THE NEW BUZZ: EEGA MANIA GRIPS CITY
PG 30
PG 21
N SHIVA KUMAR
THIS WALL FLOATS!
F
ormer India cricket captain and legendary batsman Rahul Dravid, and actor Rana, participated in the celebrity race in the Monsoon Regatta today (Saturday) at the Hussain Sagar Lake, giving the sport a much-needed popularity lift.
WWW.POSTNOON.COM
M ANIL KUMAR
WEATHER: A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS; 26°C
Hyderabad’s first compact afternoon newspaper
JULY 7, 2012 HYDERABAD
32 PAGES
`2
ON SATURDAY
‘WE’VE HAD NORMAL RAINFALL SINCE 2004, WHY DO WE NEED A SPECIAL DROUGHT BUDGET!’
AGRICULTURE MINISTER’S SKEWED LOGIC REPORT ON PG 4
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PAGE TWO SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2012
PSST! A CAT WALKS INTO A BAR...
Hyderabad Library services
N SHIVA KUMAR
Library and librarian services offered to members and groups (institutions) at `3,650 per year (per member). It covers study, career, competition, business of research. Welcome to APSET enrolled. tÜÉêÉW=Hyderabad library services, Sagar View Complex tÜÉåW June 9 to July 8, `çåí~ÅíW=(040) 2322 2247, 94412 37751
Society trendz An exclusive exhibition cum sale of jewellery, ethnic to contemporary designer garments, fashionable handbags, wallets and purses, footwear, leather garments and much more are available at the Society Trendz Fair. The exhibition is on till July 8. tÜÉêÉW=HICC, Madhapur tÜÉåW Ongoing, 10am onwards `çåí~ÅíW=(040) 6682 4422
Woodcut workshop The workshop conducted by artist M Ganghadar features various artists and is on from June 30. The exhibition will be on display at Iconart Gallery till July 8. tÜÉêÉW=Iconart Art Gallery, Banjara Hills, Rd No 12 tÜÉåW Ongoing, 11.30am onwards `çåí~ÅíW=98499 68797
A secret life The BBC series Secret Life of Birds will be shown at Lamakaan.tÜÉêÉW Lamakaan, Banjara Hills, Rd No 7 tÜÉåW July 7, 7pm onwards `çåí~ÅíW=96427 31329
Silk expo Head to the National Silk Expo for an exclusive collection of traditional silk and cotton designer suit and sarees, dress material by craftsmen from all over India. tÜÉêÉW=Raj Rajeshwari Gardens, Sikh Village, Secunderabad tÜÉåW July 4-July 9, `çåí~ÅíW=93688 82225
Classical fusion A classical fusion event featuring Rakesh Chaurasia, Ravi Chari, Gino Banks, Javed Khan and Mark is being held as a part of Hydourite. tÜÉêÉW=Hotel Marigold, Begumpet
CINEMAS
tÜÉåW July 7, 7pm onwards `çåí~ÅíW=(040) 6736 3636
A double life Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Foundation presents A Double Life: An Evening with Alyque. Catch Mohammad Ali Baig in conversation with Alyque Padamsee. tÜÉêÉW=HICC, Hitech City tÜÉåW July 15, 7pm onwards `çåí~ÅíW=(040) 6616 3000
Monsoon waterscapes The exhibition based on the theme water will features artistes such as Thota Tharrani, JMS Mani, S Jayaraj, Alphonso Arul Doss and Sowmya Das Gupta. tÜÉêÉW=Muse Art Gallery, Tank Bund tÜÉåW Ongoing, 11am onwards `çåí~ÅíW=(040) 2752 2999
Miya-Biwi Miya-Biwi, a comedy play by Udaan Performing Arts is the tale of a couple who are in court for their divorce proceedings. What prevails is a light-hearted and hilarious episode. tÜÉêÉW=Lamakaan, Banjara Hills Rd No 1 tÜÉåW July 8, 7.30pm onwards
`çåí~ÅíW=96427 31329
Being eunuch Being Eunuch, a play highlighting the plight and problems of eunuchs in the country will be presented by Nishumbita on July 13. tÜÉêÉW=Ravindra Bharathi, Saifabad tÜÉåW July 13, 7pm onwards `çåí~ÅíW=(040) 2323 1245
Dragon festival Have an oriental experience as the Golden Dragon at Taj Banjara presents its Dragon Festival Feast from June 28 onwards. tÜÉêÉW= Golden Dragon, Taj Krishna, Banjara Hills tÜÉåW Ongoing `çåí~ÅíW=(040) 6629 3309
Theatre workshop A production-oriented workshop designed to introduce the art of acting on stage, focusing on learning the basics of stage acting, character analysis, stage and movement,is being held. tÜÉêÉW=Actor’s Studio, Madhapur tÜÉåW Ongoing, 7pm onwards `çåí~ÅíW=8341120303
Musical evening Boondhon ka Paigam, a monsoon musical yearly
event will be held on July 12. The musical event being held at HICC will feature Kavita Seth and Jaswinder Singh. tÜÉêÉW=Hyderabad Marriott and convention centre, Tank Bund tÜÉåW July 12, 7pm onwards `çåí~ÅíW=(040) 2752 2999
Art-de-konj A painting exhibition depicting artist Aiyudha Pooja Kapur’s passion for horses is on display at Muse Art Gallery till July 20. tÜÉêÉW=Muse Art Gallery, Tank Bund tÜÉåW Ongoing, 11am onwards `çåí~ÅíW=(040) 2752 2999
Visual Odyssey Visual Odyssey — an exhibition of photographs by Amita Talwar and Mahesh Iyer is being held. tÜÉêÉW=Kalakriti Art Gallery, Jubilee Hills, Rd No 10 tÜÉåW July 27 onwards, 11am onwards `çåí~ÅíW=(040) 6656 4466
Acoustic weekend Head to Cinnamon Fusion for Acoustic weekend with Neil and Rudy. tÜÉêÉW=Cinnamon Fusion, Hitech City tÜÉåW July 6, 8.30m onwards `çåí~ÅíW=(040) 6450 6450
Big Cinemas, Ameerpet, 30581470; Cinemax, Banjara Hills, 44565555; Cine Planet , Kompally, 61606060; INOX, Banjara Hills, 44767777, Prasads, Tank Bund Rd, 23448888; PVR, Punjagutta, 8800900009; Talkie Town, Miyapur, 40214175; Tivoli, Secunderabad 27844973
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CITY SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2012
M ANIL KUMAR
Corporate branch opened
S
outh India bank opened its first ever corporate branch in Hyderabad today at Somajiguda. The branch was inaugurated by AS Rao, regional director for RBI and TG Venkatesh, minister for small Industries. Cherian Varkey, ED, Amitasha Guha, CM and Dr VA Joseph, MD and CEO were also present on the occasion.
Wall collapse kills child
I
n another incidence of callousness of construction contractors leading to fatality, a two-year-old girl died today when an under construction wall in Banjara Hills collapsed and hit the child sitting below. Parents of the girl are labourers. Probably under the impact of last evening’s rains, the bricks laid on the top floor gave way and collapsed.
Rape of minors on the rise
PIC FOR REPRESENTATIONAL PURPOSE ONLY
MOHD SUBHAN
mohd.s@postnoon.com
A
n increase in flow of migrant labour, majority of who happen to be men, is believed to be a contributory factor for cases of sexual attacks on minor girls in the City. While no academic or forensic study has been carried out, crime detection officials say the growing number of labour, engender this behaviour though it is not the sole reason.
School going girls aged between 6 and 12 are being targeted, police say. The fact that the teenage girls are scared to admit the crime to anyone has encouraged the criminals. The Hasmathpet incident in which a 60-year-old man, Shanker, a migrant labourer, was caught by the locals while attempting to sexually assault a minor points to the absence of fear. He was thrashed by his captors and handed over to the police, Bowenpally inspector, RB Rangaiah Naidu recalled. The girl, a class VIII student, was returning home when the man tempted her with sweet talks and chocolates and told her he would drop her home. He
managed to lure her away in an autorickshaw where he tried to rape her. Fortunately, people heard the girl’s screams and he was caught. In a separate incident, at Addagutta under Tuakarmgate police station limits, 24-year-old Naag Babu, made a bid to lure a 5-year-old girl with sweets. Again, the girl’s cries prevented the act. Nearly 15 such cases have been reported in the past three months, police say. Most of them involved people from outside. However, police say no generalisation is justifiable in the absence of a systematic study. But girls are falling prey to elderly men’s design is a fact that worries the police a lot.
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CITY SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2012
Kanna cobbling up a contingency plan The agriculture minister’s facile explanation that the Congress government has not faced a drought in the past eight years is as shocking as the government not having an emergency plan M ANIL KUMAR
Md INKESHAF AHMED
ahmed.m@postnoon.com
W
aking up late to the grim reality of a debilitating drought staring at the State, the Kiran government is hurriedly forming a plan in case rains fail by another fortnight. Shockingly, the government does not have a contingency plan to deal with natural calamities like drought, flood, earthquake or storm. This is evident in the State government’s annual budget for agriculture department during the ongoing financial year (201213). There is no specific allocation for a contingency plan to deal with drought situation during the ongoing monsoon season. In fact, agriculture minister of the State Kanna Lakshminarayana who talked with Postnoon yesterday on phone admitted to have no specific plans for a drought. “We don’t have any specific budget for a contingency plan to deal with the drought. But if the need really arises, we will definitely bring in money to rescue the farmers by providing them necessary help,” Lakshminarayana said. He said metrological pundits
THE AGRICULTURE MINISTER IS NOW HOLDING HECTIC TALKS WITH VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS TO COBBLE UP A SEMBLANCE OF A CONTINGENCY PLAN IN CONSULTATION WITH THE CHIEF MINISTER. say we should wait for another fortnight when the monsoon may revive before declaring it a drought. However, why the government does not have a standing plan for such eventualities is not answered. Meanwhile, spurred on by the Opposition TDP, farmers are raising a banner of revolt in many parts of the State against the governmental apathy toward agriculture and looming drought. “This government does not
have the heart to share the agony of farmers. Recently, it held emergency meetings to finalise the liquor policy and allot licenses by forming committees of group of ministers. Why can’t it show the same kind of urgency towards farmers’ problems also when the dangerous drought is round the corner,” Senior TDP Leader Dr Kodela Sivaprasad told Postnoon on Friday. Kodela criticised the State government for its indolent atti-
tude toward natural calamity. “It’s a shame on this government as it does not have any contingency plan to help the farmers. During the TDP government, we not only had specific budget during the four consecutive years hit by severe drought, but also provided complete help to the farmers. We gave them 100 per cent subsidy on seeds where as this government is struggling to even give 50 per cent subsidy on seeds,” Sivaprasad reminded. But Lakshminarayana has
another plausible explanation to the lack of contingency plan. During the eight year rule of the Congress government, it never faced a drought. “We never felt the need for a special budget since our government came into power in 2004. We had normal rainfall every year,” he said. The agriculture minister is now holding hectic talks with various departments to cobble up a semblance of the contingency plan in consultation with the chief minister.
Now, Babu may take up a cycle yatra Postnoon News feedback@postnoon.com
THE PARTY HAS DEVISED
W
A SERIES OF STEPS OF WHICH NAIDU TAKING OUT A ‘CYCLE YATRA’ STANDS OUT AS A KEY STRATEGY TO POPULARISE ITS SYMBOL AND REVIVE HOPE.
hile its main rival, the Congress, is still smarting under the electoral blows, the TDP, which too is in a sad shape, however, has taken up the challenge of the 2014 elections seriously. The party has devised a series of steps of which Chandrababu Naidu taking out a ‘cycle yatra’ through the State stands out as a key strategy to popularise its symbol and revive hope. The party that was born to protect the Telugu Gaurav has been holding detailed analysis of the 18 by-election constituencies where it has drawn a blank. This will culminate in a State-level
meeting of the party leaders on Monday and Tuesday. This time around, the party chief N Chandrababu Naidu, is determined to listen to party leaders on the reasons of the party’s decline. While he is planning to induct his son Lokesh into active
party politics, he would like to know from leaders of each constituency the reasons for the masses losing faith in the party that had stormed the State once and ruled it for nine years. “Vijayam-2014” (Victory 2014) is the new plank the TDP plans to build and operate.
Programmes under this banner are being chalked out, leaders pointed out. “We will recapture the State” is the enthusing mantra being raised. But the fear of the party leaders and cadres leaving for greener pastures is what worries Babu more than anything else. The continued incarceration of YSRC leader Jagan Mohan Reddy does not auger well for the party as his mother and working president Vijayamma continues to play on sentiments of the masses. “When sentiment plays, nothing else will work,” remarked a TDP leader.
STUDY
GROUP FORMED
The party high command has formed a study group consisting
of leaders like Nama Nageswara Rao, M Venkateswara Rao, Dadi Veerabadra Rao and K Srinivasulu to study the reports submitted by party leaders highlighting the reasons for the defeat of the party in the bypoll held seats. The party is also planning to recognise the services of hard working leaders by giving them various positions. As per this plan, many of the party units in various districts of the state will see appointment of new faces as district presidents. Interestingly, this change will begin from the districts where by elections were held in the last one year. These districts include, Adilabad, Mahbubnagar, Guntur, Nellore, East and West Godavari and Visakhapatnam districts.
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PROFILE SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2012
He lifts your spirits to the tea
M ANIL KUMAR
Robert Schinkel, a tea sommelier is like a magician with tea. His ability to rustle up such amazing concoctions leaves you spellbound. Who knew tea could be made so differently!
