Community Section - Thai Embassy and Consulates

P7
Community
The history
of Louisville
Slugger, or
how a woodworker’s
hunch became a
baseball cult
in America.
P16
Community
Doha had
its very
own book
exchange and
interaction as
part of the
Book Lovers Day,
Thursday, August 11, 2016
Dhul-Qa’da 8, 1437 AH
DOHA
32°C—44°C TODAY
LIFESTYLE/HOROSCOPE 11
PUZZLES 12 & 13
The other
Thailand
That it is the world’s premier tourist
hotspot is a given, but it is also a land
where Muslims enjoy state patronage
and are proud to be its citizens. P4-5
IN THE FRAME: Thai Muslim women celebrating Eid.
Girls dresses in various patterns
• Women wear
• Men’s readymade
• Kids wear
• Textile material
for male / female
• Ladies & Gents
Tailoring Fecilities
• Accessories
• Western wear
• Toys • Perfume • Bags
• Cosmetics • Foot wear
• Jewelry • Watches
LOCATION :
Old Airport road, Next to Qatar Airway Tower 1
2
GULF TIMES Thursday, August 11, 2016
COMMUNITY
ROUND & ABOUT
PRAYER TIME
Fajr
Shorooq (sunrise)
Zuhr (noon)
Asr (afternoon)
Maghreb (sunset)
Isha (night)
3.43am
5.05am
11.39am
3.08pm
6.15pm
7.45pm
USEFUL NUMBERS
EVENTS
Emergency
999
Worldwide Emergency Number
112
Kahramaa – Electricity and Water
991
Local Directory
180
International Calls Enquires
150
Hamad International Airport
40106666
Labor Department
44508111, 44406537
Mowasalat Taxi
44588888
Qatar Airways
44496000
Hamad Medical Corporation
44392222, 44393333
Qatar General Electricity and
Water Corporation
44845555, 44845464
Primary Health Care Corporation
44593333
44593363
Qatar Assistive Technology
Centre
44594050
Qatar News Agency
44450205
44450333
Q-Post – General Postal
Corporation
44464444
Humanitarian Services Office
(Single window facility for the repatriation of bodies)
Ministry of Interior
40253371, 40253372,
40253369
Ministry of Health
40253370, 40253364
Hamad Medical Corporation
40253368, 40253365
Qatar Airways
40253374
ote Unquote
u
Q
The best
preparation for good
work tomorrow is to do
good work today.
— Elbert Hubbard
Community Editor
Kamran Rehmat
e-mail: [email protected]
Telephone: 44466405
Fax: 44350474
Aspire Splash and Dash
DATE: Every Sunday and Wednesday
TIME: 7pm-9pm
VENUE: Aspire Dome
The athletics track and swimming pool will be open for
50 participants aged seven years and above per session and
facility. Swimming skills are mandatory for registering at the
swimming sessions with a limited number of 50 participants
per session. The event is open to public registration on-site
from 6 to 7:45pm.
Doha Toastmasters Meet
DATE: August 20
TIME: 7pm-9:30pm
VENUE: Holiday Villa
Doha Toastmasters, the pioneer club of Qatar, trains
individuals in communication and leadership skills.
Transform yourself into a confident public speaker and
a strong leader. Acquire this vital skill in a friendly and
supportive environment. For more details, call 77036696.
information between the girls, establish the spirit of cooperation between them, and to advance their characters
through learning. It features several educational programmes,
workshops, courses, camps, festivals, skills, and trips. For
enquiries, please call at: 44789392.
Doha Sightseeing
DATE: Until September
TIME: 9am-9pm
VENUE: Around Doha
Doha Bus is Qatar’s first Hop-on Hop-off sight-seeing
bus tour, providing both local residents and visiting tourists
a flexible way to discover the country’s vibrant past, present
and future. Each Doha Bus tour highlights a variety of
interesting locations throughout this fast changing landscape
including Souq Waqif, The Pearl, Villaggio as well as The
Museum of Islamic Art. Doha Bus enhances the sightseeing
experience with seven different language options to choose
from as well as group discounts, private coach tours and
corporate outings. Doha Bus is a fun, interactive and highly
education experience for every traveller.
Qatar Summer Festival at The Pearl
DATE: Until August 27
TIME: 6:30pm
VENUE: The Pearl-Qatar
The Pearl-Qatar will host several entertainment activities
and roaming musical acts and parades at dedicated locations
in Porto Arabia as well as Medina Centrale from 6.30 pm to
9.30 pm on August 12, 13, 19, 20, 26 and 27.
Barzan Girls Center’s Summer Programme
DATE: Until August 25
TIME: 6pm
VENUE: Barzan Girls Center
Barzan Girls Center is organising its summer programme,
which continues for a month and targets girls aged 15
years and above. For registration, you can visit the centre’s
headquarter at 6pm.
The programme aims to exchange experiences and
Mall Cinema (1): How to be
yours (Tagalog) 11am; Rustom
(Hindi) 1pm; The BFG: Big
Friendly Giant (2D) 3.30pm; The
BFG: Big Friendly Giant (2D)
5.30pm; The BFG: Big Friendly
Giant (2D) 7.30pm; The BFG: Big
Friendly Giant (2D) 9.30pm; The
Shallows (2D) 11.30pm.
Mall Cinema (2): Suicide
Squad (2D) 11am; Mohenjo Daro
(Hindi) 1pm; Ice Age: Collision
Course (2D) 3.45pm; Ice Age:
Collision Course (2D) 5.30pm;
The Shallows (2D) 7.15pm; The
Shallows (2D) 9PM; Mohenjo
Daro (Hindi) 11pm.
Mall Cinema (3): The BFG: Big
Big Friendly Giant (2D) 9pm;
Rustom (Hindi) 11.15pm
Royal Plaza Cinema Palace
(2): How to be yours (Tagalog)
Friendly Giant (2D) 11am; Kill
11.45am; Mohenjo Daro (Hindi)
Command (2D) 1pm; Suicide
2.15pm; Suicide Squad (2D)
Squad (2D) 3.15pm; Rustom
(Hindi) 5.15pm; How to be yours 5pm; The Shallows (2D) 7pm;
(Tagalog) 7.45pm; Kill Command Mohenjo Daro (Hindi) 8.45pm;
(2D) 9.45pm; Kill Command (2D) The Shallows (2D) 11.30pm.
Royal Plaza Cinema Palace
11.30pm.
(3): Suicide Squad (2D) 11am;
Royal Plaza Cinema Palace
(1): The BFG: Big Friendly Giant Rustom (Hindi) 1pm; Kill
Command (2D) 3.30pm; The
(2D) 11.15am; Ice Age: Collision
Legend Of Tarzan (2D) 5.30pm;
Course (2D) 1.30pm; Ice Age:
How to be yours (Tagalog)
Collision Course (2D) 3.15pm;
7.30pm; The Shallows (2D)
The BFG: Big Friendly Giant
(2D) 5pm; The BFG: Big Friendly 9.30pm; Kill Command (2D)
11.15pm.
Giant (2D) 7pm; The BFG:
Thursday, August 11, 2016
BOOKS
10
3
COMMUNITY
ROUND & ABOUT
top
GULF TIMES
MOVIES
1.Me Before You by JojoMoyes
2.Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins
3.Lost Ocean by Johanna Basford
4.Selp-Helf by Miranda Sings
5.Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
6.Girl Online: On Tour by Zoe Sugg
7.The Bamboo Stalk by Saud al-Sanousi
8.Tropical Wonderland by Millie Marotta
9.Querkles Masterpieces by Thomas Pavitte
10.The Amazing Book Is Not On Fire by Dan Howell and Phil
Lester
1.Reasonable Doubt
2.Hunger Games Mockingjay
3.Red
4.Good As Dead
5.See No Evil
6.Need For Speed
7.Stuck In Love
8.Big Year
9.Last Stand
10.Java Heat
MUSIC
TV-SERIES
1.Cougar Town S2
2.Private Practice S5
3.New Girl S1
4.Happy Endings S1
5.Burn Notice S4
6.Glee S2
7.Raising Hopes S1
8.Doll House S2
9.Footballers Wives S3
10.My Name Is Earl S4
1.Various Artists: Now 94 Db
2.Maher Zain: One
3.Ariana Grande: Dangerous Woman Del Ed
4.Rogers Kenny: 21 Number Ones/The Ultimate
Collection
5.Various Artists: Chilled House Ibiza 2016 Bx3
6.Claude Challe: Select Viii
7.Various Artists: Now Edm After Party 2014
8.Justin Bieber: My Worlds The Coll Db
9.Seal: 7
10.Bruno Mars: Doo-Wops & Hooligans
Courtesy: Virgin Megastores, Landmark and Villaggio Mall
Combination of Sun, Sand and Surfing
DATE: Ongoing
VENUE: Aqua Park
For the first time ever in Qatar, it will be possible to ride up curved sidewalls at 90 degrees
to the direction of the water flow. Giving visitors and especially surfing fanatics an amazing
experience available at only one place in Qatar Aqua Park.
