development. I am

completely focussed on thriving and

improving to see just how far I can go in this market and with Nawras.”

Nawras’ first female radio network design engineer wins international award

Never before sold in Oman or indeed

anywhere in the Middle East, the top of the

range Jeep Wrangler Rubicon is now finally

available at Dhofar Automotive Showrooms

throughout the Sultanate. The Jeep

Wrangler Rubicon enjoys several unique

engineering features which differentiates

it from its siblings, including Diff-locking

and sway-bar disconnect, delivering the

absolute ultimate in off-road capabilities and

performance.

Commenting on the launch of the Jeep

Wrangler Rubicon, Chris Edwards, general

manager of Dhofar Automotive - the official

distributor for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and

Ram vehicles in the Sultanate noted, “We’re

thrilled to finally be able to offer the Wrangler

Rubicon to Jeep enthusiasts here in Oman.

The engineering prowess of the Rubicon

allows drivers to tackle the big off-road

Jeep Launches Ultimate Wrangler ‘Rubicon’

challenges with ease, and the high level of specification and interior

fitment will bring a smile to every Jeep fan.”

The newly launched 2013 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon is available now

at Dhofar Automotive showrooms across the Oman. Call 2458 4530

or visit your local Dhofar Automotive showroom from Saturday to

Thursday, between 8am and 1pm or 4pm and 8pm.

Oman witnessed show featuring Lt

Col Dr Mohanlal titled Laalettante

Onakkahzcha, which was held at

Qurum Amphitheatre recently. The

highlight of the programme was

honouring Padmasree Mohanlal, with

a Pravasi Keerti Award -2013 for his

contribution to Indian Cinema. Mamta

Mohandas was also honoured with

Pravasi Best Actress – 2013 award.

The show featured Harisree

Ashokan, Mamtha and Siddiqe

entertaining the crowd with their

Mohanlal in Oman signing talents along with renowned

play back singers Naresh Iyer, Biju

Narayanan, Gayathri and Sayonara.

Archana, a leading TV actress

electrified the stage jointly with the

young talents of Oman ‘Strings’,

choreographed by Rajesh Master.

The show also includes hilarious

comedy skits by comedians from the

reality show “Manorama Comedy

Festival Team”.


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Word

pre

ss

With the official opening of the Best Western Premier

Muscat, Oman has incorporated yet another international

hotel chain in its portfolio. The four-star property,

strategically located in Al Khuwair, Muscat, is a seamless

blend of international and local characteristics offering

guests luxury at an affordable price.

The 10 storey hotel embodies all the unique highlights

of the Best Western Premier brand and has in place

professional staff to deliver the trademark Omani

hospitality to its guests. The team is comprised of a

majority of Omanis in accordance with the government’s

emphasis on hiring nationals in the hospitality sector.

Distinct styling, personalised service and plush amenities

and facilities are some of the primary features that

are sure to leave a lasting impression on the guests

ensuring return visits. “We are proud to open the doors

of the first Best Western hotel in Oman for guests to the

country to experience our unique brand of hospitality

while conducting their business and exploring the

country. ‘Premier’ brand hotels are properties specifically

developed to focus on the needs of a specific market by

offering amenities and services that differentiate and set

the hotel apart from others,” said Glenn de Souza, vice

president international operations - Asia and Middle East,

Best Western International.

The Best Western premier brand debuts in Oman

Alfardan Motors, the official importer of Ferrari in Oman, has opened

the doors to a brand-new, modern 428 m2 Ferrari showroom in

Muscat. Embracing Ferrari’s corporate identity, the showroom

provides an elegant and welcoming environment for customers.

The new showroom was officially opened by His Highness Al Sayed

Taimour bin Asa'ad Al Said at an exclusive gala event for customers

and VIP guests. Conveniently located on Meydan Al Azaibah in

Muscat, the new showroom will be able to display up to six cars

and features a fully-detailed 'Atelier', an intimate environment which

stimulates creativity and imagination, with décor and a choice of

materials that are designed to reflect Ferrari’s craftsmanship.

Alfardan Motors inaugurates the new Ferrari showroom in Muscat

G. Srinivansan, chairman-cum-managing director of the

multi-national general insurance giant, The New India

Assurance Co Ltd, was on a two-day visit to Oman.

During the course of his visit, Srinivasan met various

dignitaries of the insurance regulatory at capital market

authority, Indian ambassador and embassy officials,

insurance intermediaries, corporate heads of New India

Assurance’s long-standing clients in Muscat.

This is the maiden visit of Srinivasan to Oman after taking

up the chairman position of the 95 years old international

insurance giant, The New India Assurance Co Ltd. under

the dynamic and pragmatic leadership of Srinivasan,

The New India Assurance recently secured several

coveted awards like, BFSI – Best General Insurance

Company (India) Best Claims Initiative of the year, Best

Underwriting Initiative of the year, Africa Leadership

Award for Best Claims Initiative of the year, Outlook

Award for Best Health Insurance Provider 2012 and most

significantly Srinivasan was elected as the best Ceo,

Golden Peacock Awards for Excellence in Corporate

Governance (2012).

New India Assurance chairman in Oman


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At a recent press conference held at Almouj Golf, The

Wave, Muscat, Oman, Mohammed Mahfoudh Al Ardhi,

deputy chairman of National Bank of Oman, welcomed

the attending media and guests ahead of the forthcoming

NBO Golf Classic to be played at Almouj Golf on October

24 to 27.

“We are proud and honoured to be the title sponsor of the

first professional golf tournament to be held in Oman and

to be breaking new ground in hosting the first European

Challenge Tour event to be played in the AGCC,” said

Mohammed Mahfoudh Al Ardhi.

Nick Tarratt, Director European Tour International Dubai

Office, explained to the press conference that for the first

time Omani golf fans would be able to see the future stars

NBO Golf Classic at Almouj Golf

of The European Tour in action at close quarters. “Many

of last year’s Ryder Cup Team made their names on the

European Challenge Tour, players like Martin Kaymer,

Justin Rose, Ian Poulter, Nicolas Colsaerts, plus Major

winners such as Louis Oosthuizen, Trevor Immelman and

Michael Campbell.”

Travel City LLC, has recently been introduced into

the rapidly expanding global network of FCm Travel

Solutions, which is one of the world’s leading corporate

travel and expense management consultancies. With this

new partnership agreement, Travel City will represent

FCm in Oman to provide end to end corporate travel and

expense management solutions, blending FCm’s global

presence locally, flexibly and in a personalised manner.

The new agreement takes the global travel management

company FCm’s network to 83. In Middle East and Africa

(MEA) FCm has a presence in 19 countries with regional

network director Ciaran Kelly reporting there are further

countries FCm will add to its MEA operation over the

coming year. Ciaran said FCm’s newest affiliation in

Oman brings into operation group travel network of 36

offices throughout the country including seven business

travel centres, that are a part of Travel City’s nationwide

retail network employing 250 staff across the group.

Travel City is the new partner of FCm travel solutions in Oman

With the festive season round the

corner, it’s definitely going to be a

time of giving to loved ones. To make

the selection and buying process

as easy as possible for Bank Sohar

credit card customers, the bank has

associated with one of the most

trusted jewellery brand names in

India and the AGCC - Malabar Gold

& Diamonds.

By joining hands with Malabar Gold,

Bank Sohar credit card holders can

now make jewellery purchases and

pay the total amount over six months

in equal installments, with no interest

being charged.

