Ergo February 23

A BYTE OF LIFE

Monday, February 23, 2009

11

RAZZIE HALL OF SHAME

Winners of the world’s most dreaded awards announced Vol. 3

No. 34

PHOTO: R. RAVINDRAN

FREE CIRCULATION

am niac te

hma The Ra

Ahead of the Oscars, Ergo met Rahmaniac, A.R. Rahman’s unique fan club. Plus, old buddies of ARR talk about the ‘kutty rowdy’.

RAHMANIA » Pages 02 & 03

05 WORKING WITH A START-UP The pros and cons

02 NAMMA CHENNAI

ERGO Monday, February 23, 2009

Dance like a ... FitnessOne is organising ‘Dancercise’ – a contest for women above 18 years to celebrate Women’s Day. Participants are required to perform a combination of different elements of fitness related dance steps. For details call 2647 8787/ 2467 1222.

Axe for accomplice? A woman inspector was recently suspended on charges of taking bribe from a woman complainant. Reliable khakis suspect that it was a planned operation to trap the lady cop. Apparently, the accused inspector is known to have a close ally in crime, a lady constable, who had been acting as liaison. Police circles believe the axe could next fall on the constable.

The kutty rowdy The transformation of naughty Dileep Kumar to international composer Allah Rakha Rahman is as magical as his music was a fun-loving kid during his teens. He started with jingles and it was during that time that he joined Ilayaraja’s team. When it comes to work he is very serious, otherwise it is a lot of fun. No wonder a hard worker like Rahman got such honours,” says Selvaraj, who has worked with Rahman even in his movies. “Brilliant musician is what I can say about Rahman. He innovates a lot, and never sticks to the rulebook. In fact, his contribution to Punnagai Mannan songs are not known to the world. He tried to create wonders even with “two tracks” in his earlier days. He was such a naughty boy, but now he is unbelievably silent. He was even the kutty rowdy of the team. We feel proud of Rahman for his success,” said another musician on condition of anonymity. ■

On fire, literally The Government Railway Police (GRP) at the Chennai Central station are an annoyed bunch as their workplace on the first floor is just above a hotel kitchen. The heat from the oven is keeping the khakis literally on fire day in and day out. Desperate attempts by the policemen to shift the police station to a different spot on the railway station premises have gone in vain.

‘Fire-proof’ The recent violence between advocates and police on the High Court premises resulted in the High Court police station turning to ashes and records saved inside destroyed. Reliable police sources say that some top cops had predicted the attack on the station and had taken away crucial records and FIRs to a safe location.

A file photo of A.R. Rahman [email protected]

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s prayers and wishes come for the ‘Mozart of Chennai’ from across countries, some of his fellow musicians in Namma Chennai jog their memory on the Rahman they knew. The success story of Rahman, which started with Mani Ratnam’s Roja, is well-known, but what about the days when he just

started out? A couple of musicians from maestro Ilayaraja’s team, where he began his career, recall A.R. Rahman transform from a keyboard player to an internationally-acclaimed music composer. “The transformation of a talented, naughty boy Dileep Kumar into a suave Allah Rakha Rahman is almost magical,” recalls Cello Selvaraj, a musician and composer at All India Radio. “No one would believe if I say Rahman

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No wonder a hard worker like Rahman got such honours. ‘Cello’ Selvaraj

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Monday, February 23, 2009

Showing ‘The Class’ The Alliance Francaise of Madras in collaboration with NDTV Lumiere and ICAF will host the film that won the Golden Palm of the Cannes Film Festival. The Class will be screened at the AFM auditorium at 6.30 p.m. today. For details call 2827 9803/ 2827 1477.

Fans, but no empty wind Instead of garlanding their idol’s photograph or dedicating speeches to him, a bunch of A.R. Rahman fans who met on Orkut are working towards a better society. Here’s to Rahman mania and Rahmaniac MONISHA MOHANDAS

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.R. Rahman Rocks!”, “I am a die-hard fan of Rahman. I love all his compositions”, “I never miss collecting his songs.” These are some common quotes that A.R. Rahman elicits among fans and other celebrities. But here are fans with a difference. Fans with a new vision. No doubt they too are diehard fans of ARR, but they stand ahead of others in the path they have chosen. They are not a registered fan club. And they call themselves ‘Rahmaniac’. “We don’t have a fan club as such. We are just followers of ARR,” says Rakesh, a member of Rahmaniac. These Rahmaniacs came to know each other through a community on Orkut for A.R. Rahman that has more than five lakh members. Through this community some of the fans in Chennai decided to meet, and their first meeting was at Music World, Anna Nagar, in 2007. “There were only five to six members during our first meeting. But,

The Rahmaniac team celebrates A.R. Rahman’s birthday at his place

We got the inspiration for these activities from ARR himself. He, being the UN Ambassador for the eradication of poverty, also started an ARR Foundation with this view

gradually, the team started growing.” says Rakesh. “From then on Music World became a hub for us to meet.” After they met each other they were keen on doing so-

mething unique. At the same time, being ARR fans they wanted to keep themselves involved in music. “Approaching many radio stations and doing a show were some of the initial ideas that struck our mind. But we ultimately came up with the idea of doing events at orphanages and old-age homes,” says Vithur, another Rahmaniac. It was during their search for an event to conduct that they came across Nethrodaya, a school and place for the visually challenged. On December 30, 2007, they conducted their first charity show. Rakesh formed a band of Rahman’s musician fans and a concert was held. “Almost 50 to 70 fans came for the event. And the visually challenged had a great time listening to music. We also

conducted quizzes involving their auditory senses. The event was held on the Nethrodaya premises in Mogappair. The proprietor, Mr. Gopi, helped us a lot in this regard. The event was a great success and we had wishes pouring in from various A.R. Rahman fans worldwide,” recalls Rakesh. “We got the inspiration for these activities from ARR himself. He, being the UN Ambassador for the eradication of poverty, also started an ARR Foundation with this view. So with his inspiration we wanted to help some deserving souls,” says Karthik, another Rahmaniac. And following the success at Nethrodaya, their wheels didn’t stop. They continued to do regular services at orphanages and old-age homes.

