Finergo Episode 20 Dt 20apr09

A BYTE OF LIFE

Monday, April 20, 2009

10 WORST OF WOLVERINE Hugh Jackman recalls stabbing stuntwoman on X-Men sets FREE CIRCULATION

Vol. 3

03 TOO GOOD FOR THE CRITICS Aangan behind Citi Centre

No. 73

The kiosk CEOs

Ergo profiles the entrepreneurs behind two of Chennai’s most well-known food kiosks – Sunil Cherian of BurgerMan and Naresh G. Bajaj of Quick Super Bites.

PHOTO: S.S. KUMAR

» PAGE 05

02 NAMMA CHENNAI

ERGO Monday, April 20, 2009

Kamal Hassan’s To face enquiry with confidence An off-record training session to face queries with confidence is in progress right now for some junior police officers. The reason – a CBI enquiry is still on into the police-lawyer clash that occurred on February 19. Some juniors are being forced into mock enquiry sessions by seniors who are desperately trying to save their posts. Interestingly, a written test is also part of some sessions.

‘Film critics’ raise curiosity A recent major haul of CDs in the city seems to have titillated some khakis and media men here. The CDs, which are original pieces and not pirated, were on display last week and were snapped up by those present at the venue. The feedback by the few ‘lucky ones’ has made others very curious.

Tired of transfers A senior police officer who played a big role in the much publicised arrest of a top politician some years ago seems to be breathing a sigh of relief now after a stint of transfers – even two in a matter of three days. He is a relieved man now and is presently waiting for a change of government in the state so that he can be back in action.

Sunday A

ctor Kamal Hassan, who was busy shooting in Hyderabad for his upcoming flick Unnai Pol Oruvan, the remake of Hindi film A Wednesday, was in the city to announce the new office-bearers of the Tamil Nadu Kamal Hassan Welfare Association on Sunday. At a function held at Sivagami Pethachi Auditorium, the 54year-old actor also distributed welfare aids to various homes and school children located in Tamil Nadu. He distributed uniforms, electric fans and silver plates to the students of Adhi Dravidar School in Chromepet, silver plates to Shenoy Nagar Girls Corporation High School in Central Chennai and 15 fans and 200 mats to a children’s home in Rasipuram. An ambulance was donated on behalf of his trust in Hosur. He also distributed sewing machines to five women from Tirupur and a tricycle to Rajeswari of Royapuram. R.Thangavelu, the in-charge of Coimbatore Kamal Hassan Welfare Association, gave the welcome speech. Meanwhile, the Hindi remake

of Dasavatharam, the magnum opus of actor Kamal Hassan which received rave reviews from the Tamil audience, was released on Friday. Titled Dashavatar, the movie aims to woo Bollywood audiences too. In a recent interview, when Kamal Hassan was asked whether he would campaign for any party in the coming elections, he said he would choose a good

party “when time comes” and he will not be alone as there are a billion people behind him. He also added that every Indian should feel that they are choosing civil servants, not their leaders, while casting votes. He also has said that he is not Congress or BJP or even Communist. ■ Ergo Correspondent with inputs from Agencies

Fanta-stic

쒀 Actor and Fanta brand ambassador Genelia D’souza at ‘Bunk with Genelia’, an event held in the city on Friday. PHOTO: S.S.KUMAR

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Monday, April 20, 2009

Summer Shades at Rhapsody Rhapsody at Courtyard by Marriott is hosting ‘Summer Shades, its summer cocktail fest. Sip cocktails like ‘Mangorita’, The Beach and ‘Water’ (a fruity combination of white wine and fresh apple garnished with mint and lime wedges), to name a few. For teetotallers, there’s a range of mocktails and coolers. Accompaniments include Nimbu Jhinga, Pita bread with hummus and crunchy fried squids. Also, if you order three cocktails from Summer Shades you get the fourth free. Priced at Rs.350 plus taxes, the special offer is valid for the whole of April between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Northern spices A restaurant for office-goers and all those who enjoy authentic makki ki roti and sarson ka saag

DEEPA VENKATRAMAN

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he Citi Centre food court on Radha Krishna Salai may have delicious widespread cuisines but if you’re looking out for a place which assures you fast service of authentic Punjabi food after you shop till you drop, there is Aangan, a serene restaurant located just behind the mall, at Hamilton Bridge, Mylapore. Go on weekdays during lunch hours and one can never see an empty table. Hemant Gupta, who has been running this restaurant along with his wife Beena Gupta, says, “Specially for office-goers, we have combomeals comprising parathas or

How to get there: Just behind Citi Centre on Hamilton Bridge, Mylapore My picks: Paneer tikka, naan with daal makhni and matka kulfi When to go: During lunch (12 p.m. to 3 p.m.) and dinner hours

jeera rice along with chhole and raita for Rs. 55 and North Indian thali consisting paneer subzi, dry vegetable, one small roti and naan, daal and curd rice for Rs. 85.” As the waiter brought the paneer tikka (Rs 75), daal makhani (Rs 70), corn capsicum vegetable (Rs 80) and biryani (Rs 75), makki ki roti (Rs 20), dry aalu-gobi (Rs 70) to the table, the aroma

satiated half my hunger. One bite of the soft paneer tikka marinated with curd and spices and it just melted in my mouth. It is unique for its softness and freshness. To beat the heat, I ended my wholesome meal with chilled and rich pot kulfi with dry fruits. “At one stretch, we make about 40 to 50 pots of kulfi at our outlet itself”, says Gupta. Considering it’s Punjabi food,

PHOTOS: R. RAVINDRAN

their parathas, lachas, naan and kulcha ranging between Rs. 20 and Rs. 30, paneer butter masala (Rs 80), paneer capsicum bhurji and chana masala (Rs. 75), it is not one bit oily and gives you the flavour of home-made food.

