A BYTE OF LIFE Monday, September 22, 2008

04 10
MR AND MRS IDLY PAM’ MASKED PAL
Go places with their live could be Michael Jackson
kiosk in cities

FREE CIRCULATION Vol. 2 No. 183

ON
CLOUD
NINE Tamil Nadu Ranji Trophy skipper
Subramaniam Badrinath may at
last get his dues after waiting in
the fringes for the past three
years. Drafted in as a replacement
for an injured Sachin Tendulkar
for the Irani Trophy tie, the
technically correct right-hander
may well find a spot in India’s
Test side for the Australia series if
the master-blaster fails to recover
from his elbow injury.

» Page 09
02 NAMMA CHENNAI ERGO Monday, September 22, 2008

Tax break on e-bikes

Here is some good news for owners of
e-bikes. Tamil Nadu government has
slashed 50 per cent on road tax for
electrical two-wheelers, making it more
attractive and affordable to own one.

ergo
MOBILE
A day with
909401 3535
Suriya and Jo
Friday’s Query Cancer Patients at Apollo Specialty Hospital celebrated
“If I were the boss Rose Day with the celebrity couple
for a day”
My company won’t exist from the next day ... ERGO CORRESPONDENT
:-) feedback@goergo.in
9789019141

I
t was raining roses at Apollo
I would approve my own release request :) Specialty Hospital on Sunday,
9884908700 as the occasion was Rose Day.
Rose Day is a celebration of
If I were a boss for a day then there won’t be life for cancer patients, perpetrat-
any dress code! All day casuals ed in the name of Melinda Rose, a
9841617796 Canadian-born 14- year-old,
who, though her-
If I were a boss for a day ... self afflicted with
I would give job to my Boss wife so he could cancer, spent her
nt flirt with my Girlfriend The day’s time spreading
ANURAG GARG programme cheer and happi-
ness all around
If I were the boss for a day ... “I would make included a her.
my Girlfriend as Personal Assistant” ;-) special event The special at-
9884626464 traction of the
planned for
day was the visit
If I were a boss for the day, I would apply a the children at of celebrity cou-
long vacation and approve myself. :-) the hospital. ple Suriya and a special event planned for the entire activity was a special enter-
Sakthi Prakash, HP, Guindy. Jyothika to the children at the hospital. The en- tainment programme presented
I would give everyone free food coupons ... :) hospital. They tertainment session included sto- by children who were treated at
9962790406 gave away roses to patients at the ry-telling sessions, games and a Apollo Specialty Hospital. Special
hospital. special programme by Venky, the gifts were given away to the chil-
That day will be celebrated as my The day’s programme included ventriloquist. The highlight of the dren at the programme. ■
“Independence Day” and the next day will be
“the judgement day”.
Manas Mohsin

If I were a boss for a day, I would assign my

next week’s tasks to my original boss..
9884616106
soup after a fire accident. The ac-
Reject my boss’s leave application ... tress, who is their business
9003028708 house’s brand ambassador, is
Old computers? known to have tactically en-
The state DGP and the City Po- quired among some known cops
Ergo Pick lice Commissioner inaugurated a
computer training programme
whether the investigating team
will knock on her doors for an
I would take a day off and spend it with my for Friends of Police in the Ice enquiry.
friends. Being treated as a boss by friends is a House area recently. Apparently,
feel worth feeling and I would leave the
people at office free to spend a day without a
the five computers were outdated
machines which were set up to
Service charge for
boss to boss them around. They can just be
themselves.
function only for a few minutes,
till the VIPs leave. At the time of
threat
Haarika.K.P the inauguration, a machine mal- A father and son were stripped
functioned, forcing the function- and beaten black and blue inside
Who is our VP? aries to shift to an alternative a police station in the Ambattur
Recently, the Vice President of machine, which luckily worked. district by a lady Inspector after
Today’s query India was in the city on an official she received a complaint from
The coolest cost-cutting advice you can visit. Interestingly, a few IPS offi-
cers didn’t know the name of our
The frightened star the son’s wife regarding being ha-
rassed. Both the accused are
think of? VP. And they weren’t alone in A well-known Kollywood ac- known to have pledged that they
SMSs to 909401 3535 are charged only as standard their ignorance either. A journal- tress is a petrified one these days. will never again ill-treat the wom-
SMSs. ist asked some top khakis for the The reason – she is known to have an. It was a good work by the lady
name, and the latter are known to been close friends with two city- cop but it did come with a ‘ser-
have Googled the answer. based businessmen, who are in a vice charge.’
 Monday, September 22, 2008
03
Blood donation camp
Under the healthcare team of CSR wing, about 220
employees of Mphasis donated blood at a camp held on
September 19. The Blood Donation Camp was organised
in coordination with Lion’s Blood Bank and Redcross.

Miscreants stone
Vadivelu’s house
The calm over Virugambakkam locality shattered
after a sudden attack by a bike gang
PHOTOS: S.S. KUMAR
ERGO CORRESPONDENT
feedback@goergo.in

A
n unidentified group of
20 men on motorcycles
pelted stones at the
house of Kollywood
comedy actor Vadivelu in Vi-
rugambakkam on Sunday
morning. No one was injured ‘Egg’ing on
in the incident but the glass fa-
cade of the house was
쑸
damaged.
A student
Police sources said over 20
busy painting
men on motorcycles reached
on an ostrich
the actor’s house at the Lokai-
egg on the
ya Colony in Virugambakkam
theme
around 10.30 a.m. and had
‘Appreciating
yelled out for the actor to
Our
come out. The actor and his
Biodiversity’
family, who were present at
at a
home at the time, bolted
competition
themselves behind doors fear-
organised by
ing trouble. The gang contin-
Enviro Club of
ued to raised slogans against
Women’s
the actor and pelted stones in-
Christian
to the house which and fled
College in
the scene. The attack damaged
Chennai on
the glass windows in front of is underway but there aren’t that the functionaries of the
September 19.
the house, police added. any suspects yet. DMDK could have been be-
PHOTO: S.S. KUMAR
Actor Vadivelu called the An assault case involving ac- hind the attack on his house.
police, who later reached the tor Vadivelu and a relative of Meanwhile there are also
spot to conduct preliminary actor-politician Vijayakanth is speculations that the comedy
investigations. Speaking to Er- coming for court hearing on actor’s role imitating a young
go, M S Muthusamy, Deputy Monday. Actor Vadivel, speak- top star in an upcoming movie
Commissioner of Police (T Na- ing to mediapersons, after ac- could have sparked the attack
gar) said that an investigation cessing the damage, suspected by the latter’s fans. ■
04 KALEIDOSCOPE ERGO Monday, September 22, 2008

