cp_may_2011 by Abdus Samad

May 2011 Issue No. 17

The New Culture of Social Employees Hind Al-Nahedh explains

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A rugby team with a sting in their tail!

Al7een Dorek! exclusive interview with Abla Abdullah Al-Eissa

Modern Royals citypageskuwait.com

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Natalia Citcai Contributors

Augustine Fou Athena Christopher Elliott Dr. Nazia Nausheen Eng. Homoud Al-Muhareb Hind Al-Nahedh Jassem Al-Marzook John MacArthur Kitty Holman Lewis Chapman Maryl Celiz Paul Tunbridge Rania IbraHeem Abdul Azziz Ruby Samy Sam Wigg Sarah Abdullah

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DISCLAIMER

Extra care has been used to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this magazine. However, the publisher will not accept responsibility for errors and omissions in the publication. In addition, the views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher. Photos have been altered to comply with the Laws of Kuwait.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication including pictures, articles, artworks, and overall design may be reproduced, copied, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated in any language in any form or means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the written permission of the editor or the publisher. Copyright © May 2011

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MAY 2011 Volume 2, Issue 17

CONTENTS

Eye Spy:

COOLPIX:

Natacha Atlas:

AutoPages:

Can you see what I’m writing?

Compact Digital Camera Lineup A Woman and Musician of the 2011 Shanghai Auto Show World for Spring 2011

FASHIONPAGES Ralph Lauren’s Spring / Summer 2011 Handbag Collection Anastasia Radevich - Ice Cool Shoes Vero Moda Summer 2011 Lookbook “Style of Jolie” Jewelry Line This Season: It’s all about Python Chanel's spring 2011 Collection

TRAVELPAGES ‘I love Venice and I ama lika Boork!’

TECHPAGES Amazing & New Gadgets

POETRYPAGES Poetry By Rania Ibraheem Abdul Azziz

INTERVIEWPAGES 70 71 72 73 74 75 52

32 36 38 58 59 60 61

Natacha Atlas - A Woman and Musician of the World Dr. Hina Chaudhry - Fixing Heart Attacks for Good Abla Abdulla Al-Essa – al7een Dorek

ENTERTAINMENTPAGES U.S. Singles Top 40

April Book Releases Hollywood Movie Releases Bollywood Movie Releases

HEALTHPAGES 62 28

44 46 48 50

Benefits of ORANGE Diet Eye Spy: Can you see what I’m writing? PILATES DAY Walnuts

CONTENTS

FROM THE EDITOR

Welcome back to CITYPAGES Magazine!

This month we celebrate the X chromosome! And the Aged X chromosomes! Better known as Mothers!

EVENTSPAGES Alshaya Trading Company celebrates European style

KIDS PAGES

Fun Activities For Kids

INSIGHTPAGES Plastic-Free Lifestyle Fox Town Modern Royals Amazing and Unique Offices Around the World

Success is no accident ‫غموض لوحة‬ 6 Things You Should Never Say To an Employee Silence is Valuable

SPORTSPAGES A rugby team with a sting in their tail!

BEAUTYPAGES Bath and Body Works

HIND AL-NAHEDH'S PAGES The New Culture of Social Employees

Let's begin this month by wishing a Happy Mother's Day to all mothers, stepmothers, grandmothers, and special guardians, and even some fathers!

11 56 14 15 16 18 20 22 24 26 42 40 31

COOKINGPAGES Banana Cream Pie with Caramel Drizzles and Chocolate Sauce

AUTOPAGES 2011 Shanghai Auto Show

54 66

IN EVERY ISSUE Homework For Grown Ups Press Pages Horoscopes & Famous Birthdays

27 76 80

This issue is our most stuffed issue yet! We’re stuffed from cover to cover with some really interesting articles, interviews and latest fashion trends from around the world, which I am sure you will love to read. I always learn new things while putting together each issue of CityPages and this one is no exception. For example, I didn’t know there was a genius who has discovered a way to make new heart cells, as for eternity, once a heart cell died from a heart attack or heart disease, it was gone forever. I learnt many other interesting facts while meeting with Dr. Hina Chaudhry. In this issue, we speak to Natacha Atlas, a true global musician. Natacha Atlas is a proof that it’s a small world after all. Born in Brussels, raised in England, performing mostly in Arabic, and famous the world over. Most importantly, we are extremely happy to be able to meet an amazing lady who is bringing a true revolution in education in Kuwait. Abla Al-Eissa our cover personality this month is an amazing woman. Abla is the Manager of the Training and Development Department in the Ministry of Education and heading an important project ‘Al7een Dorek’(Alheen Dorek) which aims to develop the schools management and achieve professional development. I am pleased to announce that Lana Al-Resheed who was interviewed in our previous issue has agreed to contribute a page on regular basis , where she will share her personal experiences and professional advise for freshers in hospitality and service industry. As always, I hope readers take away some useful perspectives and guidance from this issue’s contents. Enjoy the read!

EVENTSPAGES

citypageskuwait.com

Alshaya Trading Company celebrates European style in Tunis Street 14 years of Italian tiles, German kitchens, French, German and Italian bathrooms

Since its establishment in 1997, the Alshaya Trading Company has provided discerning Kuwaiti home-lovers with the finest Continental style at the company’s Tunis Street showroom. Imola, Settecento and Nobilia are among the most popular concepts presented under one roof, and exclusive to Alshaya. Imola ceramic tiles are a reflection of the most noble Italian ceramic tradition and bring to Kuwait over 133 years of style and experience. Commenting at a gathering in the Tunis Street showroom, Jens Erik Svendsen, Operations Director for Alshaya Trading, said that the company was proud to offer home-lovers such a diverse range of ceramics: “Apart from Imola and Settecento, we also have ABK, another leading Italian ceramic range, and whatever we present bears the hallmark of Alshaya Trading’s diverse offerings, both as regards clients and décor concepts; a commitment to beauty of design and suitability to the special requirements of the local market.” Also represented in Tunis Street are the bathroom solutions of Ideal Standard, preeminent among European bathroom stylings. Innovation and beauty combine in the bathroom – where one starts the day – for a total body and mind experience. The Alshaya Trading team of professional consultants are on hand to advise clients, whichever concept catches their imagination.

May - 2011

EVENTSPAGES

COFFEE BEAN AD

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INSIGHTPAGES

Plastic-Free Lifestyle

Kitty Holman

Plastic,

the seemingly-harmless material that holds our milk, shapes our baby bottles, carries our groceries and is the substance of our debit cards, is almost unavoidable. As a non-biodegradable, toxic pollutant, it’s also extremely harmful to our environment. It’s not enough simply to recycle and reuse the plastic that we use, although that’s certainly important. Eco-conscious families should aim to live as plastic-free of a lifestyle as possible. To help you toward that end, here we will explore five steps to a plastic-free lifestyle.

Say no to plastic water bottles.

Not only do billions of plastic water bottles wind up in landfills each year, but truck transport of bottled water to grocery stores, particularly water bottled outside the country, has a substantial carbon footprint. It’s better for the environment to drink filtered water from your tap and carry around stainless steel or aluminum reusable water bottles.

Use reusable grocery bags.

Bring your own reusable cloth totes to the grocery store. Plastic grocery bags, although convenient, are seldom recycled and often end up in landfills alongside plastic water bottles. Another plastic-free tip for the grocery store? Don’t use the plastic produce bags provided; just set fruits and veggies directly in your cart.

Make certain foods at home.

Instead of purchasing bread packaged in plastic, invest in a bread-maker and start making home-made bread, which is cheaper overall and tastes oh-so-much better once you get the hang of it. Instead of purchasing yogurt in individual plastic packages, learn to make it yourself and store it in glass

containers. Granola is also easy to make at home, where you can avoid buying granola in plastic packages. Cooking from scratch also goes a long way toward reducing the amount of pre-packaged dinner items you buy at the store.

Carry around a pooper scooper instead of using plastic to pick up after pets. Disposable pet bags are convenient but they also require the use of plastic. Instead of using a plastic baggie, use a scooper and empty it in an outdoor Dumpster.

Store items in Mason jars. This is a great option to replace plastic Tupperware and other plastic storage options around the house. You can also rinse and re-use glass pasta sauce jars for food storage or opt for Pyrex.

These are just a few means by which you can reduce your family’s plastic usage. How are you reducing the amount of plastic you use around the house?

May - 2011

INSIGHTPAGES

Eng. Homoud Al-Muhareb

FoxTown Outlet is in Mendrisio, Canton Ticino, Switzerland. It is about an hour drive from Milano so if you're having your vacation there you can easily pay a visit for a fascinating shopping spree. Cross the border from Italy to Switzerland and shop till you drop at Foxtown outlets. 3 km of shop windows at discounted prices .160 stores, 250 brands, 7 cafes and restaurants and beauty center are housed under the same roof! At FoxTown Outlet you can find the top Italian and international brands: Gucci, Prada, Versace, Salvatore Ferragamo, Valentino, Bally, Dolce & Gabbana, Missoni, Dior, Fendi, Jil sander, Tod's, Hogan, Ralph Lauren, Diesel, Esprit, Adidas, Nike, Replay, Samsonite, La Perla and much more.

The philosophy of outlet stores The Factory Outlet Center is a new way of shopping already proven in the United States. In these new retail spaces, the most famous international companies offer their products at factory prices directly to the customer, with a discount from 30% to 70%.In this way companies find a commercial solution for liquidating their surplus production or stock of the previous season, guaranteeing the quality of the merchandise. The Factory stores are just what the smart shopper needs no wonder, for here you'll find the same outstanding quality, friendly service and unique shopping experience that you can find in the most exclusive stores - but at much lower prices.

INSIGHTPAGES

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Modern Royals

John MacArthur

almost not royal-looking, just like the people next door...

The Chapel Royal

in St. James's Palace in London was a popular setting for marriage during the reign of Queen Victoria. She married her husband, Prince Albert there on 10 February 1840. Eighteen years later, their eldest daughter, Victoria, followed her example. The chapel seats only a hundred people and nineteenth century monarchy cherished and jealously guarded their rarefied 'otherness', keeping a dignified distance between themselves and most of their subjects. By contrast, my mother was born in 1922 the same year in which the daughter of King George V, Mary, the princess Royal was married in Westminster Abbey which had become popular again as a venue for royal marriages. At that time, a Royal Wedding might attract considerable attention from the press and articles would appear in the London Times and other publications in far-flung outposts of the Empire. Paparazzi would have been almost non-existent and they knew better than to interfere with the affairs of their betters, maintaining a deferential distance. Local crowds of perhaps a few hundred might gather, if they happened to live within an omnibus ride away, cheer patriotically and wave flags with enthusiasm. For Mary's wedding the royal party arrived at the Abbey in open landaus, since a royal wave was as popular then as it is today. The monarchy was only too aware of the benefits of good PR after the First World War in which the country had suffered immensely and the flower of Europe's manhood had been mown down like wheat. Since the arrival of television, however, weddings have attracted enormous public attention, with millions of people all over the world watching in addition to the invited guests. When William married Kate Middleton, it has been estimated that one third of the world's population saw at least a part of it on TV and the guest list ran to over two thousand in the Abbey. Royalty, either tacitly or openly demands succession. Poor Diana, the lamb to the slaughter, was, perhaps callously, compared to a brood mare of the right bloodlines to ensure that the House of Windsor was able to proffer suitable candidates to continue. What always amuses me is the curiously conservative attitude of the British population. Whenever they get a chance to flag-wave and show a bit of solidarity for the House of Windsor, they do so with almost immoderate gusto suggesting they'd prefer them to carry on gallivanting at vast expense to the Exchequer, opening hospitals and supporting good causes than not and this time, with Wills and Kate, they got a day off as well to do it. Britain dipped its toes into near-Republican alternatives feet first, electing to dispose of a monarch and barely ten years later, after a decade of cancelled Christmases and compulsory worship, welcoming back his successor with a few muttered words of apology. The French, on the other hand, set about aristocratic genocide with far more determination and the cleansing was so radical that

the opulence and unashamed greed of the House of Bourbon was never repeated. The Czar of all the Russias was deposed with even greater violence and his successors with varying degrees of ineptitude perpetrated the greatest and most far-reaching crimes against humanity that the world had ever seen. Sherlock Holmes, once solved a case by referring to the curious incident of the dog in the night time or “the dog that did not bark.” It could be argued that republicanism is another dog that did not bark. Over the monarchy, as over constitutional matters generally, British instincts, even those with Leftist leanings in this regard have been almost conservative. In the last fifteen years Britain has embarked upon major constitutional reforms - devolution for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; an elected mayor of London; the abolition of nearly all hereditary peers; incorporation of the European convention of human rights into British law; a Freedom of Information Act yet the monarchy has remained untouched. Here the hereditary principle, rejected for the House of Lords, remains sacrosanct. It is probably true to suggest that echoes of serfdom resonate down the centuries, but it has become clear, both in Britain and Europe, that the great royal houses must needs reinvent themselves, undergo a software upgrade, if you will. A King or Queen is not as was once thought, anointed by God, imbued with special powers and whose status and ability rested exclusively on right of accession. What, then, should modern royals look like and what use has a modern, educated democracy for them? Prince Haakon of Norway is a graduate of the Royal Norwegian Naval Academy in Bergen. He holds a BA from Berkeley and an MA from the LSE in development studies and international trade and has served as member of Norway’s third delegation to the UN General Assembly. Crown Prince Frederick of Denmark has a Masters in Political Science from the University of Aarhus and spent a year studying political science at Harvard. He served at the Danish UN Mission in New York, was posted to the Royal Danish Embassy in Paris as First Secretary and lectures with the Institute of Strategy at the Royal Danish Defence College. A monarchy as titular head of state is no longer enough. But, huge issues need to be addressed. In the future, in places where kings and queens rule, dialogue about the royal prerogative in government will merge into a wider discussion on more general themes like centralisation, lack of accountability and secrecy. There will be discussion of the merits of a bill of rights and of a written constitution, a critique of the social detachment of the monarchy - going far beyond such issues as fox-hunting or polo - balanced against the clear awareness that, historically, monarchy has been a powerful social glue. A working-class monarchy, earning a living, trained in diplomacy and modern political thinking is a more secure platform from which a representative of a once-revered breed can look to the future with confidence.

May - 2011

INSIGHTPAGES

citypageskuwait.com

Amazing and Unique Offices Around the World

If you still work in an off-white padded cubicle, you may not want to check out the offices of companies like Google, Pixar, and Disney. These companies and 7 others comprise this list of 10 unique offices around the world and will make the rest of us quite depressed that our offices don’t take full advantage of all the colors of the rainbow. From bright colors and crazy architecture to slides and walls made of grass, some companies sure know how to make their work environments fun and exciting. I’d guess that after time even the most elaborate and modern offices would get “old” after working there for some time. But then again, it’d probably never get old telling people you could use a slide to get downstairs rather than an elevator.

Google

Bastard Store and Office

Every office guide worth its salt includes Google’s headquarters, or Googleplex if you will. They have mastered the art of ludicrous workspaces. Along with the rule that no employee is allowed to be more than 100 meters away from food at any time, they have slides, water lounges, massage chairs, igloos and dogs. I honestly don’t know how anyone gets any work done.

If you asked a teenage boy to design an office this is what he would create. A triple level building, the first being the store, the second being the office and the third being the internally essential skate park. No doubt full of cool people selling cool things and doing cool things, this is the office every male adolescent mind dreams of.

White Mountain Office

Red Bull London

Part ‘Thunderbirds’ part ‘Armageddon’, this disused atomic shelter is now the headquarters for the Swedish International Development Co-operation. Burrowed 100 feet below Stockholm and the home to many internet-providing oompaloompas, it looks like a 1960s sci-fi set. The heating bill must be through the roof.

Like a cross between an iPod and a futuristic dentist, this office ironically looks like it was designed by someone who had drunk to much Red Bull. With its sleek stainless steel interior, carbon slide and floating staircase it screams high energy, adrenalin and all things extreme.

May - 2011

INSIGHTPAGES

Disney Store Headquarters Pixar Giant lamps and WallEs litter the gardens and the studios look like cosy garden sheds, but what did you expect? In addition to the swimming pool, gym, café and lounge, it also houses a video games arcade, fairy lights and Pixar characters hanging around everywhere. I’d like to work here please.

Entering below a massive pair of Mickey Mouse ears, there is no question that you have entered Disney country. Full of bright colours and soft corners it is the perfect place to release your inner child. You can build walls from building blocks or climb through the gigantic honey comb, there is probably a tantrum corner too!

Vodafone The home of the Belgian designer, this building is just lovely. Consisting of grass walls both inside and out, it could blend in beautifully to rolling hills and countryside. It’s a shame that it is in the middle of a busy street in the middle of Seoul.

