Postnoon E-Paper for 29 February 2012 by Scribble Media & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2012 HYDERABAD

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WEATHER: CLEAR WITH CLOUDY SPELLS; 27°C

SRINIVAS SETTY

NO MORE STATUS UPDATES With the recent privacy issues where governments of the world are trying to curb Internet freedom, most souls dread the unthinkable – what if Facebook were to go away? Where will these people go? We record reactions. P16&17

ROAD’S RAGE UNABATED Rash driving kills 40 to 45 people every month, a number greater than the lives claimed by TB, dengue and malaria together. REPORT ON PG 3

FLASH

CASE REGISTERED LET MEN NABBED IN DELHI; AGAINST GS GUPTA TERROR STRIKES FOILED CCS registered a case against Gauri Shankar Gupta of PVR Malls on a complaint by DLF that the company was “duped” by Gupta who promised to get it land worth `300 crore. Cases were also registered against Gopal and Sarita Gupta.

The Delhi Police today arrested two suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists who were allegedly planning to carry out terror strikes in the Capital by targeting vital installations and VIPs. The duo were apprehended after a tip-off by Central intelligence agencies and inputs from J&K and Jharkhand police.

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Page Two

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2012

Spirit of Twin Cities

TOY TEMPTATION M ANIL KUMAR

Ladies Night Get set for another fun-filled ladies night! DJs Murthovic, Sowmya & Umar bring you the best of hip-hop music , commercial music and disco music. Where: Novotel, Madhapur When: Februray 29, 9pm Contact: (040) 6682 4422

Enjoy your evenings with martinis and crooner Kelly. This is what you call a perfect mix for a perfect evening! Where: Taj Krishna, Banjara Hills When: Every Evening Contact: (040) 6666 232

Midnight Buffet

Tequila Night

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

It’s Tequila night at Sky Bar as DJ Hari spins the best in house music. Head out with your pals for a great evening . Where: Sky Bar, Somajiguda When: Februray 29, 7.30pm Contact: (040) 2341 8545

Go Splash 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

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

Painting exhibition

Samahaara- an acting and dancing workshop is being held. The workshop focusses on a variety of topics such as understanding the basics of stage acting, character analysis, stage and rehearsal terms, movement, stage geography. Where: The Actor’s studio, Madhapur When: Ongoing, 7pm to 9pm Contact: 98854 04784

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) 3062 8447

International pizza festival Pizza lovers this is the news for you! News Cafe is host to the International Pizza Festival. Sample pizza’s from around the world. Where: News Cafe, Inorbit Mall, Hitech City When: Ongoing, 12.30pm Contact: (040) 4010 1234

Art from the heart 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

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

CINEMAS

Martini ‘n music

Conversations in time

Contact: (040) 2752 2999

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

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

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

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) 6656 4466

Get my food-Pronto In a hurry? Head to Prego at Westin. It offers quick 45-minute lunch stop overs. Where: The Westin, Madhapur When: Monday-Saturday, 12pm onwards Contact: (040) 6767 6767

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

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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Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities

Grim Reaper walks City roads SRINIVAS SETTY

CRIME

Osama Salman and Mohd Subhan

AMPAIGN

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Deaths

Injuries

Accidents

2009 481 2010 490 2011 441

2009 2908 2010 2662 2011 2528

2009 2990 2010 2797 2011 2651

n the morning of Monday last, Pollomi Nandi, a 38-year-old employee of a leading pharmaceutical firm in the City, engaged an autorickshaw to go to her office in Begumpet. Right from the beginning the ride was a risky one with the driver being rash and careless. What Pollomi didn’t know was that he was drunk. Upon reaching Le Royal Palace in Begumpet at 9.30 am, the auto driver (who was later found to be under influence of alcohol) violently turned the handle and the vehicle careened to a side and hit an electric pole. While the driver escaped with injuries, Pollomi wasn’t as lucky. Coupled with the shock and head injuries, she died on the spot. A case was registered against the driver under Section 304A (causing death by negligence) of the IPC. The FIR was filed by Feroz Khan, her colleague. Incidentally, Pollomi had lost her

father a few years ago and her mother is a cancer patient. Pollomi’s was not an isolated case. As per police records there are nearly 500 deaths registered due to road accidents while another 3,000 cases of injuries are recorded each year in the City. While these may just seem like cold statistics, the brunt is borne by the families who suddenly lose their bearing and life is never the same again. According to traffic studies, most accidents take place due to rash driving and drunken driving.

That a majority of the accidents involve people aged between 2035 is a poignant reminder that the society has failed to exercise its paternal role in the young lives. Some 8,100 people have suffered various debilities and 1,412 died in the 26 months since the beginning of 2010. This, agrees the additional commissioner (traffic) CV Anand, requires hard thinking. He says the general lack of traffic sense is something the police can’t do much about. But what of the infrastructure required ensuring a fairly smooth flow of traffic?

Rash driving and negligent manners cases 2010 2011 2012 8341 7591 443 till Jan Drunken driving cases Drunk driving cases from November 2011 till January 2012 3348 Two wheelers 2253 Four wheelers 1064 Auto rickshaw 131 n

right to walk but in vain. There are 148 traffic signals in the City and of them 26 are not working, forcing the police to man the junctions. However, the problem occurs at night at busy junctions when there are no cops. n Encroachment. Most pavements have been encroached forcing people to walk on the road. At least 20 pedestrians are knocked off on an average in the City every month. Who will compensate for their families? The traffic police have begun the drive against drunk driving since two months, but the complaint often heard is that they look out for posh cars rather than autorickshaws and two-wheelers. “They get publicity by intercepting film stars,” sneered KKR Reddy, a retired agriculture scientist. But, Reddy says, most dangerous of them are the drunk autorikshaw drivers and two-wheel drivers. CV Anand rejects such suggestions, “We don’t have a soft corner for auto drivers. We test everyone and anyone who is suspected to have consumed alcohol. If found guilty, they are given the same treatment as everybody else.” n

Only 30 per cent of the City roads have pavements. “They are like hurdles,” remarked R N Mittal, a senior citizen who fought for

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Home, sweet home SOCIETY Osama Salman salman.o@postnoon.com

or people sleeping on the footpaths of the City, their identity is that of a homeless person. It’s not just us who generalise, but even the government has failed to identify them as to who they really are —individuals with an identity. The people in Tappachabutra’s night shelter for the homeless want an identity. The 24-bed night shelter located close to the Tappachabutra police station, since its inception in January last year, has provided shelter to over 123 people. But whoever has walked in or left the shelter after finding a job, have taken something along with them — the tag of being ‘homeless’. However, that doesn’t deter them from believing that they are happy here. Upon entering the night shelter, one would expect a gloomy atmosphere. But in the community-hall-turned-shelter, colourful posters and decorated ceilings greet the visitors. There is no room for gloomy and glum faces here. The shelter, furniture, electricity and water are provided by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and is aided by the LS Narain Foundation, an NGO that

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works for the rehabilitation of the homeless. There are about 20 people who come in every day, and although the beds aren’t enough, the residents are very accommodative. People from surrounding areas come and take shelter here, for a few days and sometimes a few months, until they can afford a place to stay. The professions that they are in are very varied, from a waiter in a small restaurant, to a cook and some are even labourers. Most men here say that the shelter is a home. Twenty-five-year-old Durgayya had been sleeping under trees, on footpaths and in bus shelters for the last six years until he came to the shelter. “Here, I have a comfortable bed to sleep on. I pay for the food here by doing petty work like sweeping homes and the likes. People give me `20 for the work. I am very comfortable here,” says Durgayya, for whom the shelter has been home for the past one year. Having come to Hyderabad in search for work from Gujarat and unable to make both ends meet in the City, Mohammed Salim, 28, took refuge in the shelter. Over a period of time, this became home for him and the people here are like family. “I have been living here for the past six months and I like it here. Given a choice, I would not want to move out,” he says. Salim works as a cook in wed-

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Tappachabutra’s night shelter is home to the homeless. Yet, these residents scream for one thing more; an identity M ANIL KUMAR

dings. It might look like everything is hunky dory with the shelter, but one thing that binds the residents of this shelter apart from their homelessness is their desire for an identity. An in-charge at the shelter, Prasad explains, “People who come here don’t have any kind of identity cards. Since they are poor, they can’t afford to get one either. The government must provide them with an identity so that they can be recognised by people by their names, and not by their current situation.” Once we get talking, Prasad tells us about the problems ailing the shelter. Some of the problems here are lack of bathrooms, an kitchen in the hall and the residents coming in an inebriated condition. “There are only two bathrooms and in the mornings it can get chaotic. While cooking food, the smoke and smell of food spreads into the hall,” he explains. Another problem at the shelter is the lack of health facilities. Some of them come into the shelter and bring infections with them. The lack of sanitation can prove dangerous, especially when there are no medicines for their ailments Despite these drawbacks, the Tappachabutra night shelter continues to be home to that section of society who are forgotten by those who don’t have to worry about a roof over their heads or the next day’s meal.

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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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CM’s shadow-boxing against Botsa Unhappy with APCC chief for his frequent visits to Delhi and skipping Assembly sessions during discussions on the liquor syndicate, the CM is believed to have intensified the demand for his removal from the Cabinet. the ‘powers that be’. Truth is that the chief minister is unhappy with the frequent Delhi visits of Botsa Satyanarayana, avoiding the Assembly session when there was discussion on liquor syndicates. Kiran Kumar Reddy has intensi-

POLITICS U Srinivas srinivas.u@postnoon.com

as Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy launched shadow boxing to kick out his colleague ministers Botsa Satyanarayana and Mopidevi Venkata Ramana Rao? Apparently, the chief minister is using the Telugu Desam Party to keep the ruckus against the minister up and running and increase the heat on them in the liquor syndicate case. Reddy is already facing an accusation about ‘match-fixing’ between him and N Chandrababu Naidu. APCC chief and minister for transport Botsa Satyanarayana is preparing a statement, to counter the TDP on the floor of the House, that he had no connections whatsoever with the liquor syndicates. Botsa was snubbed by

IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE CM IS USING THE TDP TO KEEP THE RUCKUS AGAINST THE MINISTER UP AND RUNNING AND ENHANCE THE HEAT ON THEM IN THE LIQUOR SYNDICATE.

Speaker Nadendla Manohar twice as he was trying to counter the TDP during a discussion on agriculture. Botsa tried his best to convince the Speaker to continue his argument. But the Speaker

did not allow him. Botsa is likely to make the statement in a day or two, said sources. TDP is determined to gun for the heads of both the ministers, albeit, at the behest of

fied the pressure on the high command to ensure the ouster of the PCC Chief at least from the Cabinet. Interestingly, pressure to appoint a Telangana person as APCC president is also gaining ground slowly, but steadily. Thus, Botsa is being cornered from

both sides. The chief minister is said to have made sure to supply the necessary ammunition for the ‘oust Botsa campaign’ to the TDP. Excise Minister Mopidevi would also incidentally suffer in the process. Botsa, in his recent visit to New Delhi, met the AICC incharge of the Ghulam Nabi Azad. He is reported to have complained that the ACB raids were engineered by the chief minister. Precisely for that reason, Botsa loitered in the lobbies of the Assembly and drew up a counter strategy to meet the challenge, for he is sure that he and Mopidevi would have to incur the wrath of the Opposition on the liquor issue. Botsa said that the issue did not have any public interest involved in it. With the turf war heating up with barely three weeks for the byelections, political pundits are keeping their fingers crossed to see its impact on the party’s performance.

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ore happens outside the Assembly than inside it. Spurred by the media presence, many ministers, MLAs and Opposition leaders put their theories to test in lobbies, ministerial chambers, media points and even at the canteen. There are those ‘reliable persons’ who Nadendla manohar drop a word about a Damodar Rajanarsimha change of guard at the State and PCC level. They base their out on all and sundry. But he talks a lot ‘information’ on the belief that the ruling about KCR. He agrees that KCR is a Congress would come out poorly in the jadoogar who can get several loans out of impending by-elections and Delhi will one man. Damodar would not agree with those who say Telangana is gone forever. boot the two out. There are also theorists who say a He also rejects the notion that Jana Telangana minus KCR might happen Reddy, if not heading a T-development though many others say it is permanently board would be the next PCCI chief. “It’s buried. PCC chief Botsa Satyanarayana, news to me,” he said smilingly when a Deputy Chief minister Damodar media person drew his attention to this. Rajanarsimha, Deputy speaker Bhatti Meanwhile, some witty will drop a bomb Vikramarka are some of the personalities that the CM was chatting with some being grilled by the media and watched mediapersons. A mad rush would result and the pack would come back disapby the Intelligence. While the PCC chief and Deputy pointed soon. As such, nobody seems to Speaker are keep their mouth shut the know anything. Even the next day’s busiDeputy CM is participating with aplomb ness is uncertain. Would there be half day but he takes care not to shoot his mouth or full day? Everything is ad hoc.

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2012

MRP? What’s that?

