Wednesday, March 30, 2005

Volunteers for CUPA Rehab Centre: Please pass on!

CUPA (Compassion Unlimited Plus Action http://www.cupabangalore.org/) has an animal rehabilitation centre right next to Bannerghatta National Park where wounded animals are looked after before being returned to the wild/placed in favorable habitats. We had been there to take a wounded kite and were impressed with the work they do.

Saleem, the person in charge, who is doing fantastic work with the birds/animals, mainly manages the entire show with volunteers. And he needs a lot of them, to bring birds/animals to the shelter, help with running the place, get things from the city etc.

If you are an animal lover, and could spend a few hours on this once in a while in your free time/or serve as contact point to transport animals/birds, please call Saleem at 98450-70459.

Please pass this on to your friends!

Thanks!

Swapnil & Asha

Urgent:Volunteers for Bird Relocation!

UPDATE: Just called Saleem (Banergatta Animal Rehabilitation). Most work at the Yediyur tank has been taken care. Anyone going past the place can talk to the Engineer at site for updates. Also, if you see any Turtles or Birds for sale anywhere in the city, please call up numbers below.
~Swapnil
UPDATE2: The birds that we have rescued from Yediyur lake feed on Hydrilla(water plant). We urgently require people to collect hydrilla from Yediyur lake before it dries up. we also request people to donate buckets, tubs, drums, etc. And people living in this area please keep an eye for abandoned birds or eggs
~Abhisheka: 9880612474

Info from Vaishnavi:

From: prabu.birding
Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2005 22:18:43 +0530
Subject: *URGENT* : Volunteers needed.
To: India-nature-pixs@yahoogroups.com

Hello,
I just received a call mentioning about the government's decision to
drain the Yediyur tank (Jayanagar).
The tank, at the moment is the breeding house of lots of water birds
and at the moment there are loads of eggs and young ones.
Saleem and Abhisheka urgently need a lot of hands to move the birds,
eggs and youngones to a safer spot.

Whoever can spend a little while please contact:
Saleem: 9845070459
Abhisheka: 9880612474

at the earliest.. *please* !

Prabu
Thanks, Vaish!

Tuesday, March 29, 2005

Margaret Mead Film and Video Festival - 2nd and 3rd of April, 2005

VIKSHANA – Visual Anthropology Network – invites you to a screening of the Margaret Mead Traveling Film and Video Festival on the 2nd and 3rd of April, 2005. All are welcome. Limited seating, so do come early.

Venue: Centre for Film and Drama
5th Floor, Sona Towers, 71 Millers Road, Bangalore 560052, Phone: 51231207 For directions on how to get there: http://www.collectivechaos.org/location_cfd.html

Schedule as below. For stills from the films and more information: http://www.amnh.org/programs/mead/travel.html


April 02, 6.30 pm

MARRY ME
Uli Gaulke & Jeannette Eggert. 2003. 105 min. (Germany/Cuba) While on holiday in Cuba, Erik, from Hamburg, meets and falls in love with Gladis from Havana. One year later, Gladis and her 8-year-old son, Omarito, board a plane to leave their island home for Germany. This intense and intimate portrait of their transcultural marriage takes us through the couple's first two years as they struggle with unexpected obstacles. Marry Me presents a highly original observation of cross-cultural identity and alienation.

A/K/A MRS. GEORGE GILBERT
Coco Fusco. 2004. 31 min. (U.S.)
This hybrid video blends fictional and documentary source material in an imaginative re-creation of a crucial political moment in U.S. history. Co-scripted by Rick Moody (The Ice Storm), it tells the story of an FBI agent who confesses to his involvement in the nationwide search for Angela Davis, the famous radical philosopher and black activist who was on the FBI's "Ten Most Wanted" list in 1970 and an underground fugitive for two months.


April 03, 2.00 pm

MARGARET MEAD: A PORTRAIT BY A FRIEND
Jean Rouch. 1978. 30 min. (U.S.)
Jean Rouch filmed this loving and humorous portrait of anthropologist and filmmaker Margaret Mead in September 1977 while he was a guest of the first Margaret Mead Film Festival. As both a friend and colleague, Rouch reveals a glimpse of the legendary Mead in her later years.

JAGUAR
Jean Rouch. 1957. 92 mins. (Niger/Ghana)
Part documentary, part fiction, and part reflective commentary, Jaguar tells the story of three young men from the Savannah of Niger who leave their homeland to seek wealth and adventure on the coast and in the cities of Ghana. This seminal film, which was the result of improvised on-screen action and then later, improvised narrative voice-over, is the story of their travels, their encounters along the way, their experiences in Accra and Kumasi, and, after three months, their return to their families and friends at home.


April 03, 4.30 pm

OSCAR
Sergio Morkin. 2004. 61 min. Video. (Argentina)
Oscar is a taxi driver, family man, and intrepid guerilla artist who rebels against the bombardment of advertisements in Buenos Aires. In doing so, he attracts attention from both the media and academia as an artist/activist whose story resonates strongly. But can he pay his bills without selling out?

HOW TO FIX THE WORLD
Jacqueline Goss. 2004. 28 min. (U.S./Uzbekistan)
This highly inventive digitally animated film brings to life the celebrated work of A.R. Luria's research with the Uzbek Soviet farm collectives in the 1930's. Photographs of the collectives taken during this same period serve as the basis for the animated images. The restaged conversations between the famed cognitive psychologist and the "subjects" reveal the impact of Soviet socialism on these Muslim oral-based agricultural communities.

