Black & White mag Issue 45 by Black & White

Vol.3 Issue 45II May 21-June 6, 2012

Puppet power p22

Su d o k u

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

It's

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

time with B&W p28

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30 Jumada II - 16 Rajab

Suniel Shetty to champion Autism cause p43

An autistic child, like any child, possesses the potential for great achievements. Like any child, all it takes is love, respect â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and a little extra understanding and support when they need it.

Can you see the genius?

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Puppet power The puppet can say whatever needs to be said without implicating the puppeteer in the eyes of the audience. The potential of youth can be tapped only if you know which button to press. Involvement is the button that should be pressed.

Meditate men, meditate

Men have to meditate â&#x20AC;&#x201C; meditation is not about gender. Meditation is a way of life; we need to tap the vast reservoir of energy in us, lying unused and untapped.

Contents

Sudoku

Too busy women, beware!

Women are so busy that it seems like they are caught in some kind of national epidemic. It is true that women need to juggle between work and family responsibilities, but if they are so caught up in it, where will they find some time to have a personal life?

Special Celebrity Guest of Honour: Bollywood star Suniel Shetty to give away prizes at the Grand Finale of the B&W Sudoku for a Cause event on June 1 at Al Bustan Palace Hotel.

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 Ph: 24565697 Fax: 24565496 Website: www.blackandwhiteoman.com Editorial: editor@blackandwhiteoman.com Printed Oman Printers 6 Mayat21-June 6, 2012

Editor-in-chief Managing editor Work editor Design & production Advt. & marketing

Mohamed Issa Al Zadjali Priya Arunkumar Adarsh Madhavan Beneek Siraj Shannon D'Souza Priyanka Sampat

All about X, Y & Z

Show the power of your pen! By Adarsh Madhavan

Is the pen really mightier than the sword? Why not, it could be, but I am just wondering about the power of the pen in Oman. Not to mistake it for anything else. I do not mean that the pen has to be used to fight against the establishment, no. I mean it only in one sense. To do good; to right the wrong, yes, but more importantly, use it to help, to change (for good), to better ourselves, to assist someone in trouble, to become a force that the community can depend on when the need arises. Worldover, the power of the pen is witnessed, not just in toppling the corrupt, but in the sheer sense of assisting the weak; helping the deprived; to calming the nerves; to bring in confidence; to wipe off a tear; to bring a smile to a face… Can the pen in Oman be used for such a change? Will it work? Will the power of the pen also work in Oman? Scribes have a job to do here; they have to break news; there is competition; they have to look after their jobs, their career and they need to make money; they are not here for charity…I agree. But once in a month, just once…each one of them can find a story from somewhere about someone’s plight; someone’s misfortune; someone in dire straits; someone in trouble; someone in need; someone who wants a shoulder to cry on…is that too hard to ask of scribes here? It may sound trite; it may sound mushy; it may sound silly, but even if it is so, just think of how one story that highlights one simple issue, one simple case, one simple but true tale of a man in trouble and make it to reach out to the public domain; make other people read it; comment on it, feel about it and make them perhaps open their eyes and hearts to a tale of someone’s misery; someone’s problem and if in someway they could help, that would bring the winds of change that could develop into a real storm of happiness for many. Each story speaking of someone somewhere around here who

is in some kind of trouble or is in some need of help and when that is let out and many people get to know about it, there would be a mass stirring of hearts for that poor soul who needs help; for him, it could be something major and something unassailable, which in a collective effort would make it possible. I don’t want to delve on the cases, or even give examples, because the problems that a man would encounter are too many and it could be varied. But when a helpless man or woman’s plaint is let out to the public, someone there would be moved enough to act, to help, to assist, to put the person out of that misery. It can happen. Why the doubt; why the shaking of the head and why the scorn? Try it out, there is always someone waiting for the world to help them out their doldrums and this can only be reached out to the public by a scribe. Yes, a social worker would take it up, and even solve it, but to reach it out to the world, a scribe’s help is needed and that is where you all come in. Yes, you need to break that news before anybody else; there is stiff competition and you have other scribes breathing behind your neck, but don’t tell me you cannot spare some moments to highlight an issue of a poor soul mired in a trial that fate has dumped on him. It can be anything, physical, medical, monetary, mental… While you win accolades and climb the ladder of success and shine, just give a glimpse into the man on the street; that poor soul in despair; that poor wretch who has given up on everything, including him; just pick up the thread and spread the message; it may be of no benefit to you, but someone somewhere will give more than a glimpse to what you have written and perhaps be moved to do something; perhaps may even have a solution… Do it, at least for the sake of the man on the street and show the power of your pen. editor@blackandwhiteoman.com Black & White 7

First things first Parents with autistic children should never think that they are at fault (Sudoku for Autism, May 7 to 20). I know it is easy to say that and I personally know of a case where both the parents believe that somehow they are the reason why their six-year old child is afflicted with autism. It has never crossed their mind that they have nothing to do with the sickness of their child. But then the problem with autism is that although there is awareness and although there are people out there now doing all that they can to bring this problem out into the open, very few people actually know what autism is. Ask for a simple explanation on autism and you will find that even the best-known doctors give out a vague medical statement about autism. What is autism and is there any way to prevent it? If not, is there any way to manage it? We should address these issues first before we make any further step. Manitha Saunder, Qurum

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t look for the reason There is no reason why parents with autistic child/children should feel guilty. There is some reason why you have a child. God gave the child to you and even if he/she is not normal, then you have to live with that fact. We cannot run away from truth. God has given us such children and yes, it is a challenge, and let us all be strong enough to take up this challenge. There must be a reason why God has given us such a challenge. Instead of wasting time trying to find why and why we are singled out, let us utilise the precious time to look after and take of our special child/ children. Nirmal K, Seeb

We are of different species

Reader's column

Communication between men and women, like Bill Cosby says (May 7 to 21) is still in its infancy. I also agree with the article one hundred percent. Men are from some other planet. They donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t belong here. Somehow, they are not able to open up with us and we feel we are hitting our head against the wall. Whatever they say or do is never a response to our queries. Men need to improve their communication skills big time and let us hope it happens sooner than later. Sangeetha Suman, Al Khuwair

8 May 7-20, 2012

The yawning gap While we are on the subject of autism, let us not forget the simple fact adults with autism often fare worse when it comes to work and educational experience than people with other disabilities, including those who are mentally disabled. Many studies have proven that young adults with autism do not have paid job experience, college or technical schooling even after many years of high school education. That is a very sad and scary situation and it is also a point that needs to be driven across to the authorities concerned in Oman. Salim Abbas, Wadi Kabir

Before it is too lateâ&#x20AC;Ś Having a young child itself can keep you awake at night. So imagine the plight of those parents who have children that are autistic. Such parents may not be sleeping at all. Most of the autistic children have trouble reading and speaking; besides this, they have difficulty in understanding social cues and body language. All of this can make other people uncomfortable. Parents of such children may also wonder about what happens when these kids grow up. Great amount of work is yet to be done in this arena. We need to do more about bringing awareness and also fight for a society that accepts autistic people and give them a chance to integrate. Let us start now before it is too late! Yasmin Mohammed, Ruwi

Mail your views and opinions at editor@blackandwhiteoman.com

Black & White 9

Meditate men,

MEDITATE

Decrease in blood pressure, decrease in stress symptoms, boosting of concentration, brain power…in short, a healthy body, mind and soul is what you get if you meditate right. So, let us get rid of the misconception that meditation is not for men. Meditation is not just for men – it is for real men!

In a world where we are forced to live with nerve-wrecking competitions and challenges each and every single day; in a world where we are confronted by an explosion of problems and difficulties, where stress is the byword and pain is a necessary evil and confusion is the anthem, life for even the tougher one among the lot, can crack. There are people out there fighting mental problems and suicide is on the rife and there is a real danger of even youngsters catching the mental bug because the times we live in is fraught with tension and some of us are living on the borderline… So, don’t even ask the question why meditate? Or don’t shake it off by saying that men need not meditate? Men have to meditate – meditation is not about gender. Meditation is a way of life; we need to tap the vast reservoir of energy in us, lying unused and untapped.

this form of meditating too. Close your eyes and try to imagine an image of something peaceful, very peaceful. Like flowing water. Or better still imagine a ray of light falling on you. This will help you develop a positive mind and will also let you stay focussed.

MEDITATE RIGHT All you need to keep in mind is that, meditation is not just closing your eyes and sitting in one place. It is improving your concentration in a way that suits you. So, meditate right in order to get a healthy mind, body and soul.

CHAOTIC MINDS The easiest thing in the world is to get distracted. Now, add a chaotic mind to that and you will only be doubly confused. Now distraction is not all that good for you. So, you need to select a serene spot in your home when you embark on a meditation spree. Chose a quiet corner which has a blank wall. You can either close your eyes or stare at a point on the wall. The only thing that should be there on your mind is that you need to concentrate at the given point and there is nothing around you that is more important.

