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E-love You may find it surprising :-O, but teenyboppers are mailing letters punctuated with emotions, literally, says Saurabh Malik If you still haven’t seen them kissing electronically :-*) or even winking ;-) enthusiastically, just enter a chat-room on the Internet after logging on to excitement :-D. The distance may make them feel separated] [but then they have devised way and means of hugging and kissing (( )):** , even screaming :-@ , without coming face to face { } . If all this is making you feel like a smiling blockhead :-] , here’s something that will give you the impression of being nothing less than an egghead (:I
The symbols, forming a part of chat-room parlance, are nothing but examples of "emoticons". Speaking with a forked tongue :-W about the concept that’s redefining the expression of human emotions, local undergrad humanities student Radhika Khaurana says: "Emoticons cleverly uses punctuation marks and alphabets for giving vent to anger, happiness, confusion, and the like in the chat-room." Hitting the keyboard hard with dexterous fingers to form emoticons with the help of colons, semi-colons and even brackets, the Sector 21 resident says: "The symbols actually help you add context to your discussions." Using the symbols extensively in her day to day conversations, Khaurana’s best pal-cum-cyber caf`E9 mate Rahul Puri asserts: "You see, an emoticon is a graphic translation of a person’s facial expressions on the computer screen. It helps you judge the person’s mood." Emoticons, in fact, reduce the gap in communication created by distance and almost completely rule out the possibility of misunderstanding. It’s just like talking nose-to-nose, rather than forwarding personal mails with not-so-personal touch. Explaining the trend, the communication student adds: "Known to a few until about a year ago, this alternative mode of communication, based on facial expressions, has now gained recognition with the increasing popularity of sites offering easy chatting facilities like the MSN Messenger." The best thing about emoticons is that there’s one for every occasion. And to top it all, you can be sarcastic, yet sincere, by employing the right emoticon at the right moment. Citing an example, second year computer engineering student Nidhi Verma says: "You could say ‘that’s great’ sincerely by adding the symbol of thumbs up ^ , or else say it sarcastically by using ;-). If you still haven’t said it with emoticons, enter a chat-room! Chat-facility providers enable users to articulate their emotions through emoticons and other symbols with amazing sound effects. In fact, you can say it all without punching the keyboard by opting for a dancer, a bow, a silly face, a knock and even a wilted rose. "The user has the option to download free animated winks," says MSN’s India consumer marketing head Satya Raghavan. "And if your chatting partner’s napping, ‘nudge’ him ignorer out of his slumber." A word of caution here: Emoticons can be used freely while conversing effectively through e-mails, but you should essentially ignore uncommon symbols that are hard to understand like inserting :-& to say ‘I am tongue-tied’. "You should stick to the conventional symbols while chatting or else explain them initially so that the receiver is just not left gaping 8-O or frowning :( `A0like this," says Nidhi. "You can also use chat abbreviations like LOL to laugh out loud or TY to say thank you". Well folks, time to say OO. That’s over and out. :-> saurabh@tribunemail.com
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Scaling new heights
She undertook the uphill task of mountaineering because she wanted to capture the eternal beauty of snow-capped peaks on a canvass. But after scaling new heights of popularity by climbing Mount Everest twice, Padmashri Santosh Yadav has no desire of painting the mountains. For, the first woman in the world to touch the earth’s highest point two times believes Everest’s beauty just cannot be translated on a canvass. “Even an attempt to paint the mountains would amount to affront the exquisiteness of the insurmountable peaks,” she says. In Chandigarh for the launch of Discovery Channel’s series on the Everest, Yadav says she now wants adventure sports in the country to scale new heights. As she talks about creating awareness amidst youngsters about the benefits of mountaineering, you realise the summiteer, after rising to the level of a celebrity, is all set to go down in history as a climber who struggled hard to make the sports popular. “As you climb up the mountains, you go deep inside yourself. You realise life is one big challenge and it gives you no time to say sorry. You recognise the fact that beauty around you is also dangerous and you just cannot be reckless with it,” she asserts. Describing it as a complete personal development package, Yadav says corporate giants should actually encourage their employees to set themselves free in the mountains to realise the importance of team work.
