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THURSDAY 18 APRIL 2013 • [email protected] • www.thepeninsulaqatar.com • 4455 7741
CAMPUS
LEGAL
HEALTH
INTERIOR DESIGN
TECHNOLOGY
LEARN ARABIC
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• q.media employeesraise money tosupport Rota
• Your legalqueriesanswered
• Patient-centredcare linked to better outcomes: Study
• A gadget freak’sremote-controlled‘smart house’
• Oracle fixes 42 holesin Java to revive security confidence
• Learn commonlyused Arabic wordsand their meanings
inside
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Stylish Oblivion mesmerises
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Students at Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar showcased their creations at the ‘Fingerprint’ fashion show. Eric Gaskins, the celebrity designer from New York, was also part of the show this year.
Setting new Setting new fashion trendsfashion trends
2 COVER STORYPLUS | THURSDAY 18 APRIL 2013
By Isabel Ovalle
Fashion design sophomores, juniors and seniors at Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar (VCUQ) had
their debut night on Tuesday at the ‘Fingerprint’ fashion show featuring their work in the form of fall and junior sportswear collections.
The show comprised looks that stu-dents started designing in January and working on in March. Yesterday and today these young designers also show-case their work for a different audience at The Gate Mall at 7pm.
This year students had opportu-nity to learn and work hand in hand with Eric Gaskins, from New York, who also made a collection espe-cially for the occasion. The North American designer graduated from Kenyon College in Ohio at age 20 and was awarded the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship which led to an interview with Hubert de Givenchy, which then led to an apprenticeship in Paris.
Alongside, the experienced profes-sional, The Gate Mall’s runway saw the designs of five senior students: Sultana Jasmine, Rabab Abdulla, Oulla Al Samarrae, Dana Masoud and Basra Bashir.
Gaskins’ collection was the first one to appear and consisted of luxuri-ous day and evening pieces that have been worn by celebrities such as Salma Hayek, Natalie Portman, Sharon Stone, Kim Cattrall, and many others. “What I love is the feedback from the client when she says that she’s worn a dress or suit over and over, the cut making her feel incredibly confident, sexy, the fit making her look better than she ever thought she could. For me that is really what it’s all about,” Gaskins has said.
Next-up on the runway was ‘Patterns’ the collection for kids that awed the audience who accompanied the small models with clapping all the way. The show continued with the sen-ior fall collection, ‘Illusions,’ and the junior sportswear collection, ‘Denim Focus.’
Pics:Qassim Rahmatullah
VCUQ students VCUQ students make their debutmake their debut
3
The closing of the spectacle was the senior thesis collection, depicted as an eclectic mix of day to evening looks that reflect the individual aesthetic of the designers.
Rabab Abdulla, an Indian brought up in Qatar, got inspiration from the clothes from her home country. “I look at a woman as someone who is always active and working. I wanted to make something that made you feel comfort-able, no matter what you are doing, whether it’s something at home or a special function,” said the student.
For this young designer, her objec-tive was to create something that could be worn in different events and at dif-ferent times and that will always make the user comfortable. “I’m a double major in Interior Design and Fashion. This is my first fashion show and I’ve learned a lot, the more I learned, the better I got,” she added.
In the fashion world, working back-stage also is a great source of knowl-edge. The young designer stated: “It was difficult staying up all night and not seeing my family so much, but I really enjoyed it,” she admitted.
The seniors were asked to start thinking about the collection since October, but started designing in January and actual production in March. After this experience, Abdulla recommends those who are in the fash-ion industry not to be scared, come out and try to be recognized by others.
On her part, Basra Bashir, original from Pakistan, gets her inspiration mostly from her culture. “I wanted to use the shawl like the one I want to use for my wedding. Ultimately, I aimed to give the collection a regal monarchy look, which is also the title of my col-lection, Monarchy.”
Bashir added: “I challenged myself to go out there and buy materials that I had never bought before, like silk, which, by the way, is very hard to sew. The fabrics and colors are also those that are in my accessories for my wed-ding. I wanted it to look like it was an actual royal palace.” The student also talked about the great experience of working with Gaskins. “He has been our mentor, he has given us feedback for about two weeks,” she said.
Sultana Jesmine prepared nine looks
for the occasion. “The whole process is very stressful but at the end it feels good to make something,” she admit-ted. The student considered that a lot of changes are already happening in fashion, while adding that “young ladies can wear anything they want under their abaya.”
Dana Masoud, a Palestine-Canadian student, decided to do a very classic, simple and elegant collection, with very simple silhouettes and a lot of embel-lished fabrics. “I actually bought beads and put them on my garments, getting inspiration from my childhood, when I always wanted to wear embellished clothes,” she said.
“Before I design I chose a target audience, in this case it was for ladies from 18 years to their late 20s,” she explained. For Masoud, the experience of working with Gaskins was also great: “He taught us a lot of techniques and interesting things, like how to sew gar-ments in a short time, because we used to take very long.”
The Chair of Fashion Design at VCUQ, Sandra Bell, explained that, after 14 years in Qatar and putting together this fashion show, “sometimes it’s really easy to do it, the students are very talented, they know exactly what they’re doing, and sometimes it’s the opposite, and it’s difficult to get them motivated and get them involved.” However, “with a little love and motiva-tion, you get what I got tonight. That’s what I love to do,” she continued.
Every year the University chooses a designer to act as a mentor, most fre-quently from the region. Nevertheless, VCUQ has hosted designers from the US, Brazil, India and Cambodia, among other origins. “I’m always in search of someone different, because fashion is an international business and I want students to understand that there are successful designers all over the world,” stated Bell.
Despite living in the Middle East, fashion students have an esthetic that is very Western. “I think we’re often taken aback by the abaya and the fact that it covers, but what most people don’t understand is what’s underneath is very Western,” explained the Chair of Fashion Design.
The Peninsula
Sometimes it’s really easy to do it (fashion show), the students are very talented, they know exactly what they’re doing, and sometimes it’s the opposite, and it’s difficult to get them motivated and get them involved. With a little love and motivation, you get what I got tonight.
PLUS | THURSDAY 18 APRIL 2013
Sandra Bell
Eric Gaskins
PLUS | THURSDAY 18 APRIL 20134 COMMUNITY
Mövenpick Hotel holds blood donation drive
Employees of Mövenpick Hotel Doha rolled up their sleeves to donate blood in an initia-tive in partnership with the
blood donors unit of HMC.Hotel General Manager Fabien
Chesnais led the team members in the campaign to raise awareness about the benefits of donating blood to support the healthcare system.
“We are constantly seeking oppor-tunities to contribute and give back and organising a blood donation cam-paign is one of them, our aim is to promote a business culture that’s focused on levitating our commitment to further aid the local community,” said Chesnais.
The Peninsula
Staff from Qatar Media Services — q.media — organised a char-ity bake sale last week at its headquarters in Al Jazeera
Tower, West Bay. All profits raised from the event were donated to Reach Out To Asia (Rota).
Maha Al Obaidan, q.media’s Marketing and Corporate Communications Director, said: “We are glad to see our team participating in our cake sale day and I am proud of every single employee who baked and donated. q.media has always been sup-portive of such charitable initiatives, and Rota without a doubt is one of the most recognised non-profit organisa-tions in the region and we are hon-oured to be able to partner with them for our community CSR initiatives.”
Lucy Urwin, q.media’s Corporate Communications Manager, said: “The turnout was great. Our staff baked over 30 items, from traditional des-serts to cakes. We were delighted with the turnout and the amount of money collected for Rota.”
Mohammed Jassim Al Naama, Director of Marketing, Events and Fundraising at Rota, said: “On behalf of
Rota and its staff, I would like to thank q.media for supporting our organisa-tion’s mission of developing Asia. I am
delighted to see q.media and many other Qatari companies giving back to the community, and the bake sale event
is only the start of more programmes to come in partnership with q.media.”
The Peninsula
q.media employees raise money to support Rota
Confederation of Alumni Associations of Kerala (CAAK) is organising an “Inter-collegiate Alumni Fiesta” tomorrow at Skills Development Centre.
Indian Embassy officials, community leaders and various college alumni leaders from Doha will attend the function.
Group competitions are scheduled at 4pm. In con-nection with the Alumni Fiesta, various competitions were held on April 12 and 13 at Bhavan’s School and the results have already been announced.
The overall winners will be awarded titles of Bala Prathibha, Yuva Prathibha and Kala Prathibha, and a rolling trophy will be awarded to the col-lege with the highest points. For details, contact 55489789/55376128 or email: [email protected].
The Peninsula
q.media staff with the baked goods.
CAAK Inter-collegiate Alumni Fiesta 2013 tomorrow
Participants in the group competitions.
Bihar groups to
mark Bihar Divas
Bihar Foundation, Qatar Chapter and World Bihar Organisation, Qatar are celebrating 101 Bihar Divas at Copthorne Hotel on
Friday, April 19.Shakil Ahmed Kakvi, president, World
Bihar Organisation, Qatar, said: “The motive to celebrate Bihar Divas is to pro-vide a platform to people of Bihari origin around the world to work together for a better Bihar where they can forget all other identities and be a proud Bihari Indian. We feel proud of present Bihar and its glorious past. The progress of Bihar is the progress of India. Bihar is progressing fast under the leadership of Nitish Kumar. Now, Bihar is a land of opportunities. Join us as a good friend and reliable partner for bonding, branding and business in Bihar.”
The programme will start at 5pm with a seminar on the theme, ‘Vision Bihar 2020’ followed by an awards ceremony and release of a magazine, Parwaaz. Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi and CEO, Bihar Foundation, Dipak Kumar Singh, will address the gathering through a video link.