Malabar Gold &

Diamonds - six months

interest free for Bank

Sohar cardholders

Highlighting the great benefits for

cardholders, R. Narasimhan, DGM

- retail banking at Bank Sohar said,

“We are pleased to announce our

tie up with Malabar Gold, one of the

most popular jewellery chains in the

Sultanate.

As a part of this scheme, for

any purchase above OMR 100,

customers using Bank Sohar credit

cards to purchase jewellery are able

to choose an exclusive scheme on

their credit card transaction, which

is repaid in equal instalments over

six months with zero percent interest

rate. This scheme will certainly

make the forthcoming festive season

delight for many of our customers!”

Najeeb. K, regional head Malabar

Gold said, “We are very pleased

for associating with Bank Sohar,

one of the leading banks in Oman.

We also take this opportunity to

invite everyone to visit our outlets

here to showcase our extensive

jewellery collection, impeccable

after-sales service and world-class

facilities, along with uncompromising

dedication to personal attention to

our customers.”


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Following the recent opening of their new ‘Sohar Islamic’

banking window in Salalah, Bank Sohar organised

an exclusive dinner gathering for VIP customers and

honoured guests to celebrate the occasion. The event

was held at the Hilton Hotel Salalah and was presided

over by Al Sayyid Mohammed bin Sultan bin Hamoud Al

Busaidi, minister of state and governor of Dhofar.

Commenting on significance of the occasion, Dr

Mohamed Abdulaziz Kalmoor, Ceo of Bank Sohar noted,

“The heart of Bank Sohar’s vision for growth has always

been its customer focused strategy. As a result, we

regularly organise interactive activities and events to

engage with various segments of our growing customer

base. These have contributed significantly to the bank’s

recognition as one of the fastest growing banks in the

Sultanate.”

“This VIP dinner was organised to celebrate the launch

of our third Islamic banking branch and to enhance the

culture of dialogue and good relations between our

customers in the region and the bank management.

The event also gave us a perfect opportunity to explain

the proper and distinct practices which apply to Shari’ah

compliant banking and in particular our new Islamic

Banking window – Sohar Islamic.” added Mo hammad

Haris, AGM, head Islamic Banking.

Representing the bank was a large contingent comprising

Bank Sohar’s Ceo, Munira Abdulnabi Macki, DGM-

human resource and corporate support; Abdulali

Abdullah Al Lawati, senior AGM – corporate support;

Mazin Mahmood Al Raisi, AGM and head marketing and

publicity; and Mohammad Haris, AGM - head Islamic

Banking as well as senior management of the Dhofar

branches and employees.

Bank Sohar hosts VIP event in Salalah

Al Mazyona savings scheme from Bank Muscat

celebrated the monthly draw offering prizes worth OMR

300,000 in the head office under the auspices of Soud

bin Ahmed al Nahari, Ceo of Port Services Corporation.

Thirty customers, including three priority banking

customers, were rewarded with OMR10,000 each in the

prize draw, also attended by Abdullah Al Hinai, DGM

– investment banking and FIG. Al Mazyona customers

maintaining a minimum balance of OMR1000 get a

chance to win OMR10,000 every month.

Al Mazyona customers celebrate RO 300,000 monthly prizes

The arrival of the new Panamera to the Middle East and

Africa region has been marked in true Porsche style, with

a two-day press launch and road trip through the highest

mountain range in the Eastern Arabian Peninsula.

Christer Ekberg, managing director of Porsche Middle

East and Africa FZE, said: “The second generation

Panamera represents another milestone in Porsche’s

on-going legacy. With new design enhancements and

state-of-the-art technology, the new Panamera is more

beautiful, efficient and powerful than ever. The breadth of

range is truly astonishing; it is a first for Porsche to launch

such a model variety right from the start.”

The new Panamera’s tightened design and greater

efficiency show the model’s unquestionable

advancements. New technologies mean fuel savings

of up to 56 per cent and – with the exception of the

diesel model – more power. The standard version offers

a blistering top speed of 259 km/h, 310 hp and fuel

consumption of just 8.4 l/100 km, proving efficiency need

not mean a compromise in sporting performance.

Second generation Panamera reaches new heights in Oman


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Visitors to Salalah Mall can now

enjoy shopping at the newly-opened

Swarovski boutique located on

the ground floor. The boutique’s

opening coincides with the launch

of Swarovski’s Fall/Winter 2013

collection “Secret Treasures” which

features a skillful blend of modernity

and sophistication.

Designed by Nathalie Colin, the

collection is reminiscent of a journey

that is inspired by the Silk Road,

and is built around four legendary

locations: China, the Himalayas,

India and Venice. From purity to

exuberance, the “Secret Treasures”

collection delivers a range of

offerings that allow women to mix

and match their accessories, for a

special occasion or for an everyday

look. Swarovski established in 1895

and has always been synonymous

with craftsmanship, precision and

innovation. The world’s finest

collection of crystals from Swarovski

is housed with Khimji’s Luxury and

Lifestyle. The division offers a diverse

mix of international fashion, lifestyle

and adventure brands to suit every

mood and occasion.

Call KR Toll-free 800-75000.

Swarovski now at Salalah Mall

Barney, the lovable huggable

purple dinosaur makes his debut

performance in Oman with an all-new

show packed with excitement for the

entire family!

Sabco Art Events, in association with

Sabco Media, Sunshine Events and

HIT Entertainment have announced

that Barney Lets Go! Live on Stage!

will perform exclusively, and for the

first time in Oman at the Qurum

Amphitheatre for a total of four

consecutive shows on October 25

and 26. The first-time show will

offer fans of the dinosaur in Oman a

unique opportunity and a range of fun

and excitement for the whole family

to enjoy and be part of. To mark the

occasion, Vikram Nagar, associate

event director at Sabco Art Events

said, “We are really excited to be the

Omani event management company

who are bringing this fun, educational

and creatively-driven international

children’s show to its many fans in

Oman, and we are looking forward to

a truly great show.”

Eihab Abutaha, Ceo of

Communications at Sabco Group

added, “We are also looking

forward to effectively supporting

the promotional efforts of Barney

Lets Go! – Live on Stage!, at

Sabco Media through our dynamic

cross-platform channels of media

including our popular radio stations,

publishing arms and outdoor

media, to maximise awareness and

communicate various information to

the public.”

Oman debut for Barney

Emax, recently concluded its month long

Eid promotion and announced the names

of 30 lucky winners. The names were

chosen with a lucky draw conducted at their

Muscat City Centre outlet. The 30 winners

took home the latest home appliances

from Siemens. Apart from the exciting

prizes, the three week long promotion also

included fabulous deals and over 4000

gifts across major categories of electronics

likes laptops, tablets, cameras, home

appliances etc. Also on offer was the first

of its kind deal – an exchange offer on old

LCD and Plasma televisions. Television

has become a segment that continuously

witnesses new product releases and

improvements. This offer proved to be a big

hit with the customers for the same reason.

Many entertainment aficionados used

this opportunity for upgrading to the latest

television while getting instant discounts on

their old ones.

Emax announces the winners for their Eid promotion


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The Zubair Corporation recently

announced the sponsorship of Omani

students’ for a cultural exchange

visit to Japan. Engineering students

Hisham Salim Al-Hadrami and Walid

Musallam Al-Sulaimani of Sultan

Qaboos University will participate

in a special exchange programme

organised by the Japan-GCC

Association of Students (J-GAS) in

Tokyo. Commenting on the event,

Khalid M. Al Zubair, managing

director of The Zubair Corporation

noted, “Our commitment towards

supporting the Omani youth is

resolute. We always take the initiative

and do everything we can to enhance

their abilities and develop their skills.

