Ergo March 5

A BYTE OF LIFE

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Vol. 3

FREE CIRCULATION

No. 42

08

LITTLE BIKERIDING HOOD Pocket bikes for tiny bikers in namma Chennai

The Tata logo may get lost in the bulwark of the Scuderia Ferrari F1 car but it’s undeniably a step forward. Other world sporting powerhouses are expected to follow suit and rope in Indian corporates as sponsors to prevail over the economic meltdown » PAGE 06

02 NAMMA CHENNAI

ERGO Thursday, March 5, 2009

New hues Amethyst presents an exhibition by Inka Fashions at 14/30, Padmavathi Road, Jeypore Colony, Gopalapuram. The sale is on till March 15.

Insult and injury Wheel along

Stolen from their families, these glorious, wild animals are beaten and demeaned for the remainder of their lives in the name of entertainment

Celebrating International Women’s Day 2009, The Hindu in Chennai has organised a line-up of events honouring her. To begin the day, a car treasure hunt for women, titled ‘Heels on Wheels’, will kick-start from Chennai Citi Centre on the morning of March 8. With a maximum of four women per car, a total of 60 teams are expected to ride for the fun-filled event that features fat cash prizes and gift vouchers for the winners. Registrations are now open for ‘Heels on Wheels’ for a fee of Rs. 500 per team, from which 50 per cent of the value can be redeemed at the food court inside Citi Centre. Those interested in participating can register as soon as possible by calling 96000 85522 or 97911 90003 as entries for the event are limited. For the rest of the women folk, a galore of events awaits them from the afternoon at the venue. Spot contests, including singing, dancing, dare acts and more, will be hosted by a celebrity RJ at Citi Centre. Even the non-participants will be pampered with nail-art, hairbraiding and mehendi sessions. Interestingly, every woman walking into the venue with her grandmother will be instantly rewarded. The Woman’s Day event is co-hosted by Butterfly, Green Trends and Samsung. Three Roses Mind Sharp will be the beverage partner and Radio One is the radio partner. Chennai Citi Centre will be the venue partner. The prizes for the day will be given away by Pink, Jang Leather, Raasi Silks, Uma Lockers, Cookspace and Viba and the treasure hunt will be managed by Events. ■

SRIYA NARAYANAN [email protected]

O

EXPERT SPEAK

n March 10, big brands, royalty from around the world and celebrities from India will get together to endorse an event deceptively titled ‘Elephant Polo’. It sounds gentle enough but in truth, involves torture and brutality of unimaginable proportions and is nothing but calculated cruelty under the pretence of fundraising. “Forcing elephants to ‘play polo’ is totally unnatural and contrary to their nature. The elephants are trained using a bullhook or ankush, a sharp steel hook that is used to prod the animals into obeying instructions. These hooks can cause open wounds, which can become infected,” says a statement issued by Advocates for Animals, U.K.

Polo event at Elephant Festival, Jaipur, Rajasthan in March 2007. PHOTO: ETI VYAS In a recent Polo Event in Sri Lanka, a traumatised elephant went berserk and caused injuries to people, making headlines the world over. Wildlife experts testify that when large animals are expected to manoeuvre small objects like polo balls, it leads to injuring them and suffering excruciating pain in the process. Further, they are imprisoned for life and deprived of the company of their families and natural habitat. Scorching concrete floors and systematic abuse becomes their new and permanent reality. Ironically, this event is conducted for fundraising for elephant welfare when non-violent methods that could do the job just as well are

bypassed. The jumbos are powerless against the greed and ignorance of a select group of people and have no choice but to suffer in silence.

Speak up for them It takes less than one minute. Lend your voice to the campaign by logging on to www.stopelephantpolo.com. Check out the link ‘Take Action’ for contact info of the authorities. Spare a moment to sign the guest book and tell five friends. Time’s running out and one click can make all the difference.

‘‘ ‘‘ ‘‘ Sending an elephant out to earn money to raise awareness on the plight of elephants is as ridiculous as sending a child out to work to create awareness on child labour. Anuradha Sawhney, Chief Functionary- People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India

Elephant polo is just another way of deriving sadistic pleasure by rich and famous humans in watching the captive jumbos in excruciating pain, for nothing but entertainment of mankind.

Azam Siddiqui, Master Trainer in Animal Welfare for Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI)

Elephants are not designed to play polo and nor should they. All who support this cruel activity contribute to unnecessary suffering of animals that have already suffered enormously from the brutal training techniques they endure. Dr. Dame Daphne Sheldrick, UNEP 1992 Global Laureate and recipient of the 2000 BBC Lifetime Achievement Award

03

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Barbie turns 50

On March 9 this year, Barbie turns 50. For many, Barbie has progressed from being a childhood luxury to childhood-must. For many dreamy-eyed little girls, Barbie has been life’s first fashion idol. Share with us your fondest recollection of the first Barbie you owned (or even one that you wanted and never got). Write to us at [email protected] in less than 200 words with the subject line BARBIE, before Thursday (March 5) noon. Also, send in your contact number in case of any clarifications.

