Vol 1 Issue 36

Aug 12, 2012

Double standards of Chennai Corporation exposed

The Chennai Corporation has been sanctioning the trade licenses according to its whims and fancies especially in the T Nagar commercial hub. While the website of the Chenai Corporation says that it is a must while applying for Trade licenses a certificate from the district fire officer should accompany the application form whereas the letter issued by the Chennai Corporation Zone X office states that the Clearance from the Fire officer is not necessary when the trade licenses are applied under the Simplification Scheme (Sulabha Murai) for the textile shops. While the Corporation and other government authorities are saying that all safety measures will be adhered to in all commercial establishments the Chennai Corporation has dubious standards of sanctioning the license. Based on the written confirmation received from the Department of Fire and Rescue Services, Chennai City South Division, Ashok Nagar, Chennai-83, that they have not issued DFRS Fire License to the following commercial establishments located in T Nagar:01] Saravana Stores, Usman Road, Opposite Panagal Park 02] RMKV Silks, Opp Panagal Park 03] Pothys, Usman Road 04] Lalitha Jewellery, Usman Road 05] Saravana Thangamaligai, Usman Road 06] LKS Gold House, Usman Road 07] Chennai Silks, Usman Road 08] Fathima Jewellery, Usman Road 09] Shree Jewellery, Usman road 10] Saravana Selvaratnam, Opp Ranganathan Street [Junction of Usman Road/ Motilal Street] 11] Sana Stores [at the junction of Ramanathan Street/Rameswaram Road] The information obtained by the T Nagar Residents Welfare Association under the RTI Act speaks volumes of flouting the rules by the corporation itself. Six shops have been given the trade licenses under the Simplification Scheme 1.Saravana Stores Usman Road, 2. Pothys Usman Road,3. Lalitha Jewellery Usman Road,4. Chennai Silks Usman Road, 5. Saravana Selvaratnam, Opp Ranganathan Street [Junction of Usman Road/ Motilal Street], 6.Sana Stores Usman Road The following shops have been issued notices on July 30 this year 1.RMKV Silks, Opp Panagal Park, 2.Saravana Thangamaligai, Usman Road 3.LKS Gold House, Usman Road 4. Fathima Jewellery, Usman Road; 5.Shree Jewellery, Usman road Under the Simplification Scheme all safety norms flouted while sanctioning the trade license. Though Saravana Stores fire accident occurred on Sept. 01 2008, the Corporation did not bother to amend the rule and make fire safety clearance mandatory. While the Assistant Revenue Officer was contacted he is taking

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salutes the martyrs who had laid down their lives in the freedom struggle

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their powers without the knowledge of the top brass in the Corporation. Who will bell the cat ?

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the shadow of simplification scheme for sanctioning the trade license claims ignorance of the rules specified in the website for grant of trade licenses which clearly states "No objection Certificate From the Officer of the District Fire Service, A Certificate From the Factory Inspector, No objection Certificate From the Neighbourhood." is necessary the corporation mutely supports the traders in its activities under the guise of "Simplification Scheme" When fire broke out in Saravana Stores in Ranganathan Street, all departments to escape punishment tightened the rules and subsequently it is the same old story. Only the Fire and Rehabilitation Department laments about

the lack of safety norms in the commercial hub., Is the Corporation authorities negligent of the safety norms ? While

the Mayor and his core team is fighting tooth and nail to keep the area safe from all perils the second level officials exercise

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ALPHA TIMES

Aug. 12, 2012

Vol 1 ISSUE 36

Aug. 12, 2012

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For the week Aug. 12 to 18, 2012

