DESIGNERS HELPING LOOK FORWARD ABHISHEK TOP
HAPPY AS TEENAGERS TO TO CELEB BOLLYWOOD
BUSINESS BECOME SAFE B’DAYS IN THE BRAND
TAKES DRIVERS COMING WEEK ENDORSER
FRONT SEAT
AT WIFW
PAGE 34 | FASHION PAGE 38 | PARENTING PAGE 39 | HOLLYWOOD PAGE 40 | BOLLYWOOD
Now showing Detailed movie timing on
Page 40
Did you know?
Al Rajol Al Ghamed Besalamto Arabic (Comedy) David Letterman worked as a
Hop English (Animation)
grocery bagger in Indianapolis
Largo Winch 2 English (Action)
The Ward English (Horror) while at high school.
The Way Back English (Adventure)
Rio English (Animation)
Thank You Hindi (Comedy)
August 15 Malayalam (Thriller)
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Desperate Eva Longoria retains her
wedding day tatoo post-divorce
Eva filed for divorce from her husband Tony Parker
in November last year, but the actress
does not regret living with the date of her
wedding tattooed on the inside of her wrist
AP
VA Longoria split
E from her love of
seven years, NBA
pro Tony Parker in
January,
although she had the date of
their wedding inked on the
and
inside of her wrist, the actress
says she has no regrets.
“No regrets. It’s funny because
I have tattoos too,” Eva told Joy
Behar on The Joy Behar Show on
Friday. “I have my wedding tattoo -
it’s 7 - 7 - 2007 — the day we got
married, and I have to cover it for work.
“So one day I go out to dinner and I have
makeup over it and they go, ‘Eva
removed the tattoo!!!’ and then the Eva
next day I have it, and they go, Longoria
‘No, she didn’t,’” Eva laughed. Eduardo Cruz and Tony Parker and
“And then the next day I have Eva Longoria Eva Longoria
it covered again. It’s funny - I
don’t have regrets, even with
my tattoos.”
“But this is a cautionary tale
not to get a tattoo, especially on
the day you’re getting married!’
Joy said, with a skeptical smile.
“No! I like it... I’ll just put the
divorce date and it’ll be like a grave-
stone!” Eva joked.
As for her current love life, the beautiful
brunette clammed up when asked if the
rumours she’s dating Eduardo Cruz - brother of
actress Penelope Cruz - are true. “That’s what
everybody keeps saying,” Eva smiled, before
avoiding answering the question by saying, “The
love of my life right now is my cookbook! S h e r i d a n
Cooking.” before she left,”
Joy, a co-host for ABC’s hit daytime talker, Eva added.
The View, reminisced about her fiery disagree- As previously
ments with previous co-hosts, but Eva had reported, Eva filed
nothing but rave reviews for her Desperate for divorce from
Housewives co-stars. her then-husband,
“We’ve been really lucky with our guys - our Tony Parker in
husbands. All of us have amazing co-star hus- November 2010, after three
bands,” Eva gushed. “And you know, I’m really years of marriage.
close with Felicity [Huffman] and Marcia The former couple first met in
[Cross]. We live near each other and we just November 2004, when Eva - a big San
kind of see each other a lot more and they’ve Antonio Spurs fan - paid a visit to the team’s
been amazingly supportive through this whole locker room following a game.
thing that I’ve been through so, we are friends They tied the knot in Tony’s native France in
outside of the show. July 2007 after becoming engaged in
“I was really good friends with Nicolette November 2006.
A still from the TV series Desperate Housewives.
34 Thursday, April 14, 2011
www.qatar-tribune.com FASHION
How to choose the right handbag for your body type
TRY TO choose a shape that is the opposite of your body type. If you are tall and thin, look for a slouchy, rounded hobo bag to compliment
your figure. If you're short and voluptuous, play off opposites by choosing a handbag that is tall and rectangular or long and sleek (like a
Fashion clutch).
In general, the rounder your figure, the more structured your bag should be. That doesn't mean that you have to carry a hard box around to
counterbalance your womanly shape: rectangular or square silhouettes in soft leathers or fabrics will do the trick.
guide Some popular shapes: Tote - An open-top bag with straps or handles, Hobo bag - A crescent-shaped shoulder bag, Duffle - Tall shoul-
derbag, often with a wider opening on top, Field bag - A flap-top shoulderbag with utility-type closure (buckles, snaps, etc), Clutch - A small,
handheld bag or a larger, geometric shape that is tucked under the arm, Satchel- A large, handheld bag, Baguette - Long and rounded shoul-
der bag resembling the namesake bread, Messenger - A large, soft shoulder bag with long straps (often worn across the body), Cigar Box - A
small, boxy, hard bag, Pouch - A soft, small bag, Kelly bag - A classic Hermes style named after Grace Kelly; a large, structured handbag with
distinctive hardware closures.
