Ergo February 18

A BYTE OF LIFE

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Vol. 3

FREE CIRCULATION

No. 31

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SRK’S SHOULDER King Khan told to keep off strenuous action scenes for next six months

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WINDOW SHOPPER Patio Galerie for your outdoors

Boxers in Tamil Nadu complain that they have been delivered the unkind cut due to infighting among local boxing federation officials and a North-South cultural divide. Ayon Sengupta reports. » PAGE 08

PHOTO: R. RAVINDRAN

Sucker PUNCH

02 NAMMA CHENNAI

ERGO Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Discount Alert Shoppers Stop has started its end of season sale. It is offering 51 per cent off on international and Indian brands for its range for men, women and children. The offer is on till March 8 at Harrington Road, Chetpet.

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t’s never too late to gift your Valentine, especially if it is a book. In response to the article ‘Say it with a book this Valentine’, published on February 13, Chital Mehta has suggested some more books that are an ideal pick.

P.S I Love You by Cecelia Ahern P.S I Love You is a story about a young woman, Holly, who loses her husband in the early years of her marriage. She is unable to come out of the trauma. Fate smiles upon her when Holly receives a package from her late husband. He has left her letters for each month and a task to be performed. Holly rebuilds life with some fun, laughter and tears. It is an emotional book, yet fun-filled, which exposes little miracles about life which are often overlooked.

When Suriya shook hands, sang a song and gave roses away

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e don’t know how special a Valentine’s Day it was for actor Suriya and family, but for the patients of Tanker Foundation it was a day to remember. A double bonanza awaited all those at the Tanker Foundation’s 15th anniversary. Everybody was

only expecting Suriya at the event; instead he dropped in with wife Jyotika and little Diya. For the uninitiated, the actor is the goodwill ambassador of Tanker Foundation, which helps the underprivileged suffering from kidney ailments by offering them subsidised dialysis treatment.

The family went around meeting patients, giving roses to each of them and encouraging them to motivate new patients on dialysis treatment. He also praised the staff for taking care of the many patients. The celebrations started with a prayer song, we shall over come, sung by Latha A. Kumaraswami, managing trustee of the foundation, with the staff and Suriya singing along in chorus. It was a day when all the patients looked happy and motivated. ■

Dear John by Nicholas Sparks Love is not only about owning but also letting go. Dear John is a story about a soldier who falls in love with Savannah. She brings him to a “better part of life” but deserts him due to circumstances. The novel speaks about undying love and perseverance. A must-read for those who are in love as well as for those who aren’t in love.

More books from Nicholas Sparks Message in a Bottle, The Notebook, The Guardian, A Bend in the Road, The Wedding (Chital Mehta is an associate software engineer with Accenture)

Police crack woman’s murder, 4 arrested ERGO CORRESPONDENT [email protected]

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n a breakthrough in the murder of a female employee working in a supermarket in Royapuram, police on Sunday arrested the lady owner of the supermarket on Tuesday. The accused woman had allegedly orchestrated the murder of her employee after being irked over the fact that her husband was having an affair with her. On Sunday afternoon, Ananthi (23) was stabbed to death inside the supermarket by an unidentified youth. Royapuram police registered a case of murder and upon investigation it was discovered that the

accused Bhavani (37) had deployed Harikrishnan (27), a water can supplier from Mylapore, to commit the murder. Harikrishnan was a friend of Bhavani’s daughter. According to an investigating officer, Bhavani had convinced Harikrishnan to kill Ananthi by promising him her daughter’s hand in marriage. Harikrishnan, with the help of Muthukrishnan

(45), the watchman of the store, and Venkatesan (34) reached the store, identified Ananthi and stabbed her. Royapuram police arrested Bhavani, Harikrishnan, Muthukrishnan and Venkatesan and produced them at the George Town court. They were later remanded to custody and sent to Puzhal prison. ■

The accused woman had allegedly orchestrated the murder of her employee after being irked over the fact that her husband was having an affair with the victim

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Wednesday, February 18, 2009

PHOTOS: R. RAVINDRAN

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ooking at the birdbaths, garden chairs and lawn benches, you might think you’re passing a park. There’re mini street lamps, too, that remind you Dickensian London. Only, Patio Galerie is right on the busy T.T.K. Road, just next to Music Academy, and is no park, lawn or garden. The one-year-old store specialises in outdoor furniture and accessories and has quite a motley bunch of interesting pieces. Besides the above-mentioned birdbaths and garden chairs, there are gazebos, hammocks, garden umbrellas, recliners, swings, table-chair sets, lanterns and bird feeders, to name some. The wicker swing with canopy and metal frame stands out due

to it proportions. The goods come in metal, cast iron, rattan wood and wicker. As Preeth Lakra reveals, a majority of the pieces are manufactured by Patio Galerie’s own manufacturing unit in Chennai. While customers can choose the designs from the store’s catalogue, specific orders are also undertaken. Besides, the store also undertakes corporate orders, with several star hotels in the city and beyond figuring on its client list.

