now open at al reem island, boutik mall ground

Transcription

THE FIRST MAGAZINE IN THE
REGION TO USE MOBILE TAGGING
THE WIDEST CIRCULATED YOUTH
AND COMMUNITY FOCUSED
MAGAZINE IN THE UAE
ADVERTISEMENT
NOW OPEN AT AL REEM ISLAND,
BOUTIK MALL GROUND FLOOR
Come and visit Italianissimo a journey to Italy.
For more information visit www.italianissimollc.com
Call us at 056 782 7454
Landline 02 671 6812
V
THE
EXCELLENCE
SERIES
BREAKTHROUGH SEMINARS IN LEADERSHIP
SEMINAR:
“TOWARDS LEADERSHIP
THINKING: INNOVATION,
CREATIVITY AND CHANGE”
•
•
•
•
SEE HOW INNOVATION CHANGES REALITY
DARE TO THINK BEYOND ACCEPTED PARADIGMS
EMBRACE THE POWER OF PURPOSE AND PASSION
NURTURE A CULTURE OF CREATIVITY AND CHANGE
MICHAEL
MCMILLAN
A noted inspirational speaker and
catalyst for change, Michael has worked
with Fortune 500 corporations,
small businesses, sports figures, music
legends, non-profit organizations and
international institutions.
His unique insight on creative thinking
inspires transformation in business
leaders, entrepreneurs and organizations
of all sizes.
5 January, 2013 • 3:00 - 7:30pm
Rocco Forte Hotel, Abu Dhabi
Early bird rate (til 30/11/2012): Dh 840
Regular rate: Dh 985
Michael's ability to
deliver a pertinent
and relatable
message to our
audience was truly
remarkable.”
Bill Nutini
VP Sales, Toshiba
Michael McMillan
delivers on
‘different’
with profound
creativity.”
Having hosted a recent event for
bank executives, I was impressed
by Michael’s rare insights. Through
his unique blend of humor and
storytelling, he manages to captivate
audiences from 1 to 1,000s.”
Curt Linke
Richard Katz
VP of Marketing,
John Deere & Co. President and CEO of Resource Bank
Insights you will gain:
This 4-hour seminar will give
you powerful and actionable
insight that will help you
approach your work with new
perspectives on innovation,
creative thinking and problems
solving.
Michael McMillan’s presentation hit
the nail on the head. The concepts
of the “Circle of Change” and
taking risks resonated profoundly
with the audience. Great job!”
Cynthia Banks
President, Los Angeles County
Management Council
BOOK YOUR TICKETS THROUGH boxofficeme.com
www.theexcellenceseries.com
Call: 02 491 8625 | Email: [email protected]
Enquire about group rates. Special discounts are also available to students, and entrepreneurs registering via Khalifa Fund, Tamakkan, and Sheikh Mohammed Bin
Rashid Establishment for Young Business Leaders.
OCTOBER 2012
THE FIRST MAGAZINE IN THE
REGION TO USE MOBILE TAGGING
THE WIDEST CIRCULATED YOUTH
AND COMMUNITY FOCUSED
MAGAZINE IN THE UAE
AND THE
WINNER IS...
FULL STORY ON PAGE 12
+ PLUS
CUPCAKE HEAVEN
THE TALENTED KOMONDORS
TRENDING
FASHION MAVENS
THE BRAIN THAT SINGS
www.tempoplanet.com
06 notes to the ed
07 uspace
08 what’s hot
09 bits and pieces
10 tempo’s top 10 songs / on my ipod
12 cover story: the dream player
14 my style blueprint
16 city bites
18 youth talk
19 time capsule
20 the talented komondors
21 people calendar
23 trending
24 fashion mavens
25 balancing act
26 the planetarians
28 breaking language barriers
29 global nomad
30 game hedz/tech talk
32 doc in the house/remixing rumi
33 the brain that sings: autism and music therapy
34 touching the heart: reflections of a volunteer
35 mini minx
36 media
37 tamakkan knowledge hub
38 just a thought
25
20
If you ever get knocked off a building hope fervently that
you land at the feet of our ‘Doc in the House’....AND... if
you’re ever admitted to hospital, just hope it’s one of our
local hospitals. Confused? Read the heartwarming stories
by Doc and Samarpan and you’ll know about our dedicated
health caretakers and the fantastic team of volunteers who
bring cheer to patients.
We love this issue of Tempo because it’s chock full of talent
and human achievement. We’re thrilled to be presenting
the winners of the past Dream Players. The event was
electrifying and the caliber of talent who participated is a
true testament to the UAE as a growing base for the creative
arts. Local band The Komondors not only made it onto
the stage of The Dream Players, but right into the pages of
Tempo...well done, guys, and rock on!
We also shed light on the bold initiatives in the UAE by
people in our community who are following their hearts
and engaging in cool projects. There’s Hana and Amal
who combine their love of film with their commitment to
philanthropy, innovator and educationist Maria, and young
breakout entrepreneurs Nav Wic and Najla Al Ansari.
We love our cool trendsetters including the Boglavsky
Sisters, time capsuler DJ Darryl and fashionisto Ramsey!
And what do we do without all our incredible writers who
bring us their thoughts about books, media, business,
fashion, technology, poetry, life, art and conservation.
We love you guys for making Tempo what it is!
28
Enjoy the great calendar of events in the UAE this month,
and if you see the Tempo team anywhere stop by and say hi!
Sana Bagersh
Managing Editor
[email protected]
MANAGING EDITOR
Sana Bagersh
EDITORIAL
CONTRIBUTORS
FEATURES WRITER
Alma Kadragic
Manar Al Hinai
Ian Mason
Alia Youssef
Azza El Masri
Liz Kinane
Saniya Ali
Rohith Bhat
Ahmed Samir
Emma Kirkman
Blakniss
Shahid Saeed
Dr. DMS
Dorian ‘Paul D’ Rogers
Aditya Jain
Angeli Castillo
Samarpan Chakraborty
Yasmine Ziadat
EDITORIAL
COORDINATOR
Sharon Carvalho
34
MARKETING
DIRECTOR
Manjul Abhishek
DESIGN & LAYOUT
Mark De Castro
PHOTOGRAPHER
Angeli Castillo
DISTRIBUTION
COORDINATOR
Melaku Muluneh
DESIGN BY }
ADDRESS
To reach editorial at Abu Dhabi Tempo email: [email protected]. If you need to find out where you can pick up your
copy call: 02 491 8624/25 or check out the list of Tempo distribution points on our website.
download www.gettag.mobi
to your smart phone
run application
click on tag beside each article to
have fun with online content, videos
& cool tags!
NOTE TO ADVERTISERS
Advertisers can request brand tagging with all advertisements. To reach advertising call: 02 491 8624/25, fax: 02 491 8626
email: [email protected]
DISCLAIMER
Tempo Magazine does its best to ensure the authenticity and accuracy of its contents, the publisher cannot accept any
responsibility for errors, mistakes and inaccuracies. The publisher reserves the rights of this product and no part of this
publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the permission of the publisher.
MEDIA LICENCE NO. 1/105866/24295
Scan the QR CODE using your
smart phone
for Blackberry this is done through
BBM
for iPhone download BeeTag
or Neo Reader
TO ADVERTISE IN TEMPO, CALL: 02 491 8624
POST YOUR VIEWS AND COMMENTS ON OUR FACEBOOK AND TWITTER PAGES
Tweet@abudhabitempo
It’s such a great magazine and
it’s really nice and interesting.
I always have to pick the latest
copy as soon as it comes out,
Great job guys!
-Lina A. R. Jadallah
More music and art please, Tempo!
-Sandy H.
@MaxOfArabia
I have been to 48 countries and
never felt as at home as I do in
the Emirates. Thank God for
the #UAE
RESULT OF LAST
MONTH’S VOTE:
HONESTLY THIS
MAGAZINE STANDS
OUT FROM THE
CROWD ! IT’S FRESH,
HIP AND SIMPLY
ENJOYABLE! KEEP UP
THE GOOD WORK.
-Lama B. Daqqa
Sheikha's Secrets @sheikhas_secret
catching up with all the events in Abu Dhabi with my copy of
@AbuDhabiTempo
Sarfaraz Ali @msarfaraz
Thank you for publishing my decidedly anti-top 40 taste in music
@AbuDhabiTempo :D
‫ ‏‬o Green Emirates @GoGreenEmirates
G
ABU DHABI: The need for energy conservation and to reduce the anticipated
rise in demand through modern technology.
Visit Abu Dhabi @VisitAbuDhabi
Did you know that Abu Dhabi's unique shape gives the city a full 8km of
coastline just next to the urban centre?
Jeffrey Tumlin @
‫ ‏‬jeffreytumlin
Why does Abu Dhabi, with 1/10th the world's petroleum, have more
pedestrian friendly street standards than the US?
Tempo asked you, where do you
do most of your
shopping?
80.0%
UAE SHOPS
20.0%
OVERSEAS SHOP
0%
ONLINE
(INTERNATIONAL)
0%
ONLINE
(LOCAL SHOPS)
THIS MONTH’S
QUESTION:
What event are you most looking
forward to this month?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Abu Dhabi Film Festival
Beats on the Beach
Screen by the Sea
Gulf Bike Week
Rooftop Rhythms
The Atelier Festival
The National @TheNationalUAE
iPhone 5 prices drop in #UAE, but trimming SIM card is owner's risk.
Blue Planet Society @Seasaver
Dozens of threatened sharks being sold in Dubai market (140 sharks counted
in one visit).
TO VOTE
GO TO
tempoplanet.com
TO ADVERTISE IN THE WIDEST CIRCULATED YOUTH AND COMMUNITY FOCUSED MAGAZINE IN THE UAE, CALL: 02 491 8624
06 | www.tempoplanet.com
TALKING BOOKS
By Azza El Masri
www.tempoplanet.com
ME CASA FANTASTICO
MY TOTALLY AWESOME HOME
By Aditya Jain
CAVE COOL
It all began with a cave. If we are to believe
archeologists, cavemen (and cavewomen)
weren’t very particular about their houses.
They generally believed that as long as
they didn’t have to share their bed with a
bear, the cave was good enough to live in.
A few industrious Neanderthals started to
decorate them, so they would have something
interesting to look at as they prepared
breakfast… but on the whole things were kept
quite simple. As our engineering capabilities
evolved, we’ve created a dizzying array
of residential options, from apartments
and villas, to floating homes and soaring
skyscrapers, to luxurious palaces and faraway
tree houses…to way more.
SECRET TUNNELS
Perhaps you’d like an apartment that rotates,
allowing the building opposite to have a
new set of neighbors every 24 hours? Maybe
you want a duplex with a fireman’s pole
connecting your two floors? You may also
want to have a secret passageway guarded by
a bookcase? Well, why not? The passageway
does not have to go anywhere…it can come out
the fireplace into the same room (you know,
it’s just the principle of the thing).
SNOW DREAMS
A friend of mine recently shared his vision of
the whacky and awesome. Being an engineer,
he had everything worked it all out. ‘Install a
snow machine on the roof and leave it on,’ he
says. ‘But snow would fall on everyone’s heads
so what’s the point?’ I argue. He shushes me,
‘I’m not finished: install a snow machine in
the roof, so snow starts falling down. Then
about 10 feet up the wall, you put in vents
which blow super heated air across the room,
melting the snow. You also put in vents on
the other side to suck in the water vapor,
which gets cooled down and is transferred
back to the snow machine in a pipe. Don’t
you see?’ he exclaims, gesturing wildly. ‘You’d
see snow falling towards you but it would
never reach the ground! It would melt and
get transferred back into the snow machine.’
Hmm, I scratch my head. Totally looney, yet
pretty impressive.
ENGLISH BUTLER
For the uber-rich, archery fields, go karting
tracks, bowling alleys, and movie theaters
are too common these days. It seems to
really stand out you have to do build the
extraordinary, the extravagant or the
ridiculous. If you’re stuck with a few hundred
million dollars just burning a hole in your
pocket, don’t waste the opportunity, I say.
Hire a film crew to construct the set from
Jurassic Park on your front lawn, complete
with velociraptors and Jeff Goldblum
(everything has a price). Buy two penthouses
in adjacent buildings and connect them with
a fast train. Get yourself an English Butler to
do your bidding, and name him Worthington
or Farthington (or something else that ends
in ‘thington’). Take the initiative and make it
happen. This isn’t the stone-age anymore. Let
your imagination loose and wild.
LAUNCH: GANT
A NEW FRAGRANCE FOR MEN
The new GANT fragrance is inspired by the freshness of the sea and
the woody aroma of boats. Tar, ocean and wood scents blend with notes