DESIGNERS HAPPY AS BUSINESS
TAKES FRONT SEAT AT WIFW
“I can very easily say that
this was the best ever IANS complete business-to-business event by not having this was a good fashion week,” she said.
fashion week I’ve ever had,
T
“too many” celebrities on the ramp, ensuring the Jaipur-based designer Puja Arya was flooded
HIS time around, designers at the limelight was always on the garments and design- with buyers, especially from Japan and the Middle
especially in terms of just concluded Wills Lifestyle India ers. East, who loved her funky, chic line and hand-block
Fashion Week (WIFW) had every “WIFW is truly a business event. We have always printing.
business, because reason to celebrate as there was a maintained this and this was proved as well. We “Compared to last two seasons, this has been the
flurry of buyers from the Middle have deliberately shied away from glamour quo- best season for me. There were a lot many new buy-
there were so many East, Europe and the US. And with the celebri- tient because it always takes away the attention ers this time and hence the business was really
new buyers. Apart ty quotient at an all-time low, the focus was pre-
dominantly on creativity and serious fashion.
from the designers,” FDCI president Sunil Sethi
said.
great. I think, this is the first time all the designers
were busy doing business in their stalls,” she said.
from my regular “I can very easily say that this was the best ever
fashion week I’ve ever had, especially in terms of
“Last time, a few designers had complained that
there were few buyers. This time, no one is com-
Apart from international buyers, the domestic
buyers, who get the designers the maximum busi-
buyers, I have business, because there were so many new buyers
and automatically more business for us. Apart from
plaining because there are a lot of new faces and
they are placing orders, that is what matters,” he
ness, too were out in full force. All domestic buying
houses - Kimaya, Aza, Evoluzione and Ensemble -
confirmed orders my regular buyers, I have confirmed orders from added. were seen buying from their favourite clients as
new Middle Eastern and European buyers,” Leena With 141 designers participating in the event, well as a few new faces.
from new Middle Singh, of the designer duo Ashima-Leena, said. buyers from Dubai, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Paris, Bollywood quotient was at an all time low at WIFW.
Eastern and “Buyers have placed confirmed orders for
around 1,800-
Australia, the US, Japan and Europe were busy
with designer meetings from day one.
While Sharmila Tagore walked for Joy Mitra, Sonal
Chauhan and Mughda Godse walked for designers
European 2,000 pieces
and mind you,
Hiba Al-Ateeqi, a regular Kuwait-based buyer at
the event, has placed orders with Pankaj-Nidhi,
Pallavi Jaipur and Sadan Pande respectively.
Neha Dhupia and Vidya Balan made it to the
buyers” my garments
are high-end
Ashima-Leena, Tanvi Kedia and Rana Gill, among
others.
front rows for designers Gaurav Gupta and
Sabyasachi Mukherjee respectively.
– LEENA SINGH, couture, “What makes me a regular here is the quality and Designers like Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Manish
DESIGNER which means the design of the product. We people like bright, Arora, Tarun Tahiliani, Varun Bahl, Shantanu
that a single colourful, comfortable clothes and that is what I get and Nikhil, Kallol Datta,
piece won’t cost it from here. Kaftans, smart dresses, trousers - that Abraham and Thakore,
you less than Rs is what I pick up,” she said. Preeti Chandra, Kavita
12,000. Hence you “Also, what is more important is the delivery and Bhartia, Rohit
can see how good production. With my old clients, I can place orders Gandhi-Rahul
this season has been in bulk, but for new clients, we initially place small Khanna, Niki
for me,” she added. orders, see the quality and then go ahead with con- Mahajan and
And this time, the firmed orders,” she added. Anamika Khanna
organisers of the event - For young designer Tanvi Kedia, business was showcased on the
Fashion Design Council of “very good”. She had confirmed orders from three- ramp, while a few
India (FDCI) - suc- four international buyers and with a few others, the names like Rina
ceeded in process is in the pipeline. Dhaka, Nida
making “Buyers from Australia, Paris and Japan, Mahmood and
t h i s showed interested in my line. They haven’t Samant Chauhan chose
event a placed orders now, but we will be in touch to take a break from the
after the fashion week and let’s see how five-day fete, but were
things shape up. But personally, for me, spotted at the WIFW.
Models walking the
ramp at the WIFW.
SCIENCE Thursday, April 14, 2011
www.qatar-tribune.com 35
The first close-ups of Mercury
NASA released on April 6, some of the first photos taken of Mercury’s surface by the Messenger
Science spacecraft. The Messenger began its trip through the inner solar system six and a half years ago,
and it entered orbit around Mercury on March 17. Since then, engineers have been checking out
the spacecraft before turning on the instruments, including the camera. The spacecraft took 364
guide photographs before sending the images to Earth. The bright pockmark in the upper half of the
image is a 50-mile-wide crater called Debussy. (Craters on Mercury are named after artists,
musicians and writers.) The photographs will allow scientists to map out the planet’s entire sur-
face and study its geology and atmosphere in detail. During the mission, expected to last at least
a year, the Messenger is to take 75,000 more photographs.
SUPERNOVA STRIPES,
TROJAN MOON
NYT SYNDICATE (green) drape across the galactic cen-
tre, where bright white star clusters
LIGHTS OUT are orbiting an unseen supermassive
A false-colour satellite picture illus- black hole.
trates power outages in Japan follow-
ing the devastating March 11 earth- HELLO, HELENE
quake and tsunami. Saturn’s tiny moon Helene hangs
Scientists compared data from the like a monochrome flower against the
US Air Force Defense Meteorological inky black of space in a newly
Satellite Program collected in 2010 released picture from NASA’s Cassini
with data from the day of the disaster. orbiter.
Yellow regions show where lights are A mere 21 miles (33 kilometres)
on, while red blotches reveal where wide, Helene shares its orbit with the
lights that had been on in 2010 have moon Dione, which trails behind at a
gone dark. fairly constant clip. This unusual
The loss of light is concentrated in a grouping means that Helene and
band stretching from the northern Dione are among the handful of so-
suburbs of Tokyo to regions north called Trojan moons found only
of the port city of Sendai, closest around Saturn.
to the quake’s epicentre.
