Ergo March 19

A BYTE OF LIFE

Thursday, March 19, 2009

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03 G. ETHIRAJ

THE ANIMAL GUARDIAN SOCIETY Rescues homeless puppies and kittens FREE CIRCULATION

Vol. 3

The veteran costumer of black and white movies

No. 52

Asin’s

ASSISTANT MISSING ERGO CORRESPONDENT [email protected]

Actor Asin’s assistant, who was employed under her in Mumbai till the shooting of the Hindi Ghajini, has reportedly gone missing. Police sources said the missing person was Nalamuthu Kumaraswamy alias Muthu (23) of Karumari Amman Koil Street in Gandhi Nagar, Redhills, who was Asin’s assistant for over three years. On Tuesday afternoon, Muthu’s mother Sudalai Vadivu (46) met suburban Commissioner S.R. Jangid and lodged a complaint regarding her missing son. Sudalai Vadivu said Muthu relocated to

Biker BOY Meet 12-year-old Ajay, the youngest aspiring racer in the Chennai circuit

» PAGE 08

Mumbai in the beginning of 2008 after Asin started acting in the Hindi version of Ghajini. “He met with a motorcycle accident in July 2008. I went to Mumbai and took care of him and brought him back to Chennai as his condition was bad,” she said. Muthu later went back to Mumbai upon Asin’s request in November 2008 and didn’t return, she added. As part of the investigation over Vadivu’s complaint, Redhills police contacted Asin’s father for an enquiry. He informed police that Muthu had quit his job in January 2009 itself. Further investigation is underway. ■

02 NAMMA CHENNAI

ERGO Thursday, March 19, 2009

Israeli films Aviva My Love and Big Eyes will be screened today as part of the Israeli Film Festival at South Indian Film Chamber Theatre, Anna Salai. The fest is open to all and the screening will start at 6.30 p.m. For details call 98401 51956

Say cheers! I

t’s time to raise the spirits in you. Bamboo Bar at Savera Hotel is hosting the ‘Shooter Fest’. Shotter, an alcoholic beverage, consists of one type of alcohol or a cocktail of different alcohols often mixed with other beverages. These can be shaken, stirred, blended or simply poured. The fest will have shooter experts from around the world shaking up exotic varieties of shooters in exquisite style. Kamikaze, Woo Woo, Ira, Lemon Drop, Fourth of July, B-52...there are many more to choose from. The fest is on till March 31. For details call 9710947363/ 28114700 (extn 1937/1938)

Founders of a better society Tomorrow’s leaders have already gotten a kick-start in public service and are powered by nothing but the will to make an impact SRIYA NARAYANAN [email protected]

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year ago, Nithya Pari was a typical student, dividing her time between studies, her department newsletter, blogging and sketching. A gruesome accident she witnessed one day was a turning point. While on her way to a printing press, she noticed an orphaned puppy on the road and walked over to pet it. She was in for a rude shock as a bike ran over the tiny dog, right in front of her eyes the next second. Nithya finds it difficult to tell this story. “It died in my hands. There was blood coming out of its ears.” A few days later, she saw another lost puppy and thought: “What if it happens again?” Instead of dismissing the thought, she recognised it as a real possibility and took the pup home and began calling her friends one by one in search of an owner. Her friend Shiyamili eventually adopted him

and there was no looking back. TAGS (The Animal Guardian Society) was founded in December 2007 as a voluntary organisation. It has now grown to include 12 members and has changed dozens of lives. The group has an online presence and maintains an adoption system which is on par with international NGOs. The members whom Nithya describes as “the best team ever” rescue homeless puppies and kittens, foster them till takers are found and then follow-up through phone-calls, emails and personal visits to ensure the pets’ well-being. Nithya reveals that it’s particularly tough to find homes for female puppies. One such puppy found no takers, at which point she adopted it herself. Elsa, her much-loved mongrel, is now two years old. With no income, experience or funding, they pursue their volunteer work amidst hectic college

work through social networking sites, word-of-mouth and house calls, one of which involved a 30 km bike ride in the blistering heat. “One of our members is not well-off but she does everything she can,” says Nithya when asked what keeps them going despite no external support. “If you want to do something, you can do it.” Now in her final year at Anand Institute of Higher Technology, 20-year-old Nithya has been placed in Infosys. The future’s looking bright for her, ditto for those being watched over by this team of 12. To send them your wishes, log onto tagsonline.co.in or search for “TAGS” in Orkut Communities.■ Founder of TAGS Nithya Pari (seated, third from left) and her gang of guardians PHOTO: M. KARUNAKARAN

Thursday, March 19, 2009

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Ev um essage that st ”. Write to us lowe you” m but no thanks you did to s nk ha “T y and what you do to sa t ry own ‘fans’ h the subjec about your ve [email protected] wit to avoid them r Loser’. line ‘Dial L fo

Stitches in time Costumer G. Ethiraj at his tailoring shop. Photo: S.S.Kumar

Actors A.V.M. Rajan and Sowcar Janaki were among Ethiraj’s celebrity clients. FILE PHOTO: THE HINDU

Costumer G. Ethiraj is a veteran of 50-odd movies. A trip to the days when white clothes were a no-no in black-and-white films V. HARIPRIYA [email protected]

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ife still revolves around the sewing machine for this veteran costumer who entered Kollywood almost four decades ago. Septuagenarian G. Ethiraj was a star costumer during his prime, the list of cine stars for whom he has tailored clothes being endless. Making his debut in Kollywood as assistant of costumer Janakiraman in the late ’60s, he first stitched costumes for actors S.S.R., A.V.M. Rajan and Sowcar Janaki for the film Thangadurai.

