AIEEE 2011 exam postponed due to paper leak

AIEEE 2011 entrance test which is scheduled for today at 9.30 AM has been postponed to after noon 12.30 PM. According to AIEEE officials, the one set of examination paper was leaked at one location, resulting in to postponement of the test. Several students, reached to thier respective test centres returned home with disappointment.

  Immediately after the question papers were leaked, the CBSE postponed the two exams which were scheduled to begin at 9:30 AM and 2:00 PM today, a senior HRD ministry official said here.

  “The exams for the 1st paper which was scheduled to begin at 9:30 AM will now begin at 12:00 PM. The second paper which was to begin at 02:00 PM will now start at 7:00 PM,” the official said.

  Sources said the question papers were leaked in Uttar Pradesh. About 12 lakh students across the country are scheduled to write the prestigious exam at over 1,600 centres in more than 80 cities today.

  The examination which was scheduled for 9:30 am on Sunday will now begin at 12:30 pm. Sources say that the question paper was being sold in the open market in Lucknow.

  The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force has arrested one person in connection with the paper leak and are looking for further leads in the case.

  Vijay Prakash of STF Lucknow said, “We are trying to trace down two people who leaked the paper. We have the paper with us since last night.”

  This is for the first time that the AIEEE is being held in the online mode. Nearly one lakh students from 20 cities will take the examination online.

  AIEEE is conducted to gain admissions into National Institutes of Technology and other engineering colleges in the country.

Sai Baba's one real miracle that no one can question

  I am not a follower of Sathya Sai baba, or any baba, or Pope or any other religious man or Godman for that matter. I may be spiritual, but I am not religious. I never visit temples or churches or gurudwaras or mosques or any other religious place unless accompanying friends of that particular faith, or the place has some historical or cultural significance that interests me. So, I would visit the cathedral at Chartres or the Golden Temple at Amritsar or any temple anywhere, just for the reasons mentioned above.

I remember when I visited the holiest site of Hindu pilgrimage – Kailash-Mansarovar – a few years ago, while the sundry swamis and gurus and all others were totally overawed by the occasion, I remember getting overawed by the prospect of trekking in the region and the natural beauty alone, with zero religious overtones. It is with that background that I now begin the real reason of this post.

  In the reams written about Sathya Sai baba's life and death and the millions of followers he has/had, I have honestly been unmoved. I agree with the rationalists that if he were indeed God and had supernatural powers, why would he die like a normal human being, after being supported by life-support systems for almost a month? There are then tons written about his so called powers that would conjure up material goods out of thin air and also how several rationalists call him a trickster or a fraudster who merely indulged in magical tricks to impress and win the confidence of the gullible. I agree with that too.

But just as I doubt the miracles attributed to him, I hold the same view on miracles attributed to all other saints and godmen and godwomen, of all religions. Having said that, however, I still have no hatred or ill-will towards them. On the contrary, I hold them in high esteem.

  First of all, I think there has to be something that all these people possess that makes millions follow them blindly. It is something that cannot be wished away. And when you dig deeper, you see the reason and that is the reason I respect them.

  The faith of the millions comes from the genuine philanthropic work that these guys undertake. In the case of Sai baba, for example, he transformed a small village into a hub of education and health facilities. He brought water to some of the most water starved areas of the state, paying for it from his trust.  All this is something that the state could never have achieved by itself. A fellow cyclist in my group is now a General Manager with a top BPO firm in the country. He studied at the university set up by Sai Baba.

  Like him, there would be millions who benefited from what Baba's trust set up. It is the lives of such people that he touched, millions of them through his life that treat him as God. To them, he brought about unimaginable improvement to their lives and irrespective of what rationalists like me may say, baba was a God to them.

  To me, this is test enough as a citizen. We need more doers like him. Even if some brand them tricksters or fraudsters, I would rather have them benefit all segments of the society than having to grapple with crooks who masquerade as our rulers and resort to nothing but cheating.

Silver lining to Silver sky

  Silver prices have run up on buying from all sectors. What started as catch on rally to gold has led to one way frenzy in the white metal. The Prices have run up from $39 to $49 in one single run and in Indian markets from Rs 42000 to Rs 73000 in pretty much the same way, gaining a surprising rs 1000 to 2000 pre kg on most days in month of april.

  There is shortage of physical silver in global markets. There have been reports from various mints of insufficient supplies. US mint has been quoting several weeks of waiting period of for delivery. US also has reported of coins selling at premium of near 10%.

  The Indian physical market also is facing a crunch after prices hit all time high above Rs 73000 / kg. The traders cite a waiting period in Indian markets of near 2 weeks with a premium quoted of 2-3%. And the traditional Indian sweets have the silver foil on them missing! But not all silver shops are showing profit.

  Indian investors this time around are not going for silver showpieces or cutlery as has been the cast till couple of years back. This time it is strictly coins and bars which have seen a strong uptick in demand.

Talk to couple of jewelers in Zaveri bazaar Mumbai, and they will tell you how retailers are buying small quantities on weekly basis , and housewives coming in to sell gold to buy silver as everybody is talking about silver inching to Rs 1 lakh per kg by this year end.

  But there is caution as well at these current levels, as silver is technically overbought on the charts. The gold-silver ratio is at decades low. And the market has history of collapses after sharp spikes that move too fast too soon. Last time silver touched $50 in 1970 it has fallen to $12 in 8 weeks !

  There is lot of speculation on iShares holdings, on whether it does hold the amount of silver it claims it does. As for every share that gets bought , the trust has to back it up with equal amount of physical silver. But is there that much easily available?

  The panic demand or the rush to make money in silver has taken prices up because if you look at the genuine demand supply figures as compared to 2010 or 2009, nothing justifies a 60% jump in 4 months. The industrial demand , fabrication industry or the ornamental demand for jewelry ,coins , silverware has not run up significantly.

  But the investment demand has run up on this relatively low priced commodity. The weak USD, now at 3 year lows Vs major 6 world currencies has led to money flowing into precious metals. The safe haven buying due to geopolitical crisis in middle east and Africa also has made the case stronger for investment in Silver.

