Ergo April 27

A BYTE OF LIFE

Monday, April 27, 2009

10 DESI GIRL has a mystery boyfriend! Who is it? Vol. 3

FREE CIRCULATION

No. 77

AGAINST THE ODDS

In her weekly column on entrepreneurs, Liffy Tojan Thomas profiles two entrepreneurs who made it big, even though they did not have any fancy degrees to back them.

» PAGE 05

On behalf of Team Ergo, We wish Liffy Thomas and Tojan a very happy married life. P.S: Your leave has been extended, but not indefinitely! Enjoy. :)

PHOTO: S.S. KUMAR

City police have drawn an innovative plan to trap chain snatchers. Petlee Peter reports. » PAGE 03

UNDERCOVER COPS

08 CRICKETING HEIGHTS British fans play a ECB-recognised T20 at the Mt.Everest base camp

02 NAMMA CHENNAI

ERGO Monday, April 27, 2009

Chinese Combo Chin Chin, the Chinese Restaurant at The Residency, G. N. Chetty Road is offering a Chinese combo meal lunch between 12.30 p.m. to 3.00 p.m. from Monday to Friday. The Vegetarian combo is priced at Rs. 210 and non-veg at Rs.250 net.

Classroom with KAMAL HASSAN

Kamal Hassan will don a new character, that of a professor the coming month. Raajkamal Films International in association with Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, has organised an international workshop and seminar on screenwriting in South India between May 29 and June 3. “It’s a strictly instructional event. Basic education is compulsory and candidates need to demonstrate their seriousness to get selected,” a press release issued on behalf of the workshop quoted the actor-director-screen play writer. K.Hariharan, Director of the L.V. Prasad Film and TV Academy, Anjum Rajabali, Professional screenwriter and head of departments of screenwriting at Film and TV Institute, Pune and Whistling Woods, Mumbai and Atul Tiwari, Professional screenwriter cum playwright along with Mr. Hassan will conduct the workshop. Also Veteran french screenwriter and actor, Jean Claude Carriere, who was a president at the French state film school, La Femis, will interact through video conferencing. Jean has co-scripted films like ’The Milky Way’ and ’Phantom of Liberty’. To apply, students must send a copy of their resume, a passport-size photograph along with a 200-word synopsis on their favourite film and a list of their five favourite films to [email protected]. Two hundred and fifty participants will be shortlisted to attend the workshop. Last date for sending in the entries is May 5.

TAKE ME HOME! Some of the street animals rescued, sheltered and looking for a home. Longing for a pet? Contact the numbers/ emails ASAP.

Mitten With an impish expression, Mitten enjoys playing with her siblings and climbing onto people’s laps. Email Ranjan at [email protected]

Crusoe He is referred to as ’Crusoe of the ever-wagging tail’ and repays his feeders with loads of love and affection. Call AWPT at 22781381 or 9962968265.

Roscoe With a lion’s mane, Roscoe is quite the majestic little puppy. If your home seems like the perfect kingdom for this cutie, call AWPT at 22781381 or 9962968265.

Kitty Corner These mischievous kittens are just over two months old. They enjoy perching on swings and cane chairs and participating in impromptu games with their siblings. There are three females and one male in this furry family. For adoptions, contact Shobhana at 24670106.

The Twins These gorgeous mongrel puppies have captured everyone’s heart since their rescue a few days ago. The twins hope that their happy ending is on its way in the form of a loving family. Call AWPT at 22781381 or 9962968265.

Dawn the Dalmation This dark-eyed adult dog was given away by her owners but she hopes that there is a silver lining around the corner. To become her new owner, call AWPT at 22781381 or 9962968265.

03

Monday, April 27, 2009

Time Wrap Watch Discovery Channel’s new breakthrough series ‘Time Warp’ on every Monday at 9 p.m. The show slows down events to reveal the motion of high-pace events in spectacular clarity.

Undercover Cops Women constables to pose like potential chain-snatching victims as police draw up a novel plan to apprehend motorcycle gangs striking fear over the city

Priced catch A burglar who was absconding for 10 years was arrested recently. Reliable sources say that the man was detained at a farm house on East Coast Road and a ‘negotiation’ happened in the name of an interrogation. The culprit’s wife had cried and created a scene in the Neelangarai station driving the khakis to make the arrest public. The arrest was even a much boasted issue in a recent police press meet.

There has been a spurt in motorcycle gangs involved in chain snatching incidents around the city since January. Now police have a ploy to trap them.

Who is next?

PETLEE PETER

The recent arrest of a lady Regional Passport Officer has sent shockwaves even among the police circles in the city. There is a buzz that the axe might fall next on a senior lady officer whose husband is her right hand man for various ‘dealings’.

[email protected]

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special team of women constables are gearing up to go undercover to nab chain snatching offenders in Chennai city. These welltrained cops will soon start work at some snatching prone areas in the city which has been identified by the Chennai City Police. The name for the operation and an official word about it will be out after the elections. According to reliable sources, over 80 women have been picked from various police zones in the city and are awaiting a training session to tackle and apprehend chain snatchers. The new operation is the re-

sult of escalating chain snatching incidents in the city especially from the beginning of 2009 and the city police could do very little to bring the crime rate down. “These trained constables will go on duty in civil clothes into given locations in the city. A back up police team will keep track of each constable from close quarters and will act immediately after a crime is committed,” said a senior intelligence officer attached to the police commissionerate. The operation was proposed this February 2009 and has gone through various stages for approval. The task should be operational after the elections as the entire police force will be busy on election duty throughout the

state, he added. Some locations on East Coast Road, Anna Nagar, Thirumangalam, T Nagar, Saidapet have been identified as chain snatching prone areas. A plan will be charted-out to lay traps for motorcycle-borne offenders and armed robbers as well. The long stretch on the ECR till Thoraipakkam which comes under the Adyar police limits is likely to fall first under the police scanner as part of the operation. Some roads in the Anna Nagar and the Thirumangalam area will be next. Adding strength to the women police team will be the possible inclusion of some experienced constables who had worked in anti eve-teasing squads in the city, police sources added. ■

Awaiting light post elections A good number of khakis are literally in queue for lucrative postings to be allotted after the upcoming elections by influential politicians and family members of the state’s first family. One top cop who received a punishment transfer recently is awaiting his turn post elections following a big politician’s promise to get him back to his earlier post in the city.

