Los Angeles, Mumbai, India's entertainment capital and home to Bollywood, will soon get a theme park in a studio complex on the lines of Universal Studio in Los Angeles.
This will be a state-of-the-art township with a studio, a theme park, hotels, a movie museum and shopping malls.
The Maharashtra government has authorised a Hollywood law firm to identify possible partners for the project in investment, planning, design and development and is being assisted by a group of businessmen in Los Angeles.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) to this effect was signed earlier this week by Bhushan Gagrani, secretary of culture and tourism of Maharashtra and managing director of Film City in Mumbai, and on behalf of the Los Angeles group by Clark Siegel of Irell & Manella LLP, an attorney and consultancy firm that represents Hollywood studios including DreamWorks, Universal and Disney, Ken Silverman, president of Interactive Teamworks, and Nadadur Vardhan, president of Nadadur Vardhan Inc, an entertainment consulting firm.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, who was here as part of his four-city, eight-day US trip to woo investments to his state, was present at the MoU signing ceremony.
He said: "We are looking at new ways to bring talent and technology to Mumbai and our film industry. We make nearly 1,000 films a year in Bollywood and it is indeed the capital of the entertainment business of India and this is a step to bring Hollywood and Bollywood closer together."
The ceremony was held at Vardhan's residence and attended by over 200 people including Indian dignitaries and prominent people from the entertainment industry as well as US Congressman Brad Sherman, chairman of the sub-committee on international business.
Vardhan told IANS: "This project is worth $2.5 billion. We have worked on it for two years. It will take another two years to get it going."
July 24, 2007
Big names for India England test series
If Indian cricket was a bad dream for advertisers in the last quarter, it seems to have become the flavour of the season now. Putting the Caribbean World Cup experience behind them, advertisers are once again placing big bets on the India-England series that begins two days from now.
Star Cricket, ESPN-Star’s all-cricket channel that will telecast the series, has managed to rope in big names, such as Motorola, Maruti, Times Internet, Havell’s and Visa, as sponsors for the three Test series. Industry sources say ESPN will rake in between Rs 120-150 crore from the three Tests and seven ODIs. Declining to divulge figures, an ESPN-STAR Sports spokesperson said, “India-England Test matches have always generated huge interest and ratings have generally been impressive.”
The broadcaster has sold over three-fourths of its inventory, at rates ranging between Rs 50,000-70,000 per 10 seconds, media sources said. Going rates for the one-day series, which commences later in the season, are in the range of Rs 1.4-1.75 lakh for 10 seconds. ESPN’s current rates are higher than the India-England bilateral series that was telecast on Sahara last year and sold at Rs 1-1.25 lakh for 10 second spots, media sources said.
What works in favour of the series, according to media buyers, is that prices are realistic and match timings are suitable for Indian audiences. As Madison Media Plus CEO Basabdatta Chowdhuri said: “This Test series is bound to attract higher viewership, because the second innings will run into Indian prime time, unlike Tests played in India, which are typically day matches.” The rates, too, fit the expected parameters, said media buyers. Pointed out Mindshare MD Sunder Raman, “ESPN’s asking rates are realistic and well within the benchmark of cricket prices. Besides, the broadcaster has enough content to generate a critical mass of viewer connectivity.”
Sources say sponsors have dished out Rs 5-7 crore for coming on board. Declining to comment on investments, Motorola’s director (marketing) Lloyd Mathias told ET: “We have invested in cricket as part of an ongoing deal with ESPN. Cricket continues to remain a prime passion in the country and one of the key drivers of our overall media strategy. Since we address the higher SEC and male-driven audience, the positioning of our products fits well with cricket.”
Star Cricket, ESPN-Star’s all-cricket channel that will telecast the series, has managed to rope in big names, such as Motorola, Maruti, Times Internet, Havell’s and Visa, as sponsors for the three Test series. Industry sources say ESPN will rake in between Rs 120-150 crore from the three Tests and seven ODIs. Declining to divulge figures, an ESPN-STAR Sports spokesperson said, “India-England Test matches have always generated huge interest and ratings have generally been impressive.”
The broadcaster has sold over three-fourths of its inventory, at rates ranging between Rs 50,000-70,000 per 10 seconds, media sources said. Going rates for the one-day series, which commences later in the season, are in the range of Rs 1.4-1.75 lakh for 10 seconds. ESPN’s current rates are higher than the India-England bilateral series that was telecast on Sahara last year and sold at Rs 1-1.25 lakh for 10 second spots, media sources said.
What works in favour of the series, according to media buyers, is that prices are realistic and match timings are suitable for Indian audiences. As Madison Media Plus CEO Basabdatta Chowdhuri said: “This Test series is bound to attract higher viewership, because the second innings will run into Indian prime time, unlike Tests played in India, which are typically day matches.” The rates, too, fit the expected parameters, said media buyers. Pointed out Mindshare MD Sunder Raman, “ESPN’s asking rates are realistic and well within the benchmark of cricket prices. Besides, the broadcaster has enough content to generate a critical mass of viewer connectivity.”
Sources say sponsors have dished out Rs 5-7 crore for coming on board. Declining to comment on investments, Motorola’s director (marketing) Lloyd Mathias told ET: “We have invested in cricket as part of an ongoing deal with ESPN. Cricket continues to remain a prime passion in the country and one of the key drivers of our overall media strategy. Since we address the higher SEC and male-driven audience, the positioning of our products fits well with cricket.”
Radio Mirchi to showcase Indian Idol finalists
Radio Mirchi 98.3 FM will showcase on Monday the 10 finalists of Indian Idol in the evening show Bumper 2 Bumper, hosted by RJ Tarun.
RJ Tarun will interact with the finalists in the show, while a surprise meeting with a celebrity music personality is also lined up.
Radio Mirchi Mumbai station director Sujata Bhatt said, "Television industry is one of the fastest growing segments in the entertainment market. Radio Mirchi believes in providing its listeners exclusive content as it continuously strives to connect with its listeners across the country. Our associations with popular reality TV shows will further strengthen the initiatives and the ever-growing television entertainment market ahead and could well surpass all industry expectations".
RJ Tarun will interact with the finalists in the show, while a surprise meeting with a celebrity music personality is also lined up.
Radio Mirchi Mumbai station director Sujata Bhatt said, "Television industry is one of the fastest growing segments in the entertainment market. Radio Mirchi believes in providing its listeners exclusive content as it continuously strives to connect with its listeners across the country. Our associations with popular reality TV shows will further strengthen the initiatives and the ever-growing television entertainment market ahead and could well surpass all industry expectations".
DD Direct to shift to Insat-4B in June
DD Direct, Doordarshan's direct-to-home (DTH) service, plans to shift to the Indian satellite Insat-4B between 1-15 June.