of lemon, coriander and lavender, resulting in a fresh and masculine
scent. The design of the bottle embodies the nautical theme: the ocean
blue, solid molded glass has a surface resembling braided wicker (the
transport baskets used on boats in the early days of seafaring).
Pick up the new GANT fragrance at a mall near you.
THE HAKAWATI
OF SULTANS, EMIRS
AND ENDLESS
ADVENTURES
A book by Rabih Alameddine
(Anchor Books, 2008)
If you’re an
Arab you may
remember the
stories your
parents used to
tell you when
you were young.
You’d sit in the
living room,
with your eyes
wide open as
your imagination took you to the
lands of sultans, emirs and genies…Do
you remember the beautiful world of
pungent spices and swathes of colour; of
endless adventure and beautiful damsels
in distress?
What if I told you that these whimsical
depictions are the foundations of our
Arab storytelling traditions? Like the
Hand of Fatima in Arabic folklore, for
instance. Or the reason we feast on lamb
at the Eid Al-Adha…
Meet our protagonist Osama al-Kharrat
who returns to Beirut in 2003 after being
notified about his father’s grave illness
on Eid al-Adha. As we are introduced
to his Lebanese family and lifestyle,
Osama ventures into his family’s past,
recalling his roots and remembering his
grandfather, the founder of the Kharrat
family. The grandfather Alemeddine,
through this book, becomes the
hakawati, the storyteller.
Fables and rich tales of the Middle East
begin to unfold as we dig deep into the
past. Alameddine weaves tale upon tale,
going back to the time of emirs and
sultans, to the days of Abraham and
Isaac, and all the way to Adam and Eve.
The charm of this book is in the way
Alameddine reaches out to the reader
and beckons to him from the folds of his
novel: “Listen,” he begins, “Let me take
you on a journey beyond imagining.”
And what a journey it is. Beautifully
written, The Hakawati is a novel of fables
that cherish Arab culture, celebrate
Islamic traditions, and takes an honest
look at Lebanese culture and history.
www.tempoplanet.com | 07
www.tempoplanet.com
ART FOR ALL
Through October
All over Abu Dhabi Emirate
‘Art for All’ is a series of community art programmes that aim to promote local Emirati
artists, build new audiences and raise interest for art among the community.
These programs include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
1 October -2 November 2012: Art for All Emerging Artists Touring Exhibition.
The exhibit will appear at Abu Dhabi Mall, Al Bawadi Mall and Al Gharbiyah Mall.
7 October - 11 November 2012: Art Buses spread across the Abu Dhabi Emirate.
8-23 October 2012: Photography Booth at Marina Mall.
17-23 October 2012: Art for All Community Week at Khalifa Park.
7-11 November 2012: Art for All Community Pavilion at Abu Dhabi Art.
9 November 2012: Art Talk by Emerging Emirati Artists.
For additional information and details, please visit www.sshf.ae/artforall
ONE TO WATCH:
“THE JOURNEY”
We at Tempo have been following the progression
of the BrandMoxie production of the short film
'The Journey', written by our editor Sana Bagersh,
and produced and directed by Hana Makki.
We are happy to announce 'The Journey' will be
competing in the Abu Dhabi Film Festival as part of
the Emirates Film Competition.
The premiere is on Friday the 12th October Vox
Cinema 2, at 6:15pm.
ABU DHABI FILM FESTIVAL 2012
October 11th – 20th
All across Abu Dhabi
The Abu Dhabi Film Festival is back with
ten days of cinema screenings, filmmaking
classes and events are held at various Abu
Dhabi venues, while feature and short films
from all over the world compete at the Abu
Dhabi Film Festival. The Abu Dhabi Film
Festival was established in 2007 with the aim
of helping to create a vibrant film culture
throughout the region. Presented each
October, the event is committed to curating
exceptional programs to engage and educate
the local community, inspire filmmakers
and nurture the growth of the regional film
industry.
For more information and ticket booking
visit http://www.abudhabifilmfestival.ae
BITS AND
PIECES
dXb Music Festival 2012
October 5, Dubai Festival City, Dubai
Headlining the festival is Grammy Awardwinning DJ and producer Afrojack, joined by
platinum-selling group Far East Movement and
Billboard chart topper Kaskade, who will both
be making their Middle East debut.
Tickets available at:
http://www.dxbfestival.ae
GITEX Shopper 2012
September 29 till October 6- Dubai
GITEX Shopper is the biggest and the best
consumer electronics retail platform with
power retailers and world-class brands. This is a
very unique event that attracts a large audience,
which includes IT professionals, technology
enthusiasts, students and consumers as well as
regional traders searching for the latest techinnovations and shopping deals.
For more information visit,
http://www.gitexshopperdubai.com
GULF BIKE WEEK 2012
October 18 and 19
Dubai Festival City
‘Björn Again’
October 19- ADNEC, Abu Dhabi
Live Nation Middle East brings the legendary ten-time Grammy nominee heavy metal band
Megadeth, Grammy nominated and four-time American Music Awards winner Daughtry, and
Mega British indie rock band Razorlight to headline the Gulf Bike Week this year. The event is
fun for the whole family with plenty of activities that include stunts, music, a motorcycle parade,
the biggest motorcycle and off-road vehicles exhibition in the region and a wide array of food and
drinks for both adults and children.
Day passes for entry excluding the concerts are available for the festival at Dh 50, and can be
purchased at the door.
For more information, go to: http://www.gulfbikeweek.com
YASALAM 2012
October 3- November 4
All over Abu Dhabi
Yasalam is back bringing with it more buzz and
stars. With over 30 days of events across multiple
locations in the capital, there’s even more free
Yasalam fun for people of all ages, including:
•
•
•
F1 FanZone: The world’s only official
F1 FanZone is back and will see autograph
signings, merchandise stands, big races
screened live, racing challenges, simulators and
a host of other activities over 11 days.
F1 FanZone Live Stage: Visitors can enjoy
daily live performances from the best local
bands the UAE has to offer at the F1 FanZone
stage.
Yasalam Responsibly: Yasalam’s road
safety campaign returns for the second year
raising awareness of road safety in universities
and high schools across Abu Dhabi culminating
with a ‘create your own safe driving campaign’
competition judged live at the F1 FanZone™.
For more information, go to www.yasalam.ae
Performing hits from ABBA and Mamma Mia,
the internationally acclaimed BJÖRN AGAIN,
designed to be a rocked-up ‘light-hearted
satirical ABBA spoof’, is rapidly achieving
worldwide cult status. Having performed
over 5,000 shows in 65 countries, they are
back in the UAE by popular demand. This will
definitely be an evening filled with fun and
great music.
Tickets available at:
https://www.boxofficeme.com
Rooftop Rhythms
October 3- The Blue Bar at Rocco Forte Hotel
Abu Dhabi
Black on Black Rhyme-Abu Dhabi presents Abu
Dhabi’s 1st Poetry Open Mic! Returning to the
Rocco Forte for the 1st “Rooftop Rhythms” of
the season, The ‘Re-Up Edition’ promises to
bring another superb show of poetry, singing,
and good times.
Date: Wednesday, October 3, 2012
For more details, go to: https://www.facebook.
com/events/345422472217419/
Monday Night Funnies
Through October- Blends
The Address Dubai Marina
Dubomedy presents the return of Monday
Night Funnies! MNF is Dubai’s very first
weekly comedy night featuring homegrown
talent. Each week brings you a new show
rotating between Improv, Sketch Comedy and
Stand up.
For more info email:
[email protected] or call 050 4400994
On line tickets: www.ticketingco.com
MUSIC
View the #1 song in the UAE
TEMPO’S MUSIC CHART LETS YOU DISCOVER THE LATEST TOP 10 SONGS
IN THE EMIRATE, WHILE KEEPING EYE ON YOUR FAVOURITE ARTISTS.
WHISTLE
1
FLO RIDA
GOOD TIME
HALA ABOU SAYED is a 20-year-old student at Abu
Dhabi University who is into different genres of music and
believes that your mood picks out your music for the day.
2
OWL CITY AND CARLY RAE JEPSEN
SAY SOMETHING
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
3
AUSTINE MAHONE
WIDE AWAKE
4
KATY PERRY
DON’T WAKE ME UP
5
CHRIS BROWN
BLOW ME (ONE LAST KISS)
Somebody That I Used To Know- Goyte
Rumor Has It- Adele
Story of Us- Taylor Swift
Lucky Strike- Maroon 5
Paris- Grace Potter and The Nocturnals
She Doesn’t Mind- Sean Paul
Sixteen- The Heavy
Glad You Came- The Wanted
How to Love- Lil Wayne
Bad- The Cab
6
P!NK
WANT YOU BACK
7
CHER LLOYD
SETTLE DOWN
8
NO DOUBT
MISSED CALLS
9
MAC MILLER
POUND THE ALARM
NICKI MINAJ
10
1.
One More Night- Maroon 5
1.
The Script - Hall Of Fame ft. will.i.am
2.
We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together- Taylor Swift
2.
You Bring Me Joy - Amelia Lily
3.
Some Nights- fun.
3.
Let Me Love You - Ne-Yo
4.
Whistle- Flo Rida
4.
Wings - Little Mix
5.
Blow Me (One Last Kiss) - P!nk
5.
Blow Me (One Last Kiss) - P!nk
6.
As Long As You Love Me- Justin Bieber ft. Big Sean
6.
Cry - Flo Rida
7.
Lights- Ellie Goulding
7.
We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together - Taylor Swift
8.
Too Close- Alex Clare
8.
Good Time - Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen
9.
Good Time- Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen
9.
Bom Bom - Sam and The Womp
10. Everybody Talks- Neon Trees
10. Some Nights - fun.
Photo credits: Angeli Castillo and Simone Carvalho
THE DREAM PLAYERS
Five extremely talented contestants fought it out for the title of The Dream Players in September,
but in the end 34 year old, Filipino, Gary Maigue blew the competition away with two powerful
and emotional performances that will live long in the memory of the crowd. Tempo was there to
cover the event.
SOCIAL BUZZ
Great show and production tonight by Brand
Moxie and Tempo!
- Dorian ‘Paul D’ Rogers
Great! One more successful show by The
Dream Players. Congrats to Gary!
- Sufyan Ali
Congratulations to Gary on his performance!
It was so awesome and I really liked the
tattoo sleeves in the second song ;) You
deserved to win!
- Rani Qaradeh
Congratulations to all the winners! Very nice
performance
- Rowena Ayala Weng
Thank you to The Dream Players for
allowing us to play last night!
- The Komondors
Thank you for organizing a great show! All
the contestants were talented and I wish
them the best of luck!
- Manar Al Hinai
THE
VISION
The Dream Players is
a community driven
talent show that aims at
promoting talent in the
community and giving
aspiring performers
and artists a platform
to showcase their talent.
Since its conception in
January, The Dream
Players has been
inundated with entries
from singers, dancers,
painters, musicians,
actors and so many more!
THE WINNER
The crowds at the Al Wahda Mall
FOCUS
ON GARY MAIGUE:
WINNER OF SEPTEMBER’S THE
DREAM PLAYERS, GARY MAIGUE
GAVE US A QUICK PEEK INTO MIND.
Started singing at: Age 7
Favourite song: I will survive by
Gloria Gaynor and Bohemian
Rhapsody by Queen
Favourite genre: Pop Ballad
Love to duet with: Michael Buble
And the song would be: Home
by Michael Buble
Big thanks to: mum and dad
Special thanks to: those that were a
big part of my singing career
Gary Maigue, a 34 year-old Filipino who works as a Logistics Officer at Anabeeb in Abu Dhabi, played to a 1000 strong audience at Al
Wahda Mall who cheered his beautiful rendition of Gloria Gaynor’s ‘I Will Survive.’ The performance earned him resounding applause
from the audience and a near perfect score from the judges. He then mixed it up with a whole new look for his second performance
Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ which had both audience and judges singing along. This was his strongest performance and the clincher.
Gary won through a combination of costume, dance and voice.
REACTIONS FROM THE OTHER CONTESTANTS
I have always enjoyed singing, but have
been too shy to sing in front of other people
until recent years. The Dream Players gave
me the opportunity to share what I love to
do with others. It was a personal challenge
to do a live performance and The Dream
Players gave me that opportunity. It was
a great night and encouraging to watch
others perform as well. I really hope others
who want to share their talents do the same
and don’t wait as long as I did”.
{ Glen Sullivan, Runner-Up
Competing with such incredible talent was not what
I had imagined! And to see them all so tuned in and
ready to perform was a shock! LOL! One of the things
I love about talent shows is the opportunity and the
platform it gives to those who would have never been
noticed or scouted. For me I used this performance
platform as an opportunity to express my energy
and enthusiasm, and it was great to see the
appreciation of the audience. Thank you to everyone
who made the night enjoyable and successful! Keep
rocking the free world!”
{ Jayson Rodrigues, 2nd Runner-Up
Our judges- From L to R- Kera Thompson, Manar Al Hinai,
Michelle Nickelson and Terry Borden
The judges scoring the contestants
The Komondors playing Yellow by Coldplay
Film maker, Hana Makki, capturing the show
THE CONTESTANTS
From L to R:
Gary Maigue from the Philippines, Jayson Rodrigues from India, Rizalnino Noble
from the Philippines, Rani Qaradeh from Palestine and Glen Sullivan from Australia
Our beautiful host, Mylene Gomera
OUR
SPONSORS
Sincere and grateful thanks to
community partner:
AL WAHDA MALL, media
partner TEMPO and organiser
BRANDMOXIE.
The Dream Players thank the terrific
judges:
KERA THOMPSON
Model and designer
TERRY BORDEN
Director and Owner of SoundME
MICHELLE NICKELSON
President and COO of
Mirage Foundations
MANAR AL HINAI
Writer and creative designer of
‘Lucky Nooni’
{ BY TEMPO}
RAMSEY
BASIM
MISBEH
IS A 24 YEAR OLD LAWYER
WHO BELIEVES IN
KEEPING FASHION CLEAN
AND FRESH.
DESCRIBE YOUR
PERSONAL STYLE IN LESS
THAN 10 WORDS:
I put on whatever makes me
comfortable and look fresh
FAVE BUY OF THE PAST
MONTH:
Shoes from Zara
WHICH ARE YOUR FAVE
STORES IN AD?
Zara, Massimo Dutti and H&M
DOES ABU DHABI HAVE
STYLE?
Yes! Big, bold and flashy!
DO YOU HAVE ANY
FASHION PET HATES?
CROCS, CROCS AND ALL CROCS!
PHOTOGRAPHS BY: ANGELI CASTILLO
PRESENTS
CUPCAKE HEAVEN
THE SOFT, THE RICH AND THE YUMMY!
Saniya Ali does a roundup for Tempo of the best cupcake places in town.
DOUBLE CHOCOLATE HEAVEN
WHERE: Bloomsbury’s
BUILD: Chocolate sponge with chocolate fudge icing
COMMENT: Located at the heart of Al Wahda Mall, this
cupcakery is hard to miss. With its red and black décor and
mahogany furnishing, this little café provided me with a pretty
classy experience. The staff was more than willing to help
me pick out the perfect cupcake to indulge in and I was soon
munching my way through a Double Chocolate Heaven cupcake.
Chocolate heaven: the smooth texture of the fudge icing mixed
with the chocolate sponge left me wanting more. The sponge
was baked to perfection with the moisture completely locked in,
making it possibly the best cupcake I have ever had!
RECOMMENDATION: Definitely my best cupcake
experience so far.
RATING:
RED VELVET
WHERE: Maison Sucre
BUILD: Red velvet sponge with cream cheese icing
COMMENT: This adorable cupcake café is hidden amongst
some busy city streets. Decorated with soft pastel colours
and candy themed décor, when it came to the cake this café
definitely left me wanting. First, the staff seemed impatient and
was not very helpful when I asked about the toppings. I decided
to stick to the traditional Red Velvet, assuming that nothing
could go wrong with the house specialty and café namesake…
but was I in for a surprise! The sponge had an odd consistency;
it lacked moisture and the cream cheese icing was somewhat
lumpy.
RECOMMENDATION: Disappointing, but I’m no quitter;
I’ll go back someday and try another cupcake.
RATING:
CARAMEL CRUNCH
WHERE: Kitsch
BUILD: Vanilla sponge with crunchy caramel and
crushed nuts
COMMENT: Decorated in basic white this tiny take-out café
has rows of cupcakes lining the counters. An intense battle took
place in my head and I eventually picked the Caramel Crunch
cupcake. I received my cupcake in a Chinese style take-out box
complete with a thin metal handle. The cutlery provided in the
café was made of wood and was biodegradable. I eagerly took my
cupcake home and sat down to eat it. The topping on the cupcake
consisted of a thin layer of butter cream icing with deliciously
crunchy caramel and nuts covering it; this is not your garden
variety vanilla sponge cupcake!
RECOMMENDATION: Great combinations, I want to try
them all!
RATING:
KIT KAT
WHERE: Sugar Daddy’s
BUILD: Chocolate sponge with vanilla butter cream and
crushed Kit Kat
COMMENT: Sugar Daddy’s is one of the oldest and most
popular cupcakeries in Abu Dhabi. It is located on the Corniche,
which in my opinion is probably the most ideal place to enjoy
a sinful treat such as this. The friendly staff greeted me with
warmth and cheerfully handed me my cupcake. Because of my
soft spot for chocolate I picked the Kit Kat cupcake and sat down
to fully appreciate the taste and texture of the cupcake. I loved
how the vanilla butter cream complimented the crushed Kit Kat
topping and the rich lightness of the sponge cake.
RECOMMENDATION: Yummy cupcake, and perfect place
to enjoy it
RATING:
JOB-HUNTING
PROTOCOL
THE TEEN
PHILOSOPHER
WHY A JOB INTERVIEW IS LIKE ASKING A GIRL OUT
ON THE MEMES OF MORALITY
By Rohith Bhat
By Ahmed Samir
Morality governs us; our race is inseparably shackled to its
proximity (and not unfortunately so). To be human is to be generally
expected to conduct yourself morally (regardless of the perennial
question of whether we are born moral or otherwise). So inextricably
linked to the fiber of our collective existence is this conclusive
moral structure that determines what is acceptable and what is not.
It influences our opinions and decision-making and, if you step out
of line, you are rendered an abject offender, veering maliciously
from the Human Way. So in a nutshell, morality is important, and
so its origin. This, I came to learn, is what is known as the memetic
evolution.
Facebook pages (and most social networking sites, too) are filled to
choking-point with recently emerged memes, those funny (at least,
that’s the intention) pictures with a repeating and common image
underlined by a tagline - the Yao Ming smile is one that is easily
recognisable. Memes, however, are much
BECAUSE OF OUR more than humourous joke-material; they
EVOLUTIONARY
are intrinsic to a theory that explains the
BACKGROUND,
development of our species’ moral system.
WE HOLD OUR
SUBJECTIVE
SURVIVAL
PARAMOUNT AND
VALUE THOSE
WHO DO THE
SAME.
Picture this: I’m sitting in a room with about 15 strangers in my
Sunday best fidgeting nervously and going over my lines again and
again for my first interview when it hits me, “I’ve been through this
before! A few days before Valentine’s Day when I asked what’s-hername out for the school dance!!”
It starts off with selecting our Sunday best and while most women
have perfected this time waster/process into an art form, most guys
(not including ‘metro’ men) have yet to master the art and thus spend
hours, sometimes even days trying to find the right dress to impress.
Then comes the practicing of lines. You want to be funny but not a
clown, you want to appear smart but not a wise guy, and you want to
tell them that you’ll be there for them but set the boundaries so that
you’re not a human doormat. And all this has to be communicated in
less than 10 minutes!
Most importantly, the body language…you don’t want to slouch, you
don’t want to be stiff, you want to appear relaxed but not too relaxed,
you want to appear business like but not too formal.
In other words, you want be their friend, confidant, go-to-guy,
reliable Joe, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, the whole Justice
League, all rolled into one dazzling package. But not so good that it
appears you’re too good to be true! Difficult, isn’t it?
Surprised dear reader? Well don’t be, all aspiring Romeos (read ‘men’)
and Juliets have gone through this gruelling process of getting that
one look, that one smile or, simply put, getting someone to say those
three special words that last a lifetime...You Are Hired!
Memes, simply, are repeating units of
non-biological matter (which explains why
those pictures are called memes: the pictures
repeat while the taglines change) and it’s that
meme, now an idea, a belief, a unit of culture
instead of just an image, that, after its first
primeval presence is pronounced, proves advantageous and so
continues to exist. The most central basis of the biological (and now
memetic) evolution is that that which survives, survives. The tenants
of our universal morality must have proved evolutionarily superior
to others, and thus they survived and were repeated enough so that
they came to constitute our common moral grounding.
But that prompts a question: Why, then were kindness and goodness,
as opposed to brutality and cruelty, considered favourable and
worth keeping? And why, by extension, are cruelty and immoral
brutality reviled and denounced? We hate the evil and malevolent,
don't we? In that respect (and in blatantly many others) we are not
much different from our early ancestors. As social and hierarchal
mammals, our early ancestors understood (by way of brutally
extensive trial and error) that an animal that cares for the interest
of others as well as its own (kindness) is loved by the others for the
benevolent discrepancy, and rises within the hierarchical circles;
consequently, too, was the wholly selfish mammal loathed for its
self-centered ways and ungenerous cares, and its place within the
pack demoted. Because of our evolutionary background, we hold our
subjective survival paramount and value those who do the same. I
love myself, and you for loving me.
The early ancestor - the successful one at least - was as much a
purposely selfish being as a demagogue, and it’s funny to think that
morality itself, the inclinations of love and caring and generosity,
arises primarily from prevalent and necessary selfishness. And it
is a function not of an outward altruism, but fundamentally of an
inward promotion of self-interest.
PHOTOGRAPH BY: ANGELI CASTILLO
REES
L
Y
R
DAR
Na m e :
PERSONALITY
Your most valued possession?
My Macbook
Where can we find you hanging out
most? Either by the pool or at PJ’s at Le Royal
Meridien
Age: 21 n: DJ
o
Professi ty: UK
out
li
a
n
ink ab
Natio
h
t
t
’
n
o
Motto: D do it.
t
s
u
it, j
TRAVEL
One thing you cannot live without?
My phone
If today is the last day- where would
you rush to go? Definitely, Las Vegas!
Five things you need for survivalMusic, Internet, Car, Food and Coke
If you could be anywhere in the world
right now, where would you be? Las
Vegas, I’ve never been, but it looks awesome. I
think the movie ‘The Hangover’ inspired me.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Playing the music I love to thousands of people.
Your goal in life? To become a successful
international DJ and to play all over the world.
Who in your life deserves a big old
thank you? It’s got to be my father. He’s
always been there to support me and help me
pursuit my goal and he gave me a lift to the
airport to get here.
Who would you most like to be stuck
