Nox by Publish

Welcome

appy birthday to us, happy birthday to us, happy birrrrrthday deearrrr NOX, happy birthday to us. Yes, it’s true, we are celebrating our third birthday – which means we are out of the terrible twos, and now a chubby little bleeder, stomping around the place, shoving our damp fingers in electricity sockets, eating everything we pick up off the street and generally playing with fire. We are now waiting for the impatient smack around the head before being sent to our rooms without dinner. We’re both very excited and incredibly smug about this latest milestone. We’re excited because the magazine has never been better, and that there are a million new ideas for NOX – features, sections, parties, website developments, merchandise; we could go on – that we can’t wait to unleash. And we’re smug because there are one or two people out there who didn’t think we’d make it this far. And you know who you are. But we’re now not only established, we’re the best damned thing on Jordan’s magazine racks. When Royal Jordanian’s Crown Class lounge actually rings you up for 250 more mags less than a week after publication, you know you’re doing something right.

Features Aug’09

sienna

Miller 62

We’ve dealt with the rumours, ignored the gossip, overrode the narrow-minded criticism about men’s magazines – no, we’re not a porn mag – and continued to push what we believe in. And that is simple: a high-quality magazine with a little bit of attitude.

The Secret life of War 56

Slutterhouse: Beiruti bleeps

And it’s you, the readers, that have kept us going, kept us improving, and kept us smiling. So thanks.... and stick around. It’s only going to get better.

NOX is 3: can you believe it?

Distant Heat: DJ Hasan arrives

feedback Tell us what you think, and we promise that we’ll print something incredibly sarcastic alongside it. editor@nox-mag.com

Contributors

Spin FM Now officially NOX’s favourite radio station after they gave the editor two hours to talk about indie music on Zein Jamoukha’s Wednesday show.

Rosetta Stone Arabic Suddenly, the entire NOX team has become obsessed with improving our Fusha. So we can start doing NOX in Arabic... in around 2021.

Power steering The editor’s hire car decided that it had turned too many corners on the way to Ajloun. A couple of rattles later, no steering. 20km from Amman.

regulars

Aug’09 Publishing Director Eddie Taylor eddie@neareastmedia.com

Senior Designer Maysa Sultan

maysa@neareastmedia.com

Managing Editor Farah Shanti

farah@neareastmedia.com

Deputy Editor Musa al-Shuqairi

musa@neareastmedia.com

Editorial Assistant Tamara Nouri Picture Editor Hedaia Hammad Publisher Sallar al-Mulla

sallar.almulla@neareastmedia.com

Editor-in-Chief Tala Abu Taha Director of Sales and Business Development Jawad al-Anis

drive

jawad@neareastmedia.com

Marketing Manager Dana Baghdadi

dana@neareastmedia.com

Advertising/Sales Ameer Saloos

NOX: the writing’s on the wall

sales@neareastmedia.com

Heba Khoury

sales@neareastmedia.com

Hani Farah

sales@neareastmedia.com

Obnoxious: cultivating idiocy 22

Bigotry Hollywood style

Hugo Boss: back in black - mag.com

Sienna Miller Star of the forthcoming GI Joe

Our web presence is growing and growing. So much so that we actually had to change our hosting service to cope with the traffic. We are adding features all the time – including video and audio things we’re up to. Stay tuned!

Amman office PO Box 940166 Amman 11194 Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Tel: 00 962 6 516 3357 Fax: 00 962 6 516 3257

Distributed in Jordan by Aramex Media

Printed in Jordan by National Press

M AILBOX

editor@nox-mag.com

Twitter is not communication, it’s tourettes for the internet generation. So, write an e-mail... “Hang on, I’m sure I put my genitals around here somewhere...”

Dear NOX, So, what was up with the homoerotic bodybuilding championship piece? You guys going after a new market segment or something? Actually, it was a really good article – and I’ve got a lot of friends who are into that. But I did have to think twice before reading it in public, if you know what I mean. Mahmoud, Amman Yeah, we do know what you mean. In fact, that was perhaps the problem with commissioning a female photographer for the story. As great a talent as Tanya Habjouqa is, there were one too many close-up shots of small-trunked backsides in the “selects” folder she sent over. We got very worrying looks from the coffee boys as we made the final edit. Dear NOX, Loving the recent magazines. I’ve also been getting your Facebook monthly e-mails and the front-pages you are getting are mucho impressive, as are a lot of the features. That guy living alone in the village [“Life in Solitary”, Issue 36] was a great find! Jonathan via e-mail That’s the great thing about doing high-quality regional stories; no one can accuse you of stealing those from the internet. Although our rivals still try...

Dear NOX, Thanks for ruining my cocktail speciality in the last issue! I had become famous for my mojitos – and had even bought one of those special grinders for the mint, lemon and ice – and was having loads of people over this summer. Now you’ve not only given away the recipe, you’ve told everyone to drink them at the Four Seasons! How can I compete with that? Reem, via e-mail

Aug 2009

Dear NOX, Where were you for UFC 100? I got all the Facebook posts and replied to a couple saying I’d be up for it... but when it came to it, nothing! I have to say I was a little disappointed – I was looking forward to a decent breakfast! Fadi, via Facebook Well, two things: one, we couldn’t persuade more than five people to get up at 4.30am, and secondly, no bar was willing to host us at that ungodly hour. So, in the end, it was the editor, the old art director Yazan, and a load of coffee and toast. If we get the numbers, we promise we’ll do it for real next time!

Dear NOX, Just thought I’d share a pic of our daughter, who we caught reading a back issue of NOX the other day! Tarek, Amman Yes, well, we just hope she wasn’t reading a couple of pages in that particular issue we can think of. Ahem. Top parenting, though!

Well, we didn’t mean to dampen your summer. So, in the spirit of equal opportunity, we can print your address in the magazine and our readers will decide whose is better. Deal?

What we’ve learned since the last issue 1. Political Science students know absolutely nothing about politics. In fact, this is a prerequisite of the degree. It greatly improves their chances of employment in the US State Department. 2. Beef bacon is really a poor substitute for the real, streaky, fat-laden thing. And the smell in your kitchen lingers for weeks to remind you of this painful fact. 3. Even five-star hotels in Jordan come with their own troupe of mangy street cats, who spend

their days hiding under cars and licking the insides of dumpsters. We suspect that at the Dead Sea resorts, they may actually import them from Rabieh... 4. Giving blood is perhaps the closest you can legally get to a marijuana high... 5. ...and we stress the legal part, because selling drugs in Jordan really can land you in serious hot water. At least, that’s what we’ve been told. Cough. 6. Generally lethargic youth become super-

human when it involves helping a hot woman who has just fainted. And is wearing a skirt... 7. The level of your friend’s excitement about showing you his holiday pictures is inversely proportional to your desire to see them.

Megan Fox

WAT B

efore we get to this month’s gossip, just look at that picture. Everyone.... ahhhhh. Makes you want to get down on one knee, doesn’t it? Anyway, the news this month is that Megan has denied she turned down a role as a Bond girl in Casino Royale. Which is clearly agent speak for wanting a role as a Bond Girl in Bond 23. Which is just around the corner...

THe SCOOp HeAT AND DuST

p82

Yes, Distant Heat 2009 was everything we expected it to be. Long, loud and ludicrously good fun. And our photographer, Brian Scannell, came back with enough stories to fill a book – if only we were allowed to print the one with the couple in the tent caught “in the act”. All in all, it’s probably just as well it’s only once a year...

life

NOXWeB What’s been going on in our virtual world “Nice... but needs a good wax.”

SeXyTAlk A handy guide written in flow chart form

SprAy of

Despite it being so close

hOpe

to the checkpoint

there was no one around

s it wrong to use one of the greatest injustices of the 21st century as a vehicle for horrible self-promotion? Probably. In fact, undoubtedly. But there are some opportunities in this world that are just too great to pass up – and spraying something suitably anarchic on the Apartheid Wall that carves through the West Bank, stealing land and destroying lives as it does so, was for us just such an opportunity. When Tamara Nouri, a distinguished fine artist who spends an awful lot of time in the NOX office being nice to agents of Lebanese singers and Egyptian actresses just to get the vague promise of an interview, said she was going to Jerusalem and did we want anything, we had an idea. “Yeah,” we said, with the morning’s seventh coffee clearly clouding our judgment, “could you write something on the wall for us?” And just as Tamara’s eyes glazed over with a “you can’t be serious” look,

We FOugHT THe lAW Have you ever knowingly broken the law?

e’re not sure whether bragging about flouting established rules and regulations is a good thing, but when we asked the team, none of the acts of wanton criminality remotely came close to the sheer coolness of our graffiti experiment above. Oh well.

Aug 2009

guide of what is good, bad and “meh” to say during sex. Here are our favourite bad ones: – “Thanks. Here’s a dollar. In change. Mostly pennies.” – “I just pooped. A lot. On your dog.” – “Hello vicar.” – “I’m going to pound the farts out of you!”

NoX iN The ToileT A reader makes us his bathroom reading of choice

he best picture – at least in our humble opinion – on the internet, sent to us by Shadi Haddad from Jordan. Now there a man who appreciates innovative and passionate toilet reading...

NOX adds our unique protest to the Apartheid Wall in palestine – we just hope it’s not up there for too much longer

For more, visit facebook.com/nox.mag

Main: Our British Council helper, Saad Halawani, is a graffiti spellchecker. Top right: “Can you guess what it is yet?” Over: The finished work.

we had come up with our message – glib, self-serving but with a sufficiently universal theme to work on the wall. And so Tamara agreed, and even roped in the help of Saad Halawani, who actually works for the British Council in Ramallah. Two days later, they were in the town together, and having taken in Yasser Arafat’s grave, they arrived at the mahsoum (road block) near Kalandiya – where the wall has become an NYC subway car of what they generously call “urban art”. “I found an empty spot by a big gate not far from the checkpoint,” says Tamara, “and despite it being so close to the military stations, there was absolutely no one around. I paused to ask Saad whether this was okay, and he just shrugged, ‘No one can stop you.’ So, out came the spray cans.” The spraying took about 20 minutes – not least as they tried and failed with some cool typography – and as the sun

“I managed to break about three driving laws in one go: I was caught using a cellphone, and when asked for my license, I said not only had it expired, but that I didn’t actually have it – because it was confiscated by a policeman a few months earlier.” Musa “Whacky Races” Shuqairi “In Lisbon I visited a 17th Century palace that was furnished excessively in gold and gilt. With photography banned, I hid my camera under

was beginning to set over the Mediterranean, we had a bold statement etched across the wall. “NOX mag: Sarcasm knows no boundaries” is now a permanent reminder of our bold, fearless journalism, our frankly juvenile sense of humour, and also, and much more importantly, a vile Israeli policy that really deserves to be belittled in every conceivable way. Thankfully, none of the soldiers on the checkpoint, which was blocking the way back through to Jerusalem, were checking for paint under the fingernails of those passing through. Although judging by the closed shops opposite – the often overlooked economic victims of the barrier – it seems the Israelis couldn’t give a damn about what happens on this side of the wall. After all, they don’t have to look at it all day. Let’s just hope our impromptu billboard isn’t around for too much longer. Brevity, as they say, is the soul of wit.

my armpit and ran the video – only for a security guard to notice the blinking light. I mumbled something in Spanish – they don’t like English speakers over there – and ran into the crowd.” Farah “Piracy Princess” Shanti “We were driving around in my friend’s pick-up truck in the middle of the night, bored as anything. And then we saw a speed camera, and realised this was our chance to really spice up the night. So, my friend hit the gas, waited till we were at

Tough reAd Apartheid Wall author goes for world record

A book about the Palestinian tragedy is being written across the top of the wall, which activists hope will be the world’s longest at over 200km when complete.

the camera before doing this incredible drift that put us right in front of it, giving us the perfect opportunity to flip off The Authority.” Hamzeh “Duke of Azraq” Shahaltough “Me and a friend of mine ripped off the university’s library back when we were students. We got away with no less than 40 very expensive graphic design and advertising text books. I’m so not proud of it now... so, maybe we can use fake names?” Maysa... sorry, Maya.... erm... Salti

From Shadi: “Oi NOX, here’s to show you some love!

NOXpOll

aving managed to Hto watch get up at 4.30am Brock Lesnar pummel the other guy in UFC 100, it was obvious that it would take a lot to defeat the heavyweight champ. Like a huge horn...

reSulTS Fedor Emelianenko 11.1% Frank Mir 0% Antonio Nogueira 0% Kimbo Slice 0% Dana White 22.2% A trained rhino 66.6%

profile

frANco fILe Beautiful women are forgiven a lot. But as Catherine Deneuve proved in Amman, she ain’t so hot anymore Firstly, what on earth was French cinema icon Catherine Deneuve doing in Jordan? She was at the opening of the Franco-Arab Film Festival, which kicked off in Amman at the beginning of July, opening everything up with her own documentary, I Want To See, on her visits to South Lebanon after the 2006 war. So, at least she knows a bit about the region, then... Well, not exactly. She began the meeting by wondering out loud why there was a film festival in Jordan, and whether the country even had an industry. Considering she was sitting next to Samar Doudeen from the Royal Film Commission when she said it, it wasn’t the smartest query. She might have actually done some research before getting on a plane... Any advice for aspiring filmmakers here at least? Yes. Actually, no. Well, in the heart of the Arab World, she said that filmmakers here should start making films in English. That way, people in the West would see them. And, for some reason, gaining an audience in New York is very important for Arab cinema. Okay, but what about her experience in Lebanon? She must know something about the Middle East? Yeah, but she only went twice to Lebanon. Which is enough to make a film about the place, clearly, but not enough to have actually learned anything while she was doing so. As for Jordan? Yeah… right.

NOW ThAT’S FAMe Catherine Deneuve may not have covered herself in glory in Amman, but she’s still an icon. Unlike today’s cookie-cut Barbies. Sadly, Dolly, that means you…

First marriage

Famous photographer David Bailey

Unknown businessman called Samy

First divorce

The pressures of fame and separation

The pressures of him not liking her leaving the house

Famous endorsements

Face of Chanel No. 5 in the 1970s

Own perfume

“Deneuve” was launched in 1986

Dabbling in the occult James Bond connection

Lobbies for

DOlly lly SHAHiNe iNe

Aug 2009

Starred with David Bowie in The Hunger

Dove billboard in Beirut, 2007 “Dolly” banned over copyright law Jumped into bed with Hany Salameh in Ouija

Rejected On Her Starred in Egyptian Majesty’s Secret rip-off Nems Bond Service because of with a guy called George Lazenby Lotfi Habib The abolition of the death penalty

The abolition of Carol Samaha

Grapheast - Corbis

CATHeriNg DeNeuve

i thought it was better

to say something about what i feel

about lebanese people

than just to talk very lightly in interviews

entertainment

SHOrT&SWeeT

Interview: Musa al-Shuqairi Portrait: Brian Scannell

Fadi haddad is an award-winning Jordanian filmmaker who hopes his shorts will grow in size. his films, that is...

e is Jordan’s most promising filmmaker and is gathering the awards to prove it. Fadi Haddad’s 18-minute tragic-comic piece High Heels, about the personal revelations unearthed at a funeral, recently won the Short Film Competition at the Franco-Arab Film Festival, and he is beginning to see signs that there might just be an industry in the making here after all. All it needs, he says, is for the likes of us to pay more attention. Consider us told, Fadi. NOX: It seems like filmmakers are almost crowding the streets of Jebel Amman these days…! Fadi Haddad: That is definitely a good thing! This is a startup industry with a lot of enthusiasm surrounding it, so we can set the rules for it, and the audience will

be the judge on which projects deserve the attention and the recognition. NOX: Judging by High Heels, you seem to be something of an experimental filmmaker. Are you afraid you may be alienating some viewers? FH: Well, my biggest objective is to pass my ideas across to people. It might be an obligation to raise people’s artistic taste, but we can’t alienate them, so my recent works have adopted easier themes. They fall into the comedy/drama genre – but with a wicked sense of humour. NOX: How did you get some renowned names – like Lara Sawalha – to star and appear in your shorts? FH: We are still working in a very small field, so when people in the filmmaking family see that you are improving, they won’t hesitate to support you. It is worth noting though that one prominent

high heeLs

An 18-minute Jordanian short film written and directed by Fadi Haddad Starring Mouna Moussa Lara Sawalha Phaedra Dahdaleh Feryal Haddad With special appearance by Amer al-Khuffash

To watch the High Heels trailer, log on to: www.nox-mag.com/blog

CulTurAlDiviDe From checkpoint dramas to Checkpoint Charlie Elia Suleiman Palestinian filmmaker

Samuel L Jackson Good actor, terrible films

Was part of the 2009 Cannes Festival jury

Aug 2009

Marlon Brando From superstar to supersize

Attended the funeral of Martin luther king

John F Kennedy Book depository target

Had an affair with Marilyn Monroe

Jordanian actress agreed to play the role of the mother in High Heels, and then bailed out the night of the shooting... So I ended up having to convince my mother to play the role! She did quite well, actually. NOX: Do you think the RFC has helped this growing trend? FH: Of course. I began my filmmaking career in their workshops and they are definitely building a film culture on every level – whether by professional training, their film library, the screenings, or the exchange professors from USC. NOX: Any plans for a feature film? FH: That’s definitely what I aspire to, but a feature film needs maturity. I am improving and developing as a filmmaker, and I am approaching my own distinctive style. I want to make a film that carries my clear mark, where people can say “that’s Fadi’s film” without looking at the credits.

i want to make a

feature film that carries

my clear mark

iOuS

They say it, we print it

“The buildings are years and years and years old” Gwyneth Paltrow enthuses about Spain. She also said the weather is “quite warm” and the food “not that bad”.

“i’m sure it’s just one of Michelle’s ancestors – probably harmless” Rusty DePass, Republican activist from South Carolina, compares an escaped gorilla to the forefathers of President Obama’s wife. Because racism just isn’t a problem in the GOP, y’hear boy?

“Men wear pink these days. okay, not many wear flowers, but it’s good to be different”

“it would have looked like a honeybaked ham...” Olivia Munn says a Playboy stylist’s attempts to dress her in a fishnet bodysuit would have played havoc with her most intimate areas – and that wouldn’t fly in the Middle East. Come on, comparing it to a slice of dead pig? That’s obscene....

Cristiano Ronaldo, pictured in a pink hat and a flower, sidesteps accusations of effeminacy on the grounds of originality. We look forward to his high-heel Nike boots and fishnet Real Madrid socks.

Rush Limbaugh manages to find a political angle to the death of the “tragic” pop star – although he fails to mention he only became a paedophile after he decided to turn white. Just saying…

Hani Shaker calls in to the Cairo Today show to demand the names of the five Egyptian players accused of bringing prostitutes to their rooms after beating Italy, which was then blamed for the 3-0 loss to America.

Aug 2009

Ibrahim al-Shawadi, director of Egyptian TV series The Man and the Road, wants his producers to get a better deal for singer Shireen’s appearance fee. She wants 150,000 Egyptian pounds – roughly $64.97.

“Er, I don’t know where it is either”

“Jackson flourished under Reagan, languished under Clinton and Bush, and died under Obama”

“Can we get their names? i want you to say their names!”

“Can’t you negotiate?”

Michael Bay, Transformers director, on the alleged video he took of Megan Fox washing his Ferrari for her “audition tape”. Yeah, we just loooved that Ferrari-washing scene, Mike… oh. Yeah. Ahem.

“We don’t need more kids. We’ve plenty of people on this planet” Cameron Diaz tells Cosmopolitan that producing legions more snot-nosed, illbehaved screaming tyrants in comic-strip-themed sneakers is not an incredible gift to the world. And immediately tops our list of fantasy brides.

this month

WhAT WE’ll BE DOINg IN

AuguST

EATING MEAT OUT OF THE GROUND

This month brings with it the premiership (finally), Ramadan (ie Tarneeb), and NOX’s third birthday celebrations. Best get to it then

hank. God. It’s. Back. Saturday’s are not clear-skied wastelands to be navigated with a cold beer, a hot sun and earplugs to ignore the sticky-fingered kids screaming by the pool. No. It’s the day that eases you into the new working week with at least six hours of top-grade football. Every week. For nine months. And in the Middle East, thanks to Showtime, we get every Premiership match live – and it’s incredible how appealing Wigan-Hull can be when you’re faced with an early dinner at your sister-in-law’s. There’s also added interest with Arab cash sloshing around Manchester City and Portsmouth (see page 76 for more on that).

August 15th

August 16th

Everton vs Arsenal Blackburn Rovers vs Man City

Tottenham vs Liverpool Man Utd vs Birmingham

TRYING THE NEW DEAD SEA HOTEL

fter what seems to have been a two-year tease on the shores of the Dead Sea, the Holiday Inn has finally thrown open its doors to the public. What is now the first hotel you come to, the new facility is an architectural cross between the village-style Movenpick – the bestdesigned of the resorts for us – and the Marriott, whose horseshoe shape encloses the pool and sea views. It has 202 rooms, and while the womenfolk check those out, we can visit the steak restaurant, Below 393, or The Horizon, which serves argilehs overlooking the beach. But just look at the launch deal they’re offering… free mini bar? Too good to be true, surely!

LEARNING ABOUT ARAB HISTORY FROM vERY HOT WOMEN

Summer special

4 20

Aug 2009

es, the end of August sees the beginning of the Holy Month, and other than the fasting – for those who do – and the dates and the lights and the sahlab and glasses of Qamar ad-Dine, it’s also the time we suddenly realise that we like playing cards. Actually, no, we suddenly realise that we like playing Tarneeb, which seems to vie with Hand as the only game considered spiritually appropriate for Ramadan – for reasons no one seems quite able to explain...

aba Mubarak says that NOX and its readers should watch Balqees because it’s “different”. And by the look of the picture, we’re willing to be persuaded... “Historical Ramadan series usually retell old stories that everyone knows,” she says, in between changing elaborate costumes. “This one takes a character who has been talked about in so many different cultures, and casts her in a more realistic light.” Not that putting the Queen of Sheba – who is thought of in different cultures as an arrogant shrew, a mirror for the Virgin Mother and a prostitute – in a realistic light was a simple process. “We had to do a lot of studying to write a story about the Arab past without being influenced by foreign opinions. I really stepped out of my comfort zone here!”

