SMS LANGUAGE - Y-oman.com

Weekly December 15, 2009Issue 100THE FACE OFCHANGEDUQUMYouth SummitSMS LANGUAGEHypertension,Gifts for Christmas,Chevrolet CruzeLeftBank, West Bank,Ken Block, Cream,Wilde, omanternity.com

Dear Reader,Turbulent times are heading our way. The winds are sweeping incooler and damper skies, and rain is falling upon us here in thedesert. The turbulence is not exclusive to the weather however,the virtual world seems to been in a state of flux too, with stormsbrewing due to the way in which we can now interact globally, withease, via sites such as Facebook and Twitter.Our feature story dips into the cyber world embraced by the youthof today. We have managed to bring you yet another issue packedwith some great news from all four corners of the globe. We testout the all-new Chevrolet Cruze, offer you up some insights intoHypertension, give you a bunch of ways to clean up ‘ho-ho-ho’inspired thrills and spills, and guide you towards some great – butlast minute – gift ideas. Fa-la-la-la-lah, la-la-la-lah.Enjoy!Y Team

mediate[v. mee-dee-eyt; adj. mee-dee-it]The act of connecting two or more partiesto develop a mutually beneficial outcomeor goal.Oman’s first media directory is coming!Your concise guide to the media scene and a reference guidefor Advertising Agencies, Media Houses, Audio and VideoProduction, Multimedia, Events and Entertainment, Photographyand Modeling, Market Research and Statistics, PR Services,Media Buying and Planning, Printing Services, and more...If you wish to advertise or be listed with Mediate 2011,please call 9521 3406 or email mediate@sabcomedia.com

This week in9Twentyfour SevenOn-Road Safety, Asian Diversity, Labelled Out14Check This OutSounds, Website, Erudite, Viral Video20Y-rated:FACEBOOK1826VentureRock Formations of DuqumSpotlight1st Muscat Youth Summit28 Yin-YangHypertension, Christmas Clean-up32 Yin-YangXmas Gifts for Him and Her, AutoBahn37 X-tra TimeWorld Cup Draw, Volleyball, Female Racer24CultureSMS – SOS40 ChillaxativeCrosswords, Your Stars and Comic Relief6

Christmas with Al FairChristmas with Al FairChristmas with Al FairChristmas withAl FairChristmas with Al FairChristmas withChristmas wiR.O.4.950eachR.O.1.495eachSinsila X'mas Paper Star (Assorted)R.O.4.150eachR.O.5.465eachMars Maltesers 224gCadburys X Mas Stocking LargeSanta Claus BigR.O.3.880eachChocolate Dairy Milk AdventCalendar 112g (Assorted)R.O.2.640eachR.O.3.600each Terry’s ChocolateOrange 175g (Assorted)R.O.1.500eachCadbury Marshmallow Santa Multipack 140gCadburys Selection BoxMedium SantaR.O.9.480eachX'mas Silver Mini Luxury CrackersR.O.2.445eachWreath Dark GoldR.O.9.995eachChristmas Nativity SetR.O.10.200eachChristmas Tree 6ftVALID FROM 03RD DECEMBER 2009 TO 07TH JANUARY 2010Muscat: MQ 24698174/97; Sarooj 24607075/44; CCC (Qurum) 24560278/79; Markaz Al Bahja 24543243/24543476;Al Khoudh 24541061/4350; Ruwi 24702246

TAILGATING IS DANGEROUSWe all share His Majesty concern about loss of life onthe road and The Royal Oman Police have started totake special attention in this matter. We have all heardabout the high increase in fines for speeding (radars),seatbelts, and people who are on the phone whilstdriving. However, I still think there is one issue that hasnot been addressed properly which is Tailgating.In some other countries, it is illegal to be too close to thecar in front of you. I think the Royal Oman Police shouldstart high fines for people who tailgate.Mashal S. Al MageniA Concerned DriverFOOD CRITICEGYPTY,I loved your article on my home of Egypt, one of themost magical countries on the planet. Whenever Ihave a long-break, I always do my best to visit mycountry and with cheap flights available there, it is mywonder why more people don’t pay it a visit. Luxor,Cairo, Alexandria, they are all enthralling cities anddespite hassle from a few locals, on a whole they aresome of the warmest and friendliest people you willcome across. As a side note, I would just like to sendmy commiserations to the Egyptian team, after thedisappointing game against Algeria. I was really hopingto cheer on the team in the World Cup finals next year.Mahmoud IbrahimWhen I read your Y-Rated on school foods last week,it really did make me think about the issue in a wholenew light. I have never actually put much thought intowhat my children eat at school, and I never heard anycomplaints from them. Now I realise why! Junk food andsweets seem to be what kid’s like, and what my childreneat at school. Thank you for bringing this to my attention.Best regards,J. Shepherd8

Editor-in-ChiefSayyida Iman bint Hamadbin Hamood Al BusaidiManaging EditorKiran Jay HaslamWork EditorPaul McLoughlinFeatures EditorClint Derric EgbertChief ReporterKarima FaridDesign & LayoutJon HueekContributorsPenny DestroWalid ZoubiPhotographyJerzy WierzbickiEditorial Enquiriesinfo@y-oman.comPublished by SABCO Press,Publishing & Advertising LLCY is a SABCO Media Product.Sur to ImproveFor a very long time, Muscat has been the main hub ofcommerce and tourism, but things may be about to changewith the help of current governmental and private-sectorplans in areas such as Sohar, Sur, Nizwa and Salalah. Thegrowing population of Sur looks set to benefit from a newhighway linking it to Muscat, and other improvements of thecity’s infrastructure, including a new clinic, Badr Al Samaa,will offer the city’s inhabitants ‘quality health care’ from therenowned polyclinic chain. Mr. P.A Mohammed, DirectorBadr Al Samaa Group said, “All our six branches spreadacross different parts of the Sultanate have helped theNationals and the expatriate community to avail of healthcare services at an affordable cost. We assure the people ofSur the same kind of facility and service at a cost, affordableto all.”The new branch at Sur will have specialities such as GeneralMedicine, Internal Medicine, Gynaecology & Obstetrics,Paediatrics, Ophthalmology, Dermatology, Orthopaedics, ENT, Radiology and a fully-fledgedlaboratory, pharmacy, X-ray unit, Ultrasound unit and 24 hours ambulance service.9

International Scientific Effort Reveals Asia’s DiversityA study carried out by the Human Genome Organisation’s(HUGO) Pan-Asian SNP Consortium has uncovered variancesin genetic diversity across northern and southern lattitudes.The result is the hypothesis that ‘individuals who were fromthe same region, or who shared a common language alsohad a great deal in common genetically’ also determinesthe origin of Asia’s population.Their findings show that ‘the continent was likely populatedprimarily through a single migration event from the south’,where previously it was thought two waves – the first toSouth-East Asia and the second to central and North-EastAsia took place.Edison Liu from the Genome Institute of Singapore, a leadingmember of the consortium explained, “It seems likely fromour data that they entered South East Asia first – makingthese populations older [and therefore more diverse]. So although the Chinese population is very large, it has less variation than thesmaller number of individuals living in South East Asia, because the Chinese expansion occurred very recently, following the developmentof rice agriculture – within only the last 10,000 years.”UK food label politicsThe stage is now set for UK food labels to bare the origin of the food anddemarcating produce from Palestinians in the Occupied Territories andproduce from Israeli settlements. Until now we have only seen labels statingIsrael or the West Bank as the source of production. The UK government hassaid it is “opposed to a boycott of Israeli goods, but that the settlements arean obstacle to peace.”Although Palestinian delegations have welcomed the change, Israel statedit was “extremely disappointed” in the new labels. As Jewish settlementsin the West Bank are recognised as illegal settlements by international law,boohoo Israel, boohoo.10

www.1300000.netWondering what the number above is? This is the number of globalroad related deaths per year, due to the sheer laziness of not wearinga seatbelt. As hard as it is to imagine, this number is no lie.A new campaign to tackle this devastating figure, here in Oman,revealed to Y by Amal Al-Zadjali, initiator of the Awladna Campaign(Our Children Campaign), is an initiative that aims to spreadawareness about the importance of child safety on the road inOman; which loudly and clearly states that every child deserves asafe ride. Our representative from Oman was no other than Dr WahidAl-Kharusi, advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Of course, theAwladna Campaign representatives were present at this two-dayconference too.On November 19th, Ministers from more than 70 countries, responsible for road safety, as well as leaders from international, regional, governmental,and non-governmental organisations, from more than 140 countries, converged on this conference, for consultation on an active policy towards roadsafety.ATTENTION PARENTS:Here at Y, we have witnessed countless cases of parentsdriving in ways that are endangering their children. Childrensitting in the front seat with their heads hanging outside of amoving vehicle, standing up and poking through the sunroof,kids in cars without correct harnessing and seatbelts; it isa common sight these days. If you do not care for your ownsafety, at least care for that of your child!12

flydubai drop faresflydubai celebrates six months ofoperations – how time flies! [ED: Tasteful.]and to celebrate this milestone, theairline is offering big discounts to its newcustomers. Sales mean that one-wayflights to and from Dubai to Beirut, Ammanand Bahrain, can now be snapped up foras little as AED 125. Other locations arealso subject to discounts. The airline hasmade impressive progress after the pasthalf year in operation, and is seen as oneof the first ‘budget’ airlines in the region.Simple, fast and economical, flydubaiprides itself on offering good servicesat low prices. Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO offlydubai said: “Our fares are alreadyexcellent value and with the flydubai sale, we make the decision to travel, easier for our customers.” The sale will continue until midnighttonight (15th December), so get cracking!13

