Issue 1
magazine
Pursuing Your
Passion
Let Mona Lisa
Smile
Don’ts of a
Conference
Capability vs. Performance DESIGN MGZ 6 | 1
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EDITORIAL
With all the thoughts that sometimes escalate in the mind, it can be difficult to pen down every emotion with justice. Injustice and discrimination are on the rise again, not so much in this part of the world, but, a look at any news channel is sufficient for a thorough breakdown of what’s happening in the rest of the world. It has a dark irony, because here we are progressing into a “modern age” in terms of science and technology, and yet, moral and ethical levels have taken a u-turn and are progressing on the negative slope. To be passive would be worse than being ignorant about it; because, then you are silent in the face of injustice. Words can change that. Words have that power. And, it is these very words that we’ve wanted to showcase with WRITERS. When we started out, it was with one purpose- to show the best of our most opinionated voices at RIT-D. A platform to speak out on, to raise your voice, albeit with capitalized aggression or exasperation. Turning that purpose into an actual magazine has been quite the task. But, we’ve been fortunate to have a diligent team and supportive faculty advisors, who made this possible. WRITERS is a collective effort of a group of individuals and I am so incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished with our first issue. Here’s to a new beginning, and to speaking out.
Mashal Waqar,
Editor-In-Chief Sub-Editor Designer Illustrator Photographer Public Relations & Marketing Staff & Faculty Advisors Contributors
Special Thanks to
Mashal Waqar Shahmeer Sheikh Raina Zakir Joshua Mbaya Raina Zakir Waqas Sarguroh Makram Baki Waqas Sarguroh Dr.Rizwan Tahir Veronika Loessl Kristine Bauzon Jhealyn Samson Alyssa Raya Shashini Fernandes Kevin Watson John Dayton Saleh Yammout
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CONTENT SECTIONS Pursuing your Passion Opinions Capability vs. Performance Let Mona Lisa Smile The Superior Sex Online Retailing Don’ts of a Conference
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COVER STORY: Pursuing your PassionMORE
10 12 14 16 18
What We Recommend Restaurant Review: LOGMA TV Show Review: School Days Anime
Tech Crunch: Artificial Intelligence: A World Of New Realities
Experience Make the Most of Your Life at RIT Co op Study Abroad Experience
Events Outline: A Look Back Green is the Color of Your Network
Lifestyle
19 20 21
24 26 27
EVENTS: Outline: A Look Back
28 30
Budget Recipe How to De-stress
31
Faculty Interview: Dr.Wael
34
Meet the Team
36
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6-9
32
28-29
WHAT WE RECOMMEND: Restaurant and TV Show reviewMORE
19-20 FACULTY INTERVIEW: Dr.Wael AbdelSamad ORE
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25-26 EXPERIENCE: Make the Most of Your Life at RIT
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PURSUING YOUR PASSION Written by Mashal Waqar
Most people feel more passionately about something when it’s personal; it is only understandable that when it comes to career choices, and deciding what you want to do for the rest of your life, it’s often a question of passion. Are you passionate about something? Pursue it. No matter what it is, you can do it. These are the two sentences that should always be engrained in our minds. Unfortunately, they’re more often not. When we’re young, we’re made to believe that no dream is unbelievable, and almost anything is possible. We believe in myths and legends, miracles and impossibilities- it’s a very “Reach for the Stars” mantra that surrounds us, and that starts to change into what we consider “realistic norms” when teenage years and young adulthood approach us. Caging up imagination, and lowering your targets isn’t the answer. No target is too difficult if you’ve set your mind to it. But, every journey begins with a first step. Success isn’t handed to people on a platter, it’s struggled for, bit by bit on a road full of obstacles and ups and downs. However, if you stay determined, and persistent, you do eventually get there. We met two such individuals, at the ArabSMIS, who’ve been successful in different fields. They both started out with nothing, but, climbed the ladders of success, one step at a time.
Picture Source: Brandon Stanton
Q & A with Brandon Stanton, an American photographer and blogger who runs Humans of New York (HONY). His HONY book is a best-seller and his blog has over 12 million likes on Facebook. Q: You set out to do “Humans of New York” in 2010 and you’ve taken countless pictures since then. When I start googling “Brandon Stanton” it’s so disproportionate to the amount of people and pictures you’ve taken. What’s that 6WRITERS | DESIGN MGZ | 66
all about- you can’t find a lot about Brandon Stanton. A: When I was first starting HONY, I hadn’t really been photographing very long at all. I certainly didn’t have a name for myself. I kind of had a decision very early on whether I should try to build a brand around myself, or whether I should try to build a brand around the concept, which is telling stories of people in New York City and I thought it would be much more powerful to build a brand around my concept. So, ever since then, I’ve been very careful. I like to stay in the background and keep the people in the centre and keep things about the stories. When people come up to me on the street, they don’t say “Hey Brandon, nice to meet you!”. They’re more of “Oh, Humans of New York!” and I like that because it shows that over these years with how big HONY has gotten and how many people follow it now, it is still about the stories. The stories are the front and centre, and I think it’s a bit important to keep it that way. Q: You’ve been called a “culture spotter”. What does that mean? When you take pictures of people on the streets of New York, what is it you capture about these stories? A: There are so many different things that I could possibly called, like a “photographer”, “story teller” or a “culture spotter”. I prefer story teller. If any culture comes out of HONY it’s not because I was attempting to identify and showcase it. I think it comes out naturally out of stopping random people on the street and asking them intimate details about their lives. I’m not trying to spot or show anything. If anything, I’m just trying to reflect the person’s story that’s right in front on me. People ask me all the time “What’re you trying to show with HONY?” or “What does HONY show about humanity?” and my answer is that I’m not really trying to say anything about humanity because the moment there’s something a person’s trying to portray with his or her work, I feel like you kind of stop listening to the person in front of you. So if there’s any culture in HONY or if there’s any culture in my ability to spot I think it just comes from listening to people and listening to their stories. Q: You’ve done a phenomenal job in terms of viewership and follower-ship that you have whether it’s via your Facebook page or Instagram Page. You have over 12 million followers on Facebook, and over 2 million followers on Instagram alone. You set out to do 10,000 photos. Where are you on 10,000 right now? A: I’ve lost count now. I think I’m probably getting pretty close. When I first started HONY, and the whole reason I got into it, was because I was going to take 10,000 portraits of people and I was going to plot them out on a map
of New York City. That was my entire goal. So everything at trust in me, and in HONY. That, every single day when first revolved around getting to that number. I used to have they check the blog, they will see content up there. Cona counter on the top of my website that would count up to sistency is more important than any sort of goal. 10,000. I was very new to social media, I’d been in Finance, and I’d just lost my job so I didn’t really know anything Q: Was there a time when it became too overwhelming? about blogging and my thought was, that once I plot those Over the last 5 years, was there a time where you felt, this portraits on a map of the city, I’m going to use that and ap- is tough. proach newspapers, and try to get press. I’m going to bring A: It all goes back to what I said. I realized the one thing I control, and I think this is important attention to my work in that way and for anybody who is trying build somethrough that process I realized that it thing, is how hard you work. It’s the only wasn’t the correct way of thinking. If thing that everybody has that they can you want to build an audience, you need to be a consistent provider I realized the one thing I can control. You can’t control how smart you of content on a daily basis. It’s not control is how hard I work are, you can control how hard you work. So, the one thing I knew when HONY about creating this huge work, it’s started to grow, I didn’t know where it about creating something every day was going, I couldn't control whether and being consistent. I’ve always said one day it was going to be a best-sellthat I wanted HONY once I realized ing book. I couldn't control whether one day it was gothat, to be someone’s morning cup of coffee, where every ing to be overwhelming success, but I could control that morning they wake up, they drink their coffee and they look every day I would go out, I would stop a certain amount at HONY. So, it became much less about hitting that 10,000 of people on the street, and I would learn certain amount mark and much more about bringing those stories every of stories. The bigger HONY is, the more and more I have single day and being a reliable place that people could find to narrow my focus back to where it started which is the good content on every single day. If there is one reason that one thing I control. I can’t control if HONY will go from 15 HONY has got so big, that consistency has a very very big million fans to 30 million fans, but I know what got me part to do with it because I go out and work every single here was working every day, and going out and being a day. I make sure that no matter what, even now that I’m in consistent source of content and so the bigger and bigger, and the more overwhelming things get, the more I narrow my focus and that helps with everything.
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Q: Tell us about your experience with social media. A: The one thing that’s most interesting about social media is you get immediate feedback on your work. Social media has always given me very real-time indicator of how people are interacting with my work. And, this has allowed me to improvise and innovate as I go on and as I find out what people connect with on a more and more clear level. When I started, HONY was a collection of photographs, and it was through doing that when I learnt that it wasn't the pictures people were interacting with, it was the stories. Once, I learnt that, I tried to get better and better at telling these people’s stories, learning how to interview someone, learning to how to get an intimate story out of them, and the better I got at that, the more people connected with my work. I’m constantly trying to find out how HONY can stand out even more in a way that it will continue to grow. Social media gives you a very interesting laboratory within which to do that.
