Ergo October 10

A BYTE OF LIFE

Friday, October 10, 2008

09 YAHOO! CALENDAR One more against Google Vol. 2

FREE CIRCULATION

FILM REVIEW Hellboy II: The Golden Army

No. 194

Making Music Ever wanted to play the snake charmer’s flute? Or get a drum that sounded like rainfall? Svaram in Auroville, Pondicherry, is where you should head. Mithra Suresh visits this fantastic store to try and test musical instruments from around the world. » PAGE 04

19 Best of both worlds What is it with women on ramps in men’s pyjamas and ‘boyfriend’ blazers! Stella McCartney and Dolce & Gabbana take the androgenisation of fashion to the next level – another step in what Yves Saint Laurent had initiated decades ago.

» PAGE 12

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ERGO Friday, October 10, 2008

Let’s dance

Namma Chennai

The Hot Shoe Dance Company will present its annual show on October 11 at Lady Andal Auditorium. Tickets for the show are priced at Rs. 500, Rs. 300 and Rs. 150, available at Landmark and O2 outlets. Call 2833 2121.

Sale

Bejewelled Divvya A. Bhasin presents an exhibition of elegant wood, beads, leather, suede, kundan, fabrics, stones, corals, ancient Greek fossils and sea shell masterpieces in necklaces, bangles, rings and earrings for Diwali. Where: Evoluzione, #30, Khader Nawaz Road When: October 10 and 11; 10.30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Ready for Mrs Chennai! The Mrs Chennai contest is back to test the personality, intelligence and talent of homemakers. The auditions start with a cookery competition. Also, expecting moms can take part in the ‘Future Moms’ contest. When: Last date for registration is October 20 Applications can be downloaded from www.virgoevents.com or picked from Hotel Accord Metropolitan, T. Nagar. For further details call: 2489 2798/ 2817 1385/ 98417 02271

Monsoon Magic Launch

Calling book lovers Lire en Fête, a festival of books that takes place every year in October, in France and in French-speaking countries, will be recreated at the Alliance Francaise of Madras too. The Festival theme this year is Jeunesse (Youth). There is lot to catch up at the centre, starting with launch of ’Revolution’ by Sara; discussion on ‘What is a book for young people?’ and an exhibition-cum-sale of Tara Books When: October 10 and 11 Where: Alliance Francaise, College Road For details call 2827 9803/ 2827 1477

Food

Get yourself textiles inspired by craft techniques or vibrant textile crafts and sophisticated fibres or the Ikat collection, one of the oldest forms of tie and dye. The Monsoon collection at Brass Tracks is inspired by ancient maritime trade. Where: Brass Tracks, 77/13, Corporation Shopping Complex, C.P. Ramaswamy Road, Alwarpet When: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. (closed on Tuesdays)

Diwali mela High time The Flavours of India-Concoction festival is on at GRT Grand. Indian spices and herbs are merged with juices and liquors to create interesting cocktails. These fusions give the impression of our palatal taste being mystical, though it is all about knowing what resides in a particular recipe. When: Till October 19 Where: GRT Grand, T Nagar For inquiries call 2815 0500

Be part of this shopping extravaganza and bring home the festive mood. Neeva Eventz is organising the Neeva Diwali, where around 35 exhibitors will be showcasing their products under one roof. Designer sarees, lifestyle products, jewellery, home-made chocolates...there is lot more. When: October 10 and 11 Where: The Rain Tree, Alwarpet; 10 a.m to 8 p.m.

Rusty Moe

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Friday, October 10, 2008

Wah janab! Get ready for some delectable Lucknowi cuisine at Navratna, Le Royale Meridien from October 12 to 20. Dastak-e-Avadh, a festival of exceptional and enigmatic Lucknavi cuisine, combines the elegance of the Nawabi era with exquisite Avadhi delicacies. For details, call 22314343 / 43534545

Top 10 Fiction MOVIE It is autumn 1989. Frank Lehmann, a chaotic, aimless bartender lives in Berlin, just a few metres away from the iron curtain – the Berlin Wall. Lehmann has managed not to succumb to the expectations of his parents, landlord, neighbours and girlfriends. But all of a sudden his life turns upside down. He encounters one misfortune after another – a vicious dog, nagging parents and love! But his post-modern sense of indifference pulls him through every time – even through the political turmoil that comes with the fall of the Berlin Wall. Under its original title "Herr Lehmann", Regener’s comical and sympathetic tale of an ordinary guy in Berlin quickly hit the German best-seller list in 2001 and sold more than one million copies. Sven Regener, born on January 1, 1961 in Bremen, is a German musician and writer living in Berlin. Berlin Blues is his first novel. Regener was awarded the ‘Deutscher Filmpreis’ for the screenplay to the film of the same name, which the Goethe-Institut, in cooperation with the Madras Film Society, screens on October 18 at the Film Chamber. The book will be presented by Mr. Rüdiger Punzet – Project Officer at the Goethe-Institut Chennai Ms. Seema Sanghi – Freelance Writer

MUSIC

1. Sea of Poppies - Amitav Ghosh; Penguin Books India. Rs. 599 2. Unaccustomed Earth - Jhumpa Lahiri;Random House India. Rs. 450 3. Brida. Paulo Coelho - Harper Collins India; Rs. 295 4. The 3 Mistakes of My Life - Chetan Bhagat; Rupa and Co. Rs. 95 5. One Night @ Call Centre - Chetan Bhagat; Rupa and Co; Rs. 95 6. You Are Here - Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan; Penguin Books India; Rs. 199 7. A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khalid Hosse 8. The White Tiger - Arvind Adiga; Harper Collins India; Rs. 395 9. A Prisoner of Birth - Jeffrey Archer; Pan Macmillan; Rs. 270 10. The Kite Runner - Khalid Hosseini; Bloomsbury; Rs. 315

Top 10 Non-Fiction 1. The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life – Alice Schroeder; Penguin UK; Rs.995 2. The Secret – Rhonda Byrne; Simon & Schuster Publishers; Rs.550 3. Hot Flat & Crowded –Thomas Friedman; Allen Lane; Rs. 595 4. The Last Lecture — Randy Pausch; Hodder & Stoughton; Rs.295 5. Mario De Miranda – Gerard Da Chuna; Architecture Autonomous; Rs. 2700 6. Business Striped Bare – Richard Branson; Random House UK; Rs.515 7. Stay Hungry Stay Foolish – Rashmi Bansal; Eklavya Education Foundation; Rs.125 8. Guinness World Records – Nil Guinness World Records Ltd; Rs.1460 9. Execution – Larry Bossidy & Ram Charan;Crown Publishers; Rs.695 10. Go Kiss The World – Subroto Bagchi; Penguin Books India; Rs. 399 Courtesy: Crossword

Rusty Moe For all those fans blues and jazz, ‘Where Blues meets Rock’ is the first of an experiment to introduce the genres in the city, as live performance. Eddie Prithviraj, the founder of Exodus Events, which is organising this event, explains, “Even though I play heavy metal as a musician, I know that the roots of metal lie in blues. Some of our favourite bands such as Aerosmith and AC/DC are founded on blues. Some musicians who play hard rock or metal are hardly aware of where the music is coming from, and that knowledge can make a difference to songwriting.” The bands that will be playing are all blues rock bands – Soultrain, Rainbow Bridge, Pantella, Rusty Moe and Blues Conscience. “Since Exodus ties up with Alliance Francaise’s Jazz Club, we get to associate with international jazz artistes. But there aren’t many jazz bands in India.” But come December, Eddie’s plans to promote Chennai as a venue for gigs will come true. Jazz Yatra, India’s answer to jazz festivals is held only in Goa and Calcutta, but Eddie is organizing one in Chennai, which will not be called Jazz Yatra. “The dates have not been finalised, the name of the festival also has not been decided, but the event is definitely happening,” he says. ‘Where Blues meets Rock’ is being organised at 6 pm on October 10 at Bella Ciao, The Italian Restaurant, No. 4, Sree Krishna Enclave, Kotivakkam. Entry is free and for any further queries, call 09841186951.

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ERGO Friday, October 10, 2008

‘‘ Svaram is where it’s at Big Story

Ah, music. A magic beyond all we do here!

J.K. Rowling ( Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone; 1997)

Ancient instruments like the rain rattle and singing stones occupy pride of the place in this Auroville store Svaram

A

certain Ganesh Bakery was the landmark we had to look out for in the meandering roads of Auroville, Pondicherry. I was travelling with a theatre group that was playing xylophones in its upcoming production. And Svaram Musical Instruments and Research Station was where we were headed to find that perfect xylophone. Many lefts and rights later, we heard the store ahead, where wind chimes were hung at the entrance and a gong sounded lunchtime to the many volunteers and employees of Svaram. Aurelio, director of Svaram, says that the store is one of the few stores to make musical instruments. “There is no other in Pondicherry, and we specialise in taking traditional temple, folk and other western instruments, and then customising them.” The reconstruction of instruments, plus the fact that they have in stock a variety of instruments across the world is what makes Svaram special. In fact, the store has its share of international musicians who are on a constant lookout for alternative musical instruments.