MuSA’S TipS 4 ways to win

cooking, the tantalising aroma of the herbs and spices is irresistible,” says Madina Ammari, senior sales manager at the resort. “Our Bedouin chefs make heaped platters of all the goodies, and serve it in the Bedouin tent or on candle-lit tables.” And with an oud player that actually sings on key, freshly baked shrak bread, and enough stars in the sky to make any city-dweller feel responsible for all the pollution, this is definitely how you want to be spending your desert summer nights.

Every Thursday @ Olive Evason Mai’n Hot Springs & Six Senses Spa

The Japanese Red Army

Reservations: +962 5 324 5500 www.sixsenses.com

Aileen Gallagher Rosen Publishing (2003) Mentions: Kozo Okamoto (Jap) Operation: Arriving at Lod airport along with three fellow JRA members, they retrieved automatic rifles from their luggage and opened fire. (May 1972)

My People Shall Live Leila Khaled Hodder & Stoughton (1973) Mentions: Patrick Arguello (Nicaragua) Operation: Hijacking an El Al airliner flying from Amsterdam to Tel Aviv. He was shot four times in the back. (September 1970)

valid until: September 15th, 2009

NB: Balqees will be shown on Dubai channel

PLAYING CARDS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A YEAR

s the month of fasting approaches, we’re going to be preparing ourselves by eating a lot of stomach-swelling meat – and as every self-respecting Jordanian knows, it doesn’t get more meaty than a Zarb. A sealed charcoal pit, filled with succulent lamb, chicken and thankfully minimal vegetables is as good as Bedouin cuisine gets. And the Olive restaurant at Evason Ma’in is making sure that it tastes just like great-great-great grandma used to make. “After around three hours of slow

John Follain Arcade Publishing (1998) Mentions: Ilich Ramirez Sanchez (Ven) Operation: Seizing the OPEC HQ in Vienna and holding their leaders hostage. (December 1975)

– A double room for just 99JDs. – Complimentary breakfast – Complimentary mini bar

Front desk: +962 5 349 5555

1. If you are too lazy to count every card, you need to count the tarneeb. 2. Stop collecting the tarneeb if your teammate still has tarneeb cards and one of the other two is out. You are losing two tarneebs for every one. 3. Don’t slavishly adhere to common tips like “the second player plays a low card and the third plays highest”. 4. A pass can be your best call.

Books detailing international operations on behalf of palestine

Jackal: Finally

WATCHING FOOTBALL AGAIN W

OpeNiNg WeekeND piCkS

THeNOXFive

Baader-Meinhof: The Inside Story of the RAF

CELEBRATING OUR THIRD BIRTHDAY

Stefan Aust and Anthea Bell Oxford University Press (2009) Mentions: Hans-Joachim Klein (Ger) Operation: A member of Carlos the Jackal’s team that kidnapped the OPEC meeting in Vienna.

90 Minutes at Entebbe William Stevenson Bantam Books (1976) Mentions: Wilfried Bose and Brigitte Kulmann (Ger) Operation: Two German Revolutionary Cells members were a part of the eightman team that hijacked an Air France plane in Uganda and were killed during the battle to free Jewish hostages.

eird, isn’t it. Three years old already. And at the time of going to press, we’re not even sure how we’re going to be celebrating it – probably by getting violently drunk before the sobriety of Ramadan kicks in. Anyway, we’ll keep you all posted with our plans. Near Heat, maybe? What we can guarantee is a million – give or take – giveaways, some stupid quiz, a lot of sponsored alcohol and some banging tunes. Watch this space.

HOTTerONTHeINSIDE... We iMAgiNe

A Let’s bring it full circle and celebrate our birthday like we did our launch. So, drinking our profits again...

ya Ali beat 275 Saudi women to be crowned Miss Morale – a beauty pageant emphasising Islamic values over our favourite superficialities, like cleavage. Needless to say no photos were released. So we can’t judge how hot “morale” is.

Why Western civilisation would be a very good idea

AT THe DepArTure lOuNge

SANiTAry HygieNe

“The Royal Jordanian gate at Chicago airport was Casting 101 for an Iraq war movie… Arabic women clad in headscarves and men who looked like extras from an al-Qaeda movie-of-the-week. Thoughts raced through my head of a cutting room with a dirt floor and us having to duck an occasional rocket propelled grenade.” While our thoughts raced as to why highly-strung bigots ever bother to actually leave home…

OuCH, THAT HurTS The Middle east is hardly a stranger to Western ignorance, but not usually from sensitive creative types who’ve actually been here

Words: Musa al-Shuqairi

TerrOr STATS

pOlliNg STATiON Who holds the Arab world’s affections?

Aug 2009

lOCATiON, lOCATiON “Ominously, we filmed near the hometown of top al-Qaeda leader, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, ‘the man from Zarqa’… I can’t imagine why anyone else wouldn’t want to travel within a couple miles of the Iraq border during an ongoing war.” Ominously, you were actually nearer a Greek beach than Basra...

mmm, we love the smell of bigotry in the morning. Fresh, steaming, Hollywood-style bigotry. During the course of the Iraq war, a war based on a combination of false premises and naked racism, Americans didn’t just flood the region with Hummers and khaki, they also brought cameras, tripods and horribly hackneyed scripts about Marines in free-fire zones; the Iraq war movie became a new cinematic genre. Due to its geographical and cultural proximity, neighbouring Jordan became a rather large film set – helped by the Royal Film Commission dangling a healthy supply of tax incentives and authentic scenery in the faces of unimaginative producers. So, scores of liberals arrived in the country to play

recent poll conducted across six Arab states, including Jordan, by Maryland University and Al-Zogby International about global leadership returned some intriguing results – not least on who their favourite leader was in the Arab world, and their opinions of the man affectionately known in the Middle East as President Not Bush.

out their left-wing angst in the form of preachy movies about the horrible effects of war. On American soldiers. The latest to slither out of a Californian edit suite is The Hurt Locker, about a US bomb squad in Iraq who are shocked – just shocked! – to learn that people whose countries they’ve invaded may want to hurt them. But that’s not why this film is so offensive. No, it was the journal of the film’s editor, Chris Innis, who wrote 5,000 words of prejudice-laden bile for the Editors Guild magazine about living and working in Jordan for the duration of the shoot. So, while attracting filmmakers is a good thing, the innate bigotry of a Prozacdeprived white woman may not be the cultural exchange the RFC had in mind.

The royal Jordanian Airlines gate at Chicago airport was

Casting 101 for an iraq war movie

“I dined in the open air, within the walled garden of the hotel. It was rather peaceful… Suddenly, we heard the sound of explosions in the nearby hills. Gunfire? Backfire? We both shifted in our seats, uncomfortably… Then we saw lights in the sky. Fireworks! We breathed a sigh of relief.” Don’t diss fireworks in front of Michael Jackson’s kids... he died from his burns, like, 25 years later.

geTTiNg reADy “The US State Department also had a serious warning for Americans travelling to Jordan… One well-known Hollywood movie producer, Moustapha Akkad, had been tragically killed when a terrorist bomb exploded at a wedding reception. Yet another incident occurred less than six months before our production, when a group of western tourists were brutally gunned down in broad daylight at one of the city’s main attractions.” “Yet another”? You mean the second of two in five years. Which is less than Washington DC.

Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah Secretary General of Hezbollah Sheikh Mohammed bin Zaid Al Nahyan Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi

ArAB ATTiTuDeS TOWArDS preSiDeNT OBAMA Favourable Negative Neutral

24% 28%

45%

The latest pamphlet that condones the barbaric crimes of the israeli army is not the first

n Either Side of the Border is the title of a booklet published by the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America and carried by many IDF soldiers. It is supposed to be based on a testimony of “a Hezbollah officer who spied for Israel” and was even close to Hassan Nasrallah himself. Some of the “facts” these soldiers are reading tell how the Pope helps to organise tours of Auschwitz for Hezbollah members to teach them how to wipe out Jews. “We came to the camps… We came to learn… Every real Arab, deep inside, is kind of a fan of the Nazis,” says the former Hezbollah member and now convert to Judaism. This is not the first time that a racist, rabbi-backed pamphlet has found its way to the soldiers of the “most moral army in the world”. During the latest Gaza assault, other material included: “[There is] a biblical ban on surrendering a single millimetre of [the Land of Israel] to gentiles... We will not abandon it to the hands of another nation, not a finger.” A pamphlet entitled Daily Torah Studies for the Soldier and the Commander in Operation Cast Lead

“A call for soldiers of Israel to spare your lives and the lives of your friends and not show concern for a population that surrounds us and harms us. We call on you to function according to the law ‘kill the one who comes to kill you’. As for the population, it is not innocent... Ignore any strange doctrines and orders that confuse the logical way of fighting the enemy.” A pamphlet from “The pupils of Rabbi Yitzhak Ginsburg”

DeAliNg WiTH rAMADAN “During the holy month, we would have starved without [our assistant’s] help, as almost every restaurant closed down during the day… as Westerners were required to hide behind rug-draped windows if they wanted to eat.” Or go to Champions in the Marriott. Your choice.

NOTHiNg TO FeAr eXCepT FeAr iTSelF

WOrkiNg FrOM HOMe

“Although as Westerners we did have to keep a lower profile, there didn’t seem to be terrorists popping out from every street corner…” Didn’t seem to be? You mean, there might have been, but you just failed to hear the explosions?

“Our cutting rooms were at Sandbag Productions. It was a building recently converted to production space. Not to worry, the floor was not sand.” Yeah, but the edit suite was made of felafel…

BOyCOTT THe kiNgS

liTerAry WArfAre

“When you show mercy to a cruel enemy, you are being cruel to pure and honest soldiers. This is terribly immoral. These are not games at the amusement park where sportsmanship teaches one to make concessions. This is a war on murderers.” Rabbi Shlomo Aviner on the expected code of conduct during the Gaza assault

rOMAN CANDleS OF DeSTruCTiON

MOST pOpulAr ArAB leADer Bashar al-Assad President of Syria

“I had been pulled aside into the ‘women’s search line’ and had to explain to a Jordanian security guard that what he had found in my purse was, in fact, a tampon… which he was scrutinising as if it was a strange alien object he had never seen before.” Because everyone knows Arab women don’t menstruate.

terror watch

mar Casspi will become the first Israeli to play in the NBA when he suits up for the Sacramento Kings. Even more depressing than that is the fact that the Kings are owned by Joe and Gavin Maloof – millionaire sons of one-time Lebanese grocery-store owner. Not only do the Maloofs not mind adding a former Israeli army soldier to their squad, but a souvenir t-shirt with the Israeli flag, the Kings’ logo and Casspi’s number in Hebrew type is already up for sale.

drive

senses working

spOrt

for All here’s what you could also buy for (roughly) the same money

overtime

pOrSCHe BOXSTer

Bhp: 240 0-100: 5.3 seconds

The TT RS is the latest 5-cylinder monster to thunder from Audi’s development plant

BMW Z4 M SerieS

Bhp: 258 0-100: 5.8 seconds

MERCEDES-BENz SlK 280 Bhp: 231 0-100: 6.3 seconds

SAAB 9-3 TuRBO

Bhp: 276 0-100: 5.7 seconds

Turning in on the limit, this car is agile,

quick, satisfying and magically stable

HONDA S2000

Bhp: 237 0-100: 6.1 seconds

Tony Dron Daily Telegraph

t seems an odd number to get excited about. Partly because five is indeed an odd number. But the reappearance of Audi’s famed five-cylinder engine, which powered the Quattro to a million rally wins in the early 1980s, is cause for celebration. However, the real reason to punch the air in adolescent delight is the fact that it has been put inside the all-new Audi TT RS Coupe and its topless twin, the Roadster. While the engine might be a thing of beauty to people who like to stare at camshafts, the real eye-candy is in the form of a two-door, spoiler-fitted, air-intake-laden coupe. It’s compact, punchy and whiter than a Land Cruiser going to a wedding. In Riyadh.

Aug 2009

Silver CeleBrATiON 25 years in the history of the Quattro in-line 5 The TT RS inherits the Audi Sport Quattro S1’s 5-cylinder turbo engine, first launched in 1984. Capacity: 2,110cc Power: 470bhp 0-100: 3.1 seconds

The number five keeps reappearing throughout. The wheels come with a five-spoke, matt-aluminium design, it reaches 100kph in a lick under 5 seconds, it has a 2.5-litre engine and reaches a top speed of 250kph. Purists need can be reassured, though, that it definitely doesn’t fit five people – this is strictly 2+2, and even then there should be a caveat reading “2 very small children”. Also, there is nothing quintessential – a word that comes from the “fifth essence”, if you didn’t know – about the horsepower here, which is a beefy 340bhp, the all-wheel (still four) drive system, or even the six-speed manual transmission.

Behind the wheel, it compares favourably with any Porsche in a similar price bracket, particularly on winding roads – oh, for ten minutes on those bends from Nebo to the Dead Sea – and fifth-gear corners. If you opt for the Sport package, your rear end, as indeed the car’s, is 10mm closer to tarmac. And although it won’t win many eco-awards, at 25mpg, a Lamborghini’s speed advantage evaporates in the gas station on any trip over 200km. The best feature, though, is a small switch on the central console that activates a small flap in the exhaust to – yes, really – ramp up the engine tone. Audi even calls it a five-cylinder symphony. Can we get a job in their press department, please?

IF THIS CAR WERE A GIRL Rihanna: Cute, compact, but with a real attitude, this little stunner may have the exterior of corporate whiteness, but inside she’s all beautiful and black, baby. Handle with care and you’ll have the ride of your life.

NiSSAN 350 rOADSTer Bhp: 306 0-100: 5.8 seconds

drive

AlfA COurse The Alfa romeo 8C Spider concept makes it into production

FANTASy DriveS Concepts we love that have yet to get made

Aug 2009

o, when did Alfa Romeo become the coolest car on the face of the earth? Well, quite some time ago, if you’d been paying attention. Although not available in Jordan, and made in strangely small quantities in Europe, there has hardly ever been a bad-looking Alfa since their grim, 1980s Datsun-style family hatchback, the Alfasud. And now they can add a genuine competitor to the Porsche 911 Cabriolet. The 8C Spider has long been doing the rounds of the motor shows, design seminars and, of course, eager car websites, but the star of the 2009 Goodwood Festival of Speed – a British

institution where posh people gather to polish each others’ ageing bonnets – is now about to go into production. And, unlike previous Alfas, this is no charming weekend run-around. There’s a Ferrari-derived 4.7-litre V8 engine that produces 450bhp, delivers an exhilarating top speed of 305kph and reaches 100kph in 4.5 seconds. The lines haven’t been altered by the soft-top roof, and carefully-designed undertrays avoid the need for clumsy spoilers. The bad news – inevitably, there is some – is that they are in strictly limited numbers. But at least no Brit will be buying them – they’re all left-hand drive.

COMpleTely uNSCieNTiFiC STrAW pOll What is Jordan more likely to get in the next decade, an Alfa romeo dealership or a sensible election law?

soft top

87.1% tough policy

12.9% * Based on the people who we asked to get up to watch UFC 100 at 5am – and then said no.

CArTASTrophy

ur motoring editor is a proud Adiga (Circassian, Oabsolutely that is) and was confused by this label. “I have no idea why it is hard to be one... In fact, it’s about as easy as being born an Adiga!”

lANDrOver lrX

CiTrOeN gTByCiTrOeN

BMW CS

JAguAR F-TypE

Concept: January 2008 Engine: A 3.2-litre V6 Status: Going into production in 2011

Concept: October 2008 Engine: 400bhp V8 Status: Only 6 to be produced, at $2.1m

Concept: June 2007 Engine: 6.0-litre V12 Status: Cancelled permanently

Concept: January 2000 Engine: Initially a 240bhp V6 Status: Cancelled

play

ANATOMy NATOM OFACHAMpiON NATOMy

it has certainly been a disappointing season for the Arab stars of european football – but does 2009/10 offer hope for an improvement? Here are the prospects for the current big three

MOHAMeD ZiDAN

AMr ZAki

MiDO

Age: 27 team: Borussia dortmund

Age: 26 team: Wigan Athletic

Age: 26 team: Middlesbrough

The Good: The big striker’s quick start massively raised expectations in Lancashire: Five goals in his first six games put him at the top of the scorers’ table.

The Good: 26 appearances and nine starts in one of the top European leagues mean that Mido has bounced back from the hernia surgery that derailed his 2007/2008 campaign with Middlesbrough.

The Good: Seven Bundesliga goals in 29 games is an improvement over the previous year in Hamburg, and he took over the No 10 shirt from Tomas Rosicky.

MeeT THe WAg

The Bad: Seven goals is a modest number for a main striker– and he did not play a full 90 minutes all season. “I’m aware of Zidan’s ability, but he’s nowhere near where he could be,” Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp declared last summer. The Ugly: Against Schalke, Zidan played so poorly that his own fans booed him off the pitch. Reports following the game described him as unable to play under pressure or handle Dortmund’s physical style. The Future: Valencia are keen after the Confederations Cup, but Klopp wants to wait. “If someone scores two goals against Brazil, he would definitely make headlines. His departure doesn’t appeal to us, but if a club makes a worthwhile bid we’ll think about it.”

The Bad: After scoring his tenth goal before New Year, Zaki did not hit the back of the net once in 2009, a streak of 13 Premiership games.

zidan’s bad luck continued when new fiancée, Mai ezzeddin, was voted Worst egyptian Actress in 2008. And, remember, he dumped danish model Stina for her.

The Ugly: The decline in scoring also came with a decline in working habits. Failing to join his English club after one of Egypt’s World Cup qualification matches prompted his manager to call him “the most unprofessional player I have ever worked with”. The Future: Wigan won’t be picking up the option for a second season. Owner Dave Whelan said: “When you get players with indiscipline like him, you just have to wipe your hands of them.” Reports of an offer from Aston Villa and some French clubs are surfacing, but nothing is confirmed yet.

REUTERS, AFP, Grapheast - Newscom, Grapheast - EPA

BOuNCiNgBACk?

ABdAllAh ABdA d llAh deeB dA he man who single-handedly brought Jordan into the era of “professional football” has just set another precedent. The former Wehdat and Shabab al-Ordon midfielder is now officially the first Jordanian to ever play for a first division European club – sorry Badran Shagran, but Tatarstan’s Kanaz was never in Russia’s first division, and probably not in Europe. Signing a two-year deal with to Belgian side KV Mechelen, who won the UEFA Cup back in 1988, the 23 year-old national team regular will try to help a team that finished 10th out of 16 in last year’s Jupiler league, although they did reach the Belgian Cup final.

Other Arab players not to be dismissed

Aug 2009

MArOuANe ChAMAkh kh Age: 25 Team: Bordeaux Flop potential: Low

Form: Scoring 46 goals in 192 games for the French side cannot begin to describe the value he brings to a team’s frontline. Arsenal have expressed some interest in bringing him in as a replacement for Manchester City-bound Emmanuel Adebayor.

ALI AL-hABsI Age: 27 Team: Bolton Flop potential: High

Born: October, 3rd 1987 Height: 1.84m Weight: 77kg Position: Midfield Number: 21 Former teams: Wehdat Rifaa (Bahrain) Shabab al-Ordon Caps: 30 Goals: 12

Belgium is the starting point.

i will use every minute to improve and hopefully move to bigger leagues

The Bad: After scoring three goals by the end of August, he managed only two more until midJanuary, and Middlesbrough loaned him to Wigan. The Ugly: As pre-season training for the next season opened last month, Mido went AWOL. “It’s very simple. Mido has to get himself back and into training with us,” said Boro boss Gareth Southgate. “We will not be paying anybody who is not in training with us.” The Future: After getting fined two weeks’ wages, Mido finally showed up to pre-season training, but that does not mean he will stay with club. “We know that Mido would like to move on in an ideal world and I’m sure those deals will happen,” said Southgate.

NAtIONAL teAM ANChOr

eArLy pOteNtIAL

INterNAtIONAL AtteNtION

CONtrOL Of hIs destINy

pLAyING pIONeer

QuICk Off the BLOCks

the ArABIC kAkA

• Known for his hard work at the centre of the park, his accurate crosses and long range shots (see Jordan’s Cup 2008 final), he is the key to his squad’s offensive success. Scouts described the team’s dependence on him in the middle as a weakness for the team.

• Started playing football at the age of 11 in 1999 and joined Wehdat from school. He proceeded to represent Jordan’s biggest team – pause for the collective heart failure amongst Faisali fans – in every age group until he made the first team at just 17.

• In the 2007 U-20 World Cup in Canada, Abdallah attracted the attention of international scouts, especially when he scored Jordan’s only two goals in three games. He also scored the winning goal against China in the qualifiers.

• When his original team Wehdat continued to refuse offer after offer, Abdallah simply packed his bag and headed for Bahrain. Since he was not bound by a professional contract he was free to sign wherever he wished – a move that has changed Jordanian football forever.

• Just like his move to Bahrain opened the door for his teammates to start earning salaries from their Jordanian clubs, he expects this move to provide the chance for more local players to reach bigger leagues. “I hope I will succeed so that my success opens the door for fellow Jordanians to get a chance to play in Europe,” he said.

• Abdallah has appeared in all three pre-season games, starting one game, and has already scored two goals and earned two penalty kicks for his Belgian team. Mechlen kicks off its official 2009/10 campaign on August 1st against Westerio and Abdallah should see some playing time in this game according to his manager.

• His favourite nickname was not only the result of the looks – and perhaps not his love of Jesus – but the game as well. He’s an offensive midfielder who can equally score or create scoring opportunities for his teammates.

Form: Jumping from the French second division to La Liga is not exactly a recipe for success. But it seems that in limited action with Deportivo’s B team last year, the young Tunisian striker has managed to earn a promotion and a contract with the first-team squad.

