weekend - Diamond Dogs Racing
Transcription
weekend - Diamond Dogs Racing
weekend GULF TIMES FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011 Mushy about mushing Sled-dog racing is Shannon Miller’s all-consuming passion. P2-3 weekend • Friday, December 23, 2011 • Page 3 inside PAGE 4 PAGE 5 PAGE 6 PAGE 12 PAGE 13 Healthy Living Barre workouts, exercises designed for ballet dancers, are all the rage with those wishing to get fit. Alva Carpenter column You know you are supposed to stop gaining weight. But how exactly do you go about achieving a sensible diet? Cuisine Bonbons can be put together quickly as gifts to exchange with friends during the festive season. Case files Did Claudine Longet, singer and actress, get away with the murder of her ski champion husband Vladimir ‘Spider’ Sabich? Just for kids Celebrate your special day with the McDonald's Birthday Club. Regulars Comics, Puzzles, Info-guide Page 14-16 Telephone: 44466405 Fax: 44350474 e-mail: features@gulf-times.com Features Editor: Nahla Nainar Feature Writer: G John Layout artist: Pushpa Raj Shrestha * Sled dog racer Shannon Miller demonstrates harnessing dogs on a line that pulls a 4-wheeler (far right) for training runs, in Palmyra Township, Ohio. Cover photograph: Shannon with her sled dog Yeti at her home. She attends several races in a year. ‘It is beautiful chaos’ Cover Story Ohio native Shannon Miller lives for sled-dog racing. By Jim Carney I f anyone is ready for the snow and cold in Northeast Ohio, it is Shannon Mugrage Miller and her Alaskan huskies. Many people know Miller as a 39-year-old photographer, videographer and writer who owns Shannon Miller Creative. But Miller’s consuming passion is sled-dog racing. “Mushing is summed up best as like trying to hook 10 very strong, meat-eating, high-octane preschoolers to a line and expecting them to behave,” Miller said of her love of mushing, the name given to leading a team of sled dogs in a race. “And believe it or not, this is one of my favourite things about mushing. Most days it is beautiful chaos.” Miller, her husband, two daughters, 20 dogs, a dozen chickens and three cats live on 7 acres in rural Portage County, Ohio, a place she calls the Lazy Husky Ranch. After she graduated from Ellet High School in 1991, she attended the University of Akron, where she earned an English degree with a minor in history. She was working on her master’s in English but was diverted to a place that changed the direction of her life. She moved to Wyoming in 1997 to work at an Audubon Society Ecology Camp and met a woman who worked for Frank Teasley, an eight-time Iditarod racer. “He had 180 dogs, and the interview was to go walk through the dog yard. That was it,” she said. Teasley, she said, could tell from that walk that Miller had good chemistry with the dogs. “He can read how well you deal with the dogs by walking through,” she said. She was hired at Jackson Hole Iditarod Sled Dog Tours and moved to a one-room cabin and began taking care of the dogs. Miller soon found herself enchanted with sled dog racing. “It was so addicting,” she said. “I swore that I would someday have my own team of dogs.” She remained in Wyoming for a few years, then moved back to Ohio and finished her master’s at the University of Akron. She taught there and later worked as a health educator at Akron Children’s Hospital for seven years. In 2005, she bought her first two Alaskan huskies, a hybrid with a base of northern breeds, Alaskan Inuit dog/Siberian husky, combined with other breeds. Miller started racing recreationally and took part in her first official race in 2009 at the Tahquamenon Country Sled Dog Race, a 28-mile course in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. “I did horrible,” she said of her first race. Racing with six dogs she finished 23rd out of 26 racers, covering the course in 3 hours, 43 minutes. “It seemed like forever,” Miller said. She met some friends from Northern Michigan and began taking her dogs there several times a year for training. She still spends two weeks a month from October through December in Michigan training. In February 2009 she raced in the Jack Pine 30 in Marquette, Michigan, and finished in sixth place. She finished second at the Punderson Classic Sled Dog Race in Newbury, Ohio, in January 2010, then raced the Jack Pine again in February, finishing last. She raced the Tahquamenon Country again in 2011, finishing eighth. Because her mailing address is in Diamond, Ohio, she calls where she keeps her dogs the Diamond Dogs Racing Kennel. She practises with her team on the farmland where she lives by having the dogs race with her riding on a four-wheel Yamaha ATV. The dogs cannot race in temperatures above 55°, so training occurs in the cooler temperatures of autumn. By the time she races in the new year, she hopes to have put 700 miles of training on the dogs. “I’ve always been an outdoors person,” said Miller, who once worked as a zookeeper at the Akron Zoo. Being outdoors with the dogs, she said, is the best. “There is something really, really cool about watching them work,” she said. “They are such amazing athletes.” Her husband, Chris Miller Jr, said that while dog sled racing is too cold for him, he can see how the sport is addicting and exhilarating for his wife. “It takes a unique breed of person to enjoy being in the cold,” said Miller, director of the Akron Digital Media Center and a community investment officer for the Akron Community Foundation. “She likes the culture of dog sledding,” he said. “She has always been a determined person. It is overcoming obstacles. ... It has to be in your blood. The dog musher is such a unique person.” Shannon Miller’s racing endeavours are expensive — the family spends $300 to $400 a month on dog food alone, and even more in training season — but it teaches her about dealing with adversity and other important life lessons, she said. One such lesson is adaptation, she said, citing the way animals adjust to changes in temperature. Others are the importance of teamwork, leadership, following through and dedication. Racing sled dogs also teaches calmness, because “losing your cool won’t get you out of a jam,” she said. “Mushing is something that is in you,” she said. “You either get it, or you don’t; there’s no in between.” There is also something wonderful about being outside in the cold winter months. “People complain about winter, never venturing outside to see the amazing winter activities taking place every day, thereby shutting themselves off from a whole season of beauty,” she said. — Akron Beacon Journal/MCT Japan town embraces volunteer who stayed after tsunami By John M Glionna T he slender woman in a puffy black ski hat and camouflage trousers hurried among the crowd at the opening ceremony for a new vegetable market here, carrying a rolled-up events schedule like an architect with a set of building plans. Her cell phone never stopped ringing. Between smoking breaks, never finishing an entire cigarette, she dragged tables and ran to consult village elders, playing co-ordinator. Chizuru Nakagawa isn’t a resident of Ogatsu. Rather, she’s the volunteer stranger who came and stayed. “She’s more involved than most real residents,” merchant Yorio Takahashi said at the opening ceremony, marking the first commerce in Ogatsu since a tsunami wrecked buildings and swept 300 people to their deaths. “She knows what needs to be done.” For months, the 36-year-old Tokyo resident has worked 18-hour days to help rebuild a town she didn’t realise existed until the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. She’s among the legions of volunteers who have responded to Japan’s worst natural disaster, swarming the stricken northeastern coast to clean up wreckage and pound nails into new homes, carrying word that outsiders care about what happens to people here. There’s the Japanese-American who sponsored a summer baseball league in the tsunami-hit area; the Tokyo photographer who takes family portraits, turning them into postcards that survivors can send to loved ones; and refugees from Myanmar and Uganda who want to assist the residents of their new homeland. “Many have been politically persecuted back home. They know what crisis is,” said Shiho Tanaka, a spokeswoman for the Japan Association for Refugees. “They want to show that even though they’re not Japanese, they can help their new society.” In recent years, many younger Japanese, especially those labouring long hours in the big city, had lost their tasuke-ai no kokoro, or spirit of helping, some say. March 11 changed all that. “The event woke up many young people to the old ways,” said Shuken Hatayama, who met Nakagawa after leaving a Tokyo chef’s job to volunteer in Ogatsu. “Especially when you see the support that the rest of the world has offered Japan, you know you have to do something for your own people.” Yet few have shown more altruistic zeal than Nakagawa. Rather than just donate weekends, she moved her life to Ogatsu. Along the way, she has negotiated the oftendifficult inner workings of small town life, dealing with jealousy, power struggles and personality differences as she tries to make a difference. An admittedly impulsive woman and career volunteer who works part-time jobs to pay the bills, * she says she does not regret the sometimes heavy personal