This year, Abyanand, DGP Bihar, Dr Bindeshwer Pathak, founder, Sulabh International, and Ashfaque Karim, founder, Katihar Medical College, have been nominated for the excellence award by World Bihar Organisation, Qatar for their valuable services.
A music programme, “Ek Sham Bihar Ke Naam”, will be presented by members of Kainat Foundation. Nadir Abdul Salam, a budding artist, will perform Bhojpuri folk songs. The Peninsula
5COMMUNITY PLUS | THURSDAY 18 APRIL 2013
‘Damac Towers by
Paramount’ roadshow
reaches Qatar
Damac Properties is launching the next phase of a $1bn luxury hotel and serviced residences
for Qatari investors, following an event in Dubai.
‘Damac Towers by Paramount’, is being developed on sought-after real estate in Dubai overlooking the Burj Khalifa and the world’s largest mall.
Damac Towers by Paramount com-prises Paramount Hotel & Residences and Damac Maison serviced units – Paramount co-branded serviced hotel residences.
Developed by Damac Properties in partnership with Paramount Hotel & Resorts, the project offers a reflection of Hollywood glamour, synonymous with Paramount Pictures for the past 101 years. Damac Properties is presenting the project at the Four Seasons hotel in Doha on April 17 and 18.
“Dubai-Doha is currently the seventh largest international route in the world based on seat capacity, according to CAPA and Innovata data. Many Qataris, who regularly visit Dubai, are looking to own their own place, and luxury serviced apartments provide a home away from home where the whole family can expe-rience homely comforts and top-class service” said Ziad El Chaar, Managing Director, DAMAC Properties.
The Peninsula
Sony launches Cyber-shot HX300
Fifty One East and Sony have launched the Cyber-shot HX300 digital still camera, a power-packed device that offers DSLR-like capabilities in Qatar. The HX300 will be
available at all Fifty One East outlets located in Al Maha Centre, City Centre Doha and Lagoona Mall in addition to all Virgin Megastores at Villaggio and Landmark malls.
With a huge 50x optical zoom range – among the highest for any compact camera – the Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens covers a wide spectrum of shooting possibilities, from holidays and safari trips to sports, wildlife shoots and outdoor concerts. The T* coating on lens surfaces cuts reflections and ‘flare’, while Super ED and ED glass elements minimise chromatic aberration for satisfyingly sharp, high-contrast images.
The lengthiest shooting sessions are made pleasant and manageable by the camera’s balanced DSLR-style body and moulded ergonomic grip that fits comfortably into the hand. Add to that a full range of intuitively-placed controls including manual ring, custom button, jog dial and memory recall mode, and you have a camera that’s as good as a DSLR.
In a Cyber-shot first, the HX300 features newly-enhanced Optical Steady Shot for stress-free com-position and clearer photos even at high zoom settings. This model delivers an improved perform-ance as the high-speed autofocus at telephoto set-tings locks onto the subject around twice as quickly as its predecessor model, the Cyber-shot HX200V. Users will find it easier than ever to grab those
spontaneous moments with crisp, blur-free results.The Exmor R CMOS sensor inside the new
Cyber-shot HX300 captures richly-detailed, stills and Full HD video with very low picture noise, even when shooting without flash at dusk or in dimly-lit interiors.
The HX300 features the Advanced Flash that boosts the camera’s sensitivity, effectively extending flash range to make subjects at long distance appear brighter. This proves ideal for party shots, indoors
or at dusk where the camera’s built-in flash could otherwise struggle to reach the action.
Picture Effect makes it easy to spice up photos, movies and panoramas with a range of fun, impres-sive artistic treatments such as Toy Camera, Pop Colour, Soft High Key and Partial Colour. Everything is instant and automatic without the need to fid-dle around with smartphone apps or image editing downloads.
The Peninsula
Spanish food festival at
InterContinental Doha
A Spanish food festival began yesterday at Coral restaurant, in InterContinental Doha. The event marks the official inauguration of the eatery and will run every night until April 20.
The Spanish ambassador to Qatar, Carmen de la Peña, and the General Manager of InterContinental Doha, Andreas Pfister, inaugurated the gastronomical feast with a ribbon cutting ceremony.
The ambassadors of Cuba and Hungary, Ernesto Plasencia and Stephen Elter, respectively, and other dignitaries and staff from the Spanish Embassy were among the other officials who attended the first day of the festival.
The festival features authentic Spanish cuisine pre-pared by the hotel’s staff, with a special touch lent by two Spanish chefs who have come to Doha for the occasion, said the Spanish ambassador.
The fiesta presents a wide range of Spanish dishes. The hotel’s guest chefs from Spain will prepare a variety of tapas, paellas, gazpacho, croquetas, gambas al ajillo and countless other delicacies that best represent Spanish cuisine.
Other dishes to be expected include typical desserts like arroz con leche (rice with milk) and torrijas, made out of bread dipped in milk and fried.
To complement the ambiance and dining experience, a Flamenco show will be staged each night. The festival starts from 7pm and is priced at QR235, inclusive of buffet dinner and a glass of sangria.
The hotel expects to have a full house every day and is already fully booked for tonight. Coral restaurant seats 200 guests and has a terrace overlooking the swimming pool.
InterContinental Doha has organized the event in part-nership with Gulf Center for Foodstuffs and Ali Bin Ali and Partners Food Services Division
The Peninsula
The Spanish ambassador and the general manager of InterContinental Doha inaugurating the festival.Below: A Flamenco dancer.
Qass
im R
ahm
atul
lah
PLUS | THURSDAY 18 APRIL 2013 LEGAL66
I am working in a private company. In case a loan holder’s employer legally terminates his/her job contract and cancels the work permit, he/she cannot stay in the country longer than the notice period. How can he/she then repay the loan? Will insurance cover repay in this case?
Name withheldA loan is a contract between two parties that
requires repayment of the debt on the time agreed on, in instalments.
Traditionally, banks and companies give loans to employees with a guarantee to transfer their monthly salary to an account in the bank, and the lender deducts a percentage of the salary each month until the debtor has repaid the amount along with the interest and related expenses.
Some banks and companies that provide loans require to be informed by the employer when the employee resigns or his service is terminated, to enable them to take the required legal measures to recover their money.
Therefore, when an employee ends his service with a company, he should inform the bank or lender that his contract with the company has ended and he is committed to repaying his debt, however, the company has refused to extend his contract or transfer his sponsorship in order to let him work with another employer and enable him to repay the loan.
Needless to say, the employer is not responsible for the loan unless it is acquired with his official approval.
Law No (4) of 2009 on expatriates’ entry, exit, residence and sponsorship says sponsors are responsible for settling the debts of their spon-sored expatriates if they agree to do so in a written form. They should repay the expatriates’ debts if the latter do not have the required funds.
So, if the loan is given with the official approval of the employer, the employer is responsible for repaying the rest of the loan in case the employee does not have money for this.
If the employee got the loan without official approval from the employer, he is responsible for repaying the loan.
Normally, when a lender (whether a bank or company) comes to know that the debtor is about to leave the country for good, he file a case with the general prosecution to prevent him from leav-ing the country.
This can result in him being prevented from leaving the country and refusal to cancel his resi-dential visa.
This will result in the person being slapped with a travel ban, being unemployed and so having no income to repay the loan. Eventually this could lead to a compromise whereby the sponsor agrees to transfer the employee’s sponsorship to another company in order to let him work and repay his loan.
This will safeguard the rights of all parties, as the bank or lender will be able to recover its money and the employee will be able to work with another sponsor.
Repayment of the loan by an insurance company is possible only if the loan is insured.
In fact, a loan contract burdens the debtor with additional expenses besides the loan amount, such as administrative fees, the interest and the loan insurance fee.
It is worth mentioning that in Qatar there are charitable organisations that give humanitarian support to the needy, including debtors.
Therefore, the questioner can approach these charities for support if he cannot find any other solution and is unable to repay his loan.
Last month, I got a job in a company in Qatar with my expected salary. They sent me an offer letter and I accepted the offer by email. The company is asking for a No-objection Certificate (NOC) from my cur-rent sponsor. When I requested my current employer to give me an NOC, they said that since I was on a business visa I did not require an NOC and they would provide me an exit permit and an experience certificate and I could leave Qatar and my next employer could apply for my work visa. Is this true? The firm offering me the new job says I have to either get an NOC from my current sponsor or they can apply for my work visa after the expiry of my three-month visa.
Name withheldIn case the questioner leaves the country with
the aim of coming back on a work visa, there is no need for an NOC, taking into consideration the fact that he is on a business visa and will be returning on a work visa.
For further clarifications, it is advisable to inquire with the passport department, as their regulations change. I advise the questioner to make sure of what the requirements and procedures are in such a case.
