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CaMpUs BraiNsTorM

campus brainstorm is the next big thing! it is a unique platform where the youth gets to voice their ideas without being judged. a cuppa joe and lots of inspiring viewpoints on college, fashion, environment, movies and things that matter most.

CoVer sTory

does QaTar GiVe a real life

experieNCe?does a youngster growing up in qatar

face enough challenges to be ready for the real deal?

our student reporters find out.

12

08

are yoU a CyBeriTy?

at the age of 15, he co-founded an agency and currently his hand’s busy with charity projects and event organization. meet bilal taha, our young turk for the issue.

watch your step when you are online.we tell you how to up your

cyber-security quotient.

doha gymnasiade 2009 is all set to roll.gear up for the season’s biggest sportingevent.

3331

41 48

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dream bigsky is The liMiT19

TreNdseTTers

GeTTiNGTheir look

Go, GraB! psp Go

pUzzles& More

ready,seT Go!

sep-oct ‘09

georgetown universitywelCoMes Class of 2013 tune iN...

qf radio is very proud to invite listeners to tune in to qf radio›s newest show, cam-pus buzz, created by students, for students and for youth across qatar and the world.

G eorgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar (SFS-Qatar) officially welcomed the Class of 2013 into the univer-

sity during its New Student Convocation ceremony. The event, held in the inaugural week, at the LAS Building at Education City, formally inducted the new class of scholars into the academic community.

Mehran Kamrava, the interim dean of Georgetown’s Qatar campus, led the cer-emony welcoming 45 new students from Qatar and around the world. The ceremony marked the close of a week of orientation events for the new students, which includ-ed information sessions on Qatar and Edu-cation City, as well as lectures on academic integrity, privacy, and other subjects.

Campus Buzz offers a variety of perspectives on activities on cam-pus here at Education City,Doha, plus media commentary, comedy, lifestyle tips, music and much more. You may even hear some of your own classmates!QF Radio Studios are located at Portacabin 1, Education City. You are free to approach them with your program concept email connect@qf.org.qa or phone 4540976. The office is staffed from 7.30am-3.30pm Sunday- Thursday.

News

vcu QaTar date: november 2 - 4, 2009Third bi-annual Hamad bin Khalifa Symposium on Islamic Art entitled ‘Diverse Are Their Hues’. Organized by Sheila Blair and Jona-than BloomVenue: Cordoba, Spain. To register to attend, visit: http://www.islamicartdoha.or

J inanne Tabra, a 2008 graduate of the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon Univer-sity in Qatar and founder of ARABOH.com, has

been named on the list as part of the next generation of Arab leaders. The ‘Top 30 under 30’ list released by CEO Middle East has a list of the best and bright-est entrepreneurs in the Arab world. The list includes names from well-known Arabic families as well as representing a variety of businesses.Jianne is a 2008 graduate and member of the in-augural graduating class at Carnegie Mellon Uni-versity in Qatar. She holds a degree in Business Administration.

cmuq alumna garnersposiTioN iN Ceo Me lisT

sep-oct ‘09

News

football praCTisesThe newly formed Wildcat Football Team practises every Friday from 7:30-9:00pm at the RecCenter Pitch. They need more play-ers in order to compete in an up-coming tournament which beginson 15 October. Interested in playing?

contact saad at 6582152.

northwesternuniversity filM soCieTysCreeNiNGoct 7 - paradise nowoct 14 - slingshot hip-hopoct 21 - i’m not thereoct 28 - a beautiful mindnov 4 - the diving bell and the butterflynov 11 - childrenof heavennov 18 - turtles can fly

head to recreation centre cinema, every wednesday at 6.30 pm

entry free!

doha tribeca one minutefilM fesTiVal held

F amily and friends of Qatar’s first filmmakers gathered at the W Hotel recently for the inaugural screening of their

one minute films, created through work-shops led by the Doha Tribeca Film Festival (DTFF). Making their directorial debut were Mo-hammad Abdul Rahman, Jawaher Al Ku-wari, Reem Almuftah, Noora Almeadadi, Fatma Al Naama, Khalifa Al Obaidly and Fatma Alremaihi – all of whom wrote, di-rected, produced and edited 60-second sto-

ries shot on location in recent weeks in pri-vate homes, landmarks and public spaces around Doha. In addition to watching the films, attendees had the chance to hear firsthand from the Qatari filmmakers as part of a question-and-answer session. DTFF’s Community Outreach DTFF will run from October 29 to November 1 2009 and is being produced by Qatar Museums Authority (QMA) in col-laboration with the Tribeca Film Festival. DTFF will include 33 films, as well as special events.

T he trophies designed by Vir-ginia Commonwealth Uni-versity in Qatar’s students for Qatar Racing and Equestrian

Club’s prestigious Qatar Prix de l’ Arc de Triomphe and Qatar Arabian World Cup races in Paris recently held will finally be seen by the rest of the world.The trophy, presented to the winner of the Qatar Prix de l’ Arc de Triomphe race who also takes away prize money of €2,285,600,

was brought to VCUQatar before it made its way to Paris. Noura Al Khulaifi, the Foun-dation (first year) student who designed the trophy was thrilled to see the final finished product. The trophy was handmade in Milan from a wooden mold of the Noura’s design and fabricated into a masterpiece in gold and pearls with a malachite base. Noura’s tro-phy design was inspired by the Qatari Flag and Rocco French style.

vcuq students trophy desiGNs Make aN iMpressioN

Have Brains,Will Storm!

The Campus Brainstormit would have been just another random weekend. a sweltering, yet calm doha evening. however, within the cosy confines of colombiano coffee house, a storm was brewing - a

blizzard of thoughts and opinions, views and attitudes. campus brainstorm is the next big thing! it is a unique platform where the youth gets to voice their ideas without being judged. a cuppa joe and lots of inspiring viewpoints on

college, fashion, environment, movies and things that matter most to the youth.the campus brainstorm, held on september 17, 2009 was the first of its kind, which

will soon be a regular feature – every two months – where students from any and all schools, universities and colleges are free to come and join the chat.

The VirTUal BUBBleDo you feel the itch if you don’t update your FB status every two hours? And how many of us furiously keep

texting whilst talking to friend in person? Shocking? No, not a bit. We all are pretty happy living in the ‘Virtual world’

around us. Nevertheless, the ‘Virtual world’ brings along with it virtues and vices. Are we content living like this? What

is so bad about eating-sleeping and breathing Wi-Fi communication? We brainstormed!

I’m fine without being con-nected 24/7. I miss my phone

only when I have to reach a friend. I also hate my mobile phone when my parents call me and ask me to pick up my little brother from school or

run errands.

Living in the virtual world prevents you

from actually wanting to see that person. We

get too comfortable chatting and calling.

MohaMMed aBdUllah

saMaNTha serrao

MohaMMad Bara

haNiN al sharifhaNiN Bader

Photography: Robert Altamirano,of Kodak Ali Bin Ali

Venue: Colombiano Coffee House

sep-oct ‘09

sep-oct ‘09

keGhaNii feel the virtual world is a good place. there are a lot of good things happen-ing out there too.

BraiNsTorMershanin al sharifvirginia commonwealth university qatar

hanin bader virginia commonwealth university qatar

mohammad barastenden university

mohammed abdullahmuhammedstenden university

samantha serraostenden university

petra tawfiq stenden university

keghani kouzoujiancarnegie mellon university qatar

camila ferreiranorthwestern university qatar

CaMila ferreira

keGhaNi koUzoUjiaN

doha aNd iTs liMiTaTioNsDuring the course of the discussion it

came across that one of the major reasons students here in Qatar so are so hooked to the virtual world is because of the lack of

avenues where they can utilise their talents, make friends, and do something construc-

tive witht their time.

saMaNThaIn Qatar there is not much to do. And the easy access to Internet puts the world at our feet.

MohaMMad BaraI like to play soccer, but thanks to Doha’s beautiful weather, I have to switch to other options like sleeping or surfing the net.

haNiN al sharifIt is hard to find people who share the same interest as yours. So starting a club is a far-fetched thought.