They have to come to us for stitching the clothes. Nowadays, most of them buy readymade clothes from shops and call themselves costume designers

Down memory lane “I worked under chief costumer Janakiraman in four to five movies. Those days, it was the cameraman who used to finalise the colours of costumes. Pure white was not used those days, though what was finally seen on screen was only black and white. So we used to dip white clothes in yellow dye and use them after that,” says Ethiraj, who has

done more than 50 films in several languages as chief costumer. The costumers’ union was started in the early ’70s and to gain membership one had to pay Rs.12 at that time. But now the same membership costs Rs. 1 lakh. “You have separate membership cards for assistant costumer and chief costumer. In order to get the designation of chief costumer, you should have at least done five movies,” Ethiraj says. Though Ethiraj has not gone out of India for shoots, he has visited most of the spots in India. Along with the crew, the chief costumer and three assistants are taken to the shooting spot. “Though we would have stitched the clothes and finished the dress rehearsals earlier, we will be needed there in case of emergencies like alterations.”

Work is worship “Once during the shooting of Janakaraj-starrer Pai Marakkappal, we were all stationed in Mettupalayam. The plan was to shoot some scenes in Udhagamandalam. The director and

cameraman were in Ooty and we were downhill. Suddenly, we got a call at our hotel from the director, informing that they were planning to shoot a song there and they needed costumes. It was an unplanned shoot and it was late night when we received the call. We started searching for textile shops and almost everything was closed. We then went to the house of a textile shop owner, made him open the store and purchased the fabric. We stitched the clothes overnight and by morning everything was ready,” Ethiraj recalls. Asked whether the entry of actors’ wives as costume designers has affected their work, Ethiraj says the star wives are just designers who do not know to stitch. “They have to come to us for stitching the clothes. Nowadays, most of them buy readymade clothes from shops and call themselves costume designers.” Ethiraj has retired from Kollywood, but he stills makes clothes for commoners. His son, E. Loganathan, is in the field now. Following the steps of his father, Loganathan has also developed a penchant for tailoring, the latest movie in which he worked as costumer being Dhanush-starrer Padikkathavan. ■

04 VILLAGE

ERGO Thursday, March 19, 2009

Snake surprise A Canadian woman was forced to call emergency services after she woke up to find a snake coiled next to her in bed.

Cops ordered to forego nightclub invites

Discovery docks with ISS

China has banned police from accepting invitations to nightclubs, bars and other entertainment venues in a bid to thwart corruption, state media reported on Wednesday. Officers who accepted such invitations would be suspended for even face criminal charges, the Xinhua news agency said. The ban is one of ‘five prohibitions’ along with taking bribes and helping family members run a business. Reuters

The space shuttle Discovery docked with the International Space Station (ISS) on Tuesday for a construction mission that will allow the station to double its crew. The Discovery will deliver the fourth and final solar panel that will enable ISS to double the size of its crew to six astronauts. Three spacewalks will install the solar panels and conduct other construction projects. Two spacewalkers will put the panels in place on Thursday with help from the station’s robotic arm. “Welcome to the Space Station, Discovery. We’re glad you’re here,” the ISS crew said. The mission will also deliver Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata, who is to officially join the permanent crew on the orbiting space station later on Tuesday.

Leopard removed from German family’s home

DPA

A fully-grown female leopard that lived with a German family for 18 months will be moved to a new home after authorities said the owners held no licence to keep the animal in their residential neighbourhood. The family in the town of Weyhe, in northern Germany, had built a 1,400-sq-metre leopard park without an official permit, local authorities said. “Keeping a leopard in a residential area is simply not allowed in Germany,” said Heinz-Juergen Greszik, spokesman for local authorities. Germany’s Tierschutzbund, an animal rights organisation, said wild animals should not be kept in private households.

Thai Air Force makes rain The Royal Thai Air Force has launched an attack on the weather this week, sending two German-made Alpha Jet fighters and other aircraft into the clouds to make rain, media reports said on Wednesday. Air Force chief Itthaporn Subhawong said the two Alpha Jets along with 13 other aircraft were deployed as part of the annual rain-making mission for the kingdom, the Bangkok Post reported. The German-made fighters have been armed with silver iodide bullets that release rain-making substances when fired into clouds at 6,100 metres. DPA Reuters

Humpback whale spotted in HK

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humpback whale has been spotted in Hong Kong waters, a government spokesman said on Wednesday, in the first reported sighting of the giant mammal off the southern Chinese city. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said it received a report on Monday that a 10 metre (33 feet) whale was seen swimming in the East Lamma Channel, a busy sea channel to the west of Hong Kong Island. “It is the first time we have seen a humpback whale in Hong Kong waters,” the spokeswoman said. The department has been mon-

itoring the condition of the whale, along with the Marine Police and experts from Ocean Park, a city theme park and conservation centre. “From our observations so far, its health condition is normal and it is active,” she said. The spokeswoman said it was unlikely the whale would stay long in waters near the city because of the busy sea traffic that flows to and from the major port. Humpbacks are found in oceans and seas around the world, but especially in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. ■ AFP

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Thursday, March 19, 2009

Website of the day

Rip Van Winkle’s sleepless nights

Find out what films are coming out in the UK: http://www.launchingfilms.com/index.php

A man named after the fictional character Rip Van Winkle who fell asleep for 20 years is seeking medical attention for his insomnia.

Row over renaming

‘Little India’ in Malaysia ‘Little India’ is a famous shopping enclave with 100 preWorld War II shops on either side of Jalan Tengku Kelana

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controversy over renaming ‘Little India’ is brewing in this Malaysian city where ethnic Indians are in large numbers and have historic and sentimental ties. A controversial move to change the name of Klang’s famous ‘Little India’ to Medan Kelana has sparked a public outcry, The Star newspaper said on Wednesday. Elected representatives, businessmen, tourists and even a state executive council member want the name ‘Little India’ to be retained. Despite the controversy, the municipal council is soon going to remove the name ‘Little India’ from two signboards here, and put up new ones declaring the place as Medan Kelana. The name was chosen as the main road in ‘Little India’ is called Jalan Tengku Kelana, the newspaper said. Klang municipal councillor Ho San Sang confirmed the name change, saying it was part of a ‘rebranding

Apple offers iPhone cut and paste

exercise’. State exco member (minister) Xavier Jeyakumar, told The Star that the name change would defeat all the hard work that had gone into building ‘Little India’ into a tourist icon, and the move would also erase the identity of the area. Legislator Ng Suee Lim said he would bring this matter to the State Executive Council because it was wrong to simply change the name of a place that could affect tourism. It draws shoppers by the thousands and is an important income generator for Klang. Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Klang district) chairman N.P. Raman said changing the name would also erase the identity of Klang’s ‘Little India’, which had been built into a household brand known all over the world after 50 years of hard work. ■

Saucy Start!

