Karan and Bipasha open to working together HEALTH & FITNESS | 10 ENTERTAINMENT | 12 PEC organises Annual Drama Galore Healthy eating during the Holy Month of Ramadan www.thepeninsulaqatar.com WEDNESDAY 1 JUNE 2016 @peninsulaqatar @peninsula_qatar Email: [email protected]thepeninsulaqatar CAMPUS | 3 NEW TREND NEW TREND LIVING WITH PARENTS LIVING WITH PARENTS P | 4-5 For the first time in modern history, living with parents has overtaken other living arrangements for 18 to 34-year-olds, according to a report.
Transcript
Karan and Bipasha open to working together
HEALTH & FITNESS | 10 ENTERTAINMENT | 12
PEC organises Annual Drama
Galore
Healthy eating during the Holy
Month of Ramadan
www.thepeninsulaqatar.com
WEDNESDAY 1 JUNE 2016 @peninsulaqatar @peninsula_qatarEmail: [email protected] thepeninsulaqatar
CAMPUS | 3
NEW TRENDNEW TREND LIVING WITH PARENTSLIVING WITH PARENTS P | 4-5
For the first time in modern history, living with parents has overtaken other living arrangements for 18 to 34-year-olds, according to a report.
| 03WEDNESDAY 1 JUNE 2016
CAMPUS
A drama evening was held
at Pakistan Education Cen-
tre (PEC) to explore the ar-
tistic side of the young art-
ists of the centre in the Annual Drama
Galore.
It is significant to mention that this
vibrant event, a brainchild of Principal
Nargis Raza Otho is a yearly feature
of our school which is organised chief-
ly to discover the artistic potential of
young PECIANS.
Chief Guest Madam Nargis Raza
Otho, noble guests Business Manag-
er from British council Zoheb Khaja
graced the occasion. Besides, all the
vice-principals, HM KG Wing, Head of
ACD, teachers, students of PEC as well
as the parents attended the event.
The event was titled as ‘The Drama
Galore. ‘The students from KG up to
Grade XI were involved in performing
various dramas and cultural segments,
to narrate the stories and to perform
in the plays that were really clapped.
The evening started with a mirth-
ful performance of kindergarten, the
epic drama based on the famous “Lit-
tle Red Riding Hood”.
Junior Wing presented their en-
actment on an English play; Shake-
speare’s Hamlet. The incredible young
performers really held everyone cap-
tive throughout the play.
Urdu Drama by Girls’ Wing “Ak-
bari and Asghari” the two well-known
characters of Deputy Nazir Ahmed’s
renowned novel, “Mirratul Arooss”
came up next. It was followed by an
English Skit By Boys’ Wing, “Mind your
Language”; a comedy skit where an
EFL teacher teaches English to mul-
ti lingual and multi ethnic group of
students, an exuberant and breath-
taking performance. Next alluring en-
actment was based on one of the
most popular English play; “Dr. Faus-
tus”. The students of Boys’ Wing pre-
sented the final performance of the
evening culminating with breath
holding enactment on an Urdu Play,
“Chacha Chhakkan in PEC.”
NU-Q presents Latin
Honors to students
Northwestern University in Qa-
tar (NU-Q) has announced
that six of its graduating stu-
dents from the class of 2016
have received Latin Honors, which
are awarded to students who have
achieved the highest academic hon-
ours. The class valedictorian and high-
est ranked student, Layan Amin Ab-
dul Shkoor, was accorded summa cum
laude. Receiving magna cum laude
recognition were Syed Owais Ali and
Tamador Mohammed AlSulaiti.
Three graduates, Alya Hilal Ahmed
Al Harthy, James Thomas Copplestone
Farmer, and Malak Ahmed Monir were
designated as cum laude.
“Each of these students compiled an
enviable record of academic achieve-
ment in their designated major and in
humanities and social science cours-
es across the curriculum. They have
achieved excellence in formal course
work and by completing research
projects and demonstrating proficien-
cy in journalistic writing, strategic com-
munication, and/or film studies,” said
Everette E. Dennis, dean and CEO at
NU-Q. “These students represent a ris-
ing trajectory of academic perform-
ance in a school that gets more com-
petitive each year,” said the dean.