MohaMMed aBdUllahI think we do have a lot to choose from here in Doha, but we are just not moti-vated. There are activities you can do alone, but if you start going out alone daily, you will look like a loser. There are opportunities here but zero motivation to go out and do something.

saMaNThawe are not motivated enough. most of the teens have enough money to spend, so they do not really want to make that effort to go out and make a difference or do something worthwhile.

MohaMMad BaraThere are people who while talking to you are on the phone simultaneously. You disrespect the person in front of you by doing that. I try not to be on my phone while I’m with others.

saMaNThaIf you’re constantly texting, chatting or surfing the Internet, you forget your pri-orities. You are in a world of your own. It doesn’t help you grow as a person.

peTraYou get so taken up with keeping in touch with everybody that we even end up texting people at four in the morning. It affects your health if not anything else. I feel parental control is required here.

CaMilaI agree that I’m over dependent when it comes to the Internet. I waste my life on the Internet and I know it’s wrong, but I’m not doing anything to help myself! Also, now that we have cell phones, par-ents get worried if we don’t answer when they call. Earlier they had no means to contact us and so they were less worried I guess.

haNiN BaderIt is easier to go to the Internet and get information. It’s convenient. So we are bound to get hooked. I guess we would be closer to other people if we didn’t have IMs and cell phones.

sep-oct ‘09

The GreeN sCeNeEnvironment, green living, nature. These words unleashed varied re-

sponses from the students.Do you really care if the ozone layer

has a huge, gaping hole? What is your bit towards making the earth greener?

Excerpts from the chat.

MohaMMedaBdUllah

I encourage my father to use energy-saving bulbs

and lights and I see to it that I switch off the

AC when I’m not in the room.

saMaNThaI try and drive less and try and walk to reach a place if it’s within walking distance.

CaMilaI tried starting a composting unit at home, but had to discontinue

because my mom didn’t help me with it. We also have a ‘Live

Green’ association at our univer-sity, which helps spread aware-ness with regards to recycling.

It really bugs me when I see people who park their cars at

the malls, and leave the AC until they are back. How can you be so inconsiderate and burn fuel just

for your convenience?

The early BirdGoT aN ipod!

Keghani Kouzoujian won an iPod for being the Early Bird.

The prize was sponsored by the generous folks from iSpot.

Have views to share?Want to meet like minded people?

Campus Brainstorm is the place to be.If your interested in participating please

mail us your details tocampus@omsqatar.com

peTra TawfiQ

sep-oct ‘09

A life too eAsy is AchAllenge in itself

As GoodAs It Gets

it is important that students bring a certain ragamuffin,

barefoot, irreverence to their studies; they are not here to

worship what is known, but to question it

– jacob chanowski

How would qatar’s educa-tion scene rate in chanowski’s assessment we wonder.

does qatar have enough chal-lenges to prepare youngsters for the the real deal? can you actually call a country safe or unsafe?

our student reporters doNa ferNaNdes and ashleNe raMadaN do the rounds of campuses in town posing the question: “is this the real world experience?”

a few think that there are challenges growing up in qatar, al-though these challenges might seem “different” in nature com-pared to those elsewhere in the world – challenges brought by climate, diversity of people and the drive to succeed in “the world out there”, are things they have to face everyday. some however, consider it an “easy life”

naïve, sharp, hopeful, wary, tempered... a mélange of emotions and opinions unique to student-hood.

sep-oct ‘09

I was born and raised in Qatar and I finished my first year in CMU-Q. The academic is amazing because we get a lot of opportunities. But I person-ally don’t like the social life because going to QF I feel I don’t have a social life even though I have many friends outside QF. However, there are many clubs and I’m active in two clubs. But I feel the clubs are not taken seriously

because we don’t have regular meetings and it’s too focused

on work rather than fun.

sarah alloUBa18

carnegie mellonuniversity qatar

I had a good high school experience because I feel safe in Doha and it’s easy to make true friends. I feel university in Doha would be a good experience be-cause I already know some people in Education City, who will help me ad-just. Academics is really good too be-cause they bring the top universities from the US to Doha and you also have the opportunity to do cross registration. We can meet people from different universities and interact with them.

rasha said18

qatar academy

living in qatar has filled me with hopes that i can succeed as any-

thing i want to be. i do not worry about qatar having no trial and

error method of teaching me about life. i see a lot of unfortunate

happenings in the television and in newspapers. i also see the world out there myself when i travel

abroad or go home to my country. when i went back home recently,

my iphone was stolen by my friends itself. i was fortunate to get it

back since the retailer was suspi-cious about the item being sold. ok, things like this happen anywhere, maybe even in qatar. but qatar has given me this hope of safety. it’s a

place where i am able to expand my territories and build my founda-

tions for life.

MohaMed Tarek MohaMed

aBdellaTif19

carnegie mellon university qatar

It’s a challenge in everyday life here in Education City as an international student. I also have to face a lot of cultural challenges. I spent all my life in India before coming here. During the first semester here, I was scared of offending someone. Now I feel much more oriented to the local culture. It’s challenging to fit into a totally new culture, but it’s also a lot of learning and a lot of fun!

arihaNTaGarwal

19carnegie mellonuniversity qatar

sep-oct ‘09

It will be really wrong to say that living in Qatar is like living anywhere else. It’s totally different. Qatar is a safe home, un-like rest of the world. Of course bad things happen, but once in a blue moon. But that is not what I am talking about. To a person who has only seen Qatar and grown up here, I would advise them to take extreme caution traveling out there into a world of “who knows what!” You don’t really get the real picture here. Moreover, television or the news in papers do not give anyone the experience of actually living out there in the wild.

MahMoUdTaher

17wakra independent

school

BriaNMaNalasTas

20carnegie mellon university qatar

No, because here it’s a closed en-vironment and nothing happens. I’ve lived in Italy most of my life and that’s the real world. Life is easier in Doha, sometimes too easy. Family takes care of kids, but in Italy teen-agers are independent and have to take care of themselves.I don’t feel like I’m experiencing the proper college experience because the majority of the people in my col-lege are Arab. I don’t speak Arabic so I feel like an outcast. There’s not enough diversity so I don’t feel like I can relate to the people in my college because we have different interests.

Well no, I don’t face any extra challenges than if I had been in another country. Challenges are present ev-erywhere regardless of time and place. I must say that I have lived here all my life and this country is a really safe place to live in. I have got the transportation to take me to different places and all my needs are provided very carefully to me. Some of my classmates still have nannies and housemaids who take care of them. This has had no bad influence on the youngsters here, but I think living in another place would require that I de-pend more on myself to survive.

I’ve lived in Doha for one year and seven months. It’s different from Saudi because it’s more open, less conservative and there are more things to do. I don’t feel I have the proper college experi-ence here... I’ve been to the U.S. and I’ve realized how life is easier in Doha because we’re all being spoon-fed and everything is handed to us.

sarah kawas18

northwesternuniversity qatar

MarCo faVaV19

qatar aeronautical college

sep-oct ‘09

It wIll be really wrong to say that lIvIng In Qatar Is lIke lIvIng anywhere else. It’s totallydIfferent.Qatar Is a safe home,unlIke the rest of the world.

I come from Egypt, and I love my country. But living there is a challenge. I feel safe living in this country, to come back home at anytime of the day and know that there is no one hid-ing behind my closet threatening o take my wallet or my life. I mean I don’t even have to think about those things. There could be many reasons why Qatar lets people sleep at night in peace, and one of these could be law of the land. I mean there are really good laws here, especially for women. I can breathe in peace and live, to give importance to things more important than ‘worry’.