Ergo picks We loved the cast iron letterbox and fireplace. While the former comes at Rs. 9,450, the latter costs Rs. 7,500. The letter box comes complete with lock and key, while the fireplace weighs 10 times more than what you’d expect from the puny-looking thing. Also, the cast iron lamps shaped like owls and turtles are useful and fun. ■

Patio has everything that could make your lawn, terrace, garden, balcony, poolside and veranda look good and better

Address: Patio Galerie No. 164 (308), T.T.K. Road, Royapettah, Chennai – 600 014 Ph: 044 - 28116225 Email: [email protected] Store timings: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Open all days)

04 KALEIDOSCOPE

ERGO Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Roses for a rose WITH SOME WINE THROWN IN SO WHAT IF V-DAY IS OVER? GET PAMPERED WITH THE ROSE-WINE FACIAL FROM LIMELITE Vipasha Sinha

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bunch of roses with a glass of wine in a cosy ambience is a perfect idea for Valentine’s Day. But now that V-Day is gone, there is no point regretting that you gave her neither a rose nor a glass of wine. So, treat her to a rose-wine facial. Limelite, a popular chain of unisex salons, introduced the rose facial to woo lovebirds, which is still on offer. The procedure is more or less like any other facial, except for the added back massage. It proves to be of great help as the massage de-stresses the body. After cleansing and scrubbing, the face pack is applied. The rose-wine pack is prepared from rose petals and red grapes, as rose-wine contains poly phenols and acts as an effective anti-oxidant. The pack also contains natural ingredients like oatmeal bran, sweet almonds, lavender and rose essential oils, fresh milk and aloe vera. Experts at Limelite say the penetrating nature of wine helps the skin absorb vitamins and anti-oxidants easily. It takes three hours for the ingredients to penetrate. Avoid using products containing chemical ingredients for 24 hours after the facial. To rinse your face, use only plain water. If you want more than a facial, you can get a rose-wine manicure and pedicure done, too. ■

In the blink of an eye Company that introduced botox in beauty now coming up with a drug that might replace mascara

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irst it was frozen foreheads. Now it’s long eyelashes. Allergan, the company that turned an obscure muscle paralyser for eyelid spasms, Botox, into a blockbuster wrinkle smoother, hopes to perform cosmetic alchemy yet again. Last month, the company introduced Latisse, the first prescription drug for growing longer, lusher lashes approved by the U.S. government.

The product has the same formula as Allergan’s eye drops for glaucoma, called Lumigan. It is one of several drugs in a category known as prostaglandin analogs, which are meant to reduce dangerous pressure in the eyeball. But as a side effect, the treatment tends to make the eyelashes of many patients longer and fuller. Some medical experts say they worry that cosmetic cus-

tomers may occasionally experience some of the glaucoma drug’s other, less desirable sideeffects, which can include red, itchy eyes and changes in eyelid pigmentation. Some financial analysts, meanwhile, wonder how many people will be willing to spend $120 for a monthly dose of lash-lengthening Latisse. But other analysts predict that in a world where people

spend about $5 billion a year on mascara, Latisse could be the biggest thing to hit cosmetic medicine since, well, Botox. Allergan conducted a clinical trial among about 280 volunteers, half of whom used Latisse daily for 16 weeks. The study results were reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration,

which approved the drug in late December. In that study, eyelashes typically grew 25 percent longer, 106 percent thicker and 18 percent darker. And while 3.6 percent of patients experienced eye itching and red eyes, none had a change of eye colour, according to Allergan. ■ NYT News Service

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Wednesday, February 18, 2009

India’s snake charmers T

he nation’s snake charmers, whose baskets and flutes have launched a thousand picture postcards, rallied in Kolkata on Tuesday to protest a ban they said was killing the generations-old profession. An estimated 5,000 charmers from all over West Bengal took to the streets of the state capital, denouncing wildlife protection laws that proscribe the commercial use of wild animals, including performances with live snakes. Since the laws were fully implemented in the late 1990s, the estimated 8 lakh snake charmers in India – one lakh in West Bengal alone – say they have effectively been deprived of their livelihood. “It’s our birth right to charm snakes. No can deprive us of that,” said Langra Bede, 35, who has suffered two cobra bites in his charming career. “Our forefathers charmed snakes. We grew up with this. It’s basically all we know,” he said. A large number of Indian snake charmers belong to the nomadic, Bengali-speaking, Bedia community, whose members have long made their living from street performance. The wildlife legislation has emptied most large cities of snake charmers, although a small number can still be seen around major tourist sites in places like New Delhi, risking arrest as

they cajole foreign visitors into taking a snapshot for a small fee. Tuesday’s protest was organised by a union set up by the snake charmers to seek an exemption from the ban and lobby for state support for retraining. They have specifically asked the government to set up snake serum farms where members of their community could be employed extracting venom. The union’s leader, Raktim Das, said thousands of snake charmers were “on the verge of starvation” having been deprived of their sole source of regular income. “In fact, the ban has also jeopardised the very existence of the 1,000year-old Bedia community, which is an integral part of the rich heritage of Bengal,” Das said. Animal rights groups say snake charmers are cruel imposters who use physical abuse to train the reptiles to move to the sway of their flute-like instruments. The entertainers generally rip out the snakes’ fangs and feed them milk, meaning the animals are unable to catch prey and die when returned to their natural habitat after six months or so of performance. ■ AFP

AFP PHOTO/ DESHAKALYAN CHOWDHURY

BITE BACK

Take out a rally in Kolkata to reclaim the right to charm snakes for a living

“It’s our birth right to charm snakes. No can deprive us of that.”

