DOHA 34°C—43°C TODAY PUZZLES 12 & 13 D LIFESTYLE/HOROSCOPE 11 L P Thursday, June 1, 2017 Ramadan 6, 1438 AH Community Indonesian ambassador has been hosting Tarhib Ramadan and Iftar parties for families from the Indonesian community in Qatar. P6 P16 Community Emma, the robot, is a member of a new generation of helpers popping up in homes for the elderly around the world. Versatility COVER STORY Cate Blanchett has proven her mettle before. She takes it to a different level with 13 get-ups in a new film. P4-5
Transcript
DOHA 34°C—43°C TODAY PUZZLES 12 & 13D LIFESTYLE/HOROSCOPE 11L P
Thursday, June 1, 2017Ramadan 6, 1438 AH
CommunityIndonesian ambassador has been hosting
Tarhib Ramadan and Iftar parties for families from the Indonesian community in Qatar.
P6 P16 CommunityEmma, the robot, is a member of
a new generation of helpers popping up in homes for the elderly around the world.
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
The Mall Cinema (1): Dobaara (Hindi) 1:30pm; A Family Man (2D) 3:30pm; Dobaara (Hindi) 8:30pm; The Exception (2D) 11pm.The Mall Cinema (2): Deep (2D) 1:30pm; The Boss Baby (2D) 3:30pm; Dear Other Self (Tagalog) 8:30pm; Winter’s Dream (2D) 11pm.The Mall Cinema (3): Fireman Sam: Alien Alert The Movie (2D) 2pm; Fireman Sam: Alien Alert The Movie (2D) 3:30pm; The Exception (2D) 8:30pm; Dear Other Self (Tagalog) 11pm.Landmark Cinema Cinema (1): Deep (2D) 1:30pm; The Exception (2D) 3:30pm; A Family Man (2D) 8:30pm; A Family Man (2D) 11pm.
Landmark Cinema Cinema (2): The Boss Baby (2D) 1:30pm; Deep (2D) 3:30pm; Dear Other Self (Tagalog) 8:30pm; Winter’s Dream (2D) 11pm.Landmark Cinema Cinema (3): Fireman Sam: Alien Alert The Movie (2D) 2pm; Fireman Sam: Alien Alert The Movie (2D) 3:30pm; The Exception (2D) 8:30pm; Dear Other Self (Tagalog) 11pm.Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (1): Hindi Medium (Hindi) 1:30pm; Fireman Sam: Alien Alert The Movie (2D) 4pm; Hindi Medium (Hindi) 8:30pm; The Exception (2D)
11pm.Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (2): Fireman Sam: Alien Alert The Movie (2D) 2pm; A Family Man (2D) 3:30pm; The Exception (2D) 8:30pm; Dear Other Self (Tagalog) 11pm.Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (3): Deep (2D) 1:30pm; Winter’s Dream (2D) 3:30pm; Dear Other Self (Tagalog) 8:30pm; Winter’s Dream (2D) 11pm.Asian Town Cinema: Godha (Malayalam) 8:30 & 11:30pm; Sakhavu (Malayalam) 11pm; Sachin:A Billions Dreams (Hindi) 11pm; Rakshadhikari Baiju (Malayalam) 8pm; Rarandoi Veduka Chuddam (Telugu) 8pm & 2am; Thondan (Tamil) 8:30.pm.
Sachin: A Billion Dreams DIRECTION: James ErskineCAST: Mayuresh Pem, Sachin Tendulkar,
Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Mayur MoreSYNOPSIS: A tale of a small boy with
dreams and his journey to becoming the King of Cricket and the most celebrated sportsperson in his country. Sachin: A Billion Dreams is an Indian biographical fi lm based on the life of Indian cricket icon and living legend Sachin Tendulkar. A tale of a restless 10-year-old boy and his journey from watching India’s fi rst World Cup winning skipper Kapil Dev lift the trophy, to the fulfi lment of his dream of holding it in his hands for India. He is the most celebrated sportsperson in India, a virtuous hero who created an era, which Indians are proud of. The fi lm captures Tendulkar’s dedication to cricket and his personal life in dramatic detail, as well as reveals aspects of his life that have never been heard of or seen before.
THEATRES: Royal Plaza, The Mall
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul DIRECTION: David BowersWRITTEN BY: Jeff Kinney, David BowersCAST: Jason Drucker, Alicia Silverstone, Tom Everett Scott SYNOPSIS: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul is an
American family road comedy fi lm based on the book of the same name by Jeff Kinney. Directed by David Bowers, it is the fourth instalment in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid fi lm series and a sequel to 2012’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days. A Heffl ey family road trip to attend Meemaw’s 90th birthday party goes hilariously off course thanks to Greg’s newest scheme to get
to a video gaming convention. Young Greg Heffl ey is looking forward to a long summer of just hanging out, but his mother throws a monkey wrench into his plans when she forces the entire family to take a road trip for the birthday celebration. His eyes soon light up after he realises that the excursion is his ticket to a gaming convention to meet YouTube sensation Mac Digby. Greg’s imagination then kicks into overdrive as he sneakily hatches a scheme to attend the expo and gain some much-deserved fame.
THEATRES: Landmark, The Mall
3Thursday, June 1, 2017 GULF TIMES
COMMUNITYROUND & ABOUT
Compiled by Nausheen Shaikh. E-mail: [email protected], Events and timings subject to change
EVENTS
Meerat RamadanWHERE: KataraWHEN: Until end of RamadanTIME: 5pm-9pmThe Ramadan Market is open to the
public, and scheduled to run until the end of Ramadan. According to the Katara website, the current hours (until June 17) are 5pm until 9pm, although we recommend that you check it is open before making a special journey as timings may change during Ramadan. There will be kids area with bouncy castle, and it is expected that the Ramadan market will be popular with families as they enjoy their Ramadan evenings at Katara.
Decorating Ramadan CookiesWHERE: Doha Festival CityWHEN: June 1-3TIME: 9pm-midnightBudding bakers will love this event –
children will get to play the expert with their very own Chef’s hat and apron, as they decorate cookies in the shape of Ommi Dolls and Camels. They can take their foodie creations home, as long as they don’t eat them first!
