Ergo March 18

A BYTE OF LIFE

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Vol. 3

FREE CIRCULATION

No. 51

MARRIAGE ON HOLD “Am I crazy to get married now when so many wonderful things are happening to my career?” Kareena gets candid about Saif and life.

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BEST EVER?

08 04

Ergo tries to compete with the master blaster to find India’s best ODI XI

Anandamide at 1,000 ft

Six hours of madness and a few seconds of bliss at HK

BIG STORY ALERT

Dial L for Loser

There are those in love. And then there are those in ‘loweeeee’. Ever encountered someone whose eyes drip with “I lowe you” message that stumps you no matter what you do to say “Thanks but no thanks”. The wannabe studs or the “choo chweet” brigade sometimes just don’t get the hint. Do they? And the “so called” friends who spice up your imagination. Write to us about your very own ‘fans’ and what you did to avoid them or even drop a hint. Write to [email protected] with the subject line ‘Dial L for Loser’ to contribute for this weekend’s Big Story. Keep your contributions to around 200 words.

02 NAMMA CHENNAI

ERGO Wednesday, March 18, 2009

After the fall Afghan Chronicles, a film by Dominic Morissette, will be screened today at the Alliance Francaise of Madras as part of the ongoing Francophonie Film Festival. The film talks about the country rebuilding itself after the fall of the Taliban.

‘Turning’ point A collection of clicks on the theme ‘Spirit of Women’ by photographerpainter Joel Suganth is on display at the Alliance Francaise of Madras. Joel, an alumnus of the Government College of Fine Arts, Chennai has showcased his photographs and paintings in various metros including Bangalore, Pondicherry and London. Currently working as an Art Educator at American International School in Chennai, Joel recently held an exhibition of photographs titled ‘Children of India’ at Alliance Francaise, Chandigarh. Joel Suganth’s ‘Spirit of Women’ is on till March 31. ■

AYON SENGUPTA [email protected]

T

he scent of grilled meat greets you as you walk past the place and you are left with no choice but to head to Ibrahim Basheer’s City Snacks tucked in one corner of Amir Mahal. The specialty of the house is chicken shawarma – marinated, flame-grilled meat, tucked in pita bread with an enticing salad for company. The charming fellow at the counter, Mohammed Saheer, a veteran with nine years of experience in Arabian cooking in Dubai, seemed enthusiastic about a chat and informed us that his shawarma has started giving competition to Triplicane’s more famous seekh kebabs. “We started three months ago and are experiencing good footfall. People are catching up to its unique taste,” says Saheer, who worked as a translator in a Dubai court in the morning before heading off to his brother’s snack corner on the opposite end of the court house. “I learned every kind of Arabian preparation at that small shop in Dubai. When it was time to head home due to some family issues, I found it easy to slip into this role.” Shawarma is the Middle East’s answer to fast food and the word ‘shawarma’ is actually a Turkish word for ‘turning’ and that is exactly how it is prepared. Piles upon piles of raw meat are mounted on a massive spear until

PHOTO: R. RAVINDRAN

Art on women

The Lebanese shawarma is giving Triplicane’s seekh kebabs competition, say the guys at City Snacks in Royapettah

it resembles a giant cone. At the very top, a few heavy chunks of animal fat, lime, tomatoes and garlic are attached and the meat is set to spin on a grilling device. It roasts all day as the fat and veg-

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City Snacks

109, Pycrofts Road, Royapettah, Chennai – 600 014 (Near Amir Mahal) Ph: 42663192

etables trickle down in a continuous drip, which keeps it moist and tender. Basheer has imported his grilling machine from Bangalore, where the Arabian delicacy is a huge hit, and procures meat from a dealer in Triplicane. He charges Rs. 35 for his meat delicacy and has plans to introduce more mouth-watering fares, but only time will tell whether the Lebanese shawarma holds its footing against the more earthly kebabs in the busy streets of Triplicane. ■

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Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Hide and seek Leather Hub, the newly-opened leather accessories store on Royapettah High Road, is for those who like it smart and well-finished

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eather Hub is barely two weeks old. The goods on the shelves, however, look carefully handpicked than randomly assembled. This leather accessories store in Thirumala Complex, diagonally opposite Adarsh Vidyalaya on Royapettah High Road, is a good place to visit if you’re looking for leather bags, belts, wallets, purses, shoes and other accessories. The ladies’ handbag section, especially, throws up some interesting pieces. There is everything from tiny coin purses to little

Address: Leather Hub, Thirumala Complex, Old No. 239, New No. 132, Royapettah High Road, Chennai - 600 014 Ph: 4551 6220 Email: [email protected] Store timings: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Open all days)

handbags, messenger bags and giant totes in mottled green, blue, red and the classic tan, brown and black. We loved the suede leather handbags in coffee bean brown and grey-blue. Bags are priced between Rs. 300 and Rs. 2,000. Leather gloves in tan and black cost between Rs. 150 and Rs. 375. Leather jackets come between Rs. 1,200 and Rs. 2,100, while belts are available in the range of

Rs. 150 to Rs. 375. Besides, there are the tiny leather nick-knacks, too, like key chains, cellphone pouches and the like. The good thing is, while the products here cost a third of what you might shell out for more wellknown brands nestled in malls, everything is well-finished and neat, leaning more towards classic than funky and careless. The footwear section, at present, is limited to men’s shoes and is in the range of Rs. 400 to Rs. 999. As Nasar of Leather Hub tells us, a separate women’s section is under consideration. We’ll keep you posted. ■ If you know of a place that stocks or sells something unique, do write to us at [email protected]

PHOTOS: R. RAVINDRAN

04 BACKPACKERS

ERGO Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Anandamide

Some journeys are remembered best not for what you see but what you do. I experienced six hours of madness and a few seconds of bliss on a beautiful spring day in Hong Kong in 2006.

