M400 Skycar by Moller design

Moller International is finally taking pre-orders of the M400 Skycar. The dream flying machine is one of its kind personal vertical take off and landing (VTOL) vehicle that can cruise at a maximum speed of 375 MPH at 13,200 ft. Moller is waiting for FAAs approval before actually allowing you to kiss the sky literally leaving the maddening traffic and red lights behind forever. The amount deposited is refundable in case FAA doesn’t approve it for sale or any other technical problems during test flights before 2008.
Other awesome technical specifications of the M400 Skycar read that it runs on ethanol and achieves up to 20 miles per gallon carrying four passengers at the maximum. The 2,400 lbs vehicle equips a 1,200 HP engine and emergency parachutes. According to Fahad, the estimated price of the Skycmore than $500,000.

Vijay And Dhanush To Compete

 

Vijay and Dhanush to compete? 

Shortly on the heels of Aishwarya Dhanush's announcement that the audio of 3 will be launched on December 23rd, there have been reports that the music release of Nanban will also be on December 23rd and will happen at Harris Jeyaraj's On the Edge Concert in Coimbatore with the musician performing some of the tracks live.

Kolaveri di is already a phenomenon and this has created huge expectations for the rest of the album. On the other hands Nanban is one of the most eagerly awaited films of all time and people are expecting magic from the Shankar - Harris Jeyaraj combination. And Vijay of course has a great track record where music is concerned because his films can be counted on to feature atleast a couple of chartbusters. It is going to be a great competition!

Irandam Ulagam latest news

Aarya and Anushka are the hero and heroine in the film. The shoot will start in Hyderabad on December 24. The film is a bilingual and will be made simultaneously in Tamil and Telugu, it may be mentioned that Anushka is one of the top-notch actresses in Tollywood and Aarya aka Jammy is a popular face in AP.

Ramji is doing the camera for the film. The film will be produced by PVP Cinemas in Tamil and Telugu. Harris Jayaraj is said to score music for the film. After the first schedule in Hyderabad the film will move to unexplored and exotic foreign locales.

Samaran latest news

After OSTHI’s success Balaji Real Media Pvt Ltd started their next magnum venture which is directed by “Theeradha Vilayattu Pillai” fame Thiru.
The project has been titled as “SAMARAN” which means “WARRIOR”. Vishal is playing the lead role and for the first time Trisha is starring opposite to him. Prakash raj plays an important role with other leading artists. This is Thiru & Vishal’s 2nd venture after “Theeradha vilayattu pillai”.

This movie is about an unexpected event that happens in a common man’s life and what he does to tackle all those obstacles that hinders his normal life is been portrayed in an interesting way for the audience in this action-thriller flick. The 1st schedule of the movie which took place in Ooty and Chalakudy for 15 days has been wrapped which included a fight sequence in a grand way.
Next schedule which starts on 20th December in Thailand will go for 50 days nonstop. The last schedule which includes an action sequence will be shot in the famous places in Europe.
Yuvan Shankar Raja is the music director of the movie and Richard M.Nathan holds the camera. Writer S.Ramakrishnan pens the dialogues.

Eros International for ‘Yohan’

One of the biggest production houses in Indian film Industry Eros International has collaborated with Gautham Menon’s Photon Kathaas for Yohan: Adhyayam Ondru’.
Eros International Media Ltd, has announced a co-production deal with Photon Kathaas Productions for Vijay’s ‘Yohan: Adhyayam Ondru’. This has already created much hype with its first look.

Gautham Menon the owner of Photon Kathaas directs this film with music by A.R Rahman. The shoot begins on mid 2012 after Vijay completes ‘Thuppaki’. ‘Yohan’ is the first of its kind (in South India) action thriller centering on a character that will be featured in a series of films (prequels and sequels). Yohan will be shot mostly in United Kingdom and the US. UK government also supports Yohan.

Kamal Hassan gets going with Vishwaroopam

Having completed a couple of schedules for Vishwaroopam ( one in Jordan and the other in Chennai) Kamal Hassan is gearing up to shoot the movie in a big way in USA. The remaining portions would be shot in an hectic pace, says sources close to the actor.

The movie will be made simultaneously in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi. ‘ Kamal Hassan tells us that even though Thevar Magan, Aboorva Sahodargal and Dasavatharam are his biggest and most expensive films in the times they were made, Vishwaroopam is going to be his biggest till date.’
Kamal Hassan plays an Afghan militant. But interestingly he’s also trained with Birju Maharaj for kathak. For he appears in a dance sequence.
‘He’s spent one month in Delhi learning with a Kathak guru who came to Chennai as well to supervise the dance sequences,’ says a source,

Mupozhudhum Un Karpanaigal music launch on Dec-18

The audio of G.V Prakash Kumar’s Mupozhudhum Un Karpanaigal will be launched in a grand manner on December 18. GV Prakash Kumar will be performing the songs live on stage.
To be held at Sathyam Cinemas in Chennai, the event would see who’s who of Tamil cinema attending in large numbers. Acclaimed film director Gautham Menon releases the audio and director KV Anand receives the same.

Earlier a single track (Oru Murai) from the movie was released in Las Vegas.
One of the other highlights of his MUK album will be an item song sung by Baba Sehgal and Shruti Hassan, says G.V Prakash Kumar.
The movie directed by Elred Kumar features Atharva & Amala Paul in the lead roles. Plans are on to to release this romantic entertainer , shot extensively in USA, would be released on Valentine’s

Dhanush gets one lakh followers

'Why this kolaveri di...' the single track from '3' has made Dhanush popular than ever, all over the country!

Now, Dhanush has got one lakh followers on his micro blogging page! Excited about it, the actor tweeted: "1 lakh followers today. Reminds me of my responsibility 2 work hard and 2 choose my words carefully. Thank you guys for all d love."