4th annual Mathaf Student Art Exhibition
WHERE: Arab Museum of Modern ArtWHEN: June 8The annual Mathaf Student Art
Competition and Exhibition (SAC&E) is returning for the fifth time this year. The exhibition will showcase the works of students who won the countrywide art competition, this time following the theme “what is your imagined future city?” The competition is an original Mathaf educational programme that supports QM’s commitment for art education and creativity. SAC&E celebrates the creative minds of students aged between 6-18 and encourages students, teachers and parents to explore modern and contemporary art by experiencing Mathaf’s permanent collection.
Garangao CelebrationWHERE: Doha Festival CityWHEN: June 9Doha Festival City is honouring the
biggest traditional celebration for children this Ramadan with a fun-packed Garangao event. First, kids will be given their own mall maps that will give them clues to find and collect candy and nuts hidden all over Doha Festival City. Get the map and find them quick! They can then also take part in the Drum Making Workshop – where everyone will have the chance to design and build their own drum, made out of recycled tin containers.
Henna PaintingWHERE: Doha Festival CityWHEN: June 22-25TIME: 9pmFor the last five days of Ramadan, and
in celebration of Eid al-Fitr, there will be professional henna artists designing beautiful henna art on guests. Children will also have the opportunity to handcraft their own henna designs on printed paper. Being the national bird and symbol of culture in the Middle East, guests will also have the chance to have their photo taken with a falcon at Doha Festival City.
Karting at Losail Circuit Sports ClubWHEN: Until June 16WHERE: Losail International Circuit,
DohaTIME: 5pm onwardsThe Karting track at Losail International
Circuit is open for public. Also it can be opened for private companies (upon request and availability). The registrations will be done directly at the venue, at the VIP Car Park of the Losail International Circuit. The minimum age is 15 years old and any participant under the age of 18 needs permission signed by a legal guardian for the karting activity.
Beauty of Islamic CalligraphyWHERE: QM Gallery Al RiwaqWHEN: Until June 17A new exhibition – Contemporary
Calligraphy – Mehmet Cebi Collection will open at the QM Gallery Al Riwaq, and will bring together a notable selection of intricate and beautiful calligraphic artworks dating from the 1960s to the present day.
Summer CampWHERE: Ain KhaledWHEN: July 2-Aug 31TIME: 8am-1pmSummertime is just memories waiting
to happen. The Stem Xplorers Summer Camp is just the place for your kids to make lifelong memories to cherish.
Our camp will be Stem-based wherein
we will engage the children in Science along with Lego, some exciting Sports, Nutrition, Arts, Crafts and Outdoor Field Trips!! Each week will be a different theme covering an exciting new Stem project making science come to life. Call us now on 33996665 or 3120001.
Summer Camp WakraWHERE: Music Lounge, Al WakraWHEN: July 2-31This is a 1 month packaged summer
camp programme that brings great fun with learning, creating and exploring. The camp is designed to bring out a 360 degree development in the talents and skill
level of the students. The camp includes training in keyboard, guitar, drums, art, craft, communication skills, zumba, hip hop, fun with games, movies, competitions, cultural tour, fun day activities, art exhibition and fashion show. The camp is for ages 5-15. Transportation is available from Doha, Al-Wakra and Mesaieed.
#I Am Evo Summer CampWHERE: Al Waab and Doha College
West Bay WHEN: July 2 onwardsTIME: 8am to 1pmThe #IamEvo Camps are designed to
challenge young athletes to progressively develop their skills, performance and confidence. The courses are structured to meet the needs of all young players, to have fun, learn new skills and meet new friends in a safe and friendly environment. Members have a choice of venue, with camps held at Doha College Al Waab and Doha College West Bay. The camps are open to boys and girls aged 4-16 years and run from 8 am to 1 pm daily at each site. Registration Now Open.
Train like a superhero WHERE: Aspire ZoneWHEN: OngoingTrain like a superhero at CrossFit Doha!
CrossFit holds a variety of disciplines from weightlifting to calisthenics to gymnastics. This will help your kids excel in sports and retain the healthy and fit lifestyle! Support your kids’ natural urge for physical activities and train like a superhero, at CrossFit Doha’s in demand Kids Classes today! CrossFit Doha is located at Aspire Zone Sports City. For more information, call 44138484.
Salsa Beginners Dance ClassWHEN: Every FridayWHERE: B Attitude Spa, West BayTIME: 8pm-9pmSalsa n Candela offers variety of dance
classes for adults at Beverly Hills Tower such as Salsa every Friday and other Latin dance during other days of the week.
Camera Kids: Make Your Own Short Film
WHEN: Aug 6- 24A well-rounded introduction to the
different elements of photography, film and filmmaking helps young people make their first one-minute short films. Applicants must be between 13 and 17 years old.
Festive timeWHEN: OngoingWHERE: Doha Festival CityThe entertainment offering has been
designed to ensure there are numerous opportunities for physical activities, from the running track which features exercise stations, the bike trail, through to our ‘first-of-its-kind’ in Qatar, Snow Dunes theme park. DFC is excited to welcome first visitors in April and to celebrate the best leisure facilities, retail mix and dining options, all with exceptional service.
Aqua Park 2017 season WHEN: Until AugustWHERE: Aqua ParkThe Aqua Park 2017 season is finally
here and is happening with a big bang and splash.
Summer Workshop 2017 for kidsWHERE: IAIDWHEN: July- AugSummer break is a long-awaited respite
for your kids after months of hitting the books. This is an opportunity for them to hone their current skills, pick up a new hobby, or simply stay active, whether their interest lies in dance, music or arts. This summer, get your kids up and going by enrolling them at IAID! Starting three years and above, we have courses to offer this summer such as Ballet Kids, Strum-A-Long, Bolly Thumka, Music Fun, ARTmazing & more.
Imperial Threads: Motifs and Artisans
WHERE: Museum of Islamic ArtWHEN: Until November 4This exhibition focuses on the exchange
of artistic and material cultures between the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal Empires. Highlighting MIA’s masterpiece carpets, among other artworks, from Turkey, Iran and India, these objects will be contextualised within the historical circumstances of politics and artistic production of their time, primarily from the 16th to the 18th centuries.
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COMMUNITY COVER STORY
Being Cate the greatThe Oscar-winner shape-shifts 13 tales in one film. She assumes the guise of a diff erent
character to perform each one. Her conviction and persuasiveness in fabricating
fictional identities from scratch informs the individual texts. By Christopher Knight
The subject of Manifesto, a new fi lm by German artist Julian Rosefeldt, is as much Cate Blanchett, its star, as it is the
radical manifestos by more than 50 Futurists, Dadaists, Suprematists, Conceptual artists and others that anchor the movie’s 13 vignettes.
