Thamizh Padam (The best of all time)2010
Cast: Siva, Disha Pandey, M S Baskar, Vennira Aadai Moorthy, ManobalaDirection: C S Amudhan
Production: Dayanidhi Alagiri
Music: Kannan
[ First of all, a big round of applause for the director for introducing a new genre in Tamil film industry. Holly wood had it since long with movies like Hot Shots Naked Gun or Scary Movie series and Tamil television has beaten it to death. But a full length spoof running for more than two hours on big screen is really difficult to make considering the sensitivity of the industry people. Even Bollywood hasn’t tried a full fledged parody yet.
Thamizh Padam has done it nicely without hurting the sentiments or feelings of any body. Though only regular movie goers will identify every spoof still they will enjoy it even if it is of their favourite heroes. Director Amudhan has walked the tight rope very effectively. (review given by indiaglitz.com) ]
Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa - Movie Review
| Presented by | Red Giant Movies |
| Banner | Escape Artistes Motions Pictures and R.S. Infotainment |
| Director | Gautham Menon |
| Cast | Simbu, Trisha |
| Music | A.R. Rahman |
| Cinematography | Manoj Paramahamsa |
| Producers | Madan, Ganesh, Kumar, Jayaraman |
| Art Director | Rajeevan |
| Editor | Anthony |
| Lyrics | Thamarai |
| Costumes | Nalini Sriram |
| Record label | Sony Music |
It is impossible to write a run-of-the-mill review for a Gautham Menon film follows the format of introduction, synopsis, a short critical perspective and finally, a verdict. Usually, the story itself can be said in a few lines. but even an A3 sheet may be insufficient to describe the experience ofVinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa (VTV).
So, you'll thank me for this review which is a little shorter than the ones I tend to write and here, I have but a few brief words for the storyline itself, followed by a masterful effort to NOT gush over some of the stupendous work in the movie and a speedy roundup and verdict - but this is only because I neither have the space nor the vocabulary to do justice to the experience of watching this movie.
The Story
Karthik is our young hero. A 22-year-old man who has just finished his engineering degree and has cinema on his brain - he wants to become a film-maker one day. He is no shirker in his efforts; his days are spent knocking down doors of film directors' offices and studio hangars, hoping for a chance at assisting an established film-maker. And then one day, Jessie breezes into his life. Do you remember the 'Thunderbolt Effect' in The Godfather series when Michael Corleone first meets Appolonia? That is what Karthik feels when he sees Jessie from afar. She lives upstairs on their two-level independent home and barely notices him for the first few weeks. Then the contrived "chance" encounter by Karthik on their rooftop, the fervently planned meeting at a KFC joint where Jessie works, the way he blurts his love to her, his impulsive trip all the way to her native Alapuzha to apologize to her for that, their discovery of their love and - the strongest element in their love story - whether they are fated to be together or part ways, given their tumultuous environment.
Jessie looks barely out of her teens, so fresh and doe-eyed is her appearance. Yet, she is not only an intelligent and well-grounded young woman, she is an year older than Karthik! And she is the yang to his yin. Where Karthik is full of, "Let's do it! Let's face the world, even our families and let's be together! Let's fearlessly shout our love from the rooftops!", Jessie is full of, "This is the worst-ever life plan. It would never work between us, thanks to my family and our religions. This would never work because I am so indecisive about making such emotional decisions!"
Jessie is torn between her love for Karthik and loyalty to her family.
Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa - will you cross the skies for me? This is the premise of the entire Karthik-Jessie love story. Will he wait forever for her? Will she cross her own hurdles to come to him? Will they run away from the world and be together? Will they fall prey to each other's diametrically opposite perspectives and lose out on love?
The Performances: On- and Off-screen
Simbu and more Simbu all the way. What a fantastic, underplayed and completely heart-melting performance. You have never seen Simbu like this before. You can fall in love with Simbu's Karthik. He has that glint of wry humour and sarcasm in his eye, he has that underplayed sexuality, the subtle hints of young love and young lust and glimpses of raw emotion - be it anger, frustration or rage. From the first moment one sees him on screen to the last shot, Simbu stays with you all the way. It would be impossible to see him again in any of his gyrating, fancy-move-making movies after this one.
Trisha is the essence of angelic beauty. Innocent without losing her savvy; vulnerable without seeming helpless; confused in matters of the heart, without looking fickle. For Trisha too, this is perhaps one of the finest, most poignant roles she has done.
Ganesh, who has been part of the Madhan-Ganesh executive producer duo with Gautham since the days of Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu, surprises us all by being fabulous. and himself in the movie! His sarcastic sense of humour, his mantle of reliability without being prudish and his comic timing with a straight face are worth applause - and applause he gets from the audience, every time!
Manoj Paramahamsa has magic in his lenses or fingers or something! The crystal clarity and sharp purity of every frame - night or day - is that of an expert veteran. The entire viewing experience has been enhanced simply because he has made it possible for every frame to look lucid, sharp and pleasing.
I feel hesitant to even mention the masterpiece that A.R. Rahman has created in the sound track. From song to song, to the background score, the moods of each moment are captured by this genius and this movie would be but a fraction of what it is without his music.
Points to ponder
Just like Vaaranam Aayiram, Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa too is not a story but a process of story-telling. The movie is one long flow of emotions and incidents and not really a neatly categorized tale. Great for a seamless screenplay and showing the beauty of every moment, unfettered by the framework of any particular need in the script to move the next level. In this lies its minuses as well. For, at times, there seems to be little progression in the lives of Karthik and Jessie as he chases her and she tremulously reciprocates her love for him. It almost seems as if the entire movie is a struggle for him to convince her to defy the world and be with him; so also it seems she is constantly in turmoil, telling him to run away from a futile relationship even as she showers her love upon him. One almost feels the urge to stand up and tell Jessie, "Look at the boy! What are you waiting for! Will you please go for it!"
The movie has been beautifully shot. This is perhaps the first Tamil movie I have seen in a long time that is comparable to a progressive Hindi or English movie. The camera angles, the expressions of the actors, the muted, Mani Ratnam-style of dialogue delivery, the finely choreographed fight sequences, the subtle ways of bringing out the personalities of the protagonists. perfect. While I personally find the last parts of the movie a little lagging behind in pace and intrigue, I can't help but give full marks for technical efficiency of screenplay and editing. Between Gautham, Manoj, Rajeevan and Anthony, VTV is a beautiful moving painting. Perhaps an elegant snip here and there in the second half would make it even tighter and focused.
Malta is gorgeous, New York is heady, Goa is breathtaking and Kerala is God's own country. Their individual beauties have been captured inspiringly by Manoj. Unfortunately, they all appear only for a few minutes to the audience, except for Kerala, where there are actually longer and vital scenes shot. The rest of the movie is mostly shot, in true Gautham Menon style, in and around Chennai's favourite hangouts - Gautham's own office, Sathyam Cinemas and so on, with travel thrown in many a time in Simbu's or Gautham's own cars! Even the crew members are boys and girls from Gautham's own team! At some places, these are nice to watch and feel the warm glow of familiarity to the places and the people. At times, it makes one wonder what exactly the film's budget was!
There are interesting quirks in the storyline that bring in some personal elements: a brief glimpse of an actual movie being made by Gautham as we speak, the journey of Karthik (who once wanted to work with "director Gautham Menon" when he went looking for a job) as a struggling filmmaker, the taboo of working in the cinema industry and the engineering and science-math backgrounds of Karthik and Jessie remind us of Gautham himself or, if you're from Chennai, the familiar institutions and favourite hangouts of our growing-up lives.
Verdict
For sheer beauty of every shot, for Simbu's excellent work, for A.R. Rahman's achingly beautiful music, for Trisha's angelic presence, for the director's sleek screenplay and for the love of good cinema - please watch it!
Beware: Learn to ignore the stagnancy of pace sometimes or the lack of progression to the next level in Jessie and Karthik's relationship. Clarity will find you toward the end.
Review by Shakthi Girish
Please note: Every review on Galatta.com is written by the person who has watched the movie. Therefore, while conscious effort is made to give a fair, unbiased and ethical opinion, every review will have a personal element and opinion to it. Ultimately, every movie experience is a personal one and readers should watch each movie on their own terms.
Formal Hairstyles For Men 24/10
For important occasions, your hairstyle deserves almost as much consideration as your clothes. You would never show up to a formal event in a wrinkled suit, so why would you style your hair, or not style it as the case may be, in the same way you would on casual days? Styling your hair in a formal way for significant events completes the package and shows others your polished side, whether you’ve known them for years or you’re meeting them for the first time. To help you look your best, we break down formal hairstyles for men according to hair length and type, and let you in on how to successfully master each one, including which hair products you’ll need.