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pple unveiled its proposed new software for its genre-defining iPhone and gave acolytes of the world’s most popular smartphone the feature they most wanted: the ability to cut and paste text and pictures on the device. Lack of the cut and paste facility had been one of the main drawbacks of the device, compared to competitors like the BlackBerry. The new software also allows iPhone users to send multimedia messages to other phones, and will enable users to receive turnby-turn instructions for driving similar to those in use on GPS navigation devices. iPhone users can also now link to other phones via Bluetooth and automatically be connected to Wi-Fi hotspots. Voice memos and other audio recording will also be possible with the new soft-

ware, which will be officially released in the summer. “The new iPhone OS 3.0 is a major software release packed with incredible new features and innovations for iPhone customers and developers alike. It will keep us years ahead of the competition,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice-president of Worldwide Product Marketing. ■ DPA

쒀 Brazilian samba dancers perform during the Soccerex Brasilia Forum 2009 opening ceremony in Brasilia, Brazil. The Soccerex Brasilia Forum is part of the Soccerex Convention, which offers the football community worldwide business, networking and conference forums. AFP PHOTO/JOEDSON ALVES

IANS

06 SPORT

ERGO Thursday, March 19, 2009

Dharamshala ready for IPL High on spirits after getting the nod to host this season’s Indian Premier League matches, the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) said the cricket stadium in the hill town of Dharamshala would be ready for the cash-rich Twenty20 tournament by April 15. HPCA President Anurag Thakur, who played a key role in bringing the IPL to the hill state, said the up-gradation of the stadium will be done as per international guidelines and the installation of floodlights would be completed within next 15 days.

India holds the edge Ryder, Vettori tons spare NZ blushes

Jesse Ryder celebrates his maiden century during the first day of the first Test match between India and New Zealand at the Sedonn Park Stadium in Hamilton on Wednesday. PHOTO: AFP

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defiant captain’s century by Daniel Vettori and a maiden ton for Jesse Ryder rescued New Zealand on the opening day of the first Test in Hamilton on Wednesday but India finished on top. The home side were dismissed for 279 on a batsmanfriendly wicket and at stumps the tourists had reached 29 without loss off seven overs with the explosive Virender Sehwag not out 22 and fellow opener Gautam Gambhir on six. Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and elected to bowl, gambling on his bowlers capitalising on the overcast conditions and a greentinged wicket. His choice paid off, with New Zealand in dire straits at 60 for six just before lunch when Vettori joined Ryder in the middle to begin the fightback. The pair produced a record-breaking 186-run partnership to take the score to 246, and New Zealand added just 33 more runs before they were all out.

Captain’s knock The skipper’s 118 was his third century in 90 Tests, while Ryder’s 102 was his maiden ton in his seventh Test. But that partnership aside, the day belonged to India and Vettori was the first to admit it. “Our first thoughts were to get through to 150. It would give us something to play with. Fortunately, Jesse and I batted for a long time and put a com-

petitive score on the board but certainly below par,” he said. “We created momentum through our partnership, but if you erase that and look at the scores you’d say India’s on top.” At times the match was a battle of wits between the captains, with Vettori looking for runs and forcing Dhoni into frequent field adjustments. Ryder, at the other end, showed his versatility, shelving his big-hitting one-day role to play a watchful knock. Between them they blocked out the spin of Harbhajan Singh at one end while picking off the quicks at the other as the afternoon sun baked the wicket, the ball aged, and conditions became more batsman-friendly.

hed eight before he was stumped by Dhoni off Harbhajan. His departure, with New Zealand 275 for nine and Ryder on 98, brought out Chris Martin, who is recognised as one of the worst Test batsmen in the world. The look of consternation on Ryder’s face was evident as Martin prodded at the five remaining balls in Harbhajan’s over. Ryder then made sure of his century, hitting Ishant Sharma to the boundary and was out caught by VVS Laxman off the next ball. It was an innings delivered with class and determination, something that was missing from the relatively inexperienced top order, who appeared to lack the resolve to bide their time in the middle.

Crawling through

Early damage

Vettori brought up the New Zealand 100, hooking Zaheer Khan for six, and in the first hour after tea the home side raced along at more than five an over with the skipper belting Sehwag over the ropes. Vettori’s immense effort came to an end after 197 minutes at the crease when Dhoni moved smartly to take an inside edge off Munaf Patel. The 164-ball innings produced two sixes and 14 fours, with his century arriving off a single when he top-edged Harbhajan to fine leg. He survived two close calls, diving to make his ground when sent back by Ryder two balls before tea and then on 77 he was dropped by Rahul Dravid off Harbhajan. Vettori’s dismissal brought to an end the record seventh-wicket partnership in New Zealand-India Tests and the Indian bowlers were quickly back on top. Kyle Mills was yorked by Patel first ball, while Iain O’Brien avoided the hat-trick and reac-

Zaheer Khan did the early damage, removing Martin Guptill (14) and Daniel Flynn (0) in the space of three balls. Sharma added the scalps of Tim McIntosh (12), Ross Taylor (18) and James Franklin (0). Munaf Patel claimed the sixth wicket when he sent Brendon McCullum back to the pavilion for three shortly before lunch. In contrast, Indian attacked from the start of their innings, with Sehwag continuing the form which saw him star in the one-day series, in which India beat New Zealand 3-1. Sehwag hit five boundaries in his unbeaten 22, while New Zealand new ball bowler Mills conceded 18 runs off his two overs.

