Ergo September 19

A BYTE OF LIFE

FREE CIRCULATION

Friday, September 19, 2008

Vol. 2

No. 182

11 ADVENTURE UNLIMITED Find out how a team of Cognizant shot down hostages to make terrorists redundant!

MPowering

women

Women Political Conference Movement encourages women to participate in electioneering as never before: candidates!

» PAGE 04

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ERGO Friday, September 19, 2008

Namma Chennai

Hone your personality Thespian En is organising a voice training workshop on breathing, diction, pronunciation, modulation and personality through voice on Saturday and Sunday at The Parnasus, Poonamallee High Road. For details, call 98401 27103.

BOOK REVIEW

Thursday’s query: The most annoying co-worker habit endured at office Seeing my colleague working!:-) 9884229994 To see my project leader give me work late in the evening when all my friends are waiting in Sathyam theatre for the next show. K.G.Sriram Asking questions continuously when I am flirting with a newly-joined girl. 9884032451 To see the guy sitting beside me talking non-stop to his girlfriend on the phone. I can’t stand that! 9884717287

To question one if he is working. 9884127447

Pick of the day With zilch work, one would be browsing Orkut with the chat messenger status as "DND", "BUSY" or "WORKING HARD"!! K.G SRIRAM

Today’s query If I were a boss for a day...

909401 3535 SMSs to 909401 3535 are charged only as standard SMSs.

The East is still exotic RAMYA KANNAN

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he West’s fascination with the old-world splendour of the East continues. How else would you explain Gregson’s attempt to recreate the atmosphere of an India before her independence, the particular quaintness of a country under the British Raj? The story begins in 1928 in England, where women needed chaperones to travel out. Three women set sail to India, each with a different purpose, yet united by the commonness of their identity and the journey itself that throws them in each other’s arms. Three main characters and the way they ride through tribulations and joys in India run the course of the novel: Rose, the bride setting out to marry a man she barely knows, her bridesmaid Victoria who is waiting for an opportunity to run away from her overbearing mother, and Viva, the chaperone, who seeks to lay to rest the ghosts of her past. All of them are unprepared for the experience that is going to be India, even Viva, who has spent her childhood in India. Modelled on one of the characteristic themes of the novels of the Victorian age – marriage, East of the Sun sets out for its heroines the

task of pursuing happiness through marriage, directly and indirectly. Rose marries Jack Chandler, a young officer in the Indian Cavalry Regiment, loved by his batmen and his mistress, Sunita. The young couple is unsure of the relationship, of each other and meander a rough course until the inevitable reconciliation of sorts, with the arrival of a baby. Victoria, or ‘Tor’, swings on a rollercoaster ride, weathering many downs and the rejection by a few men before she meets and marries Toby, the teacher who

seems to be perfectly on her wavelength. It is Viva, then, who is theoretically the protagonist of the novel, it is in her life that there is drama, suspense, intrigue, conflict and, finally, resolution. While she starts out with the mission of going to India to unravel the secret behind her parents’ death, she ends up getting involved with a home for orphan children and the insanity of Guy Glover, the schoolboy she chaperones to his parents in India. The happenings in complex worlds of the institution and Guy buffet her around and she steadfastly weaves her way around to find answers to some of these questions, and finally find love in Frank, the ship’s junior doctor who is on mission mode in India. Descriptions of India and other characters throw in the meat to this plot, be it Bannu, the grim little town in the north where Chandler is posted, Ci Ci, Rose and Tor’s Indian hostess who is either friendly or rude to a fault, and a smattering of Indian characters – Viva’s Parsee landlords, the children of the home, the army’s servants. All ending in a glorious marriage, where the message is the old faithful: “And everyone lived happily ever after!” ■

Bookworm’s Corner Top Ten Fiction 1. Sea of Poppies – Amitav Ghosh. Rs. 599 2. Brida – Paulo Coelho – Rs. 295 3. The 3 Mistakes of My Life – Chetan Bhagat. Rs. 95 4. A Prisoner of Birth – Jeffery Archer. Rs. 270 5. A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khaled Hosseini. Rs. 395 6. The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseine. Rs. 315 7. Unaccustomed Earth – Jhumpa Lahiri. Rs. 450 8. Six Suspects – Vikas Swarup.

Rs. 495 9. One Night at a Call Centre – Chetan Bhagat. Rs. 95 10. The White Tiger – Arvinda Adiga. Rs. 395

Top 10 Non-fiction 1. The Secret – Rhonda Byrne. Rs. 550 2. The Last Lecture – Randy Pausch. Rs. 295 3. Go Kiss The World – Subroto Bagchi. Rs. 399 4. Execution – Larry Bossidy and

Ram Charan. Rs. 695 5. Business: The Ultimate Resource. Rs. 2,000 6. Cold Steel: The Multi-Billion Dollar Battle for a Global Industry – Tim Bouquet and Bryon Ousey. Rs. 650 6. Men of Steel – Vir Sanghvi. Rs. 95 7. Greatness Guide 2 – Robin Sharma. Rs. 185 8. What to Expect When You Are Expecting – Heidi Murkoff. Rs. 430 9. India: A Sense of Place – Laurence Mouton. Rs. 1,940 Courtesy: Crossword

Friday, September 19, 2008

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The buzz about K TCS plays host to the first CII Southern Region Knowledge Meet today at its Shollinganallur campus LIFFY THOMAS [email protected]

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magine a platform where you have queries related to a particular project implemented in a different part of the world answered? Sample ‘Just Ask’, launched seven months ago within the TCS offices. The social networking-like site receives around 200 queries a day, which are answered by TCS associates sitting across the world. Now, imagine 100 such people replicating such a platform, thus

collaborating and sharing knowledge. That’s Knowledge Management (KM) explained in simple terms. “In fact, KM complements Just Ask,” says A. Srinivasan, Vice-President, TCS, Process Excellence Group - Knowledge Management and Process Distribution. KM is the big buzz in any growing economy and the Southern

Region K-Community only promises to add to it. Objective: To create a platform where thoughts, conversations, frameworks, case studies and best practices are shared either virtually or through face-to-face interactions.

What’s on today? On Friday, the curtains will

KM is no longer a technology topic. It is viewed more as a people’s topic

Visual treat

raise on the first such knowledge meet in the city. The CII Southern Region Knowledge Management Forum will launch the K-Community, which is an initiative of the CII Knowledge Mission. Like our Bangalore cousins who have been hosting the KCommunity every month, Chennai also plans to take it forward on the same lines, though no specific day has been decided so far. “The best practices which Bangalore has been following motivated us to start something similar in Chennai,” says Srinivasan,

What, when, where What: Launch of K-Community When: September 19; 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Where: TCS, Shollinganallur, J.R.D. Tata Auditorium Who can attend: Any professional with a passion for KM. The event is free and open to all.

쒀 Around 2500 world class photographs taken by eminent photographs and amateurs is on display as part of the All India Salon of Photography. The five-day exhibition is being organised by Photographic Society of Madras and is on at Lalit Kala Akademi, Greams Road. PHOTO:R. SHIVAJI RAO

who is impressed after being part of a couple of such meets. The highlight of the two-hour event is a panel discussion on ‘KM strategy for organisations’, with a panel comprising people from the academia and industry. The event holds special as it hopes to bring together a good number of both IT and non-IT companies together. “KM is no longer a technology topic. It is viewed more as a people’s topic,” says Srinivasan, who is also a member of the CII Southern Region Knowledge Management Forum. Talking about the biggest challenge in keep the K-Community going, Srinivasan says it will be to ensure participation of non-IT organisations and to sustain the interest among the members.

What’s next! The K-Community will be hosted by a different organisation every month and probably with a different agenda. “The power of sharing and collaboration is crucial and these events will keep the momentum going,” he adds. ■

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ERGO Friday, September 19, 2008

Big Story

MALATHI K.

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The Women Political Conference Movement aims to encourage active participation of more women in the election process

he upcoming Parliamentary elections could see a windfall change of sorts if the Women Political Conference Movement’s ambitious move to pit at least 10 women candidates, all with little or no political background, in the fray. Started in 2005 with five women, it now boasts of tens of thousands of members. The Movement is a one-of-a-kind initiative started by a group of women to encourage active participation of women in the election process. Sivakami, an IAS officer, is a facilitator of this movement and actively participates in its various activities. What sparked the idea? “Politically, men and women are considered equal but when it comes to its prac-

tical implementation men continue to rule. This thought instigated women from all strata of society to come together and start this movement,” she says. She is currently serving as special commissioner of the stationary and printing department and is also a well-known novelist. Empowering women has always been a dream for her and she is living it. Most women politicians follow men who have laid a platform for them, either as mentor or as blood relation. But the idea behind the movement is to inculcate interest among women without a political background to take up politics. They aim at moulding women leaders by empowering them. In the process, issues like education for women, discrimination against women, women’s rights and employment and medical help are also being addressed. What has made the movement click? “In the initial phase, not many were willing to come forward, but once they understood what we aim at they started trusting us.” This trust is what has made the movement go strong with more than 10 lakh members. The movement has explored all the districts of Tamil Nadu, teaching women about the election process, how politics really works, to deliver strong speeches and to strategise plans. “Active participation in such arenas has been a real boost for us and we consider it a success from where we started,” says Sivakami. ■

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Friday, September 19, 2008

Tunes from the tomb Three bands creep out of the city’s recesses to play to parched souls ERGO CORRESPONDENT

Public Issue

[email protected]

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ile creatures of the dark, the brimstone burns and a concert awaits this month. Alliance Francaise in association with Exodus Events will be harbouring September Rock Fete of 2008, promising performances from the plague of the city - namely Public Issue, Blind Image and Substance.