toll her lifestyle brings. Nakagawa, who is single, for years inhabited a small apartment in Tokyo, supporting various causes — funds for Chernobyl descendants or memorials to the Holocaust — working for pay only when she had to. Asked why she never married, had children and settled into suburbia, she paused and finally acknowledged with a sigh, “Yes, that would be nice.” Ogatsu represents Nakagawa’s biggest challenge yet. She intends to remain here for two years, until the town gets back on its feet. She knows that will mean many lonely nights, smoking cigarettes in front of her computer, connected to her life and friends in Tokyo only through cyberspace. “I have a simple calculation for life,” she said, lighting up another cigarette. “When you see people in need, you have two choices, either you help or you don’t. I have to help.” It began in late March when Nakagawa approached several Ogatsu men shoveling mud. She had been helping out at local emergency shelters when she heard about overlooked Ogatsu. The village was still littered with piles of wreckage, where fewer than 1,000 of its 4,300 residents remained, the others having either died or fled. Although some communities drew so many volunteers that many had to be turned away, Ogatsu — isolated by forested mountains, reached only by a twisting, turning road — was left on its own. Nakagawa asked the men what they needed. When one said they hadn’t eaten a hot meal in weeks, she canvassed nearby restaurants for donations and soon served up a warm dinner. The men’s faces spoke their thanks. With so few buildings left in Ogatsu, Nakagawa slept in a city hall meeting room in an adjacent town. She showed up at dawn each day with her sleeves rolled up high, asking what she could do. She also displayed initiative. She met Hatayama and the two decided to set up a delivery service called “Talking and Tea,” visiting newly built prefab units to draw people outside to drink tea and discuss their problems. “If you ask a person from the countryside if they have troubles, most retreat under a shell and say they’re fine,” she said. “But when they open up to talk to you about real issues, that’s the sign that they trust you.” Even Hatayama, whose father is a local monk, was amazed by Nakagawa’s influence. “She’s a peacemaker who wants to make everyone better in their own way,” he said. Most folks here now know her by name. The stranger feels welcome, and feels at peace with her plans to stay for at least two years, until private donations have helped residents rebuild their homes, a hospital, town hall and small businesses. But Nakagawa has set another, more personal, goal: “I want to help show residents how to walk on their own two feet again, so they can become inspired to help someone else.” — Los Angeles Times/MCT Chizuru Nakagawa works from her borrowed home in the Arahama district of Ogatsu, Japan. Nakagawa has pledged to spend the next two to three years of her life helping the recovery of a town decimated in the March 11 tsunami. Page 4 • weekend • Friday, December 23, 2011 weekend • Friday, December 23, 2011 • Page 5 healthy living Retrain your taste buds By Alva Carpenter Early detection of pulmonary hypertension is important By Nicola Menke * A ballet barre is used for balance and strength building during exercises at Align Pilates in Minneapolis, Minnesota. * Co-owner Emily Easton, far right, and studio manager Danielle DeRemer, second from right, share a laugh during class. Barre workouts creating a buzz By Aimee Tjader A ballet-inspired “barre” workout has been sweeping the nation. Its popularity is driven by women wanting to achieve a dancer’s physique and strength — with or without tutus and ballet slippers. At Align Pilates in Minneapolis, noses drip with sweat, muscles quiver with exhaustion, and Beyonce blares from the speakers as class instructor Adrienne Fitzmaurice affirms what everyone is thinking: “Yes, this is hard!” she hollers, encouraging the women to pulse — or make tiny movements — and hold each pose for just three, five or 10 more seconds. “Especially if this is your first class ... you probably think this is crazy!” Crazy hard, anyway. That’s the verdict reached in the dressing room following the 60-minute class where a combination of Pilates, yoga and ballet movements, along with bursts of cardio and the use of a ballet barre for support and resistance provides a high-energy, full-body workout. “Everyone’s been talking about getting their butts kicked in barre class,” said Sarah Pepin, 35, Minneapolis. “I’ve never worked every muscle that way before. I could hardly walk the next day.” Barre is abuzz in the US, but the idea originated in London 50 years ago with famous German dancer Lotte Berk. The method was refined in the US in the 1970s, and since then, fitness enthusiasts on the East and West Coasts, as well as celebrities like Madonna have caught on. In the last year alone, at least a half-dozen barre programmes have launched in the Twin Cities, mostly by women who experienced the workout elsewhere. Rachel Warford wanted to move back to the Midwest, but was unable to find the barre classes she had loved in New York. So in November, she and sister-in-law Paula Warford opened the Barre in downtown Wayzata, Minnesota. The same month, Tina Dunlap opened Balanced Barre and Pilates just a block away. Dunlap, an avid marathoner and triathlete, had her first barre experience last January in California and became “addicted.” “It was the most challenging exercise I’ve ever done in my life,” she said. “I’d planned on running home from class and had to have my husband pick me up because I was so exhausted.” Several national franchises in the US have formulated barre workouts, but independent studios often follow the original Lotte Berk Method or create their own. Some are more cardio-based, while others focus more on dance elements, but the principles are the same. Barre class typically starts with stretching and a warm-up on a yoga mat to get the heart rate up, then incorporates a combination of Pilates, yoga and ballet movements to sculpt and tone every muscle in the body. It’s basically a series of tiny isometric movements that cause the muscles to shake to the point of exhaustion. Oh, yeah, and close attention must be paid to your posture and alignment, which the instructor often checks during class. At Align Pilates, cardio is added to the barre workout, making it the most rigorous class offered, and the most popular. The classes are heavily populated with women in their 20s and 30s, but the men who show up are usually surprised by how challenging the workout is. “I was a sweaty mess by the end,” said Ryan Brown, 32, Minneapolis. “Pro athletes use ballet to work on their strength, balance and core, so I thought I’d give it a try.” For people who are less fit, it’s easy to make modifications while keeping up with the class. Participants are encouraged to work at their own pace. Yoga attire is suggested for barre class, or other form-fitting clothes so that the class instructor can check for correct body position. Class participants wear socks or go barefoot, but serious dancers prefer to wear ballet slippers and leotards in some classes. Ballet Royale in Lakeville, Minnesota, has added barre fitness classes to cross-train ballet students and adults — mostly moms of students — who want to learn the basics of ballet. The classes incorporate core Pilates exercises, but the focus is on proper ballet techniques. Classical music plays and everyone wears ballet slippers. The YWCA-Uptown also offers a dance-centric barre class. Participants range from 18 to 70 years old and many are former dancers. “I used to dance as a kid and I get to relive those days in barre class,” said Tivi Radder, 35, Minneapolis. “It makes me nostalgic for my childhood. It’s a really great workout, too. That’s the icing on the cake.” — Star Tribune/MCT E xperiencing shortness of breath at the slightest exertion is not necessarily a sign of being out of shape. It is also a possible symptom of many disorders, including arteriosclerosis and asthma as well as pulmonary hypertension, a rare disease that often remains undetected and can drastically lower life expectancy. “Blood is pumped from the right ventricle of the heart through the pulmonary arteries (in the lungs), where it is enriched with oxygen. Then it flows into the left ventricle, which transports it into the body’s circulatory system,” explained Ralf Ewert, head of the Pulmonology Department of Germany’s Greifswald University Hospital, describing a normally functioning heart. Ewert said the average pressure in the blood vessels between the right and left ventricles in a healthy person was about 15 millimetres of mercury (mmHg). A pressure of 25 mmHg or more is considered dangerous and known as pulmonary hypertension. Pulmonary hypertension has a number of possible causes, on the basis of which it is divided into various groups. “The disease model is idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension. There’s a genetic predisposition to it, and it hasn’t yet been linked to a definite trigger,” Ewert said. Along with the primary form of the disease are several other, more common, forms, all of which are of a secondary or associated nature. For example, blood pressure in the lungs can become elevated as a result