Payanangal mudivathillai!

Puthusu kanna puthusu!!

2006-09-18T15:37:00.000-07:00

Neenga ethipaartha antha tharunam!!

Puthiya ...megaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa thodar... mega...cereal :D
...padikka thavaraatheerkal..
aduthu varum ..entha blogil!!

Details of the drama will be released.. a screen play is under production!!

will publish soon :)

Ungalidam irunthu viday peruvathu
Vijay vijay vijay!!!

Inner hero!!! What was I thinking duh!!!! ?

2006-08-29T15:15:00.000-07:00

Hola guys...here I am back....!!!!!!!! after aaaaaaaaaaa long..I was even contemplating about shutting down this blog....tooo bizeee !!
well came accross this nice survey....

The ppl who know me very well wud say whaaaaaaaaaaaaat the!!
on seeing these results???? :)
Lemme know ppl!!

Character Stats:

Rogue (9)
Warrior (14)
Wizard (9)
Paladin (15)

Your Profile:

You're compassionate, forward-thinking, and devoted to doing the right thing. If you're still in school, your teachers probably adore you, even if your grades aren't very strong. If you work, you're more concerned with doing your job well than climbing the corporate ladder. When it comes to leisure, you'd rather pursue the arts, spend time in nature, or enjoy quiet time with a close friend than spend all night at a raucous party. You seek out peace, beauty, and harmony wherever you can find it.

Above all, you love helping others and bringing a little light to the world wherever you can. You have strong artistic talent, even if you haven't discovered it yet. You aren't a social butterfly, but the friendships you have tend to be long-lasting and devoted. You feel a deep sense of contentment when you have the opportunity to show someone how much you care.

Your Mission:

You were put on this earth to help others. They will trust you, because they are attracted to your sincerity, your kindness, and your willingness to do what's right. You are the one who has to stand up for the little guy, because everyone else is too busy looking after number one.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to Fix Something. Something small, or something big. Put a new chain on your brother's bike. Reconcile a family feud. Take a stray cat to the vet to be spayed. Donate blood. Fix a friend's car for free. Fix SOMETHING.

The Famous Adventurer of Silmaria trusts you to complete your mission. Don't feel guilty about procrastination - start now!

A Warning:

Try to remember: sometimes you need to fight for what you believe in. When someone steps on your rights, or the rights of others, you have to forget being "the nice guy/girl" and set things the way they should be. If necessary, befriend a Warrior and enlist him or her in your cause. Then just turn your Warrior loose and watch the fireworks.

Sometimes you're just going to have to face reality. Because you yourself are trustworthy, you tend to be too trusting. But not everyone is as kind and honest as you are. You may need a Rogue on your side to let you know when you're being hoodwinked, swindled, or made a fool of.

What Next:

My Inner Hero - Paladin!

I strive to help others, and to bring truth and harmony to the world however I can. Whether times are good or bad, you can always count on me. I'm a shoulder to cry on, a champion for the helpless, and an all around nice person.

U can take the quiz here :D Click here to find your own inner hero.

I am not commenting on the results...en than thalelaye manna vaaari pottupaane??
correct thaana??

eppadikku
Vijay

Story of a sweeper :)

2006-08-14T12:38:00.000-07:00

He was a sweeper...Such a meticulous sweeper that he has had laurels for his ways and means of sweeping. One day in the morning he came to work and as usual started sweeping real good, suddenly some thing happened "THuD" somebody slapped him...
Unfortunately some thing went wrong totally, he miscalculated. He was trying to sweep a married woman off her feet :D, and got slapped :D

You are Beautiful !!

2006-08-08T12:49:00.000-07:00

Keeping in tune with Vatsans' latest blog :)

Amazing song..Check it out..
You are beautiful by James Blunt :)

My life is brilliant.
My life is brilliant
My love is pure.
I saw an angel.
Of that I'm sure.
She smiled at me on the subway.
She was with another man.
But I won't lose no sleep on that, 'Cause I've got a plan.

You're beautiful.
You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
I saw your face in a crowded place,
And I don't know what to do, 'Cause I'll never be with you.

Yes, she caught my eye,
As we walked on by.
She could see from my face that I was,
Fucking high,
And I don't think that I'll see her again,
But we shared a moment that will last 'till the end.

You're beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
I saw your face in a crowded place,
And I don't know what to do, 'Cause I'll never be with you.

You're beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
There must be an angel with a smile on her face,
When she thought up that I should be with you.
But it's time to face the truth,
I will never be with you.

Its all in the mind

2006-07-18T15:27:00.000-07:00

Its been a while since i have written some thing. I was looking at a blog, it had this tag, made me go back to my life, introspect it.

Ten Years Ago - 1996

Pre degree end 12th
got good marks, but the happiness was short lived.
The end of two fantastic years I have ever had in my life, enjoyed life in Govt Arts College TVM.

Engineering start

Bad time really bad time, my rank slipped by a few hundred due the few silly mistakes that i made in Physics. I was in a bad shape, every body was trying to console me. Got admission to one college and then changed to another college. The grind of engineering started

Five Years Ago - 2001

MS start, the start of a new era in my life, masters in electrical engineering. The first day the first class, guess what the subject I hated most in undergrad Fundamentals of solid state electronics the other courses were digital circuit design and Advanced silicon processing.

The solid state course prof came, and said he wife just gave birth to a baby and that he is quite tired an so on. I thot he is gonna introduce the course just talk a bit about it and keep going. Instead what did he do? gave us our first assignment, freaking twenty problems and finished two chapters. I was awestruck...I mean if he is tired and does this, I could only imagine the pace of the course, and it was full of device physics, electrons and holes have been my friends from then :D

The ASP course, I never understood any thing for a long while, the prof kept on talking about a reducing some length, apparently the was the gate length in a MOSFET. I imagined all sorts of lengths, but never even imagined that one.

New place new courses, new work, I was working as a computer assistant in the computer center. I have never been so frustrated or longing for money in my life. I was getting paid $500 per month, pathetic times. Didnt perform well, but that was just the start, I have come a long way from that state.

Last one year - 2005

My first year of employment after slogging for freaking four long years in MS. My own car. Made more trips to that in the last 5 years. Went to New york - times square for new year celebrations, Philadelphia for thanksgiving, Austin, Atlanta, Washington dc, California -- San diego, Los angeles. Used to get out almost every week end, and the innumerous trips to the the local lakes and parks in Phoenix.

Had completed 5 years of staay in Phoenix, the longest I had stayed in any place, I loved the place, I miss it now. That places seems like home to me than any other place.

Best achievement of all, had taken up to learning guitar, succesfully completed 3 semesters, and the great India trip, I hadnt gone back to India ever since I had come here back in 2001.

and bestest of all started blogging and sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo many friends. The best thing I did :)

Yesterday

The grind of new job, 11+ hours most days. New place, new job, new people, new sorroundings. feels like its starting all over again, just that I know what I am doing.

I cant imagine it has been 10 years since I finished 12th.

The last 5 years have shaped my life, has totally changed me and my perspective towards life. Guess the crap I went thru in the last few years is just part of another large game, just that I never knew about it.

Seems like life is a cycle, just that after each cycle u become better as a person?
The most interesting fact remains that "Its all in the mind isnt it"?

eppadikku
vijay

Opinions and attitudes!!

2006-07-03T15:06:00.000-07:00

Opinions!

I have been seeing quite a lot of discussion about the credibility of new reporting organization vis-a-vis statements such as "this news org shudnt have reported news in this manner regarding this crap!!! or what ever". My question is very simple, in this cacophonic world, there is no so called news reporting dharma and all. Everybody has to take sides, or else they wont survive. Even CNN's chief has said in an interview that news reporting is a business, its like selling stuff, u tell people what they wanna hear,I know it collides with the dharma of factual reporting, but unfortunately a business is a business. Plus another point, people take things into a different angle, when the topic of the new is about them.

