ELAMANA TIMES
Welcome to the ELAMANA TIMES
WISH YOU A VERY VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR
This is our new year issue and the first full fledged ET in
the web. We have tried our level best to reproduce the magazine
in the web. But due to some technical problems it may not be
looking as good as the original ET as envisaged by our editor
Radhika Gopinath. We feel that this web page eliminates the need
to print the ET for those who can access the web site. We are
sure that the original print out will be looking far better with
the artistic talent of Gopman & design of Radhu. Please do
not hesitate to send your comments on the web page to the
undersigned. Please use the navigation facility in the
"Contents" above to goto specific articles. Eg: if you
press Vanity Fare in Contents it will take
you to the article "Vnity Fare". By pressing Back to Top you can go to
"contents"page.
Wish you a good reading.
With Lots of love
Ganesh
(Web Designer for ET)
| Name | Position |
| Thankom D Menon | Founder |
| Radhika Gopinath | All in All (Editor) |
| Varun Gopinath | Sharjah Correspondent |
| Aravind Ganesh | Dubai Correspondent |
| Meera NandaKumar | UK Correspondent |
| Sreehari | India Correspondent |
| Girish VijayaKumar | USA Correspondent |
| Gayathri VijayKumar | USA Correspondent |
Hey, you didn’t by any chance read the KIDS EDITORIAL, did you? If you did, hmph! Mess with something your own size! Seriously speaking, how did you like the new-look magazine? Well, it’s atleast kinda’ different from the old one, isn’t it? I guessed it would be a good idea to start on a partially new note this New Year. Ah, New Year, the time when resolutions flow in plenty (of course, only to last for a maximum of 5 months) and everyone hopes to start yet another year peacefully and wish for it to be filled with joy, love, success and happiness. But inevitably, along comes sorrow, war, tragedy, failure, defeat and what not. I, for one hope this year is filled with all that’s good. But I guess life’s like that. You win some, you lose some. Whatever happens, don’t lose heart. As long as you know you’ve tried your best, it’s fine. Hey, did you notice I was repeating the exact same philosophy all you grown-ups pour down my throat? Hee, hee, sweet revenge!
Um….. talking ‘bout the magazine, Elamana Times has started a New Year too! Of course, invariably, the GAPs have come up with great work, once again! Kudos to all three for putting in such good effort! Their enthusiasm is something to be appreciated. Besides, now Mrs. Pappaja….oops(!) Padmaja has started her very own BOOK REVIEW. That’s totally cool, ain’t it? Actually, I had hoped all you others would follow their example and respond to my pleas.Thank you Meera and Girish for the quick and nice work done. keep it up!!.I guess it was stupid of me to think so far. Of course, of course, who has the time? You have to work, do household chores and have so little time for relaxing. I know, the only people in Elamana who have so much time on their hands are GAPs and myself, no? Awwwww……………..c’mon, don’t be such spoilsports! Do something worthwhile instead of lazing in front of the TV. I know it will be appreciated by all your co-readers. Buck up! Sure, I know how to make excuses too! Anyway, let’s think happy thoughts for the NEW YEAR HAS ARRIVED!!! Welcome 1999, we say. Hey, do you realize this is the last year of this century? Boy, how time flies. I thought it was just yesterday that I came into this world. But it has been 13 years since I started terrorizing this planet! Imagine! And before we know it, 2000 will be right around the corner and then………the Y2K mess will probably bring the world to a technological standstill. Did you read the article on it in the men’s section or did you flip the pages? Really, it’s about time we took it seriously. Do you realize how much we depend on computers in our daily life? There’s the supermarket checkout, the home PC, the offices, ……….I could go on and on. But I’d better stop right here before this gets too long for it’s own good. So, adieu! And a VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR to all of you!!!!
Editor
Hi everybody! How’d you like this new-look issue? Sorry ‘bout last year- it was a totally busy year for me as I just entered high school and was in the middle of homework, exams, co-curricular activities and the like. But I do sincerely hope that I somehow manage to get this magazine to become a regular one. But hey, you can’t blame me if it is irregular and erratic- I have to concentrate more on my schoolwork more if I want to pass my exams. It’s tough, you know! (of course you do!)
But enough about myself, let’s talk about the magazine. As you must’ve noticed, the ever-enthusiastic GAPs have done a good job once again! Bravo! Aravind has come up with a story of his own as well as jokes, riddles, scientific stuff etc. etc. Actually, he submitted two stories but due to lack of space, I could only accommodate one. Sorry Aravind, but you can be sure you’ll get to see your other story in the magazine if not now, some other time. You know, I think the problem with some of you is that you lack confidence in yourself. Hey, all you people out there, without self-confidence, there’s nothing you can accomplish in this big, bad world! And some of you are simply LAZY! It’s a pity, if you ask me. You may have some hidden talent and even some brilliant ideas, which will never see the light of the day as long as you stay lazy and unenthusiastic! As far as I know, all the little babies….um sorry(!) big kids of the Elamana family have some talent that is worth displaying. But if you don’t take the initiative to come forward, who will? Our generation, kids, is s’posed to be the smartest generation so far. Then what will ‘em oldies think of us if we don’t go even as far as writing a measly piece for an informal magazine!?! Bad, very bad. Shouldn’t we exert our ‘youth power’ and show ‘em who we are? Come on, buck up and let’s do something about it! And it’s not that none of you were cool enough to send in some stuff, almost all of you did. But, once isn’t enough, you can try again, can’t you? Lemme see who’s the smartest in all of you! I’ll give ya all a month’s time (now don’t tell me that isn’t enough!) to submit entries of your own. Let’s see who gives me the most entries! So, get your creative juices flowing! Any piece about anything will do. But it should be original, mind you! However, if you wish to send something like a paper or magazine clipping, you’re welcome to do so. With that I end the kids’ editorial. If you want more info on all this, ask your mom or dad to read you parts of the BIG PEOPLE’S editorial. Alright? Fine. Take care of yourselves. G’bye for now.