கல்லூரி மாணவர்களுக்கு ரிசர்வ் வங்கியில் பயிற்சி

நமது நாட்டில் பணத்தை நிர்வாகம் செய்யும் ரிசர்வ் வங்கியில் கல்லூரி மாணவர்கள் யங் ஸ்காலர் திட்டத்தின் கீழ் இரண்டு அல்லது மூன்று மாதங்கள் பயிற்சி பெறலாம். இந்தப் பயிற்சி பெற தேர்வு செய்யப்படும் மாணவர்களுக்கு மாதம் ரூ.7,500வீதம் உதவித்தொகை   வழங்கப்படும்.   இந்தப் பயிற்சி   பெற    தகுதியுடைய  மாணவர்கள்   எழுத்துத் தேர்வு மூலம் தேர்வு செய்யப்படுகிறார்கள். ரிசர்வ் வங்கியில் பயிற்சி பெற விரும்பும் கல்லூரி மாணவர்கள் விண்ணப்பிக்க வேண்டிய நேரம் இது. ரிசர்வ் வங்கி நமது நாட்டில் பணத்தை நிர்வாகம் செய்கிறது. ரூபாய் நோட்டுகளை வடிவமைப்பதில் அரசுடன் சேர்ந்து பணியாற்றுகிறது. எந்தெந்த ரூபாய் நோட்டுகள் எவ்வளவு தேவைப்படுகின்றன என்பதை மதிப்பிட்டு இந்திய அரசின் மூலம் செக்யூரிட்டி பிரஸ்களுக்கு தேவைப் பட்டியலை அளிக்கிறது. அச்சகங்களிலிருந்து பெறப்படும் பணத்தாள்கள் பரிசோதனை செய்யப்படுகின்றன. புழக்கத்தில் இருக்கும் நோட்டுகளின் தரத்தைப் பாதுகாக்கும் வகையில் அழுக்கடைந்த, சேதமடைந்த நோட்டுகள் அழிக்கப்படுகின்ன...இப்படி ரிசர்வ் வங்கியைச் சுற்றி நிதி தொடர்பான பல பணிகள் நடைபெறுகின்றன. 1934ஆம் ஆண்டில் உருவாக்கப்பட்ட ரிசர்வ் வங்கி, இந்தியாவின் மத்திய வங்கியாகச் செயல்படுகிறது. இந்திய வங்கித் துறையின் செயல்பாடுகள் குறித்து கல்லூரி மாணவர்கள் அறிந்துகொள்ள வேண்டும் என்பதற்காக கல்லூரியில் படிக்கும் மாணவர்களுக்கு ‘யங் ஸ்காலர்ஸ் அவார்டு ஸ்கீம்’ என்ற திட்டத்தை ரிசர்வ் வங்கி அறிவித்துள்ளது. இத்திட்டத்தின் கீழ் தேர்வு செய்யப்படும் மாணவர்கள் ரிசர்வ் வங்கியின் செயல்பாடுகளை நேரடியாக அறிந்து கொள்ளும் வாய்ப்பைப் பெறலாம். தேர்வு செய்யப்படும் மாணவர்கள் ரிசர்வ் வங்கியில், அதன் மண்டல மையங்களில் இரண்டு அல்லது மூன்று மாத காலம் வரை பயிற்சி பெற அனுமதிக்கப்படுவார்கள். அந்தந்த மண்டல மையங்களின் இயக்குநர் மேற்பார்வையில் குறிப்பிட்ட திட்டங்களில் பயிற்சி பெறலாம். அகமதாபாத், பெங்களூரு, போபால், புவனேஸ்வரம், சண்டீகர், சென்னை, குவாஹாத்தி, ஹைதராபாத், ஜெய்ப்பூர், ஜம்மு, கான்பூர், கொல்கத்தா, லக்னோ, மும்பை, நாக்பூர், புதுடில்லி, பாட்னா, புனே, ராய்ப்பூர், ராஞ்சி, சிம்லா, திருவனந்தபுரம் ஆகிய இடங்களில் மாணவர்கள் தங்களது புராஜக்ட்டுகளை மேற்கொள்ள அனுமதிக்கப்படுவார்கள். மாணவர்கள் தங்களது பயிற்சிக் காலத்தில் ரிசர்வ் வங்கியின் செயல்பாடுகளை நேரடியாகப் பார்த்து அறிந்துகொள்ளும் வாய்ப்பும் கிடைக்கும். இந்தப் பயிற்சியில் சேர என்ன தகுதி இருக்க வேண்டும்? அங்கீகரிக்கப்பட்ட கல்வி போர்டுகளில் பிளஸ் டூ படித்து முடித்து விட்டு பல்கலைக்கழகங்களிலோ அல்லது கல்லூரிகளிலோ இளநிலைப் பட்டப் படிப்பு படிக்கும் மாணவர்கள் இந்தப் பயிற்சியில் சேர விண்ணப்பிக்கலாம். ஏற்கெனவே பட்டம் பெற்ற மாணவர்கள் இந்தப் பயிற்சியில் சேர விண்ணப்பிக்க முடியாது. யங் இந்தியா ஸ்காலர்ஸ் திட்டத்தின் கீழ் ஏற்கெனவே விண்ணப்பித்து பயிற்சி பெற்றவர்கள் மீண்டும் இந்தப் பயிற்சியில் சேர விண்ணப்பிக்க முடியாது. இந்தப் பயிற்சியில் சேர விரும்பும் மாணவர்களுக்கு, இந்த ஆண்டு செப்டம்பர் முதல் தேதியன்று 18 வயது ஆகி இருக்க வேண்டும். அதேசமயம், 23 வயதுக்கு மேல் ஆகி இருக்கக்கூடாது. மாணவர்கள் எப்படித் தேர்வு செய்யப்படுகிறார்கள்? இந்தப் பயிற்சித் திட்டத்தின் கீழ் 150 மாணவர்கள் தேர்வு செய்யப்படுவார்கள். அதில் 50 மாணவர்கள் ஆங்கில வழியில் நடத்தப்படும் எழுத்துத் தேர்வு மூலம் தேர்வு செய்யப்படுவார்கள். மீதமுள்ளவர்கள் பிராந்திய மொழிகளில் நடத்தப்படும் தேர்வு மூலம் தேர்வு செய்யப்படுவார்கள். மாணவர்களைத் தேர்வு செய்வதற்கான எழுத்துத் தேர்வு, ஜனவரி 29ம் தேதி நடைபெறும். சென்னை, மதுரை, சேலம், திருச்சி, திருநெல்வேலி உள்பட 105 இடங்களில் இந்தத் தேர்வு நடைபெறுகிறது. இந்த நுழைவுத் தேர்வை ஆங்கிலத்தில் மட்டுமல்லாமல், தமிழிலும் எழுதலாம். இதுதவிர,  இந்தி, அஸ்ஸாமி, பெங்காலி, குஜராத்தி, கன்னடம், மலையாளம், மராத்தி, ஒரியா, பஞ்சாபி, தெலுங்கு, உருது ஆகிய மொழிகளிலும் எழுதலாம். இந்தத் தேர்வு அப்ஜெக்ட்டிவ் முறையில் இருக்கும். தேர்வு நேரம் 90 நிமிடங்கள். இந்தியாவில் வங்கித் துறை, பொருளாதாரம், நிதித்துறை சம்பந்தப்பட்ட கேள்விகள் இதில் இருக்கும். ரிசர்வ் வங்கியின் ஆண்டு அறிக்கைகள், வங்கித்துறை வளர்ச்சி குறித்த அறிக்கைகள் ஆகியவற்றிலிருந்து கேள்விகள் கேட்கப்படும். கொடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ள பதில்களில் எது சரியான பதில் என்பதை மாணவர்கள் தெரிவிக்க வேண்டும். மாணவர்களுக்கு உதவும் வகையில் இந்தத் தேர்வுக்கான பாடத்திட்டங்கள், விவரங்கள் ஆங்கிலத்தில் மட்டுமல்ல, தமிழிலும் ரிசர்வ் வங்கி இணையதளத்தில் வெளியிடப்பட்டுள்ளன. இதைப் பார்த்து மாணவர்கள் இந்தத் தேர்வுக்குத் தயாராகலாம். இந்தப் பயிற்சியில் சேர மாணவர்கள் தங்களது விண்ணப்பங்களை அனுப்ப எந்தக் கட்டணமும் கிடையாது. விண்ணப்பிக்கும் மாணவர்களுக்கு இ-மெயில் ஐ.டி. இருக்க வேண்டியது அவசியம். ரிசர்வ் வங்கி இணைய தளத்தைப் பார்த்து ஆன்லைன் மூலம் விண்ணப்பிக்க வேண்டும். தபால் அல்லது கூரியர் மூலம் அனுப்பப்படும் விண்ணப்பங்கள் ஏற்கப்படமாட்டாது என்றும் ரிசர்வ் வங்கி தெரிவித்துள்ளது. ஆன்லைன் மூலம் விண்ணப்பங்களை டிசம்பர் 16ம் தேதிக்குள் சமர்ப்பிக்க வேண்டும். இந்த எழுத்துத் தேர்வு எழுதுவதற்கான அழைப்புக் கடிதத்தை ஜனவரி 12ம் தேதி முதல் ஆன்லைன் மூலம் டவுன்லோடு செய்துகொள்ளலாம். அந்த அழைப்புக் கடிதத்தில் விண்ணப்பதாரரின் புகைப்படத்தை ஒட்டி அதில் விண்ணப்பதாரர் தனது கையெழுத்திட வேண்டியது அவசியம். ஆன்லைன் மூலம் விண்ணப்பிக்க வேண்டிய விதிமுறைகள் குறித்து ரிசர்வ் வங்கி இணையதளத்தில் விளக்கமாகத் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. தேர்வு செய்யப்பட்ட மாணவர்கள் சமர்ப்பிக்க வேண்டிய சான்றிதழ்களின் நகல்கள் உள்ளிட்ட அனைத்து விவரங்களையும் இணையதளத்தில் பார்த்துத் தெரிந்துகொல்ளலாம். நாட்டில் உள்ள பணத்தை மேலாண்மை செய்யும் ரிசர்வ் வங்கியில் போய் பயிற்சி பெறுவது என்பது அரிய வாய்ப்பு இல்லையா? இந்திய வங்கித்துறை நடைமுறைகளைப் பற்றி நேரடியாகத் தெரிந்துகொள்ள இது உதவும். இதற்குப் பயிற்சிக் கட்டணம் எவ்வளவு என்று கேட்கிறீர்களா? எந்தக் கட்டணமும் கிடையாது. பயிற்சி பெறும் மாணவர்களுக்கு மாதம் ரூ.7,500 வீதம் உதவித் தொகை வழங்கப்படும். பயிற்சிக் காலத்தில் தங்கும் இட வசதி இல்லாத நிலையில் உள்ள மாணவர்களுக்கு தங்குவதற்கு உரிய வசதிகளையும் ரிசர்வ் வங்கியே செய்துதரும். ரிசர்வ் வங்கியின் யங் ஸ்காலர்ஸ் திட்டத்தின் கீழ் பயிற்சி பெற விரும்பும் கல்லூரி மாணவர்கள் இப்போதே ஆன்லைன் மூலம் விண்ணப்பிக்கலாம்.