The volunteers take some field tips at Azhinjivakkam village

With flying colours Rose for charity, green for environment and orange for organisational efficiency... . UST Global’s associates choose either of the colours to volunteer for the initiative they like V. HARIPRIYA [email protected]

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ebuilding a village is a tough task, but not for these techies. The associates of UST Global, a provider of end-to-end IT services and solutions, as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility activity are in the process of giving life to Azhinjivakkam, a village near Red Hills, in namma Chennai. The pilot programme, launched this month, is named Mitra (meaning friend) and involves providing health care, educational support and greener environment to the village, which is polluted due to industrialisation. Ramakrishnan Narayanan, head of UST, believes that enterprises have a responsibility towards society. “We are committed to improving the lives of our associates and the communities in which they live. Our adoption programme aims at uplifting downtrodden villages. As far as Azhinjivakkam goes, the first and foremost thing

they require is health and sanitation. We recently conducted health camps and are also planning to construct public toilets, for which talks are on with NGOs. The funding is volunteered by our associates.”

Besides health camps, saplings (fruit-bearing) were also planted as part of the long-term community programme. “The village, with a population of 3,500 school-going children, also has dropout cases,” says Ga-

nesh Kalyanaraman, GM, Strategy & Services, UST. “We are planning to provide them with uniforms and footwear from the coming academic year. Plus, the possibility of providing scholarships.”

With close to 1,000 associates working in the Chennai centre, the volunteers see that they spend at least one weekend on field work. The colour scheme helps the staff select the sector in which they want to do “extra-curricular work”. “Colours programme is an inhouse volunteering initiative seeking to achieve organisational objectives by contributing to the communities where the company operates. We have around seven colours and each one stands for a different field. Example: rose for charity, green for environment and orange for organisational efficiency,” Ganesh Kalyanaraman said, adding that no volunteer is compelled to provide funding or do the work. Interestingly, Mitra has all the seven colours. ■ (CSR Dossier showcases the activities of companies that we reach out to. If you want to feature your organisation’s CSR activities in Ergo, ping us at [email protected] or [email protected]. Phone: 28576692)

04 VILLAGE

ERGO Thursday, March 5, 2009

Cruelty A man from Nebraska is facing animal cruelty charges after he stuffed his cat in a homemade bong and smoked cannabis in a bid to calm the creature down.

Obama taking ‘wrong’ path over Israel, says Iran leader Iran’s top authority said U.S. President Barack Obama was pursuing the same “wrong path” as George W. Bush in supporting Israel and described the Jewish state as a “cancerous tumour”. The comments by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say on all policy in Iran, are likely to disappoint the new U.S. administration which has been seeking to engage Iran but has called on Tehran to “unclench its fist”. “Even the new president of America, who has come to power with slogans about changing Bush’s policies, is defending state terrorism by talking about unconditional commitment to Israel’s security,” Khamenei told a conference on the Palestinian issue in Tehran. Khamenei also said Obama was following the same “wrong path” of his predecessor in the White House. The United States has long called on Iran to end its opposition to peace-making in the Middle East and stop supporting organisations like Lebanon’s Hezbollah and the Palestinian Hamas group that Washington considers terrorist. Reuters

Pakistan hunts for cricket attackers Police were hunting on Wednesday for the gunmen behind a deadly assault on Sri Lanka’s cricket team. Six Pakistani police and two civilians were killed in Tuesday’s brazen daylight attack on the team, who were on their way to a Test match in Lahore. Seven Sri Lankan cricketers and a coach were among 19 wounded. Police said around two dozen people were being questioned, but declined to speculate about the identity of the attackers. Sri Lankan players flew home to Colombo on a specially chartered jet. Batsman Thilan Samaraweera and Tharanga Paranavithana, both wounded by gunshots, were placed in an ambulance and taken to hospital. Mahela Jayawardene lauded their driver’s "remarkable bravery" in the face of the attack. "Had he not had the courage and presence of mind to get the bus moving after the initial attack, then we’d have been a far easier target for the terrorists," he said. AFP

Huge asteroid flies past Earth An asteroid as big as a 10-storeyed building flew past Earth on Tuesday, the US space website has said. The space rock was perhaps a bit larger than one thought to have created a colossal explosion in the air above Siberia in 1908 that flattened 500,000 acres (2,000 square km) of forest. Asteroid 2009 DD45 was closest to Earth on Tuesday at about 8.40 a.m. It was some 72,000 km away, which is twice the height of a geostationary communications satellite. Astronomers had known the asteroid was coming and said there was no risk of collision. Other asteroids have been known to pass by closer to our planet. Asteroids as big as the 1908 Tunguska object that devastated the Siberian forest might strike Earth as often as once every two centuries, scientists speculate. As space rocks enter Earth’s atmosphere, smaller ones can break apart or explode before hitting the surface. Xinhua

