Showing posts with label World news. Show all posts
Showing posts with label World news. Show all posts
Zodiac Change 2011 : Astrological Rumour about 13th Zodiac Sign creates crisis
Friday's media hype about Ophiuchus, “the new 13th Zodiac Sign,” sent folks spinning into an astrological identity crisis. It all began when astronomy professor Parke Kunkle of Minneapolis Community and Technical College told the Minneapolis Star- Tribune that as the earth and the sun slowly move the signs gradually change.
The change didn’t happen overnight. Almost 3,000 years ago, when astrology began the 12 signs were designated to different periods of the year. Since then the earth’s position in relation to the sun has changed.
The world media picked up Kunkle’s comment and reported that the sign many people were born under may now be different.
Soon there was absolute panic on Internet: The predominant sentiment was that our understanding of the zodiac is off by about a month and that people have been identifying themselves with the wrong sign.
People might think they are Pisces (compassionate, imaginative), but often they are really an Aquarius (witty, clever); and so on and so forth. Or maybe, if you were born between November 29 and December 17, you’re actually a strange new zodiac sign: Ophiuchus, the serpent holder.
“ If my zodiac symbol has been changed to a Libra, what am I supposed to do with my Scorpio tattoo?” read one tweet.
So what is the truth? Explained an expert putting the controversy in perspective: Astrology is based on the four seasons, not on constellations — and the seasons don’t change. There are four seasons, each with a beginning, middle and end, which adds up to 12 zodiac signs. There is no 13th astrological sign. Period.
In other words, your horoscope sign hasn’t changed. If you were a Gemini yesterday, you’re still a Gemini today - don’t worry, you’ll never wake up a Taurus. Meanwhile, the astronomer who began the whole ordeal, has also come out to clarify that he never contended that Ophiuchus ought to be added to the existing list of 12 signs.
The change didn’t happen overnight. Almost 3,000 years ago, when astrology began the 12 signs were designated to different periods of the year. Since then the earth’s position in relation to the sun has changed.
The world media picked up Kunkle’s comment and reported that the sign many people were born under may now be different.
Soon there was absolute panic on Internet: The predominant sentiment was that our understanding of the zodiac is off by about a month and that people have been identifying themselves with the wrong sign.
People might think they are Pisces (compassionate, imaginative), but often they are really an Aquarius (witty, clever); and so on and so forth. Or maybe, if you were born between November 29 and December 17, you’re actually a strange new zodiac sign: Ophiuchus, the serpent holder.
“ If my zodiac symbol has been changed to a Libra, what am I supposed to do with my Scorpio tattoo?” read one tweet.
So what is the truth? Explained an expert putting the controversy in perspective: Astrology is based on the four seasons, not on constellations — and the seasons don’t change. There are four seasons, each with a beginning, middle and end, which adds up to 12 zodiac signs. There is no 13th astrological sign. Period.
In other words, your horoscope sign hasn’t changed. If you were a Gemini yesterday, you’re still a Gemini today - don’t worry, you’ll never wake up a Taurus. Meanwhile, the astronomer who began the whole ordeal, has also come out to clarify that he never contended that Ophiuchus ought to be added to the existing list of 12 signs.
Aishwarya Rai Out, Freida Pinto in for L’Oreal
International cosmetic giant L’Oreal Paris has surprisingly dropped Aishwarya Rai Bachchan from their 2011 global ‘ Happy New Year’ commercial. While Aishwarya is the only international brand ambassador to be dropped from the new campaign, L’Oreal dropped a second bomb by roping in Freida Pinto, Hollywood’s Indian flavour of the season, in the commercial.
The brand’s international ambassadors include Jane Fonda, Diane Kruger, Beyoncé Knowles, Claudia Schiffer, Milla Jovovich, Patrick Dempsey, Rachel Weisz, Laeticia Casta, Evangeline Lilly and Gerard Butler. All of them feature in the new campaign except Aishwarya, who was roped in by the company in 2005 as one of its global spokesmodels.