Class 12 exam dates announced

The Directorate of Government Examinations in a press release has informed that the Higher Secondary Examinations will be held on March 8, 2012 and end on March 30, 2012.

The exams will start with Language Paper I and end with political science, nursing, statistical papers and vocational theory.

MAKING OF VETTAI SONG

OSTHI MUSIC REVIEW

Starring: Silambarasan, Jithan Ramesh, Richa Gangopadhyay, Sonu Sood, Revathi, Mallika Sherawat Direction: S. DharaniMusic: Thaman. SProduction: Mohan Apparao T. RameshVocals: Baba Sehgal, Ranjith, Rahul Nambiar, Naveen Madhav, Thaman. S, Rita, Mahathi, Silambarasan, LR. Easwari, Vijaya T. Rajendar, Solar SaiLyrics: Vaali, Yugabharathi, Silambarasan Osthi is the remake of the 2010 Salman Khan starrer blockbuster Dabangg. The film is directed by S. Dharani. The music is scored by Thaman, who is the man of the moment running high after the success of Dookudu audio in Telugu. With Sony Music bagging the audio rights for the film, the bar is set high for this full-fledged commercial entertainer. All Simbu's projects have been high on musical expectations because of his good rapport with the music directors. Lets see if the STR-Thaman combination rocks! Osthi Maamey... Singers:  Baba Sehgal, Ranjith, Rahul Nambiar, Naveen Madhav Lyrics: Vaali Baba Sehgal's pompous and unique style of singing drives the opener, 'Osthi Maamey' in a loud, ballistic manner to introduce the cop in action. The full-spirited singer makes his trademark presence after 'Kaadhal Vanthalae' in 'Singham' which incidentally happens to be another cop flick. Thaman shows off his versatility with varying instrumental beats and typical Petta Rap mixes that adds to the listening charm. The music is fully loaded with aggressively punched one-liners from Vaali. Unnale Unnale... Singers: Thaman. S, Rita Lyrics: Yugabharathi Peppy Punjabi beats with ethnic beats brings out the freshness of the next track, 'Unnale Unnale'. Thaman sings his heart out in lovable tender tones in this "girl wooing" number which has a likable fusion composition. The well-nurtured and rendered middle interludes from Rita are mixed well in proportion. It entertains with impressive sounding vocals and pleasant mixing arrangements of Bangra patterns, despite its heard-before syndrome. Pondatti...   Singers: Silambarasan Lyrics: SilambarasanIt is a known norm that Silambarasan does the crooning and penning of at least one song in almost all of his musical endeavors. This album is no exception to it. 'Pondatti' song by Silambarasan is funky in spirit and snazzy in rendition. Thaman's mixing of various moods and tempo adds to the infectious nature of the song. This sultry track with its frivolously silly lyrics in the same genre of 'loosu penne', 'Aracha maava' songs, promises to be another big hit to its targeted audience. Great ring tone for the Romeos of this season! Neduvaali... Singers: Rahul Nambiar, Mahathi Lyrics: Yugabharathi Rahul Nambiar who received his FilmFare nomination for ‘Adada Mazhaida’ (Paiyaa) has done the enthused singing for the track 'Neduvaali'. Mahathi joins him to add feminine shades to the feisty number. The chorus 'Doomeelu than' is racy and is mixed hot-headedly for a foot tapping number. Thaman has cleverly given an upbeat musical packaging much to the delight of the audience. Kalasala Kalasala...   Singers: LR. Easwari, Vijaya T. Rajendar, Solar Sai Lyrics: Vaali 'Kalasala' is the much anticipated southern version of the chartbusting 'Munni badnaam hui' song from 'Dabanng'. The ace legendry singer LR. Ezswari who sang a one-liner in the Vikram starrer Arul, starts her reign of supremacy by rendering the item number in style along with Vijaya T. Rajendar. Fuelled with high beat and banging kuthu energy, Thaman has successfully managed to create a typical dancing feasting number. With the show stopper Mallika Sherawat on-board, it should only adds to the grandiose of the commercially promising dance number. 'Osthi' lives up to its huge expectations with generous mass entertainers like 'Kalasala Kalasala', 'Pondatti' and 'Neduvaali'. Thaman has made use of this opportunity to compose a commercially viable album that might not promise of a heart-warming melody or meaningfully penned song to cherish, yet will be one of the top musical grosser which will allure listeners with its hits. Verdict: Osthi - 'Paisa Vasool' show.