THE FUTURE OF FOOD
Deborah Koons Garcia. 2003. 88 min. Video. (U.S./Canada/Mexico) What will food look like for future generations? Will all plant species become private property? The Future of Food raises important questions about genetically modified food. It highlights the role of corporations and government in agriculture, and the role consumers have yet to play in determining what we will eat in the decades to come. Viewing this film, you'll never look at food the same way again!

Wednesday, March 23, 2005

Wildlife Volunteering Opportunity!

Vaishnavi sent us this -

Field Training Workshop on the application of sampling-based methods to monitor large mammal populations Centre for Wildlife Studies, Bangalore in collaboration with Karnataka State Forest Department, is organizing field training workshops in the application of sampling-based methods for monitoring large mammal populations at Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, Karnataka during April 16 - 30, 2005.

The primary method taught will be on the abundance estimation of prey species using distance sampling methods. The participants will also be exposed to other methods like relative abundance estimation of large carnivores and their prey through sign encounter surveys and abundance estimation of large carnivores using capture-recapture methods.
There are a few openings available for individuals interested in participating in these training camps. Candidates must fit the following description: candidates in the age group of 18-40 years, who are physically very fit and have some experience in hiking through forests and rough country and have a reasonably good ability to spot and identify large mammals. The training will involve long and arduous working hours in difficult terrain.

The candidates will be selected after a screening of their applications to judge their suitability for doing the field work. The trainees are expected to stay for the entire duration of the camp.
The training will be imparted in two batches and each batch will last for a week. The first batch will commence from April 16, 2005 while the second batch will begin on April 23, 2005. Simple vegetarian food will be provided free of cost to the participants. We are trying to provide free
accommodation for the trainees in arrangement with the Karnataka State Forest Department. In case we do not succeed in this, the participants should be willing to bear this cost. Travel expenses to and from Nagarahole will have to be borne by the participants.

Very strict camp discipline has to be observed (this is not a picnic).
Candidates must be keen wild lifers and come prepared with appropriate field clothes (grey, khaki, green, camouflage etc. not white, red or bright colours) and tough walking shoes. They should bring a pair of binoculars and a sleeping bag with sufficient warm clothings. They should be prepared to rough it out and stay in tented accommodation. The candidates must report on the assigned dates, and must spend a minimum of seven days thereafter.

If you or any specific candidate from your organisation is interested in participating in the training program, please contact me immediately (preferably by email, or by letter) giving your background details and the batch in which you would prefer to participate. Please do not arrive in Nagarahole without written or verbal confirmation from us that you have been selected, because accommodation and the number of opportunities available are limited.

Best wishes
Sincerely,
KIRAN M.R.
Office Manager
Centre for Wildlife Studies
823, 13th Cross, Jayanagar 7th Block West
Bangalore 560082, India
Ph. 91 80 26715364 Fax 91 80 26715255
Visit us at http://www.wcsindia.org

Thanks, Vaish!

Monday, March 21, 2005

Playback Theatre Workshop!

Info from Vaishnavi -

No lines
No practiced movements
No script
No microphones
No make up
No lights
Just you
Your imagination
Your emotions
Your actions
Pure, simple and different
Experience it to know it

The Playback Theatre Workshop

Starts 2nd April,2005

To participate and for more details write to pt@theatrecapital.com

Thanks, Vaish!

Sunday, March 20, 2005

New Arrivals at Strand Book Store!

Collapse: How Societies Choose To Fail or Succeed by Jared Diamond

In his million-copy bestseller Guns, Germs, and Steel, Jared Diamond examined how and why Western civilizations developed the technologies and immunities that allowed them to dominate much of the world. Now in this brilliant companion volume, Diamond probes the other side of the equation: What caused some of the great civilizations of the past to collapse into ruin, and what can we learn from their fates? As in Guns, Germs, and Steel, Diamond weaves an all-encompassing global thesis through a series of fascinating historical-cultural narratives. Moving from the Polynesian cultures on Easter Island to the flourishing American civilizations of the Anasazi and the Maya and finally to the doomed Viking colony on Greenland, Diamond traces the fundamental pattern of catastrophe. Environmental damage, climate change, rapid population growth, and unwise political choices were all factors in the demise of these societies, but other societies found solutions and persisted. Similar problems face us today and have already brought disaster to Rwanda and Haiti, even as China and Australia are trying to cope in innovative ways. Despite our own society’s apparently inexhaustible wealth and unrivaled political power, ominous warning signs have begun to emerge even in ecologically robust areas like Montana. Brilliant, illuminating, and immensely absorbing, Collapse is destined to take its place as one of the essential books of our time, raising the urgent question: How can our world best avoid committing ecological suicide?

Pages : 575 Hardback List Price : $29.95 (Rs.1393.00) Our Price: Rs.600.00 You Save: Rs.793 (56.92%)
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The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Life by Richard Dawkins

The Ancestor's Tale is a pilgrimage: a journey of four billion years. We, modern human beings, are the pilgrims, and we are travelling back in time to seek out our ancestors. Simultaneously every other living creature - animal, plant, fungus, bacterium - is setting off on its own journey with the same mission. As we travel down the path of time, we meet up with other bands of pilgrims with whom we share a common ancestor. Onwards we go, squeezing precariously through mass extinctions, meeting increasingly distant common ancestors. Eventually we pass that fundamental turning point for life on Earth, the combining of a single-celled protozoan-to-be with a bacterium to form a cell with a nucleus. The final stretch of the pilgrimage is taken together by all living things, back to the origin of life itself. This is the majestic narrative that holds together this remarkable book. Yet the chronicle of the journey is itself an envelope for the collection of tales told by the pilgrims. These tales cover the processes involved in the unfolding of life on Earth. Enormously rich and diverse, they incorporate the results of recent research which uses the study of DNA to give some startling insights into evolutionary history.