GAMAL hAMzAh Age: 27 Team: Mainz Flop potential: High

NB: WAG is a British tabloid term for the partners of footballers. From the acronym “wives and girlfriends”.

keep A lOOkOuT

ABDAllAH ll kHAliD llAH DeeBB SA SSAliM AliM

Form: After making a spectacular – and vital – contribution to Bolton’s late bid for Premiership survival at the end of the 2007/08 campaign, he was still limited to the bench throughout the 2008 season, failing to register a single appearance.

LAssAd NOuIOuI Age: 23 Team: Deportivo La Coruna Flop potential: Average

Form: Known for his arrogance and average skills, the long-time Zamalek striker was never thought to have enough talent to make it in Europe. This is probably a brief stop in the continent before he returns to play for al-Ahli which has shown big interest.

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rOADTOrelevANCe The Asian Basketball Cup offers the chance for teams to take their game to the international level, and two Arab teams are in the midst of the fight

“W

hen we realised that the Asia Championship will double as the World Championship qualifiers, we decided to go after it with full force, hire a world-class foreign headcoach, naturalise a player and recruit as many expats as we could.” That was former secretary general of the (now-dismantled) Jordanian Basketball Federation Nabil abu Ata two years ago, speaking after the team missed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in the summer of 2007. Two years later, the Jordanian national team will bang heads against Iran, Lebanon, and China for the three spots in the FIBA World Championship in Turkey, 2010). If the Chinese bring their A-squad (as expected), and judging by the Jordanian team’s record against Iran (zero wins in three years), Jordan’s biggest contestant for the third spot will be the Lebanese team. While Jordan brings the same 2007 squad (with the addition of AmericanJordanian Jamal abu Shamala – another one-dimensional shooter), the Lebanese team bring in a revamped squad with Lebanese-Puerto Rican Matt Freije and naturalised former NBA starter Jackson Vroman – one of the best American players ever to play in the region.

roAd To turkey A whacky tournament format means too many meaningless games. Still, this is how NOX thinks it’ll pan out...

FiBA ASiA CHAMpiONSHip 2009

When: August 6-16 Where: Tianjin, China Why: Top three teams qualify for the 2010 World Championship Game to watch: Jordan vs Lebanon (preliminary round) August 7th, 2009 3am, Amman time

He shoots, he scores: Jordan’s Zaid Abbas is their best hope of progressing to the World Championships

first round

second round

Quarterfinals

semifinals

Group A: Korea, Japan, Philippines, Sri Lanka Group B: Iran, Taiwan, Kuwait, Uzbekistan Group C: Kazakhstan, Qatar, India, China Group D: Lebanon, Jordan, UAE, Indonesia

Group E: Philippines, Iran, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Kuwait Group F: China, Lebanon, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Qatar, UAE

Iran vs Kazakhstan Lebanon vs Korea Philippines vs Jordan China vs Japan

Iran vs Lebanon Jordan vs China

Top three teams qualify

Top four teams qualify

Bronze medal game Jordan vs Iran

OX is still trying to bring American football to the attention of the Middle East. And now IMG, the global sports management company, is lending us a hand. Well, not NFL PRESEASON us exactly, but the NFL, who want to take the game to all corners of the world – Arabia August 13th included. Until then, the build-up to the regular season has our attention. The PatriotsNew England Patriots vs Philadelphia Eagles Eagles curtain-raiser sees Tom Brady – who sells watches to Jordanians – return to action following his season-ending knee injury. A rematch of the 2004 Super Bowl between these two teams may as well be a preview of next year’s championship game. MATch of The MoNTh

Aug 2009

final

Lebanon vs China

Leb, China, Iran go through

toys

Allhands onhybrids This month sees the release of two new hybrid cameras. But can panasonic beat one of the original photo brands?

panasonic lumix DMC-gh1 vs Olympus pEN E-p1 All iN THe BuilD GH1 looks like a traditional

DSLR, with a large grip, defined viewfinder head, and protruding lens, but is considerably smaller and lighter. We approve. Winner

HOlD STill When shooting stills, the digital

viewfinder tends to lose the live image between frames. To make up for this, the GH1’s permanent Live View system features the latest technologies, like Intelligent Auto mode and Face Detection.

NeW kiT The GH1 can come with a 14140mm lens and a 7-14mm wide angle lens. There’s also an external microphone, but beware: it looks absolutely ridiculous. Winner

MANuAl vS AuTOMATiC This camera is great for anal

photographers, letting you adjust shutter speed and aperture when filming. Those who hate flipping through manuals can switch to Intelligent Auto. Draw

AND ACTiON! Video has clear controls,

continuous autofocus, encoding options and 1080p or 720p modes. The fact that it can also be fully manual makes filming with the GH1 a joy. Winner

uNDer THe HOOD The Venus Engine HD here

incorporates HDMI output and two CPUs, which generally makes for quick image processing and good noise reduction. Still, the camera does become a bit sluggish at times.

CONNeCTiONS If you own a Panasonic VIERA,

you’ll be able control your GH1 viewing with a remote; no wires required. Very cool.

SPEC SHEET

panasonic lumix DMC-gh1

Olympus pEN E-p1

Pixels: 12.1 MP Features: 3-inch LCD with Live View Finder, Face Detection and Intelligent Auto Weight: 385g Dimension: 124 × 90 × 45 mm

Pixels: 12.3 MP Features: Image Stabilization, 3-inch HyperCrystal LCD and Live View function Weight: 335g Dimension: 121 × 70 × 36 mm

Aug 2009

12 34

THe priCe iS rigHT At $1,500 for camera and 14-

140mm lens, you’re better off getting a good DSLR, as long as you don’t mind the extra weight.

The retro PEN’s 3-inch screen takes up most of its back, and you can add an optical viewfinder via the hot shoe on top. It comes in stainless steel or vintage white. The Live MOS gives great details, and the Intelligent Auto has 19 automatic modes and is supposed to “identify your shooting intent”. Creepy as that sounds, it actually makes for great picture quality. Winner The PEN is set to be sold with 17mm and 14-42mm lenses. The lack of a built-in flash is a big disappointment, so you’ll have to purchase separately – if you don’t mind the added bulk. The camera allows you to see the image and the controls all at once on the 3-inch LCD, making it a lot easier to jump into full manual control. Full auto mode is just as straightforward. Draw

BATTle OF T THe rAyS Toshiba stops crying like a baby, decides to make its own Blu-Ray

Your only video option is in 720p/30fps and in AVI. This means that large video files will take up more space on your card, but can be viewed and edited on the camera with new software. The TruePic V Image Processor produces crisp photos. It has very impressive colour accuracy and is good at lowering image noise in photos shot at higher ISO settings, enabling great results in low-light. Winner Capture photos and movies, then immediately upload them to Facebook, Flickr, YouTube or Twitter. Winner The PEN is $750 for body only, $800 with the 14-42mm lens, or $900 for the twin lens set. Excellent value for money. Winner

verdict While the GH1’s video recording is nigh on perfect, its sluggish moments and ridiculous asking price means the Olympus comes with a much better value.

he former leader of the HD-DVD camp has officially put its hopes of killing Blu-Ray to sleep – by making a Blu-Ray player of its own. Toshiba is rumoured to be releasing its version by the end of this year, but this doesn’t mean that Blu-Ray is quite out of its awkward growing pains. If you still plan on getting a player, here are the ones you should be looking at:

1 TRTDMp-BD30

2 plAySTATiON 3

Make: Panasonic The good: One of the first players to support BonusView for picturein-picture viewing, and has the easiest navigation menu. The bad: While the image and sound quality are good, they’re not quite as crisp as the other three. Price: $400

Make: Sony The good: Features built-in gigabit ethernet, and is one of the few Blu-ray players that supports BD-Live content that can be delivered via the internet. The bad: It’s hard to make time for films when all you want to do is play Prototype... Price: $400

3 BD-p1400

4 BDp7200/37

Make: Samsung The good: Great image and sound quality, and is one of the cheapest players you can find. The bad: Lacks both BonusView and BD-Live for internet connection. Price: $270

Make: Philips The good: Highdefinition picture and sound quality, and features BonusView. The bad: Has a horribly long start-up time, and can be sluggish. Price: $400

HDTHeATre T

he first high tech but still affordable Blu-ray home theatre is now available in the States. Lucky Yanks...

$800 from Samsung www.samsung.com

toys

play on

portable music players? That’s so 2008

he newest portable players to hit the market don’t just play your music – they play nearly any entertainment format you can throw at them, including torrents (tip of the hat to Samsung). The next gen of PMP (portable media players) are fast, sleek and quite, er, multiple.

1. TOuChMp Memorex This 8GB PMP has an onscreen interface that is simple, clear and intuitive – all for less than half what you’d pay for an iPod Touch. It isn’t perfect or particularly nice to look at, but it is excellent for those who want a touchscreen that’s affordable. $100

2. yp-R1 Samsung The company’s new line of PMPs offers great support for us torrent pirates, as well as a 2.7-inch touchscreen. It also features a TV-out display, so if the reported 8GB of memory serves you well, the R1 is good value for money. $180

3. X-SERIES WAlKMAN

Sony The latest Wi-Fi Walkman features a 3inch Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) touchscreen, Sony’s Digital Clear Audio Technologies, as well as embedded content provided by Slacker Radio and YouTube. The 180-degree viewing angle also makes video playback brilliant. $299 (16GB)

4. gOgEAR MuSE Philips The company’s latest collection features the new Full Sound technology, which restores the details lost in compressed music formats. Its portable AV player comes with noise cancellation headphones for exceptional sound, and the 3-inch wide-QVGA colour display is also a definite bonus. $280

pC iN A MONiTOr The all-in-one desktop trend continues, now in a cheaper model

Aug 2009

his iMac-esque computer-in-a-monitor desktop looks sharp if a little sci-fi, and is a whole lot cheaper than its Apple cousin. Judging by the Atom processor, it is practically bringing the netbook concept to your desktop, creating a sort of nettop. The EMachines EZ1601-01 features an Atom 1.6GHz, 1GB of RAM and Windows XP, and is priced at just $400. We better sign up for Shop & Ship...

Features • Multi-in-one digital media card reader • Integrated 802.11b/g wireless • 5 USB 2.0 ports • Integrated 18.5-inch

widescreen LCD with 16:9 aspect radio • Built in speakers • Embedded highdefinition audio with built-in speakers

out

rOOTS

revivAl A new bona fide liqueur hopes to revive the inebriated American spirit

dirty

Martini V lounge presents the drinking man’s cocktail

Image: Brian Scannell

ho was it that asked for his martini to be “shaken, not stirred”? Well, the fictional Bond may have demanded it with a sardonic grin, but two generations of would-be suave imitators have since helped make the classic martini the drink of choice in lounges from Honolulu to Hanoi. Ezzat Abu Khadra, outlet manager at Amman’s Crowne Plaza, wholeheartedly approves of this iconic image. “We all need a good drink once in a while,” he says. “Any businessman who’s had a long, stressful day knows that there is no better way to unwind than with the perfect glass of martini, and at the V Lounge in Crowne Plaza, we have one of the best takes on the drink you’ll find.” Ezzat is speaking of the bar’s Whiskey Martini, a sumptuous affair made of Ballantine’s 30 Year Old and Martini Rosso. “With this drink, maybe a cigar, and our relaxing atmosphere, you’ll always be looking forward to the end of the day!” It’s a good thing we’re not morning people, then.

WHiSkey MArTiNi

v Lounge Crowne Plaza +962 6 551 0001

Aug 2009

Ballantine’s 30 Year Old Martini Rosso 3 olives Preparation: Pour spirits into a shaker, shake like all hell; garnish with olives.

happiness is...

finding two olives in your martini

when you’re hungry Johnny Carson

his new 80-proof spirit is based on a Native American recipe from the 1700s, and so is practically a history lesson in a glass. Root by Art in the Age recreates root tea liqueur, and boasts a smooth taste made from wild roots and herbs, with strong notes of anise, birch, vanilla, citrus and pepper. Drink it as is to really get that hard-drinking English settler feel, or make it a backbone for a rich cocktail. Either way, you’ll still be part of a prosperous – and alcoholic – heritage. www.artintheage.com

SPIN ON THE RUSTY NAIL A cocktail by Nick Jarrett, bartender

You’ll need 1. 60g Blended whisky 2. 60g Root 3. Dash of Peychaud’s Bitters Stir all ingredients over some cold ice. Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice, and garnish with a flaming lemon twist. Enjoy with a Cuban cigar and big roaring fire (optional).

style

ADDeD BeNeFiT

Boss Black comes with all the trimmings

Alister shoes 100% calfskin

ONCe

Bernini bag 100% cowskin

you go

BLACk

Fil shoes 100% calfskin

Boss Black ushers in a distinctly chilly breeze with its new Fall/Winter collection

riting about Fall/Winter collections, complete with bulky knitwear and elongated scarves, in the middle of a parched July never ceases to confound. And even though it’s actually something of a relief to imagine the frosty breezes skating down Wadi Saqra on an Amman December morning, there’s not a huge amount of stylistic empathy going on when describing the textured detailing on a three-quarter-length charcoal trenchcoat – even when sitting under an aggressive air-con unit. Boss Black, though, always perks up our interest. Replete with perfect NOX style elements – big on monochrome, non-existent on that effeminate nonsense called colour – the textureladen collection is all about layering fabrics while maintaining a structured silhouette. We’re particularly enamoured of the slimline suits and the fitted knitwear. And it’s only four months till we can wear any of it.

Aug 2009

Woodland bag 100% calfskin

Ortenzio shoes 100% calfskin

Nummerus sweater Wool blend Stay trousers White cotton Neskimo scarf Cream wool blend

Norbertus knitwear Wool blend Style trousers Wool Careiro belt Calfskin

Sintrax coat Grey wool mix Stage trousers Wool fleece Luccas bag Cow skin

Francis2 suit Wool blend Joris shirt Cotton Skin tie Silk

Hawk/Stevens suit Wool Ellzit scarf Wool blend Fil shoes Calfskin

Holander bag 100% calfskin

style

“T

o protect and to nurse the blue jeans’ heritage...” Swedish brothers Anton and Oskar Olsson take the creation of their collection very seriously – almost reverently. “Both of us have been working with denim for around 17 or 18 years together, in the retail business,” says Oskar, the 32-year-old who co-founded Denim Demon, a label he says gives more than just a pair of jeans to the public. The inspiration behind the brand comes from Sami culture, the indigenous people of Scandinavia whose handicraft, architecture, songs and clothing Oskar says have a lot of influence. It’s not just their culture that Denim Demon borrows though – it’s their men. “About a year ago we started a project called Ware Outs, which helps us create new washes by having average guys wear the jeans daily for months – no washing allowed!” Oskar took a moment from his busy schedule to explain his philosophy to NOX:

bad denim Denim Demon takes the quest for original washes in jeans very, very seriously

NOX: How would you define “denim” in four words? Oskar Olsson: Lovely, traditional, historic, workwear. It is an amazing fabric and we all need to learn about its heritage in order to keep the history going. There’s too many brands that just produce denim because of the money, and if we don’t care about that, they will destroy denim as we know it! NOX: What is the greatest pair of jeans you ever wore? OO: I haven’t found those yet, but that’s one of the reasons we started Denim Demon: to create the greatest pair of jeans ever made. We are close, but there are still things we can refine. We have three of our Sami washes coming out this autumn, which are close to perfection, both in fit and look. NOX: Do you think people should get creative with their denim, or should they stick to the traditional? OO: Difficult question, since we are making really traditional fittings with updated details. I’ll have to go with both. It’s difficult to re-invent the wheel so to speak, and a lot of brands have tried to do new stuff with jeans, but none of them have worked so far. I guess it’s up to the person wearing them; if you are comfortable in a certain pair of jeans, it doesn’t matter if they are traditional or “something new”.

Swede life: Jeans made by real people. Like this guy.

FierCe

CreATureS

The cat goes back to the head of the cool queue with an 80s classic

Aug 2009

kay, we’re not deliberately spreading the love between the main sneaker brands, it’s just that we have received a nice succession of genuinely awesome gear from Nike, Adidas and now Adidas’s first cousin, Puma. We did, of course, go rather big on the German cat last month, but they do keep coming up with groundbreaking stuff – not least a new collaboration with Sergio Rossi, a couture Italian designer more accustomed to stitching up torturous heels for masochistic fashionistas.

denimdemon.se

Although nominally for Spring/Summer 2010 – don’t accuse us of not being on the ball, okay? – we’re featuring them now in the vain hope that some retail space in Amman not called Adidas Originals will learn what good sneakers look like. Inspired by 80s graffiti and reinterpreting the classic 1973-era Puma Clyde basketball sneaker, the colourways are viciously cool. Although the high-tops are straight from New York’s hip-hop scene, we love the leather low-riders. And want a pair now. Not in spring, you hear… now!

Sergio Rossi Puma Clyde Burst orange

NOX: How can people in Jordan make jeans more Arab? OO: I don’t have enough insight on the Arab culture to speak about that unfortunately, but if you can find some people over there to wear a pair of raw Denim Demon, we might be able to do an “Arab wash” for you! That’ll do the trick, right?

Sergio Rossi Puma Clyde Noir black

Sergio Rossi Puma Graffiti Anaconda Whisper white

style

rough dIAMONd

CLARkS HISTORY

Clarks’ iconic desert boot marks its 60th anniversary this year

1825 Founded in Street, England, by Cyrus Clark as a tanning factory. 1830 James Clark makes sheepskin slippers. 1856 Introduced “Hygienic line” of shoes to match the shape of the foot. 1900 John Clark introduces mass production. 1949 Development of the desert boot by Nathan rapidly expanded their global market. 1960s The Wallabee moccasinstyle shoe, designed by Lance Clark, was introduced.

The best of the other collections for Fall 2009

reBOOT

ne of the 20th Century’s genuine design classics is 60 years old this autumn – and as its name might suggest, it was born in the Arab World. Clarks’ iconic desert boot was the result of a marriage of British innovation and a simple, handmade Egyptian shoe found in the Cairo souqs. It started when company boss – and descendent of founder Cyrus – Nathan Clark visited the city and amended the crepe-soled boot that had become standard wear for off-duty British soldiers. That was in 1949, and it is a pretty large testament to Mr Clark that his creation has barely changed by so much as an eye-loop in the subsequent 60 years

Aug 2009

Wallabee Ebony

1970s Used breathable, lightweight polyurethane material – leading to every geography teacher’s favourite, the poly veldt.

– and it’s fair to conclude that few men have failed to plonk their size 10s in a pair of them at some point. In fact, although they have rarely been out of fashion, they have enjoyed cycles of unalloyed hipness through the last six decades; in the mid-1990s, it was Ghostface Killah of the Wu Tang Clan who paraded around in Clarks desert boots and prompted a flurry of imitators. And now, for the latest season, Clarks Fall/Winter 2009 celebrates their popularity for successive generations of wearers with a commemorate range of new designs. It’s not as if there isn’t a whole load of desert around here in which to try them out.

Desert Trek Jamaica

Desert Boot Camel

1990s Desert boot adopted by American hip-hop culture leading to renewed interest.

Desert Boot Tweed

watches

moon

lighTiNg

The 40th anniversary of Neil Armstrong’s lunar landing marked by limited edition Omega watch

t has been labelled the greatest scientific achievement in the history of mankind – and it happened 40 years ago last month. Putting a man on the moon was the blue ribband of the Cold War space race, and when NASA astronaut Neil Armstrong stepped down (allegedly, conspiracy fans) from Apollo 11’s landing craft, nicely rehearsed speech echoing out over his communication device, it was the culmination of man’s obsession with the skies that first took flight with the Wright brothers in 1903. Neil Armstrong made the famous descent wearing an Omega Speedmaster watch, specially designed for manned spaceflight in the early 1960s – and Armstrong actually used it to correct unreliable timing devices on the landing craft. To mark the anniversary, Omega have relaunched the watch in two limited edition models – one in sterling silver and stainless steel, the other in platinum and 18ct yellow gold. It’s a timepiece that heralds a classic era of adventure.

rOugH TiMe Just what you need the next time you go to Wadi Mujib – and we mean the watch, not the pickaxe

Aug 2009

Features 1. Manual-winding chronograph 2. 48-hour power reserve 3. 42mm case 4. Black dial 5. Water resistant up to 50 metres Available at Time Center www.timecenter.com.jo

ugged, huh? The Big Ingenieur from IWC Schaffhausen even sounds like a mountain, or an intimidating hiking trail in the Massif Central, spoken about in hushed tones by bearded Canadians. And, we presume, that’s exactly what IWC want you to think. This chiselled timepiece is for robust, adventurer types, who want to know exactly what time it is when they fell trees and skin beavers. Made from platinum, rose gold and the obligatory stainless steel, the movements and dials are housed in a 45.5mm case, with a sapphire-glass back for anyone interested to see what’s going on in there. And just in case that glacier melts on you, it is also water resistant up to 12 bar.

vanity

NOX guiDe BuyiNg A SuiT Words: Laith Nijem

en’s suits have, not before time, seen a massive improvement in style and cut this year, with the economic crisis (obligatory mention now extended to a record-breaking six-month streak) ending the baffling love affair with the lanky and gaunt look that dominate last year’s collections. It seems that whether you’re rich or poor, the fashion world is allowing men everywhere to eat again... Still, this does show that in men’s fashion, classic will always rule – although there is a new fusion with exquisite tailoring to provide classic looks with a thoroughly modern edge. Here are our half-dozen main guidelines that you should follow when looking for your next suit.

THE RULES 1

Double-breasted The modern doublebreasted suit is tailored to emphasise a more V-shaped workout body, with broad shoulders and a longer lapel, giving you more height and a slimmer belly.

Patterns and fabric Just as suits are classic inspired, you’ll notice a move to vintage coloured patterns, such as hound’s tooth, herringbone, pin and rope-stripe. Fabric choices include cotton, wool and linen.

Buttons Remember that the more buttons your jacket has, the taller you’ll look, so unless you have to droop your shoulders to fit in, aim for a two-button modern suit that’ll make you look better and fit with the new classic feel.

The cut Moving far away from last season “skinny boy” with no room to breath, you should look for a classic suit with a slimming military cut of broad shoulders, trim waist and slim pants.