of chronic lung disorders such as smoker’s bronchitis, connective tissue diseases such as scleroderma, and pulmonary embolisms. Common to all forms are abnormal changes in the pulmonary arteries. “Vasoconstriction occurs, which means the arteries narrow. In addition, blood clots increasingly form and the arterial walls restructure themselves and thicken, which causes further narrowing,” Ewert said. This makes it harder for blood to flow through the lungs, which raises pressure in the pulmonary arteries. If pressure rises further, blood flow in the lungs is impaired and the body is supplied with insufficient oxygen. “Fighting the high pressure, the right ventricle becomes increasingly overworked and its pumping performance gets weaker,” noted Michael Barczok, spokesman for the German Association of Pulmonologists. This, he said, could eventually lead to right ventricular insufficiency and heart failure. Pulmonary hypertension manifests itself in very unspecific ways. “The main symptom is shortness of breath not commensurate with the degree of physical exertion,” Barczok said. Other symptoms are fatigue, circulatory problems and extreme weakness. “At an advanced stage, there are sometimes additional symptoms such as fainting spells and chest pressure.” Because these symptoms can also be caused by other diseases, pulmonary hypertension is often detected quite late. “For many people who have it, there’s a gap of several years between the first clinical symptoms and the diagnosis,” said Ekkehard Gruenig, head of the Pulmonary Hypertension Centre at the Heidelberg Thorax Clinic. The insidiousness of the disease, its rareness and the undifferentiated symptoms make a diagnosis difficult. Gruenig said it was essential to heed the warning signs, however, and advised people who displayed them to visit a pulmonary hypertension centre. “An untreated case of pulmonary hypertension can lead to death within a few years, and in six months if it has progressed to a very advanced stage,” Gruenig warned. A variety of examinations help to make a diagnosis, including an electrocardiogram, a chest X-ray and an echocardiogram. To make a definite diagnosis, a right heart catheterisation is necessary, Ewert said. It is the only way to detect high blood pressure in the pulmonary vascular system. Treatment depends on the form of the disease. When pulmonary hypertension has been caused by an illness, then the underlying illness is treated first. If the treatment proves effective, blood pressure drops somewhat. There are also many medications used to treat primary pulmonary hypertension. “They only work symptomatically, though, and can’t effect a cure,” Barczok said. Nevertheless, they substantially stabilise and prolong life expectancy in most cases, he added. Besides drug therapy, a number of auxiliary measures can have a positive effect on the course of the disease, including the administration of pure oxygen and special breathing and exercise therapy. — DPA People say that we should change what we eat and eat less but how exactly do you do that? Since time began man has had a natural craving for fat, salt and sugar but we now eat far too much of these things in snacks and ready-made meals causing massive weight gain. We live in an affluent environment where we can pick and choose to eat the most desirable foods from all over the world, ready-made. Is it any wonder that with this temptation we want to pick and choose food that tastes good and make us feel good? Food manufacturers want us to buy more of their foods so they often add high levels of sugar, fat and salt to their ingredients so that we enjoy them more and buy more. The result is that we become sugar- , fatand salt tolerant and then need even more of these ingredients for food to continue to taste good. Over the last 20 years our tastes have changed and due to the marketing of ready-made foods sweets, chocolate and fizzy drinks, our taste buds have learnt to desire and crave food high in salt, fat and sugar. This is a very natural desire but we have to find a way to control our eating habits. The fact is: keep our bodies healthy and strong and protect them from modern diseases such as diabetes we need to control our craving for food high in salt, fat and sugar. If we do not find a way to control our desire for these foods we will end up overweight or clinically obese. Being overweight causes illness and suffering that will shorten our lives and diminish our pleasure in the wonderful world that we live in. Women working means they have less time for cooking and ready-made meals have become highly popular with families. What is the sweet problem of sugar? According to a Harvard University study, the average American consumes, on average, 20 teaspoons of sugar per day. In a 2011 study, researchers in the United Kingdom found that if you drank a sweetened drink for a month you would then crave sugar in your diet. Many people say, “I have a sweet tooth and that’s my excuse for eating sweets, desserts and chocolate”. But can you really control that desire and retrain your taste buds; or will you always crave sweet things? The answer is yes: you can retrain your taste buds. Throughout my years of running a slimming club I have found that making gradual changes is the key to success. For example, if you suddenly cut out all sugar you will probably feel withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, dizziness and an excessive craving for sugar; and this will possibly make you want to indulge more. But if you cut down gradually your body will accept gradual changes. A good way to start cutting down on sugar is to start by cutting sugar from your tea and coffee. Many people enjoy a cup of tea with sugar and a biscuit or chocolate routine. This is their reward. This is how they relax. But if you are doing this 3 and 4 times per day you are taking in too much sugar and putting on weight. Drinking tea with sugar 6 or 7 times per day is not a treat but an unhealthy habit causing weight gain and tooth decay. Becoming ‘sugar tolerant’ People who routinely eat lots of sugar become ‘sugar tolerant’. This means they need more and more sugar in food and drinks before they can taste it. People who don’t eat much sugar can taste it in relatively small amounts and find big amounts too sweet and sickly. This means the more sugar you eat the more sugar you crave. You need to ‘retrain taste buds’. The first step is to convince your brain that giving up sugar in your tea is a good idea. I remember giving up sugar in tea and coffee for a month and for the first few days they tasted pretty awful; but gradually I began to come to like the real taste of the drink. Now if someone gives me tea with sugar by mistake I find it so sweet I cannot drink it. It is the tea I want to taste. If you need to lose weight it is a good start to cut down on sugar (rather than cutting it out all together which will probably give you cravings). Sugar is instrumental in triggering the overproduction of insulin that leads to peaks and trough in energy levels which cause you to want to consume more sugar. The retraining of your taste buds can also work with salt: if you stop putting salt on the table or in your food for a month you will start to enjoy the real taste of your food without salt and in time you will not miss the salty taste. Studies have shown that people who eat a low salt or sodium diet for several months wind up preferring less salt in their food. You can also retrain your taste buds to desire less fat. I have found many people in the Middle East have a taste for fat and they tell me that if there is no fat the dish has no taste. But by adding less fat you soon begin to enjoy the food more. You can also bake food and add lemon and herbs for taste. Everything in moderation is the key. Cutting down gradually leads to success. If you cut down gradually you will enjoy your food with less fat. For a daily healthy tip follow me on Twitter “@AlvaCarpenter”. Ask Alva I am losing lots of hair due to stress and notice my hair getting very thin. I am taking a supplement for hair loss but can you explain how scalp massage can help? — Clare Many women lose hair due to stress and tension; stress can cause the scalp to become tight which restricts the blood flow to the hair roots. Massage is very effective in this case. Massage the oil into the scalp to maximise flexibility and release tension. This will promote strong healthy hair growth within weeks. For a fact sheet on hair massage, e-mail me at hairgt@ardenhealth.com. Page 6 • weekend • Friday, December 23, 2011 weekend • Friday, December 23, 2011 • Page 11 cuisine Ingredients 8 ounces shaved bittersweet chocolate or chocolate chips ½ cup cream 1 tablespoon unsalted butter Toppings: finely chopped nuts of choice; diced dried cranberries mixed with orange zest; coconut Method Preheat oven to 325°. Blend together butter, flour, sugar, salt and vanilla. Add walnuts and mix well. Shape into 1-inch balls. Bake for 25 minutes on an ungreased cookie sheet. Remove from oven and let cool. Roll balls in cocoa powder. Store flat — not stacked on top of one another. Instructions Place chocolate in a large bowl. Heat the cream until bubbles form around the outside edge. Pour cream over chocolate and whisk to combine as it melts. Add the butter and continue to whisk until