.: The Red Brick – Dubai College's Student Newspaper :.

With the weather slowly creeping into Dubai ‘winter’ (aka it’s time to wear the biggest hoodies we own when it’s only 20 degrees), the craze for outside seating in restaurants and cafés is back.  At the Dubai Mall there is a large pool of different dine-ins-outside to dip into.  A good start would be the renowned mOre café.

The service from the waiters was nothing less than efficient and polite.  With some of them looking almost as yummy as the food to be served.  I was sat at the outdoor seating with the breath-taking view of the Burj Khalifa itself, and the dancing fountain.

Almost immediately after being shown to our table, the waiter offered us complimentary water with a fusion of a calming mint leaf and boisterous lemon slice.  Perhaps the wait for the meal itself was touching on lengthy.  However this could mirror the care and dedication the chefs denote to each single dish, and the wait itself can be easily overcome with some light conversation.

The plates sustained a hefty amount of edible goodness to them and undoubtedly the presentation of the food was artistically striking.  I had ordered a ‘traditional’ Anna Mari Se Kiep: Chicken Breast Filled with Ricotta & Tarragon, served with Roasted Baby Potatoes & Bell Peppers.  It was a mission and a half to actually devour the entire plate, what with each bite yearning for another – despite my stomach barely having the capacity to take any more than a drop of sauce.

When the bill had arrived it hadn’t even bothered my parents about the price – each dish costing an average of 60dhs each.  This proves the gratitude they behold for this restaurant – which is strange for me considering our usual Friday lunches consist of us only going to a restaurant if we have the voucher provided, where here we had already used all three by the time January was up.

Overall this place is a sure winner, and be sure to make a stop there before our winter is over!

Grab life by the tongue!

The footballing world and its respective community was left stunned at the news of the death of Wales manager and former player, Gary Speed.  Cheshire Police confirmed Speed’s body was discovered at 0708 GMT at his home in Huntington, Chester, and said there were no suspicious circumstances. Sources said that he had been found hanged.  The 42-year-old former midfielder won 85 international caps and had been national team boss for 10 games, only goalkeeper Neville Southall, with 92 appearances, played more games for Wales.

Speed made his name at Leeds and played a key role as United won the First Division title in 1992 – the season before it was rebranded the Premier League.  He went on to play for Everton, Newcastle, Bolton and Sheffield United before being appointed manager of Wales in December 2010 after retiring as a player in May last year.  Speed scored in every top-flight season in which he played until dropping out of the Premier League in 2008 when he joined Sheffield United.

The news of his death has sent distress throughout the sporting world with tributes pouring in for the Welsh legend.  Close friend Robbie Savage stated “I spoke to him yesterday and he was in high spirits. I just can’t believe it. He was my mate and he’s gone.  He’s left two gorgeous kids behind. Gary was [a professional]. He was one of the fittest guys. He looked after his body.  He was a great team-mate, a great manager.”

A sad ending to the Premier League weekend and yet all that can be said is that football has lost a magnificent influence and personality.

Rest In Peace Gary Speed

Nationalism. Perhaps what is so controversial about this statement is the fact that it is impossible to define; each nationalist group has different aims and different methods which makes the whole concept of ‘nationalism’ subjective. There is no consensus amongst historians as to how to view nationalism: should it be an ‘imagined community’ of shared culture and heritage? Or rather defined by the terroritorial boundaries of nation states as they have been drawn out today? Is it a reactionary ideal calling for a return to the past or a revolutionary one calling for the establishment of a new nation state? Whatever the definition, this movement is once again gaining momentum around the world thus it is vital that we consider the role it is plays…

At its simplest, nationalism is the study of identity. Despite the changing dynamics of world order, the desire to belong to a specific community is never erased and always relevant. In the 1920s, the French sociologist Maurice Halbwachs coined the term “collective memory” for things we think we know for certain about the past of our own societies. Typically, he wrote, “a collective memory… is understood to express some eternal or essential truth about the group –usually tragic”. So the Poles remember the partition of their country just as the Serbs remember the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 as their defeat on earth but their moral victory in an unending struggle against Muslims. ‘Collective memory’ is fundamental to the study of nationalism and reveals more about the present than the past as it is integral to how a group sees itself.

Furthermore, nationalism is increasingly important as it is the source of many conflicts around the world; in order to understand these conflicts we have to understand the root of them. For example, Israelis use nationalism as a justification for preventing Palestinians with basic human rights.