Shiva on how Ajith agreed to it

Shiva on how Ajith agreed to it
Director Shiva, who had directed Karthi in Siruthai, says that when he went to meet Ajith to narrate a one-liner, the star received him with warmth. The director, who is just one film old, says that Ajith never behaved like a star throughout their meeting and approved his one-liner almost immediately. Ajith is reported to have told Shiva to begin work on the script and that he will start working on the project as soon as he completes Vishnuvardhan’s film. Shiva is happy over this development and says that he never dreamt of directing Ajith so early in his career.

KNPP: 3rd round of talks sees no breakthrough

The third round of talks between the central expert group and the State committee to break the logjam over Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) on Thursday did not make any headway, as an anti-KNPP activist termed it 'not satisfactory.' 'They did not give us the documents we asked for. They even said that they found it difficult to get some of the documents. We have asked them to continue the talks with our expert committee, for which they have not answered. The talks were not satisfactory,' M Pushparayan, an anti-KNPP activist and a member on the state committee, said.

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'Without giving the documents as asked for, how can they allay the fears?' he added.  The central expert group gave a 75-page report to the protesters, while the latter gave a 70-page counter to the 38-page report which the central team gave them during the second meeting on 18 November, he said. The two-hour meeting at the District Collectorate in Tirunelveli ended without announcing when the next meeting will take place. The previous two meetings of the committees on 7 and 18 November had failed to break the impasse as representatives of the agitators wanted more information and documents relating to their safety concerns. The central committee was set up to allay fears of the locals over the nuclear power plant after the prolonged protests delayed the commissioning of the reactor scheduled for this month to March next year. Only essential maintenance operations were underway at the plant. Meanwhile, People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE), spearheading the stir against the KNPP, said it would observe 'black day' for three days in Kudankulam and other areas during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Russia. Protesters will observe a fast and hoist black flags atop their houses for three days from tomorrow, S P Udaykumar, Co-ordinator of the movement, told reporters at Coimbatore.

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Temples, tourist spots in TN to get makeover

Tamilnadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today ordered temples and tourist spots across the State to go in for a make-over, as such places have great value in promoting harmony among the people. An official press statement listed out the places which are proposed to be renovated are:

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Srirangam Temple in Tiruchi district has thousands of devotees who face trouble in having a dip in Kaveri river and then walk till the Aranganathar Temple. Hence, a shelter on the roadside will be built at a cost of Rs one crore. Arulmigu Rajagopalaswami Temple at Mannarkudi in Thiruvarur will see new waiting rooms, store rooms and bathrooms for the devotees and they will be built at a cost of Rs 45 lakh. Mudhupettai Jambuvan Dharga will soon have a new parking lot and bathrooms which will be built at a cost of Rs 25 lakh. The Sri Soumya Narayana Perumal Temple in Thirukoshtiyur in Sivaganga district will have waiting rooms, bathrooms and toilets at a cost of Rs 56 lakh. Similarly in Virudhunagar district where Ramana Maharishi's birthplace at Thiruchuzhi is situated, waiting rooms, drinking water facility and bathrooms will be built at a cost of Rs. 50 lakh. Mariamman Temple in Irukkankudi in Virudhunagar district will also see waiting rooms, drinking water facility and bathrooms at a cost of Rs 40 lakh. A temple for Lord Shiva at Srivanjiyam, Thiruvarur district, will also have same facilities at a cost of Rs. 43.60 lakh. A new lodge will be built at Balasubramaniya Swami Temple at Ayakkudi in Tirunelveli district at a cost of Rs 25 lakh. Likewise, Adaikkala Matha shrine at Elakkurichi in Ariyalur district, where Veeramamunivar lived, will have waiting rooms, drinking water facility, bathrooms, concrete roads and a compound wall with steps built for the temple pond at a cost of Rs 44 lakh. Orders have been given for renovating the bird sanctuary at Thiruvarur with waiting rooms, boats, life jackets, etc at a cost of Rs 34 lakh. Tourists can have a better experience in the State, once the works are over, the statement said.

Retina India holds regional conference

The first South India Regional Conference on Inclusive Education(SIRCIE) was conducted here recently by Retina India, a no-profit organisation, working for the medical and social needs of people with retinal disorders. The conference was inaugurated by Dr G Jayaraman, retired professor, Madras Christian College and president of Welfare Association of the  Blind.

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The meet, which saw teachers from mainstream schools, experts from the NGO sectors, volunteers and persons with vision- challenge, discussed the ways of implementing inclusive system of education in mainstream schools, particularly  from the point of view of children undergoing progressive vision loss due to various retinal disorders such as Retinitis Pigmentosa(R.P), Macula Degeneration(M.D), Diabetic Retinopathy(D.R), etc. 'This is a truly momentous occasion where we from the NGOs have a common platform with the teachers to exchange ideas and find ways of implementing inclusive education concepts in mainstream schools,' Dr.Jayaraman said. 'Retina India has objectives such as bringing the cure from abroad as and when they are available, promote research in India to find cure for retinal disorders and conduct medical surveys to determine the prevalence of retinal conditions. So we realize the cure is a tomorrow’s thing and it is important for patients to rehabilitate themselves and become worthy contributors to social advancement. This programme is one of the ways of creating the environments for them to accomplish that goal,' said Sudhamani Venkatesan, COO, Retina India.   Nearly 100 teachers from several schools across the four southern States took part in the programme. Organisations such as Vidyasagar, Banyan, National Association for the Blind (NAV), National Federation for the Blind (NFB), National Institute for the Visually Handicapped(NIVH) also took part in the conference.

Victoria Beckham wins Designer Brand award

Former Spice Girls star Victoria Beckham fought back tears at the British Fashion Awards as she was handed the Designer Brand of the year title. The 37-year-old beat Tom Ford and Burberry to land the award at the ceremony in London. Her designer friend Marc Jacobs handed her the honour, reported Contactmusic.

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Taking to the stage dressed in a floor-length backless black gown, Beckham covered her face as she told the crowd, I am so nervous. She thanked her soccer star husband David Beckham and said, 'Without  him I wouldn't have had the courage to do what I am doing.' Taking to Twitter after the ceremony she said, 'We won!! Thank u so much to my amazing VB team!!!! Designer Brand of the Year at the British Fashion awards!.' Other winners at the ceremony included Paul McCartney's daughter Stella, who beat out Beckham for the Red Carpet prize for her designs, and Alexander McQueen designer Sarah Burton, who was handed the Designer of the Year trophy from British Prime Minster David Cameron's wife Samantha.    The high honour tops an amazing year for Burton, who created the royal wedding dress for Kate Middleton.

Loyola College students to get US bachelors degree

Concordia College, a coeducational institution in New York, through its direct Indian registered representative Concordia NY Admission Services LLP, has partnered with Loyola College to give the students of the college an opportunity to pursue final year of their UG programme in the United States and secure an American graduation.

