Postnoon e-paper for 4 January 2012 by Scribble Media & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.

Dragon fire too hot for local kites This Sankranti, the City’s skies will be swarming with Chinese fighters. Indian kites are taking a backseat to Chinese variants that enthusiasts say are cheaper and more resilient. We’re getting whipped Down Under, can we at least take back the skies? P7

Hyderabad’s first compact afternoon newspaper

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2012 HYDERABAD

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DOWN & OUT Final score: Australia

PLAYER OF THE DAY

482/4

Michael Clarke

India was flattened by a superb double century from Aussie skipper Michael Clarke. Clarke’s knock, along with Ponting’s 134 and Hussey’s half-century wrested control of the Test away from India. If our batting doesn’t turn up, we’re going to be two down with two to play. TURN TO PG 30,31

Page Two

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2012

Spirit of Twin Cities

Unguarded ATMs tempt muggers SECURITY Sudeshna Koka sudeshna.k@postnoon.com

cary reports of robbers mugging people who come out withdrawing cash from unmanned ATM in the dead of night have not dissuaded some banks in leaving their money machines unattended. While it is true that every bank has found it expedient to have an ATM in every other street, many of them are either not operational or are left without a notional security. However, a Postnoon reality check across the City found most of the ATMs lacking adequate security. Some banks claim that they assign security guards only to ATMs which are not attached to main banks. “According to our pol-

icy, we don’t provide separate security to ATMs which are next to the main branch,” said a branch manager of State Bank of Hyderabad. Some banks have security ser-

vices only from 10am to 6pm. “During the day time everyone is on the roads. Only in the night, as it’s isolated, we have appointed security staff,” said an official of Corporation Bank, Jubilee Hills.

However, records show that thefts have taken place during the day too. In Hyderabad, at least eight ATM thefts have happened last year. “In my area, Teacher’s Colony, the ATM of SBH never has a security guard. My family and I avoid withdrawing big amounts from this machine as there is no safety,” says Vivek Rao, graphic designer. “Yeah,” says a senior executive of a logistics company in Kukatpally, “withdrawing big money from ATM at night is a risk. Who knows who is lurking in the dark?” However, some, of the bigger names in banking do not deploy security personnel in ATMs located in up-market areas. “As per rules, we must assign an armed security guard at every branch but we don’t have one here (Jubilee Hills). My branch is in an up-market area, hence we don’t need one.

However, branches in the Old City will have armed security and separate guard for ATM,” said an ICICI Bank manager on the condition of anonymity. Another common sight at most of the ‘guarded’ ATMs is the guard catching his 40 winks on a stool outside the kiosk, unaware of what’s happening inside. Most of the banks have outsourced their security services and chose to blame point blank the private security services for these lapses and refused to take responsibility. “If a guard is not in his place or is sleeping we are not responsible. We have out-sourced this work and if the security services fail we are not answerable,” says Navya, service manager of Kotak Mahindra Bank. Fine, but who’s responsible if a customer is mugged?

Around the city: Your guide to the Twin Cities

Go Natural

TAGGING ALONG

PICS: A.SUDHEER REDDY

Anand Bekwad from Belgaum, a town in Northern Karnataka, is primarily a landscape artist who loves to paint vast expanses in high, aerial perspectives. His wonderful spatial compositions are done either in watercolour or mixed media. Where: Hyderabad Marriott Hotel and Convention Centre

When: Ongoing, 6 to 11.30pm Contact: (040) 27522999 To witness strokes of various kinds head to Gallery Space. It’s an exhibition presenting paintings and drawings by various artists and will be held at Gallery Space from December 24. Where: Gallery Space, Banjara Hills When: Ongoing, 11am to 7pm Contact: (040) 65541836

Lahori food festival Enjoy authentic Lahori kababs and pulaos at The Great Kabab Factory. Where: The Great Kebab Factory, Banjara Hills

Dinner Buffet The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace is offering an amazing dinner buffet at Seasonal Tastes. Where: The Westin, Madhapur When: Ongoing, 7 to 11pm Contact: (040) 67676767

Get Handy

Martini ‘n music Enjoy the winter evenings with grey goose martinis and crooner Kelly dishing out your favourite numbers. Where: Taj Krishna, Banjara Hills When: Every Evening Contact: (040) 66662323

Cognac and Cigar The Seasons Bar opens up again as a Cigar and Cognac lounge with a wide selection of cognac, Rare whiskies, single malts and cigars. Where: Taj Krishna, Banjara Hills When: Ongoing, 7pm Contact: (040) 66662323

Visual art An exhibition cum sale of paintings by Hari Srinivas. The Exhibition is on display till 30 January 2012. Where: :VSL Visual Art Gallery, Plot no 100, AP Text Book Colony, Gun Rock Enclave

CINEMAS

Convention Centre, Tank Bund.

When: Ongoing Contact: (040) 27522999

When: Ongoing Contact: (040) 23302244

Different strokes

When: Ongoing

renowned brands in clothing, fine jewellery, cosmetics, honeymoon destinations and the like. Where: Hyderabad Marriott &

Contact: 9247175135

Rock quest An exhibition of paintings by Rohini Kumar E will be on display The exhibition is on till 7pm. Where: Beyond Coffee, Jubilee Hills

When: Ongoing, 11am to 11pm Contact: 9849968797

Numaish In simple terms Numaish for years has been known for the fun, food and festive ambience. A childhood favourite of every Hyderabadi, The All India Industrial Exhibition is on. Where: Exhibition Grounds, Nampally

When: Ongoing

Food Drama For the biggest buffet in town head to Nautanki Gali. Dinner Buffet @ Rs388. Where: Nautanki Gali, Madhapur When: Ongoing, 7.30 to 10.30pm Contact: 7893010000

Spin 2 Win To get a chance to win deals on your bills and drinks everyday head to Novotel Airport and spin the wheel of fortune. Where:Novotel, Shamshabad When: Ongoing, 6 to 10pm Contact: (040) 66250000

Vivaah Celebrating Vivaha Hyderabad will bring one closer to the most

Head to the Lepakshi showroom for an Orissa Handicrafts exhibition set up by the Khadi and Village Industries Association. Where: Lepakshi, Musheerabad When: Ongoing, 10am to 9pm Contact: (040) 27668178

Lunch Buffet Enjoy a lavish spread of South Indian dishes for Rs149/- plus taxes (for vegetarians) and Rs199/- plus taxes (for non - vegetarians). Where: Indian Art Cafe, Madhapur When: Ongoing, 12.30 to 3.30pm Contact: (040) 4011 7445

Feeling Happy This happy hour gets really happy! Buy one drink and get on drink free on all IMPLY at Urban Asia. Where: Urban Asia, Jubilee Hills When: Ongoing, Noon to 8pm Contact: (040) 6555 6888

Big Cinemas, Ameerpet, 30581470; Cinemax, Banjara Hills, 44565555; Cine Planet, Kompally, 61606060; Inox, Banjara Hills, 447677770, Prasads, Tank Bund Rd, 23448888; PVR, Punjagutta, 08800900009; Talkie Town, Miyapur, 40214175; Tivoli, Secunderabad 27844973

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Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2012

Season of ‘angry birds’ CRIME Aishwarya Yerra aishwarya.y@postnoon.com

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CRIME FILES Man succumbs after being tortured by cops

35-year-old man, E Srisalem Yadav, recently succumbed to injuries that he allegedly sustained due to police torture in October 22 last year. According to reports, the man died on Wednesday morning at the Osmania General Hospital, after he was reportedly tortured while he was in the lock up at the CCS police station in Saroornagar. According to the victim’s brother, E Jagan Yadav, the Saroornagar CCS police had summoned Srisalem on charges of a theft in October. While he was in custody, the police had allegedly beaten his up due to which he suffered internal injuries and was subsequently shifted to the hospital, where he was undergoing treatment before he succumbed on Wednesday. Srisalem, who was a native of Nalgonda Chintapally, was living at Hastina Puram Dwarka Nagar of Vanasthalipuram with his wife Jangamma and their two kids. He was a scrap dealer and had no cases against him, his brother said. But in October, the police suspected him of theft, although it was still not clear who the complainant was. When Postnoon contacted the Saroornagar CCS inspector, Purna Chander, he said he was not aware of the incident but would look into it.

Page Two

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2012

Spirit of Twin Cities

City grapples with power blues Osama Salman salman.o@postnoon.com

f there is one complaint that is common amongst homemakers, professionals and students it is power cut woes. Ever since the Singareni Collieries employees went on strike, the power situation in the City has left much to be desired. While earlier the City was forced to deal with fourhour power cuts, they now face two-hour Manisha power cuts. What is worse is these power cuts take place early in the morning — 6 am to 7 am — when most people are in a rush to begin their day. With summer nearing, the threat of more power cuts is looming large and households across the City are gearing up for more power cuts. Huma Manzoor, 44, homemaker and mother of two daughters who resides in MLA Colony, Banjara Hills, says that with the electricity cut for at least an hour, she has had to modify her lifestyle around the power cut timings. “I

POWER wake up early and switch on the geyser to heat the water. Immediately after, I use kitchen appliances that need electricity to function and try to wrap up most of my work before the power cut,” she says. But this has a cascading effect on Huma the electricity

NSS celebrations make poor happy Anubha K Singh anubha.k@postnoon.com

he 135th birthday anniversary celebration of Mannathu Padmanabhan, social reformer and founder of the Nair Service Society (NSS) was celebrated with much ado in the City. On the eve of the big day, the Hyderabad Nair Service Society distributed essential items and clothes to the destitute boys of Vatsalya Sindhu. Members of the Nair Service Society joined Vatsalya Sindhu run by Keshava Seva Samithi at Moula Ali and

COMMUNITIES served a free meal to the boys as part of the celebrations. Vatsalya Sindhu is an affection home for destitute boys run by Seva Bharathi and is located in Moula Ali. Our society is filled with abandoned and orphaned children who are in desperate need of some love and care. Vatsalya Sindhu aims at taking such children into their care and making sure they receive education, food and clothing apart from love. They take in boys below the age of eight.

How to beat the electricity blues 1. Do everything in advance 2. Try to manage everything manually as much as possible 3. UPS, if not generators, are a cheaper alternative 4. Many homes are now solarpowered and although not inexpensive, it can be a long term solution to the electricity problems

bills. “My electricity bills have gone up since I keep the geyser switched on for an hour Lavanya before the power cut. I don’t have much choice though since we need hot water ready on time to avoid getting delayed to work, school etc.” she says. Her daughter, Zoya, 18, a commerce student shares the anguish as well. “My study patterns have changed now. Earlier, I would revise the syllabus before heading to college and would refer to information available on the internet as well. But now I can’t do that anymore. Even simple things like ironing clothes has to be planned before the power cut and more often than not I get late to college thanks to this,” complains Zoya. A typical day for N Lavanya, a homemaker in Langer Houz begins with making breakfast for her husband. But since she uses common kitchen appliances, she has had to rearrange her schedule according to the power cuts. “My alarm clock rings an hour earlier

now. I not only have to cook breakfast but also make lunch to pack for my husband. Simple kitchen appliances such as microwave, grinder and the likes need electricity. Nowadays, I grind everything manually and use the stove to heat things, including water to have a bath,” she says. There is no alternate for Rajesh K, an IT professional residing in Himayat Nagar. “There are times when I need access to the internet in the mornings to send reports before I head to work. But with no electricity there is no way I can do that. Many a times, I have had to rush to office, which is 20 kilometres away, only to submit the documents,” says a visibly frustrated Rajesh. B Manisha, a homemaker in Langer Houz suggests that the timings of the power cut be changed to evenings instead. “If you must cut electricity, do it in the evening. This way, nothing will be disrupted in the morning and people can get on with their work comfortably,” sums up Zoya Manisha.

Unfit cops stumble at training Mohd Subhan mohd.s@postnoon.com

he Assistant Sub Inspectors longing for a step up as Sub Inspectors rarely bargain for the hard work ahead. The SI training is so tough that not all can withstand the intensity which is evident from the number of aspirants falling sick or giving up. Around 465 ASIs are undergoing training for SI posts in the AP Police Academy (APPA) in Moinabad. Of them, 47 are from the City and others belong to various parts of the State. The four-month long training began on November 14 and has already seen four dropouts and several falling sick due to the rigorous training. Many are unfit due to years of inactivity and the recent training has taken its toll on them. The training is under the supervision of two IPS officers — TDK Menon and Rajiv Trivedi. The ‘Ustad’ is Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Shiva Reddy. The reason many trainees are unable to withstand the training is that most of them suffer from various ailments like hypertension, diabetic, heart ailment. As a result the training has

POLICE proven to be a great exertion on their bodies. A few days ago, two of the trainees fell unconscious and had to be carried away from the training grounds. Some of the trainees confessed to Postnoon that they are regretting their decision to join the training because of the merciless task maters. The irony of the situation is that a majority of them are due to retire in the next 4-5 years. “Spending 13 hours on the ground everyday is no joke,” remarked one of the trainees.

They complain that the officers should realise that they are not youngsters bursting with energy anymore and should be shown some mercy. However a senior official remarked that this is the price one pays for not keeping fit while in uniform. Additional Director General Rank Police officer Samba Shiva Rao, director of APPA rubbished claims of harassment of policemen. He told Postnoon that incidents of men falling unconscious may happen but police training is a hard job. It does not mean harassment of any sort, he added.