Though DD’s contract with the five transponders on NSS 6 closes on 31 May, it has requested the Netherlands-based company to use the space on one transponder till 15 June. The broadcaster will have to pay Rs 37 million for the extended 15-day period.
"Prasar Bharati has indicated to us that DD Direct would move to Insat-4B in the period 1-15 June," says Indian Space Research Organisation contract management and legal services director SB Iyer.
Prasar Bharati pays NSS around Rs 225 million annually. The shift from the Netherlands-based NSS 6 will not only mean savings in foreign exchange but also clarity in picture since Insat-4B is better placed than the European satellite, Prasar Bharati CEO B S Lalli tells Indiantelevision.com.
Insat-4B is located in a geostationary orbit of 93.5 degrees East, which is closer to Indian than NSS 6 which is located at 95 degrees East.
ISRO has assured Prasar Bharati that it will not face any shortage of transponders. DD will initially be using five transponders but can ask for more whenever it needs them, says Lalli.
DD will be able to beam up to 10 channels from each transponder. It presently beams around 32 channels of which 26 are its own. But this number is expected to go up to 50 with private FTA channels becoming available.
Sun Direct, Kalanithi Maran's DTH service, has also booked Ku-band transponders on Insat-4B. The satellite has 12 Ku-band and as many C-band transponders for broadcasting and communication services.
"There is no requirement for more transponders from DD now. If they need more, we will make the necessary arrangement for them in a neighbouring location," says Iyer.
According to a DD engineer, further compression is possible using the MPEG 4 technology but DD prefers to use MPEG 2 and beam fewer channels from each transponder “for ensuring better quality.”
DD officials have held meetings with cable operators, hardware manufacturers and multi-system operators (MSOs) to familiarize them with the changes that will have to be made to reach out to 4.8 million viewers of DD Direct.
Doordarshan has circulated a four-page brochure to educate viewers and service providers about the changes to be made to their dish antennae and in the set top boxes. Though the service providers will make these changes, the engineer said this can be done even by the subscriber on his own.
DD’s DTH would be available across five transponders in the KU Band on Insat-4B, on the frequencies 10990, 11070, 11150, 11490 and 11570 MHz on vertical polarisation and a uniform symbol rate of 27500 ksps.
The engineer said each antenna has to be rotated (with the person standing behind the dish antenna) clockwise by 1.5 degrees to the right and tilted up by 1.5 degrees.
The brochure gives details of how subscribers can adjust the STB on their own, in case the services of a service provider are not available.
Though DD’s contract with the five transponders on NSS 6 closes on 31 May, it has requested the Netherlands-based company to use the space on one transponder till 15 June. The broadcaster will have to pay Rs 37 million for the extended 15-day period.
"Prasar Bharati has indicated to us that DD Direct would move to Insat-4B in the period 1-15 June," says Indian Space Research Organisation contract management and legal services director SB Iyer.
Prasar Bharati pays NSS around Rs 225 million annually. The shift from the Netherlands-based NSS 6 will not only mean savings in foreign exchange but also clarity in picture since Insat-4B is better placed than the European satellite, Prasar Bharati CEO B S Lalli tells Indiantelevision.com.
Insat-4B is located in a geostationary orbit of 93.5 degrees East, which is closer to Indian than NSS 6 which is located at 95 degrees East.
ISRO has assured Prasar Bharati that it will not face any shortage of transponders. DD will initially be using five transponders but can ask for more whenever it needs them, says Lalli.
DD will be able to beam up to 10 channels from each transponder. It presently beams around 32 channels of which 26 are its own. But this number is expected to go up to 50 with private FTA channels becoming available.
Sun Direct, Kalanithi Maran's DTH service, has also booked Ku-band transponders on Insat-4B. The satellite has 12 Ku-band and as many C-band transponders for broadcasting and communication services.
"There is no requirement for more transponders from DD now. If they need more, we will make the necessary arrangement for them in a neighbouring location," says Iyer.
According to a DD engineer, further compression is possible using the MPEG 4 technology but DD prefers to use MPEG 2 and beam fewer channels from each transponder “for ensuring better quality.”
DD officials have held meetings with cable operators, hardware manufacturers and multi-system operators (MSOs) to familiarize them with the changes that will have to be made to reach out to 4.8 million viewers of DD Direct.
Doordarshan has circulated a four-page brochure to educate viewers and service providers about the changes to be made to their dish antennae and in the set top boxes. Though the service providers will make these changes, the engineer said this can be done even by the subscriber on his own.
DD’s DTH would be available across five transponders in the KU Band on Insat-4B, on the frequencies 10990, 11070, 11150, 11490 and 11570 MHz on vertical polarisation and a uniform symbol rate of 27500 ksps.
The engineer said each antenna has to be rotated (with the person standing behind the dish antenna) clockwise by 1.5 degrees to the right and tilted up by 1.5 degrees.
The brochure gives details of how subscribers can adjust the STB on their own, in case the services of a service provider are not available.
Bollywood may become gateway to Russia for Indian tourists
"Shooting of a couple of Bollywood movies with mega stars in Russian locations could open the country for the Indian tourists willing to lavishly spend on foreign travels," India's Commerce Secretary G K Pillai said here earlier this week addressing a joint Indo-Russian business seminar organised by Moscow-based Indian Business Alliance and the Centre of Strategic Research, a Kremlin-linked think-tank.
Pillai said rich Indian tourists had opened Australia and New Zealand as attractive tourism destinations after filming of popular Bollywood movies these countries.
Last year over 45,000 Indians had visited Russia, of which only 4,000 were tourists, while among the 59 thousand Russian visitors to India there were 35 thousand tourists, mostly to Goa, although it is much bellow the potential of tourism in both countries, industry representatives said.
India and Russia view tourism as one of the promising areas of cooperation as part of the drive to boost their economic interaction and trade to the level of 10 billion dollars by 2020
Pillai said rich Indian tourists had opened Australia and New Zealand as attractive tourism destinations after filming of popular Bollywood movies these countries.
Last year over 45,000 Indians had visited Russia, of which only 4,000 were tourists, while among the 59 thousand Russian visitors to India there were 35 thousand tourists, mostly to Goa, although it is much bellow the potential of tourism in both countries, industry representatives said.
India and Russia view tourism as one of the promising areas of cooperation as part of the drive to boost their economic interaction and trade to the level of 10 billion dollars by 2020
Bollywood goes for adult animation
After Rajnikant, Feroz Khan, Fardeen and Koena Mitra get animated.
Rajnikant has done it and now, it's the first time a Bollywood actor to get a 3D animated version. Suparn Verma's Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena will be animated as EKEK 2. If all goes well, the film will be released in 2008.