Photograph taken by: Mashal Waqar
Dubai for a few days, I worked double shifts for a few days, before I came here, so that the content would never stop and so millions of people around the world have learnt to
Q: Your fans are so global. How do you actually continue to develop content that you know your fans all over the globe will appreciate and will continue to follow? A: It’s not the result of an effort, the focus has always been on the content. I think people fall down a lot on social media by trying to focus on developing an audience and trying to come up with different strategies to attract difDESIGN MGZ 6 || 77 WRITERS
ferent types of people. Only one thing appeals to people and that’s good content. My audience grew as I got better at story telling and not as I got better as a social media operator. In the most transparent sense, social media is going to connect people with what they want to find. It’s more geared to letting people discover what they want than it is to discover other people. It’s like a law of attraction, and it falls back to controlling your work and what comes out of that work is going to get better and better, the narrower and narrower your focus is. One of the best examples of this is bands. How many bands have come out with a first album that is absolutely fantastic, and then they come out with a second album, and it just falls off huge. Why is that? It’s because before they got famous, all they did was sit in their basement and think about music. And, then they got famous, and they got invited to all these parties, and they get into all these shows and doing all these interviews, and they’re thinking of fame and how to manage their career instead of the music that attracted the fanbase in the first place. If you want to have a presence on social media, ask yourself why people would want to pay attention to you and focus on that.
Picture Source: Omar Samra
Arab to complete the Explorers Grand Slam (reaching the North and South Pole after climbing the highest mountain on every continent). Q: What did you do when you thought, this is it, I can’t go on anymore. Were there times like that? Q: Tell us about your proudest moments, whether on so- A: There are always times like that. The type of expedicial media or personally through your journey with HONY? tions I do are very long, sometimes they last weeks or even a month. So, there are A: Probably the most exciting moalways ups and downs. ment for me, was when the HONY book became a NY Times best-sellQ: How do you motivate er, because I had a hard time even When things get really, really hard, yourself during times like getting my book published. I think you just have to break it into very that? I went to about 7 publishers, and small more achievable parts, even if A: When things get really only one really made an offer and that’s just taking one small step. really hard, you just have now it’s been on the best-seller to break it into very small list for about 32 weeks. But, just a more achievable parts, few weeks before it even became even if that’s just taking one a best-seller nobody even wanted small step. I remember very to give me an offer. That’s just how well when I was on Everest, probably a few days before fast things evolved. But, if I went further than that, I think the summit, and one of the last stages of the journey, it the times that were the most fulfilling were when I went was very difficult mentally; we were moving very slow befrom complete anonymity to those first few fans. The reacause of the lack of Oxygen and it seemed really far away. son its so difficult to be an artist is because you have to do I thought about turning back because I was completely so much work before anybody will pay attention to you. The thousands of photos I took first were before anybody spent and I remember the words of someone who had was paying attention and those were the hardest times climbed Everest before me, and he’d said to just keep putbecause I was doing all of this work in anonymity before ting one foot in front of the other. At the time, it sounded anyone cared. After all those months of working, when I like very simple advice that made no sense. But, at that noticed those few people following me on Facebook that moment, because I was so tired, and I couldn't even think weren't my friends or family members, that’s when I no- about going all the way to that rock over there, I asked ticed the correlation between my work and how it was myself if I could take that one more step, the answer was always yes. By asking that question a thousand times that growing. day, I took a thousand steps. And, you realize in the end, that it’s only your mind that’s saying you can’t do it, while, Q: What’s next for HONY? A: There’s another book coming out in October and right the human body can physically push itself far beyond now I’m trying my best to make that as good as possible. what you think it can go. After that, I’m looking to travel and do HONY in different Q: What’s your current goal and what’s your next shortterm goal? cities. A: In terms of expeditions, I’m planning to go to the North Pole next month to complete something that’s known as Q & A with Omar Samra, the first Egyptian and Youngest
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the Adventure Grand Slam. I’m also supposed to be going to space next year. Q: What’s your answer to fear, in terms of these next expeditions? A: There’s always fear. But, someone a lot wiser than me once said, “Courage is not the absence of fear. It’s the presence of fear, but the ability to go on while you have that fear.”
right now, but the average age for climbing Mt. Everest is 42, so I think I have quite a few years to go. Q: Tell us more about your charity? A: It’s called “Marwa Fayed’s Toy Run”. We work with collecting used and unwanted toys and distributing them to kids in different places in the world (The charity was started by Omar Samra’s late-wife Marwa who passed away in 2013). One of the main advantages of this project is that it teaches kids the concept of giving from a Q: You’re representing Egypt, and to a whole lot of people very young age. In order for you to really feel the sense who don’t know much about the country, you’re showing of giving, you have to detach yourself from something a different side to them. What are your thoughts on that? you care about.” A: I wouldn’t say I’m the sole representative, but, I do always look at myself as having a responsibility to show Q: Any advice on reaching one’s goals and pursuing Egypt in a positive light. your passion? A: “One of the main things that people always asked me Q: What has been your proudest moment/s to date? was: How do I know that it’s something I really want? Is A: Climbing Everest has been one of my proudest mo- really a goal or a dream? Usually when you have those ments. But, climbing every summit, of every mountain, goals and dreams, it’s a nagging feeling that you get. no matter how small has been something that’s been When you have an idea in your head and you try to extremely gratifying. In particular, I was climbing the top dismiss it and it keeps coming back. You keep thinking of a mountain in South America solo and unsupported, I about it. Your mind tells you forget about it, it’s not gowas completely on my own for 3 weeks on a mountain, ing to happen. It’s crazy. Everybody around you is goand it was something I’d never attempted before in that ing to tell you don’t do it, it’s too risky, take the normal way. But, at the same time, back home, Egypt was going path. through a revolution so the entire experience was very, You need to understand that the road is going to be very emotional on many levels. Looking on to next year, long and hard, and you need to be prepared for that. going to space, and being up there and looking down at If it was easy, everybody would do it. Failure is a part of Earth, I think that will be quite a memorable moment that success. You will stumble along the way. That’s just an I will look forward to. intrinsic part of the process. Most people fail because they don’t even start; they don’t take the first step. The Q: Have you thought about climbing K2? reason that happens is because we, as humans, have A: I have thought about climbing K2. But, right now I’m two things that allow us to make decisions: the heart very busy with lots of projects and next to my adventures, and the brain. Each one is designed for certain kinds of tasks. The brain is analytical; it can prioritize tasks, find solutions, but it’s not designed to process dreams and goals. When you have a goal, your brain is not going to make you take the first step; it will come up with 100 reasons why you shouldn’t do it. It’s going to make you afraid of the unknown. It’s going to make you doubt yourself. The first step you take always has to be from the heart. That’s why it’s called the leap of faith. Once you take that first step and you’re committed, apply your mind to solve problems. If you have a dream or a goal and you understand that the road is going to be long; prepare yourself to enjoy the journey. If you’ve been thinking about something for a very long time, take the first step. You’re not going to be able to logically convince yourself 100% of the right thing to do. You feel that it’s something you need to do. Picture Source: Omar Samra You’ll either succeed, or you’ll learn. I also run a couple of businesses and a charity. Something Follow your heart.”* like K2 would require a few years of commitment of extensive training. So, it’s not something I’ve considered for DESIGN MGZ 6 || 99 WRITERS
OPINION Written by Dana Osman Illustrated by Joshua Mbaya
CAPABILITY VS. PERFORMANCE
You walk into your classroom, and sit down at your desk—number 2 pencils ready in hand. The teacher walks towards you, and hands you the test paper, your heart starts beating uncontrollably, and bam! You go blank. You can’t even remember your own name. Your palms begin to sweat, and even though you studied all week, everything has gone out of the window. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety is one of the most common mental illnesses, affecting up to 40 million individuals in the U.S alone (Anxiety: Facts & Statistics). Moreover, test anxiety is one of the most common mental illness es affecting a majority of students. High test anxiety affects up to 20% of high school students (Test Anxieties). Moreover, a number of college students suffer from other mental illnesses as well! A survey of college students conducted in 2008 by Associated Press and mtvU* discovered the following: • 80% of college students say they frequently or sometimes experience daily stress • 34% have felt depressed at some point in the past three months • 13% have been diagnosed with a mental health condition such as an anxiety disorder or depression • 9% have seriously considered suicide in the past year Why then do most educational institutions measure an individual’s aptitude based on their performance on exam? It’s safe to assume that this is clearly a faulty practice. Capability and performance certainly are correlated; however, they are not interchangeable. An individual’s overall performance should not be measured by questions on a piece of paper because a person’s performance on an exam can be affected by a multitude of differing factors; therefore, it is quite unfair to measure capability merely based on perfor10 | DESIGN MGZ 6
