Ergo November 6

A BYTE OF LIFE

Thursday, November 6, 2008

06 EPL CALLING Sunil Chetri may well ply his trade in England next season Vol. 2

FREE CIRCULATION

No. 211

Americans got a new President and Kenyans got a national holiday on Wednesday. Reason? Obama’s father was a Kenyan herdsman.

The sleepy Japanese fishing town of Obama went wild on Wednesday as locals gathered to celebrate namesake Barack Obama’s victory in the U.S. presidential election.

Obama’s American Dream also won him the Grammys – in 2006 and 2008. The latter he won for the ‘Best Spoken Word Album’ for the audio version of his book, The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream.

Check this out. www.barackobama.com, has the election manifesto written in seven languages including Hindi and Malayalam. Indians go places! Read Page 5 for the URL.

02 NAMMA CHENNAI

ERGO Thursday, November 6, 2008

Soup kitchen opens for dogs A soup kitchen exclusively for dogs has opened its doors in Berlin providing pets of the homeless and unemployed with a free meal.

Chamber music workshop

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chamber music is being organised by the Alliance Francaise in association with The Madras Musical Association. The western classical music performance is going to be performed by Bernard Wacheux (violin) and Arul Siromoney (piano). In Paris, Wacheux was initiated to music under the direction of conductor Robert Delcroix professor of CNSM in Paris and head of the Opera Metz. He later moved to Germany where he began his career as a violin soloist, chamber musician and teacher. Arul Siromoney, is the organist and choir director of St.Andrew’s Kirk. A sought after accompanist by soloists and choirs in the city. He has played in a number of concerts in India and abroad. He is keenly involved in promoting church music among young musicians. A workshop will also be conducted with Augustine Paul and Arul Siromoney, where they will deal with acclaimed schools of stringed instruments and violin makers from Italy, France, Germany such as Cremona, Mirecourt, Mittenwald to name a few.

What, when, where? Event: Concert and workshop Timings: 7 p.m, Nov 7 (concert), Nov 8 – 9 (workshop) Venue: St. Andrew’s Church , Poonamalee High Road, Egmore (concert) For workshop details, contact: 98411 61339 / 09381047590

The man’s all heart When our animal friends are in need, this softspoken good Samaritan chooses not to look the other way. SRIYA NARAYANAN [email protected]

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n the face of it, Raviteja Upadrashta is an intellectual with a strong academic inclination and hard-won degrees from the country’s top institutions. He passed out of IIT-Madras with an MS in Error Control Coding and is currently pursuing his PhD in IISc, Bangalore. Scratch the surface and one sees another side to him. Teju, who grew up surrounded by pets, always thought of them as family. The values stuck as he grew older. “In college, I was seen as a person who’d take care of a sick or injured animal.” He once got a call from a friend who spotted a limping cat (who later came to be known as Sher Khan, adopted by the Cattitude Trust). “The poor thing was in front of a doctor’s clinic ironically, and maggots had eaten through its leg. I took him to The Ark veterinary clinic, where they had to remove half a kg of flesh during

When I see something struggling for life, I have to help

For Adoption Several puppies rescued during the rains last month are now in good health and are ready to be given to families. They are available for free adoption at Animal Welfare and Protection Trust. Call 22781381.

Teju and Sher Khan during the early days of recovery treatment. It was reduced to almost bone and they eventually amputated the leg but he recovered completely,” he says. His painful recovery took an exasperating four months ago, but Teju refused to give up on the doeeyed cat that now walks confidently on three legs and comes out when bribed with food. “Food was the only source of comfort during his illness. He’s been through so much in his life.” When asked if the schedule at a tough educational institution was ever a deterrent to his welfare ef-

forts, he replies, “It’s irrelevant. When I see something struggling for life, I have to help.” His policy applies to both people and animals. He once took an accident victim to the hospital and paid his bill as no one was around to help. He admits that his friends sometimes ask him why he chooses to take the trouble and get involved. His answer? “I don’t know.” One thing’s for sure, though. There isn’t a hint of regret in his voice. ■

03

Thursday, November 6, 2008

On Indian Idol Catch all the fun and masti of contestants with Kailash Kher and his band today on Indian Idol Rubaroo. Also watch actor Vinay Pathak as he joins the contestants to promote his upcoming film Dasvidaniya. Tune in to Sony at 7:30 p.m.

ERGO CORRESPONDENT [email protected]

F

ailures are stepping stones to success. I know you have heard and learnt it a hundred times. But let’s accept that failure is one of the toughest things to deal with. Perhaps, this camp could make you a bolder person. The Knowledge Foundation, which has become popular for hosting Proto.in and other technology-related events, is adding another feather to its cap. It is gearing up to host the first ever Failcamp. The friendly unconference will have people come together to share and learn from failures. The focus is not only on failures. It could be about why one failed and what lessons one learnt from it. Or, probably, why someone failed to keep in touch with his classmates, etc.

Who can participate? You could be a start-up, entrepreneur, student or someone interested in learning from the lessons of others. But, to be a participant you must be prepared to share your failure and lessons learnt. You don’t necessarily have to give a talk for 15 minutes, but be keen to share whatever little

TO STUMBLE IS TO RISE Knowledge Foundation plays host to the first ever Failcamp knowledge you have in whatever little way. “We want people who have a lot of enthusiasm and who are ready to share their knowledge,” said Kiruba Shankar, one of the organisers.

We like to hear the story of … Narayana Murthy, Lakshmi Mittal …? Each of you has your own role model whom you have been yearning to hear from. The organisers promise to do their best to bring them to the event. You need to recommend a person you are thoroughly impressed with and who you really want to hear speak. ■

What, When, Where Event: Failcamp Venue: Tenth Planet Technologies Pvt., Ltd., # 807, P.T.Lee Building, 6th Floor, Anna Salai, (Opposite LIC building) When: November 16; 9 a.m. onwards Website: http://www.barcamp.org/failcamp For any doubts call Kiruba Shankar at 98415 97744 or email him at [email protected]

IMPETUS TO INNOVATE RAGHURAMAN RAMAMURTHY

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relaxed weekend was followed by a whole lot of excitement that I went through to organise Impetus 08, the Annual Day of

Barry Wehmiller International Resources. The excitement of Impetus 08 brought in the culmination of the Diwali celebration and the beginning of a week-long fete at BWIR.