Talking about the film, Verma says, "I've rewritten EKEK 2 and am directing it. With a tool like animation, your vision is as limited as your imagination. EKEK 2 has stupendous action too. What's even more interesting is that this is the first animation film made in India that will cater to the adult segment. It's not a children's film."
All the characters of the original film, Feroz Khan, Fardeen Khan and Koena Mitra feature in this flick too. "Apart from conning, the stars in EKEK 2 do a lot of capers and heists too. Although animation doesn't require them to shoot, the stars will be dubbing for it. By the way, Koena has a bootylicious Latino look that men are going to like."
Says producer Pritish Nandy, "We are trying to evolve a character that meets the compulsions of the character in the movie and looks reasonably similar to the star in real life."
Rajnikant has done it and now, it's the first time a Bollywood actor to get a 3D animated version. Suparn Verma's Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena will be animated as EKEK 2. If all goes well, the film will be released in 2008.
Talking about the film, Verma says, "I've rewritten EKEK 2 and am directing it. With a tool like animation, your vision is as limited as your imagination. EKEK 2 has stupendous action too. What's even more interesting is that this is the first animation film made in India that will cater to the adult segment. It's not a children's film."
All the characters of the original film, Feroz Khan, Fardeen Khan and Koena Mitra feature in this flick too. "Apart from conning, the stars in EKEK 2 do a lot of capers and heists too. Although animation doesn't require them to shoot, the stars will be dubbing for it. By the way, Koena has a bootylicious Latino look that men are going to like."
Says producer Pritish Nandy, "We are trying to evolve a character that meets the compulsions of the character in the movie and looks reasonably similar to the star in real life."
Nach Baliye, for the third time
Finalising couples for Nach Baliye 3 is getting harder. Some are demanding fatter pay packets while others are uncomfortable presenting themselves as a 'couple'.
Thinking heads at Star One are busy finalising the lineup of celebrity couples for Nach Baliye's third season that goes on air this September. If sources are to be believed, this year has been the toughest in terms of getting telly couples to do the show. While most of the popular faces are busy with their respective soaps, a few 'out-ofwork ' couples have been demanding a bigger pay packet!
A reliable source from the channel informs, "They have been asking for unheard of money for the show. It's simply beyond our budget. We have had approached at least 20 couples."
Few couples, who have been secretly dating, were also not keen on coming out in public. Our sources say that a few had even taken offence when approached for the show. A source from the channel adds, "That's the biggest problem we faced this year. A few have kept their relationship under the wraps. They were extremely uncomfortable when we approached them for the show."
Trade pundits reveal that the hoopla surrounding the show (in the third season) has also died down. An actor on condition of anonymity says, "We need some new elements in the show otherwise it gets a little boring. We are expected to bring in a lot of melodrama just for the sake of it."
The list so far reads, Rakhi Sawant and Abhishek Awasthi, Indraneil Sengupta and Barkha Bisht, Sandeep Baswana and Aslesha Sawant, Aamir Ali and Sanjeeda Shaikh, Kishwar Merchant and Hiten Paintal, Kiran Karmarkar and wife Rinku, Pooja Ghai and Vikas Kalantri, Kavita Kaushik and Karan Grover, Karan Patel and Amita Chandekar. The channel is yet to decide on another couple this week. Apparently, Rajshri Thakur and husband Sanjot Vaidya, Swetta Keswani and beau Alex O'Neil are in the run.
Says our source, "These eight celebrity couples have been finalised. This week we start signing the contract papers."
The channel, however, maintains a stoic silence over the show. Anil Jha from Star One says, "I have no information on Nach Baliye 3. We might not have a third season."
NO WAY!
Here's a list of couples who have turned down the show: Iqbal Khan and wife Sneha Renuka Shahane and Ashutosh Rana Roshni Chopra and husband Siddharth Anand Smriti Irani and husband Zubin Irani Rajeev Khandelwal and Aamna Shariff Anita Hassanandani and Eijaz Khan
Thinking heads at Star One are busy finalising the lineup of celebrity couples for Nach Baliye's third season that goes on air this September. If sources are to be believed, this year has been the toughest in terms of getting telly couples to do the show. While most of the popular faces are busy with their respective soaps, a few 'out-ofwork ' couples have been demanding a bigger pay packet!
A reliable source from the channel informs, "They have been asking for unheard of money for the show. It's simply beyond our budget. We have had approached at least 20 couples."
Few couples, who have been secretly dating, were also not keen on coming out in public. Our sources say that a few had even taken offence when approached for the show. A source from the channel adds, "That's the biggest problem we faced this year. A few have kept their relationship under the wraps. They were extremely uncomfortable when we approached them for the show."
Trade pundits reveal that the hoopla surrounding the show (in the third season) has also died down. An actor on condition of anonymity says, "We need some new elements in the show otherwise it gets a little boring. We are expected to bring in a lot of melodrama just for the sake of it."
The list so far reads, Rakhi Sawant and Abhishek Awasthi, Indraneil Sengupta and Barkha Bisht, Sandeep Baswana and Aslesha Sawant, Aamir Ali and Sanjeeda Shaikh, Kishwar Merchant and Hiten Paintal, Kiran Karmarkar and wife Rinku, Pooja Ghai and Vikas Kalantri, Kavita Kaushik and Karan Grover, Karan Patel and Amita Chandekar. The channel is yet to decide on another couple this week. Apparently, Rajshri Thakur and husband Sanjot Vaidya, Swetta Keswani and beau Alex O'Neil are in the run.
Says our source, "These eight celebrity couples have been finalised. This week we start signing the contract papers."
The channel, however, maintains a stoic silence over the show. Anil Jha from Star One says, "I have no information on Nach Baliye 3. We might not have a third season."
NO WAY!
Here's a list of couples who have turned down the show: Iqbal Khan and wife Sneha Renuka Shahane and Ashutosh Rana Roshni Chopra and husband Siddharth Anand Smriti Irani and husband Zubin Irani Rajeev Khandelwal and Aamna Shariff Anita Hassanandani and Eijaz Khan
Sonu Nigam alleges sexual harassment
Films like Page 3 have long shown page 3 people asking sexual favors from ambitious people who come for work. But this is the first time that news like this has come on news. Ace singer Sonu Nigam has accused famous film journalist Subhash K Jha of unreasonable sexual demands and harassment after he rejected the latter’s unreasonable advances. “He used to harass me with his homosexual desires to an extent that my family was affected. We all know that the film industry consists of many gays and homosexuals. Even I have many gay friends but they have never tried to come close to me because they know that I am not interested in it,” news website zeenews.com quoted the Sonu Nigam as saying. He also added, “In 2001, he proposed me and said that he loves me. He even misbehaved with me after getting drunk but later apologized in the morning. I even told him that you are Lataji’s friend and elder to me so please don’t talk such things with me as I’m not gay. But he still continued harassing me with his calls.” Jha has been writing harsh criticism on the singer for quite some time now and Sonu calls it deliberate attempt to defame him. Sure the industry is known to have such hidden secrets but not all time do they become public. At the outer sphere the industry portrays a happy and flourishing world
Google to sell print ads in newsPapers and TV
Google is expanding its Print Ads programme to allow online advertisers nationwide to place print advertisements in 225 newspapers, serving half of US newspaper readers.