Although last year's hair trends emphasized rugged masculinity, men’s hairstyles for 2010 veer toward the classic and conservative. Witness the transformation of Hugh Jackman's mane from the wild, uncontrolled style he adopted as Wolverine to the cropped cut he recently sported on the red carpet and you'll understand the new direction in men's hair.
To achieve this formal hairstyle, visit your barber up to a week before the big day and have the sides and back of your hair cut short and close to the head using clippers. Ask to have your top layers snipped more jaggedly, however, to balance out the neatness of the rest of the cut.
On the day itself, apply a little gel (a pea-size amount) all over your head. You don't have to get fancy -- any drugstore brand should do the trick, but try Aveda Men Pure-Formance Firm Hold Gel for a lightweight product that nourishes while it styles. Then, using a fine tooth comb, brush the sides of your hair down and back. Add a slight lift to your front to keep your style from being too controlled and don't get hung up on flyaways.
Hair product: Aveda Men Pure-Formance Firm Hold Gel
Where to buy: Aveda.com
Though short hair is popular for 2010, you'll be relieved to know that most of this year's men’s hairstyles aren't too difficult to maintain. In fact, natural color and didn't-try-too-hard styling methods are the order of the day. In the world of celebrities, no one is wearing theau naturel look better than George Clooney.
Copping Clooney's style requires a cut that's fairly uniform in length. Next, in addition to a light mousse, you'll need a brush, preferably one with boar bristles, rather than a comb. Frederic Fekkai's MORE All-Day Density Styling Whip lifts and plumps each strand of your hair from root to tip. Plus, with a patented nutrient system that feeds your scalp to give you fuller, thicker hair with regular use, this mousse is a great product for men with thinning hair.
Just remember to be extra careful to avoid overdosing on hair products when you're aiming to attain a naturally groomed style. Work only a small squirt of mousse through your entire head, then lightly run your brush over your mane to keep everything in place. The end result shouldn't be sticky or piecey looking at all.
Hair product: Frederic Fekkai MORE All-Day Density Styling Whip
Where to buy: Fekkai.com
The swept back look, as recently worn by Mad Men’s Jon Hamm, is a little more time-consuming and involved than most of the styles mentioned here. To recreate this formal hairstyle for men, you’ll need styling cream, a paddle brush, hairspray, and a blow-dryer with two temperature settings. Comb a styling cream like Ojon’s Animated Styling Cream through wet hair, then blow-dry on high heat using a paddle brush to lift your hair from the root toward the back of your head, creating volume in the front. Finish off this style by holding a can of hairspray six inches from your head, applying a fine mist, and then blasting your hair quickly with your blow dryer on cold to keep everything in place.
Hair product: Ojon’s Animated Styling Cream
Where to buy: Ojon.com
Brylcreem and the 1950s will be the major inspiration for hairstylists in 2010. Lately, the celebrity who best captures this timeless style is Leonardo DiCaprio. Best on short- to medium-length hair, the side part is a great choice for dressy nights out as well as important business meetings. It's also an almost universally flattering style, although you should avoid it if you have a high forehead.
What's more, it's incredibly simple to achieve, requiring only two tools: a fine- to medium-toothed comb and pomade. To nail the '50s feel of this style, tryMurray's Original Pomade for a firm hold and a wet-look finish. Begin by working a dime-size amount of the product though your hair, then use the pick end of your comb to make the sharpest part you can. Note that your part should fall somewhere in line with the inner corner of your eye socket. Finally, slick your hair down on both sides using your comb and create a slight lift in the front.
Hair product: Murray's Original Pomade
Where to buy: MurraysPomade.com
With haircuts generally being on the short side in 2010, you'll need to put the extra effort into controlling and defining your style this year if you have curly hair. Particularly in hot, humid weather, curly hair can quickly become unruly, and because a messy, frizzy mane isn't exactly formal-event-friendly, it's crucial you use the best hairstyling products to avoid this calamity.
Ask your barber for a cut that's short all over like the one Justin Timberlake has recently been favoring. On the big night in question, evenly distribute a lightweight gel like Anthony Logistics For Men Hair Gel through your strands. Shape your curls into place using your fingers and let the product air-dry to reproduce Timberlake's slightly wet-looking but still healthy do.
Hair product: Anthony Logistics For Men Hair Gel
Where to buy: Anthony.com
Always an example in the grooming and style department, LeBron James continues to impress in 2010 with a slightly longer hairstyle. To replicate James' look, ask your hairdresser to shape your mane so that it stands up slightly but still follows the contours of your head as you're aiming for a natural, not contrived or overly styled appearance. While you won't really need much in the way of styling products to recreate James' formal hairstyle, you will require products that encourage a healthy scalp and strong strands, so try Dr. Hauschka's Neem Hair Oil, an all-natural serum specifically formulated to treat pesky skin problems and condition dry hair.
Hair product: Dr. Hauschka's Neem Hair Oil
Where to buy: DrHauschka.com
SHORT HAIR
Smooth and slick
Although last year's hair trends emphasized rugged masculinity, men’s hairstyles for 2010 veer toward the classic and conservative. Witness the transformation of Hugh Jackman's mane from the wild, uncontrolled style he adopted as Wolverine to the cropped cut he recently sported on the red carpet and you'll understand the new direction in men's hair.To achieve this formal hairstyle, visit your barber up to a week before the big day and have the sides and back of your hair cut short and close to the head using clippers. Ask to have your top layers snipped more jaggedly, however, to balance out the neatness of the rest of the cut.
On the day itself, apply a little gel (a pea-size amount) all over your head. You don't have to get fancy -- any drugstore brand should do the trick, but try Aveda Men Pure-Formance Firm Hold Gel for a lightweight product that nourishes while it styles. Then, using a fine tooth comb, brush the sides of your hair down and back. Add a slight lift to your front to keep your style from being too controlled and don't get hung up on flyaways.
Hair product: Aveda Men Pure-Formance Firm Hold Gel
Where to buy: Aveda.com
Naturally groomed
Though short hair is popular for 2010, you'll be relieved to know that most of this year's men’s hairstyles aren't too difficult to maintain. In fact, natural color and didn't-try-too-hard styling methods are the order of the day. In the world of celebrities, no one is wearing theau naturel look better than George Clooney.Copping Clooney's style requires a cut that's fairly uniform in length. Next, in addition to a light mousse, you'll need a brush, preferably one with boar bristles, rather than a comb. Frederic Fekkai's MORE All-Day Density Styling Whip lifts and plumps each strand of your hair from root to tip. Plus, with a patented nutrient system that feeds your scalp to give you fuller, thicker hair with regular use, this mousse is a great product for men with thinning hair.
Just remember to be extra careful to avoid overdosing on hair products when you're aiming to attain a naturally groomed style. Work only a small squirt of mousse through your entire head, then lightly run your brush over your mane to keep everything in place. The end result shouldn't be sticky or piecey looking at all.
Hair product: Frederic Fekkai MORE All-Day Density Styling Whip
Where to buy: Fekkai.com
MEDIUM-LENGTH HAIR
Swept back
The swept back look, as recently worn by Mad Men’s Jon Hamm, is a little more time-consuming and involved than most of the styles mentioned here. To recreate this formal hairstyle for men, you’ll need styling cream, a paddle brush, hairspray, and a blow-dryer with two temperature settings. Comb a styling cream like Ojon’s Animated Styling Cream through wet hair, then blow-dry on high heat using a paddle brush to lift your hair from the root toward the back of your head, creating volume in the front. Finish off this style by holding a can of hairspray six inches from your head, applying a fine mist, and then blasting your hair quickly with your blow dryer on cold to keep everything in place.Hair product: Ojon’s Animated Styling Cream
Where to buy: Ojon.com
Side part
Brylcreem and the 1950s will be the major inspiration for hairstylists in 2010. Lately, the celebrity who best captures this timeless style is Leonardo DiCaprio. Best on short- to medium-length hair, the side part is a great choice for dressy nights out as well as important business meetings. It's also an almost universally flattering style, although you should avoid it if you have a high forehead.What's more, it's incredibly simple to achieve, requiring only two tools: a fine- to medium-toothed comb and pomade. To nail the '50s feel of this style, tryMurray's Original Pomade for a firm hold and a wet-look finish. Begin by working a dime-size amount of the product though your hair, then use the pick end of your comb to make the sharpest part you can. Note that your part should fall somewhere in line with the inner corner of your eye socket. Finally, slick your hair down on both sides using your comb and create a slight lift in the front.