Blanchett assumes the guise of a diff erent character to perform each one. Her conviction and persuasiveness in fabricating fi ctional identities from scratch informs the individual texts. Rosefeldt crosses documentary and theatrical forms, bringing to
life words mostly by 20th century artists.
For artists, a manifesto is not merely a declaration of intent. It is central to the creation of an identity. A world that excludes the artist’s values is ascertained and described, while a new world that includes and engages them is not merely proposed but insisted upon. Manifestos demand.
“I am for an art that grows up not knowing it is art at all, an art given the chance of having a starting point of zero,” Claes Oldenburg wrote in 1961. As the words are spoken, Blanchett, decked out as
a tightly coiled, upper-middle-class mom calling her family to a precisely orchestrated Sunday dinner, seems poised to shatter like untempered glass.
The specifi c relationship between this domestic vignette and Oldenburg’s Pop art text is unclear. Perhaps that ambiguity is because the artist has always denied that I Am For … is indeed a manifesto. He calls it a satire. In poetic language, he goes about tearing down the era’s lofty critical demand for abstraction as art’s theoretically highest value, replacing it with a matter-of-fact catalogue of everyday ephemera.
Among the 95-minute fi lm’s more convincing hybrids of image and text is the startling collision aff orded by Tristan Tzara’s 1918 Dada manifesto. Blanchett, chicly attired, declares: “I speak only of myself since I do not wish to convince, I have no right to drag others into my river, I oblige no-one to follow me and everybody practices his art in his own way, if he knows the joy that rises like arrows to the astral layers, or that other joy that goes down into the mines of corpse-fl owers and fertile spasms.”
She delivers this beleaguered,
post-World War I shriek of worn-out horror as a graveside eulogy. A shell-shocked throng, arrayed in black as a classical frieze like A Burial at Ornans, Courbet’s epic 1850 painting of a provincial funeral, awaits the lowering of a fl ower-bedecked casket into the earth.
Originally presented at Melbourne’s Australian Centre for the Moving Image two years ago, Manifesto was shown on 13 individual screens suspended in space. A viewer could move among them, the fractured person known as “Cate Blanchett” happening all at once.
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COMMUNITYCOVER STORY
Now, projected on a single screen at the Nuart Theatre — the work loses that edge. Reassembled into a linear fi lm (about 30 minutes have been cut), Manifesto retains control of sequence and time. Rosefeldt attempts to inject a bit of the old break-up by intercutting among a few vignettes, but the eff ort feels perfunctory.
The loss isn’t debilitating, however, which is one measure of Blanchett’s power as an actor. She slips into the jarringly disjunctive roles of stockbroker, garbage worker, corporate CEO, punk, scientist, puppeteer, choreographer, TV news reader and teacher, as well as the aforementioned Mom and eulogist.
The fi lm opens and closes with her transformation into a grimy homeless man. His vagrancy, adrift in the chill ruins of a bleak industrial landscape, presents a rootless person without a known identity.
In the late 19th and early 20th century, independent manifestos replaced the rules formulated by state-run art academies. The possibility for movement away from society’s assigned roles made them a staple for art. With skill and erudition, Rosefeldt’s fi lm surveys the aftermath.
Thousands roam an indoor desert
No man — or woman — is an island in a new installation by London-based Israeli artist Zadok Ben-David. Sand is the unstable ground on which thousands of individually cut-out fi gures stand,
each visually intertwined with the others in an otherwise barren desert.
Using a chemical-etching technique, Ben-David cut more than 3,000 miniature fi gures from thin metal sheets. They fi ll a gallery, standing upright on a fi eld of sand more than 37 feet wide and 43 feet deep.
The images are based on casual photographs the sculptor took on global travels — People I Have Seen but Never Met, as the title of the exhibition (his third) at Shoshana Wayne Gallery explains. Nobody does anything the slightest bit unusual in this proliferation of individual portraits.
People stroll, take selfi es, crouch to tie a shoelace, check their cellphones, hurry on, search inside a purse or set a backpack on the ground for a rest. A woman in a kimono uses an open fan to shield her head from the sun.
A boy rides a bicycle, a man looks at a book. Most of the people are alone, though a few couples appear.
Each fi gure is less than a foot tall. Dispersed among them are more than 50 relative giants, not quite waist-tall; their height is the only distinguishing feature that separates them from the throng. (The big ones are cut from
steel rather than aluminium like the small ones, apparently for sturdiness.) Given the photographic precision of the cutouts, the shift in size is like a sudden close-up taken from a telephoto lens.
Ben-David painted all the cutouts matte black, which gives the fi gures the graphic punch of two-dimensional ink drawings in three-dimensional space. The acute precision with which the metal is cut and the fi ne-grained sand is brushed resonates against the easy casualness of the fi gurative activity. Ben-David is looking hard at informality.
Maquettes with a small number of cutouts in plexiglass boxes in a side gallery allow for close viewing, although absent the installation’s sheer numbers they feel like boxed-set souvenirs. I also kept wondering what the main installation might be like if a riot of colour were introduced — something Ben-David has done in other works — a joyous cacophony of excited variety instead of the rather dour sobriety of this monochrome fi eld.
Since the cutouts aff ord visual transparency, what we see are fi gures glimpsed within fi gures. Women are within men and vice versa, sexes are interspersed, races commingle,
ordinariness is exalted through it all. Everything feels transient, ephemeral. The sentiment might not be uncommon, but its artistic manifestation is.
Stark portraits of obsolescence
Barely a single living soul is glimpsed in 48 black-and-white urban photographs from the late 1970s and early 1980s by Berlin-based Ulrich Wust. When people are there, they’re typically obscured behind the windshield of a car on an otherwise empty city street, hidden within a dark sidewalk shadow in the composition’s margins or far off in the distance, back near the vanishing point of a brick roadway lined with shabby buildings.
In a picture of a wintry city park, the only person playing is a static sculpture of an athlete with a ball, frozen in mid-leap. Call these photographs civic portraits without the civitas.
At Christopher Grimes Gallery, Wust’s debut in an American gallery (he has shown at the MIT Museum in Cambridge, Mass.) is a somewhat mixed aff air. The cityscapes are at once novel and familiar.