Contact Address: Svaram Musical Instruments and Research Station (behind Ganesh Bakery), Kottakarai, Auroville Tel: 91-413-2622220 (Office) How to get there: Proceed on the ECR route to Mudaliar Chavady. On reaching there, to the right, there will be a board indicating ‘Auroville’. From there, ask around for Ganesh Bakery, next to which Svaram is located. It will be a two-kilometre drive inside from the ‘Auroville’ board. Svaram is open from 8.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and is closed on Sundays.

The store was founded in February It takes only a 2003 by the Austrianweek to learn how born Aurelio, who has to play the Singing a passion for ancient instruments. In fact, Stone. But it takes the store classifies the a few years to get instruments into seven categories, which the desired sound include the rain rattle, from the stone, as made using seeds it needs to lose its from a climber plant found in the forests of rigidity South India; the 12,000-year-old ocarina which is like a tiny lemon-shaped flute and sounds like the snake-charmer’s flute; and the singing stones, which requires a paragraph on its own.

Singing stones The singing stones are of various shapes – polished serpentine, marble, granite stones weighing between 20 and 200 kilograms. Each of the stones has cuts. Karthik, who works with Aurelio as a production manager, said, “It takes only a week to learn how to play the singing stone. But it takes a few years to get the desired sound from the stone, as it needs to lose its rigidity. First, the practitioner pours water on the stone and dips his own hands in water and he then strokes the stones.” The emerging sound is a resonance, which Aurelio likens to the sound of ‘rubbing crystal wine glasses’ which are filled with water. I tried playing the instrument, and therein lay the difference – in the stroking of an expert and a beginner. What emerged from mine, after several attempts, were incongruent, unrelated sounds. But Karthik’s playing brought out something deeply ‘spiritual’, a sound akin to nature’s own, the resonance and reverberation quite indescribable. Meanwhile, the theatre group was in the other room experimenting with glassophones, metallophones and xylophones, discovering that each of the instruments required different mallets, with the tips made of yarn, rubber or wood. Tuning instruments were brought out, bars were changed according to the required ragas, and the group finally chose a glassophone and a metallophone, which they will be playing in their upcoming production. ■

Aurelio, director of Svaram, demonstrates how to play a Singing Stone

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Friday, October 10, 2008

‘‘ A toast to the

True eloquence consists in saying all that should be said, and that only. La Rochefoucauld

masters! ANUSHA PARTHASARATHY

W

hat do you do if you are shy but are requested to go on stage to make a speech or, better yet, propose a toast to your boss, colleague, friend or relative? And what if you can’t do the following without going jelly-legged, sweating and wondering why it has to be you? There is an answer. Here’s a forum that proposes to turn you into a master of toasts – Toastmasters International. Toastmasters is an international non-profit organisation that concentrates on helping people with communication problems. It trains its members in various segments of communication like public speaking, presentations, extempore and the like, helping them get over their fear of public speaking and presentation. The organisation started in Santa Ana, California, way back in 1924 and has, since then, spread over 92 countries, having a total of 235,000 members in 11,700 clubs. It entered India in the late ‘90s and Chennai, specifically, in 2003, where it has gathered around 225 members. Toastmasters has three clubs in the city – The Wordsmith Club, The Chennai Toastmaster Club, The Medley Club. These clubs meet on a bi-weekly basis, where members will be asked to give speeches which will then be evaluated by peers. “Toastmasters does not cater to any particular age group and anyone can become a member of the forum. We believe that everyone works at their own pace, and we help them become better people at the very same pace,” says Jyothi Thomas, President, The Wordsmith Toastmasters Club. The only requirement that anyone needs to become a member of Toastmasters club is to be above 18 years of age. Members will also be charged a nominal fee on an annual basis, following

Is public speaking your biggest nightmare? If yes, Toastmasters International is for you and others of your kind

The Toastmasters team and participants

which they will enjoy the benefits of the various contests that the organisation conducts. Toastmasters has now expanded beyond the three clubs and has become a part of corporate grooming. Many IT companies like HCL, Satyam and Ford have set up their own personality enhancement clubs with Toastmas-

ters’ help and they have been conducting sessions there ever since. “Communication is the need of the hour and that is what we want to develop. The members will be asked to make presentations, give speeches and there will be set standards on which they will be evaluated.” The training will con-

centrate on listening, giving feedback, decision-making, delegation and mentoring. The evaluation process happens simultaneously. Though Toastmasters has been successful in other metros like Hyderabad and Bangalore, it is yet to make its presence felt in Namma Chennai and promises to

inculcate all the qualities necessary to become a good communicator among its members. “However good we are, we all have our hedges,” smiles Jyothi. For registration and further details contact Jyothi Thomas at 98410 18760. ■

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ERGO Friday, October 10, 2008

Water turns wine

Village

Residents of Marino, Italy thought they were witnessing a miracle when white wine began flowing through their household taps. But the mix-up was actually a case of bad plumbing as the wine was supposed to flow from the town’s fountain for its annual festival.

Crackdown on tight trousers cancelled

Monkeys work as waiters in Japanese restaurant!

South Sudan’s president shut down a police investigation on Wednesday that saw scores of young women arrested for ‘disturbing the peace’ by wearing tight trousers. The women were arrested over the past week by police who said they suspected them of belonging to youth gangs known for drinking, fighting and public nudity.

A Japanese restaurant has employed a pair of monkeys to serve customers. Kayabukiya, the local hangout just north of Tokyo, has recruited Japanese monkeys called Yatchan and Fuku-chan and they are paid peanuts for their services, reports the Telegraph. Fuku-chan, who is the younger one, usually begins the first shift and is quick to hand out customers a hot towel to help them clean their hands before they order their first drinks. Fuku-chan has only two years experience under his furry belt and his workload is limited to hot towels. Both monkeys are praised by customers who tip them with boiled soya-beans to enjoy during their down time.

Reuters

Why Latvian president should look good on the dance floor The government of Latvia spent more than 2,000 euros on improving the table manners and dance skills of President Valdis Zatlers and his staff, a report said on Wednesday. Zatlers, who was plucked from obscurity as a doctor to unexpectedly become president in July 2007, was taught to dance the polonaise by instructor Valdis Skutans at a cost of 280 euros (about 380 dollars), the Neatkariga Rita Avize (NRA) newspaper reported. Soon after Zatlers’ inauguration, professional etiquette and communications coach Irma Kalnina charged 1,950 euros for a course in table manners, business protocol, communication skills and sartorial advice, but contrary to some reports, the bill was for the presidential staff too.

ANI

How safe is your city? Put it to the bicycle test How long will an unchained bicycle last on a city street before someone steals it? Using hidden cameras and cheap bicycles as bait, an Argentine publicist set out to gauge crime in different neighbourhoods of Buenos Aires. The longer it takes for the bike to be stolen the safer the area, is his hypothesis.

DPA

Reuters

US students held with Taj stone The students had picked up a black stone while visiting the area under renovation at Taj Mahal

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wo American students’ desire to keep a small relic of Taj Mahal landed them into trouble when they were detained for interrogation for almost three hours by the ASI and the CISF officials at Agra on Wednesday. The students identified as Stephen and William had picked up a black stone while visiting the area under renovation at Taj Mahal. It is not clear whether the stone had fallen from the building or the students took it out. A group of nine American students had come to visit Taj Mahal on Wednesday. The incident took place

when one of the students picked up a black stone from the site of restoration work, said Raghuveer Lal, SSP Agra. The ASI official, who saw the incident, immediately alerted the CISF, who frisked the students and recovered the stone. Students were detained for interrogation. The students have apologised for the incident, said the SSP adding that the ASI is investigating and a complaint will be lodged with the American Embassy if the students are found guilty. ■ PTI

Friday, October 10, 2008

A rubbish honeymoon

This day, that year

07

A couple spent three months gathering litter from the streets so they could recycle it and turn it into air miles to pay for their honeymoon flight. John and Ann Till collected 60,000 cans, bottles and plastic containers and converted them into air miles to spend time in New York.

It was on October 10, 1995 that Gary Kasparov won the chess championship against Viswanathan Anand that had lasted about a month.