Come join us and also take advantage of the extra free ticket you get anytime you buy two
Stingray Tickets.
QSports Summer Camp
DATE: Until September 1
TIME: 8am-1pm
VENUE: Al Jazeera Academy
Registration for QSports Summer Camp
2016 is now open. QSports summer camps are
committed to providing a safe, fun and skillbased experience for kids between the ages of
four and 14.
We have a dedicated team of specialist kid’s
coaches and classes and activities are safe,
planned, progressive, active, creative, inclusive
and designed to maximise participation of all
children by offering a variety of activities.
Summer Programme for School
Students
DATE: Until August 21
VENUE: Virginia Commonwealth
University
Virginia Commonwealth University in
Qatar is organising its summer programme
for all school students aged six years and
above. They can choose from a variety
of programmes designed for various age
groups, with the aim of learning new skills
and making new friends during the summer
holidays.
Qatar Summer Festival 2016
DATE: Until August 31
VENUE: Doha Exhibition and Convention
Center
Enjoy with your family the Qatar Summer
Festival, organised by Qatar Tourism Authority
throughout the month of August under the
theme ‘Color Your Summer’. It will include a
wide range of summer entertaining events and
activities, art zones, shopping promotions, in
addition to a unique entertainment city.
Garage Gallery
DATE: Until Nov 1
TIME: 8pm
VENUE: Spaces at the Fire Station
The Artists in Residence exhibition is a
culmination of an intensive nine-month
programme, featuring works by 18 local
contemporary artists who have been working
in the artist’s studios and spaces at the Fire
Station since September 2015. The exhibition
showcases new work and projects created
by the artists during their residency period,
shedding light on the development of their
New Bootcamp Abu Hamour
DATE: Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday
TIME: 6pm
VENUE: Doha British School
Located just minutes from Villaggio
and a walk away from Ain Khalid Gate the
Doha British School campus is our newest
Bootcamp location.
The training takes place on the main grass
playing field surrounded by an athletics track.
There are showers available and changing
rooms.
Pottery workshop for kids
DATE: Every Monday
TIME: 5pm-6pm
Kids will learn a new hand building
technique for creating and finishing artworks
in clay. For more, call 44865201.
Sketching with pencil and charcoal
DATE: Sunday and Wednesday
TIME: 5pm- 6:30pm
If you can hold a pencil, you can draw…
Discover techniques to make your drawing
more realistic. Every Saturday and
Wednesday from 5pm-6:30pm.
innovative ideas and diverse studio practices.
Photographic, sculptural, and installation based
artworks fill the Garage Gallery and showcase
these talented artists.
Vacation Competition
DATE: Until September 21
VENUE: FCC Office
Women’s forum of Friends Cultural Centre
has announced competitions for Qatar-based
Malayalee students of grades IV–XII. There
are two competitions including Avadhikkalath
an article on vacation experiences and
Avadhikkalakazhchakal, on photography.
Article on vacation experiences should be
prepared in Malayalam or in English with a
minimum of 500 words. Photographs for the
competition should be printed on A4 size art
paper or photo paper.
Pictures should not have been published
before and should not be downloaded from
internet. Entries for competitions need to
be submitted to FCC Office on or before 21
September 2016. More details can be obtained
by contacting telephone number 44661213.
Cake Decoration Classes
DATE: Morning and evening
VENUE: Tavola Royal Plaza, Al Saad Street
Tavola offers a range of cake decorating
and kitchen skills classes. Tavola is the only
authorised Wilton method provider in the
Middle East.
Yamativo Salsa Classes
DATE: Every Monday
TIME: 7pm
VENUE: Radisson Blu
It’s always fun and always challenging.
Let’s meet and learn some moves every
Monday night. You don’t need to do
anything, just join us.
Level 1 (intermediate level) 7pm and for
beginner level 8pm. Be there at Raddison
Blu Hotel Cabana Club.
Fitness Training
DATE: Sunday, Tue, Thu
TIME: 6pm-7pm
VENUE: MIA Park
There are fitness classes in the park on
Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday nights at
6 and 7pm. Open to all levels of fitness.
Bootcamp is an intensive and fun way to
train and also meet new people in the open
and friendly group atmosphere. More
information, from Bootcamp, Qatar or info @
bootcampqatar.com.
FOODIE CHOICE
RESTAURANT: Aceite
LOCATION: Melia Doha
The type of cuisine you get here is
traditional Spanish food that magnificently
blends traditional recipes with surprising
contemporary touches.
Compiled by Nausheen Shaikh. E-mail: [email protected], Events and timings subject to change
4
GULF TIMES Thursday, August 11, 2016
COMMUNITY
COVER STORY
Faith in Thailand
The Muslim connect remains a less explored subject and one that holds
a special interest in the context of growing ‘Islamic tourism’, Thailand’s
halal industry expertise and, last but not least, medical tourism.
Kamran Rehmat reports from the Land of Smiles
GRAND: The palatial office of the Sheikhul Islam in the suburbs of Bangkok.
T
he jury is still out on
exactly how many
muscles it takes to
smile, and frown, and
which one pips the
other. In Thailand, regardless of
the muscle tussle, smiles take the
miles!
No wonder, it’s dubbed the
Land of Smiles.
It is hard not to wilt with
that constant appearance
wherever you go — right from
the immigration desk out to the
market place.
While there’s little that has
escaped the roving eye of a keen
traveller to Bangkok or the more
popular tourist resorts in terms
of their allure, there is this other
— more formal — side to the
Thai kaleidoscope that held its
attention for me on a recent study
tour to the country.
It should be of particular
interest to travellers from the
Middle East, and closer home,
the Gulf.
The Muslim connect remains
a less explored subject and one
that holds a special interest in
the context of growing “Islamic
tourism”, Thailand’s halal
industry expertise and last, but
not least, medical tourism.
Sek Wannamethee, DirectorGeneral, Department of
Information, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, puts liberty and
tranquillity at the heart of Thai
societal fabric.
“The peaceful essence of
Islam coincides with Buddhist
teachings. In Thailand today,
Islamic teachings and prayers
are broadcast on Thai television
network. The Azaan can be heard
from as far away in the north,
through the central plains of (the
former capital) Ayutthaya all the
way to the south, where Islamic
family law is practised,” he says.
It says a lot about the high
values Thais place on tolerance
and religious harmony when
you consider that the very term
“minority” is abhorred. The idea
is to accord the same level of
Photo by the author
“We have the
Islamic Bank
of Thailand (a
state enterprise
with 26 branches
across the
country), and a
dedicated 24hour cable TV,
which should
say something
about the rights
we enjoy in
this land”
— Sheikhul Islam’s
representative
HOLDING FORTH: Assistant Professor Abdullah Numsuk, Representative of
the Sheikhul Islam.
Thursday, August 11, 2016
Sheikhul Islam
“Muslims enjoy full liberties
and rights in our country, and it
is all constitutionally mandated,”
Assistant Professor Dr Abdullah
Numsuk, Representative of the
Sheikhul Islam, says.