Thus, we were keen to sponsor

Hisham and Walid’s trip to Japan and

we will support them to assure their

trip is a success. This will not only

add to their experience, but will also

bring in tremendous benefits to their

future contribution of the continuous

development of the Sultanate.” Held

under the purview of Japan-AGCC

Association of Students, who aim

to develop the relationship between

Japan and AGCC by promoting

mutual understanding among the

students, this programme envisions

a better understanding of cultural

aspects. Over a week, Hisham and

Walid will engage in a workshop-style

exchange programme which will not

only enhance their understanding of

Japan as an international business

environment, but also experience a

multi-cultural work environment.

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The J.D. Power 2013 Automotive

Performance, Execution and Layout

(APEAL) Study rated the 2013

Mazda CX-5 as the highest-ranking

vehicle in the Compact Crossover

Utility (CUV) segment. The all-new

Mazda CX-5 has been earning

praises from across the automotive

world. Launched in Oman recently,

the 2013 Mazda CX-5 is admired for

Mazda’s ‘KODO’ design language

and exceptional performance.

The CX-5 is the first model to

have fully incorporated Mazda’s

SkyActiv technology, including the

gasoline engine, transmission,

body and chassis. Its excellent

driving performance coupled with its

innovative engine is internationally

recognised. It is also one of the

best-looking compact crossovers with

sweeping lines and a sculpted body.

A spokesperson from Towell Auto

Centre (TAC), the sole distributors

of Mazda vehicles in Oman, says:

“The J.D. Power APEAL award only

validates the fact that the CX-5, with

its stunning design, unparalleled

handling, top notch safety features

and class leading fuel economy is an

outstanding vehicle. In the Compact

Crossover Utility Vehicle class, the

Mazda CX-5 ranked among the best

in overall performance and design,

the features and instrument panel

attribute, and managed to outdo

competition in the comfort and style

parameters also. Having won 43

prestigious international awards

in last one year, globally, the J.D.

Power APEAL award adds another

feather to its cap”.

The 2013 Mazda CX-5 receives prestigious J.D. Power APEAL award!

The Zubair Corporation support Omani youth

Muscat’s newest retail experience

opened its doors recently at Markaz

Al Bahja. Brands For Less, the

discounted brands retail chain,

opened for the first time in Oman and

is set to revolutionise the way that

people shop. Based on a quality for

less concept, the store offers a first

for shopping in Muscat: buy top of the

range designer brands from US stock

for a substantial discount.

A unique feature of the store means

that every time you visit there will be

new items to browse, try and buy.

New stock arrives in every day and

the shelves are replenished every

morning to ensure that today’s items

on display replace yesterday’s,

so that shoppers get a new retail

experience every time they walk

Designer Brands For Less at Markaz Al Bahja

through the doors.

The wide range of brands on offer,

from Ralph Lauren and BCBG to

Calvin Klein, Fossil and more, means

that the stock has a great variety

of items – both style and size – for

women, men, children and babies.


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Managem

ent

Talk

Stressed out? Check on energy managementBy Dr CK Anchan

Dr Anchan C.K.

managing director,

World Wide Business House

Most people are expected to maintain peak levels of

mental and creative performance for at least eight hours

each day, but then they realise that it simply can’t be

done. As a result people are continuously burnt out,

stressed and functioning far below their peak capacity.

Energy works in a similar system as a currency like

money. In other words, after you’ve spent it, you need

to regain some more before you try to spend again.

Otherwise you end up going into a deficit. Energy deficits

aren’t pretty. You know you are in an energy deficit when

you are tired, irritable, stressed, frustrated and generally

unenthusiastic. Ultimately a check and balance must be

made.

The cycle of perfect energy management is one where

you are fully engaged and using all of your resources for

maximum productivity, followed by a period of intensive

recovery where you regain all of your energy for the

task ahead. When your body, mind, emotions and spirit

finally declare bankruptcy, you crash and burn out as the

eventual price of poor energy management. The

key to effective energy management is to install habits

into our life that promote cycles of deep engagement

followed by recovery. Without this balance in the cycle,

the system becomes unstable. Creating these habits

means developing a ritual for recovering your energy.

This could be as simple as sitting back and relaxing for 15

minutes or doing some light exercise.

The key to energy management is more than just

managing the energy you currently have, it is in

increasing your supply of energy. Being able to devote

more energy, concentration and flow to an activity is the

primary goal of energy management. To increase your

energy, you must stretch it beyond its current capacity,

and then recover it. This stretching of capacity is what

most people refer to as stress.

Energy is more than just the physical energy you use

from exercising. There are other levels of energy that

work in similar fashion but are equally important.

PHYSICAL – Physical energy is still incredibly important.

This is the primary and most fundamental source of

energy. Physical energy is regulated by diet, exercise

and sleep. This energy is tapped regardless of whether

the task is physical. Most of us do not do particularly

physically demanding jobs.

MENTAL – I believe that mental energy is essentially the

focus or direction of the energy we have. Mental energy

can be increased through the stress and conditioning

method, through challenging mental study and tasks,

deep learning and creative activities. Mental energy is

our ability to concentrate, analyse and be creative. These

higher level faculties basically describe the quality and

clarity of your thinking. Mental energy is necessary for all

of us, despite our career or hobbies.

EMOTIONAL – Emotional energy is our ability to control

and maintain our emotions. People with a high amount

of emotional energy will be positive, enthusiastic and

happy. Low amounts of this energy are the manifestations

of anger, despair and frustration. If physical energy

represents capacity, mental represents direction, then

emotional represents quality. A high degree of energy

that is directed in a negative manner with hateful or angry

emotions is incredibly draining and destructive.

SPIRITUAL – Spiritual energies not as being a religious

or metaphysical type of energy but the energy we get

when we are associated with purpose. Regardless of

your spiritual beliefs, purpose seems to be a necessary

ingredient to live successfully. With a strong sense

of purpose, energy can be created even when there

is barely any physical, mental or emotional capacity.

Spiritual energy represents the power or force of energy.

Energy management continues to be a subject that

will fascinate many. By undertaking conditioning and

progressive increments of stress followed by deep

restoration we can even expand our capacity for energy.

I am quite confident that, by recognising the multi-

dimensional aspects of energy we can really take control

of a force that guides our life. Take a break... And get

back with cash rich energies.


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ALL WORK AND NO PLAY…

As kids, we relaxed with football and meeting up

with friends. Our choices were limited and so were

our wishes. But, the younger generation is different

today. They live in an age of speed where wishes

are realised in a click of a mouse. And, so are their

wishes, so are their needs and therefore their mode of

entertainment.

This generation will not be satisfied with just football

alone. Yes, they meet friends but in virtual reality.

So, after months of slogging on the school and

college front, it is only natural that they get an

amusement and entertainment outlet. As adults, we

owe this much to the youth and the young ones. All

work and no play make Jack a dull boy!

But, where do they find this outlet here? With no

means of entertainment and amusements centres in

Oman, most adults are forced to take the whole family

abroad to enjoy the entertainment facilities there. This

is a burden for the adults. But, if we patiently wait for

some more years, we will be having our own dream

amusement/theme park that will cater to the needs of

the locals and residents alike.

When the world struggles in economic recession, natural disasters, tourism sector is affected. But when a country can boast of a healthy domestic tourism sector, the economy growth remains unaffected

Mohamed Issa Al ZadjaliEditor-in-chief

In Black...

