PRISM

MATCH SCHEDULES FOR IPL 2010

2010-02-24T23:47:00.000-08:00

IPL 2010 Schedule

IPL is set to start in another one week.

Have a look at IPL 2010 Matches Schedule here....

Link for IPL 2010 Schedule

Official Rules of the tournament are here

The official rules for the tournament are here.

There are five ways that a franchise can acquire a player. In the annual auction, buying domestic players, signing uncapped players through trading and buying replacements.[26][27] In the trading window the player can only be traded with his consent. The franchise will have to pay the difference between the old contract price and the new contract price. If the new contract is worth more than the older one then the difference will be shared between the player and the franchise selling the player.

Some of the Team composition rules are:

Minimum squad strength of 16 players plus one physio and a coach.

No more than 8 foreign players in the squad and at most 4 in the playing XI.For the 2009 edition franchises are allowed 10 foreign players in the squad. The number allowed in the playing XI remains unchanged at 4.

A minimum of 8 local players must be included in each team.

A minimum of 2 players from the BCCI under-22 pool in each team.

The players accorded "icon" status are: Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh and Virender Sehwag. The total spending cap for a franchisee in the first player auction was US $5m. Under-22 players are to be remunerated with a minimum annual salary of US $20,000 while for others it is US $50,000. Icon players are to be paid 15% more than the highest paid player in their respective teams.

KUSELAN REVIEW

2008-08-02T02:49:00.000-07:00

There is an old saying in tinsel town: Never try to remake a classic. Rajinikanth's Kuselan is a mixed bag, but director P Vasu has been able to evoke the essence of the original Katha Parayumbol from Malayalam to a certain extent.

The film tries desperately to glorify Rajinikanth's larger than life superstardom and create a halo around him as a do-gooder and a saint in real life. It loses its focus and moves away from the gist of the original, which was a simple story about human emotions, based on friendship between an ordinary barber and a superstar. It had none of the dramatic and mostly exaggerated stuff we're used to seeing,

Still, if you are looking for a clean family movie with some comedy, gloss and sentiments, Kuselan makes interesting viewing. Some of the scenes in the film are really amusing. The scene where Vadivel surreptitiously sneaks into a film set to meet the superstar and, after some funny mishaps, comes face-to-face with him is brilliantly worked out. The disbelief on Vadivel's face, his body language and the perfect comic timing of Rajinikanth, is a rocker of a scene.

The way the Sunder Rajan character pins down the elusive Rajinikanth and provokes him by needling him with questions on his personal life, Himalayan sojourns, politics and style has been worked out well by the director.

The sharp and scathing replies of Rajini are a revelation as he answers all your long-standing queries with a lot of wit and tact. It looked like an edition of "Everything you always wanted to know about Rajinikanth, but were too afraid to ask!"

The film tries to work on a new theme Mata Pita Guru Nanban and to eulogise friendship above everything else. The story, written by Sreenivasan, is inspired by the mythological story of friendship between Kuselan and Lord Krishna.

Vasu has added commercial elements, like a glamorous Nayanthara playing herself for the songs with the superstar. She has no dialogues in the film and is there just for the glamour quotient and songs!

Vadivel and an army of comedians like Santhanam, Livingston, M S Bhaskar, Brahmanandam and Chinni Jayanth are there to keep the laughter pot boiling. Prabhu, plays the role of an irrelevant security guard to the superstar. Meena and her three kids would appeal to women audiences. It is clear that Vasu was trying to make the film palatable to mass audiences.

The songs of G.V Prakash are quite hummable, but picturisation of the much hyped Cinema Cinema is disappointing. Aravind Krishna's camera is serviceable though it plays voyeur on Nayanthara. She looks cute in the Chaaral song, but the song sticks out like a sore thumb -- The director has inserted the song, which has absolutely no relevance to the story or situation.

Rajinikanth towers above all others, especially in the climax scene where there is a lot of melodrama and the human emotions are well etched out. Pasupathy has a pained expression throughout. Meena just repeats her performance in the Malayalam version. Vadivel has his moments in the film, though at times his scenes with Sona are a bit crass and below-the-belt.

Kuselan is quite an enjoyable watch and is different from previous Rajinikanth films. The star appears for roughly 36 minutes on the screen, which may not satisfy his die-hard fans. The film has to be seen from a different perspective and its touching climax will leave a lump in your throat.

You're going to hear different reactions to this Rajinikanth movie. Many are going to love it, while for some others, it will inevitably fall short of expectations.

Kodak Easyshare C763 7.1MP Digital Camera !!

2008-04-14T02:00:00.000-07:00

Kodak Easyshare C763 7.1MP Digital Camera !!

Let the Kodak Easyshare C763 7.1MP Digital Camera be your first line of defense. Strength through obscurity! The 7 megapixels are completely insufficient to show a vampire on film, and the auto focus and image stabilization work to keep the shot in frame at all times. This helps the vampire hunter by making it obvious what he or she can’t see, which in turn should make it obvious who the real vampire is. There’s also a USB connection, so moving the video back to your Vampire Hunter’s Laptop (running Vindows VP or Mac OS V) should be as easy as that chick who changed her name to Darkchylde Rosepetal after her parents split up. Which reminds me, the Kodak Easyshare C763 7.1MP Digital Camera has a built in Tripod socket.

3x optical zoom, 15x digital zoom, and a wrist strap designed to keep your Kodak Easyshare C763 7.1MP Digital Camera close as you run from the wolves, bats, gnarled assistants and evil mist. Man, nothing is worse than evil mist. It gets all in your lungs and you get a cold and you’re coughing out vampire for a week. Which the doctors never believe. Stupid World Health Organization coverup. I just wanted some penicillin.

The Kodak Easyshare C763 7.1MP Digital Camera comes with battery, battery charger, and power adapter as well. So don’t live in fear! Order a steak with extra garlic and grab the camera. The next knock on the window… could be your last!

Choose between Silver or Copper at check out

Warranty: 1 Year Kodak

Features:

7 megapixels, Captures a resolution up to 3072×2304 and prints out 11×14 photos
Auto focus for easy to take photos, point and shoot
Image stabilizer, counteracts small vibrations and movement for sharper photos
Tripod Socket
USB connection to your computer
3x optical zoom, 15x digital

Specifications:

CCD:	1/2.5 in. CCD, 4:3 aspect ratio
Output Image Size:	7.1MP: 3072 x 2304 pixels 6.1MP (3:2): 3072 x 2048 pixels 5.0 MP: 2592 x 1944 pixels 3.1 MP: 2048 x 1536 pixels 2.2 MP: (3:2) 1800 x 1200 pixels 2.1 MP: (16:9) 1920 x 1080 pixels 1.2 MP: 1280 x 960 pixels
Display:	6.35 cm (2.5 in) color hybrid LCD, 154 K pixels
Lens:	3X optical zoom lens f/2.8–f/4.9 35 mm–105 mm (35 mm equivalent)
Lens Barrier:	Automatic built-in
Digital Zoom:	5.0X continuous with 0.2X increments Nor supported for video capture
Focus System:	TTL-AF, selectable: Multi-zone AF, Center-zone AF. Working range: 0.5 m (19.6 in.)–infinity @ wide 0.5 m (19.6 in.)–infinity @ telephoto 0.1–0.5 m (3.9–19.6 in.) @ wide close-up/macro 0.4–0.8 m (15.7–31.5 in.) @ telephoto close-up/macro
Exposure Metering:	TTL-AE; Center-weighted
Exposure Compensation:	+/-2.0 EV with 0.5 EV step
Exposure Bracketing:	Yes
Long Time Exposure:	Yes
Shutter Speed:	Mechanical shutter with CCD electrical Auto: 4–1/1400 sec.
ISO Speed:	Auto: 80–200 Selectable: 80, 100, 200, 400, 800 (800 available only for smallest picture size setting)
Electronic Flash:	Guide no. 5.6 Auto flash with pre-flash Working range at ISO 200: 0.5–2.3 m (1.6–7.5 ft) @ Wide;0.8–1.4 m (2.6–4.6 ft) @ Tele
Flash Modes:	Auto, Fill, Red-eye, Off
Capture Modes:	Auto, Digital Image Stabilization, Portrait, Night Portrait, Sports, Landscape, Close-up, SCN (Scene Modes), Video
Burst:	Maximum 3 pictures; 1.9 pictures per second
Video Capture:	VGA (640 x 480) @ 15 fps QVGA (320 x 240) @ 30 fps
Image File Format:	Still: EXIF 2.21 (JPEG compression); file organization: DCF Video: QuickTime (CODEC MotionJPEG)
Image Storage:	SD/MMC Card Not compatible with SD cards over 2GB
Internal Storage Capacity:	32 MB internal memory/26 MB available for image storage (1 MB equals one million bytes)
Quickview:	Yes
Video Output:	NTSC or PAL selectable
Power:	Kodak Li-Ion rechargeable digital camera battery KLIC-7005; Kodak 5V AC adapter
Communication With Computer:	USB 2.0 full speed via USB cable model U-8, EasyShare camera dock, or printer dock
PictBridge Support:	Yes
Self Timer:	2 seconds, 10 seconds, or 2-shot
White Balance:	Auto, Daylight, Tungsten, Fluorescent
Auto Power Off:	Selectable 1, 3, 5, 10 minutes
Color Modes:	Color, Black & White, Sepia
Date Stamp:	None, YYYY/MM/DD, MM/DD/YYYY, DD/MM/YYYY
Tripod Mount:	1/4 inch
Operating Temperature:	32-104°F (0–40°C)
Size:	90 mm (3.5 in.) x 60 mm (2.4 in.) x 23 mm (0.9 in.) @ power off
Weight:	130 g (4.6 oz.) without battery or card

In the box:

Kodak C763 Camera
USB Cable
Wrist Strap
Lithium-Ion Rechargeable Battery
Battery Charger
Power Adapter
Kodak EasyShare Dock Faceplate
Kodak EasyShare Software for Mac and Windows
Users Guide

Maruti Suzuki to replace Esteem with Swift Dezire

2008-03-26T20:37:00.000-07:00

MARUTI SUZUKI TO REPLACE ESTEEM WITH DEZIRE

For staunch three-box lovers, Maruti Suzuki is coming up with the new Dezire, the replacement for its long-serving Esteem. With the curtains down on the Esteem after a 14-year long drive, the new offering, Dezire, will have a host of contemporary new features which were otherwise missing in the Esteem and not available in any of the current lot of mid-sized cars.

