Sexy Ice Skating

EVEN THE OBVIOUSLY GUILTY ARE INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY

I think he's guilty. You think he's guilty. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone who doesn't think he's guilty.

But this is the United States. One of the greatest things about its legal system is that people suspected of crimes are innocent until they are proven guilty in a court proceeding. It is one of the things that, despite all its other faults, sets our country above so many others.

So, how can the Illinois governor be thrown out of office for what are still only suspected, not proven, crimes? Doesn't that set an ugly precedent? What's to say that a zealous district attorney can't drum up false charges against a political leader he doesn't like, have him arrested and have that, rather than any actual conviction, lead to the politician's impeachment?

When someone is arrested for murder, they are usually kept locked up until the trial is over, even if they are later found innocent. That's to protect the public from potential harm while the trial is going on. I am not familiar with Illinois law, but perhaps there was a similar option available to the state legislature - a suspension of the governor's powers until the criminal matters were resolved.

As much as I think he probably is guilty, the fact of the matter is that now ex-Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich has been thrown out of office for merely being suspected of crimes and malfeasance. And I do not like that.

If, however, the Illinois legislature had had the wisdom to toss him out on his ear for his haircut, well, I could have got behind that.

BAD BONUSES & A COUPLE OF GOOD RECOMMENDATIONS

I've got a friend whose husband recently lost his job in banking. He's pretty much the sole financial supporter of his family: himself, my friend, and their two kids. I hope he got his annual "bonus" at the end of last year before he got laid off.

You might wonder why I put "bonus" in quotes. Well, there are bonuses and then there are bonuses and lately, with the news of Wall Street firms paying out $18.4 billion in bonuses at the end of last year, it's become something of a dirty word. But, consider the fact that about 125 thousand people split all that money, (the average Wall Street bonus last year came to $112,000), and some of them really deserved it, needed it even. Like most things in economics, and especially in politics, it isn't as clear cut as it might seem.

Now don't get me wrong. I think John Thain, former head of Merrill Lynch, and any number of other scumbags who whooped it up with their company's money as the companies faltered and then collapsed, ought to go to jail. And not some white collar jail. I'd like to see how they do on a tier at San Quentin.

But most of the people who received their bonuses at the end of last year were like the husband of my friend. They were people who worked their assess off, at relatively modest - for the financial industry - salaries, who counted on their "bonus" to make their nut at the end of the year.

The thing is, a lot of what are called "bonuses" - and in the financial industry more than most - are really no more than a contracted part of a salary package. They aren't really bonuses at all. It's a way that companies have of rear-loading an employee's pay. There are all kinds of financial advantages to companies that do that.

It works like this: A company hires someone for a hundred thousand dollars a year, but it's broken up in the form of a five thousand bucks a month salary and a forty thousand dollar guaranteed "bonus" at the end of the year.

According to Webster's dictionary, a bonus is "something in addition to that which is expected or strictly due." By definition, I don't think you can guarantee a bonus.

Undoubtedly there were plenty of miscreants who stole real bonuses from their companies at the end of last year. (Although if they stole it, they no doubt knew what to expect, it's the "strictly due" part of the definition that trips them up.) And that's a crime, or ought to be.

But, most of the people who shared in that $18.4 billion were in the boat with my friend's husband. The boat where the "bonus" was just another part of their agreed upon salary and they needed it.

Unfortunately politics doesn't allow for much nuance. With regard to the slimeball crooks who stole real bonuses from their companies, I think President Obama's words weren't even harsh enough. But for the majority of hard working, honest employees who were included in that $18.4 billion, many of whom were also victims of the venality of their bosses, I feel nothing but sympathy.


So, here's a couple of things you can do to stretch those meager "bonuses" a bit further:
Jurassic is a Taiwanese theme restaurant / beerhall. Food's great (especially the basil and the claypot dishes), beer's just fine, waitresses are cute (Winnie, the one on the far right is an economics student at UCLA who's from Shanghai) and the place is wonderfully kitsch. And it's fairly cheap, too. What more could you want?
Jurassic
15301 Gale Ave.
City of Industry, CA

You can find al pastor tacos all over town, but these are some of the best I've found yet. (Some great looking chorizo and chicken, too.) Nights only, in front of El Nuevo Jalisco restaurant at
3017 North Main St.
Los Angeles, CA

Victory has Sri Lankan premiere

Special Victory premiere tonight for Indian, Lankan cricketers playing there

Post Chandni Chowk to China's seven premieres around the globe, having an overseas premiere has become quite the rage. Keeping with the trend, director Ajit Pal Mangat is having a Victory premiere in Colombo (Sri Lanka) for the Indian and Sri Lankan cricketers.