Men read

NO EXCUSES Now, the biggest excuse you could come up with is that you find it difficult to meditate and you had tried it so many times and have given up on it. Enough with such excuses... Just focus. First, close your eyes. Allow some moments to pass and then slowly try to realise how you are breathing. Focus on that only. Then after some time, try to concentrate on each body part, yes, from your toes slowly edge up. Don’t bother about your mistakes and the problems you are having in your life. Forget about it for the moment. You are not going to be bothered about your doubts, confusions and the problems in life. Just focus on now and your body. Breathe. You will find that your feeling completely at peace. RAY OF LIGHT Now, without touching on spirituality and the like, just try 10 May 21-June 6, 2012

FOCUS BETWEEN YOUR EYEBROWS Yet another method is to close your eyes and try to concentrate between your eyebrows. Keep your eyes closed and stay focussed at this point. You can also keep your eyeballs in a 25 degree angle. If it seems difficult initially, place your index finger between the eyebrows and try concentrating at a point on your finger. This will also reduce the fluttering of the eyelashes and improve your concentration.

DE-STRESS AND ATTAIN PERFECTION Also, give some time every day – after finishing all the work that is – to go back into the activities that you have done for the day. Or, if you are keen to do it in the morning, then make a preview of your day and what you should be doing. This was you can de-stress and attain perfection. MUSIC TO MEDITATE Now turn to music. What you need to do is to get yourself introduced to soft music. You can use music to meditate.

Black & White 11

As dirty as my cuppa

all ew h t ff

By Adarsh Madhavan He thinks I am a boy. Like him. The boy who makes tea at the office. What he thinks, I am. I make tea. For myself and others in my office. But, I also make my tea and have it too. That is another story. We often bump into each other in the men’s rest room outside my office. He is from some company in the same floor as ours. Whenever he happens to dip his tea and coffee stained cups in the office bathroom sink, I would somehow be reaching there with my own contribution. He would glance at me, my cups, and give a wry smile. Like, ha, I have almost finished mine; yours is going to take a long time! And mine does. Even one cup takes longer than his six. Most of the days he is in an hummable mood, pausing only for the moments given when I interrupt with my entry and he makes his side glances and goes on humming the song of life. I want to hum along, but I don’t want to spoil his mood, and anyway, I have nothing to hum about(oh hum!).

Off the wall

I don’t know what makes me think that he views me as an office boy; something in the way he looks at me; there is that hey brother of the same tribe, country cousin of the clash of the cups, we are in the same boat sailing in the same suds of the sink. Anyway, in the brotherhood of the bathroom, we are all things equal. Besides, I am always holding on to a cup or cups and I am almost always dressed casually. Or, perhaps, it could be the way I look. I always look casual, I think. My friends say that I look depressed. Do office boys look depressed? No. Not this one. He hums several happy tunes in the space of five minutes and he splashes water from the sink on to the mirror and on to the bathroom floor but I don’t have the heart to tell him that the floor was scrubbed clean by the cleaners just that morning. Who am I to tell him what to do and who am I to order him around and who am I to burst his little bubble

(not just the ones floating from the sink) of happiness? Not me! He is a picture of happiness with or without his cuppa. But, somehow, there is that sudden peculiar look of his when he encounters me. It is a small, fleeting moment, hardly discernible to any, but it hits me. I know that my presence somehow disrupts his smooth song flow. Perhaps, he also senses, in the same breath, my discomfort, or he discerns that his presence actually rattles some part of my conscience, which is saddled with a trace of envy too. I don’t know how fakes like me exist, for, deep inside me, although I do it every day, I am still not sure I like the idea of washing the cups in the presence of strangers; there is this unpleasantly small feeling in me that perhaps, if they see me washing cups in the sink, they would actually think I am an office boy. And, from my side, there is this tiny and as silly a feeling in me to somehow shake awake this boy from his happy reverie and his misguided notion that I am of his ilk, whatever that is supposed to mean. However strong I shake myself from such foolish feelings, I still realise that I have a long way to go. A long, long way to go. I still belong to the pompous clan that believes in their status, in their position, in their so-called dignity… so much so we don’t stoop down to any lower level and don’t mix with the hoi polloi. However much I hate such people, I realise I am just a mutt barking at my own shadow; I am one of those whom I myself detest. If only I could wash my heart in the same sink that I wash my cups, perhaps, I could perhaps make it clean. Now I know why that boy is humming his happy tune, and why I never can… His heart is as clean as his cup. adarsh@blackandwhiteoman.com

12 May 21-June 6, 2012

Biz views

SME’s need more support By Qais Al Khonji Small and medium enterprises are the backbone of any economy, and here in Oman there are some obstacles that SME’s face and I am highlighting some of them from my own experience. The government has been trying to minimise such obstacles, but I believe that more could be done. Some of the obstacles are highlighted below: 1- New products mean creating a lot of awareness, which is not easy. Marketing is the biggest challenge any small business may face; we require more of marketing support for a better kick off. 2- The other kind of support needed is simple: you need family and friends’ support in disseminating the news and also initially promoting and using your business. 3- Big companies are already dominating the market, so I assume one solution would be that the government represented by the tender board to work out a mechanism to segregate tenders for large corporates and small businesses. 4- Administrative issues: from finding a commercial name to registration, which is also known as bureaucracy, and the high annual chamber of commerce registration fees has to be looked at and re considered. 5- Market condition: being a very

small market, is a tough challenge. In Oman, people are more into saving than spending and when they spend it all goes to necessities rather than luxury products. So, it is a tough market to penetrate. 6- Labour regulations: this makes life complicated for business owners. Forced Omanisation makes it very expensive. This has to be looked into and a new mechanism should be adopted. 7- Education: Again the government represented by both the ministry of education and the ministry of higher education have to take an intuitive; the MOE has to think about including ‘entrepreneurship’ in the curriculum of students of grades 11 and 12; the MOHE has to think about adopting a new concept in the region by establishing an academy that promotes the essential concepts of entrepreneurship. 8- Financial infrastructure: we need more venture capital funds, such as Sharakah, which has brought in lot of success stories. We also need a society of angel investors to be established. It’s a new concept to the region but I think it’s time for such a thing to start in Oman. So entrepreneurship is a window into job creation and more support towards all the above from the government will lead to expanded job creation. alkhonjiqais@gmail.com Black & White 13

Affordable new Renault Duster

in Oman

The New Renault Duster, a strong and reliable SUV with genuine off-road ability, was officially unveiled at the Al Bustan Palace Hotel by Mustansir Lakdawala, managing director of Renault GCC, Sheikh Ahmed Suhail Bahwan, chairman of Suhail Bahwan Auto Group and Divyendu Kumar, managing director of Suhail Bahwan Auto Group. The New Renault Duster is a particularly versatile 4x2 and 4x4 vehicle, which combines a spacious interior with saloon-car comfort, while its compact footprint and high ground clearance ensure that it is at home in and about town as it is on country roads or off the beaten

track. The New Renault Duster will be available in the Sultanate, from the 7th of May 2012 in 4x2 4-speed AT and 4x4 6-speed MT versions powered by a 2.0 16V (135 hp) engine, especially tested in the GCC. Mustansir Lakdawala, managing director of Renault AGCC said, “we took on the challenge of offering an all-terrain vehicle that was less complex but still reliable and affordable, that combined the design of a real 4×4 with the comfort of a saloon, it’s a very popular concept specially following the world economic crisis, which hit household budgets hard and made many people think twice before buying a new car”.

Omani legends and stories

Al Bustan Palace awarded

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'Best Business Hotel'

Al Bustan Palace, A Ritz-Carlton Hotel has been recognised once again by winning Business Traveller Middle East award for the “Best Business Hotel in Muscat” at the award ceremony in Dubai on April 29. Commenting on the awards Bernard N. Viola, General Manager Al Bustan Palace, A Ritz-Carlton Hotel said: “Al Bustan Palace has over the years become a national landmark that complements the country’s heritage and I would like to attribute this remarkable success to our ladies and gentlemen who create unique and memorable experiences for our guests.” 14 May 21-June 6, 2012

Since March this year, over 40 Omani artists have been working with Dillwyn Smith a UK, artist, to explore Omani stories and legends and work together to communicate these through a series of drawings, sketches paintings and flags. The 42 artists working in collaboration with Dillwyn have been encouraged to develop a personal narrative through looking back into their family history. What are the stories and legends that have been retold through generations within their families? Workshops led the artists to the production of a series of flags, which will be flown together as a testament to the fabric of Omani society and the journeys and adventures undertaken by their families. The artists all visited sites where it is alleged legends began and where wall drawings date back 6,000 years and a storyteller was invited to come along to help the creative process by sharing their stories with the group. The exhibition at the Omani Society of Fine Arts shows the creative process of telling the legends. Each piece of art is a personal story conceived and developed through storytelling, imagination and communication. Each artist tells their story through words as well.

BankMuscat innovative assessment Bank Muscat recently launched an innovative assessment programme for staff to identify and train prospective branch managers. Over 140 potential branch managers participated in the second batch of the Assessment and Development Centre programme. The evaluation process involving five stages aims to improve the quality of branch managers’ selection decisions by objective data. It provides transparent, fair and equal opportunities for potential branch managers by using multiple assessors and assessment instruments to

reduce subjectivity. Salim Al Kaabi, DGM – HR, said: “The innovative and unique initiative will enable the bank to considerably improve the standards of customer service extended by branches and enable the bank to benchmark the development of branch managers with the international best practices. BankMuscat is keen to develop its leadership pool from among the young Omanis, thereby contributing to Oman’s future by investing in talent which is the real wealth of the nation.”

