saaf - Y-oman.com

Dear Reader,One of the biggest dilemmas for parentsin this part of the world is how to occupytheir children’s time gainfully during thesummer vacation. It’s too hot outsideto even contemplate a walk and, well,many teens do not fancy attendingsummer camps during the vacation.Staying indoors is the only option;however, that is equal to televisionor gaming time to thwart the eternallament ‘I am bored’, which childrencooped inside are wont to utter whentheir senses are not otherwise occupied.Our Y rated this issue follows the trailsof students on vacation to check outtheir gaming strategies to stay cool andentertained. It also probes the dangersof spending long hours on their gamingconsoles, which could well lead toaddiction. The impact of continuousgames on the mental and physicalhealth of the players is also highlightedin the cover story.This issue also focuses on Oman’sparticipation in the forthcomingParalympic Games in London; NationalHospitality Institute’s ‘Smiles of Oman’campaign; Ruqaiya Al Harthi’s Abayaboutique Saaf; and Maitry Udani’sexemplary student record, amongothers.Check out our other regular features andcolumns and stay cool.Enjoy!Y Team4

This week inJuly 10, 2012 Issue 2289Twentyfour SevenCross, TAC, Zawawi Mercedes-Benz, Oman Air,Honda City, McDonald's, Audi14Check This OutMaitry Udani, Nissan, Oman Parlaympics22 CultureSmiles of Oman24Y-rated'GAME' PLAY32 SpotlightRuqaiya Al Harthi38X-tra TimeAhmed Al Harthy, Red Bull CliffDiving World Series45 ChillaxativeCrosswords, Social Media20Food PathUBHARSayyida Iman bint Hamad bin Hamood Al Busaidi Editor-in-ChiefClint Derric Egbert Sports Writer/PhotographerJerzy Wierzbicki Photographer | Shrikant Akojwar Art Director/DesignEihab Abutaha CEO | Feroz Khan Director of Sales & Marketing | Ayman Canawati Logistics ManagerFor editorial enquiries, email info@y-oman.com | Published by SABCO Press, Publishing & Advertising LLC | Y is a SABCO Media Product.

July 17, 2012 Issue 229WINNINGLETTERSPEED BREAKERSDear Y,Many of the speed breakers in Muscat do not have road signs placed near them to caution motorists. In some places, street lights are a little ahead of them, soit becomes difficult to notice the speed breakers after sunset; especially if one is driving on a particular road for the first time. Several speed breakers have beenput around Rex Road area in Ruwi, some within a few metres of each other. The road leading to Seeb Souq from the Wave, along the seafront, also has far toomany speed breakers. Pedestrian crossings would have been ideal at some points in both areas instead of the speed breakers. Sudden breaking is also not theideal situation, especially if there are infants travelling in the vehicle.S. John MartinREADER'SLETTERSSpecial Offers, Discounts & Promotions.Dear Y,Retailers and supermarkets advertise ‘Special Offers’, ‘Discounts’ and ‘Promotions’. At first glance, it would appear that it would make great sense to buy, but acloser look would indicate that these might, in fact, be not such great deals after all.Many stores advertise ‘Buy 2 Get 1 Free’ promotion, i.e. one piece of clothing is given free for every two similar purchases at full price. Looking at the tagline,at first one gets the impression that there is a 50 percent benefit, but effectively it works out to be just a 33 percent benefit! Some megastores offer moneyback‘Buy for value RO 10 & Get Cash Back RO 2’. This 20 percent money-back discount, which appears to be a great saving initially, has some ‘ifs and buts’attached. The money back is not an immediate cash deduction in the current purchase but a voucher is provided for any subsequent purchases.Thus customer has to shell out the full amount initially. Another gimmick in electronics white goods purchase is the type that advertises ‘Buy a Fridge & GetVacuum Cleaner Free’. If real benefit is to accrue to a customer, the store should deduct the value of the vacuum cleaner and charge the reduced price. Butsadly, that is not so and the customer is saddled with a product, which he already possesses or he may have no use for; and thus there is no immediate benefitto him. In technology products, the above process is repeated wherein, for instance, an outdated inkjet printer, etc. is bundled as the ‘free offer’ on purchaseof a computers or a laptop. Further, the customer may receive a nasty surprise when he goes to buy the ink-cartridge for the printer only to find out to his greatdismay that its price is almost equal to the cost of the ‘free’ hardware.Against purchases of diamond jewellery, customers are astonished to read about 60 percent discounts being offered. Customers can only wonder on theamazing margins earned by these jewellery shops while selling these much-coveted jewellery. Again, against purchase of high priced appliances, ‘Gift Vouchers’ranging anywhere between RO5 to RO15 are offered by some hypermarkets. Here too, ideally, hypermarkets could merely reduce the price of such productsand offer real and direct benefits to shoppers. Due to such ‘Gift Vouchers’ customers would feel compelled to cart home unnecessary purchases and not reallybenefit from the ‘offer’.Lastly, in most promotional offers of food related consumables ‘Buy 1, Get 1 Free’, the product may be in its last weeks before its expiry date and the retailermay have to chuck the product anyway and hence the offer!S. Rupchandbe a winner!Each week we are selecting our best reader’s letter or image,and giving away free vouchers, courtesy Shang Thai. Simplyemail us at info@y-oman.comValue of prizes may vary each week. This prize is not redeemable for cash oralternatives.Only one winner is selected at the discretion of Y magazine. Proof of Identity isrequired to claim your prize.8

FREEFREEFREEFREEAhlanRamadanINSURANCE FOROMAN & UAE2 YEARS /40,000 KMS SERVICEREGISTRATIONXBOX 360with every purchasePLUSGIFT HAMPERwith every purchaseATTRACTIVE PRICES on all models2400 cc, 195 bhpMADE IN JAPANsophisticated all-round 4X42400 cc, 185 bhp4-Mode 4WD5-door & 3-door ModelsMADE IN JAPANIntelligent 4WD2000 cc, 160 bhpDrive Select 4WDMADE IN JAPANS E D A N1600 cc, 121 bhp2000 cc, 160 bhpMADE IN JAPANsporty & elegantALL NEW2013ModelsNOW AVAILABLEMORE POWER ANDBETTER FUEL EFFICIENCYcelebrate lifeSEDANour family car1600 cc, 7-seaterALL NEW1600 cc, 150 bhpMORE POWER ANDBETTER FUEL EFFICIENCYMADE IN JAPANOffer valid from July 2, 2012 to September 2, 2012. Not applicable on Celerio, Dzire, APV models.Insurance and Registration is not applicable for Rent-a-car, Taxi and Driving School.MOOSA ABDUL RAHMAN HASSAN & Co. LLCwww.moosagroup.comWATTAYAH: 24568388 / 99242103, SOHAR: 26840379 / 94054366, NIZWA: 25413082 / 95570341,JALAN BANI BU ALI: 25554617 / 99249412, SALALAH: 23212699 / 96139971, SUR: 25541757 / 99349421.FLEET ENQUIRY: 95207827www.facebook.com/suzuki.oman

July 17, 2012 Issue 229MCDONALD’SLAUNCHESNEW ICED LATTEWith summer in high gear, McDonald’s is offeringfor the first time its Iced Latte, a refreshingsummer drink, which comes inthree delicious mouth-wateringflavours.The latest addition to its colddrinks menu, the new IcedLatte is available in Caramel, Espresso andHazelnut flavours packed with the freshest dairyingredients that suit everyone’s taste buds.At the heart of each iced latte is 100 percentArabica coffee bean, freshly grounded andbrewed, and blended with fresh milk. Topped withice and the flavour of your choice, the Iced Lattemakes for a superb summer treat.“The new Iced Latte is part of McDonald’s strategyto provide our valued customers with new andinnovative cold drink choices. At 750 baizas, the newIced Latte offers great taste, value for money, anda refreshing experience this summer,” Ali K. Daud,Development Licensee and President of McDonald’sOman.FACELIFT FOR ZAWAWI MERCEDES-BENZ MUSCAT FACILITIESZawawi Trading Company (ZTC) - the exclusive distributor for Mercedes-Benz in Oman – is elevating its 2012strategy to take customer care to the next level with the complete upgrade of its Muscat facilities. Due forcompletion in October 2012, the facelift is the latest milestone of an ambitious roadmap to provide unrivalledluxury customer experiences to become the market leader in Oman for both the luxury and commercial vehiclesegments within five years.Taking Mercedes-Benz’ global brand mantra of ‘The Best or Nothing’ to new levels in Oman, the re-developmentof the Zawawi Mercedes-Benz Muscat facilities includes a new showroom and customer area that will percolateperfect espressos and lattés from a premium coffee bar.A wider range of the latest gleaming Mercedes-Benz models will now be displayed in an extended PassengerCars showroom and exclusive area for ZTC’s ‘good as new’ Proven Exclusivity range of certified pre-ownedcars with three pointed stars. A breath of fresh air will be delivered by an all new air conditioned Passenger CarActive Service Bay with revamped integrated Passenger Car Service Reception, allowing customers to view theirvehicles undergoing world class servicing by Mercedes-Benz certified technicians in total comfort.An exclusive Mercedes-AMG Customer Centre will drive performance and offer dedicated service for the precisionbeasts of Affalterbach. But the pampering is not solely reserved for the refined luxury German passenger carsand their customers. The rough and ready big rigs are also getting an overhaul, with Oman’s first ever Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles Sales Centre set to open in October.On display will be an impressive range of resilient and reliable Mercedes-Benz trucks, vans, and buses, as wellas brands from Daimler Trucks North America – Freightliner and Western Star – plus Detroit Diesel and ThomasBuilt Buses. A dedicated After Sales entrance and service reception will provide additional convenience forcommercial vehicles customers too.

