A BYTE OF LIFE Friday, July 11, 2008

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Vol. 2 No. 135

Meditation » PAGE 04

IN MOTION
V.Haripriya beats her morning blues to
catch up with a Tai Chi class in progress
02 ERGO Friday, July 11, 2008

Friday Fusion

Namma Chennai
This week’s Friday Fusion at Cafe Vanilla will feature
students from M.O.P. Vaishnav College for Women
performing fusion and classical ghazals. Be there from
6.30 to 8 p.m. at 8/57, 1st Street, Luz Avenue, Mylapore.
Ph: 4553 4145/46

Viva la France !
Car stereo thief
nabbed
K.K. Nagar police on
Wednesday night arrested a
25-year-old man allegedly involved in a
series of car stereo thefts in Chennai over
the last six months. Alliance Francaise is organising programmes
The arrested was identified as Muthu alias
Ranganathan, a native Manamadhurai. to celebrate French National Day
Following a complaint by Prakash of Ashok
Nagar regarding missing audio equipment ERGO CORRESPONDENT
from his parked car, police investigated and feedback@goergo.in
lifted fingerprints from the LCD screen

inside the complainant’s car, which the
culprit had failed to dislodge.
After confirming that the prints belonged
to Muthu, a known defaulter, a team
rushed to Manamadhurai and apprehended
him. Eighteen car stereos, estimated to be
worth Rs 3 lakh, were recovered.
Muthu was arrested for similar offences in
2003 and released from prison only in the
end of 2007.
House broken into, cash
and 20 sovereigns of gold
T
o celebrate French National
Day on July 14, the Alliance
Francaise is organising a
number of workshops and
programmes.
French chef, Mickaël Besse, who
owns the restaurant Ecstasy at
Sathyam Theatre, will be organis-
ing a workshop on chocolate des-
serts. Besse has been a chef for
more than 12 years in restaurants
all over the world: France, Lux-
embourg, Germany, Lebanon, Ja-
pan and Russia amongst others.

missing Dessert-making workshop

Burglars, on Wednesday afternoon, broke
into a house in Indira Nagar, Adyar, and
decamped with gold jewellery and cash.
According to Adyar police, the house of
Sridharan (49), an employee of IIT-Madras,
on 2nd Avenue, Indira Nagar, was broken
into after he and his wife, a teacher, were
off to work on Wednesday morning. On his
return, Sridharan found his front door
broken and 20 sovereigns of gold jewellery
and Rs 5,000 in cash missing from an
almirah inside, police added.
Adyar police are probing.
When: 3 pm – 5 pm, July 14
Where: Alliance Francaise
auditorium
Contact: Register at reception at
28279803/ 28271477
Also in store is a folk dance of
Brittany by students of AMM
School, Kotturpuram, which will
be conducted by Lucie Morreau,
a French tutor at Anna Universi-
ty. Four types of dances will be
showcased from this region: Ga-
votte, Scottish, rond Saint-Vin-
cent and Cercle Circassien. Each
dance is accompanied by record-
ed traditional bagpiper music.
In addition, the 25 students per-
forming this dance will also ex-
plain all the steps to the
audience, perform the dances
and invite the spectators to come
and learn on the stage.

Folk dance
When: 6 pm – 7 pm, July 14
Where: Alliance Francaise
auditorium
Contact: 28279803/ 28271477

The last programme for the day
will be a fashion show by one of
the renowned designers of
France. Following the success of
‘Dude’, fashion designer Chris-
tian Fabre will be unveiling his
latest range of attire, ‘Christian
Fabre’.
Fashion show
When: 7.30 pm, July 14
Where: Alliance Francaise
auditorium
Contact: 28279803/ 28271477
On a separate note, Brigitte Rev-
elli is conducting a puppetry
workshop from July 7 to 11 with
25 children at AMM School, Kot-
turpuram, Chennai.
Playing with light and darkness, it
stands half-way between cinema
and drama. Among all the various
forms of puppetry theatre, sha-
dow theatre has a particular posi-
tion, a very specific and
mysterious charm.
The making of puppets and the
animation involved produces an
unexpected range of activities
that always captures the interest
of young and old alike. One will
discover drawing, creative craft to
discover mechanisms and vari-
ous materials, special effects, in-
dividual play with one’s own
puppets, partnering and group-
ing for story telling, revelation
through shadows.
The workshop will give an over-
view of all aspects of the art form:
making of the puppets, control
and manipulation through games
and short story telling.
Shadow theatre
When: 6.30 pm, July 12
Where: Alliance Francaise
auditorium
Contact: 28279803/ 28271477
 Friday, July 11, 2008
03
Some Solace!
Watch the Korean film Solace today
at 6.15 p.m. at South Indian Film
Chamber Theatre, Anna Salai.
For details, call 98401 51956

Fitness focus Deepan Ramachandran tops the

“fitness via the lens” contest
organised by FitnessOne

(From left) Vivekanand, Venkat Ram, Deepan Ramachandran, Craig and Pooja PHOTO: S. THANTHONI

NANDHINI RAMKUMAR AND tries were shortlisted. Venkat successfully indulged in only out-
MONISHA MOHANDAS Ram, eminent advertising and side our environment.
film photographer, adjudged the Actually, the knack of shooting

I
spot muscles everywhere”.
Indeed he does and his cap-
tioning helped Deepan Rama-
chandran win FitnessOne’s
“Fitness via the lens” contest. The
ad professional’s innovative con-
cept capturing a picture of mus-
cle shaped clouds won him a gift
voucher of Rs. 30,000-worth fit-
ness equipment.
FitnessOne organised ‘Fitness
via the lens’ contest as an initia-
tive to inspire fitness through
photography.
The result was announced at
the FitnessOne studio in Kilpauk
on Wednesday. Eighteen best en-
entries. He complimented some
of the contestants on their con-
cepts.
“What is more important is the
idea behind the photo and not
whether you use a 24 mega pixel
camera or an age-old cam hand-
ed down by your dad,” he said. SS
Music VJs Craig and Pooja were
also present as chief guests and
distributed the prizes to the win-
ners.
Vivekanand, Managing Direc-
tor, FitnessOne, was also present.
Venkat also had some gyaan for
the shutterbugs: “Most of us
think that photography can be
a picture does not lie on the sur-
roundings but on one’s creativ-
ity.”
Talking about his most inter-
esting photography experience,
he narrated an incident where he
was locked up in a room with his
crew due to the misconception
that they were using real AK47s
for a shoot while they were ac-
tually making use of dummies.
On a friendly note, Craig com-
mented on some of the photos
and congratulated the winners.
The event came to a close with
Vivekanand rendering a speech
on the importance of fitness. ■
04 ERGO Friday, July 11, 2008

Big Story

I
have never been a fan of martial arts movies. Most of the times, there are far too
many monks, all heads shaven, fighting with each other over some old master …
which is why my first impression of the Tai Chi class in progress at the Bamboola
School in R.A.Puram was one of seeing a Jet Li movie in slow motion, only not
everyone looked like a monk.
It was 6.30 a.m. that Saturday when I scampered into the open ground. My first
impression was that I had rushed into a martial arts class in progress. Feeling that I have
come to the wrong venue, I just went back to the security and asked him to guide me to
Tai Chi class. But he again took me to the same section. I decided to wait till they finished
the class.
It was intriguing to see the group of men and women, from a 12-year-old to even
retired persons, move their hands and legs very slowly in coordination with their eyes. I
wondered how such soft movements could help keep one’s mind and body fit.

Improves concentration
Swathi Iyengar, an expert in Tai Chi, says that Tai Chi is a combination of motion and
stillness. It is a workout that feels good. It helps to improve our concentration and
overcome the negative energy. It fills a person with positive energy - Chi or Qi as some
people spell it. Chinese believe that this energy is necessary for a healthy mind and body.
“Tai Chi in simpler terms is ‘still mind with lots of physical action’. This ancient Chinese
martial art, involves graceful, meditative and light, natural movements that relaxes and
stimulates different parts of the body. It is like meditation in movement with the con- Photos: R. Ravindran
stant interplay of two vital energies - the passive principle Yin and the active principle
Yang,” Swathi said.
Srivatsan, a professional photographer, says: “Tai Chi helps you shed weight in a slow
pace and keeps you focussed. Your concentration improves and health wise you are fit. I
am practising Tai Chi for more than 2 years and it has helped me to lose the craving for
food.” Srivatsan is joined by Gopalakrishnan, a retired State Bank Officer: “Tai Chi helps
you overcome all negative feelings and instills confidence in you. I had Arthritis and now I
feel better.”
Tai Chi can be practised by anyone above the age of 12. The best time to practice Tai Chi
is early morning in an empty stomach. But we can also practice it during any time. “One
thing to be kept in mind is, don’t do Tai Chi immediately after a heavy meal. Do it one
hour after food.”
“In a country like China, where cubicle culture is already on the rise, Tai Chi is a
welcome relief. Chinese practise Tai Chi in their cubicles. It just needs 25 minutes to do all
the 23 forms and it can be learned in a period of 3 months. ,” Swathi Iyengar adds.