Blind Image

Next, Public Issue confesses to lurk little on the dark side. Vinay Ramakrishnan, the drummer of the band says that the band’s sound cannot be classified. “We are an experience to reckon with, especially since we play only originals. But for genre specifics, we are an alternative rock band, with a bit of progressive funk thrown in.” The band comprises Christopher Stanley (vocals), Nipun Nair (guitar), Handel (bass) and the above mentioned minion of evil, Vinay. When the band is not creating music, they are behind the desk at the advertising company JWT and Amazon.com or learning audio engineering at SAE. The band has been together for more than a year now and attributes its sound to a range of favourites such as Dream Theater, Steve Vai, Jamiroquai and Mr. Big.

We are an experience to reckon with, especially since we play only originals

What, when, where? PHOTO: R. RAVINDRAN

First up, we present to you the debris of civilization, Blind Image. Their motto is groove metal and experimental thrash metal, focussing more on melody and ‘concentrating very little on demons.’ The band comprises David (vocals), Prashant/ D’Mattio (guitar, backing vocals), Shri (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Tibu (bass, backing vocals), Krishna (drums). The band was formed in late 2006 and has been experimenting with many evil sounds to evolve a signature sound. The result of it is their debut album, ‘Psychobabble’. They look downwards in prayer at Megadeth, Slipknot, Lamb Of God, Alice In Chains and for some divine forgiveness, at jazz artistes Dave Weckle, Guthrie Gowan, Shawn Lane.

Substance And for the children of boredom, supporters of juvenile delinquency, we bring you Substance – still in school. Arjun Sarvotham (guitars, vocals) Shivraj Narayan (drums), Ritwik Krishnakumar (bass) Abhinav Krishnaswamy (guitars). They cite their nemeses as Joe Satriani, Kirk Hammett, Mike Portnoy, Travis Barker (Blink 182), Victor Wooten, Jaco Pastorius and Tom Morello. Some of the band members are still wearing braces and haunting the portals of Lady Andal school, which is where the band met, in fact at their school culturals. With a clear sound and immaculate guitaring, the band is a must-hear for fans of good old rock ‘n’ roll.

Event: Rock concert Timings: 7 p.m., September 20 Venue: Alliance Francaise auditorium Contact: 28279803/ 28271477

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ERGO Friday, September 19, 2008

Village

Bowing to death In a recent five year period, 24 residents of Tokyo died while bowing to other people.

The 10 best gay tolerant places From San Francisco to New York, from Paris to London, all these cities have become progressively more open to homosexuality. And therefore, they are now among the ‘Ten Best Places In The World For Gays’, reports the Independent. The Ten Best Gay-Tolerant Places In The World are: 1. San Francisco, 2. Sydney, 3. New York, 4. Mykonos, 5. Paris, 6. Barcelona, 7. Amsterdam, 8. London, 9. Copenhagen, 10. Berlin. ANI

Hotel fires philandering male staff A small hotel on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast has fired all its male employees for repeatedly having affairs with foreign female guests, the manager said on Wednesday. Pelin Yucel, manager of Image Hotel in Marmaris, said her 27-room hotel now only employs female staff. Most of the guests are British and Russian tourists, she said. “We had been facing the same problem every year but after the last incident we decided to run the hotel by only female staff,” she told Reuters by phone. “The last straw was when I saw our bartender, who was a very decent man, walk out of the bathroom with a British tourist,” Yucel was quoted in the media as saying. Around 20 million tourists visited Turkey last year, many of them drawn by its sandy beaches and turquoise waters.

New website lists smokers’ cafes Dutch smokers, who want to smoke in a restaurant or cafe, can now click onto a new smokers’ restaurant database, according to the online publisher Tressis. Smoking was recently banned in all Dutch restaurants, cafes and bars, except in places that have separate smokers’ rooms or corners with ventilation facilities. However, the places where smoking is allowed are in the minority and are hard to find. By registering one’s restaurant on the website www.hiermaghetwel.nl, cafes and restaurants can help smokers find them easily and quickly. The database covers all of the Netherlands and an estimated 200 restaurants, cafes and bars have already registered. DPA

Thousand Balinese rally against anti-porn bill About 1,000 Balinese dressed in traditional sarongs rallied on Wednesday to protest against a controversial anti-pornography bill that critics say could hurt local cultural traditions. The anti-smut bill aims to shield the young from pornographic material and lewd acts, but also contains provisions that could jail people for kissing in public and criminalise many forms of art or traditional culture that hinge on sensuality.

Reuters

Reuters

Wanna visit Taj Mahal? Book ‘Can’t Be Arsed: 101 Things Not To Do Before You Die’ suggests not to visit Taj Mahal

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he Taj Mahal may be one of the Seven Wonders of the World but a new hilarious new book suggests ‘not to visit the place before dying’, for the experience will almost certainly end in disappointment. ‘Can’t Be Arsed: 101 Things Not To Do Before You Die,’ by Richard Wilson, TV comedy producer behind hits including ‘Never Mind The Buzzcocks’ and ’Have I Got News For You’, shows why sitting on your chair is a better option, reports the Sun. Below are some of the ‘Can’t Be Arsed’ snippets: Taj Mahal: Behind Taj Mahal is one of the most polluted river in

the world - Yamuna. 57 per cent of New Delhi’s waste is dumped in it. The Pyramids: The Pyramids are right next to the ugly urban sprawl of Cairo - a big disappointment. Machu Picchu: It’s a 6,000-mile journey, 12 thrombotic hours on a plane followed by a bladder-bursting seven-hour bus ride. Skydiving: Jumping out of a plane for fun must seem so strange to those people who were forced to do it in a real combat situation and would never ever do it again for all the money in the world. Go White-Water Rafting: It’s a favourite corporate weekend ac-

tivity for city bankers, ad men and home-grown terrorist organisations - the 7/7 bombers did a lot of their best blue-sky thinking on a white-water rafting weekend. Thailand: Thailand can kill you in so many different ways with malaria, dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, bird flu and of course the tsunami. Have Sex In An Aeroplane: There’s not enough room to urinate in an aeroplane toilet, never mind make the beast with two backs. Having a cigarette in there afterwards is much more daring you can probably go to prison for that. ■ ANI

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Friday, September 19, 2008

This day, that year

Cremations in Hawaii

It was in September 19, 1893 that New Zealand became the first country to grant all of its women the right to vote.

Hawaii has the highest percentage of cremations of all other US states, with a 60 percentage preference over burial.

Fed-up Chinese go online with biting food safety jokes

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ed up with an almost constant diet of bad news about quality and safety problems, some Chinese are taking out their frustrations with biting jokes on the Internet about the seemingly never-ending scandals. In the latest health scare, thousands of Chinese babies have fallen ill and four have died after drinking contaminated milk formula, prompting some Chinese to wonder if there is anything safe to use, and to go online to voice their frustrations. One joke, entitled ‘The lucky day of a Chinese’, takes a look at all the dangerous or unsanitary goods the average Zhou could run into on a daily basis. “Get up early, clean your teeth with carcinogenic toothpaste, and drink a glass of expired milk with excess levels of iodine and contaminated with melamine,” it starts, melamine being the compound found tainting the baby milk powder. Other delicacies it suggests eating during the course of the day are eggs tinted with banned food

One joke, entitled ‘The lucky day of a Chinese”, takes a look at all the dangerous or unsanitary goods the average Zhou could run into on a daily basis Over the past few years the safety of everything from Chinese-made car parts and toys to pet food and dumplings has been called into question both at home and abroad. AFP PHOTOS colourant Sudan Red, eels fed on contraceptives, and cabbage washed with DDT – all references to previous health scandals in China. Don’t forget to miss out on pork from pigs which have died of disease, a particular problem

in rural areas. “What a great day!” the joke ends, sarcastically. In another joke, a man goes into a local store to buy some bread, but discovers there’s no expiry date written on the package.