RING OF FIRE
STRIPED POM-POM A well-rounded loop of plas-
Perhaps in a nod to March ma erupted from the sun on
Madness, astronomers using March 19, and NASA’s Solar
NASA’s Chandra X-ray Dynamics Observatory
Observatory have released spacecraft was there to cap-
a new picture of the celes- ture the action. Known as a
tial “pom pom” known as prominence, the cloud of
the Tycho supernova rem- charged gas had been
nant. tethered to the sun by
The puffy cloud of magnetic forces, but it
debris is all that’s left of a eventually became unsta-
massive star that explod- ble and broke free, twist-
ed some 13,000 light- ing away into space.
years away. Light from the
powerful blast reached SOOTY STARBIRTH
Earth in 1572, making the The hot, bright star CY
object briefly visible to the Camelopardalis seems to
naked eye even during the glow red due to an envelop-
day. ing cloud of metallic dust
The new composite picture grains in a new picture
shows low-energy x-rays in from NASA’s Wide-
red and high-energy x-rays in field Infrared
blue. It also reveals for the first Survey Explorer,
time bright x-ray stripes_seen in or WISE, space
white along the right edge of the telescope.
remnant – supporting theories that S t r o n g
supernovas are sources of high-speed ultraviolet
particles known as cosmic rays. radiation
from the star
‘DOWNTOWN’ MILKY WAY is carving
There’s a party in our galaxy’s “city out a shell of
centre,” and thousands of stars have dust made
gathered to light up the scene. Striped mostly of
In visible light this region of the Pom-pom. polycyclic aro-
Milky Way is so bright that it’s almost matic hydrocar-
impossible to see what’s happening. bons (green),
But new infrared pictures from NASA’s similar to soot on
Spitzer Space Telescope – such as the Earth. Clusters of
one above released March 18 _can reddish objects inside
reveal the raucous activity. the warm blanket of car-
In the new shot, tendrils of warm gas Lights out: false-colour satel- bon-rich dust show where new
(yellow-red) and carbon-rich dust lite picture of Japan. stars are being born.
Downtown Milky Way. A ring of fire erupting from the Sun. Trozan Moon of Saturn.
36 Thursday, April 14, 2011
www.qatar-tribune.com LIFESTYLE
Buying a Kindle is like burning books
I HAVE a library of books that I value. Some of those books are even in temporary storage. Notations in every one, scribblings
in the back reminding me to write down a word I didn’t know or to buy more books. Most importantly, I remember where I
Lifestyle was, and who I was when I read every one of those books. To me, they’re alive, unlike most of the people who wrote them.
Others disagree… diametrically. Roger Warner is Managing Director at Social PR Agency, Content And Motion and ‘loves the
Kindle because it allows me to get my hands on my books immediately – old or new’. He goes on to say: “It also allows me
guide to get my hands on any old notes, bookmarks and commentary I've made on any of the books I own - so it kind of makes me
smarter. No more scouring around looking for a three-year-old pencil scribble in a margin." I happen to like looking for that
scribble and I cannot see how a textural relationship with a library be replicated with a Kindle or Sony Reader or this month’s
tablet. Just now, I glanced over at my books and I felt a surge of happiness that can only be equated with mankind’s greatest
physical pleasure.
FOMO, or “fear of
missing out,”
refers to the blend of
anxiety, inadequacy
and irritation that can
flare up while
skimming social media
like Facebook, Twitter,
Foursquare and
Instagram
Feel like a wallflower?
Maybe it’s
your facebook wall
JENNA WORTHAM
NYT SYNDICATE
O
NE recent rainy night, I
curled up on my couch with
popcorn and Netflix
Instant, ready to spend a
quiet night at home. The
peace was sweet – while it lasted. Soon,
my iPhone began flashing with notifica-
tions from a handful of social networking
sites, each a beacon of information about
what my friends were doing.
As the alerts came in, my mind began to
race. Three friends, I learned, had
arrived at a music venue near my apart-
ment. But why? What was happening
there? Then I saw pictures of other
friends enjoying fancy milkshakes at a
trendy restaurant. Suddenly, my simple
domestic pleasures paled in comparison
with the things I could be doing.
The flurry of possibilities set off a
rush of restlessness and indecision. I
was torn between nesting in my cozy
roost or rallying for an impromptu
rendezvous, and I just didn’t know
what to do.
My problem is emblematic of the digi- diacy that is very different from, say, a recommendation engine, said, “Social ple at their festive best. But now, Fake
tal era. It’s known as FOMO, or “fear of conversation over lunch recounting the software is both the creator and the cure said, instead of receiving occasional
missing out,” and refers to the blend of events of the previous weekend. When of FOMO,” adding, “It’s cyclical.” polite updates, we get reminders around
anxiety, inadequacy and irritation that you see that your friends are sharing a Some creators of social apps say they the clock, mainlined via the device of our
can flare up while skimming social cup of tea without you – and at that very have constructed their services to make choosing.
media like Facebook, Twitter, moment – “you can imagine how things people keep coming back for more, but Sherry Turkle, a professor at the
Foursquare and Instagram. Billions of could be different,” Ariely said. not for any insidious purpose. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Twitter messages, status updates and It’s like a near miss in real life. “When “No one likes to perform in a vacuum,” and author of Alone Together, says that
photographs provide thrilling glimpses would you be more upset?” he asked. said Kevin Systrom, chief executive of as technology becomes ever more perva-
of the daily lives and activities of friends, After missing your flight by two minutes Instagram, a mobile photo-sharing appli- sive, our relationship to it becomes more
“frenemies,” co-workers and peers. or two hours? cation, which allows users to make com- intimate, granting it the power to influ-
The upside is immeasurable. Viewing “Two minutes, of course,” he said. “You ments about pictures. The more creative ence decisions, moods and emotions.