KIDS SECTION EDITOR
Men are from Mars………..
Will the Millenium computer problem turn out to be a global catastrophe or a damp squib? Companies have sprung up during the last year that specialize In providing advice and guidance to the public on how to prepare for their own survival. But what is fact and what is fiction?
When the 19th century became the 20th, very few people had electricity, telephones, refrigerators, microwaves or cars. They didn’t know what was happening in the other side of the world, neither did they care.
As we move into the 21st century, the world is a different place-it is a society where events happening in one side of the world are reported within seconds to the other. Man has set foot on the moon and virtual reality is no longer a pipe dream. Telecommunications and computing power are now critical to the very fabric of society and without them, life as we know it will stop; this is just the problem we are facing. With just 12 months to go, it is a good time to prepare ourselves for the worst.
FACT OR FICTION?
Camcorders, digital watches that include a year display should continue to work, but may need the date reset manually.
Summary
The largest impact this problem will have will be upon the global economy. Countries already plagued with financial woes- high inflation rates, limited monetary reserves, high employment are also the countries most behind with their year 2000 programmes- what we cannot predict is what effect this will have and where it will appear.
Globally there is still a lack of public awareness and concern, with a general tendency to assume that problems will get fixed in due course.
Without a proactive and co-ordinated plan to protect the interests of the local economies, as things stand today, there is a high likelihood that the doom merchants’ forecasts will be closer to the truth than we would like to believe.
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June 2 1997gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg
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When US President Bill Clinton ordered air attacks against Iraq, few people failed to notice the timing. Clinton gave US military ships and aircraft orders to launch missiles against Iraqi military targets barely 24 hours before the US House of Representatives was to have begun it’s debate and voted on whether to seek his removal from office over the Monica Lewinsky affair.
Clinton and his advisors deny there was any link. They argue that no President could be so immoral that he would put the lives of American soldiers in harm’s way to save his job. Even if Clinton had such aims, his advisors say they could never have joined such a plot. Iraq presented a real threat and the time to act was now.
But many people were tempted to compare Clinton’s actions to this year’s Hollywood thriller Wag the Dog in which a fictional American president and his associates create a crisis in a foreign country to divert the American people’s attention from a White House scandal.
The pattern involving the Clinton White House is striking. Ever since the Lewinsky story broke out in January, one international crisis after the other has temporarily turned public attention away from the affair. In February, when the media was covering every detail of the scandal, the US and Iraq nearly went to war over new conditions Baghdad set for UN weapons inspections. A last minute mission to Iraq by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan avoided military action.
A few days after Clinton gave his grand jury testimony on the nature of his relationship with Lewinsky in August, the US launched missile attacks on suspected terrorist sites in Sudan and Afghanistan. Those issues that people should really be thinking about, or sim0ply accusing critics of having nothing else to talk about in the history of American politics, one powerful way of rallying the people around the President- during good times and bad- is dealing with foreign crises that have a direct relation to American national security and economic well- being.
During the US Presidential polls, politicians are constantly aware that anything could happen just before the election that could help the person or party in the White House. Presidential elections in the US are held in the first week of November every fourth year. Political campaign managers are constantly alert to and looking out for what is called the" October surprise"- something the US government does abroad that would serve to rally the voters around the person or party in the White House and improve that person’s chances of winning the elections.
Clinton is not facing election and will not be- under the constitution, he will have to retire after 2-4 years terms in the White House. But he is facing the most critical phase in his political life, a phase that will determine his place in history.
It would be unfair to accuse Clinton and his advisors of creating the Iraq crisis to have his presidency. After all, the crisis with Iraq has been continuing ever since the Gulf War ended in 1991. Nevertheless, the "power of incumbency" manages to show itself in strange ways, leading many to wonder whether last week’s events in the White House were really just a coincidence.
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Hiya!
I’m Don Bratpan and I’ll your cricket guide for SPORT
ON. I am an avid follower of cricket. My favorite team is the
South African team and my favorite player is Brian Lara. Man,
he’s superb! I also love Anil Kumble’s bowling. For
now, let’s get on to some serious cricket. We’ll start
off with the basics of the game and I’ll lecture you on how
to play cricket the professional way.
Basics:-
Cricket is a team sport for two teams of eleven players each. A formal game of cricket can last anything from an afternoon to several days. Although the game play and rules are very different, the basic concept of cricket is similar to that of
baseball. Teams bat in successive innings and attempt to score runs, while the opposing team fields and attempts to bring an end to the batting team's innings. After each team has batted an equal number of innings (either one or two, depending on conditions chosen before the game), the team with the most runs wins. (Note: In cricket-speak, the word ``innings'' is used for both the plural and the singular. ``Inning'' is a term used only in baseball.)
The Play
The order in which the teams bat is determined by a coin toss. The captain of the side winning the toss may elect to bat or field first. All eleven players of the fielding team go out to field, two players of the batting team go out to bat.The remainder of the batting team wait off the field for their turn to bat. Each batsman wears
protective gear and carries a cricket bat.