Aries [ March 21 to April 20) ] Make hay while the sun shines. Since your boss is pleased with your work, ask for a raise. Take care of your eyes. This is not the right time for romance. A short trip is on cards. Lucky colour: Deep red. Taurus [ April 21 to May 21 ] Your meticulous planning will help you stay ahead of others at work. Try and avoid quarrels at home, especially on Tuesday. If something is bothering you, discuss with family members. Lucky colour: Yellow. Gemini [ May 21 to June 21 ] At work, you may have to take decisions in a hurry, but be tactful. Personal matters might cause stress and lead to debate. Your financial situation will improve dramatically. Lucky colour: Bottle green. Cancer [ June 22 to July 22 ] Professional projects may show a steady progress after Monday. Your goals are mostly larger than life, try to be realistic. Take a weekend break. Stomach ailments could bother you. Lucky colour: Grey. Leo [ July 23 to Aug 23 ] Be patient as far as relationships are concerned or you may lose the trust of your beloved. Business travel is on cards. If you are planning to buy a house, do so now. Lucky colour: Orange. Virgo [ Aug 24 to Sept 22 ] Sun square Uranus promises recognition. You will meet all deadlines and be appreciated at work. This will also pave the way for a promotion. There will be harmony at home; be happy! Lucky colour: Black. Libra [Sept 23 to Oct 23 ] A delayed payment may worry you, but money will come from unexpected quarters. Listen to your intuition in matters of heart. Be wary of friends who may try to influence you. Lucky colour: Brown. Scorpio [Oct 24 to Nov 22 ] Business is booming and profits are on the rise, but you worry that nothing has been achieved. Delaying a project because too much work is involved is a bad idea. Lucky colour: Pink. Sagittarius [ Nov 23 to Dec 23 A seemingly lost cause will work out in your favour. Financial problems will be sorted out with a cheque coming your way. Time to take a break and recharge your energies. Lucky colour: White. Capricorn [Dec 24 to Jan 20] Several issues will irk you. On the financial front, its not hunky dory. You may want to appear detached in the presence of your friends when you are feeling low. Lucky colour: Crimson. Aquarius [ Jan 21 to Feb 18 ] It will be a stressful week at the office with too much work. Social events will keep you busy. An old flame will contact you but you should stay away. Lucky colour: Saffron. Pisces [Feb 19 to March 20 ] You will be hot on the social circuit. Relatives may drop in on a surprise visit. Those in the creative field will be praised at work. Be wary of crafty colleagues. Lucky colour: Fuchsia. - Dr. A. Ranganatha Sarma

Q O O IQ M M E. Q IN QA HQ C Q Q E! F F MK c CK F (F)F M Q F P F E!' F F F IP FL O. FF Q , GF F FF J v P, O b- M b O M ! M H , F I Q ,

TTDC organises temple tour of Narasimha Temples

For the convenience of pilgrims from Chennai, who visit Perumal temples on the occasion of Swathi Natchathiram day, the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) is conducting a one day tour programme for three Lakshmi Narasimha temples situated in Cuddalore and Villupuram districts. A TTDC vehicle will depart from Chennai for Lakshmi Narasimha temples tour at 6.00 am on August 23 for which, 600 has been fixed as the tariff per traveller. According to official sources, the temples include Lakshmi Narasimha temples at Parikkal and Poovarasankuppam. The new tour is conducted, following a previous successive package of seven Perumal temples, organised on Thiruvonam Natchathiram day on August 2, sources said.