But a beggar’s approach for alms made the Rahmaniacs think differently. “When were at the Anna Nagar Music World thinking about how to go about the services, a beggar came asking for alms to feed himself. We pooled in our money and bought some biryani packs. We set off on our bikes and distributed them among the needy we found on roadsides,” says Rakesh. Since February last year, they have been distributing food among people on roadsides every Sunday, targeting one area a week. The most unforgettable moment of their lives, however, came the day they met A.R. Rahman for the first time. On January 6, 2008, these Rahmaniacs celebrated his birthday at his place. ■

04 KALEIDOSCOPE

Ask your query When I go to the bank they keep pestering me to buy gold coins from them as an investment. Should I give in to their request? Is it really a good investment? Madhumita, Corporate Solutions

It is a very personal choice whether you want to buy gold coins or not. The coins that the banks sell are 24k and usually in 5 gms or 10 gms. As a tool to hedge against inflation it is one of the best investments. Historically gold has given compounded annual returns of over 12 per cent for the last 10-15 years, which means that you would have earned equivalent or more than the actual growth in prices. The only problem with the coins from banks is that not every jewellery shop buys them. Neither do the banks buy them back, so liquidating might be an issue. (For any queries related to personal finance, mail your queries to [email protected] with the subject line ‘Doctor’.)

Mini Quiz 1. SEBI stands for a. Stocks, Equity, Bonds and Investments b. Savings and Earnings from Bank Interest c. Securities and Exchange Board of India d. Stocks and Equities Board of India 2. NBFC a. National Banking and Futures Corporation b. New Banking Financial Company c. Non Banking Finance Company d. National Banking and Finance Corporation Send your answers to [email protected] or SMS your answers to 92813 98889. Example, if you choose A as the answer to question 1 and B as the answer to question 2 type it as 1A2B and send it. Winners get a free book on mutual funds. Aswers for last week’s quiz: 1. Price – Earnings ratio 2. Certificate of Deposit

News you can use No bills to be claimed for LTA The Supreme Court has recently ruled that companies are under no obligation to ask their employees to furnish bills for claiming their LTA. Prior to this judgement companies were demanding bills from employees who were claiming their LTA. In cases where employees did not furnish the bills, they were taxed for the amount on which bills were not produced. The court ruling says “the beneficiary of exemption under Section 10(5) (of the Income Tax Act) is an individual employee. There is no circular of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) requiring the employer under Section 192 to collect and examine the supporting evidence to the declaration to be submitted by an employee(s).”

ERGO Monday, February 23, 2009

Beating recession Income funds have shown positive returns even when equities have shown negative returns SNEHA BAJAJ

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e have witnessed a steep fall in the value of investments in equity funds since January 2008 due to the downtrend in the value of stocks where the fund houses have invested. The Sensex has come down from 21000 points to 9000 points during the last 12 months. As a result funds have delivered negative returns in the range of (-40%) to (-71%) during this period. Most investors, who opt for mutual funds, make an entry primarily to make a better return compared to investment in fixed deposits. When the markets do not deliver, they are disappointed and try to redeem the units to prevent complete erosion of capital. During the same period some of the income funds have delivered significantly positive and higher return of up to even 29.42 per cent. As shown in the following table. When the equity markets are not smooth, diversification to debt is one of the better options available to investors. Income funds invested in debt securities vary with maturity periods. With rapid fall in inflation from 12.82 per cent in August 08 to 6.84 per cent in December 08, and general slow down in the economy, interest rates have come down. Income funds primarily invest in bonds, debentures, government securities, and short-term instruments like commercial paper and repos. The regular income for these funds comes from coupon payments and trading gains accrue from interest rate movements. Thus, when the interest goes down the funds holding securities of higher average maturity, with the current high interest rates, can earn better returns than those holding short-term paper, given the softening of interest rates. With the advantage of long-term capital gains in debt schemes it might offer superior returns in comparison to pure fixed deposits if one is in the highest tax bracket. A note of caution: The gain for income funds is highest when the interest rates are on a downward trend. Thus investors should come out of such investments when the interest rates start showing signs of rising. ■

When equity market is not smooth, diversification to debt is one of the better options. THE HINDU FILE PHOTO

Name of the Fund

Return in the

Return during

last 6 months

last 1 year

Canara Robecco Income scheme (G)

19.53%

29.42%

ICICI Prudential Income Fund I P (G)

19.31%

16.16

ICICI Prudential Income Fund –(G)

19.11%

15.64%

Reliance Income Fund-retail-G.P (G)

15.73%

12.71%

ING Short Term Income Fund –(G)

7.02%

10.98%

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Monday, February 23, 2009

SearchCamp - II The Knowledge Foundation is organising the second edition of SearchCamp 2009 on February 28 and March 1 at Tidel Park. The forum is looking at some serious discussion, offering solutions for the recession-hit retailers across all sectors. For more details log on to http://searchcamp.in/register/

The rickety road to entrepreneurship Working with a start-up has its own pros and cons, but how many of you are ready to take the plunge?

Working with a start-up can be dicey, provided you know you are getting the best of it

s has ! Alerotw that First Innineghope

ment to start off. Working with a startup in India is one of the least opted options, though there are some who hen Kartik Dua decided to quit are ready to take the road less taken. his well-paying job at Directi Sankara Rameswaran had to make a Internet Solutions, a web solu- choice between Microsoft and Amazon tions company, after a two- when he landed two offers at REC, Tiyear stint, his colleagues were aston- ruchy. He chose Amazon, where he did ished. Particularly so because he was his internship, as it provided more a leaving a big corporate where he was start-up like environment. Two years occupying a good profile to join a one- since Rameswaran has again joined a and-a-half-year-old firm. start-up, BankBazaar. “Dude! How come you are join“The ownership is what excites ing a start-up?” they would me about start-up companies ask. and with that comes reJust three months into sponsibility,” says RamesSutraHR, a people conwaran, who works as The ownership is sulting firm, and the 22senior design engineer. what excites me year-old knows he is “You might have to about start-up headed in the right dimiss a cushy lifestyle as companies and with rection. there is an insecure “At Directi, I was not feeling, at least in the that comes a face of the company initial years, but if you responsibility and nobody knew me. I want to understand busiwasn’t enjoying my work afness and have an edge over ter a point. Here, there is plenother engineers then this is the ty for each of us to contribute place.” equally and the growth opportunity is For Tuney John, starting his career better than an MNC,” he adds. Not with WishBox, a start-up based in everybody would buy Dua’s views. At Chennai, came in as a hands-on experileast not on the threshold of one’s ca- ence. He joined as a part-timer when reer when one is wooed with huge pay he was in college to later enrol fullpackets and a metropolitan environ- time. LIFFY THOMAS

