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HYDERABAD’S FIRST COMPACT AFTERNOON NEWSPAPER
MAY 20, 2012 HYDERABAD
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ON SUNDAY
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CITY SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012
MAN OF STEEL
Library summer camp
M ANIL KUMAR
A library summer camp for parents and faculty of UG and PG students will be held from May 10 onwards. The camp will provide guidance for faculty and final year PG students for National/State lectureship and scholarship test(NET/APSET) for `3,650. Where: Hyderabad library services, Sagar View Complex When: May 10 - June 10, Contact: (040) 2322 2247, 94412 37751
The amazing summer shuttle A summer camp for children in the age group of 1-15 and for adults in Thai flowers, stocking flowers and marble painting is being held. Where: Plot-26, Gunrock Enclave, Secunderabad When: 11am-1pm, 11am-5pm Contact:98498 04416, 93921 05310
Kanchi Maggaala Vaari We purchase your old Pattu Sarees,old Kanchipattu, Gadwal,Venkatagiri,Pattu Skirts,Teared Pattu Jeri Borders also. Where: Kalinga Cultural Trust, Rd No12, Near MLA Colony, Banjara Hills When: May 17-May26 Contact: 98493 54166
Hyderabad shuffle Head to the Nift campus for an evening of Jazz and contemporary music. Serendipity presents Hyderabad Shuffle, an evening of Jazz music and contemporary dance. Where: Nift Campus, Madhapur When: May 20, 7pm onwards Contact: (040) 2311 4537
Sunday brunch The Square at Novotel is host to an exciting summer brunch. Great food, beverages and games for your family. Where: The Square, Novotel, Hitech City When: May 20 onwards, Contact: (040) 6682 4422
Summer camp Annapurna International School of Film and Media will be holding a Summer Camp program in filmmaking, acting and photography. The first batch is from May 21.The second batch is from May 28 onwards. Where: Annapurna School, Banjara Hills When: May 21 onwards
CINEMAS
Contact: (040) 4914 1234
Blood song Blood Song, a radical adaptation of Federico Garcia Lorca’s "Blood Wedding"will be showcased on May 26 and 27 at the Nift auditorium. Where: Nift auditorium, Madhapur When: May 26 and 27, 7.30pm onwards Contact: 98852 88982
The awakening A painting exhibition titled Buddha — The awakening will be held at Iconart gallery. Where: Iconart Gallery, Banjara Hills, Rd No12 When: May 7 onwards, 11.30 am onwards Contact: 98499 68797
Mexican brunch La Cantina, at Novotel presents Sunday brunch, an interesting mexican spread, every Sunday. Where: La Cantina, Novotel, Madhapur When: Every Sunday, 12pm onwards Contact: (040) 6682 4422
Painting exhibition An exhibition of paintings by Lalu Shaw is being held at Shrishti Art Gallery.
Where: Shrishti Art Gallery, Jubilee Hills, Rd No 15 When: Ongoing, 11am onwards Contact: (040) 2354 0023
Etching prints A group exhibition of etching prints by various talented artists is being held. Where: Gallery Space, Banjara Hills, Rd No 12 When: Ongoing, 11am onwards Contact: (040) 6554 1836
Solo exhibition Ramakanth’s Solo Painting Exhibition which deals with loneliness of a long distance runner is being displayed at Muse Art Gallery. Where: Hyderabad Marriott, Tank Bund When: Ongoing, 11am onwards Contact: (040) 2752 2999
Yoga Camp The last part of a series of sevenday yoga camp will be held by Yoga Healing Foundation at Saroornagar Indoor Stadium. Where: Indoor stadium lawns, Saroornagar When: May20 onwards, 5.15 am onwards
Contact: 994820 8556
Theatre workshop Samahaara is hosting special four week summer acting workshops. The workshops will be held for a duration of four weeks. The workshops are being held at three different places in the City. Where: Vidyaranya School, The Terrace, The Actor’s Studio When: May 14 onwards, Monday-Friday Contact: 83411 20303
Food and cricket Great food and a great game of cricket makes for great news. Head to News Cafe to catch the IPL matches with some great IPL inspired food. Where: News Cafe, Inorbit Mall, Madhapur When: Ongoing, 8pm onwards Contact: (040) 4010 1236
Summer contest Head to Inorbit mall for a summer from May 14 to May 27. All through the weeks there will be a variety of contests. Where: Inorbit Mall, Madhapur When: Ongoing Contact: (040) 4488 0000
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 SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012
Homeguard loses walkie
Gas cylinder burst injures 6
Cop’s bike torched
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homeguard, K Satnarayan Reddy, who, with a couple of civilians, was allegedly checking vehicle records to collect money in Secunderabad last night got a kick and lost his trans-receiver. The police said while the team was stopping vehicles, a rider came from behind, gave a kick to Reddy, who fell down. The rider snatched the set and sped away.
as leak from a poor quality LPG cylinder led to a blast that injured six people including two children in Singareni Colony in Saidabad this morning. One woman has lost her hand. Police said the accident took place while the cylinder was beibg illegally refilled at a home in Singareni colony. An investigation has been initiated.
n yet another case of bike burning, a new bike of police constable M Naveen, was torched last night. He had parked his bike in front of his home in Gowliguda and was asleep when someone came in the dead of night, sprinkled petrol on the vehicle and set afire. Afzalgung police are investigating.
Cops solve double murder MOHD SUBHAN
mohd.s@postnoon.com
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t proves once again that the law, if sets its mind on something, can solve even mysterious case without resorting to third-degree methods. In an exemplary instance, the Yallal police in RR district on Saturday worked out a double murder case of Bandemetapally village that had kicked up a storm of scandal after two men, asleep outside their home, were hacked to death four days ago. On Wednesday last people of Bandemetapally woke up to hear the horror story of two labourers, B Krishna and his cousin B Fakerappa, having been brutally hacked to death in front of their home the night before. The hacking was so savage that people were stunned at the brutality of the assailants. Each limb was severed with a sharp weapon and scattered nearby. Deputy Superintendent of Police G Uday Kumar told Postnoon the investigation revealed that Krishna’s wife Narsamma, 40, had an alleged extra marital relations with one Maisappa, 35, of the same village. Krishna had reportedly caught them red-handed recently in a compromising position. Thereafter, Krishna sought the help of the Panchayat leaders who convened a meeting of all concerned.
At the meeting Maisappa and Narsamma were asked to keep off and they reportedly agreed. Maisappa is married and has kids. However, it later came to know that Maisappa nursed a grudge against Krishna as he was not able to meet Narsamma. After the murder, as part of the investigation, police picked up Maisappa and another man called Bugappa, who later turned out to be a hired-killer. “Maisappa flatly refused any involvement,” said Kumar. “But we scrutinised the mobile phone call history of all the people involved — Krishna, Maisappa, and Bugappa. It was revealed that they had mutually been connected telephonically. Bugappa’s last call was to Krishna. Nevertheless, both the suspects continued to deny any complicity. Police locked them up in the cell and did not ask them anything initially. Based on mobile call history and circumstantial evidences, Yalla police resolved to try the method of mental pressure on the suspects. Accordingly, each policeman, who comes to the station on duty was made to ask the suspect only one question: How did you kill the two? Initially the two would stare dumbly at the policeman and would not reply. The cops did not mind. In another 10 minute another policeman will come and ask the same question. This repeated for 48 hours yielded the results: Maisappa, in a fit of desperation blurted out that Bugappa did
and he helped. Kumar said the two then explained how the murder was planned. Frustrated at not able to meet Narsamma, Maisappa thought of doing away her husband. It so happened that on the night of murder, Krishna had a small function at his home of sending his daughter Bujji who attained puberty to her husband’s home. There was a party and booze to celebrate the occasion. Krishna and his cousin
New HMDA chief sets deadlines Mohd Inkeshaf Ahmed feedback@postnoon.com
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he newly appointed Commissioner of Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority Neerabh Kumar Prasad has set a September deadline for completion of the HITEC railway overbridge that has been dragging on for two years. Prasad called a review meeting soon after he took charge and set deadline to each project.
After the meeting, the commissioner drove to the railway overbridge site in Kukatpally and inspected the works. He told HMDA chief engineer Madhava Raja that September deadline is not negotiable. This is the first time a chief of HMDA is taking a hard line and assigning time-bound tasks for his engineers. He also reviewed the progress of other projects such as Outer Ring Road project, which has a deadline of November this year. The commissioner also reviewed the Ring Road project.
Fakeerappa slept outside home as it was too hot inside. Maisappa and Bugappa came and with knife and sword attacked Maisappa. After killing Maisappa, they got scared as Fakeerappa had woken up in a start and was about to scream when the attackers realised that he too had to be dispatched or else would turn against them. Thus Fakeerappa to met the same fate as Krishna. It is said that Narsamma had no knowledge of the diabolic plan
her alleged lover plotted. With the help of mobile phone history police has been solved this case within the period of three days and this was purely extra marital affairs case due to which B Krishna and B Fakerappa was brutally murdered by Bugappa and his associate Maisappa,in this case police have found Maisappa main conspirator and Bugappa is the main accused. Confessed the crime, the two are going to be put on trial.
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CITY SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012
Male sex abuse, a hidden reality
Ganesh’s daring revelation of his childhood sex abuse opens up a new path that other male victims could take. Hiding only fans the issue, speak out and you are free ANUBHA K SINGH
anubha.k@postnoon.com
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ince the time city-based fashion designer Ganesh Nallari shared flashes of his traumatic past in childhood sexploitation in Aamir Khan’s show he has been flooded with emails and messages and people asking him how he felt meeting Aamir Khan and how was the feeling of being aired on such big show. Jee, people want to know how he felt being in a big star’s show! Ganesh spoke as one of the survivors of the child abuse on the show, the episode was on child sexual abuse. “For me it was not at all easy to discuss this on a public forum my true intention was to spread awareness and if even one child is saved through me it’s worth. I was not there to meet the star or gain any publicity. In fact after the show there are times when people in city give me weird looks and feels sympathetic towards me which is quite embarrassing for me” said, Ganesh. I was not there because of Amir Khan I would have shared my views to anyone who approached me. I was there to spread some awareness among general public through my experience. Even before Satyamev Jayate my story was told through a film I AM, however, it
vivor must have consented because sexual abuse doesn’t happen to real men. The truth is we have a powerful and pervasive belief system that keeps male survivors silent and ashamed.
was just a small part of the trauma I went through. Ganesh opens up with Postnoon, shares his experience and the way he came out of the trauma.
THE CHILDHOOD
TRAUMA
I don’t remember the age when it actually started. I was like any other child in those days who was not aware of the word child sexual abuse. It took me 17 years to understand that I was sexually abused by my own uncle. My childhood was not like any other child of my age. There were times when I used to be afraid of staying alone in home as my uncle used to abuse me that time. My grandfather was not keeping well those days and my parents often went to visit him in the hospital and that was the time my uncle used me sexually.
SHARED
OVERCOME
THE NEWS
I was a shy kid. I never use to talk too much or share my views to anyone. It was in 2009 when my parents came to know about it before the release of I AM. There was an article related to the movie in one of the newspapers and that’s how my parents came to know about it. As any parent they were shocked to know about it but thanks to them they have always stood by me and supported me in whatever I did. I used to live in a joint family and one day we had a fight in my family, and I packed my bag and left home. My parents were away. I went to a relative’s home and my parents when came to know
THE TRAUMA
After completion of my dental I worked in Bangalore for some years and then it was time for me to come back to Hyderabad. I joined NIIFT here and that was a turning point in my life. I was a topper student and designing gave me my life back. I kept myself always busy in some or the other work. I learned classical dancing, I started fashion designing and I use to take art workshops in schools. On the death bed of his abuser, Ganesh went and told him he had pardoned him. There ended a traumatic past. I am a happy-go-lucky person. I live my life to the fullest. My past is a closed chapter of my life now.
MESSAGE
of it they supported me. I studiously avoided uncle in many occasions. Then I finally shifted to Bangalore for my dental course and that’s how I saved myself.
VICTIMS OF MALE CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE ARE ASSUMED TO BE GAY WHICH IS FALSE
In the patriarchal setup we live in most of the times male child sex abuse remains hidden and disbelieved. The reality is stark and most of the times male sex victims are assumed to be gay. A common myth is men can’t be sexually abused and he could have stopped it if he really want to. It is assumed that the sur-
I request every parent to learn to listen to their kids never ignore saying it they don’t know anything. Thanks to the internet and media today’s kids are more matured and well aware about many things unlike us. I request the schools to give sex education in schools it will only help the kids to know what is right and what is wrong. Send your kids to workshops and classes where they can learn more about sex education it’s a need of the hour.
The Journey of Love, Lies and Seeta Chandra Pemmaraju and Chaitanya Chitta talk about crowd-sourcing and the challenges faced Hemanth Kumar
hemanth.k@postnoon.com
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t's been more than two years since Chandra Pemmaraju conceived the idea of making an indie film, set in New York, about three guys who fall for the same girl. Despite making couple of successful short films, the journey to make his first feature film, Love, Lies and Seeta turned out to be quite a daunting one. One major decision was to go for crowd-sourcing instead of approaching an individual or a studio to produce the film. Chaitanya Chitta, the executive producer of the film, says, “As this was the debutant project for
the team, we knew the chances of securing the funding from traditional sources of film financing were remote. So we began with whatever little seed money we got and then started approaching friends, family initially and spread to more investors.” So what are the pros and cons? “It definitely spreads the risk of the project and you not only bring investors but also recruit a team who will support you in the cause. On the flip side, crowd-sourcing can be a difficult process to manage. Since it is still evolving, there are no standard formats in place yet.” Although initial funding was
from friends and family, the team soon realised the need to reach out to more people. “We always believed in our concept and our ability to execute this and the people who got associated backed us,” Chandra Pemmaraju, the director, says. Over 35 investors from various countries came forward. “The goal was always to make a Hollywood quality film at a low budget. To keep the costs low we offered the sweat-equity to our key cast and crew,” Chaitanya says. The film has been selected for film fests in the US including Riverside International Film Festival and World Music Independent Film Festival.