SoundWheels Of FireCreamIn the sixties, the British music scene experienced an explosion of blues and rock.Influenced by the African American folk blues setting that had evolved into anelectric storm across the Atlantic in the USA, due to the likes of Muddy Waters,Albert King and John Lee Hooker; young art school drop outs from distant shoreswere experimenting with the electric blues too, only with Heinz baked beanssubstituting the grits of the Mississippi Delta diet that all blues artists require.Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce formed ‘Cream’, and ‘Wheels Of Fire’was the studio album the power trio released in 1967. It caused an avalancheof hard hitting and provocative music to be heard across the British Isles, andencouraged a white mainstream audience to revel in music that had previously been exclusivelythe domain of Black American artists.Clapton emerged from this album as a guitar god. He is still recognised today as a special playerwith a ‘tone’ and ‘feel’ no one else can muster. ‘Wheels Of Fire’ is where he found that ‘tone’,and played that ‘feel’. His band mates, Baker and Bruce, were no slouches at their craft either,and the trio managed to score some of the best progressive blues rock the world has ever heard.White Room is undoubtedly the standout track on this album, offering poetic lyrics backed bya pounding, Gail force rhythm section and the wild fuzz and wah-wah whirlwind of one of thegreatest guitar solos of all time. It is a ‘must-have’ album, for without ‘Wheels Of Fire’ the worldof rock and electric blues would not be what it is today.Viral VideoKen Block Gymkhana in his SubaruBy now most of you have heard of Mr. Block, even if you haven’t seen this viral video,for only recently he was approached by the Ford Motor Company to be a team driverin the World Rally Championship. He is one of the greatest drivers on the planet, withimmense car control, and he also happens to be the founder and Chief Brand Officerfor DC Shoes.The video featured shows his skills behind the wheel of a Subaru WRX STi in rallyspec. It is one of the best examples of out-of-this-world car control. What Ken Blockcan do in his ‘Scooby Doo’ seems to be lifted out of a comic book. You’ve got to seethis!14

EruditeThe Importance of Being EarnestOscar WildeViewed as a rejection of Victorian ideals, The Importance of Being Earnestis tackled, with typical Wildean wit and bravery, making it one of the mostcomical and entertaining of Wilde’s work. The play is set between the townand the country, it tells of the relationship between realist Algernon Moncreieffand his hedonistic and eccentric friend, Ernest Worthing. The Importance ofBeing Earnest tackles the issue of hypocrisy that was evident at the time theplay was produced; where lead character – Ernest – represents an overallhonest embrace of the ideals of candor and pleasure. These two conflictingideals which are evident amongst the characters, leads to a head-on collisionbetween the overall traditional morals and modern youthful thoughts. Withthe help of hindsight, the play has now been dissected as a fluttering of insidejokes that Wilde wrote about his own personal issues. To see this one requiressome knowledge of Wilde’s colourful and controversial life, but ultimately thedrama still works as a blueprint of how to write a play filled with humour andwit, with hard-hitting satirical clout.WebsiteEverything in One SiteCheck out www.omanternity.com, and you will be sure to agree that it isa great way to stay in the know about what is happening in Oman. Thewebsite is shaped by a group of savvy youngsters who saw the need tocreate a portal for information related to Oman – for the people of Oman.The group took into consideration the wise words of His Majesty SultanQaboos bin Said, who spoke of increasing the awareness of the newtechnological and digital era dawning on the country. This is the approachthese youngsters took, to help form a new knowledgeable generation bymaking information accessible at the simple click of a mouse button.One of the many smart things on the site is a link to Wikiternity. This is a ‘wiki’-based portal that concentrates on the fundamentals of Omani identity. The portalis democratic, meaning anyone can edit the pages, so knowledge that would be only known to certain individuals can now be shared throughout the Wikiternitycommunity.The main website, which also serves as a blog, is updated with local, and sometimes exclusive, news on events not to be found in regular online Omani mediaforums. Team members publish articles on a variety of topics, some of which are culinary, automotive, cultural, political, and economic based.Other categories also include a section related to car reviews, concerning cars available in the Omani market that have been professionally reviewed. All reviewsare detailed and will let you know everything there is to know about the car, along with price listings. Restaurant and retail reviews give a comprehensive overviewof restaurants and eating establishments in Oman with honest reviews and approximate price evaluations. All you need to know on one website – what could bemore useful?15

Season To Be JollyGRAND HYATTTel: 24641234Christmas Eve – Mokha CafeSpend Christmas Eve with your family at Mokha Café enjoying atraditional turkey dinner. Many other cuisines and dishesare also on offer.Christmas Eve – Dinner at TuscanyEnjoy a traditional Italian Christmas Eve dinner,at the Italian fine dining restaurant, Tuscany.LeftBankTel: 24693699Christmas set menuUntil December 30thCheck out the delicious Christmas Menu as Left Bank after 6pm.Pre-booking is required.2 Courses – RO15 per person • 3 Courses – RO20 per personCrowne Plaza MuscatTel: 24660660Tropicana – Christmas CelebrationsShare your dining experience with your family, with a special buffet andChristmas carvery with live cooking stations. Santa will be paying asurprise visit on Christmas day with gifts for all the kids.RO22 for adults and RO11 for children under 14.InterContinental MuscatTel: 24680000Mussandam Café and Terrace Restaurant –Christmas CelebrationsMussandam Café and terrace restaurant offers a Christmas day brunch that you canenjoy.Time: Noon to 4pm.RO22 for adults and RO11 for children under 11Shangri La’s Barr Al Jissah ResortTel: 24776666Bait Al-Bahr – Yuletide Gourmet Set DinnerIn an idyllic beachfront setting, savour a special Yuletide five-course menu.Time: 7 to 11pmRO28 per personSamba – Christmas Eve BuffetIndulge in a lavish buffet of festive favourites.Time: 6:30 to 11pmRO19 per person.Radisson BluTel: 24487777Christmas ChoirCelebrate the true spirit of Christmas with the Radisson Blu Hotel, Muscat ChristmasChoir. With traditional favourites and medleys of popular carols, everyone can join infor a truly festive experience.Olivos – Christmas Day LunchCelebrate Christmas day at the Olivos Coffee Shop Terrace and Lawn, offering awhole lot of goodies for the holiday season.Time: 2 to 5pmRO37Family Carol Service15th DecemberThe Women’s Guild in Oman brings the celebration of Christmas alive withCarols, food and beverages.Venue: Gala Church16

LeftBank:Comfortably ElegantKiran Jay HaslamLeftBank has been around as a hot destination for Oman’s socialites for quite some time. Perhaps its location is perfect – acentral jumping-off point for those seeking a big night out – and so that may indeed have something to do with its soaringpopularity. LeftBank’s selection of signature beverages is exceptional to say the least, however the hip establishment goesoverlooked as a place to go specifically for gastronomical reasons. That as now changed, thanks to a renewed effort to bolsteroperations from behind the scenes, and to cleverly craft and execute an all-new and splendid menu.We decided to head down on a somewhat quiet night out in Muscat. For those of you who have not yet been to LeftBank, the vibeand ambience is perhaps the thing most talked about; it is lifted straight from that of a cosmopolitan city’s ‘funky night out guide’,yet the overall vibe remains honest and casual. You could wear a black tie and not stand out – as classy is an understatementwhen describing the ‘restaurantslashbar’ – however smart casual, is the order of the day. We entered the establishment withstaff dressed in funky jeans and smart black shirts, and were escorted to our table to the sounds of Billy Holliday. Awesome. Realmusic, in a great setting, we were getting off to a good start. Our seating was cosy, in a booth that allowed us to talk easily andtake in the ambience, and our waiter for the evening, Ernesto, quickly set about explaining the outlet’s fine menu to us.The new menu is extensive, and covers Asian, fusion, contemporary and traditional fare. We started with the chilli-crusted kingprawns with a yoghurt and tamarind dip and the LeftBank fishcakes with sauce aioli. Wow. The dipping sauce alone was simplydelicious for both of these starters, and once our main courses had arrived, we clued on to the fact that on this menu, it is thesesmall details that count. It was hard to decide on the main course at first; duck, fresh seafood and fine steaks all leap out atyou; however we opted for fish, choosing the pan-fried fillets of Koffar with olive oil, crushed potatoes and sauce vierge and thebaked Hammour with creamed leeks and white beans. The exquisitely presented and prepared meals were strikingly different,yet were both delicate and tangy enough to revisit on our next LeftBank dining experience. The problem is, so too perhaps arethe rest of the items on the menu that we haven’t yet sampled! To our chefs on the evening, well done, our meals were perfect,and the final say of warm chocolate pudding and vanilla ice-cream along with the white chocolate bread and butter pudding,were, honestly, to die for.Nick Braxton-Abery, Country Manager for Emirates Leisure Retail in Oman shed some light on the new menu saying: “I sawchanging the food menu at Left Bank as being a priority is that this was the one part of the business that had really been allowedto drift. Left Bank had retained its reputation as somewhere to go for great drinks but people rarely thought of us as a restaurant.We were also very keen to introduce an extended starters (Tapas) section, which we hope will sit alongside our impending newcocktail list and encourage a real culture of casual and sociable dining.”For a hip and lavish bar to be so comfortably elegant, is a feat indeed. Usually places like this fall short in some area – LeftBankdoesn’t. The food, presentation, service, seating, layout, pricing structure and ambience are deserving of great notoriety. Theoutlet shames several of the 5-star heavyweights in the country, and LeftBank employees seem to go that extra mile to makeyour experience special. It is a wonderful little gem in the dining scene of Muscat, the outlet retains its hold on being one ofthe best places to hang out and socialise in town, and now adds to that a nonpareil menu for discerning diners to visit time andagain.