CLASSIFIEDS FABRICATION

M ANIL KUMAR

GOVERNANCE Anubha Singh anubha.k@postnoon.com

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2 swine flu cases in City

he doctors at the Yashoda Hospital at Malakpet in the city have identified two Swine flu cases on Tuesday. Yadagiri of Hayatnagar and Syed Unnisa of Jaggannaram were admitted on Feb 26 and their blood tests confirmed swine flu. However, the doctors said that the patients were out of danger.

ago Grahak Jago! is the popular slogan of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution but unfortunately, fleecing of consumers continues unhindered in many forms. While MRP itself is a racket, at busy places like bus stands, railway stations and bazaars even this MRP is not respected. Soft drink is sold at `32 for a 500 ml bottle, while the MRP should be `25, while a biscuit packet is sold for `10 against the MRP of `7. A one litre water bottle is sold for `20, as against the MRP of `15. Unfortunately the Department of Legal Metrology, one of the many government agencies that is empowered to curb this practice is not equipped with a provision for deterrent punishment. “In many cases, consumers do not lodge a complaint with the agency concerned, feeling it is not practicable. Many times without any written evidence like bills or receipts we can’t take any action against the shopkeepers. If there is any written evidence it is easy to register a case and take stringent action as per law,” said, PSRNT Swamy, assistant controller, Legal Metrology Hyderabad. But the hassles of our legal system dissuade most law-abiding people because by institutionalising corruption we have made our social and legal systems insensitive. “Where is the time or where is the facility to complain?” asks an elderly woman surprised when we asked her why the system cannot be taken to task. Travellers, in their hurry to catch a bus, are forced to

THE FACES OF HYDERABAD MD Ahad, Fruit Juice Maker, Madhapur

his affable young man runs one of the most famous fruit juice joints in the area and quite a few of the Hi-tech city crowd regularly go there to have the juices he prepares. He first entered this profession in 2000. He has come a long way from running a small fruit juice pushcart (bandi) that had only a hand machine to make juice to working in TCS, manning the juice counter in the canteen there. And,

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

today he has his own fruit juice joint. Ahad says he has special interest in fruits and this drove him to this profession. He says he is a specialist in chikoo juice which is extremely popular among his customers. But his alltime favourite remains mosambi juice. Question him about his future plans and this ambitious man says his ultimate goal would be to own his own international chain of fruit juice stores.

shell out extra money since there are no other shops in the vicinity. Kiranmai Rani, a commuter said, “It’s a common problem now. Even if we argue over the prices the store owners rudely tell us to either take it or leave it. Shockingly some of the products do not even display the MRP and don’t have complete information like manufacturer or expiry date or manufactured place address.” Authorities are supposed to levy penalties ranging from `2,000 to `25,000 on the shop owners, besides initiating action as per the rules depending on the case for selling spurious goods or at a price higher than the prescribed MRP. SRINIVAS SETTY

Statistics In January, the department had booked 500 cases against shopkeepers from different spots in the twin cities for fleecing customers by charging more than the MRP on food products. Out of these 60 cases were booked from Mahatma Gandhi Bus station, Jubilee Bus station, Hyderabad and Secunderabad railway stations. Cases were booked for violations under different sections of Legal Metrology Act and Andhra Pradesh Legal Metrology Rules.

Toll Free To lodge complaints, customers can call the toll free number 1860-4253333 to lodge any complaints.

JC welcomes package for T

ongress senior leader and former minister JC Diwakar Reddy has welcomed the reports that a special package would be announced for Telangana. He however said there was no official information that the center had decided to form a Regional Development Council and give a special package for the rapid development of the region. He said as the by-elections were due after the ongoing UP elections, it could not be said when the Congress leadership would announce its decision on Telangana. It may be mentioned that the center is planning to constitute a special Regional Development Council for Telangana on the lines of the Darjeeling Development Council and also grant a special package for the region.

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Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities

The key: Be focused and relaxed Postoon spoke to toppers of last year’s board examinations to find out their winning mantra that will help this year’s students. According to them, timely revision is the key. Sudeshna Koka

ith hall-tickets being issued and examination centers being allocated, the exam fever has gripped schools and colleges. Postnoon spoke to toppers of last year’s board exams to know their winning mantra and they have just two words to say: Be focussed and relaxed.

“I

was never nervous. I knew my potential but I worked hard” says Harani A Prasad, now a commerce student at Secunderabad Public School. The night bug believes that students should understand their mind and biological rhythm and study accordingly. “I am a night person and I would study at night. However, even during the board examinations, I would sleep for a minimum of eight to nine hours.” Tip: Do not study the syllabus a day before the exam. Only revise key terms and formulae.

ho says social networking before exams is distracting and harmful? Secunderabad Public School’s topper, Sumit M, believes that Facebook helps him destress during exams. “It’s very important to take small breaks while studying, and during that time I would use Facebook. The more one resists from going online, the more their mind will be on what’s happening online. One should take a little time off and attend to the urge,” he says. He believes in setting up time-tables and study accordingly. “I had set up a time-table and would follow that. This had helped me a lot. I would leave the difficult chapter for the mornings as my mind would be fresh.” Tips: Discuss with friends. That’s the best way to learn.

“I

had only one strategy while studying: to give my 100 per cent. I would study for just two hours a day, but those two hours, I would not get distracted. I meditate and this helps me concentrate,” says Meghna Reddy engineering topper, JNTU. Sharing her experience, she further adds, “One should be focused and relaxed. What’s the point if you get tensed before the exams? One will lose out a year’s hard work only because of the tension.” Tip: Do not get distracted. Concentrate.

oday students are giving highest priority to diet and other elements that play a major role in keeping the mind and body focused. Deepali N, 9.2 pointers in CBSE, says, “I had avoided junk food during exams. We don’t realise it but diet makes a difference on our mind. One should keep a watch on their diet.” She hates last minute studying and believes that postponing should be avoided. “I had divided my syllabus and had finished studying a month before the exam. On the day of the exam, I would only revise and listen to music.” Tip: Relax and do not get worked up. Drink more water and fresh juices.

Ponnala bursts bubble

MGIT’s innovation bonanza Technovation-2012, a nationwide event organised by Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Technology was a hit with visitors as they were enthralled by the various robotic demonstrations and innovative projects

EDUCATION Glenn John feedback@postnoon.com

obotics remained the cynosure of all eyes at the Technovation-2012 organised by the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Technology (MGIT). Innovative technologies were at full display at the show with demonstrations of two robots in combat; robots climbing up the stairs and also a terrain — examples of technological excellence.

The event had G Chandra Mohan, principal of MGIT, D Kamalakar Reddy, secretary and correspondent of Chaitanya Bharati Education Society, Manoj Kumar, a scientist from DRDL, and M Manzoor Hussain as chief guests. In an interaction with the students, Kamalakar Reddy said “Technovation would benefit budding engineers by empowering them with problem solving and applicative skills.” The event was conducted for the students so that it might help them get an exposure to the latest technologies and also share their knowledge with others

across the nation. Technovation is a nationwide event which was started in 2003. Siddharth, a fourth year student, said “The event attracts people all over the nation, be it students from electronics or mechanical branches. A national level technical symposium on mechatronics was a part of Technovation. Mechatronics is nothing but a combination of mechanical and electronic systems. Mechatronics helps one eliminate manual labour. There were many projects exhibited which drew a lot of attention from visitors and participants. Among the projects

exhibited, the bomb diffuser was the best. Besides this, there were robotic events such as Robot terrain, Aqua polo and many others. An interesting part of the day was the Rubik’s Cube workshop. People were solving the Rubik’s cube in 20-30 seconds. This is actually a mystery for many commoners. There are people who have been trying to solve it for years. When asked, a student said that solving the Rubik’s cube involves many mathematical formulas. People enjoyed Technovation and the visitors showed a lot of interest in the events it had to offer.

inister Ponnala Lakshmaiah has informed the Legislative Council on Tuesday that it was not possible to provide uninterrupted power supply to the farmers for seven hours. Replying to a question by Mohana Reddy during the Question Hour, the minister said that there were 9235- 11 KV feeders and all could not be supplied power at the same time. He said it was not possible to give uninterrupted power supply to farmers all over the state at the same time. There was a heated argument in the Council about the erection of statues in the state. Opposition leader Dadi Veerabhadra Rao has demanded removal of statues erected without permission from municipalities and corporations. Replying to the member, municipal administration minister, Mahidhar Reddy has said that 99 percent of the statues were being set up without any permission. He said out of the 69 statues in Hyderabad, 66 had no permission and of the 88 statues in Visakhapatnam, 81 had no permission. He said a cabinet subcommittee was set up to fix guidelines for the statues. At this stage, YSR Congress sympathiser Jupudi Prabhakara Rao has said that all this debate was about the former Chief Minister Dr. Y S Rajasekhara Reddy’s statues. There were heated arguments between the member and others for a while. Opposition members also demanded a debate on the general strike and employees’ problems.

Focus

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2012

The story behind the news

Magicians doing the vanishing act? This year, the country marks the centenary of the birth of one of the most celebrated magicians in India, PC Sorcar. But is the love for magic weaning? We find out

Osama Salman salman.o@postnoon.com

rom making bodies float in the air, to sawing a body into half, making a person disappear, or pulling a rabbit out of a hat, magic has enthralled children and adults alike. It is perhaps the oldest form of entertainment. And magicians, who have mastered the art of illusion over the years, are slowly making a comeback after being relegated to the background with developments in both their field and education. Earlier, with the slump in economy, magicians too, were facing a bleak future. You could only find them at an occasional birthday party or a fair. Now, they are also part of big corporate events as well. “I am called for a show every day, sometimes even two. It is very easy for a good magician to get business. A magician can demand up to `10,000 for each corporate event and about `3,000 for birthday parties. Magicians can earn about `25,000 a month,” says Ali Ahmed, a magician in the city who has been practicing the art since 24 years. Magician Vijay Kanth says that the demand for magicians has increased in the city, as has the number of magicians. “People are

willing to call a magician for any special occasion,” he says. Confirming Ali and Vijay’s statements, Samala Venu, arguably the most famous magician and illusionist in the state, says that about 70 per cent of the magicians in the city are doing well for themselves. But lest you think it is a thriving profession, Venu dispels all notions by telling us, “But there is a shortage of magicians, as there are only about 400 such professionals in the city. Magic requires patience and practice. Our job is to entertain people and make them believe in our tricks.” But unlike their smooth tricks on the stage, magicians do face a lot of problems. Venu has been in the profession for the past 32 years and mentions the problems faced by his ilk. For starters, there is only one academy in the city that teaches magic, Samala Venu Magic Academy in Secunderabad and this too limits intake to just 30 stu-

Magic has three levels n Close up — Performing tricks in front of a few people, up close and personal. n Conjuring — Performing magic tricks in front of an audience of not more than 500. n Illusion — The more the merrier! It requires hard work and persistence and because it isn’t easy to trick people.

Where has street magic gone?

amala Venu says that the city does not have a culture of street magic, but it is performed in rural areas. “Street magic requires fast reflexes and you need to be perfect at what you are doing,” he explains.

dents a year. The one-year course is popular among people of all age-groups who want to learn the art of magic/ illusion. After learning the basic course from here, they are immediately admitted into the AP Magicians Association, Dilsukhnagar, where they can master their skills, or learn the advanced level. There was another magic academy in the city, Andhra Balananda Magic School, but as they were not able to sustain themselves or promote magic, they closed down about six years ago. Magicians are now pressurising the government to introduce a BA and MA degree in magic. Being a magician also has its set of financial constraints, says Venu informing us that practicing magic and illusion is an expensive art. “It requires infrastructure, equipment and material that require a large amount of financing. To be a magician, we have to be more than just an illusionist. Public relation skills, good

vocabulary, a pleasant disposition, public speaking skills are equally important in our field,” he explains. “Unfortunately, about 40 per cent of the magicians in the city don’t have these skills and that is why they aren’t doing as well,” opines Venu. Magicians want recognition from the government. “It feels good to be recognised by an authority. We are not asking for money, we only want recognition. When they can promote sports, music and dance, why not magic? Is that too much to ask for?” questions Vijay. Incidentally, the last time a magician was recognised by the government was in 1974, when the greatest magician in India, PC Sorcar, was conferred the Padma Shri Award. After that, no magician has ever received the coveted award. Another problem for the magicians has come in the form of television shows by illusionists such as David Copperfield, Chris Angel and David Blane. “These illusionists perform modern tricks, which can be hard for a local magician. People expect the same from us,” rues Venu. So, while magicians are still struggling to hold fort, magic continues to enthrall both the performer and the audience.

Why should you learn magic? n

Learning magic, unlike performing it, is an affordable affair. The fee in Samala Venu Magic Academy,is only `3,000 a year. The classes are held on two Sundays of a month and the duration of each class is two-and-a-half hours. Learning magic is like mass communication. It improves PR skills, language, and other soft skills.

India‑View

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2012

India unveiled

Father kills girl over caste honour

SPREADING CHEER

Gen Singh told to start packing NEW DELHI: The government on Tuesday informed army chief General VK Singh that he will retire on May 31, bringing the curtains down on a two-year row over his birth date, even as it nixed his official visit to Israel, India’s second largest supplier of military hardware. Gen Singh, who was till a fortnight ago engaged in a bitter legal battle over his birth date, was issued the Retirement Warning Letter by the Military Secretary’s branch, making it clear that he will superannuate on May 31, based on based on May 10, 1950 as his date of birth, sources said here. The order has effectively ended a controversy that lasted for nearly 23 months of his 26-month tenure at the helm of the Army. IANS

CBI arrest two for role in RTI activist’s killing NEW DELHI/BHOPAL: In a major breakthrough in the Shehla Masood murder case, the CBI has arrested a woman interior designer for alleged involvement in the murder of the activist in Bhopal last August, said an agency official on Tuesday. Along with the woman, identified as Zahida Pervez, another person, whom Pervez had allegedly hired to kill Masood, was arrested Tuesday from Bhopal. According to sources, the murder was an outcome of a extra-marital affair. IANS

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi releases pigeons with orphans at a function organised by an NGO at Accoland on the outskirts of Guwahati on Tuesday.