PEC organises Annual Drama Galore
Northwestern graduated its largest
class on May 1 with 41 students repre-
senting 14 countries. In addition to Lat-
in Honors, ten students in the Class of
2016 achieved academic honors by be-
ing named to the Dean’s List between
five and seven times during their time
at NU-Q.
COVER STORY
04 | WEDNESDAY 1 JUNE 2016
By Tara Bahrampour The Washington Post
For the first time in modern histo-
ry, living with parents has over-
taken other living arrangements
for 18 to 34-year-olds, accord-
ing to a Pew Research Center report
released last week.
In 2014, 32.1 percent of young
adults lived in their parents’ homes,
edging out all other living arrange-
ments, including marriage or cohabita-
tion, living alone, or living as single par-
ents or with roommates.
The change is fuelled by a steep
decline in the portion of young Amer-
icans settling down romantically over
the past 50 years.
Since 1880, when the Census Bu-
reau started keeping track, the most
common arrangement for young peo-
ple was to live with a spouse or signifi-
cant other. That peaked in 1960, when
62 percent of 18 to 34-year-olds did
so. Now, that number has fallen by half,
with just 31.6 percent living with a ro-
mantic partner.
Along the way, the median age of
first marriage has risen steadily, from a
1956 low of 20 for women and 22 for
men to 27 for women and 29 for men
in 2014.
“For earlier generations of young
Americans, one of the major activities
that they were focused on was part-
nering, forming a new family, maybe
with children,” said Richard Fry, the
study’s author.
“For the first time, instead, what we
see is they’re not focused on family
and forming a household.” Rather, they
are more likely to be tending to stud-
ies and work, hoping to earn and save
enough to move out on their own.
A big reason is a decline in econom-
ic opportunities. As the cost of living
has escalated and wages have stag-
nated, young people face mounting
student debt and daunting barriers to
renting or owning a home, creating ob-
stacles to cohabitation and marriage.
The trend is led by young men,
whose fortunes have been declining
since the 1960s. While they have al-
ways lived with their parents in great-
er numbers than young women, this
setup became the dominant living ar-
rangement for them in 2009.
Since 1880, when the Census Bureau started keeping track, the most common arrangement for young people was to live with a spouse or significant other. That peaked in 1960, when 62 percent of 18 to 34-year-olds did so. Now, that number has fallen by half, with just 31.6 percent living with a romantic partner.
Young people moving back to live with parents
COVER STORY
| 05WEDNESDAY 1 JUNE 2016
In 2014, 35 percent of young men
lived with parents in the US, while only
28 percent lived with a spouse or part-
ner (for young women, the percentag-
es are flipped: 29 and 35, respectively).
“For the typical young man over the
last few decades the job market has
worked against them,” Fry said. Unem-
ployed young men are more likely to
live with their parents than those with
jobs, and employment among young
men has dropped significantly in re-
cent decades.
A couple of years ago, Marshall
Taliaferro, 25, took up residence in his
parents’ house in Leesburg, Virginia.
“I moved in with my parents be-
cause I don’t really have to pay rent
and I get free meals,” said Taliaferro,
who works in his father’s advertising
agency and at a local concert venue.
The setup is far from what he
dreams of for himself. “My ideal life
is to be married, with maybe a kid or
two, and at that point I would not be
living with my parents; I would be liv-
ing with my wife or girlfriend and bank
account that I can live off of, and sub-
stantial enough pay. No parents would
be lovely.”
The trend toward living with par-
ents is also more pronounced among
minorities, the study found, with 36
percent of black and Hispanic youth
doing so. But even among whites,
the change since the 1960 was stark
— from 19 percent living with parents
then to 30 percent in 2014.
Philip Cohen, a sociology profes-
sor at the University of Maryland, said
the study signals an important demo-
graphic milestone. “I see this as part of
an overall trend in an increase in fam-
ily diversity and decline in the nuclear
family household,” he said.
