Black & White mag Issue 74

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11 Rabi'ul Thani - 10 Jamadil Thani

Who let the 'Dogs Inn'? Pg28 Vol.6 Issue 74

II February – March 2015

3 February – March 2015 Black & White

Xclusive

28 Who let the 'Dogs Inn'?

Tell us honestly: You may claim that you are a dog lover. But imagine a situation where you have to suddenly go on vacation and then what happens to 'Fido' or 'Fluffy'? Are you going to leave them behind?

Where are you going to keep you so-called 'friends’? Maybe you are going to have an answer to this question very soon.

44

Bitter Batter

When no one wants to work Are the frequent holidays to be blamed or are we all getting lazier by the day? Concerned readers raise this query to us pointing out to the fact that those who return from leave are decidedly lazy and are having a lazy hangover.

Contents

8

The secret fears of men

Secretly, men has many weaknesses that he would never want to talk about, but, this silent anxiety would affect their relationships in so many ways and it is best, as a woman in his life, that you find it out and help him in whatever way you can

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: +968 24565697 Fax: 24565496 Website: www.blackandwhiteoman.com Editorial: editor@blackandwhiteoman.com Printed at Oman February – March Printers 2015

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Black & White

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Why can’t women have their cake… and eat it too?

It has been found that when sedentary men and women both start exercise programmes, men tend to lose body fat quickly, while most women don’t achieve that goal very easily, and others do not lose at all

Chairman Editor-in-chief Managing editor Work editor Editorial Marketing Design & production Photographer

Mohamed Issa Al Zadjali Mohamed Al Balushi Priya Arunkumar Adarsh Madhavan Khadija Al Zadjali Shalet D'Souza Beneek Siraj Najib Al Balushi

We are all at fault

By Adarsh Madhavan It happened late last year. But i still can't get it out of my mind: Imagine an armed psychopath running amok in the schools where our children study. It is the ultimate horror. It is a nightmare that should never ever happen to anyone. But, to think such a horror really happened in a school – in a hallowed institution of learning where we send our beloved children to learn, to understand, to grow – is beyond any imagination.

And when scribes write about such horror stories, some sitting safely away from the scene, others actually reporting from the scene, their words cry and scream out their anger at this unspeakable madness unleashed on innocent children. Some however still try to make their point noting that this tragedy could have been avoided if such and such measures were taken and the country concerned should not have played with such dangerous fire.

Whatever.

But, what about the parents of these young snuffed lives? How will they live with this tragedy? In the morning, like we all do, they would have sent their beloved young children to the school; some of the parents would have dropped off their kids themselves. Some giving them advice, others gently admonishing them for the little mistakes children do, and all of them waving goodbyes at the school’s gate, little knowing that this would be the last time they would see them again and little knowing that their precious ones would have to be the victims of such a horror.

What is the point in asking why it happened? We can flog ourselves with the question why fate cruelly allows the most precious of lives to be taken away in such a horrific manner? Where is truth? Where is justice? Where is karma?

Nonsense.

The reality is that one never knows what will happen next. No one will be able to say now with conviction

that the kids they see off to their schools would return home safe and sound. No one really knows whether they would wake up the next morning and if they do, whether they will be able to consciously sleep or will they be gone before the day ends.

Not that we need to know everything that is going to happen in the future. But when such horrors hit us, the truth hits us even harder. We realise with a pang the reality of human frailty and the fact that we are all vulnerable to the mercurial moods of fate. Not that this ugly, cowardly and bestial attack on innocent children was an act of fate, but on a larger scale, what will you call it? What did those young ones have anything to do whatever was the ugly reality behind this dastardly act?

And what did the ones who perpetrated this madness gain from it?

Nothing.

As scribes with a conscience, we may unleash a torrent of words to cover the sheer failure of our efforts in making the world sit up and understand that certain things have to be done and certain evil elements of the world we live in have to be eliminated without a twitch of an eyebrow. This tragedy is not just one country’s failure and there is no point in rubbing in the fact that they have played with fire and it has finally burnt them. Such incidents can never ever be wiped out from our memories and neither can we drown that fact with an outburst of angry words and a sea of tears.

And nor can we point fingers at anyone else. For this is a failure – a collective failure -- and all of us, you and I are all, if not equally, responsible for what happened.

Unless we all act, unless we all move and unless we all unite and destroy the evil and ugly forces that are behind such dastardly acts, such heart wrenching tragedies will continue to occur as frequent horrific nightmares in a dark and endless night. editor@blackandwhiteoman.com 5 February – March 2015 Black & White

Mail your views and opinions at editor@blackandwhiteoman.com

Souq is still the same I feel that the souq still echoes with the ghosts of its past.

Your magazine has tried to capture that essence of the vintage souq and the voices that speak of the past has a veritable pang in them. But, tell them not to fear. The old souq will not disappear in a sea of modernity! Even if you sprinkle modernity on a traditional souq, beneath the veneer, it is still the same. I don’t think the souq has lost its charm; I think it is just a bit dusty. Clear the dust, wipe it clean and you will have a brand new and sparkling souq in front of you in all its modernity and still shining with its tradition!

Ray Allen, Qurum

Readers column

Positive side The Muttrah souq is not the same as before. But, that is only understandable. It cannot be same souq that my grandfather or his grandfather used to visit. Naturally, it has to change. Has it changed for the better? That is a question. If the souq is not an attraction at all, then how is it that so many people are visiting it. Go on a weekday itself, 6 February – March 2015 Black & White

especially in the evenings, it will be packed. The souq will not die because even if the traditional part of it is missing, there is still the selling and buying part. That is not going to die. Let us look at the positive side of it.

Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Suleiman Al Harthy, Seeb

Reintroduce local flavour It is true. The Muttrah souq has lost much of its traditional charm.

I am a constant visitor since the last five years and even in this space of time too there has been a lot of changes. One of the most visible changes are the sellers at the souq. This is an Omani souq and if tradition is the keyword of the souq, then the Omanis are conspicuous by their absence. Of course, there are the owners and the key personnel in these shops but the vast majority are expatriates. This does not give the authentic feel of a souq because one of the major factors, the nationals are so few in number here that it almost feel like it has moved into a new era and as though the souq is now taken over by the expatriates. I am myself an expatriate and I am not getting on the don’t-givejobs-to-expatriates’ bandwagon but I sincerely feel that we need to give the souq a more authentic Omani flavour and also have more Omanis selling items. Your story speaks about a samosa seller, kahwa man…Oman needs to re-introduce more of such traditional flavours to the souq.

Abdul Qader, Wadi Kabir

Souq has to move with the times If you are a tourist, there is no better place in Oman for a visit than the Muttrah souq. I remember how I was mesmerised by the souq when I first visited it in 1992.

The sights, the sounds, the smells, the colours, the narrow alleyways, the incredible people… for me it was like walking straight into an Arabian tale. Since then, sadly, the souq has changed, but I wonder why such a big noise is being made about it. Of course, it will change!

What do you expect? You think a souq like this will remain the same for 200 years? Look, the world is evolving and likewise the souq and everything in it. This does not require the mind of a scientist to understand this simple fact. Everything is changing, nothing remains constant and so how can you expect a souq to be still anchored in the 70’s or the 60’s.

We ourselves are changing by the second, so why is the

souq getting the blame for evolving?

Of course, what should not change are the values, the ethics, the understanding and the sense to conduct business honestly. These things should never change.

That is what the campaign should be about. I empathise with the sentiments of the people featured in the story, Muttrah Chronicles, but then, the one thing I want to ask them is whether they are today having a proper roof above their heads, whether they have electricity and water in their homes, whether they have good food and drinking water; whether their children are attending good schools?

If the answer to these queries is a simple ‘yes’, then let me tell you that there will be changes. A souq cannot remain in the past – it has to fast forward to the changing times, to the future!!

Dr Salil Bhaskar, Qurum

Still the most beautiful market I agree with all that is written about the present scenario prevailing in the souq. I feel the pain in the words of those interviewed in this magazine.

But, whatever anyone says, the Mutrah souq is the most beautiful market one can set their eyes on. It still has its magic, beauty and allure. I have read the interview with Maxine Burden (author of Throw Down the Anchor) and her words that the souq still has more stories to offer echoes in my mind as I write this. The souq, despite the ravages of time on it, still has a very distinctive flavour!

Shabnam R., Al Khuwair 7 February – March 2015 Black & White

The

SECRET FEARS of men‌

...(continued from last issue) Taking off from where we stopped last issue, let us plunge headlong into the secret fears of men once again.

Before we continue, here is a line you need to understand before you move forward:

Men read

Your man may not admit that he worries about anything, but of course he does.

Your man may not admit that he worries about anything, but of course he does.

No, the above line is not a repeat. We kept it thus to drive home the point that your man can portray himself as an ocean of serenity, while he might be a boiling, volatile volcano!

