A few weekends ago, I took my dog to the dog beach. The public beaches in Southern California are beautiful, but they’re also highly-regulated. On most of them, dogs are strictly forbidden, which doesn’t make much sense since dogs are pretty much the only land-based mammal that doesn’t think the Pacific Ocean water is way too cold for swimming.
In Southern California, most local people go to the beach to sit near, but not in, the water. You can always tell tourists by the way their eyes widen in shock the moment their feet get wet. “This is a lot colder than it looks in the movies,” they say to each other. “Why does no one ever lapse into hypothermia on Baywatch?”
But there are a few specifically-designated places to take your dog to the beach, and one of them is about 20 minutes away from my house. It’s down in Orange County, the cradle of the California surf lifestyle.
It’s a place my dog loves – her crazy, excited noises and back-seat pacing begin pretty much the second we turn off onto the beach road and she smells the salt air – and true to her nature – she’s a Labrador, after all – all she really wants to do for the rest of her life is have me flip a tennis ball into the ocean and watch as she dives in, paddling furiously, to retrieve it.
Which I’m happy to do, because let’s face it, it really isn’t all that gruelling. I’ve got a plastic contraption – sort of like a jai alai stick – that allows me to fling the ball far out into the surf without having to get my hands sandy and wet. It’s the perfect gadget for any dog, like mine, with a lazy owner.
She’ll dive into water, bodysurf back to shore, take the occasional wave head on and do a flip, whatever it takes to get the tennis ball securely into her mouth for the paddle back. It’s quite a thing to see.
Many times, other folks on the beach will stop what they’re doing to watch in awe. Often, they compliment me.
“Amazing dog,” they’ll say.
“Thank you,” I’ll say.
As if I had anything to do with it. As if I’m the one in the cold water putting his all into the fun and getting a full-body workout.
And when the day is finally over – when, in other words, I’m a little bored or my arm is getting tired – the dog and I will trudge back up the hill to the car. She’s always ready for more. I’m the one that calls it a day. And I’ll dry her off and climb into the driver’s seat and think, “Wow, I’m exhausted.” Even though she did all the work, she’s the one who got wet and cold and winded, she took the waves, she did the dives, she did everything. All I did was watch.
In other words, I was the executive producer of a dog at the beach. I provided the car and a minimal amount of physical energy, but took all of the praise.
I thought of this the other day when a producer friend of mine told me about a conflict he’s having with another producer.
“This guy says to me,” my friend said, “that he’s ready and enthusiastic about pitching in on a feature film project I’m doing, when I get it set up. He actually said that. He said, ‘When it gets set up, I’ll hop on.’”
“But he doesn’t want to help you get it set up?” I asked.
“No,” my friend said. “He wants me to do all the work and then call him and he’ll show up.”
“Yeah,” I said, “I mean, you’re in there rolling around in the surf with a tennis ball in your mouth and he’s on the beach getting compliments.” My friend looked at me blankly.
It was too difficult to explain. But I have noticed that in this business when you’re cold and wet and swimming against the current, there’s always someone dry and relaxed on the shore, taking credit.
And at the end of the day, when you’re sleeping in the back seat, there’s always someone richer and higher-status in the front seat – usually a producer or an executive – talking about how exhausting it all was for both of you.
On the other hand, here’s where the metaphor breaks down.
My dog really likes her days at the beach. She is, after all, just a dog. Her brain is much smaller than mine. She’s not really much like a Hollywood writer. She doesn’t know, when she’s sleeping happily in the car, that I’m inside the Mexican taco stand having a burrito that’s rightfully hers. She’s happy just to be out.
Actually, maybe that’s not where the metaphor breaks down.
Rob Long is a writer and producer based in Hollywood
On Twitter: @rcbl
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Points about the fast fashion industry Celine Hajjar wants everyone to know
- Fast fashion is responsible for up to 10 per cent of global carbon emissions
- Fast fashion is responsible for 24 per cent of the world's insecticides
- Synthetic fibres that make up the average garment can take hundreds of years to biodegrade
- Fast fashion labour workers make 80 per cent less than the required salary to live
- 27 million fast fashion workers worldwide suffer from work-related illnesses and diseases
- Hundreds of thousands of fast fashion labourers work without rights or protection and 80 per cent of them are women
Company%20profile
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The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now