RAJESH RAVINDRAN
rajesh.r@postnoon.com
R
obert Schinkel, ace tea sommelier, looks a bit like Johnny Depp’s character Sam from the movie Benny and Joon. No, he does not dress in odd clothes, he does not perform Keatonesque tricks with hats, but his face exudes a quiet boyish innocence and sincerity. And the pout: you cannot miss the pout. He can also fix you a drink — with or without tea, with or without spirits. Robert, who is brand ambassador for a premier tea brand, Dilmah, is here in India for the first time to launch a tea bar for his company in Radisson Blue. Here you are offered 31 varieties of single origin tea, tea-based cocktails and mocktails. Robert is teaching about 13 to 15 staffers of Radisson Blue the tricks of his trade. Ana Gabriela Tavila Escobar, an intern at Radisson Blue from Mexico, is one among Robert’s trainees. A self-confessed coffee drinker, Ana seems to have
White tea: You must have white tea at least once in your life time, says Robert. White tea comes from the buds and leaves of the Chinese Camellia sinensis plant. It has three times the health benefit of green tea. It is also the simplest of teas to manufacture: fresh tea leaf when withered, dried, becomes white tea.
developed a liking for tea after her training. “In Mexico, tea is not very popular,” she said. “We prefer black coffee. But, the tea that you get here is amazing, especially some of Robert’s recipes. I tried some and they are very, very good.” It’s mystifying what makes Robert the Robert of now. For a start, he studied political science at the University of Amsterdam. “I excelled at political science right from high school,” he said. “And so I pursued it at the university too, but what I had a real flair for was bartending. When I was at university, I was working at three bars: one for fun, two for
TYPES OF TEA Oolong tea: Oolong is a traditional Chinese tea (Camellia sinensis) produced through a unique process including withering under the strong sun and oxidation before curling and twisting. the money.” Robert said he did not choose a career in Political Science because of the vast differences it had in the ideal world and the real one. But Robert says political science has its uses. “There are various aspects that comprise political science, such as history, culture and so on,” he explained. “When I see a person walk into my bar, I somehow know what they would like. Political Science helps you understand people from various angles. I am mostly right when it comes to a person’s nature. That is one of the reasons I am good at what I do.” Robert says. His
Pick
Green tea: The health benefits of green tea have so grown in fame that it is slowly becoming the staple in countries where people drank black tea. It is made from Camellia sinensis that have undergone minimal oxidation during processing.
talent and success could also be attributed to his being of mixed origin: his father is Dutch and his mother Indonesian, which might have helped in understanding different cultures across the world. Robert’s career started to soar in 2006 while he was working in the famous restaurant, club and cocktailbar The Mansion in Amsterdam. That year he won one of the most prestigious international cocktail competitions Remy Martin Bartender Style Master; then followed national titles Southern Comfort Bartender in 2007, SCAE champion Coffee in Good Spirits in 2008 and Dilmah
at the
Tea Sommelier Champion 2009. Robert has never been to India before, but he is aware of India’s contribution to his field. “You know, punch is actually an Indian drink,” he said. “It comes from the word panch which in Hindi means five. Panch comprises alcohol, sugar, lemon, water, and tea or spices.” But Robert thinks the Brits have no true taste for tea though they go bonkers over their ‘cuppa’. “They don’t understand tea,” he said. “They love tea, they buy tea, they drink tea, but they don’t know tea. The average time they take to brew tea is 18 seconds: they know nothing about it.” Robert is quite a genius when it comes to signature drinks. He asks you what your favourite spirit, tea, fruit is and how you like your drink — sweet, sour, or bitter and he makes you something truly magical. He asked me the same questions and finally came up with one for me. With a modicum of mischief, I told him that I know one of his recipes now. With the calm of a ‘spirit’ually enlightened master Robert replied, “But the balance of the ingredients… only I know it.”
airport,
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NATION SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2012
3 youths drown in sea
3 held for beating-up teacher
T
hree polytechnic students were arrested for allegedly attacking and injuring a teacher to take revenge for beating them up a year ago. The students waylaid Rajesh Kannan, 30, while he was going home near Devakottai early this morning and attacked him, police said. He had thrashed the students after they were found drunk during a college event.
hree men died in different incidents in Kumta taluk in Sirsi on Friday, police said. Yogesh, 19, an engineering student from Hubli, drowned in Kudle Beach in Gokarna while Lohit and Sunny of Kumta drowned in the sea near Vannalli, they said. Yogesh had tried to enter the sea off Om Beach, but police stopped them in view of the rough sea.
HC seeks update on Pinki
T
T
he Calcutta High Court Friday ordered the West Bengal government to file an affidavit within two weeks about the progress of investigations into athlete Pinki Pramanik's case. Pramanik, an Asiad gold medallist, has been accused of being a male and is currently under judicial custody for alleged rape.
Custodial deaths: Life for 6
AIMING HIGH
YAVATMAL: A local court on Friday sentenced to life six cops including a police inspector, an assistant police inspector and an assistant sub inspector in two separate cases of custodial deaths. One case belonged to the death of an accused in police custody at Umarkhed police station on May 24, 1998 while another case was at Pusad rural police station on April 23, 2000. The names of the convicted cops were given as Babarao Khandare (API), Shiva Mishra (ASI), Nagorao Sontake and Ganesh Raneet (constables) all from Umarkhed police station (accused in Muneshwar custodial death) and Uttam Chavan (PI) and Nazir Ahmad (constable) from Pusad in Tarachand Pawar's custodial death. The court acquitted 25 out of 29 accused in Muneshwar murder case and eight out of ten accused in Tarachand Pawar's murder case. According to the prosecution, one Uttam Muneshwar, a resident of village Amboda was arrested from the Umarkhed bus sta-
tion by the police on the suspicion of a theft of a mixer grinder on May 24, 1998. The cops kept him in custody and he died during interrogation. Though the cops tried to hush up the matter, they did not succeed as parents of the deceased moved the Bombay High Court requesting for a CBI enquiry which was subsequently ordered. The CBI filed the FIR against 29 accused in Khaki. In the second case, police at Pusad Rural Police Station had arrested one Tarachand Pawar on the charge of theft on April 23, 2000. He died the following day (April 24) in custody during the interrogation. The investigation into the case was handed over to the state CID led by Inspector Mukund Kevale who after completing the investigation, filed the FIR against 10 accused in khaki and arrested them. The trial of both the cases was simultaneously done before the Additional District and Sessions Judge Anil Subramanniyam of Pusad which declared its verdict on Saturday.
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Indian Presidential candidate, PA Sangma (centre right), along with tribals of Gujarat state and politicians, pose with a bow and arrow at the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai AFP Patel in Ahmedabad on Friday. Sangma is on a day's trip to Ahmedabad.
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Row over jailed MLAs’ presence at Pranab fete LUCKNOW: Faced with severe criticism at the presence of two jailed legislators at the lunch hosted by the Uttar Pradesh chief minister for UPA presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee earlier this week, the government has ordered a probe into the “circumstances” in which the duo was allowed to attend the reception. Acting under instructions of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, Principal Secretary (Home) RK Srivastava ordered the probe late Friday and set a deadline of a week for it to be completed, informed sources said Saturday.
Jailed legislators Mukhtaar Ansaari and Vijay Misra Tuesday attended the grand reception hosted at the official residence of the chief minister at 5, Kalidas Marg in Lucknow. In doing so, they violated court orders, which allowed them only to attend the state assembly’s budget session. The duo was supposed to report back to their respective jails after the assembly session concluded, however, they drove in their private vehicles to the chief minister’s residence in a highsecurity zone. IANS
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WORLD SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2012
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US pilot sings after killing Afghans LONDON: A video from an Apache helicopter’s onboard camera that was leaked shows a US pilot blowing up an Afghan man while singing Bye, bye Miss American pie. He is seen humming as he launched a missile at a group of people. IANS
Marquez has dementia
Man attempts suicide
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24-year-old man leaped out of a third-floor window at a mall in Russia after watching the blockbuster The Amazing Spider-Man, a media report said. He survived, but is in intensive care with head injuries said investigators who are puzzled at the man’s motive. Text messages on his cell phone identified him as a follower of Zen Buddhism.
abriel Garcia Marquez’ brother has confirmed that the iconic author has dementia, the BBC reported Friday. Jaime Garcia confirmed rumours that his 85-year-old brother, who won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1982, has Alzheimer’s Disease but he is in good physical condition. Incidentally, the author’s family has a history of dementia.
Russia, China vote against UN resolution GENEVA: Russia, China and Cuba voted against the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution Friday which unilaterally condemned the Syrian government. However, India, Philippines and Uganda abstained from voting, reported Xinhua. While a total of 41 member states voted in favour of the UN resolution, India, Philippines and Uganda abstained. The resolution, tabled by the US, strongly condemned “the widespread, systematic and gross violations of human rights; acts of violence; ongoing atrocities; and indiscriminate targeting of civilians by the Syrian authorities.” It also condemned “the human rights violations and crimes that members of the government-controlled militia ‘Shabiha’ continue to commit against the Syrian”. Russia proposed to include the sentence of “strongly condemns all terrorist acts in Syria” in the text, but was rejected by the Human Rights Council, according to a media update sent by the council. China said the resolution was neither balanced nor objective. It would do no good to help resolve the human rights issues in Syria, instead would possibly intensify the confrontation among parties
Syrian refugees chant slogans during a protest after Friday prayers at the Yayladagi refugee camp in Hatay. A world meeting on Syria urged the UN to use the threat of sanctions to force change in Syria. AFP
Clinton for UN resolution on Syria PARIS: Hillary Clinton Friday called for a UN resolution on a transition in Syria backed by sanctions, slamming Russia and China for blocking progress on efforts to end the conflict. Clinton also urged nations at the Friends of Syria meeting in Paris to
“reach out to Russia and China” to demand that they “get off the sidelines.” Taking a tough tone, she said she thought the two nations did “not believe they are paying any price at all for standing up on behalf of the regime”. AFP
in Syria, making the political process of Syria more complicated. The 20th regular session of the Human Rights Council was held from June 18 to July 6. The 21st session will be held from Sept 10 to 28 during which the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria, mandated by the council, is expected to deliver its final report. IANS
Bilawal Bhutto studying law
Cafe owner dies after serving Obama
Libyans cast first vote
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has been “studying secretly” at a top London law college and is always “accompanied by undercover detectives” to the institute, but has been unable to appear in his exams due to his hectic political schedule, a Pakistani daily has found. The 24year-old son of late Benazir Bhutto took admission at the BPP University College, a private university, in January 2011 after finishing his degree course from Oxford University. Bilawal is still a student of the Graduate Diploma in Law, although the course IANS is normally finished in nine months.
AKRON, OHIO: An Ohio woman collapsed and
TRIPOLI: Libyans vote for a national assembly on Saturday, the first election since Moamer Kadhafi’s ouster, after a string of acts of sabotage that have stoked tensions in the east of the country. The vote will likely be a very different experience for residents of Tripoli, which has enjoyed a spell of calm than in those of cities in eastern Libya which have been subject to outbreaks of violence and threats to disrupt the vote. Ian Martin, head of the UN mission to Libya, urged “voters to exercise their democratic right to elect their AFP National Congress representatives.”
died hours after serving US President Barack Obama breakfast at her restaurant on Friday. Josephine Ann Harris, the 70-year-old owner of the “Ann’s Place” diner, complained of fatigue and a tingling feeling after Obama left the premises and was rushed to hospital. She was later pronounced dead of an apparent heart attack. Obama stopped by the restaurant on the second day of a bus tour through Ohio and Pennsylvania. The president called Wilma Parsons, the daughter of the dead restaurant owner, when he heard the news of her mother’s AFP death.
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COMMENT SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2012
Standing committee meet
A case in point
T
T
he report that Officials' absence at Standing Committee meeting (July 6) made it difficult to tackle many issues is atrocious. Standing Committee is the core executive body that plans works. Its meeting should get top priority if the city fathers and officials care for the people. Rishab Andreya Kukatpally
raffic Police chief CV Anand's claims that his men are working hard, but I have a case that contests his claim. The Pacific hospital junction on Road No 36 has a cop whose only focus is to get helmet-less riders to cough up cash. He doesn’t help senior citizens cross the road. Rajmohan Rao Jubilee Hills
EDITORIALS 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.
You were right
Y
our assessment of YSRC working president and widow of YSR, Vijayamma (July 4) doing a Rabri Devi in AP seems correct. She does not have the spark of the other Teen Deviyaan (Jaya, Mamata, Maya). But fate has placed her on a spot where leadership is thrust on her. Nayeem Qadari Secunderabad
RENATE KALLOCH
EDITORIALS ALL’S NOT WELL with the Men in Blue Virender Sehwag has opened a fresh salvo of words against Mahendra Singh Dhoni. He says India won the World Cup because it had a strong team and not because of Dhoni’s captaincy alone. The source of the acrimony between the two is not known, but this is not the first time that Sehwag has railed against Dhoni. We can’t say for sure if the issue between the two was the reason behind Dhoni saying that he is ready to step down if there’s a better person to take over the reins of the team. However, the latest development bodes ill for Indian cricket. Runs flow from Sehwag’s bat and words from his tongue, but on the occasions he was made captain, there have been doubts about the astuteness of some of his decisions. Dhoni has not been scoring much, but such a cricketing brain as his is rare. It is in the interests of Team India that the two bury the hatchet.
Meeting the past
O! WIZARD OF WORDS Get well soon It is learnt that Garbriel Garcia Marquez, one of the greatest storytellers of our times, has been diagnosed with senile dementia. His brother who broke the news assures us that Gabo still retains the wit and enthusiasm, but suffers from memory lapses. Gabo could take us to worlds where we were happy to lose track of reality, where laws of science took a back seat. For those wearied by the hard, bare facts of life, Gabo’s works were an inextinguishable source of solace. Jaime Garcia Marquez says it’s regrettable that his brother can’t write the second part of his autobiography, Vivir para contarla (Living to Tell the Tale), nor any other work. He hopes he is wrong. So do we.