smooth. (Add the orange extract, if using). Cover and refrigerate overnight. Place toppings on plates. Scoop the chocolate with a small ice cream scoop or a teaspoon and roll in the palms of your hands to form balls. Roll the balls in the toppings until coated and place on parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate the truffles until firm. They will store in refrigerator for up to two weeks or in the freezer for up to two months. Snowballs Note: For orange truffles, add 2 teaspoons orange extract. Almond Macaroons Makes 14 large cookies This recipe is from Baking Style: Art — Craft — Recipes, by Lisa Yockelson (Wiley, $45). Ingredients 8 ounces almond paste (see recipe below) ½ cup granulated sugar 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar Pinch salt 1 large egg white plus 1 tablespoon egg white 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ¾ teaspoon almond extract 2/3 cup sliced almonds, for rolling * From left are Snowballs dusted with unsweetened coconut, Black Walnut Balls dusted with cocoa powder and Almond Macaroons. Great gift confection ideas By Sharon K Ghag W e had a ball making these little confections and learned something important along the way. Gifts from the kitchen don’t have to take a lot of time or effort. All these treats are round and rolled. Some are baked, most are not. One requires only three ingredients. You can make one recipe and roll the finished confection in a variety of coatings, from powdered sugar to nuts to crushed candy. Or you can make a few for an intriguing combination of tastes. Either way, they’ll look decadently inviting packaged in a pretty box and tied with a ribbon. The recipient will thank you. Peanut Butter Bonbons Makes about 7 dozen This recipe is from Southern Living: 1001 Ways to Cook Southern (Oxmoor House, $34.95). Ingredients 1 (18-ounce) jar creamy or chunky peanut butter 1 cup butter, softened 1½ cups finely crushed graham cracker crumbs 4 cups powdered sugar 1½ cups finely chopped roasted peanuts Method Beat peanut butter and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; add graham cracker crumbs, beating until blended. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended. Shape into 1-inch balls and roll in peanuts. Cover and chill one hour. Store in refrigerator. Truffles Makes about 30 This recipe is from Bee entertainment editor Pat Clark. Said she, “I saw Michael Symon prepare these truffles on The Chew; they’re super easy. Symon used a variety of great toppings to roll the truffles in, including lime zest, bacon and coconut. Looking for something a little different and more Christmassy, I added orange extract to half my chocolate and rolled some in dried cranberries mixed with orange zest. Yum.” Method Place almond paste in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until reduced to moist crumbles. Turn the paste crumbs into a medium mixing bowl and add all the remaining ingredients except the sliced almonds. Beat ingredients on moderately slow speed for two minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl frequently with a rubber spatula, until a sticky dough is formed. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerator for three to eight hours. Preheat oven to 350°. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place sliced Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 20 to 25 minutes Serves: 6 This recipe is also from The Art of French Baking (Phaidon Press, $45). These cookies need no adornment, so consider skipping the step with the apricot preserves and coconut coating. almonds in a shallow bowl. Divide dough into 14pieces, roll into balls and roll the balls in the sliced almonds. Place 2½ inches apart on prepared cookie sheet. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until set, baked through and slightly medium golden on top. It’s essential that the dough is chilled and kept chilled before baking and the egg whites are measured accurately. Almond Paste Prep time: 20 minutes Ingredients 2½ cups ground almonds 1¼ cups superfine sugar 3 egg whites Method Pound the almond meal with the sugar and egg whites in a mortar to form a smooth paste; this also can be done in a food processor. Black Walnut Balls Makes about 3 dozen This recipe is from Bee copy editor Christine Kosko. Ingredients 1 cup butter, softened 2 cups all-purpose flour 1¼ cups sugar ½ teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 cups finely chopped walnuts ½ cup cocoa powder, sweetened Ingredients 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing 2/3 cup superfine sugar 1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted 2 teaspoons baking powder 3 tablespoons apricot preserves, warmed and strained Generous 1 cup shredded coconut Method Preheat oven to 350° and grease baking sheets with butter. Beat butter and sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy. Stir in the egg and vanilla. Mix the flour and baking powder in a separate bowl, then stir them into butter and sugar mixture. The dough should be fairly thick. Knead briefly until smooth. Break off walnut-size pieces of dough, shape these into balls, and place on the baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, increasing the oven temperature to 400°after 10 minutes. When the snowballs have cooled, roll them in the apricot preserves and then in the shredded coconut. If especially thick, the preserve can be thinned with 2 tablespoons of hot water when warming it. Sandwich Cookie Truffles Makes about 4 dozen Ingredients 1 (1-pound) package sandwich cookies (like peanut butter) 12 ounces cream cheese 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 pounds, chocolate flavoured candy coating, melted Method Line a rimmed sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In the bowl of a food processor, process cookies until finely ground. Add cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar and teaspoon vanilla. Roll mixture into 1-inch balls and place on prepared baking sheet. Freeze for 15 minutes. Store in the refrigerator. Using two forks, dip balls in melted chocolate to cover. Place on prepared sheets and let stand until coating sets. White Chocolate Clusters Makes 1 dozen 1-inch balls Ingredients 1 cup finely chopped walnuts 1 cup dried cranberries 1 cup white chocolate chips ½ cup sprinkles/hundreds and thousands, for rolling Method Toast walnuts, if desired, at 350° for seven to 10 minutes or until fragrant. In medium bowl, microwave white chocolate chips according to package directions. Add walnuts and cranberries. Roll into balls and then roll balls into candy sprinkles. Work fast, because the chocolate dries quickly. Chocolate-Coffee Snowballs Makes about 4 dozen This recipe is from Southern Living: 1001 Ways to Cook Southern (Oxmoor House, $34.95). We rolled some in powdered sugar, some in chopped almonds. Ingredients 1/3 cup coffee concentrate 2 tablespoons light corn syrup 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules 1 (9-ounce) package chocolate wafer cookies, finely crushed ¾ cup sifted powdered sugar ¾ cup chopped almonds, toasted Powdered sugar for rolling Method Combine concentrated coffee, corn syrup and instant coffee granules. Let mixture stand five minutes. Stir until granules dissolve. Combine cookie crumbs, ¾ cup powdered sugar and chopped almonds and stir well. Pour coffee mixture over crumb mixture, stirring well. Shape into 1-inch balls; roll in powdered sugar twice to coat well. Store in airtight container for up to one week. — The Modesto Bee/MCT tv listings 23/12/11 * Kelsey Grammer ... his Boss role was comeback of the year. * Emily Van Camp ... delicious and deadly in Revenge. Killers, Kimmel and cuteness all stuck out in 2011 TV By Neal Justin I f TV can make room for an “adorkable” gal, a dwarf Lothario and a Joan Crawford impersonator, why can’t it be more open to minorities? In compiling my favourite performances of 2011, I struggled to find actors of colour — only one made the list — at a time when executives keep patting themselves on the back for embracing diversity. If there’s one bright spot, it’s that the year’s best sitcom, Community, is also one of TV’s most progressive when it comes to casting. With that shortcoming in mind, let’s celebrate what did work this past year and wish for a more diverse 2012. This year’s standouts, in alphabetical order: Zooey Deschanel, New Girl: The sitcom hasn’t lived up to its promising pilot episode, mostly because the male characters are unremarkable, but Deschanel’s quirky charms are irresistible. Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones: His Shakespearean-trained skills are put to towering use, playing a dwarf warrior who makes up for his lack of size with wit and romance. Bradley Cooper has nice hair, but for my money, Dinklage is the sexiest man alive. Giancarlo Esposito, Breaking Bad: Esposito gave to TV’s best drama what John Lithgow provided to Dexter two years ago: a formidable, unpredictable villain who gives you goosebumps every time he saunters into a scene. His final moments gave me more nightmares than the Kardashian wedding. Kelsey Grammer, Boss: Thank goodness Grammer’s last couple of sitcom attempts went belly-up. If they hadn’t, the former Frasier star might not have rolled the dice on this hard-hitting political drama and earned our comeback of the year award. Jimmy Kimmel’s not-ready-forprime-time players, Jimmy Kimmel Live: When Kimmel told me years ago that he’d be using his Uncle Frank on his upcoming talk show, I responded with pessimism. I just didn’t buy that a sweet, ordinary soul could provide laughs. Kimmel has proved me wrong time and time again with a supporting cast that includes belligerent Aunt Chippie, inept celebrity photographer Yaya, jittery filmmaker Kyle Mooney and the Hollywood Chewbacca. Uncle Frank may have passed away this year, but his spirit lives on. Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: It’s easy to forget that Lange is one of our finest actors — until she creeps into a scene on this fright factory and nails the kind of chilling, over-the-top character that Bette Davis and Joan Crawford did in their later years. Whatever happened to Baby Lange? She got better, that’s what. Nick Offerman, Parks & Recreation: His wife, Megan Mullally, was the not-so-secret weapon on Will & Grace. Now it’s hubby’s turn. In a rich cast, Offerman’s Ron Swanson has turned out to be the series’ most bizarre, complicated yet loveable standout. Oliver Platt, The Big C: Last year, I called Laura Linney’s work in this underrated series a signature performance from one of our generation’s greatest actresses. This year, it’s time to praise her acting partner for the kind of hilarious, heartbreaking turn we’ve taken for granted from Platt. Time to finally give the big guy an Emmy. Emily Van Camp, Revenge: The fact that the former Everwood star has a good-girl smile makes her all the more delicious and deadly, a conniving force who could destroy an entire town with an innocent giggle and a flip of her hair. The women of Boardwalk Empire: If last year was all about men behaving badly, this one was for the females, most notably Kelly Macdonald, Gretchen Mol and Julianne Nicholson, all delivering mesmerising, double-barrelled performances. No wonder the second season exceeded the first. — Star Tribune/MCT * Peter Dinklage’s Shakespearean-trained skills were put to towering use in Game of Thrones. Page 8 • weekend • Friday, December 23, 2011 weekend • Friday, December 23, 2011 • Page 9 Al Jazeera Sports +3 0615 Italian League Bologna V Roma 0800 ATP Tennis Magazine 0830 The Football League Show 0900 Euro 2012 Magazine 0930 Omni Sport 1000 Boxing Froch V Ward 1100 Italian League Udinese V Juventus 1345 Short Programme 1400 English Sports News 1415 Italian League Napoli V Genoa 1600 French League St Etienne V Psg 1745 Short Programme 1800 Arab Games 2230 Italian League Atalanta V Cesena 0015 Italian League Novara V Palermo 0200 Clasico The Movie 0300 ATP Tennis Magazine 0330 Arab Games Extreme Sports 0500 0550 0640 0730 0800 0830 0900 0925 1015 1105 1155 1220 1245 1310 1335 1400 1425 1515 1605 1630 1655 1720 1745 1810 1900 1950 2040 2130 2155 2220 2245 2310 0000 0050 0115 0140 0230 0320 0345 0410 MBC 2: Son of The Mask; 11am. Animal Planet 0525 Dogs 101 Specials 0620 Animal Cops Phoenix 0710 Animal Cops Specials 2009 0800 Monkey Life 0825 Dick ‘N’ Dom Go Wild 0850 Talk To The Animals 0915 The Really Wild Show 0940 Breed All About It 1010 Dogs 101 1105 Dogs 101 Specials 1200 Animal Cops Houston 1255 Bondi Vet 1320 Wildlife Sos 1350 Sspca On The Wildside 1415 Rspca On The Frontline 1445 Animal Cops Houston 1540 Monster Bug Wars 1630 Monkey Life 1700 Dick ‘N’ Dom Go Wild 1730 Talk To The Animals 1800 The Really Wild Show 1825 Dogs 101 Specials 1920 Extraordinary Dogs 1945 Extraordinary Dogs 2015 Bondi Vet 2040 Breed All About It 2110 Dogs 101 Specials 2205 Monster Bug Wars 2300 Animal Kingdom 2325 Animal Kingdom 2355 Untamed & Uncut 0050 I’m Alive 0145 Animal Cops Houston 0240 Monster Bug Wars 0335 Animal Kingdom 0400 Animal Kingdom 0430 I’m Alive Discovery Channel 0540 0605 0700 0725 0750 0845 0910 1005 1030 1055 1125 1220 1315 1410 1505 1600 1655 1750 1845 1910 1940 2005 2035 2100 2130 2225 2320 0015 0110 0205 0300 0355 0450 How It’s Made Dirty Jobs Wheeler Dealers Fifth Gear Overhaulin’ How Stuff’s Made Mythbusters Cake Boss Border Security Scrappers Gold Rush Alaska Coal Gold Rush Alaska Gold Rush Alaska Gold Rush Alaska Gold Rush Alaska Gold Rush Alaska Gold Rush Alaska Cake Boss Border Security Scrappers How It’s Made How Stuff’s Made Cash Cab Us Surviving The Cut Frontline Battle Machines... Kidnap And Rescue Gold Rush Alaska Gold Rush Alaska Gold Rush Alaska Gold Rush Alaska Gold Rush Alaska Gold Rush Alaska Discovery Science 0500 0525 0550 0640 0710 0800 0940 1010 1035 1100 1125 1220 1245 1455 1520 1550 1800 1850 1940 2005 2030 2120 2210 2235 2300 2325 2350 0040 0105 0135 0225 0250 0315 0340 0435 The Gadget Show How Stuff’s Made Superships One Step Beyond Brainiac Scrapheap Challenge The Tech Show Weird Connections The Gadget Show The Gadget Show Brainiac Sci-Fi Science How Stuff’s Made One Step Beyond Stunt Junkies Superships Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman Sci-Fi Science Wallace & Gromit’s World Of Invention Wallace & Gromit’s World Of Invention Science Of The Movies Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman The Gadget Show The Gadget Show Wallace & Gromit’s World Of Invention Wallace & Gromit’s World Of Invention Science Of The Movies The Gadget Show The Tech Show Superships Stunt Junkies Wallace & Gromit’s World Of Invention Wallace & Gromit’s World Of Invention Science Of The Movies The Gadget Show National Geo 0545 Dangerous Encounters With Brady Barr Monster Bite S2 - 4 0640 Megastructures - Uk Super Train - 49 0830 Inside - Area 51’s Secrets - 59 0925 Japanese Cowboy 1020 Alaska State Troopers - Crime On The Kenali 11 1210 2012 The Final Prophecy 1400 Deepest Dive The Story Of Trieste 1430 Body Snatchers Of Bangkok 1600 Departures - Australia S3 - 16 1700 Megastructures - Dubai Racecourse - 24 1800 Year Of The Storm (Aka Stormageddon) 1900 Witness - Tornado Swarm 2011 - 1 2000 Witness Japan Disaster 2100 Witness Disaster 2200 Megastructures Queen Mary 2 - 61 2300 Megastructures - Dubai Racecourse - 24 0000 Year Of The Storm (Aka Stormageddon) 0100 Witness - Tornado Swarm 2011 - 1 0200 Megastructures - Dubai Racecourse - 24 0300 Year Of The Storm (Aka Stormageddon) 0355 Witness - Tornado Swarm 2011 - 1 0450 The Witch Doctor Will See You Now - Peru Hallucinogenic Healing -2 BBC World 0500 0530 0545 0600 0630 0645 0700 0730 0800 0830 0945 1100 1200 1345 1445 1500 1600 1730 1745 1800 1830 1900 2030 2045 2100 2130 2145 2200 2330 2345 0000 0030 0145 0230 0300 0330 0345 0400 0430 0445 Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Hardtalk BBCWorld News World Business Report BBCWorld News BBCWorld News BBCWorld News Sport Today Sport Today Gmt With George Alagiah Impact With Mishal Husain World Business Report Sport Today BBCWorld News Hardtalk The Hub With Nik Gowing World Business Report Sport Today BBCWorld News World Business Report Sport Today World News Today With Zeinab Badawi World Business Report Sport Today BBCWorld News America Hardtalk Sport Today Asia Business Report BBCWorld News Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Cowboy U Mantracker World Combat League Ride Guide Mountainbike 2009 Ride Guide Snow 2009 Ride Guide Snow 2009 The Alli Show Blood, Sweat And Gears Lucas Oil Motocross Championships 2009 Lucas Oil Motocross Championships 2009 Sports Jobs Flipside Fantasy Factory Fantasy Factory Dragrace High Dragrace High Mantracker World Combat League Sports Jobs Flipside Fantasy Factory Fantasy Factory The Alli Show Blood, Sweat And Gears Lucas Oil Motocross Championships 2009 Lucas Oil Motocross Championships 2009 Mantracker Dragrace High Dragrace High X Games Heroes X Games Heroes World Combat League Bmx Megatour Dragrace High Dragrace High Mantracker World Combat League Dragrace High Dragrace High Bmx Megatour MBC 4 0500 It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia 0530 Entertainment Tonight 615 The Talk 0700 The Unusuals 0800 Two And A Half Men 0845 It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia 0900 Pretty Little Liars 1130 Two And A Half Man 1200 Home Shopping 1230 Khareef El Hob 1545 Home Shopping 1600 Project Runway 1645 Project Runway Models Of The Runway 1715 Ringer Season 1 1800 The Secret Circle Season 1 1845 The Vampire Diaries Season 3 1930 Masterchef 2030 Movie Made Of Honor 2200 30 Rock 2230 How I Met Your Mother 2300 90210 0215 Entertainment Tonight OSN Premiere 0600 Gasland-Pg15 0800 The Cake Eaters-Pg15 1000 Sounds Like Teen Spirit-Pg15 1200 Open Season 3-Fam 1345 Gasland-Pg15 1600 The Cake Eaters-Pg15 1800 Strength And HonourPg15 2000 Cyrus-18 2200 Relative Stranger-Pg15 0000 The List-Pg15 0200 Cyrus-18 0400 Strength And HonourPg15 OSN Movies Action 0500 Neowolf-18 0700 The Sorcerer’s Apprentice-Pg15 0900 Rocky Ii-Pg15 1100 Iron Man 2-Pg15 1315 Ip Man-Pg15 1515 Rocky Ii-Pg15 1715 Age Of The DragonsPg15 1900 Icarus-18 2100 Reykjavik Whale Watching Massacre-18 2300 From Within-Pg15 0100 Icarus-18 0300 Reykjavik Whale Watching Massacre-18 CNN International 0500 0600 0700 0800 0830 0900 1000 1100 1130 1200 1300 1330 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 1930 2000 2100 2130 2200 2245 2300 0000 0100 0130 0200 0300 0400 Piers Morgan Tonight Quest Means Business Erin Burnett Outfront World Sport Backstory World Report World Report World Sport I Report For Cnn World Business Today Backstory Mainsail World One Piers Morgan Tonight News Stream World Business Today International Desk The Brief World Sport Prism International Desk Mainsail Quest Means Business Cnn Marketplace Europe Piers Morgan Tonight Connect The World With Becky Anderson Backstory World Sport The Situation Room World Report Anderson Cooper 360 OSN Cinema 0500 Mee Shee-Pg 0700 Shrek Forever AfterFam 0900 The Great DebatersPg15 1115 The Flyboys-Pg15 1315 Planet 51-Pg 1500 The Social NetworkPg15 1715 Dickie Roberts Former Child Star-Pg15 1915 Nine Dead-Pg15 2100 Mars Needs Moms-Pg 2300 Peter And Vandy-18 0045 A Way With Murder-18 0245 Dickie Roberts Former Child Star-Pg15 0445 The Flyboys-Pg15 Star Movies 0504 0630 0754 0945 1136 1300 1454 1635 1807 1958 G-Force Childs Play The Recruit Mission To Mars Childs Play Metro Father Of The Bride Boy In Striped Pajama Royal Tenenbaums James And The Giant Peach 2119 High School Musical 3 Senior Year 2300 Housebroken 0000 G-Force 0159 High School Musical 3 Senior Year 0347 Housebroken MBC 2 0600 0730 0900 1100 1300 1500 1700 1900 2100 2300 0100 0300 Reign Over Me Layover Deception Son Of The Mask Inside Man A Different Loyalty Deception Edison Anger Management Righteous Kill The Grudge Newsmakers TCM 0550 0730 0800 0930 1105 1240 1430 1555 1730 1920 2110 2300 0045 0225 0350 Three Little Words-Fam Tcm Presents Under...