The game progresses by the bowling of balls. The sequence of events which constitutes a ball follows:
The fielding team disperses around the field, to positions designed to stop runs being scored or to get batsmen out. One fielder is the bowler. He takes the ball and stands some distance behind one of the wickets (i.e. away from the pitch). Another fielder is the wicket keeper, who wears a pair of webbed gloves designed for catching the ball and protective pads covering the shins. He squats behind the opposite wicket. The rest of the fielders have no special equipment - gloves to assist catching the ball are not allowed to anyone but the wicket keeper.
One batsman stands behind each popping crease, near a wicket. The batsman farthest from the bowler is the striker, the other is the non-striker. The striker stands before his wicket, on or near the popping crease, in the batting stance. The batsman stands with his bat held down in front of the wicket, ready to hit the ball, which will be bowled from the other end of the pitch. The batsman usually rests the lower end of the bat on the pitch and then taps the bat on the pitch a few times as ``warm-up'' backswings. The non-striker simply stands behind the other popping crease, waiting to run if necessary. The bowler takes a run-up from behind the non-striker's wicket. He passes to one side of the wicket, and when he reaches the non-striker's popping crease he bowls the ball towards the striker, usually bouncing the ball once on the pitch before it reaches the striker. The striker may then attempt to hit the ball with his bat. If he misses it, the wicket keeper will catch it and the ball is completed. If he hits it, the two batsmen may score runs. When the runs are completed, the ball is also considered completed. The ball is considered to be in play from the moment the bowler begins his run-up. It remains in play until any of several conditions occur (two common ones were just described), after which it is called dead. The ball is also dead if it lodges in the striker's clothing or equipment. Once the ball is dead, it is returned to the bowler for the next delivery (another name for the bowling of a ball). Between deliveries, the batsmen may leave their creases and confer with each other.
When one bowler has completed six balls, that constitutes an over. A different member of the fielding team is given the ball and bowls the next over - from the opposite end of the pitch. The batsmen do not change ends, so the roles of striker and non-striker swap after each over. Any member of the fielding team may bowl, so long as no bowler delivers two consecutive overs. Once a bowler begins an over, he must complete it, unless injured or suspended during the over. Another possibility during a ball is that a batsman may get out. There are ten different methods of
being out - these will be described in detail later. If a batsman gets out, the ball is dead immediately, so it is impossible to get the other batsman out during the same ball. The out batsman leaves the field, and the next batsman in the team comes in to bat. The not out batsman remains on the field. The order in which batsmen come in to bat in an innings is not fixed. The batting order may be changed by the team captain at any time, and the order does not have to be the same in each innings.
When ten batsmen are out, no new batsmen remain to come in, and the innings is completed with one batsman remaining not out. The roles of the teams then swap, and the team which fielded first gets to bat through an innings. When both teams have completed the agreed number of innings, the team which has scored the most runs wins.
Next issue: How to play soccer or football.
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Hello there! I am Roseanne Camellia and I’m your green-thumbed friend ready to help you with gardening. I love anything and everything to do with plants. Plants are, after all, living beings too. I am a keen environmentalist too. I took up this column because I felt that I could spread environmental awareness as well as help you set up a beautiful garden, which is both eco-friendly as well as pleasing to the eye. Let’s start with the plants that are perfect for January gardening…
Seeds to start in the warmth of your kitchen could include marigolds, impatiens, ageratums, scarlet, sage, peppers, tomatoes and basil. In the garden or cold frame, start seeds of parsley and other perennial herbs, plants or seeds of alyssum, bachelor buttons, calendula, pansy, petunia, phlox, snapdragon, and ornamental cabbage and kale.
Directly into the vegetable garden, include seeds of English peas, edible pea pods, collards, spinach, lettuce, leeks, endive, escarole, mustard, beets, cabbage, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, shallots, radishes, turnips, carrots (in late January), and cold weather annual herbs such as chervil and coriander. Plants of Brussels sprouts, onion sets, and broccoli will mature faster if transplanted rather than from seeds.
Set out plants of candy tuft, dianthus, forget-me-nots, larkspur, lobelia, and phlox. Ivy rooted in December can go out now. Simply put, almost any perennial suitable for our area can be set into the garden now. Pre chilled tulips and hyacinths can still go out. Prepare gardens beds for spring plantings. Sharpen tools. Keep seedlings well watered and covered on really cold nights. In case of hard freeze, use moss or pine straw to cover pansies and other winter plants such as snapdragons. Remove coverings as the weather warms. Divide dahlias, gerberas, daisies, and other perennials. Fertilize cool season flowers such as pansies, snapdragons, dianthus, and ornamental cabbage and kale.
Examine your lawn mower. Drain the gas, change the spark plug and points, and lubricate it. Wait until February to prune anything, except for dead and diseased wood. Plant rye grass if you haven't already. Get your tools sharpened and greased for heavy pruning of roses and fruit trees in February.
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Women are from Venus….
Mothers, daughters, sisters……….
Nobody can love you more than a mother, sister or daughter- and nobody can hurt you more. Our mothers are our memory banks, the repository of family history- where was Grandpa born? - as well as those shadowy remembrances of self- did I get airsick? Our sisters function as our memory mirrors, reflecting back the serious and the silly snapshots of our past, such as the flowery pattern of the living- room wallpaper, or the way Mom flavored everything with ketchup.
Yet the sisters connection is quite different from the mother-daughter bond. By their twenties, sisters have usually reached a place where their relationship is etched in stone. The early sibling rivalries wane as they come to appreciate Mom’s much-belabored mantra that someday Dad and I will be gone and you’ll have only your sister to love. At this point, sisters are ready to move into maturity with a steadily deepening affection and dependence. On the other hand, if sisters haven’t overcome their friction by their thirties, chances are they never will.
