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The Hindu : PRINCE FREDERICK

In 1928, Chrysler introduced Plymouth and took the war to the Chevy and Ford camps – Steve Borgia owns a Plymouth of that period

An element of ambiguity surrounds the first Plymouth models Q and U, which had a combined lifespan of two years (1928-1930). C. S. Ananth would not have had to grapple with it, if Steve Borgia had not suddenly woken up to the fact that his old Plymouth could have been restored better.

With him since the late 1980s, Borgia undertook the restoration himself with a support staff. An hotelier who thinks antiques can be as much of an adornment as the modern solutions provided by the best interior designer in town, Borgia indefatigably gathers information about the antiques he has cared to buy. He decided Ananth could provide accurate information about the four-cylincer, three-speed car as well as make it act its age. The car got registered in India in 1930, but it predated the year of registration. Then, was it a model Q? Or, a model U?

The model Q’s production period covered a large part of 1928 and a few days of January, 1929. Model Us were made in 1929 and 1930. Today, Plymouths made in 1929 are called a Model U and those in 1928 are considered Model Q.

Running through the serial and production numbers for 1928 and 1929, Ananth has concluded that the car is a Q. Being stamped as Q or U actually does not make a huge difference — because barring some variation in the size of their engines (the engine for U cars was 175.4 cubic inches and the one for Q cars was 170.3 cu.in) and a few other features, these models were essentially similar. Under both models, a variety of options was offered (four-door sedan, two-door sedan, standard business coupe, deluxe couple, rumble seat roadster, roadster and…More

The Hindu :

Anil Abraham is a doctor, professor, writes books and poems, is involved in theatre, and is greedyfor more

Multi-faceted Anil Abraham calls himself a full-time father and part-time everything else

When you get to know that a doctor who is Professor and Head of Department, Dermatology, St. John’s Medical College Hospital, Bangalore has written a play, authored a book, isactively involved in theatre , teaches medical students through theuse of poetry, plays a radio character and tells you he is a “full-time father (to his two children Aaditya, 6 and Anirudh, 4) and part-time everything else” you ask him (obviously a little peeved) as to how he can do justice to all.

Anil Abraham’s retort is simple — “I am greedy. I want to do everything in one life. When in school, I chose ‘science’ because ‘good boys’ did science ’and also because I really badly wanted to be a doctor. And I didn’t see why wanting to be one thing would prevent me from being another. After all, ‘All the world’s a stage …And one man in his time plays many parts’ said the bard himself”, he quips smiling.

Anil says his inspiration with theatre started during his St Josephs Boys School days andhe continued to be involved with Bangalore’s Little Theatre through college. “Academics took over and theatre took a back-seat till medical school was over”, he adds.Street theatre

Practising medicine for over 20 years now, he uses unique methods with patients, especially young children. He gives themhand-outs which explain the problem and remedy in rhyme and there is even a character called ‘Sebby’, the sebaceous gland who explains how pimples come.

Hisstreet theatre‘tamasha’ is an attraction for people who go back with a subtle health message onhealth issues such as smoking or HIV.

His book titled “Gentlemen” which is about four men in different stages of their liveshas got good reviews.Aplay by the…More

The Hindu : y>A new Sportec Stage from Automotive Performances Services

Automotive Performance Services (APS) announces the launch of a new Sportec Stage 1 ECU upgrade package for the latest version of the 1.4-litre TSI MkVI Golf GT.

In standard form the turbo/supercharged 1.4-litre TSI Golf MkVI GT produces a respectable 160bhp. Sportec’s careful recalibration of the fuel, ignition timing and boost pressure settings via an extensively proven ECU remap sees power output leap to 200bhp at 5000rpm, delivering marked performance improvements which greatly increase the driver enjoyment of the smaller-engined Golf. To put things into perspective, the TSI’s 0-100 kmh (0-62mph) acceleration time is reduced from 8.2 to 6.8 seconds!

By comparison the new range topping MkVI Golf GTi produces 207bhp and 207lb.ft, which highlights the effectiveness of Sportec’s work, as this cost-effective upgrade transforms the performance of the turbo / supercharged 1.4-litre TSI variant into a true small engined ‘hot hatch.’ Emissions compliance is retained, as is the 1.4-litre TSI’s excellent fuel consumption, which increases slightly from 44.8mpg to 42mpg, although the conversion does require the use of higher octane Super Unleaded fuel.

A full range of Sportec Golf MKVI performance and styling enhancements, including exhausts, suspension and braking components (showcased on Sportec’s SC200 1.4 TSI demonstrator car), is now available in the U.K.

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The Hindu : y>When one sibling has special needs, the brother-sister bond only grows stronger, writes NEETI SARKAR, marking the festival of Raksha Bandhan

photo: afpSpecial bond It takes time to understand when a sibling has special needs

Unlike with friends, you don’t get to choose them. They are given to you as you are given to them. Yet, almost nobody would trade them for anyone else in the world. They are your siblings. You fight, yell, compete and bicker but while you’re at it, you also love, share, care and nurture them.

One tradition in India that will never go out of fashion is the celebration of Raksha Bandhan, the day brothers set aside to let their sisters know that they will protect them against all odds and this is when sisters pray fervently for the longevity of their brothers.

“The brother-sister bond comprises two people who play the role of friend, foe, fan, advisor, audience and critic along life’s road. It is a relationship that gives no room for hypocrisy,” opines sociologist Sushil Chandranath.

There are brother-sister relationships that are just as strong as any other, but have in all probability taken more time, dedication and effort in order to build and maintain. These are the ties that a person shares with his sibling who has special needs.

Anuj Nath, a college student says, “Growing up with my sister, Anushka has been fun as much as it has been a challenge. Being the older sibling, it took me a long time to get used to the fact that my sister wasn’t like everybody else’s sisters. She had special needs. She couldn’t play with me when I wanted her to. Sometimes, she wouldn’t even allow me to touch her. I used to think she hated me until my parents explained to me that she wasn’t like me but was still unique. With time I learnt to accept her just…More

The Hindu :

Pavitra Rishta is here

Reel ritual A scene from Pavitra Rishta

Now having found the top slot in TRP ratings after many years, Zee TV is in no mood to slip away fromviewers’ memory. Capitalising on the success of “Agle Janam Mohe Bitia Hi Ki Jo” and “Aapki Antara”, the channel is now banking on Pavitra Rishta to win the battle of eyeballs. Even though the serial, a product of Balaji Telefilms, relates the usual story of an ordinary middle class family, the channel has gone out of itsway to promote it.

Just the other day when the serial’s lead character Archana, played by Ankita Lokhande, was to get married to Manav (Sushant), the channel decided to play it up like one does the D-day in real life.

Savita Prabhune, who is playing the role of Archana’s mother, herself went out to invite people from all walks of life for the wedding.

She even commuted on the local train to invite fellow commuters andwent to the chawls too to extend the same invitation. Actors from other Zee TV showswere also invited for the wedding.

The wedding was shot at the famed R.K. Studios.

The bride was dressed in a Maharashtrian style sari and the bridegroom was dressed in an off-white dhoti-kurta.

Among the guests were “Dance India Dance” winner Salman Khan, “Sa Re Ga Ma” runner-up Yashita Yashpal Sharma and contestants from the now showing “Little Champs” — Antara Nandy, Shreyasi Bhattacharjee, Swarit Shukl and Abhigyan Das.

The children performed in the wedding too.

While Shreyasi delighted the Mumbai crowd by singing a Marathi song, Swarit’s mother, asinger was also made to perform.A special bond

The cost of the wedding wasbetween Rs.70 lakh and a couple of crores.

The Maharashtrian style pandal looked fit for a royal wedding with lots of flowers. The star cast of the show was as enthusiastic about the marriage as if it were…More

The Hindu : y>Dastkar’s Nature Bazaar, a 10-day extravaganza begins from August 7

Ethnic products From craftsmen

Dastkar organisesNature Bazaar, a 10-day exhibition.

Over 100 craft groups from 19 States will showcase their traditional arts and crafts.

Craft demonstrations such as lac bangle and madhubani painting are the highlights of the event. There is a gourmet corner offering a variety of cuisines. Woven tussar, kota, chanderi, jamdani, ikkat, block prints, metal jewellery and bamboo furniture are available at the exhibition.

You can also choose from soft furnishings, toys and leather products, pottery and decorative items.

The venue is Palace Grounds (Gayathri Vihar, Palace Grounds, near Mekhri Circle, Bangalore). The exhibition is till August 16 and the timing is 11 a.m. to 8.30 p.m.

Entry is free.

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The Hindu : y>Car and bike questions? We have the answers

I have a Tata Indica V2, which has clocked 2,71,500km without an engine overhaul. A recent compression test done on the engine showed 8, 12, 14, and 16 bar in the 1, 2, 3 and 4 cylinders respectively. Why does the wear differ on the cylinders? There seems to be a pattern to the wearout — the first cylinder has worn the most and the fourth, the least. Could this be because of the head as there is slight oil splash on the air filter? Would overhauling the head help in improving the engine compression? There is no problem when the car is driven without the air-con on, but it turns sluggish when it is. Also, the car emits white smoke when the engine is cold but when it reaches the optimum temperature, the tailpipe emissions are clear.

J Prabhakar

Since there is a significant variation in the compression of each of the cylinders, we recommend that a complete engine overhaul be done; this would cost around Rs. 35,000. Doing just an engine head overhaul will not solve the problem. The reason for the variation in compression is due to heat dissipation, which varies from cylinder to cylinder.I have a Rs. 10-lakh budget, and have shortlisted the Honda City and a used Honda Civic. I love driving and want a car which provides driving pleasure. My usage will be around 800km a month.

B V Satish

For your budget, the Civic is the best driver’s car. It has a terrific driving position, the gearshift is a delight, and the steering is nice and accurate as well. The engine is smooth, loves to be revved, and the handling is good too. The only downside is the low stance, which makes the underbody vulnerable to large speedbreakers.I drive around 2,000km a month, most of it on highways on…More

The Hindu : y>

Hiss story Study the cobra in Agumbe

Trekking in the monsoons is the best time to enjoy the beauty of the forests. The Western Ghats are an iconic spot, with heavy rain clouds lazing above the valleys, dissipating frequent showers.

Ensconced in the Western Ghats is Agumbe, a rainforest renowed for its unexplored terrain, deep forests and location. It has the highest density of Cobras in the country. From August 28 to 30, a naturalist workshop will be conducted by Wishbone for people aged 12 and above. The workshop headed by Kaushik Bajibab will focus on various aspects of natural habitat, wildlife biology from research to conservation issues. It will help individuals understand wildlife and their habitat and will involve locals recounting their experiences in the forest.

The programme will held in a research station in Agumbe. The Agumbe Rainforest Research station (ARRS) was started to study and protect the King Cobra. For more information visit No. 617, 1st Floor, 2nd Main Road, 1st Stage, Indiranagar orwww.wishbone.co.in or call Kaushik on 9886169698. The last date for registration is August 15.

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The Hindu :

Manreet Sodhi Someshwar’s historical novel, The Long Walk Home, talks of the events that have rocked Punjab in the last 60 years

Time travel Manreet Sodhi Someshwar with poet-filmmaker Gulzar

Manreet Sodhi Someshwar is an award-winning writer (Commonwealth Broadcasting Association). She has also worked as a book critic for the South China Morning Post.

Her debut novel, “Earning the Laundry Stripes” was released in 2006 and won a great deal of critical acclaim. In the city for the launch of her second book, “The Long Walk Home”, Manreet is excited to talk about the book.

She says, “The story basically deals with two strands; one where a 70-year-old man, Baksh, suffers a heart attack in Firozpur, a town near the Indo-Pak border. As he walks towards a hospital, he recollects his entire life and the events that shaped it, ranging from the Partition riots, losing many friends to the Indo-Pak wars, the Green Revolution and its success and the rise of religious extremism and terrorism in Punjab. The book is historical fiction and aims at talking about the various events that this fertile region has encountered over the last 60 years.”

She adds, “Another thread in the tale deals with how Baksh’s sons and daughters deal with and learn more about his life, by retracing the steps of his final walk. These threads do overlap at certain junctures.”

“The issue of Sikh militancy has not been probed by many writers, especially with the current generation coming of age at a time when the economy was in ascendance, and Sikh militancy has been buried. I had grown up during that phase and decided to put it into words.”

She says, “Through this historical, I have made an effort to research the tragic events of Punjab in the 20th century, and have tried to locate the genesis for the rise of militancy in the State.”

Having been born and brought…More

The Hindu :

Photo: Bhagya Prakash K.Connecting with children Anshumani Ruddra finds writing for children a liberating experience

It is about learning math through cricket. “Maths is related to cricket. The game has statistics, run rates and averages. Anyone who follows cricket will understand the math component in it,” says Anshumani Ruddra, the author of “Crickematics”. So, he puts together maths and cricket in Crickematics. The book is a part of ‘Will you read with me?’ series of audio books (book + audio CD) for children, a campaign designed and promoted by Karadi Tales. Rahul Dravid has lent his voice.

The short story is about a young boy who loves cricket but is weak in mathematics. “Someone who cannot calculate averages cannot be a cricketer” is what the coach tells him. To help the boy understand the subject, he converts mathematical problems to cricketing problems. “He turns around the questions with cricketing terms and the boy begins to understand geometry and angles,” the young author explains. Writing for children has been liberating says Anshumani,an engineer from IIT, Chennai. He has been into writing for the last five years and has written short stories for children and scripts for animation films and television. “Writing has now become a viable option as a career. And, if you are good there are a lot of publishers to back you.”

Anshumani conducts workshops for children aged 10 and 16 on writing, comic books and poetry. “I interact with children a lot and I am in touch with what they read (right now reading Percy Jackson and the Artemis Fowl series). All these have cumulative benefits while writing for children,” he adds.Interactive fiction

His book “The Enemy of My Enemy”, an interactive fiction for young adults brought out by Scholastic publication was released recently. “It is a game book, where the reader gets to make choices after every four pages. For…More