‘‘
The Fact that our economical models at
The Fed, the best in the world, have been
wrong for 14 straight quarters, does not mean
they will not be right in the 15th quarter.
Allan Greenspan

MORE IN THE MAKING FOR

Mr and Mrs Idly
This couple is into
the business of
making idlis, with
kiosks in 30 major
cities in India

A
n array of shops, both big
and small, vying for atten-
tion, and a teeming crowd
of hungry shoppers and
movie-goers around this 4-sqft
kiosk serving piping hot idlis. I
am inside Abirami Mega Mall in
Purusawalkam on a Sunday
morning, jostling for place before
PHOTO: S.S. KUMAR

meeting Mr and Mrs Idly, and I’m

amazed to see how a business as
common as selling idlis can click
even in Chennai.
The young couple, Vikash
Goenka and Megha Modi, is the
brain behind these friendly
kiosks which you see outside
commercial complexes, inside
malls, on the road or any busy
junction, for that matter. In-built
with an idli maker and space to
accommodate three to four varie-
ties of chutneys, these live kiosks
sell over 600 idlis on weekdays
and around 1,200 on weekends –
running completely on electrici-
ty.
Selling an idea
“Idlis are healthy, hygienic and
one food which has a wide ap-
peal, so I started the business in
Chennai with an aim to take the
concept places,” says Vikash,
who disapproved of entering his
dad’s import business to take on
the booming food industry.
Raising strong objection from
family and friends, the couple
proved everybody wrong in the
first three months of the venture
itself. With Rs. 5 lakh, a humble
investment to start a business,
pooled from both their savings,
they started their first kiosk in
Abirami Mall. “Our idlis were a
runaway hit, especially for the
freshness and the unique way we
packaged, and in three months
we made up for the capital we in-
vested,” recalls the LIBA graduate
who was dabbling with stocks be-
fore starting this as an indepen-
IN A MINUTE
Company: Mr and Mrs Idly
Started: November 2007
Founders: Vikash Goenka and Megha Modi
Team: 32
Funding: Self
Know Me Better: www.mrandmrsidly.com
Email: vikash@mrandmrsidly.com
dent venture.
Mr& Mrs Idly is less than a year
old in Chennai but already boasts
of around 30 franchise outlets
across India. “We opened our
second outlet in Hyderabad, one
month after the Chennai store,
and the third in Kolkata,” they
say. Since then there was no look-
ing back. Today, Mr and Mrs Idly
kiosks are in all the major cities,
except Mumbai.
“We are mulling
over opening in
Abu Dhabi and Chi-
na next,” says Vikash.
Starting troubles
Megha, a graduate of Ethiraj
College for Women, recalls selling
idlis in the first four months. “It
was during Diwali that we
opened the kiosk and we were
just about settling down. There
was so much demand and we
couldn’t afford to remain mute
spectators,” says Megha, who
now heads the franchisees.
From branding the takeaway
containers to ensuring a pan-In-
dia taste in every pocket (there is
only one master kitchen in every
city), they are happy with the pro-
gress being made.
Going mobile!
The Goenkas will soon be ex-
panding their
kiosks by adding
dosas and Madras
filter coffee on to
their menu. There is
more on the cards. As a
social initiate they are look-
ing at giving franchises to anyone
who can afford Rs. 25,000, thus
creating employment. “Here, I
am looking at a mobile kiosk
serving fresh food to corporates
and others on the move,” he ex-
plains about starting it by January
2009. Meanwhile, it has also tied
up with Big Bazaar and INOX.
Until then, catch these kiosks
in Shanti Colony in Anna Nagar
or Vepery (the latter is opening
soon) for some dry fruit idli, snow
white idly or subz idly. Ever had
them? ■
(If you are an entrepreneur with
a successful business model or
know one, write to us at
firstinnings@goergo.in)
 Monday, September 22, 2008
05
Websites of the day
Type something to see what it looks US $ 46.32

SOURCE: RBI
backwards http://bored.com/
writebackwards/index.html Pound 83.57
Get some inspiration naming new pets: Euro 65.90
http://www.petnamesworld.com 100 Yen 43.34

Mission Moon in December YouTube to ban

…If ISRO misses October launch
Work on at the ISRO centre in Bangalore.
videos
Video sharing site YouTube
will ban footage showing
weapons being used to intimi-
date people on its website in
the U.K. The new policy was
being introduced because of
“particular concern” in Bri-
tain over the subject, accord-
ing to site’s owners Google.
MPs criticised video-sharing
websites, including YouTube,
saying they should be doing Japan tops
more to vet content. Home
Secretary Jacqui Smith wel- broadband poll
comed the YouTube ban and Only Japan has the broad-
called on other internet sites band quality to cope with next-
to follow suit. generation internet applica-
tions, a new study has revealed.
Google changes Sweden and the Netherlands
have Europe’s best broadband,
policy according to the 42-nation
study sponsored by internet
Bosses at Google will equipment maker Cisco Sys-
change the company’s policy tems.
on adverts about abortion fol- The UK, Spain and Italy fell
PHOTO: AFP
lowing a legal challenge from just below the quality threshold

