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FEBRUARY 25, 2012 HYDERABAD
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PAGE TWO SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2012
HIDDEN GRANDEUR
Chowrasta
Catch the painting exhibition Chowrasta featuring artistes such as Natraj S, Thirumala M Thirupathi, Srinivas Mouni and Subodh Singh. Where: Shrishti Art Gallery, Jubilee Hills When: Ongoing, 11am Contact: (040) 2354 0023
Reflections
The first annual photo exhibition by Hyderabad Weekend Shoots (Team HWS) titled Reflections is on. Team HWS is an online photo sharing community that conducts photowalks. Where: State Gallery of Fine Arts, Kavuri Hills When: Ongoing, 10am Contact: (040) 23113308
A suitable lunch
Syn presents three offers to suit your needs. There is a lunch for those in a hurry, a lunch for those who are calorie conscious and a lunch for those who are planning a fun-filled and food-filled reunion with pals. Where: Taj Deccan, Banjara Hills When: Everyday, 12pm onwards Contact: (040) 6666 3939
Martini ‘n music
Enjoy your evenings with martinis and crooner Kelly. This is what you call a perfect mix for a perfect evening! Where: Taj Krishna, Banjara Hills When: Every Evening Contact: (040) 6666 232
Pasta on your mind
Craving for a tasty pasta? Latitude 17 Cafe offers a variety of delicious pastas to suit your varied pasta cravings! Where: Latitude 17 Cafe, Banjara Hills When: Ongoing Contact: (040) 2339 8000
Midnight Buffet
Midnight hunger pangs? Head to Best Western for it’s midnight buffet where you can enjoy Hyderabadi dum biryani and live dosa with chicken curry every night. Where: Best Western Jubilee Hills When: Ongoing, 10.30pm-2.30am Contact: 80083 00373
Cognac and Cigar
The Seasons Bar opens up again as a Cigar and Cognac lounge with a wide selection of cognac, rare whiskies, single malts and cigars. Where: Taj Krishna, Banjara Hills When: Ongoing, 7pm
CINEMAS
A view of Birla Mandir. Contact: (040) 6666 2323
Social drama
A social drama titled Kanyasukulam is being presented at Ravindra Bharathi. The play is directed by Rasamayee. Where: Ravindra Bharathi, Saifabad When: February 25, 6pm Contact: (040) 23231245
Acting workshop
Samahaara- an acting and dancing workshop is being held. The workshop focusses on a variety of topics such as understanding the basics of stage acting, character analysis, stage and rehearsal terms, movement, stage geography. Where: The Actor’s studio, Madhapur When: Ongoing, 7pm to 9pm Contact: 98854 04784
Life Portrait
Soni- A portrait from life is a live portrait workshop being held at Iconart Art Gallery. The workshop features life portrait and life sculpture demonstrations. Where: Iconart Art Gallery, Banjara Hills When: Ongoing, 11am Contact: 98499 68797
Conversations in time
Kalakriti Art Gallery plays host to
M ANIL KUMAR
Ashok Mullick’s collection of paintings on canvas titled Conversations in Time. Where: Kalakriti Art Gallery, Banjara Hills When: Ongoing, 11am Contact: (040) 66564466
Get my food-Pronto
In a hurry? Head to Prego at Westin. It offers quick 45-minute lunch stop overs. Where: The Westin, Madhapur When: Every day, 12pm onwards Contact: (040) 6767 6767
Poetic tribute
A unique programme of songs, poems and plays dedicated to the legendary Marathi poet and Playwright Shri V V Shirwadkar also popularly known as Kusumagraj will be presented at the Keshav Memorial Institute of Technology. Where: Keshav Memorial Institute of Technology, Narayanguda When: February 25, 6.30pm Contact: 90002 06010
Chinese food festival
Experience the year of the dragon at Entree the dragon, a Chinese food festival at The Square, Novotel. Where: The Square, Novotel, Madhapur When: Ongoing, 8pm
Contact: (040) 6682 4422
Khao Galli
Sample and expansive spread of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes at Khao Galli, Madhapur. Where: Khao Galli, Madhapur When: Ongoing, 8pm Contact: 99120 22261
Club night
Rock your Saturday night at Kismet. with DJ Jay belting out the best in club music. Where: Kismet, Somajiguda When: February 25, 8.30pm Contact: (040) 23456789
Play time
Enjoy street theatre? Catch the street play Welcome to Hirasat as a part of University of Hyderabad’s Teenatak Theatre Festival. Where: University of Hyderabad, Gachibowli When: February 25, 6pm Contact: (040) 2313 0000
International pizza festival
Pizza lovers this is the news for you! News Cafe is host to the International Pizza Festival. Sample pizza’s from around the world. Where: News Cafe, Inorbit Mall, Hitech City When: Ongoing, 12.30pm Contact: (040) 6460 334
Big Cinemas, Ameerpet, 30581470; Cinemax, Banjara Hills, 44565555; Cine Planet , Kompally, 61606060; INOX, Banjara Hills, 447677770, Prasads, Tank Bund Rd, 23448888; PVR, Punjagutta, 08800900009; Talkie Town, Miyapur, 40214175; Tivoli, Secunderabad 27844973
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CITY SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2012
Factional feud claims 3
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hree persons in a family fell prey to factional feud on Friday at P Chintakunta village in Kurnool district. The assailants raided the house of Krishna Reddy, a follower of former Nandyal MP Bhuma Nagi Reddy. They killed Krishna Reddy (46), his wife Govindamma (42), and a follower Dubbe (45). Krishna’s son Mallikarjuna Reddy, who was injured, was shifted to a hospital. The police said property disputes could be the reason for the rivalry.
Bus runs over two
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n APSRTC bus rammed into bystanders on the road killing two — a woman and a girl — on the spot at Voletivaripalem in Prakasam district on Saturday morning. Four others, including a woman and a baby girl, were injured. The passengers in the bus said that the driver collapsed on the steering and the vehicle straight rammed into the people and hit a tree before coming to a halt.
FOR REPRESENTATIONAL PURPOSE ONLY
Talentina at GBS
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ajiv Jayaram, the CEO and co-founder of Knolskape, presented a scintillating programme, Virtuoso, at the Guru Nanak Business School on Friday for management students. It explained how they could become entrepreneurs and succeed. The two-day programme titled ‘Talentina’ had drawn brilliant students from various parts of the country. The fest proved to be a kaleidoscope of management talents at their best.
Enraged man strangles kids
Where the menu speaks of status U Srinivas
srinivas.u@postnoon.com
MOHD SUBHAN
mohd.s@postnoon.com
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n a heart-rending crime, a man suspecting his wife of infidelity, throttled to death their two sleeping kids on Friday night. The man later surrendered to the police and confessed to his crime. P Reuben, 45, a resident of Netajinagar in Erragadda, worked as a security guard at a nearby apartment complex. His wife Shobha, 30, was working at a jewellery store in Punjagutta for the last six months. The couple who had been married for 12 years had two children — Teja, 12, and Rachel, 11. According to inspector Borabanda, R Ram Mohan Rao the couple had of late been
on bad terms as the man suspected Shobha of being unfaithful. Since Shobha spent long hours talking on the phone, which he didn’t like. Reuben and Shobha often fought over this and he accused her of being unfaithful. He even suspected that their children had been fathered by her lovers. On Friday, Shobha had left for her native, Nalgonda, to attend a relative’s wedding. When an enraged Reuben returned home at night and saw his children fast asleep, he strangled them to death. After a while he surrendered to the SR Nagar police and confessed to his crime. Teja and Rachel were studying at the nearby Srinivasa High School. The school declared a holiday today in mourning of them. Principal Srinivasa Rao told Postnoon he was deeply sad at the loss of two bright kids. “They were good students, it is very sad their life was cut short. May Lord never give kids parents like these,” he prayed.
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ll may be equal before the eye of god but certainly not in the eye of Legislative caterers. Here the menu speaks of the status of each served. When the Assembly session drags on beyond schedule, it’s customary for the Speaker to arrange a working lunch. On Friday they were told the lunch was on its way — biryani. The media point was agog with the news. But, what a let down! When the lunch arrived, media persons sighed in disbelief. It was dum biryani for ministers, sada biryani for MLAs and bisibela bhath and curd rice for media! To their consolation, they found the police and sleuths too sharing the same poison.
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CITY SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2012
PETA
Dog days in Hyderabad Indian dogs suffer appalling cruelty on the streets while expensive foreign breeds in urban homes live in air-conditioned rooms. Those who adopt the ‘phoren’ breed then complain of stray dog problems. Why this double standard?
What makes a dog the best companion
PK SURENDRAN
surendran.pk@postnoon.com
W
hen man came out of the forest, dog followed him. While all other creatures were sceptical of the crafty biped, the dog’s trust in him was total and unconditional. The association continues into the 21st century. But (here’s the billion dollar
question) has man repaid the trust? Not by a long shot. His love for the animal has been discriminatory at best — dividing the poor animal into unfair categories as stray, low pedigree, exotic breed, high IQ, low IQ and what not. As if this were not bad enough, man began cross breeding the animal and even forced it to behave like a human! So we have the mountain terrier languishing in a 5x5 cage, cattle dog lying indolent on the veranda and a Chow Chow dozing its days off in a 10th floor apartment. Today, every city in India is
If anyone wants to adopt a stray dog one can contact the Veterinary Officer and Assistant Directors, GHMC. The GHMC is conducting an Animal Birth Control Programme for strays and release them at the same place as per the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) rules and Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) Norms. Name of the I/c Officer Dr Abdul Wakil Dr Radha Krishnaiah Dr M Kiran Kumar Dr P Rama Krishna Rao V Pavan Kumar Dr JD Wilson Dr MA Sajid Dr L Goverdhan Reddy Dr T Srinivas Reddy Dr C Sukunandan Reddy Dr K Chakrapani Reddy Dr Y Sadguna Devi Dog Section Qutubuddin Naseeruddin Nani Gandaiah
Zone Circle. No West Zone West Zone East Zone East Zone East Zone Central Zone Central Zone North Zone North Zone South Zone South Zone Head Office Dog Squad Monkey Catcher Dead Animals Snake Catcher Snake Catcher
Mobile No. 9000901937 9989094470 9989094469 9989930357 9000554767 9704456521 9989930356 9704456520 9989930397 9989930359 9989930358 9908878189 9908878189 9908878189 9908878189 9908878189 9908878189
infested with the street dog menace or shelterless dogs that pose a danger to public health. More tragic is the fact that the solution to this problem is very much in the hands of man and yet he does not heed it. Animal lovers point out that if one out of every five Indians adopts one Indian dog, the stray dog issue will be solved forever. Instead, an overwhelming majority of urban Indians rear expensive, overseas breeds while the ethnic dogs go around suffering hunger, torture and insult on the streets. The problem is more accentuated in Hyderabad where every gated house seems to prefer a foreign breed to a local variety, and consequently, the street dog population is growing at an alarming pace. In 2010, Hyderabad is estimated to have had 3.5 lakh street dogs as against 1.5 lakh in 2000. In other words if even one out of 4,000 people in the City adopt one street dog or a puppy the scourge of stray dog problem could be worked out in Hyderabad. The only other care we must take is to ensure prompt disposal of solid waste (not dumping garbage but setting up treatment plants) because growth of street dogs and pests are directly proportional to the growth of rotting dumps. However, Dr Pandurangan, a leading veterinarian attached to Raseell Aluwalia Dog Sanctuary, says people are now waking up to the reality that Indian dogs have distinct advantages over
n They are always happy to see you. n They do not judge you by your success at work. n They are satisfied with whatever food you give them. n They do not expect you to remember their birthdays. n They will forgive you for playing with other dogs. n They will not complain if you are not properly dressed. n They give you unconditional love and service. n They will not judge you by your looks or abilities.
Why the Indian dog
n Better suited to Indian climate and conditions. n Usually short haired, hence easy to maintain. n More affectionate and alert. n Longer lived than large breeds such as Great Danes, Dalmatians and Mastiffs. n Higher level of immunity to canine diseases. (Courtesy: Blue Cross Hyderabad) the exotic breeds. “Some 32 to 40 per cent of my clients rear Indian varieties. They have a better immunity, fewer dermatological problem and are more affectionate.” Then, why do people still opt for foreign breeds? “Fashion. There are two types of dog owners — one for fashion and the other for passion. It’s the passionate that don’t go by pedigree. For many an expensive but ill-suited foreign breed is an addendum to the riches like an expensive car,
a mansion, and antiques.” Dr Rangan says the City ought to have an electric crematorium for dogs. “Abandoning the pet in its old age is the cruelest thing one does.” Dr Rashid Koker, a veterinarian and animal lover, put it more bluntly, “I subscribe to the view that when you rear an expensive foreign breed you are guarding it, when you rear an Indian dog it guards you.” Need to say what the wise will choose? “My Diana,” says Shalini Talwar, an architect in Kondapur, “was taken off the street two years ago. I found this white cutie at my doorsteps one day. Well, if she has come calling, so am I ready for her, I thought. She is part of my family today.” The GHMC has five pounds and has schemes for adoption. Chief Veterinary Officer Venkateshswar Reddy swears culling is not done now. People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) too advocate rearing ethnic variety. “Indian community dogs are loving, fiercely loyal, resilient and robust and are also well-suited to the local climate. When you adopt one from a shelter, not only will you save a life, you’ll also make a friend for life. So take Trisha’s advice by pledging to adopt one!” says PETA launching cine star Trisha-led campaign for adopting the Indian dog. Silently setting another example, leading actress Priyamani has adopted eight street dogs.
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FOCUS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2012
And the Oscar goes to... On the eve of the 84th Annual Academy Awards, we present to you our picks in all the major categories Best Picture
Best Supporting Actor
Our Pick: Moneyball verything about Moneyball screams talent, from Bennett Miller’s direction and Aaron Sorkin’s screenplay to Brad Pitt’s understated yet superb performance. Moneyball is an intellectual film in that it needs an understanding of baseball. But for fans of film, this is certainly the best film of the year.
Our Pick: Johan Hill, Moneyball omedy has far too often been cast aside at the Oscars, and actors don’t get much funnier than Jonah Hill. The actor showed his full range when he segwayed from his dead-pan character Peter Brand in Moneyball, to the outrageously funny Noah Griffith in The Sitter. Jonah Hill needs to get this if for no other reason than to prove that tears and rage, don’t necessarily an actor make.
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Who’s likely to win: The Artist The Artist is everything the Academy loves in a winner. It’s European (the perennial fad) it’s innovative, it’s emotional, and it has a cute dog in it. Academy members will love it, and plump for it, but it certainly isn’t going to be one of those that will be remembered for a very long time. Who knows, Woody might even sneak in.
Who’s Likely to Win: Kenneth Branagh, My Week with Marilyn Kenneth’s got more pedigree than a Newfoundland (that’s a good thing) and here he plays another screen god, Laurence Olivier, and that might be an intoxicating combination for the Academy.
Actor in a Leading Role Our Pick: Gary Oldmen, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy rguably the finest actor among all the nominees. For far too long Gary has been underrated, cast as a character actor when he has all the ability to take on even the finest leading men. His turn in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is his best performance in a while, and it’s time he won and shouldn’t end up like Peter O’Toole.
Best Supporting Actress
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Who’s likely to win: Jean Dujardin, The Artist We say Dujardin simply because of the hype surrounding the film, but George Clooney also stands a good chance of taking the gong, given his solid performance verging on despairing. Brad Pitt is also due, but if he winds best actor, then Moneyball won’t win Best Picture.
