THE SERENA & VICTORIA SHOW S
erena Williams will take on Victoria Azarenka in the US Open Women’s Final. Serena, who was upset in last year’s final by Samantha Stosur, is trying to match her older sister Venus and Steffi Graf as the only women to claim the Wimbledon-Olympic-US Open treble in the same year. PG 31 WWW.POSTNOON.COM
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SEPTEMBER 8, 2012 HYDERABAD
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ON SATURDAY When the RGI Shamshabad police arrested thief B Mogu Lali, they realised that he honed his ‘trade’ with a crash-course in crime from inmates in jail, where he served a term for cattle-rustling. REPORT ON PG 3
IN SEXY FASHION WORLD, ONE DESIGNER COVERS UP
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esigners love to push boundaries in search of that sexy catwalk look, but Nzinga Knight, an American Muslim, takes an even more daring tack: She covers up her models. PG 18
MILEY CYRUS PUTS WEDDING PLANS ON HOLD
M
iley Cyrus fans, the wait is over! Well, almost. The star has decided to put her wedding to Liam Hemsworth on hold so that she can finish her new album. PG 25
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PAGE TWO SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2012
MAN ON WHEELS
Madly in love
Head to Goethe Zentrum for a Swiss Film Festival. The movie Madly in love will screened on September 10. Where: Goethe Zentrum, Banjara Hills, Rd No 3 When: September 10, 4pm onwards Contact: (040) 2335 0443
Paroksh
Paroksh, a film revolving around the life of an auto driver who unintentionally triggers a series of events involving a budding writer and a small-time gangster. Where: Lamakaan, Banjara Hills, Rd No 1 When: September 8, 7.30pm onwards Contact: 96427 31329
Deep in the wood
The exhibition displays woodcut art prints by 22 artists.These art works are from the woodcut workshop conducted by Earth Art Gallery. Where: Earth Art Gallery, Banjara Hills, Rd No 12 When: Ongoing
A man carries his cycle down the staircase at Nampally Railway Station.
No exit
Theatre lovers head to Nift on September 8 where the play No Exit is being presented. The play deals with three recently deceased people Garcin, Estelle and Inez. Where: Nift, Madhapur When: September 8, 7.30pm onwards Contact: (040) 2311 4537
A relook at art
Jannis—A Relook, an exhibition of recent water colours on arches paper by Jehangir Jani is being held. Where: Kalakrithi Art Gallery, Banjara Hills, Rd No 10 When: Ongoing, 11am onwards Contact: (040) 66564 466
Art exhibition
An art exhibition by artist Kandukuri Ramesh Babu titled Samanyashetram is being held. Where: Muse Art Gallery, Tank Bund Road When: Ongoing, 11am onwards Contact: (040) 2752 2999
Sunyata
An exhibition of paintings by Suniyata Khanna is being held. Where: Alankritha Art Gallery, Residency Inn
CINEMAS
Kavuri hills When: Ongoing, 11am onwards Contact: (040) 2354 0023
Book launch
Oxford Bookstore Hyderabad is hosting the book launch of Reclaim Life Fight Depression, a complete guide to heal and combat depression by Dr Hiranmay Saha. Where: Oxford Book Store, The Park, Somajiguda When: September 8, 6pm onwards Contact: 91601 48444
Life of others
A German film Leben der Anderen (The life of others) directed by Floren Henckel Von Donnersmarck wil be shown on September 21. Where: Goethe Zentrum, Banjara Hills, Rd No 3 When: September 21, 4pm onwards Contact: (040) 2335 0443
Kebab and biryani fest
The Jewel of Nizam at Hotel Golkonda is hosting a kebab and biryani fest. Sample various age-old recipes. The fest offers options for both vegetarians as well as for non-vegetarians.
Where: Jewel of Nizam, Hotel Golkonda, Masab Tank When: Ongoing, 12.30pm onwards and 7.30pm onwards Contact: (040) 6611 0130
Shobana’s Krishna
Talented danseuse and actor Shobhana will perform along with her troupe. Where: Ravindra Bharathi, Saifabad When: September 8, 7pm onwards Contact: (040) 2323 1245
Mediterranean food fest
Take a trip and experience a variety of Mediterranean delights such as bruschetta and seafood marinara pasta, bruschetta and antipasto at Truffles cafe. The fest is on till September 30. Where: Truffles Cafe, Jubilee Hills, Rd No 10 When: Ongoing, 8am onwards Contact: (040)2355 0105
Wisest fool on earth
Catch the play, Wisest Fool on Earth at Lamakaan. The play is about Jay, a jobless man who finds himself locked up in a washroom.
M ANIL KUMAR
Unable to get out he engages in an interesting monologue. Where: Lamakaan, Banjara Hills, Rd No 1 When: September 9 7.30pm onwards Contact: 96427 31329
Exhibition-cum-sale
Shrujan ( Threads of Life) a non profit organisation, will be organising an exhibition-cum-sale of finest quality of Kutchi hand embroidered apparels and life style products which will feature 16 different types of embroidery Where: Veevs Boutique, Banjara Hills, Rd No 14 When: September 11 onwards, 10.30am onwards Contact: 95429 76567
Tamil Nadu Food festival Courtyard by Marriott is hosting a Tamil Nadu Food Festival with the name ‘Arusuvai Sangamam’ at its all day dinning restaurant Momo Café from 27 August to 9 September. Where: Momo Cafe, Courtyard by Marriot, Tank Bund road When: Ongoing, 7.30pm onwards Contact: (040) 2752 1250
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, SEPTEMBER 8, 2012 M ANIL KUMAR
Youth commits suicide
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Big rally on COP held
youth, identified as Sudhakar, 25, who was a resident of Bhagathsingh Nagar allegedly committed suicide by hanging on Friday. He was found dead in his house at Laxmi Nagar under Neredmet police station limits. He was married and was jobless. Depression drove him to the tragedy, police believe.
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rally was held at Necklace Road today to generate awareness on COP-11. There were around 1,500 people who participated in the rally. Sponsored by AP Media, it was flagged off by Lok Satta leader Jayaprakash Narayan with M Samuel special chief secretary and GHMC commissioner MT Krishna Babu in attention.
Bikers snatch woman’s chain
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n yet another incident of chain-snatching, two unidentified bike-borne men snatched a 5 tola gold chain from a woman on Friday. The victim, M Rohini, was said to have been returning home in Rambagh, Attapur after attending a puja when the incident took place. The duo whizzed past her snatching the chain from her.
Jails a hub for criminal syndicates? The RGI Shamshabad police arrested thief B Mogu Lali while his other associates are at large. His arrest revealed how jails can act as a venue for the formation of criminal syndicates.
Mohd SUBHAN
mohd.s@postnoon.com
T
he RGI Shamshabad police picked up one B Mogu Lali for thefts of unconventional items and stumbled upon a curious tale of criminality. Mogu Lali is a 24-year-old from Ananthpur in Mahbubnagar district who came to Hyderabad in search of a job a year ago. Sub-inspector Mahesh
Goud said that Lali began his career as a criminal in his native place stealing cattle first and graduated to spiriting away batteries from vehicles and then specialised in pinching copper wires that bring great money in the market. When the RGI police caught up with him, they found 350 kg of stolen copper wire, `35,000 in cash and six stolen batteries from lorries from his possession, inspector D Durgaprasad confirmed. Interrogation revealed an interesting tale — how jail provides a fertile ground for forming crime syndicates. The
police said that Lali was arrested and convicted for 10 months in 2009 on charge of cattle-lifting and cable-thefts. While he was serving his term, he came in contact with four other jailbirds: Sher Khan, his father Nayeem Khan, Sher Khan's brother-inlaw Khwaja and one Mohd Wajid. They debated on a prospective crime after leaving jail. Sher Khan senior is reported to have suggested to focus on copper cables from companies and from public installations. Besides, lifting batteries from lorries was another area they could practice with ease, they
decided. A lorry battery in a good working condition could fetch them `10,000 as against the rate of `25,000 for a new battery. Once out of jail, they put their scheme to practice. The gang befriended employees of cable companies and stole cables. But that was a day time job. The Lali syndicate thought burglary could be a profitable vocation at night, and they chose homes carefully to plunder when the situation was conducive. While the chief of Lali Syndicate was netted, the other four bolted. The police are on a lookout for them.
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CITY SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2012
‘MMTS provides wheels to City’ Divisional railway manager of Secunderabad, Sushant Kumar Mishra talks to Padmini C of Postnoon about the challenges of MMTS in the City and the relevance of commuter trains in the age of the metro. Should the MMTS serve a viable alternative to other modes of public transport in the city? Yes, absolutely, only if it’s organised properly. In cities like Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, the organising principle has been to segregate commuter lines from non-commuter lines, long-distance trains. But in this City, what has happened is that there seems to have been some corner cutting. On the same lines that we have passenger trains, we have commuter trains. As long as there was spare capacity in the lines, it wasn’t a problem but now with Hyderabad growing, there are more trains being introduced every year and that has resulted in increased traffic across the City’s stations. n So right now, what are the challenges this has lead to? Due to these lines, there are conflict points. For instance, Kachiguda was not a major terminal in the past. Now, scores of trains connect this station. There are other constraints too. There are surface crossings. It means that one train has to pass before another one can go. This is affecting the punctuality of the trains. Commuter services are good if they are reliable. We are not able to meet these expectations because of our infrastructural constraints. To increase the number of tracks, to have dedicated lines, and to implement bypass crossings. All these must get serious attention. Hopefully, that’ll change in the future. n As you say, timings and cancelled trains are the presently the biggest grouses of passengers.
SRINIVAS SETTY
n
Due to the running of trains throughout the day and night, there’s no time for track maintenance. So recently, we have taken the decision to cancel some trains in the lean hours for about ten days. By then, we expect the track to be restored to health and the time we are losing for some trains can be improved. n Will the Phase II of MMTS provide remedy the situation? Unfortunately, Phase II is not addressing the issue. What it is aiming to do is to double bypasses on a few routes. But the main issue of segregating commuter and non commuter remains. Maybe in the next phase, we’ll have to look at this. While the current workings might be imperfect, they are at least,
immediate. Another problem felt by many passengers is the lack of feeder services. What do you think can be done to improve them? The planning bodies of the State must get involved. Commuters should get the issues to the relevant authorities. RTC has to run buses. Taxi services have to be better organised. Parking areas have to be improved. Level crossings should be eliminated and subways built. The State government is alive to the issue and taking note. But resources are a problem. n Speaking of, a railway official termed the MMTS service a social service obligation. The financial returns are truly negligible, are n
they not? It’s not the commuters’ fault. They will surely pay a little more if Railways charged more. But we have a national policy to keep tickets at nominal prices. So, if the policy changes at some point and if we charge at the same rate as an APSRTC bus, it will still be cheaper than any other mode of transport. n Also, with ever increasing patronage, will we soon reach saturation in terms of capacity in Hyderabad? While the trains are quite popular in the City, they haven’t reached the levels of Mumbai or Kolkata. In fact, we should not reach those levels. People should be able to travel in comfort, which also means more frequency of running trains. We are running trains at fifteen
minute intervals now, after segregation, we would be able to run at five minute intervals. n In the age of the Metro, what role will the MMTS play? They are not competing corridors at all. If anything, they will complement each other. In fact, Railways would like Metro to take over the commuting services. But every city cannot afford a metro. So what we are trying to do is that, because habitations are coming up along the railway track, we aim to provide them with an affordable mode of transport. n So the MMTS will still be relevant. Yes, the MMTS is connecting the growing parts (the suburbs) with the heartland. And with Hyderabad growing into a metropolis, the need for good commuter services will become paramount. The Metro will be there for some areas, of course, but it is expensive. The MMTS will be a cheaper alternative. Fortunately, there is a healthy co-operation between the State Government and Railways here, so this integration between the two might be realised and also solve longterm issues. n Any other initiatives on the MMTS front? Nothing major. We have quite a bit of problems running the existing services very well. If we can operationally sort them out and run them well, it’s enough. But having said that, despite all these congenital constraints, even during the peak hours we are able to maintain an acceptable amount of reliability, so that’s a challenge accomplished.
Parking woes at City stations
Parking at the MMTS stations is proving to be an expensive affair for many commuters with the absence of any notice displaying the tariff and provision for a grace period in case of a train delay. Panasa Ramakrishna
feedback@postnoon.com
T
he parking lot at MMTS stations runs on its own rules, and authorities know it. Yet, commuters fall prey to the contractor’s loot, as It’s Time to Make a Difference (ITMD) functionaries found out recently. Gross violations of the rules noted were: n The parking officials charge on an hourly basis instead of the slot of three hours as per contract n No display of the tariff charges n Most of the contractors don’t
have or display the ID. They still don’t maintain uniformity in printing the ticket printing with all the details such as contractor details, slab rates, grievance numbers. Moreover, the railways don’t talk about the grace period which is disappointing. Most of the trains run late because of which the public has to suffer. “I parked my vehicle (two wheeler) at Chandanagar MMTS Stations and paid `5 assuming I would return in three hours. But due to the delay in MMTS, I was late by five or 10 minutes. Some times the contractors don’t even consider the grace period and n
charge me another `5. What is my fault?” said Nagaraj Reddiar, a sales manager of Indecor furniture store in Old City. Moreover, he says, he had to pay `5 for 0-3 Hours plus an additional `5 for another 5-10 minutes delay, for no fault of his. “We know the MMTS never run in time,” he says. The person who is awarded the license sells the contract to third parties. When the station manager was contacted, he expressed helplessness as he is not the authority to speak. (Ramakrishna is founder leader of It’s Time to Make a Difference)
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NATION SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2012
Driver arrested for sexual assault
Four killed in Delhi shooting spree
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wo men shot dead three people, including the 12-year daughter of one of the assailants, in a shooting spree on Friday before one of them turned the gun on himself, police said. Three others, including the second gunman, were injured. The incident happened in Swaroop Nagar area of west Delhi, police said, adding they were trying to understand the reason behind the crime.
school cab driver was arrested for sexually assaulting a three-year-old boy in south Delhi, police said on Friday. Police said that the cab driver Subodh was arrested and an FIR was lodged. The complaint was registered by the minor’s parents. The boy is student of a play school. The parents had the boy examined and informed the police. “The victim’s parents are visually impaired,” the police said.
