le weekend

Well what a week it's been - Oman were seen off by Senegal and are now out of the Olympic football finals this summer, a shame really.

So what's up this weekend?

Tonight there is the usual Happy Hour drinks at the Safari Complex along with the the interesting looking Rainbow cuisine South African food spectacular at the Hyatt's Mokha Cafe. 

Also, the Irish pub, O'Malley's is proving very popular in some circles, and might be a nice spot to stop in for a tipple. I popped in there for lunch in the week and was quite amused to be listening to what appeared to be live-streamed Irish radio - a nice touch :)

Cricket fans, can watch the IPL action on Nuts & Bolt's big screen and offer a buy 2 get 1 free drink policy between 6 and 8 every day until the 27th of May - might be a nice spot to start after work?

Staying with cricket for a moment, there is the "Celebrity Cricket" thing sponsored by Omantel this weekend, Thursday and Friday evenings from 4:30pm at the Muscat Club in Wadi Kabir.

 
Tomorrow night, as blogged by Andy in Oman, there is  the "Beyond the Orphanage" fund raiser at the Costain Dolphin Clubfrom 7pm, entertainment provided by the cake whisperer, DJ Chris Fisher. Tickets cost RO 15 and are for sale today at Costa Coffee in Shatti between 4-6pm. For more information you can call Joh Weekley on 9578 0592.

Also tomorrow night at Zouk there is Ministry of Sound's DJ Skinz (incorrectly advertised by Zouk as DJ Skins I might add #fail). DJ Skinz uses Twitter, and is an R&B dj  - He was a radio presenter for Ministry of Sounds radio R&B show. No word on pricing so I imagine it's the usual: RO 20.

And finally, on Friday evening at the Muscat City Center from 7pm, there is the Red Bull BC One Cypher - Oman event. Essentially it's the Oman leg of a world wide tournament to find the best BBoy in the world, with the finals being held in Rio later this year. A Cypher is a local qualifier round, followed by a regional qualifier round with the winners from those going to the final to find out "The One". Essentially is a dance thing, and will probably be well attended by the shabab, well I guess they'll give the residents of The Wave a rest this Friday evening then! (The link to the wave goes to their forum, where some disgruntled residents are petitioning to make it a gated community - thousands of people live and work there - good luck making it a gated community!).

Enjoy the weekend!

le fin.

Radio wars: The Clone Wars

Well the results of my most recent radio poll are in, and we did something new this time around: we used Facebook Questions to conduct the poll. This meant that I could control the voting by ensuring people were not voting more than once, but it has the drawback that only Facebook users voted, and those that voted could be seen by everyone - a bit of a privacy issue that I'm not really very comfortable with. So the search continues for me on how best to collect your votes.

On with the results:

Radio Sultanate of Oman took 6.03% of the vote (12 votes)
Merge  took 39.20% of the vote (78 votes)
Hi FM took 47.74% of the vote (95 votes)
Arabic took 1.01% of the vote (2 votes)
CD/MP3 took 6.03% of the vote (12 votes)

A total of 199 votes - down from the last radio poll where we had 266 votes, but at least I know there were no double-votes this time :)

Being the third time we've voted on our preferred radio station, I thought it's enough data for me to plot a graph... and here it is:

Click to make this bigger!

Straight away you can see 2 things: Hi FM lost a lot of votes, and Merge gained more votes in the same period. Hi have suffered from the reduced number of votes more than Merge has. The overall number of people still listening to MP3's is less as well. The Ewoks over at Sultanate of Oman 90.4 have made a small increase in listeners - indicative of at least a steady audience. And that is really the crux of my choice of blog title: The Clone Wars.

I remember when Merge launched, there was a lot of talk about targeting a different audience than Hi FM, along with merging different cultures into the big Sabco melting pot that was Merge FM. And I guess to a point, they have done this: every hour or so there is the odd Arab-themed track and the way-back playback of the 80's (lately I've heard U2 with or without you a few times!). However, the over-whelming majority of the music is pretty much exactly the same as Hi Fm. Hence: The Clone Wars.

Darren & Chris found their outfits slimming

It certainly seems that by mixing in the odd Hindi or Arabic track, along with the odd 80's retro track, people seem to enjoy the blend, and more of you are switching on to Merge. I contacted some of you who voted on Facebook and asked you what it was you liked about Merge, and Hi FM for that matter. Interestingly, it seems the general reason for people liking Merge or Hi is the music - of course there are fans of the radio presenters, but the overwhelming majority of you don't really care about the radio presenters, unless they are annoying you.