Silver lining to Silver sky as they say!

The attack of dirty-tricks department

  The anti-corruption movement that seemed to start with a lot of promise is now in the danger of being obliterated by the state-sponsored dirty-tricks department itself. Not that one hadn't expected this. I myself have maintained that politicians — of all hues and shapes and parties — can never accept the clauses contained in the draft, for it affects their very survival, but the ferocity of attack from all flanks on those who are spearheading the campaign is unbelievable.

  The shameless manner in which the ruling party has gone about discrediting the non-political members of the committee has shocked almost everybody with a semblance of civility. I was, honestly, surprised at the ease, and alacrity, with which the government agreed to Anna Hazare's demand for a joint committee. It should, if anything, have been a dead giveaway.

  The government clearly had its reasons to nip this in the bud. With a relentless media glare, Anna was fast becoming an icon that the TV-watching class, filled with angst over repeated scams, was waiting to lap up. His frequent, no-nonsense statements and sound bytes would have become increasingly difficult for the government to handle later. Of course, the crafty politicians/lawyers in the ruling class must have already thought through by then the shape this 'nipping in the bud' would take.

  Instead of debating the issues in a civilised manner, in line with their reconciliatory statements to the media during the hunger strike, what started from every flank was the character assassination of some of the committee members. As Anna wrote to Sonia Gandhi a couple of days into character assassination attempts, some senior persons from the ruling party were behind the baseless allegations and it seemed that they had the party's backing. It did not stop with leaked stories to a pliable media alone, every dirty trick in the trade that would do some of the corporate houses proud, was used. To top it all, they also roped in the patron saint of “all that is good” with our politics, Amar Singh.

  Without going into details, the so-called Shanti-Prashant Bhushan tape too had Singh as a protagonist and the judge they refer to is the one at the forefront of the 2G investigations. Now, the ruling party, which is currently under fire for countless scams, is not the only one hurt with this particular scam, a very prominent corporate that has close links with Singh is deeply involved too. So, for the ruling class and the affected corporate, it was like killing two birds with a single shot.

  What the dirty tricks department achieved in one shot was to discredit some of the prominent faces of civil society, so that the general public once again throws up its hands in despair with the common refrain being — they are all the same. In addition, it pitted the anti-corruption icon with not the bigger protagonists who will go unnamed, but a willing Singh whose own political survival is at stake now that he is not part of any major political dispensation. And most importantly, it immediately diverted attention from the task at hand to allegations and counter-allegations. And please rest assured, if the Bhushans were to be replaced with other members in the drafting committee, they would be subjected to the same slander campaign.

  When Anna, in the same letter to Sonia mentioned earlier, wrote in his blunt style that this character assassination is bad for the anti-corruption movement and that the politicians and the political members of the committee indulging in this should be careful for they themselves are at a far greater risk of being exposed than the others, several from the intelligentsia reacted saying Anna is a crybaby. It's a different matter that Anna was being naive with that threat, for he forgot that unlike most in civil society, the corrupt politicians are thick-skinned.

  And this was another flank that the dirty-tricks department unleashed — the so-called intelligentsia. While one can have differences over what all should be contained in the anti-corruption bill and also who should be part of the committee from civil society or on what basis were the members from civil society chosen, the way the hallowed 'educated' class reacted was sickening. When there was some clamour for civility in discussions, these people termed the anti-corruption movement itself as being blackmail, almost telling them that it is like the pot calling the kettle black.

  The way such people manipulate opinions is amazing. It is almost as if those who do not agree with their point of view are morons. So effective are they with their campaign that I have often seen some right-thinking people change their point of view only to be seen as belonging to their exalted camp.

  Anyhow, this was, as I said, expected and I expect the ferocity of attacks and counter-attacks to increase. I have seen how the slander campaign has affected some of those involved. They have spent more time this past one week in fighting off these imaginary allegations than concentrating on the task at hand. This is exactly what the dirty-tricks department wants. Tire them to an extent that they compromise and also lose the buzz among the public by then. The onus is on us, 'the right-thinking people' to ensure that we don't lose focus and provide unstinted support to those fighting for the cause. Our support and demands have to be so relentless that the corrupt tire themselves out.

INR 30 lakh spent by India Against Corruption (IAC) on anti corruption campaign

   According to details provided by ‘India Against Corruption’ (IAC), Anna Hazare and his associates brought the government to its knees on the Lokpal Bill issue through a campaign on which a little over Rs 30 lakh was spent in the past one year.  which spearheaded the campaign, it received a total donation of Rs 82,87,668 while it spent Rs 32,69,900 for the campaign.

   “We have issued receipts to all the donors and have maintained a record of their details. We issued receipts on account of Public Cause Research Foundation which is acting as secretariat for the campaign,” an IAC spokesperson said.

   According to IAC, they spent Rs 9,47,344 for tent, bed, sound system and hall booking for the Jantar Mantar protest and other programmes. An amount of Rs 8,93,938 was spent on telephone calls while another Rs 4,61,382 was spent on travelling.

   Rs 2,405 was spent on postage while the amount for other expenses were: Printing (Rs 7,32,624), food (Rs 81,751), medical expenses for those on fast (Rs 44,908), video- recording (Rs 11,755) and stationary (Rs 6,940).

   Jindal Aluminium made the highest donation of Rs 25 lakh followed by an individual Surender Pal Singh (Rs ten lakh), Ramky (Rs five lakh) and Eicher Good Earth Trust and an individual Arun Duggal Rs three lakh each.

   HDFC Bank gave Rs 50,000 to the movement while Carmel Convent School in Delhi donated Rs 20,000 for the IAC. The Jammu and Kashmir Bank Ltd shelled out Rs 10,000.

   “We received a donation less than Rs 5,000 from 2,871 people which amounted to Rs 7,34,498,” the spokesperson said.

Deccan Chargers register first win in IPL4

   Accurate spells of fast bowling from the entire cast of seamers helped Deccan Chargers inflict a convincing 33-run victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore, who have now suffered two losses in a row. In the process, they laid to rest the curse of never having won a match at the Rajiv Gandhi International stadium in history of the IPL.

