ROHM Pipe Organ marks a historic day — Page 3 - Oman Observer

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Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Mother’s values tied to baby’s
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Chocolate
Yule Log P10
Lara Dutta finds Farhan attractive
Page 13
Weekend
ROHM Pipe Organ
marks a historic day
— Page 3

Weekend
2 WINTER WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012
Snowfall in Al Jabal Al Akhdhar villages
By Said al Abri
IN spite of the hot climate,
good rains and
snowfall were witnessed
in many parts of Al
Dakhiliyah Governorate,
especially in Hail Al Diyar,
Al Hail, Al Roos and
Al Haliylat. This region
witnessed intense snowfall
with many wadis in full
flow.
The temperatures have
come down in the villages
promising a good tourist
season that is sure to bring
visitors to the area, especially
citizens from the Sultanate
and the Gulf region.
The rains in Al Jabal Al
Akhdhar during the past
three days caused snowfall
in many villages as temperature
dropped to minus.
It is worth mentioning
that moderate to heavy rains
in the governorate during
the past days caused wadis
to overflow. The rains increased
the groundwater
level in aflaj and wells.
By the fall of snow
and the low temperature,
citizens started the preparations
to receive winter
which is relatively very
cold compared to the rest
of the Sultanate.
Citizens in Al Jabal
Al Akhdhar started to use
warming devices and to
stay away from the exposure
of cold weather as they
need to get accustomed to
the cold weather at the be-
The temperatures
have come down
in the villages
promising a good
tourist season that
is sure to bring
visitors to the
area, especially
citizens from the
Sultanate and the
Gulf region. The
rains in Al Jabal
Al Akhdhar during
the past three days
caused snowfall
in many villages
as temperature
dropped to minus
ginning.
It is known that temperature
comes below zero
in winter in the peaks of
mountains as the case in Al
Jabal Al Akhdhar and Jabal
Shams. Lots of people enjoy
this type of weather
and these places receive
large number of visitors
in winter as they get away
from the moderate weather
in cities, for a change.
With mercury dipping
to minus degree Al Jabal
Al Akhdhar received heavy
to moderate snowfall.
The villagers, especially
the children were thrilled
to enjoy the unexpected
snowfall.
Al Jabal Al Akhdhar,
which translates ‘Green
Mountains’ in English, is
the region of the most verdant
outside of Salalah and
the Batinah Coast. One of
the most scenic areas in
Oman, this region is a natural
spot for tourism.
Royal Oman Police
(ROP) has issued warning
for all citizens and residents
to remain cautious,
be away from the wadi
paths, not to cross wadis
without ensuring that the
water speed and level is
safe, leave safety distance
and monitor their kids.
The cautionary message
is due to the continuous
rainfall on a number of
governorates in the Sultanate
leading to streaming of
wadis.

Weekend
3 CULTURE WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012
ROHM Pipe Organ marks a historic day
By Maurice Gent
NO superlatives, it is just
awesome.
Oman has had by
far the best pipe organ in the
Middle East for some time. Its
elegant and austere lines have
been visible to the audience.
But with official ceremonies
celebrating its inauguration
confident harmonious notes
were heard for the first time in
public.
For the record it must
be made clear that even the
greatest doubter clapped and
cheered. It was without a doubt
an important moment in the
further development of Oman
as a world famous centre for
music and opera. The ROHM
had another hit on its hands.
Its versatility was shown by
playing pieces ranging from
Beethoven and Bach to Saint
Saens, and a number of worldclass
organists were on hand
to show their skills. Talking
to members of the audience a
world-class group of organists
were all deemed superb and the
favourite performer appeared
to be a Canadian, Isabelle
Demers. She has been called in
her native Canada a diminutive
dynamo. Certainly her range
and powers of expression were
very impressive indeed. She
started playing the piano at the
age of six and graduated to the
organ by the time she was a
mature 11-year-old.
Isabelle Demers, whose star
Its versatility was
shown by playing
pieces ranging from
Beethoven and Bach
to Saint Saens, and a
number of world-class
organists were on hand
to show their skills.
Talking to members of
the audience a worldclass
group of organists
were all deemed superb
and the favourite
performer appeared to
be a Canadian, Isabelle
Demers. She has been
called in her native
Canada a diminutive
dynamo
quality is now recognised on
both sides of the Atlantic has
won herself many more admirers
in the Middle East.
The organ showed its
quality by offering an impressive
sound when played by
different organists interpreting
a wide range of works from
Beethoven to Handel and Saint
Saens with more recent pieces
by Widor and Saint Saens.
The whole day was devoted
to the new organ. During the
day a symposium was held,
and world-class experts explained
the importance of the
pipe organ and its evolution
and development in the history
of music. The history of the
organ can be traced back more
2,300 years. Ancient manuscripts
tell the history of the
development of the pipe organ.
It is linked to the development
of history in many civilisations.
It has been used at both
celebrations and worship since
the beginning of recorded
time. Changes in the development
of the pipe organ have
often mirrored the progress of
civilisations.
The ROHM in what
is known as its Outreach
Programme frequently holds
seminars addressed by world
experts and the launch of the
pipe organ was clearly an occasion
when academic experts
on the pipe organ should be
invited from around the world.
The outreach programme
certainly showed its value on
this occasion with the launch
of the ROHM Pipe Organ. The
programme became an international
event in itself.
The pipe organ was invented more than 2,000 years ago by
the Greek engineer Ktesibios. This instrument was used in
Greek amphitheatres during the Olympic Games, and it could
be heard in the Roman arenas. What is special about the
pipe organ is that it is a keyboard instrument, and it has pipes
that work like a flute. What makes the pipe organ so special in
comparison to all other instruments is that the player does not
create the energy to make the instrument’s sound himself, he
needs an assistant. In earlier time, someone would pump the
bellows; today, an electric blower, a sort of turbine, is used to
generate the wind needed for the pipe organ

Weekend
IN all religions, helping others is
mentioned, and to me what I usually
do is sit with my family and read the
Bible at night. We also pray together and
usually children look up to their parents
or elder ones, so everything that we 'parents'
say or do they will do; therefore one
of the main things to encourage our children
to participate in such activities is to
make sure that we mention these things
to our children and most importantly we
should ourselves be active in the aspect
of social cause volunteering so that our
children learn from us and apply that in
their own lives.
— Solomon Dhangar
PARENTS should encourage their
children to participate in different
social causes. This can be done by the
parents also by participating along with
their children. Nowadays schools also
encourage the children. In some ways
this is better because the children have
to help out with their friends and not
only with their parents. And parents
should not only depend on the schools
to encourage their children. Helping
others by both the school and the parents
will help the children understand its
importance.
— Krupa
SINCE my daughter studies in a
private school, she already has an
idea or encouragement from her school,
where the school encourages students
to volunteer in society. Parents should
encourage their children to take part in
social cause work by explaining to them
that helping needy people is a blessing
and that God will ask us at some point
about the good things we have done in
our lives.
Most important is that we just always
keep teaching our children good
things and remind them about the good
things in this world.
— Edgar Lepitan
PARENTS should really encourage
their children by helping them
understand the good work that charities
do. To make society better, parents should
CITY 4TALK
first make sure that the children are well
educated on the importance of helping
others. This is because the betterment
of a society begins at home and what
children learn from their family, they
will be able to repeat it outside their
homes. Schools also play an important
role in educating the children.
It would be really great if schools can
work along with some charities and that
way the children will be able to further
develop this charitable value and help
everyone in their society.
— Sherlin
IN my opinion, there should be
public conventions where children
can participate and get feedback from
the convention regarding social cause
volunteering, and by that students
can get together and involve in group
discussions.
Schools should also hold such meetings
on a regular basis involving both
students and their parents and keep them
updated on the latest news of social
needs, and by that students or children
will always be reminded of the needs of
society and hence work together to help
and volunteer for society.