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FOCUS SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012
Arrested development Barack Obama recently risked political upheaval by rooting for the LGBT cause. Surely, this ushers in a new era of social acceptance, but when will we get there? FAUSTINA JOHNSON
feedback@postnoon.com
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irst conversation of the year with Isha, my erstwhile best friend, sole witness to all that I was in school. After ecstatic minutes of squealing and our voices have more or less settled into a normal pitch, we move onto the mundane subject of our college lives. ‘My best friend is gay,’ I mention casually amidst descriptions of my classmates. “Oh my god! I want one too,” she says, and I can’t help but be reminded of the gorgeous off-shoulder Armani LBD she’s always lusted after. Since when did gay men become hot property? “Isn’t that heaven? Does he like pink? Do you go shopping with him?,” and other wince-worthy clichés follow. My mind wanders, her questions lighting the path. A hundred years of the gay liberation movement, and this is what it has achieved? Inane stereotypes and the vacuous insistence to establish sexuality as an identity defining status? Two weeks ago, US President Barack Obama’s announcement signalled a paradigm shift in social perception. Nevertheless, the
We are essentially perceived as being...strange. It is obvious even in the most general allusions. Sadly, we are looked often looked upon as a potential threat. Shwetha N general acceptance is but congested and arrested by ignorance. Responding to the predictable accession of interest in the gay community, here’s one or two things everyone ought to know about the homosexual. Sexuality has as much to do with personality typology as having curly hair does— it is not a generalisation of the person’s tastes or character. We seem to have switched from terrified taboo to stunting focus-ignoring all other dimensions of the homosexual. How many queer artists have longed to achieve Kaki King’s (American guitarist and composer) distinctiveness of being recognised for her work and not her sexuality? Too many people know Adam Lambert as the queer Fashionista rather than as a vocal virtuoso.
‘Gay’ in such a context should rightly not be more than an adjective. “Acceptance is subjective. Too many are ignorant concerning the issue,” says Anil Mehta*, a gay man in the city. Baseless stereotypes still clutter the horizon. A good number of my female peers seem to pride themselves on their ability to detect Sapphic persuasion from the smallest outwardly “hints”. I recollect a conversation with a cousin about hostel life, which turned into vignettes of uncultured females in shirts and baggy shorts with imagined “lesbian tendencies”. I listened incredulously as she cautioned me to beware of “those types of people”, a hint of a patronising elder sister ‘I’ve-seen-more-of- theworld’ in her tone. “We are essentially perceived as being...strange. It is obvious even in the most general allusions. Sadly, we are looked often looked upon as a potential threat,” says Shwetha N* Mainstream cinema reduces the gay man to comic relief, with blatant associations to the ridiculous. Images of a nauseatingly ‘feminine’ Abhishek Bachchan running towards John Abraham and his waiting rose in Dostana still evoke the reflexive wince. “LGBT portrayal in films is poor, ill-informed, ill-intended, and dangerous to my community,” says Adhithya S, a student. One also cannot help but notice that the majority of gay-themed movies revolve around coming out. While it is a significant milestone, I expect there are more exciting things in a lesbian’s life. Liberation, expression and equality are essential to live a whole life, but the contemporary version of the LGBT movement seems sadly disoriented. Hate also exists within the community. Effeminate men, who are a small percentage of gay men, are discriminated against. “I believe the other men feel masculinity is degraded by people like us,” says Adhithya. Gay pride would, in the last century, have meant a declaration of self-affirmation and a celebration of personal autonomy but in today’s context seems only to deepen the line of distinction. Professing a separate identity is hardly an egalitarian approach. Proud of what? One might as well hold up banners declaring allegiance to the shape of one’s little toe. Even so, gone are the days when a gay man was subjected to self righteous rejection on all sides. Barack Obama risked a political upheaval to confess his personal support. Surely, this ushers in a new era in social acceptance. Normalcy seems far yet, but the change is well directed. “Time is the answer”, says Anil, who recently came out to his parents, “I was well received, so I take this as a sign of positive change.” *Names changed on request
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NATION SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012
Govt to stop author’s visit
UN ‘kills’ Kashmiri now
NEW DELHI: Jan Myrdal, son of the
UNITED NATIONS: Almost a
celebrated Nobel laureate couple — Gunnar and Alva Myrdal — faces a ban on visiting India because the government believes he is a Maoist supporter. The government of India is contemplating a ban on the future visits of 85-year-old Jan Myrdal for his alleged backing of pro-Maoist ideology.
Criminal to be extradited NEW DELHI: A Delhi court has asked
year after key 26/11 suspect Ilyas Kashmiri was reported killed in a drone strike, the United Nations has updated his status as “reported dead” in a sanctions list of individuals and entities associated with al Qaeda. The UN Security Council amended the information related to Kashmiri on May 10.
the Centre to extradite an Indian national, accused of raping a girl in 2010 in the state of Victoria, to Australia to stand trial in the case. The court asked the government to extradite fugitive criminal Jaswinder Singh Mutta, charged with the offence of raping a girl in Victoria in January 2010, to Australia.
Whistle-blower KAS officer dies
BANGALORE: Five days after he was allegedly attacked, a Karnataka Administrative Officer, said to be a whistle-blower in some controversial land allotments by societies, died at a private hospital today (Sunday). SP Mahantesh, whose condition turned critical yesterday, died following a cardiac arrest, hospital sources said. “Mahantesh’s heart stopped at 5.30am. We tried our best to revive him, but failed”, a doctor, who refused to be named, said. 48-year-old Mahantesh, who suffered head injuries in the alleged attack by unidentified persons on May 15, had been on a life support system since the last two days. He was found unconscious
near a hotel here while returning home in his car and shifted to the hospital after passersby noticed him and informed his family. The KAS officer, known for his integrity, was working as deputy director of the audit wing in the state’s co0operative
SC sets rules for preventive arrest
department and had reported irregularities in different societies involving some officials and political figures. Police have formed a special team to track down the culprits, but are clueless so far. This is the second death of an official of the state government after that of an assistant conservator of forest, Madan Naik, who was assaulted by a group of tourists at Dandeli in Uttara Kannada district on May 6. Naik was attacked when he objected to the tourists feeding crocodiles at a private resort. The government has ordered a CID probe into Naik’s death and the police have arrested six persons in this connection. PTI
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NEW DELHI: A person’s liberty is sacrosanct and cannot by taken away by the state without due process of law as it violates fundamental rights, the Supreme Court has ruled, laying down fresh guidelines on invoking provisions for preventive detention against a person already in jail. “The personal liberty of a person is sacrosanct and state authority cannot be permitted to take it away without following the procedure prescribed by law, otherwise it would be violative of the fundamental rights guaranteed under articles 21 and 22 of the constitution,” the
apex court said. While Article 21 grants right to life and liberty subject to reasonable restrictions, Article 22 protects a person against arrest and detention in certain cases. A bench of justices BS Chauhan and Dipak Misra passed the ruling upholding Manipur native Huidrom Konungjao Singh’s appeal against the state government’s decision to invoke the provisions of preventive detention under the National Security Act (NSA) against his son Huidrom Shantikumar, lodged in PTI judicial custody in a murder case.
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WORLD SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012
CLASSIFIEDS
An olive tree called Michelle
MUNICIPAL APPROVAL
A
1,400-year-old olive tree in Italy will be dedicated to American first lady Michelle Obama for her efforts to promote healthy eating. The dedication ceremony will be held May 25 in southern Puglia region during a festival to celebrate Italy’s Mediterranean diet. During the ceremony, the seventh-century tree dubbed “the Queen” will be dedicated to the US president’s wife.
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about 20 seconds, killed a man and injured two other people in northern Italy on Sunday. The 5.9-magnitude quake which struck around 2am GMT in the Emilia-Romagna region. It was followed by several aftershocks. Earlier another 4.1-magnitude quake was felt in the Lombardy region around Milan, Italy's financial and business capital.
Blind Chinese activist completes US odyssey
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activist Chen Guangcheng began a new life in the United States on Saturday, praising Beijing’s “restraint and calm” as he sought to draw a line under a monthlong tussle that tested ChinaUS ties. Chen asked to say a “few simple words” as he, his wife Yuan Weijing, and their two young children were greeted with cheers and applause on arrival at the New York University apartment block that now becomes their home. “After much turbulence I have come out of Shandong, this is thanks to the assistance of many friends,” he said. “At the most critical juncture the American embassy in China provided a safe haven and the American government has provided me with assistance and granted me citizenship rights here.” Chen expressed his gratitude to the American embassy for ushering him to a new life in the US, but he was also was quick to praise the “restraint and calm” of the Chinese government in dealing with the tumultuous international row. He said he believed Beijing’s promises were “sin-
Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng makes remarks to the media, while standing beside NYU professor Jemore Cohen, upon arriving on the campus of New York University on Saturday. AFP cere,” but was clearly concerned about the fate of relatives left behind. One of China’s bestknown activists, Chen, a selftaught lawyer, won plaudits for investigating forced sterilizations and late-term abortions under China’s “onechild” family planning policy. Chen made a dramatic escape from his village in April after more than seven years either in prison or
house arrest, eventually securing sanctuary at the US embassy in Beijing. In a gripping account of his escape, Chen said that earlier this month that after weeks of preparation to put his guards off the scent, his wife pushed him over a wall built around his small home. He broke his foot when he landed on the other side, but undeterred, he scrambled in pain to a neighbour’s pig sty,
where he hid till nightfall. After a long and painful journey through fields and over walls, he eventually made his way to the home of a friend. His shock arrival at the US embassy sparked an international row that threatened to damage China-US relations and officials hastily struck a deal to let Chen go free — an agreement that appeared to suit both sides.
Zuckerberg status: Married SAN FRANCISCO: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg capped the week of a lifetime, changing his own status to married Saturday after wedding Priscilla Chan just a day after his company went public, he announced. Zuckerberg posted a wedding picture with his bride, where else but on his Facebook page. “Mark added a life event to May 19, 2012 on his timeline: Married Priscilla Chan,” was the only description of the shot of
the bride in white and the groom — famous for his attachment to casual clothes — all smiles in a dark suit and tie on his other big day. Facebook stumbled on its first trading day Friday as shares ended barely above the starting price after a glitch-plagued market debut on the Nasdaq that failed to live up to its enormous hype. The stock, priced at $38 on Thursday in the largest-ever IPO for a technology firm, eked out a gain of just 0.61 percent to AFP end at $38.23.
Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan.
AFP
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COMMENT SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012
Gym diaries
I
feel like I was seeing myself in a mirror when I read this article. At first everything looks so cool and easy, but later you feel like you can see stars in the daylight. You feel like eating everything you see on the roadside and console yourself saying, “Once I lose 10 kilos, I can eat everything I want.” But the truth is it is not going to happen that way. Uma Sunder Ameerpet
Pedal power on roads
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ayyyy! I’m so happy that bicycles are back on the roads. It is a great sight to see colourful bicycles with people of all ages riding on them. If you ask me, cycling is the best way to stay healthy. You don’t need to join the gym or do crazy exercises. All you need to do is to cycle every morning for half an hour and you will definitely live a longer. Ranjan Amrut Lakdi Ka Pul
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 040-4067 2222.
Revisiting the past
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’m a resident of Secunderabad and am very glad to see such an initiative taken up by Postnoon. We have always heard and seen about the glorious past of Hyderabad and Secunderabad always felt like a neglected son. But this campaign somehow is showing the people that it is also a force. Well done Postnoon! Sneha Reddy West Marredpally PTI
EDITORIALS THE ETERNAL flame still burns As the Olympic torch arrived in London there was a sense across the globe that finally we were entering a season of sport far removed from the salacious politicking and scandal of the IPL and the corruption-infested intellectual backwater of Fifa. To say the Olympics is a sporting event like no other is an understatement of gargantuan proportions. It is the one time when the world battens down the hatches, ignores the howls of social wolves baying at the door and enjoys a thing of purity. Sure the Olympics has been buffeted by doping scandals over the past few decades, but when you compare it with the bed-hopping, bribe-taking world of global sport, it pales into insignificance. It’s highly likely that London will pull off the best Games since Sydney in 2000, but it’s also evident that for all the athletes competing this is the Big One. And therein lies the essence of the Games; from its Athenian roots right through to the Modern Era, politicians and dictators have tried to use it to further their barbaric aims... all have failed. Don’t take our word for it, just remember Jesse Owens at Berlin in 1936.
WHAT CHELSEA learnt from Ali Who said boxing tactics can’t be used in football. Anyone who watched Chelsea set down their stall against a rampant Bayern would have been reminded of the Rumble in the Jungle when Ali allowed Foreman to batter before launching an offensive on a visibly tired Foreman. By extra time, Bayern were a spent force, and a rejuvenated Chelsea hung in there till eventual victory came their way.
