STRIKE AFFECTS ONLY BANKS The all-India general strike called for by eight major trade unions evoked negligible response in the City, and a lukewarm response across the State in the morning hours on Tuesday. However, services of all public sector banks were affected though autorickshaws and RTC buses plied without any interruption. While several universities postponed examinations slated for the day, the strike had dismal impact on schools and colleges. State secretaries of the CPM and CPI, BV Raghavulu and K Narayana, respectively were P5 arrested. Hyderabad’s first compact afternoon newspaper
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CITY COPS ON WITCH-HUNT Nails, lashes, coconuts, land documents, passports! Police pick up 14 sorcerers in City. REPORT ON PG 3
NO BOOTSTRAP FUNDING FOR GPS IN RTC BUSES The APSRTC has decided to entrust fixing of GPS in 12,185 buses to an agency on the build, own, operate and transfer (BOOT) method in the State. The project will be completed this year. P7
INTUITION, INTELLIGENCE AND INVENTION On National Science Day, we look at 21st century’s most talked about developments which redefined the way we lead our lives today. P16&17
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CENTRE DOES A VOLTE-FACE ON HOMOSEXUALITY The Centre has changed its stand on homosexuality in the Supreme Court, saying there is no error in decriminalising gay sex.
Page Two
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2012
Spirit of Twin Cities
LITTLE HEART
Carnatic Music
SRINIVAS SETTY
Ranjani and Gayathri will present a Carnatic Vocal Duet at Ravindra Bharati. Where: Ravindra Bharathi, Saifabad When: February 28, 6.30pm Contact: (040) 2323 3672
Painting exhibition An exhibition featuring artistes such as Konduru Nageshwar Rao, Narendranath Palala, T Nageswara Rao and Rajeshwar Nyalapali will be displayed at Inspire Art Gallery. Where: Inspire Art Gallery Hyderguda When: February 28, 11am Contact: (040) 30628447
Conversations in time Kalakriti Art Gallery plays host to Ashok Mullick’s collection of paintings on canvas titled Conversations in Time. Where: Kalakriti Art Gallery, Banjara Hills When: Ongoing, 11am Contact: (040) 66564466
Art from the heart
Get my food-Pronto
Muse Art Gallery presents a charity art show by Anjum Mohammadi (Karachi) for Soul. Where: Muse Gallery, Tank Bund When: Ongoing, 11am Contact: (040) 2752 2999
In a hurry? Head to Prego at Westin. It offers quick 45-minute lunch stop overs. Where: The Westin, Madhapur When: Monday-Saturday, 12pm onwards Contact: (040) 6767 6767
Crafts Mela Head to Peoples plaza where AP handicrafts development corporation is hosting a 10-days crafts bazaar which features craftsmen from around the country. Where: Peoples Plaza, Necklace Road When: Ongoing, 11am
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
International pizza festival
Voice and Ventriloquy Gallery Space presents Voice and Ventriloquy- a solo show by Subroto Chowdhury . The exhibition is on till March 10. Where: Gallery Space, Banjara Hills When: Ongoing, 11am to 7pm Contact: (040) 6554 1836
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) 40101234
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
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
CINEMAS
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
Go Splash
call a perfect mix for a perfect evening! Where: Taj Krishna, Banjara Hills When: Every Evening Contact: (040) 6666 232
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 Contact: (040) 6666 2323
Acting workshop Samahaara- an acting and dancing workshop is being
Splash lounge is the perfect leisure destination for you to unwind at the poolside. During the evenings, the atmosphere gets romantic with great music, martinis and apertifs. Where: The Westin, Madhapur When: Monday-Friday, 5pm-10.30pm Weekends, 8am-10.30pm Contact: (040) 6767 6828
Pakistani food fest Bidri at Hyderabad Marriott hotel is host to a Pakistani food festivalTrain with chefs from Pakistan. Get a taste of various delicacies from Pakistan. Where: Hyderabad Marriott, Tank Bund When: Ongoing Contact: (040) 2752 2999
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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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2012
Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities
Tools of (Black) Magic Nails, lashes, coconuts, land documents, passports! Police pick up 14 sorcerers in City
CRIME Mohd Subhan mohd.s@postnoon.com
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ollowing widespread complaints of ruining many lives, the police in old city areas have began cracking their whips against the black magicians. South Zone police have rounded up 14 of them. Startling things are coming out of them, said Deputy commissioner of Police South Zone Manish Kumar Sinha said. Some of them, known as Amil, are womanizers who have illicit relations with dozens of unwary girls. Postnoon had highlighted the dark deeds of witchcraft practitioners in the City. The special police team under the supervision of ACP Mirchowk S Kistaiah said the foremost among them is Aqueel Chaush, 26 and his associate, Sahreef, 40, and seized many things used in ‘driving out evil spirits’ like lime, lash, coconut, nails, powder, passports,
CRIME BRIEFS Fire in computer bazaar People woke up to find smoke and flames belching from the Chennai Trade Centre at Park Lane, Secunderabad early morning today. Computers and gadgets worth several lakhs were gutted in the fire that broke out in the shop of computer bazaar. Later, owner of the computer bazaar Dharam Chand Lalawani lodged a complaint with Mahankali police. Cause of the fire was not immediately ascertained.
Young wife found dead
land documents. It is also said that Aqueel’s father is a married man with dozens of children and the family is involved in this business. Both men and women are involved in sorcery, police found
out. But men outnumber women in this business. Their main target is girls or women who are said to be seized of evil spirits. They are kept in semi-dark rooms and several sessions are conducted which is
JP spares no sympathy for agriculture minister POLITICS Postnoon News feedback@postnoon.com
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oksatta leader Jayprakash Narayan while asking eight supplementary questions on farmers and their woes, rejected the Speker’s friendly suggestion to have empathy and sympathy with the agriculture minister who is beset with many issues. When JP began shooting one after another questions on paddy cultivation, remunerative prices for farm yields,
and many others, speaker N Manohar smilingly suggested to him to have empathy for the minister. Rejecting it in equally friendly term, JP said he did not have sympathy or empathy for the minister. I will not spare that for the minister but for the farmers and the people, he said. JP who resorted to a yatra to break the ban of inter-state movement of grains, said farmers had been suffering untold miseries and the government was ignoring them or placating them with some empty promises. “ I like the agriculture minister, he is a friend but that is a different matter,” he said .
Playing 007, AP intelligence style! ASSEMBLY U Srinivas srinivas.u@postnoon.com
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here are more ‘intelligence people than media persons in and around the Assembly media point. And, their mode of working is talking with media and lurk in the media conference rooms. Intelligence Bureau people, who include women cops, get their reports from media mostly. This is easy and painless, and they feed their political bosses this information as ‘intelligence reports’. Little wonder most of them go wide off
the mark because each media person gives one view which may not give a picture in totality or of a grassroots scene. The other day one of them was seen talking to the deputy chief minister Damodar Rajanarsimha. He was later seen rushing in and out of the DCM chamber. And, here this woman is probably a cop. She attends all media meetings and take notes. But few know who she is. When an MLA asked her, she revealed that she belongs to the intelligence wing. Opposition leaders allege that intelligence people spy on them but when they were ruling, these people spied for them!
generally out-of-bound for others. Hence exploitation becomes easy. Meanwhile, there are also allegations of innocents being taken away. MIM leaders Pasha Quadri and Mumtaaz Ahmed Khan held a dharna before the Moghalpura police station demanding release of them who included some women from Paanchmohalla, Shahalibanda, Kalapathar. Four of them were later released.
A woman, Syeda Feroz Tabassum, is alleged to have committed suicide by hanging at Murthy Nagar under Balanagar police station limit. The, 26-year-old Syeda Feroz Tabassum, native of Zaheerabad was married efew months ago to Syed Taufeeq. Recently Feroz Tabassum was not allowed to go her home after her mother’s sickness. She is said to have taken this extreme step in dejection.
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Finding home and kinship DEEPAK DESHPANDE
Success stories of Uppal Shelter for Homeless Women-
Women in distress have found not just a home in ‘Uppal Shelter for Homeless Women’ but also love and hope
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SOCIETY Osama Salman salman.o@postnoon.com
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ahatma Gandhi had said once, “What is true of the individual will be tomorrow true of the whole nation if individuals will but refuse to lose heart and hope.” And beside this great man’s statue in Uppal, is a tiny, yet important shelter for homeless women, which provides hope and rehabilitation for the distressed. For the residents living in the 15-bed shelter in Uppal, inside the compound of Government Unani Hospital, this is more than just a roof over their head. It is home for them. For the 11-odd members living here, all their roommates are family. “Whenever a woman comes back late to the shelter in the night, the rest of them stay awake
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and wait for her to return,” said Lakshmi, in-charge of the only homeless women’s shelter in the City. “They share a deep bond and friendship, as they know what each of them has been through,” she continued. The shelter has been provided by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and is aided by Spurti, an NGO that works for the upliftment of women. Since its inauguration on December 31, 2010, there have been 34 members who have come and gone. There are 15 beds, 15 mattresses, 15 pillows and bedsheets, which are neatly setup in the three room, two bathroom and
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kitchen property. That apart, they even have a television set. The GHMC provides the shelter, furniture, electricity and water. But everything else, including the food is provided by the NGO, Spurti. The residents here have not lost all hope. “I am very happy living here. When I left my husband with my three children in Vijaywada, we came by train to the City. We were sleeping on the station platform and did not know what to do. I was approached by a member of Spurti, who mobilised me here. My children and I have found a home to live in, at least until I get a job,” said Maryam, 28, who has been a resident since five
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months. For 18-year-old Ashwini, an intermediate second-year student, the shelter is a transition to a better life. “I did not have a place to live and when I was brought to the shelter, I did not know where my life was heading. However, all the anxieties took a rest when I settled in. I am going to complete my education and work in a good company, and have a better life,” she said. The Uppal shelter has its share of problems as well. The shelter is far too small for the actual number of women out on the streets. But the GHMC has promised the NGO that they will provide more space on the floor above the shelter, which is currently being used by them. Even the security provided by them is not adequate. A hunched watchman, who is too old to even protect himself, had been assigned the duty of guarding the shelter by GHMC. “He brings his male relatives and friends into the compound and they sleep in the courtyard at night. Sometimes, they drink and create a ruckus,” complained Lakshmi. Allegedly, the previous watchman used to get drunk and abuse
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A 55-year-old woman reached Spurti shelter home in desperate condition. She was thrown out from her home by her step-children. Her husband kept all the properties in his first wife’s children’s name after his death. One of her neighbour’s helped her reach the shelter. Now she works as a baby-sitter and she wants to start a baby care centre in the future. Uppal shelter home accommodated a 35-year-old woman, a 14-year-old girl and a five-yearold boy. The girl completed her class 10 exam, and was trained by Lakshya Foundation. Now, she is working in a supermarket, and her mother is working as domestic maid, and they are staying near the shelter. The five-year-old boy is studying in a government school. A women was identified by the shelter moralisers in Church Colony. She was very weak and mentally imbalanced. After 10 days in the shelter, she was sent to Ramanthapur Homeopathy Medical Collage for treatment. Three months later, her brother and mother were found and she was repatriated back to her family.
the women and lock them inside. He was removed immediately, but the new watchman is nothing better. What might traditionally be called a problem, is actually a way of rehabilitating the women in the shelter. Food comes at a price of `10 for three meals. “We want them to be able to pay for the food because only when you ask them to do so, will they go out and work and earn a living. Eventually, they rehabilitate themselves and then leave. For women like Maryam, who can’t work with children, we pay for their food,” said Krishnaveni, founder, Spurti NGO.
AIRLINES Airport Director 27903785, 27906001 For Air India Flight Information Toll free (from any network) for IC Flights 18001801407 And for All Flights: 1800227722 Air India has revised its flight timings. For more information call (Toll free) 18001801407, 1800227722 from BSNL/MTNL 04023430334 from other lines and mobile Website; www.airindia.in TOURISM OFFICES AP Tourism, Hyd 23262152/53/54 Sec’bad 27893100 Dept of Tourism 23453110 India Tourism 23261360 AP Tourism information Centre (24x7) 23450444, 23455999
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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
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Stir-weary City ignores strike call M ANIL KUMAR
PROTEST Postnoon News feedback@postnoon.com
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ll-India general strike called for by eight major trade unions evoked negligible response in the City, and a lukewarm response across the State in the first half of Tuesday. Services of all public sector banks were affected. Most branches of banks remained closed for public transactions, though officers reported for duty. The private sector banks, however, functioned normally. The auto-rickshaws and RTC buses plied normally without any interruption. While several universities postponed the examinations slated for Tuesday, the strike had a dismal impact on schools and colleges. Though the auto strike was hyped up and a lot of notices had been given about the strike 48 hours in advance, it did not translate into action when it came to actual day of strike. Most autos plied normally at Secunderabad and Nampally railway stations and Mahatma Gandhi and Jubilee Bus stations. President, autorickshaw drivers union, Amanullah Khan said that the meter fare should be increased and resented the e-
were affected. P Madhu, former CPM MP, organised a sit-in in front of the bus depot at MGBS and he was taken into custody. Keeping in view the strike, the State government asked all district treasuries to keep a reserve cash of `40 lakh each with them to meet any emergencies. Several universities, including Osmania, JNTU, Kakatiya and Palamuru, cancelled examinations slated for Tuesday. Some examinations were postponed to March 15. The TDP and the TRS extended their solidarity to the all-Idia general strike. Floor leaders of the CPI Gunda Mallesh and the CPM Julakanti Ranga Reddy said that the government should immediately take measures for the emancipation of bonded labour and also resolve the demands of labourers. State secretary of CPM BV Raghavaulu, who was leading a demonstration at Koti, was taken into custody.