Hyundai’s New Generation i30 now available in the Middle East The New Generation i30 has now arrived in the Middle East. Exemplifying Hyundai’s ‘Modern Premium’ philosophy, the New Generation i30 offers consumers a stylish and refined compact-size car with enhanced quality, performance and efficiency compared to the previous model. Designed and engineered at the Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Centre in Germany, the New Generation i30 will build on the success of its predecessor, which was the first ‘i’ product in Hyundai’s range and introduced new standards of quality and driveability to the

company’s product line-up. It comes to the Middle East in two models, the GL and GLS, and is set to appeal to young, progressive buyers who want a car that not only performs well but also looks great. The New Generation i30 is the latest expression of Hyundai’s ‘fluidic sculpture’ design ethos. This visual philosophy utilises flowing lines to give a constantly impactful threedimensional presence to Hyundai vehicles. On the road, its visual impact is also raised by the LED daytime running lights which are standard on all models. The New Generation

i30 also bears Hyundai’s signature frontal feature – the hexagonalshaped grille. Thomas Bürkle, chief designer at Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Centre, commented: “When designing the New Generation i30, we used strong, fluid lines to sculpt a car that looks athletic and exudes a sense of constant motion, even when stationary. We gave the car a bold stance, transmitting a confident attitude through sporty characteristics and dynamic proportions. The strength of Hyundai’s design DNA is easy for people to recognise.”

Black & White 15

Khimji Ramdas launches

insurance broking services

Khimji Ramdas group announced the launch Khimji Ramdas Insurance Services under the umbrella of the Khimji Ramdas Shipping LLC, part of Projects and Logistics Group of Khimji Ramdas. This new division will offer professional risk and insurance intermediary services across all lines of business. With more than two decades of experience as insurance agents with Blue Eagle Shipping and Insurance Services under the group, the new insurance agency division will now graduate into full-fledged insurance brokers and address the growing needs of the market. M. C. Jose, Ceo, Projects & Logistics Group, Khimji Ramdas highlighted that “We have learnt the intricacies of insurance business for more

than two decades now. We have a highly qualified team of professionals who are capable of offering superior quality services at most competitive prices. With insurance added to the portfolio, we are proud to offer all transport related services with Khimji Ramdas, which was our vision when we started KR Shipping LLC in 1985. All our service offerings provide value, reliability ant trust to our clients. We are confident that we will soon be a leading player in the insurance segment too.”

Mercedes-Benz Middle East sponsors UAE’s Safire Racing Team As part of its victorious history in the Motorsport arena and its commitment towards innovative education, Mercedes-Benz Middle East has chosen to support and sponsor the Safire Racing Team from the German School in Dubai for the Formula One Technology Challenge in Schools in its latest edition. The Formula One Technology Challenge in Schools is the world’s leading multi-disciplinary challenge for nine to 19 year-old students, involving 22 countries. With acquiring the franchise in the UAE, Yas Marina

circuit hosts an invitational national final of the competition for the second year in a row for school teams, scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi. Among the participating teams

the Mercedes-Benz backed Safire Racing team will be competing in the challenge, seeking to book one of the two places for who will represent the UAE at 2012 World Championship. “Being part of the Formula One Technology Challenge for Schools this year will be a perfect platform for us to prove the vision of MercedesBenz in enhancing the innovation and providing support to the motorsports engineers of tomorrow,” said Frank Bernthaler, director, sales and marketing, Mercedes-Benz Cars, Daimler Middle East & Levant.

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Second Cup coffee cart proves popular at Comex 2012 The Second Cup Coffee Cart was recently featured at one of the largest exhibitions in Oman, COMEX 2012, where it proved to be exceptionally popular drawing impressively large crowds given the high demand for specialty coffee. For the first time, the Second Cup Coffee Cart was set-up for maximum capacity use. Jannat Moosa, marketing director at Bin Mirza International, said that the six-hours needed to assemble the cart was insignificant in comparison to the number of customers that flocked to order their Second Cup signature drinks and snacks from the large variety on display. 16 May 21-June 6, 2012

Encompassing 12 square meters, the Coffee Cart featured four working stations to serve a wide selection of signature hot and cold beverages available at any Second Cup branch across Muscat. Moosa went on to say that the Second Cup Coffee Cart is now available to rent for private occasions and functions.

Oman Football Association unveils new team kit and official logo The Oman Football Association (OFA) has launched the new official team kit to be worn by Oman in their forthcoming push for 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ qualification. The new kit, launched today together with a new OFA logo, comes as football in the Sultanate is enjoying huge success. The Oman national team has reached the final stages of qualification for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™, whilst the U23 team recently narrowly missed out on a place at the London 2012 Olympics in a winner-takes-all qualification play-off against Senegal. The new kit, designed for the Oman national team by Taj, a new Omani-based company, has been created using a unique performance fabric which will give maximum aid to the players on the field especially during the hot season experienced in Oman. The kit has been designed to showcase the colours of the

Omani flag and all the profits generated from its sales will be injected into the OFA’s grassroots football programme in Oman. The new OFA logo has been designed as a fresh representation of the Association’s core values of passion for football, fair play, social responsibility and ambassador of Oman. The logo will be at the forefront of the OFA’s new marketing campaign – Everybody Loves Football - aimed at getting more people playing and watching football across the Sultanate. Sayyid Khalid bin Hamad Al Busaidi, OFA chairman, said: “This is a very exciting time for the Oman national team and the Omani community and this launch marks yet another milestone ahead of the highly anticipated 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ qualifiers happening in June.”

NBO announces ‘Customer Consultant Award’ programme winner Customer care has always been a priority at National Bank of Oman (NBO). In keeping with its commitment to being a customer centric, progressive bank, the bank introduced the customer engagement programme known as “NBO Customer Consultant Award”, which allows customers to win an award, for innovative ideas (that will further help improve and enhance the quality of the Bank’s products and services, in aspects seen viable and important to the Bank), presented by them. To be eligible for the “NBO Customer Consultant Award”, all customers need to do is to email their innovative

ideas, suggestions or feedback, to: Retail Banking - Service Quality Division - Email: servicequality@nbo. co.om. The first winner of ‘NBO’s Customer Consultant Award’, Salim Al Jahwari, NBO’s Qurum Branch customer, was

recently recognised and awarded for his valuable suggestion, which resulted in the bank introducing an additional feature in the ‘real time balance order’ transaction process. During the function, Harsh Munjal, NBO’s general manager – retail and private banking, presented Al Jahwari with a certificate and cash cheque, in the presence of senior management members and branch staff. Speaking on the occasion, Salim Al Jahwari expressed his sincere thanks to the bank and said: ‘‘This recognition means a lot to me not because of the certificate or the cheque, but because all of you showed me that you cared”. Black & White 17

Omanoil hosts

renowned islamic speaker

Oman Oil Marketing Company (omanoil) hosted prominent Islamic speaker, Sheikh Suleiman Abdulaziz Al Jubailan, as part of its collaboration with Rekaaz to campaign against peer pressure. Hosted at the company’s head office in Mina Al Fahal, the Sheikh reiterated the worth of ethical collective practices in cultivating social development. Hailing from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Al Jubailan expressed that our social fabric is sewn together

with the threads of virtue and benevolence, and a great society consists of people with self-respect as well as respect for others. A model corporate citizen practicing goodwill and integrity, omanoil aims to transfer the company’s values to the nation’s people through its employees. The pioneering fuel and lubricants marketing company advocates youth engagement and

empowerment programs to create agents of change and nurture a new generation of leaders. Under the theme, ‘Your Friends Make You Who You Are’, the Rekaaz campaign addresses underlying sociobehavioural concerns among the youth. The three-month programme has witnessed a series of omanoilsponsored interactive seminars by influential figures in Islamic teachings.

The Oris Rectangular Titan Oris proudly presents the first Rectangular with a titanium case. The skeleton hands with luminous inlay make an appearance here. The bold luminous numerals are a world away from the usual Oris culture look. The cut out view of the date function allows a glimpse of the circular movement. As the dial turns, the central horizontal stripe indicates the current date although the full range remains visible. The multi piece case is big and chunky rather than slim and delicate, but the curved profile of the lightweight titanium construction ensures a snug fit on the wrist.