Trained as a city planner in Communist East Germany,
Wust began to use a camera in 1972 to record and study urban development in a straightforward, inexpressive manner. One result is a visual format that recalls long-established artistic motifs by German forebears like Bernd and Hilla Becher, Albert Renger-Patzsch and August Sander from earlier in the 20th century, as well as American photographers like Lewis Baltz, Judy Fiskin and others related to the New Topographic movement of the 1970s and after.
Wust pictures the city’s putative soullessness before the fall of the Berlin Wall. Patterns of construction that underlie a superfi cial urban diversity often look strange — alienating, mostly, in these emotionally blank photographs.
More compelling is a group of seven more recent colour pictures (they date from 1990, as Communism was in collapse) selected from a larger compendium. They might be called portraits of domestic objects — a desk lamp, a spice grinder, a thermos, a plaid purse, etc. The lamp is tattered, the grinder fi lthy, while the handbag’s handle is incongruously tangled up in rubber bands.
Here to be remembered, however dimly, and not forgotten, each is placed in profi le on the same baby-blue checkered tablecloth before a baby-pink fl oral-patterned wall, like portraits uniformly chronicled in an authorised yearbook or a catalogue of damaged goods. Collectively titled Nachlass (“Estate”), they are what is left behind when an entire society dies. —Los Angeles Times/TNS
Among the jarringly disjunctive roles she slips into include those of a stockbroker, garbage
worker, corporate CEO, punk, scientist, puppeteer, choreographer, TV news reader and teacher
as well as mom and eulogist
Thursday, June 1, 20176 GULF TIMES
COMMUNITY
Envoy hosts Iftar parties for Indonesian community in DohaIndonesian Ambassador to Qatar, Air Marshal (Ret) Muhammad Basri Sidehabi has been hosting Tarhib Ramadan and Iftar parties for the embassy staff , their families, as well as the Indonesian community members living in Qatar. The Indonesian community in Doha consists of about 40,000 people and has also around 51 organisations under the aegis of the Indonesian Community in Qatar (Permiqa), which is led by Edwin Kurniawan. The ambassador has appreciated the role of Permiqa for “their excellent contributions in socio-cultural promotion in Qatar and that it plays an important role in supporting the mission of the embassy to promote good relations between Indonesia and Qatar.” Permiqa has also contributed a lot to the welfare and well-being of the Indonesian community in the host country and is active in supporting the activities of their respective organisations.
Permiqa and the embassy have lined up a series of activities for the Indonesian community in Qatar throughout the first 20 days of Ramadan. These include community prayer gatherings and sermons from notable imams and scholars from Indonesia. Permiqa also holds activities for children to train them how to fast. These Ramadan activities are taking place not only in Doha, but also in other places such as Al Wakrah, Mesaieed, Al Khor and Dukhan. According to Indonesian Embassy’s Minister Counselor, Boy Dharmawan, one recent Iftar Party was also used to bid farewell to three Indonesian home-based staff members who finish their assignments in Qatar, Kuntum Khaira Ummah, Raditya Hartolo and Agus Widayat. He added that during Ramadan, the Indonesian embassy works from 9am to 3.30pm without noon break. The consular services are open from 9.30am to 12pm.
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COMMUNITY
NIA holds ‘Baisakhi Family Fiesta 2017’ for its membersThe North Indians’ Association (NIA) in Qatar recently hosted a family event titled “Baisakhi Family Fiesta 2017”. The event was attended by more than 125 members along with their families. The highlight of the event was the cultural presentation by members and their children. A special presentation by professional performer Bhavna Naik also enthralled the audience. Kids who put up excellent performance in these events were Samarjit Sarkar, Vatsal Babbar, Akshin, Ahaan, Sonakshi, Suhani Jain, Sneha Ranjan, Aashna Bahl, Sakshi Lalwani, Sakshi Sukhnani & Varun Gupta. Adult members who weaved their magic by superb dancing and melodious singing were Moksha Gupta, Anshu Jain, Mamta Babbar and Abhijeet Sarkar.
NIA Chairman Mukesh Singh welcomed the gathering while Vice President Sanjay Arora introduced the programme. Sanjay Arora, on behalf of the managing committee, congratulated the newly-elected president, Sudhir Gupta on his appointment. The new members were also welcomed and introduced. All the participants were presented with certificates. The children were given gifts. The programme ended with DJ Shamim’s performance. Cultural activities were co-ordinated by Kuldeep Kour Bahl and Monica Modi. Stage, light and music activates were co-ordinated by Durgesh Gupta and Abhijit Sarkar. Food and other administrative activities were handled by Shivani Mishra, Renu Malhotra and Punit Jain. The overall co-ordination was done by Mukesh Singh and Sanjay Arora.
Indian Club Toastmasters members clean Al Wakrah beachWith the start of Ramadan, some members of Indian Club Toastmasters-Qatar decided to give back to the community by undertaking a cleaning drive at Al Wakrah public beach recently.Just as the sun was about to set, ten toastmasters, including Charter President HPS Bhullar, incumbent President Ravishankar and President Elect Alarmel Mangai, and some of their family members set about their job with gloves and trash bags. They specifically focused on non-biodegradable plastic waste like water bottles, bottle caps and spoons that were left behind by the visitors to the popular beach.
While the beach looked fairly clean thanks to the committed Wakrah Municipality staff , it is important that the public also do their bit, not just by avoiding littering the beach, but also by undertaking periodic clean-up campaigns.By this voluntary service, Indian Club Toastmasters demonstrated that their club’s commitment to the community extends beyond helping people develop their communication and leadership skills. Buoyed by the enthusiastic response from the club members for their maiden initiative of this kind, the club leaders plan to perform such activities frequently hereafter.
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COMMUNITY
MES wins accolades in No Tobacco Day competitionMES secured winning positions in the inter-school painting and elocution competitions conducted by the Anti Smoking Society Qatar in connection with the world No Tobacco Day at the Ideal Indian School recently. The competitions were conducted separately for boys and girls and in the following categories: Kids, Sub-Junior, Junior, Pre-Senior, Senior, Super Senior.Following are the winners:Painting:1. Krishna Ashok – Sub-Junior – First2. Saranga Santhosh – Junior – First3. Karthik Mahesh – Junior – Second4. Antony Peter – Senior – First5. Lavanya K. – Senior – ThirdElocution:1. Akash Paul – Junior – Third2. Huda Afreen – Junior – Special Prize3. Nishit Kumar – Senior – FirstThe winners were awarded in a function held at the Skills Development Centre.