The programme, which will let hundreds of thousands of Google AdWords customers place newspaper ads in the same way they buy Web page, radio or TV ad space, follows a 50-publication test started last November among a small group of advertisers.
The 225 newspapers are located in 32 of the 35 biggest US metropolitan markets, with a combined circulation of almost 30
million subscribers. Among the newspapers in the programme are The New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Seattle Times and San Jose Mercury News.
Google Print Ads lets advertising agencies and advertising customers of all sizes plan and buy traditional newspaper media
-- from one-inch to full-page displays in both national and local newspapers via Google's existing ad sales software.
Smita Hashim, group product manager for Print Ads, said it was designed to bring online advertisers back to papers. "We are not actively marketing to newspaper loyalists," she said, referring to print advertisers to which papers typically sell.
Details are at http://www.google.com/adwords/printads/.
Separately, Google rival Yahoo said it has increased its own ad sales partnership with US newspaper publishers to 17 chains covering 400 newspapers, up from 176 publications when its programme began in November.
Unlike Google Print Ads, however, Yahoo's programme is aimed at helping newspapers sell ads on their online sites, something Google itself already does through its own AdSense programme.
On that score, Google said it had renewed an existing deal to supply Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive with online Web search results, as well as pay-per-click and contextually targeted ads to WashingtonPost.com readers.
With Google Print Ads, an ad buyer in Los Angeles might buy space in Chicago or Seattle newspapers, something only national advertisers now typically do. This allows local papers to reach a national base of online ad buyers.
"Google Print Ads has brought in new advertisers who were either too small to consider advertising in a national newspaper or who hadn't tried print advertising because their business was largely online," said Todd Haskell, the New York Times' vice president of business development for advertising.
Advertisers then place bids for space and upload ad images to the Google AdWords system and the rest is taken care by the newspapers and Google, which handles billing and payments.
As part of its bid to bring accountability to both sides of the print-buying process, Google asks newspapers to provide electronic "tear sheets" -- images that demonstrate exactly where and how a specific ad ran in a publication -- within 24 hours of the publication of the print advertisement.
Google officials said the extension of AdWords to include newspaper ads promises to bring the measurability of online ad sales to offline print media.
"Advertisers are using newspapers in very similar ways to how they use online advertising," Hashim said. Customers are beginning to test ad campaigns across different markets and shifting spending where it is most effective, she said.
The programme, which will let hundreds of thousands of Google AdWords customers place newspaper ads in the same way they buy Web page, radio or TV ad space, follows a 50-publication test started last November among a small group of advertisers.
The 225 newspapers are located in 32 of the 35 biggest US metropolitan markets, with a combined circulation of almost 30
million subscribers. Among the newspapers in the programme are The New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Seattle Times and San Jose Mercury News.
Google Print Ads lets advertising agencies and advertising customers of all sizes plan and buy traditional newspaper media
-- from one-inch to full-page displays in both national and local newspapers via Google's existing ad sales software.
Smita Hashim, group product manager for Print Ads, said it was designed to bring online advertisers back to papers. "We are not actively marketing to newspaper loyalists," she said, referring to print advertisers to which papers typically sell.
Details are at http://www.google.com/adwords/printads/.
Separately, Google rival Yahoo said it has increased its own ad sales partnership with US newspaper publishers to 17 chains covering 400 newspapers, up from 176 publications when its programme began in November.
Unlike Google Print Ads, however, Yahoo's programme is aimed at helping newspapers sell ads on their online sites, something Google itself already does through its own AdSense programme.
On that score, Google said it had renewed an existing deal to supply Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive with online Web search results, as well as pay-per-click and contextually targeted ads to WashingtonPost.com readers.
With Google Print Ads, an ad buyer in Los Angeles might buy space in Chicago or Seattle newspapers, something only national advertisers now typically do. This allows local papers to reach a national base of online ad buyers.
"Google Print Ads has brought in new advertisers who were either too small to consider advertising in a national newspaper or who hadn't tried print advertising because their business was largely online," said Todd Haskell, the New York Times' vice president of business development for advertising.
Advertisers then place bids for space and upload ad images to the Google AdWords system and the rest is taken care by the newspapers and Google, which handles billing and payments.
As part of its bid to bring accountability to both sides of the print-buying process, Google asks newspapers to provide electronic "tear sheets" -- images that demonstrate exactly where and how a specific ad ran in a publication -- within 24 hours of the publication of the print advertisement.
Google officials said the extension of AdWords to include newspaper ads promises to bring the measurability of online ad sales to offline print media.
"Advertisers are using newspapers in very similar ways to how they use online advertising," Hashim said. Customers are beginning to test ad campaigns across different markets and shifting spending where it is most effective, she said.
Monica Badi wants to make a comeback in Bollywood
Former starlet and companion of underworld don Abu Salem, Monica Bedi, has said that she would like to take up acting again.
Monica, who had worked in a few films before her involvement with Salem, said: "I want to return to Bollywood. I would like to continue in films. I have not planned anything yet."
Monica was acquitted on Monday by a Bhopal court in connection with a forged passport case, as police failed to produce adequate witnesses against her.
"It was a big surprise. To be very frank, I had no hope. There was a conspiracy against me. I hadn't expected this," she said.
A case was registered against Bedi in Bhopal for securing a passport with the help of forged documents in the name of Fauzia.
Bedi will however remain in custody until she has sorted out her bail bond with another court in Hyderabad, which her lawyers say should take a few days.
That court had earlier sentenced her to serve five years in jail for a similar offence, but granted her bail, pending an appeal.
Bedi and Abu Salem were extradited from Portugal on November 11, 2005.
Monica, who had worked in a few films before her involvement with Salem, said: "I want to return to Bollywood. I would like to continue in films. I have not planned anything yet."
Monica was acquitted on Monday by a Bhopal court in connection with a forged passport case, as police failed to produce adequate witnesses against her.
"It was a big surprise. To be very frank, I had no hope. There was a conspiracy against me. I hadn't expected this," she said.
A case was registered against Bedi in Bhopal for securing a passport with the help of forged documents in the name of Fauzia.