While L’Oreal Paris representatives in India couldn’t be reached for a comment, the buzz doing the rounds is that the prestigious cosmetic brand has plans to rope in Freida as their new global spokesmodel from India. The commercial, which has been uploaded on L’Oreal Paris’ French site, features the brand’s spokes models delivering hard sell lines in French and English. Freida incidentally gets as much screen space as the other stars.
When contacted, Aishwarya’s spokesperson claimed to be unaware of the matter. “ I don’t know anything about it. We need to check out the details,” she said, adding: “ Ash is busy with her upcoming performance at an awards function, so she can’t speak on this issue right away.” Interestingly, Ash along with Hollywood diva Eva Longoria, has been a regular at the Cannes Film Festival red carpet over the past few years as the cosmetic brand’s spokesmodel.
Many in Bollywood feel the brand’s disinterest in Ash could have to do with the fact that she hasn’t been very active on the international front of late.
“ She needs to be seen more in the West to get new work there. She needs to keep the excitement level going about her. Freida has been constantly in the global limelight in recent times. That could be a reason,” says a Bollywood filmmaker who has worked with Ash.
Right now, Freida is clearly the exotic flavour of the season in the West. “ Also you can’t deny the fact that at 37, Aishwarya is no longer as young as she used to be. For westerners, she isn’t probably as much a draw as she was about five years ago. Now, Freida has caught their imagination,” says a media analyst.
In fact, L’Oreal Paris’ UK portal states it clearly. It writes: “ Freida, India’s very own million dollar baby, has gone from strength to strength, be it upcoming international films or building her reputation as the young fashionista across the globe. Freida’s name has been firmly engraved in the minds of all.” Come to think of it, Freida is indeed going great guns in the West.
After her minuscule role in Slumdog Millionaire propelled her to global stardom, she was spotted in Woody Allen’s You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger and Julian Schnabel’s Miral. She now looks forward to Immortals, co- starring Mickey Rourke and Black Thirst with Antonio Banderas.
Aishwarya’s western campaign seems to have slowed down. Her Hollywood debut, The Last Legion, had flopped despite the presence of Sir Ben Kingsley and Colin Firth. Neither did The Pink Panther 2 create much of an impact.
Gurinder Chadha’s international projects, Bride And Prejudice and The Mistress Of Spices, had also failed to impress while the ambitious Chaos, which was to star Ash along with Meryl Streep, has been shelved. Recently, City Of Joy director Rolland Joffe signed Bipasha Basu for a role he had initially offered to Ash, in his next film, Singularity .
The brand’s international ambassadors include Jane Fonda, Diane Kruger, Beyoncé Knowles, Claudia Schiffer, Milla Jovovich, Patrick Dempsey, Rachel Weisz, Laeticia Casta, Evangeline Lilly and Gerard Butler. All of them feature in the new campaign except Aishwarya, who was roped in by the company in 2005 as one of its global spokesmodels.
While L’Oreal Paris representatives in India couldn’t be reached for a comment, the buzz doing the rounds is that the prestigious cosmetic brand has plans to rope in Freida as their new global spokesmodel from India. The commercial, which has been uploaded on L’Oreal Paris’ French site, features the brand’s spokes models delivering hard sell lines in French and English. Freida incidentally gets as much screen space as the other stars.
When contacted, Aishwarya’s spokesperson claimed to be unaware of the matter. “ I don’t know anything about it. We need to check out the details,” she said, adding: “ Ash is busy with her upcoming performance at an awards function, so she can’t speak on this issue right away.” Interestingly, Ash along with Hollywood diva Eva Longoria, has been a regular at the Cannes Film Festival red carpet over the past few years as the cosmetic brand’s spokesmodel.
Many in Bollywood feel the brand’s disinterest in Ash could have to do with the fact that she hasn’t been very active on the international front of late.
“ She needs to be seen more in the West to get new work there. She needs to keep the excitement level going about her. Freida has been constantly in the global limelight in recent times. That could be a reason,” says a Bollywood filmmaker who has worked with Ash.