Secretly, he has many weaknesses that he would never want to talk about, but, this silent anxiety would affect their relationships in so many ways and it is best, as a woman in his life, that you find it out and help him in whatever way you can.

8 February – March 2015 Black & White

Since we have already touched upon money, job and getting old, let us move on to other factors: HIS LEGACY A man wants to make money. But, he also wants to achieve something in life. He wants to show the world that he has accomplished something in his life. And more than anything else in the world, he wants to show you, his woman, that he has achieved something great; he wants his family to know that. He wants to leave a legacy. But, when it comes to the crunch, he would suddenly realise that he has not reached any of those goals; that he has no legacy to leave behind. He may suddenly reach the stage when he worries himself sick with the thought whether he is going to be remembered in some way?

And that is where you come in to tell him that it is not his money, it is not his big achievements or accomplishments alone that is going to be remembered. He will be remembered for what he was: a man of great kindness, his generosity, his humility, his humour, his smiles, his laughter; his ability to see the lighter side of life and his

passion to give the best for his family. Tell him that he need not be a movie-star-type hero, but what he should attempt is to be a hero of a husband, a hero of a father, a hero of a friend to all. And after you have convinced him thus, still give him a chance to get on to his short and long-term aspirations.

in view of the “family” health, he will be happy because he is getting his secret desire fulfilled too and he could rest all his health-related doubts. As long as you inject a decent dose of “let’s do a joint health checkup” then that is a placebo he is going to gulp down without batting an eyelid.

HEALTH IS WEALTH Of course, that does sound like a cliché. But, it is hardly that. Let your man hate doctors, but secretly, he would be worried sick about his own various health conditions yet scared to take the step to meet a doctor. Why? Well, the question is not why, but what you can do to help your man overcome his own ego and make him understand that the best way, or rather, the only way to live a life of great health, happiness and longevity is to have a regular health check up. But, the trick is to make him go to a doctor. How do you do it? Link it with a family health check up. Make sure that you are not doing it for “him” but for “us”, for “all of us” so that we do not have to “regret in the future”. As long as he feels that he has to do this

GOOD DAD, BAD DAD Men will be men. Which is why he will be so hesitant to pass on everything he knows to his kids, especially his son. If he has had a wild childhood, and an even wilder youth, he may be a trifle hesitant to completely give in to his kids. The past is going to rankle. And, even if he has been a good kid and a man, he will still be wondering whether he has it in him to be a good dad?

Acknowledge this fear in your man and tell him that you also have the same fears as him. Of course, even If motherhood comes naturally to you, there are still fears that you would also address and so, help him with this fear in him, and tell him that it is okay to be vulnerable.

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Boney M concert 10 February – March 2015 Black & White

BONEY M Live concert in Muscat, Chennai & Kochi Boney M, featuring the irreplaceable and legendary Maizie Williams, scorched the stages with their everlasting pop and disco favourites in Muscat (Oman Automobile Association grounds), Chennai (YMCA grounds Nandanam) and Kochi (Emperor’s Courtyard near Kaloor International Stadium), recently.

In all three stages, this trendsetter band of the late 70’s sang some of the catchiest, grooviest disco anthems that sent the thronging crowds in a blitz of nostalgia-laden yet full on disco jamming, finger-pointing musical party.

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19 February – March 2015 Black & White

Acha Motta Thalaya!

Off the wall

Acha motta thalaya!

Roughly translated, it means: bald dad or baldy daddy!

Of course, there is only one person who can call me daddy.

And, there is only one person on earth who can call me what he called and well, live to tell the tale.

Acha, kuranga! (Monkey dad/dy!)

Oops!

And the same people who turned around when my son called me baldy turned around to see the monkey dad.

The look on their faces was a mix of smirking, a secret self loathing and a bit of “you deserve it”!

Others shrugged their shoulders and the looks on their faces suggested a sense of familiarity which obviously breeds contempt.

And I went from brown to black to red.

I don’t know where my son picked these appropriate names for me, but if they are meant to hit me, it did. I got knocked down.

Maybe some family member must have been behind this, I told myself darkly.

We were in our weekly stint at Lulu because my son was such a great fan of the hypermarket and although I did not share his enthusiasm on these jaunts, I had no choice because it was my son’s wish to be there every week for a game and a toy.

Besides, it was close to my home and it served a dual purpose as my son seemed to think it was fun to climb into the same doggone pony or try to douse the fire on the same boringly blazing building to rescue the never-to-be rescued damsel in distress, or get on a painfully dumb ride, and then order pop corn or chips served by a totally wooden sales person whom I have never seen smiling at the café, the name of which I always forget (I promise to look it up next time).

My son keeps his mother on a very high pedestal and he does not resort to such name callings with her. Probably, he does not take her for granted, I guess and there is a deep connection between mom and son that does not allow the relationship to dip to such shallow depths. I guess he does not kid with her as much as he does with me and it is not that he disrespects me but he probably thinks I am his equal. No hard feelings. He thinks I am his buddy. And that is a great feeling, but when he calls me motta thalaya or loudly asks me in front of a dozen people, why I was always wearing the same shirt (not true, not true, not true, well, okay, maybe a half truth there) which evokes an immediate rustle among the listeners and perhaps some muffled guffaws, and an angry bristle from 20 February – March 2015 Black & White

O

By Adarsh Madhavan

wall he t ff

my end, I tend to look like a clown.

Sometimes, when I am ruminating over workrelated issues, suddenly my little bundle of mischief will break into my thoughts asking, “Acha (Dad) what are you dreaming about?!” and everyone would smile or stifle a laugh. Was my son’s tongue getting to a bit too loose, I begin to wonder, but, one night, as I tossed around in my bed, thinking among other things on how to pay off the different loans that I had taken, this stray thought of my little bundle of mischief’s random blurting brought a smile to my face. And then all other thoughts dissolved as I went back several years. There I was in the garden in front of my home, hyper and loud. My mother was watering the plants and there was a gentleman whom we always see walking past our gate and stopping by to talk to us, mostly the adults at my home and there I was suddenly shouting from the top of my voice: “Mama, there goes your friend, the man who talks to you all the time!” And although I did not realise it, my mother went red in her face and so did the passerby, who, came back to the gate, his face in tight consternation and declared to me: “Son, please don’t shout out things like this!” And my mother also admonished me immediately afterwards and I got a post blurting lecture on the same on why I shouldn’t shout out er, things like that! Since that incident, I have kept my mouth shut, and even on occasions that demanded speech, I would go limp and mealy mouthed. Somehow the fact that I had blurted out something bad always put me on the back foot throughout my life, always made me the quiet one even when I was supposed to speak. I certainly did not want to scar my son like that and compared to my tongue at his age, my son’s is mere baby talk. adarsh@blackandwhiteoman.com

Bank Nizwa’s ‘Masoliyati’ programme Twenty of Bank Nizwa’s volunteers with their families and friends gathered to conduct a beach clean-up in Al Ghubra.

In partnership with Muscat Municipality, this latest activity falls under the bank’s ‘Masoliyati’ programme to encourage volunteerism and emphasises the importance of protecting and preserving the local environment.

“Our values at Bank Nizwa are centered on how we can improve the lives of our customers whether it is through introducing innovative shari’a compliant products and services or by engaging with the local community.

The volunteer programme instills these very values amongst the staff members and activities such as the beach cleanup reinforces the power of togetherness and the impact small actions can have on our local communities,” said Dr Ashraf Al Nabhani, general manager of corporate support at Bank Nizwa. Bank Nizwa first launched the ‘Masoliyati’ programme

sometime back, introducing a volunteer platform that stems from the understanding of ‘giving back to the people’. The programme offers volunteering opportunities for staff while allocating human and financial resources to help less fortunate families across the Sultanate. Through such initiatives, the bank remains dedicated to engaging people through enriching their lives, financially, environmentally and socially.

GAC signs agreement with the ministry of manpower General Automotive Company (GAC), the official distributors of Mitsubishi in Oman, places staff learning and development initiatives at the core of its human resources programme, a policy which is in line with the national objective of offering more employment opportunities for young Omanis, and to make a meaningful contribution towards the overall economic growth of the country.

In line with this policy, General Automotive Company recently signed an agreement with the ministry of manpower to train 37 young Omanis and recruit them throughout the company’s branch network.

The agreement was signed at the manpower ministry in the presence of Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser Al Bakri, the minister of manpower. Representing GAC at the event were Mark Tomlinson, the group general manager of The Zubair Automotive Group; Rashid Al Hooti, group head of corporate affairs, and Salam Al Kindi, the National HR manager of GAC. Commenting on the recently signed agreement, Mark Tomlinson, said, “As an automotive business operating in

Oman, we are very proud to have one of the highest Omanisation rates within the sector. The employment of Omani nationals has always been a core aspect of our operational strategy and each and every one of our Omani employees have proved themselves to be extremely efficient and capable. Furthermore, we strive to offer both, new recruits and existing staff with comprehensive training workshops and skill development programs in order to facilitate their growth within the organisation as well as to add to the availability of skilled manpower in the Omani automobile industry.”