Due to the EU crisis at the moment nationalism is remerging since countries are becoming hostile to the idea of bailing out weaker nations. In Finland, France, and Spain, there are signs that nationalism is on the rise in politics, notably to growth of the Front National in France under Marine Le Pen. Further, in Germany, anti-euro sentiment is growing, as taxpayers become more concerned about the costs of stabilizing the system. Many Germans don’t see why their taxes should be used to help people as far away as Greece when there are problems within their own country which need addressing; similarly, Greece does not want to be humiliated and patronised by Germans just because they have helped them out. Nationalist sentiment against immigrants could transfer to opposition to the euro due to the concept of “in-group bias,” a phenomenon that leads people to prefer their own rather than others. Thus nationalism is rising and its next victim could be the euro…

In my opinion, the next few years will see the study of nationalism focus less on the creation of states and more on the devolution of them. Questions will arise such as what is the best solution for the UK; prompted by Scottish calls for independence, the UK government will need to work out whether to continue with an uneven distribution of powers or to establish a federal system or even dissolve the UK entirely? It is imperative that countries learn how to handle multiple, complex national identities existing side-by-side in a single nation state. It is once again interesting to look at the EU in relation to this as to whether the EU is competing against each individual states or whether these single entities can be embedded into a larger one. Within this, the effect that different languages have on a nation state is interesting as it begs the question as to whether a multi-lingual state can maintain their stability or if they are doomed to fail by their nature.

Living in Dubai as we do it would be impossible to not look at the role of nationalism in the Middle East. With the rise of Islamic movements such as the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt it seems that religion and nationalism are becoming intertwined; France is struggling to maintain itself as a secular state which will have a direct impact on how people conceptualise ‘Frenchness’ thus whether the same will happen in this part of the world is debatable. Furthermore, given the recent developments in the Arab Spring, it will be interesting to see whether countries in the Middle East develop a more nationalist state structure or whether they go back to the view that was dominant in the early 20^th Century of Pan-Arabism.

Increasingly pervasive in the society that we live in, the question should not be whether nationalism is considered a force for “good” or as inherently “evil”  but rather what effect these changes will have on our lives.

First we experienced a tide of poppies patriotically pinned to every shirt, raising funds for the British Legion. Then it was time for the onslaught of the pink breast cancer ribbons. Movember was greeted by teachers proudly sporting striking handlebars and students, well, parading bits of fluff that made unimpressive substitutes for the luxuriant whiskers that would show their solidarity with those with prostate cancer. By the time you realize they’ve been growing moustaches, December would have rolled by and it’ll be time to shave again. And while the novelty of wearing various symbols to demonstrate your support for causes may be wearing a little thin, it has never been so essential than now to raise awareness about World AIDS Day, the 1st of December, which is likely to be heralded with red ribbons.

And why is it so vital to raise awareness about it? Because by being one of the biggest killers in the world today, AIDS, or Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome, has taken more than 25 million lives worldwide since 1981, the start of the global pandemic. The results of surveys published in www.usaid.gov show that in 2008, there were approximately 33.4 million people around the world living with HIV/AIDS, including 2.1 million children under age 15. AIDS, caused by the Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), is a wily enemy: it does not strike by direct attack. It chips away at your body’s defences instead, destroying your T-helper cells, a type of white blood cell, gradually weakening the immune system until the body is left fragile and vulnerable. It then lets other pathogens do the dirty work: without the T-helper cells that fight disease, even something as trivial as a cold or the flu can be fatal. (Adapted from www.homehealth-uk.com).

Www.aids-children.org shared a touching account of an AIDS sufferer, John, who now has a flourishing business due to timely intervention by a family strengthening programme in Rwanda.

“I had an active life: a job, a salary and many friends. One day, all this disappeared because I found out that I was HIV-positive. It was not easy at all. When I was told that I was HIV-positive, I thought it was a joke, I didn’t believe it. I spent several weeks feeling sorry for myself, asking myself what happened to me. I cried a lot, I didn’t want to accept that I was infected. I could not imagine that I would stay alive for more than a week. When the news of my illness reached my office, I was dismissed outright. My boss thought I would either die very soon or contaminate the other colleagues.