[email protected]

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w You kn ear and ted a y exciting. We le p m o c re oncepte it mo to mak rite more of c us w nd plan to ries, so do se hat o t st s ic d p e o s t ba ck on a b d ne of e e ou. In o your f y t s e r re inte would es we a ing issu t-ups who m o c e th o tar “You are working in a challenging pace. S about s office s , do writing n o environment with a free hand, where m s m co nd share a w of your frie there is plenty of creativity to exo o n t k s u il o eta if y plore,” says John, who works as an art their d s . u n .i il o a g director. m goer @ s g in firstinn

Challenging environment

It is bad times for the economy and a time when companies are giving out more pink slips than hiring new talents. Bringing start-ups for campus placements is not a very viable option for most institutions. “Only two to three per cent of the students are willing to work with a start-up,” says professor S. Muraleedharan, chief placement officer, Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering. “Their demands are also high. Especially in case of product-based IT start-ups, they have a higher cut-off and want energetic talents.” The requirement, however, is less from a manufacturing start-up, he says. According to Jayaram K. Iyer, professor of marketing, LIBA, there are three main parameters that decided the employability of a company – the pay, brand and profile. “Start-ups don’t score in these and do not figure in most campus placements,” he says. “If employment is the ultimate aim of an individual then

start-ups are not an assured place. But if entrepreneurship is your goal, start-up could be a better choice but then it is better that you start your own company.” Start-up also has its own harsh realities. There is the danger of you being out of job if the venture fails. You are required to put in more hours of work, literally treating it as your baby, and remuneration you might not get instantly.

Entrepreneurial goal However, for those taking the entrepreneurial route working with a start-up has many advantages. You are part of a small team where every decision holds equal importance. You are building a company from scratch, which means a lot of ownership. There is also skill-building opportunity. There are big risks to be taken but if you can cross the hurdles the rewards are also high. ■

06 VILLAGE

ERGO Monday, February 23, 2009

Coke addict A man in Croatia claims to be in perfect health after drinking only Coca-Cola for more than 40 years. The 71-year-old promised his mother he would never drink alcohol and turned to the soda instead.

Walt Disney introduces first black American princess

Wine expert goes digital

After Barack Obama claimed his place in history as America’s first black president, Walt Disney has introduced its first black American Princess. Princess Tiana, of the animated film The Princess and the Frog, hails from New Orleans. Dreamgirls star Anika Noni Rose will lend her voice for the character and talk show queen Oprah Winfrey plays her mother. Rose says that she is thrilled with the film. "Not only is she the first black princess, she’s the first American princess,” she added.

An wine merchant (vintner) from the Rhone valley is offering wine tastings over the Internet. Although customers cannot smell or taste wines through their computers, Laurent Habrard has made his products available at the click of a mouse. Customers interested in his wines - CrozesHermitage, Hermitage, Saint-Joseph and rose wines from the Ardeche, Drome and cotes du Rhone areas can order samples on his site, and the sample price is reimbursed if a bottle is bought. Habrard says, “It all started because of my deep wish to change our production methods so that my profession has a better relationship with the natural elements.”

ANI

Man gets 44 months in jail for killing police dog A man who sent a police dog to its death as it was trying to prevent him from committing suicide has been sentenced to 44 months in jail, the San Diego Tribune has reported. Cory Byron, 27, was attempting to jump off the Coronado Bridge in San Diego on December 31, 2007, after driving drunkenly through traffic. A police office trying to apprehend him saw Byron’s suicide bid and released police dog Stryker to intercept. As Byron got ready to jump off the bridge, Stryker locked his teeth onto his arm and both plunged some 70 meters into the waters below. Byron survived the fall and was rescued, but the dog died. He pleaded guilty last September to one count each of felony evading and driving under the influence.

James Bond’s Aston Martin voted Best Screen Car James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5 has been named the Best Screen Car in a new poll of film fans. The car that featured in the 1964 blockbuster Goldfinger received more than one in four votes, reports the Scotsman. Ford Mustang driven by Steve McQueen in the 1968 hit Bullitt landed the second spot. Creators of the latest James Bond flick blew two million pounds after smashing 12 new Aston Martins during the filming of Quantum Of Solace.

DPA

ANI

A ‘PCO’ without phones! A concrete pulpit atop a hillock in a village has been christened as phone booth, because it is the only place where they get mobile phone network

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his is perhaps the only ‘PCO’ where there are no telephones but is the lone spot from where villagers can connect with the world outside. A small concrete pulpit atop a hillock in this remote village of Nongnah, about 130 km west of Shillong, has been christened as ‘phone booth’ by the locals. For, this is the only place where they get mobile phone network. “We have to climb up this hill and reach this ‘public booth’ to make and receive calls.

Most of the villagers have to walk for about 20 minutes to reach here,” one of them said. There are about 3,000 residents in this nondescript village of Meghalaya’s West Khasi Hills district and the nearest PCO is more than 15 km away. More than 50 per cent of the villagers have mobile connections, either Reliance or Bangladesh Grameen Phone. The villagers said that though the ‘public booth’ is the only communication link for them to

the outside world, they sometimes fail to get network even from there. Government officials, who visit the place, are also caught in this communication trauma. While this village is yet to enjoy the advent of new technology where distances are cut short through mobile or telephone communication, sub divisional officer of the area K. Nongbri said, "I am aware of the problems. Development will take place even if slowly.” ■ PTI

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Monday, February 23, 2009

Websites of the day

Cab kills croc

Check out politicians ’unique claims’ on this satirical website: http://lonelycandidate.com/ Find out what your shoes says about you: http://www.twentyonepictures.com/gallery/shoeproject/index.html

A taxi driver was stunned after running over and killing a crocodile in the central business district in Mount Isa, Australia