Gossip in the name of news From the Hip SYED SHOAIB
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ll men are equal before God and the law. Then why is that ‘we’ lesser mortals feel compelled to categorise everything? Including the race of Homo sapiens? There are ripe mangoes and there are raw mangoes, there are inbred dogs and exotic dogs, there are classy clothes and trashy clothes; ok categorising all these things may make some sense at a commercial level. But classifying people; rich and poor, urban and rural, educated and uneducated and subjecting different categories of people to a different set of rules and opportunities! Completely unfair! That said; let’s consider the SRK hullabaloo of abusing a security guard and getting banned nor it. Well, I cry foul! No
one interviews me when my editor blasts me; it never becomes a topic of debate when I have a brawl with my neighbour every evening over his parking sense, or when I get into a rage at the fellow behind me when he tries to jump the queue at the movie theatre. Actually I don’t think I should be complaining seeing poor Shah Rukh Khan’s plight, I might actually be getting away with a lot. Anyway, anything Shah Rukh does demands so much attention; his every word needs to be debated upon, his every micro-expression deciphered. And all this only because we cannot contain our urge to classify people and pay too much attention to some and too little to others. At the end of the day, he is just like any of us. We would be irked if somebody shoved and pushed our children around; whether we are drunk or not. Whatever category we choose to put him in, he will still remain just human; nothing more and nothing less. Now continuing with the debate of our urge for indulging
in an exaggerated curiosity for a few and an equally diminished interest in even the being of others, I don’t see much coverage being given to the other party in the fracas, and whatever is heard, is again that of the angry young man and father’s version. In the court of the public, the not so rich and famous don’t have the right to defend themselves. His plight has been getting no takers. The poor fellow is armed only with a now-stucknow-shrill whistle and a uniform for whatever respect it commands. And he is expected to manage a highly volatile crowd, which has nothing pinned to the shoulders distinguishing the ordinary from VIP, VVIP or Do not Touch. Now in reel life, the roles would have been reversed with SRK being the whistle-wielding righteous crusader of his ilk, faithfully discharging his duty while singing ‘I am the best’ from the side of his whistleblowing mouth. And while packing rebellious arrogant rich kids in an orderly queue, he would have bashed up all the ugly
macho guards surrounding the rich father and his spoilt brats with a bloody nose, tear-filled eyes and victory oozing out of every gymned muscle. The lesson to take from this for the nowcontrite family and the audience would be that the law is one for all citizens in our land. All of us choose to play a part and try to do our best at it. He chose to be our time-pass and he does his job well. And why shouldn’t he? He is paid well for it. (Did I hear someone say a little overpaid?) Anyway, his job is to keep us entertained in our spare time, so why must we allow him to spill over and occupy our productive time also? We should not make SRK and his antics nationwide news, or better, we could humour his histrionics as an occupational hazard most actors seem to suffer, or sympathise with the father playing out a reel role to protect his daughter in real life. Not to propagate gossip in the name of news will help. The writer works for Postnoon.
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BUSINESS SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012
SA label move irks Israel
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outh Africa is planning to require “Made in the Occupied Palestinian Territories” labels on products from Jewish settlements in place of “Made in Israel” labels, the trade ministry said on Saturday. The move prompted a furious response from Israel’s foreign ministry which said South Africa’s ambassador would be summoned for an explanation in the coming days.
AI owes `454 cr service tax
Indo-Japan biz to hit $25 bn
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ive months after its accounts were frozen for non-payment of taxes and duties, crisis-ridden Air India has piled up about `454 crore of dues but has promised to clear it as soon as it gets capital infusion from the government. "The service tax dues is Rs 395 crore, AI officials said. Taking into account the 15 per cent interest, the dues will come to around `454 crore.
NEW DELHI: The trade between India and Japan is likely to touch $25 billion by 2014 on the back of a trade deal that the two countries signed in 2011, a study has said. During 2010-11, the two-way trade stood at about $13 billion. The potential areas for economic cooperation include capital goods, auto parts, iron, steel and chemicals, it added.
Europe on journey into the unknown if Greece exits
Claire Rosemberg
BRUSSELS: As investors and European leaders big and small tot up the potential cost of Greece departing the euro, the European Union too stands perilously close to meltdown after six decades in the making. Weeks ago still an elephant in the room, Athens’ looming exit from the club of 17 nations sharing the single currency has become the hottest topic in town since Greece’s inconclusive elections this month. Markets put the collateral damage of “Grexit” — Greek Exit — at between 150 to 500 billion euros, while political analysts see the bloc at worst tumbling like a house of cards, at best pulling together to pluck a new future from the ruins. “It is a very very risky game, a very unpredictable situation," Jan Techau, director of the Carnegie Europe think-tank, told AFP. “Once you pull the plug no one knows what will happen, which is why everyone’s trying so hard to avoid this." Credited with underpinning European peace and democracy for more than half a century, the EU has seen rough-and-tumble times, but the sovereign debt crisis has spawned its worst nightmare — prospects of a failed Greek state on its periphery and a domino-effect shrinkage of the bloc. Analysts paint a bleak picture of events in Greece should it quit the euro, with banks collapsing, the currency nose-diving, unemployment ballooning and riots in the streets. “The greater political symbolism would be hugely damaging for European integration," added Techau. “It would undermine the idea of solidarity, shattering efforts to construct Europe.” “If the glue comes undone it will hurt the entire European project.” Worried by the prospect of anti-austerity Greeks winning a vote re-run next month and refusing to pay back hundreds of billions in loans, European leaders, including austerity hardliner German Chancellor Angela Merkel, have softened their line.
US President Barack Obama (2nd R) speaks to fellow G8 heads of state (L-R) Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, Italy’s Prime Minister Mario Monti, Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper, French President Francois Hollande and Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron at the start of the first working session of the G8 Summit at Camp David, Maryland on Saturday. AFP
G8 backs Greece as tensions mount CAMP DAVID: G8 leaders expressed their wish to see Greece stay in the eurozone at a Camp David summit Saturday, as the group papered over deepseated divisions about how best to tackle the eurozone crisis. With the future of Europe’s currency union in doubt, leaders of the world’s largest economies called on Greece to stick fast to the terms of a massive cash-for-reforms bailout, which is hanging by a thread. “We agree on the importance of a strong and cohesive eurozone for global stability and recovery," a final G8 joint communique stated.
A Greek exit “will delight extremists. It’s a very bleak option, which is why we’re hearing all these calls to Greece not to depart,” said Jean-Dominique Giuliani, who heads the Robert Schuman foundation in Brussels. But such talk may be too little too late. “Events in Greece show that elites are no longer in charge, things have been taken out of their hands,” said Richard Whitman of London-based Chatham House think-tank. “I think the Greek public has stopped listening to what the EU or the politicians have to say. They are just looking at their unsustainable living conditions.” Across the 27-nation bloc, the two-year crisis has toppled eight national leaders — the latest being France’s Nicolas Sarkozy — while Greece’s far-right this month joined eurosceptic populist parties on the march in nations such as Finland, France
Pledges to lift 50 mn Africans out of poverty CAMP DAVID: G8 leaders pledged to lift millions of Africans out of poverty by promoting investments in sustainable agriculture. “Today we commit to launch a New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition to accelerate the flow of private capital to African agriculture, take to scale new technologies and other innovations that can increase sustainable agricultural productivity, and reduce the risk borne by vulnerable economies and communities," the statements said. “This New Alliance will lift 50 million people out of poverty over the next decade."
and the Netherlands. And as the crisis threatens major economies Italy and Spain and knocks at France’s door, a growing rift between the 10 noneuro and 17 euro nations — the “ins” and “outs” — may widen should Greece depart. Nations already hesitant about joining the single currency might turn their backs on the project while weaker economies such as Portugal, Ireland, Italy and Spain might also depart — or be elbowed out. “A Greek exit would throw the whole process into reverse," Whitman said. “That has never happened before. We’ve never had a country that was expelled or expelled itself from the core part of the project.” The endgame could see the euro restricted to a core group of economically sound nations such as Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Finland, Austria AFP and France, he said.
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CONVERSATIONS SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012 DEEPAK DESHPANDE
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TO W HITE H OUSE lan Lichtman is famous for his The Keys to the White House, a system for predicting the outcome of the presidential elections. The crux of his theory is that the outcome is based on the performance of the government and factors such as the challenger’s campaign and role of support groups are inconsequential. The method has been successful in predicting results correctly from 1984 to 2008. The Keys are statements that favour the re-election of the incumbent. When five or less are false, the party in power wins. When six or more are false, it loses. After the midterm elections, the incumbent party holds more seats in the House of Representatives than after the previous one. False There is no serious contest for the incumbent party nomination. True The incumbent party candidate is the sitting president. True There is no significant third party or independent campaign. True The economy is not in recession during the election campaign. True Real per capita economic growth during the term equals or exceeds mean growth during the previous two terms. False The incumbent administration effects major changes in national policy. True There is no sustained social unrest during the term. True The incumbent administration is untainted by major scandal. True The incumbent administration suffers no major failure in foreign or military affairs. True The incumbent administration achieves a major success in foreign or military affairs. True The incumbent party candidate is charismatic or a national hero. False The challenging party candidate is not charismatic or a national hero. True
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‘Winner takes it all’
Allan J Lichtman, political historian, professor, activist and analyst, simplifies for us the key factors that decide the US presidential elections ARUN KOSHY PHILIP
arun.k@postnoon.com
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f it’s the summer that is generating heat in India, the other side of the globe is equally hot for a different reason — the US presidential elections. With Mitt Romney emerging as the Republican contender for the country’s top the and world’s most powerful post, not just India, the whole world is hooked on to the race. Come November, the people of the United States will decide if they want a new occupant at White House or Barack Obama should stay on for another four years. “In the US, the electoral college is the decider. The winner takes it all. Popular vote may not translate into electoral college victories,” Lichtman points out. The public is angry with the Republicans due to their adamant stands on key welfare issues and the recent rightward shift has done nothing to improve the GOP’s standing, he says. “From the current government’s performance, Obama will have an easy win. The fluctuating exit polls are not credible indicators of the candidates’ fortunes,” he says with confidence. He cites the example of 1988 elections when
George HW Bush, who was trailing by 17 points in the opinion polls, won by 7 points — a 24-point upset. Lichtman doesn’t believe the process is complicated. “It is the government policies and their degree of success that becomes decisive. The American people simply gives ‘thumbs up’ or ‘thumbs down’ to the party in power. It is that simple.” Ever time there is an antioutsourcing remark in the US, it finds a mention in Indian press. However, it is not a matter that affects the vote of the average American, he says. Moreover, both Republicans and Democrats are funded majorly by MNCs who need outsourcing to maintain their competitive edge.
He points out that the strength of the US electoral system is the “checks and balances” put in by the Constitution, and an independent judiciary that can scrap arbitrary executive actions lie at the heart of it. This, combined with a free press and independent groups that provide all information on parties and candidates, makes it pretty powerful, he says. “In Washington, nothing stays secret. Everything leaks,” he laughs. Televised debate has been the latest (actually it began in 1960 when John F Kennedy faced Richard Nixon) addition to the public scrutiny and sways public opinion more than anything else, he adds. “State loyalties are crucial. In states that are overwhelmingly Republican or Democrat, there is hardly any campaign. The campaigns will focus on ‘swing’ states that will swell or deplete the kitty of electoral college votes,” Lichtman says. Over the years, people are demanding for the electoral college system to be replaced with direct vote. “It is a very reasonable demand. The problem is that it would require a constitutional change, and that’s not easy,” he says. The US Constitution requires a cumbersome process for amendment and the fact that it has been amended only 27 times since 1789 speaks volumes
about ‘not easy’. The campaign spending and funding is relatively free of corruption as there are no unreasonable restrictions. Lobbyists can legally finance their best bet at office, subject to campaign funding rules. There is a cap on individual contributions, however, there is no limit on candidates spending their personal wealth in getting elected. “Obama spent $750 million to get elected in 2008 and this time his campaign expenditure is expected to cross $1 billion. Micheal Bloomberg spent $100 million to get reelected as New York mayor,” Lichtman quotes a few figures to drive home his point. “However, I strongly support public financing of elections to avoid politicians being corrupted by vested interests. Either way they waste billions daily and the money to fund campaigns would be a drop in the bucket,” he says with a broad grin. No change comes without a struggle, he says. All rights that are available in the United States have been achievements of uncompromising struggles. “Change is never easy. Change is never orderly. Change is never pretty,” his tone is business-like now. Only when people are alert and demanding will rights be guaranteed. “And liberty requires eternal activism,” he concludes.
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Tally: True – 10, False – 3 Prediction: Victory for Barack Obama
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KIDS SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012
Moody, and vengeful as he might be, Poseidon was still revered as the Lord of the Seas, second in power only to Zeus among the Greek deities
Poseidon adventure
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MINI SINGH
feedback@postnoon.com Who Poseidon What God of the Sea Son Of Cronus and Rhea Symbol Trident Worshipped By Sailors
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FEATURES
Poseidon was one of Zeus’s older siblings who had been swallowed by his dad Cronus; and was later un-swallowed. Among Poseidon’s other symbols are dolphins, fish, threepronged fish spears and horses (he had once transformed himself into a stallion; and was the father of an immortal horse called Aerion). Though he is an Olympian god, he did not live at Mount Olympus. He lived on the ocean floor in a palace made of coral and gems; and rode a golden chariot pulled by horses, surrounded by dolphins. Poseidon is known as the moody, ill-tempered and vengeful god. When upset, he struck the ground with his trident, causing earthquakes, chaotic springs, shipwrecks and storms in the sea.