I found myself alone without friends or a job, and I realized that there was a problem. I began to accept the hard reality that it was necessary to fight to survive. I had no money, no savings and could not imagine that I would overcome this situation. My girlfriend left me, and I found myself alone with a six-month-old baby. “

What is most ironic is that AIDS is a preventable disease, being transferred by the sharing of bodily fluids. The only time when it is not avertable is when HIV is passed on genetically. Something as simple as making sure you are using a sterile needle before you receive an injection and practising safe sex habits can save you from a lifetime of suffering. Buying the crimson ribbon and donating some money to a worthy cause has the potential to raise awareness and contribute towards discovering a cure for the illness, and subsequently change someone’s life for the better. Every penny makes a difference, so the power to put a smile on a sufferer’s face may lie in your hands- pin on the red ribbon!

* All sites were accessed on 26th November 2011.

“CUT!” yells the film director.  “Your scream was two decibels too quiet, so we’re going to try it again.”  Unfortunately, in the theatre, there is no such luxury.  With most theatrical shows, cast and crew members have only one chance to get it right, and potentially face ultimate humiliation, disgrace and even danger if they don’t.  What is more, they have this immense pressure to battle with for every single performance.  It is logical to assume, therefore, that the multitude of superstitions that surround the theatre are derived from past mistakes that have somehow been blamed on things that may, or may not, be directly related to the mishap.  It has even been suggested that the theatre is the second-most superstitious institution in Britain, after horse racing.  Following is a list of theatre superstitions, and their supposed derivatives.

“The Scottish Play”

One of Shakespeare’s most famous plays, Macbeth, cannot be referred to as such within the walls of the theatre.  Its euphemism “The Scottish Play” is used in replacement.  Additionally, actors are also exhorted to avoid quoting lines from the play, especially the Witches’ incantations.  If an actor does dare to mention the actual name, in order to disengage the curse he or she is required to exit the theatre, spin around three times, spit, curse and then knock on the door until he or she is readmitted.

POSSIBLE ORIGINS:

• It was assumed that the Weird Sisters’ spell was an actual curse, and would conjure evil spirits.
• There is thought to be more swordplay in Macbeth than in any other Shakespearean play, thus more rehearsal and performance of this would precipitate more injury.  The superstition could have been a desperate method of prevention of these injuries.
• It is said that the play was cursed from the start, as shortly after its performance the actor who played Macbeth died.  Furthermore, it was said that the original production of the play featured “actual witches and witchcraft”, therefore it was cursed from its origin.

“Break A Leg!”

Ironically, it is widely accepted that it is bad luck to wish somebody “good luck” in the theatre.  In fact, in many countries it is tradition that before each show the cast assembles to wish each other bad luck and curse at each other in order to assure a good show.  The exact origin of the expression “break a leg” is unknown, however there are a number of theories that could explain it.  For example, the Greek theory suggests that the expression derives from the time of Ancient Greece, when audience members would not clap as a form of applause – instead, they would stomp for their appreciation.  Therefore, the term “break a leg” could be a blessing of the actor’s effect on audience members, wishing them to make spectators stomp so vehemently that they break a leg, rather than a direct wish for the actor to break one of their own legs.

Whistling

One of the lesser known superstitions of the theatre, it is considered to be bad luck to whistle inside the theatre, similar to the superstition on sailing ships.  It is positive (for a change!) where this superstition originated: original stage crews were hired from ships in port, and used coded whistles to communicate respective scene changes.  Actors who ignorantly whistled around the theatre often confused the stage crew, which would result in a piece of set being flown in at the wrong time, disrupting the performance.  Although today, of course, stage crews use an intercom or a cue light system to communicate scene changes, the superstition remains as cemented as it was centuries ago, and it is feared that if an actor whistles a piece of set will fall from the ceiling.  At least, directors may only instil this fear in their cast members in order to keep quiet backstage.

Others

• It is considered bad luck to complete a performance of a show without an audience in attendance.  During rehearsals, therefore, directors often cut the last line in order to dodge this superstition.  Alternatively, some directors invite relatives and close friends to watch dress rehearsals of their performance to avoid the bad luck.
• No real money should be used on stage.  This may have its origins in gamblers’ superstition about money, or it may simply be a sensible precaution against theft.
• In a similar vein, it is considered bad luck to wear real jewellery on stage, and actors are normally urged to wear costume jewellery.
• A company should not practise their bows before they feel deserving of them.
• A bad dress rehearsal portends a good opening night.  Perhaps this has a more practical influence on actors than most superstitions, however, because the cast and crew may be unnerved by a bad dress rehearsal and therefore endeavour to fix their mistakes for opening night.  On the other hand, directors may remind their company of this superstition in order to spur confidence in them after being disheartened by the dress rehearsal.
• The colour yellow is considered unlucky on stage.  This is said to date from the age of religious plays, when yellow was the colour worn by the actor playing the devil.