I ndia’s maiden moon mission

could begin its space odyssey in
December if it misses its launch
window slated for October 19 to
26, former ISRO chief Krishnas-
wamy Kasturirangan has said.
The cyclone season in the Bay
of Bengal extends all through No-
vember which rules out the pos-
sibility of space launch, he said.
Chandrayaan-I, which is being
assembled at the ISRO Satellite
Centre in Bangalore, will be
launched from the Satish Dha-
wan spaceport at Sriharikota on
the eastern coast. The spacecraft,
which will orbit the moon at a
distance of 100 km, was unveiled
in Bangalore last week. It is yet to
undergo vibration and acoustic
tests.
For the vibration test, the spa-
cecraft integrated with all its
components would be put
through a simulated environ-
ment similar to the vibrations
emitted while being launched by
the Polar Satellite Launch Vehi-
cle. The acoustic test would sim-
ulate sound equivalent to 10 jet
engines to ensure integrity of sys-
tems and to ensure that noise
does not create any disturbance
or affect the functioning of any
component.
“The mission is progressing as
per the strict timeline,” said Kas-
turirangan, who got the mission
going when he was at the helm of
affairs at the Indian Space Re-
search Organisation. ■
PTI
a Christian pressure group. It
had refused a Christian Insti-
tute advert, saying it did not
allow the advertising of web-
sites with “abortion and reli-
gion-related content”. The
institute threatened to use
British equality laws to con-
test the decision. But after an
out-of-court settlement, Goo-
gle will now allow religious
groups to advertise about
abortion.
for today’s web.
The study aims to highlight
each nation’s ability to cope
with next-generation web appli-
cations such as high-quality
video streaming.
It was carried out by a team of
MBA students from the Said
Business School at the Universi-
ty of Oxford and the University
of Oviedo’s Department of Ap-
plied Economics
WENN

Oktoberfest, in full spirit

쑸
Children wearing
traditional
Bavarian clothes
take part in the
parade for the
Oktoberfest beer
festival on Sunday
in Munich,
southern
Germany.
Organisers of the
world’s largest
folk festival
running until
October 5 expect
up to six million
visitors to enjoy
Bavarian beer in
huge tents and
fun rides on the
fairgrounds.
AFP PHOTO
06 VILLAGE ERGO Monday, September 22, 2008

Untouched cream
A law in Illinois prohibits
barbers from using their fingers
to apply shaving cream to a
patron’s face.

Man convicted of robbing toddler’s Unknown score written by

piggy bank Mozart found in France
A man convicted of stealing USD 20 from a toddler’s piggy A French municipal
bank has been sentenced to six years in prison. Four-time library has discovered a
convicted burglar Ryan Mueller was convicted on Thursday musical score
of felony burglary as a repeat offender in a Sheboygan, handwritten by
Wisconsin court. Prosecutors say the 31-year-old Mueller Wolfgang Amadeus
broke into a home in August 2007 and stole money from a Mozart in its archives,
two-year-old girl’s piggy bank. They say the girl’s mother the Nantes town hall
walked into the room and caught Mueller in the act. He said on Thursday. The
also was sentenced to five years’ probation. one-page work,
PTI donated to the town
by a private collector
at the end of the 19th
century, was until
An ad in space can come as recently thought to be
a copy rather than an
cheap as 200 pounds! original. The
A firm in the United States is offering companies a chance unpublished score,
to advertise themselves in space- with price ranging from measuring 16 cm by 29
200 pounds to 2,100 pounds. JP Aerospace, which calls cm (6.5 by 11.5 inches), is thought to have been written
itself “America’s other space programme,” is using lighter around 1787, according to an expert musicologist from the
than air balloons to carry packages into the upper Mozarteum University in the composer’s native city of
atmosphere. The organisation involving voluntary staffers Salzburg in Austria. The score is undergoing a second
and plans to open up access to space to the general public, round of expert investigations, Nantes authorities said. “A
said that they have Mozart autograph is hugely valuable,” said the head of
received requests to the French centre for research on musical heritage.
send toy figures, coffee Reuters
beans, table tennis balls
as well as advertising
billboards in the space.
The balloon carrying the A conference for womanisers
platform reaches a Hundreds of would-be womanisers from more than
height of 20 miles, 25 countries attended the opening of Amsterdam’s
which is high enough Real Man Conference on Saturday, billed as the
for the sky to turn black ‘biggest event on seducing women ever.’ More
and the earth’s horizon than 320 participants gathered to hear pick-up tips
to be a blue curve. JP from a range of speakers - advertised as ‘a dozen
Aerospace then takes of the finest womanisers’ on the conference
hundreds of pictures of website - at the two-day event being held at the
the balloon before RAI Conference Centre in Amsterdam. Amongst the
returning everything to speakers were individuals such as AFC Adam, Sean
earth by parachute. Messenger, Zan Perrion and Johnny Soporno.
ANI DPA

Bin Laden a poet?

O
sama bin Laden was once a
‘skilled poet’, a media re-
port said on Sunday re-
vealing a new facet of the
world’s most wanted terrorist.
The elusive al-Qaeda leader’s
literary work will be published
soon by an Oxford-educated aca-
demic expert in Arabic, it said.
Bin Laden’s recitals at wedding
banquets and other feasts during
the 1990s were recorded on tapes
recovered from his compound in
Afghanistan in 2001 after the 9/11
attacks in the US. They were
studied by Prof Flagg Miller, who
teaches Arabic poetry at Univer-
sity of California, Davis, the re-
port said.
Miller first heard the tapes four
years ago when FBI translators
were scrutinising them for coded
messages to sleeper cells. He
identified up to 20 featuring the
‘distinctive monotone’ of bin La-
den.
“Bin Laden is a skilled poet
with clever rhymes and metres,
which was one reason why many
people taped him and passed rec-
Laden’s recitals at
wedding banquets
during the 1990s were
recorded on tapes
recovered from his
compound in
Afghanistan in 2001
ordings around, like pop songs,”
Miller told ‘The Sunday Times’.
According to the report, the
first lines of one poem read: “A
youth who plunges into the
smoke of war smiling stains the
blades of lances red. May God not
let my eye stray from the most
eminent humans, lest they fall.”
The verse goes on to portray
bin Laden himself as a ‘warrior
poet’, whose words will lead his
followers to an idyllic refuge in
the Hindu Kush mountains. “He
frequently uses mountains as
metaphors,” Miller said. “As bor-
ders they separate Arabs from
each other but mountains can al-
so help them from the tempta-
tions of the secular world.”■
PTI
 Monday, September 22, 2008
07
Bank robbing This day, that year
A Spanish man swindled nearly half a It was in September 22, 1975 that
million euros from dozens of banks Sara Jane Moore attempted to shoot
to fund an anti-globalisation United States President Gerald Ford
magazine distributed for free in outside a San Francisco, California
Barcelona. hotel, but missed.

