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Something Something FISHYFISHY p32

Watch DanZak live on September 16 p10

Sablat Oman's bank of volunteers p23

Saniya - the energy woman p50

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6 September 7-20, 2010

There is magic (issue 18), not only in Bahla, but in most villages of

Oman. Go to any village in Oman and you will find a whiff of that

magic in even the remotest corner of the town you are in. There

is an air of mystery in Oman, something unusual and something

extraordinary. Maybe the magic of Bahla is different and perhaps

there is good and bad magic there, but the important factor is that

there is something magical about Oman, something enchanting,

something lovely and captivating. Try to always capture this essence

in your stories and then you don’t have to look back ever again!

God bless all at the Black & White!

Nandita D., Muscat

I completely agree with the story, ‘Modern men are more traditional

(issue 19)’. There’s a marked difference in the way men handled

themselves in the past and how they do so now. Men used to be

very macho, almost chauvinistic, earlier; then we saw the era of

the metro-sexual men who were too caught up with themselves and

finally, thank goodness for the present kind of men who do not feel

it beneath their dignity to express themselves or help at home if and

when required. The best that any woman would hope for are the

chivalrous, traditional kind of men…

Leena Johnson, Al Hail

Capture the essence

Today’s men – the best

6 September 7-20, 2010

I am happy to read the 'Message from the Messenger' (issue 19).

It is wonderful that you are choosing topics, which are of great

relevance. It's highly appreciated. The topic, ‘First Muslim and the

First Mosque of Oman’, made excellent reading! Keep up the good

work!

S.A.S. Naqvi, sports consultant,

FMEC/OHA and technical advisor, MABGOC, Ruwi

Excellent topics

7Black & White

Mail your views and opinions at

editor@blackandwhiteoman.com

As a frequent letter writer to newspapers and magazines, I must say that I

am always looking for a chance to be read and heard. Now, I am motivated

to write this after reading the piece ‘Edit makes magazine…?’(issue 19).

One important point that I want to raise here is that the editors of

newspapers and magazines should not dump letters that are badly

written. People like us who want to write -- but do not have the capacity to

write letters in proper English -- will feel totally let down when our letters

are not carried. Maybe we do not know English that well; in the sense,

we may not be able to write well, but should that be the criteria? I mean,

if we know English, does it mean that we will have more things to say or

that we are better people? I can express well in my native language, but,

I can’t do the same in English, still I try. So, please don’t throw away my

letter just because I have not been able to express it right. Having said

that, I must say that I have sent many poems and letters to magazines

and newspapers here and some of the editors have done proper justice to

them, editing, and even rewriting them. I am really humbled and honoured

by the treatment meted out to my work.

Anand Thota, CBD

Men are men, and the less said of them the better. In what way is the

modern man traditional? Traditional as in the ‘cave man’s’ sense? Then,

maybe, otherwise, I don’t see them in any different way. Men believe that

they are very macho and are mostly chauvinistic.

Yes, today’s men express themselves more, but what does that mean

exactly? They express their needs and wants more than before. It doesn’t

mean that they are softer, kinder, more considerate, generous and caring.

Chivalrous, they might be, until they get the women they want then they

treat them like doormats and walk over them. Men have only become

more selfish over the years, and the only consolation is that they are more

sophisticated about it – otherwise, men remain men. Always selfish and

always thinking about themselves!

Ellen Coolidge, Qurum

English should not be the only criteria

Men are men – always selfish

7Black & White

8 September 7-20, 2010

Cover Photo: Najib Al Balushi

Published by: Muscat Press & Publishing House SAOC

Black & White

Postal address: P O Box 86, PC 115, Madinat Sultan Qaboos

Office location: Hatat House, Office no: 212, II Floor

Ph: 24565697 Fax: 24565496

Website: www.blackandwhiteoman.com

Editorial: editor@blackandwhiteoman.com

Printed at Mazoon, Muscat, Oman

BPA Consumer

Audit applied for

December 2009

XclusiveThe Tilapias of Musannah

Tilapia, destined to be one of the

most important farmed seafood

products of the century is slowly

swimming its way to ubiquity in

Oman

32

Editor-in-chief Mohamed Issa Al Zadjali

Managing editor Priya Arunkumar

Work editor Adarsh Madhavan

Design & production Beneek Siraj

Photographer Najib Al Balushi

Advt. & marketing S M Azeiez, Ali Al Raisi

Swithun Fernandes

Conte

nts

2310Oman to get a ‘bank’ of volunteersDanZak set to

storm Oman

The energy woman

50 Saniya Khalfan Al Ghannami is a

businesswoman with a difference.

She could be ideally termed as the

quintessential Omani businesswoman.

Or, better put, she is someone who can

really show what an Omani woman is

capable of.

Oman Sablat will be creating this new

project called Taoun. It is going to be

a bank of volunteers in all regions,

spanning Oman

Come September

16, DanZak will be

performing with DJ

Teddy Jam at the

lawns of the Muscat

Intercontinental hotel.

This is the first-ever

live Omani concert

where DanZak would

be performing

9Black & White

Thanks-for-your-

email-but-I-am-out-of-

town-from-today-till…By Adarsh Madhavan

“Thanks for your mail.

I am afraid that I will be out of the office starting 20/08/2010

and will not return until 20/09/2010.

I will be away from Muscat for the next 30 days. Therefore,

I will be unable to check my mails. As a result, my ability

to respond promptly will be severely curtailed. I regret

any inconvenience caused. I will respond on my return

on Sunday, 20 September. In case of emergency, please

contact my secretary at (secretary’s email id).

Thank you for your understanding.

Best regards.

(Name).”

Since the last few days, every email that I sent I have been

getting the same ‘sorry, out-of-town’ response.

What is happening? Is everyone on vacation? All my email

queries to people in town are bouncing back with these

messages.

Check out the above response, which I got most recently.

I desperately wanted to contact this person, and when I

did I got this reply. Everyone to whom I sent mail gave me

similar responses. Then, there are others from whom I got

these types of responses:

“Thank you for your email.

I am currently out of office and will be back on duty on

Thursday, 30th September 2010

Kind regards

(Name).”

And then there are the others who seem to be perennially

out of town:

“Thanks for your email, but I will be out of town from

10/08/’10 to 18/08/’10.”

Okay, you think, they will be back by 19/08/’10 and when

you contact them on that day, they will not respond

because it is a weekend and you don’t really know when it

is a weekend for them: Thursday and Friday or Thursday/

Friday/Saturday? So, when you finally e-contact them on

Sunday, their secretary replies back tersely that since ‘Sir

has a board meeting from Sunday to Monday, it would be editor@blackandwhiteoman.com

All a

bout

X,

Y &

Z

better to contact him on Tuesday.”

So, I do that, I contact ‘Sir’ on a Tuesday and there

is no response and when I continue to follow up on

Wednesday, I get an email stating that: “Thanks for

your email. I will be out from 25/08/’10 to 8/09/’10”

and that I should be contacting the same secretary

who is going to do nothing but say that, “Sir is out of

town from August 25 to September 8!” So, I drop ‘Sir’

and look at greener pastures…

How is it possible for these people to be forever out

of town, my little head wonders?

Is it the nature of their work, which is taking them out

of town? Wow, then they must be really busy people

and probably in bigger positions than what I gave

them credit for?

So, am I the only one who is sending them emails?

And, have emails become outdated all of a sudden?

Or, it could be that people no longer send mails

to each other anymore…they must all be meeting

directly and not in Oman, but abroad? Are all

meetings being conducted outside Oman?

I frankly don’t know. I am sending mails by the dozen,

no, by the hundreds and not even one mail is getting

acknowledged and the only ones that reply to me

carry the above ‘out-of-the-office’ legend.

Either no one wants to reply to me and was plainly

ignoring me or most of them were really out of town

or whatever.

I think it is high time that I also prepare my own out-

of-office statement just to be on the safer side and

send it to all instead of just making it an automated

response:

“Folks, don’t send me any emails for the time being.

I am going to be out for the rest of this year, as of

today till mid-January. I don’t have a secretary and so

even if there is an emergency, none of your mails are

going to be answered." So there!

10 September 7-20, 2010

Pla

ygro

und

10 September 7-20, 2010

11Black & White

THE NAME IS NOW KNOWN,

POPULAR and is all set to reach

new heights sooner than this young

African-born Omani could imagine.

For, September and October are

going to be crucial months where

the young artist is going to come

out both locally and internationally

and see if he can break through the

ranks to become an international

artist with perhaps even his first-

ever record…

Come September 16, DanZak

will be performing with DJ Teddy

Jam at the lawns of the Muscat

Intercontinental hotel. This is the

first-ever live Omani concert where

DanZak would be performing. “I will

be singing 10 songs and I hope it

will be a great show!” DanZak tells

Black & White sipping a cool drink

at Second Cup in Qurum.

DanZak has not yet released an

album, but he has already 11,000

fans on his Facebook site and is

on many radio shows across the

Middle East.

A major break is in the offing when

this young Omani R&B and Hip Hop

singer sings at Akon’s Hitlab before

the legend himself in October. If

selected, DanZak will not only have

his song on top of the charts, but

also be cutting a record deal.

So much is at stake today and

DanZak is standing poised before

a new point in history where he

could be adjudged the only Omani

English singer to attain international

status. But, how did this all

happen? How did Hamdan Shamis

Al Zakwani become DanZak?

“It started out as a hobby in 2002,”

DanZak quietly tells us. “But, what

started out as a hobby is today my

everything, my main purpose in

life!”

Hamdan was born and raised in

Africa as a proud Arab. “How did I

get into music? Well, it was more of

an experiment. My school teacher

invited me one day to his home

studio and I was at that time in

Rwanda (Central Africa).

I sang my first-ever song, a mix of

Swahili and English. I kind of liked

it and it just hit me that this is what I

want to do all my life – be a singer!

I was pretty young at that time and

getting out of my teacher’s studio,

my mind was already made up as to

what path I wanted to take: Music!

NAFISA MADE ME ‘SHAMAM’

In 2005, Hamdan met some local

singers there; they exchanged

ideas and then a year later, in 2006,

came his first-ever solo. “I recorded

‘Nafisa’ in 2006 at the G records

studio in Africa.

“Nafisa is a cute song, which

proved to be a very popular radio

hit. It is the song where I am singing

to a girl called Nafisa… I sang that

song under the name of Shamam.”

DANZAK

“Music was my passion by then

and I had made up my mind as to

what path I should take,” Hamdan

said. But, at his home, his family

members were keen that he took up

a proper career.

Family came first, and so Hamdan

came back to Oman in 2007 and

took up couple of jobs, first with

DHL and then with HSBC.

set to storm OmanDanZak

A pretty young girl went nudge, nudge, nudge to her friend

when they were strolling one recent evening near the

Jawaharat Al Shatti complex in Qurum: “Saw that guy?” “No,

who?” her friend asked and turned to have a better look at

what her buddy was getting so excited about. Then they both

exclaimed in one breath: “Wow, DanZak!”

Yes, wow, DanZak (nee Hamdan Shamis Al Zakwani). Oman’s

own Omani English singer, songwriter, producer, businessman

and commercial pilot to boot.

12 September 7-20, 2010

“During this time, I continued my

experiments with music, sang,

learned and up dated myself

consistently. Although there aren’t

enough resources here to support

musicians, I still managed to

get into event management and

later went on to create my own

production company called Music

Masterpiece(MMP).

The MMP was created in

association with Blonde Mafia

Management, who handled me as

a brand and created a brand name:

DanZak. Throughout this period I got

together with some music lovers in

Oman and sang from home. A friend

inspired me to take up my dream

job, that is to be a commercial pilot

and off I went to Australia to pursue

a course in flying. I currently hold a

qualified/authorised commercial pilot

license.”

Australia proved to be a mind

opener for DanZak. “I ordered

musical equipments on e-Bay and

started recording with the help of

some online producers. As DanZak

I sang songs like Omani Queen and

Wifey, which proved to be instant

hits.”

At this stage, Hi FM picked up

DanZak’s songs and that proved to

be a turning point of sorts for him in

Oman. “The songs were very well

publicised and promoted. My fans

grew in numbers and today, I am

on Facebook with over 11,000 plus

fans. I am grateful to my friends

who supported me and my fans who

created DanZak in me.”