Brief scores New Zealand 279 all out (D. Vettori 118, J. Ryder 102, I. Sharma 4/73, M. Patel 3/60) lead by 250 runs against India 29 for 0 (V. Sehwag 22 not out, G, Gambhir 6 not out). ■ AFP

Stress on IPL performance

SLC to review security situation

Performance in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) will be taken into consideration for picking the Indian squad for this year’s ICC World Twenty20, chairman of selectors Krishnamachari Srikkanth said in Cuttack on Wednesday. “We all will be watching the IPL. The performance there will be the benchmark (to pick the Indian squad for second edition of the T20 World Cup),” said the former India captain, who is here to watch the final of the Deodhar Trophy between West Zone and East Zone. India will defend its title in the second edition of the ICC World Twenty20 to be held in England in June this year and Srikkanth said the selectors job would be to improve the bench strength. “We are watching the domestic matches closely. This (Deodhar Trophy) being the season-ender, it’s a very important tournament. We have a very good bench strength in batting. There’s good balance in bowling. The main idea is to watch more domestic matches and create a pool of youngsters,” said Srikkanth, who was accompanied by fellow selectors Yashpal Sharma from North Zone and East’s Raja Venkat. Asked about Sachin Tendulkar’s recent comment, which described the present Indian team as the best ever, Srikkanth, a member of Kapil’s Devils that won the World Cup in 1983 said, “This team indeed has the best batting line-up. They are good in all departments.”

In the wake of the unprecedented terrorist attack on its team in Lahore, the Sri Lankan Cricket Board has made it clear that it will review security situation in India before its players head to play in the lucrative Indian Premier League. D S De Silva, new chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket, on Wednesday said the board will talk to the India-bound cricketers to take stock of the security situation during the tournament. “We will be discussing all these matters. We will be talking to our players to elicit their views on the security situation in India for the IPL matches,” De Silva said. The Lankan cricketers who have been signed up by the different IPL franchises include skipper Mahela Jayawardene, left-arm pacer Chaminda Vass, spinners Ajantha Mendis, Muttiah Muralitharan and Kumar Sangakkara.

PTI

PTI

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Thursday, March 19, 2009

‘‘

The last I heard was yesterday morning they submitted a revised schedule. The revised schedule has been sent to all the state governments concerned. We’ve asked them to give their comments and views as early as possible. Once all the state governments concern gives their comments and views, especially with regard to security then we will take a view.

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orld number one Rafael Nadal and defending champion Novak Djokovic stayed on course for a semifinal showdown with third-round triumphs in the Indian Wells Masters series on Tuesday. Top-seeded Nadal triumphed 6-3, 6-3 in a tricky encounter with Russian Dmitry Tursunov, while third-seeded Serbian Djokovic beat German veteran Tommy Haas 6-2, 7-6 (7-1). “It wasn’t one of my best matches, true. It was tough to play against him,” said Australian Open champion Nadal, who had to save a break point in the final game but won the next three points to secure the win. “He didn’t give me a lot of rhythm. He played good shots, but at the same time made mistakes. I had more mistakes than usual.” Nadal had little time to savour the victory, which earned him a fourth-round match on Wednesday night against Argentina’s David Nalbandian, who hasn’t dropped a set against Nadal in two career meetings, both in 2007 before the Spaniard’s rise to number one. “The first thing is to play well,” Nadal said of what he’ll have to do against Nalbandian, who beat Serbian Viktor Troicki 6-4, 6-2. “Second, I have to play really aggressive, because if he has control of the point it is nearly impossible.”

Union Home Minster P Chidambaram

Seeds sail

through Nadal, Djokovic stay on course for semi-final clash rallied for a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory over unseeded Frenchman Jeremy Chardy while del Potro will face American wildcard John Isner, a 6-4, 6-4 winner over former world number one Marat Safin of Russia.

Women’s draw Meanwhile Safin’s younger sister, top-seeded Dinara Safina, led the way into the women’s quarter-finals with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over US veteran Jill Craybas. Safina, who can seize the world number one ranking from the absent Serena Williams if she reaches the final, lined up a meeting with eighth-seeded Victo-

ria Azarenka of Belarus, who downed Israeli Shahar Peer 7-5, 6-4. Defending champion Ana Ivanovic booked a quarter-final berth, the fifth-seeded Serbian downing Italian Flavia Pennetta 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. She’ll face Austrian Sybille Bammer, a 6-3, 6-2 winner over Slovakia’s Daniela Hantuchova. Rising Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, 17, continued the run of success that saw her oust second-seeded Jelena Jankovic in the second round, advancing to the quarter-finals when opponent Nuria Llagostera Vives retired in the second round with a left hip strain. ■ AFP

Easy game Djokovic, who beat Nadal in last year’s semi-finals en route to the title, started strong but would have preferred to finish off Haas more quickly. Overall, however, the 21-year-old was satisfied that he was moving in the right direction. “Better than the first match,” was his assessment. “I played really well in the opening set, and then could have done the job a bit earlier. I had some break chances and didn’t make a couple returns, and gave him a chance to come back into the match.” Djokovic next plays Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka, who saved two match points in the third-set tiebreaker to claim a 2-6, 7-5, 7-6 (10-8) victory over American Sam Querrey. Sixth-seeded Argentinian Juan Martin del Potro advanced, beating Austrian Jurgen Melzer 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (7-2). Seventhseeded American Andy Roddick edged Germany’s Nicolas Kiefer 6-4, 7-6 (7-4). Roddick will face 12th-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer, who

Novak Djokovic hits a shot during the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on Tuesday. PHOTO: AFP

08 ROADSTER

ERGO Thursday, March 19, 2009

More power Electric cars and laptops may soon benefit from a prototype capacitor that can store power as densely as a supercapacitor, and release it rapidly. The novel capacitor has been developed by a team of scientists from the University of Maryland and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology.

Kid on t W

hen most 12-year-olds hit the playground after long hours of classes at school, this boy heads to the race circuit. Meet L. B. Ajay Kumar, a class VIII student of SBOA School, Mogappair, who is the youngest motorcyclist on the Irungattukottai race track in Sriperambudur. Perhaps the youngster rider in the country, Ajay can be spotted racing his customised Yamaha RX 135 alongside professional men on the circuit, while his friends ride pocket bikes in the vicinity. “My dream is to become the national champion and I’m practising really hard,” says Ajay, whose favourite is MotoGP champ Valentino Rossi. The boy biker’s inspiration has been his supportive dad, who happens to be a great fan of automobile racing. “Coincidentally, the day

"Ajay, who clocks 2.32 minutes on the 3.7 km race track now, is attempting to close in on the 2.14 minutes track record timing."