06 VILLAGE

ERGO Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Hong Kong tantrum A clip of a hysterical woman screaming at staff and writhing on the floor after missing a flight has clocked up over 465,000 hits on clip-sharing website YouTube just a few days after it was posted.

Pope John Paul II faced two assassination plots Pope John Paul II, the first non- Italian pontiff since 1520 to rule the Vatican City for almost 27 years till his death nearly four years back, actually faced “two assassination plots in his native Poland". According to Father Zdzislaw Krol, the Chancellor of Warsaw Metropolitan Curia, before the start of 1987 pilgrimage the Church received information from a woman of a plan to kill Pope John Paul II in the town of Czestochowa, a focal point of Polish catholicism, ’The Daily Telegraph’ reported.

A computer ‘that will play every video game’

PTI

First solar-powered phone goes on display Samsung unveiled the world’s first solar-powered mobile phone at an industry show on Monday. The South Korean manufacturer put its “Blue Earth” phone on display in front of curious crowds at Mobile World Congress, with industry insiders keen to see the mini solar panels located on the back of the phone. “This type of device would be ideal for developing markets where workers have long hours and don’t have access to electricity,” commented Nick Lane, chief researcher at consultancy Direct2 Mobile. “It would also interest consumers with an eye on the ‘green’ aspects, or companies and their CSR (corporate social responsibility) programmes.” The device is to be launched initially in Europe in the second half of 2009 but is likely to be out of the price range of a worker in the developing world. A Samsung representative said it would be a mid to high-end handset. A full charge taking 10-14 hours in the sun would offer about four hours of talk time. The phone can also be plugged in to charge, with the solar panels used to top up the battery to extend its power.

Scientists are on track to develop a new computer which they claim would be able to play all video games ever created. According to them, the state-of-the-art machine would also ensure that other kinds of files remain accessible long after the demise of the hardware and software for which they were originally intended. In fact, the European Union-funded project dubbed KEEP involves creating a software package that replicates the functionality of a previous hardware platform, storage medium or operating system, making it possible to use old software on modern hardware, the ’New Scientist’ reported. PTI

Call to stop auction of Gandhi’s possessions An Indian organisation in Bahrain has expressed displeasure over the news of Mahatma Gandhi’s possessions, including his steel-rimmed glasses and leather sandals, going under the hammer in the US next month. The Co-ordination Committee of Indian Associations (CCIA) here issued a call for action to stop the sale by a private American collector, who currently owns all the items. The committee also urged the Indian government to buy these valuables at any cost and bring them back and keep them at the Gandhi Museum in Rajghat.

AFP

PTI

No kissing, please we’re British British train station bans passionate goodbyes

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t must have been one of Britain’s most passionate places but now the rule in Warrington Bank Quay’s station is: “No kissing, we’re British.” No-kissing signs were put up at the station’s taxi and drop-off zone designated for rail travellers, as outbreaks of passion appeared to threaten the punctuality of traffic at the station operated by Virgin Rail.

The company declared on Monday that the signs were “a light-hearted way” of encouraging travellers not to clog the often crowded station, which is located on the rail lines between London and Glasgow as well as Birmingham and Scotland. However, some commuters were less than amused at the idea of cold farewells from their loved ones.

“It’s ridiculous. I don’t see the point of having a no-kissing area, surely people are entitled to say their goodbyes,” said Ruth Sargeant, 38, was quoted as saying by the Daily Telegraph. Meanwhile, Tom Hall, 25, was merely wondering: “It’s daft. What are they going to do if they catch couples kissing, fine them?” DPA

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Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Websites of the day

Fridge fire

This wacky blogspot finds there are friendly faces everywhere: http://facesinplaces.blogspot.com/ A run-down of retro motor ads through the ages: http://iiidragons.com/gallery/Van-Advertisements

An elderly man in Austria set his house on fire after he mistook his refrigerator for his fireplace.

Laze around and get paid! More than 18,000 apply for the post of caretaker of Hamilton Island, dubbed the best job in the world

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ore than 18,000 people from nearly 200 countries have applied for the “best job in the world,” hoping to earn good money for lazing around on an Australian island, officials said Tuesday. The deadline for applications for the post of “caretaker” of tropical Hamilton Island on the Great Barrier Reef looms on Sunday – and the competition is already tough, the Queensland state government warned. “We’ve been really overwhelmed by the lengths people are going to draw attention to their applications,” Tourism Queensland spokeswoman Nicole McNaughton told AFP. “Potential applicants have sent out press releases, sourced their own media coverage and established websites dedicated to their applications.” Candidates are required to create a video application in English of up to one minute explaining why they are uniquely qualified for the job. The job pays 150,000 Australian dollars (about 100,000 US dollars) for six months and includes free

