Sunday, October 30, 2011

MCubed Library, Bandra Membership: Rs.600 for 6 months.

 MCubed Library, Bandra Membership: Rs.600 for 6 months. Contact: 26411497

We visited a public library called Maharashtra Mitra Mandal the other day. We know what you’re going to think. But stop right there. This isn’t just any public library with dreary walls and dusty shelves, hard wooden chairs and mean-looking librarians. Here we found vibrant shelves packed with exciting books and funky mattresses adorning the floors. Vibha Kamath, Vaishali Shinde and Sonal Bimal have been working hard on giving this public library an attractive makeover (including changing its name to MCubed Library!). But how and why did they decide to go through all this trouble? It was actually one of Kamath’s nephews who was the driving force. Pushed by his library in the USA to take (and keep) an oath to read an x number of books, Neel (the nephew) pledged to read 20 one summer. He ended up reading a whopping 162! Kamath was stunned – both by her nephew’s reading habit and by the failure of our public libraries. She and her friends Shinde and Bimal decided they wanted to set up a library. After all, even if they were to encourage their children to read that many books – they’d have to buy them! After a long search (which began in 2007) they finally found the perfect spot in the bylanes of Bandra. The library was up and running by September 30 and now has a collection of some 4000 books (most of which have been donated to them!). Kamath, a French teacher, asked her class what books they read. “I was delighted to know we stocked them all!” she exclaimed. And I have to admit, they have quite a variety – from the Enid Blytons to the Meg Cabots, Treasure Island to Tintin (even a Nicholas Sparks shoved in for good measure)! The books are divided and colourcoded according to age groups. So you can just head to the shelf that stocks your colour and don’t necessarily have to browse through all the shelves. The bookshelves and cases are along the walls, which leaves a large seating area in the middle. Here’s where large triangular mattresses are stashed for you to park your bottom on all day long if you like. Weekend workshops have already begun – there’s been storytelling and creative writing in the past weeks – and are going to be a regular feature. A book club and a film club are in the pipeline too, so make sure you keep a lookout!

JOEY’s ON THE TREE

Meet Joey, the baby tree kangaroo! Yep, just like their kangaroo cousins, these kiddos are known
as joeys too! Read on to know more about the cute animals from down under



Where do they live?
Like their name suggests Tree Kangaroos
live on trees – they’re arboreal. They
are rainforest animals. But not
just any rainforest – you will
only find them in Papua New
Guinea, West Papua and
Australia. There are about 14
different species of tree kangaroos
– some like to live in the
mountains (like the Matschie’s
Tree Kangaroo) while others prefer
the lowlands (eg Lowland Tree Kangaroo).

Are they small or big?
Adult Tree Kangaroos are large and quite
heavy. They have huge, strong limbs –
both their arms and legs are pretty much
the same size – which help them jump
from tree to free. They can jump up to 15
metres! Their specially cushioned feet
help, of course. Plus their super long tail,
which allows them maintain their balance.

What do they eat?
They’re mostly vegetarian or herbivorous as
scientists would say. Tree kangaroos eat
flowers, leaves, grass shoots, ferns, moss,
fruits, bark; some even eat eggs. They live
in trees, but they don’t mind grabbing stuff
from the ground either.

Are they endangered?

Not all, but a lot of the species are threatened.
The Scott’s Tree Kangaroo for instance
is critically endangered. Some tree kangaroos
are hunted by humans – the tribal people of
New Guinea enjoy tree kangaroo meat. But
the main threat for these guys is a loss of
their habitat. Because the trees are constantly
cut in these rainforests, the tree kangaroos
lose their homes.

Something interesting

PEACOCK KATYDID

This clever little katydid is showing off the large spots on its wings – kinda looks like someone is watching you, no? It also resembles a dead leaf. These tricks are meant to ward off predators. It was discovered recently, in 2006, in the Guyana’s Acarai Mountains.

The highest scoring word in Scrabble, BENZOXYCAMPHORS (a chemical), is worth 1,970 points!


BOOM-BOOM SHOES

You can’t wear these sneakers, nor can you walk in them! Here comes the Gangster CD Stereo Sneaker which is a sneaky way to play your favourite tracks. With a slot for CDs, this shoe-speaker will surely make your personal computer look different. But your mom might not be too happy to have a shoe on the PC table.
THE SEVEN WONDERS

The first known Seven Wonders of the World list was made by Greek historian Herodotus (in about 305 BC). Greeks travellers were very impressed by the great structures they saw on their journeys. And Herodotus decided to make a list of these impressive structures. Seven they believed represented perfection and plenty. Of the seven, only the Great Pyramid of Giza (in Egypt) survives today. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon (Iraq), the Colossus of Rhodes (Greece) and the Lighthouse of Alexandria (Egypt) were all destroyed by earthquakes. The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus (Turkey), Mausoleum of Maussollos at Halicarnassus (Turkey), were ruined in floods. And the Statue of Zeus at Olympia (Greece) was ruined in a great fire.

1 Which country got free from the 42-year rule of Dictator Muammar Gaddafi? ____________

2 Name the lady who will soon be the first female racer at the Buddh International Circuit.
__________

3 Refuelling stations that will be installed in space are known as _______________.

4 Name the 100-year-old Sikh who completed a 42km marathon. ________________

5 Name the mysterious little dwarf planet which is believed to be covered in ice and may sport
the remnants of an atmosphere.__________________



WORDS THAT KILL!

Did you know that there are different words to describe different kinds of murders? 

The word you use depends on what or who has been killed. But one thing that is common between all these words is their ending. They all end with “cide”. This comes from the Latin word caedere, which means to kill. Here are a few examples. Bet you’ve heard of suicide – that’s the word used to describe for killing yourself. Sui is Latin for oneself. Similarly you can describe words for killing a father (patricide), mother (matricide), wife (uxoride), brother or sister (fratricide). Apart from family, there are words for killing other things too. Homicide is the killing of a human being. Ovicide – killing of eggs. Monstricide – killing of a monster. Tomecide – killing of books. Formicide – killing of ants. Hospiticide – killing of a guest. Deicide – killing of a god. So are you going to remember all of these or commit logocide? You got it – that means the killing of the meaning of words.

Hello Halloween!

Hello Halloween!

Take a cue from these stars to complete your Halloween look...
Red and black are the colours to don this Halloween. And Hollywood stars probably do it best. Branded as the Halloween Queen, Heidi Klum is perhaps one of the Hollywood stars who unleashes her eccentric element on this day (she however had enraged the Hindus when she showed up in a Maa Kali avatar for Halloween 2010). This time, the style queen is apparently planning to wear a hand-painted body suit that looks like the inside of a body, with all the bones, organs and veins revealed. Popstar Nicki Minaj's look is one of the most imitated ones this Halloween. Katy Perry's cute, impish look; husband Rusell Brand's bizarre style and singer Rihanna's outrageous and rebellious red hairdo are other favourites.

OTT goes underground! Fashion sees a return to minimalism, as opulent sequins, embroideries and bling seem to go off the ramps

OTT goes underground!

Fashion sees a return to minimalism, as opulent sequins, embroideries and bling seem to go off the ramps

It may just work for markets that might see an economic recession in the future. We are talking about the trend that has already been making waves globally over the last few fashion seasons. But the Indian market, predominantly ruled by bridal couture and of late by high street fashion too, is starting to see a return to 'less is more'. For a long time now, opulent looks — embroidery, ruffles, bling and fringes have ruled the roost. But heavy embellishments on garments now seem to have taken a backseat. The last fashion week gave a peek into that very return to the world of minimalism.
Designer Wendell Rodricks feels that minimalism is not just a passing trend but something that is here to stay. " People are over and done with the highly done up OTT outfits. After all, how many chains, sequins and embellishments could you mix together? Customers now want sleeker pieces that emphasise mostly on the construction, shape, fabric, and colour. In fact, playing just with fabrics and colours with the help of construction is soon going to take over. And these looks will be very relaxed, easy yet extremely chic and elegant," explains Wendell.
In the West, this trend isn't new, but every season it redefines itself. This time, at the Delhi fashion week, visible change was seen in the creations showcased by various designers. "Lighter fabrics with intricate work will take centre-stage. The minimal look is soon going to become a classic trend. It is fuss-free and inspite of being minimal, it exudes sophistaction like no other. Even bridal looks can look as beautiful with the threadwork and blend of fabrics and colours. Without being OTT, yet looking chic and elegant is the highlight of this look. And if someone wants to add a little more zing, they can always accessorise this look like none other," says designer Rina Dhaka. So this fashion season, let simplicity add oomph to your look!