HOLIDAY SPECIAL

In 2009 September, DanZak flew

down to Oman from Australia for a

two-week vacation. And that was

the time when he did his first-ever

live concert called the Traffic Lights

Concert as part of an Eid party

occasion. “I still live that experience.

Pla

ygro

und

12 September 7-20, 2010

13Black & White

It was mind blowing, standing up on

stage, with a sea of fans screaming

out my name! I realised that singing

was no more a hobby -- it was my

main purpose in life. Flying is my

hobby today. That was the day

Danzak became ‘live’!”

AKON’S HITLAB

(WWW.HITLAB.COM)

During this period DanZak had also

registered himself in Akon’s Hitlab

(a website where unsigned singers

can upload their songs for analysing

against the top 100 Billboard hits of

the past six years) as an artist and

posted his songs. “There were over

28,000 artists who were registered in

Hitlab.”

But, this soon began to produce

results: “By March this year, I was

ranked as one of the top 10 artists

in Akon’s Hitlab for a period of three

weeks. Three of my songs were on

the top 10! By May I was ranked

number one artist and I remained

there for over 10 weeks. Currently

I am number 2 out of the 30,000

registered artists.

“Akon himself spoke about me and

my songs in one of his radio shows.

It was a proud moment for me.

Akon’s Hitlab is an online lab where

musicians can come and test out

their songs to find out if they have a

potential hit on their hands!

And Hitlab is holding a contest

where you could see your dreams of

getting a record deal fulfilled! With

key players of the music industry on

the jury listening in on your creations,

your song could be the next one to

top the charts! I am singing in front of

Akon this October. I am selected and

my fingers are crossed…”

MY INSPIRATION

Who or what inspired him as a

singer? “I was bowled over by

R. Kelley’s 'Snake'. It was absolutely

fascinating and is made in an Arabic

context with camels, sands, tents et

al in the background of the music.

Seeing that video I knew that this is

what I want to do and where I want

to be…

"Then of course, I am inspired

by the one and only MJ (Michael

Jackson). Of course, I am not a good

dancer, but Michael is my all-time

inspiration! Currently, Akon is my

favourite and my big inspiration. The

thought that I would be performing in

front of him itself is really great – it is

like a dream coming true...”

MY FAVOURITES

He has sung some songs and

surely one or two of them must be

his favourites? “Honestly, I love all

my songs. But my most favourite

one is Ireena. It is a song I did to

create awareness on breast cancer.

"In Africa, breast cancer awareness

in some areas is still in its infancy

and the medical facilities available to

attend to this disease is much low.

As a singer I wanted to touch lives,

make a difference and so I chose

to sing one… Ireena is a girl who

suffers from breast cancer and it is a

sad song on her sufferings…

"In the pop list, I love Bumby-

Bumpy; it is very light and has a feel-

good factor about it! You can check

me out at the facebook or Akon’s

Hitlab list."

WISH ME LUCK ON

SEPTEMBER 16

Yet another Eid and DanZak

is all set to beat his earlier local

performance here with some

scintillating stuff. “I will be performing

with DJ Teddy Jam on September 16

at the Muscat Intercon lawns.I will be

singing 10 songs and I hope to do a

great show!”

For show details check DanZak's facebook profile or www.hifmradio.com or call 95555699

By March this

year, I was

ranked as one

of the top 10

artists in the

Akon’s Hitlab for

a period of three

weeks. Three of

my songs were

on the top 10!

By May I was

ranked number

one artist and

I remained

there for over

10 weeks.

Currently I am

number 2 out

of the 30,000

registered

artists

13Black & White

14 September 7-20, 201014 September 7-20, 2010

Men r

ead

15Black & White

ONE OF THE GOALS OF asthma treatment is to help you maintain a normal

and healthy lifestyle, which includes exercise and other physical activities.

Following your asthma action plan by taking medications as prescribed

by your doctor, avoiding triggers, and monitoring your symptoms and lung

function will help you achieve this goal.

If asthma symptoms prevent you from participating fully in activities, talk

to your asthma doctor. A small change in your asthma action plan may

be all that is needed to provide asthma relief during exercise or activity.

Activities that involve short, intermittent periods of exertion such as volleyball,

gymnastics, baseball and wrestling are generally well tolerated by people with

symptoms of asthma. Activities that involve long periods of exertion, such

as soccer, distance running, basketball, and field hockey, may be less well

tolerated. Also less well tolerated are cold weather sports such as ice hockey,

cross-country skiing, and ice-skating. However, many people with asthma are

able to fully participate in these activities.

Swimming, which is a strong endurance sport, is generally well tolerated by

many people with asthma because it is usually performed in a warm, moist

air environment. It is also an excellent activity for maintaining physical fitness.

Other beneficial activities for people with asthma include both outdoor and

indoor biking, aerobics, walking, or running on a treadmill. Ideally, whether

or not you have asthma, exercise should be performed four to five times

per week for at least 30 minutes. Talk to your doctor to find out how much

exercise you should get.

Exercise and asthma do

not go together, or so

goes the belief. Some

even believe that it will

do more harm than

good for them. But, like

most beliefs, this one

takes quite a beating.

The truth is that most

asthmatics are likely

to benefit from some

form of regular physical

activity.

EXERCISING WITH ASTHMA

Despite the fact that asthma may be brought on by aerobic activity, exercise

may still be a desirable option for many asthmatics. Research indicates that

as tolerance for physical exertion is built up over time, it is less likely that

an asthmatic will experience an attack during exercise. And, in addition to

reducing the risk of developing many other diseases, appropriate exercise can

help asthmatics reduce stress, sleep better and feel more energised.

IF ASTHMA ATTACKS WHEN YOU EXERCISE

•Always use your pre-exercise asthma inhalers (inhaled bronchodilators)

before beginning exercise.

•Perform warm-up exercises and maintain an appropriate cool-down period

after exercise.

•If the weather is cold, exercise indoors or wear a mask or scarf over your

nose and mouth.

•If you have allergic asthma, avoid exercising outdoors when pollen counts

are high and when there is high air pollution.

•Restrict exercise when you have a viral infection, like a cold.

•Exercise at a level that is appropriate for you.

Maintaining an active lifestyle is important for both physical and mental

health. Remember: asthma is not a reason to avoid exercise. With proper

diagnosis and the most effective treatment, you should be able to enjoy the

benefits of an exercise programme without experiencing asthma symptoms. If

you begin to experience asthma symptoms during exercise, stop and repeat

your pre-exercise inhaled medication. If your symptoms completely go away,

you may restart the exercise. If your symptoms return, stop the activity, repeat

your quick relief medication and call your health care provider for further

advice.

15Black & White

16 September 7-20, 2010

Men r

ead

Kick those

MYTHS!

16 September 7-20, 2010

17Black & White

WALKING IS NOT AS EFFECTIVE AS

RUNNING

What happens when you run for 30 minutes?

You burn calories!

And it is true that you will burn about twice

as many calories running for 30 minutes than

walking for 30 minutes. But, experts note

that if a runner and a walker cover the same

distance, they burn about the same number of

calories. So if you’re willing to take the ‘slow

route,’ you are likely to lose just as much

weight. In fact, studies have proved that how

long you exercise matters more than how hard

you exercise.

EXERCISE INCREASES HUNGER?

Exercise makes you hungry? Wrong, say

experts. It is a common misconception: If you

burn hundreds of calories during a workout,

you’ll end up eating more. But research shows

that exercise has no effect on a person’s

food needs, with the exception of endurance

athletes who exercise for two hours a day or

more. In fact, research shows that exercise

often suppresses hunger during and after the

workout.

IT DOESN’T MATTER WHERE YOUR

CALORIES COME FROM

Calories are not created equal. First, some

foods (in particular, proteins) take more

energy to chew, digest, metabolise and

store than others. Others (such as fats and

carbohydrates) require fewer calories to digest

and store. Second, different food types have

different effects on your blood sugar. Refined

carbohydrates (think white bread, cookies,

and fruit drinks) raise blood sugar levels

dramatically, which encourages fat storage,

weight gain, and hunger. Fibrous foods like

apples, as well as proteins, raise blood sugar

less, making them friendlier to your waistline.

Finally, foods that contain a lot of water, such

as vegetables and soup, tend to fill the belly

on fewer calories, so you’ll stop eating them

way before you stop eating more calorie-

dense foods.

DIET ALONE IS ENOUGH FOR SUSTAINED

WEIGHT LOSS

You will lose weight in the short term by

slashing calories, but experts say exercise

is what keeps pounds off for good. Exercise

burns calories, of course. It also builds

muscle, which takes up less space than fat.

Muscle tissue also requires more calories to

sustain it than fat tissue does. In other words,

the more muscle tissue you have, the more

calories you’ll burn at rest. In fact, some

studies suggest that over the long term, if you

had a choice of eating consistently less or

exercising consistently more, exercise would

be the better weight-loss choice.

THERE IS NO BEST TIME FOR EXERCISE

If you’re simply walking to get healthy or take

off some weight, it doesn’t matter when you do

it, as long as you do it. But if you’re an athlete

looking for the best-quality workout, choose

the late afternoon, when body temperature is

highest. Muscles are warm, reaction time is

quick, and strength is at its peak. If you push

yourself harder as a result, you will burn more

calories.

Many myths are known to hold back those wanting to exercise. The most common

among them is this myth that walking is less effective than running. Is this true? And

is it true that exercise can be counterproductive because the more you exercise, the

more you eat?

Let us find out:

18 September 7-20, 2010

Men h

ealt

hM

en h

ealt

h

How to manage your

Shift WorkDisorder

One of my colleagues had a bad problem in office.

He used to come to office bright and early but by mid-morning he

would slump on the desk and snore away. I took him to a doctor

who said he had SWD, or, in other words, shift work disorder.

The SWD is a medical condition that can be easily diagnosed

and treated by a medical practitioner, the good doctor told me.

According to him, the SWD occurs when your body’s internal

sleep-wake clock is out of sync with your work schedule — your

body is telling you to go to sleep when your work schedule needs

you to stay awake.

18 September 7-20, 2010

By Sanjit Aaron

19Black & White

CAN NEITHER SLEEP NOR WAKE UP

Because of this disruption of your

body’s natural rhythm, people with SWD

often struggle to stay awake during their

waking hours, or have trouble sleeping

during their sleeping hours.

If you are having SWD, you may have

trouble focusing and this may also lead

to bad road behaviour; in the sense, you

may have sleepiness-related accidents;

and at work you are likely to become

miserable and your overall performance

will be affected.

Now, even when you go back home,

you will lose out on many family and

social activities because you may not

only be off mood, but, you would also

display signs of increased irritability.

Doctors note that there are chances

that in such SWD patients, there maybe

a gradual worsening of heart and

stomach disorders.

WHO IS AT RISK FOR SHIFT WORK

DISORDER?

While shift work disorder (SWD) can

affect men and women of all ages,

some factors may cause even greater

problems coping with shift work:

•Age greater than 50 years

•History of sleep disorders

•History of stomach disorders

•Diabetes

•Heart disease

WORK SCHEDULE IS THE CULPRIT

The doctor also noted that if you work

night, early morning, or rotating shifts,

your work schedule may be causing

your sleep-wake cycle to be out of sync.

Nonstandard shifts have become very

common in today’s workplace.

SHIFT WORKERS

A wide range of occupations require

either permanent or occasional shift

work: Professional and business

services such as accountants,

stockbrokers, customer service reps,

IT support staff, and other people with

corporate jobs; healthcare professionals

such as emergency room physicians,

nurses, and overnight pharmacists;

leisure, entertainment, and hospitality

segment workers such as bartenders,

servers, chefs, casino dealers,

performers, radio DJs, concierges, and

doormen; production and manufacturing

such as steel, textile, and other factory

workers; protective services staff like

firefighters, dispatchers and security

guards…

COPING WITH SYMPTOMS

If such workers have SWD, the only

way to resolve is to have a change in

the shift work, but, of course, there are

some things you can do to try to cope

with your symptoms:

•Avoid caffeinated foods and

beverages before bedtime

•Get a full eight hours of sleep each

day

•Turning on bright lights may help

diminish drowsiness when you need to

be awake

•Eliminate noise and light from your

sleep area

•Try to stick to your sleep and wake

schedule, even on weekends

GET TO THE SPECIFICS

When you talk to your doctor, you

have to make sure that you point out

specifics:

Let him or her know about your work

schedule; what hours you work and

whether you work shifts/non-traditional

work hours; if you have had any

changes in your work schedule.