In safe hands

The sales clerk looks at the packet, and then gets out a pen. “Don’t worry, let me write one on for you,” he says. Then spare a thought for the two men who go looking for a mid-morning caffeine boost. “I’ll have a coffee,” the first man tells

Reuters

Open book examinations in Gujarat G

쒀 Activists of the People for Animals (PFA) an NGO, hold two Dwarf tortoises, which were rescued from a resident in Guwahati on Thursday. The pair were later released into the the Dighalipukhuri pond in Guwahati. AFP PHOTO

the waiter. “Me too, and make sure the cup is clean,” the second adds. A moment later the waiter reappears. “Sorry, which one of you wanted the clean cup?” ■

ujarat Higher Secondary Education Board has decided to introduce ‘open book examinations’ system for standard VIII to X students, enabling them to refer the books while taking exams. The Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB), which is half way into this academic session (2008 to 09), has decided to introduce the Open Book format of examination for the VIII, IX and X standard classes. “This concept is going to help all of us a lot sometimes because of the burden of examination we tend to forget some topics. We won’t be having this problem and some people who are extremely sensitive even commit suicide after getting bad marks. All these issues can be resolved easily if this concept of open book examinations is accepted,” said Rajdeep Pandey, a student.

In March 2009, the standard X students would be able to carry along their textbooks to the examination centres. Chief Minister Narendra Modi, while speaking on the recent Teacher’s Day function before schoolchildren had mentioned about introducing this system. Parent are happy over such a decision, as they believe it would make study a little less formidable as it presently seems to a lot of students. “I am having three children. They are in standard eight, nine and ten respectively. Being from middle class we can’t afford tuitions for all of them. So I think Modiji has taken a very valid decision of introducing open book exam, as its going to ease our expectations of or children passing the examinations,” said Savitaben, a mother. ■ PTI

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ERGO Friday, September 19, 2008

Mobile menace

Technorama

Researchers say radiations emitting from mobile phones can distort measurements taken via the latest measuring systems, even when their individual components have passed the standardized Electromagnetic Compatibility Test (EMC)

Technology snippets sources from T3 magazine of Infomedia Group

Silence of the Lambos

The loyal one

Twice as nice Catering to your charging needs The engineers at Uniross are amongst the nicest people that we’ve met. They’ve launched a new Emergency 2 Way Charger to help you refurbish your electronic needs. It can charge your AA batteries when tethered and your mobile phone when you’re not. Now isn’t that a good example of versatility? The light and portable charger also packs in a USB cable for a maximum compatibility and six brands of mobile phone adaptors including Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, and Motorola. You can also charge other electronic devices like iPods, PDAs, and portable game devices. Also, by using rechargeable batteries, you’d be saving our Mother Earth of some eye-sore and positively hazardous landfills.

Zen’s new musico plays the fidelity card Style meets technology. So says Creative about the Zen X-Fi. Creative’s new musical offering, it employs Xtreme Fidelity aka X-Fi audio technology to restore the highs and lows that are lost during ripping to MP3, WMA or AAC formats and provide for a better audio. But that’s not all, you can watch a plethora of video formats including DivX and XviD, and utilise the SD card slot to add to the 8GB capacity. Creative also promises a video converter to convert fi les to wireless streaming format real soon. And by bundling in the EP-830 inear buds, they have us all ears.Rs

Scary-faced supercar wants to eat your liver… HFFFTHHFFTHFFTHFFTHFFTHFFFF! Is the Reventón the most insane Lamborghini ever? Pure menace on wheels, it’s styled like a squashed, metallic death’s head. In the cockpit, there’s a digital display modelled on an F22 fighter jet, while under the hood there’s a sequential paddle-shift gearbox and a mighty 650hp 6.5litre V12 nestled in the cockpit. It’s made from carbon fibre, while the doors, naturally, open upwards. The only minor downers are that it costs a million Euros, and that Lamborghini sold all 20 of them before construction commenced. As you were…Rs 6,50,00,000*, www.lamborghini.com

13,599, in.creative.com

Eight? Great! Sony Ericsson unleashes 8-megapixel camphone Think you’re it, with your 5-megapixel camphone? You’re actually yesterday’s man or woman, cos there’s a new blower in town, and it’s packing 8.1 big megapixels. The HSDPA-enabled Sony Ericsson C905’s sensor lets you print photos at 30x40cm - or A3 in old money - without any loss in quality. You’ve also got loads of other pap-friendly extras, such as a xenon flash, autofocus, face detection, image stabilisation, red-eye reduction, and a scratch-resistant, 2.4inch screen, making it probably the best cameraphone ever. Your poorly framed snaps of drunken pals falling over will be bigger and better than ever.

Rs 595, www.uniross.com

TBC, www.sonyericsson.com

Go India Ever wanted to wear patriotism on your sleeve, but with a modern twist? Fear not, Logitech has come to your rescue with the new mini optical mouse. The Tri Color mouse comes with an all-terrain optical sensor and integrated cord wrap feature. No tangles, no unraveling, complete freedom!Rs 640, www.logitech.co.in

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Friday, September 19, 2008

Hacked

Games no problem

Anonymous hackers penetrated the private email account of Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin and Wednesday posted screen shots of the account on the internet.

A study released in the US by Pew Internet & American Life Project has concluded that computer games foster social interaction and civic engagement and that there was no evidence that they incited users to violence.

Your life on a Hard Disk KARTHIK SUBRAMANIAN [email protected]

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fter memory modules last week, I thought it would be nice to put the spotlight on hard disk drives, more specifically external hard disk drives. Stores on Ritchie Street stock external hard disk drives with storage capacities ranging from 20 GB (for laptops) to 1 Terabyte. Gulp. A professor I know who live in Koln, Germany, had this peculiar habit of never throwing away his PCs. “Bastards, they just want us keep upgrading our computers when there is no necessity. My 10-year-old PC can still connect to the Internet, run Linux and stores thousands and thousands of documents. That’s why I still keep it,” he said. Of course, it is another story altogether that he has some 5 PCs and a Mac. But seriously, why would anyone need a Terabyte of hard disk space? Beats me. Maybe my photographer would not mind.

He could store all the raw photo images he would ever click in his life. Or maybe a maverick film maker who does not know what he wants and just spoils himself with rich video and audio files. If you interested by the way, the 1 TB Western Digital external hard disk retails at Rs. 8,800 in the market. It comes with a three year warranty and is a desktop kit. Seagate too has a 1 TB hard disk that retails starting Rs.9,500 and comes with a 5 year warranty.Speaking of hard disk drives, I found the external HDD casings enclosures pretty interesting. They are affordable and easy to use. (see pictures). They are essential do-it-yourself external hard drives. You have to purchase a laptop HDD, either a SATA or an IDE drive, plug it into the enclosure and voila, the external HDD is ready. Data connectivity is through USB 2.0. The approximate cost for an 80 GB external hard disk, inclusive of the casing, will be around Rs.2,500 to Rs.3,250 depending on the make of the enclosure. For details, call Delta Peripherals at 4216 8880. ■

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The series of photographs show the assembly of a portable hard disk, using laptop HDD and a HDD enclosure. A 160 GB hard disk could be assembled for as less as Rs. 3,200 and could come in handy, especially for those on the move. PHOTOS: S.S.KUMAR

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3D Internet tool launched Melbourne-based ExitReality says its application allows users to turn any regular website into a 3D virtual environment

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n Australian company on Thursday launched a free tool it says offers web browsers a world-first opportunity to view the Internet in three dimensions. Melbourne-based ExitReality said its application allows users to turn any regular website into a 3D virtual environment, where an avatar representing them can walk around and meet other browsers viewing the same website. Founder Danny Stefanic said that previously only specialised websites such as Second Life and World of Warcraft allowed users to enter a 3D environment. “ExitReality goes far beyond that,” he said. “It allows you to view not just one website but

the entire World Wide Web in 3D.”Browsers can use the tool to turn their social networking pages on sites such as Facebook and MySpace into a virtual apartment, where photographs are displayed on the wall and links to friends are “doors” leading to other apartments. Users can customise their flats by “decorating” with 3D versions of couches from stores such as Ikea or downloading an e-jukebox to play music clips stored on their personal page. Similarly, using ExitReality on video-sharing website YouTube creates a virtual cinema where the browser’s avatar sits next to other users also logged on to watch the clip they have selected.

“The user can see and share experiences with their friends while chatting with them and other people at either their own website or another billion web pages,” he said. Stefanic said there was a wealth of 3D content on the Internet that conventional web search engines ignored. He said ExitReality made use of this content to render regular websites into 3D. A regular two-dimensional news site appears as a 3D streetscape, with stories and photographs highlighted as billboards, while sections such as sport and business are virtual lanes that the user can navigate their avatar to. The banner advertisements

Danny Stefanic at the launch of the 3D Internet environment by his Melbourne-based ExitReality that normally sit atop the top of websites appear in the virtual sky, trailing from digital aeroplanes. Stefanic said such effects made the website more interesting for users, meaning they were

more likely to spend more time browsing the page. The tool, a 3.5 megabyte Internet plug-in that takes about 20 seconds to download, is available for free. AFP

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ERGO Friday, September 19, 2008

BackPackers

A day in

MUMBAI views of the Arabian Sea and the graceful arc of Marine Drive, the seaside promenade also known as the Queen’s Necklace.