Shoulders and lapel Go for shoulder padding which rolls down to the sleeve, making your shoulders seem broader and the arms better built. Pair it up with a peaked lapel that conveys a much stronger V-shape.

iN TheSe

shOes The best dressy footwear Amman has to offer

Aug 2009

Lanvin

From Boutique Lanvin Tel: +962 6 566 3777

Patent shoes Ermenegildo Zegna 530JDs

Boss Black

Boss Selection

From Daoud Tycoon’s Tel: +962 6 464 5383

Black leather Salvatore Ferragamo 530JDs

From Daoud Tycoon’s Tel: +962 6 464 5383

BAg iT up

Grey leather Canali 565JDs WHere TO FiND iT All shoes available at Zara Centre, Wadi Saqra. Tel: +962 6 4630260

Finish off your urbane look with this leather laptop bag from Salvatore Ferragamo (Price upon request).

Brian Scannell

Three-piece After the revival of the waistcoat – See NOX 36 – many designers are showcasing three-pieces in the same fabric as the suit, so it’s best to avoid any pattern work on the vest, except pinstripe.

grooming

scent of

winter

Five FACTS About your scent

The art of making perfumes began in ancient Iraq.

The new cologne lines show you how to smell like a real man without coming off as a jerk

“W

Ibn Sina was the first to use distillation to extract oil from flowers.

Jasmine is an aphrodisiac, making it perfect for late night oil massages.

Grapheast - Corbis

hat you’re looking for is a rich, earthy scent,” says Rula Hijawi, showroom manager at Va Va Voom’s City Mall branch. “Winter is all about that powerful smell that’s full of spice.” Sounds a bit like alchemy, but the mixtures of musk, leather and wood in this year’s winter collection of colognes really do give off a muscly aroma. “If this is something you’re going to be wearing for a night out, then you can really go wild with smells that are confident and long-lasting,” Rula continues. “If there’s a certain smell you like that may be a bit light, see if there’s an eau du parfum version of it, which is more concentrated. But for the love of heaven, don’t wear that heavy version to work. Unless you really want the world to give you a wide berth...”

1. DriviNg FANATiC

Smell: Ferrari Uomo PR: “The perfect blend of passion, technology and innovation.” Real world: This is almost as manly as it gets; even leather is incorporated into it to give that gloriously masculine edge. $80 for 100ml

2. pREppy hIp

Smell: Canali Winter Tale PR: “This fragrance represents a fragrant winter story composed of luxurious elements.”

MAC

MAN Vimi Joshi, MAC’s senior makeup artist in the Middle east and india, offers tips for ramadan

Aug 2009

Real world: If nature played polo and swore by its Patek Philippe watch, it would smell like this. Rich without being too douchey. $65 for 100ml

3. MARlBORO MAN

Smell: True Religion for Men PR: “A modern timeless ‘fougere’ that breaks all the rules with a surprising citrus and herbal aroma.” Real world: Despite the fact that the company found it necessary to

write “fern” in French, this is actually a classic smell for everyday wear. $80 for 100ml

A study found that male sweat increases a woman’s stress level. In a good way...

4. BEDOuIN ShEIKh

Smell: Epic Man by Amouage PR: “An oriental fragrance that evokes the ancient legends of the Silk Road.” Real world: It doesn’t get any more bedouinesque than frankincense, saffron, oud and musk. Might as well splurge on a sheepkin abaya... $355 for 100ml

NOX: How should a fasting man take care of his face? Vimi Joshi: By using MAC Fix+ throughout the day. This will keep the skin hydrated; it’s also really refreshing in the heat. MAC’s Oil Control Lotion is also great, since it won’t leave any shine. NOX: How do we get rid of puffy eyes right before the night time festivities? VJ: The best product to instantly reduce puffiness around the eyes is MAC Fast Response Eye Cream.

The first used musk in fragrances came from the Asian musk deer and its, er, sac.

This exceptional cream contains caffeine to drain away the puffiness, and yeast extract to fill out fine lines. It also contains optical diffusers that create a smoother appearance for your under eye area! NOX: What hygiene issues should we think about when sharing skincare products with our significant other? Since, you know, we don’t own any... VJ: Cleaning the top layer and nozzles of each product with a dry tissue should do the trick. Still, you should really try to invest in your own skincare range, as a man’s skin type is very different from a woman’s. I promise you, it will be worth it in the long run!

Three MAC products for ramadan

Fast Response Fix+ Eye Cream moisturiser

Oil Control lotion

HOW TO…

go oN A rOAd trIp pack your bags, round up your friends and hit the road while the heat of summer lasts

s the summer has but a few short months left, it’s your last chance of hitting the highway and remembering that there is more to Jordan than three malls, a Dead Sea pool and your friend’s farm. Yes, there is. Trust us on this.

BEER. AND plENTy OF DriNkiNg gAMeS

A hAlF-DECENT CAR Obvious, right? Tell that to the editor, who decided to head down to Petra in a hired Kia Picanto – complete with unconvincing suspension and general rattle – and barely made it to the Desert Highway. A Pajero-style SUV will keep you and your passengers happy – and provide an extra bed when the vultures start circling at 4.30am.

FOreigN WOMAN Come on, you read the front cover story in JO last month. Hundreds of American birds are currently flocking here just to get their hands on your Arab ass. A trip to the heart of the windswept, star-covered desert will merely treble your chances of some meaningless, orientalist and spicy exploitation.

WATer For the love of God, take about twice as much as you think you’ll need. And then add a couple of bottles for effect. You don’t want to end up drinking your own urine...

Aug 2009

meat. It’s a bestial thing

Open skies equals open fire.

Let’s face it, you’re going to be spending a lot of time with the same group of people – and with no distracting entertainment. To stop this being incredibly tedious, you need the essential social lubricant of alcohol, and a supply of moronic freshman booze games – sand isn’t great for spin-thebottle, sadly – to help pass the evening.

TOrCH You’re not going to be using the toilet “facilities” laid on in the likes of Wadi Rum – unless you like flies, the odour of a morgue and general pestilence – so a torch is vital for the 3am hill-climb to find a sheltered spot to do nature’s bidding.

Open skies equals open fire. Open fire equals meat. It’s a bestial thing. Women just don’t understand. So, unless you’ve brought a poisontipped spear and know where the antelopes hang out, it’s probably a good idea to get your kofta pre-minced and spiced, and your chicken filleted and diced before you set off. And put it in a cool box, please.

BAD STOrieS

WeT WipeS gpS DeviCe

MeAT

Open fire equals

Look, we know there will be at least one off-roading, adventuretravelling expert who will try to convince you he knows how to navigate through the Badia by interpreting the moonlight shadows on certain types of basalt. Don’t listen to him. He’s a fraud. So take a GPS – and someone who knows how to use it.

No self-respecting man would remember these road-trip essentials – and might actually struggle to identify them – but they are vital in the desert. Think sandencrusted nether regions after a night under the stars. They don’t do showers out here.

You’re going to be on the road for several hours, and when you arrive you’ll be sitting around a campfire all night – with no TV. So you need conversation. Tall tales about ghosts and wild animal attacks always do the trick. A scared woman is a receptive woman…

DeAD WOOD Dead trees are in short supply in Jordan. Live ones, too, come to think of it – gee, thanks Jordan-Dubai Capital! But as you can’t have a campfire without firewood, you should bring it with you, since the desert is no place to find random supplies of combustible material.

book

thesecret

As the round enters the body,

lifeof

it sucks in the atomised fragments of cloth and material the bullet has hit

WAr

REUTERS, Grapheast - Corbis

before entering the victim

A new book by long-time Observer war correspondent, peter Beaumont, charts the intimate details of war – as experienced by those in the firing line, and those pulling the trigger

t’s usually the details of war that escape the accounts that fill our daily newspapers and evening bulletins. Preoccupied with general themes, bigger pictures and political implications, the minutiae of conflict for those on the frontlines or, more significantly sometimes, those caught in the crossfire, is often obscured by layers of a journalistic language that splashes broad brushstrokes where specific characterisations may better tell the story. In his account of nearly two decades charting various flashpoints in the Middle East, The Observer’s awardwinning correspondent Peter Beaumont seeks to paint a more intimate portrait of what war does to the people who fight it – and those who survive it; the psychological, neurological and psychiatric effects of killing, seeing people being killed and the desire to justify or excuse it. The following is an extract from The Secret Life of War, from the chapter called “The Contaminated Wound”. In it, the author describes in detail the nature of a bullet wound, and uses it as a metaphor for the society that any war penetrates.

Aug 2009

Peter Beaumont is foreign affairs editor at The Observer. He has won the George Orwell Prize for his reports during the early days of the occupation of Iraq.

WHEN A STANDARD, RIFLED SPITzER BULLET – conical “ball” from a modern small-arms weapon – hits the soft tissue of the human body, the entry wound has a margin of abrasion around it. The round, forcing inwards, scuffs the surrounding skin, creating a halo of tenderness that only seems to emphasise the hidden grossness of the injury. Because of the elasticity of skin and muscle, the circumference of most entry wounds tends to be smaller than the projectile’s as it contracts almost immediately around the initial cavity. Water closing around a swimmer’s head. The point about a rifled bullet is that it rotates at high speed, spiralling around an axis that extends from tip to tail. The same way an American football is thrown. This high-speed spinning gives the bullet its stability, its accuracy over a long distance. The result is that conventional wounds caused by high-velocity bullets – where the rounds do not fragment – appear as vicious pricks, often smaller than you would expect. But rounds can behave in different ways. When the bullet has travelled a long distance, and the ball loses energy and the spin that maintains its stable trim, the round begins to flutter in its progress – an effect called yawing. What hits the target is not a head-on – the high diver’s feet following the head and shoulders in a line, causing minimal splash – but a projectile tending towards the flop, the feet and legs catching on entry.

The entry wound created by the yawing round is different in shape, deformed into a flat letter “D” shape and often exhibiting an associated tearing of the abrasion ring. It opens a deeper cavity inside the wounds. This characteristic is not only visible in bullets losing energy and spin, or ricocheting off another surface before impact. It is a feature, too, of the very lightweight, high-velocity rounds used commonly by both NATO and the Israel Defence Forces, small balls that are designed to fragment easily and cause maximum damage to enhance their lethal capability. The low mass of the round itself increases the chance that the bullet as a whole – or fragments of it – will tumble or sharply change direction in contact with tissue, or in passing from one density to another. If the weapon is fired at very close range, however, a very different kind of wound shape results. The gases expelled from the weapon’s muzzle explode into the cavity created by the bullet, stretching and rippling the tissue so that the entry wound is stellate in appearance. A bloody star of tears extending from the centre, radiating from a faint, burned oily ring imprinted on the body. It is not simply the kinetic energy of the bullet itself as it penetrates organs, bursts bone and severs veins and arteries, which is the issue with gunshot wounds.

A secondary consequence of being shot or hit with shrapnel is the high risk of infection, even from a graze. As the round and associated gases enter the body, they suck in the atomised fragments of cloth and material the bullet has hit before entering the victim; tiny fragments of car door and cinder block, wood, glass and earth, dead tissue from other casualties nearby; the lingering, ever-present bacilli found in soil. A passage of dead and dying tissue is created in the body, into which is sucked the filth of our environment by the vacuum behind the projectile travelling at supersonic speed. It is often more dangerous than the damage caused by the destructive energy than the round itself. And in conflict, it is not always the fact of the fighting – the fact of invasion and offensives, skirmishes and battles – that actually destroys societies. It is what is sucked into the necrotic cavities war creates – into the dead spaces – that weakens and overpowers resistance to the violence itself. In the Iraq of the aftermath of the invasion, of after the “cure”, of after the experiment in democratisation of a brutal regime by illegal force, it begins with the looting, with resistance to occupation, and with al-Qaeda’s suicide bombings. It ends with sectarian extermination and a collapsing state. The extract is reproduced with permission from Random House UK.

WArSTory

The Secret Life of War is published in hardback by Random House UK.

slutterhouse

LAMBs To The

sLutter Words: Eddie Taylor Images: Waleed Saab

purveyors of intelligent, superior electronica, lebanon’s Slutterhouse are about to reveal their genius to the world. The band tells NOX how

here’s a lot about Slutterhouse, Lebanon’s latest scene-stealing band, that doesn’t make a whole heap of sense. The duo don’t look like they would share the same postcode, never mind the same studio: the lead singer Rabih, or Mick, looks like the guitarist in a Faces covers band, with a mane of black curls flopping over Aviator sunglasses and a Biblical beard, while spiky-haired producer Nabil looks like he travels to work on a skateboard. The pair don’t even live in the same country. Rabih, who grew up wanting to be Axl Rose, is polishing off a doctorate in philosophy at a prestigious Parisian university while Nabil remains in Beirut, skipping between various musical projects, one of which, Trash Inc, was responsible for the memorable “Punk Rock Bitch” that appeared on Playstation’s FIFA 2007. Even the name is weird. It was, according to Rabih, the result of the girl Nabil was seeing back in 2006 playing around with Kurt Vonnegut’s cult novel Slaughterhouse 5 and the Doors “Roadhouse Blues”. It was first

Aug 2009

slutterhouse

We’re the bridge between the two worlds.

he’s all electronica and synths while I’m rock,

all Steve Tyler and Marc Bolan used to christen the pair’s maiden composition – a dirty techno-punk mash-up. All in all, there’s no way you would think their debut album Made in Dance, set to be released in early October, would be a collection of crisp, intelligent electronica. “Just don’t call us ‘underground’, please,” begs Rabih, down a phoneline from Paris. “I hate that term. It’s so elitist and self-defeating – I want everyone to hear our music! We’re overground, man!” Overground, possibly. But thankfully the burbling beats, icy synth washes and effects-laden vocals that cascade out of the speakers is anything but anodyne, corporate mainstream pop. The only sense this is Music for the Masses is that it isn’t a million miles from Depeche Mode’s 1985 album of that name, which combined dark, industrial textures with a sheen of synthesisers and Dave Gahan’s proto-gothic vocal. But the resemblance is only fleeting; Slutterhouse is less grinding, less relentlessly grim, with pleasing melodies and buzzing chord progressions. More importantly, perhaps, they can’t ever sound like anything else because there’s little chance a band has ever been formed by such polar opposites. There was no studious design to this sound and, unlike the vast majority of new bands, certainly no conscious imitation of a shared musical obsession. In fact, Slutterhouse is the sound of LA cockrock and knob-twiddling techno meeting in a head-on collision that leaves only two survivors – who then bond over the rhythmic bleeps of their respective life-support cardiographs. “I was looking for a singer for my electronic work,” says Nabil, “and

Aug 2009

when I started to get to know Rabih, I thought why not work together? And it has turned out pretty much as I hoped; a bit dark, a bit sleazy, a bit sci-fi, a bit 80s. And most importantly, people seem to really like it.” “I was always a rocker,” says Rabih. “A cousin of mine introduced me to metal and classic rock when I was 8 or 9. From then on, I would go to school in a wig and torn jeans, just desperately wanting to be Axl Rose from Guns N Roses. In fact, there was a time when I genuinely thought I was him. When I was older, I thought I was Slash – the hair, probably – and I bought a guitar and started playing in bands in the local rock scene in Beirut. “I guess we’re the bridge between the two worlds,” he adds. “We meet in the middle of our relative influences. He’s all electronica and synths while I’m rock, all Steve Tyler and Marc Bolan.” As Rabih’s lullaby voice purrs the line “And it makes me want to find myself another lie” on the wistful, laptop pop of “You’re So”, it’s difficult to imagine he once dreamed of packed football stadia and scarf-draped mic stands. This is more Air than Aerosmith. But he is no reluctant convert; his partnership with Nabil, one-time member of Beirut’s indie darlings The New Government, grew out of a friendship. Now, the respect and trust that they developed while hanging out in the summer of 2006 – right before Israel’s aerial onslaught – have transferred themselves into the business of making music. “When I was in Paris, I started browsing through the Indiecult website, which is a kind of home for the Beiruti underground music scene,” Rabih says. “I met Nabil in some kind of forum and when I came back to Beirut, we became

slutterhouse

MADe iN DANCe

Release: August 15th Label: Music Master

1. Illegal Thoughts 2. You’re So 3. Inside the Station 4. Flowers 5. Drummer Girl 6. Made in Dance 7. Doe-Eyed 8. French Robot Leuve 9. Her Face 10. Slutterhouse Blues (Bonus Track)

Aug 2009

i love that

live, raw rock vibe that rabih brings to

Slutterhouse

really close friends. We never really thought about collaborating musically, but at the end of the summer, as the bombs were falling, I headed for Dubai for five days to finish some university work. On the day I left, I picked up a guitar and took it to Nabil’s house with the idea of just recording a song to remember the summer.” A couple of hours later, they had recorded their first song, “Slutterhouse Blues”. They started circulating the track and when faced with an avalanche of approval, they realised that they might have stumbled across something genuinely intriguing. They vowed to work together even after Rabih’s return to Paris, and although the track is a long way from their current output – all clashing beats and jagged edges of sound – the collaboration quickly settled into what has become their blueprint for electronic success: Rabih writes the words and carves out the melody lines, sometimes on the back of loops and samples developed by Nabil, who then works largely on his own to complete the production and mixing. “I record the vocals and leave,” says Rabih. “I respect Nabil’s talent completely, so I don’t even feel the need to be around during the mixing. That’s good for the partnership because there is quite a lot of distance when I come to hear the final track, and when I come back and hear what he has done, I can appraise it with fresh ears. I learned to realise that the instrument isn’t important. It’s the song.” “I love that live, raw rock vibe he brings,” says Nabil. “I was a drummer in a band, The New Government, and although it was hard, and less well paid, I miss the rock sound. So, I guess the Slutterhouse music is getting back to that, more so than Trash

Inc, although I’ll always have some dancefloor vibe in there. I can’t keep that out; I love synths!” The songs are certainly universal, and could have been chiselled in any recording studio from Los Angeles to Latvia, with few clues to their origins. It was how Rabih wanted it, not seeking to create novelty value about the music and allowing it to speak for itself. It’s one of the reasons he goes by Mick; and even if the Middle East is at the core of many of the tracks, like “Inside the Station”, which was written at 3am in a Dubai hotel room as Israeli bombs were dropping on his home country, the polish is entirely European. But then Rabih has been in France for the best part of a decade now, and doubles studying – “I’m only doing the degree to get the title ‘doctor’. And please my mother” – with DJ-ing around the continent, making friends with some of the best producers around. He has DJ-ed with Sweden’s Andreas Kleerup (of Robyn’s “With Every Heartbeat” fame) and the pair have got to know uber-producer Eric Chedeville, most famous for his work with Daft Punk. There is even talk of their remixes of Fritz Helder and The Phantoms’ “Sex Robot”, the first release on Nelly Furtado’s new Canadian label Nelstar. Their own release, Made in Dance, is being launched across the Middle East by Rabih’s London-based label Ringside Productions, which the pair regard as the best way to get the songs into the market before a major deal can be struck for Europe. Then it’s promotion time – with maybe even a NOX-inspired trip to Amman. Then, of course, the world. “We just want to make this happen,” Rabih smiles. “We’re ready for this.”

sienna miller

miller’s

CrOSSiNg Ng Breaking free from a public relationship with one of the most famous men on the planet, Sienna Miller is earning a reputation as a considerable talent in her own right. And now she’s in lyrca Words: Oday Khayyat

Aug 2009

n retrospect, one wonders whether Sienna Miller’s role in Steve Buscemi’s taut, psychological drama Interview back in 2007 was the wisest career move. In the edgy two-hander, Buscemi’s embittered journalist, recently relegated from Washington politics to celebrity puff pieces, is remorselessly out-manoeuvred by Miller’s media manipulating movie star. It was pitched as both the ultimate in table turning, where the superior scribe is set-up and knocked down by the seemingly vulnerable ingénue, and a commentary on just who in the world of contemporary Hollywood tittle-tattle has the upper hand. What might have been initially purgative for the tabloidhounded Miller, post Jude Law and all, seems to have become a motive for two-bit hacks everywhere to sink their claws in. No sooner had the current publicity machine for her latest (and distinctly unlikely) project, GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra, kicked off than the digs began. Adam Richard, a DJ on an Australian branch of the just delightful Fox broadcasting empire, teased her about her oft-denied relationship with actor Balthazar Getty, who just happens to be married with four young children. “You’ve met him, haven’t you?” he asked rhetorically, after first describing her co-star Rachel

But I couldn’t ever

have enough time

to be all the things they want me to be

The media want me to be this partying, shagging girl.

sienna miller

Nichols as “the green bitch” from Star Trek, and then a scene between the two in GI Joe as a “scag fight”. Ms Miller was, understandably, not exactly amused. “Oh, p*ss off,” she screamed. “We’re here to talk about a film. You’ve called us scags, bitches – we’re not here to talk about him. But yes, as you know, I’ve met him. What a scoop, congratulations.” And with that, the publicist ended the interview. And so the tabloid headlines kicked off again. By forcibly denying the fact she’s a bad girl, she is of course instantly labelled a bad girl. By being human, she is cast as difficult. By publicly decrying gutter journalism, she is, in turn, creating more of it. “I’ve been in interviews where people try to blatantly get a rise out of you, especially on TV,” she says, with a shrug of those slender shoulders, “and I’ve been a bit shocked at how tactless people can be, asking about things that are obviously very personal.” What kind of things, we naturally ask. “Apparently, I’ve shagged half of Hollywood,” she says. “And that’s not true. I’m supposed to have shagged Orlando Bloom, Daniel Craig, Leonardo DiCaprio... like, Orlando and I went to a pizza restaurant when I was 17 years old. Who else am I supposed to have slept with? Josh Hartnett, Puff Daddy… The media want me to be this partying, shagging girl. But I couldn’t ever have time to be all the things they want me to be.” What Sienna Miller is, in fact, is an honest, open and unaffected an actress as any currently working. British born and raised, boarding school and all, to an American art-dealer father and South African drama school-owning mother, she has little reticence in displaying all her dimensions, with none of the PR polish of her Californian peers. Unfortunately, she just happened to meet and fall in love with Jude Law before she had more than half a dozen minor roles to her CV, and immediately suffered a fame blitz that threatened to swamp her burgeoning career. Long lenses were parked outside her home, and tedious shots of her walking up Kensington High Street or eating an ice cream were traded for thousands of dollars between supermarket rag photo editors. While she has never quite been able to play the publicity game as smartly as The Interview’s Katya, she did have a reliable weapon up her sleeve last year: the English courts. In a landmark case, she won over $100,000 in damages from paparazzi agency Big Pictures, with an accompanying cease and desist order. “I can walk around and not have 20 men calling me names in front of my little niece,” she says of her new life. It’s just a shame her laddish wit and unlimited, almost unconscious sex appeal wasn’t sufficient in itself for a British media whose persistent stalking of the star has effectively killed a goose that kept laying golden eggs. At least it means the press might start to focus on the critical acclaim she harvested for her roles in The Factory Girl and The Edge of Love, which have ensured she has emerged from Law’s shadow with a talent all her own. Not that GI Joe will garner too many Oscar nominations when it’s released this month. Director Stephen Sommers

Aug 2009

i guess there should be a bit of

MySTERy TO ME.