For her, it all started when Yadav was just 16. Awestruck by the sight of the Arravalis from her hostel’s window. Then one day she saw a group of mountaineers — all boys. She wanted to take part. But mountaineering for femmes? Well, it was something unheard of. But then she bumped into an elderly gentleman involved in the expedition and after a series of coincidence she was finally in the team. Since then, she has been going up. Even today, she is associated with the Everest Foundation, the Indian Adventure and Mountaineering Association and the Experts Committee set up by the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
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If you thought the sequel craze had seized only Bollywood, then check out the array of sequels lined up for release in Hollywood. The month began with a peep into Spiderman’s dark side and Shrek The Third will hit theatres coming Friday followed by Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, Ocean’s Thirteen, The Bourne Ultimatum, Rush Hour 3, Evan Almighty and 28 Weeks Later, and many more. Purva Grover gives a lowdown on some of the keenly-awaited films Shrek The Third Recap: Shrek
1:The ogre rescues a princess from a tower, and after a roller coaster
ride both of fall in love, and get married. Shrek 2: Shrek goes to meet
his in-laws, who don’t approve of him. So, he is engaged in a battle
to prove himself. Viewer’s take: Last time, the ogre went and
met the family but their life was interrupted by the fairy godmother.
This time it should be something to do with Shrek and donkey going
separate ways, and then becoming friends again, plus someone should
kidnap Mrs. Ogre this time too. Director’s take: The
father-in-law who finally approves of Shrek as a worthy husband for her
daughter; falls ill and thus Shrek is looked up to as the rightful heir.
Shrek unwilling takes up the job and sends his friends-donkey and puss
in boots to take care of other thing. Release date: May
18 Rush Hour 3 This is the
third installment in the Rush Hour franchise, which began with Rush Hour
and continued with Rush Hour 2. Recap: Rush Hour 1: Lee
(Chan), an inspector in Hong Kong police and James Carter (Chris
Tucker), a detective with LAPD; unwillingly team together to solve a
case of stolen artifacts. Rush Hour 2: Carter travels to Hong Kong for
a vacation. The two get mixed up with Chinese triads, and uncover a huge
counterfeit currency scam. Viewer’s take: The first part saw
Jackie Chan coming to US to find answers. In the second part, Chris
Tucker went to Hong Kong for a vacation but ended up fighting crime. In
third part, they would go out of the country to a new location to fight
crime; and maybe get married too! Now, wouldn’t that be Bollywood
touch to the Hollywood flick. Director’s take: Both Tucker
and Chan travel to Paris, a place and culture unknown to both. But, as
luck would have it they again run into Chinese triads. The movie
promises to be a laugh riot, with Jackie Chan’s big-hearted action
scenes. Release date: August 10 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Recap: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s
Stone: 11-year old Harry, mistreated by his relatives, realises that he
is in fact a wizard. Led by Hagrid, he goes to the famous Howarts School
of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Potter begins his second year
at Hogwarts School of Wizardry, but is warned by a mysterious creature
that danger awaits him at the school. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of
Azkaban: It’s Harry’s third year at Hogwarts, not only does he have
a new defense against the dark-arts’ teacher; but there is also
trouble brewing. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: Potter and the
Goblet of Fire took us deeper into the characters’ minds and the
darkness of the Wizarding World. Viewer’s take: This time the
kids must have grown up. It should be the ultimate showdown between
Harry and the bad guy; who gave him the mark can’t be said Director’s
take: With Harry’s fifth return to Hogwarts, comes the realization
that Voldemort’s return to power is not the only factor that will
contribute trouble to the times. As the ministry insists on his and
Dumbledore’s obvious lunacy, Harry is forced to confide his trust
within a different force. Release date: July 13 Oceans 13 Recap: Oceans 11: Daniel Ocean
(George Cloney) and his gang of 11 thieves rob a casino in Las Vegas of
an exorbitant sum. Oceans 12: The owner of the casino (Andy Garcia)
finds out their identities and threatens them to pay back the money with
interest. They are now joined by Daniel’s girlfriend Tess (Julia
Roberts). Viewer’s take: They started out with 11, were 12 in
the next sequel and will be 13 now. A fantastic robbery that will blow
away our minds yet again. Director’s take: When ruthless