However, parking is a bit of a problem but Gupta has a solution. He assures, “Considering our restaurant is behind the mall, on producing their parking area ticket, we will pay the first one hour of the parking-time.”

04 KALEIDOSCOPE

Ask your query I am planning to travel abroad next month for a vacation. Is there any limit on the foreign exchange I can get from my bank? What are the rules applicable? Arun Thangavel, Adayar

Dear Arun, The buying and selling of foreign exchange in India is governed by FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act). As per the act there are various ceilings for the amount of Forex that you can purchase from Authorised Dealers of RBI. The rules state that if authorised dealers can release Upto $25000 per trip for Business travel, $10000 for one financial year for personal trips, Upto $100,000 for medical visits and for education. Also the maximum currency you can carry in the form of notes or currencies is $2000. Also the maximum that you can buy by way of payment in Rupees is Upto Rs 50,000/- above that you can buy forex only using Cheque or Demand draft. Do you need some unbiased and professional solutions to your personal finance issues related problems? Ask Doctor Finergo. Mail your queries to [email protected], Put subject as Doctor.

Mini Quiz Q1: Nifty is the index of which stock market? New York Stock Exchange National Stock Exchange Bombay Stock Exchange New Delhi Stock Exchange Q2: What is the booking amount for the most basic model of Tata NANO 93000 95000 65000 87000 Send your answers to [email protected] or SMS your answers to 92813 98889. For example if you choose A as the answer to question 1 and B as the answer to question 2 type it as 1A2B and send it. Winner will be chosen by lucky draw from all correct answers and will get a Parker pen.

Answers for last week’s mini-quiz HDFC Standard Life Asset

Word in Word SEBI tightens FMP rules The Securities and Exchange Board of India has asked Fixed Maturity Plans (FMPs) to disclose their monthly portfolios on their websites. This has been done with the intention of bringing in more transparency and creating better disclosure norms to help investors make more informed decisions relating to their investments in these funds. The initial trigger for this move was the liquidity crisis seen in Oct 2008, when many investors started redeeming their investments in FMPS and which led to a drop in liquidity of most funds.

ERGO Monday, April 20, 2009

THE GOLDEN EGG laying duck? Gold lying idle in your bank locker can quite literally lays eggs and give you some additional income

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tate Bank of India has reintroduced the Gold Deposit Scheme (GDS). The scheme aims to help investors earn interest income by depositing their gold holdings at the bank. Apart from the income interest what makes it even more interesting is the add-on benefits that come with it. Egg Laying? The interest in the scheme is calculated in terms of grams rather than in rupees. In simpler terms if you deposit 1000 grams for 1 year, then you get 10 grams as interest on maturity. This can be redeemed as cash or gold. So your 1000 grams becomes 1010! And we never believed in the golden duck! How the scheme works Customers can deposit a minimum quantity of gold in any form with SBI. The bank will convert the gold into bars and assay it at the Government of India mint and issue a Gold Deposit Certificate (GDC). The weight indicated on the GDC will be taken as your deposit. The rate of interest is 1% for 3 years, 1.25% for 4 years and 1.5% for five year deposits. The interest can be withdrawn annually or allowed to compound annually. Upon maturity the depositor has option to redeem both Principal and Interest in either Rupees or Gold. The icing on the cake

Apart from the fact that your gold gets multiplied instead of lying idle, the GDS gives you the investor other benefits too: the entire interest is tax free; the value of Gold deposited is exempt from wealth tax; the deposits are exempt from capital gains tax; you save the money you would have to pay to keep your gold in a locker; and the scheme also allows the depositor to avail of loans. On a comparative basis, the 1 to 1.5 per cent interest looks meager.

But if we allow for the benefits gained by fluctuations in the gold price and the rupee-dollar exchange rates then the return could even be to the tune of 30% (see table) Bottomline In case you are planning to keep gold idle in your bank locker then the SBI Gold Deposit Scheme could be a better option to keep the gold Safe, liquid and growing. Pradeep Yuvaraj with inputs from Nitya Varadarajan

05

Monday, April 20, 2009

What’s the kiosk out there? These outlets are tiny, non-fussy and present almost everywhere. Ergo profiles two entrepreneurs who are behind some of these friendly food kiosks in your neighbourhood

Sunil Cherian, Chairman and CEO of BurgerMan Foods India. PHOTO: S.S. KUMAR

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e is an “easygoing, non-fussy” person, but at work Sunil Cherian has his own principles. He doesn’t spend money on advertising, doesn’t follow the rules of the family business, and convinces corporates to let out their waste (read extra) space, where he does business. There is something charming about this 24-year-old Managing Director of BurgerMan Foods India, besides the fact that he still goes about calling his clients ‘sir’. BurgerMan outlets are dime-a-dozen in number, but that is not stopping this serial entrepreneur from raring to go further – he is a Partner in Mash in Besant Nagar, which he runs with his cousins. Plus, he helps his family in the jewellery business. From its current 25 kiosks, BurgerMan is looking at opening another 25 in the next three months. Hailing from a business house, entrepreneurship was clearly his goal but what surprised his family was that “his venture was in the range of a tea shop.” “It started as a business plan for my MBA at IIPM. As my budget did not permit