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2012

Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities

Give us our due, new mayor tells State, Centre The first cry of the new mayor has been to demand a greater share of the City’s revenue generation. He also wants to see an end to corruption in the GHMC Inkeshaf Ahmed ahmed.m@postnoon.com

ÜÉ=óçìåÖ=ã~óçê=çÑ=dêÉ~íÉê eóÇÉê~Ä~Ç= jìåáÅáé~ä `çêéçê~íáçå= Edej`F jçÜÇ= j~àáÇ= eìëë~áå= áë= ~äêÉ~Çó í~äâáåÖ=çÑ=Üáë=`çêéçê~íáçåÛë=êáÖÜíë íç=ÖÉí=~=éêçéçêíáçå~ä=ëÜ~êÉ=çÑ=íÜÉ êÉîÉåìÉ=íÜÉ=`áíó=ÖÉåÉê~íÉëK qÜÉ=Åáíó=ÅçåíêáÄìíÉë=`TMIMMM ÅêçêÉ= íç= íÜÉ= pí~íÉ= ~åÇ= `Éåíê~ä ÖçîÉêåãÉåíë=~åÇ=áí=áë=åçí=ÖÉííáåÖ áíë= ÇìÉIÒ= ÜÉ= íçäÇ= mçëíåççå ~ÑíÉê ~ëëìãáåÖ= íÜÉ= ã~óçê~ä= çÑÑáÅÉ= çå qìÉëÇ~óK jçÜÇ= eìëë~áå= ëçìÖÜí= íÜÉ pí~íÉ= ~åÇ= `Éåíê~ä= ÖçîÉêåãÉåíë ãìëí=éêçîáÇÉ=ÖêÉ~íÉê=ëÜ~êÉ=Ñêçã jçíçê= sÉÜáÅäÉ= í~ñI= s^qI mêçÑÉëëáçå~ä= í~ñ= ~åÇ= ÉåíÉêí~áåJ ãÉåí=í~ñK

First day, first thought n Seek a bigger share of taxes the City generates n All round development of the City n Old City to get a facelift n Priority to women self-help groups n Eradicate corruption at GHMC

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‘Cases are politically motivated’ Postnoon News

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Winner happy, loser too… ‘This is the nature of our party. You can’t predict anything. I am happy,’ says K Venkatesh Postnoon News feedback@postnoon.com

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2012

Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities

‘IAS chai’ proves a popular brand

PICS: N SHIVA KUMAR

PACKERS & MOVERS

Postnoon News feedback@postnoon.com

hose who haven’t come to Ashok Nagar RC Reddy IAS coaching centre, have not tasted the best tea in town. Here are three brothers who have been rendering a yeoman’s service to future rulers and the tea they serve for 17 hours a day nonstop is termed ‘IAS chai.’ Many who have been successful in the IAS examinations owe their triumph to an extent to the tea stall where hundreds come to have a

cuppa that cheers. And, nowhere in Hyderabad (except at a bus stand) do you get tea as early as 4.30 a.m because the IAS coaching begins early and the students can’t think of beginning the day without the exhilarating tea of the trio (Bheem, Arjun and Shiva). Ginger tea, Mint tea, lemon tea, pepper tea, black tea, Kadak chai, coffee, Horlicks, Boost- varied forms of that versatile drink are available in a jiffy. The stall starts around 4 am in the morning and shuts around 9.30pm in the night.

PIC: N SHIVA KUMAR

LEISURE Bheem, Arjun and Shiva who ‘intoxicate’ people with their hot drinks under a makeshift stall adjacent to the RC Reddy centre are so popular that their fame extends to several kilometers in radius. Office workers and others from far away places come to have their tea. It has been functioning for six years now.

Big establishments have to learn from them All they have is a pair of stoves, a

dozen hands, two maids to wash dishes, a few helpers to constantly pound mint, ginger and other spices. Everything is hygienic as the glasses and cups are first washed and sterilized in boiling water. Arjun and Shiva keep pouring the golden liquid and help with the kettle while Bheem collects the bills. Bheem, the elder brother was the first to come from Bangalore. When he realised his tea had become popular he brought his other brothers too.“If I close it for a day, life is miserable for thousands,” says Bheem with a smile. “If I am late, students call me and urge me to get them their daily drink.” Customers who were sipping tea agreed, “it is true, we can’t get such good tea for Rs.3,” said an employee from the nearby Registry office. “It is the satisfaction of the customers that makes me more happy than the money I make,” Bheem told Postnoon. Bheem has two school-going children who he hopes, will come one day for coaching at the RC Reddy centre and become IAS officers drinking their father’s tea. And, he has the good wishes of content customers to fulfill his wish.

THE FACES OF HYDERABAD Ramana, Irrigation Department, Secretariat

e is ‘Abdul Kalam’ for the State Secretariat staff, not just in looks but in mien and demeanour too. Ramana, a staff member of the irrigation department is nicknamed ‘Abdul Kalam’ for the former president’s trademark hairstyle and resemblance but also for his eagerness to help others and provide advice, many times unsolicited. Every day Ramana meets people at the canteen or on the compound and discusses about local politics, and suggests employees as

U Srinivas A city is defined by the people who live and work in it. Here we take a look at the human threads that make up our urban tapestry

to how they should work. Many who do not know the Secretariat politics, value it greatly. He walks barefoot. But, Ramanna humbly rejects the ‘Kalam’ mark saying he is too small a man to be compared with the great former President.Why does he walk bare boot? Well, he is more comfortable that way. Creatures on earth must make contact with the soil for good health,and it saves money, don’t you know?

Hyper Local

Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2012

PICS: N SHIVA KUMAR

Chinese manja replaces traditional variety

• Chinese kites, cheaper and waterproof are elbowing out Indian varieties • Don2 and Batman will clash this Sankranti

Anubha K Singh anubha.k@postnoon.com

uperman and Shaktiman held sway over the Old City skies last Sankranti. This year Don2 will battle Batman and Three Idiots may add mirth. Characters from these three films are this year’s hot favourites in the sky war. With just few days to go for Sankranti, a variety of new kites are attracting the attention of kite enthusiasts this festive season. Kite sales have picked up momentum in the Old City with colourful kites showing up in the shops at Dhoolpet, Dabeerpura and Gulzar Houz which is easily the largest kite market in the state. This year the special items available are the Chinese kites made with cloth, dulhan patang, superhero kites like Spiderman, Superman and Batman, Doraemon kites and Bollywood inspired kite designs with characters from Three Idiots, Don2, Bodyguard, Munni Badnaam Hui and Sheila Ki Jawani. Undoubtedly it is the Spiderman and Batman kites that are in demand every year since kids prefer superheroes when compared to regular plain kites. However, old timers in City still prefer to go the traditional way and fly the colourful paper kite. “Local varieties of paper kites like chenga, kalikatti and dhaba, which once ruled the market have fewer takers now. The market for traditional kites has been badly hit because of the Chinese versions in the past few years,” said

Dragon pushes elephant out in sky war Glass coated manja is risky to humans, birds

lthough the manja made with glass is hugely popular, several NGOs and social workers have been pushing for a ban on it. This manja is usually used in kite flying competitions and is made by coating it with powdered and crushed glass. Although extremely sharp and effective during kite fights, the glass coated manja is deadly for birds like crows, pigeons, owls and kites, which end up getting slashed, wounded and killed when they get entangled in the manja. But it is not just birds that fall prey to this sharp string. People on vehicles and passers by also get hurt when they come in

contact with manja lying around. However, Devi Singh, the oldest manja maker in the City claims that no manja can be made without using glass pieces. Powdered and finely crushed glass is the main ingredient of manja making. Two wooden pillars are erected at a distance 40 metres apart and lengths of thread are tied between them. Then, the masala is applied to the entire length two to three times and left to dry. The masala is prepared with glass pieces, rice, dalchini and glue that are ground together, sieved and mixed with different colours, explains Devi Singh.

Patang Seth Suraj Singh from Dhoolpet. There has been a dramatic change even in the use of material for kite making. The quality of kites greatly depends on the thin wooden strips that give it shape and strength. Earlier, all kites were made using bamboo strips but now the wooden strips from Assam have flooded the market. However, though cheaper, they don’t last long. However, Madan Singh from

Dhoolpet who makes traditional kites says, “Every year I get orders for more than 20,000 to 30,000 kites. I have been making kites since childhood, my ancestors use to run this business and I am continuing it. We make only paper kites and many people still prefer to fly them.” However, Chinese kites, made of plastic, have caught on with City residents this time and youngsters and kids prefer them.

ritam Rai, manja maker in the area is struggling for survival. Manja and kites from China and Taiwan have flooded the market. Over the years kite lovers in City prefer Chinese manja. It is cheaper so people prefer it and slowly the traditional manja is being nudged out by the nylon thread. Locals have to compete with the Chinese ones as there are water proof kites as well. Also they come in different shapes and sizes. The traditional do dapan, do kalam also called double langot is losing its charm now. For the last couple of years, the ‘Tangus manja' has made a big foray into kite flying and comes with a thread that is much more firm and is priced higher. There are more than 100 families in the Old City spread across Dhoolpet engaged in manja making.

Spotlight

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2012

PICS: A SUDHEER REDDY

SHOP TILL YOU DROP

Hyderabadis donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just love pearls but they also have a weakness for traditional Indian attire. This was proved when people turned up in large numbers to visit Weaves of India, exhibition-cum-sale organised by the Gramin Hastakala Vikas Samiti at the Sri Sathyasai Nigmagamam at Srinagar Colony. The sale will be on till January 8, from 11am-9pm.

PICS: SRINIVAS SETTY

Partying hard The cold nippy air is no deterrent to the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s party-loving crowd who know just how to live it up. These youngsters were spotted having a fun time at various pubs in the city on Tuesday night.

Youngsters having fun at Firangi Paani

Zara and Sofi at Bottles & Chimney

Neha at Firangi Paani

Dolly and Seema at Firangi Paani

Miss India Universe 2008 and Bollywood actor Simran Mundi selected the winner of the Bajaj Electronics grand bumper draw at the Bajaj Electronics store in Punjagutta on Tuesday. The winner Satyanarayan of Khairatabad was awarded `25 lakh.

KJ Jaid at Bottles & Chimney

India‑View

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2012

India unveiled

Rushdie to attend Jaipur Literary Festival

RIDING FOR A CAUSE

3 CRPF personnel killed in fratricide MIDNAPORE(WB): Three CRPF personnel were on Tuesday killed by their colleague in the Silapara camp of the para-military force in Lalgarh in Purba Medinipur district, police said. Superintendent of Police P K Tripathy said they were killed when a personnel opened fire after a quarrel broke out in the camp. Senior CRPF officers and district police have rushed to the camp, he said, adding arrangements were being made to bring the bodies to Jhargram for postmortem. PTI

NEW DELHI: Breaking a minor jinx in India which began with last September’a failed Harud Festival in Kashmir, celebrated writer Salman Rushdie will attend the DSC Jaipur Literature Festival from January 20-24, the organisers said on Tuesday. The writer, who was reportedly scheduled to attend the festival last year, had whipped up a storm among the local Kashmiri people who opposed his visit. However, the organisers denied inviting Rushdie, terming it media speculation. Rushdie will address a literary session, “Midnight’s Children”, named after his landmark Man Booker Prize winning 1981 novel, anchored by noted writer Hari Kunzru at the Diggi Palace in Jaipur, the schedule posted on the festival’s website said. Last year, a media report that the organisers of the Jaipur Literature Festival, Teamworks Production, had reportedly invited Salman Rushdie to a festival in Srinagar had triggered resentment among people in the Valley, leading to a war in the social media. IANS

LPG cylinder blast kills three Australians Brendan Griffen, left, and Tim Dinte wave from their auto-rickshaw in Vayana village, some 25 km from Ahmedabad on Tuesday. Griffen and Dinte started from Jaisalmer on Jaunuary 1 and are scheduled to reach Kochi on January 14, covering a distance of some 2,500km. They are participating in ‘India Rickshaw Run 2012’ with the Down Under Tuk association to raise donations for projects in India. AFP

NEW DELHI: Three persons were today killed and six other injured when a building collapsed after a LPG cylinder exploded in its premises in Mundka area here. Fire brigade personnel have reached the site and have launched rescue and relief efforts. Further details are awaited. PTI

LeT raises all-women terror squad NEW DELHI: Pakistan-based militant outfit Laskhkar-e-Taiba has raised an exclusive women’s outfit and has trained 21 girls at a camp near Muzzafarabad in Pakistani Kashmir for infiltration into Jammu and Kashmir, intelligence inputs have indicated. Intelligence sources said on Wednesday that the LeT effort to raise an exclusive women militant outfit of its own is to have an alternative to the Kashmir-based all-women outfit Dukhtaran-eMillat led by Asiya Andrabi.