Japanese students recite Obama’s speeches A

part from steering the US economy through difficult times, fine-tuning strategy on two wars and resetting geopolitical equations, US President Barack Obama is also helping many Japanese students learn English. In Japan, students practise reciting Obama’s speeches, noted the Wall Street Journal in a report from Tokyo, with the headline: “Learning to Speak Better English: Yes, We Can!” The report described a gray-haired Japanese student struggling with a line from Obama’s famous 2004 speech to the Democratic National Convention that catapulted him into the national spotlight. The student read on: “They ... would ... give me an ... African name, Barack, ... or ‘blessed. English teacher Makoto Ishiwata corrected the student, Not ‘blessed’, “bless-ed’.” The Obama speeches have become the latest fad fuelling Japan’s long, and oftfrustrated, passion for mastering English, the Journal said. Ishiwata, who heads an English language school called Kaplan Japan, draws almost 200 students a week to his “Oba-

hat started as just an argument about skinny models on the ramps of New York and Milan has now spread to the world of pedigree dogs. Yes, the ‘Size Zero’ row has reached canine shows. Experts have claimed that many dog owners are denying their pets proper food and water in order to win competitions - in fact, canines are “starved” to meet strict weight limits at shows, The Sunday Telegraph reported. According to Andrew Brace, a dog show judge, three quarters of the Mini-

ma workshops”. Pupils recite Obama’s speeches line by line, using a check sheet to record progress. Accel English, another Tokyo language school, encourages students to emulate Obama, memorising and repeating aloud chunks of his speeches at least 50 times before flipping to the text to see what he really said. The Speeches of Barack Obama a book with a CD and a glossary, sold 480,000 copies in Japan in three months. Its publisher Asahi Press then hired four translators and published a book based on Obama’s inauguration speech. While instructors have used unconventional English learning materials before, such as cooking classes in English and watching TV serial Friends with a translated Japanese script, Obama’s speeches

are particularly well-suited, teachers and students say, because he speaks slowly, with good pace and rhythm, and enunciates well. “Other speeches may be better for learning vocabulary, but Obama’s speeches make me excited about speaking English,” Nobuhiro Murauchi, who listens to the US president’s speeches four times a week in the bath, was quoted as saying. For Ishiwata, 48, it is a full circle: he first developed an interest in the language by listening to the speeches of Martin Luther King Jr., Obama’s role model. He admits there’s a bit of Obama fatigue in his classes. “Many students are getting tired of listening to his speech only, because they have been listening to Obama every day for seven months,” he said. So now he is thinking of introducing other famous speeches that he has memorised, including Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address and John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address. ■

The grand carnival

‘Size Zero’ row reaches dog shows!

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The speeches have become the latest fad fuelling Japan’s long, and oftfrustrated, passion for mastering English

ature Dacshunds at a recent championship in Bridgend, Wales, were “far too thin for their frames”. “I am well aware of the strength of feeling of the Miniature people about the need to maintain the scales, but I believe that this is not helping the breed one bit,” he wrote in the Dog World magazine. Agreed expert Jemima Harrison, the producer of a BBC documentary which in 2008 exposed breeding techniques which led to genetic illnesses that affect pedigree dogs: “This is ‘Size Zero’ for dogs. I am inundated with owners and judges who say they are seeing dehydrated or malnourished dogs on the scales, all for the sake of a rosette. It sounds funny to think of dogs having the same issues as fashion models but it is a serious welfare issue. For these owners, it is all about winning and nothing else.” PTI

쒀 A reveller of Mocidade Alegre samba school parades at the Sambadrome, as part of Carnival celebrations in Sao Paulo, Brazil, early on Sunday. Carnival is the biggest and most popular celebration in Brazil. AFP PHOTO/MAURICIO LIMA

IANS

08 SPORT

ERGO Monday, February 23, 2009

Helicopter stops play A helicopter stopped play in a domestic cricket game in India after the pilot mistook the pitch for a landing pad, local media reported on Sunday. Players were forced to abort Saturday’s one-day game and scurry for cover when the hapless pilot set the chopper down on the letter “H” painted in the corner of the cricket ground. The “H” stands for the name of the Himachal Pradesh state side.

India go one up India took the lead in their field hockey series against New Zealand in Wellington on Sunday when Sandeep Singh sealed a 2-1 win in the second Test. New Zealand held an early lead when striker Simon Child latched on to a through ball from Brad Shaw in the fourth minute and found the back of the net from a difficult angle. They maintained the advantage for half an hour before Tushar Khandekar received a free hit from the right, turned and nailed a reverse stick shot from close range. The deciding goal came 10 minutes later when Singh stepped up for his third penalty corner and found the net with a drag flick that flew into the top left corner. The first Test in the fourmatch series was drawn 1-1 with the remaining two Tests to be played in Auckland next weekend. AFP

Bolt sprints faster Olympic sprint sensation Usain Bolt continued his early season preparation with another comfortable 400m victory on Saturday at Jamaica’s National Stadium. Running out of lane five in the timed-final 400m at The University of West Indies Invitational, Bolt won in 45.54sec, an improvement on the 46.35sec he ran last weekend. Bolt’s coach Glen Mills said the improvement was expected, and showed Bolt was on course in his training in the world championship season. “It’s part of his training, so we expect him to improve every week,” Mills said. Bolt said a week earlier 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 in August. But Mills said Saturday that he was comfortable with Bolt’s form heading into major competition, the first of which will be the Jamaica International Invitational, an IAAF Area Permit meet, on May 2, also at the National Stadium. Despite the low-key nature of Saturday’s meeting, more than 3,000 fans gave a rousing welcome to Bolt, who set world records at the Olympics in winning the 100m gold in 9.69 seconds and the 200m title in 19.30 and then helped Jamaica to 4x100m relay gold. AFP

European battle Injuries worry Man United ahead of Inter Milan clash

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anchester United are facing mounting defensive concerns ahead of their last 16 Champions League game against Inter Milan. United were already without Serbian defender Nemanja Vidic due to suspension for Tuesday’s first leg at the San Siro and they lost Jonny Evans to an ankle injury in the 2-1 Premier League win over Blackburn Rovers at Old Trafford on Saturday. And with Gary Neville and Wes Brown struggling with injury, manager Sir Alex Ferguson is now hoping John O’Shea can overcome an ankle problem in order to partner Rio Ferdinand at cen-

09

Monday, February 23, 2009

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The balance of our Test batting line-up is very good. It’s the best balanced batting line-up in the whole world. The team is also very flexible and adaptable and I’m confident they would do well in New Zealand. Sunil Gavaskar

tre-back against Jose Mourinho’s team. “We’ve got some injury issues of course and I just hope we can get two centre-backs out there on Tuesday,” Ferguson said. “At this moment in time, it’s very doubtful. Jonny Evans is unlikely to be playing, he’s looking very doubtful and I’m just hoping to have John O’Shea available because we don’t have Gary Neville and we don’t have Wes Brown. We’re having a nightmare with defenders this season. Hopefully we can patch it up with Tuesday because this does leave us very, very short.”