Advice for good returns Vehicle thefts are a chance to churn some good bucks for some corrupt cops. The khakis advise victims not to register a complaint pointing out the delay in getting back the recovered vehicle. Will find the vehicle and hang it over as soon as possible provided you ‘take care’ of us, is the word of advice for victims.

04 KALEIDOSCOPE

Ask your query My friend’s car met with an accident a few days ago. A bus rammed into the rear side of the car. He has been going to the police station to get an FIR so that he can claim the damage from his insurance company. Is there a faster way to get things moving? T. Somasundaram, Vellore

Dear Somasundaram, Your friend does not need any police FIR or complaint letter for claiming the insurance. All that he/she needs to do is to call up the insurance company and inform about the accident and fill up a claim form describing the incident. It is as simple as that. All general insurance companies follow the same policy. The insurance policy will have a call center number where you need to inform. They will arrange for a surveyor to come and inspect the vehicle. In fact they will send the surveyor to your garage at their own cost. A police complaint or FIR is only needed if there is any third party damage to property or life. Also in case there is any loss of life in the incident an FIR will surely be needed for claiming both the general insurance as well as Life insurance damages. Do you need some unbiased and professional solutions to your personal finance issues related problems? Ask Doctor Finergo. Mail your queries to [email protected], Put subject as Doctor.

Mini Quiz Q1: Which agency frames the Annual Policy document relating to the Economy? a.RBI b.Finance Ministry c.Economic Affairs committee d.State Bank of India Q2: Which blue chip company recently declared a 1:1 bonus? a.Wipro b.Satyam c.Indian Oil d.TCS Send your answers to [email protected] or SMS your answers to 92813 98889. For example if you choose A as the answer to question 1 and B as the answer to question 2 type it as 1A2B and send it. Winner will be chosen by lucky draw from all correct answers.

Answers for last week’s mini-quiz 1.950000 2.National Stock Exchange

ERGO Monday, April 27, 2009

EVERY DAY WILL BE ‘INTEREST’ING RBI directs banks to calculate interest rate on a daily basis from 01 April 2010 PRADEEP YUVARAJ [email protected]

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n a “small investor” friendly move, the Reserve Bank of India in its Annual Policy Statement for 20092010 has instructed banks to calculate interest rates on your money kept in savings accounts on a daily basis rather than the current practice of calculating interest on savings bank accounts on the minimum balances held in the accounts during the period from the 10th day to the last day of each calendar month. Benefit to you: the current rate of interest prescribed by the RBI is 3.5% per annum. But most of the account holders rarely get to earn this interest as the minimum balance is the basis of interest calculation. Thus for example even if your account had a balance of Rs. 75,000 from 10th to 29th and you withdrew Rs 74,500/- on 30th and re-deposited it on 31st, the interest would be calculated only on Rs 500. If you had not withdrawn you would have received Rs 218.75 as interest but what you actually get is only Rs 17.5. Although on a broad basis, both the amounts look ridiculously low; considering the

The decision by the RBI has been easily accepted by banks and IBA (Indian Bank’s Association) as the level of automation is very high now and it’s easier to execute the calculations.

current inflation and what other investments return. But, any interest on idle money is a bonus and especially since all of us need to have some liquid cash at our disposal. Benefits to the banks: the new system will initially lead to a higher cost of payout for banks, but on the long run more and more customers will retain money in savings account thus reducing the dependence of banks on deposits. The second benefit would also be that NRI accounts could see higher inflows and banks in most countries do not even give 2% interest. Why now? This decision by the RBI has been easily accepted by banks and IBA (Indian Bank’s Association) as the level of automation is very high now and it’s easier to execute the calculations. What should you do? Combined with that fact that you can use any bank’s ATM free of cost, this new directive can help you earn some money on idle cash lying at your house. It even makes sense to deposit you piggy bank money into an SB account and just keep a bare minimum in cash in hand. After all better something than nothing. ■

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Monday, April 27, 2009

Degrees don’t matter for some Becoming an entrepreneur is not always the preserve of those with a Management or Engineering degree from a prestigious institution. Nor does higher education guarantee success in one’s business venture. It’s a combination of hard work, ability to take risks and appetite for learning that has determined success for many people. Ergo profiles two such entrepreneurs from Chennai:

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he next time you are dinning at Kerala Hut, don’t be surprised to learn that the gentleman (mostly) in tucked shirt and trousers at the cash counter or sometimes clearing your table is the person behind the increasing number of Kerala food joints in the city. That’s Abhilash Mathew, 30, a newcomer to Chennai but raring to go with his restaurant business. A three-year stint of having to rebuild a sinking restaurant from scratch, plus a couple of assignments at Engineering college canteens in Kerala is all what the pre-degree (PDC) and ITI (electronics) trained Mathew had when he came to Chennai four years ago. Besides Mathew’s humble qualification, what is interesting to see is the slow but steady growth of his two-year venture. That is, if we were to talk about the growth of a business by its sheer numbers – there are three Kerala Hut joints and the fourth is getting ready to open. “I only heard about Chennai. I thought ‘let me go see the place and decide if I can do something’,” Mathew recalls how he worked for a year and a half with Kumarakom Restaurant before floating the idea of starting his own. “I was ready to take risks and that’s how Kerala Hut started in a small way in Royapettah in March 2007.” Today, Kerala Hut, though small in size, has opened at prime locations in Shenoy Nagar and Alwarpet. “I am opening the fourth in T. Nagar,” he says. What’s taking Kerala Hut places? “There are many entering the business with money, manpower and logistics but discontinue af-

Abhilash Mathew, proprietor of Kerala Hut. PHOTO: S.S. KUMAR ter a rough patch,” he says. “I don’t say I am making good money from the restaurants, but I have the patience and I take risks. I came with nothing so I know what it is to wind up and leave after a fall.” If a restaurant has to draw customers with its cuisines, Mathew credits his younger brother Albin Mathew for managing the show behind the scenes. Mathew also thanks his grandparents for their blessings. But how easy is it to keep opening branches without looking at any great profit? “Once you target the right group with the right attitude, the brand will do the talking. I am confident,” he says.