July 17, 2012 Issue 229NEW DESIGN HONDA CITYARRIVES IN OMANOMASCO has announced the long awaited arrival of a refreshedHonda CITY in the country, following the launch of all new CR-V inApril, 2012. The new CITY is available in all Honda showrooms inWattayah, Barka, Sohar, Nizwa, Sur and Salalah.The new Honda CITY refreshed its popular ‘Arrow Shot Form’ withnew striking definitions on the exterior body giving an even moredynamic presence on the road. The front fascia, with its distinctivenew chrome grille, renders a sophisticated sedan appeal. Welldefinedfront and rear bumpers accentuate the sedan stylingand the new rear taillights are even more stylish. The dynamiccharacter of the CITY is enhanced with newly designed 16” alloywheels (available on the EX grade).In addition to the distinctive changes on the exterior styling, thenew CITY has also received improvements to the interior withpremium details and a refined feel. The metre graphics have beenupgraded with a new blue colour to enhance the premium appeal.Chrome touches have also been added on the centre consolepanel for an improved modern sporty look.The new CITY is 15mm longer than the last model. Following thetradition of Honda’s ‘man maximum, machine minimum’ concept,the CITY provides a lounge experience to customers with itsspacious cabin. The CITY comes equipped with a 1.5L, 4-cylindernew generation i-VTEC engine which delivers class leading powerof 118hp while providing good fuel economy. Unique in its class,the CITY is also equipped with five-speed automatic transmission,which not only provides an improved drive performance but alsoimproves fuel efficiency. The 'paddle shift' option (for EX grade)brings more sporty driving performance analogous to the Hondapedigree.The higher body rigidity with McPherson struts in the front andH-Type torsion beam suspension in the rear offers solid roadhandling and supple ride feel. Electric power steering is designedto give direct and steady manoeuvring over the entire speedrange. Improvement in front suspension geometry and steeringwill also help maintain a shorter turning radius of 5 metres.EX. Features such as body-coloured bumpers and mirrors, power mirrors and windows,electric power steering, tilt/telescopic steering column, advanced audio system, airconditioning, fuel consumption display, ABS, SRS airbags, front seat belt pre-tensioner andload limiter are standard on both the LX and EX grades.The Honda CITY is available in six colours – Sparkling Brown Metallic (new), Carnelian RedPearl (New), Brilliant White Pearl, Alabaster Silver Metallic and Polished Metal Metallic andCrystal Black Pear. The new CITY is covered under Honda’s standard warranty of threeyears or 100,000km (whichever comes earlier).Safety of all occupants has been addressed by including ABS(Anti-Lock Braking System), BA (Brake Assist), EBD (ElectronicBrake Force Distribution), Dual SRS airbags and pre-tensionerseat belts, which come as standard on the new CITY. Honda alsoensures pedestrian safety by incorporating G-CON (G-ForceControl Technology) body, which mitigates impact energyefficiently and thus alleviates pedestrian injury.The CITY features an Advanced Integrated AudioSystem, which incorporates car audio exclusive todigital media. This advanced audio system offerscustomers the ability to use their own music playerssuch as the iPod, MP3 player, USB Memory, cellphone with MP3 player, by connecting via USB jack.The Honda CITY is available in two grades – LX and12

July 17, 2012 Issue 229FLOWERS AREIN BLOOMPET ME!OMAN AIR CERTIFIES CFM56-7B FLEET FOR TRUENGINE PROGRAMPLEASE PICK FLOWERShe is a lovely little lady that needs aforever home. She is three months oldand fully vaccinated.She is bright, well behaved, quietand easily trained. Anyone who isinterested in giving her a new foreverhome, one that will last, pleasecontact 24562263or info@muscatvets.comOman Air is the latest airline to become a part of TRUEngine, qualifying all 33 CFM56-7B engines in its fleet forthe programme. The TRUEngine designation serves as a method for identifying engines with CFM-approvedcontent and facilitates product support of the engine system. Moreover, industry stakeholders can use theknowledge of engine content to evaluate engine value and re-marketability.“Qualifying our CFM56 fleet in the TRUEngine programme is a natural extension of our maintenance philosophy,”said Wayne Pearce, chief executive officer of Oman Air. We understand and appreciate the benefits we gainfrom working with a world-class manufacturer likeCFM. By confirming engine content, TRUEnginestreamlines the support process and ensures theapplicability of CFM’s extensive fleet knowledge.”Since the programme was launched in 2008, CFM hascontinued to enhance the programme to bring added customer value.One such enhancement includes the addition of cumulative lease daysthat qualify customers for complimentary annual spare engine supportfrom the CFM lease pool in the event a TRUEngine qualified enginehas an unscheduled removal.13

July 17, 2012 Issue 229NISSAN’SSPORTYASSORTMENTSUHAIL BAHWANAUTOMOBILES’ NISSANSPICE UP THEIR COLLECTIONBY ADDING A TOUCH OFSPORT TO THEIR RANGE OFVEHICLES“With the new sports additionrange, Nissan’s premium Sedanmodels, SUV’s and Crossovers areall set to create a unique demandin the marketSuhail Bahwan Automobileshas consistently beencommitted to supportingNissan Oman’s growth in theSultanate and making certaintheir customers are satisfiedwith their world-class servicesand after-sales-services inOman. Once again, lookingto cater to their customer’srequests and provide furthervalue for money to each of itscustomers, Nissan unveiledtheir exciting line-up of sportedition models, which compriseten of the top selling SUV’s,Crossovers and Sedans,recently at their showroom inAl Qurum.Adding a sporty edge to theirnew range of vehicles – the allnew Sunny, the stylish Tiida,the sleek Maxima and Altima,the new crossover entrant -Juke, Qashqai and Murano, theX-Terra, Pathfinder and the allnew Patrol – Nissan will surelycapture a chunky part of theyounger market segment.In an attempt to make sports'version cars affordable andaccessible to the masses,Suhail Bahwan Automobiles(SBA) has made the mammotheffort of launching 10 spankingnew Sport Edition Modelsduring the Holy month ofRamadan.“With the new sports additionrange, Nissan’s premium Sedanmodels, SUV’s and Crossoversare all set to create a uniquedemand in the market. All thecars will have a redefinedlook and will offer customersunique driving experience atthe same time,” commenteda senior SBA Official. Plentyof exclusive and luxuriousfeatures are available in thenewly launched models likeDaytime Running Lights, RearSpoilers, Alloy wheels, SportDecals, Rear view camera, RearParking sensors, Sports badge,Sports sunshades, Bluetoothand Audio controls in Steeringwheel, Cruise control, DVDEntertainment System andPremium leather power seatswith massage functions. “Weare quite happy to offer thisexciting range to our discerningcustomers around the HolyMonth of Ramadan and weare sure this range will findwide acceptance. The goalof creating such an exclusiverange with unique features isto offer our customers withmaximum benefits and tomake their driving experiencecomfortable and safe,”informed an SBA official.The unveiling showcased thecars with all their added sportsfeatures which gave each ofthe cars a distinguished lookwith unique characteristicsattributed to them. Keeping inmind the love for sports versionin region, these cars are sure toimpress.14

Enjoy life without glasses and contact lenses.Receive a special twenty five percent discount onZ-LASIK only at Muscat Eye Laser Center.25%Way 3013, Bulding 877, Al Sarooj Street, Shatti Al Qurum,Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, Telephone 24691414info@muscateye.com www.muscateye.com

July 17, 2012 Issue 229MARVELLOUWords | Priyanka SachetiIf there ever was acontender for Jane of alltrades, Maitry H.Udaniwould indisputably be thewinner, hands down.Hailing from a Bombay-based Gujarati family, Maitry grew up andschooled in Oman; she then subsequently moved to New Jersey,United States, to pursue her Bachelors of Science in Accounting atFairleigh Dickensian University.She enjoyed a distinguished university career, garnering accoladesthat include being amongst top two percent of recipients whohave had the honour of being presented with the prestigious‘Who’s Who Among Students’ in American universities andcolleges’ award. The award was based on a combination ofachievements and services to the community and was bestowedupon her in recognition of outstanding academic achievementand her demonstration of admirable leadership. She has alsobeen presented with the Beta Gamma Sigma Award, the highestrecognition that a business student anywhere in the world canreceive in a programme accredited by The AACSB International.Following graduation, Maitry was invited to present her two-yearresearch project on ‘Sustainability and the Reverse Supply Chain’at The National Collegiate Honors Council’s annual conferencein Washington DC; her work was selected from that of Honoursstudents throughout North-east America who contend for thisexclusive opportunity every year.Moving back and forth between Muscat and the United States forthe last seven years, she returned to Oman in January this year topursue her professional career; she is currently as a Junior Auditorwith a well-established and reputable Accounting and Auditingfirm, Jimenez Auditor, in addition to being the youngest instructor16