I decided to try the kiosk model,” he says. “Kiosks were not new, but making a serious food like burger a business was a challenge.” So, even before he could complete college, the first BurgerMan outlet was run-

ning outside Stella Maris College (December 2006). “I gave petty salaries, hired students from catering colleges, converted my garage into a kitchen and kick-started the business.” Though, now it is a different story. “Most of my employees earn a fivedigit salary,” he says. He opened the second outlet in a week’s time and in 18 months he broke even. BurgerMan now boasts of a turnover of Rs. 2 crore a year. Sunil is candid when he says that burgers are not the most liked food and neither does he stock the best burgers, but his outlets grab attention with their positioning. “Marketing and business development are the two hats I wear,” he says. The rest are outsourced. “Our logo was designed by the person of Om Shanti Om and Sivaji fame. Financial consultancy is also handled by a second party. I have the leverage to do what I want.” Talking about the kiosk model, he says that since it is not a building he does not have to pay advance. But then, all locations needn’t always click. “That’s why my 25 sq ft kiosks, or some which are even smaller, come of great advantage. I have moved out of at least 10 locations and I am still moving out,” he says and informs how he is next targeting pockets in Parrys and the suburbs. Beside all this, what’s keeps him going is being the guest facility at Anna University. “I just enjoy being with my target group.”

Sandwich break

Naresh Bajaj at the Quick Super Bites (QSB) kiosk at Anna Nagar. PICHUMANI

PHOTO: K.

It has been a rollercoaster ride, full of learning, for Naresh G. Bajaj since he quit his well-paying job and position as senior manager (HR) with Murugappa Group in December 2007 to pursue his entrepreneurial ambitions. He has already spent Rs. 8 lakh to make, lose and remake money in his food ven-

ture. Of the 20 employees he recruited over a period of one year, only four remain with him today, and his first full-fledged outlet in Anna Nagar had to be closed down. Naresh, however, is composed and knows that risks and hurdles are part of the road to success he has to travel. “The things that were working for me in the corporate world were not working here. I had to unlearn so much. There is no better teacher than experience,” says the 30-year-old Business Management graduate from Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar. Quick Super Bites (QSB), the standalone kiosks he owns at Anna Nagar (two in Shanthi Colony) and Purusawalkam (opposite Abirami Theatre, attached to Kovai Pazhamudhir Nilayam), now claims to be making a slow but steady growth. “It took us six months to see good footfall at our furnished outlet where we started by serving sandwiches, salads, soups and more. As that was not showing great returns, I rekindled my faith on the kiosk model, shifting focus to now only serving seven varieties of sandwich.” Naresh is confident that the kiosk model will earn him more returns than an independent outlet. To “keep the show going” he recently took up a part-time assignment. “I work as consultant in the morning and in the evening I am at my outlets – interacting with customers, gauging customer behaviour, monitoring quality and supplying raw materials,” he says. QSB is mulling over opening 10 outlets in 2009 and also at giving franchise, but only to their employees. “I have given Devindran M., who was the first to join me, a franchise. That gives them ownership and a sense of belonging,” he says. QSB is also looking at entering the Limca Book of Records by making non-stop sandwiches! ■

06 VILLAGE

ERGO Monday, April 20, 2009

Frog lover A French bus driver has been told to hop it by her bosses - after stopping her double-decker to rescue a frog in the road.

Lindsay sets sights on DiCaprio Looks like Lindsay Lohan has had enough of women, for she is now turning her attention to men, and the latest guy she’s eyeing is none other than Hollywood superstar Leonardo DiCaprio. The Mean Girls star was spotted flirting with the Titanic actor before getting up to dance in front of him. Lindsay spotted Leo at Hollywood hotspot My House on April 15, and indulged in cosy chat with the 34-year-old star. “As soon as Lindsay saw Leo she was like a bee to honey,” The Sun quoted a source as saying. ANI

Indebted man kidnaps his banker A Spanish builder with big debts kidnapped his bank manager at gunpoint and demanded a 50,000 euro loan plus his luxury car, police said. “He needed money urgently, the company had stacked up large debts recently,” a spokeswoman said. The builder accosted his bank manager in a car park near the bank in the Mediterranean resort of Marbella and told him, falsely, that accomplices had taken his family hostage. The builder then forced the executive to drive 20 km to Estepona, sign over his luxury car and transfer 1,500 euros to the builder’s bank account. The banker persuaded his kidnapper to let him call a colleague and told him, in code, that he had been kidnapped. Police tracked them down to an office in the town and seized the kidnapper as they left the building. The builder was later remanded in custody, El Pais reported.

Toy gun blast kills boy A 10-year-old boy in Vietnam was killed and another seriously wounded when a toy gun they were playing with exploded, state media said on Sunday. The accident happened in the southern province of Binh Phuoc when the youngsters were trying to install batteries in a plastic gun found in their family’s garden, Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper and other media reported. The 10-year-old died on the way to hospital while his five-year-old relative was seriously burned, the newspaper said. Tuoi Tre quoted witnesses describing the gun as a toy and saying the blast could be heard from a large distance away. It reported that police suspected there had been explosive material in the toy gun. AFP

Beyonce announces US tour Beyonce is ready to take America by a storm, as she has announced the American leg of her ’I am Sasha Fierce’ world tour on her own website. The Ave Maria hitmaker will start the American tour at New York City’s Madison Square Garden on June 21, and will wind it with a four-night residency at the Encore theatre in Las Vegas, reports E! Online. The concert has been created to back up Beyonce’s hit album I Am...Sasha Fierce. The American tour will feature an all-female band and a hefty, 71-costume wardrobe designed by Thierry Mugler.