I am not quoting anybody here [i have done that before and got my hands burnt :D], I know one instance where there was a article about kerela in outlook, if I remember rite the title of the article was something like let god have his own country. The article highlighted the so called social role model that the state is portraying to the world. Obviously all the mallus around the world, were up in arms and they were like comparing Bihar with kerala, demanding apology from outlook and all.

My foot!! all these freaking people know that all these problems exist, but when somebody points it out, they become angry!! strange isnt it??? Well I had only one answer to the point, Bihar never claims itself as "Gods own country".

Fundamentally what happens is that we IGNORE the issue and concentrate over a host of peripheral paraphernalia attached to it!!

Isnt this what we have been doing for a while! time to change!!!!!!!

It is very easy to declare an article as biased unless you get varied opinions, if you dont like them, go get a second opinion, it is as simple as that rather than taking things personally!!!!!!!!!!
The reason I wrote this, coz of the recent article in BBC regarding female infanticide in India and some associated articles
[WA not u :D]

Attitudes!

Another recent fad, among a section of people that I am interacting with people in India Check it out.

He: Hi eppadi irukkel
He2s amma: nanna irukken
He: he2 eppadi irukkan, hows his job.
He2 amma: nanna irukkan, software la irukkaa, avanukku avlo interest ellai
he: en vela seriya ellaya
he2s amma: entha kalathula pasanga ellam software na cha nu sollaraanga!
he: oh!!!!!

I cant beleive this, a few years back when the few non engg graduates who used to pass out of the engg colleges, theru theruvaa alanju, they used to do pathetic jobs. I stress here, he2 in the conversation is Bsc guy, there were literally no jobs around for those guys..when compared to other trades, and now since software jobs are these they have become second grade!!!! Now isnt that something every body shud cheer about hip hip hurray!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mind u not that the outlook for engg graduates was good either those days!!

This is great news. Fantastic, I knew we would turn around and get back to that path of digusting "typical" attitudes. I mean how do we develop these attitudes now, quite an interesting proposition isnt it? or who is pushing such attitudes to students at early stages of their career?

This is what I had to tell he2 and his mom ,
"oru kalathula, Bsc padicha theru theruvaa alaanja evanum picha kooda poda maataaan..ippo software korachalaa pochaa ongalukku."

I know this is a bit harsh, I felt this was something I had to tell!!

Ours is a young economy, we cannot/should not garner such attitudes, considering what the situation was a few years ago. I was so happy to hear that all the companies in India were hiring irrespective of their backgrounds, it shows the maturity of our industry.

I am not saying that you should not have ambitions and so on, but do not try to underestimate anybody. If you dont like software job, dont do it...but dont badmouth it, coz with out it our country would have continued to be the umpteeenth world economy which it was a decade ago with the so called hindu growth rate!!!

The concept of "dignity of job" lot of people dont understand.
I dont understand what education has given these people.They were much better off with out their education. “Classic case of education spoilt them “.

Finally such attitudes are very dangerous for a boooooooooooming economy like ours!! where the number of people still in the boooooooooooooooooming "IT" industry and so negligible that they can be considered as statistical errors!!

Mind u individual attitudes are very important!! Its the collective thinking of the next generation of people that shapes any country.

eppadikku

Lines!!

2006-06-28T21:20:00.000-07:00

Pyaar ki baathon ko hoton se nahi kahaa jaatha
Pyaar ki baathon ko hoton se nahi kahaa jaatha
Woh tho nigaahon se bayaan hotha hain !!

From sarfarosh !!

Enjoy

Kaadhlaam kalyaanamaaam!!

2006-06-18T16:26:00.000-07:00

He's parents are searching for girl for him. This turned out to be a very simple process for him coz his requirements were exactly opposite to that of his parents, and the search went on only for relatively small time of a couple of years.

In between a conversation that happens between he and his friend

He's friend: Enna da intha ponna pathi enna decide panniruka?
He: seri varaathu da qualifiction seriya ella da
Hef: appadi ellam solltha da. ellam senthu varathu romba kashtham, ella qualificationum nallathu thaan da, intha qualification matterla konjam compromise pannikallame.!!
He: athellam mudiyaathu naan enna kaadhal panniyaa kalyaanam pannikkaren compromise pannarathukku?
Hef:BAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:D
eppadikku

Its official!!!!!

2006-06-02T09:24:00.000-07:00

I know I have not posted for a long time now, not that anybody cares about
it. LOL :)
After a tumultous 4 weeks...
change is finally here...

and
today being a "special" day in my life :)
I am letting out the news.
After being here for 51/2 years, the longest I have ever lived in a place in my life, I am finally getting out of here !!
This will be my last post from Tempe, Arizona.

New place, new job !!!!!!!!!!! :)
Starting monday
Austin, Texas here I come!!!!!!!

eppadikku

Hopes for change?

2006-04-22T17:17:00.000-07:00

At time of marriage thots in mind

Him: [Hopes she remains like this for ever]
Her: [ill change him]

Years down the lane

Her: [Complaining] nee kalyaanathukku munnadi eppadi irunthayo
Her: athe maathiri thaaan innum irukka, maaravella..hmmm
Him: Ava ava purushan athe maathiri irukkaanu santhosha padara
him: Nee enaadana naan maaravelenu varutha padaraya?? ellam neram
him: anaa onnu sollanum
her: enna?
him: nee romba maarita!!
her: !!

Vaazhkayla ethellam sahajama????

ROTFL :))

The change seems to be happening..looks like its inevitable now..
will let u guys know!!

eppadikku

Change

2006-04-20T08:34:00.000-07:00

Hoping for a Change? and it is happening?

New year, new beginning

2006-04-13T22:58:00.000-07:00

Hopefully this new year, will fulfill the hopes and aspirations of every one. Wishing all of you a very happy new year.

ஏல்லொருக்கும் என் இனிய தமிழ்புத்தான்டு நல் வழ்த்துக்கள்

eppadikku

Vaazhakayla ethellaam sahajama ? - 2

2006-04-11T15:19:00.000-07:00

Him and her and married for the past one year, conversation on a sunday afternoon!!

him: ennama pannara
her: vera enna samachundrukken enna sollu?
him: ethaavathu help venuma?
her: enna athisayama help ellam kekkara?
her: ennathukko scene podara..ennannu solli thola
him: nallavaalukku vara vara intha lokathula kaalame ellaama pochu
her: amaan..correctaa sollara..athu nallavalukku thaan apply aakum
her: onakku ella
him: sigh!!
her: seri romba feel pannatha..enna vishayamnu sollu
him: en cousin K yoda kalyanatha pathi sonnene nyabakam irukka?
her: athukka enna ippo, athuthaan leave ellathathu naaala pokalenu decide pannome
him: athaan me re thinking..appa romba kekkara varamudiyumaaanu
her: seri neevena poyittuva..
him: nee ellaama..thaniyaa elaam pona seri varaaathu ma..
her: avlo feel pannarena pokaaatha
him: ella nee leave try poda try pannen
her: try panniyaachu nu sonnene..
him: hmm
her: ennaa
him: ella onnum ella
her: amaan en chithi payyan kalyanathukku vara sonnapa ellam vetti reasons kudutha
her: naan valid reason sonaalum hmm nu solllu onakku ithe velyaa pochu
him: apdi podu, enakku appove theriyum vera etho manasula vechurukkenu
seri paravaala po
her: appadi ellam onnum ella
him: pinna atha pathi, en sonna
her: athu vanthu.......
him: amaaam vanthu poyinu.......
her:

Rest to the readers imagination!!

eppadikku

Why boys go to temples?