Dezire, Maruti Suzuki’s new sedan on the Swift platform, will be manufactured only in India for the global market and will be available in both fuel options. It will sport a 1.3 litre petrol and the 1.3 litre DDiS multijet diesel engine, currently available in the Swift hatchback.

The company is taking the SX4 and the Zen Estilo route with Dezire, topping up the car with some luxury features. Besides the twin front ABS and Auto Temp Control, the new sedan is expected to don a new integrated DIN Stereo and new set of alloy wheels in the top line variant.

The company is also working on a few changes in the grille, foglamp and the tail lights to make the Dezire look different from the hugely successful Swift hatchback. It will come in mutli-variant models like the Swift.

Tendulkar inspires amazing series win

2008-03-04T23:29:00.000-08:00

Tendulkar inspires amazing series win

Straight up

Straight boundaries come easy to Sachin Tendulkar, with drives that look so simple and neat. But it was surprising to see him go for the slog. Stuart Clark pitched it short outside off, the ball was about 132kph, but Tendulkar, instead of pulling it square, swatted it straight over the umpire's head.

Bhajji cools down

After the tirade of hostilities he's faced on this tour, Harbhajan Singh's had enough. While Tendulkar made the Australians sweat in the Brisbane heat, Harbhajan cooled himself down by sitting on an ice box. That must have surely helped him walk sedately to the crease amid the boos at the Gabba, home to Matthew Hayden and Andrew Symonds.

Tackling Tendulkar

Australians love bodily contact, and among their favorite sports are Australian rules football and rugby. Michael Clarke might be slim but he made use of his rugby skills to pin down the unstoppable Tendulkar. Gambhir pushed the ball towards mid-on and Clarke tried to stop it in his followthrough. One hurdle: Tendulkar was standing to his left . Clarke ended ramming straight into Tendulkar, who was turning back, and pinned him to the ground. Good 'n you mate, the Aussies might have said; however, it didn't stop Tendulkar from making runs.

What might have been
Ricky Ponting ordered his men into an onfield huddle before the match to outline his plans for the do-or-die encounter. The inspiration might have passed on to his players, but it wasn't grabbed by the captain when Tendulkar fired a square drive on 7. Ponting had placed himself at a catching position in front of point and the ball sped to his right at a comfortable height, but it was going too quickly and didn't stick. An amazing catch would have lifted the team; Ponting's men had to look elsewhere for the spark.

Paying the price

Irfan Pathan was turning out to be ineffective against the Queenslanders Hayden and Symonds, who were steadily repairing the early damage done by Praveen Kumar. As Australia neared the 100-run mark, Pathan offered room and Hayden drove it hard towards cover. The batsmen ran for a tight single. Suresh Raina at short cover tried to intercept but it was Yuvraj who picked the ball at mid-off; he had a aim at the stumps but missed, and the throw beat Dhoni and headed to the boundary.

Praveen succeeds by keeping it simple

praveen Kumar's simple approach played a key role in India's victory

After going wicketless in his first game of the CB Series, against Sri Lanka in Adelaide, Praveen Kumar said he couldn't get much swing because he didn't get the new ball. In the first final, against Australia in Sydney on Sunday, Mahendra Singh Dhoni threw him the new ball and Praveen responded by picking up the wickets of Adam Gilchrist and Ricky Ponting. At the Gabba on Tuesday, Praveen went two better - to those two wickets he added Michael Clarke and began the process of Australia's defeat. Later, he dismissed Brett Lee to break a dangerous partnership.

India had gone into the match without Ishant Sharma but any doubts over the potency of their attack were dispelled by Praveen's understated brilliance. Bowling with vigour and accuracy, and controlling the swing, he worked on the Australian batsmen relentlessly. The rewards came soon enough: Gilchrist edged the outswinger, Ponting mistimed his favourite pull shot, so did Michael Clarke.

There's nothing imposing about Praveen's physique - he stands just under six feet - nor anything intimidatory in his run-up. In fact, his smooth delivery stride ends with a neat side-on action that allows him to keep a good line. His strength is his prodigious swing - thanks to a strong wrist and his ability to use the conditions. Aware that he lacked the pace to beat the bat, Praveen utilised the Gabba's low bounce to keep the batsmen tied down; the ball hurried on to the bat, giving them no time to go for their shots.

Credit must go to Dhoni, who once again displayed the knack of using his bowlers according to the situation and the conditions. What also helped was Sreesanth keeping things tight at the other end. But ultimately the kudos belonged to Praveen, who bowled three spells, each making a difference. The first, 6-1-25-3, left Australia hobbling and on the back foot; the second, 2-1-6-0, pulled down the run-rate when Michael Hussey and James Hopes were scripting a fightback. The third and final one, 2-0-15-1, ended the last real flicker of resistance and brought India within reach of victory.

To think Praveen was playing his fifth game showed how much this tour has been a valuable learning experience for him, as it has been for most of the youngsters. At the start of the tour Dhoni said he would like to play each of his squad but with almost every game a crunch encounter he fell back on his first-choice XI. Praveen was called for in India's sixth game and retained his place since.

Much of his success came from keeping things simple. Against Sri Lanka in Hobart last week, Praveen - coming in first change - bowled to his strengths, getting the ball to swing at 130kph and making the batsmen play. The lack of pace is tempting for the batsman; there's nothing wrong with that as long as one respects the good balls. That fact was lost on Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Chamara Silva. On Sunday, he opened the bowling and showed no nerves while embarrassing the likes of Gilchrist and Ponting.

None of this has come easy for Praveen, who has had to transform himself from just another domestic bully into an international player of impact. He plays his domestic cricket for Uttar Pradesh where, in the absence of a good coach, he has relied on the likes of Mohammad Kaif, his state captain.

Earlier this year, Manoj Prabhakar, the former Indian swing bowler, called Praveen a "magician" after his heroic effort in the Ranji Trophy final, when he picked up eight wickets in Delhi's first innings. Prabhakar's only suggestion was for Praveen to add genuine pace to his swing. Praveen was once a 125kph bowler, today he is in the 130-135 kph bracket and that has already made a marked difference

TENDULKAR NO 1ODI BATSMAN IN ICC CRICKET RANKINGS

2008-03-04T23:15:00.000-08:00

  SACHIN'S GLORIOUS SHOT

TENDULKAR NO 1ODI BATSMAN IN ICC CRICKET RANKINGS

Sachin Tendulkar has replaced Ricky Ponting as the top-ranked ODI batsman as per the latest ICC player rankings. His elevation comes on the back of successive match-winning knocks of 117 not out and 91 in the finals of the CB Series against Australia.



Tendulkar, with 777 rating points, is seven points ahead of Ponting, who had a poor run in the CB Series, scoring 191 runs from 10 matches at 19.10. Graeme Smith the South Africa captain, is at third place. Meanwhile, Mahendra Singh Dhoni has climbed to 10th place, three points below the ninth-placed Herschelle Gibbs.

India's title-triumph has put them on fourth place in the ICC ODI Championship - New Zealand were ahead when the rankings were calculated beyond the decimal point, while Australia, with a rating of 127, are still the best one-day side, ahead of South Africa on decimal points.

South Africa can overtake Australia if they sweep their upcoming three-match ODI series against Bangladesh, but they will remain in second spot if Bangladesh manages a single win.

Top 10 ODI batsmen

Rank                Name                                      Rating
1              Sachin Tendulkar                      777
2              Ricky Ponting                                   770
3              Graeme Smith                                  753
4              Mohammad Yousuf                         752
5              Matthew Hayden                             740
6              Adam Gilchrist                                 738
7              Michael Hussey                                736
8              Kevin Pietersen                               735
9              Herschelle Gibbs                              731
10            Mahendra Singh Dhoni            728

Triple Treat for Indian Cricket Lovers !!

2008-03-03T05:59:00.001-08:00

* Team India (under 19) wins the Under 19 World Cup.

* Sachin Tendulkar Classy 42nd Ton .

* Team India wins the first final against Aussies in CB series.

Its a SUPER SUNDAY for Indian Cricket !!

GMR unveils Delhi IPL team logo

2008-03-03T05:51:00.000-08:00

GMR unveils Delhi IPL team logo

Holdings, which owns IPL's Delhi franchise,
unveiled the logo for the team today, and named the team as 'Delhi
Daredevils' at a ceremony in Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium here.

GMR-IPL official looked excited while announcing the name of the team,
saying that the name "Delhi Daredevils' is synonymous with the city's
image of pride and fearless passion".

“People in Delhi seem to be outgoing and want to do things at the
forefront and not back foot," said Yogesh Shetty, Chief Executive
Officer.

Meanwhile, the demand of the Delhi team to make the dashing opener
Virender Sehwag, its iconic player, will be heard soon as the decision
of the franchisees will be announced on Wednesday.

BCCI Vice- president Rajiv Shukla said: "If the IPL governing body and
franchisees don't have any issues and if they agree to make both the
cricketers as iconic players then it is good. The plea has been
circulated to all the franchisees for their opinions to make Virendra
Sehwag and V. V. S. Laxman as icon players.”

Greg Shipperd, coach of national title-winning Victoria State in
Australia, and his assistant David Sacker have been appointed coach and
assistant-cum-trainer of the Daredevils.

The 'Delhi Daredevils' was shortlisted from other names including Delhi Mughals that was suggested Delhiites in the SMS voting.

Delhi Daredevils will play their first match against Jaipur at Kotla on April 19.

Over 80 international cricketers are expected to feature in a player
"auction" in Mumbai on Wednesday with each franchise allowed a cap of 5
million dollars.

The eight franchises, which spent over 718 million dollars to get the team rights, will be present at the auction.

They are Mumbai team (Mukesh Ambani), Bangalore (Vijay Mallya), Kolkata
(Shah Rukh Khan), Chandigarh (Preity Zinta), Jaipur (Emerging Media),
Hyderabad (Deccan Chronicle), Chennai (India Cements) and Delhi (GMR
Group).

While each team will be allowed to register a maximum of eight foreign players, only four will be able to play in the XI.

In the tournament, based on Twenty20 matches, 59 matches will be played in 44 days starting April 18. (ANI)

India Cements Ltd. unveils Chennai IPL team logo

2008-03-03T05:42:00.000-08:00

IPL TEAM LOGO

India Cements Limited (ICL), franchisee of the Chennai Indian Premier League (IPL) team, unveiled the logo for the team today and named the team as "Chennai Super Kings: Fearless Entertainers who will play to win".