   Chasing the second-highest total in tournament so far, Bangalore’s batsmen looked hapless throughout and had it not been for a battling half-century by Virat Kohli, they would have ended up in tatters. The four-man seam attack of Dale Steyn, Manpreet Gony, Ishant Sharma and Daniel Christian combined ruthlessly picking up eight of the nine Bangalore wickets.

   Tillakaratne Dilshan started off with a streaky boundary, a thick outside-edge off a seaming delivery from Ishant that raced through third man. But Ishant pitched the next ball perfectly on a length and hit the seam hard. Dilshan slashed wildly only for a thin edge to travel into the gloves of Sangakkara, who eventually ended the evening with five catches. If Sangakkara made the right decision to bowl Ishant’s four overs in one spell, Steyn – acting as the on-field bowling coach – made sure the Indian kept hitting a good length and avoided getting distracted bowling bouncers.

   If Bangalore’s batting seemed out of sorts, the Hyderabad men were solid and certain. Barring Shikhar Dhawan, who failed for the second match in a row, the rest of the hosts’ batsmen played smartly and kept pushing the run-rate consistently. 

   Having failed to convert his starts in the first two matches, the onus today was on Sangakkara to keep the middle order intact. And he came up with his most fluent innings to date, playing with a straight bat while building a valuable 50-run alliance with Sunny Sohal for the second wicket, which was the highest for any wicket for Hyderabad so far in the tournament.

   The bowler of the World Cup was smashed for 22 runs in the nine balls Chipli faced. The onslaught included four fours, the last three coming back-to-back. The first one was slapped straight down the ground to the sight-screen, followed by a bottom edge which raced past the fine-leg ropes. And when Zaheer tried a sleight of hand by coming up with a slower delivery, Chipli, with a steady head, punched a handsome cover drive for another four to march to two runs short of a half century, which he duly completed. It was an innings of impact which caught Bangalore by surprise, and set his team up for that elusive first home win.

Singer KS Chitra’s daughter Nandana dead in dubai

The nine-year-old daughter  of popular Indian playback singer KS Chithra died after falling in a swimming pool at a Dubai villa this morning. 

   Sources said Nandana, who drowned in a pool at a villa in Emirates Hills, was rushed to a hospital in Jebel Ali, but could not berevived.
   Popularly known as ‘Little Nightingale’ of South India, Chithra has sung songs in films of more than 10 languages and has received six national awards among other laurels. Chithra and her husband Vijayashankar were blessed with their daughter after eight years of marriage.

  The singer and her troupe are in Dubai to participate in a musical extravaganza to celebrate the compositions of Oscar winner music director A. R. Rahman at Sharjah Cricket Stadium today.

The Double Hour (nothing is what it seems)

Run Time: 95 minutes

Original Title: The Double Hour (La doppia ora)

Release Date: 04/15/2011

Genre: Thriller, Mystery

Director: Giuseppe Capotondi

Cast: Kseniya Rappoport, Filippo Timi, Antonia Truppo

Writers: Alessandro Fabbri, Ludovica Rampoldi. 

Official Site: www.samuelgoldwynfilms.com

Synopsis:

Love and danger unexpectedly meet in this offbeat thriller with comic elements from Italian filmmaker Giuseppe Capotondi. Sonia (Ksenia Rappoport) is a young woman from Eastern Europe who has recently come to live in Turin and wants to find a boyfriend. With this in mind, she signs up for a speed-dating service, and among the men she meets is Guido (Filippo Timi), an ex-cop-turned-security guard who has been making the rounds of the singles scene for a while. Sonia likes Guido and he feels the same way about her, passing along his belief that when the hour and minute sides of the clock feature the same numbers, it's a sign of good luck and one can use the occasion to make a wish. However, Guido's luck takes a turn for the worse while Sonia visits the villa where he keeps watch -- a handful of burglars break in and Guido is shot during the altercation, leaving Sonia to make sense of what happened to make her way to safety. La Doppia Ora (aka The Double Hour) was an official selection at the 2009 Venice International Film Festival.

Manmohan Singh ends China visit, leaves for Kazakhstan

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today left for Kazakhstan, completing his three-day stay here during which he attended the BRICS Summit and held bilateral talks with the Presidents of China, Brazil, Russia and South Africa.

   Singh will be in Kazakh capital Astana for two days during which both the sides will sign an inter-governmental framework agreement on civil nuclear cooperation and some other pacts.

   Attending the third BRICS summit here, Singh pushed for closer cooperation, particularly in the field of economy among the five fast emerging nations.

   BRICS (India, China, Russia, Brazil and South Africa) took a significant step towards enhancing economic cooperation when the members countries signed an agreement under which they will be able to provide credit to each other in local currencies and collaborate in capital markets and other financial services.

   The summit also discussed the volatile situation in West Asia and North Africa, particularly developments in Libya and the impact on the BRICS counties. They collectively voiced their opposition to the use of force in Libya and pitched for a central role for the UN and regional organisations in resolving the matter.

   In Sanya, Singh also met Chinese President Hu Jintao during which it was decided that India will send a military delegation to China later this year, marking resumption of high level defence exchanges, which had been suspended in last July.

   India had put high level defence exchanges on hold after China denied proper visa to the then Northern Army Commander Lt Gen B S Jaswal.

David Cameron Will take all steps to help Libyan rebels

   British Prime Minister David Cameron met French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris on Wednesday to discuss the military operation in Libya.

   In an interview ahead of the meeting, Cameron said that the international community should increase pressure on Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi and added that Britain and France would “leave no stone unturned” as they search for ways to help Libya’s rebels topple him.

   Cameron said Britain and France would seek ways to halt Gaddafi’s assault against civilians in places like the besieged city of Misrata – the only city in western Libya still partially held by rebels.

  “I will be looking at all steps that we can take to help these people,” Cameron said.

  “They are defending civilian life and they’re standing up for the future of Libya and they’re basically at the moment having an appalling onslaught from Gaddafi who in Misrata, as you’ve been showing on our television screens, is frankly murdering his own people.”