It’s really unrealistic to say that living here will teach any-body how to face the challenges of life. Living here, and go-ing on tours to other places is the best way to live. In this way, one can ensure safety of life and property, and at the same time learn how it is to live in a challenging environ-ment. I have lived in Qatar all my childhood years. It has been a really pleasant place for me, I mean, if your friends are around you, does the place matter? During my vaca-tions, I have traveled on my own and sometimes with my family to see the world out there. No! It’s not the same. Basically I think that the challenges over here would be related to things like coping with the traffic. Driving on the roads here is a scene to watch! I think it is an activity in which people take all their energy and enthusiasm out.

ahMed el fayoUMy

20qatar university

BassUoNy BisoN20

qatar university

sep-oct ‘09

sep-oct ‘09

i don’t feel like i’m experienc-ing the ‘real world’ because my

parents pay for my education and i don’t have a part time job

to support myself during my high school years.

i like it here because i’ve been introduced to a wide variety of cultures, and it is my country. i left doha to study in london

because qatar doesn’t have the major i want to study. i used

to feel safe in doha and life is easier for sure. i enjoy it more. in london, they have a completely

different mentality and are very independent. that’s the other

major difference i realized when i moved to a foreign country.

Different? Yes, it’s a very hot country. On one hand there are a lot of challenges living in Qatar and on the other, there aren’t. There aren’t because, essentially, most (if not all) of us have had everything fed to us with a silver spoon: kids driving Lamborghinis, with Fendi purses, Cesare Paciotti shoes etc. But on the other hand, this is also a very limited view of teenagers in Qatar. Most of them sit at home every day of the week because they have nothing to do. It’s just too hot to go out and they don’t own a car. So they end up sitting at home and facebook-ing all day. They don’t need to make life terrible to learn how to live. As far as I know, its safe here and I think it’s worth it to lose out on a learning experience, if your streets are safer.

If there is someone to connect us to the outside world, which in this instance, I mean outside Qatar, it is fine. Yet, it is difficult to connect in the right way without someone to di-rect us if you have only lived in Qatar. Living here is not the same as living anywhere else in the world of course; it’s a whole new experience actually. There is a huge challenge coping with the climate, especially if you are not accustomed to heat and with the pressure of growing side-by-side in competition with the rest of the world. Wherever there are people in this world, there will be challenges. Not that people are hard to live with, but learning to cope with people is a lesson in itself.

ahMedMohaMMed

19university of

london

el-hassaNwaNas

19carnegie mellon

university qatar

oMer MohaMMad

19northwestern

university qatar

sep-oct ‘09

DREAM BIGTHE SKY IS THE LIMIT

BydoNa

ferNaNdes

sep-oct ‘09

T he roadway between Al Meera Co-operative society and KFC was packed with traffic. There was a line of cars behind me

and another line in front of me. At this rate, I thought, I would never make it to meet the guy I had met the previous day at the Blue Print music event in Education City. The crowd almost mobbed him at the event but I was excited when I got an appointment to meet him in the privacy of his house. I had felt very privileged then, but now, I was destined to be stuck in traffic in the neighborhoods of his residence.

Bilal Taha, who recently organized The Red Carpet: Doha’s 1st Hip Hop & RnB Ball, where G-Unit’s Hot Rod performed live along with songstress Kéyali Mayaga and 974 Music Signee, Trak, was 23 years old when he first visited Qatar in 2007.

“I already had contacts with people in Qatar before I moved here,” he says, adding, “Qatar appeared more and more in the media, and I decided to visit this great country.”

Originally from Palestine, Bilal was born and brought up in Munich. In 2007, he grad-uated from Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC) in Spain as a Medical Informatics & Biomedical Engineer.

“When I visited Qatar, I realized that I was

in the perfect place for booming markets, and a young entrepreneur or anyone who has an ability to dream big should never let this opportunity pass by.”

At the age of 15, Bilal, along with his Ger-man partner and friend, founded Intermediax Ltd in London, an online web designing agen-cy. He hired freelancers from the Philippines and Malaysia for the job. At the age of 21, he was the Vice-Chairman of Taurus Building In-spections & Surveying in Spain. And while he was still studying, he also became a Project Coordinator with the Global Groups in Real Estate companies. He is presently an Events Coordinator in the entertainment business in Qatar. Bilal also aspires to open his first res-taurant in Qatar soon.

Besides Bilal’s genius-like qualities, what struck me most about him was the fact that he fishes out young talents from around the country and gives them a chance to go public and display their talent. Sometimes with the help of his team he also helps develop and bring to life these young artists who would otherwise have not been known.

When Bilal first came to Qatar he felt that the youth in Qatar do not very often get the opportunity to get outside their ‘little shells’ of comfort and experience ‘real-time’ entertain-ment. “Qatar is in a very raw state and also

kNowiNG Bilal BeTTer

Bilal Taha recently organized The Red Carpet: Doha’s 1st Hip Hop & RnB Ball, where G-Unit’s Hot Rod performed live along with songstress Kéyali Mayaga and 974 Music Signee, He, was 23 years old when he first visited Qatar in 2007.

At the age of 15, Bilal, along with his German partner and friend founded Intermediax Ltd in London, an online web designing agency. He hired freelancers from the Philip-pines and Malaysia for the job.

When Bilal first came to Qatar he felt that the youth in Qatar do not very often get the opportunity to get outside their ‘little shells’ of comfort and experience ‘real-time’ entertainment.

Bilal handles very delicate charity projects around the world from Qatar. “This mind-set was built very strongly in me since I was a child,” he says. In 1998, he was made the student-president of his school, and the project he did that year was a stepping-stone to the changes in his life.

i get excited when i see this country continuouslymove towards developments. it never slows down a bit.

the richest country in the Middle East right now. I get excited when I see this country continuously move towards developments. It never slows down a bit.”

I walked around his house and looked at pictures of him in the refugee camps around the world. There was one that stood out, amidst the several certificates of honor for service. I pointed towards it, “The UNRWA (United Nation) in year 2003,” Bilal says.

“That was in a Palestinian refugee camp in south Lebanon. Houses were being de-stroyed and people were starving. We were helping in distributing those rice bags from Japan.” He says that he knows what these people feel as he has gone through the pain of loss too. “I lived through the wars in South Lebanon and the earthquake (1999) in Turkey.”

Bilal handles very delicate charity proj-ects around the world from Qatar. “This mindset was built very strongly in me since I was a child,” he says. In 1998, he was made the student-president of his school, and the project he did that year was a stepping-stone to the changes in his life. The project required of him to organize a charity bazaar to collect money for a school in Burkina Faso, Africa. The school had ex-

tra students but no space to accommodate them. The charity collected enough money that month to build an extra classroom in the school. Bilal visited the place after that, and saw the children who were able to get an education. “For the first time, I felt like I had a reason to go on in my life.”

That was the beginning. In 2007, he in-vited international stars like Akil the MC of Jurassic 5 and the famous band Shai to collect money for orphans infected with HIV in Burundi. 1500 people from all over Germany attended the event called 1 Na-tion 1 God 1 Way. Sofia Baig, the artist from Canada and Abdulrahim Kawooya of the United Kingdom also attended the event.

“To change something, we have to become

the change,” Bilal says. Bilal is very positive about the future

of youth in Qatar. “One may think that as youngsters, growing up in the comfort zones of the country, it is not possible to know what it is like to live in the other parts of the world. This is not true.” Instead, Bilal feels that challenges living in Qatar are big for the youth. “Growing up is not very easy and the youth have to figure out a lot of things about life on their own and it takes a while to understand the pattern of the country. I personally think that within a pe-riod of two years, this gap will be negated.”

I asked him what he thought was special about him before I got up to leave, maybe something I should have asked in the very beginning. He took a while to answer that question. “I don’t know,” he says. “Maybe the fact that I am still alive, with the grace of God. It’s amazing.”

Bilal aspires to give the country as much as he can during his stay here. “This is what I have to tell the youth in Qatar. Life is chal-lenging. That does not mean you sit down on the face of those challenges. Dream big, the sky is the limit. If you want something you never had, you have to do something you never did.”

life is challenging. that does not mean you sit down on the face of those challenges. dream big, the sky is the limit.

sep-oct ‘09

Career BUzz

A Day in the Life of......A Market Research Analyst

In the office bright and early – not too many people around yet. Grab a cup of tea and read the morning paper.