Soul Curry SUMAA TEKUR
I
’m grateful to Facebook for putting me back in touch with my friends from yesterday. I’m otherwise not a great Facebook fan. Despite the privacy settings and the control one has over managing privacy, it’s too ‘out there’, in my opinion. Call me old school but I find comfort in being wary of this giant of a social networking site. About six months ago, I bumped into a kindergarten friend on Facebook. It was a rather strange feeling because when in kindergarten, we tend to believe that life starts and ends in the classroom. Our relationships with classmates, parents and siblings take on mega proportions in our little heads. We believe that a tiff over a pencil box or a rough fight on
the playground will determine our future. It can start and end friendship and enmity. But here we were — two young minds matured to grown-ups. We said the customary hihello and a few days ago, we managed to meet for lunch (he lives abroad and we don’t get to meet unless we plan for it). We were reflecting on our days in nursery school and also on how each of us had changed. We thought we looked pretty much the same (although I wonder if we felt that way because we were repeatedly trying to look at each other through the prism of childhood – the one we remember hazily but feel strongly about). Life had taken us on interesting journeys but despite the rough and tumble of the road, our core values hadn’t changed at all. We were meeting after at least 15 years but there was a commonality that we both responded to. We didn’t know each other’s tastes or preferences. We didn’t know the emotional state the other was in. We
ALTHOUGH WE SPOKE SO MUCH ABOUT THE PRESENT, WE WERE TRYING TO GET A GRIP ON THOSE PRECIOUS MOMENTS FROM THE PAST. didn’t even know much of how the other lived or what he/she did. Yet, there was an anchor to this friendship, deeply rooted somewhere in childhood. Our conversation meandered from the current-day plundering of our beloved city – how the green is vanishing; how the new buildings are killing the character of the city; how newage values are challenging the simplicity we once were familiar with. We soon realized that we had more in common than we thought we did. Although we spoke so much about the present, we were trying to get a grip on those precious moments from the past. In
those two hours, we attempted to journey back and find the sweet spot from childhood that made us the happiest. We did find that spot – not just one, many. This was while talking about other classmates; about school; about fights on the playground; about ‘best friends’; about birthday parties, etc. Life had forced us to grow out of these ‘simpler’ times, and taken us through various twists and turns. At times, this overwhelmed us; at other times it made us wiser. As we thought back on this journey till now, it tempted us to re-live the old times when a colourful pencil box was our biggest wish and a chocolate cake was not a sin but our biggest reward. Throughout that conversation over lunch, if only during brief moments, the past and present had merged. We were very aware that when we would wish each other luck and goodbye, the past would linger but only until the present completely took over. Yet, till such time, it was a happy childhood place to be in.
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COMMENT SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2012
Anupam Kher: An actor and a gentleman My World SHRADDHA JAHAGIRDAR-SAXENA
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he vicious grip of superstition over people, and the general indifference in society to the plight of its victims, is both infuriating and baffling. Call it destiny or what you will but My World takes shape on the date on which – many, many years ago – I was born. I can (and naturally so) remember nothing of that momentous rain-drenched evening where I catapulted into the world four to five weeks before my due date, but my family has never forgotten it. How could they as they watched me grow from a 2.2 pounder into a ‘pleasantly healthy’ adult! My World – how narcissistic, you might think. But this space and what will go to fill it is far from it. Over the last few decades – if not more – my physical, emotional and mental world has been peopled with a plethora of experiences, memories and, of course… people. This has not only been due to events of my
Urban sketches VISWAPRASAD RAJU
Thing About You Is You has shown that he is equally adept with the pen as he is on screen. He has said that he has many more chapters in his head, so one is looking forward to more of the same. Among the many times I met Anupam professionally, two stand out. The first time happened when the rains drenched the cityscape. I had to interview the actor at distant Kamalistan. Mobiles were not invented then. On the morning of the interview, it was pouring outside and I was rushing to make it on time, when my land line rang. I picked it up and was surprised to find Anupam at the other end. “Don’t come out so far in the rains,” he said considerately, worrying about how the newlyminted journalist would trudge out. “Meet me day after tomorrow at Mehboob Studio.” Can you wonder why I have not been able to forget his thoughtfulness in a world where the quality is so rare? Years after I had moved into another sphere of journalism I was on the same flight to IIFA, Sri Lanka. Anupam, walking down the aisle, spotted me, sat down and began to chat. “How old is your daughter now?” he
personal life but has been due in large to the workings of my professional world. From the time I joined my profession as a fledging journalist to today where I find myself – due to the weight of time and experience – in the rank of senior editors, I have experienced a multi-hued world that another calling may not have put me into. In a way it is a humbling profession where you realise the power of the pen; in other ways it is something that can make you learn, grow at almost every turn in the road. For ever since I can remember and that is more years than I would like to reveal publicly – after all, my heart is still a sweet 21 – my life has been touched by some of the most wonderful people who have made me what I am – by gifting me memories and lessons, some large, others smaller but no less significant. My World will take them out, one by one, sometimes more…. One of the first ‘names’ whom I encountered as a rookie was Anupam Kher – the actor who has featured in countless films from the time he made his first appearance in Saaransh. His book The Best
ONE OF THE FIRST ‘NAMES’ WHOM I ENCOUNTERED AS A ROOKIE WAS ANUPAM KHER – THE ACTOR WHO HAS FEATURED IN COUNTLESS FILMS FROM THE TIME HE MADE HIS FIRST APPEARANCE IN SAARANSH. asked, recalling the last we had spoken about her, the last time we met, years ago. “Nineteen? Has it been so long ago that we met?” he said, reinforcing the fact that time had flown. I promised to myself then that I would not lose touch with this actor and gentleman. And it is a promise that I hope I will keep. For it is people like him who make My World such an interesting place to be in. More of them, next time. Shraddha JahagirdarSaxena, currently Executive Editor, VERVE magazine, is a senior Mumbai-based journalist who has interacted with a wide spectrum of people
Global edits
Heritage
The Telegraph (UK)
Playground politics
W
ere anything to discredit the idea of holding a parliamentary inquiry into the Libor rate-rigging scandal, it would be the behaviour of the House of Commons yesterday. In a series of rancorous exchanges, Ed Balls and George Osborne came across more as squabbling schoolchildren than statesmen capable of steering us through the economic storm. Despite Labour’s bizarre eagerness to denigrate MPs’ capabilities by seeking to hand responsibility for investigating this scandal to the judges, appointing a joint parliamentary committee led by Andrew Tyrie was always the right course. True, the Treasury Select Committee that Mr Tyrie chairs failed to lay a glove on Bob Diamond. But a properly resourced inquiry drawing on the knowledge of the Lords – and the skills of experts seconded from outside Parliament – will have a far better chance (and despite the worries expressed yesterday, it can co-exist with a criminal investigation). Indeed, even if a judge could have been found with an adequate understanding of the
INSTEAD OF STATESMEN CAPABLE OF STEERING US THROUGH ECONOMIC TURMOIL, MPS ARE BEHAVING LIKE CHILDREN WITH THEIR SQUABBLING OVER THE LIBOR SCANDAL banking system, the interminable duration of such proceedings would have created massive uncertainty for the banks, provoking tortoise-like caution at a time when the country desperately needs them to be stable, solvent and spreading credit through the system. Yet even though the correct decision was reached, Parliament hardly covered itself in glory in the process. Mr Balls pledged – grudgingly – to support the inquiry, but Mr Osborne’s foolish decision to twist the knife in an interview with The Spectator provoked enough ill-feeling to put that in doubt until the last moment. Unless all sides now fully support Mr Tyrie, we will be left with a mistrusted, fearful banking sector – and parliamentarians who have manifestly failed to live up to the standards the nation expects.
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BUSINESS SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2012
Yahoo, FB reach patent deal
Apple removes spam app
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pple has removed an application collecting users’ contacts from its App Store, which was taken as the first instance of iOS App Store malware. “The Find & Call app has been removed from the App Store due to its unauthorised use of users’ Address Book data, a violation of App Store guidelines,” Apple said in a statement to tech blog The Loop.
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ahoo and Facebook have reached a strategic deal as part of a final settlement of their patent infringement lawsuits. The agreement will include a major expansion of their ongoing partnership, including a joint advertising sales effort, as well as cross-licensing of some key patents between the two companies.
Samsung phone ban lifted
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US appeals court gave Samsung a temporary reprieve Friday on the sale of its Galaxy Nexus 7 smartphones while leaving intact a court ban on US sales of its tablet computers in a patent battle with Apple. The court ordered Apple to respond by July 12, while denying a Samsung request to stay, or halt the injunction.
Big things start small Sulakshan Kumar and Sitakanta Ray launched their company with zero investments. But in 21 short months they’ve raised `2 crore
M ANIL KUMAR
PRUDHVI RAJU K
prudhvi.k@postnoon.com
F
or former classmates from the National Institute of Technology (REC), Rourkela, and colleagues at Oracle, setting up their own business was a dream. Despite their well paying jobs, the duo Sulakshan Kumar and Sitakanta Ray decided to start their own venture in 2002 and it took them eight years to finally quit their jobs to start MySmartPrice.com, a price comparison site. The company that was launched 21 months ago with zero investments has raised a whopping `2 crore and has almost 25 lakh visitors per month. Quiz them on what drove them to give up such a well paying job and Sulakshan says, “We’d wanted to start a business for a very long time. The satisfaction one gets by creating something on his own cannot be found in a regular job. The idea took birth when we were at Oracle but did not materialise as we did not have the courage to quit. Eventually in October 2010, we decided to give up the job. We knew very well if we did not do it then, we would never do it. The more we would delay setting up the business, the more difficult it would get on the personal and professional fronts. “It is very difficult to leave a job at mid management level and also when one has family responsibilities. So when we did decide to set up the business, we decided to give it two years. If it worked fine, else jobs are always there.” When the duo launched the business in October 2010, it was without any employees or office space being leased. “All that we had were two laptops and an internet connection. We operated from home. We knew that ecommerce was the next big thing that was going to happen in the technological space. There are different websites selling the same products at different prices. It is also difficult for a customer to compare prices of
Sulakshan Kumar (L) and Sitakanta Ray, co-founders, MySmartPrice
all these products by visiting each website manually. The prices can vary by a 30 per cent difference and sometimes up to `2,000 on various products. We aggregate the content and display the prices of different products in various categories on our site by which the customer can save valuable time and money,” says Ray. The concept seemed to be a hit with users. MySmartPrice had almost a million visitors per month within a year of its launch. This enabled the company to generate revenues to the tune of `70,000 per month. Talking about the revenue modes, Ray says, “As e-commerce stores were still in the nascent stage, the affiliate model (where stores pay a certain percentage of revenues for the
MYSMARTPRICE ENABLES USERS TO COMPARE PRODUCT PRICES FROM DIFFERENT WEBSITES TO BE ABLE TO CHOOSE THE BEST DEAL AND IT ALSO OFFERS DISCOUNT COUPONS. transaction that is generated from the website) which is successful in the West did not pick up in India. We had to depend solely upon advertising revenues. Even though, we could have made double the revenues with the traffic we generated, we had to limit ourselves to minimum advertising keeping the user in mind. The minimum
advertising had helped us to recover some of our monthly costs,” says Sulakshan. The company also started adding human resources and other categories like mobiles, books by looking at the traction during the end of last year. The site has doubled its traffic in the last 10 months and reached 2.5 million hits a month recently. It also increased its product base to 10,000 unique products, 10 lakh books and refreshes the price data every 24 hours. MySmartPrice includes and compares the prices of the products only from reputed 20 e-commerce stores. Talking about the current plans, Ray says, “Any business should stick to its core values. We excluded stores, that were paying us for display as there were customer complaints
about their quality of service. The immediate aim of the company was to enhance the customer experience by adding different features like store reviews and bringing them a mobile version. As of now, the store has become a guide for buying a product. We want to bring in new features for users who do not know what to buy.” The eight-employee company also offers discount coupons and is expecting a break even during this fiscal to cover its monthly costs. It also got `2 crore venture capital funding from Helion venture partners and Accel partners. The company wants to go with affiliate model over time to generate revenues. The duo is confident that they can bring down the customer acquisition costs for e-commerce stores.
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MOTORING SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2012
New B-class Benz
Renault's new Duster
Gloomy June for carmakers
M
enault has launched the Duster SUV. The Indiabound Duster is slightly different from the one that was showcased at the Auto Expo earlier this year. The India-spec SUV’s lower-part front bumper gets a black finish, as opposed to the bodycoloured one seen earlier.
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ercedes-Benz will offer an electric version of its new Bclass compact in the United States starting in 2014, a company source confirmed. The EV will be based on a new front-wheel-drive platform and will use battery packs, electric motor and other components supplied by Tesla Motors.
une 2012 was a gloomy month for car manufacturers as buyers continued to stay away from showrooms and dealers struggled to make sales. A high cost of ownership and high interest rates have considerably impacted consumer sentiment, a mood which is likely to persist throughout 2012-13.
Ferdinand’s dream
Europe's biggest automaker Volkswagen is set to wrap up its takeover of German luxury sports car group Porsche two years earlier than planned, in order to unlock hitherto untapped economies of scale. We take a look at five iconic Porsches 550 SPYDER
B
est known in the US as James Dean’s fateful last ride, Porsche’s 550 Spyder was a formidable machine in its heyday. The successor to the original 356, the 550 was engineered to further Porsche’s status in the international racing community, and thus featured a more rigid frame, a lightweight, hand-built aluminium body and an engine mounted in the middle rather than the rear. Power output was modest at just 70 horsepower, but the overall package proved to be quite successful. Porsche 550s took home a one-two win at the car’s first ever race — the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the car continued to dominate legendary events like the Carrera Panamericana.
N
PORSCHE 959
ot only did the Porsche 959 establish the blueprint for its modern-day sports cars, it did so for the entire sports car industry. Unveiled in 1983, the 959 featured forwardthinking technologies such as an allwheel drive system, a 450-horsepower turbocharged flat-6, magnesium wheels and run-flat tires. Even the body was incredibly advanced due to its slippery shape, flush headlamps and integrated bumpers. Porsche built a little over 200 models to meet FIA homologation requirements.