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Page 3

Sports day celebrated

SRM Nightingale Matriculation Higher Secondary School, West Mambalam conducted its 44th Annual Sports Meet on Aug. 08 at Ramakrishna Mission Ground, T. Nagar After the welcome address by Mrs. Shanthi Sukumar, the Principal, the sports flag was hoisted by t Dr. P.K.A.Muniswaran, Director, Organisationand Faculty Developmentand Sports, SRM University declared the sports meet open. In his address he stressed that sports help in developing friendship, team spirit and makes us well disciplined in our approach. The march past by the four houses in their different colourful attire, scouts and RSP was spectacular. K. Rahul of Std X, the champion of the sports day brought the Olympic torch and the chief guest lighted the Olympic flame. After the oath taking ceremony, the president of the function Dr. R. Narayanasamy, Director, Ramapuram campus of SRM Group in his presidential address urged the students to dedicate themselves to all activities in and outside the school and equip themselves to face the challenging world. The Chief guest, Dr. S. Ponnusamy, Controller of Examinations, SRM University, advised the students to evince more interest in sports, He insisted that education and sports are only complementary. He emphasized the need for sports discipline, as winning is only a part of the game The school correspondent Dr. R. Shivakumar stressed that sports reduces stress among children Childern must make it a habit to take part in games and yoga for a healthy life. P Devadhas, the Physical Director presented the Sports annual report. Then the sports events started for boys and girls, with an enthusiastic response from the stundents. A game was organized for the parents also and they participated with much enthusiasm. The culturals proved sp[ectacular. After the welcome dance by high school students, the toddlers march and the drill performed by tiny tots of KG classes won the appreciation. The mass drill was a perfect rendering by the children of Std I, II and III. Then the Std IV and V children captured everbodys attention by the physical display followed by the aerobics exercise by high school The expertise in Yoga and in martial art Karate were displayed by high school students. Over 600 prizes were ditributed to various participants in sports and the best house Trophy for 2012 2013 was bagged by the Bluie house.

As per a notification issued by the headquarters of Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), entry of visitors to the domestic and international terminal has been banned from August 7 to August 20, sources at the airport said. On account of Independence Day, it is a routine procedure every year to forbid visitors from entering the terminals for security reasons. It was also decided during a special security committee meeting that the unauthorised parking of vehicles in close proximity to the terminals would not be allowed.

Visitors entry banned at airport

Sloka classes
The Varahas Gurucool will commence a new batch of Vishnu Sahsranama Class from 11th August at its centre loacted at NK Apartment, 37, Thambaiah Road, West Mambalam Chennai. The classes will be conducted during weekends at 5pm by Sastri Arunachala and Srirama Satrigal. The gurukula method of teaching pattern is followed and that students memorise upto 3 or 6 slokas in a class through Sruthi hearing process. Pronunciation is perfected with memorisation and also meaning explained for the slokas. The gurukul also conducts various classes on Power Yoga, Basic Yoga, Prenatal and Post natal Yoga, Therapeutic Yoga,Vedas, Chess, Drawing and Painting, Leadership courses. For more details contact 99412 95549, 90470 95549; email: varahaschool@ yahoo.com

Training Programme on "Mushroom Cultivation"

A one day training programme on "Mushroom Cultivation" will be conducted at the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University Information and Training Centre, on Monday 13.08.2012 between 9.30 am to 4.30 pm. Interested persons can get the information regarding the training and fee details before the training and confirm the participation in the telephone No. 044 2626 3484.

Free health check up camp

As a part of Independence Day celebrations.a free diabetes and blood pressure camp will be conducted from 9.00 a.m to 1.00 p.m on Sunday, Aug. 12 at the Poornima Health Hospital 44/2, New Boag Road, T. Nagar Dr. S. Murugamani - Medical Director - will offer consultation and counselling. For further details call 98409 74967.

Special trains between Mumbai Velankanni for annual festival

The Southern Railway announced special train services from Mumbai to Velankanni for the Velankanni festival and also between Mumbai and Chennai. A railway statement said the Velankanni-Mumbai CST special would leave Velankanni at 2030 hrs on September eight and arrive in Mumbai at 1215 hrs on September 10. The composition of the train would be two AC 3-tier, six Sleeper Class, six General Second Class and two luggagecum- brake van coaches. The train will stop at Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, Sirkazhi, C h i d a m b a r a m , Ti r u p a d i r i p u l i y u r, Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai, Vellore, Katpadi, Tiruttani, Puttur, Renigunta, Koduru, Razampet, Cuddappah, Yerraguntla, Tadipatri, Gooty, Guntakal, Adoni, Mantralayam Road, Wadi, Gulbarga, Solapur, Daund, Pune, Kalyan and Dadar. The Mumbai CST-Chennai Central special would leave Mumbai at 1330 hrs on September 10 and arrive Chennai Central at 2055 hrs the next day. The composition of the train would be two AC 3-tier, six Sleeper Class, six General Second Class and two luggage-cum-brake van coaches. The train will stop at Dadar, Kalyan, Pune, Daund, Solapur, Gulbarga, Wadi, Raichur, Mantralayam Road, Adoni, Guntakal, Tadipatri, Yerraguntla, Cuddapah, Razampet, Renigunta, Puttur, Tiruttani, Arakkonam and Perambur. Advance reservation for the above trains would commence on August 12.

