FEDERER FIGHTS BACK FROM TWO SETS DOWN TO WIN
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JUNE 30, 2012 HYDERABAD
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LOYOLA STUDENTS PROTEST A furore started at the Loyola Academy, Old Alwal after students protested against the newly-appointed viceprincipal’s ‘harsh behaviour’. REPORT ON PG 4
RACING TO THE FINISH
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f there are only a handful of books you plan to read this year, then Gold should be right on top of that list.
PG 15
ROOMMATES FROM HELL
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irty clothes piled on the floor, torn and filthy socks, papers strewn all over and a stinking room; if you thought these are the only things a roommate is capable of, well — think again. PG 20
COUPLE WHO KIDNAPPED 9 CHILDREN HELD AGAIN
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his will shock you like nothing else has. A couple who resorted to kidnapping babies and selling them to childless couples was arrested once, only to be released on bail and change their operations to two-wheeler lifting. PG 3
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PAGE TWO SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012
PIT STOP
Hyderabad Library services
SRINIVAS SETTY
Library and librarian services offered to members and groups (institutions) at `3,650 per year (per member). It covers study, career, competition, business of research. Welcome to APSET enrolled. Where: Hyderabad library services, Sagar View Complex When: June 9 to July 8, Contact: (040) 2322 2247, 94412 37751
House of noise Head to Spoil pub, for a fun-filled evening as DJ Manish gets the evening grooving beats. Where: Spoil pub, Jubilee Hills, Rd No 1 When: June 30, 8pm onwards Contact: (040) 6451 3333
Dragon festival Have an oriental experience as the Golden Dragon at Taj Banjara presents its Dragon Festival Feast from June 28 onwards. Where: Golden Dragon, Taj Krishna, Banjara Hills When: June 26 onwards Contact: (040) 6629 3309
Cheating cheaters Cheating cheaters is a play dealing with two middle-aged sisters,who set off with the idea of impersonating nuns so that they would be able to send their orphaned niece to an art school. The play is being staged by Masquerade Youth Theatre. Where: Nift auditorium, Madhapur When: June 30, 7.30pm onwards Contact: (040) 2311 4537
Woodcut workshop The workshop conducted by artist M Ganghadar features various artists and is on from June 30. The exhibition will be on display at Iconart Gallery till July 8. Where: Iconart Art Gallery, Banjara Hills, Rd No 12 When: Ongoing, 11.30am onwards Contact: 98499 68797
Petals exhibition Get set for yet another shopping extravaganza. Petals exhibition will be held on July 6. The exhibition which will be held at Taj Krishna,
CINEMAS
Banjara Hills on July 6 will feature various new designers. Where: Taj Banjara, Banjara Hills, Rd No 1 When: July 6, 10am onwards Contact: (040) 6666 2323
Light delight This event offers children to experiment with different types of light. Children can bring along their own light experiments for an interactive show and tell. Where: Treasure House, Jubilee Hills, Rd No 36 When: June 30, 11.30 am onwards Contact: (040) 2355 0118
Madhubani workshop The YMCA Secunderabad is hosting a madhubani painting workshop. The workshop is being felicitated by an artist from Madhubani. A part of the fees earned through the workshop will be used to train underprivileged women. Where: YMCA Secunderabad, West Marredpally When: June 18-June 29 Contact: 98490 07736
Cloth, paper, scissors An exhibition featuring 22 artists in various medias is on display at Iconart Gallery.
Where: Iconart Gallery, Banjara Hills When: Ongoing, 11.30 am onwards Contact: 98499 68797
Akruthi Vasthra Crafts Council of India is hosting a textile exhibition from July 4 at Kamma Sangham Hall. The exhibition features artistes from across the country. Where: Kamma Sangham Hall, Ameerpet When: July 4-July 6, 10.30am onwards Contact: 92937 73970
Saturday night Head to Via Milano every Saturday for a musical evening. Megha Girish performs every Saturday providing the great combination of music and food. Where: Via Milano, Jubilee Hills, Rd No 36 When: Ongoing, 8pm onwards Contact: (040) 6455 6677
Being eunuch Being Eunuch, a play highlighting the plight and problems of eunuchs in the country will be presented by Nishumbita on July 13. Where: Ravindra Bharathi, Saifabad When: July 13, 7pm onwards Contact: (040) 2323 1245
Musical evening Boondhon ka Paigam, a monsoon musical yearly event will be held on July 12 at Hyderabad Marriott and Convention centre. The musical event will feature sufi singer Kavitha Seth and ghazal singer Jaswinder Singh. Where: Hyderabad Marriott and convention centre, Tank Bund When: July 12, 7pm onwards Contact: (040) 2752 2999
Creative strokes An exhibition of paintings by artists like Fawad Tamkanat, Kavita Duesker and Sayam Bharath Yadav titled Creative Strokes is being held at Arts Heaven Art Gallery. The exhibition will be on till June 30. Where: Arts Heaven Art Gallery, Lakdikapul When: Ongoing, 11am onwards Contact: 99495 71031
Kuchipudi recital A Kuchipudi dance recital by Sindhuja will be presented by Nitya Swara at Lamakaan on July 1. Where: Lamakaan, Banjara Hills, Rd No 1 When: July 1, 6.15 pm onwards Contact: 964273 1329
Big Cinemas, Ameerpet, 30581470; Cinemax, Banjara Hills, 44565555; Cine Planet , Kompally, 61606060; INOX, Banjara Hills, 447677770, Prasads, Tank Bund Rd, 23448888; PVR, Punjagutta, 08800900009; Talkie Town, Miyapur, 40214175; Tivoli, Secunderabad 27844973
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CITY SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012
Body parts of infants found
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n a shocking incident, biological remains of six infants were found at a Mahbubnagar pond. Preliminary investigation by the police has indicated that the biological remains and body parts of the infants were not properly disposed after being used for medical studies. The police said there appeared to be no criminality involved in the incident though probe is on.
Minnie Mathew is new CS
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he CCLA, Minnie Mathew, was today appointed as the chief secretary. The 1976-batch IAS officer from Kerala will succeed Pankaj Dwivedi, who retires today. Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy, while following the convention of appointing CCLA as the CS, reportedly rejected Dwivedi’s request for an extension. The new CS will retire in February 2013.
Couple who kidnapped 9 children arrested Lax laws give criminals enough leeway. Here is a story to prove it
MOHD SUBHAN
mohd.s@postnoon.com
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his will shock you, if nothing else will. A couple who resorted to kidnapping babies and selling them to childless couples were arrested once, came out on bail and then shifted their operation to two-wheeler lifting. Recently, the police nabbed the man
with four stolen bikes. Mahboob Khan, 45, a native of Siddulavai in Sircilla (Karimnagar), was arrested by the Shamshabad police this week on charge of stealing bikes. But inspector D Durga Prasad and subinspector N Mahesh who had interrogated him was told by the unfazed man that earlier he and his second wife, Reshma Sultana, had kidnapped nine children from the City between 2010 and 2011 and sold them to issueless couples in various states. Each baby, it is said, earned them `1 lakh. The duo were held in March last for abduction and fortunately, the police
could locate and bring back the kids form Maharashtra, Karnataka and different parts of Andhra Pradesh. Khan told the police that once they lifted a bike they made fake RTA papers with the help of one Ashok in Nawabpet Mandal, RR district. He has apparently good connections with the RTA staff. After Khan was netted by the police, Ashok went absconding. Khan is a vehicle mechanic and lived in Salahuddin colony of Madannapet. He had also worked in United Arab Emirates in 1992. Police found out that he was an alcoholic but was swift in thoughts and on foot.
Cops raid brothel
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usheerabad police raided a brothel located at Prashanth Tower and arrested a broker Anand Rao and four customers, Thirmal Reddy, Veerabhadra Rao, Rajesh and Mohd Rehan and rescued a sex worker who hails from Guntur. Anand belongs to Meriyalguda and he had allegedly turned a rented house into a brothel.
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CITY SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012
Caution: Work in regress
Rains on Friday afternoon created a miserable situation for the travelling public and businesses along Prakash Nagar road. Despite claims of coordination among various departments, work is done on busy roads but rarely restored, causing avoidable trouble and accidents to the unwary SRINIVAS SETTY
RAHUL RAMAKRISHNA
rahul.r@postnoon.com
“W
hat would happen if a surgeon conducts an operation and leaves the wound unstitched?” asked a medical store owner at Chikoti Gardens. His question aptly points to the official apathy to public safety when works are undertaken by governmental agencies. The pre-monsoon underground cable works taken up by the APCPDCL and APTransco have been finished but the mandatory restoration works have been left incomplete. A standing example of this is the half-kilometer stretch between Prakash Nagar and Chikoti Gardens in Begumpet. Although the 32KV underground lines have been laid, the restoration works that are required to keep the roads intact are incomplete. The road is one of the most important arteries of the City,
connecting Secunderabad with Hyderabad and bears heavy traffic in the mornings and evenings. The constant traffic kicks up a haze of dust and sand particles in the ambience that blurs the vision. A store owner, whose bakery is located on the main road says, “The sand is
blown into the shop and we have a tough time keeping our premises clean. And when it rains, slush is also a problem. Quite a few motorists lose control of their vehicles, especially at night.” But authorities at the APTransco and the APCPDCL
claim that the restoration works are in progress. Engineer Hanuman Shastri of the APTransco said, “The 32 KV line was undertaken by the APCPDCL. Due to lack of communication between different departments, the restoration work at Begumpet has been
stalled. However, the roads dug up at Chaderghat have been restored. At Bharatnagar and Erragadda, the CC patchworks are being laid down to restore the roads.” The lack of communication with the GHMC, the APTransco and the CPDCL has proven to be the reason behind the state of these roads. When contacted, engineers at the CPDCL were unsure as to who were actually responsible for the restoration works. Bhanu Prakash, division engineer of the North Circle said that, there was no communication or coordination within the operations and the planning departments. It is mandatory that the undertakers of any such road project pay an advance amount commonly called “road cutting charges” to the GHMC or its Town Planning Division. Surprisingly, most authorities feign ignorance of this or deliberately ignore. As such, there has been no improvement of the state of the road since the past two months and given the storms that hover over the City, the end works of the underground cable project need to be looked into urgently.
Students in campus protest A furore was created at the Loyola Academy, Old Alwal after students protested against the newlyappointed vice-principal’s ‘harsh behaviour’ Postnoon News feedback@postnoon.com
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t was more than what the new vice principal bargained for. Students of Loyola Academy on Friday staged a protest, that slipped to violence, against the “harsh” and “uncouth” behaviour of the newly-appointed vice-principal, Fr Rex Angelo who allegedly was overly finicky about discipline. Starting at 2 pm, the fracas and breaking windows continued till the college came out with a statement announcing his suspension. “Since day one, Father Rex has been unreasonable and forceful. He has manhandled many students,” says Bhavneet Singh, a student who led the strike. The trigger incident began in the morning, when a second year mass communication student greeted a fellow male student in front of the VP. The VP, who had made a previous announcement regarding
We have heard several gripes about the VP and students have lodged complaints. But no action has been taken so far Faculty member ‘unwanted socialising between the genders,’ allegedly confiscated her ID card, without which a student is not allowed to attend class. The student was asked to bring her parents. The VP then allegedly verbally abused the girl and told the father that the girl’s conduct was questionable and might result in rape. A protest, started by her classmates caught on, and soon many students gathered in front of the PG block in a silent protest. They demanded that the
current VP be removed and marched on to his office. The police were called. A crowd of around 500 stormed the building. This included members of the National Student Union Of India (NSUI). Also present were TRS members, and media. “It has
only been a few weeks since Father Rex was appointed, and we have already received hundreds of complaints. We have never faced such a situation before,” says Janaki Ram, an NSUI member. Meanwhile, the VP locked himself in his room and refused
dialogue with the students. The victimised student’s father was also present with him, and the students were allegedly told that he would be let out only if the protest broke up. The agitated the students resorted to violence, breaking glass and attempting to break down the office door. The girl’s father is said to have a cardiac condition. “It is unorganised. People are screaming, shouting slogans ‘We want justice’, but I doubt everyone understands the situation. Many just seem to be having fun,” says Kevin Crasta, a student. “We have heard several gripes about the VP and students have lodged complaints. But no action has been taken so far,” said a faculty member on conditions of anonymity. The protest did not break up even with the downpour. The students only left after a public statement was given by the college. “In an emergency meeting, we have decided to suspended father Rex until further decision,” said the correspondent addressing the crowd. The incident is said to be the first of its kind to occur in the college in a decade.