It also reflects a change in young
women’s expectations and pros-
pects, he said. “Young women really
don’t want to be dependent on a man
they’re going to marry, and also they
think they might have a better selec-
tion” if they wait until their careers are
launched, he said. They may be right:
“A large number of men say they want a
wife who is a major financial contribu-
tor to the household,” Cohen said.
Karla Caraballo-Torres, 25, and her
boyfriend have lived on and off with
her mother in Falls Church, Virginia,
since graduating from college. They
plan to move out of their Arlington
apartment next week and back in with
her mother (a third roommate is also
moving back with his parents).
“When we’ve been living on our own
we haven’t been able to save,” Cara-
ballo-Torres said. A producer at a news
station, she hopes to go to graduate
school, and her boyfriend wants to
travel, so moving to her mother’s made
sense. Still, she feels hesitant.
“There was something of like, ‘I have
a full-time job, I should be able to live
on my own,” she said. “Ideally [living
with her mother] wouldn’t be the case,
but realistically this is our best option.”
The study found that people with
lower education levels are more like-
ly to be living with their parents rath-
er than with romantic partners, while
more highly educated young people
are more likely to live with romantic
partners. That does not surprise Cohen.
“Marriage has declined faster for peo-
ple with low levels of education, and
that has a lot to do with their ability
to attain the kind of economic security
to make them feel able to settle down
and be excited to do so.”
For them, cohabitation is not nec-
essarily a one-way street, he said — it
may be beneficial to the parents too,
especially as middle-aged people are
less likely to own their homes now than
20 or 30 years ago.
“The care and support flows up
and down the generations, especially
among poorer people,” he said. “Now
it’s more likely that both generations
are economically insecure and they’re
taking care of each other.”
The trend toward moving back
in with parents, which predates the
2009 recession, has significant eco-
nomic and demographic implications,
Fry said.
People who delay starting families
could face fertility challenges down
the road, he said. And in the near term,
“The spending that goes on in the for-
mation of a household — the furniture
purchases, the appliance purchases,
the cable subscriptions, that isn’t hap-
pening.”
06 | WEDNESDAY 1 JUNE 2016
COMMUNITY
Rabiullah bags
Anand TV Prabasi
Ratna award
Actor Mammootty hands over the
Anand TV Prabasi Ratna award to
Dr. K T Rabiullah for his contribution to
humanitarian works and charities, at
a glittering ceremony. Dr. Rabiullah is
the Chairman and Managing Director
of Shifa Al Jazeera Medical group, the
leading healthcare conglomerate in
the GCC. It has also medical units in
India, the UK and the USA.
Workshop on ‘Sustainable Materials and Materials for Sustainability’ held
GMC TriSeries concludes season with largest field ever
The third and final triathlon of the
2015-16 GMC TriSeries was held
at Aspire Zone last weekend, reg-
istering the largest field ever with 284
entries.
The GMC TriSeries is hosted each
year during Qatar’s cooler months and
this is the third full season that the se-
ries has been held in Qatar.
Organised by TriClub Doha in part-
nership with Qatar’s iconic Aspire Zone,
each meet features events for begin-
ners as well as intermediate and ad-
vanced athletes in separate categories
by gender and age groups.
Held on weekends to encourage
greater public participation, TriSeries
events are open to anyone and each
race is conducted using electronic tim-
ing equipment, supported by numer-
ous volunteers from the TriClub and
Aspire Zone.
Swimming legs start at the Hamad
Aquatic Centre, with cycling and run-
ning stages held on the roads within
Aspire Zone.
Ewan Cameron, from TriClub Do-
ha, said: “We have
run these events
for 3 years in part-
nership with Aspire
and each race gets
bigger and big-
ger. We are partic-
ularly pleased with
the number of kids
that are getting in-
volved.”
Aspire Zone
Foundation Events
manager Abdullah
Al-Khater said: “As-
pire Zone offers a
holistic experience
and environment
for people who
want to stay fit. We
are delighted to
host such a pop-
ular event which
helps the commu-
nity think of fitness
outside the walls of just a gym.”