The celebrations started off with sports activities, followed by fun events on October 29. We had a Rangoli competition and face-painting, which brought back memories of our college

days, where we were not just naughty but also strived with creativity. What a day it was when we actually hardly worked! On October 30 we had the bay

decoration, which had the younger and older lot together bringing in diverse themes like ‘Mylapore Street’ and ‘Go Green’. The ethnic wear round was the masterpiece, ultimately ending up as a fancy dress event. The next day we landed at Asiana Hotel for our grand finale. This was accompanied by a host of singing and dancing events by the professionals, ranging from the melodious ‘Swasame’ duet from Thenali to the oomph of ‘Sundari neeyum’ from Michael Madan Kamarajan. There was also a skit on ‘Rosy, the Secretary’. The finale of the quiz competition was won by our Mumbai branch for the second year in a row. We then had a calm session over our performance in FY08 and our targets by Senthil Kumar, Vice President & Senior Partner, and Vasant Bennett, President and Managing Partner, BWIR. ■ (The writer is Head - Operations Excellence, Barry Wehmiller International Resources)

04 VILLAGE

ERGO Thursday, November 6, 2008

This day, that year It was on November 6, 1928 that Herbert Hoover was elected United States president.

B.R. Chopra dead Legendary filmmaker B.R. Chopra died in Mumbai on Wednesday after a prolonged illness. The winner of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award was 95. His son, producerdirector Ravi Chopra, said he had lost not only his father but his guru. He had made successful films like Naya Daur, Gumrah, Humraaz, Dhundh, Insaaf ka Tarazoo and Nikah. Besides Ravi Chopra, the filmmaker is survived by his two daughters Shashi and Neena. His funeral will be held at 4.30 p.m. on Wednesday. IANS

Georgian president sacks military chief Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili on Tuesday sacked the country’s military chief Zaza Gogava after a review of the August war with Russia, public television reported. “Vladimir Chachibaya will be designated as the new chief of staff,” Saakashvili said during a meeting with defence and military officials, according to the report. “This decision was taken following an analysis of events in the month of August.”

Mikheil Saakashvili

Chinese journalist sues government after newspaper closed down A journalist whose article led to authorities in north China shutting down her newspaper for three months is suing the government, in a rare act of defiance in the heavilycensored media industry. Cui Fan, a reporter for the China Business Post, wrote an article in July alleging wrong doing at a branch of the Agricultural Bank of China – one of the largest in China – in the central province of Hunan. She alleged that the Changde branch had illegally disposed of 4.6 billion yuan’s (670 million dollars) worth of non-performing assets. Last Wednesday, Cui filed a lawsuit against the press and publication department of the government of Inner Mongolia. Cui also asked the court to order the department to apologise for hurting her reputation, and to compensate her for the moral damage inflicted, Zhou continued. AFP

UK to raise marriage-visa age The age at which someone can apply for a marriage visa to join their spouse in Britain will increase from 18 to 21 from the end of November, the government announced. From November 27 both parties in a marriage will have to be 21 before a marriage visa can be issued, the home ministry said on Tuesday in what it described as part of efforts to crack down on forced marriage. The changes being made to the marriage visa route are part of a package of measures being brought in to deliver the biggest shake-up to Britain’s immigration and border security in 45 years.

AFP

IANS

“These chairs and tables don’t fit me”

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ritish schools are being asked to change classroom furniture as children are taller and heavier than their counterparts in the 1960s, when the last table-desk change was affected. A study by a policy commission on the future of education led by former cabinet minister Charles Clarke has said children who are squashed into small seats suffer not only backache but also loss of concentration because they are fidgeting constantly. The commission, convened by the British Educational Suppliers’ Association, spoke to and weighed and measured 1,500

schoolchildren as part of its study. Clarke discovered that children had grown taller by an inch since the 1960s and become heavier. Their arms and legs are longer than a generation ago. However, they continue to sit on chairs that suited the frames of children of the 1960s, reported the Daily Mail. The study said that in the present day children were of adult size by the age of 16. The average weight of 16-year-old boys in the study was 10 stone 8 lbs (67 kg) and 9 stone 6 lbs (60 kg) for girls – weights previously reached at the age of 18.

“All of this data supported the belief that our children are likely to be spending thousands of hours of their school lives on chairs and at desks and tables where their posture is poor and the potential for damage to their backs is great,” the commission noted. Clarke said new furniture designs suitable for today’s children were available in the market, but schools were “slow” to respond or making “poor purchase decisions”. Already European Union (EU) guidelines exist for new school furniture. ■

British school furniture is too small to modern children

IANS

05

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Historic day for 106-yr-old Afro-American November 4, 2008, will be etched forever in the memory of a 106-year-old Afro-American, who was barred from voting on racial grounds, as she cast her ballot in favour of fellow black Barack Obama, who paid glowing tributes to the woman. The story of Ann Nixon Cooper, who faced racial discrimination during her early life, was narrated by the US President-elect at his victory speech. The woman cast her ballot in Altanta, Georgia. Cooper was born just a generation past slavery, a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky, when someone like her couldn’t vote for two reasons - because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin, Obama told his supporters at Chicago, minutes after he was elected the President of the US. PTI

President elect Barack Obama stands on stage along with his wife Michelle and daughters Malia (red dress) and Sasha (black dress). AFP PHOTO

More about

Barack Hussein Obama Age: 47 Birthdate: August 4, 1961 Birthplace: Honolulu, Hawaii Education: Columbia University; Harvard Law School Wife: Michelle Robinson Children: Two daughters Religious affiliation: United Church of Christ Family: Barack Obama was born in Hawaii to a Kenyan father and a white American mother. His father, Barack Obama Sr., married his mother, Ann Dunham, while studying at the University of Hawaii. The couple separated two years after Obama was born. Obama’s mother’s second

marriage was to an Indonesian man named Lolo Soetoro. Career: After finishing college in 1983, Obama worked for a New York financial consultant and a consumer organisation. He landed a job in Chicago in 1985 as an organiser for Developing Communities Project, a church-based group seeking to improve living conditions in poor neighbourhoods. Three years later, Obama left to go to Harvard Law School, where he became the first black president of the law review. Elective office: Obama won a seat in the Illinois state Senate in 1996.

