Ergo February 16

A BYTE OF LIFE

Monday, February 16, 2009

10

FARHAN AKHTAR

on Imraan Khan and competition FREE CIRCULATION

Vol. 3

06 FUTURE FRAGRANCES A scent that smells like Lord’s cricket ground

No. 29

Their own masters These are stories of people who have dared to think beyond salaries and placements, of losers who have thought out-of-the-box, of friends who have fulfilled dreams even in the most non-conducive of environments. Thanks for helping First Innings complete a year.

PHOTOS: S.S. KUMAR AND R. RAVINDRAN

» PAGE 4 & 5

OLD MAN AND THE SEA He’s sailed from Burma to the Great Barrier Reef off Australia on a 5-ft yacht. He’s been through the Second World War. And he’s 99 years old. An encounter with Colonel Edward Patrick Manning.

» PAGE 03

02 NAMMA CHENNAI

LANKAN CAUSE N

early 25 years and 70,000 deaths later, the civil war in Sri Lanka mercilessly continues, with hundreds of thousands of civilians now trapped in the fighting between the government army and the rebel Tamil Tigers. The offensive that was meant to be final has now lasted for five months, transforming the situation into a humanitarian tragedy. The Alliance Franchise Madras is screening two documentaries on the ethnic conflict in the island nation followed by a panel discussion on February 16 and 17. “Burning Memories” by freelance journalist S. Someetharan traces back the destruction of the Jaffna Public Library in 1981 that triggered off the conflict. “Lanka- the other side of war and peace” by Kashmiri filmmaker Iffat Fatima bears first-person account of victims of the humanitarian crisis.

ERGO Monday, February 16, 2009

Of chain snatchings, lost two-wheelers and the rare guardian angel Criminal khaki duo Last week, a constable attached to the City Police Commissionerate in the city lost his motorcycle that was parked on a police station premises in the Avadi limit. Apparently, two-wheeler theft is a regular affair in the limit and is said to be masterminded by two cops who have deployed men to commit the crime.

Chain-snatching menace The rise in chain-snatching incidents in the city had driven the city’s top cop to call a sudden meeting with his subordinates.

He has ordered cracking the whip and is known to have given a ‘big dose’ to some officers under whose limits the crime has seen a steady rise in the last two months.

Poor guardian angel A guardian angel lady cop attached to a police station in the city, who recently helped an ailing person at Chennai Central Station, is seen as a demon by her counterparts in the Railways. The reason, according to them, is that she offered help in another police limit and walked away with the honours (she received an

award for her act). So every time she reaches the station to board a train to her home in Avadi, she receives an angry stare from the railway cops.

Where are the bikes? The rise of two-wheeler thefts in the city has turned yet another headache for the khakis. Reliable sources say that per day there are a minimum of three incidents of theft in the city. Some bikes are seized by motorcycle financiers on non-payment of EMI. However, the remaining 75 per cent of the bikes go untraced.

Marathon Man 쑸 Shiv Dan Singh who won the Chennai Marathon at Marina Beach in Chennai on Sunday. PHOTO:R. RAGU

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Monday, February 16, 2009

VIPASHA SINHA

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dventures of World War II, the task of rebuilding the death track in Burma, the obstinacy of the sea on long voyages and precious acquaintances with towering figures of Indian history are just a few moments from 99-yearold Colonel Manning’s past. Edward Patrick Manning, born in Ireland in 1910, is one of the oldest sailors alive. He has made India his home and resides in namma Chennai with wife Madhulika, who runs her own real estate consultancy. Before starting, Manning makes it a point to remind you

to speak louder. A conversation with him is unexpectedly interesting, with traces of his Irish wit showing up quite often. His first encounter with India was in the 1940s during Second World War, when he came here as part of British Royal Engineers. He was directly recruited as Officer Cadet in the British Indian Army. Eleven months later, he was acclimatised to the Indian Army at the QVO Madras S&M at Ulsoor, Bangalore. During his tenure Pat (as he’s known among friends) lent his services all around the country and strengthened relationships with the powers-that-be then. By the time he retired in 1945,

he was enticed by India and decided to live the rest of his life here. When given an option to stay back or return to England, he chose his adopted country. Ask him why and he sweetly answers, “I was smitten by the country. Moreover, Mrs. Gandhi asked me to stay here. I consider myself an Indian now.”

Pat the sailor Pat’s romance with the sea stated at the tender age of five. “Sailing was not in my family but I was mesmerised by the blue of the sea. The sea was my playground. I always enjoyed being in water, except during bath time” he smiles.

Pat took up sailing professionally at the age of 32 and after more than six decades he is as much in love with the sea. One of his most adventurous and indelible one-month sea voyages was from Burma to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. “A 5-ft yacht was all we had. With no passport or visa in hand, we sailed for one month from Burma to the Coral Sea without a hop. We carried some rare edibles from Burma to Australia.” he slowly recalls. When asked about the year of the voyage, he quips, “I was very young then. If I remembered all the dates, I would have written a book.” ■

Old Man and the Sea

Pages form his past Towards the end of the war Colonel Manning was assigned to raise a camp to accommodate thousands of British soldiers being sent back to England. Finally, he stayed back in Rangoon to help rebuild the railways and he stayed on in Burma Railways. He was instrumental in the installation of the railway station, marshalling yard, tracks and also the engines in Burma during wartime. The Barrackpore Sailing Club was one of his most significant initiatives. He became a member of the Tamil Nadu Sailing Association right at its inception.