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The Oris Rectangular “Bob Dylan” Limited Edition In one of his most well-known songs, Bob Dylan sings that “The Times They Are A-Changin” but the great artist himself remains constant in his decades-long influence on our culture. In the 60's he came to prominence as the unofficial voice of the counterculture and has since become one of the most important and popular artists of all time. Bob Dylan’s impact on the world spans generations, reaching all who hear him with his distinctive voice and poetic lyrics. He is quite simply a multi-talented living legend: singer songwriter, performer, poet, musician, author and painter. As a tribute to Bob Dylan, Oris has created a special edition Rectangular model, limited to just 3000 pieces worldwide. The stainless steel cased watches carry Bob Dylan’s signature on the finely patterned dial. His portrait is engraved on the case back along with the limited edition number of the watch. A small glass window offers a glimpse of the complex mechanical movement with the famous Oris red rotor. Bob Dylan has experimented in more different fields than any other artist but has always returned to his musical roots. The watch design reflects this in its use of slick modern proportions, which make it stylish rather than fashionable. This exclusive Oris limited edition comes in a presentation box set with a Hohner Marine Band harmonica – the instrument for which Dylan is best known. The Oris Rectangular “Bob Dylan” Limited Edition: an exception to all the rules. Solo and unplugged. 18 May 21-June 6, 2012

The Sultan’s school hosts seminar The Sultan’s School, the only Omani school to follow the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum, will host the prestigious Information Technology in a Global Society (ITGS) exam standardization meetings for the first time in the Sultanate. Traditionally held in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands where the IB headquarters are located, the meetings determine the standards for examination marking in IB schools worldwide. As part of the visit, The Sultan’s School will welcome Senior IB Examiners Elizabeth Orams based in Peru, David Cousens from The Koç School, Istanbul, Turkey,

TEDxMuscat 2012

Richard Taylor based in the United Kingdom and Barbara Stefanics from the Vienna International School in Austria. They will join The Sultan’s School’s own IB Senior Examiners Eli and Ada Bomfim, ITGS Higher Level Principal Examiners. Graeme Garrett, Principal at The Sultan’s School, said, “We are honoured to welcome such esteemed and respected figures from around the world to our school and to Oman for this important meeting whose wealth of experience will add great value to the grading system. We, at The Sultan’s School are firm believers in the merits of the International Baccalaureate

TEDxMuscat, the event that brings people together to share a TED-like experience, will take place on May 16th at the Millennium Resort Mussanah and will feature inspirational talks, performances and a full day of networking and dialogue for all TEDx fans. “Last year’s TEDxMuscat was a great success and provided a platform for innovations; the talks and performances were awe-inspiring”, said Arun Raj, a TEDxMuscat event organiser. Inspired by the renowned TED conferences, the key theme of this year’s TEDxMuscat will be ‘Passion for Creation’, and topics will range from art, innovation, technology, and above all the amazing power of the human mind. TEDxMuscat 2012 is an opportunity for leading

schooling system and it is vital to the future of our children that the marking standards are maintained so they receive the marks, and future opportunities, their hard work deserves.”

visionaries and storytellers to speak to an amazing group of thinkers and doers, as well as to the world at large. The day-long event is not to be missed and will also be streamed live to various colleges and universities across the Sultanate. Satyabrata Acharya, Host and Curator, and Roopesh Bhatnagar, event organiser, said: “At TEDxMuscat this year, we want to bring together tomorrow’s innovators and engage in a genuine discussion on ‘Passion for Creation’ with the goal of inspiring, informing and entertaining the audience. This year too TEDxMuscat is bringing an incredible line-up of keynote speakers who, in line with the TEDx tradition, will be challenged to give ‘the talk of his or her life’.

Former Porsche chief designer Anatole Lapine is dead Dr Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, is mourning it’s chief designer of many years, Anatole Carl Lapine, who died on 29 April 2012 in Baden-Baden. Lapine headed up the Style Porsche design studio from 1969 to 1988. Michael Mauer, Porsche’s chief designer since 2004, paid homage to the deceased: “Anatole Lapine shaped Porsche sports car design over more than two decades. As a designer he didn’t follow fashion but was forever setting new trends with his concepts.” Black & White 19

Cricket, ugly cricket

Sunny side up

By Bikram Vohra

Big mistake. Being born Indian and not being a cricketer. That is like being a scorpion and not stinging. It’s in your nature, nothing you can do about it. And I would have been so good at not playing, like okay half a million and I’ll bowl an extra no ball besides the three in the deal. You want to sweeten the pot, okay fine, I’ll give a snick to the wicket-keeper on ball 3 and we are all happy bunnies. That’s another 250 thou and that is a great offer because I am in a good mood. It’s free enterprise, right. I love all these VIP celeb cricketers on TV babbling on about the glorious game and the traditions of the sport and the honour and dignity that goes with it and there are old hon and dig writhing on the floor being stomped on by anyone with a little bit of business sense. We must protect the reputation of the game. You kidding, the reputation died and was buried years ago. Let it be, it is a movie, a circus, an escape from the humdrum lives of most people. Take the money. Think about it, people. These cricketers are not saints. They are not Mother Theresa. They are performers so they perform and if you ask them to do tricks they do tricks. The thing is they want money for their tricks. So, fine you want to pay me to non-perform let’s hear the sum of money. Imagine you are in your office and your boss walks in and says, son (they never say, daughter) you have a great career ahead of you, what I am going to do is buy you a 4 wheel drive, invest in a villa on the Palms, the frond not the trunk and triple your salary if you promise not to do a good job, actually, no, let me say, do a bad job deliberately, please, do we have a deal. You’ll first think he is barmy, touch of the sun, summer is here, then the merit of the argument will seep in, why not, dude doesn’t want me to work, okay, chief, chief, can you bung in a round the world first class ticket with hotel vouchers and you and I, we are okay. Makes sense to you? Of course not. But it does to people who do things other people want to watch them doing. No one wants to watch you work so that’s why you don’t get the free villa. 20 May 21-June 6, 2012

Bikram Vohra, internationallyknown Gulf based scribe

So, they make money, loads of it, for opening shops, for cutting ribbons, for just appearing and I don’t why it is called corruption. If a franchisee wants to give a bonus so be it. Cricket and corruption are also buddies, they live in the same house, what sort of profound sting operation do you need to figure out these guys must be doing it all the time…it is now intrinsic to the glorious ‘uncertainty’ of cricket. I love it when folks express shock and disbelief. Yes, sure, you live in lala land where milk ands honey flow through green pastures and the sun rays dance on your kitchen floor. Get real and smell the leather. What does it need for us to realize that this is exactly what you would do…bowl a no-ball for a million bucks, wipe out the white line, my daddy is a postal clerk you know, a million bucks, give me a break, I’ll gallop down half the pitch and bowl underarm and stand on my head and roll over for that kind of bread seeing as how 90 per cent of the human race does it anyway every day and gets peanuts for sucking up and rolling over and laughing at the boss’s jokes. At least there is big money here. You know what, leave these tiddlers alone, they don’t count for nothing. Go for the big boys if you have the guts. Start at the top, where it stinks. Get some massive memory Cray computer and feed in the results of these IPL matches and the consistency with which huge runs have been scored in the last ten odd balls and how many last ball wins recorded and how chaps who were gardening at the wicket suddenly got this inspiration to whack the ball over the ropes in a series and the tightest of bowlers just as suddenly started sending full tosses (searching for the block-hole) and donkey drops. Then tabulate the results and ask two questions. What are the odds that this closeness factor could occur so frequently? Ten thousand to one?????? Has any tournament including the last four IPLs ever had such a neck and neck ongoing drama? Hmmmmm, Mama can I please be a cricketer…you can then live with me on the Palms.

In Black & White

In Black... Research says the involvement of edutainment and puppetry performances help to raise consciousness, and to achieve more probably a change of behaviour Mohamed Issa Al Zadjali Editor-in-chief

COMMUNICATION ALTERNATIVE I am a person who believes that technology can make lives easier and communication better. The world has become a better place to live in today because of that, but, there are still pockets of disconnection around, in various sections of the society. With all sorts of media around, the world indeed has become a smaller place. As a media, we are responsible to all sections of society, not just in matters of communication, but also in bringing them together for a cause, by creating common platforms of thoughts and events. Our promise is to continue doing so in a progressive and positive manner. PUPPETRY AN AID TO EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION Even when technology is leaping ahead, there are many out there left behind, cut out from the world. A recent workshop on puppetry held in Oman opened our eyes to a new world of alternative communication. Our salutations to those organisations behind the scenes, trying to use puppetry as an aid to education and communication, bringing all members of different communities and talents under one common platform.

Puppetry is not new. It has been existing for thousands of years and is a traditional form of entertainment, which has existed from time immemorial conveying meaningful messages. Puppets are characters and not people, hence can be used to spread social messages on sensitive issues through the youth. Puppetry incorporates elements of all art forms such as literature, painting, sculpture, music, dance, drama and enables students to develop their creative abilities. Communication through puppets can help to facilitate feedbacks, to encourage follow-up community actions and to break the rigidity posed by societal stigmas. Research says the involvement of edutainment and puppetry performances help to raise consciousness, and to achieve more probably a change of behaviour. SUDOKU FOR AUTISM We invite all our readers to participate and attend the upcoming third edition of Sudoku for Autism, which will be held on June 1. The event will see George Widener in Oman, a brilliant autistic savant, who in his own way has ventured out to create awareness for those affected with Autism.

& White Black & White 21

B&W Xclusive 22 May 21-June 6, 2012

The spotlight is on a small muddled figure in coloured clothing. He seems to be trying to sleep. Swirling all around him is pitch darkness. Then, as we watch this figure twitch in his sleep, slowly from out of the darkness some misshapen figures emerged and trundled towards the sleeping form. They let off a low sinister wail that seemed to rise in tempo and the sleeping figure awakes with a start. Seeing the ghostly figures, he also lets off a wail in sheer fright. They all howl in unison and with rising inflection.

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B&W Xclusive 24 May 21-June 6, 2012

THE PUPPET MASTER “Ok, that is fine, but you have to raise the figures –“ cuts in a wiry agile figure who spoke as he leapt on to the stage -- where the figures were being paraded from behind a black screen -- with relative ease. He goes behind the black screen and then demonstrates how the scary figures should come and scare the sleeping figure. There is a marked difference between his presentation and the one we viewed just minutes ago: The difference between a first and a seasoned attempt; between a student and a real master.