KARTHIK SUBRAMANIAN [email protected]

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t was the spring 2006 and my office had nominated me for an official trip to Hong Kong to attend the technology forecast event of Philips called ‘The Simplicity Event’. I could not believe my luck. It was only my second trip abroad and I was going to the land of Jackie Chan. Let us not make any bones about it. We guys love world movies, take pride in discussing parallel cinema … from the Kurosawas to the Godards to the Kieslowskis. But in our heart of hearts, we enjoy most some good old gut-kicking Hong Kong action flicks. I was there at Hong Kong for exactly three-and-half days, and so naturally kept my eyes dilated to grasp as many sights as I possibly could. But this story starts right on the last day of my stay. It was the beautiful morning of

March 15 and I had already packed my bags at the Excelsior Hotel in Causeway Bay, located in the central commercial district of Hong Kong. I was leaving by the 2 p.m. flight to Singapore, and that still gave me half a day to see the sights. I had skipped the cocktails the previous night and had generally skipped my sleep too. It was all planned for. I would stay awake (courtesy some very strong coffee) through the day and sleep during my flight. I had a cousin living in Hong Kong, who I had met only the previous night to hand over a package of ‘essentials’ that his parents had so lovingly asked me to courier. He had asked me to take the then recently inaugurated Skyrail from Tung Chung, a Hong Kong suburb, to the famous Nnog Ping village. It is claimed to be the largest cableway structure ever constructed. The Ngong Ping village is also just a stone’s throw away the famous Po Lin Monastery that houses the fa-

mous Tian Tan Buddha Statue (referred to by westerners as the “Big Buddha”). There is a famous pilgrimage trail adjacent to the statue called the “Wisdom Path”.

The perfect plan It sounded like something that was must-see. So I drew the perfect plan that math would allow me to; take the underground train to my cousin’s house in Tung Chung by 7 a.m.; reach his house by 7:45 a.m.; have the traditional South Indian brunch there (but why god? Why??) and exchange pleasantries till 8.30 a.m.; take the skyrail (25-minutejourney one-way) and reach the Monastery by 9 a.m.; return to my cousin’s place by 11 a.m.; and head for that fantabulous Hong Kong International Airport on Chek Lap Kok island well in advance. It went according to plan for a few minutes. I reached my cousin’s place and waited for the South Indian

brunch to happen. They had only then started unpacking that bag I left with them the previous night and were using the same ingredients to make the meal. To think that I carried that for such a long distance, only for them to cook and bring it back in my stomach! Anyway … I’m the editor of this tabloid and let me not make this gross. By the time I finished the payaasam, it was already 9.30 a.m. and little cartoon birds and bells were tweeting around my head. But a sudden surge of madness, which I attribute to the sugar in the payaasam, urged me to take the Skyrail trip. It was not going to hurt. The math was right and it only meant less time gazing at all those stores at the Airport. So I rushed to the Tung Chung Cable Car terminal, which luckily was just a five minute mad-dash from my cousin’s house. I found myself into the cable car within 20 minutes. And I kept referring

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Wednesday, March 18, 2009

at 1,000 feet

The “Big Buddha” as seen from the Tung Chung Cable Car. (inset) The music audio CD of the Chinese Autumn Goddess. (Opposite page) The Nnong Ping trail

to the pamphlet they handed over. Twenty-five minute ride, it said. Nice. The math was holding up well. But only nature disagreed.

25 becomes 40 It was an abnormally windy day, I would find out much later. The 25-minute ride to the Monastry took 40 minutes and I was about to throw up the entire South Indian brunch I had from 1,000 feet above. I am normally restless but I remember going hyper in mind. “So this is it. I am going to miss my flight. Suresh Nambath (my boss back then who strictly asked me to get back without extending the stay) is going to fire me. But hell, where am I going to find the money to fly back? Will my cousin help,” I kept asking myself. And as I was screaming in my head, the cable car passed through such wonderful sights as the spectacular view of the Airport Island, and through the Cau-

seway Bay, and across the South China Sea. Some say that at one point, you an also see the Macau Island. But I did not. All I was seeing was my own writing on the wall. It was 10.40 a.m. by the time I reached the Ngong Ping village. And some village it was. I was thinking it would be more like the ones from the Chinese Kung Fu flicks. It was not. It was incredibly modern and was a thriving merchandise zone. I needed to take a breather. And as I was panting, even though I was just standing heavily right through the past 40 minutes, I saw from afar, the sides of the Big Buddha. A pretty flabby fellow but in total zen-like posi-

tion. My exact opposite at that point of time, except of course the flab. I walked into a nearby store selling some gifts, including a few Chinese religious music CDs and wind chimes. I got myself a CD and wondered for a second why I liked Chinese music. Right then, my mind screamed: “IDIOT”. I ran back to the cable car to take the ride back.

