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The Hindu : Virtual MechanicCar and bike questions? We have the answersI have a family of four and we plan to buy the Mahindra Logan. We will use the car for 500-600km per month and within the city. What is your assessment about Logan? We understand that there is lot of space at the rear and the boot is larger. We have already experienced the Maurti Esteem and Ford Ikon and the mileage/performance has not been very satisfactory. How are Logan’s mileage, pulling power etc? Our budget is Rs 5.5 to 6 lakhs.S SrinathThe Logan is a capable car. The only downside is its boxy styling. If you can overlook that, you will find that it is very spacious and comfortable and has good high-speed manners. The engines are just about adequate and the diesel makes the most sense. The diesel delivers excellent fuel economy while the petrols are comparable to the other cars in the segment. Expect around 13.5kpl and 19kpl from the diesel for city and highway cycles respectively and for the petrol the same figures would be 9.9kpl and 13.4kpl. For your running, the petrol makes more sense, go for the Logan.I want to buy a car and my budget is Rs 2-3 lakh. I will use the car for an average of 500km per month. I want a car with good mileage and looks. I also want a vehicle that offers low maintenance costs, adequate safety features and comfort. Kindly suggest suitable options.Akram PashaAt your budget, you have the Alto and the Indica Xeta. The Alto is reliable, more fuel efficient and has low maintenance costs. But the Indica is bigger, more comfortable and solid than the Alto. We would suggest the Indica. It is bigger but it may suffer from niggling issues.I want to buy a new car and my budget is Rs 3-5 lakh. My priorities are good mileage, low maintenance costs…More

The Hindu : In a multi-lingual film “Lucky”, sharing the lead along with the actors, a South African AIDS orphan and an old woman, is a compact audio cassette. For the boy, the only remembrance of his mother is her lullaby recorded in the cassette. In the end, as the lullaby from the cassette fills the air, the old woman rocks the boy to sleep on her lap. And, he gets a new mother.Building bonds is nothing new to the no-frills audio cassettes. And, playing cupid? It comes so easily. In “Dil to Pagal Hai”, when Pooja is still undecided about expressing her love for Rahul, magic happens in the form of her recorded message. And, the love story ends on a happy note.Fond memoriesCaught in a world of e-sounds and the paraphernalia of i-pods, MP3s and CDs, audio cassettes are now a thing of a past.But for music lovers, listening to audio cassettes is a different trip down memory lane. Call it old world charm or nostalgia, they love it. For young music director Dharan, the first thing that comes to his mind at the mention of cassettes is “Pudhu Vellai Mazhai” from “Roja”. “What an extraordinary composition. After ‘Roja’, I don’t remember listening to any songs on cassettes,” he adds.Along with Dharan’s collection of some 1,000 audio cassettes of old English country songs, classical, jazz, blues, and the Bee Gees of the 70s and 80s, there are a whole lot of cassettes with tunes he composed and recorded on a Sony tape recorder in his school days. “Though I have transferred all the music to CDs, listening to my raw compositions on cassettes is a different experience,” he says.Music lovers say the fading out act of cassettes was gradual. But, in the last three years, it has been drastic. “Today, the takers are just a handful of the older generation and homemakers who find it difficult…More

The Hindu : When Tata’s engineers were creating the new Tata Sumo Grande, they were told that the objective was simple; put the Sumo back on the map as a family car that is quite suitable to drive within the confines of an urban jungle. Despite the fact that the Sumo was popular at one time; intense competition, improved standard of living and rise in people’s expectations did not work in favour of the Sumo and it stopped doing as well. It proved to be too basic for family transport with its bus-like seats and the underpowered, naturally-aspirated motor.Despite face-lifts and changes, the Sumo failed to make an impact and Tata realised that a more thorough reworking of the vehicle needs to be done. And, from what we can tell about the Sumo Grande given its specifications is that Tata has managed to make a significant change. The design is impressive in the flesh, there’s plenty of space including the very useable third row and, as ever with a Tata car, it is great value.The Grande’s clean-cut, fresh design gives it a contemporary look that is a generation ahead of its predecessor. Styled in the U.K. by the Concept Group, the Grande was designed to look modern. Tata has maintained the SUV-like two-box look, bonnet and passenger cabin. The lines that flow along the body of the vehicle make it attractive as does the ‘V’-shaped grille, flowing bumper and front wheel arch.Design changeThe boxiness of the old Sumo is still there though owing to the vertical A-pillar and upright rear. Tata’s designers wanted to move away from the hardcore off-roader looks but as a result, the Grande ends up looking a touch slab-like. Check out the very subtle rear bumper and the spare that has been moved to the underbody. What these changes do accomplish is that they give the Grande the appearance of a cross between an…More