Reuters

ANI

‘Slumdog’ star Rubina up for sale

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he father of Slumdog Millionaire child actress Rubina Ali tried to sell his nineyear-old daughter for adoption in a bid to escape the Mumbai slums, a newspaper report said. News of the World alleged that Rafiq Qureshi wanted 20 million rupees for the girl, who played the young Latika in the film. News of the World said its reporters posed as a wealthy family from Dubai, employing its regular ‘fake sheikh’ sting tactic. The newspaper published pictures of the actress, her father and uncle posing with their un-

dercover reporter, plus video clips of Qureshi and his brotherin-law during their meeting last week. “Yes, we are considering Rubina’s future,” Qureshi was quoted as saying. He put the reporter in touch with his brother-in-law Rajan More. “We are interested in securing our girl’s future,” the star’s uncle was quoted as saying. “If you wanted to adopt we could discuss this, but her parents would also expect some proper compensation in return. “Whatever money is agreed by Rajan, I will accept.

“We can discuss everything about this deal when we meet. There’s a lot of interest in Rubina.” Qureshi, Ali, More and some other relatives met the British reporters in a Mumbai hotel, the newspaper said. “We need two or three months,” Qureshi said. More added: “Until then we can negotiate the amount. We’ll come to Dubai, the girl will come and go.” “It’s 20 million rupees,” the uncle was quoted as saying. “This discussion will not go beyond the three of us.” ■ AFP

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Monday, April 20, 2009

Children’s issue takes centrestage Civil society groups are hoping that this election will be a ‘vote for children’

“I think there are many ways to serve people and I just don’t feel the need to enter politics” Priyanka Gandhi

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PHOTO: K.R.DEEPAK

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hey do not have vote, so their problems are of nobody’s concern in the poll season. As the country votes in the general elections, the issues of children seem to have remained largely absent from the agenda of the political parties. No major party has given any concrete assurance of tackling serious issues like child labour, trafficking, malnutrition and education. Two leading NGOs - Child Rights and You (CRY) and Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) have launched separate initiatives to sensitise political parties and voters on issues that are affecting the lives of children.

While CRY has brought out a child rights manifesto and is interacting with leaders of various parties to communicate their demands, the BBA, along with National Coalition for Education, has started a campaign to make candidates sign letters pledging commitment to raise children’s issues in Parliament. “As the nation goes to vote, we are reminding voters that onefourth of the country - as many as 400 million citizens - will not vote because they are minors. As voters and candidates, we are charged with the responsibility to see that they do not slip off the political radar,” Dipankar Mazumdar, CRY Director, Youth and Development Support, said.

Other than calling on voters to hold poll contestants accountable for child rights, CRY members have also held meetings with political parties in Mumbai and Kolkata. However, they have not got “any concrete assurance” from most of the leaders, Sumita Mehta, a CRY representative, said. BBA, on the other hand, is seeking written assurances, with a target of making 800 candidates for Lok Sabha polls sign the pledge letter spelling out their commitment to work for elimination of child labour, abuse and trafficking and for ensuring security, health and education for children. So far, over 130 candidates

have signed the pledge. “The whole purpose is to sensitise the politicians. We will declare the signatories as ‘child-friendly candidates’ and will appeal to the electorate not to vote for those who are refusing to back the campaign,” BBA founder Kailash Satyarthi said. “Political parties need to take a categorical stand on issues of children rather than going for tokenism or rhetoric,” Shanta Sinha, the Chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), said. “It is good that the NGOs are lobbying with political parties for the cause of children,” she felt. ■ PTI

08 SPORT

ERGO Monday, April 20, 2009

Jeev slips to tied 26 Jeev Milkha Singh brought home his second level-par card of the week to slip to tied 26th after the penultimate round of the Verizon Heritage golf tournament in Hilton Head. Overnight tied 21st, Jeev returned 71 to take his three-day tally to two-under 211 and join 14 others at the 26th place.

ICL mulls s n o i t p legal o

ith Disappointed w ICC’s decision, ‘rebel’ league ready to fight it out in court

Messi slots Barca home Lionel Messi’s 20th league goal gave Barcelona a 1-0 victory at Getafe while Real Madrid beat Recreativo Huelva 1-0 to keep pace with the Spanish leader. Messi held off Cata Diaz’s challenge in the 19th minute on Saturday to receive a pass in front of goal before moving past two defenders to shoot through the defence, with the ball taking a deflection past goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic. It was the Argentina winger’s 33rd goal in all competitions this season. Stojkovic kept Getafe in the contest with a handful of acrobatic stops, including from Messi and Thierry Henry, but the relegation-threatened club could only muster one shot on goal in the pouring rain. Barcelona’s sixth straight win improved it to 78 points – six better than Madrid – as it tries to snap a three-year trophy-less drought. “I feel calm going into the last month and half of the season seeing how the team is playing,” Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola said. Madrid coach Juande Ramos stretched his league unbeaten streak to 16 games – with 15 victories – after Marcelo’s 49th-minute goal gave the defending champion its seventh straight road win to match its best streak since the 1961-62 season. PTI

Australia to appeal Chennai venue choice Tennis Australia will appeal the International Tennis Federation’s (ITF) decision to confirm Chennai as the venue for next month’s Davis Cup tie between India and Australia, citing security concerns. The ITF confirmed on Saturday the AsiaOceania Group I second round encounter would take place on May 8-10 in the Indian city after a “positive report from the ITF’s security consultants”. Tennis Australia (TA), which had been seeking to have the tie moved out of India to a neutral venue, would appeal the decision on Monday, with a decision expected within the week, Australian media reported on Sunday. TA had been seeking to have the tie moved as it was being staged during India’s elections, which have already prompted the IPL cricket tournament to be moved to South Africa as the government said it could not provide adequate security for both. The Indian tennis federation had already said it would hire private security consultants for the tie. Reuters