MUSAITRYSat the CMP, partner of Becker ProfessionalEducation Institute in Oman for aspiringprofessionals pursuing CPA, CFA and CMAcredentials.MModelling, adventure sports, debates,musical choirs… there seems to be nolimit to her achievements. In fact, duringschool itself, she received the prestigiousRashtrapati Award from former IndianPresident K.R. Narayanan. “I try to doas many things as possible,” she says,additionally revealing about her dancingprowess, mentioning that she can danceon swords, edges of plates, and even onnails – all barefoot. “I danced on brokenpieces of glass during the farewell celebration inhonour of Indian Ambassador (Anil Wadhwa) toOman,” she talks of her amazing feat.What has driven her to achieve in so many variedfields in a relatively short span of time? “I getan adrenaline rush, I always want to challengemyself… and why not?” she says. “You have topush your limits… just keep your eyes on the roadand that will overcome the fear barrier.” Her nextaspiration is to go skydiving, literally being on topof the world. Citing her parents and sisters, Tejasand Krishna as a huge amount of support, she andher equally talented sister, Krishna have informally launched agroup, Hirhet’s School of Activities. “Our parents call each otherby nicknames and the name is a mix of their nicknames foreach other,” Maitry provides an endearing explanation behindthe name. “Furthermore, they have been our inspiration.”AITRYDisplaying a true zest for life in pursuing and beingaccomplished in a huge range of activities, Maitry felt theabsence of both activities and platforms from which to pursuethem in Oman. “The onus is on us to create the activities andhence, Hirhet was born,” she says.Maitry and Krishna are eager that the group be constantlyinvolved in conceiving and executing activities for people of allages and walks of life. In May, they held their first activity, whichwas for 40-50 kids aged between 7-15 years. “It was a daycampand an opportunity for them to get out of the house and beactive in physical activities and team-work,” Maitry mentions.“What with there being only few activities for children during thesummer here in Oman, parents are keen that their children beoccupied.” The children too loved the idea of a purely physicalday camp.Their next event is for the youth, which could be young couples,new college graduates, or young urban professionals. “We wouldlike to create an event in a place where they can nurture theircreative minds and brain-storm,” she says, adding that thereare lots of other things in the pipeline. Given her capabilities andabilities, Muscat will certainly look forward to what Maitry has tooffer.17

OMANAT THE 2012PARALYMPICGAMESWords | Suzy FontesHopes are pinned on Oman’s Paralympic(Parallel Olympics) contestants to bring achange in the long dry spell in the medals tally,as they get ready for the biggest event of theirlife in London. Isam Al Balushi (weight lifting)and Mohammed Al Nabhani (javelin throw)will represent Oman at the 2012 ParalympicGames in London, with a third wild cardentry slot reserved for Rayan Al Mujeni; theOman Paralympic Committee (OPC) hopes herqualification will materialise soon.Mohammed Al Nabhani is presently in theUnited Kingdom, undergoing training that willrun until July 17th, and following that Isam AlBalushi is scheduled to travel to Czech Republicfor training from July 29th to August 23rd.Our committee is youngand there are othercountries that havebeen preparing theirteam for yearsThe Oman Paralympic team will beaccompanied by Hani Al Hooti, Vice Presidentof Oman Paralympic Committee (OPC), Anisa AlHooti, Secretary General of OPC, MohammedAl Rashdi, Coach, Yaqoob Al Mahrooqi,Physiotherapist and Unis Al Ashari, mediacoordinator, along with Mukhtar Al Rawahi,President of OPC.Isam and Mohammed qualified for the 201218

Paralympics along with 1,100 athletes(740 male and 360 female) who willcompete in 170 (103 for male athletesand 67 for females) medal eventsstarting on August 30th and finishing onSeptember 9th with the marathon thatfinishes in front of Buckingham Palace onThe Mall. However, Oman’s team wouldhave comprised six athletes if not for theInternational Paralympic Committee’s (IPC)decision to make the selections tougher,which meant players from the 'B' categorywere not considered for the event.China, who topped the medals table at lastyear’s IPC Athletics World Championships,will have the biggest delegation afterit was awarded 80 slots, which is themaximum number a National ParalympicCommittee could be awarded. This isfollowed by USA with 54 slots, Russia 53,while host nation Great Britain has beengranted 52 slots.Although Oman’s two slots aredisappointing, Mukhtar Al Rawahi opinesthat since it is a world championshipthe events are bound to be toughand so too the qualificationrequired. “Our committeeis young and there areother countries that havebeen preparing their team foryears,” he tells Y. OPC beganonly in July, 2010 and has hardlyparticipated in many major events.The first Asian Paralympics inGuangzhou in China in December2010 was one of the few thatpresented a good exposure for theteam.Al Rawahi has been a part of theworld Paralympics since 1988,when he participated in Table Tennis.He was the head of the delegationto Barcelona in 92 and Atlantain 96. Oman made its ParalympicGames debut at the 1988 SummerParalympics in Seoul by participating intrack and field, table tennis, weightliftingand wheelchair fencing events. It hasparticipated in every subsequent editionof the Summer Paralympics but has neverentered the Winter Paralympics. However,since then the number of contestants hasdwindled from seven to the present two;the decrease in number demonstrates thetougher qualification guidelines. Omanhas so far been only represented by maleathletes and none has ever won a medal.“Qualification parameters are highernow, and the demands on coaching ofthe athletes are also higher… As of now,our representation has only been asparticipants; hopefully things will change.“We hope the 2013 Junior Paralympics inKuala Lumpur, Malaysia, will present anopportunity for us for the 2016 ParalympicGames in Rio. We will have more playersparticipating and we will also ensure thatmore games are included, like swimming,table tennis, basketball, athletics, etc.“Unfortunately, we do not have manyevents to participate… the GulfMukhtar Al Rawahichampionship is only once every two years,” explains Mukhtar AlRawahi, drawing attention to the urgent need for financial supportfrom the private sector, in addition to participation from players.OPC is a non-government organisation that was established bythe Ministry of Sports in July, 2010 (Decree 2010/167) to supportOman’s Paralympic team in preparing for competitions in theregional and international events. The Committee’s objectives alsoinclude improving access to sports training facilities for all athleteswith physical disabilities.To tide over its financial problems, OPC welcomes support fromprivate sector organisations to help with the provision of facilities,transport, equipment and training.For more information visit:www.paralympic.org andwww.paralympicsport.tv;https://www.facebook.com/pages/Oman-Paralympic-Committee/23024400039246319

July 17, 2012 Issue 229THEUBHARSTORYWords | Suzy FontesPhotography | Clint Derric EgbertStories that begin with the dreamyopening line ‘Once upon a time…’almost always conclude with a‘and they lived happily ever after’.They are the feel good stories thatcreate an enchanting land; onethat bolsters the imagination andmakes it soar with the characters.Our Ubhar story is no different. It is a realisation ofone woman’s dream that spawned the reinventionof the legendary city of Ubhar on a gastronomicavenue. She cultivated her passion for food andculture and, obviously, for the history of Ubhar andtranslated it into an edifice that offers peeks into thetradition and culture of a land that is home to therenowned lost city.Symbolically speaking, the lost city of Ubhar,known as the Atlantis of the sand, was believedto be a well-structured city; legends and earlyhistorical records mention that the city wasfabulously wealthy. Vignettes of that land and theessence of its bounty, created by writers, havebeen quaintly incorporated into the present Ubharat Bareeq Al Shatti Mall, which has wowed foodieswith its gourmet fusion cuisine and the ambiencethat is warm and vibrant.Ghada Yousef, the lady behind this Ubhar, definesit as a dream. It is a home grown restaurant thathas made ‘fusion’ the key word in its culinarypresentations. “We have fused the best of Omanifood with international flavour and, conversely,international food with Omani traditional items.Our fusion is something like camel biryani orshuwa sandwich, which is our signature dish,” she20