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Krishna meets Khar; terrorism on agenda Other issues up for discussion include trade and border issues and inking of the visa agreement. ISLAMABAD: External Affairs Minister SM Krishna began crucial talks with his Pakistani counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar today to review the second round of resumed dialogue with issues like terrorism to be on top of the agenda. The one-to-one meeting between Krishna and Khar was followed by delegation-level talks between the two sides. Indian officials earlier said that terrorism will form the core of New Delhi’s discussions, particularly the slow pace of the Mumbai attack case trial. Other issues include those concerning prisoners as well as trade and border issues. The talks will culminate in inking of much-awaited new liberalised visa agreement to boost people-to-people contacts. For the first time, group tourism will be part of the new pact which will also have other new categories, including multiple city one-year visas for businessmen and visa-onarrival for people aged 65 years. Foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai and his Pakistani counterpart Jalil Abbas Jilani were also present. Both Ministers will also co-chair the Joint Commission Meeting later this evening, which was revived in 2005 after a gap of 16 years. This is Krishna’s second visit to Pakistan in over two years. Krishna yesterday called on President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and met a series of political leaders from MQM, ANP and PML-Q parties. Also, Foreign Secretary-level talks were held during which the two sides discussed all aspects of the resumed dialogue, apart from reviewing the entire expanse of the disPTI cussions held so far.
Anti-terror Act extended in Tripura
Krishna raises Sarabjit issue
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he Tripura government has extended for another six months the operation of a stringent law that gives sweeping powers to para-military troopers deployed in disturbed areas to curb terrorism, an official said here Saturday. “The State-level coordination committee has assessed the overall security situation in the state. It has suggested extending the AFSPA by another six months,” an official said.
Countdown for India’s 100th space mission CHENNAI: The 51-hour countdown for the 100th mission of the Indian space agency, slated for September 9, is progressing at the Sriharikota satellite launch centre in AP, an official said. The countdown for the launch of the rocket — Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) — began on Friday at 6.51am. Carrying French and Japanese satellites, an Indian rocket — PSLV — will blast off at 9.51am on Sunday. The rocket weight at the time of lift off will be 230 tonnes. “The count down is progressing normally,” an ISRO official said. According to ISRO officials, liquid fuel for the fourth stage/engine and also for the reaction control thrusters were filled. On Saturday, the liquid fuel for the second stage/engine will be filled. The first and third stage/engine are powered by solid fuel. The 715-kg French satellite,
SPOT 6, which is an earth observation satellite, will be so far the heaviest foreign satellite to be launched by PSLV. The Japanese satellite weighing 15 kg is called Proiteres. ISRO’s commercial arm Antrix Corporation and French company Astrium SAS compete in the global market for vending remote sensing satellite imageries. The SPOT and Indian remote sensing satellites are leading earth observation satellite series. The PSLV rocket has successfully launched a total of 53 satellites out of 54 it has carried, while ISRO has launched all the 27 foreign satellites successfully. According to ISRO, India has built 62 satellites and 37 rockets starting from its first satellite Aryabhatta and rocket satellite launch vehicle (SLV). IANS
ISLAMABAD: Indian External Affairs Minister SM Krishna Friday urged the Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari to consider the mercy plea of Sarabjit Singh, an Indian prisoner on a death row in Pakistan. Krishna, on a three-day visit to Pakistan, met Zardari here Friday evening. “President Zardari said that he would consider the matter. He even asked his officials to take note of it,” a source said here. Sarabjit, a resident of Indian Punjab’s border belt of Bhikhiwind, is lodged in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat prison for over 22 years. His family, has been fighting for his release with a sustained campaign in India and Pakistan. Sarabjit’s family claims that he had inadvertently crossed over to Pakistan in an inebriated state was arrested there. IANS
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WORLD SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2012
US, Russia make visas easier
T
he US and Russia will cut down on paperwork and fees for visas from Sunday as part of efforts to build ties, US officials said. The move coincides with a visit by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to the Russian port city of Vladivostok for an AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. Under the agreement both countries will issue three-year multiple-entry visas by default, it said.
China quake: Toll rises to 80
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t least 80 people have been confirmed dead and more than 700 were reported injured after multiple earthquakes struck a mountainous region in southwest China’s Yunnan province Friday, authorities said Saturday. Two quakes measuring 5.7 and 5.6 on the Richter scale jolted the province, Xinhua reported. Around 740,000 people were affected by the quakes, officials said.The disaster has so far caused losses worth 3.5 billion yuan.
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ELECTRONICS
Poor jobs report puts Obama on back foot
US Vice President Joe Biden welcomes President Barack Obama during a campaign rally at the University of Iowa on Friday. AFP
NASHUA: Mitt Romney used a terrible US jobs report to hammer President Barack Obama on the economy Friday, leaving the White House incumbent flat-footed on the defining issue of the 2012 race. The Republican nominee seized on weak employment data to reclaim momentum on the campaign trail and double down on Obama, whose speech at the Democratic National Convention was criticised for lacking vigour. Romney flew into the battleground farming state of Iowa just ahead of Obama, but then moved on to New Hampshire, where he twisted the knife on his opponent. “This president has not taken responsibility for what has been a failure of his economic policies,” Romney
told around 4,000 people who filled a small baseball stadium in Nashua. The poor job numbers gave him the opportunity to wrest back the conversation after three days dominated by the Democrats’ jamboree, which Romney said failed to deliver any new plans that could turn around the fortunes of US fami-
Dollar drops NEW YORK: The dollar fell against other major currencies Friday after a crucial US August jobs report was much weaker than expected, stoking hopes for new Federal Reserve support of the economy. AFP
lies. “Instead it was a whole new series of promises. He didn’t deliver on the last ones, why should we expect him to deliver on these? He is out of ideas, he’s out of excuses,” Romney said. As Democrats left Charlotte, the North Carolina city that hosted their gala, a mood that was previously buoyant thanks to stirring speeches by First Lady Michelle Obama and former president Bill Clinton suffered a reality check. Friday’s report from the Labor Department, which revealed that just 96,000 jobs were created last month, was the cause of their woe. And although the unemployment rate dropped to 8.1 per cent in August, from 8.3 per cent previously, the reduction was caused by a shrinking Labor force caused by despairing Americans who chose to abandon their search for work. “If President Obama were re-elected, we would have four more years of the last four years, and the American people are going to say no to that,” Romney said. The dismal job numbers cast a shadow over the president’s post convention tour of New Hampshire, Iowa and Florida. Obama and Romney later crossed paths. The president flew in from New Hampshire to Iowa. Opinion polls have the candidates running neck and neck, with the November 6 election result likely to be decided by voters in half a dozen swing AFP states.
Canada breaks Cops pin hopes on ties with Iran girl in Alps killings OTTAWA: Canada closed its Tehran embassy on Friday and ordered Iranian diplomats be expelled, in a damning severance of ties in which it accused the Islamic Republic of being the biggest threat to world peace. Canada did not cite a specific incident that caused the breakdown, but issued a strongly worded attack on Tehran’s support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s pariah regime and Iran’s “incitement to genocide” against Israel. Ottawa cited concerns for the safety of its staff at the diplomatic mission in Tehran and also attacked the failure of Iran’s rulers to account for its disAFP puted nuclear programme.
ANNECY: Investigators into the murders of a British family in the French Alps were pinning their hopes on a seven-year-old girl wounded in the attack, as they struggled to make headway in the case. Prosecutor Eric Maillaud said police hoped the girl, who remains in a medically induced coma after being shot and beaten in the attack, would be able to shed some light on the murders. “She is a key witness,” he said. “We hope that she will be able to tell us what she went through, provide us with descriptions of the murderer or murderers.” Prosecutors are also investigating if a family feud over money AFP could have been the motive.
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COMMENT SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2012
Good MMTS campaign
Keep rocking, Bob
Y
I
our campaign (On the Right Track) on the MMTS has been a real eye-opener. Little did I know the sterling work done by MMTS officials with so litte aid from the government. It’s high time we gave Hyderabad’s rail network its due and helped it to achieve Mumbai-levels of efficiency for our citizens. Harshad Sekhar via e-mail
actually remember buying the first Bob Dylan album (50 years of Bob Dylan, Sept 7) back in March of 1962. I never gave up on him even after he picked up an electric guitar and made the transition from folk artists to mainstream rock ‘n’ roller. Dylan has captured modern history like no one else has. May he stay forever young. Jack Kirsch via e-mail
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.
Pot’holes’ of money
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nonymous Alien bemoans the state of the City’s roads (The Potholes of Life, Sept 7) and wonder why we don’t use the rebar technique to build them. Good question, but as a foreigner he won’t know how much money there is to be had for the corrupt to build a road every six months. There’re no better enterpreneurs than our officials Sachin Bidhadi via e-mail
EDITORIALS CLING TO YOUR JOB the future’s grim The latest job report from the US makes for uncomfortable reading for the president Barack Obama, but gives challenger Mitt Romney a cache of arms from which he can take his pick and blast away at Obama’s running of the country. Across the world, especially in Europe, jobs are on the wane: The unemployment rate in Greece is expected to touch 30 per cent by 2013. Here in India, however, we seem to be sitting pretty (‘seem’ being the operative word). But for how long? Believe it or not there are dark clouds looming on the horizon. They haven’t yet reached 2008 levels of blackness but they’re stormy. Both India and China’s economies are slowing, and while neither will come anywhere close to a depression in the next decade, they are the drivers of the global economy at the moment. If the EU fails to punch at its own weight, and the US don’t manage to get out of their hole in the near future a lot of pressure will be put on us to keep the global economy from hitting a massive double dip. Unfortunately it’s looking increasingly likely that a double dip will occur, the depths to which it will plunge, however, remains to be seen. So hold on to that job, the future ain’t that bright.
WHY WE LOVE... Kim Kardashian Strange as it may sound, we do love this woman of no real talent whatsoever. But in an interview with the Guardian recently, Kim went all Kierkegaard and asked: “what is talent?”. Kim believes talent is not just about acting and singing, and says her real talent is...ahem...being famous. A juggling bear’s got talent, she says, but is he famous? Wow! Insight!
Wait? Not a chance Soul Curry SUMAA TEKUR
I
was at a pharmacy one morning last week and waited in the queue to get my medicines. There were two arch-shaped windows from where customers were serviced. The queue in which I was waiting inched forward. Just when my prescription was about to be whisked into the large room with stacks of medicine boxes, two men cut in front of me. They elbowed me out of the way and handed their prescription at the counter. I would normally be very angry at someone cutting in line. But this time I just shrugged and waited. Impatience has become so common in modern urban living today that tools and services in the market are being created to feed this human trait. The pizza will be delivered to your door in no more than 30 minutes, or you get your pizza free. Home delivery options make it a point to give you a delivery
time so you know exactly how long you need to wait. TV shows have started playing a ticker on the screen to show exactly how many seconds more before your programme is back on after the commercial break. Traffic signals show you a countdown so you can turn off your vehicle engine and wait. Most smartphones have a message delivery report feature, in which the sender can check if his message reached alright, and perhaps not sweat about resending the message. Supermarkets have express counters where customers with five or less items can whizz past the payment procedure without waiting for customers who’re leisurely doing their monthly grocery shopping. When a movie starts 15 minutes later than scheduled and people have to wait outside the hall till it’s cleaned and ready for the next show, impatient customers call the manager and yell at him for not keeping up time or being too slow with the cleaning process. Express services have become more of a necessity than a luxury in our fast-paced lives. We’re all racing ahead
WE’RE CONSTANTLY CATCHING UP WITH SOMETHING, TRYING TO DO A LOT IN LITTLE TIME. WE OFTEN EXAGGERATE THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR ACTIVITIES. and heading somewhere real quick. We may or may not know where we’re headed, but we’re definitely in a hurry. We get irritated with anything that causes delay and it has become almost desirable to nurse restless energy that leads to adventure, change and excitement. If the customer care makes us wait too long on the phone with their music (which is often terrible), we show our frustration on the executive who answers the call. If a person is driving slowly and we cannot overtake because the road’s too narrow, we honk away till he gives way. If the cashier takes a few seconds more to bill a customer in front of us in the queue, we react by placing our shopping bag on the counter to
tell the cashier, non-verbally, to ‘buck up’. Marketers who take customer satisfaction very seriously are finding shortcuts to relieve consumers of this ‘pain’ of waiting. Some stores now bring the card machine to wherever you are at the store so you can pay up and leave without having to wait in queue. Most bill payments, application processes and enquiries have gone online so you can pay up from wherever you are, and whenever (even as you wait in another queue). We’re constantly catching up with something, trying to do a lot in the little time we have. We often exaggerate the importance and urgency of our activities. We often do not really have to be somewhere so urgently, and most often we don’t need to get something done super quickly. Yet, the fear of missing out makes us nudge people out of the way if they’re the reason for our delay. The biggest fear is not being able to achieve everything one sets out to do for the day. If that fear is removed, it’ll hardly matter how slowly or fast one is moving.