Crab Expedition

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t’s the Jazz Age again in Mumbai. The populous metropolis is bursting with stock-market money, a shimmering art scene has a growing global presence, and young people are exploiting their newfound freedoms in dim bars until the wee hours. Indeed, in the city’s more rarefied circles, Champagne is sipped every night and everyone knows everyone, darling. But large swaths of Mumbai, the former Bombay, remain immune to the homogeneity of global glamour. Behind the bustling boulevards are nameless alleys where coconuts are sold, haircuts are given and the city’s frenetic traffic occasionally comes to a honking halt because of a scampering goat.

Beach flavours When migrants from Mumbai’s outlying areas arrive, they de-

scend onto Chowpatty Beach, a surprisingly pristine beach in the middle of this throbbing city of 17 million or so. Children swirl around rusted merry-go-rounds; families bond over cobs of corn; vendors sell hot-pink cotton candy. An array of services is on offer, including head massages and palm reading. Buy a savoury plate of bhel puri – a kind of trail mix of puffed rice, garlic chutney, coriander and tamarind – and stroll among the classless ocean of Mumbaikars taking an urban breather.

The Koli, a hereditary caste of anglers, were among Mumbai’s original dwellers. They still fish, and you can sample their catch at Trishna (4 Sai Baba Marg. Phone: 022-2261-4991), a venerable seafood restaurant in the Kala Ghoda district. Specialties include freshoff-the-boat squid in chilly garlic sauce, batter-fried prawns and pomfret grilled with black pepper. For the main course, try the signature crab drizzled in butter, pepper and garlic, accompanied by dal Hyderabadi. Dinner for two with chilled beers is about Rs 3,000.

Toast the View

Fish Spotting

For a bird’s-eye view of the city’s high rollers, head to the top of the InterContinental Mumbai Marine Drive Hotel. The hipperthan-hip rooftop bar, Dome, draws the city’s wealthy young, who flirt over hot toddies by the pool. It also affords romantic

Wake up early and drive to the Ferry Wharf seafood market at Mazgaon Dock (Malet Bunder Road), where fishermen come in after a night or a month at sea. A recent visit found a dozen lobsters for Rs 900, baby sharks for Rs 20 each, and a stingray with

leopard spots for Rs 1,500. Be warned: the scene is chaotic. Workers balancing baskets of seafood on their heads will push to get past, and the floor is coated by sludge of innards, blood and ice. Photography is absolutely forbidden, but the image of the anarchic frenzy will surely stay.

Spruce Yourself India is known for exporting luscious fabrics, but home-gown designers are making a name for Indian fashion. Across the street from the Taj Mahal Palace hotel is Bombay Electric (1 Reay Marg, Best Marg. Phone: 022- 287-6276; www.bombayelectric.in), a concept boutique on three terraced levels that embodies the new Indian cool.

Indo-Iranian Bounty Few countries have exported their cuisines as successfully as India. And yet what you find in New York or London tends to be a fraction of the culinary diversity that you find back home. Take, for example, the country’s old Iranian community, whose cooking is rarely found outside of the

subcontinent. Follow the city’s foodies to Britannia (11 Sprott Road, Ballard Estate; Phone: 0222261-5264), a breezy restaurant with high ceilings that blends Persian and Indian cuisine. Classic dishes include sali boti, stewed mutton with tomato gravy and fried potato straws; and chicken berry pulao, sweet-andsour mixture of rice, nuts, cranberries and spices. Pair them with a raspberry soda and, for dessert, caramel custard.

Thieves’ Market For the intrepid treasure hunter, few shopping jaunts rival the grimy Chor Bazaar, a sprawling maze of lanes in the heart of downtown Mumbai. The market is cramped and chaotic, coursing with wooden carts that will, if you are careless, flatten you. Expect to find antiques at throwaway prices, including colonial-era lamps, Art Deco clocks and trinkets of every kind, a large stash of original Bollywood posters sought by leading Indian collectors. And haggling is mandatory. ■ NYT News Service

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Friday, September 19, 2008

A day of adventure

VIKRAM GANAPATHY [email protected]

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“We came to know how difficult it actually was only to use the gun. We were asked to shoot the terrorists (made of cardboard) within ten seconds and with 5 bullets. Most of us ended up killing the hostages.”

he day had finally arrived! After weeks of anticipation, our team was all set to embark on a team outing – a different one at that. Just how many times have we actually experienced climbing rocks or shooting targets with real guns or facing obstacle courses similar to military camps? ‘Adventure Zone’ at and it was one full day of nonstop fun!! In the morning, we all assembled at our office at 6:30 sharp, not knowing what to expect in Adventure Zone. We started off on the OMR, and from the moment we started, there was nonstop music and dancing. We also played DumbC which went on through the 2 hour-long journey. Upon reaching the spot, our first adventure of the day was the obstacle course. In front of our eyes laid nearly 100 meters of area, filled with tyres lying round, ladders made from ropes hanging high from trees, wooden planks in weird shapes. Were we in Amazon? No, they were obstacles. First was the ‘Balance-walk’ – walk till the end of the plank

without any support. Crossing that we end up in ‘Monkey-walk,’ where we had to crawl upside down on a rope tied in mid of tree! Next in line was the ‘cheetah jump’ - we had to climb a structure made from bamboo stick and cross to the other side. If all this was not enough we had ‘Frog Jumping’ and ‘Snake Walking’ and ‘Robber’s Climb’ and what not. It came as a surprise to many of us that we managed to finish all these obstacles. So we computer geeks are good are something else too, after all. The next event in line was the ‘Shooting Range’. Imagine given a gun in your hand and a hostage situation, how cool it would be? Or how serious? We came to know how difficult it actually was only after we were given a gun in our hand and were asked to shoot the terrorist (made of cardboard) within ten seconds and with 5 bullets. Most of us ended up killing the hostage. After completing the two fascinating courses, it was time for lunch. Post lunch, it was time for ‘rappelling’. The Wall was 50 feet high. Major Roy briefed us about

the ways of rappelling and the safety measures in place. What made rappelling tough was first, the fear of heights (now who wouldn’t be afraid to descend down a 50 foot wall with just a rope?) Secondly, we had to climb all the way up using stairs, that too after lunch. Imagine falling down from a height of 50 feet at the time of dusk. Wow. It can only be experienced, not described. It came as a surprise to most of us that it had been 6:30 PM already. How time flied. “All good things come to an end”. Our journey had come to an end. We had started the trip, not knowing what to expect and at the end of the day, we were sad that the trip was over, but happy that we had experienced a day that we’ll never forget. ■ The article was contributed by Vikram Ganapathy of Cognizant Technology Solutions. You too can contribute your team outings and vacation travelogues. Mail us at [email protected]

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ERGO Friday, September 19, 2008

Kane and able Christopher Kane, another young British favourite, sent large circles of fabrics on silky blouses, elegant opaque shift dresses and oversized sequins down the runway. Kane’s colours were either muted, block or earthy, with gentle and sharp tailoring.

London bridge isn’t falling down Safari soiree

Vintage vantage The 124-year-old British brand Jaeger applied lessons from its first catwalk show in February by presenting colours and styles that matched tailored tops, trousers or skirts to sheer floating pieces in colours from the English garden. Slanted digitalised rainbow prints wafted down the catwalk on tops and dresses, trailed by a kaftan-like dress with envelope sleeves in oversized paisley print. A black and white, slit-sleeved coat from the 1950s came fitted over a flirty dress in a take on the British love affair with tweed and chiffon. Jaeger London’s designer Karen Boyd said colours were the starting point for an eclectic Spring/ Summer 2009 collection seeking to capture the hearts of shoppers at the affordable end of the luxury market, while hinting at Jaeger’s long history with touches of vintage from the archives.

Welsh fashion designer and celebrity favourite Julien Macdonald stunned audiences with a safari-inspired collection combining 1940s Hollywood glamour and 1970s disco chic. Macdonald, noted for his ultrafeminine style incorporating expensive fabrics and opulent embellishments, presented a more subtle range of colours than in previous collections. “It’s a very muted palette for the summer – there was lots of stripes, lots of beige. It’s all my fantasy about going on safari. I went to Ulusaba game reserve, which is Richard Branson’s private safari place,” Macdonald told reporters after the show. “I love women who look feminine and sexy. Even if you go into (supermarket) Tesco, why can’t you look sexy? You never know, you could meet a man in aisle 10 picking out your veg.” Macdonald, who cites designer Helmut Newton and films White Mischief and Emmanuelle among his influences, said his customers were not being affected by the credit crunch.

Game on, Giles Giles Deacon, one of Britain’s most talked-about fashion designers, stunned audiences with a collection that took as its inspiration the 1980s computer game Pac-Man. Deacon, who launched his Giles label in 2003 and has also designed for Daks, is known for pushing boundaries on the catwalk and for challenging traditional ideas of womenswear. A futuristic, sci-fi thread ran through the 37-outfit collection, which included billowing, show-stopping gowns. Deacon’s show bucked the trend for floaty fabrics, ultra-feminine lines, highwaisted trousers and muted colours seen at many other collections showcased at Fashion Week. Models sported oversized spherical helmets in the shape of Pac-Man and the character was embellished on many of the dresses, some of which were made from grey and monochrome camouflage fabric.