The Peninsula
Legal corner
By Abdelaal A KhalilLegal Consultant
Please send your queries to: [email protected]
Job loss and loan repayment
HEALTH 7
Health Tipsfrom DOCTOR
Vaccines are made in several ways. However, all vaccines have the same general goal: weaken the virus or bacteria in a way that allows the recipient to develop an immune
response without developing any symptoms of infec-tion. Vaccines are made using the same components that are found in the natural virus or bacteria.Weaken the virus
Using this strategy, viruses are weakened so that they reproduce themselves very poorly once inside the body. The measles, mumps, German measles (rubella), rotavirus, intranasal influenza and chicken-pox (varicella) vaccines are made this way. Whereas natural viruses reproduce themselves thousands of times, vaccine viruses usually reproduce themselves fewer than 20 times. Because vaccine viruses don’t reproduce themselves very much, they don’t cause disease, but vac-cine viruses replicate well enough to induce “mem-ory cells” that protect against infection in the future. The advantage of live, “weakened” vaccines is that one or two doses provide immunity that is lifelong.Inactivate the virus
Using this strategy, viruses are completely inactivated (or killed) with a chemical. By killing the virus, it cannot pos-sibly reproduce itself or cause disease. The inacti-vated polio, hepatitis A, influenza (shot), and rabies vaccines are made this way. Because the virus is still “seen” by the body, cells of the immune system that protect against disease are generated. However, the limitation of this approach is that it typically requires several doses to achieve immunity.Use part of the virus
Using this strategy, just one part of the virus is removed and used as a vaccine. The hepatitis B and HPV vaccines are made this way. The vaccine is com-posed of a protein that resides on the surface of the virus. This strategy can be used when an immune response to one part of the virus (or bacteria) is responsible for protection against disease.Use part of the bacteria
Some bacteria cause disease by making a harmful protein called a toxin. Several vaccines are made by taking toxins and inactivating them with a chemi-cal (the toxin, once inactivated, is called a toxoid). By inactivating the toxin, it no longer causes harm. The diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccines are made this way. Just like for inactivated viral vaccines, bacterial vaccines require several doses to induce adequate immunity.
Dr. E V KumarSpecialist - Paediatrics
Healthspring World Clinic
How are vaccines made?
By Andrew M Seaman
Patients tend to do better when their doc-tors pay attention to their individual needs and circumstances, according to a new study.
“In a sense that sounds sort of obvious, but no one has ever showed that before,” said Dr Saul Weiner, the study’s lead researcher.
Weiner, a physician and health services researcher at Jesse Brown VA Medical Center and the University of Illinois at Chicago, said doc-tors are often focused on meeting recommended guidelines, such as prescribing certain medications for a condition like high blood pressure.
“The challenge of healthcare is actually custom-ising those guidelines to the individual’s circum-stance and the needs of a patient. For generations people have called that the art of medicine, but the problem with that is it seemed dismissive,” he said.
Previous studies had suggested that patient-centred care led to better outcomes, but it was hard to know what doctors were talking about with patients.
Researchers didn’t know — for example — whether doctors simply increased patients’ medi-cations when their blood pressure crept back up, or if they tried to find out why their current pills had stopped working.
Instead of the medication, it could be that the patients could no longer afford their pills, or that they had developed dementia and were forgetful.
For the new study, Weiner and his colleagues recruited 139 doctors-in-training, known as resi-dents, from two US Veterans Affairs facilities. The residents agreed to let their patients privately record a future medical visit.
They then recruited 774 patients of those doc-tors who agreed to secretly tape record one of their future visits by leaving a recorder in their clothing or bag.
The researchers then went through the patients’ medical records to see if there were any “red flags” that signalled patients’ conditions were deterio-rating. For example, if a person’s diabetes was no longer under control.
They then listened to the tape recordings to see if the doctors picked up on the “red flags” and tried to address the underlying cause. About 160 of the patients were then tracked for nine months to see if their condition had improved.
Overall, there were 548 “red flags” identified in the patients’ medical records, and 208 of them were addressed during the recorded visits.
The researchers found 71 percent of the patients who had their “red flags” addressed by their doc-tors improved, compared to about 46 percent of those whose doctors didn’t get to the underlying cause.
ADDRESSING THE PROBLEMThe study cannot prove that the doctors find-
ing those “red flags” caused their patients to do better, but Dr Robert Smith, who has researched patient-centred care at Michigan State University in East Lansing, said the results were consistent with previous research.
Smith, who wasn’t involved with the new study, said medical education needed to include patient-centred skills and interviewing practices into its curriculum. “Doctors are not bad people who are
not being patient-centred. It’s the fact they’re not
taught it,” he added.
Dr Lisa Cooper, who co-wrote an editorial accom-
panying the new study in the Annals of Internal
Medicine, said that there was also a resource issue.
“I’m always an optimist, but we do have chal-
lenges. We have an access problem. We don’t have an
adequate number of primary care physicians,” said
Cooper, from the Johns Hopkins University School
of Medicine in Baltimore.
Smith, Cooper and Weiner all said patients also
shouldn’t be afraid to speak up during their vis-
its. But Weiner said the responsibility ultimately
fell on the doctor. “Oftentimes patients don’t know
what about their context is relevant. If a patient
has diminishing cognitive abilities, they’re the last
person to know their diabetes is going out of control,”
he said. “That’s why I ultimately think that this is a
doctor’s job. Not a patient job.”
SOURCE: bit.ly/Zwi3u5 Annals of Internal Medicine,
online April 15, 2013. Reuters
Patient-centred care linked to better outcomes: Study
PLUS | THURSDAY 18 APRIL 2013
By Maggie Fazeli Fard
The Autism Revolution: Whole Body Strategies for Making Life All It Can Be by Martha Herbert
A new approach to tackling autism. Often, parents of autistic children are told that the disorder is genetically hard-wired, destined to remain
fixed forever. A new book offers parents hope for a different outcome.
The Autism Revolution, by Harvard Medical School researcher and clinician Martha Herbert, aims to approach autism methodically, with strategies to help parents better meet their child’s needs and make their lives as full as possible. Herbert shares real-life success stories of children and adults on the autism spectrum who, as she describes them, “didn’t follow the textbooks.” They followed recommendations to optimise nutrition, strengthen immunity and reduce stress and environmental toxins. They “got better — some dramatically so,” writes Herbert.
The book is based on the idea that environment and genetics, the body and the brain, all play power-ful roles in how autism is expressed. Viewed this way, autism becomes a collection of problems that can be solved or, at least, managed. Herbert writes, “you get a very different story than the hopeless-genetic-lifelong-brain-damage tale that most of us thought was the truth.” She uses success stories of patients in her clinical practice, combined with new scientific research, to support this.
It is unclear, however, what makes this book “revo-lutionary.” Her holistic approach isn’t unheard of in medicine and Herbert herself acknowledges that her strategies aren’t a cure; there’s no guarantee that any of her recommendations will work and what helps one person won’t necessarily help another. The book is designed to be “an organising framework,” she writes, one in which “small adjustments can sometimes trig-ger big changes.”
WP-Bloomberg
Autism book offers holistic strategies
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ory h
as
been
scrubbed but
flic
kers w
ith
im
ages
from
his
past
.A
s th
e fi
lm buil
ds,
it pla
ys w
ith
fam
ilia
r
sci-
fi
them
es
of
iden
tity
, m
em
ory,
fait
h in
in
sti
tuti
on
s an
d
hum
an
natu
re.
Lit
tle can
be said
about
Morgan
Freem
an
’s c
haracte
r w
ith
out
giv
ing
much
aw
ay,
but
suffi
ce t
o s
ay t
hat
he
en
ters
the fi
lm i
n s
hades,
lig
hti
ng a
cig
ar a
nd w
earin
g a
cape. Y
es,
a c
ape.
Kosin
sk
i could
have c
hucked a
ll h
is
vis
ual
eff
ects
an
d ju
st
gon
e w
ith
a
cape-c
lad F
reem
an
.A
naly
sin
g t
he s
ubst
an
ce o
f O
bli
vion,
wh
ich
decli
nes
— a
s so
many s
cie
nce-
ficti
on
film
s do —
as
the p
uzz
les
are
solv
ed,
inevit
ably
dim
inis
hes
the
film
. B
ut
for th
ose w
ho en
joy th
e
sim
ple
th
ril
l of
han
dsom
ely
sty
lised
image-m
ak
ing,
Ob
livio
n
is
mostl
y
mesm
eris
ing.
Th
e s
evere a
rti
ficia
lity
of
the fi
lm’s
un
iverse
begin
s crackin
g w
ith
Jack’s
curio
sity
for e
arth
ly, an
alo
g t
hin
gs.
It
starte
d w
ith a
foun
d b
ook, an
d g
row
s in
his
secret
moun
tain
hid
eaw
ay o
f old
records,
a b
ase
ball c
ap a
nd lit
eratu
re.
It’s
a f
am
ilia
r t
rope i
n s
ci-
fi t
hat
hum
an
ity b
reath
es
ete
rn
ally t
hrough
art.
But
if fi
lms l
ike O
bli
vion a
re s
o
preoccupie
d by th
e detr
itus of
our
civ
ilis
ati
on
, perh
aps
we
ou
gh
t to
aim
a l
ittl
e h
igh
er t
han
Tom
Cruis
e
blo
ckbust
ers.
Aft
er a
ll, our f
utu
re f
ate
depen
ds
on
it.
Ob
livio
n is
a U
niv
ersal
Pic
tures
rele
ase
. A
P
By
Jake
Co
yle
Early
in
the s
leek s
ci-
fi t
hrille
r
Ob
livio
n,
Tom
C
ruis
e,
as a
fly boy repair
man
livin
g a
rem
oved,
Jets
on
s-li
ke e
xis
t-en
ce a
bove a
n i
nvaded a
nd d
ese
rte
d
Earth
, in
ton
es
his
hom
e s
ickn
ess
.“I
can
’t
sh
ak
e
the
feeli
ng
that
desp
ite a
ll t
hat’s
happen
ed,
Earth
is
stil
l m
y h
om
e,”
he n
arrate
s.O
ne c
an
’t h
elp
but
chortl
e a
nd w
on
-der i
f C
ruis
e i
s sp
eakin
g f
or h
imse
lf.