PTI

Centre draws SC fire over IPC 377 ‘stands’ NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday rapped the central government for its flipflop on the homosexuality issue with the union home and health ministries taking divergent positions on the Delhi High Court verdict for decriminalising sex between two consenting adults of the opposite sex. While the Additional Solicitor General PP Malhotra appearing for the home ministry argued that homosexuality was immoral, against social order and there is high chance of spreading HIV through such acts, the health ministry took a diametrically opposite position. In contrast to Malhotra, who had argued against the Delhi

High Court judgment for three hours, Additional Solicitor General Mohan Jain, appearing for the health ministry, told the court: “There does not appear to be any legal error in the High Court judgment and the Supreme Court may take a final view whether the judgment is legally correct or not correct.” Irked over the divergent positions of the two ministries, a bench of Justice GS Singhvi and Justice SJ Mukhopadhyay told Jain: “Don’t make a mockery of the system. Don’t waste the court’s time.” Hours after Malhotra’s plea opposing the Delhi high court judgment was splashed in media, the government issued a state-

ment that “the decision of the cabinet was that central government may not file an appeal against the high court judgment”. The Delhi High Court by its 2009, ruling had held that “Section 377 IPC in so far it criminalises the consensual sexual acts of adults in private, is violative of Articles 21, 14 and 15 of the Constitution. The provision of Section 377 IPC will continue to govern nonconsensual penile non-vaginal sex and penile non-vaginal sex involving minors.” The high court by its ruling also clarified that in it’s ruling, by adults it had meant everyone who was above 18 years of age. IANS

‘All bad news is cooked up’ KOLKATA: A journalist of a leading Bengali news channel on Tuesday was beaten up allegedly by TMC workers in Jadavpur area on Tuesday. However, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called it a “cooked up” case to garner more TRPs. She also sought to term the reported rape of a woman in Burdwan district as “fake”. Joint commissioner of Police Jawed Shamim said two photojournalists of a leading Bengali daily and a reporter of a news channel were injured. “Three cases have been filed,” he said. The reporter, was mercilessly beaten up when he tried to cap-

ture on video the ransacking of a CPM party office. “It is a cooked up incident. Some people have habit of creating cooked up cases. It is just a part of the TRP race . If a journalist is really attacked, we will take action. But it is a framed case,” she said. At the same meet, Banerjee described the alleged rape in Katwa as a “cooked up” case. “A complaint of rape has been filed. Nothing has been found in the medical report. Where is the evidence? I hear a political party, of which the woman’s husband is a supporter, has planned to use its workers to cry rape,” she said. IANS

CHANDIGARH: A 16-yearold girl in Haryana was killed and then hastily cremated Monday night by her father, police said and added they suspect it to be a case of “honour killing”. The Class 10 student was shot dead from point blank range by her father, Ratan Pal, a retired BSF trooper, in Rewari Khera village. Police said that the trooper was under the influence of liquor at the time of the shooting. He is missing since Monday night. “We suspect that it could be a case of honour killing. We have registered a case of murder against the father and are investigating all angles,” said a police officer. Sources said the father was upset over her closeness with a boy of another caste. IANS

Stalemate over Italy ship guards’ fate NEW DELHI/KOCHI: India and Italy on Tuesday sought to “clear the air” over the killing of two Indian fishermen by two Italian marines, but failed to resolve their differences, with New Delhi firm in trying the naval personnel under Indian laws and Rome reiterating the incident attracted international law. On its part, the Kerala High Court, which had previously asked the owner of Italian cargo vessel and the families of the two slain fishermen if they were interested in an out-of-court settlement for determining compensation, later asked the ship’s owner to deposit `3 crore if it wanted the vessel released. In New Delhi, External Affairs Minister SM Krishna met his Italian counterpart. Agata and his delegation arrived in Kochi on Tuesday and is expected to meet the Kerala CM on Wednesday. Krishna said at a press briefing that “strong public opinion” existed in both countries over the issue and stressed that both sides have agreed to clear the air. “We met in the backdrop of an unfortunate incident There is strong public opinion on both sides,” Krishna said. “Minister Terzi and I agreed that we need to clear the air” he said. The Italian minister regretted the deaths but admitted that differences of opinion persisted with India on the issue. PTI

Around the World

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2012

Beyond Borders

A double win for Romney

GLOBE AT A GLANCE Remains of 9/11 victims dumped at landfill: US

DETROIT: Mitt Romney pulled back in front in the topsy-turvy race for the Republican presidential nomination on Tuesday with victories in Arizona and Michigan, gaining valuable momentum ahead of next week’s pivotal Super Tuesday contest. But Romney’s narrow win in his native Michigan failed to dispel doubts about his ability to rally the party’s conservative base for what is expected to be a dogfight with President Barack Obama in November’s general election. “Wow! What a night,” an obviously relieved Romney told cheering supporters at his state campaign headquarters in Novi after a glowing introduction from his wife Ann. “We didn’t win by a lot but we won by enough and that’s all that counts." Rival Rick Santorum who placed a close second in Michigan -sought to cast the result as a victory for a campaign that had been all but written off until he managed to sweep Minnesota, Colorado and Missouri on February 7.

WASHINGTON: Partial remains from

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and his wife Ann wave to supporters in Novi, Michigan. AFP “A month ago they didn’t know who we are but they do now. We came into the backyard of one of my opponents in a race that everyone said, well, just ignore it, you have really no chance here,” Santorum said. “And the people of Michigan looked into the hearts of the candidates and all I have to say is I love you back." A staunch Christian conser-

vative who strongly opposes abortion and gay marriage, Santorum advanced in the polls by painting himself as the authentic conservative and his multimillionaire opponent as out of touch. But Romney put in a strong debate performance when it mattered on Thursday and has used his financial muscle to portray Santorum, as a

Washington insider. “Romney gained momentum with these two wins," said Paul Beck, from the Ohio State University. “But Super Tuesday will likely yield a mixed picture." The former governor of Massachusetts will likely win that State, along with Virginia where Santorum and Newt Gingrich are not on the ballot and possibly Vermont.But he will have a tough time capturing Georgia, Tennessee, or Oklahoma, Beck said. Romney currently leads in pledged delegates after having won the more important states so far. He also has the bestfunded and most organised campaign, which will certainly help in what could be a long slog to the Republican National Convention in August. All four remaining candidates including Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul have vowed to stay in the race until the convention, where a result might have to be brokered behind the scenes if no one reaches the magic number of 1,144 delegates. AFP

Troubled past of Ohio shooter emerges CHARDON: The Ohio 17year-old accused of America’s latest school shooting rampage chose his victims at random, his prosecutor said on Tuesday. Judge Timothy Grendell imposed a gag order preventing attorneys from speaking about the case and banned the media from taking photographs of the

suspect’s face, while ordering Lane to be detained for 15 days. “Once in custody Lane confessed to taking the .22 pistol to school along with a knife,”prosecutor David Joyce told the juvenile court in Chardon. “He admitted that he did not know the students, and that he chose them randomly."

Speaking to reporters, Joyce dismissed speculation about bullying and said Lane would be tried in an adult court on at least three charges, provided the juvenile court judge found “probable cause.” A picture began to emerge of a troubled boy who lived with his grandfather, after his

dad, who had a history of domestic violence and served time in prison, was warned by police to stay away. Court records, showed both his father and mother had been charged with domestic violence against each other. Prosecutors have until March 1 to charge Lane. AFP

Syria walks out of UN rights debate GENEVA: Syria boycotted a UN debate on the human rights situation in the violence-wracked country on Tuesday, while its ally Russia urged Damascus to cooperate with efforts to allow in humanitarian aid. Syria has seen 11 months of demonstrations against the regime of President Bashar alAssad and a military crackdown against a growing protest that has left more than 7,600 dead. Moscow, which triggered Western outrage by vetoing UN Security Council resolutions on the crisis, called on Damascus to cooperate with the ICRC as it tries to negotiate a daily twohour ceasefire to help civilians. Tuesday’s meeting at the Human Rights Council in Geneva took place after Qatar, the European Union and the United States called for an

Wounded British Journalist safe DAMASCUS: Wounded British photographer Paul

A Free Syria Army member sits guard at a gate in Qusayr, 15 km from Homs. AFP urgent debate on the escalating crisis. The Syrian representative to the United Nations, Faysal Khabbaz Hamoui, walked out of the meeting, telling the assembly: “We declare our withdrawal from this sterile discussion.” The session will continue on Thursday as more than 20 countries still have to address the

Conroy was safe in Lebanon on Tuesday after being smuggled out of the besieged Syrian city of Homs, as France’s president retracted a statement that a French colleague had also escaped. “In London, the foreign office in London said freelancer Conroy was “receiving full consular assistance from our embassy.” Thirteen activists were killed trying to help the Western journalists and bring in aid to Baba Amr.

HRC on Syria, the United Nations said. A planned discussion on a resolution filed by Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Turkey calling for “free and unimpeded access” for the United Nations and humanitarian agencies in Homs and other areas was also postponed to Thursday. The Syrian envoy said the

aim of the debate was to “fuel the flames of terrorism” in and that a simple measure to help the Syrian people would be “to stop inciting sectarianism and providing arms”. US ambassador to the HRC Eileen Donahoe said: “Anyone who heard the Syrian ambassador should be aware that his comments were out of touch with reality.” AFP

some victims of the September 11 attacks were dumped in a landfill, the Pentagon revealed on Tuesday for the first time, issuing a report that exposed years of bungling at the US military’s major mortuary. The portions of remains that ended up at a landfill came from the 2001 attacks on the Pentagon and from a hijacked airliner that went down in Pennsylvania.

18 bus passengers gunned down in Pak ISLAMABAD: At least 18 people were killed on Tuesday in a suspected sectarian attack in Pakistan when gunmen dressed in army uniforms stopped a bus, ordered the passengers to get down and opened fire at them. President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani have condemned the attack.

An activist holds a placard during a protest in Mexico for better attention to the problems caused by environmental pollution. AFP

‘Pride over Oscar win, shame over content’ ISLAMABAD: The documentary that won Pakistan’s first Oscar is a matter of national pride, but its “content is a matter of national shame”, said a daily. The Oscar that went to Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy in Los Angeles is a first for Pakistan. Chinoy, who dedicated the award to the women of Pakistan, has been internationally recognised in the past.

Ship captain pleads guilty over oil spill WELLINGTON: The captain and second officer of a cargo ship which grounded off New Zealand last year pleaded guilty on Wednesday to causing the country’s biggest ever sea pollution disaster, officials said.The officers were in charge of the Liberianflagged Rena when it ploughed into a reef on October 5, releasing an oil slick that killed thousands of sea birds.

Mexican Secretary of Defence and Peruvian General during a transfer ceremony in Mexico for the Conf erence of American Armies. AFP

17,850.06 133.60

5,140.90 35.40

BSE

NSE

Business

10g= `29,200

GOLD

1kg= `61,500

Matters of saving and spending

SILVER

`49.01

DOLLAR

POUND WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2012 11

Competition cuts price of contract manufacturing K Prudhvi Raju Prudhvi.k@postnoon.com

HYDERABAD: Contract manufacturing is a highly competitive business with the availability of an excess manufacturing capacity in the country. There are 480 formulation manufacturing units in the City, including 40 per cent contract manufacturing units. The companies are forced to quote cheaper prices to win contracts for manufacturing. The industry in the state also suffered due to the tax exemption given to the hill states like Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal and Sikkim. The start-up companies need not pay any income tax for five years there; no excise duty is levied for 10 years and there is no sales tax. The companies in Andhra Pradesh need to compete with those companies who are enjoying benefits on a national scale to win contracts, said Vasudeva Rao, managing director, Cheminnova. The city-based pharmaceutical contract manufacturer has entered into equity-based joint venture (JV) with Rapid Nutrition Ltd (RNL), an Australian nutraceutical compa-

ny, to foray into international markets. The JV will help Rapid Nutrition to pick up 74 per cent of Cheminnova stakes in the next two years, through a special purpose vehicle of the Australian company in India, Rao said. RNL will bring in the intellectual property, marketing and manufacturing rights of products to the JV. Cheminnova will help manufacture those prod-

ucts at least 60 per cent cheaper, compared to Australian markets. The proposed JV will also help Cheminnova run its manufacturing facilities at full capacity, which are currently running at 50 per cent capacity on a single shift basis, he said. Cheminnova is enjoying 1518 per cent margins and has a turnover of `100 core. The JV will help the company to add Rs200 crore to the top line in next two

`78.07

years and taking the turnover to Rs300 core. The company is also expecting 18-20 per cent growth in net profit from the JV. It has plans to hire around 25 employees this year and another 40 next year, he said. The joint venture will help the RNL increase margins which can be utilised for marketing purposes. This will increase the sales of products bringing in more production for Cheminnova. RNL will bring in more clients from Australia once they see the benefits of JV, he said. Cheminnova is independently establishing a unit in Uganda, Africa. It already acquired land for the purpose and may look for private equity next year. There can be 15-20 products depending on the requirement that include cold and cough syrups and gripe waters, Rao said. The company has three units located in Bollaram and Pragnapur, Medak, Andhra Pradesh and Baddi in Himachal Pradesh. It has total built-up area of 2,45,000 sq ft and 1,100 employees. The company has clientele that include Cipla, Dr Reddy's, Astra-Zeneca, Dabur and Novartis.