Health benefits
Tai Chi improves calmness, thereby decreases stress, anxiety and depression. Improves
the immune system and reduces obesity. Helps alleviate arthritis and joint pains. It also
helps to reduce Type 2 Diabetes. Tai Chi improves overall quality of life. So what if it looks
like an action film gone slow?

V.Haripriya catches with Tai

Chi practitioners at the
Bamboola School in R.A.Puram
and finds out the art of
meditation in motion

Course structure
Duration: Thrice a week
Hours : One-and-a- half
hours/day
Fee: Rs 7,000 for 3 months
Contact: Swathi Iyengar
Mobile: 9444746444
Email: krswathi@gmail.com
ERGO Friday, July 11, 2008 05
06 ERGO Friday, July 11, 2008

Village
Shut nostrils
A camel can shut its nostrils during a
sand storm

Woods to become first billionaire China forecast to be Brazil’s top

athlete trade partner
Tiger Woods is on pace to pass one billion dollars in Brazil is aiming to
career earning by 2010, becoming the world’s first make China its biggest
billionaire to accumulate his fortune by playing sports, trade partner,
says Forbes Magazine. The 14-time major championship according to a
winner earned 115 million dollars in 2007 alone, said Brazilian trade official
the American magazine which annually ranks the on Wednesday, adding
world’s richest people with its Forbes’ Celebrity 100 list. his country wants to
English footballer David Beckham was in the second triple its China exports
position on the list with earnings of 65 million dollars. to 30 billion U.S.
AFP dollars in 2010. Welber
Barral, Secretary of
International Trade
with Brazil’s Ministry
Australian jobless rate falls to 4.2 of Development,
Industry and Trade,
percent in June said the country was seeking more trade opportunities
The Australian Bureau of Statistics data released on with China and a larger market share for its products in
Thursday showed the jobless rate fell to 4.2 per cent in the mainland market. China is now Brazil’s third biggest
June as employment bounced back sharply, keeping open trade partner, while the latter is China’s top trade partner
the risk of another rise in the official interest rate. The in Latin America. Sino-Brazilian trade volume soared 10-
data showed the number of people employed jumped by a fold between 2000 to 2006, mostly in the fields of farm
seasonally adjusted 29,800 in June with full-time produce and raw materials, Barral said. There remained
employment rising by 24,000. The number employed in huge potential for the two countries to expand the scale
May was falling by and optimize the trade structure, said China’s Vice Minister
19,700, the first drop in of Commerce Ma Xiuhong at the seminar.
19 months. Economists Xinhua
had expected total
employment to rise by
10,000 in June and the
jobless rate to stay at Rice calls for stronger democracy in
4.3 percent for a third
month. At 4.2 percent, Georgia
the unemployment rate US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met opposition
remains close to a leaders in Georgia on Thursday and urged further
revised 33 year low of democratic development in the former Soviet state.
3.9 percent set in “Democracy is absolutely necessary, not because human
February. Economists beings are perfect but because human beings are
expect official inflation imperfect,” Rice said as she met six leading opponents of
readings on July 23 will pro-Western President Mikheil Saakashvili. “It isn’t built in
be crucial to the interest a day, democracy. We had the birth defect of slavery.... My
rate outlook. ancestors were considered three fifths of a man,” Rice said.
Xinhua AFP

‘Mass hysteria’ closes Bangladeshi schools

As soon as one student becomes ill, others are immediately struck with similar symptoms, usually
headaches, acute pain and even fainting

A
mystery illness health ex-
perts are describing as a
type of ‘mass hysteria’ has
struck students at four
schools in Bangladesh in the past
week, forcing them to close tem-
porarily.
The condition appears highly
contagious – as soon as one stu-
dent becomes ill, others are im-
mediately struck with similar
symptoms, usually headaches,
acute pain and even fainting, offi-
cials say. Most of the victims are
teenage girls, said Salahuddin
Khan, chief medical officer of Jes-
sore district, where the affected
schools are.
“It’s a peculiar disease. I’ve
never seen anything like it,” he
told AFP.
“It started after a girl fainted at
a school. Soon enough dozens of
her friends complained of acute
headaches, restlessness and body
pains. They were all affected
within minutes.”
Speculation among local media
about the origin of the baffling ill-
ness has been rife, with a top ar-
my doctor even telling
state-owned broadcaster BTV
that it was caused by poisonous
gas ‘sabotage’ against the impo-
verished country.
“So far, 81 students at three
schools and a madrassa (religious
school) have been struck by the
ailment,” said Khan. “He said a
team from the country’s Institute
of Epidemiology, Disease Control
and Research (IEDCR) visited the
students and took blood samples.
Birendranath Sinha said 11
girls became ill on Monday after
hearing one of their fellow stu-
dents had died suddenly. ■
AFP
ERGO Friday, July 11, 2008 07
08
Technorama
No time for mistakes
Omega will be the official timekeepers at the Beijing Olympiad,
the 23rd time the watchmaker officiates at the Games
KATIE REID
W
hen Omega first kept
time at the 1932 Olympic
Games in Los Angeles, it
had one technician and
30 stopwatches. For the 1936
Games, watchmaker Paul-Louis
Guignard took one suitcase with
185 chronographs to Berlin.
When Omega takes on the job
again in Beijing in August, it will
be using 175 km (109 miles) of
cables and optical fibre and 420
tonnes of equipment, including
transponders in shoes and GPS
systems to time the 302 competi-
tions.
This is the 23rd time Omega,
part of the world’s largest watch-
maker Swatch Group, will take on
the role of official timekeeper,
and it has an array of high-tech
gadgets to make sure its results
are irreproachable.
“We have to be ready and we
have to make it very reliable and
very accurate when it is to mea-
sure someone’s performance.
The athletes are training for
years,” said Christophe Berthaud,
head of Swiss Timing, which is al-
so part of the Swatch Group.
Omega is among the Games’
top 12 global sponsors and has
marketing rights to use the Olym-
pics logo worldwide.
The Games offer the watch-
maker one of the most effective
international marketing plat-
forms in the world, reaching bil-
lions of people in over 200
countries and territories, includ-
ing millions of brand-conscious
Chinese.
Swatch, which says it expects
double-digit sales growth in 2008,
has benefited from rising de-
mand for its top-range watches as
part of a worldwide boom for lux-
ury goods, including new con-
sumers from fast-growing China.
Changing times
At the 1932 Games, official re-
sults were given at 10ths of a sec-
ond. Results were first recorded
to the nearest 100th of a second
in 1952, ushering in the era of
quartz and electronics.
Things have come a long way
since then.
This year, Omega will use the
Scan’O’Vision photo-finish cam-
era at the finish line of sprints,
hurdles and other races, as well
as new timing, scoring and false-
start systems.
“The accuracy of the system
that you are using to measure the
timing is of utmost importance.
That is why we have very sophis-
ticated systems with the photo-
finish camera,” Berthaud said.
“Every 2,000th of a second we
have an image of what happens
and then all these are put into the
computer and at the end of the
race we reveal an image on the
time-base in order to exactly
know at what time the breast of
the athlete crossed the line.”
The company is also using
technology based on global posi-
tioning systems (GPS) for rowing
and sailing.
“(In rowing), we take the posi-
tion of each boat five times per
second and knowing this we can
compare the distance between
the different boats,” Berthaud
said.
“We define the number of
strokes per second and this is
more information that you can
give to the spectators ... and also
to the coaches,” he said.
“They can review after the race
what the strategy was, how the
other (competitors) behaved and
where they made a mistake.”
Omega will use 175
km (109 miles) of
cables and optical
fibre and 420 tonnes
of equipment,
including
transponders in
shoes, and GPS
systems to time the
302 competitions
Marathon runners will have a
transponder attached to one
shoe, and radio frequency identi-
fication (RFID) will be used to
track them and record their times
at specific intervals as they pound
the course’s 26 miles 385 yards
(42.195-km).
The transponder is a tiny, light-
weight electronic device that can
receive and respond to a radio
signal.
Swiss sophistication
This year, Omega will also
branch out into the visual media
by providing services to all televi-
sion channels. ‘‘For the first time,
we have a contract with the host
broadcaster. It means that when
you see the swimming, you will
see the names of the athletes in
the lanes, the flags and the world
record line,’’ Berthaud said.
In 1968, Omega revolutionised
pool events with the introduction
of touch-pads that solved the
problem of recording times when
swimmers touched the wall at the
end of a race.
Of course, being accurate does
not always mean one will be pop-
ular. But Bienne-based Omega
has not been put off by the wrath
of athletes who have been dis-
qualified as a result of more ad-
vanced timekeeping technology.
It introduced new false-start
detectors to the 1984 Olympics,
despite violent reactions towards
timekeepers after some compet-
itors were disqualified in the 1982
Commonwealth Games swim-
ming events, where the system
ERGO Friday, July 11, 2008
was first used.
The starting systems in track
events have also come a long way
since the days of Jesse Owens,
winner of four gold medals at the
1936 Berlin Games, where ath-
letes dug their own starting holes
with small shovels.
But the pressure on Omega is
greater too, because the stakes
are so high.
In Beijing, athletes will be al-
lowed just one false start before
disqualification, but if a second
athlete jumps the gun when the
race is restarted then that person
will face immediate disqualifica-
tion, even if it is the first time that
he or she committed the offence.
Each set of starting blocks will
have a loudspeaker linked to the
starter’s pistol, meaning all com-
petitors hear the start signal at
the same time.
The false-start detection sys-
tem measures each runner’s re-
action time, or the gap between
the sound of the starter’s gun and
the response of the runner.
If the time measured is less
than the time in which a person
can possibly react, the timekeep-
er will signal a false start.
As the final days, hours and
seconds before the Games tick
down on Omega’s giant clock in
Tiananmen Square, the Swiss
watch company is hoping for a
smooth start of its own on Aug. 8.
“It’s a big, big project. It’s now
getting to the climax stages, the
final stretch,” said Chief Execu-
tive Stephen Urquhart. ■
Reuters
 Friday, July 11, 2008
09

