P6 P16Community - Gulf Times

CommunityDoha Youth and Junior Choirs will be

renamed as Qatar Youth and Junior Choir.

P6 P16 CommunityThe government of Czech

Republic is hoping new measures will curb the trend of illegal lion and tiger trade.

Tuesday, September 4, 2018Dhul-Hijja 24, 1439 AH

Doha today: 320 - 380

POP SPOT SHOWBIZ

The Kent punks: successful yet

less well-known artistes.

4

I have no fear

of failure: Taapsee.

Page 15

SPOTLIGHT: Built in the 1870s for a wealthy merchant family in Marshall, the Cronin House inspired the spooky setting for John Bellairs’ children’s book The House With a Clock in Its Walls.

Coming to life

COVERSTORY

Time to visit Michigan town

that’s home to House With

a Clock in Its Walls. P4-5

Tuesday, September 4, 20182 GULF TIMES

COMMUNITY ROUND & ABOUT

Community EditorKamran Rehmat

e-mail: [email protected]: 44466405

Fax: 44350474

Emergency 999Worldwide Emergency Number 112Kahramaa – Electricity and Water 991Local Directory 180International Calls Enquires 150Hamad International Airport 40106666Labor Department 44508111, 44406537Mowasalat Taxi 44588888Qatar Airways 44496000Hamad Medical Corporation 44392222, 44393333Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation 44845555, 44845464Primary Health Care Corporation 44593333 44593363 Qatar Assistive Technology Centre 44594050Qatar News Agency 44450205 44450333Q-Post – General Postal Corporation 44464444

Humanitarian Services Offi ce (Single window facility for the repatriation of bodies)Ministry of Interior 40253371, 40253372, 40253369Ministry of Health 40253370, 40253364Hamad Medical Corporation 40253368, 40253365Qatar Airways 40253374

USEFUL NUMBERS

Quote Unquote

PRAYER TIMEFajr 3.57amShorooq (sunrise) 5.15amZuhr (noon) 11.33amAsr (afternoon) 3.02pmMaghreb (sunset) 5.52pmIsha (night) 7.22pm

“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.”

— Mark Twain

Mazinger Z: Infi nityDIRECTION: Junji ShimizuCAST: Shotaro Morikubo, Ai Kayano,

Sumire UesakaSYNOPSIS: Ten years ago, the

villainous scientist Dr Hell led his wicked followers, known as the Underground Empire, in a struggle to destroy all of humanity. It was

against these forces that the young hero Koji Kabuto fought, piloting the legendary super robot Mazinger Z. Koji’s victory stopped Dr Hell’s evil plan and returned peace to the Earth. Now Koji has left the pilot seat behind and become a scientist in his own right, following in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps. Yet an

unexpected encounter deep under Mt. Fuji triggers an even greater threat to mankind than ever before and alters Koji’s destiny forever. With humanity’s fate in their hands, Koji and Mazinger Z face a choice between good and evil.

THEATRES: The Mall, Landmark, Royal Plaza

Kin DIRECTION: Jonathan Baker, Josh Baker

CAST: Myles Truitt, Jack Reynor, Dennis QuaidSYNOPSIS: A young boy (Jack Reynor) fi nds a powerful

otherworldly weapon, which he uses to save his older adoptive

brother (Myles Truitt) from a crew of thugs. Before long, the two of them are also pursued by federal agents and mysterious mercenaries aiming to reclaim their asset.

THEATRE: The Mall

The Mall Cinema (1): Imaikka Nodigal (Tamil) 2pm; Mazinger Z: Infinity (2D) 5pm; Jawani Phir Nahi Ani 2 (Urdu) 6:45pm; Reprisal (2D) 9:45pm; Jawani Phir Nahi Ani 2 (2D) 11:30pm.The Mall Cinema (2): Jawani Phir Nahi Ani 2 (Urdu) 2:45pm; The Little Mermaid (2D) 5:45pm; Miss Granny (Tagalog) 7:30pm; Kin (2D) 9:30pm; Slender Man (2D) 11:30pm.The Mall Cinema (3): The Little Mermaid (2D) 2pm; Stree (Hindi) 3:45pm; Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi (Hindi) 6:15pm; Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se (Hindi) 8:45pm; Imaikka Nodigal (Tamil) 11:30pm.Landmark Cinema (1): Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se (Hindi)

2:30pm; Nartanasala (Telugu) 5:30pm; Jawani Phir Nahi Ani 2 (Urdu) 8pm; Jawani Phir Nahi Ani 2 (Urdu) 11pm.Landmark Cinema (2): Mazinger Z: Infinity (2D) 2:30pm; The Little Mermaid (2D) 4:15pm; Slender Man (2D) 5:45pm; Miss Granny (Tagalog) 7:30pm; Reprisal (2D) 9:30pm; Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se (Hindi) 11:15pm.Landmark Cinema (3): Jawani Phir Nahi Ani 2 (Urdu) 2:30pm; Souq Al Jumma (Arabic) 5:30pm; Jawani Phir Nahi Ani 2 (Urdu)

7:30pm; Imaikka Nodigal (Tamil) 10:30pm.Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (1): The Little Mermaid (2D) 2:30pm; Maringer Z (2D) 4:15pm; The Little Mermaid (2D) 6pm; Reprisal (2D) 7:45pm; Slender Man (2D) 9:30pm; Reprisal (2D) 11:15pm.Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (2): Jawani Phir Nahi Ani 2 (Urdu) 3pm; Miss Granny (Tagalog) 6pm; Happy Phir Bhag Jayegi (Hindi) 8pm; Annanukku Jai (2D) 11pm.Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (3): Happy Phir Bhag Jayegi (Hindi) 2:30pm; Stree (Hindi) 5pm; Kin (2D) 7:15pm; Miss Granny (Tagalog) 9:15pm; Happy Phir Bhag Jayegi (Hindi) 11:15pm.

3Tuesday, September 4, 2018 GULF TIMES

COMMUNITYROUND & ABOUT

Compiled by Nausheen Shaikh. E-mail: [email protected], Events and timings subject to change

EVENTS

Katara Art Studio: Workshops for children

WHERE: Katara Art StudioWHEN: 1 – 15 SeptemberTIME: 3pm – 8pmAs part of its rich educational

programme, Katara Art Studio continues to offer a number of technical workshops till September 15, aimed at enhancing artistic talents and creative abilities. The workshops will include the art of paper cutting and design, the art of the design of felt and gouache by Jaya Elizabeth Jacob, the art of painting the line brush (a course for beginners) offered by trainer Grace Castrodes, silk screen and art drawing on the glass.

HEC Paris MasterclassWHERE: 15th floor, Tornado TowerWHEN: September 9TIME: 5pm – 7pm HEC Paris is organising ‘The Journey of

Innovation: From the Innovator to Eco-systemic Innovation’, an opportunity to learn more about company innovation with HEC Paris Associate Professor Frederic Dalsace, MSc from HEC and an MBA with honors from Harvard Business School and both MSc and a PhD Management from INSEAD.

