Businesses reroute Internet connections to beat crunch
January 31, 2008
More than 24 hours after India’s outsourcing sector was hit by internet disruption, both small and big IT and ITeS firms either switched over to satellite-based communication systems or moved to a different service provider.
Internet connections have been on a standstill since Wednesday evening after damage was identified to the undersea cables in the Mediterranean. Information technology companies, BPOs and KPOs that provide online services to the UK and the US East Coast were the worst affected.
You Telecom India Pvt Ltd, a leading Internet service provider, which has placed advertisement claiming to provide internet speeds 50 times more than the dial-up connection, said their connections were indeed slowed down considerably after the undersea cables were ‘punctured’. “Now the cable routes are being diverted via Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan to the US,” said EVS Chakravarthy, Chief Executive, You Telecom. “We believe VSNL and Barati were the most affected. Service providers have promised to restore the routes within 48 hours.”
While re-routing through the Pacific is the best possible back-up, a few ISP providers have raised doubts about its voice quality and speed of traffic that will be highly degraded. According to agency reports, Internet Service Providers in India have put the disruption at 60 per cent.
Multiple vendors
California Software Co Ltd, a software firm with offices in Chennai and Bangalore, said it switched to a different service provider once Internet service was disrupted.
“We rely on multiple service providers. Only one of them was disrupted, so we switched over to the other,” said Satish Chandra, head of facility, Calsoft, Chennai.
Though there was no total breakdown in services, poor bandwidth and slow line speeds were the most heard complaints across many companies
Read the review: Mad Money
January 31, 2008
Do you stop when you have what you need? What’s wrong with stealing what no one wants? Crime is contagious, says Bridget (Diane Keaton). So is the laughter here. Mad Money, the crime adventure with the feel of a girls’ day out, is fun to watch if not high on recall value.
Bridget’s husband, Don (Ted Danson), is busy wallowing in self-pity on the couch after being ‘downsized’. Debts run high and the incoming cash flow is zilch. After years of trading in career for domesticity, the posh lady has no option but to ignore the manicures and get into overalls and start cleaning toilets at the Federal Bank in Kansas.
The sight of money, loads of it, changing hands – especially a great part of it entering the shredding machine – opens up a whole new world of possibilities and a collaboration with colleagues Nina (Queen Latifah), a single mother, and Jackie (Katie Holmes), a dopehead-cum-corridor rockstar.
Advantage Keaton
The one aspect of the film that overshadows others and actually works to its advantage is the casting. Diane Keaton as Bridget is the life and soul of the film. As the unlikely no-remorse swindler for whom the act of stealing is initially a necessity and later a mischief, she’s a joy to watch. Queen Latifah as the reluctant schemer and Katie Holmes as the illogically optimistic iPoder join in to make a good team.
The men, chiefly consisting of two husbands (one of whom spells lawyer as LAYWER) and a love-struck security officer form the backdrop.
Besides that, there’s an over-simplified crime in the guise of a plot.
Bruno, the wine guy
January 30, 2008
Forget the vineyards of Napa Valley or Bordeux, namma Chennai is bringing to you a guided session of wine-tasting with Bruno Monange, a connoisseur of wines and owner of a vineyard in Burgundy. Bruno, a doctor, traveller, volleyball player, skier and bodysurfer works primarily as a renovator of traditional French houses.
This Saturday he will be in the city to speak about the entire process of wine-making, including the general nature of wine culture in France, technical aspects about processing wine, different types of wine, how to choose wine, how to drink it, how to appreciate and
also the social aspects of wine drinking.
Sixty wine enthusiasts all over the city have already registered for the day long session
which starts at 10.30 am on February 2. Bruno will be assisted by Chinmaya Arjun Raja,
President of Alliance Francais, a wine enthusiast who visits vineyards and wine-tasting
sessions on his trips to France.
