Hot on the heels of Spotify's new Playlist in a Bottle feature, which allows users to create a musical time capsule, a storage company in Dubai is offering residents a chance to freeze mementos and memories for 15 years.
The Box, a self-storage company, is marking its 15th anniversary with an event next Friday and Saturday. Simply visit the JLT warehouse and place any token that represents your life in 2023 in a time capsule unit. This will be cracked open in 2038, and the contents shipped to each participant no matter where they live then.
From letters to yourself or your children, to a favourite piece of clothing or a newspaper from a particularly eventful day, the world is your oyster when it comes to choosing what you’d like to receive in the post 15 years from now.
“We decided to celebrate our anniversary with a time-capsule activation because we wanted to create a meaningful and lasting tribute to the people and events that shaped our company. By opening the time capsule in the future, we can look back on the memories and achievements of the past,” said Wadih Haddad, founder and chief executive of The Box.
The event will take place from 10am to 5.30pm and promises to have “popcorn, coffee, canapes and other interesting folk living in Dubai to talk to”.
Cool time capsules to know
Century Safe
1876-1976
Contents: A scroll signed by members of the 44th Congress, a gold pen from poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and photos by Mathew Brady, one of the earliest American photographers.
Scouts honour
1961-2010
Contents: Assembled in Germany to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Scouting in 1961, the capsule comprised photos of German and American troop members, plus newspapers, scouting books and letters from US government leaders.
As an aside, in 2012, a Girl Scout troop from California opened a time capsule assembled in 1987, comprising teen fan magazines, campfire ashes, hair scrunchies and a Thin Mints box.
Steve Jobs
1983-2014
Contents: Lisa, the first computer mouse carved out of wood, created by Apple founder Steve Jobs, plus a Rubik's cube and a six-pack of beer.
Earth’s Black Box
To collect data for the next 30-50 years
At a remote site in Tasmania, a massive structure is in place to electronically store climate research and data such as land and sea temperature changes, human population census surveys and military spending. The idea is to inform future civilisations of humankind’s role in the climate crisis, and whether we failed or succeeded in addressing it.
Barbie
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Indian origin executives leading top technology firms
Sundar Pichai
Chief executive, Google and Alphabet
Satya Nadella
Chief executive, Microsoft
Ajaypal Singh Banga
President and chief executive, Mastercard
Shantanu Narayen
Chief executive, chairman, and president, Adobe
Indra Nooyi
Board of directors, Amazon and former chief executive, PepsiCo
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