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Friday, September 19, 2008

Portfolio Oriental opulence British fashion designer Paul Smith brought a taste of the Orient as wethaired models draped in white silks and dressed in turbans conjured a posthammam look on the catwalk. Silks and cottons, linen scarves and embroidered necklines featured among the 36 outfits in the spring/summer 2009 collection. “It’s loosely based on an exhibition I went to see at the Tate Britain museum on Orientalism (which) was very much about hammams and harems and all the lovely clothes that the ladies wear,” Smith said before the show.

After days of worry, representatives from New York, London, Milan and Paris reached a deal that will secure London Fashion Week’s place at the heart of the style calendar, the British Fashion Council said. Officials from the fashion capitals of the world agreed that New York could stage its fashion week a little later as it wanted, saving a day off London – which follows NYC – but guaranteeing the British capital a five-day slot. London was concerned that New York’s move – to give designers more time to prepare their spring-summer collections – could threaten its existence. It feared that cutting back to four days could make it less attractive to big-name British designers such as Stella McCartney and Vivienne Westwood who might decide to go directly from New York to Milan, which comes after London. Presenting the highlights of London Fashion Week (Spring/Summer 2009):

Couture, desi style I

ndia’s first ever haute couture week, HDIL India Couture Week, started in Mumbai on Tuesday, showcasing the country’s 11 leading designers. “It’s not just for the Mr. Ambanis of this world,” the president of the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), Sunil Sethi, said. “It will cater to all the people who want to have a bit of Indian tradition and history. It’s aspirational, affordable, fantasy and reality. This is really going to be a celebration of fashion in the true spirit of India.” While Ritu Kumar’s opening show say an added dose of Bollywood glamour, with Priyanka Chopra, sisters Riya and Raima Sen, and Neha Dhupia walking the ramp in her outfits, JJ Valaya dressed his male models in lehengas. Ashish N. Soni’s ivory-and-black themed show was a little more futuristic and cutting-edge. Some snapshots:

Priyanka Chopra (top) and Raima Sen (top left) for Ritu Kumar

P’s the inspiration PPQ, headed by Amy Molyneaux and Percy Parker who list the letter ‘P’ as among their inspirations, combined a space-age collection including jumpsuits with a humorous take on 1940s-style hats. Designs reminiscent of an air stewardess’ uniform with belted waists played alongside quirky oversized t-shirts worn as dresses and huge gold earrings in the shape of the letter ‘P’. Reuters

JJ Valaya

Ashish N. Soni

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ERGO Friday, September 19, 2008

Wellness

Car seat and infertility Researchers found that 90 minutes on a heated car seat created a significant increase in men’s scrotal temperature and thereby affect a man’s fertility.

Are you sleeping or meditating? SADHGURU JAGGI VASUDEV

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very morning, you’ve already taken the first step towards waking up. If you take the step of becoming aware, you will be meditation. So, the difference between sleep and meditation is when you sleep, all your identifications disappear. You become an absolute nobody. Or, in other words, once your identifications are gone, you have gone back to your original nature. It is just that this process is wonderful, but it is happening in total unawareness. You will see, on a certain day, even if it’s just for an hour or two, or whatever, it’s not the period that matters – on a certain day, if you fall asleep in a very deep way, the next morning when you get up there is a new sense of life, awareness, well-being in you. Most people don’t get to sleep like that on a daily basis. Only on certain days they sleep like that because even in your unawareness, if you touch that state of

nothingness within you, that state of non-identification – when you are dreaming, you are still identified. Do you see that in your dreams you are still yourself? Maybe in various fantastic situations but you are still yourself. So in your dreams the identification is still there. When you go beyond the dream and just become perfect sleep, on those days when you wake up, it’s wonderful. There is a completely new sense of freedom and well-being within you because you have been in touch with your original nature. You have been in a place where there is no identification. Something absolute has touched you but it happened in unawareness. If you achieve the same thing in awareness, then it’s meditation. When you’re awake, if you can be like that, that’s meditation. ■

“It is just that this process is wonderful, but it is happening in total unawareness.”

To learn more about Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev and Isha Yoga, visit www.ishafoundation.org or call their centre in T.Nagar by phone 2433 3185

How about some potatoes today? ERGO pays ode to the humble tuber in this International Year of the Potato LIFFY THOMAS [email protected]

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loo fry with steaming hot rice and sambar, potato skin with cheese and bacon, crisply-fried French fries, aloo samosa or potato bajji dipped in basin flour. What’s your favourite? Whether it is digging into others tiffin box during lunch breaks or queuing up before the restaurant’s buffet table, these baked, mashed, roasted, boiled, steamed or hash brown potatoes are an undisputed dish for foodies of all age groups. They are an integral part of the food system and it is a matter of pride to see the humble tuber get its due this year. The United Nations has declared 2008 as the International Year of the Potato

where it hopes to raise awareness of the “potatoes role in agriculture, the economy and world food security.” As there is a growing concern on rising food prices and food shortages it only becomes more appropriate to look at an age-old crop that could help ease strain of food price inflation.

Nutrients galore According to the www.potato2008.org (do check the site for some exciting photo contest), the tuber is the world’s number one non-grain food commodity with production reaching a record 320 million tonnes in 2007. So how good are potatoes and what is the recommended quantity? Potatoes are rich in carbohydrates, proteins and Vitamin C

– a single medium-sized potato contains about half the recommended daily intake, and a fifth of the recommended daily value

of potassium. “In whatever form – baked, boiled or fried – 50 gms of potatoes is ideal for an adult and 100 gms for adolescents on a daily basis,” says Sheela S, technical head, VLCC. “You can compensate your cereal intake with an adequate quantity of potato-based foods, but make sure the type of preparation depends on the age group.” If it is boiled or baked then it gives you great deal or energy. Even the day two of GM Diet recommends a large baked potato for breakfast. Well, that’s not over. It is said leaving the potato skin intact is even more nutritious, a good source of Vitamin C and minerals.

Secrets unravelled Potatoes don’t just stop with giving energy; they are an excellent source of cure. Grandmothers used the potato pulp to heal wounds. Also, the sweet potato milk shake is said to aid in constipation, colon and rectal cancer. The next time you are visiting a parlour get more curious to know if the potato also comes as an ingredient. The pulp is used to lighten the skin as well as to removes blemishes. “It shows some excellent result for those who have blemishes in their skin, treatment for which goes on for around six months,” says Priya, who heads the spa at Limelite Beauty Salon. No doubt potato is a universal favourite with so much to offer! ■

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Friday, September 19, 2008

COPD and Broccoli

Walk to increase life span

People who suffer with the chronic breathing disorder known as COPD may benefit from a second helping of broccoli at dinner, says a new study.

Octogenarians who walk an hour or more each day are less likely to die and or be prone to serious illness compared with less active counterparts.

Reuters

Talk to your partners It will make you feel better, even if they do not listen

T

elling your partner about your day may be good for your mental health, but it does nothing for them, according to a new study. The study suggests that the benefits of sharing information appear to be one-sided, as it does nothing for the other person’s mental health. The findings are based on study, led by Dr Andrea Horn, of the University of Fribourg, Switzerland.

Regulate your emotions The study, conducted to determine whether telling your partner everything was good for your psychological health, involved 80 couples.

“It’s likely that telling your partner about your day enables you to better regulate your own emotions, which results in these positive psychological health effects,” the Telegraph quoted her, as saying.“It may also promote feelings of intimacy, which increases relationship satisfaction. However it was interesting we didn’t find the same effects for the other person. It could be the process of telling someone about your daily events, not the response, that matters. So you may want to share more with your partner - if not for their benefit, then for your own,”she added. ■ ANI

Sharing your thoughts may also promote feelings of intimacy, which increases relationship satisfaction

Expect nothing and you shall have everything VIPASHA SINHA

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he safest game to play if you are the “no-commitment” types, is to go for an open relationship. It’s the best way to prevent yourself from the side effects of relationships. Now don’t mistake this to be Monday Rahul, Tuesday Varun, and Thursday John kind of situation. In fact it is a better version of two-timing. Wondering how? Let’s see … Rose, a femme fatale, had high career plans and did not want to deviate from it. Her personal life, rather her love life, was a mess because she was on a fling marathon for the past 2 years. This time she wanted to settle for something serious but without any commitments. Sam, her colleague, was a sweet guy but she never considered him a boyfriend-material. Rose now started spending time with him. Casual stalls after office turned to dinners and latenight parties. As expected, Sam asked her out on a date at a cosy

romantic restaurant. Rose knew that it was coming and in her very own style explained: “See Sam, you are very special to me, but I don’t think that it would

work out because I plan to fly abroad in few months. We have very less time to understand and trust each other before I go. Why don’t we just be in an open rela-

tionship where we will see if our relationship will work out in the long run, meanwhile we won’t restrict each other from seeing others.” After much thought,

Sam agreed to the idea and went around with her for 4 months till Rose left the country. They did whatever couples do but still called themselves single. Now both Sam and Rose are married but not to each other. People generally consider an open-relationship ‘wrong’ as it gives room for both the guy and the girl to fool around in the name of it, but when played smart it works out good for both. So expect nothing and take whatever comes as a bonus. ■

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ERGO Friday, September 19, 2008

Sport

Cash reward Beijing Olympic Games heroes Abhinav Bindra, Vijender Singh and Sushil Kumar were handed special cash awards by the Government of India for bringing laurels to the country. Sports Minister MS Gill presented Rs 50 lakh to Abhinav, while Sushil Kumar and Vijender Singh were given Rs 20 lakh each.