N SHIVA KUMAR
challan system. Mohammed Iqbal Khan, an auto driver, who has been in the profession for 35 years, said the strike was due to harassment by the traffic police in the form of indiscriminate issuance of e-challans. They also demanded that the minimum meter fare be increased to `20. Mohammed Hamid, another auto driver from Jahanuma, said that the strike was also aimed at demanding more CNG stations
across the City. Services of APSRTC were not affected by the strike, for the majority union, National Mazdoor Union (NMU), did not participate in it. Managing director of APSRTC B Prasada Rao told Postnoon that only 20 per cent of the services were affected across the State. But it would become normal by noon. Executive director of Bhagyanagar region Koteswara Rao said that no buses in the City
ISEET to change entrance landscape EDUCATION U Srinivas srinivas.u@postnoon.com
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ngineering aspirants have reason to get confused. They have joined various colleges in the name of Eamcet, AIEEE, IIT and other entrance tests. Now they have to go for a national entrance test for engineering courses. The test is named as ISEET (Indian Science and Engineering Evaluation Test). A candidate must score above 40 per cent in the class XII Board examination to qualify for the entrance examination. However, the weightage, accorded to the performance in class XII, can go up to 100 per cent. The combined weightage for the main and the advance paper under ISEET shall not, in any case, exceed 60 per cent. It is for the individual educational institutions or the State government concerned to decide on the weightage to be accorded to the class XII scores, main and
advance examinations. ISEET-2013 will be conducted in two parts — main and advanced in April or May 2013. The exams will be of three-hour duration each and will be held on a single day. The IIT Council has decided to hold one all-India entrance aptitude test from 2013-14, instead of the existing system of
multiple exams for engineering courses at state and central level, including IITs. The council’s decision has been approved by the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) and the State has cleared the same. Intermediate students who are appearing for the first year MPC examination this year will have to go for the national
entrance test next year. Minister of State for HRD D Purandareswari has clarified that the State will have the choice of opting for the National Test or Eamcet. Minister for Higher Education Damodar Raja Narsimha, said that the issue had to be discussed and the decision would be announced soon. The council meeting presided by HRD minister Kapil Sibal earlier decided that an all-India merit list would be prepared for the allocation of seats. The intermediate weightage would be 40 per cent for the national entrance test. Anantula Vinay Kumar Reddy, chairman of Sreyas Institute of Engineering and Technology, told Postnoon that the best students would be chosen if the exam was conducted at the national level. The students would get a global perspective and the national pool would produce intelligent students, he stated. Good colleges with sound education standards have nothing to lose, he said. PVRK Murthy, chairman of Sri
Gayatri group of educational institutions, said instead of making the students write a dozen tests, the government had taken the right decision to conduct just one test — ISEET. Now the intermediate students have to work hard as 40 marks would be added from the two years’ marks. Harsha Priya, a student from Gayatri Junior college, said that she was an AIEEE student and now she had to gear up for the national entrance test. However, some professors said that Eamcet should be withdrawn in a phased manner. Officials from the Department of Higher education said that they heard about the common entrance test and they were yet to receive any instructions from the government over the matter. As of now, the ISEET to be conducted in 2013 will cover the 15 IITs, 30 NITs, four IIITs, five Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs) and a few deemed universities which come under the purview of the HRD Ministry.
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Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2012 M ANIL KUMAR
CLASSIFIEDS FABRICATION
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Implosion technology need of every city Md Inkeshaf Ahmed ahmed.m@postnoon.com
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REAL ESTATE GACHIBOWLI TO VATTINAGULAPALLY ORR FACING HOUSING PLOTS FOR SALE. NEAR MICROSOFT, WIPRO, ICICI, INFOTECH, KOKAPET IT SEZ. CONTACT - 9989354333
TRS to contest in Kovuru
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RS chief KCR has announced that his party had decided to field a candidate in the Kovuru constituency. He said that the name of the candidate would be announced soon. He said that two to three candidates were aspiring for his party ticket.
Travails of engineering education begin here TRANSPORT Anubha Singh anubha.k@postnoon.com
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ravelling in jam-packed APSRTC buses and even on rooftops, hundreds of engineering students risk their lives. Many of them are tired even before they reach their respective colleges located in the outskirts of the City. It’s not fun, it’s part of their mandatory daily drudgery. Many of them travel more than eight to 12 km to reach their colleges. There are over a 100 engineering colleges in and around the City, of which, a majority are located in areas like Ibrahimpatnam, Medchal, Ghatkesar, Gandipet, Bachupally and Moinabad. Although most of these colleges
provide transport facility from different parts in the City, students still prefer the RTC buses. The main reason for not opting for the college transport is the exorbitant transportation fee. “I stay in Banjara Hills and my college is in Bachupally. I change two buses everyday and it’s a routine. I know that the buses are packed and it’s a risky affair, but there is no other alternative. If I miss the bus, I will be late and I can’t afford missing my classes. Transport provided by the college is expensive and there is no bus in my route. I opt for APSRTC buses which are overcrowded,” said, Anish Kumar, a second year B.Tech student, VNR College. “Thanks to the packed buses,you can often see students hanging out precariously from the vehicle. At present, the buses plying through the City are heavily crowded. It has
THE FACES OF HYDERABAD Amba Das, Mochi, Yousufguda
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mba Das has almost 25 years of experience as a cobbler. Even though he finished his school education, he ended up as a mochi, a family profession. Hailing from Karnataka, he shifted to Hyderabad seven years ago to make more money as his village was devoid of opportunities. As one glances at him, it shows how much attention he pays to his work. Numerous cuts are seen on his calloused hands. Recently, one of the sharp tools he uses for mending shoes, pierced into his leg
Aishwarya Yerra A city is defined by the people who live and work in it. Here we take a look at the human threads that make up our urban tapestry
while he was working with it. But he doesn’t complain saying it is his only means of livelihood. Even his wife knows how to mend footwear and she takes his place whenever he has to go out. Even though they are poor, he has made sure that his children receive a good education. Ask him if his profession helps earns him enough money and he says that it barely covers his day-to-day expenses and his children’s education fees. Beyond that, he has no saving. But he says he will remain a mochi.
become a common sight to see students on the rooftops of the buses and sometimes many of them are dangerously perched on footboards. Will the authorities take some measures to curtail overcrowding in buses? Also overcrowded buses run at breakneck speed,” rued another commuter and a college student, Swathi Reddy, student of NMR College at Ghatkesar. With most college managements charging an exorbitant transportation fee ranging from `2, 000 to `3, 600 a month, students prefer RTC buses using the student pass that costs much less. “It is an everyday tussle. Owing to insufficient bus services to City outskirts, we occupy every bit of the space available on the buses and sometimes we even travel on rooftops risking our lives,” adds Nagaraj, a student of Vasavi College, Ibrahimbagh. N SHIVA KUMAR
f the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), that boasts of a `3,600 crore annual budget, had set up a unit for implosion technology, a tragedy like the Monda market building collapse could have been averted. Implosion is the strategic placement of explosive charges that actually destroy the structural integrity of the building causing it to fall not out, but in upon itself. This technology has been successfully used by the engineers of NTPC in demolishing large towers of Thermal Power station at Ramagundam in Karimnagar district a few years ago. The Mumbai Municipal Corporation also uses this technology. “Our guidelines included deploying labourers to oversee dismantling works. Whenever we receive an application for demolition of a building we ask them to take these precautions,” GHMC chief city planner GV Raghu told Postnoon on Monday. When asked the chief city planner whether the corporation had implosion technology to undertake such operations, Raghu said that they did not have it. But he added that many private agencies have this technology. Nor do they (GHMC) has any plan to procure implosion technology in near Future, Raghu said. According to the officials of the corporation, a total of 550 dilapidated buildings have been demolished by the GHMC so far and another 272 buildings, which are in dilapidated conditions are await for the action of officials. Many citizens when asked on the need of the new technology wondered why the GHMC is not insisting on getting the facility as it is in continual process of demolishing. “Don’t they care for the lives of people?” wondered R Kumar, a manager in SunTech.
Fire mishap in film writer’s house
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here was a fire accident in film lyricist Chandra Bose’s house in the Anjali Gardens under Rajendranagar mandal on Monday. According to the information, the accident had occurred due to an electrical short circuit due to voltage fluctuation. The scared members of the poet’s family ran out of the house. Apart from some domestic appliances, some 1,500 valuable cassettes and clothes were gutted.
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STATE BUSES TO GET A TECH LIFT
Buses in the State are all set to go hi-tech with GPS devices being installed in 12,185 vehicles by the APSRTC to introduce vehicle tracking and passenger information system
TRANSPORT Osama Salman salman.o@postnoon.com
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he Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) is finally getting the muchneeded technology advancement. Soon, the APSRTC is going to introduce Global Positioning System (GPS) devices in 12,185 buses in the State under its wings, through which the movement of the buses can be tracked for a better service to the commuters. Through the introduction of GPS, APSRTC intends to introduce vehicle tracking and passenger information system. The central server will calculate the Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) of buses at each bus station through the GPS. ETA information will be displayed on the LCDs at identified bus stations and shelters. APSRTC intends to make the
Routes
City Long distance Special Type Bangaru Ganulu (Pallevelugu) Total
information available on the internet, SMS and helpline as well. The Ticket Issuing Machines (TIM) with GSM/GPRS facility will also be integrated with the project for online updating of details of tickets issued and seats available in the central sever, in real time. This will enable the display of the number of seats available, in addition to ETA. TIMs will also be integrated with online passenger reservation system (BARAT) for enabling the issuance of advance reservation of tickets through it. The software in the central server will be capable of generating several reports like bus stops skipped, speed violations, improper stopping, and bunching of buses. To monitor the operations, the RTC has established a data centre and two control centres. All the buses in the city will be equipped with the technology and will most definitely be of great help to the large population that uses these buses every day.
Number of routes 1509 10 286 1805
Number of buses 5052 2886 4247 12185
Speaking on the introduction of the vehicle tracking in the buses, B Prasada Rao, vice-chairman and managing director,
LCD boards
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APSRTC, said, “Once out of the depot, there is no way of tracking the buses or keeping a tab on them, especially long-distance buses. This will enable us to monitor the movement through this advanced technology.” He further added, “We want to, more importantly, improve customer service. The commuters will be informed about the arrival of the buses through the LCDs. Customer satisfaction is utmost important for us.”
The APSRTC, of late, has been in the red for the losses that it is incurring, and with the introduction of this technology, won’t the costs make a deeper hole in the pocket? Rao says that the project will follow a BOOT (Build-OwnOperate-Transfer) model for five years. “The total capital and costs will be borne by the vendors and the APSRTC will pay ‘per bus per month’ charges,” he said. How the project will fare, only time will tell.
A journey from Karachi to Hyderabad The love of art can transcend all social, political and emotional boundaries. It is this belief that brings a propitious artist, Anjum Mohammadi from Pakistan, all the way to India just to display her art work
ART Indira Atluri indira.a@postnoon.com
I
n the town of Karachi, Pakistan lives a petite woman - Anjum Mohammadi. She teaches art and
I have always loved coming to India. This is my third time here and I love it. Anjum Mohammadi, Artist
craft in a kindergarten school, and practices her hobby of painting during her free time. And she is in Hyderabad to showcase art all the way from Pakistan in India. We spoke to her to know what made her visit India, and she shared with us her reason, “I have always loved coming to India – I have a few family members here, and a many friends, so I have many good reasons to visit this beautiful country. This is my third time here, and I feel as good as my first visit.” Unlike the last two visits, Anjum’s visit to India this time is with her artworks. She excitedly tells us, “I met the curator of Muse Art Gallery, Sudheer Kaali online, and expressed my interest in showcasing my artworks in his gallery. And before I knew, he was already helping me with the for-
malities of coming to India. His efforts in bringing me here have overwhelmed me – I cannot thank him enough for all the efforts.” Anjum’s interests in art
extend to water colours, acrylics, collages and sculptures. She believes that learning is limited to as much you limit yourself. She believes that contemporary Pakistan is more tolerant of India. Life there is comparatively not yet an easy game, but she has a positive take on living there, “Politicians have not made it an easy life for us. The government does not do justice, and no institution is in order, but we want things to change like never before. And Pakistanis have now realized the importance of India as a neighbour. After the Bombay bomb blasts, we are still allowed to travel to India but there is more restriction. I myself have a lot of Hindu friends in Pakistan and India, and I love the culture.” Anjum feels the need to explore a collaboration of
Pakistani art with India. And she is more than willing to have Indian artists come to Pakistan to showcase their works. “I would love to help with all the work required to bring some great Indian artists to Pakistan. My country would be proud to be host to some great names in art form India. I have seen some of the works of artists here, and I think they are incredible. I would love to do my bit to promote relations between the two countries.” And we in India could not agree more that good relations between the countries is the need of the hour. Anjum Mohammadi’s paintings will be on display till March 6. Time: 6 PM Venue: Muse Art Gallery, The Marriott Hotel, Hyderabad Host: Kaali Sudheer
Focus
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2012
The story behind the news
8
AWAITING MORE CHANGE The wheels of change have already been set into motion and nothing can make them turn back. Such is the belief of the LGBT community that is looking forward to a brighter future in India MATTHEW
Shwetha Pai feedback@postnoon.com
S
ection 377 was introduced by Lord Macaulay in 1860, it was added to the Indian Penal Code to punish all those who ‘indulged’ in carnal intercourse against the order of nature. Over 150 years later we have done away with many things British, including city and street names, but in the name of culture and tradition, we are ready to term homosexuals as insane and homosexuality as immoral. Hindu temples and monuments, that were built as far back as the 14th century contain sculptures of gods, goddesses, demons and animals where homosexual themes are rampant. Puritanical historians may brush it off as an exaggeration of an artist’s imagination. But, the images can be seen in many temples and many of them adorn the inner walls of the sanctum sanctorum and these
cannot be ignored. After Section 377 was struck down by the Delhi High Court, there were strong reactions across the country. There were people from the LGBT community and their allies who were overjoyed, there were those that were angered because they felt that the Indian culture was under attack and there were some who felt that it made no difference to their lives and used the opportunity to crack insensitive jokes on anything related to homosexuality. But, the most significant result of the judgement was that people woke up and took notice. After years of oppression, the minority community was finally being heard. Now, more than three years later, the Supreme Court is finally hearing a petition challenging the decriminalisation of homosexuality. The hearing in Supreme Court began early last week on a positive note when the bench comprising Justices GS Singhvi and SJ Mukhopadhyay said that homosexuality cannot be equated to ‘carnal intercourse’ and even observed that the society had changed and had shown increased
HINDU TEMPLES AND MONUMENTS, BUILT IN THE 14TH CENTURY HAVE DEPICTIONS OF GODS, GODDESSES, DEMONS AND ANIMALS WHERE HOMOSEXUAL THEMES ARE RAMPANT. PURITANICAL HISTORIANS ONLY BRUSH IT OFF AS AN EXAGGERATION OF AN ARTIST’S IMAGINATION tolerance for many things like surrogacy and live-in relationships. But, those that challenged the Delhi High Court verdict, like Additional Solicitor General PP Malhotra, who appeared for the home ministry, resorted to absurd statements to make their point. He considered homosexuality to be against the social order and feared the spread of epidemics such as AIDS if homosexuality were to be legalised. These and other such unsubstantiated statements by him caused a huge uproar in the LGBT community. Overnight, people have start-
ed writing blogs, forums and even created groups to talk about the statements made by ASG Malhotra. In response to a statement by ASG Malhotra where he stated that he does not know any homosexuals, an online group was started by the queer folk called Chai with Mr. Malhotra. The group focuses on talking about the statements made by Malhotra and hopes to help him get rid of homophobia and educate him about the myths associated with homosexuality. Among the interesting posts there is one which talks about how gay people are considered highrisk group for HIV, because they cannot access health systems because of the stigma associated with homosexuality. There is another which talks about how public morality once supported untouchability and female foeticide and now calls homosexuality as immoral. People in the community are documenting each day of the hearing carefully and each statement is dissected, argued and debated upon. The hearing in the Supreme Court and the verdict of
the Delhi High Court has given the LGBT community more confidence and vigour. In India, after years of silence, there is a silent revolution against oppression. The pride marches, meetings and events of the LGBT community have never had more participation than in the days following the Delhi High Court verdict. There is a movement in India, akin to the time in the US when Harvey Milk ran for public office and encouraged people to come out and fight for their rights. More and more people are coming out to their parents, friends and colleagues. For every oppressed gay person in the country, there are many who are now standing up and claiming their fundamental rights. From taking an open stance against homosexuality, even the home ministry has retracted its statements and has taken a neutral stance. After many days of hearing, the SC’s verdict could go either way. We wait with bated breath for each day’s hearing as the suspense and tension mounts on but the wheels of change have turned and cannot be turned back.