Right now, Freida is clearly the exotic flavour of the season in the West. “ Also you can’t deny the fact that at 37, Aishwarya is no longer as young as she used to be. For westerners, she isn’t probably as much a draw as she was about five years ago. Now, Freida has caught their imagination,” says a media analyst.
In fact, L’Oreal Paris’ UK portal states it clearly. It writes: “ Freida, India’s very own million dollar baby, has gone from strength to strength, be it upcoming international films or building her reputation as the young fashionista across the globe. Freida’s name has been firmly engraved in the minds of all.” Come to think of it, Freida is indeed going great guns in the West.
After her minuscule role in Slumdog Millionaire propelled her to global stardom, she was spotted in Woody Allen’s You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger and Julian Schnabel’s Miral. She now looks forward to Immortals, co- starring Mickey Rourke and Black Thirst with Antonio Banderas.
Aishwarya’s western campaign seems to have slowed down. Her Hollywood debut, The Last Legion, had flopped despite the presence of Sir Ben Kingsley and Colin Firth. Neither did The Pink Panther 2 create much of an impact.
Gurinder Chadha’s international projects, Bride And Prejudice and The Mistress Of Spices, had also failed to impress while the ambitious Chaos, which was to star Ash along with Meryl Streep, has been shelved. Recently, City Of Joy director Rolland Joffe signed Bipasha Basu for a role he had initially offered to Ash, in his next film, Singularity .
How to get pregnant is top Indian query on Google
With a population of 1.2 billion that has made the country the second most populous nation in the world, Indians continue to wonder how to get pregnant.
At least that’s what they have been asking the online search engine, Google, most frequently. According to the Google Zeitgeist 2010, an analysis of the search trends for the year released by Google India, ‘How to get pregnant’ is the most frequently googled question by Indians.
Vinay Goel, head (products), Google India, agrees it’s a surprising question. He adds, “ On a lighter note, however, it’s interesting to learn that the searches by Indians on Google have become more mainstream over the previous years. We’ve been doing this analysis since 2007 and earlier, technology related searches were the top items. But now, Indians are seeking answers on entertainment, sports, finance, health and technology to name just a few subjects.” Globally, this analysis is being done since 2002.
According to Goel, the top three themes in this year’s searches are those on the railway website IRCTC making it the most used e- commerce site, an increase in the number on mobile phone- related searches and entertainment searches.
The other important theme of mobile phone- related searches has a lot to do with the fact that the country has approximately 700 million mobile phone subscribers, with a big number of them looking up the Internet either to buy new phones or churn out their older handsets.
According to Google Zeitgeist 2010, Nokia retained the most searched online brand tag followed closely by Samsung.
“ The third most important theme is that of entertainment. Interestingly, the top query in this segment was for the songs. In fact, we launched Google Music Search in October this year to help with more specialised search for the songs, where one can even play the song being searched,” informs Goel.
Among the film celebrities, Katrina Kaif was the most searched on the mobile phone, followed by Kareena Kapoor with Salman Khan being the most searched male Bollywood celebrity ( overall position sixth). Angelina Jolie was the only Hollywood celebrity in the top ten of the Indian search list on mobile phones.
At least that’s what they have been asking the online search engine, Google, most frequently. According to the Google Zeitgeist 2010, an analysis of the search trends for the year released by Google India, ‘How to get pregnant’ is the most frequently googled question by Indians.
Vinay Goel, head (products), Google India, agrees it’s a surprising question. He adds, “ On a lighter note, however, it’s interesting to learn that the searches by Indians on Google have become more mainstream over the previous years. We’ve been doing this analysis since 2007 and earlier, technology related searches were the top items. But now, Indians are seeking answers on entertainment, sports, finance, health and technology to name just a few subjects.” Globally, this analysis is being done since 2002.
According to Goel, the top three themes in this year’s searches are those on the railway website IRCTC making it the most used e- commerce site, an increase in the number on mobile phone- related searches and entertainment searches.