Twelve-year-old Ajay Kumar with his racing motorcycle. PHOTOS: K. PICHUMANI

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Thursday, March 19, 2009

Born tough Auto major Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M) on Tuesday inaugurated a defence-vehicle manufacturing plant in Haryana. The factory will initially build armoured version of Mahindra’s Scorpio and Bolero SUVs.

the race track Ajay was born I bought my new car. He has a passion for bikes and cars right from a very young age and he even started to drive my car when he was in class IV,” K.R. Balaji Rao says about his son. Ajay is now undergoing rigorous training on the circuit under the supervision of John Elias Kennedy, a former racer from Teynampet. “The boy is very talented and picks up riding lessons quickly. He races on par with senior racers and has clocked very good timings on his bike on the track,” says Kennedy, who also tunes Ajay’s bike. Kennedy feels Ajay, who clocks 2.32 minutes on the 3.7 km race track now, is attempting to close in on the 2.14 minutes track record timing. The trainer also says that unlike on city roads, there is no age limit to racing on the circuit, but complete racing gear for safety and a racing licence is a must. Ajay rides with a full racing suit worth Rs. 45,000, boots worth Rs. 22,000, helmet costing 11,000 and gloves priced at Rs. 3,500. “We got him the best gear in racing as his safety is our primary concern apart from making him a professional,” Balaji adds. The boy wonder is all set to leave for Malaysia for a race track training session during his vacations. And upon return, he plans to customise a Yamaha R 15 motorcycle to compete in the Group D (unmodified category) class. ■

Ajay along with his father K.R. Balaji Rao (left) and trainer John Elias Kennedy (right)

L.B. Ajay Kumar is a regular sight on the Irungattukottai race track. And he is 12 years old

Swedish car maker to build all-electric super sports car The car, with an output of 512 hp, can clock a top speed of 275 kilometres an hour

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wedish sports car maker Koenigsegg has joined forces with the Swiss NLV to build an all-electric, high performance super car with an output of 512 hp and a top speed of 275 kilometres an hour. At the heart of the power package is the FAES battery system that can be charged from any electric plug in just 20 minutes with a range of 500 kilometres. The battery pack is positioned in the centre of the carbon-fibre monotube chassis. Energy is supplied additionally by a recuperative braking system. An invisible, wafer-thin sheet of solar cells covers the entire bodywork, providing additional solar energy for the battery. Despite its sporty character, the Quant provides space for four people and includes room for luggage. A

three-zone air conditioning system provides the necessary comfort while three flat screen televisions offer entertainment. The safety system includes six airbags, ABS (anti-lock brakes) and ESP (electronic stability programme). The car shown at the Geneva Motor Show is not a roll-out model, but works on prototypes and current serial production. However, Koenigsegg has yet to name a price saying it will be announced at a later date.

Netherlands to introduce alcohol lock in cars T

he Dutch cabiDutch To start the engine, net has apTransport proved a plan to Drivers have to blow Minister Cahave alcohol locks into a small apparatus miel Eurlings fitted in the cars of expects the convicted drunk fitted to the dashboard lock to be in drivers, Dutch pause in 2010 if per NRC Handelsblad reported at he gets parliamentary approval the weekend. for the scheme. To start the engine, Drivers Some 200 people are killed on have to blow into a small appa- the Dutch roads every year in acratus fitted to the dashboard to cidents involving alcohol, acprove they have not been drink- cording to the reports. ■ XINHUA ing, the report said.

DPA

10 FLICK

ERGO Thursday, March 19, 2009

d l u o w I r a e y s i h ‘T e t a c o l l like to a ’ s m l fi g i b o t e m i t ifficult ‘d o tw n o g in s aif focus

films’

Katrina K

e past. intelliout and out aran in th Jha is highly fter a slew of sh r, ka ne ra rt “P Pa e sted in his comedies lik Singh Is gent and highly intere d eeti is not an jn Welcome w project. A film like Ra just jump no is f ai K Kinng, Katrina cult” films something where I can is done, my two “diffi ‘Sir, my hair ki a y sa am wor ng on d y’, dr an al ic and I’m read a’s polit San- costume is done – Prakash Jh s lm ar fi t um os jk m Ra in d b something I can do ja Rajneeti an . A ys y sa ed e m tic co capers,” sh toshi’s roman Kahani. to at are comic s th ha e on s, b za e hi loPrem Ki Gha “For films lik ould like to al can’t decide “This year I w lms. The kind research clothes. I fi ant to wear g w I bi ti on my own what ee cate time to jn to Ra – g doin prefer. I have of films I am ... – are a little or what I would aypl am I r te em and Ajab Pr time follow the charac ed, very ground lt. They need more difficu e more thought ing. Rajneeti is a am I so d an , tl and also a lit atrina. The films a very rooted film ting a little K dedica process,” says lease this year. regoing to be r re the project fo as ed e at m sl ti es e ar e ar sh or m na ri at K ... In Ajab Prem Ranbir Kapoor quires it.” a rina sports with e ac sp en re eeRajneeti Kat sc jn In ok Ra lo in d le se ri hi tel, w lamou and Upen Pa vy of simple and de-g h sari and wit ongside a be al on s tt ar co st e p y is sh ja cr ti A a il. , ta ir in ny nb po Ra a ing ed in actors includ a Pa- her hair neatly ti Rampal, Nan bears a resem ok lo e th gh Devgan, Arjun a ou ni Th . So ai f jp ie Ba ch ss anoj hi’s blance to Congre tekar and M has denied that Santos Katrina says nack for mak- Gandhi, the director hing to do d “k anyt her role has dedication an ional rs win Nat at that leader. or ni se e th th ing his acto h wit has mostly something gh Katrina rd ou Awards” is ha Th k or ngh Is w ant to medies like Si e in makes her w starred in co m co el W r, and for his film. ry differ- Kinng, Partne career, ve a d ol is r... ea -y em “Ajab Pr ter on r over five t be doi is a taskmas vis- he she “might no masti ys sa ent film. Raj-j e e ar sh s lt the resu medy, fun, the sets and enough ing another co tedly any time te ca di de to ca ible. I need is film film very dedi tention to th go .” time and at is on so k the movie Rajneeti because I thin special and very Apart from Katrina ry , ve ... ing to be thing and Ajab Prem s’ New York, r me. It’s no lm fo Fi t j an Ra rt h po ys as Y sa im s ,” ha d alre fo done be za’s Blue an like I have nthony D’Sou ucA od s. pr es h tr it ac w d ol nti- so a two-film deal the 24-yearse ■ r y. ila tt m ki si es in her Katrina shar lmed on house UTV IANS a, who has he h- ti Jh r fo ts en m pa A d an al gaaj films like Gan