Choreography Lessons - Brazilian Zouk

WHERE: Music and Arts Atelier near MOI

WHEN: Ongoing till September 15Brazilian zouk is characterised by the

dancers’ undulating bodies and the girls’ flowing hair. Dancer or not, depending on the style of Brazilian zouk, you’ll be able to choose connection and embrace with long graceful steps. The final performance is scheduled to be on 15 September as a flashmob.

Doha Women ForumWHERE: The Westin Doha Hotel & SpaWHEN: September 26TIME: 8am – 5pmDoha Women Forum 2018: Press for

Progress is a platform where women can

learn from experts, get inspired by the experiences of other women, share ideas, and network. The forum will feature the stories of women who took steps to affect positive change in their workplace, their community and personal lives. The event will consist of empowering talks, group discussions and workshops.

Med FoodWHERE: DECCWHEN: October 1 – 4TIME: 3pm – 9pmFor international entrepreneurs,

traders, manufacturers, suppliers, food technology companies, and hospitality services on food and beverage, MedFood will be an excellent platform to open new vistas to foray into the emerging markets of Qatar While Qatar economy is rapidly progressing, the demand and supply of food is inevitable increasing due to the growth of local population, foreign worker and its tourism.

Outdoor and five-a-side football pitches

WHERE: Aspire ZoneWHEN: DailyTIME: 7pm – 11pmAspire Zone’s five-a-side football

outdoor pitches opposite Al Waab Street are available every day from 7pm – 11pm.

Breast Cancer AwarenessWHERE: InterContinental DohaWHEN: OctoberInterContinental Doha – The City is

organising several activities (especially at its various dining venues) that focus on highlighting the importance of early detection. Try the pink afternoon tea, the extravagant pink Bar Squared Brunch at The Square and pink-themed nights at Strata Restaurant and Lounge.

After School ActivitiesWHERE: AtelierWHEN: OngoingMusic & arts Activities for students

taking place after they finish their day in school includes Group Music lessons, Hip-hop, Ballet, Drawing & Painting, Drama Theatre & Taekwondo. Ages between 5 and 10 years old after school hours.

Hobby ClassesWHERE: Mystic Arts Centre behind Al

Hilal Focus Medical CentreWHEN:Wednesday – MondayMystic Art Centre, is a holistic

performing artsinstitution and a one stop solution for adults as well as children looking to explore their talents in various art forms. We offer classes in Carnatic Music, Hindustani Music, Karate, Yoga, Zumba, Classical Dance, Salsa, Hip Hop, contemporary and Bollywood dance forms. For details, call 4723680/ 33897609.

Dance and instrument classesWHERE: TCA Campus, Behind Gulf

Times BuildingWHEN: Wednesday – MondayLearn the movements of dance styles

in Bollywood, Hip Hop and also the musical instruments such as Piano, Guitar, Keyboard for adults as well kids and move in the world of music. For details, contact 66523871/ 31326749.

International Wedding ExhibitionWHERE: DECC, WestbayWHEN: September 26 – 30TIME: 10am – 10pm IWED 2018 is to stage a high-profile luxury wedding exhibition in order to position it in

the calendar as a key appointment for the luxury market in the Middle East. This event also offers women, who are interested in fashion and luxury, the latest styles and trends in the market.


COMMUNITY COVER STORY

Reprising fiction on reelNo place is more pumped about The House With a Clock in Its Walls than John Bellairs’

hometown of Marshall, a southern Michigan city on the banks of the Kalamazoo River.

It is full of Victorian mansions and history and it would work on the creative mind of any kid

— Late John Bellairs, author of The House

With a Clock in Its Walls

‘’ ON-SCREEN: Jack Black in The House with a Clock in Its Walls.

By Lori Rackl

Long before Harry Potter cast a collective spell with his wizardly ways, a chubby Midwest kid who dabbled in magic was

fending off evil in the fi ctional town of New Zebedee, Michigan.

His name is Lewis Barnavelt, the lovably nerdy protagonist in a series of gothic mysteries that debuted in 1973 with the children’s book The House With a Clock in Its Walls.

Nearly half a century later, late author John Bellairs’ best-seller is getting the big-screen treatment. The fantasy fi lm starring Jack Black and Cate Blanchett hits movie theatres this month.

You can bet your last Butterbeer that no place is more pumped about the upcoming fi lm than Bellairs’ hometown of Marshall, aka the “real” New Zebedee, a southern Michigan city of about 7,000 on the banks of the Kalamazoo River.

Walk along the historic downtown’s main drag, and you’ll see a parade of New

Zebedee signs with the hashtag #HouseWithAClock posted in storefront windows. City leaders have lined up a slew of activities for The House With a Clock in Its Walls Weekend, September 21-23, including guided walking tours of locations in Bellairs’ books, complete with costumed characters. Bogar Theatre, where a young Bellairs surely saw many a fi lm back in the day, is hosting a red carpet premiere September 20, the night before the movie’s nationwide release.

“The book has been fl ying off the

shelf,” said Jim Donahue, owner of The Mitten Word Bookshop on Marshall’s Michigan Avenue — make that Main Street in the New Zebedee universe.

Standing on the sidewalk in the neon glow of the old-fashioned Hemmingsen Rexall Drugs sign, it’s easy to picture that warm summer evening when Lewis’ bus pulled up to “Heemsoth’s Rexall Drug Store” and the 10-year-old orphan met his Uncle Jonathan to start a new life in this wonderfully strange and sometimes scary place.

Bellairs was born here in 1938.

He grew up surrounded by the town’s enviable stockpile of well-preserved 19th-century architecture, an echo of Marshall’s glory days as a popular railroad stop between Chicago and Detroit.

“It is full of Victorian mansions and history,” the author once said of his hometown, “and it would work on the creative mind of any kid.”

One mansion, in particular, captivated Bellairs’ imagination: an Italianate-style gem with a tall turret built in the 1870s for a wealthy merchant family. Known as the Cronin House, it inspired the


COMMUNITYCOVER STORY

spooky setting for The House With a Clock in Its Walls.

The mysterious home with a sinister secret is where Lewis — played by Owen Vaccaro in the movie, which was fi lmed in Georgia — lives with his Uncle Jonathan (Jack Black), a good-natured warlock.

In real life, the home at 407 N. Madison St. belongs to Florida resident Jeff Hamilton. He’s a lawyer and real estate broker, not a warlock.

Hamilton had no idea the house was a local celebrity of sorts when he purchased the fi xer-upper in 2016.

“I just thought I was buying this cool house in the middle of nowhere,” said Hamilton, who grew up in Indiana and was in the market for a second home in the Midwest. “I didn’t know about the book.”

He was in the dark about another well-known Marshall fact: The Cronin sisters, who lived in the house until the early 2000s, would always hand out full-size candy bars on Halloween. Now Hamilton does too. And he’s read the book. He’s even grown accustomed to fans taking selfi es on his front lawn.

“People walk through the yard all the time — treat it like a park,” Hamilton said with a laugh. “That’s OK. The house is part of the town. I don’t want to isolate it. It’s a special place.”

The home needed some magic when Hamilton bought it; it was in shambles. The radiators had busted. The parquet fl oors were so warped

that some of the doors wouldn’t open. A little time and a lot of money later, the Cronin House looks regal again. (The basement is still “super creepy,” Hamilton admitted, although he hasn’t heard any tick-tock sounds emanating from the walls.)