Th
e c
his
ele
d b
lockbust
er s
tar c
arrie
s so m
uch
baggage n
ow
adays t
hat
an
audie
nce’s
rela
tion
sh
ip t
o h
im o
ften
feels
dow
nrig
ht
alien
.B
ut
Cruis
e, th
at
un
rele
nti
ng b
ull
et
of
headlo
ng m
om
en
tum
, is
un
daun
ted.
He k
eeps
com
ing b
ack w
ith
even
big
-ger fi
lms,
most
of
wh
ich
, despit
e it
all
, h
e r
eli
ably
propels
— e
ven
if
it’s
becom
e h
arder t
o s
ee C
ruis
e a
s any-
thin
g o
ther t
han
him
self
.In
Ob
livio
n,
the s
econ
d fi
lm f
rom
T
ron
: L
ega
cy d
irecto
r J
ose
ph K
osi
nsk
i,
he p
lays J
ack
Harper,
a p
atr
oll
er o
f th
e d
ron
e-c
on
trolled s
kie
s over E
arth
. F
rom
a s
parse d
ock
wh
ere h
e l
ives
wit
h h
is supervis
or an
d gir
lfrie
nd,
Vic
toria
(A
ndrea R
iseborough
), J
ack
makes
daily fl
ights
in
his
spacecraft
to
the E
arth
’s b
arren
surfa
ce. “W
e’r
e t
he
mop-u
p c
rew
,” h
e s
ays.
He t
ell
s us
that
it’s
been
60 y
ears
sin
ce
ali
en
s
invaded,
first
kn
ock
-in
g o
ut
the m
oon
(goodn
igh
t m
oon
, in
deed)
an
d t
hen
leadin
g t
o a
devas-
tati
ng n
ucle
ar w
ar.
Th
ough
hum
an
s,
he s
ays,
won
out,
th
ey h
ad t
o a
ban
don
the p
lan
et’s
surfa
ce (
New
York
is
bur-
ied u
p t
o t
he E
mpir
e S
tate
Buil
din
g’s
n
eedle
), t
ak
ing r
efu
ge o
n a
moon
of
Satu
rn
. O
n a
deso
late
Earth
, th
e o
nly
bein
gs
rem
ain
ing a
re h
idin
g b
an
ds
of
Scaven
gers
(“S
cavs”
) th
at
look s
om
e-
thin
g lik
e a
cross
betw
een
the T
usk
en
Raid
ers
of
Sta
r W
ars
an
d M
illi V
an
illi.
Mon
itorin
g
the
lan
d
are
wh
ite,
roun
d d
ron
es
that
appear l
ike g
ian
t,
floati
ng c
ue b
alls
from
afa
r, b
ut
men
ac-
ing r
obot
kille
rs
up c
lose
. O
ccasi
on
ally,
th
ey n
eed s
ervic
ing f
rom
Jack (
Cruis
e
as
WA
LL
-E).
He a
void
s th
eir
bla
sters
by a
uth
en
ticati
ng h
imse
lf, but
as
they
ble
ep a
nd b
lork,
he c
ow
ers
an
xio
usl
y
— n
ot
en
tirely
certa
in t
hey’r
e o
n t
he
sam
e t
eam
.H
is f
ait
h i
s g
reate
r w
ith
Vic
toria
, w
ho
gu
ides
his
m
ovem
en
ts
from
h
er com
pute
ris
ed desk
. H
er supe-
rio
r (
pla
yed w
ith
a f
olk
sy S
outh
ern
accen
t by M
eli
ssa L
eo)
is s
een
on
ly in
scratc
hy v
ideo c
om
mun
iques.
So w
e a
re b
ack in
a p
ost
-apocaly
pti
c
world
, a p
lace t
o w
hic
h m
ovie
s la
tely
can
’t h
elp
retu
rn
ing, all
wit
h v
ario
us
images
of
wrecked i
con
ic m
onum
en
ts
an
d u
npeople
d l
an
dscapes.
We h
ave
seen
many o
f th
e e
lem
en
ts o
f O
bli
vion
PLU
S |
TH
UR
SD
AY
18
AP
RIL
2013
HO
LLY
WO
OD
NE
WS
MO
VIE
89
BO
LLY
WO
OD
NE
WS
Gom
ez a
nnounces w
orl
d t
our
Am
eric
an
sin
ger
Sele
na
Gom
ez
has
announced h
er w
orld
tour p
lans
that
will
take h
er t
o 5
6 c
itie
s.T
he 2
0-y
ear-o
ld p
op s
inger b
ounced b
ack o
nto
th
e m
usi
c s
cene a
t th
e M
TV
Movie
Aw
ards
wit
h
her n
ew
sin
gle
Com
e &
Get
It.
Shortl
y a
fter t
he
Bollyw
ood-t
hem
ed perfo
rm
an
ce at
the even
t,
Sele
na a
nn
oun
ced s
he w
ill
be t
ourin
g 5
6 c
itie
s la
ter t
his
year.
“It’s
goin
g t
o b
e a
big
ger s
how
. I’m
excit
ed. I’ve
been
dan
cin
g a
lot
an
d I
just
wan
t to
en
terta
in
people
and I
’m s
uper s
toked,” s
he w
as
quote
d a
s sa
yin
g b
y c
onta
ctm
usi
c.c
om
.G
om
ez’
s in
spir
ati
on
s are B
rit
ney S
pears
an
d
Janet
Jackso
n, and s
he s
ays
she w
ould
focus
more
on d
ancin
g d
urin
g h
er t
our.
Gom
ez
said
: “I
kin
d o
f m
iss
show
s w
hen i
t ju
st
use
d t
o b
e a
bout
dancin
g a
nd p
erfo
rm
ing a
s oppose
d
to h
ow
big
and e
laborate
the s
tage is.
So I
kin
d o
f w
ant
to g
et
back t
o t
hat.”
“My f
avourit
es
were B
rit
ney a
nd J
anet
Jackso
n. S
o I
kin
d o
f w
ant
to
do a
lit
tle b
it m
ore d
ancin
g, and just
make i
t about
the e
nte
rta
inm
ent
and a
bout
the s
how
and t
he s
ongs,
as
oppose
d t
o h
ow
big
the s
tage o
r
how
many e
ffects
we c
an h
ave,” s
he a
dded.
The t
our w
ill
kic
k s
tart
in V
an
couver i
n C
an
ada a
nd w
ould
en
d i
n
St
Louis
, U
S, w
ith b
rie
f st
ops
in E
urope a
nd N
orth
Am
eric
a.
Gosling g
ot
em
oti
onal fo
r scre
en s
on
Acto
r R
yan G
osl
ing c
rie
d w
atc
hin
g a
baby
bein
g b
apti
sed o
n t
he s
ets
of
his
recentl
y
rele
ase
d fi
lm,
Th
e P
lace
Beyo
nd
Th
e P
ines.
“I d
idn’t
know
that
was
goin
g t
o h
appen. I
was
just
sit
ting i
n t
he c
hurch w
atc
hin
g a
baby b
ein
g
bapti
sed, and I
don’t
know
why I
was
em
oti
onal,
but
I w
as,
” conta
ctm
usi
c.c
om
quote
d h
im a
s sa
yin
g.
“Fir
st o
f all, th
at’s
due t
o t
he f
act
that
the k
id
who p
lays
my s
on is
an infa
nt
— h
is n
am
e is
Tony
Piz
za. It
’s h
ard n
ot
to lik
e a
guy n
am
ed T
ony P
izza
. W
e r
eally h
it it
off
,” h
e a
dded.
The 3
2-y
ear-o
ld a
cto
r i
s se
en a
s a b
ad g
uy i
n
the fi
lm a
nd e
ven
got
fake t
att
oos
to m
ake h
is
characte
r look r
ealist
ic.
Jen
nif
er A
nis
ton
may h
ave p
layed a
terrib
le
manager i
n t
he 2
011
com
edy H
orr
ible
Boss
es,
but
in r
eal life
the a
cto
r t
urned-d
irecto
r/pro-
ducer s
ays
she’s
a t
ota
l p
ush
ove
r w
hen in c
harge.
Anis
ton e
xecuti
ve p
roduced t
he u
pcom
ing t
ele
-vis
ion m
ovie
Ca
ll M
e C
razy:
A F
ive F
ilm
” a c
om
pila-
tion o
f sh
ort
film
s about
menta
l illn
ess
prem
ierin
g
on A
pril 2
0 o
n L
ifeti
me.
At
the m
ovie
’s p
rem
iere in L
os
Angele
s, A
nis
ton
adm
itte
d s
he’s
a h
ard-w
ork
ing, no-n
onse
nse
boss
w
ho loves
seein
g a
film
com
e t
ogeth
er f
rom
the g
round u
p.
Though a
udie
nces
are u
sed t
o w
atc
hin
g t
he F
rien
ds
actr
ess
in
big
budget
blo
ckbust
ers,
Anis
ton fi
nds
pass
ion in p
roje
cts
lik
e C
all
Me C
razy
most
fulfi
llin
g.
“These
are t
he t
hin
gs
you w
ake u
p e
xcit
ed a
bout,”
she s
aid
.T
he fi
lm’s
sta
r-s
tudded c
ast
and d
irecto
rs
inclu
de J
ennif
er H
udso
n,
Meliss
a L
eo a
nd A
shle
y J
udd.
Styl
ish
Obliv
ion
mes
mer
ises
Bollyw
ood im
pro
vin
g f
or
wom
en: K
are
ena K
apoor
Bollyw
ood sta
r K
areen
a K
apoor says th
e
portr
ayal
of
wom
en
in
In
dia
n c
inem
a i
s chan
gin
g,
an
d fi
lm d
irecto
rs
are i
ncreas-
ingly
creati
ng m
ore m
eanin
gfu
l role
s fo
r t
hem
.K
apoor s
ays
Bollyw
ood h
as
begun
portr
ayin
g
wom
en in a
more p
osi
tive m
anner.