9
COMMENT SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2012
Lives risked on ‘world’s most polluted’ river Vincent Souriau
feedback@postnoon.com
W
ith dozens of bright green rice paddies, flocks of kites in the sky and children laughing nearby, at first glance the village of Sukamaju in western Java has all the charms of rural Indonesia. But the idyllic setting is spoiled by a strong stench rising from the Citarum river that flows in the distance, thick with mounds of garbage and plastic bags dumped on its banks. This immense aquatic rubbish bin winds 297 kilometres across the island of Java, cutting through the sprawling Indonesian capital, Jakarta. Labelled “the most-polluted in the world” by a local commission of government agencies and NGOs charged with its clean-up, the river is the only source of water for 15 million Indonesians who live on its banks, despite the risks to health and crops. In the village of Sukamaju, not far from the bustling West Java capital of Bandung, a well at a small village square serves as a public shower. Without any
Urban sketches VISWAPRASAD RAJU
other water source in the village, it is connected directly to the canal. Noor, a villager in her 40s, has had white patches on her arms for the past six months. “When I first started itching, it was always after washing here. It’s because of the contaminated water in the river. It’s the factories’ fault,” she said. “I don’t know what this disease is, but I don’t have any money to see a doctor.” The Bandung Basin is the historic centre of Indonesia’s textile industry, where 1,500 factories in the region dump 280 tonnes of toxic waste each day into the Citarum. In the irrigation canals of Sukamaju, between the rice paddies, the water for crops that runs through the fields is a puzzling deep red verging on black. “This is because of the dyes from the factories. The colour changes every two hours (depending on dyes being washed out), and that has a direct impact on the quality of the rice,” complained Deni Riswandani, as he dissected a young sprig. “There are no more grains in the pods. Production has been reduced 50 per cent from the nor-
THE BANDUNG BASIN IS THE CENTRE OF
INDONESIA’S TEXTILE INDUSTRY, WHERE 1,500 FACTORIES DUMP 280 TONNES OF TOXIC WASTE EACH DAY INTO THE CITARUM. mal harvest,” said Riswandani, who is trying to bring farmers together to lobby for financial compensation.
HEALTH
EFFECTS GO UNADDRESSED
At the edge of the plantation stands a massive grey building equipped with several chimneys and surrounded by barbed wire. On the coast, a valve connected to the factory dumps toxic residue at regular intervals right by the rice paddies. “Normally, factories can’t dispose waste into the water without treating it,” Riswandani said. “In theory, there are very heavy penalties for doing this, but the government pretends there are regular checks. But on the ground nothing changes.”
Resort
According to Windya Wardhani, head of the West Java provincial environment bureau: “We practice intensive control, and I think that gradually the factories will comply with the rules. But perhaps not every day,” she said. “There are heavy metals in the Citarum’s water and sediment, probably because of the factories, since you don’t find heavy metals in rubbish.” She said the river contained mercury, lead, zinc and chrome, which have been linked to cancer, organ damage and even death, affecting babies and children more severely. Mercury and lead can cause joint disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis, and diseases of the kidneys, circulatory system and nervous system, studies show. Residents have sought compensation for their damaged rice crops, while the health effects of the river have gone unaddressed. The Indonesian Textiles Association asserts that the industry’s contribution to the river’s pollution is no more than 15 to 25 per cent. “It comes mostly from domestic waste and plastic. It is unfair to assume it’s all us. It’s
easy to count the number of factories, but who’s counting the number of people who live along the river and throw their waste in the water?” said Kevin Hartanto, head of the Bandung chapter of the association. Cleaning up the Citarum river and its 22 streams has been classified a national priority by the Indonesian government, which in 2010 launched a huge 15-year project to rehabilitate the river. Largely financed by the private sector, this “road map” involves dozens of NGOs, seven ministries and 12 local governments, amounting to a total of $3.5 billion. The Asian Development Bank will contribute $500 million. According to Thomas Panella, an ADB water resources specialist, progress has so far been minimal. “At this point there has been little improvement because it’s been a very short time (in which) to address the pollution issues,” he said. We need to look at lessons of countries like France, the US and Korea that had incredibly polluted waterways in the first part of this century. You would think at that time it was not possible to address these things. You have to AFP have a long-term vision.”
Global edits The Guardian (UK)
Unthinkable? Julia Caesar
I
t wasn’t until the late 16th century that women were allowed on stage. Prior to that, female roles were played by men or boys. The Puritan preacher John Rainolds railed against the presence of cross-dressing actors. “The putting of women’s attire on men may kindle unclean affections,” he warned, warming to his own soliloquy to denounce the “filthy sparkles of lust to that vice”. He wouldn’t be thrilled (or at least wouldn’t admit to being) by the Donmar Warehouse’s latest idea of an all-female cast for Julius Caesar. It seems remarkable that a play with only two female characters can carry the weight of affirmative action, but the proposal for a Ceasarina – or should that be Julia Caesar? – follows on from the success of Gregory Doran’s all-black rendering of the same play for the RSC. It is the fact that this is a work of (literally) Brutish macho power play that makes the idea of flipping genders quite so disruptive, offering the chance to transform a dusty GCSE set text into something much more Pussy Riot.
ANTHONY’S FINAL TRIBUTE TO BRUTUS “THIS WAS A MAN” MAY WELL HAVE TO BE PLAYED FOR LAUGHS, BUT PORTIA’S “I HAVE A MAN’S MIND, BUT A WOMAN’S MIGHT. HOW HARD IT IS FOR WOMEN TO KEEP COUNSEL!” WILL PRESS HOME THE DRAMATIC POTENTIAL OF TURNING SEXUAL POLITICS ON ITS HEAD, WHICH ROURKE’S FIRST SEASON HAS ALREADY DEMONSTRATED. Anthony’s final tribute to Brutus “This was a man” may well have to be played for laughs, but Portia’s “I have a man’s mind, but a woman’s might. How hard it is for women to keep counsel!” will press home the dramatic potential of turning sexual politics on its head, which Josie Rourke’s first season running the Donmar has already ably demonstrated. By moving men off the stage she might just grab hold of the ears of her countrywomen, and bury a patriarchy that is more used to being praised.
10
BUSINESS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2012
India got $66bn remittance
I
ndia received over $66.13 billion in remittances in the year 2011-12 as compared to $55.62 billion in the previous, a hike of 19 per cent. "We have received $66.13 billion in remittances in 2011-12," minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi said on Friday. The remittances to the country through private transfer of funds have been on the rise.
Sony eyes 30pc mkt share
J
apanese electronics major Sony is eyeing a 30 per cent market share in the flat panel TV segment in India by the end of this financial year, a top company executive said Friday. "At present we have a 27 per cent market share in the flat panel TV segment. We are eyeing a 30 per cent market share," Sony India senior general manager (sales) Sunil Nayyar said.
TCS gets Bengal contract
T
he West Bengal government Friday awarded a `103 crore contract to Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) for designing and implementing ICT solutions for the rural employment guarantee scheme in the state. The state government's panchayat and rural development department Friday signed an agreement with the IT major for the purpose.
Chase your dreams
When Pyush Agrawal dreamt of starting his own business venture, he didn’t hesitate to follow his dreams. Today MTolls, his company, seems to be poised to take on the industry with its innovative technology. DEEPAK DESHPANDE
PRUDHVI RAJU K
prudhvi.k@postnoon.com
H
ow often have you frantically rummaged for change to give at a toll plaza while a line of cars piled up behind impatiently sounding the horn? Or how often have you been one of those irked drivers waiting for his/her turn at a toll plaza? We’ve all at some point wondered if there was no better way to deal with this menace. But Pyush Agrawal did more than just wondering. He thought hard about the problem and went on to devise a solution to cut down on that waiting time by starting MTolls in May 2011. Initially, Pyush was working with Microsoft as a programme manager for its Windows division. But following his experiences at toll plazas he decided to set up his own business offering simpler toll solutions. “I used to go for long drives with my wife on the highway. Many times, we lost money because we were not clear about the return journey. For instance, if one is returning the same day then he/she can buy a toll ticket for `30 instead of buying it twice for `40. Also the long queues and struggle to get the right change were other issues faced by commuters. I though there might be a better way to deal with toll plazas,” he says. But Pyush did not jump headlong into the business venture. He took his time to check the viability of his idea and conducted a detailed research. “I spent two weeks checking the feasibility of the idea as a business. The business idea seemed possible, realistic and there was an urgent need to do it. Although I knew the problems faced by commuters, I didn’t know what the officials at toll plaza dealt with. So I visited them and talked to them about the challenges they faced.” “As per government guidelines, the toll plaza cannot let the customer wait for more than three minutes. The toll plaza owners are under constant pres-
Pyush Agrawal, co-founder, MTolls sure to meet the demand and decrease the long queues without compromising collections,” he says. Another problem faced by toll plazas was losing money because they collected hard cash. “Almost 15 per cent of the revenues are lost because of dacoity, frauds, embezzlement and other issues. They spend a lot of resources to safeguard the money they collect. It is also troublesome to maintain the data of customers who take their tags and maintenance of technology,which is not core competency,” he says. “Some toll plazas provide tags that can only be used at specific plazas. Precious time is wasted while entering the 16-
AS PER GUIDELINES, TOLL PLAZAS CAN’T LET A CUSTOMER WAIT FOR MORE THAN THREE MINUTES. THEY ARE UNDER CONSTANT PRESSURE TO MEET THE DEMAND . digit number on the tag and the licence plate number. The set ags are priced around `1,000 to `1,500. So if the commuter is going from Mumbai to Delhi, he would have to spend a couple of thousands to get those tags from 24 toll plazas. There is also no customer service when it comes to recharging tags or to address
problems,” he says. But quitting his job wasn’t an easy decision. Pyush says, “I am a first generation entrepreneur and quitting a job was a life-changing decision. I did not want to go with just a vague idea to convince my parents. I gathered valid data, which would support my point. Despite the risks involved, my parents accepted my decision and provided me moral and financial support.” “After almost six months of research on the subject area, I started MTolls along with my friend, Indra Kishore in May 2011. We had a budget of `50 lakh, which was raised from friends and family.” The company uses passive
RFID technology which is certified by the Indian government to enable easy access across the toll plazas with a smart tag. “We want to price the tag very affordable, which lets the customer to buy the tag even if he doesn’t travel that often. The customer can also recharge any amount required on the card by which he can avoid hassles like waiting in the queue and finding the change required. “For the toll plazas, they can get cashless amount directly credited to their account thereby reducing frauds. The technology is maintained by us with out any hassles. We generate revenues by taking a small portion of the cashless toll collected,” says Pyush. MTolls also has plans to deploy this technology in various residential and office complexes. The tags will be given to residents of the community by which a gate will automatically open when the resident enters the community in his/her vehicle. “The security guard can concentrate and check the authenticity of the strangers entering the community rather than stopping and concentrating on each and everyone entering the community,” he says. The company has developed a prototype and has already deployed pilots in residential communities. It is in the process of filing multiple patents for the developed technology. MTolls is looking for investments of around $4 million to $5 million in the first phase (Around `25 crore) to operationalise the technology. “We are looking for the right partners and people who are interested in the idea,” says Pyush. The company is expecting a break even in three years from the time they raise investments. On the personal front, Pyush enjoys squash, puzzles, read books and go on long drives. “It is hard to get time but I try to catch up with my friends and family on phone,” he says. On entrepreneurship, “We live only once in life. If you have a dream go and chase it. If you fail, there is no huge loss but if you have not tried that it is a true failure,” he says.
12
TECHNOLOGY SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2012
WEBSITE OF THE WEEK Personas n experiment from MIT’s media lab, Personas takes your first and last name, scours the Internet, then spits out a composite image of what it thinks you’re like, based on what it found about people with your name.
A
APP OF THE WEEK News Republic
MOBILE GAME REVIEW ARCANE EMPIRES
Arcane Empires is a strategy game, which is a lot of fun to play. In the game you're tasked with building up a city to revolt against the empire.
N
ews Republic is a news aggregation platform for the globally minded. It sources more than 250 publications worldwide, curating content for your personal tastes.
SPOILT FOR CHOICE
This week Nokia, Motorola and Amazon announced their upcoming products and so we give you some of the devices that you might want to buy in the next couple of months. Nokia released this week.
BALANARAYAN NT
balanarayan.nt@postnoon.com
A
pple is expected to release iPhone 5 next month and to counter this smartphone giant other companies have launched a flurry of devices, all of which follow the formula of bigger is better. Also, Widnows 8 is releasing next month so we got to see more devices running the new OS.
NOKIA
The Finland-based company has been on the forefront when it comes to Windows mobile devices and as expected they announced their next generation devices which will run on Microsoft's upcoming Windows 8 OS. Windows 8 runs on a new kernal, the same one used in the desktop, so the existing Lumia devices cannot be upgraded to the latest version, however Nokia will release an interim update which will bring some of the features of the new OS to Lumia devices which are already in the market. Here are the devices which
LUMIA 920
This 4.5" device will be Nokia's flagship device this generation and it will run on a dual-core 1.5 Ghz processor, have 32GB internal storage and it's camera comes packed with Pureview technology that offers better quality photos and image stablisation. It has a screen with a resolution of 1280x720 and 2000mAh battery which can store enough juice to power that sexy screen for long enough. This screen will also respond to touch even if you're wearing a glove or tap the screen with your nail! In typical Nokia fashion the company announced that the case of the phone can be swapped much like in their feature phones.