India‑View
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2012
India unveiled
Strike evokes mixed response
Probe launched after exposing rape victim
NEW DELHI: The 24-hour country-wide strike called by major trade unions today to protest “anti-labour” policies of the government and rising prices evoked a mixed response with the banking and transport sector hit in some parts. In West Bengal, there were fewer vehicles on the road but several schools and government offices remained open following the warning given by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee that absence from duty will be treated as a break in service. In the country’s commercial capital, Mumbai, the strike had a partial impact with financial institutions getting affected. Barring banking and insurance sector, which have a large presence of trade unions, normal life was largely unaffected in the metropolis with all essential services especially public transport functioning as usual. Services at both the city airports was smooth inspite of the strike call by 11 trade unions. In Delhi, the strike had little impact though normal functioning of PSU banks were affected and a number of autos and taxi drivers kept their vehicles off the roads to take part in the protest. Commuters complained that the frequency of the state-run buses were low. Several passengers were stranded in the morning at railway stations and bus terminals. Normal life was hit in Kerala due to the strike with buses keeping off the roads and shops remaining shut. The strike also affected functioning of banks and offices as pro-Left unions in the state sector also joined the protest against the “neo-liberal economic and labour policies” pursued by the UPA Government at the Centre. Transport and banking services were hit in Punjab, Chandigarh and Haryana as buses on several routes remained off the road.
NOIDA/NEW DELHI: After drawing flak from all sides over the naming of the 17-year-old victim of a gang-rape, Noida police have ordered an inquiry in the unsavoury episode. Noida SP Anant Dev said on Monday that an inquiry has been ordered in the name leak and police would take “necessary departmental action” against the concerned personnel. The police, meanwhile, faced criticism not only in the name episode, but also for blaming the victim. Dev had Sunday said the victim “willingly” went with the accused and consumed alcohol, even as the victim said she was forced to consume liquor. The 17-year-old girl was raped by five men, all in their 20s, in a car. The girl said she was taken on the pretext of a birthday party, forced to drink alcohol, and then raped. The victim, a Class X student,
also said this was the second time she was raped by them and the men threatened to record her video to blackmail her. Police, meanwhile, arrested the fifth accused in the case, Neeraj Singh. The other four, Himanshu Sharma, Rahul Arya, Sunil Singh, and Saurabh Chauhan, were arrested Sunday. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights took a sou-motu cognizance of the incident and chairperson Shanta Sinha said the commission would seek “disciplinary action from the UP government and the city SP for violating the Juvenile Justice Act.” Sinha also sent a letter to the State government and asked them to ensure that the guilty officials are punished. The NCPCR has also directed the State government to provide the victim security, medical aid, and legal aid. IANS
A DIFFERENT BEAT
Union minister Farooq Abdulla tries a percussion instrument at a function at KPCC office in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday. PTI
Yeddyurappa backs down, relief for BJP BANGALORE: Scam-hit former Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa on Monday dropped his demand for reinstatement, in a relief to the ruling BJP torn by indiscipline and scandals. Yeddyurappa virtually blamed the BJP central leaders for his demand, saying they had promised to reinstate him within six months after he was forced to quit in July last year over corruption charges. “Our central leaders had promised that I will be brought back in four or six months as I had to resign due to unfortunate
PAINFUL MEMORIES
Social activist Teesta Setalvad consoles Zakia Jafari, wife of 2002 Gujarat riots victim Ehsaan Jafari as she visits her old house on the 10th anniversary of the carnage in Ahmedabad on Monday. PTI
developments,” he said at a function here organised to celebrate his 70th birthday. “Now, I will not go to Delhi to seek the post,” Yeddyurappa said, three days after BJP presi-
Fardeen Khan’s sister killed in Delhi car crash NEW DELHI: Two people, including the half-sister of Bollywood actor Fardeen Khan, were killed in a collision of two cars in south Delhi early on Monday, police said. Khan’s half sister, Sonia Sethia, wife of businessman Rajendra Sethia, was returning home in New Friends Colony from dinner at a friend’s home in Gulmohar Park, when a Swift Dzire coming at very high speed, rammed into their Honda City car on August Kranti Marg.
9
dent Nitin Gadkari ruled out his reinstatement till he is cleared of corruption charges. Contrary to speculation that he will announce some drastic steps to force the party leaders to make him chief minister again or give the state unit president’s post, Yeddyurappa said he will not leave the party. “There is no question of me leaving the party which I have built over the last 40 years,” he said. However, his further moves will be keenly watched by the party as he said he will tour the state to strengthen the party. IANS
Brisk polling in round six of UP elections LUCKNOW: The sixth and penultimate phase of the UP elections got off to a brisk start on Tuesday with an impressive 9.7 per cent voter turnout in the first two hours of polling across 68 Assembly constituencies. Polling for the elections, which sees RLD chief Ajit Singh’s son Jayant Chaudhury among more than 1,000 candidates testing their luck, opened at 7 am. About 2.11 crore voters are expected to cast their vote at 21,317 polling stations across the districts of Saharanpur, Prabudh Nagar, Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, Panchseel Nagar, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, Mahamaya Nagar, Mathura and Agra. PTI
SC clears river interlinking NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday gave the green signal for implementing the ambitious project to interlink India’s rivers, saying it was in national interest. The court noted that the long delay in the execution of the project has already added to cost over-runs. A bench of Chief Justice SH Kapadia, Justice AK Patnaik and Justice Swatanter Kumar directed the Centre to constitute a “Special Committee for Inter-linking of Rivers” to be headed by the water resources minister to work out the roadmap for the project. Pronouncing the judgment,
Justice Swatanter Kumar said, “This is a matter of national benefit and progress. We see no reason why any state should lag behind in contributing its bit to bring the Inter-linking River Program to a success, thus saving the people living in drought-prone zones from hunger and people living in flood-prone areas from the destruction caused by floods.” The committee will comprise water resources secretary, the environment and forests secretary, the Central Water Commission chairman and the National Water Development Authority member secretary. PTI
Around the World
10
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2012
Beyond Borders
Cruiser adrift off Seychelles
A file image of the Costa Allegra cruise liner which went adrift off the Seychelles with more than 1,000 people on board following a fire. AFP ROME: An Italian cruise ship from the same fleet as the tragedy-struck Costa Concordia was adrift on Tuesday in pirateinfested seas off the Seychelles with no power and with more than 1,000 people on board. A blaze in the engine room of the Costa Allegra saw the liner stranded in the dangerous and choppy Indian Ocean seas and it
Anonymous, WikiLeaks to collaborate WASHINGTON: Anonymous defended WikiLeaks when it was facing a funding cutoff, but the release of the Stratfor emails appears to be the first direct collaboration between the hackers and the anti-secrecy site. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was coy about the source of the more than five million emails from the Texasbased private intelligence firm which his secretspilling site began to publish on Monday. “As a matter of policy we don’t discuss sourcing or speculate on sources,” Assange said. But Anonymous, has repeatedly taken credit for hacking into Stratfor’s computer servers and acknowledged on Monday giving the emails to WikiLeaks. Members of Anonymous have long expressed support for WikiLeaks and Assange, who before founding WikiLeaks drew attention for his exploits as a hacker in his native Australia. AFP
was forced to make a mayday call seeking assistance from nearby vessels. Emergency crews onboard managed to put out the fire after a few hours and nobody was injured. The Costa Allegra is from the same fleet as the Costa Concordia, which crashed into an Italian island in January. The first vessel to come to Allegra’s rescue, a French 90-
metre (300-foot) fishing boat, reached the liner overnight and the two captains were in radio contact, cruise operator Costa Crociere said. “At dawn, Costa will evaluate the assistance operations the ocean-going fishing ship can provide,” a company spokesman said. A second large fishing trawler was due to arrive at the scene,
with two tugs expected a few hours later Tuesday afternoon. Company official Giorgio Moretti said one option was to evacuate passengers and crew from the Costa Allegra onto the vessels and take them to the Seychelles archipelago, while another was to tow the boat to the islands. He said the passengers and crew came from 25 countries and included 135 Italians, among them nine Marines to guard against pirate attacks, 127 French people, 97 Austrians, 90 Swiss, as well as nationals from Britain, Germany, Mauritius, Russia, Slovenia and Spain. The Italian coast guard said the first tug boat out of two dispatched from the Seychelles was only set to arrive at around 1500 GMT on Tuesday. The coast guard also said it was in touch with authorities in the Seychelles and that the incident happened near Alphonse Island, some 200 nautical miles from the main islands of the Indian Ocean archipelago. All 636 passengers and 413 crew members on the ship, which left Madagascar on Saturday on its way to the Seychelles, were “in good health and were informed promptly of the situation”, it said. AFP
New Syria charter is cynical, says Washington DAMASCUS: Syria said almost 90 per cent of voters approved a new constitution in a referendum which Washington condemned as “absolutely cynical” as more than 100 people were reportedly killed on Monday. World powers, meanwhile, piled the pressure on the regime to end its deadly crackdown on dissent. The charter brought in by President Bashar al-Assad after 11 months of anti-regime protests won 89.4 per cent of votes cast in Sunday’s referendum, with a turnout of 57.4 percent, Interior Minister Mohammed al-Shaar announced. The results came as the European Union imposed fresh sanctions on Damascus and while Moscow hit back at US criticism for standing by Assad and frustrating international effort to end the regime’s clampdown. EU foreign ministers agreed to freeze assets of Syria’s central bank, impose a travel ban on seven Syrians close to Assad, ban cargo flights into the 27-nation bloc and restrict trade with Damascus in gold and precious metals. In Washington, State Depart-
GLOBE AT A GLANCE 100 dead in tribal clashes in Libya’s Kufra: UN TRIPOLI: Tribal clashes in the southeastern city of Kufra cost more than 100 lives and displaced half the population, the United Nations said on Monday, adding the situation remained tense despite a truce. “More than 100 have been killed as a result of fighting and as much as half of the town’s population has sought refugee elsewhere,” UN agencies said in a joint statement.
One killed in Ohio school shooting CHARDON: A student opened fire on Monday in a high school cafeteria in Ohio, killing one classmate and injuring four others before eventually giving himself up, police said. Students described the gunman as a 17-year-old “outcast” who had suffered bullying and said he had posted warnings on Twitter and Facebook.
Chilean People carry candles in front of La Moneda presidential palace in Santiago in honour of the victims of the 2010 quake. AFP
Plot to kill Putin foiled MOSCOW: Russian and Ukrainian security services have foiled a plot to assassinate Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin shortly after the upcoming presidential election in the country, it emerged on Monday. The group of criminals were detained in the Ukrainian city of Odessa, the Daily Telegraph reported. According to Channel One, the gang was planning to assassinate Putin in Moscow, after the presidential elections on March 4.
10 dead, 12 wounded in Afghan bombing KABUL: At least 10 people were killed and a dozen others injured on Monday when a Taliban suicide bomber blew up an explosives-laden vehicle near the gate of the airport in Afghanistan’s Jalalabad city. The dead comprised the suicide bomber, five civilians, two armymen and two local security guards, police chief of Nangarhar province Abdullah Stanekzai told Xinhua. Syrian anti-regime protesters take part in a demonstration in Qusayr, 15 km from Homs. AFP ment spokeswoman Victoria Nuland asked how a democratic process such as Sunday’s referendum could take place in the country while Syrian government guns and tanks were still firing. “We dismiss it as absolutely cynical,” Nuland told reporters. “Even the referendum that they put forward is ridiculous in the sense that it requires that the state approve any of these patri-
otic opposition groups,” Nuland said. The draft text of the constitution that was overwhelmingly approved by voters ends the legal basis for the five-decade stranglehold on power of Assad’s ruling Baath party but still leaves huge powers in his hands. The Syrian opposition says the changes are cosmetic after nearly a year of repression. AFP
Members of the armed forces during a parade to celebrate the Dominican Republic’s 168 years of Independence. AFP
17,731.76 286.01
5,374.60 93.35
BSE
NSE
Business
10g= `29,000
GOLD
1kg= `58,900
SILVER
Matters of saving and spending
Sensex gains 215 points MUMBAI:
The benchmark index BSE Sensex recovered by over 215 points in early trade on Tuesday after the blood bath of Dalal Street on Monday with the week’s low of 17,445 points. The reasons for gain are fresh buying by funds and retailers at attractive lower levels. The 30-share Sensex, which had lost over 977 points in the past four sessions, recovered by 215.26 points to 17,6661.02. Nifty, the wide-based index of National Stock Exchange, moved up by 69.45 points, to 5,350.65points. Brokers said buying by funds and retail investors in realty, consumer durable, metal and banking stocks after recent losses lifted the market. The BSE Sensex tumbled 478 points to3-week low of 17,445.75 on Monday, as stock markets slipped hard on rising crude oil prices, igniting investor worries that it will fuel inflation and dampen chances of interest rate cuts. Sensex logged steepest one-day fall in over 5-months, falling fourth day in a row — losing nearly 1,000 points and erasing `24,000 crore in investor wealth in the process. Global markets were weak as the Brent crude oil and the New York crude oil reached nearly 10month highs of USD 125 a barrel on concerns over
supply disruptions from Iran due to sanctions over its nuclear programme. In all, 12 of the 13 sectoral indices closed with losses of up to 5.29 per cent. Only BSE-FMCG index ended in the green because of rise in the ITC stock. Besides, 28 of the 30 BSE Sensex scrips closed in the red on Monday. Interest-rate sensitive banking and realty stocks led the declines on investor worries that oil price pressures on inflation could make it difficult for the Reserve Bank to lower key lending rates. India imports over 80 per cent of its crude oil require-
ments. RIL and Infosys - with 20 per cent weight on the index dropped 4.77 per cent and by 2.32 per cent on Monday. Rupee gains 5 paise against dollar in early trade The rupee appreciated by 5 paise to trade at `49.17 per dollar on the Interbank Foreign Exchange today on increased foreign capital inflows. Dealers said increased foreign capital inflows amid higher opening in local equities mainly kept the rupee sentiment firm. The rupee had lost 29 paise to close at 49.22/23 against the dollar on fresh demand for the US currency from importers on Monday. Meanwhile, the BSE benchmark Sensex shot up by 174.27 points, or 1.00 per cent, to 17,620.02 in early trade.
POUND TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2012 11
Small-scale industries to cut down employees Postnoon News
HYDERABAD: The industries have to cut down 30 per cent staff and eventually shutdown, if the government continues with 12 power holidays a month, said J Nageswara Rao, Secretary, FAPSIA. The Federation of Andhra Pradesh Small Industries Associations (FAPSIA) to meet concerned government officials on Wednesday to explain the situation. “The industries can only manage and continue production with one power holiday a week. We are requesting for a supply of 500MW per day from 9,000MW that is allocated to CPDCL. Almost 90 per cent of the Industries are located in around the City in the state would come under CPDCL. It is very difficult to pay salaries
Postnoon News
7Seas games on Nokia Store
Over 20 places in several cities of Andhra Pradesh are identified as examination centres.