— Clement Christian
PARENTS can educate their children
with regard to the differences between
the people in need and themselves.
They must teach their kids that volunteering
for social causes helps our society
in getting better and creating a better
place for people in need to live in.
— Elias Taigo
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012
Encouraging children to be better
volunteers for social causes
Sherlin, Clement Christian and Edgar Lepitan
Parents should really encourage their children by helping them understand the good work
that charities do. To make society better, parents should first make sure that the children
are well educated on the importance of helping others. This is because the betterment
of a society begins at home and what children learn from their family, they will be able to
repeat it outside their homes. Schools also play an important role in educating the children
Next topic: “What things can we do to reduce greenhouse gas emission?”
If you wish to offer your brief comments on this subject, please e-mail us at: citytalk.observer@yahoo.com
including your name and passport-size photograph.
— Compiled by Melanie Held
Sunirman, Elias Taigo and Solomon
Krupa
CHILDREN of all ages can benefit
from volunteering and giving back
to the community. We all want to raise
good kids, and part of doing that is
giving them real responsibilities, above
and beyond doing the dishes.
When we don't give kids responsibilities,
we pay the price. Kids can become
lazy and complacent and too selffocused.
Volunteering and giving back prevents
that and helps others. Also, they
should be taught in the way they should
go, and after a while they will not depart
from it. — Sunirman

Weekend
Students showcase their talent at forum
By Ra’al Al Jardaniya
THE 4th Students Talent
Forum held at the College
of Art and Social Science,
Sultan Qaboos University,
proved to be a success with many
talented students finding it an avenue
for exhibiting their abilities
in various fields.
The graduation students of the
Social Services Department organised
the two-day forum which
included small sections such as
THE Arab States
Regional Office
(ASRO) of the
United Nations Population
Fund (UNFPA),
Muscat convened a meeting
last week and brought
together 70 enthusiastic
youths to review the process
of a vibrant society
inclusive of all sectors
including women and
youth.
The GCC Area Office
identified and supported
four youths — two each
from Oman and Bahrain
— to attend the meeting
in Cairo and participate in
the ongoing National review
of the Programme of
‘I am not different’, ‘Creative
hand’, ‘My society cares about
my talent’, ‘Techno talents’, ‘Social
service and its role in talent
development’, and ‘Talents hypermarket’.
The forum held under the auspices
of the dean, Dr Abdullah
al Kindi, brought together many
talents from among the students
and helped them showcase their
skills in order to develop them.
Such activities can make the students
more confident and improve
Action that was agreed by
174 member states who
attended the International
Conference on Population
and Development (ICPD)
in 1994.
Amal al Mashayakhi
and Kulthoom al Khmaiyasi
were chosen from
the applicants for their
unique qualifications in
representing the country
for various other activities
and their dedication
to volunteerism and
development, despite their
young age.
At 25 and 22 respectively,
Amal and Kulthoom
have travelled the
world and participated in
5 EVENTS WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012
their talents. Social service as a
profession shows commitment to
society and this school imparts
training for students to take up it
in right earnest.
The forum underscored the
role of social experts in the
moulding young talents and encouraging
teachers to prepare
more programmes for the purpose.
This was highlighted at the
Social Service section. The cooperation
between students and
social service team from SQU
was very much impressive.
The forum included, besides
the sections, events such as lecture
given by Hilal al Siyabi, who
has made 150 inventions. The
lecture was about his inventions,
explaining where they have been
introduced and how they are useful
to society. He also talked about
the importance of inventions and
how they help to develop the
mind and improve the talents of
children during the tender age.
As part of the forum, an event
titled ‘Students have got talent’
saw participants showing their
talents in dancing, sports, painting
and inventing.
This year’s forum was a great
success as it pulled a large number
students and participants from
different schools who showed
their impressive talents in various
arts and scientific inventions.
Oman’s cultural
exhibition in Finland
By Asma al Mamari
THE engineering group from Sohar College of Applied
Sciences celebrated the Omani Day at TAMK in Finland,
entitled “Ambassadors of Oman”.
The occasion was held under the auspices of Dr Anas bin
Hilal, the head of Engineering Department in the college and the
president of TAMK and other staff from the same college. On
the sidelines of this gathering, Dr Anas opened an exhibition that
presented different aspects of the Sultanate.
Media section was entitled “Majd Oman” presented by
Mansoor al Harthy and Jabr al Jahwari; posters section showed
Omanis culture presented by Rushdi al Khasibi; brochure section
showed Oman’s famous people like football player Ali al Habsi.
The section was presented by Saad al Maskari and Luqman al
Agabr. The exhibition also included the Opera House and Omani
coins section that attracted many visitors for its richness with information
about Oman.
The Arabic language learning section presented by Salwa al
Mamari enabled Finlanders to learn some Arabic words. Omani
food was also a part in the exhibition where many Omani foods
were cooked and presented by the students. This section was presented
by Ali al Kalbani and Sumaia al Maymani. All those who
tried the food were impressed by the taste of “Haris, Majboos,”
and other Omani food. Henna section presented by Safia al Fatrsi
and Latifa al Shibli attracted many women to try henna on their
hands. Walid al Majrfi presented Oman map and gave some information
about Oman and its governorates. In addition, CDs
about Oman’s wildlife, Omani arts and music and about Oman in
general were distributed.
Omani women in Regional Arab Youth Coalition for ICPD beyond 2014
international forums and
events that those twice
their age have yet to
achieve, and so were the
perfect choice for such a
coalition.
After the meeting
they are going to spend
the next year connecting
with other members of
the coalition in the region
and engaging decision
takers and policy makers
nationwide to ensure the
country is fulfilling its
goals towards the ICPD
agenda.
As the ICPD PoA will
come to an end in 2014,
youth organisations in the
Arab region will have an
important opportunity to
influence the review of
ICPD PoA and the ICPD
agenda beyond 2014.
“The Arab youth
organisations require a coordinated
effort to unify
the youth voices in the
region through a structured
advocacy mechanism
to enable them from
participating meaningfully
in the review process. In
addition, gradually, such a
mechanism could enhance
the co-ordination between
youth organisations and
youth serving institutions
at the regional level,” a
release from the UNFPA
GCC Area Office said.

Weekend
By Melanie Held
MCDONALD’S held their
“Open Door” campaign
this past week where they invited
Municipality officials from Seeb
and Bausher, as well as the media,
to come and learn more about its
quality foods.
Ali K Daud, Development
Licensee and President of Mc-
Donald’s Oman (Al Daud Restaurants)
said, “We are proud of the
exacting quality benchmarks we
implement across our restaurants,
and confident that our customers
will be equally satisfied with
our high standards. Not only do
we meet regulations set by local
government authorities and leading
international regulatory bodies,
but we have custom-created
standards that give our customers
6 EVENTS WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012
TAISM hosts SAISA Soccer Tournament
By Ra’al Al Jardaniya
THE American International
School Muscat
hosted the South Asia
Inter-School Association (SA-
ISA), Tournament 2012 at the
new soccer fields in their cam-
ART of Living is hosting a
YES (Youth Empowerment
Seminar) Advance
Workshop at the Art of Living
International Centre, Bangalore
(India) from December 19-23,
2012.
The Advance group will
leave Muscat on December 18.
Responsible teachers and volunteers
from Muscat will accompany
the children throughout
the programme.
Children in the age group
14 to 17 years are invited to
join this programme. The prerequisites
of the YES! Advance
pus. More than 155 students
from 9 international schools in
Asia participated in the event.
The students along with their
families were hosted by TA-
ISM staff. In the true tradition of
the Omani hospitality TAISM
employees opened their houses
workshop will be outlined at a
programme due to be conducted
in Muscat from December 5-8.
