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The Hindu :

Where ice and snow are juxtaposed with bubbling geysers and hot springs

PICTURE OF CONTRASTS Yellowstone is mantled in changing hues and textures

Travelling in the U.S. is a dynamic, spatial experience, as the country presents itself majestically through its vast prairies, the five Great Lakes, the Rockies that stretch across 1,000 miles, the towering 1,200-year-old sequoia trees, the canyons, the hoodoos sculpted over years by rain and melting snow,the thundering Niagara and Yosemite falls, and the thermal activities in the Yellowstone Basin. Visiting these places is not only awe-inspiring but also spiritually moving, as one acknowledges the hand of a superior power in shaping their geological contours.

Of these natural wonders it was the trip to the Yellowstone National Park that proved to be a magical experience with its mountains and bare trees encrusted with snow, thermal springs and bewildering variety of flora and fauna.

The visit was akin to a pilgrimage, prayerfully contemplative and intellectually puzzling because of the paradox — the juxtaposition of ice and snow and hot springs.

From Hampton, New Jersey on the East Coast of the United States access to the Mid-West, where the park is located, was not direct. We flew from Newark airport to Denver, then to Idaho Falls, a small picturesque town just a two-hour drive from Yellowstone, and considered the wheat bowl of America.Poetry and drama

Yellowstone can best be defined as the interplay of Nature’s poetry and drama. It sits astride the Continental Divide in north western Wyoming, bordering the States of Montana and Idaho.Occupying 2.2 million acres, it is one of the powerful seismic areas in the world, racked by earthquakes, cracked by water boiling to the surface, and littered with the detritus of centuries-old volcanic eruptions. Much of the park sits in a caldera, or crater, 70 km wide. Volcanic heat continues to fuel the park’s famous geysers and hot springs…More

The Hindu :

We’re all addicted to them even as we’re shocked.What do youngsters think of reality shows?

Reality re-loaded Reality shows are the rage and show no signs of losing their hold

Rakhi Sawant’s coy expressions on “Rakhi Ka Swayamwar” might have been hard to digest for an audience used to her outspokenness and blunt quips. But she managed to pull it off. At the end of the series, she even picked a groom. But the honeymoon didn’t last long. Hardly had the series ended that rumours abounded that the engagement was on the rocks. “There hardly seems anything real in these reality shows,” says Shireen, a third year college student. “It seems like everything is planned and rigged, and once the show is over the truth comes out.” Nevertheless, the couple took part in another controversial reality show “Pati, Patni Aur Who”.

Controversy looms over many reality shows, but rather than deterringthe audience, the drama seems to increase viewership. Youngsters especially are hooked to reality shows. Reality shows are the new soap operas. “The cat fights and drama makes the show more appealing, it’s like an accident you cannot help but watch,” says Pranav Mehta. “And you have to tune in the next week to see what more could happen.”

Some of the fights on reality shows are truly cringe worthy. Pallavi S., a first year college student, says: “In an episode of ‘Splitsvilla 2’ a couple of girls got into a fight, they were using the most obscene language and pulling each other’s hair and throwing punches, it was unbelievable. I cannot imagine behaving like that while the whole nation is watching,” However, she is quick to add that, “It was entertaining.”

That said there are also various shows that have a more positive basis. “The entertainment provided by ‘Li’L Champs’ and ‘Laughter Challenge’ is pure fun. They do not make a mockery…More

The Hindu : y>Courtyard by Marriott comes up with a ‘You stay we pay’ offer

Courtyard by Marriott hotels across the country are part of the ‘You stay we pay’ offer, wherein a guest staying at any Courtyard by Marriott across India will be empowered to receive money based on the nights spent at the property.

Stay for a night and get paid Rs. 1,000; stay for two nights and get paid Rs. 2,000; and stay for three nights and above and take back Rs. 3,000. Using this gift, guests can avail of any one of services such as suite upgrade, dining at any restaurant, airport transfers, high-speed Internet, mini bar, laundry service; and spa and massage treatments. For details, call 66764290.

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The Hindu : y>Baywatch series begins

Premiere Action-packed series which launched careers of many

Star World premieres the tenth season of the Baywatch series from November 9, Monday to Wednesday at 11 p.m.

The series takes you through the sun-kissed beaches and clear waters of Hawaii.

A classic action-packed series, Baywatch Hawaii revolves around a group of lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Los Angeles and Hawaii. Starring David Hasselhoff as Lt. Mitch Buchannon, hemust watch over the younger lifeguards as they face the daily struggles of saving lives and dealing with their own personal conflicts.