Hair product: Murray's Original Pomade
Where to buy: MurraysPomade.com
HAIR TYPE
Curly hair
With haircuts generally being on the short side in 2010, you'll need to put the extra effort into controlling and defining your style this year if you have curly hair. Particularly in hot, humid weather, curly hair can quickly become unruly, and because a messy, frizzy mane isn't exactly formal-event-friendly, it's crucial you use the best hairstyling products to avoid this calamity.Ask your barber for a cut that's short all over like the one Justin Timberlake has recently been favoring. On the big night in question, evenly distribute a lightweight gel like Anthony Logistics For Men Hair Gel through your strands. Shape your curls into place using your fingers and let the product air-dry to reproduce Timberlake's slightly wet-looking but still healthy do.
Hair product: Anthony Logistics For Men Hair Gel
Where to buy: Anthony.com
Black hair
Always an example in the grooming and style department, LeBron James continues to impress in 2010 with a slightly longer hairstyle. To replicate James' look, ask your hairdresser to shape your mane so that it stands up slightly but still follows the contours of your head as you're aiming for a natural, not contrived or overly styled appearance. While you won't really need much in the way of styling products to recreate James' formal hairstyle, you will require products that encourage a healthy scalp and strong strands, so try Dr. Hauschka's Neem Hair Oil, an all-natural serum specifically formulated to treat pesky skin problems and condition dry hair.Hair product: Dr. Hauschka's Neem Hair Oil
Where to buy: DrHauschka.com
FORMAL HAIRSTYLES FOR MEN
For the legions of men that are not particularly dedicated to the appearance of their hair, styling their mane for a formal event will most certainly involve more time in front of the mirror than normal. Fortunately, though they all require a hair product, no special skills are required to recreate the styles listed here. The golden rule is to use a minute amount of product, increasing it gradually if necessary. Finally, practicing your formal hairstyle beforehand ensures that on the big day your hair will look as good as the rest of you.
Facial Hair Styles For Your Face Type 24/10
Just as there are different styles of men's jeans that are best suited to particular body types, there are facial hair styles that look best on certain face shapes. By altering your facial hair (and your hairstyle as well), you can seriously play up or de-emphasize the features on your face. Celebrities, of course, have access to an army of pros to assist them in hiding a multitude of flaws, helping them to create the best looks for their face shapes.
You, however, can make the most of your looks with a little help from us. Here we show you the facial hair styles that are most suited to five different face types. First, examine your facial structure and identify the category you fall into; then, get your sharpest, most effective razor ready to start grooming your way to a better-looking version of yourself.
The style: Light but all-over beard with complementary hairstyle.
Description: One look that works well for men with square faces is an all-over beard that’s clipped close to the face, like the one David Beckham has been seen sporting. Fortunately, mimicking Beckham’s cool style is fairly straightforward. Simply grow your facial hair out for several weeks and then use clippers to keep the length short. If you want to go all-out like Beckham, with slick styling around your mouth and chin area, your best bet is to visit a barber initially to get the sharp look you're after. Once the barber’s done his handiwork, you’ll find that this style is fairly low-maintenance and requires only a high-quality razor to keep its shape.
The style: The 24/7 5-o’clock shadow.
Description: Take a cue from one of fashion’s leading men and grow a slightly scruffy beard to change the appearance of your face as well as conceal your not-so-favorite facial features. Tom Ford has a very long face as well as a slightly receding hairline, and when sporting a respectable amount of facial hair, his face seems less angular and his hairline less noticeable. All in all, it’s a very distinguished look. Copying his style won’t take too much effort on your part either. Simply let your facial hair grow out for about a week or so, depending on how fast your hair grows, and then shave every few days to maintain a cleaner shape.
The style: A highly stylized circle beard.
Description: Kanye West is a good example of a celebrity with a somewhat round face and delicate facial features. Cleverly, Kanye avoids sideburns and keeps his hair cropped close to his head. He also sports a circle beard, which is characterized by a mustache that continues along the sides of the mouth to meet up with facial hair on the chin. To get Kanye’s smooth style, grow your facial hair out as best you can while continuing to shave your jaw and neck. Once you’re satisfied with the length, visit a barber to get Kanye’s super-sharp lines, and then maintain the look with a clipper and razor at home. The key to this look is to make sure the rest of your face gets a smooth, close shave, thus, invest in a good razor and some high-quality shaving cream.
The style: A more unkempt facial hair style meets amodern hairstyle.
Description: For the perfect example of a triangular-shaped face and how a man with this face type should best style his facial hair, look no further than Ryan Gosling. This Oscar-nominated actor has both a soft jawline as well as a more pointed chin. If your face is like Ryan’s, follow his lead and adopt a shaggier, medium-weight beard to visually bulk up your face. Fortunately, this style is rather easy to grow and maintain, and you can probably do it without any professional assistance. All you have to do is grow your hair out while shaving bits on your chin as well as keeping the lines along your cheeks and sideburns in good shape by removing any stray hairs with a razor.
The style: Long, thick sideburns with a beard that provides light, all-over face coverage.
Description: Dane Cook is one celebrity with a protruding chin, and he also does a great job of using both sideburns and all-over facial hair to cover it up. To get Dane’s facial hair style, you’ll need to start by letting your facial hair grow for anywhere between two weeks to a month, depending on how quickly your hair grows, without trimming it. Once you’re satisfied with the coverage on your face, you’ll need to use scissors or a trimmer to keep the length short and cropped close to your face like Dane. Use a razor around all the edges to maintain the outline and shape of your facial hair. You might also need to grow your sideburns out, but let these grow for longer than four weeks if you need to before you start trimming them. Aim to have sideburns quite a bit thicker than the rest of your facial hair to perfect Dane’s mix of rugged and clean-cut.
Facial hair grows back quickly, so don’t be afraid to play around with it. You can always shave it off if you don’t like the end result, and changing your facial hair style is often an easy way to update your look. Before you do anything, however, really consider the shape of your face as well as how much facial hair you’ll be able to grow. Also think about the areas of your face that you typically have the most -- as well as the least -- hair growth. Then get out your clippers, your razor and your shaving cream, and give it a shot.
You, however, can make the most of your looks with a little help from us. Here we show you the facial hair styles that are most suited to five different face types. First, examine your facial structure and identify the category you fall into; then, get your sharpest, most effective razor ready to start grooming your way to a better-looking version of yourself.
Face type: Square
Facial hair styles: Men with square faces should opt for styles that make their faces appear less box-like and more slender.The style: Light but all-over beard with complementary hairstyle.
Description: One look that works well for men with square faces is an all-over beard that’s clipped close to the face, like the one David Beckham has been seen sporting. Fortunately, mimicking Beckham’s cool style is fairly straightforward. Simply grow your facial hair out for several weeks and then use clippers to keep the length short. If you want to go all-out like Beckham, with slick styling around your mouth and chin area, your best bet is to visit a barber initially to get the sharp look you're after. Once the barber’s done his handiwork, you’ll find that this style is fairly low-maintenance and requires only a high-quality razor to keep its shape.
Face type: Rectangle/oblong
Facial hair styles: Rectangular or oblong faces tend to be quite slender and angular. If you have this face shape, a beard is one facial hair style that can balance your features out by visually shortening the length of your face while creating the illusion that your face is more oval.The style: The 24/7 5-o’clock shadow.
Description: Take a cue from one of fashion’s leading men and grow a slightly scruffy beard to change the appearance of your face as well as conceal your not-so-favorite facial features. Tom Ford has a very long face as well as a slightly receding hairline, and when sporting a respectable amount of facial hair, his face seems less angular and his hairline less noticeable. All in all, it’s a very distinguished look. Copying his style won’t take too much effort on your part either. Simply let your facial hair grow out for about a week or so, depending on how fast your hair grows, and then shave every few days to maintain a cleaner shape.
Face type: Round
Facial hair styles: Individuals with round faces should try facial hair styles that have the effect of making faces appear masculine and oval-shaped. However, take care not to choose a style that will overwhelm your features, particularly if you have a round face and small features. Also, avoid strong sideburns.The style: A highly stylized circle beard.