For information, call 97072005
or 95907737 or email — yes4teens@gmail.com
“YES! emphasises leadership
and human values. It gives teens
a solid foundation in leadership
to take back to their community.
YES! Is a viable opportunity for
youth to break free from a cycle
of substance abuse, neglect,
isolation and other negativities
for the guests and hosted them
throughout the tournament days.
The purpose of SAISA is
to promote and co-ordinate regional
professional development
activities, academic and cultural
festivals, athletic tournaments,
and other events deemed appro-
priate by the member schools.
The fundamental aim of SA-
ISA is to promote the values of
collaboration, creativity, sportsmanship,
and fair and ethical
competition.
While we acknowledge the
notion "winning" in sporting
peace of mind, because they know
that they can rely on us to deliver
nothing but the best.”
Alwi Husein al Hamid, Marketing
Manager, emphasised the
brand’s aim of adopting the policy
events and other competitions,
a recognition more important is
that students come together to
participate in various activities
in the truest spirit of co-operation
and competition, and develop
physically, emotionally, creatively
and intellectually through
of transparency. “We want to show
the people on the outside what we
do on the inside.” Later, the training
consultant, Mahmood Ayoub,
took his guests on a walkabout
through the kitchen and pantry.
which is a growing concern in
the society today,” Art of Living
said in a statement.
The YES! Workshop is
unique because the teens engage
in a fun, interactive and supportive
learning environment. YES!
is part of the Art of Living Foundation's
(AOLF) programmes
and includes yoga, meditation
and breathing techniques.
“We believe everyone has an
enlightened side, full of confidence,
clarity and a sense of be-
the sporting, academic and artistic
experiences.
SAISA Boys Soccer Tournament2012
games began last
Thursday morning. The final
match was between Oman and
Chennai. The first place was secured
by the Chennai team.
Open Day provides insights into inside workings of McDonald’s
Youth Empowerment Seminar in Bangalore
McDonald’s is vigilant about
its customers’ well-being and will
not compromise on food quality,
said Ayoub. Ingredients for the
brand’s menu are made from 100
per cent halal beef and chicken.
longing. The workshop provides
tangible tools to free the mind of
stress, worry and anxiety while
helping the youth to become
more grounded in their values,
understanding of professional
and personal goals and overall
orientation in life,” it added.
Workshop benefits include:
strengthening leadership skills,
enhancing memory and concentration,
eliminating doubt
and worry, decreasing stress and
anxiety, promoting restful sleep
and stronger immune systems,
being happy, vibrant and joyful,
and improving relationships.

Weekend
OMAN Sail starts the final
Act of the 2012 Extreme
Sailing Series in the Brazilian
hotspot of Rio de Janeiro
in a strong position, holding the
top two positions in the nine
boat fleet.
At present Leigh McMillan’s
crew on The Wave, Muscat leads
second placed Oman Air by
8.5 points in the series overall,
following an incredible season
where they have won three Acts
— in Qingdao (China), Istanbul
(Turkey) and Porto (Portugal)
— and finished second in the
remaining three. If The Wave,
Muscat maintains this consistency
in Rio then they could win the
2012 Extreme Sailing Series by
the largest margin in the seven
year history of the circuit.
7 SPOTLIGHT WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012
Championship 1st and 2nd in sight for Oman Sail teams
LARSEN & Toubro Heavy
Engineering LLC (LTHE),
Sohar yesterday invited the
children of Al Wafa Centre
Because it is the final event
of the season, results in Rio are
weighted with a 1.5x co-efficient.
This means that if Oman
Air wins, then The Wave, Muscat
must finish better than sixth to
secure the 2012 championship.
But with as many as 30 races
to sail off the South American
hotstop, skipper Leigh McMillan
says they are not resting on
their laurels: “It would be easy
enough to mess it up, so we have
to push hard as we have all year.
The reality is we don’t want to
go out on a bit of a negative and
just do it, we want to continue the
form that we’ve had all year and
have a good last event. It would
be quite an achievement to finish
inside the top two all year.”
The possibility of Oman Sail
teams finishing this season in 1st
and 2nd is one that Oman Air
crewman Nasser al Mashari is
hoping for with pride. “Inshallah,
if it happens like that, that
will be the first time for us in
the Extreme Sailing Series,” he
says. “Of course, I’d love Oman
Air to win, but if another Omani
team wins the series, it achieves
the goal of raising the Oman flag
to the top. We are happy if Oman
Air or The Wave win, just so long
as it is an Oman team.”
But almost more important
for Oman Air than trying to
catch their team-mates is holding
on to second place overall.
To achieve this they must keep
ahead of their main rivals: the
French team on Groupe Edmond
de Rothschild and the Austrians,
led by double Olympic Tornado
gold medallist Roman Hagara,
on Red Bull Sailing Team, both
at Al Multaqa for a day of
creative amusement and fun in
close behind them on the leaderboard.
In Rio they will also face
a powerful local team that know
the waters particularly well, with
Team Brasil led by five time Olympic
medallist Torben Grael.
Since the last Extreme Sailing
Series event in Nice mid-
October, Al Mashari has been
training in the gym every day
and hopes he will be on top form
this week. “We are so ready for
it. Inshallah we will aim to do as
well as we did in Nice and Cardiff,”
he says, referring to the
two events Oman Air has won
this season. “I have seen Rio
only on television before.It is not
like Europe or the USA or Asia
or Arabia, it is more Latin. I am
excited to see Brazil.”
Meanwhile The Wave, Muscat
bowman Hashim al Rashdi
is keeping his fingers crossed
that come Sunday his team will
be standing on top of the podium.
“Omanis in first and second
place - if it stays like that, it will
be great for Oman and Oman
celebration of International Day
of Persons with Disabilities.
The event was an opportunity
for the children to dabble in
painting, crafts, and some confectioning
as well. Some tried
their hand at preparing sweets
and chocolates, while others
crafted fancy key chains and
decorative designs using some
carpentry tools. LTHE staff then
organised a session of games for
the visitors.
Organised as part of the company’s
CSR activities, the event
was an opportunity for Larsen &
Toubro Heavy Engineering LLC
to connect with people special
needs and explore ways to help
them integrate with society. As
a reward for their gesture, the
LTHE staff were presented with
the delightful creations of the
children to keep as mementoes
and gifts.
Sail,” he says.
For the last few weeks Al
Rashdi has been in China, supporting
his brother through an
operation, but he too has been
regularly going to the gym to
maintain his fitness. “I have
been training hard in the gym,
so I am looking forward to the
final event and hopefully, Inshallah,
we bring the Cup back
to Oman.”
This event will see Al Rashdi
completing his first year racing
the best of the best on the Extreme
Sailing Series. “Our game
has moved on massively and
Hashim is getting better and better
with each event and we are
pushing him harder and harder
as he gets more in tune with the
boat,” says his British skipper
Leigh McMillan. “For his first
season he’s done really well and
we want to continue to help him
improve and become a natural
Extreme 40 sailor.
“Although he is the bowman,
he has developed into one of the
core crew, so he has to learn to
adapt to situations, to take on
different roles if people get out
of place and we get behind. That
is what we are trying to teach
him and he is getting there.”
Meanwhile on Oman Air,
Morgan Larson, who lives in
California, has developed not
only professional respect, but
a real friendship with Nasser
al Mashari. “His wife sends us
Omani spices. Nasser delivers
them to the events and my wife
cooks a nice curry with them
when I get home. But he is also
a really talented athlete — he’ll
go farin sailing. We are pushing
to have a second Omani on
our boat next year, if we continue.”
Racing gets under way tomorrow
with an open water
course off Rio’s famous Copacabana
Beach, before moving
inside the harbour with stadium
sailing off Flamengo Beach
from Friday, December 7, the
event concluding on Sunday 9.
L&T marks International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Weekend
By Kabeer Yousuf
A
WIDE range of revivifying activities is
awaiting a yearning holidaymaker on weekends
which are only to be explored, experienced
and added to the limitless memories of a
lifetime from the land of Oman.