Joke: who does problem?

A man walked into a therapist's office
looking very depressed. "Doc, you've got
to help me. I can't go on like this."
"What's the problem?" the docotor inquired.
"Well, I'm 35 years old and I still
have no luck with the ladies. No matter
how hard I try, I just seem to scare them
away." "My friend, this is not a serious
problem. You just need to work on your
self-esteem. Each morning, I want you to
get up and run to the bathroom mirror.
Tell yourself that you are a good person,
a fun person, and an attractive person.
But say it with real conviction. Within a
week you'll have women buzzing all
around you." The man seemed content
with this advice and walked out of the office
a bit excited. Three weeks later he returned
with the same downtrodden expression
on his face. "Did my advice not
work?" asked the doctor. "It worked alright.
For the past several weeks I've enjoyed
some of the best moments in my
life with the most fabulous looking
women." "So, what's your problem?" "I
don't have a problem," the man replied.
"My wife does."

'Navi Mumbaikars will be able to play at international level soon'




The All India Football Federation's (AIFF) D-licence training programme garnered tremendous response in Navi Mumbai. The programme being conducted at the Fr Agnel's Sports Complex ground was formally inaugurated recently amidst the presence of officials from AIFF. This is an all India initiative and this is the first batch of D-licence training wherein 30 coaches from the city are being trained under certified instructors from AIFF. Henry Menezes, CEO, AIFF who was present to grace the occasion, shared some interesting thoughts about football in India and it's future in Navi Mumbai. Srishti Shinde caught him to know AIFF's future plans to develop football in the satellite city.

Excerpts from the interview:

Q: This being one of the first batches in Maharashtra; what is the reason to select Navi Mumbai?
A: Navi Mumbai is in Maharashtra (laughs) and it is one of the most rapidly developing city as far as sporting infrastructure is concerned. Hence, this is one of the four centres where the D-licence training programme is being conducted. It's a pleasure to host this programme with such great amenities available.
Coaches undergoing strenous training; AIFF CEO Henry Menezes

Q: How is the response for this programme?
A: The response is brilliant, we have received 400 applications and this batch at Fr Agnel's ground has 30 coaches who are undergoing the training. The programme is being conducted across Maharashtra and has been started with the vision of producing 5000 licenced coaches across the state in the next three years.
Q: How will this training help aspiring footballers in the city?
A: It is a belief that if there are students, there will be coaches. However, it is actually the other way round; the more coaches we produce the better will be the quality of future footballers. This course is being conducted in a professional manner including both theory and practical sessions that go on from morning to evening. This course will produce the best coaches who will be pofessionally qualified in all aspects of the game and will impart training right from the grassroot level which is very important.
Q: What's the regime that these course participants follow throughout the day?
A: The participants have a 10-hour session everyday, which is divided into theory and practical (with equal time slots given to each). We want to bring in the best in them and hence the utilisation of their stamina is what we are looking at doing at this programme. The aim to certify those people who have been coaching since many years but do not have a certification or licence. This is a platform to brush up their skills to attain this certification.
Q: What's the criteria of selection of these coaches for the programme?
A: This course is open to all, however from the next batch we would reduce the age group since we want more and more members from the young brigade to take up coaching in a professional manner.
Q: What's the best thing that Navi Mumbai will get from the programme?
A: There's a very good news for Navi Mumbai in terms of football. FIFA (the world football governing body) under it's Vision India has recognised four centres in the country to train students who would be given advanced training and then taken over by FIFA. Fr Agnel's Sports Complex is one of the shortlisted centres for FIFA's Vision India programme and now Navi Mumbaikars can realise their dream of playing at an international level one day.
Q: Any more information about the programme?
A: The AIFF secretary Kushal Das along with the technical director Rob Ban and myself would be present for a site inspection scheduled on November 8 after which things would be finalised. The programme is set to kickstart from March 2012 wherein students will be selected, coached and trained by FIFA for future.

Augustine's students strike it rich at NMSA carrom tournament



St Augustine's High School, Nerul was declared overall winners in various categories at the recently held NMSA carrom tournament. The tournament was organised by Navi Mumbai Sports Association (NMSA) and was held at the premises of St Augustine's High School, Nerul. More than 300 students from 13 city schools took part in the event held in under-12, 14, 16 categories for boys and girls.
In the boys, under-12 age group, the finals was played between Ashwin Swami of St Augustine's and Rohan Mangula of St Xavier's High School, Airoli. The match was won by St Augustine's with a score of 11-0, wherein Ashwin did not let the opponent strike a single point. While in the boys, under-14 category, Rashid Chafekar of St Xavier's High School, Airoli played against Pranay Nighukar of St Jospeh's High School, Kalamboli, when the former scored 12-7 and was declared the winner.
In the boys under-16 category, Sayeed Edroos of St Augustine's High School, Nerul defeated Omkar Mhaprolkar of St Xavier's High School, Nerul with a score of 9-8. While in the girls under-12 age group, Ekiqra Khan of St Augustine's High School, Nerul battled against Payal Mhatre of St Xavier's, Airoli. The former team won the match with a brilliant one-sided score of 14-0. In the girls, under-14 category, St Augustine's Rimpa Porey defeated Sanjana Singh of St Xavier's, Airoli; the former won with a score of 13-8.
In the mixed doubles category, Gaure Mohare and Adnan Thakur of St Augustine's, Nerul played against Sanjana Patil and Suraj Pandey of St Xavier's, Airoli. The former team scored 10-9 and won the match in neck-to-neck situation. While in the girls doubles Gauri Mohare and Rimpa Porey of St Augustine's, Nerul played against Sanjana Patil and Shraddha Mote of St Xavier's, Airoli. In this match too, the former team won with a score of 7-2.
"We are indeed proud of the kids as they played extremely well in the entire tournament. They have been working very hard for the same, we wish they bring such laurels in every event," said Titus Fernandes, physical education teacher of St Augustine's High School, Nerul.

Setting up multi-room audio?

Setting up multi-room audio?
Come, join me in my quest





Setting up multi-room audio?
Come, join me in my quest!

I'M BACK with my quest for home entertainment nirvana and this time I'm frustrated and flummoxed. My home theatre is coming along nicely (only on paper till now) and I will post my progress here. As of now, it's my second quest that is making me sweat bricks: having a multi-room audio setup that is easy, doesn't cost a bomb, sounds really good and also has the flexibility to do all things musical. Let me first take on the first criticism that I will obviously face.
Why do I need a multi-room audio setup? Isn't it just a nerdy, geeky and very techie fixation to have to do something different from others? Isn't a good music setup in one room good enough?
Well, thankfully here I have some pretty good answers. Music in every room is now a necessity, different people in a house have different needs, having house-wide music-playing capabilities negates having a TV in each room of the house and good music can literally transform the mind and please the soul. So, even if it a little bit of an overkill, my need for whole house multi-room audio is a full-blown project. And I'm failing spectacularly.
Let me now define what I am looking for. It's not a wish list, it's not a utopian dream. I'm not trying to make this into an audiophile holy grail ­ it's pretty much what everybody should be aiming for. I need audio in most rooms of the house; it should be able to play all the digital music I have (FLAC, Apple Lossless and MP3) from a single source; each system should also be able to take a USB flash drive that has music on it; I should be able to control them all with a single controller; I should be able to stream high quality Internet radio (Pandora, Spotify, GrooveShark) through them natively and I shouldn't be expected to run hoops and jump ropes to set it up. I didn't think it was a tough list of wants. Boy, was I wrong!
The first option I threw out was the specialist setups. The costs are so exorbitant that every note of music coming out of the final system installed would be truly painful to the ear and the wallet. You really can't enjoy music if it costs more than your house to listen to it. The second option out of the windows was Apple TV as it restricts you to Apple-only formats and hacking wasn't what I was looking at.
After extreme research, massive experimentation and browsing through discussion forums across the world my choices were whittled down to two.
SONOS What it is: This is the Apple of the audio world ­ from look, feel, packaging, style, ease of setup and execution, I'm sure Steve Jobs set this company up secretly. The choices are many (single speakers that have everything built in, amps that can play your speakers and dedicated versus controller apps that can be used on phones and Tablets). Basically a Sonos product creates a mesh network on top of your own WiFi network, finds your music and plays it through the speaker, is almost dumb-proof to set up and sounds and looks good.
But... It costs a lot, the speaker unit isn't really audiophile level (you'll need to buy two speakers per room to get real stereo), if you want to go with just the amp and supply your own speakers then the cost is prohibitive, it doesn't have a USB port to play music without the mesh network, needs extra equipment to create the mesh network and it doesn't play all hi-def lossless music formats (and I'm not re-encoding my entire music collection for this).