2006-04-05T14:34:00.000-07:00

Ok this is a forward that i got from my friend, I totally do not
approve of it, but then it was too good so I had to put it.!!

Why do boys goes to temples?
Becoz temple is the only place where u can find..

Pooja
Bhawna
Shraddha
Aarti
Archana
Aradhana
Shanti
Jyoti
Tripti

ROTFL :)
enzoi
eppadikku

Sanity Lost

2006-03-31T10:34:00.000-08:00

http://www.ndtv.com/morenews/showmorestory.asp?category=National&slug=Madurai+hostel+invades+teenage+privacy&id=86169

Pathetic disgusting :(

eppadikku

Thou has been tageth!!

2006-03-24T12:09:00.000-08:00

Hi, Have been tagged by Ponnarasi :)

Movies I would watch over and over again:

Mouna Ragam
Poovellaam kettu paar
Kanda Naal Mudhal
Avvai Shanmughi

TV shows I love to watch:

Everybody loves Raymond ill say all time fav.
PBS Frontline
Simpsons
Seinfeld, Joey, Friends, Practice, some times CSI, Law and Order, Numbers,
Comedy time,

My favourite foods :

Any nicely made vegetarian food wud do. Rather has to be well made.!!
Pongal Chutney
Thayir saadam
Aviyal
Vatha kozhambu

My Greatest victories :

Appadi greatnu sollikarathukku onnum kedayaathu, the average guy!!

Things that I hate

People with attitude problems.
The great Indian management system in one word to "SHOUT" to get things done.

Great Personalities I would like to dine with

Bill Clinton, wanna be in the line of the charm and charisma offensive..

Things I dream often

I better not tell this!!

The reason is I like poovellam kettupaar is I thot comedy in that was class.

Madhu to Driver : On peru enna
Driver: paal paandi
Madhu: athu enna paal paandi, appa peru enna
Driver: Venna govindan
Madhu: On peru paal paandi, appa peru venna govindan, thaatha peru enna thayir vada desikana?? ore aavin family aa iruppenga polarukku

ROTFL :)))))

eppadikku
Vijay

Vaazhakayla ethellaam sahajama???

2006-03-16T13:16:00.000-08:00

Cast: Him, her and hers' mother
Scene: Him watching tv in the living room, tv has a above normal volume.

Her is calling him from the upper floor, in the top of her voice,
incidentally by the time cooker is also making noise, the one with the sustained whistle.

Why and what would him do? any ideas?

Think.

Now lets rewind a bit and analyze the scene.
For communication to happen between the two, the volume of the tv has to be reduced or the cookers aduppu
has to be simmed / turned off? correctaa??

Let us look at two possible scenarios.

The regular him
#############
Background noises, TV and Cooker

Her: enga koncham vaayen, i need some help [literally shouting]
Him : "in bliss"
Her: hello..naan sollarathoonum kaathula vizhalayaa...enga kocham vanthu thola...
him: [hears her faint voice, gets up reduces the tv volume, takes care of the cooker and
responds back to her] tho varen ma en kathara molla sonna poraatha, naan vara maatena enne? :)
her: kizhinjidhu po onna solli kutham ella :)

The more smart him
################
Background noises, TV and Cooker
Her: enga koncham vaayen, i need some help [literally shouting]
Him : "in bliss"
Her: hello..naan sollarathoonum kaathula vizhalayaa...enga kocham vanthu thola...
Him : "continues to be in bliss"
her: [comes down takes care of the cooker, and come near him ]
her: enna kooptadhu kaadhula vizhalaya???
him: ellaye ma neekooptaya enna?
him: [seeing her reduces tv volume] cooker sathathula kaathula vizhunthurukkaathu hehehe :)
him: enna vishayamnu sollu
her: onnkitta sollarathukku naane panniduven nee okkantha vakkanayaa tv ya paaru po.!!
him: :)

Intha situation, enna difference him seata vittu ezhunthrikkavellla,
and cooker / and hers job were taken care off automatically.

moral : So cookerum herum senthu koopta enna pannum onna pannakoodaathu,
things will take care of themselves heheheeeeeeeeee heeeeee :)

eppadikku

ps. update: humble request, just a joke, fun situation, unintentional happenings of life. As tamil ponnu suggests, antha maathiri ellam onnum ellai, have great respect for women.

Friday fun!!!

2006-03-10T07:53:00.000-08:00

This is a collection of leave letters and applications written by people in various places of India .

1. In*****, Bangalore : An employee applied for leave as follows:
Since I have to go to my village to sell my land along with my wife, please sanction me one-week leave.

2. This is from Or**** Bangalore:
From an employee who was performing the "mundan" ceremony of his 10 year old son: "as I want to shave my son's head, please leave me for two days.."

3. Another gem from CD**. Leave-letter from an employee who was performing his daughter's wedding:
"as I am marrying my daughter, please grant a week's leave.."

4. From H** Administration dept:
"As my mother-in-law has expired and I am only one responsible for it, please grant me 10 days leave."

5. Another employee applied for half day leave as follows:
"Since I've to go to the cremation ground at 10 o-clock and I may not return, please grant me half day casual leave"

6. An incident of a leave letter
"I am suffering from fever, please declare one day holiday."

7. A leave letter to the headmaster:
"As I am studying in this school I am suffering from headache. I request you to leave me today"

8. Another leave letter written to the headmaster:
"As my headache is paining, please grant me leave for the day."

9. Covering note: "I am enclosed herewith..."

10. Another one:
"Dear Sir: with reference to the above, please refer to my below..."

11. Actual letter written for application of leave:
"My wife is suffering from sickness and as I am her only husband at home I may be granted leave".

12. Letter writing: -
"I am in well here and hope you are also in the same well."

13. A candidate's job application:
"This has reference to your advertisement calling for a ' Typist and an Accountant - Male or Female'...As I am both(!! )for the past several years and I can handle both with good experience, I am applying for the post

Some more fun.
Check this link out http://callcentermovie.com/movie/movie.html
PS. Its a video, pure fun, I didnt make the video, dont blame me if you dont like it :)

Read between lines!!

2006-03-06T09:08:00.000-08:00

Life la ithelaam romba sahajam :)

Scene :
Time morning 10 am both her and him in office..her calls him up,

him: ennama sollu
her: last week pona trip photos ellam upload pannirukken
him: hmm ok link anuppu paakkaren
her: naan already anupichutene..paakaala..?
him: hmm ok antha maila...
her: appo naan anupicha maila nee thorakkavelaya?.
him: ellama koncham bizee..athunala details paakala..
her: athule ore oru line link irukku athu kooda va therla
her: naan email potta nee thorakka maatela..?
him: appadi ella ma
her: ella nee onnum sollatha..i can read between lines
him: huh ...read between linesaaa.!!!!!
him: there is only white space between the lines...

hehehe :)
Conclusion that I am leaving it to the readers imagination.

eppadikku
Vijay

C25 to B16

2006-02-21T15:18:00.000-08:00

You might be wondering what is the title about.
Its about my trip to Atlanta for the weekend.
My route..didnt look very strange when bought the tickets, but looks like it is a quite strange one. Phoenix to Chicago [O Hare] to Atlanta.:))

Well the onward journey was pretty ok, it was a red eye flight. now I know why they call it "red eye", the imminent lack of sleep in the "comfortable" economy class of the airline is going to evidently give you a red eye in the morning.

I was in Chicago at 3 in the morning, had a onward flight to Atlanta in another hour or so. The gates were pretty far off though. Since I had a lot of time, I walked around slowly gazing around the bizeeest ariport of the world?. Took the flight to atlanta, reach Jackson Hartsfield Intl airport, second bizeeeeeeeest? airport of the world. Guess they are in competition as to who is the bizeest.