My Language Program's graduation ceremony at Sri Lankan schoolOwing to the fact that most of the students become less familiar with their mother tongue when they migrate overseas, the Staff ord Sri Lankan School Doha (SSLSD) launched the “My Language Program” four years ago. The mission of this programme is to develop and strengthen the identity of Sri Lankans who migrate abroad for settlement. The annual graduation ceremony of the “My Language Program” for the Academic year 2016-17 took place at the school recently. The chief guest on the occasion was the Managing Director of
Heritage TV Channel, Hemanalin Karunarathne. The “My Language” students made the night a glamorous one with several skits, dances and songs. The key segment of the event was the introduction of the “Muthuhara Lama Samajaya” Program. This new step is expected to pave the way to create excellent media professionals. Providing this opportunity to both SSLSD and non-SSLSD students, the “My Language Program” strives to introduce more exciting opportunities for the development of language centred careers.
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COMMUNITY
AMIS holds graduation for its Foundation-Stage 2 studentsAl Mahd International School (AMIS) held the graduation ceremony for its Foundation-Stage 2 class at the Qatar National Convention Centre recently. Nidal Haidar, Al Mahd International School Director, congratulated all the children for their hard work and achievements throughout the year. She specifically thanked the parents and guardians of all the children for trusting the school with their care,
and the continual support the children received at home to advance their academics. The reading of the Qur’an was done by Hamza Tarek Mohammad Fathy and Karma Magrd Fathy Mostafa Ibrahim. As a reminder of the special day, each child received a scroll outlining their well-deserved achievements. Each class also had the opportunity to take photographs with their peers and family.
Experience Ramadan at City Centre Rotana Doha
City Centre Rotana Doha has announced the launch of a series of dining events on the occasion of the
holy month of Ramadan. This includes a bouquet of special promotions that will provide rich and unique experiences for the local community and travellers alike.
Ramadan is a month of blessings and generosity. City Centre Rotana Doha has created “the perfect ambience to ensure the spirit of Ramadan pervades throughout the hotel from sunrise to sunset and into the magical evenings. Here you can get together with family and friends for a delicious Iftar buff et and discover the true traditions of Arabic hospitality.”
The Iftar and Suhoor off ers at the Almas Ramadan tent will include a wide selection of oriental as well as western cuisine, traditional Arabic and Ramadan
sweets, refreshments and juices in addition to the lively atmosphere, thereby off ering a unique Ramadan experience. To relish the traditional Iftar delicacies, guests can make
family reservations as well as group bookings.
City Centre Rotana will off er its guests the opportunity to savour traditional Lebanese cuisine at
Misk alongside a very authentic Lebanese atmosphere with a variety of genuine Ramadan dishes comprising of rich fl avours and tastes from across the country’s
regions during both Iftar and Suhoor, for groups of 50 persons and above.
At Caramel, known for its relaxing ambiance and upscale design, guests and visitors can indulge in a wonderful Suhoor experience with their Oriental High Tea. Here, they can relax and enjoy delicious tea and coff ee varieties inspired by the East as well as a large assortment of homemade desserts and sweet treats including Kunafa, Baklawa, Maamoul, French pastries and more.
Martin Kendall, the General Manager of City Centre Rotana Doha, said, “I am delighted to be a part of the celebration of the holy month of Ramadan in Qatar through Rotana City Center Hotel. This is my fi rst experience in the Middle East and I look forward to sharing the joy and blessings with our guests during this holy month.”
Almas Ramadan Tent at the hotel.
Thursday, June 1, 201710 GULF TIMES
COMMUNITY INFOGRAPHIC
11Thursday, June 1, 2017 GULF TIMES
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
You may be taking stock of your professional life, Aries. If this is so,
be careful to balance strategy with personal objectives. If you're a
journalist, think about writing for yourself as well as the paper. You
could write novels, poetry, or plays. It doesn't matter what you create
so long as it accurately reflects what you feel and is quite apart from
your professional life.
The day is likely to be confrontational. The latest developments in
your career have off ered you so little encouragement that you're
tempted to cut back on your eff orts, but your financial situation is
forcing you to try even harder. The flashes of insight you gain today
are only likely to increase your discomfort, but in the end they will
provide some valuable information.
Prepare for a somewhat stressful day, Libra. Your family life may be
marred by some disagreements. There's some likelihood you will
feel as though your territory is being invaded and your range of
action limited. But you have no intention of surrendering. You've a
right to a room of your own. You will fight for it tooth and nail!
Your characteristic independence may play some tricks on you
today, Capricorn. What you say won't be approved of as easily as
usual. Even though you have quite a bit of freedom, there are others
who assume that you feel you don't have enough. There's no way to
please everybody. This concern is their problem, not yours. Do the
people you associate with daily really understand who you are?
Something strange may happen today. Someone in your family may
reproach you for having chosen your profession. It may be that your
career has little connection with what people have traditionally done
in your family. But just because a tradition is lost doesn't mean that
it must be mourned, Taurus. Listen to your heart. If you've chosen a
profession that you're truly meant for, you will know it.
You're likely to experience a day of thoughtfulness and reflection,
Leo. Your state of mind will resemble that of a person who has just
rebelled against everything and is now in search of a new vehicle for
self-fulfillment. Others seem to be trying to exert pressure on you.
Will you yield or will you listen to your inner voice? You will know the
answer by the end of the day!
You may have planned to isolate yourself in order to get things
done, but that won't be possible. It's like a force is destabilizing your
professional life. Nothing seems to go right today. Everyone may
be disagreeing, misunderstandings may crop up, things could be
delayed, and communications are likely to be scrambled. You will be
asked to take sides in a conflict, Scorpio. Try to stay neutral.
Here is a day that may make you think you aren't exactly in the right
place in your profession, Aquarius. Could it be that your current
position is too traditional? You're someone who wants to expand on
all the ideas that you have at any given moment. It would seem that
your superiors aren't evolving in the same way. If this is the case,
take the necessary action.
Authorities who have been your guides up to now may confront you.
The hour is here to set aside your fears and lead yourself along your
path. This is undoubtedly a very positive state of aff airs. It means
that you're maturing, Gemini. Besides, there's nothing to stop you
from asking for help from time to time, should you need it.
The day may give you great insight into the decisions you face
concerning your future. Now is the time to decide on your priorities.
Do you want a career right away or would you prefer to continue
your studies? Are you satisfied with your love life and family
relationships? It's possible that a major upheaval in one of these
realms will aff ect all the others. It will be interesting!