F Prince Wills turns to

uture King Prince Williams
has sought father Charles to
help him decide the future
of his shaky relationship
with girlfriend Kate Middleton.

dad for romance advice

The 26-year-old has had to face
much difficulty in choosing be-
tween a blessed life with Kate and
a career calling as a Search and
Rescue Officer in the RAF.
Following Prince Charles’ ad-
vice, Wills has decided to side
with the RAF training and put his
personal plans on hold.
Prince Charles, who had faced
the same situation many years
ago, supported his son’s decision
“He was never happier than
when he was in the Navy and he
wholeheartedly supports Wil-
liam’s decision. If the relation-
ship with Kate is a strong one, it
will wait,” the Daily Star quoted a
family friend as saying.
However, Wills’ decision has
left Kate astonished who is now
struggling to cope with it. ■
ANI

IF THE
RELATIONSHIP
WITH KATE IS A
STRONG ONE, IT
WILL WAIT,
AFP
SAID PRINCE
CHARLES

Free hugs guy to donate kidney Shilpa with her Raj

A n Australian man known

around the world for giving
free hugs to anyone who asks has
said he plans to go one step fur-
ther by donating one of his kid-
neys to a stranger, a report said
on Sunday. Juan Mann, who
came to worldwide attention in
2004 after a video of him dispens-
ing free hugs in Sydney’s central
business district appeared on
YouTube, expects to undergo sur-
gery next year.
“I am young, I am fit, I am
healthy, I have two kidneys,” the
26-year-old, who does not use his
real name, told the Sun-Herald.
“I don’t really drink. I don’t
need that second one and some-
one will be able to get out of hos-
pital.” Mann will face psychiatric
and physical tests in hospital be-
fore he can make the donation,
the process of which will be
filmed and later broadcast online,
the paper said.
“I will never meet the (reci-
pient); I will never know if the
transplant is a success or a fail-
ure; I will never know if my kid-
ney kills the person,” Mann said.
"Apparently once you give your
kidney you will never feel whole.
(But) I’ll get a cool scar and ap-
parently chicks dig scars.”
Mann, who spends about one
day a week holding a ‘FREE
HUGS’ sign above his head in
Sydney’s Pitt Street Mall, has in-
spired free hugs movements
around the world. ■
쒀 Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty and UK-based NRI Raj Kundra at the fifth day of
AFP
the India Couture Week in Mumbai on Saturday. PTI PHOTO
08 SPORT ERGO Monday, September 22, 2008

Stop gap
In a stop-gap arrangement, the Sports Ministry has appointed an official to monitor the day
to day affairs of Pakistan Cricket Board till a new chairman of the board is appointed.
Sports Minister Najamuddin Khan said a notification has been issued after making a minor
amendment in the PCB constitution to empower the ministry to monitor the working of the
board until the appointment of a new chairman by the President of the country.

Resuming rivalry
Cricket Australia hopes for
return of cricket
in Pakistan
Cricket Australia on Sunday
hoped the security situation
in Pakistan will calm down
soon despite the bomb
Hayden eager to renew rivalry with Bhajji
blasts in Islamabad so that

international matches could
be played in the troubled-
torn nation once again. At
least 60 people were killed after a suicide
bomber rammed his explosive-laden truck
into the Marriott Hotel gate engulfing the
building in flames on Saturday. “Our
reaction is that it’s terribly sad and tragic
news,” CA public affairs manager Peter
Young said. “Australian cricket has got a lot
of friends in Pakistan and I think everyone
at the national level is really sorry to hear
this sort of continuing news coming out of
the place. We enjoy playing against them
and we have tours coming up there next
year of course,” Young was quoted as saying
by Australian Associated Press. “Everyone is
praying that the domestic situation there
settles down so people can live their life in
peace and hopefully we can start playing
cricket there again,” he added. CA was
criticised by Pakistan for withdrawing from
the scheduled Test tour earlier this year
because of security concerns. It is now
expected to be held in 2009. Australia were
also instrumental in postponing the
Champions Trophy in the volatile nation
until late 2009.
PTI
M
atthew Hayden may not
be among the big admir-
ers of Harbhajan Singh
but the Australian open-
er has no qualms in admitting
that the feisty Indian off-spinner
would pose main threat to his
side during their four-match Test
series beginning October 9.
Hayden had famously called
Harbhajan “obnoxious weed”
during India’s controversy-rid-
den tour Down Under early this
year prompting the Indian off-
spinner to label the Australian
opener one of the most reviled
men in world cricket.
Now among the four players
from the 15-man Australian
squad with Test experience in In-
dia, Hayden said he was all
geared up to renew the on-field
rivalry with Harbhajan on slow
Indian pitches.
“Having played over there and
played well over there, I think I’m
going to be the obvious target,”
Hayden said before leaving for
India. “Harbhajan is very com-
petitive, especially in his own en-
vironment. He’s a big threat to
our side. He’s skilful and has got
some weapons in conditions that
will favour him. My job will be to
combat that so for me it’s a battle
I’m really looking forward to,”
Hayden was quoted as saying by
Courier Mail.
“To be part of the number
cricket side in the world is always
a big challenge. I expect no mercy
from the Indians but that’s why
I’ll enjoy this series. I’ll be right in
the thick of it,” added Hayden
who toured India in 2001. The
Queenslander spanked 549 runs
at 109.80 on that tour and his rec-
ord against India is imposing,
1654 runs at 66.16 with six centu-
ries. In the same series, Harbha-
jan took 32 wickets in a gripping
contest that India won 2-1. “I
think this series is tailor-made for
guys like me,” said Hayden, who
will turn 37 in India. ■
PTI