Description: Kanye West is a good example of a celebrity with a somewhat round face and delicate facial features. Cleverly, Kanye avoids sideburns and keeps his hair cropped close to his head. He also sports a circle beard, which is characterized by a mustache that continues along the sides of the mouth to meet up with facial hair on the chin. To get Kanye’s smooth style, grow your facial hair out as best you can while continuing to shave your jaw and neck. Once you’re satisfied with the length, visit a barber to get Kanye’s super-sharp lines, and then maintain the look with a clipper and razor at home. The key to this look is to make sure the rest of your face gets a smooth, close shave, thus, invest in a good razor and some high-quality shaving cream.
Face type: Triangular
Facial hair styles: Men with triangular-shaped faces tend to have very pointed chins. A fuller beard will make these faces appear more masculine by adding weight along the jawline and the chin.The style: A more unkempt facial hair style meets amodern hairstyle.
Description: For the perfect example of a triangular-shaped face and how a man with this face type should best style his facial hair, look no further than Ryan Gosling. This Oscar-nominated actor has both a soft jawline as well as a more pointed chin. If your face is like Ryan’s, follow his lead and adopt a shaggier, medium-weight beard to visually bulk up your face. Fortunately, this style is rather easy to grow and maintain, and you can probably do it without any professional assistance. All you have to do is grow your hair out while shaving bits on your chin as well as keeping the lines along your cheeks and sideburns in good shape by removing any stray hairs with a razor.
Face type: Pear/Diamond
Facial hair styles: For pear or diamond faces with a very prominent chin, a full beard can help minimize and soften your facial features. Having long sideburns will also balance your face out and reduce the pointed appearance of your chin. A beard will minimize a soft or overly prominent chin.The style: Long, thick sideburns with a beard that provides light, all-over face coverage.
Description: Dane Cook is one celebrity with a protruding chin, and he also does a great job of using both sideburns and all-over facial hair to cover it up. To get Dane’s facial hair style, you’ll need to start by letting your facial hair grow for anywhere between two weeks to a month, depending on how quickly your hair grows, without trimming it. Once you’re satisfied with the coverage on your face, you’ll need to use scissors or a trimmer to keep the length short and cropped close to your face like Dane. Use a razor around all the edges to maintain the outline and shape of your facial hair. You might also need to grow your sideburns out, but let these grow for longer than four weeks if you need to before you start trimming them. Aim to have sideburns quite a bit thicker than the rest of your facial hair to perfect Dane’s mix of rugged and clean-cut.
PUT YOUR BEST FACE FORWARD
In case you were wondering why we left out the oval face type, it's because working with that shape is pretty dummy-proof. Experts say that men with this shape are the luckiest, as a variety of facial hair styles will complement this shape.Facial hair grows back quickly, so don’t be afraid to play around with it. You can always shave it off if you don’t like the end result, and changing your facial hair style is often an easy way to update your look. Before you do anything, however, really consider the shape of your face as well as how much facial hair you’ll be able to grow. Also think about the areas of your face that you typically have the most -- as well as the least -- hair growth. Then get out your clippers, your razor and your shaving cream, and give it a shot.
Tower of silence Vinay Madhav , TNN, Mar 23, 2010
BANGALORE: A quiet desperation cloaks Carlton Towers, and even the stray dog which would hang out near Bombay Post, listlessly wanders around in the chilling silence.
The building wears a haunted look. Most of the empty fire extinguishers are scattered and shards of glass dot the floors. The only movement is of people trying to retrieve office material. Three policemen keep a bored watch at the front gate; all the other gates are locked.
Ram Nath, one of the three security guards from Assam, says, "We don't know when they'll open the building. Neither have they told us anything nor have they terminated our services. Hardly anybody comes here."
The corridors of each floor are pitch dark as electricity supply has been switched off. There's a memory of footsteps -- not many walk here anymore.
Two employees of Mandanna Associates, a chartered accountant firm, wait patiently in their office. Mandanna, treasurer of the Carlton Owners' Association, was one of three persons to obtain anticipatory bail. His office was burgled soon after the tragedy. "Some people stole three computers. All our data were there. A day after the fire, the firm owner's wife came and locked the door. But somebody broke the lock open. We're worried about reconstructing the data," said an employee Dharmendra.
On the first floor, ophthalmologist Dr Sabina Madan is shifting things out of her clinic whose windows are shattered. "Fire force personnel entered the building through them," she smiled ruefully. She and her husband had set up the clinic 10 years ago. "We're not sure when everything will return to normal. We have another clinic in Whitefield and we're taking things there," she added.
At the entrance, the police are maintaining a registry of visitors. When visitors want to take anything out of their office, they have to show their identity cards and give written statements of what they're taking. "There were complaints that valuables had been stolen from some offices. We have to keep tabs on what goes in and out," said ASI Rudrappa.
Life goes on elsewhere in the city. Not at Carlton Towers.
The building wears a haunted look. Most of the empty fire extinguishers are scattered and shards of glass dot the floors. The only movement is of people trying to retrieve office material. Three policemen keep a bored watch at the front gate; all the other gates are locked.
Ram Nath, one of the three security guards from Assam, says, "We don't know when they'll open the building. Neither have they told us anything nor have they terminated our services. Hardly anybody comes here."
The corridors of each floor are pitch dark as electricity supply has been switched off. There's a memory of footsteps -- not many walk here anymore.
Two employees of Mandanna Associates, a chartered accountant firm, wait patiently in their office. Mandanna, treasurer of the Carlton Owners' Association, was one of three persons to obtain anticipatory bail. His office was burgled soon after the tragedy. "Some people stole three computers. All our data were there. A day after the fire, the firm owner's wife came and locked the door. But somebody broke the lock open. We're worried about reconstructing the data," said an employee Dharmendra.
On the first floor, ophthalmologist Dr Sabina Madan is shifting things out of her clinic whose windows are shattered. "Fire force personnel entered the building through them," she smiled ruefully. She and her husband had set up the clinic 10 years ago. "We're not sure when everything will return to normal. We have another clinic in Whitefield and we're taking things there," she added.
At the entrance, the police are maintaining a registry of visitors. When visitors want to take anything out of their office, they have to show their identity cards and give written statements of what they're taking. "There were complaints that valuables had been stolen from some offices. We have to keep tabs on what goes in and out," said ASI Rudrappa.
Life goes on elsewhere in the city. Not at Carlton Towers.
Wait for help adds salt to wound TNN, Mar 23, 2010,
BANGALORE: It has been a month since nine persons died in the Carlton Towers fire tragedy on February 23. Even as the grim realization that their loved ones are no more settles in, relatives of the victims have no information on compensation -- for some families the money is critical.
Neither have the survivors been contacted by authorities for enquiry. "The police took our statements when we were hospitalized on February 23. After that none of the survivors have been contacted by the police or any other authority for the case. We are the eye-witnesses and are the best people to describe the accident," said Nitin Dubey, a survivor of the tragedy, who works at Equis, a real estate company on the seventh floor of Carlton Towers.
"It was from the media that we came to know compensation has been declared. However, we haven't heard from the authorities so far," said Uday Vijayan, who lost his son, Akhil Uday, in the tragedy.
Some families lost their bread winner. "For instance, Fayaz Pashah was the sole bread winner of his family. It looks like we have to fight a battle to get the money," said Nitin.
They said that after the incident, no organization, public or private, came to their aid, apart from the media which contacted them for a couple of days.
As for Carlton Towers, the building retains the haunted look it had after the tragedy - it is still covered by shattered pieces of glass and soot.
CITIZENS' INITIATIVE
The relatives of the victims and survivors are neither ready to give up nor sit back lamenting and cursing their fate. Instead, many of them have come together to form a citizens' initiative for fire safety called `Beyond Carlton'.
"Our minds have shifted from sorrow and anger to what really happened that day. I felt that we could do something about it rather than sit over it and pass time. So I started calling other relatives and survivors and coordinated with them," Uday said on how the group was initiated.
The group includes family members of the victims, survivors and some concerned citizens. It has already got around 500 supporters in the Facebook group.
One of the main objectives is to fight for justice and to demand that all responsible persons are brought to light. "We want to keep up the pressure on the government so that the probe happens in the right way," said Uday, one of the brains behind the group, at the Press Club on Monday.
Also, the group wants to educate and create awareness among the public on fire safety. "The tragedy could have been avoided. The people need to know how to react in those situations," said Nitin. They plan to conduct workshops, round tables and work in association with the fire service department for this cause.
The members met the police commissioner last week and submitted a memorandum. They have also started working with NGOs like Namma Bengaluru Foundation to fight for justice. They demand that the Akrama-Sakrama scheme preclude buildings that violate fire safety norms.