In fact this year, he will be visiting export houses in Loire Valley in France. He says, “We hope to interest Chennai wine enthusiasts this time by giving them two to three Indian wines from Sula or Grover and one French wine possibly from Burgundy.”
The workshop is the first in the series of wine-tasting workshops that Alliance Francais will be hosting. It is free and registration can be done at the reception desk at the institute.
For more details on the guided session of wine-tasting, dial 28279803 or 28271477.
Juveniles stole motorbikes for fun
January 30, 2008
It was a joyride that had to end one day or the other.
Two 16-year-olds from Egmore, both students of a school in Purasawalkam, had been stealing motorbikes to hit the roads for fun.
They had stolen 10 bikes till date. The modus operandi was simple: the two stole a bike, took it for a joy ride and abandoned it once the fuel got over. Following a series of complaints of stolen bikes in the Kilpauk police limits, a search was launched to nab the culprits. So far 10 bikes had been stolen.
On Monday night, the Secretariat Colony police allegedly saw two youngsters fiddling with a motorcycle in a suspicious manner. Following which they apprehended the boys.
When questioned, much to the surprise of the policemen, the duo admitted to have attempted to steal the bike. Police later discovered it was the same duo that was behind the missing bike cases in and around the Kilpauk limits over the last two months.
Police recovered seven motorcycles after further questioning. The duo was later sent to a juvenile home on Tuesday, January 29
Anti-theft software for cell-phones
January 30, 2008
Own an expensive hi-end mobile phone? Petrified of losing it?
Police recently tracked down a mobile theft - a rare occurrence – but the moral of the case was it was better to be safe than sorry.
J. Vikram works as a Security Engineer with a top software firm in Chennai. A few months ago, Vikram lost his brand-new Nokia N 70 mobile phone. He registered a police complaint and in just two days the handset was back in his pocket. It was not just the swift action of the Cyber Crime Cell of the city police but it was Vikram’s prudence that gained him back his handset.
The ‘saviour’ was Guardian 2.1, a free mobile antitheft software installed in the phone. “The software when installed on the phone will ask for your International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI), International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) along with area code and a nominated mobile number to pass on automatic SMS alert when your handset is lost and used by someone else,” Vikram says.
Apparently, Vikram had nominated his sister’s mobile number. When his mobile got stolen and every time a new SIM card was inserted, the Guardian software in the phone started working. And as a result, Vikram’s sister got the warning message on her phone from the illegally inserted SIM.“Immediately I alerted the cops and they nabbed the culprit and got back my phone,” Vikram adds. The interesting element about the anti theft software apart from being free to download is that its presence inside the mobile phone can’t be detected.
Vikram is one of the few who managed to retrieve his mobile phone. According to M. Sudhakar, Assistant Commissioner, City Cyber Crime Cell, nearly 700 cases of missing mobile phones were registered with the city police last year. “But the recovery rate is 50 percent. People buy expensive mobile phones but don’t know how to safeguard them. A simple installation of an anti-theft software can prove effective when the handset goes missing,” stresses Sudhakar.
There are a number of mobile anti-theft softwares apart from Guardian, which can be downloaded to guard your expensive high end mobile phone. Sudhakar recommends softwares that primarily feature the following three options: a) Two mobile numbers can be nominated to receive alert SMS in case of loss of the phone b) Locks the stored data when a new SIM is inserted c) Exports all stored data to the nominated mobile numbers.
“High-end mobile phone users must make use of these softwares. In case of theft or loss of the handset, the software inside makes the police investigation less time consuming. The culprits can be nabbed quickly and in turn increases the percentage of recovery,” Sudhakar adds.
So if you own a high-end expensive handset, it is high time you protect it with some advanced technology that is easily accessible on the internet.
The software
Mobile phone anti theft software Guardian 2.1 can be downloaded for free from http://www.download.com/guardian/3000-11138_410612972.html or http://www.symbian-toys.com/ or http://www.symbian-toys.com/
guardian.aspx
Anti-theft softwares works well on Nokia models like the 6600, 7610, 6630, 6670, N 70, N 72, N 80, N 93, N 95 and also on a few models of other mobile makers.