Wom
en’s
“role
s are b
ein
g w
rit
ten b
y n
ew
and y
oung d
irecto
rs
and
they a
re s
how
ing t
hat
we a
re n
ot
just
obje
cts
of
desi
re,” s
he s
aid
.F
or t
he m
ost
part,
wom
en lead s
ubse
rvie
nt
lives
in I
ndia
, and B
ollyw
ood’s
portr
ayal of w
om
en is
no
dif
ferent.
In m
ost
India
n fi
lms,
the f
em
ale
lead’s
jo
b is
to p
out
and m
ake t
he m
ale
prota
gonis
t lo
ok
good.
Kapoor w
as
speakin
g o
n N
ew
Delh
i T
ele
vis
ion
chan
nel
on
Mon
day
aft
er r
eceiv
ing N
DT
V’s
En
tert
ain
er
of
the D
eca
de a
ward. S
he h
as
acte
d
in m
ore t
han 5
0 fi
lms
since join
ing t
he fi
lm indust
ry in 2
000.
If I
take r
um
our
seri
ously
, I’
d b
e in
menta
l asylu
m: K
alk
i
Rum
ours
can
’t b
e t
aken
serio
usl
y o
r t
hey w
ould
driv
e a
perso
n
crazy
, fe
els
Kalk
i K
oechlin.
She r
ubbis
hed r
eports
that
she h
ad s
tayed o
ut
of
prom
oti
onal
acti
vit
y for E
k T
hi D
aa
yan b
ecause
of her c
o-s
tar H
um
a Q
uresh
i, w
ho w
as
allegedly
havin
g a
n a
ffair
wit
h h
er fi
lm-m
aker h
usb
and A
nurag K
ash
yap.
“I d
on’t
underst
and t
hese
rum
ours.
I h
ave b
een s
hooti
ng f
or m
y fi
lm.
I had a
n inte
nse
schedule
, so
I c
ould
n’t
join
them
(E
k T
hi
Da
aya
n t
eam
) fo
r t
he p
rom
oti
ons.
For t
he last
12 d
ays,
I h
ave b
een p
rom
oti
ng n
on-s
top
for t
he fi
lm w
ith H
um
a a
nd E
mraan H
ash
mi,”
Kalk
i sa
id.
“As
a p
erso
n, if
I t
ake e
very r
um
our s
erio
usl
y, I
would
be in a
menta
l asy
lum
. I
just
have t
o ignore it
and m
ove o
n,” s
he a
dded.
Kash
yap i
ntr
oduced K
alk
i to
Bollyw
ood w
ith h
is s
uccess
ful
film
Dev
D a
nd late
r t
he t
wo d
ate
d e
ach o
ther a
nd t
heir
love s
tory c
ulm
inate
d in
marria
ge in 2
011
.K
alk
i sa
ys
they a
re v
ery h
appy t
ogeth
er.
“It’s
great.
We b
oth
are g
ett
ing v
ery,
very b
usy
. W
e h
ave t
o fi
nd t
ime
to s
pend w
ith e
ach o
ther.
We a
re v
ery h
appy w
ith e
ach o
ther a
nd b
oth
of
us
love o
ur jobs,
” sh
e s
aid
.D
irecte
d b
y K
annan I
yer,
Ek
Th
i D
aa
yan, w
hic
h a
lso featu
res
Konkona
Sen S
harm
a, is
sla
ted f
or a
n A
pril 1
8 r
ele
ase
.
I get
paid
so m
uch, I
laugh, says
Arc
hana P
ura
n S
ingh
Actr
ess
Archana P
uran S
ingh, w
ho h
as
been judgin
g C
om
ed
y C
ircu
s fo
r s
ix y
ears,
says
she e
njo
ys
it b
ecause
it
is a
“very w
ell-p
aid
job”
and s
he is
“laughin
g a
ll t
he w
ay t
o t
he b
ag”.
“I g
et
paid
so m
uch t
hat,
of
course
, I
will la
ugh. I
am
laughin
g a
ll t
he
way t
o t
he b
ag. It
’s a
very w
ell-p
aid
job, th
e r
em
unerati
on is
fabulo
us.
It’s
my job, I
have t
o l
augh,” s
aid
Archana, w
ho h
as
been c
row
ned L
au
gh
ter
Qu
een p
ost
her s
tint
as
a judge o
n t
he s
how
.S
he s
ays
one g
ets
“m
ore m
oney”
for b
ein
g a
judge a
nd, “I
would
say
the m
oney is
not
unju
stifi
ed”.
The a
ctr
ess
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PLU
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TH
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SCIENCEPLUS | THURSDAY 18 APRIL 201310
© GRAPHIC NEWSSources: The Double Helix by James Watson, Nature, Life Technologies Pictures: Associated Press, National Library of Medicine
Human cell: Nucleus of every cell contains46 chromosomes, 23 from each parent
Genome: DNA ismade of chemical basesA, C, G and T. Each Abase bonds with T baseand each G base with C
Genetic code: Order ofnucleotides within gene isinheritable instructions neededto make protein molecules
Some proteins are buildingmaterials of cells – skin,heart, blood – whileothers control biologicalprocesses such asdigesting food or carryingoxygen in blood
Mutations: Alterationsto sequence of code canresult in proteins withincorrect form and shape.Scientists have identifiedmore than 6,000 genedisorders which affectabout one in 200 people
Personalgenomes:New-generationsequencingtechniques mayeventually identifyrisks ofgeneticdiseasesandsuggesttherapies
Nucleus
DNA: Uncoiled molecule is so large thataverage chromosome contains 50mm of DNA
Gene
Protein
Chromosome: Each chromosome iscomprised of one tightly coiled molecule ofDNA with proteins that serve to package DNAand control its functions. DNA carries unique geneticcode that determines characteristics of each person
1869: Nuclein – nowknown as DNA ordeoxyribonucleic acid –isolated from nuclei ofwhite blood cells
1879: Chromosomesdiscovered withinnucleus of cell
1900: Building blocks ofDNA established asphosphate and sugar(deoxyribose) and four bases (nucleotides)adenine (A), cytosine (C),guanine (G), thymine (T)
1953: James Watson andFrancis Crick (clockwisefrom top left) – guidedby X-ray photographstaken by Maurice Wilkinsand Rosalind Franklin –discover double-helixstructure of DNA
1961: Marshall Nirenbergdeciphers genetic code,revealing sequence ofamino acids in proteinmolecules
1977: Walter Gilbert andFrederick Sanger devisetechniques for sequencingorder of base pairs
1990: Human GenomeProject begins with goal ofsequencing nucleotidesand mapping all genes inhuman DNA
June 2000: U.S. PresidentBill Clinton announcesthat 85% of genome hasbeen sequenced.Research now shiftsto discovering howindividual genes withinchromosomes vary
2006: Sequence of lasthuman chromosomepublished. Chromosome 1is largest with 4,316 genes,made up of some 249million base pairs
1986: Leroy Hooddevelops first high-speedautomated DNA sequencer
1933: Chromosomesshown to contain DNA
1941: “One gene-one protein”hypothesis
1944: Discoverythat DNA, notprotein, ismaterial ofinheritance
Cost persingle
genome(2001)
$95.3m
Cost pergenome(2013)
$1,000
World DNA Day on April 25 will commemorate the 60th anniversary of the publication of the structure of DNA by James Watson, Francis Crick, Maurice Wilkins, Rosalind Franklin and colleagues in the journal Nature in 1953. In addition, DNA Day will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the completion of the Human Genome Project. Graphic shows human cell and structure of DNA plus timeline of key moments on the road to the discovery of the double helix.
11INTERIOR DESIGN PLUS | THURSDAY 18 APRIL 2013
By Michele Lerner
Armeane M Choksi acknowledges he’s a bit of a “gadget freak” in explaining his need for an uber-connected house.
Whether he’s sitting in his second-floor home office or vacationing out of the country, Choksi can control just about every major component of his mansion in northwest Washington by touching the screen of his smartphone or tablet.
He can preset the drapes in his din-ing room, living room and the south side area of his family room to open at 4pm and close at 10am to protect his rugs and furniture from the harsh sun. While he’s in the kitchen, he can lower the screen in the basement home thea-tre and begin playing a favourite movie so that it’s ready for him when he gets there. And he can turn on, turn off or dim practically any light in the house.
“This system is completely compre-hensive and controls the front-door camera, cable TV, the Kaleidescape video-distribution system, Internet radio, satellite radio, lighting, tem-perature, the shades and security,” says Choksi, 69, who served as vice presi-dent of the World Bank before found-ing two investment firms.
“The advantage is that if I want to change the temperature, I don’t have to go running from room to room,” adds Choksi, who lives in the house with his wife, Mary. “If I have dinner, I can preset the lighting in every room and preset the music — all with one button. You can watch one TV in one room and listen to music in a second room.”
Smartphones and tablets have made luxury more convenient to those with means, but it’s not for everyone. If you’re the type of person who strug-gles with the TV remote, you may not want your entire home controlled by technology. And some over-the-top features can become outdated quickly, requiring expensive updates.
Choksi said the app-based technol-ogy is far more advanced than a similar system he previously owned. The older system, he said, was clunky, with touch screens attached to walls and compo-nents that didn’t talk to one another.
Being able to operate “online has lowered prices and made these systems more accessible,” says Tom Wells, pres-ident and founder of Integrated Media Systems in Sterling, Virginia.