Al Duqum RocksDuqum sits in perfect isolation, 550 kilometres away from Muscat, making it one of the few natural areas untouchedby tourism... for now. The sound of silence blankets the barren landscape, and after a few hours, our ‘city ears’ –constantly pounded by noise pollution – start drumming and ringing out at the piercing silence. The abstract formationsof the wind-beaten rocks adds to the eeriness of this landscape, with mushroom-like formations and a whole variety ofweird and wonderful shapes. The joy of Duqum is to sit in solitude, with a cup of freshly made tea, and ponder over themultitude of similarities the rock shapes hold to the human and animal forms. Despite its seclusion from modern life,big changes could be in store for Duqum, and the convoys of trucks prowling across the expanse means the erosionof these delicate natural formations could be realised before a short space of time. Rumours are adrift in the area ofmajor construction projects which could shatter the delicate nature of these formations, and see one of Oman’s mostmajestic habitats left in a state of damage and disrepair. So pack your 4X4 with camping gear and a camera, and takeadvantage of Oman’s garden of beauty, while it’s still around. As always, we urge you to ensure you bring back whatyou leave home with – do not leave your litter in these wonderful places.GPS E 57°39’7”N 19°38’3”

Facebook:The Decay of Society?Paul McLoughlin, Kiran Jay HaslamSocial networking they call it. A way to interact with old friends,meet new people, and discuss topics and events with peopleacross the globe. If you are logged into Facebook you are trulypart of a worldwide community, as with its 350 million members,Facebook now has a population larger than that of North America.The site is quite a powerful force in the new cyber-world, but whateffect, if any, is its popularity having on society?The truth is that every area of the internet is designed to captivateand draw in users, often in the most mind-numbing of ways.Those who oppose social networking sites on the basis that it isdistracting young people, are often equally prone to spending hourson YouTube or on other websites designed and administered toencourage users to click on one site, and then onto another linkedsite; to persuade users to endlessly scroll through videos, blogs andarticles, with the aid of ‘pop-up’ advertisements. Facebook, whichhas thus far managed to escape the clutches of mass-marketing(losing hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue in the process),still remains to be seen by many as a demon-like, dumber-down ofcreativity and intellect.It’s a double-edged sword, as some self-confessed Facebook‘addicts’ testify to. There are positives of what the interface offerson a social level; friends can check each other’s pictures, writeand send messages, comment on people’s profile pages and getin touch with long-lost colleagues and classmates. “I connect withfriends that I lost touch with since school days... I have Facebookto thank for that”, says one Omani Facebook ‘addict’ who keepsregular checks of developments on his Facebook circuit throughoutthe day. Asked about the negatives, he replies, “It’s very addictive.You won’t get bored of it and you will stay up for continuous hoursand won’t even realise. Sometimes I spend so long on it that I onlyrealise after the sun starts rising.” Another Omani, hooked on thenetworking site says, “One of my statuses was ‘I have enrolled inthe Facebook Detox Centre’, so I guess that explains how much Iam on it. Initially, I would log onto it when I got home from work,but after I ‘discovered’ that I can connect through my phone I neverreally leave it.” She adds, “It has become quite a bad habit and Ifind myself on auto-pilot mode checking Facebook every coupleof minutes.”20

It’s a new trend – so-called ‘Facebookoholics’ see the site as anintegral part of their social life, and use it to keep in touch withfriends on a regular basis, even ones they see every day. Here inOman, the network group can be useful for those with loved onesabroad, as one expatriate in Muscat testifies, “I use it to keep intouch with my friends and family back home. We gossip, catch upand even talk about serious stuff.” With many people here in Muscathaving loved-ones scattered across the world, it’s not difficult tosee the charm of the networking site and it is testimony to thelevel of reach over populations across the world the website holds.Facebook has been cited as the second most popular website inAmerica according to statisticians Alexa, with people often optingto stay in touch through this medium, over more traditional formsof communication such as letter writing, telephone or even email.It offers a fast, interactive and simple process of communication,allowing friends to see photos, videos and comment on them atthe click of a mouse. Another Facebook user in Oman clarifies bysaying, “If used right, it can connect you with people across theworld, and entertain you when you are home alone.” It has beensaid that students studying away from home who use Facebookare less likely to suffer from homesickness than non-users, and thesame has to be said for adolescents and young professionals livingin the Middle East. No longer must people wait weeks for a letteror postcard from their loved ones abroad, messages can be typedup in seconds, and the site eradicates the excuse of not staying intouch.gone hand-in-hand with the advent of abbreviations used in conversations between peoplevia the Internet, as some people who have sufficient time to reply to a message, still makeshort-cuts by writing in code. However, if the concern for people is the already mongrelised-English language being bastardised further, then there are countless educational uses forthe platform. Many people now write on a daily basis through Facebook, when in normalcircumstances they might have no need to compose a written sentence in everyday life.In full-view of their friends, people are making a more conscious effort to write messagescorrectly and succinctly, even if the odd ‘LOL’ may pop-up in conversation from time totime. For people whose first language is Arabic, Facebook has helped to invent a new formof written Arabic, using the Latin alphabet to write Arabic words. The dominance of Englishin Facebook could also help to expose the language to more people across the world; for thenew generation of new-to-English speakers, this contact can only be a good thing.The site’s influence on English is part of the revolutionary revision ofthe language, since the first computers came about. Facebook has21

This new generation is already using the platform tospread their thoughts, ideas and interests. Facebookgroups enable people to link together; to promote anddebate their own particular causes. Events can bepublicised, as we saw to great effect during the lastbombardment of Gaza by Israel, where most protestswere promoted with the help of Facebook. Businessescan receive advertising free-of-charge through thismedium, with the use of Facebook groups. One Omanicommented, “It’s a great way to promote businessesand events and causes. A friend of mine organiseda party which got people interested because of theconstant buzz on Facebook.” Another said, “Facebookcan be used as a medium to promote and expose smallbusinesses, hence making it easier to push homebusinesses.”This is the democratising effect of Facebook, not only isit a way to send messages about social plans and engagein gossip, but it is also about spreading ideas, promotingsmall business, publicising causes and getting in touchwith long-lost friends. What do we have to fear from it?Degrading the written language? Turning our youngstersinto brain-dead zombies? The truth is that Facebook isjust a modern and convenient mode of communication,just as the mobile telephone has become an everydayfunctional item for the majority of people across theworld, so too will social-networking sites. Its biggest‘threat’ is that it is the invention, modem and voice forthe young; an application which makes it into broadsheetnews stories, but is still not fully understood by oldergenerations. The possibilities that social networkingsites such as Facebook and its future incarnationspromise, means that many young people sufferingfrom chronic shyness, can now enlighten others oftheir personality via – Facebook, to friends and theoutside world. Potential couples have been spurred ontowards speaking on a more romantic level, with the helpof the ‘Poke’ function; a light-hearted form of flirtationwhich has been lost since Princesses started blowingtheir noses on handkerchiefs, rather than throwing themat passing knights. Like it or hate it, social networkinghas brought social interaction to a new-level, as theworld gets a little smaller thanks to Facebook. Itsachievements now, are what future generations willtake for granted tomorrow, as integral parts of theirsocial life – fear not people; change ultimately worksfor the better.22