LUMIA 820
This device has a 4.3 inch screen and has a weaker set of specs compared to 920. It has an 800x480 AMOLED screen and has only 8GB of internal storage. However storage space is expandable and this device too runs on a dual-core 1.5Ghz processor. The company hasn't announced release dates and the prices of these devices yet. However according to sources the device will be launched in US in October after the release of Windows 8 and India release may be a month later. The price is still a mystery and it is expected to sell around the same price as Lumia 800, which is now being sold at a discount in India.
market. It has a high-end Kindle Fire HD to compete against iPad and Kindle Paperwhite which would offer a tough competition to the existing ebook players in the market. Kindle The basic ereader is now cheaper by $10 and has a new higher quality case. Internally the device is same as that of the previous generation. Price: $69
A MAZON
Amazon carpet bombed the tablet market with a series of Kindles which targeted every price point and feature set available in the
Kindle Paperwhite Paperwhite is just hotter looking cousin of Kindle. Its interface is inspired by Kindle Fire series and its screen has been vastly improved for better readability. Along with these slight bumps it offers ll the goodness found in earlier line of Kindles. Price: 119, $179 (3G)
SAMSUNG
Kindle Fire 8.9 HD Amazon has taken the leap and announced a tablet which offers a similar high resolution screen. Fire 8.9 HD has a screen resolution of 1920x1200, a dual core processor clocked at 1.5Ghz and internal storage space of up to 64GB. It also has an updated version of its Fire OS. Kindle Fire 7 HD You know that tablet Google launched with 7" screen and has been a hit? Amazon has a competitor for it in the form of Kindle Fire 7 HD. The device will run on Amazon's forked version of Android which according to rumours based on Android 4.0. It has a 1280x800 screen and is powered by a 1.2Ghz dual-core processor. Price: $199
Samsung is the leading smartphone manufacturer currently, but they did not sell as many Windows phones as they wish they had. However they continue their multipronged smartphone strategy and announced a Windows device that looks as good as their Android products and will compete with Nokia's Lumia line up. Ativ S, Samsung's flagship Windows 8 device runs on a 1.5Ghz dual-core processor and has a Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1280x720 with a high PPI of 306. The phone looks ordinary in comparison to Lumia devices, but as always Samsung is expected to sell its device at a price lower than Nokia's. The device has an 8 megapixel camera and has models with 16 and 32GB internal memory.
13
ANIMAL KINGDOM SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2012
PET NEWS Pet artwork
H
allie, a long-haired dachsund, has gone blind yet it has not dampened her spirits from learning from her master Dee Dee Murray. Like her owner, Hallie has started painting and is quite good at it.
AMY ROSE THOMAS
amyrose.t@postnoon.com
A
large sign board that read “Fresh Dog Meat Shop” with a cute picture of a brown pup, Peta (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) got it bang on when they set up a mock dog-meat shop on a street in the City and created a hullabaloo among the passersby with many of them going to the extent of complaining to the cops to get the shop removed. Their message was clear, if you wouldn’t eat your dog, then you shouldn’t eat chickens and goats either.
TO GET PEOPLE TO RELATE THEIR PETS TO THE MEAT THEY HAVE, NAMES LIKE GERMAN SHEPHERD TANDOORI WERE GIVEN TO THE DISHES AT THE STALL. “With Peta’s dog meat shop, we are challenging people to really think about what ‘meat’ is — no matter what animal it comes from. All animals — including humans — are made of flesh, blood and bone, and have the same senses and range of emotions. That’s why we are encouraging everyone to be kind to all animals and to go vegan. If we are horrified at the thought of eating a dog’s corpse, we should be equally horrified at the thought of eating a chicken’s corpse or goat’s corpse. Eating flesh means eating the corpse of a tortured animal who did not want to die. That's why Peta India encourages everyone to do themselves, animals and the planet a big favour and go vegan,” says Chani Singh, campaign coordinator. To get people to relate their pets to the meat they had names like Pug Kebab, Mutt-On Biryani, German Shepherd Tandoori, Golden Retriever Sandwiches and Labrador Steaks given to the dishes at the stall. “People were curious and came to the stall inquiring about the dishes and the names. These names really helped in getting attention. It was a fun and light-hearted way to bring a comparison between the ani-
A big catch
A
humongous 27pound lobster was recently caught off the coast of Maine with claws so strong they could snap a man's arm.The lobster, named "Rocky," was brought to Maine State Aquarium.
IMPORTANT NUMBERS
Know your dog
T
he Lhasa Apso is a small, hardy little dog. It has a friendly, assertive manner. Intelligent and lively, it makes for a good pet. Lhasa Apsos are devoted dogs that respond to motivational training.
CATS AND DOGS The Animal Care Clinic 040-2335 2474 Pet’s World Dog Clinic 98856 46259 Blue Cross of Hyderabad 040-3298 9858, 23544355/ 5523 Vet-N-Pet 040-6553 9535, 93463 05890 Bluplus Pet Clinic 040-2712 1739, 2716 2636 Sri Sai Pet Clinic
Care for some pug kebab or labrador steak? Peta’s mock dog-meat shop made waves in the City, sending the message that if you wouldn’t eat your dog, then you shouldn’t eat chickens and goats either.
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
mals killed for their meat and the animals we find cuddly and cute and treat as a member of the family. This was to draw people’s attention to ask themselves why they call certain animals pets and others dinner. “Billions of animals are raised and slaughtered for food every year. Many people are outraged by the fact that dogs are eaten in some countries — but all animals like chickens, goats, pigs and fish have the same capacity to suffer and feel pain as dogs, cats, or other animals whom we consider our companions. “Peta is campaigning to protect all animals from being abused and killed for their flesh by advocating a vegan diet,” she says. The mock set-up was a tremendous hit with the public and at the end, cops stepped in and removed the stall. She says, “Initially the public was shocked to see a dog meat shop but as they realised the point we were there to make, they started to swarm in front of the stall. “We distributed hundreds of our free Vegetarian/ Vegan Starter Kits. They were shocked to learn how chickens are hacked to death with blunt knives and that cows are crammed into the vehicles in such high numbers on their way to slaughter that their bones often break. People also learned about the health issues like cancer, obesity and strokes which are linked to meat consumption.
It was a fun and lighthearted way to bring a comparison between the animals killed for their meat and the animals we find cuddly and cute. Chani Singh, PETA campaign coordinator They learned how raising animals for food is a leading cause of water consumption and pollution, land degradation and the greenhouse gas emissions. “Cops stepped in to avoid traffic congestion but the best part was that so many people took back the information on why our foods shouldn’t have a face.” And dog lovers don’t worry; the organisers had used tofu, mushroom and soya to prepare the dishes and not dog meat.
14
BOOKS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2012
SHORT READS Title: Mortality Author: Christopher Hitchens Publisher: Twelve Christopher Hitchens’ final book, Mortality, features a series of accounts of his fight against oesophageal cancer. Published posthumously, the book is a brilliant testament to one man’s refusal to bow to the unknown or acknowledge a higher truth in the face of death.
Title: The 5 love languages Author: Gary D Chapman Publisher: Northfield Publishing Does it seem as though you and your spouse are speaking different languages? Dr Chapman guides couples in identifying, understanding, and speaking their spouse’s love language — quality time, gifts, acts of service, or physical touch.
Title: Oh! The places you’ll go Author: Dr Seuss Publisher: Random House Don't be fooled by the title of this seriocomic ode to success; it's not Climb Every Mountain, kid version. Seuss' pajama-clad hero is up to the challenge, and his odyssey is captured vividly, evoking both the good times and the bad.
Title: The Immortal life of Henrietta Lacks Author: Rebecca Skloot Publisher: Broadway Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer, yet her cells became one of the most important tools in medicine. Yet she remains virtually unknown, buried in an unmarked grave.
Not so humorous misadventures
The book aims to be an intelligent comic caper but fails to hold your attention for long.
ANISHAA KUMAR
anishaa.k@postnoon.com
“E
verything comes to an end, a good book, a bottle of wine, a summer’s day...” says the introductory paragraph. With an interesting opening chapter, one hopes that this book, like the various other comic literature, would be a fun and exhilarating experience. On the outset, most books that have found a place in the comic literature category are those that you would either love or want to read again and again or those that could be described as a tiresome bunch of pages that you feel just refuse to end. Strangely, Jasper Fforde’s The
Women Who Died A Lot is a combination of both. There are parts that warrant some laughs but then there are parts that somehow do not bring forth any reaction. This novel revolves around yet another incident in the life of book world’s once tough and intelligent enforcement officer Detective Thursday Next. After a horrific assassination bid that makes her dependent on patches to even move, Detective Next is back. Detective Next’s world revolves around SpecOps (Special operations — a fictional organisation which looks after those aspects that the regular police does not). The organisation, which was disbanded thirteen years ago, is now being reopened. Next’s interest lies in the SO-27 division, which is into literary detectives and is given the responsibility of protecting
citizens of Swindon against literary fraud and protection of books and text. Detective Next sets out to find a place as the reinstated division’s head. It’s here that she meets Phoebe Small, a younger and smarter version of herself who ultimately beats her to the post. Detective Next finally agrees to accept the post of chief librarian at the “Wessex All You Can Eat At Fatso’s Drink Not Included Library Services”. What follows are a series of adventures revolving around the book world with synthetic humans and cloned dodos. Swindon is also faced with the wrath of the gods, that could destroy the City, and the Goliath Corporation which is out to kill Next. Next’s child-genius daughter, who has more interest in algorithms than being an average teenager (much to Next’s disappointment), is out to make a
Clutter and chaos Jyotsna Nambiar
jyotsna.n@postnoon.com
T
hird-rate MBA colleges, staff clashes, the northsouth divide, caste issues, pompous political leaders... there's only so much that a slim novel can hold. Chandrasekar’s The School of Core Incompetence loses the plot by trying to do too much in too few pages. The story begins with Professor Sambandham, a constantly harassed man who managed to land a job in an MBA college despite his lack of degrees. Enraged by the dirty canteen, Sambandham approaches the director to complain, but quickly
anti-stealth device and save the town. Agent Next’s son (a former hopeful of chrono guard — the SpecOps division that is responsible for timelining) receives a letter of destiny that says he is going to kill a boy by the name of Gavin
Watkins. The biggest weakness of the The Woman Who Died A Lot is the lack of focus. The author’s desperate attempts at tickling your funny bone, achieves everything but its purpose. While Next and her daughter are a perfect combination of intelligence and humour, the supporting characters and those of Next’s husband and son are somewhat sketchy and fail to make an impact.
Name The Woman Who Died A Lot: A Thursday Next novel Author Jasper FForde Pages 384 Publisher Hachette India
When chaos begins to reflect even in the storyline, The School of Core Incompetence loses the plot.
finds himself put in charge of a committee to bring the college up to AICTE standards, which, in this case, involves the humane killing of two rats found in the canteen. While the plot line sounds interesting and with ample opportunities for humour, the
Name The School of Core Incompetence Author R Chandrasekar Pages 248 Publisher Hachette India
story itself spins rapidly out of control. New characters are introduced as often as a politician is accused of corruption. Multiple narratives are created, crossing and criss-crossing constantly and confusingly. The dizzying cover almost matches the chaos in the book. The book has its moments though. The author caricatures familiar characters in Indian life most accurately. Chandrasekar is also spot on about the pompous tone of politicians, the pointless bickering of committees and the way sub-standard teachers tend to pontificate. The use of jargon, meant to be sarcastic, is ladled out with a heavy
hand, and at times becomes more tedious than funny. The author has a flair for observation and description, as is obvious from the book. The writing is crisp and quite funny. A lot of time is spent in setting up elaborate situations, which are abandoned abruptly to move on to the next. If only the book had fewer things happening, or was longer, it would have been much more fun to read. The School of Core Incompetence is a lot better than most books being churned out by Indian authors writing in English, but its potential is buried under the weight of its numerous characters and happenings.
15
BOOKS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2012
A war of a different sort
The first book in the series, Gideon’s Sword, did not exactly excite audiences but it did lay a good foundation for the second one. It’s an out and out male book with females relegated to the boundaries and even when a female character pops up, her disappearance does not get much explaining. The authors have hit on a mine of investigative possibilities as they say that some of the scariest things happening today are taking place in science laboratories deep inside museums and research facilities. The public doesn’t hear about them.
Name Gideon’s Corpse Author Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child Pages 355 Publisher Hachette India
FLEME VARKEY
fleme.v@postnoon.com
A
uthors Child and Preston have been a successful pairing with the Pendergast novels and now they are trying their luck with Gideon Crew. Gideon’s Sword was Preston and Child’s first Gideon Crew novel. An avenger of crime, Gideon Crew starts off by clearing the taint on his father’s name and later,
gets drawn into the intelligence agencies’ mire. The first book in the series, Gideon’s Sword, did not exactly excite audiences but it did lay a good foundation for the second one. In this installment, Gideon is roped in to help a hostage situation as the attacker happens to be one of his former colleagues at the nuclear research lab. The stand-off ends in the death of the friend, a man named Reed Chalker. That is not the only thing the police finds out; Reed was a freshly recruited jihadist, his body was radioactive and New York City and Washington
DC are under threat from a nuclear bomb which Chalker was supposedly building. Crew is then paired with FBI agent Stone Fordyce to track down this nuclear core and all they have is ten days. As the duo tracks the mysterious terrorist cell from the suburbs of New York to the mountains of New Mexico, they learn, in the end, that the threat may be much worse than complete annihilation. It would be a pity to give out the end as the nerve-wracking chase reaches its climax extremely fitfully. There is never a dull moment in the book as one is
constantly trying to guess who the mastermind behind it all is and also whether Crew manages to save the day or not. Apart from the chase, Gideon’s personal life too is in tatters, a past that continues to haunt to him, a medical condition that might just pull the plug on him any day and his loyalty to the nation are some of the demons Gideon has to fight to get by. Kudos to the Pendergast authors for brilliant characterisation. Each character has a defined and sharp role to play with no seemingly big loopholes.