“Inputs reveal that 21 girls are being trained by LeT at Divalia, Muzzafarabad, under the name of Dukhtaran-e-Taiba,” sources said. The group, after training, have been placed under the command of an LeT commander, Sayeed Sadaqat Hussain, for future deployment in Kashmir. The entire project for raising the DeT was reportedly conceptualised by the LeT leadership and these trained women militants are likely to be infiltrated

into Kashmir through Uri sector or brought to Kashmir through the Nepal route, the sources said. The intelligence assessment is th at the DeT is being propped up as a substitute to DeM. The reason cited for having the substitute was a feeling among the terror groups that DeM was unsuccessful in mobilising local women against the Indian state in the recent past. Meanwhile, another intelligence report has indicated that Pakistani’s spy agency Inter-

Services Intelligence (ISI) has instructed the LeT to carry out attacks on Indian troops deployed along the Line of Control with Pakistan. The group, sources said, have done a recce of the forward operating locations of the Indian troops opposite to Chhamb and Sunderbani sector. The intelligence assessment, sources said, is that the LeT may resort to sniper fire or stand-off firing on Indian troops in these sectors soon. IANS

Chavan launches Dharavi makeover MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government on Tuesday paved the way for a massive development of central Mumbai’s Dharavi, Asia’s largest slum, made famous by the Oscar Award winning film Slumdog Millionaire and Gregory David Roberts novel Shantaram. Announcing amendments to the state’s Development Control Rules (DCR), making the project a time-bound possibility, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said a 10-year corpus fund would be created for developing Sector 5 in Dharavi, which is mainly owned by the government. He said the state’s apex housing body, Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority will be the nodal agency to redevelop it systematically, within

seven years. The congested shanties and dilapidated tenements in Dharavi — which houses nearly 1.20 million dwellers in more than 100,000 dwellings according to the Nat-

ional Slumdwellers’ Federation of India secretary MG Shekhar — would be re-developed as clusters of 300 square feet carpet area each. He said that the state government had given the go-ahead for

the Dharavi re-development project — spread across 535 hectares — but it did not register any significant progress. “We have now given a boost for the project. It is poised to change the face of Dharavi,” Chavan said. His announcement came barely an hour before the State Election Commission declared the schedule for polls to 10 municipal corporations, including Mumbai, and 27 Zilla Parishads. The mega project would also include development of roads, toilets, gardens and playgrounds. The original re-development of Dharavi, approved in 2004, aimed at benefitting around 60,000 families living there. But now, along with the families all existing small businesses shall also

be protected. Now, the State plans to invite competitive bids for the re-development proposal. Chavan said that one of the hitches to redevelopment was that nearly 20 per cent of Dharavi land was owned privately. “Urban experts and NGOs suggested options of permitting self-development jointly by the land-owners and the residents/tenants. We shall look into this,” he added. Dharavi is located strategically, flanked by the posh BandraKurla Complex, which houses top business centres and the US consulate and British Deputy High Commission on the north, and newly-developed prime areas of Wadala to the east, and megacommercial and residential areas in south and west. IANS

Around the World

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2012

Beyond Borders

Syrian rebel leader to up attacks

GLOBE AT A GLANCE Sri Lanka protests over LTTE stamps in France

BEIRUT: The commander of

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan Foreign

Syria’s armed rebels has threatened to step up attacks on President Bashar al-Assad’s forces, saying he was frustrated with Arab League monitors’ lack of progress in ending a government crackdown on protests. “If we feel they are still not serious in a few days, or at most within a week, we will take a decision which will surprise the regime and the whole world,” the head of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), Colonel Riad al-Asaad, told Reuters in an interview. The Arab League said on Monday that its monitors were helping to stem bloodshed, 10 months into a popular uprising against Syria’s ruling family, and asked for more time to do their job. But since the team’s arrival

A file image of Riyad al Asaad AP

last week, security forces have killed more than 132 people, according to a Reuters tally. Other activist groups say 390 have been killed. The monitors are checking whether Syria is implementing an Arab League

peace plan by pulling troops from flashpoint cities and releasing thousands detained in the revolt, one of a series of Arab uprisings that have toppled four leaders in a year. Asaad, whose FSA is an umbrella

group of armed factions, said he was waiting for the League’s report on its first week before deciding whether to make a “transformative shift” that he said would mark a major escalation against the security forces. “Since they entered, we had many more martyrs,” he said, speaking by telephone from his safe haven in southern Turkey. “Is it in the Syrian people’s interest to allow the massacre to continue?” A committee of Arab ministers will discuss the monitors’ preliminary report on Saturday, Arab League sources said. The League mission has already been plagued by controversy.Activists who met the monitors in Hama on Tuesday said they doubted whether the monitors had freedom of movement.

Minister G.L. Peiris Tuesday met French ambassador to Colombo Christine Robichon and lodged a protest over postage stamps issued in France with images of rebels of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).Peiris said it was the responsibility of the French government to ensure that such publication and circulation should be cancelled.

Australians experience hottest New Year

ydney Australians have been asked to heed safety advice. On Monday, Victoria’s ambulance service treated 45 patients for heat-related illnesses, including four cases of children left in cars, Xinhua reported.Earlier on Sunday, temperature reached 41.6 degrees in Adelaide.

UK: Severe weather causes damage

A dogs walks past a flooded park on a promenade in Troon, Strathclyde in Scotland AFP

torms have caused damage across many parts of the UK, with gusts of up to 100mph in Scotland. Thousands of people are still without power in parts of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings which remain in place for many regions. BBC weather forecasters said it would stay windy

through the night. Strong winds and gales are also expected across the UK on Wednesday particularly in the north of England and Scotland but it will be less windy than Tuesday and gusts are not expected to reach more than 40-45mph. Around the UK on Tuesday, trees fell on to railway tracks and power lines, lorries blew over on busy roads and flood warnings were issued after rivers swelled.

High seas and force 10 winds caused the Port of Dover to close, but it has now reopened.Figures published by the Met Office reported wind speeds of 106mph at Great Dun Fell in the Cumbrian north Pennines, and 102mph in Edinburgh. Travel has also been disrupted, with no East Coast services currently operating within Scotland, and East Coast Main Line trains between London and Scotland going no further north than Newcastleupon-Tyne. Buses replaced trains on some services between London and Harrogate and Hull. A number of roads were closed in Northern Ireland, including in Belfast and Londonderry, while the Foyle Bridge in Derry was closed. Some train, bus and ferry services have also been affected.High winds in England forced the closure of the QEII Bridge on the M25 between Essex and Kent for much of the

day, while the Tamar Bridge in the South West has been closed to high-sided vehicles. In Northern Ireland 10,000 properties were left without electricity after fallen trees and severe winds damaged power lines, causing hundreds of faults. In Scotland, more than 70,000 homes were without power. About 8,500 properties in parts of Hampshire, Dorset and Wiltshire have also been without power. In Wales six homes in Dolgellau, Gwynedd, were evacuated because of arcing power lines in high winds. The Environment Agency issued 20 flood warnings across the country, including 13 in the South West, three each in the Midlands and the North East, and one in Wales. It also issued 66 less severe flood alerts. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) issued flood warnings for the Moy Bridge area and locations in Tayside.

Chinese firm to ship Steve Jobs figures SAN FRANCISCO: A China-based company plans to begin shipping a realisticlooking Steve Jobs action figure in February. It remained to be seen whether Apple will take to the courts to block In Icons from selling the 30.4-centimeter (one foot) tall dolls crafted in the image of the renowned California company Apple’s late co-founder. An In Icons website on Tuesday featured images of the jointed figure in classic Jobs poses accompanied with quotes including “The ones who are crazy enough to think they can change the

world are the ones who do.” The $99 dolls depict Jobs with a closely cropped beard and his familiar round “John Lennon” style eyeglasses. Accessories available at extra cost included his trademark sneakers, blue jeans, and black turtle neck sweater. Last year, the maker of iPhones, iPads, iPods and Macintosh computers blocked the sale of unauthorized Steve Jobs bobblehead dolls made by a different company in China. Jobs died on October 5 at the age of 56 after a years-long battle with cancer.

A file image of Steve Jobs

AFP

A girl holds a portrait of Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner outside the Austral Hospital in Pilar, Buenos Aires AFP

Ex-Iranian president’s daughter jailed TEHRAN: A Tehran court has sentenced daughter of former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani to six months in jail over anti-regime propaganda, Mehr news agency reported.Faezeh Hashemi has also been banned for five years for political, cultural and media activities on the charges of propagandistic acts against the Islamic republic, Xinhua quoted the report.

Chocolate that doesn’t melt invented LONDON: A British engineer has invented the world’s first chocolate that does not melt. The recipe includes a special ingredient that allows the chocolate to be moulded into any shape but remains flexible when set. Stephen Lennie, 43, created the chocolate dubbed ‘Magic Choc’ in his kitchen as a surprise for his children.

Helicopters fight a massive forest fire affecting the commune of Quillon, in southern Chile’s Bio Bio region, some 500 Km south of Santiago AFP

Business

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2012

Matters of saving and spending

MSMEs crushed under power crunch in AP

K Prudhvi Raju prudhvi.k@postnoon.com

HYDERABAD: The demand for power is just 15 per cent more than the supply by AP Transco. However, the power shortage MSMEs are facing is more than 30 per cent on an average in the last four months. There is 52 per cent power cut from September till the third week of November, 41 per cent power cut from the last week of November to the third week of December and around 29 per cent in the last week of December. Power is going to mega projects at the cost of MSMEs. “They

have dedicated feeders and express feeders that supply power without an interruption. They should use only 70 per cent of the supply, but they draw 100 per cent of their requirement,” said V Hanumantha Rao, president, Federation of Andhra Pradesh Small Industries Associations (FAPSIA). MSMEs cannot afford generator. Even though they manage to buy it with some loan, its maintenance is a heavy burden with Rs 14 per unit. The maintenance is ever increasing with an increase in diesel and petrol prices. Mega projects can produce goods at any price and have an edge in fixing the price

according to the costs. They can even afford generators. MSMEs don’t have the luxury of hiking the product costs like major industries, he says. The alternate, renewable energy sources need heavy investment. It costs Rs. 13 crore to produce 1 MW through solar energy. The government is always in favour of mega projects and has a ‘stepmotherly’ attitude towards MSEMs says J Nageswara Rao, Secretary, FAPSIA. The government does not have a vision for future energy needs. Domestic and agricultural sectors get more supplies at the cost of the industry and MSMEs suffer because of that. There were few power cuts during YSR’s six-year regime. He also reduced 15 paise per unit. The current regime could not supply required power by either bringing in central funds or through state funds. Telengana agitation added more burden to the power shortage. This all crippling MSMEs, he added. Supplying power depends on the ability of the political leader at the helm of affairs. Kiran Kumar Reddy promised that he would supply sufficient power to the Industry. “We are waiting that to happen,” J Nageswara Rao said.

BANKING ON SERVICES PIC: N.SHIVA KUMAR

Sudhir Garg, Chief General Manager of State Bank of Hyderabad, inaugurated the bank’s stall in the 71st Industrial Exhibition at Exhibition Grounds in Nampally in the City on Tuesday. The stall has an ATM, a caratometer to test the purity of gold, a soiled notes exchange facility, a coin vending machine, and an information centre on the facilities like opening of different accounts and the different services offered by the bank.

Solar ATMs fuel rural revolution in India Shudip Talukdar

NEW DELHI: An Indian start-up is catalysing a quiet revolution by designing, developing and installing unique solar-powered ATMs in rural areas. The initial lot of 400 solar ATMs, aptly called Gramateller (‘gram’ means village), the world’s largest order, placed by the State Bank of India (SBI), has been winning accolades for performance and substantial energy savings. The ATMs were installed in 2010-11 across several states, usually within 20-50 km of the district headquarters, Vijay Babu, CEO of Vortex Engineering, which makes these units, told IANS from Chennai. Following SBI’s success with solar ATMs, the Catholic Syrian Bank also placed an order for 50 Gramatellers and Indian Bank for 20, while 10 more have been ordered by other banks, he added. Both Babu and Lakshminarayan Kannan, who founded Vortex, are the alumni of the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) and the brains behind the Gramateller.

“Our plans to operate ATMs on solar power were greeted with utter disbelief. We faced challenges initially in getting them adopted by our end users, the rural folks, who are not particularly tech-savvy. But once they realised that they were getting control of their own money, they accepted it wholeheartedly,” said Babu. “The workload has increased with more and more people using these facilities which, in most cases, are the only ATMs within 20 km or more, thanks to the solar power backup,” added Babu. The two entrepreneurs took up the project in 2004-05 at IIT-M’s suggestion, developing and finetuning the product until it became commercially viable in 2008-09. The IIT-M, which had been initially approached by the banks to develop a robust rural alternative to the existing ATMs, passed on the proposal to Vortex. Babu and Kannan have since inked a royalty agreement with their alma mater. “Conventional ATMs may not be viable in areas subject to 8 to 10 hours of power cuts, given their dependence on gensets and air-

conditioning. But thanks to the rural Gramateller, villagers don’t have to undertake time-consuming trips to cities or towns for money,” said Kannan. Vortex is the only Indian company making it to the Time magazine 2011 list of “10 start-ups that will change your life”, selected out of 31 companies honoured as “Technology Pioneers” by the World Economic Forum. Vortex was recently selected as the latest entrant to Business Call

to Action (BCtA), a global initiative that encourages private sector efforts to fight poverty, supported by the UN Development Prograrmme, among others. “The ‘no frills’ Gramateller has a 12-hour power back-up, provided there is good sunlight at least for five hours daily. Solar panels convert these rays into electrical energy, storing them in a battery. A single unit saves more than 90 percent of the yearly expenditure incurred on operating an ATM,

which works out to Rs.1.44 lakh, half of the amount being accounted by air-conditioning,” said Sabarinath Nair, marketing manager, Vortex. Gramateller comes with a biometric touch pad to prevent fraud and tell villagers that their money is safe. It can also dispense soiled notes in the interiors where crisp currency notes are suspected of being fakes, Nair said. Regular ATMs were priced between Rs.3.5-5 lakh a piece. They needed another Rs.60,000 and Rs.80,000 for the UPS and AC. Gramatellers cost around Rs.3 lakh each, which included a built-in UPS and did not need air-conditioning, he said. Solar panels for a unit require an additional investment of Rs.1.5 lakh, but have near zero operational cost. Unlike large diesel gensets, these pay for themselve within two years. Given Gramateller’s success in harnessing solar energy and its commercial viability, several developing countries from Africa and East Asia are evincing interest in the technology, said Babu. IANS

BSE – 15,897.78641.78, NSE – 4,750.00615.30, Gold 24k(10g)– `28,000, Silver (1kg)–52,900, Dollar $ – `53.13, Pound £ – `83.09

Comment

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2012

Fair, free and forthright

Editorials DON’T SHOOT THE MESSENGER

he incident of an Indian diplomat being virtually roughed up in China in the line of duty, that too in the presence of police and court officials, is quite disturbing. Treating messengers with respect no matter how bad the message is has been an unspoken rule across all civilisations since ancient times when clans battled for superiority. When mankind progressed messengers became envoys and later specialised diplomatic corps were formed. There are several international conventions which provide immunity to diplomats and make it binding on the host country to provide adequate security for their legitimate activities. What happened with the Indian envoy in China is an aberration and a disgrace to the credibility of the world’s most populous nation in terms of playing by the rules. And India needs to rework its operational capabilities when dealing with such state actors who wouldn’t shy away from permitting actions like thuggery on diplomats.