Work starts in earnest. I am in the middle of two different market research studies for clients, one involving the effectiveness of internet advertising in the Middle East and the other related to real estate preferences. Both due end of week. Both are online surveys so I check the quantity of responses and their demographic breakdown to make sure we have achieved the right

quantity and mix for the two surveys. We are on target for one but need to give the other a push as we are short of respondents in one particular demographic group.

9:00AM

9:30AM

Spreadsheets ready for the real estate survey and the business of analysis begins. My spreadsheets are organized in such an efficient and organized way that the analytical work becomes

a breeze! Our clients rely on our analysis of present preferences and percep-tions and past statistical data to make important decisions related to product design, price, promotions etc.

10:00AM

By haNi

Najjar

Hani Najjar is a mem-ber of the community

of Professionals on Bayt.com, the Middle

East’s #1 Jobsite

sep-oct ‘09

Analysis work well un-derway for real estate project and the findings

are very compelling. I begin the Power-Point presentation with a description of survey methodology and key data on number of respondents, their demo-graphic breakdown and income brackets. Then I start showing the results for the questions we asked to gauge the health of the real estate market in the GCC and the nature of real estate demand and preferences.

Lunch! The team goes out to an Italian restaurant nearby to celebrate winning a very important new client.

Back at the drawing board churning data, analyzing the answers of the survey and summarizing findings

in a compelling PowerPoint presentation. Take time off from this survey to discuss with the other client team how we can raise response figures for their survey. They agree to send another survey mail-er inviting responses and to extend the deadline for responses for another week.

Client emails to respond to. Also a client has sent in a set of questions from a newspaper which require

some analytical work to answer so I set aside some time to take care of them. Still have data on a research press release to check. Marketing handles all PR but I am responsible for making sure that data per-taining to my research is accurate and the angle of the release is correct.

Presentation for tomor-row is looking good, some very interesting results on real estate moods and

preferences for the different markets in the GCC. Our client will be pleased. I still have a good two days of work to do on this presentation to finish it but its developing in the right direction! I admire my Power-Point acumen and graphic skills, log off and head home.

Weekly team meeting to discuss outstanding projects.

On phone with a banking client. They are not happy with the way we have translated their survey questionnaire into Arabic and are also requesting we add a whole new section to the questionnaire. Since the questionnaire has not bee programmed yet, this poses no problems, but I bring it to the

bank›s attention that this entails a significant addition to the analytical work and hence that time required for completion. I think to myself the cost should also be raised but after a quick meeting with my boss we agree that we can maintain the price point as is.

4:30PM

3:30PM

12:00PM 1:00

PM

2:30PM

6:30PM

5:15PM

At home reading about real estate trends in research published by other parties. I always like to be fully in-

formed about the markets and industries I am researching. Tomorrow I guess I will be researching third party literature related to trends in online advertising. You can never be too prepared or too informed.

7:15PM

Want to share a Day in your Life? E-mail Bayt.com at: dayinthelife@bayt.net Bayt.com is the #1 job site in the Middle East with more than 30,000 employers and over 3.5 Million registered job seekers from across the Middle East, North Africa and the globe, represent-ing all industries, nationalities and career levels. Post a job or find jobs on www.bayt.com

today and access the leading resource for job seekers and employers in the region.

sep-oct ‘09

sNaG iT!

Career

are you at a loss when it comes to writing out your first cv? or how to conduct yourself at an interview? prepare yourself with tips from an expert.

issa alisenior manager

human resource, hsbc, qatar

T he grand finale of your student life is the big first job! Or, the at-tractive internship programme at an organization you’ve been

longing to get into. How will you get there? How do you put together an impressive re-sume if you don’t have any work experience? Isn’t that the first thing that zips across you mind when you get thinking? No reason to fret!

You are not the only one; almost all your peers face this dilemma when it is time to hunt for that perfect ‘first job’ after graduat-ing. And not having enough matter to fill in those pages shouldn’t stop you from sketch-ing out an impressive resume.

What to include in your CV? How to pres-ent yourself? How to conduct yourself at an interview? All these questions looming over can boggle the minds of any fresh graduate.

sep-oct ‘09

preparation is the key when at-tending any interview. an inter-view shows that the company is interested in learning more after reviewing your resume and application.

Campus spoke to Issa Ali, Senior Manager, Human Resource, HSBC, Qatar to help you out of this tight-spot. Here are a few pointers on how to prepare yourself to go out and nail that interview.

what to keep in mind while attending the first interview?Preparation is the key when attending any in-terview. An interview shows that the compa-ny is interested in learning more after review-ing your resume and application. It does not mean an automatic acceptance to a graduate or internship programme.

how do i excel in an interview? Prepare. Ensure that you have researched the company that you are applying to.The five main qualities that recruiters look for in a resume. Focus: A good CV shows clarity of vision. Truthful: Exaggerated claims on CVs are eas-ily detected.Professional: The structure of the resume is critical. Attractive: The general layout should be user-friendly. Simple: Deliver the message in the most con-cise, impressive and relevant light. Interesting: Keep in mind that an employer is hiring a human being not a robot.

one fundamental question a resume should answer?Your career objective. Clearly defined and catchy objective. A fresher’s CV should high-light achievements, internships, and affilia-tions details. This area is particularly impor-tant for fresh graduates who do not have a lot of direct job experience.

how can i distinguish myself in the job hunt and in the interview? what are the qualities

that you look for in a fresher or intern?Leadership potential, thus promising future talent. Financial institutions like HSBC take pride in its corporate responsibility, therefore extra-curricular activities illustrate that you take an initiative and are passionate.

what is the one thing that gives a nega-tive impression in a resume and should be avoided?Spelling mistakes and lengthy paragraphs.

what are the questions that i can ask the employer? It’s important to show that you are interested in the company; you may ask these questions at the end of the interview.Some questions relating to the position:

What are the main responsibilities of • the job?What are the most difficult aspects of • the job?How did the vacancy arise?• What is the career path relating to this • position?How will my work be assessed?•

Questions relating to the company:What is the company hoping to achieve • in the next 12 months?What new products are the company • planning to introduce in the future?Are any major changes planned for the • department/company?Who are your biggest competitors?•

when is the right time to start send-ing out resumes to companies, just before completing college or sometime mid-way?It’s advisable to start sending out your per-fected resumes between your junior and senior year.

fiVeQUaliTies

reCrUiTers look for iN a CV

attractive: thegeneral layout shouldbe user-friendly

truthful: exaggerated claims on cvs are easily detected

focus: a good cv showsclarity of vision

interesting: keep in mind that an employer is hiring a human being not a robot

professional: thestructure of theresume is critical

simple: deliver themessage in the mostconcise, impressive andrelevant light

sep-oct ‘09

ByNadira

aMarasiNGe

But here’s the thing; it takes a lot of students about six months to a year before the reality of the situation sinks in. Who needs to wait that long to start making the best of the best time of their lives? Making the transition from high school to

college can be quite daunting, especially if no one has warned you about what you might be in for. That freshman year is of-ten spent groping in the dark, trying to find your bearings, and

wondering when the ‘best time of your life’ was going to show up!

In college no one but you, takes responsibility for your actions and decisions. Remember your sense of horror in high school at having to follow rules set by others? You might not realize it, but this is the moment you’ve been waiting for. Power has just changed hands. Now, you can make those decisions. It is your option to choose responsibly and bear the consequences of your choices. And then there are those Hollywood college movies. Guess what? They are fake! College is not all about parties and bas-ketball and cheerleaders! There is actual work involved, and a lot of it!

iT is The BesT TiMe of yoUr life siNCe:

you aRe no longeR a kid in SChool you don’t get oRdeRed aRound (aS muCh!) and you aRe geneRally given fRee Reign with youR life. okay, the only hitCh might be that you aRen’t

ConSideRed adult enough to take on all adult ReSponSibilitieS, yet.