Mannai Corporation continued its
support of the series through GMC,
which has been the title sponsor of the
event since its inception.
Ivor D’Cunha, General Manager-Op-
erations, Mannai Auto Group, said: “We
are honored to be supporting such an
important event that creates a plat-
form for people within the general
community to compete alongside each
other. Our participation in the annual
TriSeries has also inspired many Man-
nai staff to jump into their training gear
and participate. This is extremely re-
warding for an organisation such as
ours which seeks to lead by example
and not just suggestion.”
A team of employees from Mannai
Corporation participated in the recent-
ly concluded triathlon. It was the larg-
est turnout of Mannai staff participat-
ing in the races, outside of supporting
its organisation as volunteers in the
last 3 years.
The organisers are hoping to in-
spire more groups of friends and ac-
quaintances to participate together in
upcoming TriSeries events. The next
season commences when the weath-
er cools down at the end of the year.
However, the triathlon club and it
members are always active on triclub-
doha.com.
FOOD
08 | WEDNESDAY 1 JUNE 2016
By Elizabeth Chang The Washington Post
For years, my husband and I have watched
with trepidation as a forest of bamboo has
relentlessly advanced on our property. Every
summer, he would spend days chopping away
at stalks and roots; every year more would pop up. It
was an endless game of whack-a-mole, and we were
losing. When the county announced that it would
embark on a stormwater project along the stream
behind our property we, along with our next-door
neighbours, asked that the project please, please,
please include eradication of the bamboo.
That would still leave plenty of bamboo in our
suburban Maryland neighbourhood. Too many of
our subdivision’s original homeowners had thought
the plant would provide a pleasant screen from pry-
ing eyes. Instead, it encircled and strangled native
species like a boa constrictor. It uprooted the ten-
nis courts adjacent to the neighborhood pool. It cast
darkness over sunny areas. Everywhere we looked,
we could see nuisance and menace.
The cut-up shoots were not the shape I was used
to; they resembled miniature half ladders rather
than sticks of chewing gum. Turns out, the canned
bamboo shoots often come from the outside of the
shoot, not the super-tender inside.
The bamboo shoots were tender and crunchy
and tasted mild — a little like hearts of palm. I could
see why people crave them.
Recipe
Nagoya-Style Ankake Spaghetti With Bamboo Shoots
2 servings
Ingredients:Kosher or sea salt
5 pieces fresh bamboo (8 to 10 inches long) or 8
ounces store-bought peeled fresh bamboo
4 to 6 ounces dried spaghetti or your favorite
pasta
Olive oil
2 tablespoons potato starch
2 tablespoons water
2 cups no-salt-added chicken broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sake
1/4 teaspoon peeled, finely grated fresh ginger
root
1/4 teaspoon finely grated garlic
6 shiitake mushrooms (stemmed), cut into thin
strips
1 teaspoon sesame oil (not toasted)
2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions (white and
light-green parts), for garnish
StepsBring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-
high heat. Add a small pinch of salt.
Discard the tough outer layers of bamboo until
you reach the pale, tender interior. Cut the bamboo
in half lengthwise (so you can see its interior cham-
bers; clear those out, if needed), then cut crosswise
into bite-size pieces. Add to the pot; once the water
returns to a boil, cook for 20 minutes, until tender.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bamboo shoot
pieces to a plate; drain the pot and fill it with fresh
water.
Add a generous pinch of salt to the pot; bring to
a boil over medium-high heat, then add the pasta
and cook according to the package directions. Drain
and drizzle with a little olive oil to keep it from stick-
ing. Cover loosely to keep warm.
Meanwhile, whisk together the potato starch and
water in a small bowl, to form a smooth slurry.
Combine the broth, soy sauce, sake, ginger and
garlic in a medium saucepan over medium-high
heat, stirring until well incorporated. Once the mix-
ture comes to a boil, add the shiitake mushrooms
and the cooked bamboo shoots. Cook for a minute
or two, then remove from the heat.