UK varsities lose ground to richer US rivals I t may sound untrue, but it’s now a fact – Britain’s standing as a world-class destination for higher education is under threat. Leading British universities have lost ground to their richer foreign rivals in world rankings – both Cambridge and Oxford universities have slipped down the top 200 list to give way to popular US varsities like Harvard and Yale. In fact, according to the Times Higher Education – QS World University Rankings, Harvard is at the top followed by Yale, Cambridge and Oxford. Both these British varsities came joint second last year. However, four British universities are in the top ten, the same as last year. Imperial College London fell from fifth to sixth place while University College London rose from ninth to seventh. In all, 17 universities in Britain made it into the top 100 list, down from 19 last year. But, what’s worrying is that more than a third of the top 100 are based in the United States, ‘The Times’ reported. Ann Mroz, the Editor of Times Higher Education, said: “UK uni-

Both Cambridge and Oxford universities have slipped down the top 200 list to give way to popular US varsities like Harvard and Yale Harvard Business School (left), Oxford University versities are very clearly among the world’s best and have maintained good positions in the rankings this year. But the fact that Cambridge and Oxford have

Palin email hacker indicted

slipped down the top ten and that US universities have cemented their dominance among the world’s elite, at the UK’s expense, raises key questions about the fu-

ture funding of the sector.” But, the rise of Asian institutions is also reflected in the inclusion of nine of them within the top 50, including three based in

Hong Kong. Two new entrants this year are Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and Seoul National University. ■

King of the garden

A

Tennessee university student has been indicted for hacking into a personal email account of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, the running mate of Republican presidential candidate John McCain. David Kernell, 20, turned himself in to the authorities in Tennessee after he was indicted by a federal grand jury and was to be arraigned before a magistrate, the Justice Department said in a statement. It said Kernell was charged in a single-count indictment with gaining “unauthorised access to Gov. Palin’s personal e-mail account by allegedly resetting the account password” around September 16. “Kernell allegedly read the contents of the account and made screenshots of the email directory, email content and other personal information. According to the indictment, Kernell posted

screenshots of the emails and other personal information to a public Web site,” the Justice Department added. Kernell’s father is Mike Kernell, a Democratic state representative from Memphis, Tennessee. The McCain campaign denounced the attack on Palin’s private email as a “shocking invasion of the governor’s privacy.” If convicted, Kernell faces up to five years in prison, a 250,000 dollar fine and a three-year term of supervised release. ■ AFP

쒀 A cast member sings during a rehearsal for the Australian musical ‘Priscilla Queen of the Desert’ in Sydney on Thursday. The musical, which features more than 500 spectacular costumes and 200 headdresses, is based on the hit Australian film of the same name. AFP PHOTO

PTI

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ERGO Friday, October 10, 2008

Books no more

Technorama

Secondary school pupils in Britain are abandoning books for the Internet, according to a new research study conducted by National Literacy Trust, London.

Fruity loops Tasty musical treats! That’s genius indeed! The Cupertino-based fruit company is at it again. There’s a whole batch of ’Pods fresh out of the oven and here’s the lowdown on them: The iPod Nano has gone through the most radical change. The redesigned look on this 4th gen kicker harks back to its 2nd gen sibling. At 6.2mm in thickness, it’s officially the slimmest iPod ever. But there’s more. It comes with an accelerometer (!) and supports Apple’s new ’Genius’ feature - a function that intelligently creates a playlist of music that goes well with the song you’re currently playing. Oh, and the Nano’s available in seven other colours apart from black and silver. The iPod Touch takes on a mostly cosmetic upgrade. The back is now glossy stainless steel and the player features external volume buttons and a built-in speaker. There’s also a Nike + iPod receiver built-in, in case you’re into fitness. Of course, Genius playlists are supported as well. The iPod Classic has also been revisited. It’s now a one-size only 120GB, features Genius, and its battery life has been upped to 36-hour for audio and 6-hour for video. We like this indeed, Mr Jobs! iPod Nano - 8GB Rs 9,700, 16GB Rs 12,500; iPod Classic - 120GB Rs 15,400; iPod Touch - 8GB Rs 15,100, 16GB Rs.19,100, 32GB- Rs.25,000 www.apple.co.in

Morphing power ranger The shape-shifting beamer with fabric bodywork This concept car doesn’t just look great, it actually changes its appearance to suit your needs. The BMW Gina has a textile covering stretched over a shape-shifting wire frame, so it can morph to suit the demands of high-speed driving. Accelerate, and a rear spoiler appears for extra stability, while the bonnet opens like a massive zip, exposing the powerful engine. The insides are just as flash, with a steering wheel that slides out from the central console when the driver hits the ignition. It’s a two-seater, though, so any additional passengers will have to invest in bus passes. www.bmw.com.

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fi a s inked ver 10,000 em in, e oft ha o eam th ’s only in th r t s Micros rs access to t s It ju . s c e le e s s n conso under 30esma Live u ft spok h their in going throug tart playing ut a Microso things are s n b l , io they’l e moment direct ome… h box.com ’s the c US at t ed to us, "It f things to " TBC, www.x o m r n a sig confi e it as in. Tak

More

The bat cycle A two-wheeler fit for the dark night

Radiopaq radio My space. My radio Radiopaq’s RP5 Wi-Fi radio has a fuzzy logic search facility, so you can search by DJ name, genre, country or language, even if you can only remember the first few letters. It connects to Radiopaq.com to bookmark favourites, and you can stream your PC’s tunes to it, as well. Rs 21,000*, www.radiopaq.com

Not only does this motorbike look like Batman’s, it feels like it too. Start it up, and the aluminium casing splits in two and slides open, revealing the dashboard. The Enzyme Icare is powered by a six-cylinder, 1800cc Honda engine - massive for a motorbike - so will go like a ’bat’ out of hell. Ahem. It also doubles up on your average bike, with a frankly unnecessary four wheels. The founder of the company behind this concept is a chap called Yves Malka. He was previously head of design at Meccano, which explains an awful lot. TBC, www.enzyme-design.com

09

Friday, October 10, 2008

Via Internet US scientist Martin Chalfie went on the Internet to find out he was one of three co-winners of the 2008 Nobel Prize for chemistry, he said, after he ignored a telephone ring he thought came from next door.

Yahoo! unveils new calendar The beta version of the calendar is available at switch.calendar.yahoo.com in India

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nternet giant Yahoo! on Wednesday rolled out an updated version of its Webbased calendar, in its latest bid to stay ahead of rival Google. A beta, or test, version of Yahoo! Calendar that went online boasts an array of upgrades that include breaking down walls between rivals by making it compatible with free calendar services offered by Google, Apple, Mozilla and Microsoft. The Sunnyvale, Californiabased firm said key features of the new calendar include an ability to zoom in or out on day, week and month views and a drag-anddrop function which allows appointments to be moved around without refreshing the Web page. Other features include colourcoding to keep track of activities, a “To Do” list and an ability to set email, Instant Message (IM) or Short Message Service (SMS) reminders of important appointments. Selected pictures from Yahooowned photo-sharing service Flickr can also be placed on the calendar, which is tightly integrated with the pioneering Internet firm’s free Web-based email service that claims 278 million users. John Kremer, vice president of Yahoo! Mail, described the up-

The Yahoo! headquarters in Sunnyvale, California. dated calendar as a “smart, yet simple online tool that helps people to keep track of their schedules, stay organized and be more productive.” He said the calendar will eventually allow users to track and display events such as sports team schedules or concert dates from other Yahoo! sites such as upcoming.org. Yahoo! claims more than 500

Market Watch

AFP PHOTO / FILES

million users worldwide but has been struggling to cash-in on its popularity. Its calendar remains the most widely used in the United States but it has been facing increasing competition since Google unveiled its own calendar two years ago. In August, Yahoo! Calendar had 3.7 million US unique visitors, up five percent from a year ago,

while Google Calendar had 2.4 million visitors, up 17 percent from a year earlier, according to comScore, a firm which tracks Web traffic. The beta version of the calendar is available at switch.calendar.yahoo.com but it is restricted to users in Brazil, Britain, India, Taiwan and the United States for the moment.■

It is a smart, yet simple online tool that helps people to keep track of their schedules, stay organized and be more productive

AFP

Your next phone? Nokia is ready to expand its music line with a phone that looks suspiciously like another phone that begins with the letter “I”

F

Tired of bending each time to take the vegetable tray from the refrigerator? ‘The Vegerator’ is the answer. Panasonic has launched a refrigerator with a centre vegetable tray. It comes in seven capacities, all with bottom freezers in a royal pearl grey finish. The product is priced between Rs. 22,990 and Rs. 69,990.

or years, Nokia has shied away from cell phones that have large touch screens. Keypads and keyboards seemed to be in the company’s DNA, resulting in a number of phones that look about the same. Now, however, Nokia is ready to expand its music line with a phone that looks suspiciously like another phone that begins with the letter “I.” The Nokia 5800, available near the end of the year for about $300 (no carriers have been named yet), includes an 8-gigabyte memory card and is compatible with Windows Media Player and Nokia Music Store files. A resident PC application allows you to rip CDs to the phone automatically, and it includes Nokia’s