They consider it their job to bring out the really frightening and gruesome details. Reality, as they say, is more terrifying than fiction. Gideon’s Corpse is an actionpacked thrill ride. Most of it is suited for a blockbuster movie and I can already visualise Tom Hanks running through the motions on screen. As far as Gideon Crew getting a place on your bookshelves, maybe Preston and Child could give us a bigger and better plot next time but the book does deserve to be read once. It’s a thriller you can’t afford to miss.
WHAT’S SELLING Walden's best in fiction n Angel of Death by Tilly Bagshawe n Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James n Krishna Key by Ashwini Sanghi n Govinda by Krishna Udayasankar n Just married Please Excuse by Yashodhara Lal
Oxford bookstore's best in non-fiction n The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey n Turning Point-A Journey through Challenge by Abdul Kalam n The Magic by Rhonda Byrne n Breakout Nation by Ruchir Sharma
New York Times' best in fiction
New York Times' best in non-fiction
n Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
n Paterno by Joe Posnanski
n The Inn at Rose Harbor by Debbie Macomber
n Obama’s America by Dinesh D’Souza
n Wards of Faerie by Terry Brooks n The Light Between Oceans by M L Stedman n A Dance With Dragons by George RR Martin
n The Amateur by Edward Klein n Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand n Wild by Cheryl Strayed
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WOMEN SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2012
WEBSITES OF THE WEEK The Dionaea House: The Dionaea House is an example of “hyperfiction,” a story told through more than just a single running narrative.
WeFeelFine: The site is a technological experiment in extracting data from the farflung corners of the Internet. Just click the big pink heart for a swirling, up-to-theminute graph of how everybody’s feeling.
Anasomnia: The denselypacked, surreal dreamscape animations that only play when the lights in your room are out.The second thing that’s amazing: Every dream is different.
In sexy fashion world, one designer covers up Sebastian Smith
A
t New York Fashion Week, which started Thursday, impossibly tall, slinky creatures will sashay down the runways at Lincoln Center in clothes that can leave little to the imagination. But when it’s Knight’s turn, forget about flashes of breast or thigh-high split skirts. There will be long sleeves, long hems -- and they’ll be sure to get attention. “Definitely in my work people look at it and say that it’s really different and fashion’s really about being different,” she said. Knight, 31, is a devout Muslim, praying five times a day. But the up-and-coming designer is more fashionista than preacher. “The look of my work is sensual, mysterious, innovative,” she said, describing her target as “a woman who’s happy to be a woman.” The difference lies in how she creates that sensuality. When she launched her line in 2008, she found designers were fixated by clothes that “show cleavage and back.” “I felt a lot of women were wearing things because that’s what the magazines told them,” she said. “It seemed each designer had the same point of view.” So Knight set out to combine Islam’s strict moral codes with
Designers love to push boundaries in the search for that sexy catwalk look, but Nzinga Knight, an American Muslim, takes an even more daring tack: covering her models up.
STAN HONDA
her native New Yorker’s sense of style and quickly found she had what any enterprising young designers would crave: a niche. “My aesthetic was something really missing in the market,” she said. “It’s very distinct and can give me an edge.” Her upcoming collection will feature 10 evening dresses and several blouses. It is modest clothing, but hardly fit for a shrinking violet.Whoever wears them “definitely has places to go,” she said. Knight’s original outlook makes her almost unique on planet fashion, where black designers are rare and black Muslims rarer. “There are basically none,” she says. But with her exotic background she’s always comfortable navigating her own path.
Her father emigrated from Trinidad, her mother from Guyana, both of them converting to Islam after reaching New York, where they raised six daughters. “The fact I’m in New York, a native New Yorker, and New York is very much about style, what’s fresh, what’s hot, and the fact that I come from a Caribbean culture that’s very vibrant and then the fact that I’m Muslim...” Knight had to pause to catch her breath. “I embody a lot of things,” she said. In some Muslim countries, head-to-toe black robes, or abayas, are obligatory for women in the street, something that horrifies many Westerners. But Knight says her experiences make her sympathetic. On a trip last year to Dubai, where
one of her sisters lives, she recalls discovering the apparently uniform black fabric contains a multitude of subtle, individual differences. “No two women were the same,” she said. She also realized that at home, women take off their robes to reveal the latest in high fashion they’d been wearing underneath. In Western society, she argues, women are not as liberated as they may think they are. Knight gave the example of pop stars, saying men are judged largely on their singing talent, while female performers have to go an extra step. She’s looking to shift the rules of the game. “I’m telling a story that people aren’t telling,” Knight said. AFP
Woman on the road All About Eve
FAUSTINA J
W
omen driving has never gone down very well with the populace. Not on the road, not in bed, not anywhere. Driving to a friend's recently, as I was turning right, I was cut off suddenly by a motorist from the left. Naturally, even frantic braking didn't prevent my bumping into his bike. Self righteously indignant, he immediately complained to the nearest policeman. And it didn't end there. “It's only a lady, sir, you should let it go,” was the policeman's final verdict. Just like that, no weightage to the wrongdoing/incapability of the victimised driver, inertia of the car or external conditions on the road. Just the fact that I'm a woman who drives makes me a hazard on the road. What IS it that distinguishes a female commuter? Makeup while driving? Something I have personally never witnessed outside TV. The cellphone, then? Or just hormones. Point being that our hardware does not allow us to drive well? However, how we handle Hyderabad roads is hardly an indication of skill. The anarchy baffles you,drawing you in, and getting to office on time becomes an accomplishment. About a year ago, flying home from Chennai, the Boeing 747 was hit with turbulence on entering the city. No matter, the pilot (a woman), executed a safe landing. Not before my mother (and several other passengers) broke down as the cabin shook, openly attributing every buffet to inadequate driving skills. Even my father, a most level minded man, throws the occasional scathing “Oh, must be a woman driving”. Every year, more than 10 prominent research studies involve establishing differences between the driving skills of the sexes. All down to a science, then. Science strangely caught up in the obscurity of gender politics.
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SPOTLIGHT SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2012
Funny business
1
Standup comedian D'Lo had the audience in splits as he tickled the funny bone during his performance at Kismet.
A gala affair
Saad Bin Jung's novel Subhan and I was launched amid much fanfare at the Afzal Mahal, Chowmahalla Palace with Kiran Kumar Reddy, Princess Esra Jah, Princess Shehkar Jah and Pinky Reddy turning up at the do. 2
3
4
5
1
2
3
6
1 Savitha Menon 2 Deepa
4
3 Anchal 4 Asar 5 Anu
1 Princess Esra Jah,
CM Kiran Kumar Reddy, Princess Shekhar Jah and Saad Bin Jung
2 Vinitha Pittee 3 Meera 4 Pinky Reddy,
5 Princess Shekhar
Jah 6 Priya
5
Princess Esra Jah
A new beginning
Dr. M Nagaraj, DMS, Apollo Hospitals, Hyderguda inaugurated the 'Nutritional Day' celebrations organised at Apollo Hospitals. Also seen is Dietician M Gayathri.
Bonding over art
Art lovers made a beeline to Kalakriti Art Gallery where works of artist Jehangir Jani are being exhibited.
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RELATIONSHIPS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2012
I AM ALL EARS
I
am 30. I have been in a relationship for the past three years. My sister’s friend is just 23 and is smitten by me. She has even written a letter in blood to me.How do I break the news to her that I am seeing someone and have no such feelings for her? It is a really delicate situation. Please help.
THE MOBILE DIVIDE
J
ust seeing one — not even yours — out of the corner of your eye is enough to make you feel less close to someone, conclude Essex University researchers Andrew Przybylski and Netta Weinstein. Recent research shows it doesn’t even take checking your phone to annoy those around you — just having your mobile device in the room can negatively impact your interactions with other people.
Dear concerned guy, Young minds are very easy to impress and in this case, the girl seems dumb as well. Instead of donating some of that blood at the blood bank, she goes and writes a letter to you. Really stingy lover you have. Jokes apart, she needs counselling. It could help if you rope in your sister or anyone elder in the family to explain the situation to her. Tell her about your relationship but make sure not to flaunt it. It will make matters worse.
THROUGH THICK AND THIN
France’s President François Hollande has a problem — the first lady’s tiff with his ex is out in the open and he needs to save face. While Hollande may not be lucky in love, there are some women who will stand by their men through everything and why? We find out. Fleme Varkey
fleme.v@postnoon.com
H
er youngest child was only two months old when Nancy Thomas, a housewife in Kerala, came to know of her husband’s relationship with his former flame. With a kid still nursing and a daughter all of two, Nancy was at a crossroads. She was devastated and did what a lot of women do; kept quiet and let the man gain the upper hand. Her husband still lives with his mistress and occasionally spends time with the family. Nancy is now well accustomed to this arrangement. Like Nancy, there are thousands of women who are willing to be with their husbands rather than wanting out. But among these women who stay are ladies like Hilary Clinton. She, despite
being publicly humiliated thanks to her husband, the former US President, Bill Clinton’s erring ways, dug in her heels, caught the bull by its horns and let the world and Bill know that she was not going to take it lying down and nor was she leaving him. With celebrities, this is often the case. Some women prefer to walk out with a hefty alimony rather than be victimised. Take the example of Tiger Woods and his former wife Elin for instance. She took the bucks and even took Tiger to the cleaners for his act of adultery. But this percentage of women is small. Studies, surveys and researchers have pretty much summed up the reason why many women decide to stick on with a cheating or abusive husband. Reasons being money, security, children and social
acceptance mainly. The victims are ready to give their erring husbands another chance to rebuild their marriages and all this in the name of love. City-based family counsellor Shobha, who works at Heart to Heart counselling centre, has a similar answer to give on the reason behind this phenomenon. She says, “Here I have observed it’s mostly culture, tradition, children, lack of economic independence and family values that force the women to stay with their husbands. Most of them stay unwillingly and among the percentage that stays, only few manage to salvage their bond.” The pattern is not restricted to married couples alone; it’s even prevalent among youngsters. Some even stay quiet as they partly blame themselves for their partner’s act of indiscretion. “I know that no relation-
The chain that binds
W
omen are ready to give their erring husbands the one chance, to rebuild their marriages and all this in the name of love. The pattern is not restricted to married couples alone; it’s even prevalent among youngsters and for that matter, extends to all relationships.
ship is easy and no person is perfect, but if someone makes you miserable for more time than they make you happy, then it’s time to leave. Tolerance is admirable but living in denial is stupid. For instance, one of my former boyfriends was a pathological liar. At first, I thought it was just a few white lies, so I
lived with it. And besides, he apologised. But things only worsened, until all trust between us had eroded. Many people think they can somehow convert their partners. It doesn’t happen. As hard as it is, if you see things have gotten out of control, cut your losses and run. There’s no shame in it,” says Neha Anand, a content writer. But as long as there are women like Rihanna, men like Chris Brown will only be encouraged. Rihanna, at one time, was out in the press censuring Brown for the bruises he gave her and now she finds him her best friend and says he is her true love and in a way, is justifying the abuse by saying he had a different frame of mind. But that said, women who stay by their husbands are all ruled by one strong emotion — the thing called love.
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CINEMA SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2012
Shubha Phutela
opts out of Ram’s film
S
hubha Phutela, who was supposed to make her Telugu film debut in Ram’s upcoming film, has opted out of the film. Bhaskar is directing the film and BVSN Prasad is producing it. We hear that Shubha had to be hospitalised couple of months ago after she showed symptoms of a breathing problem while shooting for the film in Guntur. Apparently, she couldn’t handle the tangy smell of the chillies during filming an action sequence in the chillies market. Buzz is that Bhaskar and BVSN Prasad have zeroed upon a newcomer named Nikitha. Currently, the film's shooting is going on in Tanuku. Shubha Phutela had signed a two film contract with BVSN Prasad and if all goes well, she might be part of the producer's upcoming films.
Nithya, Nithin team up again N
ithya Menen is all set to team up with Nithin for an upcoming Telugu film. The duo had earlier acted together in Vikram Kumar’s Ishq which was a huge success at the box office. Vikram Goud, who had produced Ishq, is going to produce this untitled film. Vijay Kumar is going to direct the film and we hear that the film will be launched on
September 19. The success of Ishq resurrected Nithin’s career which was in doldrums till then and currently he’s shooting for a Gautham Menon’s production titled Courier Boy Kalyan. On the other hand, Nithya Menen will soon be seen in Okkadine with Nara Rohit and she’s also making a cameo in Nandini Reddy’s upcoming film starring Siddharth and Samantha.
A
Allu Arjun is Surender Reddy’s star
llu Arjun has finally gave the green signal to Surender Reddy, after months of discussions. This is the first time the duo is teaming up and the film is expected to be an action entertainer. Nallamalapu Bujji and Dr K Venkateshwara Rao are going to jointly produce this film which will be launched in November. SS Thaman is going to com-
pose the music. Surender Reddy is desperately looking for a hit post the Oosaravelli debacle. Meanwhile, Allu Arjun, who has just returned from a short vacation in Spain, is going to start shooting for Puri Jagannadh’s next film titled Iddaru Ammayilatho. Ganesh Babu is going to produce this film and it’ll be launched on September 20.
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CINEMA SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2012
Mahesh Bhatt
taps digital medium A
It will scare you away A spurned tigress, black magic, endless screaming and a lacklustre script. The raaz behind making the movie also remains a raaz.