Gough ready to call it

quits
Former England paceman Darren Gough
hinted that he may have played the last
match of his career. The 38-year-old had
already announced this would be his final
season and after suffering a series of
niggling injuries in the county championship
summer, he may skip the final game against
Sussex next week.
“I wanted to go out in style today - and
that proved to me I am ready to retire, I am
absolutely shattered now,” said Gough on
Saturday after Yorkshire’s drawn clash with
title-chasing Somerset at
Scarborough. “I bowled as quick
as I have for a long, long time in
my first spell. I had the
opposition saying that is the
quickest they have faced all
season and when they say stuff
like that, I’d like to finish on
that note. When I look back I’m
glad my last wicket was Justin
Langer. I’ve had some great
battles against him and it’s nice
to know my last wicket in Yorkshire was
someone as good as him.”
Gough will decide over the next few days
whether he is fit to play at Sussex. “I will
see how I rock up on Monday morning and
how the other bowlers are,” he said.
AFP

GETTY IMAGES
 Monday, September 22, 2008
‘‘
I am receiving offers for modelling as well as from Bollywood. My
life has changed drastically. I am happy that I could make my
country proud. We are being acclaimed by every one for our performances
in Beijing.
PTI
a
Big b re k
D
rafted into the Rest of India
side for the Irani Trophy match
in place of injured Sachin Ten-
dulkar, hardworking middle
order batsman Subramaniam Badri-
nath terms it a great opportunity
coming his way to make it to the Test
squad with a good knock against Ran-
ji Trophy champions Delhi.
Badrinath, who is captaining India
A in a triangular series involving A
sides of Australia and New Zealand
before his inclusion in the Rest team,
is itching to go out in the middle at
Vadodara.
“Maybe the time has come for me
now. It’s a great feeling. I would like
to make use of this opportunity; a
good knock means chance to make
the Test squad against Australia,” said
the Tamil Nadu batsman who scored
a match-winning 69 not out against
New Zealand A on Wednesday.
“I can’t ask for more, if I make a
debut against the world champions,”
Vijender Kumar about his new-found fame
Badrinath said. Shrugging off the no-
tion that luck plays a role in a cricket-
er’s career, Badrinath says he believes
in hard work.
“I am not somebody who is a firm
believer in luck. I believe in hard work
and wait for the right opportunity.
The incidents in the past (of coming
so close to selection but not making
it) have made me strong mentally,”
he said.
True for somebody with a first-class
average of 55.92 and 40-plus in List A
matches — only Ricky Ponting and
Sachin Tendulkar, among batsmen
still active and with at least 50 in-
nings, have a higher first-class aver-
age — but yet has been ignored in the
last three years.
Golden opportunity
Despite three successful Ranji sea-
sons since 2005-06 when he averaged
almost 80 scoring 636 runs from sev-
en matches, Badrinath never made to
the playing eleven of the national
side, though he was called up for the
three-ODI Australia series last
October.
But the cool and soft-spoken Badri-
nath never gave up his unflinching
will and showed his anguish. Call it
luck or fate, Badrinath, having re-
mained in the sidelines for about 10
months, was named Tendulkar’s re-
placement in the Sri Lanka ODI
series.
“A coincidence,” says Badrinath,
who did not let the selectors down in
his debut series. Batting at No 7,
where batsmen hardly get to score big
and sacrifice their wickets in throwing
their bats in the slog overs, Badrinath
played like an experienced batsman
with a defying 27 not out, very crucial
in the context of a low-scoring 143-
run chase in Dambulla, which India
won by three wickets and the Tamil
Nadu right-hander earned high prais-
es from his skipper Mahendra Singh
09
BADRINATH
READY TO
SHOULDER
RESPONSIBILITY
Dhoni. “It feels great to have begun
like that. Being a debut series, it was
very important for me. I did not want
to do anything extraordinary but
played according to the context of the
game and it worked as Dhoni and I
scored the vital runs,” Badrinath said,
recalling his 60-run sixth wicket part-
nership that took the team to a win in
the second one-dayer.
Badrinath acknowledges that he’s
really going through a high at the mo-
ment and the selection to the Irani
Trophy game has come at the right
and opportune moment.
“It’s important that the selection
has come at a time when you’re at
peak form. I have been batting well
recently. I had a very good last year,
scoring big in India A tours to Zim-
babwe and Kenya, and in the home
series against South Africa A. More-
over, I’ve been scoring runs in all
forms of the game,” he said. ■
PTI
10 FLICK ERGO Monday, September 22, 2008

New Bond theme song dubbed ‘worst ever’

The new James Bond theme song, which has been penned by White Stripes
guitarist Jack White and crooned by Alicia Keys, has been blasted by fans
as the worst ever. Fans have flooded websites with complaints about it.
One said the chorus read like a “shopping list of ways to die”, others
attacked the “dreadful” rhymes.
ANI

The Mask
Pammie’s masked Fashion Week pal
may have been none other than Jacko

P
amela Anderson was no-
ticed for more than her en-
semble at this year’s
London Fashion Week,
when she was seen with a masked
man rumoured to be King of Pop,
Michael Jackson.
Anderson was seen with a host
of other well-known celebs sitting
at the front row viewing the latest
collection from London’s god-
mother of punk chic, Vivienne
Westwood.
The Baywatch babe caused
quite a stir with the man in the
white mask and gloves sitting be-
side her, and Westwood’s perso-
nal assistant was overheard
telling members of the audience
that the mysterious man was
none other than the reclusive for-
mer King of Pop, The Weekend
Australian reported.
The two were rumoured to
have hooked up earlier this
month, with Jackson (50) and An-
derson (41) reportedly having en-
joyed two dates in Malibu,
California.
“It was all arranged by their
people in total secrecy, very cloak
and dagger. Michael is such a pri-
vate person. He gets nervous
when he thinks people are fol-
lowing him around, so he chose
somewhere neutral for their first
date,” News.com.au quoted a
source as telling Britain’s Daily
Mirror newspaper at that time.
“They were very friendly. Pa-
mela was being her usual flirty
self and Michael seemed to be re-
sponding. They are such a
strange couple but they seemed
to really hit it off,” the source
added.
Other stars spotted at the show
were London uber-model Kate
Moss, actor Emma Watson, Pixie
Geldof, burlesque performer Dita
von Teese, Kimberley Stewart,
daughter of rock star Rod Stew-
art, and singer Roisin Murphy. ■
ANI