Obama won a heavily contested U.S. Senate seat in 2004, carrying 53 per cent of the Democratic primary vote in an eight-candidate race. He easily won the general election. He opposed the appointment of Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito to the U.S. Supreme Court. The non-partisan National Journal ranked him as the most liberal member of the Senate early this year based on his voting record in 2007. He was ranked 10th most liberal in 2006 and 16th most liberal in 2005. Reuters

Campaign curiosities OBAMA ACCESSORIES: After a scolding by the media, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama in June gave up a seal that had previously adorned his lectern at campaign rallies: an eagle with spread wings and an olive branch. BLACK HUMOUR: A caricature of Obama on liberal magazine The New Yorker caused a stir in July. The picture showed Obama in the White House wearing traditional muslim robes, with his wife Michelle in camouflage trousers, a machine gun on her back, giving Barack a ‘fist-bump’ salute. SLIP OF THE TONGUE:

The longest election campaign in US history is over – and in addition to the hard facts, there were many absurdities As he put forward his vicepresidential candidate Joe Biden in August, Obama made a painful slip of the tongue. ‘Let me introduce you to the next president,’ he said. COMEDY: The campaign afforded record ratings to US comedy shows. Actress Tina Fey, of the satirical programme Saturday Night Live, became a crowd fa-

vourite with her uncanny look-alike parody of Sarah Palin. WARDROBES: The Republican Party reportedly spent 150,000 dollars for chic designer clothes for Palin. Following public outcry, she vowed to stop wearing the items. FAKE SARKOZY: Palin fell for a prank from a Canadian comedian who pretended over the phone to be French President Nicolas Sarkozy. When the comedian flattered her by saying that she would one day make a good president, Palin laughed and said: "Maybe in eight years.” ■ DPA

Manifesto in Hindi and Malayalam Barack Obama, on his hugely popular website, barackobama.com, put out a one-page manifesto in Hindi and Malayalam that listed his positions on key issues that affect Indian immigrants to the US. Log on to http:// obama.3cdn.net/578c79007354a2915d_tym6bx0cy.pdf for manifesto in Hindi and http://obama.3cdn.net/ eb4dc3160143e109d1_uam6bxto6.pdf for Malayalam

Obama escapes Bradley effect The Bradley effect, named after Tom Bradley, the black candidate in the 1982 California governor’s race, is a theory proposed to explain observed discrepancies between voter opinion polls and election outcomes in some US government elections where a white candidate and a non-white candidate run against each other. The theory proposes that some voters tend to tell pollsters that they are undecided or likely to vote for a black candidate, and on election day, vote for his white opponent.

06 SPORT

ERGO Thursday, November 6, 2008

Nadal suffering from knee tendinitis Rafael Nadal has tendinitis in his right knee and could be in doubt for Spain’s Davis Cup final against Argentina. Medical tests on Tuesday confirmed the tendinitis, and Spain team doctor Angel Ruiz-Cotorro said the top-ranked player would undergo treatment through Saturday.

Shooter Gagan Narang won gold in the men’s 10 metre air rifle event with a world record score in the World Cup final in Bangkok on Wednesday. Shaking of his Olympic disappointment, Narang shot a perfect 600 in the qualifying stage and 103.5 in the final for a record score of 703.5. The Indian shooter dominated a field boosting Olympic medallists Chinese Zhu Qinan and Finn Henn Hakkinen and broke the record of Australian Farnik Thomas set in the 2006 World Cup in Granada, Spain. Matthew Emmons of USA bagged silver with 702.5 and the bronze went to Qinan, who shot 702.3. The 25-year-old Indian qualified for the event after bagging a bronze in the World Cup in China earlier this year. Narang almost reached the final round at the Beijing Games but eventually lost out on a count-back. Qinan, a gold medallist in Athens Olympics, won the silver in Beijing while Hakkinen bagged the bronze. Ergo Correspondent

Vijay may get a nod in The Indian team is all set to cap Tamil Nadu youngster M Vijay after he was rushed in as a late replacement for in-form opener Gautam Gambhir who has been banned by the ICC from playing the series-deciding fourth and final Test against Australia starting on Wednesday. “I came to know that Gambhir won’t play for sure this morning. We are going in with M Vijay right now and open with him on Thursday,” said captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni who had taken over the reins of the Test team following the retirement of Anil Kumble after the drawn third Test in New Delhi. Dhoni said that the absence of Gambhir, India’s leading run-getter in the series with a double hundred and a hundred, will be definitely felt by the side but it has to get on with the situation at hand. “It’s a blow as he (Gambhir) is a man in form and a good start really matters. We can capitalise and get to a big score. It’s unfortunate (ban on Gambhir) but M Vijay is there. It does not matter whether he makes his debut in this match or ten matches later as the pressure of playing international cricket will be the same,” he said. Asked about the choice of the 24-year-old Tamil Nadu youngster, who came here midway from a Ranji Trophy tie against Maharashtra at Nashik after scoring a double hundred, Dhoni insisted he cannot comment on selection matters. PTI