Among his next plans, one is to look at serving lunch to corporates.

Sofa was his magic carpet From schooling till Plus Two to coming from a middle-class family, Abdul Wahab has come a long way. His venture Eco Furn is today one of the major furniture dealers in Tamil Nadu, manufacturing and supplying wares to around 30 dealers. Plus, Furn World, his chain of retail outlets in the city, is expanding. Like most Indians looking at working in the Gulf to earn quick

money, Wahab too had similar dreams. To fulfil them he worked three months in Kuwait, but the picture there was not all rosy. “I saw many families who were in Kuwait for years left with very little savings. That’s when I decided I must rather look at starting a business in India,” he recalls. He started his first interior and furniture business in 1991, with an initial investment of Rs. 50,000 borrowed from friends. “I was lucky there was no turning back in the business, though I did face hardships,” says Wahab. “Till 1997, I was welding, binding and doing all the nitty-gritty of designing furniture.”

However, it was the compact and metal sofas for middle-class homes that paved way for further growth. “I sold at least 100 such sofas – a good number considering it was a new product. Since then there was no turning back.” How does he keep himself going? “Confidence is very important to run any business. I was very clear what I was doing and was willing to innovate.” ■ (This column celebrates the spirit of entrepreneurship. You too must have heard or seen of similar or greater entrepreneurial stories of ordinary people. Do ping us at [email protected] with a small brief on them)

06 VILLAGE

ERGO Monday, April 27, 2009

Quit clowning around A circus clown has been banned from wearing his oversized shoes after he fell from a high wire and hurt his foot.

Heidi wants a baby girl

Facebook costs woman job

Supermodel Heidi Klum, who is pregnant with her fourth child, is hoping to have another daughter. “We’d be happy with either. But it would be a lie if I said we all were not hoping for a little girl,” she said. Heidi revealed that her daughter Leni, whom she has with ex-boyfriend Flavio Briatore, really wants to have a sister, aceshowbiz.com reported. This will be Heidi’s third child with singer husband Seal.

A Swiss insurance worker lost her job after surfing popular social network site Facebook while off sick, her employer said. The woman said she could not work in front of a computer as she needed to lie in the dark but was then seen to be active on Facebook, which insurer Nationale Suisse said in a statement had destroyed its trust in the employee. “This abuse of trust, rather than the activity on Facebook, led to the ending of the work contract,” it said. The unnamed woman told the 20 Minuten daily she had been surfing Facebook in bed on her iPhone and accused her employer of spying on her and other employees by sending a mysterious friend request, which allows access to personal online activity. Nationale Suisse rejected the accusation of spying and said the employee’s Facebook activity had been stumbled across by a colleague in November, before use of the social network site was blocked in the company.

IANS

Obama enjoys highest approval in 20 years US President Barack Obama, who is approaching his first 100 days in office, is enjoying the best presidential job approval rating at this point in 20 years, a new opinion survey showed. The poll, by ABC News and The Washington Post, indicated 69 per cent of Americans approve of the job he is doing, which is the highest evaluation in about two decades. But the President faces a partisan divide. While 93 per cent of Democrats approve of his activities, only 36 per cent of Republicans do so, the poll showed. Fifty-four per cent say Obama’s doing a better job than they expected, far above former Presidents George W Bush and Bill Clinton at their 100-day mark. They got a 39-per cent and 35per cent better-than-expected rating, respectively. Sixty-three per cent say Obama has accomplished a great deal or good amount in his first three months, according to the survey. Just 37 per cent said that about Clinton.

Reuters

Miley Cyrus has a crush on Clooney Hannah Montana star Miley Cyrus said that she has a crush on her co-star George Clooney. Cyrus was in London for the premiere of her new film Hannah Montana: The Movie in Leicester Square and the 16-year-old said that she has a “weird celebrity crush” on the 48-year-old actor, reported contactmusic.com. However, Cyrus added: “But I refuse to date actors as a rule. They’re too good at lying - it’s their job.”

AFP

IANS

Gyms for Saudi women face closure

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ncreasingly popular sports clubs and gyms for women in Saudi Arabia face shutdown because the government only licenses men’s clubs, a Saudi newspaper reported on Sunday. Dozens of privately-established womenonly gyms around the country, which strictly separates men and women outside family venues, could be closed because there is no regulatory authority for them, the Arab News said. While the General Presidency for Sport and Youth Welfare has the authority over men’s gyms, it has not been allowed to regulate those for women, according to the report. That means that the women’s gyms springing up in major cities are unlicensed and illegal, according to the report. Female Saudi fitness fans frequently

complain of the lack of places to exercise outside the home, since they cannot go to men’s clubs. Some investors have opened women-only gyms calling them beauty salons or, in one case, a ‘natural treatment clinic,’ Arab News said. Lawyer Abdulaziz al-Qasim told the newspaper that no government department wants to take responsibility for the issue, lest they be attacked by conservative Islamic clerics, many of whom oppose sports activities for women. The result, he said, is a move by the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs to shut down the existing gyms. “It’s clear that one department is now taking the decision to put an end to the increasing number of unlicensed clubs,” he said. ■ AFP

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Monday, April 27, 2009

Politicos tide over tension with pleasure trips I

“Those who have been together in the UPA might be contesting separately but after elections we will sit together. We want to work under the umbrella of the UPA” Sharad Pawar