& White

A NEW THEME, A NEW DESTINATION

Domestic tourism is a major factor that pushes the

revenue wheel forward in any country. When the world

struggles in economic recession, natural disasters,

tourism sector is affected. But when a country can boast

of a healthy domestic tourism sector, the economy growth

remains unaffected.

It is a matter of pride to mention the upcoming Majarat

Oman project, one of Oman’s first ever theme park

project, schedule to be completed in 2016. While we wish

the investors and the team behind the project all success,

B&W team took a virtual trip to the galaxy of facilities and

games available for the family in the park. The venue

being Al Sawadi beach makes this theme park more

exciting for kids and adults alike.

Let us wish that Oman retain its rials right here in the

country and accelerate the domestic tourism sector with

many more projects.

In B

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SPACE PORT – space station family theme

ALIEN COLONY – space port for teenagers and

adults

FUZZIES WORLD – delightful cute

alien planet for kids

NEPTUNE WATER PARK –

indoor and outdoor water

park

The Fun


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Ahmed Mohammed Al Jabry


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Ahmed Al Jabry, a partner in Arab Malaysia Development

Company (AMDC) LLC, which has signed an agreement

with the FBF (Fatik bin Faher) Group of Companies

to develop Majarat Oman, was full of zeal when he

spoke about his dream project. “Majarat Oman will

offer unforgettable hours of entertainment for all ages,

3 to 93,” Ahmed Al Jabry enthused. “We would like to

woo in all of those who are young at heart – juniors

and seniors,” Syed Asad Ali, managing partner, added.

The approximately OMR40 million project, which is

spread over a built up area of 25,000 square metres, is

a superior, technologically advanced, theme park, the

officials explained.

WHHY FFLLY OOOUUT OOFF OOMANN?

Before we get into the project details, let us take a quick

stroll back into the past to find out how all of this came

about. The idea basically stemmed from the common

desire of a group of Omani friends, who, tired of the lack

of proper theme parks in Oman (where they could take

the whole family for an outing) to look for something new

and exciting in the country itself. “Then our friend, Adil Al

Lawati, hit upon a brainwave: why not have a theme park

right here in Oman?” revealed Ahmed Al Jabry. Well, why

not, they all chorused, with the idea hitting them like a

good bolt of thunder. “’Why do we have to fly out of Oman

to take our kids to an exotic park or fun destination?’ we

wondered out aloud…In fact, we dreaded summer breaks

because then the heat was upon us to take the whole

family to some exotic destination as a much-needed

respite after school and a major workload,” Ahmed Al

Jabry said. Summer breaks posed a real problem in many

a household as both children and adults who are stuck at

home got bored and became inactive.

From problems came solutions and from such vacuums

came the desire to fill in the gap. “This common desire

germinated in our minds and soon we decided that we

had a solution right within our grasp – we could bring

about a fully integrated theme park right in Oman. And

thus, the seed of this exclusive mega indoor theme park

was sown!”

REEASSOONN FFOORR MMAAAKIING IT INNDDOOOR

The reason for opting for an indoor park was simple: The

harsh climate necessitated such a move. “Moreover,

we did not like the idea of a seasonal theme park that is

six months active to six months inactive schedule. We

wanted a full-fledged theme park with all amenities, open

365 days a year!” Ahmed Al Jabry and Asad said. “All

said and done, we, the adults, also need a break, at least

some family time, where we can be together and have fun

with our loved ones,” they added.

A FEEELIINGG OOF DDÉÉJÀÀ VUU

“As a kid, I personally had no place to go in Oman during

our school summer breaks. We travelled to outdoor

destinations during the break. After many years, today,

I am facing the same situation where I have to take my

kids out of Oman for their summer breaks! Why can’t we

have outings, theme parks and other facilities that can

keep our families in Oman during holidays?” Ahmed Al

Jabry queried, outlining the reality that faced them since

years. Oman did not have a full-fledged theme park that

could offer an exciting time for the whole family. This was

evident because, it is not just this group, but, many in

Oman faced the same daunting task of packing the whole

family off to some expensive destination abroad during

the holidays and other breaks.

Looking for a one point fun destination for the whole family? Looking for a personal adrenaline high? Well, jump into your car and zoom off to Al Sawadi. But, whoah, hold on! We may have to wait for some more time, maybe couple of years more,

though. But, that is all!Fun, excitement, thrilling escapades and a chance to soak in a whole new experience

of family fun and frolic will be just a hop, skip and jump away when the first-ever mega indoor theme park emerges above Al Sawadi skyline in the first quarter of

2016. So fasten your seat belts for the ride of your life into a veritable galaxy of fun and frolic because Majarat Oman -- the first ever theme park of its kind in Oman -- is slowly taking shape in Al Sawadi Beach Resort compound. And it is all set to woo all

fun lovers and amusement seekers, regardless of age, top officials of this exciting project commented recently.

“Majarat Oman, strategically located at Al Sawadi, halfway between Muscat and Sohar, will offer visitors the excitement of an unforgettable journey with full of fun,

thrills, speed and adventure,” Ahmed Mohammed Al Jabry, one of the key officials behind this theme park project, told the Black & White.

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Official signing of Majarat Oman project: His Highness Sayyid Fatik bin Fahr Al Said of the FBF group and AMDC company officials


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AA OONNNE PPPOOINNTT AAMUUUSSEMMEENNTT

SOLLLUUTTIIOONN

Propelled by this genuine need,

these entrepreneurs are trailblazing

a path in Oman by setting up this

fantastic theme park, the likes of

which has never existed before, but

will surely make up for the lost time

by being a panacea for all type of

family amusement seekers in town.

“Majarat Oman will offer all type of

exciting rides, speed, fun elements

and more,” the duo noted.

FOOUUURR FFFUUNN ZZONONESS

Majarat Oman has four exciting

zones - Alien Colony, Fuzzie’s World,

Space Station and Neptune Water

Park, they added, stressing once

again that Oman’s largest indoor

themed entertainment facility will be

the ideal destination for all: from 3 to

93!

36655 DDAAYYYS OOOFF FUUNN

“Oman and this region have harsh

climates with temperatures soaring

upto 50 degrees during peak

summer. How can we have outdoor

theme parks, when we have to keep

it closed or inactive for six months?

So, we opted for a huge indoor theme

park for a family rather than just kids.

When we did market research, we

found out that the majority wanted

water parks, family food joints, kids’

area, space and aliens/science

based centres and play elements,

digital games and a lot more.

“We made a consensus and

conceived the idea of a one family

theme centre –Majarat Oman. This

theme centre will offer a memorable

day out for all the family members!

Malaysian partner: Dato' Syed Tajul Gem of an idea: Adil Al lawati

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Syed Asad Ali


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And most importantly, it will be open

all 365 days of the year. “

JOOBBBSS FFOORR OOMAMANISS

The theme park will capture the

domestic tourism market and give the

local community an opportunity for

employment along with entertainment

and fun!

The officials noted that the project

would provide more than 300

permanent jobs for Omanis and

plenty of part time jobs for the local

community. “It will offer a variety of

SME opportunities for Omanis within

the local community,” Asad noted.

OOMAAANN TTHEEEMME PPAARRKK RREEAADYY

The project’s Malaysian partner

was also gung-ho about its success

and said that the country was ripe

for such a theme park. “Oman is

now ready for a project like this. We

believe in Oman, hence our focus on

bringing Malaysian investment and

expertise into Oman,” Dato’ Syed

Tajul Arif, the Malaysian partner in

AMDC, remarked.