He once sailed from Burma to the Great Barrier Reef on a 5-ft yacht. Now, at 99, Colonel Manning is one of the oldest sailors alive. And experiences from World War II make for an even interesting recollection

If I remembered all the dates, I would have written a book

Sakhi, OUR BEAUTIFUL FRIEND…. T

he cafeteria of Cybernet-SlashSupport resounded with laughter, some giggles and mostly unrestrained laughter of women. Barathi of the admin team looked exceedingly happy because she had just kicked an “eve teaser” (woman dressed as a man) in the right or rather wrong place while demonstrating a self-defence move. Though a mere demonstration, it was essentially the pulse of Sakhi, an initiative by the Facilities Management Group to empower every woman employee of CSS. The Sakhi meeting kick-started with the unveiling of the banner proclaiming the powerful woman by Vishu Priya amidst thunderous applause. This was followed by a briefing by the core Sakhi

team on their plans to encourage the personal and professional growth of women employees through leadership, education, etc., as well as addressing and providing solutions to personal as well as workplace issues faced by women. The question about what Sakhi meant elicited many interpretations. Sakhi was inner ‘Shakthi’, a mother who takes care of her children’s needs, a friend who encourages sometimes with just a nod, and many more. And women gave free reign to their thoughts, coming up with innovative suggestions that can be im-

plemented by Sakhi. The ones who lost their seats in the musical chairs headed to the health camp for a free dental check-up and a fat check-up. The only disappointment was echoed in the voice a woman who kept insisting that “My fat percentage can’t be over 35. Do I look fat?” “Do you really care?” asked Giovana as she broke into a salsa with Ibtissam melting hearts and, hopefully, some obstinate fat and Shakira crooned ‘Wherever…whenever’ to DJ Sushma’s beats.■ Namitha Jayanarayanan, Cybernet-SlashSupport

04 KALEIDOSCOPE

ERGO Monday, February 16, 2009

For the last one year First Innings has been inspiring you (at least, that’s what we would like you to think) with stories of start-ups that were diverse in age, outlook and industry. Of people who have dared to think beyond salaries and placements, of losers who have thought out-of-the-box, of friends who have fulfilled dreams even in the most nonconducive of environments – people who have taken the rough road to entrepreneurship. As a gratitude to the many readers who sent us success stories of entrepreneurs they have interacted with or heard about, Liffy Thomas profiles entrepreneurs who have been recommended by our readers.

Mr. PRObit

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BUSY BEE

all it curiosity or interest in the net worth of one’s fellow human being, Amit P. Nahar loved to go through the list of billionaires, a fascination that started during his school days. “I was deeply inspired by the growing number of billionaires in India during my school days; each one was an entrepreneur. Rarely would one see someone in employment reaching those heights,” says Amit talking about how the entrepreneurial bug caught him. In fact, after school Amit decided that he would play his own game in life. “I always wanted the steering wheel of my life in my hands and not let anyone drive it.” From being a Chartered Accountant to Masters in Financial Management to a Management Consultant and the Fa Chennai Man 2007, Amit’s entrepreneurial journey has been an assortment of twists and turns. His venture, PRObit Consultants, is a one-stop consulting solution catering to all client needs. In less than four years since its inception, the company has one of the most diversified clientele and has been competing with the big fours in many domains. “My journey called for strength, tenacity and a bottomless reserve of determination,” says Amit, who is director-promoter of the company. “It was good to idolise some of the successful entrepreneurs and later

ACUMEN MATTERS I

make them your client.” Those hiccups? “There were many times when it would have been easy for me and my team to throw in the towel, but we learned that by simply hanging on for another day we could often change things dramatically, often for the better.” Did winning the Chennai Man title change things? “It did change my image in the corporate world. I always wanted to lead life the unconventional way and achieve feats which people rarely achieve,” Amit says. It’s the same gut feeling that makes him balance both worlds with zeal. ■

Deepal Jain had sent us Amit’s details in August of 2008.

magine getting the first break in business while studying, where your goal is not making money but enhancing your skills. Just think you hit jackpot. The start-up plans of Sudhakar Arjunan (23) and N. Kalyanaraman (22) took wing when they were studying Information Technology at Vel Tech Engineering College. In their second year, the duo started the ‘IT Acumens Community’ to later launch IT Acumens, where they undertook web projects for classmates and college events. Knowing their skills, a librarian asked them to design a library management system. That became a hit and was later hosted by the college. “The Chairman of the college gifted us Rs. 10,000 – our first salary-cum-gift,” they recall. Soon, offers started pouring in from other institutions, too. The success of IT Acumens was huge; they completed designing 20 such projects before their graduation (that is, juggling work and college). So much so that Sudhakar even decided to drop the job offer he got through campus placement. The down-to-earth boys do not call themselves entrepreneurs as they think they need to be a bet-

Aravind Chandrasekaran maintains a social media site, www.younews.in, where users can submit bookmarks, share news stories and web links. Unlike traditional news sites, Younews does not have editors or reporters. Any user registered on the site can send in their new stories. News you can use!

ter “performing company”, though they have gone through all that a start-up faces in their last two years. “We started functioning from Kalyan’s home,” recalls Sudhakar, saying how the entrance where footwear was left behind was converted into an office – a 100 sq ft space to be specific. Today, it’s is a different growth story. They have 15 employees working for the company, spread over an area of 1,200 sq ft in Ashok Nagar. “Every quarter we make a turnover of Rs. 5 lakh through our various projects,” says Sudhakar, adding, “We have a customer base of 1,500 people.” Hosting the website hasn’t been a cakewalk, either. “It required high bandwidth and overload. So we purchased a shared

server,” they say. “Winning the trust of our customers was another difficult task,” says Kalyan. IT Acumens, according to them, is a ray of hope for freshers, those swindled of their money in the name of a job and for all those who want to “learn, share and leave after getting hands-on experience.” With over 25,000 resumes in their database, 16,000 new visitors and 7,900 registrations, there seems to be no stopping. The duo has launched their second start-up, MobiDrive, which is a short code SMS service. ■

Thilaga Kesavan of HCL-Cisco has been insisting that we meet the IT Acumens team.

A. Hari wrote to us about his blog, ‘Inspire Minds’, which aims to inspire others with the success stories of others. “It consists of real life stories of people who have achieved success after struggle,” he writes. Review his stories at http:// changeminds.wordpress.com

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Monday, February 16, 2009

HOME SHANTI HOME H Kavitha (extreme right) with her team.