STORIES
Division of Power: After overthrowing the Titans, the three brothers Poseidon, Zeus and Hades drew lots in order to share the powers of the Cosmos in a fair manner. While Zeus got the heavens and became the supreme ruler of the Greek gods; Hades was chosen by fate to get the Underworld. Poseidon became the Lord of the Seas and the second in power among the Greek deities. Only the Earth and Mount Olympus remained communal. Face-off with Athena: Once, the first king of Athens, Cecrops (his name implies that he was half person and half snake) had to find a patron deity for the city state of Athens. The two Olympian gods who were really interested in the patronage were Poseidon and Athena, the god-
dess of Wisdom. Both, Poseidon and Athena presented themselves in front of Cecrops, who then asked both to offer a gift that would be truly valuable for Athens. Poseidon went first - he struck the earth powerfully and created a well with his trident; and immediately streaming water shot forth. What could be more precious than water, which is the very essence of life? Well, unfortunately for Poseidon, the water from his well turned out to be salty —not very useful for the population of the city. When it was Athena’s turn, she stepped forward, struck her
AS THE GODS ARE WONT TO FEEL WHEN DEFEATED, HE WAS CRAZY ANGRY WITH CECROPS AND SO HE CURSED THE CITY OF ATHENS TO NEVER HAVE ENOUGH WATER FROM THEN ON. spear into the ground and then she kneeled and planted an olive branch in it, creating the first olive tree, as a symbol of peace
and prosperity on earth (not to mention the super healthy olive oil we get thanks to Athena). And thus Athena’s gift was voted better by Cecrops,and the city was named Athens with Athena as the presiding goddess. As you can imagine, Poseidon was not exactly doing a joyful little jig at being defeated. As the gods are wont to feel when defeated, he was crazy angry with Cecrops (they had no therapists or Oprah at that time, remember?) and so he cursed the city of Athens to never have enough water from then on. After that, a major water shortage started in
Athens, which continues even now. ( we have a water shortage right here in Hyderabad – did anyone here unwittingly offend Poseidon? Own up and maybe we can apologise to Poseidon so that summer won’t be so bad.
LESSONS
Hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst: Though Poseidon’s gift would have been the best thing to happen to the city, the surprise twist was that the water turned out to be salty. Sometimes life throws a googly at you. You have to take it in your stride and move on.
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ART AND CULTURE SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012
What is China buying?
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British naval heritage at risk
A reluctant comic book hero
hina is the world’s largest art market—even if the figures are disputed. The numbers vary, but the French site Artprice claims that in 2011, China represented 41.4% of the fine art auction market. The International Art Market in 2011, puts China’s share, taking both auction and dealer sales into account, at 30%, and both sets of figures put China ahead of the US and Europe.
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rchaeologists are up in arms over the MoDs decision to transfer the management of the HMS Victory to a newly formed charitable body, the Maritime Heritage Foundation, which has entered into an agreement with the US ocean salvage company, Odyssey Marine Exploration, to raise the wreck. They fear that the public/private partnership will lead to the deaccession.
obert Crumb, often known simply as R. Crumb, began to draw at the age of two. By the age of ten, Crumb, born in Philadelphia in 1943, was an avid fan of comic strips, and by 16, he was sketching the adventures of the family cat, Fred, who eventually became Fritz, one of his best known comic-book characters.Crumb became a key figure in the counterculture and a fixture in Zap Comix.
The digital life
Move aside paints and stains, clicks and strokes are now the modus operandi to create works of art Faustina Johnson
feedback@postnoon.com
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he afternoon is hot. You’ve been slaving at a sketch for over four hours now. Lost in concentration, you don’t notice a steady smear your hand has been slashing across the paper. When you finally do, you reach desperately for the eraser, and slosh! Your drawing just got a generous helping of beer, your artistic companion till now. Now how could that scene end well? Enter the graphics tablet and the stylus. Enter Photoshop and Gimp. This technology is transforming art the world over. Production is faster, more efficient and qualitatively better today. Welcome to the age of digital arts. Shading, blending, composition, tones, highlights, perspective, distance, depth, style, edges, colour coordination, mixing, the concept remains the same, only the technique has evolved. Digital is simply another medium for creation. While the technology demands some time and patience for proficiency, it is impossible to ignore the new doorways opened by the technique. The digital method allows the artist to choose the exact shade, texture, shape of tool and method of application. One can simply ‘undo’ a bad stroke, or ‘redo’ a specific mix. Different brush types can be downloaded. Manipulation is more efficient.
“It’s an artist’s most creatively satisfying technique,” says Adhithya Srinivas, an artist with a digital bias. Another advantage is the speed of execution. A few hours would suffice to create a masterpiece. On the other hand, an artist can also work on the same piece for months, years even, correcting, adding touches here and there as he learns new techniques.
Digital art allows for more creative outcomes. The traditional art vs digital art debate? Is the uniform surface of a digital print any match for textured paint? “The argument is futile,” says Kevin Algor Crasta, a professional in the field. Art is judged not by the procedure employed, but its content. Is it sublime, orgasmic, frigid or sordid? Traditional and
Group of Seven They initiated the first Canadian national art movement
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he Group of Seven also known as the Algonquin school, were a group of Canadian landscape painters. They originally consisted of Franklin Carmichael (1890–1945), Lawren Harris (1885–1970), AY Jackson (1882– 1972), Frank Johnston (1888– 1949), Arthur Lismer (1885–1969), JEH MacDonald (1873–1932), and Frederick Varley (1881–1969). They were active from 1920-1933. The two artists that are commonly associated with
this group are Tom Thomsom (1877-1917) and Emily Carr (1871-1945). Thomson died before the official formation of the group but had a significant influence on the group. Lawren Harris, in his essay The Story of the Group of Seven wrote that Thomson “was a part of the movement before we pinned a label on it”. Two of Thomson’s paintings ‘The West Wind’ and ‘The Jack Pine’ were the most iconic pieces of the group.
Emily Carr, though closely associated with the group wasn’t an official member. The Group of Seven believed that distinct Canadian art could be developed through direct contact with nature. They are also responsible for initiating the first Canadian national art movement. The Group of Seven was succeeded by the Canadian Group of Painters in the 1930s, which allowed female members.
digital methods can comfortably exist in harmony in the visual art spectrum. Take away the computer and the artist is still the same. When it comes to gaming and animation, technology has been no less than redemption for the animators. Creating the illusion of movement manually would require hours of drawing the same object in different
frames with minimal changes. Digitizing the process has made life easier for Disney and Ubisoft. Photographers, too, fall into this blessed lot, and it’s easy to see why. Technology spares them countless hours spent in darkrooms, acid tank rooms and aquatint cabinets breathing in tons of chemicals. Photoshop is the most primary and widely used software by the digital artist. Adobe Illustrator also stands high on the list of preferred tools. The graphics tablet is also used and considered the most efficient instrument. WACOM, Kevin tells me, is ‘the mother of all tablets'. Even tattoo artists use it. A hybrid of many methods is also often used, where drawings are scanned, and colour is added digitally. Digital art can even be purely computer generated with algorithms. The patterned, geometrical “paintings” that you often see adorning the walls of ill-lit food joints likely belong to this category. “People aren’t very aware of the form, except for the ones who practice it,” says Kevin, “But I’d say this is the future. Comic book industries, graphic novels, animation companies need digital artists.” Does this mean digital is taking over? “Traditional art will always be valued,” says Victor Bernard, an art teacher, “It’s the difference between an email and a hand written letter.”
ART FOR DUMMIES
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ENVIRONMENT SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012
Hazardous asteroids
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A lethal fungicide
bservations from NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) have led to the best assessment yet of our solar system’s population of potentially hazardous asteroids. The results reveal new information about their total numbers, origins and the possible dangers they may pose. Potentially hazardous asteroids, or PHAs, are a subset of the larger group of near-Earth asteroids.
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hlorothalonil, among the world’s most common fungicides, was lethal to a wide variety of freshwater organisms in a new study, University of South Florida researchers said. The journal Ecology Letters, report that chlorothalonil killed amphibians, snails, zooplankton, algae, and aquatic plants below estimated environmental concentrations by the US Environmental Protection Agency.
Photoreceptors in plants
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lants are dependent on the sun. Sunlight does not only supply them with energy, but also controls their development steps. So-called photoreceptors activate the processes of germination, leaf development, bud formation, and blossoming in the cells. The light-absorbing component of a photoreceptor may be replaced by a chemically similar synthetic substance.
She’s dying, do we care? Going green is the new mantra in urban India. But if everyone cared, there wouldn’t have been the need for such a movement in the first place. Hyderabadi youngsters take on the issue
Bhavneet Singh
feedback@postnoon.com
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igers are going extinct, lakes across the world are drying up, ice in the Antarctic is melting but how does it even affect us. Do we really care? Even if we say we do, in what way do we contribute to protect it? Liking ‘Save the Earth’ page on Facebook hardly counts. But is that all we are doing and want to be doing? Sourav Barua, a commerce student from Bhavans is the first to admit environmental degradation scores low on the list of worries in the
world. “I don’t really care about the environment. It is like patriotism; comes only on Independence Day and Republic Day. If there is a marathon for saving Hussain Sagar, most of the students only go there to check out the guys and girls or to have fun. No one gives a damn!” Echoing the sentiments of many of her peers is Sashwatha Sridhar, a student from St. Francis. “What’s the point if I stop using my bike or car or using plastics or littering the roads? The whole world does it. So why shouldn’t I ? I sacrifice my comfort and get what in return? The same pollu-
tion and the same dirty roads.” She then adds, “I know this attitude will not make our planet cleaner and better, but I am no great soul to give up on my comforts to saving the world. Suraj Poolakkil a fellow student is equally, and brutally, honest. “I’m going to die in the next 40-50 years any way. I don’t really care what happens to the Earth after that. I’m sure that things won’t get worse till I die.” “It’s not that I didn’t try doing something. I did try. But every time I did something good, someone else ruined it. So there’s no point in slogging it out,” he added.
While indifference and selfinterest might be the prevailing sentiment, there is, fortunately, still people who care for the future of the planet and doing their bit for its betterment. Gandharv Anand happens to be one of them. “It’s pathetic. I feel ashamed to call myself a part of this generation. All we do in life is to eat, sleep, booze and Facebook. We have become so selfish that all we care for is ourselves.” On asking him about what he does to save the environment, “Come down to Sainikpuri and you’ll know what we do!
Our area is clean and green. This is because we took up several clean and green initiatives to make the area better. I hope the others will do the same,” adds a hopeful Gandharv. So from what we could gather, most of the environment friendly walks and initiatives are just a part of Gen-X’s socialisation. Environment is the last thing in their priority list. There are very few people who actually care about the environment and even they are losing hope. If this attitude isn’t changed now, then our tomorrow looks dark. Seas will no longer be blue, trees would only be seen in books, sky would hardly be visible. Not to mention, water and food wars will be on the rise and our kids would have to face it all for no mistake of theirs. So, let’s wake up before it’s too late!
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FOOD SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012
Same snack, twice the fat
Don’t waste milk
Teen finds finger in food
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Michigan teenager found an unexpected item on his Arby’s sandwich: a human finger. Ryan Hart, 14, was eating a roast beef sandwich when he bit into a piece he described as particularly rubbery. He spit out the item, which turned out to be a part of a finger measuring about one-inch long and a quarter-inch thick, the Jackson Citizen Patriot reports.
aste milk creates a carbon footprint equivalent to thousands of car exhausts, according to a study. British scientists have calculated that the 360,000 tonnes of waste milk poured down drains each year creates greenhouse gases equivalent to 100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide, about the same as is emitted in a year by 20,000 cars.
igh street shops are overloading their sandwiches with salt and fat, a survey suggests today.A sandwich bought in one store may contain twice as much fat, saturated fat or salt as the same flavour snack bought at another shop, research by the consumer group Which? found. It called for all retailers to use the “traffic light” system of nutritional labelling.
Legless and lovin’ it
A hot day deserves something refreshing to make it bearable. How about some good tipple? We present five easy-to-make cocktails you must try this summer MOJITO
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his Cuban classic was said to be Earnest Hemmingway’s favorite drink. One sip into its lime and rum freshness, and it’s easy to see why.
SANGRIA
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his zesty Spanish punch contains the refreshing flavors of lime, orange and pomegranate. Tangy and sweet, this drink tastes just like summer.
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Ingredients
Ingredients Ice 6 ounces light rum n 12 mint sprigs, or spearmint, 8 roughly broken apart n 6 tablespoons fresh lime juice n 4 tablespoons sugar n Club soda n 4 slices lime Place ice in beverage shaker then add in the rum, 8 broken up mint sprigs, lime juice and sugar. Shake well and serve over ice in a high ball glass. Top off each glass with a splash of club soda. Garnish each with a slice of lime and a sprig of mint.