   France and Britain agreed on Wednesday to press other NATO countries to provide all the firepower necessary to protect Libyan civilians from an onslaught by Gaddafi’s forces, a top French official said, amid a rift within the alliance over the scope of their operation in the North African country.

   Sarkozy hosted Cameron and their respective defence chiefs in Paris on the eve of a two-day meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Berlin with Libya high on the agenda.

   A leading Sarkozy adviser, briefing reporters after the meeting, said Britain and France agreed to “show extreme strength of conviction” so that a NATO-led international coalition enforcing a no-fly zone and carrying out air strikes over Libya will have “all the means it needs.”

   France and Britain are leading the allied air campaign in Libya and have sought greater participation from other NATO nations, notably the United States, after three weeks of allied airstrikes have failed to rout Gaddafi’s forces.

Japan raises nuclear crisis to same level as Chernobyl

   Japan raised the severity of its nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant to a level 7 from 5, putting it on par with the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986. The rating reflects the initial severity of the crisis not the current situation which has seen radiation levels drop dramatically.

   "This is a preliminary assessment, and is subject to finalisation by the International Atomic Energy Agency," said an official at the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA), the government’s nuclear watchdog, which made the announcement with the Nuclear Safety Commission. Japan is struggling to regain control of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant after a massive earthquake and tsunami devastated its northeast on March 11, and is facing a major humanitarian and economic crisis.

   The International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale, is published by the IAEA and ranks nuclear and radiological accidents and incidents by their severity from 1 to a maximum of 7.

Victoria wishes to name her daughter Santa

   Former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham who is expecting a baby girl after having given birth to three boys, her husband ace footballer David Beckham wishes to name the baby as Santa.

   Contactmusic.com reports, Victoria has been inspired by the Los Angeles suburb of Santa Monica. A source told The Sun newspaper: "Posh thinks Santa Beckham has a lovely ring to it and wants something unique. David prefers something traditional, but will probably go along with what she chooses."

MJ's ex-bodyguard helping LiLo to fend off crowd

   Hollywood actor Lindsay Lohan is apparently using late Michael Jackson''s former bodyguard, Alberto Alvarez, for fending off crowds. And the 'Mean Girls' star is impressed by the way he handled the King of Pop. Sources close to the starlet said Alvarez and Lohan have a mutual friend who contacted the star after seeing the pap crush that surrounded her last week at New York''s JFK Airport.

   Lohan's friend wanted to make sure she was safe so he recommended Alvarez as a bodyguard to help the actress out when she travels, reports TMZ. So far, Lohan thinks Alvarez does his job "expertly" and is planning to continue using him in high paparazzi situations.

Enrique replaced by Nicki for Britney's tour

   Hip Hop and R&B singer Nicki Minaj is all set to hit the road with Britney Spears for her upcoming 'Femme Fatale' tour. According to TMZ , Minaj, a New York Hip Hop and R&B singer, was called in after Enrique Iglesias pulled out because his 'ego could not handle opening for Britney'.

   The deal was signed within few days ago with Minaj to join Spears on her 26-date run across America and Canada.Minaj was called in after Enrique Iglesias pulled out because his 'ego could not handle opening for Britney'. Tour sources said Minaj would be an "infinitely better" support act than Iglesias, and that she was expected to generate more ticket sales, reports Fox News.
   The 'Femme Fatale' tour kicks off in Sacramento, Calif., on June 17 before winding around America and finishes with a show in Toronto, Canada, on Aug. 13.

Bipasha Basu to visit Taj Mahal with Josh Hartnett

   If there was any more proof required for ardent fans of Bollywood’s hot jodi John Abraham-Bipasha Basu to believe that it’s ‘over’ between the two, then this might just be it. Apparently the Bong beauty has been planning to whisk away her Singularity co-star Hollywood heartthrob Josh Hartnett —with whom she recently had shooting in Occhra in Madhya Pradesh for the Roland Joffe flick — on a romantic rendezvous to the Taj Mahal in Agra soon after they wrap up the shoot on the 23rd of this month.

   According to insiders, what’s adding to the hot temperature there is the sizzling chemistry that our Bolly hottie shares with her firang friend. An insider reveals, “The two get along like a house on fire and spend hours talking even after the shoot.” When asked about the planned trip, Bipasha confirms it too. “Yes, Josh was very keen to visit the Taj Mahal and I haven’t been there myself since I was three, so we’re planning to take a trip there if time permits.” Both are on very tight schedules.

Courteney Cox Arquette to scare again

The Friends actor returns with horror flick Scream 4, would love to work in Bollywood.

   Courteney Cox is all set to send some shivers down the spine. As she makes a comeback in slasher movie Scream 4, which releases worldwide on April 15, the actor promises that the movie will pack in as many scares as the original Scream, which was made 10 years ago. “This fourth film
is sort of bringing to life the first one, with the new cast coming along. It was really interesting to see because they’re kind of reflections of us when we first got there”, she says.

   Courteney plays the character of Gale Weathers, a journalist-turned-author who is going through a major writer’s block. The character, she says, has matured over the series. “ I am reprising my role as Gale Weathers, however this time around she has a different perspective on the character. She wants fame. She just wants to get more and more involved so she can write a book and become more famous. It’s fun to play someone who is so selfish,” she adds.
   In India, the film will release in English, Hindi , Tamil and Telugu. The actor reveals that she would love to visit India in the near future. “I have heard a lot about Indian cinema and I am longing to see my first Bollywood film,” she days. With India being on top of the mind for the west, ask her if she would like to work in an Indian movie and she says. “Sure. You never know, if a good offer comes along”.
   Directed by Wes Craven and written by Kevin Williamson, who previously wrote Scream and Scream 2, this fourth installment in the series also stars Courteney’s ex-husband David Arquette. The duo, along with Neve Campbell are the only cast members to return from the previous films of the series. This time, the movie will also star actors Emma Roberts and Hayden Panettiere.

Poonam Pandey says 'I was scared for my life!'