PHOTO: S.S. KUMAR

The smart worker Building a company is not like planting one giant tree. It is about creating an entire forest someday.... ou can see the entrepreneur within when Kavitha Venkatesh reads out one of her favourite lines from Subrato Bagchi’s The High Performer or when she goes about doing her duties. Kavitha’s story may not sound very different for the dime-adozen internet entrepreneurs, but for me it is about seeing a simple, shy girl who never thought of working transform to manage a company. Tucked inside Madipakkam is Kavitha’s flat, with her home and office on the ground and first floor respectively, where she juggles between the two. It all started one year after marriage when her husband, Venky, motivated her to do something. “Even if it is a failure, it is fine; I will be with you,” Ka-

Y

vitha repeats his words. After a little prodding, Kavitha was ready to take the plunge. Thanks also to the three others (her sister proficient in computers, a friend well-versed in human resources and a computer teacher) who guided her in floating the web maintenance and development firm. Before that, the Commerce graduate made sure she enrolled in a computer class to learn the basics of what she would be handling. “Even now I only know the basics. I bag projects and the rest is handled by my team,” she says candidly about her company, Compunet Connections, for which she is the sole proprietor. How did she bag her first project? “Through a common friend I got my first client from the Caribbean, who later referred me to others. And the chain continued.” Kavitha also keeps a social

consciousness angle when she recruits. “All my appointees, six sets of eight to nine freshers who have worked, are from rural areas like Namakkal, Salem, Tiruveneli and other districts. They have BE/ MCA degree in hand, but lack communication skills, so they lose out on opportunities,” she explains. She has no qualms about losing them after a year or two. “I am happy that they are going to a better place after getting the initial push,” she says, explaining how she conducts personality development programmes for them. “Being intelligent is not enough, but it is essential to be smart,” Kavitha concludes. True! ■

Nominated by Venkatesh Balasubramanian of MindTree

He calls himself the ‘Motocycling Journalist’ and his main source of revenue is his blog, http://bikeadvice.in. Deepak Raj wants other bike enthusiasts to visit his website before deciding on the bike to buy, latest in the bike technology or to get any bike related news. Started in August 2008, Deepak is quite happy with the response he has been generating. “From 50 visitors, today I have 1200 people visiting my site. Also, 1600 RSS subscribers,” he says.

e is not an architect, interior designer, builder or Vaastu consultant, but the usability and functional aspects required in a home run high on this product engineer’s mind, which he converted into a business module. Meet Virupakshan K. or Viru for friends, who will help you apply more commonsense while building your dream home. Viru brings with him around 10 years of IT experience (he has worked with Infosys, Cognizant and MindTree) and the belief that it is better late than never has driven him to take up his entrepreneurial ambitions. With due credit also to Subroto Bagchi’s article, The Fallen Tomato Cart. So, what’s HomePlanGuru all about? “I help you plan various functional aspects of your home that your builder will not tell,” he explains, saying there are 1,000 such details to be considered, which he calls micro planning for the home. His implemented plan takes six months to one year for people to experience/understand, but the benefit is long-term, which promises to give you a quality home at a lower cost. Easy duplication (his website is quite transparent), fluctuating real estate prices and the fact that he’s a novice in the field notwithstanding, Viru is undeterred and believes in his dreams. “In fact, I want all architects to copy my concept,” says Viru who calls himself a micro planner, a concept which is yet to pick up in India. From one customer a month, HomePlanGuru now receives five to six customers

monthly. “Once I gain momentum with customers, I plan to start developing products as well as certify if the house is safe in all aspects,” he adds. Thanks to the ESOPs he received from Infosys, Viru says it has made him debt-free as well as sail in the venture. And if you have been thinking how recession can affect his business, Viru says, “The longer the downturn, the better is the business for me, as today’s market is changing from builder-driven to customerdriven.” Now, all you who have built or are planning to build a home, do read through the FAQs section on www.homeplanguru.com for a dose of uncommon commonsense. ■

Looks like Viru is still popular among his corporate friends. We have received many requests from his colleagues: Narayan Balasubramanian, Prabakaran B. (Infosys), Vijayapriya V.S. (Cognizant)

Write to us at [email protected]. Tell us why you like/dislike the column, how we could make it better, some sectors which we neglected, etc.

Do visit Manik Kinra’s “one-stopshop” for start-ups at http://istartups.com. The site caters to different needs of start-ups – a blog, a consulting team that helps entrepreneurs write a business plan or make presentations to VCs, a job section with information on openings in the start-ups firms and all the latest happening in the start-up world.

06 VILLAGE

ERGO Monday, February 16, 2009

Shaved head In 1500 B.C. in Egypt, a shaved head was considered the ultimate in feminine beauty. Egyptian women removed every hair from their heads with special gold tweezers and polished their scalps to a high sheen with buffing clothes.

Now a TV cartoon on Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Computer virus attacks German defence computers

A South American TV personality has launched a television cartoon based on Indian spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s teachings, choosing him as the main character. The cartoon, Plim Plim, is aimed at children between two and five years old, the Art of Living Foundation said. Claudio Pousada, the creator, artist and composer of the cartoon, was quoted as saying: "This will be a key tool for children all over the world." The cartoon is in Spanish and English but it will be soon translated in other languages.

A computer virus that has already hit defence computers in Britain and France has spread to German military systems, the defence ministry in Berlin said Saturday. The Conficker computer worm has exasperated computer users right around the globe in recent weeks, but security-conscious military users had been thought to be better prepared to repel it. The spokesman said several German armed forces sites had to be disconnected from the military network after hundreds of computers were taken over by Conficker. France suffered a military outage from the worm in mid-January. Britain’s Defence Ministry has also admitted problems with it. Microsoft has posted a reward of 250,000 dollars for the capture of the person who spread the virus, which takes over Windows operating systems, attempts to crack passwords and downloads malware from the internet.

IANS

Over 2,500 couples tie the knot on Valentine’s Day in China More than 2,500 couples have tied the knot on Valentine’s Day in China, an official said Sunday. Valentine’s Day is becoming increasingly popular for marriages among the Chinese people, said Li Ziwei, chief of the marriage bureau under the civil affairs department. A total of 2,689 couples tied the knot on Valentine’s Day Feb 14. The number has increased by nearly 2,000 marriages this year as compared with last year’s Valentine Day, Li said. Haidian district, home to higher learning institutes and hi-tech firms, had the most marriages with more than 600 on Saturday. The official said: “With the financial crisis, many people, especially young people, have chosen to shift their focus of life from career to family. In China, people have to produce their identity cards, household records, and photos to register their marriage.