It jumps out of Portugal’s horizon looking like a monster waiting to scare you; it does in this picture at least. The big glowing Vodafone sign look like an all-seeing cycloptic eye, peering down on those who dare to enter. The inside on the other hand, although still heartbreakingly minimalist, is a cheerier place with the odd splash of colour here and the odd lamp there it could almost look homely. Almost.

Ogilvy & Mather Guangzhou Office

Selgas Cano Architecture

Ann Demeulemeester, Seoul

Forget minimalism! That was so last year.What workers really want is a punch in the face every morning from a fake fairground. This office is literally full of stuff; golden gallopers, human-sized toy soldiers and a shed load of lights. It was based on the theme ‘Carnival of Ideas’, which I think explains it all.

Nestled in amongst the leaves and trees is the offices of Selgas Cano Architecture. Part underground with skylights and part ground level with glass walls, this office brings its workers back to nature. It’s making me feel relaxed just looking at it.

INSIGHTPAGES

citypageskuwait.com

Success is no accident

I SOMETIMES

wonder whether human beings are hard-wired for adulation, genetically programmed to chase the rainbows of wealth, success and privilege that surround the iconic personality. We measure success sometimes in intangibles. How much money is easy – the Forbes rich list, the catalogue of the wealthiest on the planet, crunches the numbers for us. But, it does not tell us much else. It gives us no information about the kind of people – if such exists - that have amassed more of the world's goods than any of the others. So, our question today looks below the surface of mere wealth and expensive clothes to the personalities and motivations of such people that most of the rest of us will never ever meet or come into contact with. Perhaps we ought to leave Bill Gates out since everybody knows about the geeky university dropout who built computers in his father's garage and went on to found the most successful software house in the world. So, by way of example, I have selected three people and tried to gauge what factors, if any, have made them the successes that they have become. John MacArthur First, Michael Bloomberg. America's richest politician continues to juggle leading New York City and his $20 billion media empire, Bloomberg LP. Boston-born Bloomberg is the son of an accountant, took an engineering degree from Johns Hopkins and an MBA from Harvard. He became a trader at Salomon Brothers in the 1970's, finally leaving with $10 million in stock. He created financial information services firm Innovative Market Systems in 1982 to sell financial data and analytic tools to Wall Street; the company was renamed Bloomberg LP in 1987. Later, he added a news service, a magazine, cable network, and a radio station. He has given away $1.6 billion to charities which fund the arts and public health.

Comment: Sheer, undiluted financial wizardry. Intense media savvy, excellent forecasting ability. Has his looks played a part in his success? Probably not.

Larry Page has an MS from Stanford. He is the co-founder of Google and is worth a cool $20bn. Google rules the search engine, with almost 70% of the market, giving a new noun to the English-speaking world – it does sound better than 'to bing', I think. Its new Android mobile phone system is given away free to phone makers. Page is passionate about energy conservation and has bought up large residential areas of Palo Alto in California which use a revolutionary type of fuel cell. He rides an electric dirt bike, invests in and drives an electric Tesla sports car and his interests include large-scale rainwater capture and geothermal energy. Comment: Great Ivy League start, a natural innovator and successful future-predictor. Looks? H'm. Difficult. Boyish charm certainly – but he looks like your kid's English teacher. Wallis Simpson, the American woman who stole a king, once famously remarked 'A woman can never be too rich or too thin'. Is it true, I wonder, whether successful women have clawed their way to the top in the same way that the men have done? Among fourteen females worth over one billion dollars worldwide representing only 2% of all self-made billionaires, at least five of them started their business with their husbands, brothers or sometimes both, so I have had to discount them. For example, Giuliana Benetton originally knitted sweaters that her brother Luciano would then hawk around retailers on his bicycle. Number three is, however, a little different. Perhaps not quite a billionaire, but almost. J K (Joanne) Rowling studied French at Exeter university, then worked for Amnesty International in London.

May - 2011

On a Manchester-bound train, the idea for a scrawny, bespectacled kid who didn't know he was a wizard just 'fell into her head'. But, from conception to birth was a painful road. Seven years after graduating from university, Rowling, depressed and suicidal, saw herself as "the biggest failure I knew." Her marriage had failed, she was jobless with a dependent child, but she described her failure as liberating. For her, as for many, failure meant a stripping away of the inessential. She writes that she stopped pretending to herself that she was anything other than what she was, and began to direct all her energy to finishing the only work that mattered to her. Had she really succeeded at anything else, she might never have found the determination to succeed in the one area where she truly belonged. She described herself as being set free, because her greatest fear had been realised, she was still alive, had a daughter whom she adored, an old typewriter, and a big idea. And so rock bottom became a solid foundation on which she rebuilt her life. After a long gestation, Harry Potter was born in a succession of small Edinburgh cafes where she wrote frenziedly, her sleeping daughter beside her in a push-chair. She typed out the manuscript herself in the evenings and the rest, as they say, is history. Now worth at least $800 million, in October 2010 she was named 'Most Influential Woman in Britain' by leading magazine editors. She has received honorary degrees from five prestigious universities, including Harvard and believes that those who have more than they need have a moral responsibility to give to those with less. To this end she has set up charities which combat poverty and social inequality. Comment: One great, passionate and all-consuming idea and the willingness to sweat blood and tears to see its fulfilment. Looks? Irrelevant. What a surprise.

So, what do we conclude from this little exercise? Is there a pattern? Probably not, but a few threads in common. Vision, passion, singlemindedness and education about sums it up. I wonder what you think?

‫‪22‬‬

‫‪citypageskuwait.com‬‬

‫‪Jassem Al-Marzook‬‬ ‫ال أعتقد أن هناك أحد ما ‪ -‬سواء أكان رجال أو امرأة ‪ ..‬كبيرا أم صغيرا ‪..‬‬ ‫متعلما أو جاهال ‪ ..‬مثقفا أم ال ‪ -‬لم يرى أو يسمع بلوحة (املوناليـــــزا)‬ ‫املوجودة في عاصمة النور واجلمال والثقافة (بـــاريس) ‪ ..‬فشهرة هذا العمل‬ ‫الفني بالذات ‪ -‬وألسباب تعتبر غير واضحة ‪ ..‬مجهولة ‪ - ..‬قد اخترقت‬ ‫بجدارة جميع احلدود والفواصل الزمنية واجلغرافية والطبيعية واالجتماعية‬ ‫والثقافية التي تفصل بني بني البشر ‪ ..‬فمن املستحيل تقريبا عند قيامك‬ ‫على سبيل املثال‪ -‬بعرض صورتها على أحد ما ‪ -‬مهما كانت خلفيته‬‫التعليمية أو الثقافية أواالجتماعية ‪ -‬أن يخطئ بذكر اسمها ‪ ..‬فهي تعد‬ ‫بكل بساطة ‪ ..‬بديهية من البديهيات ‪ ..‬و مسلمة من املسلمات ‪! ..‬‬ ‫من املعروف أن هذه األسطورة الفنية اخلالدة هي من إبداع العالم والفنان‬ ‫اإليطالي الشهير (ليوناردو دا فنشي) الذي يقال أنه عكف على رسمها ما‬ ‫يقارب من األربعة سنوات ‪ ..‬ومن املعروف أيضا أن مكانها موجود اآلن في‬ ‫متحف (اللوفـــر) الذي يعد من أعرق وأشهر املتاحف الفنية في العالم‬ ‫بأجمعه ‪ ..‬وهي طبعا حتت حماية أمنية مشددة من قبل األمن الفرنسي‬ ‫‪ ..‬حيث توضع خلف جدار زجاجي شفاف ‪ ..‬صلب جدا ومقاوم للرصاص ‪..‬‬ ‫وهذا باإلضافة ملا يستخدم من تقنيات متطورة ودقيقة من قبل العلماء‬ ‫واخملتصني في عملية التنظيف والصيانة من حني إلى آخر ‪ ..‬وكذلك في‬ ‫عملية البحث والكشف عن املزيد من األسرار واخلبايا الكامنة في كل جزء‬ ‫ومقطع فيها ‪..‬‬ ‫فما سر الشهرة االستثنائية لهذه اللوحة ؟ وملاذا كل هذا الغموض‬ ‫والترقب بها من كل صوب وجانب ؟ فبالرغم من مرور أكثر من ثالثة قرون‬ ‫على وجودها ‪ ..‬إال أنه ما زالت هذه (الســـاحرة) تثير دهشة واستغراب‬

‫‪INSIGHTPAGES‬‬

‫غمــــــوض لــــوحة !‬

‫اخلبراء والعلماء واملهتمني بالفن ‪ ..‬فكل شيء فيها مريب ‪ ..‬وكل جزء أو لون أو‬ ‫شكل فيها له معنى مبطن ‪ ..‬أو مفهوم مختلف ‪ ..‬أو قصة غريبة ‪ ..‬فخلفية‬ ‫اللوحة الغير مستوية لها حكاية مدهشة من املمكن احلديث عنها طوال‬ ‫محاضرات متتد لساعات في أحد أكبر القاعات اجلامعية املمتلئة مقاعدها‬ ‫مبختلف أصناف وأنواع الناس ‪ ..‬وعيناها الغامضتان التي تنظران إليك بهيبة‬ ‫ووجل هي كليا عالم آخر ‪ ..‬وابتسامتها احلزينة هي األخرى ملـحمة ‪ ..‬وأما‬ ‫شخصيتها الغامضة فهي شيء مبهم وغير مؤكد ‪ ..‬فمجموعة تقول أنها‬ ‫امرأة حقيقية ‪ ..‬وهي زوجة لتاجر إيطالي من فلورنسا ‪ ..‬ومجموعة تقول أن‬ ‫(املوناليزا) هي إما أن تكون والدة الرسام ‪ ..‬حيث تربطه عالقة وثيقة ومتينة‬ ‫بها ‪ ..‬أو أن تكون هذه (اخمللدة) هي نفسها (ليورنادو دا فنشي) ‪! ..‬‬ ‫أبدا ‪ ..‬أبدا لن ننتهي من تكهنات ونظريات املعجبني بها ‪ ..‬والذائبني بها ‪..‬‬ ‫فمن حني آلخر تظهر لنا أخبار جديدة ‪ ..‬أو معلومات فريدة ‪ ..‬ولعل أهمها‬ ‫وأبرزها ‪ ..‬الرواية البوليسية الشهيرة (شيفرة دافنشي) للكاتب األمريكي‬ ‫(دان براون) ‪ ..‬هذا العمل القصصي الذي أقام العالم ولم يقعده قبل سنوات‬ ‫قليلة ‪ ..‬فهذه الدولة متنعها ‪ ..‬وتلك حتظرها ‪ ..‬وأخرى تبيحها ‪ ..‬شخصيا ‪..‬‬ ‫أنا ال أنكر مدى جاذبية هذه الرواية ‪ ..‬فـمؤلف هذا العمل األدبي رجل ذكي ‪..‬‬ ‫جريء ‪ ..‬ويستحق فعال اإلشادة به ‪..‬‬ ‫وإذا عدنا مرة أخرى إلى (املوناليـــزا) ‪ ..‬ونتيجة ملا سبق ذكره من اهتمام كبير‬ ‫‪ ..‬وضجة غير مسبوقة للوحة فنية على مر التاريخ ‪..‬فإن معظم العلماء‬ ‫والباحثني واملؤرخني يرون أن وراء بساطتها ودقتها ‪ ..‬إشارات وعالمات خاصة‬ ‫متعلقة باعتقاد وإميان وشخصية الرسام اإليطالي ‪..‬‬ ‫بغض النظر عن الذي قيل وحكي ودرس قبل سنوات ‪ ..‬والذي يقال ويحكى‬ ‫ويدرس اآلن ‪ ..‬والذي سيقال وسيحكى وسيدرس بعد سنوات ‪ ..‬أفال يحتمل‬ ‫أن كل هذه األبحاث والدراسات‬ ‫والنظريات والكتب (املوناليزيــة) ‪ ..‬هي فقط خيال ‪ ..‬مبالغة ؟ وأن هذا‬ ‫(الرجل) لم يقصد وضع أية رموز أو شفرات أو عالمات في الداخل وفي اخلارج‬ ‫وعلى اجلوانب واألطراف ‪ ..‬بل كان جل ما يقصده في ذلك الوقت البعيد ‪ ..‬هو‬ ‫إتقان عمله حتى يستطيع كسب عيشه ؟‬

May - 2011

INSIGHTPAGES

citypageskuwait.com

6 Things You Should Never Say To An Employee If You Want Good Service Christopher Elliott Several years ago, I wandered into an art gallery at a Colorado ski resort. I was drawn to the work of a young painter who specialized in wildlife art, and asked the gallery owner how I could contact the artist. “Why do you want to do that?” the owner demanded, her voice turning icy. “To see if she has any other paintings,” I stammered. Here’s the thing you need to know about art galleries: They get paid a commission for each work they sell, so having customers contact artists directly is generally something to be avoided. But this particular gallery owner did not care to enlighten me. “Get out!” she said, pointing to the door. Needless to say, I didn’t buy any paintings, and to this day I feel nervous in art galleries. I’m afraid I’ll say the wrong thing and find myself kicked to the curb. But that got me to thinking. What else should you not say if you want good customer service. Isn’t there a list somewhere? Well, here’s one to get you started:

5. Do you know who I am?

1. I know the owner. You would think this would assure you the best possible service, but it really just makes an employee nervous, or incredulous. Nervous, because who wants to screw up a transaction with the boss’ friend? Incredulous, because in some instances (like walking into a Wal-Mart and claiming to be friends with Sam Walton) it’s highly unlikely. Either way, the service won’t be any better, because an employee will deal with you by the book – no worse, no better – just in case your claims are true.

2. I’m paying cash. Whether you’re going to apply for credit or not can affect the deal, particularly for a big-ticket item. It’s best to not reveal your payment method until you’ve agreed on a price. But telling an associate that you don’t plan to take advantage of store credit – again, particularly on expensive items – may make you a less important customer, or at least a less profitable one. Don’t show your hand until you must.

3. I only want a low price. Never tell a company you just want the least expensive product, even if price is your primary consideration. They’ll use your frugality as an excuse to offer the shoddiest product or service and then turn around and blame you for choosing something substandard. I’ve spent the last 20 years of my career covering the airline industry, and there is perhaps no better example. Don’t tell a company you want cheap, because you’ll get it – and so much less.

4. I’m not a serious buyer. Let’s face it, not everyone who walks into a is there to buy something. Sometimes they’re window-shopping. But you don’t want to announce your intentions up front. Why? Because if you tell an employee you’re not interested in buying something that day, what incentive do they have to give you the attention you deserve? It’s human nature to help the serious buyer but to ignore the window-shopper. It’s also short-sighted, because a few persuasive words can turn a shopper into a customer. Also, avoid telling an associate you’re just “kicking the tires” but will actually buy the product online. You could get kicked out of a store for that kind of talk.

store just

Telling an employee how important you are by emphasizing how many of its products you’ve already purchased, or announcing you’re an elitelevel customer, can be a major turn-off. It can also backfire, prompting an associate to offer you a more expensive product (after all, you’re such a good customer). Membership may have its privileges, but you’re better off waiting until you’ve settled on a purchase before whipping out your platinum, frequent-buyer card.

6. Is this all you have? That, and other disparaging comments about the store inventory, will almost certainly result in less-than-ideal customer service. Keep your comments about the condition of the store to yourself. If you don’t like what you see, it’s better to leave than to give the employees a piece of your mind. W h a t kinds of things have you said to an employee, that you later regretted?

May - 2011

INSIGHTPAGES

citypageskuwait.com

Silence is Valuable in the quiet, almost subconscious workings of the mind, was greatly displeased.

Athena

Silence is a space to grow, a room to move about and have our being. The canvass is where an artist could let us admire what he already painted with deft brush strokes in his mind. On the similar level, it could also be true with other artists and writers. Amidst bedlam and chaos, makes one wonder what would happen

Do nothing

yet project the hardest argument to refute. It can be a sign of control, openness or even the

decoration of the illiterate – silence. A wise man once said, it is better to keep quiet and let people think you’re dumb, rather than open your mouth to confirm all doubt. Perhaps he meant, it has something to do with reason why we have two ears and two eyes but only one mouth – expressed in a cliché, “more talk, more mistakes, less talk, less mistakes.” Silence can be very powerful, too. Noisy kids can be reined in by silence on the part of the parents. Instead of ramming into their sensitive eardrums the words “Be still!” or “Shut up!” parents only need to be still and shut up themselves. Soon the kids will pay attention. Have you noticed that some people can be thrown off by abrupt stillness on your

if libraries become places where people could just break silence, fragile that it is, into jagged, sharp pieces. Whoever started the rule that study halls and other places requiring silence should be bastions of quiet has done a great service to humanity. Everyone needs certain quiet times in a day to go search one’s self and even listen to God’s whispered instructions. Someone has said that a key to a moral renaissance may lie in our learning to love silence and in our spending time quietly seeking for the new life, new commitment, and new thoughts which God will give us if we give Him time to maneuver. That space is silence. It happens when we don’t move about too much, going to and fro justifying our existence or when we stop murmuring, acquiring, or doing – but just being.

part? Not to mention they might have taken your action for great wisdom. Great

Albert Einstein, a man who must have worked most of the time with a padlocked

things have been hatched in silence. Leonardo da Vinci sat motionless for days

mouth, became famous because of the formula for his theory of relativity. He was

in front of an untouched canvass before he could even start on his Last Supper

also successful because of another formula. He insists, “If A is success in life, I

masterpiece. The abbot who commissioned him the job, a man without the

should say the formula is A+X+Y+Z… X being work and Y being play.” “And what its

slightest hint that ideas are born not only in the onrush of conscious effort but also

Z?” “That,” explains Einstein, “is keeping your mouth shut.”