ED: “They are all FACEBOOK FOOLS in my opinion”Well, here at Y, in an effort to propose two sides of anyargument, let me have my say on Facebook and socialcommunity sites. In lieu of the site’s greatness and potentialto spread messages of meaning and hope, most of the time itsimply doesn’t. I have had a Facebook profile for many years,and I often question whether I should continue to do so. Isee friends and colleagues, glued to the site. I log on to seethat I have been compared to a Simpson’s character by thesecond cousin of my wife, who I have met but twice in my life.I get a ‘poke’ from some guy who added me as a friend onlybecause his friend met me once at a watering hole here inMuscat. Someone sent me a strawberry milkshake the otherday. Another ‘friend’, whom I chose to never hang out withall the time I was in high school, invited me to participate inFarmville; oh and I hate Hold’em Poker.Although it may help those who find great difficulty interactingin the real world, it also serves to help them stay inside a holelike existence, with their only interaction being that of a cyberworld. The site also allows people to create personas that aresimply not real, and as many news reports have shown acrossthe globe, it can be a breeding ground for perverts and paedophiles.The site is indeed the future of social interaction, but perhaps the costs are too great. Change, although oftengood, can also destroy things that are precious and sacred. Take lonesome George for instance, the onlyGalapagos Turtle left alive today. The world changed around old George, into a harsh place, competitive andmoney driven, and all too willing to throw abandon to the ways of old, and with considerable environmentalcosts. Facebook’s architecture is so strong, that eventually, as many will see, a cost will come to those whowant to be part of it. In the meantime, the drones continue to live inside the virtual world, opting for an LCDscreen of pointless banter, requiring electricity powered by destructive fossil fuels. How about shuttingdown that laptop for a few hours and stepping outside to smell the fresh air. Ride a bike, go for a walk. Ohhang on a minute, what about actually meeting up your friends in the ‘real world’ and actually talking tothem whilst looking them in the eye?The origin of the site – a tool for university students to share knowledge - has now morphed into a shallowportal, in a realm of false cyber emotion. Sure, I use Facebook, but primarily to post up pictures of mygrowing family so that far away relatives can stay in the loop. I have resorted to blocking or removingthose that send me pointless treats in the virtual world, and I care not to update my profile on a regularbasis. But I guess it’s not all that bad, for without a doubt one of the coolest things to come from theavalanche of Facebook users is lamebook.com – look it up.23

MIND YOURLANGUAGEKiran Jay HaslamAlthough, generally speaking, shorthand is nolonger on our list of ‘things we need to learn beforewe die’, abbreviated words are still an everydaysight, and very much a requirement in our everydaylife, for more than just those courtroom secretariesout there. Instant Messaging, Chat and how wepost information on the Internet, on sites such asFacebook, seems to have taken written languagedown a very dangerous path; and one which mayhave condemned the correct use of written languageto its untimely end.With a steady decline in anyone over 15 and belowthe age of 30, putting pen to paper, the art of writinghas been substituted for computer literacy. When Iwas entering my teen years, scribbling in diariesand books was common practice, and it helpedto hone one’s written communication skills. Thesedays, with PCs and MACs a necessary tool for everychild to participate in the world around them, weseem to be minimising effort – a very human trait –and one maximising the departure of correct syntaxand spelling from modern writing.I once had a boss who would often SMS me with ‘d’used instead of ‘the’ and ‘wud’ instead of ‘would’. Itirritated me, particularly as I am a writer and considerthese abbreviations flippant. Whilst I understand thereasons why many choose to use the abbreviations,it simply doesn’t make sense to use them all ofthe time. These days here at Y, we are constantlyreceiving emails that use the same abbreviatedwords one often sees in a chat window.IM (MSN Chat), ICQ, Google Talk, YAHOO Chat,mIRC, Skype, ooVoo, Aduim, and various othersoftware interfaces originally came onto the scenewith limitations as to the amount of data they couldhandle at any given time. The developers oftenminimised character fields so that a single sentencewas the most you could hope for when typing. Whenchat went from a ‘one-on-one’ experience to chatroom status (where several people could type allat the same time), conversations became difficult.(Trans: “By the way, see you before 10 at McDonalds. For what it is worth, I think Joey could be there too.”)Participants began competing for text, and speed was a priority for chatters to get their sayin before anyone else. Abbreviated words boomed. Along with the LOL (Laugh Out Loud) andOMG (Oh My Gosh), came AAMOF (As A Matter Of Fact), CUL8R (see you Later) and GTG (GotTo Go).One of my dear friends back home in Australia had a younger sister who was ableto converse on these chat sites at the speed of light. At the tender ageof 12, Melinda knew the full list (then) of abbreviatedterms and used them deftly to interact with her friendsover the web. I could not keep up with her, and keptasking her to explain what she was typing throughout theconversation. Over the past ten years her skill has gonefrom obscure to normal. Children on chat programmestoday seem to be increasing their vocabulary of thesestunted terms. I am sure that almost every Y reader hasused some sort of abbreviated word in an SMS by now.The point is; where will this simplified form of interactiontake us? If we seldom write in conventional structure andspelling, it is unlikely that the fires of conventional writingwill suddenly reignite. So is it time this author gotwith the times? Should we acknowledge that thecrafting of words as we know it now will be gonetomorrow? I think, that although it breaks myheart to admit it, yes, we are losing the battle.It is not likely that the digital world will cease tobe, and hence communicationwith immediacy and ease isonly going to become evenmore ubiquitous.24

SMS is probably the first place where new shortcuts are used, and itis from here that these words spread with ease. There are still a lot ofthings the younger generation of ‘SMSers’ do that may baffle a few ofyou, so here is an explanation of just a few:It has become common practice to substitute numbers for letters, soyou may see “Sh3 l3ft” in place of “she left.”In SMS texters often extend and exaggerate spelling to conveyemotion, so you will encounter “YELLLLLLLLLLLA FEROOOOOOOOOOZ”,implying emotion to Feroz to hurry things up!The absence of those annoying vowels! ‘Fnny’ (funny), pls (please),‘wht’ (what) and ‘tht’ (that). I mean who needs vwls anyway?The phonetic sound of letters replacing syllables in words; ‘NEthing’(anything)ZZZZZZZZZZZZ! You’re likely to find this quaint and often-unusedletter appear everywhere! It is now used to replace an ‘s’ or ‘es’ topluralize; hugz, thankz, thingz.Numbers can also be used in much the same way, with symbolicmeaning used to convey the literal message. 747 means ‘let’s fly’, or‘we’re leaving’; 360 means ‘I love you back’ or ‘right back at you’.Even more odd is the use of the percentage sign as a double “O”where L%K means ‘look” and P%L means ‘pool’.k Y readrz, hth to d3ciph3r how language is chngng rapidly. btw, imhod art of wrtng is d%med.cul8r.:PAAMOF - As A Matter Of FactAFAIK - As Far As I KnowAFK - Away From KeyboardASAP - As Soon As PossibleBBL - Be Back LaterBRB - Be Right BackBTW - By The WayCU - See YouCUL8R - See You LaterEZ - EasyF2F - Face To FaceFAQ - Frequently Asked QuestionsFWIW - For What It’s WorthFYI - For Your InformationGAL - Get A LifeGG - Good GameGTG - Got To GoHAND - Have A Nice DayHTH - Hope That HelpsIAC - In Any CaseJ/K - Just KiddingIMHO - In My Humble OpinionIMNSHO - In My Not-So-Humble OpinionIMO - In My OpinionIOW - In Other WordsIRL - In Real LifeLOL - Laughing Out LoudNRN - No Reply NecessaryOMG - Oh My GoshOTOH - On The Other HandR & D - Research andDevelopmentROFL - Rolling On the FloorLaughingTHX - ThanksTIA - Thanks In AdvanceTTYL8R - Talk To You Later2M or 2row - Tomorrow2nite - TonightB4 - Beforecos - Becausej/k - Just KiddingK - Okkewl - Cooll8rz - See You Laterm8 - Maten/a - Not Applicablew/ - Withw/o - Without:) - happy face:( - sad face;) - cheeky winking face>:( - angry face:-/ – disappointed face:P – cheeky face with tongue out