2015 CR-V launched Oman Marketing & Services Co (Omasco), the local distributors of Honda recently launched the 2015 CR-V. Those who thronged to see the car at the venue were quite impressed with the latest car. The CR-V comes with significant updates, giving the 2015 model a new engine and transmission with several minor changes that has added appeal of a vehicle that is one of the top compact crossovers in the country.

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Global foodstore giant, SPAR, opens first supermarket in Oman SPAR, the world's largest food retailer with 12,500 stores across 40 countries meeting the needs of over 11 million consumers every day, has opened its first supermarket in Oman. Globally recognised for great value and quality offerings, SPAR prides itself on the concept of fresh food.

The 700 sq m SPAR facility at Al Khuwair promises to deliver a wide assortment of fresh produce including fruits and vegetables, meat, fish, deli, bakery and foodto-go range from Kitsu. M. Sridhar, Ceo, SPAR Oman, said “Standing high on the pillars of service, freshness, value, range and assortment, this state -of-art SPAR Supermarket in Al Khuwair will offer customers a new and a rewarding experience like none other. SPAR Middleast

has worked closely with SPAR Oman to design customer friendly layout and ambience bringing convenient and pleasurable shopping for discerning customers in Muscat.” The first SPAR supermarket in Al Khuwair, will maximise customer delight from day one by offering free home delivery. The SPAR supermarket is located near to the Taimur Mosque at Al Khuwair.

Oman Electricity Transmission Company signs six agreements Oman Electricity Transmission Company recently signed agreements related to construction works of a new grid station, expansion of a number of existing plants, reinforcement of overhead transmission lines and consultancy services for construction of new grid stations in many wilayats in the Sultanate, which costs about OMR87,881,838 of the total six agreements. The first tender was the construction of a new 220/132/33kV grid station at Sohar Free Zone, which will be carried out by Galfar Engineering and Construction Company at a cost of OMR18,458,587. The second tender was the construction of a 400kv overhead transmission line between Izki and Misfah grid

stations. The work will be carried out by Gulf Jyoti International and Jyoti Constructions at a cost of OMR18,848,089. The third tender was the upgrading of the Misfah grid station to 400kV and the work will be carried out by Larsen & Toubro (Oman) at a cost of OMR21.607 million. The fourth tender was reinforcing the current network in Muscat by 132kV linking system between Al Falaj, Muttrah and Wadi Kabir grid stations and adding a fourth 125MVA transformer at Wadi

Kabir grid station. The work will cost about OMR17,524,862 and will be carried out by Bahwan Engineering Company. The fifth tender is the construction of a new 132kV Grid Station and 132kv OHL at Al Dreez.

It will cost about OMR10.315 million and the work will be carried out by Anabensa Company and Sarooj group. The sixth tender was the consultancy services for design and supervision of a 400kV grid station at Sohar IPP-3, Sohar Free Zone and Sieh Almakarem and a 400kV line connection between Sohar Free Zone to Mahadha and a 400kV line connection between Sohar Free Zone to Sieh Almakarem and EnergoProjekt Company was awarded as a consultant at a cost of OMR1,128,300.000.

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The New Nissan Tiida comes with upbeat styling and advanced technology The Nissan Tiida from the house of Suhail Bahwan Automobiles comes with best-in-class fuel economy, advanced technology and features typically expected from far more expensive vehicles.

With dynamic styling and classleading spaciousness, the Nissan Tiida’s refreshed aerodynamic body shape blends sophistication with a sporty influence, complemented 22 February – March 2015 Black & White

by widened and lowered stance, electric-folding mirrors and 17” alloys wheels. Inside, a sleek, modern cabin welcomes the driver and passengers featuring quality materials and lifestyle-accommodating design.

The Nissan Tiida is offered in two 1.6-litre engine equipped grades – ‘S’ and ‘SV’ - with three 1.8-litre models – ‘SV’, ‘SL’ and ‘SL Plus’.

Suhail Bahwan Automobiles (SBA)

is largely committed to supporting Nissan’s growth in the Sultanate through major emphasis on customer satisfaction and by providing worldclass after-sales services in Oman.

The Bollywood unveils the shahi buffet – a feast fit for a king Muscat’s leading Indian restaurant, The Bollywood, has announced the all-new, unlimited shahi buffet. While diners may already be familiar with the restaurant’s daily lunch buffet, the shahi buffet takes things to the next level both in terms of taste and presentation. The elaborate spread has a wide range of classic vegetarian Indian dishes – from starters to dessert – that will leave guests spoilt for choice.

The Bollywood, owned by Khimji

International LLC, is known for its authentic vegetarian chaats, patties, sandwiches, Southern and Punjabi specialties and sweets. It draws food lovers from all over the city with its philosophy of great choice, taste and

value for money.

In keeping with this philosophy, the restaurant has launched its new, unlimited shahi buffet that will be available between 12 pm and 2.30 pm every day. It includes chaat, a soup and starter, a dry tandoori dish, two main courses, rice, roti and naan, daal, dessert and accompaniments.

Some of these dishes are new additions to the existing lunch buffet offered by the restaurant.

Over 2,000 winners in hourly draws with Al Mumayaz savings Bank Sohar has always advised and encouraged the habit of savings within the community by launching and promoting its Al Mumayaz savings scheme year after year. To further incentivise this, the bank continues to awards savers with prizes such as the OMR1,000 hourly draw that has now been awarded to a record milestone of over 2,000 winners; a number that has been steadily growing since the draw’s introduction into the scheme in 2013. In celebration of this momentous event the bank conducted a cake cutting ceremony at the launch of its latest Al Mumayaz saving scheme 2015 earlier this month.

The hourly prize draw has been steadily growing in popularity since its introduction into the savings scheme two years ago and has since witnessed over 2,000 winners across the bank’s 26 branches; averaging over 35 winners per branch in 2014 alone.

To celebrate this milestone event the bank organised a special cake cutting ceremony at the recent press

launch of the 2015 Al Mumayaz saving scheme held at the Grand Hyatt, Muscat. The cake was cut by members of the executive management at Bank Sohar. “We have always encouraged the habit of saving while we reward as many of our customers for doing so. The hourly prize draw is a unique draw exclusive to Bank Sohar that was conceived especially for this purpose,” said R. Narasimhan, commenting on the landmark event. “With over 2,000 winners across our entire branch network and counting, the family of hourly winner’s keeps getting bigger with each passing day. This year alone we will witness over 900 winners that will be added to the lucky winners list.”

Naturally playful/ naturally KENZO This year evian® and French fashion house KENZO, partner to create a pure bottle, driven by a playful yet distinctly mysterious spirit. KENZO’s creative directors, Carol Lim and Humberto Leon have united with evian® to convey their graphic, intimate vision for a unique, one-ofa-kind bottle. The mysterious and strange œuvre of artist and director David Lynch influenced the KENZO fall-winter 2014 collections for men

and women and it is in this vein that the bottle’s motif features a broken floor pattern, toying with the idea of shifting the elements. Offering a magnifying glass effect when full, the bottle’s purple fragmented pattern is penetrated by a sole lime zig-zag, giving the holder a distorted and skewed view of its ultra-pure contents. Born in the purity of the Alps, dressed with a twisted spirit, the bottle embodies a naturally

playful energy: a theme that united the two brands. The evian® + KENZO bottle will be available in two sizes: 75 cl and 33 cl, and this year takes the limited edition to a PET range. Exclusively revealed at Fashion Forward Dubai, the evian® + KENZO bottle will be available in the Middle East in selected restaurants and retailers.

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DOG SHOW The Muscat K9 team recently organised a dog show at Al Sahwa park.

Facebook page: Muscat Canine

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Photos: Najib Al Balushi

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25 February – March 2015 Black & White

The Zubair Corporation

launches 2015 Calendar – Through the lens of Mohammad Al Zubair

The Zubair Corporation has unveiled a limited edition 2015 calendar inspired by ‘Oman’s Doors and Windows’, a chronicle of the Sultanate’s rich traditional heritage as seen through the lens of Mohammad Al Zubair, which is set to be released early 2015. The limited edition large format calendar was unveiled during a premiere event held at Bait Al Zubair recently and was attended by officials from the public and private sector and media representatives. Intricately carved wooden doors have been an iconic feature of the architecture of Oman for centuries. They are significant not only from the perspective of superb craftsmanship and fine aesthetics, but also because of the history they preserve and the values they represent. The calendar is a beautiful compilation of the photographic works of Mohammad Al Zubair, focusing on these eloquent emblems of the nation’s cosmopolitan character and its proud history of seafaring. Commenting on the launch of the limited

edition calendar, Rashad Al Zubair, chairman of The Zubair Corporation said, “‘Oman’s Doors and Windows’ is set to become a unique reference. The book will feature a volume of exquisite photography, which present the doors and windows of Oman in both traditional and contemporary collections that span a range of styles and show the creativity and inspiration of Omani designers and the deep talents of the nation’s craftsmen. The focus on our history and heritage as well as the exclusivity of these images motivated The Zubair Corporation to select it as the theme for the 2015 Calendar.”