In trouble Christiano Ronaldo was at the centre of controversy in the win over Rovers. The Portugal winger appeared to kick out at David Dunn just minutes before he was booked for diving on the edge of the area. Ronaldo added insult to Rovers injury with a superb freekick that sealed a 16th win in 17 matches in all competitions for United and moved the reigning English, European and world champions eight points clear of Liverpool at the top of the Premier League. Ferguson hit back at criticism of Ronaldo, who took his tally for the season to 16 goals after Rovers forward Roque Santa Cruz had cancelled out England striker Wayne Rooney’s opener. “He wasn’t fortunate to be on the pitch,” said Ferguson. “The referee (Howard Webb) spoke to him when he flicked out and Ronaldo said that the boy kicked him so he was given a warning. It was no more than a flick and you see that time and again in games but because it’s Ronaldo people will make a meal of it,” the Scot added.

Tough road ahead Despite United picking up a tenth straight Premier League victory and moving well clear at the top, Ferguson believes they way they were made to work by Blackburn shows they cannot grow over-confident about their chances of securing an 18th league title. “Sometimes when you don’t play your very best and get a result, that goes a long way towards winning the title.” Ferguson, whose side were recently labelled “untouchable” by Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, added: “I’ve said all along that we can’t forecast that we’re going to win the league. A team like Blackburn will come to Old Trafford and fight for their lives. That’s what you can expect from every team in the bottom 11. It’s a difficult league so when people are talking about us going to win the league, we’re going to dismiss it.” ■ AFP

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ottom club Espanyol stunned leaders Barcelona with a 2-1 victory at the Nou Camp while chasing Real Madrid ran riot with a 6-1 home win over Real Betis in the Primera Liga on Saturday. Ten-man Barca slipped to only their second defeat of the campaign and saw their lead, which stood at 12 points just over a week ago, reduced to seven. Espanyol’s Ivan de la Pena, who once played for Barca, made the most of Seydou Keita’s first-half dismissal, scoring twice after the break in the Catalan derby. Yaya Toure pulled one back just past the hour but it was not enough to prevent champions Real edging even closer with their ninth successive victory. Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Raul helped themselves to two goals each while Gonzalo Higuain and Sergio Ramos weighed in with one apiece as Real went in 6-1 up at halftime at the Bernabeu.

Losing the plot “No one said this would be easy,” Barca coach Pep Guardiola said. “But we are still in a good position and will pick ourselves up and we’ll get everyone back on track.” Barca are on 60 points and Real have 53 while third-placed Sevilla climbed on to 44 after Jesus Navas grabbed a late winner for a 1-0 win at home to Atletico Madrid. Villarreal are up to fourth with 41 points after a 2-1 home win over Sporting Gijon. Spanish media spent the week talking about the possibility of Real staging a comeback to win the league after Barca dropped two points against Betis last week, and Guardiola’s team looked nervous from the outset versus Espanyol. The stop-start nature of the game, and an increasingly heated atmosphere, led to Keita getting a red card for a late challenge after 38 minutes. De la Pena was left unmarked to head home at the back post after 50 minutes and four minutes later Victor Valdes was put under pressure with the ball at his feet and passed straight to De la Pena, who lobbed into the open net. Toure’s fine volley after a freekick in the 62nd was the best Barca could muster in reply. It was Espanyol’s first win in 15 attempts in the league.

Flying start Some woeful Betis defending gifted their hosts a flying start at the Bernabeu. Higuain rounded goalkeeper Ricardo Pereira for the opener after seven minutes, and Huntelaar bagged the second soon after when Pereira weakly pushed a cross straight to him. The Dutchman volleyed in the third when Pereira could only palm his header on to the woodwork. Ricardo Oliveira pulled one back for the shell-shocked visitors on the half-hour and then hit the post after Iker Casillas miscued a pass to him a couple of minutes later. Defensive lapses could explain Real’s opening goals but the next three were of the highest quality. Raul swept in Marcelo’s pass with a first-time shot from outside the area, and bettered that with a sublime chip when one-on-one with the keeper. ■ Reuters

Espanyol stun

Barca Real hammer Betis 6-1 at the Bernabeu

Real Madrid players celebrate after scoring during the Spanish league match against Betis Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid. PHOTO: AFP

10 FLICK

ERGO Monday, February 23, 2009

Most nominated Meryl Streep holds the record for most acting nominations, 15 including for 2008’s Doubt, and she has won twice. Katharine Hepburn earned 12 nominations but won four times. Ingrid Bergman is next with three Oscars. Jack Nicholson is the most nominated male star with 12 nominations and three wins. Walter Brennan also won three, but from only four nominations.

The statuette’s story The weight Rahman, Pookutty may lift on Oscars’ night!

I

f all goes right for A.R. Rahman and Resul Pookutty, they might end up lifting a 13.5inch and 8.5-pound knight holding a crusader’s sword and standing on a reel of film on Academy night. The Oscar statue stands 13.5 inches tall and weighs in at a robust 8.5 pounds. The film reel features five spokes, signifying the five original branches of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences: actors, directors, producers, technicians and writers. Although the statuette remains true to its original design, the size of the base varied until 1945, when the current standard was adopted. Since the initial awards banquet on May 16, 1929, in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel’s Blossom Room, 2,701 statuettes have been presented. Every year in January, additional new golden statuettes are cast, moulded, polished and buffed by R.S. Owens & Company, the Chicago-based awards manufacturer retained by the Academy since 1982. MGM art director Cedric Gibbons designed a statuette

Unusual request In 1928, Mexican film director Emilio ‘El Indio’ Fernández was approached by the art director of Metro Goldwyn Mayer, Cedric Gibbons, with a most unusual request. Would Señor Fernández be willing to pose naked for Gibbons’ current project – a golden statue of a knight holding a crusader’s sword? Fernández, not surprisingly, was reluctant, but finally relented. And thus came into existence the Oscar statuette. IANS