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t will be a long and arduous wait for results for those who tested their political fortunes in the first phase of Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh. Many are taking the opportunity to take off on pleasure trips to Manali or other hill stations and even abroad. With the voters’ choice stored in electronic voting machines (EVM), 2,148 candidates will have to wait for a month to know their fate on May 16, and with no wave in favour of any party and no clear winner predicted, the candidates are on tenterhooks and working out plans to unwind before the D-day. After the gruelling campaign in the heat and dust over the last few weeks, majority of the candidates of the first phase are either unwinding with their family or planning holidays and pilgrimage trips. While some candidates are heading for hill stations in India, others are planning trips abroad. There are still others who will be visiting shrines to pray for their success. However, they will have to wait at least till the second phase of elections gets over on April 23. Going all out for the second and final phase, the ruling Congress, main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and actorturned-politician Chiranjeevi’s Praja Rajyam Party have drawn in their prominent candidates for the campaigning. As soon as the first phase was over, the candidates spent time with their family but the next day most of them packed their bags for campaigning for the second phase. PRP leader T. Devender Goud, who contested for Malkajgiri Lok Sabha and Ibrahimpatnam Assembly seats, headed for coastal Andhra to campaign. He has plans to visit Tirupati to seek divine blessings. There are others who plan to visit Shirdi and other pilgrimage centres to pray for their success. Sudish Rambhotla, the TDP candidate for Secunderabad Lok Sabha, is planning a trip to Singapore or Switzerland after the second phase. “I had to put my trip on hold as the party wanted

me to campaign,” he said. Actress Jayasudha, who contested from Secunderabad Cantonment Assembly constituency on a Congress ticket, will be taking off to Singapore. Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekh-

ara Reddy is planning a holiday trip along with his family members. After the 2004 elections, he along with his family members had gone to Ooty to unwind. TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu and actor Chiranjeevi are

also likely to head for holiday trips. The campaigning in the scorching sun has already taken its toll on all the three leading campaigners for their respective parties. ■ IANS

08 SPORT

ERGO Monday, April 27, 2009

Rooney to get mega contract Manchester United will offer Wayne Rooney a mega six-year contract this summer. Rooney has two full seasons left on his current deal with Manchester United after signing a 100,000 pound-a-week package 3 years ago. United plan to begin discussions on a fresh mega-bucks agreement, giving Rooney parity with stars like Ferdinand and Ronaldo, The Sun reported.

Daredevils in Liverpool buy-out talks English Premier League club Liverpool is in talks with the billionaire owners of an Indian Premier League cricket team that could lead to a massive investment and an eventual buy-out. Representatives of the GMR group, who run the Delhi Daredevils IPL side, were guests at last week’s clash with Arsenal. GMR chairman Grandhi Mallikarjun Rao is worth an estimated 4.2 billion pounds and the senior official he sent to Liverpool in midweek is known to be a supporter of the club, News of the World reported. Hicks started the talks initially with a view to securing a sponsorship deal, but Bangalore-based GMR have made no secret of their desire to branch out into other sports. Rao (58) made his millions in the airport and construction industry and recently formed a subsidiary company to invest in sport, with English football considered the most attractive. A Liverpool source said: “The GMR group were invited by Hicks and their representative watched the Arsenal match in the directors’ box with Hicks’ son Tommy. It was quite clear the representative was a fan.” “When you look at the company’s commitment to sport they’re exactly the type of partner Tom would be looking for.” Liverpool’s American owners have been scouring the globe for finance to stave off the threat of having to sell the club on the cheap in July. ANI

Flop KP and crock Flintoff dominate IPL Kevin Pietersen’s inability to inspire an abject Bangalore side and Andrew Flintoff’s injury grabbed the headlines after a frantic opening week of the Indian Premier League. The duo are the most expensive IPL players this season, after being bought for 1.55 million dollars each at the pre-tournament auction. However, Challengers lie bottom of the table after losing three of four matches. Captain Pietersen has been unable to inspire the team and was twice out for a duck in four innings, leading many to question his hefty price tag. “It’s a long competition and if we can win the next nine games we’ll be okay,” Pietersen said. “We just need to get winning, it’s a habit and as soon as you start winning everything starts to become okay.” Flintoff returned home for ankle surgery after featuring in just three matches for Chennai, raising doubts over whether he should have committed to the IPL at all. Having insisted that playing in the IPL would benefit his fitness, Flintoff faces criticism for putting cash before country, although Pietersen has defended the duo’s participation in the Twenty20 extravaganza. “It’s going to be difficult for boards to pull players out of tournaments like this when you’re playing with the best players in the world,” Pietersen told the London Guardian newspaper. “You can’t have one rule for some and another rule for others. But it’s a huge blow come the summer for England.” The tournament has largely passed without a hitch although a fierce row between suiteholders at the Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg and the IPL over rights to the boxes was resolved only after protracted negotiations. AFP

Cricket

British cricket fans took the gentleman’s game to new heights rec Base Camp of Mount Everest. An improvised sand pitch was set up

AYON SENGUPTA [email protected]

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brisk 34-ball 45 from David Kirtley helped Team Hillary to register a 36-run win over Team Tenzing at the highest game of cricket ever played at the Mount Everest Base Camp in Gorak Shep, 5,165m above sea level recently. Kirtley’s innings studded with four sixes helped Team Hillary to post a comfortable 152 for five in their stipulated 20 overs in this official T20 game, which received patronage from the English Cricket Board (ECB). In reply, the home team were knocked out for 116 with an over to spare. Both the teams trekked through the gruelling Himalayan stretches for nine days to reach the First Base Camp, where an improvised pitch was set up on a frozen lakebed. With showcapped mammoths on every