Neither Choksi nor Wells would disclose the cost of the system. But experts say such technology can cost tens of thousands of dollars or more.
Wells says the new systems can do 50 percent more than they used to for 30 percent of the cost. “Now every-one can start with a Web-based device instead of needing to install a special touch panel. That brings down the cost tremendously.”
Although this technology may seem frivolous, it has some practical applications.
For example, when Joseph Pigg needed to let a plumber into his beach house in Delaware while he was at work in Washington, he pulled out his iPhone to shut off his alarm system. When he’s at the beach and his dogs need walking in the city, he can use the same app to handle security at his Washington home and let in a pet sitter.
Pigg installed SimpliSafe, a wireless home-security system with motion sensors on the doors and windows. He gets a text message when they’re opened.
“The ability to use my phone to con-trol everything remotely is what really sold me on the system,” Pigg says.
Joshua Baker, founder and co-owner of Bowa, a luxury-home renovation and remodelling company in McLean, Virgnia, says handling things remotely from a tablet or smartphone is particu-larly important for people who travel frequently or have a second home.
“One client travels often and has a lot of packages delivered to her home,” Baker says. “We have a sensor set up so that if the door to her vestibule is opened, a caretaker gets an e-mail and can check by camera to see if a package has been delivered, and then go pick it up.”
Derek Goldstein, principal and chief executive of Casaplex, a technology-services company in Kensington, Maryland, says someone typically calls his company to set up TVs or a security camera and then asks what else can be automated. The answer: everything.
“You can incorporate everything into your home-automation system such as lighting, security, audio-visual equipment, energy monitoring and your HVAC, and then all the systems can speak to each other,” he says. “For instance, I can set my system so that when the security camera picks up the fact that I’m coming home, it can turn the TV on to CNN, kick on the heat and turn on the right lights to illumi-nate a path to my bedroom so I can get changed.”
Here’s a look at some of the most popular smart-home devices:
— Lighting: Baker says Bowa fre-quently installs lighting “scenes” that can control an entire house.
“Most people only have a few ways that their home is lit, so we can set up standard weekday scene, a weekend scene and an entertaining scene,” he says. “For example, if you have a ‘night’ scene, you can touch your iPad or a button on your bedroom wall that will set the TV onto the news with a 30-minute timer, turn off the interior lights throughout the house, turn on the alarm, turn on your outside security lights and set your temperature for sleeping.”
— Security: Multiple cameras allow owners to remotely monitor their homes and to allow people to enter.
Casaplex’s Goldstein says some homeowners are adding keyless entry systems; a regular key is a backup.
“If you have a maid that comes every Tuesday, you can give her a code that you activate to let her in and deactivate at all other times,” Goldstein says.
— Energy efficiency: A temperature sensor will record your preferences and learn over time how to optimise your energy use. You can also get a monthly energy-use report from the system.
“You can tie your HVAC to your mobile phone’s GPS, so that when the GPS shows that you’re four miles from home, the heat will automatically go on,” Goldstein says.
— Home monitoring: You can set sensors to check for a leak in your basement, to alert you if your plants need water and even keep an eye on your kids.
“If you have cameras or sensors and it’s time for your kids to go to sleep, you can flash the lights in their room instead of yelling at them,” Goldstein says.
— Entertainment: “Consumers want their entertainment to be tech-friendly, too, so they’re including the ability to stream video and audio serv-ices anywhere in the house,” says Wells, of Integrated Media Systems. “People
want to store their photos, music and movies on the cloud so that they can access them remotely, especially if they have a second home.”
— Appliances: “Some of the new ranges and refrigerators have a built-in ability to look up recipes and set the temperature and timer for you,” Goldstein says. “They have internal diagnostic systems that e-mail the dealer and the homeowner if servic-ing is needed.”
New appliances also have safety fea-tures that allow you to deactivate the controls and reactivate them with a smartphone, Goldstein says.
At the International Consumer Electronics Show in January, Goldstein says, he saw a prototype for wall-mounted refrigerator cubes that cool different types of food to the optimal temperature. The cubes can be connec-ted to food providers that automatica-lly deliver more chicken, for example, when poultry is running low.
With the smartphone and tablet ser-ving as the nerve center of the home, what happens if the devices are lost or stolen?
“The thought that someone would have your address and complete access to your home is pretty terrifying,” Wells says. “That’s why you need make sure all your information is encrypted and that you password-protect your devices.”
In addition, most devices can be wiped clean remotely if you report it as stolen. Goldstein says his company installs one or two hard-wired con-trol panels in the house as a backup to wireless systems. He says wireless networks sometimes get congested, which can cause problems with home-automation systems.
“Before you jump into adding high-tech features to your home, you need to make sure you know what you’re asking for,” Baker says. “There’s a fine line between control and automation, so you want to make sure whatever it is, that it actually makes your life easier.”
WP-Bloomberg
The remote-controlled ‘smart house’
TV and music in Choksi’s living room, and elsewhere, can be pro-grammed wirelessly.
Choksi, 69, holds an iPad he uses to control devices in the home.
TECHNOLOGYPLUS | THURSDAY 18 APRIL 201312
By Reed Stevenson
Techies are trumpeting a so-called virtual currency called Bitcoin that behaves in some ways like traditional curren-
cies. Financial experts are debating its regulatory pitfalls and volatility, high-lighted by a tumble in valuation this month that brought the digital money to the world’s attention.
Meanwhile, many of us still don’t understand what Bitcoin is. Bloomberg.com answers the question in its Tech Deals blog.
What is Bitcoin?It’s similar to the US dollar, the euro
or the Mexican peso — except that it isn’t controlled by any country; you can’t hold one; and you can’t buy many things with it right now. Some tech-savvy companies — notably blogging-tool maker WordPress — are starting to accept payments in Bitcoin.
While some enthusiasts have issued bills and coins that serve as physical proxies for the currency, Bitcoin was designed to be purely digital. You can’t go to an ATM and take out a Bitcoin, or put one in a cash register. Bitcoins live in online wallets, which are accessed via a computer. It’s more like an MP3 than a CD.
Who created Bitcoin?The identity of those responsible for
inventing Bitcoin remains a mystery. A programmer or group of programmers going by the name of Satoshi Nakamoto published the original specifications for it. While Bitcoin has been around since 2009, it started as an obscure project that computer hobbyists experimented with.
How do you find Bitcoins?There are currently just over 11 mil-
lion Bitcoins, and there is a total of 21 million to be unearthed by the year 2140. In theory, anyone with a com-puter could “mine” Bitcoins through an automated mathematical proc-ess. You can unlock more of them if you discover a hidden series of letters and numbers that matches up with
the Bitcoin security keys specified by Nakamoto.
Programmers have written software, which can run in the background on PCs, to rapidly check possible combi-nations of letters and numbers one by one in the hopes of stumbling on an unclaimed Bitcoin. If you’re planning to get rich by running one of these types of programs on your MacBook, don’t bet on it. All of the easy ones have been found. Now, high-powered computer systems are needed.
The format, where it becomes more difficult and expensive in terms of computing power to discover Bitcoins over time, was designed to keep the currency’s growth rate — or inflation — steady and predictable.
Is it true they have been used to buy drugs and other illegal items?
Bitcoin transactions are not eas-ily traceable. That means holders can trade them or use them to purchase things online anonymously. As a result, Bitcoin has been used on Internet black markets such as Silk Road to buy illicit items including drugs. Iranians have used Bitcoins to get around financial restrictions imposed by the US, and there’s a thriving online market where drugs are traded online.
What is a Bitcoin worth?Bitcoins now have a market value
of about $1.04bn based on supply and exchange rates, according to Bitcoincharts.
There’s no control over how people value Bitcoin against their own cur-rencies. That, and a recent self-feeding cycle of public curiosity, explain how the value of Bitcoin in dollar terms has soared to more than $200 from mere cents at its inception. In the past week, the value has slumped to as low as $84 from as high as $266, according to Tokyo-based Mt. Gox, the largest Bitcoin exchange.
Why is it so volatile?It stems mainly from the lack of
liquidity and a central monetary authority to make sure supply and demand are balanced. That, plus the absence of any large exchanges where buyers and sellers can find each other, makes Bitcoin vulnerable to manipula-tion or speculation.
Where do I buy some?There are several upstart websites
that act as Bitcoin exchanges, such as BTC-e and Tradehill. Mt. Gox has halted trading periodically since April 11, citing difficulties with serving the high trading demand and cyberattacks on its system. The temporary closing also happened to come shortly after the crash in Bitcoin’s value.
