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H for Horror & Halloween Don't get
cracking
Brajesh wins 1 crore at KBC-2 FILM & FASHION MARKET PULSE
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H for Horror & Halloween Halloween is a pre-Christian concept but has caught the fancy of the city partygoers, especially the corporate houses. Parbina Rashid writes of these dos with devils incarnate
No. You have not walked into the sets of a Ramsay Brothers’ film. Even the building is what the signboard says it is - Mobera Systems Ltd. It’s just that you landed up in the middle of a Halloween party! A brand new concept for the city crowd, Halloween has caught up the fancy of the partygoers, especially the corporate houses. Mobera Systems celebrated it on Friday at its office and Warehouse did it on Sunday at Chimney Heights. While the corporate houses are aiming at inculcating team spirit among the workers, the party loving employees are game enough to adorn the costumes of Count Dracula and Werewolf. When Puneet Vatsayan of Mobera systems introduced the concept of the Halloween theme party a week back, a majority of his employees had not even hard the word. “We had great difficulty ordering the Halloween cake, for no bakery had done it earlier. Finally we had to download some pictures of a cake that we wanted and saw it to them,” says Vatsayan. Halloween is a pre-Christian concept, says a senior journalist. According to the Celtic calendar October 31 was the last day of the year and the belief was that on that particular day all witches and warlocks leave the earth, he adds. Later, since the year 834, October 31 had become the eve of all halos or all saints and November 1 the All Saints Day. There are many interesting stories attached to Halloween. A Scottish legend says those born on the Halloween have the gift of second sight. Though Halloween has made its present felt in the city’s party circuit, the Christian community here has not warmed up to the concept of celebrating it. “Halloween has nothing to do with Christianity and hence will be off-track to celebrate it,” says Charles Samuel, Principal of Mount Carmel School. “People abroad celebrate it not as a religious do but as a party theme in the secular spirit,” he adds. Setting the religious sentiments aside, if Halloween can come handy in promoting team spirit and enhancing creativity, then be it. So don that Count Dracula costume and sink in your fangs into your unsuspecting victim!
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Don't get cracking Celebrate Diwali with lights, flowers, sweets but not crackers, says Vishal Gulati
A visit to various markets reveals that crackers of various types are available. The range of crackers varies from common crackers like rockets, bombs, sparklers and flowerpots to colourful light emitting crackers like “Palm Garden”, “Aerial Silvery Flowers”, “Rang Jang, “Sweet Sixteen”, etc. However, the response of the public towards buying the crackers is not very positive. “This year the interest of the public towards crackers is on the decline”, says Bharat, a salesman of Madras Store in Panchkula. This may be due to intensive anti-cracker campaign launched by schoolchildren, who are the potential buyers. Members of various eco-clubs are also taking out rallies in the city to spread the message: “Diwali is a festival of lights, not of crackers.” Even the NGOs like the Environment Society of Chandigarh have educated the students about the ill effects of crackers. In the wake of a sharp fall in the firecracker sale over the past few years, some of the cracker manufactures have now come up with a novel idea to attract customers by claiming that the noise and air pollution levels of crackers have come down considerably. Most of the packets of crackers even carry mandatory warning like “Not for 12 years and below” and guidelines on how to use these. Even the manufacturers claimed that no child labour was involved in making crackers. One of the leading manufacturers, “Cock” brand, has written on cracker packets that: “Display at the silence zones like hospitals, educational institutions and places of worship is strictly prohibited.” This brand also claims that noise level of its crackers does not exceed 125dB (A). However, the permissible limit for residential areas is 45dB (A). Any noise above 120dB (A) can cause permanent hearing loss. However, environmentalists are worried over air pollution. They say every year during Diwali, the air pollution level witnesses an increase. Quoting a report, “State of Environment Chandigarh - 2004”, prepared by the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology, they point out that Chandigarh is already among 14 cities where the suspended particulate matter (SPM) in residential areas is high throughout the year. The report says the maximum SPM value (400 microgram per litre) was observed in the Sector 17 area in June 2003. The permissible annual average limit is 140 microgram per litre in residential areas. However, most of the cities are likely to witness a quieter Diwali this time due to the Supreme Court order on noise pollution. Shrey, a Class VIII student, has rightly remarked: “Donate the money that would have spent on crackers for earthquake victims.” So think twice before picking up those “powerful” crackers this time. |
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Diwali