It was all arranged by their people in total

secrecy, very cloak and dagger. Michael is such
GETTY IMAGES

a private person. He gets nervous when he

thinks people are following him around, so he
chose somewhere neutral for their first date

Dope on George Michael, again Not Godfather but

G eorge Michael has been cautioned by police after
being arrested in a public toilet in London in
possession of drugs, police said late Saturday.
“A 45-year-old man was arrested on 19 September
on suspicion of possession of drugs in the Hampstead
Heath area,” a Metropolitan Police spokesman said.
The singer was taken to a police station and given
the caution for possessing class A and class C drugs,
police said.
Under British law, class A drugs can include crack
cocaine.
Michael (45) has admitted using drugs in the past.
In 2006, he was found slumped over the wheel of
his car and last year he was given a two-year driving
ban after pleading guilty to driving while unfit
through drugs.
Last month he wrapped up his first tour for 15
years with concerts in London and Copenhagen and
said they were his last ever arena and stadium shows.
On the tour, he wore a police uniform to perform
his number one hit ‘Outside’ which refers to his arrest
in 1998 when he made lewd advances to an
undercover male police officer in a public toilet in
Beverly Hills, California. ■
ANI
still good
R obert de Niro and Al Pacino
star in John Avnet’s
psychological cop drama,
Righteous Kill. Turk (De Niro)
and Rooster (Pacino) are two
NYPD cops trying to stop a
serial killer, who leaves a
poem at the scene of each crime. The victims are
lawbreakers freed on legal technicalities.
Without a doubt, the film’s best element is the
acting. Two of Hollywood’s greatest legends share screen time. Robert
and Al are fantastic and have great chemistry together. It is their back
and forth playful banter that makes the film worth watching. They turn
an average script into an enjoyable crime thriller.
Al’s smooth-talking Rooster complements Robert’s unstable Turk
perfectly. The cinematography is dark, consistent with the mood of the
story, and the tone is rather cynical. Rapper 50 Cent plays a drug dealing
club owner.
The story is not all that great and the movie is not a classic by any
means, but it is entertaining. What it does have is a good amount of
comic relief and a fair share of action.
Rajesh Sampath Kumar, Software Engineer, Wipro Technologies
 Monday, September 22, 2008

Katie Holmes debuts on Broadway amid protests

11
Katie Holmes won praise for her debut on Broadway on Thursday night, where she was cheered on
by actor husband Tom Cruise and shouted at by anti-Scientology protesters outside the theatre. The
drama started before the curtains went up in the Gerald Schoenfeld Theater with a group of about
20 protesters, some masked, chanting “Scientology is a cult” and “Free Katie”, according to the
New York Daily News.
Reuters

Cine City The doting father

Ajith’s friends reveal that the actor is showering his daughter
with lots of gifts. The recent addition to the list is an expensive
toy plane costing around Rs. 20 lakh, which is said to be
controlled by remote control and can fly to a particular distance.
Trisha undergoes Though, being too young, daughter Anoushka may not know
how to operate it, she may start playing with it later. Ajith had
training in Tamil earlier gifted his wife Shalini a remote-controlled plane costing
around few lakhs.

We all know that

Kamal Hassan’s
next venture is
Marmayogi, a
period film. The
news is that the
actor has
instructed his
heroine Trisha to
learn ancient Tamil
so that there
won’t be a
problem in lip sync
while dubbing.
Though Trisha’s
mother tongue is
Tamil, the actress
is not well-versed in the language. Now we hear
that Trisha is undergoing training from a
professional. Hope Shriya undergoes the same
training, too, as even she is acting in the movie.
www.cinesnacks.com

Ash to learn classical music

If Trisha is going for Tamil classes, then our former
Miss World, Aishwarya Rai, is planning to take
classes in classical music. Aishwarya and Abhishek
Bachchan will team up for Mani Ratnam’s next
flick, Raavan. According to sources, the actress will
start her classical singing lessons from a noted guru
soon after her return from Peru. It is said that her
character in Raavan demands that she learn classical
singing to get the mannerisms of the classical
singers.
12 SCAN ERGO Monday, September 22, 2008

Book worm Bale?

According to TV.com,
Christian Bale is an
excellent horseman and an
avid reader.

PICK OF THE DAY

Zee Cafe Star Movies Discovery Star World

The Tonight Show with
Jay Leno – 11 p.m.
An Emmy Award winning American
late night talk show hosted by Jay
Leno. Format of the show has an
opening monologue by Jay Leno
followed by comedy routines,
interviews and performances.
The Rock – 9 p.m.
An action thriller starring Sean
Connery and Nicolas Cage about a
war hero who holds San Francisco
to ransom, and the FBI scientist
charged with stopping him. The
deranged general and his men take
the disused prison island of
Alcatraz.
Man vs. Wild – 10 p.m.
Panama. In the lethal mangroves
and infamous viper pits of Panama,
Bear Grylls tackles some extreme
survival challenges and some grisly
eats to show you how to get out
alive.
Friends – 7 p.m.
Joey and Phoebe conspire to set up
Rachel and Ross on their worst blind
dates ever, hers being a pitiful lug,
as they hope to reunite them out of
mutual appreciation for what they
had together.