REMEMBERING THE VICTIMS
A memorial service will be organized at 5 pm at Carlton Towers on Tuesday to observe one-month of the tragedy. It will be thrown open to the public.
`Beyond Carlton' also plans to observe the day as Fire Safety Audit Day. Workplaces, factories, schools, apartments and public places will be asked to conduct fire safety audits by checking the functioning of the fire alarms, fire extinguishers and fire exits.
QUOTE HANGERS
"The past one month has been a nightmare. We pinch ourselves to realize that our loved ones are not with us anymore. Can't believe it." __ Uday Vijayan, who lost his son Akhil Uday last month.
Neither have the survivors been contacted by authorities for enquiry. "The police took our statements when we were hospitalized on February 23. After that none of the survivors have been contacted by the police or any other authority for the case. We are the eye-witnesses and are the best people to describe the accident," said Nitin Dubey, a survivor of the tragedy, who works at Equis, a real estate company on the seventh floor of Carlton Towers.
"It was from the media that we came to know compensation has been declared. However, we haven't heard from the authorities so far," said Uday Vijayan, who lost his son, Akhil Uday, in the tragedy.
Some families lost their bread winner. "For instance, Fayaz Pashah was the sole bread winner of his family. It looks like we have to fight a battle to get the money," said Nitin.
They said that after the incident, no organization, public or private, came to their aid, apart from the media which contacted them for a couple of days.
As for Carlton Towers, the building retains the haunted look it had after the tragedy - it is still covered by shattered pieces of glass and soot.
CITIZENS' INITIATIVE
The relatives of the victims and survivors are neither ready to give up nor sit back lamenting and cursing their fate. Instead, many of them have come together to form a citizens' initiative for fire safety called `Beyond Carlton'.
"Our minds have shifted from sorrow and anger to what really happened that day. I felt that we could do something about it rather than sit over it and pass time. So I started calling other relatives and survivors and coordinated with them," Uday said on how the group was initiated.
The group includes family members of the victims, survivors and some concerned citizens. It has already got around 500 supporters in the Facebook group.
One of the main objectives is to fight for justice and to demand that all responsible persons are brought to light. "We want to keep up the pressure on the government so that the probe happens in the right way," said Uday, one of the brains behind the group, at the Press Club on Monday.
Also, the group wants to educate and create awareness among the public on fire safety. "The tragedy could have been avoided. The people need to know how to react in those situations," said Nitin. They plan to conduct workshops, round tables and work in association with the fire service department for this cause.
The members met the police commissioner last week and submitted a memorandum. They have also started working with NGOs like Namma Bengaluru Foundation to fight for justice. They demand that the Akrama-Sakrama scheme preclude buildings that violate fire safety norms.
REMEMBERING THE VICTIMS
A memorial service will be organized at 5 pm at Carlton Towers on Tuesday to observe one-month of the tragedy. It will be thrown open to the public.
`Beyond Carlton' also plans to observe the day as Fire Safety Audit Day. Workplaces, factories, schools, apartments and public places will be asked to conduct fire safety audits by checking the functioning of the fire alarms, fire extinguishers and fire exits.
QUOTE HANGERS
"The past one month has been a nightmare. We pinch ourselves to realize that our loved ones are not with us anymore. Can't believe it." __ Uday Vijayan, who lost his son Akhil Uday last month.
A 3-D view of the big Fight Jayashree Nandi , A T Subrahmanya, Mar 23, 2010,
This is one question every Bangalorean asks the big three political parties which are already busy promising the moon. Why should one vote for their party in the upcoming BBMP elections? TOI asked the same question to representatives of the three parties — BJP, Cong, JD(S) — at an interactive meeting at the TOI office on Monday, and they promptly announced that good urban infrastructure was developed in the past and would be developed in future. Reason enough?
BJP
Transport and Bangalore in-charge minister R Ashoka
“In the past 20 months that we have been in power, we have developed good roads, provided streetlights and other basic amenities which the other parties have not done in the past 20 years. Earlier, nobody had bothered about lakes, but we are planning to develop 160 lakes. This year, we have rejuvenated nearly 40 lakes at the cost of Rs 300 crore, and next year, we will develop another 40 lakes at the cost of another Rs 300 crore.
Our party has a vision for the overall development of Bangalore, with complete development of water supply, sanitation and parks. We will also try to reduce traffic congestion, which has been a legacy of the previous Congress government. We have also implemented the SAS system for property tax collection, instead of CVS, and have collected Rs 1,000 crore as tax, which is unprecedented. We will also implement the Akrama-Sakrama scheme.
We will also amend the Bangalore Act, like several other cities in India have their Acts. We are also developing signal-free corridors on the ring road, from Silk Board to Hebbal, and Whitefield to Hebbal. We have our commitment and vision to develop Bangalore into a world-class city.’
CONGRESS
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president
RV Deshpande
“We are for a clean, green Bangalore and communal harmony. Making Bangalore one among the top 20 cities in the world and an investor-friendly city will be top priority for our party. Before S M Krishna’s tenure, Karnataka used to be only a South Indian state with Bangalore as its capital. Now, people know Bangalore as one of the leading cities of the country. The Congress was responsible for making Bangalore a large employment hub, for developing 27 flyovers, for making it the IT capital, initiating the BIAL and Namma Metro project. Bangalore was a clean, green, livable city during the S M Krishna government. There were huge tree plantation drives, now Bangalore has become just the opposite. We are not against Bangalore’s development. We request people to vote first. If they vote for Congress, they will be investing in the future of Bangalore.’’
JD(S) Party president and former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy
“The ring road foundation was laid when Deve Gowda was chief minister and it was also during the same regime that the British High Commissioner had visited Bangalore. Subsequently, the foundation was laid for IT parks, though later, Congress took the credit. Even the Metro project was conceived during Deve Gowda’s tenure.
When I was chief minister, there was no load-shedding at all, and we had even formed a cabinet sub-committee, chaired by me, to examine the power issue. We had also established power sub-stations at a cost of Rs 500 crore.
We are getting Rs 21,000 crore from JN-NURM funds and we need to utilise the funds properly to develop infrastructure, as we may not get such an amount again in future. At present, there is a lot of corruption and people are disgusted with governance. Though we have contributed a lot to the development of the city, we never took credit for it.”
BJP
Transport and Bangalore in-charge minister R Ashoka
“In the past 20 months that we have been in power, we have developed good roads, provided streetlights and other basic amenities which the other parties have not done in the past 20 years. Earlier, nobody had bothered about lakes, but we are planning to develop 160 lakes. This year, we have rejuvenated nearly 40 lakes at the cost of Rs 300 crore, and next year, we will develop another 40 lakes at the cost of another Rs 300 crore.
Our party has a vision for the overall development of Bangalore, with complete development of water supply, sanitation and parks. We will also try to reduce traffic congestion, which has been a legacy of the previous Congress government. We have also implemented the SAS system for property tax collection, instead of CVS, and have collected Rs 1,000 crore as tax, which is unprecedented. We will also implement the Akrama-Sakrama scheme.
We will also amend the Bangalore Act, like several other cities in India have their Acts. We are also developing signal-free corridors on the ring road, from Silk Board to Hebbal, and Whitefield to Hebbal. We have our commitment and vision to develop Bangalore into a world-class city.’
CONGRESS
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president
RV Deshpande
“We are for a clean, green Bangalore and communal harmony. Making Bangalore one among the top 20 cities in the world and an investor-friendly city will be top priority for our party. Before S M Krishna’s tenure, Karnataka used to be only a South Indian state with Bangalore as its capital. Now, people know Bangalore as one of the leading cities of the country. The Congress was responsible for making Bangalore a large employment hub, for developing 27 flyovers, for making it the IT capital, initiating the BIAL and Namma Metro project. Bangalore was a clean, green, livable city during the S M Krishna government. There were huge tree plantation drives, now Bangalore has become just the opposite. We are not against Bangalore’s development. We request people to vote first. If they vote for Congress, they will be investing in the future of Bangalore.’’
JD(S) Party president and former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy
“The ring road foundation was laid when Deve Gowda was chief minister and it was also during the same regime that the British High Commissioner had visited Bangalore. Subsequently, the foundation was laid for IT parks, though later, Congress took the credit. Even the Metro project was conceived during Deve Gowda’s tenure.
When I was chief minister, there was no load-shedding at all, and we had even formed a cabinet sub-committee, chaired by me, to examine the power issue. We had also established power sub-stations at a cost of Rs 500 crore.