postings from my friends scattered can imagine how things could have been or striking a photograph, the more likely “In a way, there’s an immaturity to our
around the country often makes me feel different, and that really motivates us to it is to attract favourable attention. relationship with technology,” she said.
more connected to them, not less. News behave in strange ways.” The feedback, Systrom said, can be “It’s still evolving.”
and photographs of the bike rides, con- Fear of missing out does not apply only slightly addictive. People using We are struggling with the always-on
certs, dinner parties and nights on the to those with a hyperactive nightlife. Instagram “are rewarded when someone feeling of connection that the Internet
town enjoyed by people in my New York A friend who works in advertising told likes it, and you keep coming back,” he can provide, she said, and we still need to
social circle is invaluable as an informal me that she felt fine about her life – until said. figure out how to limit its influence on
to-do list of local recommendation. she opened Facebook. “Then I’m think- Whatever angst people may feel when our lives. I asked Turkle what people
But, occasionally, there is a darker ing, ‘I am 28, with three roommates, and they see someone else having a good could do to deal with this stress-inducing
side. oh, it looks like you have a precious baby time, he said, is probably exaggerated by quandary. She said she would tell herself
When we scroll through pictures and and a mortgage,”’ she said. “And then I the overall effect of so many new social to “get a grip and separate myself from
status updates, the worry that tugs at the want to die.” data streams pouring into browsers and my iPhone.”
corners of our minds is set off by the fear On those occasions, she said, her knee- mobile phones at once. Easier said than done. I’ve tried, but
of regret, says Dan Ariely, author of jerk reaction is often to post an account “We aren’t used to seeing the world as turning off my phone is nearly impossi-
“Predictably Irrational” and a professor of a cool thing she has done, or to upload it happens,” he said. “We as humans can ble – I’m not yet ready for that step.
of psychology and behavioural econom- a particularly fun picture from her week- only process so much data.” That evening, though, I flipped the
ics at Duke University. He says we end. This may make her feel better – but Of course, fear of missing out is hardly phone over to hide its screen. That
become afraid that we’ve made the it can generate FOMO in another unsus- new. It has been induced throughout his- helped me ignore what my friends were
wrong decision about how to spend our pecting person. tory by such triggers as newspaper socie- doing. I settled back to enjoy the evening,
time. Caterina Fake, co-founder of Flickr, the ty pages, party pictures and annual holi- deciding not to venture out into the cold
Streaming social media have an imme- photo-sharing service, and of Hunch, a day letters – and e-mail – depicting peo- and misty night.
ENVIRONMENT Thursday, April 14, 2011
www.qatar-tribune.com 37
Tiger cubs found in Tripura, India
CONFIRMING government information wrong that there are no tigers in the wild in the Indian state of Tripura, villagers in
Environment the state found two tiger cubs in a forest, officials said on Saturday. “When villagers went to a forest on Friday to collect
wood at Harina in southern Tripura, 140 km south of Agartala, they found the two tiger cubs and later handed them
over to forest officials,” a forest department official told reporters. Quoting the villagers, the official said : “A tigress was
guide protecting her cubs under a tree. Seeing the villagers she ran away leaving the cubs.” The cubs are believed to be 13 to
15 days old. The forest official said that as per the latest (in 2002) tiger census there are no tigers in the northeastern
state that borders the Chittagong hill tracts (CHT) of southeast Bangladesh. The official said they would hand over the
cubs to the Sepahijala Zoo in western Tripura. The Sepahijala Zoo was categorised by the Central Zoo Authority as one of
the 22 large zoos in India. The Sepahijala sanctuary and zoo have more than 46 species of wild animals kept for their
conservation, protection and breeding. The sanctuary has also been tagged as the national park for clouded leopards.
‘Superfish’ better equipped
for climate change
A new study says the
sockeye salmon that
navigates the most
arduous routes for its
once-in-a-lifetime
migration against
raging whitewater—
may be the best
suited to cope with
warming waters
ANNE MINARD
NYT SYNDICATE
RITISH Columbia’s Fraser
B River hosts more than 100
different sockeye salmon
populations, each with its
own unique and heroic
migration story. But thanks to climate
change, its water is becoming warmer,
and that could spell doom for some of
the fish.
A new study says the salmon that
navigate the most arduous routes for
their once-in-a-lifetime migration – up
to 680 miles (1,100 kilometres)
upstream with an elevation gain of
3,000 feet (1,000 meters) against rag- A picture showing the different types of sockeye salmon.
ing whitewater—may be the best suited
to cope with warming waters.
The Fraser River has heated up by
nearly 2 degrees Celsius (about 3.5 majority of their three- to four-year Members of a population called rience cardiovascular decline. All of the to be able to swim well, and they’re not
degrees Fahrenheit) since the 1950s, lifespans in the ocean before swimming Chilko, named for the Chilcotin water- fish were dissected and analysed follow- going to make it to the spawning
and salmon migration mortalities have up the tumultuous Fraser River to shed where their challenging migration ing the experiments, and the Chilko ground,” Eliason said. “We think that
approached 95 percent in some popula- reproduce and die. occurs, emerged as “what I call my were revealed to have the largest hearts cardiovascular collapse occurs, and the
tions during the warmest years. Eliason and her colleagues plucked superfish,” Eliason said. and the most robust cardiorespiratory fish can’t swim.”