All-new 2015 Subaru Legacy launched The OTE Group and Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd, Japan, the manufacturer of Subaru automobiles, recently launched the all-new 2015 Legacy, the sixth generation of its flagship model in the Sultanate.

The new Legacy is designed to give universal appeal as a true sports sedan providing trust-inspiring driving excitement and value.

The all-new Legacy was unveiled

by George Hisaeda, ambassador of

Japan to Oman, Sheikh Saad Suhail Bahwan, chairman, OTE Group, Yasushi Enami, general manager (Europe, Middle East & Africa sales and marketing), Fuji Heavy Industries Japan, Anil Dua, managing director, OTE Group and other officials from FHI and OTE Group.

The Subaru Legacy, completely redesigned for 2015, is available with both 4-cylinder and 6-cylinder Boxer engines. Legacy features improved

fuel economy, all-wheel drive as standard, a much upgraded interior, sharper styling and the largest cabin in its class. The new Legacy is also more conventionally appealing and spacious than its contemporaries in the mid-size car segment.

Wordpress

Launch of Rossini Exquisite Italian cuisine is set to be the latest culinary rage at The Cave with the launch of Rossini, the Oman’s newest and most authentic Italian restaurant. Brought to the Sultanate by Four Seasons Tourism LLC, which manages a chain of premium restaurant brands around the country, Rossini offers guests the opportunity of a culinary journey that is quintessentially Italian. From the signature Italian dishes to the distinctive hospitality, this outstanding diner recreates the Italian experience in all its gastronomic grandeur. Speaking at the opening, Ryan Stallwood, 26 February – March 2015 Black & White

restaurant manager, said that around 90 people, including 16 in the VIP room, can be accommodated at this Italian restaurant.

In Black & White

In Black...

Oman has a good number of people who love and take care of dogs and there are also institutions that can look into a dog’s well being and can even provide shelter for them. But we still have a long way to go Mohamed Issa Al Zadjali Chairman Are YOU his best friend?

History is replete with tales of the unique relationship between man and dog.

And one can’t but repeat the time-tested cliché of how a dog is a man’s best friend.

But, I often wonder whether this isreciprocated and whether we treat our dogs as our best friend?

I have heard of how some people simply abandon their pets when they are leaving the country or during some emergency. If the dog is your best friend, why are we abandoning him?

Over the years I have also seen how some people just dump their best friend when they have to go on a vacation.

Yes, there are chances when we are in a tight situation and we are forced to rush on an emergency and we are in a big dilemma as to what to do with our pet. But, a solution has to be found and we cannot just abandon the dog. If he is part of the family, can we just dump him just because we have to leave the country and it is a hassle to take him along?

I understand that having a pet is one’s own personal choice, but then if we have made that decision, it has to be maintained. We need to honour our own decision to have a pet and take care of it like our own child for that is the trust that a dog places on us.

It gives us unconditional love and no one will trust you like a dog does. Unfortunately, owing to various circumstances, some even beyond our control, we are not able to give the same love that a pet dog can give us.

And it is not just the love they shower on us, it has been proven beyond doubt that children growing up with pet dogs are also known to be responsible and accountable.

Dogs are not just a man’s best friend, but they are also good at guarding your house, and a great help for the visually challenged.

Giving it back to our pets Oman has a good number of people who love and take care of dogs and there are also institutions that can look into a dog’s well being and can even provide shelter for them. But we still have a long way to go in this arena.

We need to look at giving pet dogs not only better living conditions but also a real place for them to be looked after in case we have to go on vacation or move out for a short period from our home.

So, it is a great relief to hear that Oman is going to have its own luxury pet resort. Oman must be the first country in the region to have such an exclusive resort and I would like to salute the people who have taken this initiative to give back some aspect of the unconditional love that these loving pets have given all pet owners here.

Kudos to them!

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B&W Xclusive 28 February – March 2015 Black & White

Who let the

DOGS INN? Woof! Woof! Woof!

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Christmas was just a couple of weeks away and it looked most certainly a bleak one for Neil and his wife Cindy. They had promised to be with Cindy’s parents for Christmas and they were all gung ho about it, except for one furry detail they seem to have overlooked: What were they going to do with their beloved golden retriever Chance?

B&W Xclusive

They had planned their trip down to the last detail, but the one thing they had not accounted for was Chance. They would not be able to leave Chance alone in their home in Al Khuwair and it was not feasible to take him along with them.

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NO VACATION HOMES FOR DOGS There were no other takers too for everyone in their circle of friends were travelling for Christmas and the only option was to use one of the pet services offered by the pet sellers in town. But neither Cindy nor Neil fully trusted the services offered by the pet companies in town. Maybe they were good, but there was also that half a chance that they could be bad. They would not dare take the risk.

And the couple simply did not want just anyone to take care of their furry golden friend of seven years. But, it was an important family gathering in England in Christmas and thus they were in a real quandary.

This is one scenario that has become increasingly frequent among families wanting to leave on holidays or worst still those wanting to fly out of Oman during some family-related emergencies. Where were they going to keep ‘Fido’ or ‘Fluffy’? Who is going to take care of their beloved furry creatures?

Most situations prevent us from taking our favourite canine buddy along with us when we go on a vacation or out of town and then we face a daunting task to find someone to take care of him/her while we are away.

With limited pet services found in the country, how are we going to find someone whom we can trust and who is capable of taking care of our four-legged companions?

Well, don’t sweat it is the clear message from one of the foremost names among the dog care scene in Oman – Alfa Vold.

Alfa is a certified master trainer and managing director of Canadian Jebel (which offers K-9 training and services) and more importantly, she is one dog lover in Oman who is unable to sit still when her four-legged buddies are in trouble. And in trouble they are when their masters move out of the country for vacations and/or go out on emergency trips.

A FIVE-STAR CANINE-RESORT And this time, Alfa is not just dreaming big – she is planning to make her dream come true: a full-fledged five-

star canine resort. The lady with a heart that is always beating for her canine friends is going full steam ahead to bring for the first time to Oman -- and perhaps the region -- a five-star dog resort. “To the scale we are building, this dog resort will be the first of its kind in the whole AGCC region,” she told us at her shelter and training centre in Bausher. Alfa has a formidable reputation in the dog circles in Oman having established a full-fledged dogtraining centre here.

With the CJ K-9 services fully established, Alfa is currently training her focus on this dream project. For the thousands of dog owners- registered and unregistered in Oman, Alfa is planning to set up a luxury dog resort in an area of 15,000 square metres (roughly three acres) in Rumais.

ULTIMATE PET BOARDING EXPERIENCE “I wanted to establish and do something for the dogs here, which would be sort of an ultimate treat, real pampering, something that could make those loving beings happy. Dogs are man’s best friends, but how many of us treat them well? I wanted to offer the dog owners in town the ultimate pet boarding experience in Oman,” Alfa explained. In this regard, she has been visiting neighbouring counties and have seen the pet resorts and boarding available there and then she slowly devised her own plan to set up a practical and good boarding for pets in Oman.

DREAM COME TRUE The new one is planned in Rumais, close to the express highway and can be seen from the road. The new resort will have walkways, greenery, real life landscapes, a 750 sq mts of indoor training hall for agility training, obedience classes etc, all in controlled environments. “It is like a dream come true for us, allowing us finally to keep the dogs well groomed, happy, healthy and relaxed. The canines will have more privacy and space that will keep them relaxed and happy.

We will provide grooming services, spa packages, companion services, boarding during vacations, training

Most situations prevent us from taking our favourite canine buddy along with us when we go on a vacation or out of town and then we face a daunting task to find someone to take care of him/ her while we are away. With limited pet services found in the country, how are we going to find someone whom we can trust and who is capable of taking care of our four-legged companions?

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with boarding services, obedience classes and courses and will also have an outlet for pet supplies.

Every dog needs some quality time and treats and the resort will also offer special weekend packages.

Special packages and offers will be given to loyal and long-term customers. The resort will be an identical module of a hotel for dogs, with check-in and checkout facilities.”

DOG TRAINING AND WORKSHOPS “We organised a workshop at Al Bustan Palace Hotel last year (2014), on the topic of how to behave around animals. We realised that most of the public have a fear in their minds that animals attack you without reason and that dogs are dangerous,” Alfa said, as she fended off a friendly charge by one of her many dogs who was let out from the cage there.