Tricks to Make College

Tick

sep-oct ‘09

Do NOT reinvent yourselfStarting college doesn’t mean that you become a new person overnight. It’s a new phase of life for the same person you were for the last 18 years or thereabouts. Don’t feel pressurized to ‘upgrade’ yourself, just because ‘you are in college now.’ You don’t have to force yourself to become someone else. Let the changes come naturally. Everyone goes through physical, emotional, social and spiritual changes as they grow up and there is absolutely no need to speed up the process.

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leT’s Talk TraNsiTioN. is iT possiBle To Make aN easy shifT froM hiGh sChool To ColleGe aNd MiNiMize The sUrprises? ToTally. here are soMe Tips To GeT yoU sTarTed.

Ask questionsAnd I don’t mean in class! If you are uncertain about what you should be doing

or where you should be, there is no need for you to wander around aimlessly trying to find your way. If you are too shy to speak to a college-mate, look for a student advisor or a professor. Or you could even flip through the student

handbook. They usually answer many basic questions.

Photo Courtesy: Arabianeye.com

sep-oct ‘09

3Establish a rapport with your lecturers

Attend class

An SIP is your roadmap through each course. Think of it like it’s your GPS

system in college. It is there to guide you. Know all the information on it. The

syllabus, the testing methods, the test dates, the breakdown of the final grade.

It’s tempting to dump that sheet of paper away on the first day of class, but resist

the temptation. You are in power now! If there is anything that will ease the way

through a course, it’s knowing what you are in for.

As simple as this may seem, it is amazing how often we tend to think we can get by with the minimum number of classes as long as we catch up by sharing notes with those who attend regularly. Many Student In-formation Plans (SIP) show that attendance counts towards your final grade. Remember, notes copied off another student just give you the gist of what that person understood from what was said in class! By missing a class you make yourself lose out on a wealth of verbal information that can’t be recreated via a friend’s notes.

You might be one in a small class of ten students or you might be one in a huge lecture hall for a hundred. Either way it is good to make sure your professors know you and recognize you. You needn’t walk up to them and introduce yourself on the very first day but do it at some point. Check out their office hours and schedules, know where their offices are. These things come in handy when you suddenly realize you need an extra push.

Know your Student

Information plan like the back

of your hand

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6Find a friendThe buddy system works well in college. If you are not lucky enough to share all classes with one good friend, pick another student in each class and form a friendship. You can discuss classes and assignments. You can talk about, laugh about or even grumble about the lecture. All this helps reinforce things in your mind, making it easy for later retrieval. It’s wonderful to have someone to share exam stress with. Besides, goof-off time in college is compulsory! We all need to have a friend with whom we can waste a bit of time with.

Photo Courtesy: Arabianeye.com

sep-oct ‘09

Identify your strengths and weaknesses early onMake the most of your strengths to stay on track while working towards your degree. Weaknesses? Be honest about them and come up with a strategy to off-set each of them. This way you can avoid making mistakes repeatedly. For exam-ple if your weakness is procrastination, give someone else permission to hound you until the assignment is complete at least a day or two before it is due in.

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Get organizedWhether it’s with your notes, your time or your classes, it pays to be organized in college. For your notes you can use different notebooks, or folders, or colored Post-its. Whatever works for you! Stay current with all your classwork. We’ve all made the mistake of thinking we can catch up later and found out to our dismay that we can’t. Put yourself on a schedule that maximizes your priorities and helps you use your time efficiently.

Do out-ofclass work

This is not like high school when you just do what the teacher assigns. Your out-of-class work will triple. Go over notes and outlines frequently. Trying to absorb something huge in size is much more effective in small bites rather than in one sitting. Draw yourself a web, a diagram, or other graphic organizer that helps you organize the information and imprint that onto your mind.

Starting college is a turning point in a person’s life. It is when many of us make a decision about what we plan to be doing for the rest of our lives, and that alone is overwhelming enough. You will have plenty of challenges to overcome so don’t make a poor high school-to-college

transition one of them. Many college students are unpleasantly sur-prised at the difference between high school and college. But different doesn’t have to mean difficult. You have the power to make this the best time of your life. So go for it!

Make time for yourself, family and friendsThrow together a drive to succeed, a demanding timetable, a dozen class assignments and only 24 hours each day and you have the perfect recipe for meltdown. Remember to plan ahead so you have time to hang out with friends and family to relax and rejuvenate yourself. It is vital that you have a non-college life. So make sure you spend time not thinking about lectures, as-signments or exams.

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sep-oct ‘09

LOOK

TreNdseTTers

E mma Watson has transformed from a gawky nerdy Hermione Granger to a worldwide fashion icon. It’s her sophisticated personal style that sets her apart from other teen idols, having built it up over the years. Apparently she doesn’t use stylists and

doesn’t want the ‘perfect’ look that they tend to create.She has been seen on and off the red carpet looking stunning in Rodarte,

Proenza Schouler and in vintage Ossie Clark. She has blossomed into a poised and graceful teenager

In her day-to-day routine, Emma lives in skinnies, shrunken blazers and ballet flats like any other teenager.

In this photograph, at the New York premiere of the Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, she mixed up her style with hip young pieces – a high-waisted mini with a leather halter-top from Proenza Schouler. It spells glam-our and is sexy, yet cute. She is bang on-trend with the monochromatic color scheme of her ensemble.

THEIRGETTING

By soNaliraMaN

BewiTChiNG!

how CaN yoU look like eMMa?

l Keep the monochrome colors in mind and look for a simple, yet smart mini, well tailored.

l The mini should be in a light color, preferably a tone of off white or light beige. You don’t have to necessarily go for the designer labels – high street options from say Topshop, Ber-shka, H&M, and River Island can work just as well.

l Look for an interesting top to pair with. The top is in focus here – so look for one that has one key point – like a special neckline or spe-cial cut (like Emma wears a halter). It should be dark in color to complement the skirt.

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LOOKTHEIR l Pattinson has almost trade-

marked the plaid shirt this summer. You won’t go wrong in following in his footsteps with a plaid shirt.

l Add some color with your plaid shirt; hints of yellow are the current trend for young men’s fashion.

l Slim fitting trousers or skinny jeans in a dark tone are what you need to look for to pair with this kind of shirt.

l The cropped blazer is a hot trend right now. So look out for those in the high street stores in wool or other blends.

l The idea is to keep to R-Patz’s disheveled look with wearing crushed or un-ironed clothes. A lot similar blazers can be found in high street stores like Topshop and H&M in similar grey tones.

l His messy bed-head hairstyle is something that all the girls swoon over.

l It’s easy –some hair-gel will do the trick (unless you want to go the R-Patz way by not wash-ing it for weeks and have the grease build-up hold it up) and slight stubble will complete the look. This is an easy look all you guys out there can adopt and get up and go!

Robert Pattinson says, “I don’t want to look trendy, so I try to find clothes where somebody wouldn’t be able to say, ‘ Oh you’re a cool guy”. However I don’t think his disheveled look has been able to put off any of the PYTs.”

One way to ensure the young gals will be following you is to take a leaf out of R-Patz’s look-book and enhance your personal style. He is one of the hottest guys of 2009 and his trademark look seems to be an expensive roll out-of-bed look, which he pulls of pretty well.

TwiliGhT sTar

lPair with high-heeled gladiators or the cur-rent trendy cut-away summer heels.

l A clutch in a dark color will complete the look. Ensure your hair is well groomed and keep make-up simple with a dash of bright lipstick and you’re good to hit the red carpet too!

l Another way to capture this look – go neon! River Island, Topshop and Splash have some great body-con skirts in bright neon colors like yellow or green or fuchsia or mandarin.

l Some of these skirts have interesting zipper

details – go for one of these and you will be killing two birds with one stone – two key trends: Body con skirt and zipper detail – very now!

l When you pair one of these with a black top you have a completely different look – a bit more casual, but fun too! Look for a top in a dark tone, which is sleeveless or halter necked. It should be well fitted

l I would still suggest the same kind of shoes even with the neon-shaded skirt. Kurt Geiger and H&M have some lovely options for the perfect look.

sep-oct ‘09

Firewalls provide protection against outside at-tackers by shielding your computer or network from malicious or unnecessary Internet traffic. Firewalls can be configured to block data from certain locations while allowing the relevant and necessary data through. They are especial-ly important for users who rely on ‘always on’ broadband connections such as cable or DSL modems.