July 17, 2012 Issue 229notes, adding to that list exotic items likefrankincense ice cream, Omani halwa withice cream, etc.Food is not all that that defines Ubhar.Culture is an integral part of the setup thathas incorporated literary events and evenmedia presentations that demonstrateGhada’s cultural leanings and her genuineinterest in furthering the interests of localentrepreneurs. The restaurant has alsobranched into catering for outside events.Her keen interest in promoting localproduce has meant use of Omani productsin whatever items that are used in therestaurant. From the quaint architecture tothe furnishing, Ubhar is distinctly Omani.The presentation is eclectic with laser cutbrass mashrabiya (an element of Arabicarchitecture used since middle ages),wooden beams over the majlis area, warmlylit niches on the wall with earthy stonepots, floor-to-ceiling windows with typicalwooden grills that look out into the street,the Omani national rose-coloured chairs…There is an ambience of fun and elegance;so distinctly Omani (in its appearance and inthe fare presented, including the names ofthe dishes) and yet so modern.“This is a show and tell place,” says Ghadaas she takes us on a gastronomic tour ofUbhar, beginning with Green Oasis (lemonand mint), Ubhar Bellini (peach and orange)and Al Ghadeer (strawberries, bananas andmilk) refreshments.We followed this with delightfully uniqueblends of Ubharian Soups – Muttrah Paplou,an Omani seafood soup with vegetablesand prawn wontons served with a shotof rice, and Masirah Soup, which is puttogether with minced dried shark.Our main course for the day wascharacterised by popular shuwaa items.We tucked into a large spread of UbharianPastilla Selection, a slightly sweet dish withshuwaa, seafood and chicken packed in;Uhbar’s Shuwaa Sandwich, which is theirsignature sandwich presented on ciabattabread with pesto and sundried tomato,served with fries; Kabuli Rice, a traditionalfare of Omani rice dish served with Omanishuwaa; and Kabuli Mahshi, Omani beefshuwaa with kabuli rice covered with pastry.Visit Ubhar and relive our experience…The finale with Ubhar’s Sweet Trendscould easily have been the start ofthis story… The delicious pack ofwell-blended dates wrapped in puffpastry and served with vanilla icecream is simply divine. Titled Ubhar’sDream, it is one dessert that willhaunt our hunger pangs in days tocome. We also tucked into the exoticFrankincense Ice Cream, whichis described as Ubhar’s exclusivedessert.21

July 17, 2012 Issue 229ASMILES OF OMANll the adages and wise sayings that harp on customer being alwaysright, is not mere hype; it is reflective of the importance devoted tocustomers in the success of a company. For right customer careis the best parameter to gauge the progress of an organisation.Industry experts define it as any contact between a customer anda company that causes a positive or negative perception by acustomer.It is, indeed, human nature to seek attention and it is this veryaspect that the National Hospitality Institute has endeavouredto imbue in its students with the ‘Smiles of Oman’ educationalcampaign.The programme has been put together for all those who workin airports, hotels and restaurants, shops, banks, insurancecompanies, transport, medical centres, large and small businesses;basically, anyone who has to deal with customers will benefit fromthe programme.Oman is a fast-developing nation, with an expanding servicesector, and increasing numbers of regional and internationalvisitors, the need for a programme of this nature is all the morepronounced. The objective is to develop skills throughout thecountry and set a new benchmark for customer care that startswith a smile.Words | Suzy FontesSmiles of Oman is apioneering campaign,launched by theNationalHospitality Institute(NHI), to raise standardsof customer carethroughout the countryAs a part of the training module, organisationsthat sign up for ‘Smiles of Oman’ trainingprogrammes are visited by mystery shoppers,who assess the current skills of staff.Employees are then scheduled for ‘Smiles ofOman’ training, which caters for three levels ofcustomer care staff.1. Starting with a Smile is a one-dayprogramme for people with limited oroccasional customer contact, such as drivers,coffee men, tea-boys, supermarket ‘baggers’or doormen. The programme covers thebasics of customer care, and can be deliveredin Arabic and/or English.2. Serving with a Smile is a one-dayprogramme for frontline customer carestaff, such as receptionists, retail assistants,cashiers and waiters.3. Leading with a Smile is a two-dayprogramme that targets managers andsupervisors who lead customer service teams.22

July 17, 2012 Issue 229The training, delivered at the NHI premises, is highlyinteractive, good fun, and especially designed for Oman. Thecontent can also be adapted and customised to the needs ofindividual organisations, and delivered in-house.Organisations and companies that sign up for ‘Smiles ofOman’ training programmes are awarded a ‘Smiles of Oman’plaque, which can be prominently displayed for public view.Trainees receive a certificate and ‘Smiles of Oman’ badge.‘Smiles of Oman’ has been put together by Julie Locke,Training and HR Specialist and Angela Bowden, who runsa company called the Fifteen Minute Trainer. Julie, formerlythe Director of Human Resources at Al Bustan Palace, ARitz Carlton Hotel, co-founded a company specialising incustomised training and research projects. She designedand delivered training initiatives for local and internationalcompanies including Shell, Omanoil, Halliburton, the NationalHospitality Institute, BankMuscat and the CentralBank of Oman. She now operates from France.Below is Julie’s and Angela’s take on Smiles ofOman:Why was a need felt to initiate atraining course on the linesof ‘Smiles of Oman’?Many countries have beenrunning national customerservice programmes to helpencourage a consistent approachto service. Omanis have a naturalability to welcome people –customers/visitors but wouldadditionally benefit from skillstraining. In addition, there is alack of professionalism amongstservice providers (this hasemerged from informal mysteryshopping), which needs to beaddressed.Do you expect this course to address the largerissue of customer service, as one of the complaintsfrom mall shoppers’ is the general apathy of peoplemanning the cash counters as well as sales towardswalk-in customers?It’s a comprehensive approach to training at all levels fromvery basic to trainers of staff in large organisations. As wellas providing skills, the idea of the campaign is to instill prideand a proactive approach to service.What, according to you, is one of the main reasonsfor the disgruntled look sported by some of the staffmanning the counters?Usually it is low morale, lack of understanding as to whyservice is important and lack of training and managementsupport and encouragement.What are the various course packages planned under thecampaign? Who are the target students?The programme is offered at three levels:• Starting with a Smile – for staff who have limitedcustomer contact• Serving with a Smile – for staff who have regular faceto-facecontact• Leading with a Smile for supervisors of staff providingquality service.Everyone providing service in Oman is a potentialparticipant!Since the course is meant for those alreadyemployed in various sectors, would a short coursehelp change their attitude? What are the future planstowards this issue?The training will be highly motivational and pastexperience in UK/Canada has shown that a nationalcampaign helps to get the buy-in from companiesand helps motivate staff. However, it isimportant that supervisors/managers/owners maintain the work carriedout by the training staff.What is the proposedoutcome of thecampaign?To develop aconsistentlyhigh standard ofservice provisionthroughout Oman...This will help thedestination developa competitive edgein the Middle Eastfor tourism and willposition it worldwideas a country whichcares about itsvisitors.Would you be targeting personality development, as,most often, it is about changing the perceptions ofthose involved in the hospitality sector towards theirwork and the people they interact with?Our trainers work hard at changing behaviour andattitudes as a core part of the programme. You will neverwin everyone over but the influence of some positive,hard working staff, who are customer-focused, is apowerful force.Would the course also extend to employers whoneed to understand the importance of creatinga more customer friendly ambience in theirorganisation?If we take the model of the UK ‘Welcome to Excellence’,for example, employers are a key part of making thecampaign work. They need to attend so they can helpsupport their staff at work.For more information call +968 248 16313 or Email: businesscentre@nhi.com23

PLUGGED TO THEDIGITAL WORLDWords | Suzy Fontes & Ushbah Abid24Blame it on summer; the ruthless heat pangs and the onslaught of humidity thatconspire to keep you indoors. The blaze of heat can bring to naught the best ofintentions and plans to spend time in the open outdoors. So how do you while awayyour time while cooped within the walls of your home with the air conditioner doingits job…? In all probability, the answer to that question would be ‘Gaming’, more so ifyou are a student with time on your hands until the school reopens in a month or so.The more important question though is, has gaming, which began as a time-pass witha game or two a day, turned into long hours that stretch late into the night, giving it anaddiction profile?

July 17, 2012 Issue 229A ssassin’s CreedGrand Theft Auto (GTA)Call of Duty (COD)FIFA seriesPro Evolution Soccer (PES)God of War,Max Payne III…Do any of the above ring a bell?Duh… you know all there is to know about gaming? Of course, ifyou are a gaming fan and follow all the new gaming options in themarket, that was a no-brainer.However, for the rest who have no inkling of the games people playunder the ever-widening umbrella of ‘gaming’, life, as the gamerswould imply, must surely be dull and boring. For this lot, the abovemight come across as a secret code, possibly decipherable only bythose involved in the law enforcement departments. It could easilyhave been an issue of generation gap, if not for the fact that severaladults too are hooked on to these and other games that have takenover their leisure time and even weekends.The story here, however, revolves around the large tribe of studentcommunity who find themselves at the other end of the summergrumble. This lot is generally fascinated by the digital world andhas made gaming a lifestyle to overcome the summer ennui.Well, with the summer finally showing its true colours, most of uswho have no holidays planned outside the country, have beendoing what we have been longing to do for a really long time -from chilling on the beach to hanging out with friends or family.And the same may be true for die-hard gamers in Muscat. Manyhave been waiting all year long to devote time to their gamingconsoles and get started on finishing virtual battles and leagues.And, interestingly, summer has provided the best decoy for youngboys and girls in the country; it is unbearably hot and thereforethey are justified to spend their holidays hiding in the coolconfines of their rooms, playing for hours on end.A quick evaluation of the situation in the capital revealed thatmost of these youngsters spend their nights on gaming consolesabove, you would realise that gaming hasits own pitfalls. But in order to understandwhat compels a gamer to spend endlesshours on his/her gaming platform, Yspoke to gamers themselves. Muhammadand Waleed, two Pakistani brothers whoare planning on spending their summervacation in Muscat, opine that there are twotypes of gaming: the first being amateur gaming,which is when you play to unwind and relax andfor which the difficulty level is set to low andplay for fun; the second is professional gaming,where the difficulty level is high and playrevolves around competing and overcomingchallenges. This is when you can also compete with othergamers online – it is all about setting personal records.Muhammad sees himself in the first category, whileWaleed classifies himself as a professional gamer andsays, “When I play, I play to win and nothing else. I haveset many high records and aspire to set even more. Thisgives me personal satisfaction and compels me to take upeven more challenges. It is addictive!”This addiction to gaming happens mostly during vacation,as teens find the outside heat unbearable and the insidemore welcoming. Momen, a Jordanian, says that he spendseight straight hours on his gaming console, playing online if hehas nothing else to do.However, Abdul Majeed, an Omani, prefers to spend the nightsplaying and his days sleeping. When asked if they were everbothered by the side effects of this on their health, both replied“No”.Gaming, Y learnt, is real hard work and takes up a person’stime and energy. In order to be a good gamer you have to givegaming high priority; you have to be willing to sit for hours infront of your laptop or television set and shut everything else out.Some classify gaming as ‘getting into the zone’, and once you arein that zone nothing distracts you. Interestingly, of the 10 teens Yquizzed about gaming, seven considered themselves professionalsrather than amateurs.Two teens, Daniel and Jason, believe they can take on anyprofessional gamer and win hands down. Their contentionand their days sleeping! And well, come evening and they mightdo a perfunctory dash outdoors for 10 minutes or so to breathefresh air and tune their eyes to natural light; most feel that that isenough of an exercise regime, if ever that could be called one.However, with the Holy Month of Ramadan getting closer, thechances are that many would indulge in gaming during the night.Now, if you closely read between the lines in the paragraphs25