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3 1/4 cups dry red wine ½ cup Cointreau ½ cup brandy
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Juice of 1 large orange Juice of 1 medium lemon Juice of 1 medium lime ½ cup pomegranate juice 2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar Club soda, to taste 1 small orange, sliced thin crosswise 1 small lemon, sliced thin crosswise
1 small lime, sliced thin crosswise Mix the wine, Cointreau, brandy, citrus and pomegranate juices, and sugar in a large pitcher. Refrigerate overnight. Immediately before serving, add in the club soda, orange, lemon, and lime slices. Serve over Ice. n
COSMOPOLITAN Ingredients 50ml Vodka 25ml Cointreau n 20ml Cranberry juice n 10ml (0.3 fl oz) Lime juice Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass. Bartender’s Hint: Garnish with a twist of orange juice. n n
PINA COLADA
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ina Colada is a famous tropical cocktail that comes from Puerto Rico. It’s easy to make and delicious to consume. It is a fabulous cocktail that is loved by everyone and is excellent on a hot summer’s evening for that tropical feeling.
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veryone knows the Margarita, that refreshing drink that can be made in so many ways, takes on many personalities and the must have summer cocktail.
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1 1/2 oz tequila 1/2 oz triple sec dash of lemon or lime juice 3 oz sour mix lime wedge for garnish salt or sugar to rim the glass (optional) Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Shake well. If desired, salt the rim of a chilled margarita glass. Pour contents, with ice, into the glass. Garnish with the lime wedge.
30 ml coconut cream or coconut milk 120 ml bottled pineapple juice 15 ml sugar syrup 45 ml light rum 15 ml Malibu 1 cup ice cubes
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Compiled by Faustina Johnson
Combine ingredients in jug of a blender; blend on high speed until smooth. Pour into 400ml tulip glass and decorate with pineapple, strawberry or mango slices and two straws. Relax and enjoy your perfect Piña Colada!
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FOOD SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012 SRINIVAS SETTY
Kurkuri Tilwan Machli Team Postnoon
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here’s something about the Taj Krishna. It’s an oasis of tranquillity that lies ensconced in a silent bubble that keeps out the honks and human yells that make up Banjara Hills. The fact that it’s one of the oldest luxury hotels in Hyderabad should not detract from the fact that it is home to some of the city’s finest drinking and dining venues. It’s a masterclass in refined understatement, a far cry from the monolithic modernism that most new hotels call architecture. But we’re not here to talk about the hotel, we’re here to talk about one of its restaurants…Firdaus. Firdaus prides itself on serving the food of kings, or more specifically, the food of the Nizams. Its menu is built on a local bedrock, rich in majestic flavour, and smells that could only emanate from a royal kitchen. But as the management of the restaurant realised, the food of kings often requires a royal appetite, and not all of us have blue blood coursing through our gastric regions. So, in order to make sure that even those watching their waists can embark on a journey through the Elysium Field of Nizami cuisine, they came up with a rather novel idea: The Firdaus Shahi Dawat. Small portions of a variety of dishes served to maximize your dining experience. Both the vegetarian and the non vegetarian course start with soup. The Paya Shorba has taste engraved into the trotter. It may be a touch too salty for some palates, but it nevertheless signals a delightful start to a culinary smorgasbord. Next up is an array of kebabs Laal mirch ka paneer tikka, Khumb galaouti and Bhuni mirch aur arvi ki tikki for the vegetarians;and Shikampur, Kebab e Firdaus, and Tala hua gosht for those
From the Nizam, with love If you are heading to this dawat, be advised to skip breakfast and stay till supper
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n the scorching summer heat Melting Moments can be your saviour. The store completely justifies its name as it makes your heart melt with the delicious ice cream it serves. Here you will find delicious dollops of fruity ice creams. They have also introduced a seasonal special menu which includes Mango
Crispy fish fillets, rolled in sesame seeds Noor's Kitchen NOOR JAFRI
Restaurant Firdaus
Address Taj Krishna, Banjara Hills
Meal for two (Veg) 2,100 ++ (NonVeg) 2,300++ A seafood dawat is also available main course…the biryanis. Both, the Hyderabadi subz dum biryani and the Hyderabadi kacche gosht ki dum biryanis epitomise the ethos behind the menu, and both are superb. End the meal with the quartet of desserts Kubani ka meetha, Chiki kulfi, Double ka meetha and you’ve now gone over to the dark side and dabbling in gourmandry. The food at Firdaus is exceptional, of that there is no doubt. The only problem is that there’s too much to eat. This is not for the faint-hearted and if you reckon you’re up for the challenge then make sure you’ve got trousers that are ever-so-slightly loose. Trust us, you will need every available inch.
Deliciously cool Team Postnoon
who prefer meat. The starters for both excel, with the Kebab e Firdaus leading the charge. But a small problem begins to arise as you wait for the main course. Most of us with normal appetites will start getting pretty full by now, and that main course is an entire meal in itself. And as the haleem is brought out, one begins to realise that this may all be too much for one human stomach. Having said that, the Haleem hits the mark, but is very heavy. Follow that with the Dal Makhni and Dum Ka Murg and buttons begin to revolt against their shackles. Even the veg fare, like the Nizami Handi and Turai methi, though tasty, will stay with you for awhile. All this serves to take away from what are ostensibly the stars of the
and Hazelnut. The mango ice cream is a treat to both the eyes and the taste buds, it is presented in such a way that you will not be able to say no to it. A scoop of mango ice cream along with cream and fresh pieces of Himayat mango takes you into another world. For all the dry fruit lovers Hazelnut ice cream is a must, both the flavours are priced between the range of
`150 to `200. Autumn Dreams is the most popular flavour at Melting Moments, it is like the ‘captain of the ship’ as no order is complete without this ice cream which is a mix of total chocolate cake and two scoops of chocolate ice cream topped with loads of chocolate sauce and choco chips. So, now you know where to head with your family in case they crave for ice creams.
DEEPAK DESHPANDE
INGREDIENTS n Boneless fish - cut into strips or squares - 500 gms n Red chilli flakes - 1 table spoon n Garlic Paste - 1 table spoon n Lemon Juice - 1 tea spoon n Chat Masala - 1 and a half tea spoon n Garam Masala - 1 tea spoon n Chopped Corriander - 2 tbspn n Salt to taste n Til - 1 cup n Cornflour - 1 cup n One Egg n Milk - 1/2 a cup n Soda water - 1 tea spoon n or baking powder - 1 pinch n Oil for frying. Procedure
n Marinate the fish pieces with all the masalas, chopped corriander salt and yolk of an egg. Keep is aside. n Make a thick batter, with corn flour, adding milk as required and soda water or baking powder. n Take the egg white, whisk it till it is thick and fluffy and add it to the above batter. n Dip the fish pieces in this batter and roll it into, sesame seeds. n Heat the oil in a pan and on a medium flame, deep fry the pieces, with two three pieces at a time. n Put them on a kitchen tissue and serve hot, with green chutney & lemon wedges.
Chef's Note It's a tasty light starter, which is healthy and rich in all the nutrients.
Noor Kitchen Mobile - 91- 9441282318 Residence - 91-40-23356947
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HISTORY SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012
May 20
May 27
May 20
May 26
1498 Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama arrives at Calcutta India
1964 - Prime Minister JawaharLal Nehru died
1990 Hubble Space Telescope sends 1st photograph's from space
2006 The Java earthquake kills over 5,700 people, leaving over 200,000 homeless.
May 21
1881 American Red Cross founded by Clara Barton
May 21
1994 Sushmita Sen,18, of India is crowned 43rd Miss Universe
May 26
1897 Bram Stoker's novel Dracula goes on sale in London
May 21
1980 Empire Strikes Back premieres for the first time
May 22
1933 Loch Ness Monster is first reportedly sighted by John Mackay
May 23
1934 Outlaws Bonnie and Clyde shot to death in stolen Ford
May 24
1844 Samuel Morse taps out "What hath God wrought" (1st telegraph message)
May 25
1932 Goofy, aka Dippy Dawg, 1st appears in 'Mickey's Revue' by Walt Disney
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SPOTLIGHT SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012
Sandy, Pratyusha and Mahi
Naveen and Ashok
Saturday Night Live
If it’s Saturday it must be party time. As the sun set, the city’s beautiful people headed to the myriad of venues that promise great music. At Liquids, they gathered for a night on the town
Pari
Guddu & Rashmi
Now that’s a Gas! DEEPAK DESHPANDE
Actress Shruti Haasan spotted at GAS store launch at Jubilee Hills on Saturday
Navesh & Neha
Pooja & Gajender
Let the good times roll
DEEPAK DESHPANDE
Keerthi
Prateek, Nupur and Jesthna
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CINEMA SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012
T-TOWN TWEETIES @tashu_02
@snehaullalheart
@shrutihaasan
@themohanbabu
Eagerly waiting to watch yet another eye opening episode of #Satyamevajayate !!
Broke the floor and my back..hehe..now music off..after party in my terrace..party on
And now a power cut in a hotel!!! Lol goodbye sweet sleep it was nice knowing you once
Wishing my darling son @HEROMANOJ1 a very happy birthday. Happiness to u dear son.
@actressanjjanaa
@Actor_Siddharth
@ramsayz
@sundeepkishan
Hav a love filled sunday, so glad tat i got to go home at least for an hour, now need to get ready for shooting http://t.co/DgT1aqgB
This is drogba's swan song! The warrior and his ways! Sport at its finest:) gnite all!!
Here's wishing Manchu Manoj a very happy birthday..☺
I hate drinking..I drink to get over my hatred..I m a peaceful person you see
UKUP’s shoot is complete
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he principal shooting of Manchu Manoj, Balakrishna starrer Uu Kodathara Ulikki Padathara has been completed. For the past few days, Manoj had been shooting for the film in Hyderabad and we hear that he even suffered minor injuries on the set when a lights equipment fell on him accidentally. Sources say that Uu Kodathara Ulikki Padathara was a physically challenging project for both Manoj and Balakrishna. Buzz is that Balakrishna is playing the role of a ghost in the film. Sekhar Raja has directed the film and Lakshmi Manchu has produced the film. Lakshmi Manchu, Deeksha Seth, Prabhu, Saikumar, Sonu Sood, Panchi Bora and Simer Motiani are also playing important roles. Bobo Sashi has composed the music. Uu Kodathara Ulikki Padathara is expected to hit the screens in June.
I have always wanted to be an actress
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eelam Upadhyaya, who’s making her debut in Mr.7, is living her dream. “Trust me, I have always wanted to be an actress. I know that a lot of actresses say that they entered film industry by chance, but I am not one among them,” Neelam says. After school, she began modelling for MTV and later decided to do a correspondence course from Kalina University, Mumbai to concentrate on her acting career. The makers
of Mr.7, the debut film of SV Rangarao’s grandson SVR Jr, signed her up after an audition and ever since she hasn’t looked back. “It’s been a good journey so far. I still remember how I used to struggle to remember my lines in Telugu. I am trying my best to learn the language to gel well with my colleagues,” Neelam recalls. Mr.7 is to release in June and after that she’ll be seen in Allari Naresh’s upcoming 3D film titled Action.
Baadshah sets June date for shoot
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TR who celebrates his birthday today, is gearing up for the shoot of his and Kajal starrer Baadshah, which will go on floors in the second week of June. Sreenu Vaitla is going to direct the film and this is the first time he’s teaming up with NTR. Ganesh Babu is the producer. For the past six months, Sreenu Vaitla’s team has been working on the film’s script. Kona Venkat and Gopimohan, who had collaborated with Sreenu Vaitla in Dookudu, have teamed up once again to write the film’s script. Talking about the film, Gopimohan said, “The script has shaped up quite well. Both NTR and Sreenu Vaitla are excited about the film and we have taken good care in all the aspects. Baadshah is going to be a thorough entertainer. Sreenu Vaitla has decided not to compromise on any aspect of the film.”
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CINEMA SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012
B-TOWN TWEETIES @udaychopra
@SrBachchan
@kjohar25
@AnupamPkher
“Nerd - Sex should be like shaking hands. Geek - Well for us, it kinda is!"
“Umr bhar Galib yehi bhool kartha raha, dhool chehre pe thi our aaina saaf karthat raha”
So KKR rocking it big time!!!! On the top and charging ahead!!! Victory on the cards!!! Go KKR!!!!
Sunset in Goa. Give this pic a suitable caption. 3 best get a copy of my autographed book. Jai Ho.:) http://pic.twitter.com/Up1dFN9u
@NeilNMukesh
@bipsluvurself
@realpreityzinta
@sonakshisinha
Shooting the climax portion of the film for three nights outdoor, starting today. The fiji rains are just so unpredictable.
Today I would need u all to send me who u think are the fittest reigning Indian actors n actresses n sports ppl who r inspirational to you!
Must confess that I’m really proud of the way #KXIP boyz played this IPL ! We gave every team a run 4 their money & made everyone
Remember madam 6'3?? This time i got a picture with her. Im 5'8" by the way for all those who asked! http://say.ly/Pip3lzu
Ravi Kishan signs Yash Raj’s next
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t’s good times for Bhojpuri superstar Ravi Kishan’s Bollywood career. After working with directors like Shyam Benegal and Mani Ratnam, the actor has now bagged a film to be produced by Y-Films, a subsidiary of the Yash Raj Films (YRF) banner. The movie, Mere Dad Ki Maruti, is a teenage love story, to be directed by debutant Ashima Chibber. It features Saqib Saleem as lead, while the female lead will be a new face. “After working with big directors like Shyam Benegal and Mani Ratnam, signing Yash Raj is a big step in his career. He has always done films with a big star cast but signing this prestigious banner takes him one step ahead," said a source. “All his forthcoming films, be it with Sanjay Dutt, Sunny Deol or Prateik, have him in very prominent characters. All these films will make people
sit and take notice of him for sure," the source added. The actor has an interesting mix of films waiting to hit the screens. Some of them include Zila Ghaziabad with Sanjay, Mohalla Assi with Sunny and IANS Issaq with Prateik.