Free classes
Free classes on Rig Veda will be conducted at 6 p.m on Sundays at 15, Bharathi Street, West Mambalam. For details dial 94440 34917.

Use only raw clay Ganesh idols:TNPCB

The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) has appealed to the people to celebrate Ganesh Chathurthi festival in a tradtional way without polluting the environment. In a release, TNPCB Chairman Vikram Kapur said immersion of Ganesh idols made of clay in water bodies has been in practice in the state. 'However, in recent years, idols made of chemicals like plaster of paris and painted idols are being immersed in water bodies resulting in water pollution besides impacting the environment", he said. The public were requested to use idols made of raw clay and without any chemicals for worship as they could be immersed in water bodies without harming them.. He also appealed to the public to avoid immersion of idols coloured with chemical paints. He said instead of immersing the idols in the lakes and seashore, people are advised to take them atleast 500 m into the sea and immerse them in places notified by the government.

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State-run oil companies have warned that they would need to hike petrol prices by Rs 3 a litre next week if they were not allowed to raise the prices immediately by Rs 1.37 per litre. They said the rise in global crude oil prices has made it necessary to hike petrol prices. Companies like Indian Oil, HPL and BPL projected Rs 1,80,000-crore combined loss for the current fiscal if prices of diesel, LPG and kerosene were not hiked with immediate effect. The government informally controls prices of fuel products even though petrol prices have been officially deregulated and are supposed to abide by global price trends. Top sources in the IOC said the company was witnessing a daily loss of Rs 20 crore on petrol sales, adding that they have requested the government to bring petrol back under regulation if increasing the petrol prices were not possible. Petrol prices have been increased a number of times in the last one year and the UPA government is set to draw more flaks from its allies if there is yet another round of hike.

Petrol prices may rise by Rs 3 next week

Lions club free eye camp on Independence Day

Lions Club of Wisdom will conduct a d a free eye screening camp from 9.00 a.m to 1.00 p.m on Wednesday, Aug. 15 A team of doctors from Udhi Eye Hospital will examine the patients.at the Pandian Marriage Hall, 10 Station Road, West Mambalam For details dial 98411 16123.

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Continued from last week...

ALPHA TIMES
as simple as you quickly totaling up the prices at super market of your puchases.Or at least you must be good enough to make a quick guessing of the calorie values of what you eat. Step (5) is to keep the habits of checking your weight and BP regularly. As you are already familiar with calorie calculations of what you eat, now you can learn, in step(6) you can know from your Consultant of your daily calorie requirements. The step (7) is familiarizing with a knowledge of calories spent on strolling, walking, brisk walking, going upstairs, running etc., THIS is the awareness for you to make yourself a close friend to Diabetes, or else in the long-run the Diabetes becomes a Foe to you you and your Consultant will be powerless to prevent Diabetic complications. Do you know about HbA1c-check, your consultant asking you to do now and then? Its the registry of your past blood glucose levels and the reflection of your food habits, your excesses,0r simply HbA1c is the Confidential Record about your past blood glucose levels over 3 months period. The hbA1c test tells how often you were careless about your diet, insincere towards exercising, not quitting your habits like smoking, drinking. The HbA1c test tells about how fast you are heading towards complications and visible damages. MOST IMPORTANT: Reading the Lab.reports on FBS/PPBS, comparing to the ranges and feeling euphoric that you are within the range is a grave mistake. Your consultant can only interpret with the clinical findings,and decdes on the target range. Please remember the FPS, for you may be 80mg/ dL, and your P-PPS may be fixed at 160mg/dL.For Ten Diabetic patients the Figures (called Targets) may be different ,and your consultant only is competent enough to set the