RCom’s BlackBerry & smart features

Apple of the i R eliance Communications and Research
in Motion (RIM) recently announced the
launch of BlackBerry Curve 8330 smart
phone in India. The product will enable
RCom’s customers a powerful combination
of communications and multimedia capa-
bilities, the company said in a press release.
It’s twice as fast and half as expensive as “The smart phone is now available at
more than 500 stores across the top 20
the first model. Will iPhone 3G touch towns. This will enable our customers to
enhance their mobile communications,”
another record in its sales? Reliance Communications Applications
Solutions Group’s, President, Mahesh Pra-
sad, said. phisticated BlackBerry platform, the

T
he iPhone 3G makes its interna- downloads, longer talk times, and
tional debut on Friday in an ea- takes advantage of the high-speed The phone features a 2 mega pixel cam- company said.
gerly-awaited launch expected third-generation (3G) networks to era, advanced multimedia capabilities and The product is priced at Rs 25,990. ■
to boost Apple’s fortunes along provide built-in GPS mapping. Early premium phone features along with the so- PTI
with its share of the booming “smart iPhone 3G reviews have been favour-
phone” market. Apple stores will able, saying the device delivers as
open early to cater to throngs of as- promised but expressing mild disap-
piring iPhone 3G owners in more pointment with battery life. The
than 20 countries and analysts higher performance of
say sales could pass the the 3G network
billion-dollar mark saps power faster
within days. than its prede-
IPhone fanatics be- cessor. The sec-
gan camping outside ond-generation
Apple’s flagship store iPhone will let
in New York City on business users
July 4, while in send and receive
downtown Tokyo Microsoft Ex-
some 30 people change email, in
had begun queu- a direct shot at
ing since rival BlackBerry
Wednesday. made by Cana-
If Sano’s an- da-based Re-
ticipation is any
indication, Ap- search-In-Mo-
ple’s latest de- tion.
vice will be a
smash hit. Price war
Online or- Apple will sell
ders for iPhone 3G mod-
iPhone 3G els in the United
handsets at Brit- ish telecom States for 199 dollars
carrier O2 reportedly topped 13,000 and 299 dollars, depending on mem-
per second on Monday, overwhelm- ory capacity. The original eight-giga-
ing the website and causing it to byte iPhone was priced at 600 dollars
crash. Industry tracker iSuppli pre- when it debuted in June last year.
dicts Apple might sell as many as two IPhone 3G prices in some countries
million iPhone 3G devices at the will be as low as a euro (1.57 dollars)
launch. provided customers purchase multi-
year service plans that translate into
Twice the speed, half the price lucrative long-term revenue streams
It is designed for faster Internet for carriers. ■
AFP

ALSO...
Belgium will be home to the most expensive iPhone 3G
devices, which will be priced at 826 dollars (525 euros) and
968 dollars (615 euros) because law there prevents subsidising
hardware costs with service plans.

Apple will continue its strategy of locking iPhones exclusively

to one telecom carrier per country.

India will have to wait for a couple of months before it sees

the official launch of iPhone. So far, Bharti Airtel and
Vodafone have announced that they will be bringing the
device to India in association with Apple.
10 ERGO Friday, July 11, 2008

When you’re in Bangkok…

Back Packers Enjoy a memorable dinner cruise adrift the Chao

Phraya River, ride the tuk-tuk, visit the lady-boy
show or a Muay Thai (kickboxing) match and get
yourself a Thai massage.

And the award goes to…

Bangkok voted world’s best city in travel poll

B
angkok was voted
the world’s best
city for 2008 and
the Galapagos
were picked as the best
islands in an online poll
by Travel + Leisure mag-
azine, trumping last
year’s winners Florence,
Italy and Bali, Indonesia.
Magazine readers also
voted Singita Sabi Sand,
at the Kruger National
Park, South Africa, as the
world’s top hotel while
Singapore Airlines
grabbed the best airline
award again.
It was the first time
that Bangkok, the vi-
brant capital of Thai-
land, and the Galapagos
Islands in Ecuador
topped their respective
categories, said Nancy
Novogrod, editor-in-
chief of Travel + Leisure.
Last year, Bangkok
was ranked number
three and the Galapagos
number 8. The 2007 win-
ners of best city and best
island – Florence and
Bali – fell to number five
and number two
respectively.
“We’re delighted to
welcome so many new
winners this year," she
said in a statement.
"Nature, and adven-
ture, were clearly a draw
in the selections.”
Last year’s number
one hotel, the Oberoi
Udaivilas in India, fell to
number four this year.
Singita Sabi Sands was
PHOTOS: AFP voted the number two
hotel in 2007.
The results were com-
lso
r e a ders a piled from votes by mag-

Magaz
in e
S a b i Sand, Following are some highlights:
azine subscribers in an

Singita ational
Internet poll which went
Best city - Bangkok, Thailand
voted
live between January
N
Kruger
Best hotel - Singita Sabi Sand, South Africa and March.
h e rica, as
t Best island - Galapagos, Ecuador Travel + Leisure will
a t A f
ou t h l
Best cruise line (large ships) - Crystal Cruises honour winners on July
Park, S ld’s top hote Best cruise line (small ships) - Silversea Cruises 24 in New York City.
r Best international airline - Singapore Airlines
the wo
The complete
Best domestic airline - Virgin America “World’s Best Awards” is
Best tour operator - Micato Safaris available on www.trave-
Best car-rental agency - Hertz landleisure.com. ■
Best hotel for $250 or less - Domaine des Hauts de Loire, France
 Friday, July 11, 2008
11
Weather wise
Shimla has a pleasant climate throughout the year. In
summers, temperatures rarely go beyond 27°C. In winter,
temperatures go down substantially, and if lucky you can
experience a white Christmas on the Mall.

