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The Hindu : Virtual MechanicCar and bike questions? We have the answersI plan to buy a spacious 7-8 seater SUV within a Rs. 12 lakh budget. As I travel close to 7,000km a month, I would prefer a diesel-engined car. Please recommend a buy.Sanjay GuptaFor your needs, the Toyota Innova makes perfect sense. It can seat 7-8 people, is easy to drive and handles more like a car than a MUV. It is also very reliable and will give you good fuel economy. At your budget, you can easily buy the top-end V variant and if you want seven seats, opt for captain seats for the middle row.Will the Maruti SX4 get a diesel engine soon? Is it wise to install an LPG kit on the petrol-engined SX4? I mainly drive in the city.Rishi Raj SinghThere are no plans to introduce a diesel engine in the SX4 in 2008. An LPG kit on the SX4 is feasible but you need to get it installed by an RTO-authorised installer. Look out for brands like Bedini, BRC, Lovato or Tartarini. After an LPG installation, your car will suffer from a slight drop in power. Also, the fuel economy you get from LPG will be slightly lower than you will get from petrol, but the lower cost of fuel will offset this to an extent. Also note the prices of LPG do fluctuate.I am in the market to buy a small car within Rs 5 lakh. My monthly usage will be approximately 750km, 90 per cent of which will be in the city. My priorities are ride quality, driving pleasure and fuel economy. I’ve short-listed the Hyundai i10 Magna and the Suzuki Swift VXi. This will be my first car. Which one would you recommend?RanjeetA bigger car is always nicer to drive, so it’s best you go in for the Swift. It is reliable, has a decent ride (though it is…More

The Hindu : Wishbone Interactive is organising a two-day nature exploration camp.There will be three camps on Gerry Martin’s farm on the outskirts of the city and one at Hunsur near Nagarahole National Park. The three programmes will focus on developing skills that will help children safely explore their natural environs.The children will camp in a fruit orchard that is bordered on one side by a lovely lake with wading birds, fish and a myriad of other aquatic life waiting to be discovered. They will learn how to identify birds from their plumage, flight and shape among others.The adult to child ratio will be 1:5. We will also have a completely stocked medical kit and at least one wilderness medic with us at all times, they add. The adventure is for children in the age group of nine to 16 years on the following days — March 29 to 30, May 3 to 4, 10 to 11 and May 24 to 35. The last date to register is March 14. For details contact Kaushik on 9886169698 or email: wishboneinteractive@gmail.com….More

The Hindu : Bigger is better — let’s make that ‘biggest is best’. Ford agrees, for it has decided to put a bigger three-litre unit that develops 154bhp of power into the Endeavour, up 11bhp from the earlier 2.5-litre motor, which is stillon sale. We never felt that the 2.5-unit was underpowered but obviously Ford feels that with this motor it can leverage the SUV’s macho image and translate that into better sales. This at a time when the new soft-roader diesel, the Chevrolet Captiva, which seats seven, is breathing down its neck. So should you plump for this beefed-up version or is the smaller 2.5-litre engine enough for your needs? Let’s find out.There is a fair amount of clatter when starting from cold, which is typical of a diesel motor, but this subsides into a murmur within minutes, once the engine has warmed up. The stronger performance is evident as soon as you take off.This motor feels more responsive than the smaller 2.5-litre unit. Where the smaller motor becomes lively only after crossing the 2000rpm mark, the bigger 3-litre engine shows urgency right from 1500rpm, which makes driving in the city relatively easier. The TDCi motor is quite happy to rev to its limits and feels flexible and responsive throughout its powerband. The additional power means that hustling this near two-tonne SUV is now an easier task.Dose of powerThe generous dose of power in all gears also ensures that you won’t have to downshift all the time to gain momentum, quite a boon on the highway. The additional power also means that this SUV is a lot brisker now, a fact that is immediately noticeable.The steering is quite accurate and gives the driver a fair amount of confidence. Despite its high proportions and massive bulk, the Endeavour doesn’t rock and sway and in fact feels quite steady. On the downside, the turning circle is huge and parking…More