Mahmoud Al Hourani, founder/director of the Arab Puppet Theatre Foundation (APTF) moves along with his newfound students in Oman with an ease that seems to belie the fact that he has met them only a week or so before. He is lean, wiry, and focussed on only one thing – his students have to get their puppet act right. For that he will go to great lengths, even shoo off nosy scribes trying to get an angle of what puppetry was all about. And that is what he did, shooed us off right from the stage and told us to stay clear and not to distract his protégés. PUPPETS TELL STORIES By the way, what is puppetry? Don’t pore into books and the net for an answer – it is very simple. Puppetry is an act by talented people who tell a story with their hands. They act with furry objects (men, women, children, animals) held over their heads and coordinate movements to create a living being. Well, actually a story. These furry hands create magical stories peopled with furry living beings that can even penetrate the soul; such is their power that they can move you to do better, become better human beings; give you an awakening to the fact that you are a being with a soul and not just mindless flesh and bones; that you have a mission on earth to fulfill, not just eat, drink, make money and forget that it is a world where others exist.

POWER TO EDUCATE Even if it may not push you to move mountains, puppets still have the power to educate and this is the reason why so many have turned to harness puppet power. In Oman, the UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) organised the first ‘Puppetry Theatre Training of Trainers – Oman 2012’ (May 8 to 12) at the auditorium of the ministry of education. “This is the first of its kind in the AGCC with an emphasis on bringing together various sectors with a focus on civic engagement, peer education, youth empowerment, women’s empowerment and reproductive health – as per the UNFPA mandate. The training hosted members of the theatre group of the Oman Association for the Disabled, teachers of the Association of Early Intervention for Children with Disability, and primary education and sports teachers from the Department of Private Schools of the Ministry of Education, as well as members of the Youth Peer Education Network (Y-Peer) Oman,” an UNFPA spokesperson told Black & White. The aim of the workshop was to train the participants to become trainers in the art of puppetry theatre to maximise their outreach to others, particularly young people and those with special needs, and provide them the skills of a new method of expression, interaction and teaching, the spokesperson said.

The puppet can say whatever needs to be said without implicating the puppeteer in the eyes of the audience. The potential of youth can be tapped only if you know which button to press. Involvement is the button that should be pressed. Black & White 25

PRESS THE RIGHT BUTTON “Puppetry has been used as a demonstrative teaching tool, as an approach to help develop language and communication skills, as a therapeutic tool, and as a form of theater and school arts for many years now. It is not a new form of communication; it is just reviving an old form to a new generation. The youth are very vulnerable today and it becomes a responsibility that they are guided and communicated in the right way." Siham Al Riyami, deputy director for international programmes and private schools, ministry of education

B&W Xclusive

INTEGRATING COMMUNITIES AND COMMUNICATION The ministry of education (MoE) has partnered with the UNFPA to organise the ‘Puppetry Theatre Training of Trainers – Oman 2012’ hosting 30 participants. “The MoE has organised similar puppetry and interactive media seminars and workshops to enhance the quality and reach of education in the community. The workshop brought together 30 participants from different communities and cultures and associations and trained them to be effective communicators and trainers in their own field of expertise. The interaction has created a rapport between them, taught them to face challenges and communicate in a better and positive way. The workshop will be a catalyst to reaching out to the children with special needs and training,” noted Siham Al Riyami, deputy director for international programmes and private schools, MoE. “The language of puppetry has always been a good one for teachers and trainers the world over. A teacher is a person who works to facilitate the acquisition of knowledge. She/he is an important influence in the lives of the students. If the student does not feel safe expressing his feelings, his experiences or his questions, his curiosity may be suppressed and learning cannot happen.

26 May 21-June 6, 2012

“The puppet can say whatever needs to be said without implicating the puppeteer in the eyes of the audience. The potential of a youth can be tapped only if you know which button to press. Involvement is the button that should be pressed. When you involve the youth, they take up responsibility and spearhead projects, involving communities. These workshops are very interactive, bring out the inner strength and talents of the youth, and involve them socially in the nation building process. They come out as better human beings. “The workshop has touched many topics from bullying in school, to various social causes, traffic safety, involving students and trainers. The trainers will become better and interesting communicators to their students, who will be enriched in the process. We hope to keep this process of enhancing teaching aids further every year,” Siham noted. NOT AS EASY AS IT SOUNDS But learning and performing puppetry is not an easy task, although Mahmoud Hourani feels otherwise. Puppet performing it is not easy and it requires thorough and consistent practice before one can become an expert. A puppeteer needs to study different techniques such as the basic positioning, diction, arm rods and body movements.

The most common type of hand puppets is the simple hand puppet (like the ones Hourani’s students were using) and the larger hand puppet. Each of the puppets has their distinct usage in puppet shows. The simple hand puppets have few or no moving parts at all. They are usually made up of flexible materials and have distinct facial features such as eyes and nose. The mouth is often included on the simple hand puppets but it is usually there just for design purposes. It does not even open or close unless a thumb enters a pocket allowing it to move. What may look like child’s play is lot of action and lot of practice and dogged dedication, and there is no room for mistakes on stage, because there are no retakes. For a professional puppeteer, it is not an easy task, because he or she has to be consistent and more importantly need to do it before the most demanding audience: children. RENDEZVOUS WITH PUPPETS Hourani managed to find some time to speak to us during the puppet practice break. He apologises for shooing us off the stage, but explains how and why the students need to have full focus on their work. Puppets and cartoons have fascinated him from a very young age, he says whilst still throwing furtive glances at his students on the stage of the auditorium of the ministry of education. “I remember it was in 1992 that I started my life with puppets. I was a refugee from Palestine and lived in camps and saw people come in with puppets to

amuse us, communicate and take forward messages. “I fell in love with puppets at the first sight and I knew where I wanted to be. My brother was an artist and sparked my creative venture by drawing and painting images for the backdrops of my puppetry stages. In 1992, I hosted my first puppetry show at a UN camp. They say writing is reading… in a similar ways watching different puppetry shows opened my mind as well many doors of opportunity for me in the world of puppets. “From there I started my life in theatres, learned to be an actor and started experimenting with puppetry. The art form left a huge impact on me and I realised that with proper learning and training I could take this art forward in an effective manner. The following years saw me learn the theatre art; acquire experience and knowledge in formal and informal education sectors in London and other parts of the UK. I have been an experienced youth worker and a puppet theatre teacher.” A TRADITIONAL ART FORM The main hurdle in the field of puppetry is that it has a traditional way of propagation: father to son… “But, not much could be learned from the family tradition alone. You have to experiment many trades and techniques to create better modes of communication,” Hourani says.

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Presenter:

Preliminary on May 30, 2012 7pm at Indian School Al Ghubra

Celebrity Guest

George Widener Autistic Savant & Artist

Let's underst Major Sponsors:

Grand Finale on June 1, 2012 7.30pm at Oman Auditorium, Al Bustan Palace Hotel

Celebrity Guest

Suniel Shetty Bollywood star

tand Autism Co Sponsors:

“Puppetry involves acting out fantasy in behaviour to deal with real life situations! It is not a new form; it has been existent for many centuries. It takes away inhibitions and brings out the inner side of the person performing the puppet. It helps in knowing the person. Even a shy person could open up and communicate. For a child or a student, the puppet could be their best pal. And when professional training techniques and expertise is added on, you can sharpen the minds of the youth and integrate them in to social responsibility,” Hourani noted.

B&W Xclusive

PUPPETS TAKE YOU EVERYWHERE “The puppet theatre has taken me places. As a young boy it changed my life and I have done my bit in taking the art forward, adding on better techniques and experiences to reach out to the younger generation in a better manner. People have really identified with the scenarios we act out through the puppets; I think it quite often touches a nerve. Through the puppets, audiences learn about the importance of having empathy, being patient, remaining calm, and about the power of reminiscence.

30 May 21-June 6, 2012

Using different scenarios, the skits mirrored real life situations that family members deal with on a daily basis. “Planning, designing, and performing a puppet show require a community effort. It requires group cooperation and the building of a sense of ‘we’. This coming together for a common cause is another example of experiential learning. Hopefully, it can provide a good basis for the understanding of belonging,” Hourani says. PUPPETS MAKE YOU RESPONSIBLE “Puppetry requires experiencing many art forms, which in turn can enhance the learning experience. The process of finding out material from your own surroundings, giving it life, a character, a visual representation can enhance confidence and pride. The script, dialogues, behind the scene delivery, adding on music can burrow a path to the soul. It is a very creative and involving process and I can vouch with my experience that every person coming out of a puppetry workshop will be a live and responsible person, ready to take the art forward with pride and ease,” Hourani said.

NO WRONG ANSWERS! “The six-day puppetry workshop has been a mind opener for all of us. It taught us to explore, communicate, coordinate, and participate without any limitations or restrictions. For many of us, the exposure to various forms of puppetry was quite new and complicated. “We were taught to create puppets from everything around us, from pieces of torn paper to bottle caps and threads. It made us realise that everything around us is worthwhile and we could do wonders with what we have around us,” explained Aida Suleiman Saihi, who participated in the workshop. Aida is a special education, diploma programme coordinator at the Association for Early Intervention for Children with Disability.