Comes With Music service – a free music download service available for one year after purchase. The 3.2-inch touch screen offers both virtual-keyboard and pen-input mode (included are a stylus and an accessory shaped like a guitar pick for swiping through photos and music). Also included is a 3.2-megapixel camera and a built-in GPS receiver. The 5800 can connect to 3G and Wi-Fi networks and has special social-networking features including adding “feeds” for four of your favourite contacts, allowing you to view Twitter and Facebook updates right under their pictures. Like the song says: You’ll never walk alone.■ NYT News Service

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ERGO Friday, October 10, 2008

BackPackers Beautiful bamboo and all things green

Bambu Indah is a great stop-over for ecotravellers looking for non-fussy accommodation

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he Canadian-born jewellery designer John Hardy and his American wife, Cynthia, opened Bambu Indah or “beautiful bamboo” in Balinese after selling their company, John Hardy, in 2007. The long time Bali residents turned four transplanted Java houses (each the former residence of a Javanese nobleman and each more than 100 years old) into a rustic retreat on the land adjacent to their own iron wood tree house along the Sayan Ridge in Bali’s bucolic centre. Minutes down river from Ubud’s most decadent resorts, Bambu Indah’s river front compound looks out at the stunning cascades of the Ayung River, rice fields, a Hindu temple called Pura Dalem Gede Bongkasa and, beyond, the multiple volcanic ridges surrounding Mount Batu Kau.

The Look Stone paths lead from the bamboo-encased reception area through rice paddies at various stages of growth and past a soaring black bamboo multi-purpose structure reminiscent of an ancient ship. Bambu Indah’s natural swimming pool is virtually indistinguishable from an indigenous pond, thanks to a recyclable black rubber membrane and tiny river fish.

The rooms Casually roped off from other recycled structures that house the Hardys’ own house guests, the four one-room cottages are

made of hand-carved teak. Named Padi (rice), Kuno (antique), Kuning (yellow) and Afrika by 12-year-old Carina Hardy, they are filled with various treasures collected on the family’s

Trek into the jungle T

rek over boulders and rocks, swim across water pools and climb steep rock formations. Sounds thrilling? Then join the Chennai Trekkers as they go on a two-day trek along a mountain stream, deep inside rocks and into an 800-meter peak inside the Nagalapuram Hills. This beautiful mountain range is a two to three hours drive north of Chennai, and the trek will include around 18 hours. The group will start from Chennai on October 11(Saturday morning) and camp on a mountain for the night. You will need to pay an advance of Rs. 500 each and the additional expense will be shared after the trek. For details and to join the trek, call Peter Van Geit at 98400 15922. Email: [email protected]/ Website: www.chennaitrekkers.org Ergo Correspondent

travels, including Tibetan vegetable-dye carpets, Kalimantan shields and Ethiopian rawhide benches. Mosquito-netted four-poster beds would benefit from some pillow top fluffing, but each room’s movement-sensitive night lighting is a nice touch. The rustic ambience of the interiors is complemented by other modern add-ons like air-conditioning, wireless internet access and bathrooms with hand-hammered copper sinks, plush towels and open-air rainfall showers.

Amenities Pressure-point massages ($40 an hour) are available by appointment, as are private sessions with the yogi Therese Poulsen, formerly of YogaWorks in New York. Guests are given a two-page food questionnaire to help personalise menus. Breakfasts of local fruits like mangosteen and rambutan, plus homemade bread and Indonesia’s strong Toraja coffee, are

served on porches, while a picnic lunch ($15 a person) by the river may consist of grilled peppers, mushrooms and cauliflower in a chicken stew. Dinner ($25 a person) might consist of organic greens followed by local grilled fish. For an excursion, the Hardys’ most recent undertaking, the just-opened Green School (www.greenschool.org), is an eco-engineering feat worth visiting.

The bottom line Bambu Indah is a good stopover for eco-travellers looking for unfussy accommodations and a chance to trek through rice paddies or skinny-dip under the stars. But more pampered campers with aversions to mud or mosquitoes should bunk elsewhere. The Kuning house costs $200 a night; Kuno is $250; Padi is $395 and the largest, Afrika, is $495. The rates do not include tax and service charge. ■ NYT News Service

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Friday, October 10, 2008

By the rivers of Cauvery, there we sat down…

A weekend outing to Coorg where even the bosses shook a leg

BALAJI SAMPATH

A

fter Munnar, Ooty, Kodaikanal and Yercaud, our trip to Coorg came as a welcome change. Perhaps, for the first time in CGSL’s history we had the head of IBO, Pankaj Gupta, and unit head of the U.K. banking operations, T.K. Murtuza, joining the 61-member team for an outing.The S12 coach of Bangalore Express was charged up when we boarded the train on August 22. Another train from Bangalore to Mysore and finally the bus journey to Coorg. The Hill Town hotel played host to an evening of fun and frolic. The next morning, we were all pepped up for sight-seeing. Our first stop was at tala Cauvery – the place where the river originates. Here, a small spring of water flowed underground to spring up a short distance away.

climbed more than 100 steps to reach the Brahmagiri peak, where the Sapta Maharshis had performed a special yagna. The panoramic view from misty blue hills is any neighbour’s enemy. No wonder Coorg is referred to as the Scotland of India. Our next stop was at Bhagamandala. It is the point where all three rivers meet – Cauvery, Kanika and Sujyothi. Some of our guys waded through the waters. The abbey waterfall was a beautiful sight. The roar of the falls could be heard from the main road, from where a path goes through lovely coffee and cardamom plantations. A walk along the jhoola supported by iron rods was real thrill. In the middle, the clear waters just sprayed on us, but beware of the leeches!

turesque view with the sun setting in the background. After the day’s outing, a bonfire awaited us at the hotel. All of us, including our big bosses, were shaking a leg to film numbers. On August 25, we stopped at Dubare Camp where some adventurous guys went for water rafting. Believe me, a few of them even swam back the shore. The last leg of our journey was the Tibetan temple. The solitude, calmness in the face of the monks, architecture, painting… it was a different experience. At almost 90 km/hr, amidst the heavy downpour, our bus sped to Mysore station. As all good things need to end, the curtains were down on our wonderful Coorg trip. A special thanks to our organisers Vinodh, Balaji and Chandresh who saw to all the arrangements. ■

Two to tango River deep A small shrine and then we

The last stop for the day was Raja seat. This was another pic-

(The writer is an employee of CGSL (Spencer Plaza), UK Banking Department)

One for the album: Team CGSL gather for the photoshoot

No filmy action RAMESHA J.S.

W

e, the members of Chennai Photography Club, had an action-filled trip recently. We went on a photo shoot to the Tada Falls a.k.a. Ubbalamadugu Falls a.k.a. Kone Falls. We were 15 of us on a jeep and two cars ever ready for the drive. We hit the road at a speed of 8590 km. The highlight of our trip was us zipping through rough terrains, getting splashed with the muddy water… . In fact, while returning, a few of the nuts and bolts fell of due to the jeep constantly hitting the boulders underneath, but the excitement remained high. If it weren’t for Shiva’s presence, we would have been clueless at such a junction. Our jeep was standing in front of a 20-30 ft deep gap. Thriller Shiva just started the vehicle without any control of the clutch and brought the

vehicle back to the road. After the tedious trek on rock and water, we reached the hilltop after two hours. To our disappointment, there was no water in the falls. However, we were happy getting some good shots of the place. One speciality about CPCians is that we are eco-friendly. We take back all the empty food packets, water bottles and paper wastes downhill and dispose them properly. (The writer is a Network Engineer with Wipro Infotech)

Who are we? Chennai Photography Club is both an online and offline club, started three years ago by Shiva Kumar, a consultant in an IT firm. Email: chennaifoto@yahoogroups. co.in Taking the rough ride.

PHOTOS: RAMESHA J.S

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ERGO Friday, October 10, 2008

Portfolio DKNY

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crossov ney and D&G McCart

Isabel Marant

Tommy Hilfiger

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Friday, October 10, 2008

BULLETIN Lights, Camera, Fashion Filmmaker and writer Sofia Coppola confirmed she has directed the latest advertisement for Parfums Christian Dior’s Miss Dior Cherie fragrance. The ad, scheduled to bow worldwide early next year, stars Byelorussian model Maryna Linchuk. “It’s about a young woman in Paris,” Coppola said at the Nina Ricci show, adding that she’s writing a new film, but that “it’s too early to say any more.” Coppola must be busy. She’s also been tapped by Louis Vuitton to do a range of handbags and shoes. It is understood the products will be sold worldwide and launched in Japan in March. The filmmaker is often a front-row fixture at Vuitton.