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mance. From what you ate that morning, to how well you slept the previous night, there are many minuscule details that can have a monumental impact on an individual’s overall performance. When it comes to test taking, I’m sure we’ve all been advised to study well, go to bed early, and have a good breakfast. However, what if those tips simply don’t work well for you? What if you’ve studied all week, and you walk in 100% prepared— yet, when you read the first question on your test, it all disappears. This is a very common occurrence among students, and I myself have fallen victim to test anxiety many times. I’d study and study, fully understanding the material, yet failing to perform to my fullest capabilities. Does this mean I’m not intelligent? Does it mean I haven’t studied enough? Does failing an exam mean I’ll fail to succeed in my field of choice? No, certainly not; because exams do not depict an individual’s true level of knowledge. Rather, they measure an individual’s ability to memorize curriculum material, and apply it to questions that will seldom be relevant within our actual daily lives. An individual’s level of aptitude cannot, and should not be determined by an exam, because although certain students may excel in exam taking, they may fail to apply what they’ve learned to the physical world. Vice-versa also applies- some students may fail to perform well in exams, however they may be able to apply the course concepts to their physical environment, which I believe is a much more valuable skill because not everyone can truly understand what they’ve learnt, and apply that knowledge in real-life situations. All of this is not to say that educational systems should completely rid themselves of exams, and abolish the whole system; because, although highly
ineffective in some ways, they certainly can be effective in others. Exams do offer a solid overall gage on a student’s level of comprehension; however, a student’s grade should not merely be based on their performance in said exam. I appreciate professors who give students the ability to express their fullest potential by giving them multiple midterms and quizzes. Doing so gives students the ability to succeed, if not the first time then perhaps the second or third. However, keeping this in mind, it is still important to note that a change is indeed necessary. Perhaps not in the way we are taught, but rather in the way we are taught to apply our knowledge. Human potential is expansive: from our conception, to the day we are brought into the world, we are continually growing. Expanding, moving forward, moving in new directions, moving towards a world of change— although this change can be scary at times, it is extremely valuable. The human capacity for growth truly is a beautiful, immeasurable thing; however, that is exactly what exams try to do. The whole purpose of an exam is to measure the amount of growth in a student’s knowledge, but, that knowledge is meaningless if its time span is limited— only lasting till the exam is over. The current educational system has taught students to study well for the task at hand, but it has failed to teach us how to fully understand and maintain our knowledge. Memorizing information for an exam is very different from understanding that information and knowing how to apply it in real-life situations. If you ask any student what their current educational goals are, their answer will probably be “to get a good
grade”, but what use is a good grade if no knowledge has truly been absorbed? Throughout middle-school, high-school, and university, our grades are of pivotal importance— they can make or break our year. Having good grades and a high GPA is something most students strive to maintain. In middle school, we needed good grades to please our parents, in high school, we needed a good GPA to get into a good college, and in college, we “need” a good GPA to get a good job. Each one of these “needs” is opening up an imaginary door for our “future”, each is building onto the last, but they are not necessarily creating our future. Throughout our adolescence and young-adult life, it has always been about grades, but in the real-world, it’s all about experience and attitude. Failing a course does not equate to failure within life, in fact, in some instances the exact opposite appears to be true. Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Richard Branson, and even Albert Einstein were all individuals who had failed by society’s standards, however, in reality had succeeded to immeasurable amounts. Getting an “A” will always be appealing because it has always been a symbol for successes, and in a way, to certain individuals, it guarantees that these successes will be maintained in all future endeavors. However, that is does not always true. Getting an “A” in an exam will not set you apart from all the other new graduates who are on the hunt for work. Instead, it is your personality, tenacity and go-getter attitude that will help make the difference.
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OPINION
LET MONA LISA SMILE Written by Andrew Ravi
As a society, we are living at a point of time where the notion of equality is yearned for, yet, seems like an impossible state to achieve. Branching out of the term “equality” lies the term “feminism”, and recently, feminism has been under severe scrutiny. To fully comprehend the importance and the supremacy of the word “feminism”, I had to analyze its origins. The feminist movement began in the late 1800s in many countries including the Netherlands, the United States of America, and the United Kingdom, and was termed as the “first wave of feminism” (Vilchez). This first wave encompassed a time where women fought for a very basic right- the right to vote. The second wave began in the mid 1900s and this wave occurred not only in the Western world, but, also took place in several Asian countries including Turkey and Israel. The main issues that were being tackled were those of sexuality, reproductive rights, and an amendment that would guarantee social equality regardless of the sex. The third wave began in the early 1990s and it focused on a whole lot of aspects, particularly the eradication of gender stereotypes and gender role expectations. This was all derived from the basic philosophy that everyone was created equal and that we should all be entitled to the freedom to define ourselves (Vilchez). Despite the virtue of its aim, the word has a negative connotation. 12 | DESIGN MGZ WRITERS | 126
Illustrated by Raina Zakir
When I was first asked if I was a feminist, and I said yes, people immediately started giving me shifty and uncomfortable looks. Some of the most common remarks people started throwing at me were: “that’s so stupid” or “are you even a man?”. I was quite puzzled by this behavior and wondered why people felt this way, because the concept seems so simple yet powerful. I was confused about why one wouldn’t be in support of feminism. The word “feminism” gets it negative connotation from those who do not comprehend the meaning of the word, and who use it as a tool or a reference to support their own ideas of what it may be. I believe almost every good idea or philosophy has extremists and radicals, and for feminism, these are the ‘feminazis’. Feminazis are radical feminists. They are those who advocate so strongly for women’s rights, that in this pursuit, they become excruciating and tyrannical to the point where they will hate on men merely to justify their own arguments. Moreover, what further adds fuel to such negative connotations, is the misinterpretation of the philosophy behind feminism by people who take it to new extremes. When this happens, the ignorant masses automatically associate the term feminism with some very radical and misinterpreted definitions and ideas. People most commonly mistake feminists as women who want to be better than men, that women need spe-
cial privileges or that feminists are women who hate men. That simply is not the case. By definition, feminism is the belief that men and women should have equal social, economic, and political rights and opportunities. It’s as simple as that. The world we live in today is in desperate need of feminism, and to reiterate, this is not just for women, but also for men. In our society, boys are being raised with the idea that they have to deliver a certain level of masculinity in order to prove that they are men. If a boy cries, it makes him less manly. If a boy doesn’t play sports, it makes him less manly. If a boy wants to be a stay-at-home dad, it makes him less manly. These are all gender stereotypes that have been instilled in our heads and it is what we associate men to do. It restricts men from being able to venture out and define themselves. Arguably, gender stereotypes and these restrictions are much worse for women. If a woman doesn’t want to get married and have children, it’s an outrage. If a woman wants to go out at night alone, it’s considered shocking. If a woman wants to climb up the corporate ladder and be in charge of a big company instead of doing household chores, it’s considered scandalous. We need to break apart from this way of thinking. Aside from the social aspect of inequality, there is also the political aspect of inequality that women face. According to the UN General assembly*, “women in every part of the
world continue to be largely marginalized from the political sphere.” Another key part of inequality that women face is in the economic world. According to the UN, women are generally paid less than men for doing the same, if not a greater, amount of work. “Women in most countries earn on average only 60 to 75% of men’s wages. Contributing factors include the fact that women are more likely to be wage workers and unpaid family workers.” According to President Obama, the average American woman “earns just 77 cents for every dollar a man earns.” As the President stated**, “it’s an embarrassment and it’s wrong.” Not only are they generally being paid less, but there’s a higher number of women, in comparison to men, who
work in vulnerable, low paid, and undervalued positions. Why is this so? Why isn’t a woman paid as much as a man is being paid? Why is a woman being judged by society when she doesn’t want to get married? Why is a man judged for wanting to be an at-home father? Equality is desperately needed for both genders and the serious lack of equality, for women in particular, is alarming. This issue is beyond gender and is an issue for humanity as a whole. A potential tool or a prospective solution for the situation is education. By giving young women and men a higher level of education, and by breaking gender stereotypes, we can eventually move closer to the goal of equality.
We, as a society, cannot simply turn our heads to this philosophy of equality. Emma Watson, on her speech*** at the UN regarding feminism, claimed that, “it’s not the word that is important; it is the idea and ambition behind it.” Despite the negative controversy feminism has grabbed, it is the philosophy behind it that is pivotal. If we are to move forward in hopes of one day attaining equality, both men and women should be united behind the idea of social, political, and economic equality. To attain that, it is crucial for both genders to strongly advocate for equality, and to be united about the actual philosophy behind feminism.