Outlining the salient features
of state backing, he informs that
under constitutional obligation,
the monarch has to lend his
support to every religion and that
is also reflective in his continued
patronage of Islamic activities in
Thailand.
“The king has an important
role in supporting Islam and has
authorised translation of the
Holy Book into several languages
at state expense. He is a regular
presence in our midst,” he points
out.
“We have the Islamic Bank of
Thailand (a state enterprise with
26 branches across the country),
and a dedicated 24-hour cable
TV, which should say something
about the rights we enjoy in
this land,” Sheikhul Islam’s
representative emphasises.
Explaining the raison d’etre of
the office, the representative says
it is the highest Islamic authority
in the land whose decisions are
binding for all Muslims. The
appointment is made by the king
himself and it follows an intense
participatory process with 39
provincial committees across the
country involved in the selection.
He is also sanguine about the
role played by Muslims in the
country’s development.
“Our fellow brethren continue
to contribute meaningfully
to nation-building. There is
exemplary coexistence amongst
various religions and even sects
of Islam here. Indeed, we remain
very proud of being Thai citizens,”
Numsuk says, emphatically.
Responding to a question
about the number of mosques
in Thailand and how and where
Muslim children acquire religious
education, he puts the number at
3,700 — majority of these in the
south — and says they learn at
Islamic schools run by Muslims,
but also private educational
institutions. The Islamic schools
are also subsidised by the
government.
According to a Ministry of
Thailand estimate, there are 800
Islamic schools in the country,
most of which are concentrated in
the southern border provinces.
5
COMMUNITY
COVER STORY
recognition to all religions and
ethnicities.
GULF TIMES
He parries a question about imams
(prayer leaders) — who are elected
— holding political opinion like
elsewhere in the world, but says they
remain free to give sermons, which
aren’t censored or monitored by the
authorities.
About their origins, he says,
Muslims in Thailand have deep roots
with ethnic Malay, Arab, Iranian,
Pakistani, Indian, Siamese, Chinese
and Cambodian Cham ancestry.
“Even though there are people
hailing from different sects of Islam,
there has never been any conflict,” he
claims.
Another noteworthy domain of
the office of Sheikhul Islam concerns
the certification of halal products, a
task that is undertaken by the Central
Islamic Committee that has members
from provinces across the country.
The certification is endorsed by
the government.
The Foreign (Office) factor
L
ike with other countries, the
Thai government is reaching
out to expand the relationship
with the Islamic world, particularly
the Gulf. There is a strong Muslim
connect here which has perhaps,
not been explored enough for its
range and depth.
Suvat Chirapant, Deputy
Permanent Secretary at the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs —
one of four such high ranking
positions in the ministry — is
himself a Muslim and informs
that Thailand has had a foreign
minister, who served as the
secretary-general of Asean;
parliamentary speaker, who was
also the deputy prime minister
and interior minister; and even a
commander-in-chief of the army
from the same faith.
He says the country, which has
the highest Muslim population of
all Asean countries, has much to
offer to potential trade partners
in the Middle East and Gulf — not
in the least trade in its certified
halal food industry. With its
significant Muslim population
(approximately, 5.8 million of the
nation’s 67 million), Thailand also
sits on the Organisation of Islamic
States (OIC) with an Observer
Status, enjoying observer
membership of the Islamic
Education, Scientific and Cultural
Organisation (ISESCO).
The Thai Islamic Trade and
Industrial Association, too, is
a member of the OIC Islamic
Chamber of Commerce and
Industry.
Explaining the role of the Foreign
Office, Chirapant, who has served in
Qatar for three years, says, it works
in close co-ordination with Sheikhul
Islam, whose role he likens to that
of a counsellor to the king in Islamic
affairs.
The government has a
longstanding policy of providing
financial support for the
construction or renovation of
mosques. Thai Muslims are allowed
to practice and dress according
to their faith in public places,
POSITIVE ROLE: Suvat Chirapant, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The deputy permanent secretary (above) — one of
four such high ranking positions in the ministry — is
himself a Muslim and informs that Thailand has had a
foreign minister, who served as the secretary-general
of Asean; parliamentary speaker, who was also the
deputy prime minister and interior minister; and even
a commander-in-chief of the army from the same faith
including schools and government
offices.
The Foreign Office official
also hails the role played by Thai
Muslims in the development of the
country, and says he, along with his
colleagues, regularly visit provinces
across the country to interact with
the Muslim population — 30 per
cent of which is concentrated in
the south — and inquire after their
well-being.
Currently, it is engaged in coordinating the first batch of Haj
pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. Annually,
the government facilitates 13,000
Thai Muslims to undertake the
pilgrimage with a one-stop service
for documentation and medical
exams.
zSee also Pages 8 & 9
6
GULF TIMES Thursday, August 11, 2016
COMMUNITY
Pakistan embassy
brings forward
passport dates for
early delivery
By A Staff Reporter
I
n order to facilitate
Pakistani nationals, the
Pakistan embassy has
further streamlined
procedures for passport
renewals.
“All those who have
appointments after September 30,
2016 may visit the embassy to get
new dates,” an embassy official
told Community yesterday.
These appointments will be
brought forward up till September
30.
In recent days, the embassy has
made concerted efforts to address
rising demand for the mandatory
Machine Readable Passports
(MRPs). The embassy has been
reported to have sought extra
staff from the government back
home to meet the application rush
even as it has already increased
its working hours to meet the
burgeoning demand as much as
it can.
Reportedly, the capacity for
issuance and renewals of MRPs
has been tripled, of late, with an
additional four hours of work
daily.
The issue gained traction
recently, and more resonantly,
during an open house the mission
held recently to address the
complaints of the expatriate
citizens.
Eight books to make you
laugh in these dire times
By Laurie Hertzel
T
he first funny book I remember reading was
James Thurber’s My Life and Hard Times. I
read it over and over, and it never failed to
make me laugh. (The Night the Bed Fell. The
Day the Dam Broke. The Night the Ghost Got
In. All hilarious.)
This has been a dire summer. The news is crushingly
bad. We need to laugh.
Here, to the rescue, are recommendations from
some of the critics who review for the Minneapolis Star
Tribune. Prepare for belly laughs.
Muriel Spark’s Loitering With Intent, published in
1981 but set in 1949, is a sinister comedy in the mode
of her 1959 Memento Mori. It’s drolly narrated by Fleur
Talbot, a cash-strapped literary secretary and aspiring
novelist whose plot points start coming to life. Like all
of Spark’s best novels, it’s an ingeniously constructed
book, unsentimental but not cold, hilarious but never
frivolous. —Dylan Hicks
The Dog of the South by Charles Portis. Portis is
best known for True Grit, but he also produced five
other novels. The Dog of the South will propel you from
melancholy to jubilation in exactly one page flat. Ray
Midge’s wife, Norma, has run off with a sorry character
called Guy Dupree, taking Ray’s beloved Ford Torino
and leaving him Guy’s 1963 Buick Special “standing
astride a red puddle of transmission fluid.” What follows
is a road saga of exquisite deadpan humour and almost
surreal bathos. —Katherine A Powers
A Man Called Ove, by Fredrik Backman, had me
laughing out loud. Ove is a curmudgeon’s curmudgeon,
and the humour as he grumbles and judges his way
through old age is dry but dead on. —Mardi Jo Link
Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple. When the
world seems insane, and depressingly so, it’s good to laugh
and better yet to get away. “Family trip to Antarctica!”