Jacko auctioning 2,000 items from Neverland ranch

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op singer Michael Jackson is reportedly auctioning 2,000 items from the Neverland ranch, which he quit in 2005 after his acquittal in his infamous child abuse case. His treasured possessions will descend on the fourday sale in April. Meanwhile, reports have suggested that Jackson lived like a king with crowns, a royal cape, a

suit of armour, and a throne in his bedroom. The singer, who is currently wrestling with huge debts, once had a fortune worth more than 500 million pounds. The Beverly Hills auction will see furniture, sculptures, items from Jackson’s art collection, fixtures and fittings from his mansion, and his stage costumes go under the hammer. According to reports, Jackon is even selling the famous gates and fairground rides at the 38-acre Neverland amusement park in California. “It seems as if everything he owns is made of bronze, marble and gold,” the Daily Star quoted auctioneer Michael Doyle as saying. Items for sale range from a pair of socks covered in rhinestone banding, priced at 575 pounds, to a Rolls Royce customised with special art, valued at 115,000 pounds. ANI

airfares from the successful candidate’s home country to the white sands and clear waters of Hamilton Island. In return, the winner will be expected to have as much fun as he or she can – soaking up the sun, swimming, snorkelling, sailing – and report to a global audience via weekly blogs, photo diaries and video updates. The successful candidate – who will stay in a multi-million-dollar three-bedroom beach home – must be over 18, a “fantastic and charismatic” communicator, and able to speak and write English. The campaign is a key element in a drive to promote the northeastern Australian state’s 18-billion-dollar a year tourism industry during the tough global economic climate, officials say. A shortlist of 50 applicants will be announced on March 2, the final 11 candidates will be flown to the island for interviews from May 3, and the winner will be announced on May 6, Tourism Queensland said in a statement. Job-seekers can apply on www.islandreefjob.com. ■ AFP

Spider-Man 쑸 “French SpiderMan” Alain Robert celebrates after scaling one of Hong Kong’s tallest skyscrapers, the Cheung Kong Centre (background) on Tuesday in what he said was an effort to highlight global warming. Robert, famous for climbing the world’s tallest buildings without safety equipment, was arrested by police after a 40minute ascent of the 62-storey Cheung Kong Centre AFP PHOTO / MIKE CLARKE

08 SPORT

ERGO Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Pak clears last six ICL players A Pakistani court Tuesday lifted domestic bans on the country’s last six active players who joined the unofficial Indian Cricket League (ICL). “Imran Nazir, Imran Farhat, Humayun Farhat, Riaz Afridi, Arshad Khan and Taufiq Umar got their bans suspended by the court and are now free to play in domestic matches,” the players’ lawyer Zahid Fakhruddin said.

Ring of Legendary trio presented ICC Hall of Fame caps West Indies greats Vivian Richards, Andy Roberts and Michael Holding were today presented the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame caps to formally induct them into the exalted honour list of the world governing body. The former cricketers were presented with their Hall of Fame caps by West Indies Cricket Board President Dr Julian Hunte on the field of play during the lunch interval on day two of the third Test between the hosts and England at the Antigua Recreation Ground. Richards, who made the fastest hundred in Test history at the venue when he reached the three-figure mark in just 56 balls against England in 1986, said, “It is a real pleasure to be recognised as one of the legends of West Indies cricket and in a group of players in world cricket. It was special to receive this honour alongside two players I played a lot of cricket with,” he added. Holding, who was also celebrating his 55th birthday, said, “It is a tremendous honour to become part of this small group of cricketers. It’s not something you set out to try and achieve when you start playing cricket but it is special to be recognised alongside such greats of the game. It is one of those things that will endure a long time after people have forgotten the matches I played in and it makes me proud.” PTI

Easy win for Sania Wild card Sania Mirza overcame a sluggish start to beat Russian Ekaterina Makarova in straight sets and enter the second round of the USD two million Dubai Tennis Championships in Dubai. The in-form Indian, who finished runners-up at last week’s Pattaya Open in Thailand, defeated Makarova 7-5, 6-2 after slogging it out for one hour and 27 minutes in the opening round of the hard court event. Sania will now be up against 16th seed Spaniard Kaia Kanepi in the second round. The error-prone Indian lost her serve twice in the opening set and committed three double faults but with Makarova being as rusty, Sania managed to clinch it breaking the Russian thrice in the process. The Hyderabadi player was in control in the second set and broke Makarova thrice out of the nine chances she got to wrap up the match. In doubles, Sania and her Italian partner Mara Santangelo would open their campaign against the Swiss-Polish pair of Stefanie Voegele and Urszula Radwanska. PTI

disillu A

bronze medal at the Olympics followed by a clutch of more at the Boxing World Cup has failed to lift boxing from the doldrums in Tamil Nadu. Though the success of Vijender and Akhil Kumar has inspired hope among hundreds of boxers in the state, the disillusionment is palpable among the athletes, for whom it appears to be a case of so near yet so far. Hard training conditions and less-than-conducive living conditions have added to the woes, and a cash-strapped state body treated like a perennial stepchild by the national body dominated by the North Indians, or more precisely Punjabis and Haryanvis, can only cry hoarse. “We have talented boxers but once they proceed to the Indian camp, they are inevitably ignored and treated as second-rung citizens,” an official says, on condition of anonymity. “Politics is everywhere and all the officials are trying to push their own wards.” Bronze medallist at the lightweight category in the last nationals E. Thulasi is still without a job and is apprehensive about attending the national camp in April. “I have performed well at all levels but am yet to receive any help from anybody. Although other boxers have made it to government jobs even after failing at the state level, I am still living on charity,” she says. Thulasi has thrice pitted her skills against four-time World Cup winner K.C. Mary Kom and in their last meeting last year lost on backward count after their scores were tied at the end of four rounds. Nepotism is the buzzword and infighting is ablaze. G. Senthilnathan, two-time best boxer at the south zone meet, cries foul and says: “Things don’t look very bright here. Good performances don’t assure you a job or even a call to the national camp. It’s very hard to keep the motivation going.” Twenty-twoyear-old Senthilnathan, who has attended the national camp twice and has rubbed shoulders with the likes of Vijender, A.L. Lakra and Akhil Kumar, says that with a little help he