in an elevator with? Least like?
Jim Carey because everyone says I look/act like
him. Least like Lady Gaga.
Which of the four seasons do you most
anticipate? Summer
MUSIC/
ENTERTAINMENT
What music do you usually put on to
get the party started? It’s all about playing
the music that people will want to hear, I like to
play funky tech house music to get me in
the mood.
List the albums/ songs that you would
want to play on your funeral. Medina –
You & I, Gareth Emery – Concrete Angel
What’s your current Last SONG
syndrome (LSS)? Hmm tough one, it’s a
mashup of Inaya Day - Hold Your Head Up High
vs Blue Boy - Remember Me (Hoxton Whores
Remix). I just love the funky beat and the
soulful voice.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
If you were on death row, what would your last
meal be? Chicken Korma with Pilua rice, three popadoms with
mango and coconut chutney and a naan bread.
What is your favourite dessert?
Apple and Blackberry crumble with custard.
If you could associate yourself with a drink/
snack/fruit/vegetable- what would it be?
I would be a chocolate bar, brown on the outside
and sweet on the inside.
Vocalist and rhythm guitarist
JONATHAN KELLY
Lead guitarist
TOM WOLFE
The drummer
FRANK SMITH
Bassist
SARAH JOUBERT
THE TALENTED KOMONDORS:
YOUTH
“BECAUSE ‘BREAKING THE SILENCE’ JUST DIDN’T CUT IT !”
By Sharon Carvalho
“Naming ourselves ‘The Komondors’
started out as a bit of a joke, really,”
says Welsh lead guitarist, 17-year-old
Tom Wolfe. “We used to call ourselves
‘Breaking the Silence’ but before a
performance at the French School,
as a joke, we used the name ‘The
Komondors’ (which happens to be a
poodle with dreadlocks). We were going
to change it but then we performed at
The Dream Players at Al Wahda Mall
in April and then everyone knew us as
‘The Komondors.’ So it just stuck!”
that brings them all together no matter what.
“We try to squeeze in as much practice as we can,
especially if we are performing somewhere… but
it’s not always easy,” said Sarah.
The Komondors have been playing together for
about three years now and comprise four 17
year olds from the British School Al Khubairat
(BSAK). They are lead guitarist Tom Wolfe,
French-Algerian bassist Sarah Joubert, English
drummer Frank Smith, and Scottish vocalist
Jonathan Kelly.
“We all have ideas and bits of music and lyrics
that we have come up with and we hope to be
able to perform an original song by the end of
the year but, like we said, it’s hard because we are
so busy with school,” said Jonathan.
All four are very aware that their musical
journey would not have been possible had it
not been for the support they receive from the
staff at the school. “Everyone at BSAK performs
and learns classical music so it was hard to fit
in initially but one day Mr Lyall, the Director
of Performances, sent me an email and told me
to get in touch with the singing teacher who
wanted me to organize a rock concert! We ended
up playing about six songs and that sort of
changed things for us,” said Tom.
Apart from performing for The Dream Players
in April and in September, the kids have played
a few gigs around Abu Dhabi. “We’ve played at
the French School a few times and at the French
music festival ‘Fete de la Musique’ at the Shangri
La Hotel. The festival was such that there were
Sarah adds that it’s not just the music
department but also their other teachers that let
them leave class to practice and support them
even when they do crazy things like break out
into an impromptu performance in the middle
of lunchtime!
Being in the final year of school means juggling
extra activities with band practice. It also means
that The Komondors don’t get to jam together
more than once a week. Still, it is their raw talent
“It’s especially hard over the summer when
everyone goes off on holiday, but we try our
best to practice as much as we can,” says Frank
who plans on getting a drumming degree at
University. As for the rest of them, continuing
to play with a band at university is something
they all want to do and seeing as this is the final
year for all four, they are doing all they can to
make the most of it, and that includes making
their own music.
performances happening all around the Souq
area and my guitar teacher managed to get a spot
for us,” said Sarah.
But nothing, she says, compared to performing
on stage for The Dream Players where they
suddenly went from performing for 200 people
to an audience of a 1000. “We were completely
stressed out but we loved it,” Tom added.
OCT
7
1
Ali Bukair!
The coolest
engineer in
town!
Ayman Bukair
8
INTERMAT Middle
East @ ADNEC 8-10
15
Pinocchio Theatre
Show @ National
Theatre 14-19
2
9
The 18th World Route
Development Forum
@ ADNEC
Chic Lady Show @
ADNEC 9-12
16
Abu Dhabi Medical
Congress
@ ADNEC 14-16
23
Gulf Bike Week
@ Dubai Festival City
18-20
30
International Fine Food
Festival
@ Meydan Grand
Stand
3
Chinese State Circus
@ ADNEC 4-6
10
Power + Water
Middle East 2012
8-10
17
24
Happy Halloween!
Will you be trick-ortreating?
31
2012 MENA Golf Tour
@ Al Badia Golf Club
y
olog
echn -18
4
EX T
GIT ICEC 1
@D
Briggett Velarde
Happy Birthday
DAD!
GITEX Shopper
@ World Trade
Center
14
Yasalam 2012 till 13
November
22
Building Future
Education MENA
@ ADNEC 21-22
29
Samsung Beach
Soccer Cup
@ Dubai Festival City
4
Il Divo Live in Concert
@ Dubai World Trade
Center is tomorrow!
11
Abu Dhabi Youth
Program
18
NAJAH Education
Training
@ ADNEC 16-18
25
Break a record with
Yasalam
@ Al Salil Beach!
UAE Wooden
Powerboat
Championship
@ Abu Dhabi
Breakwater
Abu Dhabi Film
Festival 11-20
5
12
19
Bjorn Again
@ ADNEC 19-20
26
6
Al Ain Reads Book
Show @ Al Ain
Convention Center
13
Abu Dhabi Science
Festival
@ ADNEC 10-20
20
27
Rest Upon The WindKhalil Gibran
@ The First Group
Theatre 17-20
u Dhabi
Cut&Paste Ab
@ Al Salil Beach
my october to do list
TROPFEST Arabia
@ Abu Dhabi Corniche
Arjun Suria
my october eco pledge
N.B.
21
Screen
by
26- 28 the Sea
O
@ Al Sa ctober
lil Beach
28
Tamakkan Seminar
@ Mamoura
Auditorium 6-8pm
Nada
TRENDING
WHAT’S COOL, FUNNY AND QUIRKY ON THE NET
By Karam Bukair
BLOGWATCH
A support group for Manchester City Football Club. “I’m City ‘til I die, I’m City
‘til I die, I know I am, I’m sure I am. I’m City ‘til I die”
{www.abudhabiblues.com
TWITTER TWEEPS
A cool twitter handle that hosts a new tweep from the UAE as curator.
{@weareUAE
THE TUBE
PSY GANGNAM STYLE - The Japanese singer who (with his famous
dance) took the world by storm
DEMI LOVATO OWNED X-Factor 2012 - “That’s why you use autotune and I don’t.” Demi Lovato’s face in this video is PRICELESS.
FIRST LOOK: IPHONE 5 - Jimmy Kimmel lets people on the streets get
a look at the iPhone 5 for they’re opinion… Only it’s the IPhone 4S.
KEVIN HART GIVES CHRIS BROWN A DANCE LESSON
FOR THE BET AWARDS - Kevin Hart helps out Chris Brown and his
dancers, in rehearsals before the performance day.
FASHION MAVENS:
THE BOGUSLAVSKY SISTERS
FASHION
SHOPPING, STYLE AND SISTERHOOD
Alla and Marianna Boguslavsky are
two sisters living in two different
countries (Alla lives in South Africa
whilst Marianna has recently moved
to Abu Dhabi). This dynamic sister’s
duo is passionate about fashion,
shopping, and having fun with their
personal styles.
FAVOURITE STORE?
So it’s no surprise that out of that love of fashion
emerged their fashion blog - Boguslavskysisters.
com. So whilst the two sisters might be separated
by distance they are connected by their fashion
blog. Not only do they get to see where the other
sister is shopping but they also let their readers
know about best buys, local trends and some
style inspiration.
Marianna: The leather bag my sister bought
for me during her recent trip to Milan. Love the
envelope-style clutch.
Alla: Right now, my cream leather jacket from
Italy. It’s done a great job of keeping me warm
this winter.
We asked the sisters what some of their
favourites were when it comes to fashion:
Marianna: Bright skinny jeans. Obsessed! :)
Alla: All the pastel colours that are in fashion
Marianna: Forever 21 at the Marina Mall.
Reminds me of my days being a student in the
US and shopping at the Forever21 store
in Chicago.
Alla: Forever New. Their clothes are just
gorgeous.
FAVOURITE ITEM OF CLOTHING/
ACCESSORY THAT YOU OWN?
FAVOURITE FASHION TREND?
at the moment. They are light and pretty
and perfect for spring which is just around
the corner.
FAVOURITE CELEB WHO INSPIRES
YOUR STYLE?
Marianna: Ashley Madekwe (Ashley in
Revenge) has amazing style. I visit her fashion
blog way too often.
Alla: Nina Dobrev. She always looks effortlessly
stylish.
Check out their blog
http://www.boguslavskysisters.com
for more style fun and follow
Marianna on Twitter (@Marianna_B)
ART
BALANCING
ACT:
LAURA TALHAOUI
SUCCESSFUL ARTIST
AND LOVING
MOTHER
Tempo’s Sharon Carvalho speaks with
mother and artist Laura Talhaoui who
tries to find a balance between her two
passions.
French artist Laura Talhaoui has established
herself in Abu Dhabi but her experience and
inspiration come from being born and raised in
Paris, living in London and from every city she
has visited.
Being a mother of three comes first but Laura
always finds time to create and share her gift
with those who appreciate it.
“The thought of creating imaginative worlds
for others to enjoy and appreciate is what drove
me to become an artist,” explains Laura. “An
artist has in their hands a wonderful way of
communication and self expression and they
must share this gift with the world.”
MOROCCAN INSPIRATION
As well the cities she has lived in or visited,
Laura finds inspiration from the things
around her.
“Life itself is my greatest source of inspiration.
I learned to look at the world differently, to
pay attention to the simplest things such as the
rising sun, the colours of spices, and the wind
blowing on a palm tree.”
“The Moroccan culture plays a very big part
in my artwork. From Islamic designs to the
richness of traditional fabrics, Morocco abounds
with countless things to discover as well as
various talented artists.”
“Most of my work revolves around the ‘Khamsa’,
also known as The Hand of Fatima. To my
knowledge, not many artists have chosen this
symbol as the main part of their art. Being a
mixed media painter, I also use an extensive
variety of materials such as plaster, glue,
glitter, paper and so on, combined with all
sorts of paints to build up texture and relief.
My work is a combination of naive, abstract
and folk art.”
EXHIBITIONS AND CHARITY
WORK
Getting the public to view their work is
always difficult for artists, so Laura was
proud to be one of the two UAE-based artists
to exhibit at the recent London Parallax
International Art Fair.
“In my opinion, one of the main challenges
is to get your work noticed. It needs to
provoke a reaction from the viewers, an
emotion or maybe just curiosity.”
“I have exhibited my work at the
Millennium Hotel in Abu Dhabi and
participated in the ‘Guess the Artist’
exhibition at Ghaf Gallery in 2010. I also
take part in charities as much as I can,
including the K9 Puppy Ball in Dubai.”
GREATEST REWARD
Motherhood is her other great joy, but
sometimes she finds balancing her roles as a
mother and an artist like being on a tightrope,
and offers this advice to budding artists.
“You need to be totally dedicated to your
art. It's a very long, tricky road. It requires a
great deal of work which can stay unknown or
unappreciated for a very long time. But being
able to paint freely on a daily basis is truly the
biggest reward of all.”
“W. Clement Stone once said, ‘Aim for the
moon. If you miss, you may hit a star’ and
I believe that this is one of the greatest
quotes ever as it is applicable to so many life