May - 2011

HOMEWORKFOR GROWN UPS EVERYTHING YOU LEARNED AT SCHOOL... BUT CAN YOU REMEMBER?

1. Who wrote the children’s book “Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory”? 2. What do gardeners call the grass clippings or straw they put around the base of plants? 3. In Shakespeare’s play who dies first Romeo or Juliet? 4. What in Olympic competition measures 164 feet by 68 feet 11 inches? 5. What is the secret identity of Kathy Kane?

a typical word

The top row of letters of a typewriter keyboard is:

Q W E R T Y U I O P What common ten-letter word, known to anyone who understands this puzzle, can be formed by using letters selected from this group? The same letter can be used more than once. ANSWERS: TYPEWRITER

-------------------- QUIZ --------------------

6. In which country is Chittagong a seaport? 7. What animal’s head is pictured on the label of Gordon’s London Gin? 8. What cosmetics giant got started in 1886 as the California Perfume Company? 9. Which car manufacturer took over Rover in 1994? 10. What English town claims the world’s largest fish market?

EASY READER

Read what is enclosed in each triangle. That's easy enough, isn't it?

11. Which erstwhile rock singer and fringe politician died in 1999? 12. Who was delivered to the Mount at York on 7th April 1739, to be hanged for his bad deeds? 13. In the novel Peter Pan what is the name of the Indian princess rescued by Peter? 14. What in Blackpool’s Opera House is the largest in Britain?

HINT: If all you've read are familiar pharases and nothing else, you've read them incorrectly.

15. In which part of the human body is the solar plexus?

ANSWERS: The word ‘the’ appears twice in each phrase.

16. What is the name of the world’s largest department store, at Broadway and 34th street, New York? 17. Which condition will an antitussive help alleviate?

19. Which SE Asian capital city is at the mouth of the Menam river? 20. What name is given to a mound of rocks used as a marker or memorial?

JUMBLED WORDS R U R E C A T E S T O U N M A N I N A N B O A D D A I T I L G P R I T C S ANSWERS: CREATURE, MOUNTAINS, ABANDON, DIGITAL, SCRIPT

18. What game is said to have been invented when Kingston Harbour, Ontario, froze over in 1860?

ANSWERS: 1. Roald Dahl, 2. Mulch, 3. Romeo, 4. The swimming pool, 5. Batwoman, 6. Bangladesh, 7. A boar’s, 8. Avon, 9. BMW, 10. Grimsby, 11. Screaming Lord Sutch, 12. Dick Turpin, 13. Tiger Lily, 14. The Stage, 15. The Stomach, 16. Macy’s - (R.H. Macy & co Inc), 17. A Cough, 18. Ice Hockey, 19. Bangkok, 20. A Cairn

POETRYPAGES

citypageskuwait.com

Rania IbraHeem Abdul Azziz

A FEELING

DARE TO BE ME

There is a weak feeling that is getting stronger. A feeling that I won’t be here any longer. An existence that soon will be cut short. A death sentence will be announced in life court. A feeling like a dead trunk of an old oak Left alone after being cut and broke! Or a feeling of new generation that will breed And that’s why I’m going, leaving behind my seeds! Like a blooming flower I have grown up here. But now my tentative soil is making me sear. This air that for years I used to breath Now it’s burning my lungs making it heath A short notice for few more of this thick air Or a few more bittersweet memories to inhale?! My vision is now mixing pales with glitters. A taste of change that is sweet and bitter. This feeling is so shallow and yet so hist. Maybe if I figured it out, I can relax and rest! Because staying here is getting old and bleak. No room for fun and games, no hide and seek. As for the remaining days; I want to enjoy. Before I join the traveling convoy. Don’t want to waste my time in doubt and suspect. Don’t want to think the obvious, don’t want to predict. My eyes will keep wandering everywhere around. New scenes have been lost and found. Mentally I’ll keep memorizing every single corner. For today I’m a resident, tomorrow I’ll be a foreigner. And I’m not telling this to make a heart touched and moved. Or even to express a point and have it proved. I just don’t know either to be happy or gloom Either to think of it as the day of freedom or the day of doom I’m just sensing a truth that is about to explode. And its vibes will have a havoc magnitude. It’s a phase which has its start and its end And it’s a fact which I can’t bend. It’s a matter of time and I’ll be long gone. When everything is said and done.

Wake up welcoming the new day. I join human race with no delay. Let fate have its unpredicted say. I'll open up to the world, so come what may. Because I don't care where I'll be. As long as I dare to be me. I won't hesitate long deciding on my style of cloth. And I won't change my mind for the third time or fourth. Whether it's rough fabric or silky smooth. Whether it ages me or enhances my youth. What you get is what you see. I just dare to be me. I'll endure my job as for me it feels so wrong. I'll keep searching hoping it won't take long. Finding the place where I feel that I belong. But I won't resign for material things, I'll be strong. Money won't decide what I will be. I will dare to be me. And I won't get married because the community is out of patience. And that by habit I need a man to help me out in every situation. For me marriage is a way of love declaration. So I'll only settle for love without hesitation. Frustration may grab you as you don't agree. But I just can dare to be me. Down I may have me But I'll never going to fall With all the flaws within me. I stand proud and tall. Time will come to see. I'll reach out my goal. Even if I can't see. Sure I'll cross the wall. Be what I shall be. It's not any one's call. Having you or not beside me. One day I'll be whole. Don't expect me. To compromise at all. I dare to be me. Heart, mind, body and soul.

‫‪29‬‬

‫‪May - 2011‬‬

‫ال تعود‬

‫ال تعود إذا كنت ال تعلم ما تريد‬ ‫ال تعود لتختبر نفسك من جديد‬ ‫ال تعود إذا مازال الشك يسكن قلبك ودارك‬ ‫إذا كان سوء الظن مازال يسمم عباراتك‬ ‫ال تعود إال إذا كنت تعلم كيف تقفز األسوار‬ ‫إال إذا كنت تدرك يقين ًا إنك تريد االستمرار‬ ‫ال تعود إن كنت لن حتتمل العتاب واملالم‬ ‫إن كنت أضعف من احتمال سهام الكالم‬ ‫ال تعود راكض ًا معلن ًا احلب والهيام‬ ‫ثم تهرب زاحف ًا حتت حطام بعض األحالم‬ ‫ال تعود إال إذا كنت تعلم كيف جتفف دمعي الذي سال‬ ‫إال إذا كنت تعلم كيف تضيء ليلي الذي طال‬ ‫ال تعود إذا كنت ال تعلم كيف تعيد قلبي كما كان‬ ‫إذا كنت ال تدري كيف تعيد الثقة واالحساس باألمان‬ ‫ال تعود لي وانت جتهل كيف تعود‬ ‫ال تعود رغم اني اريدك ان تعود‬ ‫ال تعود الني اخاف العودة والرحيل‬ ‫الني مللت االنتظار والدمع يسيل‬ ‫الني ضقت ذرع ًا بتضميد قلبي اجلريح‬ ‫ضقت مبشاهدة احلب جاثي ًا يبني لنفسه ضريح‬ ‫ال تعود لي فكرامتي مازالت تدمي‬ ‫وخيبة االمل مازالت في عقلي تعوي‬ ‫ال تعود فانا اآلن احارب ذكراك‬ ‫أشيح بنظري عن أملي حني اشتاق أن اراك‬ ‫ال تعود لي فلن يسرك ما ستراه في عيناي‬ ‫ال تعود فلن أمد لك بالصفح يداي‬ ‫ال تعود فلن ترى سوى ما صنعت يداك‬ ‫بقايا فتاة اغتيلت احالمها في هواك‬ ‫ال تعود ابد ًا حتى تصفى سمائك وسمائي‬ ‫ال تعود ابد ًا حتى يشفى قلبي وكبريائي‬ ‫أو ال تعود ابد ًا ثم ال تعود‪ ...‬فلك اخليار‬ ‫أو ال تعود ابد ًا فسأسدل عليك الستار‬ ‫إذ ًا أخير ًا ال تعود‪...‬‬ ‫يا حبيبي ال تعود‪.‬‬

Carribou Coffee

May - 2011

HIND AL-NAHEDH Social Media Geek @Hindrelations

Arguably the hardest part of leveraging the power of social media is generating an initial swell of activity.

HIND AL-NAHEDH'S PAGE ENTERTAINMENT PAGES

The New Culture of Social Employees

Every day, we read fantastic case studies of companies who tap their biggest fans to help generate quality word-ofmouth. While there’s no question that customers are one of the most effective assets in social-media marketing, companies of all shapes and sizes often overlook their built-in social network: their employees. A recent study indicates that tech-savvy employees who are equipped with information are more likely to advocate on their company’s behalf. Consequently, it is the responsibility of today’s marketer to arm their colleagues with the tools and messages to enable word-of-mouth. In today’s competitive environment, every social-media campaign needs a spark. Your employees, the very folks who build, sell and manage your products every day, are perhaps the most suited to kick-start your campaign. Here are a few ways to empower your employees to get your word-of-mouth moving.

Extend the “all-staff” e-mails.

Internal “all-staff” e-mails are perhaps the No. 1 way employees hear about all the great milestones, product updates and announcements at your company. But why do we stop there? After each important announcement (intended for the outside world, of course), add a baked-in tweet or status update, complete with a link to the appropriate news release or landing page. Not only will your well-connected employees share the big announcement, their networks will listen — as they will be “breaking the news” from the inside.

Socialize The - PowerPoint...Don’t Hide It

Is there a company PowerPoint deck that your sales or business development people use frequently? If you’re lucky, the deck details the value of your business in ways your website or your e-mail signature just can’t. So why not extend that messaging? Get that presentation uploaded via the Google Presentation on LinkedIn, start tagging your staff and get the feedbacks.

Do You “Like” like thumbs Up Facebook... where you work?

Chances are a good chunk of your staff is on Facebook. Hmmm, Scratch that.... they all are!! How many of them “like” your company? Some people may prefer to keep their personal life separate from their professional life, but it never hurts to ask. Most likely, they’ll accept — and several of them may turn into active (and valuable) participants.

Axe the fax and socialize your business cards.

When was the last time someone interacted with you (or your company) via fax? So why is a fax number still a standard component of business cards while social-media outlets are omitted? It just makes sense. Your staff are leaving behind their business cards at conferences and meetings, so including a link to a blog, a company Twitter account or Facebook page provides potential customers or clients with a meaningful way to interact with your brand. All of the above also applies to your employees’ e-mail signatures. Present your staff with a template, complete with all appropriate social outposts — and watch your network Grrrrrrow :)

INTERVIEWPAGES

citypageskuwait.com

Natacha Atlas

A Woman and Musician of the World Jameel Arif

Natacha Atlas was born in Belgium, but is of Middle Eastern descent, with ancestral and family links to Egypt, Palestine and Morocco. Having moved around the world for most of her life, living in Brussels, Egypt, Greece and England, her experience of different cultures has most certainly influenced her music. Natacha’s first break was when she sang on Balearic beat crew! Loca¡’s club hit Timbal, and was drawn into the Jah Wobble circle, singing and co-writing with his just-forming Invaders of the Heart. (She has recently worked with Wobble again, on the 2002 Wobble/Temple of Sound album Shout At The Devil). She also met Transglobal Underground, the London-based multicultural collective who, in blending electronica, dub, hip-hop and funk with Indian, African and Middle Eastern musical forms, were significant role models for today’s world dance phenomenon. The encounter was to turn into a long-standing and happy association. First guesting with them in 1991, in 1993 she became a member of the core quartet of Transglobal, as lead singer and belly-dancer (the latter not some kind of limp tourist-pleasing wiggle but the real raq sharki). A couple of years later, it was the band’s Tim Whelan, Hamid ManTu and Nick Page (a.k.a. Count Dubulah, now of Temple of Sound) who helped her to make her first solo album, Diaspora. In parallel with the success of her solo albums she remained a fulltime Transglobal member, and Transglobals constituted her backing band, until they left Nation in 1999, and they have remained allies throughout her subsequent career. Apart from her own projects, Natacha is very much in demand as a guest singer for therecordings and performances of a remarkably wide range of musicians, including Nitin Sawhney, Jocelyn Pook, the Indigo Girls, FunDaMental, Ghostland, Abdel Ali Slimani, Toires, !Loca¡, Musafir, Sawt El Atlas, Franco Battiato, Juno Reactor, Dhol Foundation, Jah Wobble, Jaz Coleman, Apache Indian (on his chart hit Arranged Marriage), Mick Karn, Jean-Michel Jarre’s Millennium Night spectacular at the Pyramids, Jonathan Demme’s new film The Truth About Charlie, and David Arnold’s film scores including Stargate and Die Another Day. CityPages had the opportunity to meet and conduct an exclusive interview with Natacha and we share the same with you:

May - 2011

When did you start to sing? Do you recall the first instance? I think i was around 16 years old when I started singing. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t recall the first instance but I had some basic training with a retired opera singer. Who in your family is a singer or an artist? I have two uncles who are musicians. One professional and one as a hobby (one is based in Brazil and other one in Egypt) Did you take any professional training? I did various different sorts of training, a little in England, a little in Egypt . I have developed my own vocal exercises over time. Tell us of your early days? My first touring and recording experiences were with UK based bands who were immersed in world music with Arabic influences. One was known as Transglobal Underground, another called Jah Wobble and an Anglo-Indian, Nitin Sawhney Who have been your influences? Abdel Halim Hafez, Fairuz, Bjork, Zad Moltaka to name but a few Where are you currently based? I move between London and France all the time. How many languages do you speak? French, English, a little Egyptian Arabic and a little Spanish Why you choose to sing primarily in Arabic? I like to sing in Arabic because I find it to be the most beautiful and most expressive language in the world I see that you like collaborations and fusion music. Tell us what experiments have you done and with which singers? I think every collaboration is potentially an experiment. My favourite collaborations have been with Nitin Sawhney and on my last album â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mounqalibaâ&#x20AC;?, which was essentially a collaboration between myself and my violinist/composer Samy Bishai. We wrote and produced the album together. How many albums have you released so far? I believe it is 9 or 10 albums if you include the

May - 2011

remix album and ambient project I did a few years ago with a great musician/producer, Marc Eagleton Tell us about your latest or upcoming album? I haven’t really finished promoting “Mounqaliba” yet so the next album is yet to be conceived as an idea Tell us of your achievements, awards that you have won? I won Best Female Artist at the Victoire de la Musique in France in 2000 and an Emma award in the UK for Best World Music Act in 2004. I also was given a Goodwill Ambassadorship for the by the United Nations What is that you are looking forward to achieving further? I would like to do some more composing for film and television and perhaps theatre. I have done a little of this already and find it very satisfying. Where all have you performed so far and tell us of your different experiences? I have performed in so many parts of the world and my experiences have been varied. However I think you can learn something from everywhere you go, What role you play in composing your songs? I write the melody and lyrics...I also write the lines for some of the instruments such as bass, harp and cello. It depends on the song and if I have an idea for a particular instrument. I see that you do not have a personal website nor a Facebook page, why is it so? My website is currently under construction. However I do have 2 Facebook pages – one personal and one official. Have you ever performed in Kuwait? Not yet but I would love to come and perform there ! Having such a diverse background, what is your favorite food? I love Arabic and Greek food, also Italian food. Sometimes have a craving for sushi ! Your message for your fans in Kuwait? I love Kuwaiti music and rhythms – it makes me want to dance. Your message for us at CityPages? Long live City Pages!!!