Personally, I've found myself switching stations a lot more frequently recently - if Hi are playing a track I don't like, I'll switch to Merge or 90.4 Oman FM. I've noticed Hi FM have commercialized their output heavily. One might say too heavily, I don't know - but people seem to be switching over to Merge in greater numbers, and this could be a key driver for the switchover.

It's not all a one way street though, Hi have copied Merge in some things to, most notably the 10am-noon segment (Merge's At work network) is now the same as Merge - pre-recorded and not "live" (Darren seems to be providing the voice links between songs, which can be done easily). In a change to Merge though, Hi have now got live DJ coverage up to midnight, with Marcus Monopoli driving the show from 8pm to midnight - Merge just has pre-recorded shows in the same time slot, with the Muscat drive ending at 8pm.

Interestingly, on 90.4 there are also live shows up until midnight (or possibly after). I had a good giggle listening to the 90.4 presenter the other night with his American-British accent; he was trying to give away a prize and wanted someone to call in with the name of the CEO of the Oman Football Association - the first guy who called didn't know and just wouldn't hang up, then a girl rang in and announced that she didn't know the answer but she had just baked some cookies and would he like some? Classic, I can honestly say I was very entertained by it all. I've no idea if the presenter (their website - yes I finally found it - looks like it's not been updated since 2002 and so I've no idea of the guys name) ever did manage to give away his prize, but perhaps he got some tasty cookies!

Hi FM continue to dominate the market and still have the largest audience. Their branding is also more readily recognized and present in our lives around the Capital (sorry those of you from outside Muscat!). This last winter, Hi have been involved in a number of large concerts with world-class acts and have diversified their brand as a result. Hi FM are obviously a radio station, who also dabble in live concerts and comedy events. Merge on the other hand, have not really competed on this front, with a few exceptions: Hed Kandi & Yanni.

Hi FM are technologically more advanced than any of the competition: There's an iPhone and Android app for listening to their radio stream which have a handy track log of songs played. In addition to this, Hi FM employ true RDS (Radio Data System) which allows them to scroll small text messages on radio receivers capable showing the name of the track being played, or the Radio Presenter currently on air. Neat. The people at Merge tell me they have the same technology but have chosen not to use it at this time.

Hi FM also continue to have regular news broadcasts whereas Merge doesn't, however, it is apparent that the current news broadcasts provided by Hi (from Feature Story News) are "yesterdays" news in many cases. Quite frequently I hear the exact same news broadcast driving home at the end of the day as I do when I'm driving to work that morning, so the news, in my opinion could be improved upon. Some of the people I contacted after their votes in the poll also said the same thing: The news is nice, but out of date. The only other broadcaster in this race who give the news is of course the loveable Ewoks at 90.4 Radio Sultanate of Oman, except 90% of their news consists of who His Majesty sent cables of greetings to that particular day.

Faiq over on 90.4 has focused even more on playing music from the 60s/70s and 80s and is still steadfastly dishing out free dinners at the Radisson and other hotels on his breakfast show - and I have to admit I sometimes switch him on in the mornings on my way to work if I'm not in the mood for pop music.

So will Hi FM alter their music line up as a result, or will they stay on their current format? Personally I don't see anything wrong with slipping in an occasional retro track - it seems to work with the diverse audience here. Will Merge start broadcasting news (I asked this question at their launch and they confirmed they had planned to) and will 90.4 invest in a new website?

Hi FM has a website and a facebook group
Merge has a website and a facebook group
Sultanate of Oman Radio 90.4 has a website

More soon - and for those interested, Oman lost to Senegal last night, 2-0. Shame.

le fin.

Bank Nizwa announces IPO

Well they have finally announced their initial public offering today with a rather low RO 60 million slice of their company up for grabs. There are 600 million 100 baiza shares on offer on the Muscat Securities Market for 102 baizas each. This apparently represents 40% of their paid capital (source).The 2 baiza's are for "Issue expenses". RO 1,200,000 / US$ 3,096,000 to issue an IPO - I'm in the wrong business!