WHY WE LOVE The US elections

ew countries in the world can have the world in their thrall as they head into election season. In 2008 we sat glued to our idiot boxes as Barack Obama made history. Later this year we’ll watch Obama take on a Republican (that race began today in Iowa). The Republicans, of course, our churning out the best of Weird America: From uber-conservative Santorum, and the flippyfloppy Romney, to the downright farcical Gingrich. It’s going to be one helluva an entertaining sight, watching one of those tackle Obama, who, let’s face it, must be fancying his chances of claiming the throne again (Michelle ain’t packing yet). Of course if Obama loses we could have Newt in the Oval Office...now that’s scary.

This high-steak game could land you in jail Fusillade Arun Koshy Philip

he president has given her approval for Madhya Pradesh’s anti-cow slaughter legislation after a delay of almost two years. Not just slaughter, even consumption of beef can land you in jail for seven years. It also has provisions allowing a whole range of officials beginning at head constable to barge in anywhere and conduct checks on mere grounds of suspicion. Cow slaughter is one topic that has been the centre of heated debates and disputes over it have led to innumerable communal clashes across the country but not a single government, Central or State, has been able to come up with an amicable solution. Such legislations’ implications don’t stop at socio-religious spheres but spill over into guidelines on state policy that defines the right of an individual. Ours is a country where there are thousands of castes, sub-castes and communities — each with its own culture, tradition and way of life. One sweeping law like that is a blunt statement to those in the minority to let go of all that and be in ‘conformity’ with what’s ‘acceptable’. For many communities, beef is very much a part of their regular diet and a cheap supply of essential proteins. Beef dishes are part of ceremonies ranging from birth to death. It would be gross injustice to force them to abandon their culture using legal coercion. What about the Northeastern states or a State such as Kerala, where beef is a delicacy popular among all communities? Who will protect the rights of millions of Hindus spread across the country who eat beef? Now imagine a scenario where two of the biggest minorities were to declare onion as sacred to their faith. Will the governments introduce laws to prohibit farming, sale, transportation and consumption of onions because it would hurt the religious sensitivities of the minorities? The essence of a functional democracy is

It’s a shame!

Disappointing show

It’s a shame that the world is yet to act on the atrocities unleashed by the government in Syria. What’s the point of a team of Arab observers going to Syria to get the real picture when we have the ‘real picture’ already? The US and the UK invaded Iraq over baseless allegations. Well, when will the defenders of democracy do something about this outrage of democracy — maybe after half the population is wiped out?

Team India has disappointed us again. The famed batting line-up collapsed like a pack of cards caught in a breeze. Agreed that the pace pack of James Pattinson, Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus was sublime, but a team that is the reigning world cup champs doing a repeat of such poor performance is just not done. The lack of application on the part of Indian batsmen as pointed out by Babu Kalyanpur is evident. I fear this series too is going to be a washout for us. What a way to start the year!

Saad Hassan Hyderabad

Sundeep Thapa Hyderabad

presence of an environment of tolerance where every segment can enjoy their unique way of life without being arm-twisted to fit into a larger picture. If a plural country like ours can’t ensure their rights, how different are we from countries where rape victims are stoned to death because they did not follow the lifestyle demanded by the majority religion? For a country to progress the people have to feel motivated and for that they need to feel that they are valued for what they are. If not, the feeling of alienation would creep in and the social, economic and political cost would be too much to bear. The harassment and humiliation people from Northeast face all over India, with hardly

TALK BACK Readers’ views We invite you to write to us comments, suggestions, viewpoint or just about anything to feedback@postnoon.com or #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500 033 or even by way of a call on 4067 2222

any help coming from the police or the otherwise vigilant civil society, because of their ‘different’ lifestyle has left scars that reservations and economic packages can’t heal. When Indians are targeted abroad in racially motivated attacks there is an outrage across the country. Media, civil society and politicians compete to outdo each other in pointing out the stark contrast between our ‘tolerant’ heritage and the narrow-minded West. Next time your blood boils at the news of racial abuse of Indians, think of what we are doing to our people in our country. A possible solution doesn’t require rocket science to arrive at. It’s called the policy of ‘live and let live’.

Good job

Scrap AFSPA

I am a regular reader of Postnoon and I think it’s cool. I like the way issues are reported and the way they are presented. News reports in other papers are very dry, but I think some of your reports are written well. Also thanks for not restricting sports pages to just cricket. But I think you could make paper more interesting by having more book reviews and essays. I also wish that you start a section that invites stories and poems from readers and amateurs.

I think it’s high time the Armed Forces Special Forces act was repealed. In the name of curbing terrorism, ordinary people are made to lead a stifled life and many innocent ones are tortured. There’s no better proof that it has been a failure than that terrorism still plagues India. We need to think of other ways to tackle terrorism instead of giving the Army a free hand and making the lives of thousands miserable. If the government can listen to Anna Hazare, it can give an ear to Irom Sharmila, who has been fasting for a decade. Vinita George Banjara Hills

Suresh Pali Secunderabad

H‑Factor

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2012

Holistic view of mind, body and soul

Prevention is important for heart health

Too much, too often Anishaa Kumar anishaa.k@postnoon.com

‘D

on’t forget to add at least a pinch of salt’ is a common statement used whenever recipes are discussed or food is relished. Why is it that we cannot think of a dish without salt? For many people, especially Indians, no dish is complete without it. Salt, like various other ingredients, has positive impacts on our health. But we need to take caution as high salt levels in the body can have negative effects. Over the last few years the country has seen a change. People are slowly waking up to the negative impacts of salt. Various campaigns and awareness programmes such as the City’s own ‘Salt Monster’ campaign are helping raise awareness about this.

Do we need salt? Yes, we do. “When we mention salt we are not talking about salt per se, but are actually referring to the sodium part of it; so it is the lack or excess of sodium that causes an electrolyte imbalance in our body. The body requires a balance of both sodium and potassium,” says Dr Latha Sashi, nutritionist and diet expert, Nutrifit. It helps maintain the fluid in our blood cells and also transmit information to the nerves and muscles. It is said

that the body cannot produce salt on its own. Excessive salt content is said to cause various illnesses like high blood pressure/hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, fluid retention, digestive system disorders such as acidity and diarrhoea, increase in secretion of bile and sometimes even osteoporosis. According to Dr Sunil Kumar, President, Cardiological Society of India (AP Chapter) and consultant cardiologist, Apollo Hospital, “Indians tend to have far

more salt than is required. It is important for us to realise the importance of reducing salt in the diet as excess of salt causes hypertension, which in turn causes various ailments such as stroke, heart disease, kidney failure and heart failure.” According to various studies, the minimum requirement of salt per day is 1,500 milligrams, which is approximately 1tsp of salt per day, while the maximum requirement is 2,300 milligrams. “For people with hypertension, half a tsp is sufficient,” mentions Dr Sunil. Many believe that a major requirement is fulfilled through foods and their natural content of salt, hence additional intake of salt in terms of seasoning is not necessary. Most kinds of food from apples to chicken, fish

to even water contain salt in some percentage. The quantities of salt vary from product to product. Processed foods such as papads are said to have too much salt and hence are not good for the health. “It is very difficult for a person to understand how much each individual component is contributing to the salt levels. Usually our cooking does not have excessive salt. It is the processed foods and table salt that we use, which are an issue and tend to cause the problem of excess,” mentions Dr Latha. “Basically any food that has added preservatives is a source of excess salt.” Although it is difficult to understand how much salt each ingredient contains, some care can be taken. Common suggestions include using more fresh foods such as vegetables, fruits and meat and tasting the food before adding salt for seasoning, especially while cooking food like pasta, rice, noodles, vegetables and hot cereals that already have an optimum level of salt. “Nowadays low-sodium salt is available in the market, which could be a good alternative,” suggests Dr Sunil. A simple action of balancing our intake of sodium can help our body in the long run. It is important to understand its use and their maximum and minimum requirements. It’s time we take to making our future healthier.

Dr Sunil Kapoor

What can youngsters do to prevent heart problems? A recent study presented at the American Heart Association’s annual conference found that younger men and women are much less likely to use preventive therapies, yet may be at higher risk for a first heart attack than realised. Researchers leading this study analysed data from more than 3,000 patients who had a heart attack over a seven-year period. They found that more than two-thirds of these patients were not previously diagnosed with heart disease and that about 60 per cent were men under the age of 55 and women 65 years and younger. Most importantly, these younger patients were nearly half as likely to be taking preventive therapies such as statins and blood thinners as those previously diagnosed with heart disease. These findings highlight the need for better assessment around who is considered ‘high-risk’ and qualifies for preventive therapy. While those with heart disease are already recommended various therapies to minimise risk for heart attack, such as blood thinners, beta blockers, statins and lifestyle changes, these therapies must be better applied among younger patients without heart disease. Questions for you to consider At what age are adults considered at highest risk for a heart attack? The risk of heart disease and heart attack increases after age 45 for men and after age 55 (or after menopause) for women. However, other risk factors can increase cardiovascular risk despite younger age, including family history, obesity and diabetes. (The writer is a senior consultant cardiologist practising at Care Hospitals, Hyderabad)

H‑Factor

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2012

Holistic view of mind, body and soul

Doctors look to treat sick children in virtual worlds MONTREAL: Doctors in a domed laboratory in Canada are designing a virtual world where they hope to one day treat traumatised children with colourful avatars using toy-like medical gadgets. Sensory stimulation could be used to make a burn victim feel she is encased in a block of ice. Three-dimensional images of a child’s bedroom at home could make him forget he is in a hospital. “You could take a child suffering from burns and put him in a polar environment, crossing the threshold of reality, to dull his pain,” said Patrick Dube, who is leading a team of medics from Montreal’s Sainte-Justine hospital and software engineers at the Society for Arts and Technology. “We know that cognitive illusions have an effect on the perception of pain,” he said. At the Satosphere, an 18meter-wide (60-foot) dome originally designed to provide spectators with a 360-degree view of art projections, the team has set up a hospital room, or ‘living lab’, to try out new treatment ideas. The dome, touted by Satosphere president Monique Savoie as a “cinema for the 21st century,” is a scion of the CircleVision theatre unveiled at the 1967 International and Universal Exposition’s Bell Pavilion in Montreal. “We can, through multiple projectors, create immersive environments that integrate not only walls, but also the furni-

ture in a r o o m ,” Dube said. Another tool being tested by the doctors would allow them to give medical gadgets the appearance of fantastical, non-threatening toys. Children would in theory be able to familiarise themselves with ‘scary’ medical instruments, like syringes, easing common fears over medical tests and treatments. In the hands of a little girl, a syringe is transformed into a storybook rocket. “I’m no longer scared of injections,” said Maxime, 11, the daughter of one of the researchers. The researchers are also looking into avatars that could

one day allow doctors and nurses to communicate with children traumatised by sickness or a crippling accident, who may not be comfortable opening up to an adult. Such high-tech puppetry might be used to build a child’s confidence or help re-socialise them. The person controlling the avatar from another room could ask a child to mimic its

Ignorance about calories putting millions at risk LONDON: Millions of people are unaware of the calories they take in their daily meal and thus risking themselves to be affected by diseases like cancer, diabetes or heart ailments due to their uninformed choices in everyday life, a study has suggested. According to a survey commissioned for World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), in Britain, two-thirds of adults underestimated the level of calories in foods such as houmous and so-called ‘light’ mayonnaise. Just 32 per cent correctly said houmous was high in calories and only 29 per cent said that low-fat mayo was also high in calories. The fact is both houmous and ‘light’ mayonnaise are actually high-calorie foods. It shows

how there is a ‘troubling’ lack of understanding about the calorie content of foods. As per the YouGov poll, confusion about terms such as ‘light’ or ‘reduced fat’ was compounding the problem. Twenty per cent of the 2,128 adults questioned thought bananas were high in calories even though the fruit contains just 95 calories per 100g on average. “Many people make New Year’s resolutions to lose weight but it is important that they understand how to determine whether a food is high in calories. It is important for people to be able to make informed choices about food,” says Maya Monteiro.

movements as part of physical rehabilitation. The ultimate aim is to apply the technology to help the children “overcome their fears and discover things about themselves,” said Patricia Garel, head of Sainte-Justine’s psychiatry department. “There’s enormous potential in our discipline, but we’re still at a very early exploratory stage.” Virtual communication and video games are known to sometimes have a negative impact on the socialisation of children, particularly the most emotionally fragile, who might shut themselves in. But Garel insists that if the tools are used correctly they could carve a virtual path back to normal life.

MYTHS DEBUNKED n All vegetable oils are good for the heart. Not all vegetable oils are healthy. Coconut, palm and palm kernel oils contain saturated fats, which increase cholesterol levels and are not good for the heart. Vegetable oils, which are partially hydrogenated contain harmful fatty trans-acids. n Beef will raise your cholesterol level more than poultry or seafood. This is not necessary as it isn’t just the cholesterol content of the particular food but also the fat content. Saturated fat has more of an impact on boosting blood cholesterol levels than the actual cholesterol content of foods. This implies that beef, which is lean and trimmed could contain less cholesterolboosting saturated fat than a chicken drumstick with the skin on it. n Children with asthma shouldn’t play sports. It was earlier believed that with physical activity there would be an increase in the breathing rate and could trigger asthma. It has know been realised that exercise such as aerobic exercise, could improve the lung power of a person with asthma. But activities that are intense and sustained should be avoided. n Gum that is swallowed takes seven years to digest. Gum, which is not digested, takes slightly longer to be expelled than food that is digested and passes through the intestinal tract in about 24 hours. Only if a very small child swallows a huge piece of gum is there any danger of the gum causing an intestinal obstruction. In many cases, this could lead to distension of the intestines and severe abdominal cramps. n Hyper people are more likely to have hypertension. Although rage can increase the blood pressure temporally, a person’s temper as such doesn’t cause high blood pressure. In about 10 per cent of people with high blood pressure, the problem is caused by kidney disease, hormonal disorders or certain drugs. But in most cases the cause is unknown.