Indian star on EPL radar A

fter a series of good performances in the international circuit, it seems Indian football has at last arrived on the world stage. Promising goal-poacher Sunil Chetri has been linked to a move to English Premier League (EPL) club Fulham during the January transfer window. The London side are reportedly keen on acquiring the services of the Indian striker and expand their base amongst the South-Asian population and also promote the club in the hugely untapped Indian market, in terms of sponsorship and merchandising. Earlier, League I side Leeds United and a few Portuguese clubs had also shown interest in the Indian striker. The 24-year-old Delhi boy, who has 34 caps for the country, was instrumental in India’s recent AFC Challenge Cup triumph in August this year, scoring three goals in the final against Tajikistan. A premiership scout present on the occasion was impressed with his scoring abilities and had recommended his name to a few English clubs. Now playing for Kolkata giants East Bengal in the ongoing I-League, the diminutive striker – technically sound, fast,

skilful with an uncanny knack for finding the net – can definitely prove his mettle in the tough English conditions. Chetri, however, refuses to be overawed by the sudden interest in him and says: “There have been some preliminary talks with a few clubs abroad but nothing concrete has come off yet. Fulham is a very big club and England would certainly be fine and I have had talks but the stumbling blocks are the work permit restrictions. I have played 75 percent of India’s recent international games but, of course, India’s ranking is outside the top 70 in the world.” As per English rules only players in the FIFA world rankings’ top 75 can apply for a work permit but exceptions are made at times. Speaking about the problems he is fac- ing in

Sunil Chetri may well be moving to greener pastures with English clubs making a beeline to sign him

realising his dreams, Chetri says: “The problem in India is that when you reach a certain level at an Indian club, it is easy to stagnate. It is difficult to progress, learn and achieve new things. That is why I want to go to Europe. I want to go to a club where I can learn a lot and achieve more. But people hardly know about Indian football and are always sceptical.” But always optimistic, this David Villa fan is ready to wait for the right opportunity. “I am confident that my search will end on a positive note. But right now I don’t want to talk too much about it and concentrate on my game,” he says. When contacted, Fulham’s media officer Carmelo Mifsud refused to comment on it and said it was an internal matter of the club. ■

PHOTO: SHANKER CHAKRAVARTY

Narang bags gold

07

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Latif resigns Former Test player Rashid Latif has resigned from his post of wicket-keeping coach at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore in protest against the appointment of Salim Malik as head coach of the Academy before getting clearance from the International Cricket Council (ICC). Malik on Tuesday said that he has accepted the offer for the post of head coach offered by PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt.

BARCELONA, SPORTING LISBON MOVE TO LAST 16

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hampions League hopefuls Chelsea suffered an unexpected defeat on Tuesday on a night of surprises in the lucrative European Champions League. Also on the night Inter Milan and Liverpool had to come from behind to snatch late draws in their group matches, while Barcelona and Sporting Lisbon became the first clubs to go through after making sure of finishing in the top two positions in Group C. Last year’s finalists Chelsea lost their Group A game in Italy against AS Roma 1-3 and had Portuguese international Deco sent off, while Liverpool needed a last-minute penalty in their Group D game against Atletico Madrid for a 1-1

draw at home. In Cyprus Inter Milan had to come from behind to snatch a 3-3 draw against Champions League rookies Anorthosis Famagusta in Group B. Roma blew their group wide open with a convincing 3-1 victory that saw them move to within one point of Chelsea, who remain top of the group with seven points.

Opener Christian Panucci opened the scoring for the home side in the 34th minute. Mirko Vucinic added two more goals after the break before John Terry pulled one back for the Premier League side in the 75th minute. Bordeaux, who won 2-1 at Romanian club CFR Cluj, are also

on six points, while Cluj have four points. Atletico Madrid were within a minute of becoming the first team through to the quarter-finals after Maxi Rodriguez’s first half goal, but Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard scored a soft penalty five minutes into injury time to keep both sides on eight points. Swedish referee Martin Hansson gifted Liverpool the equaliser when he ruled Gerrard to have been fouled by Mariano Pernia, when television footage seemed to suggest that it was Pernia who had been on the receiving end of a Gerrard challenge. Gerard, however, made no mistake from the spot to give his side a share of the spoils. The other group game saw Olympique Marseille manage a good 3-0 victory against PSV Eindhoven to move to three points. The Dutch club are also on three points. In Cyprus, Inter Milan twice took the lead against Anorthosis, but the Cypriots bounced back every time and even took the lead in the 50th minute through Nikos Frousos. Inter substitute Julio Cruz managed a late

equaliser nine minutes from the end to keep Inter at the top of Group B with eight points. Famagusta are on five points. Greek club Panathinaikos scored thrice in the second half for a 30 victory at Werder Bremen to move to four points, leaving the Bundesliga club bottom of the group on three points.

Barca drop points The two other matches on Tuesday saw Barcelona drop their first point of their campaign at home to Basel in Group C, while Sporting Lisbon beat Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0. In Barcelona, substitute Lionel Messi thought he had given his side victory two minutes after coming on with a well-taken goal in the 62nd minute, but 20-year-old Basel substitute Eren Derdiyok levelled matters in the 82nd minute. Derlei scored the only goal of the match in Portugal to send his side through to the next round. The results see Barcelona and Sporting Lisbon advance to the quarter-finals. ■ DPA

AS Roma’s players celebrate after scoring a goal against Chelsea during their Champions League Group A match at the Olympic Stadium in Rome. PHOTO: AFP

Chelsea shocked

08 ROADSTER

ERGO Thursday, November 6, 2008

Throttling with the Ro If you are a fan of the Yezdi or Jawa, Roaring Riders is the group to join. Doesn

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re you a Yezdi or Jawa motorcycle enthusiast and dying for some camaraderie? Ergo could lead the way to your dream of riding on your most adored two-wheeler with a bunch of guys sharing similar

biking interests. Meet Roaring Riders, a group of Yezdi and Jawa motorcycle lovers in Chennai. Kick-started nearly eight years ago, the motorcycling group claims to have 160 members spread across the city and other Indian metros. In Chennai there are over 30 members who get together every month at a pre-decided location and put their classic machines to test. Twenty-nine-year-old Sabyasachi Debnath, an IT profession-