By contrast, mothers and daughters must navigate the tricky waters of constantly shifting roles. In the early years, the mother gives and the daughter takes. By the terrible teens, conflicts have set in, initiating the difficult but necessary rite of separation. It may take decades for mothers and daughters to find balance between connectedness and independence.
A poignant quote by a daughter to her mother is vivid in my memory:
"Mom, I look like you, I sound like you. And, if I’m you, how can I be me?" Later, as daughters have children of their own, they are often surprised by how much they relate to the message- "Mirror, mirror on the wall, I am my mother after all." And finally, in the care-taking stage, a daughter may end up putting diapers on her mother.
Mothers love their daughters automatically; it’s in the genes. Daughters love their mothers sometimes devotedly and sometimes critically. But sisters who not only love but also like each other do so by choice and that’s a potent difference.
But all these relationships, whether smooth or troubled, are driven by a powerful inclination towards closeness. While the ties that bind mother to daughter and sister to sister may bend and twist and fray, they can never be severed. That is the immutable law of the mother-daughter-sister universe.
-Ladies’HomeJournal
Skin- Care Tips:-
Dry Skin: To Prevent dry skin from losing too much water while washing, use an oatmeal face-wash. To make the face-wash, just add a tablespoon of oatmeal to a bowl of warm water. To rehydrate dry skin use the natural gel derived from the aloe vera plant.
Spots: Apply a drying agent like toothpaste (no gels please) to spots and pimples at night. The next day, apply a little ice to bring down the swelling. Herbs like tree oil and lavender oil, both antiseptics, can be applied neatly and quickly to pimples.
Cracked Skin: For dry, cracked hands, apply a mixture of grated potato soaked in olive oil. Leave this on for 10 minutes and then rinse off.
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Do up the face lightly when going
out during the day with some mascara, lipstick, eyeliner,
face powder and a blusher. By Radhika Gopinath
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Hi! I’m Carol, your cooking guide. I just took up this job because I love to invent and try out new recipes. Let’s see how well I do.
Now, this time we’ve got a 5-course meal. All the dishes are easy to prepare. Hmmm…let’s see what we’ve got here.
Nan Katais
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups maida,1 cup ghee,1/2 cup ground sugar, Pinch of baking powder
METHOD:
Mix the maida, ghee, sugar and the baking powder and knead it until it is soft. Then roll out the dough about 2 inches thick and cut it into small rounds, about 2 inches in diameter. Then, bake for about 15 minutes. Your hot nans are ready!
Snack on these. They are hard to resist!
Potato Salad
INGREDIENTS:
1 large boiled potato, 1 onion, finely chopped, 1 green chili, finely chopped, 2 tbsp milk, 1 egg yolk, Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh green coriander leaves, chopped
METHOD:
Mash the potato and add the onion, chili, milk and egg yolk. Mix well and add salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh green coriander leaves and refrigerate for half an hour before serving.
Potatoes are always a hot favorite. Try out this spicy potato salad. It’s healthy and nutritious- perfect for the health-conscious people out there!
Chinese tuna:
INGREDIENTS:
1 large tin tuna, divided into small pieces,1/2 cabbage, shredded
2 onions, chopped,1 red pepper,200 gms frozen peas,1/2 tsp curry powder,1/2 tsp paprika powder
100 gms roasted peanuts
METHOD:
Sauté the onion in a little oil in a fry pan or wok. Add cabbage and cook till soft. Add tuna, red pepper, peas and seasoning. Stir well and allow it to get heated through. Add peanuts and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with boiled rice and soy sauce.
Here’s something for those fish-lovers. The tuna, Chinese type is simple to cook and yummy too!
Rice Pudding
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups milk,1 cup cooked rice,1/2 cup sugar,1 tbsp butter,1/3 cup raisins (or nuts),2 eggs,1/2 tbsp salt
METHOD:
Mix the milk, cooked rice and the butter. Beat the eggs, and add the sugar, salt, raisins (or nuts). Then slowly stir in the rice-milk mixture. Pour it into a greased baking dish. Keep the dish in a pan of hot water. Place it in an oven and bake at 3500F until it is set.
Isn’t it the right time for those tasty puddings? Try out this easy-to-make rice pudding and enjoy yourself during the holidays!
Chocolate Truffles
INGREDIENTS:
90 gms bittersweet, black chocolate,2 1/2 tbsp double cream,Cocoa powder
METHOD:
Cut the chocolate into small pieces so that it will melt easily. Heat the chocolate until melted and smooth, stirring occasionally. Now remove the chocolate from fire, add cream and stir well. Leave to cool until the mixture is firm enough to hold its shape. Then take the mixture and shape it into small balls. Roll the balls in a layer of cocoa powder and set the truffles on a tray in a single layer, not touching one another. Cover and refrigerate. Remove 15 minutes before serving.
These Chocolate Truffles are so mouth-watering you won’t know when to stop! Of course, that helps you to add on the calories, but hey, you can’t have the cake, no chocolate truffles, and eat it!
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Every issue, E*T* will publish an interview with a popular woman. The woman will be a typical 90’s symbol -of strength, achievements, power, intelligence and all that goes with being a role model for other aspiring women around the world. For example, people like Anita Roddick. She is a typical example for a powerful woman, having a vast business empire. Other than the interview, there will also be articles on women who have achieved something remarkable in their lifetime. Entries from all readers are welcome. Also, if you have a relative or acquaintance whose achievements you feel are worth mention, you are free to send interviews with them, their profile or any incident in which they displayed strength of character. It could be your mother, sister, sister-in-law, friend, aunt, grandma….