Looking suspicious Right then, the security guards found me suspicious. They wanted to do a proper check at the gates. And as I started crying inside, I opened up the gift bag to show them the CD and the wind

What is Anandamide? Anandamide is an endogenous cannabinoid neurotransmitter found in animal and human organs, especially in the brain. In lay terms, it is that which creates ‘ananda’. Sometimes as a response to stressful conditions too. Anandamide is also reported to be present in chocolate!

chime. The Chinese guard looked at me and laughed very slowly. “Nice,” he said. I did not reply in kind. I dashed to the waiting cable car and wanted it to start rolling. “Can’t go alone,” the guard said. “Wait for more people.” And then, at that point, I looked at the Big Buddha and offered a small prayer. And in no longer than 5 minutes, a Japanese couple walked in. And the cable car was ready to go. It was now well past 11 a.m. I removed my wrist watch and put it into my pant pockets. I was scared of giving myself a heart attack just looking at it. As the cable car started its travel back to Tung Chung, I reflected upon the past two hours of absolute madness. I was sweating profusely. And from afar, I could see the Big Buddha, all serene, all zen … The Japanese couple were coochi-cuddling, probably hoping that the cable ride would last for-

ever. I was thinking there cannot be two more diverse opinions at a single place. I was hoping that some sci-fi special effect would happen, converting the cable car ride into hyper speed. The Japenese guy (I forget his name but hell they all sound alike) looked at my face. I thought, finally, here is a soul that understands what I am going through. He whispered something into his girlfriend’s ears and she giggled. And then he asked me: “Do you want me to take your photograph?” For no apparent reason, I blurted out: “Thoda”. At that exact moment, I experienced Anandamide. It was sheer bliss. And I was floating. Even if gravity and my weight did not agree. I stepped out of the cable car with just about two hours to go for my flight. So did I make it on time? Damn. We have run out of space this week. ■ (To be continued)

06 VILLAGE

ERGO Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Poker paperboy hits jackpot A former paperboy has won $5.6 million (GBP4 million) after quitting his rounds to become a full-time poker player.

Sachin bats for tiger conservation Sachin Tendulkar has pledged his support for tiger conservation. Tendulkar said that the Indian cricket team supported the cause of the critically endangered species, whose numbers have been dropping alarmingly in the wild. “At the start of the century, there were nearly 40,000 tigers in India. Today, that number has shrunk to 1,700 and we are losing at least one tiger a month. The rate at which the tiger is being hunted down is alarming,” he said. PTI

Egypt to open ‘bent’ pyramid to public Egypt will open its ‘bent’ pyramid to the public within months, followed by two other pyramids within a year, Egypt’s chief archaeologist said. At present, tourists can see the pyramids but are not allowed to enter them. The ‘bent’ pyramid, so named because of its sloping upper half, was built around 4,600 years ago by the pharaoh Snefru. It is believed concerns over the structure’s stability led to the change in the slope halfway through construction. “The ‘bent’ pyramid maybe within one month or two will be open for the first time to the public,” Zahi Hawass told reporters. “The Amenemhat III and Sesostris II pyramids will be opened within one year from now.” Reuters

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woman from Russia’s Siberian region of Irkutsk has been arrested for killing a friend of hers and then eating part of the corpse, Interfax news agency reported, quoting local investigators. The incident occurred on March 5 when the two women were drinking together at the suspect’s home and an argument broke out between them. “Investigators have information to suggest the woman cooked pieces of her murdered friend and ate them,” said an official with the Russian prosecutor’s

Sacked workers pelt bosses with eggs Angry French tyre factory workers burst into a management meeting and pelted their bosses with eggs to protest the closure of their plant. Hundreds of workers from the German firm Continental had travelled by bus from their plant in the northern town of Clairoix to protest outside a hotel in the nearby city of Reims where the meeting was being held. A small group stormed into the meeting room to attack the managers with eggs. Outside, other workers hung two dummies, representing their French boss and a German manager, from the front of the building and proceeded to bombard them with eggs and shoes. AFP

Drugs hidden in computers seized Malaysian customs police foiled an attempt to smuggle in 1.1 million dollars of the psychotropic drug Eramin-5, at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Customs officers had become suspicious when a shipment of 10 CPUs arrived from Taiwan weighing 148 kilograms when the weight of a single unit is normally less than 5 kilograms, said department director-general Mohamed Khalid Yusof. He said the seizure was the biggest this year for airport customs. DPA

investigative committee, Vladimir Salovarov. He added that the perpetrator killed her friend with an axe and that uneaten parts of the victim’s body had been found in a nearby waste bin. The detained woman had confessed her guilt, Salovarov said. In a separate case, prosecutors in Russia’s Udmurtiya region said last week they were searching for a man suspected of cannibalism after the mutilated body of a woman was found in the town of Izhevsk, according to the prosecutor’s website. ■ AFP

Woman held for eating friend

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Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Websites of the day

Dog sniffs out tigers

For those interested in criminal history: http://www.crimelibrary.com/ The official site of Tourism New Zealand. http://www.newzealand.com/travel/International

A dog trained in Russia to sniff for tiger droppings has begun searching for the big cats in a protected area in Cambodia.

