Ergo December 24

A BYTE OF LIFE

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

FREE CIRCULATION

he next 24 hours promise to be far more nail-biting an affair than the 3 hour movie they have produced, as Aamir Khan, Murugadoss and co. find themselves in hot waters after the Madras High Court on Tuesday issued an interim injunction restraining them from releasing the movie. The producers have so far put up a brave front saying the movie will be slated for a Christmas Day release. The Madras High Court ordered an interim injunction against Geeta Arts division of Allu Entertainment Private Limited, director A.R.Murugadoss and Adlabs Private Limited from releasing Aamir Khan-starrer ‘Ghajini’. The injunction was passed based on a petition filed by A.Chandrasekaran, proprietor of Sri Saravana Creations, who claimed to have the Hindi rights for the release of the movie. According to KBC Pictures, they are producing a Hindi remake of the film titled ‘Kahani Ghajini Ki’. The development comes as a big blow not just to the producers but also to the legions of fans who had reserved tickets in advance. A spokesperson of Sathyam Cinemas said the response to the release had been nothing short of humungous. ■

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Madras HC halts Ghajini Vol. 2

No. 245

02 NAMMA CHENNAI

ERGO Wednesday, December 24, 2008

MAD workshop As part of the Christmas extravaganza, Odyssey is conducting the MAD workshop for children. You could add personal touch to gifts by learning to create colourful photo frames, wall hangings, gift wrapping papers, etc. The workshop will be held at its stores in Adyar, Anna Nagar, Thiruvanmiyur and St. Mary’s Road on December 27 and 28, between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.

The circus from hell! They’re in our city, all set to force animals to perform unnatural tricks. What’s your stand? SRIYA NARAYANAN [email protected]

Dance mania

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ew Year celebrations are round the corner and if your idea of welcoming the new year is through a late night party where you can groove and sway to hip-hop, salsa, retro, Bollywood and folk music then here’s a great chance. Renaissance Dance Works, a two-year-old dance company which is into directing and producing dance-based concepts in SS Music, is providing an opportunity to brush your steps and impress everyone on the dance floor. The exclusive four-day party classes, from December 27 to 30, will help you unveil the myths about party dancing. The workshop will also teach you about dance floor etiquettes, tips to enhance your party dressing, real truths behind professional party dancing, guidelines to boost your party dancing skills and also get you the list of special parties happening during the coming weekends. For details call Renaissance at 90031 16060/ 4553 8482. Ergo Correspondent

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ire. Whips. Cages. The stage is set for an act of orchestrated cruelty that will be conducted three times a day. When a circus uses animals and birds, including those that are wild, endangered or pregnant, they believe the public will turn a blind eye to the suffering that goes on behind the scenes. It’s any animal’s worst nightmare. They are transported carelessly like check-in baggage, in small Majestic animals cages with no that would freedom to move, in unhyotherwise thrive gienic living in their natural conditions. habitats are then Wounds resulting from shackdemeaned by les and ropes are being made to left untreated. Vital body parts ride bicycles, like eyes are lost jump through due to neglect. hoops and do They’re ruled by a crushing fear whatever else that’s a result of they are told to constant threats followed by bruor else. tal physical punishment. Majestic animals that would otherwise thrive in their natural habitats are then demeaned by being made to ride bicycles, jump through hoops and do whatever else they are told to or else.

Here are some harrowing examples of findings that investigations have revealed (Source: petaindia.com/circuses) Rajkamal Circus, Bangalore: According to People for Animals Bangalore, animals were crammed inside rusted cages, filthy with their own waste. One lion was missing an eye. Several animals had untreated wounds. Great Royal Circus: A chimpanzee, 22-year-old Lakshmi, could not sit or stand and was discovered lying in a bloodstained bed. After she was rescued by Blue Cross Chennai and People for Animals Chennai, a

Doctors examining the body of a 21-year-old circus lion at Vanvihar National Park in Bhopal, which died at the rescue cage. FILE PHOTO: A.M. FARUQUI veterinary exam showed that she was paralysed. She died soon after. Kohinoor Circus: There were endangered animals, including a pregnant Royal Bengal tiger, in violation of a Supreme Court ruling. Gemini Circus: They kept horses, camels and elephants from moving by tying their hind legs. Dogs were living in cramped wooden enclosures. Cages and food dishes were filthy. It’s not only the four-legged kind that is affected by circuses. Trainers and audiences are also

at risk. When wild animals are subjugated repeatedly, they will go rogue and fight back. Human injuries and deaths have been known to occur at circuses, yet the lesson hasn’t been learnt. While the problem is ugly, the solution is incredibly simple. Without patrons, a circus cannot exist. By boycotting these shows that are nothing but horror in real life, we can put them out of business once and for all. It helps if you write to newspapers and encourage readers to follow suit. Taking a compassionate stand has never been easier. ■

03

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Be the building blocks Nethrodaya needs volunteers for its ‘Sponsor a Square Feet’ programme

Merry Christmas 쑸 Christmas decorations like this at Raave’s in Casa Major Road, Egmore add to the festivities in the city.