Our Pick: Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids nyone who’s watched The Gilmore Girls and Mike & Molly will know that there are a few comdiennes with Melissa’s timing. Cherubic, but blessed with a razor tongue, she slayed the rest of the impressive cast in the hilarious Bridesmaids. Her character was, well, so out of her comfort zone, that her performance could have either bombed or soared. We’re happy it did the latter.
A Actress in a Leading Role
Best Foreign Film
Our Pick: Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady eryl Streep needs an Oscar after being so cruelly overlooked for Julie & Julia. The most nominated actress in the history of the Oscars found in Margaret Thatcher one of her most challenging roles, but delivered with her usual finesse and class. Tackling Thatcher, an icon famous, or infamous, for battling for her place in a man’s world, is no easy task... and only Streep could have done her justice.
Our Pick: A Separation t’s for a reason A Separation is on its way to becoming the highestgrossing Iranian film to ever be released in the US. Backed by splendid performances, Asghar Farhadi’s incisive examination of domestic struggle and familial loyalties is universal in its appeal and is sure to hit the jackpot.
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Who’s likely to win: Viola Davis, The Help This is not a race issue, that was discarded years ago. There’s no doubting that Davis is exceptional as the abused housemaid, but it’s the subject matter that will win it.
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Who’s Likely to Win: A Separation Because no one deserves it more.
Who’s Likely to Win: Jessica Chastain, The Help A truly solid performance, but once again here it will be the subject matter that tilts the votes. The Academy is not going to vote The Help in the Best Picture category and will make up for it everywhere else.
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NATION SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2012
CLASSIFIEDS FABRICATION
Mumbai airport closed MUMBAI: The Mumbai Airport will be closed for five hours on Saturday as the main runway will be closed from 11.30am to 4.30pm to set up Rapid Exit Taxiway Lights which will help enhance the runway efficiency, a statement by the Mumbai Interna tional Airport Limited said. A similar closure will take place on March 3 and March 10 as well.
36 held for hunting
Activist creates ruckus
BHUBHANESWAR: At least 36
BULANDSHAHR: An activist of State Congress women’s wing today created a ruckus at Rahul Gandhi’s election meeting when she was prevented by security personnel from reaching the dais. The district president of party’s women wing, Anju Chauhan, started shouting and caused a flutter after she was not allowed to welcome Rahul Gandhi.
persons, mostly local tribals, were arrested for hunting animals in Odisha’s famed Simlipal National Park, one of India’s first Project Tiger reserves, an official said on Saturday. About 23 country-made guns and half a quintal of raw sambar meat were seized from them, Anup Nayak, field director of the tiger reserve said.
Battle lines drawn in Isro, eminent scientist quits REAL ESTATE GACHIBOWLI TO VATTINAGULAPALLY ORR FACING HOUSING PLOTS FOR SALE. NEAR MICROSOFT, WIPRO, ICICI, INFOTECH, KOKAPET IT SEZ. CONTACT - 9989354333
Woman dies in Bangalore fire drill BANGALORE: A mock fire drill turned tragic in Bangalore on Friday when a 25-year-old woman participant fell to her death, police said. The woman, identified as Nalini, a garment factory worker at Peenya industrial estate in north Bangalore, suffered severe head injuries as she fell from the third floor of the factory building and died on the way to a hospital, a police spokesperson told reporters. He said eyewitnesses told police that the rope which was tied to Nalini snapped as she was coming out of the window of the third floor and she fell down on the hard pavement. The spokesperson said it appeared there was no safety net, leading to the tragedy. He said that a probe has been ordered and that a case of negligence against the fire department officials will be registered. IANS
BANGALORE: Eminent scientist Roddam Narasimha, the seniormost member of the Space Commission, has resigned, telling Prime Minister Manmohan Singh he was doing so to protest the blacklisting of former space agency chairman G Madhavan Nair and three others in the Antrix-Devas spectrum deal. “I have requested the prime minister to permit me to relinquish my membership of the Space Commission for two reasons in connection with the Antrix-Devas agreement,” 78-year-old Narasimha said in a statement here. Referring to the January 13 blacklisting of the four top scientists of the state-run Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), Narasimha said the punitive action could demoralise the scientific community and adversely affect Isro’s ability to take technological initiatives . “Most Isro scientists have committed their professional lives to the pursuit of the extraordinary technological challenges posed by a national space programme. Their achievements have brought great credit to the country, and their occasional failures have served only to strengthen their resolve to pursue even more ambitious goals,” Narasimha said.
Admitting that there were lapses in the $300-million spectrum contract Isro’s commercial arm Antrix Corporation Ltd signed with the Bangalore-based Devas Multimedia Services Ltd on January 28, 2005, Narasimha said that the inquiry he conducted with former cabinet secretary BK Chaturvedi as part of the twomember high powered committee found no evidence of short-changing on the spectrum. “The probe report had recommended various reforms that were
needed to ensure the identified lapses did not recur in future. The proposed reforms included some concerning the Space Commission,” he pointed out. On the second reason for quitting, Narasimha said as some of the reforms pertained to the space panel, he felt that it would be appropriate for it to carry them out when he was no longer its member. “The prime minister has not accepted my request,”he said. Terming the Isro a great national asset, he appealed to the
SPORTS COUNSEL
PM that any action taken should be such as to strengthen the community of the thousands who make the achievements in space possible. An Isro official had earlier said that as Narasimha had submitted his resignation letter to the Prime Minister’s Office, they did not know why he quit.“But we learn that he was perturbed over the government’s recent action against the four top space scientists, including Nair,” said the official on condition of anonymity. Nair expressed concern at the development and hoped that the PM would prevail upon Narasimha to continue. “It is unfortunate that Narasimha felt compelled to resign in protest against the way the government treated us, ignoring our contribution to the development of space programmes for the benefit of the country. I am not speaking for myself in an individual capacity but as a scientist who has been associated with the space agency for over four decades,” Nair asserted. Contending that Narasimha’s resignation would send wrong signals about the space panel’s functioning, Nair said the scientific community’s morale would be seriously hit if the government allowed him to go for no fault of IANS him.
Two convicted for murdering NRI LONDON: A British court
Congress president Sonia Gandhi with party MP Mohd Azharuddin at an election rally in Moradabad on Friday. PTI
has convicted two men of killing a 21-year-old NRI TV executive in London last year. Prosecutors said Gagandip Singh was beaten and left to die in a burning car in Blackheath. Gagandip’s killers had decided to “play God” after the victim allegedly tried to rape medical student Mundill Mahil, 20, six months before he died, they said. Mahil lured Gagandip down to her university house in Brighton in February last year, where he was set upon by Harvinder Shoker and Darren Peters who viciously beat him before bundling him
into the boot of a car and driving it to Blackheath, where they set it alight. Shoker was found guilty of murder by a majority verdict of 10-2 by a jury at the Old Bailey while Peters was found guilty of manslaughter, and Mahil of causing grievous bodily harm. The trio had denied murder. Mahil, from Chatham, Kent, Shoker of Greenwich and Peters from Blackheath will be sentenced on Wednesday. Judge Paul Worsley said all the defendants would be given long sentences. But he allowed Mahil to remain on conditional bail until Wednesday’s sentencing. PTI
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WORLD SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2012
5 killed in tornado
Russia stands by N-weapons
Prince may not recover
Jakarta: Five people died when a tornado ripped through two provinces in Indonesia, an official said Saturday. The tornado hit the South Sulawesi and North Sumatra provinces of Indonesia on Friday. It is being siad that nearly a 100 houses, schools and government buildings were destroyed in the tornado, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, head of the public relation at the National Agency for Disaster Management, Xinhua reported.
Moscow: Russia will not be giving up its nuclear weapons until it develops any conventional weapons with comparable effect , Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has said. He admitted that Russia’s foreign partners “are ahead of us in some respects, especially precision-guided weapons”. The available modern conventional warheads feature yields, accuracy and delivery time that “make them comparable in their effects caused by the weapons of mass destruction,” Putin stated on Friday.
London: Dutch Prince Johan Friso, who was injured in an avalanche last week, is in a coma and may never regain consciousness, doctors treating him in Austria have said. Friso, 43, who had been on a skiing holiday in the Austrian resort of Lech, lay buried under snow for about 15 minutes before being rescued. He was taken to hospital in Innsbruck after the accident. “It may take years before he awakens, if ever, the doctor said.
Gunmen kill five KANO: Suspected Boko Haram Islamists in
Tunisian and Syrian pro-Assad protesters shout slogans in front of the hotel where the Friends of Syria conference took place in Tunisia on Friday. AFP/FETHI BELAID
Syria to vote amid violence DAMASCUS: Syrians are to vote on Sunday on a new constitution that could end five decades of single-party rule, although the opposition has called a boycott amid a bloody crackdown on dissent. The newly proposed constitution was drafted as part of reforms promised by President Bashar al-Assad’s government in a bid to calm an 11-month uprising against his regime that began with democracy protests. It is unclear how the ballot can go ahead in parts of the country hit by violence as government forces move in on
ICRC evacuates wounded, Westerners still in Homs DAMASCUS: Red Cross and Red Crescent ambulances entered the besieged Homs district of Baba Amr on Friday and evacuated seven Syrians wounded in shelling by regime forces as well as 20 women and children. But the ambulances did not evacuate two wounded Western journalists and the bodies of two others, a spokesman for the International Committee of the Red Cross said. “Three ambulances entered Baba Amr and they have left. They evacuated so far seven wounded Syrian citizens,” Saleh Dabbakeh said. “Negotiations continue with the Syrian authorities and the opposition in an attempt to evacuate all persons, without exception, who are in need of AFP urgent help,” he added.
protest hubs and rebel strongholds such as the besieged central city of Homs. But posters and billboards calling on people to vote are displayed across Damascus, with state television airing non-stop programmes from around the country about the new constitution. The opposition has urged voters to stay away and to go on strike. “We call for a boycott of the referendum because, by doing this, the regime is trying to hide its crimes,” said the Local Coordination Committees, an opposition activist network that organises protests. On a main square in Damascus, Sana Nasser, a woman dressed in military battle fatigues, distributed copies of the new constitution. “The president met with everyone to ask about people suffering, and to get their grievances. It is because of that he has given instructions to draft a new constitution,” said the woman in her forties. But an unemployed 31-year-old woman who only identified herself as Salma said she would not vote. “There should have been an election of a pluralist constitutional assembly to draft the constitution so at least I could have the impression that I have given my opinion,” added the sociology graduate. In Sunday’s referendum, more than 14 million people over the age of 18 are eligible to cast ballots at 13,835 polling stations. They are being asked to vote on the constitution framed by a committee of 29 members appointed by the Syrian presiAFP dent.
two attacks in northern Nigeria on Friday killed five Muslim worshippers in a mosque and attacked a prison and police station, officials said. Police said gunmen shot dead five people shortly after evening prayers inside a mosque in Kano, Nigeria’s second largest city and the scene of deadly attacks that killed 185 people last month. Kano state police spokesman Magaji Majia said that two gunmen “opened fire on a congregation in a mosque around 6:30 pm and killed five people.” He refused to speculate on who was behind the attack. There were around 30 worshippers inside the mosque at the time. “It is clear the attack was carried out by Boko Haram, and Sule Kwaram (the vigilante head) was the primary target,” said a witness, Baffa Hayatu. Elsewhere in Nigeria’s increasingly volatile north, gunmen also suspected to be
from the Islamist militant group launched simultaneous gun and bomb attacks on a prison and a police station in downtown Gombe city. A jail guard and a resident said the attackers were battling to gain entry to the prison in an apparent bid to free its members suspected held there. The sect has previously targeted Christian worshippers in Gombe. “We are under siege. A large number of gunmen have encircled the prison, shooting and detonating explosives. It is clear they are Boko Haram,” a warden said from inside the prison. A resident said gunshots and explosions rang across the city for over an hour. “There has been shooting and bomb attacks at the district police station in the centre of the city, and also the central prison,” he said. Nigerian military authorities this week said they had been able to link activities of Boko Haram to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic APF Maghreb.
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COMMENT SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2012
Insensitive zoo visitors
An evolving paper
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loved the article on the way the animals are treated in the zoo. It’s sad how we can be insensitive and not understand that we are harming the animals. As a solution I think the authorities should hire I person who is well informed about animals and their health care and is also hospitable and not rude to the visitors. I hope Postnoon continues to bring out more such issues. Romana Tapashi, JNTU Colony, Kukatpally
like the way the newspaper had adapted itself into the Hyderabadi culture, and is still bold enough to set a new trend. The photographs, especially the weekend editions, are fantastic. Many a times, the pictures have told more than the story. What I like in Postnoon is that there is so much variety and it caters to all ages. The effort that goes into making the newspaper is clearly visible. Ravinder H, Masab Tank
EDITORIALS Readers’ views We invite you to write to us comments, suggestions, viewpoint or just about anything to feedback@postnoon.com or #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500 033 or even by way of a call on 4067 2222.
Good crime stories
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eam Postnoon, you guys are doing a great job especially with the crime stories. Its interesting and also nice to see that all of you come up with better stuff every single time. Its sad how some unexpected things happen in our very own neighbourhood, but the way every detail is mentioned is commendable. Keep up the good work! Arti Gupta Marredpally
ARBEBUK
EDITORIALS INDIAN HOUNDS need love too The words ‘stray dog menace’ is one of the demons of our media landscape. By tagging on the word ‘menace’ we immediately cast stray dogs into a negative light. The burgeoning population of stray dogs in the City is totally of our own making. Filth on every streets corner, a blasé attitude towards sterilisation by the GHMC and NGOs, has only served to exacerbate the issue. Stray dogs, or Indian Hounds as dog-lovers refer to them, should not bear the brunt of our own inadequacies and apathy. While we clamour for St Bernards, German Shepherds and other ‘pure-breeds’ we seem to forget that there are dogs on every corner that need a home. We consider them unclean, diseased, and ferociously out of control... strange, because that’s what the Europeans once thought of Indians. We fail to recognise that protecting the indigenous should not stop at humans, but that protection should extend to animals as well. So don’t shell out thousands on a dog who’s better suited to living in the Swiss Alps, just because you think it will make a nice addition to your social status charge. Instead take a walk down your street and find a pooch that really needs your help. More than anything else, you will find a friend that will always remain in your heart.