Pages : 528 Hardback List Price : £25.00 (Rs.2238.00) Our Price: Rs.695.00 You Save: Rs.1543 (68.94%)

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The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

A stunning literary thriller in the tradition of Umberto Eco and Rose Tremain. Hidden in the heart of the old city of Barcelona is the `cemetery of lost books', a labyrinthine library of obscure and forgotten titles. To this library, a man brings his 10-year old son, Daniel, one cold morning in 1945. Daniel is allowed to choose one book and from the dusty shelves pulls The Shadow of the Wind by Julian Carax. But as Daniel grows up, several people seem inordinately interested in his find. What begins as a case of literary curiosity turns into a race to find out the truth behind the life and death of Julian Carax, and to save those he left behind. A phenomenal bestseller across Europe, The Shadow of the Wind is a dazzling exploration of obsession in literature and love, and the dark places such obsession can lead.

Pages : 403 Hardback List Price : Rs.1155.00 Our Price: Rs.500.00 You Save: Rs.655 (56.70%)

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Secrets of The Code by Dan Burstein

Millions of readers worldwide have been hooked by Dan Brown's extraordinary bestseller The Da Vinci Code and are fascinated by questions raised in the novel. Was Jesus actually married to Mary Magdalene? Did they have a child together? Was Mary one of the disciples and did she write her own gospel? Did geniuses like Leonardo da Vinci and Isaac Newton belong to secret societies that had the most compelling insider information in history? And did Leonardo convey some of these ideas in The Last Supper and other paintings?

Pages : 557 Paperback List Price : £6.99 (Rs.609.00) Our Price: Rs.200.00 You Save: Rs.409 (67.15%)

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House of Lies: How Management Consultants Steal Your Watch and Then Tell You the Time by Martin Kihn

When Martin Kihn joined a powerhouse New York consulting firm, he thought the consultants' job was simply to tell organizations how to improve themselves in exchange forhuge fees. In reality, the consultants spent precious work hours prowling for new clients, only to offer, once they snared their quarry, little or no useful information while pontificating on topics they knew nothing about. From power breakfasts heavy on the waffles and mind games to the screaming indignity of "Feedback Camp" in New Jersey, House of Lies reveals the truth about a "profession" that could threaten your job, your career, and your life... and even offers a solution or two if the suits start circling around your company.

Pages : 273 Paperback List Price : $14.00 (Rs.644.00)Our Price: Rs.325.00 You Save: Rs.319 (49.53%)

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Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan Larry

Bossidy is one of the world's most acclaimed CEOs, with a track record for delivering results that has few peers. Ram Charan is a legendary advisor to senior executives and boards of directors, with unparalleled insight into why some companies are successful and others are not. The result is the book people in business need today. One with a highly practical framework for closing the gap between results promised and results delivered. After a long, stellar career with GE, Larry Bossidy became CEO of Allied Signal and transformed it into one of the world's most admired companies. Accomplishments like 31 consecutive quarters of earnings-per-share growth of 13% or more don't just happen. They result from consistent practice of the discipline of execution; understanding how to link the three core processes of any business together: people, strategy and operations. The leader's most important job - selecting and appraising people - is one that should never be delegated. As a CEO Larry Bossidy personally makes the calls to check references for key hires. Why? With the right people in the right jobs there's a leadership gene pool that conceives and selects strategies that can be executed. People then work together to create a strategy, building block-by-building block - a strategy in synch with the realities of the marketplace, the economy and the competition. It's then linked to an operating process that converts the strategy into specific programs and actions and that assigns accountability.

Pages : 278 Hardback List Price : $27.50 (Rs.1265.00) Our Price: Rs.450.00 You Save: Rs.815 (64.42%)

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Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell

Best-selling author Gladwell (The Tipping Point) has a dazzling ability to find commonality in disparate fields of study. As he displays again in this entertaining and illuminating look at how we make snap judgments—about people's intentions, the authenticity of a work of art, even military strategy—he can parse for general readers the intricacies of fascinating but little-known fields. Blink is a book about how we think without thinking, about choices that appear to be made in an instant – in the blink of an eye – that actually aren’t as simple as they seem.

Pages : 280 Paperback List Price : $14.00 (Rs.644.00) Our Price: Rs.300.00 You Save: Rs.344 (53.41%)

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Tomorrow's God: Our Greatest Spiritual Challenge by Neale Donald Walsch

Tomorrow's God contains an astonishing prediction, one that comes from an astonishing source: God. Presented as a conversation between God and Walsch, this startling, profound book is offered in two parts: Part One deals with humanity's current conception of God, and the new ideas about the Deity that will characterize God in our not-too-distant future. Part Two examines how these ideals will be put into place-and how they will impact our lives, and help us to create a newer, better world. Controversial, challenging, and illuminating, Tomorrow's God provides both spiritual and down-to-earth advice on what each of us can do to cope with the current world crises-and experience God in such a way that our experience of one another will be healed at last.