The other important theme of mobile phone- related searches has a lot to do with the fact that the country has approximately 700 million mobile phone subscribers, with a big number of them looking up the Internet either to buy new phones or churn out their older handsets.
According to Google Zeitgeist 2010, Nokia retained the most searched online brand tag followed closely by Samsung.
“ The third most important theme is that of entertainment. Interestingly, the top query in this segment was for the songs. In fact, we launched Google Music Search in October this year to help with more specialised search for the songs, where one can even play the song being searched,” informs Goel.
Among the film celebrities, Katrina Kaif was the most searched on the mobile phone, followed by Kareena Kapoor with Salman Khan being the most searched male Bollywood celebrity ( overall position sixth). Angelina Jolie was the only Hollywood celebrity in the top ten of the Indian search list on mobile phones.
Liz Hurley separates from Arun Nayar, caught in Shane Warne spin
Shane Warne’s sex exploits cost him the vice- captaincy of the Australian Test side in 2000 and the chance to become one- day international skipper two years later. His latest foray, this time reportedly a steamy encounter with married actress Elizabeth Hurley in London, will almost certainly end any debate — serious or not — about him returning to the Australian side and becoming an Ashes saviour.British tabloid ‘The News of the World’ reported Hurley, who wed Indian textile tycoon Arun Nayar in 2007, spent two nights with the former Aussie leg- spinner in his London hotel suite this week. Australian paper ‘ Herald Sun,’ in turn, claimed that the secret lovers were captured on video in a series of sizzling public encounters.
“ They were so passionate they looked like honeymooners. It was electric,” an onlooker outside the hotel told the paper.
With eyes closed and arms wrapped around each other, the unlikely couple were reportedly spotted exchanging kisses after coming out of Warne’s luxury 1,750 pound- a- night suite — less than one mile from Hurley’s London home.
The paper also added that on their second night together, they were locked away in the same suite for more than 11 hours. Hurley later confirmed the news of here separation with 3 years old husband Arun Nayar and revelaed her latest affair with Warnie.
Now, it would be interesting to see how long does this affair last as it too difficult to Liz to trust Warne forever who have claimed to slept with more than 1000 women and divorced last year.
WikiLeaks Expose : India to wait & work it out
A meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security is likely on Tuesday to reflect on the confidential American diplomatic cables that whistleblower website WikiLeaks started leaking on Sunday.
Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrasekhar and the PM's Principal Secretary TKA Nair are understood to have briefed the Prime Minister that nothing serious has been found in the first 226 India- centric cables put out so far, which could impinge upon India's international relations.
The information contained in these cables, is the kind that the Indian intelligence agencies also gather, it was contended.
Sources also pointed out that there was no surprise in embassy officials trying to gather personal details of important personalities, such as their food habits, work schedules, personal weaknesses, as also their phone numbers, etc.
They, however, pointed out the potential political embarrassment from the cables sent by two senior diplomats of the US embassy in New Delhi, quoting two senior Union ministers and unnamed top bureaucrats.
Assisted by the foreign and home secretaries as well as chiefs of the intelligence and security agencies, they gave a detailed presentation on what has been said on India in the leaked documents.
Notwithstanding the forewarning by US about damages that the leaked classified documents may cause, the feeling in MEA circles is that thus far leaked cables were not anything to worry about.
The first official comment on the WikiLeaks came from Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur who said the government would like to " wait and work this out." The government is concerned about the WikiLeaks because the documents being made public relate to the Congress- led UPA government's tenure of 2006- 10.
Since the US had alerted India about the upcoming leaks, the Prime Minister on Saturday asked two Union ministers to brief the senior diplomats in the Indian missions in six countries on how to handle situation arising out of any sensitive disclosures.
Why CCS? The Prime Minister has preferred to discuss the disclosures in the CCS because it is a compact authority with ministers from the Congress only and none from the coalition allies.
It is somewhat like the Congress core group with the same members, minus Sonia Gandhi and Ahmed Patel.