SPEEECCIAAALL NNNEEEDEDS FFRRRIENNDDLYY

“We must add that it is going to

be the most special needs friendly

theme park ever,” Ahmed Al Jabry

and Asad noted. Among the firsts, the

theme park will incorporate Oman’s

first ever 30 seats tethered balloon

ride. “We must emphasise here that

this park is designed to world class

international quality, safety and

regulatory standards,” they added.

AALLL UUNNNDDEERRR OONNE RROOOFF

The duo promised a variety of

attractions at Majarat. “There will be

a family entertainment centre, pre

shows, rides, live shows, plus a host

of restaurants and much more – all

under one roof!”

PROOOJJEECCCT BBBAACKKDDRROOP

Ahmed Al Jabry also further

explained the background of the

Text: Adarsh Madhavan & Priya Arunkumar Photos: Ben

project. “With this theme park as

the focus point, we created Arab

Malaysia Development Company

(AMDC) LLC in 2011. The company

has interests in real estate

development, hospitality and family

entertainment centers. Majarat

Oman is the first undertaking by the

company in Oman, which shall be

developed by Amusement Cities

LLC, a SPV (special purpose vehicle)

formed by the AMDC. Majarat Oman

also intends to include conference

and party facilities to incorporate

corporate events and private parties

within the park. The soft opening is

targeted for the first quarter of 2016.

THHEEEMMEE AANNDD DEESIIGGNN

CONNNSSUULLTTAAANNTSS OOFF MMAAJJAARAATTT

OOMAAANN

The Sanderson Group from

Australia is the design and builds

consultants of the project. The group

is an Australia based multinational

corporation with an experience

of over 21 years in delivering

high quality themed attractions.

Sanderson Group commenced

operations in 1989 and quickly

grew to become Australia’s first

integrated thematic construction

company specialising in the design

and construction of themed tourism

developments.

In 1991 Sanderson Group was

contracted as a part of the Warner

Brothers team to develop the multi

award winning ‘Warner Brothers

Movie World, Hollywood on the Gold

Coast Australia’ and they hold the

enviable number one position for the

past 22 years.

In 2000 Sanderson Group

established India’s first specialist

theme park turnkey solutions

company. Expanding their operations

into Asia, in 2001 Sanderson Group

opened in Macau, then progressively

in Hong Kong, then China, becoming

the first specialist theme park turnkey

solutions company to enter mainland

China. In 2006 Sanderson Group

expanded into Malaysia, then 2007

Singapore, 2010 Dubai, with their

most recent operations established in

2011 Vietnam. The Sanderson Group

is internationally considered a world

class leader in delivering prestigious

themed tourism developments

throughout Asia, Middle East, and

Australia Pacific with an unmatchable

portfolio of 22 years of innovation in

turnkey solutions.


2 0 1 3B&W

Kid

stuff

Of

Chicks

and

chickens…


2 0 1 3B&W


2 0 1 3B&W

"Cheep-cheep," chirped the cheery chick

• The chicken is the closest living relative of the

tyrannosaurus-rex.

• There are more chickens on Earth than there are

humans.

• It takes a chick 21 days to develop in the egg. It

starts developing when it reaches a temperature of

88 degrees F. A mother hen begins bonding with her

chicks before they are even born. She will turn her

egg as often as five times an hour and cluck to her

unborn chicks, who will chirp back to her and to one

another.

• Chicken are pretty fast. The chicken can travel up to 9

miles per hour when it wants to.

• The largest ever recorded chicken egg weighed nearly

12 ounces, and measured 12.25 inches around.

• Chicken language has real meanings. The birds

give different alarm calls depending on which type of

predator is threatening them

• China has the most people in the world, and also has

the most chickens. There are over 3,000,000,000

chickens in China! (The United States has only 450

million.)

• Chickens can fly, but not for long. The longest

recorded flight of a chicken is only 13 seconds.

• The fear of chickens is called ‘Alektorophobia’.

• The most eggs laid by a hen in one day is seven.

If you make the chickens think it’s daylight, even

at night, they’ll lay eggs that are bigger with harder

shells. The largest recorded size of a chicken egg was

12 oz and measured 12-1/4” in diameter. The greatest

number of recorded yolks in one egg was 9.

• These birds are omnivores. They’ll eat seeds and

insects but also larger prey like small mice and lizards.


2 0 1 3B&W


2 0 1 3B&W

Sometimes, our anger can rage

like a fire and burn the one at

the receiving end. At a recent

show, which started off a little bit

late than usual, a portion of the

audience, waiting for the doors

to open, suddenly went berserk

with anger. They stormed in when

the doors were finally open and

vented their ire on the volunteers,

not wanting to hear their side of

the story, or the actual reason

behind the delay. Of course,

however much you may plan,

sometimes, things get in the way;

unusual happenings could threw

a wrench in the workings and

disrupt it wholly. The organisers

had a perfect reason for the

delay, but well, some members

of the audience were in no mood

to listen! They, in fact, wanted to

lash out at the volunteers who

literally fell back in this fearful

display of anger.

Their anger was quelled only

when they were soothed back to

normality by the gentle songs of

the singer they were waiting for.

But, the volunteers continued to

shiver in fright for most part of the

show.

No honking please!

Anger, raging like a fire

We have been thinking of it since quite sometime now. Finally, we have taken the plunge to bring home to you

some offbeat stuff. Here goes, if you like it, give us the green signal for more; if not, just take it with a pinch of salt. For this fortnight, here is some nitter natter for the B&W Bitter Batter:

Nit

ter

natt

er

Muscat does not suffer honkers lightly; especially the blatantly noisy

ones. So, it was a surprise when a bit noisy man pumped his car horn

at literally everything that moved recently in a quiet neighbourhood.

Yes of course, the area in which he drove was quite orderly, just

above the pin drop silence feel and very few people moving around.

Since it was almost like a gated property, people felt safe and did

not worry about crazy drivers on their four wheels doing crazy and

dangerous things with their cars, which would ultimately prove

harmful for others. Most often, it is the innocent bystander that gets

hurt or killed when a not-so-innocent and wild driver gets into riding

heat and drive crazily on the road. But such antics don’t happen

in closed areas where there is security and people enjoying quiet

walks. But this honker did not seem to bother about all such niceties

when he zoomed into the area, wildly honking people out of his

path, yelling and yodeling at the shell-shocked people who froze in

their paths. One of the affected, an old couple, who were walking to

their parked car, said that they were startled out of their wits when

the driver suddenly pumped on the horn just inches behind them!

The driver went on honking and creating a nuisance and then left as

quickly as he came. Maybe he was trying to get some attention, or

maybe he just did not care. Whatever, the residents of this enclave

could not digest this late morning nuisance!


2 0 1 3B&W

What is with people who want entertainment but would

view it only if it is free? Event organisers in town are clearly

wondering whether they should continue organising events

as the accent with their audience/viewers was only on free

entry. Many of them have stopped buying tickets for such

shows and are ready to skip seeing even their favourite

entertainer because they are so unwilling to pay! It is a

trend that is all set to see the downfall of event organisers

here who are now forced to understand that a ticketed

show will not fetch its desired results as more and more

people join the ‘free’ bandwagon.

How will event organisers survive when they bring a show

to town and there is no one to view it? There are many

who complain that nothing is happening in Oman and yet

when it happens, they are too busy finding excuses not to

go or telling themselves that it is not going to be good…All

because they have to spend couple of rials?

The current forced free shows are a death knell to events

and real entertainment here.

Dear freebie lovers, mind you, your actions are going to

cost you!