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Businesswoman’s astonishing timetable to maternity
Businesswoman Sue Roberts was expecting two happy events- the birth of her first baby and the clinching of a 4b pound deal. Knowing both were due to happen around the same time, she was determined on a double success- so she devised a grueling work schedule that will astonish many another mother-to-be who is trying to juggle career with pregnancy. Roberts put in days of 10 hours or more for 14 consecutive days leading upto November 29, when she was due to give birth.
She went into the office that day, but the baby failed to arrive on schedule. So the next morning she was back again at her desk, making phone calls to the US to try to put the seal on months of intense negotiations for the most important project she had ever been involved with. Then, at 10:30 am her waters broke. Rather than leave immediately, she calmly telephoned her husband, Richard, told him to pick her up later- and went back to working on the takeover deal.
Despite the increasing pain of contractions, the 34-year old high-flier spent a further 3 1/2 hours at her Glasgow office directing bankers and brokers by telephone before Richard arrived at 2pm to drive her to the hospital. Four and a half hours later, their 7lb 5oz daughter Lucy was born at the Royal Alexandra Maternity Hospital in Paisley.
"There were still people I needed to telephone and things to do. I think working helped me take my mind off labour.", Roberts said afterwards as she cuddled her baby.
Less than 72 hours after giving birth, she was again making transatlantic calls which helped her company, ScottishPower, complete the takeover of Pacificorp.
"The baby was due at the end of November and the deal was due to complete at the beginning of December, so I had my fingers and toes crossed, hoping the birth would be delayed a week. But Lucy obviously had other ideas." "I have been extremely lucky to stay so healthy through my pregnancy- it must be the constant diet of chocolate!" the ecstatic mother says.
Her proud husband Richard, is amazed though. "I would never have expected anything less from Sue, although I thought she could have taken a day off. But if she’d given up work any earlier I would have been amazed."
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By Dr.Padmaja Ganesh
"KANE AND ABEL" by JEFFREY ARCHER
With his third novel " KANE AND ABEL", Jeffrey Archer has proved to be one of the best story tellers of the world. This novel topped the list of the International bestsellers for six months. Hence it has always been my desire to read this book. The only hurdle was the size (557 pages ). Finally I decided to have a try. Needless to say, the time and energy spent in this regard has been definitely be a worthwhile investment.
The story centres around WILLIAM LOWELL KANE and ABEL ROSNOVSKI- the former, the only son of a Boston millionaire banker and the latter, though born off a Baron but forced by helpless circumstances to be brought up in a poor Polish family. They were born on the same day, in opposite sides of the world. In their persistent struggle to build their fortunes , their paths intersect, only to make them enemies for life. Archer tells the story of these two men- spanning 60 years of their lives and their perpetual efforts to establish their own empires, in his own inimitable, remarkable style.
WILLIAM KANE goes on to establish the largest banking empire while ABEL ROSNOVSKI journeys all the way from Poland to New York (described as the free world) and establishes the largest chain of hotels in the world. Successfully combined in this saga of ambition is a capturing description of the second world war during which the paths of WILLIAM and ABEL cross once again in a wonderfully picturised scenario. When finally the only son of WILLIAM and the only daughter of ABEL decide to get married , very much against the wishes of their respective parents, ABEL approaches WILLIAM for help to foil their matrimonial plans. WILLIAM refuses and then ABEL strikes the final blow on WILLIAM KANE which nearly finishes him. But the story ends on a happy note, with time healing all the wounds and all misunderstandings cleared and the birth of the first grandson of KANE and ABEL aptly named WILLIAM ABEL KANE.
As in all his other novels, Jeffrey Archer has tastefully blended feelings of nobility, patriotism, ambition, romance, hatred, sincerity and love in this refreshing novel. In short KANE AND ABEL promises enjoyable reading and great value for time and money.
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And Kids are from Planet Earth!
S C
I E
N C
E
X-ZONE
Whether there is life in Outer Space
By Aravind Ganesh
Movies and books often portray strange fictional life forms which come to earth from outer space. But many scientists truly believe that there are other life forms, besides those that exist on earth. Astronauts estimate that one star in ten has planets around it, just as our sun has it’s own solar system. Of course, not all planets will be like earth, but chances are that some of them would be able to support life. Even if life occurs on a tiny portion of these planets, it would mean that there are many planets in our galaxy which have life in them.
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Why Does The Tower Of Pisa Lean?
By
Varun Gopinath
THE TOWER of PISA was supposed to stand up straight like any other tower. It wasn’t meant to lean . Construction started in 1173 and went on for about 180 years . It first became clear that the tower was leaning when the third storey was completed . They tried to do something to correct the tilt and prevent the tower from falling over . It leans , engineers think , because its foundation is built on sand . Only the bell tower at the top does not lean because it was added later.
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by Meera Kumar
There was once a witch,
Who had an itch,
Right in the middle of her spine.
Sometimes the itch ,
Gave the witch ,
A twitch
Which she really did not like.
One day the witch ,
Who had the itch.
Gave it to her sister witch.
So she got itch,
that gave her the twitch.
So now we never know which,
Who first had the itch,
That gave the twitch,
In the middle of her spine!
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By Girish VijayKumar
Little Miss Muffet,
Sat on her tuffet,
Gathering all her wits.
Along from a glider,
Came a H-bomb beside her,
And frightened Miss Muffet,
To bits.