INTERVIEWPAGES

citypageskuwait.com

Dr. Hina Chaudhry

Fixing Heart Attacks for Good Jameel Arif Dr. Chaudhry is a cardiologist, scientist, entrepreneur and guest commentator on CNN for cardiovascular disease. She holds a B.S. in Chemistry and a B.S. in Biology with a thesis in Physics from MIT, and obtained her M.D. with Honors from Harvard Medical School. She is board-certified by the American Board of Medicine in both Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Disease. She completed her fellowship training at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where she received the American Heart Association's highest award for cardiology fellows, the Clinician-Scientist Award, one of ten awarded nationally. She was also the top-ranked cardiology fellow in the U.S. for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Research Service Award. She then joined the faculty at Columbia University where she held an endowed chair as an Irving Scholar, Columbia University's highest award for its young medical faculty. She won AstraZeneca’s Young Cardiovascular Investigator Prizes in 2004 and 2006 and her work was selected as one of the "Highlights" of the European Society of Cardiology Congress in September 2005. She was Columbia University's sole 2006 nominee for the W.M. Keck Foundation Distinguished Young Scholars in Medical Research Program. In March 2008, she was recruited to Mount Sinai School of Medicine as Associate Professor of Medicine with Tenure and Director of Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine. Additionally, Dr. Chaudhry has served as an adviser to the U.S. Department of State on U.S.-Pakistan Relations through the Aspen Institute, has been awarded the “Star of Excellence Award” (Sitara-e-Imtiaz) from the government of Pakistan for her research, is a member of Operation Heartbeat, and serves on the advisory board of Turning Point for Women and Families. Despite her busy schedule, Dr. Chaudhry has been generous enough to talk with CityPages to answer some interesting questions for our readers: Can you please tell us a little about your educational background? I was raised in Pennsylvania and attended the Villa Maria Academy for Girls prior to obtaining my B.S. in Chemistry and a B.S. in Biology at MIT. I then obtained my M.D. with Honors at Harvard Medical School. I trained in internal medicine and cardiology at Duke and UPenn respectively, before joining the faculty at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons where I became the Florence Irving Assistant Professor of Medicine before I left for my current position.

Can you tell us about your family? Who else in your family is from medical background? My late father, Dr. Abdul Waheed Chaudhry, obtained his Ph.D. in Education from Indiana University in the 1960s on a government scholarship from Pakistan. My mother, Mrs. Farzana Chaudhry, had obtained one B.A. degree from Pakistan and obtained another B.A. degree in the U.S. in business law and accounting while she was raisinig 3 small children. My younger brother Haroon is a graduate of Columbia University and is also an M.D. with his specialization in anesthesiology. He has recently launched a healthcare management company. My younger sister Homa has an M.S. in economics/mathematics and is a consultant to the U.S. Federal Government in economics.

Who inspired you to conduct your research on cardiovascular diseases? My father had a sudden and unexpected heart attach when I was seven years old. Fortunately, he survived and had successful bypass surgery, and again underwent bypass surgery when I was a medical student. Living with this disease in our family inspired me to study it more intensively and to look for more definitive approaches for treatment.

Tell us about any awards and other achievements that you have received till date? I just received the Sitara-e-Imtiaz from the Government of Pakistan at a special investiture ceremony at the Embassy of Pakistan last week on March 23, 2011. I was named an Irving Scholar at Columbia University, an honor that is only accorded to about 3 assistant professors throughout that Univeristy in any given year. I have won a number of research grants from the National Institutes of Health, and some of these have received the highest scores in the country. I was awarded a young investigator award from AstraZeneca twice during my early faculty years. I was also awarded the Clinician-Scientist Award by the American Heart Asssociaton during my cardiology fellowship.

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After a BS in Chemistry and Biology what made you shift towards medicine? I had always planned that since I was about 3 years old. I studied both Chemistry and Biology to prepare myself for a career in academic medicine

Did you face any difficulties in getting findings for your research works? Difficulties abound in my chosen profession and they are probably too numerous to list here! This career demands nerves of steel and you learn that pretty early on in your career.

How far have you reached with your heart-repairing technique? We’ve come pretty far, having already demonstrated that it works beautifully in large animals so we are very close to designing human clinical trials.

Is there any specific condition of the patient on which your treatment can works or will it work for all cases? Well there are many types of heart disease. This particular treatment restores cardiac function after a heart attack by regenerating the heart and causing new heart muscle cells to repopulate the damaged areas.

Is your technique cost-effective or will it be very expensive? I am hoping to make it evolve into a cost-effective treatment. In the initial stages, just like any other new therapeutic approach, it may be a bit expensive but I’m always looking for ways to make it more efficient and cost-effective.

What are your other interests or hobbies besides medicine? I love sports, and am an avid skier and tennis player. As for skiing, I have skied since I was 13 yo, and I used to play in a teenage tennis league long ago and had not picked up a racket in years until recently. Now I escape to play at tennis camps whenever I can find some time. I also love to travel.

Have you conducted any seminars or workshops outside America?

I have given lectures at conferences in Europe several times, and once in Pakistan at the invitation of former President Musharaff’s physicians.

What was your role as the adviser to the U.S. Department of State on U.S.-Pakistan Relations? There was a group of 15 Pakistani-Americans who were invited to a conference at the Wye River Plantation in conjunction with the Aspen Institue to help direct US Congressional funding for educational aid to Pakistan.

How did you feel when you were awarded with the Sitara-i-Imtiaz? Absolutely amazed, honored and flattered. I never expected to receive that!

What are your future plans?

I want to continue trying to make critical research advances that will help to improve our treatment of heart disease and hopefully these advances will help to advance regenerative medicine as a whole.

What would you like to achieve in life?

That’s a good question. I’d just like an opportunity to use all of my gifts to help humankind in whatever way that I can.

Did you work on any projects in Pakistan?

I have, and hope to continue doing so. I have been a visiting resident

during my medical residency and taught medical students. I have helped raise funds for some of the natural disasters we’ve seen there recently. I would like to be a visiting professor there once the political situation stabilizes somewhat.

Your message or advice for young aspiring medical students?

Do not enter the profession if you are doing it for monetary reasons as those types of people are not the kind you would take a sick family member to. Be the kind of physician that you would want to take your parent or family member to. Strive for excellence in everything that you do, whether it be full-time clinical medicine, basic research or clinical research. Never accept mediocrity. If you are unable to give your heart and soul to what you are doing, you are definitely in the wrong profession.

Your message for us at CityPages?

Thanks very much for interviewing me! If even one person reads this and is inspired by what I have said, I will feel that I have made a difference.

INTERVIEWPAGES

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Abla Abdullah Al-Eissa is an educationist. An educationist is defined as: â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;Ś a person who is seriously

concerned to understand how learning takes place and what part schooling plays in facilitating or obstructing itâ&#x20AC;? That is exactly what Abla is currently doing with her role as the Manager of Training and Development at Ministry of Education. She is currently heading a special campagin "al7een Dorek" and we at CityPages are lucky to have the opportunity to meet her and know more about her and her new campaign. Jameel Arif

Can you please introduce yourself to our readers? My name is Abla Abdulla Al-Essa, I am the manager of the Training and Development Department in the Ministry of Education. Tell us about your education and specialization? I graduated from Kuwait University with a bachelor's degree in Kindergarten from the Faculty of Education and later got my Masters degree specializing in Curricula and Methods of Teaching. Can we know a bit about your current role and position within the Ministry of Education? As the manager of Training and Development, I am in charge of developing the human resources in the Ministry of Education and as well as the organizational structures within the whole Ministry. How many years have you served with the Ministry and what positions did you hold in the past? I started my career in the Ministry of Education as a Kindergarten teacher. I later got promoted to several levels, head teacher, supervisor, and eventually moving towards becoming the manager for the Curriculum Department. After a few years, I shifted to managing the Planning Department, and then eventually got into managing the Training and Development department. All these years of experience provided me with a lot of knowledge and expertise that helped me a lot with my work and expanded my professional network. What are some of the challenges that your department faces and how do you overcome them? There are many challenges we face every day, some are easy to overcome and some aren't because of certain policies that restrict our work. One of the challenges we face is changing the organizational environment and the way our employees view new methods of training. Another challenge we face is the constant development of technology, we need to be updated very regularly in order to provide our teachers with the latest. A major challenge we face here in Kuwait is the lack of certified resources available for training which leaves us to no choice but to get some from abroad. Tell us about some of your achievements? I am proud to say that I have achieved a lot within the Ministry, especially in my department now. The Training and Development department now holds top technology in training, from programs to equipment. Our programs now

are more specialized and focused. We are now working on a new project which is the school based training in order for us to achieve the most when it comes to training. We are changing the training methods from being centralized to decentralized, where our teachers will be constantly under training throughout the school year. Now, tell us about your latest campaign Al7een Dorek? How did the idea originated? Al7een Dorek is a part of the governments' plan for the Ministry of Education which includes the project to develop the schools management and achieve professional development. What it is the objective of Al7een Dorek? Our objective is to provide a better educational system and get the beneficiary involved in the process. Who will benefit from the outcome of the results obtained from this survey? Anyone that is part of the educational system will benefit. Parents, students, staff and administration, ultimately the entire society. How easy was it to convince your team and the authorities to implement this project? The project was already a part of the government's development plan, so the authorities already approved. Once I sat down with my team and discussed it, they were very enthusiastic about it and willing to do it. They all believed in it. What is the duration of this campaign? The campaign's duration will be 2 months. In simple words, what are the steps to complete this survey? Go online to www.al7eendorek.com and choose the category that applies to you. Your message to our readers? If you are interested in the educational reform in Kuwait, please join us by taking the survey and let us know your point of view. Finally, your message for us at City Pages? Thank you for your interest and your support for our campaign.

May - 2011

Al7een Dorek

Abla Abdullah Al-Eissa

BEAUTYPAGES

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BATH & BODY WORKS LAUNCHES ISLAND ESCAPE: A TRIO OF SUMMER SCENTS Don’t worry if you haven’t had the chance to head to an exotic island this season. Bath & Body Works’ Island Escape range arrives just in time to bring you the ultimate beachy, holiday feeling. Think Hawaii’s tranquil waters, Fiji’s tropical forests and Bali’s dream beaches and you can imagine the fragrant offering that the Island Escape collection brings alive with three lush tropical scents: Hawaii Coconut, Fiji Passion fruit, and Bali Mango. All three ranges offer creamy body scrubs, body lotions, shower gels, fragrance mists that complete your true Island Escape experience.

BATH & BODY WORKS INTORUDCES THE SPRING 2011 COLLECTION WITH THE SIGNATURE CARRIED AWAY RANGE

If you like fruity fragrances with a hint of floral scents, the newest addition to your bath shelves should be Bath &Body Works’ signature collection – ‘Carried Away.’ This collection combines soft, romantic blends with fresher fruity and delicate floral fragrances in a creamy base for a delicate, flirty, feminine fragrance. The ‘Carried Away’ range is guaranteed to sweep you off your feet, and give you the feeling of freshness, spring, and youth. Blended with luscious raspberries, pear nectar, white jasmine and whipped vanilla, this new romantic fragrance offers a range of six playful products; eau de toilette, fragrance mist, body lotion, shower gel, triple moisture complex body lotion and body butter.

SPORTSPAGES

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A rugby team with a sting in their tail! are the Kuwait Scorpions and what is this odd sport called rugby I hear you Who asking, well…. let me explain. Starting life as just an offshoot of football, rugby

union is today a major outdoor sport in its own right. One of the two forms of rugby football (along with rugby league), it is generally considered the more popular, being played by men in over 100 countries in five continents and by women in 52 countries. Indeed, according to statistics from the International Rugby Board, approximately 3 million individuals aged 6 to 60 years regularly play rugby union. Sam Wigg

Flying the flag for rugby in Kuwait are the newly rebranded KUWAIT SCORPIONS (formerly the Q8 Nomads). Holding the title of the oldest rugby football club in the Gulf, the Kuwait Scorpions were established in the late 1940’s after the Kuwait Oil Company and the British Army played the region’s first ever recorded rugby fixture. Hoping to renew interest in rugby and the team in Kuwait, the Scorpions have rebranded for the 2010 / 2011 season, and can now be seen playing in their newly designed yellow and black jerseys.

Today the Scorpions have over 70 playing members of all ages from more than 18 different countries including Kuwait, Syria, USA, UK and Egypt. In addition there are many hundreds of supporting members in Kuwait and throughout the world. The Scorpions is now the biggest expatriate organization in the country, a fact which the club is extremely proud of. The 2010 / 2011 season has been one of highs and lows with some considerable wins against strong touring opposition, combined with some harsh losses against established and

May - 2011

well practiced teams on their home soil. The team finishes the season revitalized with a good performance against HMS Iron Duke, a touring Navy team, and look forward to a solid start to the new season. A major annual event for the Kuwait Scorpions is the Dubai 7’s rugby tournament which draws a huge international audience as well as vast television coverage. The team has had great success in the past years, reaching the finals on numerous occasions, representing Kuwait and displaying the talent available in the region. This is the team’s opportunity to play in an international rugby stadium to over 40,000 screaming fans! One aspect, holding the team back, is the lack of sponsorship. Whilst the Kuwait Scorpions have numerous talented and capable players, a lack of funds means that often only those who can afford to go are able to play. We are currently seeking sponsors for our rugby jerseys, accommodation and flights. In return, we are able to offer interested parties naming options for the team as well as a choice of color selection for the team jerseys. This will provide you with invaluable marketing opportunities throughout the GCC states. We are always looking for new and enthusiastic players. Experience is desirable but not essential. Please contact our Club Captain Ben for more information on 99921975 or visit our website. We look forward to seeing you in the yellow and black jersey next season!

Those interested in providing sponsorship for the team or the Dubai 7’s team should contact our club sponsorship manager, Sam Wigg on 60744311. We welcome donations and offers of sponsorship of any size and type. Follow us on: http://q8scorpions.com/ and http://twitter.com/#!/ksrfc

HEALTHPAGES

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Oranges are packed with several different phytonutrients and flavonoids. The nutrients of this fruit help in providing various health benefits. The health benefits of oranges diet include the following list mentioned below in this article. Oranges have been shown to contain blood clot, anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory inhibiting properties along with strong anti-oxidant properties. Oranges contain a combination of very high amount of vitamin C (an anti-oxidant) and flavonoids which makes it one among the best fruits in promoting optimal health. Read on to know more about the orange diet health benefits.

Benefits of ORANGE Diet Ruby Samy

May - 2011

There are several health benefits of orange Diet which are briefly discussed below: Arteriosclerosis: Regular intake of vitamin C helps to retard the develop ment of arteries hardening. Cancer prevention: Oranges contain a compound called Liminoid, which has been proven to help fight against cancers of the skin, mouth, lung, stomach, breast and colon. The high content of vitamin C also acts as a very good antioxidant which protect the damage of the cells from free radicals. Constipation: Though, orange fruit tastes acidic, but it actually has been shown to have an alkaline effect within the digestive system and it helps to stimulate the digestive juices, thus relieving constipation. Cholesterol: Oranges contain an alkaloid synephrine, present under the orange peel. it has proved to reduce the production of cholesterol from the liver. Whereas the anti-oxidant helps to fight against oxidative stress which is the main factor in oxidizing the LDL cholesterol in the blood. Repair of damaged sperm: An orange a day for a man is sufficient to keep his spermâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in a healthy condition. The antioxidant, vitamin C in orange helps to protect the sperms from genetic damage which might cause a defect during birth. Heart disease: A high consumption of vitamin C and flavonoids has been shown to reduce the risk of developing heart diseases by half the per centage. High blood pressure: Oranges contain Hesperidin, an alkaloid and studies have shown that it helps in lowering high B.P. Immune system: Oranges contain a very strong amount of vitamin C, which helps in stimulating the white cells to fight against infections and naturally helps in building a healthy immune system. Kidney stones prevention: Daily consumption of orange juice can signifi cantly help to lower the risk of calcium oxalate stones formation in the kidney. Stomach ulcer: Intake of oranges and other vitamin C rich foods helps in lowering the incidence of peptic ulcers and it in turn, reduces the risk of developing stomach cancer. Protection against vital infections: Oranges contain abundance of polyphe nols that have been shown to protect against viral infections. Skin: Oranges are rich in anti-oxidant which helps in protecting the cell damage of the skin from free radicals which are known to cause aging signs. Health bones: Oranges are also rich in calcium and thus are associated with the protection of bones and in maintenance of healthy bones. Mucus secretions: Consumption of oranges have been proven to lessen the outpouring of mucus secretions or fluid from the nose. Dental health: Oranges are also beneficial in maintaining the overall dental health. Production of hemoglobin: ranges are also rich in vitamin B6, thus help to support the hemoglobin production in the body. Proper brain development: oranges also are a good source of folic acid or folate which helps in the proper development of brain. Healthy cardiovascular system: Oranges contain a high amounts of potassium which aids in maintaining the electrolyte balance in the cells and also in maintenance of a good and healthy cardiovascular system.

The above listed are some of the health benefits of oranges. Thus, every individual must intake an orange daily in their diet to maintain overall health of the body.

HEALTHPAGES

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Eye Spy: Can you see what I’m writing? Paul Tunbridge

The old jokes are the best, or so it’s said, and I dare say the following riddles are already familiar to you but, to begin this article with a light-hearted smile, I shall repeat them anyway... Q: What do you call a deer with no eyes? A: No idea! Q: What do you call a deer with no eyes and no legs? A: Still no idea!