WP-Bloomberg
LOOKAWAY PLAYER (FREE)This is as much a technical demo
as a stand-alone app – not a criti-cism. It’s a player for YouTube vid-eos that pauses them if you look away from the screen, and mutes or unmutes the volume when you put your finger to your lips. A hint at possible user interfaces for future entertainment apps. iPhone / iPad
HOMESTYLER (FREE)This is Autodesk’s latest iPad app,
aimed at homeowners who are plan-ning a spot of home improvement. The idea: “Watch your home design ideas come to life within a photo-graph of your own space.” You take a photo of a room, then can change the wall colours, insert 3D models of fur-niture, and browse the app’s “Design Stream” for more inspiration. iPad
STATUS BOARD (£6.99)“You’ve got data. Status Board
makes it beautiful,” explains the App Store listing for this stylish produc-tivity app. It pulls in emails, diary dates, tweets, weather forecasts, news and other information and displays it on a customisable home-screen: useful if you tend to work at a desk with your iPad somewhere nearby – particularly in a dock. iPad
MAIL PILOT (£10.49)There is no shortage of apps try-
ing to help solve email overload, and while this one’s expensive it has some good ideas. The key principle is turn-ing your inbox into a to-do list, with due dates for dealing with specific emails. Lists, gesture controls and an ability to work with all IMAP provid-ers rather than just Gmail make it worth a look. iPhone / iPad
POCKET VILLAGE (FREE)Social games publisher Wooga has
been making waves on Facebook for some time. Pocket Village is its lat-est game, and as the name implies, involves building a village full of “Pocketeers” characters. In-app pur-chases of diamonds and coins fuel the action. iPhone / iPad
The Guardian
Apps of the dayExplaining Bitcoin to neophytes
By Joseph Menn
Oracle Corp released a major security update on Tuesday for the version of Java program-ming language that runs inside Web brows-
ers to make it a less popular target for hackers.The patch fixes 42 vulnerabilities within Java,
including “the vast majority” of those that have been rated as the most critical, said Oracle Executive Vice President Hasan Rizvi.
A series of big security flaws in the Java plug-in for browsers have been uncovered in the past year by researchers and hackers, and some have been used by criminal groups before previous patches were issued.
One widespread hacking campaign disclosed this year infected computers using Microsoft Corp’s Windows and Apple software in hundreds of com-panies, including Facebook, Apple Inc and Twitter.
The situation grew so bad earlier this year that the US Department of Homeland Security recom-mended that computer users disable Java in the browser. But many large companies use internal software that relies on Java and have been pressing Oracle to make the language safer.
Perhaps the most significant change will be that, in the default setting, sites will not be able to force the small programs known as Java applets to run in the browser unless they have been digitally
signed. Users can override that only if they click to acknowledge the risk, Rizvi said.
Not all known problems are being fixed with the current patch, but there are no unpatched problems that are being actively exploited, Rizvi said.
Primarily a database software and applications company, Oracle inherited Java when it bought Sun Microsystems in 2010.
It is the company’s greatest exposure to the mass market, as versions of Java run on desktops, in telephones and other devices and on servers. The browser version, however, has been especially prone to security problems.
Reuters
Oracle fixes 42 holes in Java to revive security confidence
COMICS & MORE 13
Hoy en la HistoriaApril 18, 1906
1949: The Republic of Ireland Act came into force, ending the constitutional role of the British monarchy in the state1983: A suicide car bombing at the U.S. embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, killed over 60 people2002: The U.S. Senate rejected President George W Bush’s plan to allow drilling for oil in Alaska2002: Afghanistan’s former king, Mohammed Zahir Shah, returned to Kabul after 29 years in exile
A devastating earthquake struck San Francisco. Over 3,000 died and 200,000 were left homeless in one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history
Picture: Getty Images © GRAPHIC NEWS
ALL IN THE MIND Can you find the hidden words? They may be horizontal,vertical, diagonal, forwards or backwards.
ALEXANDR DOLGOPOLOV, ANDY MURRAY, DAVID FERRER, FELICIANO LOPEZ, FERNANDO VERDASCO, GAEL MONFILS, GILLES SIMON, JANKO TIPSAREVIC, JOHN ISNER, JO-WILFRIED TSONGA, JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO, JUAN MONACO, KEI NISHIKORI, MARDY FISH, NICOLAS ALMAGRO, NOVAK DJOKOVIC, RAFAEL NADAL, ROGER FEDERER, STANISLAS WAWRINKA, TOMAS BERDYCH.
Baby Blues Jerry Scott and Rick Kirkman
Zits by Dennis Young and Denis Lebrun
Hagar The Horrible Chris Browne
LEARNARABIC
How to Conjugate Verbs in the Present Tense:
Examples:
Ana Adrusu I study
Anta Tadrusu You study
Anti Tadruseena She studies
Howa Yadrusu He studies
Hiy ’ya Tadrusu She studies
PLUS | THURSDAY 18 APRIL 2013
PLUS | THURSDAY 18 APRIL 2013
HYPER SUDOKU
CROSSWORD
CROSSWORDS
YESTERDAY’S ANSWER
How to play Hyper Sudoku:A Hyper Sudoku
Puzzle is solved
by filling the
numbers from 1
to 9 into the blank
cells. A Hyper
Sudoku has
unlike Sudoku
13 regions
(four regions
overlap with the
nine standard
regions). In all
regions the numbers from 1 to 9 can appear
only once. Otherwise, a Hyper Sudoku is
solved like a normal Sudoku.
ACROSS 1 Finery
8 Key for someone with 20/20 vision?
14 Audit targets
15 Concluding syllables
16 Take at an opportune time
17 Grooms
18 Modern chemistry experiment?
20 End of a dictionary
21 “The Scarperer” author
22 “Ciao”
24 “The cautious seldom ___”: Confucius
25 Teary
27 ___ Fields
28 Winter ailment, informally
29 Get dressed for a party, say
31 52-Down unit
34 One who’s blue, for short?
36 Poison ivy and others
37 Herb that causes euphoria
39 2022 World Cup host
41 Threshold
42 Raw
44 Lead character in Larry McMurtry’s “Lonesome Dove”
47 Many a “Twilight” fan
49 Stick for a kite
50 Bankrupted
51 It might be covered by an umbrella
54 “Aladdin” princess
55 Remove spots from
56 Compass divisions
57 Most slapstick
58 Showcases of rock bands?
59 Ones who are hurting?
DOWN 1 Blow up, maybe
2 Fix for a wobbly table
3 Boot cover
4 Carving tools
5 A wolf may have one
6 Part of a jail cell
7 Prescription directive
8 Swept, say
9 Yards, e.g.
10 Command associated with numbers
11 “Couldn’t agree with you more”
12 Seemed right
13 They go below signatures,
briefly
15 Oct. 24
19 “Moby-Dick” setting
23 Lethal injection administerers
25 Hinged vessel, often
26 2001 British Open champion David
28 Britain’s biggest-selling paper, with “The”
30 Certain board member: Abbr.
31 “Home Invasion” rapper
32 Avoid
humiliation
33 Points in the direction of
35 First jazz musician to win a Pulitzer Prize
38 Raises
40 “Eugene Onegin” girl
43 Conditions, with “up”
44 Museum employees
45 Revolutionary state
46 Christmas tree base coverings
48 One who’s really going places
50 Like the majority of Saudis
52 Informal pub
53 Brown green?
54 Prod
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15
16 17
18 19
20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27
28 29 30
31 32 33 34 35 36
37 38 39 40
41 42 43 44 45 46
47 48 49 50
51 52 53
54 55
56 57
58 59
A T O M H O N O R S L U ML O G E A R E N A C O R EB I R M I N G H A M A S I SA L E P P O I N A F L A S H
H A I R L I E NH A S I D I O N O R G A NA L A S S A M O A N E M OB A N A T L A N T A L O OI M A A N T H E M D E C KT O N E R O A T B E S O S
T R O T S A L TD O O R N A I L S U R G E SE D N A C R O S S R O A D SJ O I N K O R E A I B E TA R O D S N E A D T E N S
How to play Kakuro:The kakuro grid, unlike in sudoku, can be of any size. It has rows and columns, and dark cells like in a crossword. And, just like in a crossword, some of the dark cells will contain numbers. Some cells will contain two numbers.However, in a crossword the numbers reference clues. In a kakuro, the numbers are all you get! They denote the total of the digits in the row or column referenced by the number.Within each collection of cells - called a run
- any of the numbers 1 to 9 may be used but, like sudoku, each number may only be used once.
YESTERDAY’S ANSWER
14
EASY SUDOKUEasy Sudoku PuzzlesPlace a digit from 1 to 9 in each empty cell so everyrow, every column and every 3x3 box contains allthe digits 1 to 9.
Cartoon Arts International / The New York Times Syndicate
CINEMA / TV LISTINGS 15
14:00 English Sports
News
14:30 Copa
Libertadores
Sao Paolo V Atl
Mineiras
16:15 Fa Cup Millwall
V Wigan
18:00 English Sports
News
18:30 French Cup
Evian V Psg
20:15 German Cup
Stuttgart V
Freiburg
22:00 Total Italian
Football
22:30 Rugby Aviva
Premiership
Leicester V Wasps
00:15 German Cup
Bayern Munich
V Wolfsburg
02:00 Copa Libertado-
res Sao Paolo V
Atl Mineiras
08:00 News
09:00 The Secret
of the Seven
Sisters
10:30 Inside Story
11:00 News
11:30 The Stream
12:00 News
12:30 People &
Power
13:00 NEWSHOUR
14:00 News
14:30 Inside Story
15:00 Witness
16:00 NEWSHOUR
17:30 The Stream
18:00 NEWSHOUR
19:30 Witness
20:00 News
20:30 Inside Story
21:00 NEWSHOUR
22:00 News
22:30 The Stream
23:00 The Secret
of the Seven
Sisters
13:15 Magic Of
Science
13:40 Mythbusters
14:35 Border Security
15:05 Auction
Hunters
17:50 Mythbusters
18:45 Sons Of Guns
21:00 Baggage
Battles
21:30 Sons Of Guns
22:25 Mobster
Confessions
22:50 Mobster
Confessions
13:00 Monster Fish
14:00 Python
Hunters
16:00 Man-Eater of
The Congo
18:00 Hunter Hunted
19:00 Monster Fish
21:00 World’s Deadliest
Snakes
22:00 Man-Eater of
The Congo
23:00 Man v.