Since the movie is based on cricket and on a cricketer's life, director Ajit Pal Mangat was keen to have a special premiere for the Indian team. Initially, it was supposed to have a premiere in Australia, but since the entire Indian cricket team is in Sri Lanka playing in the Wealthsurance Cup ODIs, Sri Lanka was an obvious choice."

A source reveals, "After the Mumbai premiere yesterday, the cast flew down to Sri Lanka early today morning for the premiere to be held tonight."

The source further adds, "A lot of cricketers from the Sri Lankan team like Muttiah Muralitharan and Sanath Jayasuriya feature in the movie. Indian cricketers like Praveen Kumar and Yusuf Pathan also feature in the movie and are also playing in the one-dayers in Sri Lanka.

Apart from the cricketers who have featured in the movie, Hurman especially wanted Sachin Tendulkar to watch the film. The cast will stay back for the Indian team's second one-dayer and pray for their victory."

Hurman says, "I am very excited as I will be watching Victory with the Indian and Sri Lankan cricketers; some have also featured in the movie. We will also be having Sachin Sir and Yuvraj Singh watching the movie."

Amitabh gets World Economic Forum's Crystal Award

Amitabh Bachchan receives the World Economic Forum's Crystal Award tomorrow for achieving outstanding excellence in art

Tomorrow, Amitabh Bachchan will receive the World Economic Forum's Crystal Award 2009 at a glittering ceremony at Davos (Switzer- land), along with Kuchipudi and Bharatnatyam dancer Mallika Sarabhai for outstanding excellence in the field of culture and having used art to reach out to other cultures.

The Crystal Award pays tribute to the decisive role of arts and culture in creation of global understanding and peace. It's another feather in Bachchan's cap.

Bachchan flew to London on Thursday morning and to Davos today. The WEF brings together top business leaders, international political leaders, selected intellectuals and journalists to discuss the most pressing issues facing the world.

This year's 39th annual gathering at Davos-Klosters, Switzerland will focus on ways to ward off recession and save jobs amidst a financial crisis in the world markets.

Speaking to us about winning the Crystal Award, Bachchan speaks from London, "Honouring me at this prestigious forum where world leaders congregate in politics, business and allied virtues is very humbling.

I believe that in honouring me they do not honour an individual but my country and the Indian film industry, endorsing importance of India in the world diaspora."

After receiving the Crystal Award and staying on for a day at Davos, Bachchan will fly down to New York to attend the premiere of Pink Panther 2 on February 3 along with son Abhishek and daughter-in-law, Aishwarya who stars in the film.

Bachchan adds, "After the premiere, we will be staying on and bringing in Abhishek's birthday on February 5. There is no particular celebration it will just be with family. That's bigger than all the celebrations put together."

Despite injury, no rest for SRK

Shah Rukh Khan landed in India this week for a surgery on his left shoulder. But two days within his coming back home, Khan was seen at a promotional event of his sitcom Ghar Ki Baat Hai at Taj Lands End.

But that’s not the only thing. King Khan, who will be out of action – read filming for My Name is Khan – for eight weeks, will be making appearances, promoting Billu Barber and filming for adverts in his period of “rest”.

After attending a launch of Red Chilies’s Idiot Box’s first show on January 27 and then on February 1, SRK will be a part of the Nach Baliye finale. SRK will be on the show to promote his home production movie Billu Barber along with the leading lady of the movie Lara Dutta.

A source from the show informs, “We were thinking about many options but when we heard that Shah Rukh was in India, we approached him. And he agreed to be a part of the show which was very nice of him. In the last season he came to promote his movie Om Shanti Om and we received a good response for it so we were keen on calling him on the show again.”

Shah Rukh is also expected to film a couple of advertisements for the products he endorses. He will also be looking into the IPL plan for his team Kolkata Knight Riders. The IPL season will begin soon and Khan is looking at potential players for his team.