TEAM HILLARY SKIPPER GLEN LOWIS (LEFT) SAVOURING ALL THE ATTENTION AS TEAMMATE DAVID KIRTLEY GOES BERSERK WITH THE CHAMPAGNE BOTTLE. PHOTOS: GEORGE POWELL/TG PHOTOGRAPHY

side, the ground indeed was a pretty sight but the players did have a difficult time. An increased heart rate by 30 per cent due to extreme altitude and slippery underfoot conditions make it extremely difficult for the climbers, let alone those undertaking 20 overs of vigorous cricket. Describing the conditions up there, team leader and highest scorer Kirtley said: “This is one of the biggest physical challenges that anyone of us have ever undertaken. We are all just ordinary people, taking that extra step to achieving something extra-ordinary.” Glen Lowis and Kirtley gave Hillary a rollicking start, posting 82 for the first wicket. However, Aussie spinner Nick Toovey removed Kirtley and the visitors’ innings wobbled as Lowis and Cheltenham CC skipper Will Simmons fell in quick succession. Some late blows from Chris Palmer and Charlie Campbell

helped Hillary past the 150 run mark. The pick of the bowlers for Tenzing was Mark Waters who claimed two for 32 from his four overs. Particularly impressive after his opening three deliveries went for 16. Tenzing had a wobbly start as Charlie Campbell caught Harlow captain James Butler plumb in front for a duck and Ben Jarman castled Chris Beale with a ball

09

Monday, April 27, 2009

‘‘ ting heights I have talked to people about giving up bowling, or bowling in as few forms of the game as possible. I haven’t talked about this publicly before, but if I had to choose one thing, I would probably give up Test cricket before bowling.

Jacob Oram

ently when they played a T20 game at First p on a frozen lakebed for the game

that kept low. Waters and Gareth Wesley then led a fight back that brought Tenzing back into the game. But a foolish run out meant the end of Waters (23) before Wesley was also bowled at the same score. Medium pacer Tom Sharland knocking down Wesley’s off stump. The hosts never recovered from the setback and when Palmer bowled the only two maidens of the day, the required rate crept above 10 for the first time. Man of the Match Campbell returned in the 15th over and produced two beauties to remove captain Haydn Main and David Christie for a second ball duck. Though vice captain Gareth Lewis, and Mike Preston smashed a few late boundaries, it was too little too late. An ecstatic Glen Lowis, the winning skipper said: “It has been truly one of the most memorable experiences of

my life. I can not thank all of the people involved enough. From Kirt and Wes to the medics and the Sherpas, thank you for helping us achieve this world record.” Though dejected at losing the game, Main had a word of praise for all involved. “Both Tenzing and Hillary are full of inspirational people and it’s been our strength as a team across the whole Expedition that has made this record a reality,” he said. The battle of altitude between the two teams are said to have raised £250,000 and the amount is to be donated to two charities, the Himalayan Trust UK and the Lord’s Taverners.

Brief Scores: Team Hillary, 152/5 (D. Kirtley 45, M. Waters 2/32), beat Team Tenzing, 116 all out (M Waters 23, CCampbell 3/23) by 36 runs.

STAR BATSMAN DAVID KIRTLEY ON HIS WAY TO A QUICK FIRE 46.

10 FLICK

ERGO Monday, April 27, 2009

Jay Leno released from hospital Jay Leno was released from hospital on Friday, one day after checking in with an undisclosed illness that forced the comedian to cancel a taping The Tonight Show for the first time in 17 years as host. Leno’s spokesperson Dick Guttman said the popular TV talk show star was held overnight on Thursday for observation.

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he has been linked with three actors – Hurman S. Baweja, Shahid Kapur and Hollywood star Gerard Butler of 300 fame - all within a span of one year, but the mystery behind Priyanka Chopra’s actual love interest continues. The rumour mills started working overtime after Butler, whom she met at the launch of the Atlantis hotel in Dubai last year, was quoted as saying in a leading daily: “I don’t mind getting married to an Indian girl. Too bad Priyanka already has a boyfriend.” Now, who that boyfriend is, remains to be known. Though rumours of a romantic liaison between Shahid and Priyanka have been in the grapevine lately after their joint appearance at filmmaker Tarun Mansukhani’s birthday party in Mumbai last week, neither has confirmed the development. The two will be seen together in Vishal Bharadwaj’s Kaminay. “Priyanka has always maintained silence on her private affairs. Till date, she has never gone public

about her personal life and she will continue to do so,” a source close to the actress said. Even when news of her affair with her Love Story 2050 co-star Hurman was doing the rounds, Priyanka remained politically correct. While Hurman was very vocal about their relationship as well as their break-up, the model-turned-actress chose not to speak about it. Now, the news about the friendship between Priyanka and Butler, who is currently in Jaipur, is raising eyebrows. But the source clarifies: “He (Butler) is in Jaipur with four of his friends as part of an India tour. He came to Jaipur and knew that Priyanka was shooting and staying at Shiv Vilas for her film What’s Your Rashee?. So he came to the sets to meet her as they are good friends and to see what an Indian film shoot looks like. He also met all important people on the sets and was also introduced to Ashutosh (Gowariker) and Haurman. Priyanka and him are just friends only,” the source said. Butler, who played the role of King Spartan in 300, has also been linked to former Friends star Jennifer Aniston, which he has denied. ■ IANS

Oprah’s ‘aha moment’ catchphrase lands her in legal dispute

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prah Winfrey is at the centre of a legal battle with the bosses of an insurance company over the use of her signature catchphrase – the “Aha moment”. The talk show queen is known to use the popular phrase for a revelation on The Oprah Winfrey Show and in her O magazine, reports Contactmusic. However, now the same catchphrase has landed the media mogul in a dispute with executives at Mutual of Omaha Bank. Oprah had opposed the company’s advertising campaign featuring the slogan, “Official sponsor of the aha moment” and her lawyers fired off a cease and desist letter to the bank claiming she owned the rights to the catchphrase. Her lawyers also asked bank executives to call off plans to run their promos, fearing the star’s fans may be misled into thinking she was affiliated with them. However, the Mutual of Omaha Bank, in turn slapped a lawsuit against Oprah, alleging she “abandoned” any rights she may have to the phrase by failing to “police the alleged mark” when other businesses used it in advance. According to TMZ.com, the suit was filed in a federal court in Nebraska on April 22 and bank lawyers have requested the judge allow them to continue with their promotional campaign. ■ ANi

Rihanna wants $1m borrowed jewellery back from cops

Who is Priyanka Chopra’s mystery boyfriend?