Also, tell your doctor if you feel that

your excessive sleepiness (ES) is

interfering with your job routine; when

and where you feel sleepy; things you

do to stay awake (like drinking coffee,

soda, or energy drinks); how it affects

your job or personal life and if you plan

your life around sleepiness.

19Black & White

Oman's first

comprehensive

online directory

More details: oos@blackandwhiteoman.com

www.omanonlinesearch.com

Coming Soon!

21Black & White

By Adarsh Madhavan

Tired.

I am tired of being measured by a ruler, weighed by a

weighing machine and judged by the colour of my skin.

Tired.

Tired of being forced to play a role; pretending to be someone

I am not and walked over by those who don’t care about me.

Tired.

Tired of being misunderstood, because I can’t understand

myself and tired of being ignored and sidelined because I look

and feel so inconsequential and inconspicuous because of my

unobtrusive nature.

Tired.

And I am tired of being tired because it is quite boring. You

have got to drop this boring pose and make a splash of your

life, make people know you, hear about you. You have got to

be heard, known and loved… You have got to make a lot of

noise, otherwise they might not notice you whimpering away in

the dark.

Tired.

Tired of people telling me what to do and what not to do; and

why I should do this and why I should not be doing that…

There are so many out there who tell me everything from

what I should wear to what I shouldn’t wear and what I should

be saying and what I shouldn’t…

Tired of people telling me that I don’t look good, or am

morose, or don’t smile too much or am too quiet or too

rude…or that I don’t care and that I am too cautious or too

aggressive…

Tired of people carping about my faults and insulting me…

I mean, I am an adult; I mean, I think, so I am, so let me be…

But I am starting to feel that no matter how I act, or what

I say, there will always be people to point things out, to try

teaching me something or simply to annoy, irritate or just to

poke fun at me.

I am tired of people who I think will be there for me and yet

dump me unceremoniously when I need them the most.

I have already lost many people like that and I have already

cut ties with many who were close and there have been more

occasions than one where I felt I was the happiest just being

alone, with myself, with my book or just my thoughts, sitting

quietly somewhere, undisturbed and at peace. I guess I should

be a good friend of myself before I can be a good friend of

someone else and I simply can’t try anymore, I don’t have the

energy.

I don’t have the guts to confront the odds and I

don’t have the zip in me to be up and get going.

I am tired. Tired of all that goes on around me,

inside me and outside me.

Tired.

I am tired of trying to be who I am not and I am

tired of telling myself that I should stop trying.

Tired.

Tired of being questioned and judged, burdened,

bludgeoned and belittled. I am tired of the

questions thrown at me – questions to which

I don’t have any answers. I am tired of being

rejected. I am tired of the way my heart feels all

the time, tired of the way I cannot even hope to

control it. I am tired of feeling unwanted. Tired of

knowing that no matter what I do, no matter how

much I try, I will never be good enough in the

eyes of those who matter the most to me.

I am tired of being sick. I am tired of the way

it makes my body feel all the time. It brings me

down to the brink of giving up all hope of repair

within me.

I am tired of not being able to depend on

anyone, even myself...

I am tired of the people who have said they care

then they do not; I am tired of those who have

given me their warmth and then as suddenly have

taken it away again, leaving me cold.

I am tired of not having anyone to listen, to care,

to be there for me. I am tired of the headache of

having an heartache, and I am tired of wearing

my heart on my sleeve.

I am tired of feeling the way I do.

Tired.

Just tired.

Tired for heaven’s sake!

O

ff the wall

Tired of everything

adarsh@blackandwhiteoman.com

Off

the w

all

FREE 20,500 copies (being audited)

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www.blackandwhiteoman.com

AVAILABLEall over Oman on 7th & 21stof every month

First Free Fortnightly magazine

23Black & White

Oman to get a ‘bank’ of

VOLUNTEERSAli and Said (*) are two enthusiastic young Omanis who are ever

ready to offer their hands to anyone who needs help. When the recent

cyclone hit Oman, they went out of their way to help the victims and

assist in anyway they could. They visited the affected areas and on

their own helped many affected people, which was quite appreciated. If

there is a cause, they will be there to support it, the duo said recently.

There are many like Ali and Said in town, always ready to help without

seeking anything in return. But, the biggest hurdle that keen volunteers

like Ali and Said and others face is that there is no organised form of

volunteerism in Oman.

Om

an w

atc

h

24 September 7-20, 2010

THERE WERE VOLUNTEERS, but

they were all scattered around, and

their efforts too were often quite

scattered. It is not that Omanis don’t

help; they do, but, most often than

not, help is required on a sustained

and not isolated basis. And,

collective help was always far better

than the scattered unorganised

approach.

But, things are going to change as

there is good news in the offing for

those into volunteering.

For, Oman Sablat (www.s-oman.

net), one of Oman’s most popular

website, is on the verge of forming

Taoun – a bank of volunteers, which

they hope will be a permanent

solution for the lack of proper

volunteers in Oman.

TAOUN – A BANK OF

VOLUNTEERS

“Oman Sablat will be creating

this new project called Taoun. It is

going to be a bank of volunteers in

all regions, spanning Oman. We will

maintain a data base and an official

website.

The website will be officially

launched later this week and it

will have all details. Now any

charity organisation or corporate

or event manager can just log on

or get in touch with us and we will

provide them the data base and

volunteers,” Khalid Al Balushi, vice

president marketing and business

development, Oman Sablat and

Yahya Rahi Al Balushi, project

manager, Taoun, told Black & White.

“You may find such services in

most developed countries. But, in

Oman, we are coming out with such

a venture for the first time,” Yahya Al

Balushi added.

“Oman has a name in the region

as one of the countries where

volunteerism is at its best. Omanis

are helpful by nature and the recent

weather disasters have proved it

time and again. But still, there is a

dearth of volunteers in Oman, region

wise.

Charity organisations find it difficult

when there is no bank of volunteers,”

Yahya Balushi said, while detailing

about their plans to come out with

the first-ever organised bank of

volunteers in Oman.

We will have team

leaders handling

different regions

of Oman, who will,

in their regions,

collect a bank of

volunteers. This

is a first-ever

attempt of its kind

in Oman. Oman

Sablat feels that it

is time we united

the volunteers of

Oman

Om

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25Black & White

Yahya Rahi Al Balushi, project manager – Taoun – is a man who dons

many hats: He is a member, technical team, Oman Scouts & Guides;

regional – administration-in-charge of Arab Networking Scout Link;

coordinator of Asian Region of Scout Link; Muscat region commissioner of

Rovers and programme developer; he is responsible for opening the first

Arabic chat room for scouts; member of the Royal Amateur Radio Society,

Oman; trainer of trainees in the UNFPA.

SCOUT MOVEMENT IN OMAN

Scouting commenced in the Sultanate in 1932 when the first scout batch

was instituted in the Sultani School, Muscat, and the Brownie Pack and

Girl Guides in 1972 in Fatima Az-Zahra’ school, Muscat.

The year 1975 was considered the real start-point of the scouts

movement in the Sultanate, when His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said

issued the Royal Decree promulgating the law organising the scouts

movement on technical and scientific basis and the formation of the

National Organisation for Scouts & Guides under the auspices of His

Majesty, the Sultan thus, emphasising on the constructive role it plays

towards the society and specifically towards the youth.

Man of many hats

Both of them noted that the main

challenge a volunteer faced was

de-motivation. “Most of the time a

volunteer is very enthusiastic and

works diligently for the cause. But

when he receives a cold shoulder,

it is a major blow to his ego. That is

where we will come in.

We will have team leaders handling

different regions of Oman, who will,

in their regions, collect a bank of

volunteers. This is a first-ever attempt

of its kind in Oman. Oman Sablat

feels that it is time we united the

volunteers of Oman,” Yahya Balushi

explained.

SPIRIT OF VOLUNTEERISM

Now, the spirit of volunteerism is

among all – Omanis and expatriates

alike. And so, this is for all residents

in Oman, locals and expats. “As

a bank we will take care of the

volunteers too.

"Initially we will choose eight-team

leaders who will take care of the

nine regions in Oman and these

team leaders will be the programme

ambassadors. Being in the NOSG

(National Organisation for Scouts

and Guides) for very many years, I

feel we can reach out well and gather

a good data of volunteers,” Yahya

Balushi said.

SABLAT OMAN CSR PROJECT

Sablat Oman is also creating a

CSR wing, which will adopt various

CSR initiatives and promote them

to successful completion. “Any CSR

initiative, idea that will benefit our

nation and society will be taken

under our wings. We hope to

encourage small-time entrepreneurs

and organisations that bring out great

CSR ideas,” Khalid Al Balushi said.

“Sometimes an idea remains just

an idea because of lack of funds,

support and right environment. Sablat

Oman will provide just that: the right

environment, training and expertise

in successful completion of a CSR

initiative!”

(*) names changed

26 September 7-20, 2010

BankMuscat has launched a limited edition commemorative

pre-paid card. A collector’s item, the ePayment card

evocatively highlights the bank’s ‘Oman Celebrates’

campaign in tribute to the 40 glorious years of the blessed

Renaissance march.

‘Oman Celebrates’ ePayment card

BankMuscat

BreadTalk recently launched an exquisite series of specially

designed products comprised of delicious pastries and desserts

for the Holy Month of Ramadan and the Eid Al Fitr holidays.

Jannat Moosa, marketing director at Bin Mirza International said,

“As a trend-setting lifestyle brand, celebrating the holy month

has become a seasonal hallmark at BreadTalk. Each year, we

continue to push creative boundaries by offering a new selection

specially prepared by our local chefs for family and friends to

enjoy during the joyous holiday season.”

Ramadan and Eid Al Fitr delights

Breadtalk

Khimji’s Luxury & Lifestyle division has launched a new range of HACCP

knives for professionals from Victorinox, the pioneering brand, famous for

the timeless design and manufacture of the Original Swiss Army Knife. In

line with International food regulations, the coloured grips of the knives

indicate their intended use, thereby boosting safety and hygiene. Rohit

Shah, general manager, “Khimji’s Luxury and Lifestyle Division said: "In

addition to the internationally recognised colour concept, the HACCP knives

from Victorinox showcase the usual exceptional quality standards. The first-

class quality of the steel and optimum hardness ensures the best possible

edge retention with a minimum risk of breakage. Victorinox provides a

lifetime guarantee covering all material and manufacturing defects.”

Khimji Ramdas Toll-free number: 800-75000.

HACCP knives

Victorinox

At the apex of its 90th anniversary celebrations, Mazda has

also launched a new micro-site - www.mazda.com/90th/ which

very simply and elegantly chronicles Mazda’s 90 year history,

and goes on to explain the story behind two of Mazda’s major

endeavours over the past 90 years: manufacturing excellence

and ‘fun-to-drive’.

celebrates 90 years!

Mazda

Word

pre

ss

27Black & White

Oman’s exclusive MINI importer, Al Jenaibi

International Automobiles, has expanded its Autumn

Campaign offer, launched earlier last month, to

include MINI. Customers purchasing MINI vehicles

until the end of September will benefit from a host

of added-value incentives, including complimentary

vehicle registration and comprehensive insurance for

the first year of ownership. Johnny Oommen, head

of operations of Al Jenaibi International Automobiles,

said: “The Al Jenaibi International Automobiles

Autumn campaign is one of the year’s highlights for

customers in Oman; it gives them the opportunity to

purchase premium BMW and MINI vehicles without

added ownership costs such as car registration and

insurance. We aim to give customers a premium

purchasing experience, which includes taking

care of the smaller details such as registration and

insurance.” The Autumn Campaign runs until the

end of September 2010 at Al Jenaibi International

Automobiles.

Big deals for

to accept utilities bill payments

from AMEX card members

MINI

Nawras announced its plans to

proceed with a listing of its shares on

the Muscat Securities Market (MSM)

using the bookbuilding* process.

Commenting on the announcement,

Ross Cormack, chief executive

officer of Nawras, said: “For the last

five years we have been dedicated

to enriching the lives of people

in Oman by providing them with

better communications products

and services. In this time we have

grown rapidly to serve nearly two

million customers, and counting,

representing 45 per cent of the

Omani mobile market at the end of

June 2010.

With our unrelenting focus on

customers, we have delivered

innovative products and pleasingly

different services – and we are

determined to continue doing so.