“Though most dogs can be made home friendly, they have some innocent tendencies—like jumping up to greet, barking, digging and chewing—that can make it downright difficult to live with them! However good your pet is, there would be times when you would want an expert opinion to make the most of your relationship with your dog and to teach them some important basic skills that will help them live harmoniously in a household. We have taken it as a mission to educate people about dogs and animal behaviour in general. All dogs crave for attention, and regard. For them their whole life is about their master and loves its master unconditionally. So it is every pet owner’s responsibility to understand his/her pets’ behaviour and fears, train and love them back unconditionally and protect them.

OBEDIENCE COURSES Specifically tailored obedience courses for dogs with no previous training, will give your pet a solid foundation of basic behaviours. Untrained adolescent and adult dogs can become easily distracted by their environment, which is why it is important to work on coming when called, leash-pulling and impulse-control exercises.

Other than holiday and weekend specials, we have planned tailor-made workshops for dogs and will bring in various specialists for games and other related activities. We will leave no stone unturned to provide the best training and healthy activities, workshops, sports, engaging entertainments, show training etc to the pets.”

Alfa noted that many pet owners have voiced their concern on the lack of dog related activities, sports and workshops and that is one of the reasons that she thought that she should provide a range of services at her planned canine resort.

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Tail-wagging facilities for four-legged buddies

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Do you really, really love your furry four-legged buddy? Then, them the vacation of their lives? Or, if you are going on a vac A real resort where your four-legged buddies can splash in and and flop in front of a TV? Alfa Vold, who is planning such a r goodies to expect for our canin These facilities are surely going to se 36 February – March 2015 Black & White

would you send Fido/Fluffy to a five-star canine resort and give cation, would you send in your pooch to a five-star resort too? d about in a swanky pool; go for walks and runs and come back resort in Oman, also gave us a sneak preview on some of the ne friends at the planned resort. et the tails of our furry friends wagging.

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Excerpts:

conditioned training both specialised and general obedience and dog sports.

Will the facilities offered include an online service for the pet owner to track the pet’s stay at the resort?

Yes we will offer pet webcam services so owners can view their pets online in their kennels.

Is there a pet pool also as part of the facilities?

We are planning to have a dog pool.

Will the resort be the first of its kind in the (AGCC) region?

Yes to the scale we are building.

What will the room size be like -- normal room or kennel size?

The resort will accommodate kennel sizes for small breeds to extra large and kennels to accommodate multi dog families. What sets us apart is the amount of outdoor space for dogs to play and for free time. We also have an agility and fun park plus the training rooms and educational facilities, which will offer us year round air-

Also, are there choices for the rooms — like standard, luxury, suite etc – with varying rates?

Yes we have standard and luxury suites with different types of packages such as sports and luxury spa (packages).

Will there be TV sets and music also in the room and do dogs actually look at the TV screens? Do they see the figures on TV? The luxury suites are equipped with television sets and music will be piped in throughout all the kennels. Dogs do see images on TV and respond to sounds as well.

Our objective is to promote pet training and care and to be a centre for excellence for all dog related activities and training.

And where will the centre be located?

In Rumais. It is a very central location, highly accessible from both the main road and the expressway.

Canadian Jebel makes sure that their dogs are safely transported on the road. A custom-made GMC is used to transport their dogs in and around town.

Text: Adarsh Madhavan & Priya Arunkumar, Photos: Najib & Ben February– March – March2015 2015 3939February Black Black&&White White

Where Should I be Networking...

By Dr CK Anchan

“Where should I be networking or what should I be doing to make myself known to that potential customer or to people who give the prospect referrals?” After you’ve answered the questions, act on them.

Customers don’t really want the service you perform. They want the solution to a problem or benefit your service provides.

Think about it. A plumber’s customers aren’t really interested in plumbing. They want a leaky pipe fixed. A web developers’ customers don’t want a database or design.

They want a website that will make them look good, get found in search engines, and help them get new customers.

Once you have identified a target market create a profile of your ideal customer.

What type of person buys this service most frequently today? Why do they need and strongly desire this service? What is their job function? If it’s a consumer product, where do they live? How old are they? How much money do they earn? What other factors make them a likely customer? Where are they most likely to look for the service or hear about it? Who might they ask for a referral? Once you answer those questions, ask yourself one more:

Management Talk

If you need help figuring out what your customers are really buying, ask them. Write down their answers. Get better results from all the marketing you do by focusing on the specific problems your service solves or benefits it provides. People like to buy from people they know and trust. They also don’t like to have anything “sold” to them. Become a trusted resource to your prospects by providing information that will help them make a good choice.

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Dr Anchan C.K. managing director, World Wide Business House

Depending what you sell, look for topicspecific groups and/or location-based discussion groups. Set aside a few minutes a day to read the conversations, and then join in when appropriate, making informative comments or posting useful resources.

If you don’t have time to do this, hire a freelancer or an employee help by scouting out conversations that you may want to participate in.

Set up professional profiles for yourself and/or your business on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Google Profiles. Be sure each of your profiles has a link to your website. If you meet a prospect and they lose your business card, they might type your name into the search engine to try to find you. Having a profile on the biggest social media sites will allow them to find you and the link to your website.

Google places listings aren’t just for fast food establishments or retail stores. You can search for any type of service by location, and Google will show a list of companies that match the service you searched for in the location you specified. If you live in a big city, there’s no guarantee your places profile will show up on that first page listing. But having a profile gives you an edge.

Once business starts coming in on a regular basis it’s tempting to ease off on some of the marketing and networking you do. But that’s a mistake. You need to market continually to keep business coming in regularly. “Where should I be networking or what should I be doing to make myself known to that potential customer?" Well, don’t stop marketing.”

It's my life

Pucchh Pucchhh....

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

By Vandana Shah

The cuddly bear with the droopy eyes, goofy smile, slight tongue stuck out, chubby cheeks, hang on, in fact a chubby body smiles at me and hugs me right back when I cuddle up to it.Its an old bear sent by a very close friend. We were like two bodies with one soul.

Life was good then with not a care in the world and the only preoccupation was fixing the date for our next surreptitious rendezvous and staring at the smiling face of the clock with its two hands bringing us closer and then going by on superfast wheels and finally separating us.

This fervor of togetherness increased in intensity near about Valentine's Day when every teddy bear,rose and chocolate seized you and seemed to be only talking to you about the acute and chronic love you felt.

The teddy bear, of course, became a recipient of all the ardour. Ah! then when the day arrived you had to concoct excuses at home to explain your 'going out for studying at a friend's ' and late arrival at home .Oh !but the romance of it all made the subterfuge worth it.You wished the day would never end and even the waiter left you both alone.

Ah, those days sometimes seem a distant memory but at times they are as fresh as fresh cream on the love cake in my memory.

Till next time much love!

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

Email me what you’d like to say on 360degreesbacktolife@gmail.com Follow me on twitter Vandy4PM

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Fun facts on

Kidstuff

oysters

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• Oysters are “alternating hermaphrodites”, which means they can switch sexes from time to time.

• Only about one in 10,000 oysters contains a pearl.

• The verb ‘to shuck’, meaning to remove the shell from an oyster, was first recorded in 1881.

• The saying “the world’s your oyster” comes from Shakespeare’s Merry Wives of Windsor: “The world’s mine oyster. Which I with sword will open.”

• Worldwide, around two billion pounds of oysters are eaten every year. A recent five-day Oyster Festival in Whitstable, Kent, got through 30,000.

• In 1808 a UK law was passed making theft of oysters punishable.

• Oysters have a three-chambered heart, colourless blood and a pair of kidneys.

• The female oyster can release well in excess of 1 million eggs over the spawning season.

• Although all oysters can secrete pearls, the pearl oyster family (Pteriidae) comes from a different family to the edible oyster.

• An oyster produces a pearl when a grain of sand or some other irritant becomes trapped inside.

• The oyster then coats it repeatedly with nacre, a combination of calcium and protein, otherwise known as Mother of Pearl, to reduce the irritation.

• Most people think that pearls are round and white; however natural pearls can be coloured yellow, rose or even black.

• Cultured pearls take 3-6 years to reach a commercial size and are produced by placing a polished piece of mussel shell inside the oyster.

An oyster met an oyster, And they were oysters two

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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 month, here is some nitter natter for the B&W Bitter Batter:

When no one wants to work Are the frequent holidays to be blamed or are we all getting lazier by the day? Concerned readers raise this query to us pointing out to the fact that those who return from leave are decidedly lazy and are having a lazy hangover. “Even us. When we come back after four or five days from these holidays, we feel less inclined to work,” one of our readers tell us. But, why? Normally, it is said that everyone feels refreshed and rejuvenated after a holiday and now have things changed?