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A film like Rajneeti is not something where I can just jump and say ‘Sir, my hair is done, my costume is done and I’m ready’, something I can do in most films that are comic capers

11

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Actor enters wine business Actor Antonio Banderas is making his debut in the wine business by acquiring half the shares of Anta Bodegas, which produces wines under the Ribera del Duero label, as well as extra virgin olive oil.

Luck by chance Cine City Rubiana Ali and Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail of ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ fame will be seen in a Bollywood flick soon We never imagined facing the camera once again so soon

Vijay’s son to do cameo If Internet buzz is to be believed, Vijay’s son Sanjay will be making a special appearance in his father’s upcoming flick Vettaikaran. The star kid would be shaking legs with his father in a song scored by music director Vijay Antony. The song, for which the lyrics are written by Kabilan, is reportedly Vijay’s introductory song in the movie.

The lead actor of Kal Kissne Dekha, Jacky Bhagnani, and his father Vashu Bhagnani with child actors Rubiana Ali and Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail during the shooting of the film in CSI Airport, Mumbai.

DEEPA VENKATRAMAN

A

t such tender age, without any celebrity family background, they have walked the red carpet at the Oscars this year. For Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail and Rubiana Ali, who rose from rags to riches overnight due to Slumdog Millionaire’s super success, Lady Luck has knocked their door once more. They have both bagged cameo roles in producer Vashu Bhagnani’s upcoming Bollywood flick, Kal Kissne Dekha. Ali and Azharuddin, confessing that their dream of acting in Bollywood has turned into reality, exclaim, “We never imagined facing the camera once again so soon.” Ask them what their friends have to say about their sudden stardom, and they say,

“They celebrated in pomp and show when we came home after winning laurels and now they are even more excited about our new movie. They are our strength and we will be in touch with them forever.” The roles of the children in this movie, which revolves around a small town ambitious boy who faces challenges in Mumbai, are different from their previous ones and here they are shown in a scene where they are returning from the Oscars. Bhagnani took the kids in the movie as they did a remarkable job in their earlier one. Bhagnani, who feels that they have good knowledge of acting and dancing too, says, “They are real masters in presenting themselves with grace and that’s more important

than outside beauty. Their role is really interesting and there are also some surprise elements attached to their characters for you all to wait and watch.” He has also assured them arrangements for their shelter and education. Debutant and son of Vashu, Jacky Bhagnani, who plays the lead role, enjoyed the company of the children. He says, “Every shot I had with them, I relived my childhood. They have gained a special place in the heart of the entire unit.” Ask the star kids who their role model in Bollywood is and they tell you, “The industry is full of talented actors and, hence, we don’t have any. But someday, we would definitely like to work with Shah Rukh Khan as he is a superb actor in the history of Indian cinema.” ■

Jayam Ravi to wed in June Actor Jayam Ravi will tie the knot with his lady love Aarthi on June 7. The marriage will take place at Ramanathan Hall. Aarthi is the daughter of popular television producer, Sujatha Vijayakumar who had also produced the film Veeraappu with Sundar C. in the lead. Aarthi holds a management degree from Switzerland.

12

ERGO Thursday, March 19, 2009

Wednesday’s Query: What filmy gyan would you give to cool your short-tempered friend? ■ Inaiku sethaa naalaiku milk Anukarthika (CSS)

■ "Sogangal enakkum nenjodu irukkum sirikkaadha naalillayae...” in Kalyaana Maalai Kondaadum Pennae song from Pudhu Pudhu Arththangal. Try refreshing tuning in to this song. I at least have got positive results

Oviya.Vijay RRD (Team: ACE-BCG)

■ Evvalavo Pannitom. Idha Panna Maattoma

Vijay, Deepa (RRD), Kuppusamy Nattudurai (CSS), Nirmal (TCS), Jai (Perot Systems)

■ Bade bade desho mein, choti choti baatein hoti rehti hai

Sana (Wipro)

■ Maapu vaalkaina sila adikal vila thaan seiyum

Lexsminarayanan (TCS-eServe)

■ You are really a dubagoor machi. Don’t get tensed for silly matters

Karthik from Sagitec Solutions, Tidel Park has nominated his friends as Partners in Crime. The picture was clicked at their friend’s wedding and they title it ‘Stepping into well’. That’s what this bachelor group of friends think about marriage.

Thara (Wipro)

■ Adhigama aasai padra aambalayum adhigama kova padara pombalayum nalla vazhndadha sarithramae illa

Deepak Vasudevan (Verizon), Ahalya, Rajasekar (TCS), Sivakumar (Allsec), Senthil (Wipro)

■ Thaniya kudi, thaniya kudi

Levi (Infoview Technologies)

■ Quarter’e dan venuma. Inda cutting kudutha othukka maattengala. Kova padravangalukkellam quarter kudukardille

Mukund (SCB Scope International)

■ Neenga Nallavara Kettavaraa

Rajeesh (Perot Systems)

■ Life la nee romba peria aala varuva da

Joshua (TCS)

■ In Vadivelu style: cool down, cool down, cool down. Don’t cry. Be happy. Hey money comes today, goes tomorrow ya. Yenga siri. Hmm, Yippa Yeppadi yirukku moonji

Suresh (TCS)

■ Risk edukkirathu namakku rusk saapdra maathiri

Govindaraj D of Wipro and his team had a whale of a time in Wayanad.