A bit of unavailability is an

attractive thing

SieNNA File

December 28, 1981 New York City • Starting her career as a model, she posed topless in the 2003 Pirelli Calendar. • Rose from 48 to 42 to 11 on Maxim magazine’s Hot 100 list between 2005 and 2007, but dropped to 27 in 2008. • Met ex-boyfriend and ex-fiancee Jude Law when they made the movie Alfie (2004) together. They first separated in 2005, and again in 2006. • Launched fashion line Twenty8Twelve (her birth date) with her sister Savanah, who is a professional fashion designer in 2007. • A fan of Chelsea FC.

is a 21st Century Steven Speilberg, with The Mummy and Van Helsing already under his special effects-packed tool belt. While her previous work has been finely-drawn character studies – otherwise known as girl films – this is an all-out actioneer. And she wears a lot of black lycra with six-inch heels. And we’re all very grateful. “I just wanted to have fun,” she says, justifying her choice in a movie that will do more for her bank balance than her Broadway bravura. “I wanted to do something where I wasn’t addicted to heroin or having a breakdown, or dying at the end. Also I think my parents were like ‘Please, stop doing these films. You’re killing us!’ So, I think I got to a point where I really just wanted to make a film that was just entertaining, pure and simple. I put myself through quite a lot doing the roles that I’d done and it gets pretty emotionally exhausting after a while.” Another reason, of course, was that pesky Hollywood writers’ strike, which meant that the only films getting made were ones that didn’t seem to need a lot of writing. And just look at what Transformers has done for a certain Ms Fox... “No one really knew when they were going to work again, and I felt like doing something purely for entertainment purposes,” she says with that stunning candour that we scribblers just love. “Normally it’s not the kind of thing I would have done, but then I read the script and found that it had really well developed characters, a great villain in my role and a great story. Plus, it’s wonderful to do a movie that people actually want to go and see.” And see it they most assuredly will. With incredible effects, fight scenes choreographed by the man behind The Matrix’s gravity-ignoring swoops and an awful lot of automatic gunfire, it has box office smash sprayed all over it – and there’s every chance Miller can steal some of the crossover territory that has made fellow Brit Kate Beckinsale such bankable fare across the Atlantic. “I can fire a rifle now,” she giggles, although she admits she still blinks with every round, and can’t help making a childish

sienna miller shooting sound with each shot. “It was all completely out of my comfort zone. I’ve never done anything on this scale. But once I let go of my anxiety, I really enjoyed it.”

s e i d o o g e o J I Win G res ount Pictu m a r a P d n a magazine with NOX

n a sense, it’s difficult to understand why it has taken Sienna Miller so long to enter such explosive territory. Despite her assured prettiness, she is anything but a weakkneed princess; she’s more Jennifer Garner than Jessica Simpson. Scintillatingly foul-mouthed when the occasion calls for it – “Did I tell a paparazzi to f**k off? Well, it sounds like something I would do,” she told New York magazine – and rarely on guard, she will even run, tomboy-like, through her scars. A minute slash on her cheek was the result of “being kicked in the face by an ’orse” when she was 5, another was from the removal of a cyst six years later, and a birthmark on her leg “that looks like Manhattan”. There’s also a tattoo from a teenage backpacking trip that started in Miami with one too many glasses of wine. She even thinks she was conceived during her parents’ acid trip. In addition to the searing honesty – Jude Law insights aside, that is – there’s also the occasional lapse into foot-inmouthness, an illness the big-budget, low sincerity world of Hollywood rarely appreciates. After all, everyone, everywhere is a potential customer, and your big stars really shouldn’t be venturing opinions when they’re out pushing your movie. For instance, calling one of Pennsylvania’s most prominent cities “Sh*tsburgh” when shooting a movie called The Mysteries Of Pittsburgh perhaps wasn’t the smartest thing she’s ever done. Cue the local hysteria – “Sienna the witch” and, predictably, “Sienna go home” – and the subsequent apology and mea culpa, live on TV with the town’s mayor. “I will say the most inappropriate things at the most inappropriate time to the most inappropriate person. Always. Guaranteed. I think it might be mild Tourette’s,” she says. “The strange thing is, I do actually quite like Pittsburgh. And while I understand the patriotism of that city, I really don’t think it was that big a deal. And having met me, you’ll realise these things just come out.” It probably explains why she also felt the need to say that drugs are “f**kloads of fun!” Maybe it’s why she lives in England. While the press there is undeniably vile and intrusive, it is largely free from the unctuous ass-kissing of the Los Angeles cocktail circuit, where speaking your mind is as dangerous as having bad teeth. She has also moved out of London, buying a country cottage in the Cotswolds, a slumbering corner of the South Midlands where spending a little too much on vintage wine in a renowned restaurant is about as mischievous as you can get. Although her personal choices and hyperbolic opinions might keep her in the spotlight, fame seems to be more of a first cousin than life partner for Miller. It suits her. “I don’t even know what an ‘it girl’ is,” she says of the paparazzi days. “As far as I’m concerned, an ‘it girl’ is one who doesn’t do anything except go to parties and get her photograph taken. I guess there should be a bit more mystery to me. I suppose a bit of unavailability is an attractive thing.” Of course, the next words out of her mouth are: “Hopefully, there will be a GI Joe 2 and 3.” Because you know she will be available if they ask.

Aug 2009

t NOX magazine we’re dead against any form of violence… except possibly UFC, shoe throwing, women’s boxing and these fantastic laser guns and chest plates. Just wear a chestplate and load your gun, then you and a friend can run around zapping each other with electric shocks generated by a direct hit. NOX has five pairs to give away as well as a solar-powered backpack that’ll ensure your handheld gadgets are juiced to the max while you’re on the go. To win one of these great prizes, simply answer the question below:

Who was on the cover of the first ever NOX magazine? A Shannon Elizabeth B Nancy Ajram C Shakira

In cinemas August 6th

g.I. JOE ThE RISE OF COBRA © 2009 paramount pictures Corporation. All Rights Reserved. hASBRO and its logo, g.I. JOE and all related characters are trademarks of hasbro and are used with permission. All Rights Reserved. TM & ® denote uS trademarks.

Send your answers to: sales@neareastmedia.com

ThEEDITOR’S ’S TTOpp10NOX TO

moments In three years – and 36 magazines, not including the one you’re reading – there have been a few incidents that seem to sum the relentlessly odd world of Middle Eastern publishing. Aside from typical official idiocy and the ever-idiosyncratic relationships with advertising agencies, which might require an entire Top 10 of their own, here are the moments that have stuck in the editor’s head the longest...

Aug 2009

top ten

THe NONDriviNg Driver

The phrase “you can’t get the staff” could have been invented here, couldn’t it?

his story from the magazine’s infancy seemed to sum up our first few months, a disturbing time when the NOX office resembled deleted scenes from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. We had just published the second issue of NOX, and were trying to deliver them to the stores in time for the weekend – when hordes of young Jordanian men would naturally be crowding Istiklal for their new copy. Or so we imagined back then. Anyway, our driver was dozing on the sofa in reception when we asked him when he was going

out – only to be told he didn’t have the van with him. “What can I do?” he shrugged. “It’s in the garage being fixed, the carburettor has blown.” “Yeah, but I need magazines delivered, cheques collected, ads gathered in, everything,” the editor responded, as calmly as he could. “Ask Yazan,” he said, looking at the art director, “he’s got a great new car.” “How long have you been coming in without the van exactly?” “Four days now. Oh, and can I leave at 4pm by the way....? Getting a cab home after that is a nightmare.”

NOX van: The branding If NOX magazine is three year’s old, then it must also be three years that our Citroën Berlingo has been waiting for someone to write on it. We’ll come with an idea soon... maybe “Our other mag is Layalina.”

gOT iTCOvereD From Shakira to Christian... 36 issues of Arab man stuff

ou only realise how much NOX there has actually been when you see the covers all laid out. We did a (completely unscientific) straw poll, and Megan Fox is tied with Dominique Hourani and Milk & Honey. Agree?

Aug 2009

Aug 2006 to May 2007

noX SounDtraCkS

BriTiSH piCTure eDiTOr FASTS

The weirdest compilation CD ever

DeS’ree: “Life” NOX 2 An incredibly irritating song with the worst lyrics ever, but when we named our “Life” section, it was all “Life…. Oh life.” And has been ever since.

Suffering from one too many extended drinking sessions in Amigos, rupert lloyd decides to follow Muslim tradition

hen Rupert the picture editor suggested, very late one night, he’d like to give fasting a go during a forthcoming Ramadan, we all took bets on how long he’d last – with most people believing 20 or so days would be his limit, and Noor the designer predicting a ludicrously disrespectful 12. Only one person, his Pakistani flatmate, thought the man who’d become defined by his beer-and-burger intake would manage to complete Ramadan without transgressing the rules of ingestion. And, in the end, he was dead right.

yeAH, ABOuT ThE NAME...

The question we get asked more than any other isn’t “how do you guys pull it off every month?”, but “what does NOX mean?”

Shakira: “hipS Don’t Lie” NOX 1 Our first cover star performs a song that is played every 26 minutes in Kempinski’s Strikers’ Club.

Rupert’s diary: Day 7 Laid in bed today thinking about what I was going to do with myself. Fell back to sleep for a few hours and had dreams about eating croquettes in tomato sauce. That’s a first. I must be losing my mind...

Not that it got off to a great start; Rupert was five hours into his new regimen when the editor tells him that Ramadan didn’t begin until 7pm later that night. But at least he learned some valuable cultural lessons: on day eight, for instance, he went for a real Iftar with a Jordanian family. “During the procession of food,” he reported, breathlessly, “the whole family got up to pray. Which left me sitting on the sofa feeling like a bit of a lemon.” We hope he has room for that Pulitzer Prize.

kay, first things first – an exercise in collective buck-passing. No one who worked on NOX 37 was present when the name NOX was coined. And that includes the editor, who inherited a strange collection of articles about balding and impotence when he joined the team in the summer of 2006, and decided that the whole thing should be started again. So, no one can give a definitive account of what NOX means, but we can tell you that Yasmine Hakki, a designer within the group, came up with both the name and logo. From what we understand, it was chosen mainly because it sounded masculine and sharp. And it was considerably better than “Moustache”, which some fat guy apparently came up with. Of course, there are two meanings behind it: one, it is Latin for “night”, as in equinox, which means we’re a kind of male Layalina (dear lord); the other is the chemical formula Nitrogen Oxide, a chemical produced during combustion at high temperatures – particularly in car engines. So, pick which one you prefer. And tell your friends.

ew months go by without one particular song dominating the heads of the NOX staff for some bizarre reason – a bad pun, a TV commercial, a free CD sent by EMI Dubai for a review or, most likely, a very drunk conversation in the Beer Garden. Here’s what NOX’s playlist would look like.

JameS BLunt: “You’re BeautifuL” NOX 4 Only for the comedy impersonations. Hold your mouth open as if you’re balancing a golf ball in your teeth, then do a falsetto voice from your throat. Easy. reD hot ChiLi pepperS: “Snow (heY oh)” NOX 10 We tried singing the chorus on the way to Pizza Reef in Tla’ Ali and it came out like a stampede of uncoordinated horses – which was frankly much nicer than the original. After three: “Humberdee, limbobedoo...” pink fLoYD: “wiSh You were here” NOX 14 Inspired by late-night, deadline-driven insanity, the editor and art director number one try to translate classic rock tracks into Fusha. “Faa-aaa… fa-ta’taqad an tamayyez janna min jehennem…” Catchy, huh? Snow patroL: “ChaSing CarS” NOX 18 A horribly soppy ballad from the minstrels of Irish student rock – and one that featured as a ringtone on our lovestruck designer’s phone. Very annoying. the raSmuS: “in the ShaDowS” NOX 20 Man, what a brain worm. It bores its way in after just one listen, and three months later you’re still going “whoo-oh, whoo-ooooaaah” in front of your computer. white StripeS: “Seven nation armY” NOX 24 “I’m going to Wichita!” screams Jack White. And us. CoLDpLaY: “taLk”/ kraftwerk: “Computer Love” NOX 30 The editor was furious that no one knew Coldplay had lifted the entire melody line of “Talk” from a minor 1981 Kraftwerk hit. So he played both back to back every day for a month as punishment for everyone’s ignorance. DoveS: “winter hiLL” NOX 34 “I think it’s time,” was the shout from the editor’s chair at 4pm during May as the new Doves album landed… and everyone headed for a cigarette break.

top ten

NOX CHAMpiONS leAgue NigHTS

Our speciality is giving people what they want – with beer. Then making them win stuff

espite what poor imitators of NOX magazine might do with their small congregations in hotel gardens on Champions League final night, only one magazine gives the people what they want – mass gatherings enjoying free beer on late spring evenings while watching English sides lose to continental opposition on enormous screens. In fact, in 2007 we had 500 people enjoy our hospitality at the Courtyard, and this year, nearly 700

at Dunes. And it’s with good reason; we give a lot of stuff away. Like iPods, Showtime subscriptions, and Time Center gift vouchers. This year, we also gave away a fullsquad signed Manchester United shirt, which was kindly provided by our friends at Unnecessary Necessities. And it provided one of the weirdest moments in NOX history. The editor was pulling the names out of the bowl during the halftime draw for the various goodies when he looked at a friend in the crowd, Helen Uzaizi, who was jumping up and down. “Helen,” he

said, over the microphone as the main draw was due, “I’d love for you to win the shirt. But you’ve got no chance.” Then, he rummaged for a stub, pulled one out from the bottom and read out “5239”. Helen, who’d been jumping up and down throughout, suddenly sprints toward the stage area, arms raised in celebration. “Yeah, very funny Helen,” the editor laughs, waiting for the winner to emerge from the excited throng. “No, look!” Helen yells, and actually provides the stub with that very number on it. Holy living crap. It’s still creeping us out now.

NOX: WHere yOur CAreer CAN THrive

giving the best and the brightest graduates in Jordan a sensational employment opportunity. If only they knew it

ne of the greatest joys about launching and running a monthly magazine is the sheer weight of unbridled enthusiasm from the nation’s aspiring journalists, finally able to unleash their creative genius in a magazine of depth, quality and substance. Like the girl who wrote to us saying that she couldn’t wait to display her “writting” skills, or another who claimed to be a huge fan of Knox... Usually, though, it’s people saying they want to write articles only to disappear into the ether the second they’re asked to submit an idea for a story. But one job interview in particular was especially representative of what, we imagine, every employer faces:

June 2007 to June 2008

Aug 2009

MArWAN: SurreAliST piCTure reSeArCHer

Jedi mind trick: Helen’s lucky ticket

good firST iMpreSSioNS Editor: Welcome. Thanks for coming in. What is it about magazines you like so much? Candidate: They’re nice. Editor: Okay. Which magazines do you read? Candidate: Layalina. At the salon. Editor: And why do you like Layalina? Candidate: It’s nice. Editor: So what do you know about our title? Candidate: Nothing. Editor: Do you even know what it’s called? Candidate: No. Is it about fashion? Editor: Why are you even here? Candidate: My uncle works upstairs. Editor: But do you want a job in magazines? Candidate: No. Editor: What job do you want? Candidate: I don’t want any job. But my father says he wants me out of the house. Editor: Thanks. We’ll be in touch.

STrANge KiNd of geNiuS

t’s difficult to describe the entertainment value caused by this gentle soul, a man who, while exasperating in every conceivable way, actually taught us to look at the world afresh – from an utterly bizarre new angle that wouldn’t occur to any normal human being. Like his assertion that, even if money were no object, he would rather have a Hyundai, any Hyundai, than a Mercedes. Or that Subway was the greatest food ever put on this planet. Or that Michael Jackson’s version of the Beatles’s “Come Together” was the greatest song in music history. Yazan Kawar, NOX’s first art director, reminded us of the greatest Marwanisms, which surfaced during his stint as part-time photo researcher – a role that required him to merely listen and then use a photo agency search engine. Not to think. Ever.

The bizarre thoughts of Marwan Saudi Yazan: Marwan, buddy, we need a picture of the Haram ash-Sharif. Marwan: What the hell is that? Yazan: What do you mean? I thought you were Palestinian? Marwan: Oh, I know. That big yellow thing in Jerusalem. Right? Yazan: Marwan, buddy, can I get a picture of the Audi RS4, please? Marwan: Does it exist? Yazan: Of course it exists… why would I ask for a car that doesn’t exist? Marwan: Well, sometimes these cars don’t actually exist. Oh, wait… I have an Audi A6. Is that okay? Yazan: Marwan, buddy, I need a cutout picture of a flower. Marwan: Sure. Inside or outside? Yazan: What? Marwan: The flower. Indoors or outdoors? There’s a big difference you know.

NeW MAgAZiNe AND THe NeW MeDiA Our launch brought an odd response from the once-burgeoning Jordanian blog community “You could say that I was judgmental, but that Shakira cover didn’t appeal to me. I guess you have to read the thing to be objective… which won’t happen anytime soon.” Firas iheartamman.blogspot.com “But for all its laddish pretensions, NOX has steered clear from being a total imitation of FHM, Loaded or Maxim… Maybe ‘balanced’ i s good word to describe this magazine.” Ahmad Humeid www.360east.com “NOX is a stupid magazine and it is better to ban it altogether. I am the only man who is offended by the phrase ‘magazine for men’ featuring bikini style chicks?” Batir Wardam www.Jordanwatch.com

DO We WANT W Ariel SHArON TO Die Or NOT?

ethics, morality and a new editorial idea collide head on in NOX issue 2

hen someone asked whether Ariel Sharon, war criminal, coloniser and man unable to say the letter “h” without regurgitating his breakfast, had died after slipping into a coma in January 2006, it sparked an idea: Ariel Sharon, Helth Watch. We would follow the news and, using our clinical expertise, assess whether the Butcher of Beirut was nearer the grave or the International Criminal Court – hovering between death and justice, as we put it. Art Director Yazan came up with a neat graphic and we sent to print extremely smug we’d come up with a great idea. Then, bizarrely, the same night we’d decided to head to Amigos to sink a few well-earned beers, Yazan’s uncle texts out of the blue that Sharon had died – instantly ruining our gimmick and necessitating a hasty replacement before

the plates were made at the printers. So, we were left in the unusual position of praying that Ariel Sharon would live for at least another two months – just so it wouldn’t kill our handiwork. Three years later, of course, the story was untrue and he’s still here. And although he ain’t getting nearer the ICC, we hope we’re forgiven.

top ten

A misunderstanding with a well-respected and well-known family led to a rather uncomfortable halfhour phonecall

ot to be recommended in usual circumstances, but this particular battle with a fan of one of the kingdom’s most prominent families was reasonably amusing – if only because, two years later, we still have jobs, haven’t been closed down or put in prison. Which, in retrospect, was a distinct possibility. It all boiled down to a simple misunderstanding – which was then exacerbated by some NOX-style sarcasm and selfdeprecating wit. Which does get us into trouble rather too many times. It was in November 2006, and we had just created a MySpace page for the magazine – cheap marketing, international coverage, etc. Along with all the meaningless paraphernalia – women we’d like to meet, music we’ve added, juvenile typefaces we admire – there was a section called “Our Heroes”, and we put up a picture of

1CONSpirACy

THe geOrge gAllOWAy put a controversial politician on your cover then give him a column, and all of a sudden you’re not only a palestinian communist, but on his oil-deal payroll

July 2008 to July 2009

Aug 2009

Habis Majali, the legendary Jordanian general with a rare trio of successes over the Israelis under his belt. No problem there, right? Well, not yet. When it came to the December issue, and an article about our new home on the web, we naturally poked a rather large amount of fun at the fact that we had become slaves to social networking. And we wrote the following as an intro: “It has taken us six months, but NOX has finally joined the legions of lonely teenagers, tech-savvy prostitutes and unsigned rock bands and opened a MySpace page”. And one of the pictures we placed alongside the article was the same shot of General Majali we’d used on our profile. So, the magazine comes out, and a few days later we get a phonecall. A very angry phonecall. It was very loud and it went something like this:

Caller: What do you think you’re doing? Editor: I’m sorry, what seems to be the problem? Caller: You’ve insulted Habis Majali! Editor: I don’t think so. How have we insulted him? Caller: You’ve put his picture next to filthy text about prostitution! You can’t do that! Editor: You’re losing me. Are you saying we’ve accused him of being a prostitute? We were only making a joke about us going on MySpace. Caller: Read it! Go to the page and read it! You say “teenage prostitutes” next to his picture. Editor: No we don’t. It says “lonely teenagers, techsavvy prostitutes and unsigned rock bands”. And it clearly doesn’t refer to him. In fact, we call him a hero. Caller: Who gave you permission to use his picture? Editor: Well, the picture is in public domain, sir. Caller: We’ll see what the mukhabarat think about it. Editor: Why would you do that? Caller: To get you closed down! Editor: You’d make 10 people redundant over this? Caller: Yes! You wouldn’t have done it with the king! Editor: You’re absolutely right. And we didn’t. Caller: This man is just as important… ask anyone! Editor: Did you just say he’s as important as the king? Caller: Yes! Editor: Would the mukhabarat agree with you? Caller: [Silence] Erm… Well. No. I didn’t mean that. Editor: Let’s agree that this is a misunderstanding then... Caller: Yes. I think that’s best. Bye.