Virtual Mobile Security (VMS) suite from Mumbai-based Innova Technologies is also an anti-theft software that would lock up the phones in case of unauthorised SIM card change or if the owner sends a text message alert to the culprit. The password-protected software would literally render the handset useless to anyone but the owner.
It would also forward the new SIM card number, the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number of the handset and the cell phone number of the new user via an SMS to a mobile phone nominated by the user.
NERVEREK OPENS FOR MAIDEN
January 30, 2008
It’s now official! After more than a month of keeping their fingers crossed, Chennai-based
rock band Nerverek has received the confirmation about them opening for Iron Maiden on Feb 1st in Mumbai.
Iron Maiden will kick off their world tour titled ’SOMEWHERE BACK IN TIME’ by performing at Mumbai on Feb 1.
This will be followed by a jam packed one-and-a-half month tour to Australia, Japan,
Los Angeles, Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Puerto Rica, New York, finally finishing off in Toronto, Canada on March 16.
But how did Nerverek, probably the only Chennai rock band apart from Moksha to open for an international band, land the opportunity in the first place? Winning the status of the country’s Campus Rock Idols 2007 in December, after competing with India’s finest rock
bands at the finals in Delhi has definitely had its rewards.
This Chennai-based Progressive rock band won the opportunity to open for the international heavy metal band Scorpions’ show in Bangalore in December apart from a hefty cash award.
But they were also keeping their fingers crossed for a chance to open for the legendary
Iron Maiden which was a part of the privilege of winning the competition. And it worked.
Having just received the confirmation four days back, the band with its new line up
consisting of Arjun - the lead vocalist and guitarist; Jitesh - the bassist; Ritesh -
the drummer and Shayne Fernandes on the keyboard, started practice pronto.
They will be performing six songs out of which four will be their own compositions.
Talking about the selection of songs, one of the songs to be performed – Marijuana,
features a bit of Iron Maiden’s own composition, says an evidently excited Arjun.
Somewhere back in time
Iron Maiden, the famous English heavy metal band from London, will perform at the MMRDA Grounds, Bandra-Kurla Complex, Mumbai on Feb 1 as part of their ’SOMEWHERE BACK IN TIME’ world tour.
The tickets are priced at Rs 1650 and Rs 1000 and can be purchased online at
www.ticketpro.in. The Gates open at 5 pm, so if you are going, make sure you are there early for a typical mosh pit experience.
Lions for lambs: A review
January 30, 2008
Political dramas seems to be the name of the game these days, what with critically-acclaimed movies like All the Kings’ Men and Bobby also pulling in the numbers to the theatre because of the stellar star cast. Whether a movie is memorable, its casting coup not withstanding, is the point of contention. Lions for Lambs, from Warner Bros and United Artists, boasts the likes of Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep and Robert Redford.
If you are interested in American politics and their so-called terrorism eradication programme in the Middle East, then Lions for Lambs should impress you. The whole world is disillusioned with the American government and wants an insider’s peek into the political machine, so generating interest in the movie is the easy bit. Sustaining that interest through the 90 minutes is the challenge director Robert Redford seems to have lost. Though, for a movie that primarily tells its tale through conversations, interspersed with a fraught military stand-off atop an Afghani plateau, the director has done a passable job, if you ignore the saggy repetitive puddles in the screenplay.
Food for thought
The plot moves through the viewpoint of two intelligent and idealistic army recruits (played by Michael Pena and Derek Luke), a gifted but cynical youngster and his professor(Robert Redford), a ruthlessly self-serving Senator(Tom Cruise) and a mad-with-the-system but helpless journalist (Meryl Streep). The movie provides plenty of food for thought - about the effect of the government on society and the manipulation of the media by the government and underhand (provoking attack in hostile territory) military tactics.