experiences.”
To find out more about Laura and her
beautiful artwork, go to her website
www.lauratalhaoui.com.
THE PLANETARIANS
EXPLORING OUR LANDSCAPE
PRESERVING LAND AND SEA
By Emma Kirkman
The UAE is a small but diverse country, with
a range of landscapes, coastlines and wildlife.
Although most of us deal with sand on a daily
basis, and it impacts our lives, how much
thought do you give to the UAE’s diverse and
variegated terrain?
Having lived in the UAE for the past two years,
I have only recently ventured into the Northern
Emirates to see the startling different terrain
that awaits.
The breathtaking mountains are a complete
change from the flat sands of Abu Dhabi and
Dubai. Even the mountainous dunes of Al Ain
are dwarfed by the valleys and peaks in Fujairah
and Ras Al Khaimah.
Even more spectacular is what can be found
under the sea in the Northern Emirates.
Mussandam is renowned for its spectacular
diving and underwater terrain, but did you
know that there is just as much diversity off
the shores of Fujairah and KhorFakkan? Even
within sight of a container port you can find
diverse coral reefs, home to a huge range of
species, and if you catch them at the right time,
packs of reef sharks.
There is nothing like taking your first look down
onto this underwater world from the surface
and seeing shoals of fish swim past. Some Dive
Centers in Fujairah have taken the enterprising
step of creating artificial reefs to create homes
for wildlife under the water, and are monitoring
the health of the oceans there, and on the
natural reefs.
be able to study the reefs, as the reefs off Abu
Dhabi (yes, there are some!) live in water that is
generally warmer than the accepted tolerance
range. Scientists are monitoring these reefs
to see how they respond to the different sea
temperatures, and changes in sediment and
nutrient levels.
Monitoring the health of the reefs is key as they
give us an indication as to the health of our
oceans. Corals can be very sensitive to prolonged
periods of raise temperatures, and the wildlife
that depends on them are easily affected as well.
Emma Kirkman is a
freelance production
and communication
professional, and
passionately devotes her
spare time to helping The
Planetarians to spread the
environmental message.
Whilst there are many efforts to conserve and
preserve the reefs around the UAE, many are
still under threat from dredging, ocean traffic
and changes in the sea state due to global
warming. The UAE is in a unique position to
It is key that the corals of the UAE are preserved.
So next time you take a dip in the sea, why not
bring a mask and snorkel and see what you can
really see?
Post a message to Emma at
www.facebook.com/theplanetarians or
www.twitter.com/theplanetarians
GET ENGAGED. BECOME A PLANETARIAN. www.planetarians.com
BREAKING LANGUAGE BARRIERS
COMMUNITY
SIMPLIFYING ARABIC LEARNING
By Liz Kinane
Main screen
Maria and her inspiration, Keya
Maria Menezes was always aware of
the challenges parents face teaching
Arabic to their children. She scoured
the market for an “interactive and fun
method” to help her daughter Keya who
was having difficulty learning Arabic
in school but couldn’t find anything
suitable. So the Indian born Dubai based
mum, decided to stop being an observer
and instead decided to take an active
role in her daughter’s education.
Maria started by doing some research and soon
realized that she was not alone in her plight. She
discovered that many parents faced the same
dilemma and that many shared her feeling of
helplessness. So Maria gave up her day job as the
Founder and Creative Director of The Caramel
theory and threw herself into the challenge and
worked with App Developers to create an iOS
based application called “Something Fishy about
Arabic” that can be downloaded from the Apple
App Store and works on iPod, iPhone or iPad.
Maria describes her application as an engaging
learning resource to help children and
understand and absorb Arabic, and as a great
teaching tool for non-Arabic speaking expats.
“The level 1 application is devised for 3-7 year
olds. The first component teaches the letters. A
universe is created where one can discover why
each letter exists, along with its sound and its
Jana recording voice overs
App icon
relation to other letters. This alternative method
of teaching stimulates and actively engages the
learner,” she explained.
The next two modules comprise a series of
games. Recognising that the “interest of young
children is only sustained for a short time” she
designed games to keep the user engaged for
longer periods while simultaneously enhancing
the learning experience. These games help to
break down learning obstacles and allow the
participant to connect to the language in an
enjoyable way. There’s also a two-person game
that helps enrich the bonding experience
between parent and child.
“Children are like sponges ready to soak in
new information; however young children
will often resist something if they believe it
to be associated with education. So learning
is disguised within this resource and the
user acquires new information in a fun and
stimulating way.” She adds that the application
can also be used by older and more experienced
learners to refresh their knowledge.
As for the character in the game, Maria began
a contest on Facebook to name the character
and the educational octopus was finally named
Tammy. Not knowing Arabic too well herself,
Maria enlisted the help of an Arabic teacher
Rania Abu Ghush- Hindiyeh. Having been
a part of creating the Arabic curriculum for
government kindergartens in Dubai, Rania was
the perfect choice for this App. As for the voices
Keya recording voice overs
of the character, well that fun job was left in the
dutiful hands of Rania’s 11 year old daughter
Jana Hindiyeh for Arabic, and Maria’s seven
year old Keya Menezes for English.
Maria has already received a positive response
for her product with considerable interest from
parents, teachers and the KHDA (Knowledge
and Human Development Authority). Her
aim is that the application “will not be used as
a one off but alongside school curricula” and
already she looks forward to developing the next
level solution, which will be aimed at higher
age groups and a version that targets Arabic
speakers.
While this app may have begun as her idea,
Maria is fully aware that none of this would have
happened without the support she received from
family and friends. “They’ve have been hugely
supportive and encouraging and, in fact, a lot
of my friends and ex colleagues have pooled in
their resources and talent to help me put the app
together. Most importantly, I would not have
been able to do this without my husband, Roen
Menezes. He was and will always be the wind
beneath my wings,” said Menezes.
To find out more or to download
the app, go to: http://www.
somethingfishyaboutarabic.com/
Yasmine
Strawberry picking with my brother in England
Yasmine’s mum, sister and Yasmine in Jordan
Yasmine with her grandparents
GLOBAL NOMAD:
YOUTH
INTERNATIONAL CITIZEN
By Yasmine Ziadat- student at British School Al Khubairat, Abu Dhabi
In this fast-paced, technology-driven
era forming an identity can be
overwhelming for the youth of today.
Throw in globalisation, being an
expat and living in a multicultural,
cosmopolitan city, and you’ve got your
hands full! Knowing where your home
is can certainly be difficult, especially
for me, an expat since birth.
When I’m asked where “home” is, I never
quite know what to say. I am Jordanian and
Palestinian, with a hint of Swiss, and I happen to
be British as well. Being a dual national as well
as never having lived in either Jordan or the UK,
I don’t feel that I can confidently claim either
place as my one single home. Whilst English
is my first language, my parents grounded
the foundations of a multilingual lifestyle
by teaching me Arabic at a young age, as well
encouraging me to study French at school.
I was born in Malaysia, I have moved countries
three times since then, and alternated between
school systems: American, International
and British. Constantly moving, I adjusted
to change feeling like a new person with each
move. Through this I have also developed a
mid-Atlantic accent; further unsettling my
concept of who I am. I sometimes feel like an
“Englishman amongst Arabs and an Arab
amongst Englishmen” - lyrics coined by Lowkey,
an English/ Iraqi rapper.
Being a teenager is a bit like being a new person
as well, because we’re no longer children, but
we’re not quite adults either. This seven year
time frame allows us to figure out more about
who we are, and what our identity is. If we assess
the people in the world in this day and age, I
think we’ve come to realise that there is a vast
percentage of people who might feel the way I
do. With immigration, mixed marriages, and
expatriate lifestyles, it is becoming harder to
simply identify where we’re from, and where
home is. With an ever increasing population,
we’re also increasing cultural variation. Having
family and friends scattered across the globe
also helps to blur the boundaries of where
“home” is.
I’m only half way through these seven years of
adolescence and I’m still unaware of who I really
am. Although all this travelling has made my
identity ambiguous, I love it. I feel that travel
has opened a lot of doors for my identity and
has made me open-minded. I have travelled in
my past, I travel presently, and I know I will
continue to do so in the future. Whether or not
we can ever pin-point a home on the map, we can
identify ourselves as humans, all living on the
same earth.
game hedz
tech talk
Blakniss | Original game head from Atari to XBox!
Shahid Saeed | Talker for the Non-Techies
INCOBOTO ON IOS
Apple’s iOS continues to prove a worthy gaming platform and is giving the
traditional players a run for their money as well as providing another avenue
for developers to sell more games. It’s a win-lose-win-win situation. The last win
is of course for gamers, and Incoboto is our prize! Huzzah!
Incoboto is a clever, dark, whimsical and thoughtful game. It has the sarcastic
humour of Portal 2 with the whimsy of Machinarium, and its own uniquely
intriguing storyline…
You play Inco, a little boy who finds himself in a dying galaxy and on a quest
to find out why it’s dying. All the suns are going out, but one surviving sun
(cute little thing it is - yes it talks like a toddler) appears and assists you on your
quest to try to save it and the galaxy. This galaxy was run by a monopolistic,
ubiquitous corporation the products of which are everywhere and an integral
part of the whole story and game play. You find clues to the fate of the galaxy on
notes left by its expired denizens (that’s dead people) and on The Corporation’s
sometimes malfunctioning equipment.
Ultimately it’s a physics-based puzzle game but with nice touches of mystery
and humour. You get to mess around with gravity, levers and fulcrums, and
cryptic messages that include hints and instructions.
You just use one finger to guide your character through a network of star gates
and tiny planets in the side-scroller game. But the fact that you are moving
around planetoids means you move in circles rather than side to side per se.
Gravity platforms take you from planet to planet, and the star gates, powered
by the energy of suns, take you to other solar systems. With that, you must feed
your sunny friend with little star pieces in order for it to power the star gates.
All part of the puzzle.
It’s a lot fun, very simple but intelligent, and seems to have an underlying
environmental message for us right here in the real world. Pick it up in the app