casino owner Willy Bank (Al Pacino) double-crosses one of the original
Ocean’s eleven - Reuben Tishkoff (Elliott Gould) - Danny and the gang
team up one more time to see if they can break the bank. Release
date: June 8 The Bourne Ultimatum Recap: The Bourne Identity: A man is washed ashore the
beach of a small village. When the man recovers, he cannot remember
anything. His search for his identity soon becomes dangerous. The
Bourne Supremacy: A CIA operation to purchase classified Russian
documents is blown by a rival agent. Bourne, is once again forced to
take up his life as a trained assassin to survive. Viewer’s take:
This
one is tough to guess, as with the two preceeding Bourne films,
it is expected that it will have a completely different plot. A personal
favourite with many, Matt Damon doing stunts without sweating at all is
what the audience is looking forward to. Director’s take: The
flick will be based on Robert Ludlum’s novel. Matt Damon stars once
again as Ludlum’s signature character, amnesia-suffering assassin
Jason Bourne. Bourne hunts down his past in order to find a future,
while trying to outmaneuver the scores of cops, federal officers and
Interpol agents all the time. Release date: August 3 Live Free Recap: Die hard: Tough New York cop, McClane finds
himself in a tight situation when an office building in Los Angeles is
taken over by terrorists. Die hard 2: Once again, McClane is in the
wrong place at the wrong time; this time he’s waiting for his wife at
the airport when he uncovers a plot to sabotage the airport’s landing
system. Die Hard: With a Vengeance: A man called, Simon, begins a
reign of terror in the streets of New York. He threatens to detonate
bombs around the city unless McClane cooperates in the game of Simon
Says. Viewer’s take: Well, not very hard to guess, this sequel
shall again see Willis managing to outdo the bad guys, single handedly.
Now, that’s what he does best. Doesn’t he? May be another hostage
situation. Director’s take: The film takes place some 18
years after the first film, and sees McClane coming out of retirement to
face a gang of Internet terrorists,who threaten to bring down the U.S
government. Release date: June 29
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Vandana Luthra launches customer loyalty programme Smriti Sharma Friday evening saw Vandana Luthra, the diva considered to be one of the pioneers of the beauty industry, set another milestone. Dressed in traditional attire, the lady was in town to launch a first of its kind customer loyalty programme, ‘ Way of Life’ in the city. Vandana along with Dr Jaskiran Deep Kaur Badal, director, health services, kicked off the programme. With health being the priority for most of us these days, the Way of Life card offers its members a wide range of benefits that include VLCC therapies, service and exclusive products. " Our brand is the most customer savvy and spreading happiness and positivity is our motto. The Way of Life programme provides customers a holistic approach to beauty and weight loss. So, customers can derive maximum benefits by taking the packages at discounted prices," says Vandana, founder of VLCC. And Chandigarh being my first baby, it becomes the obvious launch pad for the programme in this region, she reasons. And what is the awareness level among the masses regarding health and related problems, we ask?
" When we started way back in 1989, the industry itself was very disorganised and people’s attitude towards health was lackadaisical. After 18 years now, obesity has become a global health problem and about 70 per cent of people who come to us have severe problems due to this. No doubt, with awareness has come the solution," avers Luthra. Refuting to having any competitors, Vandana maintains that the picture is not so bright as more and more people claim to help by starting health centres for shedding instant weight using most unscientific means and thereby, putting the customers at risk. A state-of-art institute in collaboration with an American firm offering medi spas and day spas to customers is on the cards. Vandana has also been approached to be on the panel for medical tourism by the ministry of tourism . smritisharma@tribunemail.com
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Leena Kejriwal captures life in the streets of Paris
It was an Artist-in-Residence programme, which took Leena, who hails from Kolkata to Paris in 2005. As a photographer, she comes as an unassuming person, finding joy in capturing the scenes as they presented to her—uneventful, untouched and above all, un-constructed. She peeps through windows and glass doors of restaurants, showrooms and art studios, and capture whatever fascinates her – of course making herself inconspicuous, and thus giving her subject ample of space and opportunity to be what they are.