1966 911S
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ntroduced in 1964 as the successor to the 356, the original 911 wrapped leading performance, luxury and technology in a package that still looks fresh and modern today. 1966 saw the introduction of the more powerful Porsche 911S (for “Super”), which featured a more powerful 158-horsepower flat-6, bigger brakes and a revised suspension. Porsche shaved five pounds of unsprung weight from each corner by using fivespoke Fuchs alloy wheels. A 911 with Fuchs rims is the car people imagine when they hear the word “Porsche”.
PORSCHE 917
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teve McQueen drove a Porsche 917 in the film Le Mans. Powered by a flat-12 engine capable of over 620 horsepower, the Porsche 917 was hellishly fast. Flying under the Porsche/Gulf Racing banner, the 917 gave Porsche its first overall win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970, a feat it repeated the following year. Porsche officially retired the car in 1971, but the car would go on to conquer racetracks around the world for another 10 years.
PORSCHE 356
P
orsche’s 356 was the first Porsche-branded vehicle ever built, and the first Porsche to win a motorsport competition. The car’s feathery weight and attention to performance made the 356 a formidable sports car. During its 18-year production run, Porsche created many variants of the 356, including the America Roadster, the Max Hoffman-inspired 356 Speedster and Karmann-built “Notchback” 356B.
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TECHNOLOGY SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2012
WEBSITE OF THE WEEK The Next Web t’s a treasure trove of information with an international perspective on the latest news about IT, business and culture. The site itself has several "channels" with topics like gadgets, Lifehacks, apps, and social media.
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If Kali was to fight Agni who would win? Find out with SMITE, a new game in the offing which pits gods against each other NT BALANARAYAN
balanarayan.nt@postnoon.com
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US-based game developer is working on a game that will pit gods against each other, but what makes the games really interesting for Indians is the presence of gods such as Kali, Agni and Vamana in the game. Gamers will be able to play as any of the many gods in the game, SMITE, which is being developed by Hi-Rez studios. The PC game follows the style of Warcraft DoTA, but adopts a third-person point of view instead of the more traditional top-down view used in such games. The objective of the game is to dominate the playing area by capturing or destroying enemy towers and increasing the power of the character while at it. The game can be played as a team alone with each clan (team) comprising five players on an average. So in a game there could be up to 10 gods split over two clans.
VIDEOGAME REVIEW THE GOOD
APP OF THE WEEK
DAWNGUARD
Audible
T
This is one for the book lovers. It’s a paid service which allows you to listen to the best books read aloud, in some cases by the author. With a catalogue of more than 100K books, it's a dream.
n A number of great individual moments n Being a vampire lord can feel gleefully evil.
THE B AD
n Too many bugs
The gods at war This game falls under the Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) genre and in such games, gamers only need to click on the enemy and select the attack of choice. However in SMITE, gamers will have to aim with the mouse before firing or hitting, like in an action games. According to Todd Harris, Chief Operating Officer of Hi-Rez Studios, the setting of SMITE is a battleground between gods. “You see the graphics and animations in more detail. The combat also plays very differently. In those other games you are clicking on the map to move but in
SMITE you move your character very directly and smoothly using the W-A-S-D keys. Also, because of the camera view you can't see the other characters at all times, so the game is tense and there are many surprises.” The game has been in development since January 2011 and has been in beta since May 31. Also, the game is being distributed online only. It follows the micro-transaction model which lets you buy more powerful weapons and unlock more gods which will make the gameplay more interesting. The inclusion of gods howev-
er kicked off a big debate online with Hindu, Buddhist and Jewish groups based out of US expressing their displeasure. These groups believed that the game “trivialised the believes of Hindus” and requested the company to “change the product accordingly”. The groups took an exception to the “porno” portrayal of Kali. The developers however said that they have no plans to remove Hindu gods from the game despite the protests. “The Hindu tradition provides some of the richest, most complex and interesting world literature
about deities. One gentleman from a Hindu group within the United States asked us to exclude Hindu gods. We've since been contacted by many more Indians pleased and excited about the inclusion of Hindu gods,” Harris said. In the game, Kali is a melee character – one who fights handto-hand combat and uses less of long-ranged attack. She attacks very quickly and has the ability to “steal” life from opponents and increase her own health. Her first special power is 'rage' which increases her physical power and allows her to move more quickly. With her 'ultimate' power she spins around feverishly. The company was inspired by the diverse literature from around the world about gods fighting one another. “Those stories and characters are very interesting to us. “We currently include gods from various pantheons worldwide including Hindu, Norse, Chinese, Greek, and Egyptian,” Harris added. The 50-person studio currently has 15 people working on the game. If you're interested in trying out the beta version of the game head over to www.smitegame.com.
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ANIMAL KINGDOM SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2012
PET NEWS Elusive Killer ants
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esearchers found that the elusive ant hunts by ambushing a larger insect and bopping it on the head, stunning the prey for several seconds. Then nestmates arrive, grab the unfortunate insect in their powerful jaws, and pull backward, spread-eagling the victim.
IMPORTANT NUMBERS
New species found
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nown from only a single, deep reef off Indonesia, this “beautiful” fairy basslet is 1 of 25 new coral reef fish found. Fairy basslets are small plankton feeders that usually occur in groups and the males [are] especially very brightly pastel-coloured.
Know your dog
T
he German Shepherd Dog is well proportioned and very strong.Often used as working dogs, GSDs are courageous, keen, alert and fearless. Cheerful, obedient and eager to learn. Tranquil, confident, serious and clever. GSDs are extremely faithful and brave.
My! What big teeth you have A saltwater crocodile weighing more than a tonne and suspected of killing two people in the Philippines was recently declared the largest such reptile in captivity by the Guinness Book of World Records. Here are some other members of the crocodilian family.
GHARIAL
The gharial is native to the Indian subcontinent. As the species has undergone both chronic long term and a rapid shortterm declines it is listed as a Critically Endangered by IUCN. The gharial is one of three crocodilians native to India, apart from the mugger and the saltwater crocodile. It is one of the longest of all living
C AIMAN
Caimans inhabit Central and South America. They are relatively small crocodilians, with most species reaching lengths of only a few meters, although one species, the Black caiman, can exceed 13 ft
A MERICAN ALLIGATOR
crocodilians. Gharials are bred in captivity in the National Chambal Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh, and in the Gharial Breeding Centre in Nepal’s Chitwan National Park.
in length. Once common, the Black Caiman, was hunted to near extinction primarily for its commercially valuable hide. It is now listed as Conservation Dependent. Overall, a littleknown species, it was not researched in any detail until the 1980s, when the leather-trade had already taken its toll.
The American alligator is a reptile endemic to the Southeastern United States. It is larger than the other extant alligator species, the Chinese alligator. The American alligator inhabits freshwater wetlands, such as marshes and cypress swamps. In 1967, the alligator was listed as an
SALTWATER
CROCODILE
The saltwater crocodile also known as the estuarine or Indo-Pacific crocodile, is the largest of all living reptiles. It is found in suitable habitats from Northern Australia through Southeast Asia to the eastern coast of India. The saltwater crocodile is an opportunistic apex predator capable of taking nearly
endangered species. A combined effort by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, state wildlife agencies in the South, and the creation of large, commercial alligator farms were instrumental in aiding the American alligator’s recovery.
any animal that enters its territory, either in the water or on dry land. They are known to attack humans who enter their territory.
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040-2779 7458, 9848645350 Claws & Paws 98662 82772 All Creatures Animals Clinic 040-2773 0885 BIRDS Govt Veterinary Hospital 040-2331 9656, 2753 5755 Bird Watcher’s Society 040-2355 6166 Friends of Birds9391048315 SNAKES Friends of Snakes 8374233366
Films have a nasty habit of vilifying animals and crocodiles are no exception, here are five films on crocs
ALLIGATOR
Alligator is a 1980 film that follows the attempts of a police officer named David Madison and a reptile expert named Marisa Kendall to stop a deadly giant alligator that is killing humans in the sewers of Chicago.
BLACK WATER
Black Water is a 2007 Australian film set in the mangrove seas of northern Australia. It was written and directed by Andrew Traucki and David Nerlich and stars Diana Glenn, Maeve Dermody and Andy Rodoreda. The film was inspired by the true story of a crocodile attack in Australia’s Northern Territory in December 2003.
BLOOD SURF
Blood Surf is a 2001 film about a pair of entrepreneurs who hit upon the idea of blood surfing: spreading chum in the water in order to attract sharks, then hopping on a surfboard and riding through the middle of the pack. As they’re filming their promotional documentary, the fun gets interrupted by a thirty-foot long salt water crocodile that begins snacking on everyone in the expedition.
LAKE PLACID
Lake Placid is a 1999 film revolving around a giant, 30foot-long man-eating crocodile which terrorises the fictional location of Black Lake, Maine, United States, and also follows the dysfunctional group who attempt to capture or destroy the creature. The film’s financial success spawned two made-for-television sequels, Lake Placid 2 in 2007, Lake Placid 3 in 2010. Lake Placid: The Final Chapter which will be released in 2012.
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BOOKS SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2012
SHORT READS Title: Shadow of Night: A Novel Author: Deborah Harkness Publisher: Viking Adult Shadow of Night picks up where the first book A discovery of witches leaves off, with Diana and Matthew entering Elizabethan London, where Mathew is part of the mysterious School of Night, a group that counts Christopher Marlowe and Sir Walter Raleigh among its members.
Title: The Absolutist Author: John Boyne Publisher: Other Press It is a masterful tale of passion, jealousy, heroism, and betrayal set in one of the most gruesome trenches of France during World War I. This novel will keep readers on the edge of their seats until its most extraordinary and unexpected conclusion, and will stay with them long after they've turned the last page.
Title: The Long Walk Author: Brian Castner Publisher: Doubleday The Long Walk is not just about battle itself. It is also an unflinching portrayal of the toll war exacts on the men and women who are fighting it. When Castner returned home to his wife and family, he struggles with the unshakable feeling of fear and confusion and survivor’s guilt that he terms The Crazy.
Title: Shine, Shine, Shine Author: Lydia Netzer Publisher: St Martin’s Press What is a "normal" life? For Sunny, it means wearing a blond,(she’s bald because of therapy ) medicating her autistic son (who wears a helmet because he bangs his head against walls), and teaching her brilliant but socially clueless husband, Maxon, how to interact with other humans.
Ugly truths unveiled when the dust settles Michael Connelly makes another spectacular entry into the world of crime-fiction with Lost Light and The Drop Name The Drop Author Michael Connelly Pages 420 Publisher Hachtte India
ARUN KOSHY PHILIP
arun.k@postnoon.com
A
fter spending almost three decades in LAPD, Detective Harry Bosch decides to throw in the towel. Despite an illustrious record and formidable reputation, there is something that makes him uneasy. Images from an unsolved murder case of a young woman keeps returning to him and the veteran cop decides he is going to crack it. After retirement, Bosch gets a private detective's licence to pursue the case. However, he is not the only one who is interested. He starts dusting the file; and within hours feathers are ruffled and new enemies are made. A lot of powerful men wants Bosch to back off. From his former superiors to federal counter-terrorism agents, the list of interested parties start growing longer. But what the decorated policeman is not prepared for is a personal discovery that will change his life and decisions forever. The Lost Light has all this and much more to offer. Love, murder, betrayal, bank robbery, money laundering, terrorism... there are many dots spread across the board which Bosch must connect. He stumbles into a grey area of post-9/11 America
that he cannot stomach. As he digs deeper, trust is reduced to just a word, the lines separating professional from personal blurs and each move presents a new challenge. While someone seeks redemption, it is revenge time for the others. Bosch must use all his skills and experience to find answers. The author's experience as a former policeman has enabled him to present a simple but gripping plot that keeps you glued. The main character, Harry Bosch, is your old-school, by-therule-book senior investigator. The Lost Light has several subplots and care has been taken to make each of them individually watertight and equally important in holding the story together. As the middle-aged cop battles odds of profession and personal life and painstakingly pursues his leads, there is something about the story that makes
Name Lost Light Author Michael Connelly Pages 340 Publisher Hachette India
you walk in his steps. Michael Connolly then returns a few years later with another book The Drop with his hero but in a totally different setting. Eight years have passed and Bosch is back in his job, realising that it is his true calling. As a senior sleuth with eons of experience, he is now part of a division that goes after unsolved cases that have remained unsolved for decades. They use modern technology to establish connections that would have been impossible during the days of prosecution. Bosch and his partner are put on a case where technology has provided a link that might discredit the entire forensic science. DNA found on a rape victim matches that of convicted rapist — but he was only eight years old at the time of the incident. Before Bosch can begin chas-
ing the anomalies, he is 'requisitioned' by councilman Irving, the victim's father, to investigate a case of suspicious death. Once a top-ranking cop, Irving left the department and has an axe to grind against Bosch and his former employers. But he insists, much to Bosch's bewilderment, that his bête noire be put on the case. While investigating the case, Bosch also keeps working on the mysterious rape case. Soon he realises that there is a monster on the loose and that there are several skeletons in the cupboards of the department he has served for so long. The Drop makes up for what Lost Light lacked in subtlety. The criminal element here is smart, cold blooded, relentless and ruthless. And its pursuit leads Bosch down paths that challenge his personal convictions and the world he lives in. When the most trusted people in his life betray him for their share of glory, Bosch has only himself to rely on to bring matters to their logical conclusion.
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BOOKS SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2012
Pay for 1, read a dozen
M ANIL KUMAR
SYED SHOAIB
shoaib.s@postnoon.com
INDEPENDENT BOOK EXHIBITION
S
nugly sitting in a corner of Narayan Nayak Complex alloted by the government to displaced booksellers of Koti, Independent Book Exhibition has come a long way. Racks of books, mostly academic, make this a regular haunt of students. Tauseef, a fourthyear engineering student is one such regular here. “I’ve never had any missing-pages problem here,” he clarifies on asking. “I shall bring my sister, who also needs books, later on,” so saying to the proprietor of the store, he leaves. The proprietor Md Imamuddin explains the popularity of the store with, “Any book that a regular customer asks for that we may not have, we arrange.”