Heritage package
T
he railways is planning to in-
troduce a special tour pack-
age on the Kalka-Shimla
railway line, which has been
recently been declared a heritage
site by the UNESCO.
“The plan to introduce special
tour packages to different destina-
tions on the 96.6 km Kalka-Shimla
railway line in partnership with
the Himachal Pradesh govern-
ment,” Divisional Railway Manag-
er (Ambala), H K Jaggi
said. The DRM said he
The plan to held talks in this regard
with HP Chief Secretary
introduce special Asha Swaroop and Secre-
tour packages to tary Tourism Manisha
Nanda. “The response of
different the state government is ve-
destinations on ry encouraging,” Jaggi
the 96.6 km said.
The DRM said in course
Kalka-Shimla of time special trains on
railway line in the line of “Palace-on-
Wheels” will be planned to
partnership with attract more tourists. A
the Himachal plan to set up a museum
Pradesh where signals, benches,
weighing machines used
government over the years on the 104-
year-old narrow gauge has
also been discussed. These pris-
tine items are preserved at various
stations along the Kalka-Shimla
railway. ■
PTI

Eco-tourism Carbon ‘offsets’, a good idea that’s not working

T op airlines and tour operators
keen to shore up their green
credentials nowadays offer cus-
a ticket for a long-
haul flight, tanta-
mount to the
programme
Carbone”.
called

According to a survey for

tomers carbon “offsets” to com-
pensate holiday pollution. The
problem is that few tourists seem
eager to write off their green guilt.
The idea is simple enough:
“offsets” are schemes by which a
tourist when paying his ticket can
also buy into a project elsewhere
that will compensate for the
amount of carbon dioxide (CO2)
resulting from his trip. But calcu-
lating the size of that carbon foot-
print apparently is not so simple.
Difficult proposition
A Paris-New York return flight,
for example, might emit between
one and three tonnes of CO2, de-
pending on the different calcula-
tors used by companies and
environmental groups.
That means the price of an
“offset” can vary by a factor of
five, from 15 to 75 euros (25 to
125 dollars).
One of the first to introduce
offsets in France, in January last
year, was high-end tour operator
Voyageurs du Monde. “Voluntary
compensations have been a total
failure,” said company chairman
Jean-Francois Rial. “Only one
percent of our clients really paid
the cost of the CO2 emitted by his
trip,” he said.
Now his company simply taxes
travellers without first asking
their opinion, adding 10 euros to
price for a half-
tonne of CO2.
Rial attributed
the failure of the
system in part to
the complica-
tions of putting it
into place. “Cli-
ents have to pay
twice,” he said,
first paying the tour operator for
the holiday, then having to agree
to pay for the “offset” on an envi-
ronmental site on the Internet.
Easy solution
Low-cost air companies Easyjet
and Atlas Blue believe they have
the solution. “Customers just tick
a box when they’re buying the
ticket, the same way they would
opt for travel insurance or not,
it’s must simpler,” said Matthieu
Tiberghien, who is in charge of a
“Action
French rail, 65 percent of travell-
ers on the country’s trains
claimed to be ready to fork out
five percent of the price of the trip
to compensate for their carbon
emissions. But the percentage
who actually put their hands in
their pockets was far less.
A year after the national SNCF
railways introduced “offsets”, a
mere 3,000 people have bought
into the system out of a total 5.5
million travellers.
“It may be a modest result, but
it does highlight a growing con-
sciousness among the public,”
said Christophe Leon, marketing
manager for the SNCF Internet
site Voyages-sncf.com.
The site therefore has doubled
the stakes by pledging to make its
own matching donation to a good
cause -- through partner associa-
tion Goodplanet – each time a
traveller buys an “offset”.
Air France, which initially
blasted the none too air-friendly
SNCF carbon emission calcula-
tor, has since last October also
been urging its customers to
“compensate” by sending dona-
tions to the same green group.
While Air France remains mum
on the results of its green-friendly
campaign, Goodplanet said that
up until now, barely 1,000 Air
France customers had sent in
donations.
British Airways, the first airline
to introduce carbon “offsets” in
March 2006, is equally discreet
about the outcome, as is German
flag carrier Lufthansa, who
launched its offsets in September
2007.
Though rail travel is less harm-
ful to the environment than air
travel, since last November Eu-
rostar too has joined the green
bandwagon. ■
AFP
12 ERGO Friday, July 11, 2008

Portfolio

SHALINI SHAH
shalinishah@goergo.in

C
all it the androge
ion, again. The
now got a more
It’s become fitted
and comes with belt
shirt dress is the new m
ery woman’s wardro
pride of the place alo
sic white tee, black tro
denims.
Internationally, the
proven hit, with every
lio Pucci to Dorothy
Miu, Burberry Prors
McCartney including i
tions. As opposed to
the shirt dress is also
so you needn’t feel co
those love handles.
People like Charlize
given it red-carpet st
Versace, too, is a great
men’s shirt hangs over
Co-ordination is ea
piece ensemble. All yo
priate shoes and acces
you go! A shirt dress h
men’s shirt – the col
buttoned front. A b
the waist is added
tion. The dress ca
ganza or silk, de
you want. It’s on
clothing that’ll m
fortable on a tri
cocktail evening

Look 1
Layer it. Try
dress over a thi
 Friday, July 11, 2008
13

How to buy a hair dryer

When shopping for a hair dryer, two things
to bear in mind are weight and noise level,
according to Germany’s product testing
organisation’s southern facility in Munich.
Noise: A noise level of 85 decibels is an
important limit to consider. Otherwise the
hair dryer’s sound can be annoying. A very
quiet model, on the other hand, can be a
problem because it could indicate that it
has less capacity.
Weight: If a hair dryer weighs more than 1
kilogramme, it is too heavy for practical
use, the product testing organisation said.
Most users consider a weight between 500
and 600 grams acceptable.
Switches: It should have two separate
switches for air and heat, and these
switches should be easily manipulated. The
remaining criteria are actually meant for
special uses.
For the traveller: A hair dryer whose handle
rotates for easier storage in a suitcase is
suitable.
DPA

enisation of fash- Look 2

men’s shirt has
e feminine form. A shirt dress goes well with skinny
d, a little longer jeans. Use it as a long jacket by wearing
loops. Yes, the an unbuttoned one over the jeans and a
must-have in ev- turtle-neck T-shirt inside. Or button it
obe, occupying
ngside the clas-
ousers and blue
up and wear it over leggings.

Look 3
BULLETIN
1. Emporio Armani has
Make it more feminine. Wear a shirt
launched their Spring-
shirt-dress is a dress with tights and ballet flats. Tie a
Summer 2008 watch
one from Emi- pretty silk scarf around your neck.
collection in India.
Perkins, Miu You can substitute the scarf with a
While for men
sum and Stella beaded necklace. Keep the bag slou-
oversized stainless steel
it in their collec- chy and big.
cases, black crocodile
a regular dress,
skin straps and rose-
more forgiving, Look 4 Ashton Kutcher
coloured watches
nscious about Play with contrast. If it’s a shirt
dominate, for women it
dress in thick, dull grey or black
is elongated
e Theron have linen, grab a pair of neon heels.
rectangular cases in
tatus. Fransesca
yellow gold-plated
t fan of the way a Look 5
stainless steel and
r a feminine form. Make it formal. Get a wide leather
Roman numeral
asy as it’s a one- belt in black, brown or beige. Pair it
indexes.
ou need is appro- with low pumps in a shade similar to
2. Pepe Jeans London
sories, and there the belt. Then break the monotony with
has announced Ashton
has most features of a a bright, printed scarf.
Kutcher as the face of
lar, cuffed sleeves, a
its Autumn-Winter 2008
belt or drawstring at Look 6
campaign. The
to give it more defini- For evening wear, keep the first few
campaign has been
n be cotton, linen, or- top buttons open and wear a lace-
shot at the Zorthian
epending on the look trimmed camisole inside. Keep the
Ranch in Altadena,
ne of those pieces of legs bare. Step into killer stilettos
California.
make you feel as com- and add a little bling. Grab a clutch.
3. Fashion house Gucci
ip to the mall as on a In namma Chennai, there are more
celebrated the 70th
g. than enough options, with most brands
anniversary of its Via
like Levi’s, Jealous, Giordano, Espirit,
Condotti store in Rome
UCB and Pepe, to name just a few, hav-
on July 8. Frida
wearing a knit shirt ing their own versions of the shirt dress.
Giannini created five
in long-sleeve tee. Also check out multi-brand outlets. ■
new evening gowns
which, shown for the
Gucci
first time, went on sale
in the Rome boutique.
14
Go Olive
Wellness
The greatest exponent of unsaturated fat is olive oil, and it is a
prime component of the Mediterranean Diet. Olive oil is a
natural juice which preserves the taste, aroma, vitamins and
properties of the olive fruit. It is the only vegetable oil that can
be consumed as it is - freshly pressed from the fruit.
Food for your skin
Five easy ways to keep your skin healthy and glowing
RINI MUKKATH
rinimukkath@goergo.in
When it comes to getting that flawless skin, you may think only
creams and lotions can do the trick. But, if you feed your skin
with natural products you will find it glowing from within. Most
creams available in the market promise to be nature fresh, but
in reality, they might not have the required percentage of anti-
oxidants to help your skin. “Creams in the market are not al-
ways filled with natural fruits and nuts,” says Dr. Anand Krish-
na, certified skin specialist. The best way to keep your skin
feeling healthy is through direct consumption of natural prod-
ucts, he added.
Nothing beats direct consumption of natural products if your
want that healthy look on your face. Let your skin breathe the
natural way. Here are some easy tips to feel fresh in your skin.
Oranges
They are loaded with Vitamin C, which protects your skin
from damage from envi-
ronmental factors like ul-
traviolet rays. Vitamin C
keeps your gums healthy
and helps your skin to
make collagen, which is
necessary to keep it tight
and wrinkle free.
How to consume:
You need 200 mg of Vi-
tamin C per day. There’s
enough in one orange
for your entire day’s
needs. It’s better
to consume the
whole fruit
than just have
the juice.
Smoking is a
no-no as it
decreases the
absorption of
Vitamin C in-
to the system.
Aloe Vera
Drinking aloe juice
is beneficial for patchy, ir-
ritated skin, preventing and treating acne and prevent-
ing pigmentation. It has a number of antioxidants to its credit
and is known to be great for allergies.
How to consume:
About 30 ml daily is enough. Buy packaged juice only which is
easily available, don’t try to eat the plant jelly directly as you
ERGO Friday, July 11, 2008
could take in harmful inedible substances from the leaf surface.
Green tea
Green tea is loaded with flavinoids and antioxidants. Drink-
ing it is the best gift you could give your skin. Sunlight, UV rays
and free radical (chemicals) in the atmosphere can damage
your skin cell’s structure and leave it incapable of repairing
itself, making you look older and wrinkled before your years. It
may also cause skin cancer. Antioxidants in green tea battle
these agents, helping your skin stay younger.
How to consume:
Soak a tea bag or a teaspoon of tea leaves in a cup of hot water
for at least three
minutes to get the
full extract. Add-
ing milk neu-
tralises the
antioxidants, so
it is best to have
it black.
Papayas
This delicious,
low-calorie fruit is
not just a dieter’s de-
light; it comes packed
with carotenoids
that release Vitamin
A. Vitamin A has an
antioxidant effect; it
protects your skin from
damage and keeps it
young. It is also known
to decrease the risk of cancer.
How to consume:
About 200 gm (a big bowlful) is adequate. The part
near the seeds is the richest in nutrients, so it should not be
discarded. Instead, just lightly flake off the seeds with a fork.
Conditions it helps: Dry skin and dry mucosa (the lining of
your mouth and eyes).
Nuts
These may be high in calories but they are also rich in zinc,
which is needed for skin cells to grow, multiply and protect
themselves from free radicals. A favourite among most models
around the world. It is also helpful in maintaining immunity
(capability to fight infection) of the skin and helping in normal
hair growth.
How to consume:
A fistful of groundnuts, walnuts, almonds and cashew nuts
once or twice a week will give you all health benefits, without
shaking the foundations of your calorie count chart. Do remove
the skins if you like, but have whole. Avoid coffee and milk tea
as they decrease absorption of these nutrients from nuts. ■
 Friday, July 11, 2008
15
Get the right shoe
Poorly designed shoes can reduce your overall level of foot comfort and
contribute to conditions such as bunions, corns and calluses, and irritate
sensitive, diabetic or swollen feet. Cushioned and roomy shoes, however,
can help provide you with the proper support and your feet remain healthy.