Pages : 406 Paperback List Price : $14.00 (Rs.651.00) Our Price: Rs.350.00 You Save: Rs.301 (46.23%)

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Yoga: Path to Holistic Health by B.K.S. Iyengar

In this comprehensive and highly illustrated guide B.K.S. Iyengar, the world's leading teacher of yoga, shares his unique, holistic approach. For Iyengar, yoga is more than just a form of exercise; it is a holistic experience that benefits the body, mind, and spirit. He outlines the philosophy and ideals behind this ancient practice and explains how yoga can help to counter the stresses of modern living. Designed for every level of ability, age, and physical condition, there are detailed instructions for beginner, intermediate, and advanced students. Clearly illustrated, step-by-step instructions explain how to perform each yoga asana, or posture, correctly, while a unique 360-degree view of the final pose shows exactly how to position each part of the body. A special section introduces his innovative use of props, enabling beginners or the less flexible to practice the classic yoga asanas more easily and effectively.

Pages: 408 Hardback List Price: $40.00 (Rs.1900.00) Our Price: Rs.850.00 You Save: Rs.1080 (64.28%)

For The Kids

The Book of Inventions: The stories behind the inventions and inventors of the modern world by Ian Harrison

The Book of inventions is an in-depth look at the objects that have advanced every area of human living. From household items to industrial masterpieces, the book reveals the genius behind the paper clip, the invention of the clock work radio and the arrival of the jet engine. Items of all shapes and sizes that we now take for granted are presented the applauded as true innovations of their time. The story of each invention unfolds in detail: from its earliest beginnings to its present form, the rivals who competed to take the idea even further; and the fascinating lives of the inventors themselves. The inventions that have made a difference sit alongside those weird and wonderful ideas that have been forgotten - who has ever use a baby-patting machine? Packed with pictures and intriguing and informative facts about the impact of the inventions, this book is a valuable and original take on items often overlooked in daily life.

Pages : 288 Hardback List Price : £20.00 (Rs.1790.00) Our Price: Rs.475.00 You Save: Rs.1315 (73.46%)

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The Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer

In the future, in a place called Satellite City, fourteen-year-old Cosmo Hill enters the world, unwanted by his parents. He's sent to the Clarissa Frayne Institute for Parentally Challenged Boys, Freight class. At Clarissa Frayne, the boys are put to work by the state, testing highly dangerous products. At the end of most days, they are covered with burns, bruises, and sores. Cosmo realizes that if he doesn't escape, he will die at this so-called orphanage. When the moment finally comes, Cosmo seizes his chance and breaks out with the the help of the Supernaturalists, a motley crew of kids who all have the same special ability as Cosmo-they can see supernatural Parasites, creatures that feed on the life force of humans. The Supernaturalists patrol the city at night, hunting the parasites in hopes of saving what is left of humanity in Satellite City. Or so they think. The Supernaturalists soon find themselves caught in a web for more complicated than they'd imagined, when they discover a horrifying secret that will force them to question everything they believe in. Eoin Colfer has created an eerie and captivating world-part Blade Runner, part futuristic Dickens-replete with nonstop action, humor, and a spellbinding cast of characters.

Pages : 267 Paperback List Price : $7.99 (Rs.368.00) Our Price: Rs.184.00 You Save: Rs.184 (50.00%)

Thanks and regards

Strand Book Stall

Branch Address : S 113 -114, Manipal Centre, Dickenson Road, BANGALORE - 560 042.Phone : (080) 25580000, 57673232 Tele-Fax : (080) 25582222E-mail : strandbk@bgl.vsnl.net.in Website: http://www.strandbookstall.com/

Friday, March 18, 2005

Film Screenings by CED

Following are the films that are scheduled for screening during Annual BOOK FAIR at CED (Centre for Education and Documentation www.doccentre.org ), Bangalore from March 18th to March 20th 2005.

7:00pm, Friday, March 18, 2005
PARAI
Dir: Leena Manimekalai / 45 min
This film is about the status of Dalits, that uses the village of Siruthondamadevi as an example. The director, Leena Manimekalai, is quick to point out that while the film itself is set in one village, there are many other villages like this one where Dalits, and especially the women among them, are exploited, but their condition remains unexpressed. With intermittent statistical snippets on the status of Dalits (most compiled from Government reports themselves), the film throws light on the reality of Dalit lives.

7:00pm, Saturday, March 19, 2005
Papa 2Dir: Gopal Menon / 25 min
Kashmir has witnessed the rise of "enforced disappearances". Involuntary or enforced disappearances have usually been documented in countries where the State has tried to ruthlessly suppress any form of dissent. In the case of Kashmir, disappreances have been caused not only by the State but also by the militants who are active in the area. Papa 2 aims to capture the Human Rights violations in Kashmir in the last fifty years and contextualise them in the political struggle. While shooting over a period of six months, Gopal menon talked to the people of Kashmir, and the victims of the dispute.

7:00pm, Sunday, March 20, 2005
Many People, Many Desires
Dir: T. Jayashree / 46min
"Many People, Many Desires" explores the status (legal, social, political, cultural etc.) of sexual minorities (hijras, kothis, double-deckers, gays, lesbians, transgender and other people oppressed due to their sexual orientation and/or gender expression) in India. It is only since the early 1980s that homosexuality and transgender expressions have become visible "identity issues" in India. Cutting across class, gender, language and caste, the film tells the stories of such persons living in the city of Bangalore.

PS: Copies of Anand Patwardhan, K.P.Sasi, Suma Josson and Rakesh Sharma's films are available for sale.
Warm regards,
Vinod for CED Team

Annual Book Fair at CED

Annual BOOK FAIR at CED, Bangalore from March 18th to March 20th 2005.