Serial-gatecrasher hired to secure Oscars A professional gatecrasher, who sneaked into last year’s Oscars, has been hired to secure this year’s ceremony to fill in any security cracks. Scott Weiss will keep fellow offenders from getting themselves to a shoulder-rubbing distance with the celebrities at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles. The 48-year-old has also previously managed to break into the gates at the Emmys, Grammys, Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild awards – and got himself snapped with the A-listers. And now, event chiefs have hired the expert to take care of the security breaches. “If you dress the part and put on an air that you belong there – and that you don’t really have time to be stopped by anyone – people are generally very polite,” the Telegraph quoted Weiss as telling Los Angeles Times. “People in security don’t want to offend big shots. If you look like one, they won’t bother you. That’s the whole flaw in the system: the human touch,” he added. ANI

of a knight standing on a reel of film gripping a crusader’s sword. The Academy tapped Los Angeles sculptor George Stanley to realise the design in three dimensions – and the world-renowned statuette was born. Officially named the Academy Award of Merit, the statuette is better known by its nickname, Oscar. According to the Academy, the statuettes presented at the initial ceremonies were goldplated solid bronze. Within a few years the bronze was abandoned in favour of Britannia metal, a pewter-like alloy which is then plated in copper, nickel silver, and finally, 24-karat gold. Due to a metal shortage during World War II, Oscars were made of painted plaster for three years. Following the war, the Academy invited recipients to redeem the plaster figures for goldplated metal ones. Achievements in up to 25 regular categories will be honoured on February 22 at the 81st Academy Awards presentation at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood and Highland Center. However, the Academy won’t know how many statuettes it will hand out until the envelopes are opened on Oscar Night. Although the number of categories and special awards are known in advance, the possibility of ties and of multiple recipients sharing the prize in some categories makes it impossible to predict the exact number of statuettes to be awarded. As in previous years, any surplus awards will be housed in the Academy’s vault until next year’s event. ■ PTI

11

Monday, February 23, 2009

America’s favourite Best Actors Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts have come out triumphant in a poll by US magazine Parade and Entertainment Tonight to find America’s favourite ever Academy Award winners. Hanks has twice walked away with the Best Actor Oscar, for 1993’s Philadelphia and the following year’s Forrest Gump. Roberts, who won an Oscar for her role in Erin Brockovich in 2000, was America’s favourite Best Actress winner. IANS

M

ike Myers’ comedy The Love Guru and celebrity socialite Paris Hilton were top of the flops at the 29th Razzie Awards, the annual eve-of-Oscars salute to the very worst of Hollywood. Myers’ critically panned movie picked up three of the movie industry’s least coveted awards – a gold spray-painted raspberry – which organisers say are worth a whopping four dollars and ninety-seven cents. The alleged comedy, about an ice hockey player who enlists the help of a mystic guru to help him turn around his professional and personal fortunes, picked up worst picture, worst actor for Myers and worst screenplay. “At 88 minutes, The Love Guru would have benefited from a trim of roughly 80 minutes,” was how the New York Post described the film, which the New York Times described as “downright antifunny”. Yet Myers was rivalled in the Razzie stakes by celebutante Hilton, who made good on her pledge to seek a lower public profile following her 2007 prison drama by appearing in two movies in 2008 that no-one watched. Hilton scooped up the worst actress prize for The Hottie and the Nottie, a movie which Britain’s Daily Mirror decried as a movie “of monumental dreadfulness.” The hotel heiress also scored a rare double, winning the worst supporting actress Razzie for her cameo in Repo: The Genetic Op-

‘Love Guru’, Paris Hilton are top of the flops at Razzies

Paris Hilton in a still from Repo: The Genetic Opera, for which she won worst supporting actress

era, which was condemned variously as “awful, disgusting and insulting” – all in one review. Hilton also added to her Razzie haul with the worst screen couple dishonour, again for her performance in The Hottie and the Nottie. Meanwhile German filmmaker Uwe Boll – branded the “teutonic twerp of world cinema” – picked up the worst director Razzie as well as a worst career achievement award. Boll’s fantasy film In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale was one of the most savagely reviewed movies of last year. “A magnum dopus so utterly inept that it somehow comes off as perversely admirable,” the Portland Mercury’s film critic commented. “The other two people at Friday’s matinee seemed to enjoy it, too.” Other notable winners on Saturday included former James Bond star Pierce Brosnan, who picked up the worst supporting actor for his performance in ABBA musical Mamma Mia. Meanwhile Steven Spielberg’s revival of the Indiana Jones franchise in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was crowned worst prequel, remake, ripoff or sequel. ■ AFP

Mike Myers’ Love Guru picked up 3 Razzies – worst picture, worst actor and worst screenplay

Indiana Jones: Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was crowned worst prequel, remake, rip-off or sequel

At 88 minutes, The Love Guru would have benefited from a trim of roughly 80 minutes

12

ERGO Monday, February 23, 2009

Friday’s Query: What is your favourite horror movie and why?

■ 1973 original uncut "The Exorcist". Linda Blair’s acting haunts you for at least a week. Kannan S, TCS

■ 13-na number veedu, this is the first horror movie I saw and really scared. Arunshankar, Perot Systems,

■ ’Uruvam’ for that gorgeous and terrific looking face. Mohan Senthil, Wipro

■ ’The Ring’ for using simple visuals and scaring to death. Senthil Kumar P, RR Donnelley, Christy, Allsec

■ ’Evil Dead’, perfectly directed, with horror and tense mood prevailing throughout the movie. Rekha, Sreenath, Accenture, Sabarish JM, Cognizant, Sridhar R, STG, Logesh, Infosys, Anand K, Infoview Technologies

■ "The omen" it’s a classic, technically sound, it scares me every time I watch it, the little satan is simply awesome. Aravindhan, Cognizant, Arun, Sam, Thomas, Sadiq, Babu, Nadeem, Gary, Allsec.

■ Villu. In all other horror movies hero will kill the ghost. But in this movie hero is killing the audience. Muthuhari, Changepond, Lakshmi, Perot Systems, Jack, Vinoj, Allsec, Karthi, CSS, Dev, TCS-eserve

Jhon. Cognizant, Vivek. Allsec

■ Saw. A tactical & strategical game for death. An awesome & logically well structured screenplay. R. Nagarajan, InfoView Technologies, Karthee, Cognizant, Vijay ,Technip

■ Grudge, total scary and no words to tell. Sailaja Golla, Infosys, Divakar, Patni Computers, Deepan N, TCS

■ Naan Kadavul, really kids can’t see that film. Priya, HCL

■ Sixth Sense. Direction and music good. Divyalakshmi, Akil, TCS

■ Pet Cemetery because there is a cemetery where you can bury your loved önes, and they can come back to life not like the same but with evil. Lexsminarayanan, TCS-eserve

■ Kuruvi, because of Vijay’s awesome action and high jump. Vivek Wipro, Dee Jay, Rsystems, Asif, Ford, Sonisha, Wipro

■ Jegan Mohini because it has a blend of both horror and comedy. Siva Kumar, Sathyaraj, Allsec

Prasanna, Wipro

■ Jameenkottai. For the sheer way it defies all definitions of logic and throws science out of the window.