WHY WE LOVE... Sound sleep The SC’s decision to include the Right to a Sleep Peacefully in the Right to Life is commendable as we all know the values of a good night’s.... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Why the end is not really the end Soul Curry SUMAA TEKUR
D
uring a family dinner to celebrate my parents’ forty-second wedding anniversary, conversation drifted to the first time they saw each other. We also spoke of other uncles and aunts in the family, who chose each other in a heartbeat — the traditional arranged marriage way. We spoke of the oldest of my mother’s brothers who met a long line of potential partners and finally chose my aunt, who sang her way to his heart. “She sang really well when he went to her house to ‘see’ her. He instantly decided this was it,” my mother said. We laughed about the entire process of choosing a wife based on how well she could sing. This uncle
died two months ago at the age of 87. We laughed so much that I was uncomfortable. “He’s up there and will be very unhappy with these jokes,” I said. “He’s not up there. He’s right here… with us,” my dad said. An eerie silence followed when we dwelled on his words. I broke the silence and asked, “What do you mean?” “I mean he’s right here. He comes in my dreams every other night. I see him getting into the car, walking out of his house… doing regular everyday stuff,” said my dad. This set me thinking about what we perceive to be the end of life. Is it really the end? In a Tarot card set, there are cards that represent the different stages of life in the entire spectrum. There are cards like The Tower, Death and the Ten of Swords that can be quite unnerving when one gets them in a reading. But without these cards, there would be no meaning to life. Though these cards
THOUGH THESE CARDS COME WITH RATHER DISTURBING VISUALS OF DRASTIC CHANGE, TROUBLE, ANXIETY AND PAIN, THEY ARE ALL ABOUT MAKING WAY FOR A NEW LIFE. come with rather disturbing visuals of drastic change, trouble, anxiety and pain, they are all about making way for a new life. They speak of letting go of yesterday and walking into a new tomorrow. They speak of regeneration, rebirth, transformation and permanent change. The learning from these cards is that if we don’t willingly accept change, something will slam in our faces forcing us to change. Either way, change is inevitable. The point is that this change gives us the opportunity to rise like the phoenix and be
reborn from the ashes from an old life, or an old way of thinking. Death, perhaps, then really is all about moving to something new. Not knowing what that something new is, probably, what makes us believe that something is the end. It’s the same with all the hype surrounding 2012, and the much anticipated end of the world. The National Council of Mayan Elders Spiritual Guides of Guatemala says that on 21 December, 2012, the period of the Sun — what they call the Oxlajuj B'aqtun — comes to an end. Each B'aqtun contains 400 years multiplied by thirteen, that make a total of 5 200 years. Ever since the Mayans began to count time, these cycles have changed. But the more important part of this ending is that it is paving the way for a new beginning, a new cycle. And that can happen only after an end. The writer is a Bangalorebased commentator
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COMMENT SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2012
Freedom of expression in all its glory PolyTricks A SAYE SEKHAR
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‘Dirty Picture’ is being unveiled on the floor of the State Legislative Assembly in full public glare with Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and and Leader of the Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu resorting to tongue lashing. With the advent of live telecast of the proceedings of the Assembly, leaders of all political parties are directly addressing their constituencies and ‘impressing’ their electorate through long debates and wild allegations. The slanging match between the CM and Chandrababu Naidu is highly reprehensible. With the two leaders going overboard jibing at each other, the people at large were dumbfounded. The awful remarks like ‘I know your history and background…You are an accused in an ACB case…How can you talk?’; ‘You would also go to
Urban sketches VISWAPRASAD RAJU
jail…you are shameless…’ and other such personalised war of words marred the proceedings of the Assembly which took up a debate on the liquor scandal, whose surface was scratched by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) recently, on Friday. While anything that is in public interest seldom makes it to question hour or zero hour, subjects to wash political dirty linen on the floor of the House end up in protracted debates. The Assembly session went on till close to 9.30pm on Friday. And the agenda pursued was mudslinging Numerous leaders from both sides used their lungpower to hurl invectives at one another until they were exhausted. Speaker Nadendla Manohar could hardly convince either side to maintain restraint. There was no respite in trading charges between Reddy and Naidu. As if they were determined to outshine each other in cursing with bell, book and candle, the duo spared no opportunity to paint each other black. Kiran Kumar Reddy, who has been facing the heat from within his party that he deliberately targeted his Cabinet colleague Mopidevi Venkata Ramana in
LEADERS FROM BOTH
SIDES USED THEIR LUNGPOWER TO HURL INVECTIVES AT ONE ANOTHER UNTIL THEY WERE EXHAUSTED.THE SPEAKER COULD HARDLY CONVINCE EITHER SIDE TO MAINTAIN RESTRAINT. the ACB cases, had to come to the rescue of the minister and ‘strongly’ defend him in the House. Telugu populace across the globe was dumbstruck with their leaders’ articulation and ease with which they threw mud at one another. Ironically, neither Naidu not Kiran Kumar Reddy can speak grammatically accurate sentences in any language, including their mother tongue, Telugu. But on Friday, they did not fumble. Perhaps, the occasion was such. Why Naidu is on the offensive and why was the Congress pushed into the defensive? Except in 2009, the Congress never retained power in the State in any election after the
TDP entered the political arena in the State in 1983, whereas the TDP had won that credit twice — in 1985, and 1999. That Chandrababu Naidu had made the right political moves in aligning with the Bharatiya Janata Party in 1999 in the post-Kargil war scenario and when Vajpayee was seeking a popular mandate after losing the vote of confidence in the Lok Sabha by one vote in 1999 was a different story. The Congress, in deed, committed an egregious blunder in shoving out YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s family from the party, for the late leader was still seen as a hero by the common man for a variety of reasons. YSR never lost ground to Chandrababu Naidu on the floor of the House. He used to refer to the ‘back-stabbing of NTR’ at the drop of a hat to corner the TDP which has never been able to wash that smudge. Now with the surreptitious ‘hand’ of the Congress seen behind the slew of cases slapped against Jagan, the Congress leaders vied with one another in demonstrating their loyalty to their party high command. In the process, they ignored the political armour that would have
otherwise protected them from embarrassment at least. Now they are caught in the maze of confusion and unable to delineate between YSR and his ‘impudent’ son. While they still speak of record production of agriculture, growth in GSDP and surge in IT exports achieved by the State between 2004-09, they leave the credit line hanging. Chandrababu Naidu, on his part, is emboldened by the dismissal of a case filed by YS Vijayalakshmi, the late YSR’s wife, by a division bench of the State High Court on technical grounds. The Congress leaders, given their intra-party dichotomy which they love to depict as ‘internal democracy’, can never learn the ‘longsighted approach’ of Naidu, for the latter is reaping the fruits of the seeds he sowed when in power long time ago. The Assembly debate reeked with liquor. The battle over the bottle bombarded the screens of all gadgets and TV sets. Now the people hope the ever-elusive sanity to descend on the hallowed precincts of democracy. The writer works for Postnoon
The terminal Reporting crime
with sensitivity Editor’s Note DEAN WILLIAMS
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few readers have asked us why we play up crime so often on our front page. The simple and formulaic answer would be, “to grab eyeballs”. And while there is an element of truth in that, there is also another explanation. Violent crime, especially when directed against women and children, is the most heinous expression of a human’s tormented psyche. Postnoon’s policy is that while reporting on the crime, we must avoid going into the gory details especially when it comes to murder and suicide. Like it or not, crime is all around us. Reporting on it in an objective and sensitive manner serves to highlight the state of the City, and in some way record the passing of people who may otherwise just be relegated to a statistical number. While we aim to make our crime
VIOLENT CRIME, ESPECIALLY WHEN DIRECTED AGAINST WOMEN AND CHILDREN, IS THE MOST HEINOUS EXPRESSION OF A HUMAN’S TORMENTED PSYCHE. reporting objective, the emotions it stirs are almost always subjective. Here at Postnoon, we are always open to your comments and suggestions (e-mail us at feedback@postnoon.com) and regard your opinion highly. For too long has the media regarded victims of crime as headlines, and literary rubber-necking has become par for the course. We will not go down that road. We are not voyeurs, but observers. And we hope that in our observations, you find the truth and above all the knowledge of reality as it is, not what someone else makes it out to be. The writer is the Editor of Postnoon
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BUSINESS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2012
Lifetime award for Anji Reddy
Vertex centre in City
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ertex, a global BPO and customer management outsourcing company headquartered in the UK, launched its new service delivery centre in the City in 29,000 sq. ft area with a seating capacity of 820. The new delivery centre will further support the company’s rapid expansion in terms of the growing client base and increasing employee strength. It services eminent clientele in verticals like telecom, retail, financial services, KPO and media.
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Anji Reddy, founder-chairman of Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd., has been honoured with the lifetime achievement in health award in the AsianVoice Political & Public Life Awards for 2012 at London for his lifetime commitment to medical research, and improving the lives of others. Voted by a committee of MPs in Britain, this award is an annual event hosted by The Asian Voice, a weekly. The award ceremony was hosted at the Members’ Dining Room in the House of Commons, London, on Thursday, February 23, 2012.
Hyd. Angels invests `2 cr
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yderabad Angels, a network of angel investors focused on early stage businesses announced a strategic Series A investment of `2 crore in Green India Building Systems and Services Pvt Ltd (GIBSS). This investment was led by serial entrepreneur Sashi Reddi. GIBSS addresses demand-supply gap with energy-efficient geothermal, hot water cogeneration and lighting systems that help buildings reduce operational costs by 60-80 per cent.
Wheels of success
CarZ began when Venu and Vijay, both cousins and good friends, decided to return to India in 2008 after having lived in the US for more than 12 years M ANIL KUMAR
K PRUDHVI RAJU
prudhvi.k@postnoon.com
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ehind every established business set up, lies a success story – one that involves incredible hard work, efforts, innovation and most of all trust between the partners. This is probably what worked most for Venu Donepdui and Vijay Gummadi, the founders of CarZ, a company that offers end-to-end reconditioning and servicing of cars. Launched in 2010, the company is already raking in profits. It all began when Venu and Vijay, both cousins and good friends, decided to return to India in 2008 after having lived in the US for more than 12 years.
The Journey 2006
Birth of the CarZ business idea. Venu Donepudi and Vijay Gummadi want to move back to India from USA and want to start a service center for cars
2008
After two years of extensive research on business idea, both of them returned to India
2010
CarZ, a company was started by Akkineni Nageswara Rao. The first center is opened at Madhapur
2012
CarZ have opened 14 centres in various cities of the state and in Bangalore by February 2012
2012-2013
The Company wants to start of another 26 centers across south India in the financial year.
2017
The Company want to expand its services and want to have 300 service outlets Pan India with 10,000 employees that includes 70 per cent franchise outlets
Venu Donepdui and Vijay Gummadiv “We always used to track the news and observed the economic boom that was taking place in India. After 2000, we noticed that a lot of people had been opting to buy cars and small car owners began buying bigger ones. Car majors (OEMs) began concentrating on the Indian market and even started customising cars as per the Indian customers’ needs. Against this background, we wanted to start this business,” says Venu Donepudi, co-founder and managing director, CarZ. One may wonder why a client will choose their service over the one provided by an authorised service centre. But Venu, who has a rich experience with world leaders like GM and Ford, explains, “The service we provide is a value added one. We set up a service centre that is at a close proximity and charge 20 to 40 per cent less compared to other centres. We’ve also brought in transparency in our
services by letting the customer watch and interact with the mechanic while he is working on their car.” True to his word, the venture is proving to be a profitable one. The initial investment was Rs 2.5 crore (this was majorly self-funded and with some help from family and friends). Once the compa-
I love to read books authored by Chalam and Adavi Bapiraju Venu Donepudi ny proved its mettle, it has raised $5 million from Indo-US Venture Partners. They are now looking for another round of funding of $20 million this year. However, it’s not all about work always. On the personal
front, Venu likes travelling and his favourite holiday destination is Hawaii. He is also passionate about films and is particularly fond of movies by K Raghavendra Rao and Dasari Narayana Rao. His passion for films doesn’t end at just watching them. “I may script a film eventually, which should live up to my grandfather’s name (Ramabrahmam Gudavalli). But my current focus is on CarZ and by 2017, I hope to open 300 outlets,” he says. Despite his busy schedule, Venu, who usually works 18 hours straight, tries to make time for his children as well. “Whenever I can, I try and spend time with my daughters. On any given day by the time I leave for work, they are asleep and by the time I get back, they would’ve fallen asleep. My friends often joke that my daughters may soon end up calling me uncle,” he laughs.
After a long day at work, Venu loves to unwind to the tunes of KV Mahadevan and Ilaiyaraja. This car aficionado also has a love for watches and owns a Maurice Lacroix and Omega. Although he now drives a Mercedes Benz C class, his most prized possession is a Premiere 118 NE. “My father gifted me that car when I graduated from college and there is no way I will ever sell it. Whenever I go to my hometown, Vijayawada, I drive that,” says Venu. Venu is also a voracious reader of Telugu literature. “Every time I go to Vijayawada I pick up Telugu books that have been published in the 1950s. I love to read books authored by Chalam and Adavi Bapiraju,” he says. But for the most part, this successful entrepreneur is happy doing what he loves most – work. In his own words, he finds happiness in being part of a 300-employee group.
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MOTORING SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2012
Honda slammed for ‘gypsy’
Merc set for SL63 AMG
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he sponsor of Channel 4's My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding in the UK has apologised after an advert for the programme was accused of being racist. Car manufacturer Honda apologised if the poster advert for the documentary, which showed the words "Bigger. Fatter. Gypsier", caused any offence. The Irish Traveller Movement lodged complaints with the Advertising Standards Authority over the use of the word "gypsier".
Mazda Venture announced
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ower of up to 556bhp, torque of up to a frankly ridiculous 664lb.ft and fuel economy of 28.5mpg are some of the amazing numbers surrounding the newly announced Mercedes SL63 AMG. As if that wasn’t quite enough, 0-62mph is covered in as little as 4.2 seconds, the whole car is 125kg lighter than the old model and if it wasn’t for the 155mph speed limiter, top speed would most likely be in the region of 200mph.
new special edition Mazda MX-5 ‘Venture Edition’ roadster has been announced in a limited run of 800 units split two ways, to include 550 2.0-litre hard-top models and 250 1.8-litre soft-tops. This is a luxury special edition, packed with high-end equipment including heated brown leather seats, a Sanyo TomTom satnav, climate control and even cruise control, which is the first time the system has ever been factory-fitted to a 1.8-litre MX-5.
TOTAL AUTO RECALL Nissan has recalled a number of 2012 Altima and Versa sedans in North America recently for issues relating to side curtain air bags. Recalls happen more often than you think. Today, we look at 10 of the largest recalls in history
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salman.o@postnoon.com
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Ford: 7.9 million units recalled Ford in 1996 had to recall 7.9 million cars that were manufactured between 1993 and 1998. Reason? The ignition switch had to be replaced in millions of vehicles following multiple reports of it sparkling and starting a fire in the steering column. The models that were recalled are Escort, Mustang, Tempo, Thunderbird, Cougar, Crown Victoria, Grand Marquis, Lincoln Town Car, Aerostar, Bronco and F-series Truck.
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GM: 6.7 million units recalled The grand automaker, General Motors (GM), went into a tizzy in 1971, when customers started to complain about the engine mount, which began to separate from the frame of the vehicle and fallback onto the throttle. GM had to recall the Belier, Brookwood,
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Camaro, Caprice, Chevrolet, Chevy II, G Series, Impala, Kingswood, Nova, P Series, C Series and Townsmen.
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GM: 5.8 million units recalled GM again, this time for Century, Regal, El Camino, Malibu, Monte Carlo, Caballero, Cutlass, Grand Prix and Lemans, manufactured between 1965 and 1969. They had to recall about 5.8 million in 1981 because the bolts in the suspension were easily loosed, rendering the driver unable to steer the vehicle.
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Toyota: 5.3 million units recalled We can swear that Toyota makes the best cars, but unfortunately in 2010 they had to recall their Highlander, Corolla, Venza, Matrix, Pontiac, Camry, Avalon, Prius, Tacoma, Tundra, LexusES350, iS250 and iS350,
after there were reports of the driver-side floor mats becoming wedged beneath the gas pedal, causing the vehicles to accelerate uncontrollably.
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Ford: 4.5 million units recalled Before we say anything else, the next two spots are also all Ford. Ford recalled 4.5 million cars in 2005. But only this time, instead of the ignition switch causing a fire inside the vehicle, the cruise control button was the culprit. Models recalled include Vans, Pickups, Explorer, Windstar and Ranger mini-truck manufactured from 1992 to 2003.
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Ford: 4.5 million units recalled Ford had to recall its Lincoln, Mercury SUVs, Pickups and Vans, in 2009 manufactured between 1993 and 2004. This time too, the cruise control button
continued to catch on fire. Genius.