National lightweight bronze medallist E. Thulasi (re Nehru Stadium in Chennai. PHOTO: R. RAVINDRAN

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Wednesday, February 18, 2009

‘‘

You look at the individual players and some of the world’s best are coming. Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virender Sehwag batting on the little grounds in New Zealand is pretty scary. You balance that with them being notorious for not touring New Zealand all that well. Daniel Vettori

First they have to survive the infighting among the officials. And then comes the bigger hurdle of North-South cultural divide. Boxers in the state are no less talented but are always fighting the odds.

usionment

ed head gear) manoeuvres against a fellow boxer at the SDAT School of Boxing at the

could also make it big in the international arena. “Technically, the boxers from Bhiwani are not much superior to us. But they are better looked after and that makes a difference.” Tamil Nadu Boxing Association secretary A.N. Karunakaran acknowledges the problem but sees it more as a cultural divide. “Boxers from the South face a huge problem in terms of language and food when they go for the camps that are usually held in the North. Our wards are generally shy and can easily be bullied in alien conditions,” he says. “At times they also return home in the middle of the camp. So you can’t blame the association always. But what the national body can do is rotate the camps all over the country and hold a few down South so that our boxers find it easier to amalgamate.” Speaking about the infighting in the state association, Karunakaran says: “Four years ago it was really ugly and the officebearers were here only for money. Railway recruitments have always been farcical for some unforeseen reasons. We have provided jobs in Tamil Nadu Police but very few are ready to take that up. In a way, our hands are tied.” Taking a dig at the nexus of clubs and coaches, Karunakaran says: “The boxers come from lower-middleclass background and are mostly uneducated. The coaches, especially the club coaches, are always taking them for a ride and stopping them from participating in state events, bringing down their chances of getting jobs.” Thirteen-year-old R. Ravi, gold medallist at the junior nationals in Assam in the 42 kg category, and his close friend and silver medallist A. Silambaram are still quite far off from these politics and hope hard work will help them emulate Vijender and Akhil. “I come from a poor family and live alone with my mother. I feel boxing is my ticket to a better livelihood and for that I have to give my heart and soul,” Ravi says as his constant companion Silambaram nods his head in acknowledgment. While Thulasi and Senthilnathan may be too viciously tangled in the official fiefdom, one can only hope that the future holds better for youngsters like Ravi and Silambaram. ■

10 FLICK

ERGO Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Hottest Sci-Fi Babe Ever Hollywood actress Megan Fox has been named the sexiest sci-fi babe of all time in a new poll. The 22-year-old actress landed the top spot for her role as car-obsessed beauty Mikaela Banes in 2007 hit movie Transformers, reports Contactmusic.

Back on track, but with some brakes While Shah Rukh Khan’s shoulder surgery on Monday was successful, doctors have imposed a six-month no-no on strenuous action sequences

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o heavy-duty action scenes for Shah Rukh Khan for the next six months, say doctors who successfully operated upon him for a nagging pain in the left shoulder on Monday. “Shah Rukh’s surgery went off fine and he should be back home in two days. However, he will require some good rest for a long period and has been advised not to do any strenuous work,” said Sanjay Desai, orthopaedic surgeon at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai. So, in effect Shah Rukh will be on a forced break for six weeks to fully recuperate. However, he will host the Filmfare awards on March 7, which were scheduled for February 28 earlier. The organisers postponed the date for Shah Rukh’s sake. He can take up taxing action scenes only after six months. “It’s a normal precaution that one has to take. The surgery was long pending and it is good that he finally took out time for it. Keeping in mind that he would only become busier in months to come, it made sense that he got himself operated before it was too late,” Desai said. His family, friends and fans heaved a sigh of relief when it was announced that the surgery, which lasted 45 minutes, had been successful. A team of three doctors performed the surgery. The last few months have been especially tiring for Shah Rukh as he was working non-stop on the promotion of Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, shooting for My Name Is Khan and then promoting Billu. In fact, he went on an overdrive for the promotion of Billu and was attending as many as eight events a day. He had injured his shoulder a long time ago, but the pain aggravated in December last year. Farah Khan, who was by his side in the hospital till late Monday evening, said: “He went to sleep after the surgery. He was in too much pain.” However, Shah Rukh made sure his producers would not suffer because of his surgery and forced break. Currently, Shah Rukh has only two films on the floors – Karan Johar’s My Name Is Khan and Viveck Vaswani’s Dulha Mil Gaya. While he has already finished shooting for an extensive part of My Name Is Khan, in Dulha Mil Gaya he has an extended guest appearance for which only a qawwali featuring him with Sushmita Sen remains to be shot. ■ IANS

It’s a normal precaution that one has to take. The surgery was long pending and it is good that he finally took out time for it. Keeping in mind that he would only become busier in months to come, it made sense that he got himself operated before it was too late

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Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Too violent for release Jackie Chan’s Chinese fans will not get to see his new movie, for its director Derek Yee considers it to be “too violent” to be released in China. The movie Shinjuku Incident features Chan as a refugee who escapes to Japan, and gets embroiled in the local gang culture.