Why you
should (not)
be single
VIPASHA SINHA AND
ANUSHA PARTHASARTHY
The stag effect
Avoid making plans to go partying
with your friends and their boy-
friends. Because you’ll find that they
will suddenly get into the ‘romantic’
mood and set off. And you will be left
alone avoiding desperate people and
wannabes lurking around you.
The ‘sinner’
Friends always look upon single
women as sinners. Why? They think
we don’t deserve boyfriends. Do you
realize how they ALWAYS talk about
their boyfriends in front of you, trying
to make you jealous?
Fear-factor
Another problem is that if you are
single and ‘accidentally’ good look-
ing, your friends immediately tend
to get insecure. Therefore thou
shall not be introduced to any of
their boyfriends.
Hitches
It’s one thing to have your
parents looking out for a ‘suit-
able homely boy’ for you but
when your friends start whis-
pering “Ain’t he cute?” or “Don’t you
think you guys will make a good cou-
ple,” it tends to get on your nerves.
You end up meeting your friend’s
friend and friend’s friend’s cousin.
‘Love is beautiful’ lectures
The biggest problem with being
single is having friends who are com-
mitted. The ‘Oh, you should get a boy-
friend. Love is amazing’ and all the
‘poetries’ either make you disgusted
not only with yourself but also with
love in general.
Counsellor
Now, when you happen to be the
‘single and mingle’ candidate, you al-
ways have to be the counsellor of your
group. So both the guy and girl will
call you up and relate two different
case studies which you must analyze.
Not purse-friendly
You pay all your bills no matter how
large they are. Unless you get huge
amounts of pocket money/salary, this
is the biggest disadvantage of being
single. There is absolutely no one to
share your bills.
Valentines Day effect
If there is one day you pray not to
come is Valentines Day. Not only will
you be suggesting gifts to a hundred
couples but you will also have to en-
dure 24 hours of non stop coochi-coo-
ing nationwide. Now, that’s got to be
painful. Ouch!
But those are just the negatives.
Whatever said and done, nothing can
beat the feeling of being single. You
needn’t submit a timetable to some
one everyday and can look, talk and
flirt with whomever you want. ■

Work out in your workplace

ERGO CORRESPONDENT ●Want a water refill? Then walk to
the water fountain or kitchen.

H ave no time to visit the gym

and keep your weight in
check. It’s time to make the best
use of your work area and stoop
brooding about the rising wais-
tline.
Here are a few tips by which you
can work out and meet those dea-
dlines on time.
● Place things on your desk and
shelves so that you have to stand
to reach them.
●Walk to the printer, Xerox and
fax machine.
●Take the stairs instead of the lift.
●Wearing flat shoes? Then jog a
couple of minutes up the stair.
●Deliver documents or messages
to co-workers in person rather
than by email.
●Get a headset for your phone so
you can move around while you
talk.
●In your breaks, instead of loung-
ing around, try taking a quick
walk around campus with a
friend.
●Make sure your posture is right,
sit up straight and say good-bye
to back aches.
●Finally, cut down on coffee and
eating in between meals with
your office buddies. Eat right and
on time. ■
16 ERGO Friday, July 11, 2008

Rooney’s agent banned

Sport
Wayne Rooney’s agent Paul Stretford was fined 300,000 pounds (377,000 euros) and
banned from working as a football agent for 18 months by an English FA disciplinary
commission on Wednesday. Seven of the nine charges brought by the FA against Stretford
for breaches of the FIFA players’ agent regulations were proved. The charges included
failing to protect Rooney’s interests and failing to respect the rights of third parties.

Indians excel
Tintu Luka and Bindu Simon Rajam qualified
for the semi-final in women’s 800m race
after finishing sixth and fourth in their
respective heats of
the 12th IAAF World
Junior Athletics
Championships at
Thrice the fun
Shanghai showdown for Nadal, Federer, Djokovic
Bydgoszcz in Poland.
Luka, national junior
(Under 20) record
holder and trainee at
Usha School of
Athletics in Kerala,
clocked 2:09.20 in
heat number two
which was won by
Amina Bakhit of
Sudan (2:08.16).
Rajam, the Asian
Junior silver medallist
in 1500m, clocked
2:09.51 to finish sixth
in heat number three
also to qualify for the
semi-finals. Except for
Luka and Rajam, all
other Indians failed
to impress. M R
Poovamma was last in the eight-athlete field
women’s 400m heat number four with a
timing of 57.94s while Jasdeep Singh Dhillon
finished 15th out of 18 competitors in men’s
shot put by throwing the 6-kg iron metal to
17.57m in Group A qualification round.
PTI

Bopanna wins
American top seed Mardy Fish was sent
crashing out of the ATP Hall of Fame
Championship, losing his opening match to
Indian qualifier Rohan Bopanna 7-6 (8-6),
7-5 on Wednesday.
Bopanna, who turned pro six years ago and
is ranked 374th in the world, stunned Fish
with 14 aces and reached the quarter-finals
for the first time in his career.
“I was not concerned about what ranking
he was,” Bopanna said. “I was aggressive
and kept it simple.”
Bopanna defeated American Kevin Kim in PHOTO: AFP
the first round en