Ten sum it up!Karima FaridWhat could be better than bringing 200 youngsters together on oneplatform, to exchange cultural views and knowledge, and to attendpresentations by key spokespersons in industry and art?The summit began with the accommodation of the students; differentnationalities were put together in shared rooms to exchange and shareinformation and experiences. One American student told me, “Myroommate was from Syria, and we just talked about everything. Ourthoughts on the summit, what movies we liked, and we are all makingfriends just by being here. It’s great!” This was the achievement of the1st Muscat Youth Summit; to bring hundreds of students from differentbackgrounds in an environment of sharing, connecting and learning.Alya Al Hosni, Brand Oman Management Unit (BOMU) and SummitProject Manager told me, “Young people are growing up in a constantlyinterconnected world, where the digital is part of their everyday lives. Infact, it’s hard to find a sphere of life that’s untouched by the rapid riseof social technologies. Online social networks are providing productiveground for Omani youth to practice social behaviours, to try out differentpersonas in their exploration for identity, and nurture friendships. Infact, in some cases, online social networks allow for more intimateconnections than offline relationships.”The program ran from December 7th to 9th at the Al Nahda Resort & Spa – supportedby the Ministry of Education, UNESCO, Shababiah, Shell, Khimji Ramdas, Omran,Qalhat LNG, Al Maha Petroleum, Muscat Daily and Al Wisal FM – the objective for the1st Muscat Youth Summit was to learn more about the new digital culture and medialandscape that Oman-based youth are using in their everyday lives.In the midst of the breathtaking Al-Nahda Resort & Spa, students seemed relaxed asthey were heading back into their lectures, eagerly taking notes and brimming withenthusiasm.‘Y’ asked ten random students from three different age groups and backgroundsparticipating in the event, about their experiences during their stay and theirparticipation in the Summit:Moosa Murtadha Mohammed(22-year-old student, at the Modern College of Businessand Science, majoring in Accounting and Finance)“The Youth Summit was very interesting, I got to learnnew stuff, and my awareness rose to a whole newlevel. I encourage the sponsors to continue to carryout this programme. The youth of Oman needs similarprogrammes. My dream is to own my own businesssome day.26

Farris El-Alwan(16-year-old British student from the British School Muscat)“I would like to study Architecture and Design at a Universitylevel. Because I don’t get the chance to mix with students fromother schools, this was an amazing opportunity to do so.”Aziza AL- Bahlani(18-year-old Omani student who studies at the GermanUniversity of Technology in Oman “GUtech” and is studyingRegional management and Tourism)“This summit teaches us how to be creative, in the midst of ateam. It is a different educational experience. Jamal Al Asmiand Nourhan N.Beyrouti were very inspirational. I would like tocome back to the summit next year.”Areej Al Balushi(23-year-old Omani student, studying at the College of Bankingand Financial Studies, majoring in Accounting)“Everything I am learning here is new to me, I feel updatedwith all this new information. After graduation, I want to workin a financial field. Day 2 was very interesting, we learntmany things about exploring innovation, the ‘I Generation’ andcreativity. It was pleasant and I would love to come back herenext time.”Kawther Al-Shahaibi(22-year-old Omani student studying at the Modern Collegeof Business And Science, majoring in Marketing)“Being a part of the Youth Summit, I gained new ideas fromeach of the different speakers. Each day was different, yetexciting. I want to work with Bank Sohar, in the MarketingDepartment, because I trained with them, and I think I cancontribute and grow with them.”Jihad Bilal(20-year-old Indian Student studying at the Caledonian Collegeof Engineering, and majoring in Electrical Engineering)“The Youth Summit was a unique and a memorable experience.I feel fully informed about what is happening around me now. Ilearnt new things, and met people from different nationalities.After graduation I want to work in the field of ElectricalEngineering. Now I feel like I am more aware about the issuesaround me.”Katricia Smith(21-year-old American student, whois in Oman for one semester, studyingat the School of International Training,majoring in International ComparativeStudies)“I have been in Oman for three-and-a-half months and I think thatOmanis are very hospitable. There is a focus on environmental issuesin this Youth Summit, which is great. The promotion of creativitythrough innovation was interesting.Sarah Mihalus(20-year-old American student atthe School of International Training,majoring in Economics)“My roommates are Omanis, and I ammingling with them. We are exchangingopinions and ideas. This summit is verygood as it is a first. I am impressed,especially with Qais Al Zakwani, andhis presentation on energy security. Being at the resort was veryrelaxing. A wonderful experience.”Ahmed Darwish(16-year-old student, at Al-Ibdaa PrivateSchool)“There were many presentations, butsurely, the ones about conserving energywere the most exciting ones. I want to bea pilot, and if not, maybe join a Ministry.The Youth Summit was a wonderfulopportunity and I was glad to be there.I am surprised by the amount of thingsthat I learnt, and I can’t wait to get into university.”Prachiti Venkatraman(16-year-old Indian student at theIndian School Ghubra)“I want to study communication inAmerica. This summit gave me thechance to meet new people and learnnew things about creativity and the‘I Generation’. It was fun and veryeducational. One day, I know that I willbe executing what I learnt here, because it is very useful. I enjoyednearly all the presentations, the rest was informative.”27

The silentkiller Penny DestroThey call it the silent killer. This is because hypertension, more commonly known as high blood pressure (HBP), canhave no symptoms – until it becomes critical, that is - and then it may cause a fatal heart attack or life-changingstroke.Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps. It rises and fallsall the time depending on whether we’re resting or active, but when the pressure stays high for a long time, it candamage the body in many ways. There are medical conditions that cause HBP, but in most cases the cause isunknown though is often the result of multiple contributing factors. Essential or primary HBP is estimated to affectup to a billion people – that’s about one in four – and one third of us don’t even know we’ve got it.The only way to diagnose this potentially life-threatening condition is by having your blood pressure measuredby a doctor. It’s a painless procedure that takes just a few minutes, but if your BP is 140/90mmHg orhigher, there’s a possibility you have hypertension (the higher figure reads your systolic pressure –the phase of the heartbeat when the heart muscle contracts, and the lower figure indicates yourdiastolic pressure - the phase when the muscle relaxes). Ideally in a healthy adult it shouldmeasure 120-130/70-80mmHg. Your doctor will normally take a reading on two furtheroccasions to ensure that the pressure is constantly high and not the result of a caffeinerush or “white coat syndrome” - a recognised state where a patient’s BP rises due tothe stress of being examined by a doctor - in a white coat!Once diagnosed, treatment will normally begin immediately and there aremany different drugs, or combinations of drugs that will help to bring it undercontrol – and the word is “control” not “cure” because although lifestylechanges can certainly help to lower BP in some cases, once medicationis prescribed it is often necessary to take it for life. Medication lowersblood pressure in a number of ways: beta blockers help by makingyour heart beat more slowly so that less blood is pumped throughyour blood vessels; ACE inhibitors prevent your body from makingangiotensin II, a hormone that causes blood vessels to narrow;angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) also protect your bloodvessels from this hormone, thus relaxing and widening them;calcium channel blockers (CCBs) keep calcium from entering themuscle cells of the heart and blood vessels and diuretics, sometimesknown as water pills, help the kidneys flush excess water and salt fromthe body.As with all medication there are some side effects, but everyone reacts differently and if one drugdoesn’t suit you your doctor will prescribe a different regime until a suitable one is found. There are othermore natural treatments available such as herbs and homeopathy as well as ancient remedies fromall over the world, but it must be pointed out that these usually take time to work – and if your BP isshooting through the roof, you can’t afford to wait.28Hypertension is often stress-related, and in this age when we are said to be more stressed out thanwhen we were dodging dinosaurs, anything we can do to relieve the pressure is a bonus, so healthyeating and exercise are a must. Brisk walking, dancing, bowling, gardening and (if you’re really ata loose end) doing housework, are all good forms of moderate exercise. Being overweight doesn’thelp BP and nor does smoking, alcohol consumption, too much caffeine or too much salt. If you

Go for the Smile of Pearls…Our Team of Dental SurgeonsDr. Sharat Vijayan | Dr. Sowmya V. KulkarniDr. Smitha Tharakan | Dr. Elham Mohd. MahmoodDr. Vidya Shetty | Dr. Preetha | Dr. Dhanya SajeevDr. Saleem P.A | Dr. Muna A. Jawad | Dr. Shafila RahmanDr. Mariamma Rajan | Dr. Hemamalini |Dr. Rekha Khan | Dr. Ayyappanhave a family history of hypertension, you’re more likely to suffer from it; also ageplays its part with many men over 45 and women over 55 unaware they’ve becomehypertensive – and it’s long-term, untreated HBP that does the most damage.Here in Oman, in both the public and private sectors we’re lucky to have a number ofexperienced doctors and hypertension clinics that have state-of-the-art equipment.Taking daily medication may seem like a life sentence – but ignoring hypertensionis a death sentence, so if you haven’t had your blood pressure checked lately,hot-foot down to the clinic before the silent killer catches up with you. And if yourdoctor prescribes long-term medication, take it – or your future could be shorterthan you think.‘Essential or primary HBPis estimated to affect upto a billion people.’Lower your pressureand take care!• don’t smoke• don’td rin kexcessivealco h ol• don’teatto om u chs alt• don’th a veto om a n yca ffein ed rin ks• lo s ew eig h tifyo un eedto• do moderate exercise• take medication as instructed• refill medication before you run out• don’t stop or cut doses• h a ver eg ula rch eck -ups