Joaquin Phoenix declares he’ll quit acting for music. And he insists he’s serious

Walking

a new line

Cine City

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ctor Joaquin Phoenix has announced that he will quit acting and pursue his music career. The Walk The Line star believes it will be more successful than his acting career. Though there are claims that it is all a stunt, he insists it is real. Contactmusic.com reports him as saying: “I’ve always loved music and never really played anything, and, after Walk The Line, I kind of learned to play guitar and having that sense of performing; that certainly opened the door for me for music. I think, now I would just like the music to speak for itself. I don’t think we’ll ever get to the reason, ‘Oh, that’s why he quit and this is why he’s doing this.’ I don’t fully understand it myself. I’ve always followed my heart and felt what was true at the time and that’s what I’m doing now.” He added: “I’m not out to sell records. I’m experiencing something and it’s what I feel. I feel like everything in my life is leading up to this and suddenly acting doesn’t seem like that’s a big part of what was important in my life. I imagine, when I look back on my life, acting will be just a very small portion of something that I did, and I think music will be the dominant theme in my life. I didn’t know that anyone was gonna care. I felt that it was an obligation to tell my fans what I was doing, moving in another direction.” ■

Nandhalala release postponed Nandhalala, the much-awaited film of director Mysskin that was due to hit screens in February, has been postponed due to non-availability of theatres. The music of the film, composed by Maestro Ilayaraja, is already topping charts. Out of the six songs, ‘Nenjil Oorndhu’ has emerged the favourite. The film directed by Mysskin also sees him playing the role of the protagonist. Snigdha and Master Ashwath Ram also play prominent roles in the movie.

IANS

Salma Hayek, FrancoisHenri Pinault wed M

exican-born actress Salma Hayek and French entrepreneur Francois-Henri Pinault married on St. Valentine’s Day in Paris, an official at the town hall of the chic sixth arrondissement said on Monday. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the pair had tied the knot on Saturday morning. ■ Reuters

Maddy teams up with P.C. Sreeram Cinematographer P.C. Sreeram has cranked the camera for Madhavan’s upcoming flick, Yavarum Nalam. Apparently, it was Sreeram’s brilliant cinematography and splendid lighting effects that gave the apt romantic feel to Madhavan’s Tamil debut, Alaipayuthey. The movie Yavarum Nalam is directed by Vikram Kumar, who earlier directed Silambarasan in Alai. The music will be composed by ShankarEhsaan-Loy. Bollywood heroine Neetu Chandra plays the heroine in this film titled 13B in Hindi.

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ERGO Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Today’s Query: Can’t imagine your life without a very special friend? Thank him/her during this Friendship Week...

■ My best friend Sundar who passed away recently. Thanks to him for keeping his promise of being my lifetime friend Rajarajan, Wipro

■ Can’t imagine a life without the king of hells Mr.Rilwan 5yr friendship and 2 be continued till death Hashim, Allsec

■ The moments you are in my thoughts are always the best moments in my life. Thank you Krithika for being my special friend Balaji, Wipro

■ Thanks Viswanathan, for the full support u have given me & still giving me. Proud to hav u as my frnd Venkat, Infosys

■ Thanks loosu(nas) for being my best friend and be forever Karthik, Aspire

■ Thanks Dummy and Monu I’m here because of your motivation and prayer. Always be close to my heart Anu, Accenture

■ Thanks a lot Sathish, Murugan.S (HCL-CODC) you are a one of the best mankind and good personality Sivaprakasam G, Birlasoft

■ Thanks a lot Rani for your presence in my life as a friend, sister and wellwisher. I feel very proud and happy for u in my life Prabu, HCL

■ Thank you Uma for being by my side n understanding me. You are simply the best. Love U Rema Varma, Accenture

■ Thank you Shiva for your involvement and invaluable contribution in psychological understandings and development of my friends. Because it has its own importance and impact on everybody R.Nagarajan, InfoView Technologies

■ U r always very special to me u have been with me besides my ups & downs thanks a lot for ur kind & caring support. Thank u my friends

Bhargavi, Shanmugapriya, Senthil Kannan Prema Ananthi, TCS

■ My teacher Revathy she has given hope for me to challenge the world. I’m very thankful to her Asif, Ford

■ I don’t want to miss my special friend Swasthika in my life Salma, TCS

■ My dad (Mr. P.Gnanam). I can’t think a life without him Bavitiraa, Wipro

■ Magi, Prakash, Vijaykumar, Tamilselvan, Govindaraj,Venky, Perumal, I very much thank them and God who gave me the chance to meet them P.SathiyaMoorthy, TCS

■ It’s not a friend. Friends for me. We(10 Friends) rocked in our college life. Thanks for coming in my life da Jaganathan, Changepond Technologies

■ I would like to thank her for being my special friend and I can’t imagine my life without her. It’s none other than my mom. Rajesh Thanthoni RRD, Prasanna Chakravarthi Wipro