“It is not that. This is the difference between a deserved leave and undeserved leave. When it is a deserved leave where people who have been slaving off for a long period of time gets a respite and some time to relax and enjoy then they return to their work with renewed vigour. But, we are seeing a different trend where people are getting pockets of leave on a regular basis and so most of them are working towards that. They have forgotten that the most important aspect of their lives is to work and create a culture like that, but unfortunately, these small and not-so-

small holidays that come on a regular basis have totally destroyed the work fabric of our lives and more and more people have got on the holiday bandwagon, forgetting that their main focus should be on work and finishing it,” another reader summarised the issue.

Whatever, we still feel that the frequent holidays are going to upset many a company’s work schedule.

Nitter natter

Tehno craze spawns lazy, careless generation Technology may have its drawbacks, but is it making us lazy?

All of us are so dependent on computers, smartphones and the like because they save much time; all of the time spent on running around getting things done physically have become a thing of the past, but yet, there is this gnawing feeling that we are overdoing it; misusing it and have, by constant abuse of technology become regular lazy folks. And not just that, aren’t we all bugged when we find that most people simply cannot get off their mobile phones? Some people walk into meetings and talk on them and keep interrupting conversations to either talk or check their messages. If it was only bad manners, we would have forgiven the rabid users of technology, but unfortunately, the mobile craze have also spawned a new generation of careless drivers who are on the phone even while they are on the road. Of course, if it was an emergency they were attending to over the phone, it would have been okay, but no, even for the silliest reasons, they reach for the phone and putting their own and other innocent lives to risk.

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Plagued by a deadly disease Talk of careless driving…let us talk of crazy driving! The authorities concerned are doing everything possible to rein in the troublemakers on the road. Yet, given a chance, many a driver wants to break the law, jump red signals, bully weak and slow drivers on the road, drive at hair-raising speeds for no reason and generally create havoc on the roads.

With fantastic roads, like the Sultanate have, it is indeed a pleasure to drive, but then there are some troublemakers who are bent on creating havoc on the roads. What drives them to do this no one knows, but then, perhaps, it is in their nature to do as the please on the roads. Perhaps, it is borne out of sheer selfishness and carelessness but then what if their own family members fall prey to the acts done by similarly inclined road breakers? Will it knock sense into their insensitive minds? Will it make them drive in a normal,

careful manner as befitting the norms of this country?

We think crazy driving is a disease…fine, let it be, but where is the cure for this deadly disease?

Driving with windows open Some of our readers are angry; they are hopping mad. The reason: they have reported sighting too many instances of families driving cars with their side windows down and their little children leaning out. “Are these people simply out of their minds?” one reader ask us, explaining how she had got out of her car and stopped one of the families with their children leaning out of both windows and told them in a no-nonsense way that they need to be strapped on to their back seats. “But, they in turn shouted at me and told me to mind my own business!”

Another man reported how he chased a youngster with all his younger siblings in an open jeep racing along the side roads, music on full blast and none but the young driver having his seat belt on. The concerned man also got a rebuff from this brash young driver and in fact, the latter said he was going to complain to the authorities concerned for being stopped on the road!

Despite these rebuffs, our readers are still determined to do their bit to bring about much-needed awareness in this direction. Do what you can because even if you get a rebuff

or even a verbal volley, you can always be satisfied that you have at least made an attempt to save an innocent life.

(Note: Readers who have something bitter to chatter about can either email on editor@blackandwhiteoman.com or call 99218461)

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Your ARIES March 21-April 20

TAURUS April 21-May 20

GEMINI May 21-June 21

It’s finally beginning to sink in that Christmas is just around the corner, and because your schedule is jammed tight, you won’t have much time to do your present shopping.

Don’t get into a panic. With careful planning, and some early starts you’ll get there in the end.

Financial and practical issues are plain sailing this week and you’ll make significant progress where it matters most. Things may not be as they seem mid week, so get your detective hat on and start digging around. Don’t rush to sign contracts. Take legal advice.

Your social life and your one to one relationships are of equal importance as the week begins, so why not ditch the jobs you hate and set out to have a good time? As you near the end of 2014 and start to plan what you want to achieve in 2015, you’ll feel good.

CANCER June 22-July 23 Don’t overlook new business contacts as minor or menial especially if you’re self employed, as these connections could be really good for you long term if they’re pandered to right now. Mixing business with pleasure could work well in your favour. Just don’t go too far.

LEO July 24-August 23 You can expect to encounter some challenging situations this week be they in work or in love. Decisions need to be made and responsibilities faced, so don’t shy away from this. Creative change should be embraced, after all we’re nearly at Christmas so jingle those

VIRGO August 24-September 23 Consolidating your resources is your best way forward this week. It’s a question of setting your sights on future success and planning carefully to ensure you get there positively. Keep the channels of communication open and be crystal clear in your requests.

Horoscope

SHAKIRA ISABEL MEBARAK RIPOLL (BORN FEBRUARY 2, 1977) is a Colombian singer, songwriter, dancer, record producer, choreographer, and model. Born and raised in Barranquilla, she began performing in school, demonstrating Latin, Arabic, and rock and roll influences. Shakira released her first studio albums, Magia and Peligro, in the early 1990s, failing to attain commercial success; however, she rose to prominence in Latin America with her major-label debut, Pies Descalzos (1996), and her fourth album, Dónde Están los Ladrones? (1998). Shakira entered the English-language market with her fifth album, Laundry Service. Its lead single, "Whenever, Wherever", became the best-selling single of 2002.

Her official song for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)", became the biggest-selling World Cup song of all time. With over 813 million views, its music video is the ninth most-watched video on YouTube. Since 2013, Shakira has served as a coach on the American version of The Voice, having appeared in two of its seven seasons— fourth and sixth. Her tenth album, Shakira (2014), is preceded by its lead single, "Can't Remember to Forget You".

46 February – March 2015 Black & White

stars LIBRA September 24-October 23

SCORPIO October 24-November 22

Instead of trying to cram everything in, going at breakneck speed and being totally miserable this week, take your time, make a list and do things one at a time. Put the most important first, and if you don’t get to the end of it, it won’t matter anyway

It may be Christmas week and it may be the time of year where everyone is throwing caution to the wind where spending is concerned, but you are actually making good progress over your financial position by buying carefully and sticking to your budget.

CAPRICORN December 23-January 20 You’re entering your time of year, and as you do so, you’ll set out to renew and revitalise any aspects of your life that have become dull or unworkable. You’ve come through a year of extreme highs and extreme lows but you’re still standing.

AQUARIUS January 21-February 19 If there’s one thing you relish it’s a challenge, and Christmas week or not, you’ll go all out to find something to stimulate your senses.

Any chance you get to pit your wits against someone you admire, be it at work or play, you’ll grab with both hands. Keep your eyes and ears open.

SAGITTARIUS November 23-December 22 It seems to be a natural part of your make up that others genuinely like you, and you’re popular without even trying. This week is no different. Teamwork issues come to the fore, but because you’re so co-operative, everyone follows your lead and peace is maintained.

PISCES February 20-March 20 If your love life seems to be more trouble than its worth, and if it’s been going that way for a while, it may be time to bring it to a close.

Don’t let things drag on through Christmas and the New Year or you’ll be miserable. Time to clean the slate and start again.

MICHAEL JEFFREY JORDAN (BORN FEBRUARY 17, 1963), also known by his initials, MJ, is an American former professional basketball player, entrepreneur, and principal owner and chairman of the Charlotte Hornets. He played 15 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards. His biography on the NBA website states: "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time." Jordan was one of the most effectively marketed athletes of his generation and was considered instrumental in popularising the NBA around the world in the 1980s and 1990s. Jordan's individual accolades and accomplishments include five Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards, ten All-NBA First Team designations, nine All-Defensive First Team honors, fourteen NBA All-Star Game appearances, three All-Star Game MVP Awards, ten scoring titles, three steals titles, six NBA Finals MVP Awards, and the 1988 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. In 2015, Jordan became the first athlete in history to become a billionaire, according to Forbes.

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Cooking with

tomatoes

Cooking

Sweet, juicy, and delicious, tomatoes comes in so many different forms and varieties… and can be transformed into hundreds of dishes. They have vitamin C are low in calories and fat-free! What more can you ask? If you can’t get enough of the stuff, you’ll love these deliciously vibrant dishes!

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Tomato and basil pasta Ingredients 375g dried spagheƫ pasta 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 small red onion, halved, thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 400g can Italian cherry tomatoes in tomato juice 1 teaspoon caster sugar 2 tablespoons shredded fresh basil leaves Method Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water, following packet direcƟons unƟl tender. Drain. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium heat. Add onion. Cook for 3 minutes or unƟl soŌened. Add garlic. Cook for 1 minute or unƟl fragrant. Add tomatoes and sugar. Bring to a simmer. Cook, sƟrring occasionally, for 5 minutes or unƟl slightly thickened. Add basil and pasta to tomato mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Serve.