Christmas Clean-up TipsWalid ZoubiChestnuts are no longer roasting by the fireplace, and you’ve just said goodbyeto your last guest. It couldn’t be any better, but then you turn around to surveyyour domain and a sense of utter dismay descends upon you. You see the scuffmarks on the parquet, Gluwein stains on the tablecloth and the lipstick markson your great aunt’s hand me down fine cloth napkins (a perfect hostess wouldnever ever use paper napkins). You shrug and say this is all part of ‘entertaining’,roll up your sleeves, and get down to work.again, and best of all, there is no polishing, which is potentially poisonous anda waste of time, anyway.What do baking soda, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, cabbage leaves, aluminiumfoil, lemon, washing detergent, and tooth-paste have in common? They are allitems to be found in most kitchen cupboards and some of the best cleaningagents around, perfect to tackle any Christmas party mishaps.Earlier that day you pulled out your fine silver only to find them now tarnishedwith nasty finger marks dotting them. No problem! You resort to the quickest fixfor cleaning silver; take some aluminium foil pierced with a fork, a good amountof salt, then place your silverware in a basin filled with hot water, using the silverfoil to cover it. After a five minutes wait, le voila! Your silver is sparkling and new30

Cabbage Leaves: These unsavoury items are excellent at cleaning pewter, as is a very softsteel wool which has been dipped in a little vegetable oil.Our tips for having peace of mind before and after throwing a party,especially if it gets slightly wild and rowdy, are as followed:Baking Soda: The loveliest and most versatile of non-toxic cleanersthat has many uses, including removing odours from your fridge,and softening your skin. You can also use it for scouring metal, it’sgentle enough not to scratch even the softest of metals.Vinegar: Another versatile product. Place several finger bowls ofit around the house after a party, especially if people have beensmoking inside, leave it overnight and the smoke odour will be gonewhen you wake up. Mix a bit of it with lemon juice (freshly squeezedplease, not from a packet) and you’ll have a wonderful cleaningagent. You can use wedges of lemon dipped in salt for cleaning,which are left over from the party.Lemon, Tomato Paste: excellent for cleaning copper.Toothpaste: Can be used for cleaning silver jewellery and can also be used, with caution,on gold and platinum jewellery.Hydrogen Peroxide: Mixed with a bit of cream, it will remove rust efficiently. On tougherspots you need to make a thicker paste.Dishwashing Liquid Detergent: Doubles as an excellent make-up stain remover andworks well on lipstick stains left on cotton and other fabrics.The Freezer: excellent for Christmas candle wax removal – take whatever item that isstained, and place it in a plastic bag. Put it in the freezer and leave it over night, so the nextday, all you have to do is gently remove the wax with a plastic knife. And if there is still waxon the fabric, you can use an iron on a high-heat setting, with a paper towel folded twice,placed over the fabric. Then iron, toss the paper towel and repeat the process till all waxhas been removed.Salt: When a stain from gravy or any fatty food is seen on most fabrics, just use a heavylayer of salt on the stain, wait a bit, and you will see a magical process unfold as the saltwill absorb the grease and liquid. All that’s left is to brush it off and the stain should appearmuch less visible.Tennis Ball: A clean tennis ball can actually remove some shoe scuffmarks on parquets byrubbing vigorously until the marks are erased.These are a few of our tips for a (relatively) stress-free holiday festivity clean up. Otherimportant things to bear-in-mind are that stains on fabric should never be rubbed orscrubbed too hard, as it will only make the stain tougher. You can’t remove red grape juicestains by using white grape juice, so forget about that old myth. Always use cold water ona stain, as hot water will make the fibres expand and the stain will stay permanently. Drycleaning is also a good, and simple, option for clothes.So there you have it: a tennis ball, lemon and other household items that can save youmoney on cleaning brands and give you a stress-relief Christmas! Now you can cleaneverything up before your New Year’s party debauchery.

StuffKiran Jay HaslamEDITOR'S PICKfor herDolce & GabbanaThe combination of apple, lemon, bluebells, jasmine, bamboo, whiterose, cedarwood, amber and musk make Light Blue by Dolce &Gabbana a winner under the Christmas tree. The Gift box containsa 0.08 oz Eau de Toilette Spray and 1.7 oz Body Cream.Available at www.sephora.com or at Sephora Muscat CityCentre for approx. RO 22.Amouage Travel SpraysThe perfect gift for frequent travellers. These beautiful 10ml refillablefrosted bottles with a gold cap feature a selection of Amouage’sfinest: Dia, Gold, Reflection, Jubilation 25 & Lyric. Available in setsof four bottles of the same fragrance. Prices vary depending on thefragrance.For information please visit Amouage at Sabco Centre or atMuscat City Centre.Fendi Logo BeltScarfThis luxurious iconic silk scarf features a Fendi beltdesign and can be worn as a handbag accessory,around the neck or as a headscarf. It is of coursemade in Italy using the purest silk.Available at www.harrods.com for RO 13132

FOR CHRISTMASfor himThomas Lyte Backgammon SetThis luxurious suede and leather backgammon board rolls up neatly andis the perfect family and friends entertainer. It comes with 30 woodenbackgammon disks and four transparent dice.Available at www.brownsfashion.com for RO 150.Lab SeriesThe Lab Series for Men Daily Essentials Set includes a dailymoisturiser (SPF 15),multi action face wash,and maximum comfortshave cream.Available onlineat www.sephora.com or at SephoraMuscat City Centrefor approximately RO 14.Business Card CaseThis handcrafted calfskin leather card holder features four horizontal cad slots and twoside compartments. Available with the distinct jacquard in Black, Brown, Black Patent orStone Calfskin.for the kidsAvailable at Amouage in Sabco Centre or Muscat City Centre.LEGO DIGITAL CAMERAIf you’re anything like our Y photographer, then youprobably will find your fascination in the art beginning ata very young age. So LEGO now has the perfect pressieidea, to get the little one’s clicking. 3 Megapixels, a 4 xdigital zoom function, USB connectivity and a 1.5” LCDscreen helps you snap up to 80 shots on this little gemof a camera. But be warned – you may be caught oncamera by little Johnny – so mummy, you had better be careful with old Santa!Animal GlobeHelp your children discover theanimals of our world and wherethey live.Available atwww.conranshop.co.ukfor RO 10.Available at toysrus.com for RO 20 plus shipping and handling.33

Kiran Jay HaslamTEST DRIVE: CHEVROLET CRUZEThe all-new Chevrolet Cruze is the result of GM Daewoo’s efforts to take a strong hold of the medium sized sedan market. TheCruze is undoubtedly a fine looking car, with striking angular lines, an aggressive grill, front flares and rake; that reminds you of ascaled down version of its bigger brother; the Lumina SS. That’s great in my book, as the Lumina is a venomously sporty lookingvehicle. However, the Cruze is an all-new car, on a great platform, destined for a global market. Our demo car was a 4-cylinder 1.8litre ECOTEC variant, capable of 140hp @6300rpm, mated through a 6-speed automatic transmission.On first inspection, you immediately feel that GM is going to great lengths to narrow the gap between American car manufacturingtrends and those that are inherent in European carmakers. Perhaps due to the Opel and Ford rivalry from yesteryear, a period whenexterior and interior trims received a lot of attention, GM is now selling cars that are well put together. Unsightly panel gaps havebeen removed and the result is noticeable, especially on our ‘Super Red’ demonstrator.Jumping into the drivers seat, the two-tone interior is a classy embellishment given the cars pricing structure. The climate controlswitches and knobs, along with those of the radio/CD player, as well as the steering column stalks are all very chunky and durable.The fit and feel is on par with the car’s European counterparts.A few treats await you in the cabin, most notably an auxiliary-inport in the centre console for an iPod or MP3 player’s 3.5mmjack plug, and AUX function on the stereo. Although the exteriorstyling and trim is sporty, let me remind you that the class andtarget buyer for this car is also interested in this model forpractical reasons. Most extremely short or extremely tall driverswill find ample seat adjustment to accommodate any peculiarlylarge or long body parts with ample head room. The steeringcolumn adjusts up and down as well as towards or away fromthe driver. The seats are good, supportive but not too firm, and34

electric mirrors and windows, and a trip computer, top off the requirements fora car in this segment. A spacious 400-litre luggage compartment means youcan easily fit a large family’s suitcases into the trunk. Terrific for dropping yourin-laws off at the airport.The layout of everything seems fine, with my only comments being that thestereo/clock display is a little hard to see whilst wearing sunglasses in themidday sun; perhaps it was my seating position and height? But that’s really aminor thing, more importantly, how does this thing drive?Very well, in fact. The road holding of this medium sized sedan is taught andconfidence inspiring. The feel of the thick steering wheel is weighted nicely anddoesn’t seem vague – a problem which plagued many older model Chevrolets.The 17-inch rim and tyre combination fed back just enough feel whilst brakingto show that the car can pull up on a 50 Baiza coin, perhaps a touch too light formy heavy right foot; but class leading stopping power none-the-less. Anotherfine creature comfort is the multi-function steering wheel, with both stereo andcruise control at the scroll of your thumb.The engine, although fuel efficient and reliable, may be slightly out of balancewith the rest of the car. This is due to the fact that the road holding andsturdiness of the car’s handling – combined with its excellent brakes – seem toovershadow the engine. This is in no way a short fall on the engine’s capabilities,but rather the price you pay for excellent fuel efficiency stemming from six tallgears. The car’s solid and firm ability to stay on track and stick to the roadat speed also beckons you to press down harder on the right pedal. The rideis quite comfortable too – firm, but kind on occupants. Although the dash issynthetic in both feel and appearance, it is well designed and ergonomic. Thereare flashes of chrome within the cockpit – that again demonstrates the ‘salesare all in the details’ approach recently adopted by GM. The large dials, centralto the drivers view, sport chrome bezels; another sporty and classy touch. Theturquoise illumination is gentle on the eye at night and aesthetically pleasing.Airbags and a 5-star NCAP crash test rating means you, your family and friends,will always be safe behind the wheel.The all-new Chevrolet Cruze is a little bullish, angular and sporty on the outside– a bit of Tom Cruise perhaps? Refined, a little flashy and seductive on the inside– a little more Penelope Cruz maybe… But overall it is a well put-together andpriced car that will hopefully stay in GM’s stable and continue to be developed.A nice hybrid variant with enough get up and go to foil any of its rivals fromJapan, or even a 300bhp turbocharged Ford RS eating machine will do nicely.What say you GM? What does the future hold for the Cruze?35