The Hindu : Cartoon Network have partnered with 3P Learning, an online mathematics learning centre for school-aged students to promote World Maths Day on March 5, a unique web-based event where students from across the globe contest with each other to solve mental arithmetic problems in a fun, multi-player game environment.Cartoon Network will help promote World Maths Day across its networks in India, Australia/New Zealand and South East Asia, to enable World Maths Day to achieve its vision of becoming the ‘Olympics of Education’. To be held online on March 5, the event will cater to 5-18 year olds in a set of 60-second age-specific Maths challenges. Students can log on towww.worldmathsday.com to register and start taking Maths challenges in time for World Maths Day.Launched only last year, World Maths Day 2007 witnessed a phenomenal participation from over 286,392 students representing 1,297 schools from 98 countries, including India….More

The Hindu : Thosewho prefer to cross the bridge only when the bridge comes should stay away from “High on Life”. For the rest, Siddharth Banerjee’s just-released debut book can be a roadmap for successful living, with a host of real-life experiences on why not to do certain things in a certain way.Published by Wisdom Tree, “High on Life” at less than 100 pages, is easy to carry and fast to finish.What you could gain from Banerjee’s book is a posy of smart tips in a tightly-knit package pertaining to arange of lifestyle-related subjects, from home improvement to weekend planning,smart socialising to marriage mantras, and more.Says a friendly Banerjee, “The most important secret behind leading a successful life is planning it.” And how to do it the suitable way can be your call with some lessons to learn from his little book, he adds gleefully.The Mumbai-based Banerjee cites his own case to substantiatewhy he ended up writing a book like “High on Life”. The debut author works for Unilever, has to live out of his suitcase too often in a year, has a career woman as a wife and children to raise. “People like us are growing in numbers. We not only have a demanding careers but demanding relationships too. Then there are money matters,” he states.“There are many issues that we came across for the first time and didn’t know how to handle them. During my travels and in my day-to-day interactions, I came across similar experiences. So, my wife and I thought, why not we come out with a book weaving in others’ and our experiences into it,” explains Banerjee, an MBA. It took him four years though, to collect “these experiences to make many people’s life easier”.The author categorically states, “This book is for those between 20 and 30 years. It is informally written, user-friendly and has the so-called gyan for a successful daily life.”Having…More

The Hindu : There are some 1200 of them. All in dilapidated condition, overrun by stray dogs and goats, and home to vagabonds too. Dark and unattended, they make a safe haven for gambling, card playing, drinking and other dubious pastimes, because approaching them requires more than the usual effort one would make to see a tourist site. Yes, these are monuments of Delhi — or rather, “hidden monuments,” as author Rakshanda Jalil describes them — obscured by apathy. Says Rakshanda, whose “Invisible City, The Hidden Monuments of Delhi” has just been released, taking pictures of the monuments was difficult, with the photographers’ clothes getting entangled in wild bushes and their feet stuck in mud.Yet those responsible for locking up these pieces of architectural heritage, citing ‘renovation’ or ‘preservation’, are sleeping over the consequences.It is to awaken their consciences that she wrote the book, which covers 49 such monuments.Detailed textIronically the publication, brought out by Niyogi Books, reveals an apathy towards pictorial content, with small pictures and a lack of detail. The text, nonetheless, is detailed and palatable enough to entice readers to pay a visit.A few hilarious, colourful illustrations, mocking at their status today, add to the attraction of the book.Divided intoseven short sections: Pre-Sultanate, Sultanate, Tughlaq, Saiyyid, Lodi, Mughal and post-Mughal, the book carries aforeword by Khushwant Singh andmaps and index.It provides quick facts about the monuments, their surroundings, genesis and current conditions.The idea to come up with such a book germinated three years ago when the author went with her five year-old child to visitAgrasen Ki Baoli,believed to be a pre-Lodi monument, off Hailey Lane in Connaught Place.“It was so difficult to enter the site navigating through the streets. But onceinside, I was almost scared by its eerie silence and little signs of life. It didn’t even seem advisable to go there alone or with children. Many such monuments that I visited are homes to…More