Hey diddle, diddle,
The cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon.
The little dog laughed,
To see such fun,
And died the following June.
Little Johnny Appleseed,
Was one who could know more,
For what he thought was H2O,
Was H2SO4
(H2O is water, and H2SO4 is Sulfuric acid….Not very good to drink)
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By
Asha Suresh
Lovely, bright and colourful leaves,
Put upon the huge trees,
Squirrels running up and down,
Breezy wind blows in the dawn,
Winter almost nearby,
Animals freezing have to sigh,
I have chestnuts in my house,
Make sure you don't give any
To the mouse!
ĊĊĊĊĊĊĊĊĊĊĊĊĊĊĊĊĊĊĊĊĊĊĊĊĊĊĊĊ
By Revathi suresh
The seaside, the bee side,
The bees are tickling my nose,
The seaside, the bee side,
The sea is tickling my toes.
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By Aravind Ganesh
Dinosaurs were massive reptiles that lived on earth for millions of years. They died out long before humans appeared on earth, so everything we know about dinosaurs comes from fossils.
They probably died out because the earth’s climate and vegetation had changed and their bodies were unable to adapt fast enough to cope with the new conditions. It is possible that a giant meteorite could have hit the earth sending up vast clouds of dust which blocked out the sun. As many parts of the earth became cooler, they may have been unable to have withstood the increasing cold. They may also have been affected by winds or droughts, or even by radiations from space.
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Why Did the Greeks Build the Parthenon?
By Varun Gopinath
The Parthenon was built more than 2,400 years ago to honour Athena Parthenos. She was the goddess who was believed to protect the city of Athens. To this day the ruins of the Parthenon with its great marble pillars look out over the capital city.
The Pride of Athens:-
Ancient Greece was made up of a number of city states, each called a polis. The Greatest of these was the Athens, which was built around a tall hill called the Acropolis. The dominant feature of the Acropolis was the temple dedicated to Athena.
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by Meera Kumar
I am going to tell you about Christmas. Christmas is a very jolly, happy festival. It is mainly celebrated by Christians but nearly everyone who are not christians also celebrate. Christians believe that Jesus, the son of God was born on Christmas day, but it is also known that Father Christmas comes on Christmas eve and leave presents for all the children.The traditional food for Christmas is turkey with stuffing, maple syrup, brussels sprouts and of course the Christmas pudding. It is always traditional to have a Christmas tree. The Christmas tree is decorated and it is nice to put a star or an angel on top to remember the birth of Jesus. At Christmas time many people give each other presents which just shows that we laso like giving as well as just receiving. Now I am going to tell you what my family did for Christmas this year. We put the Christmas tree up and My parents helped me to decorate it. For our school's carol service, we sang christmas songs and read parts from the Holy Bible. It was a great success. A few days later, it was our school orchestra's concert , which included me with my oboe. Ganeshmamman visited us during this time and we all went to Campion's restaurant for a traditional Christmas dinner . It was really enjoyable. On Christmas day, I found lots of nice presents under the Christmas tree- The best was a keyboard. I also got nail varnish, lots of books, video , musical jewellary box and chocolates. We had few friends for Christmas lunch and it was a very pleasant day. I will be going back to school on 7th January.
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Jeffrey woke up with a start. He was sure he had heard somebody tapping their window- pane. Feeling a little frightened, he snuggled closer to his sister. He waited for the tapping. Nothing. "I must've been dreaming." He thought and went back to sleep. 'Tap, tap!' There it was again! Now Jeffrey was certain he hadn't been dreaming. He shook his sister awake. Randa woke up startled. "What NOW, Jeff?"
"Th..ther.there is someone on our window-sill, look!"
"Huh? You must be dreaming. Go back to sleep."
"No...just look!"
"Ohhhh...huh!?! Eeeek....!!! Wh..what in the world is THAT!?!"
"Let's go see."
"Are you nuts? Do you want that...that thing to eat you up?"
"Awww..c'mon, don't be chicken!"
"I am NOT chicken!" Randa said indignantly.
" Well then, come on."
"OK."
The two children tiptoed to their bedroom window and carefully lifted the pane. A tiny figure stepped into the room, startling the children. When they regained their composure, they saw that the 'thing' was only a small boy clad in a silvery robe holding a bright lantern. "I'm so sorry I scared you." the little boy said softly. "Oh, it's alright." Randa said quickly.
"Who're you and what were you doing on our window-sill?" Jeffrey inquired.
"The people are welcoming in the New Year so noisily! I am the New Year and I hate all that noise and chaos. I wanted some peace, so I ran away and found a quiet spot which happened to be your window-sill."
"You're the NEW YEAR!?!" Jeffrey asked dumbfounded."I mean, .....you can't...how on earth?...it isn't true is it?...but...how..."
"Shut up, Jeff. Hello, I am Randa and this is my brother Jeffrey. It's nice to meet you. No need to be afraid, come and sit on our bed."
"Oh, thank you. I am tired and sleepy. I'd like to have a bit of rest, if you don't mind."
"Of course we don't mind. Go ahead, goodnight."
"Goodnight, Randa and Jeffrey."
And so the three children slept until the sun's rays floated in through the curtain into their room. Randa yawned sleepily. Suddenly, she remembered the happenings of the night before. She checked to see if the ‘New Year’ was still there or if she had been dreaming. Only Jeffrey was sleeping soundly. Randa was disappointed. "Oh, it's so sad. I wish it were real." Then something caught her eye. A note and a parcel! She woke Jeffrey. "Wakey, wakey, sleepyhead. See what the New Year left us!"