The name is Sean Sean Connery has been chosen the face of Louis Vuitton’s Core Values campaign. The ad will feature in publications like The Financial Times, Le Figaro and The New Yorker later this month.

Yohji Yamamoto

Liberty of London at WLIFW UK’s accessory brand Liberty of London will be among the global buyers at the ensuing Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week, which will commence in New Delhi on October 15. Thirty-six shows and 79 designers have been lined up for the fashion week.

Bebo bonding Kareena Kapoor is going the Madonna way it seems – she is all set to launch her own portal on latest fashion trends. “It will be fashion-oriented. The site will have updates not only on Kareena’s fashion trends but also the trends which take place all over the globe,” a spokesperson for the actress said.

Stella McCartney

14

ERGO Friday, October 10, 2008

Music relieves stress during pregnancy

Wellness

Listening to lullabies, classical music and sounds of nature can help relieve psychological stress among pregnant women, says a new study.

Should we pray to the Gods? SADHGURU JAGGI VASUDEV

P

rayer, as an act is meaningless. If you become prayerful, if you become worshipful it is a fantastic way to be. If your prayer and your worship is only a certain act, it is better you give it up. Now, everybody is unable to suddenly move into meditative states. Only where there is proper guidance, where there is proper support, a person can go into meditation, so the first thing is prayer. It is not that there is anything wrong with prayer. If your attitude is wrong everything is wrong. If your attitude is right, everything is right. If your attitude is that of prayerfulness, if you are worshipful towards everything in life and you also go and perform prayers in temple, it is beautiful. Now if you have no worshipfulness in you, everything else you kick around and only in a temple you are like this, for this person nothing will happen. If you are using the 10 minutes to become prayerful it is good.

But if you are doing that not only with some result expected and once you come out, there is no prayer in you then there is no meaning to it. Prayerfulness is a certain quality. As love is a quality, meditation is If your a quality, prayerfulness is also a prayer quality. and If your aim is to bring this worship prayerfulness in your life then it is is only a meaningful. But certain you want to say Rama, Rama 1 act, it is crore times with better an expectation that you will get you give something then it is not going to it up. work for you. It is all right to make use of gods, if there is a need right now, but you must grow beyond them. Gods were cre ated by us for our convenience. If it is necessary right now, make use of them but you must grow out of it. If you think this rock is god, then you are making a fool of yourself. The form that you have created, if that can become god you are really fooling yourself. ■

Red wine may help reduce lung cancer risk D

rinking a glass of red wine with dinner or adding some of the delicious drink to your food may be a good idea, for a new study has found that an antioxidant component in it can decrease the risk of lung cancer. Although the new finding is only restricted to men, the health benefits of the drink are well known. The study has been published in the October issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. “An antioxidant component in red wine may be protective of lung cancer, particularly among smokers,” said Chun Chao, Ph.D., a research

scientist at Kaiser Permanente Department of Research and Evaluation in Pasadena, California. Researchers obtained demographics and lifestyle data from surveys computed between 2000 and 2003, and identified 210 cases of lung cancer. They measured the effect of beer, red wine, white wine and liquor consumption on the risk of lung cancer. Adjustments were made for age, race/ethnicity, education, income, body mass index, history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or emphysema, and smoking history. The researchers reported a 60 percent reduced lung can-

cer risk in these men. Researchers warned men to stop smoking as the best way to reduce lung cancer risk; noting that even men who drank one to two glasses of red wine per day still face higher lung cancer risk than do non-smokers. No clear associations with lung cancer were noted for consumption of white wine, beer, or liquor. “Red wine is known to contain high levels of antioxidants. There is a compound called resveratrol that is very rich in red wine because it is derived from the grape skin. This compound has shown significant health benefits in preclinical studies,” Chao said. ■ ANI

15

Friday, October 10, 2008

Hair count

Taste buds

The average scalp has 100,000 hair strands. Redheads have the least at 80,000; brown and black-haired persons have about 100,000; and blondes have the most at 120,000.

The average human has about 10,000 taste buds; however, they’re not all on the tongue. Some are under the tongue; some are on the inside of the cheeks; some are on the roof of the mouth. Some can even be found on the lips.

Right hair, right now Maintaining a healthy mane is not a Herculean task, says trichologist Praba Reddy V. HARIPRIYA [email protected]

H

ealthy voluminous hair speaks volumes about the overall health of a person. And for a woman, beautiful hair is an asset. I still remember the hair-growth concoction specially made by my grandma; the fragrance of hibiscus, curry leaves and henna lingers in my memory. A lot of hair oils and shampoos have penetrated new urban living, thereby compelling us to bid adieu to the magic potions of age-old days and healthy hair, too. Hair loss is a major problem nowadays. The shocking news is that women are not far behind when it comes to balding. And the factors contributing to the problem are stress, pollution, unhealthy diet and lack of proper hair care. But maintaining a healthy mane is not a Herculean task, says Dr E.C. Praba Reddy, a trichologist. Dr. Reddy, who runs VCare, a clinic for hair problems, says stress is the root cause of hair loss for IT professionals and suggests some tips that one could follow.

Breakfast The first step towards healthy hair is a healthy diet. Never skip breakfast. Hair requires protein once in every four hours. Sprouts are a good source of protein. Include protein-based foods like sprouts, pulses, cereals and egg white in your breakfast. Set aside rice-based items like idli and dosa for just once or Dr. E.C. Praba Reddy. twice a week. Timing is PHOTOS: S.S. KUMAR very important. Finish your breakfast before 9 a.m. and by 11 a.m. have a glass soups during lunch. In the eveof buttermilk or fruit juice. ning have soya snacks. It’s better to avoid tea, coffee and carbonated drinks. Lunch Have lunch around 1 p.m. The menu should include a cup of Dinner rice and a cup of greens (amaranDinner should be had around 8 thus/ palak/ drumstick leaves). p.m. Say no to non-vegetarian Try including mushrooms/ tofu/ items during dinner. Even nonchicken/ fish/ mutton liver/ bone veg soups are not advisable. Have

wheat-based items and avoid rice for dinner. Hit the bed at 10.30 p.m.

about office work while walking. Try to relax.

Simple tips to maintain hair Water Water is necessary for good metabolism. For every 20 kg of your weight, drink a litre of water. That means if you are around 60 kgs, have 3 litres of water per day. Water does not mean just plain water. You can also have butter milk or fresh fruit juices.

Walking/ meditation It is a must for IT professionals to walk half-an-hour daily in the morning. Walking or meditating will act as a stress- buster and will soothe your mind. Don’t think

Soak your hair in coconut oil three times a week before shampooing. Coconut oil nourishes the hair and also reduces body heat. If you are not sure how to massage the scalp, better avoid massaging. Also avoid preparing herbal oils at home unless you know the correct quantity of herbs to be mixed. It’s is always better to go for herbal products. For rinsing your hair you can make a mixture of shikakai, hibiscus, fenugreek, reeta (250 gms each) and apply on hair. Shikakai acts as a clean-

ser, hibiscus is a natural conditioner, fenugreek is a cooling agent and, finally, reeta is a foaming agent. Pour two drops of rosemary oil in water and use it as a conditioner. Never blow-dry hair. Instead, sit under a fan. Also, don’t apply pressure while wiping hair with towels. Instead, press towels against the scalp very smoothly. Use lukewarm water for washing hair and never comb wet hair. It is better to avoid applying certain gels on hair. Don’t use hairbrush to detangle. If you have dandruff, wash your comb, towels and pillow covers regularly. Use a mild anti-dandruff shampoos once a week. ■

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ERGO Friday, October 10, 2008

Ready for title run-in

Sport

Drivers world championship leader Lewis Hamilton said he is in a far stronger position this year than last as he approaches the final races of the Formula One season. The Briton said he was more experienced and much better prepared for the task.

Top Lankan players may miss England tour Sri Lanka’s Sports Minister Gamini Lokuge has asked the country’s cricket board to release players for the Indian Premier League (IPL), forcing selectors to pick a second-string side for the England tour. He instructed Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to name the best possible squad from the remaining players for the tour from April 21-May 30 next year. The IPL is scheduled from April 10-May 25. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) arranged the tour of two Tests and three one-dayers after a visit by Zimbabwe was cancelled on the advice of the British Government. The hastily-arranged tour was opposed by top Sri Lankan players, including captain Mahela Jayawardene, Muttiah Muralitharan, Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara, who wanted to play in the IPL. AFP

Sania to lead Jelena Jankovic, Maria Sharapova and Venus Williams will spearhead a new World Team Challenge in Hong Kong next year as part of their warm-up for the Australian Open. The January 7-10 tournament will feature four teams representing Europe, Russia, the Americas and Asia-Pacific. Jankovic will lead Team Europe and Williams heading the Americas. Sharapova spearheads Russia while Indian superstar Sania Mirza tops the Asia-Pacific challenge with the rest of the field to be announced later. The teams will be placed into a semi-final draw with each tie consisting of singles and doubles rubbers. The two teams with the most overall wins will proceed to the final and the losers to the wooden spoon match.