July 17, 2012 Issue 229comes from the long hours they spend in front of theircomputer games. “We can ace anybody,” they say withconviction.GAMING:A MONSTER IN DISGUISE?Clearly then, something is just not right about suchobsessive gaming. Most experts on the subjectconcur that gaming is unhealthy, both physically andemotionally. It drains out a person completely. One ofthe biggest health risks from gaming is weight gaindue to very less or no exercise at all. Increased bloodpressure and low tolerance level has also been cited asother implications. There are even risks of cancer in laterlife as there is constant exposure to radiation from theelectronic devices!Petra Naji Abi Farah, a visiting Educational Psychologistat Whispers of Serenity Clinic, who is specialised increative art counselling, child counselling, parentalguidance, family counselling and career counselling,says, “Studies have proven that spending long hourson computer games and TV set games tend to increaseaggressive behaviour, which includes fighting withparents, children, confronting teachers, and also adecrease in the student’s achievement in school and anoverall decrease in concentration. It tends to decreasethe child’s social skills, and could cause the child tobecome socially withdrawn. We will see this increasingin the coming years as technology increases.as the game as a whole is too goodto be ignored”. But what about thelong-term effects, as most of thecommonly popular games oftenhave drugs, violence and evensexual content in them…?Mariam, a nine-year-old Omani girl,states that she likes to play GTAAuto IV, as she likes the drivingaround city and adds, withoutblinking her eyes, “I also like to killpeople with my car!”COST FACTORY survey also revealed that PS3,XBox, XB0x 360, Nitendo Wii andPSP are some of the most preferredgaming consoles in Muscat and thegames often played are the Call ofDuty series, the FIFA12, AssassinsCreed and GTA series, amongseveral others. A quick check alsoproved that gaming not just putsa price on mental and physicalhealth, it also cuts through thewallet. The price per game is in thevicinity of 20 rials each, and mostgamers own between 10 to 15 ormore games.“Studies have proven thatspending long hours oncomputer games and TVset games tend to increaseaggressive behaviour...”“Video games might also teach the child wrong socialvalues and even increase aggressive behaviour (kicking,pulling hair, swearing…etc). It might confuse the child’sthinking between fantasy or reality, in addition to thephysical aspects - it might as well cause obesity andlead to dangerous health problems.”The social side effects of gaming could be deterioratingrelationships, violent streaks (gamers often want to trynew fight moves they have learned in the real world;these can be anything from driving skills to fightingskills) and that may not be very safe most of the time.But gaming can also help some develop skill sets.Like in Ali’s case - Ali, an Omani, said that he learneddribbling skills by playing the game FIFA. “I mimickedthe skills the players performed and had to practice alot to get them right. This was especially easy with thereplay mode,” says Ali. Users of Nitendo Wii also swearthat the gaming console is so much healthier than theothers, as you have to move around rather than sit in afixed position. Dhiren, a 13-year-old Wii fan, says it is hishealth fix. “I am constantly on the move while playing…”he quips.Another important fact, often overlooked, is that mostof the popular games played are very often classifiedas 18+, but most of the gamers are underage. Whenasked if they are concerned about these regulations, aLebanese teen replied that he doesn’t really care. Hegoes on to say, “Being underage really doesn’t matter,A visit to a popular gaming storein Muscat showed that there aregames available for all ages, evenToy-Story for children under ten.To corroborate this fact, the dealershowed various accessories thatmake gaming all the more fun,and at times addictive. Theseaccessories include headphones,movement sensitive controllers andmuch more.To add to the excitement of the gamingculture, manufacturers have come up withportable consoles, like the Portable PlayStation (PSP), which is all the more popularwith those who have to be on the move…Besides, gamers have all the tricks up theirsleeve to spice up their games by joining inwith other friends for games at sleepovers orat casual home visits. But these, most often,end up with friends getting together just toplay games individually.There are, of course, gaming joints whereyou can challenge each other to a match.Many seasoned youngsters get togetherand challenge each other or just form teamsand play online with players from around theworld. These teams are all in the virtual world26

July 17, 2012 Issue 229so you can be a team member while sitting at home orin a café competing with teams from, say, Bahrain orAustralia.Gaming is also becoming more and more realistic thesedays with high definition graphics and surround sound.The PS3 controller, for example, vibrates every time acar over speeds or a guy is killed using an AK-47. TheNitendo Wii is movement sensitive so you have to bevery accurate when delivering a deathblow to a guy’shead. And, well, you can always download new gamesand play online with the Xbox 360’s Live Service.PARENT TALKFor parents, the problem looming large on the summerhorizon is the issue of gaming addiction. They oftenstruggle to deal with their kids’ gaming obsessions. Aparent, when queried about the gaming trends duringthe summer, had this to say, “Recently my kids had theirfriends home for a sleepover – there were about nineof them – and all of them were on their laptops playinggames. There seemed to be hardly any interaction,but my kids refuted, stating that they were actuallyplaying the same game separately, which added to thechallenge of winning; ‘this is more fun’, they countered”.Parents, who have spent summer vacations in theirbackyards, creating tree houses, flying kites and playingother seemingly quaint games, will have questionsabout the so-called ‘fun’ that the children keep throwingat them when referring to their gaming consoles.“Is this really how we want our kids to spend theirsummers?” asked a mother reflectingupon the gaming trends of the currentgeneration.To counter the problems and strikea balance, some parents imposecomplete bans, while a few regulatethe timings. But there are many parentswho struggle with the bans theyhave initiated, but which always failto succeed. A father complains thathe has to keep the gaming consoleslocked and hidden away at times, butthat never stops his son from finding areplacement and gets his game on.Such extreme steps makes one think ifgaming could be dismissed as a teensport that goes away with age or if it istime to press the panic button to wardoff all the long term side effects…According to Petra, parents should press the panic button the moment theylose their authority on their child. “When your child is socially withdrawn,irritated, not sleeping well, is showing aggressive behaviour, and has a poordiet… this is when parents should seek help. Parents should worry whenthey wake up in the middle of the night and see their child playing videogames or computer games,” she says, advising parents to seek professionalhelp for counselling and guidance.EXPERT TALKIn a 'Y' interview, Petra throws light on the various issues that, invariably,crop up while one discusses gaming. Excerpts of the interview are givenbelow:What are the effects of such long gaming hours on children?The trends of the 21st century and the increase in the number of workingparents, leave children no choice but to stay at home, watch television andplay games on the internet or the PSP. Parents sometimes have no controland might lack the techniques to encourage their child to take up othersummer activities.At what age is such gaming fever most detrimental?There is no specific age; video games are dangerous at all ages. But it is notadvisable to allow a child below the age of 12 to play Internet games andvideo games that are not considered educational.Children who spend long hours seem lost to the world. Theirappearance and reaction may seem no less different than a substanceaddict. Would you say this comparison is dramatic or is that a fact?I would consider this a fact, because according to many studies it has beenproven that video/internet games cause addiction like any other addictionand the symptoms of withdrawal are very similar to the symptoms ofwithdrawal of substance addiction. Look at a child who has played videogame for more than eight consecutive hours a day, observe their eyes - theybecome blood red, and tend to look sleepy; they become restless and donot feel like going out; they tend to speak to you in a very aggressive way,they shout or scream and might utter swear words.What are the symptoms demonstrated by children who are addicted tocomputer games and the like?Parents should watch out for the following signs to be able to tell if their27