MoS Preneet Kaur told reporters: " This is a very sensitive issue. We have good bilateral relations (with the US) and they had already warned us.... It is not the right time to comment on it and we want to continue having a good relationship with the US. So, I think let us wait and work this out," Kaur said.
She also maintained that " it is an internal matter for each country and their diplomats... what they want to get and how they deal with it."
Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrasekhar and the PM's Principal Secretary TKA Nair are understood to have briefed the Prime Minister that nothing serious has been found in the first 226 India- centric cables put out so far, which could impinge upon India's international relations.
The information contained in these cables, is the kind that the Indian intelligence agencies also gather, it was contended.
Sources also pointed out that there was no surprise in embassy officials trying to gather personal details of important personalities, such as their food habits, work schedules, personal weaknesses, as also their phone numbers, etc.
They, however, pointed out the potential political embarrassment from the cables sent by two senior diplomats of the US embassy in New Delhi, quoting two senior Union ministers and unnamed top bureaucrats.
Assisted by the foreign and home secretaries as well as chiefs of the intelligence and security agencies, they gave a detailed presentation on what has been said on India in the leaked documents.
Notwithstanding the forewarning by US about damages that the leaked classified documents may cause, the feeling in MEA circles is that thus far leaked cables were not anything to worry about.
The first official comment on the WikiLeaks came from Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur who said the government would like to " wait and work this out." The government is concerned about the WikiLeaks because the documents being made public relate to the Congress- led UPA government's tenure of 2006- 10.
Since the US had alerted India about the upcoming leaks, the Prime Minister on Saturday asked two Union ministers to brief the senior diplomats in the Indian missions in six countries on how to handle situation arising out of any sensitive disclosures.
Why CCS? The Prime Minister has preferred to discuss the disclosures in the CCS because it is a compact authority with ministers from the Congress only and none from the coalition allies.
It is somewhat like the Congress core group with the same members, minus Sonia Gandhi and Ahmed Patel.
MoS Preneet Kaur told reporters: " This is a very sensitive issue. We have good bilateral relations (with the US) and they had already warned us.... It is not the right time to comment on it and we want to continue having a good relationship with the US. So, I think let us wait and work this out," Kaur said.
She also maintained that " it is an internal matter for each country and their diplomats... what they want to get and how they deal with it."
Katy Perry Wedding Pictures are nowhere to be seen
The Four district officials deputed by the Rajasthan government, to ensure that the wedding party of pop music sensation Katy Perry and British comedian Russell Brand did not violate wildlife and environmental laws, did not have much to do. The wedding was solemnised on Saturday evening in top secrecy and without much incident at the Aman-i-Khas luxury resort on the fringes of the Ranthambhore National Park in Rajasthan, India.
In deference to Hindu traditions, Perry did not move out of the resort after Friday morning’s mehndi ceremony. As a result, she was not seen with the members of the wedding party who went into the tiger reserve with Brand, whose bodyguard got into a scuffle with trailing photographers.
Though the Saturday evening wedding, according to sources following the event, did not deviate from Hindu rituals, the festivities had to be subdued because of the restrictions imposed by wildlife laws on fireworks and loud music. The wedding organisers had hemmed in the resort with tall black screens to prevent the paparazzi from taking pictures of the wedding party using telescopic lens.
The residents of the neighbouring Sherpur and Khirchipur villages had earlier complained about the din caused by the wedding party over the last two days. That was the immediate provocation for the deployment of district administration officials at the wedding venue. “ For their wedding and amusement, we can’t allow them to break wildlife laws,” a Rajasthan government official said. “ We will not hesitate to take strict action in case the rules are violated,” the official added.
But the wedding, which is being described by the international media as “ epically extravagant”, did not provoke any complaints, except of course from photographers who could not get their million- dollar pictures. According to the Daily Mail , the wedding has cost the couple around £ 300,000 ( a little more than ` 2 crore). The wedding feast, media reports indicate, included local delicacies such as bajre ki roti with gur and rabdi . On Saturday evening, the groom, riding a white steed and with hennaed hands, was led in a procession consisting of elephants, camels and Rajasthani folk dancers. Perry, according to agency reports, wore an Indian designer sari and the gold nose ring.
