Welcome to the UAE, Irena

The UAE recently won the rights to host the headquarters of Irena – the International Renewable Energy Agency.

Major competitors like Germany and Austria bowed out after it became obvious the majority of Irena’s 129 member states showed overwhelming support for the UAE.

Winning the bid to host the headquarters of Irena is a huge accomplishment for the UAE because its decision to compete was viewed with scepticism and surprise by most in the beginning, and chances of a win seemed slim, if not impossible.

The UAE has reason to be proud of its victory, because it is the first and only country in the developing world to host a major international organisation like the newly formed Irena. Till date, no developing country can make such a claim.

Irena’s headquarters are going to be in Masdar City, in the UAE’s capital, Abu-Dhabi.

Masdar City is touted to be the globe’s first carbon-neutral, zero-waste city, and is currently under construction. Its date of completion is set to be sometime in October 2011, and the city is going to have all its energy needs provided for by renewable energy sources, like solar energy, for example.

Irena’s director general, Helene Pelosse, says the UAE and the rest of the Gulf region is ideal for such projects because of the weather conditions and all the area available for construction and development. She called Abu-Dhabi the “renewable energy city of the future”, and said that, “the sun is tomorrow’s oil”.

Pelosse also added that the UAE would begin to export renewable energy well before its oil supplies run out, and the technologies needed to do this are in place.

The Gulf region is unique in that it’s blessed with warm and sunny weather almost all through the year, and that’s good news when it comes to projects like this.

At the moment, the UAE uses fossil fuels, like oil, to fulfil its energy requirements. Needless to say, this doesn’t help the environment, and nor is it a permanent solution because such resources will eventually run out.

The UAE makes a lot of revenue by exporting oil, but once all the oil is gone, it needs something to replace it for continued income from the trade.

Irena is good for the country not only because it puts it on the international map, but also because it is going to ensure the UAE has enough energy for export once its non-renewable resources run out.Irena will allow the UAE to become one of the main exporters of renewable energy to national as well as international markets, and may even trump the US and Europe’s energy supplies by 2020.

Irena currently has a 136 state member panel, with more states expected to join. Once its membership increases, it aims to become a UN agency.

Irena isn’t just a matter of prestige and increased trade for the UAE, but also promises to bring more employment and research opportunities into the country. New jobs and opportunities for studies in the field will draw experts and students alike to the UAE.

As Irena promises to be the start of something great, the UAE seems all set to be the leader in developing new technologies and making a carbon-free imprint of its own.

Sources: Gulf News

To view an illustration of Irena: http://archive.gulfnews.com/nation/Environment/10328839.html

For more info about Masdar City: http://archive.gulfnews.com/indepth/irena/more_stories/10327093.html

For what some residents think about Irena: http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/09/07/01/10327572.html

Tick, Tock, Bong!

The world’s most famous clock tower, Big Ben, will celebrate its 150th anniversary today.
Big Ben’s “bongs” have been sounding since 1859, and the clock is one of London’s most famous monuments.
Standing at about 320 feet, the tower is a delight to behold. It looks especially beautiful after dark, lit up and magnificent.
Big Ben is situated on Bridge Street in London, UK, so if you happen to be there, remember to check out all the festivities the city has arranged to celebrate its favourite clock’s anniversary.

Picture courtesy of FreeFoto: http://www.freefoto.com/index.jsp

For more info: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jZeC9CXJJVJdnVPtkuQrsaupCVqQD99C8TAO0

To listen to Big Ben’s chimes, and see more pictures: http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/in_pictures/viewsoflondon/big_ben/
For Big Ben facts and trivia: http://www.bigben.parliament.uk/

Ugly Doggy

Almost every pet owner thinks their precious critter is the most beautiful thing in the world, even if the critter in question resembles an alien-like life form.
We all get attached to our pets, and their appearance quickly takes a back seat once they’re in our home.
Cute and cuddly, furry and fat, scruffy and scrawny, it hardly matters once you fall in love with the unique animal you’re going to share your living space with.
Pabst’s owner, Miles Egstad, is no different.
Egstad says, “I don’t think he’s that ugly!” of his four year old boxer-mix dog, Pabst.
The difference is Pabst is the winner of this year’s “World’s Ugliest Dog Contest”, which took place on June 26th in California.
Pabst’s surprise victory came after he beat Rascal, a pure bred Chinese Crested, who is also a former champion.
The Chinese Crested breed has been beating all competition for the last seven years, but this year proved to be different, and it lost out to a “mutt”.
Pabst is a rescued shelter dog, who was adopted by Egstad in 2006. He was a favourite among the audience at the contest because of his pleasant and sweet demeanour.
Along with the title of the “World’s Ugliest Dog”, Pabst won his owner $1,600, and himself, lots of pet supplies, a professional photo shoot, and a one year modelling contract.
The contest aims to find dogs that are “naturally ugly”, and the judges said Pabst was a perfect contender.
To Egstad though, his pet is just a normal-looking dog, because he’s still surprised that Pabst actually won, and only entered him because his friends kept encouraging him to.To everyone else, Pabst may be the “Ugliest Dog in the World”, but to his owner, he’s the face that’s sure to light up his day, all the days of the year.