Now, most people don't really care about this but I thought it was interesting as this is the first Islamic Bank to start here in Oman. Ok so Bank Muscat have some Islamic banking services on offer, and Bank Dhofar are looking to get in on the act too, but the boys from Bank Nizwa are the first dedicated Islamic banking crowd to setup up shop here.

The thing that keeps getting me scratching my head is: Islamic banking does not allow for the charging of interest. They make their money by purchasing assets, and then re-selling them to their customer at a higher price. Whether that's a car or a house - the bank buys it, and then allows it's customer to make installments over a period of time for the item. But, here's the rub - the bank can not levy penalties against their borrower for late payment. I'm sure there's more to it but I don't get it - but many people do.

Anyway, I'm digressing. I'd expect there to be a fairly hefty demand for these shares, so if you've got some cash and fancy a punt, RO 102 will buy you 1000 shares in Bank Nizwa. The offering closes on the 22nd May.

More tomorrow.

le fin.

Oman V Senegal tonight

As we approach the 2012 Olympic games in the UK, Oman has one final hurdle too pass to make it to the Olympic finals for soccer football. The Oman national football U23 team are currently in the UK getting ready to face Senegal U23 team tonight.

At 10:45pm tonight, Oman time, in the City of Coventry stadium the game starts, and it's being shown on Oman TV2.

More tomorrow, a new Radio Wars post :)

le fin.

Omani products spotlight: Sohar Milk

In an effort to come up with some more useful information for people living, or researching about living, in the Sultanate, I thought I'd start a semi-regular feature: Omani products spotlight

Basically I thought it'd be good to share the various locally produced products that I use here in Oman. Perhaps you can suggest better alternatives, or perhaps you'll try one of the products I like and mention here, I don't know - but none of these will be paid advertisements.

So here's my first product: Sohar Milk.

I have it on my Weetabix!

I honestly only very recently discovered this milk, after years of using Al Marai milk products I finally took the time to read the label and discovered that Al Marai products are made in the KSA! Not that I have anything against the Kingdom, I just don't think that milk produced there can be particularly fresh if I buy it here in Oman. Which is when a few months ago I started looking for a local Omani alternative and discovered Sohar Milk.

A google search tells me that Sohar milk is a product from the typically named Oman Agriculture Development Company SAOC - an Omzest company. Now, the dairy scene here in Muscat is very much dominated by the KSA imported Al Marai, but I honestly prefer the Sohar milk and am glad I tried it out - to me it tastes fresher. The price is the same as Al Marai and it's available in all the major supermarkets, and even some Oman Oil shops.

More soon!

le fin.

How To Get A Bikini Body Quickly For Summer Or An Upcoming Vacation

Vacations are much more fun when you are in great shape for wearing a bikini.

Do you have a vacation coming up and want to look your best? When you land on the beach, you want to ensure you have a hot bikini body that'll turn heads. You will enjoy your vacation much more if you feel sexy. Most likely You will want to take lots of pictures as well, therefore you will want to make sure that your body is in great shape and bikini ready. When you reach 80 years of age, you can look at those terrific pics and boast to your kids and grand kids about how attractive you were in your younger days.

It Is Easier To Achieve A Great "Bikini Body", When You Have An Up Coming Event Or Want To Look Great For Summer

Not only will your vacations be more filled with fun when you look great, it is much more motivating to do what needs to be done when you know that you will look attractive in a bikini soon. Most women are aware of what is required to get a bikini body shape, it is just so easy to get off course from their diets or workout routines. I recommend you grab pics of your vacation destination and place them somewhere for you to see every day. Also, it's also a great idea to find pictures of fit women who possess a bikini body that you would like to endeavour towards gaining.

Preparing For An Upcoming Vacation Is half The Fun Of Going On A Vacation

Most vacations run up to only 7-10 days. A good way to make that vacation longer is by spending weeks working hard towards getting in top bikini body shape. Of course, shopping for a vacation trip is great fun, but reaching a high fitness level can also be enjoyable. Doing what is necessary to get in top bikini body shape on a consistent basis is actually a very rewarding experience. Honestly, if you look your best, everything will be more enjoyable.

The are 5 basic and proven steps to gaining a stunning "bikini body":

1) Consume less calories than you normally do each day. This sounds basic, but if you burn more calories than what you consume you will lose weight. For best bikini body results, do this at least two months before your vacation.