Westminster to photograph him – and so our Issue 3 cover was born. And to promote what we know would be a great cover story, we bought quite a few billboards around Amman and produced a radio ad with that interview spliced over a hip-hop beat. But that incredibly simple explanation doesn’t cut it with some people in Jordan. Oh no. Apparently, we’d paid him $100,000 to be on the cover of the magazine. No, wait, he’d paid us to appear on the magazine so he could help his good friend Fawaz Zureikat’s election campaign in Kerak. Then, according to a weekly political paper, which carried the NOX cover on its front page, we were the reason he was banned from Jordan in November. Of course, we didn’t exactly help the conspiracy nutcases – what is it about Jordanians and an inability

his is one rumour that simply refuses to go away. Nearly three years since NOX spoke to the Scottish parliamentarian for the only time, the belief that a new men’s lifestyle magazine was his chosen propaganda tool to penetrate the minds of the Arab street persists in the minds of the chronically unimaginative. Back in September 2006, as the wreckage of Lebanon’s infrastructure was still smouldering from that summer’s Israeli onslaught, George Galloway conducted a combative interview on Britain’s Sky TV in which he lambasted the Western press for their one-sided portrayal of the war. Thanks to YouTube, he was instantly the darling of the Arab street. So, knowing that our freshly-launched title needed a push, we rang him up, spent an hour on the phone with him, and then sent a photographer down to

CONSTruCTive CriTiCiSM

lOuD pHONe FigHT WiTH A DeFeNDer OF leADiNg ClAN

Everyone has an opinion on NOX magazine – which we’re really trying to convince ourselves is actually a good thing. But then you hear what people say...

e’re not exactly unused to criticism here at NOX. An English-language men’s lifestyle magazine in a society that is still trying to work out just how progressive and “modern” it wants to be is, frankly, an easy target for the self-imposed guardians of taste and decency. And the people who work for the Department of Publications. So, we’ve had to rise above a lot of low-blows, sidestep some misinformation and maintain our focus when people who hadn’t ever actually read a single word of the magazine decided they not only knew what was in NOX, but that they didn’t like it at all. Whatever it was. Thankfully, we have thick skins. So, our favourite criticisms don’t include the 328 times we’ve been called “obscene” for showing Sofia Marikh’s shoulder, or labelled “pornographic” for pointing out Alessandra Ambrosia has a nice cleavage – well, she does – or our “rivals” accusations that we “steal” everything from the internet (pots and kettles, people, pots and kettles). They are, rather, those complaints that took us so by surprise that we couldn’t come up with a response more sophisticated than a raised eyebrow and a grunting sound.

to take things at face value? – by then recruiting him for a monthly column. And for 18 months or so, he wrote about Iraq, Palestine and Lebanon, using words like “lickspittle”, “popinjay” and other obsolete English terms that did much to obscure the points he was trying to make. In fact, his prose was so unlike his Sky TV rant that we were then accused – by a rapper in San Francisco of all people – that we were in the pay of the US government, neutralising the instigator of anti-American feeling. Then, just when we thought the insanity was over, we get accused by a part-time journalist of being a communist front because of our “contacts with Galloway”. The evidence? We “still have his e-mail address”. Seriously. Even Megan Fox in a cocktail dress never caused us this much trouble.

eVeryONe’s AN eXpert: Three yeArS of ThiS STuff “You’re too clever for your own good...” Sorry, we don’t do dumbing down. “There’s too much politics in NOX... come on, Arab men don’t like politics” Not the ones in the local nail bar, no....

“All you have in NOX is Laith Majali’s photo-essays” Actually, in 37 issues, we’ve had four and one portrait shoot of an actor. Which leaves 4,432 other pages which weren’t Laith Majali’s photo-essays. Give or take...

“There’s too much in it... that puts me off” We just hate to give value for money. “Your gadgets are way too expensive... they’re all over $100” Yeah, but a corkscrew isn’t a gadget. And nor is a key ring.

“Honestly, I think you need more pictures of weddings and women’s fashion. People in Jordan like that stuff. Trust me.” NOX is a men’s magazine. Got that? A men’s magazine. We. Really. Don’t. Like. Ball gowns. Trust us.

your bias is written on

every liNe ON yOur FACe George Galloway to Sky TV, August 6th, 2006

football special

abaya beware Words: James Montague

The premiership has moved from the pinnacle of the english game to a plaything for the world’s super rich – and the emirates head the queue

Aug 2009

football special

t may well have been the most surreal press conference in recent sporting history. With a thousand cameras trained in his direction, one of the world of football’s biggest names flashed his trademark grin under those trademark spectacles, and proceeded to throw out trademark platitudes about the hard work ahead. Sven Goran Eriksson was back. Only it wasn’t exactly the big time. He wasn’t being unveiled at a major European football club, nor even a freshly-promoted team in England’s ever-lucrative Premiership. No, Eriksson, the former manager of England, had just been announced as the director of football at Notts County, a club who can’t even claim to be the biggest club in Nottingham – a city whose footballing legacy comes almost exclusively from neighbours Forest, and which hasn’t seen top-flight football for nine years. In fact, Notts County have remained in the bottom league of English football for most of this decade. Last season, they narrowly avoided dropping out of the Football League altogether, finishing 77 league places behind Manchester City, the scene of Eriksson’s last foray into English football. In a normal world, the former England manager, who guided the national side to two World Cup quarter-finals and who has won league titles in Sweden and Italy, wouldn’t have even opened an envelope bearing the Magpies’ logo. But this is a normal world no longer. The attraction wasn’t in joining the oldest professional football club still in existence, but more in the package put together by a consortium based in Qatar – representing the latest Middle Eastern assault on English football. Where Russian oligarchs and US bean counters once ruled the roost, the monetary power has made a sharp shift towards the Gulf. Since Dubai’s Al Maktoum family tried to buy Liverpool in 2007, and Kuwait’s al-Kharafi family made similar bids for the club earlier this year, Manchester City has famously been transformed into the richest club in the world thanks to its acquisition by Sheikh Mansour of Abu Dhabi’s royal family. Last month, a certain Dr Sulaiman al-Fahim – the flamboyant Donald Trump-style Emirati who fronted the Man City deal – got his hands on Portsmouth. Other Premiership clubs are sure to follow. But Notts County? Given that he had been duped by the British News of the World’s “Fake Sheikh” – when a journalist masquerading as Emirati royalty almost convinced him to leave his then England job for a role with Aston Villa – Eriksson must have worn a wry smile when an offer, this time a very real one, from the Middle East to manage a team in England’s fourth tier landed on his mat. Still, newly lightened of his duties as coach of Mexico, he allowed Munto Finance, County’s new owners, to persuade him of their noble intent. The group, believed to be backed by money from private Qatari businessmen as well as the country’s royal family, were eager to quickly put Notts County’s name on the map. They’ve certainly achieved that. But the move wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for last year’s “Abramovich moment”, when Manchester City fell into the hands of the Al Nahyan family. Since then, Manchester City’s spending in this transfer window, on the likes of Gareth Barry, Carlos Tevez and Emmanuel Adebayor, has blown through the $100 million mark, and their attempt at smashing the world transfer record in January by making an audacious $100 million bid for AC Milan schemer Kaka is ample evidence that the bleak global economic outlook hasn’t hit at least one part of the world.

Aug 2009

ciTy spree

What Abu Dhabi has spent so far on City Robinho $53.3m Craig Bellamy $16.4m Carlos Tevez $41m Roque Santa Cruz $29.5 (above) Emmanuel Adebayor $40m kolo Toure $24.6m Total: $211 million

The big question is why has the Middle East, and in particular the Gulf, become so interested in some of the world’s most popular football clubs? Economics have little to do with it. It doesn’t even have much to do with football. Rather, it’s about prestige and marketing. And in regards to the Manchester City deal, a game of one-upmanship with Abu Dhabi’s great rivals, Dubai. Dubai has been, without question, years ahead of its regional rivals in terms of using big, high profile sporting events to promote itself. Deals like the one that saw Tiger Woods agree to build his first golf course in the emirate or events like the world’s richest horse race, the Dubai World Cup, have thrust Dubai into the global spotlight. In fact, Dubai had gotten so good at marketing that even well respected news organs in the West continuously refer to Dubai as a country in itself. In terms of exposure, though, there is simply no better way of getting your message out there than by jumping on the back of the Premiership, which boasts 160 million viewers every weekend in over 200 countries.

When Chelsea agreed to be sponsored by Emirates Airlines, it marked the start of a huge push to have the airline and, consequently, its home city of Dubai linked with international sport. Deals with PSV Eindhoven, SV Hamburg and FIFA for the 2006 World Cup paved the way for the announcement that they had secured the naming rights to Arsenal’s new stadium for $200 million, a move that rewrote the rules on club financing. The cherry on the cake for Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum was supposed to be the capture of Liverpool FC. Twelve months ago his DIC investment arm almost managed to secure a deal that would have seen the Dubai government own one of the world’s most successful football clubs. But when that fell through, Abu Dhabi saw its chance. Fuelled by record oil prices Abu Dhabi has an almost unimaginable potential pot for investment, including the richest sovereign investment fund in the world, the Abu Dhabi Investment Council. Etihad, the Abu Dhabi funded airline, has now penned a “seven figure sponsorship deal”

Golden oldie: Sven Goran Eriksson’s unlikely return to English football begins with lowly Notts County

Economics have little to do with it.

It doesn’t even have

MuCh TO DO WITh FOOTBAll. It’s simply about prestige and marketing

Getty, AFP, REUTERS

football special

you have to buy a club people will really love

then you need a plan to get it into the top five with Chelsea. But it was the Manchester City deal that took the region’s interest in football to a whole new level. “It’s a very good opportunity for Abu Dhabi to be in the Premier League,” explained Dr Sulaiman al-Fahim, who spoke to NOX before he went on to own his own Premiership club, Portsmouth. “Manchester City is one of those clubs that has real big fans in the UK. It’s not just about buying the most profitable club; you have to buy a club people will really love. And then you need to make a plan to get it into the top five.” The capture of Manchester City was a huge coup for Abu Dhabi and one that helped to put Dubai’s current economic problems in sharp relief. With few natural resources, huge levels of debt and falling real estate and tourist numbers, Dubai has struggled to re-enter the game. Yet there are still plenty of candidates out there looking to buy, meaning that the Abu Dhabi United Group and Munto Finance will certainly not be the last regional group to snatch one of football’s grande dames. A host of clubs, including Newcastle United and Charlton Athletic, have sent representatives to the region to discuss takeovers. In Qatar, another resource-rich Gulf state, the Q League still sees huge sums pumped into it to attract foreign players, many of whom have been naturalised to play for the Qatari team. Their resources are such that the country has also made an official bid to host the World Cup, not to mention the current link to the group financing Notts County.

Aug 2009

you’re hIred The ego in a dish-dash is back in the premiership

– Dr Sulaiman al-Fahim left Man City under a cloud after posing with Pamela Anderson and Kim Kardashian. – He’s not even a doctor. – He acquired a majority share in Portsmouth. – Said Maradona will manage the team. – Raised suspicions he was acting on behalf of Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Thai prime minister who would not pass league governance tests after corruption conviction.

f Dubai has been the benchmark for other Gulf states in terms of using flashy sporting, and especially footballing, events to market themselves worldwide, Qatar has provided an example of how money can be used to fund a quieter, deeper revolution. The country’s infrastructure in terms of facilities, stadia and academies is miles ahead of the rest in the region – only Saudi Arabia, with its huge local market and World Cup pedigree, can compete. It’s something the UAE has learned from. Whilst the Middle East’s billionaires have thrown covetous glances westwards, many of the local leagues have stagnated. But for the first time, the UAE’s league has gone professional in an attempt to try to flex their muscles a little closer to home. According to the UAE Football League’s new CEO, Romy Gai, what happens there will provide a good indicator of what Man City, Notts County and possibly Liverpool can expect. Gai was previously a commercial director at Juventus, but received a call two years ago to try and prevent the local football league from being slung out of the Asian Football Confederation’s international tournaments for being too amateur. “I got the call telling me about what was happening. There is little opportunity in the modern age for something like this, so I joined them,” Gai says. “It was difficult at first but then the AFC came for an inspection and said we were the benchmarks for Asia.”

Even by the UAE’s standards the turnaround was remarkable. In four months they had formed a professional league, refurbished all 12 stadiums, raised 100 million Euros, and persuaded the television networks to go from paying nothing to 12 million Euros a year – even if the Nahyan and Maktoum royal families agreed to split this cost after Qatari TV network al-Jazeera threatened to steal the rights. Some clubs even started flashing their cash in the transfer market. Sheikh Mansour himself sanctioned the purchase of Brazilian Rafael Sobis from Real Betis for al-Jazira, his first footballing love. “Football is the country’s sport,” Gai insisted. “The locals love it. If a European club is bought [by a UAE royal family] then international football offers us lots of opportunities.” What can come of this new era of Monopoly football? Michel Platini, the head of UEFA, has been scathing about the effects that foreign Middle Eastern ownership is having on European leagues, whilst Sepp Blatter has raised concerns about how domestic leagues have been left to fall into disrepute. Both have raised question about the English Premiership being run by owners from far away lands. But they both fail to appreciate the strength of the English game abroad. The Premiership is no longer a domestic concern. It’s a worldwide phenomenon with a worldwide audience. Everywhere in the Middle East I have been told by fans from Sana’a to Tehran that they support Manchester United,

Above left: Carlos Tevez tries to work out whether £150,000 a week will enable him to get his teeth fixed. Above: Qatar have to decided to invest in the future – like the Aspire Academy – rather than Premiership wages.

Liverpool or Chelsea with every bit the passion of those born near their clubs. Hence why the Premiership believed it could try out the controversial “39th game” proposal, where one round of games would take place in a foreign city, with Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia and Qatar all expressing an interest in hosting one of them. It failed, but we will hear of it again. They are on safer ground when they talk about the gargantuan sums of cash now involved in the game thanks to wage inflation. Khaldoon al-Mubarek, Manchester City’s chairman, complained recently that a player had a “transfer price” and a “Manchester City price”. The same kind of inflation occurred when Roman Abramovich started his Chelsea revolution. It is the price of success and, as this year’s transfer window splurges by Real Madrid and Manchester City have proved, they are only getting bigger. Now the game is seeing multiple owners with pockets even deeper than your average Russian oligarch. Wages may have gone up but so has the price of buying and running a Premiership club. Where as once being a billionaire was enough, now only a trillionaire will do. Yet for all the hand wringing and paranoia exhibited by the likes of Blatter and Platini, the money still keeps coming. The economic boom times may be a distant memory, but it looks like the Middle East’s moneymen, and maybe even Sven Goran Eriksson, are here to stay.

distant

memory Images: Brian Scannell

DJ Hasan tells NOX about his first set on the main Distant Heat line-up â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and how Barack Obama helped him kick off the night

Aug 2009

distant heat

My job was to get the crowd dancing,

get them in the right vibe. It’s hard, but I love it

ordan’s own DJ Hasan had been lobbying the organisers of Distant Heat for a spot on the main line-up ever since he first played on the Wadi Rum-Aqaba weekender seven years ago. This year, he was given the job of opening up proceedings before global heavyweights like Canada’s Glenn Morrison and Holland’s trance superstar Armin Van Buuren, who seemed to have brought half of his country with him to the desert. It was a step up for the 27-year-old, and he has exclusively charted his experience at the best Distant Heat in years for NOX magazine. I think I have bugged Julian Noursi, the organiser of Distant Heat, about being part of the main line-up every year since I first went. I’ve played the sunset sets on the following days in Aqaba, where the pool parties on Friday night keep the partying going into a second day, but I’ve always wanted to be on that main stage in the evening. And this year, circumstances fell into place for that to happen: Spin FM, where I work, came on board as a media partner, and I was offered the chance to open the show. Last year’s show in Aqaba has to be one of the best events I have ever played. Usually, you only get an hour, an hour and a half maximum to do a set, sometimes less, and often that isn’t really enough to create a good set with a good flow. But in Tala Bay I played for nearly four hours, and the vibe was incredible; people dancing in the pool, on the bar, just wherever they were. That set really was a turning point for my career, I think, and a lot of good things came from it. I was excited to do the warm-up set, the first set of the night. A lot of DJs are reluctant to play that early, when the crowds aren’t there, and the vibe hasn’t really been set. But most of the big DJs around the world know that if you can do a great warm-up set, then you’re a really good DJ – so I really saw this as a great opportunity. My job was basically to get the crowd when they’re still sober and get them dancing, get them in the right vibe. It’s hard, but I love it.

Aug 2009

Main: Glenn Morrison plays the “set of the night”. Inset: DJ Hasan takes some tips from the Canadian.

distant heat

i was in my own bubble,

and the sound was so gorgeous

i kind of forgot where i was

Thursday was a long day. I still did my Spin show in the morning that day, and then recorded an after-party set to play on the station when everyone was driving from Wadi Rum to Aqaba. I was still burning CDs and creating my set on the laptop in the car on the way down! We arrived in Wadi Rum at around 7.30pm – which was the first time I have ever arrived for Distant Heat in daylight. I actually started the set at 8.45pm, which was later than I was supposed to as there were a few technical problems, but the first people were coming in when I went up to the stage, so it was actually slightly better than an 8pm start. They were doing the soundchecks as I walked in, and the system was just incredible – easily the biggest I would ever use. I started off really slow, playing tracks with about 122 beats per minute, more laid-back stuff. I don’t really limit myself to one style of dance music, whether that’s techno or progressive or electro – I’m not a “techno DJ” – I just tend to create sets with a real journey. Usually I really try to connect with the crowd, but as it was early, and the audience was coming in gradually, I was more influenced by the environment and the occasion. When I started, there were maybe 50 people on the dancefloor. So, for the first 45 minutes, I didn’t even look up from the decks; I was so focused on the track selection and getting the right vibe going – and I guess I was also a little nervous by the fact that I was actually playing Distant Heat! I was in my own bubble, just doing my thing, and the sound was so gorgeous that I kind of forgot where I was. But the next time I looked up, the crowd was easily in the hundreds, and more people were coming in, some of them were shouting my name. The last 45 minutes were amazing. There’s always a moment in a DJ set, like a certain track or something that makes it special. Towards the end, I threw on “Yes We Can” by Roland Clarke and remixed by Umek.

Aug 2009

All NIGhter

The 2009 Distant Heat line-up in full DJ Hasan (Jordan) 8.45pm-10.45pm DJ Bee Bee (Jor/Leb) 10.45pm-12.45am Glenn Morrison (Can) 12.45am-3am Armin van Buuren (Neth) 3am-7am DJ Bee Bee (Jor/Leb) 7am-7.30am

Main: Morrison says good night. Or maybe good morning... Over: Sunrise in the desert gets everyone excited.

distant heat It’s a track that samples Barack Obama; not the famous one that has been going around the internet, but a darker version, and the word that kept repeating was “resist”, and in the middle of Wadi Rum all these people were chanting the word. It was epic. The whole set was explained in that moment. I don’t actually prepare my set in advance. I know a lot of DJs do, but I just try to collect a range of different tracks that are my kind of sound that I then select depending on the mood, the place, the crowd, etc. So, in the first hour, I will throw in three or four quite different tracks to see what the crowd is like, what they’re responding too, and that will shape the next two hours. As John Digweed said, DJ-ing is 40 per cent talent and 60 per cent politics. You have to know what that audience wants on that night. I played some sick tracks, like Marc Antona’s “Liquid”, who is one crazy guy, and my own remix of Lebanese producer Fady Ferraye’s track called “Amman”, which he made after spending so much time here. I also played a few of my own tracks, which is an incredible feeling. And then I brought it down a little and at 10.45pm or so – the guys gave me an extra 45 minutes to make up for my late start, which was cool – I left the stage to DJ Bee Bee, who played one of my favourite ever sets of his. He did a great job. After I finished, I just stood at the back of the stage for what must have been half an hour, just trying to take it all in – the crowd, the setting, everything. It was incredible being there. Then I went backstage, and I was really buzzing. I was able to meet David Williams, the manager of Glenn Morrison and Armin Van Buuren. I literally made him sit with me so I could pick his brains about DJ-ing – I told him, “You’re not moving until you’ve told me everything!” He was such a nice guy and gave me some incredible advice. I also got to meet the headlining DJs. I had a good chat with Glenn Morrison, who played the set of the night in my opinion; he lifted the whole place up. Then Armin walked in – he’s much taller than you would think – and I just said, “Hey man, what’s up?” and he looked at me and went, “We’ve met, right?” and I reminded him of the times we met here in 2002 when he first came, and then again in Beirut. I can’t say I’m that into trance, but Armin is one of the really good trance DJs as he’s more creative and more passionate about his music. I really enjoyed his set. It was a very international crowd at Distant Heat this year. And a lot of cute girls, which wasn’t the best thing to say to my girlfriend! There were a lot of Dutch people, too – obviously because of Armin, who has a real following, but also I think the organisers did a great job of attracting people from across Europe. I was even on Dutch TV. A crew were backstage and they just pointed to me and went “You, DJ!” and I was interviewed for a couple of minutes. The best thing was they were absolutely wasted as well! Layalina was there, of course. But, no, I declined their offer of being photographed! After the closing set, which saw Bee Bee come back for half an hour when Armin had wrapped up at 7am, we all headed to Aqaba. So I had to transport four big Irishmen from Spin’s management company in a SUV with damaged

Aug 2009

After i finished,

i stood at the back of the stage for half an hour

just trying to take it all in

TrAcKstArs

DJ hasan’s set included the following tunes Boris Brejcha “Commander Tom” Marc Antona “Liquid” Marco Corola “Bloody Crash” Roland Clarke “Yes We Can” (Umek Remix) Nima Gorji “Shamanist” Slam “Room 2”

Main: “Wait, are you trying to tell me this isn’t the restroom?” Above: An epic journey ends in a scattering of refuse. Good times.

suspension and no gas. At least when I tuned to the station to hear my own voice going “You’re listening to the after hours set”! That was pretty cool! We arrived in Aqaba at 9am but I just couldn’t sleep. My brain was going a million miles an hour, thinking about the night, the party, the people there, everything. So, we decided to head for a friend’s boat, which was lined up along with seven or eight others out in the Gulf of Aqaba and we just partied through the day. I managed to stay awake until, like 6.30, 7pm, but having been awake for at least 36 hours, I just crashed! I was out for the rest of the night, and managed to miss the Aqaba pool party where all of my friends were DJ-ing. I used to be able to party for three days straight – but not any more. I was kind of upset! Saturday was spent by the pool, eating and chilling. We set off back to Amman at 9pm, although I felt sorry for the NOX photographer, Brian, who I think wanted to head off much earlier. I kept calling him, saying it was going to be another hour, and another hour, all day. Eventually, he just said, “Dude, I’m hot and I’m burned and a little drunk… can we just get out of here?” I think we were back in Amman at 1am! This Distant Heat was fantastic, and it really renewed my faith in Jordan as a place for DJs. I think we’d gone a little backwards in recent years, with not much happening – certainly not compared to 2002 to 2005. Then, there was a legitimate underground scene, with some clubs putting on really interesting events and bringing in DJs every week. I don’t know what happened. I was getting a little down about the scene, but I think this party might kick-start things again. I really hope I can be a part of it.