Sources: Vilchez, Jenny. “BCC Feminist Philosophy.” BCC Feminist Philosophy. Web. 24 Apr. 2015. <https://bccfeministphilosophy.wordpress.com/tag/first-wave-feminism/>. Vilchez, Jenny. “BCC Feminist Philosophy.” BCC Feminist Philosophy. Web. 24 Apr. 2015. <https:// bccfemi *Source: “Women’s Leadership and Political Participation.” Web. 25 Apr. 2015. <http://www.unwomen.org/~/media/Headquarters/ Attachments/Sections/Library/Publications/2013/12/UN WomenLGThemBriefUSwebrev2 pdf.pdf>. ** Source: ”The Gender Pay Gap Is Just the Beginning of America’s Pay Inequity Problem.” Forbes. Forbes Magazine. Web. 25 Apr. 2015. <http://www.forbes.com/sites/kylesmith/2014/04/10/the-gender-pay-gap-is-just-the-beginning-of-americas-pay-inequity-problem/>. ***”Emma Watson: Gender Equality Is Your Issue Too.” HeadQuarters. Web. 25 Apr. 2015. <http://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2014/9/emma-watson-gender-equality-is-your-issue-too>. nistphilosophy.wordpress.com/tag/first-wave-feminism/>. DESIGN MGZ 6| |13 13 WRITERS
OPINIONS
Written by Tarun Yenna Illustrated by Raina Zakir
THE SUPERIOR SEX Feminism, a movement you’ve probably heard of. Simply put, they want equal rights for women. It doesn’t make much sense, especially when considering that women are superior to men. Despite the the world’s current state of affairs and patriarchal paradigm, it may sound strange to most men, some women even, who might wonder how women can be said to have always been the powerful ones. Let’s start with the most significant out of all of them, the evolutionary perspective. If you haven’t heard of evolution, or are part of the majority that do not believe in it, you may seek to just immediately invalidate this argument. But, that would be ignorant, because the scientific community is virtually in complete consensus about its accuracy. Evolution is “the change in the inherited characteristics of biological populations over successful generations.”(Hall) . So how does this grand concept tie into women being superior to men?
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In our species and the ones that spawned us, women were and are the drivers of evolution. Being the more selective of the sexes, the burden of developing the human race is put on females in a way that maximizes survivability of the females. Think of it this way, there may have been a few intelligent hominoids monkeying around, but it took the intelligence of a female hominoid to recognize such intelligence and eventually chose to mate with them. Tool making, self-awareness, forethought, and other indicators of higher brain function weighed in on this female hominoid’s choice in choosing a mate. It was not the biggest, strongest one in the group, but the more thoughtful one that she mated with, thereby changing the evolutionary path of our species. Now to think about this idea on a macroscopic scale, in the context of human society, the resounding result seems to concur. Females hold together social struc-
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If women were exactly like men, it’s possible that we never would’ve been the highly social species that we are today, and not being social, is simply not being human.
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tures, especially ones with a lot of males living in close vicinity, which also accurately describes early hominoid groups. A mother’s instinct is powerful across almost all mammalian species, and its strength in holding together social structures can’t be underestimated either. If women were exactly like men, it’s possible that we never would’ve been the highly social species that we are today, and not being social, is simply not being human. Today, despite women being repressed throughout most of the developing world (and some in the developed countries) because of the patriarchal norm, they still hold families and other social groups together. It’s in their instinct to do so and it’s something we should be grateful for. But, what do men have? Just because women are superior to men doesn’t mean that men aren’t better at some things. Men are physically stronger. It’s something virtually impossible to deny- in all walks of life, everywhere on earth, irrespective of culture and geography, men are, on average, stronger than women. They are more physically aggressive because of this characteristic as well. Since they were the protectors of early groups of hominoids, they were born to be stronger and more aggressive. Beyond that, there are really very few significant differences between men and women from a biological perspective. To end on an ambiguous note, if women have been in control of our evolutionary destiny, have they shaped the world we live in? We have an immeasurable amount of poverty, greed, war, disease, famine, corruption, hatred, and inequality in this world. If women had chosen
different mates over the past few million years, would our world be better, worse, or not even exist at all? For all the bad in this world though, there is always a glimmer of hope, because women have also bequeathed compassion, empathy, curiosity, virtue, patience, logic, morality, and above all, love. This eternal battle of yin and yang will likely decide our future, ultimately determining if we survive our infancy and ascend to be true citizens of the cosmos, or die by our own hands. One thing is for certain, we have reached a place in time where we now control our very fate. How we wield this power will be our greatest accomplishment or our greatest undoing.
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OPINIONS
ONLINE RETAILING Written by Makram Baki
Illustrated by Raina Zakir
Online retailing has been a point of interest for many customers in the UAE. I started to engage in online shopping about a year ago, and that’s when I realized a lot of great distinctions that could be matched against the actual delight of shopping in malls. I’ve always had my doubts about buying products online, and they weren’t cleared until last year, when I saw advertisements from Souq.com for a few products that I had wanted to get earlier. The first thing I noticed was that each product had a minimum of 20-30% discount, I was stunned! My jaw actually dropped in amazement, and without further ado, I rushed to the website to create an account, checked out the items, and finally made a purchase. Since then, I have made it a practice to look for items online before I actually go looking for them in shopping malls or genuine retail stores. Souq was established in 2005; it was headquartered in Dubai, U.A.E., a prime location to operate, due to it being a large market. Souq offers a wide variety of items ranging from perfumes, clothes, accessories to electronics and household appliances. Based on my experiences, their best-selling products are perfumes and mobile phones. I recently purchased two Samsung S4 Mini cellphones online for a total price
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of AED 1600. I ended up saving AED 600. How awesome is that? Souq has certainly been an invaluable resource for me when it comes to making price comparisons. Moreover, their special ‘Deals of the Day’ event is a not-to-be-missed section where a few items from each category are taken and offered at even more discounted rates. Like most consumers, I find it more convenient to pay on delivery when purchasing products. One thing that most online retails do not offer is the option of paying cash on delivery here in the UAE. However, that’s one of the reasons why I recommend Souq- because it actually does give you that option. I find it very helpful because I don’t need to use my credit card. Because of doubts about security in terms of online payment transactions, it is difficult for quite a number of people in the U.A.E. to become comfortable with the idea of using a credit card. In the U.S. and the U.K., a company like Amazon has based its success on the safety of its online transactions thereby becoming more trustworthy. In my daily work, I sometimes take a quick break to get a breath of fresh air; a lot of times, I get to see people waiting for a delivery by a courier. Almost 80% of the time, I noticed individuals reaching out for their wallets to take out their IDs and cash as well. A lot of customers prefer buying on the spot, from stores in shopping malls because they believe that this saves them from purchasing what they have termed as “fake products”. I don’t think a company like Souq would offer fake products to its customers. However, if you’re still not convinced, you can always examine your purchase on delivery. Return policies exist, and as an unsatisfied customer, you have every right to return a faulty product. I doubt that Souq would be offering fake products
because it just doesn’t match up. Such incidents happened would mean robbing customers of their money, and we’d see an uproar from the customers or bad publicity at the very least, if this was the case. Let me illustrate a small scenario: suppose I want to purchase a handbag that a regular retailer would charge AED 1500 for. So, I note the handbag’s brand, color, and shape and find it on Souq for AED 810 with a discount of 46%. I want to avail such a great offer so I go ahead and initiate the purchase. I would end up paying AED 826 with the shipping fee and the delivery charges added. This could raise doubts correlating price and authenticity of the product. Wouldn’t it be better for me to just buy the product for a retailer to be on the safe side? Normally, I wouldn’t mind, but, often retailers use this as a marketing technique to lure customers. This issue is mostly associated with perfumes and fragrances. Satisfaction is achieved when you look at the product closely, and experience its scent and opium. The same applies to handbags, and phones, because you need to touch them and feel the satisfaction up close when buying it on the spot. It is completely normal to feel that way. But, why would I want to pay more when I can examine the product on arrival and clear my doubts? Online retailers are specifically for online “window shopping”, for consumers who are constantly looking for legit products at a cheaper price. Quite recently, Souq came up with the “White Friday” event, where a lot of products were discounted at 50% or higher, but, sadly this was an opportunity I missed. Sales for Souq were soaring during that week. In fact, one of their employees, who delivered a product to my neighbor, even mentioned that they were working overtime to manage all their deliveries. I once had to go and meet the courier at a location close to where I was, simply because I needed the product on that very day and not the next day. Itwas a hassle, but still worth it because the courier was stuck at a location packed with more orders compared to the one order I had in my location. The trouble those delivery employees have to go through is just frustrating, and I simply made my courier’s job easier by driving 15 minutes to get the item from him. I have never received so many compli-
ments of gratitude from a courier before. E-commerce in the UAE took a huge leap forward with online sales jumping up by 170% in 2014*. Buying online in UAE is great- it has proven to be safe and secure, reliable, and it also allows consumers to be independent in their product choice and selection. More importantly, this whole process is done at home, conveniently and comfortably. It might be more interesting to actually go to a store and to check out the items, but it’s not always the preferred way because people now have the option of locating the same items online with a minimum discount of 10-20%. I just think that’s the way to go, wouldn’t you too?
*Source: http://www.thenational.ae/business/retail/booming-online-retail-sales-highlight-uae-consumer-shift DESIGN MGZ 6 | |17 17 WRITERS
OPINIONS
DON‘TS OF A CONFERENCE By AnonymousObserver
Illustrated by Raina Zakir
I recently attended an android conference, a few weeks ago. After a few hours of being surrounded by complete nitwits, I made up a list of things you most certainly should NOT do at a presentation, especially at a conference. 1) Don’t have your phone on normal mode. Turn it to SILENT. I cannot stress this enough. No matter how busy you are, or how late you’re running, don’t forget to switch your cell phone to silent, because when it rings, everyone will be staring at you. That’s right. Don’t be that annoying idiot whose phone rings in the midst of an interesting session. 2) Don’t sleep. For Pete’s sake it’s a conference, not your bedroom. Even if it’s a boring presentation, just grab a cup of coffee, and keep yourself alert. It’s disrespectful, and it defeats the purpose of you being there. If you’re so uninterested, why even attend in the first place?