-U Anna Christie-Pg Gaby-Pg Dream Wife-Fam Bhowani Junction-Pg Moonfleet-Pg Julie-Pg An American In ParisFam Where The Spies ArePg Come Fly With Me-Fam Pennies From Heaven The Outfit Seven Women-Pg Hotel Paradiso-Pg OSN Movies Comedy 0600 Cats & Dogs-Pg 0800 Mr. Baseball-Pg 1000 Hey Hey Its Esther Blueburger-Pg15 1200 Roommates-Pg15 1400 Did You Hear About The Morgans?-Pg15 1600 Charlie & Boots-Pg15 1800 Away We Go-Pg15 2000 She’s Out Of My League-18 2200 Alfie-18 0000 Elle A Modern Cinderella Tale-Pg15 0200 Away We Go-Pg15 0400 Hey Hey Its Esther Blueburger-Pg15 MBC Max 0600 Love In The Time Of Cholera 0730 Camille 0900 Erin Brockovich 1030 Joe Dirt 1200 Imagine That 1500 The Adventures Of Merlin, (2) Ep 8 1545 The Adventures Of Merlin, (2) Ep 9 1630 The Adventures Of Merlin, (2) Ep 10 1700 Homeland Security 1900 Jumanji 2 2100 Daddy Day Camp 2300 S1m0ne 0100 Life-Size 0300 Erin Brockovich 0430 The End Of The Affair MGM 0545 Strictly Business-Pg 0705 Ghoulies 0825 Countdown To ChaosPg 0950 Escape Clause-Pg 1130 Mgm’s Big Screen-Fam 1145 Salt And Pepper-Pg 1325 Yellowbeard-Pg 1500 Breakheart Pass-Pg 1635 Tennessee Nights 1820 The Pride And The Passion-Pg 2030 Number One Fan-Pg 2200 The End-Pg 2340 Couch Trip-Pg 0115 Gothic 0240 Joshua Tree-Pg 0419 Until September-Pg MBC Action 0530 Ninja Warrior 0600 V 0645 Law & Order Criminal Intent 0730 Martial Law 0815 Fringe 0900 Rush 0945 Battlestar Galactica 1030 Driven 1115 Ninja Warrior 1200 Supernatural 1315 Supernatural 1400 Supernatural 1530 Action Ya Dawry 1630 Movie The Matrix 1800 The Mentalist 1900 Wwe Raw 2000 Movie The Matrix Reloaded 2200 Burn Notice 2300 Action Ya Dawry 0000 Movie The Matrix Revolution 0200 Action Ya Dawry 0300 Burn Notice 0400 Movie The Matrix Reloaded MBC Max: Joe Dirt; 10.30am. Dubai One 0530 The Bold and the Beautiful (Season 8) 0600 Emirates News 0630 Hoot 0830 The Bold and the Beautiful (Season 8) 1030 Understanding Islam (Season 2 ) 1100 Friday Prayer 1200 Out & About (Season 6) 1230 That’s Entertainment (Season 1) 1300 The Voice 1400 Big Momma’s House 2 1600 The Closer (Season 4) 1700 Cold Case (Season 5) 1800 CSI Las Vegas (Season 8) 1900 The Big Bang Theory (Season 3) 1930 Emirates News 2000 Supernatural (Season 4) 2100 The Voice 2200 Two Weeks Notice 0000 While You Were Sleeping 0200 Confessions of a Dangerous Mind 0400 Supernatural (Season 4) Zee TV 0500 0600 0630 0700 0730 0800 0930 1000 1030 1200 1230 1300 1430 1500 1530 1600 1630 1700 1730 1800 1830 1900 1930 2000 2030 2100 2130 2200 2230 2300 0200 0330 0400 0430 Baba Ramdev Yoga For You Laxmi Narayan Dham Kismet Ke Sitaare Narayan Sewa Singh Hitler Didi Yahan Mein Ghar Ghar Kheli Pavitra Rishta Ram Milayee Jodi Hiter Didi Afsar Bitiya Chotti Bahu Pavitra Rishta Teleshopping Ram Milayee Jodi Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuein Afsar Bitiya Bhagonwali Big Picture Bollywood Business Choti Bahu Hitler Didi Yahan Mein Ghar Ghar Kheli Pavitra Rishta Ram Milayee Jodi Mrs Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuein Afsar Bitiya Bhagonwali Hiter Didi Dance India Dance Season 3 Friday Night Premiere - All The Best Friday Night Premiere - All The Best Friday Night Premiere - All The Best Friday Night Premiere - All The Best Page 12 • weekend • Friday, December 23, 2011 case files * Claudine Longet and Vladimir ‘Spider’ Sabich in happier days. * The Aspen, Colorado home shared by the jet-setting couple. Getting away with murder? French actress and best-selling singer Claudine Longet claimed she didn’t mean to shoot dead her live-in lover, ski champion Vladimir ‘Spider’ Sabich, but not many were convinced ... By Willard Roper T hey gathered in the small Catholic church in the fashionable US ski resort of Aspen, Colorado on a bright spring morning in 1976, to remember a young man taken in the prime of his life. But if they thought they would be allowed to mourn undisturbed, they were sadly mistaken. TV camera-crews, press photographers and reporters from the world’s media outnumbered the mourners in the tiny church in the shadow of the Sierra Nevada mountains, for this was a hot news story which had everything. In the plain wooden casket in the church aisle was the body of 31-year-old Vladimir “Spider” Sabich, Olympic star twice world ski champion and one of sport’s most charismatic figures. Mourning him were stars of the magnitude of Andy Williams, John Denver, and Jack Nicholson, sitting among Olympic athletes and childhood friends. But they were not the main focus of attention. That was reserved for a tiny 34-year-old woman, sitting sobbing in the corner of the church, studiously ignored by Spider Sabich’s family. She was French actress and best-selling singer Claudine Longet, former wife of pop superstar Andy Williams and for the past four years Spider’s live-in lover. It was Claudine Longet who was the real star of the tragic drama now unfolding: on the cold grey afternoon of March 21, 1976 the gun she was holding shot Spider Sabich in the stomach in the bathroom of their Aspen chalet. He died on the way to hospital with Claudine holding his hand. She said it had been an accident but friends and family were not so sure. Nor were the police, although it would take them nearly a year to decide to prosecute Claudine Longet and one of the decade’s most riveting celebrity spectacles came to its dramatic conclusion. The couple had met in 1972 while both participating in a celebrity ski race and quickly became an item. Claudine and her three children by Williams, whom she had divorced two years earlier, moved into Spider’s lavish stone and glass chalet in Aspen’s most exclusive neighbourhood. Jack Nicholson and John and Annie Denver were close neighbours. No one doubted that the couple were in love. Later Andy Williams would testify that his ex-wife was a gentle and loving mother of their children. But he was also heard to say off the record: “She’s always been a reckless chick who drives too fast, skis too fast and takes too many risks.” Born in Paris, Claudine arrived in America when she was 19 and became a dancer in Las Vegas before winning a Hollywood record contract. Her meeting with Andy Williams was, she said, like something out of a Hollywood musical. Returning home after appearing at a nightclub her car broke down and Andy Williams, walking back to his hotel, recognising a damsel in distress, called out a garage and got her a taxi. They met for a date the following night and a few months later embarked on a marriage which was to last nine years. During the first three years of their marriage, Claudine put her career on hold and enjoyed domestic life in a luxury mansion overlooking the beach at Malibu. Then in 1964, with her husband’s blessing, she decided to return to show-business and appeared in numerous TV shows before landing a lucrative record contract. Claudine admitted to friends that having a world-famous singer as a husband didn’t actually hurt her chances of success, but her first two albums, Claudine and The Look of Love, both went high in the charts and were hailed by critics as some of the best of the year. Regular guest-spots on the peaktime Andy Williams TV show didn’t harm Claudine’s career prospects either but in fact her career down Moon River was coming to an end. After receiving a generous divorce settlement, Claudine met Spider Sabich, then at the height of his fame and the real-life role model for Robert Redford’s movie Downhill Racer. Everything was going right for Claudine Longet. She released the two most successful albums of her career — We’ve Only Just Begun and Let’s Spend the Night Together - and she and Spider became the darlings of the Aspen jet-set. Then on March 21 everything changed. The day was cold and grey and Claudine set out for the ski slopes and then changed her mind. Instead she visited the fashionable Centre Bar where she met friends and had several glasses of white wine. Around 4pm she drove home and Spider, who had been skiing, returned a short while later. Claudine would tell police that while