Jawa and Yezdi are Indian motorcycles from Ideal Jawa Ltd, a motorcycle company based in Mysore. Starting production from 1961 with a license from Jawa Ltd of former Czechoslovakia, Jawa motorcycles rolled out from the factory in Mysore and went on till 1968 (till the license period ended). The company began producing Yezdi models till 1995, before the company shut down due to failure in the market and factory labour problems. Although this motorcycle is no more in production, there is a cult following and many Jawa and Yezdi enthusiasts spread across the country have formed clubs and groups to ride their passion. The most popular models among these admirers are the Jawa models and Yezdi models like Classic and Roadking.

al, is one of the moderators for Roaring Riders. Sabyasachi joined the group more than five years ago because of his die-hard interest in the Jawa. “The group was started by three Chennai lads – Harish, Prakash and Anantha. My passion for the bike got me to these guys, after which there was no stopping,” says Sabyasachi, who owns a 1971-model Jawa on which he smoked rubber for a number of rides organised by the Roaring Riders. However, he says the group needs more Yezdi and Jawa enthusiasts in the city who can come together solely for the love of the bike and biking. “We are planning to get our motorcycling group more organised with a group logo, t-shirts and organising more rides, as it can build stronger camaraderie among our bikers,” Sabyasachi adds. Another Roaring Rider, Vineeth Kumar (23) is an example for others with his three Yezdis (Roadk-

ing, Classic and Deluxe). “Riding the Yezdi is a different feeling altogether compared to other contemporary two-wheelers,” says the Yezdi loyalist, who is part of the club for over five years now and doesn’t like riding any other

Rijesh with his Yezdi Roadking

bike. Roaring Riders celebrated Jawa Day on July 13 this year with much grandeur. More than 30 members on Jawas and Yezdis marked the day with a ride to Mamallapuram. Rijesh Ramachan-

09

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Car on air A US-based company is developing vehicles that would require nothing but air to run on the roads, with carmaker Tata already buying the rights to make the car for the huge Indian market.

SNIPPETS

General Motors India on Wednesday launched its new Chevrolet Tavera Neo 2 in Chennai. The multi-utility vehicle (MUV) comes with upgraded features including a completely refreshed dual-tone beige instrument panel with a premium wood-finish centre console and an integrated double-DIN stereo. PHOTO: S.S.KUMAR

oaring Riders

ROADSTER INBOX

’t matter if you don’t own the motorcycles dran (21), an Engineering student who is also part of Roaring Riders with his 1996-model Roadking, was also part of the 30-odd men on machines. “The ride was mind-blowing and I’m looking forward to more such rides with

my fellow Jawaiites and Yezdiites,” adds Rijesh, who has ridden his Roadking to Kozhikode, Kerala and back to Chennai via Bangalore, covering an overall distance of 1800 kms. If you want to be part of the

Roaring Riders on Jawa Day on July 13, 2008

Yezdi and Jawa group Roaring Riders, log on to http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/ ROARINGRIDERS/ and mail a request with your e-mail and mobile number to be part of the motorcycling group. A Roaring Riders moderator will get in touch with you as soon as possible. It doesn’t matter if you don’t own a Jawa or Yezdi. Enthusiasm will do. ■

We are planning to get our motorcycling group more organised with a group logo, t-shirts and organising more rides, as it can build stronger camaraderie among our bikers

I’m a regular reader of ERGO’s Roadster section. It’s so useful. But I need to know the place where it’s done in Chennai because I too want to get my Swift modified. Could you provide me with the details? Magesh Kumar S, [email protected]

ROADSTER OUTBOX Hi Magesh, Thanks for appreciating Roadster’s content. There are not many fabricators in India but there are some people in North India who can do a very good job. They will ship the kit to you and all you need to do is select the design. It will cost anywhere between Rs. 30,000 to 45,000 depending on the design of the kit that you decide to buy.

10 FLICK

ERGO Thursday, November 6, 2008

Winslet’s fat childhood Hollywood actress Kate Winslet has revealed that her fat childhood made her believe that she would never make it to the world called Hollywood.

Konkana

has arrived

Always seen in unconventional roles, Konkana Sen has carved a niche for herself. Here, the actress speaks about her next English film ‘The President Is Coming’, her Hindi films and her journey in Bollywood so far

RAHUL GHOSH

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ou have been away from the big screens for a while now - where were you? I don’t think it’s been a long time. But yes, I was shooting throughout the year. At times some films get delayed but there are quite a few now lined up for release. So we get to see you yet in another English film, The President Is Coming? Yes. And I am thrilled. It seems as though you really like doing English films. This film is produced by Rohan Sippy. So when he came to me and gave a brief on the film, I was completely bowled over. It didn’t take much time for me to decide because I knew it was going to be a good film. Actually, I am happy and comfortable doing films in languages I know, such as in English, Hindi Bengali. Unlike many, you like doing English films besides Hindi films. Why? Why not? This is my fifth or sixth English film. I said it’s a language I am comfortable in and I can do films in all the languages I know. So why not English? The director of the film, Kunaal Roy Kapoor had earlier directed the play too. Did you watch the play? No, I couldn’t, at least not before the shooting. And most of the actors in the film were also part of the play. So when the shooting for the film was on, the play was put on halt. But I must say it’s a good play. Tell us what the film is about? The name sounds quite interesting. It’s an interesting story about ex-US President George Bush’s visit to India and how he wants to shake hands with a young Indian. So the US Consulate arranges for such a meeting which has a number of young Indians who go crazy. And you play one of