And so it goes on. But on a more serious note, we too often take for granted and underestimate the importance of our sight. The eyes are amongst the most amazing and important organs in the human body, allowing us to capture and process a colossal amount of information at a staggering rate. It's astonishing to think that our eyes are only about one inch in diameter and weigh in at a miniscule 28grams and yet play such a crucial role in our lives. In this article we're going to blow you away with some brilliant facts about your eyes, and then we’ll tell you the top ten ways to look after them! Things you never knew about your eyes: 1. Your eyeballs are the same size from birth – the eyeballs are the only parts in the human body that don’t grow or shrink. 2. You cannot sneeze with your eyes open! 3. Under the right conditions, the eyes can discern the light of a candle at a distance of 14 miles. 4. The external muscles that move the eyes are the strongest muscles in the human body for the job that they have to do. They are 100 times more powerful than they need to be. 5. The eye is the only part of the human body that can function at 100% ability at any moment, day or night, without rest. Your eyelids need

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rest, the external muscles of your eyes need rest, the lubrication of your eyes requires replenishment; but your eyes themselves "never" need rest. 6. The eyeball measures about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter but, of its total surface area, only one-sixth is exposed - the front portion. 7. Your eyes contribute towards 85% of your total knowledge. 8. Blinking helps to wash tears over our eyeballs, which keeps them clean and moist. 9. The cornea is the only living tissue in the human body that does not contain any blood vessels. 10. The eyes are composed of more than two million working parts. 11. The eye can process 36,000 bits of information every hour. 12. Overall, the eyes are your most precious sense and should be cared for properly. Our sight is something we often take for granted, and it's vital that we look after our eyes to avoid any nasty infections and diseases from developing. According to eye research charity, www.fightforsight.org.uk, two million people are visually impaired and every day, around 100 people in the UK start to lose their sight. Think how many are affected when the statistics are multiplied across the globe! Overall, the three most common causes of visual impairment are considered to be age-related macular degeneration (40%), glaucoma (13%) and diabetic retinopathy (8%). What's more, it is estimated that, by the age of 65, one in six people will become blind or partially sighted.

So ... here are our Top 10 ways to look after your eyes: 1. Get your eyes examined by a qualified optician at least every two years â&#x20AC;&#x201C; no excuses! 2. Do your homework and be aware of any eye disease history in your family. Diabetes and high blood pressure are the diseases that most commonly cause eye health problems. 3. Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from strong UV light, for example, when skiing and sailing. 4. Eat a diet containing large amounts of fruits and vegetables. Vegetables contain antioxidants which can possibly reduce the risk of cataracts. Omega 3 fatty acids from certain fish also reduce risk of developing macular degeneration. 5. Exercise regularly as studies have shown this can also reduce the risk of macular degeneration. 6. Ditch the cigarettes - smoking gives you a greater risk of developing macular degeneration and can cause general irritation. 7. If you notice any changes in your vision, such as double vision, blurred vision, flashing lights or eye pain or swelling, go to see an optician immediately. 8. Always wear protective goggles when using welding apparatus or any DIY tool which could produce flying debris. Eye injury can be permanent. 9. Contact lenses are a great innovation, but always follow the instructions on your contact lens solution. Never wash your lens case in tap water as water tanks can often contain bacteria such as Acanthamoeba which, untreated, can cause serious eye disease 10. Eye hygiene is very important. Try not to rub your eyes with dirty hands. Use an eyewash if you get any debris or dust in your eyes but never tap water. So there you have it. Take good care of your eyes and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll live to see your old age in style! And finally, what do you call a deer with no eyes, no legs and is on fire? Still no flaming idea!

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HEALTHPAGES

P I L AT E S D A Y Dr. Nazia Nausheen

Last month

my article was about womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health in general. I believe that we as individuals must take responsibility for our own bodies. We cannot expect to see change without any internal focus or effort. This month I will focus and write more on Pilates in particular due to two reasons; one because we celebrate the Pilate Day in May, secondly I have just started my Pilates classes at the Pilates & More health club at Salmiya. Pilates Day is an annual, international, community event celebrated on the first Saturday of May every year. The Pilates Day mission is to foster the public's appreciation and awareness of the Pilates Method through a network of varied, innovative, and high quality grassroots. Pilates is fast becoming a trend all over the world. Possibly one of the most exciting aspects of Pilates is that anyone can do it, and everyone can achieve amazing results. Because there's no bouncing, jarring, or stress to your body, Pilates offers the ideal form of exercise for people who, because of joint pain or muscle weakness, shy away from exercise. Each and every Pilates exercise is built around eight basic principles:

r r r r r r r r

relaxation co-ordination alignment stamina concentration centering breathing flowing movements

Just some of the many ways you can benefit from doing Pilates regularly include:

A Healthy, Supple Spine Pilates gives more support to your spine, creating space between each vertebra. That extra space not only makes you appear taller, it also creates more mobility, transforming your spine from a stiff rod into a supple string of pearls. This new suppleness prevents degenerative spinal problems, such as slipped disks. It also helps you move with more grace and ease.

Gentler Conditioning If you're out of shape, Pilates provides a wonderful way to ease into any kind of fitness plan. Pilates puts no stress on your joints and no wear and tear on your

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ligaments and cartilage around your joints, especially your knee and shoulder joints. It conditions your muscles in a balanced way and increases your self-awareness by drawing your focus inward. In reality, Pilates is very rehabilitative. It's almost like going to physical therapy sessions. In fact, unlike other forms of exercise, you can safely do Pilates every day without overstressing your muscles or joints. To see results, however, you need to do Pilates only three times a week. But you have to be consistent. That's the key.

Improved Mental Outlook and Increased Motivation Pilates benefits your emotional health. The smooth, steady movements quiet your mind and soothe your nervous system. As you lengthen and strengthen your muscles, you'll improve your circulation and whisk tension away. Each workout will leave you feeling calm, balanced, and rejuvenated. Focus on letting the tension go, and you'll be on the path to a healthier body inside and out.

Better Balance, More Coordination In your 40s, balance starts to deteriorate as your muscles weaken and your nerve receptors lose sensitivity. Pilates reverses this aging process by stabilizing your core. Pilates works the small, deep muscles needed to keep your body steady when walking and your spine both supple and strong.

Less Pain and Stiffness If you suffer from osteoarthritis pain, you'll find that lengthening your body through Pilates will help soothe the soreness. Appropriate exercise is vital to managing arthritis, because it increases flexibility for stretches and reduces pain and fatigue. Stretching helps pump vital nutrients to your muscles and tendons, which help keep them healthy and minimize your risk of injury. It also stimulates the production of joint lubricants (synovial fluid) and prevents adhesions. As circulation increases, your legs, back, neck, and shoulders loosen up, relieving aches and stiffness. Pilates also leads to subtle posture improvements, which will also eliminate tension, driving away headaches, backaches, neck aches, and other aches and pains.

Faster Return to Pre-pregnancy Figure Many women who have given birth frequently ask for the best way to get back into their original shape. It doesn't take that much time, but if you do a few moves on a regular basis, you will see results. Muscles have a beautiful memory. They will bounce back with just a little toning. At the end, I would suggest that we should all make time to let pilates into our lives if not just to exercise but from a well being point of view too. Be prepared to learn new techniques and enjoy the challenges that pilates brings.

HEALTHPAGES

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Walnuts

Maryl Celiz

Cancer: Scientists in California are reporting for the first time that walnuts, already famous for being rich source of omega-3 fatty acids that fight heart disease, reduce the size and growth rate of prostate cancer in test animals. The researchers, who shared their findings at the National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, said that walnuts should be a part of a prostate-healthy diet, along with lots of fruits and vegetables that also contain anti-cancer properties. Eating the walnuts whole is key, “because when a single component of a food linked to cancer prevention has been tested as a supplement, that food’s cancer-preventative effects disappear in most cases,” concluded Paul Davis, Ph.D, who headed the study.

onstrated that flat, flexible footwear significantly reduces the load on the knee joints compared with supportive, stable shoes with less flexible soles,” said Dr. Najia Shakoor, a rheumatologist and the primary author of the study. The research indicated that these types of shoes reduced knee load in a percentage comparable to knee braces and wedged orthotic shoe inserts used by patients with osteoarthritis, but that care should be taken in making this choice for the elderly and infirm individuals who may find that flip-flops contribute to falls due to their loose-fitting design.

Gender: Men and women respond differently to stress, says a new study.

Women: Ladies whose diets are rich in foods containing omega-3 oils might be less likely to develop endometriosis, suggests new research. The study – the largest to have investigated the link between diet and endometriosis risk – found that the types of fats in the diet of a woman made a difference when it came to risk for this condition. While omega-3 oils made women 22% less likely to be diagnosed with endometriosis that those who ate the least of this “good” fat, trans fats did just the opposite: They increased a woman’s chance by 48%. The study was published in the journal Human Reproduction.

Published in the journalPsychophysiology, the investigation found that women who are more defensive are at increased risk for heart disease, while it is men who are less defensive have the higher cardiovascular risk. Defensiveness is characterized by avoidance, denial or repression of information perceived as threatening. In women, a strong defensive reaction to judgment from others or a threat to self-esteem will result in high blood pressure and heart rate. Contrarily, older men with low defensive reactions have higher cardiovascular rates. What part social expectations play in these differences is not detailed in the study, but the researchers said the reactions are probably due to the basic human need to maintain self-esteem and secure social bonds.

Liver: Turmeric, already a star when it comes to fighting inflammation, has

Pollution: Looks like one of the best things you can do for your lungs and the

now been found to help the liver. According to a study published in the journal Gut, curcumin, a component of the Indian spice, seems to delay the liver damage that eventually causes cirrhosis. The research found that curcumin significantly reduced bile duct blockage and curbed liver cell damage and scarring by interfering with several chemical signaling pathways involved in the inflammatory process.

Psychology: Feeling better about the future might help you feel better for

real. In a new study, researchers studied how law students’ expectations about the future affected their immune response. The conclusion: Optimism may be good for your health. The researchers found that the students’ general outlook on life – whether they had an optimistic disposition or not – didn’t matter. Instead, as each students’ expectations changed from positive to negative and vice versa, their immune response changed accordingly. At more optimistic times, they’d have bigger immune responses while at more pessimistic times, they had a more sluggish immune response. Looks like having a positive outlook about something in specific might, at least, bring you good health. This was reported in the journal Psychological Science. Osteoarthritis sufferers, be glad it’s Spring. A new study published in the journal Arthritis Care & Research is now saying that flip-flops – as well as sneakers with flexible soles – are easier on the knees than clogs or even special walking shoes. “Our study dem-

environment may be eating at home. Your senses may prevent you from perceiving this but scientists now claim that commercial cooking may be a contributor to air contamination. According to a study presented at the National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, restaurants are a surprisingly large source of a range of air pollutants that could pose risks to human health and the environment. The investigation found that it is fatty foods that create the most emissions in commercial kitchens, stuff cooked with high heat and open flames, such as cooking a hamburger patty on a conveyor broiler. “Not only do these emissions affect air quality,” said Deborah Gross, Ph.D., “but they contain chemicals that are known carcinogens.” How good does a salad sound now?

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‘I love Venice and I ama lika Boork!’ Lewis Chapman ‘I love Venice and I ama lika Boork!’, said the hotel receptionist when I dared to glance over at some leaflets on the sideboard. It is late in the afternoon and me and my mother have travelled through the night from Kuwait to Venice. We flew Turkish airlines via Istanbul and the food was good, and the cabin crew were nice and cheerful. I should be feeling very tired, but I am not at all- I want to get out and explore this Famous city built on the water. I put the leaflet down and ask about places to see and places to eat. Linda the receptionist artfully circles galleries and museums on a map and points to a restaurant 20 minutes walk away; ‘you go there and they will look after you’, she says. That evening we flopped out of the hotel and rolled into the restaurant next door. Unsure about how expensive things really were, (food turned out to be expensive!), we ordered lasagne and a bottle of water. The waiter seemed to forget about us for a while, while he fussed over a group of retirees who might have been out celebrating the acquisition of a new yacht. Service seemed to be better when we ordered more and most places included a service charge in the price of the meal. I discovered that a Venetian meal could easily stack up to more than 50 Euros, after a starter, a first course of pasta, a second course of meat or fish and a desert and coffee and drinks on top. If you like pasta cooked more than ‘al dente’, ask for ‘cotto’ (cooked) or pasta is served invariably chewy. Breakfast at the hotel would be described as continental; bread, croissants and cereal. There were orange juice, tea and coffee to drink and a waitress was on hand to help with the complicated espresso machine. I prefer a breakfast like this to an English Breakfast which is guaranteed to make you feel like hibernating until next spring. During our six day stay we ate sandwiches for lunch from the numerous cafes and looked for tourist menus in the evenings. There were a lot of tourists in Venice- the locals either blended in or avoided certain areas. I later found out that one of the old buildings close by is a primary school, so it seems that life goes on for Venetians amid all the tourist mayhem. At first I was unsure how easy it would be to move around, as I had an idea of people jumping out of buildings straight into boats. In fact it is very easy to get around on foot with plenty of bridges over the small canals that run between the buildings. We arrived into Marco Polo aeroport and

then we took a 20 minute bus ride to Venice followed by another 20 minutes water bus to the closest stop to our hotel- the Art Deco Locanda in Calle Boteghe. The people working at the hotel were very helpful and knowledgeable- we had a problem with mosquitoes, but they sorted it out quickly by installing some kind of plug in device. Bye bye mozzies! Most days we walked for more than 3 hours exploring the city. We enjoyed sitting in the cafes watching the world go by. Venice is very compact and we managed not to use the waterbus at all until we were on our way back to the aeroport. Having said this, I was told of islands Murano and Burano that would have been good to visit, but we were more than satisfied to stay and explore the city centre. The Venetian canals are packed full of the iconic gondolas; long boats that are piloted by men stood at the stern. A slight aversion to water kept us from venturing onto a gondola- I overheard a gondolier asking for 25 Euros per person or 20 each for a group of 4. I think the best idea is to shop around and see who can give

you the best deal. The public transport waterbuses ferry people between stops up and down the Grand Canal. The boats are expertly piloted and the pickup and drop off are as smooth as getting on or off a train. The cost of a 24hr ticket is 18 Euros and this also includes the use of buses on the mainland. I noticed that there were seats reserved for elderly people, but all the elderly people who got onto the bus seemed to be fitter than most twenty somethings I know. I went for early morning runs through Venice, although they got later and later as I filled up on pizza. I found that the ideal time to be out was 6:30am- any later and the narrow streets start to fill up with early bird tourists and delivery people. My first run is the one I remember the best- the sun was breaking through the clouds over a very picturesque expanse of water and a mist shrouded dome of a church on a nearby island. A few minutes later I was channelled down a tall and narrow street, the walls of which were painted with graffiti. I looked up and an old lady just happened to be opening her storm shutters, she greeted me with a friendly, ‘ciao’. I also remember

May - 2011

the street cleaners sweeping the pavements before they filled up with tourists. They seemed to be well equipped and on a par with other service workers such as waiters and delivery people. I found plenty of inspiration for my sketchbook work and I must have completed at least one sketch a day. My first sketch I made in the Campo Santâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Angelo just a few minutesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; walk away from the hotel. It was great to sketch outside and to be working in the fresh air. For my pictures I am always interested in the play of light and the illusion of space. These are two qualities that I feel can have a deeper emotional effect than any surface detail. To capture a group of people interacting is also very satisfying. When I draw I feel the most engaged with life and it gives me great pleasure to talk to people who are interested in what I am doing. For this, I like to draw in public spaces where I am likely to meet people. I met a lot of other artists painting outside, all of whom were on painting courses of some description. These encounters

Only recently have fears that Venice is sinking began to subside- the city was built on sub aqua wooden piles that hardened to a stone-like material. When wells were dug in the 20th century to provide Venice with fresh water, it was soon noticed that the buildings were beginning to sink. The draining of the aquifers was thought to be the cause of this and they have been subsequently banned. Venice is still at risk to high tides and flooding so inflatable pontoons are being laid across the sea bed at the three entrances to the lagoon. If the sea rises to a certain level the pontoons will inflate and block the tidal water and hopefully prevent flooding. The atmosphere in Venice is relaxed and seemingly oblivious to any impending doom, which must not be so impending after all.

have inspired me to consider running painting holidays to places like Venice for people interested in learning how to paint in the near future. Venice is of a city of unique character and a rich history. Antonio Vivaldi was a Venetian born in 1647 and he composed some of the most striking violin concertos that continue to be played in recitals across the globe. We attended one such recital and we were amazed at the sheer virtuosity of the musicians. It was beautiful and powerful- an hour and a half of solid music and I was riveted to my chair for the entire length of the performance. The Accademia houses gigantic paintings by great painters such as Bellini, Canaletto and Titian. The buildings themselves are testimony to the skill of master architects and craftspeople; you only have to step out of your door to see colossal structures and intricately carved stonework. The Santa Maria Della Salute seen from the Accademia Bridge is a fine example of this. Contemporary growths of high street stores seem ugly and out of place. The city is continually in need of repair and scaffolding is a common sight. On the scaffolds, huge adverts for designer clothes sprawl across the front of centuryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s old beautiful architecture. In my eyes this jars with the real heart of the city that is represented more by the market traders who buy and sell local produce outside from beneath awnings and the gondoliers who are working to keep a local industry alive.