Roger Federer; continuing to write history (Reuters)

I’m going to go right ahead and pull out a cliché. Every time this man steps on court, it seems like he’s breaking records. Roger Federer was having a mediocre season by his own lofty standards but during the past fortnight, he has righted that and turned a mediocre season into a decent one simply by the records that he broke recently. During his title success in Basel, Federer achieved over forty wins at a tournament outside a Grand Slam and has consequently now won his fifth title in Basel dismantling Kei Nishikori of Japan in the final comfortably. He followed that up with a stunning display of tennis at the Paris Masters where he won his maiden Paris title. By doing so, he became only the seventh man in history to reach 800 career victories. To put how great an achievement that is into perspective: no current active player has played 800 career matches, let alone won 800! On reaching the 800 club, Federer said: “It’s nice. It’s just another win, but it’s a special one nevertheless, because 800 is definitely a big number.” He also became the first man in history to reach all nine Masters Series 1000 finals and, by winning Paris, he has won 7 of the 9 year-round prestigious events. He currently owns 18 Masters 1000 titles, only one behind the all-time leader – Rafael Nadal. Roger Federer also became the first man to reach 30 ATP Masters finals. Federer currently leads the way with 246 Masters 1000 wins, well clear of 2^nd placed Andre Agassi. Not to mention the fact that Roger has now won over 50 matches for the tenth consecutive reason. He has also made his 99^th tour final only behind Vilas with 104, McEnroe with 108, Lendl with 146 and Connors with 163. Who’s to bet he won’t make his 100^th final in London next week given his recent form?

Despite all of these stunning records there are two that are often overlooked but are the most impressive ones there are. After playing nearly 1000 career ATP matches, Roger Federer has never ever retired from a tennis match once he was walked onto the court. The older he gets the more impressive that stat becomes. He has also appeared in 48 consecutive Grand Slams, only 8 behind the all-time leader, Wayne Ferreira. Those two stats might not seem like much but part of what makes an athlete so great is his longevity and his ability to maintain such a high level for such a long time. (This is going to be something that I’ll discuss in regards to Novak’s season and where it stands on the all-time greatest seasons in next month’s review of the 2011 season). Roger had this to add: “It was some good scheduling (regarding skipping the Asian swing post US Open). I always plan it long term. I think as an athlete you need short and long-term goals and I have both. Athletes need to make sure they do take time away from the game at some time. Even I need my time away. It’s worked out perfectly and I go into London with confidence.” Darren Cahill said: “Your body is your greatest asset and Roger works really hard on his offseason conditioning. He’s kept up his speed on the court – and his enthusiasm, too. That’s one of the reasons you see him playing like this.”

“It’s been a great start to the autumn; I think my pause paid off,” Federer said.  “I’ve got different priorities than some of the younger guys who are ranked around me. I needed to take that time off, it was best for my mind, my body, my family and my fitness. There is a lot of tennis to be played until the end of the season and it will be packed in early 2012. I want to be a danger everywhere that I play.”

Something that really stood out for me with these past two title victories is how much they mean to the man. I mean, he has won everything there could possibly be to be won and has the most stellar of CVs yet he cherishes every single title victory that comes. Perhaps it’s because, invariably as he gets older he is going to have less success. The stats don’t lie; this is his first year since 2002 where he is without a Grand Slam title and the number of titles he is winning is decreasing as the years go on. But that doesn’t mean he’s done or finished. Quite the contrary, Federer was a swing of the racquet away from the US Open final and was playing some of the best tennis of his life during that run to the Roland Garros final (upending Novak Djokovic along the way!) At Flushing Meadows, Federer was a few inches away from being in the final but Djokovic’s ‘go-for-broke’ shot made the line. In Paris, Tsonga had an almost identical situation when he flat-footed Federer but his shot just sailed long. As Steve Tignor from Tennis.com stated: “sometimes that’s all that determines whether a 30-year old player is “surging” as he is now, or “aging” as he was a few months ago.” He has had a decent season but it is only being labelled mediocre because of the way we judge Roger Federer. He wouldn’t like it any other way than to judge him by the highest of standards that he has set during the stellar years of 04-07. Any title that Federer wins in this company now has to be earned with more than just brilliance. The standard of tennis has been taken to another level with Djokovic’s rise to the top this year. Just like Federer raised the bar when he was atop the ATP rankings, Djokovic has done likewise, forcing his competitors to rise to his calibre of tennis.