I am happy and comfortable doing films in all the languages I know, such as in English, Hindi Bengali

them. Yes, i do. I play one of those youths. My role is of a Bengali novelist who is also bent towards the left wing. Whatever the language, you are seen mostly in offbeat films. How do you decide on a film? So far I have gone by only one thing and that’s the script. If I like the script I decide to do it but at times the director and the role also makes a lot of difference. I have always liked and enjoyed doing films with good directors. So tell me, what are your forthcoming releases? There are quite a few. The President is Coming is one of the big releases. Rituparno Ghosh’s bilingual film Sunglass too will release soon. So Sunglass is fi-

Actress Konkana Sen. PHOTO: R. V. MOORTHY

nally ready? (Smiles) I told you, the release of the film is not in the hand of the actor so at times it gets delayed. Besides these, what other projects do you have in Hindi? There’s Dil Kabbadi, Dharma Production’s Wake Up Sid, Zoya Akhtar’s Luck By Chance and Mukta Art’s Right Ya Wrong. So when do we see you working with your mother next? See, i need not feature in all her films just because she is my mother. We will work together when the role requires it. Let’s hope something good comes out soon. ■ Trans World Features

11

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Puppy love Belgian martial artist and actor Jean-Claude Van Damme has cancelled promotional appearances for his new flick ’JCVD’ to take care of a puppy. The actor had recently adopted seven dogs from Bangkok, and one of them is said to be in a coma.

PHOTO: S. S. KUMAR

Cine City

Members of Film Employees Federation of South India (FEFSI) participate in the one-day fast on Wednesday organised to express their concern on the plight of the Tamils in Sri Lanka.

Kamal’s no to B’day celebration With Kamal Hassan’s birthday falling on November 7, the actor is in no mood to celebrate. A press statement from the actor says that an individual’s birthday loses importance when "genocide" is practised in the neighbouring island. Instead he wants his fans and well wishers to redirect their energies and enthusiasm towards human compassion on his birthday.

Theron,

Cruise and The Tourist

Trisha learns martial arts

ollywood actress Charlize Theron is reportedly in talks to star alongside Tom Cruise in The Tourist, which is to be directed by Bharat Nalluri. It is said to be a remake of the 2005 French thriller Anthony Zimmer. In the film, Theron will play a female Interpol agent who uses an American tourist in an attempt to flush out an elusive criminal with whom she once had an affair, reports Variety. Christopher McQuarrie has penned the script, while Spyglass principals Gary Barber, Roger Birnbaum and Jonathan Glickman will produce with Canal Plus. ■ ANI

GETTY IMAGES

H

If earlier it was linguistic training for better Tamil, it’s now martial arts class for Trisha who is turning a bit professional to say the least. The pretty actress, who has been roped in to act opposite Kamal Hassan in Marmayogi, has enrolled in a customized 12-day course and is undergoing sword fighting and other similar martial arts.

12

ERGO Thursday, November 6, 2008

Wednesday’s Question: If you wanted to cancel a date, what excuse would you give? ■ Sorry Nayan. Last yesterday evening almost at the climax of my Saturday’s date with Shreya, She turned too adamant about extending it to two days. I know you my dear you will understand. I love you. Possibly see u next Sunday. Low battery my mobile will get switched off shortly. Miss you da Karthik, Steria

■ I am extremely sorry sweet heart, unfortunately today is very sad day for me it’s my wedding day I have to be with my "Rakshasi" meet u tomorrow honey... Sorry. Karu, CGSL

■ Barack Obama won the presidential election in AMERICA, so I am busy in celebration so excuse me for cancelling the date.

Karthik Seshadri, CGSL

■ I am sorry. I cannot lie to my girlfriend. Vinoth Kumar, Allsec

■ Obviously! Some critical issue at office which no one can help other than me. Nidhya J, Inautix Technologies, Tidel Park

■ Will tell her that I took my Grand mom to the movies and lost her there and request her to help me find her. Senthil Kumar P, RR Donnelley

■ My puppy is not feeling well. So I have to take him to the hospital... Sorry we will have this meet another day. Nirmala, Perot Systems

■ You look so brighter than me. I wanna take few more baths to match your colour. Shall we go tomorrow? Sivakumar A.G., Perot Systems

■ Will suggest for an alternative date.

cloudy since morning. Kavitha Vijayan, CGSL

■ Well dear I am very sorry to say that I could not meet u today... Because I am seriously ill as I got drenched in the rain. I love you dear. Be my sweet heart for ever. Satish, Ramco Systems

■ As I am suffering from severe cold and fever I am unable to attend d date for today. So kindly grant me leave for today only. Thanking you yours sincerely Shankar K.Sankaranarayanan, CGSL

■ As I am suffering from fever, I am unable to come for the date. So please grant me leave for only one date. Vimal Raj. TCS

Manohar K of Kumaran Systems Pvt. Ltd. has nominated "The Yellow Gang" as Partners in Crime. This picture was clicked at Doddabetta in Ooty.

■ My close friend met with an accident; need to donate blood for him Rajesh, L3, Wipro

■ Sorry! I got a problem with dates... Anusha, TCS

■ I am going to a temple to do some pooja, archana, bhavana, nivedita, vandana, deepa ect. Rohit, Sutherland

■ Feeling drowsy, headache, stomachache, eyes paining, legs paining & finally not interested in date bye please cancel the date. Layadhar, Wipro Tech

■ Sorry I want to be with my husband on his birthday. Annapoorani M, TCS

■ I got my visa interview. Sorry dear will catch u once I finish it.

Arun from TCS has nominated his friends as Partners in Crime. This photo was clicked at the Ninth mile in Ooty.

Leo Talstoy, Sutherland

■ Man project pressure and deadlines. Got to work extended hours and weekends 2. Sorry babes have to cancel the date. Nitin, Satyam

■ I would say, “Boss has called for an emergency meeting. Got to go." Rakshita Sreenivasan, Wipro Technologies

Sasi Subbaraman, Perot Systems

■ Sorry dear, today the US president election results are coming out. I have to see the voting results and flash news in TV. Gavaskar E, Hexaware

■ Hey sorry dear I really don’t want to miss this date but see it’s very

Today’s Question: Which Rajinikanth song would be most fitting for Barack Obama?