July 17, 2012 Issue 229child is addicted: The child would prefer to spend free timeplaying computer or video games; show signs of fatigue and evenfall asleep in school; forget to turn in homework or do homeworkat home; wake-up during the night to play video games andcomputer games; grades drop; might tend to lie ‘Mum I want touse the computer to research something for school’ and insteadtake advantage of computer games; prefer to choose playing oncomputer or TV instead of playing with cousins/friends; drop outfrom activities and social clubs; show irritability, crankiness oragitation (withdrawal symptoms) when not playing a video gameor on the computer; and is either under eating eat or indulging inovereating.What exactly constitutes addiction in this case? How manyhours are such children likely to spend in front of theirgames?There is no exactdefinition for video gameor TV set game addictionin psychologicalliterature, but willsurely be added in theDiagnostic StatisticalManual V which will beout in 2012. Till today,video game and TVset game addictionis understood as theextreme use of computerand video games that Petrainterferes with daily life.Instances have beenreported in which users play compulsively, isolating themselvesfrom family and friends or from other forms of social contact,leading to aggressive behaviour and mood swings.Addiction is spending more than seven hours per week playingcomputer and video games.What would be a healthy time to spend playing such games?The normal time for a child to play games on TV or computer isno longer then one-hour to a maximum of one-and-a-half hoursevery day.Most often, children spending their vacation with theirgaming consoles have erratic eating and sleepingschedules. What are the effects of such changes? Will therebe any long-term effect? What about this effect when theyrejoin school?Studies have proven that spending long hours on TV setgames and computer games increases irritability and adrenalinhormone, leading the child to be hyper at night, which, in turn,will cause difficulty in sleeping the average required sleep of 8-9hours. Lack of sleep, in the long run, will cause anxiety, nervousissues in the child, increase in stress, and other mental issues.Like sleep, the body also requires good fuel for it to function in aproper way. Video games and computer games will cause poordiet. The child would focus more on the game and might forgetto eat proper meal. The child will grab something quick becausethere is no time – chips, popcorn, juice, chocolates or anythingthat is in sight. They will not grab vegetables or fruits, becausetheir body requires and asks for fatty or sugary food.Playing games causes the child to become stressed, or anxioustherefore he/she might likely visit the kitchen more often to eat.28

July 17, 2012 Issue 229Video games andcomputer games willcause poor diet. Thechild would focus moreon the game and mightforget to eat propermeals. The child willgrab something quickbecause there is no time– chips, popcorn, juice,chocolates or anythingthat is in sight.It is wrong to serve your child lunch while they are still playing, as they willjust eat and will not digest the food properly. Poor diet in children can leadto diabetes, anaemia, child obesity, which can lead to heart problems, andbrain problems.When it is time for back-to-school, the child will have to wake up early; ifthey were staying up all night playing computer games this will cause fatigueand will lead the child to sleep during the school hours, they might wake uplate and end up being late to school. The child will also show aggressivebehaviour with peers because of tiredness, which is a result of poorsleeping schedule.Poor diet has a great affect on concentration and attention - whenthe child is not having all the essential nutrients and vitamins itwill make concentration difficult and the child may becomevery forgetful with schoolwork and homework.Children who are constantly seekingways and means to occupy theirsenses have low threshold forboredom and are constantly seekingnewer games with difficult challengesand even violence levels. What are therepercussions of such expectations?As technology increases, child’s demands tooincrease. And when these demands are catered to, the child has no moreenthusiasm to do anything. The child tends to get bored easily; this is when weshould question the parents: How are you dealing with your child’s boredom?It is easy for working parents to immediately feel guilty, as they are leaving theirchild at home while they go to work, thereby creating a reason to pamper theirchild with everything. This could make the child unwilling to think, becomeuncreative and not longing for anything.Video games and computer games are the trend and a pointof social conversation among children between the ageof eight and 17 years. Each child would be teasingthe other with the newest and the most expensive PSP or video orcomputer game his/her dad or mom got…We are creating a child of narcissism – ‘me and only me’; we arecreating a schizophrenic child - ‘am I a fighter, or football player’;we are creating a bipolar child – ‘I am bored, I am sad/I amhappy’... in the long run we are creating a child with personalityand psychological disorders.What would be an ideal pattern to follow during the holidaysto minimise any negative impact of the summer gaming trend?The best thing during summer is to create a routine for a child; itis preferable the sleeping routine is followed like schooldays. It isadvisable that a child joins a summer camp instead of staying at homeall day long. Summer time is the best time for the child to work on his/her skills and hobbies. If they are into music, drama, creative art, crafts,sports activities, it is important to keep the child busy.Video game and TV set gameaddiction is understood asthe extreme use of computerand video games thatinterferes with daily lifeFamily gathering and quality time should be respected. Remember that you asparents are the role models for your child.It is very important for parents to always watch out for what their child isplaying and they can set the time when the child is allowed to play games.29

WKaya Skin Clinic Launches the groundbreakingKaya Advanced Product Range30

KayaAdvancedProductJuly 17, 2012 Issue 229ith its matchless determination to extendworld-class skincare solutions across the region, KayaSkin Clinic recently launched its six premium skin careproducts which are part of the Kaya Advanced Range.Kaya Advanced Product Range, based on superiorformulations, contains exotic botanical extracts andvitamins known for their efficacy. These productsintegrate perfectly with Kaya’s acne and other skincareservices, giving clients a broad range of options andbenefits which help in prominently improving the healthof their skin.The new product-range is designed by aninternationally respected eminent aesthetic physician,Dr. S. K. Tan who has over 30 years of experiencein aesthetic medicine. The Kaya Advanced Rangeincludes Comedone Control Serum, Blemish ControlFormula, AntOx Vit-C Formula, Skin RejuvenationSerum, Hyaluronic Moisturizing Serum, and Firm & LiftSerum.More about the Kaya Advanced Range:Comedone Control Serum, used alike by bothteenagers, young and middle aged woman, it’s veryeffective for treating active acne lesions. Used fortreating and preventing Comedones [black headsand white heads] by reducing sebaceous activity,Comedone Control Serum contain exotic botanicalextracts, including tomato, kudzu root, chamomile, teatree leaf oil, which are known for their efficacy.Blemish Control Formula, is a natural formulation thatworks deep inside the skin and effectively reduces theoccurrence of blemishes and breakouts. It controlsthe production of excessive sebum and helps soothethe skin. The product also boasts of an enviable mixof botanical extracts, including macadamia seed oil,arrow root and zinc, which leaves the skin smooth andsoft.AntOx Vit-C Formula is a non-oily, easily absorbinganti-oxidant gel based on Vitamin C, which is known tocounteract free radicals responsible for premature skinageing. The product reduces melanin formulation, anddelays the appearance of dark spots, age spots, finelines and wrinkles. The gel also helps in treating acnemarks and UV damaged skin and protects againstpollution giving the skin an even tone and soft feel.Skin Rejuvenation Serum is a blend of vitamins &minerals, and plays a key role inprevention of collagen breakdown,thus stimulating cell renewal. Theserum is primarily used for reducingfine lines and prevention of wrinklesand enhances overall texture withits moisturizing action. The product,which has high concentration ofmarine extracts, is best used inconjunction with Retinoid andVitamin C.Hyaluronic Moisturizing Serum isa natural oil-free moisturizer whichis highly efficient on all skin types,helping in decreasing dryness. Theproduct hydrates the skin throughtissue lubrication and cellularfunctions. The serum retains water likea sponge and is extremely useful indry environments leading to a softerskin and a visible reduction in wrinkles.Firm & Lift Serum contains some ofthe most potent peptides currentlyavailable to counter the effects ofaging on the skin. It reduces thedepth and volume of wrinkles, aswell as roughness of the skin. It alsodiminishes the appearance of finelines and wrinkles within minutes. Asimpressive as the immediate resultsare, the long term results are evenmore impressive.Range31

UTTERLYINSPIREDBY OMANWords | Priyanka SachetiO mani designer Ruqaiya al Harthi’ssource of inspiration can be simplyexpressed in one word: Oman. Ownerof an abaya business, Saaf, she saysthat it is entirely about promoting theOmani identity. A patriot to the core,she will be further expressing her lovefor her country through the launch of aspecial dishdasha line in honour of theRenaissance day, on July 23rd.A university student pursuing businessstudies, Ruqaiya says she starteddesigning the day she wore her firstabaya. “While I liked the designs inthe market, I, however, always wantedto infuse them with my own styleand identity and make them unique,”she declares. Her family and friendssubsequently suggested that shetake up the project of designing herown abayas; she began with a smallworkshop in Al Khoud in 2011 andsoon followed by combining it alongwith a boutique, where she couldinteract with her customers and allowthem to engage with her vision anddesigns.Ruqaiya’s design vision essentiallyrevolves around her belovednation, Oman. “I am proud of myOmani culture and identity andI feel that my designs reflect aspecific Omani-ness,” she statesof her abayas, adding that sheincorporates Omani embroideryand fabrics, such as those usedin the mussar, for example, andcompletely avoids usage ofcrystals, which are a regular andconstant feature of general abayadesigns.Hugely inspired by His MajestySultan Qaboos bin Said, shesays that she specially derivedmotivation from one of hisspeeches in which he advocatedOmanis to respect their traditionswhile moving ahead with thetimes. “This balance of traditionand modernity has fundamentallyshaped my design philosophy,”she says of her abayas, which areelegant, gown-like constructionswith statement embellishmentsof feathers, natural stones, andembroidery.32