V. HARIPRIYA [email protected]

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he life of a visually challenged person is not a bed of roses. The agony we experience when doctors throw light into our eyes during each and every eye check-up is unexplainable. Parents of differentlyabled run pillar to post to make their children get a decent living in this society,” says C. Govindakrishnan, a visually challenged person and founder of Nethrodaya. Nethrodaya, a self-help organisation made of visually challenged persons for the visually challenged, is entering its seventh year in 2009. Originally started as a free hostel for visually challenged students who come from villages to pursue their college education, Nethrodaya now does a lot more for the underprivileged. The State Government, as a token of acknowledgement of Nethro-

daya’s work, allotted six grounds of land in 2006 to build a permanent residence and construction work is going on.

How they have helped Recently, Nethrodaya organised a two-day symposium for visually challenged persons from all over Tamil Nadu, wherein they distributed audio CDs for Plus Two students free of cost. Scope International helped Nethrodaya in bringing out the audio CDs through their CSR initiative. Mphasis, an EDS company, arranged transportation for the symposium. Also, four volunteers from the Mphasis CSR team – Shibu Natarajan, Balaji Kathiresan, Sreedevi Nanubala and Durga Prasad – lent their helping hand to the participants at the venue. Sudha Murthy of Infosys Foundation has sponsored Rs. 10 lakh for the upcoming Nethrodaya building in Nolambur.

PHOTO: K. PICHUMANI

PHOTO: R. RAVINDRAN

C. Govindakrishnan, Founder, Nethrodaya

How you can help Apart from reading out lessons to the inmates of Nethrodaya or contributing towards the building fund, help can be offered in many ways. Join the ‘Sponsor a Square Feet’ programme of Nethrodaya and help them finish the construction of their permanent residence. Those interested can visit the website www.nethrodaya.org or call C. Govindakrishnan at 93828 96636. ■

No edition on Christmas Day Hi guys, There won’t be an edition of our tabloid on Christmas Day since all offices will remain closed. We will be back on December 26. On behalf of the entire team, wish you all a merry Christmas, Editor

04 KALEIDOSCOPE

ERGO Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Cell phones to detect HIV, malaria WiFi tops best technological innovation poll Surfing the net has become a lot more easier since wireless internet has come into being, and now Wi-Fi has rightly topped the poll for the greatest technological advance of the last decade, according to a survey. With 35.5 per cent votes, Wi-Fi has beaten Sky+, Sat Navs, iPods and Blackberries to win the poll conducted by Stuff magazine. In the poll, the readers were asked to choose the greatest technological innovation of the past ten years. More than a third voted for Wireless Internet. SKY+, the personal video recorders (PVR) by Sky, at the second place, has emerged as the best known and best loved PVR. “It really has given power to the consumer to allow them to watch what they want when they want,” the Telegraph quoted Fevzi Turkalp, who runs the Gadget Detective website, as saying. Sat Nav, provided in almost every car now, stood at the third place, while energy-efficient Hybrid Cars have marked fourth place in the list. Apple’s iPod has taken the fifth place in the list. Simon Osborne-Walker, the publisher of Stuff magazine, said that he was confident readers had managed to sum up the best of the last decade. “It’s been an amazing ten years for technology. Gadgets have gone from being big black boxes under the television to lightweight, portable devices,” he said. Stuff’s list of the best technological innovation of last decade: Wireless Internet, Sky+, Sat Nav, Hybrid Cars, iPod, Chip and Pin, Nintendo Wii, Skype, Oyster Card, Blackberry ■ ANI

Apple’s iPod has taken the fifth place in the list

The webcam and the mobile acquire an image using a short wavelength blue light to illuminate a blood, saliva or other fluid sample

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n innovative imaging technology, tiny enough to fit into a cell phone, could monitor HIV and malaria in remote locations or spread of epidemics. A brainchild of Aydogan Ozcan, electrical engineering professor at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), the imaging platform, known as LUCAS (Lensless Ultra-wide-field Cell monitoring Array platform based on Shadow imaging), has now been successfully installed in both a cell phone and a webcam. Both devices acquire an image in the same way, using a short wavelength blue light to illuminate a blood, saliva or other fluid sample. LUCAS captures an image of the microparticles in the solution using a sensor array.

Because red blood cells and other microparticles have a shadow image, they can be identified and counted virtually instantaneously by LUCAS using a custom-developed “decision algorithm” that compares the captured shadow images to a library of training images. Data collected by LUCAS can then be sent to a hospital for analysis and diagnosis using the cell phone, or transferred via USB to a computer for transmission to a hospital. LUCAS is not a substitute for a microscope but rather a complement. While microscopes can produce detailed images, images produced by LUCAS are grainy and pixelated, said an UCLA release. The LUCAS platform’s advantage lies in its ability to nearly in-

stantaneously identify and count microparticles, something that is time consuming and difficult to do with a microscope in resourcelimited settings. Also, because LUCAS does not use a lens, the only constraint on size is the size of the chip it is built on. “A conventional flow-cytometer identifies cells serially, one at a time, whereas tabletop versions of LUCAS can identify thousands of cells in a second, all in parallel, with the same accuracy.” Now that Ozcan has successfully created prototypes with a cell phone and webcam, his next step is to build from scratch a handheld device incorporating the LUCAS imaging system. The research was published online in Lab on a Chip. ■ IANS