Cinema must empower women
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Parineeti in PC’s footsteps I f there’s any Priyanka Chopra-starrer that her cousin Parineeti would like to feature in if it is remade, it has to be Fashion, says the latter, riding high on the success of Ishaqzaade. “If any of Priyanka’s film is being remade, then I would like to do Fashion. It is my favourite film of my didi’s. (Otherwise) I have no dream roles, I just want to do better
films,” Parineeti said here. The 23-year-old, who made her debut with Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl, says she is not here to compete with Priyanka. “I am foolish if I try to compete with her. She is 10 years ahead of me. I am not mad, and neither am I interested in overtaking her. She is a wonderful actress. I can only learn from her,” she said. Parineeti says after the suc-
cess of Ishaqzaade, she is getting a lot of offers outside of the Yash Raj Films (YRF) banner too. “I am getting lot of offers outside YRF as well but I have not signed anything. I am saying this with all my honesty I have not signed anything. “Very soon I will sign some film because I am curious to know what is going to be my next,” she added. IANS
cclaimed actress Shabana Azmi, who has always tried to portray a strong Indian woman on screen, says it is the responsibility of filmmakers to project women in the right light for society’s benefit. “If we understand that in today’s age and day when girls are being killed at birth for the crime of being a girl, it is the responsibility of cinema to create positive images of women so that people understand that daughters are not a liability, but assets,” Shabana said here.
The 61-year-old asserts it’s not important to portray woman empowerment in every film. But an underlying message can easily be passed on in the garb of entertainment. “I am not saying that every single film must talk about that, but there are subliminal messages. There are subliminal messages that girls can be empowered,” she said. IANS
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CINEMA SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012
Sunny Leone shy: Mahesh Bhatt
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ll that glitters is not gold and all porn stars are not bold, says the inimitable Mahesh Bhatt while revealing that Sunny Leone was shy and uncomfortable while filming the lovemaking scenes with Randeep Hooda in her Bollywood debut Jism 2. “I always knew that she is a very shy person. Just because she is a porn star doesn’t mean that she has lost her feminine quality of being shy. During the lovemaking scene with Randeep she was finding it very difficult to do it comfortably," Bhatt, who is producing the film, told IANS over phone from Sri Lanka, where Jism 2 is being shot. “ ‘Jo nazar aata hai wo hota nahin hai'. All that glitters is not gold, all soldiers are not brave, all holy men are not holy and all porn stars are not bold. At times reality is different," added the filmmaker. The Indo-Canadian adult star of Punjabi origin was finalised for the role by Bhatt during her stint in the reality show Bigg Boss 5. Jism 2 is a sequel to 2003 film Jism, in which Bipasha Basu’s steamy scenes became the talk of the town. Pooja Bhatt, who had produced the original, is directing part two. Sunny surprised the entire crew with her shy behaviour. “Everyone was surprised with her shyness, but I understood that it will be difficult for her. It’s not easy to shoot a lovemaking scene; it is a very demanding thing. Those who believed that it would be a cakewalk for her will be shocked by this revelation," said Bhatt, who has also written the script of the film. Jism 2 will see Sunny as seductress Izna. The love triangle also features Arunoday Singh. Randeep, who shot lovemaking scenes with Mahie Gill in Sahib Biwi Aur Gangster, was equally uncomfortable while shooting the scenes."Even for Randeep it became very challenging although he has shot similar scenes before. One has to understand that it’s not a fighting scene," Bhatt said. Named by Maxim as one of the 12 top porn stars in 2010, Sunny, whose real name is Karen Malhotra, recently, celebrated her 31st birthday in Sri Lanka. Bhatt said Sunny wants to move on from being just a porn star and is looking forward to establishing herself as a part of tinsel town. “Sunny is concerned how she will be perceived by the world as an actress because everybody knows her just as an adult star. She wants to be known for something more than that," he added. Sunny’s career seems to have taken off here. Apart from Jism 2, she has also bagged a role in a sequel to Ragini MMS. She has also endorsed a IANS phone and a condom brand.
CINEMA SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012
D I S P L A YA
D S RATE ` 150 sq. cm
For Further Details Please Contact Abhinay 9989399972 Nandlal 9951467988 Ravi Chander 8106039919
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CINEMA SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012
Alanis S Morissette still nursing son
inger Alanis Morissette hasn’t stopped breastfeeding her 16month-old son as she thinks it’s the best thing for his long-term emotional welfare. The 37-year-old, who has son Ever Imre with rapper husband Mario Souleye Treadway, believes attachment parenting is important for a youngster’s well-being. “I’m an attachment parent.
Anderson performs lap dance
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ctress Pamela Anderson put her saucy side on display by treating two male pals to a lap dance during an outing. The former Baywatch actress was seen sipping wine as she dined with a group of friends at the Boa restaurant in West Hollywood. After she raised her glass for a toast, she turned the evening raunchy as she cavorted around one of her friends before straddling his lap, reports TMZ.com. In a video, Anderson can be seen brushing her fingers across her companion’s lips before sitting on another man’s lap and raising a leg in the air. She is then seen taking another fellow diner by the hand and pulling him to the middle of the restaurant, where she performed an impromptu ballroom dance routine for amazed onlookers.
Duff wants hubby to be at home for son
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inger Hilary Duff wants her husband Mike Comrie to be a stay-at-home dad. Since her husband Mike Comrie is a retired ice hockey player, she feels he should look after their son when she resumes her film career. Duff gave birth to son Luca March 20. “Hilary told Mike that since he’s retired she’s now the family breadwinner, he should be the stay-at-home parent,” contactmusic.com quoted a source as saying. “She had Mike trained to do diapers and bottle
feedings, and she has put him in charge of other household duties, including making breakfast, doing laundry and light cleaning,” the source said.
I breastfeed and I’ll be breastfeeding until my son is finished and he weans,” contactmusic.com quoted the singer as saying. “I think it affords the child, when he grows up, to have a lot less therapy to go to. For me, I protect his safety and his well-being and his attachment. That stage of development is a very important stage.”
ENTERTAINMENT SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012
25 Community reshuffle T
he other shoe has dropped for NBC’s Community, its creative team and its fans. One week after the co-mingled good news/bad news proposition of NBC ordering 13 additional episodes for the low-rated comedy while rumours swirled that showrunner Dan Harmon wouldn’t be returning, it has been officially revealed that Harmon is out at Community, confirmation that broke only a day after the
Duncan Jones takes on 007
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afta-winning Moon director Duncan Jones is taking on the man behind James Bond: spy, journalist and 007-creator Ian Fleming. Jones’s third film as director – with his Liberty Films partner, producer Stuart Fenegan – will focus on the events in Fleming’s own life that inspired his books. Though he became famous as the author of twelve Bond novels and two collections of 007 short stories, Fleming was himself a man of considerable mystery, coordinating real-life espionage in World War II and using his experiences as fuel for his iconic literary creation. Jones’s screenplay is based on Andrew Lycett’s biography Ian Fleming, The Man Behind James Bond. This is the first feature to have the cooperation of the Ian Fleming Estate.
three-episode finale that left many (most?) fans rhapsodic. It’s basically impossible for fans of the show not to feel saddened and betrayed. The gesture to bring Community back for a fourth season was pretty much that: It was a gesture. NBC gave up a while ago on telling Dan Harmon to be accessible. And NBC knows that in its new Friday home, even with less confrontational showrunners in Guarascio
and Port, Community isn’t going to become anything other than what it is, audience-wise. There was a much more generic ensemble comedy that NBC once hoped Community would be , but even if Community were to suddenly become that comedy, it wouldn’t draw 10 million viewers overnight. It probably wouldn’t draw 5 million. Then why bother jettisoning a man who the Community cult worships?
Van Halen to reschedule 30 tour dates L
ess than a week after Van Halen added five latesummer shows to its current North American tour, something went missing from band’s website – namely, all the scheduled tour dates after June 2. “This had nothing to do with fights, illness or bad business,” a source says. “They’re simply burned out. After 50 shows, they need a breather.” The source adds that the roughly 30 postponed shows will be rescheduled but offered no timetable for an announcement. Fifteen scheduled shows are still on, starting with May 19 in St. Paul, Minn., and including three nearly sold-out Southern California stops: June 1 and 9 at Staples Center in Los Angeles and June 12 at the Honda Center in Anaheim. Van Halen is touring behind A Different Kind of Truth, its first album with singer David Lee Roth since the Reagan administration. Roth rejoined old bandmates Alex and Eddie Van Halen for a successful 2007 tour with Eddie’s then-16-year-old son Wolfgang replacing stalwart Michael Anthony on bass. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band, which formed four decades ago in Los Angeles, has sold about 57 million albums in the US.
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CHAI TIME SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012
SUNDAY CROSSWORD
ACROSS
1 Impact noises 7 Poe's visitor 12 Turn — — ear 17 Stephen King thriller 21 Mayo, eg 22 Buggy drivers 23 — Picchu 24 Town in India 25 Fine cigar 26 Overdone novel (2 wds) 28 Retired 29 Drain cleaner 30 Potter or glassblower 32 Bridal attire 33 ‘Gil Blas’ writer 35 A Saarinen 37 Raul's brother 38 ‘Jurassic Park’ co-star 39 Leafier 40 A funny Richard 42 DA's degree 43 Writer — Grey 44 Lighter 45 Ill-considered 47 Tooth holders 48 Dour 49 Dadaist Jean — 52 Gloomy guy 53 Descartes' name 54 Sidewalk edges 55 Exercise system 59 Picnic take-along 61 Date palm locale 62 Tow-away — 63 Vine-covered 64 Hiked the price 65 Throw in the towel 66 Trait determinant 67 Tolls 68 Celebration 69 Memo abbr 70 Glasses, slangily 72 Poltergeist 73 Week da 74 TV adjuncts 75 Hostel visitor 76 Navy or vanilla — 77 Powdery residue 80 Chowder morsels 82 Shanghai warehouses 83 Young Lennon 84 Pizarro foe 85 Singer — Dion 87 Hoedown honeys 88 Galloping gourmet 89 Roused from slumber 90 Alpine bloom 91 Corn tassel 92 UFO pilot 94 Jiffy 95 Nosegay holder 96 Senor's coins 97 They may be wild 98 Profile 99 Vintage auto 100 Basins in a church 101 Schusses 102 Rolls tightly 104 Forces a bill through 107 Steps to the Ganges 108 — and tonic 109 Danish islands (var) 113 Antennas 114 Mistrustful 115 Wards (off) 117 Foam-ball brand
118 007 adversary 119 Give a darn 120 Made the roads slick 122 Telephone trio 123 Macbeth's burial place 124 Weight 127 Snoop 129 Kind of race 130 Cotton thread 131 Sea swallows 132 Most aloof 133 Fluency 134 Slightest 135 Proverb 136 Evening gala DOWN 1 Move laboriously 2 Team member 3 Footman's attire 4 Literary miscellany 5 ‘I, —’ (rock autobio) 6 Hair covering 7 Swiftly 8 Tickled 9 Like the flu 10 Cable channel 11 Blackhawks org 12 Unit of current 13 ‘Dream Lover’ singer
14 Environmental sci 15 Happy sighs 16 Reactor needs (2 wds) 17 Halted 18 Polished 19 Gull pursuer 20 More ancient 27 Roulette bets 31 Jousts 34 Counting-rhyme start 36 ‘— la la!’ 38 Titled ladies 39 Library fixture 41 Came unglued 43 New Mexico tribe 44 Carried 46 California's Big — 47 Daring exploit 48 Physics particles 49 Roy of country music 50 Cowhand, at times 51 Treats on a stick 53 Wet forecast 54 Prague native 55 Jacques- — Cousteau 56 OPEC vessel (2 wds) 57 Toothpaste type 58 Circulars 60 Permit 61 Big League events 63 Privy to (2 wds)
65 NBA periods 66 Pulls down 67 Kublai — 69 Crowning point 70 Boys 71 Jowly canine 72 Forward or reverse 74 Delivery trucks 75 Egg parts 76 City near Zurich 78 Public tiff 79 Lacked options (2 wds) 81 Occupation 82 Coronas 83 Meets, in poker 84 ‘— — Woman’ 85 Cleveland hoopster 86 NASA excursion 87 Main ideas 88 Hobby shop buys 89 Novelist Virginia — 91 Dispatches 92 Copacetic, in space 93 Milk, to monsieur 94 Cosmonaut's lab 96 Billiards parlor (2 wds) 98 Ring-shaped cake 100 Monks' titles 101 Use a grater 102 Diplomacy 103 — Andreas Fault
104 Shark hitchhiker 105 Rock concert venues 106 Desert phenomenon 107 Loft 108 Turning right 110 More embarrassed 111 Otherwise (2 wds) 112 Decadent 113 In reserve 114 Laments
115 Botanist's study 116 18-wheelers 119 Thing, in Spain 120 Exceeded the limit 121 1920s look 125 Contend 126 Ms Hagen of films 128 502, in Rome PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER
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CHAI TIME SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012
STAR POWER Date 21-5-2012
As per Hindu panchang
THIRUVAIKUMAR
thiruvaikumar@yahoo.co.in 040-27177230 / 9949870449
TAURUS
GEMINI
Happy events like marriage, grahapravesam, etc, will bring cheer to family members. Son will get admission in his chosen institution. Daughter's marriage will be settled with a good match.