selecting a sweater from a drawer she came across Spider’s .22 Luger pistol. In a statement she said: “I took it to the bathroom where Spider was getting dressed after having a shower, and said that as he was soon going away on a promotional tour, leaving me alone in the house with the children, I perhaps should know how to use the pistol to protect myself. I was handing it to him when my finger slipped on the trigger and it went off.” But not everyone in Aspen bought the story and police were soon hearing rumours that the couple’s four year relationship was rocky and sometimes violent and that Spider had asked his lover and her children to find somewhere else to live. “He was fed up with having kids in his house,” said one informant. Claudine Longet was charged with murder but it was almost a year before she stood trial at Pitkin County Courthouse in Aspen, pleading not guilty to murder. The climax to what Time Magazine called “the trial of the year” was when Claudine, sobbing and shaking, was guided gently through her evidence by her attorney Ron Austin. Speaking in little more than a whisper in the tense and silent court, she told the jury: “We were probably everything a man and woman should be to each other. We loved each other so much. He was my best friend.” Asked to describe what happened on that fatal afternoon, Claudine said: “I picked up the gun and walked towards Spider saying: “I would like you to tell me about this gun. Is it safe?’ He said that the safety catch was on and that it couldn’t be fired. But at that instant the gun went off.” Weeping in the witness box, Claudine described how Spider Sabich staggered against a wall, holding his stomach. “He lost consciousness. I shouted to my children to call an ambulance and then I tried mouth-to-mouth resuscitation but I didn’t know how to do it properly.” Prosecutor Frank Tucker claimed that Spider Sabich had been killed after a violent row and that Claudine had threatened him with the gun which then went off. “It was a violent end to a violent relationship,” Frank Tucker told the jury. After a four-hour deliberation, the jury found Claudine Longet guilty, but only of criminal negligence and she was sentenced to 30 days in gaol and two years probation by Judge John Lohr who told her she could serve her term “at a time of her own choosing, presumably when her children were on summer vacation.” Soon after coming out of gaol Claudine ran away with defence lawyer Ron Austin who abandoned his own family to live with her. They later married and still live in Aspen. Not everyone was happy with the outcome of the sensational case. Spider’s father filed a $1.3mn wrongful death civil lawsuit against Claudine but settled out of court and Prosecutor Frank Tucker said recently: “I’ve always known she shot Spider Sabich and meant to do it. Justice certainly wasn’t served in this case.” Now a still-glamorous 64, Claudine does occasional concerts and recently re-recorded some of her early hits. But mainly she keeps a low profile in the town where her name still provokes strong feelings. Like those of Spider Sabich’s brother Steve who said recently: “Spider accomplished so much in his life. Claudine accomplished only two things: marrying Andy Williams and getting away with murder.” — Tony James Syndication weekend • Friday, December 23, 2011 • Page 13 Birthdays from December 17-23, 2011 Monthly Winner Weekly Winner Mythily Vinod 17.12.2004 G N Alekhya 19.12.1999 Ridhima Lalwani 21.12.2007 Belated Belated Ammar Danis Fardan Sutrisno 11.12.2007 Lino Mendonca 11.12.2007 M Is your birthday coming up soon? If so, we’ll help you celebrate with a cool collection of presents and prizes. Send us your picture with your name address, date of birth and plus • We’ll send you a coupon to save your money at McDonald’s • 25 kids each week will win a McDonald’s collectible • Each week, we’ll give away a coupon for four Happy Meals and four value Meals. And one lucky club member each month will win a FREE BIRTHDAY PARTY at McDonald’s for up to 15 people (This one includes Happy Meals, invitation cards party hats, guest giveaways, a birthday gift from McDonald’s, a birthday cake, name-badge stickers, character appearance, video coverage and loads of fun!) All winners will be chosen by draw. So if you’re under 18 and your birthday’s in the next few weeks, fill in the form, put in an envelope with your picture and send it in to Young Gulfers Birthday Club, P. O. Box. 2888, Doha or drop it in at the advertising counter just inside our C Ring Road office. Name:............................................................................................................... Date of Birth: ........................................................................................... Address: ...................................................................................................... Phone:..................................... (Don’t forget that picture!) any happy returns of the day to all the Young Gulfers who have celebrated their birthdays this week. We hope to add a little to the cheer with great prizes and giveaways, courtesy of McDonald’s. Congrats to monthly winner Mythily Vinod and weekly winner GN Alekhya. The weekly winner gets coupons for four Happy Meals and four Value Meals from McDonald’s. The monthly winner can host a free birthday party for up to 15 guests at McDonald’s. The coupons can be collected from the McDonald’s head office, from Ms Mayeth. (Tel:44360031/32). The winners of McDonald’s collectibles for this week are: Ridhima Lalwani, Ammar Danis Fardan Sutrisno and Lino Mendonca. For further details, contact McDonald’s Restaurant at Suhaim Bin Hamad St on Friday, between 6-6.30pm. Please submit coupons by Sunday. Entries without the coupon will be disqualified. Mcdonald’s Head Office: 44360031/32 Fax No.: 44360021 Delivery Service No. 4407 - 6666 McDonald’s Outlets Al Suhaim Bin Hamad 44355431 Al Rayyan 44815779 The Mall Shopping Complex 44678111 Airport 44655846 Markhiya 44860353 The Landmark Shopping Mall 44865243 City Center Mall 44834706 Al Asmakh 44360741 Ras Abu Aboud 44356808 Villaggio Mall 44507296 Al Rayyan 2 44814945 Dukhan 44711840 AlMana Petrol Station 44514325 Muaither 44503557 Abu Hamour Petrol Station 44215244 Wakrah 44645778 Tebah Petrol Station 44218879 Al Khor 44720462 Page 14 • weekend • Friday, December 23, 2011 Wordwatch Prognathous (PROG-nuh-thuhs, prog-NAY-thuhs) Meaning Adjective: 1. Protruding outwards; 2. Having a jaw that protrudes outwards. Origin From Greek pro- (before) + gnathos (jaw). Ultimately from the Indo-European root genu- (jawbone, chin), which is also the source of chin and Sanskrit hanu (jaw). Hanuman (literally, having a large jaw) was the name of a monkey god in Hindu mythology. Earliest documented use: 1836. Usage “Nature had given Smith an enormous prognathous jaw. It was wide and heavy, and protruded outward and down until it seemed to rest on his chest.” Jack London; White Fang; Macmillan; 1906. comics Pooch Cafe Nodus (NOH-duhs) Plural nodi (NOH-dy) Meaning Noun: A complicated situation or problem. Origin From Latin nodus (knot). Ultimately from the Indo-European root ned- (to bind), which is also the source of node, noose, annex, connect, ouch, nettle, and denouement. Earliest documented use: before 1400. Usage “The CPC project is a nodus of interests. A half of its stock belongs to the governments of three states: Russia, Kazakhstan, and the Sultanate of Oman. The remainder is in private hands.” Public-and-private: Easier Said Than Done; The Times of Central Asia (Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan); March 31, 2006. Gordian (GOR-dee-uhn) Meaning Adjective: Highly intricate; extremely difficult to solve. Origin In Greek mythology, King Gordius of Phrygia tied a knot that defied all who tried to untie it. An oracle prophesied that one who would undo this Gordian knot would rule Asia. Alexander the Great simply cut the knot with one stroke of his sword. Hence the saying, “to cut the Gordian knot”, meaning to solve a difficult problem by a simple, bold, and effective action. Earliest documented use: 1579. Usage “The Gordian complexity of Afghanistan continues to confound Washington’s top military and political strategists.” Patience, Perseverance Best Options in Afghanistan; The Dallas Morning News (Texas); December 27, 2010. — wordsmith.org Hagar Jokes Carrier landings Flying into a Middle East airport, my co-pilot and I reviewed our flight plan for the trip back to the USS Enterprise. We were to pick up a Navy captain, and experience had taught me that even seasoned vets turn white-knuckled during carrier landings. Once the captain was strapped in, I turned around to welcome him aboard. “Sir,” I asked, “will this be your first carrier landing?” Looking at me with disdain, he opened his inflatable vest to display gold wings above five rows of ribbons. “Son,” he said, “I have over 500 carrier landings in jet fighters.” “That’s good to hear,” my co-pilot said, winking at me, “because this will be our first.” Pet bills While waiting at the veterinarian’s office, I overheard two women chatting about their dogs. “What’s your dog’s name?” asked the first woman. “Well, we used to call her Lamb Chop,” answered the second lady. “But after the vet bills we’ve had for her, we now call her Filet Mignon.” Seatmate