05

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Living life,

XL size

Easy To Wear on Nungambakkam High Road specialises on big-sized garments, right up to 4XL KALPAGAM SARMA

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here are few stores in Namma Chennai that stock beyond the size XL. ‘Easy to Wear’ on Nungambakkam High Road is one of them. It has collections ranging from sizes S to 4XL at affordable rates. What’s more it has something for men, women and children, making it an ideal store for the entire family. Started by Sandeep Lunia, a B.Com graduate who moved into retailing from his family’s wholesale clothes business, said the store started out as a 200square-feet store in 2001, that has since grown as a huge enterprise thanks mainly to a dedicated clientele. They source all their fabrics from factories at Tirupur and Chennai. The section for men has shirts, tshirts, kurtas and trousers. They have a range of fabrics and shades on offer. The section for women has an extensive collection of kurtis, shirts, t-shirts, yoga and workout wear. Another USP of the store is its parking space of over 4,800 square feet. Easy To Wear is also easy on the pocket. The t-shirts start at Rs.150 while the

shirts start at Rs.250. They have kurtis, shirts, T-shirts, pants (formal and casual), yoga and workout Tshirts. Our pick – are the T–shirts priced at Rs.150 – 225, track pants for work out priced at Rs.195-250 , kurtis priced at Rs.225 – 395, formal shirts priced at Rs.195 - 295, casual shirts priced at Rs.130 – Rs 250 and pyjamas priced at Rs.150 – 19. Apart from this they also have handbags, trekking bags, side bags and haversacks. The highlights at this store are the range of sizes available for men and women. For men, they have trousers from sizes 28 to 48. Tees, shirts and shorts from sizes 38 to 50. For women kurtis, shirts and tees are available in sizes S to 4XL.Trousers (formal & casual) and denims are available in sizes 28 to 50. Yoga and workout wear are available in sizes S to 4XL. ■

Easy To Wear No: 31, Nungambakkam High Road, (Just before Cakes & Bakes) Chennai – 600034 Phone: 28274864, 9840133298 Shop timings: 10.30 – 8.30 P.M Sundays 12.00 – 8.30 P.M Open on all days

06 VILLAGE

ERGO Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Kitchen robot Scientists in Japan have created a new household robot, which can rinse the dishes in the sink and then neatly lines them up in the dishwasher before pressing the start button for the washing cycle.

Camilla dubbed ‘Duchess Of Dolittle’ by royal staff

Australia to test Internet filter next month

Owing to her laziness to make public appearances, the Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla, has been dubbed as the ‘Duchess of Dolittle’ by Palace staff. The lady’s appointment chart boasts a measly 137 engagements last year, almost dozens less than the previous year. And Camilla might turn out to be the Royal Family’s biggest ever loafer, attending least number of public functions, for the third time since she married into the family.

The Australian government said on Tuesday it would begin testing a pilot system next month to filter harmful information from the Internet, amid criticism that any such plan would be a technical failure. The government’s cyber safety policy aims to place a mandatory filter on the web to shield children in particular from accessing illegal and inappropriate material. But Internet user groups, the pornography industry and others have opposed the plan, saying any such measure would be impractical to enforce, block access to some legitimate websites and slow down Internet speeds. Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said the government was aware of the technical concerns about the plan. “And that is why we are conducting a pilot to put these claims to the test,” he said in a statement.

ANI

Nepal newspapers run without editorials Major newspapers across Nepal on Tuesday came out with a blank space where editorial columns usually run in a sign of escalating tension between journalists and supporters of the ruling Maoist party. Nepalese newspapers decided to leave blank space for the editorials in protest against an assault on journalists and a media house by Maoist supporters earlier in the week. Private television and radio stations also joined the protest by not broadcasting headlines in their regular news. The Media Society and Editor’s Alliance warned of more protests if the Maoist-led government did not take action against the vandals. “This is the first in a series of escalating protests that our media houses will launch if the current organised attacks on us by groups affiliated to the ruling party are not stopped,” the Media Society said.

AFP

Wolf spotted near China’s Great Wall A wolf has been spotted near a popular tourist spot along the Great Wall of China, with officials rushing to catch it before it attacks anyone, state media said on Tuesday. The wolf was spotted last week near the Badaling section of the wall, a destination for hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. It said experts had analysed a photo of the animal and looked into traces that it left behind, concluding beyond doubt that it was indeed a wolf.