R

ihanna wants LAPD to return the nearly million-dollar worth jewellery taken into evidence for investigation in her alleged beating case. The singer, who was allegedly punched, choked, and bitten by her former boyfriend Chris Brown before the Grammys, had borrowed the expensive accessories from four jewellers, who now want it back. The R&B lady was said to have been trying to recover the bling from the officials since late March. “Since there appears to be no evidentiary value to the continued holding of this jewelry ... we respectfully (ask) the court to order the return of this property to (Rihanna) without further delay,” People magazine quoted her attorney Donald Etra as writing in a court request. ■ ANI

PTI

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Monday, April 27, 2009

Madonna’s the mom With earnings of $110 million in 2008, Madonna topped Forbes’ list of Hollywood’s hardest working mothers, followed by actors Reese Witherspoon and Gwyneth Paltrow. The pop singer and mother of three grossed $105 million on her tour and sold nearly a million albums in the United States. Madonna also signed several lucrative endorsement deals last year, according to Forbes.com. Reuters

Actor and co-owner of Punjab Kings XI, Priety Zinta (L) hugs fellow actor Akshay Kumar during the IPL match between Delhi Daredevils and Punjab Kings XI at The Newlands Cricket Stadium in Cape Town last Sunday. AFP

‘‘II w ent tto o went S outh A frica South Africa tto oc heer ffor or D elhi cheer Delhi D aredevils’ Daredevils’

PHOTO/ MANAN VATSYAYANA

SUBHASH K. JHA

A

kshay Kumar, who vowed not to be a part of any Indian Premier League (IPL) game in South Africa, was recently seen at a match with friend Preity Zinta. The actor says he went to Cape Town just to cheer for the Delhi Daredevils. Akshay was seen at the IPL match between Delhi Daredevils and Preity Zinta-owned Kings XI Punjab last Sunday. Earlier, he had refused to be a part of the match even though pals Preity Zinta and Shilpa Shetty own two teams in the IPL. “I had no intentions of going. But the Delhi Daredevils did it. Although this year I’m no longer professionally or financially associated with the team I had to go for their sake to the IPL match on Sunday. There I met up with my buddy Preity Zinta and naturally the cameras went berserk. So what if her team was playing against the Delhi Daredevils? Off the field we’re still the best of friends. But that’s it. I won’t be attending any of the other matches,” Akshay said. Akshay is now in Singapore to resume the shooting of Priyadarshan’s Dan Dana Dan. “First it was Preity’s darshan, now I go for Priyadarshan,” he said. “Somehow I’ve always had one Darshan or the other in my life,” he quipped about the contribution of Suneel and Dharmesh Darshan and Priyadarshan to his career. ■ IANS

Cine City Dhanush, Jawahar team up again It seems director Jawahar of Yaaradi Nee Mohini fame and actor Dhanush were so enthralled by the Telugu movie Arya, starring Allu Arjun and Anuradha Mehta, that they decide to remake it in Tamil right away. The movie, titled Kutty, has Dhanush and Shriya in the lead. An out-and-out romantic flick, Kutty will see Dhanush donning the role of a college student. Devi Sri Prasad, who gave some mind-blowing songs (especially ‘Feel My Love’) in the original, has been roped in to compose songs for the remake too.

Charmi’s no to Bollywood Actress Charmi, who was last seen as an eye-candy in Tamil flick Laadam, has reportedly rejected offers from Bollywood. The actress, though, does not have great offers in Tollywood or Kollywood and remains positive and has said that she will strike back soon. And she is been appreciated by her co-stars for her confidence levels.

12

ERGO Monday, April 27, 2009

Friday’s Question: If you had to rename Tata Nano, what would you rename it and why? ■ Tata bye-bye, just to say bye to other cars. Sunil TCS-eserve, Jack, Jai, Angel, Pradhi, Divya Cognizant

■ Zeus – It’s d name of a Greek god and this name would suit best for the 1 lakh small car. Don Allsec

■ Green pitch bcoz generates very less pollution. Aakash CSS

■ Kutti car bcoz of its size. Karthika RR Donnelley

■ Tata Echo, b’coz every one talking about this car. Prakash Raj Nischintha CSS Vonage

■ Tata puppy since it looks pet car to hang out with. Manjari, Arjunsingh TCS-eserve

Saravanan from Wipro has nominated his friends as Partners in Crime. This picture was clicked at Echo point during their Munnar trip.

■ Tata Auto, as the only difference is auto is three wheeler and Nano is four wheeler. Yacub Patni

■ Chotu bcoz it’s small. Kavitha Cognizant

■ Tata Compacta because its so compact pa. Vijayshankar.K (Citi) TCS

■ Tata Minijet because it’s compact with a good speed. Nisha Rameshkumar TCS

■ Kutti Raja. Because it is respected and welcomed by almost all Indians. Arunkumar, Babu, Allsec

■ Tata hurray! To tell our cheers for the new economical invention. Nisha Vijayshankar TCS

■ Tata Own-O. M.Srinivasan Allsec

■ Chota Sceneo because this car is very small and putting lot of scene. Sureshkumar.K Wipro

Shankar Poongavanam from Systems Technology Group has nominated his friends as Partners in Crime. This picture was clicked at Kishkinta Amusement park.

■ Candy, bcoz when you look at it, you feel like eating it, it looks very cute. Soumya HCL

■ Deluxe Share Auto. Nano is an upgraded version of share auto. Not much to choose between them. Raj Sreenivasan Wipro

■ Oru latcha latchiya car. Sripradha Chakravarthy Infosys

■ Trafficano bcoz Indian roads will be traffic jammed after it’s launched. Murugan, Haroon Technosoft

Today’s Query: What is your message to all those who are contesting for election? Karthikeyan from ICON has nominated his friends as Partners in Crime. This photo was clicked during a get-together.