The house is one of the stops on Marshall’s Historic Home Tour,

September 8-9. Now in its 55th year, the annual event includes a look inside eight private homes and several other buildings and museums, like the American Museum of Magic, the quirky Honolulu House Museum (known as the Hawaii House in Bellairs’ books) and the Marshall Historical Museum at the GAR Hall, where

a small exhibit about the author showcases the 1950 bicycle he pedalled around town as a kid. Tickets for the home tour cost $20 in advance, $25 starting September 4; www.marshallhometour.org.

The Cronin House is at the centre of a couple of events during The House With a Clock in Its Walls Weekend. On September 21,

it will host an evening reception with magicians and book signings by author Brad Strickland, who continued to write Lewis Barnavelt mysteries after Bellairs died in 1991 of cardiovascular disease at age 53.

A children’s tea with Bellairs’ characters takes place on the Cronin House lawn September 22. No matter when you visit Marshall, a little imagination is all it takes to get happily lost in Lewis’ New Zebedee. It feels like a game, trying to pinpoint the real-life places that made their way onto the page, whether in words or in the form of Edward Gorey’s evocative illustrations.

Go for a stroll through Oakridge Cemetery, whose tombstones and mausoleums served as the backdrop for a pivotal scene in the book.

When the sun turns in, take a seat at colorful Brooks Memorial Fountain to watch the nightly light show described by Lewis. —Chicago Tribune/TNS

“People walk through the yard all the time — treat it like a park,” Florida resident Jeff Hamilton says with a laugh. “That’s OK. The house is part of the town. I don’t want to isolate it. It’s a special place”

LANDMARK: Brooks Memorial Fountain was dedicated in 1930, when roughly 7,000 people reportedly turned up to watch the multi-coloured lights illuminate the night sky. Lewis Barnavelt describes the colourful fountain in John Bellairs’ children’s book The House With a Clock in Its Walls.

RESTORATION: The Cronin House was in bad shape when Jeff Hamilton bought it in 2016. He has since restored parts of the mansion to their original glory, like this dining room and parlour.


COMMUNITYNew name: Qatar Youth and Junior ChoirTo celebrate its fifth birthday, Doha Youth and Junior Choirs (DYJC) will be renamed as Qatar Youth and Junior Choir (QYJC). Alena Pyne, Director of DYJC, sees this change as a natural progression because of the choirs’ raised performance level and performing abroad extensively, said a press release. DYTC have undertaken four international tours, including Germany, Latvia, Croatia and Poland. The Youth Choir frequently performs with Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra and also with the adult Qatar Concert Choir. Pyne believes this change will raise the engagement level with other foreign high-performance choirs, generating increased interest and involvement from the Qatar-based

business community. With the support from choir families and long-term partners, including Yamaha Fifty One East, Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra, Millennium Hotel Al Saad, Swiss International School Qatar, German Embassy Doha and earlier partners, the German International School Doha and Doha College, Pyne has been inviting many international choirs to Qatar for concerts and outreach workshops in schools across Doha. Last season DYJC’s performed with Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra, the National Anthem of Qatar at the opening of Qatar National Library, for His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and his guests.

Heavenly Spa by Westin welcomes September with an array of off eringsHeavenly Spa by Westin is embracing the new season with a selection of treatments and wellness packages that suit both individuals and families alike during the whole month of September.According to a press release, visitors are invited to experience the Hot Stone massage which is a relaxing body treatment that relieves stiff ness and restores the energy through the smooth application of heated volcanic stones with oil. Throughout the month of September, guests can enjoy 30% off on this treatment. Creating an ideal day retreat, the spa has introduced a refreshing and revitalising package, ‘The Heavenly Ritual Express’ which blends a 30 minute body scrub, 30 minute body wrap and 30 minute massage featuring natural and rejuvenating products for QR800 only. To help guests restore their facial and body health after a long summer, the spa will be off ering a 40% discount on any 50 minutes massage, facial or body treatments booked before 4pm during weekdays. To focus on the importance of holistic health, Heavenly Spa has also introduced an inspiring wellness calendar to complement its various

treatments. It includes the weekly summer sessions (re-launching in October outside on the hotel’s garden) a very popular package which includes a morning of moving, eating and feeling well with a 60 minutes Yoga session balanced with healthy breakfast bites followed by time to revitalise by the pools till 1pm for QR120.Also, the spa will be working in collaboration with Evolve, a group of talented trainers and practitioners with a range of expertise in wellness services, for a Candle Lit full moon yoga in the open-air area on the 25th of September Gianrico Esposito, General Manager of The Westin Doha Hotel & Spa said, “Our spa services and amenities have been designed to leave the guests feeling fresh, energised and focused and we always strive to design packages that suit all ages.” He added, “Our team have recently created a Family Membership package for adults and three children up to 16 years old. They can benefit from our state-of-the-art spa and swimming pool facilities and spend exhilarating moments together with packages for one, three, six or twelve months.”

PSSC conducts ‘Teachers’ Orientation Day’Pak Shamaa School and College (PSSC) recently conducted a ‘Teachers’ Orientation Day’. M A Shahid, President of Management Committee PSSC, and Nabila Kaukab, Principal of PSSC, elaborated on diff erent areas regarding academic and administration during the orientation. Both showed their satisfaction on annual results of SSC I and II (Secondary School Certificate I and II)

and HSSC-II (Higher Secondary School Certificate II) and lauded the eff orts of the teachers. Principal motivated the staff to be more eff icient, hardworking and professional in order to come up to the expectations of the community towards quality education. She also laid out the plan of the school during the academic session (2018-19).


COMMUNITYBOOK REVIEW

By Darcel Rockett

“Seems like people been teasing me all my life. If it ain’t about my colour, it’s my clothes.

It’s bad enough that I’m the darkest, worse-dressed thing in school. I’m also the tallest, skinniest thing you ever seen. And people like John-John remind me of it every chance they get. They don’t say nothing about the fact that I’m a math whiz … or that I got a good memory and never forget one single, solitary thing I read. They only see what they see, and they don’t seem to like what they see much.

Up until now, I just took it. The name calling. The pushing and shoving and cheating off me. Then last week something happened. Enough is enough. I deserve better than for people to treat me any old way they want. But saying that is one thing, making it happen is something else.

So you see, I got my own troubles.”Fictional Maleeka Madison gets teased

for the dark colour of her skin and her homemade clothes, but she’s vowed to turn it around despite bullies like Charlese Jones. Her mother, love interest Caleb and new teacher Miss Saunders are all a part of Maleeka’s journey — a journey as told by Pittsburgh-based author Sharon Flake in The Skin I’m In.

The book turns 20 this year and still fl ies off the shelves at school libraries and classroom reading nooks, according to teachers and former students.

“Maleeka is no angel, and her teacher Miss Saunders is not the answer to everything in Maleeka’s life, but the way that Maleeka is able to stand up to the varied kinds of pressures that are still very real in all middle school kids’ lives is something that speaks to kids,” said Kipp Dawson, a retired librarian and middle school English teacher from the Pittsburgh area with more than 20 years of teaching experience. “It speaks to the experience of middle school; it has been a magic way of connecting kids with themselves more than anything else.”