DPA

Saudi gets first female minister Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz has appointed the first-ever female deputy minister in the oil-rich kingdom. Norah al-Faiz became deputy education minister for women’s education, local Al- Arabiya website reported Saturday. The king reshuffled his cabinet and named a new central bank governor and a new head of the religious police. Muhammad al-Jasser was appointed by the king as the central bank governor, replacing Hamad Saud al-Sayyari. Sheikh Abdul Aziz al-Humain was named as new head of the Muttawa religious police, who replaced sacked Sheikh Ibrahim al-Ghaith. The monarch also appointed Abdul-Aziz Khoja, who was ambassador to Lebanon, as information minister, replacing Iyad bin Amin Madani. Saleh bin Humaid, who was speaker of the advisory Shura Council, was appointed head of the Supreme Judiciary Court and was replaced by the outgoing justice minister, Abdullah al-Sheikh. The key cabinet positions, such as ministers of oil and mineral resources, defence and foreign affairs, remain unchanged. Abdullah, who came into the throne in August 2005, had made minor changes in the government. Xinhua

Xinhua

Soon, a scent that smells like Lord’s cricket ground F

uture fragrances may smell like Lord’s cricket ground in London, say perfumers at Procter & Gamble. They have revealed that they recently captured the essence of the “home of cricket”. The perfumers revealed that they used a technology called headspace analysis to capture the odours of freshly cut grass, cricket bats, laundered cricket kit and the players’ changing room (minus the players). They said that they were using them as the starting point for a

fragrance. Lord’s is just one source of inspiration that perfumers are turning to in the hope of creating the next Chanel No 5. “Perfumers need inspiration, and this can come from people that surround them, places they’ve visited, or things that they love in the world,” New Scientist magazine quoted Will Andrews of P&G as saying. In a separate project, the P&G team are also trying to capture the essence of British yachtsman Alex Thomson’s racing yacht.

For those who think that these seem like unusual smells to make into fragrances, the perfumers say that the scents of the future could get even stranger. “Ingredients in the future will be about the smells that bring comfort for people coupled with some ingredients that are interesting, so people go ‘Ooh, what’s that?’” says Andrews. He suggests that the smell of warm electronics might resonate with people who have grown up playing computer games. ANI

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Monday, February 16, 2009

Websites of the day

Petrol brat

Keep an eye on this multimedia version of an even sillier ’You’ve Been Framed’: www.skoopy.com The information not good enough to make it on to Wikipedia: www.wikidumper.blogspot.com

An American man thought he’d got away with robbing a petrol station until his car ran out of gas just minutes into his getaway.

PALACE IS CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR TRAINEE BUTLERS HOUSEKEEPERS TICKET SELLERS AND WARDENS

British queen’s website gets makeover The revamped website offers virtual tours of Buckingham Palace, other royal residences and lot more

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f there’s anything you want to know about the British monarchy, just go the website: that is the message of an online offensive launched by Queen Elizabeth II. Anyone seeking employment as a royal butler, or keen to find out the names of the queen’s four Corgis, can do so at the click of a mouse on www.royal.gov.uk Queen Elizabeth II, the 82-yearold monarch, hired Tim BernersLee, the inventor of the worldwide web, to revamp the British monarchy website, first launched 12 years ago, for the advanced digital age. Back in 1997, when the image of

the monarchy was battered by the outpouring of grief over the death of Princess Diana, the queen’s initiative to enhance transparency by going online was little more than a desperate exercise in damage limitation. But the idea proved a hit. More than 100 million people visited the site in its first 12 months - a figure that has now increased to an average 250,000 users per week. The revamp overseen by Berners-Lee introduces a number of new features. It offers virtual tours of Buckingham Palace and other royal residences and, for the first time, gives the viewer access to

Prince Harry fails his first flying exam

videos of key historic events, such as the 1953 coronation and the then future queen’s first public speech at the height of war in 1940. Apart from rare archive material, users will be able to access the royal diary of engagements, fully integrated with Google Maps, and see all the clips currently available on the popular Royal Channel on YouTube, launched in 2007. While, back in 1997, the queen described the world surrounding the Internet as a “bit of a mystery”, she has since embraced the new technology to the full, a spokeswoman said.

Although she only started to use a computer two years ago, the queen is known to be in regular e-mail contact with her grandchildren, who also gave her an iPod on which she reportedly listens to the annual Last Night of the Proms concert. Under the section Royal Pets, the user will learn that the queen’s four corgis - Linnet, Monty, Willow and Holly - travel with her to the various residences, with “Her Majesty looking after them herself as much as possible given her busy schedule”. The user is informed that, among the many animal gifts the

queen has received from hosts and well-wishers around the globe are giraffes, turtles, cheetahs and sloths. “These are not kept by the royal household but are instead given to zoos or wildlife sanctuaries where they can be properly cared for.” Jobseekers will learn that the palace is currently looking for trainee butlers, housekeepers, ticket sellers and wardens. Applicants are advised to undergo security clearance and medical checks, while those “who do not have a right to work in the UK” are told to not even try.■

Valour grows by daring...

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ritain’s Prince Harry, who was recently exposed for calling a fellow soldier a ‘Paki’ during a training exercise and broke-up with his long-term girlfriend Chelsy Davy last month, has received yet another blow this year. He has failed in one of his first pilot exams just a few weeks into his two-year course. And now Army Air Corps chiefs are giving him extra lessons to ensure he passes a retake. The 24year-old Royal flunked the theory-based test at an RAF base in Lincolnshire. “Harry didn’t reach the grade but he will have plenty of other opportunities to pass it,” News of the World quoted a Royal source, as saying.

The Army Air Corps chiefs are giving him extra lessons to ensure he passes a retake

The prince, who struggled at Eton before getting two A-levels in Geography and Art, is splitting his time between RAF Cranwell and RAF Barkston Heath, both Lincs. The royal’s dream is to fly an Apache attack helicopter on the front line. However, if he passes his pilot’s course he may get a reconnaissance Lynx or Gazelle chopper instead, depending on his flying skills. ANI

쒀 Colombian Jose Gomez "Dinastia" looks at the bull hanging on his horns at La Macarena bullring on Saturday in Medellin, Colombia. AFP PHOTO/RAUL ARBOLEDA

DPA

08 SPORT

ERGO Monday, February 16, 2009

Atwal slips to tied 33 A horrendous front nine spoilt Arjun Atwal’s card as he brought home a one-under 71 to slide six places to tied 33rd after the penultimate round of the AT & T Pebble Beach National ProAm. The Orlando-based Indian sank four birdies against three bogeys to aggregate four-under 212 at the Spyglass Hills Course.