Went to the Coca Cola center, Fernbank history of natural museum rest of the time ate and slept. 3 days and it was time to fly back, same route ATL to Chicago and to Phoenix, with a 90 minute stopover at Chicago.

Every thing was ok until now, the flight to Chicago was delayed by and hour, read as an hour and 15 mts, ok so that leaves me with how much time in Chicago? approx 15 mts. I was pretty sure by then, that I was gonna miss my connecting flight, was enquiring about alternate options, and guess what the alternate option provided by the airline people was to put on the next flight from Chicago which was the next day in the morning, and so me will be stuck overnite in the terminal, which is not a very pleasant option.

My other option was to sprint to my connecting flight, even if I had 5 mts, I decided to give this a shot. So finally the flight took of from Atlanta "on-time", ["apparently once a flight is rescheduled to another time, and it leaves on that time, it is supposed to be on-time" morons!!!!!!!]. The flight attendant was announcing to the passengers to get settled fast so that we can have an on-time departure, well it was already re-scheduled so technically its not on-time and we were late by 15 mts even with the new-time to be on-time. So I said spotaneously from my seat "its already late so how can it be on-time" every body was staring at me, thinking I am nuts or some thing. Apparently I was a bit loud :)) guess they didnt know what was going on in my mind. !!!

And so I reached Chicago 25mts prior to my departure of my connecting flight, but by the time I came out i had only a 5-7 mts left. Well I saw the sign board, it said boarding, I decided to sprint. Man That was one hell of a run, was running like crazeeee thru the ariport ran from c25-b16, believe me it was freaking far off, I reached my connecting flight like a few seconds before they decided to close the door. I was dead meat by then. I went into the aircraft, my seat it was the freaking last seat in the plane. 26F. When I was walking thru the corridor, the captain, announced some thing " u might have seen the dashing passenger from the delayed atlanta flight," I waved my hand to every one and walked thru, guess I was totally nuts by then.

Previous day only I had seen Dil Chahtha Hain in Atlanta, Aamir gets Preity Zinta in the next seat when they go to Sydney. I hope for such an encounter all the time, more so this time, coz the movie was fresh in my mind and whom do I get an old couple next to me, who were according to me a bit too overtly passionate about their intimate innuendos, yuck.. and the ones in front of me were boozing, whisky, it was STINKING..........wosht and a guess what the biggest bonus of last seat, the soothing sound of flush running in the restrooms with periodic intervals. !!!!

Encounter my foot, Preity Zinta in my dreams, ah well thats what happened, Since I was so tired, I put my jacket over my head and slept. The next four hours was bliss, woke up when it touched down in Phoenix.

Home sweet home. :) Swargame endraalum nammoora pola varuma??

eppadikku

Life

2006-02-10T10:33:00.000-08:00

In response to the pathetic last week that I had, this is the reponse that I had got from my dad.

Life as lived by a person depends largely on how he lives it rather than by any other standard. Moments of joy and depression are purely reflections of the above aspect in the sense how one takes them. However when one growsup he is groomed into a shape purely by his surroundings consisting of parents, circumstances, friends, and guides. Generally the ebb and flow, pitfalls and heights in life are the terms used generally in this context. The person who develops a sense of roadrollerness on these is not agitated at any point of time. The consciousness and awareness of this also adds up to his strength. As Milton points out that it is our own making of the mind that makes a hellof a heaven or a heaven of a hell. In other words the unconcernedness about these matters develops in the person who has the correct knowledge of these matters.

Life is generally lived on relative comforts. The rich and the poor, the happy and the melancholy, haves and have-nots powerful and weak are purely relative terms defined according to situations. Life beyond these concepts is always blissful.

I think he has quoted this from one his favourite books.
Simply amazing, have never come across such a melliflous flow of words in recent times. Brought a smile onto my face :)

Couple of articles showing both ends of life. Check them out here and here.
ps. Lnks from Sandhya's and Subha's blog

Ill end the week with this favourite saying of mine from Plato

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle."

eppadikku

Good year!!

2006-02-07T13:33:00.000-08:00

I am not talking about the tire company. duh!!!

How do u classify a year like , "this years' been good"
Do u want the year end on a good note, even though in general the year though out was bad. Or, u think it cud have been worse? and it was just bad. Are u the person who wants the year to start off well, how it may end, since the previous year ending was bad. Some sort of a fresh start philosophy.

What ever be the case, so far this year has been pathetic for me!! probably too early to say, but I am allowed to say it in one of those categories.

Stench of money is un-bearable.

2006-02-03T13:07:00.000-08:00

I probably have said this a quite a few times, I read a lot of newspapers, TOI, IHT, Nytimes, Wash Post, + Samachar, Guardian, The Dawn.. + samachar and all sundry websites...such as outlook, the-week, india-today etc..I am generally the read-whole-paper-types everything from international politics to fashion and the local real estate market. The only section I skip is the sports, since I am not that comfortable with wrestling based games !!.. I was referring to American football.

I was looking at the money section of USA Today paper, a few days back, it portrayed the exact state of corporate affairs a HUGE MESS.

News article 1 ->
1.Black berry legal dispute threatening to shut down the whole blackberry email system, looks like this has infected couple of other players of the same genre.
Amt: Running into 10 of millions of dollars in royalties and fines.

2.
The Enron trial starts in Houston, after Jury selection. As you all know Enron was a power company, who debacle was the mother and father of all modern day debacles.
Amt: Running to 1000's of millions of dollars

3. For all you oracle fans, the CEO LE, has been accused of spending lavishly. A series of secret emails between him and his personal financial advisor, were released to the public after a law suit that was filed by a share holder.
Amt : He is worth $16.1bn, in contention running into hundreds of millions of dollars

4. For all you Citibank fans, the former executive of the company was accused by the SEC[securities and exchange commission] of insider trading. He settled the dispute for a fine, and final statement on the verdict, "he neither denied, nor admitted of any wrong doing".
DUh!!!!!!!Crap.
Amt: Approx ~ $30m.

5. For all u Microsoft fans.
Recently in the WEF, the MIT Media labs came out with a new low priced laptop, like a $100 one, which would provided to third world and under developed communities. The UN is supporting the plan by adopting the plan, and has pledged to pump in $100m in the lab. Well what does Bill think about this, he says tried and tested technologies like cell phones shud be used, and any laptop without connectivity portrays a lack of far sightedness and spells doom, connectivity more than using the apps in the comp is the need. What the detractors say, Bill is pissed that the laptop is not running Windows. My Verdict: I support Bill's argument, sounds reasonable to me.
Amt: At stake is the spread of windows OS at the grass root levels, 100's of millions of dollars

eppadikku
Vijay

Time to stop the cacaphony!!!!..

2006-01-27T15:36:00.000-08:00

I dont know how many of you are following the drama unfolding in Bangalore, in the Karanataka Legislative assembly. For sure I have been following the confidence motion. If I am not wrong this all, it started off with the son the erstwhile great PM HDDG, broke away a faction of the JD(S) Janata Dal secular.

This breaking away or the defection, made me look into the anti-defection of the Indian constitution. If I remember rite the anti-defection law was first enacted in 1985 during RG's tenure as PM? I dont exactly remember.

But subsequently there have been quite a lot changes, with the latest change in 2003, where you need the support of two thirds of the legislators to break, or the legislators will be disqualified under the ani-defection law. Well this is exactly what koomarasaami has done. The law is very interesting, those who are interested should check out the various provision of the law. To my knowledge, it has put to rest, a number of modern day political quagmires.