YouTube Symphony Orchestra selected The YouTube Symphony Orchestra is tuning up and getting ready to play. YouTube has selected the winners of its contest to create the world’s first online orchestra, choosing more than 90 professional and amateur musicians from over 30 countries through audition on the video-sharing service. Google-owned YouTube announced the winning musicians on Monday in a post on the YouTube blog and the orchestra’s YouTube channel, youtube.com/symphony. The winners will travel to New York to take part in a three-day classical music summit culminating in a performance at Carnegie Hall on April 15 directed by Michael Tilson Thomas, music director of the San Francisco Symphony. AFP

‘Angels and Demons’ under Catholic attack A

fter attacking film Da Vinci Code as ‘anti-christ’ the Catholic League has declared their plans to battle the sequel Angels and Demons claiming that is ‘demonising’ their faith, the Aceshowbiz.com reported. Both the movies are adaptations of bestselling author Dan Brown’s books with the same titles and directed by Academy nominated director Ron Howard. The film Angels and Demons has started generating controversy even before it release later this summer, with the President of the Catholic League, Bill Donohue, announcing to start an educational campaign informing public about the film’s anti-Catholic agenda, re-

ported the website. “The Da Vinci Code was replete with falsehoods presented as fact, and now the tag team is back again delivering a curious blend of fact and fiction. All done at the expense of the Catholic Church,” Donohue said. “Brown-Howard are obsessed with Catholicism. It is not enough to criticize it – they are hell bent on demonising it. It is not enough to drag out dirty laundry – they invent it,” he said. Catholic League is one of US’s largest Catholic civil rights organisation and Donohue was critical of Hollywood for its negative attitude toward the faith. ■ PTI

A still from Da Vinci Code

05

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Websites of the day

Landlord looter

Everything you need to know about the sleep disorder: www.narcolepsy.org.uk An alternative media blog for real women: www.jezebel.com

A man in Wisconsin who left his apartment for just five hours returned to find that his home had been completely stripped of all his possessions - after his landlord cleared out the wrong flat.

Varsity offers Beatles degree A

university in Liverpool has launched a Master of Arts degree in The Beatles, the city’s most famous sons, and called the qualification the first of its kind. Liverpool Hope University says on its website that the course entitled “The Beatles, Popular Music and Society” consists of four 12-week taught modules and a dissertation. “There have been over 8,000 books about The Beatles but there has never been serious academic study and that is what we are going to address,” said Mike Brocken, senior lecturer in popular music at Hope. “Forty years on from their break-up, now is the right time and Liverpool is the right place to study The Beatles. “This MA is expected to attract a great deal of attention, not just locally but nationally and we have already had enquiries from abroad, particularly the United States.” The university said it was the first postgraduate taught course on The Beatles in the United Kingdom, and possibly the world. The Fab Four were born and raised in Liverpool and went on to become arguably the most successful pop band of all time.■

The Beatles (from L to R) Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon (1940 - 1980), and George Harrison (1943 - 2001), performing in front of a camera-shaped drum kit on the Ken Dodd show. FILE PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

Reuters

A panda called Pemba

Joy as last stranded whale swims free

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he last survivor of a pod of 192 pilot whales that came ashore on Tasmania’s King Island at the weekend swam back out to sea on Wednesday. A recalcitrant creature had beached twice in as many days to the dismay of a volunteer army of Australian nature lovers trying to

refloat the stricken pod. The whale was the last of 54 survivors of the mass stranding that returned to the ocean. All are now safely back in deep water. The adult female was slung between two jet skis and towed out to sea, where delighted rescuers saw it join a group of at least 20 other whales. Chris Arthur, spokesman for Tasmania’s Parks and Wildlife Service, said the world had witnesses the most successful whale rescue in recorded history. “It was incredibly pleasing, because of the work that the King Island community have put in,” he said. ■ DPA

쒀 Red Panda cub ’Pemba’ receives a treat as he explores his outdoor exhibit at Taronga Zoo in Sydney. The young male ’Pemba’ which means ’Saturday’ in Nepalese was born to Taronga’s female ’ Wanmei’ on November 29, 2008 but has just started to venture out of its warm nest box. AFP PHOTO / GREG WOOD

06 SPORT

ERGO Thursday, March 5, 2009

Chelsea close on United Didier Drogba scored for Chelsea as they won their fourth straight match under temporary manager Guus Hiddink with a 1-0 victory away to Premier League strugglers Portsmouth. Drogba’s goal 11 minutes from time at a wet and windy Fratton Park on Tuesday saw Chelsea close the gap on leaders Manchester United to four points.