Wish List Move over Gulab Jamun – Kurkure has arrived!! I love the Juhi Chawla advertisement. I too, would slip off the laddoos and the barfis and keep the Kurkure. Karva Chauth has opened the floodgates to the shopping spree that we gleefully know as the Diwali season in Chandigarh!! I love this time of the year. In the mellow autumn air and golden sunshine, all paths now lead to – Sector 17. Children abroad make a wish list for Santa before Christmas. They pack the list with many choices – from plausible to wild. Well, in the end, what Santa brings depends on whether they were –“naughty or nice!” If we the womenfolk of Chandigarh, were busy compiling our wish list, our horizon has broadened enormously. Our choices are many and varied. I surveyed the Tribune ads last Saturday and was delighted that my list was highly extendible! I had only added some of my favourites like Fab India kurtis, organic green tea and maybe a nice bar of Toblerone. As an afterthought, I had added a pair of jeans and some hair pins. But, the Saturday section revealed an entire unexplored continent! I hadn’t even thought of Kashmiri carpets (that too, buy one get one free!), heavily discounted imported furniture and a year’s subscription of Good Housekeeping! I could also add a Diwali dhamaka of losing 18 kgs in 18 days. Can you beat such a deal? Of course, I could get an electrical Tandoor or maybe a really nice Phulkari Dupatta! All would be very useful! And If I really wanted to raise the bar – I could add a home theatre system with a plasma TV. That would really light up my Diwali and electrify my list!! Herbal beauty can easily find a place in the list! We can add to the list, some fenugreek, Ashwagandha and more Ayurvedic tongue-twisters and emerge a whole new woman – before it’s time for the New Years Party. And since, Aishwarya Rai has set the standards for Karva Chauth (for many non-Punjabis, Karva Chauth is epitomized as a classic song and dance routine in a Yash Chopra like movie with a divine looking heroine in an outrageously expensive outfit), how can we let it slip for Diwali? Hence, some of us could feel free to add some glittering diamonds to the list and see the trailing zeros zoom up! So, the women of Chandigarh – rise to the challenge of the list!! I urge you not to dill-dally and put all your efforts and imagination into the list. After all, Diwali comes only once a year! Well,
if you were naughty or nice – that is another story altogether! |
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Brajesh wins 1 crore at KBC-2
It’s the popularity of the game show and the mega-host, Amitabh Bachchan, that prompted him to give it a shot. Brajesh had been preparing for the quiz contest for the past two months with the help of his friends, family and the people of Guna. “Most of my friends, colleagues and family helped me concentrate on KBC2,” he said. Getting through to the KBC-2 lines was not so easy, but a determined Brajesh tried repeatedly, prayed fervently and thanked his luck when he got through. Brajesh calls KBC a adbuth khel (unique game) which gives everyone rich or poor, big or small, a chance to participate in the game show that could
change their lives. His advice to fellow viewers is to keep on trying. — TNS |
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YOUTH SPEAK Metrosexual men have rocked the world of advertising and their numbers are on the way up in our cities. Sparing time from their busy schedules for saloons and parlours, these men are showing an increasing interest in grooming. Realising the emergence of this new breed, companies and advertisers are making products and planning ad campaigns specially for the male audience. It is not only women who want to look fair but also the men folk are yearning to look fair. Now a days, men are required to be tall, ‘fair’ and handsome. Emami, a well known beauty products company, has introduced a men’s only fairness cream, Fair and Handsome which is endorsed by superstar Shah Rukh Khan. The company claims the response has been overwhelming. The new commercial of Lux showing Shah Rukh Khan in a bath tub with floating rose petals and surrounded by Bollywood beauties is another manifestation of metrosexuality. It succeeded in gaining attention from the viewers, companies and the ad world. The metrosexual male made the company violate its history of 75 years of using actresses for their product. Looking groomed is no more a prerogative of females only. Separate parlors and salons for men are mushrooming around the city. Men can be seen having facials, massages and plucking of the eyebrows done on a regular basis. Even pedicure and manicure are on their priority list. New techniques such manscaping to get rid of chest hair is also in vogue these days. Men are so conscious about their looks that they do not mind spending time and money on their grooming. Hair seems to be an area of importance to them. Every day new methods and techniques are introduced in the market for re-growth and maintenance of hair. No wonder, in the near future, a company may come up with a product like “Hair and Lovely” for men. If you believe that pink colour is for girls and blue is for boys, then you are living in an old age century. Feminine colours such as pink, lilac and other pastel shades can be seen flaunted by men. Not only the young college-going students but even the executives and managers. Men can also be seen wearing floral prints with the same ease. The pre-conceived notions of beauty and women going hand in hand are being modified and transgressed by men. Whether metrosexuality is a threat to masculinity and machismo is a debatable question but it surely is proving to be a great opportunity for the beauty product companies and advertisers.