Well coming back to the drama, that has unfolded, just checked the news, and the confidence motion was never moved. This is precisely called BS in sharp terms. The CM has stated the pandemonium on the floor of the house, did not allow for the moving of the motion. From the news that I got from a prominent daily, it said the house functioned normally, which obituary motions going thru during the day.

My reaction DUHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Obituary motions, what CRAP when the order of the day was to move the confidence motion. I really dont understand the behavior of the CM, in spite of being asked by the governor to prove his majority on the floor of the house today.

I am not sure what kind of reaction the seasoned political commentator would appraise of such a complacent behaviour.
"A constitutional crisis" is what most the people seem to portraying the current situation.

I say BS, it is a simple and effective means to extend by some more time the life of the government, extending the political bickering that has been going on for a while, and if possible get some thing out of this, by hook or crook.

I cant beleive this is happening. Such behaviour, is reprehensible and shud be condoned period. I mean the gov. issue in Bihar, and this shud be enuf to ring alarm bells, in the chambers of the constitutional quarters.

I mean, what is it coming to, complacency with respect to constitutional matters has become a joke, is becoming the order of the day. Corrective and responsible measures shud be adopted immediately, otherwise people will start losing faith in the system. Not that people are not losing it now, incident like these will hasten the process.

Stricter punishment should be meted out to people meddling with constitional affairs. It shud be made extremely clear that, such behaviour will not be tolerated and that the consequences of such actions will be devastating to our nation.

People say that values and ethos that used to exist in the echelons of the Indian polity seems to have vanished. I firmly believe they do not exist.

Verdict

It is high time we put an end to this cacaphony and adopt stern and effective measures against the abuses meted out to our constitution. Other wise, it will cause irrepairable damage to the foundation of our "democratic" system

eppadikku

ps. This article is my personal view, the actions of the state CM, might well be with in purview the loop holes of the law, but unfortunately as a common man, I neither see them nor believe that I need to see them, atleast for this situation.

pps. Well initially I wanted to name this post, cacaphony of the pachyderm, [no pun intented], I meant the huge Indian polictical class. Didnt sound too well, so dropped the idea.

Thathuvams..redefined!!

2006-01-20T15:13:00.000-08:00

I have been getting quite a few of these in forwards, thot of posting them
Enjoy.

1
Nama evalavu vegama nadanthaalum
Oru kaal munnadi pona
oru kaal pinnadithaan pogum!!

2
KOSU KADICHA YAANAKAL VARUM AANA
YAANA KADICHA KOSUKAL VARADU....

3
Key boardla key irrukkum Anna
Mother boardla mother irrukkuma

4
ennala thathuvam solla mudiyum.... aana
andha thathuvathaala enna solla mudima???

5
yevalavu kuttaya irunthalum highheels pottu
uyarama aagalam anna
evvalavu uyarama irunthalum low heels pottu
kuttaya aagamudiyaathu.

6
Butter'fly fly agum ........
Catter'pillar pillar aguma?

6
Ennadhan aeroplane mela parandhaalum
Petrol poda keelathaan varanum

7
cauli"flower" a thalaila vaikamudiyadhu!!!
electri"city"la thangamudiyadhu!!!
kallli"pal" la coffe poda mudiyadhu!!!
Filter"gold" a adagu vaika mudiyadhu!!!!
iduthan vaazhkai!!!

8
kosu kadicha tortoise aethivakkalam aana
tortoise kadicha kosu aethivakka
mudiyumaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

9
Pulli maan odambu poora pulli irukum,
ana kannukutti udambu poora kannu irukadhu...

10
Evvaloo kaasu kuduthu planela poolaanum,
Jannala tharanthu vedikkaa paakka mudiyaathu

11
kosu unnai kadichi ratham kudikalam ana
nee kosuva kadichi ratham kudikka mudiyathu

12
Palkova paallla seyyalam aana…
rasagulla rasathulla seyya mudiyumma?????

13
Tea cupula tea irukkum….
World cupla world irukkuma???????

14
Anna wifea anninu koopudalaam aana…
thambi wifea thanninu koopda mudiyathu

15
Thogarathukku munnadi thoonga porenu sollalam aana…….
enthirikarathukku
munnadi enthirika porenu sollamudiuma ????????

16
Thannilla kappal pona jolly….
Kappalkulla thanni pona gali………

17
Soda va fridge la vaicha cooling sodaaagum…..
anna adhae soda va washing machine la vaicha washing soda aagumma.?

18
Arisi mava vachu lolam podalam aana…
kola maava vachu arisi poda mudiyumma…..

My favourite 16...the best one :),
which one do u like?

eppadikku

Amazing voice!!

2006-01-19T21:41:00.000-08:00

I got a bunch of new CD's from my sisters place. Out of that were the popular traditional krithis sung my Chinmaya Sisters.

Check out the CD cover, I have just become addicted to their voice, man amazing renditions.
Especially himagiri thanaye in Suddha Dhanyasi and Janani Ninnuvina in reethigowlai..my favs.:)

Thai piranthaaal vazhi pirakkumm is that rite...??
All you have a wonderful weekend.
I am looking to couple of events here in Phoenix, Srinivasa Kalyana Utsavam in a local temple and Tamil Sangam pongal celebrations.

eppadikku

Smart?

2006-01-17T13:04:00.000-08:00

Picked this from another blog..

76% scored higher (more stupid),

4% scored the same, and

20% scored lower (less stupid).

What does this mean? You are 20% stupid. This means...

You are far from stupid. Congrats on a great accomplishment!

U guys might be thinking I am total vetti..i am not ok guys..this was pretty small q'uire.. :)) and since it says I am pretty smart, I am not giving my regular analysis. This is my take on it, its just that what we feel is what we are..what u say? and need to have the rite attitude, not feel too smart or dumb.

Belated pongal wishes..
Went to Austin and San Antonio in Texas for the weekend.
eppadikku
Vijay

Moving

2006-01-11T15:19:00.000-08:00

I recently saw a post on moving from one place to another. This is an all to familiar aspect of my great life. Well since my dad was in an occupation, whereby we had to shift places every 2-3 years, we have shifted soooooooooooooooooooooo many times.

Although at the time of the actual shift that was like a routine operation for us, it seems like a nightmare now. I shifted only once in the US, that too I had a car and a U-Haul truck at my disposal, I was just moving a mile away. Even that seemed endless, I mean me and my room mate almost 10 trips in our cars after we moved the heavy furniture using the U-Haul truck. Man it was horrible. Compare it with those days, we were from city to city and state to state packing every thing, we didnt have a car, all of us used to pack stuff, and un pack it was a mammoth affair.

Just to give an idea how much I have moved. I was born in Ernakulam in kerala, from there we moved to Hyderabad, AP. After being there for two years, we moved to kaladi, Kerala [ yes, the same place where Adi Shankarar lived], from there to Angamally, Kerala [Angamally is nearby to Kaladi so not that bad]. Mean while I was in Srirangam with my aunt for a couple of years, and then we joined my family in Angamally, from there to Trivandrum, moved apts in Tvm once from one end of city to another, from there to Hyd for a period of three years..this time to Secunderabad moved within Sec'bad once from there back to Trivandrum. After a year and a half there we moved to another house, as soon as we moved he was transferred to Bhavnagar in Gujarat...man..that was the worst. We remained in TVM moved to another really small apt, and then he came back, we moved to a bigger house and then he was transferred to Kottayam in Kerala from we came to Trivandrum, mean while I was in Kollam for Engg and I came to the US, mean while my dad he was transferred to Hyderabad again, retired from there and went to Madurai.

Howzzzzzzzzzzzzz it???