STADIUM

HITCH L

ondon’s 2012 Olympic stadium is highly unlikely to be used for Premier League football, the man responsible for building the venues said. The showpiece 500 million pounds stadium in the east London project is semi-temporary with the capacity being reduced from 80,000 to 25,000 once the Olympics is over. London’s winning bid promised the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that an athletics track would be part of the legacy – a feature that makes it unpop-

ular for football clubs. However, with no long-term tenant signed up and with fears over how the global economic crisis will impact on London 2012 there have been suggestions that the stadium could be taken over by a top London football club. “We had a legacy commitment to ensure the stadium was to be used for athletes and athletics,” Olympic Delivery Authority chairman John Armitt told the BBC. “You then have to say; is it possible to mix a Premier League club with an athletics stadium

With fears over how the global economic crisis will impact London 2012, there have been suggestions that the stadium could be taken over by a top London football club.

and that’s not easy.” “I think the likelihood of those two things ever coming together was always slim because we have this commitment to an athletics stadium. “If you wanted to use it for a Premier League football club you would have to completely redesign it and I think we have gone past that point.” Armitt confirmed that talks had been held with rugby clubs while lower league football clubs could also be interested in using the stadium.■ Reuters

AFP

T20 inventor worried about its effect The marketing man credited with inventing Twenty20 cricket has some concerns about the super-shortened format’s effect on the sport. Stuart Robertson was marketing manager of the England and Wales Cricket Board in 2000 when he devised the format for the 20overs-a-side game, trying to overcome dwindling crowds at county matches. Now star players having come out of retirement to sign lucrative contracts with the cashed-up Indian Premier League and the game, packaged perfectly for three hours of television or an afternoon or night away at a stadium, could spread to the United States and even China. Robertson said, "If the model is to replicate the IPL, the IPL is so powerful because it has all of the world’s stars playing in it, I guess you’re going to come to a point where it gets saturated." PTI

A handout photo showing an artist’s impression of London’s 2012 Olympic Stadium.

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

17

Friday, October 10, 2008

‘‘ F1

There is no point playing like this. I am not willing to play at their (selectors’) mercy. They will pick you now and then dump you. Why should I be the sacrificial goat all the time? It was difficult to accept. Sourav Ganguly after announcing his retirement from international cricket

F

ormula One teams and drivers have signalled their readiness to embrace eco-technology and other environmental initiatives being championed by the sport’s governing body. There is widespread agreement that the fuel-guzzling sport must respond in a responsible way to the environmental challenges of the modern era, with unique green-grooved tyres being run at this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix. The tyres are largely symbolic although next season energy-regenerating hybrid devices, which store energy otherwise lost during braking and convert it into power, will be introduced to Formula One. This KERS (kinetic energy recovery system) technology is part of the FIA’s push to improve its environmental credentials and, ultimately, help increase awareness of fuel-efficient technology on public roads. “The pressure on the modern world to address the causes of climate change is continually increasing and Formula One is not exempt from this,”

keen to embrace eco-technology

Green technology is the future of Formula One and we can help ensure it will be the future on our roads as well Honda team principal Ross Brawn said in comments to the FIA carried on www.formula1.com. “The FIA and the teams recognise that it is our responsibility to be involved in change for the good and to accelerate these changes through the technology and competition of F1.” BMW Motorsport director Mario Theissen is equally supportive of the move to greener technology. “If you look at what is required by future road cars, fuel economy and CO2 reduction is the top objective right now and for the foreseeable future. So it is clear that if we can do something in this area in F1 we will really benefit from it," he said. Williams chief executive Adam Parr added that Formula One had a re-

sponsibility to lead change with its image at stake. “Our greenhouse gas emissions are insignificant. But in terms of perception the sport is associated with automobile manufacturers, fuel companies, private jets and so on,” he said. Top drivers also jumped on board the eco-bandwagon, keen to do their part to raise public awareness of green issues. “Green technology is the future of Formula One and we can help ensure it will be the future on our roads as well,” said Ferrari’s Felipe Massa. “As drivers in the public limelight it is good that we can help spread these important environmental messages.” Massa’s team-mate, defending world champion Kimi Raikkonen, said “if the safety and the new green technology lessons learned in motor sport are applied to motoring then the sport will have played a really important part in saving lives as well as perhaps helping to save the planet,” he said. AFP

There is widespread agreement that the fuel-guzzling sport must respond in a responsible way to the environmental challenges of the modern era

Michael Phelps wants a break to turn into a lazy ’Turtle’ Olympic medalist Michael Phelps wants to take a break from swimming to be like ’Entourage’s’ lazy character ’Turtle’. The 23-year old champ athlete, who won eight gold medals at the Beijing Summer Olympics this year, confessed he loved being a slob like his favourite character. “It’s cool, because it’s definitely my favorite show on television right now. I think my favorite character is probably Turtle, because he just sits around,” People magazine quoted him as saying about his forthcoming guest-spot on the hit HBO show. “That’s what I love doing the most!” he added. The seven world-record holder revealed that he has worked out only ’three times’ since his spectacular display at the Olympics. “I’m taking a break [until training for the 2012 games] in February,” he said. The nonchalant ace-swimmer further admitted that he’s happy to be lazy and doing nothing. He said: “I’m just enjoying being lazy these days. Sitting around, doing nothing, travelling here and there, not working out.” ANI

IPL to conduct workshop in Bangkok A workshop featuring representatives of the Indian Premier League’s eight franchise teams as well as the Governing Council, headed by Lalit Modi, will be held in Bangkok later this month. “The IPL Governing Council members will hear from the franchise owners their views and problems, if any, ahead of the new season. It’s called a workshop and is to be held from October 17-19 in Bangkok," said newly elected IPL vice-chairman Niranjan Shah. “This meeting, among other things, would also discuss raising the cap on the players (fixed at six million USD per team earlier), player transfers and more. This is the first step in the plans to move ahead for the next season”, Shah said. The BCCI-floated IPL had previously fixed the workshop in Goa but moved it out of the state as it could not find enough hotel rooms for its guests due to the holiday season. PTI

18

ERGO Friday, October 10, 2008

Gerard Butler under scanner

Flick

Actor Gerard Butler is being investigated for an alleged attack on a photographer, a Los Angeles police spokeswoman said on Wednesday. A photographer filed a police report accusing Butler of punching him several times in the face in a scuffle early on Tuesday.

I won’t play Bond forever. But I’d like to think I’ve added something to the lineage of how the man has changed

Some solace, this Bond star reveals cosmetic surgery after set mishap

D

aniel Craig has had cosmetic surgery after being injured on the set of the latest Bond movie, he revealed in a new magazine interview. The 40-year-old actor, who was recently spotted wearing an arm sling, revealed that he had to have eight stitches in his face after being accidentally kicked by an unnamed co-star on the Quantum of Solace set. “It’s a stupid inconvenience because we had to stop filming. But they gave me an excellent plastic surgeon,” he said. The British superstar also praised “gorgeous” Judi Dench, who again plays ‘M’ in the latest instalment of the spy thriller franchise due out later this month. “All men have thought about her at least once in their lives. The great thing about Judi Dench is that she’s the matriarch of British film,” he told Elle magazine. “She has an innate power about her ... Bond needs a woman like M to contain his nonsense and say, ‘Look, 007, you’ve been an idiot!’” “But they won’t sleep together. Not unless the cupboard gets very bare in terms of storylines.” Craig, who is on his second Bond film after succeeding Pierce Brosnan to make Casino Royale in 2006, said he hoped he had brought something new to 007’s character. “I wanted some fallibility. It’s no good if Bond is a cocktailswigging sexist pig with no interior struggle. Bond is often pissed off or upset, and I wanted to bring that out.” And he added: “I won’t play Bond forever. But I’d like to think I’ve added something to the lineage of how the man has changed.” ■ AFP

‘I did have a kind of nervous breakdown’