LOGITECH SQUEEZEBOX TOUCH
What it is: Logitech making an audiophile product sounds like an oxymoron, but it's true. Logitech acquired SlimDevcies, a company that shook up the tech world a few years back with some serious equipment. The SqueezeBox range is again extensive, (built-in speaker, Net streaming radio, a boombox that has been strangely discontinued, the Touch and the Duet for adding your own speakers and controller apps for phones and Tablets). My choice here was the Touch. A nice looking piece of equipment, a big touchscreen, intelligent enough to increase font size on the screen when you use the remote from across the room, indexes music according to tags or folder, nice DAC built in and priced pretty well.
But... It needs its own server running on a computer (thus you have to have a computer on all the time), the USB port on it is a serious hit or miss (plays only some drives, needs USB hard drives to be powered as it can't handle the power needs, will stutter and stop if you have too many songs on a drive) and can have issues if you have a lot of traffic on your WiFi network as it doesn't create a mesh of its own.
There are some problems common to both. The big one is that both aren't available in India officially and I find picking up things from `specialist shops' akin to playing Russian roulette. These kind of things need guarantees and some fly-by-night `Box Seller' isn't going to give you that.
The other big one isn't to do with the product but with Net streaming radio as a whole. Almost every good one caters to either the US or Europe and blocks Net connections and IP addresses from India. Now I wouldn't do anything illegal ever but using a VPN isn't illegal (as I do need it for my other work) and that works wonders for making sure that my IP doesn't get blocked :)
So, as of now, my quest remains just that ­a quest. Maybe somebody out there has found the solution. Write in to me and tell me how you've solved your multi-room audio problem. I will thank you multiple times.

People who marry for the second time could find themselves in a tangled weave of relationships ­ from both unions



People who marry for the second time could find themselves in a tangled weave of relationships ­ from both unions 

MANY WOMEN KEEP IN TOUCH WITH THEIR EX- IN-LAWS FOR THE SAKE OF THE KIDS
WHEN SOFTWARE engineer Sheila Kamat got married the second time, she did so with only a few apprehensions. After all, although Aatish, her husband, had not been married before, he was aware of the circumstances under which her first marriage had broken up, and that it had not been her fault. But some months later, Sheila was distressed to find that Aatish's mother kept probing her regarding the break-up. Matters reached a head when she asked Sheila, “You look pretty, why did your first husband leave you?“, which upset her. However, Aatish brushed off the matter, saying his mom should be ignored. Says Sheila, “I feel hurt by her comments, but since Aatish does not take it seriously, I don't feel confident enough to speak up either. After all, I do not want any friction in this marriage.“ Like Sheila, many people who marry again find that while adjusting to a new spouse can be challenging, it is more demanding to manage other relationships from both first and second unions. These lead to a tangled weave of relationships ­ that have to be negotiated with care.

The situation: STAYING IN TOUCH Pooja Shenvi, who obtained a divorce in 2002, says she kept in touch with her ex-spouse for almost a decade after that. “We had a mutual consent divorce,“ she explains, “And even used the same lawyer, so there was no bitterness, and since we were friends before, we stayed friends. But now, with my own remarriage, we have drifted apart,“ she adds.

EXPERT SPEAK: According to clinical psychologist and traumatologist Seema Hingorrany, keeping in touch with an ex need not be ruled out. “It's no problem if the persons involved are mature enough,“ she explains. However, there are some riders: remember to keep some emotional distance from the person, and don't cross the fine line of intimacy. And above all, recognise in some circumstances that you have to let go.

The situation: FAMILY IS STILL FRIENDS After her 1999 divorce, Maria Dias found it awkward to stay in touch with her ex-husband. “But my brother, who always got on well with him, still talks to him on the phone and emails him as well,“ she says.
EXPERT SPEAK: According to social psychiatrist Dr Harish Shetty, Dr L H Hiranandani Hospital, Mumbai, family members sometimes still carry on relationships with their siblings' ex-spouses for a variety of reasons.
“Sometimes, it is professional; in other cases, a brother-in-law, for example, may be financially obligated to his sister's ex-spouse; or there might be genuine affection,“ explains Dr Shetty, adding, “However, although people accept the need for a multiplicity of relationships today, women still find it tougher to do so because they have to make more compromises in a second marriage.“

The situation: WE HAVE KIDS TOGETHER When Rahul Saxena's parents separated 25 years ago, he was the only person to stay in touch with both of them. “I lived with my mother, who got sole custody,“ he explains, “And my father moved cities, so I only saw him about once a year. Every time I went to stay with him, in my summer vacations for example, that was the only time my parents spoke, to discuss my travel arrangements, and the length of my holiday.“

EXPERT SPEAK: Mirroring Saxena's situation, experts say that the one case in which there seems to be less tension about keeping in touch occurs when there are kids from the first marriage. Hingorrany explains, “Partners are more understanding of the need to maintain contact when kids are involved. Many women keep in touch with their ex-in-laws for the sake of the kids. But in such circumstances, the talk only pertains to the children.“
Adds Dr Shetty, “Kids make the situation easy and complicated. If the divorce is mutual, then there is greater acceptance among parents that a child is more important than either of them. However, in the case of a second marriage, the new spouse's attitude becomes a determining factor. If that spouse has been married before and has had a healed divorce, it's easy, but not so if that person is still bitter from an earlier marriage.“

The situation: THERE'S STILL BITTERNESS Ranjona Dixit is still scarred by her first marriage, which broke down in five years, among a sea of complaints and mental torture. She has broken off all contact with her ex-husband and inlaws, and says she lives in dread of meeting her ex.
EXPERT SPEAK: According to Dr Hingorrany, it is very important to enter into therapy in the case of a failed marriage. “There are many cases of people coming in for therapy before getting married again,“ she says, adding, “Often, they need validation and want to clear their emotional baggage before their second marriage. That's because however confident they are about this second relationship, a broken marriage leaves behind scars.“
In such circumstances, Dr Shetty advises that people “feel the pain and the anger, and then get it detoxified“.
He adds, “The next step is to separate the person and the anger. Also, recognise that you can't always have a rapprochement with the former spouse. What is important is to accept yourself as you are, and that if people don't like you, you need to stay away from them.“

WHY THIS IS HAPPENING 
Increasingly, such complications are coming about because of the rising rate of divorce in urban India, say experts. Clinical psychologist and traumatologist Seema Hingorrany explains that five to six years ago, people intending to seek a divorce would opt for counselling, hoping to save the marriage. But now, she says, less effort is expended on trying to retain the relationship.
Adds Hingorrany, “Also, a large number of divorcees are relatively young. That's because the first marriage fails when the person is aged 27 to 30 years, and they feel the need for companionship. That's why they, very quickly at times, decide to embark on a second marriage.“

15 FALL MUST-HAVES FOR MEN

Stock up your wardrobe with these style- altering additions and breeze through winter by 