W
route to stringing imbledon champion Ra- ing in the statement. “I have nev- Cup champion, is set to return for
together consecutive fael Nadal, runner-up er managed to win it, so I am a seventh straight year after play-
wins at an ATP Roger Federer and No- really looking forward for this ing Nadal in the Wimbledon final.
circuit event for the vak Djokovic are the first year’s event and as always I’ll try The Swiss player’s season record
first time in his players to qualify for the season- my best knowing it won’t be stands at 43-9.
career. Entering this ending Masters Cup in Shanghai easy,” the site quoted Nadal as Serbia’s Djokovic has earned
385,000 dollar in November, organisers said on saying. his second consecutive Tennis
grasscourt event with Thursday. Nadal, currently world number Masters Cup spot, with a 38-9
just a career 7-18 The trio have already earned two and the first player since record and three titles in the first
record, the 28-year- enough points to book their Sweden’s Bjorn Borg in 1980 to half of the season, including his
old Bopanna berths in the eight-player circuit capture the Roland Garros and first Grand Slam triumph at the
converted on three finale which will take place from Wimbledon titles back-to-back, Australian Open.
of his four break November 9-19, organisers said has held the top spot in the ATP New Wimbledon champions
chances. on the tournament’s website. 2008 Race standings since win- Daniel Nestor of Canada and Ser-
Bopanna’s next opponent will be ning in Paris. The Spaniard cur- bian Nenad Zimonjic, and Amer-
countryman Prakash Amritraj, a 7-5, 6-3 Nadal keen on winning rently leads the men’s ican twins Bob and Mike Bryan,
winner over American Jesse Levine. “I have just been informed that professional circuit with a 56-7 have also clinched the first two
Kunitsyn, who failed to make it past the I have qualified for the Masters in match record and six titles this doubles places in the eight-team
second round in two previous appearances Shanghai,” Nadal, a semi-finalist season. field at the Shanghai tournament,
here, rolled over countryman Mikhail in his two Tennis Masters Cup Federer, the world number one organisers said. ■
Ledovskikh, 6-1, 6-1. appearances, was quoted as say- and defending Tennis Masters AFP
AFP
Friday, July 11, 2008
17

‘‘
It’s was overwhelming to know that Gill was happy for the Bayern
Munich match. I’m hopeful about the Real Madrid of and it will
help the city footballers learn something from the international stars.
Mohun Bagan general secretary Anjan Mitra
PHOTO: SANDEEP SAXENA

Instant chemistry
S
o far, they may have played just
one tournament together but
Leander Paes is not worried
about his on-field chemistry
with Mahesh Bhupathi and the Indi-
an Davis Cup captain oozed confi-
dence that the “Indian Express” pair
would dish out quality tennis in the
Beijing Olympics. After a long hiatus,
the bickering duo recently teamed
up together and finished runners up
in the Ordina Open to kick start their
preparation for the Olympics.
“We were a little unlucky not to
win (the Ordina Open) when we
were up a break in the first set in the
final. But when it comes to Mahesh
and myself, the on-court chemistry is
something we don’t have to worry
about,” Paes said. “It is more about
injuries, physical fitness; it is more
the camaraderie off-court that we
need to focus more. But as far as
tennis goes, it is of a very high level.
We don’t need to play that many
tournaments to find that chemistry
again,” he said.
Paes confident
Paes does not deny the bad blood
between him and Bhupathi but the
tennis ace insists it does not affect
the show when he walks out in the
middle with Bhupathi. “When I step
on the court with Mahesh I go there
and do my job and when I get off
that I just move away and do my
own thing. We are two very different
people and we do things differently.
When the matches finish or the prac-
tice is over we just move away and
do our own thing,” said Paes. Asked
about the burden of expectation that
would rest on the shoulders of the
duo, Paes said: “We have got to be
very realistic about these expecta-
tions that we have. At the end of the
day when it comes to the Olympics,
we not necessarily have to look at
the medal-winning round; we have
got to look at every single match.
The first and the second round,
that’s when you build your confi-
dence, that’s when you build your
rhythm in the tournament. For me
right from the first match, one’s real-
ly going to focus hard and try and get
our rhythm in that environment in
Beijing.”■
PTI

LACK OF PRACTICE WITH BHUPATHI NOT A CONCERN FOR PAES

 18 ERGO Friday, July 11, 2008

Flick
Madhur Bhandarkar’s Jail
National Award-winning director Madhur Bhandarkar has
announced the launch of his forthcoming film Jail, which will
lend a ringside view of the world behind the bars.
PTI

“JUSTIN’S
ANTICS MADE ME GO INTO LABOUR”

A
merican actress Jessica Alba, who recently became a mum, credited actor Justin Tim-
berlake’s antics on the comedy The Love Guru for making her go into labour.
Alba was watching a private Hollywood screening of the new film, which she said was
so hilarious that it actually felt like her sides were splitting. The Fantastic Four star is
convinced that it was Timberlake’s hilarious onscreen antics that got her baby ready for
delivery, as just two days after the screening, she was admitted to Los Angeles’ Cedars Sinai
Medical Centre to give birth to daughter Honor Marie on June 7.
“I felt something go. I had been very careful of my movements and seating, but it was
impossible to sit still when he (Timberlake) was on screen,” Contactmusic quoted her as
saying.
“I wouldn’t go as far as saying my water broke, but it did feel as if I was actually splitting my

GETTY IMAGES
sides. I felt completely drained afterwards,” she said.
She further went on to praise Timberlake’s acting talents. “He’s a natural actor, with a great
sense of humour,” she added.■
ANI

I WOULDN’T GO AS FAR AS SAYING MY WATER BROKE, BUT IT

DID FEEL AS IF I WAS ACTUALLY SPLITTING MY SIDES. I FELT
COMPLETELY DRAINED AFTERWARDS: JESSICA ALBA

Suri Cruise, Hollywood’s Pammie hates

Best-Dressed Little Girl birthdays
T om Cruise and Katie Holmes’ daughter
Suri has topped a poll of the best dressed
little girls in tinseltown. The poll was
If there’s one thing that
Pamela Anderson really
hates, it would be
conducted by America’s OK! Magazine, birthdays. The former
which said that Suri’s designer clothes Baywatch babe recently
wardrobe was the reason she took top spot celebrated her 41st
on the list, reports stuff.co.nz. “Suri is well- birthday, but she admits it’s
versed in her ABC’s - Armani, Burberry and not something she looks
Christian Louboutin, that is. Tom Cruise’s forward to. “I hate
tot gets her fashionista inclinations from birthdays, I hate
mom Katie Holmes, who even designed a celebrating them, but my
dress for her mini-me,” the magazine kids wanted to celebrate
wrote. Following closely in Suri’s heels was for me, so that was really
another favourite celeb baby, Brad Pitt and fun. They bought me four
Angelina Jolie’s youngest, Shiloh. Third spot pairs of shoes, they know
on the poll went to Ben Affleck and me well,” the Daily
Jennifer Garner’s adorable daughter Violet, Telegraph quoted her, as
followed by Kelly Rippa and Mark saying. “I don’t usually
GETTY IMAGES