The function held in Chennai witnessed the presence of veteran Indian cricketers like Sivaramakrishnan, W. V Raman and Chandrasekar.

During the function, former Indian captain Krishnamachary Srikkanth was named as the brand ambassador of the team.

Speaking on the occasion, Srikkanth said, "I am very happy that ICL had taken over Chennai Super Kings team. It's a great feeling to be a brand ambassador. Chennai have knowledgeable cricketers and so Super Kings will be a lovely team."

The owner of the team reiterated faith in his team's caliber to deliver the best.

"We want a solid team. We have been in cricket running teams for the last 40 years and we have won local championships many times so we have experience and will get a good blend," said N. Srinivasan, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, ICL.

Over 80 international cricketers are expected to feature in a player "auction" in Mumbai on Wednesday with each franchise allowed a cap of 5 million dollars.

The eight franchises, who spent over 718 million dollars to get the team rights, will be present at the auction.

They are Mumbai team (Mukesh Ambani), Bangalore (Vijay Mallya), Kolkata (Shah Rukh Khan), Chandigarh (Preity Zinta), Jaipur (Emerging Media), Hyderabad (Deccan Chronicle), Chennai (India Cements) and Delhi (GMR Group).

While each team will be allowed to register a maximum of eight foreign players, only four will be able to play in the XI.

In the tournament, based on Twenty20 matches, 59 matches will be played in 44 days starting April 18. (ANI)

IPL TO CHASE FOR YOUNG GUNS

2008-03-03T05:28:00.000-08:00

After big guns, IPL teams shop for youngsters

The big sale of Indian cricketers in Mumbai last Wednesday was just the beginning. The rush to sign up players for the newly-formed Indian Premier League has by no means ended; franchisees are now eyeing members of the Indian under-19 squad currently playing the World Cup in Kuala Lumpur. Other prominent cricketers from the under-22 bracket are also being wooed with payments running into several lakhs.

On Friday, there was frenzied activity as franchisees chased prominent junior cricketers to fill their quota of four under-22 players. One major signing was UP's allrounder, Praveen Kumar, who is in the CB Series squad currently playing Down Under. According to sources, he has been snapped up by Delhi for Rs 32.5 lakh. Delhi are also reportedly set to sign UP's southpaw opener, Tanmay Srivstava, a member of the U-19 World Cup squad.

Other prominent young stars being sought by IPL teams are Under-19 skipper Virat Kohli, Pradip Sangwan, Ravindra Jadeja and Saurabh Tiwary. From the India-A team, players like Yo Mahesh, Pragyan Ojha and Cheteshwar Pujara are also in great demand.

IPL rules mandate that each franchisee have at least four under-22 players, apart from the four 'catchment area' players.

This means U-22 cricketers are up for grabs, and need not necessarily be from the catchment area, explaining the huge demand for someone like Delhi's Kohli, who can be bought by any of the other teams for a large enough sum.

Franchisees are believed to be persuading those who have worked with these youngsters in the past as team coach or manager to convince them to sign up. The frenzy seems to have caught everyone associated with these players totally off-guard, as TOI found out.

Kohli's coach Rajkumar Sharma said: "We have received offers but we are yet to take a final decision. Actually, we are confused about the rules governing IPL and its offers. We are in the dark about the maximum and the minimum limit a player might be offered. That's why we are holding talks with the IPL as well as franchisees. But money is not going to be the criteria for Kohli. We have to decide which team will be able to give him the maximum exposure. Virat shall chose his team accordingly."

Another promising young bowler from UP, Sudeep Tyagi, who was the highest wicket-taker in the just-concluded Ranji season, confirmed that he had received offers from Kolkata, Bangalore and Chennai. But he too seemed unaware about the upper and lower limits of his salary. "I have received offers from three franchisees. I haven't decided yet which team I will play for but there is a strong possibility of playing for Chennai Super Kings. I have to look into the money part of the deal. I was under the impression (till now) that there is a fixed amount for the U-22 players."

GETTING IN SHAPE' THE FIRST STEP

2008-02-05T22:26:00.000-08:00

GETTING IN SHAPE' THE FIRST STEP

The single most important element of any fitness program is "commitment". The best equipment along with an awesome routine doesn't do much for you if you're not motivated to exercise on a regular basis. The vast majority of people who join health clubs are not using them one year later. They've got the equipment but they lost the "commitment". The first step in creating a successful workout program is convincing yourself that exercising your body is going to be a good thing. I know that everyone realizes there are great benefits to exercise, yet “knowing” and “believing” are really two different things. Start by making a list of all the benefits you’ll receive by beginning a regular fitness program; take time to convince yourself of its benefits. I have given you just some of the general benefits below – see how many more you can add to the list that will help you personally. It takes a big commitment to actually stick with your long-term fitness goals. Without the belief of its benefits you’ll find it much more difficult to stay motivated in the long run. Spend some time thinking about and writing down the benefits to you! There are great benefits to working out that we can tend to overlook until we are called into a doctor’s office with something that could have been prevented with a simple lifestyle change.If you are already working out but see little or no results, you need to change up your routine more often. Maybe make it more intense, do different exercises, mix it up anyway you can to puzzle your body and get it to respond to your new routine. Just like your mind, your body gets bored with the same old routine. It gets “used” to it and after awhile will fail to respond to the same old thing. The more you can confuse your body and its muscles the more it will have to work to adjust to the new and different level of exercise. Your body continues to adjust and as it does you will need to periodically change your routines. Here are just a few reasons why you should consider working out for health. Yes, I know you’ve heard these a million times – we all KNOW it, but not many of us are actually DOING it. As you get a bit older, it becomes more important then ever to start your routine. Read through the list, add some ideas of your own and lets get started getting in better shape together! 1. Exercise Improves Your Mood Need to blow off some steam after a stressful day? A workout at the gym or a brisk 30 minute walk can help you calm down. 2. Exercise Combats Chronic Diseases Worried about heart disease? Hoping to prevent osteoporosis? Regular exercise might be the ticket. 3. Exercise Helps You Manage Your Weight Want to drop those excess pounds? Trade some couch time for walking or other physical activities. 4. Exercise Strengthens Your Heart and Lungs Winded by grocery shopping or household chores? Don’t throw in the towel. Regular exercise can leave you breathing easier. 5. Exercise Promotes Better Sleep Struggling to fall asleep? Or stay asleep? It might help to boost your physical activity during the day. 6. Exercise can Put the Spark Back Into You Sex Life Are you too tired to have sex? Or... feeling too out of shape to enjoy physical intimacy? Exercise to the rescue. 7. Exercise can be Fun! Wondering what to do on a Saturday afternoon? Looking for an activity that suits the entire family? Get physical. Another important step to achieving both happiness and contentment in fitness as well as in life is to believe in yourself. If you have that on your side, you are one step closer to your goal. Believe that you can overcome any obstacle that you are faced with and that you can achieve anything that you want out of life. Believe that you can take on this new challenge to re-shape your body and get fit. I am a firm believer that if you want something bad enough in life, you can go out and get it. Set goals that make you happy! Make it personal. Never change who you truly are for the sake of pleasing others. So, how do you stay motivated? Try this: After setting your fitness goals, laying out a plan of action and making your committment, begin to ask yourself a hundred times a day, "Is what I am doing or about to do, moving me toward my objectives?" That one single question asked often enough will help remind you everyday of your commitments.

TIPS TO REMOVE STRESS

2008-01-24T01:18:00.000-08:00

TIPS TO REMOVE STRESS

Stress and irritation can be caused by a wide range of things and can be different for different people. When you notice something that distracts or annoys you try to sort it out straightaway or at least plan a time to get it fixed - otherwise it will continue to aggravate you.

A lot of stress and irritation is occurs at a subliminal level - you may not notice things consciously or may have put annoyances out of your mind. But that doesn't mean they are not affecting you. Your internal systems are always alert to possible dangers and changes around you.

Many of the basic placement rules of feng shui stem from just this understanding. Removing the irritation of bad design makes you more relaxed and open to creativity.

Simple tips

Make sure you can see doors and windows from where you sit
In a busy office avoid being near entrances unless it's your job to greet people - otherwise you will be distracted whenever someone comes in
If you share your space with others, have agreements about where things go and what you won't tolerate
Use your instincts rather than fashion to guide your choice of decor. Aim for colours that are sympathetic to the purpose of the room
Eliminate reflections and glare from TV and computer screens
Make sure you have enough insurance cover
Replace poorly designed tools, furniture and equipment - if they don't do the job efficiently and are not a pleasure to use they will cause irritation
Invest in ergonomically designed seating and ensure your desk and workstation are correctly adjusted
If something intrudes on your concentration settle yourself about it consciously or your body's systems will continue to wonder about it
Take frequent breaks and move around
Make sure there are some pleasing natural things around you - especially if you can't see much outside
Use an answering machine to limit calls to when you want to take them

India creates history in Perth

2008-01-24T00:52:00.000-08:00

The thin line between hard and fair

What a difference a Test can make. In the first week of the new year, cricket was left wounded and dishonoured. Now, after a hard-fought and enthralling game in Perth, the sport seems to have reclaimed not only its dignity but also its health.

The events in Sydney tested loyalties. The mood of the moment demanded that positions be taken, and no one was immune to the pressure. But Perth has perhaps made it easy for all of us to view Sydney in the right perspective. Cricket, like any other sport, is a fiercely competitive activity worth getting passionate about; but there is a line beyond which lies ugliness and chauvinism. That line was breached in Sydney.

"Spirit of cricket" is a much used, much misunderstood term. But it can said be that spirit was glimpsed and felt in Perth. There was grace in defeat and humility in victory. Australians have rarely made excuses for defeats, and Ricky Ponting, who was baffled and wounded by accusations that he was arrogant and lacked comprehension about what the fuss in Sydney was really about, conducted himself marvellously at the post-match press conference. He was relaxed and forthright, gave his opponents fulsome credit, accepted his team's failure, and made not a mention about umpiring errors.

While Australia were being put under the cosh on the first day, a senior Australian journalist wondered aloud if the burden of having to watch their behaviour had had an effect on their game. Certainly, some appeals ended abruptly, and Shaun Tait even did the unthinkable by apologising to Sachin Tendulkar for having appealed for a caught-behind after the ball had brushed the elbow guard. And on the second day, an English journalist worried if the loss of the Perth Test would put pressure on Australia to go back to their snarling ways.