We are getting Rs 21,000 crore from JN-NURM funds and we need to utilise the funds properly to develop infrastructure, as we may not get such an amount again in future. At present, there is a lot of corruption and people are disgusted with governance. Though we have contributed a lot to the development of the city, we never took credit for it.”
Crisis solutions: Captive power and Cauvery TNN, Mar 23, 2010
WE’LL HAVE THE POWER
Captive power for Bangalore — that’s the mantra that political parties are applying to answer one of the crucial issues of the BBMP election — power crisis. As for water, all swear by the Cauvery Fourth Phase Stage II and rainwater harvesting.
BJP and Congress, the two main contenders, played the dice for a dedicated power supply facility for Bangalore. Since thermal is hardly a possibility and the amount from hydro is not great, they zeroed in on gas power by tapping the Dabhol-Bangalore network at Bidadi.
According to transport minister R Ashoka, their party is planning to have the Bidadi power station dedicated to the city, which would resolve the power woes of the citizens.
“There is water scarcity and one of the reasons is there is no power to pump the water from 50-60 km. In all cities — Kolkata, Mumbai and others — there is dedicated power supply to the city. Only in Bangalore, there is no such source. It is a major concern. We need captive power for such a huge city,” said KPCC president R V Deshpande.
Former CM and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy said that during the JD(S) tenure, when he was chief minister, there was hardly any load shedding. Power was rationed properly and distribution planned. “Though all the Escoms are running at a loss, Bescom was profitable. But even Bescom is under a loss during the present government. The reason is lack of planning,’’ he said.
TALL WATER PROMISES TOO
For water, everyone is pointing to two magic solutions — the Rs 3,200-crore Cauvery Fourth Phase Stage II project supported by the Japan Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC), and the compulsory rainwater harvesting regulation for the city. R Ashoka said the authorities were taking suggestions from the ABIDe task force for long-term plans.
Deshpande stressed that industries should depend mostly on recycled water and reuse water for their internal operations. “This government is not pressuring industries to go away from the cities and operate sustainably. I don’t want any industries in and around Bangalore. Industries that pollute, like distilleries and chemical factories, have to go away from the city fringes,’’ he said.
Ground water recharge will be a priority for the Congress. He stated that KPCC has rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharging in their manifesto, released on Monday. “We have already implemented the rainwater harvesting legislation and it is a big move towards addressing the water crisis,’’ said Ashoka. Kumaraswamy said a water-starved state like Karnataka needs to follow the example of Singapore and other international cities, who desalinate sea water and use it in the city. “When I was CM, I had taken a group of ministers to Singapore to learn their ways of water management, but there was no follow-up.”
Captive power for Bangalore — that’s the mantra that political parties are applying to answer one of the crucial issues of the BBMP election — power crisis. As for water, all swear by the Cauvery Fourth Phase Stage II and rainwater harvesting.
BJP and Congress, the two main contenders, played the dice for a dedicated power supply facility for Bangalore. Since thermal is hardly a possibility and the amount from hydro is not great, they zeroed in on gas power by tapping the Dabhol-Bangalore network at Bidadi.
According to transport minister R Ashoka, their party is planning to have the Bidadi power station dedicated to the city, which would resolve the power woes of the citizens.
“There is water scarcity and one of the reasons is there is no power to pump the water from 50-60 km. In all cities — Kolkata, Mumbai and others — there is dedicated power supply to the city. Only in Bangalore, there is no such source. It is a major concern. We need captive power for such a huge city,” said KPCC president R V Deshpande.
Former CM and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy said that during the JD(S) tenure, when he was chief minister, there was hardly any load shedding. Power was rationed properly and distribution planned. “Though all the Escoms are running at a loss, Bescom was profitable. But even Bescom is under a loss during the present government. The reason is lack of planning,’’ he said.
TALL WATER PROMISES TOO
For water, everyone is pointing to two magic solutions — the Rs 3,200-crore Cauvery Fourth Phase Stage II project supported by the Japan Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC), and the compulsory rainwater harvesting regulation for the city. R Ashoka said the authorities were taking suggestions from the ABIDe task force for long-term plans.
Deshpande stressed that industries should depend mostly on recycled water and reuse water for their internal operations. “This government is not pressuring industries to go away from the cities and operate sustainably. I don’t want any industries in and around Bangalore. Industries that pollute, like distilleries and chemical factories, have to go away from the city fringes,’’ he said.
Ground water recharge will be a priority for the Congress. He stated that KPCC has rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharging in their manifesto, released on Monday. “We have already implemented the rainwater harvesting legislation and it is a big move towards addressing the water crisis,’’ said Ashoka. Kumaraswamy said a water-starved state like Karnataka needs to follow the example of Singapore and other international cities, who desalinate sea water and use it in the city. “When I was CM, I had taken a group of ministers to Singapore to learn their ways of water management, but there was no follow-up.”
‘We’ll work to restore the city beautiful’ TNN, Mar 23, 2010,
Short of promising the moon, the state unit of the Congress made all the positive noises on Monday. The party will make Bangalore one of the 20 most livable cities in the world, if voted to power.
“Bangalore has lost its formidable reputation worldwide, that it acquired during the tenure of the previous Congress governments. We will restore the city’s rightful place and make it completely slum-free,’’ KPCC president R V Deshpande said, after releasing the 15-point party’s manifesto for the BBMP polls.
Keeping in view the looming terror threat and recent Carlton Towers tragedy, the manifesto promises to start an Emergency Management Task Force (EMTF) and a Crisis Response Cell (CRC) under BBMP. While EMTF will deal with risk assessment and contingency planning in consultation with state and national security, CRC will be opened to look into the dangers of fire and other related issues in high-rise buildings.
The party also plans to build an integrated and accurate database of urban poor in Bangalore within a year, and introduce Geographic Information System (GIS) to keep a tab on all properties in Bangalore.If elected, the KPCC president said, Congress will take steps to introduce Unique Identification (UID) smart cards first to Bangalore’s slum-dwellers. The Congress will use public-private partnership models to extend the popular mid-day meal scheme programme introduced in schools, to elderly citizens, destitute, orphans and disabled persons.
“We also plan to introduce breakfast as an add-on scheme to the existing mid-day meal scheme in schools,’’ Deshpande added.The party assured that it will establish diagnostic, dialysis, dental and veterinary care centres in each zone, and introduce a special health insurance scheme for the urban poor, on the lines of the Yashaswini scheme.
On the proposed Akrama-Sakrama scheme, Deshpande said the Congress will re-introduce the scheme in a new form, based on scientific city management to benefit the middle-class and poor, rather than builders.
“Bangalore has lost its formidable reputation worldwide, that it acquired during the tenure of the previous Congress governments. We will restore the city’s rightful place and make it completely slum-free,’’ KPCC president R V Deshpande said, after releasing the 15-point party’s manifesto for the BBMP polls.
Keeping in view the looming terror threat and recent Carlton Towers tragedy, the manifesto promises to start an Emergency Management Task Force (EMTF) and a Crisis Response Cell (CRC) under BBMP. While EMTF will deal with risk assessment and contingency planning in consultation with state and national security, CRC will be opened to look into the dangers of fire and other related issues in high-rise buildings.
The party also plans to build an integrated and accurate database of urban poor in Bangalore within a year, and introduce Geographic Information System (GIS) to keep a tab on all properties in Bangalore.If elected, the KPCC president said, Congress will take steps to introduce Unique Identification (UID) smart cards first to Bangalore’s slum-dwellers. The Congress will use public-private partnership models to extend the popular mid-day meal scheme programme introduced in schools, to elderly citizens, destitute, orphans and disabled persons.
“We also plan to introduce breakfast as an add-on scheme to the existing mid-day meal scheme in schools,’’ Deshpande added.The party assured that it will establish diagnostic, dialysis, dental and veterinary care centres in each zone, and introduce a special health insurance scheme for the urban poor, on the lines of the Yashaswini scheme.
On the proposed Akrama-Sakrama scheme, Deshpande said the Congress will re-introduce the scheme in a new form, based on scientific city management to benefit the middle-class and poor, rather than builders.
Students set to get banking lessons TNN, Mar 23, 2010,
BANGALORE: The RBI governor has called for the need to promote financial literacy.
At the launch of a project on financial literacy in Karnataka, Dr D Subbarao said: "On the occasion of RBI's platinum jubilee, we have initiated a project for promoting financial literacy among students through formal and non-formal education. This knowledge in banking will help students understand the significance of saving, decision-making, investment and employment."