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According to a press release, Business, English, Psychology and Sociology are the course pre-approved and covered under the academic co-operation tie-up. Maximum number of students' intake is limited to 5-8 for each course. The programme is valid for students joining the courses from the academic year 2011-12 onwards.  Giving the best of both worlds, the agreement will allow meritorious Loyola College students to spend two years studying pre-approved course here at Chennai and continue the rest of their programme (varying  between 12 and 16 months depending upon the course opted) at Concordia in New York. The tie-up has also facilitated scholarship of up to 40 per cent for eminently qualified students from Loyola College. For details contact: 98405 52149/ 4554 4267, the release said.

Jaya bid to add life to dyeing units

Tamilnadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today issued an order to allot Rs 127.40 crore to 15 common effluent treatment plants in Tirupur region. The initiative is expected to put an end to the problem prevailing for years between the managements of dyeing units and the local farmers.

According to an official release here, the waste let out from 754 dyeing units and 20 common effluent treatment plants mixed with Noyyal river and other water bodies meant for irrigation. Hence, based on a case filed by the farmers' federation, the High Court ordered setting up of common effluent treatment plants in 1998. However, the problem persisted even after that, the release said and listed out various legal notifications and court verdicts that were given in the issue for the past one decade and more. Finally, based on a High Court order in 28 January this year, as many as 754 dyeing units were closed on 1 February. Thousands of employees lost their jobs and the textile industry in Tirupur region suffered a major blow, the release said. Recalling that Jayalalithaa, who is fully aware of the problem, convened a meeting in this regard on the fourth day of her taking charge as Chief Minister (19 May), the release said various meetings were convened after that and different measures to be implemented were discussed, as zero release of effluent would enable the dyeing units to function. 'It was finally decided that installing latest equipment at dyeing units would address the issue. Hence a policy decision was taken to allot Rs 200 crore as interest-free loan to 20 units (Rs 10 crore each). Following this, the Chief Minister has ordered to release Rs 127.40 crore as credit,' the release said. The allocation would help in achieving the zero discharge target, benefiting both farmers and the dyeing units, it said. It has been decided to adopt either a system followed on experimental basis at 'Arulpuram Tamilnadu Water Investment Corporation Limited' or a Nano effluent treatment system being followed in Gujarat, it added, expressing hope that the decision would make thousands of employees in the dyeing units, farmers in Tirupur region and their family members happy.

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Kalam says stop water war

Missile man of India A P J Abdul Kalam has strongly expressed his concerns over the ongoing water wars. Kalam maintained that we cannot afford war over water. The former president of India suggested at a one day conference ‘Agricon 2011’ organized by CII in Chennai that armed forces have to be deployed to maintain rivers and dams in the country.

Kalam also voiced his opinion that interlinking of rivers is a must to avoid disaster due to flooding. Kalam added that river linking project have to be completed in two decades. The scientist also suggested that National Water Grid Management scheme that could resolve inter-state water disputes

Kerala decides to stop agitation

	Thanks to the Mullaiperiyar dam issue the vegetable prices in the city has dipped. With lorries bound to Kerala diverted to Chennai, the Koyambedu market saw a drop in the vegetable price. Essential vegetables like onions and tomatoes were sold at just Rs 8-10 per kg, beans at Rs 15 a kg, carrots at Rs 15 per kg. Meanwhile Kerala government has decided to go slow on the issue after warning from the Prime Minister saying that he can negotiate only if the situation is conducive for talks. Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy has suspended agitation on the request of the prime minister.

Directors stage a sudden protest

Seenu Ramasamy, the director of Then Merkku Paruvakattru and Leena Manimegalai, the director of Sengkadal staged a protest at the Chennai International Film Festival press meet. The directors were totally displeased with the organizers of CIFF because Then Merkku Paruvakattru which won three national awards and Sengkadal which featured in the Indian Panorama did not find a place at the CIFF. The directors alleged that the film fest is tainted with political colors. Their sudden protest cause quite a stir at the press meet. It may be mentioned here that the Directors’ Union had also condemned the CIFF and have decided to boycott the event.

TAMIL CINEMA HAS THE ‘BRIDGE’ FIGURED OUT!

Beginning today, the Chennai International Film Festival (CIFF) provides a great opportunity for the cinema buffs to expose themselves to world cinema. The CIFF or any international film festival for that matter has never been a forum that attracts too much regular viewership. It is mostly seen as an elitist platform where film makers and intellectuals interact in jargon that is way above the head of the cinema buff. But, one believes that this time, it can be different for Chennai and Tamil cinema.

Reason; you only have to look at the list of Tamil films that have been entered in the competition section of the festival. You can easily be forgiven for thinking that it is the nomination list for the 2011 Filmfare Awards. In a way it’s true; if Filmfare were to draw a list of the films that would make the cut in next year’s awards ceremony, it wouldn’t look much different from the current CIFF manifesto.

Aadukalam, Ko, Deivathirumagal, Azhagarsaamiyin Kudhirai, Avan Ivan, Engeyum Eppodhum, Muran, Thoonga Nagaram, Vaagai Sooda Vaa; these are the prominent features on the list. Reading this list for the first time is a pleasant surprise for anyone who has followed cinema for some time. Usually, during the CIFF, we would come across names of certain Tamil films which we had never heard of before. Those unknown and unheralded films would be the torchbearers of Tamil cinema in Chennai’s very own film festival. That told us a lot about the sharp commercial-art divide that existed in Tamil cinema, or Indian cinema for that matter.

Looking at the list this year, we have to admit that Tamil cinema, has almost cracked the code of unifying commercial and art cinema into one stream; good cinema. The names that feature in the competition section of the CIFF are also amongst the top box office hits of the year. Ko, perhaps the most popular movie of the year (in spite of not being the third highest grossing film of all time), the highly loved Aadukalam, the acclaimed Engeyum Eppodhum are all proof of the fact that Tamil cinema has created a strong bridge over the imaginary ford that separated commercialism and art. The only movies in the competition category this year that can be called box office duds are perhaps Varnam, Vengayam and Maithaanam. But, of course, these were films made primarily to convey a message more than anything else.

The biggest grosser also being the most critically acclaimed is one of the rarest of rare occurrences in world cinema. Even the Oscars only rarely go to global superhits, they are usually reserved for the intellectual and arty works like The King’s Speech. It is in this context that Tamil cinema presents an overwhelming majority of box office hits in the competition section.

This says quite a few things; the development of Tamil film makers into experts who know how to strike a balance between commerce and cinema. But, even more important is the development of Tamil audiences who have made it a habit of never letting down worthy efforts. This has fostered a healthy and confident cinema culture wherein producers can bravely invest in ventures that promise different and high quality fare. A few years back one wonders whether a film like Azhagarsaamiyin Kudhirai would have found decent release centres. In today’s environment, it is seen as an exciting release. That transformation is wonderful to see-the result of a fruitful symbiosis between conscientious film makers and a sensitive audience.

No other film festival in India this year has so much commercial cinema representation in its competition section. That says a lot about Tamil cinema’s development. Even Malayalam cinema that seemed to have the commercial-art bridge figured out a few years back has fallen behind now. The International Film Festival at Trivandrum featured many Malayalam films that could not get decent theatrical releases. Tamil cinema in contrast, looks to be in excellent health.