Student gets 19 years’ jail for love scam A

Nigerian undergraduate has been sentenced to 19 years in prison for obtaining $47,000 from an Australian woman by convincing her over the Internet that he was 57 years old, white, and madly in love with her. Lawal Adekunle Nurudeen met his victim on the Internet in 2007 and convinced her that he was a British widower called Benson Lawson. He said he was an engineer working in Lagos whose wife and only child had

been killed in a car accident. “The victim, a 56-year-old woman from Australia, told the convict that she wanted a husband and all the men she had met always disappointed her,” said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigeria’s anti-corruption police. “The convict, who is married with three children, instantly replied and told the victim she had met her Mr Right ... He sent the picture of a white man to fore-

close any suspicions.” The woman sent Nurudeen money for medical treatment and travel costs to visit Australia. He spent the funds on two plots of land and a Honda Prelude car. The EFCC said Nurudeen was ordered to pay around $10,000 immediately and a further $250 a month to his victim until the full amount stolen was returned. She would also receive the proceeds of the sale of his land and car. ■

Nigerian tricksters have a long history of extorting money via the Internet

Driving lesson on runway, pilot averts crash

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Philippine plane with 80 passengers aboard was seconds away from a crash when a man teaching his girlfriend to drive sped across the runway as the aircraft landed, newspapers reported on Tuesday. The Cebu Pacific plane briefly touched down at Legazpi airport in the central Philippines, but took off again as the van being driven by the couple

Siblings’ Day Out

crossed the runway, the Philippine Star newspaper said. The man is the son of a local aviation official, who has been ordered suspended from duty. “It could have been a disaster if not for the presence of mind of a veteran pilot,” Legazpi Mayor Noel Rosal told the newspaper. ■ Reuters

쒀 Pagi, a female Bornean sun bear cub whose name means ‘morning’ in a Malayan dialect, reassured her brother, Palu, who is named after a valley in Borneo, as they made their public debut at the San Diego Zoo. The twins are only the third Bornean sun bear litter to be born in North America, all of which have occurred at the San Diego Zoo. AFP PHOTO/TAMMY SPRATT/SAN DIEGO ZOO/HANDOUT

Reuters

08 SPORT

ERGO Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Paes, Bhupathi bow out Indian challenge at the BNP Paribas Open ended after Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi lost their respective second-round doubles matches at the US$ 4.5 million tennis tournament. Paes and his Czech partner Lukas Dlouhy, seeded fourth, went down 6-7 (6-8), 6-7 (5-7) to Argentines Juan Martin del Potro and David Nalbandian. In another match, the third seeded pair of Bhupathi and Bahamian Mark Knowles were stunned 6-7 (2-7), 4-6 by the un-seeded Israeli-Belarussian duo of Max Mirnyi and Andy Ram.

Federer sails past Karlovic Roger Federer felled big-serving Croat Ivo Karlovic 7-6, 6-3 on Monday to reach the fourth round of the ATP event in Indian Wells. Fourth seed Andy Murray and number 10 Fernando Verdasco also moved into the last 16 but there were shock defeats for Frenchmen JoWilfried Tsonga and Gilles Simon. Swiss world number two Federer, aiming to win the title for the fourth time, snatched the first set on a tiebreak and broke once in the second to clinch victory. Federer will now play 17th seed Fernando Gonzalez of Chile for a place in the quarter-finals. “It’s always a bit of a success story to get his serve back,” Federer said. “Ivo has really improved a lot over the past few years so it’s always nice to get through a tough match like this.” Though Federer led their head-to-head battles 6-1, the 6ft 10in (2.08 metres) Karlovic had won their most recent encounter, in Cincinnati last year. Karlovic kept Federer off balance in the first set with a barrage of booming serves to take it to a tiebreak. He then forged a 3-1 lead but Federer won six of the next seven points to take the set. The second looked to be heading the same way until Federer finally broke the Karlovic serve in the sixth game, before going on to seal the win. Gonzalez will be his next opponent after the Chilean ousted American James Blake 7-5, 6-1

Partners in crime: Ganguly and Tendulkar

Reuters

AKSHAY RAMASESHAN & AYON SENGUPTA

Marriage over cricket Australian middle-order batsman Adam Voges has turned down the chance to play for his country to marry his sweetheart. The 29-year-old Voges announced on Tuesday he had withdrawn from the Australian oneday team to tour South Africa in order to stay home and tie the knot. “It’s a big thing to give up an opportunity to play for Australia,” he said. “But I guess you only get married once and that’s important to me and a decision I’ve made and one that I’m comfortable with.” Voges has played just one One-Day International and three Twenty20s for Australia and had already booked his wedding date long before his surprise inclusion in the team for South Africa. When he realised the second match of the tour, on April 5, clashed with his date at the alter, he asked the national selectors panel (NSP) whether he could return home between the first and third matches. But Australia’s chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said the panel would not allow him to return home midway through a series and Voges had to choose one or the other. Reuters