Bedi will however remain in custody until she has sorted out her bail bond with another court in Hyderabad, which her lawyers say should take a few days.
That court had earlier sentenced her to serve five years in jail for a similar offence, but granted her bail, pending an appeal.
Bedi and Abu Salem were extradited from Portugal on November 11, 2005.
Monica Bedi is still a hit
A poll amongst Bollywood filmmakers shows that they would cast former jailbird Monica Bedi if she suited a role in their movies.
American celebrity Paris Hilton’s jail term became a widely read Prison Diary and her release after serving 23 days in jail created a frenzy as to what she would do next. Well, the jailbird turned songbird soon after and has a flourishing future ahead in fashion by just uttering her trademark “That’s hot!”
Closer home, former Bollywood starlet Monica Bedi wasn’t met with any such offers after being acquitted by a Bhopal court in a fake passport case.
Though she did announce that she would love to return to films and start acting all over again, never mind her infamous status as Abu Salem’s moll.
Apparently, Monica kept herself occupied by teaching other women prisoners yoga, dancing and English for the ten months she spent in jail.
We asked Bollywood whether her infamy would do her fledgling Bollywood career any good and would they cast her in their films...
Meghna Gulzar – An actor should be given a role depending on his/her acting prowess and not on the basis of whether they went to prison or came out of it.
Anil Sharma – I cast an actor according to the suitability of the character. Monica will get work regardless of her infamy or fame. We will look at her from the perspective of an artiste and talent. One should get a second chance.
Vikram Bhatt – You shouldn’t cast someone because they have created a media furore of any kind. If Monica or Paris suit a character, casting them is fine. I would cast Monica only if I had something she could do.
Vipul Shah – Casting depends on the merit of the role and that is decided by the script. When people have sympathy for actors like Salman Khan, who genuinely enjoys the love of the audience and they know the good side of him, does the actor gain from all the trouble he gets in. It doesn’t work for everybody though.
Sanjay Gupta – Paris is in America and Monica’s in India. Strictly no comments.
American celebrity Paris Hilton’s jail term became a widely read Prison Diary and her release after serving 23 days in jail created a frenzy as to what she would do next. Well, the jailbird turned songbird soon after and has a flourishing future ahead in fashion by just uttering her trademark “That’s hot!”
Closer home, former Bollywood starlet Monica Bedi wasn’t met with any such offers after being acquitted by a Bhopal court in a fake passport case.
Though she did announce that she would love to return to films and start acting all over again, never mind her infamous status as Abu Salem’s moll.
Apparently, Monica kept herself occupied by teaching other women prisoners yoga, dancing and English for the ten months she spent in jail.
We asked Bollywood whether her infamy would do her fledgling Bollywood career any good and would they cast her in their films...
Meghna Gulzar – An actor should be given a role depending on his/her acting prowess and not on the basis of whether they went to prison or came out of it.
Anil Sharma – I cast an actor according to the suitability of the character. Monica will get work regardless of her infamy or fame. We will look at her from the perspective of an artiste and talent. One should get a second chance.
Vikram Bhatt – You shouldn’t cast someone because they have created a media furore of any kind. If Monica or Paris suit a character, casting them is fine. I would cast Monica only if I had something she could do.
Vipul Shah – Casting depends on the merit of the role and that is decided by the script. When people have sympathy for actors like Salman Khan, who genuinely enjoys the love of the audience and they know the good side of him, does the actor gain from all the trouble he gets in. It doesn’t work for everybody though.
Sanjay Gupta – Paris is in America and Monica’s in India. Strictly no comments.
Reliance's Bluemagic to use Measat-3 satellite for DTH
Reliance-Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group's Bluemagic will use Measat-3 satellite and is planning to launch its direct-to-home (DTH) service in the last quarter of this year.
Reliance has signed a deal with the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) for using the foreign satellite from the Astro Group, a source close to the company says. Measat had made its Ku-band transponders available and Isro was studying it technically to make an internal evaluation.
Isro has in principle agreed to allow Measat offer its Ku-band transponders to Indian DTH operators, the source confirms. Reliance wants Measat's eight Ku-band transponders, he adds.
When contacted, Isro contract management and legal services director SB Iyer refused to comment. He had, however, told Indiantelevision earlier that the coordination with Measat was in the final stages and Isro would take a decision after a month.
Reliance's Bluemagic will be using MPEG-4 compression technology which will allow it to pack in more channels per transponder. While Kalanithi Maran's Sun Direct has gone in for the same technology, existing DTH operators Dish TV and Tata Sky have gone in for MPEG-2 compression.
Bluemagic will be using Nagravision's conditional access solutions and the set-top boxes (STBs) will be from multiple vendors, the source adds. Nagravision, part of the Switzerland-based Kudelski Group, is a leading player in the field of conditional access for digital TV and broadband internet.
Bluemagic is also tying up with US-based OpenTV, the provider of enabling technologies for advanced digital television services. Zee Group's Dish TV has also entered into a multi-year license agreement with OpenTV which enables it to deliver a variety of advanced interactive television services, including PVRs (personal video recorders), to its subscriber base.
Reliance has signed a deal with the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) for using the foreign satellite from the Astro Group, a source close to the company says. Measat had made its Ku-band transponders available and Isro was studying it technically to make an internal evaluation.
Isro has in principle agreed to allow Measat offer its Ku-band transponders to Indian DTH operators, the source confirms. Reliance wants Measat's eight Ku-band transponders, he adds.
When contacted, Isro contract management and legal services director SB Iyer refused to comment. He had, however, told Indiantelevision earlier that the coordination with Measat was in the final stages and Isro would take a decision after a month.
Reliance's Bluemagic will be using MPEG-4 compression technology which will allow it to pack in more channels per transponder. While Kalanithi Maran's Sun Direct has gone in for the same technology, existing DTH operators Dish TV and Tata Sky have gone in for MPEG-2 compression.
Bluemagic will be using Nagravision's conditional access solutions and the set-top boxes (STBs) will be from multiple vendors, the source adds. Nagravision, part of the Switzerland-based Kudelski Group, is a leading player in the field of conditional access for digital TV and broadband internet.
Bluemagic is also tying up with US-based OpenTV, the provider of enabling technologies for advanced digital television services. Zee Group's Dish TV has also entered into a multi-year license agreement with OpenTV which enables it to deliver a variety of advanced interactive television services, including PVRs (personal video recorders), to its subscriber base.
Bollywood diva charges £20,000 for a chat
As befitting of her role as one of Bollywood's leading stars, Shilpa Shetty donned her sari and posed with the Mayor of London Ken Livingstone last week to help promote India Now, London's three-month celebration of Indian culture.
"Cultural respect and encouraging a deeper understanding of Indian traditions through a celebration of diversity, art, dance and food is obviously an issue close to my heart, which is why I am delighted to be a part of these events," gushed Shetty.