Cruise shines in his sinister Senator role. The fanatical spiel about the evil enemy with medieval belief systems who must be destroyed leaves an undeniable mark. Meryl Steep only gets better with age. Her eyes speak volumes when dialogue takes a break. Robert Redford convinces as the professor trying to urge his west-coast college student who has lost his passion for political science and the entire system. When he says, “Nowhere else have I seen such lions led by such lambs,” you want to join him in urging the Lions to take the lead.
But all these experienced Hollywood hotshots don’t hold a candle to the two fresh army recruits who steal the show, whether they are a nervous wreck in class before a presentation or standing up in battlefield taking their final bow. The movie can be watched just for those two actors.
Street food festival at The Courtyard Marriot
January 29, 2008
Everything at the street food festival at Courtyard Marriot was designed for the milder palettes of the expat population. Even the jaljeera which goes with the panipuri did not make our eyes water. But we did like the food on the whole, which evoked the memories of Marina and Besant Nagar beach. As chef Prakash Jayadevan said, “This festival is also for the people who were too scared to try out street food for lack of hygiene.”
Biriyani ki jai
The chicken biriyani, served in a little cup, was complimented by the boondhi raita, and although that is an unusual combination, it was fabulous. The paneer and kheema parathas had too much butter on them, but as street food would go, when was cholesterol an issue? The bread omelette from Joseph’s was probably the only spicy item on the platter. Dressed in lungi, and playing local FM, the store keeper first cooked an omelette with chillies, onions and tomatoes. He then wrapped two triangles of bread in the omelette, which is a slight detour from the original, but we give the detour a thumbs up! The panipuri stall was piled with lemons and puris. The only item out of sync was probably the non-stick ladle from the Marriot.
Oodles of oothappam
This platter would flatter the Malayali’s taste buds. The appam and the stew, the iddiyapam (string hoppers) and the paya (curry from mutton legs) from Anna Bhavan were very street. Jute bags full of red chillies decorated the stalls, and also strung up were posters of popular Kollywood heroes like Vijay, Vikram and Rajni. The oothappam was light and fluffy and topped with grated vegetables of choice.
Sundalkaaran
The sundalkaaran with his ware in a cane basket, wheeled his cycle around the tables of Paprika which he served in little palm leaf bowls. The sundal was laced with a lot of coconut, lime and red chilli powder, and drew tears. The only missing ingredient were raw mango slices.
Gola hoy!
The kuchi ice stall is a lot funkier than your regular Bombay ice gola. This one has toppings such as strawberry and mango syrup, tutti frutti, almond slivers, condensed milk, lychees, chocolate shavings amongst others. Packed with ice and topped with cola syrup, this was a super extravaganza gola.
Fame and fortune
Meenakshi tells fortune, but she is also a well-trained parrot.
This was the sight that first met us when we entered Paprika.
She took out a tarot card for one of us and when asked by the parrot astrologer, she nodded and shook her head for the appropriate questions. Everyone wanted to play with the parrot.
Lungi fest
Starting from the right are Marriot staff who were convinced to dress street, as the Hyderbadi hawker, the Calicut kaka and the Chennai anna.
Chef’s attack
Chef Prakash Jayadevan, the man in charge of this fest, sent out his sous chefs to Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh to discover street food. Although his designs were to introduce local beach and cart food to foreigners, he also had the regular rosemary chicken, corn bake, mint soufflé and chocolate brownies for their regular clients. Not bad, all at the price of Rs 895, inclusive of unlimited Kingfisher draft beer. The festival is on till the 11th of February.
Yaavarum Nalam, Thotta and more
January 28, 2008
Multitasking Maddy
We hear that Maddy is working on two films simultaneously. The first is ‘Endrendrum Punnagai’ with Sruthi Hassan under Nishikanth’s direction, a part of which will be shot in England. The other is Adlab’s ‘Yaavarum Nalam’ which is being directed by Vikram Kumar. The music has been composed by the trio Shankar-Ehsan-Loy, while P.C. Sreeram is handling the camera. The first half of this film was filmed in a specially constructed apartment set priced at 60 lakhs. Watch out for Yaavarum Nalam in the month of May, especially for the Kollywood debutante, Neethu Chandra who hails from the northern shores of Bollywood.