Avalon Park resident Ifeanyi Elswith, 20, is an artist and poet who started making music last year. She remembers picking up the book as a sixth-grader at the now-closed Goodlow Magnet Elementary in West Englewood. She wrote a song about Flake and her debut novel and recently posted it to YouTube.

“It was one of my favorite books in elementary school,” Elswith said. “Her books shed light on being a black girl in the ’hood and society and how that feels. Black women do get a certain treatment, but it’s not always talked about in real life, and that’s why I wrote a song about it. The song is a comment on colourism (discrimination based on skin colour) and a comment on black women being silenced in America, and I used The Skin I’m In to help me write that.”

The Skin I’m In is one of 10 young adult books Flake has written over the years, and, as another school year begins, Flake thinks it’s perhaps still the most impactful.

“It’s that book that people give to readers for a multitude of reasons,” Flake said. “I’ve had people give it to students who were

dark-skinned in hopes of helping them understand that they’re not alone and there’s something beautiful about who they are. I’ve had principals over the years say they keep a copy in their offi ce so when kids are in trouble and they need to sit in the offi ce, they give them the book, and a lot of times, they’ll ask, ‘Can I take this book with me?’ I’ve had teachers come up to me in tears who

said they had girls that really would have taken their lives, had it not been for the book. When you get those kinds of stories, then you realise the power of reading and writing.”

Young adult author Jason Reynolds wrote a foreword and introduction for the new edition of the book, which will be released October 16.

“Before incredible movements and

monikers like Black Girls Rock, Black Girl Magic and Well-Read Black Girl, there was The Skin I’m In, which is not just a book but a platform for young people — especially the Maleekas of the world — to stand on. Chin up, shoulders back, voices lifted, beaming.”

Flake said it was the schools, teachers, librarians, and parents who kept The Skin I’m In out there for youths all these years. Carlton Heywood, a librarian for 30 years and teacher for 27 with Pittsburgh Public Schools, says he intentionally buys paperbacks of her works because students pick up copies that then get passed to someone else.

Dawson, who thinks the book should be in every classroom, couldn’t keep copies in her own either.

“It’s one of the books that I have to replace constantly because kids are so enthralled with it, they don’t return it, and I fi nd myself hoping that they pass it on to other people to read,” she said. “There are a lot of books that become less popular over time, this is not one of them in my experience with my students. And they tell each other about it. The book has been something that children have gravitated to throughout my teaching career since it’s been published.”

Flake attests that her books are about children who are likely viewed as the least valued, loved and appreciated — black, urban youths. The stories are rendered in a voice that is compelling, authentic and truthful.

“Sharon’s body of work is ridiculous,” said Heywood, who works at Brashear High School in Pittsburgh. “There are some writers who can capture the moment in one book, but when you have quite a few books and each are relevant? I think her secret sauce with her writing is being grounded.”

Flake considers her Philadelphia upbringing as key to her development as a writer. With a father from North Carolina who grew up during the Jim Crow era, she and her siblings constantly had discussions about black people and their role and place in America. Flake says she grew up wondering: “Is there anything better than to be born black?”

Over the course of her career, Flake’s books have focused on African-American boys and girls. She has talked with students around the globe about The Skin I’m In, from Turkey to India, where colourism is a big issue.

“I’m hoping nationally people will start to have conversations about what it’s like to live in the skin they’re in, in this time and place,” Flake said. “I want people to spend October 2018 to March 2018, engaged in conversations with others … the beauty, the challenges, the mystery and magic of it all. It’s a good way for us to learn more about ourselves and neighbours, along with the kid next door or on the bus.”

Flake also hopes the book’s anniversary will be a second act of sorts — even bigger than the fi rst 20 years. And if Maleeka were featured in a sequel and able to speak with the next generation of students?

“She would say, you don’t know it now because you’re being bullied, because you’re looking around and you think you don’t have enough, or you’re not enough, or don’t think you’re doing enough, but you’re OK. Hang in there,” Flake said. —Chicago Tribune/TNS

Why Skin I’m In still resonates with educators and students

“Before incredible movements and monikers like Black Girls Rock, Black Girl Magic and Well-Read Black Girl, there was

The Skin I’m In, which is not just a book but a platform for young people — especially the

Maleekas of the world — to stand on. Chin up, shoulders back, voices lifted, beaming”


COMMUNITY PAREN

Here’s something we alThe mass-posting of back-to-school photos seems an entirely modern development. Faceb

By Michael Merschel

If you, like me, are a Facebook user and a human, your feed probably reads something like this right now: ‘First day of school for the girls!

Obligatory fi rst day of school pics!! Happy fi rst day of school for my not-so-little guys!’

Such posts (and the words noted here are not my friends’ but edited versions of strangers’ public posts) are, of course, usually accompanied by a photo of a child or two. If the photo features small children, they are probably standing next to a backpack that’s half as tall as they are, and they are smiling, possibly showing off spaces where a couple of teeth are missing.

First day of school. We are all so excited! How is this guy already in second grade? How in the world did this happen so fast? Oh my heart. If the post is about older children, they are probably grimacing, or maybe not actually in a photo. It was a little difficult to convince them to act right to take these pictures but we got it done. It was a struggle to get first day of

school pics. I think the dogs were the only ones who wanted in the picture.

More than a few photos show young adults, next to a packed car or in a newly decorated dorm room. Posing for a back-to-school photo for the last time, probably. Here’s one happy college freshman and two melancholy parents.

What a bittersweet moment in time for me. One proud dad. Can you say college student? And just like that she is a college freshman. Cried, got the dorm set up and cried some more. A couple of the photos will be of cats, but that’s another topic.

The mass-posting of back-to-school photos seems, on the one hand, an entirely modern development. Facebook built a multibillion-dollar data-mining operation on the sharing of such photos. I mean, I suppose it’s possible that sometime in the 1970s, I posed in the entryway holding an Adam-12 lunchbox while my mom shot an Instamatic photo of me as I started third grade. But fi lm was expensive, and if she had done such a thing, the photo probably would not have been developed, much less shared with

anyone, until I was about to start fourth. On the other hand, this is a timeless thing, about much more than humblebragging or peer pressure to make sure you are not the only parent who fails to show the world a photo of your kid on this day.

I think there is something primal about our need to note the passing of time in late August and early September. I have always agreed with a great philosopher I read as a teenager. He pointed out that the calendar year may begin in January, but everyone knows that the real beginning of the year is in September, when school starts. (Disclosure: I am fully aware that the philosopher I just mentioned was Andy Rooney; no matter how much time goes by, it is never cool to acknowledge that you were an Andy Rooney fan as a teenager.)

But I suspect that the drive to mark this particular passing season is even older than Andy Rooney. It’s probably tied to the earliest farmers, marking the end of the growing season, looking ahead at the long autumn and winter to come.

And even if we are not thinking about crops, we humans are

fascinated with growing. Especially when it happens in ways that catch us off guard.

Happy fi rst day of school for my not-so-little guys. Where does the time go?

Where does the time go?!? First day of school and she’s a junior in high school and driving herself!