“There are several studies showing a members of eight salmon populations “They migrate in the middle of the systems of all the fish populations exam- Race to Evolve
correlation between temperature and out of the Fraser River just a couple of summer, when the water temperatures [ ined. The big remaining question is
mortality,” said Erika Eliason, a doctor- days after they’d begun their journeys, can get up to 20 or 21 degrees Celsius (68 Coastal ‘Couch Potatoes’ whether the kind of adaptation that has
al candidate at University of British but before they had reached any of the to about 70 degrees),” she said. “Then In contrast to the Chilko superfish are allowed the Chilko salmon to spawn so
Columbia in Vancouver and lead most arduous parts of the river, like the they break left and head up this massive, the Weaver sockeye salmon, which far upstream and therefore navigate
author of the new study. “We’re trying highly constricted channel called Hell’s massive mountain stream to ascend over come in to spawn in coastal tributaries – such a wide range of temperatures dur-
to look at the mechanism of that mor- Gate that no sane rafter would try to run. 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) in elevation. a journey that’s wimpy in comparison. ing their migrations could also occur in
tality.” The researchers placed their study They spawn in a glacial lake in one of the Eliason and her team found that these other salmon as a response to climate
The paper, which appears in Science, subjects in massive swim tunnels remote parts of British Columbia, griz- fish, which they dubbed the “coastal change.
reports that the fish that do survive the mounted behind a boat trailer – basical- zly country.” couch potatoes,” swim optimally at “We’d like to know the dates of evolu-
temperature spikes have larger and ly exercise treadmills for fish. The The coldest reaches of the Chilko about 57 degrees (14 degrees Celsius) tion of these different traits,” she said,
stronger hearts compared to those that researchers were able to regulate the waters dip to 57 degrees Fahrenheit (14 and can only cope with temperatures up “so we can have an idea of how quickly
perish. water temperature and measure the degrees Celsius). In the swim trials, the to about 62 degrees (17 degrees Celsius). they can evolve and whether they will
‘Superfish’ fishes’ swimming performance and vital Chilko withstood the greatest range of When temperatures reach that maxi- be able to cope with current warming
Millions of sockeye salmon spend the signs. temperatures before they began to expe- mum, “at some point, they’re not going trends.”
Sockeye salmon in the Fraser River.
38 Thursday, April 14, 2011
www.qatar-tribune.com PARENTING
Older parents find more joy in their ‘bundles’
NOT all parents are made wretched by their offspring. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Demographic
Research in Rostock, Germany, and the University of Pennsylvania found that people over the age of 40 are happier with
Parenting children than without. To arrive at this conclusion, the demographers Mikko Myrskyla and Rachel Margolis crunched data
from the World Values Surveys, looking at self-reported levels of happiness among more than 200,000 respondents from
86 countries. The most striking findings revolved around parenthood and age. Whether it is a function of exhaustion, bick-
guide ering over diapers or something inherently unpleasant about raising little children, the data doesn’t say, but parents under
30 are decidedly less happy than their child-free peers. Then, once parents hit 40, the relationship reverses and people
with children are cheerier than those without. The more, the merrier, too – at least for older parents. For people under 30,
happiness declines with each additional child. Young parents of two are unhappier than young parents with one, and young
parents of one child are unhappier than young people with no children. But with parents between the ages of 40 and 50,
the number of children has no impact. And after 50, each child brings more joy.
Helping teenagers
to become safe drivers
ALINA TUGEND
NYT SYNDICATE
I
N ABOUT six months, I’ll be facing
another rite of passage: My older
son will begin driving lessons. I
have the usual maternal feelings:
Wasn’t he just in a stroller? Is he
really ready to maneuver a 4,000-pound
machine? Can he pick up his brother from
baseball practices?
But I also realise that I have no idea how
to choose a driving school or what to look
for.
I don’t remember much except being
nervous. My father supplemented the les-
sons on our 1965 Dodge Dart station
wagon (yes, it was old even then).
But now, many schools don’t offer driv-
ers’ education, so parents must seek pri-
vate courses. Most friends I know have
been satisfied, but not everyone.
My neighbour Kim, for example, told
me she was somewhat unimpressed with
her high school daughter’s instruction so
far. Many
“They drive around with the radio on,
and I hear more about the music they lis- driving schools don’t
ten to than any constructive criticism,” she
said.
Then there’s Nancy Freedman, who I
offer drivers’ education, so
found online. She vividly recalled taking
lessons in Brooklyn quite a few years ago.
parents must seek private courses.
“We were at a pier in Brooklyn practic-
ing, and I guess I wasn’t hitting the brake
driving schools.
Beginning drivers have two lessons a
The bigger problem may be whether
squarely and the instructor said, ‘Every
time you don’t put your foot squarely on
week to reinforce what they’ve learned.
And check to see if the school you are the students are getting the
the brake, you will have to kiss me,’ ” considering is a member of the Better
Freedman said. Business Bureau and whether there have information and instruction
“I was 17 and was savvy enough and been any complaints, Fife said.
made sure my foot was square. I called the
school, and he got fired.”
The problem, some people say, is not so
much with the skill and quality of the driv- brought
they need to become safe
Now, I don’t think most schools have
inappropriate instructors. The bigger
ing instructors, but the minimal amount
of time most students actually have
them to
every really
drivers
problem may be whether the students are behind a wheel before getting their dri- bad intersec-
getting the information and instruction ver’s license. tion and merge that
they need to become safe drivers. “There are driving schools all over the I could think of. And had
Statistics from the Centre for Disease world that we call road test mills,” them negotiate them multiple times.