People seem fussy about your way of doing things today, Sagittarius.
Try as you might, it seems there's no pleasing the authorities. You,
one of the world's great escape artists, would be well advised to
choose this opportunity to do a vanishing act. However, if the
financial health of your home is at stake, it would be better to stay
and face the music.
Some past stories may come back to haunt you today, Pisces. If
you once held a government post, for example, a journalist could
undercover some error that you made years ago and publish it in
today's newspaper! Everyone has to deal with the jealousy of others
at some point in their lives. So prepare yourself and fight back!
Your eyes: you stare with them, wink with them and roll them. You use your eyes to communicate your thoughts and feelings every single day. Whether you’re aware of it or not, your eyes can
speak volumes about who you are and what you feel. But could your eyes be sending the wrong message?
Curious what your eyes are telling other people? Wood provides four eye language examples.
Eye contact: Too much of a good thing. You’re taught early on to look at someone when they’re talking to you; it’s a sign of respect and shows you’re listening. In fact, the survey, revealed that for those who see the value in maintaining eye contact, holding a direct gaze makes them feel respected (53 percent) and understood (45 percent).
Certain conditions can alter your eye contact. Sometimes, you send messages with your eyes without realising it. For example, Chronic Dry Eye disease symptoms, like red, itching, burning or watering eyes, can send the wrong message – one you don’t intend. It’s important to understand the messages your eye language might be sending to others. Talk to your doctor or visit Eyepowerment.com to learn more about the symptoms and treatment options for Chronic Dry Eye.
Liars look away? Not always. You’ve heard the old saying that a person who looks away is lying. But in many cases, that isn’t true. Research shows the eye contact you make while lying is partially determined by your personality. Expert says that introverts tend to have more trouble maintaining eye contact while lying, whereas extroverts may go over the top and increase eye contact while lying more so than they would otherwise. Additionally, Wood shares that an action like rubbing your eyes can convey a lack of interest, fatigue, disagreement or disbelief in the speaker – or even deceit.
The amount of eye contact you display can show how you feel about things. Research shows that eye contact can demonstrate attraction or attentiveness. You actually make more eye contact with people and things you like and less eye contact with people or things you don’t like.
When it comes to nonverbal communication, your eyes are one of the most expressive parts of your body, even if don’t realise it. In fact, Wood says that research shows we can read not only the six basic emotions – sadness, disgust, anger, joy, fear and surprise – but also over 50 different mental states such as curiosity, interest, dislike or boredom, in another person’s eyes.
The eyes have it: 4 things your eyes may communicate without you knowing it
Thursday, June 1, 201712 GULF TIMES
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
ALPACAARGALIBABOONBADGERBEAVERCOUGARCOYOTEDESMAN
DONKEYFERRETGERBILGIBBONGOPHERIMPALAJACKALJAGUAR
KOODOOLANGURMARMOTMARTENNILGAIOCELOTQUAGGARHESUS
SERVALTELEDUWAPITIWEASELWOMBAT
Six-letter Animals
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.
13Thursday, June 1, 2017 GULF TIMES
COMMUNITYPUZZLES
Colouring
Answers
Wordsearch Codeword
Across1. Put back the runabout in it
when you arrive (4,2)5. Wave from the chap playing
skittles (6)8. Showing one policeman in
the drink is plenty (5)9. A lot for the postman to carry
(6)10. Return holding a little
present: a bird (6)11. She’s broken down on the A9
(5)14. How to conquer - the
problem of the share-out? (8)16. Is it the one in brown who’s
the artist? (6)18. ‘My pencil needs
sharpening’? (9,6)20. Going up with a bouquet (6)22. Taking home the fish with the
little bird (8)25. About half of ‘9’ taken out
from the basket (5)27. Seemed afraid to say
‘Quieten down the row’ (6)28. Plain crooked (6)29. Being drunk in charge in it is
allowed (5)30. Hang out and shake a leg (6)31. What was once a saucy crack
Down: 1 Plead 2 Reluctant 3 Pavement artist 4 Rancour 5 Stayers 7 Heron 8 Mistaught 9 Photograph well 14 Promenade 16 In a moment 18 Gamboge 19 Satiric 22 Aware 24 Doses.
Down1. Given some money and
dumped (6)2. Unusual back-spin (4)3. Had the grand old man got
one at all rattled (8)4. At the top of page one of
Crime And Punishment? (7,8)5. Wish you hadn’t given the
agent the wrong number (6)6. From which the dairy-farmer
can tell there will be bad weather? (4)
7. Hit back in your answer (6)12. Be first one into the wharf?
(7)13. A trip south before the fall (7)15. The man is making a tour of
the clubs (5)17. Part of the stage used for
kitchen sink dramas? (5)19. Determined to get the note,
therefore, on the instrument (8)
20. Laughing when you say you are exploited (6)
21. Grapple with the equipment (6)
23. Room to get a car in (6)24. Sped ahead to see the islands
(4)26. A suit that may be just for
show (4)
Thursday, June 1, 201714 GULF TIMES
COMMUNITY REVIEWS
By Rafer Guzman
How bad is Monster Trucks? Conceived quite literally by a 4-year-old – the son of former Paramount
Pictures president Adam Goodman – the movie is held in such low esteem that the studio reportedly took a $115 million write-down on it before its release. Its arrival midway through January, always a bleak movie month, suggests Paramount would rather forget it ever brought it up.
For all that, Monster Trucks isn’t a complete fi asco. If you didn’t know what it cost, you wouldn’t rate it much worse than most of the kiddie stuff listed under the “suggestions” menu on your favourite streaming platform. Monster Trucks is the kind of junk movie desperate parents
frequently turn to in order to get a couple hours’ peace.
It’s directed by Chris Wedge, whose animated Ice Age movies have been serving that same function for years. Monster Trucks stars Lucas Till (of CBS’ MacGyver reboot) as Tripp, a high schooler in North Dakota who wants only one thing. No, not a girlfriend, as his moony classmate Meredith (Jane Levy) knows too well, but an engine for his truck. What Tripp doesn’t know is that the Terravex oil company has just drilled into an underground ecosystem, releasing a strange life form that guzzles oil and has the ability to spin an axle at high speed.