Hariharan from Satyam computer Services has nominatedhis friends as Partners in Crime. This pic is taken at Disney World.

13

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Sify has nominated Vimal, thehousekeeping personnel as their Office Angel. "Very cheerful, ever smiling housekeeping person, is serious when it comes to work but carries with him the teenage naughtiness. He comes to office in a collegetrendy-fashion but changes once inside. Very friendly and caring at work, so much so, that we dont have to repeat things to him."

Is there an angel in your office - ideally it could be a behind the scenes staff - an office attender or a cleaner. Some one who is there all the time, helping, but their presence is taken for granted. Feature them here, and give them their due. The photos you send should have a file size not less than 1 MB. Send your emails to [email protected] with subject line: "Office Angel"

■ Dear Mr. & Mrs. Krishnamurthy Congrats on being blessed with Baby Girl. Wishes From: Infosys Testing & Product Engineering Team

■ Dear Srinivasan Kannan(Patni), Your birthday is an opportunity To let you know how special you are and to wish you the best of everything. Regards, Dyna, Deena, Srikanth, Balaji, Naga Patni Computers

■ Dear Deepa, We pray that the almighty keep u steadfast on his path & that he extend his grace, compassion and mercy over you. May you remain a source of love joy & inspiration 2 ur parents & family. May he keep u safe humble and courageous on times of adversity & success my dear ...... "HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR DEEPA".. Love, Karthi,Banu,Lavanya(Kuyil) ,Jeya,Jegadeesh,Arul,Meena, Anu,Anees, Arvind, Ila,Achu,Kanda, A.Karthik,Chandru,Kanson, Ashok,Baskar,Barath

■ Dear Rajah (US Tech) and Porkodi (CTS) "A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person" like U (Both). My hearty (belated) Wishes for your Rhapsodic Marriage life.

Jaison Joy of Cognizant Technology Solutions doodled this.

By N.Abu Thahir, Hexaware Technologies Ltd

■ Dear Suganya (Su su – Kovai Sarala thangachi) Wishing u many more happy returns of the day, appadinu mathavanga madiri normal sollama unna patthi pugazhalam nu partha, unne pathi solra alavuku perusa ethuvum seyyala. Automation – la oru script achum olunga run panniya? Ithule Manager phone panna avaraye kalaikura. Ithellam meeri wish pannanuma? Sari polachi po. Happy 100th birthday, 100 more to come.Ithule un photo poda sonna, un photo-va parthu bayanthu enna thitti reply panranga. Regards STR 6 Sangam, Cognizant

Family le problem na Family Court pogalam Food le problem na Food Court pogamudiyuma??? Sivanandam Wipro

What is the similarity between krishna jayanthi and communism? Kaal marks!! Manonmani Kesav, HCL

■ Dear Deepa Selvam, Many More Happy Returns of the Day. May God brings all your dream to true. Have a great Cheerful, Colorful,Loveable days ahead. Best Regards, Karthika Krishnan, K.Valarmathi, M.C.K.Marudhavanan,BOA- TCS-Siruseri

■ Dear Mokka Praveen Congrats da, now u have a new family member and made ur responsibility high. So nee engalukku ippa uncle. .

Bye uncle. R Rajamanickam Tata Consultancy Services

■ Dear Reddy Karu ( Chumma Rajasekar- T50) "Wish you many many more happy returns of the day!may your special day be filled with memories (ILP days) ,friendship and happy hours.. happiness and joy come your way on this special day. Special Greetings from yes-you-emaa With Love T50 Room No 323, Executive hostel.

■ Dear MD.UMAR & MD.JAMEEL MARAICAR, Wish you many more happy returns of this day. May god gives all his blessings and wealth to you for the future!! Also I pray for your good health forever. By your lovable Mohamed Fahadh A, HCL .

■ Dear Pieter England (Niranj), Wishing you many more happy returns of this day.May all your dreams come true in coming days With affection Dinesh Prabhu R, TCS

■ Dear Santhosh, Wish you Many More Happy returns of the Day! May there always be work for your hands to do,May the sun always shine on your window pane, May the hand of a friend always be near you, May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you. We Wish you a wonderful life filled with Love and Happiness always. With Lots of Luv, Ur MIT Friends.

■ Dear MOHIT, Happy yappy birthday to u dear!!! Although I haven’t known you many years, But I now wish u for all the past birthdays and say for the coming ones "Three Cheers!" Smiles, good luck and wishes I send, Your happiness should last till all things end. Because you’ve been so sweet and understanding Always your concern has been for me, Not only are you helpful, A laugh, you always bring even though it’s usually stupidity ;) It’s all the same thing You mean a lot to me my friend I hope our friendship doesn’t fade.. I don’t have too many creative bones in my body but have tried to express my wishes in the best way that came to me. Thank you for being one of the very few people in my life who is a such a truely caring friend! May God Bless ’YOU’. Yours affectionately, Gayathri.B,Wipro Technologies

.

14 TRAFFIC JAM

ERGO Thursday, November 6, 2008

Shrimp’s running glory A super-fit shrimp has become an internet hit after it learned how to run on a treadmill.

sudoku

Poverty is not about begging for a living. Some fight all odds and survive with their little earning. Prabhu K of HCL was too inspired with this cobbler from Coimbatore. Hobbies: Photography, swimming

What strikes you the most when we talk about ‘poverty’? Tell us through one of your best photographs that has moved you, with details of the place, person, etc. Theme ‘Poverty’ will be featured in the Click Pick section till November 15. 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 Head of Advertising: Sriya Narayanan [email protected]

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FAX 2857 6691 ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Call our Advertisement Manager at 99400 13255. email: [email protected] Website: www.goergo.in

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, November 6, 2008

Students get massages Disruptive pupils at a London school are to be given foot massages in a bid to curb their unruly behaviour.