Control and Prevention show that car Donnelly of AAA Driver Training said. “If “As they got better, we listened to the
crashes are the leading cause of death for you drive around the block 10 times and radio and chatted because I knew they
teenagers in the United States, accounting parallel park, you can pass the road test. would be doing that when they started
for more than one in three deaths for 15- It’s not about that. It’s about safety.” driving. And I told each of them that if I
to 19-year-olds. Per mile driven, drivers Phil Berardelli, author of the 1996 book ever found out that they were texting or
between the ages of 16 and 19 are four “Safe Young Drivers” (Mountain Lake talking on their cellphones while driving
times as likely as adults to crash. Press), said most schools offered “six to 10 they would never have access to one of our
So a good driving course isn’t a luxury, hours behind the wheel, but kids need at family cars again.”
it’s a necessity. I went to an organisation least 100 hours of supervised instruction That was about five years ago. How are
and the suggestions include these: just to be decent novice drivers.” Compare her young drivers now?
Ask friends about the schools they used that, he said, “with the 1,500 or more “I think my children are safe drivers.
and find out what they liked or didn’t like. hours a typical high schooler spends prac- Both have been in fender benders, but I’m
But don’t leave it at that. Call several ticing for a sport or the thousands of hours confident that they got the message that
schools to compare programs and pricing. required to be a decent musician.” it’s not a cavalier thing they’re doing,” she
Be sure to find out about additional Berardelli, who offers information on said. “They have a civic responsibility to
costs on top of the price of lessons, like his website, Safeyoungdrivers.com, even do it well.”
fees for missed lessons and cancellations. argued that teaching your child to drive And that’s the bottom line. There are
Ask how many fully licensed instructors could be a bonding experience. “The few things in life that our children
work at the school. A good ratio is 30 stu- desire to obtain a driver’s license gives are going to do that are as danger-
dents to five instructors, which allows parents new leverage to regain their ous as driving, yet because most
enough time for students to complete the child’s attention, and the resulting experi- of us do it – and learned so long
training in about 12 weeks. ence can be satisfying for both,” he said. ago – we tend to think it’s easi-
Visit the school to see how the class- While not all parents will look forward er than it is.
rooms look and the appearance of the to spending 100 hours cooped up with “You don’t take your child
cars. Kerry Donnelly, assistant manager of their teenager, all experts agree that for piano lessons and expect to
AAA Driver Training, a drivers’ education parental involvement is an absolute must. have a concert pianist in six
school run out of Buffalo, told me, “The Do not expect to drop off your children at months,” Donnelly said.
building doesn’t have to be beautiful, but a school and have them emerge fully “Yet parents have
the vehicles should look good.” One school trained. unrealistic
in the area, she said, used cars more than Melinda Patrician, a mother of two said expecta-
10 years old and with more than 200,000 she felt so strongly that her children did tions about
miles. not receive adequate instruction at the pri- driving.”
Check if the school has an in-car cur- vate driving schools they attended that she
riculum. The instructor shouldn’t just get researched the best ways to teach them
in the automobile and wing it but have a herself to supplement the school.
lesson plan to follow with each student. The fall when her daughter was learning
Find out if the behind-the-wheel ses- to drive, “northern Virginia had 19
sions and classroom lessons correspond to teenage driving fatalities,” she said. “That
reinforce and demonstrate practical scared the daylights out of me.”
usage. At experts’ suggestions, Patrician said
A typical driving school package, which she required each of her children to do
ranges from $300 to $500, includes about 1,000 miles of supervised local driving
30 hours in the classroom and six to 10 in before taking their driving tests. ‘`It’s not
the car, said Sharon Fife, president of the as difficult as it sounds and during that
Driving School Association of the time you come upon all the things they’re
Americas, which is composed of owners of likely to encounter while driving. I
HOLLYWOOD Thursday, April 14, 2011
www.qatar-tribune.com 39
Knightley cosies up with The Klaxons rocker Tyra Banks planning to start a
ACTRESS Keira Knightley was snapped cosying up and kissing
singer and her rumoured beau James Righton. Both of them left The
family
Scene Klaxons rocker's London flat and headed to Hoxton Square, where
they chatted and kissed. "They were totally at ease with each other
SUPERMODEL and TV host Tyra Banks has confirmed
that she is in a relationship with businessman John
and looked like a couple enjoying the start of something brilliant. Utendah and has hinted that she plans to start a family
unscene Keira was laughing constantly and James seemed really into her," an
onlooker said. Knightley, who split from actor boyfriend Rupert
with him. When chat show host Piers Morgan asked
Banks if they were trying for a baby she said: "Yeah,
Friend last year, was introduced to keyboard player and singer maybe." The America's Next Top Model star had previ-
Righton by mutual friend Alexa Chung at a party last month. ously dismissed a suggestion she would get married
before having children, adding, "I don't think it's neces-
sarily necessary", AceShowbiz.com had reported.
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY TYRA BANKS
LOOK FORWARD TO CELEB
B’DAYS IN THE COMING WEEK
Here is a list of your favourite celebs who celebrate Kimberly
Elise
their birthday in the week starting from April 17
AP APRIL 20:
Actress Carmen Electra is 39.
APRIL 17: APRIL 21:
Actor Sean Bean (Lord of the Rings) is 52. Actor Tony Danza is 60.
Actress Kimberly Elise is 44. Actor James McAvoy (The Last King of Scotland,
Actress Jennifer Garner is 39. The Chronicles of Narnia) is 32.
Singer Victoria Beckham of the Spice Girls is 37.
APRIL 22:
APRIL 18: Actor Jack Nicholson is 74.
Talk-show host Conan O'Brien is 48. Actor Ryan Stiles (The Drew Carey Show) is 52.
Actress America Ferrera is 27. TV personality Sherri Shepherd is 44.
APRIL 19: APRIL 23:
Actress Ashley Judd is 43. Comedian George Lopez is 50.