thish in captain R. Sa to ICL India hy op tr on ampi er the ICL ch Dev hands ov il ap K an rm Criticising the ICC move, Royal ICL chai FILE PHOTO Bengal Tigers’ Rohan Gavaskar Hyderabad. said: “The decision looks arbiwe had expected a fair hearing trary. ICL is giving a host of from ICC.” players a chance to earn their livERGO CORRESPONDENT According to ICC sources, al- ing by playing cricket and I see [email protected] though a majority of the mem- nothing wrong in it. A bigger bers wanted to grant an unofficial player pool playing top-level nubbed by the International status to the League, vehement competitive cricket will increase Cricket Council (ICC) again, opposition from the cash-rich the level of the game in the long Indian Cricket League (ICL) Board of Control for Cricket in In- run. Nobody should be punished officials are planning to ex- dia (BCCI) tied the parent body’s for helping cricket.” ercise legal options to break the hands. However, giving a glimThe ICL, meanwhile, will hold stalemate related to the ‘rebel’ mer of hope to the players the the third edition of its Twenty20 League. ICC stated that the onus is on the tournament in October 2009. The The ICC executive committee, home boards to select ICL players league has also initiated a perforwhich met in Dubai over the past who have terminated their con- mance evaluation programme to two days, rejected the ICL’s pro- tracts. develop a better talent pool and posal for “authorised unofficial” “In relation to the possibility of improve player performance. status, saying it did not meet its ICL players returning to official About 18 out of 85 Indian players criteria. “Authorised unofficial” cricket, the board reiterated to and 16 from a pool of 70 foreign status would have allowed the member countries the impor- players are understood to be unICC to sanction ICL matches. tance of protecting the game. A der the scanner for performing Kiran More, a member of the clear message needed to be sent below their potential during the ICL’s executive committee, said that the players could not swap last edition of the tournament. the Essel Group-backed league between official and unofficial Earlier, ICL had cancelled their would explore legal alternatives. cricket. The future of the ICL scheduled tournament in March “It is disappointing. As our chair- players depends on the boards of due to economic recession and man Subhash Chandra has al- their countries and they have to the Pakistan government’s refusready stated, we will look at the decide about it,” ICC chief exec- al to clear their country’s players legal options,” More said. “We utive Haroon Logart told media for the League, following the could have opted for it earlier but persons in Dubai. Mumbai terror attacks. ■

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Monday, April 20, 2009

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There are no better people than Shaun and Jonty to tell us about the conditions. They have worked tremendously over the past few weeks along with the third coach Praveen Amre. Pollock and Rhodes have been working with the Mumbai Indians playing squad in Durban and used all their expertise in getting the youngsters used to the conditions here. Sachin Tendulkar

Vettel reigns in rain

German driver delivers maiden Red Bull victory in China

Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel (left) of Germany is sprayed with champagne by Brawn GP driver Jenson Button of Britain after Formula One’s Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit on Sunday. PHOTO: AFP

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erman Sebastian Vettel gave Red Bull their first Formula One win with a pole to chequered flag victory ahead of teammate Mark Webber in the rain-soaked Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday. The 21-year-old claimed the second victory of his career, with Australian Webber taking his best result to date, in a Red Bull onetwo on a track that resembled a skidpan for much of the race.

richello, who was fourth. McLaren’s Heikki Kovalainen was fifth to finally get his season going after failing to finish a lap in the previous two races, while world champion teammate Lewis Hamilton finished sixth after a late spin robbed him of a better result. German Timo Glock was seventh for Toyota, who slipped to third in the constructors’ standings behind Red Bull, and Toro Rosso’s Swiss rookie Sebastien Buemi won the final point in eighth.

Continuing the good work Briton Jenson Button, who won the first two races of the season, finished third to extend his championship lead to six points over Brawn GP team mate Rubens Bar-

So near, yet so far There was heartache for Force India, still without a point since their debut last year, who had Adrian Sutil in sixth place until the

German crashed out six laps from the finish. Ferrari’s misery continued with the champions failing to score for the third race in a row. Felipe Massa’s car ground to a halt during the second safety car period while 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen finished 10th. Ferrari, who remained bottom of the constructors’ standings, are now suffering their worst start to a season since 1981 when their cars retired from the first three races. Heavy rainfall meant the first eight laps of the race were run behind the safety car, which returned on lap 20 after one of the string of collisions and crashes in the race left debris strewn over the track. Vettel, who became Formula One’s

youngest winner for Red Bull’s sister team Toro Rosso in similarly wet conditions at last year’s Italian Grand Prix, had his share of luck and escaped unscathed when Buemi shunted into the back of his car on lap 19.

Waiting game He emerged from the pits in third place with 19 laps to go and only had to wait for Webber and Button to make their final stops to retake the lead. With Button struggling with his tyres, Vettel took on the championship leader and reclaimed the lead on track before steering his car through the pools of water to victory. ■ Reuters

10 FLICK

ERGO Monday, April 20, 2009

Madonna falls from horse, hospitalised Madonna was rushed to hospital after she fell off her horse while horseback riding in the Hamptons. Although injuries were not serious, the ‘Material Girl’ was taken to the hospital for precautionary measures, reports TMZ. Madonna was at the home of photographer Steven Klein at the time and was reportedly wearing full riding gear, including a helmet, when she fell, reports Daily Telegraph. ANI

The tale of Wolverine’s talons Hugh Jackman stabbed stuntwoman on X-Men movie sets