"Huh? Hey, that means I wasn't dreaming! It's true! The New Year visited us!"
"Obviously. Now shut up and let's open this parcel."
Jeffrey tore open the parcel while Randa read the letter out loud.
'Dear Randa and Jeffrey,
Thank you ever so much for having me in your house last night. I had a sound sleep and I am very grateful to you. I am leaving now because I have a lot of work to do during this year but to show my gratitude, I'm leaving you a little gift. I hope you like it. Be good children all the year round.
Love,
The New Year.'
"Yup, he's left the gift alright. It looks like a mirror. I wonder what it does?" Jeffrey said, fiddling with the mirror.
"Let me see that. Hmmm...it says here that this mirror is magical and it can take you anywhere you want, whenever you want."
"Wow! Yipee! Let's try it now!"
"I don't think so. I hear Mummy calling us for breakfast. Let's go. We'd better check it out after breakfast."
Saying so, the children raced downstairs with Randa in the lead. After all, it was NEW YEAR!!!!
Note: The foll. parts of this story will appear separately each time in the form of Adventures.
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by Meera Kumar
During Christmas holidays, I read three books by Jacqueline Wilson. Mrs.Wilson is hugely popular with children . Some of her plays got broadcasted on Radio Four. She is the winner of the 1993 children;s book award for the novel" The suitcase kid" and has also won the the Smartie's prize in 1995 for"Double ACT"The books I read are The Suitcase Kid , Glubslymme and my favourite Bad Girls.Bad girls is a book for ten year olds. It is about a girl called Mandy Whitewho always gets picked on at school. Everything went on as usual until Mandyfinds Tanya. Tanya was adopted by Mrs. Williams who lived next door. Mandy'smum thinks that Tanya is a bad girl and she would get Mandy into trouble , butMandy thinks that she is great. Is Mandy right or is it mum? In my point ofview Mum is right as Tanya gets Many into a lot of trouble such as stealingfrom shops.I like this book very much and I would recommend for your reading pleasure.
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The Adventurer
By Aravind Ganesh
CHAPTER 1
Becoming A Sailor
*********
When I was a little boy, I was always dreaming and wishing that I would become a sailor. So I began to work hard to become a sailor. My father, Blegh, was the captain of the Aoura. When I at last became a sailor, my father told me to help him fight some pirates to win back a treasure. So I and he started our voyage.
But one day we were attacked by pirates. We fought well and won the battle. We were going to rest on an island the next day. I hoped that the pirates would not attack us.
The next day, after a good rest on the island, I heard a humming sound. Then I understood that the pirates were coming. "The pirates are coming! The pirates are coming!" I shouted, running around the island. But it was of no use. We had to fight against the pirates!!!
Chapter 2
War!
We fought for many days and killed the pirates. But we couldn’t kill the inspector and four other pirates.
Chapter 3
A Last Battle
The next day, we put a bomb in the pirate ship. And in an instant, the ship was destroyed! We had a celebration for killing the pirates.
Chapter 4
Treasure
The next we had a surprise! We went for a walk, and I suddenly exclaimed, "The treasure!". I was right. We walked towards the place where I pointed and saw the treasure! We took it and went away!!!
Chapter 5
Future of him
The storys over, and we found the treasure. Sometimes I dream that the pirates are coming and I wake up with a bump on the floor.
THE END
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Q:WHAT DO LIARS DO AFTER THEY DIE ?
A:THEY LIE STILL
*****************
FRED:ARE YOU A LIGHT SLEEPER ?
TED:NO,I ALWAYS SLEEP IN THE DARK
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Q:WHAT DID COLOMBUS SAY TO HIS MEN BEFORE THEY SAILED ?
A:GET IN THE BOAT.
*****************
Q:WHAT DO YOU GIVE A SEASICK ELEPHANT?
A: LOTSA ROOM
*****************
Q:WHAT GOES UP BUT NEVER COMES DOWN?
A:YOUR AGE!
By Varun Gopinath
Q:WHY DID THE MAN MAKE THE DOG STAND UNDER THE HOT SUN?
A:HE WANTED TO MAKE A HOT DOG!
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Q:WHY ARE FARMERS CRUEL?
A:THEY PULL CORN BY THE EARS!
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By Aravind Ganesh
#6#6#6#6#6#6#6#
Once an army killed many terrorists. The Captain was taken to the police inspector.
Police Inspector: Cut off his hands because he has been stealing money.
The policeman did as he was told. The next day the terrorist was taken to the court.
Judge: Show your fingerprint on the paper.
By Aravind Ganesh & Hari Govind
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Georgina was once left all alone at home when her parents went to a wedding. They would be away for 2 days. The next morning, Georgina was watching TV, when the phone rang. She picked up the receiver. A deep voice responded,
"Hello, this is the man with the bloodied finger."
Georgina slammed down the receiver, frightened. Later, while she was having lunch, there was another phone call. Again, the same voice boomed from the other end- "Hello, Georgina. This is the man with the bloodied finger."
Scared, she banged the receiver back in it’s place. Later that night, while she was watching TV, she heard a shuffling sound and then, someone opening the front door. Terrified, she ran to the attic and hid behind a big box. There were footsteps and someone opened the door of the attic. Sensing the presence of someone in the room, she immediately switched on the light. A huge man was standing there. " Hello, Georgina. I’m the man with the bloodied finger--------
Um….do you happen to have a bandage?"
-by Varun Gopinath
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1. Instead of milk and cookies, leave him a salad, and a note explaining that
you think he could stand to lose a few pounds.