Creamy tomato soup Ingredients 4 tablespoons buƩer 1/4 cup chopped onion 1/4 cup chopped celery 3 tablespoons all purpose flour 3 cups milk 2 teaspoons sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon (scant) ground black pepper 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained Chopped basil leaves or fresh grated Parmesan, opƟonal Method In a large saucepan, heat buƩer over medium-low heat. Add chopped onion and celery; cook, sƟrring, unƟl tender.

SƟr flour into the vegetable mixture, sƟrring unƟl well incorporated. ConƟnue cooking, sƟrring constantly, for 2 minutes.

Gradually sƟr in milk and add the sugar, salt, and pepper. ConƟnue to heat, sƟrring, unƟl the mixture thickens and begins to boil. Remove from the heat and set aside. Dice tomatoes smaller or puree in a blender or processor, if a smoother soup is desired. Heat tomatoes in a separate saucepan. Put the thickened sauce back on medium low heat and gradually add the tomatoes, sƟrring constantly. Heat through.

February– March – March2015 2015 4949February Black Black&&White White

PICK-UP POINTS MUSCAT WADI KABIR Bait al Zubair Bait al Baranda Marina Bander Al Bustan Palace Hotel Oman Dive club Shangri-La- Barr Al Jissah Sri Lankan School NHI Pencil Building (Stationery shop) Al Maha bunk –Wadi Kabir Ajay Enterprises (Khimji) – (Next to Jingles nursery) Hotel Golden Oasis Sana Fashions Al Maya markets – (Old Rawasco) Scientific pharmacy – Opp to al Maya market ( Arab Udipi Rest)

Circulation

CBD AREA TO DARSAIT Al Amana Building materials – Opposite Jawad Sultan Al Omaniya Financial Services office Oman oil bunk Khimji mart shopping mall – (Old shopping & saving) Khimjis Bait al Ahlam- CBD area Pizza Muscat (Opposite ministry of manpower) Pizza Hut/TFC – CBD area Centre point-Splash Muscat Securities market Times of Oman Shell petrol Bunk (Next to Sheraton) OCCI Library – Oman Chamber of commerce (OPP MSM) KFC – Ruwi Oman International Bank – Ruwi Palayok Restaurant – Filipino restaurant Ever ready supermarket New India Assurance Office Al Fair – Ruwi high street Lakhoos Money Exchange, Ruwi High street Damas Jewellery/office – Ruwi Oman UAE Exchange – OCC Centre Air Arabia Office- Shanfari Travels Ruwi Hotel Gulf air building – Gulf air office Saravanabhavan Restaurant Sarco – Samsung showroom Khimji Megastore – Swarovski showroom OTE Moosa Abdul Showroom – next to al Jadeed Toshiba Showroom Al Jadeed shopping Badr Al Samaa Samara video (next to Talentz, old bait al ahlam) after 5pm Ministry of Education – Opp Wearhouse – Ruwi Future management consultants -(opp Toshiba showroom) Haffa House Hotel Al Falaj Hotel Muscat Bakery- Near church Pakistan School (after temple & church Darsait) Naranjee Hirjee office (before Hotel Golden Oryx) Hotel Golden Oryx Bank Muscat corporate office (Opposite Hotel Golden Oryx) Kamat Restaurant Uptown Restaurant Turtles Book shop Al Rima Clinic Lama Polyclinic

50 February – March 2015 Black & White

Oman Air – CBD NBO- CBD area Bank Muscat Bank Sohar HSBC Standard Chartered Oman Arab Bank Harmony Music Centre – Next to OAB Bahwan Travel Agencies – CBD banks area OTTB – Oman Travels Bureau Air India office – CBD next to Costas Costas Papa John Supa Save – CBD Woodlands Bank Dhofar Horizon Restaurant – (Next to Moon travels) Oman post office Lulu Darsait Khimji Ramdas Head office, Muttrah (Kanaksi Khimji & pankaj Khimji) Majan College – Darsait junction (canteen) Indian Social Club Melody Music Centre – Next to ISM German Embassy – Hamriya roundabout Apollo Medical Centre Computer Xpress – Hamriya Roundabout Atlas Travels (Wadi Adai Roundabout (next to polyglot) Hatat House Passage to India Best cars Hyundai/Subaru/GM showroom Al Asfoor Furnishing Ahli Bank Shell marketing office SEAT car showroom- Wattayah DHL office- Wattayah Honda Showroom Sabco Head office wattayah NTT travels Wattayah Toyota Bahwan Advertising – Ist floor – Toyota showroom Lexus Ford showroom Shanfari Automotive Wattayah Motors- VW showroom Khoula Hospital Institute of Health sciences – opposite Khoula Kia showroom- wattayah QURUM AREA TOWARDS AL KHUWAIR Al Harthy ComplexPizza Muscat – next to Sultan Center in al Harthy complex Sultan Center Nissan showroom BMW showroom Muscat Private School Qurum city centre Pizza Hut – Qurum Capital Store Al Asfoor Plaza KFC Hardees Fono showroom next to Sabco centre Shah Nagardas Sabco Centre- Barista coffee shop only Al Araimi Panasonic Showroom NBO Qurum Al Khamis Plaza Al Wadi commercial centre – Coffee shop Mercedes showroom

CCC- Stand CCC Al Fair Bollywood chat Pizza Hut – Qurum Second Cup Nandos McDonalds Salman Stores Jawahir Oman Hamptons Business Services & Travel Amex office Ernst & Young buildg (OUA Travels) Starbucks Hawthorne institute- ELS Fahud Street, opp Qurum park Mumtaz Mahal Left bank Oman Association for the disabled Ministry of education (20 +20=20) Muscat Intercon Jawaharat Al Shatti complex- stand Oasis by the sea - crepe café stand LNG Office Al Qurum resort Bareek Al Shatti Complex Al Qandeel head office -, Entrance of Bareek al Shatti Al Shatti Cinema - Dunkin Donuts Al Sahwa Schools– principal’s office next to Ramada hotel Hotel Ramada Al Muriya Offices- next to Al sahwa schools Grand Hyatt Muscat Al Masa Mall Radio Shack Al Sarooj Complex Shell Petrol Bunk- Al Sarooj Al Fair Ramee Guestline Rock Bottom Classic Institute of Arts- next to Asas Oman Asas Oman Apartments Crowne Plaza Coral hotel Qurum Pvt school PDO Ras Al Hamraa Club Omanoil head office AL KHUWAIR/MSQ TOWARDS AZAIBA Al Thabat Travel & Tourism ELS – Al khuwair service road British School Muscat – MSQ British Council Oman oil- Madinat Qaboos Pizza Hut Khimjis mart – MSQ Kargeen Café Al fair Family Book shop- MSQ Tavola – Al Noor Hall buildg Starbucks Hana slimming centre – Ist Floor Fotomagic Al Noor Hall Al Jadeed Eqarat office Above Welcare Clinic – al Khuwair Domino Pizza Oman mobile Safeer Hypermarket Mustafa Sultan Souk Technia Omantel Oman international Bank – Al khuwair main office

Ibis Hotel Park inn Hotel Friendi Office Muscat Bakery Tropical Ice creams Subway Pizza Hut service road Ice Skating Rink National Training Institute Golden spoon Restaurant Shell Select- Al Khuwair Mcdonalds Mct holiday Inn Hotel Oman Bowling Center Halliburton Café Vergnano Khimji Mart – Next to Verganano Safeer suites Axa insurance (opp assarain Al khuwair) Zakher shopping Mall PAN Furnishing Harley Davidson Thrifty Al Amal Medical Centre – Dr Bashir Hotel Radisson Pizza Hut Al Khuwair Ozone Video Shop(Next to Pizza Hut) American British School Omar Khayyam Restaurant, next to V kool Grill House (next door) V Kool TAISM Centre for British Teachers – CFBT Baushar Complex Café Aviation Club Restaurant AZAIBA TOWARDS SEEB Lulu Hyper market – Baushar Oman Medical college College for Business & financial Studies opp Oman medical, baushar Azzan Bin Qais school - Baushar Muscat private Hospital Dolphin Village – Bausher Royal hospital Ghala industrial area – NTI National mineral water – Tanuf ( next to Al Madina Holiday Inn) Oman oil Azaiba Spicy Village – Rusayl Pizza Hut – Ghala Oman oil – Ghala Towell head office – Enhance & Ist floor Mazda showroom Mcdonalds – Azaiba Select shell Azaiba Oman Tribune – Al Watan office New India assurance Azaiba office Safeer Hypermart Nawras head office Zubair showroom and Yamaha corporate office(two places)- Yamaha Showroom – close to Zubair showroom – 1st floor Polyglot Institute GU Tech – Beach road Azaiba Chedi Muscat The wave Muscat corporate office NACA – national cancer Awareness Assn MCC – Crepe Café Al Bahja– Mood Café & food Court Al Maya Super market Oman air Seeb office (Below Flyover, before Golden Tulip) Oman Tourisn College Golden Tulip Hotel Air port Select Shell – Seeb Pizza Hut airport

MUSCAT, SALALAH, SUR, SOHAR, NIZWA, BARKA, KASAB MUSCAT continued...