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FOCUS SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012
A new ray of hope for indie cinema
PVR Director’s Rare has given a new ray of hope for indie filmmakers in the country. Shiladitya Bora, the head of this division, tells us more about the initiative and the journey so far
HEMANTH KUMAR
hemanth.k@postnoon.com
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ilmmakers in India have always been at the mercy of big studios and production houses. It’s not enough to make a film; a far more challenging task is to distribute the film properly to grab the eyeballs. While big banners have been successfully releasing films starring A-list actors, distribution of films still remains a nightmare for countless indie filmmakers in India. Over the past few years, the number of indie filmmakers has shot up considerably and a slew of indie films have been screened at international film festivals. After a long struggle to find a distributor to screen their films across the country, finally indie filmmakers have a ray of hope, thanks to PVR Director’s Rare initiative, the first of its kind in India. Shiladitya Bora, the head of this division at PVR, is extremely happy with the response so far. The initiative was born out of the need to screen content driven films which are
made at a fraction of the cost of a masala entertainer. “Most film production corporations today are making films that thrive on star value and entertain smaller town audiences more than the chic urban city crowd. It’s not that the films that would entertain the niche audience are not being made. Most content driven films are comparatively inexpensive in comparison to the star driven masala entertainers. But very few of these films find distributors because most distributors in India are still driven by star, budget and money. Remaining corporate distributors barely choose five-six such films in a year. So there is a huge gap,” Shiladitya Bora says. They have managed to release six critically acclaimed indie films in the past six months in cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Chennai and Bengaluru. Most films screened so far like The Forest, Kshay and Good Night Good Morning have won multiple awards in international film festivals. Shiladitya agrees that it’s easier to market award winning films, although, it’s not the sole criteria. “We closely monitor the major film festivals to look for the right indie content. We have tried to keep the
process very simple. Any independent filmmaker can approach us to release his or her film under the Director’s Rare initiative. They need to submit us a preview copy of the film along with the other relevant details. The film is then reviewed by the Alternative Programming Team at PVR and in most cases we give a decision within a week’s time. Once a film has been picked up for release under Director’s Rare, we then work out a customised release plan depending on the scope of the film,” he reveals about how the films are chosen. Most films which are released as a part of PVR Director’s Rare are screened for a week or two and sometimes even that becomes difficult in cities like Hyderabad and Chennai, which have a strong regional film industry. “Films like Good Night Good Morning and Kshay have managed to do good business among the films we have released so far. Another film, Love Wrinkle Free did exceptionally well as it successfully crossed over from the ‘independent cinema’ category to ‘good cinema’ which gets acclaim from both critics and mass alike,” Shiladitya reveals. So what’s the biggest challenge they have been facing so far? “The biggest challenge is of the mindset. Most decision makers in the industry come with the mindset that such films won’t work at the box office and say Aisi picturein nahi chal (Such films don’t run). Hence they are not even ready to experiment,” he says. Several mainstream and indie filmmakers and critics have begun openly supporting PVR’s initiative on social networking websites. How are such films promoted to catch the attention of the audience? “We support these independent films in terms of marketing support like Theatrical Trailer Promotion in PVR Theatres, Print, Electronic and Digital Media PR, Viral marketing on Social Media Network, BTL activities etc. rather than money. We have been able to support a few films with outdoor hoardings, ads
Watch them The Untitled Karthik Krishnan Project July 13 Harud July 27 Shuttlecock Boys August 3 Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron (Digitally Restored) August 17 Delhi In a Day August 25 Fire in Babylon September 7
in major publications etc.” While the initiative has been lauded by movie aficionados, pricing of tickets still remains an issue. Is it justified to price the tickets of the indie film at the same level as a mainstream film? “Except for PVR Director’s Cut at Vasant Kunj, Delhi which is a super luxury property, in all other PVRs the tickets are priced at the regular box office prices. On weekdays `110/ `125 ticket price at PVR Juhu, `125 -`150 ticket price at PVR Anupam Saket or `100 ticket price in Ahmedabad etc are very affordable prices.” In the next six months, 13 more indie films are going to be screened as a part of PVR Director’s Rare. “With technology to make films becoming affordable and easily accessible to the common man, the number of indie films being made in the country have shown a sudden jump. Also our big city audience at least has become very experimental. They want to see the new, out-of-the-box cinema. And to make our film industry as a wholesome industry, we got to have space for every voice, only then it will be able to grow. We are certain that this platform will give birth to new forthcoming champions of cinema in our country,” says an optimistic Shiladitya.
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NATION SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012
Agatha avoids media
Four gunned down in Bihar
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early a dozen armed men barged into the house of one Mohammad Ali in Gangauli village in Madhubani, about 200 km from here, and opened fire, killing him and his three sons. “His wife was seriously injured,” a police official said. Police suspect an old land dispute and personal enmity as the reason behind the killings.
HC grants anticipatory bail
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or the third time in 10 days, minister of state for rural development Agatha Sangma skipped an event apparently to avoid media scrutiny on her father, PA Sangma, contesting the presidential election. She was to inaugurate a conference —“Seeking our collective peace; The Northeast India Diaspora looks into solutions for peace and development.”
he Karnataka High Court granted anticipatory bail for a week to BJP MLA C T Ravi and three others in connection with a complaint accusing them of abuse of official power for pecuniary gain. Justice Subash Adi granted anticipatory bail for a week to Ravi, his wife, sister and brother-in-law on a complaint filed by one Deviprasad.
Woman beaten up by MLA alleges miscarriage Complaint filed against JVM legislator Chandrika Mahta
An old lady with her grandchildren climbs off a banana raft in the flood affected area of Jhargoan village in Morigoan district, 80 kms from Guwahati, the capital city of Assam on June 29, 2012. PTI
10 lakh displaced as Centre assures all help
GIRIDIH: A woman lodged a complaint with the police alleging that she suffered a miscarriage after being beaten by a legislator in Jharkhand. Tara Devi, who was three months pregnant, was allegedly beaten up by Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) legislator Chandrika Mahta at her Khajatola village home in Giridih district two days ago over a land dispute. The woman suffered a miscarriage following the incident, the FIR lodged by the woman said.
have died and as many as 10 lakh have been displaced in the flood in Assam — the worst in more than a decade. The Centre on Saturday reviewed the grim flood situation and assured all assistance to the State government to tide over the crisis. Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth chaired a meeting of top Central officials to assess the unprecedented floods in the State. Assam chief secretary P C Sharma and State government officials participated in the meeting via videoconference. An official spokesperson said the floods have damaged railway lines in some parts of the State and action was being taken to restore the same. The spokesperson said there was adequate stock of food grains in the State. However, the Centre has assured all possible help to the State government in dealing with the situation, the spokesperson said. The meeting was attended by home secretary R K Singh, defence secretary Shashi Kant Sharma, health secretary P K Pradhan, water resources secretary D V Singh, railway board chairman V K Mittal and director general border roads organisation S Ravi Shankar among others.
SUFFERED A MISCARRIAGE FOLLOWING THE INCIDENT. THE SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE A B HOMKAR SAID AN FIR HAS BEEN LODGED IN THIS REGARD. Superintendent of police A B Homkar said an FIR has been lodged against Mahta
in this regard. Peeved at not finding her husband at home, the legislator had allegedly beaten up the woman, the FIR said. The accused legislator could not be contacted for comments. However, JVM’s leader in the assembly Pradip Yadav claimed that Mahta was not present at the spot when the incident had occurred and demanded an impartial inquiry. He said the incident was being politicised.
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Death toll crosses 30 in Assam flood NEW DELHI: More than 30 people
THE WOMAN
AROUND 11 LAKH PEOPLE IN 2,084 VILLAGES IN 22 DISTRICTS ARE IN THE GRIP OF THE WORST FLOODS SINCE 2004, WHICH HAVE DESTROYED STANDING CROPS IN OVER 43,400 HECTARES, STATE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS SAID. The Home Ministry, on Friday, had deployed 15 teams of the National Disaster Response Force comprising 548 personnel along with 60 boats and other necessary equipment to carry out rescue and relief operations in the floodhit districts of the State. Around 11 lakh people in 2,084 villages in 22 districts are in the grip of the worst floods since 2004, which have destroyed standing crops in over 43,400 hectares, State government officials said. As many as 173 relief camps have far been set up so far for the succour of the flood victims. An Indian Air Force helicopter has been deployed for air dropping food PTI packets and rescue the marooned.
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WORLD SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012
CLASSIFIEDS
EVENT
FABRICATION
HOSPITAL
Man suspected of al-Qaeda link held in New York NEW YORK: A
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man suspected of association with alQaeda has been arrested here and charged with providing material support to the terror network and possessing and using firearms to promote violence. The indictment of Minh Quang Pham was announced by Preet Bharara, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York and other security officials. In December 2010, Pham traveled from Britain to Yemen where he showed up at the principal base of operations for alQaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. While in Yemen, Pham took an oath of allegiance to AQAP, carried an automatic assault rifle, obtained training.
DSK, wife sue magazine
Katie files for divorce
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he marriage of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, one of Hollywood’s highest profile relationships and a subject of endless tabloid speculation, is over, reported the LA Times. Batman star Holmes announced through a lawyer on Friday that she had filed for divorce from her movie star husband of five years.
ormer IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn and his wife Anne Sinclair said today they would sue French celebrity magazine Closer for invading their privacy with a story claiming they had separated. “Dominique Strauss-Kahn and Anne Sinclair have decided to sue this publication for invasion of privacy,”their lawyers said in a brief statement.
US, Russia worlds apart over Syria SAINT PETERSBURG: Top diplomats from the United States and Russia failed to overcome their differences on the future of Syria Friday, just hours before crunch multi-nation talks were to take place in Geneva. After a nearly three-hour meeting in Saint Petersburg, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov showed just a glimmer of hope that a deal could be done to help end the bloodshed. Describing the meeting, a senior US official said there remained areas of “difficulty and difference” between Russia and the United States over the political future of the war-ridden nation. But both powers agreed to continue talks in Geneva on Saturday, where they will be joined by other permanent members of the UN Security Council and a handful of regional powers. “Out of respect to (international peace envoy) Kofi Annan, they agreed we should all go to Geneva tomorrow to try to produce a result,” the US diplomat said. Clinton had threatened to boycott the meeting if Russia did not agree to Annan’s plan for political transition, which included an opaque but unmistakable call for Bashar al-Assad and his government to be replaced by a govern-
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (R) meets with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in St. Petersburg, on Friday on the eve of international talks in Geneva to find a political solution to the Syrian crisis. ment of national unity. Buoyed by the removal of that US threat, Lavrov voiced optimism that Saturday’s talks could bring a shift toward peace after 16 months of fighting. Russia’s top diplomat said he had now “detected a shift” in Washington’s approach. “There were no ultimatums. Not a word was said about the document now being discussed in Geneva being completely untouchable.” “I can confidently say that we have a very good
chance tomorrow in Geneva to find a common denominator and mark a path forward,” he told reporters. Russia — long an ally of Syria — has argued that foreign powers should not dictate terms to Syria and has provided its old ally with weapons. Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov early on Saturday tweeted that experts in Geneva had thus far failed to agree to the wording of a final document on Syria because “the Western partners want to
determine the political process themselves.” UN-Arab League envoy Annan said “external powers” have encouraged violence in Syria as he issued a new plea for unity ahead of the key international meeting on the conflict on Saturday. “Many external powers are deeply involved. Despite formal unity behind the six-point plan, mutual mistrust has made them work at cross-purposes,” Annan said in a commentary for the Washington Post published Friday.
‘N.Korean missiles fake’
Romanian PM in plagiarism row
Hu sneered at in Hong Kong
UNITED NATIONS: North Korea may have put fake versions of a new missile on display at a major military parade this year, UN sanctions experts said in a report. And the allegedly mock-up issiles are not the only part of the military pomp in Pyongyang to raise the suspicions of the experts whose report was published Friday after being held for a month by China. The UN experts said they would investigate the giant transporter used to carry the new missile. Japanese media has said it was of Chinese origin. The sanctions experts also suspect that luxury Mercedes cars seen in the sidestreets were smuggled into the country.
BUCHAREST: An academic panel has ruled that
HONG KONG: Chinese president Hu
Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta plagiarized large sections of his doctoral thesis and called for him to be stripped of his doctorate. Marius Andruh, who heads the 21-member National Council for Attesting Titles, Diplomas and University Certificates, said today that 85 pages out of the 307-page thesis were determined to have been copied without proper attribution. The subject of Ponta’s thesis was the International Criminal Court. Ponta has said that he will resign if found guilty of plagiarism. He has conceded that he credited sources in the bibliography but not in the footnotes.
Jintao was the object of sneers and ridicule from Hong Kongers Saturday, as he prepared to mark the 15th anniversary of the territory’s handover amid unusually tight security. On the second day of Hu’s visit to the former British colony, which returned to China in 1997, the official Facebook page of the Hong Kong chief executive was flooded with anti-Beijing comments. “Get out of Hong Kong!” one writer told the Communist party and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
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COMMENT SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012
Tagore’s Nobel: The secret
Japan’s FiT: This is it!
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propos Tagore’s Anthem. I have always held the view that much of what we heard of Tagore was hype surrounding the fact that he was the only Nobel Laureate from this region for quite some time. Part of the reason why he got a Nobel was I think his access to the west. EM Muralidharan Via email
EDITORIALS ALL EYES ON Egypt now Huge challenges await Mohammed Mursi, who is set to be sworn in as Egypt’s first freely elected President. It will take efforts of gigantic proportions from Mursi to show his people he is his own man and would not wilt under the attempts of the military to do backseat driving. At the Tahrir square, he promised the people, who had thronged the place by thousands, a ‘civilian state’. Mursi symbolically swore himself in before the crowd, saying: "I swear to preserve the republican system... and to preserve the independence" of Egypt. It is only fitting that he swore himself in at the birthplace of the revolt that overthrew his predecessor Hosni Mubarak last year. The other issue that needs assurance from Mursi is fears among secular people and Coptic Christians about an Islamist assuming power. The first step towards that end would be to keep Mursi’s campaign promise of appointing a woman and a Coptic Christian as vice-presidents.
WHY WE LOVE... Laurence Gavron
She is all set to contest polls in Senegal, a country where women are more often than not sidelined. What’s more, she is the first white woman to do so. What works for her are the values she believes in such as; competence, morality, fairness, good governance, transparency and participation by citizens. Incidentally, before Laurence moved to Senegal from France, she was a filmmaker and photographer. Despite the stark difference in her two choices of careers, she seems to have her thoughts in place and if going by the support she has means anything then she does seem set to win the elections.
propos Can Green Energy solve the power crunch? Japan’s FiT in July is among the highest in the world. It’s clear that Japan’s FiT will shake the solar market. Now, US has the same options. New solar technology will show in Japan. This is it! Minwoo Kim Via email
EDITORIALS Readers’ views We invite you to write to us comments, suggestions, viewpoint or just about anything to feedback@postnoon.com or #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500 033.
Determination is key
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propos Starting problem, big problem. You should be determined before you start. This you can do at home or even at the gym. We cannot adhere to it because of mom’s delicious cooking its better if we can go the gym which will help us to shed off the extra kilos. Jayanthi.k Via email
You a metrospiritual? Soul Curry SUMAA TEKUR
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he other day, I was watching a TV commercial for a car in which a young working woman drives the car out of her office to the middle of bumper-to-bumper city traffic. She is then inspired to take the highway instead of continuing in the traffic towards downtown. She takes the deviation and enjoys the wind in her face, lets her hair loose and speeds away on the free roads. These are quite obvious metaphors for freedom, enjoying the simpler things of life and exercising free will. But can a brand of car buy a consumer all these things? Apparently, it can. There are ads about chocolates that can fill the emptiness in your soul with their smooth texture and melt-in-the-mouth softness; cellphones that don’t judge and only pamper you to bring out your human side; body soaps that rejuvenate you from within; home furnishings that soothe your senses; foods that make you see the lighter side of romantic relationships; mattresses that buy you sleep and therefore wellness, etc. Such ads start by pointing out to us consumers that such emptiness even exists in our lives. The marketers’ solution? Buy our product and watch your worries go away. It takes a large amount of will power for an average person living in a consumptiondriven metro to ignore these messages and not, at some point or other, give in to this need to lead a more ‘fulfilled’ existence. Since it’s so difficult to escape this consumerist culture, many have found a creative middlepath and are mashing and modding the two very diverse perspectives of life. Finding spirituality in the inescapable buying culture is called metrospirituality. This “devotional consumerism” as the Beliefnet website terms it, has its roots in the desire to buy responsibly. It means that consumers make shopping choices based on the values of sustain-
ability, gaia, savvy and thrift, with the intention of bridging that gap between the emotional and spiritual planes. A metrospiritual, therefore, is someone who buys eco-friendly products; he purchases goods that are associated with social campaigns; he pays a premium for products that promise they haven’t exploited child labour in their production process; he endorses products and services that don’t pollute the environment. All excellent ideas to support, especially if it can be exercised by simply buying one brand instead of another. But will this, at the same time, also buy the consumer lasting spiritual peace? Likely not. That is because a metrospiritual, through his buying choices, tries to take the guilt out of shopping and makes himself feel better that he is helping someone else by shopping. However, what he may or may not real-
ize is that the good feeling lasts only as long as his excitement and engagement with the product lasts. Once the consumer is bored of this product and is eyeing another one in the market, the feel-good feeling also transfers to the new product.