I feel like I blinked and we’re here. Slow down time. My wife, well before Facebook, took monthly photos of my children in their infant carriers on their monthly birthdays. In those early months, with the endless bottles and diapers and cryings and other things I slept through as often as I could get away with, time moved at the speed of frozen syrup.

But at the end of the year, photos off ered evidence it had: That little stuff ed giraff e that overwhelmed the new-born suddenly seems not so tiny being waved in the hands of the almost-toddler.

It seems even smaller when that baby is headed off to her senior year of college. Or her last year of high school. Or his last year of junior high. Which is where my no-longer-babies are headed this fall. Which catches me off guard. Not that I miss the bottles and diapers

and late-night cryings. But I miss those little kids, and the happiness they brought. And I’m wondering _ where did the time go?

Move-in complete! Now it’s time to relax and enjoy our last meal together for a while. She’s ready but I’m not. Another nail in the coffi n and I’ll miss her.

So I think the back-to-school photo is really our annual acknowledgment that time is fl eeting. That we know it’s important to pause, every now and then, to take stock of its passage.

And even if it’s a cliché and annoying and makes the kids roll their eyes and makes me and my wife late for work, yeah, my friends will be seeing my back-to-school photos this year. I want to think back on all the years that led to this point in my kids’ lives. I also want look forward to watching them continue to grow, right up to the moment where, if I am lucky, I will tearfully leave each one in a dorm room or apartment or in some other exciting new place when their school years are done. I might even brag about them a bit. And smile when my friends do the same. We’re only human. – The Dallas Morning News/TNS

TIME FLIES: Happy first day of school for my not-so-little guys. Where does the time go? First day of school and she's a junior in high school and driving herself!

FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL: The season of September usually features a lot of photos of small children, probably standing next to a backpack that's half as tall as they are, smiling and possibly showing off spaces where a couple of teeth are missing.

9GULF TIMES

COMMUNITYTuesday, September 4, 2018

NTING

ll parents share deeper book has built a multibillion-dollar data-mining operation on sharing photos on social media

NOSTALGIA: Every parent wants to think back on all the years that led to this point in their kids' lives, first day of school and also look forward to watching them continue to grow.

BACK TO SCHOOL: Andy Rooney pointed out that the calendar year may begin in January, but everyone knows that the real beginning of the year is in September, when the school starts.

ACKNOWLEDGING TIME: So I think the back-to-school photo is really our annual acknowledgment that time is fleeting. That we know it's important to pause, every now and then, to take stock of its passage.


COMMUNITY INFOGRAPHIC


COMMUNITYLIFESTYLE/HOROSCOPE

ARIESMarch 21 — April 19

CANCERJune 21 — July 22

LIBRASeptember 23 — October 22

CAPRICORNDecember 22 — January 19

TAURUSApril 20 — May 20

LEOJuly 23 — August 22

SCORPIOOctober 23 — November 21

AQUARIUSJanuary 20 — February 18

GEMINIMay 21 — June 20

VIRGOAugust 23 — September 22

SAGITTARIUSNovember 22 — December 21

PISCESFebruary 19 — March 20

Upsets in the home or neighbourhood could lead to a sudden

decision to move, causing a great deal of activity. You might not yet

be sure where you’re going. Organisation and discipline are vital at

times like this, Aries. It might be helpful to make lists and cross off

each task as you finish it. Don’t panic. This could turn out to be the

best thing that ever happened to you.

The wonders of technology may come to your home today, Cancer.

You might purchase some new equipment like a computer or phone,

or decide to go for a state-of-the-art home entertainment centre.

Whichever it is, expect a lot of activity in and around your home as

friends come to see your new toys and family members learn how to

use them. It will be exciting for everyone!

Bizarre, unexpected developments might turn your life upside down

today, Libra. Money could be involved. New people could arrive who

open doors that eventually lead to a new life. You could even fall in

love at first sight. It isn’t easy to make predictions for a strange day

like this. Rest assured that when you go to bed you won’t be the

same person you were when you woke up.

An unexpected career break could come your way, Capricorn. It

should be exciting and encouraging – and a little scary! Don’t let

apprehension get to you. You won’t want to let this opportunity

pass you by. Your good fortune could arouse envy in some of your

co-workers, but don’t let this bother you either. Simply do what you

need to do to get the ball rolling and then go ahead with it.

You could get upsetting news regarding your job, Taurus. There

could be a shakeup in the hierarchy or someone in a position of

authority could abruptly leave. You and your co-workers could have

some momentary fears about job security, but they’re probably

unwarranted. Your security will survive these events, and you’ll

probably be better off than you were before.

Valuable and interesting information could come your way through

modern technology. You might discover new information online

that awakens an exciting new interest in you, perhaps related to the

sciences, occult, or metaphysics. You could even discover a talent for

astrology. Group activities may also be appealing now, particularly

those regarding humanitarian pursuits.

Today you might be fascinated with movies, music, and video. You

could discover a new interest in filmmaking, sound engineering,

or videography that you want to pursue. You might decide to read

about these fields and apply what you learn to the movies you see

and the music you hear. If you’re serious about learning these skills,

this is the time to go for it. You’ll enjoy it!

A trip by air may be in the off ing, Aquarius. You may be planning to

tour distant states or foreign lands. You could be going with friends

or a group you’re associated with. Unusual new interests could

capture your attention, enticing you to further study. You might

enrol in a workshop. You’re looking toward expanding your horizons.

Take care not to spread yourself too thin.

Keep your mind open to any and all possibilities today, Gemini.

It’s likely that you’ll encounter someone who imparts valuable

information. You may not realise right away just how important

this information is, but it could have a dramatic impact on

your life. Be prepared for anything. This is likely to be a most

interesting day.

Finances could take on a new dimension as you look to technology

to help you increase your bank balance. You could decide to invest

online or try some new means of recordkeeping. Whatever you try

will bode well for your financial future. Expect a lucky break or two

as well.

You could have a strong urge to seek adventure, Sagittarius. You

might want to take a spontaneous trip to an exotic place, meet new

people in exciting fields, or try new pastimes, perhaps as outrageous

as skydiving. Go for it if you want, but this urge could indicate

boredom in some part of your life. What can you change about your

lifestyle to avoid future stagnation?

Unusual experiences may give rise to a new interest in the sciences

or occult practices like magic or alchemy. This is an excellent time to

start perusing such subjects, Pisces, or embark on a formal study of

astrology. A lucky money break could come your way today. It might

be a gift or a repaid loan. Your inclination might be to go out and

spend it all. Take care!

Can eating late breakfast, early dinner help in losing weight?

Struggling to cut down your body fat? Eating breakfast late, but having an early dinner may help, suggests a pilot study.

The fi ndings showed that people who delayed their breakfast by 90 minutes and had their dinner 90 minutes earlier than usual lost more than twice as much body fat on average.

Further, those who changed their meal times ate less food overall, than those who did not, the researchers said.

“Although this study is small, it has provided us with invaluable insight into how slight alterations to our meal times can have benefi ts to our bodies,” said Jonathan Johnston, from the UK’s University of Surrey.