Problem: User’s application, which is

used to transfer credit, recharge net

etc mysteriously disappears from his

mobile phone.

Day1 (Thu): I call the Customer Care

number and explain the problem.

Customer Care says: Change the

handset and see. I do that. But

problem still exists. So I call Customer

Care again and they advise: Remove

SIM and put it back after five minutes.

I follow their advice but, the problem

persists so I call Customer Care

again. They repeat: remove the SIM

and put it back after five minutes.

Still nothing happens, so I call them

again. This time they say that they

will update the software and it will

take 45 minutes. Forty five minutes

later, the problem remains unsolved.

Day2 (Fri): Called Customer Care.

They said: go to any counter directly.

Since it is Friday they will open

only at 4pm. No problem, I go to

the counter, the personnel fiddles

with their system, but problem still

remains. So I suggest: Perhaps if we

change the SIM, the problem might

get solved. Nope, they know better.

The problem is with the software. It’s

not getting updated. So, they tell me

to call the customer care again and

speak to the manager. He can help

you. I call Customer Care and ask

them to connect me to the manager.

I get through finally and he says that

he has forwarded the request to the

technical department and he will get a

call regarding this. But, there were no

calls in this regard that day.

Note: Each customer care call takes

at least 10 minutes to connect to

the call centre employee after going

through all the recorded messages.

After that they will keep the customer

on hold for 5 or 10 minutes. On top

of that, each time someone will

take the call and I have to explain

the whole thing all over again.

Day 3 (Sat): Went directly to the

counter. They said problem…not yet

solved. The technical team has to still

look into it. But on Saturday, they are

on leave. So, I, hoping good sense

will prevail, plead with them: please

change my SIM, please.

But, they are adamant: Sorry, it has

nothing to do with SIM; it-is-software-

problem

Day 4 (Sun): I make a final do-or-die

trip to the counter again and explain

the whole issue to them. This time

the person at the counter is a bit

more sympathetic; he finally takes

my residence card, makes entry and

FINALLY changes my SIM (duplicate

one). Problem solved! Whew!

Freebies will cost

A diary of a defunct SIM holder in Oman:

(Note: Readers who have something bitter to chatter about can either email on [email protected] or call 99218461)


2 0 1 3B&W

(March 21st-April 20th)

You know what it takes, and what

you have to do, to make the best

impression on people, so give it your

best shot, especially over career

matters. Actions speak louder than

words. Once you hit your peak things

will move along at a brisk pace.

Getting into the good books

of others should bring you closer to

achieving some of your treasured

objectives. Keep your opinions

to yourself at home and at work

and keep a low profile across the

board. Being both sympathetic and

generous of spirit works best.

You may need to do

something innovative, daring or

different to get noticed this week,

but with your fertile mind working at

warp speed, that wont be too much

of a challenge. Relationships have

improved across the board, but keep

a clear perspective on long term

goals.

Feelings of being out on

a limb engulf you today, but maybe

if you weren’t so coolly and cruelly

objective about your friends and

loved ones for their shortcomings as

friends or lovers, you wouldn’t feel

as you do. Do what you can to make

amends this week.

You can be rather gloomy

and pessimistic at times as you tend

to look at the flaws of a project as

opposed to the attributes. This makes

communications difficult with those

who are more positive, so try to meet

them half way when mapping out

plans for the future.

Your strong sense of

adventure coupled with your

increased physical courage combine

to make this a very interesting week.

You need to do something daring and

challenging, and you wont rest until

you have. Use your inventive streak

to expand money and work

March 21-April 20

June 22-July 23

April 21-May 20

July 24-August 23

May 21-June 21

August 24-September 23

Your ARIES

CANCER

TAURUS

LEO

GEMINI

VIRGO

Horo

scope

THOMAS LEE BASS (BORN OCTOBER 3, 1962), best known

as Tommy Lee, is an American musician and founding member

of glam metal band Mötley Crüe. As well as being the band's

long-term drummer, Lee founded rap-metal band Methods

of Mayhem, and has pursued solo musical projects. He has

been married to model Elaine Starchuk and actresses Heather

Locklear and Pamela Anderson.

His first successful band Suite 19 played the Sunset Strip in

Los Angeles during the late 1970s. At this time he met future

bandmate, Nikki Sixx. Casually, Sixx was forming a theatrical

band that would specialise in anthemic heavy metal, and was

impressed by Lee's drumming. At this time, he changed his

name to Tommy Lee and earned the nickname "T-bone" due

to his 6′ 2½″ height and his skinny physique. Shortly afterward,

guitarist Mick Mars joined the band. Tommy recommended a

singer he had met while in high school, Vince Neil, who soon

joined the group, and Mötley Crüe was formed.


2 0 1 3B&W

Due to recent events you’re

feeling more grounded and realistic

over love, and are more interested

in being with someone whom you

respect and can depend upon. It’s a

great week to think about starting a

new business or branching out in an

existing one.

Errors made in haste,

speaking too forcefully, sharp words

spoken on impulse, or accidents

occurring due to restlessness and

impatience on your part, are all

possible this week. You’ll need to be

extra vigilant just to stay safe, and to

ensure you don’t lose friends.

Your imagination will

run wild this week and you’ll be

attracted to all kinds of fantasy

and mysticism. It’s fine to be

inquisitive, but be careful you don’t

go over the top in your quest for

something different. Keep it real.

Do something more down to earth

over the weekend.

Don’t panic if there are

moments of confusion, disorientation

or mental fogginess this week. It’s

just that you have so much on your

mind and you’re finding it difficult to

remember your name never mind

appointments or social arrangements.

Time for some time out.

Your personal magnetism

is strong this week, and you’ll attract

appreciation, attention and affection.

Sounds like a great combination! Just

try to avoid being overly critical of

friends and family, as they wont take

kindly to your observations here.

It’s a week full of stimulating

discussions about controversial

topics, unusual or offbeat ideas, or

“crazy” schemes. One thing’s for sure,

you wont be bored. The tempo of your

life accelerates leaving you feeling

frazzled so watch you don’t say

something out of turn.

September 24-October 23

December 23-January 20

October 24-November 22

January 21-February 19

November 23-December 22

February 20-March 20

starsLIBRA

CAPRICORN

SCORPIO

AQUARIUS

SAGITTARIUS

PISCES

Top notes

Middle notes

Base notes

X SPRAY

E-MAIL: [email protected], Website: www.albahja.com

For men

Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given

numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares

so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same

number only once.

SOLUTION:

96

74

8

16

9

3

7

1

8

9

6

2

4

5

9

6

7

36

2

49

57

20

11

Co

nce

pti

s P

uzz

les,

Dis

t. b

y K

ing

Fea

ture

s S

yn

dic

ate,

In

c.

By Dave Green

Difficulty Level 8/16

251396874

847251639

639487521

164825793

378169245

925734186

582913467

713648952

496572318 20

11 C

once

ptis

Puz

zles

, D

ist.

by

Kin

g F

eatu

res

Syn

dica

te,

Inc.

Difficulty Level 8/16

44July 7 - August 6

2 0 1 3B&W

12.20 a.m.… September 25...My birthday

Hello world! How are you? As I blink open my eyes, my senses are

inundated with the stimulations from a world outside. At first I cannot

comprehend what, where, when, who... Then as time passes I encounter

beauty, ugliness, happiness, sorrow, family, friends, strangers.

Experience is the biggest and best teacher. The kisses from parents and

mummy ke haath ka khaaaana are top of the pile. Eating an ice cream with

friends and holding hands with a lover in the rain... unforgettable.