Aug. 12, 2012

Yo u r simple understanding about, (1) Monitoring your blood sugar by yourself, is your first step of defense to Living over Diabetes (2) Choose foods wisely to achieve the targets (3) Be physically active ,to reach your target blood glucose levels as fixed by

Diabetes Foe? Or Friend?

your Diabetologist. Now remember,that everyone with hyperglycemia need not take Anti-DiabeticMedications; but if you are on ANTI-DiabeticMedications necessarily your consultant will advise accordingly.The kind of

AD medicine you may take depends on the situation like your 24hrs.activity, your food-habits and your other health conditions.(4)The next step though, may benumb you, is to learn about the calorie values of what all you eat. It is

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Targets, keeing in mind your health profile. Are you feeling eluding; you need not be, for all these go into the workings of your consultant. ALL you have to do is stay on, closely with his guidelines. IT is called Fixing Targetst, which your Consultant can only decide for you. First and foremost you should be clear in your mind that simply eating, going for a jolly walking and taking a pill is not Diabetic Management and in no way it will help you in averting your complications. You must understand that, Diabetes silently undermines your health with complications. When you relax the rigid system of, correct dieting, active physical work and getting-rid of your habits; L o n g - t e r m complications of diabetes such as Neuropathy,Retin opathy,orNephropathy will be the.... - Prof.Dr.Nandakumar AK Velu

Diabetic Management
MBBS., MD (cmb). PG.Dip.Diabetology.Ph.D. Physician & Consultant Diabetologist, Specialist in: Diabetic Complication Management Chennai: SAT & SUNDAYS. (0)9944547364 / 9842617800

Prof.Dr.Nandakumar AK Velu

Aug. 12, 2012

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Aug. 12, 2012

3) Where is the North Pole? 4) Name the moon which revolves around the planet Earth. Biology: 1) Birds are a type of bird. True/False. 2) What insects do anteaters eat? 3) What is the breast colour of a robin redbreast? 4) How many cells do single-celled amoebas have? 5) What substance do woodpeckers peck? Score: 13-21 right answers: Congratulations, youre in! 7-12 right answers: Congratulations, youre in! 1-6 right answers: Congratulations, youre in! 0 right answers: Try again! We tested the exam out on a group of five children. Only two of them passed. The third spoke only Urdu, the fourth Hokkien, and the fifth lost the paper. So we decided to shorten the test to just one question and allow the parent or guardian to answer it. Does he know his own name? Yes/No. This time, most of them passed. The Hokkienspeaking family just sort of glared at me, but I took that as a yes. Besides, there are no wrong answers in that sort of test. If only the same was true for real life.

The Funny Side

Asia IS the best place to be educated, according to a global survey I read recently. I was astonished. Education elsewhere must be REALLY bad. I mentioned this to a headmaster friend, who replied that he wanted to introduce an entrance exam for his school. Why? Because we pretty much accept anyone who will pay, but the parents of the kids like to be able to boast that its tough to get into, he explained. Parents are strange creatures. They were irritated when he said that there was no waiting list for his school; so he started pretending that there was.

The easiest test in the world

This ALSO annoyed them. One parent lectured him on the evils of grade inflation and in the same sentence demanded that his son be given A grades, despite having an IQ to match his shoe size. Another tried to bribe him with a dusty box of cakes which had clearly been passed around since Confucius had been the big name in Asian education. The headmaster asked me to write an entrance exam like the sort of contests you get in the media, which are so easy that its almost impossible to get them wrong. So here it is: The Worlds Easiest Entrance Exam. Time limit: 30 minutes. General Knowledge: 1) Greens are a healthy vegetable. What colour are they? 2) What time is it when both hands are on the 12? 3) What does UN (United Nations) stand for? 4) How many weeks are there in a two-week period? 5) What do coffee shops sell? Mathematics: 1) A bald mans hair is 0.0 inches long. Convert this to centimetres. 2) If I had three apples in my left hand, how many

apples would I have in my left hand? 3) If two and two equal four on every day of the week, what does two and two equal on Tuesdays? History: 1) What was Henry VIIIs personal name? 2) What was Mahatma Gandhis family name? 3) What rank was Admiral Nelson? 4) How many rules are there in The Ten Commandments? Geography: 1) What language do Urdu-speakers speak? 2) What country is the Queen of Denmark Queen of?