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3) Don’t snore. This refers back to #2, but, still. Just putting it out there. The guy sitting next to me dozed off and actually snored a bit. Somebody next to him had to wake him up. #embarassing 4) Don’t talk loudly or even normally. Unless it’s a discussion session, don’t be the person creating noise in the background. Don’t be that annoying disrespectful idiot who won’t shut up while a team/person is presenting something. Also, if it’s so necessary, whispering does the job too. You don’t need to speak with a loud voice and act like you don’t care, because, clearly you care enough to attend. Might as well be a bit polite while you’re at it. 5) Don’t talk DURING the discussion session if another person is asking a question on a mic. It’s distracting, it’s disgusting, it’s annoying. Your unnecessary comments and interruptions can wait.
WHAT WE RECOMMEND RESTAURANT REVIEW
LOGMA
Review & Photography by Yara Hattab
When was the last time you had some Emirati food? To be quite frank, the only time I get to have local dishes are at National Day Celebrations. That’s why I was stoked to hear about the opening of a new Emirati casual eatery, LOGMA, located at Box Park on Al-Wasl Road. I decided to try LOGMA during my spring break holidays. I visited it mid-day, around 4 pm, somewhere around the middle of the week; this was to avoid a lunch or dinner-time rush. It was perfect timing- the midday sun was blissfully setting on the scenic view I had of Box Park. If I could coin a term to LOGMA, it would be modern nomad. The prominent colors of red and aqua blue were consistent and gave a bright ambiance, while the rustic touch of lanterns, and traditionally dressed waiters, gave it a genuine Arabian feel. Service was very friendly, and when anyone walked in, they greeted the individual with a ‘Salam-ualaikum’, giving the restaurant a more authentic and comforting vibe.
WHAT I ORDERED:
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PASSION OF ARABIA: I am usually hesitant when it comes to trying out new juices with my meals, but, the combination of passion fruit and pineapple in the Passion of Arabia was hard to resist. I would recommend getting a mocktail over just a regular soft-drink with your meal. With the summer heat coming in, this is a refreshing drink on a hot day, but make sure you don’t swallow the passion fruit seeds!
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SAMBOOSA CHEESE: Before visiting LOGMA, I was dying to try the Samboosa Cheese. I love cream cheese, so I had a feeling that this would be my favorite. Too much cheese may turnoff some people, but the crushed up Chips Omani give it a good balance. OGMA FRIES: Everyone likes their fries a certain way, I prefer thinly cut fries, and LOGMA fortunately serves a huge plate of them with khaleeji spices and herbs. Think of it this way, it’s like eating a dish of rice with traditional flavoring, but instead of the rice you are eating
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KHAMEER ROASTED CHICKEN: Okay, I may not have gotten the most traditional main dish, but Khameer is certainly a staple in Emirati cuisine. Khameer is a round flatbread. It looks like the traditional Arabic pita bread, but has a harder texture and crunchier taste, because it is usually lightly fried. Although Khameer is reminiscent of humble beginnings to many Emiratis, the content of my sandwich was anything but Bedouin. With herb chicken, walnut pesto, sundried tomato and Gruyere cheese, the Roasted Chicken Khameer is a great portrayal of LOGMA’s intricate fusion of both nouveau and traditional.
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CHEBAB KATAYEF: I’m not usually a dessert person, but at LOGMA, I had a difficult time deciding on the dessert. It was a choice between the Date Pudding, Lugaimat (traditional fried dumplings served with date syrup), or the Chebab Katayef. My friendly waitress highly recommended the Chebab Katayef, and being familiar with Katayef (Arabic version of a pancake but fried), despite being full, I simply had to order it. The Chebab Katayef is a dish that can be sufficient for two; it’s stuffed with dates and mascarpone, with saffron cardamom syrup drizzled on top of it, and vanilla ice cream on the side. A cup of Arabic coffee or Karak would be ideal with this delicacy. I took my Karak to go though, because I thought the to-go cup was adorable. Move over Starbucks! owever, I do prefer the authentic Karak at cafeterias because let’s be real, anything you can get for less than 2 AED as a student is a steal.
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Service: Appetizer: Main course: Dessert: Overall:
I would certainly make another trip to LOGMA for a similar laid-back lunch. It was a refreshing experience, and I hope to see more U.A.E.-bred concepts in the restaurant scene, in Dubai. DESIGN MGZ 6 || 19 19 WRITERS
TV SHOW REVIEW SCHOOL DAYS (ANIME)
Written by Roni Sahyoun
I’ll be straightforward, the main reason I am writing this review is because I feel the desperate need to eradicate the severe headache I obtained after watching this miserable anime.
IMAGE
STORY: 4/10
From what I see, all the story really provides is the main character's lustful pursuit, and how he gets involved with about half the women in his classroom. A horrible romance novelist could probably write a better story in less than a day. Every now and then, the characters are confronted with a dramatic scene, which (unfortunately) most often ends with the main character (Itou Makoto) winning over yet another lady. How brilliant! If they gave me the script for this anime, I’d feed it to my dog, but then again, even he might get sick from something so atrocious.
VISUAL: 5/10
There’s nothing special about the art or graphics,
it’s an incredibly common style that’s often seen in low-budget anime. It’s not unique, and sometimes you may have trouble telling the characters apart: things like eye color and hairstyle are what makes them look distinguishable but they're almost identical structurewise. However, the director obviously wanted to take blood to the next level so he opted for black blood instead of the traditional red. Genius move really!
ENJOYMENT: 4/10
Sometimes, while watching School Days, I would close my eyes for a couple of seconds or stare at my ceiling, because I knew I wouldn’t be missing anything important. It’s not entirely boring though, sometimes School Days presents internal conflicts that are unpredictable and might catch you by surprise, mainly because of how senseless the final decision turns out to be. You'll often find yourself unconsciously face-palming at how simple minded these characters actually are.
SOUND: 5/10
Sound? Ha, the opening song once gave me such a horrible headache that I decided to stop watching anime for the entire day. Absolutely horrible choice with the song. If I met the sound director in person, I’d question his motive behind selecting such irritating music. The soundtrack isn’t even catchy, it’s all bland and boring music that could put you to sleep at a moment’s notice if not for the dialogue. 20 | DESIGN MGZ WRITERS | 206
CHARACTERS: 2/10
I gave this anime a low rating because of the the characters. Though there is slight character development, it does not make up for how imbecilic they can be. There wasn’t a single character I found entertaining, or even decent, to say the least. All the characters in School Days seem to have only one role each, in most situations they confront each other doing the same darn thing, over and over, until it gets tediously predictable. The main character, Itou Makoto, is my most disliked character of all time. Enter an irritating student that somehow manages to woo 8 different women while being"devoted" to his partner. He has absolutely no concept of love, and is an extreme version of a play-boy. Way to go main character! The female characters often make reckless decisions in obvious scenarios, which they regret soon after. This has convinced me to believe that a part of their brain might actually be missing.
OVERALL: 5/10
If you bother watching this anime, (which I would highly discourage, for health reasons) then you will probably end up with an awkward feeling in your gut, to the extent where you would probably wish you had watched the Green Lantern Reboot for a second time instead. If you’re looking for an enjoyable anime, then I advise you to search elsewhere.
TECH CRUNCHTECH
TECH CRUNCH
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: A WORLD OF NEW REALTIES After the crowning achievements in the field of computing, the time between 1920’s to 1940’s brought forward the beginning of a whole new era. Using digitized machines in our everyday work, the concept of developing machines to replicate human behavior and thinking began to stimulate, signifying the natural instinct of humans to reach the unreachable. However, have the past 5 decades created a satisfactory result? Were we able to invent a replica of humans or at least human intelligence? What are the possibilities? Is digitization of our lives a sign of moving ahead in this field? Is there a testing mechanism for it? And more importantly, is it beneficial?