Shanthi Sundaresan, Shiva, ARS, Perot Systems, Krishna, CSS, Ajay, TCS, Sethu, Wipro , Karthik, Infosys, Praveen, Zohocorp

Ahalya, TCS

Prashanth. Inautix

■ Shutter. The climax is shocking to all. Saravanan, Raja. TCS,

Devandiran from Caliber Point has nominated his friends as Partners in Crime. This pic was clicked in Pondicherry.

■ Jeepers Creepers, really a wonderful horror movie. In that movie each and every scene leads to the corner of the chair.

■ Veerasami for the horrific action, romance and sentimental role played by the one and only horror star TR.

■ The haunting which released in 1999, because it’s a real story, which happened in 1529.

Rema Varma from Accenture has nominated her friends as Partners in Crime. This pic was clicked in Yelagiri.

■ Bhoot, for Ajaydevgan and Urmila’s acting. Mohanapriya, TCS

Today’s Query: Your favourite ‘lecturer’ quotes from college days.

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.

Ramya C from Citi Group Global Services doodled this.

13

Monday, February 23, 2009

■ Dear Suganthi, Side by side, or miles apartA Girl like u, is always close to the Heart. May u have all the joys ur heart can hold, All the Smiles a day can bring, All the Blessings a life can unfold. May u have God’s best in everything!! Wishing that u have a lovely day and a great year ahead! Happy Birthday Lots of luv and Regards, Your’s Loving , Ravi.

■ Dearest Krishna, To succeed, we must first believe that we can. And that is exactly what you did. Your love for your job, your commitment, your confidence and persona has lead to this recognition that you very well deserve. I am sure your firm has made a very wise choice and that you will excel in your new role or any role that you are in. I’m so proud of you. The additional $$ and the fanfare and glory these recognitions may bring is great, but the personal accomplishment must be so much greater. I really want to take this moment to let you know how very, very proud I am of you, and your accomplishments thus far. I have always looked up to you and admired you for what you stand for. Knowing exactly what you want in life and applying those goals has gotten you in a well deserve place. I congratulate you, and wish you all the best each and everyday. May God watch over you where you are and place your feet on solid ground. I am proud to be able to share these wonderful successes with you that you so very well deserve! Way to go honey! Cheers, Your proud wife, Archana

■ Hi Bhavna & Team, I have no yesterdays, Time took them away, Tomorrow may not be mine, But I have Today.So wish you my cute friends a Very Good Day. All the Best. Best Wishes from, N.Deepan, TCS, Siruseri

■ Dear Mr.ExcelaCom, Every moment being with you is specialHope this chosen wish adds a spotlight to this special friendship! So dear Bhavani, my frnd, the spotlight is on you! May all your dreams come true and may God shower his choicest blessings to you on every event!Let this birthday wipe of the hurdles and sprinkle your path with joy and melody. Let this birthday also show the way to make us wish for another special day every year - A happy anniversary! Have an unforgettable Birthday! "Intha birthday kaavadu weight podu" Wishes and prayers, Friends @ ExcelaCom Reston, VA and Chennai (Route 4, COMS team, lunch gang, et al)

■ Dear Super Singer Mukund , On your b’day, we wish for you the fulfillment of all your fondest dreams. We hope that for every candle on your cake you get a wonderful surprise. Many more happy returns of the day singer. We wish for u that whatever u want most in life, it comes to u, Just the way u imagined it. Belated Happy Birthday Kizzzzz hi With Tons & Tons of Luv, Route No. 4 Friends, Scope International.

■ Dear Suda, Very belated Birthday wishes!! Let this birthday make ur life brighter than ever and let all ur dreams

come true.Also Warm welcome from your Home Town!!! Keep Smiling!!!! Regards, Naraine, Infy

■ Dear Satya, What a joy it is to send these Birthday greetings to someone like you; May life shower on you special happiness and grant you all the things you desire. You turn not older with years but newer everyday :-) May You Live All the Days of Your Life. With Loads of Wishes, Container Centralen Tata Consultancy Services

■ Dear Lakshmi, I wish u many more happy returns of the day. May all your dreams come true. Have a rocking and a fun filled birthday. With love, Nirmala devi, Tata Consultancy Services

■ Dear Shanthi, You think you are special because its your BIRTHDAY today. That’s complete nonsense... you’re special everyday... In this world, where everything seems uncertain, only one thing is definite, you will always be our friend beyond words, beyond time and beyond distance, May everyday be filled with sunshine, smiles, laughter and love... many more happy returns of the day With Best wishes, Waseem Akram Santhosh Bimosana ALLSEC TECHNOLOGIES LTD

■ Hii Gopi, I dont wanna wish u either an advance wish or an belated wish, so I will call u at 0.00 Hrs to greet. Karthik R

■ Hi Guys Wish u a mhappy birthaday...Valliappan Ramasamy Rathinakarthik Natarajan Archana Aravindaraman Saravanan Ramalingam Thomas Abraham Thiruselvam Kasiligam Jeevith Sathiyaraj from Business Processing & Infrastructure Services iNautix Technologies India Private Limited,

Belated Wishes February 20 ■ Hi Dinesh Peter, Its your Birthday, your very own special day of the year , and we just wanted to send you some b"day cheer.Have a greta day, bcoz u deserve it . Happy birthday to u, Amit . Dinesh peter name yaaru sonna njabagam erukka.. From, Treatku yengum kuzhathaigal, Thenu, Jemi, Ram, Shiva, Sathya, Lav, Pravin. CSS Corp

■ Muthuvisalatchi & Meenakshi Sundaram, Happy married life!! May the coming years bring lots of happiness and success in your life. Best Wishes, Shobi, Arul, Udhaya, Indra, Aparna, Reva, HCL

February 21 ■ Hi Sowmya,

Belated Happy Birthday Sowmya. Let this Birthday bring you full of fun, happiness, joy and success in your life. We wish that all your golden dreams come true. Hearty wishes from Rajeev [Ur Best Friend], Arun, Shalini, Ramya, Ranjani, Brindha, Deva, Batchu, Karthik [Team Lead], Vinoth, Brinson [Ur Chris Mom] Sushil, Shameema, & BP4 team members.