An international magazine has offered me half a million dollars to go nude, but i will do it only fot the india team - Poonam Pandey

   Poonam Pandey has finally spoken up in her first interview ever since India lifted the Cricket World Cup. The 20-year-old Mumbai-based model, who had promised that she would do a full monty for the Indian cricket team if they won the tournament, says she went off the radar as she was scared for her life, but is not chickening out yet.

   “I was getting all sorts of calls from all over the world. Some were offering me work, while some were threatening me. They said, ‘If you go to the stadium, see what we will do. We will not let you reach there’,” she says.
   But all that hasn’t deterred her from waiting patiently for the permission to go nude. “I am still on with my commitment, but I am waiting for official permission from BCCI. I will not break any law, as a lot of politicians are upset and I don’t want to upset them anymore.”
   However, she has her share of supporters, too. “Some people have called to say that they’re proud of me. I have been getting offers from magazines and calendars to pose in the buff, and also been approached by reality TV show makers. But, I will strip only for the Indian cricket team. My commitment is not for anyone else,” she says.

I’ll go nude for the team in private: Poonam Pandey

Wannabe, Kingfisher Calendar model Poonam Pandey, who wanted to go nude for the Indian cricket team is out of hiding. She resurfaced on Thursday after disappearing on the day of the world cup final. “I had no option but to be discreet. I was getting so many phone calls from all over the world.

   There were even threats and court cases,” she said in a hushed tone. So has her intention to go nude for the team changed after the controversies? “No, I am just waiting for permission from the BCCI. Once that comes, I will still go nude for the Indian cricket team in private,” she reveals. 

   In fact Poonam says that she is stripping for the country, not for a particular player. “I am doing it for the nation. It’s my motto and a wish from my heart. It’s a good offer and a gift for the Indian team,” she declares.

   When asked how she came up with such an idea to gain eyeballs, she retorts, “I don’t know why people are taking it this way. It’s absolutely not right. My career started well, and everybody knew me. Going nude was my idea. I didn’t do it for publicity.”

LG is launching their new phone "LG T315" in India

LG T315 is an upcoming basic, entry-level touch-screen handset from an array of mobiles that LG keep launching in this segment. It is speculated to be one of the finest in the category for one main reason and it is its Wi-Fi capabilities. There is a 2.8 inch wide resistive touch-screen display in the phone and it looks quite ravishing in its Black colour as well. It has a MP3 music player and FM radio with recording. Its 2 Mega-Pixels camera is also a video shooter and is blessed with excellent capabilities as digital zoom and ability to shoot videos in QVGA at 15fps speed. It has an expandable memory due to it being supported with a 4GB microSD card.

It gives users ample social networking and chatting scope via its direct SNS integration and Instant Messaging feature. One may constantly remain updated on Facebook, Twitter, like social networking sites with this cool handset.

Paceman Sreesanth in Bangalore at his House

   Shanthakumar Sreesanth, or Sreesanth as he likes to be called, has come a long way. The young lad from Kerala made an impressive debut in the ODI against Sri Lanka. Sreesanth seemed to be making it to the headlines for all the wrong reasons possible, with a lack of discipline topping the list. Shooting his mouth off at every opponent or the infamous slapping by colleague Harbhajan Singh, have been few instances that put this cricketer on a social low. Nevertheless, his attitude at the ICC World Cup this year seems to have put a full stop to all those mock-a-merry comments from critics.

   The support he provided for team members from day one was evident and visible to all — be it running across the field with water bottles and towels for his team members, to his well-under-control emotions during the final match, Sreesanth took the nation by surprise.
   “I have not slept for about four days,” confirmed Sreesanth, adding, “Winning the cup was our dream and the feeling of having won it, has still not sunk in. We’ve been partying day and night with all the members of the squad and it’s been fun.”

Bionic eye implant offers hope to the blind

   For a man whose view of the world has slowly faded to black over 30 years, a device that allows him to see flashes of light has enkindled his hope of one day gazing upon his grandson's face.
   A career electrician who grew up in Greece and came to the United States as a young man, Elias Konstantopoulos. He was diagnosed with an incurable condition known as retinitis pigmentosa.
   A leading form of hereditary blindness explains that the disease gradually eats away at the retina's rods and cones, which are photoreceptors that help people see light and identify color and detail.

   About 10 years later, he could no longer see well enough to keep working.
   "You lose your sight, you pretty much lose everything," said Konstantopoulos, who is now 72 and lost his final bit of vision about five years ago.
   When his doctor asked in 2009 if he would like to join a three-year trial of a futuristic technology involving an electrode array in his eye and a wireless camera mounted on a pair of glasses, Konstantopoulos was eager to take part.
   Now, every morning he puts on the glasses, straps a wireless device to his waist and stands by the window or out in the yard waiting to hear the sound of a car approaching. When it passes, he says he can see a block of light go by.
   He can also distinguish light-colored objects against dark backgrounds, and he can orient himself in a room by being able to see where there is an open window or door letting the sun in from outside.
   The device, known as the Argus II, is made by a California company called Second Sight. It was recently approved for use in Europe, and in the United States it has given a handful of test patients like Konstantopoulos cause for optimism. "With this system, it's some kind of hope. " he said.

Henry's Crime (The Real Crime Is Not Committing To Your Dreams) Movies review

 

Movie In Theaters: April 8, 2011
Directed by: Malcolm Venville
Starring: Keanu Reeves
Vera Farmiga
James Caan
Peter Stormare
Produced by: Company Films
Genres: Comedy, Romance.

Official Website: www.henryscrimemovie.com

Synopsis:

   Keanu Reeves stars as a man wrongly accused of bank robbery in this company films production. Vera Farmiga and James Caan co-start, with Malcolm Venville directing from a script by Anvil! The Story of Anvil's Sasha Gervasi.

 

The Actor:
  Keanu reeves is a Canadian actor. Reeves is perhaps best knon for his roles in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Speed, Point Break and the science fiction- action trilogy The Matrix.