■ I would like to thank each n every one of 33 batch in Ahamedabad n my rocking Delhi batchmates for giving me some of the most memorable moments of my life, they are Sriram, Balamani, Sidhu, Ganesh, Vikki, Alagar, KK, Niranjan, Shiva, Guru, Sneha, Gowri, Mukund Sasidharan, TCS

■ I can’t imagine my life without u my dear kuttiponnu. I luv u kuttiponnu Deepa, Wipro

■ I thank Adnan for making my life colorful with his care n affection. Miss u pal Rajesh Kumar Allsec

■ Hi CK, if I had to sum up the friendship that we have in one word, it would be comfort. Be my best buddy forever Senthil, Wipro

■ Hey Anu I luv you so much n thank you for all you have been to me till date Mahalakshmi, TCS

■ Hey Kisan. Thanks for the almighty for introducing you to me as a friend, well wisher you are so special to me keep rocking

■ A friend in need is a friend indeed suits best for my friend Harsh Sruthi, Accenture

Robz, Wipro

■ Devi and Bhagya being my friends, u both added values to friendship, life without u gals can’t be. I’m sure we will binded throughout life time as we r now Padma, TCS

■ Dear Reeja and Sandy, the value of ur friendship cannot be measured but can only be treasured Brahan, TCS

■ Dear Poorna u made my life very meaningful when you entered in my heart as my near and dear friend Srini, Datamark Prodapt

■ Thank you Pavitra for being in my life. I could have never asked for a more wonderful friend as you. I am lucky to have you around Chital, Accenture

■ Dear Anas, Santu, Naveen, I’m proud of our friendship. I can’t imagine my life without you. Thanks for everything Srini.KK, Cognizant

■ Ramya, u r such a nice friend to me in all my walks of life thanks for being so special to me da Shree, TCS

■ "Enn vaalkai ennum sirupikul natpu ennum muthai vanthu ennai alagu paduthaiya enn uyir nanban Nagavuku! Sakthi, Sundaram Business Services

■ My friend Boominathan who saved my life when I was in footboard Shiva Perot Systems ■ Dear Archana, Just wanted to thank u during Friendship week. When it hurts to look back and you are scared to look ahead, look beside you and ur best friend will b there..!! Thanx for being der always :) Love, Deepika

Today’s Query: Apart from Taj Mahal what would you like to choose as a symbol of love?

13

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

SriLakshmi of HCL has been nominated as Office Angel by her team mate Mrs.Manonmani . She always appears with a smiling face. She won’t be having any negative thought in her mind. She will take everything in a positive way. She is very much helpful to others.That is the specialty of her.

■ Dear Myna(Meena.L), We wish u a Very Happy Birthday. And look forward to a brighter and more fulfilling future. With Love, PACE Team, Polaris Software

■ Dear Rohit, All of us are joining in to say, may the year which your birthday begins, bring happiness n all the special things which mean the most to you!! Happy first birthday :) With Love, Deepika, Archana, Sandhya, Bhavna, Sweety, Abhirami, Lavanya, Deepan. Tata Consultancy Services

■ Hi Niranjani (JUJU), Happy birthday!!! Piranda naal vaazhthukkal! Pirannal aasamsakal! Janam din diyan wadhayian! Shuvo jonmodin! Janmadina abhinandan! Janma divas mubarak! May the coming years bring lots of happiness and cherish in your life... Regards, Siva C., TCS e-Serve

■ Dear Prabhuram, Wish u Many More Happy returns of the day! May the coming years brings lots of happiness and cherish in ur life.

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.

With Best Wishes, IPB Team - Polaris software lab ltd.

■ Dear Prabhu Ram R, Many more Happy Returns of the day. May god give all success in your life. Have a Bright and Flourishing Future. Best Wishes, DCMS –Team, Financial Software Systems

Belated wishes ■ Dear Sathya-RAJuu, Many more Happy Returns of the day. May god give all success in your life. Have a Bright and Flourishing Future.

■ Hi Mani, Happy Birthday for a Special Friend, I never knew what wonders a friend can do. Yes, surely they can change things around you into smile, sunshine and happiness. Just the way you keep on doing always. I wish all your dreams come true.

■ Dear Sathiamoorthy Wish you Many More Happy Returns of the day. May this bring you a lot of Happy and Prosperous Moments In your life.

■ Dear Rohit, It’s your first birthday, baby, one candle on ur cake; proud parents stare in wonder, at each new move u make. We join in celebration, as this special date arrives, for baby has brought pleasure into all our lives. We look forward now to seeing how u progress and grow, frm the cute and tiny infant u were one year ago. So dig into ur icing; enjoy ur presents, too. The reason for this day is a special person-U:-)Love u:-) ■ Dear Sanjana, On your birthday, special one, we wish that all your dreams come true. May your day be filled with joy, Wonderful gifts and goodies, too. We wish you fine and simple pleasures. We wish you many years of laughter. We wish you all of life’s best treasures. We wish you happily ever after! Happy Birthday! With loads of love from Chintu, Prithvi, Mom, Ashok, Pugazh, Thilaga, Dhana, Srikanth, Prabhu, Vidhya Murali, Antony, Anusha, TCS

Meera and Francis TCS

■ Dear Karthik, Today is an lovely and extra-special day, With all our heart we pray that every dream of urs come true! Be happy and smile always! Wish u a very very happy Birthday!!!