“Reduction in body fat lessens our chances of developing obesity and related diseases, so is vital in improving our overall health,” he added.

For the study, published in the Journal of Nutritional Sciences, the team conducted a 10-week

experiment on ‘time-restricted feeding’ — a form of intermittent fasting.

Participants were split into two groups - those who were required to delay their breakfast by 90 minutes

and have their dinner 90 minutes earlier, and those who ate meals as they would normally (the controls).

Although there was no restriction on what the participants could eat, the team found that 57 per cent of participants showed a reduction in food intake either due to a reduced appetite, decreased eating opportunities or a cutback in snacking, particularly in the evenings.

However, 57 per cent of participants felt they could not have maintained the new meal times beyond the prescribed 10 weeks because of their incompatibility with family and social life.

“Fasting diets are diffi cult to follow and may not always be compatible with family and social life. We therefore need to make sure they are fl exible and conducive to real life, as the potential benefi ts of such diets are clear to see,” Johnston noted. — IANS


COMMUNITY CARTOONS/PUZZLES

Adam

Pooch Cafe

Garfield

Bound And Gagged

Codeword

Wordsearch

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.

Puzz

les

cour

tesy

: Puz

zlec

hoic

e.co

m

Sudoku

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.

Trees

ALDER ASPEN BEECH BIRCH CEDAR CHESTNUT

CYPRESS ELM FIG FIR HICKORY LARCH

LINDEN MAGNOLIA MAPLE OAKPALMPINE

REDWOODSEQUOIASPRUCESYCAMOREWILLOWYEW


COMMUNITYPUZZLES

Colouring

Answers

Wordsearch Codeword

ACROSS1. What the whistle may be for,

though you say no (6)

4. Beats the ass playing, taking

about an hour (8)

10. Avail yourself of it, Luis

having gone off key (7)

11. Such a charge as is made for

the use of a name? (7)

12. Is it a day at the end of June?

(4)

13. Many people go by it (6,4)

16. Pour with rain: a terrible

racket (6)

17. Job for a religious

organisation (7)

20. With what’s tantamount to

a right turn, the vessel has

come about (7)

21. Tie the half-sister outside (6)

24. Battle medical science hasn’t

yet won? (3,4,3)

25. Song having a come-back: a

foreign song (4)

27. Playing bowls with the rich?

(7)

29. Lit up and in a bad temper (7)

30. Laugh and sing about a

murder (8)

31. Go to it a couple of times,

then stop (6)

Super Cryptic Clues

Yesterday’s Solutions

Across:1 Residue; 5 Grasped; 9 Limes; 10 Saturnine; 11 Isobar; 12 Cheetahs; 14 Greta; 15 Spot to eat; 18 Pondering; 20 Slack; 22 Striking; 24 Marina; 26 Readiness; 27 Exact; 28 Prevent; 29 Settler.

Down: 1 Rolling up; 2 Someone; 3 Disparage; 4 East; 5 Get through; 6 Agree; 7 Private; 8 Dress; 13 Assignment; 16 Testament; 17 Take after; 19 Narrate 21 Abigail; 22 Scrap; 23 Knife; 25 Asps.

DOWN1. Collects, when the golf is

over (6,2)

2. “Quite good but too pale”?

(5,6)

3. Cutting a piece of paper (4)

5. A member of the staff and

mother hid outside (4-4)

6. Manage to apply (10)

7. She may be on the run (3)

8. Put away the woman and the

man (6)

9. He’s wicked to shut the

doctor in the room (5)

14. Again, but not now (7,4)

15. Corot isn’t a surrealistic artist

(10)

18. Early wear! (8)

19. As ordered, scored (8)

22. Turns on and is surprised by

(6)

23. “The hook”, you say, “is a

mistake” (5)

26. The former model (4)

28. It’s half a mile to “The Duck

and Cat” (3)


COMMUNITY POP SPOT

Razorlight

Fans must have wondered if they would ever hear new songs

from English indie-rock quartet Razorlight.

It was 2008 when the band released their third studio album,

Slipway Fires. Although still a big hit, sales figures did not match

those of their 2004 debut album, Up All Night, or their 2006 UK

chart-topping self-titled second album.

But this slight downturn in the band’s fortunes did not

precipitate the ten-year gap between albums. After extensive

touring to promote Slipway Fires, frontman Johnny Borrell said

Razorlight were working on another album and felt eager for

fans to hear the new songs.

As things transpired, recording sessions during 2010 were

deemed unproductive. There was also discord within the band.

Drummer Andy Burrows had left in 2009. He was followed

early in 2011 by guitarist Bjorn Agren and bassist Carl Dalemo.

Johnny was the only remaining original member.

Despite releasing no new material, Razorlight have performed

numerous concerts during the intervening years. Further

internal issues have also arisen with the replacements for Bjorn

and Carl, Gus Robertson and Freddie Stitz, deciding to leave the

band.

The current line-up sees Johnny on vocals and guitar, David

Sullivan Kaplan playing drums, Joao Mello on bass and David

Ellis playing guitar. It is these artistes who have created the

songs on Olympus Sleeping, Razorlight’s fourth studio album,

which is set for release on October 26.

Although no off icial singles have been issued, the band

have released performance videos for four of their new

songs. Japanrock can be seen at www.youtube.com/

watch?v=h4YhJca6fug. Got To Let The Good Times Back Into

Your Life is posted at www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FhP50-

CVa8. Sorry? is available at www.youtube.com/

watch?v=gbMNNLfcIoQ while the album title-track is at www.

youtube.com/watch?v=9DoW5Ar6xek

BTS

There seems to be no limit to the popularity of South Korean

boy band BTS. The all-singing, all-dancing septet recently set a

new record for the most watched music video on YouTube in

the first 24 hours of release.

The visual for their latest single, Idol, notched up more than

45 million views. It comfortably eclipsed the 43.2 million mark

achieved last year by Taylor Swift with her video for Look What

You Made Me Do.

Perhaps of even greater significance is that BTS more than

doubled their own record for the most watched K-pop video in

the first 24 hours. The previous mark was 21 million views for

their 2017 single, DNA.

Idol is the lead single from the group’s new compilation album,

Love Yourself: Answer. It is one of the seven new songs which

accompany 18 other tracks, 19 on the digital version, mostly

taken from their previous two albums, Love Yourself: Her and

Love Yourself: Tear.

The new album surpassed Love Yourself: Tear as the most pre-

ordered LP in South Korean music history. Love Yourself: Tear

topped the Billboard 200, peaked at number eight in Britain and

proved massively popular throughout much of the world. Love

Yourself: Answer may well become even more successful.

The video for Idol is posted at www.youtube.com/

watch?v=pBuZEGYXA6E

KT Tunstall

KT Tunstall’s albums have always sold well. Only one of her five

previous studio albums failed to reach the U.K. top ten. This

was 2013’s Invisible Empire // Crescent Moon which peaked

at number 14. Further chart success is anticipated when the

Scottish singer / songwriter issues her new studio album, WAX,

on October 5.

Singles success has proved far more elusive. A few songs have

achieved reasonable chart positions but only two, Other Side of

the World and Suddenly I See, cracked the UK top 20. Both were

released in 2005 and came from her top three debut album,

Eye To The Telescope.