(Source: Canadian Living)

Say goodbye to back pain with the new smart cushion LONDON: A sedentary job leaves you with a nagging back pain. People confined to bed are even worse off, frequently developing bed sores. But now, thanks to a smart new cushioning, the discomforts of lying and sitting would be a thing of the past. It relies on an integrated sensor system that would equalise pressure selectively. “Every person has a unique build, which must withstand differing compressive loads,” says Martin Woitag, research manager at the Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operation and Automation (IFF) in Germany. “Our sensor mat made of ordinary foam and conductive threads automatically detects how a person is sit-

ting or lying, and automatically equalises the pressure at endangered points by activating an actuator. One hundred measured points on a typical seat suffice to do this,” adds Woitag. If, for instance, the sensors indicate that the pressure to the rear right while sitting is too high, then air is let out of the cushion at that spot, “the cushioning is modified flexibly and selectively.” Another plus point is that the weave of the textile employed is breathable and thus prevents moisture build-up. Present systems rely on film technology, which causes sweating. IANS

Movies

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2012

Hemanth Kumar Hemanth.k@postnoon.com

Dreaming big Short-film making in Hyderabad is still in its nascent stage but that doesn’t seem to deter filmmakers from dreaming big. We find out more about the present scenario and the road ahead for short-film makers

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

Devil Inside

n 1989, emergency responders received a 9-1-1 call from Maria Rossi (Suzan Crowley) confessing that she had brutally killed three people. Twenty years later, her daughter Isabella (Fernanda Andrade) seeks to understand the truth about what happened that night. She travels to the Centrino Hospital for the Criminally Insane in Italy where her mother has been locked

away to determine if her mother is mentally ill or demonically possessed. When she recruits two young exorcists (Simon Quarterman and Evan Helmuth) to cure her mom using unconventional methods combining both science and religion, they come face-to-face with pure evil in the form of four powerful demons possessing Maria. Check out the trailer at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyT7x MPurgw

here’s something magical about making your first short film, irrespective of how it turns out in the end. For aspiring filmmakers, it means taking that first step towards realising their dream. Sometimes, it’s the toughest thing to do because everyone struggles in the beginning. “I began making short films about a year and a half ago. And then we found out more people who were making short films in Hyderabad. One thing led to another and soon we began collaborating with more aspiring filmmakers and actors,” says Hussain Sha Kiran, a shortfilm maker from the Nakama Creations & Planet Green group. His team found its first breakthrough with a short film titled Why so Serious? which caught the attention of several youngsters and then short films like Lovaholics and Ontiganta became quite popular. “It took me about seven to eight months to bring together a team and that’s usually the toughest part. I didn’t want to make short films just for the heck of it,” he says. A few years ago, the cost of equipment, especially the cameras, was so high that shortfilm making was restricted to only those who could afford it. But now, with the advent of lowcost DSLR cameras, the number of short-film makers has shot through the roof. Internet has brought about a paradigm shift in this medium. “The real challenge for a short-film maker these days is to rise to the urgent need to showcase quality content on par with what we see on the virtual media platforms,” says Anantha Krishna. On the other hand, some of the short films made in recent months have gone viral on YouTube with hundreds of people sharing them on Facebook and Twitter. While there’s no doubt that the number of aspiring filmmakers has increased a lot in the past couple of years, they often face an uphill task of making money from their work. “Most of the short films made these days are made on a budget of about `10,000– 15,000. Mostly, they are not on par with short films made in other parts of the country or abroad; otherwise, there are enough methods to make money through short films. In Hyderabad, production houses, which make short films don’t make enough money and the chances of filmmakers making money are even less,” says Jawad Ali, co-founder of Yellow Studio Works. His friend, Umair Hasan has directed two short films Samosas & Banerjee and Shaji under the Yellow Studio Works banner. Shaji has been selected for the International Film Festival of Ahmedabad and the Jaipur Film Festival. Hyderabad is still in a very nascent stage with regards to short-film making and there are only three or four avenues where these short films can be screened. But the response, which some of these filmmakers have got so far has strengthened their belief that they’ll be making feature films someday in the near future. “A lot of friends want to help us out in creating awareness about our short films, but we would love to reach a wider audience,” concludes Jawad Ali, echoing the thoughts of several other short-film makers.

F‑Folio

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2012

Because you are what you wear

Draped in timeless elegance The sari has inspired fashionistas all around the world but some of Bollywood’s beauties have done more than justice to the alluring attire Taniya Talukdar

Sridevi

emember her hot and sizzling number in Mr India? Well, there is definitely something about Sridevi and the sari only enhances it; the actress stands tall and to see her in one is mesmerising. So, whether it is attending a wedding or just making an appearance on the big screen, Sridevi in a sari always makes heads turn.

taniya.t@postnoon.com

Celina Jaitley

Vidya Balan

t doesn’t matter that Celina has been unable to make an impression with her films, but when it comes to wearing the sari, she definitely does make heads turn. Celina has more often than not promoted the sari. Whenever she has to make a public appearance, whether it is for the promotion of her films, award functions or chat shows, Celina has stuck to the sari. She is one of the handful few in the industry who understands its elegance.

ancing in the rain with chiffon saris, dream sequences in flowy fabrics or attending award functions in those designer creations, our actresses have done it all and have looked gorgeous. The sari was earlier mostly limited to the screens, but over time, it has been given its due and nowadays most actresses are choosing the sari over Western outfits for all occasions, even on the red carpet. The sari has often been described as ‘the apparel that covers all... yet reveals all’. What is it that adds so much allure? We find out.

Shilpa Shetty

Rekha

Mandira Bedi

hilpa looks good in anything she wears and her figure is perfect for just about anything. So when she wears a sari, she looks nothing less than a diva and she has proved that time and again. Her height and hour-glass figure makes for a great frame for draping the sari and she appears like a dream, giving a lot of her contemporaries sleepless nights.

hat can we say about her collection of Kanjeevaram saris? We rarely see her in anything else other than the beautiful weaves. Glamourous and sensuous, Rekha looks celestial and her beauty and grace just add to the effect. She perhaps has the largest collection of Kanjeevaram saris and she always teams them up with the right jewellery. Trust Rekha to always deliver a stunner whenever she has to make a public appearance.

he is the one who made noodle straps famous on Indian television while commenting on cricket. While her fashion sense made more news than her commenting, we can surely forgive Ms Bedi for it. The lady sure has us stumped with her beauty and dressing sense. Not the one to stick to conventions, Mandira has always grabbed eyeballs and her choice of saris with those noodle strap cholis could still give a lot of actresses a run for their money.

rom Parineeta to Ishqiya and from Paa to The Dirty Picture, Vidya has romanced the sari like no other. She personifies Indian beauty and looks the best in the timeless piece of elegance. While on one hand she has been ridiculed for her dressing sense when it comes to Western wear, Vidya has not only sizzled but also won over many hearts when she wears the sari. Over the years, she has learnt the right way to impress and has stuck to the sari when it comes to any kind of major appearance she has to make. A smart move, Ms Balan.

Magic Screen

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2012

The glamour behind the glitz

After a promising start, Nitin’s acting career took a beating due to successive flops. Yet, he is upbeat over his upcoming film Ishq. He talks about his career so far and confesses that he has a lot to learn about taking the right decisions

I BELIEVE IN LUCK Hemanth Kumar Hemanth.k@postnoon.com

itin’s career graph resembles a tangent, which shows no signs of changing its course. The string of flops in the past few years have hurt his career badly and the actor knows what it means. “I have seen both hits and flops quite early on in my career. You can’t do anything when a film fails because an actor alone isn’t responsible for the failure of a film. No one has told me that I was bad even in the films that bombed. The day someone tells me that, I’ll feel bad,” Nitin says matter-of-factly. The actor talks quite fast and so we asked him if he has ever been told to slow down. “It happens all the time,” he grins, “My directors make it a point to tell me to talk slowly. I am making a conscious effort these days.” He’s not a man who minces his words. Being candid maybe underrated, but there’s no denying that it makes the conversation more interesting. No one wants to make a bad film, yet hundreds of films flop every year. Everyone works hard and spends end-

less hours in trying to get everything right before releasing a film. So, it all boils down to one factor — luck. “I believe in luck. In any other field, hard work is the most important factor, but when it comes to films, apart from hard work, luck plays an important part. In fact, I believe that luck constitutes 90 per cent in the success or failure of a film,” he confesses. So does he believe that he has been unlucky for the past few years? “Yes,” he replies, and adds, “Two of my past five films were bad, but the other three had decent storylines. Sometimes films fail because they are not released at the right time or there might be a strike or even floods for that matter.” Since he’s being quite candid about his career, we wonder if he has finally found his comfort zone. “I guess so. I believe I have finally learnt what’s right for me,” he says. His upcoming film, Ishq boasts of several big technicians including PC Sreeram, Sreekar Prasad and Vikram Kumar. Nithya Menen is playing the lead role in this urban love story and Nitin is quite confident that his onscreen chemistry with Nithya will work in favour of the film. “I was

doing a lot of action films and I think even the audience got bored after a point of time. So my friends and wellwishers advised me to do a love story, which would suit my age,” Nitin says explaining his brief hiatus from the silver screen. Since it’s a comeback film of sorts, the actor did quite a lot of homework for his part. “In my earlier films, I used to just drop in on the sets and do what my director wanted me to do. But for this film, I did a lot of rehearsals at home before shooting the next day. Besides, I was a bit scared of Nithya Menen’s acting skills. She’s the best co-star I have worked with,” he chuckles. Interestingly, he has also sung a few lines for a song Lacchamma, which is already making waves. Whether the film changes his fortune at the box-office or not remains to be seen, but he makes it a point to suggest that, for this film, he has taken a lot of care not to repeat some of the mistakes that he had done in the past. Does he regret doing a film? “I wish I hadn’t done some films. But I can’t undo a lot of things. Maybe it’s my fate. I just want to work harder and learn more,” he signs off. Ishq opens to screens in February.

Magic Screen

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2012

The glamour behind the glitz

Sundeep Kishan gets busy S undeep Kishan, best known for his terrific performance in Deva Katta’s Prasthanam, seems to be planning his career quite carefully. After more than a year since Prasthanam’s release, the actor is back in action with four films including a Tamil film. He’s playing the lead role in Praveen Sattaru’s Routine Love Story and in Lakshmi Manchu’s upcoming production Gundello Godaari, he’s playing an action packed role. Apart from these two films, he’s going to make his Tamil film debut in a comedy film titled Yaroda Mahesh. Ad filmmaker Madan is

T-TOWN TWEETIES

@sneha_ullal My new photo shoot. No makeup, no hair, no crazy lighting. Very candid. By my friend/photographer Sarath Shetty. Check him out on Facebook.

directing the film and Red Post Productions is producing the film. “I am also doing a bilingual film to be directed by Raj Pippala. Anand Ranga is producing it,” Sundeep Kishan adds, “the format of each of these stories is different and none of the characters I am doing have any similarities with each other. I am glad that finally I am doing films which I believe in.”

@shrutihaasan Such an eventful start to the New Year! Now battling my first New Year sniffles... :p then back to Gabbar Singh and 3! Work work my 2012 mantra.

@LakshmiManchu What a day. The studio is filled with artistic killers. Yuvan, @prakashraaj, maestro Illayraja and all the music around is just divine. Blessed.

@tashu_02 Desert safari....camping in the desert tonight....yay....

Allari Naresh signs another comedy film Y

ou can trust Allari Naresh for being perennially busy. Over the years, he has stuck to his strength, which is entertaining people relentlessly and it comes as no big surprise that he has signed yet another comedy film. What’s interesting, as of now, about this film is its title, Nela Thakkuvodu, which literally means ‘One who

is born prematurely’. E Sattibabu,who had directed Betting Bangarraju, is going to helm the project. More details about this project will be announced soon. Allari Naresh will also be seen in another comedy film, co-starring Sharwanand and Shriya Saran, which is said to be remake of Deewana Mastana.

Short film contest deadline extended A

short film contest ‘Here is my story, what’s yours?’, which is being organised by Applause –The Theatre People and CastnCrew.in has captured the attention of short-film makers. The competition was launched a couple of weeks ago and the response so far has been amazing. “We have been getting alot of support from the Telugu film industry and people alike. A lot more short-film makers are coming forward to participate in the contest; so we have decided to extend the deadline to February 10. We’ll also interact with more students,” says actor Soumya who’s organising the competition.

@pnavdeep26 Why r all d mental asylums only full of men? Wonder who is driving them crazy!! Women? Lol :)

@Amala_ams Heading to Chennai for the Pongal special channel programs for #VettaiPromo ....

@sayalibhagat Well me in Nasik, for the prayer meeting for my grandfather’s demise..Friends and family from all over in Nasik…life is so unpredictable...

@devakatta “In a time of deceit telling truth is a revolutionary act” George Orwell.