As I go about my life the kindness from strangers overwhelms me and

teaches me the good in life and the let down by family teaches me the bad

in life. The heartbreak and the “heart make” to be followed by another heart

ache teaches you. The heart is the most fragile and yet the strongest part

of you, so keep it cushioned and love yourself before you expect others to

love you.

Nothing is impossible and you can rule the world if you want to because

all the barriers are in our mind. It all seems a dizzying roller-coaster of

successes and failures where the view from the top is exhilarating yet

terrifying but when you are down you achingly long to be back on top.

As I continue living my life with designer rose coloured spectacles filled with

optimism... the world seems fantastic... I sure am glad that I was born and I

celebrate another ‘HAPPY BIRTHDAY’.

With hugs, cakes and love... till we meet again.

A special huge hug to all those born in my Birthday Month.

September is…B’DAY TIME

Vandana, award winning author (‘360 Degrees Back to Life')

By Vandana Shah

It's m

y lif

e

Vandana Shah, Author 360 Degrees Back To life, editor of Ex-Files. www.vandanashah.com.

Email me what you’d like to say on [email protected]

Follow me on twitter Vandy4PM

45July 7 - August 6

2 0 1 3B&W


2 0 1 3B&W

Cookin

g

On a sweet note…

No meal is complete without a bite of sweet. And sometimes the

dessert becomes the most enticing part of a meal… here are a few delicacies with simple coconut,

which can be used in a myriad of ways for desserts: in slices, cakes,

puddings, bread, biscuits, cupcakes, pancakes and custards


2 0 1 3B&W


2 0 1 3B&W

Ingredients

1 400ml can coconut cream

80g (1/3 cup) caster sugar

2 eggs, at room temperature

2 tbs flaked almonds

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C. Place the coconut cream, sugar

and eggs in a large jug, and use a balloon whisk to whisk

until combined. Pour the mixture into four 200ml ramekins

or ovenproof dishes or cups. Sprinkle the surface of each

custard with two tsp of the flaked almonds. Place the

ramekins in a roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into

the pan to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until set and

golden. Remove from water and set aside for five minutes

to cool. Serve immediately

Ingredients

60g butter

70g (1/3 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar

2 William Bartlett pears, peeled, quartered, cored, halved

lengthways

80ml (1/3 cup) light coconut milk

Ground cinnamon, to dust

Coconut rice

400ml light coconut milk

400ml reduced-fat milk

70g (1/3 cup) caster sugar

110g (1/2 cup) medium-grain rice

Method

To make the coconut rice, place the coconut milk, milk

and caster sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring

to the boil. Stir in the rice and cover. Reduce heat to low.

Cook, stirring occasionally, for 40 minutes or until the rice

is tender and the mixture is creamy. Set aside, covered,

for 30 minutes to cool.

Transfer the coconut rice to a bowl. Cover with plastic

wrap and place in the fridge to chill.

Heat the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat.

Stir in the brown sugar. Add the pear and cook, turning

occasionally, for four minutes or until the sauce is golden

and the pear is tender and light golden. Remove from

heat. Carefully stir in the coconut milk.

Divide the coconut rice among serving bowls. Top with

the pear and drizzle over the sauce. Dust with cinnamon

to serve.

Coconut and almond custard

Coconut rice with pears


2 0 1 3B&W

Eve's d

rop


2 0 1 3B&W


2 0 1 3B&W

GUIDED BY THE VOICE IN HER

So who was she? She smiled at

us as though the smile held all the

answers. It did, but we heard it from

her: “I am someone who is very

simple, my heart is pure and love

flows from me.

I am very compassionate, loving and

deeply spiritual.”

Yes, her smile said that.

“Every one of us is born simple and

full of compassion. I can fortunately

say that I am still the same: simple

and compassionate. Since my

childhood, I have maintained a

deep connection with the divine and

always had a voice inside me guiding

to do what I am destined to. Probably

all of us are born with the ability to

understand our deep self, but we

lose it when we grow up.”

TACKLING TWIN EVILS

To know Villy Doctor, one has to

understand her background. When

girls of her age got married and

were whisked away into a world of

motherhood and family, Villy, after

graduating from St Xavier’s College,

Mumbai, took a master’s degree in

psychology, which was followed by

a doctoral work on psycho-biological

changes through meditation. After

a stint at St Xavier’s as a senior

lecturer, then a visiting professor

at Nirmala Niketan and then head

of department of psychology at the

Sophia College, Mumbai, when

she was just 23, Villy began to

show her inclination to help the

youth overcome various problems

(from drug addiction to emotional

problems).

With her own awareness of the

positive dimensions of meditation,

Villy clearly understood the root of

India’s problems: illiteracy. And this

was the ugliest head that reared in a

sea of poverty in many areas in India.

From there Villy began her trek to

reverse the negative trend posed by

the twin evils of illiteracy and poverty,

coupled by the rigid mentality to

oppose change. While reaching out

to people was in her blood, now, she

began to give it a fuller rein.

After a decade or so, when she got

married, she swung into a different

role with her husband as they

jointly promoted a market research

business. But, she was soon back

to her selfless role where she began

to pursue the role of meditation in

stress relief.

Fully into a world where her altruism

and her humane nature stood out,

Villy Doctor started the non-profit

organisation Light of Life (LoL) Trust

that looked into unveiling the true

potential of rural India. The LOLT s

main areas of social improvement

are being achieved through its three

main arms, Anando, Jagruti and

Aangan (*).

“The project Anando was launched in

2005 with 25 children to address the

issue of out-of-school children, and

today has impacted over 9000 rural

children covering 426 villages across

five districts of Maharashtra,” Villy

Doctor said. The initiative proved

to be a turning point in the lives of

the rural community, bringing forth

a multitude of heart warming stories

of rural children, who were able to

swim across the ocean of ignorance,

literacy and poverty.

LIGHT OF LIFE

In short, the LOLT shone light on the

dark areas of life in rural India, but

Villy Doctor absolves herself from

taking credit for these achievements,

maintaining that she was a mere

Villy Doctor – a beacon of light

Villy Doctor looked exactly like we had pictured her. A

radiant being. She did not look formal,

strict or forbearing. Instead, she was a picture

of bliss. Clad in a pink kurta, this renowned Indian spiritual healer and social

worker looked like an angel with a radiant smile. Without exaggerating, she radiated a peaceful sense

of energy. There was a clear element of positivity in the air. She beamed at us and the dimly lit hotel

room sparkled to life. Some people look at

you like a cornered waif, others at the other extreme behave like they were our long lost buddies, some display various levels of

arrogance and impatience, but Villy Doctor was an

ocean of serenity. “Some call me mother,” she said and smiled at us as we

prepared to ask her about herself.


2 0 1 3B&W

Eve's d

rop


2 0 1 3B&W


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conduit for these achievements.

Asked how she managed to

rise above all the negativity that

surrounded her, she smiled her

special smile and said that she never

allowed it to seep into her. “True,

negativity is all around us, but why

give it an audience? When negativity

comes knocking, don’t allow it in!

Why do you want to let darkness in?”

A simple method she adopts, after a

grueling session with negative people

is to soak her feet in warm water

mixed with rock salt. “It works,” she

smiles.

EXCHANGE NEGATIVITY FOR

POSITIVITY

“Look around you today, where does

all these negativity come from? Why

don’t we retain positivity and ignore

the negativity part? When you tend to

retain positivity instead of negativity,

you become calm. We all face stress

and strain every day, but we should

exchange the positive baggage with

the negative. That will make your life

better and your heart will retain its

compassionate self.