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Monday, April 27, 2009

April 27 ■ Dear Kavikuzhali On your birthday we wish you much pleasure and joy; We hope all of your wishes come true. May each hour and minute be filled with delight, And your birthday be perfect for you! Ravendran Raj ASE-Trainee, Tata Consultancy Services

■ Hai Miss Hellloooooooo (Meow), Many more happy returns of the day miss M.Goms, Yenna thirutu poona mari mulikara... Today is your birthday and inaiku avadhu konjam siri.. May this day brings you beautiful (Hey wait a minute "Neye Alaga Dhana Iruka") Ok apa may this day brings you best ever happiness and nice cool smile on your face... Advertisement elam paniirukan...so expecting Treat...Miss....don’t forget... Yours, M. Abdul Rahman, TCS

■ Dear Taj... Iniya pirantha naal vaazhthukal... Then as usaul nee adikira lootiya continue panu mousiee..yentha city ku ponalum yengala maranthudatha. Keep rocking...Wish U all Success.. hey treat-ayum maranthudatha... With loads and lots of love Dhanyaa, Arathi (HCL technologies), Subathra (RRD), Nithya (The 7th July Team) and Shahin...

■ Hello Mr.Sharma [Magesh], Many more happy returns of the day!! May you acquire all u r desire & each passing year be filled with joy. HAPPY B’DAY

Love, Vinodh, Sainthavi, Thawin and The Entire Family

Belated Wishes April 23 ■ Hi Ram, Recipes for a Perfect Marriage Add loving emotion to lifelong devotion, Sprinkle with tenderness straight from the heart, Simmer it over the flames of your passion, Blend well for a marriage that’s strong from the start. Top with two servings of friendship and laughter, place of a helping of hope on each generous slice, then enjoy life that most newlyweds do with a blend of togetherness, sweetness, and spice! C o n g r a t u l a t i o n s!!! Best Wishes on Your Wedding! Thanks and Regards Navic Team, CSS Corp India Pvt ltd

■ Dear Sincere Sigaamani, Coffee sapida neram ila. Lunch pogavum neram ila. Eppa keataluum. "Naa romba busssssy" sollum sigamaniyea!!"Enniya piranthanal Valththukkal" Treat kodukkamal yemathirathigga!!! Endru natpudan, Message24 Team, Financial Software Solutions

■ Dear most Friend, Wishing you many more HaPpY Re"Turn" s of the day. "Hope your Birthday gently breezes into your life all the choicest of things and all that your heart holds dear Have A FunFilled Day..

Vijayasankar, Wipro

Well-Wisher: Vijay with SIT Team

■ Dear AJS, Belated birthday wishes to you!! May God’s blessings be with you all through you life!! Wishing you all fun and happiness!!!

■ Dear Two Minutes Karthick & Choclate Mama, Belated birthday wishes to you, Many more happy returns of the day.. Suggestions for you... 1. Try to reduce your Thoppai 2. Move your hands while walking 3. Avoid two minutes 4. Change your TVS-XL to Pulsar 220CC with in your Retirement 5. Etc.,

Friends, New Age Software and Solutions

■ Dear Mozhi, Many many happy returns of the day!! Wishing you a super duper birthday!!! Enjoy and have fun!! Friends, New Age Software and Solutions

■ Dear Aadhi, Wish you many more Happy Returns of the Day & wish you all success in all your endeavors in the coming days and May god send many blessings to you. Have a memorable birthday. Loving Sisters, Dorothy Judy, Kalai, Divya, Deepika

■ Dear Shiva Sakthi, Many More Happy Returns of the day from miles away!!! May all your dreams and wishes come true...

Regards, Non-Tandem Testing Team, Financial Software Systems [P] Ltd.

April 24 ■ Dear Suganya (Mandek), Many More Happy Returns of The Day. Let All Your dreams Come True This Year. Keep Smiling..) Regards, Saravanan & Friends, TCS

■ Dear Gayu, Every year that passes is another stepping stone to greatness. May this birthday start a new turn in your

world. May it also bring forth inevitable joy, happiness and favour your way. Many More Happy Returns of the Day. With Luv Sakthi Jagadeesan, TCS

■ Dear Gayu, It must have been a rainy day when u were born, but it wasn’t really rainy, The sky was crying because it lost his most beautiful angle. May all UR wishes come true. Many More Happy Returns of the Day. With Luv, Shyam, Polaris

■ Dear Bharat, Its the Day Of Cakes & Candles, Snow And Songs… Celebrations & Decorations, Laughter And Love.. It’s Ur Birth Day !! “HAPPY” “BIRTH” “DAY” Regards, CETS TEAM. Saravanan, Devanand, Arul, John, Vinoth & CETS TEAM STAFF’S.

■ My Dear Brother Imthiyas Wish you a Happy Birthday. Regards Imran Datamark Prod Pvt Ltd

■ Dear Imthiyas Many More Happy Returns of the Day. Wishing you a Happy Birthday Dude. Wishing you to get all good things in ur life. By true friend Mufis

■ To my dear brother, Bharat, (CSS) Wish you a very Happy Birthday, Life is full of surprises. God gave me a surprise by gifting you as my brother. May God shower all happiness and success to you in life. We all love you. Aruna (CSS), Manoj, Mummy, Papa, Madhu, Giriraj, Kausshik. Sharann and Nanu

■ Dear Vipin, On this special day, I wanted to send, A most special greeting. To a most special friend. I want to recall, The adventures we’ve had, The friendship we’ve shared, Through the good times and bad. A time to have new hopes and dreams. I wish you a Very Happy birthday. May god bless you. Your true Ever loving friend...