An adventurous go-getter can find all water,
sports, historical, leisure and pleasure activities that
would keep him busy during weekends and help
come up afresh on Saturday morning.
One does not have to click and search for the
outstanding places to be visited or the rejuvenating
activities to be tried out. On the other hand, all that
he or she has to do is just load their laptop with the
recently launched ‘Wanasa Indoor and Outdoor Ac-
tivities DVD’.
Opening in front of your eyes are a plethora of
opportunities in leisure and pleasure, water, historical
places, castles and forts, and sports activities that
will keep you and family busy and revitalise you to
head for yet another hectic week.
“These short films will take the viewer along a
journey of the best action-packed spots that will certainly
render some unforgettable memories in one’s
lifetime”, Rami al Lawati, Managing Director and
Partner, said.
A wide repertoire of water activities and various
fun-filled stress-busters at Al Khiran, Marina
Bander, Al Sansool Fishing, Oman Diving Centre,
Marina, Global Scuba Dive, Jassa Beach, Sea Tourism,
Khasab Travel Tour, Sidab glass bottom boat,
8 & 9 TOURISM WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012
Refreshing outdoor activities in the Sultanate capsuled on DVD
The short films will
take the viewer along
a journey of the best
action-packed spots that
will certainly render some
unforgettable memories
in one’s lifetime
One does not have to
click and search for
the outstanding places
to be visited or the
rejuvenating activities
to be tried out. On the
other hand, all that he
or she has to do is just
load their laptop with
the recently launched
‘Wanasa Indoor
and Outdoor
Activities DVD’
Kite boarding, etc are aptly videographed on this
DVD brought out by ProShots in association with
the Ministry of Tourism of the Sultanate of Oman.
For someone dying to try out his mettle at some
adrenaline-rushing sports activities, a wide range of
activities at the Al Mouj Golf, Bike Planet, Muscat
Diving and Adventure Centre, Muscat Hills, Oman
Bowling Centre, etc are featured in all their hues
and thrills.
For an ardent fan of classical art, abstract or otherwise,
a surfeit of leisure and pleasure activities,
creative art collections and dance forms are in store
in the DVD. The participating organisations range
from Bait Muzna Gallery to City Cinema, Happy
Land, Kargeen Café, Marah Land, National Ferries
Company, Oman Salsa Group to ProShots-Fun session.
The number of visitors to the various Omani historical
places has been on the rise. Al Hoota Cave,
Jabreen Castle, Khasab Castle, Muttrah Souq, Nizwa
Fort, Nizwa Souq, ProShots-Omani outfits, etc are
there with never-vanishing attractions to those who
wish to taste the eventful history of the country. The
DVD pack along with a big book of discount coupons
is available with a number of shops including
the Muscat Duty Free shops.
For those who have not experienced the more vibrant
side of Oman, it is a visual treat and a memorable
experience filled with fun and frolic that can
offer the yearning visitors a refreshed mind, body
and soul.
For an ardent fan of classical
art, abstract or otherwise,
a surfeit of leisure and
pleasure activities, creative art
collections and dance forms
are in store in the DVD. The
participating organisations
range from Bait Muzna Gallery
to City Cinema, Happy Land,
Kargeen Café, Marah Land,
National Ferries Company,
Oman Salsa Group to
ProShots-Fun session

Weekend
Ingredients
• 5 eggs, separated
• 1 cup sugar, divided
• ½ cup cake flour • ¼
cup baking cocoa
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cream of
CHEF, restaurateur and
television personality
Hubert Keller (pictured)
is known for his modern
approach to French cuisine’
tartar
Mocha Cream Filling
• 1 cup heavy whipping
cream
• ½ cup confectioners'
sugar
•1 ½ teaspoons instant
The 120 recipes in Souvenirs:
Memories, Stories,
and Recipes from My Life,
trace Keller's journey from
his Alsatian childhood,
through his haute cuisine
training in France, to his innovative
restaurants in San
Francisco.
"Almost every recipe
has a story," said Keller,
58, who is a James Beard
award-winner and a familiar
television presence on
cooking shows.
coffee granules
Mocha Buttercream
Frosting:
• 1 / 3 cup butter, softened
• 1 / 3 cup baking cocoa
• 2 cups confectioners'
sugar
Recipe for Pommes
Paillasson Serves 4
3 large Russet potatoes
(about 1½ pounds),
peeled
Sea salt and freshly ground
black pepper
About 4 tablespoons (½
stick or 2 ounces) unsalted
butter, melted
2 tablespoons extra-virgin
olive oil
Cut the potatoes into a
fine julienne with a mandoline
or with the coarse
10 FOOD WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla
extract
• 1 tablespoon brewed
coffee
• 2 to 3 tablespoons 2
per cent milk
Directions: •Line a 15in.
x 10-in. x 1-in. baking
pan with parchment
paper; grease the paper.
Place egg whites in a
small bowl; let stand at
room temperature for 30
minutes.
• In a large bowl, beat
egg yolks on high until
light and fluffy. Gradually
add ½ cup sugar,
beating until thick and
lemon-coloured. Combine
the flour, cocoa and
salt; gradually add to
egg yolk mixture until
blended.
• Beat egg whites on
medium until foamy.
Add cream of tartar; beat
until soft peaks form.
Gradually add remaining
sugar, 1 tablespoon at a
time, beating on high until
stiff peaks form. Stir
a fourth into chocolate
mixture. Fold in remaining
egg whites until no
streaks remain.
• Spread batter evenly
in prepared pan. Bake at
350° for 12-15 minutes
or until cake springs
shredding blade of a food
processor. Once they are
grated, do not rinse the potatoes;
you need their starch
to hold the potatoes together.
Transfer them to a baking
sheet, season well with
salt and pepper, and let sit
for a few minutes. Place the
sheet on a tilt; the salt will
begin to wilt the potatoes
and they will begin releasing
water.
Heat 1 tablespoon of
butter and 1 tablespoon of
back (do not over bake).
Cool for 5 minutes; invert
onto a linen towel
dusted with confectioners'
sugar. Peel off parchment
paper. Roll up in
the towel, starting with
a short side. Cool on a
wire rack.
• In a large bowl, beat
cream until it begins to
thicken. Add sugar and
coffee granules. Beat until
stiff peaks form; chill.
Unroll cooled cake;
spread filling to within
½ in of edges. Roll up
again. Place on serving
platter; chill.
• In a large bowl, beat
frosting ingredients until
smooth. Frost cake. Using
a fork, make lines
resembling tree bark.
Trailblazing chef takes a look back in latest book
A storage area for Parmesan cheese wheels is pictured at a
warehouse owned by Credito Emiliano bank in Montecavolo,
near Reggio Emila, central Italy. — Reuters
Chocolate Yule Log
By Chef Ferdie M Santos,
InterContinental Muscat
the oil in a 9- or 10-inch
nonstick skillet over medium
heat. Squeeze the potatoes
very hard between your
hands to remove as much
water as possible and then
add them to the pan. With
the back of a large spoon,
neaten the edges and lightly
press the potatoes to make a
flat cake.
Cook for a few minutes
and then rub all around the
edge of the pan with a tablespoon-sized
nut of butter so
A chocolate eggplant dish is seen on a plate in New York.
Restaurants and cooking schools are pairing chocolate
with ingredients. — Reuters
Children eat pieces of a huge cake, with the Albanian
flag symbols, measuring 550 metres square, on the main
boulevard of Tirana. Albania marks 100 years of modern
statehood by commemorating the November 28, 1912
declaration of independence. — AFP
Tesco employee Jessica carries a tray of chocolate chip
cookies in the bakery at a Tesco shop in Bishop’s Stortford,
southern England. Eight months ago Tesco Plc chief executive
Phil Clarke set out a £1 billion recovery plan to arrest the
group’s worrying loss of market share. — Reuters
that it melts and runs under
the potatoes.