The move from Kottayam to TVM last leg I did it on my own,
truck packed for 3-4 days, man it was one hell of a week.
Hats off to my dad :)

Now that u know I have moved so much, u guys must be wondering how the hell
did i go to school, do not worry my schooling part has also seen enuf action.

lkg ukg..did not go, didnt work out, thats what I was told.
Grade 1 : Srirangam
Grade 2 : 6 months in Alwaye, kerala
3,4 : did the remaining 6 months in TVM along with grade 3 and 4
5: Another school in TVM
6,7,8 : Sec'bad.
9,10: Another school in TVM.
Predegree 2 Years Govt .Arts College TVM. [ Why did I mention the name here, I am proud of it, as it will go down as one of the worst colleges in the history of mordern day education]
Engg: 3 week in one engg college , got transferred to Kollam.
Finished up and reached the US, and on top of that a freaking four years of Masters program.

Frankly speaking the 4 year stint that I had in US in the same apt is probably the longest I had in any place, this place feels more like home to me now.

Net effect - i hated school, no good friends from school, had language problems every where, got beaten up by language teachers , especially the hindi teacher in Sec'bad. Never learnt any language properly, ended up learning beefed up versions of english, in the name of special english, which was sooooooooo tough, ultimately did well though.

It would sound silly but wish I could go back and beat the crap out of teachers, who dared to beat me :)), man I was so powerless then. The only place I enjoyed was the two years of pre-degree.
My performance, its better that I dont talk about it here!!!!

Well looking at the positive side of things, I am pretty fluent in tamil, malayalam, and hindi, and also understand quite a bit of telugu, me interact with a laaaaaaaarge set of people.
Music/movies from all languages.

What are ur opines about moving? bad good?

Break happenings!!!!!!!

2006-01-06T12:09:00.000-08:00

Really belated new year wishes to every one..I know its been a week, I have been kind of running around inside my apt so cudnt find time to blog. Ithellam koncham too much thaan aaanaalum ethaavathu reason ezthuthanume.

I was planning to hit California to my sisters place during the Christmas break., I had a a 4 day weekend. But unfortunately due to some last minute developments my friend cud'tnt make, I ended up making the trip all alone. I drove 800 miles to and fro alone. When I was going I was all enthu kind of looking forward to seeing my sis after a long time, when I was coming back I was tired and bored, my whole body was aching, I couldnt drive as fast, as I was driving my own car, I felt bad each time I crossed 85mph. Well that was that.

Newyear break went to Saguaro Lake in Tonto national forest, it was just 30 miles from Phoenix. To give you guys an idea -- this is what it looks like

Pic from go-arizona.com

Then that saturday on Newyears' eve I had called a professors family for lunch. He is a very good friend of mine. He had come with his wife and two and kids and his mom and dad. I thought of moving away from the traditional menu, instead ended up making lots more.

The menu

Elumbicham pazhma saadam - Lemon rice
Thengai saadam - Coconut rice
Morkozhambu and Appalam, this was group 1 and was the original plan which was supposed to be the change.
After this I ended up making
Cabbage kootu, Murungakkai + vengayam arachu vita sambhar and Rasam.

Guess the best part was I was able to obtain a bottle of mahani pickle, not sure how many people have tasted it, it was my favourite when I was a kid, those days morla pottu vechuruppa. These days it comes in orappu fashion, but it still is good. I have been improving too, the quantity was perfect, we had the stuff enuf for one more neram. Ended the food marathon by tipping off with suda suda filter coffee :)

pic from www.answers.com

And the mami ..the profs mom was impressed by my cooking she kept saying again and again that "onakku vara ponnu romba kuduthuvechavanu", I said I am going to tell the girl I meet that I dont know to cook, ella apram vazhka fulla naan cook and shell be eating cookies.:) . Overa thambattam adikkarena..kandukaaatheenga. :))

That day evening I had attended one of the desi new year party, no offence meant, but since I didnt know a lot of people there and most of the people were married-with-kids-types-discussing-kids-progress-in-day-care types, wasnt of much interest to me.

Ithula the person whom I had gone with also kept kaalavaaring me by telling everyone that "ivanukku kalyanathukku paathundrukka" , then theyll ask "oh appadiyaanu" oru nakkala oru ili ver..errrr.. Enakku ithu ellam thevaya ellam neram. I am not elaborating too much into that process, athu oru thani post. The best part is everybody gives me suggestion saying use tamilmatrimony.com, then after some deep thinking it struck me, they are sponsoring some program in Suntv am i rite? thatswhy..

Well as I said this being a desi party there were kids and every body left at 11.00pm isnt that cool, a new years party ending at 11 pm. :)), so me also came home with the family I had gone.

I was planning to hit the Tempe block party, it is one of the ten best block parties in the US, theryll be like 80000 people in downtown tempe with 10 live music shows, food and what not, well as soon as I reached home I was dead tired so just slept. Looking on the positive side I lost the $15 that I paid for the tickets.

/*********************************************************************************/

Well its been a year since Tsunami struck, and this year it was the turn of Katrina and others.
I remembered this convo; sorry guys and I had to post it.

This is a real conversation between a son and a dad that and I was hearing them,
this happened when I was in India

he : Appa naaan rendu maasathukku san hose poren
He's appa: seri, ennikku kalambara
he: intha weekend pa.
he's appa: enda anga itha katrina kuppa kazhutha ellam kadayaathe, news la ellam
athan kaamichundrukaaan
he: ellappa..hurricane athellam near east coast, naan porathu west coast, anaa kuppa kazhuthai pathi enakku theriyaaathu poyittu phone pannaren..
hes appa: intha nakkalukku onnum korachal ella
hes appa: amaan entha hurricane kku ellam yaaru peru vekkara
he: us la weather center thaan..they have a set of names [ he explains the stuff]
hes appa: en eppa pathaalum entha maathiri kristhuva perave vekkara...
he: huh
he: sutham hurricane evlo per kashta padaraale athapathi ellam vittudu, peru thaan ornakku periaya vishayam
he: adutha tharava Indiala tsunami varumbothu venum na sreenivasa naryanannu peru vekka sollu
hes appa : "mum"
me : LOLLLLLLLLLLLLL
haaahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa with he's appa staring at me :))

Hope such incidents never happen again!!!
/*********************************************************************************/

Well and boom start of another year..wish you all a fabulous year ahead.

eppadikku
Vijay

OP-J-G-PC-PJ

2005-12-29T14:18:00.000-08:00

Opinionated, Judgemental generalistic pre-conceived notions pre-judge

Are these qualities as bad as people portray them. But i find a lot of people are judgemental opinionated and helluva lot of people have pre conceived notions about a lot of things. I am not saying I am not any of these rather I dont know which qualities I possess. But what I have seen is a lot of people posses atleast one of these qualities very few have none. Are these qualities something people just come up with or what?

For eg I have A has a conversation with B, and they end up having a difference of opinion by virtue of the topic of discussion, and A finds that the other person has the so called pre-conceived notions" not based on facts. So what happens for any subsequent conversations and discussions that A has with B, A ends up thinking that B arguements' are not based on facts. A's judgement is based on the fact that on previous occassions B has behaved in similar fashion.

Well as it turns out A might was not right in this time around.

Do u get A's predicament?

Would you say A is generalisitic and judgemental?

Now u might be thinking what next? and why am I writing this now good question?

What I feel is that as long as people are reasonably flexible they seem to accept each others arguement and keep going. The so called qualities like opionated, judgemental and all other sophisiticated crap is all crap, I have a general name for such people and ladies and gentlemen they are called STUBBORN ;

and another thing judging people based on differences of opinion is as judgemental and generalistic it can get or what ever.!!!!!!!!!!!!