Well-intentioned as the actress's motives no doubt were, her services didn't exactly come cheap. When journalists following the event enquired after interviews with the comely star to speak about her noble cause, they were informed by organisers not only would their publications have to pay for the pleasure, but it was likely to cost them somewhere in the region of £20,000.
Leaving aside the sums involved, hacks were stunned that Shetty wouldn't be champing at the bit for the exposure. Despite winning Celebrity Big Brother - and some News of the World scandal yesterday over her private life - Shetty could hardly be considered a household name.
When questioned about the matter, organisers of India Now, however, were unmoved. "Sorry, but we've been told by her people that this is the usual sort of fee she'd ask for," I'm told.
"But I am certain it is something that could be negotiated."
Daniel has Hitler in his sights
You wait ages for one film about the plot to assassinate Hitler, and then two come along at once.
Tom Cruise is in Berlin filming Valkyrie, in which he plays the 1944 plot's ringleader Claus von Stauffenberg.
Now, plans are afoot to bring the British novelist Justin Cartwright's acclaimed tome The Song Before It is Sung to the big screen.
A mole recently spotted Cartwright in Los Angeles enjoying a meal with moody actor Daniel Day-Lewis.
I'm reliably informed that Cartwright is keen for the reclusive British thespian - star of The Last of the Mohicans - to play the book's protagonist Adam von Trott, one of Stauffenberg's main accomplices.
"The book has been very well received in the States and got a cracking write-up in the LA Times recently," I'm told. "As you can imagine, once that happens the producers usually spring into action."
When Kirsty's pupils dilated
Kirsty Young's recent interview with Yoko Ono on Desert Island Discs proved to be something of a marmalade dropper.
During the course of the programme, Ono revealed to Young she had strongly considered aborting her son by John Lennon, Sean.
"When something like that happens, you just have to sit on your hands and hope your guest doesn't spot your pupils dilating," Young told me at the recent Grazia magazine awards. "I suppose the trick is to behave like you're at a dinner party, and act natural.
"As soon as Yoko said it, though, I could just sense her publicist turning towards my producer in absolute horror."
Prezza punt
Whoa there, hold your horses Prezza! John Prescott's online entry in political bible Dod's Parliamentary Companion has him down as "Leader, UK parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe".
It's a little premature, since the election for the council's vacant leadership isn't until tonight. And while a number of Labour delegates aren't best pleased at the way Prescott reckons he's a shoo-in for the job (and are hoping for an upset), the former deputy prime minister isn't to blame.
Says a spokesman for Dod's: "Honestly, it's our fault it's there, not Prescott's. We are aware the election isn't until Monday night, but we thought putting it in now would be a pretty safe punt."
Please - not so coy, Vanessa ...
It's backs against the wall over at the BBC, where Mark "Mad Dog" Thompson is cracking down after a string of recent embarrassments. At a recent function for Rosé d'Anjou, I asked Vanessa Feltz about Boris Johnson standing for Mayor of London, but the usually rambunctious blonde was somewhat vague. "I couldn't possibly say anything. I'm not allowed," she said. "I'm strictly forbidden. Really, I'm a BBC reporter, I can't say anything."
Feltz kept her cards so close to her chest it was almost impossible to guess who she'd be backing. "All I really will say is that I'm absolutely delighted Boris is running and it will add to the gaiety of nations," she added. "I can't comment on Ken as I am a Beeb reporter, but, God, it's great Boris is running. But I mustn't say anything at all."
"Cultural respect and encouraging a deeper understanding of Indian traditions through a celebration of diversity, art, dance and food is obviously an issue close to my heart, which is why I am delighted to be a part of these events," gushed Shetty.
Well-intentioned as the actress's motives no doubt were, her services didn't exactly come cheap. When journalists following the event enquired after interviews with the comely star to speak about her noble cause, they were informed by organisers not only would their publications have to pay for the pleasure, but it was likely to cost them somewhere in the region of £20,000.
Leaving aside the sums involved, hacks were stunned that Shetty wouldn't be champing at the bit for the exposure. Despite winning Celebrity Big Brother - and some News of the World scandal yesterday over her private life - Shetty could hardly be considered a household name.
When questioned about the matter, organisers of India Now, however, were unmoved. "Sorry, but we've been told by her people that this is the usual sort of fee she'd ask for," I'm told.
"But I am certain it is something that could be negotiated."
Daniel has Hitler in his sights
You wait ages for one film about the plot to assassinate Hitler, and then two come along at once.
Tom Cruise is in Berlin filming Valkyrie, in which he plays the 1944 plot's ringleader Claus von Stauffenberg.
Now, plans are afoot to bring the British novelist Justin Cartwright's acclaimed tome The Song Before It is Sung to the big screen.
A mole recently spotted Cartwright in Los Angeles enjoying a meal with moody actor Daniel Day-Lewis.
I'm reliably informed that Cartwright is keen for the reclusive British thespian - star of The Last of the Mohicans - to play the book's protagonist Adam von Trott, one of Stauffenberg's main accomplices.
"The book has been very well received in the States and got a cracking write-up in the LA Times recently," I'm told. "As you can imagine, once that happens the producers usually spring into action."
When Kirsty's pupils dilated
Kirsty Young's recent interview with Yoko Ono on Desert Island Discs proved to be something of a marmalade dropper.
During the course of the programme, Ono revealed to Young she had strongly considered aborting her son by John Lennon, Sean.
"When something like that happens, you just have to sit on your hands and hope your guest doesn't spot your pupils dilating," Young told me at the recent Grazia magazine awards. "I suppose the trick is to behave like you're at a dinner party, and act natural.
"As soon as Yoko said it, though, I could just sense her publicist turning towards my producer in absolute horror."
Prezza punt
Whoa there, hold your horses Prezza! John Prescott's online entry in political bible Dod's Parliamentary Companion has him down as "Leader, UK parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe".
It's a little premature, since the election for the council's vacant leadership isn't until tonight. And while a number of Labour delegates aren't best pleased at the way Prescott reckons he's a shoo-in for the job (and are hoping for an upset), the former deputy prime minister isn't to blame.
Says a spokesman for Dod's: "Honestly, it's our fault it's there, not Prescott's. We are aware the election isn't until Monday night, but we thought putting it in now would be a pretty safe punt."
Please - not so coy, Vanessa ...
It's backs against the wall over at the BBC, where Mark "Mad Dog" Thompson is cracking down after a string of recent embarrassments. At a recent function for Rosé d'Anjou, I asked Vanessa Feltz about Boris Johnson standing for Mayor of London, but the usually rambunctious blonde was somewhat vague. "I couldn't possibly say anything. I'm not allowed," she said. "I'm strictly forbidden. Really, I'm a BBC reporter, I can't say anything."