CED Bangalore invites you to this special BOOK FAIR, an exhibition cum sale of over 1000 titles of development related publications selected from a range of NGOs and Publishers. Most of this material is otherwise unavailable in conventional bookstores and has been got through personalised selection and sourcing. The books cover subject categories from Globalisation and social movements to Gender, Environment, Dalit and Tribal issues. Dates: MARCH 18-20, 2005

Venue: Centre for Education and Documentation(CED), #7, 8th Main, 3rd Phase, 2nd Stage, Domlur, Bangalore 560071. (Call us at 25353397 for directions)
Timing: 10.30am to 7.00pm
There will be 40% off on CED publications and 10% off on other publications during the book fair.
Along with the Bookfair we also will be screening of films.

Please pass this announcement to friends, groups and institutions that you think might also benefit from this opportunity.
For those of you who are not in touch with CED, do checkout our services and membership options. Also you can check our electronic databases online. Please visit our Website www.doccentre.org for these details. Look forward to seeing you, your colleagues and friends at the BOOK FAIR!
Warm regards,
Vinod
for CED Team

Thursday, March 17, 2005

Watch German Detective Films this weekend!

Greetings from Max Mueller Bhavan Bangalore!
Set your sights and get ready for nail-biting suspense with an exciting package of detective films. Tatort and Polizeiruf 110 are among the most popular TV series from Germany. We have put them together in an exclusive film package entitled: Germany in the Crosshairs with 11 video films screened on six days.

Date : March 18 to 23, 2005
Time : 4.30 and 6.30 p.m. daily
Venue : 2nd Floor, Max Mueller Bhavan
All are welcome. Seating on first-come, first-served basis.


Visuals, synopses and the screening schedule are posted on our website. Do
join us for these films.

With best wishes,
Maureen Gonsalves
Programme Coordinator
Goethe-Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan
3, Lavelle Road
Bangalore 560 001
Tel: +91 80 2221 9772/2221 4964
Fax: +91 80 2221 5255
progr@bangalore.goethe.org
www.goethe.de/bangalore

Wednesday, March 16, 2005

Film Retrospective: Wong Kar Wai

A Retrospective of Hong Kong Film maker - Wong Kar Wai - by Collective Chaos, next weekend!

He blows my mind film after film'
-Quentin Tarantino

'He is the most fashionable director
on the planet. The last word in movie chic'
-THE FACE Magazine.
'Urban filmmaker par excellence'
-THE GUARDIAN
'Asia's most distinctive director of today,
also most imitated.'-Time Magazine

Collective Chaos presents
a retrospective of this sensational filmmaker.

details just uploaded on our site please visit:
www.collectivechaos.org/index_wongkarwai.html

http://www.collectivechaos.org

Wine Trail at Grover Vineyards!

If you're into wine, or just want to visit a vineyard and see how wine is made, try the Wine Trail trip at Grover Wineyards!


http://www.tulleeho.com/training/winetrail/bangalore.htm


Thanks, Vaish!

Monday, March 14, 2005

Yahoo group on Organic Farming

Vaishnavi informs us about this yahoo group called Organic_Indian.

Some members of this group are working to make people, especially farmers, aware of the hazards of present form of agriculture (including but not limited to heavy use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides etc) and pushing forward the case of sustainable and organic farming.

They are also concerned about the damage done to the environment by burning of fossil fuels, industrial wastes, plastics, chemicals used in agriculture etc.

Interested people can see this website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/organic_indian/

Friday, March 11, 2005

Online Cinema Bookstore!

Cinema bookstore AUX FILMS DU TEMPS is pleased to announce the launch of its new website, at www.auxfilmsdutemps.com.

Founded in Paris in 1981, AUX FILMS DU TEMPS was among the first wave of cinema bookstores to appear on the scene. In addition to a broad selection of current and out-of-print books and film periodicals, the shop specializes in original movie posters, still photographs and other cinema-related promotional materials. It provides movie lovers, professionals and collectors alike with the resources to nurture their reflection and love of the cinema, as well as support them in creating their own films.

The first of its kind, auxfilmsdutemps.com reflects the same specialization as the bookstore. By offering free access to the store's entire database (of books, periodicals, posters and photos), the visitor can cross-reference his or her research from a broad range of criteria (director, actor, country, genre, theme, etc.).

Given our love of the cinema, we have devoted ourselves to a meticulous visual presentation of each item in our catalog. Furthermore, the graphic design of the site itself (created by Etienne Robial* and François Despas) presents both a playful, user-friendly space and a strong visual identity.
The site is presented and searchable in both French and English, and orders can be shipped worldwide.
Thank you for your kind interest and please don't hesitate to contact us, at contact@auxfilmsdutemps.com, should you require any additional information.

Looking forward to your visit!

The AUX FILMS DU TEMPS staff

* Etienne Robial, an eponymous book on the renowned graphic designer's body of work, was published by Editions Pyramid, in December 2004, as part of its Design & Designers series.

Amateur Bar Tending Workshop this Sunday!