“Since I have a forced holiday of eight to nine weeks, I will be attending most of the creative meetings of Idiot Box (SRK’s TV production house). It is fun to attend it and it also helps to flesh out stories. I want devote some time for the promotion of Billu Barer which I could not do as yet as I wasn’t here,” says SRK.

Shah Rukh injured his left shoulder while performing an action sequence during the shoot of Dulha Mil Gaya. He was recently in the US for a 45 day shoot of Karan Johar’s My Name Is Khan. But with his shoulder injury re-surfacing, Khan took the decision to come back home for surgery. He has been advised 8 weeks of complete rest after the operation. But it looks like rest is the last thing on SRK’s mind!

Ash on the sets of Endhiran in Brazil

After enhancing the beauty of Brazilian beaches in Dhoom 2, Ash returns to the exotic locales of Brazil and Peru in South America to shoot for sci-fi thriller Endhiran with Rajnikanth. The film, budgeted at Rs. 165 crore will release in 2009.

Aishwarya Rai with a local at Machu Pichu, Peru


Red-clad Ash with the white-clad Peruvian dancers


Ash getting her make up done at this gorgeous white sand desert oasis


Gorgeous Ash poses with a tourist


Don't Look at Me is what Ash seems to say


Aishwarya Rai and Rajnikanth pose with tourists and fans who visited their set at Machu Pichu in Peru


Ash, in colourful clothes with make up that enhances the beauty of her eyes, doing what she does best


Rajnikanth in a song sequence with Peruvian dancers


The quintessential Bollywood hero and heroine moment.

Zayed crazy about Hrithik

Hrithik Roshan is busy collecting accolades and trophies for Jodhaa Akbar and one man who is extremely proud of his achievements is his bro-in-law Zayed Khan.

When we last spoke to Zayed, we found out that the Khan wanted to do something ‘monumental’ as well. “I’d love to play a historic role, but I have miles to go before I get to do what Hrithik is doing. Hrithik is extremely hard working and for me to reach there will require a lot of maturity,” said Zayed. Now his saala’s compliment must be no less than an award for Hrithik... after all family comes first, right Hrithik?

Vidya Balan gets chatty...

At the heart of a star resides a child that Vidya occasionally gets to nurture when she can free herself from the trappings of her profession, when she surprises morning-walkers at the Victoria Memorial lawns at the crack of dawn or has luchi sabji at Shri Hari before catching a morning flight to Mumbai.

Stardom doesn’t allow her indulgences, but Vidya isn’t complaining. Recollections of things past and an urge to experience some of what has been left far behind, even in small measures, doesn’t let her get blinded by the stardust.

“Nothing matches the innocence of a child. My mother’s name is Saraswati. Vidya is a very common name among Tamil Brahmins. Since education always takes a precedence over everything else, Vidya was a natural choice of name for us. We Tamil Brahmins celebrate Saraswati Puja on Vijaya Dashami. We’d offer books, pens and ghungroos at the deity’s feet. Trust me, that one day of being told not to study seemed like a huge loss just before the exams,” she says, recalling the compelling urge she’d invariably feel every Saraswati Puja to do her revision!

Conversation soon meanders towards the importance of education, especially when the success rate of drop-outs in the industry is pretty high. “I’m thankful to my parents for insisting that I give up Hum Paanch and complete my graduation. Education gives wings to broaden the horizons. I’d not judge the success stories of school drop-outs in the industry. I’d only say that one must not waste a chance to get educated, since there are so many others wanting and yet not being able to do so.

Recently, I ran the Mumbai Marathon for an NGO that supports the education of the girl child.” Yet, what Vidya doesn’t support, is how today’s children are being taught to only score the highest marks. “While it’s nice to see driven children, I wish they could fit into a system where education is an end in itself and not a means to an end. Today’s children have an instant reply to every question. In the name of professionalism, parents are often forcing child artistes to pick up the fine art of being battery-operated,” she says.

So, how is she as a student, when it comes to working with different directors with diametrically opposite working styles? “With Mani Ratnam, you will hardly get an okay when you expect one. It’s only when you are unsure, that he will say that the shot is okay. While Dada (Pradeep Sarkar) goes for multiple takes, Raju Hirani loves spontaneity.”

Challenging her skill with the constant process of learning and unlearning, has instilled in Vidya a renewed confidence in her strengths and an understanding that there is something about her vintage appeal that continues to mesmerise her audience, waiting to see her light up the screen again with Ishqiya and Pa this year.