PSF eager to have Bindra competing on Pakistan soil The Pakistan Shooting Federation is keen to roll the red carpet for Indian Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra as they believe his participation in upcoming South Asian shooting championships will help raise the profile of sport in the country. PSF is hoping that Bindra would visit Pakistan to compete in the Championships later this year. “The South Asian Championships are due to be held from November 20 to 28th in Islamabad and we are trying to ensure Bindra’s participation,” Razi Ahmad Khan, PSF’s Executive Vice President said. “If Bindra comes it will certainly boost the sport in Pakistan,” Khan added. Razi said the participation of Bindra would “enhance the importance of the coming championship and increase interest.” Shooters from India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal would take part in the prestigious event. PTI

PCB moves court The Pakistan Cricket Board has sought advice from the Lahore High Court on whether it can allow controversial Shoaib Akhtar to play in the domestic Twenty20 tournament even if the pacer delays the payment of a fine of seven million rupees. The PCB legal counsel confirmed they have submitted an application with the Lahore High Court, which will hear a writ petition filed by Shoaib against his 18-months ban and fine imposed on him by an appellate tribunal of the Board. Tafazzul Rizvi said the Board had asked him to get a court advice on the payment of fine as the legal notice sent to Shoaib clearly states that he can’t play for Pakistan and anywhere in Pakistan without first paying the fine. “We will act now after getting advice from the court,” Rizvi said. The fast bowler had a five-year ban imposed on him by the PCB’s disciplinary committee reduced to 18 months by the appellate tribunal in June which heard his appeal against the ban for disciplinary violations. But the tribunal while reducing the ban asked him to pay the fine of seven million rupees. Shoaib has filed a writ petition in the Lahore High Court against the ban and fine but the court while suspending the ban has given no order on the payment of fine. The court last week adjourned a hearing into Shoaib’s appeal which will now be heard at a later date. PTI

Karthikeyan hopes to out pace A1 GP rivals A

s swanky Ferrari-powered cars throng the A1 GP grid, Team India spearhead Narain Karthikeyan reckons his Formula One experience would stand him in good stead and a top-six finish is quite an achievable target for the outfit. Karthikeyan believes the introduction of Ferrari engines and chassis, following A1 GP’s sixyear deal with the Italian giant, will reduce the gap with Formula One and would be almost akin to driving an F1 car. “Though it’s going to be an unknown territory for all the drivers, who are yet to see the new car, I know what to expect,” Karthikeyan told reporters after Team India unveiled its new livery and rookie drivers Armaan Ebrahim and Parthiva Sureswaran in New Delhi on Wednesday. “I believe my Formula One experience would help,” he said. Karthikeyan sniffs his chance in the first three

races after which A1 GP would have a two-month gap. “We have to do well in the first three races. After that, there is a two-month break and others might catch up with us by that time,” said Karthikeyan, who became the first Indian F1 driver when he joined Jordan in 2005 and was Williams’ test driver the next year. “Hardly any A1 GP driver has Formula One experience and that is a huge boost for us,” Team India CEO Andaleeb Sehgal said. David Clare, CEO of A1 GP Asia Pacific, also shared the view and said, “Team India has done reasonably well in the last season and with Narain’s Formula One experience, I think they would win more races this year. After all, Narain understands the car faster than any other driver. I expect Team India to be the most competitive Asia Pacific outfit this season,” he added. ■ PTI

PHOTO: RAJEEV BHATT

FERRARI TO POWER A1 CARS THIS SEASON

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Friday, September 19, 2008

‘‘ Man U fires a blank The ten-year suspension is too harsh. I can’t believe it. We may try to meet with the board officials to explain everything.

Habibur Bashar

JUVE, BAYERN WIN

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anchester United began their European Champions League title defence with a damp squib on Wednesday as wily Spaniards Villarreal held them 0-0 at Old Trafford, while Arsenal and Celtic also drew. United similarly failed to batter down the same rivals – nicknamed the yellow submarine – home and away three seasons ago – and subsequently saw their group hopes embarrassingly sink without trace. Celtic took a leaf out of United’s book as they could only manage another scoreless showing against Danish minnows Aalborg, coached by Scot Bruce Rioch, at Parkhead. United fans welcomed back Cristiano Ronaldo into the fold after injury despite his overtures in the direction of Real Madrid for much of the summer – but the Portugal winger was unable to oblige with a match-winning contribution after rising from the bench. United had won their previous 12 home matches in the tournament going back to Villarreal’s last visit – but Ronaldo,

who netted 42 times last season including in the final win over Chelsea, and company drew a blank. Jonny Evans hit the woodwork late on from a Ronaldo cross but United must now ensure they move swiftly on by collecting full points in Denmark in two week’s time. Manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who says ten points should mean passage to the last 16, said he believed the Ronaldo saga was now resolved. “He now realises what a great club he is at and how loyal and supportive the fans are to him,” said Ferguson Aalborg meanwhile frustrated the Celts, who missed a first-half penalty when Barry Robson saw his effort saved. The visitors’ Michael Beauchamp was wrongly red-carded in a case of mistaken identity for a foul on Georgios Samaras, but Aalborg held on for a precious away point. Arsenal needed a late William Gallas equaliser to salvage a 1-1 draw against Dynamo Kiev in their Group G opener but at least Arsene Wenger’s side ended a three-match losing run in Ukraine.

Defeat loomed again after Guinea striker Ismael Bangoura stroked home a second half penalty at the Valeri Lobanovsky Stadium but skipper Gallas struck from close range two minutes from time.

Bayern wins In Group F, four-times winners Bayern Munich thanked a solitary goal from Belgian defender Daniel Van Buyten for a valuable 1-0 success away to Steaua Bucharest and French serial domestic champions Lyon thanked a late goal from Karim Benzema as they recovered from 2-0 down to draw with Italy’s Fiorentina. In Group H, two-time champions Juventus returned to the event after a two-season absence with a 1-0 home triumph over UEFA Cup winners Zenit St. Petersburg, Alessandro Del Piero netting a magnificent freekick. In the same group, nine-times winners Real Madrid cruised past Belarus debutants BATA Borisov 2-0 with Sergio Ramos and Ruud van Nistelrooy on target in either half. ■ AFP

Juventus’ forward Alessandro Del Piero (left) tussles for the ball with Zenit’s midfielder Anatoliy Tymoschuk during their Champions League Group H football match in Turin. AFP

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ERGO Friday, September 19, 2008

Flick

SHALINI SHAH [email protected]

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t’s such a treat to watch Farooque Sheikh on screen, it’s easy to forget there are even others worth notice. Quite easily, he is the best thing about Saas Bahu Aur Sensex and reason enough to watch the film. Binita (Kirron Kher) and a sulking daughter, Nitya (Tanushree Dutta), move to Mumbai from Kolkata. Amidst kitty parties and job searches, Binita meets stock broker Firoze Sethna (Farooque Sheikh) to sell off some old shares and is hereby introduced to a world quite different

from the saas-bahu soaps the colony ladies seem to live in. Initially quite suspicious of Binita’s rendezvous with a strange man, the kitty ladies (Lillette Dubey, Sharon Prabhakar, Mukta Barve, Seema Azmi, Shahnaz Anand and Anushka Anand) join the club seeing a new way of making money and whiling time. Add to this some motherdaughter friction, a love triangle involving Nitya, her call centre colleague Ritesh (Ankur Khanna) and his vague girlfriend Kirti (Masumeh). Incidentally, Masumeh had played the lead in director Shona Urvashi’s debut film, Chupke Se.