2. While he's in the house, go find his sleigh and write him a speeding ticket.
3. Leave him a note, explaining that you've gone away for the holidays. Ask
if he would mind watering your plants.
4. While he's in the house, replace all his reindeer with exact replicas. Then
wait and see what happens when he tries to get them to fly.
5. Keep an angry bull in your living room. If you think a bull goes crazy
when he sees a little red cape, wait until he sees that big, red Santa suit!
6. Build an army of mean-looking snowmen on the roof, holding signs that
say "We hate Christmas," and "Go away Santa."
7. Leave a note by the telephone, telling Santa that Mrs. Claus called and
wanted to remind him to pick up some milk and a loaf of bread on his way
home.
8. While he's in the house, find the sleigh and sit in it. As soon as he comes
back and sees you, tell him that he shouldn't have missed that last payment,
and take off.
9. Leave a plate filled with cookies and a glass of milk out, with a note that
says, "For The Tooth FairyJ . " Leave another plate out with half a stale
cookie and a few drops of skim milk in a dirty glass with a note that says,
"For SantaL ."
10. Take everything out of your house as if it's just been robbed. When
Santa arrives, show up dressed like a policeman and say, "Well, well. They
always return to the scene of the crime."
11. Leave out a copy of your Christmas list with last-minute changes and
corrections.
12. While he's in the house, cover the top of the chimney with barbed wire.
13. Leave lots of hunting trophies and guns out where Santa's sure to see
them. Go outside, yell, "Ooh! Look! A deer! And he's got a red nose!" and
fire a gun.
14. Leave Santa a note, explaining that you've moved. Include a map with
unclear and hard-to-read directions to your new house.
15. Set a bear trap at the bottom of the chimney. Wait for Santa to get
caught in it, and then explain that you're sorry, but from a distance, he
looked like a bear.
16. Leave out a Santa suit, with a dry-cleaning bill.
17. Paint "hoof-prints" all over your face and clothes. While he's in the
house, go out on the roof. When he comes back up, act like you've been
"trampled." Threaten to sue.
18. Instead of ornaments, decorate your tree with Easter eggs.
19. Dress up like the Easter Bunny. Wait for Santa to come and then say,
"This neighborhood ain't big enough for the both of us."
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I Stuck my finger- by Radhika Gopinath
I stuck my finger up my nose
To see what I could find.
I found assorted articles
Of every different kind.
I found a dozen rubber bands
I found a piece of string.
I found my missing basketball
I found a playground swing.
I found a giant pot of gold
I found a sailing boat.
I found an ancient castle
With a drawbridge and a moat.
I found a hairy mastodon
I found a purple car.
I found an Earth-bound starship
From a not too distant star.
But now despite the awesome stuff
I found inside my snout,
I wish I’d never poked in there—
My finger won’t come out!
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Mithing tooth- by Radhika Gopinath
I’m having trouble thpeaking
Thinthe I lotht my middle tooth.
Jutht yethterday my tooth wath fine—
Today it wiggled loothe.
At firtht I thought it thilly,
When my tooth fell out today,
But noone theems to underthtand
A thingle word I thay.
I told my mother that I thought I thaw
A mouthe inthide our plathe.
She thaid "the only mouth I see
Is right there on your face."
I wonder if you underthtand
The thircumthtanthe I’m in.
I told her I wath feeling thick.
She thaid "you’re looking thin."
At latht she thaw how mad I wath,
And thought I might thtop breathing.
She laughed and thaid she didn’t mean it—
She wath only teething.
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Matters Of The Heart………
Mahima and Aishwarya are twin sisters- fraternal twins. There is no significant sign of similarity--- external or internal--- between them. The two of them are born out of the womb of the same woman. Then why are they treated differently?
" Girls! Your baba has come home. Look what he has brought back from the trip." Mrs.Thakur, or maa, as Mahima and Aishwarya called her, cried out in her clear, shrill voice. Their father, the Thakur, or head of the village, had left for the city for some apparently important matter. The girls’ father hardly ever left the outskirts of the village, leave alone go to the city. He had sounded rather worried and tensed on the eve of his journey. He had had a phone-call from a certain Seth Ramdayal prior to his sudden decision to go to the city.
"Aadab babuji , what took you so long to return? And what goodies have you brought us from the city? Show us, show us!" the girls chorused eagerly.
"Hello, girls. I’ve brought you and your mother some beautiful stuff. The city has so many things to offer, I had a hard time selecting and choosing these items. They are very expensive, you know. Very valuable. See."
"Oh, here is some gold jewellery- ooh, how lovely! None of the other women in the village will have such intricately designed ornaments! Now, here are some sarees and cholis! How wonderful! And look at these hairpins- aren’t they marvelous!!!" their maa chirped excitedly. The girls joined her, rummaging the big sack, thrilled.
"Now, now girls, these are very valuable and costly. So, I’m going to keep them safe in the…..somewhere. Enough looking, Mahima. Keep that back. There!"
"But maa, what about these cholis? We shall wear them, shan’t we? And…and these utensils are to be used for cooking- not for display! And…"
"Shut up, Mahima! Enough of preaching, Miss Know-it-all. Go! Go wash the dishes! How many times do I have to tell you to stay out of the important matters? Stupid girl!"
"Sorry, maaji."
"What ‘sorry’ ? Go, I say! Yes, Aishwarya, dear? You want to wear this choli now? Oh, sure. Whatever you say. Come, darling, I’ll help you wear it."
To be contd.
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