Subject to CMA approval, the

offering will represent up to 40

percent of the company’s total

share capital and is expected to be

launched after the Eid holidays on

September 15, 2010. Retail and

institutional investors will be able

to participate in the offering, which

will be the first IPO of 2010 in Oman

and the first since the Sohar Power

Company IPO in July 2008.

Nawras also announced that Morgan

Stanley, BankMuscat and QNB

Capital have been appointed joint

lead managers with Morgan Stanley

and BankMuscat confirmed as

bookrunners on the transaction.

IPO to launch on

September 15

Nawras

Oman

Investment &

Finance Co.

SAOG -OIFC-

and American

Express Middle

East and have

announced

an agreement

that will make

utilities bill

settlement for American Express card members even

more convenient in Oman.

The agreement is to enable American Express card

members to settle their water, electricity, telephone,

mobile and internet bills with their American Express

Cards at any of OIFC’s main branches spanning Oman.

OIFC branch locations can be found on http://www.

oifcoman.com/branches.php

Shabir M. Al Yousef, chief executive officer of

OIFC said: “We are happy to add more value and

convenience to our customers, and I am confident that

American Express card members will benefit from this

agreement.”

OIFC

28 September 7-20, 2010

Word

pre

ss

Oman’s corporate houses as well as

individuals gave off sumptuous Iftars,

inviting staff and families, as well as other

guests, including media, as part of the Holy

Month of Ramadan. Glimpses of the Iftar

celebrations at various locations.

IFTARS galore

BankMuscat

HSBC

OMIFCO

KIMS

Bait Al Khonji

Vale OMRAN

Oman Air

29Black & White

Oman Oil Marketing Company (Omanoil) has

corroborated its industry stature by marking

18 years without Lost Time Injury (LTI)

at the Mina Al Fahal (MAF) Joint Venture

(JV) Terminal, operated in partnership with

Al Maha Petroleum Products Marketing

Company. With a corporate mission formed

on a strong foundation of HSSE, Omanoil’s

Terminal operations have once again

demonstrated their capacity to handle

substantial increases in fuel volumes which

today has reached 2,190,000M3 per day

both safely and efficiently, as it preserves

and enhances the working environment in

which it operates.

marks 18 years of

safe operations

Omanoil

Samatel, the Sultanate’s newest

mobile operator, announced the

launch of its services for residential

and business customers. The

company promises to provide

Omanis with the highest quality

services and industry leading

customer service. Today’s launch

is a significant landmark in the

Sultanate’s rapidly developing mobile

industry.

“Samatel is a brand new concept in

the Sultanate, during our planning

phase we went to the drawing board

and decided that we don’t want to

do different things but rather we will

do things differently” commented the

founder and chairman Sheikh Khalid

Al Mataa’ni.

“The hard work, dedication and

attention to detail we have invested

in Samatel means we can invite

our customers to experience ‘a life

of happiness’ - a mobile service

unequalled anywhere in the region,”

announced an elated Dr Wael Tahir,

Samatel Ceo."

mobile services in Oman

Samatel

Spicy Village offers you the

chance to earn the title of ‘Chef

of Oman’ and receive royalties

on dishes sold in the restaurant

for a year.

From October 6 to 10, cooking

contests will be held at Spicy

Village Oman restaurants, with

the dining areas converted

into kitchens and participants

cooking their favourite recipes

in front of a watching audience

and a panel of judges.

A total of 50 winners will be

selected in five categories,

with the top three winners

in each category receiving

special prizes. And the winning

dishes will be published in a

special Spicy Village cookbook

and offered in Spicy Village

restaurants for a year, with

winners earning 20 percent

commission on sales of their

dish.

Anyone who has dined at a

Spicy Village restaurant for

RO10 or over and has kept their

receipt(s) can take part simply

by submitting their chosen

recipe to: receipe@spicyvillage.

com or by applying online at:

www.spicyvillage.com.

The contests will be held at

the following Spicy Village

restaurants:

October 6: Spicy Village

Alkhuwair; October 7: Spicy

Village Rusayl,

October 8: Spicy Village Sohar,

October 9: Spicy Village Sur

October 10: Spicy Village,

Nizwa

Contact: receipe@spicyvillage.

com, or complete an online

recipe application form at:

www.Spicy village.com/

cookerycontest.html

Chefs of OmanSpicy Village

www.blackandwhiteoman.com

Read our magazine ONLINE

Log on to

blackwhite OmanFind us on facebook

31Black & White

THE SILENCE OF THE FISHES

You could take it either way: the silence in my living

room is broken by the rhythmic bubbling sound

emanating from somewhere. Or, you could say the

bubbling sound has become part of the silence in

this room. I feel as though I am underwater…come

on, if I can hold myself in this same form of silence

for some more minutes, I will be part of the silence

myself and relaxed and one with my peaceful living

room.

No, I am not hallucinating. I was just giving you

how I feel about the bubbling aquarium in my room.

It always gives off a feel-good peaceful sense. I am

a lover of aquariums and have always had one at

home. This is a spirit shared by my kids who have

also loved aquariums. Yet, somehow, this peaceful

feeling has been disrupted in the last few months

as my fishes have been dying, one by one leaving

a very bad feeling in me…

It is always a lively feeling when you are seeing

those slim beauties swimming with ease in your

aquarium, and you feel equally sad when you see

them floating, lifeless. That has stopped me from

having an aquarium. Fish need freshness, a little

bit of algae, right food, lots of space and oxygen.

And an aquarium is not just a passion or a hobby, it

is a responsibility.

So, imagine the responsibility of having a fish farm!

And that too in different weather conditions offered

by Oman. Our salutations to Hilal Al Rawahi, the

lone tilapia farmer from Musannah who has taken

up his hobby seriously to create a responsible and

sustainable food project – fresh water fish farming.

It is an innovative idea and we hope that he will

be successful when he goes commercial. The B&

W team reports that it saw some 600 plus tilapias

It is always a lively feeling

when you are seeing

those slim beauties

swimming with ease in

your aquarium, and equally

sad when you see them

floating, lifeless

Mohamed Issa Al ZadjaliEditor-in-chief

In Black...

& White

In B

lack &

Whit

e

swimming in his tanks…Amazing!

Tilapias make good harvest in sweet water and there are

other popular varieties too. It is difficult to have a saltwater

fish farm because for one major reason: saltwater fish are

evolved to deal with water constantly rushing out of their

bodies. The salt in the surrounding water exerts what is

called osmotic pressure on the fish. Thus saltwater fish

have evolved to be constantly drinking water and excreting

salts. When you put a saltwater fish into freshwater, it

continues to drink heavily and excrete salt. Thus the fish

quickly loses too much salt, and its body begins to react

accordingly; nervous impulses are unable to travel, and it

soon dies.

EID MUBARAK

The Holy Month of Ramadan is almost complete. This

month has helped us all exercise our self discipline. But, I

would say, why limit ourselves to just one month in a year?

Let us be disciplined throughout the year, throughout our

lives! That is what Islam is all about…

With Eid Al Fitr around the corner, let me wish all of our

readers a very happy Eid. Celebrate Eid in the true spirit…

Eid Mubarak!

31Black & White

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The

TILAPIAS

of Musannah

32 September 7-20, 2010

33Black & White

It was like a virtual jack-in-the-box: We peered into

a bucket filled with murky green water and then

suddenly something leapt out of it, missing our

faces by an inch, startling us all out of our wits.

The ‘something’ was nothing but a five-inches long

fish called Tilapia, which many feel is destined

to be one of the most important farmed seafood

products of the century and slowly swimming its

way to ubiquity in Oman.

33Black & White

34

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Looking after fish was a childhood fantasy for Hilal Rawahi. “I loved

aquariums and loved the variety of fishes. I used to create aquariums and

always loved to learn more about them. Watching those beautiful fish going

about their daily business is great for your stress levels and keeps you happy"

35Black & White

MEANWHILE, OTHER TILAPIAS

FOLLOWED the first one, leaping

out of the bucket, and soon we were

knee down in a sweltering farm

in Musannah trying to save these

healthy, but frisky fish from being

fried in the hot August sun. We did

manage to put them back into the

bucket and then into their tank,

which has been their home for the

last three months or so.

“They are a bit frisky, but quite

intelligent,” Hilal Ali Al Rawahi,

a retired PDO (Petroleum

Development Oman) official, who is

now into breeding Tilapia since the

last three years at his 27,000 sq mts

farm in Muladha, Musannah district,

tells Black & White. They are quite

frisky, we agreed as we joined the

farm owner in feeding the ever-

hungry fish.

Only a tiny portion of the farm is

being used for Tilapia. There are

two 8.5mts X 1.5mts tanks filled

with around 600 odd three months

old Tilapia in one; an equal or more

number of one-month old Tilapia

in the second and several hundred

Koi and Cat Fish in the third,

equally divided tank of the same

specifications.

Hilal Rawahi’s main focus is on the

Tilapia, a fish that some chefs love to

hate, because they feel that the fish

isn’t fishy enough! Some of them do

not like its mild taste, but, in Oman,

fish eaters are known to enjoy the St

Peter’s fish (a moniker it has earned

from a story in the Bible), which is

known to be ecologically sustainable

and relatively cheap.

TILAPIA FARMING

One of the fastest-growing fish

industries has been the production

of pond-raised Tilapia. The

species hold several advantages

for commercial production. It is

a hardy fish, highly resistant to

many diseases and infections

that commonly strike other fish

populations.

Tilapias are also excellent breeders

and grow fast on relatively small

and diverse food supplies. The most

important element for successfully

raising tilapia is proper environment.

36

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September 7-20, 2010

They are warm-water fish that need

to live in waters ideally maintained at

about 76 to 84 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ponds or other bodies of water

that are not prone to drying up

or flooding are the best choices.

Experts recommend estimating

two to three mature fish per square

meter of water surface.

Depth should be at least one meter

deep. “I have built three tanks and

use the water for my farming too.

The water is a natural fertiliser for

my plants. These fish also live on

algae, so I don’t have to fully clean it

up,” Hilal Rawahi said.

SKILLED ESCAPE ARTISTS

One of the most commonly used

methods for harvesting pond-grown

tilapia involves both seining and

draining of the pond. It is hard to

catch all the tilapias using only

seining since these fish are skilled

escape artists.

“I use the same. They are very

active and live fish and keep jumping

around. It is impossible to catch

them with a net, so it is better to

drain the pond when it is time to

catch them. It takes up to six months

for a tilapia to grow to edible size,

approximately one (1) kilogramme

per fish.”

ORNAMENTAL FISH

Hilal Rawahi is also into farming

of the Koi (an ornamental/aquarium

fish) and the catfish. Koi fish are

ornamental and domesticated

varieties of the common carp and

are kept for decorative purposes in

outdoor ponds. Here they are kept in

different tanks.

FISH PARTY

“When it is time for harvest of the

Tilapia I just throw a fish party,” Hilal

Rawahi laughed. For the last three

years, he has been farming, but not

on a commercial scale. “I don’t sell

them (the fish) yet.

The fish tanks of Hilal Al Rawahi also featured some catfish. Catfish have been widely caught and farmed for food for hundreds

of years in Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. Judgments as to the quality and flavour vary, with some food critics

considering catfish as being excellent food, others dismissing them as watery and lacking in flavour

37Black & White

38

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I am still in the learning process

and there is lot to learn.” Hilal

Rawahi noted that it was not easy

to get fish food. Initially, he brought

the fish food from Thailand, but it

was not practical. But, give him a

challenge and he had a knack of

getting around it. In this case, Hilal

Rawahi learnt to make the food

himself.

“These fish need more proteins

and I make a food out of dry

sardines, dates, wheat etc with the

help of a mincing machine. So far so

good and my fish seem to love them

and are growing healthily.”

NOT YET COMMERCIAL

Currently, Hilal Rawahi has got just

one helper to help him and that is

more than sufficient, he said. “This

type of fish farming is on a small-

scale basis. It is not too strenuous

an activity.

I haven’t started making it a full-

time commercial activity as yet,

so, the workload is less,” he said,

adding that he intended to get into it

fulltime soon.

SERIOUS BUSINESS

Fulltime fish farming is very serious

business, Hilal Rawahi noted. “We

all know that we have been eating

up the natural resources and the

world is witness to the places where

fish have become extinct.

Many valuable fish species are

disappearing from our oceans

because of over harvesting, loss

of habitat and pollution. When the

most important fisheries collapse,

fishermen and seafood processors

will be forced to be out of business.