Magic Screen

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2012

The glamour behind the glitz

Talking movies

Isha Mukoo Isha.m@postnoon.com

ome Friday and the mood in Bollywood is just like it were before exam results are out. If not for all, at least for some, it is a day when they come to know whether their movie is a hit or a dud. Every Friday, ticket counters witness a stampede-like situation with people queuing up to get tickets for the latest flick. Such is the Bollywood fever. While we all know about this Friday fever, there is also another person who waits for movie releases — that’s right, it is the critic. Yes, the bad guy of Bollywood, who scans and dissects every part of the movie with passion and it is her/his opinion that plays a vital role in deciding the fate of the film at the box-office. Anyone would love a job where all you have to do is give an honest opinion and get paid for it. Fame is just one of the incentives you receive in this profession. So, is it as smooth-sailing as it seems? Critics tell us otherwise. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh feels there is no need to restrict oneself while reviewing. “I watch a movie as a movie-goer rather than a critic. When I watch a movie, I see it as a viewer who wants to get entertained and not compare it with other films. I don’t feel a need to restrain myself when reviewing because it is all about the movie. I have reviewed many of Salman’s and Shah Rukh’s movies and if I have not given them positive ones, they know it’s purely work and there is no hidden agenda involved,” he says. While

reviewing a movie is not cakewalk, critics, too, are criticised. Recalling a recent twitter spat with actor Shahid Kapur, Taran says, “You must have heard about the controversy with Shahid. I am not biased; I will call a bad film a bad film because that is how I feel. It’s totally professional and it is not restricted to actors alone; the review is for producers and directors as well,” he said. “My tweet said, ‘Fetched approx `21cr/ `22 crore net in its opening weekend. Biz slid downwards on Saturday, but showed escalation on Sunday... numbers are below the mark.’ It did not go down well with Shahid, who tweeted back, ‘So all those trying so hard to scr** Mausam can go scr** themselves. Waise bhi aajkal kuchh logon ke adarsh buri tarha gir chuke hain.” Adarsh had replied, “Abusing me won't help. Instead, get a reality check and introspect the shortcomings of the film.” Noted critic, author and wife of filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Anupama Chopra feels a critic’s job is

interesting but at the same time one needs to speak the truth. “Personally, I avoid reviewing films that are from my family, as some people might feel I am being biased; so I pretend Munna Bhai or 3 Idiots did not exist. Apart from that, when I am reviewing a movie, I don’t watch it with any preconceived notions or since there is a star in the movie so it has to be good or bad. One needs to discover and look at the movie with a fresh perspective,” she says, adding that there’s no harm calling a spade a spade as that’s the job of a critic. “One has to be objective in doing their job and people need to understand that all the criticism is positive and is not to be taken personally. So one just needs to be respectful and do the job,” she explains. But not everyone takes criticism positively. Be it the stars or the filmmakers. As Rajeev Masand puts it, “The key to a review is honesty and clarity. It’s the same as that of a journalist’s job. Just that one does not use a certain kind of language. Having said that, one cannot compromise with the review and say otherwise.” So what does he have to say to the honest reviews by his fraternity, that make some stars breathe fire. King Khan for starters did not take kindly to the reviews he received for Don 2 . “Our job is not to please the stars. Critics do not write reviews for the stars or filmmakers. We write it for the audience and having said that, nothing can please everybody in this world,” he replied. While the job is a dirty one, adding value judgement is what this tricky job calls for. And like Rajeev says, “Nothing can please everybody in this world.”

It might sound like the most comfortable job in the world, but there is more to the job of a critic. Opinions need to be carefully thought of and not just made up on a whim. We take a look at what film critics have to say about their work

Magic Screen

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2012

The glamour behind the glitz

MasterChef Shipra feels she has much to stir F or Shipra Khanna, it was a perfect recipe that took her to the top in the world of cooking. But this winner of MasterChef India feels she has miles to go. “It’s just one step, I have to go miles still,” Shipra, the 29-yearold single mother, born and brought up in the Himachal Pradesh capital said. Shipra on Sunday night walked away with the title of MasterChef in the second season of the cooking reality show. She won a cash prize of `1 crore, a chance to host her own show on Star Plus and a vacation for three nights and four days in London. She said her mother was her

Vindu Dara Singh hits out at Poojas

ctor Vindu Dara Singh, who won the third season of Bigg Boss, has hit out at Pooja Missra and Pooja Bedi for alleging favouritism in the ongoing season of the show. “It has been two years since I won Bigg Boss but, like every year, this year also some contestants are crying after being evicted. Twitter is a medium that I will never get to like... some silly girls go and accuse and say anything about two of the biggest and best people in the industry,” said Vindu. While Pooja Missra alleged favouritism for Mahek Chahal, Pooja Bedi accused Salman Khan for demoralising Akashdeep Saigal in the house. The grand finale of Bigg Boss 5 will be telecast on Saturday. “The show is the best and it takes out the worst in contestants along with their best. Wish the two Poojas forget Bigg Boss 5 and move ahead because whosoever is advising them to do this kind of publicity, is leading them on to the wrong path. Even today there is no clear winner and let’s see who does win this crazy session,” he added. IANS

motivation. “I grew up watching and learning culinary skills from my mother, who is a perfect host. Now, it’s my children who brought out the talent in me.” Shipra, who was married in Agra, is living separately from her husband. Her children, Yadavi and Himang, stay with their father. “My children love to dine out. Several times I tried to replicate recipes, especially the desserts, at home. This greatly helped me in honing my skills,” she added. Her parents — Balween and Radhika Khanna — said it was Shipra’s passion for cooking that took her to the top honour. “She loves to cook for the entire family. Despite estranged relations with her husband, she managed to grab the title,” said Balween, who runs Laljee Jewellers in Shimla’s Lower Bazaar. Shipra aspires to anchor a food and travel show. She beat Joseph Rozario from Siliguri and Salma Shazia Fathima from Bangalore to win the show that started off with 12 contestants. The grand finale was telecast over Saturday and Sunday with Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar once again returning to the show as a guest judge for both the episodes. IANS

Now, Rakhi Sawant praises Raj Thackeray

ollywood’s item girl Rakhi Sawant, seems to have taken a fancy for politicians. After confessing that she has a soft corner for the Congress party general secretary Rahul Gandhi, she is now showering praises on Raj Thackeray. “I respect Rajji a lot. He is a very good man and his team is equally good. He is doing a great job. Don’t see what is happening in the city, but see how he is helping the poor. I always say that Rajji is like a brother to me,” the 33-year-old controversy queen said while attending a screening of Don 2 with cancer patients. “Kehte hain na ki jab seedhi ungli se ghee nahin nikalta hai toh ungli tedhi karni padti hai, aur koun aisa nahin hai... And I don’t find anything wrong in his conduct,” she added. The actress is clear when it comes to her career choices. She says she has no plans to join politics. IANS

B-TOWN TWEETIES

@rampalarjun Holiday comes to an end. Had the best time here in Dubai. The Address Downtown hotel was like a 2nd home. Now back to work work and work.

@ajaydevgn Back in town and on the set. This feels like the actual start of the year. Gearing up!

@RGVzoomin All those who hate me- which I guess would be the majority can watch me on Arjun Rampal’s ‘love to hate u’ programme on 8th Jan at 9 pm on Star World.

@NeilNMukesh Nothing like a good hotel room :). Some good food and great company. :) Post a nice movie tucked in bed :D

@bipsluvurself Leaving for Dubai now! Have a packed day tom! Lots of stuff fr #Players! Looking forward to meeting all u guys from Dubai!

@FarOutAkhtar Am I the only person in the world who didn’t get into playing Angry Birds??

@SrBachchan T 612 -From being a subject infra dig to society, to be acknowledged is what Indian Cinema’s progress has been...remarkable and proud moment.

@imarshadwarsi Got a few personal and professional challenges to overcome this year, will do my best to overcome them gracefully.

Magic Screen

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Magic Screen

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2012

The glamour behind the glitz

Dark Knight Rises audio tweaked?

ou’ll recall that back in early December, we reported on the first screening of the Dark Knight Rises prologue currently playing in front of Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol on Imax screens. While the footage scored some glowing reviews, the first inklings of an issue began to appear, with concerns raised about Bane (Tom Hardy)’s raspy, metallic, and accented dialogue being hard to understand. Chris Nolan has said he won’t overhaul it, but now comes word that he may at least have tinkered with it to help audiences make out the breathy pronouncements. According to an Imax projectionist who received an updated soundtrack for the prologue, the new audio lowers the background noise so that Bane stands out a little more, without comprising Nolan’s vision of a film that doesn’t simply shovel the plot’s ideas out at you. Still, if true, the tweak was necessary after the issue spawned a slew of net jokes and critical comments.

s the old saying goes, any publicity is good publicity. At least that’s the case with Kelly Clarkson this week, whose latest album Stronger posted big sales gains on both Amazon and iTunes’ digital sales charts following her controversial endorsement of Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul last Thursday. “I love Ron Paul,” Clarkson wrote on her WhoSay account. “I liked him a lot during the last Republican nomination and no one gave him a chance. If he wins the nomination for the Republican party in 2012 he’s got my vote. Too bad he probably won’t.” Clarkson’s shout-out to Paul proved unpopular with several of her followers, many of whom sent angry responses admonishing the singer for pledging to back a candidate who has recently been the subject of allegations concerning racist statements contained in past issues of his official newsletter. Some fans also took issue with the Texas congressman’s stances on issues including gay rights and the death penalty. “I do not support racism,” Clarkson later wrote in reply to her critics. “I support gay rights, straight rights, women’s rights, men’s rights, white/black/purple/orange rights. I like Ron Paul because he believes in less government and letting the people (all of us) make the decisions and mold our country. That is all. Out of all of the Republican nominees, he’s my favourite.” Paul is known for inspiring passionate support among his disciples, many of whom were clearly pleased enough with Clarkson’s message to seek out her latest LP. Clarkson kicks off her Stronger tour on January 13th in Mashantucket, CT.

CLARKSON’S album sales stronger after Ron Paul endorsement

Scorsese to direct Sinatra’s biopic in 3D

artin Scorsese, who’s recently won widespread acclaim for his artful use of 3D in Hugo is contemplating the possibility of shooting two more of his films in the in-vogue format. The films in question, in case you were wondering, are Silence — a historical drama based on the Shusaka Endo novel about two Jesuit missionaries who embark on a voyage to Japan in the 17th century — as well as a proposed biopic of legendary crooner Frank Sinatra. “I’m considering the possibility,” Scorsese told Variety. While neither project is an obvious choice for the format, if anybody can shoot a drama in 3D and make it work it’s hard not to think that Scorsese’s the one.

Chai Time

KAKURO

How to Play Kakuro Kakuro is a popular game similar to sudoku in some ways. But is also suitably different. The key question: “How do you play Kakuro?”, well here are the rules of kakuro. The answer: The kakuro grid, unlike in sudoku, can be of any size. It has rows and columns, and dark cells like in a crossword. And, just like in a crossword, some of the dark cells will contain numbers. Some cells will contain two numbers. However, in a crossword the numbers reference clues. In a kakuro, the numbers are all you get! They denote the total of the digits in the row or column referenced by the number. Within each collection of cells - called a run - any of the numbers 1 to 9 may be used but, like sudoku, each number may only be used once. Let’s have an example to explain this concept more clearly: In the image above, which shows a section of a kakuro puzzle, you will see the numbers ‘26’ and ‘14’ in the top row. Look at the 14. This means that the total of the three cells underneath must sum to 14. Therefore 9, 4, 1 could be the answer, or perhaps 7, 4, 3 and so on... So, how do you work out the actual combination? Well, this is done through elimination and cross-referencing. For instance, as you work out the answers for other kakuro clues, this will naturally limit the valid combinations, and hence the answer for this particular run. Note the second cell in row two - it contains two numbers, 30 and 11. The 30 refers to the vertical run underneath the number 30 and the 11 refers to the two cells to the right, horizontally, of the number 11.

SCRIBBLING PAD

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2012

Take a shot at the brain game while sipping your cuppa

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Witty remark 5 First name of the first American in space 9 Try again, from the start 13 ___ Bator, Mongolia 14 Extinct bird that couldn't fly 15 Librarian's book-stamping gadget 16 Go-___ (four-wheeled racer) 17 Perform with no others 18 Your dad's brother, to you 19 Coarse stuff for manicurists 21 Disney classic everyone "nose" 23 Gift recipients 25 Where one sleeps on a train 26 Group's belief 28 Reached someone on a pager 32 Ubiquitous insect 34 TV game show host Ben (win his money) 37 Male bee 38 Neither here ___ there 39 Mumbai dresses 41 Corny place 42 Lady's mate 45 Flower part 47 Pacino, Roker, Gore and Unser 48 Byzantine or Ottoman 50 Infection-causing bacteria 52 Supersized 55 Pole position? 58 Overly optimistic Disney soul 62 Jeans material 63 Up on things 64 Bad smell 66 Molecule part 67 Happen regularly 68 What a waiter hands out 69 Neck hair 70 Middle Eastern port on its own gulf 71 Genesis garden 72 Surreptitious summons

DOWN 1 Dodged a defender 2 "King of the Hill" beer 3 Disney movie of 1961 and 1998 (with "The") 4 Dish that's the main course 5 Things that pop up annoyingly 6 Roller coaster feature 7 Deviate from the script 8 Worst possible turnout 9 Rectangular house 10 Ingrain, as into memory 11 Where the workers cut the mustard? 12 Lunchbox snack 15 Like homes with central air conditioning 20 Japanese coins 22 Sphere 24 Complete collections 27 London socials 29 Disney film with Mel

Gibson's voice 30 Chemical ending or compound 31 Society newcomers 32 Kick in for a hand 33 "Cheers" regular 35 Hot feeling 36 Puppy bites 40 Fill to the max 43 Water wheel's channel 44 Something a father may hear 46 Acclaim 49 Pitching stat 51 Part of a studio system 53 Disney's "The ___Mobile" 54 Pulled the

SUDOKU

plug on 56 Short-lived particles 57 Actor M. ___ Walsh 58 Chute opening? 59 Was obligated to 60 Add liquor to 61 Top-notch 65 Yankee homecoming? PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

THOUGHT OF THE DAY Behind every successful man stands a surprised mother-inlaw – Voltaire

Chai Time STAR POWER

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2012

Your tomorrow today̶Star Power and Tarot

Date 5-1-2012

THIRUVAIKUMAR

As per Hindu panchang

thiruvaikumar@yahoo.co.in 040-27177230 / 9177596118

TAURUS

GEMINI

Problems at workplace will lessen. Children's growth will make you happy. Stomach ailments likely. Be careful in food habits. Farmers need to work hard to get a good harvest.