Very important work should be handled by you directly and not entrusted to others. You will be bold enough to face and solve any type of problem. Your mind will think of the sweet past.
You will renovate residence according to your taste. You will also purchase a new house by selling an old plot for the expected price. A turning point expected in a court-related issue.
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
Your social status is set to improve. Happy events to take place at home. Some have bright chances to construct their own house and shift into it. Chances are bright to buy movable assets.
You will clear a major portion of your debts with the help of relatives and wellwishers. Confusion as to who you should believe will prevail. You might face disappointments in some issues.
Those planning to go abroad will get their visa. You will get opportunity to improve your general knowledge. Your journey will bring new experiences. A court issue will get postponed for now.
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
You will act shrewdly by understanding the weakness of those who are surrounding you. Some of your friends might induce you to go in the wrong route. Never make that mistake.
Some will undertake a joyful trip with family. You will demand and get due share of ancestral property. You might feel tension and get upset and angry; try to be patient and avoid this.
Good news on the cards through spouse. Health needs to be taken care of. Though there will be a good flow of money, savings will remain a dream. Handle jewels with utmost care.
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
Favourable verdict likely in a longpending court case. You will be the most important person in functions that are to take place at home. Some have bright chances to go abroad.
Avoid getting emotional under any circumstance. Never be negligent in govt-related issues. Chances of misunderstanding with mother likely; be careful and avoid such a situation.
Comforts are set to increase. Some have bright chance to buy a vehicle. Opposition will be under control. Blood relatives will extend their wholehearted support in your growth moves.
SUMAA TEKUR
tarotreadhyd@gmail.com
ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
Six of Wands – Trust your instincts and make decisions based on how you feel and not what people think it ought to be. It may feel awkward at first but go with it.
Ace of Pentacles – Happiness is within kissing distance only if you let go of a few expectations, open yourself to living life one day at a time.
Five of Wands – Creativity is a gift, but it can also be learned. There are ways to make yourself more productive and win the confidence of others.
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
The Star – You feel the need to belong to a community and to contribute to something that is huge. Charity and philanthropy may interest you.
The Fool – Hobbies keep you company when you feel let down by other areas of your life. Make sure to devote time every day to a hobby that sustains mood.
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
The Hanged Man – You may be feeling a bit claustrophobic with all the expectations that people have of you. Think of ways to interact with different kinds of people.
Two of Swords – Hope floats. It’s the string that keeps you going and you must never let it go. No matter what kind of criticisms you receive, don’t ever give up.
Queen of Pentacles – You take pride in the little things you do for loved ones; spending few hours a week doing things together or being there when needed.
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
Seven of Cups – You take comfort in the belief that you have most of your needs covered and are in a position to take risks when it comes to relationships.
Eight of Cups – You are in a position of making life all the more convenient with money power and the belief that you need more to be happy.
Queen of Cups – You get better access to what you need at this point – you can create a useful network of people, which will help you in career.
The Wheel of Fortune – There is no point repenting for your actions, especially when what’s done is done and you have no way of turning back.
For Better or for Worse Stone soup
Children...
T
Ink pen
COMICS
Fred Basset
ARIES
TAROT READ Date 21-5-2012
he following came from an anonymous mother in Vizag. Things I've learned from my children (honest and no kidding): • A king-size waterbed holds enough water to fill a 2,000 sqft house 4 inches deep. • If you spray hair spray on dust bunnies and run over them with roller blades, they can ignite. • A 3-year-old's voice is louder than 200 adults in a crowded restaurant. • The glass in windows (even double pane) doesn't stop a cricket ball hit by a ceiling
fan. • When you hear the toilet flush and the words "Uh-oh", it's already too late. • A six-year-old can start a fire with a flint rock even though a 36-year-old man says they can only do it in the movies. A magnifying glass can start a fire even on an overcast day. • Most toys will pass through the digestive tract of a fouryear-old. • Play dough and microwave should never be used in the same sentence. • Super glue is forever.
Vol: 1, No 308 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 040-4067 2222, Fax: 040-4067 2211
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SUPER SEVEN M ANIL KUMAR
SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012
M ATCH 1:
CIAO vs KUEBALL CIAO: 144/0 in 6 overs Avinash Doba (80 in 21 balls) Shivam (52 in16 balls) KUEBALL 40/6 in 4.3 overs Shrenik Jain Takin (hat-trick) CIAO won the match by 104 runs Man of the Match: Avinash Doba
M ATCH 2: HITLERS DEN vs CAFE MELANGE HITLERS DEN: 84/4 in 6 overs Obaid (26 in 9 balls ) CAFE MELANGE: 71/4 in 6 overs Anurag (42 in 17 balls) HITLERS DEN won the match by 13 runs Man of the match: Imran
Coffee & Cricket galore The beats of drums rang and the cheers of the crowd followed when wickets fell and when the ball crossed the boundary RAJESH RAVINDRAN
feedback@postnoon.com
I
magine yourself entering a coffee shop in the evening. The IPL season is on and therefore matches are shown live and conversation that happens is mostly about them. There people discuss the game and dwell on every aspect and what could have been done better. Well, some just talk and some are prepared to bat, bowl and field the talk. At the LB stadium on Saturday, the latter group were on the field representing their nearest coffee shop at the Super 7 cricket tournament in which 16 coffee shops vie for honours in the two-day event. “Some of the people participating in this tournament are IT professionals who played cricket in their school or college days, but don’t have the time to do so now due to their busy schedules,” said Karan Bhangay, one of the organisers. “And there are students who play the game, yet not that often. And cricket is the topic that tops the conversation when they meet up at coffee shops. This event is an opportunity for these folks to not just talk but play and have fun, too.” The first match between Ciao and Kueball was a cracker. Kueball’s bowlers were rendered clueless as Ciao’s openers
Avinash Doba and Shivam Maheshwari pommeled them all over the field for boundaries. Avinash was the more destructive of the two hitting 11 sixes and two fours in his 80 off 21 balls. Shivam made 52 off 16 balls which included three sixes and six fours. Though not in an over, Avinash hit six consecutive sixes. Thanks to these two, Ciao posted 144 in the stipulated six overs. Kueball were bundled out for 40 for 6 in 4.3 overs courtesy Shrenik Jain’s hat-trick. Avinash was adjudged man of the match. Avinash is a CA student who has played league matches. Despite his sizzling performance the Sachin Tendulkar-and-Chris Gayle fan has no plans to play cricket professionally. “I want to be a chartered accountant,” he said. “But cricket is my passion and I will play it for life.” There was not much of a crowd when the event started. But as the day proceeded to noon more people, friends of the players and regular customers of the coffee shops, trickled in. The beats of drums rang and the cheers of the crowd followed when wickets fell and when the ball crossed the boundary. The whole affair may seem a bit watered down: the six-over match, the lesser number of players and shorter distance to the boundary. If one did have a real taste of something our men in blue go through it’s the heat from the unrelenting sun. But even that did not stop anyone there from having some fun.
M ATCH 3: KAPPI NIRVANA vs BETA HOUSE KAPPI NIRVANA: 95/1 in 6 overs Nimees Reddy (43 in 21 balls) Shakeer Ahmed (37 in 13 balls) BETA HOUSE: 77/5 in 6 overs Malikarjun (35 in 10 balls) KAPPI NIRVANA won the match by 18 runs Man of the match: Shakeer Ahmed M ATCH 4: TOSS vs JUICE o LICIOUS TOSS: 113/2 in 6 overs Revanth Sai (56 in 19 balls) JUICE o LICIOUS: 73/5 in 6 overs Sujit (24 in 6 balls) TOSS won by 40 runs Man of the match: Revanth Sai M ATCH 5: TESTA ROSSA vs CAFE 4RESTA TESTA ROSSA: 105/4 in 6 overs Bharath (40 in 10 balls) Sridhar (31 in 15 balls) CAFE 4RESTA: 43/2 in 6 overs TESTA ROSSA won by 62 runs Mant of the match: Bharath M ATCH 6: BLA BLAH vs GET x TRANCE BLA BLAH: 89/2 in 6 overs Abhishek Ashok (38 in 16 balls) GET x TRANCE: 92/2 in 5.4 overs Vishal Sharma (63 in 20 balls) GET x TRANCE won the match by 4 wickets Man of the match: Vishal Sharma
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SUNDAY MAY 20, 2012
METER
I don’t think it was the pressure. We did not play good cricket, should have recognised it was a 150-wicket not more. Very disappointed in the dressing room, tough dressing room I have just left Ryan Ten Doeschate
Chris Gayle (RCB) 706 runs
Morne Morkel (DD) 25 wickets
Court releases Pomersbach on bail A
ustralian cricketer Luke Pomersbach was granted bail on Saturday by a New Delhi court following accusations he molested a woman and beat up her fiance. The 27-year-old batsman, who has one cap for Australia, is signed up in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the Royal Challengers Bangalore team, which took on the Delhi Daredevils on Thursday night. He faces up to two years in jail if found guilty of allegations of molesting a woman and assaulting her fiance at a postgame party at a swanky five-star hotel in the Indian capital. The cricketer has denied the charges against him. A visibly relieved Pomersbach told reporters outside the court: “I am happy that I have been granted bail.”
DD KKR MI CSK RCB KXIP RR PW DC
P 16 16 15 16 15 16 15 16 15
W 11 10 9 8 8 8 7 4 3
L 5 5 6 7 6 8 8 12 11
N/T 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 1
PT NRR 22 +0.61 21 +0.56 18 -0.16 17 +0.10 17 +0.01 16 -0.21 14 +0.27 8 -0.55 7 -0.58
P-played; W-win; L-lost; N/T-no result/tie;NRR-net run rate; PT-points
6S 660
Chris Gayle (RCB)
57 4S 1799
Ajinkya Rahane (RR)
71
HIGHEST SCORE
128*
Chris Gayle (RCB)
BEST BOWLER
4-13
Ajit Chandila (RR)
Another Gayle storm? G APARNA SAI
aparna.s@postnoon.com
D
eccan Chargers won their third match this season; a victory that came a little too late but nevertheless. This is their first victory, other than the matches they won against the Pune Warriors, this season. In their bid to salvage their pride, the Bulls would look to defeat Royal Challengers Bangalore when they both clash on the former’s home turf today. While Deccan Chargers gain nothing by winning this match,
DC VS RCB AT 8PM ON SET MAX the Challengers have their playoffs’ chances at stake. RCB put up an amazing display of cricketing skills when they played Delhi Daredevils in their previous match on Thursday.
In a must-win encounter, the Challengers proved what mettle they are made of. Put to bat first, RCB posted a formidable 215. Demolition man, Chris Gayle, massacred the Delhi bowlers hitting the ball all over the field to remain unbeaten on 128 (off just 62 deliveries). He
was well supported by skipper, Virat Kohli, who scored 73. In reply, the Daredevils looked like they could reach the target but with wickets falling at regular intervals, they fell short by 21 runs. RCB need to win against the Chargers to keep their hopes of qualifying alive but Chennai
would hope otherwise as RCB’s victory would mean ‘curtains down’ for the defending champions. The Chargers beat Rajasthan Royals on Friday and played party spoilers. Will the Bulls be able to repeat this act and shine in their last encounter, remains to be seen.
SCORECARD KINGS XI PUNJAB VS DELHI DAREDEVILS Kings XI Punjab innings (20 overs) AC Gilchrist*† c Aaron b Yadav 9 Mandeep Singh c †Ojha b Yadav 0 PC Valthaty c Pathan b Morkel 2 DJ Hussey c Pathan b Yadav 3 SD Chitnis c Pathan b Russell 38 Azhar Mahmood c Chand b Morkel 36 Gurkeerat Singh b Morkel 26 PP Chawla b Morkel 1 RJ Harris not out 15 P Kumar not out 3 Extras (lb 1, w 7) 8 Total (8 wickets; 20 overs) 141 Bowling O M R W Econ M Morkel 4 0 20 4 5.00 UT Yadav 4 1 19 3 4.75 VR Aaron 4 0 25 0 6.25 AD Russell 4 0 51 1 12.75 IK Pathan 4 0 25 0 6.25 Delhi Daredevils innings (target: 142 runs from 20 overs) U Chand c †Gilchrist b Azhar Mahmood 18 DA Warner c Mandeep Singh b Harris 79 Y Venugopal Rao not out 21 IK Pathan c Azhar Mahmood b Harris 5 Jayawardene* c Hussey b Azhar Mahmood 8 NV Ojha† not out 5 Extras (lb 2, w 7) 9 Total (4 wickets; 18.2 overs) 145 Bowling O M R W Econ P Kumar 4 0 33 0 8.25 RJ Harris 4 0 19 2 4.75 P Awana 3 0 40 0 13.33 PP Chawla 4 0 28 0 7.00 Azhar Mahmood3.2 0 23 2 6.90
PUNE WARRIORS VS KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS Kolkata Knight Riders innings (20 overs) BB McCullum† c Ryder b Parnell 41 G Gambhir* c Nehra b Parnell 10 JH Kallis b Clarke 13 Shakib Al Hasan b Kumar 42 MK Tiwary not out 8 YK Pathan not out 15 Extras (b 4, lb 1, nb 2) 7 Total (4 wickets; 20 overs) 136 Bowling O M R W Econ A Nehra 4 0 35 0 8.75 AG Murtaza 2 0 11 0 5.50 WD Parnell 4 0 18 2 4.50 B Kumar 4 0 23 1 5.75 MJ Clarke 4 0 27 1 6.75 SC Ganguly 2 0 17 0 8.50 Pune Warriors innings (target: 137 runs from 20 overs) RV Uthappa† c Tiwary b Iqbal Abdulla 8 JD Ryder b Pathan 22 MJ Clarkest †McCullum b Pathan 13 SC Ganguly* lbw b Shakib Al Hasan 5 Majumdarst †McCullum b Shakib Al Hasan 17 CJ Ferguson c Kallis b Bhatia 12 Harpreet Singh c & b Narine 6 WD Parnell c sub (LR Shukla) b Balaji 3 B Kumar not out 3 AG Murtaza not out 3 Extras (b 1, lb 2, w 7) 10 Total (8 wickets; 20 overs) 102 Bowling O M R W Econ L Balaji 4 0 20 1 5.00 Shakib Al Hasan 4 0 18 2 4.50 Iqbal Abdulla 3 0 20 1 6.66 SP Narine 4 0 15 1 3.75 YK Pathan 2 0 12 2 6.0 R Bhatia 3 0 14 1 4.66
Delhi Daredevils won by 6 wickets
Kolkata Knight Riders won by 34 runs
MI’s final chance
R
ajsthan Royals have lost all their opportunities of making it to the playoffs. Their loss against Deccan Chargers on Friday ended their chances of making it to the next round this season. Skipper, Rahul Dravid, and his team were an extremly dissapointed lot. “I don’t think it was the pressure. We did not play good cricket, should have recognised it was a 150-wicket not more. Very disappointed,” Dravid was heard saying. While it is the end of the road for the Royals, it is not the same for Mumbai Indins when the two teams meet in thelast league match of this IPL season.