It is time we all thought of our

future and got in to eco safe process

of food production.

It is hard to catch all the tilapias

using only seining since these fish

are skilled escape artists

39Black & White

Though my fish farming started off

as a hobby, I knew the importance

of aqua culture and sweet water

farming. Aqua culture is a sustainable

process of food cycle and I hope

to establish an environmentally

sustainable and profitable farm soon.

I might take up shrimp farming too.

"My biggest challenge would be to

maintain tolerant temperatures here

and I am learning how to. Tilapias,

as I told you before, are very tolerant

fish and it would be easy to farm.

However when I go commercial I

would have to invest on infrastructure

to maintain tolerant and acceptable

temperatures for the fish to survive

healthily. Sufficient oxygen, space

and protein rich food along with the

right temperature will give me a good

harvest.”

MOUTH WATERING OPTION

Currently in Oman you get frozen

and semi-frozen tilapias from

Thailand. If we can cultivate them

here, it would be a successful project

and will give local market live and

fresh tilapias at a cheaper rate. “I am

hoping to invest in glass containers/

tanks at various restaurants, so the

customer who comes in to eat can

actually choose his fish before it

is cooked. I am sure it is a mouth-

watering option!

“This project can serve as a small

business model and it would also

bring in employment opportunities.

Ultimately, in the long run, I believe

fish would remain the main source

of food globally. So why not start

investing in it in Oman?”

If Hilal Rawahi is successful with

his selective breeding programme,

chances of shimmering Tilapias

making its way from the tank to the

table is very likely in the future.

It is not easy to get fish food locally. Hilal

imports smaller quantities of fish food

from Thailand

40

B&

W X

clu

sive

September 7-20, 2010

B&

W X

clu

sive

Hilal Rawahi brought tiny fishes, around 10 pairs from Thailand and put them in a small liner (like the one above)

Liners are plastic sheets that can be used to create a make-do tank.

The water drained from the fish tanks are used for irrigation purposes in Hilal's farm; no artificial fertilsers are used here.

41Black & White

Text: Adarsh Madhavan & Priya Arunkumar Photos: Najib Al Balushi

TILAPIA IS THE THIRD MOST IMPORTANT fish in fish

farming after carps and salmonids.

Because of their large size, rapid growth, and

palatability, tilapiine cichlids are the focus of major

farming efforts, specifically various species of

Oreochromis, Sarotherodon, and Tilapia, collectively

known colloquially as tilapias.

Like other large fish, they are a good source of protein

and popular among artisanal and commercial fisheries.

Most such fisheries were originally found in Africa,

but outdoor fish farms in tropical countries such as

Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and Indonesia are

underway in freshwater lakes.

In temperate zone localities, tilapiine farming

operations require energy to warm the water to tropical

temperatures. One method uses waste heat from

factories and power stations.

Commercially grown tilapia are almost exclusively

male. Cultivators use hormones such as testosterone

to reverse the sex of newly spawned females. Because

tilapia are prolific breeders, the presence of female

tilapia results in rapidly increasing populations of small

fish, rather than a stable population of harvest-size

animals.

Whole tilapia fish can be processed into skinless,

boneless (PBO) fillets: the yield is from 30 percent to 37

percent, depending on fillet size and final trim. The use

of tilapia in the commercial food industry has led to the

virtual extinction of genetically pure bloodlines. Most wild

tilapia today are hybrids of several species.

NUTRITION

Tilapias have very low levels of mercury as they are

fast-growing and short-lived with a primarily vegetarian

diet, and thus do not accumulate mercury found in

prey. Tilapia is a low saturated fat, low calorie, low

carbohydrate and low sodium protein source. It is a

source of phosphorus, niacin, selenium, vitamin B12 and

potassium.

TILAPIA AS EXOTIC SPECIES

Tilapias are unable to survive in low temperate

climates because they require warm water. The pure

strain of the Blue Tilapia, Oreochromis aureus, has the

greatest cold tolerance and dies at 45 °F (7 °C) while

all other species of tilapia will die at a range of 52 °F

(11 °C)-62 °F (17 °C).

As a result, they cannot invade temperate habitats

and disrupt native ecologies in temperate zones;

however, they have spread widely beyond their points

of introduction in many fresh and brackish tropical and

subtropical habitats, often disrupting native species

significantly. Because of this, tilapias are on the IUCN’s

100 of the World’s Worst Alien Invasive Species list.

USES OTHER THAN SUPPLYING FOOD

Tilapia serve as a natural, biological control for most

aquatic plant problems. Tilapia consume floating aquatic

plants, such as duckweed watermeal (Lemna sp.), most

“undesirable” submerged plants, and most forms of

algae.

In the United States and countries such as Thailand,

Tilapia are becoming the plant control method of choice,

reducing/eliminating the use of toxic chemicals and

heavy metal-based algaecides.

Tilapia rarely compete with other “pond” fish for food

because tilapia consume plants and nutrients unused

by other fish species and substantially reduce oxygen

depleting detritus, adding tilapia often increases the

population, size and health of other fish.

Third most

important fish

in fish farming

42 September 7-20, 2010

There are people reporting about beggars in their neighbourhood, but then, is

it really that big a problem? We remember how some of these types hovered

around drive throughs and the like earlier, but not sure if they are still active.

They used to come with tales like they are cancer stricken or on the verge

of death and were in need of immediate help, but refused when we would

offer to take them to a hospital. Otherwise, these beggars who sit in a corner

don’t seem to bother anyone and are really harmless. We would suggest that

beggars should be reported to the authorities concerned if they happen to

bully you or ring your doorbell or knock at your door incessantly. Otherwise,

if they are just sitting quietly in a corner, should we report them? Well, do as

your conscience dictates you!

Some companies have random hiring

and firing policies. In the sense, they

hire and they fire, without much ado.

But for expatriates who have left

their hometown in another country

and have left everything to find a

life here, it would be a great shock

when they are suddenly dumped and

fired without even being given an

explanation.

One such man who recently lost

his job approached our friends with

searing tales of how he was mistreated

by his employers, particularly one of

the main employers.

“She was quite horrible. I am

particularly new to Oman, new to this

field (of his work) and new to this type

of attitude. I had worked in Mumbai

and Kochi I was never treated in this

manner.

“Even if you are not a good boss,

you need not treat your employees

like slaves – she wanted absolute

respect and office decorum. I was

all for that. Frankly, I am a very quiet

person and even quieter worker. I

never show disrespect to anyone,

least of all my seniors, but she made

even a mild mannered employee like

me go berserk with anger.

“She would treat me and the rest of

the team like rugs on the floor; walking

over us without any compunction.

Forget about answering back to her,

we could not even express ourselves

– she would just order us around and

would not even let us speak.

Many of us shivered in her presence

and she vitiated the work atmosphere

to such an extent everyone wanted

out! Finally, disgusted with her daily

abuse, I decided to quit.

But, somehow, she came to know

about my decision to quit and just

sacked me. I was told to get out of

the country within a week,” the boy

told an acquaintance of Bitter Batter.

His only request is that he might work

under anyone, but for a woman boss!

Should we

report the

beggars?

‘Miss’ treated

Nit

tern

att

er

We have been thinking of it since quite sometime now. Fi-

nally, we have taken the plunge to bring home to you some

offbeat stuff. Here goes, if you like it, give us the green signal

for more; if not, just take it with a pinch of salt. For this fort-

night, here is some nitter natter for the B&W Bitter Batter:

43Black & White

Sabita. S is a lady from Azaiba. She

has been living in Oman for the last

12 to13 years. She has never ever

written to a newspaper or magazine in

her life and has never felt the need to.

But, lately, owing to the rise in traffic

accidents, which she squarely blames

irresponsible driving of the motorists

in town, she says she feels the need

to write to the media and express her

feelings on the issue of accidents and

over speeding etc.

Currently, she says, the main reason

for accidents on the road is sheer

carelessness and the devil-may-care

attitude of many of the drivers. “Rarely

do you see drivers getting into a REAL

accident – what I mean to say is,

none of these accidents are accidents

– they are forced errors; they are

brought upon by sheer negligence

and ugly road behaviour.

And, you know what, one day, I am

going to overtake these motorists --

who have one hand over the steering

wheel and the other on their mobile

phones – screech to a halt in front

of them, run to their car window and

wrench the mobile phone from their

hand and fling it away! I swear I am

going to do this. I am really tired of

these mobile phone drivers!”

Well, let us hope that good sense will

prevail to these mobile phone drivers

and she will not be forced to act out

her threat.

Gautam Chakraborty

(gtmchakraborty52@gmail.com) has

sent us this note about his ongoing

battle with a company he had bought

some AC’s and a refrigerator from.

“I bought three Window AC’s and

a refrigerator from Souq Technia (Al

Khuwair) in March. From the first day

itself, one AC was giving a problem.

It was giving off a sound like that

of a generator. Verbal complaints

to the company went unheeded.

Finally on April 25th, after a heated

verbal argument, my complaint was

registered via service order no.

2091433. Regret no action was taken.

Again after several phone calls, the

company sent their man on May 17.

In between I had registered an online

complain through their net service.

No action was taken. On May 17,

they changed a part in the AC but

the problem remained. The service

engineer said he can’t do much more

than this. On May 18, I called up the

same company and requested them

to change the AC. I was told that

they will do it the next day. Regret,

no one came nor called. Now my

calls are being ignored too! Is anyone

listening?”

(If officials of Souq Technia would

like to comment on the above or send

their version of the above issue, they

are most welcome. Please send them

to the email id given below).

Get rid of these

mobile phone

drivers

Bad service

(Note: Readers who have something bitter to chatter about can either email on editor@blackandwhiteoman.com or call 99218461)

44 September 7-20, 2010

Kid

stuff

CAVE MEN INVENTED the first piece of

cutlery ever - the knife. Knives were made

from stones, bones and shells. The serrated

edge, better for cutting with was achieved

by chipping pieces off the edge of the blade.

Next came spoons, carved out of wood,

stone or bone. Kitchen forks have been

endlessly evolving for the past millennium or

so. But a historical background check will put

its origins somewhere in Greek.

Initially used for the carving of meat, the

fork comes to the dining table pretty late.

It was around the 7th century that royal

courts in the Middle Eastern world started to

use the fork on the dining table.

In another century, they were passed on to

the Byzantine world, where the use of forks at

the dining table became symbolic in wealthy

and noble families.

The fork was later carried on to Italy through

a matrimonial alliance with the Byzantine.

The fork came to the English notice by a

man called Thomas Coryate, who brought

forks to England in 1608. It took a very long

time for the English to take up the fork as it

initially met cultural resistance.

They gained acceptance in the 13th century

and became very popular by the 14th century,

both in Italy and France, the noblemen using

them to keep their attire clean whilst dining.

By the 16th century forks were being used

by both upper class and merchant class.

Guests would even arrive for dinner with their

own fork and spoon carried in a box called a

cadena.

By the 18th century forks had made their

way across many European countries and

over the sea to Great Britain.

The Germans improved on the design by

adding a curve to it, and by the 19th century

they possessed four tines.

By the time the humble fork made it to the

20th century, another addition was made to

create a whole new implement – the spork a

utensil that is part spoon and part fork.

Tongue twisters… try em!

Of all the felt I ever felt, I never felt a piece of felt

which felt as fine as that felt felt,when first I felt that

felt hat’s felt.

45Black & White

Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given

numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares

so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same

number only once.

SOLUTION:

9

1

2

13

5

6

8

7

9

9

289

5

2

9

4

8

6

23

5

1

6

2010

Con

cept

is P

uzzl

es,

Dis

t. b

y K

ing

Fea

ture

s S

yndi

cate

, In

c.