When boy meets creature — nicknamed “Creech” — it’s a match made in heaven. Creech, a CGI character who probably guzzled most of the movie’s cash, too, is an unlovely octopus-manatee hybrid with fl oppy tentacles and spiny teeth, but
when Tripp discovers the big fella is also a living engine, they’re off to the races. Well, fi guratively speaking; one of this movie’s many missed opportunities is that Tripp and Creech never take to a track to strut their stuff . Instead, they spend their time eluding Terravex bad guys and re-enacting the bicycle scene from E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial.
Till and Levy look way too old to be teenagers (they’re in their mid-20s), yet their roles seem written for children. They’re supported by several fi ne but wasted actors, among them Amy Ryan as Tripp’s mom, Thomas Lennon as a knock-kneed scientist, Rob Lowe as a ruthless oil baron and Barry Pepper as the local sheriff . The simple-minded script, written by four grown adults, makes them all seem like amateurs. That said, my 9-year-old loved Monster Trucks, so maybe there’s hope for this movie yet. —Newsday/TNS
The action is a monstrosity
PAW Patrol is a Canadian CGI–animated television series created by Keith Chapman. It is produced by Spin Master Entertainment with animation provided by Guru Studio. In Canada, the series is
primarily broadcast on TVOKids, which first ran previews of the show in August 2013. The series first aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on August 12, 2013.
The series focuses on a boy named Ryder who leads a pack of rescue dogs known as the PAW Patrol. They work together on missions to protect the shoreside community of Adventure Bay. Each dog has a specific set of skills based on a real-life profession. For example, Marshall has the abilities of a firefighter and Chase’s responsibilities are similar to those of a police officer. They all reside in doghouses that can transform into customised vehicles when necessary. They are also equipped with backpacks called “pup packs” that contain tools.
Spin Master has developed the show into a media franchise and released an ongoing line of toys based on it. PAW Patrol toy sales have generated millions of dollars in revenue for the corporation and increased Spin Master’s presence in the preschool toy market. Despite the commercial success of the show, critical reception has been mixed. Several critics have called attention to its unequal gender representation because the team of dogs is primarily male. The show, and its associated products, have received a variety of awards and nominations from
associations such as the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
Each episode of PAW Patrol follows a similar pattern and features recurring themes. Episodes normally open with a scene depicting the dogs going about their everyday lives, often playing with dog toys or engaging in activities at the local playground.
Ryder, a ten-year-old boy, is advised of a problem by receiving a call for help or by witnessing a situation himself. His most frequent caller is an accident-prone marine biologist named Cap’n Turbot, who knows much about Adventure Bay’s wildlife. Ryder always alerts the dogs via their blinking pet tags. The team members report to their base, the Lookout, and enter its elevator. Marshall typically arrives last causing a humorous mishap that makes the other dogs laugh as the elevator rises.
When they reach the top floor, they arrange themselves in a line. Chase announces that the team is ready for action as Ryder tells the pups what has happened. He chooses several members of the team, normally two first responders, to help solve whatever problem has emerged. They ride a slide down to their vehicles and complete their mission. When they have finished, Ryder says his catchphrase: “Whenever you’re in trouble, just yelp for help!” and congratulates the dogs. — Wikipedia
DVDs courtesy: Saqr Entertainment Stores, Doha
An adventure ride encore
Thursday, June 1, 2017 15GULF TIMES
COMMUNITYHOLLYWOOD
Parineeti: Essence of what I was saying, completely lost
Chastain disturbed over women’s representation in fi lms at Cannes fest
Actress Jessica Chastain has voiced her concern about the way women were represented in the movies selected for competition at the 70th Cannes Film Festival.
Chastain, who was on the jury at the prestigious festival, said she was disturbed by the female characters she saw on screen at the gala, reports dailymail.co.uk.
“This is the fi rst time I’ve watched 20 fi lms in 10 days and I love movies, and the one thing I really took away from this experience is how the world views women from the female characters that were represented. It was quite disturbing to me, to be honest — with some exceptions,” Chastain said.
Chastain suggested that more women fi lmmakers and storytellers be included for
consideration in competition in the future. “I do hope that when we include more female
storytellers we will have more of the women I recognise in my day to day life, those who are proactive, have their own agency, don’t just react to the men around them, they have their own point of view,” Chastain said on the closing day of the Cannes fi lm gala. — IANS
Actress Parineeti Chopra says her statement about her family not having enough money during her childhood
has been misconstrued due to which the essence of what she was trying to convey got lost.
During an event with actor Akshay Kumar on May 21, Parineeti shared her childhood struggles saying that her family was poor and could not aff ord a car for her to go to the school. Thus, she used to ride a cycle to school every day and became a victim of eve-teasing.
However, Parineeti’s statement was slammed on social media by a few of her “schoolmates” who claimed that the actress was “lying”.
“Hi everyone. I think what I said at a martial arts event a few days ago has been misconstrued in some places, so I would like to take a moment and clarify what I meant,” Parineeti tweeted.
She said when she was studying in Ambala, she and her brothers didn’t have access to a car and
driver to take them to school. So, the boys took the bus and she rode a bicycle.
Her father followed close behind to ensure she reached school safely.
“My dad did have a car that he used for his offi ce work but we kids did not use it for school travel. As a child, I hated going on a cycle, but today I understand that he was doing it to make me independent and keep me safe.”
She said somehow the entire episode got “misconstrued, about something very irrelevant about me having a car or not.”
“I was talking about using a car and driver to go to school that’s all. The essence of what and why I was giving that example was completely lost.”
“I am proud to be present at a time that girls are becoming stronger with training in martial arts. If I had had such an opportunity back then, I know I would have felt much more confi dent.”
She said she chose to respond a
little late as she was out of India.“I would request everyone
concerned to please not let menial things like this take precedence over what I was actually trying to say, about women’s safety and the challenges that we girls face while growing up,” she said.
After the event took place, a former classmate of Parineeti from her school slammed the actor by saying that her story is a lie.
He posted on his Facebook account: “Parineeti Chopra shame...coming from a privileged background and lying through the teeth in front of the camera. I guess this is what being a celebrity means. Create a fabricated sob story of no money no car.
“Coming from the same school I probably also remember the car her father used to have. And going to school on a cycle was a trend those days and also a privilege not everyone had. My friends from CJM (Convent of Jesus and Mary) would probably understand the lies a bit better,” he added. — IANS MISUNDERSTOOD? Parineeti Chopra.
CONFESSION: Raveena says it made her nervous acting with Sanjay Dutt.