SRI VENKATESHWARA BOOK EXHIBITION
I
n the basement of Narayan Nayak Complex at Koti is Sri Venkateshwara Book Exhibition, which specialises in sale of educational books, particularly engineering text books and guides for entrance tests. These books and many more can be bought here at fancy prices. Well-maintained second-hand books are available here at discounts that vary from 40–50 per cent. On the breakup of old and new books, Ashok of the store says, “We have regular buyers whose requirements we cater to. About 70 per cent of our sales is second-hand books.”
Ever wondered whatever happened to all those circulating libraries that used to be the staple diet of middleclass readers? We wondered too, and investigated the missing phenomenon in depth and across the city, only to realise that they had graduated to become full-fledged bookstores... that sold, hired and bought back books
MR BOOK CENTRE
O
pposite Lifestyle in Begumpet is a well-stocked bookstore. With a variety of subjects ranging from advertising to cookery and philosophy to fiction, MR Book Centre is a bookworm’s delight. The best thing about it is the meticulous categorising of their ware. “Can you imagine buying five books for only `200 anywhere else?” asks an exited Vamshi of Ramanthpur holding them up. “We have a buy-back scheme that works out to reading charges of `25 per book,” says Md Raziuddin manning the store, going on to add, “Not just the low pricing, we also excel in the fact that we have some rare books on painting, cookery and science.”
RAJA LAKSHMI BOOK CENTRE
O
f about sixty stalls in the subway below Andhra Bank at Koti is Raja Lakshmi Book Centre. A partner of the bookstall G Raju informs that there is a demand for guides, be it for the degree, inter or school level. He goes on to explain that they sell books at discounted rates and also buy them back. Koti has made a name for itself as the hub of books of all kinds in the twin cities; and, at attractive rates. “A customer pays us only Rs60 for a book that costs `100. After reading it when the customer comes back to us with the book, we buy it for `36,” says Raju.
WHAT’S SELLING Oxford Bookstore’s best in fiction
Walden’s best in non-fiction
New York Times’ best in fiction
New York Times’ best in non-fiction
n Litigators by John Grisham
n Breakout Nations by Ruchir Sharma
n Wicked Business by Janet Evanovich
n The Amateur by Edward Klein
n Eat Delete by Pooja Makhija
n Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
n Cowards by Glenn Beck and Kevin Balfe
n MBA at 16 by Subroto Bagchi
n Calico Joe by John Grisham
n Wild by Cheryl Strayed
n Turning Points by Dr APJ Abdul Kalam
n The Mission to Paris by Alan Furst
n Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
n Self Power by Deepak Chopra
n Canada by Richard Ford
n Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
n Alchemist Paulo Coelho n Meluha by Amish Tripathi n Revolution 2020 by Chetan Bhagat n Romance on Facebook by Amrita Priya
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WOMEN SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2012
WEBSITES OF THE WEEK 85broads: A members-only network of inspired, empowered and connected women, it started by female staffers at Goldman Sachs. Nice offering of blogs from members on work-life issues.
PADMINI C
padmini.c@postnoon.com
R
ecently in the city at Landmark to promote her book Jaal (Book One of the Kaal trilogy), Joint Secretary at the Ministry of External Affairs, Sangeeta Bahadur talks to Postnoon about her career in IFS, writing and life in London via an email interview. Here are some edited excerpts
A Cup Of Jo: Magazine writer Joanna Goddard has a great eye for art, food and all-that’sgood on the Internet. Her posts are honest, insightful and, most notably, always shareworthy.
Flying High Calm, confident, extremely accomplished, incredibly imaginative, IFS officer Sangeeta Bahadur is latest in the brigade of India’s best-selling authors
Tell us, what is keeping you busy at the moment?
Women in the civil services -how much has the scene changed over the years? As far as the Foreign Service is concerned, after a mercifully short phase of 5-6 years when it seemed to have completely fallen out of favour with women, I can see a respectable number of intelligent, ambitious young women gravitating towards the unusual but widelens lifestyle and the global workprofile it offers. Exactly one-third of the latest IFS batch (2011) is of the female persuasion! By any standards, this can be defined as the achievement of a critical mass of sorts!
How did the Kaal Trilogy come to be?
At the moment, I am in India to attend a rigorous two-week midcareer training programme organised by the Government for senior Indian diplomats, and that’s keeping us in the classroom nine hours a day! Once I return to London next week, it will be back to the extremely busy and demanding schedule of the Director of The Nehru Centre, which is the Cultural Wing of the Indian High Commission in London. And then, of course, there’s the family and the writing of Vikraal, the second book of the Kaal Trilogy.
The story germinated within me perhaps eight years ago, and before I knew it I was completely enmeshed in the web of the world coming alive in my mind. The tale, the characters, the geography, history, strategic equations, religious configurations and cultural ethos were all so vivid that when I sat down to write the first book, Jaal, it was almost like watching a movie unfold.It finally took me around six years of weaving the multi-layered tapestry of the story.
Were you always interested in writing?
How did you get interested in the Civil Services?
I wrote my first short story at the age of nine, my first novel at the age of thirteen – following it up with a dozen more over the next 10 years, all of which were extremely popular with my schooland college-mates! So, yes – I guess you can say that I was always interested in writing!
I come from a family of Civil Servants. My parents were, hence, keen for me to join the ranks, but since I did most of my senior schooling and college education from Ahmedabad and Mumbai, I had developed a healthy contempt for the Babu’s vocation and was quite determined to defy the family tradition Fortunately for all concerned, my father’s oldest friend – a Civil Servant himself – turned the tide when he pointed out that the IFS was a truly glamorous option minus the triviality, and my joining it would make it a win-win situation for everybody. So that’s how it happened.
Do you read a lot? Who are your favourite authors and genres? I read a great deal of well-written speculative fiction along with legal drama, crime fiction, romance, fictionalised history and adventure. Some writers who I like are Alexander Dumas, J.R.R Tolkien, David Eddings, Raymond E. Feist, Nora Roberts, Mary Higgins Clark, Dan Brown, Gerald Durrell and Shashi Tharoor.
What would you say has been your biggest achievement and your biggest challenge in your job so far? The job of an IFS officer is a constant challenge. In a 25-year career, I’ve been through all of that and have survived to tell the tale. I would say that is an achievement in itself! However, I rate my three years as the Deputy Director General of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) as the most challenging, engaging and rewarding period of my working life so far. The work pressure was tremendous, with split-second decisions required all the time, but it was gratifying to see the results of my decisions almost instantly.
Daily Muse: A career advice hub for the Gen-Y careerist, the newly relaunched site features accessible advice for recent grads and working gals and a bang-up portal for job hunting.
The CV First Job: Indian Foreign Service
to accept myself just the way I am.
Motto: Value yourself; if you don't, nobody else will
Last book read: Warlord Chronicles by Bernard Cornwell
Inspiration: My father for teaching me to love stories and enjoy words. My husband Yuresh, who taught me to live again and
Last movie watched: Teri Meri Kahani Hobbies/interest Reading, singing, theatre
How is it to live in London? What do you miss about India? Since I live in the heart of London, in Mayfair, I am close to virtually everything that people go to London for. It is, I must admit, a great experience. This is not to say that I don’t miss my country. I miss the street food, the delicious Delhi winters, my friends and their warmth. I desperately miss my daughter, Shardooli, who’s in Delhi to complete her graduation, and my husband who only visits me now for limited periods due to the compulsions of his work in India.
It’s time for payback All About Eve
RANJANI R
H
ow many times have you stepped out in public, alone or with friends, to realise that you’re being stared at? And this is not just a casual glance thrown your way or an admiring double take, it’s the ‘stare at you like I can visually rape you’ look that most women seem to receive, that I am talking about. A zillion times I’d bet. For instance, you’re at the mall checking out some great discounts or at the movies, at a coffee shop or simply at a traffic signal, but there’s always some idiot who insists on ogling at you like he’s never seen a woman before. It’s downright annoying. So shameless are these lechers, they will continue staring at you unblinkingly even after you give them a dirty look or go pick up an argument with him. One time, when a friend rebuked one such lech on the streets of Mumbai, the smart a** shot right back, “Why don’t you just stay home if you don’t want to be stared at!” And if the girl is particularly good looking or a foreigner then you’ll probably need forceps to peel those eyes off her. But is it really too much to ask for, not be treated like an object of lust, just because you’re female? I wish we could stare right back at them and make them feel as vulnerable and uncomfortable or at least as outraged as we do. You know maybe borrow a tip or two from that ad where Anushka Sharma chases her eve teaser and embarrasses him right there on the road. Then again, I doubt the Indian man, save a few, have even an ounce of self-respect to feel any shame. But I think it’s about time, we eves stopped complaining about those rude stares and did something to get them to stop. Maybe, return the unblinking stare and make them wonder if there’s something wrong with a part of their ‘anatomy’ or just pass a comment so rude they’d be ashamed to step out. Whatever it is, I think it’s time to shame them.
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SPOTLIGHT SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2012 DEEPAK DESHPANDE
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DEEPAK DESHPANDE
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5
What a woman loves
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A little bit of retail therapy never hurt anyone. Well, at least that's what these women believe. The Petals Fashion Exhibition and Sale was held at Taj Krishna on Friday. On sale were designer garments, accessories and jewellery.
1 Arti & Sirisha 2
2 Sneha 3 Aliya
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COMFORT WEAR Amala Akkineni launched the pret line
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collection by designer Ravita Mayor on Friday at Banjara Hills. 1 Simbul & Zakir 2 Latha & Deepika
4 Amala Akkineni inaugurating the launch as Ravita Mayor looks on
5 Rekha & Prashant 6 Supriya
3 Sherry Zaveri & Alim
An empowering initiative
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A touch of class This is one place which every fashionista must visit. Society magazine is organsing Trendz Fair till July 8 at Novotel. So shop all you want. 2
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1 Mamata 2 Surekha 3 Padma & Aparna 4 Garima
The International Human Rights Association and Premier Hospitals held on Wednesday a mega health camp at the DGP office, Lakidikapool. It was part of their campaign towards ensuring that people be able to enjoy a high standard of health.
DEEPAK DESHPANDE
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RELATIONSHIPS SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2012
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DRINKING WITH FRIENDS
I AM ALL EARS
am a 28 -year-old man and am about to be married in two months time. Mine is an arranged marriage and recently I was introduced to my sisterin-law. I did not get a very positive vibe from her, the way she talked was very suggestive and now she is even calling me. I am scared now. Please help.
Dear scared kid, Well that’s a first! You should be jumping with joy, I think your to be sister-in-law, believes in the Hindi adage ‘ saali aadhi gharwali’(almost a halfwife). Many men will be wanting to be your place now. Well, jokes apart. I think you could just clear the air before marriage, make sure you are never alone with her, always keep your to-be-wife in the loop with regards to things about her and if she calls, avoid them like plague.
W
hile it is usually taken for granted that people drink to reduce stress and enhance positive feelings, many studies have shown that alcohol consumption has an opposite effect. In a new paper on effects of alcohol on emotion and social bonding, research shows that moderate doses of alcohol have a powerful effect on both male and female social drinkers when they are in a group.
Momma knows best Reams and reams have been written about the beloved mother-son relationship. But is enough said about those mothers that rule the lives of their sons, who are well into adulthood?
Hemanth Kumar
hemanth.k@postnoon.com
I
f you have seen SiddharthGenelia starrer Bommarillu, there’s a brilliant monologue towards the end of the film which begins with the famous words “Motham Meere Chesaaru.” (You did everything). The protagonist vents his frustration over how his father has been making decisions on his behalf even after he’s mature enough to do what he wants. For a major chunk of Indians, it could very well be our mothers. When William Ross Wallace wrote his famous poem titled The Hand That Rocks the Cradle Is the Hand that Rules the World, he clearly didn’t see where the world, filled with dominating mothers, was heading. It’s quite intriguing when you think about the kind of relationship which
mothers have with their sons. Although the decision maker is usually the father, in most Indian families, mothers wield a supreme power. Tears. Emotional blackmail. Questions like ‘Are these the moral values you have learnt all these years?’, ‘When will you ever become a responsible son?’, ‘Why are you hell bent on spoiling your father’s reputation?’ and the quirkiest of all, ‘The neighbours, relatives and family friends are asking about what you are doing and why you have chosen this profession. What am I supposed to tell them?’ plague us. And all we can come up with is, ‘Yes ma. I know and I am sorry.’ It happens all the time and more so, if you have strayed away from the conventions laid down by the society in terms of job, behaviour and money among many other things.
THE MOMENT YOU THINK OF REVOLTING AT HOME, YOU ARE BRANDED AS A BLACK SHEEP. AFTER ALL, YOU OWE EVERYTHING TO YOUR PARENTS Sentimentalism, a trait ingrained in our DNA, becomes a bait which we end up chewing every time there’s an argument. The moment you think of revolting at home, you are branded as a black sheep. After all, you owe a lot to your parents for everything they have done since your birth. Unlike the West, where teenagers leave their homes before they turn 16, freedom is not a common factor
in Indian households. We end up depending on our parents for almost everything till we land in a job. Right when you begin to get the taste of freedom, mothers drop the bomb. ‘When will you get married?’ we are asked. We are taught to always respect our parents and oblige to what they say, since they are more noble and wise than we are. True. But how wise is it to expect today’s generation to follow the footsteps and lifestyle of a generation which was born a decade after India’s independence? My mother’s favourite story, which she tells me without fail every time I try to have my way, goes something like this, “We had to beg our parents for months, if we wanted to watch a film. The ticket price used to be `2 back then and it used to be such a big deal for us. You end up writing about movies for a
living and spend most of your money on movies!” The only thing I end up doing is #facepalm without being impolite. Do I have a choice? Believe it or not, mothers have the power to pull all the strings to make us what we were when we were toddlers. It’s so much fun arguing with them, especially when you know that either they win or the argument takes a totally different path which eventually backfires on you. The question is whether you want to be the son your mothers wants you to be or do you want to stand up for yourself and make all the decisions. Think about it, you are screwed either ways. At the end of the day, none of this matters because you crave for the yummiest meal cooked by your mother. I guess some battles are worth losing, after all.