But sometimes a point is missed. Australia were no less formidable or tough a team under Mark Taylor, who didn't need to be profane in order to be aggressive. It was he who took a bunch of rookie bowlers to the West Indies and beat the champions in their den. And it was he who fashioned the idea of scoring four runs an over in Test cricket. The credit for turning the Australians ugly will go to Steve Waugh: mental disintegration is his unfortunate legacy.

Perth has possibly been an interesting learning experience for the Australians, for they were forced to conform to the code of conduct even when they were cornered. There has been a perception that the natural instincts of the Australian players fits oddly with the image Cricket Australia has been desperate to project, and in Sydney the wall simply collapsed when it got tight. The balance between "hard" and "fair" is difficult to maintain at the best of times; it's far tougher when your idea of fairness contrasts with that of the rest of the world.

In Perth, Australia managed to walk the line without losing their footing. Brett Lee was the embodiment of the kind of aggression that should be seen on the cricket field. He steamed in over after over and whistled balls past retreating heads; he got Tendulkar by attacking his stumps, and exchanged glares and words with Irfan Pathan, who had let Lee have a few on the first day. It was the perfect example of hostility without nastiness. Tait talked the talk before the match, but couldn't walk the walk when it mattered. By the end of the match even tailenders were lining him up.

There is a lesson in this for misguided Indian players who seem to think that to challenge Australia it is necessary to match them with words. Not being adept in these matters - Australia have practiced and mastered the art over years - they end up looking far more crude. It's a fake and shallow aggression that is merely a distraction. Sreesanth, a talented but temperamental swing bowler, once bowled a bouncer to Sachin Tendulkar in a domestic match and charged down the pitch to glare the batsman down. The next ball disappeared over his head as Tendulkar let him know where he stood.

If the young Indian players ever needed a lesson in playing it tough, they needn't look beyond their own dressing room. In Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble, India have had three of the toughest ever cricketers, who haven't ever needed to lose their manners to compete. Does Harbhajan Singh ever wonder why even the worst sledgers keep their thoughts to themselves when Tendulkar or Dravid is batting? Those who are easily provoked merely reveal a weakness of character. In any case, there are far worthier things to learn from the Australians.

India at the moment is a nation bursting with energy and bristling with confidence. But it is also faces the risk of losing its humility, which some confuse as weakness. In the words of a perceptive colleague, India is a nation that has found its voice after years of being told to shut up. But there is a fine line between assertiveness and arrogance, between firmness and being rigid, and between standing up for what is right and bulldozing. There is no doubt about India's financial might in cricket. And that the mightiest rules is as much the law of the jungle as it is of civil society. But some leaders are respected while some are feared and loathed. It is up to India to choose where to stan

'Sir Sachin' if Brown has his way'

2008-01-21T22:55:00.000-08:00

'Sir Sachin' if Brown has his way'

Can Sachin Tendulkar join the honoured ranks of Sir Don Bradman or Sir Gary Sobers? Well, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown certainly seems to think so. If he had his way, he would recommend the little master for a knighthood.

"I would like to see some of the great players of the modern era — like Sachin Tendulkar — proposed for honorary awards so the British nation can salute their achievements in these sports."

If Brown's remarks come true, we could be looking at the first Indian sports knight. In between courting trade and investment from India and China visiting British Prime Minister Gordon Brown showed where his heart really lay — at the WACA stadium in Perth.

Complimenting India on its test victory over Australia, Brown shed his normally grave countenance.

"I congratulate India on a famous victory - beating an Australian side who have won their last 16 games and doing so away from home."

England's long cricketing feud with Australia clearly fuelled Brown's enthusiasm for India's historic win. Cricket has long been one of the great binders of Indo-British ties. And until some time ago Commonwealth cricketers were honoured by the UK.

As Brown said, "I believe it was a good tradition to celebrate the achievements of the great Commonwealth cricketers. Obviously these are issues for the independent honours committee, but - hope they will consider it."
So we can hope to see a 'Sir Sachin'.

BMW 7 series TECHNICAL INFO AND PICS

2008-01-21T20:50:00.000-08:00

BMW 7 SERIES

The design of the BMW 7 Series Sedan.

The BMW 7 Series makes no secret of its intentions. From its sleek, streamlined double headlights, over its arching, coupé-like silhouette, to the elegant lines of the rear lights: the new BMW 7 Series expresses a pure fascination with the automotive experience. Every detail articulates its complete focus on pleasure, performance and perfection. Impressive when stationary, breathtaking when in motion: the 7 Series is a new perspective on driving.

Engine


Cylinders/valves	6/4

Capacity in ccm	2,996

Stroke/bore in mm	88.0/85.0

Max. output in kW (PS) at 1/min	190 (258)/6,600

Max. torque in Nm at 1/min	300/2,500-4,000

Weight in kg


Unladen weight EU	1,880

Maximum permissible weight	2,385

Permitted load	580

Permitted axle load front/rear	1,105/1,340

Performance


Drag (cw)	0.29

Top speed (km/h)	244

Acceleration 0 - 100 km/h (in s)	7.8

Acceleration 0 - 1,000 m (in s)	27.6

Acceleration 80 - 120 km/h in 4th/5th gear (in s)	-/-

Fuel consumption


Urban (l/100 km)	14.6

Extra-urban (l/100 km)	7.5

Composite (l/100 km)	10.1

CO2 emissions (g/km)	241

Tank capacity in I (approx.)	88

Further information about the official fuel consumption and the official specific CO2 emissions for new passenger automobiles can be obtained from "The Passenger Car (Fuel Consumption and CO2 Emissions Information) Regulations", which are available free of charge at all sales outlets and at DAT Deutsche Automobil Treuhand GmbH, Hellmuth-Hirth-Str. 1, 73760 Ostfildern-Scharnhausen, Germany.

INFORMATION ABOUT TECHNICAL DATA:

All dimensions in the technical drawings are in millimetres.

The technical data specified applies to vehicles in the German market. The models illustrated may, in part, include optional equipment and accessories not fitted as standard. According to the specific requirements of other markets, alterations may occur regarding models, standard and optional equipment as described in the text and illustrations. For precise information, please contact your BMW dealer. Subject to change in design and equipment. Subject to error.

Unladen weight: the figure quoted includes a 90 per cent tank filling, 68 kg for the driver and 7 kg for luggage. Unladen weight applies to vehicles with standard equipment. Optional equipment may increase this figure.

The BMW 7 Series is only available with automatic transmission.

Max. output: the petrol engines are designed for RON 98 fuel. The engines may be run on RON 91 fuel with a decrease in power.

Composite fuel consumption: all engines for the 7 Series meet the EU4 emissions standard. Diesel models are fitted with a particle filter. Fuel consumption is determined in accordance with the ECE driving cycle made up of approximately one third urban traffic and two thirds extra-urban driving (based on the distance covered). CO2 emissions are measured in addition to fuel consumption as such. Optional equipment (e.g. wider tyres) can significantly influence the fuel consumption.

FORMULA 1 : SCHEDULE FOR 2008 SEASON

2008-01-18T13:20:00.000-08:00

FORMULA 1 : SCHEDULE FOR 2008 SEASON

In 2008, there will be 18 races with the season starting on the 16th of March in Australia and ending on the 2nd of November in Brazil. Grands Prix in Valencia and Singapore have been added while the US Grand Prix has been dropped. Most events will be held around their usual time expect for the Turkish Grand Prix which has been moved to May from August. There will be 3 back to back races (Australia - Malaysia, Belgium - Italy and Japan - China.

16 March

Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix (Melbourne - Australia)

Formula 1 Results

23 March

Malaysian Formula 1 Grand Prix (Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia)

Formula 1 Results

6 April

Bahrain Formula 1 Grand Prix (Sakhir - Bahrain)

Formula 1 Results

27 April

Spanish Formula 1 Grand Prix (Barcelona - Spain)

Formula 1 Results

11 May

Turkish Formula 1 Grand Prix (Istanbul - Turkey)

Formula 1 Results

25 May

Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix (Monaco)

Formula 1 Results

08 June

Canadian Formula 1 Grand Prix (Montreal - Canada)

Formula 1 Results

22 June

French Formula 1 Grand Prix (Magny Cours - France)

Formula 1 Results

06 July

British Formula 1 Grand Prix (Silverstone - Great Britain)

Formula 1 Results

20 July

German Formula 1 Grand Prix (Hockenheim - Germany)

Formula 1 Results

03 August

Hungarian Formula 1 Grand Prix (Budapest - Hungary)

Formula 1 Results

24 August

European Formula 1 Grand Prix (Valencia - Spain)

07 September

Belgian Formula 1 Grand Prix (Spa-Francorchamps - Belgium)

Formula 1 Results

14 September

Italian Formula 1 Grand Prix (Monza - Italy)

Formula 1 Results

28 September

Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix (Singapore) - New Night Race

12 October

Japanese Formula 1 Grand Prix (Fuji - Japan)

Formula 1 Results

19 October

Chinese Formula 1 Grand Prix (Shanghai - China)

Formula 1 Results

02 November

Brazilian Formula 1 Grand Prix (Sao Paulo - Brazil)

Formula 1 Results

Jodhaa Akbar audio release:A grand function

2008-01-18T12:47:00.000-08:00

“Jodhaa Akbar is finally releasing on September 15,” said director Ashutosh Gowariker at an opulent music launch of the film at a plush Mumbai hotel. “No…actually the release date as of now is February 15 and this time I’m serious,” Ashutosh corrected himself (with a chuckle) to a collective sigh from the gathered media and other dignitaries. Present at the rich-n-ostentatious occasion was of course the lead pair of Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai, producer Ronnie Screwvala, Amitabh Bachchan, Javed Akhtar, A R Rahman, Sonu Sood, Sonu Nigam, Madhushree, Jaaved Ali, Shatrughan Sinha, Akbar Khan, Sanjay Khan, Ila Arun, Zayed Khan and a host of other celebrities. The event was anchored by ravishing Anjana Sukhani and the music was launched by Maharani of Jaipur Rani Padmini, a direct descendant of Jodhaa Bai.

Flowing red curtains curled as if in a bun of hair, brilliantly scarlet ‘Paalki’ with coquettish secrecy, shimmering inside, authoritarian throne of the King of Kings, swords hanging the fate of destiny in balance and pristine music gently soothing the senses. The ambience was perfect for promoting a hugely mounted film which seems to be a labour of painstaking research, minute detailing and incalculable hard work. Maybe, a fitting tribute to Akbar, who in poet-lyricist-scriptwriter Javed Akhtar’s words, “is a symbol of Indian synthesis who was working towards a Secular society in India around 500 years ago.”