Actor James Franco is 33. Actor Kal Penn is 34.
Actress Kate Hudson is 32. Actor Dev Patel is
Actor Hayden 21.
Christensen is 30.
Sherri
Shepherd
Victoria
Beckham
Kate
Hudson
Ashley Judd Jennifer Garner
40 Thursday, April 14, 2011
www.qatar-tribune.com BOLLYWOOD/SOUTHSCOPE
Prateik Babbar to buy house in Goa Shahid promotes vegetarianism in PETA ad
AFTER shooting two movies in Goa, actor Prateik Babbar grew so BOLLYWOOD actor Shahid Kapoor, who was voted Bollywood’s sex-
fond of the land of sun and sand that he decided to buy a beach- iest vegetarian by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
Scene facing house there. The 24-year-old actor is already in talks with
a broker to buy a house in North Goa. “It was during one of his
(PETA), will be seen urging people to turn vegetarian in a new ad of
the animal rights group.In the new ad titled “Chicks Love a
last trips there that he decided to buy a house. And after check- Vegetarian”, a casually dressed Shahid is seen with two downy yel-
unseen ing out some places, he’s decided on a beach-facing house, away
from the city crowd and tourist hangouts,” a source close to the
low chicks perched on his body, extolling the benefits of a plant-
based diet. The ad is shot by ace photographer Atul Kasbekar. “I
actor said. Prateik shot for Sanjay Leela Bansali’s My Friend Pinto love chicks... pigs, cows, fish, and all the other animals too. That’s
and Rohan Sippy’s Dum Maro Dum in the state. The actor, who why I turned vegetarian,” said Shahid. “I am very happy being a
is playing a footballer in Dum Maro Dum, is all set to join the vegetarian and I believe that it is the best way to be. The day I start-
elite Salgaocar Sports Club there too. Before shooting the film, he ed believing in the fact that I would not want to kill animals for my
trained at the iconic football club in Vasco for three months. taste buds, that is the day everything changed for me,” he added.
PRATEIK BABBAR SHAHID KAPOOR
Abhishek top Bollywood Richa in
brand endorser Venky film
A report concludes TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK
that Abhishek alone
R
ICHA Gangopadhyay who was last seen
covered 4.7 percent in Mirapakay is now waiting for her next
film. Though she announced her next
share of ad volume, film with Daggubati Rana which was sup-
posed to be a bi-lingual to be directed by Selva
out of the 41.5 Raghavan, Rana claimed that this movie might not
happen at all.
Richa now is left with no offers in Tollywood and
percent film actors her status message now is ‘listening to scripts’.
We hear Daggubati family is busy promoting her
have hogged on and trying to help her get films and hence she is like-
ly to sign up a film with Venkatesh. She is most
the endorsement probably the second heroine in Venkatesh and
Trisha starrer Body Guard remake which is being
circuit to date produced by Bellamkonda Suresh. Malineni
Gopichand is the director of this film.
Richa acted with Venkatesh in Nagavalli and won
critical acclaim for her per-
. formance. She is now
ek Bachchan
owing Abhish all set to star with
e ad for Idea cellular sh him for the second
The innovativ
time though in
the second lead
role. The movie
IANS started shoot-
G
ing recently
UESS which Bollywood actor is the most and the regu-
visible face in the advertising space? No lar shoot will
‘idea’? Well, it’s Abhishek Bachchan, who start from
hogs the limelight among his film world April 15.
peers, according to a study. AdEx India, a
division of TAM Media Research, recently conducted a
study on celebrity brand endorsements for the period of Richa
January-December 2010 and found that Abhishek Gangopadhyay
topped the list in the male star category. The list
was compiled by taking into account figures
based on ad volumes (seconds), and advertis-
ing featuring celebrities from Hindi films and
TV industry, as well as sports personalities.
The report concludes that Abhishek alone
covered 4.7 percent share of ad volume, out
of the 41.5 percent film actors hogged on
the endorsement circuit to date.
“Abhishek Bachchan has taken the ‘Get
Idea’ campaign to an all new level. He
makes you really sit up and take notice
- the intelligent ad needed an intelli-
gent face and that’s exactly what he
brings to the table,” a statement said,
quoting a marketing expert.
Idea Cellular grabbed the top
spot recently in the Mint Synovate
TVAdIndx survey. The ads featur-
ing Abhishek dominated TV adver-
Abhishek tising in January, shrugging off
Bachchan competition from food and beverage compa-
nies and a mobile handset maker to lead
the ad reach index, a measure of aware-
ness and brand recall.