RR VS MI AT 8 PM ON SET MAX Mumbai lost to Kolkata Knight Riders in their previous tie. This saw the Knights qualify for the play-offs. A win in today’s match would secure their place for the play-offs. Rohit Sharma is in prime form. He even has a century in this year’s IPL. The other players including Dwayne Smith and Kieron Pollard have done their bit too. If the players have a good day at office then there is no chance of stopping Mumbai.
66 DAYS TO GO SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012
30
Liu plays down hype Carl Court
Hooker fails all 3 jumps
SHANGHAI: Chinese
SHANGHAI: Olympic champi-
athletics superstar Liu Xiang is playing down expectations for his performance at the London Olympics despite setting a season’s best time in the 110m hurdles on Saturday. Liu became China’s first ever Olympic track champion at Athens 2004 but four years later caused national angst when he dramatically pulled out injured in front of a packed Bird’s Nest Stadium at Beijing 2008. On his home turf in Shanghai at the Diamond League meeting on Saturday, he clocked 12.97sec in wet conditions to beat two Americans, David Oliver and world outdoor champion Jason Richardson. “I didn’t think I would run within 13 seconds, so seeing 12.97 seconds makes me extremely happy,” he said after his victory. Speaking to reporters, he sounded a note of modesty, saying it would be an honour merely to be in the Olympics — although he also said he was practicing his English. While China has yet to pick its three hurdlers, Liu is considered an automatic choice. “I don’t think about
on Steve Hooker failed all three jumps Saturday as he crumbled dramatically at the Shanghai Diamond League meet, in a blow to his recovery from an alarming slump in confidence. Hooker, who has struggled so badly with injury and mental demons that he had to qualify for London at a specially sanctioned, invite-only meet at his personal training facility last week, could not get over 5.30 metres. China’s Yang Yansheng won with 5.65 ahead of Germany’s Bjorn Otto, under rainy skies in the Chinese metropolis. Speaking just two days ago, a buoyant Hooker told reporters that he hoped to move forward towards the London Olympics.
Liu Xiang of China celebrates winning the men’s 110 metre hurdle event during the Diamond League athletics meet in Shanghai on May 19. AFP/PETER PARKS breaking the world record,” he said. “I hope to keep this good form and give full play to my training. My dream is just to stand on the Olympic track.” Fellow competitor Richardson said Liu seemed to draw strength from the home crowd, who roared as one when
the Chinese hurdler crossed the finish line. “He’s incredibly hard to beat here,” Richardson said. “What was surprising was to see an entire country get behind one athlete. I wish we had a little bit more of that in America.” But Liu also has to contend
with the weight of expectations riding on his shoulders from the world’s most populous country. Asked if he faced pressure, Liu said: “I’m used to pressure. I’ve never felt pressure on myself. Everyone faces pressure, what you have to do is control it.”
‘Win in 1st race shows I’m on track’ Jonny Brownlee
F
or the past seven months, I’ve slogged away on snowy fells, braved days on the bike when the rain and the cross-winds have been icy and unrelenting, and steadily chalked off hundreds of training routines: day after day, week after week, month after month. Last Saturday, I finally got to race. That, to be honest, was exciting enough. But to win the opening ITU world series in San Diego event was even better. True, not all my rivals were there — my brother Alistair is back in full training after his achilles injury but probably won’t race again until Blenheim or Kitzbühel, while Javier Gómez was also missing — but a good many were, and to
come first such a big race speaks volumes about my chances at London 2012. The opening race of the season is always a little strange. No matter how well everything is
going, you wonder whether you’re done too much or too little, and what your rivals have been getting up to over the winter. But everything went to plan: I was first out of the
water, was strong on the bike, and while I didn’t feel amazing on the run I had enough to run the 10km in 30 minutes exactly and pull away from Sven Riederer, from Switzerland, to win by five seconds. How did I wind down from my win? Don’t laugh, but on Sunday I did a gentle workout: 45min run, 1hr 15min bike ride, and a swim in the sea. I’m scared of sharks so I didn’t stay long in the water. It sure makes a change from the nettles and brambles we have to contend with in England. In truth, I don’t really analyse my races much afterwards. I race hard, do my utmost and then I forget about it. What’s done is done. I’m not one for spending ages looking at my heart rate monitor or splits and suchlike.
Mary gets Olympic ticket
W
omen’s boxing legend MC Mary Kom spoke of her immense relief after she was handed an Olympic lifeline on Friday — without even throwing a punch. The five-time world champion was reduced to a bundle of nerves at the Women’s World Boxing Championships in China after she failed to gain an automatic Olympic spot after losing to Nicola Adams in the quarter-finals. But Adams, from England, dismissed Russian Elena Savelyeva in the semi-finals 116, clearing the path to London for the celebrated Kom. “It was emotional sat there watching as I had no medal after losing to Nicola in the quarter-finals. I was up and down,” said Mary, who watched Adams also qualify for the 2012 AFP Games.
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SPORTS SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012
Briscoe on pole for Indy 500 INDIANAPOLIS: Australian Ryan Briscoe won the pole position for the 96th Indianapolis 500, edging Canada’s James Hinchcliffe in Saturday’s qualifying session for the May 27 oval IndyCar classic. Briscoe turned in a four-lap qualifying speed average of 226.484 mph around the famed 2 1/2-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway, then watched from his car as Hinchcliffe and American Ryan Hunter-Reay tried in vain to overtake him. “This is huge,” Briscoe said. “Man I’m happy. This is unbelievable. Those four laps were so consistent. Whew. Getting the pole at Indy, it feels good to get my first one here.” Briscoe will start on the inside of the front row with Hinchcliffe, who was second-best by an eyelash at 226.481 mph, alongside him and Hunter-Reay on the outside after a run of 226.240 mph. A total of 24 spots in the 33car field for the race were available in Saturday’s time trials session, with the final three rows of three cars to be filled in Sunday’s last day of qualifying. The top six cars and nine of the top 10 were Chevrolet powered, US rookie Josef Newgarden’s Honda the only other motor to crack the first three rows. The nine fastest drivers from the open qualifying period, where spots 10-24 in the field were determined, were given the last 90 minutes to decide the pole and Briscoe made a fast run early to make himself the man to beat on a hot day.
C’paul, Samuels fight on Julian Guyer
LONDON: Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Marlon Samuels launched a rearguard action as they battled to prevent the West Indies going down to defeat by England in the first Test at Lord’s on Saturday. West Indies, in dire straits after losing three wickets on 36, had recovered to 120 for four in their second innings at stumps on the third day. That still left them 35 runs behind England’s first innings 398. Chanderpaul dug-in to be 34 not out in twoand-a-half hours of typical defiance. Samuels offered sound support in an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 55 in 113 balls.
Nadal, Djoker in final clash Scott Williams
ROME: World number one and defending champion Novak Djokovic swept past Roger Federer on Saturday to set up a Rome Masters final rematch with five-time winner Rafael Nadal. Top seed Djokovic ended Federer’s brilliant run of recent clay form, defeating the world number two, and last week’s Madrid champion, 6-2, 7-6 (7/4) while Nadal reached a seventh Rome final with a 7-6 (8/6), 6-0 win over compatriot David Ferrer. After defeating Ferrer for the 12th consecutive time on clay, Nadal will face Djokovic for the 32nd time on Sunday, with the Spaniard going into
the contest holding a 17-14 lead. Nadal won their last meeting in April for the Monte Carlo title, snapping a run of seven consecutive losses to his rival in finals dating back to March 2011. “I’ve raised the level of our rivalry,” said Djokovic. “Playing Rafa in the finals again is very encouraging. It is what I want before Roland Garros.” Nadal, winner of the Foro Italico trophy in five of seven appearances, also won a 39th straight claycourt semi-final and has not lost at the final-four stage on the surface since 2003. Nadal has 15 wins on clay this season against one defeat.
Spurs hammer Clippers LOS ANGELES: Tony Parker
The car of Ryan Briscoe, driver of the #2 IZOD Team Penske Chevrolet, is brought to the track at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway MATTHEW STOCKMAN/GETTY IMAGES/AFP
scored 23 points and Tim Duncan added 19 as the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 96-86 on Saturday for their 17th NBA victory in a row. The Spurs, who trailed by as much as 24 points in he first quarter, rallied to take a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference second-round series. They can complete a sweep with a triumph in game four on Sunday in Los Angeles. “Our backs are against the wall,” Clippers star Blake Griffin said. “If we don’t play with a sense of urgency it’s not going to be pretty. We’ve got to dig deep and find something. We can’t give up. We can’t stop working.” No team in NBA history had ever recovered from trailing by more than 22 points to
win a playoff game. “To start the game the Clippers played very aggressively. They made their shots and got that big lead on us,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “You have stick with the system and work at it. It either works for you or it doesn’t. We didn’t really make any changes. It just worked out for us.” The Spurs, who have a home-court edge throughout the NBA playoffs after Chicago’s first-round elimination, won the final 10 games of the regular season and have won seven in a row in the playoffs as well. Duncan added 13 rebounds for San Antonio and Parker contributed 10 assists as well. Kawhi Leonard scored 14 points and Argentina’s Manu Ginobili scored 13 points for the Spurs.
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SPORTS SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012
Rope-a-dope in Munich
Much like Ali did with Foreman in Zaire, Chelsea soaked up wave after wave of Bayern attacks to be crowned the kings of Europe on penalties Rob Woollard
MUNICH: Didier Drogba was the hero as Chelsea won a historic first Champions League crown here on Saturday to shatter Bayern Munich’s dreams of winning the title at their home stadium.
Drogba stepped up to rifle home the decisive penalty as Chelsea clinched a 4-3 shoot-out victory. A match Bayern had dominated went to penalties after a frenetic finish to normal time, with Mueller heading Bayern into the lead seven minutes from time only for Drogba
Di Matteo coy on future MUNICH: Roberto Di Matteo refused to be drawn on his future at Chelsea after leading the Premier League giants to a historic first Champions League crown against Bayern Munich on Saturday. The 41-year-old’s future at Stamford Bridge has been shrouded in uncertainty ever since he took over from the sacked Andre Villas-Boas in March, with Di Matteo largely viewed as a stop-gap appointment. Russian owner Roman Abramovich is reportedly determined to persuade former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola to help rebuild Chelsea but may now decide that Di Matteo’s claims on the vacancy are impossible to ignore. A smiling Abramovich gave Di Matteo a warm embrace at the Allianz Arena on Saturday after Chelsea’s veteran striker Didier Drogba had struck the winning penalty to complete a 4-3 shoot-out win. However Di Matteo was giving nothing away as reporters questioned him on whether he wished to stay at Chelsea. “What I discuss with the boss we don’t discuss publicly,” Di Matteo said. “And it’s irrelevant, I’ve said that for three months. I’m happy with the role I’ve been given and whatever the future holds for me I will accept.”
to equalise in the 88th minute. It was an agonising defeat for Bayern, who saw midfield Bastian Schweinsteiger miss with their final kick to give Drogba the opportunity to cement his place in the pantheon of Chelsea legends. Chelsea goalkeeper Petr
Cech was the club’s other hero on the night, saving from Olic to get his team back into the shootout after Juan Mata had missed the Premier League side’s opening effort. Drogba’s winning spot-kick was a fairytale ending for the 34-year-old Ivorian striker, who had been sent off in the
final minutes of Chelsea’s Champions League final defeat in Moscow four years ago. “In Moscow it was very difficult, painful for the players, for the club, for the fans, and today we managed to change it and again it was an amazing game, a crazy game,” Drogba said.