Next Gen Cayenne Spy Shots!Intended for a March 2010 unveiling at theGeneva Motor Show, these spy shots haveemerged of the 2011 model year Cayenne.The guys obtaining these shots approachedthe car and caught a glimpse of a panameraesqueinterior… hmmm… and from theexternal styling, it seems the manufacturer isgoing for a softer look, with drooping corners andless mass extending over the wheels. Sleeker andsmaller, expect engine options to also come fromthe Panamera brochure, although it is tipped thathybrid engines will definitely play a central role inthe cars existence. The ‘power-dome’ hood intimatesto us this is a turbo being tested. Reports on the webhave also suggested the car will lose its ‘off-roadiness’and shed some pounds along the way.SUZIE Q MEETS V.DOUBLE-YOOGerman carmaker Volkswagen is globallyperceived as one of the most powerful playerson planet auto. It now seems that VW will entera long-term co-operation agreement with theSuzuki Motor Corporation, as they purchase19.9 percent of the Japanese carmaker, withthat money in turn being used to purchase asmall stake in Volkswagen AG.It has been suggested by both camps thatthe merge will be mutually beneficial, as VWcan provide expertise in diesel and hybridtechnology, whilst Suzuki can lend its weightfrom its dominance in the emerging Indian carmarket as well as its supreme marine and allterrain vehicle prowess. Once this acquisitionis approved, VW/Suzuki will surpass Toyota interms of global sales and this will result in thelargest car manufacturing alliance of all timecoming to fruition. Better start buying yourVeedub shares before they skyrocket… again!Abu Dhabi Now Manufactures Cars?Well sort of. If you could call theseurban assault vehicles cars! Thenew company based in Abu Dhabiis indeed rolling out rugged militaryand commercial vehicles. Built bythe Alanqa Motor Company, thetwo vehicles depicted here are theBodyGuard and the V-Guard.Buyers can expect to see one of these monstrosities on theroad with a 7.4 litre V8 producing 620 horsepower. It is thesame powerplant that propels the Corvette, but with a portly2.4 tonne kerb weight, the vehicle rockets up to 100 km/h in astodgy seven seconds. Although that may not sound staggeringto some, remember that these vehicles are intended to haul upto four tonnes!The ground clearance of 650mm really makes this vehicle capable of clambering over just about anything outthere. GM’s 4x4 transfer case is employed to put power down to the road and a 200-litre fuel tank means youcan drive 750 kilometres before stopping to fill up. Production is most likely going to be 100 vehicles per yearand prices are entirely dependent on the specifications required.36

Clint Derric EgbertLADY PUTS THE PEDALTO THE METALARSENAL SOCCER SCHOOLThe year 2010 is already looking hot for football enthusiasts inOman as English Premier League giants Arsenal are setting up asoccer school right here in the country. The joint venture betweenArsenal and Mosaic Sports began on December 12th, and opensopportunities for girls and boys to learn football Arsenal-style [Ed:Gunnahs!], and a chance to fulfil their dreams of playing the sportprofessionally.“When Arsenal Soccer Schools agreed to work with us, we couldn’trefuse such a marvellous opportunity with such a world-renownedsporting brand,” said Hritik Khimji one of the directors of MosaicSports. The coaching classes are being conducted at the MuscatClub in Wadi Kabir on a temporary basis; however, the plan is tobuild an Arsenal school in the near future. Great news for buddingAli Al-Habsis out there.“We hope to have a great relationship with the OFA and the Ministryof Sports Affairs, working together to improve the level of coachingand playing football,” said Paul Shipwright International Director ofArsenal Soccer Schools.With the Oman Football Association (OFA) making constant effortsto increase the professionalism of football in the Sultanate, thisschool is another great step forward.Volleyball Oman-styleAs Laila Al Sinani revved the engine of a Chevrolet 06car at the Bahrain International Circuit in the ChevroletSupercars Middle East Championship held on December11th and 12th, she simultaneously etched her name inthe history books as the first Omani female driver in theChampionship. Alongside Sinani, sporting the Omaniflag was ace racer Ahmad Al Harthy, who along withMatt Shawyer was to evaluate the lady’s performanceon the track.“The idea behind having a woman race driver has always been on my mind, and afterhearing His Majesty’s speech on the importance of women having equal opportunities inall platforms, the idea has now taken shape and we wish Laila all the best,” said ORT teamfounder Hamed Al Wahaibi.Formed in 2006, the Oman Racing Team (ORT) has come a long way and seem poised toachieve more in the near future. For now, acknowledging the role of Omani women in theracing world is a massive achievement in itself.BOWLED OVER BY THE FLUWhat was assumed to be a viral infection, the reason forSree Santh missing the Twenty20 international match againstSri Lanka recently, has turned out to be swine flu. “Due topersistent symptoms of cough, fever and body ache, a throatswab was sent for H1N1 (swine flu) testing. The report wasfound to be positive and he was immediately put on medication”a report stated. Sree Santh is currently in hospital and willremain there for a few days. “He is recovering well and all his vital signs are normal,” aPunjab Cricket Association spokesman confirmed. Sree Santh fans, no need to fret, you canexpect to see him back in action soon.Oman, poised to win the GCC Volleyball Championship, and are nowanother step closer as they conquered Kuwait 26-24, 25-21, 14-25, 22-25, 15-9 on December 11th at the Sultan Qaboos SportsComplex. Both teams were tied by the end of the fourth set, withtwo sets apiece, and heading into a decider-set tension began torise. Oman with their composed game play successfully clinchedthe fifth and final set of the match resulting in a well-earned victory.The benefits from training under the newly appointed Chinese coachZhang Wu-Ping is definitely showing, as Oman surge forward in thecompetition.37

Martial-ing the ArtsThe sound of traditional Japanese ‘Wa-daiko’ drums echoed thunderously throughoutthe halls of the Oman Karate-do Centre, the very first national Karate Club in Oman.On December 1st, 10 young martial arts students graduated with black belts in thepresence of friends, parents and H.E. Seiji Morimoto, Ambassador for Japan to theSultanate of Oman, heralding a new age of martial arts in Oman.Two experts from Japan started the evening to the sound of mammoth beats; theJapanese word for Taiko, translates as ‘drum’. Outside Japan, the word is often usedto refer to any Japanese drums and to the relatively recent art-form of ensemble-Taiko drumming and goes hand-in-hand with the sport. Traditional martial arts, Laidoand Aikido, led a performance before the graduation ceremony, with an illustration ofLaido – the Samurai art of drawing the sword in combat. The ancient-performancegrew from being an effective ‘art of war’ in the 14th Century to become a coreinstrument in the formation of a warrior’s character. This Japanese martial art, sawcontrolled movements of drawing the sword (from its scabbard), striking or cuttingan opponent, removing blood from the blade, and then replacing the sword in thescabbard, although thankfully, there is no bloodshed involved in the art today. Laidodoes not include direct competition or sparring of any kind and is alternatively knownas “moving Zen”.Spectators were also treated to a performance of Aikido – a Japanese martial art,developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial art studies, philosophiesand religious beliefs. The performance was peaceful and is translated into harmonyby unifying life energy. The 10 black belt graduates received certificates from H.ESeiji Morimotou and Sensei Farid Al-Shahaibi, who has been promoting Japaneseculture in Oman over the years, through the craft of karate. His passion for the arthas made waves throughout the Sultanate and has triggered an interest in the artamongst youngsters.38