HYDERABAD: 7Seas Entertainment Limited, a City –based game development company, has announced the availability of its 17 mobile games on the Nokia Store. All these games from the 7Seas are optimised for a range of Nokia handsets, including touch devices, Series 40 touch-and-type devices and Nokia N8, Nokia X6.2. These games, available on the Nokia Store, at a cost of `50 per game. “There were about 800 million mobile subscribers in India and still counting. With mobile gaming emerging as the fastest-growing segment for games, and an increasing number of smartphone devices available in the market, game app stores are becoming increasingly popular. Nokia and 7Seas Entertainment’s relationship brings in some of the world’s exciting mobile games for game lovers world over,” said L Maruti Sanker, managing director, 7Seas Entertainment.
BANGALORE: Indian computer professionals can now aspire for globally-recognised certification to help meet the burgeoning demand for data centres driving the private cloud business in the country. BICSI, a not-for-profit association, has partnered Pearson VUE, a leader in computer-based testing for IT, academic, government and professional testing programs, to bring its Data Centre Design Consultant (DCDC) examination to India. Due to the push for greater capacity, increased efficiency and higher levels of utilization, data centres have become more complex to design and bring
DOLLAR
`77.87
even on time with 18 working days in a month,”he said. FAPSIA already gave a call for a 15-day shutdown of the industrial units to protest the power cuts. It was only two months ago that the state had lifted eight-day power holidays for the industrial sector. The state has about 161,000 small scale units, providing livelihood to 3.7 million families.
Intex launches SENSE
Data centre design test now in India Postnoon News
`49.15
online. The BICSI’s DCDC was created in 2011, to recognize those individuals who have demonstrated both the knowledge and ability to apply it over the multiple facets within data centre design. Candidates for the DCDC designation are individuals involved in the planning, implementing and making of critical decisions regarding data centres. BICSI data centre design consultant courses serve as a career path for those seeking advanced knowledge in this area. Several courses are recommended for candidates preparing to take the DCDC examination. In addition to the recently announce DCDC certification, BICSI also offers several other certification opportunities to ITS professionals.
Postnoon News
Intex HYDERABAD: Technologies, a consumer electronics and mobile phone company, has launched Intex SENSEa 3.2 touch screen phone loaded with applications. The Intex application store (WStore) is available in the phone and is preloaded with 41 popular games that include Doodle Jump, Angry Birds, Gears of War, Need for Speed, Gogo Box, Guns and Glory. The phone also has some famous books from wide range of genres and the user can save upto 500 books in secondary storage of the phone. The phone has inbuilt memory of 79 MB and a 4GB Micro SD card is given free, which will help customer to download more apps and save data. INTEX Sense has features like audio equalizer, sound recorder,
torch light with dual LED and a dual camera. The back camera is of three megapixels while the frontage camera is of 1.3 mega pixels. Social network sites like Facebook and Twitter can be accessed through direct links. The phone has motion sensor, dynamic wallpaper, messengers, king movie and sketch notes. The phone also supports Hindi and has talk time of 4.5 hours and standby time of 380 hrs. “The INTEX Sense is paired with numerous features and applications such as weather forecasts, vocabulary, movie and books, It offers a unique experience that is simply unmatched in the market at this price point.” said Sanjay Kumar, GM, mobile business, Intex technologies (India). The phone is priced at `3,690 and is available in black and white colors.
Comment
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2012
Fair, free and forthright
Editorials BSY ULTIMATUM leaves BJP exposed
T
he BJP leaders can breathe a sigh of relief, at least temporarily, as its Karnataka strongman and former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa backed down from his demand of reinstatement as CM. The BJP leadership went into fire-fighting mode and days of hectic open and secret parleys calmed down the ruffled Lingayat leader. In the middle of crucial Assembly elections, the last thing that the BJP would want is a split in its ranks or the collapse of its government in its sole southern bastion. Despite Gadkari’s bravado that BSY can’t be reinstated till an inquiry clears his name, the fear among the BJP circles was quite evident. For those who know of Yeddyurappa’s growth from the grassroots to the State’s top position, one inevitability is evident — he’ll be back.
Mayor, forget jannat, make city tolerable Hard talk P K Surendran
A
e it tongue-in-cheek remarks or outright blatant jibes, few could match the film producer and director who seems to live on the pulse. His one-liners can be chronicled among the wittiest observations of life; not to mention, albeit, with complete respect to his intelligence and wisdom, hilarious. He spares no one… from bureaucrats to politicians. Age is not any criterion, nor is a status. If there is one person he spares though, it is none other than the legendary Amitabh Bachchan, to whom the man has conferred a demi-god status.
t his first face-to-face (and, earto-ear too) programme of the new Mayor Majid Hussain last month, a caller reminded him that he (the Mayor) was not there to make money but to make the City a jannat (heaven). Majid seemed to have lost colour with embarrassment and put down the receiver without comment. He probably thought the caller cheeky but may not have realised that the caller has made his task easy. Making the City a paradise is as light a job as counting ten, for he could make anything of the City and claim it is jannat, for who has seen jannat? No dead has ever returned to tell the tale. But to make the City a livable metro is quite another matter. It requires almost a onetimer zeal and the backing of his party chief. And, to make the City orderly from the disorderly mass has to begin with the basic tasks of a civic authority, which GHMC seems to have forgotten. Let us, the citizens, remind it. n Water supply n Sewage collection and disposal n Waste removal n Municipal health services n Municipal roads and storm water drainage n Street lighting n Municipal parks and recreation In each of the above you would not give it a pass mark, let alone a high score. In sewage collection and disposal and waste removal the city’s failure is building up a bomb that threatens to explode any moment. Everywhere waste, a considerable part of it being plastic, is burnt that turns the City air poisonous. Health service is pathetic, to say the least. Roads are clogged, again mostly with plastic, and vehicular traffic, street lights are whimsical, parks and recreation are at God’s disposal. A City-based NGO, Joint Action for Water (JAW), had tested 902 water samples from 30 basthis in between 2010 September and February 2011 and found that 663 of the samples were unsafe for human consumption.
Compassion needed
Congrats Postnoon
Your story titled Home for the Homeless was so very touching. I was so moved by what the writer had mentioned. We are growing in numbers and there is no dearth of money so why do we have so many people going hungry or homeless. If there are so many NGOs, so many charities working towards wiping away poverty, why do stories like these keep springing up. Thank you for bringing to light the hardships of the underdogs and the ignored. I have decided to go ahead and help these people with basic necessities. Hope more people get inspired to do such noble deeds. Riyaz Sheikh Mehdipatnam
First of all, congratulations on bringing out such an interesting daily! I look forward to reading it almost every afternoon when I get back from college. I am a fashion student and love reading your articles on fashion and style. It really helps me know more about what's happening in the world of fashion. I keep myself updated with the latest national and international news through your daily. Yesterday's article on Shalima Designs was worth a mention as I am always on the lookout for affordable stuff. Good going! Menaka Raj Jubilee Hills
WHY WE LOVE Ram Gopal Verma
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Some 52 samples were contaminated by bacteria and another 29 samples had E Coli. Air and sound pollution, according to the AP Pollution Control Board, are far beyond the permissible levels. The twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad had a population of 45 lakh living in an area of 172km². The new urban agglomeration sprawls across 650 square kilometres with a population of 75 lakhs. The foremost job of the corporation is to ensure basic necessities, not luxury living, to the extended areas. And, of the corporators? They are the closest mass representatives and they should be elected based on their public service before, not on the colour of the flag. Unfortunately, elections in India are based anything but on meritocracy. So we suffer. Though a sedative is no cure for cancer, a few urgent measures could do a lot for the harried citizens. n Make general body meetings a monthly to discuss popular problems
TALK BACK Readers’ views We invite you to write to us comments, suggestions, viewpoint or just about anything to feedback@postnoon.com or #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500 033 or even by way of a call on 4067 2222
n n n n
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Pressurise the government to fill the vacancies of municipal administration Sacrifice some black sheep in the administration to serve as example to others Make corporators undergo compulsory course on civic needs and rules Ensure that each court is served with a municipal caveat that will dissuade court from issuing ex-parte ruling on property and tax matters Amend the law to make it mandatory for the corporation to make power and manure from wastes
Tailend: Heard in a department store on Road No 36, Jubilee Hills. “Mediocrity! Everywhere incompetency. What use these girls if they are dumb?” A worked up elderly gentleman was berating the manager for employing raw hands who could not tell carrot from radish. Was he unwittingly referring to the GHMC managers, one wonders! The writer works for Postnoon
Water scarcity
Stop fiddling and work
What is happening to our city? There was a time when we used to be proud not only of the quality of drinking water available here, but also the quantity. While we heard of other cities facing shortage of water, our city boasted of having a situation of enough and more. In a couple of decades the scenario has drastically changed. What are the town planners doing? Why is it that they are not able to foresee this eventuality, especially in the wake of heavy influx of people into the city? Something needs to be done on an urgent basis. Qutub Shah Asif Nagar
It is nothing less than laughable that while the amount of civic work needing do be done is aplenty, the reason that it is not being done is not cash crunch. There are funds and there is enough public work to be done, but is not being done. It beats all logic that while media and the common man cry themselves hoarse on lack of civic facilities on all fronts, the powers that be are sitting on the money and doing little to alleviate the situation even though they have the provision. God bless the state of affairs in our city! Yousufguda A hapless citizen
H‑Factor
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2012
Holistic view of mind, body and soul
Life in a blur
13
Bad breath chemical converts dental pulp into cells
Our eyesight is something most of us can’t do without. But what happens when we begin losing our vision? Recently, actress Judi Dench was diagnosed with macular degeneration. Read on to find out more a cause. Anishaa Kumar anishaa.k@postnoon.com
“I
can’t read scripts alone anymore.” This statement by popular British actress Judi Dench surprised many. The 78-year-old actress known for her roles in various Bond movies and movies like Shakespeare in Love revealed to a British publication that she had been diagnosed with a condition called Macular Degeneration. “The retina is the most important part of the eye. The central region of the eye is known as Macula. When the macula starts to degenerate (deteriorate) it is known as Macular Degeneration,” says Dr Rajarami Reddy, chief retinal surgeon, Neoretina Eye Care Institute. “Macula is the vital central portion of the retina where the light rays converge. The macula is a 3-5 mm area in the retina that is responsible for central vision. This disorder leads to irreversible loss of central vision, although peripheral vision is retained,” explains Dr Manoj Mathur, Hon. general secretary (AP), Ophthalmological Society and senior consultant (Glaucoma and Comprehensive Ophthalmology).
Causes “Macular degeneration is generally age-related (age related macular degeneration/ARMD) but can also be caused due to other factors like obesity, smoking and high exposure to sunlight and it is more common in white people. It is common in women.” Dr Reddy adds that in some cases hypertension can also be
Symptoms According to Dr Manoj, the main symptom of macular degeneration is a defect in central vision. He explains, “The patient may notice blurred central vision or a blank spot on the page while reading or even visual distortion such as bending of straight lines. Some patients may notice a change in colour perception and some experience abnormal light sensations.” He suggests that in case of the sudden onset of such symptoms (especially visual distortion), a person should immediately visit an ophthalmologist for evaluation.
Degeneration = Blindness? In interviews where she revealed her condition, Judi Dench had mentioned that although she was suffering from this condition she is not going blind. Dr Manoj explains, “Total loss of vision is rare. There is a central defect which is permanent and over a
period of time stabilises. Ultimately only a coarse peripheral vision may remain.”
Treatment Dr Manoj mentions that a person suffering from macular degeneration cannot get their lost vision back. He explains that there are two kinds — dry and wet. “Wet type involves formation of new vessels in the macular region. These can be blocked by either argon lasers or by a procedure called PDT. (Photodynamic therapy). In PDT, a photosensitising dye is injected, followed by irradiation of the area of new blood vessel growth with a special,
A healthy lifestyle can reduce the risk of ARMD n Eat a healthy diet high in
green leafy vegetables . n Don’t smoke. n Maintain normal blood pres-
sure. n Watch your weight. n Exercise.
low-intensity diode laser. On the other hand for dry type there is currently no treatment avaialble, so we can only try to prevent progression by giving a regular dose of anti oxidant capsules.” As vision cannot be regained , Dr Manoj suggests that early diagnosis is the key to limit the damage and prevent further loss. He adds, “Avoiding the risk factors for macular degeneration may help prevent it. This includes avoiding tobacco and eating a diet low in saturated fat. Wet AMD can be prevented by eating a diet rich in green, leafy vegetables and yellow vegetables such as carrots and sweet potatoes. Moderate intake of red wine and an antioxidant vitamin supplement, like vit A may be useful.”
TOKYO: A compound that gives the mouth its bad breath or halitosis, can also help tweak stem cells from human dental pulp into liver cells, a study reveals. Researchers from Nippon Dental University, Japan, showed that hydrogen sulphide (H2S) (which smells like rotten eggs) boosted the ability of adult stem cells to differentiate into hepatic (liver) cells, furthering their reputation as a reliable source for future liver-cell therapy. This is the first time that liver cells have been produced from human dental pulp and, even more
FACTS SUGGEST THAT PATIENTS UNDERGOING TRANSPLANTATION WITH THE HEPATIC CELLS MAY HAVE ALMOST NO POSSIBILITY OF DEVELOPING TERATOMAS OR CANCERS, AS CAN BE THE CASE WHEN USING BONE MARROW STEM CELLS
impressively, have been produced in high numbers of high purity, the Journal of Breath Research reported. “High purity means there are less ‘wrong cells’ that are being differentiated to other tissues, or remaining as stem cells,” said a university statement. “Moreover, these facts suggest that patients undergoing transplantation with the hepatic cells may have almost no possibility of developing teratomas or cancers, as can be the case when using bone marrow stem cells,” said Ken Yaegaki, who led the study. Yaegaki and his group used stem cells from dental pulp — the central part of the tooth made up of connective tissue and cells — which were obtained from the teeth of dental patients who were undergoing routine tooth extractions. “Until now, nobody has produced the protocol to regenerate such a huge number of hepatic cells for human transplantation. Compared to the traditional method of using fetal bovine serum to produce the cells, our method is productive and, most importantly, safe” concluded Yaegaki.
H‑Factor
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2012
Holistic view of mind, body and soul
STATINS CAN STAVE OFF DEPRESSION WASHINGTON: Heart patients who take cholesterol-lowering statins are less likely to develop depression than those who did not. Mary Whooley, professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco and her research team evaluated 965 heart patients for depression. They found that the patients who were on statins were significantly less likely to be clinically depressed than those who were not, the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry reports. They then followed the 776 patients who were not depressed — 520 who were
using statins and 256 who were not — for an additional six years, according to a California statement. Of those taking statins, 18.5 per cent developed depression, compared with 28 per cent of those not on the drugs. Put another way, the patients who took statins were 38 per cent less likely to develop depression than patients who did not. As the study went on, said Whooley, the difference between the two groups became more pronounced, with the patients on statins becoming less likely to develop depression and the patients not on statins becoming more likely to become depressed
over time. “This would suggest that statins may have some kind of long-term protective effect against depression, perhaps by helping to prevent atherosclerosis in the brain, which can contribute to depressive symptoms,” Whooley said. She also noted that statins have positive effects on the endothelium — the inner lining of the blood vessels — keeping blood vessels less rigid and therefore better able to adapt to the body’s changing needs. “The exact mechanism is not known, however, and requires further study,” she said.