I feel safe in the thought that I will be able to return here with a group of eager artists looking to drink up the mystery and intrigue that flows down every winding street. When I saw the graffiti on my first run it played to my preconception that history must sometimes be overbearing on those who are involuntarily immersed in it. To my surprise, I really felt invigorated to be in the presence of so much creative history and I even felt a sense of camaraderie with the spirits of artists that have worked together and suffered over the centuries through devoting themselves to the service of Art.

Lewis Chapman is an artist who spends a lot of time in Kuwait. He has sold a lot of his paintings of Kuwait and he would like to sell lots more. Facebook Lewis Chapman Artist Website: www.lewischapmanpainter.co.uk e-mail: lewischapmanpainter@ymail.com

COOKINGPAGES

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BANANA CREAM PIE WITH CARAMEL DRIZZLES AND CHOCOLATE SAUCE There’re a few secrets necessary to successfully making this pie (which, incidentally, has been on the menu at Emeril’s since Day One, and continues to be one of our most requested desserts). First, the bananas, while ripe, need to be firm, so that they hold their shape when pushed into place. Second, the pastry cream needs to be very stiff, so that when sliced, the pie will not crumble or slide. It’s also important to cover the bananas completely with the last layer of pastry cream to prevent them from discoloring. And while at Emeril’s they pipe the whipped cream over each individual slice before serving, feel free to spread your whipped cream over the whole pie, if you’d prefer.

INGREDIENTS: r 4 cups heavy cream r 1 1/2 cups whole milk r 1 1/2 cups plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar r 1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise and seeds scraped r 3 large egg yolks r 2 large eggs r 1/2 cup cornstarch

r Graham Cracker Crust, recipe follows r 3 pounds (about 9) firm but ripe bananas, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices r 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract r Caramel Sauce, recipe follows r Chocolate Sauce, recipe follows r Shaved chocolate, for garnish r Confectioner’s sugar, for garnish

May - 2011

Makes: 1 9-inch pie, 10 servings

METHOD: Combine 2 cups of the cream, the milk, 1/2 cup of the sugar, the vanilla bean, and the vanilla seeds in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil, whisking to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat. Combine the egg yolks, eggs, cornstarch, and 1 cup of the sugar in a medium bowl, and whisk pale yellow in color. Set aside. Whisk 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks. Gradually add the egg mixture to the hot cream, whisking constantly. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly with a large wooden spoon to cook out the cornstarch, until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. (The mixture may separate slightly. If so, remove from the heat and beat with an electric mixer until thick and smooth.) Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing down against the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator for about 4 hours. To assemble, spread 1/2 cup of the custard over the bottom of the prepared crust, smoothing with the back of a large spoon or rubber spatula. Arrange enough banana slices (not quite one-third) in a tight, tiled pattern over the custard, pressing down with your hands to pack them firmly. Repeat to build a second layer, using 3/4 cup of the custard and enough bananas to cover, smoothing down the layer evenly. For the third layer, spread 3/4 cup of custard over the bananas and top with the remaining bananas, starting 1-inch from the outer edge and working toward the center. Spread 1 cup of custard evenly over the bananas to prevent discoloration. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. In a medium bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar and the vanilla extract and whip until stiff peaks form. Remove the pie from the refrigerator. With a sharp knife dipped in hot water, cut the pie into 10 equal slices. Transfer the slices to dessert plates. Fill a pastry bag with the whipped cream and pipe onto each slice. (Alternately, spread the whipped cream evenly over the pie before cutting.) Drizzle each slice with the caramel sauce and chocolate sauce, sprinkle with the chocolate shavings and confectioners’ sugar, and serve.

GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST INGREDIENTS: r 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs r 1/4 cup sugar r 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Makes one 9-inch crust

METHOD: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugar in a medium bowl and mix well. Add the butter and mix well. Press the mixture into a 9-inch pie pan. Top with an aluminum pie tin and with a circular motion, press the crust tightly into the pan. Bake until browned, about 25 minutes. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes.

CARAMEL SAUCE INGREDIENTS: r 3/4 cup sugar r 2 tablespoons water r 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice r 1/2 cup heavy cream r 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup whole milk

Makes a generous 3/4 cup

METHOD: Combine the sugar, water, and lemon juice in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Let boil without stirring until the mixture becomes a deep amber color, 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely so it doesn’t burn. Add the cream, whisk to combine, and remove from the heat. Add the milk, 2 tablespoons at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature before serving with the pie. (The sauce will thicken as it cools.)

Recipe by Emeril Lagasse, courtesy Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc.

CHOCOLATE SAUCE INGREDIENTS: r 1/2 cup half-and-half r 1 tablespoon unsalted butter r 1/2 pound semisweet chocolate chips r 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Makes 1 1/2 cups

METHOD: Heat the half-and-half and butter in a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat until it just comes to a boil. Remove from heat immediately. Place the chocolate and vanilla in a medium, heat-proof bowl. Add the hot half-andhalf and let sit for 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Serve slightly warm. (The sauce can be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for several days, but it must be returned to room temperature before serving. aluminum pie tin and with a circular motion, press the crust tightly into the pan. Bake until browned, about 25 minutes. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes.

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1. Which of the seven dwarfs wore glasses? 2. Which superhero shares a name with a town in Turkey? 3. What did Dorothy have to steal from the wicked witch of the West? 4. Who normally were at odds with Gargamel and his cat, Azrael? 5. What is the female Smurf called? 6. What did the old lady swallow after the fly? 7. What creature is the basis for Sesame Street's Big Bird? 8. What was the favourite food of Paddington Bear? 9. What is the name of the lion in "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe"? 10. What was unusual about the children's nurse in Peter Pan? 11. Who wrote a Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court? 12. Who populated the land of Brobdingnag in Gullivers travels? 13. What was the name of the Rabbit General in Watership Down? 14. What did the Owl and Pussycat dine on? 15. Which childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s novel begins: "All children except one grow up...."? 16. Which country sent its navy around the world to fight the Japanese in 1904? 17. Which maritime explorer gave the Pacific ocean its name? 18. Which seed has been used for centuries to colour cheddar cheese? 19. The name of which very popular edible product translated means 'twice cooked'? 20. What is green horseradish called in Japan?

6. I have an eight in the ones place. I am greater than 23 but less than 37. 7. I have a four in the ones place. I am greater than 37 but less than 51. 8. I have a one in the ones place. I am greater than 44 but less than 61. 9. I have a five in the ones place. I am greater than 75 but less than 93. 10. I am an even number. I am greater than 64 but less than 67. Answers: 1. 13, 2. 63, 3. 39, 4. 84, 5. 52, 6. 28, 7. 44, 8. 51, 9. 85, 10. 66

Answers:1. Doc, 2. Batman, 3. Her broomstick, 4. Smurfs, 5. Smurfette, 6. Spider, 7. Dodo, 8. Marmalade, 9. Aslan, 10. She was a dog!, 11. Mark Twain, 12. Giants, 13. General Wormwork, 14. Mince and a slice of quince, 15. Peter Pan, 16. Russia, 17. Ferdinand Magellan (el mar Pacifico), 18. The annatto seed, 19. Biscuit, 20. Wasabi 1. I am an odd number. You do not say me when you count by fives. I am greater than 11 but less than 17. 2. I have a three in the ones place. I am greater than 62 but less than 68. 3. I am an odd, two-digit number. I have a three in the tens place. I am greater than 37. 4. I have a four in the ones place. I am greater than 76 but less than 90. 5. I have a five in the tens place. I am less than 54.You say me when you count by twos but not when you count by tens.

PAINT BRUSH CANVAS PAPER PENCILS CHARCOALS SKETCH EASEL PALETTES PASTELS PORTFOLIO WATERCOLOR ACRYLIC COLLAGE MURAL MUSEUM SCULPTURE

May - 2011

Re-arrange the letters below to make proper words

Now discover the secret word forme by rearranging the letters that are in the red circles.

ACROSS 2. What is the opposite of bad? 5. What is the opposite of far? 6. What is the opposite of sad? 7. What is the opposite of hard? 8. What is the opposite of cold? 10. What is the opposite of low? 11. What is the opposite of West? DOWN 1. What is the opposite of white? 3. Happy is the ____________ of sad? 4. What is the opposite of wet? 5. What is the opposite of South? 6. What is the opposite of sick? 9. What is the opposite of thick?

A: What are you going to do for the vacation? B: Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not sure, but I might go camping for a few days. A: That sounds like fun. Write three plans that you have for your vacation: (1) __________________________________________________________ (2) _________________________________________________________ (3) _________________________________________________________

How many three or more letter words can you make from the letters in the word:

FLOWERS RULE: You may use each letter only once

Write three plans that you have for your vacation, but you are not sure you will do: (1) _________________________________________________________ (2) _________________________________________________________ (3) _________________________________________________________

ENTERTAINMENTPAGES

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USA Singles Top 40 1

S&M Rihanna

Till The World Ends Britney Spears

For The First Time Script

E.T. Katy Perry

Rolling In The Deep Adele

Grenade Bruno Mars

Just Can't Get Enough Black Eyed Peas

Blow Ke$ha

Marry Me Train

Down On Me Jeremih & 50 Cent

Hit The Lights Jay Sean & Lil Wayne

Next To You Chris Brown & Justin Bieber

F*** You (Forget You) Cee Lo Green

F**kin' Perfect Pink

Firework Katy Perry

Born This Way Lady Gaga

The Lazy Song Bruno Mars

Don't You Wanna Stay Jason Aldean & Kelly Clarkson

On The Floor Jennifer Lopez & Pitbull

Colder Weather Zac Brown Band

Price Tag Jessie J & B.o.B

Judas Lady Gaga

Honey Bee Blake Shelton

Written In The Stars Tinie Tempah

Look At Me Now Chris Brown

Tonight Enrique Iglesias & Ludacris

Firework Katy Perry

Coming Home Diddy - Dirty Money

Never Say Never Justin Bieber & Jaden Smith

I Need A Doctor Dr. Dre

More Usher

Heart Like Mine Miranda Lambert

Higher Taio Cruz & Kylie Minogue

Best Love Song T-Pain & Chris Brown

Get It Right Glee Cast

Who Says Selena Gomez & The Scene

Loser Like Me Glee Cast

For The First Time Script

Jar Of Hearts Christina Perri

Bow Chicka Wow Wow Mike Posner

May - 2011

May new book releases include a favorite thriller, historical fiction and a page turning debut. Use this May 2011 Book Release Calendar to plan your May reading.

Dead Reckoning Charlaine Harris

Caleb's Crossing Geraldine Brooks

Charlaine Harris' beloved telepathic waitress, Sookie Stackhouse, returns in Dead Reckoning, the eleventh installment in Harris' Sookie Stackhouse vampire series. Harris' Southern Vampire series is the inspiration for HBO's TV series,True Blood

Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks is the story of the first Native American to graduate from Harvard College. In Caleb's Crossing, Brooks creates a historical fiction novel full of love and adventure. Brooks is known for People of the Book and March, which won her the Pulitzer Prize

Lies Chelsea Handler Told Me

America Pacifica Anna North

Lies Chelsea Handler Told Me is a series of comedic essays by "Chelsea's family, friends and other victims." This is the fourth book from Handler, including Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang. If you appreciate Handler's frank and often raunchy sense of humor, you may want to consider Lies Chelsea Handler Told Me

America Pacifica by Anna North is a debut novel about Darcy, an 18-year-old girl in a dystopian future who sets out to find her mother after she disappears with no explanation. America Pacifica is a dark page turner.

Dreams of Joy Lisa See

One of Our Thursdays is Missing Jasper Fforde

Dreams of Joy by Lisa See is the sequel to See's 2009 novel, Shanghai Girls. When I reviewed Shanghai Girls, my main complaint was that the ending was abrupt and unsatisfying. Hopefully Dreams of Joy will answer some of the questions left hanging at the end of Shanghai Girls and provide more closure for May, Pearl and Joy

One of Our Thursdays is Missing is the sixth book in Fforde's Thursday Next series -- a literary and fantastical detective series that takes place in BookWorld. A Genre War is raging in BookWorld and the real Thursday Next seems to be retired to the Real World. The Council turns to the written Thursday and wants her to pretend to be the real Thursday. Confused? Perhaps you should start with Book 1 in the series..

Sing You Home Jodi Picoult Jodi Picoult's 2011 release, Sing You Home, will focus on a lesbian couple who is fighting for the right to start a family. The book will include a unique multi-media feature -- a CD of music that readers are supposed to imagine was written by the main character, who is a music therapist and musician.

ENTERTAINMENTPAGES

BOOK RELEASES

The Complaints Ian Rankin "The Complaints" are the police officers who investigate other officers. Malcolm Fox works in this department. Fox is frustrated with his life when he receives a case about a dirty cop. Suddenly there's a murder too close for comfort and the case becomes urgent. Rankin'sComplaints is another crime novel from an author who has made a name for himself in this genre.

ENTERTAINMENTPAGES

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HOLLYWOOD MOVIE RELEASES Kung Fu Panda 2

Thor

Pirates of the Caribbean

The Hangover Part II

Directed by: Jennifer Yu Helson Starring: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, David Cross Lucy Liu, Seth Rogen Genres: Action / Adventure / Sequel / Family Kids / Animation /3D

Directed by: Kenneth Branagh Starring: Tom Hiddleston, Natalie Portman, Colm Feore, Jaimie Alexander, Stellan Skarsgard, Anthony, Hopkins Genres: Action / Adventure

Directed by: Rob Marshall Starring: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Penelope Cruz, Ian McShane, Stephen Graham, Astrid BergèsFrisbey Genres: Action / Adventure

Directed by: Todd Phillips Starring: Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Bradley Cooper, Justin Bartha, Ken Jeong, Sasha Barrese Genres: Comedy / Sequel

Directed by: Woody Allen Starring: Owen Wilson, Marion Cotillard, Carla Bruni, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, Michael Sheen Genres: Drama / Comedy

The film continues the adventures

"Thor," which spans the Marvel Universe from present day Earth to the realm of Asgard. At the center of the story is the mighty Thor, a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth by his father Odin and is forced to live among humans. A beautiful, young scientist, Jane Foster, has a profound effect on Thor, as she ultimately becomes his first love.

When Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) crosses paths with a woman from his past (Penelope Cruz) he's not sure if it's love—or if she's a ruthless con artist who’s using him to find the Fountain of Youth. When she forces him aboard the ship of the formidable pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane), Jack finds himself on an unexpected adventure in which he doesn’t know who to fear more: Blackbeard or the woman from his past.

Phil, Stu, Alan and Doug travel to exotic Thailand for Stu’s wedding. After the unforgettable bachelor party in Las Vegas, Stu is taking no chances and has opted for a safe, subdued pre-wedding brunch. However, things don’t always go as planned. A source familiar with the production said the character of the tattoo artist (played by Liam Neeson) is "pivotal" to the plot, in which one of the stars gets a tattoo during a night of debauchery.

The story centers on a family traveling to Paris for business. The party includes a young engaged couple forced to confront the illusion that a life different from their own is better.

Something Borrowed

Priest

Bridesmaids

The Tree of Life

An Invisible Sign

Directed by: Luke Greenfield Starring: Ginnifer Goodwin, John Krasinski, Colin Egglesfield, Kate Hudson, Steve Howey , Peyton List Genres: Comedy / Romance

Directed by: Kenneth Branagh Starring: Tom Hiddleston, Natalie Portman, Colm Feore, Jaimie Alexander, Stellan Skarsgard, Anthony, Hopkins Genres: Action / Adventure

Directed by: Paul Feig Starring: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Chris O'Dowd, Ellie Kemper, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey Genres: Comedy

Directed by: Terrence Malick Starring: Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Jessica Chastain Genres: Drama

Directed by: Marilyn Agrelo Starring: Jessica Alba, Chris Messina, J. K. Simmons Genres: Drama / Comedy

Rachel is a talented attorney at a

A post-apocalyptic sci fi thriller, set in an alternate world one ravaged by centuries of war between man and vampires. The story revolves around a legendary Warrior Priest from the last Vampire War who now lives in obscurity among the other downtrodden human inhabitants in walled-in dystopian cities ruled by the Church. When his niece is abducted by a murderous pack of vampires, Priest breaks his sacred vows to venture out a quest to find her.