By Dave Green

Difficulty Level 3/12

By Thomas Snydermotris.livejournal.com

46 September 7-20, 2010

WADI KABIRBait al Zubair Bait al BarandaMarina Bander Al Bustan Palace HotelOman Dive club Shangri-La- Barr Al JissahSri Lankan School NHIPencil Building (Stationery shop)Al Maha bunk –Wadi Kabir Ajay Enterprises (Khimji) – (Next to Jingles nursery) Hotel Golden OasisSana FashionsAl Maya markets – (Old Rawasco) Scientific pharmacy – Opp to al Maya market ( Arab Udipi Rest)

CBD AREA TO DARSAITAl Amana Building materials – Opposite Jawad SultanAl Omaniya Financial Services office Oman oil bunk Khimji mart shopping mall – (Old shopping & saving)Khimjis Bait al Ahlam- CBD areaPizza Muscat (Opposite ministry of manpower)Pizza Hut/TFC – CBD areaCentre point-SplashMuscat Securities market Times of OmanShell petrol Bunk (Next to Sheraton)OCCI Library – Oman Chamber of commerce (OPP MSM)KFC – Ruwi Oman International Bank – RuwiPalayok Restaurant – Filipino restaurant Ever ready supermarket New India Assurance OfficeAl Fair – Ruwi high street Lakhoos Money Exchange, Ruwi High streetDamas Jewellery/office – Ruwi Oman UAE Exchange – OCC CentreAir Arabia Office- Shanfari TravelsRuwi HotelGulf air building – Gulf air officeSaravanabhavan Restaurant Sarco – Samsung showroom Khimji Megastore – Swarovski showroomOTEMoosa Abdul Showroom – next to al JadeedToshiba Showroom Al Jadeed shoppingBadr Al Samaa Samara video (next to Talentz, old bait al ahlam) after 5pmMinistry of Education – Opp Wearhouse – Ruwi Future management consultants -(opp Toshiba showroom)Haffa House HotelAl Falaj Hotel Muscat Bakery- Near church Pakistan School (after temple & church Darsait)Naranjee Hirjee office (before Hotel Golden Oryx)Hotel Golden Oryx Bank Muscat corporate office (Opposite Hotel Golden Oryx)Kamat Restaurant Uptown Restaurant Turtles Book shopAl Rima Clinic Lama Polyclinic

Oman Air – CBD NBO- CBD areaBank MuscatBank SoharHSBCStandard CharteredOman Arab BankHarmony Music Centre – Next to OAB Bahwan Travel Agencies – CBD banks areaOTTB – Oman Travels BureauAir India office – CBD next to Costas CostasPapa John Supa Save – CBDWoodlandsBank DhofarHorizon Restaurant – (Next to Moon travels)Oman post office Lulu DarsaitKhimji Ramdas Head office, Muttrah (Kanaksi Khimji & pankaj Khimji) Majan College – Darsait junction (canteen)Indian Social ClubMelody Music Centre – Next to ISMGerman Embassy – Hamriya roundaboutApollo Medical CentreComputer Xpress – Hamriya Roundabout Atlas Travels (Wadi Adai Roundabout (next to polyglot)Hatat HousePassage to IndiaBest carsHyundai/Subaru/GM showroomAl Asfoor FurnishingAhli BankShell marketing officeSEAT car showroom- Wattayah DHL office- Wattayah Honda ShowroomSabco Head office wattayahNTT travels WattayahToyota Bahwan Advertising – Ist floor – Toyota showroomLexusFord showroomShanfari AutomotiveWattayah Motors- VW showroomKhoula HospitalInstitute of Health sciences – opposite KhoulaKia showroom- wattayah

QURUM AREA TOWARDS AL KHUWAIRAl Harthy Complex- Pizza Muscat – next to Sultan Center in al Harthy complexSultan Center Nissan showroomBMW showroom Muscat Private School Qurum city centrePizza Hut – Qurum Capital StoreAl Asfoor PlazaKFCHardeesFono showroom next to Sabco centreShah NagardasSabco Centre- Barista coffee shop onlyAl AraimiPanasonic ShowroomNBO QurumAl Khamis PlazaAl Wadi commercial centre – Coffee shopMercedes showroom

CCC- StandCCC Al FairBollywood chatPizza Hut – Qurum Second CupNandos McDonaldsSalman StoresJawahir OmanHamptonsBusiness Services & Travel Amex office Ernst & Young buildg (OUA Travels) StarbucksHawthorne institute- ELS Fahud Street, opp Qurum parkMumtaz Mahal Left bankOman Association for the disabled Ministry of education (20 +20=20)Muscat Intercon Jawaharat Al Shatti complex- standOasis by the sea - crepe café standLNG OfficeAl Qurum resortBareek Al Shatti ComplexAl Qandeel head office -, Entrance of Bareek al Shatti Al Shatti Cinema - Dunkin DonutsAl Sahwa Schools– principal’s office next to Ramada hotelHotel RamadaAl Muriya Offices- next to Al sahwa schoolsGrand Hyatt MuscatAl Masa MallRadio ShackAl Sarooj ComplexShell Petrol Bunk- Al Sarooj Al FairRamee GuestlineRock BottomClassic Institute of Arts- next to Asas OmanAsas Oman ApartmentsCrowne PlazaCoral hotelQurum Pvt schoolPDORas Al Hamraa ClubOmanoil head office

AL KHUWAIR/MSQ TOWARDS AZAIBAELS – Al khuwair service roadBritish School Muscat – MSQBritish Council Oman oil- Madinat Qaboos Pizza HutKhimjis mart – MSQ Kargeen Café Al fairFamily Book shop- MSQ Tavola – Al Noor Hall buildgStarbucks Hana slimming centre – Ist FloorFotomagicAl Noor Hall Al JadeedEqarat office Above Welcare Clinic – al KhuwairDomino Pizza Oman mobileSafeer Hypermarket Mustafa SultanSouk TechniaOmantelOman international Bank – Al khuwair main officeIbis Hotel

Park inn HotelFriendi OfficeMuscat Bakery Tropical Ice creams SubwayPizza Hut service road Ice Skating RinkNational Training InstituteGolden spoon RestaurantShell Select- Al KhuwairMcdonaldsMct holiday Inn HotelOman Bowling Center HalliburtonCafé VergnanoKhimji Mart – Next to Verganano Safeer suitesAxa insurance (opp assarain Al khuwair)Zakher shopping MallPAN Furnishing Harley DavidsonThriftyAl Amal Medical Centre – Dr BashirHotel RadissonPizza Hut Al KhuwairOzone Video Shop(Next to Pizza Hut)American British School Omar Khayyam Restaurant, next to V kool Grill House (next door)V KoolTAISM Centre for British Teachers – CFBT Baushar Complex CaféAviation Club Restaurant

AZAIBA TOWARDS SEEBLulu Hyper market – BausharOman Medical collegeCollege for Business & financial Studies opp Oman medical, bausharAzzan Bin Qais school - BausharMuscat private HospitalDolphin Village – BausherRoyal hospital Ghala industrial area – NTINational mineral water – Tanuf ( next to Al Madina Holiday Inn)Oman oil AzaibaSpicy Village – Rusayl Pizza Hut – GhalaOman oil – GhalaTowell head office – Enhance & Ist floorMazda showroom Mcdonalds – Azaiba Select shell AzaibaOman Tribune – Al Watan officeNew India assurance Azaiba office Safeer HypermartNawras head office Zubair showroom and Yamaha corporate office(two places)- Yamaha Showroom – close to Zubair showroom – 1st floor Polyglot InstituteGU Tech – Beach road AzaibaChedi Muscat The wave Muscat corporate officeNACA – national cancer Awareness AssnMCC – Crepe CaféAl Bahja– Mood Café & food CourtAl Maya Super market Oman air Seeb office (Below Flyover, before Golden Tulip)Oman Tourisn College Golden Tulip HotelAir portSelect Shell – SeebPizza Hut airportKFC

PICK-UP POINTSPICK-UP POINTS

MUSCAT

Cir

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47Black & White 47Black & White

SHOPPING MALLSLulu shopping centerAl- Istaqarar shopping center (Salalah)Dhofar shopping centerBab Al- Salam marketAl- Mashoor (Salalah)Al- Mashoor (Saada)Al-KhareefK.M TradingAl-Isteqarar (Saada)Al-Hoq super marketHamdan commercial marketFresh super market (Al-Sarat)Union Salalah MarketFamily bookshop

HOTELSCrown PlazaHilton Salalah Hamdan plazaDhofar HotelSalalah hotelHaffa HouseRedan HotelAl- Hanaa HotelBAMSIR hotelAl- Jabel hotelAl- Nile suite (Saada)Salalah Mariott

MINISTRIESMinistry agriculture & fisheries Ministry of educationMinistry of defenseMinistry of housing & electricityMinistry of waterMinistry of tourism Diwan of Royal court (Salalah)Ministry of primary court and justiceMinistry of Commerce & industryDhofar municipality (Baladia)Ministry of man power

PETROL STATIONS, BANKSShanfari filling Stationshell select, al saadaOman oilShell SalalahBank MuscatOmantelOman Arab BankPizza hutDhofar UniversityAl Maha souk

OIB, NizwaOIB, FirqBankMuscat, NizwaBM main branch, NizwaBankMuscat, FirqNBO, NizwaNBO, FirqBank AbudhabiToyotaOTEOmantelNawrasKhimji, NizwaKhimji, IzkiMuscat Bakery, NizwaPizza HutDiscount centreFamily shoppingAl Diyar HotelSafari hotelAl-Nif shopping, IzkiHungery Bunny, NizwaCollege of ScienceCollege of TechnicNizwa Medical CollegeBusmath ClinicThalal ClinicOmanoil, IzkiOmanoil, FirqOmanoil, NizwaOmanoil, MarfaShell, IzkiShell, FirqShell, NizwaAl-Maha, FirqNizwa university -Dept of foreign langAl-Maha, Marfa

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MINISTRIES AREA – AL KHUWAIRMinistry of tourism(Ghala, next to ISG)Ministry of social Development(next to Regional municipalities, Bank Mct)Ministry of foreign affairs

Spicy Village RestaurantLulu HypermarketJumeirah Shopping CentreKhimji’s MartAl Salem shoppingCentrepointMoosa Abdul Rahman – GMCToyotaNissanMitsubishiLG showroomSohar BakerySohar UniversityBank MuscatHabib BankBank SoharOman International BankAl Raffah HospitalBadr Al SamaaOman Arab BankBank DhofarHSBCTravel CityNational Travels and ToursUniversal Travels and TourismDHLDhofar InsuranceAl Ahlia InsuranceTaeeger Finance CoOmantelAl Jazeera GroupNarenjee Hirjee (International)

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48 September 7-20, 2010

Horo

scope

Emotional disruptions in

social relationships will

improve this week. Recently distant

friends or acquaintances will now

offer detailed explanations and unique

invitations. Expect group projects to

quickly change over the next eight

days: individual efforts may be more

rewarding. Avoid subtle romantic

triangles.

You may experience

moody friends or minor

disagreements with loved ones. All

of this now moves slowly into the

past. Romantic attachments may

soon change. Both lovers and close

family members will introduce new

activities and interests. Your choice

will be clear: participate or become

socially isolated.

Listen and react honestly:

many Librans will now find

greater freedom by revealing their

private emotions to loved ones.

Work officials may request unusual

financial information. Be thorough:

workplace success may now rely

heavily on timely negotiations and

an honest disclosure of facts.

Past records or business

contracts will be a

source of workplace confusion.

Communications or business

messages will be delayed this

week. Relationships that have been

emotionally draining over the past two

months will now quickly fade. Power

struggles and unrealistic ego needs

may be a deciding factor.

Take an assertive approach

to business negotiations to

bring the desired results. An unusual

exchange of information or a quickly

changing work routine may initiate new

agreements. Watch documents or long

term financial promises closely: Stay

focussed on your original goals and all

will progress smoothly.

Past business ideas and

unique partnerships may require extra

work this week. Over the next few days

expect business officials or career

associates to be highly focussed on

past events and minor financial details.

Schedule new home events or short

term vacations energy and sleep

patterns return to normal: pace yourself

and expect quick bursts of creativity.

This is an excellent time

to bring a key relationship

more intimately into your life. Expect

partners to respond with warmth

and genuine admiration. Unattached

Scorpios will encounter an unusual

wave of sensual or romantic attraction

toward a close friend. Watch contracts

and business messages closely for

sudden changes.

Romantic and social

relations will now

intensify. Family members may

offer strong opinions or express

previously withheld emotions. Key

issues involve financial security,

past documents or the history of

business transactions. Pay special

attention to property matters or land

agreements.

Listen to the advice of

professionals or official

managers. For the next few days

delicate business negotiations and

new contracts will work in your favour.

Watch for unusual power struggles or

disagreements between officials. Also

avoid complicated social events.

Business advances and

career risks will now be

rewarding but may also take several

months to fully develop. Be patient

and provide important documents

or paperwork early in the process. A

close friend may be quietly jealous of

time spent with others. Be diplomatic:

this is not a good time to publicly

address deep feelings.