When the story revolves around a heterogeneous group living in the same locality, caricatures and stereotypes do creep in inevitably. Accents are poked fun at, sometimes genuinely funny if politically incorrect. The love triangle looks half-baked, and Kirti’s gold-digger-cum-commitment-phobic behaviour remains unexplained. Kirron Kher gets a tailor-made role, though Lillette Dubey has been a trifle wasted. Constant sensex banter on CNBC forms the background, as if to remind you about the film’s core theme. Farooque Sheikh returns to

the big screen after a 10-year hiatus in Saas, Bahu Aur Sensex, Warner Bros’ debut Hindi production. He makes Feroz Sethna one of the most lovable onscreen characters seen off late. He doesn’t like women, is technologically-challenged and is “rude, but not insensitive”. Also watch out for his old secretary with a penchant for clichés. The film’s producer, Jayshree Makhija, had earlier produced Chashme Buddoor, that classic which made Chamko the most popular fictional detergent and Sheikh the favourite man to play the right-guy-caught-in-thewrong place. ■

Film: Saas, Bahu Aur Sensex Director: Shona Urvashi Cast: Kirron Kher, Farooque Sheikh, Lillette Dubey, Tanushree Dutta, Ankur Khanna, Masumeh, Sharon Prabhakar

Friday, September 19, 2008

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PHOTO: R.RAVINDRAN

Director of masses K MALATHI

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ijay, the director of Poi Solla Porom is a happy man these days. Ask him how audience respond to Poi Solla Porom, pat comes the reply “Mind blowing”. A Tamil movie without fights and song-anddance is something new and has a high-risk factor. But that didn’t deter Vijay. “The concept of the movie didn’t require songs or fights and it’s a myth that a movie will reach the masses only if it has commercial aspects. Haven’t Hollywood movies made it big without them?” he asks.

Working with first-timers It takes guts to make a movie with a bunch of first-timers. And Vijay has taken a calculated risk. “I was very clear about what I wanted and had confidence in the story. As the director, it was my responsibility to teach them the nuances of acting. It didn’t matter if they were freshers or not. One important thing to remember is that any actor’s success lies in his ability to step into a character’s shoe. It was easy to get work done from them as they worked hard. I was very happy that the movie came out well.”

Are you satisfied with the work you have done so far? “No director would be 100 per cent satisfied with his work. However, I think I did justice to the story and to the audience who will spend two hours of their time to watch the movie.”

How different is Bollywood and Kollywood? “In Bollywood they always target the cream of the society and make movies for the multiplexes. They forget about the rest. In Kollywood there are movies for all sections of society.” On his future project, Vijay says, “I wanted my audience to cry and that happened in Kreedom. I wanted to make people laugh and I did it with Poi Solla Porom. I have plans for 10 other movies of various genres like romance, action and thriller, and the list goes on.”

Poi Solla Porom director Vijay talks to Ergo about his latest release

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ERGO Friday, September 19, 2008

Scan

Dr. Aishwarya Rai? Aishwarya Rai wanted to study medicine, but circumstances prevented her. .

PICK OF THE DAY - Friday

Star Plus

Discovery Travel & Living

Sony TV

Zee Studio

Star Voice Of India

A Matter Of Taste With Vir Sanghvi – 10-30 pm

Indian Idol 4 – 9 pm

The Matrix Reloaded

A singing talent contest to determine the best undiscovered young singer in the country

– 11-30 pm Neo and the rebel leaders estimate that they have 72 hours until 250,000 probes discover Zion and destroy it. During this, Neo must decide how he can save Trinity from a dark fate in his dreams

– 10 pm This reality-show is hosted by the popular Shaan where the best singing talents from all corners of the nation compete to achieve the epitome of musical success.

Based on the writings of Vir Sanghvi, one of India’s most charismatic journalists, the series showcases his opinion of the food trends and styles of India and contemporary Indians.

PICK OF THE DAY - Saturday

Sony TV

Zoom

HBO

Star World

Aathvaan Vachan – 11-30 pm A heart-warming story of young Urmi and the challenges she has to face in life. Urmi who is bubbly, cute, innocent, energetic and curious and is all of 18 with the mental ability of an 8 year-old.

Weekend My Desi Top 20

The Peacemaker

– 10-45 pm A pair of mismatched government operatives set out to recover stolen nuclear warheads from international terrorists. When missiles being transported on a Russian train are supposedly destroyed, a brash army specialist is teamed with an ambitious female executive.

Prison Break – 10 pm

– 11 pm Songs that make your day, songs that break your heart and songs that simply put you on the top of the world all of this intersperse with some spicy, fun filled gossip courtesy the ever vivacious.

Star One

Discovery

9X

Filmy

Zara Nachke Dikha – 5-30 pm This bi weekly big ticket show is a dance competition between boys and girls. Eight celebrities in each team will prove their strength against each other so brush up on your moves.

The Rogue of Kaziranga

Heyy Baby – 5 pm Three womanizing bachelors are troubled out of their wits when a baby girl shows up at their doorstep. One of them is the actual father of the kid. Find out who as the kid changes their lives forever.

Pyaar Ke Side Effects

Odd Man Out. Series 1, after learning all the escapees can’t make it over the prison wall, the group decides to get rid of T-Bag.

PICK OF THE DAY - Sunday

– 11-30 pm Deep in the night, the village is in silence, like the lull before the storm. They evacuate their homes. Despite the cold weather, it’s important to cross the river to safety.

– 8 pm Should your girlfriend always be automatically upgraded to your wife? Is marriage the only option for a perfect love life A young couple hilariously attempts to answer this

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Friday, September 19, 2008

Websites of the day Need an answer quickly? Then head to this online encyclopaedia: http:// www.answers.com/ Debunk your favourite urban myths at this fascinating site: http://www.snopes.com/

Greetings Hi Ragav alias Pragadeesh, Wish u many more happy returns of the day. May all your dreams come true. With luv, your Friends in Route 4, Excelacom Technologies

Dear Magesh L.C. (Polaris Software Labs), Many More Happy Returns of the Day. On your birthday I wish you abundant luck, happiness, joy, success, pleasure and goodness to embrace you for eternity May this day always be remembered and each hour and minute be filled with delight. I hope you feel deep in your heart, as your birthdays come and go, How very much you mean to me, More than you can know. Love you lots my dear brother. With Lots and Lots of Love & Prayers, Sowmya L.C. (HCL Technologies)

Dear kutti, Iniya piranthanaal vaazhthukkal de. Dont lose ur cellphone again. Lots of love, un iniya thozhikal, TCS

To our dear nithu , Wishing you many more happy returns of the day. May god bless u on this special day. Good luck and all the very best. Ever loving, Nithu’s friends, TCS

Dear Anoop, May this day be the beginning of another special year .Let this birthday bring you lot of joy and happiness in your life! A Warm Birthday Wishes from All of us! With love, Team Beacon, HCL Technologies Ltd. Hi Nisha, Congratulations on successful completion of two years. Wish you and your family a very happy Onam. With Love, Chitra & Shobana, HCL Technologies

Dear Menaka, Wish you many more happy returns of the day. God Bless you. Warm Birthday wishes from Team BI. Wishes, FunClub Business Implementation, Software Solutions, Scope International

Dear Sathya, Happy Birthday to you who touched our hearts in a warm and beautiful way. From, Dhivya, Jency, Madhavi, Preethi, Saradha, Shalini, Wipro Technologies

To our dear Nita, On your birthday we wish you much pleasure and joy; I hope all of your wishes come true. May each hour and minute be filled with delight, and your birthday be perfect for you! Happy Birthday. Hearty wishes from your colleagues, UST-Global.

Anbulla Annachi veera, Advance Iniya Piranthanaal Vazhthukkal. Kadavul kodukuratha yaaralum thadukka mudiyathu.... Kadavul thaduthatha Yaaralum Kodukka mudiyathu... Evalavo Panrom itha panna mattoma...Pazhakathukaga enagalukku ethuvum seyum engal annachi Naalai Pol endrum vaazha vaazhthum Elam Nenchangal.

Hi Vasu, Congrats for your successful GB completion. Your hard work and positive attitude certainly creates a difference. Wish you even greater success and laurels in the future. This is just the beginning of the bright path that’s filled with your hopes and dreams. Hearty wishes from Shobana B, PCS

Dear Thyagu, Many More Happy returns of the day. You turn not older with years, but newer everyday. I wish you a dazzling and scintillating birthday.

The Accord Metropolitan, will kick start the Navratri Season with the Gujarati Khanna Utsav, an authentic Gujarati food festival with a wide spread of dishes to tingle your taste buds and satisfy your appetite. Where: The Accord Metropolitan, T. Nagar. When: Sept 19 – Sept 28, 7:30 p.m. – 11 p.m.

Regards, Devanathan, Technosoft global services

Hello Ramya Anni, Wishing You Many More Happy Returns of the Day. Best Wishes, Logarathinam R.R. & Family, Wipro Technologies

Dear Mokkai Queen (Srividya), A few years ago, this very day a little girl was born who was named Srividya. People thought of her as an angel. But little did they know that it was a prankster in disguise. This prankster grew up to become a mokkai queen. And today the spot light falls on this being. So, Sri, here is wishing you a wonderful birthday. Hope you have a great day. We will make sure you do. May God bless all the souls who have to put up with you. With lots of luv, K.Ramya Priya, P.Sameera, K.Rekha, S.Geetha and G.Prathuysha. Infosys Technologies Limited.

Hi Packia, On your birthday, like a garden of flowers unfolding in the morning sun... may your special day unfold into happiness. Happy Birthday !