Info from Vaishnavi -

Amateur Bartending Workshop
Sun Mar 13, 2005 12:00 pm - 6 PM
F Bar & Lounge, Le MeridienSankey RoadBangalore, India


Become the perfect amateur bartender !
Make and sample several drinks while seated at a live bar set up. From the Drunken Archer to the Caipirojka, we'll teach you to make them all!
Sunday, March 13. 12 noon - 6 pm Venue : F Bar & LoungeAmount : Individuals : Rs. 1250/- per person.Groups of 4 or more : Rs.1000/- per person
Sessions will be conducted by Shatbhi Basu

You will cover the following:
Home bar set up - equipment, glassware and non-alcoholic beverage & condiment requirementsCocktail styles - Shaken, Stirred, Built up, Muddled, Frozen, Flambe'edCocktail physics - just when you thought you never had to figure out physics againPresentation of drinks - glassware, garnishes and more..Shots and shooters - making them, rituals, what to drink them with...Basic bar tricks

Drinks made, demonstrated and sampled will include - Drunken Archer, Appletini, Bloody Mary, Balalaika, Long Island Iced Tea, Black Russian, B-52, Smirnoff Citrus, Raspberry, Vanilla and Orange Twist (flavoured vodkas), Caipirojka, Cosmopolitan, Russian Summer - Peach & Apricot (Moskowski), Tropical Kiss...
( up to 10 of the above )

Your fee includes drinks (as above), lunch, a cocktail guidebook, a certificate, 1 Smirnoff shot glass, 4 Smirnoff Twist miniatures & 3 Monin bar-syrup miniatures ( 60 ml each )
Our seats fill up fast so register at the earliest. For any clarifications, call Kumar at 9845198546 or mail us at tulleeho@tulleeho.com and we'll call you back. Online registration at http://tulleeho.com/tastemaker

You don't drink alone so why learn to bartend solo ? Do the Group discount thing.
Tulleeho!

Thanks, Vaish!

Kannada classes by iVolunteer!

Vaishnavi sent us this -

Hi all,

I have met several volunteers who wish to help out with education of children and volunteer for tuitions but back out feeling language is a barrier that they may never over come. Since localites who know the dialect are usually with families may not be able to take out time on weekends but our friends from far off who have a fair amount of time on weekends at their disposal find themselves backing out of many activities due to this handicap.

Well here's a good chance for u to overcome this shortcoming. A volunteer from iVolunteer has taken the initaitve to teach kannada to the interested volunteers. All those of u interested can come along and add another language up ur sleeve (besides C, C++, Java, Perl, etc. ;-).

The venue is the iVolunteer office -
No 99, Wheeler Road Extn
Bangalore 560 005
Telephone 254 69242
Mobile 98451 50840

The route is pretty simple from commercial street. U need to take the road perpendicular to the commericial street (Wheeler road) and go up (north) straight. U will come across a railway crossing. The venue is about 200 meters after the crossing. U can call Anna on 98451 55447 if you have any problem locating the place.

Since, space may be a concern kindly confirm your interest with Anna at bangalore@ivolunteer.org.in or her cell.

Thanks, Vaish!

Wednesday, March 09, 2005

Treks again! Himalayan too!

Nature Admire programs for weekend and summer -

SOLAGERE TO SANGAMA on 19, 20 March 2005
Solagere nestled in Cauvery wildlife sanctuary at the height of 2,500ft ht, from the top one can witness the beauty of nature, surrouding hills, the river Cauvery flowing amidst the two valleys of the sanctuary.
Duration: 2 days. (Departure on Saturday morning and return on Sunday evening)
Group size: 20-35Pax (above 8yrs to 65yrs)
Tariff: Rs 599/- Camp fees + Rs 99/- for public transportation or Rs 349/- for pvt transport.
(includes: Simple hygienic veg food, instructor charges, forest entry fees, accommodation in forest bungalow, group camping gears)

HILL CLIMBING, TREKKING, CAVE EXPLORATION, RAPPELLING @ SAVANDURGA on 19,20 March 05
Just 2hrs drive towards Magadi, a granite majesty nestled amidst the Savandurga state forest, at the height of 1,350ft ht. On top of the hillock there is a small Nandi temple, to reach this there are five forts to climb. At the base of the hillock there is a temple dedicated to Lord Narasimha swamy.
Activities: Hill climbing, cave exploration, Trekking, Rappelling.
Tariff: Rs 649/- ; Transportation (Public) - Rs 75/- (Pvt) = Rs 349/-
(includes: Simple hygienic veg food, instructor charges, forest entry fees, accommodation in forest bungalow, group camping gears)
Group size: 20-35pax ; Duration; 2days (Departure on saturday morning and return on sunday evening)

P A R A S A I L I N G @ JAKKUR ON 19, 20 March 05
Fly high in air, with a parachute, not to worry everything is controlled by pilot from a jeep, Sail high in air above 250 -300ft ht. Experience the adrenalin rush in air....
Tariff: Rs 299/- Per launch; Rs 275/- for couples; for group of 5-%; For group of 10-10%.

R O C K C L I M B I N G @ RAMANAGRAM on 20 March 05
How about climbing rocks, check out your adrenalin and learn the basic techniques of climbing rocks, even your dreams comes reality with our instructors, who gives you the oppurtunity to do bouldering, rappelling, face climbing, chimney climbing in a day.
Tariff: Rs 399/- Tution fees and equipments cost.
Destination; Ramanagram.
Time: 8.30 a.m.- 6.30 p.m.

TREKKING IN EASTERN HIMALAYAS - MT.KANCHENJUNGA- 11 MAY 2005.
12 days trek at the foot hills of Mt. Kanchenjunga; third highest mountain in the world. come delve the adventure to the base camp of Mt.Kanchenjunga. The witness the unspoiled, uncrowded, pristine nature trek route.
Dates: 11 May 2005
Age group: above 16yrs - 65yrs.
Group size: 6 - 25 pax.