When Annie (Kristen Wiig), a simple Midwestern girl is asked to be her best friend Lillian's (Maya Rudolph) maid of honor, she struggles to please the snobby, rich bridesmaids at every pre-wedding event.

The story of a Midwestern family in the 1950's. The film follows the life journey of the eldest son, Jack, through the innocence of childhood to his disillusioned adult years as he tries to reconcile a complicated relationship with his father (Brad Pitt). Jack (played as an adult by Sean Penn) finds himself a lost soul in the modern world, seeking answers to the origins and meaning of life while questioning the existence of faith.

"An Invisible Sign of My Own" is a

of Po the Panda and and his friends known as the Furious Five - Tigress, Crane, Mantis, Viper and Monkey. This time the story follows Po who, whilst in search of other pandas, happens across a group of bandits. Gary Oldman will voice a character called Peacock who helps Po on his way but is more than he seems.

top New York law firm, a generous and loyal friend and, unhappily, still single…as her engaged best friend Darcy is constantly reminding her. But after one drink too many at her 30th birthday party, perpetual good girl Rachel unexpectedly ends up in bed with the guy she’s had a crush on since law school, Dex who just happens to be Darcy’s fiancé.

On Stranger Tides

Midnight in Paris

coming-of-age drama based on Aimee Bender's quirky novel about a 20-year-old loner named Mona Gray (Alba) who as a child turned to math for salvation after her father became ill. As an adult, Gray now teaches the subject and must help her students through their own crises.

May - 2011

BOLLYWOOD MOVIE RELEASES Pyaar Ka Punchnama

Shagird

Kucch Luv Jaisaa

Love U. Mr. Kalakaar!

Stanley Ka Dabba

Directed by: Luv Ranjan Starring: Kartikeya Tiwari, Rayo Bhakirta, Divyendu Sharma, Sonalli Sehgal, Nushrat Bharucha, Ishita Sharma Genres: Comedy

Directed by: Tigmanshu Dhulia Starring: Nana Patekar, Anurag Kashyap,Mohit Alawat Zakir Hussain Genres: Action / Crime

Directed by: Barnali Ray Shukla Starring:Rahul Bose, Shefali Chhaya, Neetu Chandra Sumeet Raghavan, Manmeet Singh, Kunal Kumar.

Directed by: Amol Gupte Starring: Divya Dutta, Divya Jagdal, Raj Zutshi, Aditya Lakhia, Rahul Singh, Shiv Kumar Subramaniam, Amol Gupte Genres: Social/Drama/ Children

Pyaar Ka Punchnama is a

The film is fully action based.

Romantic Comedy movie about

Nana is playing the leading role

The movie revolves around two characters Madhu and Raghav, who try to steal light moment in their great chase for happiness. When Madhu has desires for her family attentions and some changes in her balanced life. But Raghav wants his world would stop so he could lead a simple and typical life. On a leap day, of the leap year, Madhu and Raghav end up finding the leaps and highs of each other as well as their lives.

Directed by: S. Manasvi Starring:Tusshar Kapoor, Amrita Rao, Ram Kapoor, Madhoo, Prem Chopra Jai Kalra, Kiran Kumar Genres: Romance Sahil, a cartoonist, an artist who derives his inspiration from emotions that come from the sky, from the earth, a scrap of paper, a passing shape, a spider's web, while Ritu is a management trainee, whose world revolves around debits, credits, turnovers, profits, deadlines. She falls in love with Sahil. Will she help him "sketch" the new rules of business?

Three young men, living as room-mates discover the perils

along with Anurag Kashyap as a gangster which means that this film should not be a waste

of being in the pursuit of love.

of time and like all of Patekarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Be prepared for this awesome

movies should be something

movieto.

that sends out a message.

Genres: Drama

The movie throws light on the everyday life of a school going child. The character, Stanley, tugs at your heartstrings with his indomitable spirit, while warding off the hostile world he is surrounded by at all times.The film reveals how this is child-soldier, rises above his choking real life situation and setting a template for all whiners to learn from.

TECHPAGES

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Compact Digital Camera Lineup for Spring 2011 A stylish new touch on picture taking fun

Ultra-slim elegance with extended reach

5x wide-angle zoom in an ultra-slim body Elegant styling and an 18.4 mm (0.8 in.) ultraslim body conceal the functional beauty of a precision 5x zoom NIKKOR lens with 26 mm wideangle coverage* teamed with 14.0 megapixels of imaging power and Nikon’s high-performance EXPEED C2 Image Processing Engine.

Intuitive touch control wrapped in ultra-slim elegance Ultra-slim lines elegantly ensconce a 3-in. 460k-dot (approx.) touch control LCD. The camera fits your hand and shooting style perfectly. Touch control maximizes fun and efficiency, whether navigating the userfriendly menu interface or enjoying fingertip control over most shooting and playback functions.

Retouch filter effects add creative fun Apply creative in-camera filter effects and easily create your own original works right within the COOLPIX S3100. Select from the fisheye lens, miniature, selective color, soft filter, or cross screen filter effects and enjoy the fun of adding a unique artistic expression to your favorite pictures.

Friendly new user interface The user-friendly interface stays out of your way when you want to focus on taking pictures. But quick access is always just one touch away, and the menu selections displayed in its tabbed menus are easy to understand and to use.

Enhanced projector brings the fun to a greater variety of scenes Brilliant OLED screen is a pleasure to touch and to shoot with Reproducing every detail of each shot with vivid color and sharp contrast is a large 3.5-in. 819k-dot (approx.), high-definition (Full Wide VGA) OLED touch panel. Intuitive fingertip control combines with a near-180° wide viewing angle to enhance the enjoyment of shooting, viewing and sharing photographs.

User-friendly interface makes picture taking and sharing more fun Intuitive touch control and a user-friendly interface provide smooth and easy operation in either vertical or horizontal orientation.

Available at:

An enhanced built-in projector lets you project your favorite photos or movie clips on any flat surface. Images can be viewed simultaneously on the camera’s LCD monitor, maximizing operating ease and efficiency. And, in addition to livening up gatherings and parties, you can also project any data stored on a PC for effective use in business situations. Fingertip control over interactive operations includes the ability to draw notes or illustrations directly onto projected images by simply touching the large 3-in. 460k-dot (approx.) highresolution touch screen

Projector Specifications • Brightness*1: Up to 14 lumens • Image size: 5 to 47 in. • Throw distance: Approx. 26 cm to 2.4 m (10 in. to 7 ft. 10 in.)

• Endurance (battery life)*2: Approx. 1 hour • Resolution (output): VGA equivalent

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Insight

TECHPAGES

Stayin' Alive

Improve your odds in the wild with the SOL Origin survival kit. The palm-sized, 6.4-ounce set consists of 17 one-handed tools (including a knife, whistle, compass, signaling mirror, sparking device and tinder), all housed in a waterproof case.

The MenasZoom is the first dome magnifier with multiple powers. Twisting the top changes the distance between its two lenses—much like a camera’s zoom lens—and adjusts magnification among five settings, from 2.2x to 3.4x.

Smart Car

Spin Master

The Hitman Pro aluminum yo-yo maintains near-perfect balance and stability. The trick is that its axle inserts completely into the casing, so the rod won’t get stuck on internal edges, cause friction, and make the yo-yo wobble out of control.

Open your car doors even when you’ve locked your keys inside. OnStar’s new smart mirror can retrofit into more than 50 million cars on the road today and uses a cell connection to link your vehicle’s computer with a centralized server.

Tiny Tunes

Speed Racer

Rather than getting bogged down copying files to an external drive, new MacBook Pros tear through the task 20 times as fast as other laptops—and can feed a high-def movie to a monitor at the same time. They’re the first notebooks to use Intel’s high-speed Thunderbolt port, which merges a data and display connection into one wire.

Leg Up Unlike most pogos, the BoGo has a flexible fiberglass bow on its front. Working with a coiled metal spring in the base, the bow helps capture more energy when compressed, and allows riders to bounce two thirds higher with no extra effort.

At just 2.8 inches wide, Razer’s portable speakers can fill a room with audio from a cellphone, iPod or laptop. Each speaker’s 1.2-inch driver fires upward, so sound waves bounce off the top wall and spread a full 360 degrees out of the circular grill.

Drive On

Rockwell’s drill is the first 12-volt compact tool to double as a heavy-duty driver. For big, load-bearing screws, an anvil weight provides up to 800 inchpounds of extra torque.

May - 2011

Blow opponents away—with lasers! In KHET, a chess-like board game, players arrange mirrored pieces to create a path for an eye-safe laser beam that kills the other player’s pieces. Last man standing wins.

Corner Printer

Paint without scuffing the ceiling or going back to the bucket. The RapidRoller is the first roller with both a head that locks in three positions and a handle that sucks paint from the pail.

Dual View The Kyocera Echo is the first phone with two 3.5-inch touchscreens, so it can display two apps at once. Now if you’re lost, you can pull up a map while texting a friend to let her know you’ll be late for dinner.

Line of Sight Read your PC’s screen the same way you would a cookbook on the kitchen counter. Instead of staying rigidly upright, HP’s 23-inch touchscreen reclines backward up to 60 degrees, making it comfortable to see while standing.

AUTOPAGES

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2011 Shanghai Auto Show

The 14th Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition (Auto Shanghai 2011) was held from April 21 to 28 with the theme of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Innovation For Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;?. About 2,000 carmakers and parts providers from 20 countries showcased 1,100 car models, 75 of which made their world premieres in the auto show. (Photos by Feng Li/Getty Images).

May - 2011

AUTOPAGES

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May - 2011

FASHIONPAGES

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Ralph Laurenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Spring / Summer 2011 Handbag Collection Ralph Laurenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Spring / Summer 2011 Handbag Collection is rich in many styles but the dominating one is cowboy style. These cowboy style pieces are very interesting and amazing. The main colors of these handbags are camel and brown.

May - 2011

Ice Cool Shoes

FASHIONPAGES

Anastasia Radevich

FASHIONPAGES

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Vero Moda Summer 2011 Lookbook Vero Moda Summer 2011 Lookbook offers the hottest trends for this season. These feminine, comfy and sexy dresses, shorts, ivory tops and floral prints will give you a perfect look for this season. They are simple, yet stylish and attractive. The collection is perfectly suitable for those who want to feel both comfy and elegant.

nes for

ble o comforta t s o m e h orts are t day wear Denim sh every

ents

uirem manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s req o w fy s i t to sa ion nows how ry stylish collect k a d o M Vero s a ve and offer

May - 2011

Angelina Jolie, collaborating with jewelry designer Robert Procop is creating her jewelry line named “Style of Jolie“. The aim is to help children in crisis by educating them. The proceeds will go to her charity, the Education Partnership for Children of Conflict. The collection will be displayed at a Julien’s Auction House in Beverly Hills. The display is organized by invitation and few can see these pretty and luxurious jewelry pieces.

Angelina Jolie wore jewelry of Robert Procop's design in the new movie The Tourist.

FASHIONPAGES

“Style of Jolie” Jewelry Line

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This Season: It’s all about Python Sarah Abdullah

Bottega Veneta

It didn’t take long for python to make itself known as the biggest handbag look of Spring 2011; as trends go, exotic skins aren’t exactly subtle. They’re also not affordable, so if you want to buy into a piece of one of the runway, start saving your pennies now. To help motivate you, we’ve put together a non-comprehensive compendium of some of Spring 2011′s snakeskin looks, all the way from slouchy, comfortable pink Dior to rigid, bright yellow Gucci.

Bottega Veneta

Chloe

Dior

Dries Van Noten

Gucci

Valentino

Louis Vuitton

May - 2011

The collection of Spring 2011 handbags was shown in Paris back in October.Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a little something for everyone here, from the staunch Chanel traditionalist to the young woman who wants to mix neon and tweed. It's so exciting to see that the fantastic leather-bound book clutch has made its way to retail, as well as some of the utterly feminine scarf-woven bags. Also what was lovely and not expected to be seen was a slim black and white clutch detailing the ceiling of Paris 'Grand Palais', where Chanel presents its collections every season. Not only is it beautiful and neutral enough to actually be used, but It could be quickly becoming a collectorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s item among Chanel devotees.

FASHIONPAGES

Chanel's spring 2011 Collection

PRESSPAGES

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New Audi A7 arrives in Kuwait Fouad Al Ghanim & Sons Automotive, the authorized dealer of Audi in Kuwait, announced the official launch of the Audi A7 in the State of Kuwait. Customers had the possibility of viewing Audi’s latest model on a specially designed exhibition at Avenues Mall – Dome III. The new Audi A7 is a five-door luxury-class coupe with a unique combination of prestige, sportiness and functionality which blends together the benefits of a saloon, a coupe and a station wagon. On the interior Audi again gives proof of its leading role in automotive design. Even the tiniest details and the use of high-grade new materials document the craftsmanship level of care with which Audi builds its cars. The long rear hatch opens high to reveal a luggage compartment that is very easy to load and offers excellent functionality at 535-liter capacity. The A7 offers a new level of technical intelligence with logical, self-explanatory ergonomics. The optimized MMI operating system with navigation plus and touchpad input comes standard. Among the optional equipment is the adaptive cruise control with stop & go function, that combined

conditions. The extensive standard equipment includes the four-zone automatic air conditioning, electrically adjustable front seats with memory function for driver seat, a multifunction leather steering wheel with shift paddles, DVD changer and Bluetooth mobile phone interface, heat insulated windows and a sunscreen for the rear window, glass sunroof, electric boot lid and key-less go, 18 inch alloy wheels, the parking system plus with rearview camera as well as Audi pre sense basic and a 5 years service package. with the Audi pre sense safety system can reduce the severity of accidents and their consequences, the new headup display, Audi active lane assist and the new park assist system, which relieves the driver of the chore of steering when parallel parking. The settings of the new Audi A7 have been specially developed for the Middle East, particularly with regards to the climate

Audi offers the A7 with a 300 hp 3.0 TFSI engine an S tronic transmission and the latest generation quattro permanent all-wheel drive system as a standard. Its efficiency sets new standards in the vehicle class and features a recuperation system and thermal management as a standard.

Sabah Al-Ahmad Center for Giftedness and Creativity welcomes its inventors back home Sabah Al-Ahmad Center for Giftedness and Creativity (SACGC) welcomed its adopted Kuwaiti inventors, silver medalist Dr. Turki Al Dhafiri and Bronze medalist Engineer Abdulmohsen Almoumen, in a celebration conference gathering friends, family, and media. SACGC inventors’ innovations were ranked best between 1000 innovations at 39th Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions, largest international innovation competition comprising 780 inventors from 45 countries worldwide. Endorsed by the Swiss government, the competition attracts over 60,000 visitors annually. Kuwait participated in the exhibition 19 times, previously winning 19 gold, 13 silver, and 13 bronze medals. SACGC fostered and supported three Kuwaiti inventors for the first time as part of its first projects to support individuals in the field of science and technology.

This comes to show that talented and gifted scientists and inventors exist in Kuwait and can compete at a global level. This success drives SACGC to continue to support Kuwait’s talented and gifted individuals for the benefit of Kuwait’s tomorrow, and as part of the Amir’s vision in investing in the human capital.” SACGC welcomed the inventors and Team Leader of the Kuwait Office of Inventors at SACGC, Engineer Khaled Al Hasan, who lead both the center and inventors in their first global participation.

SACGC General Manager, Dr. Omar Al Banai said: “We are very proud of all three of our Kuwaiti inventors that As an initiative by HH the Amir, SACGC sponsors and supports gifted and talented individuals in the community by providing them participated in such a competitive exhibition and yielded with a support and mentoring platform that enables them to reach their maximum potential and make them globally outstanding results, adding to Kuwait’s notable roster. competitive in their fields.

Middle East Region To Receive 17 Out Of 100 Spirit Of Ecstasy Centenary Collection Phantoms Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has announced that the Middle East region will receive 17 out of 100 Spirit of Ecstasy Centenary Collection Phantoms. This exclusive collection of bespoke Phantom models has been specifically designed to celebrate the centenary of the Spirit of Ecstasy in 2011.

Spirit of Ecstasy insignia and the models carry a new badge developed to establish the collection’s place in Rolls-Royce history. Located beneath the Spirit of Ecstasy, on the trunk lid as well as on the front wings, this reverses conventional design, with white enamel ‘RR’ detail set on a black chrome background.

One Hundred cars bearing a suite of features inspired by the legendary flying lady will be produced; with 17 Inside the cars fine detailing abounds. Satin spun of these special edition Phantoms to be received by instrument dials, centered with polished interlinked customers in the Middle East region. ‘RR’ monograms, are further enriched with polished chaplets and black numerals. Clocks are backlit, The Centenary Collection Cars feature very special presenting an inner ring of silver incorporating Spirit of Ecstasy figurines. Cast in Britannia Silver and the centenary inscription while the centre console bathed in a halo of white light, they stand on a base lid opens to reveal a discreet solid Britannia Silver complete with black-gold plated bezel bearing the commemorative plaque. Four exterior colour inscription Spirit of Ecstasy Centenary – 2011. options are offered, all exclusive to Spirit of Ecstasy Twin coachlines incorporate delicate hand-painted Centenary collection cars.