WHAT TYPE OF FIREWALL IS BEST?Hardware: Typically called network firewalls, these external devices are positioned between your computer or network and your cable or DSL modem. Many vendors and some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) offer devices called ‘routers’ that also include firewall features. Hardware-based firewalls are particularly use-ful for protecting multiple computers but also offer a high degree of protection for a single computer. If you only have one computer be-hind the firewall, or if you are certain that all of the other computers on the network are up to date on patches are free from viruses, worms,

or other malicious code, you may not need the extra protection of a software firewall. Hard-ware-based firewalls have the advantage of be-ing separate devices running their own operat-ing systems, so they provide an additional line of defense against attacks. Their major draw-back is cost, but many products are available for a reasonable price.

Software: Some operating systems include a built-in firewall; if yours does, consider enabling it to add another layer of protection even if you have an external firewall. If you don’t have a built-in firewall, you can obtain a software firewall for relatively little or no cost from your local com-puter store, software vendors, or ISP. Because of the risks associated with downloading software from the Internet onto an unprotected com-puter, it is best to install the firewall from a CD or DVD. Although relying on a software firewall alone does provide some protection, understand that having the firewall on the same computer as the information you’re trying to protect may hin-der the firewall’s ability to catch malicious traffic before it enters your system.

What do firewalls do?

share yoUr kNowledGe of cyber security with your family. many of you may know more about computers and cybersecurity than yourparents or siblings.take the time to teach them how to protect themselves and theirdata from danger.

ARE YOu ACYBERITY?

sep-oct ‘09

How can you minimize the access other peo-ple have to your information?

You may be able to easily identify people who could, legitimately or not, gain physical access to your computer — family members, roommates, co-workers, members of a clean-ing crew, and maybe others. Identifying the people who could gain remote access to your computer becomes much more difficult. As long as you have a computer and connect it to a network, you are vulnerable to someone or something else accessing or corrupting your information; however, you can develop habits that make it more difficult.

Lock your computer when you are away from it. Even if you only step away from your computer for a few minutes, it’s enough time for someone else to destroy or corrupt your information or install malicious code. Locking your computer prevents another person from being able to simply sit down at your comput-er and access all of your information.

Disconnect your computer from the Inter-net when you aren’t using it. The develop-ment of broadband technologies such as DSL

and cable modems have made it possible for users to be online all the time, but this conve-nience comes with risks. The likelihood that attackers or viruses scanning the network for available computers will target your comput-er becomes much higher if your computer is always connected. Depending on what meth-od you use to connect to the Internet, discon-necting may mean ending a dial-up connec-tion, turning off your computer or modem, or disconnecting cables.

Evaluate your security settings. Most soft-ware, including browsers and email pro-grams, offers a variety of features that you can tailor to meet your needs and requirements. Enabling certain features to increase conve-nience or functionality may leave you more vulnerable to being attacked. It is important to examine the settings, particularly the secu-rity settings, and select options that meet your needs without putting you at increased risk. If you install a patch or a new version of the soft-ware, or if you hear of something that might affect your settings, reevaluate your settings to make sure they are still appropriate.

Be Safe, Be Smart

Enjoy the view along the Corniche – and take your laptop with you. Internet access is free! As part of ictQatar’s initiative to help connect people, three parks in Doha have wireless con-nectivity – for free! So head to Sheraton, Rumailah and Dahl Al Hamam!

Out & AboutTalk To aN adUlT if yoU feel uncomfortable or afraid of anything you see or hear online. in the same way you don’t allow people to bully you and harass you in school or the neighborhood, be sure not to allow it online either. talk to your teachers or parents if you read, see, or hear something that makes you uncomfortable, fearful, or angry.

eNCoUraGe yoUr faMily MeMBers to have separate user accounts. we all like to have our own room or a personal corner in a shared room to keep a few things to ourselves. parentskeep important documentslocked away. we should followthis practice with our owninformation such as journals, bank account information, or other important data.

Information courtesy ictQatar & QCert

Ice it upwhat could be better than

spending time in an ice rink, especially during the notorious august doha heat? thanks to gondolania and

villaggio mall this summer wasn’t like any other. you can call it the ‘coolest’ event of the season. the speed racing on ice 2009 was held on august 14 to 15, 2009, at the gondolania ice arena,

villaggio mall. the event wasorganised by gondolania ice arena in association with qtel. the response was outstanding and skaters arealready looking forward to next

year’s speed racing on ice.

who parTiCipaTed? Girls and boys above the age of five, who could skate, took part in the major five events held, over the two days. The event saw around 50 enthusiastic par-ticipants from various countries like; Qatar, Oman, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Philippines and USA display their skill and deftness.

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whaT were The eVeNTs?

There were five main events with-in which there were other sub-events.Main events included Oval speed racing, 60 metre sprint, 120 meter sprint, slalom and freestyle skating. The events were open to eight different age groups.

speCial perforMaNCes

Katrina Mayo, Gondolania Ice Skating coach, a figure skating multi-medalist who competed around Asia and a nation-al figure skating winner from the Philip-pines performed a special figure skating number. And Canadian ice hockey player Tyler Penney of QIIHL with Oliver Corte-zano as goal keeper demonstrated an Ice Hockey shootout exhibition.

Oval speed racing event: Here the participants were sup-posed to skate using the entire ice rink. Starting from the centre, they had to complete two laps. The participant with the best time won.Sprint: Participants were to sprint from start to finish line. The event was divided into 60 metres and 120 metres sprint event. Slalom: The toughest in the league. Slalom participants were to skate on an obstacle course. Time penalties were imposed on those who committed errors.Freestyle skating: Here participants were to use their cre-ativity and unique movements to impress the judges. The number of the manoeuvres performed, consistency and difficulty level were deciding factors when it came to nam-ing the winners.

The spoNsors

QTEL was the main spon-sor for the event whereas Woman Today Magazine, Campus Magazine, Qatar Tribune, Rayyan drinking Water, Mc Donalds, KFC, TGIF, Krispy Kreme, Hard-ees, Grand Regency Hotel, Samurai, Party Balloons and Circus Land were the other sponsors.

people BehiNd The sCeNes

The event committee was headed by Bon Hirang, as the competition Director, Jamal Almuftah -Chief Marshall, Oliver Corteza-no - Event Coordinator and Graphic Artist, JP Tanchico and Gino Lodronio, Co-Chief Referee, Katrina Mayo and Saif Ciflak asthe referees.

Adrenaline pumping, pulse racing, and a stadium full of cheering fans. That is pretty much the scene Doha will be witnessing this December. Put on your best woollies and head to the Doha Gymnasiade 2009. The Doha Gymna-

siade 2009 is to be held from December 7 to 12 this year at Aspire Zone. It is the biggest school sports event held in the world. The event inviting approximately 1900 dele-gates from over 43 countries will be the 14th Gymnasiade in history. The participants will compete in sports catego-ries ranging from athletics, swimming, to gymnastics.

gymnasiade? what’s that?The first Gymnasiade took place in 1974 in Wiesbaden, Germany, and was created by the International School Sports Federation (ISF). What started as a small competi-tion had gradually become a major school sport event in the world. The ISF was born due to the lack of sports ac-tivities within the teaching framework in Europe and was founded in 1972 with 13 countries.

how did qatar bag it?In May 2007, the Heir Apparent HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani accepted the challenge to host Doha Gymnasiade 2009, and established the Organizing Committee in June 2007.

The official handover of the games to Qatar was made in Athens, Greece, where the last Gymnasiade took place in 2006.

where to go?The athletic events of the Doha Gymnasiade 2009 are to

READY, GET SET GO...

preVioUs GyMNasiadeTook plaCe iN:

2006 athens and thessalonica - greece

2002 caen - france

1998 shanghai - china

1994 nicosia - cyprus

1990 bruges - belgium

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take place in the Khalifa Stadium. The stadium is one of the three competition venues within the Aspire Zone. With 50,000 seats, the Aspire Zone will be a venue with the largest capacity for the Doha Gymnasiade 2009.

