Polished act
Innovative ideas can work wonders in transforming old-look sarkari houses. And how!
You could be forgiven for assuming government houses to be dull, boring structures of brick and mortar. But not all. For some creative people it is the perfect opportunity to create a home of their dreams. "Doing up interiors of a house where structural changes are not possible can be quite challenging", says a senior police officer's wife on request of anonymity.

Relic razzmatazz: Heirloom pieces like the dining table and sideboard add style to this Sector 16 government house

Home, alone
It's vacation time, and everyone is busy packing. Here's how to wrap up your home before you leave for your summer holiday
It's time to pack you bags, shut the windows and bolt the doors. Yes, it's vacation time folks! And we know that you've put the best of your summer clothes, footwear, creams and handbags to enjoy a happy holiday and, yes, we know you've made that travel tip list too this time, but what about packing up your home? Haven't given it a thought yet. Don't worry we list the to-be-done things before you leave for a summer sojourn.

Geek Speak
Gadgets on the go
Car inverters are one of the thousands of car accessories which is very useful as the number of gadgets we depend on is increasing. There are different types of car inverters available in the market. They should be purchased with a serious thought regarding how and where is it going to be put to use, many of us spend a lot of time on the road and in our cars and most of us would like a little convenience along the way - the convenience provided by AC mains operated gadgets and equipments. We have quite a number of power hungry gadgets - laptops, mobile phones, digital camera chargers, hair dryers and power tools to name a few. Heavy inverters should not be used in cars.

Soon, hands-free video games
The ultimate computer game that banishes handheld controls and allows players' gestures to dictate the action on screen is to be launched by Microsoft. The Microsoft Xbox 360 uses 3-D camera technology, and is aimed at challenging the dominance of the Nintendo Wii. Allowing users to kick a virtual football, drive a car or practice dance moves with a computer-generated partner simply by monitoring an individual's movements, the entertainment system will become a must-have for any child or even a youngster.

Underage networking
More and more kids are showing up on social networking sites even though they are yet to touch minimun authorised age to be members
Jatin Chauhan has a running Orkut account and so does his friend Akhil Sharma. They have a big friends list and receive regular posts from them. In fact, the two are also members of a dedicated football community. Now, what's the big deal? Ever second person these days has an Orkut account. But did we tell you that Jatin and Akhil are just seven. Interesting! Yes. To be an authorised Orkut holder you have above 18 years of age. Who cares? The kiddos (they hate to be called this) certainly don't.

Tech Take
Message clearance
Just because your e-mail account may include unlimited - or nearly unlimited - storage doesn't mean you can't have too many messages piled up. Thing is, many of these e-mails only require a single reading: Think of 'your account statement is ready' notices from a credit-card issuer, 'view your bill' updates from the gas or electric company, or the messages an airline sends about its weekly e-fare specials. 

Nature’s nests
Suvyan-09 presents an array of styles and textiles
Romance, nature, traditions and heritage, mystical deserts and exotic islands, hyponotic geometries, futuristic opulence and technology. All these and lots more get amalgamated into one at Suvayan 09, the annual exhibition of textile designing students of NIIFT Mohali. From boutique fashion to abstract designs and innovative surface ornamentations, the budding designers had their best at display for the domestic and international market.

Forest and foliage define trends this season

Pen pairing
Celebrated literary couple Mamta and Ravinder Kalia share their views
"The contemporary Hindi literature, comprising of all genres, has attained a spectacular level of higher magnitude, much ahead of the literature sculpted in English language." Claims eminent author, Ravinder Kalia, director, Bhartiya Gyaanpeeth, the premier literary organisation of India, engaged in the proliferation of literature. In city to release a Hindi book authored by Manoj Singh he shared his views on many issues relating to literature.

Threads of life
Weaver's exhibition organised by the Awadh Hathgraha, Hastshilp Evam Gramodyog Samiti, Lucknow, under the ministry of Textiles, has brought to the front and artisans from interiors who have mastered the traditional crafts and are working behind the scenes to promote them. The exhibition covers handloom displays and weaver interaction with the public, and has national award winning weavers showcasing their skills live. 

Shamim Jahan weaving for the public

Salaam namaste
Cinema to cricket. On Sunday night, it was curtains down on two grand spectacles: IPL-II and the Cannes carnival
It was an austere end on Sunday night to an uncharacteristically no-frills Cannes Film Festival. Michael Haneke, maestro of misery, took home the festivalis Palme d'Or for his black-and-white film about a children's choir in a northern German village, set on the eve of World War I.

Director Michael Haneke waves on stage after receiving the Palme d'Or award for the film Das Weisse Band.

Gandhi, Gili & glitz
From Jai Ho to jewels in the Miss Bollywood crown, it was India flavour at the IPL finale
Unlike the opening ceremony of the Indian Premier League 2 (IPL) series in Cape Town five weeks ago, where there was almost no Bollywood entertainment, the fusion of Bollywood, Caribbean and American entertainment marked the closing ceremony at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Sunday night. It was Brand India from Jai Ho to Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram and Vande Mataram

Actor Katrina Kaif performs during the closing ceremony after the IPL final match in Johannesburg on Sunday. AFP photo: MANAN VATSYAYANA

Dus bahane kar ke…
I didn't get time to rehearse for IPL show: Shilpa Shetty
Shilpa Shetty was supposed to perform with the American R&B star Akon at the IPL finale but decided to opt out at the last minute as she couldn't get time to prepare for the act.