Cook over medium heat
until crispy and brown,
about 10 minutes. Slide the
cake carefully out onto a
plate, cover it with a second
plate, add another piece of
butter to the pan, and then
invert the plates and slide
the cake back into the pan
to cook the second side.
Cook, adding butter or
oil as needed around the
edges and tilting the pan,
until the cake is crispy underneath
and the potatoes
have cooked through, another
7 to 10 minutes. Regulate
the heat so the cake
browns and caramelises but
does not burn.
Slide it onto a cutting
board, blot any excess oil
with paper towels, cut into
8 wedges with a sharp knife,
and transfer to a large round
serving platter. Sprinkle
with salt and serve immediately.
— Reuters
Packaged hand rolled sushi for sale is pictured during a
private cocktail event celebrating the grand opening of
drugstore chain Walgreens newest flagship store. —- Reuters

Weekend
A model poses next to a Chinese auto company Geely luxury car displayed at the
Shanghai Auto Show — AFP
Volvo eyes ‘no-death’ goal in its new cars by 2020 Campaigners bash
gas-guzzling cars
SWEDISH automaker Volvo,
long known for its attention to
safety, aims to have zero deaths
or injuries in its new cars as of
2020 thanks to smart functions
in its vehicles, a director said in a
media report on Monday.
Volvo, which is owned by
China’s Geely group, is currently
developing cars that drive themselves
and plans to launch a first
model in 2014 that can drive at 50
kilometres (31 miles) per hour.
“Our vision is that no one is
killed or injured in a new Volvo
by 2020,” Anders Eugensson,
A 2014 Jaguar F-Type V8s (L) and XFR-S Sedan are displayed
after they were unveiled at Los Angeles
11 MOTORING WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012
Volvo’s head of government affairs,
told the Wall Street Journal.
According to the newspaper,
Volvo has tested the prototypes
on “thousands of miles of test
drives on public roads in Spain
and on the company’s test track
in western Sweden.” — AFP
Attendees walk through the Los Angeles Convention floor looking at new cars during the Los
Angeles Auto show in Los Angeles. The LA Auto Show runs through December 9. — AFP
Original Batmobile
to hit auction block
WANT to own your very
own Batmobile? The
original car from the Batman
television series is going up
for auction and is expected
to fetch a seven-figure sum,
auctioneers Barrett-Jackson
said.
The two-seater car was featured
in the live-action Batman
show starring Adam West that
aired from 1966 to 1968.
“The Batmobile is true
Americana and it’s hard to put
a dollar figure on something
like that,” Craig Jackson,
chairman and CEO of automobile
auction house Barrett-
Jackson, said in a statement.
“We expect plenty of enthusiasts
and fans to come out and
wouldn’t be surprised if the
car sold for multiple millions.”
— Reuters
ENVIRONMENTAL campaigners
have taken aim
at famous German car brands
like Porsche, Audi and BMW,
criticising their high CO2 emissions as well as Germany’s
tax system they say promotes
gas-guzzlers.
A symbol of industrial
might exported all over the
world, Germany’s sports vehicles,
estate cars and 4x4s also
enjoy huge domestic popularity
due to what one campaigner
derided as an “absurd” tax
incentive scheme.
“Germany has the most
absurd policy in the world of
incentivising polluting cars,”
said Patrick Huth from pressure
group Deutsche Umwelthilfe
(German Environmental
Aid or DUH).
Two-thirds of cars sold
in Germany are registered to
companies, although this percentage
rises to 80 per cent for
the swankier models.
The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT is unveiled during the Los
Angeles Auto show in Los Angeles, California
A model stands next to ltalian sports car maker
Lamborghini’s Gallardo LP-560-4 on display in Tokyo.
Lamborghini is introducing the super sports vehicle onto
Japanese market with a price of $300,000. — AFP
A model poses beside the new Jeep Wrangler 10th
anniversary Rubicon edition displayed on media preview
day at the Los Angeles Auto Show
A model poses beside the Fiat 500 EV on display
at the LA Auto Show. — AFP
British car manufacturer Bentley Motors’ new GT3 race car
makes its US debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show. — AFP

Weekend
Mother’s values tied to baby’s health
THE value an expectant
mother places on her family
can tell how healthy a
baby is going to be three years
later.
These findings from University
of Southern California (USC)
suggest that one’s culture is a resource
that can provide tangible
physical health benefits.
“We know that social support
has profound health implications.
Yet in this case, this is more a story
of beliefs than of actual family
support,” said Cleopatra Abdou,
Iron holds key to immunity, shows study
RESEARCHERS have
figured out why iron plays
a key role in metabolism and
infections, pitting bugs and
animals against one another,
resolving a 40-year-old debate
and opening way to more potent
antibiotics.
The collaborative research,
led by Phillip Klebba, professor
and head of department of
biochemistry at Kansas State
University, clarifies how microorganisms
colonise animal hosts
and how scientists may block
them from doing so.
Klebba’s team found that E.
coli, one of the deadly bugs that
cause hosts of gastric infections,
must acquire iron from the host
to establish a foothold and colonise
the gut — a concept that
was often debated by scientists.
The collaborative
research, led by Phillip
Klebba, professor and
head of department
of biochemistry
at Kansas State
University, clarifies
how micro-organisms
colonise animal hosts
and how scientists
may block them
from doing so
E. coli is difficult to get rid of
because it has at least eight iron
acquisition systems. So when
one is blocked, another opens
up, journal Public Library of
Science ONE, reports.
The study, conducted with
Tyrrell Conway, microarray and
bioinformatics researcher from
University of Oklahoma, and
Salete M Newton, Kansas research
professor of biochemistry,
shows how iron acquisition
affects the ability of bacteria to
colonise animals, which is the
first stage of microbial disease.
“This paper establishes that
iron uptake in the host is a crucial
parameter in bacterial infection
of animals,” said Klebba,
study co-author, according to a
Kansas statement.
“For years, it was theorised
that iron is a focal point of bacterial
pathogenesis (mechanism
by which disease is caused) and
infectious disease because animals
constantly defend the iron
in their bodies,” Klebba said.
12 HEALTH WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012
assistant professor at USC Davis
School of Gerontology, the journal
Social Science & Medicine
reports. Abdou studied 4,633 socio-economically
disadvantaged
women, gauging their “familism”
or, more specifically, their beliefs
about familial roles and responsibilities,
using a questionnaire, according
to an USC statement.
Familism was determined by
responses to statements such as,
“single mums can do just as well
as married parents,” or “it is better
for children if their parents are
married.”
Abdou then tracked the health
of their children and found that
for every one point increase in
familism, there was a 71 gram
increase in birth weight independent
of a whole host of other
factors-including the gender of
the infant or whether the mother
was married.
Average birth weight in the
United States is roughly 3.4 kg.
Low birth weight, typically
defined as under 2.5 kg, has been
linked to health problems later in
life. Higher familism also predicted
lower rates of asthma in the
children up to three years later.
Most teens with
mental disorders
not on medication
DESPITE concerns that
too many US young
people are using prescription
psychiatric drugs, a US
study said that just one in
seven teens with a mental
disorder has been prescribed
medication.
Researchers from the National
Institutes of Health,
which funded the study, said
there was no compelling
evidence for either misuse
or overuse of psychotropic
medications, which include
stimulants for attention-deficit
hyperactivity disorder, antidepressants
and antipsychotics.
“Certain use of psychiatric
medications has been
increasing in children and
adolescents over the years,”
said Benedetto Vitiello from
the NIH, who worked on the
study. — Reuters
Key molecule behind Alzheimer’s
CANADIAN researchers have identified a key molecule that
controls a scissor-like protein responsible for sprouting of
plaques — the telltale sign of Alzheimer’s disease.