New post

2005-12-27T14:32:00.000-08:00

Annoucing a start of series on current affairs on the focus group blog.
Please do check out indialistens.blogspot.com

Thanks
Vijay

Its not always about food isnt it..

2005-12-18T14:41:00.000-08:00

Well this is a weekend post.
watched 5 movies
Ishq, Puthiuya Mugham, Hitch, Pitch fever, Dhill attended the AZ malayali association christmas celebrations and cooked well ate well..
Now you guys must be thinking what a vetti guy, well just decided to take a break, since most the weekends I am doing some thing or the other, and what happens, weekends become much hectic than weekdays itself.

All you of have a nice holiday season :) and have fun. Well didnt I say that I cooked well and ate well also, well looks like I did didnt I ??

Rite now I am totally immersed in the song Jagadaananda Kaaraka, its one of the best songs written by St.Thayagaraja, its a pacharathana krithi in Naatai just cant seem to have enough of it, have been listening to so many versions of it. The one by Radha Jayalkshmi [they are my all time fave] is just amazing. All pancharathna krithis of St.Thayagaraja just shows the mastery that he had over the art form. Check them out, when ever u get time :)

Tagged..and tagged..and tagged....

2005-12-13T19:38:00.000-08:00

Visits had tagged me long time..back..me sick and sitting at home, so thot of finishing this up :) Entha maathiri tag kandu pidikkaravangala, nadu roadula niruthi...ella vendaaamm... have fun
:)

10 favorites:

Favorite Season: December other wise pretty hot here
Favorite Sport : Cricket
Favorite Time: Sunrise
Favorite Month: dunno
Favorite Actor: Surya
Favorite Actress: Shobana
Favorite Icecream: Butter pecan
Favorite Food: Traditional South Indian
Favorite Drink: Coffee
Favorite Place: India

9 currents:

Current Feeling: Heavy..i have a bad flu
Current O/S: Windows XP
Current Windows open: Firefox, Notepad
Current Drink: Water
Current Time: 8.26PM
Current Mobile(s) used: Sasung X495
Current show on TV: CSI Miami
Current Thought: looking at tamilmatrimony website..u can guess
Current Cloth: White t-shirt, veshti

8 Firsts:

First nick: hmmm
First kiss: Not yet
First crush: Kajol
First computer: 486 XT-AT
First vehicle I drove: Avon cycle..then vespa scooter
First job: Design engineer, current job
First movie I watched on Pulse Global's Print: whaaaaaaaaat??
First pet: no pets
First shave (men)/Hairstyle (women): 13 14? 15aaa nyabagam ellai

7 lasts:

Last chai (tea): An hour back
Last movie: Two weeks notice [Sandra bulloc, Hugh Grant]
Last time I drove: Evening
Last time shaved (men) / Beauty parlor visit (women): YEsterday
Last website visited: Visithra blog to get this tag :)
Last software installed: AVS Video converter
Last pill I had: Advil..today afternoon..I am off today..sick..having flu :(

6 Have you evers:

Have you ever broken the law: Yes
Have you ever been drunk: No
Have you ever climbed a tree: No
Have you ever kissed someone you didnt know: nooooo never
Have You Ever Been in the Middle/Close to Gunfire or Bomb Blast: No.
Have you ever broken anyone's heart: Heartaa..sutham...appadina enna??

5 Things:

Things you can hear right now: The humming sound of the huge fan on top of P4 3.2 GHz processor
Things on your computer table: Speakers, hardisks, cellphone, postits CD;s
Things on your bed: Pillows and comforter
Things you ate today: maggi, puliyodharai and thayir saadham
Things in mind: check current thot :) and tomm meeting

4 places you have been today:

India store
SInce I am sick didnt even step out any where else

3 people you can tell anything to:

My sis and my friends

2 choices

Black or white: Black
Hot or cold: cold

1 thing you want to do before you die:
Tag visithra :)...just kidding..rather never tag her again ..lesson learnt :)...

eppadikku

AN OPEN INVITATION to FOCUS INDIA!!!!!!!

2005-12-09T11:14:00.000-08:00

Ok this might seem a bit odd..but I have been wanting to do for a long time.and frankly its not a new idea.

Then what the hell is it?

What --> I want to start a group blogging initiative.

What is it about -->My idea is some thing like a focus group, strictly related to various issues facing our country rite now.

Why now -->After seeing posts related to Anjali Gupta and Bachan and Manjunath IIT issue and others, I feel there are a lot of people who are so well interested in these current issues, and would like to express their opinions, and that a combined effect would be much effective.

Sounds like Desipundit --->Tru, but it is going to be totally different, these are going to be personal opines, sarcastic ones, just plain different views of people from various parts of the world. The suttle differences will be more evident once its up and running.

They can just post opines in their own blogs..why here ??
Well as I said earlier, combined initiative gives strength, same posts in their own blogs and in the focus groups, I am in no way affecting the individual blogs initiatives, rather garnering individual strengths and putting them together.

What kind of posts this group is expecting?
Individual opines about any compelling issues, which affects our country. I dont expect it to be written in superlative english, any decent post would do. Thats my point, I want individual opines of a lot of people put together. Any thing from a water problem in ur area, to muncipal elections, report about a teacher in the local school who made a difference in the community to bigger issues like nuclear power and what not. One post may have multiple portions from different contributors. The usual laws of blogging apply ..to be more aptly said what ever individual blogger thinks is fine is fine. There will be lighter posts in the weekends.

Will this be a ever expanding group??
In a way yes and no, I beleive not everybody is interestedin current affairs, so initially well start of with whom so ever is interested. Next goal would be increase awareness,and then probably if more people are interested we can go on from there.

Will this become unmanageable with too many posts?

There will be restriction on the number of posts per day.

Wont there be any review of the posts?

There will be, a simple majority among the posting members wuddo. [We can change this as we evolve]

Any other rules??

Blasphemy, intentional offending should be avoided. [Thisll expand]

Frankly this blog is not for such points, I hope its clear.

Seems confusing, what will this initiative acheive?

This is not a news paper or some sort of sting blog, where therell be sensational news, I beleive there is enuf news floating around, which requires deeper attention, discussion and mostly involvement of a lot of people, and awareness, and by this combined effort I beleive a difference can be made.

Name??
indialistens.blogspot.com

I dont expect this initiative to be a sooper success rite away, I hope this is a small step towards the bigger picture. I know a lot of people are busy, so initially the whole effort would be to get more people in, so that we can keep going with atleast a post a day.

Those who are interested do lemme know @ indialistens at gmail dot com
Important update, please do send an email, Thanks

And another point, since my blog is not very popular, I will be requesting some big peoples' :) help to garner more support.

Sarcasm personified!!!!!!

2005-12-06T10:22:00.000-08:00

I saw this article in Vatsans blog, regarding all sorts of yagas and crap for Bachan, he had a cool set of statistics with respect to the state of affairs of the beaming economy of south asia. I was wanting to write this post with respect to peoples' reaction to an IITan who died. What the crap, why is there so much importance just when an IITan dies, there are so many people who die in India, since they dont get any mention, I believe IITan should also not get any importance. We are all equal, every body deserves to be treated equally badly atleast when they are dying. Period.