J

Hugh Hefner, Holly Madison split, finally

ennifer Lopez once talked about the nervous breakdown she went through during an interview, but it was never published. The interview, which took place between new mum Lopez and Kevin Sessums at the Long Island estate she shares with husband Marc Anthony, had originally been done for a major fashion magazine. Lopez (39) had requested the magazine not to publish the interview because she regretted some of the comments she had made. However, the story, as told by Sessums, has finally come to light. “I don’t get nervous. I don’t get depressed. Blah, blah, blah... There was a time when I was very overworked and I was doing music and movies and so many things. I was suffering from a lack of sleep. And I did have a kind of nervous breakdown,” the Daily Beast quoted her as saying. “I froze up on a set. Well, not on a set, but in my trailer. I was like, ‘I don’t want to move. I don’t want to talk. I don’t want to do anything.’ It was on that movie Enough (in 2002). Yeah. I did. I had a nervous breakdown.” “It was about five in the afternoon in my trailer and I just sat there. I remember telling my assistant at the time, Arlene, to go get the director, Michael Apted, and I asked if I could go home because I was feeling so sick and weird.” ■

fter weeks of speculation, it has now been confirmed that Hugh Hefner’s No. 1 girlfriend, Holly Madison, has moved out of the tycoon’s life as well as the Playboy mansion. In an interview to TMZ, the 28-year-old model, who features in Girls Next Door along with Hefner’s other girlfriends, has admitted that she has broken up with her octogenarian beau. “I have no pull anymore. Hef and I aren’t together,” the New York Daily News quoted her, as saying. Holly’s admission comes after weeks of reports and denials of a love shake-up at the mansion by Playboy reps, Hefner and his other girlfriends Kendra Wilkinson and Bridget Marquardt. ■

ANI

ANI

A

19

Friday, October 10, 2008

Hathaway, Bonham Carter in Disney version of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ Anne Hathaway has signed on to star in Tim Burton’s Disney version of Alice in Wonderland. She will be playing the role of the White Queen, according to Hollywood Reporter. Helena Bonham Carter will be playing the role of the Red Queen. Johnny Depp will play the Mad Hatter.

ALL HELL AND HEARTY Film: Hellboy II: The Golden Army Director: Guillermo del Toro Cast: Ron Pearlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones, Luke Goss, Anna Walton

T

he ugly, red, big guy with a short temper is back. And this time there’s also a host of characters that look more at home in an LOTR trilogy (elves, trolls et al). An ancient elf prince, Prince Nuada (Luke Goss), has broken the old truce between man and elf and wants to reunite the three

pieces of the elf king’s crown to awaken the indestructible golden army and eliminate mankind. And it’s up to Hellboy and his ‘paranormal’ friends to stop Nuada. Like most films that are a sequel to the first, fame has begun to take a toll on the protagonist and arrogance becomes one’s

Murali, not Vijay Actor Murali’s son, Atharva, is making his debut in Anandham Aarambam. Atharva’s real name is Vijay, but as there is already a Vijay in the industry he had to change his name. Atharva is a I-year Engineering student (Electronics and Communication). Debutant Shruthi plays the female lead. The movie is produced by Ramanathan of Raj Film International and directed by Vishnu.

most mortal enemy. This, along with some further developments in Hellboy’s domestic life, is expected if not dreaded. Enter a Mr Know-It-All in the form of a gaseous robot-head, Johann Krauss (John Alexander), and our red guy turns green. The central storyline of Prince Nuada and his golden army man-

ages to hold your attention despite its lack of originality. Luke Goss looks menacing and displays some thrilling acrobatic stunts. Hellboy’s interactions with Krauss are particularly entertaining (there’s a good one where the former pokes fun at Krauss’ accent).

There’s also that odd message on how man has contributed to the destruction of the planet, which keeps coming up now and then (one in a visually breathtaking scene that involves the Tree of Life). There’s another love track involving Abe Sapien (Doug Jones) and Princess Nuala (Anna Walton), which is sweet albeit completely unnecessary. In the end, thankfully, Hellboy remains easygoing and funny, unlike our other burdened superheroes who’re smothered under the ‘With great power comes great responsibility’ philosophy. Also, the seeds have been sown for the next in the series. ■

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ERGO Friday, October 10, 2008

Tuesday’s Question: How will you tackle irritating guests during festivals?

Sree hari, TCS

■ Switch on to any English TV news channel, increase the volume and pretend that u r listening only to the news and not to ur relative.

■ Just hand them a note printed-"ENJOY YOUR STAY*"*Conditions Apply-All expenses incurred ( boarding/lodging and dining) are to be settled while leaving, with an interest rate proportional to the enjoyment experienced. Padmavijayan.S, HCL

■ Pour hot tea/coffee over your guest and pretend it was an accident

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■ Feel as u r sick and ask ur relatives to do ur household activities. Ur relatives will fly off with terror

Satish Ramco systems

■ Hai we are going for movie, tickets are already reserved see you later

Sathish kumar, Perot systems

■ I will talk non-stop with them to send back.

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■ No tension. I will say I am going to cook today.

Jeggy from Ramco systems has nominated his colleagues as partners in crime. They clicked this pic at Kodaikanal.

Rajasekar, Technip india

■ Say them, all of us are sick with disease.

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■ Will disconnect the power supply

Ann, Hexaware

■ Give dem a rock hard mysoorpa

Bhuvaneswari , TCS

■ In our house there will be a power shutdown during midnights. Is it ok for you?

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■ Just say "oh really" on whatever they say, they themselves will get irritated.

Vidya Murali of TCS has nominated her colleagues as partners in crime. They clicked this pic at Dolphin Nose, Kodaikanal.

Amit, Accenture

■ Locking him inside my garage

Pramit, Hexaware

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■ No worries. My mom’s home made sweets are there. Silent killers. Guests will stop talking and start queuing up to the doctor or restrooms.

Arun Gopal J, Infosys.

■ Taking them for a trip which is near their home. So that we can have dinner in their home.

Nandakumar. E, Wipro

■ "Sugar less Coffee & Salt Full Upma"

Sri

■ I would ask them "Oorukku eppo kelambreenga" as soon as they take their seat in my sofa , comin long away from their home.Barath Kumar, Polaris ■ Before their arrival, I will to move to someone’s house as a guest during festivals

Jags, Polaris

■ "You are best at doing this dish, will you do it for us ". Ask the guest to prepare the dish.

Nithya priya S

■ Enga diwalika varingala, nan ticket book panitan. Nan kilambi varan

■ I will close all the tap water, so that they feel disgusted and they go away.

Balabharathi, Patni Computer Systems

■ By going to their home as a guest

Soundarajan.N, INFOSYS.(BCMD)

■ I will prepare halwa with a special gum and give it to them. Then Even though they are with us they can’t open their mouth. "Evvalavo seyyarom itha seyya mattoma?" ■ If the relative has a daughter..I would ogle at her without a blink ..The relative would fear some chemistry might happen btw us and would run away.

Venkat TCS

■ I will prepare good sweets by myself nd will make them eat all. Better they wont com in life time.

Anitha, Cgsl

■ Make the guest sit in first row first seat and load then with food and say goodbye

Venkatesh

■ Whatever they asking i just turn my head up and down or left and wright with the photo smile

Dhayal, Perot systems

■ Hey, we are starting to d diwali release film. Would u like to join. But we have two tickets only na. So sad.

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■ Better tell them tat we have an importamt engagement today.else lock d door nd go out!!!

Poornima, Wipro

■ By giving my mom’s mysore pak.

Krishnan, FSS

■ Ask the person "when u r going back"?

Seeniprabu, TCS

With the help of neighbour i will close main door from outside . And enjoy the delicious sweets Vinay R Golecha, Citi group

By showing the irritating guests that u are busy by jus keeping ringing tone in mobile as if incoming call is coming thereby getting aloof from their attention. Sathya Raja Lakshmi, Infosys

By offering nothing to them so that they will leave soon

Sundeep, HCLTech

■ I will mix enough sleeping tablets in the morning bed coffee itself and make them asleep.

Praki, Infosys

■ Go to ur relatives house before they plan to visit ur home and say "ungala pathu romba naalachu adhan rendu naal munnadiye vandhutom....."

Jaya, Thirdware

■ To become a guest! Let us irritate them !

Antony Paiva of Satyam Computers has nominated his gang as partners in crime. They clicked this pic at Golconda Fort, Hyderabad.

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Hardik Thaker

Send them your children so that they are always engaged Vidhya Krishnamurthy, Hewitt associates

Ask some money from them for festival. Prabhakaran Infosys

Today’s Query: How would you react if your significant other cooks a really bad dinner?

Maria Gerald of Cognizant Technology Solutions doodled this.

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Friday, October 10, 2008

life.

October 10 Hi , This is Vignesh. When I was browsing through goergo.com, I noticed that ‘click pick’ section under gallery ( Browse > Home / Clickpick, Gallery / Clickpick April 08 ) has not been updated after April 2008. It would be good if it is updated daily. Vignesh from Hexaware (Yes, vignesh, we are aware and thanks for your passion in getting us to notice it again)

■ Hi Sakthi, Wish You Many More Happy Returns Of the day. With Love Swetha

■ Dear Shine Alfred, My dear chocolate baby "Happy birthday" wish u a day brings the best in life for u. May life lead u to great happiness and success. Have a lovely and blessed birthday. With LoveWiny & judy, PerotSystems

■ Hi Prasath(KK), Advance Birthday Wishes!! Let all your dreams (D***A, S***A) come true. With Warm Regards, Route-15 PKMP Sangam members Uncle Ashwin, Kettavar Rajan, Kudi Magangal Senthil & Yogesh, Appaavi Natarajan and Waste POC Aneesh, Accenture.