choice The plane was only half-full. When an attractive young woman asked if the seat next to mine was free, my male ego soared. Soon we were chatting pleasantly, and she told me it was her first flight. “Mom said to sit next to someone I thought I could trust,” she confessed nervously. “And you look just like my dad.” Under the bed Because of back problems, each night I lie on the floor and do exercises. Once when we stopped at a motel, as I started my exercise, something under the bed caught my eye. It was a card, on which was written, “Yes, we do clean under here, too.” Garfield weekend • Friday, December 23, 2011 • Page 15 puzzles Sudoku Colouring Sudoku is a puzzle based on a 9x9 grid. The grid is also divided into nine (3x3) boxes. You are given a selection of values and to complete the puzzle, you must fill the grid so that every column, every row and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9 and none is repeated. horoscopes ARIES 21 Mar - 20 Apr CANCER 22 Jun - 22 Jul LIBRA 24 Sep - 23 Oct CAPRICORN 22 Dec - 20 Jan You may not be that popular at home but you should be able to shine at social gatherings. You need to clear up some important personal documents before the end of the year. You’re in the mood for love. Someone you live with may feel totally neglected. Taking on too much won’t help the situation. You will have a productive day if you organise yourself well at work. Spend some time with people who can shed some light on your personal situation. Try not to get backed into corners. If you take on too much of a financial burden you may make yourself ill. Put some energy into getting back into shape. Listen to reason. Try to deal with it quickly; don’t dwell on past regrets. Difficulties at an emotional level may be likely. Put your energy into money-making ventures. New romantic relationships will develop through group activity related to sports events. Don’t make large purchases. Lucky day: Tuesday. Lucky day: Monday. Lucky day: Wednesday. Lucky day: Sunday. TAURUS 21 Apr - 21 May LEO 23 Jul - 22 Aug SCORPIO 24 Oct - 22 Nov AQUARIUS 21 Jan - 19 Feb You are best to be discreet. Think about starting your own small business, Do not make rash decisions about your personal life. Make any necessary changes to your insurance policy. Be cautious and use your head wisely. Take the day to relax and pamper yourself. You will also encounter individuals who can help you further your goals. Social events may lead to a romantic interlude. Be sure to take time for old friends or relatives you don’t get to see that often. Look for something entertaining to do. You’ve got that competitive edge. Take the time to do your job correctly or you may find yourself looking for a new one. Your ability to help others will win you points. Avoid purchasing expensive items. You may get some opposition. Personal changes will be to your benefit. You are best to get out of the house this week. Traffic will be busier than you anticipated, so try to get a head start if you have made plans to travel. Your partner’s a little jumpy. Lucky day: Tuesday. Lucky day: Monday. Lucky day: Thursday. Lucky day: Sunday. GEMINI 22 May - 21 Jun VIRGO 23 Aug - 23 Sep SAGITTARIUS 23 Nov - 21 Dec PISCES 20 Feb - 20 Mar Stress may cause minor health ailments. Travel and communications will not run as smoothly as you had hoped. Discuss your problems and complaints if you wish to rectify them. Hard work will bring rewards. Changes regarding your image will bring you greater confidence. Drastic changes regarding your personal attitude are evident. Your heart is telling you to spend time with someone you recently met. You may find that your documents are not in order. Don’t volunteer private information about yourself unless you’re prepared to be talked about behind your back. Emotionally you won’t see things accurately. Don’t believe everything you hear. Give everyone in the house a physical chore that will help burn off some of the excess energy. Hard work will not go unnoticed. You must be extremely careful not to let friends interfere in your personal life. Lucky day: Saturday. Lucky day: Thursday. Lucky day: Friday. Lucky day: Thursday. Page 16 • weekend • Friday, December 23, 2011 puzzles Quick Clues Cryptic Clues Yesterday’s Solutions QUICK Across: 1 Pick; 3 Complain; 8 Ruin; 9 Studious; 11 Embarrassing; 13 Strive; 14 Proper; 17 Evil-speaking; 20 Attended; 21 Dare; 22 Relieved; 23 Less. Down: 1 Perverse; 2 Climber; 4 Outlaw; 5 Pedestrian; 6 Acorn; 7 Ness; 10 Prevalence; 12 Progress; 15 Private; 16 Sphere; 18 Vital; 19 Fair. CRYPTIC Across: 1 Fast; 3 Probable; 8 Tour; 9 Estimate; 11 Labyrinthine; 13 Treble; 14 Answer; 17 Preciousness; 20 Approval; 21 Idle; 22 Mildewed; 23 Hero. Down: 1 Futility; 2 Stubble; 4 Rising; 5 Brightness; 6 Brain; 7 Eyes; 10 Frolicsome; 12 Prospero; 15 Wheedle; 16 Donate; 18 Repel; 19 Maim. Down 1. Antiquated (9) 2. Clumsy (9) 4. Wander (4) 5. Onward (5) 6. Oral (6) 7. Frank (4) 9. Command (5) 11. Trap (5) 12. Greedy (9) 13. Moderate (9) 17. Happen (5) 19. Leave off (6) 22. Amulet (5) 23. Tie (4) 24. Unite (4) Across 3. Sort of chap to avoid in winter! (9) 8. A sign I left on (4) 9. Nice trait, but somehow puzzling (9) 10. In a European it is courteous (6) 11. Offspring is a girl (5) 14. Woman unaffected by reversals (5) 15. Head cook may make it (4) 16. Investment for ploughing back? (5) 18. Night without end - almost (4) 20. Come to a similar conclusion (5) 21. A common plant (5) 24. Put down on outstanding achievement (6) 25. Local date incorrectly given out (9) 26. Churchman converts a Dane (4) 27. With which one suffers a lack of balance (9) Prayer Time Help Line Mumtaz Post (24hr) Fajr 4.54am Shorooq (sunrise) 6.16am Zuhr (noon) 11.33am Asr (afternoon) 2.30pm Maghreb (sunset) 4.51pm Isha (night) 6.21pm Is drinking a problem for you or someone you love? Call Alcoholics Anonymous: 55605901 Across 3. Abundance (9) 8. Genuine (4) 9. Subdue (9) 10. Scanty (6) 11. Encourage (5) 14. Concise (5) 15. Title (4) 16. Proportion (5) 18. Empty (4) 20. Embrace (5) 21. Instruct (5) 24. Younger (6) 25. Pointer (9) 26. Corrode (4) 27. Assertion (9) Down 1. A run to clinch the match (9) 2. It gets into hot water before reaching you (6,3) 4. Put on edge (4) 5. Ornithological frolics (5) 6. Gaol sounds hair raising! (4-2) 7. I take round a thank-you letter (4) 9. Wrong times for pieces of news (5) 11. Far from pleased, I indulge in abuse (5) 12. Not hard cash? (4,5) 13. One kept - in suspense? (9) 17. Hesitantly stated a colour and was wrong (5) 19. Part of the day in which there’s no glory (6) 22. It may be trodden on in flight (5) 23. East European not quite in bondage (4) 24. A knotty problem for the ship’s navigator (4) Scribble Pad Information Doha Zoo Open from 8am to 12 noon and 3pm to 8pm daily. Thursdays are reserved for women. Fridays and Saturdays for family only. Hospitals VISITING HOURS: Hamad General Hospital, Women’s Hospital and Rumaillah Hospital: 6am to 7.30am, 4pm to 8pm. Useful Numbers Consumer Complaints (Food control department) Head of dept 44347633 55570888 Deputy head of dept 55555296 Central operator 44347777 Food consultant 44347540 Police, Fire, Ambulance HMC Women’s (Rumaillah) HMC (Emergency) Veterinary Water & Electricity Flight Inquiries Doha Seaport Museum of Islamic Art 999 44392222 44393333 44393507 6653083 991 44622999 44457457 44224444 44415566 44432211 (Car) 44483555 Ship Phone Service 44864444 Ministry of Interior main switchboard 44330000 Public Department for passports, nationality and residence 44882882 Capital Security Dept 44444420 Criminal Info Dept 44477477 Boundaries and Coasts Security 44414488 Civil Defence Department 44413666 Rescue Service 44682888 Doha Zoo 44682610 The Grand Cinecentre 44839064 Cinema Palace 44320938 The Mall Cineplex 44678666 Cinema Land 44881674 Gulf & Doha Cinema 44671811 Qatar National Theater 44831246 DVD, Video releases ENGLISH: Midnight In Paris (Owen Wilson); Colombiana (Zoe Saldana); Final Destination 5 (Nicholas D’Agosto); Warrior (Joel Edgerton); Captain America: The First Avenger (Chris Evans); Margin Call (Zachary Quinto); The Debt (Helen Mirren); Cowboys & Aliens (Daniel Carig); Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes (James Franco); Dolphin Tale (Harry Connick Jr); Kung Fu Panda 2 (Animation); Into the Blue 2: The Reef (Chris Carmack); The Hangover Part II (Bradley Cooper); One Day (Anne Hathaway); The Lion King Diamond Edition (Animation); The Smurfs (Animation); Attack the Block (John Boyega); Spy Kids: All The Time in the World (Jessica Alba); Super 8 (Joel Courtney); Larry Crowne (Tom Hanks); Beginners (Ewan McGre- gor); Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (Daniel Radcliffe); Cars 2 (Animation); Shaolin (Andy Lau); Mr Popper’s Penguins (Jim Carrey); Marely and Me (Owen Wilson); Monte Carlo (Selena Gomez); S Darko (Daveigh Chase); Father of Invention (Kevin Spacey). HINDI: Tere Mere Phere (Vinay Pathak); Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge (Saqib Saleem); Hum Tum Shabana (Tusshar Kapoor); Mere Brother Ki Dulhan (Imran Khan); Bodyguard (Salman Khan); Tees Maar Khan (Akshay Kumar); Bbuddah Hoga Terra Baap (Amitabh Bachchan); Love U Mr Kalakaar (Tusshar); Ready (Salman Khan); Band Baaja Baarat (Anushka Sharma); Chalo Dilli (Vinay Pathak); Game (Abhishek Bachchan); Naughty @ 40 (Govinda).