Now showing VILLAGGIO MALL
GRAND CINE CENTRE LANDMARK CINEMA HOP ( ANIMATION): 11 AM, 1.15 PM, 3.15 PM, 5.15 PM 7.15
HOP ( ANIMATION): 12 NOON, 2.15 PM, 4.30 PM, 6.45 PM 9 PM, 11.15 PM
HOP ( ANIMATION): 3.15 PM, 5.15 PM 7.15 PM PM, 9.15 PM, 11.15 PM
LARGO WINCH (THRILLER): 10.30 AM, 12.45 PM, 3 PM, 5.15 PM, 7.30 PM, 9.45 PM, 12 MN
BIG MOMMAS (COMEDY): 9.15 PM, 11.15 PM LARGO WINCH (THRILLER): 10.30 AM, 12.45 PM, 3 PM, 5.15
AL RAJOL AL GHAMED BESALAMTO (ARABIC): 12.15 PM, 2.30 PM, 4.45 PM, 7 PM, 9.15 PM, 11.30 PM
RIO (3D) (ANIMATION): 3 PM, 5 PM PM, 7.30 PM, 9.45 PM, 12 MN
THE WARD ( HORROR): 12 NOON, 2 PM, 4 PM, 6 PM 8 PM, 10 PM, 12 MN
THE WARD ( HORROR): 7 PM, 9 PM, 11 PM AL RAJOL AL GHAMED BESALAMTO (ARABIC): 12.15 PM,
THE WAY BACK (ADVENTURE): 11 AM, 1.30 PM, 4 PM, 6.30 PM, 9 PM, 11.30 PM 2.30 PM, 4.45 PM, 7 PM, 9.15 PM, 11.30 PM
RIO ( ANIMATION): 11.30 AM, 1.30 PM, 3.30 PM, 5.30 PM, 7.30 PM (3D) : 10.30 AM, 12.30 PM, 2.30 AL RAJOL AL GHAMED BESALAMTO (ARABIC): 2.30 PM, 4.45
PM, 4.30 PM, 6.30 PM, 8.30 PM, 10.30 PM PM, 6.45 PM, 9 PM, 11.15 PM THE WARD ( HORROR): 12 NOON, 2 PM, 4 PM, 6 PM 8 PM, 10
PM, 12 MN
SOURCE CODE (THRILLER): 12.30 PM, 2.45 PM, 5 PM, 7.15 PM, 9.30 PM, 11.45 PM AL RAJOL AL GHAMED BESALAMTO (ARABIC)
THE WAY BACK (ADVENTURE): 11.15 AM, 1.45 PM, 4.15 PM,
RED RIDING HOOD (ROMANCE): 11.30 AM, 1.45 PM, 4 PM, 6.15 PM, 8.30 PM, 10.45 PM
6.45 PM, 9.15 PM, 11.45 PM
PAUL (COMEDY): 2 PM, 6.30 PM, 11 PM
RIO ( ANIMATION): 11.30 AM, 1.30 PM, 3.30 PM, 5.30 PM
TOMORROW, WHEN THE WAR BEGAN (ACTION): 10.30 AM, 2.45 PM, 7 PM, 11.15 PM
THANK YOU (HINDI): 11 AM, 4 PM, 9 PM
ROYAL PLAZA (3D) : 10.30 AM, 12.30 PM, 2.30 PM, 4.30 PM, 6.30 PM, 8.30
PM, 10.30 PM
RIO (3D) (ANIMATION): 2.30 PM, 4.30 PM, 6.30 PM
THE ROOMMATE (THRILLER): 12.45 PM, 5 PM, 9.15 PM SOURCE CODE (THRILLER): 12.30 PM, 2.45 PM, 5 PM, 7.15
BIG MOMMAS (COMEDY): 11.30 AM, 1.30 PM, 3.30 PM, 5.30 PM, 7.30 PM, 9.30 PM, 11.30 PM RED RIDING HOOD (ROMANCE): 8.30 PM, 10.30 PM
PM, 9.30 PM, 11.45 PM
BATTLE: LOS ANGELES (ACTION): 1.45 PM, 6.45 PM, 11.45 PM PAUL (COMEDY): 2.15 PM
RED RIDING HOOD (ROMANCE): 12 NOON, 2.15 PM, 4.30 PM,
I AM NUMBER FOUR (ACTION): 11.45 AM, 4.15 PM, 8.45 PM LARGO WINCH (THRILLER): 4.30 PM, 6.45 PM, 9 PM, 11.15 PM 6.45 PM, 9 PM, 11.15 PM
DRIVE ANGRY (THRILLER): (3D) : 9.30 PM, 11.30 PM NO STRINGS ATTACHED (ROMANCE): 2 PM PAUL (COMEDY): 11.45 AM, 2 PM, 4.15 PM, 6.30 PM, 8.45
ADJUSTMENT BUREAU (THRILLER): 2 PM, 6.45 PM, 11.30 PM THE WAY BACK (ADVENTURE): 4 PM, 6.30 PM, 9 PM PM, 11 PM
LINCOLN LAWYER (CRIME): 11.30 AM, 4.15 PM, 9 PM
THE ROOMMATE (THRILLER): 11.30 PM TOMORROW, WHEN THE WAR BEGAN (ACTION): 7.30 PM, 9.45
PM, 12 MN
MALL CINEMA THE ROOMMATE (THRILLER): 11.45 AM, 1.45 PM, 3.45 PM,
5.45 PM, 7.45 PM, 9.45 PM, 11.45 PM
AL RAJOL AL GHAMED BESALAMTO (ARABIC): 2.15 PM, 4.30 PM, 6.45 PM, 9 PM, 11.15 PM
CITY ISLAND (COMEDY) : 2 PM, 4.15 PM
SOURCE CODE (THRILLER): 6.30 PM, 8.45 PM, 11.15 PM
GULF CINEMA BIG MOMMAS (COMEDY): 11.15 AM, 4.15 PM, 9.15 PM
SUCKER PUNCH (THRILER): 11AM,1.30PM,4PM,6.30PM,9
THANK YOU (HINDI): 2.30 PM PM,11.30PM
RIO (3D) (ANIMATION): 2.30 PM, 4.30 PM, 6.30 PM JUST GO WITH IT (COMEDY): 11.30 AM, 4 PM, 8.30 PM
THANK YOU (HINDI) AUGUST 15 (MALAYALAM): 2 PM, 5.30 PM, 8.30 PM, 11.30 PM AUGUST 15 (MALAYALAM)
THE WAY BACK (ADVENTURE): 8.30 PM, 11 PM LINCOLN LAWYER (CRIME): 1.45 PM, 6.45 PM, 11.45 PM