Hashim (Allsec)

■ Piyo thanda mathalab Coca Cola aur laghao Dermi cool thake tum raho thanda thanda cool cool

Dhanavelan Jegadeesan (Verizon)

■ Santhosamo kobamo ethva irunthalum oru anchu nimisam thalli podu, slightly modified kadalan dialogue

Revathi (lnautix)

Today’s Query: Freida Pinto of ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ fame is being considered for the next Bond girl. Who would have been your pick for the role? Come up with some lesser-known names (no Asins and Aishwaryas, please) with a witty reason to support your choice.

Arun from Infosys has nominated his friends as Partners in Crime. Location: Singapore River, near the Flyer

13

Thursday, March 19, 2009

■ Anbu thozhli Sindhu Ratha... Indru unn pirantha naal. Aam naangal makizhnthu kondada indru oru nannaal.Yengal Anbu thozhiku Iniya piranthanaal vazhthukal. Best Wishes from iRonicz Spiders Team, TCS, iNautix, Fidelity(Chennai), Musigma, NSN, Tata Elexi, EMC(Bangalore), Juno, Deshaw, Commvault- Hyderabad)

Diwakaran from Cognizant Technology Solutions has been nominated as office angel by Anand S. and team members. He is a jovial person and never gets tensed.A great leader to follow!

■ Dear Preetha, Just a simple acrostic for you my friend, one that comes straight from my heart. Hope your birthday was filled with joy, nothing but happy wishes do I impart. 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,Wipro

■ Dearest Anila, Here’s a Birthday greeting, especially to show how much you mean to us. Although you surely must know that without a doubt there’s no-one nicer than you or anyone dearer, to wish Happy Birthday to… 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.

May God be with you always. With Loads of love, prayers and wishes Ramz & Shees, Wipro

■ Dear Friend RG ji, Wish you a many more happy returns of the day. Time and again I’ve been ever so grateful for having a good friend like you. A friend for all times, to confide in, to count on, and treasure a whole lifetime through. Because today’s your birthday, and because you’re extra nice, one wish is not enough for you. And so here’s wishing twice. Hoping your Birthday’s wonderful. In every single way and next year brings happiness for you day after day. Happy Birthday!!!

Best Regards, Archana J, Cognizant

Mili Krishnan from RR Donnelley doodled this.

■ Dear Amarnath Sainath, Wishing you a day soft as Silk, white as milk, sweet as honey and full of money. May all Your dreams come true.

Wishing you a HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Gourisankar T S, Hexaware Technologies

■ Dear Sweety Pradeepa & Terror Gangs, I have no yesterdays, time took them away.T omorrow may not be mine, but I have today. So wish you all my cute friends a Very Good Day. All the very best for your project too.

Best Wishes from, N.Deepan(LTSB), TCS

■ Dear Sister Sindhu Radha Mantharachalam (TCS) , Wish You Very Very Happy Birthday Sister. May God Bless Your Future With everlasting happiness and success in your life. Enjoy Ur Birthday.Take Care.

From your Brother , Purushothaman Balasubramniam ( TCSeServe)

■ Dear Mokkai (Ismail, Kone Elevators) Wish you a Happy Birthday.

Regards, Muhammad Ashik S, Abdul Raheem .K.A, Nasirudeen. K, HCL

■ Dear Dhinesh Pandian, Wishing you a many more happy returns of the day. May this year bring with it all the success & fulfilment your heart desires. Hope our little B’day wishes will make u smile.. Have a great year ahead.

With luv, Hashini, Bhavani, Venki, Saravana, Sasthan.. R Systems international

■ Hi Santhosh Kumar & Dhuvarakesh May each and every passing year bring you wisdom, peace and cheers. May this day bring to you all things that make you smile!

With Cheers, Coastal Training Technologies India (P) Ltd, Chennai

■ Dear Arun Babu, Wish u many more happy returns of the day, let all ur dreams come true. Have a great year ahead. HAPPY BIRTH DAY. Keep rocking.

With Luv, Gershom, Srini, Kevin, Praveen, Vinoth, Sushma, Serena, Sai & Rafia , (ATG-ROKERZ)-ALLSEC TECH

Belated wishes ■ Hi Priti, Iniya pirantha naal vazhthukal… Many many more happy returns of the day…. Hearty wishes from, Infosys Gang(June 26,2006)

■ Dear Yaseen Taj, Wish u a many more happy returns of the day. Sing a song of Birthdays, full of fun and cheer. And may you keep on having them for many a happy year.

Best Regards, Umamaheshwari, Archana, Swathi, Dhana, Chithra, Divya, Vijayanthi, Jayram, Hari, Jude, Sujesh Vasudhara, Aswini

■ Hi Kiran, Wish you a many more happy returns of the day. Each year of your birthday reminds us that we really want to say we are very much glad we know you. We think of you

each day. We hope you enjoy your birthday. All the pleasures it has in store. And because we appreciate you we hope you have many more! ORAYIRAM JANMADHINASAMSAKAL.... With lots of love, Mathew John & Sheeba, Infosys Technologies Ltd

■ Hi My dear Sister(Bujji), Wishes you many more happy returns of the day da.... You are my most precious wealth i have earned.I wish you a peaceful and happy life. I thank god for blessing me with such a loving and caring girl like you da..... Many more happy returns of the day da. Always keep smiling..... Yours only loving Brother......

Vignesh, Wipro

■ Dear Balaji V Thesma, We wish you a wonderful Birthday!!! ITS & RDS Testing Practice, MindTree Ltd ■ Dear Sandy, Have a Happy Birthday. Because you’ll never be this young again. But be careful because you’ve Never been this old before..!! Huttida Habba Subashayagalu! J

Cheers, Rajendra, Sunil, Chethan, Rohini, Aruna, Habeeba, Monisha, Sakthi Cognizant

■ Dear Vicky( Don of Mokka), We have enjoyed a lot from the time when we joined our iRonicz Team. Every minute and every moment we spent together will be memorable in our hearts. We are glad to celebrate ur birthday and wish u Many More Happy Returns of the Day. Happy Birthday to u da Machi.. Enjoy.