Written by Raina Zakir
Illustrated by Raina Zakir
To begin with, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has an extremely broad definition. It require ideas from Neurology, Robotics, Linguistics, Computer programming and its streams, cognition ethics and Psychology, to be incorporated into a single unit, which we can call an “intelligent” humanoid robot. A very precise description of it is stated in the book, Computational Intelligence – A Logical Approach: “Computational intelligence is the study of the design of intelligent agents. [...] The central scientific goal of computational intelligence is to understand the principles that make intelligent behavior possible, in natural or artificial systems.” So clearly we need to devise intelligence,
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but with what limit? Does it have to be in a virtual for- system. Machine learning is the ability of a mechanism mat or a blend of physical presence and intelligence? to familiarize itself to new conditions, which may not Some major components needed to satisfy the re- be stored in its database and to deduce patterns in quirements to produce a perfect AI, if there can be one, images and speech. For example, if the AI unit comes are speech processing, automated reasoning, machine across a sight or situation it has not seen or interceptlearning, and natural language processing. To use the ed, it should record and if it encounters the same situfeatures successfully, an AI unit would require a robot- ation, it should respond to it accordingly. ic mechanism and computer vision. If we look back, Currently, all these domains are being researched there have been impressive developments in the field separately. As a result, despite some remarkably noof speech recognition and processing, and automated table systems developments, no AI unit to date has reasoning. been developed with the ability to incorporate all the Speech processing comprises the ability of a device above stated features and run successfully. to respond to questions asked by a human by giving There are many systems being developed today, them appropriate answers. It may seem like a pretty that utilize at least one of the domains of AI, therefore, simple mechanism but for it to be used in AI unit, it has there has to be an approach of testing whether a parto be a complex one with the ability to identify at least ticular system can be classified as an AI. This is usualone language and its dialects ly done by using the “Turing accurately, and recognize them test”, which was developed with the appropriate words in by Alan Turing in 1950, when order to give a suitable answer. the perceptional basis of AI Softwares like Siri by Apple and The question that arises is can AI were being developed and Cortana by Microsoft work in take over the human intelligence? analyzed. It was introduced a similar way, but are still too in his paperwork “Computing basic. To make this system apMachinery and Intelligence” plicable for an AI unit, it needs which was published by the to have natural language proMind journal, that stated in cessing abilities. This includes the following way: “I propose communicating with the inquirer in a humane manner. to consider the question, ‘Can machines think?’…. Are The problem begins here because it has been and still there imaginable digital computers that would do is a challenge to develop a language processing system well in the imitation game?” This test involves a huthat has common sense, emotions and the natural in- man being interacting with the AI system, without stincts of human beings; currently, this is mainly based knowing what it is. If he/she is not able to distinguish on IF-THEN-ELSE and other computer processing rules between a machine and a human, the system is conand are usually a software. In short, this is the major sidered an “intelligent” one. Some professors and AI field of concern for AI development, which has been researchers, however, have criticized this test, but for quite the obstacle in terms of progressing further. the most part, the tradition of using it continues. Automated reasoning is using the information stored One of the recent cases is of Eugene Goostmen, a in the database to answer the questions asked by the computer program imitating a 13-year old Ukrainiinquirer. It can be thought of as a second step in the an boy, that passed the Turing test, described in the flow of processing. When the system intercepts the BBC’s website with the following words: “The 65-yearquestion asked, using its speech processing, the re- old Turing Test is successfully passed if a computer is quired solutions have to be looked up in the database mistaken for a human more than 30% of the time dur(a storage medium) and relayed back to the speech ing a series of five-minute keyboard conversations. processing program and must either be displayed on On 7 June Eugene convinced 33% of the judges at the the screen, or read out by the AI unit. But, this is a very Royal Society in London that it was human.” However, basic function that is more or less performed by our this has created a dispute among researchers because computers too! For example, when we search on Goog- Turing’s paperwork released in 1950, clearly menle, we actually are initiating a similar processing. As a tions, “in about fifty years’ time it will be possible to result, an AI procedure should have machine learning program computers, with a storage capacity of about
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On the left: Professor Stephan Hawking giving Interview to bbc .On the right: the Eugene Goostman computer program which claimed to have passed the Turing test. 109, to make them play the imitation game so well that an average interrogator will not have more than 70 percent chance of making the right identification after five minutes of questioning.” So, Turing indirectly gave us a hint that the Turing test conducted in today’s era would definitely not be able to test whether a program was “intelligent”. As a result, I believe that there remains a need to increase the time to consider a machine as human from 30% to at least 50%. On the other hand, there might be a need to look for a more sophisticated measure of intelligence as we progress in the field, which can overcome this conflict of different standards among people in this domain of AI because currently, we have some amazing exhibits of brainpower like Google’s self-driving car and NetFlix’s suggestion algorithm. The turnover in our lives created by the usage of modern technologies cannot be neglected at all. The fact that we continue to use them even after condemning them of the various drawbacks they are causing us is a sign that their disadvantages are overshadowed by their advantages. Likewise, AI has been the cause of much dismay, even though its research in almost every famous technological institute goes on.
Obviously, the idea of having robots and a virtual environment in our lives may sound cool to many thanks to it being showcased in movies such as Star Wars, but, it might also come off as a complete nuisance to others. Similarly, a few people also find the idea of driverless cars or humanoid robots taking care of our houses fascinating . All of these may not sound very dangerous to use; however, a question that cannot be ignored is, how can Artificial intelligent affect us negatively? Recently, Stephen Hawking, who is known as the scientist of the twenty-first century, reported in his interview to BBC that “Artificial intelligence could be a real danger in the not too distant future […] once humans develop artificial intelligence, it would take off on its own and re-design itself at an ever increasing rate.” The question that arises is, can AI take over the machine intelligence? Besides Stephen Hawking, there are many famous scientists who do believe that it can. Is investment by humans in these intelligent machines becoming a revolting factor, that could in turn destroy the long-established human race? Only time will tell.
Sources: Poole, David L., Alan K. Mackworth, and Randy Goebel. Computational Intelligence: A Logical Approach. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998. Turing, A. M. "Computing Machinery and Intelligence." Mind 59.236 (1950): 433-60. Cellan-Jones, Rory. “Stephen Hawking warns artificial intelligence could end mankind.” BBC News. 7 Dec. 2014. Web. 10 Dec. 2014. Furness, Hannah. “Computer passes “Turing Test” for the first time after convincing users it is human.” Telegraph Media Group. 8 June 2014. Web. 10 Dec. 2014 Picture Credits: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-30290540 http://natemat.pl/105563,komputer-przekonal-ludzi-ze-jest-czlowiekiem-przeszedl-test-turinga DESIGN MGZ 6 || 23 23 WRITERS
TECH CRUNCHTECH
EXPERIENCES
Make the most of your life at RIT (T-1 and counting)
Written by Fouzana Feroz
Pictures taken by RIT Dubai
Notebook. Check. Pen. Check. Impressionable clothing. Check. Excitement. Check. Anxiety. Double check. Thus began my first day of university, a day I will never forget. I was on my own for the first time in my life- I had to show up, meet some strangers, and then go back to a different room and meet some more strangers. “Need to keep angst at bay” was my mantra for the day. I remember thinking that I would be chanting this for days on end. One sight of JBR (Jumeirah Beach Resort) was all it had taken to change that. Three years have passed since then, but weirdly enough it feels like yesterday. I am now a final-year student, believe it or not, this fact only hits me when I talk to the freshmen. Yes, that’s how I tend to introduce myself to our first-years now. Gone are the days of clinging to every word in a lecture, frantically taking notes, and having the living daylights scared out of you if you missed a class. Now in my last year of university, it’s all about making it count. And, I am going to start by dishing out some advice on how to make the most of your years at university. Personalize: First things first, whether you are living in a dorm room or an apartment, make it your own personal space. It’s time to unpack those boxes and bring out photos that have a story to tell: like that time you queued up for your dream concert 4 hours early, and your feet looked like little blue balloons by the time you got in, thanks to the killer heels. Not only do pictures make you feel more at home, they are also great icebreakers. Make new friends: RIT-D is one of the few places that offers a very diverse and wide range of cultures. Go ahead and put that to good use. Step out of your comfort zone and make friends with someone from an entirely different culture. While you are at it, you can also learn tons of cultural traits and traditions that only an insider would know. You will discover that there are definite exceptions to certain stereotypes; moreover, some of them may really surprise you. One such example would be the ever-smiling Russian I always have by my side. Participate: When it comes to enjoying that atmosphere unique to universities, participation is key. Make yourself present at events or gatherings, no matter the size. Or better yet, take charge and organize an entertaining event. Passionate about fashion? Organize a fashion show. Sports freak? Join the basketball team. Love community service? Become a member of the Humanitarian Club. Remember, where there is a will there is a way. Discover yourself: University is a great time to explore what you really want to do. Don’t restrict 24 | DESIGN MGZ 6
yourself to your courses and career options. Do you have a bucket list full of interesting things you want to do? Do them. Go skydiving. You will never forget what it feels like to jump off a plane and shoot down at 210 km/h. Pay for the photographer and you will also have captured your adrenaline-pumping experience and your expression when your face was being peeled off. Explore your city: If it were up to me, Dubai would consistently top the World’s Best Cities list. You can find anything and everything here, and I literally mean everything. Go on a Desert safari and pray for the roll cage to do its job well, swim with the dolphins, gaze at the city from the 124th floor of the tallest tower in the world, or dine at the restaurant that sits at a dizzying 1350 feet from the ground. Word of caution: you might need daddy’s credit card for that last one. If you want to be a little bolder, venture out into the famed Karama markets and buy yourself a brand new Louis Vuitton bag … for a little over AED 100. Study to gain knowledge: take some time to really absorb the information being given to you in your lectures. You never know, you may develop an uncanny liking for a topic you previously hadn’t paid heed to. Your electives come into play here as well; use them wisely. Enroll yourself in a language class. Imagine how awesome it would be to go on a trip to Spain one day and to be able to speak in fluent Spanish, or to simply eavesdrop at airports and have a good laugh. Value bedtime: don’t worry I am not talking about skipping the party. That time you have on your hands when you don’t have a morning class? Sleep! Once you start working, you are going to have to wake up every morning without fail. So use these years at university to get a good morning’s sleep. Use student discounts: okay lets face it, we tend to dress up … quite a lot. And, we have good reason too as well- it’s Dubai, everybody dresses up. So go out and make use of those student discounts. Of the top of my head, Topshop, Al-Arrab, and New Look offer such discounts. So if you fancy eating a mixed grill for less, or simply enjoy what was initially called window-shopping before you saw that must-have dress at Topshop, remember to bring out your student ID. Don’t forget to party: I am sure none of us need to be told this, but no list is complete without this bare essential. This applies especially to those in their final year of university. It is really easy to get caught up in the stress of having to take all the courses you need to graduate, and having to worry about your future prospects. But, all of us need to blow off some steam now and then. I am going to have to use a cliché here. Work hard, play hard. For those of you who are just starting out, it may seem like a long way, but four years will be gone in the blink of an eye, and trust me, at the end of it all that strange room you walked into, will be what you proudly call home and those strangers will be the people you can’t imagine your life without.