Molecule GSK3-beta activates a gene that creates a protein,
called BACE1. When BACE1 cuts another protein, called amyloid
precursor protein (APP), the resulting fragment — known
as amyloid beta — forms tiny fibres that clump together into
plaques, eventually killing neural (brain) cells.
Using an animal model, Weihong Song, professor of psychiatry
at the University of British Columbia (UBC), found that disabling
GSK3-beta’s effect in mice resulted in less BACE1 and far
fewer deposits of amyloid in their brains.
Such mice performed better than untreated mice on memory
tests, the Journal of Clinical Investigation reports.
Previous research had shown that GSK3-beta spurred the
growth of twisted fibres inside neurons, known as tangles — another
hallmark of AD. Song says his discovery of the protein’s
dual destructiveness makes it a promising target for drug research,
according to a UBC statement. — IANS
Doctor-patient trust crucial
DOCTOR-PATIENT relationship built on trust and empathy
A has much more going on than merely putting patients at ease
— it helps the brain beat pain and stress.
Recent studies have shown that doctors who listen carefully
have happier patients with better health outcomes, but the underlying
mechanism was unknown, said Issidoros Sarinopoulos, professor
of radiology at Michigan State University.
“This is the first study that has looked at the patient-centred relationship
from a neurobiological point of view,” said Sarinopoulos,
study co-author, the journal Patient Education and Counseling reports.
“It’s important for doctors and others who advocate this type of
relationship with the patient to show that there is a biological basis,”
Sarinopoulos was quoted as saying in a Michigan statement.
The study involved randomly assigning patients to one of the
two types of interview with a doctor before undergoing an MRI
scan.
In the patient-centred approach, doctors addressed any concerns
participants had about the procedure and asked open-ended questions
allowing them to talk freely about their jobs.
The other patients were asked only specific questions about
clinical information such as their medical history and what drugs
they were taking.

Weekend
Actress and model Sarah Jane Dias poses during the
unveiling of an edition of Maxim magazine in Mumbai
Khan casts spell on Moroccans
BOLLYWOOD “demigod
and prince charming” Shah
Rukh Khan whipped thousands
of Moroccans into a frenzy
at the Marrakesh film festival
when he danced to the tunes of
movie songs at the Jamaa El Fna
square.
Khan, 47, popularly known
as King Khan, was cheered at
the square — a mecca of tour-
ism in Morocco — where a giant
screen was installed to show
a preview of his latest Hindi
movie, Jab Tak Hain Jaan (Till
My Last Breath).
In its 12th edition, the festival
which runs until December
8 in this ochre city, is presenting
a “special tribute” to Indian
cinema as it celebrates its centenary.
— AFP
13 BOLLYWOOD WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012
5 Bollywood stars feature
at Madame Tussauds
INCREDIBLY
life-like wax
figures of five
Hindi cinema
legends, including
megastar Amitabh
Bachchan and
superstar Shah
Rukh Khan, will
be on display
at Madame
Tussauds
Washington DC
through the end
of the year as part
of a travelling
Bollywood
exhibit at the
famed wax attraction.
Two colourfully dressed
dancers in turquoise and shiny
gold sequined outfits were to
sway and swing in synchronous
rhythm as they perform a fusion
of traditional and modern Indian
dances to help launch the new
exhibit in Washington late yesterday.
The exhibit features Amitabh,
regarded as one of
the most influential
actors in the
history of Indian
cinema, Shah
Rukh, one of Bollywood’s
most
renowned actors
and often referred
to as ‘King Khan’,
and Aishwarya
Rai (pictured),
one of the leading
contemporary actresses
of Indian
cinema who was
featured in the
blockbuster action
thriller Dhoom 2.
Also featured are Hrithik
Roshan, acclaimed actor and
recipient of numerous best actor
awards, and Kareena Kapoor,
who is noted for her performances
across a range of film
genres — from romantic dramas
and comedies to independent
films and major Bollywood productions.
— IANS
Farah happy with Kareena’s performance
FARAH Khan, who has
choreographed Kareena
Kapoor in the item number
Fevicol se from the movie
Dabangg 2, is thrilled with the
roaring response to the song.
“I am very happy. I do very
few songs in a year and I normally
choose. Last time as well I
heard the songs of Dabangg and
chose Munni badnaam, but this
time Arbaaz (Khan) had already
picked Fevicol se for me.”
MOHABBATEIN girl Preeti Jhangiani, who was last seen in
the 2011 film Sahi Dhandhe Galat Bande, currently
has as many as five films ready for release
Lara Dutta finds Farhan attractive
FARHAN Akhtar has left a lasting impression on
Lara Dutta with the trailer of his upcoming film Bhaag
Milkha Bhaag.
“So... saw Talaash (which I really liked), but what stayed
with me long after is the accompanying trailer of BMB (Bhaag
Milkha Bhaag)! @FarOutAkhtar, you are hot,” tweeted Lara.
Talaash, featuring Aamir Khan released to a good
reception on November 30, while Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, directed
by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, will hit the screens on
July 12, 2013.
Fear Factor
goes back to
Akshay Kumar
BOLLYWOOD’S ‘khiladi’
Akshay Kumar will return
as the host of action-adventure
show Fear Factor — Khatron
Ke Khiladi, according to reliable
sources.
Instead of considering other
names to take over as the host of
the show, the channel, Colours,
has decided to wait for Akshay to
get a little free. “The main problem
was Akshay Kumar’s dates.
He is busy with his films all of
2013. Initially, we thought we
would go ahead with someone
else. But the general opinion is,
no one can take Akshay’s place
in Fear Factor. So we’re willing
to wait until he gets free in
2014,” said a channel source.
The channel officials are said
to have had a long, deep discussion
with Akshay, who initially
insisted they go with someone
else and not wait for him.
‘Maina is an
extension of me’
ACTRESS Kavita Kaushik
is set to play the role of an
effervescent character named
Maina in a new comedy show
Tota Weds Maina. She says
she can relate to the character’s
adventurous and fun-loving
streak.
“Maina’s character is wild and
I believe it’s just an extension of
me”.