Cynthia Germanotta wants Lady Gaga to control her drinking

   Lady Gaga's mother is reportedly joining her daughter on tour in order to keep an eye on how much her celebrity daughter drinks.

   Cynthia Germanotta, 56, is said to be concerned about her daughter's health after she collapsed during a show last year, and plans to keep a watchful eye on the singer to ensure she eats properly and cuts down on her alcohol intake while away from home.
   "She may be one of the biggest, and strangest, pop stars in the world but her relationship with her parents is very traditional," News.com.au quoted a friend of the star (born Stefani Germanotta) as saying.
   "She is from a typical loving Italian-American background and her family have normal parental concerns.
   "Her mum thinks she drinks too much and doesn't eat enough. She has gone along to keep an eye on her drinking and feed her up," she added.

Gyllenhaal freaked out by body double

   Actor Jake Gyllenhaal freaked out when he saw his body double in new movie ” Source Code”.
   The 30-year-old star plays an injured helicopter pilot, Captain Colter Stevens, who is enabled by scientists to live the last eight minutes of another man’s life in order to try and stop a bomb in the science-fiction thriller. The actor admits he found it disturbing to be introduced to the prosthetic version of his character, which had electrodes wired up to ‘his’ exposed brain.

Lindsay Lohan to play negative role in Superman?

   If sources are to be believed then Lindsay Lohan will audition for a role in director Zack Snyder's upcoming 'Superman' reboot this week.

   Lohan, 24, would reportedly be reading for a role as a villain. That means she could be auditioning for the rule of Miss Teschmacher, Luthor's sexy accomplice, played in the 1978 original by Valerie Perrine.
   If cast in the Superman reboot, Lohan would join a cast that includes Henry Cavill as Superman, Amy Adams, Kevin Costner and Diane Lane.

Taylor Swift wins top prize at country awards

   Taylor Swift took the top prize at the Academy of Country Music Awards for the first time on Sunday after being overshadowed at the Las Vegas ceremony by multiple winners Miranda Lambert and Lady Antebellum.
   The 21-year-old starlet was named entertainer of the year and was clearly stunned to hear her name called for the final award at the 46th annual event.

   Leading nominee Lambert had already won four prizes and seemed poised to add a fifth to her collection. But entertainer of the year is decided by fans on the Internet and the enthusiastic young girls in Team Swift evidently took their voting duties more seriously.
   "This is the first time that I've ever won this and I'm just losing my mind," said a tearful Swift, fresh from a tour of Europe and Asia. "The fact that this is from the fans makes it so beautiful ... You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. Ever."
   Swift, with four nominations in three categories, earlier premiered her new song "Mean," a defiant tune that labels as "pathetic" critics of her occasionally wayward vocal stylings.
   Lambert was named top female vocalist for a second year, once again beating Swift. Her wistful tune "The House That Built Me" was honored for single, song and video of the year.
   The award for single goes to the artist and producer, whereas the trophy for best song is given to the artist and composer. Lambert, a 27-year-old Texan, went into the ceremony with a leading seven nominations.

Considered Indian Fashion's best export

   Considered Indian Fashion's best export, designer Manish Arora talks about why he rarely shows on home turf and celebrities he wishes to dress.
  Fashion designer Manish Arora is perhaps India’s most envied designer at the moment thanks to his impressive resume of dolling up several international celebrities like Katy Perry, Rihanna and Lady Gaga, to name a few.

   The designer, who is not seen too much on desi shores these days and has set shop abroad insists that he will never forget his roots though. "My focus is on Manish Arora the brand and not the designer. I am not deliberately trying to move abroad. I have just been fortunate to have had opportunities that have brought me to this stage of my career, which in my opinion, is just the beginning.I have so much more that I would like to achieve. Having said that, I have never denied my roots nor have I tried to disconnect from them. I am very proud of being an Indian, Delhi is and willalways be my home,” says Manish Arora.
Ask him why he’s decided to only put up a stall at the ongoing Fashion Week in Delhi this time around and not do a full-fledged ramp scorching show and he says that “stalls are where the business takes place! I’ve always had a stall at Delhi’s fashion week. I stopped showcasing here after SS’09 because the timing between Paris Fashion Week and Delhi’s fashion week is too short.

   Moreover, it would not do justice to show the same collection twice in one season. What matters eventually is if your product sells and the fact that I do not showcase anymore has not affected my sales in anyway.”Manish’s clothes are generally slotted in the ‘quirky category’ but the designer says that his designs are anything but that! “Yes, my designs are unique and unconventional but not kitschy or quirky in anyway and I love designing both Indian and Western clothes.

   Having dressed up several fashion icons the world over, does he still have a favourite or a wish-list? “Each of the girls are unique and different in their own way — I just cannot pick one. Katy (Perry) is a good friend and I have dressed her up on more one occasion. But yes, I would love to dress Hollywood’s Chloe Sevigny and Tilda Swinton soon,” he says signing off.

Who's Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's inspiration?

   The actress is reportedly watching the black and white version of yesteryear actor Suchitra Sen's film which is being adapted by director Rituparno Ghosh.

  Actress Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan is apparently doing her bit of research on the reclusive Bengali cinema diva Suchitra Sen as she is touted to step into her shoes soon. Ash, who has already worked with National Award-winning director Rituparno Ghosh twice (Chokher Bali and Raincoat), will be seen playing a bandit queen in the adapted film version of Devi Chaudhurani.

   Devi Chaudhurani is a novel by Bengali writer Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in 1884 and is regarded as one of the most popular novels of its times. The film’s adaptation is also regarded as one of Sen’s most appreciated works.

   “Aishwarya has asked for the DVDs of Suchitra Sen’s film which is about how a typical affluent housewife turns into the leader of a pack of dacoits. The film will be an adaptation of the novel which is set during the 1880s but nevertheless, Ash wanted to do some research on the actor,” says a source.

   Incidentally, both of Ghosh’s previous films with Ash were also on-screen adaptations of well-known literary pieces.

   According to sources, Ash has already seen the movie once and has even selected certain portions that she would like to watch again.