Math can save Tylenol overdose patients SALT LAKE CITY: University of Utah mathematicians developed a set of calculus equations to make it easier for doctors to save Tylenol overdose patients by quickly estimating how much painkiller they took, when they consumed it and whether they will require a liver transplant to survive. “It’s an opportunity to use mathematical methods to improve medical practice and save lives,” says Fred Adler, a professor of mathematics and biology and coauthor of a study that developed and tested the new method.he study of acetaminophen — the generic pain and fever medicine sold as Tylenol and in many other nonprescription and prescription drugs — was set for publication within a week in Hepatology, a journal about liver function and disease. Adler, math doctoral student Chris Remien and their colleagues showed that using only four common medical lab tests — known as AST, ALT, INR and creatinine — the equations can quickly and accurately predict which Tylenol overdose patients will survive with medical treatment and which will die unless they receive a liver transplant.
The researchers analysed the records of 53 acetaminophen overdose patients treated at the University of Utah’s University Hospital to test the equations and show they quickly and accurately predicted, in retrospect, which patients survived and which died. Speed is essential in listing acute liver failure patients as candidates for transplant, says study coauthor Norman Sussman, a former University of Utah liver doctor now at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.
If a doctor is uncertain and starts to treat an acetaminophen-poisoning patient with the antidote to combat liver failure — even though the patient may not survive with such medicine — their odds for getting a new liver are reduced. “If I wait another day until I list them for transplant, the chance of getting a liver is that much lower,” Eurekalert.com quoted Sussman as saying. “If you’re going to get someone transplanted, you have to do it fast or you miss the boat. The patient may pass the window
when transplants can be done. They become too sick and can’t stand the transplant.” The new method using calculus equations will let doctors rapidly determine if a patient can survive with antidote treatment or will die unless they get a transplant. The study urges another clinical trial to prove the new method’s usefulness. Sussman plans to start a one-year prospective trial testing the method on 50 patients at the University of Utah and three hospitals in Houston. If that trial proves the method can accurately predict ahead of time how Tylenol-poisoning patients will fare, “we believe we could create a tool available and immediately useful to clinicians,” Sussman says. Adler foresees a smartphone application. Adler, Remien and Sussman conducted the study with University of Utah hepatologist Terry Box and Lindsey Waddoups, clinical research coordinator for the University of Utah’s gastroenterology division. The research was funded by a National Science Foundation grant to the University of Utah’s program in mathematical biology.
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SKIN DEEP
Dr Uma Devi Billa, Consultant dermatologist and trichologist, Dr Billa’s Skin Clinic
Restylane, a quick fix Ranjani Rajendra
T
hose pigmentation marks, oiliness and patchy skin have always been a pain. No matter how many face scrubs and facials you’ve tried, nothing seems to work the magic. But there are still ways you can hope to have flawless skin — or at least something that is nearly flawless. Chemical peels, are a great way to minimise scars. Provided of course they are done by the right kind of people. “A lot of salons offer chemical peels and people may opt for them. But they need to remember that qualified doctors are the best people to approach. Getting it done by somebody who is not equipped to conduct them accurately can result in burns and further scarring,” says Dr Uma Devi Billa, dermatologist at Dr Billa’s Skin Clinic. The depth of the peels depend on the skin type. “For the Indian skin we usually use very superficial or superficial peels. The improvement depends on the depth of peel. Peels are quick and have been termed ‘lunch hour procedures’. All a person needs is 15-20 minutes,” she says, adding, “A peel only causes minimal redness that lasts for a few hours, but these can be easily camouflaged. However, getting just one peel will not do wonders. It needs to be done as a series of five or six sittings depending on the skin type and the amount of scarring.” While there are instant peels also available in the market, their efficacy and effects are not as good as the peels. “Alternately, a patient can also get laser resurfacing done to erase those acne scars, wrinkles, improve open pores and to correct other imperfections. This reaches deeper depths than peels and work better on acne scars. But no matter what the procedure, it is necessary for the patient to use a sunscreen, especially after the procedure. This is because the skin is vulnerable after a procedure and should not be exposed to the sun,” she says. Another quick fix solution for scars is Restylane, a filler. “This is more of a quick fix solution and it acts like the cement between the skin cells. Once done, this usually lasts for up to 1.5 years,” she says.
At the workplace
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2012 DEVIANTART
Do you feel saying ‘yes’ all the time has done more harm to your life, than good? Have you been unable to say ‘no’ or don’t know where to draw the line? Here’s a little help to get you going
Hedemann, HR
time to think and revert, but when it’s a face-to-face thing, you could say things like, “Let me check my schedule for the day/ week before I take this task up,” etc, and if it’s your boss, “This is going to take a lot of time, and since I am working on ‘x’, would you like me to re-prioritise?” The trick of saying no is doing it the right way, at the right time. It’s also important that you take stock of your actions and ensure not overdoing it, corporate counsellor Supraja Dalavai says, “An important thing to keep in mind when you are denying your boss or colleague is that you tell them personally. Also check the way in which you function, it is always good to have an alternative solution ready to ease the situation.” She also adds, “One habit that usually works is an explanation of why you are not able to take on the task, this is assuming that you have a rationale and are not using a fake reason to escape work. Most bosses will be grateful that you didn’t take up something that you will not be able to justify.” While believing nothing is impossible might be the right attitude, but it can’t be denied that some demands on your time are difficult to bridge. While they are a lot of ways of working around tasks and schedules, saying no can make your life easier. Remember, its important that you give time to those who deserve it and not those who demand it.
shiba.m@postnoon.com
D
o you see your desk overloaded with work, and do you often feel that your plate has more than you can chew? And in spite of having done that, you feel like you are in a thankless rut. Has it ever occurred to you that you need to use the magic word ‘no’. It could even turn your whole life in a way you can never imagine. Operations manager in a leading international bank, Aashy Kapoor says, “When I was an assistant manager, I would get dumped with loads of work not only from my boss but also from my colleagues. While this helped me to learn the art of juggling, it used to exhaust me and had impacted my personal life.” She adds, “Since I was a team leader, I realised that I was setting a bad example as I could never say no, even during the times of appraisals, etc, where I knew the performance of my team more than anyone and I could not stand up for it. However, I began with small steps and today not only do I feel less frustrated, I am also respected for saying no when the need arises.” Saying no can be a tricky job, feels Bastila Sanghvi, manager business operations in an IT company. “Think twice before you say no, analyse if it is really needed. If a request is sent on an email, or an SMS, then you have
I believe that’s mine Sana Mirza sana.m@postnoon.com
O
ne of the funniest quotes that comes to mind is the line from the 1999 Hollywood film, Office Space where someone steals Milton Red’s stapler and he says, “I believe that’s my stapler, it was a swingline.” A random survey was conducted, which indicated that one in every five workers steal office supplies without really thinking that it is wrong.
PET PEEVES Known as the office supplies ‘clean swipe’, they help themselves to other people’s stuff without really asking or taking their permission, then conveniently forget to return it to the respective desk. Be it something like a box of paper clips or a postit pad, sometimes even we feel a little compunction about helping ourselves to the nitty-gritty. It annoys us to no end when we need to take important notes
and suddenly, right under your nose, we lose out on a pen. Roshni Donny who works in an event management company in Mumbai says that she used to unintentionally pick up pens or pencils and never returned them without realising that they were not hers. “When someone started to steal my desk supplies, I realised what the other person must have felt. Now, once the pen is gone, my planner feels lonely and then the ink in the diary changes which
Corporate social responsibility Shilpa W
Know when to say no Shiba Minai
15
annoys me,” she says. How to tame: Make sure not to keep too many office supplies on the table.
C
orporate Social Responsibility is a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model. CSR policy functions as a builtin, self-regulating mechanism whereby a business monitors and ensures its active compliance with the spirit of the law, ethical standards, and international norms. The goal of CSR is to embrace responsibility for the company’s actions and encourage a positive impact through its activities on the environment, consumers, employees, communities, stakeholders and all other members of the public sphere who may also be considered as stakeholders. This is how Wikipedia defines Corporate Social Responsibility. Today, CSR has become an important part of every HR department and the organisation as a whole. It’s a way for every company to contribute to the society. A lot of companies focus on community engagement and corporate service programmes on issues concerning environment, community economic development, education, health, literacy, language and culture. These are areas in want of service. Many companies believe in direct action and not just big donations. It is also a great way to involve employees in something that makes them realise how their little contributions can add to the society. In fact, as HR professionals, we have seen that at least 10 per cent of the participants in such activities continue contributing to the society — something that inspires pride in us. It has also been observed that CSR activities sharpen skills like leadership, decision making, team building, and nurture sensitivity for one another. I would urge employees of all companies to be involved in their respective companies’ CSR activities.
F‑Folio
Because you are what you wear
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2012
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JENNIFER LOPEZ: Lopez was in the limelight as always. The plunging V-neckline in this Zuhair Murad creation was like inviting a wardrobe malfunction but contrary to the claims of many, nothing of the sort happened.
JESSICA CHASTAIN: The Help actress looked stunning in her black and gold bespoke Alexander McQueen gown. While she stuck to form-fitting, solid colour dresses this award season, this haute couture flair stole the show and was a welcoming change. LESLIE MANN: The 39-year-old actress wore a Roberto Cavalli dress and was overheard saying that her dress was super tight! Someone even made a joke about how she wouldn’t be able to use the bathroom all night to which she replied that she has a protein bar to get her through the ceremony!
CAMERON DIAZ: Cameron Diaz with her perfectly toned long legs looked like she was having the best time of them all in this Oscar de le Renta gown.The pleated ruffles on the skirt and the pastel tone, signalled the oncoming of spring.
Elegance rules the
Red Carpet The most-awaited award night in Hollywood saw the stars dressed up to the nines as the ladies kept it classy instead of the usual bling. We take a look GWYNETH PALTROW: That’s how you stay warm stylishly Paltrow seemed to say. Wearing a white dress under a long cape by Tom Ford seemed to flatter her figure and she stood out distinctively from the rest of the actresses on the red carpet.
COMPILED BY SANA MIRZA
PENELOPE CRUZ: The 37-year old Spanish beauty stole all hearts with a flowy, exquisite Giorgio Armani custom organza gown. She resembled a modern-day princess in her off-shoulder periwinkle with a generous train and had accessorised it with a matching clutch and diamond jewellery.
Spotlight
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2012
19
DEEPAK DESHPANDE
Radiant & grand Visitors at the Desire wedding collection exhibition at Taj Krishna on Monday.
A patriotic effort T
he Junior Chambers International, an NGO, on Monday, in an attempt to pay respect to the nation and its armed forces, unfurled the largest flag in India at St Patrick’s High School, Secunderabad. The event has also been recorded by the Limca Book of Records as well as the India Book of Records.
SRINIVAS SETTY
Magic Screen
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2012
The glamour behind the glitz
20
T-TOWN TWEETIES
Maryam Zakaria in Rowdy Rathore
@actor_nithiin Goin to Tirupati nw to attend a college fest in chitoor n visitin a few theatres in the area... btw gooodmorning!!
@shrutihaasan Big changes are often accompanied by a new hair cut or unexpected new taste in colours and clothes.is it just me or #itsagirlthing.
M
aryam Zakaria is going to be seen in yet another item number in Bollywood. She’s doing an item number in Prabhu Deva’s Rowdy Rathore starring Akshay Kumar and Sonakshi Sinha in the lead roles. “When I came to know that Prabhu Deva was going to choreograph the song, I said yes immediately. It was a big challenge for me since his style is very different. The song has a mix of Rajasthani and South Indian style of dancing and we had to rehearse for couple of days before shooting for the song. Trust me, it was a difficult song to do and I have bruises all over my body but it’s worth the effort,” Maryam Zakaria says. She shot to fame with an item number Diyalo Diyala in 100% Love and last year she played the second lead in Madatha Kaja.This year, she’ll soon be seen in another item number in Naa Ishtam and she’s awaiting the release of Agent Vinod in which she has played the role of an Afghan girl.
Ajith’s Billa 2 in Telugu
O
ne of the most awaited Tamil films of 2012, Billa 2 is going to be dubbed in Telugu. Ajith, Parvathy Omanakuttan and Bruna Abdullah are playing lead roles in this thriller. Chakri Tholeti, who had earlier made Kamal Haasan, Venkatesh starrer Eenadu, has directed the film and Sharath Mandava has written the film’s screenplay. In the past, Billa was remade in Telugu
with Prabhas in lead role; however, the makers of Billa 2 have decided to dub the film since Chakri Tholeti and Sharath Mandava hail from Andhra Pradesh. Yuvan Shankar Raja has composed the music and most part of the film was shot in Chennai, Hyderabad, Goa and Georgia.
@me_sushanth “famousproblems: Trying to explain how a song goes but don’t want to sing it.”
@shraddhadas43 Hosanna from ek deewana tha is on repeat while I travel... become a big fav romantic number... happy song!
@sneha_ullal Signed a film with Dookudu producer Anil Sunkara details about cast and crew soon.
@pnavdeep26
Gundello Godaari is a challenging film for me
S
undeep Kishan is gearing up to join the cast of Kumar Nagendra’s Gundello Godaari. The film is currently being shot near Rajahmundry and it is set against the backdrop of the 1986 floods. Lakshmi Manchu, Sundeep Kishan, Taapsee and Aadhi are playing the lead roles. “So far, I have played only urban roles and this is going to be a challenging film for me. I have already begun working on getting my dialect right since I have to speak a Godavari dialect in the film. Considering that I hail from the same region, I want to make sure that I get it right,” Sundeep said.
For all those parents who mock our generation! U... yes U raised us dint u? :) deal wid it :)
@ramsayz There ya go ppl..new DP..its an old pic... God! i miss my long hair... :)
@Actor_Siddharth Congratulations still pouring in for KSY/Lovefailure:) thank you to each and everyone of you... posting a very exciting video soon... amazing!