Gymnastic events will be held at the Aspire Dome, while Aquatic events at the Hamad Aquatics centre. All training, warm-up and competitions will be held at the world-class As-pire Zone, itself.

what to expect? All you sports enthusiasts are in for a treat and will have a gala time witnessing the large num-ber of events lined up. There will be 34 events in swimming and 42 different events in the ath-letic category along with 22 gymnastic events.

1900the number participants expected

43the number ofparticipating countries

98number of events tobe held

want to be part ofdoha gymnasiade?

Email your contact and availability details to

info@gymnasiade.commarking Volunteers in the Subject line.

Or

just Buzz 4942009 and speak with the organising committee.

Rush in your mails and calls by October 15, 2009.

did you know?Since it conception the event has been usually held in European countries with the exception in 1998 when it was celebrated in China - Shanghai. It is the first time the Gymnasiade will be hosted by an Arab nation.

OfficialPartners

sep-oct ‘09

Being a student doesn’t translate into a heavy satchel, tonnes of books and stationery anymore.

In fact, there’s never been a bet-ter time to be a student. Books, journals, research material and stationery is now all encompassed within the versatile computer. Technology has made learning more exciting – and more fun. And, as usual, Apple is play-ing a major role. Many classrooms, colleges,

and universities are now tech savvy. Campus information, study materials, and homework assignments are being posted online. Apple is at the core of this emerging direction for teaching and learning. The Mac is now the number one computer in schools and on col-lege campuses. With Apple and the Mac, you get the tools you need to be a successful stu-dent today. And you develop the skills you’ll need to be successful as the assignments

get even more challenging tomorrow. It’s an exciting time to be a student. Because what happens in the classroom no longer stays in the classroom – you can use your computer, your iPod, or your iPhone to work where you want, when you want.

The Mac can be used for any major; the best way to prepare for your career is to use the tools the pros use. And increasingly, the pros trust the power and reliability of the Mac.

Mac-ximizeyour campus life

iN MediCiNe aNd deNTisTryUnderstanding human anatomy,

visualizing medical problems, and researching complex processes – just a normal day in medical

school. A Mac can handle all of that and everything else you need your

computer to do.

The CreaTiVe arTsTo prepare for a career in film-making, design, recording, or

photography, it makes sense to work with the tools the pros use.

Apple pro applications such as Final Cut Studio and Logic Pro

are the applications professionals depend on.

The sCieNCesNearly half of all academic life

scientists and most major research companies use Mac computers

for research. The Mac allows scientists to see complex concepts through visualization and quickly test multiple hypotheses through

simulation.

CoMpUTer sCieNCeA Mac is all a computer science major

needs. All new Mac computers run Mac OS X and x86 operating systems, so you can create programs for virtually

any platform – Mac (including applica-tions for iPhone), Windows, Linux, and

UNIX.

BUsiNessBusiness professionals need to commu-nicate their ideas and proposals in clear

and compelling ways. Only the Mac comes with incredibly easyto- use tools that enable students and professionals to create stunning visual presentations

that include audio, video, and music.

CoMMUNiCaTioNsBlogs, Webcasts, Podcasts, Video cre-

ation for online newspapers. Technology continues to change the

world of journalism. Apple applications and the powerful Mac Book are the tools

of choice for reporting from the field.

whaT is ispoTiSpot is one of the leading Apple Resellers in Qatar. The team at iSpot comprises of

young Apple enthusiasts, who are profes-sionals when it comes to technical or cre-ative solutions. Education is an important

area of engagement for iSpot.

sep-oct ‘09

GaMiNG

GO,GRAB! PSP GO

Top piCksMarVel Vs. CapCoM 2

(Xbox 360)

falloUT 3: MoThershipZeta (X360)

The s iMs 3 (PC)

G. i . joe: The r ise ofCobra (X360)

BlazBlUe: CalaMiTyTrigger (X360)

wii sporTs Resort (WII)

faT priNCess (PS3)

pokeMoN plaTiNUM(DS)

Teenage Mutant N iNjaTUrTles: Turtles in Time Re

Shelled (X360)

dawN of d isCoVery (PC) (Rankings courtesy Gamer

ankings.com)

The new PSP will be available in North America on October 1 for $249.

The PSP Go is smaller, has a slide-up screen, no UMD drive, and no game-changing upgrades, such as a touch screen or second analog stick.

The PSP Go has a 3.8-inch wide screen (versus 4.3-inch on all previous PSP models). It tips the scales at about 3.8 ounces and will offer 16GB of built-in flash memory, and it’s expandable via a Memory Stick Micro (M2) slot.

In addition Wi-Fi support, the PSP Go adds Bluetooth ca-pability to the Sony handheld platform for the first time. That should allow standard Bluetooth headsets (and, presumably, A2DP headphones and speakers) to pair with the PSP Go.

sep-oct ‘09

GET YOuR HANDSON THESE

GizMos

reTro ClassiCrubik’s cube

This 3-D mechanical puzzle invented in 1974 by Hungarian sculptor and profes-sor of architecture Erno Rubik is easily the world’s best-selling toy. For all ages.In a classic Rubik’s Cube, each of the six faces is covered by 9 stickers, among six solid colours (traditionally white, red, blue, orange, green, and yellow). If you›ve tried and not cracked the puzzle, check out http://www.youcandothecube.com/ for instant solutions.Dent: As little as QR30

Qr 30

Qr 75*

More ThaN jUsT TiMecasio g-shock

The Casio Men’s G-Shock Riseman Alti-Therm Atomic Solar Watch #GW9200-1 is a technical timepiece with athletic style. Featuring a unique three-layer twin sen-sor that measures altitude, barometric pressure, and temperature, the ability to track information over time, and Multi-Band Atomic Timekeeping, which lets calibration radio signals keep the time display accurate, this watch is ready to take on big adventures. Add Tough Solar Power, an Auto EL Backlight, a world clock featuring 29 time zones, and five daily alarms into the mix, and it’s tough to see how you could be more prepared for whatever lies ahead. Dent: QR800 (approx)

Qr800*

Qr2190*

lapsChTiCk

Choose from their wide range or create your own distinct style. Made of easy-on, easy-off vinyl, LapSchticks make a notebook noteworthy and come in a bunch of different designs, colors and sizes for an instant computer upgrade. Dent: QR75 (approx) at Schtickers.com

plUG aNd playfretlight guitar

A real guitar, the Fretlight plugs into a PC with a 10-foot USB cord, and the soft-ware tutorial sets strum-mers well on their way to rockin’ round the clock. Dent: QR2190 (approx) at OptekMusic.com

sep-oct ‘09

Qr350-400

Qr550*

Qr1800*

saT sMarTprinceton review pocket prep

If you are college-bound, you’re aware that there’s a new SAT and you are hoping to ace it. At least that’s the goal with the Princeton Review Pocket Prep. Packed with features including a dictionary, vocabulary list, flash cards, practice exams and a timer, this handheld study guide covers all the bases with verbal, math and es-say drills for on-the-go test prep any-where, anytime. Dent: QR550 (approx), without dis-counts at Franklin.com

liGhTeN yoUr readiNGload kiNdle dx

A bookworm constantly on the move? Can’t get lighter or smarter than this a new eBook reader with a larger screen than the recently introduced Kindle 2. The screen measures 8.5” x 11”, the size of a sheet of ordinary notebook paper. The device appears initially to be targeted at students and newspaper readers. Amazon has concluded deals with a number of textbook publishers as well as several universities including Case Western Uni-versity, Pace, Princeton, Reed, Darden School at the University of Virginia, and Arizona State University.Amazon has over 300,000 Kindle books already in store.Dent: QR1800 (approx)

for The BUTCh aNd The BeaUTyleatherman wave

The Wave is the flagship of the Leath-erman line, and is the company’s most versatile multitool to date. The Wave packs a lot of features into a compact stainless-steel tool that weighs just 8 ounces. It offers one-hand access to two locking blades plus two ad-ditional locking tools; seven interior tool blades; and a very comfortable handle. Features include needle-nose and regular pliers, wire and hard-wire cutters, clip-point and serrated knife blades, diamond-coated file, cross-cut file, wood saw, Phillips-head and large, medium, small, and extra-small screwdrivers, can/bottle opener, wire strippers, and lanyard attachment. Dent: QR350-400Stick on Style

* Approximate

sep-oct ‘09

pearl jaM - BaCkspaCerThe rock band throws a bone to nostal-gia with 37 minutes of ‹90s guitar mu-sic. Its ninth studio album, Backspacer features the tried-and-true formula of catchy riffs, fast-and-loose rhythm, and of course, Eddie Vedder’s voice, which once infiltrated the headphones of teen-agers everywhere. Highlights include the party tune Gonna See My Friend and the romantic The End.