Alright, let’s bring you some more highlights from the evening and also a brief curtain raiser of what the music is all about. Apart from the usual thank-you’s (Ashutosh had a list as long as the duration of his films) and detailed-hugging-sessions, there are a couple of information-nuggets that you shall find very interesting. Ashutosh Gowariker disclosed that Amitabh Bachchan is doing a voice over in the film (Remember Big B’s evocative baritone set the tone-n-tenor in the eponymous Lagaan). Also, Shotgun Sinha’s lovely wife Poonam Sinha is making a comeback to films as she plays Akbar’s mother Hameeda Bano (she has acted in films like Jigri Dost and Sabak three decades ago).

"Story wise it is about two cultures coming together in a love story," said Rahman. "It was a big challenge for me to compose music keeping in mind this theme of union."

Known for his musical versatility -- from romantic compositions to foot-tapping numbers -- Rahman has innovated with different instruments and sounds to create some of India's best known musical hits for more than a decade.

But for filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker's ambitious project, the Bollywood composer said he had kept the modern day audience in mind.

"The sounds and songs are very contemporary," said Rahman. "It is a period film but I have not gone into using Rudraveena or those classical instruments while composing."

"The music is simple - mainly instruments and vocals and there's no flashy use of sounds."

PERTH CRICKET STADIUM THE FASTEST PITCH ON EARTH

2008-01-17T00:49:00.000-08:00

PERTH CRICKET STADIUM IN AUSTRALIA THE FASTEST TRACK ON EARTH

WACA, PerthWestern AustraliaDeemed as the hardest & fastest cricket pitch in the world, batsman have to be good on horizontal bat shots to survive here. Unlike most of Aussie stadiums with huge spectators stands, Perth cricket ground has a capacity of merely 22 thousand people, enjoying cricket on the grass stands or the temporary seatings. India have played 2 test matches here & lost them both.

W.A.C.A. Ground
East Perth, Perth, Western Australia.

GROUND PROFILE:

Also or formerly known as Western Australia Cricket Association GroundEstablished 1890Capacity 22,000 (24,500 with temporary seating)Playing area 149.0 long, 139.0 wideFloodlights YesEnd names Members End, Prindiville Stand EndHome team(s) Western AustraliaOther sports Australian Rules Football, Rugby League, Rugby Union, SoccerCurator Cameron

Reliance Power float raises

2008-01-16T08:35:00.000-08:00

The share flotation of India's Reliance Power has raised $3bn (£1.5bn), making it India's biggest initial public offering to date.

The 228 million shares listed sold in under a minute and the float was four times oversubscribed.

The stock sold represented 10% of the power station firm, which is now valued at $30bn.
Reliance Power, part of Reliance Energy, aims to build a network of new power stations across India.

'Huge demand'

"There is a huge demand especially from retail investors and also from high-net-worth individuals. We were expecting such a response," said Ambareesh Baliga, vice president at Karvy Stock Broking.

The success of the flotation comes as India's main Mumbai stock market continues to boom on the back of the country's fast-growing economic expansion.

"The markets are doing very well and investors are getting good returns," said Ved Prakash Chaturvedi, managing director at Tata Mutual Fund.

"There is a fair amount of investor appetite for IPOs [initial public offerings]," said Mr Chaturvedi.

Reliance Power is run by billionaire chairman Anil Ambani.His father, Dhirubhai Ambani, founded the wider Reliance Group back in 1958. Anil's brother Mukesh runs the other side the group, oil and chemicals giant Reliance Industries.

THE NEW APPLE MAC BOOK AIR

2008-01-16T05:36:00.000-08:00

MAC BOOK AIR
APPLE MAC BOOK AIR IS WORLD THINEST NOTE BOOK.MAC BOOK AIR IS QUITE AMAZING

Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduced the MacBook Air, a computer that the company billed as the world's thinnest notebook -- small enough to fit inside an interoffice mailing envelope. It's priced starting at $1,799 and will be available within two weeks.Sporting a silvery finish, the MacBook Air features a 13.3-inch LED-backlit widescreen display that has a 1280 x 800 pixel resolution. The backlighting saves power and provides "instant on" response from the moment you turn it on, according to Jobs. The device has a slightly wedge-shaped profile. It weighs about 3 pounds, and sports a thickness of 0.16-0.76 inches. It's 12.8 inches wide and 8.95 inches deep.

MAC BOOK AIR

Technical specs

• .16 to .75-inch thickness on top
• 12.8 x 8.94 inches
• 3 pounds
• 5 hours of battery life with everything running

• Intel Core 2 Duo Processor at 1.6 or 1.8GHz, motherboard the length of a pencil.
• 800MHz frontside bus.
• 2GB RAM 667MHz DDR2 standard.

• 13.3-inch screen, LED backlit.
• 1,280 x 800 pixels
• Micro-DVI adapter (for DVI, VGA, composite and S-Video output)
• Intel GMA X3100 Graphics processor with 144MB RAM shared

• 1.8-inch 80GB HD or 64GB Solid State Drive (no moving pieces, but for a stunning
Multitouch trackpad with gestures. Pans, zooms, rotates, etc.
• 802.11n and Bluetooth 2.1.
• Optional external HD for $99, USB-bus powered.
• Full backlit keyboard.
• One USB 2.0, one audio port, one Micro-DVI

LIVE PICS OF SOME TRUCKS AND DREAM CARS AT 9thAUTO EXPO 2008

2008-01-14T21:35:00.000-08:00

9thAUTO EXPO 2008

THE AUDI A4 3.2

THE NEW MERCEDES C-Class

THE NEW MERCEDES S-Class

THE NEW BENZ SPORTS MODEL

THE ALL NEW CHEVORLET

THE HYUNDAI'S NEW CAR

MODEL OF AN ENGINE

A TRUCK OF ASHOK LEYLAND

A BUS BUILT BUY ASHOK LEYLAND

THE ALL NEW FIAT LINEA

TATA'S STAR BUS

TATA' NEW WINGER EXECUTIVE

CARS AT AUTO EXPO2008

2008-01-14T07:01:00.000-08:00

The new VOLKSWAGEN for INDIA

The grand new TATA SUMO

Skoda Auto board member of sales and marketing Thomas Kuhl, left, and Chairman of the Board of Directors Reinhard Jung, pose the company's newly launched Fabia.

The Mitsubishi i-MiEV, the manufacturer's first electric vehicle

Dilip Chhabria's super luxury car, Ambierod will be officially unveiled on January 10, 2008

BMW India Private Limited, President Peter Kronschnabi poses next to the BMW M3 Coupe at it's launch during the 9th Auto Expo in New Delhi.

The biggest event in India's automobile industry opened in the Capital on Wednesday and the action heated up with the global launch of Maruti's A-Star.

DaimlerChrysler India Chairman of the Board Joachim Schmidt poses with a new C Class

Bajaj Auto Ltd Managing Director Rajiv Bajaj poses with the newly unveiled Lite passenger car

Concept Splash displayed at the Auto Expo lends the design theme to the fourth World Strategic Model from Suzuki Motor Corporation.

NEWS OF RAJINI IN SULTAN THE WARRIOR AND TRAILER

2008-01-14T06:16:00.001-08:00

RAJINI IN SULTAN THE WARRIOR[new trailer at the end of this page dont miss it]

Sivaji the boss has became a 100% success last year.Its now Rajinikanth’s Daughters turn to play with her dad. Yeah you are right folks Rajinikanth’s daughter Soundarya is directing the film Sultan the Warrior.

Among the top news makers list of 2007, it is absolutely impossible not to mention Rajinikanth, an actor is worshipped for his acting skills by many people.

It’s not the endless publicity stunts and gimmicks that make him “The Boss”, however, it is his hundreds of fans who decide The Boss .

If there was one film that dominated 2007 with unprecedented pre-release hype and post-release success it had to be Sivaji.

Actor, superstar, legend and even God for cine-goers down south, Rajinikanth dominated headlines before and after the release of Sivaji...

However, this huge fan following comes without any planned promotional efforts, no television appearances and no press interviews. This massive hero-worshipping is all because of decades of style and charisma that’s intact in the actor and hundreds and thousands of die-hard fans.

Sivaji reportedly had the biggest opening in the history of Indian cinema and became the first South Indian film to figure in UK's Top 10 list.

however, an animated Rajini will be seen in his daughter's directorial debut as Sultan the Warrior. The movie is reported to be India's most expensive animation film till date and it is not without reason that even at 57 the milestones haven't stopped for Rajinikanth.

SULTAN THE WARRIOR VIDEO

Tips to Keep your Body and Mind Fit and Healthy

2008-01-13T22:24:00.000-08:00

Tips to Keep your Body and Mind Fit and Healthy

Most hard working, goal-driven, adults are stressed out! Yep – and it usually has something to do with work or school and the pressures associated with it. So, here are some tips to help you stay fit and healthy while away from home. After all, if you work so hard that you lose your health, what’s the point?

Take Breaks!

Every hour, if possible, get up and walk around. Grab a glass of water or a quick, healthy snack. While you’re up, apply a cool towel to your face, go outside and breathe in some fresh air, stretch and laugh. It will get your blood flowing again and clear your mind. When you return to your desk you’ll be ready to get back to business!

Correct Posture!

There’s nothing like getting up from your chair after a long day and finding that your knee is locked into place, you have an aching back and your left hand is asleep. Sit straight, put your feet flat on the floor, keep your head and neck in alignment – follow the rules of correct posture and your day will end on a much happier note.

Leave Your Work at Work

When you head home at night, try to switch gears. Begin thinking about what you’ll do at home, and what’s for dinner, stop thinking about tomorrow and all of it’s associated responsibilities – it will be here soon enough! You need a break, you’re a hard worker, and you deserve some time to wind down and get back in touch with yourself and your home life.

Eat Balanced and Healthy Meals and Snacks

If you treat your body well it will return the favor for years to come. All of us want to be healthy, but in today’s day and age it takes some work. So, focus on eating between five and thirteen fruits and vegetables a day. Use fresh fruit and raw veggies as snacks. Take along a plastic baggie of dried fruits and nuts for that afternoon fix. Make sure to eat breakfast – it will start your day off on the right foot and eat a light but nutritious lunch so as to ward off those 3 pm “crashes”.

Hydrate!

You’ve heard it before, there’s nothing better for quenching a thirst than a tall, cold glass of water. Water makes up a large portion of the human body. It makes sense then that we need to replenish the water we use while breathing, eating, perspiring, thinking and in general – living! Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water daily.