Pour in the potato starch slurry and the sesame
oil; use a ladle to swirl it into the broth mixture, then
return the saucepan to stove top, over medium heat;
cook for a few minutes or just until thickened. Taste
and add salt, as needed. Turn off the heat.
Divide the pasta between wide, shallow bowls,
then pour the bamboo shoot sauce over each por-
tion. Top with scallions; serve right away.
Nutrition | Per serving (using kosher salt): 430
calories, 15 g protein, 67 g carbohydrates, 11 g fat, 2
g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 1,200 mg sodium,
5 g dietary fiber, 10 g sugar.
Bamboo invaded my yard; so I decided to eat it
FASHION / LIFESTYLE
| 09WEDNESDAY 1 JUNE 2016
Palestinian embroidery show in Lebanon
People look at dresses during an exhibition of Palestinian embroidery
works in the Lebanese capital Beirut last week.
HEALTH & FITNESS
10 | WEDNESDAY 1 JUNE 2016
By Fatima Nabil The Peninsula
Ramadan is the Holy month of
Muslim calendar in which Mus-
lims fast for a month from
dawn to dusk. This month is
soon approaching and diet plays a
very important role in keeping your-
self healthy and active during this pe-
riod. This year as well Ramadan would
be falling in summer and it is essential
to plan Suhoor and Iftar in a way which
would keep one hydrated and active
throughout the month.
In Ramadan, most of the commu-
nities prepare special meals which are
specific to this month; i.e. lavish dish-
es, deep fried foods, sugary beverages,
etc. The reason behind preparation of
such meals is the predetermined mind-
set that once we break our fast we have
to consume a lot of water and food oth-
erwise something will go wrong in our
body. However, the truth is that con-
sumption of such food in fact leads us
to bloat and lethargic post Iftar and
Suhoor which unfortunately also affects
our ibadah.
According to recent studies; 80 per-
cent Muslims across the world gain
weight during Ramadan. Although it
would seem that 15-20 hours of fast-
ing should lead to weight loss but du-
eto unhealthy eating habits people ac-
tually gain weight. Furthermore, it al-
so has many long term drawbacks as
well; so when you plan your Suhoor
and Iftar practice the following points
to avoid binge eating, feeling lethargic,
unhealthy and overweight.
Healthy balanced Suhoor
Things to consider:During Suhoor preparation, keep
all food groups in your mind, plan your
meal which comprise of all food groups.
Fasting does not mean that in Suhoor
time you just fill yourself with mindless
eating; instead one should have foods
in moderation. Instead of eating large
portions, have adequate portion siz-
es which should include main course
which is rich with proteins such as fish,
chicken, lamb, etc. and it should be ac-
companied by some sort of bread (pref-
erably multi-grain or whole wheat) to
fulfill carbohydrate needs of the body.
This combination will not only give you
sufficient energy but will also make you
feel fuller for longer periods of time. Al-
so include salad in your meal since it
contains fibre which will help in avoid-
ing constipation during fasting. During
fasting there is a strong chance of feel-
ing constipated due to no water con-
sumption; therefore, consumption of
some fresh vegetables at Suhoor time
can boost metabolism.
Foods to eat:Fibre rich foods constitute whole
wheat bread, oat meal porridge, sago,
fruits and vegetables. Fibre rich foods
have the ability to make the human
body feel fuller for longer periods of
time. Carbohydrates provides energy so
choose at least 2-3 servings from this
group like whole wheat bread, brown
rice and multi grain bread. From milk
group choose at least one serving in
Suhoor time, i.e. have a cup of yogurt or
milk during this time.
Foods to avoid:Greasy fried foods, sugary foods
and beverages and foods which con-
tains starchy sugars should be strictly
avoided. Carbohydrates intensive foods
which are made up of refined flour like
bread, rice potatoes and pasta should
also be avoided. These foods immedi-
ately and abnormally increase the blood
sugar levels and are unable to keep the
body fuller for longer periods of time.