Bollywood actress Madhuri
Dixit Nene poses as she
attends the ‘Colours Golden
Petal Awards’ ceremony in
Mumbai. — AFP

Weekend
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CROSSWORD
CRYPTIC PUZZLE
ACROSS
1 Gather about a
hundred facts in
summary (5)
6 There’s a bighead on
every Continental
plage (5)
9 What a batsman (but
not a footballer!) may
like to be (7)
10 Leonard, characterised
as an eerie trekker (5)
11 Noted horse the little
chap urged on (5)
12 Aptly forms an
aquarium exhibit (5)
13 Wise men see Capone
as wonderful! (7)
15 Obscure Roman
numerals (3)
17 I have a little sister at
Oxford (4)
18 As a ballroom dance,
possibly leave out 8 Tick on the slate (6) 10 Play (5)
“Tango” (6)
12 Trimmed, again, in the 11 Rage (5)
19 Old people seem’d home (5)
12 Perform (5)
strange (5)
13 Could be armed force 13 Overlook (7)
20 Listed as repaired (6) (5)
15 Elderly (3)
22 Basically a fertiliser 14 Allocated a soldier a 17 Region (4)
(4)
number of points (5) 18 Monetary note,
24 Instant bronzing? (3) 15 Given a hand in
commonly (6)
25 A vessel to sink? (7) school, perhaps (5) 19 Facial hair (5)
26 Security device left at 16 Fat girl? (5)
20 Sportsman (6)
church (5)
18 The plant Victor has 22 Cleaning substance
27 A German mug (5) to draw (5)
(4)
28 Though saintly, is 19 She may seem alien to 24 Slippery fish (3)
wrong one day (5) me (7)
25 Protection (7)
29 It means a lot (7) 21 A key plant, for a time 26 Yearned (5)
30 Journey to the end of (6)
27 Tree (5)
the line for food (5) 22 Poms may find it 28 Metal fastener (5)
31 Brief rest, perhaps, for unspeakable! (6) 29 Calm (7)
an egghead (5) 23 Suffers to become 30 Charred remains (5)
DOWN
2 Shrubs from the
Americas (6)
3 A fellow lives with a
handsome chap (6)
4 At leaving the party,
ask questions (3)
sallow! (6)
25 Go up for a bit of fish
(5)
26 Figure a politician
will make slow
progress (4)
28 Shot breathlessly in
the boozer (3)
31 Ship’s bed (5)
DOWN
2 Terror (6)
3 Fleet (6)
4 Vegetable (3)
5 Backbone (5)
6 Piled tidily (7)
5 Abuse of pills by
accident (5)
6 Insects let free,
EASY PUZZLE
ACROSS
7 Canvas shelter (4)
8 Sewing implement (6)
12 Go in (5)
surrounded by bees (7) 1 Inexpensive (5) 13 Reason (5)
7 Marginally nervous? 6 Reek (5)
14 Asian country (5)
(4)
9 Interval of rest (7) 15 Edible bulb (5)
ROYAL OMAN POLICE
EMERGENCY 9 9 9 9
DG of Passports & Residency, 24569603
DG of Customs, 24714626
Traffic offences, 24510227/228
ROP Public Relations, 24569270
Consumer Complaints Cell, 24817013
Muscat Governorate
Headquarters, 24560021
Muscat, 24736611
Wattayah, 24677990
Ruwi, 24701099
Muttrah, 24712211
Bausher, 24600099
Al Amerat, 24875999
Qurayat, 24845555
A’Seeb, 24420099
Al-Athaiba, 24521099
AI-Khodh, 24425012
Directorate of the University Security,
24513999
Directorate of Traffic Muscat, 24567898
Al Batinah Headquarters, 26840096
Al Rustaq Division, 26875099
Al Dakhiliyah, 25425099
Nizwa Division, 25425099
Samayil Division, 25350099
Al Sharqiyah Headquarters, 25545070
Ibra Division, 25570100
Al Dhahirah Headquarters, 25650099
Al Buraimi Division, 25650199
Ibri Division, 25689099
Al Wusta Headquarters, 23436099
Haima Division, 23436211
Special Task Force, 24560088
Coastguard Headquarters, 24714888
Dhofar Governorate Headquarters,
23234599
Salalah Police Station, 23290099
Thamrait Division, 23279099
Musandam Governorate Headquarters,
26730299
Khasab Division, 26731502
ROP websites: www.rop.gov.om, www.
ropoman.net and
e-mail: ropnet@omantel.net.om
14 LEISURE WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012
16 Hang (5)
18 Attempted (5)
19 Sandy areas (7)
21 Greek dishes (6)
22 Doting (6)
23 Take (6)
25 Hollows (5)
26 Area of land (4)
28 Scour (3)
YESTERDAY’S
CRYPTIC SOLUTIONS
ACROSS: 1, Knots 6,
Spo-R-t 9, Augusta 10,
Stake 11, Ritzy 12, Bla-ir
13, Ba-lone-y 15, Tip 17,
O-din 18, Meteor 19, Elder
20, T-Rudge 22, Rome 24,
Ho-p 25, Cove-red 26,
Fee-L-s 27, F-etid 28,
Tim-I’d 29, Joe’ s-OAP 30,
Stein 31, Della (Street).
DOWN: 2, Not bad 3,
Take on 4, S-U-E 5, Gully
6, Striker 7, P-air 8, R-izzio
12, Belle 13, Bo-O-th
14, LI-t up 15, T-ENO-r
16, Pried 18, Me-los 19,
E-GG-ed on 21, Ro-den-t
22, Rec.-ipe 23, Menial
25, Close 26, Fiji 28, Tad.
YESTERDAY’S EASY
SOLUTIONS
ACROSS: 1, Sprat 6,
Louse 9, Thinner 10,
Cache 11, Cello 12,
Bouts 13, Scented 15,
Rep 17, Hens 18, Broody
19, Rupee 20, Oberon 22,
Solo 24, Tar 25, Glutton
26, Glory 27, Cream 28,
Snide 29, Polemic 30,
Sleep 31, Penny.
DOWN: 2, Prance 3,
Athens 4, The 5, Snood 6,
Lecture 7, Ores 8, Salted
12, Begun 13, Shoot 14,
Enter 15, Robot 16, Pylon
18, Belly 19, Rollmop
21, Barrel 22, Stance 23,
London 25, Greed 26,
Gape 28, Sip.
M USEUMS IN OMAN
FAISAL BIN ALI AL SAID MUSEUM,
Tel: 24641650
MUSEUM OF OMANI HERITAGE,
Tel: 24600946
CHILDREN’S SCIENCE MUSEUM.
Tel: 24605368
NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM,
Tel: 24641374
NATIONAL MUSEUM, Tel: 24701289
SULTAN’S ARMED FORCES
MUSEUM, Tel: 24312646
CURRENCY MUSEUM,
Tel: 24796102
MUSCAT GATE MUSEUM,
Tel: 24739005.
OMANI-FRENCH MUSEUM (Bait
Fransa), Tel: 24736613
BAIT AL ZUBAIR, Tel: 24736688
BAIT A’NAMAN, Tel: 24641300
SOHAR FORT MUSEUM.
Tel: 26844758
NAHKAL FORT, Tel: 26781384
BAIT AL MAKHAM. Tel: 24641300
BAIT ADAM MUSEUM, QURUM,
Tel: 24605033, 24605013
OIL AND GAS EXHIBITION
CENTRE AND PLANE-TARIUM,
Tel: 24677834.
PLANETARIUM, Tel: 24675542.
AQUARIUM at the Marine Science
and Fisheries Centre (located next to
Marina Bandar Rowdha, Sidab).
SALALAH MUSEUM, Tel: 23294549
CULTURAL CENTRE, Tel: 23294549.
SUR MARITIME MUSEUM,
Tel: 24541466.
BAIT AL BARANDA, Tel: 24714262.
ACROSS
1 Devotee (6)
5 Spoken (4)
8 Conscious (5)
9 Top (3)
10 Inactive (4)
11 Daybreak (4)
12 Bar (5)
13 Holy (6)
16 Plunge (4)
18 Cupid (4)
20 Couch (3)
22 Transgress (3)
23 Lair (3)
24 Conceal (4)
25 Ale (4)
28 Beat (6)
30 Intended (5)
32 Chair (4)
33 Finished 4)
34 Imitate (3)
35 Principle (5)
36 Watched (4)
37 Said (6)
DOWN
1 Charge (6)
2 Shown (8)
QUICK CROSSWORD
3 Invented (6)
4 Mollified (9)
5 Commanded (7)
6 Breed (4)
7 Ancestry (4)
8 Every (3)
14 Dispersed (9)
15 Fellow (3)
17 Strive (3)
19 Pertinent (8)
20 Large (3)
21 Erased (7)
26 Dislike (6)
27 Be there (6)
Q UOTATIONS FOR TODAY
Nobody got anywhere in the world by
simply being content.
— Louis L’Amour
Vitality shows in not only the ability to
persist but the ability to start over.
— F Scott Fitzgerald
CARTOONS
29 Island (4)
30 Companion (4)
31 Child (3)
YESTERDAY’S
QUICK SOLUTIONS
ACROSS: 3, Sense 9,
Reeled 10, Tattle 11,
Tutor 12, Area 15,
Mist 17, Diluted 20,
Ply 21, Diner 23, Item
25, Taxi 26, Refer 28,
Old 30, Delight 33,
Read 35, Date 36,
Peril 38, Eleven 39,
Depict 40, Tuned.