Bolt takes 400m victory Usain Bolt opened his 2009 season in Jamaica the same way he ran to sprint gold at the Beijing Olympics, slowing before the finish but crossing the line well ahead of his rivals. The Jamaican star, and world’s fastest man, turned in a creditable 400m performance at the Camperdown Classic, winning his heat in 46.35 seconds to capture the three-heat final on Saturday. “That was a good time,” Bolt said. “I opened last season with 46.9, so this is a good time.” Bolt, who ran in lane five, jogged the final 100 meters after getting out of the blocks fast, slowing on the backstretch and surging until his shutdown at the finish, ending with a smile on his face. “The first 300m was good. The last 100m needs some work,” Bolt said with a wide grin. Bolt said before the race that he was behind in his season preparations compared to last year, in part because of travel and distractions as a result of his Olympic heroics six months ago. AFP

Sania falters Russian top seed Vera Zvonareva overcame a tough challenge from India’s Sania Mirza to win the Pattaya Open 7-5, 6-1 on Sunday. The world number five was put to the test in a long first set packed with baseline tussles but showed her class in the second when she finished off the errorprone Mirza with a stream of powerful ground-strokes. Mirza, ranked 126th in the world, had made her intentions clear from the outset, confidently blasting the ball into the corners of the court and breaking Zvonareva in the third game. The Russian got back on track to take a sizeable lead but Mirza hauled herself back into the contest to draw level. Zvonareva regained control, sealing the first set after a double fault from Mirza and racing through the second to win her first title of the year and eighth of her career. Reuters

In BIG league Dhawal hopes advice from Zaheer, McGrath will help him in NZ

E

ager to make his mark in international cricket, Mumbai pacer Dhawal Kulkarni is hoping advice from teammate Zaheer Khan and idol Glenn McGrath will stand him in good stead in New Zealand. Named in the Indian Test squad for the tour of New Zealand, Kulkarni said interaction with Zaheer, his Ranji team mate, and McGrath has boosted his confidence. “I have played two Ranji Matches with Zaheer bhai last season. He taught me a lot about aggressive bowling and how to pressurise batsmen. My self-confidence grew after that,” he said from Rajkot. On McGrath, whom Kulkarni considers the best bowler in the world, the Mumbaikar said: “No one can match his accuracy. I had the privilege to get some tips from him during the Indian Premier League. He told me not to be harsh on myself as mistakes are bound to happen. He said one must practise hard to get that line and length.” He added: “I am following the valuable advices from Zaheer bhai and McGrath. It will certainly help me a lot.” The call-up in the Test squad was a just reward for the rightarm pacer who emerged as the highest wicket-taker – 42 scalps in nine matches – in his debut

Ranji Trophy season last year. He took five wickets in the final against Uttar Pradesh and was one of the heroes of Mumbai’s 38th Ranji triumph. Aware of the tough competition for a place in the national team, Kulkarni said he didn’t want to let go the opportunity. “Naturally, there would be immense pressure to perform. But I enjoy it as it inspires me to give my best shot. I don’t want to waste this chance.” he said. If he gets a chance to feature in the playing XI, Kulkarni would bowl along with Zaheer and Ishant Sharma and the Mumbaikar was effusive in his praise for India’s pace spearheads. “They are the best in the business today. Their consistency is the major force behind team India’s successful run in past few months,” the 20-year-old Kulkarni said. The youngster is also looking for-

ward to sharing the dressing room with some of the most renowned cricketers of this era. “I have shared the (Mumbai) dressing room with Sachin (Tendulkar) who is the source of inspiration for a whole generation. Now I am waiting to be a part of Indian dressing room which has Sachin, (Virender) Sehwag, (Rahul) Dravid, (VVS) Laxman and captain cool (MS) Dhoni,” said Dhawal. Asked about the preparation for the New Zealand tour, the bowler said he was currently concentrating on the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy one day tournament where Mumbai is facing Baroda. “I believe in the onetournament-at-a-time strategy. At the moment my whole focus is on Vijay Hazare tournament. I will think about Test series only after that,” he said. Kulkarni, who has toured New Zealand earlier with the India Under-19 team, said the challenge for bowlers like him would be to adapt to wickets of varying pace but hoped his past experience would help him there. “That was a different level and international cricket is altogether on a different level. But my past tour with the junior team will help me in adapting the wickets quickly,” he said. ■ PTI

09

Monday, February 16, 2009

‘‘

They (Steve Waugh, Shane Warne) said yes straight away. Once again, they are leading the way, just as they did in their playing days, and the response from players, past and present, plus the personalities has been fantastic. Cricket NSW chief executive David Gilbert on a charity Twenty20 cricket match to raise funds for Victorian bushfire sufferers

BBarca arca jjuggernaut uggernaut Eto’o scores two to rally Barcelona

S

amuel Eto’o scored two goals, including a late equaliser, as leader Barcelona rallied from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Real Betis and stretch its unbeaten run to 22 league games. Betis was two goals up within 25 minutes through Juan Melli Andreu and Mark Gonzalez before Eto’o scored off the rebound from his saved penalty in the 45th for his 100th league goal for Barcelona on Saturday. The Cameroon striker’s shot in the 84th needed a slight deflection to get past Betis goalkeeper Ricardo Soares, who looked set to hand Barcelona its first loss since opening day with the Portugal goalkeeper making several fine saves towards the end of the game, including a point-blank volley by Gerard Pique in the 82nd. Barcelona saw a 10game winning streak snapped, however, as it moved to 60 points after Eto’o took his league-leading goal tally to 23. Osasuna held Deportivo La Coruna to a 0-0 draw at El Riazor stadium. At Seville, Barcelona could have been ahead in the sixth but Eto’o failed to control the ball while alone in front of goal, with Xavi Hernandez eventually firing a hard shot wide. Betis’ defence was troubled from the 10th when centre back Juanito Gutierrez was forced off through injury,