Healthy balanced Iftar
Things to consider:Plan your Iftar wisely; when you
break your fast have some dates and
a glass of milk or any beverage like fruit
juice but it should not be sugary and try
to fresh fruit extracts. Take a break, say
your Maghrib prayers, return to the din-
ing table and have a bowl of fruits or
salad. This is highly recommended be-
cause it contains vitamins, minerals, fi-
bre, fruits and vegetables which have
stimulating effect, which vitalise the
body and make you feel fuller. However,
do not overconsume water or any other
drinks take some break after this meal
and then consume some liquids. After
this, choose a protein intensive meal
(similar to the one in Suhoor time) and
choose from either steamed or baked
chicken and fish or lamb. Accompany
this meal with some bread (preferably
multi grain bread or whole wheat chap-
atti).
Foods to eat:Fruits, vegetables, milk, yogurt,
boiled and grilled chicken, fish or lamb.
Foods to avoid:Fried foods, lavish foods, greasy
foods they are high in calories, difficult
to digest and makes you lethargic. Such
foods could also lead to bloating for
longer periods of time.
The author is a dietician with a Bach-elors of Science (BS) in Nutrition and Dietetics from University of Karachi, Pakistan.
Healthy eating during Ramadan
ENTERTAINMENT
| 11WEDNESDAY 1 JUNE 2016
Chris Brown sued for ‘stealing hat’IANS
Singer Chris Brown is
being reportedly sued
by a fan who has ac-
cused him of stealing
his hat at one of the concerts
last year. In his lawsuit, the fan
named Marq Stevenson claims
that he was attending Brown’s
show in Dallas in 2015 when
he gave his hat to one crew
member to get it signed by
the “Loyal” hitmaker, reports
tmz.com.
In the end, not only did he
walk away without Brown’s
autograph, but he also failed
to get his hat back. Instead, he
claims that he got bullied by
the 27-year-old star’s crew.
Stevenson is now asking
$25 from Brown for the stolen
hat, $225 for the ticket to the
show and $2,500 for suffering
the bullying. The news came
days after Brown scored a ma-
jor victory in his recent court
battle against his former part-
ner Nia Guzman, who said that
he was unfit to care for their
child because of his alleged
drug use and gang affiliation.
A judge recently reject-
ed Guzman’s request to have
Brown’s visitation rights re-
duced and said that the couple
should continue sharing joint
custody of Royalty, their daugh-
ter who recently turned two.
Jesse Eisenberg will star in ‘Justice League’
Actor Jesse Eisenberg, who played Lex Luthor
in “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”,
has confirmed that he will reprise his role in
the next DC Comics movie “Justice League”.
Eisenberg confirmed his part in the film during an
appearance at the MCM London Comic-Con, reports
aceshowbiz.com.
“I’m kind of in wait. They just started filming ‘Jus-
tice League’, so I’m kind of like waiting for my crack
at it,” he said. “I don’t know what I’m allowed to say,
because I feel like there’s probably some drone fol-
lowing me from DC, and if I say anything wrong I get,
you know, picked off. But yeah I think so, and I love it,
and I love everybody who’s in it. You know, it’s a re-
ally talented group of people,” he added.
To be directed by Zack Snyder, “Justice League”
will be released in two parts.
“Justice League Part One” is set to hit theatres on
November 17, 2017 and “Justice League Part Two”
will follow on June 14, 2019.
Actor Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot and Ja-
son Momoa are all set to star in the two films.
Tom Hiddleston in advanced talks for next Bond movie
British actor Tom Hiddleston is reportedly in
“advanced talks” to replace Daniel Craig as
the next James Bond. According to enter-
tainment news website birthmoviesdeath.com,
Hiddleston “very much wants the job”, reports
aceshowbiz.com. “While talks have indeed taken
place, and that Tom very much wants the job (a
fact of which he’s made no secret), no official of-
fer has been made yet,” the website claims.
Earlier this week, news surfaced that actor
Jamie Bell, who shot to fame playing the lead role
in “Billy Elliott”, reportedly held informal meet-
ings with producers about taking over from Dan-
iel Craig as the iconic British spy.