Wacky as hell
Hello FM’s Rendu Mani Aatam pushes
the envelope on wackiness
NANDHINI RAMKUMAR apprentices’ and the ‘escape’ sound, a vehicle,
with which the RJ escapes, like a helicopter or

T
uning to radio on a lazy afternoon is not
something out of the box. But calling the
RJ and giving fashion tips for ghosts?
Hello FM’s Rendu Mani Aatam is as
funky as it gets and it was fun to go behind the
scenes of the show. As we entered their studio,
the bright interiors and wallpapers welcomed
us. Splashed paint designs, with the colour
theme of orange, spelt only one word-
‘lively’.
Hosted by RJ Aloysius Rendu
Mani Aatam is a two-hour-long
show. The first hour segment is
usually filled with satire, cine
gossips or a dig at someone or
something. Also ‘Mokka SMS of
the day’ and ‘Bulb of the day’ are
dedicated. The bulb for the day was
a group of mobile thieves who did not
‘plan’ their plot and were caught by the
police. The four apprentices laugh and snore,
a sign of thumbs up or down. These segments
are intercepted with songs both peppy and
popular.
The second hour segment is the call in seg-
ment where callers talk on a given topic.
a bike are all listed.
Calls are taken by 2. 45 by the RJ himself and
the numbers are noted down for calling back.
Be it a little boy of 12 or a housewife, the RJ
speaks at ease. Ideas are at a galore for these
callers. Party clothes, kanchipuram pattu,
jeans and a tee, ghosts do need a makeover!
Phones are kept outside the studio and the
RJ calls from there during song trans-
mission. Aloysius comes back and
mimics a ghost and announces the
number asking listeners to call.
The second segment is a multi
tasking one for the RJ, but a well
received one too and that is evi-
dent with the amount of callers.
But approximately only around 7
links are aired in an hour. Callers do
call back to complain that their calls
are not returned. But the RJ puts the blame
on a ‘Sotta thala producer’!
Other interesting concepts of Hello Fm like
it’s satire on commercials and sparklers are
pre-recorded and are aired throughout the
day. Sparklers are links of made up characters
like Katrikanth and Samayal Shakeela. These
PHOTO: S.S.KUMAR

Spooky sound effects fill the room as Aloysius
selects them. ‘Hard keys’ are used for special
sound effects. They are listed and most rele-
vant are chosen everyday as per the topics.
Apart from this effects for regular sounds like
the laughter, repartees and snores of the ‘four
are done by the RJs themselves. The latest one
they are working on is ‘Advice Annatha’. Ad-
vertisements and commercials are taken care
of by the traffic department. While the creative
concepts and jingles are taken care by the
RJs.■
 Monday, September 22, 2008
13
Empty beer cans
A man has been charged
for nearly 250 empty beer
cans from a convenience
store in Detroit.

Greetings
Hi Ranjini,
It’s very difficult and sad to believe
that this is the last week of you in
Satyam. I and most of the people
here in CMR will miss you very
badly. Sorry for all the troubles and
really cherish all the beautiful
moments you provided. Do keep in
touch and all the very best for all
your future endeavors.
God Bless. Regards, Karthik, Satyam
computers
-----♥♠♥♠♥-----
Hi strcat(strrev(IAS),’ Krishna’);
Wishing you many more happy
returns of the day and also wishing
you for all success in your life.
With lotz of friendship Goutam &
Muthu,Hewitt-BMO, Hexaware
Technologies Limited
-----♥♠♥♠♥------
Dear Arun Prasad,
A smile is a curve that sets
Dear Ma (Indra),
Wish you many more happy
returns of this day(Sept 21). May
God bless you with Good health
and prosperity. “A mother is a
mother still, The holiest thing
alive.” Enjoy your Birthday.
Hearty wishes from, Gayathri(Hexaware
Technologies), Balaji (Son-in-law),
Pinku (Grand daughter) and the little
one expected soon (?!)
-----♥♠♥♠♥------
Dear Saravanan,
Wish you many more happy
returns of the day. Let this
birthday bring you a lot of joy
and success in your life. May all
Frenzy Store
your dreams come true. Have a The frenzy store is especially for the young ladies of Chennai. The store stocks
fun-filled day! and offers formal and party wear, western wear clothes like tops, tee shirts, tank
Hearty wishes from Aparna B, Steria tops, pants, skirts jeans etc. So young ladies, get ready to be frenzied!
(India) Ltd. Where: Wellington estate, Opp Ethiraj College, Egmore
-----♥♠♥♠♥------
Dear Tabrez,

everything straight and wipes the
wrinkles away. Hope you receive a
lot and share a lot of smiles today.
Many more happy returns of the
day! May u succeed in everything in
you life!
Cheers, Meena UV, Infosys Technologies.
-----♥♠♥♠♥------
Dear Boss, (Nithya)
We all wish you Many More Happy
Returns of the day!!! May this
birthday filled with all joy and
happiness and all ur dreams come
true!!! Wishing you a day as special
as you are....... Birthday
Best Wishes from Shared Services Team -
TCS
-----♥♠♥♠♥------
Dear Amma & Appa,
Happy 28th Wedding Anniversary.
Happiness Always. You both have
come a long way and today on
your anniversary, nothing brings
more happiness than
congratulating the two of you, on
the wonderful love you share. May
you both enjoy perfect health,
happiness and love. Have a Happy
Wedding Anniversary.
Yours loving daughter C. Vinodhini,
Wipro Technologies.
-----♥♠♥♠♥------
Dear Sandy,
We wish you many more Happy
returns of the day. May happiness
and joy fill your day. Have a great
years ahead.
Best Regards, Batch 5-2007, iNautix
Technologies.
-----♥♠♥♠♥------
Wishing you the treasure of
happy yesterdays and the gift of
bright tomorrows. Happy
Birthday.
Hearty wishes from your beloved
brothers Babu Sridharan & Althaf
Imran, POLARIS
-----♥♠♥♠♥------
Dear Keerthi (HCL-cisco),
Wishing you many more happy
returns of the day. May God bless
you on this day (20- sep). Let all
your dreams come true. Have a
great year ahead.
Belated Happy Birthday from your
beloved friends, HCL Technologies Ltd
-----♥♠♥♠♥------
Dear Amri,
You are very special and you
deserve the best. We wish you a
wonderful life filled with love and
happiness. We hope others bring
you joy, just as you’ve brought joy
to us, then you can weather any
storm and be all you want to be.
Happy Birthday.
Best Regards, GTM friends,
Scope International
-----♥♠♥♠♥------
Hi Sridhar,
Many Many Happy Returns Of the
day man! Have a Blast! & Enjoy to
the extremes!!
Cheers - NICE OM Team (Cognizant)
-----♥♠♥♠♥------
Dear Kavi,
Hope your Birthday brings you all
Smiles, Joy, Cheer and More.
Wishing you a dazzling
birthday!!!
From F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Lakshmi, Lokee,
Neetha & Rajul, Hexaware Technologies
Season special
Amethyst brings a wide
range of gifts for the wed-
ding season. Jewellery fea-
tures as a significant and
attractive option where the
extensive jewellery line be-
dazzles with its exquisite
collection of bangles, ele-
gant neck pieces with pen-
dants, rings, bracelets etc.
Where:
Padmavathi Road,
Jeypore Colony,
Gopalapuram
Contact: 28351143 /
28311917
Gypsy
Caravan
A movie named Gypsy caravan
will be screened in the audito-
rium of Alliance Francaise of
Madras. The movie is directed
by Jasmine Dellal.
Where: Auditorium Alliance
Francaise of Madras College
Road Nungambakkam
When: 26 Sep, 6.30 p.m.
What, when, where
If you have anything interesting or informative that can be
featured in these columns, mail us at events@goergo.in. Please
send the release mentioning where and when the event is
happening, along with the contact details.
14 TRAFFIC JAM ERGO Monday, September 22, 2008