A METROSPIRITUAL, THEREFORE, IS SOMEONE WHO BUYS ECOFRIENDLY PRODUCTS; HE PURCHASES GOODS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH SOCIAL CAMPAIGNS Metrospirituality works only if the consumer is aware that this brand of spirituality has a short shelf life. The metrospiritual, at some point, will have to confront his own doubts that this buying behavior is
nothing but a fake front to feed, in a guilt-free manner, his addiction to shopping. The metrospiritual will also eventually face fatigue and want real answers to existentialist questions. And those, he will realize, cannot be found in a bar of imported chocolate or a branded luxury car. Having said that, it is in fact possible to address higher spiritual needs even when one is sitting in that branded luxury car or enjoying that imported brand of expensive chocolate. But to connect that chocolate and car to a deeper understanding of life would be a basic error. The desire for more overtakes the intent of being content with what one has. The twain — spirituality and consumerism — rarely meet. So, think again, all you metrospirituals. What is the real intent of your purchasing behavior?
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COMMENT SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012
Viva la diferencia On Sunday, Mexicans will be treated to a feast of political choices.
Mexican Wave
“MEXICO CITY ISN’T AN ATTRACTIVE PLACE FOR CRIMINAL GROUPS,” SAYS MIGUEL ANGEL MANCERA, MAYORAL CANDIDATE FOR THE PRD.
DAVID AGREN
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eartthrob Justin Bieber packed more than 200,000 screaming fans into the Zocalo square in the heart of Mexico City for a free concert promoted by the local government earlier in June. Paul McCartney drew a large number to the same place one month earlier. An outdoor ice rink, billed as the biggest on the planet, occupies the square during the Christmas season. These spectacles — sometimes derided as circuses — arrive often in Mexico City, and have proved popular. It’s also a prop in the local political picture, as Mayor Marcelo Ebrard and his left-wing Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) have played ringmaster promoted the “circus” as a way of winning votes among workingclass and poor residents. Ebrard cannot run for re-election, but his party and its allies are expected to retain Mexico City in a landslide in the July 1 local elections. That’s the exact opposite of other parts of Mexico, where the once long-ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) leads polls for the presidential contest scheduled for the same day. “There’s almost a bipolar sit-
Urban sketches VISWAPRASAD RAJU
uation, with Mexico City going against the rest of the country,” says Jorge Zepeda, director of the online publication Sin Embargo. He attributes the party’s popularity as much to competent governance, in a city prone to earthquakes and water shorages, as ideology. “The city, as immense and brutal as it is, functions fairly well in operational terms,” he says. The PRD holds a hammerlock on the Mexican capital, known locally as the Distrito Federal, or DF, and home to nearly 9 million residents. (Another 12 million live in suburbs belonging to Mexico state, which surrounds DF like a horseshoe.) On Sunday, Mexicans will be treated to a feast of political choices. They have to vote for mayors, governors, lawmakers,
and the president. Mexico City’s leftist ways have also helped move left-wing presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador into second-place — he packed the Zocalo for his finally rally on Wednesday — and pushed the PRI to campaign on populist proposals such as freezing prices. The PRD has dominated local politics since 1997 and its administrations have been credited with beginning to turn around a city previously notorious for crime, corruption and contaminated air. Its urban agenda has involved expanding mass transit, curbing pollution and promoting cycling. The social agenda has included decriminalizing abortion, liberalizing divorce laws and legal-
izing same-sex marriages — all to the dismay of the local Catholic Archdiocese, whose spokesman accused the Ebrard administration of doing more damage than drug cartels. “Part of the Mexico City legislative agenda still couldn’t be passed in a large part of the United States,” says Zepeda. The turn-around has come as some provincial parts of Mexico have descended into drug and organized crime violence and turned Mexico City into an unlikely refuge for those seeking safety. “Mexico City isn’t an attractive place for criminal groups,” says Miguel Angel Mancera, mayoral candidate for the PRD and two smaller left-wing parties. Mancera, 46, a former Mexico City attorney general, told a recent gathering of foreign correspondents that having local police under a single command is an advantage, along with the benefit of 13,000 security cameras monitoring the streets. He says committing crimes and moving merchandise in a traffic-clogged city is difficult for the cartels.
ut worrisome signs have emerged. Cartel kingpins and their families reputedly reside in some of Mexico City’s fanciest neighborhoods and Mancera called disputes over small-time, drug dealing “a headache.” Three Federal Police officers were shot dead on Monday in the food court of the city’s international airport by two fellow cops who the public security department’s office says were in cahoots with the cartels and are now on the lam. Mancera notes that federal officials are responsible for security at the airport. The incident hasn’t hurt his polls numbers, which have topped 70 percent, according to Milenio-GEA/ISA. At the same time, PRI presidential candidate Enrique Peña Nieto, former governor of Mexico state, leads polls nationally by double digits. Peña Nieto, 45, built enormous political capital through 608 public works projects he says were promised and completed in Mexico state during his gubernatorial term. Plenty of positive TV coverage helped promote his project and image in the provinces, his rivals allege. It’s a tough sell in Mexico City, though, where anti-PRI attitudes run strong. District residents are still bitter over PRI’s inept response to the 1985 earthquake that flattened parts of the capital, claimed thousands of lives and left even more to fend for themselves.
Global edits
Greens
The Independent (UK)
Victory for fairness and civil values
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he decision by the US Supreme Court to uphold the essence of President Obama’s healthcare reform legislation is to be applauded as a victory for fairness, civil values and even sanity. If the nine justices had ruled that the individual mandate – the provision requiring all Americans to purchase insurance coverage that is at the heart of the measure – violated the Constitution, it would have been an unwarranted intrusion of the judiciary into what is a political issue that should be decided by elections and Congressional votes. More important still, they would have scotched the most promising effort in decades to overhaul a monstrously inefficient industry, which accounts for almost a fifth of the entire US economy, yet still contrives to leave some 50 million people without coverage and deliver results no better – often worse – than European systems consuming barely half as much of national GDP. As for Mr Obama, he
EVEN NOW, HOWEVER, THE BATTLE IS NOT OVER. REPEAL OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, AS “OBAMACARE” IS PROPERLY KNOWN, WILL BE A CENTRAL THEME OF THE REPUBLICANS’ CAMPAIGN TO RECAPTURE THE WHITE HOUSE AND SENATE IN NOVEMBER. would have gone down in history not as the author of a massively beneficial reform, but as a President who wasted most of his first term in pursuit of a chimera. The political and psychological consequences would have been devastating. Even now, however, the battle is not over. Repeal of the Affordable Care Act, as “Obamacare” is properly known, will be a central theme of the Republicans’ campaign to recapture the White House and Senate in November. If they succeed, then the measure will be overturned. And should that happen, Democrats can have no complaints. That is what elections are for.
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BUSINESS SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012
Apple wins injunction
Euro jumps after summit
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he euro shot up more than two cents against the dollar Friday after a summit of eurozone leaders in Brussels agreed on stronger actions to reverse the spiralling crisis. The euro traded at $1.2654, up from $1.2442 late Thursday. The deal squeezed out of tough talks between the eurozone's biggest powers early Friday was the catalyst for the jump.
SBH slashes interest rates
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judge on Friday granted Apple's request for an injunction blocking US sales of Samsung Galaxy Nexus smartphones made in collaboration with Google to challenge the iPhone. The ruling by US District Court was the second victory for Californiabased Apple this week in a fierce and complex patent war with the South Korean consumer electronics giant.
n order to lend a helping hand to the MSME sector, SBH has decided to slash interest rates. The reduction in interest rate ranges from 100 basis points to 250 basis points across various slabs with effect from July 1. Further, the bank has clubbed all separate interest rate slabs below `25 lakh into a single slab with lower rates of interest.
Gear up to be job-ready Realising the need for practical knowledge before stepping into the industry, Santosh Yellajosula, Varun Reddy and MVSP Abhiram, co-founded Mauka, that works towards building quality human resources for corporate companies
prudhvi.k@postnoon.com
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business idea should evolve from a problem. The objective of the business is to solve that problem, believe the founders of Mauka, a company that aims to bridge the gap between colleges and corporates in terms of human resource. Co-founded by Santosh Yellajosula, G Varun Reddy and MVSP Abhiram, the company has already placed 75 students as interns in various companies and have 1,400 followers on Facebook although the project is in its pilot stage. “Around 10 lakh technical graduates pass out every year in the country out of which only 25 to 30 per cent are employable. Many people complain that colleges are not churning out employable students but most are not aware of the opportunities in the industry,” explains Varun. The lack of practical knowledge is also a hindrance and the founders know so from personal experience. “There is a gap between the academia and industry. The industry is sceptical to hire freshers and prefer experienced candidates. We understood the value of this after our internships. However,
board to recruit interns. Most of them did not offer internships and the rest were sceptical. But once we managed to get a few companies on board, the others fell in place.” However, providing internships could only help solve the problem to a certain extent. There was a need to scale up the business and have a holistic approach to solve the issue. The company got funding from North Alley India to develop a comprehensive solution through a new product, which will be unveiled in August. The new platform is a website where students, universities and companies can communicate with each other. “The platform will showcase internship offers for durations of two to six months. It will also have
practice and final assessment tests which will help students sharpen their skills. It also has video series where in the companies talk about their recruitment process and needs, which will help students equip themselves with that knowledge,” says Varun. Companies can carry out the screening process on the website before they call the candidate for an interview. The training module, which is available for students after their first year, has written content that enhances their resume building, interview skills, soft skills and knowledge
about higher studies. There is also video content with interviews from industry experts and corporates. “This will also help companies to cut down their costs by 25 per cent. Colleges can understand what the industry wants and prepare their students accordingly. It also helps students from rural India to have accesses to quality content and jobs. Even unpaid subscribers can log in and access certain content and make their resume available to companies,” says Santosh. Mauka will generate revenue by charging both the companies and the colleges. Nearly 60 to 70 per cent of the revenue will come from colleges, while company also plans to make a premium membership available to students in due time. Mauka aims to bring 150 companies and 150 colleges (75,000 students from different streams) into its fold by the end of the financial year. The company also aims to expand to other cities by January 2013 and is expecting to break even in the first 18 months since the product launch. Currently, the company has 11 employees who work on content development, technology and marketing for colleges and companies and will soon add four more members.
DEEPAK DESHPANDE
PRUDHVI RAJU K
not many colleges arrange for internships. That is when we decided to invest `40,000 from our pocket money and launched Mauka in March 2011. We brought around 33 companies on board to recruit interns in less than two months. Students from nearly 30 colleges have registered for internships,” says Santosh. Abhiram says, “When we launched the business, it was to solve the problem and not make money. Things did not happen easily. Many companies were reluctant to come on
Santosh Yellajosula (L), G Varun Reddy and MVSP Abhiram (R), founders, Mauka
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MOTORING SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012
Ford tries new technology
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revolutionary technology is being developed by the engineers at Ford motors which can help the car navigate itself through traffic at the click of a button. It is said to be available for the markets in a span of 5 years. The technology depends on a camera and a radar sensor which are put in the rear view mirror of the car.
Chevrolet Cruze launched
BMW in talks with Toyota
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hevrolet has launched the updated Cruze saloon at a starting price of Rs 13.85 lakh. This mid-life cycle update brings with it substantial mechanical upgrades but not any styling. The revised Cruze is now powered by an updated 164bhp 2.0-litre engine developing 38.7kgm of torque; power is up by 16bhp and torque by 5.7kgm
MW has ended talks with motor giant General Motors to cooperate on developing fuel cells. It has entered into dialogues with Toyota Motor Corp. Both the companies are set to work towards developing fuel cell driven cars and components of electric cars.
KNIGHT RIDER— PONTIAC TRANS A M
MEN IN BLACK 2 – MERCEDES BENZ E-CLASS SIDDHARTH TSS
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rtificial Intelligence and Indestructibility are two of its traits. The car is a top-of-the-line vehicle pegged with advanced technology and it has gadgets galore to help get you out of trouble. The car has a voice modulator which allows it to communicate with the driver. The estimated cost of building this car was $11400000 in the TV series.
ho said cars were only meant to take you from point A to B? A few movies and TV shows have completely changed the way cars were and are being perceived. After watching a few shows everyone fantasises of having one of these super-cars parked in their garage. Not just visually but also in terms of practical uses these cars have demanded attention.
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movie packed with aliens, sophisticated weaponry and an even more advanced car. The car is a Mercedes Benz E-class which is driven by the alien busting duo of J an K. Equipped with a life-like inflatable dummy to disguise the driver ait has the ability to hit warp speed at the push of a button. It also acts as a storehouse for weapons during high speed chases.
Show stealers
Movies and TV shows have always been centred around protagonists. But here are some automobiles which managed to enthrall
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THE TUMBLER — THE DARK KNIGHT
o call this vehicle a car would just undermine its possibilities. The Tumbler looks like a tank on four wheel minus the massive cannon riding on top. This vehicle weighs approximately 2.5 tonnes and is 9 feet wide and 15 feet in length. It also has a jet engine in the rear for an extra punch. The basic configuration of the Tumbler included a 8.7-liter Chevy V8 engine, a truck axle for the rear axle, front tires by Hoosier (which are actually dirt racing tires used on the right rear of open wheel sprint cars), rear 4×4 mud tires by Interco and the suspension system of Baja racing trucks. The design and development process took nine months and cost several million dollars. As far as its arsenal goes it has two twin cannons in the front fenders. The tumbler in dire cases of traffic also breaks apart into the two wheeled batpod. It’s this trusty dragon that Batman uses to fight crime in Gotham.
HERBIE — HERBIE
ust naming a movie after a car, tells you all about this beauty. This vintage 1963 Volkswagen Beetle is distinguished by its racing colours which are Red, White and Blue , and its signature decal number 53. It has a mind of its own and is capable of driving itself, and is a serious contender in auto racing competitions. This car has played a pivotal role in many movies including animated movies. The anthropomorphic tendencies of this car is what makes this car a memorable persona on the screens.