SBH hikes interest rates

Postnoon News

HYDERABAD: State Bank of Hyderabad (SBH) revised interest rates on domestic term deposits. The bank has increased interest rates to 8.60 per cent from the existing 7 per cent for deposits up to `1 crore for a period of 46 days to 90 days. It has increased the interest rates to 9.50 per cent from existing 9.40 per cent for the deposits of one year to less than 2 years for a sum up to `1 crore. The bank also revised interest rates from 7 per cent to 8.6 per cent for the deposits above `15lakh and up to `1crore for the period of 46 days to 90 days. The bank also increased interest rates to 8.60 per cent from existing 8.0 per cent for deposits up to `1 crore in the 180 days-364 days category.

ONGC stake sale tomorrow; floor price `290 a share

Stock markets upbeat

NEW DELHI: Running against

Sensex extended gains for the second straight day by rising over 269 points in early trade on Wednesday on buying by funds and retail investors, tracking a firming global trend. The 30-share index, which had gained 285.37 points yesterday, rose further by 268.95 points, or 1.52 per cent, to trade above 18,000 points at 18,000.07. All sectoral indices, led by realty and capital goods, were trading in positive zone with gains up to 2.60 per cent. The wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty moved up by 81.25 points, or 1.51 per cent, to 5,456.75. Brokers said sustained buying by funds and retail investors amid a firming trend in other Asian markets, following overnight gains in the US markets, bolstered trading sentiment. In addition, buying by participants ahead of gross domestic

time to meet the `40,000-crore disinvestment target, the Centre has decided to offload five per cent stake in ONGC on March 1 through auction route at a floor price of `290 a share that could fetch the exchequer about `12,000-13,000 crore. "The ONGC stake sale through the auction route (will take place) in couple of days," Oil Minister Jaipal Reddy told reporters after a meeting of the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) which was chaired by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee. "The floor price for the sale has been fixed at `290 per share," ONGC said in a late night filing to NSE. The floor price, the minimum price for selling a share, is over 2 per cent higher than ONGC's closing price of `283.05 on NSE and `283.55 on BSE.

The auction will be between 9.15 am and 3.30 pm. The government owns 74.14 per cent stake in ONGC and proposes to offload 427.77 million shares or 5 per cent equity. The sale may fetch the hardpressed government about `12,000-13,000 crore this fiscal. The auction route or 'offer for sale of shares by promoters' involves very little paperwork and the whole process can be done within one trading day. Capital market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) had issued norms allowing promoters to sell stake by way of auction, through a separate window on BSE and the NSE, which has to be completed within a day. The auction route or 'offer for sale of shares by promoters' involves very little paperwork and the whole process can be done in just a trading day.

MUMBAI: The BSE benchmark

product (GDP) numbers for the third quarter of current fiscal to be announced later on Wednesday also supported the rally, they said. Meanwhile, in Asia, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose by 0.20 per cent, while Japan's Nikkei index was up by 0.69 per cent. The US Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.18 per cent to reach highest level since May 2008 in Tuesday's trade. The rupee gained 16 paise to 48.91 against the US dollar on the

Interbank Foreign Exchange market in early trade on Wednesday on increased foreign fund inflows. Dealers said increased foreign funds inflows mainly supported the rupee. Also, gains in euro against the dollar overseas kept rupee's sentiments firm. The rupee had closed 15 paise higher at `49.07/08 over its previous close against the dollar yesterday on fresh dollar selling by exporters amid rebound in equities.

Comment

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2012

Fair, free and forthright

Editorials KARNATAKA HOUSE on the defensive

he Karnataka government and the Assembly have been left red-faced after television cameras caught three legislators watching porn on their mobile phones during the Assembly proceedings. And in an evidently retaliatory action, the House is moving to banning private channels from covering the business and instead provide the feeds to the media through an in-house channel on the lines of Lok Sabha TV. This will ensure that all matters unsavoury that happen in the House can be kept out of public domain. Even with dozens of independent media cameras covering the House, the mantris showed the audacity to ignore business and ‘pursue pleasure’. Now imagine the extent of comfort the elected representatives will be feeling when they are assured that the ‘interests’ of the House are protected. With the whole world moving towards transparency and independent media coverage, it’s sad that this State legislature is taking several steps backwards.

WHY WE LOVE The iPad 3

hen Steve Jobs went to that great technological paradise in the sky, critics were already penning Apple’s obituary. Now the company has said that the release of the iPad 3 is only a few days away. Jobs may have been many things, but a myopic egotist he was not. He wanted his company to succeed without him. The iPad 3 (which releases according to rumour on March 7) is going to be brilliant, just like its maker would have wanted.

The king is naked, but don’t say a word Chartbusters

Fusillade

Arun Koshy Philip

hen do you find non-partisan behaviour among legislators? When their images are at stake. No wonder the parliamentarians were up in arms taking umbrage to Team Anna member Arwind Kejriwal’s comments on ‘criminal MPs.’ Some are planning to send privilege notice to Kejriwal for contempt of the dignity of the House. “In this Parliament, rapists are sitting. In this Parliament murderers and looters are sitting,” Kejriwal said at a rally in Ghaziabad criticising politicians for refusing to pass the Jan Lokpal bill. Now the question is whether the legislature, State or Central, is above criticism and scrutiny. Based on the mandatory affidavits filed by the candidates before the Election Commission, several NGOs and civil society organisations have come out with disturbing statistics of our elected representatives. Almost one third of the parliamentarians (150) have criminal cases pending against them, 72 of them face serious charges. Though the BJP could not beat the Congress in the 2009 elections, it overtook its rival in another department by getting 42 people with criminal cases elected, compared to the grand old party’s tally of 41. There is no reason why people would not look down on the legislators considering their ‘illustrious’ conduct. An analysis of the whole bunch would require an encyclopedia-sized edition, so let us glance through conduct of a few luminaries in the recent past. n Three Karnataka BJP ministers were forced to resign after they were caught on camera watching porn on their smartphones during Assembly proceedings. n Twenty-six ministers have been sacked by Mayawati on charges ranging from abuse of power to corruption, from goondaism to rape and murder. n A Trinamool minister in Mamata Banerjee’s ministry asked what a rape victim, a single mother of two children, was doing in a night

Oscar analysis

Food column

I recently purchased a copy of Postnoon and I have to say that I am extremely impressed with the kind of stories that you are doing. My reason for subscribing to your paper is mainly for the weekend editions when you have special stories. And in this edition, I particularly liked a column called Urban Jetsam on the quality of movies being screened at the Oscars. Take this year’s wins for example. While The Artist was definitely a good movie and deserved laurels, it did not deserve to sweep the Academy Awards. And what about Hugo? Hugo is a passable movie at best and if not for the Scorsese tag, it would not have even got a mention at the Oscars. Veeksha Dutt, Banjara Hills

I notice that you carry food reviews in your paper every week. I appreciate the fact that you review both high-end and low-end places so that we can choose depending on how our budget allows. While your reviews are crisp, I thought I should point out a thing or two. It will be really helpful, if you could have a report card included for each restaurant. It could include Postnoon’s ratings, the best dish, the not-so-great dishes and then maybe helpful tips about parking, homedelivery, price range, ambience service, etc. Shina Sharma, Venkagiri Colony

n n n n

Number of MPs 541 MPs with pending criminal cases 150 MPs with serious pending criminal charges 72 Total number of criminal cases on MPs 412

club and that the rape charge was probably an extortion attempt. The CM who called the case ‘cooked up’ and her junior colleague had to eat their words within 24 hours when the police arrested the accused and found solid evidence. n It was not long ago that khap panchayats, which are infamous for their role in ‘honour’ killings and gang rapes, found open support from the US-educated business magnate MP Naveen Jindal, who praised the kangaroo courts for their services in upholding the moral fabric of the society. The exalted members find time to pass doubling of their paychecks but can’t agree over key legislations that would power socioeconomic change and governance — Women’s bill and Lokpal bill are the best examples. A check on their finances would show that someone who entered politics with a monthly income of a few thousand rupees has become a billionaire (rupee) in less than a decade while devoting all his time to ‘serving the people’. Financial geniuses such as Warren Buffet are reduced to amateurs before the growth model of our representatives. The legislators are human and err like humans. So what is the point in living under the self-conferred unassailable status of parliamentary ‘privilege’? The writer works with Postnoon

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

Kameshwar Baitha (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha) Constituency: Palamau, Jharkhand Accused in 35 cases and has 50 serious charges against him under the IPC Vittalbhai Hansrajbhai Radadiya (Congress) Constituency: Porbandar, Gujarat Accused in 16 cases and has 5 serious charges against him under the IPC P Karunakaran (CPM) Constituency: Kasargod, Kerala Accused in 12 cases and has 6 serious charges against him under the IPC Ramkishun (SP) Constituency: Chandauli, Uttar Pradesh Accused in 10 cases and has 5 serious charges against him under the IPC Bal Kumar Patel (SP) Constituency: Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh Accused in 10 cases and has 13 serious charges against him under the IPC Lalu Prasad Yadav (RJD) Constituency: Saran, Bihar Accused in 7 cases and has 5 serious charges against him under the IPC Jagadish Sharma (JDU) Constituency: Jahanabad, Bihar Accused in 6 cases and has 17 serious charges against him under the IPC Kapil Muni Karwariya (BSP) Constituency: Phulpur, Uttar Pradesh Accused in 4 cases and has 8 serious charges against him under the IPC Prabhatsinh Pratapsinh Chauvan (BJP) Constituency: Panchamahal, Gujarat Accused in 3 cases and has 10 serious charges against him under the IPC Kunvarji Mohanbhai Bavaliya (Congress) Constituency: Rajkot, Gujarat Accused in 2 cases and has 6 serious charges against him under the IPC Figures provided by National Election Watch

Social networking

Homophobia rules

Truly social networking is the new medium of communication. Now we no longer need to scour newspapers to know when and where a movie is releasing. The story on Twitter and Facebook becoming the new medium for directors and actors to propagate their films is very relevant. For that matter even we, as students, do the same thing to promote fests, programmes, research work or seek help. In fact, there are forums on Facebook that help you solve your problems related to any kind of exam. This technology has truly brought the world closer. Aparna Mishraa Tarnaka

The debate on Section 377 still goes on. But the statements made by the ASG l PP Malhotra truly smacks of ignorance. One expects him to be educated and well aware that AIDS is not prevalent only among homosexual people and it is them who sit and propagate this disease. It is ignorant people like the ASG who believe they are above such diseases that propagate it. The Home Ministry needs a definite rethink on its thoughts and perceptions. Mayukh Begumpet

H‑Factor

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2012

Holistic view of mind, body and soul

Stop clenching that jaw Bruxism — grinding of the teeth can often lead to erosion and in extreme cases can cause damage to the joint at the jaw Ranjani Rajendra ranjani.r@postnoon.com

very morning you find that you’re unable to open your jaw as easily as you should be able to. The muscles hurt and it takes you a while to be able to get that jaw moving. Through the day you also have these unexplained headaches and sometimes the pain radiates from your cervical (Upper back and neck) region. But you fail

to understand the reason behind this, because you don’t slouch and maintain a good posture. Chances are you’ve got bruxism — a condition in which a person constantly clenches their jaw or grinds their teeth while they are asleep.

Causes According to Dr Mamta, a dentist, “Bruxism is a condition in which a person is constantly biting down on or grinding his/her teeth during sleep. While the exact cause is yet unknown, it could be caused due to occlusal discrepancy.”

Factors like stress also play an important role in bruxism. “The highest incidence of bruxism has been found in people who hold highly stressful jobs like those in the armed forces and in the medical practice. Improper alignment of the teeth can also cause bruxism. This happens because the muscles in the jaw are constantly trying to find rest during sleep and

Too much salt can cause hypertension

Dr Sunil Kapoor

keep moving,” says Dr Vikas Gowd, oral and maxilofacial prosthodontist at Dr Gowd’s Clinic.

Complications This constant grinding of the teeth is considered to be the worst kind of pressure that can be put on them. “This can cause the teeth to erode and can cause sensitivity,” says Dr Mamta. “This constant grinding can also cause the teeth to become flat. In some cases the strain on the joint can make it difficult for the person to open their jaw. Since the joint is connected to the back of the neck and temple region it can also result in headaches and pain in the cervical region,” says Dr Gowd. In extreme cases, if bruxism is ignored it can cause the teeth to wear off to such an extent that they become almost flat (it may seem like the person has no teeth at all). “At times bruxism may also cause damage to the gums. In the worst case scenario, the TMJ joint could be severely damaged or the ligament in the could tear due to the pressure exerted while the teeth are constantly being ground. Once one of these occur, it is very difficult to treat the condition as the damage is extensive,” says Dr Gowd.

Treatment Wearing a mouth guard (a tray like device) during bedtime can help because then the person bites down on the tray and not on the teeth, minimising the pressure. “An NTI/TESS device that is customised for a patient can also be worn on the teeth to prevent triggering off the muscles. As a result of this the grinding of teeth comes down considerably and this also prevents the subsequent symptoms,” says Dr Gowd.