But, there is one sore point. The screening of Deivathirumagal and Muran at the international film festival! We know that these films have been adapted quite plainly from Hollywood films, I am Sam and Strangers on a Train respectively; that too without credit for the concept or story being given to the original makers. Really, one finds it difficult to imagine how an educated foreign audience would feel when Deivathirumagal and Muran are presented as Indian films at the festival. Not sure what that would do to Tamil cinema’s reputation.

Magistrate hears case against Stalin

The XXIII Metropolitian Magistrate in Saidapet heard the statement given by N Seshadri Kumar. In the statement Seshadri made it clear that former deputy chief minister M K Stalin, his son Udayanidhi Stalin, Srinivas, P Venugopal Reddu, Raj Shankar and Subba Reddy forced him to part with his 6000 sft property located at Cenotaph Road in Teynampet in the year 2010.

The land was sold to Venugopal Reddy and the registration was done in Seshadri’s house under the supervision of sub-registrars Paul Pandi and Hariharan both of whom were promoted as registrar in Madurai and deputy inspector general of registrations respectively. The magistrate also collected statements from the registrars.

All in All Azhagu Raja Karthi

	Reports from the tinsel town say that Karthi’s upcoming flick which is to be directed by M Rajesh has been titled All in All Azhagu Raja. The star is busy completing Saguni, directed by debutant Shankar Dayal and will shift his focus to a film that Suraaj is to wield the megaphone for. Detailed reports about M Rajesh’s project are expected as soon he completes the work on Oru Kal Oru Kannadi, which will mark the debut of producer Udhayanidhi Stalin.

MAYAKKAM ENNA IS A WORTH-SEEING PICTURE

Coming together after four years, with chartbusting music and amidst a lot of hype, Selva and Dhanush try to capture your attention to an extent. I believe its the latter who finally succeeded.

“Mayakkam Enna” is a worth-seeing picture which might not be liked by a majority of Indian audience (who still need to grow up to a movie like this). Its not a path breaking movie like many of Selva’s earlier attempts  but its definitely a decent effort. The problem is that we tend to expect something extraordinary from a director like Selva (just like we did with A R Murugdoss unfortunately).

Mayakkam Enna is a story of Karthick (Dhanush) who is an aspiring photographer and Yamini (Richa), and his friends for the first half. Yamini is introduced as the girlfriend of Sundar(Sundar) , a friend of Karthick. The lead starts off with some tussles eventually turning into a forbidden love. Even though it begins as a love triangle (clichéd) story eventually it takes a deeper dive into the emotions of human kind post interval. These post interval scenes are the strong points as well as the weak ones for the movie. The narration takes through the journey of Karthick in his quest of success (in photography) in his life and how Yamini stands a strong support in his rough times. It ends with a clichéd climax ( I didn’t expect this from you Selva

The lead pair is a revelation in the acting department. Dhanush gets gelled well into the character that we at times forget he is just acting (but sometimes it reminds us of his older acts too). Richa is the actual protagonist in this movie. I’d say that it was Richa who blew me off with her expressions more than Dhanush. The supporting characters are where Selva seemed to have gone wrong. While some were really good others didn’t just grab my attention.

The storyline is good but it has been stretched to an extent that it tires us after a point. This could have been easily narrated in less than an hour. Dialogues seemed forced at places and are not spontaneous at all (The artists take their own time in speaking their dialogues). Some songs are misplaced and others seem forcibly added. Kadhal En kadhal was a disappointment on screen. Voda voda was creative but falls short coz of bad CG. This reminds me of how much I hate Selva’s newfound habit( a bad one too) of using unnecessary CG (computer graphics) – note: amateurish – in many a scenes.

On the whole, not a bad movie, but considering the hype and buzz that it created before its release, and track history of Selva-Dhanush, I expected more ( ps: a lot more). Watch it for the lead pair’s acting nothing else.

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THE 2011 TAMIL CINEMA AWARDS

As the year ends, it’s time for top tens and awards again! Now here is a list of my personal favorites. Do let me know your views and comments

1. Best lead actor- Male :    Vikram   (For Deivathirumagal)

2. Best lead actor- Female:    Anjali   (For Engeyum Eppodhum)

3. Best actor - In a negative role:    V. I. S. Jayabalan   (For Aadukalam)

4. Best debutante lead actor - Male:    Sharvanand   (For Engeyum Eppodum)

5. Best debutante lead actor - Female:    Richa Gangopadhyay   (For Mayakkam Enna)

6. Most popular actor :   Ajith Kumar   (For Mankatha)

7. Best actor in a supporting role- Male :  Shared by Sampath Raj  (For Aaranyakandam)  and Jayaprakash  (For Yudham Sei)

8. Best actor in a supporting role - Female :  Lakshmi Ramakrishnan  (For Yudham Sei)

9. Best Comedian :  Santhanam   (For Kandaen)

10. Best original screenplay :  Vetri Maaran  (For Aadukalam)

11. Best cinematography :   P. S. Vinod  (For Aaranyakandam)

12. Best editor :  Gagin  (For Yudham Sei)

13. Best director :  Mysskin   (For Yudham Sei)

14. Best debutante director :   Shared by Thiagarajan Kumaraja  (For Aaranyakandam ) and  M. Saravanan (For Engeyum Eppodhum)

15. Best original background score : Yuvan Shankar Raja (For Aaranya Kandam)

16. Best music director : G.V. Prakash (For Aadukalam and Mayakkam Enna)

17.  Best art director : Seenu (For Vaagai Sooda Vaa)

18. Best lyricist :  Vairamuthu ( For the track 'Sara sara saara kaathu' from Vaagai Sooda Vaa)

19. Best Male playback singer :  G.V. Prakash (For the track 'Yathe yathe' from Aadukalam)

20. Best Female playback singer :  Chinmayi  (For the track 'Sara sara saara kaathu' from Vaagai Sooda Vaa)

21. Best choreographer :  Dinesh Kumar  (For the track 'Otha sollala' from Aadukalam)
22. Best costume designer :   Vasuki Bhaskar  (For Mankaatha)

23. Best stunt director  :   Action Prakash (For Yuddham Sei)

24. Best special effects (CG) :           For the movie 'Aadukalam'

25. Best crew :   For the movie 'Aaranyakandam'

26. Best movie  :  Aaranyakandam.

AMRI hospital tragedy in Kolkata: Toll rises to 89, owners arrested

KOLKATA: The death toll in the AMRI hospital fire in Kolkata has increased to 89. Meanwhile, noted industrialists SK Todi, RS Goenka and four other directors of the hospital have been arrested and booked for several non-bailable offences, said the police. "Six directors of the AMRI hospital have been arrested today in connection with the fire tragedy. Those arrested include SK Todi, RS Goenka and Ravi Todi. They have been booked for several non-bailable offences, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder," joint commissioner of police (Crime) Damayanti Sen said. SK Todi is the chairman of the Shrachi Group while RS Goenka is the chairman of the Emami Group. They had co-founded the hospital, located in the fairly upscale Dhakuria neighbourhood, in 1996 along with the West Bengal government. Of the six people arrested, only SK Todi had surrendered at the police headquarters here, Sen said. Among the dead are 70 patients and three staff of the multistoreyed private hospital which turned into a towering inferno in the early morning hours. The bodies of the other victims are being identified. The fire spread fast from the basement of the hospital, engulfing one ward after the other and trapping hundreds of people. While many patients died of burns, several others died due to suffocation caused by carbon monoxide accumulation all over the building. About 50 bodies have been sent to the SSKM Hospital where post mortem has already been conducted on 42 bodies. The tragedy unfolded over many hours as patients were suffocated to death, some trapped in their beds, others dying in their sleep, too infirm to escape the smoke. The lucky few were brought down the side of the four-storey glass facade building, only six years old, using ropes and ladders as thousands looked on in horror. The worst affected were the ICU patients who did not die of burns but due to asphyxiation. Experts have said that since the hospital building is surrounded by a glass facade, the accumulated gas could not escape causing so many deaths. Had there been an escape route for the gas, many deaths could have been prevented.