PRAY, WHY does your wardrobe need a transformation?
Because you can't wear the same beige corduroys every season, the weathered jacket needs its annual break and don't even think you can pull off a dapper man-of-the-moment look in those extra pointy leather shoes. What you need is our list of essentials that will keep you chilled out all through winter. 1 BELTS: Textured, printed, striped and woven. It's all about anythingbut-plain-leather right now. Designer Nikhil Mehra of Shantanu & Nikhil even advocates matching it to the print of your jacket, while designer Sanchita Ajamapur says that fabric contrasted with leather is your best bet. A plaited leather belt from Corneliani is a spot on-trend
2 CRAVATS AND POCKET SQUARES: Add the perfect accent to a well tailored suit with a peeking pocket square (a rage for more than two seasons now) or wrap an elegant cravat under any outfit to give it the much-needed lift. Designer Zubair Kirmani recommends wearing it over a shirt, T-shirt or even a jacket for a soft yet impactful statement of style.
3 WOODY ALLEN GOES TO WORK: And you should follow too, or at least your glasses should. The classic '60s staple with a modern twist ought to define your eyewear this season, declares Nikhil Mehra of the designer duo Shantanu & Nikhil.
Find the Woody frame and look the part
4 MINIMALIST BAGS: Make the `Murse' your friend and leave those bulky laptop backpacks for the nerd of the noughties. Carry a clean, simple leather satchel or handbag which is uncomplicated and softly constructed without having a fixed shape, advises Zubair Kirmani.
5 ANKLE-LENGTH BOOTS: Just the right length to show those smartly cut, ankle length trousers this season (cuff them, if you can't cut them). Lace-ups or slipins, zipped or shearing-lined, thick-soled or eye-popping, these boots will keep you going right through the winter.
These lace-ups from Woodland would flatter any feet
6 PEA COATS: Sail right into this time-honoured attire of the seaman, currently a hot international favourite. It's a short, double-breasted coat with broad lapels and designer Varun Bahl suggests you opt for a well-fitted one in black. And we do think only the gym-toned among you pick it up because of its fitted, buttoned-up look.
7 TRENCH COATS: It's available in regular colours like blue, grey and black and wilder variations like mustard and orange. Invest in a classic style like a double-breasted one with a belt. “These do not necessarily have to be worn in heavy wool but can be tried in windcheater fabrics and gentle woollen combinations too,“ suggests designer Anjana Bhargav of the label ANKY by Ankita and Anjana Bhargav. A classic Burberry trench coat should be in every stylish man's closet
8 THIN STRIPED WOOL SOCKS: Great to feel, better to look at, these socks add the right amount of texture and work well with those ankle-length boots, says Zubair Kirmani. “The chic texture will work as a supremely stylish yet subtle highlight in a man's ensemble,“ he says.
9 CHUNKY KNITS: If you still think that they are better left inside a woman's closet, then the joke's on you. Try a V-neck cardigan or “artisan knitwear with intricate stitch structures and pixellated patterning,“ as suggested by designer Sanchita Ajampur.
“Knitwear as outer-wear is a prevalent direction, with dark-coloured knitted blazers and shawl-collared double breasted cardigans as key styles,“ she adds.
Thick cable knits like this in Burberry are the go-to style this winter
10 WIDE-BRIMMED HATS: Leave the last season Fedoras to the novices and bring out Amish-style hats that have left the runways gasping. Think Hitchcock villains and the impeccably dressed Godfather clan, and you are set to rule the races and polo matches in style.
11 BANDHGALAS: Returning yet again to the style radar (though we believe it never went away) is this Indian essential with contemporary detailing, whether it's printed, plain or textured. Embrace the bandhgala with a zany twist as designer Rohit Kamra does; with a bright, eye-catching scarf or a luxuriously textured feel.
Make them swoon in this stylish bandhgala by Shantanu & Nikhil
12 SLIM SINGLE-BREASTED SUITS: Like it ever went out of fashion! (It didn't). But this season the emphasis is on broad shoulders, a slim waist and narrow trousers, giving the suit a very sleek, Mad Men-like look.
Designers Riddhi and Siddhi of MapxencaRS suggest a combination of “a dark-coloured, high-neck suit with slim trousers and Chinese collar shirt underneath, to make sure all eyes are on you.“
13 PLAID SHIRTS: Get back to being a retrosexual and slip into very trendy yet very comfortable plaid patterned shirts this winter. Roll up the sleeves and watch the girls drool.
A rage this season, plaid is chic, just like this 7FAM shirt
14 PASHMINA SHAWLS: Return to old world elegance (with a modern twist) by teaming a richly embroidered Pashmina shawl with a shirt-andtrouser combination. Perfect for those bonfire evening soirees. Designer Varun Bahl also suggests that you could team it with a classic kurta-pyjama combination for a sleek look.
15 SHEEPSKIN GILET AND SHERPA JACKETS: You don't need to look further than your dad's closet for this one. Try the famous Levi's denim sherpa lined jackets that were mimicked all over the international runways. Or, as Sanchita Ajampur recommends, choose “a sheepskin gilet (sleeveless jacket) with a western yoke and toggle fastening.“ United Colors of Benetton's on-trend jacket







State police float tenders to buy through-the-wall radars, endoscopes, bomb basket trollies

Police wish list: Hi-tech anti-terror equipment

State police float tenders to buy through-the-wall radars, endoscopes, bomb basket trollies


Following the 26/11 terrorist attacks, the Mumbai police had faced lots of problems and criticism when encountering a hostage situation.
Not only were the police untrained to tackle situation, but were also lacking hi-tech equipment to carry out flawless operations.
In a bid to tackle any hostage-like situation, the Maharashtra Police has taken an important step to strengthen its armoury with hi-tech equipment. The state police have recently floated tenders to purchase through-the-wall radars, endoscopes and bomb basket trollies.
The through-the-wall radars can help monitor movements in a room and penetrate through thick walls either made of cement, concrete and wood, in rain or humid conditions too. "The gadget is placed outside a wall and we can see dotted images on the equipment screen," said a senior police officer, requesting anonymity.
He added that, during the 26/11 attacks, a few entrepreneurs had offered through-the-wall radars to the police to tackle the hostage situations in the two five-star hotels that were under siege. But, the city police had refused to use the radars because they were not trained in handling them.
"In a dedicated combat team, one person is required to hold and use the radar effectively. But we could not take this equipment [from businessmen] that time because we did not know how to use it," said the officer.
The police also wants to purchase endoscope with handheld LCD monitor, which should be capable of working in pitch darkness as well as in daylight. It should be able to recognise human face in a room at a minimum distance of 6 metres.
"Endoscopes are usually used to carry out searches of explosives in areas inaccessible for humans such as pipes, gutters or a heap of garbage," said another police officer.
"We have also floated tenders to acquire a bomb basket that should be capable of safely mitigating explosives of 8 kg TNT equivalents," the officer added.
The trolley should be suitable to carry the basket and be towed behind a medium-sized vehicle, he added.
"As per our specifications the basket should contain any type of contained IEDs and should protect against threats posed by detonation of the bomb. In case of accidental explosion inside the basket, there should be no discharge of splinters/fragments," he added.
The plan to procure a bomb basket assumes significance as the police do not have total containment vehicles.

Railways nod for another platform at Parel



To accommodate the growing commuter traffic at Parel station, the ministry of railways have approved an additional platform


The railway station of the city's latest business district just got an upgrade.
To accommodate the teeming crowd thanks to the increasing number of offices opening shop in Parel, the ministry of railways have approved an additional platform for Parel station.
The additional platform will be connected to the foot overbridge and decongest the existing bridge.
"There have been many complaints about the crowd and it is difficult to approach the bridge during the peak hours. The foot overbridge is urgently required here," said Sanjay P. Ghavate, an activist.
Commuters have been complaining to the Central Railway about massive crowds at Parel station and the inability to use the jam-packed foot overbridge forcing them to cross the tracks.
The Central Railway had forwarded the complaint to the ministry, which has proposed a double discharge platform at Parel to accommodate the crowd. This means that trains coming from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus will have platforms on both sides.
Besides being the new business district, Parel also has the highest number of hospitals — around seven including Tata, KEM and Wadia hospitals.
"In the mornings, you can see many patients struggling to walk on this narrow bridge," said Ghavate, who has collected more than 3,000 signatures to highlight the issue.
Central Railway chief spokesperson Vidyadhar Malegaonkar confirmed the development, but said it would take time for the work to begin.
"The proposal is in the planning stage and designs are being made," he said.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

26 skywalks worth Rs600 crore have eaten up the crucial roads near stations, making them narrower and creating gridlocks

Skywalk: a road above hell

26 skywalks worth Rs600 crore have eaten up the crucial roads near stations, making them narrower and creating gridlocks