What are the risk factors for hypertension? In the US, about 72 million people have high blood pressure (HBP). This is about 1 in 3 adults. Certain traits, conditions, or habits are known to raise the risk for HBP. These conditions are called risk factors. They could be the following Older Age Blood pressure tends to rise with age. If you’re a male older than 45 or a female older than 55, your risk for HBP is higher. Race/Ethnicity HBP can affect anyone. However, it occurs more often in African American adults than in Caucasian or Hispanic American adults. HBP risks vary among different groups of Hispanic American adults. Obesity You’re more likely to develop prehypertension or HBP if you’re overweight or obese. Overweight is having extra body weight from muscle, bone, fat, and/or water. Obesity is having a high amount of body fat. Gender Fewer adult women than men have HBP. But, younger women (aged 18–59) are more likely than men to be aware of and get treatment for HBP. Women aged 60 and older are as likely as men to be aware of and treated for HBP. Unhealthy Lifestyle Habits A number of lifestyle habits can raise your risk for HBP, including: n Eating too much sodium (salt) n Drinking too much alcohol n Not getting enough potassium n Not exercising enough n Smoking Other Risk Factors A family history of HBP raises your risk for the condition. Longlasting stress also can put you at risk for HBP. You’re also more likely to develop HBP if you have prehypertension. Prehypertension means that your blood pressure is in the 120–139/80–89 mmHg range. (The writer is a senior consultant cardiologist practising at Care Hospitals)

H‑Factor

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2012

Holistic view of mind, body and soul

Sleeping pills linked with higher death risk PARIS: Commonly-prescribed sleeping pills are linked to a more-than fourfold risk of premature death, according to an American study published in the journal BMJ Open on Monday. These medications were also associated at higher doses with a 35-per cent increased risk of cancer as compared with nonusers, but the reason for this is unclear. Doctors led by Daniel Kripke of the Scripps Clinic Viterbi Family Sleep Center in La Jolla, California, looked at the medical records of more than 10,500 adults living in Pennsylvania who were taking a variety of prescribed sleeping aids. These were compared against more than 23,600 counterparts, matched for age, health and background, who did not take these drugs. The study ranged over two and a half years, and looked at widely-prescribed sleeping pills, including benzodiazepines, non-benzodiazepines, barbiturates and sedatives. The overall number of deaths that occurred during this period was small in both groups, being less than a thousand in total. But there was a striking difference in mortality, the researchers found. Those who took between 18 and 132 doses of the pills per year were 4.6 times likelier to die than those from the “control” group.

SKIN DEEP

Dr Madhavi Latha V, Consultant dermatologist and cosmetologist, Axon Hospital

Procedures to look your best Anishaa Kumar

“B

Even those who took less than 18 annual doses were more than 3.5 times likelier to die. “Rough order-of-magnitude estimates... suggest that in 2010, hypnotics (sleeping pills) may have been associated with 320,000 to 507,000 excess deaths in the USA alone," says the study. Details of how individuals died were not disclosed, and the authors stress that they have found a statistical link but not a cause.

But they sound the alarm, given the vast number of people who take these drugs. “We estimate that approximately six to 10 percent of US adults used these drugs in 2010 and the percentages may be higher in parts of Europe,” they write. The average age of the people in the study was 54. The researchers say they took into account factors that could skew the comparison between the two groups, such as whether an

individual smoked or had a preexisting health condition. However, they were unable to take depression, anxiety and other emotional factors into account, as these diagnoses are kept secret under Pennsylvania law. Previous research into sleeping pills has found a link with car accidents and serious falls, “night-eating syndromes” of bingeing on food, regurgitation in the oesophagus and peptic ulcer disease. AFP

Vitamin D may help ease menstrual cramps W

omen plagued by menstrual cramps may find relief with vitamin D3, according to a new study. The finding raises hopes that the dietary supplement could one day replace painkillers and birth control pills as the most-commonly recommended methods of relief, Reuters reported. Menstrual cramping without underlying disease, or primary dysmenorrhea, affects almost a half of menstruating women, according to MedScape News. Women with a history of severe menstrual cramps

reported significantly less pain when they took an ultrahigh dose of vitamin D five days before their next expected period, stated the study conducted by researchers at Universita di Messina in Italy. Vitamin D is known to decrease the production of inflammation-provoking molecules called cytokines, Reuters wrote, as well as hormone-like substances called prostaglandins, which scientists believe to be a main cause of the cramps. However, MedPage Today cited US researchers as pointing out that the vitamin D dose used in the study was

higher than the “tolerable upper limit” established last year. Reuters quoted Dr JoAnn Manson, as saying: “This study does suggest that vitamin D may have a role for menstrual cramps and pain, but I certainly would not recommend taking doses at present .” However, in a commentary on the study, Manson wrote that while over-thecounter painkillers and oral contraceptives can help quell the pain of menstrual cramps, the drugs had side effects and so weren’t ideal for long-term. GLOBAL POST

otox is a completely safe procedure. Many people are opting for Botox nowadays,” mentions Dr Madhavi Latha V, Consultant dermatologist and cosmetologist, Axon Hospital. Botox is used to treat cosmetic issues such as wrinkles, crow’s feet etc. “Drooping eyebrows and eyelids can come under the purview of cosmetic surgery. For drooping eye brows , Botox can be used to rectify the problem while for drooping eye lids a surgical procedure is involved.” It has been noticed that people who are very expressive like teachers, doctors, actors and journalists commonly complain of lines. “Apart from cosmetic advantages, botox can also be used to treat migraines,” explains Dr Madhavi, adding, “If a person does not respond to conventional medicine then they use Botox to cure migraines. Migraines are basically vascular problems that occur when the veins contract. Botox helps relax the veins. It may not completely solve the problem but it helps to reduce it.” Despite concerns that Botox can leave one with a frozen face, Dr Madhavi explains, “Botox need not necessarily make your face frozen. It is important that the patient undergoing Botox communicate clearly to the doctor what their requirement is. The frozen look happens when people demand that not a single line be seen”. For those who are concerned about the effects of Botox, Dr Madhavi explains that the procedure can be reversed if the results are not satisfactory. “Cosmetic procedures can also help remove tattoos. The regular conventional tattoos can in many cases be completely removed, But nowadays a variety of coloured inks are being used. In such a case cosmetic procedures may lighten the tattoo and not completely remove it,” she explains. For naturally good skin Dr Madhavi suggests, “People can use scrubs, eat a lot of fruits especially fruits like oranges and grapes, have smaller yet frequent meals. Dates also help delay ageing.”

Cinema Paradiso

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2012

With the Alien prequel Prometheus set to dominate Hollywood chatter this year, and talk of Blade Runner 2 doing the rounds, director Ridley Scott returns to the roots that set him on the road to fame

Great Scott! An Alien returns would play no part in the franchise after the first one... we were wrong. But Alien was only the clarion to Ridley’s Scott’s next film; his finest, and arguably one of the best films ever made. Blade Runner was the bastard child of Philip K Dick’s novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? It seethed with a dark cynicism, and was drenched in an acid rain that suffocated all joy. It was a landmark film, unfortunately one that bombed at the box office. But over the decades since its release, it has gone from becoming a cult classic to topping almost every list of greatest films ever made. Scott, however, was being pigeonholed as the supreme scifi master, one who understood the human psyche, quite unlike George Lucas who understood grandeur and pastiche that harked to the cliché-ridden swashbucklers of the ‘40s and ‘50s. Then in 1991 Scott decided to make a film about two women in search of freedom on the open road. On paper

Andrew Josef

hen it was announced that a prequel to 1979’s Alien was being planned it caused a flutter across fandom, but when it emerged that Ridley Scott was returning to helm the project, that flutter became a roar of approval. This year was supposed to belong to two films, The Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises, but now Prometheus has stolen the thunder. When Alien burst onto the screen in 1979 it changed the way we viewed scifi films. The film was a polar opposite to the saccharine epic that was Star Wars. It was dark and most certainly damp. Its horror was palpable as the crew of the ship Nostromo battled a creature that was conjured straight from our nightmares. The claustrophobic setting of Alien was to lay the foundation of a series that would yo-yo between the sublime and the ridiculous. Ridley, it seemed,

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

A story so true

eing Flynn, adapted from the bestselling novel of 2004; Another Bullshit Night in Suck City, by the controversial novelist Nick Flynn. Starring Robert De Niro, Julianne Moore and Paul Dano the movie revolves around a young boy struggling to be a writer. Abandoned by his drunk fraudster father Jonathan (Robert De Niro) when he is a child, he is left with his single working mom (Julianne Moore) and her long list of boyfriends.

Nick grows up to be a very confused and aimless boy. He lands a job of a writer and is trying to find his way through the madness until he sees his dad in front of him; homeless and a fired drunk cab driver. Looking at his disillusioned father, Nick decides to give their relationship a shot. Full of drama, Movie: Being Flynn and ironically funny the Director: Paul Weitz movie defines a bond so fragStarring: Robert De Niro, Julianne ile yet unbreakable between Moore, Paul Dano a parent and child.

Thelma & Louise was a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde (though with two women), on the screen it transformed into a commentary on life and the grasping of it with both hands. It was also Brad Pitt’s break-out role. Scott could have gone many ways with the ending; he chose a suicidal dash for eternal independence. It worked. Black Hawk Down and Gladiator have kept Scott entrenched in Hollywood’s pantheon, but there have been as many misses as there have been hits over the last decade. With Prometheus, Scott’s returning to his roots, and if that wasn’t enough, there are mutterings that a sequel to Blade Runner is currently under construction. In the age of The Artist, we need Scott more than ever. And if Prometheus delivers on its promise, then not only will we see another superb film, but it could revive a franchise that has been massacred by novices. As for Blade Runner 2, well, we shall have to hold out breath just a little bit longer.

F‑Folio

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2012

Because you are what you wear

There was once a little boy who was fascinated by style and colours when he saw a fashion show on TV. That little boy from Nizamabad now owns a studio of his own and is one of the leading designers in town. Say hello to Sagar Tenali

Sagar of excellence Shiba Minai shiba.m@postnoon.com

agar Tenali always wanted to do things his way. “When I was a boy I always found a way to make and create things with a difference,” claims Sagar. However, Sagar never knew what he wanted to do then. But he sure knew what he did not want to do. “I could never imagine being a doctor, or engineer.” Then one fine day he saw a show Khoobsoorat on Zee TV which was about models, draping and designing. “I realised then that this is what I am passionate about,” he says. Sagar had to face stiff opposition at home to pursue his passion. “My father was against it and wanted me to take up something 'safe',” he said and adds with a laugh, “It angered him to think that his son wanted to be a tailor.” But all that vanished when Sagar cracked the national

My father was against it and wanted me to take up something 'safe'. It angered him to think that his son wanted to be a tailor. Sagar Tenali

entrance exam of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), which has 210 seats in all, 30 for each centre. “That is when my dad took notice and realised I was really serious. It still took some convincing though.” Sagar started his career at a store called Xcellency on Banjara Hills Road No 1 as a lead

designer for menswear. “It was a store for the niche market and our specialisation was

menswear,” recounts Sagar. “It was here where I realised that menswear has so much poten-

Weaving creativity

eaving is one of the oldest forms of the cottage industry in India — and still a source of livelihood to many. What weavers create in cotton, silk and other natural fibres of various colours and designs is nothing short of art, mesmerising people all over the world. With development and advancement in technology, and the introduction of power looms, the handloom industry has been badly hit. Aiming to lend a helping hand, the WEAVES was started in 2006

and year after year it has been trying to empower weavers economically by creating a platform for them to market their products directly to customers, to make them aware of trends and to give customers authentic handloom silks and cottons at the best possible price. This year the WEAVES is organising its exhibition in the city at Imperial Gardens, Marvel Pavilion, Sikh Village Road, Secunderabad, from March 1 to March 6. Time: 11am–9pm.

tial; I began trying out all that I learnt in NIFT.” Sagar says one of his biggest achievements is his store, Studio Sagar Tenali. “After having designed for so many people in Hyderabad, I felt my own store would be definitely great.” “When we started, we started designing only for men, focusing on 'club wear', which no one specialised in,” he said. But Sagar had to start catering to the ladies too in some time. “I had a lot of women customers walking in and enquiring, and that is when I started designing for women; the response has been great,” he tells us. Right from suits, jackets, sherwanis for men to saris, cholis, lehengas and Western outfits for women, Sagar has experimented with all. Like every designer, Sagar believes in blending his customers' style with his in a way. Talking about his style, he says, “I don't like bling. I prefer classic stuff; I believe strongly in clean and perfect cuts and fits.”

Spotlight

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2012

DEEPAK DESHPANDE

In the mood for dance It looked as if it were Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day all over again at Firangi Paani. It was couples night at the pub and the music and food made for a very romantic setting.

Maria, Gabrilla & Larissa

Srikanth

Resham & Arpita

Ahmed

Sunny

DEEPAK DESHPANDE

A delightful evening The students of Mudra Concept School on Tuesday, celebrated their second annual day at Uppal crossroads. The performances by the children were a delight to watch.

Khatija Khan

Afreen

DJ Shafi

Magic Screen

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2012

The glamour behind the glitz

Maatran shooting in Hyderabad

T-TOWN TWEETIES

@LakshmiManchu Good morning tweeples. Off to Chennai today. Next phase of my acting career starts. Blissed out.