and he would later be joined by William Lima. But Betis struck first in the 18th, Melli heading Achille Emana’s inswinging corner kick beyond goalkeeper Victor Valdes. Seven minutes later, Gonzalez controlled Sergio Garcia’s cross along the left to send a left-footed volley under Valdes and inside the post. The momentum continued Betis’ way after Gonzales’ goal with Emana swiveling to volley over in the 38th. But a questionable penalty call by referee Alfonso Perez Burrull began Barcelona’s fight back. Perez Burrull whistled Branko Ilic for a foul after he brushed against Andres Iniesta as the Barcelona winger moved along the left of the area. Eto’o pounced on the rebound after his initial penalty was saved to slot past Ricardo. Gonzalez thought he’d scored a second in the 50th but the Chile winger was ruled offside. Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola brought Lionel Messi and Thierry Henry on in the 57th as Barcelona pressed, with Ricardo getting a finger to Iniesta’s low drive in the 72nd. Ricardo Oliveira was played clear through in the 73rd without a defender in sight but the Betis striker rushed his shot and Valdes saved. ■ PTI

10 FLICK

ERGO Monday, February 16, 2009

Rare pics of Beatles to be exhibited Rare and behind-the-scenes images of the Beatles will be on display during a new photography exhibition in London. It opens at Movieum, County Hall on the South Bank, on March 12.

‘There isn’t anything to be looked as competition between Imraan and me’

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oth newcomers impressed audiences with their near flawless acts in Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na and Rock On respectively, making them top contenders for the numerous awards in tinsel town. But actor-director Farhan Akhtar makes it clear that there is no competition between him and ‘chocolate boy’ Imraan Khan. “There isn’t anything to be looked as competition between Imraan and me, as far as awards are concerned,” said Farhan, who has already kickstarted 2009 with another good performance in Luck By Chance. While Farhan took an unconventional route with a rock band musical drama in Rock On, Imraan too didn’t play a quintessential lover boy and followed the friendship-leading-to-love path in Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na. “And to be honest and absolutely fair, one has to acknowledge the performance of Imraan, which is indeed quite good,” says Farhan, who has made films like Dil Chahta Hain and Lakshya. Can’t the same be said for Farhan in Rock On? “Yes, people do tell me that I was good in Rock On. However, when it comes to awards, it also depends a lot on the jury watching the film. It’s their opinion that would matter about whether I or Imraan fit the bill. I’m sure both of us would be quite happy to get an award, but let’s see because anything can happen in such events,” the actor adds diplomatically. He asserts that at the end of the day, it is the audience and their appreciation that matter most. “The fact remains that people have appreciated both Imraan and me. It’s their acknowledgment and recognition that should keep an actor in me going. Yes, if awards come by, then it’s an added bonus; so why would I mind that?” Farhan quips. ■ IANS

Farhan Akhtar on the battle at the award nites

How Brad Pitt failed to enter his own house

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t was certainly a security goof-up for Brad Pitt when he could not enter his own house. The Oscar-nominated actor returned to his home on his customised Chopper motorbike, but was left redfaced when he couldn’t get through the security gates of his private estate. The Troy star had gone for a meeting at swanky Chateau Marmont hotel in Hollywood. After making several frantic phone calls, the actor was finally granted entry after a neighbour came to his rescue. Meanwhile, Pitt’s latest film, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, has topped the global box office after raking in 22 million pounds in 47 markets last weekend. ■ ANI

Zzzzzzzzzzzzz…

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ritish director Danny Boyle may have won praises and Oscar nominations for Slumdog Millionaire, but his 88-year-old father slept through the movie. And now Patrick Boyle has said that wants to see it again because he “missed a couple of parts”. However, Patrick, who watched the film at his local cinema, said that it was “great”, but not his favourite. “It’s great – but definitely not my favourite,” the Sun quoted Patrick as saying. “That is Shallow Grave. It has always stuck in my mind because it was his first. I’ve seen Slumdog Millionaire – but I think I missed a couple of parts so I wouldn’t mind seeing it again,” he added. ■ ANI

11

Monday, February 16, 2009

Frieda Pinto dumps fiancé Slumdog Millionaire star Freida Pinto has dumped her fiance because she wants to concentrate on her career. According to her friends, the 24-year-old has told Mumbai PR agent Rohan Antao that she could not be with him and be a world-renowned actress at the same time.

Cine City Steve Martin laughs off criticism of Pink Panther 2

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ctor Steve Martin on Friday dismissed poor reviews of the latest Pink Panther movie saying critics are always snobs when it comes to comedy. “I have received bad reviews my whole life,” Martin said as he presented Pink Panther 2 at the Berlin film festival, his second turn as bungling French detective Inspector Jacques Clouseau, a role made famous by Peter Sellers. At the Berlin Film Festival, the film is in competition for the festival’s prestigious Golden Bear Award. He added: “The Jerk, one of my most enduring films, was universally panned and criticised in America. Comedians always have to overcome critical snobbery, that’s just the way it is... Comedy is just not a critic’s medium.” The Pink Panther is now playing in 3,245 theatres, more than any other film, but it averaged only 109 dollars at each of them on February 11, suggesting that many theatres may be running it with no one in the seats. ■ ANI

‘I have received bad reviews my whole life’

Vijaynet.com to be reopened The official website of Vijay fans network, Vijaynet.com, which was closed lately, will soon be re-opened but as an unofficial site. The last post on the closed website says that the site will have no relation or connection to Vijay’s office. The site will be purely run by the actor’s fans and be updated with whatever little information obtained from media. The website was regularly followed by die-hard fans of Vijay for promotional stills and exclusive cinema news, but the decision to close was taken following lack of support from the actor’s office.

In Kamal’s living room Guess the two personalities who got a prominent place in the living room of ‘Ulaganayagan’ Kamal Hassan’s home? Actors Chevalier Dr. Sivaji Ganesan and comedian Nagesh. Apparently, there are no other pictures or portraits in the room other than that of Sivaji, a versatile actor with unmatched prowess of expression, and Nagesh, the king of clean comedy.