It was supposed to be the only project for pedestrians in the city. Some of the 26 skywalks built so far have benefited pedestrians to some extent but the crucial roads below them had to pay a price.
The skywalk project was mooted to connect stations to important roads of the area.
Four years, around Rs600 crore and 26 skywalks later, the picture is a sorry one. With most skywalks constructed on the road's median, they are eating up space on crucial station roads.
The agency that built the skywalks, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), has been patting its back by claiming that more than 10 lakh pedestrians and suburban railway commuters use skywalks every day.
However, from illegal parking to illegal hawking, the skywalks have almost eaten up the space on crucial station roads everywhere. Most places, including Vile Parle, Bandra, Goregaon and Kandivli, have messed up station road after skywalks were built. And so wonder the MMRDA is in the line of fire.
"They have completely ruined many suburban roads, which are vital. The stretch under most skywalks has been virtually lost. What kind of planning is this?" said Jagdeep Desai, who works for a Non-Government Organisation, Forum for Improving Quality of Life in Mumbai Suburbs.
The first skywalk, connecting Bandra (East) station to Kalanagar at a cost of Rs13 crore, opened in 2008 but according to Desai makes people walk more.
"They cannot cross over on the flyover opposite the Bandra court. So the alignment was taken right up to the area where the flyover ends," said Desai.
Walking on the Vile Parle (West) station road used to be a pleasant experience for 40-year-old Ketan Gala during his college days as he strolled towards Mithibai College. Now he finds the road in a shambles.
"I understand the need for the skywalk here. Thousands may be using it daily. However, the Vile Parle skywalk abruptly ends near SV Road. What is more shocking is that neither the MMRDA nor the BMC have maintained the space below the skywalk. There is illegal parking, making it difficult for motorists driving under the skywalk," said Gala.
Many feel that the skywalk project is a classic example of lack of coordination between the two agencies. While the MMRDA has washed its hands of the matter after building walkways, the BMC officials seem to be least bothered about the encroachments around them. Out of 50 skywalks, only 26 were built. Many are being not used and many are poorly maintained. Social activist Jitendra Gupta was part of the agitation that got the Kurla skywalk scrapped.
"Mumbai commuters are always in a rush to catch a train. If skywalks save them that crucial minute or two to reach the station, they would certainly prefer it. But the MMRDA has failed to provide short-cuts at most places," said Gupta.
Krishna Raj Rao, RTI activist and conveyer of the Brave Pedestrian (Sahasi Yatri) movement, finds himself in minority backing the project. "I agree there is a lot of mess under the skywalks," said Rao. "However, the skywalks have helped to a great extent. It feels great walking on Vile Parle and Bandra skywalks because without them the situation would have been horrible," said Rao.
MMRDA officials agree that the road under the skywalks have become congested and blame the BMC. "The reason to build skywalks in the middle of the road was to avoid mess of vehicles under. If people park vehicles and throw garbage there, how can MMRDA control it? It is for the BMC and traffic department to look into the issues," said a senior official, who was part of the team constructing skywalks.

The encroachments below the skywalks have been blamed on the BMC. According to the civic sources there are more than two agencies involved so it is difficult to take action.
Vijay Balamwar, deputy municipal commissioner (encroachment removal squad), said the BMC is planning to take action. "Next week I will get information about the encroachments under the skywalks. I will coordinate with the government agencies and plan to remove them," he said.
Inputs from Rajendra Aklekar, Akshay Deshmane and Pandurang Mhaske

RoRo your way to Alibaug at `620 Consultant submits feasibility report, MMRDA may take the project forward

RoRo your way to Alibaug at `620

Consultant submits feasibility report, MMRDA may take the project forward

Your travel woes while going to Alibaug or Mandwa are likely to reduce. With the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) finalising the evaluation of a roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) service, people can now hope to take their cars through the east coast of the city right up till Mandwa and Alibaug for just Rs620, per four persons.
The MMRDA had appointed an agency to do a comprehensive analysis of the east coast passenger water transport. The study was to submit the feasibility of RoRo services, where car passengers can board a vessel with their vehicles and take the sea route to Alibaug, Mandwa, Nagaon and other beach areas. The consultant, i-maritime consultancy services, has said the project is feasible with three vessels carrying 80 cars and 320 passengers.
"Each vessel can make 10 trips per day, totalling 30 trips per day," stated its presentation earlier this month.
Motorists take over two hours on the existing roads to reach Alibaug from Mumbai — a distance of about 108km.
"If they take the sea route, the travel time up to Mandwa is 10.3 nautical miles, which can be covered in about 85 minutes. The distance from Mandwa to Alibaug is about 15 km, which would take the motorists 23 minutes more. If the motorists opt for RoRo, they can save an hour's travel and a lot of fuel," the presentation stated.
The RoRo service project conceived by the MMRDA will start at the Ferry Wharf (popularly known as Bhaucha Dhakka in Byculla) and will ferry about 3,200 cars per day to Alibaug and Mandwa.
The total project cost is a little over Rs200 crore and operations can begin by 2014.
But, the files may gather dust for a while since the MMRDA top brass feel that passenger water transport should be ideally executed by a single agency. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation has been given the responsibility of executing the west coast passenger water transport project, which is from Borivli to Nariman Point.
"We feel that both the projects should be undertaken by a single agency," insisted metropolitan commissioner Rahul Asthana.

All roads lead to temples for chopdi pujan Wearing traditional attire, businessmen throng Mumbadevi, Kalbadevi temples to seek blessings on the occasion of Diwali

All roads lead to temples for chopdi pujan

Wearing traditional attire, businessmen throng Mumbadevi, Kalbadevi temples to seek blessings on the occasion of Diwali


Donning traditional attire, Mumbaikars thronged prominent temples in the city to offer prayers on the occasion of Diwali on Wednesday.
Mumbadevi temple, to which the credit goes to give the city its name, saw large number of businessmen queuing up with their books to offer prayers and seek blessings. Likewise, thousands queued outside the Kalbadevi temple.
Wearing traditional Marwari or Sethia caps, businessmen carried different types of khate bahi (accounts related books) draped in red cloth. "The idea is to ask devi to bless me for good business," said Keshav Purohit, a 38-year-old cloth dealer.
"Accounts books are made in larger numbers, particularly for these days. Despite computers going to office, the tradition of book puja continues. These include rojemal book (cash collection), hundia books (cheque and draft entry book), OD book and accounts ledger," said Yashawant Kagzi, partner at Phoolchand and Sethia Company.
To ensure that the Goddess is impressed, people moved out naked feet even to buy books before going to the temple. "The idea is that you show respect," said Hasmukh Jain, a 42-year-old cloth dealer.
To accommodate as many and early enthusiast, temples opened earlier than their usual timings. "We opened at 5.30am as devotees come from far away places,"said Hemant Jadhav, manager, Mumbadevi temple. Kalbadevi temple, too, opened at 6.30am. Mahalakshmi temple, which opened at 4am witnessed over 1 lakh people. "We do not conduct any special pujas. Only the rounie ones are conducted slightly early for the three days. We even shut down late as people come from distance," said SV Padhye, manager of Mahalakshmi temple.
Ramvir Singh, a resident of Navi Mumbai, stated that he tries to make it a point to come every year. "Last Diwali, I was in terrible problem. I had taken VRS and was hunting for a job. I came here and then I managed to get one. So me and my wife make it a point to come here every year," said 48-year-old Singh.
Some like Jitendra Singh, a resident of Panvel, made it a point of going to more than one temple. "Today is a holiday so I try to go to as many places. I have already been to Mumbadevi, and after this I would go to Siddhivinayak," said Singh.
While flow at the temples went on through out the day, citizens ensured that they organised pooja at home too. "We had bought silver and gold coins that we will be using for the pooja. Delicacies like faral, ladu, karanji are prepared for our guests," said Bhachandra Kunte, a resident of Byculla. Others like Dhirubhai Dabhi, a resident of Ghatkopar, said: "We will be going to a friend's place. After that we will have puja at home."