■ Dear Papu, Hey, u r 1 year older now,1 year smarter now, 1 year bigger now, and now u r 1 year closer to all your wishes. May god bless you with his choicest blessing Happy birthday Papu !!! Regards Janu, Infosys

■ Dear Ranga Nathan Raman alias Sachin of our team, Many more happy returns of the day!!! May god bless u with all success in every aspects of ur life. Regards, Jose Anand, Nithu, Archana, Infosys

April 25 ■ Dear Sister, "Your birthday is a special time to celebrate the gift of ’you’ to the world” Wishing you many more HaPpY Re"Turn" S of the day.....Boss Well-Wishers: Vijay with SIT Team. ■ Hi Parthee, Let the GOD decorate each Golden Ray Of The Sun reaching u with wishes of Success, Happiness and prosperity 4 U, Wish you a super duper Happy Birthday Luv, KBC – Visteon – Olympia Tech Park

■ Dear Andrews, On your birthday We wish you much pleasure and joy; We hope all of your wishes come true. May each hour and minute be filled with delight, And your birthday be perfect for you!

Cbeyond Team, CTS

April 26 ■ Dear Vijay Babu Team DTCC Wishes you many more happy returns of the day. Have a great day and wonderful year ahead. Cheers from Team DTCC

■ Hi Viji, Iniya Piranthanal valthukkal... Indru pol endrum punnagaiyodu iruppayaga... Have a great Life ahead... Wish you many more happy returns of the day.... Makkale, Viji ya pathi sollanumna ava nalum theinchava (I mean No: 4. Veeralakshmi Roller coaster la bayapadave matta… Powder podave matta… Chocklate sapidave matta… Ice cream sapidave matta… Ippa Nan sonna ellame Poi… Poiyai thavira vera ethuvum illai… Ippadiku Muthu, Arun, Usha, Bowya, Bharathi, Kalai Akka(Miss Sincere), Mr OS(Venkat), Simbu (Super star of Kerala), Saravanan, Ram Kumar(Malai Maadu), Paasamalar Subha Wipro

■ Hi Kalpana, "Wish you many more happy returns of the day" "A true friend remembers your birthday but not your age" Regards, Lokesh

14 TRAFFIC JAM

ERGO Monday, April 27, 2009

Need for sweet speed The world’s first eco-friendly racing car - which is powered by chocolate - will be launched next month.

sudoku

Ayyanar Gurusamy Subburaj of HCL Technologies, Vadapalani clicked this picture at Alleppey. His hobbies include trekking and chatting.

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KAKURO

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Monday, April 27, 2009

Diamond for sale

Text generation

A rare blue diamond is expected to fetch up to $8.5 million when it goes under the hammer in New York next month.

Two US men wracked up a $26,000 phone bill after trying to break a texting record - sending a total of 217,000 messages between them.

B.C ARIES MARCH 21 - APRIL 20 It’s a pleasing day. Financial rewards await you at work. Though the prizes may also be intangible in nature, they may definitely add brownie points to your PMS sheet. Exchange sweet nothings with your sweetheart to spice up your love life.

TAURUS APRIL 21 - MAY 20 A power day for you, which will see your innate qualities come to the fore. By getting more systematic at the workplace, you will complete your tasks dot on schedule. On the love front, you need to be diplomatic to hold on to a sense of harmony.

GEMINI MAY 21 - JUNE 20 Ganesha advises you to give your efforts the right direction today as there are chances that your hard work may go in vain. Beware of colleagues who may try to tarnish your image. On the love front, you may try to cast a spell on your partner.

BORN LOSER

CANCER JUNE 21 - JULY 20 It’s a perfect day for group activities. You will be in the right frame of mind to perform well in meetings. Your diligence and commitment to work shall reward you in future. The road to relationship bliss looks stress-free today.

LEO JULY 21 - AUG 20 Your creative spirit will demand freedom. Getting innovative is the right way to work today, suggests Ganesha. Do not confront your boss at any cost. On the love front, you may not be able to devote much time to your sweetheart.

VIRGO AUG 21 - SEPT 20

FREE RANGE

WORKING IT OUT

With a practical attitude, you will excel at your work. You will finish tasks on time. Though travelling is not on the cards, Ganesha sees you getting busy drawing up plans for a trip with your family or beloved.

LIBRA SEPT 21 - OCT 20 Lessons you have learnt from your seniors or bosses will guide you in performing well at work today. You will find yourself solving complex issues. Your love life will blossom as you will spend more quality time with your sweetheart.

SCORPIO OCT 21 - NOV 20 Today, you may not be in a mood to stretch hours at the office. You will be making a mistake if you ignore your health at this time. The moral support and positive vibes you receive from your beloved shall make this world a better place to live.

SAGITTARIUS NOV 21 - DEC 20 A complimentary day for you, predicts Ganesha. You will utilise your time at office in the best possible manner. But, be sure to take care of your health. It’s not fair to get too busy with work; give some time to your love mate as well.

CAPRICORN DEC 21 - JAN 20 Your professional life may offer you a plethora of opportunities today. Put in more efforts to get incentives and perks at work. Creative ways in which you will express your feelings will make your partner fall in love with you all over again.

PREVIOUS ISSUE’S SOLUTIONS

AQUARIUS JAN 21 - FEB 20 Focusing on your shortcomings can help you improve your skills. Today, you may find yourself contemplating over matters related to work. After you call it a day at office, you will be in a hurry to rush home to spend some time with your family.

PISCES FEB 21 - MARCH 20 Your creative zone will be very much emphasised today, so you may change your modus operandi, which will help you handle every aspect of work very easily. On love’s landscape, your unpredictability may leave your partner puzzled. Predictions by Bhavesh N. Pattni

16 !

ERGO Monday, April 27, 2009

A model presents an outfit during a fashion show organized by Dennica Abdo, publisher of the British publication Fashion Meets Music (FMM) in Los Angeles.

A member of the Japanese performance group “MedamanMedaman" uses a magnifying glass while wearing a large eyeball at the Roppongi Hills shopping mall in Tokyo.

AFP PHOTO/JEWEL SAMAD

AFP PHOTO / YOSHIKAZU TSUNO

Actress Charlize Theron (R) arrives with her boyfriend Stuart Townsend at La Fenice theatre in Venice for the wedding dinner-party of Mexican actress Salma Hayek and French businessman Francois Henri Pinault. AFP PHOTO / GIUSEPPE CACACE