“The teachers from the association of early intervention participated with an aim to go back and train others in the team, communicate and train the special children in novel and exciting ways. Every workshop brings different communities and cultures together, making us more tolerant and capable in many different ways. “When we were asked to make our own puppets, create characters, all of us were a little shy, hoping to be right in some way. At the end of the workshop, we learnt one good lesson: there are no wrong answers in creativity and communication. Every solution is right, every creation is right in its own way, since there are no hard and fast rules to limit the learning process.”

I see all sorts of things talking to me, communicating. My hands itch to create new forms from everything I see around, add a name, a voice… last night I was with my family eating an ice cream cone and I could not help myself from creating a face (on the ice cream) and even do a talk show with an ice cream character that I had created!

ALL SORTS OF PUPPETRY In a short span of an exhaustive workshop, the participants learned all sorts of puppet making, from hand puppets to shadow puppets. It was a learning experience of all sorts. “We learnt to create characters, scripts, themes, dramas, with simple ideas, but strong messages. The special kids need understanding and a means of special communication process. This workshop taught us better ways to communicate. We chose many simple themes from road safety to etiquette. MADE AN ICE CREAM TALK! “The process of creating live characters’ from dead materials made our tired minds active and alive. Every time I look around, Black & White 31

CREATIVE EXPERIENCE Masooma Al Zadjali, another participant, noted how the six day workshop proved to be a real enriching experience. “Every one of us felt useful and important. We were taught to look at every little thing with an open mind; taught to create live puppets from recycled materials and made us realise that we could actually learn from every little particle of this world,” Masooma, who is a trainer at the Oman Association for the Disabled, said. A poetess, Masooma also wrote the script of one of the shows.

“Yes, scripted one of the shows for the closing ceremony of the workshop – the theme was on marriage. It is about the values of marriage and of healthy choices. I write poems too. I feel confident that I can train the kids with

better skills and in an interesting manner. The workshop inspired all of us and brought us together under one platform of thoughts and ideas.”

LIKE READING A STORY BOOK

B&W Xclusive

Another participant that B&W spoke to was the Mazoon Al Zadjali of the Y Peer group (**). Seven members from the Y Peer group participated. Mazoon, who is a young social worker and student, explained her reasons for participating: “I am a management student at the Modern College of Business Studies and also a social worker, part of the Y Peer Group. I am one of the participants of the puppetry workshop. As part of the younger generation, I felt the puppet’s way of communication is very creative and local. It is like reading a story book, or listening to your grandmother’s tales. It is an effective communication tool and I am grateful that I could be a part of this exciting workshop.” Though in today’s world, technology has taken the fore front of communication, these simple puppets capture the imagination and make it easy to reach out to the masses, Mazoon added. “I have learnt quite a lot during the last six days and will take this forward with our group."

32 May 21-June 6, 2012

PUPPETRY THEATRE – A GRAND SUCCESS Salah Al Saleh, programme associate at the UNFPA AGCC area office spoke to the Black & White after the staging of the ‘Puppetry Theatre TOT - Oman 2012’ at the auditorium of the ministry of education.

Excerpts: When did the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) start its operations in Oman? The AGCC area office was inaugurated in 2006. However, the UNFPA* has been collaborating with the government of Oman and offering its technical assistance since over a decade. Could you highlight the achievements of the UNFPA? The UNFPA AGCC area office is a member of the Family and Child Health Committee, UN theme group and task force that is responsible for the implementation of the national HIV/AIDS response strategy. One major achievement was the two year (2008 to 2010) "Let's Talk AIDS" social communication campaign, which included in total four phases. Another achievement was the establishment of the Oman Youth Peer Education Network (Y-Peer Oman) in 2008 and its successful operating until today. The Y-Peers tackle and inform about important social issues and concerns through peer education, using various methods such as edutainment. Within its population mandate, UNFPA AGCC area office offered its technical assistance in 2011 to 2012 to the ministry of social development to conduct a nationwide assessment of all state income generating activities (IGAs) for social welfare beneficiaries and train the ministry's focal points from all the regions of the Sultanate in IGA monitoring and evaluation; including standardisation of the applicants sheets and data entry. The UNFPA was also involved in the translation of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) report of Oman.

Why has the UNFPA chosen puppetry as a tool for training the trainers? Puppetry, including shadow theatre, can be used to entertain and communicate with all ages. The techniques can be imparted quickly and in a very inexpensive manner, making it perfect and easy to use at the field work of a teacher and/or educator. You can outreach to and inform numerous crowds through different plays, from complicated to basic ones, in a very playful and effective way; while utilising sophisticated or simple puppets made for example out of recycled materials. Hence, this form of theatre can suit the requirements of various social engaged groups; those who have a specific budget, and those who don't. Since in Oman puppetry was used solely limited to some extent for theatre purpose and speech therapy, we thought to introduce this art form on a broader level; assuring its continuance by involving members from various groups such as the Ministry of Education, Oman Association for Disabled, the Association of Early Intervention for Children with Disability and Y-Peer Oman. The common factor of all trainees is their civic engagement. How successful was the puppetry experience and would this continue on an annual basis? The Puppetry Theatre TOT - Oman 2012 was very successful. The feedback we have received from the trainees and trainers themselves, representatives from the involved organisations such as the Association of Early Intervention for Children with Disability and Oman Association for Disabled, and the Ministry of Education was positive and encouraging. We are currently discussion various ideas, including a "Training of Trainers Camp" on an AGCC level.

(*) For more information on the UNFPA, visit the global website on www.unfpa.org or the local website on gcc.unfpa.org Black & White 33

B&W Xclusive

Puppet master Mahmoud along with a few of the participants

34 May 21-June 6, 2012

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Puppets in politics

B&W Xclusive

Aside from providing amusement and fun, puppets nowadays have taken a political turn and are also used in thinly veiled political caricatures and satire. These political puppets are often modeled on known political personalities and are often depicted in the charactersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; usual political setting.

Whatever the size or the design, puppets and puppet shows today still provide wonderful entertainment to many people of all ages. Kids love to play with puppets as it allows them to set free their creative imagination. Puppets can bring great joy not only to kids, but also to adults, all over the world.

(**) Y-Peer Group, Oman The Youth Peer Education Network (Y-Peer) is a comprehensive youth-to-youth initiative pioneered by UNFPA. The Y-Peer has been established in 48 countries including Oman. The network is still in progress of expanding by launching in other countries. Y-Peer is a network of more than 500 non-profit organisations and governmental institutions. Its membership includes thousands of young people who work in many areas surrounding adolescent sexual and reproductive health. The Y-Peer network target audiences are young people. It has been found that to put across the information for the targeted audience; the information should be presented in a fun, interesting and interactive way.

36 May 21-June 6, 2012

Puppets as good as actors Puppets were first introduced to the world of entertainment thousands of years ago. It originated from Greece as the Greeks then were known to be fond of theatrical presentations. Though they enjoyed theater, they found supporting the actors financially rather expensive, so that they turned to the use of puppets in plays. They soon discovered that puppets were just as able as actors to elicit positive response from the audience, so they continued to patronise the use of puppets in puppet shows and presentations, and soon stage puppet shows became many peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favorite past time. Today, puppets and puppet shows have come far from their humble beginnings and still continue to be popular. Many puppets are patterned after animals such as frogs, elephants and birds. Every puppet used on stage has a distinct characteristic and personality. The differing personality is expressed not only by the puppetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s design but also by its individual body movements as expressed by the puppeteerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hand movement.

Text: Adarsh Madhavan & Priya Arunkumar Photos: Ben

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Fun Facts about the months of

SUMMER

Kidstuff

When you think about summer, what comes to mind? The long, hot, sticky days during the summer make it some people’s favorite season. For others, thoughts of summer are associated with cold foods, like ice cream. Here are a few fun facst on summer months:

•

June 21st is the first day of summer. And June was named either for Juniores, the lower branch of the Roman Senate, or Juno, the wife of Jupiter, a Roman god

•

July was named by Marc Antony in honor of Julius Caesar.

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August was named for Julius Caesar’s adopted nephew, Gaius Julius Caesar Octavinus, who received the title Augustus, meaning “reverend.” He named the month for himself.

•

The last day of summer is September 20th. The first day of autumn begins on September 21st.

•

September comes from the Latin word septem meaning ‘seven.’ Julius Caesar gave it this name, when it actually was the seventh month in the calendar!

•

On September 13, 1922, the temperature in the shade in the Libyan Desert reached 136 degrees Fahrenheit. This is hot enough to fry an egg on a rock!

•

On July 4th in the year 1956, a world record for the most rain falling in one minute was recorded in Unionville, Maryland. The record was 1.23 inches in that one minute!

•

Hailstones weighing 1.67 pounds fell in Coffeyville, Kansas on September 3rd, 1970, which set a world record!