The Sun tabloid has reported that Brand, one-time alcoholic and heroin addict, stayed away from heady drinks even as the guests indulged themselves with Perry’s favourite tipple, champagne.
In deference to Hindu traditions, Perry did not move out of the resort after Friday morning’s mehndi ceremony. As a result, she was not seen with the members of the wedding party who went into the tiger reserve with Brand, whose bodyguard got into a scuffle with trailing photographers.Though the Saturday evening wedding, according to sources following the event, did not deviate from Hindu rituals, the festivities had to be subdued because of the restrictions imposed by wildlife laws on fireworks and loud music. The wedding organisers had hemmed in the resort with tall black screens to prevent the paparazzi from taking pictures of the wedding party using telescopic lens.
The residents of the neighbouring Sherpur and Khirchipur villages had earlier complained about the din caused by the wedding party over the last two days. That was the immediate provocation for the deployment of district administration officials at the wedding venue. “ For their wedding and amusement, we can’t allow them to break wildlife laws,” a Rajasthan government official said. “ We will not hesitate to take strict action in case the rules are violated,” the official added.
But the wedding, which is being described by the international media as “ epically extravagant”, did not provoke any complaints, except of course from photographers who could not get their million- dollar pictures. According to the Daily Mail , the wedding has cost the couple around £ 300,000 ( a little more than ` 2 crore). The wedding feast, media reports indicate, included local delicacies such as bajre ki roti with gur and rabdi . On Saturday evening, the groom, riding a white steed and with hennaed hands, was led in a procession consisting of elephants, camels and Rajasthani folk dancers. Perry, according to agency reports, wore an Indian designer sari and the gold nose ring.
The Sun tabloid has reported that Brand, one-time alcoholic and heroin addict, stayed away from heady drinks even as the guests indulged themselves with Perry’s favourite tipple, champagne.
Attack on Chechen Parliament kills 6
6 Persons were killed and 10 injured when suicide bombers targeted the Chechen Parliament in Grozny early on Tuesday.
Tuesday’s attack is the second such large terrorist attack in the republic in recent months and a major setback for the Kremlin, which claims to have brought stability to the troubled republic.
The attack began when militants’ vehicles followed cars taking lawmakers to Parliament in Chechnya’s capital city, in the Muslim- dominated North Caucasus region.
“ Preliminary information suggests that three militants entered the premises of the government complex in Grozny on Tuesday morning. One of them blew himself up just outside the building,” a spokesperson for the investigative committee under the Russian prosecutor general’s office told Interfax news agency.
“ The other two entered the building and barricaded themselves on the ground floor. They blew themselves up during the police operation. Investigators have already confirmed the death of three people, including two police officers and one civilian,” he said.
There is still some confusion as to the exact number of attackers, with estimates ranging from three to six, reports from Grozny said.
As Parliament was being hastily evacuated, the militants reached the fourth floor before being “ eliminated”, the head of the Russian Parliament’s security committee, Vladimir Vasilyev, said in Moscow.
Shouting Islamist slogans, they launched a bomb and gun attack as deputies arrived for work, and two guards and an official were killed. A spokesperson for the Chechen parliament, Zelim Yakhikhanov, said the deputies had feared they would be taken hostage when they heard shooting outside the building.
All the attackers were killed, according to Ramzan Kadyrov, Chechnya’s Kremlin- backed leader. The deputies inside the building managed to escape by moving to an upper floor. The attack coincided with the visit of Russian interior minister Rashid Nurgaliyev.
“ We will not allow anyone to come to us with a sword. They should know that they will die by the sword,” Nurgaliyev told the Chechen Parliament shortly after the attack.
Tuesday’s attack is the second such large terrorist attack in the republic in recent months and a major setback for the Kremlin, which claims to have brought stability to the troubled republic.