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aster Blaster Sachin Tendulkar’s comments on the current ODI batting line-up being the best ever that he has been a part of made all and sundry take notice. It is not very often you see Tendulkar talk out openly, but a few words from him are adequate enough to start a wide range of discussions, for both his millions of followers and critics. In retrospect, it is hard to disagree with Sachin’s analysis; after all, the man has seen it all over two decades. And various polling results on his comments also agree the willow-yielders under Mahendra Singh Dhoni

are a stronger force than teams of the past. The debate, however, has tickled interest within Ergo and we wanted to put down a list of alltime best Indian ODI XI. Here’s our reasoning:

All time best Indian XI (ODIs) Sachin Tendulkar – The man himself, rightfully, for showing the world how to deliver the initial punch to an ODI innings and also for his numerous match-winning knocks. All-time leading run-scorer walks with eyes closed into the XI. Sourav Ganguly – You may love him, you may hate him, but you cannot ignore the Dada of Indian cricket for the sheer volume of runs. Being a southpaw

League of ex

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Wednesday, March 18, 2009

‘‘

I will take a few weeks of peace and quiet to assess what I want to do with the next years of my life, if it leads me to want to do the Tour de France again and all the chaos that surrounds a bicycle race. If I went back to the Tour de France the objective would be to win it again. I would like to win the race and go home and spend time with everybody that supported me and enjoy it rather than spending the next couple of years defending how I won it. Floyd Landis, whose 2006 Tour title was taken from him after he failed a dope test and was suspended for two years

A few of Ergo’s best XI Indian ODI players may come as brawlers in the ground but we stick with the term gentlemen because we are talking cricket adds to his benefit. He pips Sunil Gavaskar (not-so-effective for ODIs) and Virender Sehwag and Kris Srikkanth (the slam bangers). Virender Sehwag – His strike rate heroics is hard to keep aside and, thus, he still manages to make it to the XI at his not-sousual position of 3. Mohinder Amarnath – The bold stroke-maker (one of the few Indian masters of the hook shot) who is also a big match player (Man of Match in semis and finals in WC 83’) is at the crucial number 4 slot. His slow medium-pace gives the team rare variety. Yuvraj Singh – The swashbuckling left-hander, who can change the course of any match in a span of five to six overs, is an automatic choice. If the going gets tough you can expect the Punjab lad to clear the boundaries with aplomb. Ajay Jadeja – Fielder par excellence, an effective hitter during the end-overs and physical briskness make him a handy player to have in the shorter version of the game. Mahendra Singh Dhoni – The wicketkeeper-batsman can spice up the total towards the end of the innings with some lusty blows and more. His keeping has improved in leaps and bounds since he made his debut in 2004. Kapil Dev (Captain) – The original master of swing bowling

Skipper perfect: Kapil Dev Never-say-die: Jadeja and Srinath and India’s best ever all-rounder also led the country to its first ever and only World Cup win (the pinnacle of achievement in ODI cricket). He is our main strike bowler and also the skipper for obvious reasons. Anil Kumble – Arguably the most effective spinner the country has ever produced and the protagonist in many Indian wins. His sheer tenacity to carry on relentlessly makes him the ideal choice in the slow bowling department. Javagal Srinath – Bore the burden of opening the bowling past the Kapil Dev era and did it well for over a decade. A committed professional, the perfect team man, Srinath is a must. Zaheer Khan – The new-age aggressor who can talk with both ball and mouth. Capable of bowling at a good pace with swing, Zaheer can be any batsman’s nightmare. We fought, we bickered and at last came to a decision. But there are thousands outside who are sure to challenge our opinion. Do write in with your own Best Indian ODI XI at [email protected]. ■

Modern day maulers: Zaheer and Dhoni

xtraordinary gentlemen

10 FLICK

ERGO Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Anil Kapoor donates SM salary to charity Actor Anil Kapoor has donated his salary from Slumdog Millionaire to a children’s charity. The actor, who played the role of a TV host in the Oscar-winning film, has donated his pay cheque to an Indian children’s charity, called Plan India, which works for underprivileged kids.