Through the morning, a steady stream of patients, blackened by soot, were brought out while enraged relatives and locals vented their ire at the state and hospital administration.

"What's the use of coming now? He is already dead. All are dead. The administration is hopeless, useless," shouted Pradeep Sarkar. His father-in-law had been admitted there Thursday night with a heart ailment.

He said the sky lift came only around 7 am.

"They (firemen) came with manual ladders. Had the sky lift come earlier, many people could have been saved. There are around 160 patients inside. All are dead...so is my father-in-law," said an anguished Sarkar. Till late in the day the hospital looked like a morgue as bodies lay in rows, waiting to be sent to the SSKM Hospital for post mortem. Wails of relatives filled the air as they helplessly went looking among the bodies trying to identify their loved ones. Some sat staring at the bodies, while some repeatedly tried to wake them up from their everlasting sleep. Fire department officials were seen rescuing some bodies from the upper storeys. These bodies were tied up in ropes and sent down in pulleys. Many relatives of patients who were still reported to be alive and sent to other hospitals of the city, complained that they were getting confusing information about where these patients were sent.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee rushed to the spot, but only stoked the rage of the people, leading to a near-stampede and police resorting to batons. "Because Mamata is here, the ambulances cannot go towards the annexe building. Please ask her to shift to another road," shouted a distraught relative of a victim. Banerjee tried to cool things down and shouted at police but it was of little help. She went near the relatives and said 40 bodies have been kept at the SSKM Hospital. "Police will take you there. They will escort you there by forming a barricade around you."

The chief minister said photos of the unidentified victims would be displayed outside the SSKM morgue. "After identification, we will send the bodies in hearses to their homes." The hospital has announced a compensation of Rs five lakh to families of the deceased. In addition to this the centre and the state governments have also announced separate compensation packages. This is the second major fire in Kolkata in 20 months after the March 23, 2010 blaze at the landmark British-era Stephen Court in the heart of the bustling Park Street claimed 43 lives.

The hospital has two other blocks in the complex.

நண்பன் படத்தில் பில்லா 2 ட்ரெய்லர் தல-தளபதி அதிரடி முடிவு!

வரும் தைத்திருநாளில் நண்பன் படம் வெளியாகும் என இயக்குனர் ஷங்கர் தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.
விஜய் ,ஸ்ரீகாந்த் ,ஜீவா நடிப்பில் உருவாகியிருக்கும் நண்பன் படத்தின் இடைவெளியில் பில்லா 2 டிரெய்லர் ஒளிபரப்ப படும் என்று அஜித்தும் விஜய்யும் முடிவு செய்துள்ளனர்.
தல தளபதி இருவரும் நல்ல நண்பர்கள்.அதேபோல் ரசிகர்கள் இருவரும் நல்ல நண்பர்களாக இருக்க வேண்டும் என்பது அவர்களின் ஆசை.ரசிகர்கள் இருவரும் இணைந்து செயல்பட வேண்டும் என்று தெரிவித்திருக்கிறார்.

Historical happening which vil happen only once in the year . . .

Karthik Govin: "Old man" Sehwag surpasses mentor Tendulkar

Karthik Govin: "Old man" Sehwag surpasses mentor Tendulkar: Tendulkar, who hit 200 not out against South Africa in Gwalior in February 2010, was among the first batch of Indian cricketers to leav...

"Old man" Sehwag surpasses mentor Tendulkar

Tendulkar, who hit 200 not out against South Africa in Gwalior in February 2010, was among the first batch of Indian cricketers to leave for the team's Australia tour.Sehwag fiercely cut an Andre Russell delivery for the most memorable of the 25 fours he hit on Thursday as Indore's Holkar Cricket Stadium went into a delirium.One of the few batsmen considered capable of hitting 200 in one-dayers, Sehwag punched air before hugging batting partner Rohit Sharma. He then took the helmet off to acknowledge the cheers from the hollering fans.One male supporter even managed to sprint on to the ground with a bouquet and tried to present it to a bemused Sehwag before being escorted out."Everybody was expecting me to score a double hundred and I think I lived (up to the) expectation," a visibly tired Sehwag said at the innings break, happy to have made the most of the perfect batting conditions."Whenever I wanted to hit a ball, I hit into the gaps and it went for four. Whenever I wanted to hit a six, I just tried to hit it with a straight bat," said the opener with perhaps the most uncomplicated batting philosophy."I was telling myself and Gautam Gambhir that if we batted with a little patience, we could score a big one here."Fortune also favoured the brave opener in his pursuit of the milestone.Sehwag survived a run-out chance when he was on 20 and could have been dismissed on 170 as well but his opposite number Darren Sammy, running from extra cover, dropped an easy catch off Ravi Rampaul.When Sammy dropped my catch, I thought God is with me and God is telling me 'just bat until 45th-46th over and you will achieve your 200'," said Sehwag, one of the most devastating batsman in contemporary cricket.Sehwag took 41 balls to reach his half-century and needed 28 more to score his 15th ODI century.Sehwag scored his previous highest ODI score of 175 against Bangladesh in the Feb 19 World Cupmatch in Dhaka."I'm very tired because I'm a 33-year-old. I'm an old man and my back and glutes are tight," Sehwag said.His 150 came off 112 balls and by the time Kieron Pollard ended his 149-ball batting pyrotechnics studded with seven sixes, Sehwag had entered the record book after a breath-taking knock that left him drained.Sehwag has come a long way since his early days when he was called a "Tendulkar-clone" and the 33-year-old struck a blazing 219 against West Indies to surpass his mentor in his 240th one-day international.

How our brain helps us remain focussed

Scientists have discovered mechanisms that facilitate our brain to focus, by successfully directing only pertinent information to perceptual brain regions, a new study has suggested.

The study by researchers at RIKEN Brain Science Institute (BSI) provide valuable insights on how our brains achieve such focus and on how this focus can be disrupted, suggesting new ways of presenting information that augment the brain’s natural focal capabilities.