DPA

AFP

Credit crunch cutting divorce rates

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he global financial crisis is forcing couples to stay together, leading to a significant drop in divorce. Married couples have realised that it is far cheaper to stay together rather than get divorcethat’s when they can’t stand each other. Circuit courts across the country have reported downturns in the number of divorce and separation filings. A 5 per cent decrease in filings, which is about 600 cases, has

been seen in Cook County’s Circuit Court in Chicago in the first three quarters of 2008, compared to the same period last year. A similar drop rate was also reported in other cities across the country. A poll by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers surveyed its members, who were all divorce lawyers. And the findings of the poll revealed that 37 per cent of divorce lawyers have seen a decrease in the number of couples seeking a

Married couples have realised that it is far cheaper to stay together rather than get divorce- that’s when they can’t stand each other

divorce, while just 19 per cent saw an increase in divorce cases. “The reason that the economy has such an enormous impact on divorce is that most people in the middle-income brackets are getting by on whatever income they have. They’re just getting by,” the Wall Street Journal quoted Bonnie Booden, a family law and divorce attorney in Phoenix, as saying. She claimed that one major factor in the divorce downturn was that after divorce, couples have to establish two separate and that too with current funds, which can become a prohibitive factor when you’re looking at divorce in tough economic times. ■ ANI

07

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Websites of the day

Running race

Anticipating the January blues? Get a light box to cheer you up: www.lumie.com Learn more about insects and see how they can enhance your quality of life. http://www.buglife.org.uk/

A hippopotamus can run faster than a man.

Post 26/11, Taj, Gateway await feathered friends

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error-hit Taj has bounced back to life with visitors and tourists thronging the heritage wing, but the pigeon nests resting outside the iconic hotel are still awaiting their avian guests. Pigeon nests doting the landmark area were shattered by gunshots and grenade blasts during the terror siege on November 26. The pigeons, which attracts tourists at Gateway of India and Taj, have gone missing following heightened security around the buildings, fortified after the terror attack. Avid bird lovers besides tourists, who spend their time feeding and watching the flock at the ground between Taj and Gateway are evidently missing this theatre of nature. “My wife and I come here every morning to spend sometime with pigeons. It has been our routine for the last ten years, but I feel dejected now when I do not find my feathered friends here,” says Birendra Choudhary, a resident of South Mumbai’s Colaba area and a regular jogger. “My morning stroll is synonymous with pigeons, as I believe association with them would

bring wealth and peace of mind to me,” he said. Prasad Abhyankar, who regularly visits the site, says “I cannot imagine this place without pigeons. It is always at the back of your mind that you will see those messengers of peace if you are going to take a stroll near the Taj.” “The absence of these special guests is disappointing. I think even pigeons detest such terror attacks and they are not willing to come back,” he said. The absence of pigeons also disturbs Kishore Tiwari, who used to spend his evenings in the area with his girlfriend. “It is a favourite spot among youngsters to take snaps and play with pigeons, but the place is losing its charm since the pigeons are missing,” he said. Spending time with pigeons and feeding them generates a sense of peace among the visitors to the area. Hence, any domestic and foreign tourists gather here in large numbers to take their ‘piece of peace’ and “shoot” these winged companions, which adds beauty to the souvenir photographs, captured with the Arabian sea in the backdrop. ■

Pigeon nests doting the landmark area were shattered by gunshots and grenade blasts during the terror siege on November 26

Tokyo Tower turns 50 with big party

PTI

Suryakiran

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he Tokyo Tower turned 50 on Tuesday with a big party featuring a rock concert, sales of memorabilia and a talk show with the author of a best seller which uses the landmark as an emotive backdrop. Singers and groups performed into the evening at a plaza on the ground while nearly 20,000 visitors flocked to observation decks at the world’s tallest self-supporting steel structure, which stands at 333 metres (1,093 feet). Modelled on Paris’ 324metre Eiffel Tower but painted orange and white for aviation safety, the Tokyo Tower has attracted 157 million tourists, some 3.3 million last year, since it opened for business. A symbol of Japan’s post-war economic miracle, it has been the centrepiece of a dozen novels and movies as well as 20 songs and a haunt for young lovers in the heart of the capital. ■ AFP

쒀 Acrobatic skills of Suryakiran during the celebration of Hal Day in Bangalore on Tuesday. PTI PHOTO

08 SPORT

ERGO Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Beckham gets muted response David Beckham, the world’s highest- paid soccer player, got a muted response from the fans of Italian soccer club AC Milan when he was introduced to the crowd at the San Siro on Monday. The former England captain will join standouts such as Kaka and Ronaldinho at Milan, and earn about 100,000 euros ($140,000) a month as well as share extra revenue from uniform sales and commercial revenue.

Grand year for

Barry takes a dig at Ponting Noting that Ricky Ponting was still setting fields to suit retired legends Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne, former South African batting great Barry Richards advised the Australian captain to “dramatically change” his thinking on placements for the current lot. Barry said Ponting should have set more conservative fields for Brett Lee and Jason Krejza, who ended up conceding four runs per over to lose against South Africa at Perth, which witness the hosts second defeat in a row at WACA. “His thinking is still about setting fields for McGrath and Warne and he has not got the cattle to do that,” Richards said. “He had two bowlers (Lee and Krejza) who were leaking four runs an over. Ponting is used to so much success this is really hard for him. You have to have a different strategy,” he was quoted as saying by the Daily Telegraph. Richards said a captain has to have a plan for players like South Africa skipper Graeme Smith had. “You cannot have 50 overs a day where you are giving away 200 runs. Your mindset on field placing has to change dramatically. Everyone thinks South Africa’s spinner Paul Harris is a donkey bowler but he out-bowled Jason Krejza by a mile.”