Official Website: http://www.sonoma-marinfair.org/uglydogcontest.shtml

For more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31588232/

http://www.seattlepi.com/national/1110ap_us_odd_worlds_ugliest_dog.html

IIFA 2009 - Style Watch

Priyanka Chopra - The perfect "Desi Girl" at this year's IIFAs

Lara Dutta and Sushmita Sen - Beige & Black

Amrita Rao and Kangana Ranaut - Of cakes and eggplants...

Bipasha Basu - with her award for "Style Icon of the Decade (female)"

Diya Mirza - Pretty in peach. Pretty boring, that is.

Neha Dhupia in her clingy creation - Inspired by some mammal marine life perhaps? The pose doesn't help either, Neha!

Hrithik Roshan and his wife, Suzanne - Thankfully we can't see Hrithik's shiny silver shoes in this picture!

IIFA Awards 2009 – Style Watch

At this year’s IIFA Awards, most of the ladies opted for Western wear. While some carried it off well, others were not so fortunate.

Among the few who kept it traditional, were Bollywood actresses Priyanka Chopra, Lara Dutta, and Aishwarya Rai Bachan.

While the other two looked good as well, it was Priyanka who stole the show. And not just from them, but from all the other ladies too, who opted for various types and hues of gowns.

Priyanka dazzled in a pink and beige Manish Malhotra creation, and looked like the belle of the ball. Sophisticated and graceful, she made the lovliest “Desi Girl” around.Priyanka also won the award for “Best Actress”, for her acting in the Bollywood flick, “Fashion.” Stylish and talented, now that’s what being a Desi girl is all about!

For the complete article and more pictures visit IIFA Style Watch - Special Features @ http://www.desivibe.ca/

To see a list of the winners of this year’s IIFA Awards: http://www.india-server.com/news/2009-iifa-awards-winners-7633.html

To see more pictures of what the stars were wearing: http://www.hotklix.com/link/entertainment/celebs/IIFA-awards-2009-photos-IIFA-awards-2009-pictureshttp://www.dhingana.com/photos/iifa-awards-2009-final-day-performances-and-winner/12833

Details of some of the outfits: http://www.masala.com/12762-style-watch-on-iifa-green-carpet

Retail Therapy for the Unemployed Soul?

It has been three months since I landed in Sharjah, UAE, from Ottawa, Canada. I was too busy relaxing and enjoying the good weather here to realise where all the time was going. I really was too busy to remember the “real” reason I moved here; to land a job or at least some sort of employment.
Actually, I hadn’t forgotten. I’d just relegated it to the very back of my head, from where I could quickly stifle any reminders of what I “should” be doing now that I was here. The reminders in my head got louder and louder, and a bit too persistent to ignore, so I finally decided to do something about them.

For the complete article, visit Special Features - Retail Therapy for the Unemployed Soul? @ http://www.desivibe.ca/

Canada's Governor General's Unconventional Way of Showing Support

Canada’s Governor General, Michaelle Jean, used a very unconventional method to show her support for Canada’s seal hunters.
While attending an Inuit community festival in the country’s province of Nunavut, she decided to show her support by munching her way through a raw seal heart. Reports say she sliced open a freshly slaughtered seal and then asked the woman next to her if she could try the heart. Jean then proceeded to cut through the seal’s flesh, slice off a piece of its heart, and eat it. After swallowing it whole, she said she found it delicious.
The Governor General’s act was perhaps as controversial as the annual seal hunt she seeks to defend. The EU is pretty much set to ban Canadian seal products because it deems the seal hunt cruel and inhumane. Animal rights groups are finally going to see their efforts bear fruit with the ban, set to be signed on the 25th of this month.
Without engaging in the debate of whether the yearly hunt should be permitted or not, exactly what was the Governor General trying to do when she ate a raw seal heart?
A spokeswoman for the EU declined to comment, saying the act was just too “bizarre” to talk about. Anti-seal hunt activist, Barbara Slee, said she was disgusted by Jean’s actions.
Surely, the Governor General could have chosen another way to demonstrate her unity with Canadian hunters? Joining them in a protest would have been a more acceptable way. Another option could have been lobbying for the hunt and talking about it to garner some public support. If nothing else, a group hug would have sufficed perhaps?
Then again, none of those measures would have been as dramatic and attention-grabbing as the one she chose. This is despite the fact that the ban proposed by the EU exempts Inuit hunters. They can carry out their traditional hunting activities and are barred from only large-scale trading of seal skins and products in Europe.
By ripping open a dead seal and chewing on its raw heart, the Governor General may have proved that she’s certainly not squeamish and will do whatever it takes to get her message across. However, perhaps she should have thought about exactly what that message was. Since Inuit hunters are protected under the proposed ban, the whole thing was pretty unnecessary.
Was she trying to show the EU what Canada thinks about its proposed ban? Or was she trying to win public support by demonstrating how Inuit people prefer their meals?
If she was trying to raise concern about the hunt, she may have managed to do that. If she was trying to get public opinion on her side though, she may have actually managed to push it in the other direction.