Love story sans villain?
Though Shakti’s first film didn’t see fantastic ticket sales, the songs were declared hits, and Arabu Nade especially was the most demanded song in all radio channels a few months ago. ‘Mahesh, Saranya Matrum Palar’ is Shakti’s second foray into leading roles. The story has been raising a lot of eyebrows because of the all too simple storyline - the love between the hero and the heroine has no opposition at all from any front and ponders about happiness that is unopposed.
Revival of a rowdy’s tale
Due to various reasons director Selva’s ‘Thotta’ was shelved. But now, overnight stars Jeevan and Priyamani have found a reason to celebrate, for the movie is being revived. Selva says that though the movie is about a rowdy, there won’t be any blood spilt. Priyamani plays a college girl, trying to reform a rowdy played by Jeevan. His violent ways however, are too deeply rooted into his psyche. Will she and the movie succeed?
Gautham Menon on Vaaranam Aayiram
January 24, 2008
“Vaaranam Aayiram is a simple film about a youngster and his experiences in life. He lives life fully, discovers something new every moment. He is on the verge of life every moment.”
When he discusses his next flick, Gautham Vasudev Menon exudes every bit of confidence that defines his hero. You know that the man is in his groove. Gautham was his relaxed and cool self in regular blue jeans and at his Royapettah office when Ergo caught up with him. The trailer of Vaaranam Aayiram, which was leaked on the Internet a week ago, looks much better on the huge projection screen. He gets intense as we talk about casting choices, movies and more.
We start off by quizzing him about his heroines. “I like to cast a little differently. Jyothika came with the bubbly Kushi image to Kakha Kakha, but Maya was the antithesis of that role.” We probe what made him pick Sameera Reddy, a relatively lesser known heroine in Tamil films. “We asked a few people to screen test for the female lead. Andrea and Genelia somehow did not work out. And we decided we needed a larger than life heroine, for the hero just sees her and blindly falls in love. Sameera is just perfect,” he says.
“When we are young, we see someone and we feel decide impulsively that the rest of our life should be with them. We needed that kind of a female lead - beautiful, poised and tall. The hero looks up to her. Sometimes guys go after girls like that. Dangerously, a little taller than him, in this case,” he laughs.
Story matters
Like all directors ahead of their movie release, Gautham tries to keep the story of his movie a secret. But with a bit of prodding, he opens up.
“It is biographical, about the young man, his mother and father. Every father somehow shapes and moulds a son’s life. We don’t remember our first 6-7 years. How we were held closely by our fathers and taught everything by them. I have tried to show how a father affects a man’s form, his shape and even life. It is a salute to all fathers.”
When we query: who plays Suriya’s father, Gautham says he wants to keep it a secret.
Innovative titles
Gautham seems to have developed a penchant for unique title names – his previous two movie have been titled based on old Tamil songs – “Vettayadu Vilayadu” and “Pachaikili Muthucharam,” both MGR film hits. “Vaaranam Ayiram” is based on an Andal Thiruppavai song.
“Vaaranam Aayiram is about the father-son bond, like the girl in the poem says, both men whose strength is accompanied by the force of a 1000 elephants,” he says.
Next project
“We have started work on Chennaiyil Oru Mazhaikaalam, with Trisha in the lead and several other newcomers- Sandhya, Nikita, Veera, Karthik, Shyam and Satish. It is going to be a fun film about several people falling in love left and right. And the curiosity factor is if they end up together with who they want,” he laughs.
We sign off at this point. Vaaranam Aayiram still has some shooting left. Their next schedule is in Delhi. The movie releases in May 2008.
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