JEEV

PTI

England striker Michael Owen will not make a decision about his future with Newcastle United until the end of the season, a statement released by his agent said on Monday. While that means Owen, 29, will stay with Newcastle through the January transfer window, his long-term future remains uncertain when his current 103,000 pounds-a-week (153,969 dollars) deal expires at the season’s end. But the statement did say the former Liverpool and Real Madrid forward, who is now free to talk to other clubs from January 1, would consider a pay-cut if he decided to stay at St James’ Park. “Following speculation about my future at Newcastle United, I have decided today (Monday) to make it clear that I am committed to the club until at least the end of this season, and I have informed them I do not want to make a decision about my future until that time,” club captain Owen said. “I hope this will be seen as a positive step and not seen as being disloyal in any way. I am happy here and enjoy the challenge. It is simply a matter of seriously thinking about my future as I was 29 last week and my next career decision is a crucial one,” Owen said. AFP

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

Owen delays contract decision

Emotional Jeev thanks coach and family for success

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eev Milkha Singh is in cloud nine after grabbing the two most prestigious awards of the season at the Asian Tour’s Awards Gala 2008 to complete an incredible season. The 37-year-old Jeev was was named the Players’ “Player of the Year” and also won his second Order of Merit crown in three years. Dressed elegantly in allblack attire on Sunday night, Jeev, was almost emotional as he thanked everybody, those present and those not present, for his successes this year. “This is a very special moment,” said Jeev. “The Asian Tour means a lot to me as this was where I started from. All credit to the Tour as it helped build my confidence and I am truly honoured that the players voted for

me for the Player of the Year award.” He also thanked his family; wife Kudrat and swing coach Amritinder Singh for helping him become a world-class player. “My family and Kudrat have been supportive and I want to thank Amritinder for coaching me and getting me on track,” he added. Jeev concluded a brilliant year winning four titles around the globe including the Barclays Singapore Open, which made him the first player in Asian Tour history to cross $1 million in a single season. He earned a record $1.45 million from 11 tournaments with one win and two runner-ups finishes at the Enjoy Jakarta Astro Indonesia Open and Ballantine’s Championship in South Korea. He also won twice in Japan and once in Europe to rise to a career

high 36th in the Official World Golf Ranking. Jeev also finished 12th in the Order of merit in Europe and also had his first top-10 finish in a Major at the PGA Championships this season. “That was very satisfying and my goal for next year is the Majors and WGC events,” said Jeev. The Rookie of the Year honour went to teen titan Noh Seung-yul, who claimed a breakthrough victory at the Midea China Classic and posted three runner-up finishes. The 17-year-old belied his age to finish the season in an impressive 10th position on the Order of Merit with $345,823 following the conclusion of the season-ending Volvo Masters of Asia Sunday. ■ IANS

09

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

‘‘

When I was batting I saw on the scoreboard South Africa had won and it made me chuckle a little bit. It’s going to be interesting, that Ashes series. They’ve got two more Tests in Australia and then three back in South Africa. I’m sure there’s going to be some very entertaining cricket played in the next five Test matches. Kevin Pietrsen

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helsea captain John Terry was sent-off as the ten-man Blues failed to go top of the English Premier League after being held to a goalless draw away to Everton in London on Monday. This result at Goodison Park saw Chelsea move to within a point of leaders Liverpool, Everton’s city rivals topping the table at Christmas and ended a run of 11 straight away league wins for the London club. Chelsea played nearly an hour of the match a man down after England skipper Terry received a straight red card from referee Phil Dowd for a late and dangerous tackle on Everton midfielder Leon Osman. But, despite the centre-half’s expulsion 10 minutes before half-time, Everton, without a recognised striker because of injury couldn’t score and the draw saw them stay seventh in the table. Everton did almost snatch victory late on when Steven Pienaar had a goal disallowed by Dowd. The South African midfielder bundled the ball over the line six minutes from time after Chelsea keeper Petr Cech had saved Osman’s initial shot. But having seemingly strayed into an offside position, Pienaar’s goal was then chalked off after Dowd ruled that the ball had been kicked out of Cech’s grasp, with the goalkeeper clearly having two hands on the ball.

Chelsea’s John Terry (left) is sent off by referee Phil Dowd during their English Premier League match against Everton in Liverpool. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

Tough job “It’s a tough place to come with 11 men,” Cech told Setanta Sports. “We were down to 10, but we kept the ball and controlled the game quite well. They had the extra man so of course they had chances from set-plays but we can be satisfied. It’s a pity we couldn’t win. We could have been top of the league again but it’s a good point.” Czech international Cech, asked about Terry’s sending-off, added: “It’s hard to say because I was far from it. It was hard for the ref to see what happened. He had a split second... he made a decision and we have to live with that.” Everton were without a recognised striker because of injury and manager David Moyes said: “We wanted the win even before the sending-off. We tried to get the goal and the players did everything we could ask. Obviously we are short of centre forwards and maybe that was the difference,” he added.