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Now is the time to buy equities, bonds, currency



Investors should look ahead into the first quarter of fiscal 2012-13 for better things to come and buy equities, bonds and the currency now.
It is a good time to put away the negative sentiment prevailing over equities, bonds and currency and look at the positive side of things. The Sensex, the Nifty and the rupee are down over 10% this year to date while the 10-year benchmark bond yields are up over 90 basis points (bps).
Inflation, rate hikes and global economic turmoil have affected investor sentiment. Inflation and rate hikes are peaking out while an agreement among European Union members on resolving the sovereign debt crisis in the euro zone can alleviate fears on global economic turmoil.
According to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), inflation is still a threat that is not going away soon. The RBI has put up strong fences against inflation through a series of policy rate hikes, including the latest one of 25 bps that has taken the benchmark repo rate from 4.75% to 8.5% in over 18 months. The RBI has signaled that it's done with its defences against inflation but a constant vigil has to be maintained. Inflation is expected to stay over 9% till end December 2011 before trending down to 7% levels by end March 2012. Until the threat of inflation passes, monetary policy will be tight though there will not be any more repo rate hikes.
Investors will have to be patient till the threat of inflation passes. Going by RBI's forecast, inflation is likely to stay at a lower trajectory in the first half of fiscal 2012-13. Inflation staying at lower levels will give the central bank the necessary ammunition to drop its vigil and look at confidence boosting measure such as increasing system liquidity and reducing policy rates.
Markets are forward looking. RBI's comment on the last of the rate hikes coupled with a reformist savings rate deregulation measure has enthused a strong rally in equity markets, with the Sensex and the Nifty rallying over 2% each.
Bond yields too fell by around 6 bps post policy announcement while the rupee gained over half a percent against the dollar. The market's enthusiasm may not last too long, given the headwinds of global economic issues, poor government finances and higher interest rates, but there is definitely a sense of relief that rate hikes are over or is on its last legs.
The savings bank rate deregulation is reformist. The RBI has allowed banks to determine their own rates on savings bank accounts, which until October 25 was fixed by the central bank. Banks can nowcompete with each other for deposits and this will benefit the customer on the deposit side and the borrowing side as banking efficiencies will improve. Equity markets have initially started to single out banks with high savings bank accounts to sell (HDFC Bank, SBI, PNB all fell over 2.5% over the day) but, in the long run, efficiency will gain over short-term sentiments.

Buy pure insurance policies, avoid ones with investment returns


The reason for writing this article is because last week I came across a person who had no less than 25 life insurance policies. Yes, you read that right - 25.
Having multiple insurance polices never made practical or financial sense. Yet, I understand that there are people who may have even more. This happens because investors actually buy insurance policies for saving taxes. Each year, there is a new insurance policy and consequently, over time, the number of policies adds up.
It's not that I am against the concept of insurance. Life insurance is a necessity. However, it is not an investment. Make no mistake about this. There is no substitute for life cover, none whatsoever. It is the only means of providing security to your near and dear ones against your untimely death or to yourself against your old age. Therefore, the yield on investment per se is of lesser importance. The cover or protection overrides all other considerations. However, note that it is a necessity only if the demise of the bread winner of the family will put immense financial pressure on the family members left behind.
However, if that is not the case, you must reconsider your options. Every product has an associated cost attached to it and so does insurance.
Don't buy a product you don't need. Excessive insurance injures financial health. So, never buy an insurance product with the sole purpose of saving tax. That would be like meeting a short-term liability with a long-term obligation. The tax payable is your short-term obligation that you have to fulfil for that particular year. However, insurance products are of a long-term nature and you may find that though you may have saved the tax for that particular year, you will be paying for it by way of future premiums for many years to come. A better way to save tax would be to make use of ELSS funds or if you are risk averse, instruments such as PPF or post office deposits.

Term insurance
If you indeed need insurance, buy it once for all. Perhaps one of the best products of the insurance industry but the least promoted one is term insurance. It is the most economical and efficient way to insure yourself. Those who find that they need life cover should compare and contrast the term insurance products offered by various insurers and opt for the one that most satisfies their needs.
Term insurance covers the policyholder for a desired number of years against death, accident, disability, etc —- the same as other policies. In contrast, it does not have any maturity, paid-up, surrender or loan values. On occurrence of the contingency, the beneficiary gets the sum assured but on survival, the insured gets nothing.
Most investors have difficulty in accepting this. Since upon survival (or when the term ends) there is nothing the policy yields by way of maturity proceeds, those showing any interest in term insurance are often told that they are making a totally waste investment.
However, a plan that seeks to combine insurance and investment more often than not tends to be sub-optimal. It is always better to keep insurance and investments separate. All endowment, whole life and Ulips are examples of combination insurance plans. On the other hand, a term insurance plan has no cash payout at the end of the term. This means if the policy holder were to pass away during the term of the policy, his family will get the sum assured. However, were he to survive he will not get a single rupee. In other words, term cover is pure life insurance and has no cash or surrender value. If this is indeed the case, why favour term insurance as against a traditional endowment or whole life policy which, at least pays, at the end of the day, no matter what, either the sum assured or the maturity value?
The reason is (as mentioned earlier) because basically insurance is a cost. It is a contract (policy) in which you purchase financial protection or reimbursement against a loss or an unanticipated expense. The price paid to purchase such protection is also called premium in insurance parlance. Such premium is payable, year in year out, till you desire protection from the loss.
Now, take for instance car insurance. You pay the insurance premium, year in year out, to protect yourself against the financial damage an accident can cause. If you are a safe driver and manage not to damage your car during the year, the premium paid is lost - you don't get anything out of it. And you are perfectly happy to have done so, so long as you and your car are safe. Or take medical insurance. Again, premium is paid to defray any costs of medical emergencies or hospitalisation. However, if you remain fit and healthy the premium paid on buying the medical insurance is lost. But then again, you do not mind this, do you? Then why should life insurance be any different? But it is. It always has been.
The reason for this is mainly because life insurance premiums come bundled with the pure premium part combined with the part that gets invested on your behalf. The policy is sold more as an investment where the insurance just comes along.
However, you should know that insurance never comes along, it always has to be paid for. In the case of life insurance, the premium is known as mortality premium. Such mortality premium is applicable for all polices, year after year, without any exception, till such time that the life is insured. Even in the case of single premium plans or policies where the premium is payable only for part of the policy term, nonetheless, the mortality premium keeps getting deducted every year from the fund value. So, you buy insurance directly or indirectly each year.
In the case of any other policy, with or without bonus, whole life or endowment, actually the return on assurance component is also nil. However, it gets mixed up with the return on the investment component which could be (depending upon the exact policy) lower than other comparable investment products. Take care of this.

Tax benefits of lifeinsurance
As some cynic said, "There are only two certain things in life. One is death and the other is income tax." In India, death may be certain but income tax, with its vagaries of rules, is certainly not certain. So let's briefly examine the tax benefits associated with insurance.
For starters, any sum received under a life insurance policy, including the sum allocated by way of bonus is totally exempt from tax u/s 10(10D).

There are two exceptions:
1. Keyman insurance.
2. If the premium paid, in any of the years during the term of the policy, exceeds 20% of the actual sum assured, the maturity value received by the policy holder will be fully taxable. However, any sum received under such policy on the death of a person shall continue to be exempt.
Also, a deduction under Section 80C up to `1 lakh is available on premiums paid on policies in the name of self, spouse or children, major or minor, married daughters but not parents, dependent or not.
Where a taxpayer discontinues an insurance policy before premiums for two years have been paid, the deduction allowed during earlier years shall be withdrawn and shall be deemed to be the income of the year in which the policy is discontinued.

Conclusion
To reiterate, think of insurance as a cost and not an investment. Incur the cost only if you need to. Always buy pure insurance policies and not ones that are bundled with investment returns. In other words, buy term and invest the difference.

Kashmiri mystic's verses transcend language boundary




At a time when art or spirituality was not shackled by the boundaries of organised religion, her words reached out to both Hindus and Muslims through poems about doubt, faith, quest; the way of the seeker and the love of the divine.
The English translation of verses penned in the 14th century by Lalleswari aka Lal Ded, a spiritual and literary figure from Kashmir, are now part of a recently released book, I, Lalla: The Poems of Lal Ded.
"Her poems have allowed many generations of Kashmiris across communities to speak with freedom about the human condition and the power of the sacred," said poet and cultural theorist Ranjit Hoskote, who has painstakingly researched and translated the mystic's works over the last two decades.
Born in 1320, Lal Ded was a Kashmir Shaivite yogini, who is also regarded as a Sufi saint. Her poetry is composed in a form called the vakh and is among the earliest compositions in the Kashmiri language.
Constructed and understood differently by each community, Lalleswari was referred to as Lalla Yogini by the Hindus and Lal Arifa by the Muslims.
However, keeping in mind the plural sensibilities of Kashmir, which are now under attack by fundamentalists intent on replacing multi-culturalism with a monolith religious identity, most followers of the mystic poet refer to her as Lal Ded, which means Grandmother Lal, colloquially.
"She was venerated by both communities for nearly seven centuries and she managed to elude the proprietorial claims of religious monopolists," added the poet, who had began reading Lal Ded in his 20s and was mesmerised by her words and spiritual leanings.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Disclose med history for settling claims smoothly