The Hindu : The Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week 2008 that takes off today sees three Bangalore-based designers scorch the ramp this year — Deepika Govind, Manoviraj Khosla and Raj Shroff and Neetu Gupta of Ravage.Deepika Govind’s WIFW Autumn/Winter ’08 collection is titled “Conference of the Birds, Concert of the Sea”. Using highly textural compositions, self-developed fabrics and innovative silhouettes to translate her ideologies into a fashion story, she presents two collections that bear the imprint of her cause. The spotlight falls on two troubled environments — the silent erosion of the Himalayan eco-system and the destruction of the delicate coral reef. Her collection inspired by the Himalayan bird, has various hues of reds — russet, crimson, scarlet, blacks, coffee brown, dark chocolate, midnight blue while the one dedicated to the coral reef has hues of coral to red, myriad shades of blues and greens. Her strength lies in Ikats, tulle, satin silk, chiffon, tissue silks. Contemporary clothing, fusing strong Western elements on Indian fabrics, stylised tunics with fitted trousers, long jackets mark her collection.Manoviraj Khosla’s collection, “Retro in 2009”, which is his Autumn/ Winter ’08/’09 collection is a men’s wear line based on turning the look of men’s wear from yesterday to tomorrow. It has a retro influence, which has been turned into a look for the next season. The collection comprises of denim, leather, synthetic suede and silk linens, which have been put together in the form of jackets, vests, chudidar shaped jeans and pants. Cut work, applique, embroidery, Swarovski crystals, rivets, block printing and texturisation of fabrics with layering, and in some cases burning the fabric make this a trendy, funky, yet functional and wearable collection….More

The Hindu : Anand Patwardhan, one of the most eminent documentary filmmakers in India, and film-activist, was in town as a guest for the Anand Patwardhan Film Festival organized by Manipal Institute of Communication. The maker of one of the most controversial trilogies on communalism in India, spoke to MetroPlus.What made you turn filmmaker?I was 21 years old studying in America on a scholarship. The anti-Vietnam War movement consumed my fellow students and me. The ethos of the 60’s have, in a sense, impacted my thinking forever.‘Ram ke Naam’ on majority communalism made in 1991 gave a strong warning of horrors to follow. What more do you think was necessary to change the horrific circumstances that we have witnessed in the last 20 years?The film was made before the demolition of Babri Masjid. If it had been shown on Doordarshan to a mass audience it may have had some effect on the popular thinking of people. Communalisation back in those days hadn’t reached the peak it has today. Even the Kar-sevaks themselves may have realised that those propagating the ideology of hate are primarily power-hungry and corrupt and have nothing much to do with religion.Your anti nuclear film ‘War and Peace’ extensively documents vulgar forms of nationalism. Must an anti-nuclear stand necessarily oppose the ideals of nationalism or patriotism?In a way yes, at least one must oppose the jingoism that normally passes for nationalism and patriotism because it’s bad for the planet. The world has enough arms to destroy this planet 50 times over. The world has no idea what to do with the enormous nuclear waste it’s producing. You cannot destroy your home like that. And you cannot spend millions on this destruction. In fact, anybody who loves his or her nation should, especially in the sub-continent, be sane enough to use these same funds for the poorest of the poor.For example the cost of one nuclear…More

The Hindu : I am not here to conquer your country or take over a stadium,”says Dave Mustaine when I ask him what he expects of his first tour in India. Little does the founder, frontman, songwriter and guitarist of thrash metal band Megadeth know, that for hordes of metal heads who will gather at Palace Grounds on Friday, a couple of powerful solos from “Holy Wars” or the sheer sight of Mustaine snarling into the mike, is equivalent to being conquered.A telephonic interview with Mustaine, I thought, would mean facing oodles of attitude, considering he is known to be somewhat a “difficult guy”. What I found on the other end of that international call was an intelligent, sensitive and logical talker, who is a tad irritable. He seemed a little cheesed off with some previous interview and wanted to know why he was being “antagonised”.So, what took him so long to come to India? Seemed like a logical question, but perhaps he’s not the right person to answer it, as Mustaine points out. “It’s quite far from where I live, but you should ask your promoters and agents. We aren’t against playing there but then no one’s really called us before,” he explains patiently. Chris Broderick recently replaced Glen Drover on the leads; Mustaine’s convinced that he’s much better than Glen . Megadeth will play everything from “Peace Sells” and “Symphony of Destruction” to the more recent “Sleepwalker”; the set list for Friday seems like a fairly good assortment. . “Now, Chris sounds a lot like Marty Freidman, so we’re playing a lot of the music from when Marty was around. Trust me, this guy’s fantastic on the guitars,” he says. Ask about his frequent line-up changes and he snaps: “Nick Menza lies about having cancer, Poland was hooked onto alcohol, Jeff went out with my fiancé… need I say more?” But the answer lies closer to…More