No record glory Chelsea, who’d seen Liverpool drop points in a 1-1 draw away to Arsenal on Sunday, were going for a Premier League record of 12 straight away wins against an Everton side that had won just once on home turf all season. Moyes again fielded Australia’s Tim

Blues falter Cahill as the lone man up front after the midfielder had scored an injurytime winner at Manchester City last week. Chelsea made the brighter start, though, and defender Ashley Cole saw a left foot volley pushed behind by United States goalkeeper Tim Howard. Moyes’s team, who suffered a dramatic 3-2 defeat against Aston Villa in their last outing at Goodison Park, responded well and captain Phil Neville’s 25-yard effort forced Cech into a fine save. Chelsea, with Nicolas Anelka once again keeping fellow striker Didier Drogba on the bench, struggled to make any headway against the home side. Their frustration spilled over in the 35th minute when Terry committed the foul that saw him rightly sent-off by Dowd. Terry was al-

ways up against it in his bid to beat Osman to the ball inside the Everton half and he mistimed his tackle badly, catching his opponent on the leg in front of the referee and, for the second time this season, Chelsea’s skipper found himself dismissed. Had Everton been blessed with a full complement of strikers, a second-half onslaught on Chelsea’s goal could have been expected. But with their options limited, only a Marouane Fellaini header from Neville’s cross, saved by Cech in the 53rd minute, was created by a cautious Everton before Pienaar’s attempt. Meanwhile an off-target 30-yard strike from Frank Lampard in the 75th minute was as close as Chelsea came to scoring. ■ AFP

TERRY SEES RED AS CHELSEA FAIL TO GO PAST EVERTON

10 FLICK

ERGO Wednesday, December 24, 2008

De Dhana Dhan The entire cast of director Priyadarshan’s forthcoming comedy, De Dhana Dhan, had been shooting nonstop underwater at Film City for two weeks and most of them are unwell.

Schwarzenegger would “absolutely” love to be President

I THINK THAT I AM ALWAYS A PERSON THAT LOOKS FOR THE NEXT BIG GOAL. AND I LOVE CHALLENGES

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ormer action movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger has not satiated his political ambitions by serving as California governor. The Austrian-born superstar revealed in an interview on 60 Minutes late Sunday night that he would “absolutely” like to be US president if the Constitution could be changed to allow foreign-born Americans to run for the White House. “Well, you’re a man of no small ambition. If the Constitution was changed, you’d like to be president, wouldn’t you?” 60 Minutes journalist Scott Pelley asked. “Yeah, absolutely,” Schwarzenegger replied. “I think that I am always a person that looks for the next big goal. And I love challenges.” “I always set goals that are so high that are almost impossible to achieve. Because then, you’re always hungry for climbing and climbing. Because it’s always interest-

Jacko’s health problems a ‘total fabrication’

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spokesman for Michael Jackson released a statement on Monday denying as a “total fabrication” a report claiming that the former King of Pop needs a lung transplant due to a rare respiratory disease. The statement, attributed to Jackson’s “official and sole spokesperson, Dr. Tohme Tohme” and issued by Los Angeles firm Scoop Marketing, cites an interview with writer Ian Halperin in British newspaper the Sunday Express in which Halperin said Jackson was suffering from Alpha 1antitrypsin deficiency. ■ Reuters

ing. The climb is always interesting. When you get there you just have to pick another goal.” For now, it would be impossible for him to become president. Schwarzenegger, who was born in Austria and became a US citizen in 1983, is not a “natural born citizen” of the US, as required by the Constitution. There might also be some other problems. Despite his election in 2003 on promises to fix California’s financial system, the state now finds itself in the worst fiscal crisis in its history, with officials warning that it will run out of cash early in the new year. Schwarzenegger still has two years left to serve. However, he clearly believes he has the talent for the country’s top job, with his past career giving him an advantage enjoyed by his predecessor as California governor, former president Ronald Reagan. “People think show business was in Hollywood, but I think Reagan was absolutely right,” Schwarzenegger said. “If he wouldn’t have the training in acting, this would have been a very difficult job.” ■ DPA

May wedding, December reception Jessica Alba and husband Cash Warren have finally hosted their wedding reception. They did it seven months after their wedding. Contactmusic.com reports that the couple tied the knot in a low-key ceremony at the Beverly Hills Courthouse in Los Angeles on May 19, just weeks before Alba gave birth to the couple’s first child, daughter Honor Marie, in June. And now the Fantastic Four actress has finally found the time to celebrate her nuptials. The pair’s families came together on Friday night to toast the happy couple at their Beverly Hills home, according to Usmagazine.com. And the couple’s six-month-old daughter was guest of honour at the ceremony. ■ IANS

11

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Nayan to replace Illeana Actress Nayanthara is back to Tollywood. She will pair up with Junior NTR in a Telugu film. Nayanthara is replacing Illeana in the movie, as the latter had remuneration problems.