Lankan cricketers feel lucky Those few minutes are still haunting the Sri Lanka players, who got a close shave after their team bus was ambushed by masked terrorists near the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The cricketers are considering themselves simply lucky as they could safely return home after the terrorist attack. “Everyone is safe. Nothing bad has happened. A lot of guys are really lucky as there were bullet holes everywhere in our bus. I am very happy that I could see my family and came back to Sri Lanka in one piece. None of the members believed that they could come alive out of that situation,” Jayawardene said. The 31-year-old cricketer wants to move ahead with the game, leaving the incident behind. “The best thing we can do is go on playing cricket,” he added. Batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan recalled those terrifying moments: “It was a sound like cracker set on fire. I didn’t take it seriously. A shot landed very close to the driver. I then realised we were being fired at. I heard some of the players shouting that they have been hit. The firing continued for more than three minutes. The driver was in shock and the bus was stationary for over a minute. I asked the driver to drive fast and we left the site.” Ace spinner Muttiah Muralitharan said: “We all got scared. At that time all that I could think was who had been shot and who escaped. The driver of the bus saved us.” The Lankan cricketers also paid tribute to the police officials who laid their lives shielding the visitors and driver of the bus who held his nerve to drove away the vehicle. “We pay tribute to them for sacrificing their lives only to save the lives of our cricketers. And the driver was real hero here,” Jayaewardene said. PTI

Get-together of unlikely friends With high-spending sponsors withdrawing support, Indian conglomerates are coming to the rescue of international sporting giants AYON SENGUPTA [email protected]

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porting powerhouses around the world, spending millions of dollars to retain their pre-eminence, are in for some rough times as the worldwide financial crisis has robbed them of lucrative sponsorship deals. These high-spending entities facing the prospect of empty coffers have turned their attention to the relatively unaffected Indian market to stem the deluge. Over the last few months, football clubs like Manchester United and Formula One teams Ferrari and Renault have approached or entered into partnerships with Indian business conglomerates. While Ferrari had acquired the services of software giant TCS as an IT and engineering service provider way back in 2004, this year onwards the TCS logo will also appear on the world-famous red car. Speaking of their association with Ferrari F1, Jayant V. Pendharkar, Vice-President and head, Global Marketing, Tata Consultancy Services, says: “The F1 car is the most complex and advanced car platform in terms of packaging research in aerodynamics, engine technology, brakes, tyres and modelling. It is a sport that relies heavily on technology and success is determined by split second decision-making. We are the first Indian company to partner with the F1 stadium in the global arena. And it’s a very proud association.”

Fringe benefits And the association has helped them immensely, as Pendharkar

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Thursday, March 5, 2009

‘‘

The Twenty20 leagues in India have played a big part. We lost players that possibly should still be playing. But it still highlighted the fact we need to be aware of how we use our resource and how we introduce resource. The introduction of new talent has been exciting. But it has been a bit frustrating as well.

explains. “Due to the great work done for Ferrari F1, team TCS bagged a multi-million dollar, multi-year agreement with Ducati, the leading manufacturer of motorbikes and superbikes based out of Bologna, to deliver technology-based services to help improve customer responsiveness and business efficiency,” he says. “Association with Ferrari not only reinforces TCS’ high quality of work, but also acts as a reference client in geography and industry.” Another F1 giant, Renault with two-time world champion Fernando Alonso in its ranks, is also in talks with Indian houses for strategic investment. Ashish Sinha Roy, Vice-President, Communications and Corporate Affairs, Renault India, says: “The shift in the global scenario and, more importantly, the stagnation of the European and American market is forcing every major player to look eastward. And the emerging Indian and Chinese economies are the target. With India expected to be on the F1 calendar by 2011 with a circuit in Delhi, it’s natural for teams to look for investors here.”

In the pipeline Speaking about Renault’s broader plans, Sinha Roy says: “We are in talks with three Indian companies and it has been very fruitful. It would take at least US$ 50 million to be a title sponsor for a F1 team but in India we are looking for smaller partners who can easily shell US$ 5-10 million.” To build a brand value in India, Renault had organised a road show at Rajpath in November 2008 with the 2007 Renault F1 car whooshing down Indian roads. “It was a first-of-its-kind experience in India and we again plan to host it in other Indian cities, with Alonso behind the wheels,” Sinha Roy says. Explaining the trend, Indranil Das Blah, Vice-President, Sports, Globosport, an ace sports and celebrity management company in India, says: “Indian companies are known for their deep pockets and unlike their South-Asian counterparts are not fly-by-night operators looking to catch some eyeballs. This gives them respectability and stability that attracts sports bodies looking for long-term association.” Football giant Manchester United is also believed to have approached Tata and Sahara as possible partners after AIG withdrew its shirt sponsorship deal with the team. According to Sahara head Subroto Roy, talks are on with the English club and both parties are

Former Kiwi skipper Stephen Fleming

expecting a positive outcome. “The economic meltdown has severely hit North America and Europe, which has led the sporting bodies to see beyond. We have emerged as a strong economic power and one of the least-hit countries by the recession and for us it is the right time to foray into the global market and make an impact,” says Abhijet Sircar, head, Communications, Sahara.