38 May 21-June 6, 2012

By Dr CK Anchan

Azim Hashim Premji is an Indian business tycoon and philanthropist who is the chairman of Wipro Limited, guiding the company through four decades of diversification and growth to emerge as one of the Indian leader in the software industry. According to Forbes, he is currently the third wealthiest Indian, and the 41st richest in the world, with a personal wealth of $15.9 billion in 2012. Under his able guidance Wipro has metamorphosed from a Rs70 million company in hydrogenated cooking fats to a pioneer in providing integrated business, technology and process solutions on a global delivery platform. Wipro Technologies is the largest independent R&D service provider in the world and is ranked among the top 100 technology companies globally. The companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s IT division became the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first to win SEI CMM level 5 and PCMM Level 5 certification. This is Azim Premji's success mantras: DARE TO DREAM All I had with me was a dream. A dream of building a great organisation. It requires courage to keep dreaming. DEFINE WHAT YOU STAND FOR Define what you stand for as early as possible and do not compromise with it for any reason. But remember that values are meaningful only if you practice them. Values are a matter of trust. NEVER LOSE YOUR ZEST AND CURIOSITY The natural zest and curiosity for learning is one of the greatest drivers for keeping updated on knowledge. The same zest is needed to keep learning new things.

Management talk

Dare to Dream... Azim Premji

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

ALWAYS STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE Being the best in the country is not enough; one has to be the best in the world. Excellence is a moving target. One has to constantly raise the bar. BUILD SELF-CONFIDENCE Self-confidence comes from a positive attitude even in adverse situations. Remember, no one can make you feel inferior without your consent. LEARN TO WORK IN TEAMS You cannot fire a missile from a canoe. Ability to become an integral part of a cross- cultural team will be a must for success. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF You will need lots of energy to deal with challenges. Unless you take care of yourself there is no way you can take care of others. PERSEVERE Finally, no matter what you decide to do in your life, you must persevere, persevere, persevere. Keep at it and you will succeed, no matter how hopeless it seems at times. HAVE BROADER SOCIAL VISION I personally believe that the greatest gift one can give to others is the gift of education. We who have been so fortunate to receive this gift and know how valuable it is. NEVER LET SUCCESS GO TO YOUR HEAD No matter what we achieve, it is important to remember that we owe this success to many factors and people outside us. This will not only help us in keeping our sense of modesty and humility intact but also help us retain proportion and balance. Black & White 39

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:

If you don’t like a movie, will you ask the movie theatre to refund the ticket money? If you don’t like the food you ate at a restaurant, will you ask for a refund (of course, if you discover a dead roach in it, which is a different story…)? There are some things in life when and where you are not able to ask for a refund. But, there is this person who seems bent upon getting his refund for a paid celebrity dinner function he had attended because, as he claims, the star did not stay the full part of the evening. Whether this fact is true or not, the reality is that this man was seen posing with the celebrity concerned in the pictures taken during the event and was also seen to have a cold drink on his table. But, his claim is that he never ate and he wants the money he paid for the dinner refunded. Should the refund be made or not -- your call folks?

Too much of a coincidence?

A supermarket manager commented on how his mart was robbed twice in the space of nearly eight months and how after this period two new supermarkets came in the vicinity taking away a chunk of his business away. What is the connection, we asked and he gave us a sad, but mysterious smile. “Well, just think about it…we had two major robberies at our mart, which inflicted a major blow for us. While we were still reeling under this (blow), two big supermarkets opened in the same vicinity. We lost some of our staff to this supermarkets and a good chunk of our business too. Now, only the real loyal customers still frequent us. We are doing half the business that we were doing while our competitors are doing quite well, compared to us.” That is how things are, we consoled the man. You will do well soon, not to worry. “We are not going to do as well as we did before. The robberies were a major blow and then these supermarkets came and took away our business…don’t you see the coincidence?” D-uh, we said. What was he trying to hint? We do not get the drift -do you?

Nitternatter

To refund or not to…

40 May 21-June 6, 2012

‘Killer’ attitude

It would have been great if the authorities concerned actually implemented the traffic rule, which said that anyone caught speaking on the phone while driving would be put in jail for 10 days, comments many observers. Though they agree that it is harsh, they claim that it would bring about a difference in the road accidents and death statistics scene here. Will it? We still think it is all about attitude, that don’t care attitude, which is the real cause of accidents in Oman. Many who drive don’t care if their bad and careless driving can actually cause harm – forget the fact that it can cause grave danger to themselves -- to other motorists or pedestrians. It is attitude that causes accidents; it is attitude that kills on the road. It is attitude that has to change.

Look before you leap

Sometimes, it is better that you don’t help people who claim to be in trouble, says a disgruntled part-time humanitarian. This small businessman wanted to help a man who was sent to him for some help, mainly legal. But, little did he know what he was getting into. As usual, he went full throttle and supported the worker in all ways. But, he did not realise that the worker was only giving his side of the story and that too, not fully. And, what was left out was crucial because although the worker painted his employer as a money pinching slave driver, the truth was otherwise. Both had their share of the mistakes, but since the businessman went full on and made his lawyer take the employer to court (for the sake of the employee), he got into a quandary when the case came up. The poor man opened a Pandora’s Box and soon he realised the worker had only given him half the truth and had to bear the consequences of his impulsive action

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

Black & White 41

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.

Announcing

Grand Finale

On Friday June 1, 2012 Preliminary

On Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Sudoku

8 4 2 Difficulty Level

42 May 21-June 6, 2012

5 6

9 8/12

2011 Conceptis Puzzles, Dist. by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

9 5

SOLUTION: 8/12

3 1 2 4 9 8 6 5 7

7 8 5 2 6 1 4 3 9

5 7

6 4 9 3 5 7 2 1 8

8 2 3 1 7 9 5 4 6

9 1

1 5 7 8 4 6 9 2 3

9 6 4 5 3 2 8 7 1

4 7

2 7 8 9 1 4 3 6 5

4 3 6 7 8 5 1 9 2

7 3 1

5 9 1 6 2 3 7 8 4

Difficulty Level

2011 Conceptis Puzzles, Dist. by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

By Dave Green

SUNIEL SHETTY to champion the autism cause in Oman Bollywood’s ‘He’ man will be lending his muscle to the autism cause here. Suniel Shetty, Indian film actor, producer, hotelier, fashion boutique owner and a known philanthropist, is all set to champion the autism cause by attending the third edition of the Black & White You Play Sudoku Open to All competition – 2012, which will be held at the Oman Auditorium of Al Bustan Palace hotel, on June 1 at 7pm. The event will feature at one end George Widener, the gifted autistic savant, date genius and calendar artist and at the other is ‘Anna’ (as Suniel Shetty is fondly known) who besides being a Bollywood star and successful businessman is equally known for his passion to help the underprivileged. The presence of both these ‘stars’ -- in their respective fields -- will add the necessary impetus for the event to bring the cause of autism more into the public eye, the organisers feel. “Other than the genius George Widener, we are glad to have also roped in Bollywood star Suniel Shetty to this event,” opined Mohamed Issa Al Zadjali, editor in chief of Black & White, the organisers of the event. Presented by Renaissance Services SAOG, the Sudoku for Autism event is also sponsored by Oman Drydock Company, Samsung – SARCO, Khimji Watches, NBO, Al Ansari and Uni-ball. This year’s Sudoku competition will feature puzzles created by the Sudoku World Champion, Thomas Snyder. The preliminary contests will be held on May 30 at the Indian School Al Ghubra Auditorium. For more details mail to bweventsoman@gmail.com / 24565697 Black & White 43

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Your ARIES March 21-April 20 Take your time. A decision you make will clearly affect your future earning potential. Put your best foot forward and show everyone what you’ve got going. Your skill coupled with your determination will captivate a crowd and help you initiate something you’ve wanted to do for a long time. CANCER June 22-July 23 Make memories with someone you cherish this week, but be cautious when considering products that offer to turn you into something you are not. Don’t spend money on someone or something that will not benefit you personally. You have to invest in you if you want to be successful.

TAURUS April 21-May 20

GEMINI May 21-June 21

Take credit where credit is due. Show your feelings and avoid unnecessary stress and turmoil. Someone is likely to jump ship leaving you high and dry. Don’t let this stop you from following through with your plans. You have plenty to offer and can do just as well all by yourself.

Don’t let anyone convince you that you must take part in something or make a donation. You don’t want to end up being part of a scam or out cash that you can put to better use. Avoid making fresh investments. Emotions are topped up causing confusion in your personal life. Stay away from gossipers.

LEO July 24-August 23 Open up to new ideas, lifestyles or activities in the early part of the week and you will broaden your outlook. There is a whole new world waiting for you to take part, so spread your wings and get involved in something a little different. It’s very likely you will discover that change isn’t so bad after all.

VIRGO August 24-September 23 A lifestyle change this week will help you get out and socialise with a new group of people who have lots to offer. You’ll learn a hard lesson if you let a friend or colleague take over and take credit for something you’ve been working towards. Stand up for your rights or you will set a standard that will keep repeating.

ANGELINA JOLIE (JUNE 4, 1975) is an American actress and director. She has received an Academy Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and three Golden Globe Awards, and was named Hollywood's highest-paid actress by Forbes in 2009 and 2011. Jolie promotes humanitarian causes, and is noted for her work with refugees as a Special Envoy and former Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). She has been cited as the world's "most beautiful" woman, a title for which she has received substantial media attention. Jolie made her screen debut as a child alongside her father Jon Voight in Lookin' to Get Out (1982), but her film career began in earnest a decade later with the

Horoscope

low-budget production Cyborg 2 (1993).