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The Hindu : SUBHA J RAO

A stolen phone and missing cash and valuables can ruin a perfect vacation. Here’s how to stay safe during holidays

Bag it !

If carrying cash or travellers cheques, split them between bags. So, even if you lose one bag, there’s enough to keep you going in another.

String a couple of tinkling bells into your zipper. That way, you’ll know if someone is trying to touch your bag.

Don’t leave your cash in the outermost compartment of your bag. That makes you sitting duck for a smart thief.

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Be smart

Place your cash in money belts. Not terribly obvious ones, but those that look like your regular belts, but come with a concealed zip.

Make photocopies of your passport, credit cards, tickets, and important documents.

If possible, carry the shopping bag given by a local store. Not only do you not look ‘foreign’, it’s less prone to being stolen.

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Things to avoid

If you’re travelling to a foreign country, try your best to not look like an awe-struck tourist. That’s an open invite for a pick-pocketer.

Never loudly mention the hotel you’re staying in or your room number in public.

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The Hindu :

Charles Mingus Quintet

plus Max Roach

Original Jazz Classics/ Universal; CD; Rs. 295

This album, recorded live in1955, shows several facetsof Charles Mingus’s greatnessand originality as a bassist,bandleader, composer and arranger.Max Roach, the greatestjazz drummer since 1950,is featured on two tracks(”Drums”, co-composed byMingus and Roach, and “I’llRemember April”, a pop standardbeloved of jazz musicians).

Willie Jones is the drummeron the other four tracks,while Eddie Bert on trombone,George Barrow on tenorsaxophone, and MalWaldron on piano make upthe rest of the band.

As an arranger-composer,Mingus was interested in thepalette of sounds he used topaint a musical picture.

The fast-paced “Drums”,for example, is almost entirelya drum solo in which Roachvaries the sounds he getsfrom his drum kit to make apercussion melody, whichBert and Borrow from time totime punctuate with phraseson which they play alternatingnotes.

Mingus too adds a few bassphrases to the drum melodytowards the end.

A similar alternation betweentrombone and saxnotes is heard at the beginningand end of Gershwin’s”A Foggy Day”, which featuressolo improvisations byBorrow, Waldron, Bert andMingus after Borrow leads onthe theme.

Alternating phrases ontrombone and sax featureagain on the 13-minute renditionof “I’ll Remember April”,which starts with a bass introon which Roach’s backing isoutstanding.

This is a highly unusual interpretationof the pop standard,on which the themeitself is improvised.

Solos on tenor sax and pianoprecede a passage inwhich first sax and then tromboneexchange phrases withdrums.

Drum and tenor sax solosfollow, and then sax andtrombone improvise togetherbefore fading to a false ending,the music then growingloud before the final fade.

Alternating loud and softphrases are used to get an interestingeffect on the themeof “Lady Bird”, which alsofeatures a bass intro and seriesof solos from all fivemusicians.

With his outstanding solosand intros, Mingus leads fromthe front, while the other musiciansfollow with good performances.Mingus’s presence is felt inthe original arrangements(the interplay between tromboneand tenor sax or the useof soft and loud phrases, forexample) and his equallyoriginal and unusual compositions,”Haitian Fight Song”and “Love Chant”.

Mingus was passionateabout his music, and this albumcaptures well…More

The Hindu : LAKSHMI SHARATH

The Omkareshwar Temple in Madikeri resonates with the tale of a king haunted by a ghost

GHOST STORY The Omkareshwar Temple

I was gazing at the reflection of the dome in the waters when the temple bells shook me out of my reverie. It has now become a habit with me. Almost at every temple portal,I stop by to listen to sagas of intrigue and passion and tales of gods and demons. I often lose myself in these myths that lend an air of mystery to these monuments. A haunting tale, I believe, echoes from the silent walls. But I wasn’t prepared for this story.

“This temple was built because of a ghost!” exclaimed my driver a while ago, as he pulled into the parking lot of the Omkareshwar Temple.

It was dusk in Madikeri and there was a slight nip in the air. “You mean, it’s haunted,” I asked, giving him a quizzical look and looking up at the domes of this early 19th-Century temple built in the Indo-Saracenic style.

The lights came on giving it an ethereal feel as the reflections danced in the waters of the tank below. I felt a slight shiver although I dismissed the ghost story and went right in.

The temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, however, did resonate with the tale of a king haunted by a ghost. It was the early 19th Century, when Coorg was ruled by the Haleri king Lingarajendra, whom the history books paint as a tyrant. Violent, whimsical and with an eye for women, the king hardly fought wars during his reign. Instead he hunted tigers and women with equal vigour and was known to have a veritable zoo in his court and an ever increasing harem.

Our story starts one summer morning when a poor Brahmin comes to Madikeri with the intention of giving his daughter away to the Raja’s harem, as he…More

The Hindu : y>Want to take a peek into the music of the Middle Ages? Get hold of the album The Renaissance Begins, says Allan Moses R.

Photo: Murali Kumar K.EXTRAVAGANZA Handpicked songs from diverse backgrounds and composers

Bringing to the city a blast from the past, Madrigals, Etc launched their debut album recently at The Alliance Française de Bangalore. Titled ‘The Renaissance Begins’, the album is a rare glimpse of the musical world of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.

Madrigals, Etc also have something to cheer about as this is the first-ever Renaissance music album in India, perhaps even the first pure western classical music album. Director Neecia Majolly proudly announced: “This launch is a milestone and will go a long way in conveying our sentiments of music.”

The album was released by Admiral Oscar Stanley Dawson, former Chief of Naval Staff, who said that the launch was a historical event and a revival of art. “This is a stepping stone for good things in the future by a small group of dedicated professionals. We wish them the very best in their endeavours,” he said.

Formed in 1999 by Neecia Majolly and George Kurian, this 10-year-old choral and instrumental ensemble has being catering music from this glorious period in performances across the country and garnered numerous accolades for themselves.

An annual participant in the Glorious Festival of Harmony, Madrigals, Etc is a virtuoso extravaganza that expertly renders the varying moods, textures and tempos of the Renaissance era.

Led by the Soprano voice of Neecia Majolly, Madrigals, Etc currently comprises Carola Winnie singing alto, Jonas Olsson singing countertenor and tenor, Charan Raj singing tenor and Anit Kurian singing bass. Mohan Krishnan is the guest artiste on the classical guitar.

Heralding the release, Madrigals, Etc delivered a set of their favourite compositions from their album towards the end of the programme.

“The album comprises 20 carefully handpicked songs that come from diverse backgrounds…More

The Hindu : y>Vignettes of Coorg throws the spotlight on the land of coffee plantations

Green hills, misty rivers, lost monuments and an endless fabric of coffee plantations. Add to this a distinct local culture and a history of conflicts and intrigue.

Meet the Kodavas, soak in their culture, follow the call of the birds, wet your feet in a creek, feel the rush of a waterfall, or visit an ancestral home. All, at ‘Vignettes of Coorg’. As you travel, listen to stories of passion and intrigue, myths and legends and blend with the rhythm of Nature. For details, call 99020-70689 or visitwww.travelwise.in

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The Hindu : y>

Any newcomer to the city and regular commuters in autos will identify with this problem, that of tampered meters. Though there are several complaintsabout defective and tampered auto meters, citizens wonder why the transport authorities have not enforced any measures to keep the problem at check.

Regular commuters express that 90 per cent of the auto rickshaw drivers have tampered their auto meter and they feel helpless as they are in a hurry to catch up with their routine.

Some of the auto drivers tamper even the waiting time of the meter;if you are stuck in a traffic jam, don’t be surprised if your meteris moving faster than it does while in running. Of course, there are overzealous meters that are on a super sprint during movement.

MetroPlus spoke to the city residents on the issue.

While some say the auto drivers should refrain from demanding double charges during the early morning and late evening hours, others express that if the transport authorities outsource themonitoring of tampered meters it would work wonders for the common man.

We sample some responses.

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Auto drivers take us for a ride. Most of them ply with tampered meters and they also demand double charges in the early mornings before 8 a.m. and after 6 p.m. Though the fare is only Rs. 25 from Koramangala to Madiwala, I always end up paying more.

Thejus

Employee

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What normally costs Rs. 110 goes up toRs. 140 at times, and for travelling the same distance!As we are in a hurry to catch up with our work, we have no time to quarrel with the auto drivers and have no choice but to pay that extra Rs. 20 to Rs. 30 more.

Pramod

Sales executive

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We hardly have a handful of RTO inspectors to periodically monitor the tampered meters. After getting the certificate, they immediately manipulate their meters. Outsourcing the project to check on tampered meters is the only…More