Enemies will keep away from you. You will buy essential household items and comforts will increase. Blood relatives will be cordial to you. Businessmen will get more customers.

Employees need to struggle hard to complete their work. However, they will get suitably rewarded. Businessmen will gain by adopting new techniques.

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

Businessmen will diversify and earn good proﬁts. You will get new cus‑ tomers. Farmers' problems with irriga‑ tion will be solved. Cattle rearers and farmers will make proﬁt.

You will analyse the pros and cons before taking any vital decisions which will protect you in future. Farmers can expect a bumper crop. But you may need to struggle a bit.

Employees will get relief, as their work load will reduce. Superiors will give due consideration to your demands and needs.Politicians need to run from pillar to post.

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

Businessmen will be much involved in transactions and ensure good profits. Employees should not be sloppy, or they may face the ire of their superiors.

Employees need to identify those who are creating trouble for them, and stay away from them. Travels will be bene‑ ﬁcial. Relativesʼ visit will make women happy and cheerful.

Employeesʼ workload will increase. Differences with superiors will come to an end. Tension and wanderings will reduce for businessmen. Income will rise rapidly.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Employees might feel upset, as their superiors who were helpful may be transfered. Be careful and work with involvement with new boss. Financially a comfortable position is seen.

Promotion and pay hike on the cards for some. Employees will work with perfection and receive apprecciation. Businessmen need to adjust with part‑ ners and maintain cordiality.

Blood relatives will help and fulfill your expectations. Govt sops will come by. Employees will get an attractive package and get the sup‑ port of superiors.

SUMAA TEKUR

tarotreadhyd@gmail.com

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

Nine of Cups – This is the wish card but a word of caution. Wish for what you like but be careful, as when it comes true, you should still want that wish.

The Hanged Man – Youʼre interested in spiritual matters. You want to learn new methods of meditation. You also want to know more about the occult.

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

Knight of Wands – youʼre charging ahead with your ideas and they may or may not work. Your enthusiasm is endearing to those around you,

The Wheel of Fortune – Bide your time and make a move when you get what you really wa‑ nt. There are times when you donʼt have enough support.

Four of Swords – Stability is very important to you and you have it now in the form of loving friends and family. You have a deep con‑ nection with family.

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

The Magician – Use your intuition well and make the right decisions to push the plans ahead. Give room for othersʼ opinions too. Youʼre at the right place.

Knight of Swords – Your intellect is much in demand at the work place. Juniors come to you for advice and to seek help in impor‑ tant matters.

Eight of Wands – This is the card of good luck. You will get what you want with‑ out having to pitch for it much. Your bosses are happy with your work.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Ten of Cups – Family is in focus. You have made a warm home for yourself and want to invest your emo‑ tions meaningfully in a traditional home.

Six of Pentacles – Take help from a senior at the work place. Donʼt be overconfident about your decisions. Always check with someone who has more experience.

Ace of Cups – Good ideas win the way forward and you ha‑ ve those ideas. But maybe you need to polish your commu‑ nication skills to put them across well.

Queen of Wands – Youʼve surrounded yourself with things you like and are unwilling to change the environment to attract new people and objects.

For Better or for Worse Stone soup

SOLUTIONS

Boggle YEN PESO EURO POUND RUBLE DOLLAR

Number game

Suduko

Scrabble

Ink pen

COMICS

Fred Basset

ARIES

TAROT READ

Vol: 1, No. 172 RNI No: APENG/2011/39337 Published for the proprietors, Scribble Media and Entertainment Pvt Ltd, by V Harshavardhan Reddy, at #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No. 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad–500033 and printed by him at Jagati Publications Ltd, Plot No D-75&E-52, APIE Industrial Estate, Balanagar, Ranga Reddy Dist, Hyderabad–500037, Editor: Dean Williams – Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. For feedback, please write to: feedback@postnoon.com and for subscription, please call 040-40672222, Fax: 040-40672211

Chai Time 1400 Naadi Aadajanme 1430 Pavitra 1500 Movie 1800 Sri Shanidevuni Mahimalu 1830 Vasantha Kokila 1900 Chinnari Pelli Kuturu 1930 Anna Chellelu 2000 Pellipandiri 2030 Edureetha 2100 Challenge-3 2200 CID 2300 Vasantha Kokila 2330 Alajadi 0700 Silver Screen 0730 Just For Fun 0800 Ayurvedam 0830 Chaganti Nava Vidha Bhakti 0900 Bhale Chancele

1400 Kannavaari Kalalu 1430 Maavichiguru 1500 Jeevitha Chakram 1530 Movie 1800 Jai Shri Krishna 1830 Shraavani Subramaniam 1900 Mandhara 1930 Auto Bharthi 2000 No. 23, Mahalakshmi Nivasam 2030 Mogali Rekulu 2100 Aparanji 2130 Devatha 2200 Mamathala Kovela 2230 Anveshana 2300 Gemini Vaarthalu 0800 Gemini Talkies 0830 Movie 1130 Aha Emi Ruchi 1200 Comedy Kick 1230 Maa Inti Aada Paduchu 1300 Chittemmaa 1330 Gorintaku

1400 [V] Vignettes 1430 [V] D3 Dil Dosti Dance 1500 [V] Humse Hai Life 1530 [V] Trailers 1600 [V] Zabardast Hits 1800 [V] Fresh Songs 1830 [V] Humse Hai Life 1900 [V] D3 Dil Dosti Dance 1930 [V] Humse Hai Life 2000 [V] New Year's Special 2100 [V] Deadly Dus 2130 [V] Trailers 2200 Star Plus - Survivor 2300 [V] Humse Hai Life 2330 [V] D3 Dil Dosti Dance 2355 [V] Fresh Songs 0700 [V] Trailers 0730 [V] Zabardast Hits 0800 [V] Mind Blasting Mornings 1100 [V] Fresh Songs 1200 [V] D3 Dil Dosti Dance

‘[V] D3 Dil Dosti Dance’ at 1900 Hrs on CHANNEL [V]

1300 News Now At1 1330 News Now 1800 6 Pm 1830 Live Report 1900 Primetime 1930 The Game 2000 News Now At 8 2030 Live Report 2100 The Newshour 2200 The Newshour - Plus 2230 E Now 2300 News Now At 11 0800 The Morning News 0900 News Now 1200 Live Report 1230 News Now

‘The Game’ at 1930 Hrs only on TIMES NOW

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2012

Telly sitcoms, news and movie listings

1400 Abhishekam 1430 Aadade Aadharam 1500 Antahpuram 1530 Aakasa Ganga 1600 Prema Mandiram 1630 Jagadeeswari 1700 Wow 1800 Devimahathyam 1830 Puttadi Bomma 1900 Kumkuma Rekha 1930 Manasu Mamata 2000 Chandra Mukhi 2030 Bharyamani 2100 Etv News 2130 Adhire Adurs 2245 Movie 0800 Jeevana Jyothi 0830 Tollywood Time 0900 Movie 1130 Abhiruchi 1230 Star Mahila

1400 Ardhangi 1430 Movie 1800 Veera Naari Jhansi Laxmi Bhai 1830 Kalavari Kodallu 1900 Chinna Kodalu 1930 Pasupukunkuma 2000 Muddu Bidda 2030 Radha Kalyanam 2100 Kanyadanam 2130 Sa Re Ga Ma Pa - Little Champs 2230 Shree 2300 Bindas 0800 Gopuram 0830 Bhakti Samacharam 0900 Sri Raghavendra Vybhavam 0930 Ayurveda Jeevana Vignanam 1000 Zee 70 Mm A.C 1200 Mee Inti Vanta

‘Business Tonight’ at 2100 Hrs only on ET NOW 1400 The F And O Show 1430 Closing Trades 1530 Tomorrow's Trades 1600 Business Day 1730 Markets Tomorrow 1800 Rush Hour 1830 Brand Equity Special 1900 Global Business Report 1930 Business Express 2000 Business First 2030 Markets Tomorrow 2100 Business Tonight 2200 Top 10 At10 2230 Leaders Of Tomorrow 2300 Starting Up 0900 First Trades 1000 Hot Stocks 1100 Buy Now Sell Now - The Stock Game 1130 Buy Now Sell Now 1200 Market Sense 1300 Business Day 1330 Markets Now

‘Man Woman Wild’ at 1900 Hrs on DISCOVERY 1400 Haunting 1600 Swords 1700 Man Woman Wild 1800 Wild Discovery 1900 Man Woman Wild 2000 Virus Hunters 2100 Man Vs Wild 2200 Swords 2300 Desire & Pleasure Decoded 1000 Virus Hunters 1100 Man Woman Wild 1200 I Should'nt Be Alive 1300 Wild Discovery

1415 CSI - Crime Scene Investigation 1510 Wipeout 2 1605 Launch My Line 1700 Live To Dance 1800 Criss Angel Mindfreak 1900 India's Minute To Win It 2000 Sports Crash 2100 Minute To Win It 2200 Wipeout 2 2300 Criss Angel Mindfreak 0830 Infomercial/30 Min 0900 Sky Teleshopping 0930 Criss Angel Mindfreak 0955 Infomercial/5 Min 1000 Criss Angel Mindfreak 1025 Infomercial/5 Min 1030 Launch My Line 1130 Sports Crash 1225 Live To Dance 1320 Minute To Win It

‘Criss Angel Mindfreak’ at 2300 Hrs on AXN

‘Baba Aisa Varr Dhoondo’ at 2200 Hrs on IMAGINE 1400 Haar Jeet 1500 Baba Aisa Varr Dhoondo 1600 Haar Jeet 1700 Dharampatni 1730 Sawaare Sabke Sapne – Preeto 1800 Beendh Banuga Ghodi Chadhunga 1830 Baba Aisa Varr Dhoondo 1900 Haar Jeet 1930 Mahima Shani Dev Ki 2000 Dwarkadheesh - Bhagwan Shri Krishn 2030 Sawaare Sabke Sapne – Preeto 2100 Beendh Banuga Ghodi Chadhunga 2130 Dharampatni 2200 Baba Aisa Varr Dhoondo 2230 Haar Jeet 2300 Dharampatni

1400 Hawan 1500 Veer Shivaji 1530 Uttaran 1600 Phulwa 1630 Parichay - Nayee Zindagi Kay Sapno Ka 1700 Sasural Simar Ka 1730 Veer Shivaji 1800 Uttaran 1830 Balika Vadhu 1900 Hawan 1930 Sasural Simar Ka 2000 Balika Vadhu 2030 Veer Shivaji 2100 Phulwa 2130 Parichay - Nayee Zindagi Kay Sapno Ka 2200 Uttaran 2230 Bigg Boss 2330 Balika Vadhu - Kacchi Umar Ke Pakke Rishte

‘Sasural Simar Ka’ at 1930 Hrs on COLORS

‘Bhagonwali’ at 2230 Hrs on ZEE TV 1400 Hitler Didi 1430 Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuein 1500 Afsar Bitiya 1530 Yahaaan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli 1600 Pavitra Rishta 1630 Dance India Dance 1800 Hitler Didi 1830 Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuein 1900 Afsar Bitiya 1930 Choti Bahu 2 2000 Hitler Didi 2030 Yahaaan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli 2100 Pavitra Rishta 2130 Ram Milaye Jodi 2200 Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuein 2230 Bhagonwali 2300 Afsar Bitiya

1400 Saas Bina Sasuraal 1430 Bade Achhe Lagte Hai 1500 Kuch Toh Log Kahenge 1600 CID 1800 Saas Bina Sasuraal 1830 Bade Achhe Lagte Hai 1900 Crime Patrol - Dastak 2000 Kuch Toh Log Kahenge 2045 Dekha Ek Khwaab 2130 Parvarrish - Kuchh Khatti Kuchh Meethi 2200 Saas Bina Sasural 2230 Bade Achhe Lagte Hai 2300 Kuch Toh Log Kahenge 0730 Sky Star Advertising 0900 Adaalat 1000 Crime Patrol - 1 1200 Kuch Toh Log Kahenge 1245 Dekha Ek Khwaab 1330 Parvarrish - Kuchh Khatti Kuchh Meethi

‘Saas Bina Sasural’ at 2200 Hrs on SONY

‘Diya Aur Bati Hum’ at 2100 Hrs on STAR PLUS 1400 Sapnon Se Bharey Naina 1430 Mann Ki Awaaz… Pratigya 1500 Navya 1600 Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behnaa Hai 1630 Sasuraal Genda Phool 1700 Saath Nibhaana Saathiya 1730 Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon 1800 Mann Ki Awaaz… Pratigya 1830 Ruk Jana Nahin 1900 Saath Nibhaana Saathiya 1930 Sasuraal Genda Phool 2000 Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon 2030 Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behnaa Hai 2100 Diya Aur Bati Hum 2130 Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai 2200 Navya 2230 Mann Ki Awaaz… Pratigya 2300 Maryaada ... Lekin Kab Tak?