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areena Kapoor, who has received as many as four awards in just one month, says plans of her marriage to Saif Ali Khan may not happen for at least two years as her career is going great guns. “It won’t happen for the next two years for sure. Am I crazy to get married now when so many wonderful things are happening to my career? Saif himself is ultra-busy trying to set up his production house. Marriage can wait. I’m just happy to have him by my side. I’ve got the best guy any girl can ever have. “Right now I’m so busy I don’t have time to sleep properly. I haven’t even had time to move into my new house,” Kareena said. Overwhelmed after receiving four awards, she said: “Who doesn’t like attention, recognition and awards? I’ve got four awards in a month beginning with the environment award I got from Erin Brockovich, then two youth icon awards from Rotary International and Stardust. And now on Tuesday I was honoured by FICCI which Yash Chopra gave to me. “My mother gets exasperated each time I bring home another trophy. Saif wants to know where I’m going to keep all of them. I’ve set aside a whole enclave for trophies and awards. I love looking at them. One day my children are going to look at them and be proud of me.” Now, after a long time, Kareena will be in Mumbai for a month. “I’ve a month-long schedule of Rensil (D’Silva’s) film coming up in Mumbai.” Saif and Kareena returned home to Mumbai this week from Delhi without completing the shooting for D’Silva’s film. “We never expected such crowds. They were everywhere. And it was impossible to shoot,” she says, sounding not the least put off. “Those people who love me out there keep me going. I love my fans and awards.” And now Delhi will have to be fudged in the Mumbai schedule of D’Silva’s film. The extent of the surging crowds in Delhi in the key shooting spots like Jama Masjid and Janpath for D’Silva’s untitled film was so huge and unmanageable that the unit has returned without shooting the required sequences. Back in Mumbai after a week of futile shooting, Kareena says: “Everywhere we went there were these huge numbers of people who had come to see Saif and me. They were very sweet, very wellbehaved. But unfortunately the number of people in key places like Jama Masjid and Janpath was always too high to shoot properly.” As a result, there was almost no shooting. “We shot some scenes. But it was impossible to shoot with wide-angle lenses because the crowds were everywhere. We’ll now have to recreate some of the Delhi sequences in Mumbai.” Kareena is certainly not unhappy about the attention she got in Delhi. “The people in Delhi were so warm. It just made me realise how much of a responsibility I have towards my audience. At this stage of my career I’d rather take another holiday than do a bad film.” ■

FILE PHOTO: V.SREENIVASA MURTHY

IANS

Am I crazy to get married now when so many wonderful things are happening to my career?

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Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Britney ‘ordered to read Bible for an hour a day’ Singer Britney Spears has been ordered by her dad to read the Bible everyday, it has emerged. Jamie Spears has full control of Britney’s affairs, as he’s the coconservator of her estate.

Hollywood shows Cine City interest in 13 B

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he makers of horror movie 13B, made as Yavarum Nalam in Tamil, can’t stop smiling these days as their work seems to be heading to Hollywood. A film studio in the US has shown interest in acquiring the rights to remake it as an English film. Hollywood studio Weinstein Company was quite impressed after going through the synopsis of 13B, which stars R. Madhavan and Neetu Chandra, and now wants to know more about the film before getting the rights. “Yes, Weinstein Company has indeed shown a keen interest in the film. They have asked us to send them over the entire script of the film. Though they are seeing the film as well, they want to go through the script in detail to consider its adaptation as per western sensibilities,” said a spokesperson of Reliance BIG Pictures that produced 13 B. ■ IANS

Shilpa unable to meet Jade Goody

Kamal to work with daughter Actor Kamal Hassan is launching his daughter Sruthi in Kollywood, not as an actor but as a composer. The actor, who is remaking the Hindi movie A Wednesday as Thalaivan Irukkiran in Tamil and Ee Nadu in Telugu, has asked his daughter to compose songs for the movie. The movie has actors Kamal Hassan and Mohanlal playing the lead roles. There are also rumours that actor Ajith Kumar might play an important role in the movie.

B

ollywood actress Shilpa Shetty rushed to London to meet her former ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ housemate Jade Goody on hearing that the British reality TV star was close to death but was not allowed to meet her. “When I left for London on Sunday, I thought I’d be able to meet her but her condition has deteriorated further. She’s heavily drugged and hardly awake,” Shilpa told IANS. Doctors have said the cancer-stricken Jade is only hours away from death. “I really want to meet her but unfortunately only her mother and husband are allowed to be with her. I’ve no choice but to respect that,” Shilpa added. Shilpa had a series of racially-charged run-ins with Jade during 2007’s ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ TV show in Britain. However, the two later became friends and Jade was diagnosed with cervical cancer when she appeared on the Indian version of the reality show that Shilpa hosted in 2008. “I really feel terrible about what has happened to her. All I can do is pray. I’m not giving up hope of seeing her one last time,” said Shilpa. ■ IANS

Priyadharshan to produce Lal flick After the success of Kanchivaram, director Priyadharshan is planning to produce a Malayalam flick starring Mohanlal in the lead role. The movie will be directed by Amal Neerad, who made his debut in Malayalam film industry with actor Mamootty’s Big B. Neerad is presently busy giving the finishing touches of Mohanlal’s Vishu release Sagar Alias Jacky, Reloaded.

12

ERGO Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Tuesday’s Query: One extra-curricular activity companies must add to their agenda ■ Yoga. It is a complete stress buster. It also makes employees stretch their muscles. A sound mind and body is the best investment

Navin Kumar, Rajendran and Dhayanidhi of RR Donnelley look thrilled after visiting the Central Jail.

Ahalya (TCS), Prabhu (Capgemini)

■ Wrestling and boxing competition among employees to get good understandings

Lexsminarayanan (TCS-eServe)

■ Mind games like Sudoku or brain teasers that make the mind think out of the box and also in turn helps us to be more attentive, alert and brisk at work

Usha Ramani (Allsec)

■ Play hide and seek game

Karthikeyan, Perumal, Anand K (Infoview Technologies)

■ Mono act like our supervisor

Alaguvel (Wipro)

■ Like pantry every company should keep a bar to get mental relaxation and to be active during work

Gladwin Devakumar (TCS-eServe)

■ Fashion show

Suresh (Wipro)

■ A basic morning assembly every day, with hoisting of the flag followed by singing of the National Anthem. This will kindle the national spirit in our US/UKbased IT companies

Mohan E. from Indus BPO Services has nominated his team as Partners in Crime.