GETTY IMAGES

Consuelos’ daughter Lola. The top five was celebrate, but the kids
rounded off by Will Smith and Jada Pinkett- were really sweet and
Smith’s seven-year-old daughter Willow. wanted to, so we did.”
ANI ANI
 Friday, July 11, 2008
CM’s masterpiece
Ponnar Shankar, another historical
masterpiece of Chief Minister Dr. Kalaignar
M. Karunanidhi will be adapted into a movie
following the success of Uliyin Osai.The
movie to be directed by Thiagarajan will
have Prashanth in the lead role.
Hasan has it
V. LOKPRIA
You are a BITS-ian. How
did the media entries (yes,
in plural) happen?
My sister, Suhasini, was di-
recting a movie and she want-
ed someone new as well as
competent. She thought I
would fit the bill and asked
me. That is how Indira hap-
pened. The first entry, in 1994.
After this, I exited and then
made my second entry in TV
serials in 2000, on a whim.
This period lasted four years. I
also started off with a role in
Run, where I play the hero’s
sister. I got bored doing the
same martyred woman role on
TV and the beloved elder sister
on film. So I exited again.
Then, after two years of han-
dling production, I again made
an entry – this time as a chat
show host. That’s 2006. I am
also dabbling in films. I have
no idea when my next exit or
re-entry is going to be.
Chat shows are not new to
television. Not many have
left a lasting impression
as your show has done.
What do you attribute this
success to?
You talk about my show as if
it’s finished. Only something
that ends leaves a lasting im-
pression. I think the reason
Koffee with Anu works is that I
am very clear that my guests
are my stars, not me. I want
them to be happy and I want
our viewers to take back so-
mething from these highly ac-
complished people – good timbre and suggested I
something more than how
many songs they have sung or
how many films they have di-
rected or acted in. As long as I
am able to do that, it will work.
The day people start seeing the
celebrity rather than the per-
son is the day I will begin to
fail and also the day which will
herald my next exit.
Tell us about Anu Hasan,
the entrepreneur
I have created companies,
built them, sold my stake in
them. I have worked with a
male workforce in Calcutta
while running a direct market-
ing agency. I now run a juice
and smoothies store with a 100
per cent female workforce. We
are, at the moment, negotiat-
ing a takeover since I am get-
ting more and more tied up
with media-related work. I will
stay on as consultant maybe.
Of course, you’ve heard of best
laid plans of mice and men.....
How has the ‘Haasan’ tag
helped you in your
career?
I have been my own person
for as far as I can recall. I’ve
never done anything simply
because I am from a promi-
nent family. The surname is
Hasan, by the way, if it is mine.
Haasan if it is Mr. Kamal Haa-
san’s. There’s some difference.
When did you develop a
love for jazz music?
I love music per se. I love
singing. Someone heard my
voice and thought it had a
Vijay’s next Kuththu
A Kuththu song faster and peppy
than ’Mambazhamam’ in Pokkiri is
being shot for Villu by Prabhu Deva
at Pollachi now. The song features
Vijay and Nayanthara.
Koffee with Anu
has made Anu
Hasan a
Cine City
household name.
And Rekha IPS
has shown she’s
equally good at
kicking butt. Ergo
catches up with
the actor, host,
entrepreneur and
jazz lover
pick up jazz, which I did. I am
no expert, but I do have a few
jazz numbers in my motley
repertoire.
The best compliment you
have received?
“You radiate happiness”
Your best critic?
My conscience
How does it feel to don
the role of a female cop?
Feels awesome. My friends
initially were very amused to
see me because they claimed
they could see the excitement
in my eyes. And that I wasn’t
in the least bit intimidating.
But I wear the uniform almost
everyday and now have forgot-
ten the impact unless I happen
to see guys scampering away
once they see me, leaving be-
hind a slipper.
10 years from now?
Alive, hopefully. And grow-
ing potatoes and cauliflowers
or maybe geraniums in Kodai.
Running a bed and breakfast,
maybe.
Favourites:
· Director: None
· Actor: Maybe Bruce
Willis. Or was it Will
Smith? Or Al Pacino… I
forget, it changes hourly
· Actress: Michelle Pfeiffer
for her gorgeous looks,
Whoopie Goldberg for her
acting. Changes daily
· Movie: None
· Colour: Buttercup yellow
19
Shriya flooded with offers
Shriya Saran is in elated moods for she has lot of
projects in Hindi, Tamil and English. The pretty
actress is busy shooting for the film
Kandasamy at Mexico with Vikram
now. And her Hollywood flick
The Other End of Line
produced by Vijay Amritraj is
almost completed. Shriya
has also accepted
Jakkubhai to be directed
by K.S.Ravikumar. The film
centers on the beautiful
relationship between
father and daughter has
Shriya playing Sarath
Kumar’s daughter. Her
Bollywood flick Mission
Istanbul will soon hit the
screens and buzzes are
that she has a meaty role
to play in this film. Also
shooting for the film
where she pairs up with
Dhanush would soon
kick-start in the two
months of time. The
film is directed by
Vetrimaaran and
produced by Gemini
Productions.
Hot, hotter
Sathyam is gearing up for the audio launch which is slated
to take place this month end. We heard that the song,
Chellamey, in the movie composed by Harris Jayaraj and
rendered by Madhu
Balakrishnan and Bombay
Jayashree will be the hottest
song ever made in Tamil
cinema. The song has three
elaborate sets, designed by
Thotta Tharani, and was
shot in AVM Studios.
Nayanthara plays a
television anchor in the
movie and Vishal plays a
cop. Kannada star Upendra
also plays a prominent role
in the movie, made at a
budget of over Rs 26 Crore.
It is directed by debutante
Rajasekar and RD Rajasekhar
does the cinematography.
www.cinesnacks.com
20 ERGO Friday, July 11, 2008

Scan
Marky Wahlberg?
Mark Wahlberg is mentioned in the
opening words of Eminem’s song "Drug
Ballad" ("Back when Mark Wahlberg
was Marky Mark...").

PICK OF THE DAY - Friday

HBO National Geographic Zee Cinema Discovery Travel and Living

Spiderman 3 – 9 pm
Tobey McGuire is back once again
in this action packed super hero
movie. Spider-man meets his
greatest challenge as he faces two
of the most-feared villains yet
Sandman and Venom.
Taboo – 8 pm
Drugs. We take a trip from
traditional acceptance to modern
rejection, exploring how drugs are
used in ancient cultures & why they
are prohibited now.
Yuva – 12.30 am
Lallan is a criminal don, based in
Calcutta. He loves, marries, and
abuses his wife, Sashi Biswas;
Michael Mukherjee is a student
leader, who wants politicians like
Prosonjeet Bhattacharya, to keep
away from college elections.
Long Way Round – 12 am
In the second episode, the journey
begins as Ewan and Charley leave
from London. The two companions
ride through Brussels, Germany,
Czech Republic, Prague, Slovakia,
the Ukraine and Kiev.

PICK OF THE DAY - Saturday

HBO Discovery Star Vijay SS Music

The Departed – 9 pm
Two just-graduated officers from
Massachusetts State Police Academy
follow opposite sides of the law:
William Costigan is assigned to
work undercover with the Irish
mobster Frank Costello to get
evidences to arrest him.
Mystery of The Taj Mahal
– 8 pm
Built by Shah Jahan in 1642 as a
memorial to his adored wife
Shalimar, the Taj Mahal in Agra is
more than just a beautiful
mausoleum. It is also a very precise
representation of the Throne of
God.
Koffee with Anu – 9-30 pm
Get ready for koffee with anu, a
one-hour exclusive celebrity chat
show on vijay tv hosted by the witty
and charming host, anu hasan. join
her every week as she chats up with
not just one but two celebrities and
their close associates.
Jest for Jolly – 4-30 pm
Here’s to laughter! laughter! and
some more laughter! ladies,
gentlemen, children, grandmas,
grandpas, enemies, friends and
whoever else there is to address -
southern spice music presents to you
the only show there is around that
shows you the latest comedies.