Best Wishes fromiRonicz Spiders Team, TCS, iNautix, Fidelity (Chennai), Musigma, NSN, Tata Elexi, EMC (Bangalore), Juno, Deshaw, Commvault (Hyderabad)

■ Hi Karthi (Uyarntha Manithar), Belated Birthday Wishes. Thappa Nenachukathinga Makkale, avan BDay koncham munna pinna agi poiduchu. Karthi Koncham complan sapidratha korachuko, erkanve light house light fit panravan madhiri irukka. Netru Pol Endrum Punnagaiyodu Iruppayaga. Have a wonderful year ahead…

Ippadiku,Muthu, Laavanyaaaaaaaa, Saravanan, Madhu, Sindil, Siva, RJPal, Laks, Gopi, Anne, Patti, JP, Jasmine, Padma Prasad, Target, Ramya, Lavnaya, Varalakshmi, Deepti, Anbil, Vinoth, Venki, Beulah... Wipro Technologies

14 TRAFFIC JAM

ERGO Thursday, March 19, 2009

Sweet good-bye An American man announced he was quitting his job by writing a resignation letter in icing on a cake.

sudoku

For good tidings: A fisherman mending his boat before venturing out in to the sea Clicked by Vasantha Jagadish of Wipro Infotech Hobbies: Collecting inspirational quotes, travelling and 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

ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES: Contact: 2857 5757 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.goergo.in Head of Circulation: M.G.M. Sharief [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

KAKURO

15

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Struck by an arrow

Word’s worth

A woman was rushed to the hospital to undergo emergency surgery after she was wounded by an arrow while walking along a New York City street.

“Fistiana” (fis-tee-ann-uh) a humorous word meaning ‘of or relating to the fists or boxing.’ Synonyms are fistic and fistical; the OED haughtily remarks that these words ‘are not in dignified use.’

B.C ARIES MARCH 21 - APRIL 20 This is a good time to travel, especially to places you have never experienced before, where you will be exposed to new ideas and different ways of looking at the world. Studying new concepts is also favoured.

TAURUS APRIL 21 - MAY 20 At this time it easy for you to express yourself boldly and confidently. You seem to care less about outside approval and this frees you to act on your own behalf. Your health and vitality are quite good, and you need physical outlets for your energies.

GEMINI MAY 21 - JUNE 20 There is much activity; you move rapidly from one thing to another and a hectic, somewhat stressful pace is likely. Many errands, phone calls, letters which require a response, and other busywork is on the agenda.

BORN LOSER

CANCER JUNE 21 - JULY 20 This is an excellent time to be out and about. There are significant opportunities to make connections, exchange information, and to learn something through a meeting. Letters, phone calls, and conversations that you initiate are productive.

LEO JULY 21 - AUG 20 You feel temporarily blocked now. Resistance and challenges from others or from outside situations suggest this is not a good time to try to force your will and desires onto the world, as friction is the only likely result.

VIRGO AUG 21 - SEPT 20

FREE RANGE

WORKING IT OUT

Fast pace, with many letters, phone calls, errands, meetings, or discussions, is on the agenda. You may feel mentally restless, impatient, and overly eager to get your own ideas across. A situation may arise which requires you to say what is on your mind.

LIBRA SEPT 21 - OCT 20 Doors open and new opportunities for personal and professional growth present themselves. Any initiative or action you feel inclined to take at this time is likely to lead to a positive outcome for you. Your energy level is high today.

SCORPIO OCT 21 - NOV 20 You are very impulsive and restless now and you are likely to act or speak too quickly without sufficient forethought for the consequences. You tend to be verbally aggressive, starting fights with people who do not agree with you.

SAGITTARIUS NOV 21 - DEC 20 You have a very realistic and no-nonsense attitude at this time, and are rather critical, sceptical, or at the very least, cautious about new ideas. Deep, quite study and solitary reflection is favoured. Frivolity holds no appeal for you now.

CAPRICORN DEC 21 - JAN 20 Your usual routine is likely to be disrupted now, either by "freak" accidents beyond your control or by your own impatience with the status quo. Sudden unexpected events, and breaking free of confining situations and relationships are very likely.

AQUARIUS JAN 21 - FEB 20

PREVIOUS ISSUE’S SOLUTIONS

Flexibility, thinking on your feet, and the ability to accommodate the unexpected will be called for now. The pace is very quick. You will be pulled in many directions at once, and tend to scatter your forces, jumping from one thing to the next.

PISCES FEB 21 - MARCH 20 At this time you really enjoy art, theatre, music, and your own inner world of fantasy. Your imagination is vivid. If you have an interest in spiritual matters, these interests come to the fore now. Also you can be quite lazy now. Predictions by Bhavesh N. Pattni

16 !

ERGO Thursday, March 19, 2009

Competitive eaters (L to R) Pat Bertoletti, Joey Chestnut and Juliet Lee face off in the first-ever Stroehmann Sandwich Slamm, an eating contest featuring corned beef and rye sandwiches ahead of St. Patrick’s Day, on Monday in New York City. Winner Pat Bertoletti consumed 16 3/4 sandwiches in 10 minutes to win the contest at Gallagher’s Steakhouse. GETTY IMAGES/AFP PHOTO

Discovery crewmembers are welcomed aboard the International Space Station on Tuesday. AFP PHOTO

The largest helicopter carrier, the Huga of Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force, is seen at a pier in Yokohama, suburban Tokyo, on Wednesday. The Japanese navy commissioned the ship, which is 197 metres, as the defence ministry argued it is only for defence purposes and does not violate the pacifist constitution. AFP PHOTO/TORU YAMANAKA Actor Jack Black arrives with his wife, actress Tanya Haden, at the premiere of I Love You, Man held at Mann’s Village Theater on Tuesday, in Westwood, California. AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS