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The Hindu : CHANDRIKA SIDDHANTA CHAKRAVARTY

Youngsters aspire to hit the jackpot one day.

Staging dreams: Children lighting up the stage.

With energetic children performing on stage, any show is bound to be a stupendous success. “Dream’z”, a dance drama performed by the AGG School of Dance and Performing Arts, was no exception.The plot

“Dream,’z” was about Raj and Priya, two children from a slum, aspiring to become big stars in Bollywood — their various efforts to get to the top, and the obstacles they had to overcome to reach their goal. The show had 70 performers between three and 74 years of age, including some slum children, lighting up the stage as they danced to a series of popular Bollywood songs, with a couple of Kannada and English songs thrown in.

Director, choreographer and narrator Poornima Choradi said that though it was “a little tough”, she had a wonderful experience working with so many children.Mithun Gowda, the talented 12 year old who played Raj, said he felt happy about the way the show had shaped up and claimed he was “not nervous because we had three or four stage rehearsals”.

Dr. Poornima said that the idea behind the performance was to emphasise the fact that no matter who you are, you can achieve your goals if you are ready to follow your dreams, an idea reflected in a part of the introduction itself, which announced that “having dreams requires effortless sleep and attaining goals requires sleepless effort”, and they are both equally important.

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The Hindu : SUDHINDR A B

Direction and focus in studies helped them achieve high scores.

Favourable results: Students happy with the outcome.

The authorities at schools that are part of The Hindu’s NIE programme have received more than what they had hoped for in the Std X CBSE examination results. In many of the schools, the number of students who had secured distinctions has gone up compared to the previous years.

They attributed this to the “focused attention” and “team effort” of students, teachers, as well as, parents. Abhishek Gupta, the topper at National Public School, Koramangala, who has secured 98. 2 per cent said that he was confident of acing the board examinations. “Having decided that I was going to excel, I created a plan of work and began with a modest two hours of work every day. I increased this gradually and during study holidays, I was working close to four hours daily. I set a timetable and stuck to it,” he said.

He also found time to relax and spend time on his passion — robotics. Abhishek has represented the country at an international robotics championship. It was a surprise when many toppers said that they did not burn the midnight oil to ace the board examinations.

“Studies constituted three hours a day of my schedule initially; but as time progressed, I found studying for this stipulated time was not profitable. I knew three months of thorough preparation in the end would fetch me good marks,” said Anurag, a topper at Sandeepani School.

He had almost stopped studying just before the mid-term examination but when he found that his friends were working hard to get into decent colleges, Anurag decided to focus on studies again. “I am happy because whatever intelligent work I had put in has paid off,” he said.

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The Hindu : y>Discovery Channel’s landmark series Discovery Atlas returns with new episodes

Discovery Channel unveils two of its landmark series, “Discovery Atlas”.

One of the most ambitious projects undertaken by Discovery Channel, the series captures the culture, geography and natural phenomena of some of the world’s most diverse countries including India, Russia, Egypt, Japan, China, Australia, South Africa, Mexico, Italy and Brazil. The series will air every Sunday at 9 p.m.

It explores the ancient civilisations, vibrant cultures, and natural phenomena of France, Japan, Egypt and Russia like never before.

Withhigh-definition photography and cutting edge-effects, “Discovery Atlas” takes you across the globe on a journey through diverse cultures and splendid pageantry. Each two-hour episode is narrated by a celebrity.

Through the lives of several key characters, the series is an extraordinary narrative that brings incredible depth and scale to these fascinating countries.

Get a unique perspective of life in these countries today and get a glimpse of what tomorrow holds for them.

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The Hindu : y>As more instances of attacks are reported from Australia,people recall Melbourne being a safe bet for Indian students. Sangeetha Devi Dundoo reports

Call for help Amit Menghani, president of FISA, flanked by his colleagues, shows a mobile phone to denote the launch of a helpline for Indian students

“I remember telling my friends that Melbourne is one of the must-visit and student-friendly destinations. It is sad that there has been a spate of attacks on Indian students,” says Tamanna Mehdi, now associated with ICFAI. She studied in Melbourne in 2003-04.

For many Indian students like her, Australia has been one of the preferred destinations for higher studies. An estimate by the Australian High Commission puts the count of Indian students in Australia at 93,000. The sporadic, yet shocking attacks have left people stumped.

John Siddham, a long-time Melbourne resident of Indian origin, says: “It’s not just Indian students; not long ago a medical practitioner, who is a former president of Australian Medical Association, was attacked violently. These instances have been noticed in the western region of Melbourne, considered a rough area. Indian students are perceived to be hard working and take up jobs that come their way; they work at odd hours which involve travelling at night. They are more aware and take precautionary measures.”Unreported crime

Students take up part-time jobs at restaurants, petrol stations and as taxi drivers. According to the Federation of Indian Students in Australia (FISA), there have been many unreported instances of crime against Indian students and young working professionals.

Prabodh Malhotra, associated with Victoria University, says: “I have attended community meetings with Victoria Police who encourage Indian students to come forward when crime takes place. Unfortunately, students don’t report cases of mugging, snatching of mobile etc to the police, fearing they may be deported.”

The Victoria State police chief issued guidelines asking Indian students not to talk loudly in public places drawing…More

The Hindu :

June 5 is World Environment Day and green filmmaker Mike Pandey gets a hearing for the animal world

Photo: Sandeep SaxenaRestoring the balance Mike Pandey believes that intensified human greed has ruptured environment

Mike Pandey, the environment crusader, is agog about his latest project, “The Disappearing World: Bees in a Crisis”, a film on bees and butterflies. Political apathy, a largely indifferent bureaucracy and ignorance about the issue notwithstanding, Delhi-based Pandey has kept the struggle on and has won many battles during the course.

Meeting Pandey on the day of the Parliamentary election results, I couldn’t resist asking him, “How prominently does environment figure in the manifestoes of our political parties?” “No homework has gone into it. Good intention and rhetoric doesn’t bring in results. For instance, we have been trying to clear the Yamuna for the last 10 years and it has only become worse,” he says.Tryst with the whale shark

Having the Nairobi National Park in Kenya at the back of his house meant Pandey grew up with compassion for nature.

But the determination to “become the voice for the voiceless” got strengthened only when he witnessed the last moments of a whale on the Gujarat coast. “Her liver had been taken out and she was dying. As the light faded away from her amber eyes, I felt a call,”

Pandey vividly recounts.

He kept his word that he silently gave the dying whale, by documenting the gory slaughter and trade of whale sharks on the Western coast of India in “Shores of Silence – Whale Sharks in India” in 2000. The film, which earned him the Wildscreen Panda award or the “Green Oscar”, led the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests to ban fishing of the protected marine species. “I spent two-and-a-half years looking for the whale shark in Gujarat when everybody was of the view that whale sharks don’t exist there. A…More

The Hindu :

Chives and eggplant make a tasty combination

CHIVES Great condiment

Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) is the smallest species of the onion family Alliaceae, native to Europe, Asia and North America. They grow in clumps rather than as individual plants. Its species name derives from the Greek word ‘skhoinos’ (sedge) and ‘prason’ (onion). Its English name, chive, derives from the French word ‘cive’, which was derived from ‘cepa’, being the Latin word for onion. A relatively new vegetable in the English-speaking world but well-known in Asian cuisine, the flavour of garlic chives is more like garlic than chives, though much milder.

Culinary uses for chives: Its leaves (straws) can be shredded and used as condiment for fish, potatoes, eggs and soups. Chives have a wide variety of culinary uses. The flowers may also be used as a spice and to garnish dishes.Both leaves and the stalks of the flowers are used as flavouring similar to chives, green onions or garlic and are used as a stir fry ingredient.. Chives can be used to control high blood pressure. The whole plant has a beneficial effect on the digestive system and blood circulation. It improves appetite. It possesses anti-bacterial properties and is used in Vietnam in the treatment of cough, sore throat, asthma, dysentry and dyspepsia. When added to the diet on a regular basis, it helps reduce blood cholesterol levels.

Now, a recipe.Eggplant Caponata with Chives

Ingredients

Eggplant: 1 large,peeled and chopped

Olive oil: 2 tbsp

Onion: 1 medium, chopped

Garlic: 2 cloves, chopped

Celery: 2 ribs, chopped

Tomatoes: 2, chopped

Balsamic or red wine vinegar: 1 tbsp

Chives: half cup, chopped

Method: Place chopped eggplant in a colander and sprinkle with salt. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté onion in oil, stirring frequently, until golden for about eight minutes. Add chives, garlic and celery and sauté for two minutes.

Squeeze moisture from chopped eggplant and add it to the skillet.

Cook, stirring frequently, until…More

The Hindu :

MySpace’s Secret Showskeeps its impromptu concerts secret till the last minute

Guess who’s performing? It could even be U2

Psst. There’s a secret you should know. You could attend exclusive concerts by some of your favourite artistes for free. But you may not know till the last moment who’s going to be performing. Or, when or where it’s going to be. Oh,and you need to be on MySpace.com too.

MySpace’s Secret Shows have finally arrived in India. In the last three years, these shows have featured the likes of U2, Neil Diamond, Pink, Moby, Sean Kingston, etc. in the West.

In a recent concert in India, Kochi-based rockers Motherjane were featured, supported by opening acts, Black and Scribe.Who and where?

“The idea behind the Secret Shows is that some element of the concert is kept secret till the last minute — sometimes the artiste, sometimes the venue,” explains Hari Krishnan, country manager for MySpace.com, the social networking site that launched in India last year. “For example, for Lilly Allen’s recent concert in London, the venue was kept secret until the end.”

This is, he agrees, hardly regular marketing strategy, but it serves to amp up the excitement and intrigue surrounding the performance. “It works brilliantly in real time on a social networking portal.” It has certainly worked in countries such as the U.K., where MySpace Secret Shows are high-profile events guaranteed to generate a buzz.

The big plus, says Krishnan, is that these free events are far more “up close and personal” than most concert settings with major acts. “They’re not meant to be mega concerts; we generally keep the audience down to about 300 or 400,” he says. “The idea is for MySpacers to have access to an exclusive experience. Even the U2 concert was kept down to 500 to 600 people.”

In India, the Secret Shows are going to follow some other distinctive rules….More

The Hindu : y>Kamala Rajan is shocked by the indifference in malls and wonders if the space could be put to better use

Zipping past the expressway of Gurgaon recently, I was awed by the dramatic change in the landscape in the past decade. Gleaming glass-and-steel malls vying for your attention, office spaces and multi-storied residential areas compete with each otherfor space.

While Gurgaon may seem to symbolise modern aspirations, I did wonder at the futility of building malls in close proximity to each other. Do they actually succeed in breaking even? Would the needs of countless, homeless people be better served if such areas are utilised for the construction of residential structures?

Closer home, I was struck by the similarity to Gurgaon, when I crossed a remarkably posh area of Bangalore. The resemblance to Gurgaon was quite uncanny. Countless malls and shopping arcades sped by in quick succession.

As I raised doubts about the profitability of such ventures, my friend insisted: “Footfalls, you know… they cater to the longevity of these malls.” However, I was not able to believe him. After all, from my personal experience, I know of several people who visited malls only because of the comforts of the air-conditioner and clean surroundings.

These malls also end up consuming massive amounts of electricity, even when the visitors are low. Many of the employees are unable to reduce the electricity consumption levels, forcing the mall to use copious amounts of electricity, even as the city suffers from major power outages.

During a recent power outage, the mall proprietor ordered his men to “switch over to standby” mode. I approached one of the staffers and suggested that they could switch off some of the lights, leaving only the essential ones on. The response was a weak smile accompanied with, “We…don’t really know how to operate that way…”

That statement left me in shock and I could not understand whether it…More

The Hindu : y>

RAW The Hunt showcases nature’s predators

Animal Planet has launched a new series; “The Hunt”. The series will be screened at 8 p.m. from Monday to Sunday. The series will showcase nature’s predators in their raw form every night. Viewers will meet top filmmakers, encounterthe unexpected and unearth some astonishing wildlife stories. From grizzly bears catching salmon in Alaskan rivers to the spiders that roll down dunes in the desert to evade predators – learn the mysterious ways in which nature defines its own battleground.

“The Hunt” will take viewers behind the scenes of wildlife filmmaking and showcase some of the most alarming animal encounters ever caught on film. Using cutting edge techniques to explore wild animals in their natural habitats, Animal Planet will continue to transport audiences to the far and wild corners of the world. Catch all the action only on Animal Planet at 8 p.m.

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The Hindu :

This fortnight at indiaplaza.in

Die Hard (1988)

Cast: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Alexander Godunov, Bonnie Bedelia

Director: John McTiernan

Screenwriter: Jeb Stuart (from a novel by Roderick Thorp)

Composer: Michael Kamen

Cinematographer: Jan de Bont

Price: Rs. 499

Yippee-ki-yay! Watching these Eighties’ testosterone-driven movies never fails to give that adrenalin-charge to our jaded millennial sensibilities. NYPD cop, John McClane comes to Los Angeles to visit his estranged wife Holly, who works at Nakatomi Plaza. As he goes to the washroom to freshen up, the building is taken over by terrorists.

A cat and mouse game follows between the terrorists led by the suave Hans Gruber and his totally unhinged second in command, Karl, and McClane. The high-rise is the scene of hide and seek between the good guy and the inherently-stupid bad guys. There is also media throwing many spanners in the works. Al Powell of the LAPD who comes to check out a 911 call from the Nakatomi building is sympathetic to McClane while Powell’s boss proves a tough nut to crack.

Though over two hours long, “Die Hard” moves at breakneck speed and the tension does not flag for even a moment. “Die Hard” with its flawed protagonist, breathtaking action sequences and humour set the template for action movies of the Nineties as well as three sequels.

The witty one-liners from “Nine million terrorists in the world and I gotta kill one with feet smaller than my sister,” to “Eeeh! Sorry Hans, wrong guess. Would you like to go for Double Jeopardy where the scores can really change?” to the two FBI agents named Johnson which brings memories of Tin Tin comics, is one of the reasons for “Die Hard”’s enduring popularity.

The very human McClane was a departure from the Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone type of superman. Incidentally, both were offered the role of McClane before it came to Willis. The film…More