MATCH SCHEDULEGroup MatchesDate Match Venue time TeamsFri 11.06.10 1 Johannesburg - JSC 16:00 hrs South Africa - MexicoSat 12.06.10 2 Cape Town 20:30 hrs Uruguay - France4 Nelson Mandela Bay 13:30 hrs Korea Republic - Greece3 Johannesburg - JEP 16:00 hrs Argentina - Nigeria5 Rustenburg 20:30 hrs England - USASun 13.06.10 6 Polokwane 13:30 hrs Algeria - Slovenia8 Tshwane / Pretoria 16:00 hrs Serbia - Ghana7 Durban 20:30 hrs Germany - AustraliaMon 14.06.10 9 Johannesburg - JSC 13:30 hrs Netherlands - Denmark10 Mangaung / BFN 16:00 hrs Japan - Cameroon11 Cape Town 20:30 hrs Italy - ParaguayTue 15.06.10 12 Rustenburg 13:30 hrs New Zealand - Slovakia13 Nelson Mandela Bay 16:00 hrs Côte d’Ivoire - Portugal14 Johannesburg - JEP 20:30 hrs Brazil - Korea DPRWed 16.06.10 15 Nelspruit 13:30 hrs Honduras - Chile16 Durban 16:00 hrs Spain - Switzerland17 Tshwane / Pretoria 20:30 hrs South Africa - UruguayThu 17.06.10 20 Johannesburg - JSC 13:30 hrs Argentina - Korea Republic19 Mangaung / BFN 16:00 hrs Greece - Nigeria18 Polokwane 20:30 hrs France - MexicoFri 18.06.10 21 Nelson Mandela Bay 13:30 hrs Germany - Serbia22 Johannesburg - JEP 16:00 hrs Slovenia - USA23 Cape Town 20:30 hrs England - AlgeriaSat 19.06.10 25 Durban 13:30 hrs Netherlands - Japan24 Rustenburg 16:00 hrs Ghana - Australia26 Tshwane / Pretoria 20:30 hrs Cameroon - DenmarkSun 20.06.10 27 Mangaung / BFN 13:30 hrs Slovakia - Paraguay28 Nelspruit 16:00 hrs Italy - New Zealand29 Johannesburg - JSC 20:30 hrs Brazil - Côte d’IvoireMon 21.06.10 30 Cape Town 13:30 hrs Portugal - Korea DPR31 Nelson Mandela Bay 16:00 hrs Chile - Switzerland32 Johannesburg - JEP 20:30 hrs Spain - HondurasTue 22.06.10 33 Rustenburg 16:00 hrs Mexico - Uruguay34 Mangaung / BFN 16:00 hrs France - South Africa35 Durban 20:30 hrs Nigeria - Korea Republic36 Polokwane 20:30 hrs Greece - ArgentinaWed 23.06.10 37 Nelson Mandela Bay 16:00 hrs Slovenia - England38 Tshwane / Pretoria 16:00 hrs USA - Algeria39 Johannesburg - JSC 20:30 hrs Ghana - Germany40 Nelspruit 20:30 hrs Australia - SerbiaThu 24.06.10 41 Johannesburg - JEP 16:00 hrs Slovakia - Italy42 Polokwane 16:00 hrs Paraguay - New Zealand43 Rustenburg 20:30 hrs Denmark - Japan44 Cape Town 20:30 hrs Cameroon - NetherlandsFri 25.06.10 45 Durban 16:00 hrs Portugal - Brazil46 Nelspruit 16:00 hrs Korea DPR - Côte d’Ivoire47 Tshwane / Pretoria 20:30 hrs Chile - Spain48 Mangaung / BFN 20:30 hrs Switzerland - HondurasGROUP ASouth AfricaMexicoUruguayFranceRound of 16Date Match Venue time TeamsSat 26.06.10 49 Nelson Mandela Bay / PLZ 16:00 hrs 1A - 2B50 Rustenburg 20:30 hrs 1C - 2DSun 27.06.10 51 Mangaung / BFN 16:00 hrs 1D - 2C52 Johannesburg - JSC 20:30 hrs 1B - 2AMon 28.06.10 53 Durban 16:00 hrs 1E - 2F54 Johannesburg - JEP 20:30 hrs 1G - 2HTue 29.06.10 55 Tshwane / Pretoria 16:00 hrs 1F - 2E56 Cape Town 20:30 hrs 1H - 2GQuarter-finalsFri 02.07.10 57 Nelson Mandela Bay / PLZ 16:00 hrs W53 - W5458 Johannesburg - JSC 20:30 hrs W49 - W50Sat 03.07.10 59 Cape Town 16:00 hrs W52 - W5160 Johannesburg - JEP 20:30 hrs W55 - W56Semi-finalsTue 06.07.10 61 Cape Town 20:30 hrs W58 - W57Wed 07.07.10 62 Durban 20:30 hrs W59 - W60Play-off for third placeSat 10.07.10 63 Nelson Mandela Bay / PLZ 20:30 hrs L61 - L62FinalSun 11.07.10 64 Johannesburg - JSC 20:30 hrs W61 - W62GROUP BArgentinaNigeriaKorea RepublicGreeceGROUP CEnglandUSAAlgeriaSloveniaGROUP DGermanyAustraliaSerbiaGhanaGROUP ENetherlandsDenmarkJapanCameroonGROUP FItalyParaguayNew ZealandSlovakiaGROUP GBrazilKorea DPRCôte d’IvoirePortugalGROUP HSpainSwitzerlandHonduras39Chile

SUDOKUCROSSWORDPlace 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.KFWS • MindGymNovember 9, 2009—40

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HOROSCOPES Amira K.LEOVIRGOCANCERARIESConcentrate less on whatis bothering you. Instead,focus on your dreams andfind ways to achieve them.Life is short, so you havethe courage to take risks.A new hobby is taking up allyour time this week and youmay be so engrossed in itthat you lose track of time.Stop, take some time out andthink about what you need todo this week.Something said offhandcould spark a strongreaction and catch you offguard, don’t try to mix oilwith water; things get hectictowards the end of the week.It’s a tricky time for you,realise that you havecommitments that nowrequire your attention. Thecrossfire October between 26, 2009 you andcertain individuals, whoexpect you to lean their way,is very distracting. In the end,this might actually benefityou, so play it smart!KFWS • MindGymGEMINIAQUARIUSTAURUSSCORPIOIt is vital that you bridge anycommunication gaps thisweek, or problems will arise.You may stumble across acertain someone, be wearyof your heart, try to use yourhead instead!PISCESAlways keep in mind thatthere are two sides to everycoin. People will only telltheir side of the story, sodon’t pass judgment untilyou get the whole thing.The stars are on your side,money is coming your waytoo.It seems you are addicted.Too much of somethingis always harmful, be itsmoking, drinking or stayingup all night to be online. Inthis case, your body maystart to suffer. Stay clear ofharm’s way and take care ofyourself.KFWS • MindGymNovember 9, 2009LIBRAA happy home is only happywhen everything is orderlyand peaceful. Maintain aclean and healthy lifestyleand follow an organisedschedule and life will bemuch easier. A familyreunion is around the corner;get ready for a celebration!In-laws can always bedifficult, but patience will seeyou through any test. Expecta colleague to try convincingyou that your family can harmyou, keep in mind that envyis a common trait in mosthuman beings. In one ear andout the other, so the sayinggoes.CAPRICORNIt is likely that you mightnot be travelling anytimesoon so start making plansfor things that you can doaround the house. A brokenheart sometimes cannot bemended, but yours surelywill.You need more time toconsider what is the bestsolution regarding a bigupcoming occasion, sodon’t rush things. You don’tneed to respond to anyoneif you don’t have an answeryet.SAGITTARIUSStare down whatever lifeis throwing at you with abrave face. Just becauseyou’re not happy financially,doesn’t mean that it’s theend of the world. Moneycan’t make things happen,only your drive can do that!SUDOKU42SOLUTIONSCROSSWORDGO FIGUREKFWS • MindGymNovember 9, 2009

Download your FREE copy at www.y-oman.comNOW AVAILABLE IN BARKA, ALL THE WAY TO SOHAR!43

Dhofar Crowned Winners of Sultan Qaboos CupA quick goal from Saham, turned into a nail biting finale, as Dhofarmanaged to grasp two goals to see two-halves of extra-time finish2-2. However it wasn’t enough to see them through as winners of thisyear’s Sultan Qaboos Cup, as underdogs Saham finished the penaltyshootout on top, seeing passionate celebrations from the crowd.Deflated Dhofar fans were left to make the long journey back to thesouth of the country, after Suhail Ali’s heartbreaking penalty failed tohit the net.

Community ChoirMuscat Community Choir has been delightingaudiences at some of the city’s top hotels this weekwith its “Sing Christmas” programme. Under themusical direction of Teiron Jones, Director of Musicat the British School, this included an impressiverepertoire of seasonal songs as well as traditionalcarols interspersed with some talented soloists andmusicians. The choir, which started in 2006, boastsaround 60 singers of many nationalities, raisesmoney for charity, and hopes Oman’s Associationof Early Intervention for Children with Special Needswill benefit from its next cabaret in April 2010.