Students of classes 5 to 9 will have to study banking, role of RBI and other financial information; the same will be included in the school syllabus from this year.
The RBI released a comic series, in both English and Kannada, to promote financial literacy. The Electronic Benefit Transfer Scheme (EBTS) was launched for greater banking access in rural areas.
At the launch of a project on financial literacy in Karnataka, Dr D Subbarao said: "On the occasion of RBI's platinum jubilee, we have initiated a project for promoting financial literacy among students through formal and non-formal education. This knowledge in banking will help students understand the significance of saving, decision-making, investment and employment."
Students of classes 5 to 9 will have to study banking, role of RBI and other financial information; the same will be included in the school syllabus from this year.
The RBI released a comic series, in both English and Kannada, to promote financial literacy. The Electronic Benefit Transfer Scheme (EBTS) was launched for greater banking access in rural areas.
A nobel laureate living among us TNN, Mar 23, 2010,
BANGALORE: Imagine living next door to a Nobel laureate. That's what residents of Nagarjuna Green Woods (NGW) in Marathalli discovered.
Eric A Cornell, an American physicist who won the Nobel Prize in 2001, has been living in Bangalore with his family for the last three months.
Excited, residents of NGW organized a felicitation for Eric and had him address children on his achievements. The programme started with vedic chants by children, followed by dance performances.
Cornell then explained the Bose-Einstein condensation theory in a creative way to the little ones. He also shared childhood memories and how he got inclined to Physics, mostly inspired by his parents.
His wife Celeste Landry, who is a teacher in Mathematics, also joined him in explaining some of their memorable moments. Their daughters, Eliza and Sophie, enacted the moment when Cornell received the Nobel Prize call.
Eric A Cornell, an American physicist who won the Nobel Prize in 2001, has been living in Bangalore with his family for the last three months.
Excited, residents of NGW organized a felicitation for Eric and had him address children on his achievements. The programme started with vedic chants by children, followed by dance performances.
Cornell then explained the Bose-Einstein condensation theory in a creative way to the little ones. He also shared childhood memories and how he got inclined to Physics, mostly inspired by his parents.
His wife Celeste Landry, who is a teacher in Mathematics, also joined him in explaining some of their memorable moments. Their daughters, Eliza and Sophie, enacted the moment when Cornell received the Nobel Prize call.
Water quality goes down the drain TNN, Mar 23, 2010,
BANGALORE: Preventing pollution and contamination of water resources and providing public access to safe drinking water has become imminent, with water-borne diseases constituting 10 per cent of the world's disease burden.
Commemorating World Water Day, a seminar on this year's theme -- Clean water for a healthy world -- was organized by Bangalore Water Supply and Sewage Board (BWSSB) and Bangalore Jalamandali Abhiyantarara Sangha (BJAS) on Monday.
Inaugurating the session, Justice V Gopalagowda said: "Erosion of surface as well as groundwater quality are adding to water scarcity and adversely impacting the eco-system. Unfortunately, Karnataka has the second lowest replenishable groundwater resources among the major states after Rajasthan. Also, the state has the highest proportion of 79% of drought-prone area and second largest area of dry land."
"With Vrushabavathi, Challaghatta and Hebbal valleys getting more and more polluted, tanks and lakes in the city have dried up. Other issues like chemical contamination of water is causing both physical and mental deformity," added Gopalagowda.
Urban development department secretary Shambhu Dayal Meena called for a cap consumption, operation and maintenance of water.
A souvenir was released on the occasion.
How to save water
- Rainwater harvesting
- Recharging groundwater
- Preventing contamination of water by storing it in clean tanks, maintaining sumps
_ Proper garbage disposal
- Having well-designed and efficient soak pits and septic tanks
* Alarming numbers
- 1.5 million children under five years of age die from water-borne diseases
- More than 2.5 billion people live without proper sanitation
- Estimated 884 million people, majority of them from Africa, don't have access to safe drinking water
Small steps for big difference
For creating awareness on importance of water among youngsters, Young Men's Christian Association members observed World Water Day. "Simple steps like reducing time in the shower by five minutes can save 4,550 litres per month. Washing vehicles with bucket water instead of hose, repairing leaking taps and having percolation pits in storm water drains will enable recharge of groundwater. These small steps will make a big difference," volunteers said.
Commemorating World Water Day, a seminar on this year's theme -- Clean water for a healthy world -- was organized by Bangalore Water Supply and Sewage Board (BWSSB) and Bangalore Jalamandali Abhiyantarara Sangha (BJAS) on Monday.
Inaugurating the session, Justice V Gopalagowda said: "Erosion of surface as well as groundwater quality are adding to water scarcity and adversely impacting the eco-system. Unfortunately, Karnataka has the second lowest replenishable groundwater resources among the major states after Rajasthan. Also, the state has the highest proportion of 79% of drought-prone area and second largest area of dry land."
"With Vrushabavathi, Challaghatta and Hebbal valleys getting more and more polluted, tanks and lakes in the city have dried up. Other issues like chemical contamination of water is causing both physical and mental deformity," added Gopalagowda.
Urban development department secretary Shambhu Dayal Meena called for a cap consumption, operation and maintenance of water.
A souvenir was released on the occasion.
How to save water
- Rainwater harvesting
- Recharging groundwater
- Preventing contamination of water by storing it in clean tanks, maintaining sumps
_ Proper garbage disposal
- Having well-designed and efficient soak pits and septic tanks
* Alarming numbers
- 1.5 million children under five years of age die from water-borne diseases
- More than 2.5 billion people live without proper sanitation
- Estimated 884 million people, majority of them from Africa, don't have access to safe drinking water
Small steps for big difference
For creating awareness on importance of water among youngsters, Young Men's Christian Association members observed World Water Day. "Simple steps like reducing time in the shower by five minutes can save 4,550 litres per month. Washing vehicles with bucket water instead of hose, repairing leaking taps and having percolation pits in storm water drains will enable recharge of groundwater. These small steps will make a big difference," volunteers said.
Was bomb on plane a recce or just mischief?23.03.2010
BANGALORE: A day after a crude bomb was found on a Kingfisher flight from Bangalore to Thiruvananthapuram, the city police are trying to zero in on what went wrong. Was it plain mischief or a recce by a terrorist outfit?
Additional Commissioner of Police (Law & Order) M R Pujar said that both possibilities could not be ruled out until the identity of the bomb planter is established. It’s also proving for the police to say with some degree of certainty if the bomb was placed on the aircraft at Thiruvananthapuram or Bangalore.
The first three papers used to wrap the bomb were SSLC question papers of the Kerala state board. The next one was a page of the January 13, 2010 Thiruvananthapuram edition of a Malayalam daily, which led to the theory that the bomb was placed at Thiruvananthapuram.
Additional Commissioner of Police (Law & Order) M R Pujar said that both possibilities could not be ruled out until the identity of the bomb planter is established. It’s also proving for the police to say with some degree of certainty if the bomb was placed on the aircraft at Thiruvananthapuram or Bangalore.
The first three papers used to wrap the bomb were SSLC question papers of the Kerala state board. The next one was a page of the January 13, 2010 Thiruvananthapuram edition of a Malayalam daily, which led to the theory that the bomb was placed at Thiruvananthapuram.
This year no new flyovers TNN, Mar 23, 2010,
NEW DELHI: It seems Delhi has built too many new flyovers in the run-up to the Games. That’s why, no new flyover has been sanctioned in the budget 2010-11 except the revived Signature Bridge project on Yamuna with an investment of Rs 1131 crore.
In his budget speech, finance minister AK Walia said work on the bridge will start soon and work on the access roads for the bridge, including a flyover on Outer Ring Road at Wazirabad, is already in progress. He added that all crucial road projects, including Barapulla Nallah, Ring Road bypass and Ghazipur flyover, will be completed before the Games. The government claimed to have invested Rs 5,646 crore on 26 flyovers and on overbridges and underbridgers for rail and road.
For a city that has earned the dubious distinction of a high number of pedestrian deaths on roads, the minister said a ‘massive’ programme for construction of foot overbridges (FOBs) has been undertaken.
Government claimed while 31 such foot overbridges have already been completed, 26 more will be operational before the Games.
Walia claimed that parking lots over Kushak nallah, Sunehri Bagh nallah and DPS Mathura Road nallah will be completed before the Games. Another massive parking lot is coming up close to IP power station along Ring Road. The total cost of these projects is estimated to be Rs 473 crore.