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ctor Hugh Jackman accidentally stabbed a stuntwoman in the arm while filming a fight scene for the first X-Men movie. The Australian actor had to wear real metal talons while filming the 2000 comic book blockbuster and admits handling the prop was quite dangerous. Jackman recalls one incident which left Rebecca Romijn’s stunt double seriously hurt – forcing makers to rethink how to film the scenes involving the superhero’s famous claws. “On the very first film we had real metal claws and the girl who was playing Mystique, Rebecca Romijn, her stunt double and I were doing a fight sequence in the Statue of Liberty. I went to stab her in the arm, which was part of the choreography, and she’s meant to move her arm away and she forgot and the thing went right into her arm, like an inch,” Contact-

music.com quoted him as saying. “I was stunned. It was one of those things, it was so deep, there was a hole, there was no blood coming out and then like a minute later, it was like a geyser. I didn’t faint and I thought she was going to freak out, but she just said, ‘Yes! I have been stabbed by Wolverine!’ Typical stuntwoman,” he added. Jackman admits that subsequent efforts to prevent him using real metal claws were not particularly successful and even involved him using a fake limb with one arm tucked behind his back. The prop was only used in one scene before it was discarded. Jackman’s latest outing as the superhero, XMen Origins: Wolverine, hits cinemas on May 1. ■ IANS

Heidi Klum pregnant, admits husband

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utting an end to speculation, singer Seal has confirmed that wife and supermodel Heidi Klum is pregnant with their third child. Seal confirmed the rumours from the stage of a concert on Thursday in New York’s Radio City Hall, telling the audience: “The topic of debate outside our hotel is ‘Is Heidi having another baby?’ Heidi and I are having another baby. I mean, Heidi is doing all the work.” Heidi has a threeyear-old son Henry and two-year-old son Johan, along with a daughter Leni (4), from a previous relationship. The family cheered for Seal as the singer performed at Radio City music hall in New York. ■ Agencies

What one botched pedicure can do

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upermodel Kate Moss dumped her five-star salon to get a pedicure in Chinatown but ended up getting a fungal infection. “Kate fancied a little pampering when she went to New York for the launch of her clothing range in Topshop. She normally uses beauty salons in the five-star hotels but this time decided to pop into a parlour in Chinatown,” femalefirst.co.uk quoted quoted a source close to the model as saying. “She regrets the decision now as the nail on her big toe on her right foot has turned yellow and has become really thick and ugly. She is certain that she has caught a fungal infection from the cheap salon,” she said. Moss (35) will have to lay off the booze for the duration due to her medication. “Kate was looking forward to letting her hair down with her friend at a musical festival in California. But now she knows that she has to lay off booze for some time due to her medication,” the source said. “She is really annoyed as she was looking forward to wearing open-toe sandals now that the weather is heating up. But now she is going to keep her feet undercover for a little longer. ■ IANS

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Monday, April 20, 2009

Top Ocean Adventure Movie of all time Steven Spielberg’s Jaws is the top Ocean Adventure Movie of all time, according to a new list. Following Jaws to the second spot was James Cameron’s romantic disaster film, Titanic. According to Fox News, Walt Disney’s 1954 film, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, bagged the third title, followed by 1969’s The Poseidon Adventure. ANI

The letter that made Rourke cry

A

ctor Mickey Rourke has revealed that he was reduced to tears when he received a letter from Kim Basinger, stating that she utterly loved his performance in The Wrestler. Rourke, who acted alongside Kim in 91/2 Weeks, revealed that letter to him was like winning accolades. “Coming from her, it was very special and it was very generous and heartfelt letter. It brought me to tears, really,” Contactmusic quoted Rourke as saying. Rourke, who reunited with Kim for the first time in 23 years on the red carpet at the premiere for their flick, The Informers, revealed he was very nervous about meeting her again. “We had no screen time together in the movie (The Informers), so I was very nervous. I hadn’t seen her in 23 years,” Rourke added. ■ ANI

‘My character in 99 has a wild streak’

A

AFP PHOTO

ctor Soha Ali Khan, whose career is going through a dry spell, is now looking forward to her upcoming venture 99 and says that her character in the film has a “wild streak”. “I play the character of a girl called Pooja, who is a lobby manager of a hotel floor. She is stylish, confident and vivacious and has a wild streak,” says Soha. “In the film, two conmen, played by Kunal Khemu and Cyrus Broacha, enter the character’s life and since she wants some excitement in her life, she happily joins them. She is a fun character at heart,” she adds. The romantic comedy will hit screens in May. ■ IANS

Honey, you messed the kid’s hair

A

ctor Jennifer Garner has revealed that the person responsible for her daughter Violet’s messy hair is her father Ben Affleck. Jennifer says that Ben is the one who takes Violet to school, and does her hair by simply tying two barrettes. “Ben (Affleck) will do the school run. He dresses her and does her hair. It’s pretty funny. You can always tell when he has been at it, just two random barrettes hanging in there. It’s so sweet,” Us Weekly quoted her as telling InStyle. Meanwhile, Jennifer has also declared that she doesn’t bother much about her looks, and instead prefers keeping it basic. “I never go nuts with my look. It’s easy to feel like you’ve gone into caricature territory when you do,” she said. ■ ANI

12

ERGO Monday, April 20, 2009

Friday’s query: Which film you would like to see on 3D? And why? ■’The Ring’ to get scare nearly to death. It’ll be a new experience Saranya.M, Cognizant

■Mariathai. Everyone loves to watch our Captain in 3D

Abilash, CTS

■Villu. To search and look for a meaningful story at least in the 3rd dimension

Senthil Kumar.P, RR Donnelley, Rajkiran, Patni

■Narasimha becoz I want to see the beautiful Vijayakanth’s face in 3D effect

Sriram, Infosys (cag), Mohan Sridharan ,TCS

■Arundathi. Its picturisation is superb

Hemadri, TCS-eserve, Rajadurai, CSS

■Aegan, to see Ajith’s tummy in 3D view. I want to know how big it looks like

Barani from Tata Consultancy Services has nominated his friends as Partners in Crime.