Perhaps KT will have more luck with her latest single, The River.

A lyric / performance video can be seen at www.youtube.com/

watch?v=OsholeFEoR4

By Geoff rey Rowlands

English duo Slaves have to be one of the most successful yet less well-known artistes in the music business.

Their third studio album, Acts of Fear and Love, shot straight to number eight on the UK chart. It has given punk-rock duo Laurie Vincent and Isaac Holman another top ten hit following 2015’s Are You Satisfi ed? and 2016’s Take Control. But the thing about Slaves which always seems to draw most comment is not their music.

“It’s always our name,” said singer and multi-instrumentalist Laurie, 25. “It came as a complete surprise to us that so many people would take off ence. We wanted a name which was an abrasive sounding word. Something like Clash but that name had long since been taken.”

“Our aim was to fi nd something which sounded aggressive but defi nitely not to off end,” added singer and multi-instrumentalist Isaac, 27. “We weren’t trying to provoke anyone when we picked Slaves. We just thought it sounded like a good name for an act who play our style of music.”

After splintering from a previous band and joining forces in 2012, the Royal Tunbridge Wells natives released their debut EP, Sugar Coated Bitter Truth, later that year. A solid concert schedule allowed Laurie and Isaac to quickly build a following. Their fi rst single, Where’s Your Car Debbie?, was issued in 2014. Major labels had expressed their interest by now and Slaves signed with Virgin EMI.

“We refer to our music as stories and observations over a rock guitar and tribal drumming,” Laurie explained. “We’ve

always loved playing live because we get the instant reaction to songs. We could spend months in the studio trying to perfect a song but there’s no point if it doesn’t make people react in some way. We get this feedback when we play live.”

Are You Satisfi ed? was nominated for the prestigious Mercury Music Prize. But the boys were not afraid to amend their style on Take Control.

“We wanted to create an album which was more well-rounded than our fi rst record,” Isaac commented. “The songs on Take Control dipped a bit further into politics and encouraged listeners to have an opinion. We also wanted the songs to be heavier and more guitar-based.

“We basically tried to progress as artistes. We’ve had the same intention on our new album. The tunes are better, the sound is bigger and more expansive. Some of the song lyrics are more personal in that they’re about people we know. I think the new record has really moved on from our last album.”

Their career might have progressed but there has been no let-up in the complaints about their name. “We had a few people question us about it right from the start,” Laurie remarked. “But things really snowballed after we signed our record deal and started getting a lot more publicity.”

Those people who always seem to delight in being off ended by anything gave Laurie and Isaac a hard time. The Fader magazine even ran an article headlined ‘Why Did a Band of White Dudes Name Themselves Slaves?’

“Someone actually wrote on our Facebook page: ‘Nobody but African Americans have a right to use the word slaves,’” Isaac stated. “Lots of words have two meanings. If you say something like ‘I’m a slave to the routine,’ that’s not being disrespectful to the slave trade. The

interpretation we have of our band name is in the sense of people not being in control of their day to day lives.”

Despite this, Laurie and Isaac have constantly faced accusations of disrespect and racism mostly from people who obviously have no idea about historical slavery.

The terrible wrongs done to African Americans is kept fresh in the memory by African Americans themselves. But people of all races and religions have been subjected to slavery at some period throughout history. Acts of slavery still exist today with human traffi cking, forced prostitution and even some ordinary people having usually young girls as house slaves.

“If you look up the word ‘slaves’ in the Oxford English Dictionary, there is no mention of any racial context,” Laurie confi rmed. “A slave is a person who is owned by another person and forced to work for free. Those who deem us racist are being incredibly small-minded because this type of servitude has aff ected all kinds of people at some time. Slaves is not a racist term.”

“There have been times when we wished we’d chosen a diff erent name,” Isaac admitted. “We wouldn’t have received so much unjustifi ed abuse and criticism. We also wouldn’t have had to spend so much time defending ourselves.

“But we actually now believe it’s a good thing that we called ourselves Slaves. We live in a time where freedom of speech almost doesn’t exist. Everything is over-analysed, certain words can’t even be used. People are pilloried for having an opinion which is contrary to what is perceived as politically correct. It’s good that people look at white guys named Slaves and maybe realise there is nothing racist about the word.”

The Kent punks: successful yet less well-known artistes

SELL-OUT: The third studio album, Acts of Fear and Love by Slaves, shot straight to number eight on the UK chart.

in brief

Tuesday, September 4, 2018 15GULF TIMES

COMMUNITYSHOWBIZ

CONFIDENT: Taapsee Pannu.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s Manto, which is helmed by actress-fi lmmaker Nandita Das, will open the second edition of the Singapore South Asian International Film Festival (Sg.SAIFF).

“We are delighted to screen Manto as the opening fi lm at Sg.SAIFF. ‘Manto’ was very much a South Asian writer,” Nandita said in a statement.

“But unlike the Europeans, we South Asians do not own this identity, despite many cultural and social similarities amongst the countries in the region. Therefore, it is important to support such festivals that celebrate cinema from the sub-continent.

“Last year, Sg.SAIFF screened a fi lm I acted in, Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyon Aata Hai as the opening fi lm, which is yet to be released. I was unfortunately unable to make it. So, I very much look forward to attending it this year,” she added.

The fest will be held in Singapore from October 5-14.Manto, co-produced by HP Studios, Filmstoc and Viacom18

Motion Pictures, traces the life of writer Saadat Hasan Manto. Nawazuddin will be seen bringing the character to life.

The fi lm follows the most tumultuous years in the life of the iconoclastic writer Manto and those of the countries — India and Pakistan — which Manto inhabited and chronicled. The fi lm stars Rasika Dugal as Manto’s wife and Tahir Raj Bhasin, Rishi Kapoor and Divya Dutta in key roles.

Abhayanand Singh, Chairperson of Sg.SAIFF, also said: “We are happy that Nandita Das accepted our invitation to come and present the fi lm at the festival.”

The fest line-up represents a diverse mix of feature fi lms, short fi lms and documentaries, which include fi lms from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal and Afghanistan. — IANS

Ronnie Wood’s wife wants more kids

Ronnie Wood’s wife Sally Humphreys says they may have more children now that the rock legend has won his cancer fi ght.

The Rolling Stones guitarist, 70, smoked for 50 years but quit when she gave birth to their daughters Alice and Gracie, now 2.

Sally said coping with his diagnosis of lung cancer last year was tough but made them “incredibly grateful” for their lives together, reports mirror.co.uk.

Now Ronnie’s health worries are over.She said: “I’d love to have twins again. We’d be very

happy if more arrive. Twins are much easier because they play together. Twins again and then we have double everything. We are good to go. I’m 40 now but you never know.”

Speaking for the fi rst time since Ronnie got the all clear following an operation last year, she opened up of their ordeal after his diagnosis.

Sally said: “In a period of a week we moved house, the twins turned one and Ronnie had a major cancer scare. That was an intense week, that was too much.”

She admitted she could not think of a future without Ronnie, adding: “I can’t really go there in my head, but it is a part of life.