46 May 21-June 6, 2012

stars LIBRA March 21-April 20

SCORPIO April 21-May 20

Compromise may not sit well with you, but it will be necessary if you want to get the support you need to get your dreams off the ground. Stick to your story and eventually you will get through to the people who count. You cannot give in to complaints or ultimatums if you want to come out on top.

Pull out all the stops and present, promote and push for what you want. Working quickly to satisfy a request will speak volumes about your intentions. Emotional matters will surface this week, complicating issues, if you have ignored someone who depends on you for companionship and comfort.

CAPRICORN December 23-January 20

AQUARIUS January 21-February 19

Giving in to someone who is demanding or trying to get something from you will send the wrong message. Stand firm and refuse to pay for someone else’s mistakes. You can secure your position personally and financially by making a few crucial changes to your portfolio.

Educational or travel plans may be derailed, if you haven’t got all your papers in order. Don’t rely on someone else to fill in the blanks. Settle matters quickly so you don’t miss out on an opportunity that pops up. Take your chance with new opportunities surfacing. Your home needs some attention.

SAGITTARIUS November 23-December 22 Be careful what you promise others. Someone is likely to back out of a deal or ask for something back that you’ve been given. Put your heart on the line and you can make some interesting changes at home that are conducive to love and romance and raising your comfort level. PISCES February 20-March 20 Search for a chance to try something unique this week. A partnership with someone who has as much to contribute is looking good. You shouldn’t have to use your own cash or pay for someone else, in order to get things done properly. Use your finesse and charm and you will be the one being paid for.

For men

E-MAIL: marketing@albahja.com, Website: www.albahja.com

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

48 May 21-June 6, 2012

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 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 KFC

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

SALALAH

SOHAR

NIZWA

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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Cooking

Green and vibrant

Go green with spinach saladsâ&#x20AC;Ś you could use tender baby spinach or a bunch of the mature large leaf, either way spinach is equally tasty, raw or cooked. And spinach provides you important nutrients, such as folate, vitamin E and lutein, to keep your body strongâ&#x20AC;Ś here are a few recipes to try at home:

50 May 21-June 6, 2012

SPINACH & BEET SALAD Ingredients 8 cup(s) baby spinach 1 tablespoon(s) extra-virgin olive oil 1 cup(s) thinly sliced red onion 2 plum tomatoes, chopped 2 tablespoon(s) sliced Kalamata olives 2 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh parsley 1 clove(s) garlic, minced 2 cup(s) steamed beet wedges or slices, 1/2-1 inch thick (see Tip) 2 tablespoon(s) balsamic vinegar 1/4 teaspoon(s) salt 1/4 teaspoon(s) freshly ground pepper

Method: Place spinach in a large bowl. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until starting to soften, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, olives, parsley and garlic and cook, stirring, until the tomatoes begin to break down, about 3 minutes. Add beets, vinegar, salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until the beets are heated through, about 1 minute more. Add the beet mixture to the spinach and toss to combine. Serve warm.

SPINACH-STRAWBERRY SALAD Ingredients 1 (10 to 12-ounce) package baby spinach, washed and dried 1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted 1 pint strawberries, hulled and quartered 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely diced Dressing: 1/2 lemon, juiced 2 tablespoons white vinegar 1/3 cup sugar 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 teaspoon poppy seeds

Directions In a large salad bowl, add the spinach, almonds, strawberries, and cucumber and toss together. For the dressing: In a small glass bowl or jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, oil, and poppy seeds. Whisk together in the glass bowl or shake if using a jar. Dress the salad right before serving.

FRESH SPINACH SALAD Ingredients 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 4 slices thick-cut bacon or 4 slices pancetta, chopped 3 shallots, thinly sliced 2 cloves garlic, chopped 3 tablespoons vinegar 2 pounds triple washed spinach, stems removed Salt and freshly ground black pepper Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste 4 hard-boiled eggs, quartered lengthwise Parmigiano-Reggiano, for topping

Directions Heat the olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add bacon to skillet and brown, reserve the crispy bacon bits and add the shallots and garlic to the pan. Cook 3 to 4 minutes then deglaze the pan with vinegar, turn spinach into pan and wilt down a bit but do not fully cook the spinach, just give it a few turns with tongs. Season the greens with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Place spinach on a serving dish and top with quartered eggs, shavings of cheese and reserved bacon bits. Black & White 51

Too busy women,

Pysche

Why have we all become so busy? Especially women! Women are so busy that it seems like they are caught in some kind of national epidemic. It is true that women need to juggle between work and family responsibilities, but then if they are so caught up in it, where will they find some time to have a personal life?

52 May 21-June 6, 2012

We need to be busy and being busy is actually good, especially when you’re doing things you love and want to do. But there is a great difference in doing it and overdoing it and in being busy and being too busy. You become too busy, then you become too busy for everyone and yourself. Then you end up falling sick because of stress overload. Why is this focus on women and not men? Well, because women seem to naturally experience more stress. With their eternal role of balancing between work, family and other additional obligations, then the stress levels are more too. “Some scientific studies also show that female sex hormones cause females under stress to secrete more stress chemicals than men do under similar conditions,” psychiatrists tell us. So where does this all lead to? Very simply put, women do not find any time to relax and this is dangerous. Women need to relax and unwind, otherwise there is this danger of them burning out. Look at the pattern: being too busy for comfort and then taking an overload of stress; naturally you will fall sick. We are not talking of feeling occasionally stressed. In fact, a little bit of stress is not bad – it is good! But, the danger for the too busy, too stressed and too worked up and never ever relaxing woman is a host of health problems, including heart problems. And you know that heart attack is the number one killer of women today.

Chronic or excessive stress can manifest in various form in your body, mind and behaviour. Physical symptoms include insomnia, headaches, neck or back pain, fatigue and gastrointestinal distress. Psychological problems like irritability, depression and difficulty in concentrating can also plague the overstressed. And then there are the behavioural indicators: alcohol or drug use, binge eating and sleep problems, for instance. Now, if we ask around, we will find that many women are suffering such problems on a regular basis. So, women, try to make some changes. If you don’t find some time to relax you are going to suffer. If you are a woman, then there are various methods of relaxation: Exercise, meditation, massage, biofeedback, listening to music, reading, playing with pets, aromatherapy or getting together with friends are just a few of the possibilities… Specific relaxation techniques, like progressive muscle relaxation or visualisation, can help slow heart rate, lower breathing rate and blood pressure, and reduce muscle tension and chronic pain, experts say. Think about which activities make you feel the most relaxed and work more of those into your life. Relaxation allows you to be proactive against the rigours of stress. Busy women need to rest their bodies and their minds. Taking time to relax breaks the cycle of go, go, go. As you make time for relaxation or practice special relaxation techniques, you’ll begin to recognise that stressed-out feeling as it starts, and you’ll learn how to cope with it before it becomes a chronic problem.

For women

E-MAIL: marketing@albahja.com, Website: www.albahja.com Black & White 53

Who are they?

Hooked

By Priya Arunkumar They say don’t say you did good to someone. Just remain silent, it shows your magnanimity! They say don’t get angry, even if the situation requires you to be. You lack diplomacy! They say don’t be proud of your achievements. People will call you arrogant and wait for your fall. They say don’t expect anything in return. You will be termed selfish! They say don’t keep accounts of your charity. You are an opportunist! They say never be frank and call a spade a spade. People will call you a rude *#&%@ They say be liberal to your friends and acquaintances. Otherwise there will be no one to support when you fall. They say forgive and forget. Makes you a tolerant person! They say nod your head in unison, support others. You are cooperative and adjusting! They say do as others do. You are a hero! They say keep smiling at the world. And call you silly and irresponsible! They say never believe anyone blindly. And when you question, you are being difficult! They say it is better to let go. And when you do, you are not strong! They say never stop giving. You will be called self-centered! They say learn to say 'No'! But when you do, you have changed! They say you are what you wear And when you wear a brand, you are showing off! They say go for it, unless you attempt, you cannot win. And rate you over confident and blind.

They say come lets join hands for a cause. All they do is propagate their views and beliefs. They say you learn from your mistakes. And when you make one, they say they told you so! They say stop trying to be someone you are not. And it is they who make you what you are today! They say as you sow, so you reap. But, do you get to decide what to sow? They say be committed in your work. And when you do, you have no time for family! They say don’t fall for vices. And call you boring and wasted! They say work hard to succeed. When you succeed, you are called lucky! They say don’t try to become someone else, be yourself. And when you do, they call you selfish, arrogant, rude, blind and intolerant! Sigh! All they do is ‘say’! They say so many things… they tell you what to eat, what not to; what to say, what not to; what to wear, what not to; what to and what not to! You never see them at all. It is always someone else that says they said, they say! It makes you always wonder, who are they who makes the rules of your lives? Who are these people who make you do things that you don’t want to? Now, what is it they want you to be? Is it the same you want to be? They don’t inspire you; they don’t teach you; they don’t care for you; they don’t live your life; they don’t provide for you; they don’t know you; And they don’t live their own life! Why listen to them? Break away from all of them, the unseen ones, be your silly, stupid, arrogant, proud, selfish self! priya@blackandwhiteoman.com