May - 2011

LG’s Latest Blu-ray 3D™ Player Packs Superb Content, 3D and Connectivity Options

Drawing on LG’s state-of-the-art Smart TV functions, the BD670 boasts an easy-to-use onscreen interface that offers direct and simple access to a wide range of premium content. As well as top-tier global content providers – including YouTube and global VOD companies – the BD670 provides access to a range of locally sourced material so that viewers can enjoy the very best shows and movies from their region.

In terms of connectivity, the BD670’s Wi-Fi Direct™ lets viewers stream multimedia content directly to other devices, without the need for a separate internet connection. Additionally, Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) functionality makes content options almost limitless by enabling easy access to movies and pictures stored on other DLNA-friendly devices, such Users can also download a special app for their as digital cameras or PCs. iPod touch, iPhone or Android-based mobile phone “It’s no longer enough to offer great content, 3D or easy that turns the handset into a remote control for the internet access – today’s viewers demand it all from a BD670. Through the app, viewers will be able to do single source that’s easy and intuitive to use,” said Mr. everything from adjusting the volume to searching H.S. Paik, President of LG Electronics Gulf FZE. “In this for content on a touch screen QWERTY keyboard. way, the BD670 is the future of home entertainment,

The BD670’s Smart TV functions also mean viewers can take advantage of the growing selection of LG Apps. Coming in five categories – Life, Entertainment, Games, Information and Education – the apps are custom designed for use on TVs, offering fun, exciting and educational options for the whole family.

The BD670 continues to pile up the entertainment options with Blu-ray 3D™ playback. With the range of 3D Blu-ray™ content now growing fast, the BD670 provides an ideal platform for enjoying 3D movies and shows on some of LG’s sharpest, most realistic 3D images yet.

LG Electronics (LG) introduced the BD670, a Blu-ray 3D™ Player that combines the best in 3D entertainment, all the content options of LG Smart TV and seamless connectivity with other digital devices.

delivering all the content you’ll ever need from a box so slender and elegant, you’ll barely notice it’s there.”

For viewers with a library of standard and Blu-ray™ titles, LG’s players also use 1080p up-scaling of standard DVDs for a near high-definition viewing experience – no matter what format is being played.

‫(الوطن ام) حتصد املركز األول في مسابقة اخلطب الدولية في لقاء أندية التوستماسترز الناطقة باللغة العربية‬ ‫ ممدوح الثنيان ملسابقة املنطقة في اجلمعية االقتصادية الكويتية‬61‫نظم محافظ املنطقة‬ ‫وفي لقاء اتسم بروح احلماس وغلب عليه عنصر التشويق واملنافسة حيث حصدت اول سورية‬ ‫املركز األول في مسابقة املنطقة وهي عضو نادي الليوان‬ ‫توستماسترز سمر ابوشكر بعنوان الوطن ام وأثارت إعجاب‬ ‫اجلمهور وفي تصريح للعضو سمر ابو شكر والتي عبرت من خالله‬ ‫عن سعادتها بالفوز وبأنها سبق وان حصدت امليدالية البرونزية‬ ‫في العام املاضي وان حصولها على املركز األول هذا العام اجناز‬ ‫كبير تهديه ألحبائها وولدها رائد وهي تامل الفوز بالتصفيات‬ ‫ماقبل النهائية للوصول الى املسابقة الكبرى والنهائية في‬ ‫مؤمتر الديتاك الذي سيقام في اململكة األردنية الهاشمية في‬ ‫ مضيفة مبدى‬...‫نهاية الشهر القادم على مستوى الشرق االوسط‬ ‫اعتزازها وتشرفها لتمثيل بلدها الثاني الكويت وقد دعت جميع‬ ‫فئات اجملتمع لالنضمام إلى نادي التوستماسترز ملا فيه من فائدة‬ ‫ومتعة وتعلم التواصل والقيادة والنجاح وفن التعامل مع اآلخرين‬ ‫واثبات الذات والتحدي كما متنت تاسيس نادي توستماسترز في‬ .‫سورية‬

‫املدير اإلبداعي لباراجون عضو جلنة التحكيم في املعرض الفني السادس للجامعة األمريكية‬ ‫كان املدير اإلبداعي لشركة باراجون لإلتصاالت التسويقية قنسطنطني أسينوف رئيس جلنة التحكيم في املعرض‬ ‫ وقد متت دعوته للتحكيم في األعمال‬،‫الفني السنوي السادس الذي نظمته اجلامعة األمريكية في الكويت‬ .‫التصويرية وتصميم الغرافيك املقدمة من طالب اجلامعة‬ ‫حصل قنسطنطني أسينوف على درجة املاجيستير في الفنون اجلميلة من األكادميية الوطنية للفنون اجلميلة‬ ‫ عاما ً في مجاالت الفنون البصرية وتصميم الغرافيك واإلعالن‬30 ‫ لديه خبرة أكثر من‬.‫من صوفيا في بلغاريا‬ ‫ ولديه أعمال نشرت في أكثر من كتاب دولي عن تصميم الغرافيك واملاركات التجارية وهويات‬،‫والتصوير واإلتصاالت‬ ‫ صمم أكثر‬.‫ الكويت وكان ضمن جلنة التحكيم في العديد من املناسبات‬IAA ‫ ويعد عضوا ً عامالً في‬.‫الشركات‬ ‫وهو مصور بارع حيث نشرت أعماله واستخدمت في‬.‫ لوغو وأكثر من نصفها كانت لشركات في الكويت‬200 ‫من‬ .‫العديد من القنوات اإلعالمية مثل التغليف واإلعالنات وتعريفات الشركات‬ ‫ "كانت األعمال املشاركة واعدة للغاية وقد بهرتني خاصة وأنها‬:‫يقول قنسطنطني عند سؤاله عن رأيه في املعرض‬ ‫ فدراسة تصميم الغرافيك أمر معقد للغاية واملهارة املوجودة واضحة في مجاالت متعددة مثل‬.‫من فنانني شباب‬ ‫ جيد لألساتذة وللجامعة إلحتوائها‬.‫التصوير إضافتا ً إلى عدد من املشاركات اإلستثنائية في التصميم الغرافيكي‬ ."‫على هذه املهارات وتنظيم الفعاليات التي تساعد في إظهار املواهب اخلاصة بشباب اليوم‬

PRESSPAGES

LG’S BD670 DELIVERS SMART ENTERTAINMENT, OUTSTANDING 3D FROM A SINGLE, COMPELLING PACKAGE

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Limited edition racing car: 911 GT3 RS 4.0 With the 911 GT3 RS 4.0, one of the most popular, coveted and successful racing pedigree production cars, Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart’s is entering the home straight. Limited to 600 vehicles, the 911 GT3 RS 4.0 brings together in a road car all the attributes that have made the Porsche 911 GT3 a serial winner on the race track. The new model purveys thoroughbred motor sport technology to its innermost core. The flat engine's crankshaft has been lifted unchanged from the 911 GT3 RSR racing car’s six cylinder engine and the forged pistons’ connecting rods are fashioned from titanium. The fourlitre displacement sports engine, the biggest 911 model line engine ever, is also the most powerful naturally aspirated engine with 125 horsepower per litre. It achieves its maximum power of 500 hp at 8,250 revs per minute. The engine delivers its maximum torque of 460 Newton metres at 5,750 rpm.

The market launch of the new Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 begins in the GCC markets in July 2011. The basic retail price starts at 185,847 USD.

The New Aston Martin V8 Vantage S • The driver-focussed V8 Vantage featuring enhanced dynamics • Increase in power and torque to 430 bhp and 490 Nm • New ground-up developed seven speed Sportshift™ II transmission • Dramatic V12 Vantage-inspired looks available as coupe and Roadster • Compelling package of agility, balance, engagement and everyday practicality The Aston Martin Vantage range comes of age with the new V8 Vantage S characterised by a host of new driver-focussed features all designed to push the honed dynamics of the standard Vantage to a new benchmark level. Aston Martin’s own 4.7 litre V8 engine has been engineered to deliver peak power of 430 bhp (436

PS / 321 kW) at 7300 rpm and torque of 490 Nm (361 lb.ft) at 5000 rpm and is coupled with a new ground-up developed Sportshift™ II transmission specifically designed for the Vantage S with seven short ratio gears to deliver the most engaging and intense driver involvement. “The Vantage S epitomises every attribute of the V8 Vantage and pushes the driver experience beyond what we have offered before,” says Dr. Ulrich Bez, CEO of Aston Martin, “It combines dynamic exhilaration with all the charming finesse, beauty and practicality already associated with the Vantage range.”

brake module providing features such as Hydraulic Brake Assist (HBA) which provides assistance in emergency braking situations, and Hill Start Assist (HSA). Bespoke tyres have been developed with Bridgestone to optimise road holding enhancing dynamic feel.

Dynamic revisions are central to the Vantage S, with a quickened steering rack ratio of 15:1 compared to 17:1 on the standard car and a larger diameter front brake disc with new six-piston front brake calipers. New springs and dampers, and wider rear wheels also contribute to chassis revisions. A new dynamic stability control (DSC) system specifically tuned to the Vantage S along with a new

Gulf Bank holds ‘Health Week’ for its Employees

Bank’s initiative to encourage well-being for its employees a major success Gulf Bank, in partnership with Al Seef Hospital, a specialized health care unit, recently held its first ‘Health Week’ for the bank’s employees. Consultations for the bank’s employees were held at Al Saleh building from April 18 – 21 between 10am to 4:30pm. Suliman Buhaimed, Assistant Manager-Internal Communications, Human Resources at Gulf Bank said: “At Gulf Bank, our employees’ well-being is a top priority. Health Week was all about providing advice on healthy life styles and helping our employees to achieve their individual health goals. All staff had the opportunity to take part and receive a variety of free consultations and check-ups.” “As part of the program, staff also received a variety of special offers for a range of healthcare packages,” added Buhaimed. The Bank’s Health Week focused on a different areas of health and well-being each day of the

week, with specialists from Al Seef Hospital offering general health consultations to Gulf Bank staff. Throughout the week, staff were offered free dental examinations, dermatology advice including mini-facials and consultations, physical fitness reviews including a workshop on how to stay fit during office hours as well as dietary and nutritional advice.

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May Planet Overview: There's confidence in the air as the month begins. With half the planets in courageous Aries, it's easy to be recklessness in money and love. The foot is on

the accelerator when the May 3 Taurus New Moon puts dollar signs in your eyes. Everybody - not just impetuous Fire Signs - aims for the stars in finance and romance. Many deals succeed by the May 17 Full Moon. To add to the money and love fervor, Mars (ruler of Aries) meets the goddess of finance on May 23, flexing even more muscle. On May 24 many deals are sealed behind closed doors.

A r i es

(Mar 21 – Apr 19)

You will be highly active, independent, and a force to be reckoned with this month. Your confidence will soar and you will be decisive. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Uranus will all be in Aries. With this grouping, you will be eager to start new projects. After Mercury, Mars, and Venus join the Sun in Taurus after the middle of the month, life will move more slowly. It will be important to save for the future and improve your financial situation. A May 3 New Moon in Taurus will help you pay attention to details and deal with paperwork.

Cancer Mark Zuckerberg 14th May

(Jun 21 – Jul 22)

George Clooney 6th May

Naomi Campbell 22nd May

Tau r u s

(Apr 20 – May 20)

This would be a good time to send out resumes and contact new people who may be able to help you. Don't wait for ads to appear or jobs to be posted. By the time several planets move to the sign of Taurus midmonth, you will focus more on your friendships and groups that you're associated with. You will work hard on projects if something needs to be done. Try to plan a few get-togethers with your friends where you can talk, relax, and enjoy each other's company. A Full Moon on May 17 may disrupt your love life.

This month, the Sun will be in your sign, bringing out your natural talents and abilities. A New Moon on May 3 will make you feel as if you're experiencing a fresh start. You'll be confident and strong - willing to branch out and try new things. Mercury will move to your sign by the middle of the month. You can expect to meet a lot of new people, and exciting opportunities will open up if you are willing to let them, and then take action. The Full Moon in Scorpio on May 17 may create tension in your relationships, especially with someone who is moody.

Leo

(Jul 23 – Aug 22)

Expand your horizons this month and look into ways you can experience new things. This may mean planning a trip to somewhere exotic, or it may mean furthering your education. Express your thoughts and opinions during the first part of the month. During the latter part, your career will be your priority. You will put a lot of energy into compiling a package of information you can share with others. A New Moon in Taurus this month will help facilitate relationships with people in your network. A Full Moon in Scorpio on May 17 could create difficulties at home.

Stevie Wonder 13th May

G em i n i

(May 21 – Jun 20)

This will be an active month. You will spend a lot of time with friends and associates. You will make new contacts and keep in touch with old friends. Make the first move and keep everyone communicating. Pluto in Capricorn and Saturn in Libra square to several planets in Aries will continue to create some limitations. You may feel tired and unable to have fun for several months. Neptune has moved to Pisces for several years. You will be uncertain about your direction in life. This transit will create some stress as you try to decide what your next move should be.

Kylie Minogue 28th May

Vir go

(Aug 23 – Sep 22)

Janet Jackson 16th May

This month's Taurus New Moon will help you make a new start with communication and education. Find an outlet for expressing your thoughts and ideas and present them to someone influential. This would be a good time to plan a trip so you can relax and enjoy yourself. Make sure you're traveling with people you enjoy. The Full Moon in Scorpio on May 17 may stir up drama with one of your neighbors or someone in your community. You may not be able to figure out what's going on. Pluto in Capricorn is still transforming your approach to love and romance.

May - 2011

Megan Fox 16th May

It may be difficult to find balance in your relationships this month, especially if you have a partner. You will constantly be torn between independence and following the lead of others. You should follow your own path and forget about trying to please everyone else. Shared financial matters will need attention all month. A Taurus New Moon will help you make a new start in this area of your life. You will be able to arrange loans and work out an equitable share of assets. The Full Moon in Scorpio may bring on a crisis in personal money matters.

Libra

(Sep 23 – Oct 22)

Ca pricor n (Dec 22 – Jan 19)

The first part of the month may be difficult as tempers flare within your family and your irritation level increases. One family member may be adept at pushing your buttons. You will feel less stressed after several planets move from Aries to Taurus around midmonth. The latter part of the month will be more peaceful, and you will be kinder to others. Love and romance will be on your mind, and you will feel sensual and attractive. You will work on creative projects and get involved in leisure activities. A May 17 Full Moon in Scorpio will cause drama with a friend.

Pierce Brosnan 16th May

Tony Blair 6th May

Sc o r pio (Oct 23 – Nov 21)

Work will be busy as you deal with a hectic pace. Short deadlines and unrealistic demands may cause some stress. Things should calm down a bit after the middle of the month, and you will have more time for family and partner. If you're in a relationship, things will be smooth and easy. You will have good communication and mutual respect. Love will grow, and you will experience some hot romance around May 23. A Full Moon in your sign on May 17 could bring up some self-esteem issues and negativity. Neptune in Pisces now will increase sensitivity for many years.

Cate Blanchett 14th May

Sa g i t tar ius (Nov 22 – Dec 21)

An active love life will keep you busy this month. You may be with someone new, in an established relationship, or simply interested in someone. In all of these circumstances, you will actively pursue your lover and be willing to make a move. If you're single, you may get sexually involved with someone in your office after the middle of the month. Neptune has moved into Pisces for a long sojourn. You may experience confusion in your family for several years to come and feel a little lost. Saturn in Libra will cause you to be responsible to friends and associates.

Brooke Shields 31st May

Aquarius (Jan 20 – Feb 18)

This will be a busy month with many activities going on. You will be involved in projects with relatives, neighbors, and your community during the first two weeks. You will take the lead on some of these things and see that tasks get done. Mercury, Venus, and Mars move to Taurus after midmonth. You will find refuge at home where it's comfortable and peaceful, but you may feel guilty about relaxing. A New Moon in Taurus this month will help you calm down and get centered. Saturn in Libra will temporarily curtail any travel or educational plans.

Robert Pattinson 13th May

Pisces

(Feb 19 – Mar 20)

Jason Biggs 12th May

A May 3 New Moon in Taurus will help keep you calm and grounded even if you're busy and stressed. This month it will be imperative to address some financial issues. You will need to get advice and take action on several things. This will be a good time to deal with outstanding items and get back on track. Several planets in Taurus after the middle of the month will help you have good relations with your extended family and neighbors. The Full Moon in Scorpio may bring anxiety over future plans or a presentation that you have to make.

AL7een Dorek

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