Fifteen-year-old Bee’s parents promise her anything if she
aces her report card, and that’s what she wants. But first
she takes us on a nightmarishly hilarious journey through
the story of her disappearing mother, neighbourhood
intrigues, school politics and high-tech romance via
e-mail, FBI reports, memos and letters. —Ellen Akins
Jimmy Breslin’s Can’t Anybody Here Play this Game?
is a wry look at the unsuccessful 1962 New York Mets,
and it’s surely one of the funniest sports books ever
written. “They lost an awful lot of games by one run,
which is the mark of a bad team,” Breslin wrote. “They
also lost innumerable games by 14 runs or so. This is
the mark of a terrible team.” His most likable character
is “Marvelous” Marv Throneberry, the mistake-prone
first baseman, who once hit what appeared to be a
triple, only to be tagged out after missing not one
but two bases on his way to third. Said Throneberry,
“Things just sort of keep on happening to me.” —Kevin
Canfield
In My Korean Deli: Risking It All for a Convenience
Store, Ben Ryder Howe gives us a behind-the-scenes
peek at the subculture that props up most New Yorkers,
his time working at the Paris Review under George
Plimpton, and what it’s like for a Caucasian guy to
marry into a Korean family. Hilarious and heartwarming
with lots of laugh-out-loud moments. —Meganne
Fabrega
A good antidote to the vitriol swirling around
social media these days is the reliably funny prose
of Lorna Landvik. There is no venom in her writing,
just big-hearted observations by hilarious characters
making their way in a world that is sometimes tragic
but always hopeful. Landvik’s 1997 novel, Patty
Jane’s House of Curl, about a hairstylist and her
escapades around Minneapolis — particularly West
River Road, Seward and the Chain of Lakes — is a
great place to start. —Christine Brunkhorst —Star
Tribune/TNS
How to find a good personal trainer
By James Fell
T
here is a scene in the Arnold
Schwarzenegger movie The
Running Man in which “Captain
Freedom’s Workout” comes on TV,
and Jesse Ventura yells, “Are you
ready for pain? Are you ready for suffering?”
If your trainer behaves like that, start running
— away.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics,
there are over 250,000 fitness trainers and
instructors in the US. That’s a lot to choose
from. Some of their clients have horror stories;
others refer to personal trainers as lifesavers.
First, some horror.
“I have club feet, and my trainer tried to get
me to do things that were impossible for me,”
said Sara Ross, 34, a small-business owner
in Lawrenceville, N.J. She’d had surgery as a
child to synthetically lengthen her Achilles
tendons and was looking to improve her body’s
functionality and flexibility. But the trainer at a
country club gym wasn’t a good listener.
“I told her my ankles didn’t have the
flexibility to do a full squat,” she said. The
trainer pushed her to do it anyway, with added
weight. Ross heard a pop in her Achilles. The
trainer asserted it was all in her head. Ross
stormed out of the session, never to return. She
had trouble walking for weeks.
“Training is something you do for someone,
not to someone; You’re looking for a facilitator,
not a dictator,” said Florida-based trainer Nick
Tumminello, who was named the 2016 Personal
Trainer of the Year by the National Strength and
Conditioning Association (NSCA).
He warns people away from “push through
the pain” – type trainers.
His description of a good trainer? “They
make it about you. Good listener. Someone who
asks you questions about what you want rather
than say what they want to inflict on you.” A
trainer needs to understand a client’s goals and
devise the safest and most effective method of
reaching those goals, he said.
Beware of the hard sell. Monica Weber, a
39-year-old midwife in Ontario, Canada, said it
happened to her twice.
She’d had a membership at the GoodLife
Fitness chain since 2002, doing basic workouts
on her own. In 2010, she inquired about hiring
a trainer. The introductory sessions, she said,
“were all a big sales pitch. He made me feel like
I had a lot of problems he needed to fix. It would
take a year and a half and cost $10,000.”
She balked at the cost and said no thanks.
Three years later, she tried another GoodLife
trainer. “She gave me an even harder sell,”
Weber said. Again, it was $10,000 to “fix” her.
GoodLife Fitness personal training divisional
manager Kelly Musovic said the average
personal training package costs $4,000 and a
single session can be had for $39.
“If they say no to a particular option, we
would advise them of other options,” said
Musovic, who was dismayed to hear about
Weber’s story. “We don’t want anyone to feel
harassed.”
Weber insisted both trainers made her feel as
though it was the $10,000 route or nothing. She
ended up leaving the gym.
Marie Rousseau, 39, is a retail worker in Bryce
Canyon, Utah. She recalled a trainer who was
pushing her toward a smaller dress size. At the
time, the 5-foot, 4-inch tall Rousseau weighed
93 pounds and was recovering from an eating
disorder that had almost killed her. Her goal
was to gain muscle and strength and go up a few
dress sizes, but the trainer told her she should
drop to a size 6.
Said Rousseau: “He insisted I had some fat
to lose” — a dangerous thing to say to someone
who’s battled an eating disorder.
Even though the trainer knew about her
condition, he “pushed no carb.” Rousseau
said. “I told him right off the bat that nutrition
coaching was unnecessary because I was under
the care of a registered dietitian.”
The trainer also pushed supplements — ones
he wanted to sell her. Rousseau bailed after
three sessions.
Richard Cotton, who is national director of
certification for the American College of Sports
Medicine (ACSM), said his organisation “does
not support any supplement sales within the
client-trainer relationship.” He added that
trainers should refer to a registered dietitian
when it comes to clients’ meal planning.
The horror stories make personal training
seem like the Wild West. But Cotton said it’s
not as wild as it used to be.
“There has been self-policing to improve
standards and develop best practices,” he said.
Most trainers have some form of certification
— ACSM and NSCA are two well-respected
groups — but that doesn’t guarantee quality.
Both Tumminello and Cotton recommended
seeking out a trainer with relevant experience.
Seniors, for example, should look for someone
who understands how to work with older
adults. Cotton is a big fan of word-of-mouth
referrals.
That’s how Ross finally landed a good trainer:
from her cousin’s recommendation. Her new
trainer had the relevant physical therapy
experience.
“He adapted the exercise to my ability,” she
said.
Tumminello warned against any trainer who
insists exercises be done a certain way, saying it
shows a lack of understanding of variations in
human movement.
“He told me I didn’t need to do squats,” said
Ross, who’s been with her current trainer for
three years. “He’s so knowledgeable and nice to
work with.”
Rousseau found a better trainer too. “He
would push me just enough where I would gain
confidence,” she said. “He was more about good
form. Working out is more about feeling good
now.”
And that’s the ultimate goal of working with
a trainer: to feel good. —Chicago Tribune/TNS
Thursday, August 11, 2016
GULF TIMES
7
COMMUNITY
OFFBEAT
Louisville Slugger: How
a woodworker’s hunch
became cult in America
By Johannes Schmitt-Tegge
L
egend has it that it was one Pete
Browning who became the first player
to hit a baseball with a “slugger” after
his own baseball bat got broken.
The year was 1884, and a young
man handed him a new wooden bat after
his own was broken during a game. The new
instrument was the prototype of the bat which
became known as the “Louisville Slugger”
and which, over 130 years later, is almost
synonymous with Major League Baseball (MLB)
itself.
The curious thing about it was that Frederick
Hillerich, the German immigrant from whose
woodworking shop in Louisville the bat came,
was actually busy making other things — bed
posts, stair railings, bowling balls and pins,
butter churns — for the folks of the state of
Kentucky.
But making money to supply those guys
wearing knickerbockers and batting a ball
around in this new-fangled field game called
baseball? — No way. Hillerich thought the game
was a fad, one pursued by drinkers and womenchasers.
Hillerich’s son Bud had a different hunch.
Learning the woodworking trade in his father’s
shop, it was he who made the first bat for Pete
Browning, and he was insistent on making
more.
Soon, more and more players were ordering
his bats made of hickory wood. The hand-made
“Louisville Slugger” would go on to fame that
came with being used by the legendary stars
of the game — Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Joe
DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig and Mickey Mantle, to
name only a few.
Today, the Hillerich & Bradsby company
produces 1.8 million Louisville Sluggers a year
for all 30 MLB teams as well as for minor league
teams, colleges, and schools around America.
“We helped to write a lot of baseball history,”
comments Anthony Sciotti, taking visitors on
a tour of the plant. Machinery is humming and
unfinished bat dummies are piling up.
The air smells of fresh wood. Today,
machines carve in 30 seconds what workers
once did by hand, and the wood is now ash and
maple wood supplied from forests near the
Niagara Falls and in Canada.
Each day, 4.5 tonnes’ worth of wood shavings
are produced and are shipped to a turkey farmer
in the nearby state of Indiana for use in his
turkey pens.