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Aug 2009

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Aug 2009

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This month we explore the different cultures of the world, from the music of Libya’s exiles to bloodsplattered UFC workouts. No one can accuse us of not being a cross-cultural lifestyle magazine...

In Jordan/Lebanon call: 00 962 6 516 3357 In the Gulf call: 00 973 17 555 140

108 Tunes

From Tinariwen to Moby, the Engineers and Wilco

CLINIC

Turn yourself into a UFC champ

100

GAMes

Call of Juarez’s sequel is a great cure for that itchy trigger finger

102

fILMs

Piss your pants with Pontypool, then watch that Brad Pitt movie starring Brad Pitt

104 CArs

Cadillac’s SRX and Citroen’s C3

112

Bulletin

News, events and products

www.nox-mag.com 96

February 2009

116

clinic

ASkTHeDOCTOr SWiSS BAll CruNCHeS

Our resident doctor Fares Masannat thinks people are really thick for listening to the medical advice of a hot woman with too much time on her hands.

Target: Entire abdominal region Reps: 3 sets of 15-20 – Lower back onto centre of ball – Hold at the top of the set for a second – Return to the start slowly

TOugH TO THe

COre

Core training of the

hips and lower back

is the key to surviving a

beat down

Beating the crap out of another man starts with a strong mid-section. uFC fanatics take note

Q: is it true that if i get my son

SiDe BeNDS Target: Obliques Reps: 3 sets of 10-15 – Place free hand behind head – Make sure your back remains straight throughout – Use a controlled motion when bending the torso sideways

gOOD MOrNiNgS Target: Lower back Reps: 3 sets of 10 – Assume the squat position, keeping your legs shoulder-width apart at all times

– Bend forward while maintaining the natural curvature of the back – Keep looking straight ahead as you lower your torso

hether you want to consider it a legitimate sport or just another form of WWE (with less acting and more blood), MMA and its most prominent organising body the UFC are here to stay. Judging by the relative success of their UFC 100 event, which attracted a lot of coverage, two men beating the crap out of each other is slowly creeping into the mainstream. And if it ever reaches the Middle East market, here is how to get ready for your moment in the octagon. Core training of the waist, hips and lower back is the key to surviving the beat down.

HeAlTHy

HABiTS The real numbers behind your favourite snacks

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t’s no use working out every day if you still plan on eating like a herd of cows. Whether you’re pigging out in front of the TV or replenishing your energy after the gym, here are the foods you should stock up on, and the ones best left on the supermarket shelf.

kiCk ASS Tip

45-DEgREE hIp eXTeNSiONS

TruNk rOTATiON

Target: Buttocks and lower back Reps: 3 sets of 12-15 – Hook heels under padded area – Lower the body until hips are flexed; keep your back straight – Hold a weight to your chest for added resistance

Target: Abs and lower back Reps: 3 sets of 8 twists – Sit with good posture – Look over one shoulder, then twist your torso in the other direction – Add weights to barbell for increased resistance

THe gOOD guyS guy

Tuna

Calories: 185 (200g can) Protein: 40g Low: Fat, sugar High: Phosphorous, B12

If your opponent charges at you with his head down, drop back slightly and:

HANgiNg kNee rAiSeS Target: Lower abs Reps: 3 sets of 10 – Hang on from a chin bar with arms straight and shoulder-width apart

– Focus on the abs throughout the motion – Avoid swinging and keep the motion slow and steady

ThE “gOOD” BAD guyS

Almonds

Calories: 163 (30g raw) Protein: 6g Low: Sugar, cholesterol High: Magnesium

Milk

Calories: 122 (low-fat) Protein: 8g Low: Sugars High: Calcium, riboflavin

Lentils

Calories: 290 (one cup) Protein: 18g Low: Fat High: Iron, fibre, B6

Fruit juice

These “fruit” juices rarely contain any actual fruit – just piles of sugar and colourants.

Sloppy sandwiches

A long loaf of bread, lowfat mayo and a greasy dressing translates into 900-plus calories.

Roasted nuts

Nuts are a great source of protein, but roasted ones lose a lot of nutrients and are high in calories

Reduced fat products

They still contain a lot of fat, and you’ll eat more than you should since you’ll feel less guilty.

– Wrap your arm around the neck – Hold your wrist and walk a step closer to your his head – Arch back and lift your arm up as your shoulder and arm pit hold his head down

vaccinated he might become autistic? What are my options?

arents should be asking a different question: “I’m concerned my son will get measles, rubella, mumps, tetanus, diphteria, pertussis, polio, chicken pox, pneumonia, rota virus, hepatitis B, or even hepatitis A. What should I do?” People are strange. At one point, we were striving to come up with as many immunisations as possible to protect human kind from fatal diseases, and we succeeded in doing so. We wiped small pox from the face of the earth with vaccinations. We saved millions of lives with the polio vaccine, and we continue to save millions of lives with the other vaccines that have been around for decades. (I like to use “we” when talking about the achievements of science, and “they” when discussing f**k ups.) The incidences of autism have been rising recently. A big part of this is that it’s being overdiagnosed. A lot of children are being labelled as autistic when they do not, in fact, suffer from autism. They could have Asperger’s syndrome or any other syndrome affecting the IQ or personality of a child. Parents of autistic children in the US get better compensation or medical coverage (which they of course need) if their child was diagnosed with autism. Multiple studies in USA, Denmark and Finland have shown that there is no link between vaccinations and autism. In Denmark, children who received vaccines had a lower chance of becoming autistic as they grew up. I’m not sure about you, but I tend to trust the Vikings’ science more than Jenny McCarthy’s blog, who seems hell bent on blaming the medical field at large for her child’s autism. You’re free to believe whoever you want, but when your son’s brain gets damages from measles or he becomes wheelchairbound for the rest of his life because he did not get his shots, don’t bring him to my clinic to get treated – take him to Jenny McCarthy’s.

For free medical advice e-mail our resident doctor at: pseudomonas_a@yahoo.com

games

WICkedLytItLed

ame developers know that no matter what their game is gexposure. actually about, a perfectly thought-out name means better And since NOX is a fan of sharp language skills – and monkeys – here are the new releases with the best name tags.

Words by: Farah Shanti

CAll OF JuAreZ: BOuND iN BlOOD

gAMeplAy 3.5

geNiuS

Names that really should have never, ever happened Steambot Chronicles Battle Tournament

Console: PSP Genre: Role playing Release date: July 14, 2009 Publisher: NIS America Inspiration: 1960s Adam West

Console: Xbox 360 (PC, PS3) Genre: FPS Release date: June 30, 2009 Publisher: Ubisoft Inspiration: Clint Eastwood viSuAlS

ANDTHeNTHeMiSSeS

HOly iNvASiON OF privACy, BADMAN!

viSuAlS 3

liFeSpAN

3.5

gAMeplAy 3.5

geNiuS

Console: PSP Release date: Jun 2009 Brings up vision of Mark Twain kicking some ass. 4 liFeSpAN

3.5

he game is pretty straightforward, really, which will make you love it for its nostalgic value, if nothing else. You have to create elaborate mazes filled with monsters to protect your demon lord from heroes trying to get him and end his lease on life. Simple. Well, except for the fact that you have only a limited number of steps to create those mazes, that the demon is helpless and needs you to move him around, and that you have to start out with your basic freaks before earning enough points to go on to proper monsters. All of it is addictive as hell, and when you find out that the full title is Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman! What Did I Do To Deserve This? you understand why it’s such a cult hit in Japan, and why you must download it for your PSP.

TAleS OF MONkey iSlAND: CHApTer ONe

Infinite Undiscovery Console: Xbox 360 Release date: Sep 2008 It’s supposed to be a mix of “uncover” and “discover”. Did this person understand the English language?

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Raidou kuzunoha vs the Soulless Army Console: PS2 Release date: Oct 2006 No two colons should ever be present in a title.

Console: PC Genre: Adventure Release date: July 7, 2009 Publisher: Telltale Games Inspiration: George Lucas

ts name immediately conjures up images of the dusty wild west, and the prequel to Call of Juarez certainly doesn’t disappoint there: illusions to Spaghetti Westerns are everywhere, from the villains on the roof who keel over after being shot in the gut to the gun battles that take place in abandoned missions. It’s even got swinging saloon doors. Thankfully, though, all of this comes off as a well-researched set, rather than a blatant theft of other people’s ideas. Not that the unforgiving intensity of the game will give you too much time to think about it... Bound in Blood is tense, riveting, and slickly designed, making it one of the best first-person

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shooters to relieve you of your itchy trigger finger, cowboy hats or no. The game has you play as one of the McCall brothers – Ray or Thomas – as they change from honourable Confederate deserters to amoral fortune hunters. In single mode, that means a lot of running around and completing missions. There are different levels to the game, and having to choose only one of the brothers to play means you get two pretty different endings, but single player won’t take too much out of you. The multiplayer mode, though, is plenty of fun, and the game flows so well that it will always be entertaining, even if never cinematic.

viSuAlS

gAMeplAy

Big Mutha Truckers: Truck Me Harder Console: PS2 Release date: Aug 2005 geNiuS

liFeSpAN

And it has to do with tax evasion! The nerve...

his month sees the release of Chapter 1: Launch of the Screaming Narwal, the first of the five monthly episodic sequels from the franchise’s latest release. The launching method certainly takes advantage of the civilised world’s obsession with series (how else can you explain the Harry Potter phenomenon?), but it does deliver an entertaining story. You play as Guybrush Threepwood, whose wife is kidnapped by Guy’s “zombie pirate nemesis” LeChuck. And it gets even better: after failing to get rid of LeChuck, your hand can now move of its own accord, and unless you find La Esponja Grande (The Big Sponge), this virus in your hand will spread to the rest of your body. Basically Crash Bandicoot on steroids and in an eyepatch. Not that this is a bad thing...

Beyond the Beyond Console: PS2 Release date: Aug 1996 Seriously, man, it takes you so far out there...

films

INGLOurIOus BAsterds

Adventure

Studio: A Band Apart Dur: 2hr 28min Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino Director Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill) Cast Brad Pitt: Aldo the Apache, vengeance-driven hillbilly Mélanie Laurent: Shosanna, girl on the run Christoph Waltz: Hans Landa, The Jew Hunter Mike Myers: Gen Ed Fenech, military mastermind

FilM FACT Tarantino spent more than ten years writing the script for Inglourious Basterds, changing it from a movie trilogy to a nearly 3-hour epic.

LIFE IS HOT IN CRACkTOWN Drama Director Buddy Giovinazzo Stars Kerry Washington, Shannyn Sossamon

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movie that juggles addiction, rape, and violence is never going to be anything less than dire, but Cracktown is an account of urban decay that is completely void of positive characters. Among them is a heartless gangster played by Evan Ross, RZA from the Wu-Tang Clan as a meth-addict, and Marybeth, a man who’s working as a prostitute to save up for a sex change so he can marry his man. Sounds cheesy, but Kerry Washington manages to keep Marybeth human, and is the best thing about this film. If you can handle the sometimes soap opera-esque plot, then this will make for an entertaining – if depressing – weekday film.

DOWNLOADING NANCY Action Director Johan Renck

geT iT iF

You really, really miss life in South Central LA.

Stars Maria Bello, Jason Patric, Rufus Sewell

arantino’s blood-splattered return to the theatres begins in Germanoccupied France, where Shosanna (Laurent) witnesses the execution of her family at the hands of Hans Landa (Waltz), a pipe-smoking Nazi known to the world as The Jew Hunter. Waltz has the most fascinating role of the cast, and wastes no time perfecting the oleaginous, chilling and usually deranged colonel. Still, Shosanna manages to save herself from Landa, escaping to Paris and, a few years later, opening her own cinema as she plans her brutal revenge against the Nazis. Not too far from her are the Basterds, a team of eight American-Jewish soldiers out to get as many Nazi scalps as their psychopathic fingers can detach. The Basterds’ leader is Aldo, who is played by Brad Pitt via a brewed-in-homecountry accent, and the deep frown and protruding jaw that comes with it. Shosanna and the Basterds [a great name for an acid punk band –Ed.] have the perfect opportunity to carry out a most ruthless retribution when the Nazi army occupying France decide to use Shosanna’s cinema for the screening of a Nazi hero flick. The Basterds, in league with a group of Brits lead by General Fenech (Mike Meyers), plan to infiltrate the premiere courtesy of their invaluable secret agent, the exquisite German leading lady Bridget von Hammersmark (Diane Kruger). Since Adolf Hitler, Joseph Goebbles and pretty much the whole gang are set to be at the premier, all of the movie’s good guys see this as an opportunity to end Nazi Germany forever. Inglourious Basterds probably isn’t the masterpiece that Tarantino hoped to make of it, but it is gruesomely fun to watch, and such an outrageous take on history that it’ll probably take a few sittings to fully appreciate its genius.

hot in a chilly, desaturated palette, Downloading Nancy is not only another bloody “ing” film – see NOX 34 for more – but a disturbing look at humanity. The Nancy (played by Bello) in question was repeatedly raped by her uncle as a child, and then managed to get herself into a miserable 15-year marriage – a pathetic life she survives by use of razor blades. She does see a psychiatrist, but all their positive talk is useless, and Nancy turns to the internet to find her killer. From then on, it becomes a vile game of torture and counter torture, only one which completely fails to make us care. All its misery and despair is a complete waste of time.

DON’T gET IT IF You have a lingering respect for humanity.

films

pONtypOOL

Horror

Studio: Shadow Shows Dur: 1hr 35min Screenplay: Tony Burgess Director Bruce McDonald (Hard Core Logo) Cast Stephen McHattie: Grant Mazzy, veteran shock jock Lisa Houle: Sydney Briar, his producer Georgina Reilly: Laurel Ann, knob-twirling techie

FilM FACT McDonald stressed that the virus victims in the film were not zombies, but “conversationalists”. Could be the start of a linguistic horror genre.

TETRO Drama Director Francis Ford Coppola Stars Vincent Gallo, Alden Ehrenreich

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oppola continues his run of independently financed films with Tetro, a drama that deals with the damage of having a famous artist for a father. Tetro (Gallo), once an aspiring writer, is now wallowing in self pity, and is not pleased to see his younger brother Bennie (Ehrenreich) show up on his front door, demanding to know why Tetro abandoned him. What follows is a story shot mostly in black and white, with sharp cinematography that is undoubtedly stunning. Possibly the best looking film of the year, which makes it easier to forgive its less appealing plot twists. If you’re fan of Coppola and his more eccentric work, this is one you shouldn’t miss.

SURvEILLANCE Thriller Director Jennifer Lynch

DON’T gET IT IF Plot twists mean more to you than looks.

Stars Bill Pullman, Julia Ormond

his film is being described as a zombie horror without zombies. Or that much horror, really. What it does have, though, more than makes up for this unconventional take on the genre. Filled with blood, gore, freaks and ridiculous amounts of scares, Pontypool is a claustrophobic thriller in the very literal sense. The film starts in a radio station situated in the small Canadian town of Pontypool (and not the one in Wales), where veteran DJ Grant Mazzy begins his early morning show. The brutal winter dawn suddenly turns interesting, though, as weird reports begin to trickle into the office. Reports of citizens storming a doctor’s office. Of parents killing their children, and children eating their parents. All of them babbling nonsense words as they commit their gruesome raids. Rarely straying from the station, Pontypool feeds its characters information through these phoned-in reports about the apocalyptic virus, and leaves it for the unprepared radio team to figure out what is actually happening. The station becomes both a receiver and a broadcaster, an aggregator of the neighbourhood’s stories, and the one which figures out that it is the English language that is helping to spread the virus. Should the station continue to broadcast? Will they be helping the virus to spread by reporting on the epidemic? There isn’t that much time to answer these questions, as some cannibalistic Canadians find their way to the station, and the film’s threat of blood and horror manifests into a massive amount of carnage. Pontypool is a satisfying piece of filmmaking, one which tries to put as much distance as possible between itself and conventional horror. And still manages to keep you up at night...

rying desperately to squeeze dark laughs from human suffering, Surveillance opens with a couple being slashed in their bed. Next scene, two FBI agents – Pullman and Ormond – drive into a Hicksville, Mid-West America on the trail of a serial killer, where they find that the police are stupid and malevolent rednecks. The story then jumps between different versions of the murders, while going from tasteless to sadistic, and then on to graphic. It’s a contemptuous look at life and love, which if you really wanted to witness, you’re better off renting Requiem for a Dream. This is the same director who brought you Boxing Helena, so you’ve been warned.

geT iT iF Sadistic-masochism is your middle name.

tunes

On our turntable this month... sorry, ipod

Moby Wait For Me (Mute)

here was always something grating about Moby’s rise to prominence in the late 1990s. Coinciding with the crass commercialisation of “cool”, his breakthrough album Play was a collection of inoffensive tunes that seemed to sum up the age: pre-packed edginess for the house-price millionaire crowd. It might not have been his fault that he ended up in every middle-class home from Brighton to Beverley Hills, but allowing ad execs to license every single track from the album – and using the proceeds to buy a huge loft in Manhattan – was hardly the biggest anti-corporate statement ever. The subsequent decade was spent playing catch-up, trying to reinvent his music in a more upbeat, disco-sheen direction. So, it is with considerable surprise we stumble on his latest collection – the deliciously downbeat, film score sound of Wait For Me. Although there are many highlights, not least “Slow Light”, an Air-style commute through rain-soaked Parisian suburbs, and the wistful “Isolate”, the pick of the bunch is “Mistake” – a genuine song amid the oceans of despondent electronic mood pieces. Sounding like Berlin-era David Bowie singing an Interpol b-side, it twitches with regret and showcases a knack for low-key songwriting. More, please.

TrACk liST 1. Division (1:56) 2. Pale Horses (3:37) 3. Shot in the Back of the Head (3:15) 4. Study War (4:18) 5. Walk with Me (4:01) 6. Stock Radio (0:45) 7. Mistake (3:47) 8. Scream Pilots (2:48) 9. Jltf 1 (1:27) 10. Jltf (4:40) 11. A Seated Night (3:23) 12. Wait for Me (4:13) 13. Hope Is Gone (3:30) 14. Ghost Return (2:38) 15. Slow Light (4:00) 16. Isolate (3:28)

DNA

David Bowie Low (1977)

engineers Three Fact Fader (Kscope)

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et’s get the adjectives out of the way first: luscious, ethereal, soaring, orchestral. Now the nouns: soundscapes, sonic cathedrals, waves of distortion. Engineers, pioneers of nu-gaze, are back with their second album, and every review written in the next two months will contain all of the above. The 13-track album is more melodic than their 2005 debut, with stronger songs and innovative instrumentation, especially on “Sometimes I Realise” and “Clean Coloured Wire”. After mimicking Slowdive, they are now the ultimate bridge between My Bloody Valentine and M83. And that’s a very good thing indeed.

MOre WHere THAT CAMe FrOM

Wilco Wilco (Nonesuch)

Folly (2004)

Engineers (2005)

Erlend Oye Unrest (2005)

imelessness can often mean scene-busting, generation-crossing appeal, or tedious, middleof-the-road irrelevance. Wilco have long walked the tightrope between the two, and after the vaguely experimental Sky Blue Sky, their latest effort slips dangerously close to the precipice of Dad-rock. It’s sunny, it’s uncomplicated, it’s all folksy and acoustic, but it’s also not very interesting. In fact, in between George Harrison rip-offs (the guitar lick on “You Never Know”) and the early Beatles doo-wop (1963-era Paul McCartney-style yelping on “I’ll Fight”), it’s ELO for the Facebook generation. Like the llama pic, though.

Air Pocket Symphony (2007)

MOre WHere THAT CAMe FrOM

Being There (1996)

Summerteeth (1999)

tunes

On our turntable this month... sorry, ipod

Tinariwen Imidiwan: Companions (Independiente)

t’s strange; only the other day we were lamenting just how little Malian blues from exiles in Libya was being recorded these days. Then, wow, Tinariwen show up with a follow-up to their stunning 2007 album Aman Iman. Facetiousness aside, Tinariwen are no longer exiles, but their music is still raw and powerful. Initially heralded by former Led zeppelin front man Robert Plant, the band unleash stirring, blues-tinged grooves from the heart of the Sahara Desert, offering musical archaeology to the origins of the sound that dominated America in the early part of the 20th century. The slack-stringed, effortless compositions of Ibrahim “Abaraybone”, Hassan “Le Lion”, Abdallah “Catastrophe”, Mohammed “Japonais” and Abdallah “Intidao” all still evoke their days of struggle, well before they were heralded around the world – and long before their days of exile were over. The Touareg group remain uncompromising musicians, and while the album is consistently strong, the best tracks are the mournful “Assouf Ag Assouf” – like John Lee Hooker left to bake in a Timbuktu hostel for a decade – and “Assawt N’Chet Tamashek”, which is almost Mexican in its attitude and hand-clapping rhythm. Great stuff.