July 17, 2012 Issue 229In fact, the name of her business,Saaf is derived from the Omaniword for palm-leaf; she has alsocleverly incorporated the palmleafmotif into her logo, literallyweaving Oman into every part ofher business’ design elements.She notes that her customershave been very appreciative of theOmani touches to her designs andthat they have been worn in placesas diverse as UAE, Saudi Arabia,Russia, United Kingdom, Turkey,and Jordan; government officialshave chosen to don Saaf abayasfor official events in Korea andBrazil, while Japanese visitors wereenchanted by her sheilas (headscarves).Ruqaiya says that she likes tosit with people from the oldergeneration and listen to theirstories, understanding their thinkingand their interpretation of styleback then. “The youth often doesn’tcare about history or culture thesedays… However, I feel that thereis much to learn from our eldersand events from the past,” shesays, mentioning that her comingproject will be to interact with thosewomen embroidering designs uponkummahs and dishdashas.She happens to be particularlyfond of Oman’s national dress formen, commenting that it representsthe essence of Omani cultureeven more distinctively than theabaya. “A man wearing a kummahand a dishdasha will immediatelybe identified as an Omani whenstanding amongst a group ofdifferent nationalities,” she pointsout, reaffirming the significanceof cultural diversity in today’sincreasingly globalised era. Thedecision to launch the dishdashaline had been on her mind for quitea while and stemmed from herdesire to do something special forher country. “Oman has given mea lot of things and I wanted to giveback more and more,” she sayswith emotion, adding that therecould have been no better a daythan 23rd July to launch the line.The dishdasha and mussareach share the same goldenembroidery theme, the embroiderypainstakingly created by hand;leading Omani men personalitieswill be donning this dishdasha andmussar for the special occasion.“We uploaded an image onFacebook and received a wonderfulresponse,” says Ruqaiya, addingthat many people have supportedher initiative.Ruqaiya also stresses that Saaf isnot just merely about abayas andsheilas; apart from the shortly tobe introduced dishdasha line, shehas also created special productsfor occasions such as National Dayand Ramadan. For example, sheartfully combined 50 baiza coinswith turquoise to create jewelleryalong with embellishing whimsicalbow-shaped hair-clips with them;other products include goldenbrooches in form of the Saaf logoas well as luxe broad belts createdfrom woven golden materialand with Arabian detailing. Hermeticulous attention to detail evenextends to her packaging material,which harks back to the time whenelders used to collect newly tailoreddishdashas in cloth bags; her bagsare made from recyclable materialand thus, her contribution towardscaring for the environment.While speaking to Ruqaiya andlearning about the scope ofSpecial dishdasha lineher achievements, one almostforgets that she is also a student,simultaneously juggling herstudies alongside her businessconcerns. “It’s definitely difficult…for example, I had to spend alot of time in training my team ofcrafts people as well,” she says,mentioning that she draws herdesigns and then guides her teamtowards executing her visions,which include creating her abayasand accessories. A firm believerin going step by step, she isnow concentrating on designingkummahs, in addition to furtherexpanding the dishdasha line.When she announced the launchof her dishdasha line, she wasasked if she was no more planningto design abayas. “It was a goodopportunity for me to emphasisethat Saaf is not just about abayasor sheilas,” she states. “Saaf isabout Oman and its unique culturalidentity and each product from itsstable essentially reflects that fact.”

SMALLDETAILSOF NIZWAThoughts & Photography | Jerzy WierzbickiOften, when we go visitingsome places, we tend to paymore attention to the genericstructures or bigger objects likearchitecture and even prominentlandmarks that dot the place.But there are some locationsthat beckon us to stop by andhave a look at all the little detailsthat add to its beauty. I amreferring to the small, almostinvisible details where you couldfind several stories about thelocal culture or history of thoselocations. More so in townswhere people have lived sincelong times; if you are an attentivespectator you could find severallittle features that have longhistorical association with theculture of that place.34

July 17, 2012 Issue 229However, during my last two visits to the old townin Nizwa, I have focused on the smaller storiesand details of the place. Interestingly, it turnedout that the small and narrow streets and the oldoften ruined mud-brick constructions were hidingseveral fascinating little details of the history ofthe town. Old wooden and sculptured doors,metal parts of locks, wooden reliefs in old Arabiccalligraphy, old painted parts of the windows inintensive colours even after many years…Some parts of the bazaar are located inside oldmud-brick buildings and they are still very muchin use. The light inside is a subdued and smooth,Here, in some places in Oman, Ihave found a number of culturalartefacts that provide informationabout specific local culturesand also bring out the essenceof that location. And well, goodphotography opportunities are alsoimportant for me.One such interesting place, whereyou could find many details of thepast is the old town in Nizwa. I hadvisited this place a few years agofor a story about the Sultanate thatwas published later in the Polishedition of 'The National GeographicTraveller'. I am very fascinated bythis place and have visited thistown several times since.Nizwa has a fantastic character inthe evening, when the faint artificiallight from the shops illuminates thedark old streets; the smell of thefrankincense and bazaar spicesfill up the space in the old town.There is a kind of majestic silencethat fills up the air adding to theambience of the town.adding to the soft effect in the photographs captured inthat place. And in the mornings warm colours of the itemson display and spices sold in the market create positivemood, which is of special importance for good travelphotographs. Nizwa is filled with several small remnantsof history. People here still respect old customs, whichmakes this place very valuable for Omani heritage.I recommend all our readers to visit Nizwa in the morningor as dusk sets in. It is the time when natural light and theessence of the old town infuse the place with a specificspirit.GPS location of the entrance to old town in Nizwa:N22’55’56” E57’31’57”Total distance from Muscat is around 140 km. A4x4 is not needed.35

Words | Clint Derric EgbertHAS MORE TO OFFERASUS, in this new and competitive digital era, has proven to be one ofthe world’s top three consumer notebook vendors and has remained themaker of the world’s best-selling and most award winning motherboards.This season in particular ASUS appears to be on a roll, dishing out somethe coolest gadgets in the market today, not the mention the ‘world’sfirsts’. This includes the world’s first 5G WiFi enabled gaming notebook,the ROG G75VW, and the World’s first 7” quad-core tablet, featuringAndroid 4.15G WIFI ENABLED ROG G75VWThe 5G WiFi enabled ROG G75VW is equippedwith Broadcom’s 5G WiFi chip, capable ofdelivering up to three times the speed ofEthernet, as well as being six times morepower efficient than previous generations ofWiFi.Leon Yu, Regional Director for Asus, says,“ASUS is committed to designing productsthat feature the most cutting-edge technologyavailable. 5G WiFi is a gateway technologythat promises to deliver the best online userexperience yet. We recognised the power ofthis next generation standard early on andcommitted to it being one of the first to offeran ecosystem of products powered by faster,more reliable WiFi.The ROG G75VW gaming notebook is oneof them. Today, we’re delivering on thatpromise.”Gamers can now enjoy fluid and detailed 3Dgaming thanks to the Intel® 3rd generationCore i7 processors and NVIDIA® GeForce®GTX 660M/GTX 670M GPUs that provide awhooping 3GB of GDDR5 VRAM. The ROGG75VW also supports up to 16GB of highspeed DDR3 RAM, as well as dual hard drives,which can be setup to run in RAID 0 or RAID1 mode.The gaming notebook comes with aninbuilt dual-fan intelligent thermal design,active shutter glasses with NVIDIA® 3DLightBoost technology, a built-in subwooferand SonicMaster Lite audio to further enhancegaming experience.36

7” QUAD-CORE TABLETBuilt in just four months, the new ASUS and Google’s Nexus 7 Tablet, the first ever7” quad-core tablet, features Android 4.1, Jelly Bean and intends to provide consumerswith the best tablet experience available today.ASUS Chairman Jonney Shih says, “ASUS is very excited about this partnership and thesynergy that it brings to the hands of consumers. We had only four months to build ahigh-end tablet that could sell at just under US$200. By placing our team of dedicatedengineers closer to Google’s, we delivered the Nexus 7 in record time.”Designed slim and portable, the device fits perfectly in the hand, and promises to fulfillgamers with its enhanced Google Play store. Capable of dishing out 9.5 hours of batterylife, and equipped with 720p video capability, brightness@100nits, an external microphone,Wi-Fi, and much more, the Google’s Nexus 7 is truly a tablet in a league of its own.“I don’t think there would have been any other partner that could move that fast. Asus wentfrom zero to a working product in four months,” said Andy Rubin, SVP of Mobile and DigitalContent at Google. “We wanted to build a tablet that was light and portable enough forusers to take their favorite entertainment wherever they go, but still didn’t compromise atall on power and performance. Together with ASUS we were able to accomplish that in theNexus 7. Starting at $199, it will be something everyone can enjoy.”In addition to its other fantastic features the Nexus 7 provides users with a vibrant 1280 x800 high-definition laminated display, the NVIDIA® Tegra® 3 quad-core processor quadcorechip, 12-core GeForce® GPU and other high-end features, despite being low on price.ASUS also boasts of its newTruVivid technology that enhancescolour clarity and brightness, aswell as the IPS panel, which deliverscrisp and detailed visuals alongwith ultra-wide 178-degree viewingangles.Also adding to its value-for-moneycharacteristics are its ScratchresistantCorning® FIT Glass, not tomention its textured chassis designthat makes the device incrediblyrobust and durable. The Nexus 7sizes up at just 10.5mm thin andweighs in at a mere 340g - it isportability at its best.The Nexus 7 is priced at $199 forits 8GB memory device and $249for its 16GB version. The devicealso comes preloaded with theworld’s largest collection of eBooks,millions of songs, thousands ofmovies and TV shows, a selectionof magazines and over 600,000apps.