ENTERTAINMENT
12 | WEDNESDAY 1 JUNE 2016
I am a greedy actor: Vidya BalanIANS
Actress Vidya Balan says she is a
greedy actor and doesn’t believe in
restricting herself to Hindi film in-
dustry. “I wanted to do a Marathi film
as I am from Mumbai...I was born and brought
up here so, I know their culture. There couldn’t
have been a first Marathi film for me better
than this. I am looking at Marathi scripts. A
few films didn’t work,” she said.
“I am also doing a Malayalam film which is
a biopic. I am a greedy actor. Wherever I will
get a role, I will go,” Vidya told reporters dur-
ing the song launch of “Shola jo bhadke” from
“Ekk Albela”, her debut Marathi film.
The actress, who was last seen in “Hamari
Adhuri Kahani”, will be essaying the role of
yesteryear Bollywood actress Geeta Bali in
the film “Ekk Albela”.
She said: “I was very nervous when I was
offered this film. I don’t look like Geeta Bali
but I tried to look like her. I hope I have done
it decently.” “Ekk Albela” traces the journey of
Bhagwan Dada’s film career as an actor and
director, and Vidya’s role will be credited as a
special appearance. Bhagwan Dada faced a
lot of obstacles while making the musical “Al-
bela” which had Geeta Bali in the lead.
Vidya also shared that she was offered
close to 10 biopics post the success of “The
Dirty Picture”.
She said: “After ‘The Dirty Picture’, I was of-
fered eight to 10 biopics but since I had done
‘The Dirty Picture’, I wanted to do it later. Then
I got this opportunity. But this is not a biopic
on Geeta Bali. You don’t see all shades of her.
I think I get dragged to real life stories.”
Directed by Shekhar Sartandel, “Ekk Albe-
la” also features Mangesh Desai.
Meanwhile, Director Sujoy Ghosh says he
is through with the shooting for his next di-
rectorial “Kahaani 2”. “Kahaani 2” is a sequel
to the 2012 thriller “Kahaani”, co-written and
directed by Ghosh. “The shoot of ‘Kahaani 2’
ends and the work to make the film begins
with some awesome stuff from Vidya Balan
and Arjun Rampal,” Ghosh tweeted on Sun-
day.
Arjun took to Twitter and shared a black
and white photograph of himself with Ghosh
and thanked him. “A wrap on ‘Kahaani 2’. After
a long wait we did it Sujoy Ghosh. Thank you
for the amazing experience. Thank you the
whole mad team, miss you,” Arjun tweeted.
The “D-Day” actor also shared some mem-
ories from the “special film” on Instagram.
Karan and Bipasha open to working togetherIANS
Newly-weds Bipasha Basu and Karan Singh
Grover are open to working together in a film
if both like the script, and haven’t decided on
any clauses.
Present at “The Kapil Sharma Show” on Saturday,
Karan and Bipasha were asked if they would act in a
film together after marriage. Bipasha said, “If we like
something; we are two different individuals. Definite-
ly we want to work with each other. But both have
to like it.”
Incidentally, there are some actor couples, who
didn’t work with each other after their marriage.
Kareena Kapoor-Saif Ali Khan, Akshay Kumar-Twinkle
Khanna, Soha Ali Khan-Kunal Kemmu to name a few.
Reportedly actors add clauses in their contracts
as no bikini scenes in their contract after marriage.
When asked if they also have such clauses, Bipasha
said, “No, we don’t have any such clause. But we’ll
think about it. You have given a good point... (To Ka-
ran) Nothing for you.”
Karan said, “We haven’t written anything like that.”
About how life has changed after marriage, Bipa-
sha said, “Everything about us is still pretty much the
same. We’re the same people, we love each other the
same way. Everyday a little more. Now on Instagram I
write my name as Bipasha Basu Singh Grover.”
Asked if they knew each other’s pluses and mi-
nuses already, Karan said, “If in 28 days you come
to know the minus points then it’s not a good thing.”
Bipasha and Karan had got married on April 30,
and went to Maldives for their honeymoon. “It was
extremely hot... We have roamed around a lot, but
the typical honeymoon was short. But we might go
for a longer honeymoon,” Bipasha said.