By the company’s own account, 60 per cent
of all MLB players use a Louisville Slugger. But
it has many competitors, with dozens of other
makers supplying many players. The company
Marucci, founded in 2002, now claims to be the
number-one bat maker.
“We also faced competition from brands
that were part of much larger publicly-traded
corporate conglomerates,” Hillerich & Bradsby
spokesman Rick Redman said. “(These were)
FINISHING TOUCHES: A factory worker dipping a baseball bat into finish at the Louisville Slugger factory in Louisville, US. 1.8 million baseball bats
are produced at the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory. Visitors can learn about the history of the company in the museum next door.
A factory worker holding a professional baseball bat at the Louisville Slugger factory.
companies that were multi-billion dollar
entities that had greater resources for product
development, marketing, and sales than a
modest-sized family-owned business.”
A recall action for a defective softball bat also
did not make business any easier. These bats,
made of aluminium and permissible for use in
the lower leagues, were initially produced in
California, and after 2008, in China.
Ultimately there came the sad day in March
2015 when the Hillerichs sold their stake in the
brand for 70 million dollars. It now is owned by
the sporting goods company Wilson, that itself
is part of the Finnish concern Amer Sports.
As tough as it was, the Hillerich family
realised that the time had come to sell their
iconic American brand to new owners who had
the experience and means to bring it to new
heights, Redman said.
Fifty-two employees, almost one-fifth of the
work force, were put out of work. The Slugger
is still produced in Kentucky, but control over
business matters is now in the hands of a
publicly-listed company that gradually went on
to surpass the Hillerichs.
All this is of little concern to fans who come
to visit the Louisville Slugger Museum. Kids
pose for pictures with bats autographed by their
idols. Visitors admire one bat owned by Babe
Ruth that had notches carved into it for each
home run he hit.
Museum shops offer Sluggers where visitors
can have their own names etched into the wood.
It is hard to miss the museum itself, what with
a giant bat outside made of 30 tonnes of steel
and towering five storeys high. It seems to be
saying, many more home runs will be hit with
the Louisville Slugger. —DPA
8
GULF TIMES Thursday, August 11, 2016
COMMUNITY
TOURISM
What makes Thailand tick
By Kamran Rehmat
I
n recent years, tourists have
flocked in their thousands for
reasons other than partaking
merely the enthralling Thai
night life. In particular, Muslim
tourists find an immediate appeal
in its growing “Islamic tourism”
potential, with halal hotels, food and
the opportunity to see the lifestyle
of Thai Muslims. The other eyeball
grabber is medical tourism, where
one hospital particularly offers a
fascinating insight.
Bumrungrad International
Hospital
Cliched as it sounds, the name says
it all. Pronounced bahm-roon-RAHT
— meaning “care for the people” in
Thai — Bumrungrad is a virtual onestop medical facility that attracts you
immediately for its calm un-hospital
like ambience. In fact, I’m prompted
to ask the flawless fact-reeling PR
guide, the secret of its lack of hospital
smell; she tells me it is a regular drill
with helpful chemicals to keep the
odour at bay.
Hospitals of the world, take note!
An engaging session with the
director, marketing officials, doctors
and nurses leaves one with plentiful
adjectives for what makes the Stock
Exchange-listed Bumrungrad one of
the best in the business. Since medical
tourism has taken on a new sheen, it is
just as well.
To cut to the chase, the 21-storied
580-bed Bumrungrad with 55
specialty centres, 19 operating
theatres, internationally certified
lab and pharmacy, clinical research
centres, advanced imaging facilities
and automated labs onsite is the
largest private medical facility in
Southeast Asia.
Also with one of the world’s largest
private sector outpatient clinics,
Bumrungrad has long enjoyed the
coveted US-based Joint Commission
International accreditation, the first in
Asia, in 2002.
Talking of medical tourism,
Bumrungrad was also the first to
receive Award for Excellence in
healthcare tourism category in 2008;
the first to grab “Thailand’s Most
Innovative Company” award in 2008;
and take the top position for “Best
Website for International Medical
Travel” at the 2008 Consumer Health
The figures at a glance.
DISTINGUISHED: Dr Erik Fleischman, an American physician who has worked with infectious diseases in over 20 countries throughout Asia, Africa, the Americas
and Eastern Europe and is the Assistant Medical Director-International at Bumrungrad, during an interactive session, with an Iraqi co-ordinator by his side.
Photos by the author
World Awards, USA among a slew of
similar distinctions.
If figures alone tell the whole story,
which would not do much justice to
be honest, it is pretty imposing. With
1,400 physicians, over 1,000 nurses
and an American-led international
management team that oversees
4,800 employees, Bumrungrad
treats over 1.1 million patients every
year, including both outpatient and
inpatient. Of these, nearly half are
international patients from more than
190 countries.
In 2015, it saw the second highest
number of patients from the Middle
East region (144,772), including more
than 15,000 out-patient visits from
Qatar, after Southeast Asia. The
year-to-date (June 2016) figure is over
7,600 visits.
When asked about the specialties
Qatari patients seek, Duangrudee
Somboonruangsri, Manager,
International Marketing, points to five
areas, namely; (a)preventive medicine,
(b)gastroenterology and hepatology,
(c)obstetrics and gynaecology, (d)
general surgery and (e)cardiology.
Overall, patients coming from
the Gulf mostly seek treatment for
cancer, spine surgery, robotic joint
replacement, cataract surgery as well
as paediatrics and neurology.
Bumrungrad also made news for
successfully treating Middle East
Respiratory Syndrome (Mers) patients
from Oman in the last two years
despite their advanced age (both in
their 70s).
Interestingly, a large number of
Americans themselves come here
for treatment “because it costs
70-80% cheaper”, according to Sudi
Narasimhan, Corporate Director of
Marketing and Business Development.
Overall, he says, it costs a third of what
it would in the rest of the world. He
also claims that the large turnover is
thanks to Bumrungrad’s success rate
of treatment being “twice as good as
any other international hospital”.
Asked if it is the most expensive
option in Thailand given its stature,
Narasimhan says, “Actually, there are
five hospitals which are costlier in
Thailand itself!”
It has international representative
offices in several countries, including
Qatar (Souq Waqif, Doha). In recent
years, the influx is notable and
what drives the patients, especially
those coming from the Gulf is
HELP DESK: Language isn’t a barrier at the medical facility.
confidentiality. The patients are called
out by codes than name.
To facilitate patients who may
have language issues, there are 150
interpreters, international/airport
concierge service, embassy assistance
and visa extension counter. For
Muslim patients, there are prayer
rooms and halal food on offer.
What’s endearing to see are
the specially made out paediatric
facilities. The PR guide tells me it
is configured in a way as to distract
the kids from any fear of medical
procedure with even the nurses
wearing colourful uniforms with
cartoon characters. It almost seems
like an indoor playground!
Thursday, August 11, 2016
GULF TIMES
COMMUNITY
VISTAS
Spurt in halal tourism
HALAL FOOD: Putting Muslim tourists at ease.
HALAL HOTEL: The Al Meroz in Bangkok.
Dining at Al Meroz Hotel
in Bangkok is a fascinating
experience, not in the least because
it is reckoned to be Bangkok’s
first fully fledged halal hotel. This
should be of considerable interest
to Muslim travellers, who worry
about certain aspects of touring,
particularly food.
For the uninitiated, it is
important to understand that halal
does not stop at merely food — as
is commonly perceived — although
that in itself is of paramount
importance to Muslims. There
may be other hotels offering halal
food to cater to them, but not all of
these strictly adhere to the Islamic
regimen.
Practicing Muslims care a great
deal about restrooms with a bidet
sprayer — called the shataff in the
Middle East, for instance. They
would appreciate having a prayer
mat and knowing the direction
facing Makkah for prayers as well.
All these things contribute to the
overall halal experience.
There is an increasing
awareness about what has come to
be known in common parlance as
“Islamic tourism” and according
to one estimate, globally it will
soar to a whopping $181 billion
market by 2018.