V
ikram Bhatt and Bipasha Basu have always created magic and in Vikram's latest offering Raaz 3, the director attempts to bring the real life dilemma of actors to the silver screen, based on blackmagic and tantric cults. Raaz 3 is an amalgamation of jealousy, conflict, thrill, sexuality and supernatural elements that provides a decent entertainer. Actress Shanaya (Bipasha Basu), is the reigning queen in filmdom but sadly her career takes a hit when young actress Sanjana (Esha Gupta) makes her debut. Sanjana now becomes the toast of the town and Shanaya is
Movie: Raaz 3 Cast: Bipasha Basu, Esha Gupta, Emraan Hashmi, Manish Choudhary Directed by: Vikram Bhatt not liking it one bit. She wants what she thinks is her own. It is then, Shanaya turns to black magic and her only aim becomes to achieve that. When Shanaya's director boyfriend Aditya (Emraan Hashmi) realises his girlfriend's ill-motive, he leaves
Priyanka Chopra to visit Bareilly on mayor's invite
her for Sanjana. This becomes the straw that breaks the camel back. It’s not just jilted love or jealousy that makes Shanaya fume but a certain past that the two actresses share is the reason for her obsession with Sanjana's destruction. Raaz 3 has a strong story-line. It exposes the cruel truth of glamorous life in Btown, where celebrities are prone to publicity, recognition, award and superiority complex. Bipasha has decided to silence her critics and the Bong bombshell has proved her mettle once again with this film. She’s evil, she’s manipulative, she’s power-hungry, and she steals the
show left, right and center as Shanaya. When it comes to Emraan Hashmi, the Bhatts have yet again given this serial kisser to do some lip work and steam the screens. Esha is mediocre at best, her acting often coming across as stiff. Where the film lacks is in script and music. Serious loopholes can be seen in the script. The scary stuff is in the first half of the film and the second half veers towards meaninglessness and more screams. You would wish that Vikram Bhatt had even tried to hold the movie together but it just crumbles in the second half. Watch it for Bipasha.
majority of filmmakers are using digital platforms to reach out to wider audience. Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt is one of them and says that the whole idea is to get first-hand feedback from viewers. “The digital medium is an excellent place to reach out to your audiences based internationally. In the last couple of years, this medium has seen a phenomenal growth. We are looking at providing direct access to them,” Bhatt said. “Social networking sites and video sharing platforms have made it easier and convenient for filmmakers like us reach out to our viewers. People are always hooked on to the Web, either through mobiles or through the personal computers, and with such a hectic life; there is little or no possibility to watch TV at peace. Releasing trailers and songs online, gets you a first-hand feedback from your audiences,” he added. Taking it forward, the filmmaker has tied up with Reliance Entertainment's Bigflix.com, the online videoon-demand service, to release his film Jism 2 exclusively in international markets. Jism 2 featured Sunny Leone, Arunoday Singh and Randeep Hooda. IANS
A
ctress Priyanka Chopra has been invited to her hometown Bareilly by the city's mayor, ahead of the release of her first music single In my city and her film Barfi!. The mayor of Bareilly and the people there are very proud of the 30-year-old, who is making her international debut with the song. Her song In my city will be launched September 13 as part of Thursday Night Kickoff, a pre-game show for NFL Network's Thursday Night Football. While her film Barfi!, in which she has essayed the challenging role of an autistic girl, hits the screens just a day later, September 14. The former Miss World was anyway planning a visit to Bareilly to seek the blessings of her elders, but the invitation has made it all the more special for her, said a source. Priyanka is very close to her family and even sports a "Daddy's lil girl" now. So, even though she stays in Mumbai now, people in Bareilly feel connected to her. IANS
CINEMA SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2012
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CINEMA SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2012
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CINEMA SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2012
Renée to move behind camera R
enee Zellweger will make her directorial debut with the comedy 4½ Minutes. Zellweger also will star alongside Johnny Knoxville in the film that is set in New York’s stand-up comedy world. The film’s financing and sales deal was finished Thursday between K5 International and Kevin Frakes’ PalmStar Media Capital. Knoxville will play Jimmy Bennett, a commitment-phobic, train-wreck comedian whose life is falling apart when he takes a job looking after the genius son of single mom P.J. Andersen (Zellweger).
Chemistry is important: Zoe
A
ctress Zoe Saldana says it is essential for actors to strike the right chemistry for a love story on screen, and admits she could do so comfortably with Bradley Cooper in The Words. “I’ve always said that when you watch movies and a love story falls short of what you wanted it to be, as an actor, as a person who works in films, you know that 90 percent of the time it didn’t work is because there was no chemistry, they didn’t work out a friendship, they didn’t feel safe around each other,” hollywoodreporter.com quoted Saldana as saying.
That wasn’t the case on the set of their new film, she said. “Bradley is a very dedicated and open professional. It’s really good when you can balance that with an actor as opposed to an actor that just comes prepared and just goes, ‘don’t fuck up my light’ and ‘this line is my close-up’.” “We didn’t care where was the camera was. It was just like we were both part of this extensive conversation.” Their chemistry sparked speculations that the sizzle onscreen had translated into a real life romance between Saldana and Cooper.
M
iley Cyrus fans, the wait is over! Well, almost. It depends on what you’re waiting for: Her wedding to fiancé Liam Hemsworth or a new album. Cyrus says she’s so busy making music she hasn’t had any time for planning her wedding! “I’ve got so much going with this record, this record’s going to, like, kill me,” she said at the MTV Video Music Awards in L.A. “I’m really excited to get obviously married, but I kind of already feel married. I know we’re forever and I don’t really need a paper right now.” The 19-year-old beauty dished she will have a song out in the very near future. “I’ll have a single out this year,” Cyrus said. “This is the first time I get to tell people about it, so I’m really excited.”
MILEY CYRUS
PUTS WEDDING PLANS ON HOLD
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CHAI TIME SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 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.
If there is anything in the world that can really be called a man's property, it is surely that which is the result of his mental activity. – Arthur Schopenhauer
QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Vineyard container 5 ‘Hey!’ in a library 9 Hunt game illegally 14 Hall of Fame QB Graham 15 Beastly bellow 16 Excessive, as punishment 17 ‘... ___ the twain shall meet’ 18 Type of child without siblings 19 Drummer Ringo 20 Province of western South Africa 23 Business as ___ 24 ‘Dominique’ singer, for one 25 ‘Caps lock’ neighbour 27 10-percenter, briefly 28 ‘Am I an idiot!’ 31 Creature that loses its tail 34 Forsythia or azalea 36 ‘... and ___ to rise...’ 37 Things in a closet, often 40 ‘... dish ran away with the ___’ 42 Certain spectacles sporter 43 More spherical 46 ‘60 Minutes’ network 47 It might cause a death on the Nile 50 Have dinner 51 Where the cows graze 53 Third rock from the sun? 55 Melodramatic espionage 60 Addams Family member 61 ‘My king’ 62 A psychic may see one 63 From this time 64 Good or bad sign 65 Bill-signing souvenirs 66 Advanced cautiously 67 Ex-speaker's name 68 In ___ (existing)
DOWN 1 Agree 2 ‘Attention!’ opposite 3 Increase, as production 4 A nation divided 5 Univ figure 6 ___ of Solomon 7 Beautician's shop 8 Compete for a position 9 Instruction on a door 10 Aware of 11 Compatibility devices 12 Panacea 13 That feminine one 21 One with lots of experience 22 Genetic code carrier 26 Turkish chieftain 29 Bit of food 30 ‘'Scuse me?’ 32 Bathysphere's place 33 Cut the peel from
open Imminently 56 Not repeatedly Pow! 57 Brought to Coming together mellowness, as Where JFK Airport is cheese or wine Sailor, in slang 58 Actress Barrymore Modern Maturity 59 Auto ding readers, briefly 60 ‘That'll be ___ day!’ 41 Like a mother kangaroo PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER 44 Animal with a bugling call 45 Logician's need 47 Debates 48 Backs of barges 49 Part of many a sentence 52 Asian cartoon genre 54 With one's mouth 34 35 37 38 39 40
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CHAI TIME SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2012
Aries Seven of Cups
W
ork –You will have to make some important decisions by the end of this month. Stay as practical as possible and do not panic. Romance – You are quite a romantic at heart although you may choose to not show it. Your partner is surprised by your openness. Health – You have to learn some lessons about maintaining your health. Only a tough lesson will make you realise the importance. Money – There are many opportunities for you to make some extra money. You just need to be open about the kind of assignments you get. Tarot message – You are very set in your ways. Being more creative and thinking out of the box will help.
Taurus The World
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ork – You have the honour of working with some very bright minds. Make use of this to the maximum and pick up a few tricks. Romance – You learn from someone else’s life about balancing work and the other aspects of your life. Health – You have to give importance to health. You have been treating it as an issue of secondary importance. That won’t do. Money – You are on the road to making some good money and securing your future. There is nothing to worry about. Don’t be impulsive. Tarot message – You are more assured and self-satisfied with your current situation and do not wish to change it at any cost.
Gemini Eight of Swords
W
ork – You become the star of the show at work. This may not go down too well with jealous colleagues who think they deserved more. Romance – You are in a love-hate relationship. And strangely, the hatred feeds the love, too. Simplify your relationship to deal with it better. Health – You are in the right track of managing your health. Do not get lazy and cut corners with diet and exercise. Money – You may have to make some compromises when you negotiate a deal. Do not sweat too much over it. You’re giving your best. Tarot message – There are some boundaries you must not cross, whether personal or professional. Be careful.
Cancer Temperance
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ork – Spend more time working on the job list. By rushing through the things that need to get done, you may be messing things up for yourself. Romance – You’re tempted to get into a relationship simply because it’s trendy to be in such a relationship. It’s fine as long as you’re not hurting anyone. Health – A visit to the dentist may be long overdue. Take it up on priority. It may not be urgent but it sure is important. Money – Stop ranting about how much more money you could be making and learn to live happily with how much you have. Tarot message – There may be some breaks in your life, which you didn’t anticipate. These surprises keep you interested.
Leo Eight of Cups
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ork – No matter how much you try to avoid it, team work is something that will just not leave you. You will have to manage people, and their egos. Romance – There might be some tension in a relationship because of unmet expectations. Tide over this and make sure to communicate openly. Health – It may be a good idea to pay closer attention to your diet. Meat eaters may have to stop non-vegetarian food altogether. Money – You have tremendous opportunities to make more money but you’re just being lazy. Either get more active or stop worrying about money. Tarot message – There will be times when you feel you’re doing less. It’s alright as long as you’re enjoying life.
Virgo Ace of Swords
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ork – Someone at office is extremely curious about your life – what you do, where you go, whom you meet, etc. Ignore this person. Romance – You may be feeling a little down because there is boredom in a partnership. Not every day is going to be exciting. Health – Although you wish you could be young forever, that is not going to happen. Take proactive steps to manage your long-term health. Money – There is some trouble brewing on the investment front. It’s nothing you cannot tackle with a little care and attention. Tarot message – You play many roles in your life – manager, spouse, parent, child, mentor, etc. Learn to wear a new hat for each role.
SUMAA TEKUR tarotreadhyd@gmail.com
Libra Strength
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ork – You will be expected to work in an area that’s unfamiliar to you. Do not worry, though. You will manage well. Romance – Do some romantic things together – candlelight dinners, showers together, reading to each other, dancing, etc. Health – Get into a sport or some exercise routine that will keep you motivated. A gym routine may get you bored very quickly. Money – There are traditional ways of investing and the not-so-traditional ways. You are now looking at the latter. Good luck! Tarot message – New ventures will go fantastically well. You will be at the top of your game. Stop worrying.
Scorpio King of Pentacles
W
ork – You may be missing an important piece of communication because you’re not on a mailing list. Make sure you’re updated on all information. Romance – Go dancing, scuba diving, cooking, gardening, etc. Singles can find someone likeminded through creative and adventure activities. Health – You have made yourself very cosy and refuse to get out of your comfort zone. You need to push your body some more to achieve good health. Money – There is no worry on this front. You have made all the right moves and your smartness is paying off now. Tarot message – Think deeper and you will find many layers to your existence. Scratch the surface.
Sagittarius The Devil
W
ork –You may have been feeling some shame because of letting yourself down on expectations. Be positive and think ahead. Don’t look back. Romance – Singles will end up spending time on some leisure activity, and may meet someone interesting. Health – Take care of your body. Physical health needs attention. You will then feel mentally fine. Money – Get someone else to manage your money for you. You will need to organise your life in a way you haven’t done before. Tarot message – You may come across as a pushover by your choice of words and your need to constantly be around other people.
Capricorn Nine of Pentacles
W
ork – There are some bad influences around you. You need to stay positive and constantly look at the bright side. Romance – You have to keep constantly working on a relationship for it to work. Leave it, and it becomes more of a burden than a happy union. Health – There are many ways in which you can manage your health better. You come across many different viewpoints. Money – Watch out for some huge and unnecessary expenses. Manage your money better. Cut down excess spending and useless shopping. Tarot message – A warning bell has been sounded. You will need to act responsibly and do everything you can to protect yourself.
Date 9-9-2012
Aquarius King of Cups
W
ork – Someone known to you will make a job offer. You may not be looking for a change. But the offer is enticing enough for you to consider. Romance – Couples will want to spend time with other couples so you can share your thoughts on relationships and take tips from those who’ve been through much more. Health – Watch out for a cold or flu virus that may upset your schedule. You will end up being out of action for some time. Money – Do not take life so seriously. There will be times when just by letting go, you get what you want. Tarot message – Borrow new ideas and get inspiration from successful people. Do not get stuck in a rut.