THE DELOREAN DMC-12 – B ACK TO THE FUTURE
T CHITTY CHITTY B ANG B ANG
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hitty is the vintage racing car which features in the book, musical film and stage production of the same name. Writer Ian Fleming took his inspiration for the car from a series of aero-engined racing cars built by Count Louis Zborowski in the early 1920s, christened "Chitty Bang Bang. The movie is basically a musical revolving around the eccentric modifications made to the heap of scrap lying in the hero’s garage which gives his car the ability to fly. The car has a set of extendable wings which fan out to help the car glide through the clouds. For the movie, the car was built by Alan Mann Racing in Hertfordshire in 1967
he De Lorean DMC-12 is a sports car that was manufactured by the De Lorean Motor Company for the American market from 1981 to 1983 in Northern Ireland. Invented by Dr Emmett Brown, this time machine / car is a plutonium-powered automobile. After entering a target date, the operator accelerates the car to 88 miles per hour (141.6 km/h), which activates the flux capacitor. As it accelerates, several rails around the body of the car glow blue. Surrounded by large sparks, the whole car vanishes in a flash of blue light seconds later, leaving a pair of fire trails where the vehicle's tires will pass arriving at the destination time. In one of the movies 'Doc' also manages to convert into a hovercraft. The DeLorean itself is a sleek looking car. The car has always managed to leave the roads on fire every time it changed the space time continuum.
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TECHNOLOGY SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012
WEBSITE OF THE WEEK Fact Monster act Monster is an ideal reference site for kids ages 8-14 that provides entertainment and education. It combines the contents of an encyclopedia, a dictionary, an atlas, and several almanacs loaded with statistics, facts, and historical records.
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VIDEOGAME REVIEW THE GOOD
APP OF THE WEEK TuneIn
METAL GEAR SOLID
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uneIn gives you access to the biggest selection on the market: over 60 000 radio stations and another two-million programmes! It immediately loads your local radio stations, based on your location.
n Every game in the collection is high caliber
THE B AD
n Vita-specific controls lack refinement n No Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker.
To gadgets, with love
We all have that one eccentric friend that has a special, not ‘someone’, rather a ‘something’! One gadget that plays the role of a soulmate; they treat it like a member of the family, name it, love it and can’t do without it! SAMEENA KENAZ
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or most it’s just the joy of holding their beloved in their hands and being able to show it off. It’s nerveracking for these gadget aficionados to hand over their bundle of joy to someone else. They just can’t stay away and the thought of losing the gadget-ofaffection drives them insane. It is often hard to understand the attachment between a person and a gadget but there can be various reasons for the unlikely bond such as: the date it was bought on, what it may have helped accomplish, etc. Sometimes it could just be the attention it got you! Nikhil Choudhary, an electronics and communication graduate shares a bond with his camera, he says, “I got my camera on October 18, 2006. I got my birthday gift almost a month late! My father bought it and it is
The Nikon D40x. I’m not a photographer but I do like clicking pictures now and then. I’ve had the camera for six years now. I love travelling and I take my camera everywhere I go, I cannot live without it now!” We all agree that the advent of gadgets have had an immense
impact on our lives in the past decade but, these wonderful alterations in the nature of our relationships with them is just something else! If we are giving these voiceless and lifeless gadgets so much love, one can’t even begin to imagine what kind of attach-
ment we’d share with something that does talk or respond (read: artificial intelligence). Why go that far? If one has been noticing the sudden interest people have in voice apps on phones, it becomes quite evident that gadgets are no longer just machines to us. They fill in a void that
nothing else can replace in our lives today. Akhila Bejju, an iPhone buff quips, “My iPhone is my first love! It’s my baby! My parents gave it to me on my 21st birthday. When it’s not with me I feel like something’s missing. I am extremely possessive about it.” Nevertheless, with the kind of things gadgets today help us accomplish, it may be just natural for us to be so in love with them. You can’t imagine going out without your phone, simply because it helps you stay in touch, guides you, helps you immortalise memories, becomes an apt companion when you need to kill time and of course, makes you look good too. Sometimes it’s hard to imagine what our lives would be like without these electronic friends. They have undoubtedly made our lives so simple and uncomplicated; also made us a tad bit lazy, but it’s okay! They’ve given things at the touch of our finger and follow our commands so well, it seems they’re now an inevitable part of our lives whether we like it or not.
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ANIMAL KINGDOM SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012
Dog teeth purse
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he world’s oldest purse may have been found in Germany. Excavators at a site near Leipzig uncovered more than a hundred dog teeth arranged close together in a grave dated to between 2,500 and 2,200 B.C. The teeth were likely decorations for the outer flap of a handbag.
PET NEWS Headed for the Red
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iscovered in 2010, Colombia’s Caquetá tití monkey species may already be headed for extinction in the wild, according to the latest update of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, released this month.
IMPORTANT NUMBERS
Know your dog
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he wire fox terrier is short-backed and square-proportioned, but at the same time standing over a lot of ground. Its conformation combines speed, endurance and power. A true “live-wire,” the wire fox terrier is always up for adventure. This breed lives to play, explore, run and hunt.
CATS AND DOGS The Animal Care Clinic 040-2335 2474 Pet’s World Dog Clinic 98856 46259 Blue Cross of Hyderabad 040-3298 9858, 23544355/ 5523 Vet-N-Pet 040-6553 9535, 93463 05890 Bluplus Pet Clinic 040-2712 1739, 2716 2636 Sri Sai Pet Clinic
040-2779 7458, 9848645350 Claws & Paws 98662 82772 All Creatures Animals Clinic 040-2773 0885 BIRDS Govt Veterinary Hospital 040-2331 9656, 2753 5755 Bird Watcher’s Society 040-2355 6166 Friends of Birds9391048315 SNAKES Friends of Snakes 8374233366
Mascots of their species
Lonesome George, the famed Galapagos tortoise that became a symbol of the islands and their unique ecosystem, is dead. Like it there are several other animals who became the face of their species. LONESOME GEORGE THE TORTOISE
CHEETAH
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CHIMP
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e was the side-kick or rather the star of the Tarzan movies, and definitely not an exaggeration if he stole the limelight on numerous occasions! Cheeta the Chimp was one of the most famous Hollywood animals in the 1930s era. According to the director of Tarzan, Cheeta was an outgoing chimp who loved finger painting and American Football, and loved to see people laugh. He was so smart that he could tell if the director was having a good day or a bad one! Having outlived both the actors who played Tarzan and Jane, Cheeta died in 2011 at the age of 80. There may be speculations on his age, however, he is, and will be adored by all Tarzan movie fans.
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he last of the sub-species of Galapagos tortoises, Lonesome George lived on the Pinta Island in Ecuador. Despite many attempts being made to multiply his species, Lonesome George just seemed interested in living an idyllic life on the island. Spotted in 1971 by Hungarian malacologist József Vágvölgyi, George soon became the symbol of conservation of rare species across the globe. His death in June 2012 is a testimony to how rare species become extinct due to ignorance or callousness in conservation. Lonesome George is more than just another rare species, he is a lesson that is never too late to learn.
UGGIE
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he four legged Oscar winner Uggie has a tale of his own to tell. This Jack Russell Terrier was abandoned by his last two owners till he was finally adopted by Omar Von Muller. He has starred in the silent movie The Artist and Water for Elephants. After his performances there have been many petitions put up to give the dog its due accreditation. Uggie has now put up his paws literally, as his trainer announced his retirement recently, after winning all that acclaim in the Oscars.
Other notable mentions are n n n
Paul the Octopus Heidi the cross-eyed possum Bubbles the chimp- MJ’s pet Compiled by Indira Atluri indira.a@postnoon.com
DOLLY
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THE SHEEP
he world’s first cloned sheep Dolly was born in 1996 at the Roslin Institute in Edinburg, Scotland. Interestingly she was named after the famous singer Dolly Parton! When asked if she had any objections to the name, she said, ‘There is no such thing as baa-ad publicity!’ Dolly (the sheep) went on to become the most famous sheep in the world. The victory of cloning was however to be short-lived when she was diagnosed with severe arthritis and lung disease. She was euthanised in 2003 at the age of six. She may have died young, but not without captivating the attention of scientists, researchers and animal lovers. But having ‘married’ David, a mountain Welsh ram, she produced twins Sally and Rosie and then to triplets Lucy, Darcy and Cotton.
THE DOG
LAIKA
THE DOG
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he was the first dog to orbit the earth in the year in 1957. Found as a stray, she was taken by the Soviet scientists and put to train with other dogs as they believed that a stray was more resilient to the harsh weather variations. She was ‘a good dog who never fought with others’, according to a Russian magazine. The good dog may not have survived for more than a few hours in orbit, but went on to become an iconic dog. Many years later, many dogs have attempted to grab the coveted ‘ambassadorship’, but Laika definitely set the milestone.
KEIKO
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THE ORCA
he killer whale in the movie Free Willy, Keiko starred in all the Free Willy movies. His name Keiko in Japanese means Lucky one. Captured in Ireland, Keiko was sold to the marine park industry after which began his stardom in as he starred in Free Willy movies. Many attempts were made to reintegrate Keiko with his killer whale species, but he always seemed to look for human companionship. He was released in 2002 into the ‘wilderness’ of the ocean, but he swam hundreds of kilometers looking for human companionship. He died in 2003, but not before becoming the brand ambassador for whale conservation initiatives across the globe. RIP Keiko.
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BOOKS SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012
SHORT READS Title: Not Taco Bell Material Author: Adam Carolla Publisher: Crown Archetype Adam Carolla's Not Taco Bell Material is a laugh-out-loud memoir about growing up poor and awkward in the San Fernando Valley. The series of stories each centers around a particular abode, and comes complete with each home's purchase price, square footage, and a summary statement of the home and his life at the time.
Title: Between the Lines Author: Jodi Picoult, Samantha van Leer Publisher: Simon Pulse A clever YA romance about the magical relationship between a loner and her fictional “Prince Charming.” Elements from Picoult’s other novels—alternating character viewpoints with distinguishing fonts, snappy chapter endings—are present, and the story is peppered with pop culture references as well as comic relief .
Title: Summerland Author: Elin Hilderbrand Publisher: Reagan Arthur Books Hilderbrand captivates with racy narrative, topical references, and characters who are both familiar and memorable' – People. He takes the chick-lit trope of reclaimed friendship and updates it with a timely twist. Hilderbrand throws in a handful of plot twists that bounce the story along like a funky old jeep.
Title: The Prisoner of Heaven Author: Carlos Ruiz Zafon Publisher: Harper New York Times bestselling author Carlos Ruiz Zafon takes us into a dark, gothic Barcelona and creates a rich, labyrinthine tale of love, literature, passion, and revenge in which the heroes of The Shadow of the Wind and The Angel’s Game must contend with a nemesis that threatens to destroy them.
Caring for the Caregiver
Syed Shoaib shoaib.s@postnoon.com
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or a woman to find a man worthy of her love is not easy; certainly not for a woman who has gone through marriage, hope, abuse, heartbreak and divorce. When she does, it is nothing short of a
Fleme Varkey fleme.v@postnoon.com
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n atlas of impossible longing happened just naturally for author Anuradha Roy. The novel grew out of an image of a large house half-submerged by a river. It was a haunting photograph of an actual house that had to be abandoned by her aunt’s family. The book starts in 1907 and goes right up to the 1950s. It traces in its pages the lives and travails of a family over three generations. Amulya is quite a reticent man. A visit to a small town of Sonagarh changes his perception completely. He feels a certain kinship to the ruins, the life and the atmosphere there and decides to set base there.
miracle. What starts as a cautious second coming, blooms into genuine love that stems from unabashed respect for a man who seems to have it all — good looks, athletic body and an intelligent mind. When he proposes marriage and then happen three bonny children, it all seems like a
dream come true... until she is rudely woken up by the harsh reality of life — death comes knocking. She knows that death stalks everywhere, but that it would descend on her lovely family catches her unaware. The only sin of the family was that it was an ideal family. How does one summon the
courage to inform a four-year-old that his father was going to die shortly? And for the parents themselves to do this is nothing short of a nightmare. It could shatter the bravest of the brave. While Jai Pausch records her life as a caregiver through Dream New Dreams, she moves the reader to wanting to do something useful in a situation of such helpless angst. Everyone who has known the sentiments that a terminally-ill person goes through, is inspired by this book to want to be of some help. Jai pushes herself to levels she never believed she was capable of in her will to ease the pains of her ailing husband. Her inspiration in this endeavour is none other than that husband, Randy Pausch, the man who is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and has been pronounced the death verdict. The fact that he deals with the upcoming eventuality objectively provides her with the strength required in such a situation. Circumstances sometimes are so overbearing that cracks develop in the hitherto perfect wife-husband relationship. Inadequacies in the otherwise advanced medical field are exposed; that of limited study and guidance to the caregiver, who is an integral cog in the wheel. Professional counselling is sought and that helps tide over these testing times.
The river that destroys But this change from Calcutta did not go down well with his wife Kananbala, a young bride forced to stay at home. Slowly madness sets in and Amulya tries desperately to figure out where his young wife had disappeared gradually. The other pivotal character in the novel is Mukunda, a boy abandoned by his parents. Amulya takes responsibility of the child and later on his son Nirmal does too. Growing up alongside Mukunda in the house is Bakul, Nirmal’s daughter,who uses photographs to enter the world of her dead mother. The story does not feel too ambitious to begin with. In the-
first half Roy brings to the fore issues of patriarchy, the ill-treatment of widows, the stigma against patients with a mental condition and life during the British Raj, but then a flood happens and changes the whole scope of the story. Roy’s characters are the
Name An atlas of impossible longing Author Anuradha Roy Pages 304 Publisher Hachette India
Name Beneath the Dark Ice Author Jai Pausch Pages 230 Publisher Hachette India The story moves back and forth in time, much like the mind of a person in absolute grief. Though warned, I couldn’t help myself from getting depressed. If we do not use the emotional turmoil bound to be raised on reading the book constructively, we are likely to stay melancholic for a long time to come.
highlight of this book. The women especially cry out for attention. Be it the mad Kananbala, the lost in time Mrs Barnaum, the oppressed Meera or the rebellious Bakul, each have a tale to tell. Roy also effortlessly weaves in the history of India, which she says is what also affects her characters. For example the riots during the partition, thecaste divide and the surveys done by the Archaeological survey of India etc. Though there is ambiguity in the relationshipsin the novel, Roy makes sure that it has optimistic ending. For by her ownadmission, her attempt was to show the possibility of friendships betweenunlikely people and the importance of relationships. For a debut Roy definitelydeserves a pat on her back.