The attack began when militants’ vehicles followed cars taking lawmakers to Parliament in Chechnya’s capital city, in the Muslim- dominated North Caucasus region.
“ Preliminary information suggests that three militants entered the premises of the government complex in Grozny on Tuesday morning. One of them blew himself up just outside the building,” a spokesperson for the investigative committee under the Russian prosecutor general’s office told Interfax news agency.
“ The other two entered the building and barricaded themselves on the ground floor. They blew themselves up during the police operation. Investigators have already confirmed the death of three people, including two police officers and one civilian,” he said.
There is still some confusion as to the exact number of attackers, with estimates ranging from three to six, reports from Grozny said.
As Parliament was being hastily evacuated, the militants reached the fourth floor before being “ eliminated”, the head of the Russian Parliament’s security committee, Vladimir Vasilyev, said in Moscow.
Shouting Islamist slogans, they launched a bomb and gun attack as deputies arrived for work, and two guards and an official were killed. A spokesperson for the Chechen parliament, Zelim Yakhikhanov, said the deputies had feared they would be taken hostage when they heard shooting outside the building.
All the attackers were killed, according to Ramzan Kadyrov, Chechnya’s Kremlin- backed leader. The deputies inside the building managed to escape by moving to an upper floor. The attack coincided with the visit of Russian interior minister Rashid Nurgaliyev.
“ We will not allow anyone to come to us with a sword. They should know that they will die by the sword,” Nurgaliyev told the Chechen Parliament shortly after the attack.
Teneal Goyco plays as Tiger Woods in the latter sex tape
In a shocking discovery today, it was revelaed that a a remote Tiger look-a-like guy named Teneal Goyco was paid $1,000 to impersonate Tiger Woods during a taped two-hour tryst with Devon James. In an exclusive interview to RadarOnline.com, Teneal Goyco said, "I wore a sweater vest with no sleeves and at one point I had a Nike hat on, a pair of dark blue khaki pants and a white and blue pin stripe shirt,".
"I was told to pretend I was Tiger Woods to fulfill her fantasy, so I did what I was asked. The couple put make up on my face and my body because I am a bit darker than Tiger." he added. He also mentioned that Devon kept calling him Tiger through out the tape which was filmed this summer.
Devon claims to have sold the tape to a DVD production company for $350,000 in addition to a cut of half the profits, however Goyco's claims are bound to cast serious doubt over the legitimacy of the alleged video. Goyco claims that he had no idea about Devon's intentions to make a fake tape of Woods, he said that he realized when he saw the the devon's ads for her Tiger Woods tape.
"I was told to pretend I was Tiger Woods to fulfill her fantasy, so I did what I was asked. The couple put make up on my face and my body because I am a bit darker than Tiger." he added. He also mentioned that Devon kept calling him Tiger through out the tape which was filmed this summer.
Devon claims to have sold the tape to a DVD production company for $350,000 in addition to a cut of half the profits, however Goyco's claims are bound to cast serious doubt over the legitimacy of the alleged video. Goyco claims that he had no idea about Devon's intentions to make a fake tape of Woods, he said that he realized when he saw the the devon's ads for her Tiger Woods tape.
Ten Indian authors on award list
The ball was set rolling for South Asia’s most expensive literary award when the long list for the inaugural DSC Prize for South Asian Literature was released in New Delhi.
Ten of the 14 authors who made it to the list are from India, three from Pakistan and one from Sri Lanka.
A five- member jury will announce the shortlist of six in October- end and name the winner of the $ 50,000 ( Rs 23 lakh) award modelled after the Booker Prize at the Jaipur Literature Festival in January.
Delhi- based Manju Kapur, one of the authors who made it to the list with The Immigrant ( Faber & Faber), was present during the announcement. She said she was pleased to be on the list, where she shares the spotlight with a mix of established names such as Amit Chaudhuri and Upamanyu Chatterjee and new ones such as Atish Taseer, Ali Sethi and Anjum Hussain.
