Sprite is not just a drink it’s a reason to escape the world of decisions. Decisions follow us round like a bad smell, from the small irrelevant things to life-altering decisions such as choosing a mate for life. Decisions can cause us to panic and to experience a feeling of fear, what I should choose and if I don’t what will be the outcome.

In their new commercials, Sprite focus on decision making with a clear cut message; think for yourself, pursue your dreams and follow your instincts. The commercial, which can be found on You Tube starts off with a young man and woman about to make a decision on what car to buy, or what career to chose, or where to spend the vacation, and everyone is trying to throw their two cents in on what they should do. Finally, the young man takes a sip of sprite and makes up his/her mind on what to do, saying “this is who I am.”

“This is who I am” is clearly clever as it appeals to the majority of us as we have all been there and wondered what we should be doing.

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Throughout time, men and women of all ages and nationalities have tapped into the extraordinary power of their minds to create ideas that have changed the world. From Isaac Newtwon’s theories on gravity and motion to Albert Einstein’s theories on relativity, history reminds us that one creative idea can change the course of history.

In celebration of Creativity and Innovation Week which took place from April 15th – April 21st O2 shared its tips and ideas on how to maximise creativity in the office. Here’s what they had to say;

	Deep Breathing Creative ideas come when the mind is still. As there is a deep connection between our state of mind (brain activities or mood) and our breathing pattern, we should aim to set aside time to quieten the mind and practice deep breathing. Deep breathing cleanses the mind, body and spirit and can bring many benefits; increased clarity, energy, relaxation and focus.  The session, which is 45 minutes, can help reduce stress, increase productivity and boost creativity.
	Reward your employees If you’re a manger and you need more results what can you do to jump start your employees and churn out creative ideas. Should you use the promise of rewards or fear (The carrot or the stick) to induce certain behaviour? Whilst it used to be said that fear and sadness spur creativity and results, recent research, according to a researched at Harvard, suggests that people are more likely to have creative ideas and thus produce more if they were happy the day before. Why? Because creativity is positively associated with joy and love. So, to generate creative ideas, love your employees, reward them and do what you can to make sure they are happy. It needn’t cost you extra – it is the small things that count. *The carrot and the stick, an idiom that refers to a policy of offering either reward or punishment to, states that people will be motivated either by fear or hope for reward. Appreciate your employees and they will work better, they will be more responsive and more productive. Giving appreciation certificates to employees who have done exceptionally well or even taking the office staff out for lunch can boost morale and thus creativity. If you can’t afford bonuses this year give away vouchers or take the office out for lunch or for an evening out after work. Otherwise a simple thank-you will often do the trick.
	Think BIG – think outside of the box If you think big you will be creative. By thinking big your mind will simply adapt to find a way of doing things. Thinking big opens the mind to new possibilities.
	Remain Flexible Write your goals in concrete and your plans in sand is an anonymous quote but one that bears a lot of truth. Basically, keep your eye on the goal but don’t worry about how you will get there. By remaining flexible the mind will create possibilities and new creative ideas will flow. This is also important internally with employees allowing them to move into departments and positions where they will naturally flourish and bring additional benefits to the company.
	Hire creative talent It’s not what you’ve done in the past it’s what you can do now and what you will do in the future.  Hiring the right people for the right job can be time consuming but in the long run it will pay off. When interviewing for jobs too often people focus on what they’ve done in the past, whilst this is relevant it is more important to emphasis what you can offer, what you can create and what creative ideas you can bring to the team.

New Look, New Programs for Abu Dhabi TV

Launched in black & white in the summer of 1969, the Abu Dhabi TV (ADTV) has witnessed tremendous changes to its programs, its content and its overall look. Targeting Arabic speaking viewers all over the world, ADTV offers viewers a wide variety of programs that include news, business, series, movies, sports and cooking shows.

Last October, ADTV re-branded itself by introducing a new logo and look, along with a new set of shows & programs. Since then Abu Dhabi TV has jumped from being ranked about 20th among Arab satellite channels to being ranked seventh or eighth in the region. To date it enjoys the status of a TV that competes with top TV channels, such as MBC and Dubai TV.

Since its make-over, ADTV has also introduced Abu Dhabi (Al Oula) 1+, a channel that airs the same programs as Abu Dhabi (Al Oula), but an hour later, giving viewers the chance to catch up on the programs and shows they might have missed.

Overall, a great new image for Abu Dhabi TV and one that has achieved its vision of highlighting the city of Abu Dhabi as the cultural hub of the UAE. With more channels and higher rankings, the attention really is shifting towards the UAE’s capital. Who knows what Abu Dhabi TV will come up with next? Watch this space!

Hosted by King Abdullah and Queen Rania of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and attracting 1,400 leaders from over 85 countries, the 2009 World Economic Forum Middle East that took place at the Dead Sea, Jordan, had 1 clear vision ‘Be role models to our youth’ and 2 major goals; increase conservation and provide our youth with education and development opportunities. In terms of environmental issues, increasing conservation, developing alternative energies and utilizing smart grids were discussed, whereas with regards to the issue of the region’s youth, 65% of whom are under the age of 25 years old, the forum urged leaders to ensure that the Middle East not only retains talent but attracts it. In addition to energy and youth, the forum also addressed the financial crisis, the region’s leadership crisis and the ongoing Arab-Israeli conflict. The next regional meeting will be held in Marrakech, Morocco 22-24 October 2010.

http://www.weforum.org

Thanks to Dr. Mohammed Al-Shaikh Yusuf, Head of the Syrian Cancer Society (CSS) women diagnosed with breast cancer can now undergo a non-invasive treatment. The treatment which was discovered by Dr. Yusuf and has been approved by the American Cancer Society (ACS) targets the tumour cells in advanced stages of breast cancer. Its results have so far been startling with decreased treatment and reduced expenditure. The research was conducted on 90 women with inoperable breast cancer, out of which 46 per cent had no signs of tumour after receiving only three doses of the medication, and the remaining 54 per cent received the full course of medication, 6 doses, out of which 66 per cent had no clinical signs of the tumour. This new treatment could be the beginning of a series of treatments that will eventually make tumours curable just like any other disease. Dr. Yusuf’s research will be published during the May 2009 American Cancer Society conference in Orlando, USA.

Each year, thousands of homes and establishments are destroyed by fires that could have been easily avoided if safety measures were applied and/or individuals were aware of these measures. Fire safety training is an essential part of employee training that should be a part of every employee induction. Supermarkets in particular should pay special attention. more…

World Challenge 09 is a global competition aimed at projects showing enterprise and innovation at grassroots level. Brought to you in association with Shell, BBC World and Newsweek, World Challenge is now in its fifth consecutive year and is accepting entries until May 22nd. more…

Beheard.ae is relatively new site whereby visitors can fill out online surveys and voice their opinions about a range of current issues. From the global crisis to job security, beheard.ae posts the answers giving insight and providing interesting facts about what the general public are thinking. more…

Look closely at the pictures of select fruits and vegetables below and you will see something quite remarkable, fruits and vegetables that look incredibly similar to our internal organs and bodily parts. It really is something. So, there you have it, just another reason to munch on a variety of fruits and vegetables and reap the health and vitality rewards they promise.

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