@me_sushanth VIRA’t’ Fever is still ON! phewww... The crests and troughs of Indian Cricket and the emotions that follow... Why this Kohliveri diiii :)

Lovely to release on March 23 M A

adi-Shanvi starrer Lovely is all set to release on March 23. B Jaya is directing the film and BA Raju is producing it. Rajendra Prasad is playing an important role and the story revolves around the relationship between a father and his daughter. “Aadi will go places with this film and I hope Lovely will be a much bigger hit than his debut film Prema Kavali,” B Jaya said. In February, when the film unit

went to Turkey to shoot couple of songs, they almost got stuck in a snowstorm. Thankfully, there were no untoward incidents which would have thrown the entire schedule in jeopardy. Anup Rubens has composed the music and the audio will be launched in the first week of March.

aatran, one of the most hyped Tamil films of the year, is currently being filmed in Ramoji Film City. KV Anand is directing the film and Suriya and Kajal are playing the lead roles in this film. “The film is based on real incidents. I am lucky to work with an actor like Suriya who can do any type of role and Kajal is extremely talented as well,” KV Anand said. The film is an action thriller and it was shot in exotic locales in Eastern Europe, Russia, Hyderabad and Chennai. KV Anand was in the limelight last year after his previous film Rangam turned out to be a huge hit in Andhra Pradesh. This is the second time that KV Anand and Suriya are teaming up after Veedokkade (Ayan in Tamil). Harris Jayaraj has composed the film’s music. Since the film has been making quite a lot of buzz, Bellamkonda Suresh has bought the distribution rights of the film and there’s a rumour that he paid around `15 crore for the film.

Prakash Raj

@Alwayscharan Yevadu shooting is goin great. Vamsi is shooting at GRT speed + wit excellent clarity and quality. Thats wat any actor desires from a director.

@shrutihaasan Having the best time ever with my darling @ShashaModi girls just wanna have fun :)

@actor_nithiin Two ishqable moments of my life..jayams shootin in Chitoor n ISHQS jayam tour in Chitoor..

opts out of SVSC

rakash Raj has reportedly opted out of Srikanth Addala’s Seethamma Vaakitlo Sirimalle Chettu. Dil Raju is producing the film. Venkatesh, Mahesh Babu, Anjali and Samantha are playing lead roles in this film and Prakash Raj was cast in an important role. We hear that Prakash Raj didn’t join the cast in the recent schedule held in Kutralam and at the last moment, Tamil actor Sathyaraj was called; however, Srikanth Addala and Dil Raju weren’t quite happy with the results. Now, the makers are searching for a suitable replacement. While it’s still not clear why Prakash Raj had opted out of this eagerly awaited film, a monumental task for director Srikanth Addala would be managing dates of the star cast. The film unit has returned from Kutralam and some key scenes will be shot in Ramoji Film City in the first week of March. Mickey J Meyer is composing the music and KV Guhan is the cinematographer.

@pnavdeep26 Sign outside a photo studio we can shoot ur wife! and... frame your mother-in-law! lolz

@actor_Nikhil Ms Narayna is a show stealer... he stole the show in the scenes he did for DISCO... watch out for him in DISCO

@sundeepkishan At Nandhini High School’s annual day function as a chief guest... some adorable performances by the kids... reminds me of my school days :)

Magic Screen

The glamour behind the glitz

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2012

TRIPPING into TOLLYWOOD The quintessential ‘Andhra Ammayi’ in Telugu movies today, is usually not Telugu. As we wonder why, we take a satirical look at the step-by-step guide to becoming a Tollywood belle It’s all in the publicity honey

Indira Atluri indira.a@postnoon.com

No Telugu please Ladies, if you know how to speak perfect Telugu, please count yourselves out — the more Telugu you speak, the bleaker are your chances of becoming a Tollywood heroine. If you are an import from Mumbai (primarily) or from any other state, the more your chances of portraying that perfect 'Teluguness'. Never mind the fact that on the big screen, the heroine seems to be rattling off 'Baa baa black sheep', while the actual dialogue is something like Baava, nenu ninnu premistunnanu (Dear cousin, I am in love with you). And, even if you do know Telugu, a dash of accent (Americanised or anglicised — pick your choice), does wonders to your career.

Won a beauty pageant? If you have, baby, you are halfway into Tollywood! The people who benefit most when results of Kingfisher, Corona, Bagpiper and other sponsored beauty titles are out are our supremely hardworking and dedicated directors, because their search in finding the right girl for their movie that is 'completely different from the rest' becomes easier. It sure is hard and unfair that they have only a meagre eight-crore population to pick their female lead from, isn't it?

Colour me right baby It’s that kind of a shade that is not available on any of the shade cards, be it for tinted creams, water colours or wall paints. It is that one particular shade of that particular colour that seems to elude the natives for some strange reason. Is it the food or the weather that brings in that colour? It is yet to be determined. To put an end to this mysterious phenomenon, it is perhaps the right idea and the right time to invest in some scientific research to probe into this occurrence. In the mean time, all you Telugu ladies — do not lose hope, try different permutations and combinations of food and exercises — you never know you might come out with 'flying colours'! ILLUSTRATIONS: INDIRA ATLURI

Whether it is the launch of a new brand of shaving cream, or the celebration of the successful 'running' of a men's underwear brand, if you have been invited, just be there. No matter whether you relate to what's happening or not, as long as you have the spotlight on you, smile, wink, and throw an occasional flyingkiss in the air. Bingo, you got your share of fan-following in the audience already. And who knows, you might end up getting a few return gifts to take back home — and we are not talking... ahem... underwear here.

Say something and then deny it This tip is for the ladies who have somehow managed their way atop Tollywood towers, but simply cannot understand why the media has written them off for the nth time, and dismissed off the acting skills that their kith and kin are raving about. Not fair, we understand. Before you decide to pack bags, and move to America or wherever, try saying something that you wish you never said and wait till you see the next day’s papers. If there is nothing written about your blasphemous outburst, by all means take the taxi to the airport. And if you do see something written about your last evening’s escapades, cancel your flight immediately — brighter days are here to come. The list of tips, of course, is not exhaustive, and sooner or later, hopefully we can come up with a tipsand-tricks list for Telugu girls who have finally made it big in Tollywood. But for the moment, we advise you ladies to stay calm and practice meditation for inner peace.

Magic Screen

Kunal Khemu not comfortable shooting intimate scenes

ven before the start of the promotions of Mahesh Bhatt’s Blood Money, the film hogged limelight for a leaked intimate scene between Kunal Khemu and Canadian girl Mia. The actor says it was not a publicity strategy and he is not comfortable doing such scenes. Many feel that the film has garnered some extra bit of promotion and the muchneeded controversy with the leaked video, but Kunal said “We as a team don’t think it’s the right publicity strategy. We don’t know who has done

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2012

The glamour behind the glitz

that. That’s not what the film is about and we don’t want to mislead the audiences.” “Whether you are in a relationship or not, it is always difficult and makes you nervous to do intimate scenes. If you are in a relationship, communication is the key,” said Kunal who is dating Soha Ali Khan. “Thankfully for me, I am in a relationship with an actress who is also from the same industry. So I am not saying that it’s really very easy, but you deal with it and do it but she understands it,” added the 28-year-old. IANS

‘Films and marketing plans should be conceived together’

nnovative marketing is must for a film’s success, feels Mahesh Bhatt who launched the music of his next project Blood Money on a yacht out at sea, saying by doing so the bar had been raised. “If you conceive a film but have not thought about the marketing, then you will be in trouble. In just three days, a film’s fate is decided. No matter how bad a film might be, but if it runs houseful nobody has the guts to say anything against it. So, marketing is very important,” Bhatt said. However, Bhatt feels it’s not easy to market a film as it decides the fate of the film. “After making the film, marketing it is altogether a different marathon. It is not easy to get you all here on this boat (for instance),” he added. Bhatt, the media and the team of Blood Money were on Monday ferried from the Gateway of India to the yacht. IANS

B-TOWN TWEETIES

@MadhuriDixit1 Excited about going to London! Currently shooting for Star’s Life OK sutradar role.

@reddysameera I dont like the new Twitter format ! I want the original one back!! Can I switch it back pl!?? :(

@NeilNMukesh A super reception of my dearest @Riteish and @geneliad and @jackkybhagnanis brother Dhiraj and sister Honey ! Super fun.

@FarOutAkhtar To all those about to sit for their Board exams, just remember, it too shall pass. Hopefully, so will you. Best of luck.

@akshaykumar The secret for India to win all matches is out, tell the team it’s a 40 over match! This must be acclaimed as the most successful run chase ever in history. Flawless victory :) #IndvsSL

FIR against Paan Singh Tomar director

@AnupamPkher We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same.:)

lleging breach of promise, Balwant Singh, the nephew of Paan Singh Tomar, has lodged an FIR against Bollywood director Tigmanshu Dhulia who has made a film on his life, police said on Tuesday. In a complaint lodged with the Madhavganj police station in Gwalior, Balwant Singh said the director had promised him `40 lakh for details about his uncle’s transition from an athlete to a dacoit. Balwant Singh said that the director visited his house at Guda village in 2010, asking for details about Paan Singh. “The film crew moved around with me for nearly four months in the Chambal researching for the film,” he claimed. Madhavganj SHO Rajeev Jhanjlee said that an investigation has been launched to ascertain the facts. Paan Singh Tomar, is scheduled to release on Friday. IANS

@kjohar25 Hearing the most amazing things about LONDON PARIS NEW YORK!!! Cant wait to see it...more power to @shrishtiarya and @GOLDIEBEHL!!!!!

@priyankachopra “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for...”what a great song... U2 nice! Even ”with or without u”... How the words r so beautifully spun.

Magic Screen

rib c s b u

! y a Tod

6 Months

` 199/-

1 Year

` 349/-

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2012

Magic Screen

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2012

The glamour behind the glitz

AnnaSophia to play younger Carrie Bradshaw

ust off your knock-off Manolos and stock up on virgin Cosmo ingredients; your new baby Carrie Bradshaw is here! According to reports Soul Surfer star AnnaSophia Robb will portray the high school version of Sarah Jessica Parker’s classic Sex and The City role in CW’s Carrie Diaries pilot. They had just better remember to give her Carrie’s massive six-inch roots. If the show sticks to the

details of author Candace Bushnell’s prequel novel, the series will follow a teenage Carrie as she navigates life and love in the ‘80s. Seeing as how actresses like Blake Lively and Emma Roberts were also allegedly in the running for the part, we’re interested to see how the sweetheart star of Bridge to Terabithia will mature into the sassy sex column we all know and love and watch for six hours every time we come down with the flu.

Magic Screen

Paltrow: Blue Ivy going to be an entertainer

wyneth Paltrow has predicted that Blue Ivy Carter will grow up to have a career in entertainment. Beyoncé and husband Jay-Z welcomed their first daughter into the world last month, and Paltrow has said that she thinks Blue Ivy is destined for stardom. Paltrow told, “She is going to be an entertainer. She just has this glow around her like her mother.” Paltrow added ‘’Beyoncé is doing great. She’s just a natural at being a mum. And Blue Ivy is stunning, she has the most beautiful eyes.’’ The 39-year-old Contagion actress has 7-year-old daughter Apple and 5-year-old son Moses with her husband, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin.

A N N E H A T H A W A Y:

I have a lot in common with Lindsay A

nne Hathaway has said that she and Lindsay Lohan have a lot in common. Hathaway, who threw a lavish engagement party in New York earlier this month, says that she empathises with Lohan because she too has made the same mistakes. “Lindsay Lohan and I have more in common than people think”, Hathaway told. “We’ve all done things we shouldn’t. It is just that I did stuff at college when nobody knew about it, so I’m not a saint. I wasted time doing self-destructive things.” The Devil Wears Prada actress, who will soon be seen as Catwoman in the upcoming Batman movie The Dark Knight Rises, went on to explain why she grew out of her wilder days. “I found you can only dance on so many table tops. I got all that out of my system and I am healthy and grounded,” she added. Lohan, who has faced a number of legal troubles in recent months and years, recently announced that she will be hosting the March 4 episode of Saturday Night Live.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2012

The glamour behind the glitz

Mel B says she has her Spice Girls body back

el B has said that she finally has her Spice Girls-era body back. The 36-year-old motherof-three, who put on weight after the birth of her third daughter six months ago, recently lost 15kg in 20 weeks after becoming the face of weight loss company Jenny Craig in Australia. Mel B, who wore a Victoria Beckham dress for a photoshoot, said “Woohoo! I didn’t have to squeeze into it, there was no huffing and puffing, and I didn’t have to put on a gazillion pairs of Spanx underneath. I don’t

even have to constantly suck my stomach in.” The singer said that she finds it “crazy” that so much time has passed since the days when she wore bizarre stage outfits as a member of the Spice Girls.