“Anything can happen to anyone at any time, but it does highlight things. We live in the moment anyway. We don’t plan far ahead. But it certainly makes you very grateful and appreciative and how fortunate we are.

“I think that was one of the worst periods for me ever. There was a lot to deal with but it all happened very quickly so we were lucky. He obviously got better and recently had all of his tests done again and has been given the all clear so that is very positive.” — IANS

Queer Eye star reveals past suicide attempt

Queer Eye star Karamo Brown has revealed he attempted suicide in 2006. By opening up about his story, he wants people to know the importance of looking after their mental health.

The presenter rose to prominence on MTV’s reality series The Real World: Philadelphia in 2004. He became an iconic fi xture on the hit Netfl ix show Queer Eye, where he specialises in culture alongside his Fab Five co-stars Antoni Porowski, Tan France, Bobby Berk and Jonathan Van Ness, reports aceshowbiz.com.

Brown shared a video on his Twitter and Instagram accounts revealing that he had attempted to commit suicide 12 years ago in the hope to inspire others to speak out.

“Today in 2006, I did attempt to commit suicide. I was in a very dark place. I just felt like life could not get any better. Everything that was happening to me was never going to change, and I tried to take my own life,” the 37-year-old told his fans.

He thanked his friends who had found him and phoned an ambulance, for saving his life.

Brown, who is also a trained psychotherapist, concluded the video with words of encouragement for those who were struggling.

— IANS

HAPPY: Sally with her husband and daughters.

DISCLOSURE: Karamo Brown.

I have no fear of failure: TaapseeB

ollywood actress Taapsee Pannu says she does not fear failure and that translates into her performances.

After Mulk and Soorma, she is gearing up for her third release of the year Manmarziyaan.

“As an individual, I have no fear of failure...I think that translates on-screen in my performances. While I do my work with a sense of honesty, I tell myself, what is the worse that can happen? I fail right? So, will I stop living after that? No. I will try again,” Taapsee said.

“If my fi lms fail, I will work on something else, my life will not end. And the fi lm is not the end all of my life. Perhaps that confi dence and sense of security from within me drives me to choose all these fi lms that I have chosen so far,” added the actress, known for

powerful roles in projects like Pink, Baby and Naam Shabana.

Apart from acting, Taapsee also ventured into a wedding planning business partnering with her sister Shagun and is planning to start her café soon.

Asked whether these diff erent ventures help her grow as an artiste, she said: “Well, it surely expands the horizon. Like now, I am planning on opening a café but it is just on that idea level. Once I have time and man power, I will execute the idea. My point is that I will do diff erent things that are not attached to my acting career. So tomorrow, if I have to leave this profession, the other venture should not have a string attached to that. It is good to have a life beyond fi lms.”

Manmarziyaan is a love triangle set between two men played by Vicky

Kaushal and Abhishek Bachchan who falls in love with one woman. The fi lm is releasing on September 7.

Giving an insight of her character, Taapsee said: “One of the admirable quality of my character Rumi is that she is very relatable. She is outspoken, little confused, think from the heart and that surely puts her into trouble. I think her outspoken nature is something that I so can relate to.”

How has equation with people of the fi lm fraternity changed?

“I do not socialise that much so do not know about that, but I must say that I get better scripts to choose from these days. Of course, success changes certain things, people treat me with more respect and they want to know my opinion and point of view about a script if I did not like it. I think fi nally my hard work is paying,” she said. — IANS

Manto to open Singapore South Asian film festival


COMMUNITY

ENDANGERED SPECIES: The Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) prohibits any commercial trade in tiger products, since the feline predators are considered highly endangered.

The Czech Republic, unlikely hubof illegal lion and tiger tradeSome lions and tigers are kept as exotic pets, while others are killed for their

meat and bones, which are sold on the black market. By Michael Heitmann

The police report was matter-of-fact: A man had been walking his lioness on a leash down a forest path when another man on a mountain bike approached.

“Contact occurred between the lioness and the passing cyclist, who afterwards had to be treated by a doctor,” the offi cials noted. It may read like something from Africa, but it actually occurred in the small Czech village of Zdechov. And the incident isn’t even that surprising: There’s been something of a wildcat boom in the Czech Republic in recent years.

Tomas Kocourek is the mayor of Zdechov, and although his surname translates as ‘small cat,’ he’s not a huge fan of big cats roaming around his village. “Furious mothers call me after being out for a walk with their children,” the politician says. And these encounters are far from rare.

Kocourek has few legal means to tackle the fact that people are keeping the predators as pets, since they’re not banned. “I can’t do anything, apart from appealing to the owners’ conscience,” says the mayor, who has been in offi ce since November 2006.

Only a few of the village’s 600 inhabitants are in favour of the lions being kept in Zdechov, which lies on the border with Slovakia, due to the tourists they attract. There are more than 250 big cats living with private owners and breeders in the Czech Republic. The country’s municipal zoos object to the practice.

“I personally think it is wrong to keep lions or tigers for your private pleasure,” says Miroslav Bobek, Director of Prague Zoo, the largest in the country, with more than 1.5 million visitors a year. For years, Bobek has

been demanding legislation to protect these rare animals - and the public. “Even a dog has to be kept on a leash in the city - but not a lion,” says the zoologist.

In the Czech Republic, there are a whole series of so-called ‘zoo parks’ or ‘nature parks,’ where big cats often live in poor conditions. These have nothing in common with real zoos like his, Bobek says. In July, two

tigers and a lion escaped from their transport cages in just such a ‘nature park.’ There was a massive police operation to recapture them, during which the inhabitants of a nearby village were not allowed leave their homes. In the end, the animals were found resting under a shady tree and were safely tranquilised and captured. Another case, however, did not have such a happy ending. Three tigers

were found dead in mid-July in a so-called zoo park near Prague. The police found one freshly killed tiger and two deep-frozen carcasses, as well as tiger skins and products.”

Investigators believe the tiger parts were intended for use in traditional Chinese medicine. Tiger products fetch high prices on the black market in Asia. For centuries, they have been believed to have healing properties. Three suspects of Czech and Vietnamese nationality were taken into custody following the discovery. There was enormous media interest in the case, due to the fact that one of the accused was a distant relative of a respected circus family. The circus publicly distanced itself from the man.

The Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) prohibits any commercial trade in tiger products, since the feline predators are considered highly endangered. Nevertheless, the recent revelations in the Czech Republic do not seem to be an isolated case. According to research conducted by the animal rights group Four Paws, between 1999 and 2016, more than 8,200 illegal tiger products such as tiger soup cubes, teeth and claws were confi scated in the European Union.

According to the organisation, just one kilo of tiger bones can earn an average of 1,700 euros on the black market. At the end of July, the Czech government fi nally announced initial measures to counter the trade, including a ban on exports of live tigers to third countries outside the European Union.

It is not clear what will happen to them once they are intercepted. The animal rights activists of Four Paws warn: ‘Legal trade fuels illegal trade.’– DPA

TOURISM: Only a few of the village’s 600 inhabitants are in favour of the lions being kept in Zdechov, which lies on the border with Slovakia, due to the tourists they attract.

P6 P16Community - Gulf Times

Documents

Transcript of P6 P16Community - Gulf Times