Feltz kept her cards so close to her chest it was almost impossible to guess who she'd be backing. "All I really will say is that I'm absolutely delighted Boris is running and it will add to the gaiety of nations," she added. "I can't comment on Ken as I am a Beeb reporter, but, God, it's great Boris is running. But I mustn't say anything at all."
Shilpa Shetty faces accusations of being a marriage-wrecker
Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, winner of Big Brother reality TV show and a recent recipient of a honorary doctorate from Leeds University, has been accused of wrecking a marriage by a UK-based film producer's wife.
According to the News of the World tabloid, 25-year-old Kavita Kundra claimed the 32-year-old Bollywood diva is now "an item with her film producer husband Raj".
"Our marriage was in a rough patch but I was certain we could make it work for the sake of our new baby daughter. But then along came Shilpa. Suddenly Raj changed and now he wants a divorce," Kavita told the tabloid.
Reacting to the report, Shilpa's spokesperson Dale Bhagwagar said in Mumbai, "the two are just friends, however cliched it may sound."
"All these rumours of Shilpa and Raj getting married are baseless. Raj is the licensor of the perfume Shilpa launched recently, so obviously they were seen together at public places," Bhagwagar said.
Asked about his relationship with Shilpa, Raj, 31, also told the tabloid: "We're just friends. I have a business relationship with Shilpa regarding her perfume. My marriage ended 12 months ago and it was nothing to do with Shilpa."
Later he telephoned to say he had only been estranged from his wife for nine months, according to the tabloid.
Bhagwagar also said the two met only four months ago, whereas Raj and Kavita separated 10 months back. "There is no question of Shilpa breaking their marriage."
According to Kavita, Raj broke the news of his secret relationship with Shilpa in February after she found fame in the Big Brother house as the victim of racist bullying.
Kavita admitted their three-year marriage had been through a rocky patch, but insisted: "Up until then Raj had been talking about putting it back together, making things work for the sake of our daughter."
Kavita's remarks come after a week of gossip fuelled by snaps of Shilpa and Raj -- who helped launch her S2 perfume -- shopping together. He also escorted her to a recent "Bollywood Oscars" bash in Yorkshire.
According to the News of the World tabloid, 25-year-old Kavita Kundra claimed the 32-year-old Bollywood diva is now "an item with her film producer husband Raj".
"Our marriage was in a rough patch but I was certain we could make it work for the sake of our new baby daughter. But then along came Shilpa. Suddenly Raj changed and now he wants a divorce," Kavita told the tabloid.
Reacting to the report, Shilpa's spokesperson Dale Bhagwagar said in Mumbai, "the two are just friends, however cliched it may sound."
"All these rumours of Shilpa and Raj getting married are baseless. Raj is the licensor of the perfume Shilpa launched recently, so obviously they were seen together at public places," Bhagwagar said.
Asked about his relationship with Shilpa, Raj, 31, also told the tabloid: "We're just friends. I have a business relationship with Shilpa regarding her perfume. My marriage ended 12 months ago and it was nothing to do with Shilpa."
Later he telephoned to say he had only been estranged from his wife for nine months, according to the tabloid.
Bhagwagar also said the two met only four months ago, whereas Raj and Kavita separated 10 months back. "There is no question of Shilpa breaking their marriage."
According to Kavita, Raj broke the news of his secret relationship with Shilpa in February after she found fame in the Big Brother house as the victim of racist bullying.
Kavita admitted their three-year marriage had been through a rocky patch, but insisted: "Up until then Raj had been talking about putting it back together, making things work for the sake of our daughter."
Kavita's remarks come after a week of gossip fuelled by snaps of Shilpa and Raj -- who helped launch her S2 perfume -- shopping together. He also escorted her to a recent "Bollywood Oscars" bash in Yorkshire.
Celebrity Beauty Secrets....
Ah now here is something hot! Are you a great fan of Bipasha for the great figure she has got? Well no problems with that…but have you ever wondered that figure could be a silicon one?
Sources say that one Dr. Ashok Gupta who has done a number of cosmetic surgeries for celebrities did a breast enhancement surgery for Bipahsa in 2002 when jism was planned. And the hospital staff also says that Bips had cosmetic surgery for her ears too. So I guess Bollywood hotties are no where behind Hollywood bombs!
Celebrity Beauty Secrets
So you want to look like a star?
Who doesn't? It would be really nice to wake up and have
someone else worry about your hair and makeup.
Celebrities have "people" whose very jobs are to help famous
faces look their best.
Award-winning actresses, runway models, even pop stars all
depend on their looks.
Do advertisers want to feature close-ups of crow's feet?
Who wants to see cellulite on the big screen?
Teen idols should look young and fresh so their audience
will want to be like them. It's their job to look great.
Without a beautifully packaged look, they're out of work.
So work they do. They work at their beauty.
And so can you.
But, you don't have beauty professionals at your beck
and call...
Oh, but you do.
Just not the same ones the celebrities do.
You're worthy of a cast of beauty professionals, too.
You deserve it and it's not a luxury impossible
to afford.
Consider your beauty "people" and, if you choose
carefully, you will have professionals looking out for
you, keeping you up to date on the best products,
colors and techniques available for you.
How do you choose the right people?
Use only professionals whose overall look is something
you like.
If you're seeking a natural look, look for make-up and
hair stylists who successfully achieve that look.
If they can do it for themselves, they can teach you
the same techniques they're using.
If you want to appear polished and sophisticated, use a
stylist whose own personal style impresses you.
Department store makeup counter salespeople
Use them. You don't need to buy any of their products,
unless you want to. But what they can teach you at
no cost is something you should really take advantage of.
They're trained in proper technique and are up on the
latest trends.
Independent beauty consultants
That neighbor leaving catalogs in your mailbox is a
good source of ideas. Invite her over and let her
give you a makeover. Again, you're not obligated to
purchase anything unless you really want it.
Hairdressers
Hairstyles change with the times, so should your
stylist. If she's not attending stylists'
conventions
or changing her own hairstyle, she's not as professional
as you deserve.
So, now you have your people.
What do stars do when they're at home being people,
not stars?
Beauty Sleep
It's not a myth. Get yours.
No caffeine...
...or limited caffeine if you must. It causes premature
aging, and who needs that?
Shimmer creams and bronzers...
...help stars shine.
Eat Fish...
...like sardines and salmon. They're full of essential
oils that actually nourish your skin.
No smoking
Not only is it bad for your health, it causes lines
and dullness in your skin.
Your skin care regime
It doesn't have to be expensive. Your products can
come from the local drug store. Everyone benefits
from a cleanser, a toner, and a moisturizer.