Get a Good Night’s Sleep

The human body needs time to recuperate from the daily stress we place on it. It does so at night, while we’re sleeping. Our organs are replenished with nutrients, our blood is cleansed and our minds are relaxed. Most adults need around eight hours of sleep, so book it into your schedule, just like you would an hour at the gym or an important meeting with a client. Don’t let anything get in the way of taking care of your own health!

LOHRI FESTIVAL IN INDIA

2008-01-13T21:59:00.000-08:00

LOHRI FESTIVAL IN INDIA

Lohri, is celebrated every year on 13th of January. It is a festival to worship fire. Lohri Festival is celebrated with great pomp in North India. At this time Earth starts moving towards the sun marking the auspicious period of Uttarayan. First Lohri is very important for the newly wed and the new born babies as it marks fertility. At night, people gather around the bonfire and throw til, puffed rice & popcorns into the flames of the bonfire. Prayers are offered to the bonfire seeking abundance & prosperity. People make merry by dancing & singing traditional folk songs.

How to Celebrate Lohri?

Lohri celebrations are marked by traditional songs and dances. People dress up nicely on the long-awaited bonfire festival. Lohri calls for family get-togethers and lavish dinners with sarson ka saag & makki ki roti. The day ends with prayers for a good harvest.

Diet Alcohol: Get Drunk Quickly

2008-01-13T07:32:00.000-08:00

New research findings show that alcoholic drinks combined with artificial sweeteners make you drunk quicker. It isn't advice - it's a warning.

The difference is substantial.

he stomach had emptied half of its contents in 15.3 minutes after the diet drink and 21.1 minutes with the sugar-sweetened drink. The peak blood alcohol concentration was significantly higher with the diet drink than with the regular drink. The blood alcohol concentration was also higher with the artificial sweetener than with the sugar-sweetened drink. This doesn't just apply to pre-made drinks. You could be combining alcohol with diet coke or tonic water - such as a sugar-free Red Bull and vodka.

The research (conducted at Royal Adelaide Hospital, Australia) also raises interesting questions about sugar versus artificial sweeteners. The sugar-free versions may be much lower in calories, but they are entering the digestive system far more quickly.

Who knows what effect this might have on weight gain or loss? Of course it's an oxymoron - because alcohol keeps the liver very busy - no fat-burning can occur anyway - not to mention the diuretic effect.

TIPS TO KEEP UR BRAIN FRESH

2008-01-13T07:12:00.000-08:00

According to a new book,u can speed up your brain by
*eating plenty of dark chocolate
*take cold meat for breakfast
*have plenty of sex.

not only this also avoid
*taking cannabis
*watching soap operas
*hanging out with serial complainers
*pursuing fat free diet.

Appart from the above certain day to day activities like cuddling a baby,cheating at school.reading loud,pursuing bussiness degree studies also can increase your sharpness.
so to every one out there my advice is to follow the above tips and have a healthy life style and there by make your brain sharp.the above data are based on research by experts.

FISICHELLA TO DRIVE TEAM FORCE INDIA IN FORMULA1

2008-01-12T22:52:00.000-08:00

TEAM FORCE INDIA LOGO

Fisichella to drive for Force India

PHOTO OF THE TEAM FORCE INDIAF1 CAR

Italian driver Giancarlo Fisichella and German Adrian Sutil will lead Force India team in its debut Formula One season.

Fisichella, who drove for Renault last season, will team up with German driver Adrian Sutil, who was a rookie last year with the Spyker team that Indian billionaire Vijay Mallya bought into and renamed.

PHOTO OF TEAM FORCE INDIAF1

"He is somebody who has raced with the best in the business," Mallya told a news conference after unveiling the drivers.

Fisichella, who turns 35 on Monday, has 194 races under his belt and is expected to bring some much needed experience as well as technical feedback to the Ferrari-powered team in what is likely to be his swansong at the highest level of the sport.

Fisichella has won three F1 races in his career and his highest championship placing was fourth in 2006.

"The experience and ability to assist the engineering team was a key requirement," Mallya said.

The team also named Fisichella's compatriot Vitantonio Liuzzi as the test and reserve driver. Liuzzi raced for Ferrari-powered Toro Rosso in 2007 but has been replaced there by France's four-times ChampCar champion Sebastien Bourdais.

FIRE IN SINGUR TATA FACTORY WHERE NANO SUPPOSED TO COME OUT

2008-01-11T23:28:00.000-08:00

TATA NANO FACTORY UNDER FIRE

Under construction Singur plant from where the Nano is supposed to roll out.

The facility in West Bengal's Singur, which would deliver the dream car, could still be a cause of worry for the daring industrialist.

Repeated interruptions in construction work could leave Tata Motors in the lurch in June 2008. That's the company deadline for giving final shape to the plant so that it could roll out its first car by the year-end.

Given the kind of hurdles the project has had to face since inception, meeting the June 2008 deadline is a stiff proposition. Achieving that would be no less a feat for Tata Motors than rolling out the people's car itself.

Ironically, work at the 935-acre site has slowed down considerably, since Thursday - the day Nano was launched.

This time due to protest by a section of security guards owing allegiance to the CPM and are resisting the company's decision to downsize its workforce.

Tata Motors Singur Site temporary worker Sushanta Pramanik says, “I could work for about an hour today. But then the CPM men came with their flags and stopped us."

Severe water logging at the site during last monsoon held up work for about a month.

Work is also yet to reach top gear at the adjacent 290-acre vendor park where 55 ancillary units are supposed to set up shops to feed the mother plant.

And political opposition apart, this could well be the prime source of botheration for Tata Motors.

THE 1LAKH TATA NANO UNVEILED

2008-01-11T00:56:00.000-08:00

TATA NANO
THE GRAND NEW TATA NANO

A comfortable, safe, all-weather car, high on fuel efficiency & low on emissions

Mr. Ratan N. Tata, Chairman of the Tata Group and Tata Motors, today unveiled the Tata 'NANO', the People's Car from Tata Motors that India and the world have been looking forward to. A development, which signifies a first for the global automobile industry, the People's Car brings the comfort and safety of a car within the reach of thousands of families. The People's Car will be launched in India later in 2008.

PEOPLE'S CAR TATA NANO

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony at the 9th Auto Expo in New Delhi, Mr. Ratan N. Tata said, "I observed families riding on two-wheelers - the father driving the scooter, his young kid standing in front of him, his wife seated behind him holding a little baby. It led me to wonder whether one could conceive of a safe, affordable, all-weather form of transport for such a family. Tata Motors' engineers and designers gave their all for about four years to realise this goal. Today, we indeed have a People's Car, which is affordable and yet built to meet safety requirements and emission norms, to be fuel efficient and low on emissions. We are happy to present the People's Car to India and we hope it brings the joy, pride and utility of owning a car to many families who need personal mobility."

Stylish, comfortable
The People's Car, designed with a family in mind, has a roomy passenger compartment with generous leg space and head room. It can comfortably seat four persons. Four doors with high seating position make ingress and egress easy.

Yet with a length of 3.1 metres, width of 1.5 metres and height of 1.6 metres, with adequate ground clearance, it can effortlessly manoeuvre on busy roads in cities as well as in rural areas. Its mono-volume design, with wheels at the corners and the powertrain at the rear, enables it to uniquely combine both space and manoeuvrability, which will set a new benchmark among small cars.

When launched, the car will be available in both standard and deluxe versions. Both versions will offer a wide range of body colours, and other accessories so that the car can be customised to an individual's preferences.

Fuel-efficient engine
The People's Car has a rear-wheel drive, all-aluminium, two-cylinder, 623 cc, 33 PS, multi point fuel injection petrol engine. This is the first time that a two-cylinder gasoline engine is being used in a car with single balancer shaft. The lean design strategy has helped minimise weight, which helps maximise performance per unit of energy consumed and delivers high fuel efficiency. Performance is controlled by a specially designed electronic engine management system.

Meets all safety requirements
The People's Car's safety performance exceeds current regulatory requirements. With an all sheet-metal body, it has a strong passenger compartment, with safety features such as crumple zones, intrusion-resistant doors, seat belts, strong seats and anchorages, and the rear tailgate glass bonded to the body. Tubeless tyres further enhance safety.

HONDA SMALL CARS IN INDIA

2008-01-09T19:42:00.000-08:00

HONDA SMALL CARS
Small is big, so think the auto majors. As everyone makes a try at the market in this segment, Honda Siel too seems to be thinking on similar lines. The move is said to be prompted by the impressive 25 per cent growth rate in the segment.

IT could be a toss-up between Life and Jazz as Honda firms up plans to launch a small car in India.

"We are seriously looking at the `B' segment. We have already commissioned a study in this respect," the Honda Siel Cars President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr H. Yamada, told .

HONDA 1.3L ENGINE

The little Jazz is a well engineered, practical, economical (if somewhat sluggish) performer. The model we tested was the Gli (Base model) 1.3L

It has the same suspension as that of CR-V and currently has three versions ranging from 1.3-litre to 1.5-litre engines.

Life is a four-door hatchback with a 660-cc engine.

Its engine capacity could, however, be a restricting factor for Honda to look at it seriously.

REAR PASSENGER SEATS FOLDS COMPLETELY

The rear floor of the car is flat, and the rear passenger seats fold completely flat also, providing over 1300 litres of storage space in the rear, ample room for large objects. According to Honda literature you can store 3 26" mountain bikes upright (with front wheels intact). Quite believable, given the 1.7 metre by 1.28 metre high rear load area when the rear seats are folded flat. With the rear seats in their upright position, there is room enough for 6 feet tall adults to sit comfortably, with grab handles on the roof, and rear head rests for safety. There is a good amount of knee room also.

HONDA'S STYLISH DASHBOARD

The front seats provide a moderate amount of comfort, and decent lateral and lumber support. Rear seats didn't seem to benefit from the same amount of 'give', and might be a little more uncomfortable for longer trips. Driver comfort is good, with relatively high seating position in the car giving good forward visibility with a tilt adjustable steering wheel.

There is a reasonably large glovebox, and lipped storage trays at the driver and passenger's knees (becoming common in small cars these days). Two cup holders are moulded in front of the gearbox. The plastics and fabric used inside are of high quality feel and great finish.