— Ritu Rishi |
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FILM & FASHION
Paris Hilton’s gets cozy Hotel-heiress, and socialite Paris Hilton reportedly resorted to using the loo to get nice and cozy with her latest flame, Greek shipping-tycoon, Stavros Niarchos. According to Femalefirst, the pair had a steamy loo romp at a Hollywood party, after they had been spotted kissing and fondling each other earlier in the evening. The dalliance comes just weeks after Hilton announced her split from Greek shipping heir Paris Latsis, and the grapevine has it that the hotel heiress is now dating Mary-Kate Olsen’s ex-boyfriend, Stavros Niarchos. The 20-year-old Greek, who is even richer than Hilton’s ex-beau Latsis, has been spotted with the actress “making out all night” at a number of Hollywood hot-spots in recent weeks. — ANI ‘Jazz therapy’ to the aid of Claire Danes
While ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ star, Keira Knightly reportedly found it “liberating” to strip on screen, others like ‘Basic Instinct’ babe, Sharon Stone, needed ‘booze therapy’ by co-star, Bruce Willis, to lower her guard. But when it comes to ‘Romeo And Juliet’ star, Claire Danes, nothing works better than some" Mel to shoot epic movie in Mayan
The star turned director was in the eastern state of Veracruz this week where he is to film ‘Apocalypto’, a thriller set in an ancient Mayan settlement and shot in the Yucatec dialect. “It’s set before the Conquest, so there are no European faces, and we are using mostly indigenous people and actors from Mexico City,” Gibson, sporting a long beard, said at a news conference in the port city of Veracruz.
— Reuters |
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MARKET PULSE Mamta Agro Foods, manufacturers of Jooz and Madrid brands, is launching their Special Diwali Packs. The four attractive gift packs include - two packs comprising six 200 ml and ten 200 ml packs each, of assorted Madrid juices in Aloe Vera, Safed Musli and Seabuckthorn based energy drinks priced at Rs 100 and Rs 150 respectively. Autumn Range Egle Shoes - The Russian Footwear Brand , has now introduced their new Autumn Range that are designed to protect and accent the human foot. Featuring classic colours like Chocolate Brown, Reddish Brown, Golden Brown, Coffee, Ginger, Brunette, Auburn, Russet, Bordeaux, Olive, jade, Sea Green, Tan and Black, the Egle’s Autumn Collection boasts of a range of contemporary shoes for men. Priced between Rs 3590/- to Rs 4990/- each shoe from the Egle’s Autumn Collection incorporates the fitting qualities and style expected by the discerning Indian customer and further embodies the essence of urban sophistication and a lifestyle which is uniquely its own. Celebrations Collection Metro Shoes is offering a wide range of party bags to match with your special dress. The Celebrations Collection from Metro Shoes consists of bold colors, ornate details and unique fabrics. Heavily embroidered and beaded with pearls, colourful sequins, accented with silver and gold embroidery, crystals, brocades, rhinestones and satin heels, these festive dress Shoes and Bags are sure to turn heads and make a woman feel glamorous and special. Priced between Rs 990/- to 2990/- the Metro’s Celebrations Collection is available at all Metro outlets. Winter Collection AO’s-the label from the house of Oswal, has made the winter splash with four hot and fascinating design collections under the label of Alpine Spirit, Acid Lounge, Street Smart and Collage in the form of fresh men’s wear and women’s wear range. An adventure packed sports gear collection with a sense of attitudinal fashion, the Alpine Spirit range boasts of trendy multifunctional Jackets, Sweatshirts, Tees, and Sweaters in addition to Mufflers, caps and socks perfect for Mountaineering, skiing, camps, adventure and other action filled moments. The Acid Lounge collection from AO’s comprises of Stylized shirts, trousers and jackets. The Street Smart oozes has a whole array of Tees, jackets, cargos, multi-pockets cargos, gathered capris zip trousers and sweaters, with a heavy dose of embellishments the collection is apt for making a bohemian fashion
statement. The Collage collection from AO’s consists of Shirts, jackets, tees and accessories such as Caps, belts and mufflers to match the
attire. — TNS |
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Eat more nuts to beat your age! Nuts are concentrated sources of energy, vitamins and minerals. Salted nuts are not good for people with high blood pressure and their caloric content may be problematic for those who are overweight. But when eaten as a part of a balanced diet, nuts are super nutrient dense foods. — Dr Rashmi Garg is senior consultant,
Fortis, Mohali. |
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Imagine this. You walk into this building that houses a corporate office. As you open the door, you suddenly find yourself into an alien world. Cobwebs all around, shadowy figures moving around in the dim light coming through the cracked ceiling. Finally the cover of the coffin, which did not catch your attention till then, opens up with a loud noise and a skeletal figure, wrapped in white cloth, looks straight into your eyes.