Monster
13:20 Jessie
13:45 A.N.T Farm
17:00 Austin And Ally
19:35 Good Luck
Charlie
20:00 Jessie
21:40 Hannah
Montana
22:30 Sonny With A
Chance
22:55 Wizards Of
Waverly Place
12:00 Hop
14:00 Arthur
18:00 Decoy Bride
20:00 The Goods:
Live Hard, Sell
Hard-18
22:00 Detroit Rock
City
13:45 Animal Precinct
15:30 Orangutan
Island
16:00 The Really Wild
Show
17:25 Animal
Planet’s Most
Outrageous
18:20 Project Puppy
19:15 Monkey Life
21:05 Wildest Latin
America
22:00 Into The Pride
22:55 Untamed China
With Nigel
11:35 Ned Kelly
13:15 Scalphunters
14:55 Carry On
Columbus
16:20 The Way West
18:20 A Star For Two
19:55 Pope Of
Greenwich
Village
22:00 A Dog’s
Breakfast
23:25 Johnny Be
Good
12:35 Cimarron
15:00 Bad Day At
Black Rock
16:20 Beau Brummell
18:10 Cat On A Hot
Tin Roof
20:00 Somebody Up
There Likes Me
22:00 Flareup
23:35 Splendor In
The Grass
14:45 Flicka: Country
Pride
16:45 Queen Of The
Swallows
20:00 The Adventures
Of Tintin
22:00 Princess Sydney:
Legend Of The
Blue Rabbit
TEL: 444933989 444517001
MALL CINEMA
1
Snow White & The Huntsman (Action) – 3.00, 7.15 & 11.15pm
Beat The World (Drama) – 5.15pm
Love Wedding Marriage (2D/Comedy) – 9.30pm
2
Croods (3D/Animation) – 2.30pm
Foodfight (2D/Animation) – 4.30 & 6.30pm
The Host (2D/Action) – 8.30pm
Ek Thi Daayan (2D/Hindi) – 11.00pm
3
Kontiki (2D/Adventure) – 2.30pm
The Haunting In Connecticut 2 (2D/Horror) – 5.00pm
Udhayam (2D/Tamil) – 7.00pm
Fire With Fire (2D/Action) – 9.30 & 11.30pm
LANDMARK
1
Kontiki (2D/Adventure) – 2.30pm
Foodfight (2D/Animation) – 5.00 & 7.00pm
Fire With Fire (2D/Action) – 9.00pm
Udhayam (2D/Tamil) – 11.00pm
2
Croods (3D/Animation) – 2.30pm
The Haunting In Connecticut 2 (2D/Horror) – 4.30pmThe Host (2D/Action)
– 6.30 & 9.00pmDetective Dee (2D/Action) –
11.15pm
3
The Haunting In Connecticut 2 (2D/Horror) – 2.30pm
Udhayam (2D/Tamil) – 4.30pm
Defective Dee (2D/Action) – 6.45pm
Ek Thi Daayan (2D/Hindi) – 9.00pm
Fire With Fire (2D/Action) – 11.30pm
ROYAL PLAZA
1
Croods (3D/Animation) – 2.30pm
Foodfight (2D/Animation) – 4.30pm
The Host (2D/Action) – 6.30pm
Fire With Fire (2D/Action) – 9.00pm
The Haunting In Connecticut 2 (2D/Horror) – 11.00pm
2
Rise Of The Guardians (Animation) – 3.00pm
Brave (Animation) – 5.00pm
Love Wedding Marriage (2D/Comedy) – 7.00pmDevil’s Double (Action)
– 9.00 & 11.00pm
3
Jack Reacher (Action) – 3.00 & 5.30pm
The Bourne Legacy (Adventure) – 8.00 & 11.00pm
QF RADIO 91.7 FM ENGLISH PROGRAMME BRIEF LIVE SHOWS Airing Time Programme Briefs
SPIRITUAL HOUR
6:00 – 7:00 AM A time of reflection, a deeper understanding of the teachings of Islam.
MORNING SHOW “RISE”
7:00 – 9:00 AM Rise, a LIVE 2-hour morning show hosted and produced by Scott Boyes.
INTERNATIO-NAL NEWS
1:00 PM The latest news and events from around the world.
CORNERS 6:00 – 7:00 PM Corners, a LIVE 1-hour show that airs Tuesdays and Thursdays presented by Laura Finnerty and Nabil Al Nashar. I Love Qatar chats with Laura about upcoming events this weekend and the top events for the week ahead. Join the conversation call 4482 4488
REPEAT SHOWS
FASHION 4:00 – 5:00 PM Fashion is a 1-hour weekly show hosted and produced by Laura Finnerty.
LEGENDARY ARTISTS
8:00 – 9:00 PM The show tells the story of a celebrity artist that has reached unprecedented fame. Throughout the episode the artists’ memorable performances/songs will be played to put listeners in the mood.
STRAIGHT TALK
10:00 – 11:00 PM A weekly 1-hour Political show produced and hosted by Nabil Al Nashar.
PLUS | THURSDAY 18 APRIL 2013
PLUS | THURSDAY 18 APRIL 2013 POTPOURRI16
Editor-In-Chief Khalid Al Sayed Acting Managing Editor Hussain Ahmad Editorial Office The Peninsula Tel: 4455 7741, E-mail: [email protected] / [email protected]
If you want your events featured here, mail details to [email protected]
Hey’Ya: Arab Women in Sport When: March 7-Jun 16 Monday–Thursday, Saturday: 9am-8pmFriday; 3pm-9pm (Sunday closed)Where: QMA Gallery, Bldg 10 What: The Qatar Museums Authority will exhibit ‘Hey’Ya: Arab Women in Sport’ at QMA Gallery in Katara Cultural Village. The exhibition was first held in London during the 2012 Olympic Games. The exhibit originated in Qatar, beginning at the Arab Games’ Athletes Village in December 2011, where photographer Brigitte and documentary maker Marian Lacombe set up an outdoor studio, working with female athletes. They then travelled to 20 Arab countries from the Gulf to North Africa, documenting images and videos of 70 Arab sportswomen. Free entry
‘Paper Trail’ works from the Collection of the Barjeel Art FoundationWhen: Until April 20; 10am-10pmWhere: Katara Cultural Village, Bldg 22
What: A curated exhibition by Barjeel Art Foundation featuring selected works from the collection of Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi. The exhibition interrogates ideas of what is ‘real’ in ways that highlight how histories are guided by carefully selected narratives that apply meaning to what we see and hear.There will be an extensive educational programme and visiting artists talks complementing the exhibition. Free entry
Designed To WinWhen: Until June 23; 10am-10pm Where: Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art What: Katara Exhibition in Collaboration with the Design Museum in London.Designed to Win celebrates ways in which design and sport are combined, pushing the limits of human endeavour to achieve records and victories of increasing significance and wonder. There will be an extensive educational programme and visiting artists’ talks complementing the expo.
A Bridge to the MoonWhen: Until April 27; 10am-10pmWhere: Katara Gallery 2 — Bldg 18 What: Amal Al Aathem is one of the most prominent and proactive Qatari artists today, her reputation as a Qatari artist with a real voice and message has won her respect internationally. Her work has been widely exhibited in the region and in different parts of the world. Al Aathem believes that old philosophies have linked the moon, nature and the woman in a symbolic way, believing that the moon is the centre of the universe and the woman is thecentre of society.
Events in Qatar MEDIA SCAN
• Qatari students in Egypt have requested the
Supreme Council of Health through social
media to reconsider its decision to scrap
the position of medical attaché in Qatar’s
embassy in Cairo and end their health
insurance.
• There are demands to review construction
standards to include norms for seismic
resistance in them.
• Citizens are suggesting that the Central
Municipal Council have closer relations with
government companies and convey people’s
opinions to these firms as a representative
body.
• A number of people have demanded that
the Traffic Department ease rules related
to tinted glasses on vehicles, taking into
consideration the climate of the country and
families with children.
• People are asking why certificates of Qataris
who have studied abroad are not granted
due recognition by the concerned body, while
expatriates with the same qualifications from
the same universities are being employed
here. They are demanding a solution to this
problem to enable Qataris to take part in their
country’s development.
• There is talk in the social media about
the resignation of the director general of
Underage Affairs Corporation.
• A number of students and parents have
complained about lessons being held prior
to examinations, which create confusion and
waste students’ time, because of which many
students prefer to skip them to prepare for
the tests.
• There is talk about the hacker who attacked
Israeli websites and is threatening to attack
Qatari government sites.
• A number of citizens are asking why
expatriates are representing Qatar in official
international events.
• A number of Qatar Red Crescent employees
have asked the government to establish a
seismological station for earlier detection of
earthquakes.
A summary ofissues of the daydiscussed by the Qatari communityin the media.
IN FOCUS
A picture of an insect drawing nectar from a flower.
by Sushma Kulkarni
Send your photos to [email protected]. Please mention where the photo was taken.
Florida battlesslimy invasionby giant snails
South Florida is fighting a grow-ing infestation of one of the world’s most destructive inva-
sive species: the giant African land snail, which can grow as big as a rat and gnaw through stucco and plaster.
More than 1,000 of the mol-lusks are being caught each week in Miami-Dade and 117,000 in total since the first snail was spotted by a homeowner in September 2011, said Denise Feiber, a spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Residents will soon likely begin encountering them more often, crunching them underfoot as the snails emerge from underground hibernation at the start of the state’s rainy season in just seven weeks, Feiber said.
The snails attack “over 500 known species of plants ... pretty much anything that’s in their path and green,” Feiber said.
A typical snail can produce about 1,200 eggs a year and the creatures are a particular pest in homes because of their fondness for stucco, devoured for the calcium content they need for their shells.
Reuters