Pisces The Emperor
W
ork – A good deed will earn you brownie points with your bosses. You will end up being the favourite in the office. Romance – There are many simple rules you need to follow to maintain a relationship and ensure it doesn’t go to the dogs. Health – Your health may not be improving because you’re doing something wrong. Consult a doctor and seek out ways to change that. Money – You have enough for all your needs. Do not be in a hurry to get back to your old lifestyle without first securing yourself. Tarot message – This is a good time for creative ideas. Put it in action and follow through with your positive thinking and conviction.
Vol: 2, No 53 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
28
THE SATURDAY QUIZ SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2012
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
YOUNG NEWSMAKERS IDENTIFY THESE CHILD PRODIGIES
Company uses the baseline ‘Intelligence Everywhere’ ? 8. Which composer started composing at the age of five? 9. This great poet wrote a 6,000 word epic poem at the age of 12. Name this poet? 10. Where was the COP-15
Summit held in December 2009 ? 11. Who owns the rights to the South Carolina State anthem? 12. The only English alphabet that does not appear in the names of any compound throughout the periodic table. What is it?
DO YOU KNOW YOUR FAIRYTALE HEROES?
1
Answers
be avoided when giving anyone flowers in Mexico? 5. Which country has the largest number of English speakers? 6. Who was awarded the UNESCO—Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Award for 2011? 7. Which International Telecom
1. 7 billion,According to the United Nations, the population of the earth reached 7 billion people on October 31, 2011. 2. Brazil 3. 5 4. Purple 5. India 6. Ahmad Zeidabadi 7. Motorola 8. Mozart 9. Lord Alfred Tennyson 10. Copenhagen 11. Michael Jackson 12. J 13.
1. What is the approximate population of the earth? 2. Which country won the World Cup in 2002 which was hosted in Korea and Japan? 3. How many gold medals has the Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe won? 4. Which colour flowers should
WHAT’S NEW IDENTIFY THESE SLOGANS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
He was called the "Unabomber", a child prodigy who excelled academically from an early age. He was accepted into Harvard University at the age of 16, where he earned an undergraduate degree, and later earned a PhD in mathematics from the University of Michigan. He became an assistant professor at the University of California, Berkeley at age 25, but resigned two years later. Who is he?
Push button publishing Beauty outside. Beast inside If you to impress someone put him on your black list The greatest tragedy is indifference
2
Born in 1844 he started at the scientifically oriented Lyzeum at nine years old, went on to study at the Poly-Technical University. At 15, he passed the entrance exam for mechanical engineering . He later became the pioneering founder of the automobile manufacturer Mercedes-Benz designing the Benz PatentMotorwagen. Who is he?
The happiest place on Earth Let your fingers do the walking
It’s everywhere you want to be For men who don’t have to try too hard
1.Ted Kaczynski 2. Karl Benz
Answers
Obey your thirst
KNOW YOUR COUNTRY
The customer is always and completly right
The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has been appointed as external auditor of which organisations?
with Santosh Ghule What does the dame feel for the birds?
WHO AM I? I hail from the Britsh royal family. I have an elder brother as well. My mother was a very popular person with the public and sadly she died in a car accident. I enjoy a good life of partying as well.
Answer : Prince Harry
4 5
Who has become the first woman jawan in the Indian Army?
PICTURE PUZZLE 31
Answer for 30 :
Who is the Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister and the Director-General of the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO)?
The words BIG FUN is written on the face.
3
Answers: 1.Aladdin 2. Jack from Jack and the Beanstalk 3. Pied Piper 4. Humpty Dumpty
It was in 1984 with an initial mission of building indegenious supercomputers in India headquartered at Pune recently. What are we talking about?
Answers:
2
1. e-blogger 2. MacPro 3. Johnnie Walker 4. Red Cross 5. Disneyland 6. Yellow Pages 7. Visa 8. Denim aftershave 9. Sprite 10. Marks & Spences
1
In a historic judgement the Supreme Court asked the Indian government to link all the rivers by which year?
1.2012 2. C-DA C 3. VK Saraswat 4. Shanti Tigga 5. IAEA and WIPO
Answers
29
SPORTS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2012
Armstrong denied run
Ward puts titles on line
Parents sue Olympic champ
LOS ANGELES: Chicago Marathon director Carey Pinkowski confirmed on Friday that the ban meted out to Lance Armstrong by the US Anti-Doping Agency means the cyclist can't run in the race. Pinkowski issued a statement after Armstrong spokesman Mark Fabiani told Runnersworld.com that the cyclist had been told he couldn't enter the October 7 event.
LOS ANGELES: Unbeaten Andre Ward will face a big challenge on Saturday when he puts his super-middleweight world titles on the line against light heavyweight champ Chad Dawson. Ward, who holds the World Boxing Association and World Boxing Council super middleweight belts, says his youth and skill will make up for what he gives away in height.
CLEVELAND: Parents of Olympic gold medallist Tianna Madison have sued the US track star, saying she spread stories they were out for their own interest and tormented and cheated her out of money. Robert and Jo Ann Madison filed the libel, slander and defamation lawsuit on Thursday in an Ohio court. Madison's parents' are seeking more than $25,000 each.
Super win hands Pak T20 series When Australia tied the score on 151 runs at the end of 40 overs in the match, a Super over round was played for the result.
HCA XI, Karnataka and Delhi ahead in Moin-ud-Dowla Gold Cup HYDERABAD: HCA XI were leading
by 80 runs over Kerala, while Karnataka were ahead of HCA President’s XI by 307 runs on the second day of the Moin-ud-Dowla Gold Cup cricket tournament here today. Electing to bat, Hyderabad XI made 348 for five and in reply Kerala were all out for 268 in 87.2 overs. In other matches, Tamil Nadu were leading against Services by 51 runs and Delhi DCA were ahead by 83 runs against Goa.
MOIN UD DOWLAH CUP DAY TWO AT UPPAL
Hyderabad XI Elected to bat 348 for 5 in 90 overs off 365 mnts Vs Kerala 268 all out in 87.2 overs off 355 mnts VA Jagadeesh 100 (169b,6x4) V Raiphi 33 (52b,1x6) Ahmed Quadri 4 for 23 A Lalith Mohan 2 for 88 HCA XI Lead by 80 runs AT GYMKHANA
Karnataka elected to bat 436 & 92 for no loss in 19 overs KL Rahul 59(69b,9x4,2x6) Kunal Kapoor 30(45b,2x4) Vs HCA President XI 221 in 68.3 Naveen Kumar 33(67b,3x4) Akshath Reddy 43(40b,6x4) K Sumanth 57(137b,5x4,2x6) Arjun Shetty 4 for 45 Sunil Raju 5 for 60 Karnataka lead by 307 runs Pakistani wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal celebrates after running out Australians Cameron White during their second Twenty20 international cricket match at the Dubai international cricket stadium on Friday. AFP/ AAMIR QURESHI
Shahid Hashmi
DUBAI: Pakistan won the second Twenty20 against Australia in a thrilling Super Over finish at the Dubai Stadium here on Friday, taking an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Pakistan paceman Umar Gul restricted Australian batsmen David Warner, Shane Watson and George Bailey to 11-1 before Umar Akmal and Abdul Razzaq hit the required runs, the winner coming off the last delivery. The third and last match will be played here on Monday. The match provided complete entertainment to a 25,000 sell-out holiday crowd, who were left on the edges of their seat as both the teams tussled for victory in the 40 overs. Pakistan had made 151-4 with Mohammad Hafeez (45), Nasir Jamshed (45) and Kamran Akmal (43 not out) contributing with the bat. George Bailey led the Australian run chase with a solid 42. Australia needed 21 off the last two overs as Bailey hit two leg-side boundaries off Gul but his dismissal, with his team needing 10 off the final over it looked Pakistan were favourites. Pat Cummins hit Abdul Razzaq over
PAKISTAN PACEMAN UMAR GUL RESTRICTED AUSTRALIAN BATSMEN DAVID WARNER, SHANE WATSON AND GEORGE BAILEY TO 11-1 BEFORE UMAR AKMAL AND ABDUL RAZZAQ HIT THE REQUIRED RUNS. long-on to tie the score but off the last ball the Australian batsman was caught, making it the sixth tied match in all Tweny20 cricket. David Warner started Australia’s run chase with a brilliant 31 off just 19 balls, hitting two boundaries and a six off Hafeez’s first over. But once Saeed Ajmal came to bowl, the Australian innings faltered. Ajmal bowled Warner and then had Watson (33), taking his tally to 58 in Twenty20 cricket, the joint top bowler along with countryman Shahid Afridi. Watson had hit two boundaries and two sixes during his 28-ball knock. Michael Hussey (23) and Bailey took the secore to 109 before Hussey holed out to Gul. Australia at that point needed 43 off the last five overs.
AT AOC
Tamilnadu elected to bat 378 for 8 in 90 overs off 376 mnts Vs Services 327 for 9 in 90 overs off 391 mnts Soumik Chatterjee 150(263b,4x16,4x6) Anshul Gupta 46 (98b,5x4,1x6) Yashpal Singh 51 (106b,5x4,1x6) Aswin Crist 4 for 69
Rahil Shah Tamilnadu Lead by
2 for 50 51 runs
AT NFC
Goa Elected to bat 250 all out in 66.3 overs off 304 mnts Delhi DCA 333 for 9 in 90 overs off 407 mnts Mohit Sharma 55 (78b,6x4) Milind Kumar 84 (168b,9x4) Yogesh Nagar 107no (176b,9x4,1x6) Saurabh Bandekar 2 for 74 Harshad Gadekar 2 for 62 Sher Bahadur Yadav 3 for 89 DDCA lead by 83 runs
A 2 & 3 DIVISIONS LEAGUE Day 1
Budding Star 237 (Nivrith Ram 33,Prateek 51,Dhananjay 3 for 41,Abhishek 4 for 93) vs Nizam College 19 for 1 Continental 139 (P Vinay Kumar 42no,P Shiva Prasad 5 for 62) vs Team Speed 76 for 2 (Santosh Singh 38no) Sultanshahi 363 (Meher Prasad 117,Vinay Kumar 124,Sai Santosh 4 for 115) vs Hyd Titans 21 for no loss Day 2
Khalsa 325 Bt Kosaraju 156 ( Ratan Sharma 60,Naveen Kumar Chary 31,Abhinav 3 for 59,Karthik 3 for 44) HBCC 208 ( S Rasheed Ahmed 36, Yudish 70,P Sharth 42,Avinash Kumar Singh 5 for 85) lost to Zinda 129 ( Mir Omer Khan 6 for 52) Cambridge XI 310 (Yaseen Bahamid 45,Mir Javeed Ali Ali 101,Ilyas Zubadi 46,Tanay 55,Syed Muzamil 4 for 97,Farhan Farooqui 3 for 57) bt CCOB 177 (Shail Mohammed 67,Shaibaaz Khan 30,Afzal Biyabani 5 for 60)
HUES OF TIME
Cricketer-turned MP Mohd Azharuddin and Under 19 cricketer Unmukt Chand listen as former captain Kapil Dev speaks at the India Today Mind Rocks Youth Summit 2012 in New Delhi on Friday. PTI/ SHAHBAZ KHAN
30
SPORTS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2012
Germany down Oz
LONDON: Germany beat
Australia 58-44 in the women's wheelchair basketball gold medal match to condemn the Gliders to a third Paralympics final defeat. Germany made it seven wins out of seven at the London 2012 Games to take the gold at the North Greenwich Arena before a 13,000-strong crowd on Friday, going one better than the silver they achieved at Beijing 2008. Australia won bronze four years ago, having taken silver at Athens 2004 and Sydney 2000. "We have had many tournaments over the last seven years and we have won medals, not gold, but we have been doing this step by step," said Germany coach
China's Qing Xu celebrates winning the men's 50m butterfly S6 final by setting a new world record at the Paralympics on Friday in London. AP/ PTI Holger Glinicki. "We had a silver medal in Beijing and now we are at the
end, we have reached our pinnacle." Australia coach Johhn
Triscari said: "The ball would not go in the hole. It was one of those games where the shots did not drop. I thought our defence was still pretty tough, but down the stretch their shots dropped but ours didn't. "It is a funny game this. If the ball does not go through the steel thing with the rope on it you do not win. "I am not crying. I am still proud of my girls. It is disappointing that we did not get the gold medal, but I am so proud of the girls and they did a remarkable job." The Netherlands delivered their best performance of the competition in their 71-47 defeat of the United States, the defending champions, to win AFP the bronze medal.
MOUNTED COMBAT Players of SSC-HPRC1 and ASCARTY on horseback battle it out in the Chief Minister’s Cup held at the Bison Polo Grounds, Secundera bad on Friday. SSC-HPRC1 won the match by six goals to five.