Animal paintings auction

Paintings by animals are to go up for
auction. The pictures feature the brush
strokes and paw prints of animals, such as
snow leopards and sea lions from zoos.

sudoku

Griffith Alfred R
of Satyam
Computers
clicked this
picture with
Canon
Powershot. He
captions it
‘Made for each
other’.
Hobbies:
Driving,
photography
and looking after
pets

KAKURO
So you think you would make a terrific photographer but never really had the
platform? Mail us your best work and we’ll publish it in this space, with credit.
E-mail: clickpick@goergo.in

TEAM
Editor: Karthik Subramanian
karthik@goergo.in

Sr Dy Chief Designer: J.A. Prem Kumar

Dy Chief Designer: R. Ravi Kannan
Illustrator: R. Venugopal

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V.R. Vasudevan, K.G. Gurumurthy
N. Ravichandran, E. Baskar

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Printed and Published by S. Karthik on behalf of

KASTURI & SONS LTD., at Plot B-6 & B-7,
CMDA Industrial Complex, Maraimalai Nagar,
Chengleput Taluk, Kancheepuram Dist., Pin:
603209 & at Kasturi Buildings, 859 & 860,
Anna Salai, Chennai-600002. Editor: S. Karthik
(Editor responsible for selection of news under
the PRB Act). RNI No. TNENG/2007/24553
 Monday, September 22, 2008
Gluing antique
A museum curator in China was
dismissed after gluing a broker
antique back together instead of
reporting the damage.
15
Word’s worth
"Sarcinarious" (sahr-si-nair-ee-us) an
obsolete word meaning ’able to to
carry burdens or loads.’ From a Latin
word meaning ’bundle.’

B.C

ARIES MARCH 21 - APRIL 20

Your mood may play tricks on you. Ganesha feels
that the day may not be exciting, but mostly will be
occupied with regular activities. However, don’t try
to refrain from new responsibilities if you get any.
On the love front, old issues may get solved today.

TAURUS APRIL 21 - MAY 20

Your decision taking power will rock your world.
You will be able to rightly judge things long before
they happen. This will help you in official matters.
You will spice up relationship with beloved. Evening
may be celebrated with family and friends.

GEMINI MAY 21 - JUNE 20

Out of the three most important things; work, home
BORN LOSER and friends, you may have to prioritise. The good
part is, you will feel wanted. Thanks to the good
mood, your productivity will be double! Obviously,
your love life will be no less colourful.
CANCER JUNE 21 - JULY 20
There is no end to knowledge, but you seem to be
in a mood to digest quite a lot. Make sure it is
‘one thing at a time’. Record all the important
information. So far so good, the day will end on a
happy note. No major happenings on the love front.
LEO JULY 21 - AUG 20
Stretch your vocal chords to the fullest. However,
don’t let your words affect anyone else. The easiest
bet would be to choose words carefully before using
them. In any case, words cannot be taken back and
if harm done, may not be reversed.
VIRGO AUG 21 - SEPT 20
Today you may require scheduling your timetable
FREE RANGE WORKING IT OUT accurately. Ganesha predicts a busy day for you. Do
not let this busy day disturb your relationships with
close friends. Haste makes waste, advises Ganesha.
Love life may experience a positive change.
LIBRA SEPT 21 - OCT 20
Investments if made for a long term may prove very
useful for you. Other than that, the day may be
spending discussing money matters. You may not be
able to find solutions to issues pertaining domestic
life. Ganesha asks you to maintain your calm.
SCORPIO OCT 21 - NOV 20
Everyone has to face rivals in life, in one form or
the other. Ganesha warns you against first hand
rivals, some of your colleagues. The only mantra to
lead the ‘rat race’ is to work with cent percent
honesty and devotion. Hard work always pays.
SAGITTARIUS NOV 21 - DEC 20
A pretty dull and boring day. You can spice it up by
doing fun filled activities. At office there might not
be happening much, so concentrate on pending
work. On the love front, the day may be heavy on
the emotional front. ‘Handle with care’.
CAPRICORN DEC 21 - JAN 20
Luck may smile upon you today, so be ready for
surprises. A good day to take over new
responsibilities. You may spend a lot of time in
meetings and discussion for the betterment of the
office today. Domestic life is smooth and in control.
AQUARIUS JAN 21 - FEB 20
PREVIOUS You health may be at its best, but Ganesha warns
you against health disorders of your family
ISSUE’S members. At office, domestic issues may rule your
mind. If the need be, take a leave or half leave,
SOLUTIONS rather than not being able to concentrate.
PISCES FEB 21 - MARCH 20
Let mind take over matter. Simple meditation
exercises may help you fight stress. Also, being
emotional might not help today. On the positive
side, you may get a lot of support from friends and
family, in case you are really feeling low.
Predictions by Bhavesh N. Pattni
16 ! ERGO Monday, September 22, 2008