Magic Screen
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2012
The glamour behind the glitz
TELUGU
Genelia D'souza @geneliad 606,300
Siddharth @Actor_Siddharth 339,250
Mahesh Babu @urstrulyMahesh 301,322
Ram Gopal Varma
filmmakers bet big on Twitter A lot of Telugu filmmakers and actors are choosing to disclose information about their films on Twitter. Is this trend here to stay? Postnoon finds out more about this new medium of film promotion Hemanth Kumar
@RGVzoomin
hemanth.k@postnoon.com
264,123
F
Trisha Krishnan @trishtrashers 231,221
Shruti Haasan @shrutihaasan 216,116
Rana Daggubati @RanaDaggubati 213, 296
Nagarjuna Akkineni @iamnagarjuna 203,099
Ram Charan Tej @Alwayscharan 168,298
Rajamouli SS @ssrajamouli 161,510
ilm promotion has always been a challenge to Telugu filmmakers. Apart from films of big stars, which generate a lot of curiosity among fans, promotion of films with niche content remains haphazard. Moreover, the rules drawn by the Telugu Film Producers’ Council restrict producers from promoting their films in print and electronic media as they wish. While dependence on online media has been on the rise for the past few years, promoting films on social networking sites, especially Twitter is the in-thing in the Telugu film industry. Of late, a lot of filmmakers and actors are choosing to disclose information about the shooting schedules, the first look of their films and even trailers are on Twitter before it’s out in the print and electronic media. “Many actors have thousands of followers from all over the world and they are directly in touch with their fans through social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook. Revealing the first look of a film or teasers definitely helps in creating the initial buzz but we need to promote the film on other media as well,” says Shobu Yarlagadda, producer of films like Panjaa, Vedam and Maryada Ramanna, which were extensively promoted on Twitter. Earlier this year, Puri Jagannadh unveiled several posters and teasers of the Mahesh Babu-Kajal starrer Businessman on Twitter and recently, the Siddharth-Amala Paul starrer Love Failure was extensively promoted on social networking websites. “Promoting films on Twitter is the easiest and quickest way to reach out to more people. These days everyone has access to social networking websites on their mobile phones, so it’s all the more easy to get all the information about a film,” says Balaji Mohan, the director of Love Failure. He adds, “For our film, it was all the more important that we reach out to
Promotion of films on Twitter works only for very few films, especially those targeted at multiplex audience. the target audience and since the film was primarily was targeted at the youth, it made more sense to promote the film on Twitter and Facebook.” According to Nielsen India, there are more than 37 million users on Facebook and 12 million users on Twitter in the country. Although it’s tough to assess how many of them are active on the Internet, the size of netizens is huge, which needs to be tapped during film promotions. Thanks to the presence of top film stars such as Mahesh Babu, Nagarjuna, Ram Charan, Siddharth, Trisha, Rana and filmmakers such as SS Rajamouli and Puri Jagannadh thousands of Telugu film aficionados have been hooked on to Twitter to know the latest buzz on films. The success stories of Kolaveri Di and Gabbar Singh’s teaser, both of which went viral, must be encouraging enough for filmmakers and actors to believe that online promotion of films will become even more important in the future. “Promotion of films on Twitter works only for very few films, especially those targeted at multiplex audience. For big-budget productions, we have to concentrate mainly on electronic and print media and theatrical trailers to create the buzz,” says Sreenivas, a leading media planner in the industry. It is still early to say whether the trend is here to stay or not, but there’s no denying that promoting films on Twitter has changed the way information is consumed by people.
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Magic Screen
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2012
The glamour behind the glitz
Vidya Balan
B-TOWN TWEETIES
plans ‘dirty dancing’
B
ollywood star Vidya Balan wants to improve her vocabulary, on the one hand, to express her feelings towards the success of The Dirty Picture. On the other, she is looking forward to a break and says post that she will do some ‘dirty dancing’. After working non-stop for more than two years, she now wants to take a break. “I am close to saying yes to a film which will not start for another three months. So I really think I need that break because for the past two-and-a-halfyears I have been busy with
@realpreityzinta Big thank u 2 the Indian crew 4 shooting in -21 degrees & never complaining. Its amazing how we don’t realize r own toughness sometimes ! Ting !
my films. So now I do need that time off to soak everything in. Then I will probably do some dirty dancing,” the 33-year-old talented actor said. An unofficial biopic of southern sex siren Silk Smitha, The Dirty Picture saw Vidya shedding all inhibitions to get under the skin of the character and said, “I have become unapologetic about being myself. Probably others think that I don’t breathe the same air (laughs). I just take that as a compliment, but I have a long way to go, but yes, God has been kind.” IANS
@RGVzoomin I know that humans get malaria becos of mosquitoes but I wonder what all diseases those poor mosquitoes get from humans.
@sonakshisinha
RAHMAN
performs at Oscars again
C
omposer AR Rahman performed at the 84th Academy Awards as part of the Oscar band in his third performance at the prestigious award ceremony.
Anil Ambani
walks Oscar red carpet R
eliance Group chairman Anil Ambani walked the red carpet at the 84th Academy Awards at the Kodak Theater on Sunday, where three films produced by DreamWorks Studios, his co-venture with Steven Speilberg, were nominated for 11 Oscars. Among the 11 nominations, Octavia Spencer fetched the Oscar for best supporting actress for her performance in The Help. Spencer was honoured with the golden statuette for her portrayal of big-mouthed maid Minny in The Help. Other than The Help, two other films of Reliance DreamWorks — War Horse and Real Steel — were nominated for various categories. War Horse and The Help were in the fray for best film award, which went to black-and-white silent film The Artist. IANS
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“Oscar sangamam — if you are watching the Oscars live, catch our Oscar superband headed by Hans Zimmer perform tonight,” Rahman posted on his Facebook page for his fans. He even posted a picture with all members of the band, which performed throughout Sunday night’s ceremony. Last year Rahman had sung his tracks from 127 Hours at the Oscar ceremony. In 2009, the 46-year-old performed for the first time at the Oscar stage and in the same year he won two golden statuettes for best original score and best original song (Jai ho) for the movie Slumdog Millionaire. Other performances at the ceremony also included Esperanza Spalding’s rendition of Louis Armstrong’s What a wonderful world. IANS
Shot all night today... 16 hours to be precise! Dekho ipad ki kya haal bana di. But guess what?? Its a schedule wrappp…
@bipsluvurself Shocked to hear that Arvind who used to do my make up when I started off passed away last night due to heart attack!Barely in his thirties!
@akshaykumar Guys, I think it’s time to clean up your bicycles and hit the road! As per sources, expecting another petrol price hike by Rupees 4 and diesel by Rupees 2.
@FarOutAkhtar Police cast aspersions on character of the Noida car rape victim! What are they (if at all they are) thinking? Cause of serious concern.
@SrBachchan T 667 - “ Wall Street is the only place people ride to in a Rolls-Royce, to take advice from people who take the subway.” ~ WB
@iamsrk Was so nice to see Sunny Singh so simply say how he scored goals...all kept sayin yo yo sunny Singh..I feel like playing hockey just now!
Magic Screen
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
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2012
23
Magic Screen
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2012
The glamour behind the glitz
PRINCE ROYCE:
NOT LETTING FAME GO TO MY HEAD
U
S bachata artist Prince Royce said that his family has been a firm pillar in helping him keep his feet on the ground and not let fame go to his head. “Perhaps it was a bit difficult at first getting famous so quickly... But I think my family always helped me a lot with that. Keeping me steady, keeping me focused,” the singer, who is of Dominican origin, said. In less than two years, the life of the 23-year-old singer born in The Bronx has completely changed thanks to the release of his first album, with which he rejuvenated the bachata genre and for which he received both critical acclaim and the praise of his fans. In the face of this meteoric and unexpected rise, he said that the main ingredient in not getting caught up with fame is to have a united family, something that is “a blessing” that helps one resist the temptation to fall into assorted vices that often come with stardom, he said. IANS
24
Magic Screen
The glamour behind the glitz
‘I feel a lot sexier now’ A
ctress Reese Witherspoo n feels sexier than ever and is more comfortable with herself than she was in the past. “I feel much better about myself, actually. When you get older, you start to have respect for yourself and value certain things and choices you’ve made in your life that have given you strength,” contactmusic.com quoted the 35-year-old actress, who married Hollywood agent Jim Toth last year, as saying. “I’m much more comfortable
with who I am and I’m even thinking that I don’t look so bad. I feel a lot sexier these days than I ever have,” she added. Despite feeling good about herself, Witherspoon, who has children Ava, 12, and eightyear-old Deacon from her marriage to Ryan Phillippe, doesn’t find dating comfortable. “I find dating nerve-wracking, and, really, I don’t know why. I pretty much went from being married and then I was married again, so I didn’t really date much.” IANS
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2012
25
Men In Black 3Will Smith’s brainchild
I
t was actor Will Smith who came up with the idea of the third installment of Men In Black, says director Barry Sonnenfeld. The actor reprises his role as alien fighting Agent J in Men In Black 3 and Sonnenfeld says the film sees the actor travel back in time to rescue his partner, played by Tommy Lee Jones. “Will calls me Baz. When we were shooting Men In Black II (in 2002), one night he said ‘Hey Baz, I think I have an idea for number three’. The basic idea was that Will’s character, Agent J, would have to go back into the past to save his partner. It allowed us to learn more about Tommy Lee Jones’ character. But it turned out to be a very long process of development, the time travel thing was really hard,” said Sonnenfeld. IANS
Chai Time
KAKURO
How to Play Kakuro Kakuro is a popular game similar to sudoku in some ways. But is also suitably different. The key question: “How do you play Kakuro?”, well here are the rules of kakuro. The answer: The kakuro grid, unlike in sudoku, can be of any size. It has rows and columns, and dark cells like in a crossword. And, just like in a crossword, some of the dark cells will contain numbers. Some cells will contain two numbers. However, in a crossword the numbers reference clues. In a kakuro, the numbers are all you get! They denote the total of the digits in the row or column referenced by the number. Within each collection of cells - called a run - any of the numbers 1 to 9 may be used but, like sudoku, each number may only be used once. Let’s have an example to explain this concept more clearly: In the image above, which shows a section of a kakuro puzzle, you will see the numbers ‘26’ and ‘14’ in the top row. Look at the 14. This means that the total of the three cells underneath must sum to 14. Therefore 9, 4, 1 could be the answer, or perhaps 7, 4, 3 and so on... So, how do you work out the actual combination? Well, this is done through elimination and cross-referencing. For instance, as you work out the answers for other kakuro clues, this will naturally limit the valid combinations, and hence the answer for this particular run. Note the second cell in row two - it contains two numbers, 30 and 11. The 30 refers to the vertical run underneath the number 30 and the 11 refers to the two cells to the right, horizontally, of the number 11.
SCRIBBLING PAD
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2012
Take a shot at the brain game while sipping your cuppa
26
QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Two make a quarter 5 Sherman's maid on "The Jeffersons" 10 Poster place 14 Repeating sound 15 Saucer pilot 16 Double-reed instrument 17 New job for a mechanic? 19 Norwegian saint 20 Adams who photographed Yosemite 21 Hoover, for one 22 Actress Moore of "Ghost" 23 Some animals' mouths 26 Director Burton and actor Allen 28 Mafia don's request at a temp agency? 33 "Ha-ha," in email 34 Bog 35 Neighbor of Earth 37 Eager 39 Cut into tiny pieces 42 Annoying kitchen sound 43 Atomic number 54 45 Spanish water pot 47 Actress Lupino 48 Scary thing for computer users? 52 Lion's pride? 53 Sinn ___ (Irish organization) 54 Famous clown 57 Brit. record label 59 Congressional employees 63 Baseball's Moises 64 Up-to-date trollop? 67 Food bank containers 68 Mr. T's group 69 Penny wager 70 Reflex testing site 71 Where early birds bring their worms 72 Ooze DOWN 1 Early software version
2 Computer symbol 3 Walk-way connector 4 Like moments of silence 5 ___-jongg 6 Chicken-king connector 7 Orange coat? 8 Official emissary 9 Hemoglobin deficiency 10 Place of discreet punishment 11 Partner of "ready" and "willing" 12 Friable soil 13 First name in jeans 18 Assertion 24 Sudden impulse 25 Rani's wrap 27 "The Real World" airer 28 Desire wrongfully 29 Dress with a flare 30 Poisonous secretion 31 Dismantle sail supports
32 Show the way 33 Not strict 36 Place to unwind 38 Companion of the Mad Hatter 40 Bass, treble or C 41 "Do it, or ___" 44 Charlton Heston's grp. 46 Like most of the world's people 49 Type of band 50 Unlikely, as a chance 51 Loos, Hill and Brookner 54 Endorse 55 "The Good Earth" character 56 Region 58 Mid-month
SUDOKU
time 60 Copenhagen citizen 61 Art Deco designer 62 Big first for a baby 65 Break a fast 66 Apt. divisions PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER
THOUGHT OF THE DAY Age is mostly a matter of mind. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter. – Mark Twain
Chai Time STAR POWER
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2012
Your tomorrow today̶Star Power and Tarot THIRUVAIKUMAR
As per Hindu panchang
FOR 29-2-2012
thiruvaikumar@yahoo.co.in 040-27177230 / 9177596118
TAURUS
GEMINI
Your individual skill to deal with issues wisely, will get exposed. Enemies will be inactive. Financial situation will be the best. Your stock is set to pile up. Reco‑ very from health problems likely.
All planned work will get completed wi‑ thout hurdles. Happy events to take pla‑ ce at home. Help from parents will co‑ me. Some will change residence. You ar‑ e respected well at home and workplace.
Financial flow will be steady. You will get support from friends, but relatives will not come forward to help. Some have chances to buy a vehicle. You will manage attacks of competitors tactfully. Health needs care.
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
Your calibre and efficiency in completing work will be exposed. Health problems will surface and get solved quickly. Religious persons will enjoy by participating in vari‑ ous events. Self‑confidence is set to increase.
Worries will disappear. Friends and rela‑ tives will be very cordial and co‑operate well. Health will be fine. Difference with blood relatives will disappear. Financial sit‑ uation starts looking up gradually.
Limit your expenses within the income. Ignore negligence of blood relatives. Ef ‑ forts to perform happy events at home will be successful. Misunderstanding with blood relatives will be over.
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
Though there may be a tight financial si‑ tuation, works will get completed without hurdles. Your respect and value are set to increase. Travel will be beneficial. Avoid giving guarantee to anyone.
Control your fickle mindedness. Expenses will bother you and create tension. Fear and apprehensions you have will have an impact on other work. No need to panic; situation will change for better soon.
Obstacles possible in work undertaken, but your willpower and determination will succeed. Though money flow is good, expenses too will increase. Debt problems will be under control.
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
Your stock will pile up in society. Frie‑ nds and relatives will extend support to you. Wanderings are inevitable. Financi‑ ally, a comfortable situation likely. Reli‑ gious activities will occupy your mind.
Your wise action will ensure success. All work executed by you will be done with perfection and hence a good name is earned. You will be bold and remain charged. You will increase comforts.
Planned work will get completed ahead of schedule. Financial situation will bring you cheer. Chances of buying a house or plot is not ruled out. Your influence is set to im‑ prove. Friends, relatives will act in favour.
SUMAA TEKUR
FOR 29-2-2012
tarotreadhyd@gmail.com
ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
Knight of Wands – Ensure you have a buy‑in from all parties involved when you are taking important decisions. Leaving out a key partner may put you in trouble.
Two of Cups – Partnerships of all kinds are in focus today. A romantic partner will want to take the relationship to the next level. Take it up seriously.