Always, always, always remove makeup at the end of
the day. Two more minutes of sleep is not worth a
blemished face in the morning.
Quick fixes from famous faces.
*Coffee grounds can be recycled and used as a
cellulite scrub.
*Castor oil, used by a certain British
raven- haired actress/spokesperson/ beauty,
creates star quality shine for hair.
*Cinnamon oil (check your health food or
vitamin store) rubbed on the lips creates pouty,
kissable lips.
*Soak your nails in olive oil, as does a Hollywood
Pretty Woman.
*A combination of milk and water mixed in equal
parts, spritzed on the face throughout the day
is all the rage with many silver screen beauties.
*Legally Blonde hair is baby soft and shiny thanks
to baby shampoo.
Glow like a star. You deserve to look your best.
Treat yourself to a day of beauty - at home or at
the salon. Live the life of a star, without being
chased by paparazzi.
About the Author
Allison Saunders is a MAC qualified Make-up Artist and the
author of an amazing new course, "Hollywood Makeup Secrets"
a step-by-step simple video system for maximizing your inner
and outer beauty potential. You can learn more about Allison,
and subscribe to her free newsletter by visiting:
(c)2005 HollywoodMakeupSecrets.com. All rights reserved.
Hot bollywood actress, (heroine) Photo....Neha Dhupia
>
sexy neha Dhupia
Hot Neha Dhupia's Hot pics
sexy neha Dhupia
sexy neha DhupiaHot Neha Dhupia's Hot pics
sexy neha Dhupia
Vista allows US government to spy on you??
Heard at Abandonia forums:
After running Vista for only a few days - with a complete love for the new platform the first sign of trouble erupted. I began noticing latency on my home network connection - so I booted my port sniffing software and networking tools to see what was happening. What I found was foundation shaking. The two images below show graphical depictions of what has and IS trying to connect to my computer even in an idle state;NOTE;
DoD Network Information Center (Department of Defense)
United Nations Development Program (Seems to correlate to the parent branch of the U.N. Informatics Division)
Halliburton Company (We all know these guys)
I ran traceroutes on the IP’s, and sure enough they came back legit and government owned. I thought this might be exclusive to my system, so I ran over to a friend of mine who upgraded to Vista when it first became available (MICROSOFT FAN BOY! ;P ). After installing monitoring software on his system, the hits it caught on his network were immediate and almost identical in source.Do you need more inspiration to switch over to Linux or Mac ?If you are not an American, its just a pathetic revelation that a foreign government is spying on every word you say.
After running Vista for only a few days - with a complete love for the new platform the first sign of trouble erupted. I began noticing latency on my home network connection - so I booted my port sniffing software and networking tools to see what was happening. What I found was foundation shaking. The two images below show graphical depictions of what has and IS trying to connect to my computer even in an idle state;NOTE;
DoD Network Information Center (Department of Defense)
United Nations Development Program (Seems to correlate to the parent branch of the U.N. Informatics Division)
Halliburton Company (We all know these guys)
I ran traceroutes on the IP’s, and sure enough they came back legit and government owned. I thought this might be exclusive to my system, so I ran over to a friend of mine who upgraded to Vista when it first became available (MICROSOFT FAN BOY! ;P ). After installing monitoring software on his system, the hits it caught on his network were immediate and almost identical in source.Do you need more inspiration to switch over to Linux or Mac ?If you are not an American, its just a pathetic revelation that a foreign government is spying on every word you say.
GORGES OF THE FINGER LAKES!...More.....
 |
A beautiful channel of water flows through a narrow section of Upper Treman State Park.
 |
My best shot of the set! This photo won First Place in the color category
of the "Life in the Finger Lakes" photography contest.
 |
Now this is a box canyon! Although the wall to the right is man-made, the steps cut through rock are actually natural.
 |
And now for the most impressive waterfall of the trip: Lucifer Falls.
 |
Time for a visit to the base of the falls!
 |
Moss and algae love the constant mist.
 |
Looking up from the base of the falls. We are completely surrounded by powerful water and slippery rocks.
 |
And now the final picture: an army of tourists attempting to climb the falls!
Thank you for viewing this portfolio! I hope you enjoyed the 10-minute diversion! To order a fine-art print, please see the Ordering Information page.
GORGES OF THE FINGER LAKES!..MORE...
 |
Fillmore Glen -- yet another glen! This one is a bit off the beaten path and is not quite as beautiful
as the others, but it still had its redeeming qualities.
 |
The Lower Falls - roughly 50 feet high.
 |
The water glows blue against the shale rocks.
 |
Yet another beautiful little waterfall along the hike!
 |
A dam and reservoir marks the start of the gorge.
 |
Treman State Park -- And now for something completely different: the hippest swimming hole of the region!
 |
Upstream from the swimming area, we found Mr. Pain-Loving Man playing in the water.
Although he didn't break any bones, he lost a nipple on his third slide.
GORGES OF THE FINGER LAKES!..MORE...
 |
Buttermilk Falls -- a picturesque hike up through another narrow glen.
The lower
falls even has a swimming hole in front of it.
 |
The walkway goes up and up and up. Oh, and it also goes up.
 |
A gigantic punch bowl complete with a stirring stick.
 |
The emerald water is smooth and inviting.
 |
If they would only heat these pools, this would be a perfect Jacuzzi!
 |
Deep in the heart of the Amazon mountains, Adventure Jeep clears the hairpin turn!
GORGES OF THE FINGER LAKES!...MORE..
 |
Letchworth State Park -- billed as "the Grand Canyon of the East"... OK, so it's not quite that large, but it is
an amazingly beautiful gorge with several trails that take you down to the water.
 |
The Lower Falls of Genesee Gorge taken from a "forbidden" off-trail location. The falls are approximately 55 feet high.
 |
The Upper Falls are framed by the majestic old train trestle up above...
 |
Mr. Fisheye at the top of the trestle looking down at the gorge far, far below.
 |
What on earth is this? View the panorama to find out!
 |
A final view of lower Genesee Gorge at dead-man's curve.
GORGES OF THE FINGER LAKES!.....MORE
 |
Taughannock Falls -- the tallest waterfall of the region at over 215 feet high.
 |
Two foolish people are moments away from experiencing the bone-crushing force of falling water and undertow.
 |
Adventure Jeep returns with a perilous drive to the cliff's edge!
 |
Ee-gads! I am smothered in a vest of white water!
 |
The only way to enjoy all of this water is to let yourself get wet...
 |
Cascadilla Gorge - the gorge that cuts through Cornell University's lower campus.
"Ithaca is gorges!" is found on every other T-shirt. So punny, it hurts!
 |
Now who would actually go to class when you could hang out in the gorge instead?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)