Do you have a life insurance policy? If yes, why did you buy the product? It must be either to avail tax benefits with limited risks or to make the lives of your loved ones easier even after your death. But apart from buying the policy, there are a few important things that need to be sorted out so that your loved ones can get the claim settlement without any hassle.
Concealing the material facts pertaining to health, income, occupation and insurance history can act as a hindrance to policyholder during claim settlement. These factors are important at various stages of underwriting an insurance contract.
Hiding the medical history at the time of proposal for a policy is the most dangerous one. The premium pricing of an insurance contract mainly depends on health conditions of the policy holder. So, people generally don't disclose their true medical conditions to save money on premium.
Yateesh Srivastava, chief marketing officer, Aegon Religare Life Insurance, says, "Insurance companies rate customers according to the data furnished by the policyholder. Pre-existing diseases, smoking and drinking habits of policyholders can increase the premium marginally. But revealing all necessary facts would ultimately help them while making a claim."
At times, the agents who distribute the insurance products fill the insurance proposal forms and may miss out the material facts about the customers due to ignorance. Wrong declaration of the material facts can cause your claim getting rejected. It is better to keep away from the myths like hiding your medical history for lower premium.
Frederic D'Souza, senior vice- president HDFC Life Insurance, says, "The main reason for the claim rejection is the non-disclosure of some relevant facts regarding the insurance contract. Claims also get rejected if they fall within the exclusion of a particular policy and if the policies are lapsed making them ineligible."
"The policyholder must ensure regular payment of the premium to avoid lapsation. Life insurance products are long-term financial instruments and they need to be continued so that the nominee can reap benefits," added D'Souza.
It is advisable to notify the insurance company at the earliest and submit the necessary documents regarding the claims. The Limitation Act prescribes a period of three years from the event date. However, according to a recent Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (Irda) circular, claims cannot be rejected if the policyholders submit the documents late due to genuine reasons.
Customers need to provide personal details, policy number and reasons of filing the claim. The person who is filing the claim should describe the reasons for filing the claim. It is better to keep the photostat copy of all the documents submitted with the insurance companies for future correspondents.
Also, ensure that the entire proposal form is read well prior to filling and provide all necessary information required. All insurance companies send a copy of the proposal form, along with the policy document.
If there is any mistakes in the policy document, the customer should bring the same to the notice of the insurance company and get the records corrected.
Jayant Dua, MD & CEO Birla Sunlife Co Ltd, says, "Claim settlement process is very important as it shows the reputation of an insurance company. We have an in-house claim assistance cell to make the entire process of claim settlement smooth for the customers."

Make UID nos must in FIRs: HC Move aimed at preventing accused from absconding




Even as citizens are rushing to get their Aadhaar number, the Bombay high court has instructed the state home department to direct all police stations in Maharashtra to note down the Unique Identification (UID) number of accused and witnesses when filing a first information report (FIR) and recording statements of witnesses.
The inclusion of the UID number while registering FIRs is another step to help minimise the chances of the accused going missing.
"It (Aadhaar) is going to be the backbone of every future investigation," observed a division bench of Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice PD Kode, while hearing a petition filed by hotelier Deepak Uramilya, who was arrested and later released on bail in a cheating case lodged by one Ritik Kothari at the NM Joshi Marg Police Station.
Kothari had alleged that when he had visited Uramilya's hotel in September, he had used his debit card to pay the bill but forgot to collect it. Later, he had found that a transaction worth Rs95,000 was made on his card.
Kothari lodged a complaint with the NM Joshi Marg police. Subsequently, the two had an amicable settlement and Uramilya had moved court to quash the FIR.
The bench told the prosecution to find out if any other case was registered against the accused at any other police station before considering his plea. That is when the bench gave the direction for adding UID numbers when registering an FIR.
The bench also directed the prosecution to inform the home department that an officer who is not lower than the rank of principal secretary should issue the circular.
"The court has directed me to convey its directions to the home department, which will be done," said Aruna Pai Kamath, additional public prosecutor.
According to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), there are around 14,000 absconding persons from Mumbai and around 3,000 others from the rest of Maharashtra.
The high court has been trying to ensure that the number is reduced drastically. On its directions, the state government had to set up a Missing Person's Bureau and a Special Cell to trace the absconding accused at each police station. The cells are being monitored by a deputy commissioner of police level officer.

To keep eve-teasers at bay





Their patience finally gave out. For long, the girl students of the Vidyalankar College of Engineering and Diploma in Wadala bore in silence the sexual harassment on their way back home every day. When they decided to take matters into their hands, one proposal got the most number of ayes: the demand for regular bus services.
They have now submitted a petition to the BEST authorities to increase the frequency of buses to and from their college. As of now, this route sees just one bus heading towards the college. Girls have no choice but to walk back home, and face jeers and calls from boys in the neighbourhood.
"Our classes get over after 7pm. The college is in a slum area and there are a lot of undesirable characters lurking around. When we walk back home, we have been harassed by gangs of rowdy boys. A bus would help us feel safe and secure," reasoned Preshita Narkar, a first-year IT student.
Another student, Tanvi Pujari, agreed. "We have to wait for nearly half-an-hour every day for the bus. We are engineering and vocational courses' students and have busy schedules. Also, while waiting for the bus or when walking, we are scared because our college is in a lonely area and several times, boys tease us."
When things came to a head, the students approached the Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi Sena students' wing. Its college president, Pooja Walavalkar, took up the issue, made the 15 students sign a petition for increasing the frequency of bus no 110 and to start more services on this route and submitted it at the Worli bus depot.
Walawalkar said the authorities had turned a deaf ear to their pleas for too long. "Hopefully this time, we'll get a positive response from BEST authorities."

'I met him on Twitter' ...that is what defines the new age trend of networking and making friends

'I met him on Twitter'
...that is what defines the new age trend of networking and making friends


While you might have heard lines like 'I met her at a party', 'I know him through a common friend' or 'we graduated from the same college' and so on, something like 'we met on Twitter' could be a little surprising. Strange as it may sound, Twitter is the new-found platform for budding friendships these days.
Akriti Pal, an ad film maker, celebrated her 26th birthday last month in a lavish way. And as she made the elaborate introduction rounds, she introduced three of her friends as 'I met him/her on Twitter'. Psychiatrist Hemant Mittal points out that it is a double-edged sword. "It is an easy way to socialise or make friends for people who have a high amount of anxiety. This serves as a good medium for those who want to take their own time. Another advantage is that it gives you room for a fair amount of interaction before actually meeting the person in real. You can be talking to him/her for weeks or months before you decide to meet, if at all," he explains.
Sukiti Mehta, 24, a media professional, recently declared on Facebook that she is in a relationship with a guy who she has known for barely a month now. "I met this guy on Twitter, as he had started to follow me. And we enjoyed reading each other's tweets. I found him very interesting and our wavelengths matched. Our friendship grew on Twitter and extended to Facebook to further emails and telephonic conversations," she says.
Similar was the case with Parit, 27, who found his best friend on Twitter. "I was bullied by my friends to join Twitter. I felt it'd be a total waste of time, but I was wrong. Soon after posting a couple of tweets, I started having a good share of followers. My inquisitiveness led me to check and read their profile and tweets. Some days later, I found this girl who was posting quite interesting tweets on sports! I religiously started reading her posts, and even commenting on some of them. We started interacting a lot and now we have become the best of friends," he says.
While it looks simple and smooth, Twitter friendships have a flip side too. And as the psychiatrist emphasises, "There is ample scope for manipulators to con others. There's no way of judging whether the other person is genuine or not. Some people get so emotionally involved that it hampers their personal and social spheres. Moreover, it even leads to extra-marital affairs where you feel a strong emotional connect with the person without any physical involvement."

Living in fiction! Your obsession with that perfect hero taking a toll on your relationship? Maybe it's time for a reality check!

Living in fiction!
Your obsession with that perfect hero taking a toll on your relationship? Maybe it's time for a reality check!