Ramayana competition held

v v K!!!

The Ramayana Recitation Competition in Sanskrit is held every year at Sri Ahobila Math Oriental Higher Secondary School, West Mambalam, in memory of the Late Sri Ub. Ve. T. Ramaswamy Iyengar, former principal of Sri Ahobila Math Sanskrit College, Madurantakam. This year the competition was conducted on Sunday,Aug. 05. 103 students from several schools in the city participated, out of which 40 students won prizes, the prizes being awarded to Boys and Girls separately. Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan and Sri Maharishi Vasudeva Vidyalaya won the maximum prizes at the Junior Level LKG to Std. VI. The following are the prize winners from PSBB:

1. R. Shyam Sundar - UKG and S. Aadithya Std VI I Prize (Rs.700/-) 2. S. Srivatsan Std III II Prize (Rs.500/-) 3. R.S. Shivani UKG and M. Sairam UKG III Prize (Rs.400/-) 4. Sameeksha LKG Consolation Prize (Rs.300/-) The following are the prize winners from Sri Maharishi Vasudeva Vidyalaya, West Mambalam: 1. M.V. Suparnan Std IV I Prize 2. S. Narayana Veerasimhan Std II, R. Vijayanarasimhan Std V, V. Meenakshi Std V II Prize 3. K. S. Sriram Std V III Prize 4. G. Baladharshini Std V Consolation Prize Sri Ahobila Math Oriental

Higher Secondary School bagged the maximum prizes in the category Std VII to College Level, the prize winners being : 1. S. Sudarsan Std VIII, S. Shodasakshari Vidya Std X I Prize 2. M. Srimadhumitha Std VIII, R. Bhadhrasree Std IX II Prize 3. M. Yazhini and N. Padmageetha Std VIII III Prize 4. L. Premalatha Std VIII Consolation Prize The chief guest V. Parthasarathy, retired Headmaster, Sri Ahobila Math Oriental Higher Secondary School, a true disciple of . T. Ramaswamy Iyengar, spoke on the virtues of his Acharya and distributed the prizes to the students.

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Consumer Rights

Take care while tele-shopping

there are other problems like delayed delivery, product being different from what was shown or promised, poor response to consumer complaints, unfair terms and conditions, etc. So exercise utmost caution to ensure that you do not get a raw deal. Today, you also have a choice of teleshopping networks and go for those that have a good reputation. If despite all these precautions, you still end up with a problem, you can always fallback on the consumer justice system. Let me quote one of the first cases on the subject decided by the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission. The complainant here pertained to a set of jewellery ordered by Mr L.K.Pandya from one such network in 1995, after paying Rs 8,200 and the failure of the tele-shopping network to redress his grievance about non-delivery. The parcels were probably pilfered during transit and did not contain the promised jewellery. Before the consumer court, the teleshopping network argued that it cannot be held liable for non-delivery of goods as it had no contract with the consumer. It was neither the supplier nor the manufacturer of goods, nor had it taken any payment The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum disagreed and pointed out that the consumer had sent the money to the tele-shopping network. Besides, the skyshop had shown, through its telecast, its ability to provide the jewellery on receipt of certain amount and on the basis of this, the complainant had ordered the productthis amounted to an agreement. By failing to deliver the promised jewellery, the teleshopping network was guilty of deficient service and unfair trade practice. The Forum directed it to pay Rs 34,700, along with interest at the rate of 18 per cent per annum Confirming this view, the National Commission pointed out that despite the insurance cover, the tele-shopping network failed to act on the complaint of the consumer and ensure that he got delivery of the ordered products. This not only amounted to deficiency in service, but also an unfair trade practice. This order not only protects the rights of consumers in these kind of transactions, but also focuses on the need for such television marketing channels to act promptly on consumer complaints .
Pushpa G - TNS