Similarly, the ongoing streetlight work worth Rs 198 crore will be completed before the Games, he asserted.
In his budget speech, finance minister AK Walia said work on the bridge will start soon and work on the access roads for the bridge, including a flyover on Outer Ring Road at Wazirabad, is already in progress. He added that all crucial road projects, including Barapulla Nallah, Ring Road bypass and Ghazipur flyover, will be completed before the Games. The government claimed to have invested Rs 5,646 crore on 26 flyovers and on overbridges and underbridgers for rail and road.
For a city that has earned the dubious distinction of a high number of pedestrian deaths on roads, the minister said a ‘massive’ programme for construction of foot overbridges (FOBs) has been undertaken.
Government claimed while 31 such foot overbridges have already been completed, 26 more will be operational before the Games.
Walia claimed that parking lots over Kushak nallah, Sunehri Bagh nallah and DPS Mathura Road nallah will be completed before the Games. Another massive parking lot is coming up close to IP power station along Ring Road. The total cost of these projects is estimated to be Rs 473 crore.
Similarly, the ongoing streetlight work worth Rs 198 crore will be completed before the Games, he asserted.
Sheila Dikshit dips into common wealth TNN, Mar 23, 2010,
NEW DELHI: Delhi just became a more expensive city to live in and you can thank the Commonwealth Games for it. The NCT government's finance minister A K Walia on Monday unveiled a budget that hiked taxes on a host of items from diesel to mobile phones, watches to furniture and withdrew the subsidy on cooking gas. His justification for doing so was that expenditure on Games projects had exceeded estimates while the "recession" had meant that revenues didn't keep pace.
If last year, with general elections round the corner, Walia had presented what chief minister Shiela Dikshit dubbed a "thanksgiving budget", this time round the message to the aam admi, already reeling under the weight of high inflation, particularly in food items, is clear -- it's payback time.
The hike that is likely to hurt most is the increase in the value-added tax (VAT) on diesel from 12.5% to 20%, coming on top of the hikes Pranab Mukherjee had imposed in the Union budget less than a month ago. Higher VAT would mean diesel will cost Rs 2.37 more per litre. Given the widespread use of diesel in transporting goods, it is likely to lead to a cascading effect across the board, partly due to its actual impact on transport costs and partly because it also provides traders with a ready excuse for raising prices.
Higher cooking gas prices would also hit home, quite literally. The Rs 40 per cylinder subsidy on LPG which has been continuing from June 2008 has been withdrawn. In absolute terms, the hike in the cost of an LPG cylinder will come to Rs 41.60 because of the incremental increase in local levies.
Diesel is just one in a long list of items on which VAT has been hiked. These include tea, coffee, cutlery, school bags costing more Rs 300, compressed natural gas for transport, wood and timber, dry fruits and desi ghee, all of which are set to get more expensive.
The LPG subsidy issue and the hike in VAT rates of tea and coffee reportedly caused some division in the cabinet with some ministers demanding an increase in excise rates on liquor rather than targetting the middle class kitchen. The budget also clearly shows how the unruly scenes in the Assembly at the start of the session over price rise and some theatrics from opposition MLAs to highlight the issue have failed to make any impact on the government's psyche -- far less foolhardy than it might seem, given the fact that there are no immediate elections in sight.
The items which have escaped the almost across-the-board hike in VAT are foodgrains, atta, maida, suji, unbranded goli and toffee, kirana items except dry fruits etc, amla, harad, jute and jute products, blood filters, tricycles meant for disabled persons, piped natural gas and mid-day meal supplied by agencies approved by the Delhi government.
Walia defended both the subsidy withdrawal and the diesel VAT hike by citing examples of other states: "States like Madhya Pradesh and Punjab charge a far higher VAT on diesel than we do and we made the best efforts to keep the hike at the minimum possible, which is why we did not touch the VAT on petrol. As for the subsidy, name one state that continued it for so long after the original hike that had necessitated it was withdrawn. We were concerned so we footed the bill, but now we need this money for other welfare projects like widow pension etc."
In his speech he also mentioned how collections have dipped because of the economic slowdown. He also described the exercise as something that is essential in order to remove the deviations in tax rates before goods and service tax is introduced next year.
The tax hikes apart, the broad outlines of the budget remained similar to last year. There was a marginal increase in plan outlay from last year's Rs 10,000 crore to Rs 11,300 crore. Non-plan expenditure is pegged at Rs 14,660 crore. However, while the city is being expected to loosen its purse strings massively to fund the mega event later this year, there were hardly any new projects announced, with the budget speech harping on ongoing projects in most sectors.
There were some sops for the poor, though. The uniform dole given out to students of MCD and Delhi government schools has been increased from Rs 200 to Rs 500 and Rs 500-Rs 700 respectively. The number of people receiving old age pension, Walia said, will be increased from the present 2.5 lakh to 3.5 lakh as per the demands of the MLAs. These, incidentally were the two proposals which Walia used later to defend the harsh budget he presented.
The maximum registration fee that can be charged for any document has been hiked from Rs 100 to Rs 500. The fees for the other slabs too will be enhanced accordingly.
If last year, with general elections round the corner, Walia had presented what chief minister Shiela Dikshit dubbed a "thanksgiving budget", this time round the message to the aam admi, already reeling under the weight of high inflation, particularly in food items, is clear -- it's payback time.
The hike that is likely to hurt most is the increase in the value-added tax (VAT) on diesel from 12.5% to 20%, coming on top of the hikes Pranab Mukherjee had imposed in the Union budget less than a month ago. Higher VAT would mean diesel will cost Rs 2.37 more per litre. Given the widespread use of diesel in transporting goods, it is likely to lead to a cascading effect across the board, partly due to its actual impact on transport costs and partly because it also provides traders with a ready excuse for raising prices.
Higher cooking gas prices would also hit home, quite literally. The Rs 40 per cylinder subsidy on LPG which has been continuing from June 2008 has been withdrawn. In absolute terms, the hike in the cost of an LPG cylinder will come to Rs 41.60 because of the incremental increase in local levies.
Diesel is just one in a long list of items on which VAT has been hiked. These include tea, coffee, cutlery, school bags costing more Rs 300, compressed natural gas for transport, wood and timber, dry fruits and desi ghee, all of which are set to get more expensive.
The LPG subsidy issue and the hike in VAT rates of tea and coffee reportedly caused some division in the cabinet with some ministers demanding an increase in excise rates on liquor rather than targetting the middle class kitchen. The budget also clearly shows how the unruly scenes in the Assembly at the start of the session over price rise and some theatrics from opposition MLAs to highlight the issue have failed to make any impact on the government's psyche -- far less foolhardy than it might seem, given the fact that there are no immediate elections in sight.
The items which have escaped the almost across-the-board hike in VAT are foodgrains, atta, maida, suji, unbranded goli and toffee, kirana items except dry fruits etc, amla, harad, jute and jute products, blood filters, tricycles meant for disabled persons, piped natural gas and mid-day meal supplied by agencies approved by the Delhi government.
Walia defended both the subsidy withdrawal and the diesel VAT hike by citing examples of other states: "States like Madhya Pradesh and Punjab charge a far higher VAT on diesel than we do and we made the best efforts to keep the hike at the minimum possible, which is why we did not touch the VAT on petrol. As for the subsidy, name one state that continued it for so long after the original hike that had necessitated it was withdrawn. We were concerned so we footed the bill, but now we need this money for other welfare projects like widow pension etc."
In his speech he also mentioned how collections have dipped because of the economic slowdown. He also described the exercise as something that is essential in order to remove the deviations in tax rates before goods and service tax is introduced next year.
The tax hikes apart, the broad outlines of the budget remained similar to last year. There was a marginal increase in plan outlay from last year's Rs 10,000 crore to Rs 11,300 crore. Non-plan expenditure is pegged at Rs 14,660 crore. However, while the city is being expected to loosen its purse strings massively to fund the mega event later this year, there were hardly any new projects announced, with the budget speech harping on ongoing projects in most sectors.
There were some sops for the poor, though. The uniform dole given out to students of MCD and Delhi government schools has been increased from Rs 200 to Rs 500 and Rs 500-Rs 700 respectively. The number of people receiving old age pension, Walia said, will be increased from the present 2.5 lakh to 3.5 lakh as per the demands of the MLAs. These, incidentally were the two proposals which Walia used later to defend the harsh budget he presented.
The maximum registration fee that can be charged for any document has been hiked from Rs 100 to Rs 500. The fees for the other slabs too will be enhanced accordingly.