Are you secretly still in love with Mr Darcy from Jane Austen's classic, Pride and Prejudice? Do you wish your lover would sweep you off your feet like Raj from Dilwale Dulhaniye Le Jayenge (DDLJ) did? It's common to easily fall for the fictitious romantic heroes you read about in childhood. What's problematic is if you begin to idolise your hero so much so that you impose your expectations on your real-life partner.
Take the case of Nikita Chatterjee, a self-employed professional, who's grown upon Mills and Boon novellas. She confesses, "I was smitten by the idea of the romantic hero existing in the fictitional world. I devoured all sorts of romantic fiction, be it classics from English literature or the happily-ever-after chick lit. My ideas about my knight in shining armour were shaped accordingly. After a point, I realised my expectations were unreal. That's when I decided to get a grip on reality."
Dr Hemant Mittal, behavioural expert, says, "If you like romance, you can get infatuated with a certain character, and even get influenced. Movies do that a lot. When it released, every young guy wanted to be Raj (Shah Rukh Khan) of DDLJ. Someone may want to be macho like Salman Khan in Bodyguard. Women want their bahus to be copies of Tulsi Virani from Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi." He adds that it's likely that one might "push his/her partner to adopt those characteristics, dress in that way, consciously or sub-consciously". "But eventually, he/she may get bored. It's mostly people with an inferiority complex, who need that sense of attraction, or those suffering clinical depression are susceptible to outside inputs about their partners. Basically, it's an emotionally unstable person who romanticises fictitious characters," argues Hemant. He says that the long-time effects could be detrimental to a relationship, as the person only relates to the fictitional character's characteristics and hence wants the partner to ape him/her.
Suman Gupta, a 27-year-old corporate lawyer, warns that one must practice self-regulation. "I was making impractical demands from a close friend. I knew she was in a relationship with another guy, and yet I'd pursue her. I was depressed. I had to consult a counselor to come back to reality," he recalls. Hemant advises, "Communication and trust are important in any relationship. Set rules for yourself, accept your partner the way he/she is and accept the fact that the relationship will mould with time. If self-regulation doesn't work, seek professional help. Happily-ever-after requires a lot of hard work."

Make your dog comfortable

My four-year-old Great Dane
has developed a fear of
walking on tiles, wood, marble
— anything other than
carpet. Since the majority of
my house is uncarpeted, he
refuses to leave the carpeted
bedroom unless I throw
blankets or towels on the
floor for him to move around.
This makes it very dangerous
for the humans in the
house as I have more than
once tripped on them. Any
suggestions?

It sounds like your dog has had
an accident on these floors.
Perhaps when you were not
there, he was excited about
something and while running
from one room to another he
slipped on the floor and
stretched one of his legs or
joints sufficiently to make him
afraid of doing the same thing
again. This is particularly possible
if your dog’s nails are
slightly too long. Make sure his
nails are cut as short as possible
to help aid his paw’s adhesion
to the floor. Try to distract
him with a toy or treat in order
to have him accompany you
over the floor. He will, with
time, learn to get used to your
floors again.

We adopted our dog a little
over a year ago. Six months
ago we moved into our
house and three months ago
she started urinating small
amounts in the same small
area. How do we stop it?

It may have started as an emotional
response to moving, a
feeling of instability. But once a
dog has peed in a certain place,
it becomes his patch and he will
do it again and again in the
same place till you mop it with
a strong disagreeable smell like
Dettol’s. Do it twice a day. It may
be helpful to keep him away
from the area and take him for a
walk in the evening.
I am having a difficult time
with my dog in trimming his
nails. I have bought all the
proper tools, but he is at the
point now where the anxiety
level is extreme.
Your anxiety levels is what the
dogs is picking up on. You need
to make your dog comfortable
with you holding his paws and
his nails again before you
attempt to cut the nails.
Whenever you are relaxing at
home, let your dog cuddle up to
you and make a point of pretending
to cut his nails. It will
help if you position him in the
way he would usually, if you
were about to cut his nails.
Practice asking him to turn
over so you can easily access
the other paws, always praising
him for calmness. Unless he is
unusually stressed by this, you
should keep up this behaviour
until your dog is used to it.
After 10 days or so, when he is
completely comfortable with
your actions, attempt to cut just
one of his nails, remembering
to praise him well for maintaining
his position and calm.
When you are finished, pile on
the praise and treats, positively
reinforcing that it really is not
so bad! However if you want
some better advice than this
rigmarole, why not let the vet
cut them?

How do I stop my 12-weekold
Lhasa Apso from biting?
At times, these are vicious
attacks on us and our other
dog. We do not want to use
violence, have tried distraction
and saying ‘no’ with our
finger on her mouth, but to
no avail.

12 weeks is still very young for a
puppy. Try this trick: you will
need something similar to a
steel Thermos flask and some
gravel. Every time your dog
tries to bite you or your other
dog, you should throw this flask
(filled with a little gravel) at the
ground near him. Be very careful
not to hit him. This should,
if properly carried out, make
him associate this single behaviour
with a very scary noise.
The great benefit of this is that
over time you can replace the
throwing of the Thermos with
a simple rattle. Another suggestion
would be to use a strong
whistle instead of the Thermos
flask.

Wanna spy on your partner?


We give you top 10 ways to check if
your better half is cheating on you

Check messages
In this age of
sex-ting, you
might want to keep a track
of the messages on
partner’s phone. In reality,
celebrities like Ashley Cole
and others have been
caught by their partners by
the same method. They
stumbled on intimate
pictures of the cheaters
being sent to somebody
else. Though one may claim
that it’s an intrusion of
privacy, but trust us, it’s the
best way to keep a tab.

Check social networking accounts
Social networking
sites are actually
the best place to
meet new and likeminded
people. So
if you think that
your partner is up to
something, then you might
want to look up your
partner’s profile page.

Hiring a PI
It might sound a bit
cheesy, but a lot of
partners are now
seeing themselves
looking for private
investigators or agencies to
help them in catching their
cheating partners.

Talk to his/her friends
Interacting with
your partner’s
friends might give
you an insight into
his/her
whereabouts and you will get
to know if he/she is lying to
you. Monitoring billing
records will allow you to find
out who, and at what
frequency, is your partner
calling everyday.

GPS devices
It’s really helpful to
track down anyone.
You can toss it or
attach it to your partner’s
car and you will know where
your partner has been
through the day.

Hidden cameras
Simple teddy
cams are a handy and costeffective
device, if you can’t
get your head around the
complicated ones. Nobody
will know that you are
watching every movement
of your partner.

Frisk pockets
Human beings
have a habit of
forgetting things
or leaving things in their
pockets. So, searching your
partner’s pockets might give
you an insight to your
partner’s whereabouts or
mind.

Checkwallets/purses
Same goes for
wallets and purses. You
never know when you
stumble upon some
evidence like
contraceptives, movie
tickets, restaurant bills, gift
vouchers and so on.
Snoop around his/her

workplace
Calling up your partner’s
office and checking
upon him/her will
give you
information about
what your partner is
up to, whether he is really in
the office or chilling with
that mysterious someone!

Hear what the stars say! Said to be the day for wealth, experts suggest what metal to invest in today

Hear what the stars say!

Said to be the day for wealth, experts suggest what metal to invest in today



It's Dhanteras today — an occasion considered auspicious for buying jewellery — which, however, might also mean a lot of calculations and confusions like — should one buy gold or silver?
Entrepreneur Gayatri Ruia looks forward to buying jewellery for her daughters today. "I buy both my daughters some jewellery, preferably gold, like bracelets, rings every year. Today, I am thinking of getting them some gold pendant studded with diamonds perhaps," says Gayatri.
While gold and diamonds are the preferred options for Dhanteras, numerologist Sanjay B Jumaani suggests that investing in silver is a good option, as 2012 is the year of the silver metal. "If a person invests in silver today, I believe it will give good returns by end of 2012. Since it'll be the year of number 5, which is associated with the planet Mercury that represents silver," explains Jumaani.
The numerologist had predicted, at the start of 2011, that it would be a year for gold. "And evidently gold has gone from 20 to 25 already. And gold will continue to rule the scene till the end of the year. But if you're looking for long term investments, silver is the metal you should opt for," he asserts.
Platinum too will be good for the coming year, Jumani suggests, "but not diamonds" as diamonds will bring fortune only in the year 2013. "2013 is the year of the planet Venus, which is denoted by number 6 and 6 is the year of the diamond."
Astrologer Bejan Daruwala feels that though platinum is the latest metal, gold still remains the best. However, he says that one should not despair if one is not able to buy gold on this day. "No doubt, that it's a lucky day, but not shopping on the occasion doesn't mean that it's the end of the world. It's all in the mind," says Daruwala.