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BOOKS SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012
Racing to the finish
MUST READS SIDDHARTHA, HERMAN HESSE
If there are only a handful of books you plan on reading this year then Gold should be right on top of that list despair and regret. Gold is a phenomenally written book, and any more insight into the plot would have to traverse a minefield of spoilers, too enriching to be set free. The book thrives on an undercurrent of desperation; a clawing sense that life is fleeting and if not grasped firmly it slips eel-like from your hands only to gasp its way to an end at your feet. But sailing over this very desperation is also a boat built from triumph with sails of love and spurred on by a wind of acceptance. The fact that each of the characters, bar Sophie, is living with horrific demons, makes them more tangible; more real; more You and I and less Them. If there are only a handful of books you plan on reading this year then Gold should be right on top of that list. As the back jacket states: “This book is only partly about the story, mostly it’s about how it makes you feel”.
Andrew Josef
feedback@postnoon.com
T
he beauty of a book is not in the words that lie emblazoned on its pages. Rather, true literary majesty is in the emotions those words inspire in a reader. Chris Cleave’s Gold is majesty incarnate. Set in the competitive world of sprint cycling, Cleave weaves his tale around three British riders: Husband and wife Jack and Kate, and their friend and racing companion Zoe. Theirs is the quest for the ultimate trophy…the disc of gold that bears the insignia of sport’s greatest meeting, the Olympics. But Gold is about much more than
a race for the zenith of sporting achievement, it is also about friendship, family, and the fine line that separates the supremely focussed from the terminally insane. Thrown into this mix of three ferociously competitive people is Sophie, daughter of Kate and Jack, and a girl who is struggling with her own, very personal, battle. Sophie delves into the Star Wars universe to get away from the mundane and the frightening that life so often throws at you. She hides behind a Jedi cowl and hitches rides on Tai fighters as she navigates her way through a cosmos that is as much a life-vest as it is an imaginary playground for her
unafflicted psyche. Then there’s Tom, the hexageneric coach who must juggle the roles of trainer, father, confidant, and above all, the rock around which the raging seas of egotism and ambition swirl in never-ending eddies of turmoil. Cleave carves each character out a bedrock so sublime that it borders on unreal. But don’t be fooled, this is very real indeed. As the three cyclists race towards qualification for the London 2012 Olympic Games, the reader is taken on a whirlwind journey around the world’s velodromes; sent spiralling down hospital corridors and then shot into a stratosphere thick with anguish,
Siddhartha is among the most powerful novels dealing with the spiritual search for meaning in one’s life. It deals with such a journey in the life of an Indian prince called Siddhartha during the time of the Buddha. Written in a simple, yet powerful and lyrical style, this story about the struggle between the soul and the flesh has resonated through the decades with each new generation. It remains one of the timeless masterpieces of 20th century literature.
THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE D OG IN THE N IGHT-T IME , M ARK HADDON Christopher John Francis Boone knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. He relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions. He cannot stand to be touched. At fifteen, Christopher’s carefully constructed world falls apart when he finds his neighbour’s dog, Wellington, impaled on a garden fork, and he is initially blamed for the killing. The most wrenching of emotional moments are chronicled by a boy who cannot fathom emotion.
FRANNY AND ZOOEY, J.D SALINGER
Title Gold Author: Chris Cleave Pages: 372 Publisher: Hachette India
This is a volume containing two interrelated stories by JD Salinger. Franny is a precocious adolescent who tries to attain spiritual purification by obsessively reiterating the "Jesus prayer" as an antidote to the perceived superficiality of life. She subsequently suffers a nervous breakdown. In the second story, her next older brother, Zooey, attempts to heal Franny by pointing out that her constant repetition of the "Jesus prayer" is as self-involved and egotistical as the egotism against which she rails.
WHAT’S SELLING Walden’s best in fiction
Walden’s best in non-fiction
New York Times’ best in fiction
New York Times’ best in non-fiction
n Ascend by Amanda Hocking
n Steve Jobs by Walter Issacson
n Calico Joe by John Grisham
n The Amateur by Edward Klein
n Revolution 2020 by Chetan Bhagat
n Reforms 2020 by Express Group
n Cowards by Glenn Beck and Kevin Balfe
n Secret Of The Nagas by Amish Tripati
n The 3rd Alternative by Stephen R Covey
n The Mission to Paris by Alan Furst n Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
n Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
n Time of my Life by Ceclia Ahern
n Great by Choice by Collins and Hansen
n Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
n Journey by Brandon Bays
n The Third Gate by Lincoln Child n Porch Lights by Dorothea Benton Frank
n Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand n It Worked for me by Colin Powell with Tony Koltz
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WOMEN SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012
WEBSITES OF THE WEEK Yoga workout planner: While expensive training sessions and yoga trainers don't suit everybody's schedule, an interesting app called Yoga Workout Planner can be of help.
Who Called: Who Called helps you find the caller by searching for the number. It’s reverse number lookup, also used by Whitepages online. You can identify telemarketers and other spammers.
iScopes: There’s a lot of choices here, including daily quickies, daily single’s love, daily couple’s love, daily teen, daily beauty scope, daily finance, daily momscope and even horoscopes for pets.
Chores women so love
A recent survey has revealed that women feel more relaxed and satisfied after spending a couple of hours blitzing their homes as they found the experience therapeutic
What should eve wear? All About Eve
INDIRA ATLURI
T SYED SHOAIB
shoaib.s@postnoon.com
I
grew up on a daily dose of the Dagwood Bumstead cartoon strip. The main theme of this cartoon is Dagwood’s love for food and his family, and Blondie’s for vacuuming; a beautiful woman, Blondie more often than not had a vacuum hose in her hands. I took it for granted that was a symbol used to depict women. Now I realise Chic Young who wrote those strips was much smarter and had an insight into the women’s psyche that has now been discovered by the Zoflora Disinfectant survey of 2,000 women. One out of three women has revealed that she attained great pleasure and a sense of achievement out of cleaning and dusting. They also said that cleaning was very relaxing, satisfying and therapeutic. It is a fact that women workers are tidier, organised both in their work output and their work-area maintenance. Files in women’s racks are more neatly stacked and the noting in the files neat and tidy. Perhaps the workplace becomes an extension of their home; importance given to cleaning their homes is replicated at their workplace. A boss prefers a woman for a secretary rather than a man because he knows that she would keep his desk and his appointments organised and uncluttered. Does this then make women some kind of species who ought to be classified as better perfor mers in areas of cleaning and dusting and therefore relegate them to such tasks even in an office? Many tasks actually need a lot of cleaning-up in a metaphorical sense that men are prone to overlook. That is why even if women are fewer in numbers in the higher rungs of managerial positions, they manage to achieve far more than their male colleagues. Their natural inclination towards
organisation and attention to meticulous detailing ensures that the end result is excellent. As a little boy I always had a secret sympathy for my mother, who was a career woman. I saw the juggling she did on the home front, along with her job, as an extra burden she had to carry that my dad was not expected to. I never heard her complain. As I grew up, I assumed that it was for the love of us children that she made the extra effort. I also saw an aunt always dusting and cleaning. Her house is so neat and clean that I am afraid of stepping in it or sitting on the welldusted furniture, though she is a very warm and welcoming host. Despite being prone to all kinds of body aches and pains she never ever gave up her obsessive cleaning of the house. Now wisdom has dawned on me and I realise that perhaps my
mother and aunt actually enjoy these gruelling chores. I still would take the findings with a pinch of salt, because all those surveyed are adults. A reality check should be made with little girls. Internalisation of societal norms, codes and rules begin quite early — some believe even
before birth. A girl observes her mother and a boy his father and both learn their respective behaviours. So that is why you see little girls playing house with small pots and pans, while the boy plays doctor, engineer or soldier who importantly struts about with a toy stethoscope, tools or a toy gun. Most little girls like to be princesses and fairies and I would bet you my last rupee that cleaning is not on their minds at all. It is only as they grow up that tasks assigned by society are absorbed in their consciousness and the clever way that nature seems to have, they imagine that they love all those dirty tasks that we, men, shirk. And women now make it out as if they are doing what they like and therefore we should allow them to do it. How very convenient for the manipulating Male!
he Chinese government’s recent diktat on women and appropriate dressing in subways is very amusing. We, the neighbours too have heard enough about how we ought to dress so as to not evoke the ‘naughty’ feelings in men, haven’t we? Well, it needn’t always take a semi-naked woman for the man to get excited I think. Let’s then dissect the various garments and prove how each one is actually ‘inappropriate’, contrary to popular belief. Denims – Reveals the shape of your legs and the curvature of you derriere. Distinctly shows the gait of the lady, which could be a potential provocation. How very suggestive is this clothing right dear men? Salwar Kameez – Heroines have danced in their salwars with their dupattas flying away in the strong gales of London, Paris or Switzerland. And enough men have seen them and recorded them in their memories to associate the salwar kameez to something provocative. Salwar kameez - ruled out! Sari – Our heroines have long debunked the myth that the sari is the symbol of sanctity of the soul….or whatever. And enough villains have already tried to ‘demystify and decode’ the sari by pulling it off the women — literally. How can it be worn in public then? Nahee nahee. Skirt – Ah! The bane of the corporate onslaught. With legs so completely revealed, what else could the ‘poor’ man do but to harass the ‘bad’ woman? And yes, not to forget — an equally adamant attitude that for many men is an ‘invitation for punishment.’ Burkha – Eyes they say are the window to the soul. And perhaps, a burkha-clad woman may not have revealed much of her body, but the eyes you see? The man definitely has a case to put forward – ‘she seduced me with her eyes’. Point taken. What then is appropriate to wear you may wonder. Well, I wonder too.
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SPOTLIGHT SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012
DEEPAK DESHPANDE
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WHAT A NIGHT!
It was night of fun and a lot of excitement at N Asian on Friday. As part of the Chivas Studio Spotlight, origami artist Sachin George Sebastian, DJ Whossane and percussionist Jonqui performed at the venue. Spotted at the event were Nagarjuna, Rahul Dev, Asmita Marwa, having a great time.
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1 Rashi 2 Asmita Marwa
6 Nagarjuna 7 Mansi & Abhishek
10 Irfan, Sunila & Shravan 11 Preetham Reddy
15 Reema 16 Shruthi
3 Rahul Dev 4 Mansi
8 Jonqui, DJ Whossane,
12 Ranjana 13 Priyanka
17 Rasika 18 Sahiel
Sachin
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RELATIONSHIPS SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012
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I AM ALL EARS
am 22. I stay here with my aunt. Of late one of my close friends has started avoiding me and then I later heard that she was telling others stories behind my back. She went and told them that I was a bad-charactered girl. I think it stemmed from the fact that I go pubbing a lot. Please help.
LOVE FOR FACEBOOK
Dear disturbed kid, What are you guys in kindergarten? This is not the age to bickering over who does what and where. I think your friend needs a good psychiatrist. And you need a little waking up to do, if you have friends such as these. Pubbing and going out with forneds does not mean anyone is bad-charactered. It just means you have a great taste and know how to enjoy life to the fullest. Either you take your friend along the next time you go or forget her.
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eople love social networks. That’s the obvious conclusion from Facebook’s 900 million active users and its current standing as one of the most visited sites on the web, second only to Google. New research from the University of Georgia finds what people may really “like” about social networking are themselves. According to the research, published by the journal Computers in Human Behaviour, the 526 million people who log on to Facebook every day may be boosting their self-esteem in the process.
ROOMMATES
FROM HELL
Dirty clothes piled on the floor, torn and filthy socks, papers strewn all over and a stinking room, if you thought these are the only things a roommate is capable of, well — think again
NEHA ALLURI
feedback@postnoon.com
“H
e was a normal kid in high school but something happened when we reached college. He was absolutely crazy about his girlfriend. He constantly said he had money and that he wanted to run away with her. There was this one time when he was almost about to kill himself at 4 am in the morning because he got into a fight with her,” says Harsha Phani, an undergraduate student. Harsha tried reasoning
with him but it was no good. Similar to Harsha, Rahul Sharma too has a tale to tell. His roommate was a narcissist, someone who needed constant attention. He was also a suspected kleptomaniac. “He always wanted importance. He just couldn’t bear it if we made fun of him in a friendly way. It bothered him so much that he disappeared for hours together,” Rahul said. Rahul tried to talking to him about it but it didn’t help. Unlike these situations, Rani had a different problem– her roommate was obsessed with her. “She was desperate to room with me from the very beginning. She does everything I do,” said Rani. “I have always been allergic to garlic so I avoid any
Movies to watch on roommates n n n n n
The Odd Couple Single White Female Threesome Three men and a baby Roommate
food with it. She always enjoyed everything but in college she suddenly claimed to be allergic to garlic too. She made such a big scene that her father had to visit her!” added Rani. Rani said that her roommate does not have a major psychological disorder, but she impersonates her in many ways. “We have been friends for too long, so I don’t have the heart to say anything to her,” said Rani, smiling.
Savita Menon, a psychologist at Apollo Hospital, feels that these problems should be carefully dealt with. “If your roommate has a major psychological issue, you should let his or her parents know. They probably did not notice it for a long time. But let him or her know before you inform the parents. If you don’t, he or she could have major trust issues. If it’s a minor problem, talk it out,” said Dr Menon. She also thinks that situations like these should be given a shot. “If nothing works, switching rooms is always an option,” she added. There will always be differences among people. And they are more apparent when you are living with someone. While some people can look beyond the differences, others can’t. Dealing
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Try to meet with the person before you move in together. Check if your schedules match. Make sure you have some similarities. Move in with a friend who you have known for a long time, if possible. Confront and talk about any problem that arises.
with them in the right way is important. Confronting your roommate and talking to them about any problem is a good way to share a healthy relationship.
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CINEMA SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012
T-TOWN TWEETIES @Actressanjjanaa
@tashu_02 As m completely sleep deprived n kinda cramped up too... thanx to excessive travelling, so gotto take rest now...
Determination finds its way. Done with my scene portion of Jagan nirdoshi, hav a character that lasts for 85mins in the film blessed.
@Actor_Siddharth KSY/Love Failure was shot in 35 days at a budget of 5cr. Sashi, Nirav and Balaji deserve the lions share in this amazing achievement :)
@LakshmiManchu Wishing one of the most coolest and professional actors we have a super duper success w #maximum. @sonusood18.
@PriyaWajAnand Happy Birthday @astrokiru She’s one of my fav ppl in the industry for being soo unassuming & simple! :)
@shrutihaasan 50 days of Gabbar Singh :) my sincerest thanks to the entire team Pawan Kalyan Garu @harish2you Ganesh Garu Vincent sir and dsp!!