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CINEMA SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2012
T-TOWN TWEETIES @pnavdeep26
@RGVzoomin
@shraddhadas43
@trishtrashers
Going to Ramoji today for a days shoot... started jai there... stayed in there for two months then... #nostalgia :) gud day ppl... :)
Is it true tht Osama hd a stack of Sunny Leone videos? My source tells that he was watching hr vdo when he was shot dead.
Bol bachchan... just can’t stop laughing!!! Just toooooo good!!
Can’t wait to watch Spiderman, Eega n Madagascar. Starting Monday one after the after. Hav a brilliant weekend.
@Actor_Siddharth
@LakshmiManchu
@me_sushanth
@purijagan
God/the physics lab in the sky really has a sense of humour. The permutations of the last 3 hours make my mind boggle!
#Eega was on a mission... real hero is ss rajamouli. Hats off. Brilliant story telling. Kudos.
I do feel like an outsider in the city coz I haven’t watched Eega yet. Have to experience it soon like everyone else!
Hats off to @ssrajamouli EEGA is fantastic Simply superb Congrats to Nani Samantha n Sudeep.
Rajamouli's Eega soars high SS Rajamouli's midas touch works once again. His latest film Eega is a stunning piece of work, which catapults his fame as a maverick director to even greater heights. HEMANTH KUMAR
hemanth.k@postnoon.com
E
leven Years. Eight Hits including films like Simhadri, Vikramarkudu and Magadheera. That's SS Rajamouli's track record so far and once again he smashes a home run with his latest film Eega. Can this maverick director ever go wrong? We don't know yet. His latest is a brilliant teameffort and it's bound to keep tongues wagging for quite sometime. The most amusing part of the film is how Rajamouli transforms a simple revenge drama into a spectacular experience
Movie: Eega Cast: Sudeep, Nani, Samantha Directed by: SS Rajamouli Rating:
that we end up rooting for a housefly! We are introduced to the film's three principal characters – Sudeep (Sudeep), a businessman whose lust for women brings him face to face with Nani (Nani). Bindhu (Samantha) works at an NGO and Nani tries his best to impress her. Just before Bindhu confesses her love for Nani, Sudeep kills him. Nani is reborn as a fly and the rest of
the film is about how the fly avenges its death in the previous life. It's an age old storyline, but what really works wonders for the film is how the fly avenges its death. Nani and Samantha's on screen chemistry sets the right tone for the film. The film's biggest achievement is that it makes us forget that we are cheering for a CGI creation. The eega has a lot of spunk, it can
Richa set to R team up with Nagarjuna
communicate with Bindhu with great ease and express its emotions like a human being. Rajamouli treats it with care and at no point are we given the scope to ridicule the concept of the film. For almost ninety minutes, the rivalry between the fly and Sudeep takes centrestage which encompasses most of the film's finest moments. The fly irritates Sudeep to no end and the way it does all that is quite
icha Gangopadhyay is on a roll these days. In the past few weeks, she signed Ravi Teja's Saar Vasthara, Karthi's Biryani and now she is set to join the cast of Nagarjuna's upcoming film Bhai. Veerabhadram is going to direct the film and Annapurna Studios banner is producing the film. It's the first time that she'll be teaming up with Nagarjuna and
innovative. Sudeep is a revelation in the film and he holds our attention throughout. The film scores high in technical aspects as well. Right from MM Keeravani's stunning background score, Senthil's cinematography to Makuta's top notch VFX, everything falls in place for the film. Ultimately, it's an SS Rajamouli's film and he deserves all the applause for pushing the enve-
we hear that she's quite excited about the project. The film is likely to go on floors in September and sources say that Bhai is going to be a mass entertainer set in a mafia backdrop. Devi Sri Prasad is going to compose the music. Richa will soon join the sets of Ravi Teja's Saar Vasthara in Ooty and she'll continue shooting for the film till the end of the month.
lope. A film like this required a director with a lot of passion and commitment to deliver something unique and he does it with panache. Set aside the notion that Eega is based on a ridiculous concept, it's one hell of a ride which you shouldn't miss. Two big thumbs up for the team behind the film. It's one of the best Telugu films in recent times and it's likely to remain so till Rajamouli’s next.
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CINEMA SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2012
B-TOWN TWEETIES @SrBachchan
@realpreityzinta
@sandymridul
@GulPanag
T 796 - How much one destroys own body, can only be known through time ...wait, it will show up devastatingly!
Just off a long flight & Guess who else was there ? Filmstar, Sports star, Singer & kids & a Big BEAR Snorning next 2 me !
In case some of you haven’t noticed Rafa is not playing so I can’t support him!! Fed is 2nd choice #Wimbledon.
#Mumbai can anyone tell me where I can buy jerky? (ready to eat salted/dried meat) Andheri west or Juhu? #roadtrip.
@MallikaLA
@DuttaLara
@Riteishd
@FarOutAkhtar
“Keep away frm people who belittle ur ambitions, small people always do that, always hang with people who inspire,empower u”
Yayyyy!!! Federer takes that match in 2 hrs 19 mins ! I’m rooting for a Fed/Murray final!!
Can’t wait to watch @ssrajamouli ‘s EEGA (fly)-heard my friend @KicchaSudeep is brilliant in this extraordinary film.
IIFA awards on air tomorrow... it’s time to share the fun @shahidkapoor and I had hosting it... Enjoy.
Twilight star Rathbone welcomes a son A
lert the Volturi! There’s another Twi-baby on the loose. Twilight star Jackson Rathbone and girlfriend Sheila Hafsadi have welcomed their first child together, a son, on Friday, according to Us Weekly. And the little boy’s name is... Monroe Jackson Rathbone VI, taking after his father and grandfather and great-grandfather and, well, you get the picture. Baby Monroe was born at 9.43 am. this morning and weighed 8 pounds, 11 ounces. “Thank you ALL for the love & support! Sheila & I couldn’t be happier to have such a beautiful, healthy baby boy, Monroe Jackson
Rathbone VI,” he tweeted, “Feeling so blessed! What an amazing day! Love and respect, Bone Daddy.”
A fungama
The money-spinner Rohit Shetty seems to have come with yet another laugh riot that banks on entertainment
F Kerr honoured with wax statue M iranda Kerr has been honoured with a waxwork at Madame Tussaud’s in Sydney. The supermodel donated a red Alex Perry dress for the figurine to wear, and the designer was present on Thursday (July 5) for a photoshoot to mark the waxwork’s unveiling. Perry told Adelaide Now: “It’s
such an honour that she has chosen her wax figure to wear the scarlet red gown I designed for her. It looked absolutely gorgeous on her then and it still looks sensational on her now.”I’m lighted that she has been selected by Madame Tussauds to be immortalised in wax — it’s such an awesome portunity.”
or the uninformed, Bol Bachchan’s not a Bachchan clan movie. It however, does feature the Jr. Bachchan in what has been touted as a role to die for. Rohit’s earlier movies have always done well at the box office and collections always hover near the `100cr mark. Is Bol Bachchan going the same way? Probably, considering the mixed reactions it has received.Of late, our Bollywood directors have been going desi, catering to the masses, Rowdy Rathore is the best example in recent times. Bol Bachchan too hopes to cash in on this funda. Well, back to the story…well, if there is one that is. Abbas (Abhishek Bachchan) and his sister (Asin) have fallen on hard times and are forced to relocate from their village to Ranakpur ruled by a mighty gunda Prithviraj Raghuvanshi (Ajay Devgn)who’s muscles flex at the slightest pre-
text and spouts Hindi to English translations of the English language drawing from one of senior Bachchan’s dialogues, ‘ English is a funny language’. This is not the only similarity with yester years’ films. Rohit has taken the liberty of borrowing heavily from Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Gol Maal. Abhishek is no Amol Palekar, that is for sure. Abbas’ entry to the village is heroic yet troubled as he opens the lock of a temple and fearing the ire of the villagers he assumes another name and identity and even creating a twin Muslim. Then a tale is spun around covering up this
Movie: Bol Bachchan Cast: Ajay Devgn, Asin and Abhishek Bachchan, Prachi Desai, Krushna Abhishek and Archana Puran Singh Directed by: Rohit Shetty
lie. The movie works primarily thanks to the entertainment quotient and of course, the persuasive portrayals by its lead actors, especially Ajay and Abhishek. Ajay’s comic timing is wonderful. At the same time, Ajay allows Abhishek to take the lead as the film chiefly revolves around his character/s. And Abhishek does complete justice to those parts. On the flipside, the film falters due to its erratic pacing at times. Besides, a few episodes try too hard to make you laugh, but the impact is missing. In fact, Rohit Shetty is known to pack so much in every sequence, but this has a couple of loose ends that stand out. The climax, for instance, could’ve been better. On the whole, Bol Bachchan is an entertainer that has the Rohit Shetty stamp all over it. Flying cars and buses, falling villains, loud characters Bol Bachchan has it all.
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CINEMA SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2012
Bollywood overlooked
Isha Sharvani’s talent: KJo
I
sha Sharvani has been mesmerising viewers and judges alike with her perfect performances on dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 5, and filmmaker Karan Johar feels her talent has been grossly underused in Bollywood. “Main aapse maafi maangna chahta hoon kyunki mujhe lagta hai ki kahin na kahin hum mein koi kami hai ki humne yeh talent aap mein dekha nahi (I want to apologise to you that we lacked the eye to see your talent),” Karan said during the shoot of an upcoming episode. “Today, I’d like to say that on this platform you displayed your talent in totality, and I hope after this, the film industry notices and observes how brilliant you are. Truly,” he added. Karan co-judges the show with actress Madhuri Dixit and choreographer Remo D’Souza. Isha, 27, is trained in traditional dance forms like Kalaripayattu, Chhau and Kathak. Extremely poised and flexible in her moves, she excels at aerial acts and lifts, and has shown her dancing talent in movies like Kisna and Luck By Chance. Meanwhile, Isha is working on Bejoy Nambiar’s David, an “edgy” film, which should hit the screens by the end of this year. IANS
...Milkha Bhaag shooting to resume after summer
A
s north India has been reeling under scorching heat, producer-director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra has decided to halt the shooting of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag saying that most of the scenes have to be shot outdoors and this will happen once the weather is bearable. “We have taken a summer break because it is all outdoors. Once the summer is over, we
plan to go back to the north to shoot it,” he said and added, “We are planning to release it sometime next year.” The film is a biopic on athlete Milkha Singh, fondly called Flying Sikh, and Farhan Akhtar is playing the title role. Sonam Kapoor too features in it. From thriller Aks to social drama Rang De Basanti, Mehra, who has worked on various genres, says shoot-
ing a biopic is much more challenging than making a pure fiction. “When I decided to make a film, it threw more challenges for me, because I had not done a film on a true life. I knew everything which I was doing. Each scene has been a big responsibility as it belonged to a real life person. Here the challenge was how to do it in an interesting manner,” he IANS said.
Shatrugan Sinha stable, says son Luv A
ctor-politician Shatrugan Sinha is fine but he will have to have to stay in the hospital till his discharge date is finalised, his son Luv Sinha said on Friday. “His condition is stable and he is fine now. He (Shatrugan Sinha) will be in the hospital for one more day. Doctors will decide his discharge date by today (Friday),” Luv said. Sinha was admitted to Kolilaben hospital on July 2. His
main complaint was breathing difficulty as he developed a respiratory allergic reaction due to painting at his residence. The 66-year-old actor has been the part of the industry since 1970’s. Known for films like Kalicharan, Blackmail, Dostana and Shaan, Sinha later ventured out from films into politics. He is the Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Patna IANS Saheb, Bihar.
CINEMA SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2012
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THE SATURDAY QUIZ SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2012
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
TAKE YOUR PICK
1
Which one among the following is not guaranteed by the Constitution of India?
he spent two years failing to locate the mouth of the Mississippi? 7. What famous Swiss citizen had once said of nuclear bombs: "If I had known, I would have become a watchmaker"? 8. Which state is called the Treasure State?
9. Who lost part of his ear to the teeth of Mike Tyson in 1997? 10.In Peter Pan, what sort of animal was Nana? 11. What was the name of the mansion where Elvis Presley died? 12. Why was Mick Dundee nicknamed Crocodile?
IDENTIFY THESE CARTOONS
Answers
dential campaign? 4. Which dictator is affectionately dubbed EL Maximo by fans? 5. Who's believed by many to be buried in Downpatrick under a tombstone marked with the letter "F"? 6. What French explorer was murdered by his crew after
1.The United Nations 2. Sinn Fien 3.The Soviet Union 4.Fidel Castro 5. St Patrick 6. Robert De Salle 7Albert Einstein 8.Montana 9. Evander Holyfield.10.Dog 11.Graceland 12. Because he survived a crocodile attack
1. What organization elects the 15 judges of the World Court? 2. What Irish political movement is named after a phrase meaning "we ourselves? 3. What nation was miffed when Hubert Humphrey declined its secret offer to help finance his 1968 presi-
NAME THEM WHO DIRECTED THESE MOVIES?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
It’s a wonderful life
A. Freedom to own, acquire and dispose of property anywhere in the country
Life is beautiful
B. Freedom to move freely throughout the country C. Freedom to assemble peacefully without arms
Sixth Sense
D. Freedom to practise any trade or profession
Batman Begins
2
Who among the following is well known as an exponent of flute?
Raging Bull
A. Debu Choudhuri B. Madhup Mudgal C. Ronu Mazumdar D. Shafaat Ahmad
Vertigo
Reservoir Dogs
3
Chail hill station is located In which state of india ? A. Jammu & Kashmir B. Himachal Pradesh C. Orissa D. Rajasthan
Gold Rush
Unforgiven
Answers: 1.A 2. C 3.B 1.Frank Capra 2. Roberto Benigni 3.M Night Shyamalan 4. Christopher Nolan 5.Martin Scorcesse 6. Alfred Hitchcock 7. Quentin Tarantino 8 Charlie Chaplin 9. Clint Eastwood
Garba a popular folk dance is associated with Indian state
Who is the forst woman chief minister of India?
with Santosh Ghule There’s more to one of the candles; what and which?