TrACk liST 1. Imidiwan Afrik Tendam (3:32) 2. Lulla (3:49) 3. Tenhert (5:28) 4. Enseqi Ehad Didagh (5:40) 5. Tahult In (4:10) 6. Tamudjeras Assis (4:51) 7. Intitlayaghen (4:49) 8. Imazaghen N Adagh (3:46) 9. Chegret (5:43) 10. Kel Tamashek (3:16) 11. Assuf Ag Assuf (4:54) 12. Chabiba (3:21) 13. Ere Tasfata Adounia (9:16)

DNA

John Lee Hooker Sings Blues (1961)

Jason Nevins Ultra Weekend 5 (Ultra)

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e’re not sure if we should be encouraging this kind of behaviour. Ultra Weekend 5 – tragically, there must be four earlier ones – has all the hallmarks of fodder for slow-witted adolescents. From the bikini-clad girl on the cover – “Like this music, we can have sex!” – to an inane track listing that features drum-blasted remixes of already pretty moronic chart staples, it is the musical equivalent of an evening at the Multiplex watching Transformers. Lowest common denominator nonsense for the sex-starved masses. With Britney Spears, Pink and the infernal Coldplay getting another outing, it’s a vile assault on taste and decency.

MOre WHere THAT CAMe FrOM

Maxwell BLACKsummers’night (Sony)

Ultra Weekend 3 (Ultra)

Ultra Weekend 4 (Ultra)

Ali Ibrahim “Farka” Touré Talking Timbuktu (1994)

ou want some sophisticated seduction songs this summer? Then slide this slice of soul into your stereo – providing you have the soft lighting and throw cushions to take full advantage, of course. At just 35, Maxwell is one of the Godfathers of the neo-soul movement, bringing superior bump’n’grind to those still getting used to R Kelly’s statutory rape charges. He is, though, no regurgitator of get-freaky-wit’-you crooning – although, he does croon a hell of a lot. The best of the lot is “Pretty Wings”, also the lead-off single, which showcases that floating vocal delivery and wellhoned emotional styling. Nicely done.

Toumani Diabaté Kulanjan (1999)

MOre WHere THAT CAMe FrOM

Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite (1996)

Now (2001)

cars

SPEC SHEET

Engine: 1.4 HDi 16 valve Power: 90bhp Torque: 200Nm Transmission: 5-speed manual CO2 Emission: 90g/100km

CItrOeN C3 2010 Words: Musa al-Shuqairi

What is it?

The latest version of the French supermini that was first seen in 2002 and has been through multiple facelifts since. The 2010 model (dubbed by Citroen “zenith Windscreen” in reference to the large panoramic windshield extending to the roof) has been surrounded by a noticeable buzz upon its release last month. Whether the buzz was the result of July being an extremely slow period for new car releases or because the C3 is a truly welldesigned car with big market potential in its segment remains to be seen.

How does it look?

The new C3 is elegant and youthful, it feels solid yet retains the French flair the brand has set out to define. The

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exterior has soft lines and creases that define a rather rakish stance. It resembles the previous C3 in concept, but where the older lacked in style the newer one has loads of it, and the execution is worthy of praise. This is the first Citroen to feature the newly-redesigned badge, which blends in beautifully at the front, where it is sandwiched in by two borderline-large light clusters. Here you can clearly see the family resemblance as it echoes the design of the C4 and the C5. A large air intake captures attention, but is thankfully not as intrusive as other automakers’ variations. The rear is as stylish as the front, and is tightly defined by the impressive lights. The new C3 also holds onto the bubble roofline, which is integrated

into the design. The 16-inch alloys add more value to its stance.

What about the inside?

The interior is a departure from the old C3, were the old one could only be described as functional; this one carries on the style set by the exterior. The dashboard has a two-tone colour scheme that feels retro with a modern twist. A mixture of matt and glossy chrome is tastefully distributed around the cabin. Sadly, no fixed hub steering – it seems like the flat bottom steering is becoming the norm these days – but there is a conventional one that has a large quantity of chrome on its rim. All in all, the cabin feels special with elegant detailing such as the dials, large circular buttons, modern looking seats

and the front windscreen doubling as apanoramic glass extending to the middle of the roof. The interior of the C3 is definitely a plus on its report card.

Citroen promises a new lineup of petrol power plants along with start/stop technology and an option of five or sixspeed electronic gearboxes.

is it fast?

What makes it special?

Well, it’s a supermini – meaning it is usually powered by an engine more suitable for a washing machine than a dirt-eating road monster. A single digit power number should come as no surprise in this segment, and the C3 will be driven by a 95bhp 1.4litre engine with 133Nm of torque; this could be upgraded to a 1.6-litre pumping a thunderous 120bhp with around 146Nm of torque – both engines that drove the previous model C3. The only new engine announced so far is a super clean diesel one, but

The 2010 C3 is practically a rehearsal for the DS3 – the upscale Citroen lineup. The fact that it represents a DS3 in disguise – the mature modern styling, the upscale interior, the sporty feel – may anger some of those who are waiting for the DS3 impatiently since the C3 is slightly infringing on its territory. But for most people this is not a bad thing. “Visiodrive” is another word created by Citroen (who seem to be making strides in the crappy PR lingo that doesn’t mean anything) to describe the windscreen that extends on the roof

of the car. This will create a spacious feel and pleasurable driving ambiance, or a green house effect that will deem your little car “indriveable” in the hot desert summer – depending on your place of stay. A USB, iPod and Bluetooth connectivity option may be considered a given on most cars but for a supemini they are valuable additions. The “My Way” sat-nav and the stereo system are simply the icing on the cake.

Do we recommend it?

A supermini is most definitely never the number one option for a man who is looking to buy a car – until he looks into his wallet. And in recent years it has been proven that Citroen are among the best providers of convenient fourpassenger city vehicles.

cars

SPEC SHEET

Engine: 3.0-litre V6 Power: 265bhp Torque: 302Nm Transmission: 6-speed automatic Top Speed: N/A

CAdILLAC srX 2010 Words: Musa al-Shuqairi

What is it?

The second generation of the car that brought America’s most luxurious manufacturer into the increasinglypopular CUV segment. Unfortunately, the first generation of the mid-size SUV did not achieve much sales success despite the relatively-improved fuel economy and excellent handling that won the car multiple awards between 2004 and 2007. The second jab at a crowded market segment is based on the Provoq concept car that was first seen at the 2008 Consumer Electronic Show in Last Vegas.

How does it look?

In a typical American “Art and Science” design philosophy, the SRX is hardly a head turner, even with the

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introduction of a sweeping and sporty feel. Sadly, on a car of this size, the low profile and spreads of flat metal sheets result in a vehicle that looks like a crossover between a van and a regular SUV. Borrowing the design cues from the typical Cadillac family at the front (the emblem at the centre of the grille won’t be mistaken for any other car, not least when surrounded by the equally unique headlights), and mixing it with the outlines of the CTS and XLR results in a special-looking car, even though it may not be the most aesthetically appealing. Cadillac design director Clay Dean does not deny going a bit over the edge to shake things up when he admits that “the goal [is] creating a dramatic presence in the luxury crossover space”.

What about the inside?

The first generation of the SRX was certainly not lacking in comfort, from the heated all-leather seats to the sat-nav system surrounded by all top quality material. And the second generation stays true to Cadillac’s luxury traditions. The centre console is the most noticeable element in the cabin with its high-quality chrome trimming and huge retractable satnav screen. The retractable dashdominating screen is more user friendly than its competitors, and is packed with information, from road directions and trip distance to fuel consumption. The new cabin is a little smaller, but doesn’t have the third row of seats, which should overcome some of the complaints regarding height and comfort.

is it fast?

Emphasising fuel efficiency, the SRX will be driven by a 3.0-litre V6 engine delivering 260bhp and 302Nm of torque – a 5 per cent power improvement over the base engine of the first generation with 15 per cent reduction in fuel consumption. The engine is mated to a Hydra-Matic six-speed automatic transmission that lowers the engine’s revs at constant speeds to assure better fuel economy. The transmission also features a manual mode and an “eco mode” – another option that helps reduce fuel consumption by changing the transmission’s shifting points. It is no surprise that Cadillac elected to withhold the top speed and the 0-100kph information, since for a

car at this size with such a modest engine they won’t be too impressive (again, fuel economy probably drove the development of the engine for the SRX). But they will offer a 2.8-litre turbo charged engine option with slightly higher power and torque numbers.

What makes it special?

At one point the name itself would have made this car special. But according to Cadillac General Manager Mark LaNeve, “For a lot of people, Cadillac isn’t even on the radar screen.” So in order for the American manufacturer to avoid a similar fate as its compatriot car makers, and for them to achieve the “long term project of attracting younger car buyers” (again according to LaNeve),

Cadillac is investing in top of the line technology to build cars with superior styling and driving dynamics. Safety options, electronic driving controls, excellent suspension and a driving experience that is bound to make the driver forget that he is driving a crossover all assure that the SRX can bang heads with any competitor.

Do we recommend it?

Economic crisis and ridiculous fuel prices did not seem to hamper the growth of the SUV market (at least in West Amman), and the big truck phenomenon will not be going away any time soon. Your significant other will keep nagging you to get a big 4X4 car even though she can’t tell the difference between a Nissan Murano and a Tiida.

bulletin

SAFeTy FirST Five-star safety rating for Volkswagen Tiguan

SeASON FiNAle

porsche Mobil1 Supercup celebrates premiere in Abu Dhabi

THREE INDEPENDENT CRASH test procedures in both the US and Europe gave Volkswagen Tiguan the top safety rating of five stars, making it one of the safest vehicles in its class. The reason for the high level of safety potential in the Tiguan can be found in the high stability of the body structure and the corresponding protection systems. A design with

lightweight, profile-intensive construction using formhardened, highest-strength sheet steel was chosen for the Tiguan. The shell construction of the steel body also offers the occupants optimal protection under crash conditions. But the numerous driver assist systems including ABS, ESP with brake assist, EDL with trailer stabilisation and EBC also

FrOM HOrSCH

TO AuDi Audi Jordan joins in the centennial celebration of the german brand

contribute to the outstanding safety. Passenger protection played a major role in the development of the Tiguan from the very beginning. All the relevant parts of the vehicle’s front were especially designed with the passenger in mind, and the inner sheet metal structure of the bonnet in particular was optimised for passenger protection.

FOR THE 2009 SEASON FINALE, THE PORSCHE Mobil1 Supercup will race as support to Formula 1 on the new Yas Island Grand Prix circuit in Abu Dhabi, and will celebrate its premiere in the United Arab Emirates with two races on October 31st and November 1st. All teams contesting in this year’s trophy, as well as the teams that have entered by September 11th for the 2010 season, will compete in Abu Dhabi. Due to the Abu Dhabi event, the 2009 calendar now features two more races, making it a total of 13. Porsche and ADMM will assist the teams with the logistics and costs so that the extra races do not overstretch the teams’ budgets.

SeASON DeligHTS experience ramadan this year at the kempinski Hotel in Amman

SyNergy

iN TiMe Movado Sapphire Synergy to be available at Time Center

Aug 2009

eNgliSH SkillS Bell Amman partners with the British Council Jordan to become a test centre for ielTS

AUDI JORDAN JOINED ITS FELLOW OUTLETS worldwide last month to celebrate the company’s 100th birthday by hosting a breakfast for Audi owners and fans at its showroom on the 7th Circle. A century ago, on July 16, 1909, the Audi brand was founded by August Horch. Since then, the Audi name has claimed worldwide fame with rally successes in the Audi Quattro during the 1980’s, driven by racing legends such as Michele Mouton and Walter Roehrl. The experience, passion and fun of the last 100 years can be found today in every button and every part of every Audi – which is something certainly something worth celebrating.

MOVADO PUSHES DESIGN MINIMALISM to a new pinnacle in its futuristic Sapphire collection with the introduction of the new Sapphire Synergy. A timepiece of substance, drama and streamlined sophistication, Sapphire Synergy showcases the powerful character and modern relevance of the iconic Museum dial. There is no bezel on this bold watch design.

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FOR THIS YEAR’S CELEBRATIONS of the holy month, Kempinski Hotel Amman is proud to present traditional and international iftar dishes daily in the ballroom. And it won’t only be the sumptuous dishes that will bring to life the heart of Ramadan’s customs; there will also be traditional oriental music to make your nights with friends and family at Kempinksi truly memorable ones. Ramadan nights at the Pool Terrace, which take place after iftar, will offer a selection of games and juices, with the suhur buffet joined once again by the oriental band playing on the terrace in the relaxing summer breeze and leisurely atmosphere. Join us and break your routine this month with Kempinski Hotel Amman’s appetising dishes. Tel: +962 6 5200200 or visit www.kempinski.com

Instead, Synergy’s flat sapphire crystal flows to the very edge of the case, creating a fluid, unbroken surface. Crafted of solid stainless steel, the simple round case features a custom-engraved back. Sleek case extensions angle back, following the curve of the wrist for comfort and attach the smooth rubber deployment strap. A wide range of Movado Watches is available at Time Center.

IN AN EFFORT TO expand services offered to its students, Bell Amman recently signed an agreement with the British Council Jordan to become an authorised testing centre for the International English Language Testing System certification (IELTS). The IELTS was one of the pioneers of four skills English language testing over 20 years ago, and continues to set the standard for English language testing today. By signing this agreement, Bell Amman will be able to provide

its students with the opportunity to register and sit for the IELTS test at the centre upon the completion of preparations. The test will take place at the premises of Bell Amman under the full supervision of the British Council Jordan. Mrs Rula Kawar, Managing Director of Bell Amman, said, “This expansion will help our students experience a unique learning path, where they can take their courses, prepare and apply for their tests all under one roof.”

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NeXT geN DeSigNS Meet the winners of the Abdali innovation Award 2009

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ADRENALINE SPORTS BUFFS ARE IN FOR a treat at the Adrenaline Sports Live festival, presented by Rani between October 8-10 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center. Here, The Zooter will be showcased, the only true landslider and kite buggy that can be used on sand, sea, snow and ice. Zooter will be retailing these in the festival and offering visitors the chance to try one out. The participation of companies like Abra Marine, Circle-8, and Hobby Centre – as well as an adventure tourism zone – will definitely provide attendees with action packed demonstrations that will deliver the adrenaline rush promised in the festival’s name! For more information and registration, please visit www.adrenalinesportslive.com. To purchase tickets, visit www.boxofficeme.com.

SpOrTS All-terrain sail kart to be unveiled at Adrenaline Sports live in Abu Dhabi

NerveCell rOCk HArD

Dubai-based metal band Nervecell are back in the region after their success in Europe THIS SUMMER, NERVECELL rocked some renowned metal festivals, performing in front of crowds nearly 100,000-strong. The group stormed Europe by performing at Rock Im Park in Germany, with names like Marylin Manson and Slipknot, as the only death metal band to appear in the line-up. Then it was Metal GDL in Portugal

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Showtime Arabia merges with Orbit for the ultimate pay-TV platform

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Aug 2009

SHOWTIME ARABIA AND THE ORBIT Group of Companies announced the merger of their pay-TV operations to form a new company and create the leading pay-TV platform in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The new company will offer over 70 exclusive channels featuring the widest choice of exclusive first run movies, premium sports, Arabic and international television entertainment.

New customers may subscribe to enhanced packages starting August 1st, while existing Orbit and Showtime subscribers can either benefit from special upgrade offers or retain their subscription packages at their current prices. The new company is an equal partnership between the Orbit Group, a member of the Riyadh based Mawarid Group and Showtime Arabia, a subsidiary of KIPCO.

IN A CEREMONY THAT TOOK PLACE AT al-Hussein Cultural Center in late July, the winners of the 2009 Abdali Innovation Award (AIA) were announced in the presence of the Mayor of Amman, HE Omar al-Maani, as well as other prominent personalities from Jordan. The AIA is a unique initiative engaged by Abdali Psc that aims to encourage and drive Jordanian university students towards creative and critical thinking in their final year projects. Its main intention is to address university students through promoting their innovation, creativity and practical solutions to architectural and engineering challenges, while encouraging their critical and creative thinking. The award is in line with Abdali Psc’s vision of positively contributing to the community in which it operates.

and back to Germany for Rock Am Ring and With Full Force Open Air, with metal heavy weights Motörhead, Sepultura and Down. Nervecell is the first Arab band to perform at such large-scale events in Germany, and the reception they received ensures they will be back again, with several tour dates in Europe already lined up.

WINNERS – Ain Ghazal Interpretation Park by Mohammad al-Jabi, Basma Majed Nawara, Liyan al-Jabi – Convention Center by Bara’a Abualrous, Farah Bsais, Nadine Soudi – The Science Park by Arwa al-Sabha, Dima al-Qasem, Esra Abu Kar – Ain Ghazal Interpretation Park by Rasem Kamal, Heba al-Najada and Yousef Sayyed Ahmad

lAST BurJ pieCe last cladding panel of Burj Dubai ready for installation PANEL NUMBER 24348, the last piece of glass cladding that will complete the exterior of Emaar Properties’ Burj Dubai – the world’s tallest building – is now ready and awaiting installation. Arabian Aluminium Company, a member of al-Ghurair Construction Industries LLC, started work on the exterior cladding of Burj Dubai in April 2007, and is now entering the final phase of cladding with the manufacture of the six-metre long last panel for the tower. The panel will be transported to the Burj Dubai work site for installation in the coming weeks. The main materials used in the cladding are reflective glazing,

aluminium mullions, and textured steel spandrels with vertical stainless steel tubular fins. Panels of more than 18 different strength specifications and over 200 sizes are being used for Burj Dubai, all of them double-glazed and factory-sealed. This is the first time that Arabian Aluminium Company has worked on a project of this scale, and took great care to ensure that each manufactured panel that left their factory met the highest standards and strictest specifications. Currently standing at over 800 metres and scheduled to open this year, Burj Dubai is at the centre of Downtown Burj Dubai, a 500-acre mega project described as the new heart of the city of Dubai. www.emaar.com

FlyiNg HigH Arab Wings demonstrates strength of Jordanian-Canadian trade relationship

ARAB WINGS HOSTED a meeting attended by Canadian Minister of International Trade Mr Stockwell Day, Jordanian Minister of Trade and Industry Mr Amer Hadidi, Canadian Ambassador in Jordan

Ms Margaret Huber, and Regional Vice President of Bombardier Mr Khader Mattar to discuss the relationship linking Jordan and Canada. Mr Khaled alMasri, Board Member of Arab Wings, said,

“This visit strengthens the relationship between Jordan and Canada, showing that our investment in Bombardier aircrafts is a true reflection of our profound trust in the Canadian products.”

QATAr uNDer CONTrOl Meeza Creates New Command Centre in Doha

LAST MONTH marked the opening of Meeza’s new control centre in Doha. The control centre houses a video wall, which will display real-time information to Meeza engineers about the availability, performance and security of clients’ IT systems. Using this data, Meeza engineers are able to monitor and manage all aspects of their clients’ IT systems and respond immediately and effectively to any issues.

SiNCe We Were lAST iN

A new series looks at our interview subjects since they first appeared in our pages. Any success is down to us, of course...

7. OUSSAMA MELLOULI

“r

oi de Jeux Mediterraneens” was the title awarded by the French press to Tunisian swimmer and NOX favourite Oussama Mellouli. Since we’ve picked Ous as the number one Arab hopeful to win a gold medal in our Beijing 2008 preview (NOX 25), the 25-year-old swimmer went on to win the Olympic gold in the 1,500m in China, five gold medals at the 2009 Mediterranean Games in Pescara, Italy, and a couple more medals at the World Championship to boot. We caught up with Ous, who was at the time in Rome still racing for that last event, to fill us in on his breakthrough year and on his chances of breaking one of swimming’s most storied world records. NOX: So which was a more fulfilling win, the Olympic gold medal or being the undisputed star of the Mediterranean Games? Oussama Mellouli: Those two events were both pretty important. But I think the moment when I felt the weight of my gold medal at the Olympics was by far the most special moment of my life. Pescara was very special too, knowing how hard I’ve been working this post-Olympic season; it was great to see my work pay off. NOX: How do you rate the competition in Pescara? Which one of the five races was the toughest – the one you had to push a little harder for? OM: Pescara was a fast meet. As you might have noticed there were a couple world records beaten in that competition, and I swam the second fastest time ever in the 1,500, which is very indicative of how serious the swimmers were in their preparation for that event. I would have to say that the toughest win was probably in the 200m Medley because I did not train much for it.

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NOX: Tell us about the reception you received when you returned home last summer from the Olympics. We heard it was a riot... OM: It was great! At the airport, I had to arrive in a different section of the building so that other passengers could get out of there. There was an incredible number of people waiting for my arrival. It was really humbling to see that many people waiting for me to get back from the Olympics. I got to meet President Ben Ali; it was a tremendous honour to see him again. He decorated me with the insignia of Grand Officer of the Order of the Republic. It was truly amazing. NOX: Do you think that staying at USC for a couple more years put you in the best position to keep piling up gold medals? OM: I think so. I have found a balance between my studies and my training that works well for me. I enjoy what I am doing in my Masters Program. USC has been my home away from home for the last seven years and I am very comfortable there. NOX: What are your upcoming plans after Rome? OM: I’m in desperate need of a vacation, so I think I will be heading home for three weeks to spend some time with friends and family. OM: Would you say that appearing in NOX magazine was one of the reasons behind your success? Come on, give us some credit... OM: It’s fantastic that NOX has taken an interest in me and in my career. It is always nice to see such a publication taking an interest in my accomplishments! Definitely a big motivation that pushes me to keep going and thrive to do better.

Stevie Gerrard The best English player for the last decade, and the heartbeat of the Liverpool side, is looking ahead to what could be the biggest season in his career to date. With Manchester United’s big guns missing, Arsenal shedding players and Chelsea getting used to a new coach, is this going to be the year Liverpool finally get their hands on the Premiership crown?