■ Dear Butti/Bonda, Wishing you many more happy returns of the day! Cheers! Ever loving, Pappu,Nithu,Sounds,Raju,Ani Infosys

Mani has been nominated as office angel by A.C.Karthikeyan of Ericsson India Private Ltd. Mani is our office attender . Right from the start of a day the most wanted person in office would be him. Be it a cup of coffee or stationery items, he’s always there to help us. He walks a mile everyday to bring hot packed lunch for the entire office. He does all this with a smile on his face. He is there all the time, helping, but his presence is taken for granted. - A.C. Karthikeyan

■ Dear Maansa Priya(maanu), Wish you Many more happy returns of the day. You are very special and you deserve the best. I wish you a wonderful life filled with love and happiness. I hope others bring you joy, just as you’ve brought joy to me, then you can weather and storm and be all you want to be... With Love, Arun. R R Donnelley GRES Commercial Insurance Review Team.

■ Dear Yokesh, Many ManyHappy Returns of the Day. We all hope that your Birthday Wishes and Dreeeeeeeams Come True. With Luv, Celebrations Committee, ACCC

Love is a speed-breaker to a person who is going fast to achieve his goal. Venu Gopal Koleti,TCS.

Oru pennuku(girl) aanavam irukalam aana oru aanuku(boy) peenavam iruka mudiyathu......... Maran, Wipro.

Thannila irunthu yaen current edukkuranga??? Makku ! Makku! Appadi edukkalena kulikum pothu “Shock” adichirum Lakshmi. K, Satyam Computers

Bus e pinnale thallina enna aagum. Simple – pin valangu pogum Y does capsicum not get wet during rain – because it is Kudai Milagai. Karthik Subramanian, Infosys

■ Dear Swarna, Its a beautiful day becoz god gave such a lovable friend to me on this day. U have born to keep others happy.But today i would like to make ’U’ happy by saying, Dear! "Wish You many more happy returns of the day...May God Bless U". Iwish & trust all ur dreams come true this year... With Love,Sangeetha VS,CSS Corp

■ Hi Bully, Wish you many more happy returns of the day. Let all your dreams come true on this wonderful day and may the coming years be the best in your

Hearty wishes from Chips !! (Tata Consultancy Services)

■ Hey Padma, Tomorrow is your birthday na, don’t forget it. :) Wish you a many many many and many more Advanced B’ Day wishes to you. We hope all your birthday dreams come true in this year. Please bring some choclates on Monday.

Hearty wishes fromFrancis and Meera.(TCS)

■ Dear Raja n Lavanya, Let the God decorate each golden rays of the sun reaching u with wishes of success, happiness and prosperity for u, Wish u an awesome Birthday as u are…. Best Wishes from USL Team (HCL Technologies)

■ Dear DG, Because today’s so special it really wouldn’t do, to send one simple birthday wish to last the whole year through... So this wishes happy moments, a day when dreams come true, and a year that’s filled with all the things that mean the most to you. Heart wishes from UST Global, Chennai.

■ Hi buddha(navaneeth), Many more happy returns of the day. Unnoda kanavugal intha varudathil neraiveraaa engal vazthukkal. Endrendrum unn nanbarkal Manivannan(Slash), Yogi(Airtel), Pranesh (Airtel), Prasath(TCS), Ravivarman(Allsec), paruppu raman(Andromedia)

■ Dear Thivya, Wish You A Very Happy Birthday!!! A Very Best Of Luck For All Your Future Endeavours!!! Hearty Wishes, Saravanan.P, TCS

October 11 ■ Hi Karthik, We wish you many more happy returns of the day. We will pray the god to make all your dreams (especially onsite) come true this birthday. God bless you dear friend. Regards, Sathyaselvam S, Viswanathan, Pradeep, Murugesh Anna.

■ Dear Mythu, Wish you a very very very Happy birthday. On your birthday we all wish abundant luck, happiness & success may come your way. May you live long and lead a happy and successful life. Best Wishes from MAG CORP CMR Satyam computers

22

ERGO Friday, October 10, 2008

Pizza Hut ditches the pizza

Traffic Jam

Fast food chain Pizza Hut is to be rebranded as Pasta Hut in the U.K. in a bid to give the company a more wholesome image. The menus will also focus on new pasta dishes, while pizzas will be made with a decrease in salt and saturated fat.

sudoku

Rakulkapil B. of Satyam Computers describes this bee as too busy with its activities even before the sunrise. Hobbies: Reading, painting, star gazing and travelling Click Pick is celebrating Wildlife Week till October 15. Make sure you send your best nature photographs for the coming issues, and also tell us why the fauna is special. 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]

Head of Circulation: M.G.M. Sharief [email protected]

SNAIL MAIL 859/860, Anna Salai, Chennai - 600 002 mail your feedback to [email protected]

FAX 2857 6691 ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Call our Advertisement Manager at 2857 6695. 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

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Friday, October 10, 2008

Word’s worth

Woman conquers Everest by air

"Eboulement" (eck-kal-ee-oh-bye-un) the cumbling or falling of a wall, especilally a fortification. This is another good word demanding figurative use. "She’s still hanging up when I call, but I’m hoping for aneboulement soon."

A 29-year-old British woman has become the first person ever to skydive over Mount Everest. Holly Budge leapt out of a plane at 29,500 feet (9,000 metres) and plunged toward the Himalayas with a parachute three times bigger than normal.

B.C ARIES MARCH 21 - APRIL 20 You may be in a mood to do something unusual. This may inspire you to invent a new method of working. You will help others. In second half, Ganesha finds you socialising with friends. Your beloved one may remain in good humour.

TAURUS APRIL 21 - MAY 20 At office, you might be handling the work that involves others as well. You may not be able to relax. In personal life, you may not be able to enjoy desired privacy with your partner. If you want to arrange informal get-together, this is the best day.

GEMINI MAY 21 - JUNE 20 This is the best day to purchase a new software and if you have already bought a new software lately, you may start using it’s applications today. In personal life, you will remain cool and easygoing. You will not be apprehensive

BORN LOSER

CANCER JUNE 21 - JULY 20 This may be little tough day at work. To achieve a little, you might have to put in more efforts. In personal life, you may remain aloof and not in a very good mood so your partner may pay more attention. Ganesha suggests you to shun all worries.

LEO JULY 21 - AUG 20 Today you may feel that despite your skill that you are putting in, you are not being reciprocated with due financial reward. If you remain patient, everything will be fine. Your partner may give you due attention which will make you feel much better.

VIRGO AUG 21 - SEPT 20

FREE RANGE

WORKING IT OUT

Your work may speak volumes for you. You may wish to part your knowledge and experience with others. In personal life, you may not have any major issue with partner or beloved. However, you are advised to take good care of your health today.

LIBRA SEPT 21 - OCT 20 Ganesha feels that you will be willing to hone your professional skills today. You may be keen to prove your capabilities too. You may enjoy a nice movie or other entertainment programme with your beloved one. The day favours get-together with friends.

SCORPIO OCT 21 - NOV 20 Your energy levels may be little low today. You will have lots of ideas shimmering on the back of your mind but you not be able to implement them. At home, you will enjoy nice food with your family members. Take enough rest to recharge yourself.

SAGITTARIUS NOV 21 - DEC 20 You may be in a mood to explore whatever is within the reach of your work area. You may desire to accumulate vast knowledge. Don’t forget to handle prime responsibilities. You may wish to have intellectual discussion with your life partner.

CAPRICORN DEC 21 - JAN 20 You may remain busy lining up meetings. This may be a busy day involving lot of research work along with communication with others. You might have to socialise with your family members. Ganesha finds this to be an active yet charming day for you.

PREVIOUS ISSUE’S SOLUTIONS

AQUARIUS JAN 21 - FEB 20 It is best day for planning strategies. Your energy level may be very high because of which you may feel free. You will handle your work in time, despite pressure of work. If you wish to woo someone or propose, this is favourable most day, says Ganesha.

PISCES FEB 21 - MARCH 20 Ganesha finds you a bit confused about how to handle work. Learn to handle pressure, says Ganesha. In personal life, you may not feel like sharing your feelings with your life partner, but you should actually learn to exhale, feels Ganesha. Predictions by Bhavesh N. Pattni

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ERGO Friday, October 10, 2008