■ Dear Gomathy Wish you many More Happy Returns of the Day!!!!!! May God Bless you!!!!!!! Have A Wonderful Year Ahead. May you be gifted with lots of Happiness, Health, Love, and Joys to last all year through!!!!!! May your entire wish come true!!!!! Nalam Vaazha en naalum engal vaazhthukkal !!!!!! With Tons & Tons of Love & Friendship Nov-07 Testing Team (JBU) HCL Technologies

■ My Dearest Sonali, Wishing You Many Many Happy returns of the Day. Wanting to stay beside you all ur life and Assuring the Same . We Wish, Rather , I specially Wish You a wonderful and the memorable Happy Birthday ( In My Way .... colon P) Hoping that I’ll walk beside You Holding Your hand in mine for Your every BirthDay ........ Showering You the Happiness of all On the special day. Your BirthDay . A Heartful Happy Birthday Ur’s Tikkalodu TCS

February 22 ■ Dear Sangu, Many More Happy returns of the day, May all your dreams come true by this day. Ur ever luvr, Anitha

■ Hi Venki, Wish u many more happy returns of the day. May this day brings u happiness for ur whole future. With Regards, Ur team, Infosys Technologies Limited.

■ Dear Lydia (Manager), On your Birthday, special one, we wish that all ur 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 lifes’s best treasures. We wish you happily ever after! "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" Wishes from, Gershome, Srini, Kevin, Praveen, Vinoth, Arun, Raghu, Prakash, Sushma, Rafia, Sai, Serena (ATG Rockers)-Allsec tech

■ Dhivya & Arunkumar, Happy married life!! May the coming years bring lots of happiness and success in your life. Best Wishes, Shobi, Anu

■ Dear Rajan and Pooja Heartiest congratulations on your Wedding Anniversary. May your life be full of happiness and joy...Have a bright and Flourishing Future...God Bless... With Regards, Guravneet Cognizant

14 TRAFFIC JAM

ERGO Monday, February 23, 2009

Mini-Me toys A toy company in Japan is offering to make tailormade Mini-Me robots that mimic their owner’s voice. The toy costs a whopping $2,200 (GBP1,500).

sudoku

K. Deepa of Sify Technologies cliked this picture in Ooty with her Canon SX100. Hobbies: Singing and listening to songs

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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Printed and Published by S. Karthik on behalf of KASTURI & SONS LTD., at Plot B-6 & B-7, CMDA Industrial Complex, Maraimalai Nagar, Chengleput Taluk, Kancheepuram Dist., Pin: 603209 & at Kasturi Buildings, 859 & 860, Anna Salai, Chennai-600002. Editor: S. Karthik (Editor responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act). RNI No. TNENG/2007/24553

15

Monday, February 23, 2009

Shot in the dark

Word’s worth

A man survived a suicide attempt after buying a coffin, climbing in and trying to shoot himself. The bullet grazed his chin and nose but missed his brain.

“Nanism” (nay-niz-um) the condition of being dwarfed, or the tendency to become stunted or dwarfed. Usually used about animals and plants. Nanity is the condition of having any abnormal deficiency. Both words come from a Greek word meaning ’dwarf.’

B.C ARIES MARCH 21 - APRIL 20 You might choose to focus more on professional matters. Ganesha feels you will be very practical and will be able to meet your deadlines today. Since you are working so hard today, you may also expect to do the same.

TAURUS APRIL 21 - MAY 20 Today will be your lucky day. You will show a considerable improvement in your communication skills, especially in meetings and conferences. These improvements might get you a new project to work on. There will be moral support from family.

GEMINI MAY 21 - JUNE 20 Ganesha thinks you will be able to meet your deadlines today. Nevertheless, mood swings might make your day seem longer. The day, including your love life, will be average for you.

BORN LOSER

CANCER JUNE 21 - JULY 20 You might have to agree on everything your superiors say today. Ganesha thinks you might have to take a back seat at work. However, this is a temporary phase. Unmarried couples may start planning for the ‘big event’ called Marriage.

LEO JULY 21 - AUG 20 You may feel like pouring your soul in your work today. However, this might make it a hard day at office. Ganesha advises you not to indulge in any arguments with superiors. On the love front, you will be more romantic than sensitive.

VIRGO AUG 21 - SEPT 20

FREE RANGE

WORKING IT OUT

Ganesha thinks it is a favourable day for work and romance. While you engross yourself in development and research, your love for your organization will strengthen. You may express affection and passionate love towards your beloved.

LIBRA SEPT 21 - OCT 20 Work at office might seem dull and boring today. Ganesha feels it would be best if you stick to your daily routine and avoid burdensome work. Even for your love life, you will have to save the day from being dry or boring.

SCORPIO OCT 21 - NOV 20 You will be able to get rid of the pending work today. Ganesha things you will be able to manage routine tasks very effectively today. In matters of the heart it will be better if you don’t dominate today. Try to woo your beloved in a creative way instead.

SAGITTARIUS NOV 21 - DEC 20 Think twice before you speak anything today. Be careful with word, especially with superiors and your sweetheart. Office work might seem demanding but anyway, it would be best if you remain calm and soft in your approach.

CAPRICORN DEC 21 - JAN 20 You will exhibit tremendous energy and power today. This energy will not only boost your career but will also help you in your domestic life. This energetic mood will lead to a dynamic and cheerful day ahead, not to forget your charming love life.

PREVIOUS ISSUE’S SOLUTIONS

AQUARIUS JAN 21 - FEB 20 Ganesha wants you to be extra cautious at work today. Also, it would be advisable for you to maintain a low profile at work. This would be applicable even on your personal and love life, Ganesha suggets.

PISCES FEB 21 - MARCH 20 Fate will be in your favour today. Ganesha feels that hard work always pays off. Hence today your hard work will get a lot of appreciation from your colleagues. Love life as well as personal life will be calm and peaceful. Predictions by Bhavesh N. Pattni

16 !

ERGO Monday, February 23, 2009

The 150th show of Crazy Mohan’s Chocolate Krishna saw actor Kamal Hassan playing the guest of honour this Sunday at Narada Gana Sabha. The proceeds from the show went towards charity. The show also saw the unveiling of a painting titled ’Chocolate Krishna’ done by artist Shri Keshav. PHOTOS: S.S. KUMAR