Different Strokes

The caricature conundrum

were growing in one direction and lo and behold, it started to look like a donkeys ear (the symbol of the Democratic Party). . Indian cartoonists have made use of his Turban (headgear) the central feature of his character, and ultimately if you draw a blue turban on a spectacled and bearded old man, youve got the caricature of Mr. Singh. One of my friend had actually brought this turban to one side to expose his bald head and made a cubist Mr. Singh whose nose points to one direction and face towards other directions. Yet nobody made a mistake to recognise him Nowadays, the most caricatured person is Zardari, generally considered as a the Machiavellian prince. He is depicted with his signature teeth and scheming smile. But note that the majority of cartoonists make him as a two-toothed squirrel, that is alert and smart. We have Anna Hazaare bemoaning the lack of honour and his only mantra is to restore the lost honour of our nation. He struts with his gandhi cap and tyoical dhoti which drawn on any style reminisce the Lokapal warrior Alas my friend, computers can only distort, but cant create an image of an animal lurking behind the caricatures. Next time, look out for the resemblance of an animal and it will give you a meaningful insight into the caricature.
S. Raghunathan

RECENTLY, while surfing channels, came across a television channel marketing full blast, a mixer/grinder/food processor. While extolling its virtues, the anchors of the show claimed a big discount on the product, not available elsewhere. There were also some attractive free gifts being offered along with the product, besides an option to pay through interest free EMIs. Out of curiosity, I added up the EMI to see if there were any hidden charges. There were none. There was no mention of home delivery charges and I wondered whether that would be added later on if you called to place an order. Also, since the discount was on the MRP (Maximum Retail Price) and many manufacturers indicate an exaggerated MRP to give retailers a decent margin of profit even after a hefty discount, I wondered how the price compared with other retailers and online shops. Thats exactly what you need to do before ordering from these shops. You must note down the model being offered and not only check its price, but also whether it is a new model or an old one and whether there are any complaints or even reviews about it- thanks to the internet, it is not difficult to do these quickly. You also need to confirm the date of delivery, how long will the delivery take and if the product does not arrive on the promised day, will they cancel the order for a full refund? What if the product turns out to be different from what was shown on the television? Will they take back the product at their expense and give you a full refund? Why dont they collect the money at the time of delivery, after your have opened the packet and confirmed that you have got what you have ordered and in good condition? You also need to check the terms and conditions governing these sales: Does the television channel take responsibility for non-delivery, delayed delivery or damaged goods? Tele-shopping from the comforts of your home is certainly a big advantage. You save time and money too, more so if you are getting a good discount. However, the disadvantage is that you are mostly looking at just one brand. There may be better performers at lower price. Second, you are not actually seeing or examining the product, so what you get may be quite different from what you expected. Then

Cartoonists in India are living in hard times. It takes lot of practice, time and skill to create a caricature of a politician that reflects the politicians personality. Generally, people notice the outward resemblance but there are hidden meanings in all caricatures. The prime time was Narasimha Rao era as we had good five years to draw him. Prime Ministers like Morarji Desai and Deve Gowda, came and went. But most sought after is the present prime minister who had so far had a good stint 5 plus three years. Recently a friend told me that the art of caricature is dead as now computers can generate caricatures, but editorial cartoons still need cartoonists as it requires an idea. He was probably referring to digital softwares that can distort a picture. Caricatures are not just a distortion or an exaggeration of some features of a person. Its about expressing the personality or perceived character of that person. For example, Clinton has lost weight after his bypass surgery but is still drawn as a fat guy. Usually the most distinctive features are blown up to portray the character. Even painters do the same and artists like Picasso seem more like caricaturists than painters. It is also believed that many features of an animal lurk under the caricatures and a feature of an animal is used to depict the character. Great British cartoonist Steve bell made George W. Bush look like a Gorilla.Nehruji and Bapu Jagajivanram were a good catch for the cartoonists. I think one of the most brutally caricaturised person of recent history was George W. Bush. The general perception about him was that of a low IQ leader. His caricatures started from thick eyebrows, scruffy hair, big nostrils, large ears and a distance between his nose and upper lip. The center of his upper lip sometimes came down to touch his chin. But somehow, his ears started to grow rapidly and his head decreased to a point that it looked like a coconut with elephant ears; probably pointing towards the Republican symbol (of an elephant). Cartoonists stopped worrying about the resemblance of Bush and relied only on his big ears to depict him. And then came Mr. Obama. Cartoonist tried to blow up his lips, or nose but again reverted back to enlarging the ear. But this time the ears