Word’s worth "Umbratile" (um-bruh-tile) an adjective meaning ’spent inside or indoors; private, not public.’ From a Latin word meaning ’keeping in the shade.’ The noun umbratile means ’a person who spends his time in the shade’ with the connotation ’lazy.’

B.C ARIES MARCH 21 - APRIL 20 It may be the day of multitasking. You may participate in brainstorming sessions at office, along with your routine activities. In personal life, your spouse or beloved may want you to fulfil his or her expectations and you may not say ’no’ to it.

TAURUS APRIL 21 - MAY 20 You may become more career oriented today. Instead of wasting time in mundane activities, you will have complete focus on work at office. Your beloved one may feel that you are dominant. Nurture your love life in best way you can!

GEMINI MAY 21 - JUNE 20 You may be receiving favours from everyone at office, which will make you feel lucky. Important tasks may be on the verge of completion. You may experience mood swings. There may be desire to go to exotic – unusual place with your beloved.

BORN LOSER

CANCER JUNE 21 - JULY 20 Ganesha feels that some of your essential activities at office may be delayed if taken up. You may need to remain low profile today. In love life, you may remain touchy so if your partner ignores you, you may feel hurt. Balance emotional ups and downs.

LEO JULY 21 - AUG 20 You are passing through ’low strength phase’ today. Ganesha suggests you not to spar against anyone at office or even at home, as you have lesser scopes of coming out as a winner in confrontations. In love life, you might have to keep ’ego’ aside.

VIRGO AUG 21 - SEPT 20

FREE RANGE

WORKING IT OUT

It could be an action-packed day for you at office. You may enjoy R and D activities. Important meetings may be arranged. In personal life, you will not be able to pay due attention. However, your partner may be supportive and understanding.

LIBRA SEPT 21 - OCT 20 Ganesha finds you balancing each and every factor at workplace. Your performance or skills will be appreciated by other people. You will share your ideas with your beloved one or life partner. You will be expressing your love very creatively.

SCORPIO OCT 21 - NOV 20 Today you may not be very energetic at office but you may be thinking deeply about certain issues related to your life. While you do this, ensure that your work doesn’t get sidelined. You may wish to devote more time to your family members.

SAGITTARIUS NOV 21 - DEC 20 Ganesha finds you very creative in your work today. You will be able to perform exceptionally well in your career. Ganesha feels that you will handle technical part of your work very well. If there are issues in personal life, you will resolve them.

CAPRICORN DEC 21 - JAN 20 Ganesha feels that you will be paying more attention to management and related matters at office. You will use your verbal communication skills to convince others. Meetings may be handled successfully. In love life, you may be soft-spoken.

PREVIOUS ISSUE’S SOLUTIONS

AQUARIUS JAN 21 - FEB 20 This is best day to begin new projects. If you are at a managerial level in your work, you may handle your job intelligently. Love life may be full of charm and you will be in good humour. Your life partner may be drawn towards your appearance.

PISCES FEB 21 - MARCH 20 Trivial matters may take up lot of time. You may need to handle your work more attentively as there are chances of mistakes and goof-ups. You can be under emotional pressure. It will be a good idea to talk to your beloved one about your feelings. Predictions by Bhavesh N. Pattni

16 !

ERGO Thursday, November 6, 2008

Successful voyage A Chinese telecom worker has made a successful test voyage in the plane he built himself from scratch.

Music makes kids smarter

Rapist driven to cops

Egging on ‘Gandhigiri’

According to a study at Harvard University, children who studied a musical instrument for at least three years beat their counterparts with no instrumental training, on various cognitive tests. Forty-one eight to 11-year-olds who had studied either piano or a string instrument for a minimum of three years were compared to 18 children who had no instrumental training. The surprising result was that the younger group scored higher in two skills that appear unrelated to music-verbal ability and visual pattern completion.

A New Zealand woman drove a man who raped her in the back of his car to a police station after he fell asleep, news reports said on Wednesday. A jury found Vipul Romik Sharma (22) guilty of abduction and two counts of rape on Tuesday after a four-day trial in the Auckland District Court. The court was told that Sharma raped the woman, whom he met in a city bar in February 2006, after driving her to a park. After the attack, he allowed her to drive and fell asleep in the passenger seat so she drove him to Auckland Central police station, the New Zealand Herald reported. Detective Simon Welsh told the paper, “I couldn’t believe it when the call first came in. It’s a unique case. She showed a lot of bravery and common sense.” Sharma was remanded in custody for sentence in January.

Resorting to ‘Gandhigiri’, activists of Praja Rajyam (PR) on Wednesday distributed eggs in different parts of Andhra Pradesh to protest the attack on their party president K. Chiranjeevi by Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) workers. The actor-turned-politician had to face embarrassment at Narsampet in Warangal district Tuesday when some TRS activists hurled eggs at him during his ongoing ‘yatra’. One egg landed on his face. Chiranjeevi’s PR cadre then found the novel way to protest the attack on their leader.

IANS

DPA

Rent a Daimler Daimler launches new car rental system in German city

The ‘car2go’ system will be available to all persons with a driver’s license

D

aimler has launched a new urban car pool system in the German city of Ulm allowing motorists access to a fleet of 50 Smart minicars any time and any where within the city limits. The ‘car2go’ system will be available to all persons with a driver’s license. After a one-off registration process, the customer’s driving license is given an electronic chip to unlock the car. Once the trip has been completed, the driver simply parks the rental Smart within the city limits. Charges are based on time for an amount of 0.19 Euro cents (0.23 USD) per minute including fuel, taxation and insurance costs. During the pilot phase of the project, the fleet is available only to Daimler’s employees and will be extended to all residents of Ulm and visitors to the city in early 2009. A similar mobility concept is being implemented by the German railways Deutsche Bahn (DB) in 100 cities. Customers can book a bicycle under www.callabike.de at a cost of 0.08 cents (0.10 USD) per minute or a maximum of 9 Euros per day. ■ DPA

IANS