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

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2012

Take a shot at the brain game while sipping your cuppa

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Feeling of foreboding 6 Small group of believers 10 "What ___ God wrought!" 14 Aborigine's call 15 Farm implement 16 Suit to ___ 17 Draw a conclusion 18 Ticklish doll 19 General decoration 20 Tierra ___ Fuego 21 General principle 24 Brewer's need 26 Nautical affirmative 27 Soviet premier Joseph 29 Scenery hung at the rear 34 Video arcade need 35 Blender setting 36 Ram's mate 37 Albany-to-Buffalo canal 38 Defeated at chess 39 Ferber who wrote "So Big" 40 Quantity (Abbr.) 41 Ana or Barbara start 42 Lucy's TV accomplice 43 Items on an executive's agenda 45 Crosses the threshold 46 "Thrilla in Manila" boxer 47 Idaho product, slangily 48 Ultimately ruinous thing 53 What you'll see plenty of on Valentine's Day 56 A wedding requires two of them 57 Fisherman's slippery catches 58 Serving some purpose 60 Sly trick 61 "Get lost, kitty!" 62 Have a suspicion 63 Pagan god 64 Theater award 65 Itching to go DOWN 1 Etching liquid

2 ___ the worse for wear 3 "Leave me alone" 4 Set eyes on 5 Military map's focus 6 European wheat 7 Fashion magazine 8 Barber-turned-singer Perry 9 Double-dealing 10 Discussed (with "over") 11 Westernmost Aleutian 12 Coach's charge 13 Rosemary, e.g. 22 Military branch (Abbr.) 23 Small child 25 Confederate General Robert ___ 27 Type of engine or bath 28 "The Velvet Fog" Mel 29 Smokers' trash 30 Length times width

31 Misleading clue 32 Proprietor 33 Rings loudly 35 Sudden spasm 38 List of passengers 39 Diminutive suffix 41 Farm structure 42 Gush (over) 44 Cap adornment 45 "Put some meat on those bones!" 47 Flavorsome 48 Fuzzy fruit 49 "___ it!" (cry of accomplishment) 50 Go it alone

SUDOKU

51 Art ___ (1920s movement) 52 Vigorous spirit 54 "Can I get you anything ___?" 55 Fast bucks? 59 Chinese export PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

THOUGHT OF THE DAY Every worthwhile accomplishment, big or little, has its stages of drudgery and triumph; a beginning, a struggle, and a victory – Mahatma Gandhi

Chai Time STAR POWER

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2012

Your tomorrow today̶Star Power and Tarot THIRUVAIKUMAR

As per Hindu panchang

FOR 1-3-2012

thiruvaikumar@yahoo.co.in 040-27177230 / 9177596118

TAURUS

GEMINI

Misunderstanding with maternal rela‑ tives likely but get resolved soon. You will hold important discussion with brothers to decide on a speciﬁc issue. Happy events make everyone cheerful.

Some have bright chances to go abroad. New responsibilities will be entrusted to you. Marriage talks will end favourably. Govt‑related works will get completed at a faster speed. You clear a portion of debts.

Court verdicts will go in favour. Ancestral property will by yours. Friendship with persons of high esteem will pay dividends. Recently married can expect an offspring. Father's health may be cause of concern.

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

Artists will get back lost opportunity from a reputed production house. Avoid talking with anger. Postpone helping others voluntarily for time being, as there are chances of trouble.

Some will undertake pilgrimage. Chances of heated arguments with blood relatives. Maintain cool to avoid major problems. Strong ﬁnancial position is seen. Court cases will take a favourable turn.

Chances of misunderstanding with relati‑ ves. Avoid anger. Good news through spouse possible. Chances of long‑awaited abroad trip. Politicians will be in limelight and they are even favoured by opposition.

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

Spouse's health problem will be over. Pre‑ gnant women are advised to avoid travel‑ ling. Children will be adamant. Chances of fatigue and laziness bother you. Politicians advised to safeguard their savings.

Surprise travel will be undertaken. Politi‑ cians' inﬂuence will increase. Blood relati‑ ves will help you. Expenses may increase. Some have bright chances to buy a house or plot. Apprehensions might bother you.

Financial situation will be strong, which makes you clear debts with greater inter‑ est. Close friends will entrust you with important responsibilities. Beneﬁts through spouse‑side relatives likely.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Blood relatives might be dissatisﬁed with you. While purchasing assets, be cautio‑ us to read the parent document carefully. Financial position keeps improving ste‑ adily. You will ﬁnalise sister's marriage.

Businessmen might face differences wi‑ th partners. Proﬁt too will dip. Emplo‑ yees will have differences with superi‑ ors but will be resolved soon. Artists wi‑ ll get good opportunities. Avoid anger.

Avoid sharing family secrets with new friends. Politicians are advised not to put blame on other party men. Women will talk nicely and get work done in their favour. Superiors will trust employees.

SUMAA TEKUR

FOR 1-3-2012

tarotreadhyd@gmail.com

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

The High Priestess – Your signiﬁcant other may be hiding something from you, only because he/she thinks knowing the whole truth may hurt you. Be patient.

King of Pentacles – You gain through professional contacts. An unexpected pat on the back comes from a senior in yo‑ ur industry that spu‑ rs you on to do well.

Five of Swords – If your planning has been logical, then you come of this dif‑ ﬁcult time unscathed. Still, expect obstacles to the most well‑laid plans.

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

Queen of Pentacles – Youʼre searching for a solution that is easy to implement, and that which does not feel like a missing jig‑ saw puzzle piece. You get it!

Nine of Swords – Bad dreams may be mak‑ ing you feel restless. Your fears and conc‑ erns are throwing up some images in your dreams that may also have solutions.

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.

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

Seven of Cups – Ther‑ eʼs confusion about your relationship with someone close to you. Expectations have to be set right and you need to decide how much to invest in it.

Ace of Wands – Use creative ideas that cr‑ oss your mind today. Make them a reality by acting on them im‑ mediately. They will click, thanks to your faith and enthusiasm.

Knight of Cups – Youʼre feeling emo‑ tional today. But make sure youʼre not tram‑ pling on someone elseʼs feelings because you are not able to see beyond yourself.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

The Devil – Youʼre tempted to overeat, to indulge and push your body to do more than it can. Slow down; let the day pass without any excesses.

Seven of Wands – Avoid conﬂict at all costs with your cowo‑ rkers. Things might get difﬁcult, especially when two or more colleagues are vying for the same position.

King of Cups – Love is in the air. Your ro‑ mantic partner is wo‑ oing you with ﬂow‑ ers, candlelight din‑ ners and all things nice. Go with the ﬂow and have a good time.

For Better or for Worse Stone soup

SOLUTIONS

Boggle TROUT SHARK PERCH SMELT SKATE

Number game

Suduko

Scrabble

Ink pen

COMICS

Fred Basset

ARIES

TAROT READ

Vol: 1, No 227 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 Challenge 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 Love Kiya To Darna Kya 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] My Big Decision 2100 [V] Vignettes 2130 [V] Trailers 2200 [V] Steal UR Girlfriend 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

‘[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

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2012

Telly sitcoms, news and movie listings

1400 Abhishekam 1430 Aadade Aadharam 1500 Antahpuram 1530 Aakasa Ganga 1600 Prema Mandiram 1630 Jagadeeswari 1700 WOW 1800 Devimahathyam 1830 Puttadi Bomma 1900 Kumkuma Rekha 1930 Manasu Mamata 2000 Chandra Mukhi 2030 Bharyamani 2100 Etv News 2130 Adhurs 2 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 Luckku Kickku 2230 Shree 2300 Bindass 2330 Latest Songs 0800 Gopuram 0830 Bhakti Samacharam 0900 Sri Raghavendra Vybhavam 0930 Mahadevi 1000 Bindass 1030 Comedy Club 1130 Jeevana Vignanam 1200 Mee Inti Vanta 1230 Nene Satyabhama

‘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

‘The Survivors’ at 2230 Hrs on DISCOVERY 1400 Man Vs. Wild 1500 Get Out Alive 1600 Swords 1700 Man Woman Wild 1800 Wild Events 1900 Man Woman Wild 2000 Gold Rush 2100 Equator - Paradox Of The Andes 2200 One Man Army 2300 The Survivors 1000 Equator - Paradox Of The Andes 1100 Man Vs. Wild 1200 Walking The Amazon

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 0700 Infomercial/30 Min 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 CSI - NY

‘Chuck’ at 1800 Hrs on AXN

‘Baba Aisa Varr Dhoondo’ at 2200 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 1430 Balika Vadhu 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 - Nayee Zindagi Kay Sapno Ka 2200 Uttaran 2230 Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha 2300 Na Aana Is Des Laado

‘Phulwa’ at 2100 Hrs on COLORS

‘Afsar Bitiya’ at 1900 Hrs on ZEE TV 1400 Hitler Didi 1430 Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuein 1500 Afsar Bitiya 1530 Yahaaan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli 1600 Pavitra Rishta 1630 Dance India Dance 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 0930 Dekha Ek Khwaab 1000 CID 1200 Shubh Vivah

‘Parvarrish’ at 2130 Hrs on SONY

‘E H M M B H’ at 2030 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

0811 Nikita 0901 Friends 1001 South Park - Bigger Longer & Uncut 1132 Wedding Crashers 1333 Deep Blue Sea 1529 Ghost Ship 1705 Freddy Vs. Jason 1835 Ocean's Twelve 2100 The Matrix 2335 The Matrix Revolutions

1405 Congo 1625 The Invention Of Lying 1835 Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World 2100 2 Fast 2 Furious 2320 Next 0800 Cocktail 1000 Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay 1140 The Living Daylights

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

‘Scrubs’ at 2330 Hrs on ZEE CAFE

Dekha Ek Khwaab

Hawaii 5-0

Storyline - Aakash will see Monia & Udaybeer together in a coffee shop, having fun. He will get upset & leave the place. Monia will realize it was Aakash & will shout his name.

Storyline - When McGarrett's sister is kidnapped and his father's Champ box stolen from his apartment, Steve and Five-0 discover new clues in his mother's murder, including possible ties to the Japanese Yakuza.

‘Dekha Ek Khwaab’ at 2030 Hrs on SONY

‘Hawaii 5-0’ at 2100 Hrs on BIG CBS PRIME

‘The Big Bang Theory’ at 2300 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 Charlie’s Angels 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 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 1100 F.I.R 1130 Chidiyaghar 1200 Lapataganj

‘Lapataganj’ at 2200 Hrs on SAB

‘Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal’ at 1400 Hrs on ZOOM 1400 Movie - Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal 1730 Star Bonanza 1800 Let'z Go! 1900 Planet Bollywood 1930 Link'D 2000 Zabar 10 2030 Let'z Go! 2100 Superstar Superlives 2130 Shine On With Gitanjali 2200 B - Tonite 2230 Style Strip 2300 Bollywood Bonanza 0700 Fresh Mornings 0800 Red Carpet 0805 Fresh Mornings 1100 Zoom Box 1200 Garma Garam 1300 Planet Bollywood News 1330 Zabar 10

‘The Matrix’ at 2100 Hrs on WB

1400 Oddities 1430 Mythbusters 1530 Mummy Autopsy 1630 Sci Fi Science 1700 One Step Beyond 1730 Future Weapons 1830 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 1930 How Do They Do It? 2030 Sports Science 2130 Food Detectives 2200 Deconstructed 2230 Showdown - Air Combat 2330 Everything You Need To Know 0830 Machines! 0900 Oddities 0930 Future Weapons 1030 Sci Fi Science 1100 One Step Beyond 1130 Mythbusters 1230 Some Assembly Required

‘Food Detectives’ at 2130 Hrs on DISCOVERY SCIENCE

‘Dead Zone’ at 2300 Hrs on BIG CBS PRIME 1400 Frasier 1430 Jerry Springer 1530 Aspire 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 Dead Zone 0700 Big Wheels 0730 Aspire 0800 Galileo Extreme 0900 Survivor 1000 Bellator 1100 Jerry Springer 1200 Aspire 1230 Entertainment Tonight 1300 Galileo Extreme

Playing Field

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2012

The games people play

Giant Olympic Rings on a barge on the river Thames in London on Tuesday, as organisers celebrate 150 days to go until the start of the 2012 London Olympics. AFP/ MIGUEL MEDINA

Strike scare looms over Olympics LONDON: Britain's largest trade union on Tuesday warned it would consider staging industrial action during this year's London Olympic Games, threatening travel chaos for visitors. Unite union general secretary Len McCluskey told the Guardian newspaper that the scale of the government's public spending cuts meant that the showpiece games, which begin on July 27, were "absolutely" a legitimate tar-

get for strikers. "The attacks that are being launched on public sector workers at the moment are so deep and ideological that the idea the world should arrive in London and have these wonderful Olympic Games as though everything is nice and rosy in the garden is unthinkable," he said. "Our very way of life is being attacked. I believe the unions, and the general community, have got every right to be out

protesting," he added. "If the Olympics provide us with an opportunity, then that's exactly one that we should be looking at." McCluskey went on to say that no firm plans had been drawn up, but that London bus drivers were "examining what leverage points we have". Conservative Party co-chairman Baroness Warsi said she was "shocked" by the threat and demanded that Labour Party lead-

er Ed Miliband speak out against the union boss. "This is an appalling display of naked self-interest by Labour's biggest financial backer," said Warsi. The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) on Tuesday raised the stakes in its dispute with Transport for London — the local government body responsible for most of London's transport system — over staff pay during the games.

‘Chasing Golden Bear wore down Tiger’ LOS ANGELES: Tiger Woods began to lose some of his swagger back in 2007 as he chased Jack Nicklaus' alltime record of 18 majors, former swing coach Hank Haney wrote in his new book. Writing in "The Big Miss: My Years Coaching Tiger Woods", Haney says Woods' pursuit of Nicklaus was taking its toll and that the former world number one also toyed with the idea of leaving it all behind and joining the US military. Woods, who tees it up this week at the PGA Tour's Honda Classic starting Thursday, now has 12 majors

while Nicklaus has 18. "There was more urgency and less fun. He never mentioned Nicklaus' record, but it started to weigh more heavily at every major," Haney wrote. "And Tiger's actions indicated he believed he had less time to do it than everyone thought." Excerpts of the book, which is written with writer Jaime Diaz, were released on Tuesday by Golf Digest magazine. Haney also wrote that Woods lacked confidence

in certain aspects of his game. "One of the adjectives most often used to describe Tiger Woods was fearless. But the more I observed him close up, the more it became clear he wasn't," the excerpt said. "Sometimes, to make it less of a big deal, he'd remind me that he had never considered himself a particularly good driver, at least in comparison with the rest of his game.