12

ERGO Monday, February 16, 2009

Friday’s Query What is your best Valentine’s Day pick-up line?

■ If I were to rearrange the alphabets I would put U and I together. Senthil Kumar P, RR Donnelley

■ Ellorum kondaduvom lover in peyarai solli ellorum kondaduvom. Vengi, TCS

■ Valentine’s Day may be for roses. But I’ll be the bed of roses for u covering the thorns of life dear. Nivedhan, Infoview Technologies

■ Hi Malini I’m Krishnan naan idha solliye aaganum nee avvalavu azhagu and I’m in love with you. Swaminathan, Reflexis

■ Love is nothing but loss of valuable energy. Kuppusamy Nattudurai, CSS Corp

■ The only thing your eyes haven’t told me is your name. Senthil, Wipro

■ Pickupu, dropu, escapu. Vimal TCS, Arun NC, HCL

■ Olunga daanda irundeeenga, enga irundu da varuthu dideernu intha love-u. Arun Kumar, Beny Raja, Jerome, Allsec, K.B.Santosh, TCS

■ Nee virumbura payana vida unna virumbura payana kalyanam panikita un vazhka nalla irukkum, athanala nee enna kalynam paniko. Sasi K, Ganesh M, TCS

■ Naan yedhai kettalum vetkathai ye

tharugiraaye,vetkathai kettal enna tharuvaai? (Line courtesy - poet Tabu Shankar) D.Ramki, TCS-eserve

■ Look observe verify enjoy. Anbu, Perot Systems

■ Love is eternal and so is Valentine’s Day. Kaaveya, CSS

■ I’ve never met u before and I may not meet u again. But I love u today. Raks, Paypal

Saravanan M.S. from Wipro has nominated his friends as Partners in Crime. This pic was clicked in Munnar.

■ I don’t believe in love because I still don’t have you. Sathish R, Changepond

■ Dear, my life is very beautiful, you know why because you are my life. S.Kumar, TCS

■ Heart beats 72 times a minute, even if your heart beats only once a minute you will live because 71 times my heart beats 4 you. Rekha, Uma, Shiv, Accenture

■ Love the heart which wounds you but don’t wound the heart which loves you. Prakash J, CSS

Kishore Gosetty from Hewlett Packard has nominated his team mates as Partners in Crime. This pic was clicked in Pondicherry.

■ You are looking like my beautiful wife. But still I’m single. Will you marry me? Seenivasan D, Technip

Today’s Query: In which Tamil film would you like to see Angelina Jolie as the heroine?

Mohamed Safeer from Tata Consultancy Services has nominated his friends as Partners in Crime. This pic was clicked at MGM.

13

Monday, February 16, 2009

Ethiraj from Financial Software and Systems has been nominated as Office Angel by Rajesh G. Our Ethi is a very good organizer; He plans and executes things to a highest possible accuracy… He is an ever charming, cool and patient guy with always a smile on his face.

■ Mr. & Mrs. R.S. Sarathy, Belated Best wishes to you both on your anniversary, May the love that you share last your lifetime through, as you make a wonderful pair. Happy Wedding anniversary!!! With Warm Wishes, DATAMARK Prodaptians

■ Dear Pavani, Wish u a many more happy returns of the day...May this birthday be the best and bring u lots of JOY, HAPPINES and WEALTH in ur life... Wishes from Sasikiran,Swagat,Sushma,Divya,Raji,Jyothy, Prashanthi,BalaKrishna,JosnaTCS-SNR

■ Dear Prithi, On this Special day We wish you a Very Happy Birthday.May it bring u with loads of joy. All the Best for ur delightful Journey.Keep Rocking. Best Wishes from Ravendran & iRonicz Spiders Team TCS,iNautix,fidelity-Chennai & Mumbai . Musigma,NSN,Tata Elexi,EMC-Bangalore Juno,Deshaw,Commvault-Hydrabad.

Mahesh Rajamani from Perot Systems doodled this.

Art featured in this column will receive gift coupons from Fruit Shop on Greams Road. Send in your addresses so that we can post the coupons.

■Hi Aakash (Orbit Provider), It’s your birthday, your very own special day of the year, and we just wanted to send you some birthday cheer. Have a great day, because you deserve it. We hope it will be the best birthday yet, bringing you happiness you’ll never forget. And remember, no matter what you do, to blow out the candles, because birthday wishes always come true. Best Regards, BCBSM Team

■ Hi "MGMS" Aani, We knew uwere proposed to MGMS already and also u love eachother well.Belated wishes for you man. Have a many and moneymore happy returns ofV-Day Oh... also urbirthday. Regards, LOGIS Air Team, Wipro Technologies

Father: Dei, naan padikkum pothu 12 km nadanthae poi padichaen. SOn: Appom padipukkum ungalukkum romba thooramnu sollunga. Father: !!?!!

■ Dear Ravi, May this day be the beginning of a very Special Year.And this special birthday wish comes with warm and heartful thanks for the infinite happiness that you shared :-) :-) .Happy Birthday AEC (hehehee).And all the best for your P.hD... Best Wishes, Customer World Team, TCS.

Alice Julia

Ramar Sithaiyai thedindu Lankai kalambumbodhu kadal ai thaandarathukku varar.Appo enna aschariyam! Kadal avarukku appadiye vazhi vittuduthu. Yein? ---Yen-na, AvarkitteVillIrundhathu;Where there is a Will, there is a Way !! Manonmani Kesav, HCL

■ Dear Chocks, Your birthday comes with a celebration, gathering of friends; here is wishing you great happiness, a joy that never ends.

May this year bring you with all the success and fulfillment your heart desires. Keep your true age as secret. “Happy Birthday” Chocks! From, Muthukumar & Route 4, Excelacom Technologies

■ Dear Ram, If rain drops were kisses,I could send you Showers... If hugs were seas i send you oceans... & If love was a person i sendyou me!! I love you Keenly, not for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you... Happy ValentInes day in advance... Ur Sweet heart

■ Hai Gokul, Wishing you all the best in life and career on the occasion of your Birthday. We wish you many more happy returns of the day… Have a fun filled day… Greetings & wishes from Team GIT, Cognizant, Chennai

■ Dear Joel, We Wish u a Happy Marriage Life.May Joys overflow in ur life.All the best for ur Delightful Journey. Best Wishes from iRonicz Spiders Team TCS,iNautix,fidelity-Chennai & Mumbai Musigma,NSN,Tata Elexi,EMC-Bangalore Juno,Deshaw,Commvault-Hydrabad.