The Hindu : The Scooty has been a beloved vehicle that has also been around for a long time. With time, it has evolved from the two-stroke it used to be to an almost 100cc four-stroke. Though the design has been worked on and modified, the feminine appeal remains. This year, TVS is going to launch several new models among which, is the new-gen Scooty. Most manufacturers are pumping up the displacement levels on their vehicle in order to feed the testosterone-driven population. TVS is unique as unlike the rest, it is offering a product that will appeal to one’s head and a few feminine hearts. Called the Teenz EV (EV stands for Electric Vehicle); the new-gen Scooty is the small scoot with a big name. The Teenz EV pushes itself and the rider forward with its 800W hub-mounted motor rated at 500 rpm powered by four 12V/ 20Ah batteries situated under the seat. Though this engine puts out 3.4 kgm of torque it does not result in as much pulling power as one would expect. Even riding solo, crossing intersections needed a lot of planning; looking several glances back and forth, and on one occasion, I even did a little legwork to avoid a car that didn’t slow down.A switch that changes the battery range between high, medium and low is located where one would find the starter on a more conventional motorcycle. This can be confusing, especially for people used to the TVS’ ‘power’ and ‘economy’ modes.Different rangesThe Scooty had different ranges instead of modes and these work in a contrary manner; high range means least power. High range on the EV takes it to a speedo-indicated top speed of 20kph. Medium range can push you to approximately 30kph, and you could choose to top out at 40kph in low range. Staying in high range will see you through a respectable 50km on a full recharge…More

The Hindu : Almost a decade ago when Palash Sen and his pals of Euphoria rocked the nation with their chart topping debut album “Dhoom”, it marked the beginning of a new chapter in Indian rock ’n’ roll.After three studio albums and a hit single, Euphoria is still India’s most loved rock act. In fact Euphoria has managed to find their own ground in a country dominated by classical and Bollywood music with their fusion based folk-rock sound.Lead singer Dr. Palash Sen, the main reason behind Euphoria’s success was recently in town to judge the regional finals of a reality show organised by one of the cities top radio stations to find the next big Hindi band in the country.Palash, who will play mentor to the winning band, feels that a band can only be successful if it connects with its audience and if the band has a good leader.This chanteur who has earned quite a reputation for himself as a judge in reality shows with Channel V Popstars and Sab TV’s Fame X, says: “This is my only chance to give something back to the industry which has given me so much and I am not willing to waste such an opportunity.” Palash, who literally struggled to shortlist the final bands for the Bangalore regional rounds, claims “Shows like this always portray the magnitude of talented bands left untapped and these bands should utilise a platform like this to showcase their talent and get a head-start into the industry.”Redefining soundEuphoria has always managed to redefine their sound of western rock mixed with Indian instruments like the tabla, sitar and dholak and is all set to release its first ever compilation album titled “Re-Dhoom” which consists of the best 10 Euphoria tracks over the past decade.With their inspiration ranging from Pink Floyd and Poison to Shubha Mudgal, Euphoria as a band has always been an advocate of original…More

The Hindu : A book worth banning is worth reading. This is almost a norm religiously followed by book-lovers across the globe. Disturbing footages of Taslima Nasreen being persecuted and chased out of Kolkata are fresh in the public mind. The incident brings into sharp focus all literary greats who have been either banned or bullied around for one reason or the other. Sasi Sutrala, a member of Bookwormz Club could not stop himself from procuring the writer’s banned book “Lajja.” “The moment word is out about a banned book, the sale of that book shoots up within no time,” points out Janaki, a voracious reader herself. Classics in English literature like “Canterbury Tales” by Chaucer or “Lady Chatterley’s Lover” have been included on the banned list. Strangely even “Little Red Riding Hood” and “Black Beauty” have been condemned. Talk of banned books and not to mention Salman Rushdie’s fourth novel “The Satanic Verses” (1988) is almost impossible. Faced with death threats and a fatwa, the writer spent nearly a decade largely underground.Supriya, a teenager, and a die-hard Potter fan protests against the call for a ban on the Harry Potter series. “Potter mania is worldwide and it is ridiculous to seek its ban. If fiction is taken for reality, then the censors need to rethink what is right or wrong.”HARJEET KAUR ALLAGH…More

The Hindu : The Oscars for outstanding film achievements were presented on Sunday evening at the 80th Annual Academy Awards, Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, and Hollywood royalty radiated in glamorous gowns and amazing diamonds.The most mesmerising diamond look of the evening was showcased by Oscar presenter, Nicole Kidman, who lit up the stage in an extraordinary Forevermark rough and polished diamond sautoir necklace designed by L’Wren Scott, containing a total of 7,645 diamonds, and totalling nearly 1,400 carats. Oscar winner Marion Cotillard, with Keri Russell and Jennifer Garner were just a few of the other leading ladies to debut the return of major diamond statement necklaces. Jessica Alba, Anne Hathaway and Helen Mirren all shined brilliantly in attention-grabbing diamond earrings, in an assortment of styles. While Amy Ryan, Jennifer Hudson, Olivia Thirlby, and other starlets all modelled the perfect pairing of dazzling diamond drop earrings and diamond bracelets….More