Powerful emotions are now

in operation: loved ones

will soon need to spend extra time

sorting out their priorities or social

needs. Offer encouragement but

avoid judgments: for the time being

loved ones will not react well to social

criticism. Expect dramatic reversals

and boldly expressed opinions.

Emotions are unpredictable

at present but will not be problematic

in the long term. Remain patient: loved

ones may now need to make peace

with past disappointments. New money

information or short term obligations

may soon cause confusion in work

relationships. Avoid public discussions

concerning finances or assigned work

roles.

March 21-April 20

June 22-July 23

September 24-October 22

December 23-January 20

April 21-May 20

July 24-August 23

October 23-November 22

January 21-February 19

May 21-June 21

August 24-September 23

November 23-December 22

February 20-March 20

LANCE EDWARD ARMSTRONG (BORN LANCE

EDWARD GUNDERSON ON SEPTEMBER 18, 1971)

is an American professional road racing cyclist who is

best known for winning the Tour de France a record

seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular

cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance

Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support.

Your stars

ARIES

CANCER

LIBRA

CAPRICORN

TAURUS

LEO

SCORPIO

AQUARIUS

GEMINI

VIRGO

SAGITTARIUS

PISCES

49Black & White

Sometimes, cheating is allowed

Healthy food can

make you thin

SHE

We eat even when food

overwhelms us; or, simply

when we are before food.

Yes, when food is before

us, we just can’t help

putting it in our mouth.

The problem with

food is that it is mostly

visually appealing and

aromatically enticing. So,

there is little escaping it

when it is before you.

60

58

There is nothing wrong with cheat meals.

Providing that the amount you eat in

your cheat meal does not undo ALL your

hard work for the rest of the week. The

risk with not counting the calories in your

cheat meal is that you may overdo it. Of

course, if you

are weighing

yourself

regularly, you

will be able

to determine

if you are

overdoing your

cheat, because

you won’t lose

weight that

week

For

her

The energy woman

50

Saniya Khalfan Al Ghannami is a businesswoman

with a difference. She could be ideally termed as the

quintessential Omani businesswoman. Or, better put, she

is someone who can really show what an Omani woman

is capable of.

50 September 7-20, 201050 September 7-20, 2010

Eve's d

rop

51Black & White

The energy WOMANShe worked as a nurse, flew planes (she has a commercial pilot’s license), she

has also sold and is even now selling clothes, but now, this highly enterprising

and accomplished Omani businesswoman has turned her passion for a cause: to

save energy for Oman! Saniya Khalfan Al Ghannami is a businesswoman with a

difference. She has seen and done it all and before becoming a businesswoman,

she has had her stint with the PDO (Petroleum Development Oman) and worked

as a civilian officer with the ROP (Royal Oman Police).

SHE COULD BE IDEALLY termed

as the quintessential Omani

businesswoman. Or, better put, she

is someone who can really show

what an Omani woman is capable of.

That she has trailblazed a path,

which very few Omani women has

even stepped into is secondary to the

fact that today, Saniya, a proud, but

young grandmother, is on a business

mission to save energy for Oman.

While she has dabbled into all (and

more) of the fields mentioned, her

current passion is to whip up interest

in energy saving. She is now busily

promoting a unique UK brand called

ENIGIN, which has a wide range of

energy-saving appliances, to Oman

Inc.

The appliances are considered

to be the most effective way of

combating rising energy prices

and increasing supply demands.

According to Saniya, the ENIGIN

products have been able to provide

one of the most important responses

to one of the biggest threat humans

have ever faced – climate change.

Some of the ENIGIN products are

so efficient that they can cut down

energy costs by round 90 percent,

she said. “How good are the energy-

saving bulbs that you buy now?

ENIJIN has bulbs that last for 10

years! Which bulb can last that long

and still cut your bills down by 90

percent? There are different energy

saving units for homes, corporates,

industries, factories etc. For instance,

an ENIJIN electrical monitor can

help you monitor your energy

consumption on-a-day-to-day basis;

make you understand and measure

it.

Some months your bills are more,

sometimes it is less. This way you

can know if you are wasting energy.

Sometimes with small changes in

lifestyle, we can change the whole

consumption of energy.

Many believe they can save energy

with small behaviour changes. Most

of us severely underestimate the

major effects of switching to efficient,

currently available technologies like

the energy savers,” Saniya told Black

& White in a recent interview.

Before she detailed her energy

saving business, Saniya also spoke

about her earlier days, after her

education. “I took up business in

1984 and got in to the clothing arena.

I started off with a boutique called

‘Lujaina’ at Al Wadi Commercial

Centre in Qurum. It started soon after

the birth of my daughter Lujaina. As

she grew I changed the clothing in

accordance with her ages.”

According to

Saniya, the

ENIGIN products

have been able to

provide one of the

most important

responses to one

of the biggest

threat humans

have ever faced –

climate change

52 September 7-20, 2010

Now Saniya has a boutique at

Al Bahja called ‘Tanya’, named

after her granddaughter. “Currently

my daughter takes care of it. The

clothing line took me to various

places and I was soon savvy with

various international brands and

brought them to Oman.

I started off my career thinking I

will be a commercial pilot, and then

I had a brief stint as a nurse. But I

soon realised that business is my

passion. Business needs lots of

awareness, travel and updating. So

in this process I have learnt quite a

lot and ventured in to a world of eco

friendly energy-saving business.

BUSINESS WOMAN WITH A

PURPOSE

“All of us do business in some way

or the other, for many it could be

their career, identity or livelihood.

But I wanted to do a business that

gave back something to the society.

I believe in innovation and creativity.

So after many years of search and

learning, I got in to something after

my heart. I wanted to reduce carbon

footprints and pollution in my own

way. I got in to the world of energy

saving appliances. My travel for the

clothing business to the UK and

Europe made me realise that most

community and corporate were in

to energy saving attempts, so I got

into this business of selling energy

savers -- from bulbs to monitors to

meters.”

Energy efficiencies in all walks

of life will help reduce the effects

of climate change, and commerce

and industry can make a significant

contribution by using the best

available technologies to reduce the

amount of energy needed to operate

facilities, Saniya feels.

She stressed on the importance of

getting more from less. Population

levels are projected to increase

from 6.5 billion today to 8.3 billion

by 2030. At this rate of growth, the

world’s demand for energy will have

increased by 53 percent elevating

global CO2 emissions by 55 percent.

SAVE ENERGY, SAVE OUR

EARTH

“Every year, we use more energy

than we did the year before.

Remember, energy isn’t free. We

all pay for the electricity we use.

So wasting energy is the same as

wasting money – and we know that’s

not a good idea! We can earn the

money back, energy spend is energy

gone forever! Wasting energy isn’t

good for the environment either.

Most of the energy sources we

depend on, like coal and natural gas,

can’t be replaced – once we use

them up, they’re gone forever.

Another problem is that most forms

of energy can cause pollution. What

do we do about it? Get prudent and

live wisely. My range of products

will ensure that energy is saved on

a day-to-day basis,” Saniya said,

enthusing confidence. “As I got

in to the field of energy savers, I

realised that this is the business

I can do well. There is not much

of awareness or range of energy

saving brands in Oman and ENIJIN

would be one of the first of its kind

offering a wide range for all business

houses and industries,” she said,

adding that ENIJIN products are

long lasting and came with free

maintenance, care etc.

One of the products called ACE

claims to decrease the power used

for air conditioners by 30 percent,

while CUES, another product, has

the capacity to reduce the power

consumption of the refrigerators to

30 per cent.

Then there are LED lights that will

reduce energy consumption down

to 90 per cent. “I am just starting

the business now but I have good

responses and I hope to reach out

to many corporate and industries in

town. There are a few industries in

Oman that consume thousands of

rials worth of power.

SAVING ENERGY BECOMES

EASIER

Every time you turn off a light

bulb or close the refrigerator door,

you’re saving energy. But now by

introducing ENIJIN products to

the Oman market, energy saving

becomes easier and long lasting.

There are lots of easy ways to

save energy at home – and all

those energy-savers add up to a big

impact on the environment.

For details on ENIJIN 97617999 or

log on to www.mygreenoman.com

Eve's d

rop

We all pay for the

electricity we use. So

wasting energy is the

same as wasting money

53Black & White 53535355355355335BlBlBlBBlBlBlBlllBlBllBlBlaaacacacacck kkkkk kk &&&&&&&&& WWWWWW hiiihihihihiteteeeetetetttete

Date Ball Cookies are made

with dates, pecans, butter, and honey.

Ingredients:

•2 cups corn flakes

•3/4 cups dates, chilled

•1/2 cup pecans

•2 tablespoons honey

•1 tablespoon butter

•2 teaspoons orange juice

•Sifted confectioners’ sugar

•Pecan halves

Method:

Put first 3 ingredients through meat grinder. Add

honey, butter, and orange juice; knead with hands until

thoroughly blended. Shape date mixture into 1-inch

balls; roll in confectioners’ sugar and top each with a

pecan half.

with recipes

DATEA

In many countries, dates are added to salads, couscous dishes and curries,

but they are most commonly used in baked desserts and confections. Because

dates are very high in sugar, they can easily be converted into sugar. If there

is one healthy sweet, it is a date… summer is usually the season for dates and

with the festive season coming up, here are two quick date dessert recipes…

Cookin

g

Date Ball Cookies

Date Halwa ndd d hhhhohooooohhoohhh nenneeeeneneneeneeneenenennen yyyyyy.y.yyyyyyy.y.yyy.y..y..yy.y.yyyyyyyy

kiieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeessssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

aallllllllllwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Ingredients:

•1 c Seedless dates

•Half cup milk

•¾ cup sugar

•¾ cup ghee

•Half cup cashews cut into fine pieces

•25g pistachio nuts, finely chopped

Method:

Mix together milk, sugar and dates. Keep this

mixture to boil. When boiling, add ghee. Then

add 1/4 cup of cashew nuts. Cook on slow fire

till the mixture is almost dry and the halwa is

formed. Remove from fire, spread it on a dish

and add the remaining 1/4 cup of cashew nuts.

Garnish with the chopped pistachio nuts.

Laila, Omani graduate

student of Nizwa University

I love ‘Me’...

We all know what love is. And most of us strive

to be loved by others. I agree that being loved by

others is crucial in social life but not more than loving

ourselves first. For many years I believed that loving

myself means that I am a Narcissist (someone who

loves himself very much). But not anymore because

I have decided to live every moment of my life with

love, joy and peace. Today, I understand that loving

me has become the basic key to success.

I want you all to find out how to love yourself

and utilise this powerful love in your real life. Let’s

just start by loving ourselves then we will feel the

greatness behind that love. People may think that

you are an egotist, but the more you value yourself

and love it; the more lovable you will be.

Loving ourselves is the inner peace and the strong

connection with God because you believe that you

belong to Almighty and you are supported by Him

overall. Furthermore, loving ourselves mean that

we have high self-esteem, which enables us to

overcome any problems that we may encounter in

our path to success.

Indeed, loving ourselves is being in need these

days because many of us still have that negative

attitude when they hear “I love myself’’. I call all of

you to stop thinking that way and start supporting

each other to raise the amount of love we already

have for ourselves. Loving ourselves means that

we are confident enough to face any criticism from

anyone because you know how to protect yourself

well. People are trying to give love but do they really

love themselves first. By now, I can say that if we,

ourselves, don’t feel the true love toward ourselves

then we will fail absolutely to give it to others. Loving

ourselves is the power within which makes you ready

for any risk in life.

Let us not go on and on about this, let me just

emphasise that it is high time that we start loving

ourselves to give it out perfectly and without any

expectations.

Now, let’s move to the recipe in which you can love

yourself and use that love to enjoy your life. How

can I love myself, you may question yourself. But

always think positively and feel the happiness behind

it. Anyhow, what I am saying here comes out of my

own experience that I myself went through and want

to share with you.

Firstly, accept yourself as you are: your

appearance, your behaviour and your thinking.

Accepting is very important here and I guess if you

accept yourself as you are, you will have a better

value to yourself. Secondly, forgive yourself if you

did a mistake because we all make mistakes and

without them we will not have any experience.

Third, embrace every moment in your life by

enjoying everything that you do. Fourth, be a good

support to others because that will help you to

feel the greatness you have by just being there for

someone who needs a hand.

Moreover, start saying that you love yourself and

allow yourself to feel it deep in your heart. Then, you

will feel the beauty of your life and the beauty of your

soul. Love yourself and experience the difference

within that powerful love.