Best Wishes, DCMS –Team, FSS

With love, DEEPA.P, TCS, siruseri

Man 1: Pongal la ore kal la (stone) iruku. Man 2: Ama, Pongal la ore kal than. Rendu kal irundha athu “pongalkal” ayidume.

With love Sri

Best Wishes, DCMS Team, FSS

Nihar, Infosys Technologies, MCity.

Sakthi Vinayagam B. from Changepond Technologies doodled this.

■ Hi Karthick Wish you many more happy returns of the day, may all your dreams come true, i wish you all success in your life, love you so much.

■ Hi Nithiya, A very Happy Birthday. With Regards, H.Bathula Banu, Infosys Technologies Limited.

DCMS Team, FSS

■ Dear Vidhya, Wish U many more happy returns of the day. Be blessed with all happiness, wealth and gud health. From U r beloved friends, Deepa, Madhu, Priya, Sasi, Srikanya, Sudha, iNautix Technologies

■ Dear Irfan, “You’re more to me than my brother, You are also my best friend, You’re always there for me, For an ear or a shoulder to lend, You’re the first to hear of my joys, It’s you I go to if I’ve had a bad day, I love you more than I have words, To express myself & say Happy Birthday” Best wishes, Salman, HCL

■ Dear Salman, "These Birthday greetings are wished, Most affectionately your way, For someone who’s very nice, Deserves an extra special day, So here’s wishing every happiness, Today, especially for you, With lots of your favourite things, In the year ahead too" Happy Birthday! Nirmalraj and team, HCL

■ Dear Raji Wish You Many More Happy Returns of the Day da. May this year be a wonderful and prosperous one for you. Hope our dreams would come true this year. Love You Always, Shina, Cognizant

14 TRAFFIC JAM

ERGO Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Swinging health plan An elderly man in China is helping pensioners get fit by follow a gymnastics programme he created - using only a rope and a tree.

sudoku

Aritra Chatterjee of HP spotted this wild chameleon on her trek to Kudremukh, Agumbe and Sravan Belagola.

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.

KAKURO So you think you would make a terrific photographer but never really had the platform? Mail us your best work and we’ll publish it in this space, with credit. E-mail: [email protected]

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15

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Dead pet whisperer

Word’s worth

A psychic from Romania claims to able to speak to dead animals in the beyond, putting grieving owners in touch with their deceased animals.

“Kebbie” (keb-ee) a staff with a hooked head, like a shepherd’s crook.

B.C ARIES MARCH 21 - APRIL 20 You would be completing all routine activities with ease, be it office or domestic work. On the personal front, you may remain enthusiastic and in a cheering mood. Romantic connections may establish or ongoing relationships may blossom.

TAURUS APRIL 21 - MAY 20 You may be pushed to work harder at office today. This of course may not bother you as you are practical by nature. Relations with seniors may require nurturing. Your relationship with your life partner or beloved one will become even stronger.

GEMINI MAY 21 - JUNE 20 You might have to deal with people with various traits today. You may use your wit and intelligence while dealing with others at work. Your attention towards life partner may increase which may make him or her feel good.

BORN LOSER

CANCER JUNE 21 - JULY 20 Today, you might have to deal with critical situations at work. Ganesha finds your support system a little weak today hence you are advised to be little more careful at workplace. You will be emotionally charged’ today.

LEO JULY 21 - AUG 20 Ganesha finds you impulsive and active today. You may have high expectations from your colleagues. It is a favourable day to propose someone. Ongoing relationship may take a positive turn. In short, it’s a comfortable day, more on the positive side.

VIRGO AUG 21 - SEPT 20

FREE RANGE

WORKING IT OUT

Today, you may have realisation that it is necessary to work harder to take your career forward form where you are. At the same time, you may be concerned about requirements of your beloved one. You might have to work in fixed schedule.

LIBRA SEPT 21 - OCT 20 Ganesha finds you quite eloquent today. You can be pretty creative today. You will be intuitive and spontaneous so will be able to handle everything in time. Smoother sailing is expected on the relationship front, by the Grace of Ganesha.

SCORPIO OCT 21 - NOV 20 Ganesha advises you not to take important decisions today. At work, your mood will be totally different than usual. On the personal front, you may be satisfied with the relationship with opposite sex. You may be an intense lover today.

SAGITTARIUS NOV 21 - DEC 20 You will be paid good rewards for your hard work at office. On the personal front, it is encouraging and positive day. You have scope of receiving gift from your partner/mate. You may wish to look more pretty or presentable.

CAPRICORN DEC 21 - JAN 20 Routine work may be tiring but it may be more like ’intellectual stress’. Decisions that you may take today will be practical but would be more like ’last solutions’ to problems. On relationship front you may have the attitude to ’let go’.

PREVIOUS ISSUE’S SOLUTIONS

AQUARIUS JAN 21 - FEB 20 Today you may be quite targeted towards gains that you presume to achieve. Ganesha finds you taking initiative to deal with new things. This will increase your value at work. Relationship front may require freedom and needs more understanding.

PISCES FEB 21 - MARCH 20 Ganesha foresees you thinking very seriously over the matters related to career. If you are willing to appear in interview, this is a favourable day. Your beloved may try to keep you in a good mood by being very nice and kind to you. Predictions by Bhavesh N. Pattni

16

ERGO Wednesday, February 18, 2009