■ Dear DeepaRani, Wish you many more happy returns of the day! May the coming years bring lots of happiness and cherish in your life. Best Wishes, Shobi, Krithi, Arul, Aarthi

■ Dear Baaji, Happy Birthday to You & May God Bless you. May this day be the beginning of another special year.Let this birthday bring you lot of joy and happiness in your life! A Warm Birthday Wishes from All of us! I wish all your dreams will soon come true!! Regards, Bhavani Ananthan. Team Beacon. HCL Technologies Ltd.

■ Dear Prakash, Happy Happy Birthday!! God Bless U!Let this year bring more n more cheers into your life! Wish u long life n gr8 future;) Fondly Amirtha

14 TRAFFIC JAM

ERGO Monday, February 16, 2009

Dumb dad A Florida man has been arrested after allowing his eight-year-old son to drive his van, which careered off the road and hit two trees . Mark A. Belanger was charged with child abuse and permitting an unlicensed driver behind the wheel.

Rajalin Jaba Rani of Visteon Technical Services shot this picture in the outskirts of Kanyakumari. She was in awe of the place, which was a lagoon looking similar to the backwaters of Kerala. Hobbies: Reading and photography Thanks to the stupenduous response to its promotion, Kantilal Diamonds has decided to extend its gift vouchers for the column for two more weeks. From now, winners are requested to collect their gift vouchers directly from Ergo office on Sunday afternoons between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

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sudoku

KAKURO

15

Monday, February 16, 2009

Longest serving milkman

Word’s worth

A British milkman has been hailed as the longest serving milkman in the U.K. - after taking over the round from his father during the Second World War. Derek Arch, 81, took over from his dad when he was just 14, and has stuck with his round ever since - despite not wanting the job in the first place.

“Iconomicar” (eye-kuh-nah-mi-ker) a writer about agriculture. A synonym (surprising that we need one) for geoponic.

B.C ARIES MARCH 21 - APRIL 20 Ganesha advises you to take good care of health, as it may affect your efficiency too. You may need to remain extra careful in your routine work, specifically in technical tasks. In relationships, you may need to guard against obstinate attitude.

TAURUS APRIL 21 - MAY 20 You may be more defensive regarding your work today. Someone may try to find flaws in your work. You may be over-emotional in love and relationships with your friends. Ensure that you don’t over react while communicating with your beloved one.

GEMINI MAY 21 - JUNE 20 It may be a busy day for you. You might have to deal with some complex issues. If you are a team leader, you might have to manage your team members’ emotions. You may not be able to give due attention to your beloved one, feels Ganesha.

BORN LOSER

CANCER JUNE 21 - JULY 20 Ganesha finds everything in your favour today. At work, you may be very punctual and precise. Your keenness to do something better seems to be increasing today. In personal life, you will respect your partner and you may receive lot of love too.

LEO JULY 21 - AUG 20 Ganesha feels that you will have to take a ’backseat’ at work today. If you try to lead a project or a meeting, you may be put in a complicated situation. In relationships, you may let your partner lead and avoid taking any minor or major decisions.

VIRGO AUG 21 - SEPT 20

FREE RANGE

WORKING IT OUT

The day seems relatively cool. You may be working on interesting projects or you may be assigned something that may demand your full attention. In love relationships, you may handle everything intelligently.

LIBRA SEPT 21 - OCT 20 Your subconscious mind may be very active today. You will be intuitive and act based upon instincts. You may have interesting discussion regarding work with like-minded people. In relationships you need to avoid hard hitting criticism and comments.

SCORPIO OCT 21 - NOV 20 You are experiencing ’new energy cycle’ which will make you more active and determined. Your decisions regarding work may be firm. In love relationships you may be deeply involved and enjoy very nice time with your beloved, says Ganesha.

SAGITTARIUS NOV 21 - DEC 20 Ganesha does not find you in a very good mood today. You may be busy sorting out problems in personal and professional life. Nothing seems to go so smooth. You are suggested to use your ’wit’ to sort out issues, it may help you in a major way.

CAPRICORN DEC 21 - JAN 20 Ganesha advises you to remain as cool as possible today. Bad temper may cause long lasting negative effects. You may prefer isolation in order to think about various issues of life. In love relationships, you may have very practical approach.

PREVIOUS ISSUE’S SOLUTIONS

AQUARIUS JAN 21 - FEB 20 You are suggested to refrain from correcting others at work. Your professional terms with superiors may need to be watched, as there are all chances of getting into undesirable discussions. In personal life, you should compromise over certain issues.

PISCES FEB 21 - MARCH 20 It is going to be a lucky day for you. Ganesha finds you dealing with more than one activity at a time. You may wish to chill out with your dear ones. In love relationships, you may experience something which will make you feel lucky or honoured. Predictions by Bhavesh N. Pattni

16 !

ERGO Monday, February 16, 2009

Musicians hold frogshaped puppets called “Keromnin” to play electronic music at a concert without instruments in Kawasaki, Kanagawa prefecture, suburban Tokyo on February 15, 2009. Keromin, frog-shaped electronic instruments, were developed in 2008 to play 16 different voices, including frog voices and sounds of acoustic instruments such as violins and pipe organs. The concert was performed with instruments made of vegetables, empty bottles and frogshaped stuffed dolls. AFP PHOTO / YOSHIKAZU TSUNO

The Indian-American from Chicago, US, Nikkitasha Marwaha (C), 19, is crowned Queen during the 18th Miss India Worldwide 2009 beauty pageant in Durban on February 14. Twenty-five girls from all over the world participated in the annual event. AFP PHOTO/RAJESH JANTILAL

A woman wearing a mask attends a traditional ‘Mala Strana Carnival’ festival celebrating the departing winter and forthcoming spring on February 14 in front of Prague Castle. AFP PHOTO/ MICHAL CIZEK