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COOPERATIVE EDUCATION (CO-OP) Written by Eleni Papailia
Picture taken by Eleni Papailia
The Cooperative Education Program gives students the opportunity to gain meaningful work experience before they graduate.
Cooperative Education positions: • are related to the students’ field of study • are full-time work positions • include formal evaluation and documentation of their perfor- mance
Benefits of Cooperative Education • Apply theory learned in class • Explore career choices • Experience typical work environment • Develop additional technical skills and enhance vital personal skills such as judgment, written and oral communi- cation, teamwork • Network that may be helpful when seeking full-time employment • Be a more attractive candidate for full-time employment after graduation, due to gained experience
Coop duration per major • Engineering: 50 weeks (2 semes ters+2 summer sessions) • Computing: 24 weeks (usually 2 summer sessions of 12 weeks each) • Business: 16 weeks (usually 2 sum mer sessions of 8 weeks each or part time during the semester)
Please contact the co-op office: Mrs. Eleni Papailia, expcad@rit.edu , Tel: 04-371 2019 or visit at the office
How to prepare • Start searching for your dream job! • Create a LinkedIn profile! Check out video: LinkedIn for students • Follow the companies you dream to work for on social media • Work on your resume • Network: Let family and people close to you that you will need to do a co-op • Follow the tips sent from co- op office
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Tip!
Tip!
Tip!
The study abroad program, at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) campuses, gives the opportunity for a one of a kind experience to all RIT students. Every student enrolled at RIT New York, and its other satellite campuses in Croatia, Dubai, and Kosovo, has the option to enroll for a semester or two at any other RIT campus. I was one of those few lucky students who received the opportunity to do a semester abroad at RIT, New York in the 2014 Spring Semester. I remember enrolling in RIT Dubai in 2011 and learning about this program and I instantly knew then that I would definitely seize the opportunity when the time was right. In October 2013, I began the process of applying to the program as students need to go through some simple assessments before they are accepted. I did an interview with the Global Program Specialist at RIT, NY, which was a casual conversation between me and them, but it also included some specific questions. The interview is the final step which is followed by an acceptance/rejection letter. I arrived at RIT-NY on January 25 2014, accompanied by 10 other students from RIT Dubai who had also been accepted for the program. The six months that I spent there changed my perspective completely! From studying in a class that gave me hands on experience in management consulting,
to waking up at 10am on a weekend for a Zumba Class. The RIT-NY campus has a wide range of courses that students can select from, which makes learning really enjoyable. Aside from studying, traveling within the U.S. was another thing I made sure I did not miss out on. The whole point of studying abroad is to learn and absorb the new culture youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in; it is an education in itself. The University was also provided the study abroad students different opportunities to go on excursions and activities which were fun and new to most of us. Although the transition from studying in a classroom of only 20 students at RIT Dubai, to suddenly sitting in a class of 50 was intimidating, I gradually adjusted and adapted to the environment. The other study abroad students and I did not have any difficulties learning or adjusting to the new surroundings. The professors and the students were very helpful and the learning was very interactive. Living and making new friends was also easy because most study abroad students were placed in the best housing of their campus - Global Village, a housing for international students as well as local students. The housing has suites which consist of five rooms and two bathrooms. Overall, I strongly recommend going on the study abroad program. If you have a serious wanWritten by derlust but you think that your Parsa Khan education is holding you back, then this definitely the way to go. There are only advantages and opportunities in studying abroad and if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been uncertain about it, I think you should stop thinking and start applying today.
STUDY ABROAD
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TECH CRUNCHTECH
EVENTS OUTLINE: A LOOK BACK Contributors Langston Menezes, Shahmeer Sheikh, Firas Darwish
Photographs taken by RIT Dubai
As the semester is coming to an end, we did a round up of student-organized events. Last year was great start for RIT Dubai’s first Student Government who undertook and managed to pull of events such as “A Day for Children”, an autism fundraiser event that was co-organized by RIT-Dubai’s Humanitarian Club, Global Day, and Karaoke Night. However, this year, they stepped up their game with plenty of events such as Horror Night, another successful Karaoke Night, Winter Ball, Thanksgiving Dinner, Sports Day, two BBQ trips (one to Al-Ain and one to Fujairah), and an Open Mic Night.
In the fall of 2013, we had one of RIT-D’s biggest fundraiser events to date. It was organized in the Cedre Shopping Centre to raise awareness about autism and to raise funds for the Dubai Autism Center. We had many volunteers who hosted various activities such as games, cupcake decorating, and face painting, for kids. There was a dance performance by our Dabke group, as well a musical program with live bands performing. Our talented musicians from RIT performed a mix of genres, from fastpaced metal to slow melodious tunes that brought the evening to an end.
Global Day, one of the biggest events we had last year took place in Spring 2014, where all RIT students, as well as the DSO community gathered and celebrated an arsenal of cultural events. We have also had musical events such as Karaoke night where students were given a chance to showcase their vocal talents, and have some fun! This event has happened twice every two consecutive years and both of them were a great success. This was intended not just for fun but rather, served the purpose of being an icebreaker for the students. I really enjoyed it because I love music and singing, so this gave me an opportunity to perform live on stage in front of my friends. We also had a Mexican dinner which spiced up the night even more.
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For festivals such as Halloween, the Student Government organized a Horror Night in which the whole university was decorated with the festive theme of Jack-o-Lanterns; because of the enthusiasm shown by the students, the event was a great success, and the best part was that this event was the first of its kind. The reason why I was enthusiastic was because everyone, including myself, had dressed up in costumes. Since this was my first Halloween party, I loved it and volunteered to play the role of a ghost for the haunted house of this event. Besides the game, there was a lot of spooky music playing throughout the corridors. The night followed with a dinner and a movie, which made the event even livelier .
We also had our first Winter Ball in the fall of 2014. This was intended to get the students into the seasonal spirit as Christmas was around the corner. It was another successful event, as again it was the first time we had a winter ball at RIT. The venue was JW Marriot, and the setup was both classy, and elegant. What I really loved about this was that it was like a recap of my prom, however this time it is university. We did not have many students at the ball as the event took place close to the holidays and quite a number of students were traveling at the time, yet, it still managed to be a success and I had a great time. RIT’s first sports day was held on March 21st. A day filled with a mix of healthy competition and good fun. The sports that were played consisted of Pingpong, Volleyball, Football, Dodge ball and Basketball, and every sport proved to be more competitive than the other. The day started out with games of Pingpong followed by Football, Volleyball, Basketball and Dodge ball in their respective order. The day was planned out perfectly down to the last detail by our athletics department, who deserve to be given their due diligence for the effort that they put in to this event resulting in its inevitable success. All the teams were determined to get their names engraved on the huge trophy that was to be presented to the winner of the Sports Day. As the day came to a close, the victory was a tie between the two teams “7areega” and “CTTM”.
One of the more recent events was the Open Mic Night held on April 20th (4/20). There was an array of performances by RIT’s finest ranging from stand up comedy to poetry to some outstanding vocal performances. This again has been a highlight of the student government’s ultimate management and organization of events, this semester.
Speaking of recent events, two BBQ excursions were also organized this year: one was a BBQ in Al-Ain, and the other was a BBQ in Fujairah.