July 17, 2012 Issue 229Words & Photogrphy | Clint Derric EgbertTYRE WOES FORAL HARTHYTyre puncture puts an untoward haltto Ahmed Al Harthy’s could-be victoryrun at the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup atSilverstone Grand Prix CircuitOmani racer’s car, immediately causing a puncture.The Oman Air, Oman Ministry of Sports Affairs, OmanMinistry of Tourism, Nawras, National Bank of Omanand Muscat Eye Laser Centre-backed driver was leftwith the only option to pull out of the race a couple ofcorners later.After getting off to a promisingstart at the FIA Formula One WorldChampionship-supporting PorscheMobil 1 Supercup at SilverstoneGrand Prix Circuit recently, runningin fifth of eight-strong PorscheCarrera Cup GB racers, Al Harthywas forced to pull to a reluctanthalt after encountering a severetyre puncture during the seventhlap of the race.The 30-year-old looked to havebeen in good control and form rightfrom the start of the race, gainingground as the race progressed; butwas then suddenly faced with tyretrouble that left Al Harthy with nooption but to retire from the race.Ahmed did well to put PorscheSupercup regular Andreas Mayerlin his rear-view mirror throughStowe corner on lap seven, andhold the line through till the ClubChicane corner, but on the turn theAustrian’s attempt to re-challengeAl Harthy resulted in bad contactwith the right-rear wheel of the“I was happy with the start and the opening laps”,said Ahmad, “I overtook a few cars and waschasing [Rory] Butcher and [Richard] Plant, wehad good pace and everything was going as wehad planned really. I then had a clear overtakeon Mayerl on the outside going down HangarStraight, I was in a good position for the chicanebut then I got hit on my right-rear wheel causing apuncture. The racing in Porsche Supercup is sucha high level, we came into the weekend treatingthis as a learning experience so, although it’s notideal we had to retire; I’m not that disappointed aswe did learn a lot. The whole point of racing thisweekend was to make us stronger for the Britishchampionship and there’s a lot we can take forwardinto the second half of the Porsche Carrera CupGB season. This experience has definitely beenpositive for us,” said a sporting Al Harthy after therace concluded.It’s been a tough experience for the Porsche CarreraCup GB ‘Pro-Am 1’ leader at the qualifying recently, asrain and tyres have worked hand in hand to drop himdown to less-than-expected 23rd place on the grid.Still, Al Harthy’s good early-race progress has givenhim the confidence to continue competing in PorscheMobil 1 Supercup and is certain to keep the Omani ingood spirits for the remainder of the British season.Ahmad now has a five week break from racing aheadof the start of the second half of the Porsche CarreraCup GB Championship, rounds 11 and 12 of theseason, which will take place at Snetterton 300 Circuitin East Anglia over the weekend 11th/12th August.38

July 17, 2012 Issue 229Englishman, and 2010 and2011 World Series cliff divingchampion, Gary Hunt has beenroughing it out in fourth place atthe season opener of the 2012 RedBull Cliff Diving World Series, butmanaged to scale his way to thetop podium ahead of Americandivers Steven LoBue and KentDe Mond, to claim victory in thesecond stop of the series, recently.Amidst fog and rain, the secondof seven competitions took placein the presence of 4,500 people,surrounded by approximately 400boats at the Skagerrak Strait inBarselkilen, Grimstad, Norway.Leaping from a 27m damp platform,thanks to drizzle and dew, was noeasy task for any of the contestants,even if they were the world’s bestcliff divers in the world. However,from Hunt’s evident victoriousperformance, he did seem to takethe testing weather conditions quitewell. Gary Hunt had announced astrong comeback for Norway rightafter the first competition in Corsicaand definitely walked the talk with a477.55 points win.The 28-year-old, who was awardedthe day’s high score of 154.00points, ecstatically said, “It feelslike it’s been a while since I’vebeen on top of that podium so it’sgreat to be back! To do a full listof dives without many errors… I’mreally happy, especially after notbeing able to take too much outof Corsica. It gave me a big boostto get the first dive out of the wayand be in the lead – that set me upfor a great competition. The dive Iwon with, the one and a half twistingquad, is my favourite dive.”HUNT FOR GLORYHunt grabs the reins on the 2012 Red Bull Cliff Diving World SeriesRESULTS STOP 2, GRIMSTAD1 Gary Hunt UK 477.55 pts2 Steven LoBue USA 432.30 pts3 Kent De Mond USA 398.05 pts4 David Colturi USA 391.70 pts5 Orlando Duque COL 384.40 pts6 Anatoliy Shabotenko (wildcard) UKR 371.70 pts7 Michal Navratil CZE 334.90 pts8 Artem Silchenko RUS 234.30 pts DNF9 Blake Aldridge UK 242.40 pts10 Kris Kolanus (wildcard) POL 229.10 pts11 Todor Spasov (wildcard) BUL 228.60 pts12 Cyrille Oumedjkane FRA 216.90 pts13 Alain Kohl LUX 210.80 ptsUS diver, Steven LoBue, scored arespectable 432.30 points to takesecond-placed and was joined onthe podium by countryman KentDe Mond with 398.05 points. Thehead-to David Colturi, again fromthe USA, got the last ticket to thefinal round, placing just behind thepodium in fourth place.A very satisfied Norwegian audiencepresent at the event enjoyed thefree-falling action, with 13 of theworld’s best divers taking the plungeinto 17°C cold water at speeds of upto 90kph.Next stop for the competition isAzores (POR), where the third legtakes place on July 20th and 21st.39

July 17, 2012 Issue 229Circus And Magic Show Events At Muscat City CentrePirates In The Caribbean Theme Party At Al Falaj Hotel40

July 17, 2012 Issue 229Omani Products ExpoAt The Salalah Tourism Festival 2012Mudher Al BahdourStudent Exchange Programme BetweenJapan And OmanH.E. George Hisaeda (centre)

July 17, 2012 Issue 229

July 17, 2012 Issue 229FILL UP THE BE LOW CROSSWORD, SUDOKU, GO FIGURE & 5 LUCKYWINNERS WILL GET A CHANCE TO WIN COMPLIMENTARY MEALS ATPIZZAEXPRESSScan & send in your entries to prize@y-oman.comthis contest is only valid from 1st May 2012 untill 31st July 2012Shatti Al QurumOasis by The Sea,Tel: 246 96 169Al Khuwairbefore Shell Station,Tel: 244 85 114www.pizzaexpress.com.omAlmouj Marina,The Wave Muscat,Tel : 245 54 777SUDOKUPlace a number in the empty boxes in such a way that eachrow across, each column down and each small 9-box squarecontains all of the numbers from one to nine.Go FigureThe idea of Go Figure is to arrive at the figures given at thebottom and right-hand columns of the diagram by followingthe arithmetic signs in the order they are given (that is, formleft to right and top to bottom). Use only the numbers belowthe diagram to complete its blank squares and use each ofthe nine numbers only once.45

Each week we are asking our readers to take part in a topical discussionvia Y Magazine's facebook page.Join the group and you might see your comments printed in next week'sissue!This week:Are you a 'gaming' fan? Which is your favourite game?Syed Md AbidLeage Of LegendsHafiz JavedAssasin's creed relevations and the uncharted 3 - drake's deceptionVerda KhaliqCar Racing games- be it Nascar or F1, etc- Classic always, even for a girl!!Muhammad Umer FarooqAction and adventure games are my favouriteKrishna UdaniWithout a doubt - World of Warcraft!Nafil Al AzryI don't have anyting specific but i guess that my best kind of games are horror games and zombies(^_^)Ushbah Abidit has to be the Uncharted Series. Everything from the graphics to the story line is AMAZING!!!Syed SaquibAssasin's creed all parts, Call of Duty Morden warfare 3, Soccer , NEED FOR SPEED ALL PART ,COUNTER STRIKE..... :-)Vivek Ramaiyacounter strikeAfra Benazir Asafalitemple runAbhishek OjhaI am big fan of WWE/TNA and Smackdown especiallyUndertaker, Aizaakal Jackson, Booker T, The Big Show,Ted DiBiase, Justin Gabrie, Sheamus,Rock, Christian etcShyam KaladiF1Shetu Sushilim a fan of Billiard, Ps2,Syed KashifFIFA 12....MORDERN WARFARE 3....ND OF COURSE WWE 12Sagar JinachandranAngry Birds,Fruit Slasher, Temple Run, FIFA , GTA , WWE games and cricket... are among myfavs....Poyal DonI liked to play counter strike,gt and battlefield with friendsMohammed SalmanGRAND THEFT AUTO VSOLUTIONSCROSSWORDSUDOKUGO FIGURE