   “Ash has always regarded Sen as one of the finest actors that Bengal has ever produced. She also wanted to meet her once but she knows that this wish is near impossible as word has it that the senior actor rarely steps out of her appartment. Ash is very interested in her though,” the source adds.

India art heads for the shores of Venice

   For the first time in the history of the 116-year-old Venice Biennale, the most prestigious art fair in the world, India will mark its national presence. A national pavilion at the Biennale, whose 54th edition will be hosted at the Italian city of canals from June 4 to November 27, is a significant move forward in the increasing global presence that is Indian art.

   The India showcase, titled ‘Everyone Agrees: It’s About To Explode’, has been put together by art historian and curator Ranjit Hoskote and features the works of New York-based Zarina Hashmi, New Delhi’s Gigi Scaria, Praneet Soi, who divides his time between Kolkata and Amsterdam and the Guwahati based Desire Machine Collective of Sonal Jain and Mriganka Madhukaillya.
   “Works by Indian artists have been shown earlier individually at the Biennale, but the national pavilion is a first and it’s an opportunity for us to showcase the idea of India,” says Mumbai-based Hoskote. He says he chose not to have the usual suspects and instead picked up other artists who are equally talented but haven’t yet got the kind of international exposure they deserve. “These are the artists who have already made a splash on the experimental art scene,” says Hoskote, admitting it was difficult to choose just four out of the many options he had. “But we didn’t want to distract the audience at the Biennale by offering too much; it would have become noise instead of a clear signal about Indian art,” Hoskote adds.

 

   The Biennale is not a commercial enterprise but an opportunity for the international art fraternity to showcase freely the best art it has on offer, without the pressures of the market looming on their mindscape. “It’s an intellectual exchange among the members of the art world with collateral events giving opportunities to them to brainstorm,” says Hoskote. The art fraternity is excited about the 57-year-old Lalit Kala Akademi’s participation at the prestigious art showcase. Says the Akademi’s chairman, Ashok Vajpeyi, “I was there at the last edition and was shocked to see that we weren’t represented.

   There are countries that have permanent pavilions at the Biennale with their own buildings. India’s presence was needed at Venice, especially at a time when the country’s art is in a ferment.” Vajpeyi adds that the government responded well to the Akademi’s initiative and because of some quick initial action, they managed to get a prime location in Venice, at Arsenale, which gets maximum attention.

Actor Akshay Kumar’s stunt crazy son might join him on the sets of his action show

   There was a news few months back that actor Akshay Kumar was all set to host the fourth edition of an adventure reality show. Post that there were speculations about actors Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn, among many others, having been approached for the show, but now it seems like Akki is back in his avatar. And one person who is already, or maybe more kicked about the show going on the floors, is none other than Akshay’s son Aarav.

   Though Akki is all smiles at the moment, a source says that all would not have been so hunky dory if it weren’t for his son Aarav. The source explains that the shoot for the show usually starts by August but this time due to some unavoidable reasons it has been pushed back to the last week of April. Akshay was in a dilemma and was trying his level best to push the dates to a further date. That’s when Aarav — also an avid stunts spectator — stepped in to rescue him. The little boy, who is also learning martial arts, like his dad, loves watching live stunts and told Akshay that he was very keen to accompany him on the shoot in South Africa,” says the source.

   Now that the shooting schedule is unperturbed, thanks to Aarav, Akki is happy to have his cake and eat it too. With Aarav by his side, Akshay will be spending time with his son as well.

Mumbai Girl sets World Record in Guinness Book

   Kumari Jyotsana V Nair is now officially a child prodigy. The 10-year-old can dance on folded toes and holds a world record for the same in the Guinness Book of World Records, Amazing Dance World Record Facts and also Limca Book of world records.

   Born to Shri Vijayakumar and Raji Vijayakumar, Jyotsana studies in the fifth standard in Mumbai. She has also been learning Mohiniattam for the last seven years.

   “It is unique to perform Bharatanatyam on folded toes. She presented items on folded toes both in Bharatanatyam and Mohiniattam,” says her guru.

Kat gets Animated

   A source from tinsel town tells us that an animated character Kate looks like actor Katrina Kaif and even her body language is inspired from the successful heroine. In case you are confused, source clarifies that Kate is not some ordinary fan but the lead character in an upcoming animated flick called Crackers.

   Talking about his inspiration Katrina, Anil Goyal (Director of Crackers) says, “Katrina is one actor who is loved by children as well as adults, and she looks equally pretty when animated. That is why my character of Kate is inspired by her.” But the audience will probably miss Kat’s voice as the character isn’t being dubbed for by the sexy actor. So does that mean that the animated Kat will have a better diction?

Vivek Oberoi wants Sachin Tendulkar to play Cricket forever

   Actor Vivek Oberoi is a huge fan of Sachin Tendulkar and he was met with some rude news about his fave cricketer last week. Apparently some “important people” told Vivek that the recently concluded cricket World Cup was going to be Sachin’s last WC and the actors face just dropped at the news.

   A source, who overheard this conversation says that Vivek apparently wanted Sachin to be glued to his bat forever and ever and just not retire. But then reality struck him and Vivek is apparently still trying to get with the fact that he might not see his favorite cricketer Sachin in nest matches.

Reviving Sick Bombay Dyeing to be tough for Jeh

   Industrialist Nusli Wadia is getting more aggression into his flagship textile firm Bombay Dyeing & Manufacturing Company that has lost out to competitors besides having suffered due to the overall downturn in the textile manufacturing sector.

   Financial year 2011-12 could be a turning point for the 132 years old company, which is metamorphosing into a realty company after its textile operations turned unviable.

   With no other option lest to completely turn aroung the textile business, the Nusli Wadia led company is aggressively growing its real estate busniess with the aim of reviving its flagging fortunes.

  Wadia Group's unlisted firm Bombay Realty is currently developing Bombay Dyeing's two mill lands measuring 65 acres at Worli and Wadala in Mumbai and this activity is now scaled up with renewed aggression.