The leather steering wheel is comfortable, and pleasant to use. It feels nearly sporty, with good hand position grips. The rest of the interior controls are all similarly easy to use, with simple A/C and heater controls, 4 speed fan, and a CD/Stereo unit mounted in the dash. The CD controls were basic, but friendly, and the sound was adequate from the system. There are 4 speakers. Of note, the Stereo is moulded in the centre console, maybe Honda thinks most of their buyers wont want to be replacing it?

The 1.3L I-Dsi engine, incorporating a single over head cam and no variable valve timing, punches out 61kW at 5700rpm and 119Nm of torque at 2800rpm. It idles very smoothly and quietly, and when moving away you'll find approximately 90% of torque in the little unit is available from 2000 to 5000 rpm, ensuring that there is usually acceptable acceleration when required. For a 1.3L engine, performance is reasonable, if a little loud at high revs. The engine is smooth though, and quite flexible given its good spread of torque - allowing fewer gear shifts. The benefit of 1.3L and Honda engine design, coupled with ever tightening emissions standards is of course better fuel consumption. When highway cruising we achieved around 4.9L/100km, and in and around the city the figure crept up to about 6L/100km. Both of these figures were read from the trip computer.

RAJINI IN ROBOT WITH SHANKAR AND A QUICKIE WITH KB

2008-01-07T21:56:00.000-08:00

Superstar Rajinikanth is going to do a quickie for his mentor K Balachandar, to be directed by P Vasu before he starts Robot! In a sensational development, Rajinikanth has agreed in principle to do a film for KB's production company Kavithaalaya.

It is going to be a remake of the Malayalam super hit Katha Parayumbol released for Christmas in Kerala. The film is a light-hearted sentimental comedy that pulls at your heart strings and is about the deep friendship between a barber in a village and a superstar who comes to shoot a film there.

It is a hit because of its emotional story value and outstanding performances by Sreenivasan as the barber (he also is the writer and producer of the film along with actor Mukesh), Meena as his loving wife and mother of three children and Mammootty who is brilliant as the superstar.

Shankar’s magnum opus, his dream project Robot (its not spelled as Robo) has become a reality. Sources close to Rajnikanth has confirmed that Robot is going to be his next film!

Ayngaran International and Eros Multimedia are the producers of Robot. Speaking exclusively to Sify.com, Karunamoorthy, Chairman of Ayngaran International said: “ We are very happy to announce that superstar Rajnikanth, Shankar along with A.R Rahman are coming together again to make Robot, which is going to be made in four languages Tamil, Hindi, Telugu and English.”
Robot is going to be the most expensive film ever made in India. Ayngaran is expected to issue a press statement later today (Jan 5) to formally announce the film. The shoot of the film is likely to start in the summer of 2008, and it will be a dream come true for Shankar. The technicians who will work for the film will be chosen in the next few days while the rest of the star cast will be selected closer to the shoot.

Iphone in India : Buy Apple Iphone in India

2008-01-06T21:42:00.000-08:00

HOW TO BUY IPHONE IN INDIA

Apple Iphone is one of the most expected gadget to be launched in india

Unlocked Apple Iphones are available in Indian at many places though by illegal means.But Iphone price in india is
too high with major shops selling at 30,000 RS plus .

Apple Iphone official launch appears difficult as its expected after the product is launched in Europe and other
asian countries.

Where to buy Iphone in INDIA :

Best way to get hold of an Iphone in India is to ask someone to bring it from USA .
You can get a 4 GB Model for around 12000.RS in this case aND AN 8 GB Model for 16,000.RS
But you have to unlock such phone by using third party software s available .

Unlocking Apple Iphone in India:

Unlocking an Iphone is not so
difficult.Many easy methods are there which can found by googling.
Launch Date of IPhone in India:

Expected in Mid 2008.But get ready for high price after taxes.

Check here for Apple Iphone in India Updates .

Apple iPhone Canada Rumours : iPhone in Canada

Apple Apologises Apple iPhone India Launch : Apple iPhone Apple iPhone set to launch in Germany and U.K.Apple IPhone : Apple shipped 1,119,000 iPhones in Q4 2007 iPhone “Invention of the Year”

SRIPURAM GOLDEN TEMPLE IN SOUTHINDIA NEAR VELLORE

2008-01-04T00:54:00.000-08:00

SRIPURAM GOLDEN TEMPLE

INSIDE OF SRIPURAM GOLDEN TEMPLE

A Mahalakshmi temple called 'Sripuram' and made of more than a tonne of pure gold will glitter and gleam under the sun on August 24 when it is unveiled for consecration by the Sri Narayani Peetam headed by a 31-year-old godman who calls himself Narayani Amma. Devotees hail the temple as 'one of the wonders of the world' and say that it is the only temple covered fully with gold.

More than 400 gold and coppersmiths from the Thirupath Thirumala Devasthanam are said to have worked for six years to craft the Rs 600-crore gold temple located on 55,000 sq ft of land on a 100-acre salubrious stretch in Malaikodi, about 6 km from Vellore in north Tamil Nadu. According to official sources, the gold bars were purchased through RBI in "a transparent manner."

First the coppersmiths set to work creating a copper base on the temple structure with engravings and etchings before the gold, beaten into nine layers of foils, was draped around it. The sanctum sanctorum will hold the deity of Mahalakshmi made of stone granite, but covered with gold kavacham (adornments).
"The Sripuram or Spiritual Park is Amma's dedication to the world and mankind," said P Murali, a trustee of the Peetam, adding that the temple has more gold than the Golden Temple of Amritsar.

HOT HOLLYWOOD ACTRESS BRITNEY SPEARS AND ANGELINA JOLIE

2008-01-02T21:43:00.000-08:00

HOT AND SEXY BRITNEYSPEARS

HOT AND SEXY ANGELINA JOLIE

New Year Horror: Mob molests 2 Mumbai girls

2008-01-01T22:53:00.000-08:00

NEWYEAR HORROR IN MUMBAI CONTINUES

New Delhi: Two years in a row, New Year revelry in Mumbai has gone awry. This year, in a city which boasts of being safe for women, a mob of 70 to 80 men groped and molested two women for about 15 minutes on a busy main street in Juhu early on New Year's Day.

The Hindustan Times team, who recorded the sequence of events, reports that the women came out of the JW Marriott Hotel with two male friends around 0145 hours IST, and walked towards Juhu beach. Soon a mob of about 40 men began teasing the women, which led to one of the women swearing at the hooligans. But the mob, by then 70-80 strong, pounced on them.

A Hindustan Times cameraperson spotted a police van and called for help, following which the police rushed in and chased away the mob. However, no case has been registered so far.

Reacting to the incident, ACP of the Western region in Mumbai Archana Tyagi told CNN-IBN, “We are trying to find out the facts of the story published in Hindustan Times and also talking to traffic officer and reporters to help in the investigations, but this is shocking and strict action will be taken against the culprits.”

A similar incident had shamed Mumbai exactly a year ago when a girl was molested by revelers at the Gateway of India on New Year’s eve. That incident, too, was captured on film by a popular Mumbai tabloid

Drunk revelers had stripped and molested a woman in public view, as her friend watched helplessly.

This year’s incident comes a day after the National Crime Records Bureau released its latest report, which stated that Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore account for one out of every three crimes in cities with a million-plus population.

The latest incident also poses new questions on safety of women in Mumbai the and even though proof of the incident is plain and available the police say that lack of information is their biggest challenge in making any arrest.

Meanwhile, according to latest figures, in the intervening night of December 31 and January 1 Mumbai traffic police detained a record 338 people on charges of drunken driving.

The police also booked 45 motorists for rash driving and 46 more for speeding. Thirty-four of the drunken driving accused were presented in court on Tuesday and sentences ranged from one to three days of imprisonment.

During a six-month long drive Mumbai police has already booked 12,000 motorists, 2,500 of whom have already been sentenced to imprisonment and fines amounting to Rs 2 crore have been collected.

But on Tuesday, the police surpassed its own previous record of detaining maximum people within a single night.

SOURCE: Hindustan times

TOP 10 MOVIES OF 2007

2007-12-31T05:27:00.000-08:00

1.Shivaji

2.Billa

3.pokiri

4.Paruthiveeran

5.Vel

6.Mozhi

7.Chennai 600028

8.Pollathavan

9.katrathu tamil

10.Naan Avan Illai

SOURCE:KALAINGNAR TV

TOP 10 INDIAN CARS(according to sales in 2007)

2007-12-08T10:31:00.000-08:00

1. HYUNDAI SANTRO

THE SANTRO IS, SIMPLY, TERRIFIC VALUE FOR MONEY

THIS IS, IN SOME WAYS, THE TOUGHEST CATEGORY in which to win. Buyers in this segment want everything - fuel economy, power, ride comfort, reliability and performance. Running costs must be low, and the purchase price must be sensible. And the car should hold its resale value over reasonable periods of time. Tall order, eh? Well, the Hyundai Santro does it all. It's been around for some time now, but with timely styling updates made by Hyundai, the Santro still looks and feels quite contemporary.

2. MARUTI SUZUKI SWIFT

STYLE, PERFORMANCE AND HANDLING - THE SWIFT IS AN ENTHUSIAST'S CAR!

THIS ONE REALLY IS SOMETHING SPECIAL. SOME small hatchbacks, with their nondescript styling and complete lack of character, are bought because the buyer cannot afford a bigger, better car. You often drive small hatchbacks because you have to, not because you want to. Not so with the Maruti Swift, which won our Car of the Year 2006 award in January this year. To begin with, it's one of the best-looking cars on sale in India today. An iteration of the sporty, aggressive-looking Concept-S, which Suzuki first showed at the 2002 Paris Motor Show, the Swift was extensively tested and developed in Europe. Suzuki say 'the Swift has been engineered for European sensibilities,' and if it's good enough for the Euros, it's good enough for the rest of the world!

3. TATA INDIGO

THE INEXPENSIVE, SPACIOUS AND FUEL EFFICIENT INDIGO IS A BRILLIANT ENTRY-LEVEL FAMILY SALOON

INDIAN CAR BUYERS HAVE A SPECIAL AFFINITY FOR three-box saloons. Whether it's because of 'prestige' connotations, additional boot space, or simply the desire to own a car that's bigger than the one in our neighbour's garage, three-box saloons are a big hit with us. Especially if they are reasonably- priced, cheap to run, and big on cabin space. Enter the Tata Indigo. We aren't saying it's the last word in refi nement, style, or driving dynamics. However, there's no getting away from the fact that the Indigo offers maximum bang for your buck. What matters here is cabin space, fuel economy and ride comfort, and the Indigo is strong on all those front

4. HONDA CITY

WITH ITS HIGH LEVELS OF REFINEMENT, RIDE COMFORT AND FUEL EFFICIENCY, THE CITY IS RIGHT ON TOP

THERE'S NO OTHER WAY TO PUT IT, SO LET'S JUST say this right up front - the Honda City is a stupendous car. This is one of those very few cars where the 'premium' tag is more than mere marketing-speak. In thought, design and execution, the Honda comes out on top.