The Hindu : At the end of the four-hour running time of the final instalment of “The Lord of the Rings”, “The Return of the King”, there were those die-hard Middle Earth fans who did not wish to say goodbye to Frodo and company.Now with a special 12-disc extended version of the trilogy, thanks to Eagle Home Entertainment, one can put off the final goodbyes for a bit. The DVDs feature the three movies, “Fellowship of the Ring” (2001), “The Two Towers” (2002) and “The Return of the King” (2003) with new and extended scenes selected by director Peter Jackson himself.In all, 123 minutes of footage have been added with digital effects to go along. Howard Shore has composed an extra musical score to go with it. The handsomely-produced box set has six discs with the movies and six discs of special features including making-of documentaries.If all this is not enough, there is a super cool carry bag, a brilliant all-star poster and a chance to win a trip for two to New Zealand, a plasma TV or a free DVD worth Rs. 499.Based on J. R. R. Tolkien’s bestselling trilogy, “The Lord of the Rings” follows Frodo, a hobbit, called upon to save Middle Earth from the tyranny of the Dark Lord Sauron.Frodo has to destroy the ring of power in Mount Doom where it was forged while men led by Aragorn, the true heir of Gondor, elves and dwarves make the final stand against the dark forces. Following Frodo and his trusty friend Sam is the confused, two-faced Gollum.The multiple-award-winning (17 Oscars in all) trilogy features the who’s who of the film industry from Cate Blanchet, Elijah Wood and Viggo Mortensen to Sean Bean, Sir Ian Mckellan and Liv Tyler.The box set costs Rs 1,999 and is available at all leading stores across the country….More

The Hindu : Barista Crème has introduced the business breakfast menu. The new menu, say the makers, is designed for the Barista customers with a hectic lifestyle.The breakfast offers a “scrumptious breakfast” in the options of vegetarian and non-vegetarian. The vegetarian platter offers a choice of juice, cheddar cheese toast with hash brown potatoes and baked beans, butter croissant with preserves with coffee or tea. The non vegetarian breakfast comes with eggs to order, hash brown potatoes and baked beans, toast and butter croissant with coffee or tea.The breakfast is priced at Rs. 139. While the coffee and tea comes at Rs. 99….More

The Hindu : Dogfights – The Greatest Air Battles” is being telecast on the History Channel at 9 p.m. The series traces the birth of dog fighting in World War I, and how the interrupter gear allowed machine guns to fire through the propellers creating the first true fighter plane, turning the the sky into an aerial killing field.Today“Dogfights – The First Dogfighters” will be aired. Aces from almost every nation take canvas and wire bi-planes into battle and pioneer new tactics. Werner Voss takes on an entire squadron of British aces and American ace Arthur Raymond Brooks finds himself in the dogfight of his life. State-of-the-art computer graphics, first-hand accounts, rare archival footage and original shooting will help to make the viewer feel like they’re in the battle, facing the enemy.On March 13, it is “Dogfights – Gun Kills of Vietnam”. This one is about the missile age, which dawned over the skies of Vietnam and the era of conventional dogfighting is thought to be over. However, the missiles of the F-4 Phantom proved ineffective during close-in turning fights with agile MiG fighters, exemplifying the need for guns in modern air combat.The series features computer graphics, “rare archival footage” and first-hand accounts driving the story….More

The Hindu : When a Kannada film director recently told me this story from his past, I thought to myself how quintessentially Seventies it was – bindaas, footloose, chase-the-rainbow-and-damn-the-pot-of-gold Seventies.C was 19. Having assisted in the making of an art film he wanted to make one of his own. When he told his mentor that he was fascinated by man-eating tigers he advised him to shoot the film in a forest amidst the adivasis. So C upped and went to Kakinakote, where the Jenu Kurubas lived, with a 16 mm camera and some money borrowed from well-wishers.The hero was a tiger. Its fee was Rs 5,000 a day and it arrived with its trainer from Tamil Nadu. C intended to finish shooting in seven days since the Tamil tiger would cost him a pretty penny.On the first day of shooting, the tiger ran away. A mighty search was launched, day and night, with the forest department staff gamely joining in. Since one tiger looks pretty much like another they did not want to make the mistake of trying to cage a wild specimen. At the end of a fruitless week the trainer wanted to return to Tamil Nadu. He asked for compensation. “I have no money left,” C replied. The search party decided to give it one last shot.It was past midnight on the eighth day when they encountered a Kuruba boy carrying honey he had collected from the forest. The famished seekers drank the honey and gave him five rupees. A few minutes later the boy came scurrying past them. “There is a tiger sleeping under a tree near here,” he said. They wondered: could it be the fugitive?Cautiously they approached the sleeping tiger. The trainer said it looked like his ward but couldn’t be sure. Now, the tiger answered to the name Jyothi. The trainer called out in loving tones, “Jyothi, kanna…” The tiger woke up…More