  The price of real estate per sq foot in the area is over Rs 25,000. Wadia has now entrusted this task to his younger son Jeh Wadia who, as the Managing Director of Bombay Dyeing from April 1, will spearhead the realty foray to take it to the next level. Jeh's elder brother Ness Wadia, who has so far been in charge of the company's real estate business, has been shifted to the group's trading firm Bombay Burmah. Ness was at the helm of Bombay Burmah. Ness was at the helm of Bombay Dyeing for the past 10 years.

  According to analysts, these changes, which were effected by the Bombay Dyeing board from April 01, indicates radical changes in the group's thinking. Jeh Wadia, who has been in charge of GoAir, is known to be more aggressive by nature compared to his bachelor low- profile and shy sibling Ness. Jeh has successfully brought back GoAir from the brink of closure with his determination to turn it around and sheer hard work.

  In the last two years GoAir, from a completely uncertain future, has become a serious player in the aviation market with a market share of 6.6 per cent and a fleet of 10 aircraft. Possibly this is why senior Wadia has chosen Jeh to lead the realty foray, which needs lot of aggression and execution capability, apart from liasioning with government bodies for project clearance.

Courteney Cox ‘longing’ to see a Bollywood film

   She dazzled us with her obsessive compulsive behaviour as Monica Geller, the mother hen of the group in the most loved American sitcom on TV — Friends — a decade long series that became a global pheonomenon.

  "Ten years is a long time, but I wish we hadn't stopped. It would have been nice to do 11," voices Courteney, reminiscing about the show and her co-stars. "I am in touch with all of them…in fact Jennifer Aniston is Coco's (my daughter) godmother," she adds.

   Cox reveals that she has heard rave reviews of Bollywood films even though she hasn't watched one yet. "I have heard a lot about Indian Cinema and I am longing to see my first Bollywood film," she exclaims.

  The actor will be seen in her upcoming horror film Scream4 where she shares the screen space with David Arquette (the only returning cast member in the film besides Cox), Neve Campbell, Emma Roberts and Hayden Panettiere.

  Talking about her role in the soon-to-be-released horror flick, Cox says, "I am reprising my role as Gale Weathers, the journalist-turned author, but this time around she has a different perspective on the character. She wants her own fame and she always did; so 10 years later when the murders started happening, she just wants to get really involved so she can write a book and become more famous."

  "It's fun! She's got a one track mind and I like that part of playing someone who's so selfish. I think that it's a different kind of journalism. It's really about the fame for her," she adds.

  Having worked in the horror film franchise, Cox has gotten to take a liking towards it. "It is a genre that excites me a lot!"

$400,900 Donated By Shakira to rebuild Haiti school

  Singer Shakira has reportedly donated $400,900 to rebuild a school damaged in an earthquake in Haiti.

  The "Hips Don't Lie" hitmaker had pledged to rebuild the Elie Dubois school in Port-au-Prince shortly after the disaster hit the country in January 2010. Her Barefoot Foundation will team up with the Architecture for Humanity charity in the endeavour.

  "I'm convinced the key to achieve a dignified future for the Haitian people is through education," dailystar.co.uk quoted her as saying.

  "I'd like to say to the girls that this is an enormous opportunity that life is offering you - education. So make the most of it because I'm sure you can achieve any of your dreams," she said.

   Shakira visited Haiti earlier this week and announced a deal with the Inter-American Development Bank, which will match her donation to rebuild the education facility.

Pentagram Launches Fourth Album

   Pentagram launched their fourth album, Bloodywood, with aplomb in the city last week, with a five-city tour. With Vishal Dadlani as the frontman, Randolph Correia on guitar, Shiraz Bhattacharya on drums and Papal Mane on bass, this electro-rock band is synonymous with energy.

  Bloodywood is an album out and out soaked in the city of Mumbai — the culture, the glamour, the glitz; the deafening noise on the streets and the hypersonic living — and all the 14 tracks, invariably, deal with the same.
   Explains Vishal Dadlani, “There are songs like Mental zero, In my head and Tomorrow’s decided, wherein the beat is very close to the street sounds. Then there are tracks like This could get ugly, Nocturne and Think I get you, which are drawn from situations that Mumbai creates in your head.

  “I just sit and put down ideas, guitars, synths, grooves and loops in various tempos; jam for like 30 minutes, and make riffs. Vishal and I then go through them to see which ones fit into the Pentagram frame,” Randolph elaborates.

  “The idea is to get the song and the message across in the best way possible.”

 Pentagram is also using their online show PentaTV to promote their album. “It’s something we started so that our fans could see what Pentagram is all about. People think we are this huge and inaccessible band and we wanted to change that. We’re regular musicians who love music and are always at the forefront,” reasons Randolph.

I envy Amitabh Bachchan, says Om Puri

   Veteran actor Om Puri has indeed come a long way since his film debut in 1976 with Ghashiram Kotwal. To him, his list of off-beat as well as mainstream films spells personal success. And after his foray into Hollywood with films like East is East, City of Joy, The Ghost and the Darkness, among others, Puri has left an indelible mark across the shores too.

   Actor Om Puri Says that he is amazed by the super star's enery levels. The actor is proud of his body of work today. But he rues, “I don’t get enough meaty parts in Bollywood anymore. I regret it and I do envy a lot of people… like Mr Bachchan (Amitabh Bachchan). He has such spirit and energy, even at this age. I’ve always been an admirer. He’s an inspiration for any actor; anybody would be envious of him. Such exertion at this age is commendable. I envy the kind of parts that he gets too,” says Puri.

   The actor, whose latest release, Life Goes On, opened to mixed reviews, is all set for his upcoming film Teen Thay Bhai to hit the theatres. While the former sees him portraying the fool of Shakespeare’s King Lear, the latter will have him play an exasperated man always arguing with his brothers. “I’m a great admirer of Rakeysh’s (director Rakeysh Om Prakash Mehra) work and the script is hilarious — on the lines of Hera Pheri and Malamaal Weekly. And I took up Girish Karnad’s film because, apart from being my teacher, he’s also been an inspiration,” Puri says, adding that he admired actor Sharmila Tagore since his college days and Life Goes On was a great opportunity for him to share screen space with her.