However… But Das Blah is sceptical about the recent developments and feels it is virtually impossible for Indian companies to associate themselves as lead sponsors with such high pedigreed and expensive sports as F1 and football for the time being. “It is always better to be the lead sponsor paying US$ 50-60 million than being an associate sponsor who is shelling

out US$ 5 million. We have always seen it’s the lead sponsor who hogs all the limelight and the other sundries are left virtually unnoticed,” he says. “But the sheer value of the deals will deter Indian companies. I think what we are looking at right now is Indian companies signing sporting stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lewis Hamilton for their niche brands and not the

whole team. There are a few Indian FMCG companies who are already in talks with Ronaldo and we can expect him to hit our television screens soon, maybe crooning some Hindi film track.” According to him, Indian companies that are likely to get running in the international sponsorship highway soon are telecommunication giant Airtel and consumer durable leaders Videocon. ■

08 ROADSTER

ERGO Thursday, March 5, 2009

Accord V6 to launch next week Japanese car-maker Honda Siel will launch an advanced version of its premium sedan Accord V6 in the Indian market next week and it is likely to be priced at about Rs. 25 lakh. "We are ready with our new Accord V6 and it will be launched by next week," Honda Siel Cars India President and CEO Masahiro Takedahawa said. The new Accord V6 would come with a 3.5 litre engine, generating 280 hp.

Little bike-ridin PHOTOS: S.S. KUMAR

Pocket bikes are for kids who are grown-up bikes but too young to actually ride them

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hat if your kid brother or son or daughter throws a tantrum about not wanting a ride on a motorcycle but to ride one? Well, you don’t really have to stand puzzled by your loved one’s request. Ergo introduces to you the ‘Pocket Bike’, a 49-cc motorcycle exclusively designed for children. Exact replicas of big branded bikes, these petite two-wheelers are designed for 10 to 15-yearolds. Pocket bikes, which are usually imported pieces, are available only with a few dealers in Chennai city. One among them is Ubidhullah of Moto Designr in Royapettah, who claims to be the

Earlier, vehicles like Bajaj Sunny and a few other mopeds used to be modified into pocket bikes, but

09

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Easing stress A rider puts a portable brain-machine interface with optical sensors to measure prefrontal cortex activity, developed by Hitachi, for their research of the driver’s brain activity by riding motorbikes in Japan. Riding motorbikes helps the driver invigorate his or her brain while easing stress, say scientists.

ng hood enough to want

Prices Scramblers and sports models are available from Rs. 8,000 to Rs. 24,000. Scooters are priced Rs. 15,000. ATVs cost Rs. 45,000. (Prices may vary from dealer to dealer) Where to get them ● Moto Designr New College complex, Royapettah. Phone: 94442 67830 ● Champion Motors G.P. Road, Mount Road. Phone: 3022 2838. There are also a few individual dealers in the city who deliver pocket bikes on prior order.

first one to deal in pocket bikes in the city. “I started selling pocket bikes two year ago from my showroom here and I can say that there is a good demand for them in our city, especially during school vacations,” he says. Scramblers, sports bikes, scooters and even all-terrain vehicles (ATV) are available at Moto Designr, with prices starting from Rs. 8,000 and going up to Rs. 45,000 (see box). “These bikes with genset engines that can travel only in low speeds could be an apt pastime for bike-loving kids,” adds Ubidhullah, who gives a one-year warrantee and free service for the bikes he sells. These pocket bikes come in various models and are colourful and trendy to appeal to the younger lot. No licence or other onroad documents are required as the vehicles are strictly for children and to be used off-road. “Earlier, vehicles like Bajaj Sunny and a few other mopeds used to be modified into pocket bikes, but in the last three years they are being imported. These small vehicles have a decent demand in Chennai and also in other cities in the state, like Coimbatore. Moreover the bikes are easy to manoeuvre for children and the speeds can also be adjusted according to the rider,” says Balachandran of Champion Motors on G.P. Road, Mount Road, another dealer for pocket bikes in the city. Some pocket bikes that are miniature sports bikes come with imported two-stroke and fourstroke engines with kick-starter and self-starter, double disk brakes, bright fairings and an overall chic outlook. ■