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Ford: 4 million units recalled Ford should stop manufacturing cars, we tell you. Recalling the models Rancheros, Lincoln and Mercury, in 1972 for the simple reason that seat belts were becoming the frayed and eventually would detach themselves from the vehicle frame, Ford had to recall four million cars manufactured between 1970 and 1971.
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GM: 3.7 million units recalled GM recalled about 3.7 million cars manufactured between 1949 and 1969, in 1973. Well, after it was found that stones kicked up from the road onto the engine area were disabling steering, GM was forced to install engine
shields to prevent this problem from occurring again. The list of models recalls is, well, long, which include Centurion, Electra, Estate Wagon, LeSabre, Riviera and Catalina. Phew!
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Volkswagen: 3.7 million units recalled Women were definitely disappointed when their favourite Volkswagen Beetle manufactured between 1949 and 1969, was recalled in 1972. The windshield wiper blades started to come loose and fall off completely.
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Honda: 3.7 million units recalled All Honda or Accura models of 1986 to 1991, had to be recalled in 1995. Passengers became trapped in their vehicles due to cracked and disintegrated safety-belt release buttons.
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TECHNOLOGY SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2012
WEBSITE OF THE WEEK www.testmybrain.org
E
ver taken one of those personality tests that pop up so often on Facebook and other websites? Try Test My Brain for a change. It was created by researchers at Harvard University to test and track changes in the brain over time.
APP OF THE WEEK Fotopedia Women of the World
VIDEOGAME REVIEW THE GOOD
RIDGE RACER
W
omen are beautiful. So seeing women around the world is even more beautiful. Fotopedia, the photography appbook maker, has released another photoapp that shows pictures of women from all over the world. Free.
n Fun, drift-based handling n Tight controls
THE B AD
n Complete lack of content n Multiplayer objectives are all the same n Unconvincing rewards n Mundane visuals
SRINIVAS SETTY
GADGETS
Kid Tough DVR
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METER DOWN, PLEASE OSAMA SALMAN
salman.o@postnoon.com
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or MeterPodu developers Mayur Narsimhan and Anantha Subramanian, it was a bitter experience in an autorickshaw ride that encouraged them to start this website. When Anantha came back from USA to Chennai in 2009, he had a hard time getting around the city using public transport. So when Mayur came to Chennai in February 2010, they discussed about the high fares being charged by the local autorickshaw drivers. Although Anantha wanted to, he did not bother to complain to the Chennai Auto Fare Authority and their brief meeting ended, without any ‘combat plans.’ However, in December 2010, on a train to Chicago, his conversation with Anantha came back to Mayur and he acted upon it. “I made a Twitter bot to the auto return fares. But it wasn’t until March 2011 that my idea saw the light of the day.” He further improved on the basic skeletal structure to make it what it is today. He recalls, “Next February, I woke up at 2am one morning and was done with the design by 11am. I later added the Twitter and Facebook logins over the week. And thus MeterPodu was born.”
At a time when most of us are routinely being fleeced by autorickshaw drivers, the MeterPodu website comes as a blessing of sorts
Anantha
Mayur Try www.meterpodu.com, which literally translates into ‘put meter’, select the city, the area that you are in and your final destination. Using Google Maps, the site shows you the distance and how much an auto meter fare would be. This not only saves you time from the endless haggling but also saves you a lot of money in the process. This facility is available in Hyderabad, Chennai, Coimbatore, Mysore and Bangalore. “Autorickshaws in Chennai (and other Indian cities) are
highly unregulated. The auto drivers charge customers based on what they think the customer can pay. Every fuel price hike brings about increase in the fares, but this increase is exorbitantly disproportional to the hike,” says Mayur. He further adds, “The website has helped a lot of people, and the response is phenomenal. All the publicity has been through social media and word of mouth. Hundreds of Facebook shares and tweets have ensured a surge in the site traffic. We’re averaging about 1,000 users a day and hope to hit the 50 thousand a month in the near future. Our Facebook page has over a hundred members and as far as the press goes, the phone is always ringing,” he says. But it hasn’t been entirely smooth running for the site. “Yes, there have been a few bugs that people have been reporting and we are getting them fixed. The biggest, however, is the Google Maps limits on number of requests made. It has a daily limit of 2,500, beyond which we have to pay. We are going over that and currently in the process of changing our architecture so that we can cache requests,” he points out. In due course of time, Mayur and Anantha plan to expand to the North as well. With a helping hand in reach, the website is only going to get bigger. As for the auto drivers, we have two words for them — Meter Podu!
isher Price has developed a new gadget, aimed squarely at your poor little technology-deprived kiddos. Meet the Kid Tough Portable DVR a “cool, kidfriendly handheld device.” Parents simply attach the Kid Tough Portable DVR to its included base unit and then, to the TV and settop box, and you can easily record your kid’s favourite show.
I heart farting sound drinking mug
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he I Heart Farting Sound Mug is one unique drinking device that is guaranteed to carve some smiles around the office. Get amused with the six charming fart sound songs in the mug. Even better is the easily accessible on/ off switch for those serious moments, and a removable sound chip that makes for easy cleaning.
VTech baby monitor
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Tech introduces a new range of baby monitors. They are the Safe & Sound Full-Colour Video and Audio Monitor (VM321) and the Safe & Sound Digital Audio Monitor (DM221). Merging their expertise in wireless home communication as well as knowledge of innovative children’s electronics products, what you get from VTech is a highly functional and affordable line of baby monitors.
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ANIMAL KINGDOM SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2012
PET NEWS Our hero
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IMPORTANT NUMBERS
Marine rights
ear, a Rottweiler, was shot three times while protecting owner/handler Edward Ernstberger. She had a bullet lodged in her spine, on in her chest, and a third bullet less than two inches from her heart. Both Ersntberger and Bella survived the incident.
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Basset Hound
ecause of their special intelligence and culture, marine mammals should now have their own set of rights, researchers attending the American Association for the Advancement of Science's annual meeting said in Vancouver on Thursday.
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he Basset Hound is a short-legged breed of dog of the hound family. They are scent hounds. Their sense of smell for tracking is second only to that of the Bloodhound. Bassets are not great swimmers as they have short legs, they are not able to hold themselves above water for very long.
CATS AND DOGS The Animal Care Clinic 040-2335 2474 Pet’s World Dog Clinic 98856 46259 Blue Cross of Hyderabad 040-3298 9858, 23544355/ 5523 Vet-N-Pet 040-6553 9535, 93463 05890 Bluplus Pet Clinic 040-2712 1739, 2716 2636 Sri Sai Pet Clinic
040-2779 7458, 9848645350 Claws & Paws 98662 82772 All Creatures Animals Clinic 040-2773 0885 BIRDS Govt Veterinary Hospital 040-2331 9656, 2753 5755 Bird Watcher’s Society 040-2355 6166 Friends of Birds9391048315 SNAKES Friends of Snakes 8374233366
An ocean in your home Salt water fish are exotic, colourful and an easy hobby to cultivate. It’s time to spice up your living rooms, and welcome some of these finned friends into your home BRABUSS
INDIRA ATLURI
indira.a@postnoon.com
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o what if you cannot go scuba-diving in the Andamans, or experience what the divers on National Geographic have. Salt water aquariums get you as close to marine life as possible. No wonder, they are a popular hobby with the city folk. We spoke to three salt water aquarium enthusiasts to see what makes it such a fun hobby to indulge in. Debjani Mukherji is one such enthusiast. She told us about her experience with the fish, “I have had the aquarium for three years now. I started with freshwater varieties, but soon shifted to the exotic variety. The initial set-up of the aquarium is important, but maintenance is very easy. I just check the water for the nitrite and nitrate content and clean the filter media and that’s about it. The fish are exotic, and my mood completely changes when I see my fish.” Anirudh Gupta, the owner of a popular aquarium shop in the city is a hobby fish-dealer, but believes in creating the perfect aquariums. He tells us, “Salt water aquariums always need to be big. Corals are banned in India, but gravel, and oceanic rocks help stabilise the biological cycle. And most importantly, filtration systems are a must for exotic aquariums, and need to be fitted to keep the water clean. Once the tank is set, the filtration system’s reading must show zero, indicating that the water is safe and ready for the fish. This usually takes two to three
weeks.” He further goes on to tell us, “An 18 inch cube is a perfect start for those who decide to keep salt water fishes. A pair of clownfish, a pair of damsels, an anemone, a wimple (of the batfish family) and one star fish are a good start. An 18 inch salt water aquarium costs about `18,000 and a 24 inch tank cost
Best aquarium shops for salt water fish Aquarium World Banjara Hills Anuva Aquatics Sainikpuri Sea World Aquariums Secunderabad
around `22,000. One does not need to change the water every month, but just replace the evaporated water.” Light is also one of the most important factors in keeping the aquarium life stable. There are lights that have electronic timers, which convert to a warm blue during the night, and then gradually fade away. It is a better
transition than to switch off the lights and put them on at once. Salt water aquariums also need a Protein Skimmer, as any living creature in water gives out proteins and that forms a layer on the water surface. The protein skimmer removes the layer and allows the oxygenation of the water. Ajay M, like Debjani and
Anirudh is also a fish lover. He tells us, “Feeding the fish regularly and keeping the filter media clean is all I do. I have yellow tangs, regal tangs, cardinal pajamas, bicolor gobis and Moorish idol fishes in my tank. Each year, by replacing 30 per cent of the water, I keep my fish happy — isn’t it such an easy hobby?”
Maintenance Three of the most important aspects to keep in mind are
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Water condition – You need to test the water with a test kit to check the toxicity of the water. The test kit is as cheap as `200 and is available at many of the aquarium stores.
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The filter kit needs to be washed in salt water once a month and put back. Simple! Never over-crowd a marine aquarium — Your fish need space to move around.
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BOOKS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2012
SHORT READS Title: Abundance: The Future Is Better Than You Think Author: Steven Kotler and Peter H. Diamandis ISBN: 978-1451614213 Publisher: Free Press This is a book about how we rise to meet abundance. This bold, contrarian view, backed by exhaustive research, introduces our near-term future, where exponentially growing technologies and three other powerful forces are conspiring to better the lives of billions.
Title: Fish in a dwindling lake Author: Ambai, Lakshmi Holmström ISBN: 780143414056 Publisher: Penguin Books India Journeys form the leitmotif of astonishing new stories by Ambai make for Fish in a dwindling lake. Sometimes culminating in an unconventional love affair, some are extraordinary tales of loyalty and integrity; others touch on the almost fantastic, absurd aspect of Mumbai.
Title: Beatrice and Virgil Author: Yann Martel ISBN: 9780143418245 Publisher: Penguin Books India Henry, an acclaimed writer, receives a letter from an elderly taxidermist that poses an irresistible puzzle. As he is pulled into the world of this strange and calculating man, Henry becomes involved with the lives of a donkey and a howler monkey—named Beatrice and Virgil—the taxidermist’s ‘guides through hell’.
Title: Pathfinders- the Golden age of Arabic Science Author: Jim al-Khalili ISBN: 9780141038360 Publisher: Penguin In Pathfinders, Jim al-Khalili celebrates the inspiring pioneers who helped shape our understanding of the golden age of Arabic science, including Iraqi physicist Ibn al-Haytham, who practised the modern scientific method over half a century before Bacon and several other geniuses.
Bangkok dangerous A testament to literary skill and a vision so skewed it’s glorious. This is destined to be a classic, in any genre TARAS
Dean Williams
B
angkok at the end of the 23rd century. The world has used up almost all available petroleum reserves. Wars are waged over the last remaining coal fields. Climate change has become irreversible: Mumbai, London and New York are all under water. All across the globe megacorporations have engineered crops to feed a starving world, but their monopoly means that countries like India, Burma and most of Asia is now owned and run by them. But not Thailand In a royal decree, Thailand closed its borders and issued an embargo on genetically-engineered food grain. What’s more, it holds one of the world’s last unadulterated seed banks. It is this vault of wealth that AgriGen’s Anderson Lake must find and acquire for his corporate monstrosity. But to do so, he must navigate a city caught up in the crossfire of slum lords, warring ministries, and an epidemic that’s about to shatter the nebulous calm. The Windup Girl is a cyberpunk masterpiece. You can feel the sweat dripping off your brow as you are harried through the
Michael Crichton and Richard Preston's Micro explores the wild side of nature in a fashion more suited to a Hollywood blockbuster Padmini C
padmini.c@postnoon.com
O
h,don't look so perplexed. Yes. Michael Crichton is dead. Has been for the past four years. But it seems that his work lives on. A manuscript (one third-completed) found among his possessions was picked up by Richard Preston, of The Hot Zone fame, and turned it
crowded streets of a sweltering city living on borrowed time. You can smell the reek of the slums that live a tenuous existence underneath the shadow of the mammoth sea walls that keep the rising oceans at bay. You can taste the fear in the abandoned skyscrapers that house the illegal immigrants marking time before the dreaded
White Shirts knock on their doors to send them back to the global pot of genocide. Emiko, the Windup Girl herself is a peripheral figure for most of the book. A Japanese genetic creation that gives her all the traits of a pleasure princess, but no ability to reproduce, she becomes, like the glowering orb of a future sun, the
beacon to which every other character in the book gravitates. Paolo Bacigalupi has created a world reminiscent of Philip K. Dick and William Gibson, but he is not an imitator. His future dystopia with environmental calamity waiting around every corner, beasts born from genetic vats, and the stink of humanity is every bit as riveting as theirs. Bacigalupi thrives on the amorality and extreme apathy of his genre. When Emiko is raped every day for the pleasure of customers at the brothel in which she works, you watch the perversion unfold with the same aloofness that she does. Her lack of humanity makes her sad, but it also reflects the wider malaise of the time. Anderson is the epitome of the megacorporations of the future. His lack of concern for his staff or the Thai people themselves is offset by the love of his company’s vision. The rest of the cast of characters, and there are many, lack any redeeming qualities, and in this lies one of the other successes of the book. These aren’t science fiction figments cavorting around the universe hoping to spread man’s ideal. These are carnal beasts lusting after riches, revelling in the pleasure of the flesh, and
Munchkins to the rescue into a potboiler. Venomologist Peter Jansen and six other ultra-bright graduates from Cambridge arrive in Hawaii to do ground-breaking research at the bidding of a Vin Drake, head of private research firm Nanigen. Except, Drake is an evil mastermind who's responsible for the death of Peter's brother. Upon being found out, Drake uses his firm's nano-technology to shrink them all into half-inch munchkins, letting them escape into the tropical rain-forest — a death-trap. What Drake doesn't account for is that Crichton's band of half-inch heroes are all experts in different scientific disciplines,
Name Micro Author Michael Crichton, Richard Preston Pages 448pp Publisher Harper including entomology, toxicology, botany, and biochemistry. They must now put their skills to test and fight for survival in a hostile ecosystem filled with natural predators including bigheaded ants, wasps, and other creatures that are as big to them as dinosaurs. Adding to their peculiar
treading over the squalor around them. The real (anti)hero of the book, however, is Bangkok. Bacigalupi weeps for it, all the while washing it with fetid human waste. The views from the towers and atop the levees offer glimpses of succour, but only fleetingly, before the reader is once again pulled into the cesspool. It is the perfect setting, for a game of cat-and-mouse so vile it makes Machiavelli look like a boy scout. The Windup Girl is more than just a cyberpunk novel. It is a testament to literary skill and a vision so skewed it’s glorious. This is destined to be a classic, in any genre.