Iaepetus puts up good show on sand track HYDERABAD: Iaepetus, Dream Deal, Star Striker, Ceremonious and Rustic Gal impressed when the horses excercised here on Saturday Morning: Sand Track 800 Metres: Stolen Date (app) 1-3, 600/48 Easy. Sheer Genius (rb) 1-0, 600/43 Unextended. Hidden Destiny (Culhane) 57.5, 600/44 Moved on the bit. See My Style (Trainer) 1-1, 600/45 Easy. Cannon Law (Sai Kumar) Melody Queen (Laxman) 57.5, 600/44 Former finished in front. Rise Of Emerald (Mukesh) 57, 600/43 Moved well. Vijay Monarch (Joshi)
56.5, 600/43.5 Moved freely. Turf Ruler (rb) 59.5, 600/44 Easy. White Wind (Nitin Singh) Blue Diamond (rb) Madames Madame (rb) 59, 600/44 They finished in close order. Hard Kingdom (K Alam) Rebut (S.Nayak) 58, 600/44 Former finished a length in front. Royal Craft (Mukesh) 59, 600/44 Moved freely. The Best Man (Deep Shanker) 1-2, 600/47 Easy. Arriviste (rb) Chetak (Mukesh) 58.5, 600/43 Former finished in front. All Pepper (rb) 56.5, 600/43.5 Moved freely. Okai Okai Okai (rb) 1-3, 600/47 easy. Lady Of Grace (Mukesh) 1-1.5, 600/45.5
Moved freely. Sweety Girl (Mark) 1-2, 600/46 Handy. Sand Track 1000 Metres: Rich And Famous (app) Super Cool (Dileep) 1-12.5, 800/57.5, 600/43.5 They moved together. Winjoy (Joshi) 1-9, 800/55.5, 600/42 Pushed. Racing Queen (app) 1-17.5, 800/1-1.5, 600/48 Easy. Star Striker (app) Sporting Star (Dileep) 1-9, 800/55, 600/42.5 Former finished a length in front. Home Run (Dileep) Gold Medal (app) 1-13, 800/57.5, 600/45 Former finished in front. Strategic Command (P.Venkat) 1-12.5, 800/56, 600/42.5 Urged.
Khabza (app) Khalis Gold (Mark) 1-16, 800/1-2, 600/47 They moved together. True Friend (Mark) Sushen (app) 1-13.5, 800/58, 600/43.5 Former finished in front. Sand Track 1200 Metres: Over Shadow (rb) 1-29.5, 1000/1-14, 800/59, 600/46 Easy. Dream Deal (S.Nayak) Noble Honour (K.Alam) 1-26, 1000/110, 800/55.5, 600/43 Latter pushed and finished 2 lengths behind. Ice Wine (app) New Dawn (Dileep) 1-30, 1000/1-14, 800/58, 600/43 Former finished in front. Euphonic (rb) Travaldo (Sreekant) 1-31.5, 1000/1-14.5, 800/57.5, 600/44 moved well.
Shin keeps LPGA lead WILLIAMSBURG, VIRGINIA: South Korea's Jiyai Shin followed up a tournament-record 62 with a 68 on Friday for a oneshot lead in the US LPGA Tour Kingsmill Championship. Shin was among the players who completed her first round on Thursday despite a lengthy rain delay. Her sizzling first-round effort held up, but Shin, a former world number one who won the last of her eight LPGA titles in November of 2010, admitted she was watching the scoreboard. "I have to know my position, and I keep changing my plan each hole after I check the positions," said Shin, who had four birdies and a bogey en route to a 36-hole total of 12-under 130 on the Kingsmill River Course. "I saw a lot of players play good today, so I think it will make for fun competition the next two days," added Shin, who was delighted to find herself in the title hunt. "I'm used to the competition, I'm used to the pressure and nerves, too, and also I really like that feeling," she said. "So I can't wait for the AFP play for the weekend."
Physios to be honoured HYDERABAD: For services rendered over the past 35 years in their discipline, senior physiotherapists, Dr Fazila K Sahiwala and Dr Sushma Patil will be felicitated by the Indian Association of Physiotherapists, Hyderabad at the Ravindra Bharati mini auditorium at 6.00pm today, September 8.
31
SPORTS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2012 SERENA WILLIAMS (USA)
C
ame in off her 14th career Grand Slam title at Wimbledon and a gold medal at the London Olympics, Williams aimed at bettering her runner-up US Open finish last year. She was on a 19-match streak that ended with a quarter-final loss at Cincinnati. She rolled through her six matches at this year's US Open without dropping a set. n World ranking: 4 n Birthdate: September 26, 1981 n Residence: Palm Beach Gardens, Florida n Height: 5'9" (1.75m) n Weight: 155lbs (70kg) n Plays: Right-handed n Turned pro: 1995 n Career Singles titles: 44 n Grand Slam singles titles: 14 (1999, 2002, 2008 US Open; 2002 French Open; 2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012 Wimbledon; 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010 Australian Open) Best previous US Open n result: Winner (‘99, 2002, 2008)
Jim Slater
Williams, who was upset in last year’s US Open final by Australian Samantha Stosur, is trying to match her older sister Venus and Steffi Graf as the only women to claim the Wimbledon-Olympic-US Open treble in the same year.
Serena & Victoria show
Agencie France-Presse
NEW YORK: Serena Williams has overpowered every rival at the US Open, showing no mercy to a world-class field that has been unable to slow an American juggernaut that appears bound for her 15th Grand Slam title. The three-time US Open champion has dropped only 19 games in six rounds, never suffering a break of serve while blasting a tournament-best 50 aces in only six hours and 37 minutes on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts. And US fourth seed Williams, the reigning Wimbledon and Olympic champion, owns a 9-1 career record against World No. 1 Victoria Azarenka, her admittedly outmatched opponent in Saturday's championship match at Arthur Ashe Stadium. "If you look at our record it says it all," Azarenka said. "I haven't won in any last meetings so I definitely need to find something to surprise her because she's
Head-to-head
RECORD 2008 Australian Open Hard R32 Williams 6-3, 6-4 2009 Australian Open Hard R16 Williams 3-6, 4-2 - retired 2009 Miami Hard F Azarenka 6-3, 6-1 2009 Wimbledon Grass QF Williams 6-2, 6-3 2010 Australian Open Hard QF Williams 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) 6-2 2011 Toronto Hard SF Williams 6-3, 6-3 2011 US Open Hard R32 Williams 6-1, 7-6 (7/5) 2012 Madrid Clay F Williams 6-1, 6-3 2012 Wimbledon Grass SF Williams 6-3, 7-6 (7/6) 2012 Olympics Grass SF Williams 6-1, 6-2 in a great form, feeling really confident right now. "She has everything on her side." Williams, who was upset
VICTORIA AZARENKA (BLR)
T
he powerful baseliner from Belarus was easily the best player in the first four months of the year, winning four titles, including the Australian Open, and rising to number one in the world. She reached the Wimbledon semi-finals for the second year in a row and won Olympic mixed doubles gold after taking a bronze medal in singles, losing a semifinal to Serena Williams. She reached the last eight at the US Open for the first time and could become the first top seed to win the title since Justine Henin in 2007. n World ranking: 1 n Birthdate: July 31, 1989 n Birthplace: Minsk n Residence: Monte Carlo, Monaco n Height: 6'0" (1.83m) n Weight: 145 lbs (66 kg) n Plays: Right-handed n Turned pro: 2003 n Career Singles titles: 12 n Grand Slam singles titles: 1 (2012 Australian Open) n Best previous US Open result: Fourth round (2007)
in last year's US Open final by Australian Samantha Stosur, is trying to match her older sister Venus and Steffi Graf as the only women to claim the WimbledonOlympic-US Open treble in the same year. "It will probably be the best summer I've ever had," Williams said. "If you win the Olympics and Wimbledon and this, it would be kind of cool. So, yeah, it will be awesome." Williams won her first Grand Slam title at the 1999 US Open at age 17 and hoisted the trophy in 2002 and 2008 as well. She recalled those on-court celebrations as motivation this time after falling one match short last year. "It was an amazing feeling. I definitely want to reach that again," Williams said. "I definitely want to hold that trophy and to lift it up." Azarenka never went deeper than the US Open fourth round until now. "I try to enjoy my moment. I don't want it to end," Azarenka said. "I'm living this great run.”
32
SPORTS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2012
Germany struggle to beat islanders HANOVER: Germany laboured to a 3-0 win over minnows Faroe Islands in their opening World Cup qualifier on Friday as two second-half goals from Real Madrid’s Mesut Ozil (far right) saved the Germans’ blushes. After Ireland’s 2-1
win in Kazakhstan earlier, Germany top Group C but wasted a chance to dominate their guests from the north Atlantic archipelago, who are ranked 152 places below the second-placed Germans according to FIFA. Midfielder Mario Goetze’s first-half strike and Mesut Ozil’s brace
after the break ensured the hosts at least started the road to Brazil 2014 with three points. Manchester City goalkeeper Gunnar Nielsen was the Faroe Islands’ hero with a string of fine saves to frustrate the Germans five-man attack, which produced plenty of chances, but little finishing.
Lampard caps 5-star day
Bulgaria hold hapless Italy SOFIA: Bulgaria came
CHISINAU: Frank Lam-
Diaby eases France to win
Jamaica shocked the United States 2-1 on Friday to seize the lead in their group in the semi-final round of 2014 World Cup qualifying in North and Central America and the Caribbean. CONCACAF goals from Rodolph Austin and Luton Shelton overcame Clint Dempsey’s firstminute strike for the
Americans as Jamaica posted their first victory over the US in 19 matches. The goal for Dempsey — 36 seconds into the match — was the fastest for the United States in World Cup qualifying, confounding predictions that he would show some rust in his first competitive match since June.
Carroll sidelined by injuries, Defoe, was able to underline his credentials with his second goal in his last two internationals.
Results in the semi-final round of CONCACAF 2014 World Cup qualifying GROUP A at
Kingston Jamaica 2 (Austin 22, Shelton 62) United States 1 (Dempsey 1) at Guatemala City Guatemala 3 Antigua-Barbuda 1 GROUP B at San Jose Costa Rica 0 v Mexico 2 at San Salvador El Salvador 2 v Guyana 2 GROUP C at Havana Cuba 0 Honduras 3 (Bengtson 31, Bernardez 63, Chavez 90+2) at Toronto Canada 1 (De Rosario 77) Panama 0
SOLUTIONS Scrabble
they visit Wembley on Tuesday, but this was a promising start to England’s bid to reach the 2014 World Cup. With Rooney and
marked his return to international football with the only goal of the game as France began their bid to qualify for the 2014 World Cup finals with a 1-0 win against Finland here on Friday. It was hardly vintage stuff from Les Bleus in a brisk Finnish capital, but the Arsenal midfielder’s neat strike from a Karim Benzema assist in the first half allowed Didier Deschamps’ first competitive game in charge to end in victory. France also had Hugo Lloris to thank, though, for a crucial late save as the hosts pushed forward in search of an equaliser.
In a five-team qualifying Group I that features reigning World and European champions Spain as the heavy favourites, France had little option other than to win against a Finland side ranked a lowly 96th in the world. Deschamps is making his stamp on the team early on, and his line-up here included just five survivors from Laurent Blanc’s final match in charge, the 2-0 defeat to Spain in the quarterfinals of Euro 2012 in June. There were also four changes from the side that started against Uruguay in Deschamps’ first match in charge.
Boggle Number game
HELSINKI: Abou Diaby
Jamaica shock USA WASHINGTON:
Gerogi Milanov either side of Osvaldo’s brace. Italy manager Cesare Prandelli’s (left) decision to revive the 3-5-2 formation he used only fleetingly at Euro 2012 looked questionable during a first half in which Bulgaria regularly exposed Italy’s defence. Prandelli’s 3-5-2 formation was often reliant on the counter-attack and, having been bossed since the start, for a brief moment the visitors finally looked to have found their stride.
close to stunning beaten Euro 2012 finalists Italy in their 2014 World Cup Group B opener which ended in a 2-2 draw at the Vasil Levski Stadium on Friday. On only his third match for Italy, Argentine-born striker Pablo Osvaldo scored a brace and his first goals for his adopted country. However Italy, beaten 4-0 by Spain in the Euro 2012 final five weeks ago, were held after goals by Stanislav Manolev and
Lampard’s brace helped England record a 5-0 demolition of minnows Moldova. pard (right) ensured England made a smooth start on the road to Brazil as the Chelsea midfielder bagged a brace in his side’s 5-0 demolition of Moldova in Friday’s opening World Cup qualifier. After England’s tame Euro 2012 quarter-final exit against Italy, it was essential for Roy Hodgson’s side to deliver a convincing display and Lampard’s 24th and 25th international goals were the catalyst for a rout of the Group H minnows. Lampard gave England the perfect start when he converted a penalty and he was on the scoresheet again before half-time, while Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe also netted in the first period and James Milner and Leighton Baines added late goals to kill off the out-classed Moldovans. Ukraine should provide a sterner test when
“It was clear to see from the beginning that we wanted to score, but our problem at the moment is we waste a lot of chances," admitted Germany coach Joachim Loew after the national team enjoyed the 500th win in their history. “The Faroe Islands aren’t the benchmark for other teams.”
Results in European World Cup qualifiers GROUP A
Croatia 1 Macedonia 0 Wales 0 Belgium 2 GROUP B
Bulgaria 2 Italy 2 Malta 0 Armenia 1 GROUP C
Germany 3 Faroe Islands 0 Kazakhstan 1 Ireland 2 GROUP D
Andorra 0 Hungary 5 Estonia 0 Romania 2 Netherlands 2 Turkey 0 GROUP E
Albania 3 Cyprus 1 Iceland 2 Norway 0 Slovenia 0 Switzerland 2 GROUP F
Azerbaijan 1 Israel 1 Luxembourg 1 Portugal 2 Russia 2 Northern Ireland 0 GROUP G
Latvia 1 Greece 2 Liechtenstein 1 BosniaHerzegovina 8 Lithuania 1 Slovakia 1 GROUP H
Moldova 0 England 5 Montenegro 2 Poland 2 GROUP I
Finland 0 France 1 Georgia 1 Belarus 0
FRIDAY SUNDAY TUESDAY THURSDAY SATURDAY
Suduko
Ryland James