2) Do all your cardio workout when your stomach is empty. Make sure you do not have any carbs in your system before doing cardio. Doing this will ensure that you burn fat and not carb calories stored in your muscles. Taking in a calorie-free caffeine drink will provide you with energy to hit the cardio hard. You will get rid of excess fat from your improving bikini body on a regular basis, if you stick to this rule. Try to not eat any calories of any kind about 3-4 hours before working out.

3) Do your cardio for at least 1 hour per day 3 weeks before your vacation date. Hitting the cardio for 1 hour per day, twenty one days in a row, will burn that last bit of stubborn body fat off that bikini body of yours. Very few people will ever workout 21 days in a row in their lifetime. Very few people will ever get in their best bikini body shape. If you have the willpower to workout 21 days in a row without fail, you will reach a level that few people ever reach.

4) Workout in the gym 3-4 days per week. Lifting weights will contribute to a sleek bikini body, it just won't be as dramatic as with cardio and diet. Stick with a basic weight lifting routine and you will be o.k. You could probably get a good resistance workout in 15-20 minutes. Getting a bikini body is more about burning off stubborn body fat and less about building muscle.

5) Tan that bikini body of yours. You don't want to overdue it, but 10 sessions of 10-15 minutes at a tanning salon will give you a bit of color and make your body look more attractive. Also, make sure and apply lotion daily to make your skin glow.

Summary:

Hopefully this gives you a great mind set into what it takes to get that bikini body ready for summer. You can't go wrong with sticking with the basics which is low calories and lots of cardio. There are a few select sources of more advanced information on the Internet, but most is geared towards bulking up, this isn't the type of advice you will want to follow. A great bikini body is about lower body fat, not bigger muscles.

About The Author:

Rusty Moore is an avid trainer who gives training advice geared specifically at people who want a body that attracts the opposite sex. While other trainers focus on building muscle mass, Rusty focuses on what members of the opposite sex find irresistible. Want a body like Brad Pitt -or- Matthew Mcconaughey? How about Jessica Alba -or- Jessica Biel? Check out his fitness course for women here >Visual Impact For Women<

Lose Body Fat Fast - How To Lose Fat Quickly For An Upcoming Event

There are certain times in life when you don't just want to lose fat quickly, but you need to. For instance, if you are planning to go on a vacation to a tropical location like Hawaii, you are going to enjoy your trip much more if you're confident that you look great. You will surely look your best if you are able to lose fat and look great in a swimsuit.

Your Face Will Look Better at a Lower Body Fat Percentage

This is something that people don't talk about very much, but when you are leaner your face will look better. For men you will be able to gain that square jaw and women will be able to see high cheekbones and have less fat around the neck. Obviously this will help you look your best for photos when you are on vacation or attending a wedding, etc.

You Can Actually Lose a Significant Amount of Body Fat in 3 Weeks

Hopefully, you have more than 3 weeks to get in shape, but if you don't you will still be able to lose body fat quickly enough to make a big difference. Here is a 21 day plan I use before every vacation that has worked wonders for me as well as those I give advice to.

1) Hit the Cardio hard at Least One Hour Per Day

2) Don't Eat or Drink Any Carbs at All 4-6 Hours Before Your Cardio

3) Drink Green Tea or Black Coffee 30 Minutes Before Your Cardio

4) Eat "Low Calorie" and "Low Carb" Throughout the Day

5) If You Are Dying For Carbs, Only Eat Them Following a Hard Workout

6) Total Daily Calories Equals "Body Weight" x 8

7) Lift Weights 4-5 Times Per Week

Note: This is just a short term 21 day plan...you will lose muscle if you go longer than 21 days on this plan.

The most crucial part is that you are performing at least one hour of cardio in a fasted state for 21 days in a row. Very few people have ever done cardio for 21 days in a row. You will be amazed at how well this works. I have been able to lose body fat quickly by following this plan in the past and you will too. Give this a shot, you will see great results.

About the Author:

Rusty Moore is a trainer who gives advice to men and women who want a body that has "The Hollywood Look". Get the slim & toned physique like Cam Gigandet, Brad Pitt, Jessica Biel, or Penelope Cruz. Click here to check out his fitness programs Visual Impact Muscle Building and Visual Impact For Women and Visual Impact Cardio