Name The Windup Girl Author Paolo Bacigalupi Pages 529pp Publisher Hachette India
conundrum is the fact that time is running out and they will die of nano-procedure related complications if they don't find a way to restore themselves and take down evil villain Van Drake and his minions. Can man's indomitable survival instincts win against the wrath of nature? That is the question which makes for the crux of the story. In bits, Micro is engaging and entertaining. It's well-paced and filled with some genuine hooks, as expected from Crichton. But for the most part, Preston's commentary coercing the reader to ooh and aah at nature's delights and the pintheroes' actions, is jarring. All in all, Micro is a film script in the guise of a novel. And if I were you, I would go with the movie. BOOK AVAILABLE AT WALDEN
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BOOKS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2012
Book bound March 1 marks World Book Day, inspiring us to draw up a list of some of the best books ever to have been written A Confederacy of Dunces Mill on the Floss Author: George Eliot It is one book which is unputdownable. Everything about the book’s heroine, Maggie Tulliver, is described as impossible, from her unruly mop of hair, an impossible imagination to her deep love for her brother Tom. The Mill on the Floss is often said to be an autobiography of George Eliot. A tale of two siblings, it shows how Maggie is forever at odds with society, for being intelligent, for having curly hair and for falling in love. And at the end we are left with one message ‘only with breaking from false bonds of duty can we reach a deeper love.’
Author: John Kennedy Toole The title of John Kennedy Toole’s masterpiece was derived from the epigraph by Jonathan Swift: “When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him.” It was true in Toole’s case, too. Depressed that his work was being rejected (perhaps by a confederacy of dunces), Toole committed suicide at the age of 31 in 1969. Eleven years later, by the efforts of his mother Thelma Toole and writer Walker Percy, A Confederacy of Dunces came to light and became instantly a cult classic.
The Picture of Dorian Gray Catcher in the Rye
Author: Oscar Wilde The only published novel of Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray is a perfect study of the dark side of human nature. An impressionable young man convinced by his friend Lord Henry that the only two things worth pursuing are beauty and gratification of one’s senses, Dorian Gray indulges himself having no care for the lives he wrecks in his pursuit of pleasure. It’s dark, deep and full of Wilde thoughts.
The Old Man and the Sea Author: Ernest Hemmingway This is the book that won Ernest Hemmingway the Nobel Prize for literature. It’s about an old man’s fight with nature and fate. This is vintage Hemmingway: simple, yet profound. The reader becomes the old man who rows out on his own into the sea: he feels his pain and shares his hopes of changing his luck with a big catch. It also tells us that whatever the result of our endeavour, there’s pride and dignity in the endeavour itself.
Author: JD Salinger This book achieved popularity and notoriety. Apparently the killer of John Lennon, Mark David Chapman said he had done it to promote the reading of Catcher... A few months later, when he headed out to shoot President Ronald Reagan, John Hinckley Jr. left behind a copy of the book in his hotel room. It gave the world an original angry young man in the form of Holden Caulfield. The book attained cult status among the disgruntled youth across the world, as it portrayed a common mistrust of the adult world.
1984
100 years of Solitude Author: Gabriel Garcia Marquez Author Gabriel Garcia Marquez says, “There is always something left to love.” Truly, every time one reads this book, one is bound to discover a new facet to Marquez’s story: a little bit of truth and much of fiction. Marquez modelled this book around the memories of his childhood. One of Latin America’s finest works of literature, the way Marquez depicts the tragic and violent history of his country has had an immeasurable impact on writers world over. It is this work of his which gave rise to the genre of magic realism in literature.
To Kill a Mockingbird Author: Harper Lee One can’t help but wonder had it been a windy night when Harper Lee, in frustration threw her first copy of the book out of her window into the snow. A phone call to her editor brought her back to senses and gave the world what we know today as a tale of guts and glory — a story on racism in South America. The young narrator Scott tells the readers how a white lawyer, Atticus Finch, defends a negro against charges of raping a white girl. This Pulitzer-winning novel is the only one Lee managed to write.
Lolita Author: Vladamir Nabakov “Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul.” This is how the readers are introduced to Lolita, a 12-year-old girl who is the subject of a 37-yearold man’s lust. At first it shocked all moral sensibilities, but years later this book still manages to seduce the reader. The book was supposedly rejected by five American publishers, who feared they’d be prosecuted on obscenity charges. Finally it was published in France at a press which was known to print a lot of material that was considered pornography. However, this book won
Author: George Orwell Perhaps this is one of the most influential books written ever. There’s a long list of the new words and phrases that this masterpiece of George Orwell’s has given the English language: thought crime, double-speak and to top it all, big brother. Orwell was spot on when he predicted a world where everything is censored, everyone controlled, every human feeling curbed. If you want to understand what’s happening in countries like China, read 1984.
interests after it was banned.
Cities in flight Author: James Blish There were quite a few science fiction books that jostled for a space on this list for Arthur C Clarke’s Rama series and Asimov’s Foundation opus were serious contenders. But eventually it was James Blish’s supreme omnibus of Okie novels that pushed past its nearest contender, JG Ballard’s terminal beach. Spanning millennia, Cities in Flight is a journey so truly cosmic that other tales to the stars are dwarfed in comparison. Gritty, violent, hilarious, and eventually beautifully final, it’s a dream.
WHAT’S SELLING Walden best in fiction
Walden best in Non-fiction
New York times bestselling fiction
n Secret Of The Nagas by Amish Tripati
n Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
n Kill Shot by Vince Flynn
n Great by Choice by Collins And Hansen
n Catch me by Lisa Gardner
n Confessions Of A Serial Dieter by Kalli Purie
n Defending Jacob by William Landay
n Can Love Happen Twice by Ravinder Singh n Zero Day by David Baldacci n Revolution 2020 by Chetan Bhagat n Aleph by Paulo Coelho
n Most And More by Voice Ra
n Private: #1 Suspect by James Patterson
n Art of Stress-Free Living by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
n Death comes to Pemberley by P.D.James
New York times bestselling non-fiction n Ameritopia by Mark R. Levin n Hilarity Ensues by Tucker Max n American Sniper by Chris Kyle n Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson n Killing Lincoln by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard
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WOMEN SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2012
WEBSITES OF THE WEEK Techmamas: A tech blog for mamas, a blog for techies, this California-based site offers advice on software, hardware and marketing for the working-from-home set as well as marketers in the tech sector.
Thebossnetwork:
Thebump:
A community of entrepreneurial women who support each other through conversation, online and event-based networking.
The Bump, from TheKnot, is a community website for expecting and trying-to-conceive couples that offers support, advice and features to women and their partners.
The independent spirit Sunanda Pushkar Tharoor is more than just her husband’s wife, so much more. From challenging archaic social diktats to finding her own niche in life, her life’s journey has been anything but smooth SHIBA MINAI
shiba.m@postnoon.com
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hen Sunanda Pushkar Tharoor walks into the room, it’s her beauty that enters. Immaculately dressed, she immediately enters her comfort zone, tucking her legs under her as she settles down to discuss her life with me. It’s best we tackle the elephant in the room immediately, in fact, there are two: the IPL and her husband Shashi; when both combined it was raucous and unnerving. “It was very tough, in fact I simply could not digest why they would use a woman to target Shashi, against whom they had their grudges,” she says. She recalls being referred to as a “beautician” by one media commentator — a statement akin to calling Marie Antoinette a confectioner. “I have never been part of that profession,” she explains, adding that it was her mother who took the most umbrage with the statement. The IPL imbroglio cost Sunanda more than just a few
DEEPAK DESHPANDE
hours of sleep...much more. “I lost my mum, she had a heart attack because of all the allegations.” But amidst the dark times, she had an epiphany of sorts: “One thing I realised during that time was that a woman can be the most vicious enemy of another woman.” But Sunanda never dignified the allegations, maintaining an almost stoic silence, although the irony of the fact that she wasn’t even dating Shashi when the muck was being flung was not lost on her. “As a matter of fact the IPL brought us closer,” she says. But has the wrath of women, changed her opinion of the female sex? “I have always known more men than women, I also wanted a daughter but never had one. Having said that, I have never understood why women are envious of other women,” she says. She believes that being a woman should allow for much more empathy for other women, then quickly segways to another prickly subject: “For instance the mother-in-law syndrome. Why do mothers-in-law make life for their daughters-in-law so miserable?” Sunanda’s first personal battle for independence was not fought on a grand social scale. It started in her own home.
THE CV First Job: Intern with the Hotel Centaur Lake View in Srinagar Last Book Read: The secret of the Nagas Last Film Seen: Agneepath Motto in life: Do good and good will be done unto you!
Born into a conservative Kashmiri pundit family where women were expected to behave in a certain manner, and had defined roles, Sunanda broke the mold. “Everyone in my family believed in stability, safety and security, but I have always had business acumen in me. One of my first ventures was to start a firm that sourced IT professionals in Canada and sent them to various software companies.” From chilly Canada, she moved to Dubai, where she entered the real estate industry: “I loved the beautiful houses in Dubai and the only way I could be a part of Dubai’s architecture was through real estate.” But all that independence and nous also made Sunanda realise that her efforts were needed elsewhere too. She dove into social work and began to fight for better sanitation in girls schools. The e-toilet was her brainchild, and slowly but with increasing vigour, her project is being implemented across Kerala. “We are implementing it in Kerala as part of the pilot project and will eventually want the government to do so all over the country,” she says. Watching Sunanda, one realises that though much of the personal trials and tribulations that buffeted her life over the past few years may have slipped silently under the bridge, her hunger to keep working for her causes has not eased. And why should it, it’s not a battle she picked lightly; she was born to fight it.
A guilty verdict All About Eve
SANA MIRZA
T
he recent “Park street case” in Kolkata where a woman alleged that she was raped in a car in which she had initially been offered lift outside a night club clearly and repeatedly establishes a well-known notion: If a woman is raped, she is the one to blame. A 37-year-old, divorced and mother of two, the woman’s profile is a sketch of all that falls outside the realm of society’s expectation of what is titled “good womanly behaviour”. She was at a club (OMG!) till 1 am (shocking!), drinking (Of course, only men are allowed to drown their sorrows in crystal glasses while women are to stay content eating ice-cream out of a box) and also had chatted up the three alleged rapists (Yes, she was totally asking for it!) before the incident took place. But her nasty ordeal was yet to begin. It took her four days to muster up enough courage to approach the police, who instead of registering the complaint, ridiculed her. And to have that happen in a state which is run by a woman chief minister, is just shameful. It clearly comes as no surprise why we hesitate to file complaints.We suffer when we don’t complain, we suffer more if we do as we are repeatedly asked to produce character certificates before our woes are heard. Today, I bow my head in respect to this woman who is fighting to gain justice and who refuses to regard her ordeal as shameful. Her willingness along with the media’s persistence in following her case up have immensely helped in pressurising the police. Imagine if a similar incident had happened, miles away from a metro, in a remote village, far from media attention, with a victim who was made to believe that she had asked for it.
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SPOTLIGHT SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2012 DEEPAK DESHPANDE
Tina
Pradeep
Mezubin
DEEPAK DESHPANDE
Sweety
LAST FRIDAY NIGHT... This song by Katy Perry totally describes the mood at Liquids pub last night. There was not an inch empty on the dance floor as the party-loving crowd boogied the night away.
Jodi watching
Actors Bipasha Basu and R. Madhavan pose for the shutterbugs at Cinemax, Banjara Hills on Friday.
Anirudh, Avinash & Jatin
A musical soirĂŠe Charmee & Dawood SRINIVAS SETTY
Priya & Sandy
Anil Kumar
Sindhu
Glamour and glitter Tollywood actor Siddhie Mhambre and organiser Anita Agarwal announce an exhibition of the Desire Wedding Collection from 27th February28 February at Taj Krishna. The event took place at Hotel Kens in Srinagar Colony on Friday.
Manjusha Kulkarni sings at a concert on vocal music held by the Riwaayat foundation.
DEEPAK DESHPANDE
Yummy! Actor Priya Anand at the Venky's Xprs outlet in Banjara Hills on Friday .
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RELATIONSHIPS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2012
I AM ALL EARS
I
’m a 27-year-old woman and I think I have trouble with alcohol. I am not a regular drinker but when I do drink, I often manage to mess things up and make a perfect fool out of myself. It happened at an office party. I don’t know how to stop myself. Please help
Dear drunk kid, You don’t know what to do... hmm.. how about downing three shots of vodka, one swig of whiskey, a couple of gulps of beer and try and stand straight. You will pass out and then you will no longer make a show of yourself. While everybody else will be enjoying the party, you can be off in la-la land. Or better still become the drunk DJ for the evening, this way no one will complain, you get to act crazy and the people get their music as well. If this is not possible how about drugging others at the party so that they act as mad as you do. Grow up. If you can’t hold your drink, there is no point in drinking. Beware, it’s always not your mind that you lose while drinking too much.
38%
The ex factor Sharing things with your BFF is absolutely normal but do they draw the line at sharing their ex? We find out Sana Mirza
sana.m@postnoon.com
B
SRINIVAS SETTY
arney Stinson might have dated his best bud (Ted’s ) ex-girlfriend Robin in How I Met Your Mother with the blessings of Ted, but in the real world of dating, things might not be so ideal. Nevertheless, many find themselves in the strange predicament of being attracted to their friend’s ex. But before you decide to venture deeper, there are a few tricky questions that you may need find answers for. By large, the answer to the question “should you date your friend’s ex?” is a grim no. However, some say there may be circumstances when it’s okay. Visual graphics artist Nakul Gupta for one believes it’s okay to date your best friend’s ex if the friend is comfortable with the idea. “Also, you need to analyse your feelings about your
friend’s ex before you decide to act upon them. Is it just infatuation or is it strong enough to worth risk your friendship? Then you have your answer. “Personally, if I knew that my friend really liked my ex with whom I had a decent
Answer these questions before you go ahead 1. Is it worth risking the friendship for? 2. How badly would you feel if you lost her as a friend? 3. Do you feel a strong, genuine attraction for her ex or just a curious interest? 4. How comfortable will you be if you and your friend meet in social situations such as parties and clubs? 5. Will your other friends choose her over you? 6. Are you willing to break off ties with your other friends to be with this man?
break-up, then I see no point in opposing the relationship. Who am I to stop them from being happy?” he states. Writer Zaira Arslan, however, argues that there are several other factors to consider, most important of which, is timing. “It wouldn’t please me at all if one of my friends started inquiring about my ex right after our break-up. If enough time has passed and both of us have moved on, then I think it shouldn’t be a problem. But, personally, I don’t think I could ever go out with a friend’s ex. It also depends on the kind of person the friend is though. Some people genuinely don’t mind if they were over the guy or the girl,” she explains. So it seems that there is no hard and fast rule to deal with the issue. Different people react differently but it’s obvious that honesty, sensitivity and care is the way to go.
Expert Opinion “It’s a tricky field. To begin with, dating your BFF’s ex is always a bad decision especially if your best friend is a girl, then there is a whole host of problems from jealousy to approval seeking that can occur. In addition, friends have to be able to share life experiences and if you can’t talk to your best friend then it automatically changes your relationship. It still is a hornet’s nest that may leave you nursing a nasty emotional sting. So don’t rush into it; tread carefully,” advises Diana Monteiro, a counselling psychologist with the Hyderabad Academy of Psychology.
I
s the proportion by which least advantaged men’s chances of marriage reduced if they attended college. Women’s chances reduced by 22 per cent. By comparison, among those in the highest social stratum, men who attend college increase their marrying chances by 31 per cent and women by 8 per cent used value of 150. For those with few social advantages, college unexpectedly lowers their odds of ever marrying, according to an analysis by sociologist Kelly Musick in the Journal of Marriage and Family.
Talking queer films Loud & Proud
SHWETHA PAI
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hen Dostana was first announced, it was much talked about. While many wondered how mainstream actors like John and Abhishek would portray gay characters, there were others who waited to see if it would break stereotypes and actually represent the gay community in the right way. When it released, it received rave reviews from many John and Abhishek fans. However, there were still those who were homophobic and refused to watch it, dismissing it as vulgar. I watched the movie with my partner and liked it a lot. But, we also understood that the movie was catering to a largely ‘straight’ audience and the characters had to be straight. So, though there was a lot of gay-chemistry visible, it was cleverly attributed to the heroes vying for the female lead’s attention. There have been many gay characters throughout Indian cinema, be it mainstream or ‘artsy’. Movies like My Brother Nikhil focus largely on creating awareness about AIDS there are others like I Am which talk about problems the queer folk faced before Section 377 was struck down. The Censor Board considers any movie with two male gay leads to be ‘Adult’ rated. A hug or kiss is acceptable in the mainstream movie but is vulgar and unappetising if shown in gay movies. Two gay guys or girls kissing is considered porn and not fit for the younger audience. Many people in the queer community consider movies like Dostana a director’s gimmick to get the audience to the theater for some quick bucks at our cost. However, I argue that this is a beginning. By showing John to be macho and Abhishek as effeminate the movie might give the audience an incorrect picture. But, it is still among the few gay-themed movies that watched in middle class living rooms where any talk of sexuality is still taboo.
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CINEMA SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2012
T-TOWN TWEETIES @sneha_ullal
@PriyaWajAnand
@prakashraaj
@pnavdeep26
Good Morning... My birdy is sick since I left him alone all day on parents anniversary... wonder what’s wrong. Taking it to the vet now...
Goooooood Mooorrrnniinng Hyd!!!! Soo happy to be back! Looking forward to spending the weekend here...
DHONI into 3rd week. Thank you everyone. Time flies. In Mumbai finalizing n sorting out few films n dates. DABAANG 2 to start first. Cheers
If the gays wanna be together let them be together! Why is anyone and everyone else bothered about it? We do have other serious stuff :)
@Actor_Siddharth
@RanaDaggubati
@shrutihaasan
@actor_nithiin
Flying straight into a very exciting shoot for my new brand... sleep is a very unavoidable however welcome casualty! #affairwithairports .
Done with the song, just land into Mumbai. Over to the #Department shoot tomorrow morning onwards.
Tried avocado milkshake for the first time today. At first I thght it was a bit suspect... But omg it was epic yumminess! Supera irrundhudu:)
Thank u al for d wonderful response... reading each n every tweet... supa happy! Thank u al for ur support!
A breezy tale of romance I
shq is a breezy tale of romance peppered with subtle humour. Directed by Vikram K Kumar, the film has Nithiin, Nithya and Ajay in lead roles and acclaimed technicians like PC Sreeram and Sreekar Prasad in the crew. Nithiin stars as Rahul, who falls in love with Priya (Nithya) at first sight. Both of them are on their way to Hyderabad; however, their flight is diverted to Goa due to bad weather. And it doesn't too long for Priya to fall head over heels for Rahul either. When everything seems to be going on the right track, Rahul is shocked to see that Priya's brother is Shiva (Ajay). The rest of the story is about what Rahul does to marry Priya.
Nithiin has improved a lot compared to his previous films and he's good in the film. Nithya is charming and emotes really well throughout the film. The onscreen chemistry between Nithiin and Nithya is the film's biggest asset and Vikram Kumar does an excellent job in keeping us hooked onto the screens for the entire first half with very few dialogues. However, the second half is too lengthy and lacks the zing of the first half, despite Ajay's noteworthy performance. Music by Anup Rubens, Aravind-Shankar and PC Sreeram's gorgeous cinematography are top notch. Dialogues written by Ramesh Samala are neat. On the whole, Ishq is a decent watch but it could have been so much better had the focus remained on the lead pair. Ishq Nithiin, Nithya Menen Director: Vikram K Kumar Music: Anup Rubens, Aravind-Shankar Rating:
Ravi Teja, Parasuram team up again
R
avi Teja is teaming up once again with director Parasuram for a new film. The duo had worked together couple of years ago for Anjaneyulu. Although their earlier film was a commercial failure, Ravi Teja reportedly liked Parasuram's
work. Moreover, the director's previous film Solo was critically acclaimed which seems to be one of the main reasons behind Ravi Teja's confidence in Parasuram. Ashwini Dutt has come forward to produce this film and it is likely to go on floors in June. Bhupathi Raja is writing the script. Apart from this film, Ravi Teja has also agreed to act in Meher Ramesh's film later this year.
IN THEATRES TODAY
Movie: Cast:
Love story reprised
R
evanth, Rajitha starrer My Heart is Beating released in theatres this weekend. Directed by Arun Rudra and Kiran Meegada, the film is a love story, set in the US which focuses on the lives of two protagonists who find it difficult to express their true feelings for each other. Almost everyone involved in the film is a newcomer and it's touted to be the first Telugu film to be entirely shot in the US. Michael Makhal composed the music.
Movie: My heart is beating Cast: Revanth, Rajitha Director: Arun Rudra and Kiran Meegada
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CINEMA SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2012
B-TOWN TWEETIES @TheShilpaShetty
@realpreityzinta
@NeilNMukesh
@imarshadwarsi
Todays thot: The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits !
Morning Tweeps ! My thought for the day... Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the Rain !
Now why I love films and photography is coz man made a machine to capture time and freeze moments. And I love being a part of it! Its magical
Pls watch the adorable n talented couple @Riteishd n @geneliad do their magic in Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya... Wish u guys all the success.
@SrBachchan
@juniorbachchan
@iamsrk
@udaychopra
T 664 - There is a special joy in Tweeting as music plays in the background... the element of the music translates into the writing ... !!
Dad back from hospital. Thank you all for all the prayers. He's doing much better and stronger, can’t say the same about his car.
Abandon righteousness to be right. Stop collecting indistinctions of rights... wrongs... good... bad... judgements all... instead be distinctly You!
Sometimes I just have a feel for things that I've got no clue how it started but I guess its a twitter thing,maybe even a sensation #2446515
An outdated theory Love stories with real-life couples don’t spell magic at the theatre
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Movie: Tere Naal Ho Gaya Cast: Riteish Deshmukh, Genelia Deshmukh, Om Puri, Tinnu Anand Directed by: Mandeep Kumar Rating:
ith the newly-weds making a comeback after their debut film Tujhe Meri Kasam. Bhatti (Tinnu Anand) is impatiently keen to get his daughter, Mini (Genelia Deshmukh) married. And then we have the honest autodriver Viren (Riteish Deshmukh) who due to some unfortunate events, loses all his savings and inadvertently blames Bhatti for it, in a rather intoxicated state. Mini seizes the opportunity to escape and makes the episode look like it was all of Viren's doing in kidnapping her to spite her father. An unlikely romance brews between the two, set against an adventurous backdrop.Directed by Mandeep Kumar, the screenplay does have its flaws and gives in to a slow, predictable start but thankfully it comes alive towards the pre-climax moments. The dialogues lack the punch. Riteish and Genelia's chemistry works onscreen and they look great together but here the real-life husband-wife team fail to match their energy on so many levels. While Riteish's character requires him to not go overboard, Genelia is a livewire, constantly adding to the insanity. The performances of the supporting cast with Om Puri and Tinnu Anand, are remarkable.
Big B back home, upset with media A
mitabh Bachchan is relieved to be back home after a 12day stay at the Seven Hills Hospital. However, the megastar says he had a tough time reaching his home thanks to “insensitive” paparazzi. “The paparazzi, though kept away from the premises of the hospital, were there at the entrance and throughout the journey home, blocking the movement of the car by standing in front and on top of the vehicle, which was disturbing. I have yet to see them understand the sensitivity of a situation such as this,” the 69-year-old posted on his blog bigb.bigadda.com. Amitabh was operated upon on February 11 for abdominal
issues, and was under observation at the seven-star medical facility ever since. He was discharged Thursday evening, and several still and video cameramen crowded around his car for footage. This disturbed the veterIANS an star.
BY SANA MIRZA
Breaking up the love T
he story of Jodi Breakers revolves around dysfunctional relationships, which eventually lead to break ups. R Madhavan plays the role of Sid Khanna who is a breakup specialist and helps wronged parties out of bad relationships. He guarantees a quick, hassle-free, final freedom to his clients. A chance encounter with the quick-witted Sonali played by Bipasha Basu takes his ‘business’ to a whole new level. While they set out on their journey, solving hilarious cases, they fall in love with each other. But unexpected twists and turns in a case turn their world upside-down. The ‘Jodi- breakers’ have to turn ‘Jodi-makers’ this time. One of the most awaited
IN THEATRES TODAY and hyped movies of Bollywood in 2012, this is an up-beat modern age urban humour which is fit for all.
Movie: Jodi Breakers Cast: R Madhavan, Bipasha Basu, Omi Vaidya, Dipannita Sharma, Helen Directed by: Ashwini Chaudhary
CINEMA SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 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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24
CINEMA SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2012
Longoria in pursuit of happiness Salma to turn Gibran’s Prophet A into animated film
M
exican actress and producer Salma Hayek plans to make an animated film based on Lebanese author Khalil Gibran’s novel The Prophet, The Hollywood Reporter said on Thursday. The book, written in 1923, consists of 26 chapters devoted to topics such as love, marriage, childhood, joy, freedom, death and faith. Hayek, whose father hails from Lebanon, has teamed up with the Doha Film Institute and Participant Media to bring Gibran’s classic to the screen. Each of the chapters is to be directed by a different director under the co-ordination of Roger Allers, Oscar-nominated director of The Lion King. “The Prophet has been an incredible source of wisdom and inspiration for millions of people all over the world,” Hayek said. “Being of Lebanese descent, I’m particularly proud to be part of a project that will present this masterpiece to new genIANS erations, in a way never seen before.”
ctress Eva Longoria says she is striving for happiness every day following her divorce from basketball star Tony Parker. The 36-year-old split from Parker in November last year and is now dating singer Eduardo Cruz. “You know what, every day I strive to be happy. So yeah, I think every day is another victory. The truth is, I should be angry, resentful and disillusioned about relationships. But I’m not. I was very lucky to find Edu,” contactmusic. com quoted Longoria as saying. IANS
Thompson to play Queen in TV drama A
ctress Emma Thompson is set to follow in Helen Mirren’s footsteps after signing up to play Queen Elizabeth in a new British TV drama. The 52-year-old will portray the Queen in the project tentatively titled Walking The Dogs, which is centred around intruder Michael Fagan’s infamous meeting with Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace in 1982. Eddie Marsan will play Fagan. IANS
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CINEMA SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2012
Banks graduates Woody Allen’s new project, a musical W
oody Allen’s 1994 film Bullets Over Broadway explored the travails of an aspiring playwright struggling to bring his creation to the Great White Way. And now, in a possible case of art imitating, um, art, Allen is working on a musical adaptation of the film, with a Broadway premiere tentatively slated for 2013. Allen will pen the book for the musical, which will feature existing music from 1920s, in which Bullets Over Broadway is set, producers Julian Schlossberg and Letty Aronson said on Thursday.
Brown accused of stealing mobile phone
C
hris Brown has been accused of robbery by a clubber in Florida. Miami Beach Police Department has confirmed that Christal Spann filed a report on Sunday alleging “robbery by sudden snatching”. According to TMZ, 24-year-old Spann took a picture of Brown on her iPhone after following him and rapper Tyga out of Florida venue Cameo. She claimed that shortly after taking a picture of Brown getting into a Bentley car, the Turn Up the Music singer grabbed her device and drove off with it. He is alleged to have said: “B****, you ain’t going to put that on no website.” The incident is currently under investigation, although no arrests have yet been made and no warrant issued. The Grammy-winning singer’s representatives have not yet commented on the allegations.
from Harvard Business School R
etired supermodel Tyra Banks officially has brains to match her beauty after graduating from Harvard Business School in Massachusetts. The America’s Next Top Model creator and
host passed the Owner/ President Management Programme with flying colours. Banks dropped out of Loyola Marymount University to pursue modelling when she was a teenager.
Brown & Rihanna reuniting?
A
merican Idol producers are in talks with Chris Brown and Rihanna about possibly performing together on the show this season, a source close to the situation exclusively tells E! News. “They want Chris and Rihanna to reunite on the show,” the insider said. It would be their first public appearance together.
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CHAI TIME SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2012
THOUGHT OF THE DAY
SOLUTION ON PAGE 32
SUDOKU
KAKURO
How to Play Kakuro
SCRIBBLING PAD
Kakuro is a popular game similar to sudoku in some ways. But is also suitably different. The key question: “How do you play Kakuro?”, well here are the rules of kakuro. The answer: The kakuro grid, unlike in sudoku, can be of any size. It has rows and columns, and dark cells like in a crossword. And, just like in a crossword, some of the dark cells will contain numbers. Some cells will contain two numbers. However, in a crossword the numbers reference clues. In a kakuro, the numbers are all you get! They denote the total of the digits in the row or column referenced by the number. Within each collection of cells - called a run - any of the numbers 1 to 9 may be used but, like sudoku, each number may only be used once. Let’s have an example to explain this concept more clearly: In the image above, which shows a section of a kakuro puzzle, you will see the numbers ‘26’ and ‘14’ in the top row. Look at the 14. This means that the total of the three cells underneath must sum to 14. Therefore 9, 4, 1 could be the answer, or perhaps 7, 4, 3 and so on... So, how do you work out the actual combination? Well, this is done through elimination and cross-referencing. For instance, as you work out the answers for other kakuro clues, this will naturally limit the valid combinations, and hence the answer for this particular run. Note the second cell in row two - it contains two numbers, 30 and 11. The 30 refers to the vertical run underneath the number 30 and the 11 refers to the two cells to the right, horizontally, of the number 11.
Men are like steel. When they lose their temper, they lose their worth. – Chuck Norris
QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Eve’s origin 4 Carpentry or masonry, e.g. 9 Chop-chop, to Shakespeare 14 112.5 degrees away from S 15 Neighbor of Oman 16 Gainesville athlete 17 Boering language? 19 Concert site 20 Cookout remnant 21 Corporate hotshots, slangily 23 Small jazz combo 24 Wearable souvenirs 28 Refinery 31 San ___, Calif. (seat of Marin County) 32 Hilo “hello” 35 Ms. Karenina 36 Opposed to empires 42 Legendary driver A.J. 43 Turkish dignitaries 44 Fuse unit 47 Edmonton’s CFL team 52 Amtrak sleeping compartments 55 Daytona 500, for one 56 Asimov or Newton 57 Batter’s posture 59 Indian corn 62 Space-time follower 64 “Over the Rainbow” composer 65 Calvin of fashion 66 Stout’s cousin 67 South African grassland 68 Birthday units 69 English corp. letters DOWN 1 Is not inert 2 Weak and feeble 3 Late comedian Mac 4 Toddler 5 Caboose’s position 6 Simon & Garfunkel’s “I ___ Rock”
7 Thickly populated 8 Follow afterward 9 Author Christie 10 Three-act Wagner opera 11 Dined in or out 12 Pull a fast one 13 Geologic time period 18 Word once associated with Simon Cowell 22 Neighbor of Egypt (Abbr.) 24 Figure of speech 25 Punjab princess 26 Some bills in tills 27 “Grand” homer 29 ___ chi 30 Scary Hollywood street 33 Line of fashion
57 Hoosegow 34 First sign of spring? 58 Cans, in Liverpool 36 Long way off 59 Dallas hoopster, for 37 Pitcher Hideo short 38 Misprint, for short 39 Specified individually 60 “Ready when you ___!” 40 Treasury Dept. 61 Under the weather bureau 63 Teachers’ org. 41 Pop the question 45 Take as an PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER affront 46 Fraternity letter 48 Presentday Persia 49 Book of instructions 50 Mystical 51 Appeared 53 Tastelessly showy 54 Somme school
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CHAI TIME SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2012
Aries The Wheel of Fortune
W
ork – Time moves quickly. You get busy with daily tasks and you don’t quite soak in the ups and downs of work. Romance – Your partner’s mood swings get to you. Talk to your significant other and figure out a way to manage strong emotions. Health – Diet needs to be monitored very carefully. Be careful about overdoing it, too. Your skin and hair needs taking care of. Use special oils and natural herbs. Money – Finances are good. There is nothing to worry about. You have to review your finance plan for next year before making any changes. Tarot message – Nothing ever stays the same. With situations, people and environment changing constantly, accept it.