@richyricha Never get sick of grilled salmon! :) yummmyyy. Haha #truebong #fishlover
@ramsayz Golden rule for staying Sane in any industry...”Be Aware... Don’t Compare...”— |2 #RAndoMthoughts
Not really the best
Rajamouli is a relieved man
All the Best is so sloppy and haphazard that it corrodes you inch by inch as the film unfolds
Hemanth Kumar
hemanth.k@postnoon.com
T
Ravi’s sister works at a Five Star Hotel where Abdul Razzaq (Pradeep Rawat) is staying. Chandu comes to know that Razzaq wants to buy a piece of land and he believes that it’s the best chance to make a lot of money. How Ravi and Chandu manage to con Razzaq forms the rest of the story. Srikanth does an earnest job in his role; however, JD goes overboard at times. Moreover, there’s a lot of confusion over his characterisation. His sister hates him because he’s a crook, although he doesn’t exhibit such traits while dealing with others. Lucky Sharma makes an good impression in her debut film but she doesn’t get her due despite the importance of her character in the fim. The biggest problem with the film is that the fizz doesn’t last long to sustain the audience’s interest till the end of the film. Even Brahmanandam and Krishna Bhagawan don’t have much to do. There are so many characters and subplots in the film that it’s tough to keep track of everything. It has its share of fine moments, but there’s no reason why this film deserves to be watched, unless you deliberately want to inflict the ordeal on yourself. Stay away from this film, but if you really want to watch it, then all one can do is wishing you — All The Best.
Movie: All the Best Cast: Srikanth, Kota Srinivasan Rao, JD Chakravarthy,Lucky Sharma, Brahmanandam, Anisha Singh Directed by: J D Chakravarthy Rating:
en minutes into the film, All The Best seems like a prank gone horribly wrong. The jokes fall apart, random scenes are exaggerated beyond your belief, forcing you to question the logic behind what’s happening on screen. It goes without saying that you are not expected to think while watching a potboiler, but All the Best is too sloppy and haphazard to deserve our attention. The film opens in a court room and we are told that Ravi’s father has been arrested for swindling `15 lakh from a bank. Ravi (Srikanth) is desperate to save his father and seeks the help of all his friends and acquaintances to raise the money to get his father out on bail. When everyone rejects his request, he bumps into Ambaji Rao (Rao Ramesh), who’s an expert at conning people. Ambaji promises to help Ravi but he informs him that he’ll be out of town for sometime. Ravi goes to a supermarket to con the cashier at the behest of Ambaji and when he’s almost caught Chandu (JD Chekravarthy) comes to his rescue. Soon, the duo goes on conning people in Rajahmundry and finally Chandu promises Ravi that he would help him raise `15 lakh. Lakshmi Prasanna (Lucky Sharma),
S
S Rajamouli is a relieved man now that the censor formalities of his upcoming film Eega have been completed. The film has been given a U/A certificate in both Telugu and Tamil. Recently, Rajamouli screened the first copy of the film for Suresh Babu and Prasad V Potluri, who are producing and distributing the film in AP and Tamil Nadu. “Suresh babu & PV(NAANE producer)saw the 1st copy last night.both of them hugged me & said they were proud 2 be a part of eega Felt so so so so happy. Of course the audience verdict is final.that goes without saying. That doesn’t mean I cannot rejoice when my producer congratulates me..:) (sic),” Rajamouli posted on Twitter couple of days ago. When RGV added more fuel to the fire by stating that he expects Eega to collect more than `100 crore in Telugu alone, Rajamouli replied saying that RGV was exaggerating; however, he thanked him for the support. The ace director has confirmed that the film’s Hindi version will be released in 3D later this year, depending on the response for the Telugu and Tamil versions. As the film is all set to take the box office by storm on July 6, Rajamouli and his team are leaving no stone unturned to promote the film. Nani, Samantha and Sudeep have played lead rolesin the film. MM Keeravani has composed the music and Senthil is the cinematographer.
Meera Chopra joins Love Story’s cast
M
eera Chopra is back in Telugu cinema after a long hiatus. She was last seen in Nithin starrer Maaro and post the debacle of the film, she took a long break from acting. The latest news is that she has been cast in an important role in Nagarjuna’s upcoming film Love Story. She recently joined the film’s shooting in Hyderabad. Dasarath is directing the film and Nayanthara is playing the lead role opposite Nagarjuna,who’s playing the role of an NRI. Thaman is composing the music. D Sivaprasad Reddy is producing the film.
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CINEMA SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012
B-TOWN TWEETIES @realpreityzinta
@sonamakapoor
@RahulBose1
@NeilNMukesh
It’s amazing how your body goes on Auto Pilot when you have a zillion things to do! I think I need a Quiet weekend... What about u?
Just saw the amazing spider man! Andrew Garfield you are one fine looking man!
Unbelievable the US Supreme court ruling 5-4 in favour of Obamacare. I thought Roberts would go with the nays. Super stuff.
Chronicle is one of the finest super power films I’ve seen. Its realistic approach is refreshing in a movie like this. :)
@iamsrk
@SrBachchan
@R_Khanna
@ActorMadhavan
Have a persistent headache. Tried fresh air... water... food... bubbly tablets... music... sleep. Will try getting out of bed feet first.
T 789 - Another day and then the final of the Euro: Spain v Italy... with so many upsets everyday it’s becoming difficult to predict result.
Upon whoever dinged my car door while I was parked at the gym, I wish the worst curse: A lifetime of low flow shower heads.
At a Dear friends home in San Fresco. What a lovely home... feels great to be amongst the dear ones.
Minimum effort & minimum results Maximum is a case of too much effort being wasted on a tale that has been done to death
Spidey’s back W
M
aximum is one of those stories that deal with the hunger for power. Two cops, good at their own games are working in the Mumbai Police Department. One is Pratap Pandit, played by Sonu Sood, a leading encounter specialist in the Mumbai police department. As goes with his job, he is very much a trigger happy person and goes around gunning down criminals. Neha Dhupia plays his dutiful wife who is bumped off in the course of the movie by rivals. Arun Inaamdar, played by Naseeruddin Shah, who was once Pandit's senior is now just his second fiddle in the department and loses no opportunity to remind Pandit of his seniority and the number of encounters he has done till date— 56.
Movie: Maximum Cast: Sonu Sood, Naseeruddin Shah, Amit Sadh, Neha Dhupia Directed by: Kabeer Kaushik Now, the film is basically about the battle between these two egotistical men, to see who comes out tops. Some might get reminded of the Nana Patekar’s Ab Tak Chappan, but then the similarity ends there. Maximum is definitely not as hard-hitting as that was. Kabeer Kaushik probably needs a little more research as he has forgotten the n number of
encounter specialist films Bollywood has of late churned out. So what’s new? We fail to see that. Kaushik might have taken references from real-life cops and incidents but he isn't able to productively put together the facts to come up with a riveting fictional account While Pandit is ambitious, Arun Inaamdar is shown as conniving and silent. Neha can be praised for the blink and miss role in a sari which she carries of much better than her bikini avatar. Vinay Pathak does a convincing job as a politician. And the item number, though a catchy number , the less said the better. What's more disappointing is that the film at times leaves you clueless as in what’s actually going on.
hen The Amazing Spider -Man was announced, it received mixed reactions among the movie-going audiences. Oh no, not again, how many times should we go back to the start, said some. But most others were overjoyed. After all, Spider-Man has become one of those classics, whose endings we already know but we love so much that it doesn't matter. We will loyally watch as many spin-offs as they are ready to make. But Marc Webb's Amazing Spider-Man wins over even the most cynical of its detractors.Unlike Saimi's sequel's that we've being seeing for the past years, Amazing Spider-Man is a new take on SpiderMan origins, with one most notable difference — Andrew Garfield replaces Tobey Macguire,and is stellar in his role as Peter Parker. The movie opens with Peter Parker's parents (Campbell Scott and Embeth Davidtz) who on the run, deposit their young son with his Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) and Aunt May (Sally Field). It follows the life of Peter Parker who is wading through high school, trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. But this is no invisible nerd but a skateboarder and
Movie: The Amazing Spider-Man Cast: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans Directed by: Marc Webb defender of the weak, even without the superpowers capable of luring the ladies, most notably Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone). But things change forever when, Peter finds some of his parent's notes which leads him to Dr.Curtis Connors (Rhys Ifans). Prowling in his lab, Peter gets the spider bite while Connors takes an experimental serum that turns him into the maniacal Lizard. New York is now their battleground and how Peter Parker will save the day makes for the crux of the story. Marc Webb (of 500 Days of Summer)seamlessly blends action and emotion to make a fast-paced and brilliant entertainer, keeping die-hard comic book fans in mind while keeping it meaningful. Visually, the film is stunning, even better than others in the series. Garfield, Stone and Ifans, all deliver commendable performances. As surprising as it might seem, The Amazing Spider-Man should definitely be on your mustwatch list.
CINEMA SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012
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CINEMA SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012
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THE SATURDAY QUIZ SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE most probable cause of cancer among the people? 10. What’s the drink that Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz introduced in 1987? 11. Lotus Software is a division of which company? 12. In the Subway restaurant chain, what’s a SubStore?
HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR TEMPLES
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Which Indian freedom fighter was popularly called ‘Mahamana’? A. Bal Gangadhar Tilak B. Jai Prakash Narain C. Madan Mohan Malaviya
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“If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you’ll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like…and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don’t feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth.”
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Which India born physicist invented the ‘Optical Fibre’ ? A. CV Raman B. Narinder Singh Kapany C. Homi J. Babha
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“It was a queer, sultry summer, the summer they electrocuted the Rosenbergs, and I didn’t know what I was doing in New York.”
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Which Australian state was once known as “Van Diemen’s Land” ? A. Victoria B. Queensland C.Tasmania
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“...light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul.”
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“In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since”
with Santosh Ghule Spot the overflowing pen... Answer for 21: Five and not four!
WHO AM I? Regarded as one of the most famous females of the 20th century, I was described by influential journalist Christopher Hitchens as hideous”...”corrupt”...”cynical” and “evil”
Answer: Mother Teresa
Answers: 1.Bahai 2. Puri Jagannath 3. Madurai Meenakshi 4. Dakshineswar
PICTURE PUZZLE 22
Answers
5
Which Indian state would you be in if you were watching birds at Ranganathittu Birds Sanctuary, situated on an island in the Kaveri river ? A Karnataka B Maharashtra C Tamil Nadu
6
FROM THESE FIRST LINES, CAN YOU IDENTIFY THE BOOK? “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”
Where was the first Indian Institute of Management (IIM) established in 1961 ? A. Kolkata B. Bengaluru C. Ahmedabad
The author of which of these epics also appears as a character in it? A Meghadootam B Mahabharata C Abhigyanshakuntalam
BIBLIOPHILE
1. Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy. 2.Catcher in the Rye, J.D Salinger 3. The Bell Jar, Slyvia Plath 4. Lolita, Vladamir Nabokov 5. The Great Gatsby, F.Scott Fitzgerald
TAKE YOUR PICK
observed every year? 7. Name the Italian tourist who was released by the Maoists in Orissa on April 12, 2012 ? 8. Asian Junior Wrestling Championship 2012 was organised in which of the following country? 9. According to the WHO’s recent report what is the
Answers
4. As per data released by Union Health Ministry the infant mortality rate is lowest in? 5. Who won the prestigious Ondaatje Prize 2012 for his book “The Sly Company of People Who Care” 6. When is the World Environment Day (WED)
1.Amrutanjan 2. Playbook 3. Excalibur. 4. Goa 5. Rahul Bhattacharya 6.June 5 7. Paolo Bosusco 8.Kazakhastan 9. Diesel Fumes 10. Red Bull 11. IBM 12. Subway merchandise centre
1. Which well-known group has acquired the maker of, among other things, mango drink Fruitnik? 2. What is Research in Motion’s tablet PC called? 3. The word for a clothing brand also stands for the legendary sword of King Arthur. Which word?
1. Madan Mohan Malaviya. 2. Kolkata 3.Narinder Singh Kapany 4. Tasmania 5. Karnataka 6. Mahabharata
Answers
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CHAI TIME SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012
THOUGHT OF THE DAY
SOLUTION ON PAGE 32
SUDOKU
KAKURO
How to Play Kakuro
SCRIBBLING PAD
Kakuro is a popular game similar to sudoku in some ways. But is also suitably different. The key question: “How do you play Kakuro?”, well here are the rules of kakuro. The answer: The kakuro grid, unlike in sudoku, can be of any size. It has rows and columns, and dark cells like in a crossword. And, just like in a crossword, some of the dark cells will contain numbers. Some cells will contain two numbers. However, in a crossword the numbers reference clues. In a kakuro, the numbers are all you get! They denote the total of the digits in the row or column referenced by the number. Within each collection of cells - called a run - any of the numbers 1 to 9 may be used but, like sudoku, each number may only be used once. Let’s have an example to explain this concept more clearly: In the image above, which shows a section of a kakuro puzzle, you will see the numbers ‘26’ and ‘14’ in the top row. Look at the 14. This means that the total of the three cells underneath must sum to 14. Therefore 9, 4, 1 could be the answer, or perhaps 7, 4, 3 and so on... So, how do you work out the actual combination? Well, this is done through elimination and cross-referencing. For instance, as you work out the answers for other kakuro clues, this will naturally limit the valid combinations, and hence the answer for this particular run. Note the second cell in row two - it contains two numbers, 30 and 11. The 30 refers to the vertical run underneath the number 30 and the 11 refers to the two cells to the right, horizontally, of the number 11.