SKIING, PARAGLIDING, TREKKING, CAMPING - MANALI- ROHTANG PASS- Himachal Pradesh. 11 May 2005.
An perfect tailor made adventure holiday for the nature lovers, trek, ski, glide, camp and sight seeing all in a nutshell of one outing for 7days from Delhi to Delhi. Contemplating of this trek for the ages of 8yrs to 70yrs....
Date: 11 May 2005
Group size: 12- 35 Pax.
Last date for registration for Himalayan treks - 21 March 2005.

Please feel free to contact us at: 080-23340065, 51280989, 9845079414 or email us back. customercare@natureadmire.com

Thanks,
Nature Admire Team.

Tuesday, March 08, 2005

Play: The Final Rehearsal

News from Vaishnavi -

The Final Rehearsal, an extremely interesting and experimental play by Mr. Pawan Kumar is scheduled for 17th March at Ranga Shankara. The play is in the aid of The Heart and Soul Foundation which runs Punarvasan – a school for disabled kids amongst the urban poor in and around Chamarajpet.

The play was a part of the opening festival at Ranga Shankara too and has been a sell out. Tickets are available at - Alliance' Francaise, Calypso and Ranga Shankara.

A brief write up on the play follows:
Theme
If we look around us and make a conscious effort to find something which is common to everything, which is present everywhere, we find that it is “Competition”. This is what The Final Rehearsal is all about. How does a person handle this entity called competition? And what is he or she trying to prove at the end of it? And is there an end to it? Without saying it directly, the play very subtly projects a message showing to what extent a person can go when he or she is under the influence of competition.

Synopsis
The play starts off with an actor rehearsing a monologue for an acting competition. When through with it, he interacts with the audience telling them how he had not been awarded the ‘Best actor’ award previously and his belief that he will make it this time. Throughout the performance the protagonist keeps playing different roles, Mark Anthony from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, a young boy who is molested in the riots of Gujarat, a rag picker named Gandhi etc. Towards the end, the protagonist decides to have a final rehearsal of the monologue before he goes to the competition and he starts rehearsing but it turns out that the lines are similar but not the same. Does the actor win the award, or does it push him down the depth of sanity?

The play, in a certain sense a commentary on the daily rat race that we all go thro’, keeps the audience occupied and thinking and relating to every bit of the script with a lot of humorous incidents being staged in an extremely creative fashion. If that is one facet of the play, the other is about the protagonist’s life, his dreams, his goals, his struggles and his passion for his work; and when everyone disowns an actor, do his props leave him too? A performance of 65 minutes, it takes the audience, laughing, through his entire life with music, mime and lot of special effects, allowing the audience to relate with the character and fall in love with him.

The Final rehearsal is a one hour duration play; written and directed by Pawan Kumar. It has won the Best Actor award at the Youth theatre festival Thespo4 conducted in Mumbai, in December 2002 by ‘Theatre group, Bombay’; the play was also nominated for Best Script, Best Direction, Best Production Design and Best Play. It has done 7 successful runs in Bangalore and 3 in Bombay.

About Pawan Kumar
Pawan started his foray into theatre at a very young age. All of 14 and he wrote, directed and acted in the play ’Straws of Justice’ which won the Best Creative presentation award at ACT 1, The Times Playfest. He has acted in plays like ‘Cartoons’ and ‘The elephant and the mice’ produced by the Bangalore Little Theatre. He started a theatre club called “Center stage” in PESIT, and made plays like ‘Hare and the tortoise’, ‘The dinosaur’, ‘The Cause’, ‘You are your own savior’. Four years hence, his play ‘The hare and the tortoise’ is still winning awards at various festivals. He joined ‘The Script’ Theatre Company later and actively participated in the Playback Theatre movement, till date he has performed in almost a hundred shows of Playback Theatre. He quit college after two years of engineering study. Pawan has now become a full time theatre consultant doing numerous workshops and plays.

Thanks, Vaish!

Friday, March 04, 2005

Theatre Workshop by ACTor Company Theatre!

ACTor Company Theatre

brings to you their annual Theatre Workshop

"Mind, Body, Voice and Bang Bang"

An Intensive workshop for 10 weekends
(starting from March 19 to May 22)


Workshop would deal with the entire process
(from picking up a script to putting up a production)

Scripting, Reading, Adaptation, Acting, Direction, Lighting, Sound, Management and Marketing

Workshop culminates with a production by the participants

15 Participants only

Call 9880833014 to register or write to letsact@rediffmail.com
Please fwd this mail to people who you think will be interested. Thank you

Workshop will be conducted by Pawan Kumar. Pawan with ACTor has directed plays like Hare and the tortoise, The Invisible Man, Dinosaur, The Cause, You are your own savior, The Final Rehearsal, Evam Indrajit, Monologues and many more. Currently he is working on 'Sleuth' which will open in the month of June. He has conducted workshops in Bangalore and Mumbai in Body theatre, Scripting and Acting. Pawan has been involved in other productions as well in various capacities, Light designing, sound, set designing, scripting, adaptation and creations. The workshop would start with basics of theatre and progress into practicalities of doing theatre in Bangalore, thus equipping the participants with enough skills to pick up plays and perform. At the end of this workshop all the 15 participants will put up a performance at various venues in the city. 20 sessions, each of 6 hours duration. 10 weekends. A production at the end of the workshop which will do public shows. The workshop will happen at J.P Nagar.