PICK OF THE DAY - Sunday

Filmy Sony Pix Star World HBO

Khakee – 3 pm
The police department sends a
police force to bring back an
accused from Chandangarh to
Mumbai. But the twist in the story
comes when certain corrupt officers
within the police force all try their
best to make sure the accused does
not reach Mumbai.
Urban Legend – 8 pm
Pastiche horror starring Jared Leto
and Joshua Jackson about a group
of college kids who are tormented
by a demented killer. Taking
famous urban legends as his
inspiration for slaughter, the killer
sets about committing a set of
horrifyingly familiar murders.
Desperate Housewives
– 10 pm
A month has passed on Wisteria
Lane since Susan and Gabrielle tied
the knot with Mike and Victor.
While Lynette is battling with the
effects of chemotherapy,.
Inside Man – 6-30 pm
Inside Man is the story of a tough
cop, Detective Frazier, who matches
wits with a clever bank robber. As
the dangerous cat-and-mouse game
unfolds, a wild card emerges:
Madaline, a power broker with a
hidden agenda.
 Friday, July 11, 2008
Greetings
Dear Padma,
Many more Happy Returns
of the Day Have a very
bright future and colorful
day ahead.
Hearty wishes,
Friends
TCS
Dear Prem,
Many more happy returns
of the day.
Wish you have a rocking
year ahead, with all your
dreams coming true…
Heartiest wishes from
Vasu, Shobi, Pari, Nalini &
Team
Patni Computer Systems Ltd
Dear Saravanan & Satish,
T-Hub wishes you a very
Happy Birthday!
May God shower all his
blessings on you
throughout the year. Let all
your dreams come true!!
Hearty wishes from T-Hub team
TATA Consultancy Services
Dear Ramnathan,
Wish you many more happy
returns of the day.
May all your dreams come
true.
Hearty wishes from,
Ramkumar & Friends,
CitiGroup Global Services.
Hi Praveen,
Its always such a wonderful
treat to wish
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY" to
someone so sweet.
Wishing you a year filled
with love &joy.
From Suyambudurai Pandian,
Parasakthi, Kesavan, Kalavathi,
Naveen, Anita, Sunitha and
Mithun
Satyam Computers
Hi Rajesh,
Let your journey and future
venture be successful.
We wish you happiness in
all you do.
Hearty Wishes from,
CUG Friends Dhana, Vijay,
Gayathri, Senthil & Guna,
TCS
Hi Murugan,
Many More Happy Returns
of the day.
May all your dreamz come
true.
Loving Wishes,
Heroes of 8802 Guys,
Perot systems
Hi Dalwin,
Many more Happy returns
of the day.
Wishing you success in all
your endeavours.
21
R.I.P. to old games
Some games that will no longer be featured
at this year’s summer Olympics in Beijing
include rope climbing, one handed weight
lifting, underwater swimming, rugby, and
equestrian high jump, among many others.
A Sunday FEAST
After the week’s work is
With Warm Regards, done, indulge yourself in
Manikandaperumal. Champagne Brunch – an
Viswanathan, elaborate multicuisine
Photon Infotech. buffet with live counters,
Dear Anitha Hari, unlimited sparkling wine,
I wish you all success on jolly balloon makers and
your lovely birthday!!!! fun caricature artists and
Have fun!!!! face painters.
Sudha, Where:
Ameex Technologies Seagull
Dear Navasingam, Taj Fisherman’s Cove
Many more happy Covelong Beach
returns of the day, When:
wishing you success in all Sundays,
your future. Noon to 3:00p.m.
Best wishes from FSS -- Price: Rs. 900 + taxes
Nontandem Testing Team ,
Tidel park
Dear Ashok,
Many More Happy
Returns of the day...
Wishing u success in all
your future
endeavours...... From, Shes,
Sure, pand, raj, arj, dhan,
kavi, indu Tata Consultancy
Shadow Theatre
Services
Hi Manoj,
Many more happy
returns of the day.
Wishing u success in all
your endeavours.
Warm wishes
Sudheer V
HCL Technologies
Hi Ramesh,
Many More Happy
Returns of the day. Have
a fantastic year a head.
Hearty Wishes,
IMN Team,
TCS
Dear Shyam,
We pray God to bless
with bright future and
better settlement in your
The Alliance Française of Madras have organised a Shadow Theatre
career.
show by Brigitte Revelli and students from AMM School in their aud-
All the Best!!
itorium. This Shadow Theatre has a particular position, a very specific
Cheers,
and mysterious charm. Playing with light and darkness, it stands half-
Muruganantham,
way between Cinema movie and Drama. So why not enjoy the weekend
Campus Team
with shadows and darkness?
Hexaware Technologies
Where:
Dear Sandy,
Alliance Francaise of Madras, College Road, Nungambakkam
Many more happy
When:12th July, 6.30 p.m.
returns of the day... Wish
you the best in your life
Regards,
Ever loving friends, Wipro
Technologies
Dear Abi,
Many more happy re-
TOP 5 LESSER KNOWN FACTS ABOUT INDIA
turns of the day.
With love,
B.Geetha B.Jeyanthi
India sends more students to U.S. colleges Nearly 49% of the high-tech startups in
Y.Srimathi N.Sangeetha
than any country in the world. silicon Valley and Washington, D.C. are
Thanks, Sangeetha N owned by Indians or Indian- Americans.
Tata Consultancy Services
India has the second largest community of
software developers, after the U.S. India is one of only three countries that
makes supercomputers (the US and Japan
The Bombay stock exchange lists more than are the other two).
6,600 companies. Only the NYSE has more.
22 ERGO Friday, July 11, 2008

Baby season

Traffic Jam
A Colorado music festival has some
lasting effects! It has been found that
approximately 9 months after the music
festival, double the normal number of
babies are delivered at local hospitals.

sudoku

Papitha Cader
of Hewlett
Packard
spotted the
Big Cat during
her business
trip to
Singapore.
Papitha owns
a Canon EOS
and loves
listening to
music and
reading. She is
currently
reading about
Alan
Greenspan.

KAKURO
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E-mail: clickpick@goergo.in

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Anna Salai, Chennai-600002. Editor: S. Karthik
(Editor responsible for selection of news under
the PRB Act). RNI No. TNENG/2007/24553
 Friday, July 11, 2008

Divorce confusion
A happily married couple was stunned when they
received a letter from a solicitor saying their
divorce was finalised. The solicitors have made
atemplate mistake which caused the wrong letter
to be sent to the couple of 36 years.
Word’s worth
"Ultra-crepidarian" (ul-truh-krep-i-dare-ee-uhn)
an adjective related to the (widespread) practice
of giving opinions on topics beyond one’s
knowledge. The word comes from Latin words
meaning ’beyond the sole (of the shoe),’ an
allusion to the story of Apelles and the cobbler,
23
Apelles being the favourite painter of Alexander
the Great. His shoemaker told him of a mistake
Apelles had made in depicting a shoe, and
Apelles corrected it. The shoemaker then
presumed to criticize the painting of the leg as
well, and apelles said: "Don’t criticize above the
sole!"

B.C

ARIES MARCH 21 - APRIL 20

Inattentiveness at work will make you lose some
valuable time. This will affect your concentration in
professional activities. Things will be on the upswing
in the latter half of the day. You can look forward
to some mushy time with your beloved.

TAURUS APRIL 21 - MAY 20

Haste makes waste. Hence, Ganesha suggests that
you should look before you leap while taking
decisions. The best way out is to tackle things one
by one. However, in the evening you will enjoy
magnificent time with your darling.

GEMINI MAY 21 - JUNE 20

You may attempt to resolve a few inconveniences,
BORN LOSER but you have to wait for a solution that is in your
favor. Discontinue thinking about the troubles on
hand. Be alert about the things happening around
you. Love life may be monotonous.
CANCER JUNE 21 - JULY 20
Ganesha observes that you may spoil precious
moments on pointless debates. Things will take a
turn for the good after lunch. Ganesha asks you to
remain patient. Empathising with your partner’s
feelings will create better understanding.
LEO JULY 21 - AUG 20
You will be on your toes the whole day today.
There’s not much you can do about it. Ganesha
finds your love life complete with action and
emotion today. Lovers will feel like venturing out to
some mysterious destination or go for a long drive.
VIRGO AUG 21 - SEPT 20
Ganesha finds you offering suggestions to all those
FREE RANGE WORKING IT OUT around you. Others may not accept your view point,
but don’t get upset by it. Be attentive to your
duties and finish them off. Too much of criticism
should not hurt your beloved’s feelings.
LIBRA SEPT 21 - OCT 20
Ganesha envisions a demanding day. Relax before
you leave for work. Not only will you be laden with
work, you will also have to think about pertinent
communication. However in evening, your beloved
will conjure some brilliant ways to excite you.
SCORPIO OCT 21 - NOV 20
Throughout the day you will feel lively. Ganesha
notes that you will experience a strong desire to
excel in all spheres of life. Pay attention to your
personal life. On the personal front, use your
imagination, advises Ganesha.
SAGITTARIUS NOV 21 - DEC 20
You have an uneventful day ahead. You
performance will be at its zenith at work and
deadlines will be met. Ganesha considers this as the
most excellent time to spend with family and
friends. You may even throw a small party.
CAPRICORN DEC 21 - JAN 20
Work and personal life both call for your attention
today. You may feel pressured with the demands of
both. Be practical. Peace and calm will be your
constant companions. Ganesha wants you to
dedicate some special moments to your beloved.
AQUARIUS JAN 21 - FEB 20
PREVIOUS A wonderful day for you. Growth and an amazing
sense of fulfilment await you. You will succeed as
ISSUE’S well as excel in everything you do. Romance is
highlighted and you will thoroughly enjoy it. Live
SOLUTIONS the moment to its fullest, advises Ganesha.
PISCES FEB 21 - MARCH 20
You will be able to avail new opportunities to
expand your knowledge with novel things.
Coincidentally, your will be full of energy. You will
be motivated to enhance your skills! Ganesha finds
you in a cheerful mood all through the day.
Predictions by Bhavesh N. Pattni
24 ! ERGO Friday, July 11, 2008
LADIES’ DAY OUT
A mini-Olympics to reinvent the sporting spirit in women
L
ooking to get back some good old school
days? Then, here is one great opportunity
to show your sporting skills. Virgo Event
Management Company is organising
Amrutanjan Eves’ Olympics 2008 in Namma
Chennai on August 2 at YMCA Grounds, Nan-
danam. The Olympics is open to school and
college students, working professionals and
senior citizens.
Competitions galore
There will be around 50 events to compete
in. Participants will be divided into five cate-
gories and individual championships will be
held in each of the categories. Competitions
including double cycling, filling the bottle,
brick walking and three-generation relay, to
name a few, promise to tap some of your hid-
What, when, where
What: Mini-olympics for women
Last date for registration: July 20
Contact: 2817 1385 / 99620 89669
den talents and a great place to have fun.
How to participate
You need to attach the wrappers of two
tubes of Amrutanjan joint ache cream and mail
it to the address in the application form. Or,
you could download applications from
www.virgoevents.com. Last date for registra-
tion is July 20. Apart from prizes for the best
cheer leading group and other special prizes,
early birds will get t-shirts and gift vouchers. ■