DOWN: 1, Tread 2,
Level 3, Set 4, Educed
5, Stop 6, Ear 7, Strip
8, Testy 13, Risible
14, Auger 16, Sleight
18, Diced 19, Get 22,
Rabid 24, Men 27,
Reside 28, Order 29,
Dazed 31, Gamin 32,
Teeth 34, Menu 36,
Pet 37, Led.
I don’t think about art when I’m
working. I try to think about life.
— Jean-Michel Basquiat
Nature uses as little as possible of
anything.
— Johannes Kepler
ADAM @ HOME by Brian Basset
CALVIN AND HOBBES by Bill Watterson
GARFIELD by Jim Davis
STONE SOUP by Jan Eliot

Weekend
Supermodel Heidi Klum distributed goodies and gifts to communities hit by
super storm Sandy. Klum, 39, went out to various communities in New York
to cheer everyone up. Residents of Lindenhurst and Seaford were grateful
for her visit on December 2.
Singer Katy Perry at The Trevor Project’s
‘Trevor Live’ event to honour her at the
Hollywood Palladium. — AFP
15
ENTERTAINMENT WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012
Twilight clings to
top N America box
office slot
THE final Twilight
vampire movie held on
for a third week to the top
spot at the North America
box office, narrowly holding
off the latest James Bond
effort, figures released on
Monday showed.
The Twilight Saga: Breaking
Dawn, Part 2, the fifth
and final instalment of the
wildly popular series, took in
$17.4 million, said industry
tracker Exhibitor Relations,
pushing the film's three-week
total past $254 million.
The previous four films,
based on novels by Stephenie
Meyer and starting in 2008,
earned a colossal $2.4 billion.
In second spot was the
Bond movie Skyfall, which
earned $16.6 million on its
fourth weekend — it has
grossed more than $245 million
since its US opening.
Brown posts picture with Rihanna
RAPPER Chris Brown
has gone online to
post a picture of himself
and singer Rihanna, seen
wearing white underwear
and a large-sized
camouflage coat.
Rihanna is seen chilling
on a sofa, while Brown is
sitting next to her, dressed
in a white T-shirt and baseball
cap and smoking a rollup,
reports thesun.co.uk.
The picture caption
reads: "What would music
today sound like if these
kids didn't exist?"
The "Don't wake me
Actress Maria Bello attends
the CNN Heroes: An All Star
Tribute at The Shrine.
Actress Diane Kruger attends
the Museum of Modern Art's
Film Benefit: A Tribute to
Quentin Tarantino in
New York. — Reuters
up" singer reinstated his
Twitter account on Sunday
night following a row with
SINGER Liam Payne has reportedly rekindled
his romance with Danielle Peazer. Payne, 19,
was in a relationship with Peazer for two years
but ended their romance in September as they
were unable to give time to each other. However,
they sparked rumours of a patch-up when Peazer
flew down here so she could attend Payne's
performance with his band One Direction.
Keating raises $1m
funds for charity
SINGER Ronan Keating
managed to raise a
whopping $1 million for
charity with his seventh
annual benefit concert.
The Irish star hosted the
fundraiser in London on
Saturday. He invited a host
of pop stars to perform at
his Emeralds and Ivy Ball,
including band Lawson and
former Catatonia frontwoman
Cerys Matthews, reports
contactmusic.com.
Keating also hit the stage
for a short set, which included
a duet with Matthews on
Christmas classic "Fairytale
of New York".
The event, held at Supernova
here, pulled in $1.4
million for Cancer Research
UK and the Marie Keating
Foundation, which the singer
set up after losing his mother
to the disease. — IANS
comedian Jenny Johnson
over his 2009 assault on
Rihanna, which prompted
him to shut it down.
Rihanna, now said to
have reunited with Brown,
tweeted a picture of herself
sitting on his lap and kissing
him last week.
She wrote: "I dont wanna
leave!!! Killed it tonight
baby!!!"
The 24-year-old star
fuelled speculation that the
pair were back together last
month, when she tweeted a
picture of Brown lying topless
on her bed. — IANS
Payne, Peazer back together?
English actress Dakota Blue Richards arrives
for the UK premiere of Life of Pi at the
Empire cinema, central London. — AFP
French actress Julie Gayet at
the Marrakesh International
Film Festival. — AFP
Actresses Aubrey Plaza, Rashida Jones and
Amy Poehler at the 'Trevor Live' event
honouring singer Katy Perry. — AFP

Weekend
A model presents a design with organic elements during the
BioFashion Tropico Show 2012 on Saturday in Cali, Valle
del Cauca department, Colombia. The designs are made
with live plants, natural materials and recyclable elements
with the aim of drawing attention to environmental
conservation. — AFP
Dr Ibrahim bin Ahmed al Kindi,
Chief Executive Officer
Fahmi bin Khalid al Harthy,
Editor-in-Chief
16 FASHION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012
More glamour than business
at fashion week
FROM Indian names including
Zeenat Aman, Bipasha Basu,
Genelia D'Souza, Shazahn
Padamsee to International
fashion icons like Paris Hilton,
Miss Paraguay Leryn Franco
and Nicole Huber, the second
edition of India Resort Fashion
Week (IRFW) was more about
glamour than business.
With as many as 30 shows,
the four-day festival that was
divided into three areas — 'The
Fashion Show', 'The Fashion
Village' and 'The Music Festival',
concluded with a energetic
performance by Paris, who visited
the country for the second
time. The first edition witnessed
15 designers showcasing their
talent, but the second edition had
more names.
Some of the established
names part of fashion fest were
Narendra Kumar, Neeta Lulla,
Arjun and Anjalee Kapoor, Pria
Kataaria Puri, James Ferreira,
Falguni and Shane Peacock,
Rocky S and Babita Malkani.
When asked why there were
lesser established names this
year, Mumbai-based designer
Narendra Kumar said that people
in India were little exposed
to trends in resort wear.
"I think I understand the value
of the resort week, other people
probably do not understand
or cannot make clothes that are
different from one collection to
other. Its important that I participated
and am sure there will be
more designers who will enjoy
the mix of fun, fashion and music
together in the coming days,"
he said.
Models present designs made from plants, recycled and
natural materials during the BioFashion Tropico Show
Alexander Wang, fashion prodigy in a hurry
NAMED to replace Nicolas Ghesquiere at Balenciaga, 28-yearold
Alexander Wang has confirmed his reputation as a brilliant
designer in a hurry. His last collection for spring 2013, which hit the
runways at New York Fashion Week in September, got rave reviews
for gravity-defying split leather dresses and glow-in-the-dark models.
Born in California to Taiwanese parents, Wang has developed a
style that mixes avant-garde laser precision and a masculine accent.
He already enjoys a status that many more experienced designers
could only dream of. The designer favours black and white, but
also sometimes pushes the boundaries with bright colours, as he did
when he surprised fans in the spring-summer show in 2009 with
oranges, violets and bright pinks.
Wang was 18 when he left San Francisco to study at Parsons, the
New York fashion hotspot. He was an intern for Marc Jacobs and
Derek Lam and then in his second year at school designed the first
collection under his own name. — AFP
Models present designs with organic elements during the BioFashion
Tropico Show in Cali, Valle del Cauca department, Colombia. — AFP
Philippine runway
models set Guinness
world record
MILAN, Paris, London,
New York and... Manila.
It's hardly the centre of the
fashion world but more than
2,000 models have taken to
the catwalk in a Philippine
shopping mall to claim a new
world record. A total of 2,255
men, women and children, from
strutting seasoned professionals
to stumbling first-timers, took
part in the record for the most
models to walk down the runway
at a single event. They queued
in unglamorous surroundings
last week, hemmed in by metal
railings, to take their turn on the
catwalk at the renovated Ayala
Mall during a fashion event that
lasted several hours. — AFP
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