Gemini
Taurus Ace of Cups
W
ork – Use your intuition at work. Though the work may be monotonous or boring you can make it creative and interesting. Romance – This is an amazing time for romance. You and your partner discover a new closeness and bond well. Singles find love. Health – You feel good from within and this reflects on your health. You spread cheer and positive energy all around you. Money – You may get opportunities to make some extra money on the side through freelance or other moonlighting options. You have choices. Tarot message – Listen to your heart and go by what you feel. You’re in sync with the cosmos and things come to you naturally.
King of Cups
W
ork – You have a boss with a heart and are able to discuss your problems openly. But don’t take him/her for granted. Romance – You think you’re in control of your emotions but you may not be. You feel the need to put on a mask for the outer world. Health – Watch your weight. Take up an exercise regimen that you can follow. Start slowly and work your way to a healthy body. Money – There is no dearth of money for any of your needs. Hire a trustworthy consultant to tell you what to do with your money. Tarot message – You fight this urge to be friendly with those around you when you’re naturally distant and aloof.
Cancer The Star
W
ork – You may be having difficulty managing coworkers from the opposite sex. You cannot be too harsh nor can you ignore sloppy work. Tough call. Romance – You’re in the process of letting go of the past to start something new. You will only move forward from here and grow emotionally. Health – Beware of sedentary lifestyle and not getting enough exercise. It can do more harm than you know. Money – Some form of loss is indicated. But there is nothing to get unduly worried about. You’ll make back your money. Tarot message – The trick is to stop worrying. There will be ups and downs. Keep the faith that the silver lining will take care of you.
Leo Six of Cups
W
ork – Take help from a senior colleague to solve a problem related to a project. You’ll be surprised at how helpful colleagues can be. Romance – You’re in a beautiful phase when the beginnings of a love relationship are getting you excited about discovering your own passions. Health – Your health is good, only because you have maintained a good diet and are strict about your health. Watch out for minor illnesses like a cold or fever. Money – The bank balance is healthy and there is nothing to worry about. But do plan your investments for the next financial year. Tarot message – Your emotions are sensitive and intuition is heightened. You perceive the world around you differently.
SUMAA TEKUR tarotreadhyd@gmail.com
Libra Eight of Pentacles
W
ork – You will have to do the juggling act in order to manage all the work on your plate. The next time, just tell your boss how much you can deliver. Romance – You find stability and security in a relationship and despite being busy with other areas of your life, you’re able to make that connection with your partner. Health – There will be minor illnesses such as a sore throat or knee pain or a stomach upset. Take medication early on and don’t let it aggravate. Money – Finances are in very good shape. A windfall is expected. You get more returns from an investment than you had thought. Tarot message – Stability is important to you at this time.
Sagittarius
Scorpio The High Priestess
W
ork – You have the answers to a difficult work problem. But don’t be pompous while sharing it with coworkers. Be humble. Romance – The woman ends up being a dominant partner in a relationship. Nothing wrong with that. She perhaps knows better what is happening. Health – Your mental health is strong and is guiding you in the right direction. Meditation and de-stressing activities will make you connect with yourself better. Money – You play around with investments and the results are pretty much the same. Don’t worry too much about small amounts. Tarot message – Your intuition is heightened and you get in touch with your inner feminine side.
The High Priest
W
ork – Look at unusual places for answers to questions. If a coworker is being difficult, it’s best to leave him/her alone. It will settle down with time. Romance – You need space and want to be left alone to think about various other things. Explain to your significant other that you need some time out. Health – Some worry or tension is eating you up from within. Find a trusted friend to share your thoughts with. You’ll feel lighter. Money – You’ve saved up more than enough for a rainy day. You still have enough funds to play around with in the market. Tarot message – You’re in the process of making a strong connection with your innermost spiritual self.
Capricorn The Sun
W
ork – You’re in an ideal situation with just the right kind of projects coming your way. You’re charging ahead with gay abandon and it does wonders to your self-confidence. Romance – Singles will soon find someone attractive and it may even be a strong commitment sooner than you know. Romance goes well. Health – Your good cheer and positive energy will spread to everyone around you. It will also have a positive impact on your health. Laugh a lot. Money – You have nothing to worry about when it comes to finances. Whatever you need at any point will come to you. Tarot message – This is a great time for new beginnings. Your self-esteem and confidence levels are high.
Virgo Ace of Wands
W
ork – You will do very well in creative jobs. You think out the box and some the craziest ideas hit you although you may have no idea how you thought of them. Romance – Matters of the heart will take up a lot of your attention. Young lovers dating or discovering a new relationship will be on a happy high. Health – Your emotional health is doing wonderfully well. Your body responds to this happiness and cheer. Money – New projects or assignments will bring in more money. You will also have the chance to moonlight for extra cash. Tarot message – This time stands for all things new. It can be a new relationship, job, ideas, entrepreneurship, etc.
Date 26-2-2012
Aquarius
Pisces
Seven of Pentacles
King of Pentacles
W
ork – Don’t put your guard down at any point of time. Trust your coworkers only when you’re absolutely sure of them. Romance – Singles are likely to meet someone at a seminar, conference or workshop. Your intellectual interests match and you hit it off big time. Health – Keep depression at bay. If you’re feeling low about something, tackle it. Make yourself feel better instead of just going through the pain. Money – Finances are in good shape. You feel good about your stability and feel confident about making big life decisions. Tarot message – Keep your eyes and ears open. You need to find a way to stay stable and yet pursue your interests.
W
ork – You are likely to be offered a position that will put you in the limelight. It will be a top managerial post that will also teach you valuable lessons. Romance – Deep down you’re a romantic at heart. But your way of expressing your emotions, though unconventional, may seem odd to your partner. Health – You feel good about following a regimen and being in shape. Your health improves and you have averted a larger health issue. Money – You’re keen about getting your finances in order and making them work for you in the long term. Your practicality helps. Tarot message – Balance your practical, down-to-earth and sensible characteristics with some impulse, creativity and out-of-box thinking.
Vol: 1, No 223 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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THE SATURDAY QUIZ SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2012
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE Hemlock? 14. What is the symbol of truce? 15. Who is the only woman to have won the Nobel Prize twice? 16. The Australian town of Bundanoon became the first place in the world to ban what?
NAME GAME
IDENTIFY THESE BUILDINGS
IDENTIFY THESE COUNTRIES AND PERSONS
IDENTIFY THESE FAMOUS BETTER HALVES
1
She is a beautiful actress and has made many a man fall in love with her but Demi Moore had eyes for only one man and that too younger to her. A recent embarrassing revelation has jeopardised their marriage. He can be seen on Two and a Half men, a television series. Who is he ?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
The cockpit of Europe The city of Skyscrapers The Sugar Bowl of the world
2
She has been a model, actress, singer and writer and in 2008 Carla Bruni tied the knot with the head of a country. Carla Bruni is the heiress to the Italian tyre company CEAT. She is her husband's third and most controversial wife. His image in public is very important to him. Who is he?
The Gift of the Nile
The Dark Continent The Man of destiny
3
She is the first lady of corporate India. Nita is part of an illustrious Gujarati household, who are famous as the owners of Reliance. Her husband is the second richest man in Asia and is the ninth richest in the world. Who is he?
Dubya His Airness Saint of the Gutters
1.Ashton Kutcher 2. Nicolas Sarkozy 3. Mukesh Ambani
Answers
KNOW YOUR COUNTRY
Italy 4.The Victoria Memorial in Kolkata
Answers 1.Big Ben in London 2 The Colosseum in Rome 3.The Leaning Tower of Pisa in
1 2 3 4
Bard of Avon
1. Belgium 2. New York 3.Cuba 4. Egypt 5. Africa 6. Napoleon Bonaparte 7. George W Bush 8. Michael Jordan 9. Mother Theresa 10. William Shakespeare
FAMOUS SPOUSES
ment of a computer mouse measured? 11. What is the pirate’s flag with skull and cross bones called? 12. Which Chinese Leader was famous for his Little Red Book? 13. Who in ancient history was condemned to drink
Answers
6. How many squares are there on a chessboard? 7. The former name of Sri Lanka was? 8. Which place is known as the Roof of the World? 9. Who invented the first electric light? 10. In what unit is the speed and direction of the move-
1. BrahMos 2. Japan 3. Darts 4. Women 5. James Cook 6. 64 7. Ceylon 8. Tibet 9. Humphry Davy 10. Mickey 11. Jolly Rogers 12. Mao Zedong 13. Socrates 14. White flag 15. Marie Curie 16. The sale of bottled water
1. What is named after the Brahmaputra in India and the Moskva in Russia? 2. From which country does Sumo wrestling come from? 3. In which game would you get a double top? 4. If you had gynophobia what would be afraid of ? 5. Who discovered Australia?
Which city located in Gujarat is famous for zari production?
Find out four faces in the picture
Answer for
Which city is the closest to the geographical centre of India?
with Santosh Ghule
WHO AM I? My parents both hailed from the entertainment industry. I started a career as a comedian in vaudeville. I am most famous for my scripting and role in the film called The Great Dictator. I could also play the violin and the cello left-handed. When I come on screen all people do is laugh. Who am I?
Answer Charlie Chaplin (Charles Spencer Chaplin)
Which actress from Gone With the Wind was born in Darjeeling, India and lived much of her life in London?
PICTURE PUZZLE 3
2: The tree beside the house formed the girl.
Which Indian state has the most airports?
Answers
5
On which riverbank is Goa situated?
1. Surat 2. Mandovi 3. Gujarat 4. Vivien Leigh 5. Nagpur
Answers
29
SPORTS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2012
Hogg hopes to do his Best
A
Nathan to extend record
s if making his first Test start, against France at Murrayfield on Sunday, wasn’t enough for Scotland’s Stuart Hogg to deal with, this week he also discovered he’s related to George Best. The 19-year-old explained his link to the late Northern Irish football great by telling the BBC: “To cut a long story short, it turns out that my granny’s granny was a Best. It’s pretty amazing and I hope I can follow his example in the good ways.”
Nani hopes to regain form
N
N
athan Cleverly (right) hopes to use his WBO light-heavyweight title defence against Tommy Karpency as the springboard for a high-profile unification bout this summer perhaps with WBA champion Beibut Shumenov, reports The Guardian. Cleverly, 25, is the overwhelming favourite to retain his crown at Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena on Saturday night against the Pennsylvania southpaw Karpency.
ani has admitted he is struggling to regain his top form since returning from injury for Manchester United. The Portugal international played in both legs against Ajax in the Europa League after being sidelined for a month. And although Nani helped United edge past the Dutch champions 3-2 on aggregate to set up a last-16 clash with Athletic Bilbao, the 25-year-old said his best form remains elusive.
HYDERABAD SUNDAY RACE CARD Sheer Genius For Feature Trainer RH Sequeria’s Sheer Genius, prepared well in the morning trials will be fancied in the AlcockArabaind Million (Grade III) the main attraction of Sunday afternoon races here at Hyderabad.
IN OTHER RACING NEWS...