Do not let a flattering woman coax and wheedle you and deceive you; she is after your barn. – Hesiod
QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Bit of elbow encouragement 5 Material at a yard sale? 11 1 or 11, in twentyone 14 “I changed my mind” on a computer 15 Fermi or Caruso 16 Bird’s horn? 17 Constantly 19 “Gimme a ___” 20 Chunk of lawn 21 Adopt, as a cause 23 Poe’s middle name 26 Tenth mo. 28 “Do not open ‘til ___” 29 Cosmetic 31 Bad looks 33 “Warm” or “cold” ending 34 “Survivor” genre 36 Show disagreement, in a way 41 Misses on the moors 42 ___ Grande 44 Forever and ever 47 Launder with chemicals 50 Animal’s resting place 51 ___ Moines, Iowa 52 Fine-twisted thread 53 Singer’s quivery effect 56 Demand payment 57 Be green around the gills 58 Handyman’s storage unit 64 X-ray dose unit 65 Hostile attack 66 A stone’s throw away from 67 Barnyard abode 68 Big name in private planes 69 “Spare me the ___ details” DOWN 1 “Aye!” sayer 2 Abbr. for Jesse Jackson 3 “To Autumn,” e.g. 4 ___ fin (shark feature) 5 Repel (with “off”) 6 So-so link? 7 Sis counterpart
8 Beam fastener 9 Boardwalk coolers 10 Business name abbr. 11 Take as a given 12 “Julius ___” (Shakespeare tragedy) 13 Glut 18 “... in ___-horse open sleigh” 22 Aster relative 23 Had a course 24 Bad outcome for the home team 25 Prefix meaning “stone” 26 Black-and-white treats 27 Poison pill contents 30 Bit of hair 31 “Badlands” star Spacek 32 Degree in mathematics? 35 More bad looks 37 Bank vault installation
59 “Alamos” or 38 Surname in cosmet“Angeles” preceder ics 60 A finished movie is in 39 “Iliad” warrior one 40 “Don’t touch that 61 “The one” played by ___!” Keanu 43 Number of even 62 “... silk purse out of a primes sow’s ___” 44 Knot-tying sites 63 “Give it a shot!” 45 Wild West Show prop PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER 46 Easy to handle 48 Collection of members 49 Fur, in a mukluk 51 Elevator entryways 54 Ending for “psych” 55 ___ Star State (Texas’ nickname) 56 “Anti-art” movement
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CHAI TIME SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012
Aries
Taurus
Gemini
Cancer
Leo
Virgo
The High Priestess
Queen of Wands
Ten of Cups
King of Swords
Four of Pentacles
Eight of Pentacles
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ork – Not everyone is going to be happy with your position in the office. There are some people who will want to take your place. Watch out! Romance – Alone together! This sums up what you need in a relationship. You like your own space and are willing to wait for someone who understands this. Health – You need to let go. By trying to control things too much you run the risk of making everyday simple tasks difficult for yourself. Money – Don’t hold back too much. If you really want to buy something, take the plunge but also ensure you can afford it. Tarot message – By being an over-the-top control freak, you make life boring for yourself and others, too.
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ork – Work-life balance has been hit in the last few months. You need to work actively toward regaining this balance. Romance – Family time! Go out on a short vacation to get quality time with each other. Reconnect. A nature trip will be good. Health – There are minor issues that can be treated efficiently if you do the right things like follow a diet and take the right medicines. Money – You are financially settled and feel that there is enough for all your needs. Don’t take too many risks. Tarot message – There are times when you feel inadequate and feel you can do more. Not a bad time to try the new.
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ork – Colleagues envy you your position and also ability to do stuff really well. Be on your guard and don’t get too close to anyone. Romance – You need to feel more and think less in relationships. You cannot have a route map for the way a romance should work. Health – If allopathy is not working for your ailment, go natural. This is a good time to try something completely different. But you need to have faith. Money – Finances are in control as long as you don’t make rash decisions. Do not lend or borrow money. This will ruin your plans. Tarot message – You are an intellectual genius and handling that can be quite a task for you.
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ork – A strong plan of action with specific timelines will take the stress out of a work project. You can feel more secure about working it. Romance – You come from a traditional viewpoint that you need to be financially sound before you suggest a romance or date. Health – Sleep hygiene needs attention. If you’re having trouble sleeping, don’t ignore it. Get help and do the right things. Money – Keep some money aside to do the things you like – like travelling, gardening, reading, etc. it will make your free time more worthwhile. Tarot message – Money is the foundation of all your thoughts and actions. Let it not lead all you actions.
W
W
ork – Use creative ways to make your work more fun. Use word association games to make interesting connections. Romance – There are times when you cannot believe that you and your partner have come this far. Keep working at it and don’t take it for granted ever. Health – Stay away from the heavy chemical stuff and take only that medication that makes you feel refreshed and confident about your health. Money – If money is your priority you may do well by trying your luck in creative jobs that require you to use your instinct more than logic. Tarot message – Go with the flow and try not to disrupt it by coming too much from the head. Let your heart lead you.
ork – Take up a course to further your career prospects. It will make you more confident about dealing with bigger responsibilities. Romance – You feel like a newcomer to the world of romance every time you fall in love or meet someone interesting. Health – Exercise needs attention. Are you doing the right exercises and the right way? Better to consult a fitness expert before you get on a programme. Money – All is well and you have saved for a rainy day. Now you have the freedom to do what you like and spend on things you enjoy. Tarot message – Work on the tomorrow. Plan for the unknown and make sure there’s space for things you like.
SUMAA TEKUR tarotreadhyd@gmail.com
Libra
Scorpio
The Fool
The Emperor
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ork – You’re in control and need more confidence to go ahead with your plans. Your biggest weakness – worry – needs to be tackled. Romance – You have the upper hand in the relationship but you soon realize that it means little in love. Health – Research on an illness before you give up and go through one treatment option. There may be other options available to you. Money – The temptation is to shop around a lot and do what’s needed to feel better about your own financial health. Let it not overtake your own desire for peace of mind. Tarot message – Being in control comes with huge responsibility – especially to know how to use that power.
ork – Don’t shy away from taking up any new assignments. It will open you up to new possibilities. You may even think of a career switch. Romance – It is important to keep the romance alive and do what’s needed to maintain a good relationship. Do your bit. Health – Natural medicines may be the key to achieving a more holistic approach to balance of mind and body. Don’t get anxious about anything. Money – New investments may work well for you and you need to shop around for real estate deals before you decide what you can and cannot afford. Tarot message – There’s no point waiting for tomorrow to live a little. You can do just as well by doing what you love, today.
W
Date 1-7-2012
Sagittarius
Capricorn
The Hanged Man
Knight of Wands
Queen of Pentacles
W
ork – You look at everything from the point of view of monetary benefit and this is not necessarily a good thing. Be careful about your choices. Romance – A little distance does a world of good to married couples. You get the time and space to reprioritize and understand your own needs better. Health – You need to listen to your body. Stop eating when your body says enough and start exercising when it feels lethargic. Money – Finances are looking up. You have been feeling a little low lately and need to take stock of what you have and how much you lost. Tarot message – All is well, or not, depending on which side of the coin you look at.
W
ork – You are unaware of some things that people talk about you at the work place. This is not a nice place to be in. Tune in to the office gossip a little. Romance – You desire a spiritual connection with your better half but remember that any one person cannot fulfill all our needs at the same time. Health – Diet needs attention. You may come across a natural ingredient which you can use in cooking for better digestion. Money – You are financially stable and this is the good part. The part where you need to be cautious is to know that money will eventually run out. Tarot message – Awareness is the key to growing and getting a better understanding of the world around you.
ork – There are times when you have doubts about your own abilities. These doubts, in fact, work in your favour and give you the energy to do extraordinarily well. Romance – You are in a wonderful place and have found a person who understands you really well. Enjoy this time while it lasts. Health – Sleep is key to determining how you feel throughout the day. You need to cultivate better sleep hygiene. Do what’s needed to achieve this. Money – All is well on the money front. A few unexpected expenses may have hurt your pocket but it certainly doesn’t go waste. Tarot message – This time of smooth sailing is perfect to ruminate on life and love.
Aquarius
W
Pisces Four of Swords
W
ork – There are times when you don’t want to take up anything new and all will go well just by knowing that nothing much has changed. Romance – You seek stability in romance and don’t want the ups and downs of a volatile relationship. Health – By controlling your diet you do yourself a favour and get rid of all the health problems that may have come up. Continue to control what you eat. Money – Finances are in great shape. You have the confidence to take risks in new investments. All will go well. Tarot message – Have faith in yourself and your thoughts. It is alright to not want to change. But recognize the time when it’s important that you do.
Vol: 1, No 349 RNI No: APENG/2011/39337 Published for the proprietors, Scribble Media and Entertainment Pvt Ltd, by V Harshavardhan Reddy, at #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad–500033 and printed by him at Jagati Publications Ltd, Plot No D-75&E-52, APIE Industrial Estate, Balanagar, Ranga Reddy Dist, Hyderabad–500037, Editor: Dean Williams – Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. For feedback, please write to: feedback@postnoon.com and for subscription, please call 040-40672222, Fax: 040-40672211
2012 LONDON OLYMPICS
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SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012
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DAYS TO GO
DID YOU KNOW...? n The word gymnastics comes from the Greek adjective gymnos, meaning naked: early gymnasts used to perform without any clothes. n A total of 324 gymnasts will compete in the three disciplines in the Olympic sport of Gymnastics – Artistic, Rhythmic and Trampoline.
LEGENDS OF THE SPORT Karen Cockburn (born October 2, 1980) has won a medal at every Olympic Trampoline competition since its introduction in 2000. She began athletic pursuits as a diver and used the trampoline as training for her dives. When the event made its Olympic debut in Sydney in 2000, Cockburn was not considered a medal favourite but performed well and earned an unexpected bronze medal.
Alexander Moskalenko (born November 4, 1969) won the first gold medal in men’s Trampoline when the Gymnastics discipline was added to the Olympic programme in 2000 — despite having retired four years earlier. When the decision to feature Trampoline at the Games was made in 1997, Moskalenko came out of retirement following an already-glittering career.
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THE BIG BOUNCE
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TALLY 2008
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CHINA CANADA
2 0 UZBEKISTAN 1
0 2 0
1 0 0
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MEDAL EVENTS
44
August 3 Men’s Trampoline August 4 Women’s Trampoline
43 42
TRIVIA
41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31
The Trampoline The frame of a competitive trampoline is made of steel and can be made to fold up for transportation to competition venues. The trampoline bed is rectangular 4.28 by 2.4 metres (14 ft 0.5 in × 7 ft 10 in) in size fitted into the 5.2 by 3.05 metres (17 × 10 ft) frame with around 110 steel springs. The bed is made of a strong fabric, although this is not itself elastic; the elasticity is provided only by the springs. The fabric can be woven from webbing, which is the most commonly used material. However, in the 2007 World Championships held in Quebec City, a Ross (or “Two-String”) bed, woven from individual thin strings, was used. This type of bed gives a little extra height to the rebound.
TRAMPOLINE: The Trampoline competition at the 2012 Games, the newest of the three Gymnastics disciplines on the Olym-pic programme. Devised in the 1930s at the University of Iowa, the first modern trampoline was initially used as a training tool for tumblers, astronauts and athletes. However, it grew in popularity to such an extent that in 1964 the first ever Trampoline World Championships were held. Since its Olympic debut in 2000, the sport has consiste-ntly featured awe-inspiring displays of acrobatic excellence.
Field of play There are two trampolines next to each other, 2m apart
THE LINGO
are less than 6mm thick, and is attached to the frame
Barani a front somersault with a half-twist Fliffus a double somersault with at least a half-twist Triffus a triple somersault with at least a half-twist Rudolph a front somersault with 1½ twists, sometimes known as a ‘Rudy’
Trampoline at Games
and both just 10m away from the judging panel. Each trampoline is 5.05m long, 2.91m wide and 1.155m high. The bed has strips that
Trampoline Gymnastics is a relative newcomer on the Olympic programme; it made its debut at the Sydney 2000 Games.
The basics Gymnasts perform a series of 10 skill routines, with a variety of single, double and triple somersaults with and without twists. Precise technique and perfect body control are vital for success, with judges delivering marks for difficulty, execution and time of flight, minus penalties
Competition format Each competition for men and women features two
phases: the qualification round and the final round. Athletes perform two voluntary routines in the qualification round: in the qualification round, the first routine (with two skills counting for difficulty) focuses on simplicity and excellent execution, while the second exercise has no difficulty limitations. The eight athletes with the best scores advance to the final for one more voluntary routine of 10 different skills, which determines the results of the competition
Officials Eleven judges watch the routine and award scores for difficulty, execution and time of flight. Marks are taken off for infringements and errors.
HISTORY OF TRAMPOLINE
A
game similar to trampolining was developed by the Inuit, who would toss each other into the air on a walrus skin. There is also some evidence of people in Europe having been tossed into the air by a number of people holding a
blanket; Mak in the Wakefield Second Shepherds’ Play and Sancho Panza in Don Quixote are both subjected to blanketing – however, these are clearly non-voluntary, non-recreational instances of quasijudicial, mob-administered punishment. The trampo-
line-like life nets once used by firemen to catch people jumping out of burning buildings were invented in 1887. The 19th-century poster for Pablo Fanque’s Circus Royal references performance on trampoline, though the device is
thought to have been more like a springboard than the fabric-and-coiledsprings apparatus presently in use. These may not be the true antecedents of the modern sport of trampolining, but indicate that the concept of bouncing off a fabric surface.
SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012
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DAYS TO GO
ROSS INCHES TO LONDON EUGENE, OREGON: S a n y a Richards-Ross (pictured right) moved closer to a London Olympics 200-400 double while injured sprinter Walter Dix lost a chance for a sprint medal repeat at the US Olympic Track and Field Trials on Friday. Richards-Ross ran this year’s world second-best time of 22.15 to lead eight finalists into a women’s 200m showdown that also features 2004 and 2008 Olympic runner-up Allyson Felix, world 100 champion Carmelita Jeter and Jeneba Tarmoh. “This is going to be the hardest sprint spot to make,” Richards-Ross said. “You can run a great race tomorrow and come anywhere from first to sixth. It will take 22 flat, maybe even 21 to win it.” Jamaican-born RichardsRoss, who became a US citizen in 2002, ran the year’s best time of 22.09 three weeks ago in a Diamond League triumph in New York and qualified last Sunday for London by winning the trials 400 in 49.28 seconds. “My body felt good,” Richards-Ross said of her semi-final sprint. “I wanted to win so I got a good lane for the final. I’m happy I did that. I was really pleased to see that time. I hope I run faster tomorrow.” Felix and Tarmoh, training partners coached by Bob Kersee, won their heats in
Ryan Lochte outswims Phelps in 200m medley
2 3
Rebecca Bryan
O M A H NEBRASKA:
identical times of 22.30 six days after finishing in a stillunresolved dead heat for third place, and the final London berth, in the 100. With a coin flip or runoff due by Sunday unless one declines the spot, the issue will not be settled until after Saturday’s 200 final. It has kept them silent to reporters, Felix uttering only “feeling good” about her semi effort. Jeter and Tianna Madison, trying to set up a London 100-200 double of their own, joined Tarmoh in making no comments Friday. Dix, third in the 100 and 200 meters at the 2008 Olympics and second in both events at last year’s world championships,
My body felt good. I wanted to win so I got a good lane for the final. I’m happy I did that. I was really pleased to see that time. Sanya Richards-Ross, athlete scratched from his 200 qualifying heat after suffering a left leg injury in the 100m semi-finals. With his left leg bandaged, Dix was eighth in last Sunday’s 100 final. His pull-
out in the 200, where he ranked fifth in the world this year, means he will miss both sprints at London, but he could be selected for a relay spot. Also out of the 200 is Justin Gatlin, the 2004 Olympic 100m champion who won the event at the US trials last Sunday. Gatlin scratched from the event after securing his London berth in the 100. Wallace Spearmon, who was disqualified from a bronze medal spot at the 2008 Olympics for a late-race lane violation, had the fastest qualifying time in the 200 at 20.17 seconds. “It was a good run,” Spearmon said. “We weren’t supposed to run that great but it is the first round.”