Had a huge crush on Sanjay Dutt, says Raveena Tandon
Raveena Tandon, who is gearing up for her next fi lm Shab, says she had a huge crush on actor Sanjay Dutt at one point.
During the promotional interviews of Shab, Raveena was asked about her favourite stars. She said the choice changes from time to time.
“In my childhood days, I was a fan of Rishi Kapoor and then when I grew up a bit, I had a crush on Sanjay Dutt. I have worked with him in seven fi lms. I used to be very scared while working with him as I couldn’t believe that I was actually doing a fi lm with someone whose poster were all over my room’s wall.
“I had a very huge crush on him,” said the actress, who has worked with Sanjay in fi lms like Kshatriya, Vijeta and L.O.C Kargil.
Talking about Shab, Raveena said: “It is a very sensitive fi lm dealing with relationships. Relationships are never
easy and are always complicated. The fi lm is made with very ensemble cast and mostly it talks about relationships and the way everyone is connected with each other.
“I feel that when people will watch the fi lm, they will easily connect some or the other character.”
The actress, who has portrayed some memorable characters in fi lms like Daman and Satta, says doing diff erent things and characters excites her.
“I mostly try to do diff erent characters. After Maatr, you will see me here in a very glamorous avatar with a bit of grey shades in it. Doing diff erent things excites me. I like to do things which challenge me as an actor, something which I never did before. So all that is exciting for me, and I hope I am successful in this as well,” she added.
Directed by Onir, Shab also features Arpita Chatterjee, Ashish Bisht, Simon Frenay, Gaurav Nanda and Areesz Ganddi. The fi lm is scheduled to release on June 30. — IANS
Don’t strangle celebrities with expectations: Manisha
Actress Manisha Koirala says celebrities shouldn’t be strangled with expectations.
Manisha, a cancer survivor, campaigns for the cause and has lent her support to preventing violence against women and human traffi cking.
Does her celebrity status help in making a diff erence?
“Any celebrity or a public fi gure would have an impact on the society, but having said that... don’t strangle them with expectations as at the end of the day they are also human beings,” Manisha said in response to a question.
The 46-year-old added: “People who are not celebrities should also be responsible in spreading social messages.”
Manisha will soon be seen in the forthcoming fi lm Dear Maya, which is set to release on Friday.
The fi lm tells the story about Maya, a middle-aged woman, who leaves everything in search of love.
The fi lm also features two new actresses — Pakistani radio jockey Madiha Imam and Shreya Choudhary.
How was her experience working with the young actresses?
“I didn’t interact much with them (young actors in the fi lm), but they are bright, beautiful and very talented. I love the younger generation’s energy,” said Manisha. — IANSUNEASE: Manisha Koirala.
UNHAPPY: Jessica Chastain.
Thursday, June 1, 201716 GULF TIMES
COMMUNITY
Meet Emma, the robot that dances with dementia patients
Emma cost about 17,000 euros and was paid for by Kiel University.At first the residents were sceptical of Emma, says team leader Ingrid Fritsch. But that quickly changed.
Whenever Emma plays a song, the patients’ eyes light up. She’s one member of a new
generation of helpers popping up in homes for the elderly around the world. And those
that dance with her don’t seem to care that she’s not human. By Andre Klohn
“What do you feel like doing?” Emma asks in a friendly tone, swinging her arms.
Erika Kratteit bends forwards a little and uses the robot’s touchscreen to select another song. “Here we go,” says the 87-year-old, and the sound of a 1960s German hit fi lls the room.
The elderly lady’s eyes brighten and she begins to dance. Emma comes here every two weeks, to a home in the northern German city of Kiel, to entertain the dementia patients.
“We want the robot to become part of the group, and not be perceived by the residents as a foreign object,” says her programmer, a 29-year-old robotics engineer Hannes Eilers from the city’s university of applied sciences. “That means Emma has to integrate.”
The robot has been visiting the home for the past three months, and so far the results are positive. Dementia patients seem to love it when the robot plays their favourite music for them.
“Of course the songs bring back memories,” says care director Thorben Maack. There are a dozen people in the home, aged between 75 and 93, and the illness manifests itself diff erently in each of them.
Kratteit is already very fond of Emma. “The movements, the eyes, I like them,” she says, adding that she used to sing herself in a choir. “I still enjoy singing.”
At fi rst the residents were sceptical of Emma, says team leader Ingrid Fritsch. But that quickly changed. “They touched the robot, asked her questions.”
Emma can answer four questions, says Eilers. One of them is “Where do you come
from?”“I come from Kaliningrad,” Kratteit tells
the 1.6-metre-tall robot. “I come from Paris, that’s in France,” answers Emma.
The robot also responds to calls, can recognise faces and take pictures of residents if they want with a small camera embedded in her forehead.
The results are displayed seconds later on the screen on her chest.
“If you don’t talk to her though she gets bored,” says Eilers. “Then she goes walkabout.” Sometimes that means she approaches the residents directly.
Scientists have been working on robots to care for the elderly for years. In Japan, the PARO therapeutic robot by AIST is already in its eighth generation and has been in use since 2003.
In Germany, the Fraunhofer Institute for
Digital Media Technology developed “Alias,” a robot aimed at helping the elderly with everyday tasks and encouraging them to remain active.
The University of Applied Scientists Ravensburg-Weingarten built Marvin, a robot that can help disabled people by pouring glasses of water or passing an apple.
German engineers have also developed another robot aimed at helping people who have suff ered a stroke learn to walk again. “Emma is there to support the careworkers,” says Maack. “But she’s not a replacement.”
He thinks the robots have potential to help in other ways though, for example reminding dementia patients to take their medicine, or warning carers if a patient wanders off .
“For that to happen it would have to be cheaper though,” he says. Emma cost about 17,000 euros (19,000 dollars) and was paid for by Kiel University.
“We’re always developing new ideas with the home about what the robot can do here,” says Eilers.
The fi rst robot he worked on was signifi cantly smaller. Grace was supposed to help the elderly people stay fi t and carried out diff erent exercises with them.
Emma, who weighs 45 kilograms, is an improvement on that machine. For one thing, she is much more mobile. “We’re planning to get a research project out of it,” says Eilers. The robot is soon to start playing memory games with the residents.
For the meantime though, music is still on the agenda for today. All the residents stand up and start to dance as the next hit comes on, Kratteit in the middle, smiling and holding Emma by the hand. – DPA
The robot responds to calls, can recognise faces and take pictures of residents if they want with a small camera embedded in her forehead.