Ace of Swords – You bring in new ideas to replace outdated mo‑ des of working. Inno‑ vation and creativity along with intellectual energy make for a great combination.
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
Page of Cups – Matt‑ ers of the heart are in focus today. If you ha‑ ve been putting off some relationship‑ba‑ sed decision, today may be a good day to decide.
Temperance – You have to wait for the right partner to come your way. If youʼre committed, you need time to settle down in this relationship. Be patient.
Two of Wands – You often need to wait upon events to hap‑ pen as per your wish. The waiting period is equally important for you to plan your next course of action.
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
Justice – Some impor‑ tant decision is putt‑ ing the brakes on yo‑ ur current living situa‑ tion. Unless that deci‑ sion is made, you feel restless and are una‑ ble to get on with life.
Nine of Wands – You have planned your fu‑ ture course of action rather well. But you meet with a few obst‑ acles along the way and need to tackle th‑ em without worrying.
Four of Wands – Youʼre making a deeper commitment to an important rela‑ tionship. It may be a marriage or a crucial business partnership. You feel more secure.
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
The Lovers – You will be expected to make an important decision today. Weigh all pros and cons well. But you will eventually go with your gut feel.
Ace of Pentacles – Your power lies in your abili‑ ty to shower immense faith. This intangible becomes your strength and you achieve the impossible. Meditate to get better perspective.
The Hanged Man – You achieve higher spiritual awareness and are able to control emotions. You sudden‑ ly begin to see the world differently. Your perception changes.
For Better or for Worse Stone soup
SOLUTIONS
Boggle POLO RUGBY SOFTBALL FOOTBALL
Number game
Suduko
Scrabble
Ink pen
COMICS
Fred Basset
ARIES
TAROT READ
27
Vol: 1, No 226 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
Chai Time 1400 Naadi Aadajanme 1430 Pavitra 1500 Movie 1800 Kodala Kodala Koduku Pellama 1830 Vasantha Kokila 1900 Chinnari Pelli Kuturu 1930 Anna Chellelu 2000 Missamma 2030 Edureetha 2100 Bhale Chancele 2200 CID 2300 Challenge 0730 Maa Gramadevatalu 0800 Ayurvedam 0830 Chaganti Sanatana Dharmam 0900 Bhale Chansule
1400 Kannavaari Kalalu 1430 Maavichiguru 1500 Sumangali 1530 Movie 1800 Jai Shri Krishna 1830 Shraavani Subramaniam 1900 Mandhara 1930 Auto Bharthi 2000 Swathi 2030 Mogali Rekulu 2100 Aparanji 2130 Devatha 2200 Mamathala Kovela 2230 Heartlo Battery 2300 Gemini Vaarthalu 0800 Gemini Talkies 0830 Movie 1130 Aha Emi Ruchi 1200 Jeevitha Chakram 1230 Maa Inti Aada Paduchu 1300 Chittemmaa 1330 Gorintaku
1400 [V] Vignettes 1430 [V] D3 Dil Dosti Dance 1500 [V] Humse Hai Life 1530 [V] Trailers 1600 [V] Steal Ur Girlfriend 1700 [V] Zabardast Hits 1800 [V] Fresh Songs 1830 [V] Humse Hai Life 1900 [V] D3 Dil Dosti Dance 1930 [V] Humse Hai Life 2000 [V] Dare 2 Date 2100 [V] Vignettes 2130 [V] Trailers 2200 Love Kiya To Darna Kya 2300 [V] Humse Hai Life 2330 [V] D3 Dil Dosti Dance 2355 [V] Fresh Songs 0700 [V] Trailers 0730 [V] Zabardast Hits 0800 [V] Mind Blasting Mornings 1100 [V] Fresh Songs 1200 [V] D3 Dil Dosti Dance
‘[V] Humse Hai Life’ at 1930 Hrs on CHANNEL [V]
1300 News Now At1 1330 News Now 1800 6 Pm 1830 Live Report 1900 Primetime 1930 The Game 2000 News Now At 8 2030 Live Report 2100 The Newshour 2200 The Newshour - Plus 2230 E Now 2300 News Now At 11 0800 The Morning News 0900 News Now 1200 Live Report 1230 News Now
‘The Game’ at 1930 Hrs only on TIMES NOW
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2012
Telly sitcoms, news and movie listings
1400 Abhishekam 1430 Aadade Aadharam 1500 Antahpuram 1530 Aakasa Ganga 1600 Prema Mandiram 1630 Jagadeeswari 1700 Super 1800 Devimahathyam 1830 Puttadi Bomma 1900 Kumkuma Rekha 1930 Manasu Mamata 2000 Chandra Mukhi 2030 Bharyamani 2100 Etv News 2130 Ali 369 2245 Movie 0800 Subhamastu 0830 Jeevanajyothi 0900 Movie 1130 Abhiruchi 1230 Star Mahila
1400 Nagani 1430 Movie 1800 Meera 1830 Kalavari Kodallu 1900 Chinna Kodalu 1930 Pasupukunkuma 2000 Muddu Bidda 2030 Radha Kalyanam 2100 Kanyadanam 2130 Comedy Club 2230 Shree 2300 Bindass 2330 Latest Songs 0800 Gopuram 0830 Bhakti Samacharam 0900 Sri Raghavendra Vybhavam 0930 Mahadevi 1000 Bindass 1030 Baghyalakshmi Bumper Offer 1130 Jeevana Vignanam 1200 Mee Inti Vanta
‘Business Tonight’ at 2100 Hrs only on ET NOW 1400 The F And O Show 1430 Closing Trades 1530 Tomorrow's Trades 1600 Business Day 1730 Markets Tomorrow 1800 Rush Hour 1830 Brand Equity Special 1900 Global Business Report 1930 Business Express 2000 Business First 2030 Markets Tomorrow 2100 Business Tonight 2200 Top 10 At10 2230 Leaders Of Tomorrow 2300 Starting Up 0900 First Trades 1000 Hot Stocks 1100 Buy Now Sell Now - The Stock Game 1130 Buy Now Sell Now 1200 Market Sense 1300 Business Day 1330 Markets Now
1440 Whacked Out Sports 1510 Wipeout 1605 Mondo Magic Singapore 1635 Magic Asia - India 1700 Supernatural 1800 Chuck 1900 Wipeout 2000 Supernatural 2100 Minute To Win It 2200 Fear Factor 2300 Top 20 Countdown 0730 Sky Teleshopping 0830 Infomercial/30 Min 0900 Sky Teleshopping 0930 Whacked Out Sports 1000 Dating In The Dark 1100 Minute To Win It 1200 Got To Dance 1250 Movie - The Librarian 3
‘Minute To Win It’ at 2100 Hrs on AXN
‘Gyaan Guru’ at 1930 Hrs on IMAGINE 1400 Haar Jeet 1430 Jamuna Paar 1500 Baba Aisa Varr Dhoondo 1600 Mi Aaji Aur Saheb 1630 Jamuna Paar 1700 Mi Aaji Aur Saheb 1730 Sawaare Sabke Sapne – Preeto 1800 Jamuna Paar 1830 Mi Aaji Aur Saheb 1900 Haar Jeet 1930 Gyaan Guru 2000 Dwarkadheesh - Bhagwan Shri Krishn 2030 Sawaare Sabke Sapne – Preeto 2100 Jamuna Paar 2130 Mi Aaji Aur Saheb 2200 Baba Aisa Varr Dhoondo 2230 Haar Jeet 2300 Jamuna Paar
1400 Parichay 1500 Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha 1530 Uttaran 1600 Phulwa 1630 Parichay 1700 Sasural Simar Ka 1730 Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha 1800 Uttaran 1830 Balika Vadhu 1900 Hawan 1930 Sasural Simar Ka 2000 Balika Vadhu 2030 Veer Shivaji 2100 Phulwa 2130 Parichay 2200 Uttaran 2230 Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha 2300 Na Aana Is Des Laado
‘Sasural Simar Ka’ at 1930 Hrs on COLORS
‘Ram Milaye Jodi’ at 2130 Hrs on ZEE TV 1400 Hitler Didi 1430 Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuein 1530 Yahaaan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli 1600 Pavitra Rishta 1630 Shobha Somnath Ki 1730 Ram Milaye Jodi 1800 Hitler Didi 1830 Punar Vivah 1900 Afsar Bitiya 1930 Choti Bahu 2 2000 Hitler Didi 2030 Yahaaan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli 2100 Pavitra Rishta 2130 Ram Milaye Jodi 2200 Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuein 2230 Punar Vivah 2300 Afsar Bitiya
1400 Saas Bina Sasuraal 1430 Bade Achhe Lagte Hai 1500 Kuch Toh Log Kahenge 1530 Crime Patrol - 4 1800 Saas Bina Sasuraal 1830 Bade Achhe Lagte Hai 1900 Crime Patrol - 2 1930 Shubh Vivah 2000 Kuch Toh Log Kahenge 2030 Dekha Ek Khwaab 2100 Saas Bina Sasuraal 2130 Parvarrish - Kuchh Khatti Kuchh Meethi 2200 Kyaa Hua Tera Vaada 2230 Bade Achhe Lagte Hai 2300 Kuch Toh Log Kahenge 2330 Crime Patrol - Dastak 0900 Parvarrish - Kuchh Khatti Kuchh Meethi 0930 Dekha Ek Khwaab 1000 CID 1200 Shubh Vivah
‘Dekha Ek Khwaab’ at 2030 Hrs on SONY
28
‘Sasuraal Genda Phool’ at 1930 Hrs on STAR PLUS 1400 Sajda Tere Pyaar Mein 1500 Navya 1530 Diya Aur Bati Hum 1600 Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behnaa Hai 1630 Sasuraal Genda Phool 1700 Saath Nibhaana Saathiya 1730 Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon 1800 Navya 1830 Ruk Jana Nahin 1900 Saath Nibhaana Saathiya 1930 Sasuraal Genda Phool 2000 Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon 2030 Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behnaa Hai 2100 Diya Aur Bati Hum 2130 Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai 2200 Sajda Tere Pyaar Mein 2230 Mann Ki Awaaz… Pratigya 2300 Maryaada ... Lekin Kab Tak?
MOVIES OF THE DAY AND OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
1325 The Island 1555 Lethal Weapon 2 1800 Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire 2100 Wedding Crashers 2305 Rush Hour 2 0811 Nikita 0901 Friends 1001 South Park 1132 Wedding Crashers 1333 Deep Blue Sea
1405 Red 1625 Ip Man 1840 True Grit 2100 Tomorrow Never Dies 2335 Congo 0740 The Land Before Time 0910 Tomorrow Never Dies 1145 True Grit 1405 Congo
‘Man Vs Wild’ at 2100 Hrs on DISCOVERY CHANNEL
1400 My Wife And Kids 1430 Scrubs 1500 My Kitchen Rules 1600 Rookie Blue 1700 My Wife And Kids 1730 Scrubs 1800 E News 1900 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 2000 My Wife And Kids 2030 America's Funniest Home Videos 2100 My Kitchen Rules 2200 Rookie Blue 2300 My Wife And Kids 2330 Scrubs 0800 Rizzoli And Isles 0900 Rookie Blue 1000 My Wife And Kids 1030 America's Funniest Home Videos 1100 My Kitchen Rules 1200 Rookie Blue 1330 America's Funniest Home Videos
1400 Dino World 1600 One Man Army 1700 Discovery Showcase 1800 Wild Discovery 1900 Man Woman Wild 2000 Culinary Asia 2100 Man Vs Wild 2200 One Man Army 2300 The Survivors 1000 Man Vs Wild 1100 Wildest India 1200 Walking The Amazon 1300 Wild Discovery
‘My Wife And Kids’ at 2000 Hrs on ZEE CAFE
Balika Vadhu
The Shield
Storyline - Badi Jiji’s entry in Balika Vadhu. She gives gifts to all. Kalyani hides the truth of Jagya and Gauri marriage from Badi jiji. Vasant tells everyone that Badi jiji has come without informing anyone.
Storyline - In a rush to avenge Lem's murder, Vic discovers he may have killed the wrong man; Dutch makes headway in the serial-rapist case; Mara is furious when she discovers Shane's affair.
‘Balika Vadhu’ at 2100 Hrs on COLORS
‘The Shield’ at 2200 Hrs on STAR WORLD
‘Supernatural’ at 2100 Hrs on STAR WORLD 1400 Supernatural 1500 Pan Am 1600 The Big Bang Theory 1630 The Simpsons 1700 The Shield 1800 Supernatural 1900 Desperate Housewives 2000 Two And A Half Men 2030 The Simpsons 2100 Supernatural 2200 The Shield 2300 The Big Bang Theory 2330 Two And A Half Men 0700 The Shield 0800 Las Vegas 0900 Pan Am 1000 The Shield 1100 Desperate Housewives 1200 Two And A Half Men 1230 The Simpsons 1300 The Big Bang Theory 1330 Friends
1400 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 1430 R. K. Laxman Ki Duniya 1500 Lapataganj 1530 F.I.R 1600 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 1630 I Luv My India 1700 Gutur Gu 1730 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 1900 R. K. Laxman Ki Duniya 1930 Lapataganj 2000 I Luv My India 2030 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 2100 Chidiyaghar 2130 R. K. Laxman Ki Duniya 2200 Lapataganj 2230 F.I.R 2300 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 2330 Chidiyaghar 0900 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 0945 Gutur Gu 1030 I Luv My India
‘Lapataganj’ at 2200 Hrs on SAB TV
‘Tomorrow Never Dies’ at 2100 Hrs on HBO
1430 Storm Chasers 1530 Discovery Science Classics 1630 Toughest Military Jobs 1730 Weapon Masters 1830 Best Of Discovery Science 1930 Machines 2000 Oddities 2030 Sports Science 2130 Mythbusters 2230 Future Weapons 2330 Everything You Need To Know About 1030 Toughest Military Jobs 1130 Storm Chasers 1230 Best Of Discovery Science 1330 Machines
‘Frasier’ at 1930 Hrs on BIG CBS PRIME
‘Mythbusters’ at 2130 Hrs on DISCOVERY SCIENCE
1400 Frasier 1430 Jerry Springer 1530 Big Wheels 1600 Galileo Extreme 1700 Survivor 1800 Entertainment Tonight 1830 Galileo Extreme 1930 Frasier 2000 Entertainment Tonight 2030 Galileo Extreme 2100 Hawaii 5.0 2200 Jerry Springer 2300 Survivor 0700 Big Wheels 0730 Aspire 0800 Galileo Extreme 0900 Survivor 1000 Bellator 1100 Jerry Springer 1200 Big Wheels 1230 Entertainment Tonight 1300 Galileo Extreme
‘Planet Bollywood’ at 1900 Hrs on ZOOM 1400 Movie 1730 Star Bonanza 1800 Let'z Go! 1900 Planet Bollywood 1930 Link'd 2000 Style Strip 2030 Let'z Go! 2130 Link'd 2200 B - Tonite 2230 Let's Design 2300 Bollywood Bonanza 0700 Fresh Mornings 0800 Red Carpet 0805 Fresh Mornings 1100 Your Likes 1200 Garama Garam 1300 Planet Bollywood 1330 Page 3
Playing Field
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2012
The games people play
29
Bitter-sweet moment for Djokovic brothers DUBAI: World number one Novak Djokovic experienced the emotions of victory and defeat as he re-started his season at the Dubai Open with an unusual dual role on Monday. Djokovic’s 6-4, 6-2 win against Cedric-Marcel Stebe, a talented and improving young German, was a resourceful performance given his five-week absence from competition since his exhausting Australian Open triumph. But it was preceded by a Djokovic defeat. That was his 20year-old younger brother Marco, whom he was mentoring, and whose fate he seemed to experience almost as strongly as his own. Djokovic the triple Grand Slam champion, experimented with some extra net attacks and
different tactical ploys, and yet retained the capacity for a tighter focus after Stebe got him break point down at 1-2 in the second set. But Djokovic the wild card entry was playing only his third match on the ATP Tour and was unable to do himself much justice during a 6-3, 6-2 loss to Andrey Golubev. That may be a part consequence of spending much of last year sidelined after wrist surgery. But Marco also offered insights into the pressures of having such a famous sibling. “There are a lot of positive and negative things about being his brother, you know,” he said. “Financially, you know, I have all I need and can get the coaches and the right practice environ-
ment. But everybody expects you to be like your brother, which is really tough to achieve. “Sometimes I have an advan-
There are a lot of positive and negative things about being his brother, you know, said Marco, who is mentored by big bro Novak.
tage because maybe opponents get scared. But others think ‘he’s Novak’s brother, so I must beat him.’ And that can be tough.” Novak sympathized. “He has to face the pressure of having the Djokovic surname,” he said. “He’s trying to fight with his mind more than with his game. When he is able to focus on that and not on his doubts he can become a world class player.” Novak was also in no doubt that playing was easier than coaching. “It was difficult for me to sit courtside,” he said. “I have not done it too much. “At least when I’m playing I know what’s going on. But I was happy my brother got a wild card. He is not at his level yet, but he’s getting there.”