Fitness one’s push-up bar

To do your push-ups smoothly and effectively FitnessOne introduces push-up bars. They help you to increase the number of push-ups by letting you stretch farther than if you just put your hands on the floor. So, already dreaming of bulging pectorals and strong arms? Grab a pair of Push-Up Bar from FitnessOne. Where: All Fitness one outlets Price: Rs. 799 plus taxes

Hearty Wishes from your beloved friends, HCL Technologies Ltd

Dear Manager (vasanth - satyam, Blr), Wishing you many more happy returns of the day. Let this birthday brings you happiness. May god bless you on the special day. Wishes from, Ashok (visteon), Uma (CTS), Rajasekar (infosys), Maguda (FSS), karthick (HDFC) & friends.

My Dear Mom, MOM, u r always doing a million things & what does it get u.A big hug to say. Thank u & HAPPY BIRTHDAY dear mom. Wishing u a day thats as wonderful as u are. By ur loving daughter, V.Radha, IBM

Dear Suresh (Perot Systems), Wish you advance Happy B’day . May all your dreams come true. Enjoy! Best wishes from Anuradha R , S.Ritikaa & Family

Dear Srini, Birthdays are good for you. Statistics show that the people who have the most live the longest. Happy Birthday.

Hello Gang, Send your greetings to [email protected], with the word ‘greeting’ and the preferred date of publication in the subject line. Example: “greeting: September 28”. This will help us organise the column. Also, those who want to dedicate greetings, please send your full name, company name and contact number for verification.

Greets, ITC team - VDSI

Cheers,Team Ergo

Aravind, Dhamu, Jawahar, Suman, Saravanan matrum OSP in Varutha Padatha Valiba Nanbargal, inautix

Gujarati Khanna Utsav

What, when, where If you have anything interesting or informative that can be featured in these columns, mail us at [email protected]. Please send the release mentioning where and when the event is happening, along with the contact details.

TOP 5 WAYS TO ‘IDEATE’ Do yoga Sit down, relax, close your eyes and ideate. If nothing, at least you’ll have a chance to sleep at work, with permission! Observe Observe whatever you do. Right from the paste you squeeze onto your toothbrush to the way to put on your shoes. But don’t sit at your lunch table, researching rice ‘particles’. Doodle This is a more casual version of brainstorming. Scribble down ideas and cartoons and caricatures with much concentration. Just don’t doodle on the corners of an

office document! That kind of brainstorming may not be appreciated. Chat Talk to your friends. A lot. You never know when an idea is around the corner. If your boss raises an eyebrow, tell them that it is ‘done in the interest of the company’. Fiddle Fiddle with everything around you. You always tend to discover something new. Before you break anything in the process, just hope that it doesn’t have a sign that says ‘Nice to see, nice to hold. If broken, considered sold.’ -Anusha Parthasarathy

22

ERGO Friday, September 19, 2008

115th birthday

Traffic Jam

A Portuguese woman believed to be Europe’s oldest person and the second oldest in the world celebrated her 115th birthday this week with her family.

sudoku

Anjana Nandakumar of Infosys, Sholinganallur shot this picture at 5.30 p.m. in Valpaarai near Coimbatore. This is view of the tea estate with the orange red sky in the background. Hobbies: Mehendi designing, travelling and photography

KAKURO 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 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

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Friday, September 19, 2008

Pants ban

Word’s worth

A Florida judge has deemed a law banning baggy pants that show off the wearer’s underwear unconstitutional.

"Rataplan" (rat-uh-plan) a drumming noise. A verb, it means ’to beat adrum.’ From an onomatopoeic French word of the same meaning.

B.C ARIES MARCH 21 - APRIL 20 Ganesha believes in persistence. If you give up easily, nothing will work for you. Today you need to remain focused on work and life. Try to use help from other colleagues if the need be. The evening may be nostalgic as you may meet old friends.

TAURUS APRIL 21 - MAY 20 If you are eating out of your own plate, you are in the right direction. However you may face energy drain towards the end of the day. Ganesha advises you to control your temper. On the love front, the last thing you should today is ignore your love life.

GEMINI MAY 21 - JUNE 20 The most crucial time of the day is the lunch hour. You may end up discussing very important things with colleagues. At work, kindly keep your playful nature in control. You are very effective in expressing emotions; hence love life will be exciting.

BORN LOSER

CANCER JUNE 21 - JULY 20 Sentiments might drench you in the morning, regardless of what you are dealing with. Ganesha feels you will be practical towards your final objective later during the day. Love life may take a back seat, as career growth is of prime importance.

LEO JULY 21 - AUG 20 Ganesha feels you will get new opportunities to learn new things. Luckily, your energy levels will be high enough. You may feel like developing new skills at personal level. Ganesha finds you in an upbeat mood throughout the day.

VIRGO AUG 21 - SEPT 20

FREE RANGE

WORKING IT OUT

Nothing is impossible. Try a little harder when it comes to tough tasks. Ganesha notes that the day will be in your favour. The day will be very helpful if you want to look for better carer prospects. Try to balance personal and professional life.

LIBRA SEPT 21 - OCT 20 Late working hours may result into physical and mental stress. Nevertheless, such dedication to work and genius brain will be the key factors for your profession. Ganesha feels you should apply the same intelligence on the romance front as well.

SCORPIO OCT 21 - NOV 20 Do not lose focus today. The day is fast paced; hence you have to be careful that you don’t get carried away. On the professional front, you may have to make some adjustments. But all the tension will be washed away in the evening.

SAGITTARIUS NOV 21 - DEC 20 You may feel like giving unwanted advises today. You may not only feel philosophical, but will also focus on loss and gain at work. You may wish to establish a more spiritual union with your partner. Ganesha feels the day will be influenced by Karma.

CAPRICORN DEC 21 - JAN 20 Ganesha believes you should hold your plans for one more week. In case you go ahead with it, you may not be able to complete them with desired results. Try to avoid extremities in relationships. Love life may face some emotional stress.

PREVIOUS ISSUE’S SOLUTIONS

AQUARIUS JAN 21 - FEB 20 A fantastic day to experiment with your creativity. There will a lot of scope if you want to do some research about anything. You will meet new people who will help you. Love life will be dramatic. Ganesha advises you to make the most of it.

PISCES FEB 21 - MARCH 20 Ganesha feels that this day will be fruitful for you. Even though you might address to a group, you will still be able to be precise and ‘to the point’. Since your partner is in a good mood as well, it seems to be a perfect time for parties or long drives. Predictions by Bhavesh N. Pattni

24

ERGO Friday, September 19, 2008

!

Ladyman dart player disqualified A ladies darts team say they were thrown out of a league because one of their members used to be a man.

Becks, Posh immortalised in Lego toy bricks David and Victoria Beckham have been transformed into Lego figures. The hottest couple has been transformed into toy bricks to mark the 30th birthday of Lego, a leading toy manufacturing company, reports The Sun. The list of celebs transformed by Lego’ masterminds include Madonna, Amy Winehouse. They have also immortalised Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and Sir Cliff Richard. ANI

Too much fun

DPA

Age of chivalry ends with a crash A 77-year-old motorist who thought a passenger train would give way for her at a level crossing in Outback Australia was disabused when the venerable Ghan luxury locomotive shunted her car aside near Alice Springs on Thursday. “She slowed for the train to give way but she actually thought the train was slowing for her, so she proceeded to cross the track and unfortunately the train clipped the front of her vehicle,” Northern Territory Police Constable Michael Valladares told national broadcaster ABC. DPA

Meet the woman who beat Sarah Palin F

ormer Miss Alaska Maryline Blackburn has revealed she knows what it’s like to run against Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin. In 1984, Palin was in the running for a different title - Miss Alaska. Palin competed under her maiden name, Sarah Heath. However, Blackburn beat her for the title in a pageant she remembers as being very competitive. “My first impression was, ‘Oh my God, she’s gorgeous, she’ll probably be the one who wins,’” People quoted Blackburn, as saying. “She had this look about her, this look in her eyes that tells you she’s calculating, figuring out, ‘how am I going to win this competition? There was a determination there,” she added. Palin later wrote Blackburn a warm note on the back of a group photograph: “I do love you.

AFP

A former Japanese serviceman who said he wanted to have fun was taken into custody Thursday for allegedly hurling explosiveladen fire extinguishers towards the Imperial Palace, reports said. Officers patrolling near the sprawling palace in central Tokyo heard two blasts at around 2:40 am (1740 GMT Wednesday) and found the man standing by a truck parked near a moat. No injuries or damage were reported. Police detained the man, a 34-year-old former military serviceman, public broadcaster NHK and Kyodo News agency said without giving his name. “I did it for my own delight. I wanted to stir things up by doing it near the palace,” he said. The Imperial Palace, the residence of Emperor Akihito, is among the most tightly guarded spots in Tokyo, with limited access to the general public.

You’re more admired than even you know. And please keep God Number One. He’s got great things for you, baby. Love, Sarah Heath,” she stated.

Blackburn hasn’t spoken to Palin in the years since. As for the forthcoming election, “I am in the Obama camp,” she said. ANI