Bipasha also said, “Karan sings really well and
writes songs as well since the beginning. I feel good
about it. At the wedding, he sang three of my favour-
ite songs and performed with the band. That was the
best surprise for me ever. My sisters started crying
when he started singing. It was quite romantic.” On
a lighter note, when Bipasha asked Karan who was
the boss? Karan said, “You’re the boss, boss. I have a
boss now.”
The couple had worked together in the film
“Alone” early last year.
| 13WEDNESDAY 1 JUNE 2016
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
By Karen Turner The Washington Post
Robots are one step closer to
being able to experience an
essential human feeling: pain.
Researchers in Germany
are currently creating a “nervous sys-
tem” that would mimic a pain response
in robots, allowing them to quickly re-
act and avoid harmful situations.
“Pain is a system that protects us,”
researcher Johannes Kuehn told a con-
ference of engineers last week. “When
we evade from the source of pain, it
helps us not get hurt.”
The researchers programmed their
robot to experience a “hierarchy” of
pain through a variety of different
stimuli, such as blunt force or heat. De-
pending on the threat, such as a harsh
movement or intense heat, the robot
is programmed to retract to the dan-
ger. The more dangerous it registers
the threat to be, the faster the robot
will retract and the longer it will avoid
the hazardous force.
“A robot needs to be able to detect
and classify unforeseen physical states
and disturbances, rate the potential
damage they may cause to it, and ini-
tiate appropriate countermeasures, i.e.,
reflexes,” the research paper states.
Kuehn said a built-in pain response
could protect robots potentially oper-
ating heavy machinery or other tools
in factories from potential harm, thus
saving companies from the fallout of
damages. It also means a better safety
environment for human workers, who
often work side-by-side with robots on
the factory floor.
It’s the synthesis of a pain sensa-
tion that encourages robots to experi-
ence a sense of self-preservation. Ro-
bots built to automatically detect hu-
man collisions have been around for a
while: researchers from Stanford and
University of Rome-La Sapeinza creat-
ed a reflexive robot arm that detects
and avoids collision with humans in
2011.
But to equip these robots with a
nervous system forces them to priori-
tize avoidance of their own pain, thus
programming them to avoid destroy-
ing themselves as well as avoiding col-
lision with humans, according to Kuehn.
This will trigger different reactions in
the robot than just crash avoidance.
The concept of robots that a feel
physical sensation is not new. Sensi-
tive “robot skin” was developed by re-
searchers at Georgia Tech in 2014. The
skin makes use of flexible touch sen-
sors that communicate with a memo-
ry device that can store tactile interac-
tions, mimicking human sensory mem-
ory. It allows the robot to adjust the
pressure of its touch based on the ob-
ject it comes into contact with, letting it
grip soft objects, such as fruit, without
destroying them.
This touch-sensitive technology will
allow for robotic applications outside
of the hard machinery of the factory
floor and into other spheres, such as
assisting the disabled with daily house-
hold tasks.
But what about the ethics of em-
powering robots with a sense of touch,
and on the other end of the spectrum,
a sense of pain? After all, research
shows that humans actually do feel
bad when robots get hurt.
A study in the journal Scientif-
ic Reports became the first research
to observe a sense of human empa-
thy for robots experiencing pain. Sub-
jects hooked up to electroencephalog-
raphy (EEG) devices to measure their
electrical brain activity were then ex-
posed to a series of images of vio-
lence both on humans and on robots.
The study found that subjects did reg-
ister a sense of emotional concern for
the robots who were subjected to pain,
albeit to a much lesser degree than
their human counterparts. The reasons
for this phenomenon are unknown,
though some have speculated that it
has to do with exposure to human-like
robots in popular culture.
In the journey to equip robots with
a pain response, researchers still have
a long way to go. But the recent paper
is an important first step.
Researchers in Germany are currently creating a “nervous system” that would mimic a pain response in robots, allowing them to quickly react and avoid harmful situations. The researchers programmed their robot to experience a “hierarchy” of pain through a variety of different stimuli, such as blunt force or heat.