The recently opened Al Meroz
Muslims would appreciate having
a prayer mat and knowing the
direction facing Makkah for
prayers as well. All these things
contribute to the overall halal
experience
has much to gain by catering
exclusively to this very large
segment of the tourist population
coming to Bangkok — as
acknowledged by its CEO Rausak
Mulsap.
“There is no halal-certified
hotel to cater to Muslim travellers
in Thailand, so this is a huge
opportunity (for us),” he says, and
adds, “All rooms are built in the
direction of Makkah, and have a
prayer mat and a copy of the Holy
Qu’ran.
How green is my hideaway!
PICTURE PERFECT: The eminently green setting of the Koh Klang community.
Quite the highlight of the visit, one was
initially less inclined to go the whole hog
mistakenly assuming it to be a run-of-themill affair. Instead, what greets me following
a boat ride only a few minutes to a hideaway
island away from the famed Krabi resort is an
exhilarating tuk-tuk ride into a fresh breeze,
lush green expanses on either side of the road,
paddy fields, chirping birds and wandering
goats with village folks going about their work
with lazy calm. Coconut trees and banana
orchards are plentiful.
Against the quiet village surrounding,
the sign of free Wi-Fi on the way makes it
even more interesting. I think I could move
from all the humdrum of a chaotic urban
life to this tranquil village setting at a short
notice! Some 70 per cent of Koh Klang’s
5,000 inhabitants tend to agriculture,
growing some of the highly coveted
varieties of rice. Fishing obviously comes
naturally to them with members of the
predominantly Muslim community using
ingenious methods to catch fish, crabs and
shellfish. The island itself is surrounded
by mangroves with great bird-watching
opportunities. I strongly recommend
getting up, close to take in the relationship
between the islanders and the sea in all its
glory!
TREE OF LIFE: 200 years old and counting. Shade
enough for a goat on the hideaway from Krabi.
9
10 GULF TIMES Thursday, August 11, 2016
COMMUNITY
INFOGRAPHIC
Thursday, August 11, 2016
GULF TIMES
11
COMMUNITY
LIFESTYLE/HOROSCOPE
Five organising tips to help
tame back-to-school chaos
F
rom school supplies and first day
outfits, to lunch boxes and carpool
schedules, back-to-school stress
and to-do lists can seem endless.
This time of year, moms and dads are
feeling the pressure to get organised, no matter
their natural tendency: neat freak, hopelessly
messy or anything in between.
Back-to-school time is the perfect
opportunity for parents to shift gears and
reorganise. It all comes down to your cleaning
personality type on how you handle it. Here are
some expert tips for every type:
Neat freak: Messes go against your very
nature, and this time of year can put your
temperament to the test, not to mention your
cleaning skills. Instead of stressing over where
to stash the keepsakes your kids will surely
come home with this year, plan ahead and
create colour coded files for each child. Send
glue, glitter and other mess-making supplies to
school in clear baggies. Stash a stain-removal
stick in the backpack of older kids to pre-treat
ink stains and make laundry less stressful.
Closet stasher: A closet stasher may look
ARIES
March 21 — April 19
Even if you feel like quitting and giving up completely on something
or someone today Aries, keep on keeping on. You know you want it
to happen and with your energy and determination it will.
CANCER
June 21 — July 22
The Moon spends yet another day in Scorpio, your fellow water sign
and romance and fun zone. This is the time for you to be particularly
happy and ready for anything and anyone if you’re single.
LIBRA
September 23 — October 22
Sometimes you need to tend to your own 'garden’ Librans – make
sure everything is right with you before tending to others and their
various needs and wants.
CAPRICORN
December 22 — January 19
With the Moon in Scorpio today, your eleventh house of hopes,
wishes and friendship, this is the perfect time for you to reach out to
someone you might not have spoken to in some time and check in.
like a neat freak, but don›t be fooled - their
messes are hiding in the closets and under the
bed. Take time to dig into storage areas and
cabinets to create an organized space for the
family. Use plastic bins or baskets with labels
on the front to divide the games from the
books, and create a special shelf where extra
pens, paper and other school supplies can be
kept handy throughout the year.
Busy bee: When you're juggling work,
homework, after-school activities and home
cleaning, some days it's tough to even find
matching socks. While the back-to-school
season can heighten the chaos, it's also a
perfect opportunity to take control of the time
you have. For example, have the kids put in the
laundry while dinner is cooking, or encourage
the kids to clean the dishes as you finish
preparing dinner. Create a family calendar to
keep track of everyone's schedules, and place
a whiteboard by the door to remind you — and
your kids — of important things to take with
you before heading out the door.
usually waits till the last minute to kick backto-school prep into gear. For you, it's best to
prioritise a to-do list, and check things off one
by one. It's OK not to get to everything right
away, but keep making progress until your
entire list is complete. Overwhelmed by getting
your house in order and tackling that to-do
list? Don't be. Call a professional to help with
the deep cleaning, so you can focus on getting
the school year off to a great start.
Team player: From preschoolers to high
school students, everyone is involved in getting
the home ready for the new school year. Have
the kids switch it up a little and take on each
other's chores, try something new or take on
more responsibility. As kids get older, they
are able to take on more challenging roles,
from just folding towels to actually doing the
laundry, or from setting the table to loading
and unloading the dishwasher.
With the right attitude and approach, you
can make back-to-school time less stressful for
the whole family.
Summer straggler: As vacation time
comes to a screeching halt, a summer straggler
TAURUS
April 20 — May 20
Sometimes you simply have to know when to stop and give up. Or at
least give up and give things a rest for a while and then maybe pick
up where you left off later on in the year.
LEO
July 23 — August 22
Don’t get caught up in something that you may later regret Leos.
With many of the planets lined up in your self–esteem zone, you
might feel as if you need to prove yourself to others around you.
SCORPIO
October 23 — November 21
If you could you would undo something you did recently, wouldn’t
you? However that ship has sailed and all you can really do is make
the best of the situation and move on.
AQUARIUS
January 20 — February 18
Be wary of getting too caught up in something that doesn’t really
involve you Aquarius. Instead, make sure you are doing everything
in your power to focus on YOU and what you need from life right
now.
© Brandpoint
GEMINI
May 21 — June 20
Don’t get it twisted twins. You know exactly what you need to do and
when it needs to be done, so now’s the time to get moving and just
do it.
VIRGO
August 23 — September 22
With the Moon in Scorpio, your communications zone, this is the
best chance you have to say what needs to be said and not get too
caught up with the words and meanings behind them Virgos.
SAGITTARIUS
November 22 — December 21
With Mercury, Venus and Jupiter all lined up in your career and
ambitions zone right now, you should really focus on that part of
your life. Even if it means working weekends or longer hours. It will
be worth it.
PISCES
February 19 — March 20
If you can manage to sidestep some sort of drama unfolding around
you, that’s great Pisces. Drama isn’t something the majority of you
enjoy being caught up in after all.
12 GULF TIMES Thursday, August 11, 2016
COMMUNITY
Wordsearch
Adam
Pooch Cafe
At Court
AUDIENCE
BARON
COURTIER
CROWN
DUKE
EARL
ENVOY
EQUERRY
ERMINE
FLUNKY
FOOTMAN
KING
KNIGHT
LIVERY
LORD
MAJESTY
NOBLE
ORB
PALACE
PRINCE
PROTOCOL
QUEEN
ROYALTY
THRONE
VISCOUNT
Codeword
Puzzles courtesy: Puzzlechoice.com
Every letter of the alphabet is used at least once.
Squares with the same number in have the same letter
in. Work out which number represents which letter.
Garfield
Sudoku
Bound And Gagged
Sudoku is a puzzle based
on a 9x9 grid. The grid is
also divided into nine (3x3)
boxes. You are given a
selection of values and to
complete the puzzle, you
must fill the grid so that
every column, every anone
is repeated.