SALALAH

SOHAR

NIZWA

KFC Muscat golf hills, SEEB KOM SQU – SQUH hospital , SQUH 2- canteen, 3Diplomatic Club, 4 – College of Commerce, 5 – Students banking area) Pizza Hut – al Khoud Sultan School al hail service road – principals’ office Caledonian college – principal’s office Oman Foot ball association

SHOPPING MALLS Lulu shopping center Al- Istaqarar shopping center (Salalah) Dhofar shopping center Bab Al- Salam market Al- Mashoor (Salalah) Al- Mashoor (Saada) Al-Khareef K.M Trading Al-Isteqarar (Saada) Al-Hoq super market Hamdan commercial market Fresh super market (Al-Sarat) Union Salalah Market Family bookshop

Spicy Village Restaurant Lulu Hypermarket Jumeirah Shopping Centre Khimji’s Mart Al Salem shopping Centrepoint Moosa Abdul Rahman – GMC Toyota Nissan Mitsubishi LG showroom Sohar Bakery Sohar University Bank Muscat Habib Bank Bank Sohar Oman International Bank Al Raffah Hospital Badr Al Samaa Oman Arab Bank Bank Dhofar HSBC Travel City National Travels and Tours Universal Travels and Tourism DHL Dhofar Insurance Al Ahlia Insurance Taeeger Finance Co Omantel Al Jazeera Group Narenjee Hirjee (International)

OIB, Nizwa OIB, Firq BankMuscat, Nizwa BM main branch, Nizwa BankMuscat, Firq NBO, Nizwa NBO, Firq Bank Abudhabi Toyota OTE Omantel Nawras Khimji, Nizwa Khimji, Izki Muscat Bakery, Nizwa Pizza Hut Discount centre Family shopping Al Diyar Hotel Safari hotel Al-Nif shopping, Izki Hungery Bunny, Nizwa College of Science College of Technic Nizwa Medical College Busmath Clinic Thalal Clinic Omanoil, Izki Omanoil, Firq Omanoil, Nizwa Omanoil, Marfa Shell, Izki Shell, Firq Shell, Nizwa Al-Maha, Firq Nizwa university -Dept of foreign lang Al-Maha, Marfa

RUSAYL AREA Rusayl Industrial Estate Oman Cables Sadolin Paints Jotun Paints Al waqia shoes Mehdi Foods Areej veg oils MINISTRIES AREA – AL KHUWAIR Ministry of tourism(Ghala, next to ISG) Ministry of social Development(next to Regional municipalities, Bank Mct) Ministry of foreign affairs

SUR Al-Hashar LNG LNG, Club Sur Sur Beach Hotel Sur University OTE, Sur Mitsibushi Rawaya coffee shop Toyota Nissan Sur Plaza Hotel Mazda Khimji Omantel Private Hospital, Sur BankMuscat Sur Hotel NBO, Sur Bank Dhofar, Sur ELS, Sur

HOTELS Crown Plaza Hilton Salalah Hamdan plaza Dhofar Hotel Salalah hotel Haffa House Redan Hotel Al- Hanaa Hotel BAMSIR hotel Al- Jabel hotel Al- Nile suite (Saada) Salalah Mariott MINISTRIES Ministry agriculture & fisheries Ministry of education Ministry of defense Ministry of housing & electricity Ministry of water Ministry of tourism Diwan of Royal court (Salalah) Ministry of primary court and justice Ministry of Commerce & industry Dhofar municipality (Baladia) Ministry of man power PETROL STATIONS, BANKS Shanfari filling Station shell select, al saada Oman oil Shell Salalah Bank Muscat Omantel Oman Arab Bank Pizza hut Dhofar University Al Maha souk

BARKA Lulu hyper market Safeer Centre Al Nahda resort Al Maha Souk Oman Oil Rumais Oman College of management OIB NBO Bank Muscat Shell OTE SARCO Nissan showroom Omantel

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M a y y2– 0 1 4 2015 Februa March 551 51 1 February B Bllack Black B Bla ck&&W White White W Whit Whi Wh ht Black

Shape n Sound 52 February – March 2015 Black & White

Why can’t women have their CAKE… and eat it too?

Rumour is that women take more time to lose weight than men. For example, a man and a woman can attempt to lose weight at the same time and you will find that most often than not, the former will win the race. Men have an advantage when it comes to weight loss.

The reason: men have more lean muscle tissue, which burns more calories than body fat, even during rest. When men and women attempt to cut the same number of calories, the former tend to lose faster, even though it is a short-term issue.

It has been found that when sedentary men and women both start exercise programmes, men tend to lose body fat quickly, while many women don’t achieve that goal very easily, and many do not lose at all.

No, no, you are not imagining it. This is true.

Studies have found out that when men and women are put on commercial weight-loss programmes, men tended to lose more weight than women, some twice as much weight as women and three times the body fat. However, there are others out there who claim that by six months, the rate of weight loss would almost be the same between the two.

Of course, it doesn’t seem fair, when women are forced to avoid tasty treats, while men can have their cake and eat it too. The reason for this is simple. Men are larger and have more muscle than women due to the hormone testosterone. “Therefore they are genetically packaged to consume a higher percentage of muscle and less fat. This works in favour for men as they are able to get fit and also allow them to consume more calories.

What women need to do is to even up the odds in some way. One way to do that is to increase more

muscle. You can build more muscle by pumping some weights. Slowly increase your muscle mass and try to decrease your fat storage with some adequate strength training.

“It has been proven beyond doubt that strength training helps build muscle mass and help you burn more calories, but it will also strengthen your bones,” Dr Tom Davon, a leading expert in weight loss patterns in men and women tells Black & White.

The small consolation for women, is that most often, women’s excess weight is lumped below the belt and in the middle, but in men, it is often seen right on their middles, says Dr Davon. Now, the problem with that is it has been found that those who carry extra fat around their middles are known to be at higher risk for developing heart diseases as compared to those who have it deposited elsewhere.

What most women don’t realise is that they do have a way out of their perennial weight problems. Just because you have gained some weight doesn’t mean that you have to lose hope or your self worth.

Do not berate yourself because you are taking longer than men to lose weight. Men lose weight much quicker than women, but it is short term. Because of biological and behavioural differences, men have a head start.

You may take longer but you know in the race between the tortoise and the hare, who won?

53 February – March 2015 Black & White

A better world?

Hooked

By Priya Arunkumar Either I can do education or I can do life!

Don’t make me do both, she declared before walking out of the room.

Sometimes being a parent can be traumatic. Exam times can be stressful, not just for the student, but also for the parent who gets distressed most of the time.

I was not forcing her to study more; all I asked was to clean up! You don’t stop living a normal life when exams come in right, I tried explaining. Eat your meals, sleep the right hours, and stop living a confused and cluttered life. Exam mode should not make you a lesser living being!

And of course, what are exams for?

Education actually makes you live a better life; I tried to muster up enough confidence to show that I am successful because I studied well. Well, I believe I am successful, I am educated and I worked hard to get those grades that made me what I am today. I truly believe.

But Ma, life has got nothing to do with education… for instance take chromatography, where does it apply in life?

Chromatography and life? Sounded colourful, jokes apart, I had no answer then; a week later I still don’t have answer. I did Google chromatography.

She is right. It is not going to teach her anything in life.

I can philosophise. But all my justifications would look weak. I tried my best. But, no, I could never get some reasons to prove why studying chromatography and formulas would make my child a better person in life.

So I thought of a newer concept.

Education makes the world better.

Educated people will be more civilised, more tolerant, and more mature to life situations. Education makes you strong to face life. It opens your minds, gives you maturity to face life; brings discipline to your day. I tried all explanations.

Every word I uttered, I made a fool out of myself. The look my daughter gave me was much too obvious. Not just for her, me too. I have been put in situations where the biggest of the blunders and intolerant things were displayed by learned professionals.

The most educated and trained ones turned out to be creeps and morons beyond comparison. It is better to keep silent, rather than display my baseless ignorance.

But education is a must. Our society needs educated communities. I see nothing beyond reason on this. As a student, I remember burning the midnight oil, much more than both of my siblings. I did not want to fail my parents, who would definitely be called in to face the principal if I did. I was more inclined to study for wrong reasons. Not once I analysed why I had to study the curriculum I was forced to study. Not once I questioned the integrity of the system, or my teachers or even asked myself a question why! I guess all my schoolmates were the same.

We did nothave the net then; neither did we have mobiles, we physically moved around to meet friends and do combined study classes. A remedial class was the subject of humiliation for all students… sigh!

Times change, I accept that, but the concept of living? priya@blackandwhiteoman.com

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