Many RMT members work for London's underground train system, and any indication they could stage a walkout during the event would cause panic among games' organisers. Unite, which boasts 1.5 million members, was formed by a merger between two of Britain's leading unions, the T&G and Amicus, and represents workers in various trades. AFP SAM GREENWOOD/AFP

Playing Field

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2012

The games people play

Strange start for Fedex Richard Eaton

DUBAI: Grand Slam record-holder Roger Federer began his attempt to win a record fifth Dubai Open title with one of the strangest victories of his career. The Swiss legend won 6-0, 7-6 (8/6) against France’s Michael Llodra in a match in which he won the first 11 points and then the first set in only 17 minutes, only to find himself set point down in the second. Part of this schizoid quality was created by Llodra arriving late the night before from the Marseille Open final, starting slowly, and then ambushing Federer with some brilliant net attacks and a sudden leap in standard. “I don’t know when was the last time that happened to me,” said Federer of a first set in which he conceded only seven points. “After that I had to make sure I

Roger Federer of Switzerland returns to Michael Llodra of France during their ATP Dubai Open tennis match on February 28, 2012. Federer won the match 6-0, 7-6 (8/6). AFP PHOTO/MARWAN NAAMANI controlled Michael as much as I could because I know he is a dangerous player.” So much so, that Llodra first had Federer break point down in the third game of the second set, a mini-crisis the second seed averted with a good serve, and then came from 2-4 down in the tiebreaker to hold set point at 6-5.

Federer saved that with a ferocious forehand drive winner and then two rallies later punished a Llodra second serve to close out the match. He next plays another lefthander, Feliciano Lopez, the world number 15 from Spain, whom he played in the 2004 final here. “He’s somewhat similar to

Llodra, so I don’t have to adjust a whole lot, I don’t think,” said Federer. “At the same time, I know the danger of Feliciano. He’s had a great season.” The winner could play Mardy Fish for a place in the semi-finals, though the American will have to beat Mikhail Youzhny, the Russian who got past another Frenchman

Richard Gasquet, who was suffering from flu and retired after losing the first set 6-3. Earlier the three-time Grand Slam finalist Andy Murray was made to struggle by a qualifier before surviving his opening match. The third-seeded Scot sneaked through 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 against Michael Berrer.

Istomin takes revenge on Ebden DELRAY BEACH: Denis Istomin saved all seven break points he faced on serve en route to a 6-2, 63 win over Aussie Matthew Ebden in the first round of the Delray Beach Tennis Championships on Monday. The 25-year-old Uzbeki avenged a loss to the Ebden in their only other career meeting in Brisbane last year. The South African-born Ebden won that contest in straight sets 6-4, 6-4. Istomin hammered seven aces, won 77 percent of his firstserve points in the 78 minute

match on Monday. In other first round matches on Monday, Ryan Sweeting routed Donald Young in an all-US match 6-1, 6-1 and Israel’s Dudi Sela defeated Denis Kudla, of the USA, 6-4, 6-3. The 82nd-ranked Sweeting is making his fourth appearance at this event. He reached the quarterfinals last year. Istomin is ranked 51st in the world which is just off his career high ranking of 40th in 2010. He is 9-5 this year and two weeks ago he reached the final of the San Jose

THE 25-YEAR-OLD UZBEKI AVENGED A LOSS TO THE EBDEN IN THEIR ONLY OTHER CAREER MEETING IN BRISBANE LAST YEAR.

Open where he lost to Canadian Milos Raonic. Istomin advances to the second round where he will play the winner of a match between

American veteran Andy Roddick and Germany’s Philip Petzschner. Istomin has played tennis since a young age but he did not touch a racquet for two years after suffering serious injuries in a car smash at age 15 while travelling to a Futures tournament in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. He needed more than 80 stitches and spent three months in the hospital after undergoing surgery for a badly damaged leg. Istomin resumed training in 2003 and won his first Challenger tournament two years later. He

made his Grand Slam debut a year later at the Aussie Open, losing in straight sets to world No. 1 Roger Federer. The 188cm, 78kg Ebden had just two aces and made seven double faults as he struggled mightily on his serve, winning just 45 percent of his second-serve points. Ebden was born in Durban but attended high school in Perth, Australia. He is now a member of Australia’s Davis Cup team. His father was a top cricket and tennis player in South Africa. AFP

Playing Field

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2012

The games people play

Al Jazeera to challenge Sky for EPL rights LONDON: Premier League clubs could be set for another huge cash windfall if the “realistic prospect” of Al Jazeera challenging rival Sky for the UK television rights comes to pass, according to a senior ESPN executive. The English Premier League is the world’s richest football league and its last three-year television deal, which runs out next season, brought in £3.5 billion ($5.4 billion, 4.1 billion euros), of which £1.4 billion was paid by foreign

broadcasters. In Britain, Sky shows the lion’s share of matches to a UK domestic audience, while fellow satellite station ESPN broadcasts a lesser number of live matches. Qatar-based Al Jazeera, best known for its news coverage of the Middle East, made rival television stations sit up and take notice when it beat Canal Plus to the French Ligue 1 and Champions League rights. Their victory followed on the heels of Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) acquiring the majority shareholding of Ligue 1 outfit Paris Saint Germain. Ross Hair, ESPN’s head of

Europe, Middle East and Africa, believes Al Jazeera could challenge Sky for the next three-year contract — a move which if successful would put a major dent in Sky’s existing business plan.

PREMIER LEAGUE FOOTBALL HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MAJOR DRIVERS OF SKY SUBSCRIPTIONS EVER SINCE ITS ENTRY INTO ENGLISH FOOTBALL IN THE 1990 S

“We’re expecting another Premier League auction in April or May,” Hair told Tuesday’s London Evening Standard. “An Al Jazeera bid is a realistic prospect. “They have done something very interesting in France in buying first division football against the incumbent satellite broadcaster Canal Plus and we’ve also looked at what they’ve done in other markets. “You can draw parallels with the upcoming auction in the UK. Al Jazeera have the ambition to grow further in sport and into other markets.” ESPN, which has its roots in

North America, are also set to enter the next auction as they look to maintain their share of the Premier League market — the station currently shows 23 live matches a season. Premier League football has been one of the major drivers of Sky subscriptions and ever since its entry into English football in the 1990s it has not faced a rival broadcast network of comparable financial strength. Qatar has not, historically, been a major football nation but it was catapulted into prominence when awarded the right to stage the 2022 World Cup.

Pearce tight-lipped on England captain Rob Woollard

US boxer Floyd Mayweather (L) and Puerto Rico's WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Miguel Cotto (R) are introduced during a press conference at the Apollo Theatre in New York. The fighters officially announced their WBA Super Welterweight World Championship fight which will taking place on May 5, 2012 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas

Chisora suspended indefinitely by Council LOS ANGELES: Boxer Dereck Chisora has been slapped with an indefinite suspension by the World Boxing Council after brawling with bitter British rival David Haye during a post-fight news conference. “The WBC is absolutely condemning behaviours that are not to be accepted in boxing

under any circumstances and will act as soon as it can proceed to impose fines and sanctions as we consider necessary,” the WBC said in a news release on Tuesday. The WBC said Chisora would be suspended indefinitely pending an investigation and that it expected to eventually impose

“a serious fine.” The WBC described Chisora’s actions as “one of the worst behaviors ever by a professional boxer”. Chisora has also been removed from the boxing sanctioning group’s rankings list and the group is demanding that he undergo anger management counselling.

LONDON: England caretaker manager Stuart Pearce delayed naming his captain for Wednesday’s friendly against the Netherlands but revealed he had already decided who would lead the team at Wembley. With John Terry stripped of the captaincy, speculation has mounted over who Pearce would select to skipper England in Wednesday’s high-profile international against the Dutch. But Pearce — managing England following the shock resignation of Fabio Capello — ensured the speculation would rage for another day on Tuesday after refusing to divulge which player would wear the armband. “The captain will be announced tomorrow when the team is announced tomorrow morning. It’s a format that I have followed at club level and under-21 level and I didn’t see it necessary to change it at this moment in time,” Pearce said. Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, who led England at the 2010 World Cup, is regarded as the front-runner for the position although Pearce insisted he had considered “several candidates” for the role. Pearce, who has declared himself available to manage England at this summer’s European Championships if a permanent successor to Capello is not found, said he wanted an “unselfish”

player to captain the side. “When I bear in mind it might be a one-off scenario, the captain has got to be somebody who is in the starting XI, somebody who’s got the respect of the other players in my eyes and someone who is unselfish and puts the group above himself,” Pearce said. “That’s a vital commodity as captain. “There is no doubt there are several candidates, but I made my mind up a week or two weeks ago.” Pearce said the captain would be revealed when the squad were informed of the starting XI for the Dutch game on Wednesday morning. “At 10:00am I would think we’ll have a meeting before we go out and train,” Pearce said. Pearce meanwhile encouraged the younger members of his squad to stake a claim for a place in the final Euro 2012 squad.

Playing Field

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2012

The games people play

Own-goal ends Bosnian challenge ST GALLEN: Brazil, thanks to a last gasp own goal, beat gallant Bosnia 2-1 in an international friendly here on Tuesday in the five time world champions’ first run out of the year. The 2014 World Cup hosts took a fourth minute lead when Marcelo burst forward to latch onto Dani Alves’ pass, the Real Madrid back then finishing off the move in style, drilling the ball low into the far corner of Asmir Begovic’s goal. Bosnia though were back level nine minutes later. Brazil were largely at fault when the error-prone Chelsea defender David Luiz gave the ball away, striker Vedad Ibisevic seizing his chance with Brazil keeper Julio Cesar unable to stop his rather weak effort. Begovic, who plays his club football in England with Stoke, was instrumental in preventing the South American giants reclaiming the advantage in the 17th minute when he saved Leandro Damiao’s attempt, with Bosnia defender Emir Spahic clearing the loose ball away to safety. Despite enjoying much of the

Brazil’s forward Neymar reacts after he missed a goal opportunity during a friendly football match between Bosnia-Herzegovina and Brazil in St-Gallen. AFP/FABRICE COFFRINI possession in an open-sided first half Brazil, with Ronaldinho and Neymar in their ranks but no Kaka, went into the break on level terms against the team that only just

missed out on qualifying for Euro 2012. Brazil’s attack was missing its first half potency after the interval, with coach Mano Menezes replac-

Tevez returns to Man City LONDON: Carlos Tevez played his first 45 minutes of football for Manchester City since ending his self-imposed exile from the Premier League leaders’ when he appeared in a reserve match on Tuesday. The Argentina striker had a run-out in the first half of the City elite development squad’s home defeat by Preston reserves at Carrington. The fixture was originally scheduled for Wednesday but

City moved it to their training ground on Tuesday and played the match behind closed doors in a bid to reduce what would

otherwise have been a large media contingent. According to a City statement, quoted by the BBC, Tevez “saw plenty of action without getting a goal chance in his first 45 minutes back”. In his absence, the City side lost 3-1 to Preston’s second string. Tevez fell-out with Roberto Mancini (left) after the City manager accused him of refusing to warm-up during a Champions League defeat away to Bayern Munich back in September.

Podolski set for Arsenal? BERLIN: Experienced German striker Lukas Podolski is close to joining English Premier League side Arsenal from Cologne German daily Bild claimed on its website on Tuesday. The 26-year-old — capped 95 times and a veteran of two World Cups and Euro 2008 — has apparently already agreed personal terms with Arsenal, though, the two clubs have yet to agree a fee. Podolski’s contract with Cologne, a club he adores as he grew up in the city after his family moved there from Poland, runs till 2013 and the Bundesliga outfit had been trying to get him to sign an extension. Although presently out injured he has scored 15 goals out of the 30 the club has netted in the Bundesliga, in which they lie fifth from bottom and battling against relegation.

ing Flamingo veteran Ronaldinho with Ganso after the hour mark Hulk came on for Hernanes shortly after. Menezes, who wants to go

through various permutations in the two years before Brazil host the World Cup, could afford to use this friendly to test some home-based players, like Neymar. And on 74 minutes the Santos starlet saw his curling shot into the far corner saved by Begovic in a move set up by Ze Elias. Hulk fluffed a gilt-edged chance late on when he missed the ball completely after being set up by Alves. But Brazil, who looked more dangerous following the introduction of Lucas Moura for Leandro late on, ended the night on a fortuitous high when Bosnia’s Sasa Papac, who plays his club football for Scottish champions Rangers, turned the ball into his own net after Hulk had fired into the area. As World Cup hosts, Brazil have no qualifiers to go through and are therefore honing their preparations for 2014 on a diet of friendly matches. There are fixtures to come later this year against Denmark, the United States, Mexico and Argentina, while they are also targeting a strong Olympic showing in London, having never landed gold to date.

Ronaldo? Who’s Ronaldo? WARSAW: Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny is unfazed by the prospect of facing star Portugal striker Cristiano Ronaldo in a friendly on Wednesday, manager Franciszek Smuda says. Speaking on the eve of the Euro 2012 co-hosts’ debut game in Warsaw’s new National Stadium, Smuda dismissed as “rubbish” claims that the Real Madrid forward would worry his keeper. “I can hardly imagine his legs

are shaking. He’s come up against so many multi-titled players that he’s not worried, for sure,” Smuda told reporters.