PUZZLES/CARTOONS
Thursday, August 11, 2016
Quick Clues
3. Secede (5,4)
8. Cupid (4)
9. Quick random examination (4,5)
10. Cloak (6)
11. Birds (5)
14. Din (5)
15. Be effusive (4)
16. Nonplus (5)
18. Roman robe (4)
20. Brown pigment (5)
21. Pouchlike hat (5)
24. Rural (6)
25. Possession (9)
26. In this place (4)
27. Fast car (9)
13
COMMUNITY
PUZZLES
ACROSS
GULF TIMES
Colouring
DOWN
1. Put an end to (9)
2. Measurements of water depth (9)
4. Thick cord (4)
5. Following (5)
6. Giving pain (6)
7. Curved structure (4)
9. Fruit of the blackthorn (5)
11. Injury (5)
12. Person getting a tan (9)
13. Personality (9)
17. Built (3,2)
19. Additional building (6)
22. Fertile spot (5)
23. Exchange (4)
24. Annoy greatly (4)
Cryptic Clues
Answers
Wordsearch
ACROSS
3. Passes on very easily? (5,4)
8. Trick to get a constituent
returned? (4)
9. Near thing made by salesman
on the telephone? (5,4)
10. Jabber to annoy? (6)
11. Something valuable about “21”
(5)
14. Cheats on the board? (5)
15. Punctuation mark done in a
hurry? (4)
16. Not a blunt note (5)
18. Row about rite? (4)
20. One transaction that’s perfect
(5)
21. Some people stand for them (5)
24. Force firm politician to take on
the Spanish (6)
25. Thoroughly dismissed in both
innings (3-3-3)
26. Weapons of Mars, perhaps (4)
27. Politicians from America? (9)
Codeword
DOWN
1. No particular speed, whatever happens
(2,3,4)
2. Make some jottings when plagiarising
music? (4,5)
4. Competent as a seaman (4)
5. You should be patient when taking
them (5)
6. Got down to see the birdman? (6)
7. Volition needed to make bequests? (4)
9. Caught a girl with the pupils (5)
11. Gather for a service (5)
12. Be in the play and pull it to pieces? (4,5)
13. Not contributing to schools (9)
17. Flier involving one in scheme (5)
19. Repudiate in a trance, perhaps? (6)
22. Possibly sited under the moon’s
influence? (5)
23. Kick a boat (4)
24. Copper given to engineers as a
remedy (4)
Yesterday’s Solutions
QUICK
Across: 1 Dumb; 3 Specimen; 8 Sane; 9
Surround; 11 Incandescent; 13 Create; 14
Staple; 17 Insalubrious; 20 Eligible; 21 Bomb; 22
Pretence; 23 Fete.
Down: 1 Distinct; 2 Manacle; 4 Pruned; 5
Caricature; 6 Mourn; 7 Nude; 10 Initialise; 12
Feasible; 15 Promote; 16 Public; 18 Naive; 19
Keep.
CRYPTIC
Across: 1 Owns; 3 Hanger-on; 8 Save; 9
Duologue; 11 Recrudescent; 13 Essene; 14 Butter;
17 Scout-masters; 20 Landlady; 21 Stag; 22
Annotate; 23 Less.
Down: 1 Observed; 2 Novices; 4 Amulet; 5
Golf-course; 6 Regan; 7 Need; 10 Quintuplet; 12
Presages; 15 Theatre; 16 Amidst; 18 Canon; 19
Flea.
14 GULF TIMES Thursday, August 11, 2016
COMMUNITY
REVIEWS
Just nominally about motherhood
By Katie Walsh
FILM: Mother’s Day
CAST: Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson,
Jason Sudeikis, Britt Robertson
DIRECTION: Garry Marshall
I
t seems there’s no stopping Garry Marshall’s
terrifying cinematic rampage on America’s treasured
holidays. Having ruined both Valentine’s Day and
New Year’s Eve with his star-packed omnibus
projects, the director has burned his way through the
calendar, landing on Mother’s Day as his next victim.
This time around, Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston,
Kate Hudson, Jason Sudeikis, Britt Robertson, Margo
Martindale, Timothy Olyphant, Aasif Mandvi, Sarah
Chalke and Shay Mitchell, among others, are subjected to
the inter-connected, fake heartwarming holiday themed
story. It claims to be a tribute to the idea of maternal love,
but it’s not even heartwarming or about mothers so much.
Sure, most of the characters are parents, but it’s only
nominally about motherhood. Mother’s Day is far more
concerned with exploring the ideas of marriage, careers,
single dads, the military, prejudice, jealousy, grief and
clown wisdom than it is about motherhood. There are a few
tossed off lines about the irreplaceability of a mother’s love,
but nothing feels sincere.
The script is credited to no less than four people, and
is a shoddy mishmash of product placement for a bizarre
selection of brands; there’s blatantly spoken exposition and
personal psychoanalysis, terribly edited bits of dialogue
stuffed in to make everything more painfully obvious — I
have abandonment issues, a character needlessly explains.
For the humour, Mother’s Day relies on a hearty dose of
generational and gender panic. The characters panic about
social media and texting.
In the film, the actual holiday of Mother’s Day ends up
being a pretty terrible day for all involved, including two
ER trips and a runaway RV chase. It’s possible the day is
OK for two of the characters, who possibly get married
on that day, but it’s impossible to tell because there is no
logic to the space and time of this film. Someone takes an
Uber from Las Vegas to Atlanta in seemingly a matter of
minutes.
We are also granted one of the most surreal moments of
recent cinema when single dad Bradley (Jason Sudeikis)
wildly overcorrects his initial lack of enthusiasm for the
holiday due to his wife’s death. Stuffing the house full
of flowers and balloons, he gives his teen girls a car and
a karaoke machine, with which he performs a rousing
rendition of the classic hip hop tune The Humpty Dance.
He dances with his teenage daughters. While singing The
Humpty Dance. At a Mother’s Day party. -Tribune News
Agency
A comic gangster
FILM: A Stand Up Guy
CAST: Danny A Abeckaser, Annie
Heise, Nick Cordero, Luke Roberston, Jay
R Ferguson
DIRECTION: Mike Young
M
ike Young’s A Stand Up
Guy is an unfunny movie
about a gangster who sets
the world on fire with his
ostensible comedic gifts.
Danny A Abackaser plays a Brooklyn
swindler named Sammy who gets planted
“somewhere in Wisconsin” by the witnessprotection programme.
Renamed Derek Hesh by the Feds, he
winds up performing at an open-mike to
impress a local barmaid (Annie Heise’s
Vicky). He does what comes naturally, which
is spout third-rate insult comedy at nearby
bar patrons, and the yokels eat it up.
Meanwhile, a couple of hoods set out to
track Sammy down before he can testify
against their boss. They cross paths with
lawmen played by Ethan Suplee and Michael
Rapaport.
The only member of the cast who just
about survives with his dignity is Mad Men’s
Jay Ferguson, who as the head of a biker gang
gets to affect a deadpan disdain for the stupid
posturing around him. -JD
(DVDs courtesy: Saqr Entertainment
Stores, Doha)
Thursday, August 11, 2016
GULF TIMES
15
COMMUNITY
SHOWBIZ
My struggles are getting
harder: John Abraham
By Durga Chakravarty
A
ctor John Abraham, who started
out as a model before venturing
into the Hindi film industry
in 2003 with Jism and now
even produces movies, says his
struggles in showbiz have become harder
with time as he has become tougher on
himself.
Every newcomer, especially those with no
backing of a film family, faces hardships in
the competitive industry. Was it the same for
John when he forayed into filmdom?
“I still face struggle. Even today, after
Dishoom, I struggle, but the struggle is of
different kind. The struggles are getting
harder today because I am getting tougher
on myself. The struggle is about being fitter,
stronger and faster,” John told IANS over
phone from Mumbai.
“The struggle is about finding better
scripts ... It’s about reducing the probability
of failure, so the struggle is of a different
kind. I really did not find that (entry into
filmdom) much of a struggle,” added the
43-year-old, who, however, found being the
best in the modelling industry a tough nut
to crack.
“I had to prove that I can sustain in the
modelling industry,” said the star, who is
gearing up for his next release Force 2.
Once that struggle finished, he went on to
act in movies like New York, Kabul Express,
Zinda, Taxi No. 9211 and Garam Masala,
after which he became a producer with the
National Award winning entertainer Vicky
Donor.