store for about £2.49 depending on which app store you use.
MY FAV APP } DIMPLE LALWANI
FASHION ICON
Style Battles is about a young girl who’s just
arrived in Paris. You navigate with her, as it’s also
your dream to make it big in the world of fashion!
But you’ll first need to explore the vast city and
discover dozens of chic shops each with their own
unique selection of clothes, create the perfect
outfit to wow crowds and make your fashion blog
the talk of the town. You can make connections
by socializing, while maybe finding love in the process. Show rivals
that you’re a diva to be reckoned with in Style Battles. It’s available on
Android and iOS Devices; it’s all free to play, so give it a try!
IPHONE 5
Apple’s iPhone 5 is official the sixth
iPhone model and came to us amid a
ton of rumours about what it might
deliver. As expected, the iPhone 5
is 18 percent thinner, 20 percent
lighter and its retina display
expands to 4 inches as compared
to the 3.5 inches of the iPhone 4S.
iPhone 5 debuts with IOS 6 which
includes the new Apple Maps app,
Passbook, shared photo stream, Siri
updates, and Facetime over 3G. Not a shocker but iPhone 5 will support
4G LTE, and it offers an A6 chip which is two times faster than the
current A5 chip and graphics will get faster too. It has an 8 megapixel
camera with HD 1080p videorecording, 1.2 Megapixel front camera with
HD 720p video recording, LED Flash, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n)
dual band and GPS. Apple is now promising a battery life of 8 hours 3G
talk time, 8 hours 3G browsing, 8 hours LTE browsing, 10 hours video
playback and 225 hours of standby. No surprise again, but the 4G LTE
and the battery life might be the only key difference if someone wants
to upgrade.
NOKIA LUMINA 920
When will the Nokia Lumina 920
appear, is the question everyone’s
asking. Nokia has not announced
availability and price for this
Windows 8 phone but it is set to
arrive this year (they say). Lumina
920 comes with an 8MP PureView
camera and the floating-lens technology for image stabilization is
remarkable. It has a 4.5” PureMotion HD+ display, Snapdragon S4 Dual
Core 1.5 Ghz Processor, 1GB RAM, 32 GB Mass Storage and 7GB in
SkyDrive, FD-LTE (4G), Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.1, NFC, Wireless
Charging, 2000 mAh battery which gives a maximum of 400 hours
standby time, 17 hours 2G Talk Time, 10 hours 3G Talk Time, 67
hours music playback, six hours video playback and three hours video
recording. It appears to be a very good addition to Nokia smart phone’s
list.
NEWS & GOSSIP
HYDROGEL LENSES TO HELP DIABETICS
There is great news for diabetics. A revolutionary technology has come
into being to help them measure blood sugar levels without drawing
blood daily. It uses extremely small nanoparticles embedded into the
hydrogel lenses.
These engineered nanoparticles react with glucose molecules found
in tears, causing a chemical reaction that changes their colour. This
technology was developed by biochemical engineering professor Jin
Zhang at the University of Western Ontario.
CREATE MUSIC THROUGH MOVEMENT
The V Motion Project is the collaboration of a few brilliant minds that
came together and created a motion controlled interface that allows a
user to produce music through natural movement.
The interface design and
production ability is mind
blowing. Check out more of
The V Motion Project http://
www.custom-logic.com/blog/vmotion-project-the-instrument/.
Follow me on
@shahidaasi
doc in the house
remixing rumi
Dr. DMS | A doc from the Bronx
Dorian ‘Paul D’ Rogers
A poet’s twist on the ancient classics of Rumi. Paul D takes a classic
poem and remixes it to give it a contemporary spin.
A COLLECTION OF
RECENT MEMORIES
LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT A PATIENT I SAW RECENTLY.
Here he modernizes ‘The Story of My Life’ as translated
by Nader Khalili.
The Story of My Life
Translated by Nader Khalili
I was ready to tell
the story of my life
but the ripple of tears
and the agony of my heart
wouldn't let me
I began to stutter
saying a word here and there
and all along I felt
as tender as a crystal
ready to be shattered
In this stormy sea
we call life
all the big ships
come apart
board by board
I had just come back from summer vacation and was super jetlagged
when I was abruptly startled by a young man who had fallen from his
balcony. I immediately ran over to see what the commotion was, and the
first thing I saw was his leg. It was in the right place, except that his foot
was facing the wrong direction. Ouch...
He was drowsy and appeared miserable. Time to think straight.
Next, I see that his blood pressure is in the toilet and he looks like he is
out of breath. He’s been with us for only minutes but already we know
what injuries are trying to kill him.
But today, he’s in luck. He’s surrounded by a wealth of experience in the
form of two experienced trauma doctors with an enthusiastic crack team
of residents and nurses.
We immediately set out to repair his exploded lungs, straighten out
his crooked leg, fix his moribund blood pressure and relieve him of his
horrific agony. By the time he was ready for the operating room, he was
comfortable and talking with us.
He’ll be ok. All in all, he was lucky that he arrived at the right shop.
I mention this because the press had recently attacked the credibility of
the emergency care in a high profile center in the UAE. The professional
abilities of the staff had been unjustly critiqued resulting in escalated
verbal abuse by patients towards the medical staff. The fallout was awful,
resulting in a lot of medical staff questioning their role in being here.
Maybe we aren’t so welcome?
But for me, it comes down to this: if we are so bad, why do patients keep
coming back? Many by choice. Why do the sickest patients from other
emirates end up with us so often? Sometimes, directly off the plane
from other countries!!! Lastly, why are we given the responsibility of
teaching young locally educated physicians who will one day take over
the emergency care of the UAE?
As Public Enemy once rapped, so relevant in this case: “don’t believe
the hype.....”
You’re in the best hands in the UAE. But you already knew that.
How can I survive
riding a lonely
little boat
with no oars
and no arms
My boat did finally break
by the waves
and I broke free
as I tied myself
to a single board
Though the panic is gone
I am now offended
why should I be so helpless
rising with one wave
and falling with the next
I don't know
if I am
nonexistence
while I exist
but I know for sure
when I am
I am not
but
when I am not
then I am
Now how can I be
a skeptic
about the
resurrection and
coming to life again
Since in this world
I have many times
like my own imagination
died and
been born again
That is why
after a long agonizing life
as a hunter
I finally let go and got
hunted down and became free
The Story of My Life
by Dorian “Paul D” Rogers
I want to write the story of life
But I can’t steady my hand from
trembling.
You can’t judge a book by its jacket.
God, on the other hand, has read me in
my entirety
and knows me from prologue to
denouement.
He has analyzed my character
development and lack thereof,
well aware of my recurring plot lines
and how I allot
time to everything but Him at times.
In this earthquake
we call life,
our temples are not shock-proof,
weren’t built with reinforced steel to
withstand
the shake of tribulations.
How can I rest when my roof is
crumbling above me?
Pieces of plaster plop in my chamomile
tea.
My support beams are splintering
like toothpicks bent to their snapping
points.
Splinters lodge in to the tips of my
fingers
like make-shift acupuncture needles.
I’d rather abandon my temple and take
to the open fields
with only stars above to come tumbling
down.
What if the land is opened by a fault
line and swallows me? Will it be any
fault of mine?
Will the depths of hell regurgitate me
sadly or welcome me madly?
After the aftershocks,
a tsunami will bathe and purify me.
First, I will be swept amongst
drowned cars and lifeless bodies,
uprooted trees and ocean dwellers.
How can I be doubtful about
the stories of Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego
when I too have made it out of fires
without even a hair on my body singed?
Why do I cheat on wisdom and lay with
This lingerie-laced foolishness
as my mistress?
I want to write this story of my life
but it would be ineligible from
the gibberish caused by this internal
quake.
God is shaking me and moving me
around.
Amal Al Agroobi
Hana Makki
Photo credits: Alwiya Thani
THE BRAIN THAT SINGS
FILM
AUTISM AND MUSIC THERAPY
By Sharon Carvalho
When Hana Makki and Amal Al
Agroobi met at the Berlin Film Festival,
little did they know that their drive and
passion would bring them together to
work on socially focused projects.
They embarked on their first project
‘Half Emirati,’ a film directed by Amal
and produced by Hana, that is already
getting critical attention.
Soon afterwards Amal approached Hana with
the next project, this time to co-direct and
co-produce a documentary on a subject that was
far more challenging, dealing with the complex
topic of autism. Amal explains: “Having lived
abroad my entire life when I first arrived in
my country, the United Arab Emirates, I was
shocked when I realized that there are subjects
that are not much talked about in the Middle
East.”
Hana and Amal hope to raise awareness about
autism through their current collaboration, a
film entitled ‘The Brain that Sings.’ The film
is about two Emirati autistic boys; 18-year-old
Mohammed and six year old Khalifa, and their
experiences during an intensive three month
course of musical therapy.
Hana and Amal have turned to crowdfunding to
finance both the production of the film and the
music course for the two boys. They’ve already
raised 20 percent of the cost of the film, thanks
to the Abu Dhabi Music and Art Foundation,
and welcome contributions.
Hana recollects beginning this project with
Amal, “When Amal approached me with ‘The
Brain that Sings’ I was more than eager to get on
board. My passion is documentary and bringing
to light stories that hold a truth. It is very
important for me to do justice to the families
in the quality of the film we produce. I have
lived with sickness in my own family and I know
the heavy burden it brings; both the financial
pressures of medical bills and the social isolation
from ‘normal’ society. I hope we get to achieve
our goals to give the children this course as we
raise awareness about their condition.”
Autism is a condition that affects a surprisingly
large number of families here in the UAE, Hana
explained. One of the many and very complex
issues that arises with autism is the inability to
communicate. Mohammed and Khalifa suffer
from the frustration of not being able to express
or fully understand their own emotions. Amal
and Hana believe musical therapy will help the
boys interact and build their communication
skills.
“Khalifa and Mohammed are excellent examples
of the types of stigmas I want to address,” said
Amal. “Here are two boys from two seemingly
‘normal and flawless’ Arab families who have
one of these unspeakable problems- they are
both autistic. I wanted to help them. Their
families were itching to get their stories out,
eager for people to realize how difficult it is to
raise these boys with minimal support and the
lack of treatments for them,” said Amal.
Eager to complete this project Hana and
Amal, have chosen to go the unusual route of
developing a ‘crowd funding’ video to help them
raise the necessary funds.