5. SKODA OCTAVIA RS

IF CARS ARE MUSIC, THE RS IS PROPER HEAD-BANGING ROCK AND ROLL. BRAVO!!!

FOR ONCE, WE CAN TAKE A BREAK FROM TALKING about fuel effi ciency, ride comfort, refi nement and cabin space. Not that the Octavia RS is lacking in those departments - certainly not. But it's just that it also has one attribute which very few cars in India can lay claim to. Performance

6. MAHINDRA SCORPIO CRDe

IT TAKES THE ROUGH WITH THE SMOOTH AND KEEPS GOING WHERE OTHERS CAN'T...

M&M HAVE COME A LONG WAY IN THE LAST TEN years. From the ubiquitous 'jeep,' they've moved on to bigger, better things. And the Scorpio is their fi nest achievement to date. We're not saying it's perfect, but as a budget- spec, entry-level SUV, the Scorpio is not bad at all

7. HONDA ACCORD

EXCELLENT FIT AND FINISH, BRILLIANT ENGINE AND A VERY REFINED CABIN - CERTAINLY THE BEST LUXURY SALOON IN INDIA!

EVERY TIME WE DRIVE THE ACCORD, WE CAN'T help marveling at the sheer all-around capability of the car. It looks good, is spacious and comfortable, rides and handles well, and there's a choice of two absolutely sparkling engines

8. CHEVROLET TAVERA

SPACIOUS, COMFORTABLE, RELIABLE AND FUEL EFFICIENT - AN MUV FOR ALL REASONS, AND ALL SEASONS...

FORGET THE 'LIFESTYLE VEHICLE' HYPE AND ignore the marketing hoopla, and you begin to appreciate the Chevrolet Tavera for what it is - an honest, hard-working multi-utility vehicle that's not afraid to get its hands dirty. It may not be the last word in refi nement and creature comforts, but if you need a reliable workhorse that'll get the job done, the reasonably- priced and frugal Tavera makes a lot of sense.

9. TOYOTA INNOVA

CONTEMPORARY STYLING, LEGENDARY TOYOTA RELIABILITY, HIGH LEVELS OF REFINEMENT - THE MOST VERSATILE MPV AROUND

THE RIGHT CAR, AT THE RIGHT TIME, AT THE RIGHT price - that's what Toyota do best. Sounds deceptively simple, but it's a tough act to follow. When Toyota chopped the best- selling Qualis from their lineup last year and launched the all-new Innova, there was no dearth of people who were saying it just won't work. The Innova was more expensive and its styling was a radical departure from the boxy-looking Qualis.

10. MERCEDES-BENZ S-CLASS

IMAGINE A FAST, QUIET, LEATHER-LINED CLOUD AND YOU HAVE THE MERCEDES-BENZ S350

EVERYONE KNOWS THAT THE S-CLASS IS THE preferred mode of transport for the rich and the famous. And rightly so. Few cars offer the same mix of power, opulent comfort, great safety and outstanding performance as the S-class does. In India, the recently launched S350 has almost no competition.

SOURCE:http://www.carwale.com/research/articles/indiacartopten.aspx

Alcohol consumption "How Much Is Too Much?"

2007-11-02T21:29:00.000-07:00

Is drinking alcohol harming my health now, or will it be harmful to me later in life? Should I stop drinking alcohol? Am I a binge drinker?

Most adults who drink alcoholic beverages (beer, wine, or liquor) consume safe and healthy amounts. For others, unsafe drinking patterns increase their risk for injury, illness or future alcohol problems. And, for 1 in 13 American adults, alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence (alcoholism) causes substantial harm to their health and disruption in their lives.

If you consume alcoholic beverages, it's important to know whether your drinking patterns are safe, risky or harmful.

Alcohol Facts:

The alcohol contents of a regular beer, glass of dinner wine and shot of whiskey or other distilled spirit (80 proof) are all the same.
83% of American adolescents don't drink alcohol.
Drinking among high school seniors has dropped 30% since 1982.
Average age at first drink has risen from 16.1 in 1984 to 16.2 in 2002.
Distilled spirits (whiskey, brandy, rum, tequila, gin, etc.) contain no carbohydrates, no fats of any kind, and no cholesterol

source:http://www.alcoholscreening.org/index.asp

SACHIN TENDULKAR QUOTES AFTER BEATING PAKISTAN AND HIS VIEWS ABOUT SOME FAMOUS CRICKETERS

2007-11-01T13:21:00.000-07:00

Sachin Tendulkar

India

Player profile

Full name Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar
Born April 24, 1973, Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra
Current age 34 years 191 days
Major teams India, ACC Asian XI, Mumbai, Yorkshire
Nickname Tendlya, Little Master
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm offbreak, Legbreak googly
Height 5 ft 5 in
Education Sharadashram Vidyamandir School

SACHIN'S QUOTE AFTER BEATING PAKISTAN:
"And that is the reason why this victory is great, because different players have made contributions to the win.

At least with me, the match starts much, much earlier than the actual match.

Beating Pakistan is always special because they are a tough team and we have a bit if a history regarding Pakistan.

Before coming here I had a minor back problem and I thought whenever I play Pakistan I get a back problem.

But eventually it is a game of cricket.

But it is not fair to blame a particular individual in a team comprising 11 members.

Every individual has his own style, his own way of presenting himself on and off the field.

From the spinners, Anil and I have been together for a long time and I respect him a lot.

I always had a dream to play for India but I never let it put pressure on me.

I am not thinking too far ahead, just want to take it one thing at a time.

I believe every era has its significance and the same holds true for players and coaches.

I didn’t want to prove a point, cause bowlers always want to make a statement and my job is to go out and score runs for India.

I feel when somebody has been playing cricket for a long time, he creates a separate identity for himself.

I find it difficult to sleep even after all these years because my mind is constantly working and that is the way I have always prepared.

I hate losing and cricket being my first love, once I enter the ground it’s a different zone altogether and that hunger for winning is always there.

I have never believed in comparisons, whether they are about different eras, players or coaches.

I have never thought where I will go, or forced any targets on myself.

I have never tried to compare myself to anyone else.

I have played for 15 years and it has been a dream.

I just keep it simple. Watch the ball and play it on merit.

I just want to continue the way I am going.

I myself want to learn to play the guitar because I just love music and I want to learn to play at least one good musical instrument.

I never played with a runner in my entire life, even in schools, because only I know where the ball is going and how hard, when I hit the ball, something my runner will never know about.

I want to give my six hours of serious cricket on the ground and then take whatever the result.

If one man is representing India in cricket, then yes, blame that person when things go wrong.

Imran Khan did not become Imran Khan overnight. He worked hard to become a legend.

Isn’t cricket supposed to be a team sport? I feel people should decide first whether cricket is a team game or an individual sport.

It doesn’t always happen according to the way you have planned things out but I feel if you have covered most of the aspects, it does help out there in the middle.

It has been very good here, but the World Cup game was different. It had a different significance to it.

It is my job to make runs for the country and win. That is the job I have to do.

Lara’s done very well recently and I never had any doubts about the abilities of Lara or Waugh.

Moment there is contact your sub conscious mind knows whether it’s a single or more. It’s that fraction of contact that matters.

My first strategy was not to give any wickets in first five to six overs because first 10 overs were important.

My point of view is that when I am playing cricket I cannot think that this game is less or more important.

New Zealand’s Daniel Vettori is a very good bowler.

Obviously after such a long gap, one itches to get back to the game and score big runs.

Shoaib Akhtar has been playing for 5, 6 years and is an experienced bowler.

The Australian tour was good for us; it was ideal preparation for us.

There are a few players who don’t like to think about the game.

Wasim and Waqar were amazing bowlers. I would put them right up there with the best in the world.

We defeated England in Natwest and also in Sri Lanka, but it’s was psychological game and I wanted to settle a score because of memories of losing at Wankhede Stadium were there.

When I was 15, I started playing first class cricket and always dreamt of being a Test cricketer, wanted to do something for the country, married in 1995, have 2 kids it’s been great.

When there is time to think about cricket, I think but when there is time to be with family, I try to do justice to that aspect of my life as well."

Chemical In Red Wine, Fruits And Vegetables May Stop Cancer, Heart Disease, Depending On The Dose

2007-11-01T12:18:00.000-07:00

The next cancer drug might come straight from the grocery store, according to new research published in the November 2007 issue of The FASEB Journal. In the study, French scientists describe how high and low doses of polyphenols have different effects. Most notably, they found that very high doses of antioxidant polyphenols shut down and prevent cancerous tumors by cutting off the formation of new blood vessels needed for tumor growth. Polyphenols are commonly found in red wine, fruits, vegetables, and green tea.

At relatively low doses, the French researchers found that the same polyphenols play a beneficial role for those with diseased hearts and circulatory systems by facilitating blood vessel growth. The amount of polyphenols necessary for this effect was found to be the equivalent of only one glass of red wine per day or simply sticking to a healthy diet of fruits and vegetables containing polyphenols. This diet is known as the "Mediterranean Diet."

This study also adds to a growing body of research showing dose-dependent relationships for many types of commonly used compounds. For instance, research published in the October 2006 issue of The FASEB Journal shows that aspirin, through different mechanisms, also has a dose-dependent relationship for heart disease and cancer.

"When it comes to finding treatments for complex diseases, the answers are sometimes right there waiting to be discovered in unexpected places like the produce aisles and wine racks of the nearest store," said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal. "But it takes modern science to isolate the pure compound, test it in the lab, and to go on from there to find new agents to fight disease."

According to the authors, the amount of polyphenols necessary to obtain an anti-cancer effect is the equivalent of drinking about a bottle of red wine each day. This amount of daily alcohol consumption obviously is unhealthy, but the research suggests that polyphenols extracted from plants or red wine could be converted into a pill that is highly likely to be safe. Such a pill also would be relatively easy and inexpensive to create and deliver.

"The use of plant polyphenols as therapeutic tools presents important advantages," said Daniel Henrion, senior author of the study, "because they have a good safety profile, a low cost and they can be obtained everywhere on the planet."

Adapted from materials provided by Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.