in the last three years they are being imported

Audi brings out ‘family silver’ for 100th birthday

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he German premium car manufacturer Audi is bringing out the family silver this year with more than 50 events and special shows to mark the 100th birthday of a brand that got its name to avoid a legal dispute linked to car pioneer and founder August Horch. Horch, which means ‘hear’ in German, established a small car company in Cologne in 1899, but then moved to the eastern German town of Zwickau in 1904 where he established the Hochwerke AG stock company. After a row with the board of management, Horch left the company in 1909 to establish a second car company. But he encountered problems because his surname was already protected by a trademark. Legend has it that the son of a business partner who was well-versed in Latin overheard the conversation and suggested he choose the Latin translation of ‘horch’ – ‘audi’ – and thus the Audi Automobile Works was born on July 16, 1909. Audi became a household name within a few years, largely because the Audi Type C 14/35 became known as the ‘Alpine Conqueror’ in the Austrian Alpine Run between 1911 and 1914. On June 29, 1932, the Audi logo of four interlinked rings was born when the Audiwerke, Horchwerke and Zschopauer Motorenwerke/DKW merged to form Auto Union AG with DKW, Horch, Audi and Wanderer labels for different market segments. The Audi brand took everyone by surprise with the development of the Audi Front Type UW. Its main feature was front-wheel drive. At the end of World War II, Soviet occupying forces seized the factory and all its assets in Zwickau. But a group of senior managers managed to escape to Bavaria. After initially establishing an Auto Union spare parts depot in Ingolstadt, the Auto Union GmbH was formed in 1949. The first cars were the reliable DKW models with two-stroke engines, typical of the austere, post-war years. In 1958, Daimler-Benz acquired the majority share in the company. In 1964, it was taken over by Volkswagen as sales of the two-stroke DKWs began to dwindle. In 1968, the foundation was laid for the Audi 100 series. Audi is celebrating the actual birthday on July 16, 2009 with a special commemorative ceremony to be attended by German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Ingolstadt. Another big event is the Goodwood Festival of Speed in England, where Audi will be putting in a special appearance as ‘featured marque’ on July 3 to 5. Every car built by Audi that has played an important role on the world’s racetracks during the past century will be on display including an authentic replica of the car in which Bernd Rosemeyer attempted to break the world speed record in 1937 – the Auto Union Type C Streamline. ■ DPA

10 FLICK

ERGO Thursday, March 5, 2009

Mel Gibson making comeback Actor Mel Gibson, who has been out of the scene since his 2006 scandal, is keen to make a comeback with Edge of Darkness. Although Robert DeNiro was signed up to act in the flick alongside Mel, he opted out and was replaced by Ray Winstone, reports Fox News. The flick will be distributed by Warner Brothers.

Guess who’s back Jackson in Britain for comeback tour

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op megastar Michael Jackson is to make an announcement in London on Thursday amid speculation that he is going to perform a series of comeback concerts in Britain. A statement from concert promoter AEG Live called media on Tuesday to a news conference on 1600 GMT Thursday at the giant O2 music venue in the British capital, without giving further details. Jackson flew in from Los Angeles on a private jet with his children. This is his first trip in Britain since 2006 and he was being guarded by a dozen security guards. He was then taken away in a white limo to a hotel in Knightsbridge, reports thesun.co.uk. Last month, sources close to the negotiations said that Jackson was in talks with concert organisers to perform up to 30 live shows in London’s O2 Arena this year. The source, who requested anonymity, confirmed British media reports that the 50year-old ‘King of Pop’ could be set to play his first major concerts since his 2005 acquittal on child molestation charges. If the deal is confirmed, it would be a spectacular return to the limelight for Jackson, who dominated the pop world with hit albums like Thriller and Bad in the 1980s but has virtually vanished from public view since his trial. ■ Agencies

Keira Knightley a.k.a. agony aunt

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eira Knightley is not only Colin Farrell’s leading lady in a new film, but she is also playing his agony aunt in reality – the actress has been comforting the actor after he was dumped by girlfriend Emma Forrest. The Pirates of the Caribbean actress was initially in touch with the Irishman to discuss their upcoming film London Boulevard, for which they begin shooting next month. But after novelist Emma dumped Colin, the 23-yearold actress has become a close confidant for the actor. “Keira thought it would be helpful to speak to Colin about their parts but she has been trying to support him while he goes through girlfriend troubles,” the Daily Express quoted a source as saying. The insider added: “Keira says it has helped her understand the man she is going to be playing opposite and is delighted to have connected so well with him.” Emma reportedly walked out on the Phone Booth actor because he didn’t mention her in his Golden Globes acceptance speech in January. ■ ANI

The secret seamstress

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atie Holmes has been working on a highly secret fashion line for over a year, it has emerged. The line is titled Holmes-Yang and is a collaboration between Holmes and her stylist pal, Jeanne Yang. “We started about a year ago, sketching different things, trying to find comfortable clothing for our daughters that is also pretty and cute,” the New York Daily News quoted Holmes, as telling Glamour magazine. Holmes has stepped out twice in the line to rave reviews. The first glimpse of the line was last summer, when Katie was seen in a leather and silk piece. The second peek came two months later, when she stepped out in an ivory silk jumpsuit with black lace sleeves. Holmes was reported to be planning a full-fledged runway show at New York Fashion Week in September, but the rumours have been dismissed. Holmes has hinted at public expansion of the line. ■ ANI

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Thursday, March 5, 2009

New cast for High School Musical 4 Walt Disney Co’s teen hit franchise High School Musical is coming back for a fourth time – but with a new cast of characters, the company said on Tuesday. High School Musical 4 will debut on the Disney Channel in 2010 – marking a return to its original cable home after the third instalment danced into movie theatres in 2008.