M.Lenin, Cognizant

■Maya Bazaar- the older one. It was amazing to see awesome trick shots when there were no deals called technology

Chandrasekar.SG, Cognizant

■Titanic for excellent story, romance, architecture and cruise design

Ameen, Nittany, Abhinand, Allsec, Jawahar, Verizon

■The Grudge, it’s more scarier to see in 3D

Sathish Suman, Perot Systems

■Veerasamy. To see gorilla dance in 3D

Suresh, Gopal, Wipro, Sivanandam, TCS-eserve

■Saw. It’s one of those rare movies where we get glued to our seat and wonder on script and director. All its 5 parts are amazing and to see them in 3D would be awesome

Arun Kumar, Allsec

■Om Shanthi Om, because I’m crazy about Sha Rukh Khan and Deepika, in 3D I can enjoy by looking their faces very near to me

Abhirami, IBM

■Karagattakaran, bcoz that’s a village super duper hit, all the Tamil fans will be eager to see it in 3D

Daniel Anantharaj from HCL Technologies has nominated his friends as Partners in Crime. The picture was clicked at hotel Le Royal Meriden.

KB.Santhosh TCS, Velmurugan Perot Systems

■Jurassic Park in 3D will be more thrilling

Murugan, Aravind, Vallirajan, Wipro, Jai, IBM

■Kuruvi to see Vijay’s long jump in close up

Nasurudeen, P.Suresh ,Allsec

■All Ajith movies. Because I love to see all comedy movies in 3D

Nagaraj Venkatesan,Wipro

■Fly me to the moon. very inspired movie. I just love it

Aakash, CSS

■Evil dead. So that I can watch all my friends close to me

Vijay Madhavan, Wipro

■Ayan. It has lot of fight sequences; it’ll be more effective in 3D

Kavitha, Cognizant

■Billa. Because its a stylish Indian film I have ever seen

Tajdeen, Perot Systems

Today’s query: Will the Pakistani players be missed in the second edition of IPL?

Ganesa Venkkat S. from 3iinfotech has nominated his colleagues as Partners in Crime. The pic was taken at Kuruva island during their trip to Wayanad.

13

Monday, April 20, 2009

happy.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY to U....!

APRIL 20 Rachel on behalf of Testing Batch 06, CTS, Siruseri has nominated Michael as Office Angel. Mike is a humorous guy and he likes to play pranks. He is also called ‘Manmadhan’ by friends. He is a great dancer and very good organiser, too.

Mr. Treasurer (Santhosh), Wish you a very happy Birthday.. Ethu pola pala 35th birthday kondata vendum…. Engaluku Treat thare vendum…. May god bless you…. With cheers, MI2 Team

Dear Sister Kathiin, You were born together, and together you shall be for evermore....but let there be spaces in your togetherness. And let the winds of the heavens dance between you. Advance Happy Married Life….. Best wishes from your loved ones Papa-Bhaskar Nayak; Mum-Ilash Nayak; Sister- Jelin; Brother - Deva

Dear Ramya, On your birthday we wish you much pleasure and joy; And hope all of your wishes come true. May each hour and minute be filled with delight, And your birthday be perfect for you! Wish U Many More Happy Returns of the Day.

KBC – Visteon – Olympia Tech Park – Guindy

APRIL18 Dear Ranjani (Shivaranjani Durai), Wishing you a very happy Birthday ! Have a wonderful year ahead. God Bless You !! With Luv, Priya, Raja & Selva Polaris Software Lab, Navalur.

Dear Karthic, Many More Happy Returns of the day. May all your dreams come true by this day. Have great years ahead. With Luv, Kiruba,Bala,Vishnu,Avi,Mouli,Anitha & Kriti.

Mike Machi Enoch, Unnakku Kadalai mandrum sarbaga piranthanal Vazhthukkal. Pala mikkugalai mulungi, pala vetrikanigalai indha varudam parikka, yengal nalvaltthukkal. Regards Panneerselvam & Team CSSCorp

Loving Wishes, COAF LS Team, Wipro Technologies.

Art featured in this column will receive gift coupons from Fruit Shop on Greams Road. Send in your addresses so that we can post the coupons.

Dear Gopi, Team DTCC wishes you many more happy returns of the day. Have a great day and wonderful year ahead. Cheers from Team DTCC, Tata Consultancy Services

G.Neelavannan from R R Donnelley doodled this.

Dear Ezhil, May you have all the joy your heart can hold, All the smiles a day can bring, All the blessings a life can unfold, May you have Gods best in everything. On this special day & forever! Happy birthday! Wishes from ur team Nokia-CCMS, TCS

Hi Manjusha, Wish you many more happy returns of the day! Let all your dreams come true. Treat must be given With Warm Regards, Route-15 Sangam Members, Accenture

APRIL19 ■Harry Potter’s next series of books: 1. Harry Potter and the Bottle of Quarter. 2.Harry Potter and Avar Vitta Peter. 3. Harry Potter and his Love Letter. 4.Harry Potter and his Repair Aana Scooter. Naresh, Technosoft

■Man-1: Andha pal doctor poli-nnu yedha vachu solrae? Man-2: Pal aadudhu-nnu sonnadhukku, Western aadudhaa? Classic aadudhaa-nnu kaetkurarae....

Mohamed Yusufdeen, HCL Technologies Ltd.