Parrots are lot smarter

Life Style

Sleeping on stomach triggers erotic dreams

when you sleep. For the study he spoke to 670 students, two-thirds of whom were female, and asked them to fill out surveys about their dreams. The details included how often they occurred, how intense they were and what were the themes that came up. He also asked them to write down their sleeping posture, how often they slept on their sides, face down or face up. Among the other ideas that came to people who slept on their front most frequently was `erotomania`, which is when a person believes they have a secret admirer, often a famous person. "This study provides the evidence that

People who sleep on their stomach are significantly more likely to have racy dreams compared to those dozing off in other positions, a new study has revealed. Participants reported feeling sensations related to `sex` and `persecution` more frequently than anyone else. Among the other racy motifs that dreamt up were `being tied up`, `being locked up` and `unable to move`. Lead author Calvin Kai-Ching Yu from Shue Yan University in Hong Kong said that the increase in sexual thoughts could be because people don``t get as much air when they sleep on their stomach, so their mind was imagining being constricted

Parrots are a lot smarter than previously thought. In a test that puzzled monkeys and defeated dogs, parrots passed with flying colours. The test was taken by male and female African greys, a class of parrots from a rescue centre, who did as well as threeyear-old children. Pieces of walnut were hidden inside one of two opaque containers. One or both were then shaken and the birds, which are used to the idea of the containers holding treats, used their beak to upend the one with the hidden walnut 70 to 80 percent of the time. This suggested they were able to link the rattling of the walnut pieces with the presence of food. And perhaps, more importantly, when just the empty container was shaken, to realise the lack of noise meant the treat must be in the other tube, the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society dream experiences, and in particular dream B reported. The University of Vienna team, which content, can be influenced by body posture during sleep," the Daily Mail quoted Kai- carried out the research said the results were remarkable, adding that the parrots Ching Yu as saying. "I believe that the brain during sleep did as well as three-year-old children, is not at all totally detached from the according to the Daily Mail. Researcher Christian Schloegl said: external world, and stimuli, including those stemming from the environment, are "Such behaviour has so far been shown probably incorporated into dream content only in great apes but not in any other nonmore often than people observe or are human animal." aware of. "The unconscious brains of the Anything interesting happening in dreamers try to make sense, and even make use of, the external stimuli," he your neighbourhood alert us at added. The study was recently published in the journal Dreaming.

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We as Indians must stand in awe for being born in a country which is a repository of mankind as all traditions sacred to the human race, such as our indomitable spirit, endeavour, diversity and rich cultural heritage originated here. As people of an extraordinary country, we have with our technological advancement and growth, overcome centuries of conquests, onslaught and strife, to reclaim our rightful place under the sun. SRM Institute for Medical Sciences (SIMS), Vadapalani is a confluence of conscientious, sincere, and like-minded medical professionals who are committed to add value to the life of every individual seeking our assistance, regardless of their station in life. With our launch just a few weeks away, we hope to make indelible imprints for mankind on earth and carry forward the rich tradition of Indias heritage. On the occasion of Indias 64th Independence Day, we the SIMS family salute all Indians who struggled for our freedom, so that we could live our dreams. Let us all pledge ourselves to make India the greatest country on earth, the symbol of humanity, innovation and tradition.

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Jai Hind!

Aug. 12, 2012