“We know that there is no cure for autism. What
I do know is that by simply giving attention and
acknowledging these families and their burdens
we will be making an immeasurable difference
to their lives. Hope is something that should
not be underestimated. Mohamed and Khalifa
cannot express themselves and are crippled with
frustration. Our therapist believes she can help
them, I want to ensure we try,” said Hana.
To find out more about Mohamed and
Khalifa’s journey, visit
www.aflamnah.com
to take a look at the crowd-funding
video on THE BRAIN THAT SINGS
Gabriela Hirculescu,
supervisor of the volunteer
department SKMC
Ice Age Party group pics
TOUCHING THE HEART
COMMUNITY
REFLECTIONS OF A VOLUNTEER
By Samarpan Chakraborty
From Left to right- Arpa, Sabrina & Sweatha
I am a volunteer. And I am
continually warmed by the
touching stories of volunteers
around me….
HEALING MUSIC
Sabrina Solomons, one of the volunteers at
Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC) plays
music to children and adults alongside
volunteer Arpa Barua. “When I was
volunteering in the children wards in 2011 I
met a young boy for whom I played English
songs. Then I had to stop volunteering for a
while because of school. When I came back
this year and started volunteering again I
passed by him in the corridor. He recognized
me instantly…and asked me to sing for him
again! That’s when I realized that my work as
a volunteer is appreciated,” said Sabrina.
LEARNING ABOUT LIFE
Volunteering at SKMC is about bringing
this kind of vibrant energy into a person’s
mundane, and often painful, health
treatment experiences. There are moments
in life that can widen the horizons of your
thought and perception. They can also
ignite the fire inside you that you previously
believed didn’t exist. Interacting with
patients changed my own understanding of
the value of life.
HELPING WITH PLAY
AND WORK
As volunteers in SKMC we conduct various
activities that can really help stimulate
patients’ minds. We play games like chess,
snakes and ladders, Dominoes and others
that the patients’ want, and there are also
movie nights that we organize for both
adults and children. This is not just good
entertainment for the patients, but a good
way for them to meet and get to know each
other.
We also help at the Outpatient Specialty
Clinics in liaising with patients to get
them a suitable appointment with medical
specialists.
Melika Ghatea
Mohammed Al Ameri
From left to right - Badria Al Zaabi, Sayeda Mohammed,
Abdurrahman, Me & Sanah Chauhan
MEETING PEOPLE
Throughout my volunteer work I meet many
new people and many have remained my friends.
One of them is Shiraz Sheikh a senior volunteer
at SKMC who is involved in many patient
activities such as sports, education (teaching
English language and computer skills) and
organizing special events and entertainment.
“The experience has been enlightening. It has
boosted my confidence and morale and has
given me the opportunity to value a lot of the
gifts in life that we normally take for granted.”
RAMADAN BLESSINGS
During Ramadan, we typically engage in
activities such as decorating patients’ rooms,
reading Quran and spreading awareness about
Ramadan and its spiritual value.
Volunteers Mohammed Al Ameri and Melika
Ghatea took the lead this past Ramadan.
“Patients enjoy Ramadan decorations because
it brightens up their room and creates a positive
atmosphere” says Melika. Mohamed reads the
Quran to patients. He says: “When I read Quran
to the patients there’s a sense of spirituality that
I find very satisfying. I feel like I’m fulfilling my
duties as a Muslim”.
HELPING THE NURSES
Volunteering doesn’t just have an impact
on patients. It also have a substantial effect
on the working staff. Vincent Madaray,
Manager of the Medical Wards D2 promotes
the volunteer services and constantly
encourages of us. “Volunteers are always
ready to go the extra mile and they play a
very valuable role. For instance, when our
nurses have difficulties interacting with
patients due to cultural barriers I find
volunteers there who are always ready to
assist,” says Madaray.
RECOGNISING HEROES
Volunteer Supervisor, Gabriela Hirculescu
is the reason why the volunteer programme
has been a great success. I am personally
very proud to have worked under someone
who treats volunteers with great respect
and injects the belief that our efforts have
an effect on patient wellness. Gabriela tells
me, “ I am personally very happy every time
a volunteer receives compliments from
patients or the staff that they work with.
Volunteers most definitely affect patients’
lives by giving them motivation and
encouragement during a troubled time of
their lives.”
SHARING A SONG
One of Arpa Barua’s memories of
volunteering at SKMC is her experience
singing to an elderly female patient who
loves music. “The patient’s daughter called
us from across the nurse station to sing for
her mom. We sang quite a few songs for her,
but when we sang ‘Just the way you are’ by
Bruno Mars, her eyes gleamed with tears
and she had a smile that melted my heart.
That beautiful smile of hers will forever be
imprinted in my memory.”
GIVING BACK
I believe through my own experiences in
volunteering that there’s always so much
that you can do for the community and that
SKMC is a great place to give back. It’s a cool
cultural experience, and at every corner and
every turn you’ll uncover an experience that
will enlighten you or bring tears to your eyes.
mini minx
Angeli Castillo | Making minutes out of molehills
LEAP OF
FAITH:
FROM SCIENCE TO
THE ARTS
Have you ever wanted to become a dancer?
Dreamt about being a model? How about
owning your own company? Well...meet 21
years old Nav Wic; a young man who took a
leap of faith.
SWITCHING CAREERS
Gifted in science and math from an early age,
Nav wanted to either get a medical degree or
become an engineer. “Following my childhood
aspirations, I started a Bachelor’s of Aerospace
Engineering in Melbourne, Australia but two
years of being thoroughly on the road towards
becoming an engineer, I realized that I had lost
all interest. I decided to make a jump.” So Nav
did a most unpredictable thing: he recognised
his interest in an industry that was possibly on
the other end of the career continuum from
engineering: he decided to get into media and
fashion.
Photo Credits: Tony Skomina
A shot for his company
‘MilkyWay’
NO REGRETS
“I did not want to wake up in a job that I didn’t
like. I think this will make me happier,” says
Nav who set up an entertainment company
called Milkyway Entertainment. Nav works
with, and finds inspiration from, all the people
he meets from all walks of life, including
talented vocalists, instrumentalists, artists,
photographers and DJs. Still a newbie who’s
getting his company on the road, Nav is
nevertheless already learning some valuable
lessons in life.
FIGHTING TO STAY ON TOP
Being so young and working in this industry
is not as easy as it looks, “You always feel the
pressure and the criticism from all the sides.”
But Nav says it is always important to stand firm
and believe in yourself and your actions. “There
will always be tough competition and people
will constantly put you down and be dishonest
with you, but as long as you represent yourself
as you really are, the opportunities will present
themselves.”
Chillin’ with Omarion
His collection of bowties mixed with passes to
various events
FORWARD LOOKING
Nav is extremely ambitious: “I would like my
company ‘MilkyWay Entertainment’ to be an
international success and a recognized brand in
entertainment and fashion. I would also like to
travel and work with award-winning artists, and
improve myself every step of the way.” A man
with rolled up sleeves, and a solid plan.
media
Alma Kadragic
FREEDOM OF THE PRESS
WHAT IT MEANS TO ME
As we used to do in school years ago, I’m
writing about how I spent my summer
vacation or really, the month of August in
the US. Wherever I am, I read newspapers
regularly. In the UAE I subscribe to hard
copies of The National and Gulf News,
and I breakfast with these papers every
day. At the same time, I subscribe to email
highlights of the New York Times and Wall
Street Journal seven days a week.
During August I put The National and Gulf
News on hold but continued to receive the Times
and the Journal in email format. Sometimes
I killed an email because I bought or received
one of these papers in the hotel. The Journal
was everywhere, free in the Chicago Downtown
Marriott as well as in the New York Marriott
Marquis and the Washington D.C. Dupont Circle
Hotel.
In each city, USA Today (which I don’t like
for the reasons so many people do like it) was
also available for free as well as the ranking –
sometimes only – local paper. In Chicago, it was
the Tribune. In Washington D.C., of course, the
Post. In New York, the Times.
But I didn’t only read the news. For the first time
I visited the Newseum, a museum dedicated to
the news in Washington D.C. I had resisted going
for several years – some of my former ABC News
colleagues told me it was too expensive in a city
where the big national museums are free. The
Newseum costs $20 for adults which I not only
paid, but paid even more to become a member
and supporter.
The exhibits are worthwhile; they trace the
history of the First Amendment to the Bill
of Rights in the U.S. Constitution, follow the
sequence of events on September 11, 2001,
remember some famous newsmen, give children
the experience of reporting the news on
television, and introduce adults to video games
about news.
I watched with amusement as a small Japanese
girl whispered correct answers to her father and
showed him how to push the buttons and make
the figures fall in the water or disappear. He was
clumsy; she knew all about video games and was
very gentle in leading him through this one.
I didn’t spend much time with the First
Amendment exhibit, but that’s because I have
taken it for granted as an American citizen, and
I learned from my parents who escaped during
World War II from a country that no longer
exists what it means to live without a guarantee
of free speech.
The First Amendment is part of an addition to
the U.S. Constitution called The Bill of Rights
that dates back to 1789. It states, “Congress shall
make no law respecting an establishment of
religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;
or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the
press; or the right of the people peaceably to
assemble, and to petition the Government for a
redress of grievances.”
My careers as a news producer and bureau chief
in the US and Europe; a business owner in the
US and Europe; and an academic and freelance
trainer of journalists and PR specialists would
have made no sense without the existence of the
First Amendment.
Most Americans rely on the First Amendment
and cannot understand why some people
outside the US believe that the government
is responsible for everything that appears in
media.
tamakkan knowledge hub
Ian Mason
LOST IN
TRANSLATION
MANGLING
MARKETING
MESSAGES
I recently watched, for about the third time,
Sofia Coppola’s enigmatic film, ‘Lost In
Translation’ and during the movie, perhaps
when Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson
were wandering through the streets
of Tokyo in the early hours, my mind
switched to my own ‘lost in translation’
experiences in the UAE.
Every day I see examples of translation that are
beyond lost. Menus, posters, signs, letters…you
name it. The corruption of language - especially,
for me, the English language - is very amusing
at times.
However, communication in business is critical