Think before you burst powerful crackers this Diwali. These may be injurious not only to you but also to the environment. 
Brajesh Dubey, an electrical engineer from Guna, has walked away with the prize money of Rs 1 crore from the hot-seat on KBC2. He is the first person to win this amount in the KBC-2. The episode will be telecast on November 5.
Mallika Sherawat and Ram Gopal Varma are finally coming together.
Mallika and Ramu are a combination that was waiting to happen. In fact right after ‘Murder’, the sizzling actress had expressed her desire to work with Bollywood’s most enterprising filmmaker. Her dream took a while to materialise. But Mallika is finally getting to work with Ramu.
It seems most Hollywood stars need some ‘therapy’ or the other to become bold enough to strip on screen.
Actor Mel Gibson is in Mexico to shoot his latest film— an action movie shot entirely in an ancient Mayan tongue.
ARIES: You will be very effective in presentations or group situations. Being protective and canvassing support for your ideas will bring results.
Lucky number: 3, Lucky colour: Bottle green. 
LIBRA: Stand your ground if you are convinced about a certain point of view but be diplomatic to avoid alienating close colleagues. Romance will be smooth sailing. Lucky number: 1, Lucky colour: Brick red. 
TAURUS: Work could be hectic. You need to prioritise tasks if you want to stay on schedule. Be careful with your temper as work pressures could make things tense. Lucky number: 17, Lucky colour: Cream. 
SCORPIO:
Relax, and adopt a light & playful attitude today. Singles need to be careful about prospective partners as they could be disappointed with the eventual outcome. Lucky number: 6, Lucky colour: Burgundy
GEMINI: Colleagues and business associates may turn to you for advice. Your love life will benefit from spending quality time together. Pay attention to your finances.
Lucky number: 9, Lucky colour: Golden yellow 
SAGITTARIUS: You will be focussed and alert at work. Distraction is possible but you should be able to stay on schedule. Students will be happy with their progress. Lucky number: 10, Lucky colour: Silver grey. 
CANCER: There could be disruption and delays but you will manage to stick to your schedule. Make an effort to get to showcase your ideas to close associates.
Lucky number: 12, Lucky colour: Pink. 
CAPRICORN: Interruption and distraction may create confusion at work. New assignments or changes in current ones could help you achieve some of your short term goals.
Lucky number: 7, Lucky colour: Baby pink. 
LEO: You may be determined to change certain things at work and apply new ideas. If you are in two minds about a decision, take the advice of close associates.
Lucky number: 8, Lucky colour: Sky blue. 
AQUARIUS: Work pressure and tensions could rise. Disagreements with colleagues are possible and you need to be diplomatic to avert the situation from getting worse. Lucky number: 14, Lucky colour: Cherry. 
VIRGO: You may be in a very sensitive mood and could over react to advice from close colleagues. Focus on your finances as there are options available that could help you.
Lucky number: 22, Lucky colour: Orange. 
PISCES: Allow your heart to lead the way in personal relationships. Interruptions may cause you to lose your temper. Pending legal issues may be a cause for concern. Lucky number: 3, Lucky colour: White.