Also on the list are Tamil author Salma ( who’s also the chairperson of the state’s social welfare board) and the best- selling Bengali writer Sankar, whose longlisted novel The Middleman was made into a film by Satyajit Ray. In case a translation gets the award, the prize money will be shared by the author and the tranlsator.
The award at once gives South Asian writing a bigger profile than it has already achieved, thanks to writers such as Salman Rushdie, Vikram Seth and Amitav Ghosh. Lord Meghnad Desai, British MP and economist who also has written Dilip Kumar’s biography and a novel, put it in perspective when he said: “ People only look at the money.” The entries for the long list were open to authors from any region who have written works of fiction on South Asia. Jury chairperson and M AIL T ODAY book critic Nilanjana S. Roy said the jury had 50 books to go through and these came from all continents, from Australia to Latin America.
The longlist includes Upamanyu Chatterjee’s Way to Go ( Penguin), Amit Chaudhuri’s The Immortals ( Picador India), Chandrahas Choudhury’s Arzee the Dwarf ( HarperCollins), Musharraf Ali Farooqi’s The Story of a Widow ( Picador India), Ru Freeman’s A Disobedient Girl ( Penguin/ Viking), Anjum Hasan’s Neti Neti ( IndiaInk/ Roli Books), Tania James’s Atlas of Unknown ( Pocket Books), H. M. Naqvi’s Home Boy ( HarperCollins), Salma’s The Hour Past Midnight ( Zubaan ; translated by Lakshmi Holmstrom), Ali Sethi’s The Wish Maker ( Penguin), Jaspreet Singh’s Chef ( Bloomsbury) and Aatish Taseer’s The Temple Goers ( Picador India).
Ten of the 14 authors who made it to the list are from India, three from Pakistan and one from Sri Lanka.
A five- member jury will announce the shortlist of six in October- end and name the winner of the $ 50,000 ( Rs 23 lakh) award modelled after the Booker Prize at the Jaipur Literature Festival in January.
Delhi- based Manju Kapur, one of the authors who made it to the list with The Immigrant ( Faber & Faber), was present during the announcement. She said she was pleased to be on the list, where she shares the spotlight with a mix of established names such as Amit Chaudhuri and Upamanyu Chatterjee and new ones such as Atish Taseer, Ali Sethi and Anjum Hussain.
Also on the list are Tamil author Salma ( who’s also the chairperson of the state’s social welfare board) and the best- selling Bengali writer Sankar, whose longlisted novel The Middleman was made into a film by Satyajit Ray. In case a translation gets the award, the prize money will be shared by the author and the tranlsator.
The award at once gives South Asian writing a bigger profile than it has already achieved, thanks to writers such as Salman Rushdie, Vikram Seth and Amitav Ghosh. Lord Meghnad Desai, British MP and economist who also has written Dilip Kumar’s biography and a novel, put it in perspective when he said: “ People only look at the money.” The entries for the long list were open to authors from any region who have written works of fiction on South Asia. Jury chairperson and M AIL T ODAY book critic Nilanjana S. Roy said the jury had 50 books to go through and these came from all continents, from Australia to Latin America.
The longlist includes Upamanyu Chatterjee’s Way to Go ( Penguin), Amit Chaudhuri’s The Immortals ( Picador India), Chandrahas Choudhury’s Arzee the Dwarf ( HarperCollins), Musharraf Ali Farooqi’s The Story of a Widow ( Picador India), Ru Freeman’s A Disobedient Girl ( Penguin/ Viking), Anjum Hasan’s Neti Neti ( IndiaInk/ Roli Books), Tania James’s Atlas of Unknown ( Pocket Books), H. M. Naqvi’s Home Boy ( HarperCollins), Salma’s The Hour Past Midnight ( Zubaan ; translated by Lakshmi Holmstrom), Ali Sethi’s The Wish Maker ( Penguin), Jaspreet Singh’s Chef ( Bloomsbury) and Aatish Taseer’s The Temple Goers ( Picador India).
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