whether it be written or spoken. I will leave
spoken communication for another time, as
I may need a whole issue of Tempo to discuss
this. But in terms of written communication
this is the first contact you have with a potential
customer. It could be an advertisement, a
billboard or company signage. Take a sign near
my workplace for example: it reads ‘Dress
Preseeing Service’. I think that means ‘Pressing
Service’ rather ‘than looking at a dress before
buying it’.
My message is plain and simple. Such errors are
inexcusable. They affect the credibility, and
therefore the trustworthiness, of the business.
Even if I was interested in dress pressing, could
I trust this business not to overheat the ironing
machine and scorch the dress if they can’t get
their business message right?
This may be idealistic, but in the world of
marketing and branding, perception is
everything. I will repeat that: perception is
everything! Think of any major brand. Your
perception of it, right or wrong, is the only
opinion that matters. If you think the food at
McDonald’s is unhealthy, then that’s what it is,
no matter how much marketing the company
does to negate that perception. Maybe over time
the perception will erode but it still influences
today’s buying choices.
As we approach the US presidential elections,
the concept of perception will take on greater
proportions. Does Romney have what it takes
to be president? Who knows? But his actions,
his words, even his mannerisms will all be part
of the voters’ perception process and he will be
judged accordingly. The US presidential election
is as much about spin as substance.
But back to the UAE. Poorly translated
marketing materials can cause moments of
amusement, but more seriously they can also,
again right or wrong, create some negative
perceptions about the business. This applies
across all languages, not just English. Bad Hindito-Arabic translations have the same effect.
A native speaker will have a deep distrust of
something that is incorrectly translated or spelt.
It can also create confusion. Take, for instance,
the spelling of ‘Jebel Ali’ in Dubai. Is this the
correct way to spell it? According to many
signs, it could be ‘Jabel Ali’ or even ‘Jabal Ali’
depending on the person translating it. I
understand it is a phonetic issue, but for an
expat or visiting driver, this messes with their
mind. Official style guides seem to be in short
supply.
The good news is that this is a simple issue
to address. All you have to do is ask a native
speaker if what has been translated makes
sense before anything is printed. This will
avoid a ‘handburger’ being eaten instead of a
‘hamburger’. I have been told that ‘hands’ don’t
taste that good.
If you are setting up a business, it is often the
small things that count. As a starting point,
make sure that your company name and
marketing messages are not ‘lost in translation’.
SAVE THE DATE!
FREE ATTENDANCE
NEXT TAMAKKAN SEMINAR! BE THERE!
INNOVATION! FILM! TECHNOLOGY!
SAVE THE DATE: Sunday | October 21 | 6pm | Al Mamoura Auditorium, Abu Dhabi
CHECK www.tamakkan.org | For updated programme
REGISTER: [email protected]
just a thought
Manar Al Hinai | A khaleeji girl who overthinks and loves to write
POLISHED SPA
BEAUTY INSIDE AND OUT
At the tender age of 23, Emirati Najla
Al Ansari from Sharjah opened a beauty
destination called Polished Spa – and
with that become the youngest ‘Female
Emirati Spa Entrepreneur’ in the
region. Najla chatted with us about the
challenges and excitement of owning
and managing a beauty spa business.
an easy task. But I managed to create a brand
name from A-Z including branding, interior
design, recruiting and developing, managing,
and supplying the latest trends in the market.
Opening a spa in Sharjah came with many
hurdles including finalizing documents,
overcoming government regulations and also
convincing directors, investors, and contractors
what I was capable of doing in my beloved city.
EXPLAIN NAJLA TO US IN ONE
SENTENCE.
Najla is the youngest spa entrepreneur in the
region – a woman who never wanted to be a
businesswoman but to ‘polish’ the world and
give back to her people and country.
HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO
LAUNCH YOUR BUSINESS?
It took me one year as I had to work on the
branding, interior design, management,
protocols, staff, finance, and marketing, but
most importantly I had to find the right location
all by myself.
WHEN DID YOU KNOW YOU
WANTED TO BE AN OWNER OF A
BEAUTY SPA?
It all started with a few toys: nail polish, blow
dryer, and a lipstick. Who would have thought
that those little toys would make me who I
am today? I’m very passionate about spas and
pampering. It’s what I love doing!
WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO
OPEN A LUXURY SPA IN SHARJAH,
AND NOT DUBAI NEXT DOOR?
Working on a feasibility study, Dubai obviously
showed a stronger market in terms of doing
business. But with the down turn and economic
crisis, I believed that there was a need in Sharjah
and with some convincing, I opened my spa
there.
AS THE OWNER OF THE FIRST
LUXURY DAY SPA IN SHARJAH,
WHAT CHALLENGES DID YOU FACE
IN THE BEGINNING?
To develop a brand at such a young age with
no experience except for what I studied and
my passion for inner and outer beauty was not
YOUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT?
I guess being self-employed. Taking the risk and
jumping into developing a brand and becoming
the youngest Emirati spa owner in the region
makes me proud!
YOUR SPA IS THE FIRST IN THE
REGION THAT CATERS ALSO TO
PREGNANT WOMEN. WHAT KIND
OF SERVICES DO YOU PROVIDE?
Polished Spa offers safe, nurturing, muscleeasing, leg-relaxing and skin smoothing
maternity and post-pregnancy treatments.
Polished Spa uses Mama Mio Skincare, the
revolutionary skincare brand that has been used
by celebrities such as Kourtney Kardashian and
Victoria Beckham.
Najla Al Ansari
YOU ALSO PROVIDE LIFE
COACHING SESSIONS BY NEURO
LINGUISTIC PROGRAMMING (NLP)
PROFESSIONALS? TELL US ABOUT
THEM.
We believe that beauty starts from within. We
have collaborated with certified NLP therapists
to make beauty shine from within. Life coaching
is a practice that helps people identify and
achieve personal goals.
WHERE DO YOU SEE POLISHED SPA
DEVELOPING IN TWO YEARS?
I would like Polished Spa to be available for all
women across all the seven emirates and then
franchised internationally as a skincare brand
and destination for all women.
ANY TIPS TO SHARE WITH OUR
READERS WHO ARE LOOKING TO
LAUNCH THEIR OWN BUSINESSES?
Always keep this in mind: Your greatest
accomplishment isn’t set in stone – and your
past doesn’t define your future. The future is
out there for you to conquer: the road ahead
is wide open and you’re in the driver seat. The
important thing is not to be afraid to take a
chance. Remember, the greatest failure is not
trying. Once you find something you love to do,
be the best at doing it.
To contact Polished Spa call: 06-5435453,
www.polishedspa.ae or
email [email protected]
Twitter: @polished__spa
Facebook.com/polishedspa.ae
horoscope
Aries: Let someone close to you know exactly how you feel about him or
her. This is particularly important if there is adulation on your part. Maybe
things won’t work out — but they certainly won’t as long as you keep quiet.
Expect proper conduct out of your subordinates and you will get it. A
financial opportunity could wither away if you hesitate too long.
Taurus: A last-minute trip to faraway places could be just what the doctor
ordered. Excitement and, very probably, romance could well be the result —
but only if you let things move at their own pace. Now might be a good time
to begin a serious savings plan. If you wait until all your debts are paid before
you begin, you will probably never save anything — and you’ll probably
never be out of debt if you don’t.
Gemini: A serious and quite disturbing love affair could begin for you now
if you respond to the stimulus now being waved before you. If you are free
and unattached, it might well be worth riding the whirlwind — because that
is what it is likely to be. If already committed, make sure that this is what you
really want, because it will probably cause a breaking of all old ties.
Cancer: Getting to the bottom of a mystery may not be as pleasant for you as
you think. Sometimes it is best to let sleeping dogs lie. In dealing with fellow
workers on an important business deal, don’t allow others to speak for you,
especially when the responsibility is yours alone. Keeping commitments
may be a chore, but failing to do so could damage your reputation.
Leo: An upturn in your personal finances is definitely due and could come
from a surprising source. Your best bet is to be totally honest and to hide
nothing from those who may have a similar interest. If you lose, you won’t
have lost your honor — and if you win, you win really big and there will be
no carpers. Exercise your right to be heard in matters that are important to
you personally.
Virgo: You could gain an important and influential friend simply by
speaking your mind and not allowing others to run roughshod over your or
someone close to you.
Libra: Maintaining the status quo may not solve your problems. You may be
called upon to exhibit some independent thinking and some very positive
action if you are to come out on top. In romantic affairs, keep things light
and don’t go overboard with promises on the first date.
Scorpio: Climb down from your high horse and write that letter you have
been mentally composing for the last few months. If what you feel is real,
you would be quite foolish to stand on ceremony. In office matters, make
sure you keep your tongue from flapping concerning affairs that should
remain private.
Sagittarius: Romance blossoms in the strangest places, according to the poet,
and you could find this out to your utter amazement — and delight. Business
problems may seem less if you take time to walk around to the other side so
you can gain perspective. The same could be true for a personal matter that
has been plaguing you.
Capricorn: Make sure that an old debt is paid in full before you go to the well
once again. You might also do some serious thinking about your real desires
and what it is you want to do with your life. If what you are presently doing
is not making you happy — or at least contented — then why are you doing it?
Take the advice of a friend seriously and give it a chance to work.
Aquarius: Estimate your personal worth, as well as financial, and see if you
are able to make things balance. If you are found wanting, do something
about becoming solvent once again. You would be well advised to seek
medical advice about a serious problem.
Pisces: Problems of a financial nature are not as insurmountable as they
seem. Seek good advice and then weigh it carefully before striking out on
your own. Do not allow others to influence your convictions on moral
issues, simply because it would make things neater and easier. On any tough
question, the thing that is hardest to do is generally the thing you should do.
TO ADVERTISE IN THE WIDEST CIRCULATED YOUTH AND COMMUNITY
FOCUSED MAGAZINE IN THE UAE, CALL: 02 491 8624

now open at al reem island, boutik mall ground

Transcription

Similar documents

salaheddin ramadan

Corporate Connection Profile

megawave - James Law Cybertecture

February 2012 Al Majlis_02

tafseer contracting company tafseer contracting company

Brochure

Welco ome to SAMA A Tower r

Downloads

Intellect-powered security at Abu Dhabi National Oil Company

dar al khair

Bava Thirumeni`s profile

Abu Dhabi Tourist Guide Course

Abu Dhabi - CzechTrade