Sometimes, the artist seems to be lost in her alien surroundings and looks for something familiar, and then she discovers some eating joints with old-world charms and she captures it. She admits —“What I see, as I peep through windows and doors, is to me the scenes of perhaps a movie, because this world is so different from my own. Yet they were scenes which had an underlying similarity with life back home and some of them I have chosen to juxtapose.” In her child-like enthusiasm, Leena captures the display of shoes, dresses and books displayed in a shop, pays homage to her favoutire musician Jim Morrison and does a series on his grave and even a Captain Haddock look-alike character with pipe, hat and stick from the Tin-Tin comics. Her photographs, framed in broad wooden frames evoke a happy feeling. And, each subject comes in a cluster of three to four frames, with a hand-written note attached with it, making it easier for one to grasp at the story she is trying to convey. — P. R. On till May 19
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High on life Donning many hats comes easy to television anchor and entrepreneur Geetanjali Kirloskar, currently on a ‘hilly’ ride She comes across as the eternal seraph of sporting good times! In fact ‘sporty’ would be an understatement and ‘expressively versatile’, more likely the term that describes Geetanjali Kirloskar best. Anchor (Life’s Like That on Times Now), actor (Samay with Sushmita Sen), mountaineer, entrepreneur, advertising guru (director on the board of Quadrant Communications, the joint-venture advertising agency set up by her in 1998 between Kirloskar and the Interpublic Worldwide Group, the world’s second largest advertising network) and currently chairperson of the non-profit India-Japan Initiative (IJI) set up by her, which aims at connecting people of the two countries through business and interpersonal initiatives, are just some of the hats she wears. Passing through the city with the briefest of brief stopovers at North Park Hotel, she springs out of foyer, rushes cheerfully for a photograph, smiles happily at all around and gets set to wave goodbye all in a less than an hour. However, her sporty (there is the word again!) golden sports shoes, her folded up chinos and black t-shirt complete with black Jackie O sunglasses make for one alluring picture. And in the middle of this melee we ask, pray what is she doing here? The answer is simple. She is out on a five-day driving and hiking trip in her Innova with friends from Delhi to the Sangla Valley to ‘refresh’ her soul. So how does she don so many roles and with so much aplomb? “Focus,” pat comes the reply. Couple this with maintaining good health, lots of energy and the ability to multi-facet and what you have is one super-woman. However, Geetanjali is clear what her priorities are. “Home because a woman is essential to building a home and work. But in the process it is essential to keep evolving intellectually and to value-add to the world around you,” she explains. As for her many hats, she insists none of it would have been possible without her husband Vikram Kirloskar (chairman managing director of Kirloskar Systems Ltd and vice-chairman Toyota Kirloskar Motor). “His support, patronisation and sensitivity have given me the chance to do everything I want to.” However, it is her latent desire to learn, to do things differently that has made her what she is today. “To keep alive, young and vibrant and to be able to think fresh all the time gives me great happiness,” she smiles. And her mantra is something that can be so easily imbibed. “Focus, keep fit and constantly evolve your mind and intellect.” Having learnt so much about the diversity of human nature, of how “there is no right and wrong only rights,” through her talk-show that she is all set to sink her teeth into more shows of this kind, including one on travel for television. But at the end of the day, like any doting mother, all she is focusing on right now is her teenage daughter and which Ivy League college to put her into. A complete woman no less! gayatrir@tribunemail.com
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Pun intended In his latest book Whitewash, Gautam Bhatia takes a dig at everything Indian — right from politics to architecture
But more than his knowledge on Baker, what had impressed us was his honesty that came through this reply — "unfortunately, I have very little personal information on Baker, except for what appeared in the book I had done on his works 20 years ago." So, when we read about his latest publication Whitewash: The tabloid that is...in Khushwant Singh’s column, we got doubly intrigued — not just by the unusual name — but also because this seems to be a little different from Bhatia’s rack. After a hunt at the local book stores that yielded zilch, we once again tracked Bhatia down to know all about this one. "Yes, this is a little different from my previous books. It is funny and sad at the time. I try to drive home some points using humour," says Bhatia over the phone. He makes a dig at everything Indian — right from politicians to heritage, real estate, health, architecture and even wildlife!