Our brain achieves the ability to focus attention basically due to two distinct processes, referred to as ‘sensitivity enhancement’ and ‘efficient selection’ Sensitivity enhancement corresponds to improvements in how neurons in the cortex represent sensory information like sounds and lights, similar to the volume control or reception control on a television set. Efficient selection is more like a filter, routing important sensory information to higher-order perceptual areas of the brain while suppressing disruptions from irrelevant information.

With their research, Justin Gardner and colleagues set out to put these hypotheses to the test and determine which of them plays a dominant role in perception. To do so, they measured brain activity using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while human subjects either focused their attention on a single visual location, or distributed their attention across multiple locations. To evaluate results, they used computational models about how brain signals should change based on how well subjects were able to focus their attention.

What they found was that the computational model that best captured the brain activity in the human subjects was the one in which sensory signals were efficiently selected. The model also made a prediction about what kind of stimuli are particularly disruptive to our ability to focus, suggesting that signals which evoke high neural activity are preferentially passed on to perceptual areas of the brain: stimuli with high contrast that evoke large sensory responses, such as flashing lights or loud noises, can thus disrupt our ability to focus.

While shedding light on the origins of perception, the results also hint at new ways of presenting information that capitalize on increasing neural activity to help our brains focus, promising applications in the development of critical information display technologies. The findings also offer insights into the causes of common attention-related disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Cart of design

Through his giant installations in New Delhi, Alex Davis remembers the roadside automobile workshops, which were once a significant part of the streetscape but now on their way out.

Factors such as the medium or discipline can hardly be deterrents to a creative expression. At the central is the idea which must be explored and communicated weaving a unique visual vocabulary. Alex Davis straddles the world of design and art with ease because his mind and hands are adept at both. “At some point design and art merge. If you look at the history of art, there were no distinctions. Earlier, artists were doing different things, they were designers, engineers etc.,” says Delhi-based Davis. Art, he says, offers him a more personal space and creative independence.

He is now showcasing his latest set of art works in the Capital in a solo presented by the Apparao Galleries called “Dented and Painted”. The artist like so many others has taken a recourse to the streets of India to create five sculptures that takes one back to the narrow alleys, roadside workshops and anonymous workers. |

Dying craft

“The whole idea of cutting a metal sheet into small parts and then melding them together fascinates me. It's all handwork. The layering of colours is also very interesting. You can easily see through these layers, the worn out colours and different layers, the patina of aging…” elaborates Davis, who through this collection pays a tribute to the dying craft of denting and painting automotives. The slick and technology-laced car service stations have sounded the death knell for the roadside workshops.

Davis uses the popular signs and symbols, motifs taken from the back of the trucks, auto rickshaws to recreate the smells and sights of our streets through giant installations of signs like OK, STOP and lotus motifs. Sheet metal, high gloss, paint finishes are the material used to make the works. Ironically, the pieces whose inspiration lies in the streets, in everyday lives, are not being displayed at a public space but at a very exclusive plush hotel, The Aman in Lodi Road. “As much as I would like to put them up in a public space and even if they are metallic, they still need some kind of protection. Also, a gallery like Visual Arts Gallery isn't easily available and not for long durations,” clarifies Davis, who has had his last three shows in VAG. The artist is in talks with the Delhi Government for some public art projects. He also runs a chic design store with his partner Pankaj Verma called the Indi store in Shahpur Jat.

(The exhibition is on at the Apparao Galleries, The Aman, Lodi Road till January end)

Kolaveri makes it to Time magazine

Anirudh, who is making his debut as a music director with 3, couldn't have asked for a better start to his Kollywood career.For Why This Kolaveri Di, the very first song of his first film, has now started winning awards, after having taken the nation by storm.Yes, Kolaveri has just won the YouTube Gold award,which is presented to viral videos from across the world.Beams Anirudh,"It is true. The record label has received official intimation.I don't know if they will have a function to present the award but yes,Kolaveri has been chosen for the award."And that's not all. An article on the song, the lyrics of which have been penned by Dhanush, has also been featured in this edition of the Time magazine.

Get Anirudh to react to this piece of information and he smiles yet again. "I'm not sure about this fact but someone I know told me that it is after 20 years after it featured a story on Roja that the magazine is running such a story again," says Anirudh. Roja? The similarities are hard to miss. Will he turn out to be another Rahman and Anirudh responds immediately, "Oh no, Rahman sir is my inspiration. I will happily retire if I manage to accomplish even five per cent of what Rahman sir has achieved. I'm just one song old and have a long way to go." the song's success has lifted the spirits of the entire team of 3.Tweeted Dhanush, "To all my north Indian Kolaveri fans, thanks for receiving a Tamil song with a warm heart and making it a global song. God bless."

Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/regional/kolaveri-makes-it-to-time-magazine-156299&cp

Anna may go ahead with Sunday sit-in

NEW DELHI: Social worker Anna Hazare, who has been struggling for the setting up of the Lokpal to tackle corruption, may launch another agitation at Jantar Mantar in the Capital on Sunday.

The crusader appeared determined to launch his stir with a day-long dharna at Jantar Mantar on Sunday.

"They (the government) were telling us to honour Parliament. The same Parliament has passed a resolution. Why are you not honouring it? Why do you want it (lower bureaucracy) to be left to the states?" Hazare said in his village.

But Hazare appeared to have relented on the inclusion of the prime minister in the ambit of the Lokpal.

Google: India asked us to drop over 250 items between January-June

Google has received government requests for removal of 358 items from its services, including YouTube and Orkut, during the January-June period, according to a report by the Internet search giant.
     As many as 255 item removal requests cited the government criticism as the reason, said the Google Transparency Report.The government had asked Google to remove 236 items from Orkut and 19 items from YouTube for the same reason, it added.
     Other reasons include defamation (39 requests), privacy and security (20 requests), impersonation (14 requests), hate speech (8 requests), pornography (3 requests) and national security (1 request).

     As much as 51 per cent of the total requests were partially or fully complied with, the report said.
     The information assumes significance in the backdrop of the raging controversy over the screening of content on social networking sites. Communications and IT Minister Kapil Sibal has asked them to screen derogatory, defamatory andinflammatory content about political leaders and religion.
     The report added that "we declined the majority of these requests and only locally restricted videos that  appeared to violate local laws  prohibiting speech that could  incite
enmity between communities".
According to the report, Orkut topped the list of products for which content/item removal requests were received with 264 requests.
     Google received requests from the state and the local law enforcement agencies to remove YouTubevideos that displayed protests against social leaders or used offensive language in reference to religious leaders, the report said "In addition, we received a request from a local law enforcement agency to remove 236 communities and profiles from Orkut (Google's social networking site) that were critical of
a local politician. We did not comply with this request, since the content did not violate our community standards or local law," it said.During the January-June period, Google received 1,739 user data requests, which are governments requests for disclosure of user data from Google accounts or services. In
addition, 2,439 users/account data access requests were made.
    Google report stated that 70 per cent of the data requests have been fully or partially compiled with.
     The number of requests we receive for user account information as part of criminal investigations has increased year after year. The increase is not surprising, since each
year we offer more products and services, and we have a larger number of users," the report said.

Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/india-asked-google-to-drop-255-items-for-govt-criticism-8-for-hate-speeches-156445?pfrom=home-lateststories&cp