Yohan Blake serves notice to Bolt KINGSTON, JAMAICA: Yohan Blake (left)served notice he will be ready to challenge for the Olympic 100m title by upstaging world record holder Usain Bolt to win in 9.75 seconds at the Jamaican Olympic Athletic Trials on Friday. “Coach [Glen] Mills told me I can do it and I believed,” said an elated Blake. “The Olympics is the focus right now.” Blake became the fourth-fastest man ever in the event as he ran a per-
sonal best and the fastest time in the world this year with a legal wind of +1.1 m/sec. Bolt was second in 9.86 seconds after a poor start and Asafa Powell was third in 9.88 seconds. “He’s a class runner without a doubt and I have said it over the years that he is one of the best. So for me it’s just one of those things,” Bolt said. Bolt said he was distracted in the blocks and it affected his start. “In the finals Nesta [Carter] moved beside me and when the gun went I was not focussed,” Bolt said.
A
1
,
Ryan Lochte came out on top in another semi-final tussle with Michael Phelps Friday at the US Olympic swimming trials as he set himself up for a tilt at a 200m backstroke-medley double. Lochte settled for bronze in the 200m medley at the Beijing Olympics behind Phelps and Hungary’s Laszlo Cseh, but has since claimed the world record and beat Phelps at last year’s world championships in China. He signalled his intentions for the final with a victory over Phelps in the first semi-final in 1min 55.51sec — the fastest time in the world this year. Phelps was second, and secondfastest overall into the final, in 1:56.66. The clash was part of a busy night for Lochte, who led the way into the final of the 200m backstroke in 1:55.73. “I knew he kind of took off, so I was like I probably should save something for tomorrow,” Phelps said.
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Europe lays claims four basketball spots ANKARA:
Turkey, France, the Czech Republic and Croatia booked their berths in the women’s basketball competition at the London Olympics by winning their quarter-final matches here on Friday. The four losers — Argentina, South Korea, Japan and Canada — will compete for the fifth and final qualfying spot this weekend. The four European teams join already qualified Britain, Russia, Australia, Brazil, China and US.
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SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012
BEAUTY
&
Italy add to football’s rich glossary
THE BEST Spanish stay loyal to tiki-taka
Italy’s return to the top ranks by reaching the final of Euro 2012 has added a few more words to the world’s considerable footballing lexicon. ‘Calcioscommesse’; Italy’s tournament started under a cloud, with betting (scommesse) scandal in football (calcio) once more sullying the country’s reputation. Domenico Criscito had to drop out after his room was searched.
Spain have done admirably to please most of the people most of the time since their upbeat, possession-dominated tiki-taka style came into vogue on the way to their Euro 2008. La Roja reaped further plaudits when they lifted the World Cup and now they stand on the verge of the unprecedented against Italy on Sunday in Kiev — a third straight big success.
Iniesta is a good fighter
UEFA says Euro is big hit
Tom Williams
KIEV: Amid all the surprising criticism that they have attracted during Euro 2012, finalists Spain can at least reflect happily on the universal admiration shown for Andres Iniesta. In a team of compulsive passers, Iniesta is the one player who can be relied upon to provide the dribble or the sudden forward dash that can tear opposition defences asunder. A shimmying, shimmering presence in the group phase, the Barcelona midfielder has been slightly less influential during the knockout rounds, but he remains Spain’s most consistent attacking midfielder. In the quarter-final against France, it was his carefully delayed pass to Jordi Alba in the 19th minute that allowed Xabi Alonso put Spain ahead.
30
Phil Hazlewood
WARSAW: Euro 2012
Cassano to give his all in final
Barnaby Chesterman
KIEV: His coach may not believe he has even an hour in his legs but however long he plays, Antonio Cassano could easily make the difference between Italy returning from Ukraine as heroes or nearly men on Monday. Back in October of last year the AC Milan forward’s very participation in the Euros was cast into doubt as he was found to have a heart defect. Coming back from a game in Rome he suffered an ischemic stroke that required surgery to repair a hole in his heart. Thereafter he faced a long and uncertain wait on the side-
Prandelli hints at Italy departure WARSAW: Italy coach Cesare Prandelli hinted on Friday he may not look to stay at the helm after Sunday’s Euro 2012 final against holders Spain, saying he had found the job gruelling against a backdrop of match-fixing allegations in his homeland. “These past two months have been difficult — aside from my excellent rapport with the team and the Federation. These two months have weighed heavily on me,” Prandelli told a news conference.
lines to recover before doctors would give him the all-clear to return to the field. It was a tragic blow for a player who had long struggled with a ballooning waistline, fitness issues, temperament problems and the lack of faith from national team coaches. Marcello Lippi had overlooked him entirely for the 2010 World Cup campaign, while the 29-year-old has rarely enjoyed long stints as a first team regular since making his debut in 2003. But two years ago, with Cassano showing great form for Sampdoria and a new coach in Cesare Prandelli leading the national team, suddenly the troubled but talented striker found himself an integral part of the Italy set-up.
reaches its climax on Sunday, when holders Spain take on Italy in the final. But as the tournament draws to a close, success is not just being measured in terms of who is crowned champion. The sport’s governing body in Europe, UEFA, is also assessing how the three-week competition has been seen both within and beyond the continent’s borders. Television viewing figures have surpassed expectations, after what the organisation said were “exceptional” audiences in Europe and increases in “non-traditional” markets such as the United States and Asia. The match between England and Italy is set to become the most-watched quarter-final in the tournament’s 52-year history and had a record 20.3 million viewers in Britain and 21.8 million in Italy. The British figures were more than for Prince William’s wedding to Kate Middleton last year or Queen Elizabeth II’s jubilee concert earlier this month. Over 18 million in Spain watched the semifinal against Portugal.
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WIMBLEDON 2012 SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012
Federer fights back, Sharapova marches on
The six-time men’s champion survived a huge scare, while Djokovic recovered from being a set down to beat Radek Stepanek Dave James
LONDON: Roger Federer kept his dreams of equalling Pete Sampras’s record of seven Wimbledon titles narrowly alive on Friday as top seeds Novak Djokovic and Maria Sharapova also reached the last 16. Six-time champion Federer survived a huge scare, coming within just two points of crashing to his worst Wimbledon defeat in 10 years before battling from two sets down to beat French 29th seed Julien Benneteau. Federer clinched an eighth career fightback from two sets in arrears to win 4-6, 6-7 (3/7), 6-2, 76 (8/6), 6-1 and will face unseeded Belgian Xavier Malisse for a
place in the quarter-finals. The Swiss star, who won the last of his record 16 Grand Slam titles at the 2010 Australian Open, was staring at his earliest defeat at the All England Club since a shock first round exit to Mario Ancic in 2002. Defending champion Djokovic avoided another Czech Republic Centre Court ambush with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 win over
veteran Radek Stepanek. French 18th seed Richard Gasquet, a semi-finalist in 2007, beat 12th seed Nicolas Almagro 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 to claim a first win over the Spaniard in four meetings. He will tackle German 31st seed Florian Mayer who edged Polish qualifier Jerzy Janowicz 7-6 (7/5), 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 7-5. Xavier Malisse of Belgium,
who reached the last four in 2002, defeated Spanish 17th seed Fernando Verdasco 1-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 to set up a date with Federer. Denis Istomin became the first Uzbek to make the last 16 when he defeated Alejandro Falla of Colombia 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5). He will face Russian 26th seed Mikhail Youzhny who saw
Federer fears roof makes Wimbledon a lottery
R
oger Federer believes the £80 million roof on Wimbledon’s famed Centre Court has made a lottery out of the pursuit of the championship title. Federer’s struggle against France’s Julien Benneteau was played out under the roof, as was the final set of Rafael Nadal’s historic loss to Czech world number 100 Lukas Rosol in the second round 24 hours earlier. Earlier on Friday even defending champion and top seed Novak Djokovic struggled in the hothouse conditions, dropping the first set to veteran Czech Radek Stepanek before reaching the last 16 in four sets.
Clijsters warns ‘arrogant’ Rosol LONDON: Former world number one Kim Clijsters warned Wimbledon giantkiller Lukas Rosol to keep his feet on the ground after claiming the Czech was “a little bit arrogant” during his shock win over Rafael Nadal. Like the rest of the tennis world, Clijsters was stunned to see world number 100 Rosol beat two-time Wimbledon champion Nadal on Thursday. She felt Rosol had showed signs of arrogance during the epic Centre Court tussle and she is fascinated to discover if the 26-year-old journeyman lets the victory go to his head. Rosol faces German 27th
seed Philipp Kohlschreiber in the last 16 and four-time grand slam champion Clijsters will be watching to see if he can stay grounded. “I’m curious to see how he’s going to play because to me he looked a little bit arrogant out there, so I wonder how he’ll react in his next match, if he can stay grounded, keep his feet on the ground, and try to keep that result going,” Clijsters said after her third round win over Vera Zvonareva on Friday. “You can beat Nadal, but if you lose the next round then nobody cares too much. I’m going to watch him on Satur-
day to see how he will play.” Clijsters is big fan of Nadal and had hoped the Spaniard would mount a comeback in the final set, but she admits even the 11-time grand slam champion had no chance in the face of an inspired display from Rosol. “I just wanted Nadal to win and come back. I think he did everything right to try to stay in the match, especially in the fifth set. But the guy played incredible,” she added. “It’s adrenaline. Somebody said during the commentary that it was his first time playing at Wimbledon? It was unbeAFP lievable.”
off Serb eighth seed Janko Tipsarevic 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. Women’s top seed Sharapova cruised to a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Taiwain’s Hsieh Su-Wei as the world number one set up a Wimbledon rematch with Sabine Lisicki. Sharapova breezed past world number 63 Hsieh despite some serious issues with her serve in the windy conditions on Court One. The French Open champion’s reward for a typically gritty display is a last 16 meeting with German 15th seed Lisicki in a repeat of last year’s Wimbledon semi-final clash which the Russian won in straight sets. “Playing Lisicki will be a tough one,” said the Russian.
Results — 3rd round Men Roger Federer (SUI x3) bt Julien Benneteau (FRA) 4-6, 6-7 (3/7), 62, 7-6 (8/6), 6-1 Novak Djokovic (SRB x1) bt Radek Stepanek (CZEx28) 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 Richard Gasquet (FRA x18) bt Nicolas Almagro (ESP x12) 6-3, 6-4, 6-4
Women Maria Sharapova (RUS x1) bt Hsieh Su-Wei (TPE) 6-1, 6-4 Kim Clijsters (BEL) bt Vera Zvonareva (RUS x12) 6-3, 4-3 — retired Angelique Kerber (GER x8) bt Christina McHale (USA x28) 6-2, 6-3 Agnieszka Radwanska (POL x3) bt Heather Watson (GBR) 6-0, 6-2.
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SPORTS SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012
Mahan hits purple patch BETHESDA, MARYLAND:
par-four 18th. “When the conditions and the weather come into play, it’s a whole other factor,” Mahan said. “I’ve got to stay mentally tough. Once your mind goes, the body is going to go with it. It’s very important to be mentally strong. “We’ve got two more days of this, so it’s going to be important to take care of yourself every night and every day when you’re out on the golf course, or it’s going to cost you shots.” Brendon de Jonge and Jimmy Walker are tied for second place at five-under after both shot two-under 69s. They were joined by Robert Garrigus, who posted a fourunder 67. Former major winner Stewart Cink shot a threeunder 68 to move to four-underpar 138. He shares fifth place with Fiji’s Vijay Singh (70), Australia’s Rod Pampling (67), American Pat Perez (69) and
Hunter Mahan birdied five holes on the front nine to shoot a six-under 65 and take a twoshot lead after two rounds of the PGA Tour’s $6.5 million AT&T National tournament on Friday. With temperatures hovering around 103 degrees Fahrenheit (40 Celsius) at the Congressional course, Mahan had the hot stick. The American finished 36 holes at seven-under-par 135 after shooting an opening round 70. The 2009 runner-up won twice earlier this year, giving him a total of five career USPGA Tour victories. He is also fresh off a closing-round 61 at the Travelers Championship. He birdied two of his final three holes to record the best round of the day. Mahan kept it going on the back nine with six-straight pars before a birdie on the par-five 16th followed by another on the
Now, a London GP prospects of hosting a street circuit Formula One Grand Prix around the capital’s most iconic landmarks were given a temporary boost this week when Spanish bank Santander unveiled a video of its plans. To much fanfare in the British capital, and with the support of two leading British drivers whose
Scrabble
SOLUTIONS
Boggle
Support of Britons Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button of McLaren was as predictable as the over-hyped presentation and left few seasoned observers, many of whom have been cynical for years, with much doubt. The logistical challenge and level of disruption is both long-term and costly, not to mention likely to lead to many parts of London being closed to traffic for several weeks.
RUGBY BOXING SOCCER TENNIS
Suduko
LONDON: London’s
team just happens to be sponsored by the Spanish banking giant, the story was given a widespread airing. But behind the hype and the gloss, there was little of substance to support the long-held view that a London Grand Prix is anything more than a dream - a fantasy that would need political support and great financial backing to become established and permanent.
Number game
Tim Collings
South Korea’s Noh Seung-yul (68). First-round leader Bo Van Pelt dropped into a tie for 11th at two-under-par 140 after a two-over 73. Tiger Woods moved up the leaderboard with a three-under 68 to join Van Pelt and two others at minus-two. Woods, who had an eagle, bogey and two birdies, said he didn’t mind the heat. “I live in Florida where it is not quite this hot but it is definitely more humid every day. I played in other places like Malaysia where it is definitely more hot,” said Woods, whose mother is from Thailand. Woods faced similar conditions when he blitzed the field at the Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa to win the 2007 PGA Championship. “It’s one of the reasons why I had success at Southern Hills, because I felt physically fit, didn’t have a problem with it (heat),” Woods said.
Charges weaken Armstrong COLORADO SPRINGS: The US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) announced on Friday it has filed formal doping charges against Lance Armstrong that, if proven, would strip him of his seven Tour de France titles. A review panel evaluated evidence gathered by USADA and a reply from Armstrong before unanimously voting to turn the allegations revealed on June 13 into formal charges. The next step in the process will be a hearing before an arbitration panel. Their verdict could be appealed and the matter could be pushed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for a final resolution. USADA claims it has witnesses to the fact that Armstrong and five former cycling team associates engaged in a doping conspiracy from AFP 1998-2011.