Preity's thinking of children

It’s Bollywood cutie Preity Zinta’s birthday today.

But you needn’t worry about a present. For, the bubbly, 34-year-old actress has got a bagful of gifts that she wants to distribute after a “small get-together with friends”. Talking to BT yesterday, Preity said, “I want to do something more meaningful. I feel like it’s my new beginning and I want to do something completely different. I’m going to be a part of this campaign called Light a Billion Lights where you sponsor electricity to a complete village which works on solar technology. That is something I’m going to do.”

Then, Preity also intends to sponsor the education of underprivileged children. “I feel the only difference between a rich and a poor kid is that the former has the resources to get proper education whereas the poor kid doesn’t. I feel if a poor kid is given the same, he will do much better than the rich kid,” said the actress who is hell-bent on making a difference in whatever capacity that she can. “God has given me so much so now I feel it’s my turn to give back,” explained Preity. And what will she gift herself today?

“I was thinking of buying myself a luxury car but then everytime I drive on bumpy Mumbai’s roads, I get disappointed and change my mind!” But if there is one wish she has for herself this year, then Preity wants her IPL team to lift the trophy this year. “It has these little diamonds on it and diamonds are a girl’s best friend — so you know what I mean, don’t you,” smiled the pert actress saucily.

SRK loves Priyanka more than Deepika or Kareena

If Priyanka Chopra declares from the rooftops that she is Shah Rukh Khan's biggest fan then it is with reason. The superstar, who has been taking more than a passing interest in the music of the films he produces, decided to give away a large portion of his duet in " Billu Barber " to her.

"Shah Rukh took very close interest in each one of the songs. He isn't a musician, but he has an instinctive ear for music. It takes him just a few seconds to approve or cut down a track," told composer Pritam Chakraborty.

With the songs meant for Kareena Kapoor and Deepika Padukone, Pritam faced no problems.

"Shah Rukh loved his songs with Kareena ('Marjani') and Deepika ('Love mera hit hit'). They were straightforward dance songs with shared grooves between Shah Rukh and Kareena and Deepika," said Pritam.

The song with Priyanka needed special treatment and Shah Rukh made Pritam re-work and re-record the song.

"Shah Rukh's song with Priyanka 'Khuda-ae-kher' is not an item song. It's a love ballad that the pair playing Bollywood superstars emote to in front of the camera. Being a love song Shah Rukh felt there wasn't enough of the female presence in the vocals. He made me re-record the song with more for the female vocalist (Dominique) to do since he wanted Priyanka to have an equal number of lines," the composer said.

"It was entirely Shah Rukh's idea to give Priyanka more lines in the song. He's a very generous entertainer. If you see him on screen he never tries to steal the limelight from his heroines. Even ' Khai ke paan banaras wala ' in 'Don' had a lot of Priyanka in it although it was entirely Shah Rukh's song," Pritam added.

Asked about Shah Rukh's generosity, Priyanka sighed and said: "What do I say? Now do you know why he's my favourite?"

Irrfan Khan and Lara Dutta, who play a rustic couple in "Billu Barber", will later be seen enacting the same Shah Rukh-Priyanka ballad.

SRK mends bridges with Manoj Kumar

Signaling the end of the bitter war that ensued between Shah Rukh Khan and yesteryear actor Manoj Kumar with the release of Om Shanti Om in 2007, Shah Rukh visited Manoj recently and spent nearly four hours with him.

He shared some light moments with Manoj’s grandchildren too. Shah Rukh also went to enquire after the health of Manoj’s ailing mother-in-law, Savita Devi, who is SRK’s late mother’s good friend.

Says Manoj, “Look, there wasn’t ever an epic war between us that we wouldn’t meet again. He made a mistake and apologised for it. My 94-year-old mother-in-law had to be recently operated upon, and Shah Rukh wanted to meet her. My mother-in-law used to make khakras for Gandhiji. She is a former MP from Congress and Shah Rukh’s mother was a social worker, that’s how they met.”

Ask him more about the visit and Manoj continues, “Shah Rukh asked me why I was not making films anymore. I asked him what his problem was if I don’t make any and just rest at home. We joked about it. It was nice to meet him, I hardly interact with present day stars. I’ve just spoken to Aamir Khan over phone. And imagine, I haven’t met Salman since the last 19 years, despite his father, Salim Khan, being one of my closest friends.”