Padma Gopal (Cognizant)

■ Companies must allow employees to play instruments like Thappattai or Udukkai at their desk

Mukund SCB (Scope International)

■ Bungee jumping ■ Planting trees

Senthil (Wipro) Vinay (Perot Systems)

■ Conduct hand writing competition, since most of us forget to touch pens nowadays

Robin (Wipro)

■ Introduce PT period in office to develop sports skills

Krishnan.T.V (L3 Wipro)

Ergo Pick ■ Ask employees to sleep for an hour daily Sundaram (TCS)

Today’s Query: What filmy gyan (advice) would you give to cool your short-tempered friend?

K. Sriram of TCS (eServe) has nominated his team as Partners in Crime.

13

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

■ Dear Mathan, Thanmana Singame!! Manamarndha Pirantha Naal Vaazthukkal Varudangal Odinalum Un Ilamai Adhai Maraikiradhu Unnai Vaztha Vayathillai Vanangukirom

C. Sivaramakrishnan of TCS has nominated Satish Kumar as Office Angel. Satish is 100 per cent committed to his work and is very friendly. He leads the team by example and his dedication, determination and dignity is incomparable. His approach in handling issues is appreciable. He is best tech and person I’ve ever worked with and a perfect role model.

Senthil, Arun Sivaraman, Pandiyan, Arun Kumar (Wipro Technologies)

■ Dear A-Run, A little tune can make u sing A little hug can make u feel better Some little things can make u happy Hope our little "Birthday Wishes" will make u smile Have a great year ahead

Hema Thiyagarajan, Archana Kannan, Jaffer Ali, Vimala Devi Ponrangam, Infosys

■ Dear Shailu, When god made you, he was having a good day! You are so special to us We all respect you and get inspired by you. Your dedication is unparalleled. You mean so much to us. Many happy returns of the day May you live 100 more years

Always with you, Hari & Siri

■ Dear Natu (Kunda) Natu, wish you many more Happy B-days. Hope your dreams come true. "INNIYA PIRANTHANAAL VAZHTHUKKAL".

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.

Santhosh, Bala, Prem, Ravi, Arun, Karthi, Priya, Nisha, Kiru, Manees, Haseena, Kavi, Abi

Kannan G of HCL sent us a good number of pencil sketches he drew some time back. This is for all Hirthik Roshan fans!

■ My dear sister (Deepa), I know I keep you busy, but you keep me busy too. While you’re busy taking care of me, I’m busy loving and caring you. Have a wonderful birthday! Happy birthday to the best sister a brother has ever had!

Ur loving brother, Prabu, HCL

■ Dear Vishnu Priya, Wishing you surprises, love and happiness, And when your birthday’s done, I hope you feel deep in your heart, As your birthdays come and go, How very much you mean to me, More than you can know You think you’re special because its your birthday today. That’s complete nonsense... you’re special every day.

One girl doesn’t sit in office always. Why? Her name is ‘Amara’vathi

Tatuvam of the day! Whitewash adikadha suvarum, Fair and Lovely podatha figarum white-ta irundhatha saritiram illingo....... Solairaj R, Sify Technologies

With lots of love Gowri Santhia M

■ Dear Shainu (Sunaina),

May god bless you with happiness and peace. Let this birthday make your life brighter than ever and let all ur dreams come true. How much u mean although you surely must know that without a doubt there’s no-one nicer than you or anyone dearer wish you many more happy returns of the day. Mogli, Mary, Nithya, Jessy, Annai, Aquib, Azeez, Gani Basha, Sadiq, Noc Team and Infosec Team

■ Dear Ganesh (Junior Captain), Wishing you a very happy Birthday. NJOY and keep rocking...

From your dear friends, HCL Technologies Ltd

■ Hi Sandeep, You’re always very special And you should know today That you are wished the nicest things That life can bring your way Huttida Habba Subashayagalu!

Cheers, MNYL team, Sudhindra, Krishnananda, Teena, Pavana, Sumati shree, Gowri Shankar, Nagcharan, Basavaraj, Raghu raman (Cognizant)

Belated message ■ Dear Safiya, May god give all goodness Live long and enjoy every moment Our belated birthday wishes GMI Testing Team(M&S), TCS

■ Dear Preetha, Just a simple acrostic for you my friend, one that comes straight from my heart. Hope your birthday is filled with joy, Nothing but happy wishes do I have for you. Reach for the stars that shine tonight, Dream of your love who warms your arms. Always know you are special to many, Very endearing with all of your charms. I’ve been blessed to have come to know you Exceptional is your talent that you share. So glad to know your friendship is there. Although these birthday wishes will arrive a little late You’re always wished much happiness No matter what the date

Loads of Wishes Senthil

14 TRAFFIC JAM

ERGO Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Cat chair A woman who bought a second-hand sofa for $27 (GBP19.30) was surprised to find a very hungry cat living inside it.