Hi Vaishnavi!! Step by step the journey goes on, Little by little it may seem so long. Forget about your past, you can’t change it, Forget about your future, you cant predict it. Just think about present, you can handle it. Enjoy presents every moment & be

APRIL17 Hi Pradeep Wish you many many happy returns of the day. Happy Birthday and may you have all treasures and pleasures that life offers. Yours, PAS-Mechanical Team, TCS

Dear Swathi, Many more happy returns of the day. May you acquire all that you desire and each passing years be filled with joy. Happy birthday to you. Wishing U all success….. Naresh, CTS

Hi Abdul Azeez, May your path be strewn with flowers, Memories, friends and happy hours. May Blessings come from heaven above, And fill your life with Peace and LOVE” Ramshankar.M HCL –BPO Services

Hey Ram, From morning till night May your birthday be bright And nicer than ever before…… And as years come and go May your happiness grow and your dreams be fulfilled Even more Happy Birthday to you!!! With lots of luv... Sreedevi Wipro Technologies

14 TRAFFIC JAM

ERGO Monday, April 20, 2009

Scot sings to fame Susan Boyle, a frumpy 47-year-old Scottish charity worker who has never had a boyfriend has become an unlikely YouTube sensation, after her stunning weekend musical debut on a British television talent show.

sudoku

Priya from HCL Technologies clicked the picture of a sleeping monkey during her team outing to Ooty. Hobbies: Reading and listening to songs. Entries to the column will get gift vouchers from Bubbles Spa worth Rs.1,000. Winners can come to Ergo office on weekends between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to collect the vouchers. Call 2857 6688.

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KAKURO

15

Monday, April 20, 2009

Schools for sale

Word’s worth

A small Japanese town with a falling birthrate plans to auction off four primary schools on the Internet.

Battologist (bat-tah-luh-djist) someone who repeats the same thing needlessly. From a Greek word meaning ‘stammerer.’

B.C ARIES MARCH 21 - APRIL 20 You can be remarkably successful in business and might obtain a significant benefit, says Ganesha. During a trip in a personal interest you could meet an important person who may later become one of your business partners. Personal life is uneventful.

TAURUS APRIL 21 - MAY 20 Partnerships are favored today, suggests Ganesha. All the activities that you initiate today will have good chances to succeed. Ganesha further states that you will be successful in business and will manage to solve financial issues of your family.

GEMINI MAY 21 - JUNE 20 Beneficial changes will occur in your life, both in the professional and the social departments. Your ways may not please everybody, but will allow you to achieve your goals. You will spend the afternoon with your friends.

BORN LOSER

CANCER JUNE 21 - JULY 20 You will be in a very good shape from the intellectual point of view, and will have an excellent cooperation with people in your circle. Ganesha fells you can succeed in all your activities related to family and home

LEO JULY 21 - AUG 20 You will be surprised by your success in the social and financial departments. Take advantage of this favorable time, but avoid pushing your luck, warns Ganesha! In the afternoon, you might have to make a trip on a very short notice.

VIRGO AUG 21 - SEPT 20

FREE RANGE

WORKING IT OUT

After a rather disappointing period of time, today you will be surprised by your success in the financial department and in your love life. Your clever ideas will allow you to complete an important activity at work, congratulates Ganesha.

LIBRA SEPT 21 - OCT 20 In the morning you will dedicate your time to solving a financial issue for the success of a business project. To this end you will have to make a trip out of town. Your efforts will be fully rewarded.

SCORPIO OCT 21 - NOV 20 Your financial situation will start improving. You might receive a bonus at work, as a reward for having completed an important project or you may unexpectedly come into possession of an inheritance.

SAGITTARIUS NOV 21 - DEC 20 Today health ailments may force you to bring about a change in your set goals. Your efficiency may come down drastically, warns Ganesha. Control your speed while driving, and also your temper. If possible delay any kind of journey or meetings.

CAPRICORN DEC 21 - JAN 20 Today your spouse will act as a medium that will bring gain. Work held up for a long time may be completed within 24 hours today, forecasts Ganesha. Situations in business partnerships will be of gain, so you are advised to make the most of it.

PREVIOUS ISSUE’S SOLUTIONS

AQUARIUS JAN 21 - FEB 20 Today the time is excellent and you will experience some financial gains before noon. Try to encash them and skip your lunch if you have to, insists Ganesha. You can start work with great enthusiasm if things go well.

PISCES FEB 21 - MARCH 20 Today there may be tension at work with regards to designation. Ganesha advises you to maintain safe distance from people who may invoke you to do things you wouldn’t usually do. Children in the family may suffer from minor health problems. sha. Predictions by Bhavesh N. Pattni

16 !

ERGO Monday, April 20, 2009

Adrenaline Rush: Competitors ride under the rain, during the 32nd edition of the Le Mans 24-Hour endurance moto race in Le Mans, western France on Sunday. AFP PHOTO/JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER

Monster Attack: Members of the French performance group “La Machine” operate one of two large spider robots, 12 metres tall and weighing 37 tonnes, as it sprays water while being paraded down a street in Yokohama in Kanagawa prefecture, suburban Tokyo on Sunday. The performance was held to mark the 150th anniversary of the opening of the Yokohama port, Japan’s largest. AFP PHOTO/YOSHIKAZU TSUNO

Blind Faith: Supporters cheer for Congress party president Sonia Gandhi as she arrives in a helicopter for an election rally in Allahabad on Sunday. AFP PHOTO

Nature’s Wrath: Bangladeshi people wait to board a boat in Shitakundo, some 16 km from Chittagong, as they travel to Shandip island, 30 km from the Bangladeshi coast. A cyclone packing winds of up to 90 km per hour lashed Bangladesh’s south-eastern coastal area, damaging houses and uprooting trees on Saturday. AFP PHOTO/MUNIR UZ ZAMAN