Never think that by loving yourself may reveal the

worse of you and that won’t happen if you value

others and respect them. It is their right too, to love

themselves and be respected. Now, close your eyes,

take a deep breath, smile and say ‘’I love myself’’.

By Laila Ibrahim Obaid Al-Gharbi

lalgharbi@yahoo.com

Learn

ing c

urv

e

54 September 7-20, 2010

Pounding heartbeat, racing pulse, beads of perspiration on my

forehead…that was me 20,000 feet up in the air…when I discovered

that I HAD LOST MY NETBOOK. I was flying for a writers’ convention to

Bhutan and all my work was in it.

I shuddered with fear thinking what I would do over there. I just wanted

to cry so I took some tissues to weep into them and also to make my

resolution about not losing expensive items and while writing this I drifted

into scripting what I would be presenting to the publishers.

Was it difficult? Sure, but all it required was my brain and an ability to

think beyond the paraphernalia of technology.

We have a slavish mentality towards the tools of technological

development. If the internet is not working we break into a cold sweat

and wonder what will happen? What about all the applications on the

computer?

Do we need all the applications? Or is it a case of creating an artificial

demand because there is a supply? The brain has become a virtual

reality but the virtual reality has become a reality – a hug on facebook is

the only hug I can give so I am hugging strangers on facebook but I want

to fight with my friend in my backyard and family members at home.

I want to share my feelings with the world at large on a social networking

site but not tell my spouse or best friend that they hurt me and are not

there for me or even thank them for putting up with me and my tantrums.

I am sure that we are and can use technology for productive purposes

but let’s not ignore the fact that it is our brain that is creating technology

and is making it work.

Wishing all my friends a happy Eid-Mubarak!

Till next time peace and love

P.S. This is also my birthday month!

Oh my God, the

Net is not workingVandana, award winning author

(‘360 Degrees Back to Life')

By Vandana Shah

It's m

y lif

e

Vandana Shah, Author 360 Degrees Back To life, www.vandanashah.com

Email me what you’d like to say on 360degreesbacktolife@gmail.com

Follow me on twitter Vandy4PM

55Black & White

56 September 7-20, 2010

Psy

che

And the Award

for the Most

SUPERSTITIOUS

goes to…

Women are more superstitious

than men. If you want to dispute

that, tell me first: When was the

last time you saw an astrology

column in a men’s magazine?

Women are said to experience

more anxiety, or at least, more

women than men seek help for

anxiety problems.

56 September 7-20, 2010

57Black & White

ALTHOUGH PERSONALITY

VARIABLES are not a strong factor

in developing superstition, there is

some evidence that if you are more

anxious than the average person

you’re slightly more likely to be

superstitious.

But, then who is not superstitious?

Even the most rational ones

among us may have occasionally

participated in superstitious thinking

or behaviour often without even

realising that we are doing it.

Haven’t you taken a sneak peek at

your daily horoscope at some point

or the other; avoided crossing a

black cat; knocked on wood…? Well,

caught you!

If we actually do a poll, we are

likely to find that at least half of the

people in the world are a little bit

superstitious. A teenie-weenie bit at

least?

But, many are of the opinion that

women are more superstitious than

men. Again, are these just shots

in the dark and pinning a brand

on women just because they are

women?

LOCUS OF CONTROL

Research on gender and locus of

control may provide a small clue

into this belief that women are more

superstitious. Locus of control refers

to the extent to which individuals

believe that they can control events

that affect them. Individuals with a

high internal locus of control believe

that events result primarily from their

own behaviour and actions. Those

with a high external locus of control

believe that powerful others, fate, or

chance primarily determine events.

Then, you believe that you are sort of

buffeted by life, and things happen to

you instead of the other way around.

People with external locus of control

are more likely to be superstitious,

possibly as a way of getting more

power over their lives. “Part of

the reason why women are more

superstitious than men is that women

feel, even in today’s modern society,

that they have less control over their

fate than men do,” researchers note.

In childhood and early adolescence,

boys and girls do not differ much in

locus of control, but in college and

late adolescence onwards, women

begin to show a greater dependence

on external locus of control than

men, and thus more susceptible to

superstition and paranormal belief.

WOMEN BELIEVE IN STAR SIGNS

Many are of the opinion that women

are more convinced of things such

as star signs and the magical ‘power’

of stones, palm reading etc... They

are also more likely to refer to luck or

God as an explanation of fortunate/

unfortunate circumstances.

A sense of security and confidence

are perhaps the greatest benefits we

get emotionally from superstitious

thinking or behavior -- like carrying

an object or wearing an item of

clothing that you deem to be lucky.

And one of the driving force behind

most superstitions is wanting more

control or certainty.

We tend to look for some kind of a

rule, or an explanation for why things

happen. Sometimes the creation of

a false certainty is better than no

certainty at all, researchers note.

Superstitions provide people with

the sense that they’ve done one

more thing to try to ensure the

outcome they are looking for. So,

could we say that this is the realm of

only women…?

You are the best judge.

57Black & White

58 September 7-20, 2010

Shape n

sound

Healthy food can make you

If we stopped eating when we

were full, we would be thin. But,

unfortunately, we don’t.

The truth is that we all eat even

when we are not hungry.

Don’t ask why, because you will

not be able to get to the root of

that matter.

We eat even when our stomach

is full. We eat when we are

bored; when we are tired; when

we are thinking; when we are

angry, upset or restless.

WE EAT EVEN WHEN food overwhelms us; or, simply when

we are before food.

Yes, when food is before us, we just can’t help putting it in

our mouth.

The problem with food is that it is mostly visually appealing

and aromatically enticing. So, there is little escaping it when it

is before you.

There is a way out of this though. If you are only eating at

home, then you can make your food so unappealing that all

you need is to nibble it. Mostly, visually unsatisfying food is

left untouched. But, this is not exactly practical. You can do it

once, but not always.

PENCHANT FOR WRONG FOOD

And, then it is a habit of most people to eat all the wrong

things. Even people who go to the gym, tend to gobble up

something that is going to be bad for them in the future. The

body is like a machine, if you don’t put the right kind of fuel

into it, it won’t work properly. In physical terms, you’re looking

at weight gain and bad health, apart from other problems.

The right thing to do is to make sure you eat mostly healthy

foods.

59Black & White

thinHere are five (5) healthy foods that you need to

eat to be thin and look great:

PUMPKIN AND PUMPKIN SEEDS – Pumpkin seeds are

filled with magnesium and pumpkin itself is a high satiety

food, meaning that if fills you up with very little calories

helping you to avoid overeating. It also contains vitamin A

and is high on fiber which is good for the digestive system.

SARDINES – These fish are a wonderful and healthy food

for you to eat. They are full of Omega-3 and calcium and are

also rich in other substances like Iron, zinc, and vitamin B.

Make sure to avoid eating salted sardines, eat them in their

own oil or in olive oil instead.

GREEN TEAS – Drinking tea can be very healthy. Green

teas are rich in antioxidants which can help delay the aging

process. Don’t take green tea with sugar as it’s fattening. Try

some wild honey instead.

SWEET POTATOES – Loaded with vitamin C, rich in fiber

and potassium, sweet potatoe is a healthy food item and one

which children and adults like. So you can and should make

them part of your family’s menu.

BROWN RICE – White rice is much less healthy than the

natural brown rice which is full of Vitamin E and B-6, copper

and zinc, and also fills you up for a long time and so helps

reduce hunger.

1

2

3

4

5

60 September 7-20, 2010

Shape n

sound

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is allowed…

Sometimes,

CHEATING

60 September 7-20, 2010

61Black & White

Some dieters are known to eat clean six

days a week and then cheat for one day.

Cheating kept the metabolism guessing

and running and allow them to avoid a

plateau during their entire dietary journey

There is nothing wrong with cheat meals. Providing that the amount you

eat in your cheat meal does not undo ALL your hard work for the rest of the

week. The risk with not counting the calories in your cheat meal is that you

may overdo it. Of course, if you are weighing yourself regularly, you will be

able to determine if you are overdoing your cheat, because you won’t lose

weight that week. And you will know to be more careful the following week.

For those wanting to lose weight, dieting seems to be the only solution.

And those wanting to lose weight jump on diets instead of resolving to eat

healthier.

But amidst this flurry of low carb to low fat, and sheer plain deprivation

comes the blessing of a planned ‘cheat meal’.

Dieters everywhere rejoice at the idea of a preconceived gorge once a

week without the guilt. The main idea is that you diet for a certain amount

of time, then cheat with a meal that consists of foods that are not usually on

your diet, ice cream, pizza, cake, etc., to trick your metabolism and speed it

back up. The question is, does it work? Is it okay? The answer is yes.

First of all, your metabolism does not think. It is a programmed mechanism

in your body, the collection of all the chemical reactions that take place

within cells to transport the nutrients from food to the proper places in your

body where they can be broken down and used for energy or stored for later

use. You cannot trick your metabolism. It simply responds to stimuli, so you

want to manipulate the variables and stimulate a different response.

Dieting and eating very restricted calories can be rough on your mindset.

You will miss all the foods you enjoyed before and it can take a toll on you

emotionally. You can become cranky and irritable and resentful of the diet if

you don’t give yourself a break every now and then. A cheat meal can serve

as a reward for being so disciplined and loosen up your will power so you

can go on strong. It can allow you to still go out with your friends to eat out

at nice restaurants without having to freak out about the menu and the lack

of healthy options. Or it can help you to enjoy a day out at the park with the

kids and actually get to eat what they eat for a while.

Deprivation has never been a very successful tactic with humans. It is

usually used as a punishment. So be smart. Don’t punish yourself. The

privilege of eating healthy is one very few people can afford and we have

to appreciate the fact that we have this option. Your body will definitely

appreciate it. So if you can stick to your diet all week, it is okay and yes it

can be beneficial to you to throw in a cheat meal on the weekend.

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61Black & White

By Priya Arunkumar

priya@blackandwhiteoman.com

Hooked

Four women are a pile of gossip and fun!

I was eavesdropping on a gang of middle

aged ladies, who had nothing better to do,

other than gossip!

They had loads of spare time and this time

the topic was very personal.

Husbands!

Here it goes:

Psst… look at her, that plain Jane over there

in that corner…

She has a very handsome hubby!

You should see him; he could have got

better girls; he is one handsome hunk!

God! Why do good looking men fall for plain

looking girls?

Especially when there are pretty females

around? They waste their lives.

And look at us; we could have got better

ones.

One chipped in: I was too young to decide,

mine was an arranged marriage and I come

from an orthodox family, had no choice,

other than to marry the man of their choice.

Another one: my family looked for financial

stability, so no complaints.

Wish I never got married… the third one

sighed!

The fourth one was totally bored. But she

was the best!

She put up a question: Do you know the

three types of men?

She didn’t wait for an answer: The

handsome, the caring, and the majority.

My husband belongs to the ‘majority’.

They all laughed aloud.

Made me smile, I had a few speaking that

about me too!

Poor husbands, if only they heard what their

‘pretty’ better halves thought of them!

Seeing me smile, they grinned at me, and

asked: “Are you married?

I nodded yes! And said: to a handsome

man!

“Plain Jane, handsome hubby formula,” I

grinned back!

Handsome men deserve pretty women? I

queried.

They corrected me: Pretty women deserve

handsome men!

Well, what if your hubbies chose only pretty

woman, I shot back.

No way, they chorused! You think they will

get anything better?

We were the best they could ever aspire for!

Roaring laughter again!

They had no qualms about anything.

I laughed too. Laughter can be infectious

sometimes.

Life is funny, if you want it to be.

I know of a lady who stopped talking to her

father since he forced her to marry against

her will, for very many years…

I know of women who shed tears everyday

and died a slow death.

Then there are people who fight bitterly

over silly things and here are a few, sitting

casually and laughing away joking at their

personal expense.

Life can be funny at times.

Maybe we all should do just that.

Believe that life is not always that serious.

Live and let others live too.

Gossip while you have company.

Eat as much as you can digest.

Act without a thought.

Judge every person you meet.

And laugh at yourself!

An alarming number of people suffer from…

seriousness!

Stay away from it!

A word of caution: Although laughing is

good for your general wellness, laughing at

others’ expense is in bad taste and is to be

avoided, just like laughing with food in the

mouth, for it could choke you!

Nothing serious about it…

MADE IN JAPAN