Novak Djokovic now has a day off before facing the winner between Omar Awadhy, a wild card from the UAE, and Sergiy Stakhovsky, the fierce-hitting Ukrainean who is capable of a much higher level than his current ranking in the seventies. On Tuesday Roger Federer, the Grand Slam record-holder, will start against Michael Llodra, the runner-up at the Marseille Open on Sunday. And Andy Murray, the first Briton since the 1930’s to reach three Grand Slam finals, will face Michael Berrer, a qualifier from Germany, while Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the world number five from France, will play Marcos Baghdatis, the former Australian Open runner-up from Cyprus. AFP
Novak Djokovic (left) along with friends watching brother Marco’s (right) game at the Dubai Open. AFP/MARWAN NAAMANI
Don’t tweet, Aussie athletes told Australian athletes have been warned against using Twitter during competition after officials found competitors tweeting during last week’s Olympic diving test event in London. SYDNEY: Mike Tancred, the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) director of media and communications, fears athletes tweeting during competition will be distracted. Coaches and team managers needed to implement rules to eliminate the risk of social media undermining perfor-
mances at this year’s London Games, he said, but there would be no blanket ban. “The problem was highlighted at the diving test event in London where athletes were tweeting during the competition,” Tancred said in AOC’s London Olympics newsletter
emailed this week. “Diving officials stopped the use of social media during the competition, which was also a World Cup event, once they learned it was happening.” According to the AOC, one diver’s tweet during competition read: “I’m a novice. I will stop
tweeting next round. Distraction!” The International Olympic Committee will allow athletes to use social media such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter during the Games because it is keen to encourage more youth interest in the Olympics. Tancred said some sports in
Australia, such as cycling, had specific policies about the use of social media during training and competition. Australia’s athletes were encouraged to use social media responsibly and during downtime in the village but their use of it should conform to the Olympic spirit, Tancred added.
Playing Field
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2012
The games people play
Klitschko marks Mormeck for 50th KO conference. “I still have the hunger and assume the task will not be easy.” Klitschko has not been beaten since April 2004 when he suffered a fifth round technical knock-out to Lamon Brewster in Las Vegas and Mormeck wants to break the Ukrainian’s winning streak and take his titles. “”I know that I am underesti-
I’m ready for this challenge. I still have the hunger and assume the task will not be easy. Wladmir Klitschko
BERLIN: , February 27, 2012 (AFP) - Wladimir Klitschko plans on making Jean-Marc Mormeck the 50th knock-out of his career on Saturday, while the Frenchman says he is determined to become his country’s first world heavyweight champion. World champion Klitschko will defend his IBF, IBO, WBO
and WBA titles against Mormeck, who stepped up from cruiserweight just over two years ago, in Dusseldorf. The pair were scheduled to meet last December, but kidney stones forced Klitschko, 35, to postpone the fight which will be the 60th of his career. “I’m ready for this challenge,” said Klitschko at Monday’s press
mated against a bigger and heavier opponent,” the 39-year-old Mormeck told AFP. “I have an iron will and I’m tough, I will give it my all. “I have the mental strength too. Does he?” This will be Mormeck’s fourth heavyweight bout and Klitschko has said it will be tough against a man who is considerably shorter
than he is with the challenger measuring 181 cms, compared to Klitschko’s height of 198 cms. Klitschko’s brother Vitali defended his WBC heavyweight title against Britain’s Dereck Chisora a fortnight ago in Munich, but the sport’s image was tarnished by the post-fight brawl between Chisora and exchampion David Haye. Chisora had also slapped Vitali in the pre-bout weigh-in before running away. Wladimir says he expects things to stay peaceful, but is taking nothing for granted. “We are only on Monday, things also started peacefully in the press conference between Vitali and Chisora,” said the younger Klitschko, who also suffered from Chisora’s boorish behaviour when he spat in his face. “I am looking forward to the open training and the weigh-in.” Despite his threats to dethrone the champ, all bar three of Mormeck’s 40 fights have been at the lighter weight including a technical knock-out at the hands of Haye at cruiserweight in 2007. The Frenchman has still enjoyed 22 knock-outs in 36 victories, but has suffered four defeats in his career.
A record of blood and toil Kobe Bryant moved past Michael Jordan to become the leading NBA all-star game scorer but the milestone proved costly as the Los Angeles Lakers superstar suffered a broken nose Sunday. LOS ANGELES: The 33-yearold American Bryant fractured his nose in the third quarter after being hit in the face by Miami Heat guard Dwayne Wade. Wade was assessed a foul for reaching in and slapping Bryant on the face and shoulder with just under nine minutes to go in the quarter. Bryant finished with 27
points and had 271 career all-star game points by the end of the 61st NBA All-Star Game which was won by the Western Conference 152-149. A bloodied Bryant stepped up to the free-throw line and sank both shots. He remained in the game, playing eight minutes in the fourth quarter and helping the West hold off a late charge by
Kobe Bryant with a broken nose.
Team East. “An initial CT scan revealed a nasal fracture and he will be reevaluated on Tuesday,” Lakers spokesman John Black said Monday. The Lakers said they would not know until doctors examined the nose Tuesday whether the four-time all-star game MVP Bryant would be able to play in the Lakers next game on Wednesday against Minnesota. The Lakers host Miami on Sunday at Staples Center arena. Wade made no attempt to apologize for slapping Bryant, painting himself as the victim of two earlier fouls from Bryant. AFP
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France must wake up PARIS: France cannot afford to let Ireland take the initiative next Sunday because there will be no way back unlike against the Scots and French dreams of a Six Nations Grand Slam will lie in tatters said coach Philippe SaintAndre. The 44-year-old former France captain - who replaced the unpredictable Marc Lievremont after the 8-7 World Cup final defeat by the All Blacks last October - admitted his upbeat assessment immediately after beating Scotland 23-17 on Sunday had been replaced by a dose of realism after watching the video of the game. The former wing - capped 69 times from 1990-97 - views the Irish match as a step up in terms of a challenge after two wins against Italy (30-12) and then coming from 10-0 down to beat the gutsy Scots. The Irish - who last won in Paris in 2000 - arguably come into the match in better spirits than they would have been in when it was originally scheduled earlier this month but was called off at the last minute because of a frozen pitch. However having been beaten 23-21 in their opener by Wales they boosted their morale with a convincing enough 42-10 win over Italy on Saturday and SaintAndre is eager his side don’t allow the Irish to build on that in the early stages in Paris. “After a match when you win, you accentuate the positive,” said Saint-Andre. “However, after you watch the video and you resume preparing for the next game, you see how imperative it is to improve on the things that didn’t function. “In the Scottish game we were too tame at the beginning, we lost too many balls in the rucks, especially in the first halfhour, and missed too many tackles. These are the main areas we will work on this week. “What we really need to change is that we have to hit the ground running from the kick-off.”
Playing Field
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2012
The games people play
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Safety workers try to extinguish a fire from a jet dryer after being hit by Juan Pablo Montoya, driver of the #42 Target Chevrolet, under caution during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Monday in Daytona Beach, Florida. STREETER LECKA/AFP
A night of rain and fire DAYTONA BEACH: , Fla. — Shocking finishes and unexpected winners — Daytona 500 is known for that. But rarely does something happen like what happened on Monday night, that, too, in the first prime-time running of Nascar’s premier event. Even by auto racing standards it was a bizzare crash: a spinning racecar slid and crashed into a track jet dryer during a caution period leading to an explosion and a stream of jet fuel burning the asphalt entering Turn 3 of Daytona International Speedway. Now the race is being called James Taylor 500: Fire and Rain. “One thing about racing,” driver Brad Keselowski said, “when you think you’ve seen it
all, it finds a way to show you something you never thought you’d see think you’d never see.” In 54 years of its history, Daytona 500 had never been postponed, until it was to Monday thanks to the rain. Even then the "Great American Race" was not spared: the rain gods ensured that race scheduled to start at noon did not until night. But more surprises were to follow: the race was down to its final 43 laps when the engine on David Stremme’s No. 30 Toyota blew up and he spun out. The race was still under caution when that happened that would make this ‘a night to remember’: Juan Pablo Montoya came off pit road after
Juan Pablo Montoya
trying to find the cause of a vibration in his No. 42 racecar. He was driving down the backstretch and about to enter Turn 3 when something broke in the car and he suddenly went sliding sideways down the track right into a truck carrying a jet dryer that was slowly driving along the outside wall of the track, blowing dust and dirt away. The truck had as much as 200 gallons of jet fuel. The crash burst the jet fuel tank and fuel streamed down the racetrack, catching fire. Vast flames all the way across the track halted the race — after 160 laps of 200. Nascar officials hoped to restart after a cleanup, but with more rain likely, it was unclear what would happen. Dave Blaney was leading then.
Montoya was unharmed. The driver of the jet dryer truck was transported to a local hospital, but he was not believed to be seriously injured. “Every time I got on the gas I could feel the rear squeezing,” Montoya said. “When I was telling the spotter to have a look how the rear was moving the car just turned right.” The race was immediately red flagged; drivers would have had to drive through the flames to get around the track. And in a sign of the times, Keselowski even sent a Twitter message while he was sitting in his car. Finally, after Dale Earnhardt Jr. complained that he had to attend to a nature’s call, the drivers were allowed to get out of their racecars. AGENCIES
Playing Field
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2012
The games people play
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I’ve axe fears, admits AVB
A
ndré Villas-Boas has publicly expressed fears for the first time that he could endure the same fate as his predecessors and be dismissed by the Chelsea owner, Roman Abramovich, before he is given the chance to implement his long-term plans, reports The Guardian. Villas-Boas was prised from Porto last summer, at a cost of £13.5m in compensation, and charged with initiating a radical overhaul of an ageing squad which had been overseen by four permanent managers in as many
I know that, in the Abramovich era, we have the worst results but I think I have felt the confidence from the owner. Let’s see if he wants a change.
years. That process appeared to require time with Villas-Boas confident, until recently, that the club’s hierarchy appreciated the scale of the task in hand, only for a slump that saw four wins in 14 matches prior to Saturday’s victory over Bolton Wanderers eroding the owner’s faith. The 34-year-old has previously stressed a belief that he would be granted the time – denied the likes of Carlo Ancelotti and Luiz Felipe Scolari, whose tenures were ruthlessly cut short by Abramovich – to implement his three-year “project”. Yet, in an interview conducted by the
Milner backs Pearce LONDON: James Milner has backed interim England manager Stuart Pearce to use Wednesday’s friendly against Holland to prove he should be considered for the permanent position.
Pearce has stepped up from his normal role as England Under-21 coach to fill the void left by Fabio Capello’s shock resignation earlier this month and Manchester City midfielder Milner expects him to rise to the challenge. While Pearce has limited experience of club management, the 49year-old knows all the perils and pitfalls of international tournaments after taking England’s youngsters to two European Championships. Milner, who played under Pearce with the Under-21s, believes that should make him the ideal candidate to take charge of England at Euro 2012 if the Football Association are unable to prise Harry Redknapp from Tottenham’s clutches. “I’m sure Stuart could take us to the tournament. If Stuart took us in, he has got the experience and I’m sure he would do a very good job,” Milner said.
Lisbon-based radio station TSF last Thursday but broadcast on Monday night, that stance appeared to shift. “We are now in the exact same moment as last year,” said Villas-Boas, referring back to the last few months of Ancelotti’s spell which were played out with the manager effectively reduced to the role of dead man walking. “It is an exact copy but with a less experienced coach [in charge]. “I know that, in the Abramovich era, we have the worst results but I think I have felt the confidence from the owner. Let’s see if he wants a change in the club or not. The pattern of behaviour of the owner has led to a downfall [of managers] in similar situations, or even ‘better’ situations. What will be his reaction? It will be one of two: either a continuation of the project and full support from above; or a continuation of the cultural pattern that has happened before. We don’t know. We don’t know if it’ll be tomorrow or in two years from now. It’ll depend on what is the understanding of what is happening at the moment.” There has been interest on some level in the short-term appointment of either Rafael Benítez or Fabio Capello, experienced managers who are readily available, as a replacement for Villas-Boas should he be sacked with Chelsea’s season threatening to unravel. The club are out of the Premier League’s top four on goals scored and the threat of failing to make the Champions League for the first time in the Abramovich era is very real – they are 3-1 down from the first leg against Napoli. There has been grumbling discontent, too, among senior members who have spent time out of the team.
3 players accused of homophobia LONDON: QPR’s on loan striker Federico Macheda was one of three players charged on Monday by the Football Association of making alleged homophobic comments on social networking site Twitter. Macheda - sent on loan to QPR from Manchester United - Newcastle forward Nile Ranger and Manny Smith of League 1 outfit Walsall are accused of acting in a way which was “improper and/or brought the game into disrepute”, including “a reference to a person’s or persons’ sexual orientation”. The three players have until Wednesday to respond. An FA statement read: “Newcastle United’s Nile Ranger, Walsall’s Manny Smith and Manchester United’s Federico Macheda, currently on loan at Queens Park Rangers, have all been charged with improper conduct in relation to comments made on Twitter. “The charge is that the players acted in a way which was improper and/or brought the game into disrepute. AFP