Kolkota Blues in Bangalore!

Vaishnavi sent us this -

Levi Strauss presents “Kolkata Blues” where Kabir Suman and Anjan Dutta, two legendary musicians from Kolkata will perform together in Bangalore for the first time, in support of India Foundation for the Arts, at the Chowdiah Memorial Hall on the 19th of March (Saturday) at 7 pm.

While The Chancery, DTDC and IBM Developer Works, MAAM entertainment and Café Coffee Day have come forward to support this effort, IFA will raise funds for its grantmaking by selling donor passes for the performances.

Donor passes for Rs 300 and Rs 200 will be available from 6th March, at the following
Café Coffee Day outlets: Jayanagar (30902888), Koramangala(30903012), Indiranagar(30902935), Lavelle Road(30902889), Fraser Town(30902886), Bangalore Central(30902788), Crosswords(30902885), Malleswaram(30902971), Sadashivnagar(30902855) and Super Market (Brigade Road - 25581248).

They will also be available at the following Levi’s stores:
Brigade Road – Mota Arcade, Brigade Road - Opposite café Coffee Day, Brigade Road - Sports Station, Commercial Street – Next to Woody’s, Koramangala - Forum Mall, Jayanagar – Gentry Plaza, 11th main, 4th Block.

They will also be available at the two Bengali restaurants Bangaliana (Koramangala - 98453 66458) and 36, Chowrangee Lane (Langford Town - 98863 02578/51240979) and online at www.fabmall.com.

For corporate/ group bookings call Joyce at 23610583/4 or email to us at contactus@indiaifa.org
For more information check our site at http://www.indiaifa.org/article.asp?id=513&viewtype=online

Thanks, Vaish!

German Life: Photography Exhibition!

Greetings from Max Mueller Bhavan Bangalore!

We are happy to invite you to an outstanding photo exhibition, presenting
the works of contemporary German photographer Stefan Moses. Deutsche Vita or
German Life will be on display in the original at the Bhavan - a unique
opportunity both for professional and amateur photographers, artists and the
general public.

Date : March 8 to 17, 2005
Venue : Max Mueller Bhavan Art Gallery
Timings : Mon-Fri - 9.00 am to 6.30 pm; Sat - 3.00 to 5.30 pm
Closed on Sunday.


We look forward to welcoming you at the Bhavan during the exhibition.
With best wishes,

Maureen Gonsalves
Programme Coordinator
Goethe-Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan
3, Lavelle Road
Bangalore 560 001
Tel: +91 80 2221 9772/2221 4964
Fax: +91 80 2221 5255
progr@bangalore.goethe.org
www.goethe.de/bangalore

Great site for maps

A detailed site for maps and routes, recommended by a colleague -

http://www.mapmyindia.com

Thursday, March 03, 2005

Run!

This is from thefullerlife!

Hi there,

Runners for Life invites you to participate in Bangalore's first 10 km road run. The run will be held on 6th March 2005. Hosted by The Fuller Life, this is for first timers as well as veterans to the sport of running. You can run any distance up to 10 k.m. Information about the run is given below:

Venue:
The starting point for the race is 1 km ahead of the Meenakshi temple. The Meenakshi temple is 10 kms from Dairy Circle on Bannerghatta road. You are requested to reach the venue at 6 am. The run will start at 6.30 am sharp. The 10 km run will be looped over a straight 2.5 k stretch.

Registration:
To register for the run please call The Fuller Life on 5669 8001/2. The registration charge is Rs 200/-. This includes water, first aid and a certificate for those who complete 2.5 km or more (in multiples of 2.5 km)

For more details visit http://www.thefullerlife.com/runnersforlife.htm

So join us and other passionate runners on that day. Hope to see you there.

Cheers

Wednesday, March 02, 2005

Cupid's Broken Arrow - March 1, 2 and 3 at Rangashankara, Bnagalore and Mysore March 12 ,13.

Cupid's Broken Arrow will be performed on March 1, 2 and 3 at Rangashankara and will travel to Mysore on March 12 and 13.

Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore celebrated the heroics of a warrior princess in Chitrangada. Like many of his other works, it was an ingenious blend of ancient legend and modern times.

Parlours across Europe talked about the feminist message that rocked the stages when Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House as premiered.

The fateful drama of a wilful young aristocrat's seduction of her father's valet, August Strindberg's Miss Julie, one of the greatest classics of modern theatre, was inspired by naturalism and psychology that swept Europe in the late 19th century.

These three classics from India, Norway and Sweden is blending together on a desi backdrop — Cupid's Broken Arrow. With no set stage and an Indian narrative, this theatre production is neither absolutely 'The English' work, nor does it have all its ends tied, making it a smooth dramatic line which tends to reduce characters to loose human puppets. "The characters use Indian English, peppered with Kannada," said its director Prasanna.

"I would never use a language people would not understand. What's the point? Theatre has to be people-oriented and has to entertain the audience and then take them a little ahead," Prasanna said. 2005 is the centennial year of Norway's independence from Sweden and the two countries have decided to celebrate the event with India by bringing together works of three playwrights.

The play is simple, "with just five actors. The three plays that have proved an inspiration for Cupid's Broken Arrow's birth have a metaphor — the construction of a new woman," Prasanna said.

For all three works, so rich has been the influence that each generation has had a different way of interpreting them... from feminist critique to Hegelian allegory to the postmodern school of thought.