HHHHH

jay-z - The BlUepriNT 3Finally Hov is back in the studio - and he›s not alone. Guests on the rapper’s album include Kanye West, Rihanna, Timbaland, and even industry new-comer Drake. Undoubtedly there›s a statement here, with the first single entitled D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune) and a famous posse to back up his return to the game. So Ambitious is a recounting of all the reasons why listeners should love him, but Empire State of Mind, fea-turing songstress Alicia Keys, is the true reminder of why he sits at the top.

HHHHH

Published in 1957, this quick read by the talented Italian storyteller is a real exercise in escapism and independence. Written with straightforward prose, the whimsical fantasy trails the baron Cosimo di Rondo as he abandons life on the ground for an ex-istence among the trees. The passages of poignant disenchantment and heartbreak are unexpected, but unforgettable.

HHHHH

Consider the Swiss writer’s high-minded proposal that architecture is a sub-con-scious result not only of practical needs, but also human emotion and idealism. At times meandering and affected, the basic conceptual thinking offered and encour-aged by de Botton will leave the reader breathless and reflective.

HHHHH

ONROTATION The BaroN iN The Trees

The arChiTeCTUreof happiNess

ON THEBOOKSHELF

by italo calvino

by alain de botton

Top 5fiCTioNs

1. the lost symbol by dan brown2. the last song by nicholas sparks3. alex cross’s trial by james patterson and richard dilallo4. the white queen by philippa gregory5. a gate at the stairs by lorrie moore

this month, bring some new flavour to your ears with guitar rock harkening back to the ‘90s, hip hop from an industry mogul, and egyptian love-pop.

sep-oct ‘09

This is the second collection of short stories by the Pulitzer Prize-winning Indian writer, and no less beautiful than the first. Follow a crowd of characters floating in the gap between old-world Bengali culture and new-world British modernism. The eponymous first story is an ac-count of the bond between three generations, even amid budding independence and mixed marriage. But the real jewel of the book is the three-part tale, Hema and Kaushik. It follows two friends through childhood, pain, family deaths, careers, and finally, romance.

HHHHH

UNaCCUsToMed earTh

stressed out from homework, extra-curricular activities, and the social scene? find an escape with a travelling italian baron, a collection of stories about disillusioned bengali immigrants, and musings on the link between beauty and happiness.

by jhumpa lahiri

Top 5NoN fiCTioNs

1 outliers by malcolm gladwell

2where men win glory by jon krakauer

3shooting stars by lebron james and buzz

bissinger

4traveling with pome-granates by sue monk

kidd and ann kidd

5strength in what re-mains by tracy kidder

sep-oct ‘09

reViews

ON THEBIG SCREENmake sure to catch these star-studded films in october – one a drama about a homeless musician finding hope, and the other a colourfuladventure during the german occupation of france.

The soloisTStarring Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx, coming October 2009 Two lauded Hollywood actors lead this film about a homeless musical prodigy in Los Angeles (Foxx) and the journalist (Downey Jr.) who takes him off the streets and back into the concert hall. Based on the true friendship between a schizophrenic classical musician and a lonely reporter, The Soloist doesn’t miss a chance to tug on the heartstrings. Many scenes devolve into maudlin silence, and the audience oscil-lates between disappointment and triumph from scene to scene. Nonetheless, it’s always entertaining to see two actors climbing over each other to show off their best acting chops, and if nothing else, a film filled with Beethoven and Schubert is certainly a treat for the ears.

HHHHH

iNGloUrioUs BasTerdsStarring Brad Pitt and Diane Kruger, coming October 2009 .The latest work by love-him-or-hate-him director Quen-tin Tarantino, the film is just as confused as its title. Is it a Second World War sto-ry, or a re-imagined fantasy? Is it mim-icry or mockery? Just go along with it, and follow the two-and-a-half hour tale of commandos and warmongers with abandon. Enjoy the snappy dialogue and quick pacing that have become Taran-tino’s trademark, and ponder the real consequence of propaganda, the film’s central topic. Fans of Pulp Fiction will most likely enjoy the ride – anyone else may proceed with warning.

HHHHH

sep-oct ‘09

A Party WhereEveryone Glowed

On Thursday, September 24, the lights went out in Doha. Darkness fell on the Majilis ballroom of the Sheraton Hotel for The Blackout

party – the country’s very first Glow-in-the-Dark event, replete with glow sticks, glow spray, and glow paint artists.

Despite new government restrictions regulating women’s dress codes and the sale of alcohol, partygoers streamed in decked out in a mishmash of black, white and neon. Each first passed by a paparazzi wall for pho-tographs before entering an enormous hall echoing with hip hop and R&B.

Dropping the beats were the evening’s maestros DJ Woogie from Shadyville DJs, S.O.D. Money Gang of Soulja Boy, and Lon-don DJ Josey Kray.

DJ Woogie, also the official tour DJ for

popular rapper Soulja Boy, said, “I actually love Qatar; it’s a great place to buckle up. The people here really know how to party! They come out, they support, and when there’s an event like this, they really come to have a good time.”

The evening was produced by THI Pro-motion and Urban Stars Night, their second major nightlife event yet. It was sponsored by Lamborghini Doha, Glam fashion magazine, ILoveQatar.net and Alimsworld.

DJ Josey Kray commented that Qatar is still playing catch-up to Dubai in terms of hip hop and R&B nightlife, but “the crowd here really loves the music, and there is always an electric atmosphere. I enjoy engaging with the people; if they see the DJ having fun and enjoying himself, they will too.”

He will next appear alongside DJ Legacy

for the Yo! Get Low party at Qube nightclub on October 30. And, he notes, a listen to Dr. Dre’s Nuthin But A G-Thang featuring Snoop Dogg should be enough to tide over hip hop fans until the next THI/Urban Stars night.

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sep-oct ‘09

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faCTs

world’s MosT powerfUll CaMera

The pupil of the eye expands as much as 45 percent when a person looks at something pleasing.

If you stop getting thirsty, you need to drink more water. For when a human body is dehydrated, its thirst mechanism shuts off.

sUdokU

how To playevery row of 9 numbers must include all

digits 1 through 9 in any order.

every column of 9 numbers must include all digits 1 through 9 in any order.

every 3 by 3 subsection of the 9 by 9 square must include all digits 1 through 9.

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s_ _ _ _ _ _c_ _ _ _ _ _f_ _ _ _ _ _

Here are some words. Re-arrange letters to get the word.

There areSIX MILLION

parts in theBoeing 747-400.

There areSIX MILLION

parts in theBoeing 747-400.

two planes take off at the same exact moment. they are flying across the

atlantic. one leaves new york and is flying to paris at 500 miles per hour.

the other leaves paris and is flying to new york at only 450 miles per hour

( because of a strong head wind ). which one will be closer to

paris when they meet?

answer:they will both be the samedistance from paris when they meet!!

Camels have three eyelids to protect themselves from

blowing sand.

water lilies double in area every 24 hours. in spring,

there is one water lily on a lake. in sixty days the lake is

completely covered with lilies. how many days did it take to

cover half of the lake?

answer: 59 answers: student, campus, flowing

sep-oct ‘09

sep-oct ‘09