E

va Mendes’ latest flick, The Spirit, forced her to divulge a secret she had harboured for years – she can’t swim. The 34-year-old actress thought that she would never get the film after she noticed the prolonged underwater action scene in the script. However, she did not have to worry because the movie is a stylised comic book film, and computer graphics were to be used for shooting the scene. “Cut to me harnessed up 30 feet in the air, with wind machines blowing on me. I felt ridiculous and I thought, ‘How is this going to look?’ But it looked great,” New York Daily News quoted her as saying. ■

Cine City

No water baby, this

Actress impressed by Poo Actress Vijayalakshmi, who made her debut in Chennai 600 028, is quite busy now. Pairing up with Superstar in Sultan and Jai in Adhae Neram Adhae Idam, the actress had decided not to act in any other language until she proves her acting prowess in Tamil. But the recent movie Poo, which impressed her so much, has made the actress change her decision. What we now hear is that Vijayalakshmi is ready to act in any language if she gets a project like Poo.

ANI

I thought, ‘How is this going to look?’ But it looked great

40-minute BGM The re-recording works of Mysskin’s upcoming movie, Nandalaala, are over. Maestro Ilayaraja, the music director of the movie, is back with a bang. If sources are to be believed, the last 40 minutes of the movie have no dialogues but only background music. Musicians from Hungary were brought in to play the background score.

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ERGO Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Tuesday’s Question; What was the most embarrassing incident in your life and how did you manage it?

Arul Selvan of HCL has nominated his team as Partners in Crime. This pic was clicked at Wayanaad

■ When I was caught by checking inspectors in bus I told them I entered last stop only couldn’t buy ticket because of rush and they believed it and I paid only busfare to them to get ticket, no fine charged Sasi Subbaraman, Perot Systems

■ When I saw my senior officer sitting in the same theatre on a beautiful Monday, same morning, I had asked leave saying severe fever

Arunkumar Raja, CGSL

■ When I was in a public place, a girl came and said "I love you" loudly. I didn’t know what to tell and escaped from there

Vijay, TCS

■ I worked at one of the domestic BPO I went to office as usual and I started working immediately my TL called me and took me to the next floor and hand over it to one of the of manager by telling he is your manager and your process had changed, I was shocked

Senthilnathan, Ajuba Solution

■ On my birthday at college hostel, my friends wished me with a huge parcel at midnight. I was embarrassed to find only bricks packed inside it. I didn’t show off but next morning I was surprised to get a gold ring from my same friends

Praveen, CGSL

■ My sister caught me when I was roaming with my girlfriend. I told that she is my friend’s sister and I guided her for shopping

Vignesh from TCS has nominated his team as Partners in Crime. This pic was clicked in Kerela.

Asath Kani, TCS

■ My senior proposed me and I said ok without knowing she is a senior. I handled it by saying i was just joking

Pratheep, Sutherland

■ During college tour I hit my HOD’s butt with a water bottle mistaking him for my friend. Luckily I was carrying a heavy bag and so pretended as if I lost balance and accidentally hit him

Vinesh Kumar Damodaran, Accenture

Today’s Query According to rumours the Hindi Ghajini has a different ending. What ending would you have given it?

Sathiavathy of Cognizant has nominated her team as Partners in Crime. This pic was clicked at Dodabetta peak.

13

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Sankara Subramanian from HCL has been nominated as office angel by his colleague Elanthirayan. He is talented and cool headed person. He is friendly, jovial and makes the environment lively. He is innocent even in his appearance. He is best known for giving Halwa!!!(When he returns from home.)

■ Dear Saraku Saravanan , Your birthday is a special time to celebrate the gift of "YOU" to the world. Wish u a very "Happy Birthday". We hope this year brings you all the happiness,peace,joy,Contentment and love that you so deserve!!! Wish you an awesome birthday as you are... God bless you dear.Happy Birthday !! Best Regards dotOPaL Friends , Scope International.

■ Hi Kavitha, Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful. So I wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Arthi Perumal, TCS.

■ Dear Friends, Wishing all a very Happy Merry Christmas. Let this spl day bring you all success and peaceful life ahead.

From, Cash Payments, CGSL.

■ Hi Prasoon (The JAVA thala), Happy Birthday in Advance.We wish all your desires to come true:-) We know that this christmas is going to be fun for our team,as we have a big treat from you:-)

Cheers, Customer World Team, TCS

■ Dear Anitha, Wish you a advance happy birthday. Wish you all success and hapiness from this moment.... May god bless you with all wealth and hapiness.... Have a great day dear...

With love, Lakshmi"

■ Hi Wiproites, Wish you happy Christmas.Enjoy each n every moment with true love n passion of christmas.....

With Warm Wishes from 3B "BACK SEAT BOYS" Wipro Technologies.

■ Dear Bala, All the best for your next step in career; we will surely miss you a lot.

Bhalai Ramanathan, from Wipro has doodled this.

Regards, Your Colleagues, Patni

■ Hi Arivu, Your birthday is a very special time to celebrate the gift of “YOU” to this world. Wish you a very happy birthday.

With lots of care and affections, Team GIT – Cognizant

■ Hey Friends, The managers and Team leads of 4th Floor Vela C of Allsec Technologies Ltd Would like to wish all the agents of the 4th Floor A Merry X’Mas and a prosperous new year.