MOVIES OF THE DAY AND OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

1430 Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past 1625 Ocean's Eleven 1840 You've Got Mail 2100 Batman Forever 2325 Batman Begins 0800 Friends 0830 Good Morning, Miami 0900 Friends 0930 The New Adventures Of Old Christine 1000 Unaccompanied Minors 1150 License To Wed

1230 The Bourne Identity 1505 Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone 1820 Running Scared 2100 Next 2315 The Lord Of The Rings - The Fellowship Of The Ring 0815 Running Scared 1040 Gangs Of New York

1400 Scrubs 1430 $H*! My Dad Says 1500 Criss Angel - Mindreak 1600 Parenthood 1700 Scrubs 1730 $H*! My Dad Says 1800 E News 1900 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 2000 Scrubs 2030 America's Funniest Home Videos 2100 Britannia High 2200 Parenthood 2300 Scrubs 2330 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 0800 Criss Angel - Mindreak 0900 Parenthood 1000 Scrubs 1030 America's Funniest Home Videos 1100 Criss Angel - Mindreak

‘Parenthood’ at 2200 Hrs on ZEE CAFE

Supernatural The Defenders Storyline - Sam and Dean help a girl whose date became a victim of the "Hook Man," a famous urban legend that turns out to be real, in a small college town somewhere in Iowa. ‘Supernatural’ at 2100 Hrs on STARWORLD

‘The Simpsons’ at 2030 Hrs on STAR WORLD 1400 Supernatural 1500 Combat Hospital 1600 The Big Bang Theory 1630 The Simpsons 1700 The Shield 1800 Supernatural 1900 Love2 Hate U 2000 Two And A Half Men 2030 The Simpsons 2100 Supernatural 2200 The Shield 2300 The Big Bang Theory 2330 Two And A Half Men 0700 Glee 0800 Las Vegas 0900 Terra Nova 1000 The Shield 1100 Love2 Hate U 1200 Two And A Half Men 1230 The Simpsons 1300 The Big Bang Theory 1330 Friends

Storyline - Facing thirty counts of possession of a controlled substance, an overconfident judge turns to Nick, who has no choice but to help acquit him of the charges. ‘The Defenders’ at 2300 Hrs on BIG CBS PRIME

1400 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 1430 R. K. Laxman Ki Duniya 1500 Lapataganj 1530 Fir 1600 Chidiya Ghar 1630 Gutur Gu 1700 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 1830 R. K. Laxman Ki Duniya 1900 Chidiya Ghar 1930 Don’t Worry Chachu !!! 2000 Chintu Chinky Aur Ek Badi Si Love Story 2030 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 2100 Chidiya Ghar 2130 R. K. Laxman Ki Duniya 2200 Lapataganj 2230 F.I.R. 2300 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 2330 Sajan Re Jooth Maat Bolo 0900 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 0945 Ring Wrong Ring 1030 Gutur Gu

‘Lapataganj’ at 2200 Hrs on SAB

‘Batman Forever’ at 2100 Hrs on WB

‘Chain Kulli Ki Main Kulli’ at 1400 Hrs on ZOOM 1400 Movie - Chain Kulli Ki Main Kulli 1730 Star Bonanza 1800 Letz Go! 1900 Planet Bollywood News 1930 Link'd 2000 Zabar 10 2030 My Playlist 2130 Link'd 2200 B - Tonite 2230 Style Strip 2300 Bollywood Bonanza 0700 Fresh Mornings 0800 Red Carpet 0805 Fresh Mornings 1100 Zoom Box 1200 Garma Garam 1300 Planet Bollywood News 1330 Zabar 10

1400 Junkies 1430 Mythbusters 1530 Discovery Science Classics 1630 Sci Fi Science 1700 Innovation Nation 1730 Machines! 1800 Industrial Junkies 1830 Best Of Discovery Science 1930 How Do They Do It? 2030 The Indestructibles 2100 Deconstructed 2130 Food Detectives 2200 Sci Fi Science 2230 Greatest Ever 2330 Industrial Revelations 1030 Sci Fi Science 1100 One Step Beyond 1130 Mythbusters 1230 Best Of Discovery Science 1330 Connections

‘Food Detectives’ at 2130 Hrs on DISCOVERY SCIENCE

‘Survivor’ at 2100 Hrs on BIG CBS PRIME 1430 Jerry Springer 1530 Aspire 1600 Survivor 1700 Bellator 1800 Galileo Extreme 1900 Defenders 2000 Entertainment Tonight 2030 Galileo Extreme 2100 Survivor 2200 Jerry Springer 2300 Defenders 0700 Big Wheels 0730 Aspire 0800 Galileo Extreme 0900 Survivor 1000 Bellator 1100 Jerry Springer 1200 Aspire 1230 Entertainment Tonight 1300 Galileo Extreme 1330 Defenders

Playing Field

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2012

The games people play

Krzysztof takes lead

Cyril Despres won the third stage in the motorcycle section

SAN JUAN: Polish driver Krzysztof Holowczyc took the overall lead in the Dakar Rally here on Tuesday after the third stage won by Mini-driving team-mate Spaniard Nani Roma. It was not a good day for overnight leader, six-time Dakar motorcycling champion and three time car winner France’s Stephane Peterhansel who suffered two punctures and came in over six minutes slower than Roma which saw him slip to fifth overall. Roma timed 2hr 26min 51sec over the 208 km drive, finishing 1min 9sec ahead of Holowczyc while Qatar’s defending champion Nasser Al-Attiyah was third in his Hummer, 1min 29sec behind. “We were fortunate to set off

later on, follow the tyre tracks and see where to brake,” said 39-yearold Roma, who won the motorbike race in 2004. “But all in all, it’s more important for us that we drove really well, rather than the stage victory,” added Roma, whose best finish in the car section was third in 2006. Earlier France’s three-time champion Cyril Despres enjoyed a crushing victory in the 270km third stage of the motorcycling section.

Spaniard Nani Roma won the third stage of the car section Despres - who had a bad start to the race but regained some time on Monday - took the overall lead in the race as his main rival KTM team-mate and defending champion Marc Coma of Spain had an awful day finishing seventh more than 13min off the winner. Coma was philosophical about his off day which saw him take the wrong route. “Yesterday was my day, but today definitely wasn’t!” said Coma.

Derrick Rose (No 1) of the Chicago Bulls goes up for a shot on his way to a game-high 30 points against Josh Smith (No 5) of the Atlanta Hawks at the United Center on Tuesday in Chicago, Illinois. The Bulls defeated the Hawks 76-74 Krzysztof during Stage 3

TOOTH & NAIL

HOPMAN CUP

Richard Gasquet of France plays against Lleyton Hewitt of Australia during their men’s singles Session 6 match on Day 4 of the Hopman Cup tennis tournament in Perth on Tuesday. Gasquet won 6-2, 5-7, 6-1

Bulls gore Hawks CHICAGO: Luol Deng’s layup with 3.7 seconds to play lifted the Chicago Bulls to a 76-74 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night. Derrick Rose scored 17 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter to rally the Bulls from a 19point deficit. Coming out of a timeout with the score tied in the final seconds, Deng cut along the baseline and took a feed from Joakim Noah to put Chicago ahead. Atlanta’s Joe Johnson shot an airball at the buzzer, giving the Bulls the win. Deng finished with 19 points for the Bulls. Rose missed a runner with 21 seconds left, but Atlanta’s Jeff Teague missed two free throws. Rose then drove past Teague and scored over the Hawks’ Josh Smith with 9.9 seconds left to put the Bulls up 74-73. Al Horford, who led the Hawks with 16 points, was fouled and split two free throws with 7.7 seconds remaining. Marvin Williams added 14

points and Josh Smith had 13 for Atlanta, which shot just 35 percent from the floor but held Chicago to 34 percent. The Bulls have won four straight and their 5-1 start is their best since opening 12-0 in 1996-97. Horford scored eight points as Atlanta extended its lead to 19 late in the third before the Bulls scored the last five points in the quarter. The Hawks led 56-42 entering the final period. Rose, last season’s MVP, scored 11 points early in the fourth, including three 3-pointers. His pullup 3 cut Atlanta’s lead to two with 8:15 to play and capped the Bulls’ 20-3 run. Two minutes later, Rose passed to Deng for a 3 in the corner, evening the score at 62 for the game’s first tie. Johnson answered with a 3 of his own to spark a six-point Atlanta run. Chicago closed the gap to one on a series of free throws by Deng, setting up the stretch run.

INDIA VS AUSTRALIA WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2012

Ponting proves class will tell

Ricky Ponting dives to make his ground and score a run to reach his 100

IF HE CAN, WHY CAN’T I? Twelfth Man Babu Kalyanpur

n Australia are in total control of the match thanks to

some wonderful batting by Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke. Their 288-run partnership was marked with the right mix of aggression and caution. n Both batsmen were helped by indifferent bowling.

India’s bowlers regressed again after bowling superbly overnight. The length was poor and the line more middle and leg stump which was punished by the batsmen. n Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s captaincy was far too

defensive. When he needed to attack at the start of the day, he was totally defensive. The field was far too deep and at one time even the slips were done away with. n Clarke got his first double century which was

marked with fluent drives and deft flicks. But Ponting’s first hundred in 33 innings was the highlight. He reaffirmed that class will always tell. n The onus once again falls on the Indian batsmen.

The lead is getting bigger and they will have to come up with an extraordinary effort to win some respectability for India.

t came via a quick single, a poorlyjudged one actually. A direct hit from Zaheer Khan from mid-on would have had Ricky Ponting run out for 99. He dived to make his ground and did. He then got up with his helmet askew and dirt all down his shirt and trousers, a sight that brought smiles from Clarke and even the umpire Ian Gould, and importantly from Ponting himself. This was his first Test century in two years. Punter had maintained that he was batting well amid the piling criticism over his form and his place on the side. In this innings, he was indeed — a fine knock powered by several classic Ponting pulls and beautiful on-drives. Like Clarke, Ponting scored all around the wicket, and it was not until the new ball arrived that Ponting departed, caught at point when he drove Ishant Sharma. There was a standing ovation for Ponting as he walked off the SCG — hardly a surprise — the venue where he has scored more Test runs than any other.

Sachin Tendulkar on Day 2 of the second cricket Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday

INDIA VS AUSTRALIA

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2012

35,275

Day’s attendance

4.16

Australia run rate

DAY’S PERFORMERS BATTING: R PONTING BATTING: M CLARKE

AGONY AND ECSTASY SCOREBOARD India 1st innings Australia 1st innings SYDNEY: Ricky Ponting hit his first Test century in two years and Michael Clarke reached his highest Test score as Australia took an iron grip on the second Sydney Test against India on Wednesday. Ponting, 37, gave the perfect riposte to those calling for his retirement with a dogged 134 in a partnership of 288 runs for a burgeoning 158-run lead over the dispirited tourists at the Sydney Cricket Ground. At the time of going to press on the second day, Australia were 482 for four with Clarke unconquered on 251 and Mike Hussey not out

55. Ponting took off for a single on 99 to mid-on and dived full length to make his ground as Zaheer Khan’s throw narrowly whistled past the stumps at the bowler’s end 20 minutes after lunch. The former skipper climbed off the ground, his shirt covered in dirt, smiling broadly and with his bat raised to mark his first hundred in 34 Test innings — his last being 209 against Pakistan in Hobart in January 2010. It was his 40th Test century, his seventh against India and sixth at the SCG where he is also the leading all-time Test run-get-

ter with 1,480. Ponting was finally out shortly before tea when he sliced to Sachin Tendulkar in the gully off Ishant Sharma. He batted for 335 minutes, faced 225 balls and hit 14 fours. Clarke brought up his 18th Test century and fourth against India with a glorious cover drive off Sharma in the last over before lunch. It was Clarke’s second Test century of the Australian summer season after scoring 139 against New Zealand in Brisbane last month. The Australian skipper went on to pass his highest

Test score of 168, scored against New Zealand in Wellington in March 2010. It was the only wicket to fall on a dominant day for Australia, building a huge lead over India, who were paying for their mediocre 191 first innings on Tuesday’s opening day. Clarke and Ponting came together with Australia at a shaky 37 for three and have put the home team in a strong position to force a result. India have never won a Test series in Australia and trail the home side in the series 0-1. AFP

191

DA Warner c Tendulkar b Khan 8 EJM Cowan lbw b Yadav 8 SE Marsh lbw b Khan 8 Ponting c Tendulkar b Sharma 134 MJ Clarke not out 251 MEK Hussey not out 55 Extras: (lb 12, w 3, nb 3) 18 Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-8, 3-37, 4-325 TOTAL 482/4 BOWLING: Z Khan 26-4-106-3 U Yadav 18-2-94-0 I Sharma 22-0-106-1 R Ashwin 28-4-103-0 V Sehwag 14-1-37-0 V Kohli 8-0-23-0

Playing Field

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2012

The games people play

City back on top

Results of other matches Wigan 1 - 4 Sunderland Tottenham 1 - 0 West Brom

10-Man City too good for Reds

ESPN (early on Thursday) Newcastle vs Manchester United 1.24am

Star Sports Everton vs Bolton 1.25am

ormal service was resumed for 10-man Manchester City as they once again put daylight between themselves and rivals Manchester United at the top of the Barclays Premier League table with a 3-0 victory over Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium. Reds goalkeeper Jose Reina allowed a soft Sergio Aguero shot go under him before slack marking at a corner allowed Yaya Toure to power home the second with his head. Even when Gareth Barry was sent off with 18 minutes remaining City added a third from James Milner’s penalty after Yaya Toure had been brought down by Martin Skrtel. Prior to kick-off Liverpool confirmed they would not be appealing Luis Suarez’s eight-match ban for racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra; if this is what it is without Suarez then the Reds could be in for a difficult six weeks. In a battle between the league’s top scorers and the meanest defence, something had to give but few would have predicted it would be the usually reliable Reina. He made a complete hash of Aguero’s 25-yard dipping shot allowing the ball to fly underneath his body. That was in sharp contrast to counterpart Joe Hart’s reactions in denying Stewart Downing moments earlier when his England team-mate threatened to score having been played in by Jordan Henderson. Reina went some way to redeeming himself with a sharp save from Vincent Kompany’s glancing header but was left helpless by Toure’s powerful header off the underside of the crossbar from Silva’s corner in the 34th minute. The final nail was driven by Milner for City through a penalty, which was awarded when Liverpool’s Skrtel fouled Toure on the breakaway. Milner did not err and completed City’s tally. EVENING STANDARD

Man City’s manager Roberto Mancini exults as his side go two goals up against Liverpool