Cine City

Once shot, twice shy

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fter a blink and miss appearance in Fashion, filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar says he has no plans of doing a cameo again as he knows he is a “bad actor”. “I did a cameo in my film Fashion, which I believe was very bad and that’s why I don’t want to repeat the same. I can make people act but acting is not my forte,” Bhandarkar said. “A lot of people asked me to act in reality shows as a participant and they were offering me a huge amount of money, but I couldn’t accept it since I’m a bad actor and a worse dancer,” he added. The director is currently busy making with his next film, which stars Neil Nitin Mukesh and Mugdha Godse. ■

Bala’s gift to mentor Director Bala is on cloud nine after the stupendous success of Naan Kadavul, a film that took three years in the making. Dedicating the success to his mentor Balu Mahendra, Bala has gifted Balu a car recently. Similarly, actor Jeeva has presented a car to director Rajesh for the success of his latest release, Siva Manasula Sakthi.

IANS

T

here was a buzz in Bollywood that a sequel was being made to the Amitabh Bachchan-starrer Bhoothnath, but director Vivek Sharma has brushed aside all rumours. “I don’t think there’s any reason for a sequel for Bhoothnath

as the culmination of the film has been on a proper story. It has had a proper ending,” said Sharma. “Though I do have an idea and a story, and if Mr. Bachchan agrees, I can think of taking it forward in terms of a film, maybe early next year. But I’m not really

sure as I get bored very easily with a project once it is done. Anyway, I don’t find any reason taking Bhoothnath forward as a series,” he added. Sharma is at present working on Vashu Bhagnani’s Kal Kissne Dekha. ■

No Bhoothnath sequel

IANS

Jai Ho goes political We hear that Congress party will be using the Oscar-winning song ‘Jai Ho’ from the film Slumdog Millionaire for its election campaign. Though other parties were contemplating on acquiring the rights of the song, Congress acted fast. The party has acquired the rights of the lyrics and tune of the song, which is a hot favourite among political parties.

12

ERGO Thursday, March 5, 2009

Wednesday’s Query: Your suggestions to curb terrorist activities.

■ We will make many clones of captain Vijaykanth and put them for patrol across India. Jacob, Antony, Kannan ,Sify, Radhan Wipro, Suresh, Allsec

■ We can use "sunniyam" and "beetle leaves with black soot" technique to trace the terrorists and spoil their activities. This would also help us to make them ill and catch them alive. Padma Gopal, Cognizant

■ We should recapture PoK, the training camp of all terrorist groups. Siva Kumar, Allsec

Mohamedamanullah A. from TCS has nominated his friends as Partners in Crime. This pic was clicked at a beach resort on ECR.

■ Security needs to be tightened. Revathy, TCS-eserve, Sabarish JM, Cognizant

■ Preaching moral principles right from the childhood. Lexsminarayanan, TCS-eserve

■ Make all the terrorists to see films like Roja, Bombay and listen Rahman’s Vande Maataram everyday. Robz, Wipro

■ Lightning fast action on identified terrorist and cruel punishment for ones in custody. Vimprash, Patni Computers

■ Let not any kid have a bitter childhood. A traumatic childhood is the root cause of all evils. Senthil Kumar P, RR Donnelley

■ Form a separate ministry to curb terrorism.

Saranya SR from Sagitec has nominated her friends as Partners in Crime. This pic was clicked at Chepauk stadium.

Senthil, Wipro

■ Educate & make them to understand about the deep of psychological development by solving the problems, conflicts, worries, inconveniences & historical issues in non-violent manner. R.Nagarajan, InfoView Technologies

■ People must stop giving arms and help to terrorist in return of huge money, we must stand united against it, remember that even the word ’terror’ ends with an ’error’. Praveen, TCS-eserve

Today’s Query: Wish J.K.Ritheesh of Nayagan fame on his birthday.

Venkatesh from Trimble Navigation Limited has nominated his friends as Partners in Crime. This pic was clicked in Manimutharu.

13

Thursday, March 5, 2009

■ Dear Metilda, Many more happy returns of the day. May God bless you in all your endeavors. Entries are pouring in, so buck up before you miss the

Regards, Alex TCS

train. Let your creative juices flow, and for all you know, you might become a writer on the go! Ergo invites original literary pieces in the form of short stories, flash fiction and poems from its readers. Short stories and flash fiction must not exceed 700 words. So, pick up those pens and start writing! Send in your entries to [email protected] mentioning ‘Ergo Writer’s Club’ as the subject. And keep watching this space for updates.

■ Dear Thanni Dhaya, Neenga thaana “Thanni thoti thedi vanthe Ottaga kutti“ We wish u a very Happy Birthday…:) Regards, 12Bees ■ Dear Swetha, Sorry that we couldnt attend your program. Saw the pics and videos. You looked good. And your jazz performance was rocking. I deeply regret for not turning up. Shall make it up to you. Sorry once again.. hey ivolo sorry than sollamudiyum.. collar romba thookade :p ■ Dear Swati, Take good care of yourself, friend. We hope to see you up andrunning and back at garden again. The place just isn”t the same without you.

With love, Orion team

With Loves, Anush

Sandeep Suresh of IBM Daksh has been nominated as Office Angel by his team-mates.