Most people will not find eating a raw seal heart appealing, and hence may think of the seal hunt in equal, if not worse, terms.

For more info and pictures visit: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8069249.stm
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/26/canadian-governor-general_n_207844.html

Because It's Ice cream!

On my latest trip to Dubai Outlet Mall, I decided to check out the Cold Stone Creamery store that is located on the first floor.
I’ve never tried one of their ice cream “Creations” before, and while I did expect something delicious, I was pleasantly surprised. I ordered “Chocolate Devotion” in a freshly made waffle cup dipped in thick chocolate. Not only was it absolutely heavenly, the way it was made was equally glee inspiring.
Options are abundant on how you want your tasty treat. You can choose a “Signature Creation” or a “Custom” one. Since this was the first time I was trying one, I decided to make things easier for myself and pick something from their diverse menu.
If you opt for a Custom Creation, you get to pick the ice cream flavour you want, and all the other ingredients used to make a Creation. Ingredients range from different types of cookies, chocolates, nuts, caramel, fudge, as well as your choice of waffle.
Once you’ve picked what you want, the fun begins. Stand back and watch your Creation take shape. Making your creation involves scooping, chopping, folding in, and believe it or not, throwing your in- progress creations high up in the air and then catching them. My “Chocolate Devotion” was made air bound a number of times, before being hurled across the room where it finally landed in its waffle-filled cup.
A variety of scrumptious looking ice cream cakes are also available. Once again, these can either be chosen from the Signature Creations menu, or made specifically to suit your tastes. A Custom Creation can be a great way to set your imagination free and create something truly novel. It will also give you bragging-rights when people compliment you on how delicious your cake is.
Cold Stone Creamery is an experience that is not limited just to your taste buds. I intend to visit every time I have a craving for a cold treat, and plan to take my friends and siblings as well. After a tiring day of shopping at the mall, this is just the energy booster you need!

Official website: http://www.coldstonecreamery.com/index.html

International store locator: http://www.coldstonecreamery.com/google/stores/store_locator.aspx
For some store locations in the UAE: http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?Itemid=77&ln=en&option=com_pressreleases&pr_id=10319&view=detail
Want to contact the supplier in the UAE?

Visit: http://www.alibaba.com/member/sachin1968/contactinfo.html

My featured article

I recently started writing for DesiVibe, a Toronto based online publication. My first article is one of the top three stories, and is the special feature at the moment. Please check it out and don't forget to leave your comments!
Also, if you have any interesting ideas, topics, or people you'd like to see covered feel free to contact me at annie@desivibe.ca
I'm looking to cover young Canadians of South Asian origin who are contributing to society by doing things different from the beaten path. Whether that's through their own business, job, or non profit activities, I'd love to talk to them. Contact me if you know of anyone like that, or if you think you're a good candidate for an interview.
View my article, "Fate of Swat Valley" at http://www.desivibe.ca/

Paris in Dubai?

Paris Hilton is coming to Dubai this June. Love her or loathe her, she's not someone you can ignore. Whether it's her less than model behaviour, or her legendary vapid-ness, the hotel heiress shows no signs of fading away. She's got the media hooked on her every move, despite not doing anything of any real consequence.
At this year's Cannes film festival, all eyes (and cameras) were on her and her new boyfriend, Doug Reinhardt, because well, she's Paris and people want to know what she's upto (and with who).
So why is Paris coming all the way to Dubai? Is she tired of her already full (of bling anyway) life?
Not even close. Paris is coming to Dubai to find her new "BFF". After doing two such shows, first in America and then in the UK, she's now coming here to find herself a new (more like additional) "best friend forever". Maybe she should add an "S" to the end of the word BFF because one is clearly not enough. For Paris, perhaps BFFs are like the blingy jewellery she so loves to adorn; she just can't have enough it seems.
Or perhaps, as she herself says, she travels regularly so she'd like to have a best friend wherever she goes. Errr, Paris, that's not a best friend. That's more like a friendship of convenience. Certainly not the kind that would involve a friend who would be ready to stay up with you all night if you needed it (unless the staying up was partying related).
Contenders for Paris's new BFF are going to be a mixture of both, locals as well as expats who live in Dubai. Frankly, I can't imagine anyone who'd want to be her BFF in Dubai. Then again, I can't imagine anyone who'd want to be her BFF by taking part in the show, unless they have other, less than sincere motives of course. In any case, the show will probably be an amusing watch to say the least.
For more info visit:
http://www.boston.com/ae/tv/blog/2009/06/paris_hilton_is.html
http://www.timeoutdubai.com/knowledge/news/8883-paris-hilton-in-dubai