Is it fortnightly, we ask, taking a cue from Khushwant Singh’s write-up. "No it is a one-time book," replies Bhatia. Is it inspired by Britain’s Private Eye, a fortnightly tabloid that spares none? (Khushwant Singh again). "Well, the inspiration came from too many magazines, but the one I can pinpoint is Look Back at 1980s, a magazine which was published from the US in the early 70s. After establishing the facts we proceed with the more basic ones — what motivated him to go satirical this time? "We are naturally funny people, especially us Punjabis. But when we start dissecting ourselves seriously, we fall apart," says Bhatia. And the author draws inspiration from real life events. "Life itself is so funny that one does not have to make things up," he adds. In fact, Bhatia’s writing career began as he found too many comic angles to his architectural profession. "I had clients who would ask me to design a Buckingham Palace at Rohtak. I thought why not pen down these funny things and that’s how it started," he says. Whitewash, too, is a compilation of notes he had jotted down while travelling or waiting to catch a flight or bus stands during the past two years. Well, being funny is one thing, but doesn’t one have to draw a line? "The idea is not to be offensive and so I stay clear from hurting religious or community sentiments." A wise decision indeed. Religious sentiments apart, Bhatia faced limitations from three different quarters — "In our country, cricketers, politicians and Bollywood stars are beyond reach." But readers do not lose heart. He has touched the untouchable, and if Khushwant’s Singh review is anything to go by, he is doing a rocking job of it! parbina@tribunemail.com
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She’s a singer, an actress and a songwriter, and now Cher has one more accomplishment to the list becoming a Barbie Doll. Barbie creators Mattel is reportedly getting set to bring out the Oscar winning actress in the form of two dolls. One of the dolls will wear the leotard she wore in the 1989 Turn Back Time video, and the other will be decked out in the famous squaw outfit, that she wore in 1973 hit Half- Breed. The outfits for the new Cher Barbie dolls will be designed by fashion legend Bob Mackie, who designs dresses for high-priced Barbie dolls and also created Cher’s flamboyant outfits. The dolls will hit toyshops in US by June this year. As to whether or not the dolls will be as flamboyant as the original, Cher fans will not let it go down. — ANI
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Get energised Electrolux introduces a fresh new range of AC’s with ‘Oxigenerator’ technology. The new models in its range of split AC’s, window AC’s, cassette AC’s, and tower AC’s generate rejuvenating anions, which deactivate dust particles and preserve clean air. This feature helps to create a pollution free zone to give you a clean, fresh breath of air. Switch to 70s A 70s influenced collection; Spykar’s Spring Summer collection embraces diversities from the young world of streets to pop art culture. It is elaborated with multi-coloured stripes and floral prints. The range brings back the days of cotton lycra and linens. It includes jeans, cargos, shorts, skirts, shirts, tees, junk jewellery, eyewear, belts, caps, bags and wallets. Sone-da-Tashan Unleashing a cool wave this summer, Coca-Cola has announced- Sone-da-Tashan on till June 17. Look under the gold coloured crowns of 200ml or 300ml returnable glass bottles of cold drinks, with pre-printed unique codes. SMS Thanda followed by code to 4646 or call 1901 180 3132 and win prizes.
— TNS
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Health tip of the day
Due to disc narrowing in old age vertebral bones come close to each other causing decrease in height. — Dr Ravinder Chadha |
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It was
shot alongside Shrek 2 with the working title of Shrek 3. 
Harry Potter’s
adventures continue...
What are the
odds of getting even? 13 to one.
The
Bourne Identity and The Bourne Supremacy earned $500 mm at the box
office.
Also known as Die
Hard 4, is the fourth installment in the Die Hard film
series.
Do not starve yourself rather eat healthy and take smaller portions 4-5 times.
Like the name suggests, ‘On the Streets of Paris’, the photography exhibition at Alliance Francaise de Chandigarh is all about a few happy moments that Leena Kejriwal had experienced during her stay there. Life in the streets of Paris—its colour, vibrancy and aesthetics, all find true expression in her hands.
As you enter the gallery, you see a few frames of one cute old woman wearing a pink butterfly on her hair, enjoying a meal all by herself, and you know you are in Paris. There after come lights and colours, radiating from chandeliers or other artificial sources in shops or restaurants, interspersed with human forms, be it of a family dining or happy chefs tossing up a dish or a few youngsters having a high tea.
Our
association with architect-author Gautam Bhatia is recent. We came into
contact with him when Laurence Wilfred Baker passed away. After all,
Bhatia is considered an authority on the Brick Master of Kerala after he
wrote Laurie Baker’s Life, Works and Writings. 
An architect by profession, Bhatia
spent his childhood in the city and studied at Government Model Senior
Secondary School in Sector 16.