Answer for
Which Indian state has banned forceful religious conversions?
PICTURE PUZZLE 23
WHO AM I?
Anna Sewell created me. I had carefree days on an English farm with my mother but was soon put to work. I used to pull cabs in London. Then finally unable to bear a life of torture and bad handling, I had to retire. Children love me. Who am I?
Answer : Black Beauty
In which year did Indian Air Force gets officially founded ?
22: Look closely at the gap between the buildings!
Who said "Do or Die" during the time of India's freedom struggle ?
Answer: 1. Heckle & Jeckle 2. Foghorn Leghorn 3.Bluto 4.Dilbert
1 2 3 4 5
Answer:
KNOW YOUR COUNTRY
1Mahatma Gandhi 2.1932 3.Tamil Nadu 4.Gujarat 5. Sucheta Kriplani
Answers
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CHAI TIME SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2012
THOUGHT OF THE DAY
SOLUTION ON PAGE 32
SUDOKU
KAKURO
How to Play Kakuro
SCRIBBLING PAD
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.
Look within. Within is the fountain of good, and it will ever bubble up, if thou wilt ever dig. – Marcus Aurelius
QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Cradle alternative 5 Geisha's mat 11 Advanced degree 14 "Hang ___ your hats" 15 Inception 16 "Commando" star ___ Dawn Chong 17 Fall into a dead faint 19 Work unit, in physics 20 Fruitcake 21 Farm stirrer 23 Certain tourney rounds 26 Toothpullers' grp. 28 Togo's capital 29 Alee's opposite 31 Start of Richard III's plea 33 Half a score 34 Future predictors of the past 36 Exercise strict control 41 Brisk movement 42 Dead heat 44 In a sinister fashion 47 Lethargic 50 Sword with a blunt end 51 "But of course!" 52 Change the boundaries of 53 Chrysler with "Corinthian leather" 56 Barbie's male friend 57 Word before "in a galaxy far, far away" 58 Be regretful 64 Costa ___ Sol 65 What a hider shouldn't say to a seeker 66 "Be it ___ so humble 3" 67 Skinny fish 68 Mansion with grounds 69 Kind of starch or pudding DOWN 1 Officer of the peace 2 It contains genetic info 3 Oft-mispunctuated pronoun 4 Balkan War partici-
pant 5 Praise lavishly 6 Collector's collection, perhaps 7 Muscular contraction 8 Socrates shopped here 9 Venus de ___ 10 "European" opening 11 Ancient Roman magistrate 12 Sultans' wives 13 Bachelor's or Master's 18 Banish from office 22 Walk through muck 23 Was benched 24 Flared-spout pitcher 25 Listing of dishes 26 Hawk's nest 27 Trail on the ground 30 How some wills are disputed 31 Certain singing voic-
containers es 56 Joint used to jump 32 "___ So Fine" 59 Type of parrot (Chiffons oldie) 60 Dinner crumb 35 Comical Tucker 61 A Mendes of 37 Without a stitch on Hollywood 38 "___ in the Family" 62 Yours may be asleep 39 Agenda addition while you're awake 40 Leaning Tower city 63 Not to 43 Clairvoyance initials 44 It lasts for PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER years 45 High point 46 Try to improve a Yahtzee turn 48 Yuletide buy 49 Parts of eyeglasses 51 Luxury craft 54 "___ From Muskogee" 55 Storage
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CHAI TIME SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2012
Aries
Taurus
Gemini
Cancer
Leo
Virgo
Three of Cups
The High Priestess
King of Pentacles
The Wheel of Fortune
Five of Wands
Queen of Cups
W
ork – Your brain may be seeming rusty, especially if you are asked to work on an area of specialization that’s familiar but you haven’t worked on it in a while. Romance – Use your head. Sometimes, approaching the problem too much through your heart means you cannot foresee problems. Health – Go for a long walk every day. Find a lake or a nearby water source by which you can walk. Make it a routine. Money – You need to act fast on the long-term financial planning that needs attention. It’s not just for tax saving but for your own good. Tarot message – You have many desires, as do all human beings. Rein in the need for instant gratification and think of the long term.
W
ork – Treat your time in each office like a journey on the road. It will never go at the same speed you want it to. Romance – How about a surprise for your loved one? Cook a meal and have a candlelight dinner with conversations. Health – Watch the intake of meat or heavy, processed foods that are difficult to digest. You need to check on the diet every now and then. Money – Size up your investments and do what’s needed to minimize the loss to you, by way of tax saving or other means. Tarot message – You meet people with similarities and find it interesting to know like-minded people. There are all kinds on this earth. Keep an open mind.
W
ork – Be on your guard and don’t mistake a favour for a mere helpful gesture. Romance – You are confused about love and don’t really know what to expect from it. You may be in love but you miss the heady feeling everyone talks about. Health – Take special care of your hair and skin. You may want to take a course of Vitamin E tablets. It will do you good. Money – Remove the rose-tinted glasses and know that not every investment will bring immediate returns. If it does, there is something wrong with it. Tarot message – You need to bare your heart. Talk to a trusted friend. Or find a counselor and use a session just to talk about your feelings.
W
ork – Expect a gift from a colleague. It will surprise you and make you wonder if there’s a motive behind it. Romance – It’s a good idea for you and your significant other to join a club – book club, horseriding club – that will make you learn something new together. Health – It’s the monsoon season. It’s tempting to walk in the rain. But you must also be aware of the water-borne infections that might cause harm. Money – On a trip, whether business or personal, take time out to review your expenses. Take good care of your credit cards and cash. Tarot message – You are preparing for the next phase of life and are likely to feel confused about what’s happening to you right now.
W
W
ork – Make sure you’re covering all the tracks in a project. Do your homework well and check that there are no loopholes. Romance – You need to spend more quality time with your partner. That is the only way you can get to know each other better. Health – You may be feeling moony and a little depressed. Do things that make you happy and hang out with other happy people. Money – Expensive shopping sure makes you feel great for the moment but you end up regretting it when you see the credit card bill. Tarot message – Time is flying like the wind. You need to take stock of things that need to get done and work your way through that list.
ork – You need to stay calm and cool while dealing with difficult subordinates. They may test your patience a little too much. Romance – You can sing your way into your partner’s heart, simply because he/she is not listening to your voice but the emotion behind the effort you put in. Health – Take note of your calcium intake. A glass of milk everyday or every other day is a good idea. Money – You look for easy solutions to your tax troubles. Consult an advisor before you make any decisions about where to put your money. Tarot message – Your heart rules over your head. You’re tempted to throw logic out of the window. Not a bad idea, actually.
SUMAA TEKUR tarotreadhyd@gmail.com
Libra
Scorpio
Death
Knight of Cups
W
ork – You have the urge to do more than you’re asked to. Speak to your boss about it. Romance – Do something nice for your partner. If she likes pink roses, then buy her pink roses. If he likes your cooking, then cook for him. Health – There are some must-dos to maintain good health and without that, there is no chance of you recovering. Eat right; exercise regularly. Money – Use your intuition to get a feel of how much to spend on something and how much to hold back. Tarot message – You get nostalgic and spend a lot of time thinking of the days gone by. Don’t dwell on these memories too long that you lose track of today.
ork – You are lucky because you get support from a colleague who stands by you like a rock despite all the ups and downs you go through. Romance – By doing small things for each other, you find new love and also are able to sustain the relationship despite the odds. Health – The changing weather may be bringing along some new health challenges. Watch out for heat boils. Money – If you are a midlifer, you need to think in terms of a will. It is just smart planning and nothing to worry about. Tarot message – Changes are on the way and you need to accept these. They may not all be bad. But be prepared for changes you aren’t too happy with.
W
Sagittarius The Moon
W
ork – Don’t be lazy at work. No matter how small the job is, or what the circumstances are, you need to continue to work professionally. Romance – You feel like taking a break and you want to stop meeting your partner for a while. Explain this feeling to them so they don’t feel odd. Health – is your iron intake sufficient? You may need a full body check-up to ensure you are healthy and fine. Money – There are new ways of saving money and you need to consult an advisor on the best way to do this. Have a finance plan customized for you. Tarot message – You are moody and irritable. You tend to take your anger out on people who come in your way.
Capricorn
Date 8-7-2012
Aquarius
Ace of Swords
Strength
W
ork – A blow is expected because you didn’t get the project you worked on so hard. You need inspiration and motivation. Romance – Your partner like to put up a show of your love for each other. But you are a very private person. Health – You may experience some minor aches and pains. Go to a doctor only if these pains come in the way of your daily routine. Money – There are situations where you feel that your expenses are controlled by some other forces. You need to take stock and write your daily expenses down. Tarot message – You seem to be under the influence of those who are cooking up stories about their road to success. Don’t believe everything you hear.
ork – You may have to butter up your bosses in order for them to understand your point of view and where you’re coming from. Romance – There are going to be strange coincidences and in one of these, it is highly likely that you may fall in love. Health – You may experience pain in some part of your body. You may feel lethargic and unable to perform to the best of your ability and strength. Money – You are tempted to spend a lot of money in making your young ones happy. Your children are, after all, why you earn and work hard. Tarot message – You are calculative but also do certain things that completely defy logic.
W
Pisces Four of Cups
W
ork – Your career is about to soar to great heights. You worked very hard to get here. You will get everything you rightfully deserve. Romance – You are fed up a moaning and groaning partner. You like someone who lives in the moment and enjoys it for what it is. Health – If you think you have a problem, then you most certainly do have a problem. Think positive and all will be fine. Money – There are some ugly truths about money and spending, which you have to deal with in order to be comfortable with finances. Tarot message – There are many opportunities that come your way. Recognize and make use of them.
Vol: 1, No 355 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
2012 LONDON OLYMPICS
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DID YOU KNOW...?
400M, 800M:
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n The first world record in the women's 800 metres was recognized by the Fédération Sportive Féminine Internationale (FSFI) in 1922. n The current 400 metres men's world record is held by American Michael Johnson, clocking a time of 43.18 seconds.
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n The current 400 metres men's world record is held by American Michael Johnson, clocking a time of 43.18 seconds.
41 40
TALLY 2008
39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31
At the London Games, The 400m starts with a staggered bend, with athletes running a full circuit of the track while the 800m starts with a staggered bend. Athletes run two full circuits of the track and start from a standing position in lanes. The athletes are allowed to break from their lanes when they reach the break line after the have completed the first bend.
COMPETITION 400M
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Sebastian Coe (born September 29, 1956) was a force to reckon with during his days. Coe won four Olympic medals, including the 1500 metres gold medal at the Olympic Games in 1980 (Moscow) and 1984 (Los Angeles). He also won the 800m silver medal at the same games, and set eight outdoor and three indoor world records in middle distance track events.
Marita Koch (born February 18, 1957) holds the world record for the women’s 400m with a timing of 47.60 seconds. Koch ran in the 400 metres quarter final at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, but withdrew due to injury. In 1979 she became the first woman to run 200 metres under 22 seconds. At the 1980 Games she won the gold in the individual 400m and silver in the 4 x 400m relay.
THE FULL CIRCLE
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LEGENDS OF THE SPORT
n An Olympic double of 200 metres and 400 m was first achieved by Valerie Brisco-Hooks in 1984, and later by Michael Johnson from the United States and Marie-José Pérec of France both in 1996. n 800 m runners are often fast enough to run in the 4x400 m relay but only Alberto Juantorena and Jarmila Kratochvílová have won major international titles at 400 m and 800 m.
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DAYS TO GO
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SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2012
USA 7 RUSSIA 6 JAMAICA 6
9 5 3
FORMAT
The competition starts with heats. The number of heats and the number of athletes progressing to the next round depends on the number of athletes who would be competing. In each heat the fastest athletes go through, as well as a set number of the fastest losers across all the heats. The following rounds run on the same format, until eight athletes are through to compete in the final. The draw to determine which heat athletes run in is decided by their initial seedings (based on previous performance) for the first round, and then their performances after that. This ensures that the highest seeded athletes are not
7 7 2
The medals are for all the athletic events at the 2008 Games
MEDAL EVENTS August 5 Women's 400m August 6 Men's 400m August 9 Men's 800m August 11 Women's 200m
THE LINGO Middle distance events are track races longer than sprints, up to 3000 metres. The standard middle distances are the 800 metres, 1500 metres and mile run, although the 3000 metres may also be classified as a middle distance event. The 880 yard run, or half mile, was the forebear to the 800 m distance and it has its roots in competitions in the United Kingdom in the 1830s.
drawn in the same heat. In the first round, an athlete’s lane allocation is drawn by lot, and in subsequent rounds it is dependent on their performance. The highest-seeded athletes are drawn in the centre lanes of the track.
COMPETITION 800M
FORMAT
The competition starts with heats. The number of heats and the number of athletes progressing to the next round depends on the num-
ber of athletes competing. In each heat the fastest athletes go through, as well as a set nu-mber of the fastest losers acr-oss all the heats. The following rounds run on the same format, until eight athletes are through to compete in the final. The draw to determine which heat athletes run in is decided by their initial seedings for the first ro-und, and then their performances after that. This ensu-res that the highest seeded athletes are not drawn in the same heat.
TRIVIA
I
n sprint races, the time separating athletes can be as little as one hundredth of a second, requiring a photo finish. A good start is crucial, as is technique while running and the quality of the finish. The winning athletes
must be relaxed but perfectly focused on their race. In the case of middle distance, runners must combine speed and stamina with skilful use of tactics and technique. Athletes have only a short time to establish a good position
that allows them enough space and the perfect opportunity to attack at the finish. The most dramatic error for spectators, and arguably the most cruel for athletes, is the false start. Once in the set position on the blocks, any
athlete moves off the starting blocks either before the gun has fired or within 0.10 sec of the gun firing is disqualified. Athletes can also be penalised for running out of their lane or obstructing the track of another athlete.
SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2012
29 1
DAYS TO GO
GAY TRUMPS GATLIN PARIS: Tyson Gay won the battle of the US sprint heavyweights at the Diamond League meet here on Friday, overcoming a terrible start to edge Justin Gatlin on the line for victory in 9.99 seconds. Other stand-out performances came from strong Olympic favourites David Rudisha and Sally Pearson, but Kenenisa Bekele was left ruing his form after a disastrous outing in the 5,000m saw him confirm he would not defend his distance double at the London Games. Gay left it late to surge past 2004 Olympic champion Gatlin, who clocked 10.03sec, with French hope Christophe Lemaitre finishing third (10.08). "I wanted to win this race since Gatlin beat me in the US trials," said Gay, the US national record holder and second fastest man of all-time at 9.68sec. "I made mistakes at the start, but I tried to get it at the end. I was a little bit sluggish, I've got to keep my head down more and push harder." A first defeat of the season did not dent Gatlin's ever-high confidence levels. "I won the gold in Athens and the same thing should happen in London," said the 30-year-old who came back from a four-year doping ban in May 2011. Rudisha clocked an electric 1:41.54, streaking ahead of the field on the coat-tails
of regular pacemaker Sammy Tangui in a bid to break his own world record of 1:41.01 set in 2010. "In perfect conditions I would have broken the record," the Kenyan said of his last race before the Olympics. "This time it wasn't possible because of the wet track, and also the pacemaker could have been a little faster. "It was simply too chilly for a record." Pearson also impressed in the 100m hurdles, dominating from the start to win in an extremely rapid world lead of 12.40sec, not far off the 12.28 she raced to win last year's world championships in Daegu. "I certainly hope so," Pearson said when asked whether she thought she
I made mistakes at the start, but I tried to get it at the end. I was a bit sluggish, I've got to keep my head down m-re and push harder. Tyson Gay, US Sprinter could break the long-standing world record of 12.21sec set by Bulgarian Yordanka Donkova in 1988. "I'm getting myself ready for the big event, the Olympics. I'm giving 100 percent to get that gold medal and I'd be very disappointed with anything less."
It was a different story for Bekele, the reigning Olympic 5,000m and 10,000m champion, and the world record-holder over both distances. The Ethiopian track legend could only finish ninth in the 5,000m, almost 9sec adrift of compatriot Dejen Gebremeskel, who sprinted home in a world lead of 12:46.81 in a race being used as an Ethiopian Olympic trial. Bekele has slowly been coming back to form after spending two years battling a calf injury, but he never looked comfortable at the Stade de France. "I won't be going to the Games to race the 5,000m," he said. "But I'm not so disappointed because I have my AFP place in the 10,000m.�
Paszek gets London 2012 nod LONDON: Austria's Tamira Paszek, who made the Wimbledon quarterfinals, was on Friday given the go-ahead to play in the Olympics after winning an appeal to the International Tennis Federation (ITF). The ITF had originally blocked her entry, claiming she had not fulfilled the eligibility rule which requires players to make themselves available for a set number of their country's Fed Cup ties. But the ITF board of directors have now dropped their objections and Paszek will
be allowed to compete in the Olympics. "The ITF board of directors voted to uphold the app-eal of Tennis Austria agai-nst the decision of the ITF Olympic Committee that Ta-mira Paszek was not eligible for the Olympic Tennis Eve-nt because she had not fulfilled the Fed Cup compone-nt of the Olympic Eligibility Rule," said an ITF statement. "The board determined that Ms. Paszek had met the two components, that she is in good standing with Tennis Austria and had made herself available to compete in two Fed Cup ties AFP in the Olympic cycle.�
Injured Parker gets green signal for London Games
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PARIS: France star Tony Parker was on Friday cleared to take part in the Olympics after suffering an eye injury in an altercation in a nightclub in New York last month. The news that the San Antonio Spurs points guard has been given the green light is a boost for the team after the withdrawnal of Bulls centre Joakim Noah with a nagging ankle injury. "I just arrived in Paris with good news. I'm going to the Olympics!!! I'm really happy I got the green light from Spurs!! Thank you Pop!! Now, towards London with beautiful protective glasses!" Parker wrote on his Twitter account. Parker suffered a scratch to his cornea after being hit by a thrown glass bottle during a scuffle between singer Chris Brown and members of hip hop star Drake's entourage. Parker sought the opinions of two expert ophthalmologists who agreed with the French doctor who operated on Parker and two Swiss experts that he had recovered enough to play. The French Basketball Federation confirmed Parker's participation and said he had received the backing of San Antonio Spurs coach AFP Gregg Popovich.
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Austria welcomes Turin Games scandal verdict VIENNA: Austria's ski federation OeSV rejoiced on Friday as a north Italian court cleared six of its officials and athletes of doping charges, putting an end to a scandal that rocked the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics. Three other accused, who had already been sanctioned by Austrian and international sporting authorities, were given short suspended sentences and a fine by the court AFP in Susa.
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SPORTS SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2012 SRINIVAS SETTY
Wall tilts in support of yachting
F
ormer India cricket captain and legendry batsman Rahul Dravid participated in the celebrity race in the Monsoon Regatta today (Saturday) at the Hussain Sagar Lake, giving the sport a much-needed popularaity lift. “Yes, I had a good time on the boat,” he said after enjoying himself.
N SHIVA KUMAR
Shoring up the underprivileged With goals to achieve, no hurdle seems to deter these kids reaching them Syed Shoaib shoaib.s@postnoon.com
A
yacht race is not a very spectacular sight. It in fact gets boring after some time. But that is not the case when you watch children at the sport, especially when the winds are rough. Arduous and unpredictable winds make the event very fascinating. Sometimes leaning precariously over the waters and at times slipping nimbly under the sail to move over to the other side of the boat to restore balance that these little ones do so energetically is a thrilling sight. Sense of freedom and adventure they experience is evident in the joy on their faces. The best thing about all this though is that most of these children come from poor families they can’t even afford them the joy of riding a bicycle — yachting would have been only a distant dream for them. Shivram (top left), who studies in the Government High School in Monda Market of Secunderabad in the eighth class is bubbling with enthusiasm. The
sense of achievement on his face one sees after manoeuvring his dingy indicates that a lot of pride has been restored in this boy who hails from an underprivileged family. And this newfound confidence will stand him in good stead all his life. “I have been coming here and practising regularly for the last two years and that’s what makes me so good,” he says. Another boy goes overboard and into the water in his excitement, only to quickly climb back onto his boat, while a third one is busy bailing out water from his with a jug. Further away, managing her boat all by herself is Juhi (top right), a fifth class student of Delhi Public School. “I love yachting more than I like cycling,” she says with joy written all over her face. Sailor Suhim Sheikh, the founder president of Hyderabad Yacht Club is credited with this yeoman’s service. He is financially assisted in this endeavour by Naandi Foundation, which is the charity face of Dr Reddy’s Laboratories Limited. Donated paintings are sold or auctioned and the proceeds also finance these events.
He went around the club showing keen interest in pictures and paper cuttings put up on the notice boards. He was particularly happy to note that his teammate and good friend VVS Laxman was part of the programme on Friday. But the same did not seem to be the plight of the organisers, who were struggling to keep the corwd in control. “Dravid’s arrival for today’s event has certainly been specila but managing the affairs here has been nothing short of madness,” rued one of the organiser of the event. Amidst heaves and shrieks, particularly from the women present at the venue, arrived Tollywood actor Rana Daggubati. “There are a few cities in India that are as favourable as Hyderabad to be able to hold such an event, thanks to this lake, we must utilse chances like these to bring about awareness on keeping it clean so we make best use of it, because a cleaner lake will encourage more people to participate” said Munna from Kerela who happnes to be a keen follower of the sport. SS
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SPORTS SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2012
Murray eyes perfect finish against Federer Dave James
Scots flag to fly at Downing St for Murray Wimbledon final
LONDON: Andy Murray (in pic) admits only his perfect game will be good enough to defeat six-time champion Roger Federer in Sunday’s Wimbledon final and become Britain’a first men’s champion in 76 years. The 25-year-old Scot, the first Briton in the final since Bunny Austin in 1938, is desperate to be the home country’s first champion since Fred Perry in 1936. But standing in his way is 30year-old Federer, the 16-time Grand Slam title winner written off as a spent-force by many in the sport, but who can equal Pete Sampras’s record of seven Wimbledon triumphs on Sunday. Victory would also put Federer, who knocked out defending champion Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals, back on top of the world rankings after a two-year absence. Murray leads Federer 8-7 in career meetings, but the great Swiss has won their only meetings in Grand Slam finals — the 2008 US Open and 2010 Australian Open. “I just need to try and make sure I play a perfect match on Sunday,” said Murray, who reached the final with a four-set win over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. “It obviously would be very nice (to beat Federer), but I can’t allow myself to think that far ahead. I’ll just focus on getting the tactics right.
“There’s obviously going to be nerves and pressure, but I need to try and stay focused.” Murray has been desperately close to the final in the last three years, but came up short in the semi-finals, losing to Andy Roddick in 2009 and then suffering back-to-back losses to Nadal, a shock second round casualty this year. Murray believes he can thrive on being the underdog against Federer who will be playing in a record eighth final. “He’s one of the greatest ever players. He’s been doing it consistently over a number of years. The matches he has lost the last couple of years were five sets against Tsonga (2011), five
sets against Berdych (2010), five sets against Rafa. He’s very, very tough to beat here,” he added. “But there will be less on me on Sunday because of who he is.” Murray also took the opportunity to decry those critics who wrote off Federer, condemned as a relic in the new golden age of Djokovic and Nadal. “If you look at the way he played, you can’t say he’s passed it or because he’s 30 he’s playing worse tennis. I think the players around have gotten better.” The last man to win a Grand Slam title over the age of 30 was Andre Agassi who was pushing 33 when he captured the Australian Open in 2003.
Andy Murray’s Wimbledon semi-final victory was on Friday hailed as “great news” by British Prime Minister David Cameron as Downing Street pledged to fly the Scottish flag to mark Sunday’s final. Murray became the first British man in 74 years to reach the Wimbledon final when he beat French fifth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5. Minutes later, Cameron’s 10 Downing Street office issued a statement saying it would fly the Scottish flag alongside the Union flag on Sunday “in support of Andy Murray in the final”. Cameron himself said, “It is great news that we have our first home-grown men’s finalist at Wimbledon for over 70 years, especially in this exciting Olympics year when the eyes of the world are on the UK. I’ll be watching the final on Sunday and like the rest of the country, will be getting right behind Andy Murray — I wish him the best of luck.”
MEN’S
SINGLES FINAL HEAD -TO - HEAD Andy Murray (GBR x4) leads 8-7 against Roger Federer 2012 Dubai Hard F Federer 7-5, 6-4 2010 London Hard RR Federer 6-4, 6-2 2010 Shanghai Hard F Murray 6-3, 6-2 2010 Toronto Hard F Murray 7-5, 7-5 2010 Australian Open Hard F Federer 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (13/11) 2009 London Hard RR Federer 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 2009 Cincinnati Hard S Federer 6-2, 7-6 (10/8) 2009 Indian Wells Hard S Murray 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 2009 Doha Hard S Murray 6-7 (6/8), 6-2, 6-2 2008 Shanghai Hard RR Murray 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 7-5 2008 Madrid Hard S Murray 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 2008 US Open Hard F Federer 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 2008 Dubai Hard R32 Murray 6-7 (6/8), 6-3, 6-4 2006 Cincinnati Hard R32 Murray 7-5, 6-4 2005 Bangkok Hard F Federer 6-3, 7-5
Radwanska will brave illness in final LONDON: Agnieszka Radwanska insists she will be fit to face Serena Williams in Saturday’s Wimbledon semi-final despite suffering a health scare on Friday which caused her to cancel a scheduled news conference. After pulling out of her prefinal interview session, Radwanska confirmed she is fighting breathing problems and has been struggling to talk. “Unfortunately I have picked up upper respiratory illness, it’s affecting my nose and throat,” she said. “I have been playing a lot of
matches here in the rain and cold wind, and I haven’t been well for a few days. The most important thing is that I’m feeling good on the court and playing some good tennis, despite not being able to talk much away from the court. “I will do whatever it takes to make sure I’m ready to play the best I can,” added the Pole, who withdrew from her scheduled doubles third round match in midweek where she was playing with sister Urszula. “I was really hoping that I would have improved overnight so I could come in to finish my
press today, but unfortunately I can’t speak for very long, and so I have done as much as I can do today. I’m very sorry about that.” Radwanska, the first Polish Grand Slam finalist for 73 years, had to cut short her media duties on Thursday after beating Angelique Kerber 6-3, 6-4 in the Wimbledon semi-finals. The 23-year-old — a Wimbledon junior champion in 2005 — was so badly troubled by a cough during the 10-minute session that she had to call a premature halt to proceedings after several sips of water failed to ease the problem.
Victory on Sunday, meanwhile, would elevate her to the world number one ranking. “Everyone dreams when they are a kid about becoming No.1, so I’m very happy to have a chance to play for the top ranking,” she added in a statement. “But there is still one very tough match to go. Of course, I will do everything in my power to perform well and win, but it’s not going to be easy.” The world number three’s coach Tomasz Wiktorowski expects the Pole to recover in time for the biggest match of her life.
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SPORTS SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2012
Billiards, snooker selection trials tomorrow
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make the cut, former world champions, who include the likes of Pankaj Advani, get a direct entry into the main event. “While the selection for snooker will be from July 8 to 12, for billiards, the dates are July 12 to 17,� announced Balasubraniam, secretary general, Billiards and Snooker Federation of India. The World Cup is scheduled to be held in Egypt, in November, this year.
PUMA LION TIGER JAGUAR LEOPARD
Suduko
he selection trials for the Snooker and Billiards World Cup are set to be held from July 8 to 17 at the Film Nagar Cultural Club, Hyderabad. The ten-day event will see players from all over the country participating. The tournament will have players like Kamal Chawla and Vijesh Damani, (an Asian Games silver medalist) take part. While other players will fight it out to