■ Dear Dev, I’m so blessed 2 have a friend like uThis comes with manyLoving thoughts & warm wishesI send 2 u,May ur day be filled with laughterOn this ur special day & may the finest thingsIn life always comeUr way happy birthday! Your friend, Manoj

True to IBMers value, Sandeep Suresh is very innovative in nature, at least with his hairstyle…. Our man, the HR manager has always been a hot favourite. A cool and fun loving person, he encourages as well as motivates people on and off the work place… Sure this calls for a big party. Doesn’t it! To have someone like him…

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.

1.Teacher :- Sooriyan marainthathu, ithu nigal kaalama, irantha kaalama illa varungalama? Student :- Athu saingalam sir Arasu

2.TamilNadu’s Latest Punch Dialogue: Varum aana varaadhu Enna adhu??? Ans: Current Bill Varum aana Current Varaadhu.:-) D Madhan Mohan HCL Technologies

Saravanan Vaithiyanathan from HCL has doodled this.

14 TRAFFIC JAM

ERGO Thursday, March 5, 2009

Deja vu De Feo An Italian football team is a referee’s nightmare - because every single player has the same surname, De Feo.

sudoku

The monkey biker: Gnanaskandan K of Verizon Data Services shot this at Point Calimere. Hobbies: bird watching, wildlife photography

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15

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Desperate housewives

Word’s worth

A divorcee from Germany landed in hot water with police - after she rang 999 more than 100 times in a bid to land a new boyfriend. Angela Stahl, 44, plagued the emergency line with endless calls - insisting she couldn’t afford dating agencies.

"Testudineous" (tes-t(y)oo-dinee-us) an adjective meaning ’as slow as a tortoise.’ From a Latin word meaning ’tortoise.’

B.C ARIES MARCH 21 - APRIL 20 Today, you have scope of getting some good financial rewards of your work. This doesn’t need to be in the physical form but whatever you do may add positive points for your future. You may exchange sweet words with your life partner.

TAURUS APRIL 21 - MAY 20 Your basic qualities are highlighted today so Ganesha would call it ’power day’ for you. At office, you can be very systematic and finish off your work as per the schedule. In personal life, if you are not careful your relations with spouse may get sour.

GEMINI MAY 21 - JUNE 20 Hard work is on the cards but ensure that nothing goes in vain! Ganesha foresees you working in wrong direction today. Some colleagues may try to tarnish your image, for no reason. If you are single, you may try to flatter or woo someone.

BORN LOSER

CANCER JUNE 21 - JULY 20 It’s a perfect day to organize regular group activities like meetings or small lecture on ’team-work’. Your diligence and commitment to work will prove beneficial to you in the longer run. Love life or married life may remain stress free.

LEO JULY 21 - AUG 20 This is a perfect day to handle creative part of your job. Slogging alone may not work but you may need to use your imagination. Your relations with bosses may need to be handled carefully. You may not be able to pay much attention to love life.

VIRGO AUG 21 - SEPT 20

FREE RANGE

WORKING IT OUT

Ganesha foresees you in a very practical mood at work. This will help you finish off your job in time. You may plan for a trip with your family or beloved one. Travelling is not on the cards but planning is surely foreseen.

LIBRA SEPT 21 - OCT 20 Whatever you have learnt from seniors and superiors may be useful in your job. You can be trying to solve complex issues at workplace. In love life, you may enjoy very high-quality private time with your beloved one.

SCORPIO OCT 21 - NOV 20 You may not be in a mood to put in more efforts at office. Even if you wish, you may not be able to stay back at work till late evening. Health requires attention. In persona life, you may receive positive response and moral support from beloved one.

SAGITTARIUS NOV 21 - DEC 20 Complimentary day for you, predicts Ganesha. You may not sit relaxed for a moment and utilize your time at office in best possible manner. Ensure that you take due rest in order to maintain good health. Love life may require attention.

CAPRICORN DEC 21 - JAN 20 Your professional life may offer you plethora of opportunities today. If you work hard, you may get good incentives and perks from your office. Love life may blossom as you are likely to express your emotions very creatively to woo your beloved one.

PREVIOUS ISSUE’S SOLUTIONS

AQUARIUS JAN 21 - FEB 20 It is high time you think about your own shortcomings in routine office work. Ganesha finds you contemplating over some matters related to work, very seriously. You may wish to reach home early to spend more time with family members.

PISCES FEB 21 - MARCH 20 Your creative talents may be boosted today. You may change your modus operandi which will help you handle every aspect of work very easily. In love life, you will be unpredictable and may leave your partner puzzled about what you actually expect. Predictions by Bhavesh N. Pattni

16 !

ERGO Thursday, March 5, 2009

Actor Charlize Theron (L) and Mexican film director Guillermo Arriaga arrive for the screening of their latest film, The Burning Plain, on Tuesday in Hampstead, North London. AFP PHOTO/MAX NASH

Academy award-winning actor Sean Penn (L) looks on as California Sen. Mark Leno (R) speaks during a press conference announcing legislation to create a Harvey Milk Day in California on March 3, 2009 in San Francisco. AFP PHOTO