One lesson life has taught me is

to stay away from stress. I never

take stress on my stride. I meet a

lot of public, people who come to

me with woes and worries. I listen, I

understand, but I don’t take it to heart

or allow the stress and negativity

to pass on to me. There are many

occasions when I have gone through

bad stretches of life, but then I

surrender myself to God and I pray

that He takes care of it. I go with the

flow. I don’t handle anything; I believe

God has prepared me to handle

situations, help people in need.

When you get matured enough to

understand that there are things

beyond you, you will learn to accept

things as they are.

Even when your head says, there

might be a way around the situation,

your heart will tell you to accept what

life offers. Acceptance changes your

attitude. When you learn to accept

things, you will understand life is not

made of stress or strains. Why do

you change people? Why do you

change situations? Instead face

them, face it, life becomes easier.

Each one of us is created with a

purpose” Villy Doctor said.

YOUTH AND INSTANT

GRATIFICATION

Commenting on the youth, she said

that they reflected life in the fast

lane. “From mobiles to television

sets to kitchen equipments, all are

just a touch away. The youth today

is impatient. They need instant

gratifications and results. They are

not ready to evolve… when you

sit down and grasp a situation, a

thought, you learn. Without time and

thought, no one can learn a thing.

We cannot blindly blame the youth

though. Effective or rather relevant

education is what can change them

to become responsible humans.

What should a youth learn? From

responsibility to tradition to culture,

the right education will empower the

youth, and the wrong system will tie

them down to a bag load of books

and information. Education should

be set in a way that it helps them in

every practical sense. Our projects

do that. The three Es – education,

empowerment and employability

ensure success in our projects,” Villy

explained.

LOVE IS THE WORD

“I believe the most important word

today is love.

Love others, love nature, love

yourself … when you look at

the world with love, you get

love in return. With love come

understanding, tolerance and unity.

The one thing that is hurting today’s

community is lack of tolerance. A

right dose of love will give you the

maturity to be tolerant and tolerance

will make the world a better place

to live in,” Villy concluded with her

trademark smile. We leave the room

still lit with her smile.

(*) full details of Anando, Jagruti and

Aangan at www.lightoflifetrustindia.

org


2 0 1 3B&W

Shap n

sound


2 0 1 3B&W


2 0 1 3B&W

Men, who are largely reticent about

revealing their inner feelings and

unveiling bitter truth about themselves

and their failings are known to

either drown themselves at the

neighbourhood tavern, or get into

miserable physical fights that are more

about emotional venting and letting

out of steam than fighting for a reason.

Eventually such men self disintegrate.

RAVAGES OF THE INNER SOUL

Women, who have a natural outlet

among other women as there is

always a significant friend who is

willingly to lend a sympathetic ear,

quite often escape the ravages of

the inner soul. Men, being men have

to face the travails of their nature

and since women are what they

are, somehow, mostly, escape this

onslaught from within.

The gender differences will always be

there and as long as that happens,

there is a good chance that the chasm

between them will be further split

with a happy woman on one side and

sad and bitter man on the other, both

entirely opposed to each other.

GENE OF HAPPINESS

I mean, this is what we are lead to

believe if we acknowledge a previous

study that claims it has identified a

gene in women that is responsible for

happiness. However, the “correlation

does not exist in men”, it said. And that

is where happiness begins for women

and ends for men.

HAPPY WOMEN

Earlier research by the University of

South Florida “found a link between a

specific gene and women’s likeliness

to self-report happiness”, an article

said. “The gene, known as monoamine

oxidase A (MAOA), determines how

the brain processes dopamine and

serotonin, the chemicals responsible

for making us smile. The greater the

presence of this gene in women’s

DNA, the faster the brain breaks down

these chemicals—meaning the quicker

they’re out of a person’s system (or the

shorter period a “happiness high” can

last. Low levels of the gene, on the flip

side, means the feel good hormones

stay in the brain for longer, meaning

the woman is a happy one,” the article

added.

A CULPRIT CALLED

TESTOSTERONE

“While the researchers stop short

of saying that women are simply

happier than men, period (and, in fact,

there are studies that insist just the

opposite), they do point to a troubling

possible cause for the gender gap in

happiness: testosterone. Chen and

the co-authors of the study, published

in the journal Progress in Neuro-

Psychopharmacology & Biological

Psychiatry, suspect that the higher

levels of testosterone present in men

can cancel out any positive effects of

MAOA in men’s moods,” the article

further said.

Now, if testosterone (apparently, when

the level increases, their happiness

decreases)

is to be blamed for men’s happiness,

there is nothing that can be done to

cheer them up.

Why women are

HAPPIER than men…By Trevor Jose

This is a subject that can be debated till the

end of time. Some may say that they have an

answer, but, we would like to confess: we

don’t. We have a theory here and since there

is some awareness on this front, let us state it for the record: women are happier than men.

Or, so says a study that was published

sometime back. Although the general feeling is that women

are more discontent in many areas, the fact

remains that for deep-rooted happiness,

they win hands down. They are much happier

than men who put on a lively show about

being happy while deep down they are quite

disconsolate.


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“Can you please look at me when I

am talking to you,” my pal gritted his

teeth.

“My God, you are actually obsessed!”

“This is getting too much; can you

give it a break?”

Earlier you had time to say hello,

gossip a bit and walk around the

office.

What do you think you are doing,

watching a movie?

Now all you do is gape at the big

screen, dabbing away in glory!

Friends and colleagues, and family

members have started complaining.

Not that they did not have complaints

earlier.

They think I am obsessed.

I am not. I am stuck.

I am stressed out.

And, no I don’t enjoy this one wee bit.

I am actually running out of time and

schedules.

I am not watching a movie.

I am not listening to music. And it is

not funny or relaxing.

It’s actually a smart phone, which

‘desmarted’ me.

I am responding to 50-60 messages

a minute.

It’s all free, so there are many out

there sending sms after sms….

You are online, why is it that you are

not responding?

Well, I have just a pair of hands and if

I am going to respond to all, all I can

do is that. Sit and gape and dab!

“Buy a smart phone; it will make your

life easier!”

“You will have a bigger screen, better

applications and mobility!”

Just get yourself one… now who was

that good friend who got me in to this

mess?

By Priya Arunkumar

[email protected]

Smarties?

With friends like this one, who needs

enemies?

Wow, congrats, you got one finally?

Cool!

Yes, life has changed!

Instead of how is family, how is your

little girl, the conversation patterns

have changed. Now it is all about did

you download that application, got

that updates?

You can save money, by the way,

how much is your bill now?

Am sure you must be using the free

sms application, another smarty!

You know how to save battery

right? All you need is to shut down

all applications at night… another

suggestion.

Don’t forget to update the applications

periodically?

Well, though I am not a geek exactly,

I love mobiles and tech things, as

long as they are useful. I know all of

us love to be connected to friends

and foes... but all the time? At the

receiving end of the smart phone, I

don’t like it anymore, what would it be

at the sending side?

Happiness?

Don’t know yet.

I have not yet send one message on

my own yet, have been only replying

to all.

Three months down the lane, I have

deleted applications, lost all privacy,

strained my fingers, lost focus on

work, neglected my laptop, misplaced

my chargers, changed the phone

covers, did everything that I don’t

normally do.

Not even gossiped.

Yes, my friends and colleagues are

right.

I am losing it… not smart at all, right?

Hooked


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black & white magazine issue 62

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