Regards, Dennis Miller Team Manager - Operations Allsec Technologies Limited

■ Hi Lourdh, Wish you a very happy and Merry Christmas!!!! Get ready to treat us on Christmas day… J

With Warm Wishes, DATAMARK Prodaptians

■ Dear RAVI (QUARTER), " Ravi wish you many more Happy B-day . Hope u r Dreams keep coming true. Loose Ravi we all like you the most" .

Man 1 : I think that girl is deaf Man 2 : How do you know? Man 1 : I told i love her,but she told her chappals are new ... :-) Jubair, Cognizant

Goal keeper goal vizhamaa thaduppar Wicket keeper wicket vizhamaa thaduppara...? Sivanandam Wipro.

With Lot of LOVE and CARE, Santhosh, Bala, Prem, Arun, Karthi, Natu, Priya, Nisha,kiru,manees, haseena, kavi, Abi, Thunai Vendhan, Joshi,Manikannan, Anguraj, Chira

14 TRAFFIC JAM

ERGO Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Top Japanese cop arrested A senior Japanese policeman responsible for clearing Tokyo’s streets of drink-drivers has been caught drink-driving. The deputy inspector, who led a high-profile anti-drink campaign, was arrested after hitting a car and couldn’t walk straight. His boss has called the incident ’inexcusable’.

sudoku

Three days before the Mumbai siege, Vijayapandian R. of Financial Software and Systems was in Mumbai, where he captured the Taj Mahal Hotel in its full glory.

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Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Sandwich board job hunter

Carjackers blunder

An unemployed man in New York is being proactive in his hunt for work - he is walking around the city wearing a sandwich board reading, ’Almost Homeless’. Paul Nawrock, 59, hopes his new tactic will help land him a job.

A pair of dumb carjackers in Kansas City, Missouri, were forced to abandon their theft of a vehicle because they couldn’t figure out how to drive it. Police said the plan was aborted because the car had a manual transmission.

B.C ARIES MARCH 21 - APRIL 20 During the start of the day, you might have to work hard to achieve desired results. Ganesha feels you should avoid confrontations today and if you attend any meetings, please make sure you don’t get beat in verbal arguments. Romance is fresh as ever!

TAURUS APRIL 21 - MAY 20 Even though the beginning of the day might be easy on workload, gear up because the later part of the day seems heavy. You might experience a heavy flow of email communication. The end of the day is likely to be spent in the company of your beloved.

GEMINI MAY 21 - JUNE 20 At work, the earlier part of the day will be spent addressing technical issues. In the later part, you will be able to congregate softwares to make a new one. In your love life, it is advisable if you avoid personal calls when your beloved is with you.

BORN LOSER

CANCER JUNE 21 - JULY 20 Your practical self will take over your emotional self; hence you will be able to work better. You might start pondering about balancing personal and professional life. You will be treated specially by your sweetheart today.

LEO JULY 21 - AUG 20 Your demonstrative speech will impress others in meetings. Ganesha feels these meetings might change your perception towards abilities of other people. You might have important or career related discussions with your beloved.

VIRGO AUG 21 - SEPT 20

FREE RANGE

WORKING IT OUT

The best time for quality work is the morning. You will follow a strict work schedule and expect other to do the same. Later during the day, you wish to be more considerate to others. Love life awaits a positive change, feels Ganesha.

LIBRA SEPT 21 - OCT 20 Not exactly a pleasant beginning for the day. Nevertheless, you will be interacting with a lot of people later. Keep a check on interactions’ as it may consume a lot of quality time. In your love life, the magnet of your charm is powerful as ever.

SCORPIO OCT 21 - NOV 20 A good beginning of the day might not stay forever. Later during the day technical issues might bother you. Ganesha advises you to change your way of thinking and be ready to ‘forgive and forget’. Please try to be in your ‘sweet mode’ in love life.

SAGITTARIUS NOV 21 - DEC 20 A positive change in your work style! That is good news as you will be able to balance your personal and professional life perfectly. You have an uncanny ability of judging people. In your love life, try to avoid arguments with your partner.

CAPRICORN DEC 21 - JAN 20 Ganesha finds you playing with digits and integers toady. Since you are feeling so numeric today, you might want to review the amount of work you’ve done and pending work. You will try to please your partner in the best way possible.

PREVIOUS ISSUE’S SOLUTIONS

AQUARIUS JAN 21 - FEB 20 You might feel a strong urge to take a break from the boring rut or change the job or in the least, change your working style. Funny enough, the later part of the day will make you feel satisfied with everything you have. Have fun on romantic front.

PISCES FEB 21 - MARCH 20 Work hard and you get less! An average day coming up for you. Learn to say NO to work being dumped on you. Office behaviour needs a change, feels Ganesha. With your beloved, you will be in a very romantic mood; which will rejuvenate you. Predictions by Bhavesh N. Pattni

16 !

ERGO Wednesday, December 24, 2008

One look is all it takes News and newsmakers in pictures Sourav Ganguly’s wife Dona Ganguly performs classical dance in Bokaro steel city on Tuesday. PTI PHOTO

Bollywood actress Sameera Reddy performs at the last day of Safai Festival in Lucknow on Monday. PTI PHOTO