1st Race: The Mother’s Boy Plate (about) 1600 Metres, Cat-II. Terms for Maiden horses, 3 years old only. 1.45pm. 1. Kohiknoor Revanta 55 Ashhad Asbar (1) 2. Kohinoor Vikrant 55 N.Rawal (11) 3. Maharadhi 55 J.H.Christopher (10) 4. Okai Okai Okai 55 G.Sai Vamshi (7) 5. Rocking Racer 55 P.A.Culhane (2) 6. San Ramon 55 S.Sreekant (3) 7. Silver Spur 55 Ch.KChary (6) 8. Vijays Winner 55 M.A.Gallagher (4) 9. Anangalekha 53.5 Nitin Singh (5) 10. Classic Wish 53.5 A.Imran Khan (13) 11. Excluisve 53.5 M.F.Alikhan (8) 12. Molla 53.5 Laxmikant (12) 13. Sarvagnya 53.5 C.Henrique (9) 1. Rocking Racer 2. Kohinoor Revanta 3. Vijays Winner 2nd Race: The HP Mistry Memorial Cup (about) 1400 Metres, Cat-I. Terms for Horses 4 year olds and upward. 2.15pm. 1. Iaepetus 64 A.Imran Khan (5) 2. Rapture Of Vcitory 60 M.A. Gallagher (3) 3. Vijays Conquer 54 P.A.Culhane (2) 4. Alexander Square 53.5 S.Sreekant (1) 5. Genius Empress 50 Sk.Sharookh (6) 6. Rosemead 50 Kuldeep Singh (7) 7. Yakshagana 50 C.Henrique (4) 1. Iaepetus 2. Viajys Conquer 3. Rapture Of Victory 3rd Race: The Artillery Cup (about)1000 Metres, Cat-II. A handicap for horses, 4 year olds and upward, rated up to 75. 2.45pm. 1. Hidden Destiny 60 P.A.Culhane (2) 2. Valentine 59.5 N.S.Parmar (1) 3. Grand Connection 58.5 A.Imran Khan (4) 4. Kohinoor Supreme 57 N.Rawal (5) 5. True Diamond 54.5 S.Nayak (7) 6. Garibaldi 52.5 Kuldeep Singh (6) 7. Rohini Star 51.5 P.Sai Kumar (3) 1. Grand Connection 2. HiddenDestiny 3. Rohini Star 4th Race: The Alcock Arabian Million (Grade III) (about) 1400 Metres. Terms for Indian Horses 3 year olds only (Foaled in 2009) 3.15pm. 1. Ashok chakra 57 N.S.Paramr 2. Any Given Time 54 Ashhad Asbar 3. Sheer Genius 54 M.A.Gallagher 4. Sweet Candy 52.5 K.Anil 5. Flying Spur 50 Ch.K.Chary 6. Vijays Champ 50 Laxmikant
John King, driver of the #7 Red Horse Racing Toyota, celebrates with his team in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona International Speedway on Friday in Daytona Beach, Florida. STREETER LECKA/AFP
5. Bloody Mary 56.5 M.F.Alikhan (7) 6. Wedding Gift 54 G.Sai Vamshi (6) 7. Airborne Magic 53.5 J.H.Christopher (2) 8. Robust 53.5 N.Rawal (11) 9. Euphonic 52.5Ashhad Asbar (1) 10. Homely Helo 51.5 Deep Shanker (10) 11. Ponte Verdi 51.5 Kuldeep Singh (3) 1. Crown Crystal 2. Blooody Mary 3. Wedding Gift
(3) (5) (1) (6) (2) (4)
1. Sheer Genius 2. Ashoka chakra 3. Any Given Time 5th Race: The Royal Prince Plate (Div-II) (about) 1400Metres, Cat-II. A handicap for horses, 4 year olds and upward, rated upto 75. 3.45pm. 1. Twentyfive Pips 60 K.Anil (9) 2. Qinghuangdao 58 C.Henrique (5) 3. Crown Crystal 57.5 A.Imran Khan (8) 4. April Showers 56.5 Laxmikant (4)
6th Race: The Royal Prince Plate (Div-I) (about) 1400 Metres, Cat-II. A handicap for horses, 4 year olds and upward, rated upto 75. 4.15pm. 1. Young Sapper 60 N.S.Paramr (5) 2. Cannon Jet 57 N.Rawal (3) 3. Crown Castle 55.5 S.Nayak (8) 4. Chesapeak 54 Kuldeep Singh (9) 5. Dance Baby Dance 53.5S.Sreekant (6) 6. Star Saloni 53 G.SaiVamshi (7) 7. Ache For Love 51 C.Henrique (1) 8. Secret Burden 50.5 Ch.K.Chary (4) 9. Vijays Jet 50.5 Deep Shanker (10) 10. Kansas City Mac 49.5 Ajit Kumar (11) 11. Bribe Madi 49 K.Anil (2) 1.Secret Burden 2.Vijays jet 3.Ache For Love
7th Race: The Patrons Cup (Div-I) (about) 1400 Metres, Cat-III. A handicap for horses, 4 year olds and upward, rated up to 50. 4.45pm. 1. Audacious 61 A.Imran Khan (11) 2. Prince Paladin 61 J.H.Chirstopher (2) 3. Combined Force 60.5 N.S.Parmar (3) 4. Sea Runner 59 Kuldeep Singh (1) 5. Moment Of Roses 57 Laxmikant (8) 6. All The Fun 56 K.Anil (5) 7. True Star 55.5 Sk.Sharookh (6) 8. Gabriel 54 S.Sreekant (7) 9. Merry Maid 52 Ajit Kumar (4) 10. Indian Warrior 50.5 N.Rawal (9) 11. Eloquence 49 Ashhad Asbar (10) 1.Audacious 2.Prince Paladin 3.Moment Of Roses 8th Race: The Patrons Cup (Div-II) (about) 1400 Metres, Cat-III. A handicap for horses, 4 year olds and upward, rated up to 50. 5.15pm. 1. Devil’s Advocate 61 C.Henrique (8) 2. Silver Crown 61 S.nayak (1) 3. Smrithiman 60 Laxmikant (4) 4. Apprise 58.5A.Imran Khan (6) 5. Lake King 56.5 Kuldeep Singh (2)
6. Midnight Beauty 55.5 N.Rawal (7) 7. Carson Troy 55 G.Sai Vamshi (9) 8. Turf Ruler 53 K.Anil (5) 9. Max Baby 52.5 Ashhad Asbar (11) 10. Golden Adagio 50 P.Sai Kumar (3) 11. Mr.Don 49 Ajit Kumar (10) 1.Silver Crown 2.Apprise 3.Turf Ruler 9th Race:The Grace And Strength Plate (about) 2400 Metres, Cat-III. A handicap for horses, 4 year olds and upward, rated up to 50. 5.45pm. 1. Exquisite Delight 60 Niti Singh (6) 2. Shades Of Victory 59.5 C.Henrique (5) 3. Danny 57 G.Sai Vamshi (3) 4. Silver Lid 57 M.A.Gallagher (7) 5. Sheikhs Emperor 56.5 P.A.Culhane (8) 6. Classic Crown 52 G.B.Khade (2) 7. Star Striker 52 P.Sai Kumar (1) 8. Nano Angel 50.5 N.Rawal (4) 1.Sheikhs Emperor 2.Nano Angel 3.Silver Lid Days Best:Silver Crown Jackpot Race Nos: 5, 6, 7, 8, & 9 1st Treble Race Nos: 1, 2 & 3 2nd Treble Race Nos: 4, 5 & 6 3rd Treble Race Nos: 7, 8 & 9
Rory, Lee set for semi showdown MARANA: Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood remain on track for a semi-final showdown and a chance at the world No. 1 ranking after comfortable wins in the third round of the WGC Match Play Championship. On a day when only one of the eight round of 16 matches made it to the 18th hole, England’s Westwood pumped American Nick Watney 3 and 2 and Northern Ireland’s McIlroy managed to take down Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez 3 and 1. Should either player win the tournament they will usurp Luke Donald as world number one, although currently they are on a collision course for a semifinal clash at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club. First Westwood must account for Scotsman Martin Laird who won an all-Scottish battle over Paul Lawrie 3 and 1 to advance. While McIlroy meets South Korean Sang-Moon Bae who continued his charge with a 1-up win over Australian John Senden in the only match to make it to the final hole. Westwood, who had never advanced past the second round before this year, refused to look towards a potential dogfight with McIlroy, saying most people who had done so had been made to look like fools up to this point. “There’s a danger if you’re looking too far ahead. I’m just happy to be looking for a different restaurant for Friday night,” he said “I had a little chuckle watching The Golf Channel on Wednesday morning and listening to them make all their predictions. “I don’t think they got many right. It’s virtually impossible. “All I can do is keep playing the way I’m playing and do that against whichever opponent I’ve got in front of me. “You can’t control what your opponent does, if he comes out and shoots 62, I’m going home.” For his part, McIlroy wasn’t looking too far ahead either. “It (the semi final showdown) will be good. Obviously Lee is playing well at the minute but we both have to win our matches tomorrow,” he said. “And I’m going to have a very difficult opponent in Sang-moon Bae.”
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LAUGHING HER WAY TO THE FINAL
Isner is out MEMPHIS: Top seeded American John Isner was sent crashing out of the ATP and WTA Memphis Open after losing to Austrian Jurgen Melzer 6-3, 76 (8/6) in a quarter-final match on Friday. Isner, who hammered 48 aces in his first two matches in Memphis, fired 11 aces against
MEMPHIS OPEN Melzer in the 81 minute match at the $1.1 million indoor hardcourt tournament at The Racquet Club of Memphis. Isner also had two double faults and won just 67 percent of his first-serve points. Melzer won 80 percent of his first-serve points, had seven aces and saved both of his break point chances. Third seeded Czech Radek Stepanek also cruised into the semis surviving a first-set tie break then dominating the second set to beat Sam Querrey 7-6 (7/5), 6-0. Stepanek, who finished second here three years ago, posted four service breaks, compared to just one service break for the wild card and 2010 Memphis champ Querrey. Taking the court later is
ON THE WOMEN’S SIDE OF THE DRAW, FOURTH SEEDED MARINA ERAKOVIC OF NEW ZEALAND AND SWEDEN’S SOFIA ARVIDSSON WILL MEET IN THE FINAL AFTER WINNING THEIR SEMI-FINAL MATCHES ON FRIDAY. fourth seed Milos Raonic of Canada who meets Belgian Olivier Rochus in another quarter-final match. Poland’s Lukasz Kubot also faces German Benjamin Becker. Raonic lost to American veteran Andy Roddick in last year’s Memphis final and is coming off his second win of 2012 in San Jose last week. On the women’s side of the draw, fourth seeded Marina Erakovic of New Zealand and Sweden’s Sofia Arvidsson will meet in the final after winning their semi-final matches on Friday. Erakovic outlasted Russia’s Vera Dushevina 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 and Arvidsson eased past Alberta Brianti, of Italy, 6-3, 7-5.
Lin to savour the moment
Julia Goerges of Germany reacts after beating defending champion Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark at their WTA Dubai Open semi-final tennis match in the Gulf emirate on February 24, 2012. Georges won the match 7-6 (7/3), 7-5. AFP PHOTO/MARWAN NAAMANI
ORLANDO: Jeremy Lin said Friday he is trying to embrace the moment and have fun with all the attention he is getting during his first NBA all-star weekend. Lin, who went from sleeping on his brother’s couch to reviving the New York Knicks franchise in just a couple of weeks, competed in the NBA rising stars challenge game on Friday. Lin shot one-of-four and finished with two points in just under nine minutes of playing time as his Team Shaq lost 146133 to Team Chuck on Friday. “Just to be here and to see the company and all the players that are here is just, it’s been unbelievable,” Lin said. “I’m just trying to take it all in and embrace it and enjoy it every step of the way.” Lin said once Friday’s contest is finished he hopes to use the rest of the break to get some rest and prepare for the remainder of the season. “I am just trying to
Jeremy Lin relax, recover and let some pains go away,” he said. Kyrie Irving scored 34 points, added nine assists and was eightof-eight from three-point range to lead Team Chuck to victory. Greg Monroe had 19 points and 10 rebounds for Team Shaq. But even with all the star power in Friday’s game, Lin was getting the lion’s share of attention on Friday.
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Zenit borrows Arshavin LONDON: Zenit Saint Petersburg have signed Arsenal’s Russian midfielder Andrey Arshavin on loan until the end of the season, the player and the Russian outfit said Friday. The Arsenal player, who cost the Gunners 15 million pounds (20 million dollars) when he arrived in London two and a half seasons ago, tweeted ‘it’s done’ as he prepared to head back to his former club amid reports Zenit had agreed to pay a fee of around 1.5 mil-
MANCHESTER: Park Ji-Sung has revealed his pride at being asked to captain Manchester United but is firmly focused on the Red Devils’ pursuit of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League. The former South Korean international captain was handed the armband by Sir Alex Ferguson for Thursday’s Europa League clash against Ajax at Old Trafford. The occasion was spoiled
lion dollars and also pay his wages. Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger had previously insisted that the Russian would be staying in London although the 30year-old has come in for criticism from fans for some recent below-par performances. This season he has been a fringe player, generally appearing from the bench. And with the Russian transfer window shutting Friday night Zenit made their move, saying in a statement on their
website that “Arshavin is back!” The club added: “FC Zenit welcomes the return of Andrey Arshavin to St Petersburg.” Arsenal said in a statement: “Everyone at Arsenal wishes Andrey well during his spell with Zenit.” Arshavin has scored 30 times in 133 appearances for the Gunners since joining in February 2009, including four goals in a 4-4 draw with Liverpool at Anfield in his debut season. AFP
Craig seeks to curb the chimp LONDON: Rejuvenated striker Craig Bellamy has credited a mind-management guru with helping him keep his volatile temper under control as the Welshman looks to claim a League Cup winner’s medal. Bellamy, who hopes to lead Liverpool to silverware against his hometown club Cardiff in Sunday’s showpiece at Wembley, revealed that he has worked hard both on and off the field. The results have been there for all to see. In the second leg of the League Cup semi-final at Anfield, the 32-year-old was warmly applauded by Manchester City’s travelling fans despite the fact he had scored the goal which ended their hopes of a Wembley appearance. “The ‘chimp’ still comes out every now and then but I have to think about the rational, human being side,” said Bellamy in reference to his new outlook on football. The chimp reference is in relation to a mind-management book by Dr Steve Peters, whom Bellamy has spoken with. The Chimp Paradox explains how to separate the human from the ape element in the brain and therefore control your responses. But it is not just the psychological side of the game that Bellamy has started to pay more attention to, he is working hard on keeping himself in shape. “I am in (training) as early
as I can to make sure I do everything right to be able to play well,” he added. “I am one of the last ones to leave because I have to do ice baths, swimming pools and treatments and work with my knees on a daily basis. It has been a complete revamp for me but it is
THE CHIMP REFERENCE IS IN RELATION TO A MIND-MANAGEMENT BOOK BY DR STEVE PETERS, WHOM BELLAMY HAS SPOKEN WITH. amazing.” Bellamy is expected to start Sunday’s final as he searches for his first medal in English football. “Football is a complete hobby and I enjoy myself every day. I used to think I was obsessed but I am truly committed to my sport,” he said. “I am committed to the club and the profession I am in and by doing that I give myself the best opportunity to be able to play well on a Saturday. “When I go out I don’t think about scoring or anything else apart fro trying my hardest. “If anything comes off then great. If it doesn’t I can walk off truly knowing I have given my all and if someone was better then great.”
Captain sensible
for Park however after United lost 2-1 on the night yet progressed on 3-2 aggregate. “It was a great honour to be named Manchester United captain,” Park said. “It is not something I ever thought about doing, but I would have preferred the result to be better.” Park meanwhile is keen for United to keep up the pressure on leaders City with victory over Norwich on Sunday.
“From now on, every match in the Premier League is important,” he said. “We have to keep pressing Manchester City. “We have experienced this kind of pressure before. It is a big advantage for us that we have that kind of experience. “That is the biggest difference between Manchester City and us and we have to see how AFP they deal with it.”
Liverpool’s Craig Bellamy in an argument with Chelsea’s Frank Lampard during a match last year.
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Enjoy, Harry tells Adebayor LONDON: Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has backed Emmanuel Adebayor to thrive on the atmosphere as he returns to the Emirates to face Arsenal in Sunday’s highly charged north London derby. Adebayor enraged Arsenal fans in 2009 when he sprinted the length of the field to celebrate a goal against the Gunners for his new club Manchester City. The Togolese striker was subjected to abusive chants during Tottenham’s win over Arsenal at White Hart Lane last October and is expected to face a rough ride on Sunday in his first game at the Emirates as a Spurs player. The ill-tempered atmosphere in October’s encounter has prompted both Tottenham and Arsenal to issue a joint statement calling for calm this week. But Redknapp is confident Adebayor will rise above any abuse from the stands. Robin Van Persie. AFP PHOTO/GIUSEPPE CACACE
‘Defeat’s not an option’ LONDON: Robin Van Persie has con-
many years but it’s in our hands to change the way things are going, win the game and start moving closer to them,” van Persie said. “A draw will not be a good result for us (on Sunday), either in our bid to catch up with Spurs or in our efforts to fight off our other challengers for a Champions League place.” Wenger admits every game counts now and said: “I don’t know if this is my most important derby. It is the most important game because it is the next one. “That is what top-level sport is like. For us it is important because we have an opportunity to come back closer to Spurs and strengthen our position in fourth place, which is a very important target.” The Arsenal manager has not given up hope of overhauling Spurs, though. “You judge at the end of the season,” he said. “The only thing you can say is that in the last 15 years Spurs have finished behind Arsenal.” Redknapp, meanwhile, made it clear that finishing above Arsenal, and Chelsea too, would be a major achievement. “It’s the most important thing this year to be honest,” he said.
firmed Arsenal’s north London derby clash with Tottenham Hotspur will carry an extra edge by insisting it is a game Arsene Wenger’s side simply cannot afford to lose. Local rivalry ensures the visit of Spurs to the Emirates Stadium is always highly charged. But for the first time in many years, Harry Redknapp’s side go to the home of their rivals as clear favourites to win - and with the Gunners’ season in danger of imploding. Wenger’s Arsenal team face their near neighbours having exited the FA Cup at the hands of Sunderland and been all but eliminated from the Champions League after losing their last 16 first leg tie with AC Milan 4-0. That means a top four finish, and with it a place in next season’s Champions League, is Arsenal’s only realistic chance of salvaging something from the season. But with a 10-point gap between Wenger’s men and third placed Spurs, and Chelsea, Newcastle and Liverpool all challenging strongly for fourth, van Persie knows there is no margin for error. “They’re above us for the first time in
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“I’m sure he will enjoy going back there,” the Tottenham manager said. “He played well against them at home this year so I don’t think it will be a problem. “I suppose he will get some stick, that goes with the territory when you go back to your old clubs, but I’m sure he can handle it. “Hopefully he will keep his cool and that’s what he needs to do.” Spurs are favourites to do the double over Arsenal for the first time in nearly two decades, and a win on Sunday would stretch their lead over the Gunners to 13 points and leave Tottenham on course to finish the season as the highest place representative from the capital. “I want to be London’s top club this year,” he said. “To dominate London would be very difficult because you have two very strong teams in Arsenal and Chelsea.”