sudoku

It’s playtime for these elephants at Taronga Zoo in Sydney. They would not allow the water to stop splashing on them, says Lakshmi Subramani of TCS. Hobbies: Painting, photography Preference this month is being given to photographs that talk about ‘happiness’, which you need to tell us in a line or two. Please do not repeat any of your previous pictures and also make sure that the photograph is people-oriented. Happiness is not always a smile, so put on your thinking caps and keep clicking! Winners can collect their gift vouchers on Sundays, between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. at Ergo office

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]

TEAM Editor: Karthik Subramanian [email protected]

Sr Dy Chief Designer: J.A. Prem Kumar Dy Chief Designer: R. Ravi Kannan Illustrator: R. Venugopal Technical Support: V.R. Vasudevan, K.G. Gurumurthy N. Ravichandran, E. Baskar

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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

KAKURO

15

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Word’s worth

Baby surprise

“Encarpa” (en-kar-puh) an obsolete and rare word for architectural decorations featuring fruit. From a Greek word meaning ‘containing fruit.’

A teenage barmaid was rushed into hospital with stomach pains - and then gave birth to a baby daughter.

B.C ARIES MARCH 21 - APRIL 20 Ganesha advises you to be careful about whom you trust. You have a tendency to trust others blindly, but this habit will get you into trouble sooner or later. Listen to your intuition when making decisions and do not let other people make choices for you.

TAURUS APRIL 21 - MAY 20 Today the theme of your day will be self-reliance. As much as you treasure your friends and family, you will be aware today that your most important decisions are made by you only, and only you suffer the consequences of those decisions.

GEMINI MAY 21 - JUNE 20 You may be somewhat upset by the improper behaviour of others around you, perhaps in your home or in your office. Ganesha advises you not get drawn into any unnecessary drama, instead focus on your own duties and leave the drama to others.

BORN LOSER

CANCER JUNE 21 - JULY 20 Confidence and a fair measure of luck will help you emerge successful. Your decisions will be spot on and your own judgment will be more valuable than that of others. Today is a day for self-reliance and self-confidence, says Ganesha.

LEO JULY 21 - AUG 20 Your family will give you much happiness today as you go out or celebrate an occasion together. This is an excellent day to go for a short trip with your near and dear ones. You will spend quality time with those who are very close to you.

VIRGO AUG 21 - SEPT 20

FREE RANGE

WORKING IT OUT

This day will be full of adventure and excitement. You will get a long-awaited break from your daily routine and will find this to be a day to recharge your batteries and refresh your mind and body. Go out and have some fun!

LIBRA SEPT 21 - OCT 20 Ganesha predicts for you that you will be feeling the desire to get out and try something new. It’s been playing on your mind to start a new hobby or play your favourite sport. Take time today to decide just how you’re going to do it, and get started.

SCORPIO OCT 21 - NOV 20 Family reunion is on your cards today. Family togetherness is strongly indicated at this time. Perhaps you wander around the mall or go see a movie together, but you will probably just want to be in each other’s company.

SAGITTARIUS NOV 21 - DEC 20 If your relationship with a loved one seems like it’s been a bit strained lately then today you may see it start to even out. Hard work, a lot of restraint and composure from both sides have resulted in this improvement.

CAPRICORN DEC 21 - JAN 20 Peer group recognition brings you happiness. You are someone who automatically gets the support of everyone around! In fact, you may not know it but a lot of people look up to you and like the way you conduct yourself.

PREVIOUS ISSUE’S SOLUTIONS

AQUARIUS JAN 21 - FEB 20 Your life may take fresh turn for the better. A stranger or someone close to you will give you the guidance you seek. Be open to it, especially if it comes from a senior, as it would be to your benefit, says Ganesha.

PISCES FEB 21 - MARCH 20 You may feel at odds with your family today over small issues. This feeling may be quite prominent for you as your interests may be fairly different from theirs right now. Stay calm and cool, says Ganesha. Predictions by Bhavesh N. Pattni

16 !

ERGO Wednesday, March 18, 2009

US singer Tina Turner performs on stage at the P.O.P.B. in Paris on Monday. Turner, 69, tours Europe with her ‘Tina!: 50th Anniversary Tour’ programme. Britain’s Prince Charles (L) and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla Parker Bowles, walk next to a giant turtle during a visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station in Santa Cruz, one of the Galapagos Islands, in Ecuador on Monday. Charles and Camilla are starting a three-day visit to the Ecuador.

AFP PHOTO LIONEL BONAVENTURE

AFP PHOTO/RODRIGO BUENDIA

A designer from Japan’s robot maker Kokoro puts eyebrows and facial hair on a humanoid robot resembling prominent Japanese doctor and bacteriologist Hideyo Noguchi, which will be displayed at his museum from today at the company’s factory in Tokyo. The robot, called Actroid, moves like a human and can converse with visitors. AFP PHOTO / YOSHIKAZU TSUNO

South Korean activists float balloons carrying anti-Pyongyang leaflets and North Korean banknotes across the border into North Korea at the Imjingak park in Paju near the Demilitarized Zone dividing the two Koreas on Tuesday. Tensions have risen in recent weeks after the North sporadically shut the border and banned South Korean airlines from its airspace, in protest at a joint US-South Korean military exercise which it calls a prelude to invasion. AFP PHOTO/JUNG YEON-JE