One of the criticisms that are aimed at Federer is the ‘excessive’ emotion that he shows during ceremonies and speeches. I personally find it especially endearing as it shows that Federer, like many other athletes are not all about the money, the sponsorships, and the titles. He cares to maintain the high standards that he has set throughout his career. It’s about the genuine love he has for the sport. It would be hard to argue that there is any player out there that has such a genuine love for tennis as Roger Federer does. It is often accused that he doesn’t show much emotion during points like Nadal or Djokovic do but that is quashed when the relief and joy overcome him in title presentations and ceremonies. One of the iconic moments in the past couple of years was that title ceremony at the 2009 Australian Open when Federer was reduced to tears in his defeat by Rafael Nadal when both men were playing some sublime tennis. People perceived that as a weakness but it is quite the contrary – it was poignant. It showed the emotion and love that Federer cleverly bottles up and only releases when the job is done; it showed his genuine love for the game. How did he respond to that heart-breaking loss? He went on to have one of his most memorable years completing the ‘Grand Slam’ by winning his first French Open title and adding a sixth Wimbledon title to his burgeoning grand slam collection.

Paul Annacone, Federer’s current coach and Pete Sampras’ ex coach said that Sampras viewed playing tennis and travelling all over the world as a chore and a burden towards the end of his career. Federer, however, is nothing like that; he still enjoys the tour and the traveling, he loves his fans, he loves the atmospheres and, most importantly, he still has the will to compete week in week out.

Similarly this year, how does he respond to a heart-breaking loss by Novak Djokovic at the US Open? By immediately flying over to Australia to help Switzerland gain promotion to the world group in 2012 in an epic 3-2 win. He has since gone on a 12-match winning streak, breaking all sorts of records in the process. Following his performances in the past few weeks where he has destroyed some great players, he is now the bookies favourite to retain the Barclays World Tour Final trophy thus breaking another record in the process; winning a record 6^th season ending trophy.

No man bounces back from disappointment and being written off better than Roger Federer. It’s not the first time Roger Federer has been written off as being ‘finished’. Following the thrashing he got at the 2008 Roland Garros final where Nadal simply destroyed Federer 1, 3 and 0 – he lost in his own back-yard, on the hallowed turf of Wimbledon to Nadal in one of the greatest matches in history. He then lost to James Blake, a man he had never lost before, in the Olympics in Beijing which meant he was running out of chances to win that elusive singles Gold medal he so desperately wanted. People wrote him off then and said he would never bounce back. He did; and in some style. He teamed up with his good buddy Stan Wawrinka and they romped to the Olympics doubles title which then spurred Federer into winning his 5^th consecutive US Open. As mentioned before, after the 2009 Australian Open loss, he was written off and he bounced back. After the poor mid-season he had in 2010 when he lost to Soderling and Berdych in the quarters of Roland Garros and Wimbledon, he was written off and he bounced back yet again finishing the season strongly and ending 2010 on a high. He is now having yet another late season ‘surge’ (anyone else getting a sense of Déjà vu?) So please stop writing this man’s obviously premature career obituary.

So while three of the top four are limping and staggering towards the World Tour Finals and finish line, Federer is having a streak of good form. During his dominance of the sport, Federer won everything there is to be won but as time wore on he started losing to people he wouldn’t lose to before. However, he normally set that right at the slams where he would peak. Recently, however, that hasn’t been the case. He’s been losing to players he doesn’t normally lose to in smaller events and at the slams. But just like last year, Federer has been the last man standing at the end of a gruelling tennis season, and as Steve Tignor points out: “he’s not only rising to the ultimate occasion (of the slams); he’s now outlasting everyone else on tour.”Not bad for an ‘old’ guy who is supposedly ‘past it,’ eh? Greatness isn’t lost overnight; it just becomes harder for it to be expressed as years go on.

Federer enjoying the moment with his 5th Basel victory

Roger's maiden Paris trophy