Then, he says his struggle shifted to how
to up the “quotient of quality of films” that
he was doing. “The struggles keep going on
in my life ... The struggles are never going to
end. I am always going to be a struggler,” said
the actor.
What has been tougher — being a model,
actor or producer?
“I think being a model was the easiest
thing to do,” he said and added: “As a model,
I was ‘John Abraham, the model’. I was a
clothes hanger. You give me any clothes, my
job was to make it look good.”
For him, being an “actor is tough, but
fun”, and being a producer is the “most
difficult”. “As an actor, I’m open to working
with different producers. Someone I deeply
respect and love is Aditya Chopra. Someone
who is my really close friend and I really like
working as a producer with is Karan Johar,”
added John, who finds it “daunting” to find
scripts to produce under his banner John
Abraham Entertainment.
“I think people like hard-core quality
content-driven films, and I feel it is my
production house that looks out for the best.
I think it’s very daunting to find the next best
script that will entertain the audience,” he
added. In his over-a-decade long career in
Bollywood, the actor’s filmography boasts of
adrenaline rushing actioners, power-packed
dramas and rib-tickling comedies.
Is there any other genre John would like to
explore?
“I think the genre that I would like to
attempt and re-attempt is in the space of No
Smoking. I love that space. A lot of people tell
me that ‘if you do No Smoking today it would
do fantastic business and I tell them that
whether I do something 10 years too early or
five years too early, that’s the space I would
like to re-explore.” — IANS
LONG JOURNEY: John Abraham
I know people call me a false
modest person, says Bachchan
Megastar Amitabh Bachchan feels there are a lot of people who find him
falsely modest, but he makes no bones about it saying that even though
there are new faces in his upcoming film Pink, they will catch the audience’s
attention with their “exceptional” work.
“As an actor, I have been in this line for 45 years. Most of them (actors in
Pink) are new faces in this film and you have not seen them before. But once
you see the film, you will not see me you will only see them,” the 73-year-old
said at the film’s trailer launch.
“It’s exceptional work that they have done, and I say this from the bottom
of my heart. I am not being modest. I know a lot of people call me a false
modest person, but this is the honest truth,” he said. The movie, directed
by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhary, also features Taapsee Pannu, Kirti Kulhari,
Andrea Tariang in key roles.
“I have never worked with such an exceptional actors. They are so
committed. You cannot believe the kind of performance they have given.
They are so natural and it’s an inspiration for me,” he added.
Pink is a film set in Delhi, and stars Amitabh as a lawyer. The trailer
suggests it is an unconventional thriller.
How does producer Shoojit Sircar plan to promote it? “I feel after
watching the trailer, people decide whether to watch the film or not. I have
done this many a times. This film doesn’t have song and dance or an item
number to promote.
“All my films are purely content and character driven. There are songs...
and we are introducing a singer from Pakistan. So you all will get to hear her.”
— IANS
MAKING A POINT: Amitabh Bachchan
Priyanka Chopra to be on Heidi’s Project Runway
Indian actress Priyanka Chopra’s
international portfolio seems to be
turning stronger by the day. After TV
show Quantico and Hollywood film
Baywatch, she is set to be seen as a
guest judge for season 15 of American
TV series Project Runway, hosted by
supermodel Heidi Klum.
Priyanka will join the series as one
of the few guest judges on the show,
which will air from September. The
show focuses on budding designers
who are given an opportunity to
create a collection for New York
Fashion Week. Priyanka took to
Instagram, where she shared a
photograph of herself along with
Klum as well as the show’s other
judges Nina Garcia, Zac Posen and
Georgina Chapman.
“Namaste!! On Project Runway.
Coming soon. Project Runway Season
15, September 15th! Nina Garcia,
Zac Posen, Heidi Klum, Georgina
Chapman,” Priyanka captioned the
image.
The former Miss World made
inroads into foreign showbiz first
when she launched her international
single In my city, a track she
collaborated for with Will.i.am. That
GOING PLACES: Priyanka Chopra
set the stage for her to do bigger
things in the West.
For Quantico, which stars her in
the lead role as FBI agent Alex Parish,
she won the Favourite Actress in a
New TV series award at the People’s
Choice Awards 2016 earlier this
year. That also opened the doors to
Hollywood for Priyanka, who landed
a negative role in Baywatch — the big
screen version of the globally popular
TV series — starring Dwayne Johnson
and Zac Efron. – IANS
16 GULF TIMES Thursday, August 11, 2016
COMMUNITY
Bonding over books
Doha had its very own book exchange and interaction
as part of Book Lovers Day, bringing in people of diverse
backgrounds on a common platform. By Anand Holla
A
s bibliophiles in
various parts of the
world celebrated
Book Lovers Day all
through Tuesday,
Doha had its very own book
exchange and conversations
gathering. Amidst a flurry of
food, beverages, hardcovers and
softcovers, a dozen book-lovers
bonded over their passion for the
written word at Nando’s in Hyatt
Plaza Mall.
The clue to what made the Book
Swap Tweetup event special lay
in the name – it was a book swap
instead of the usual book-lovers
meets. Everybody had to walk in
with a book that they were willing
to swap with another, whilst
explaining what is special about
the book they had brought.
Animated discussions over
books, authors and characters
went on for long, and all the
attendees left the venue with
smiles on their faces, new books
in their hands and also having
made new friends.
Layal Kobti, Marketing
Manager, Nando’s, told
Community, “Book swap events
are terrific opportunities for
like-minded people to meet
and Nando’s is the ideal place
to gather in an informal setting
where you are encouraged to be
yourself, laugh out loud, and of
course, dig into our favourite
Nando’s dishes while having a
great time with friends. We, at
Nando’s, have always supported
Doha Tweetups events but this is
the first time we hosted the book
swap and it went really well.”
Community spoke to Doha’s
bookworms who had gathered at
the venue about what they had to
share about the event:
ON THE SAME PAGE: A glimpse into the gathering at the Book Swap Tweetup held at Hyatt Plaza Mall.
communities here, and in one
place, we get to interact with
various nationalities, how they
work, their culture, their lifestyle
and get to know them on a
personal level. So, in that sense,
it’s a really good event because I
got to meet somebody from Sri
Lanka or Lebanon or India. It’s
good to see the multi-cultural,
diverse set of people of Qatar
come together. People who enjoy
books a lot and share the same
feelings about books is becoming
rarer now in Doha. Generally,
people today are moving away
from reading books as there are so
many things that they are getting
Natalie Wherlock: Doha
Tweetups is basically an online
community to organise offline
events. Many complain that there’s
nothing to do in Qatar so we at
Doha Tweetups are trying to find
different interests; be it books or
food or organising a tweet-up at
the international airport before
it was opened to the public, and
make people meet over it. This
tweetup, like our other tweetups
is to add value to the community
and get different members of the
community together.
Salman Surti: This was a
different event in that when people
usually meet up, there isn’t a
specific idea or a topic to talk about.
But when it’s about books, for
instance, the discussions get very
intense. It’s at such tweetups that
you get to find people with interests
similar to yours; like I met someone
who, too, like me, jumps from one
genre of book to the other. It’s fun
to chat over such things as it’s hard
to find people who share similar
reading patterns as yours.
Ferras Mohssen: The book
swap is something that we should
do more of. It brings book lovers
together and spreads what they
have learnt from these books. We
need to get not only us but also the
younger crowd involved in reading
and appreciating books because
they are so absorbed in technology
that they are unaware of what
books can teach them. We, too,
keep forgetting that the greatest
invention mankind ever made was
the written word. And we need to
keep that alive.
Hamza Ahmed: It’s good
to see that we are having such
events here in Doha. We are
getting to know a lot of different
preoccupied with. So an event of
this sort is certainly a good break
from the routine.
Some of the books that were swapped among the attendees.
Ketaki Doshi: Book swaps are
important events for Doha. The
city has people from different
cultures and such events bring
them together. For me, as a
writer, such an event is a great
opportunity to not only meet likeminded people but also to listen
and share a variety of stories.