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GREEN IS THE COLOR OF YOUR NEW NETWORK Written by Rawad Raidan
One of the perks of being a student is that you can poke and prod event organizers for free delegate passes to your favorite conferences. Conferences are a great way to network with professionals from your field and to make key contacts. Networking is a necessary skill, it’s a different mode of communication. Professionally, we approach people differently than how we approach our friends. When networking, we are combining our opportunity-seeking side with our sincerity. For some of us, it’s like tapping our head with one hand and drawing circles around our belly with the other, it takes time to look less silly. I was fortunate enough to get a complementary registration to DubaiRetrofit, that took place on 16-17 March. Green building, energy services companies (ESCOs), and sustainability frameworks, are the areas where all the academic majors want to be. And there I was with my RIT notebook and sports coat. DEWA and the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy launched the conference with an overview of the vision and direction of energy investments that are forecasted for the next 15 years. Ambitiously, 30,000 buildings need to be retrofitted with electrical and cooling energy saving solutions, to achieve the infrastructure development and economic growth rates that would be necessary so as to not strain the current carrying capacity of the emirate. If green-building-sustainability-environment is
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Picture Source: The European
your cup of tea, and low-kiloWatt-lighting are your biscuits, then you would have been stuffed. Major operating ESCOs such as Emrill, MAFDalkia, and Etihad ESCO were there—along with a host of material and service providers. The Dubai Chamber of Commerce building was featured as the only building in the Arab region to receive LEED EBOM (Existing Building Operation and Maintenance) certification. A fully functioning office tower, it has a DEWA bill lower than most villas. DEWA technicians reportedly changed the building meter three times, to cross check! A lot of focus was given to no-cost/low-cost energy economizers, before larger investments are attempted. Energy monitoring is key to achieve long term impacts in consumption. I learned about district cooling inefficiencies, and gaps in industry regulation that are needed to lead the market to where it should be. Regs are bland topics for most occasions, but every industry needs a framework. Financing, insurance, and payback, guarantees were some of the topics that experts weighed in on. During the many coffee breaks and over lunch, I tried to make the most of meeting people and exchanging opinions. I managed to get a stack of business cards two finger-joints high! Now it’s time for the second part of networking, emailing your contacts and building your network. So here I go…
LIFESTYLE
LIVING ON BUDGET La banane chocolat craquelin
Written by Jhealyn Samson Photographs taken by Jhealyn Samson
For a university student who lives quite far away from the comforts of a warm homemade meal, courtesy of mom of course, one of the most pressing issues you’re going to face is what do I eat? Luckily, I’m here to impart an easy-to-make minute meal which is healthy, and yes, the magical word: CHEAP.
With a few minutes left before your lesson, and an empty stomach vying for attention, just whip out a good ol’cracker. But, not just any cracker, a chocolate smothered and banana topped one to keep you awake till your next meal. And, you don’t have to worry about calories pilling up, since just a few bites of these can you fill you up pronto thanks to the topped bananas and chocolate .The best part about this tiny bite-sized dish is that its ingredients are pretty easy to find.
Ingredients:
Recipe:
1
spread the chocolate spread on the toast or cracker.
Crackers ( preferably the plain ones ) or you can substitute it with toasted bread
2
place some finely sliced banana pieces on top of it.modia.
Chocolate spread (A dark-chocolate spread preferably, if you really want to keep yourself healthy, since it’s full of antioxidants.
A finely sliced banana
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3
You can top it off with more chocolate, depending on how you you prefer.
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LIFESTYLE
HOW to DE-STRESS Stress, the nemesis of every working individual, and second to none. It’s like a stubbed toe, we ignore it once the pain becomes tolerable, but what we do not realize is how absolutely devastating the consequences are when we let it fester. From wrecking your precious sleep to keeping you in a constant state of gloom and doom. Step away from your downward spiral of pain and try to incorporate the following tips to your everyday life. Written by Jhealyn Samson
Illustrated by Raina Zakir
Move Overworking yourself too much? Or are you the type who likes to over think? Either way, the best way to unhinge the stress you’ve piled on that mush you call a brain is to physically exert yourself. Take a break by going for a quick jog, or shoot some hoops, or do whatever activity you prefer; however, make sure you keep it to a minimum of 15 minutes. You wouldn’t want to tire yourself too much and give yourself an excuse to ditch work. After the quick workout, I guarantee you, your mind will be as clear and fresh after a weekend holiday in Switzerland. Moreover, it will allow you to process more information and sort out whatever assaulting issues you were drilling your brain with. Try it.
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Say NO to napping After a tiring lesson or enormous amounts of work, nothing will please you more than a well deserved nap. However, it pains me to say this, but, avoid it at all costs unless you’re vigilant enough to keep it to a minimum of 1 hour. If you still persist on hitting that snooze button, by the time you wake up you’ll be as sluggish as a sloth on a hot summer’s day and you’d have to spend the entire night vigorously trying to finish up as much pending work as possible, only to wake up feeling like a train wreck.
Cutting the responsibilities in blocks
Eating
Talk it out This is by far my favorite method of de-stressing: the art of complaining. Letting out the pent up frustrations in strews of colorful words, is by far the best way to relax, especially when a certain incident has been lingering in your mind for far too long. Picture that pesky event and in every unpleasant scenario, say out loud what you think should have happened, but make sure you’re in an isolated area when you start screaming your head off or else onlookers will just think you’re absolutely mad.
Now, a lot of you may not take this course of action due to the dire consequence of getting into the habit of binge eating when stressed, however, a lovely loophole for that is to partake on only healthy and fresh snacks when you require a break. Snack on an orange, banana, nuts, or any nutritious food you’d prefer when you’re doing work. Even drinking a cold glass of water will cleanse away those inhibitions, just remember to keep it to a minimum and do not partake on anything that’s too heavy, because that’ll just make you lethargic.
Some people have the innate skill of arranging their ‘to do list’ in their minds when presented with a desk full of work. But, if you’re like me who’s immediate response is to panic, and waste copious amounts of time fruitlessly trying to get everything settled in your brain, then here’s a good piece of advice: DON’T. Here’s what you do: Get a piece of paper and a pen, and estimate the amount of time each task is going to take. Next, categorize them by prioritizing the tasks according to importance,. Once that’s done, your mind will automatically build a rough schedule, subconsciously alerting you to stick to the time limit. It’s like a personal alarm clock built inside you. Pretty neat right?
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Faculty Feature: Q & A with
Dr. Wael Abdel Samad Our Q & A session with a very interesting faculty member, who’s already got a bunch of achievements under his belt, Dr. Wael Abdel Samad is one of the youngest PhD holders of RIT-D. He did his Bachelor’s at the American University of beirut and then later his doctoral studies at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Q: What fascinates you about your major, mechanical engineering? A: As an undergraduate, I started off as a civil engineering student, and then transferred to Mechanical engineering after my sophomore year. I really enjoyed the fact that mechanical engineering encompasses a wide range of topics; this is one of the major reasons why I enjoyed studying mechanical engineering. Q: What persuaded you to go for MSc and PhD? A: I remember I was very confused and unsure about what job to go after upon graduation. During the same time, I was applying to multiple graduate schools in the US and Europe so as to keep my options open. My first job was a site mechanical engineer for an HVAC contracting company in Saudi Arabia; I quite enjoyed the job and the hands-on experience I gained from it, but the decision to go to graduate school became a much easier one as soon as I got a Teaching Assistantship (form of scholarship) to study at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Q: What motivated you to work harder towards reaching your PhD degree? A: For me I tend to set relatively short term goals that are challenging yet 34 | DESIGN MGZ WRITERS | 34 6
achievable with hard work. So when I started my graduate studies, I remember not looking way too ahead. I took it one semester at a time, maintained a high GPA, excelled in my research, performed well in teaching laboratory sessions etc. As soon as you get that momentum going, it gets easier with time and the lengthy road to graduation didn’t feel all that long.
putting a lot of time and effort working on this bi-weekly publication while maintaining good academic standing.
Q: Is there anything that is done by students in general and sort of annoys you? A: Sometimes, students ask you questions just to show you that they are present in class. I am not a big fan of that attitude. Also students using their mobile phones; I’d much rather have a student Q: Dr. Wael you’re consider to be the miss his / her class rather than come to youngest Ph.D. holder among RIT doc- class and show no interest in paying attors. Can you tell us more about your tention. journey, the toughest and proudest moments that faced you? Q:What were the things you didn’t enjoy A: It was ups and downs, I didn’t face in class as a student? much difficulties when it came to grad- A: I never liked it when professors asuate courses themselves. The major ob- sume that you have prior knowledge of stacles were always research related. something when it is clearly a new conWith courses it was almost certain that cept. granted you study, you will end up with a good grade. Such is not the same with Q: Any last words for students research. I remember working on some A: Try to make the best of your time at topics for months but with no tangible college. Step out of your comfort zone results coming out of it. I would say that and reach out and meet new people was the toughest and most frustrating from different backgrounds and majors. part of graduate school. Also work on getting involved through As for the second part of your question, social volunteer work in the community maybe not exactly proudest, but cer- around you. Some of my best times I had tainly most memorable was when I was in college was while I took part in variselected to be the editor of photography ous extracurricular activities. of the American University of Beirut’s official student publication. I remember
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MEET the TEAM
Mashal Waqar
Shahmeer Sheikh
Raina Zakir
Joshya Mbaya
Waqas Sarguroh
Makram Baki
Jhealyn Samson
Alyssa Raya
Kristine Bauzon
Dr. Rizwan Tahir
Veronika Loessl
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ABOUT: WRITERS is published bi-anually during the academic year by the members of Marketing Club at Rochester Institute of Technology, Dubai located at Technopoint Building, Dubai Silicon Oasis. Our phone number is +971 4 371 2000. Opinions expressed are those of signed contributors or the editors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the RIT-D. WRITERS is not responsible for materials presented in the advertisements.
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â&#x20AC;&#x153; Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.
-Steve Jobs
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