People who just conduct yagas others are just ignorant, look upto him as some hero, the worst thing is I saw an argument in Vatsan's blog where Jo [The great singer among us :)] had commented comparing the current situation with when Vajpayee was in Breach Candy hospital. Frankly I thought that was un fair comparison, Vajpayee is an elected leader, what ever said and done and keeping aside political affiliations, he was the image of the govermnent that the people of India elected to rule the country. He neither has the image nor the screen presence or the godly image that Bachan enjoys by virtue of his cinematic career. The point I wanted to make was yagas for Bachan bad, comparison was totally out of place, any way in either case, it is the ignorant lot that is performing all these crap. Hey Jo no offense meant ok. :)

I mean what is it with the IITans, their contribution to a country like India is not very high when compared to a lot of other people, for them to get so much limelight. Considering the fact that, they gobble up huge quantities of tax payers money, I mean I really fail to understand the point behind this whole "IIT" thing. I think IIM graduates are much better in this respect, considering the fact, they end up working in India itself and contributing to the economy. I personally feel glorification of "IIT", is going to create a lot of problems for an already divided country, I agree to a certain extent they are bright minds and such people deserve respect, but we have to consider ground reality, atleast when people get killed they deserve to get the same treatment as others, not withstanding differences such as which college he graduated from or which part of the town he is from.

But looking it from the other side, we should continue to glorify and many other divisive aspects of our conuntry since we strictly follow "unity in diversity", this shouldn't pose a problem for us.

I have a beautiful way of solving IIT problem, cut funding to IITs get the students to pay the tuition, common they get loans from "town"corps and "village"banks, being the robots they are many people around the world use them and they get paid handsomely, so I dont think they should have a problem repaying the loans. Or bring in schemes like chinese do, sponsor them let them go to US or where ever for higher education or employment for a fixed period of time, get the freaking idiots to come back and serve the country, or he pays up the money for the tuition.

But then for a country like India, where politicians have been gobbling up money for 15 generations together for the past 50 years, I think IITans are ok I guess, common we need equality, if they have the rite to gobble let us too.. what say uuuu..

I hope I made my point cleaaaaaaaaaaaar :) enna sollareenga..arasiyaalala ethellam romba sahajamappa.. :)

[Not so] Veera bengaala Mattai bommai!!!!!!!!!!!

2005-12-01T10:57:00.000-08:00

Fantastic forward that I got. :) Enjoy

Milekallu !!!!!!!

2005-11-29T12:50:00.000-08:00

Gmail milestone for me..
this might not be a big deal for all u email/net freaks...
but quite a achievement for me..

I have hit 3000 email conversations in gmail, is probably 10k emails seperately
with 200 megs of usage, basically I have been keeping up with the increase in the space provided by google. The usage has been constant for quite a while now !!!!

By the way for thanksgiving, flew to Philadelphia, and from there first day to DC and back, next to Pittsburgh and back. The Balaji temple there was really beautiful with all the snowy background, and also went round Pittsburgh downtown. The last day chill out with me visiting some local lakes and stuff. Will post pics if possible :)

eppadikku

Happy Thanksgiving

2005-11-24T16:38:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving holidays to all of you..

naalu naa leavu
naan kizhakku karai pakkam nandri kudukka poinndurkken..

Going to east coast for giving some thanks :)
Will post about the trip as soon as I am back

All of you have a safe and wonderful thanksgiving holidays

eppadikku

Bihar's Loo came just came tumbling down!!!!!!!

2005-11-22T08:36:00.000-08:00

After I saw Angels' comment..for a new post [Thanks Uma]..really got me thinking and I was planning to put a new post on PIGS ..read it poor indian graduate students... with Sathya..posting about them..here and here

But then I went back to reading news papers..in between, these are the list of news papers I read just to give you an idea..

BBC, Guardian
Times of India, Indian express, [ all and sundry in samachar.com]
Vikatan, Dina Thanthi..
New york times, Washington post.. and my fav MSNBC...Wall street Journal..
and occassionally deepika, and malayala manorama..
and I listen to NPR. in radio

Not exactly a total news freak... but a small one., so why am I all excited about the news today, because of this

End of the Laloo era..

[pic coutesy bbc website]

I still remember, not so long ago, when the cable tv was coming and news reporting was picking up in India, there was elections scheduled to be held in Bihar, and the chief election commissioner was the mighty TN Seshan [man he showed the authority and power that post can weild].

The earlier CEC, Peri Shastry died when in service [sethe ponaan], and Seshan took over, although there can be conflicting arguements about his ways after retirement, it is of my firm opinion that he was the one who established credibility in the Election process.

TN Seshan knew that the election process in Bihar was frought with problems, mostly a law and order problem, which were not conducive for the election process, gave orders for amassing of security troops.

It can safely said that he was the first one to identify the so called "BIHAR" problem, probably some of you may question my notion here??

During that Bihar election, the infamouns reporter [Not sure how many of you remember] Nalini Singh along with her camera men as part of the "newstrak" team, started sending shivers across the country when pictures of booth capturing and rigging started beaming across the nation. This is when I even knew that Bihar was such a huge problem, ever since Lalu has been ruling there, massive 15 years, it has come to an end now.

Having said that I am not too optimistic about the current situation. The "Bihar situation" is too complicated, too many people to appease, will be quite a political quagmire for any ruling coalition.

Well I certainly beleive its too early to say if Bihar has "turned a corner", but lets see how things progress.

eppadikku

Hi fivess !!!!!!!!

2005-11-14T21:35:00.000-08:00

This is the first of pool of tags that visitu is planning to throw on me??? enna correcta...

Five movies which like the most
1. Alaypayuthey
2. Mouna raagam
3. Agni Nakshathiram
4. Anjali
5. Kannathil Muthamittaaal
As you can I am a huge fan of Mani Rathnam....he is the best..

Five things I can never live without:
1. Kovil
2. Music
3. Kaarthaala kaaaapi...prefereably filter coffeee
4. Round table conference with my friends [ aka arattai arangam...wasting a lot of time.]
5. Saaapaaadu...[This shud have been first]...has to be south indian vegetarian..though...

Five characters in cinema I have crush on: [ This is not easy at all...i seem to like all the heroines...vayasu kolaaaro???]
1. Trisha in samy [ lakshanama irundha...]
2. Jo in KK
3. Shamiksha in Arindhum ariyaamalaum
4. Simran in Kannathil Muthamittal
5. Jo in DumDumDum

Five things I miss now:
1. Appa
2. My scooter in India [I used to have a old vespa..used to go around trivandrum]
3. Trivandrum shanghumugham beach [ There is a india coffee house perched near the beach...me and my friends used to have veg.cutlet and coffee..ahaaann...amazing aaa irukkum]
4. Madurai Meenakshi temple...kala kala nu...every its like thiruvizha there everyday....
5. Bajji and tea in my college canteen...[ Canteen used to be disgusting...well even the tea was not
some thing worth mentioning...but then after class...the tea and bajji along with hours of aratttai...
had different taste altogether...]

Five things I want to do in the near future:
1. Practice more guitar
2. Work out more
3. Read more technical papers.. i am totally out of touch with latest happenings...although i read quite a few related to my work...
4. Learn north indian cooking..:))
5. Tag visitu more...three cheers to visitu...:))

Last movie I saw in theatre:
American Pie..[As you can its pretty old,...I dont watch a lot of movies in theatres..
I wud have watched totally 10 movies in theatres in my whole life..do watcha lot of movies
in my system]

Last movie I borrowed to watch & still not have given back:
Manichitrathaazhu..??? i dont remember..there are quite a few movie cds lying around..i guess..my friends didnt ask them since they didnt want them..
enna naan solraaathu correctaaa...???

Five books I love:
1. Asterix...tintin...have read them thousand times...still not bored by them...amazing..creativity....
2. A Mighty Heart By Mariane Pearl; Sarah Crichton ..this is the book on the kiiling of Daniel Pearl..the wall street journal reporter...fantastic read..
3. Sidney Sheldon...MY FAVOURITE...have read quite a few of them...i especially got hooked onto split personality concept from his books
4. Enid blyton books...I used to love them......
5. Da vinci Code...still reading though...so far sooooper...
6. Kane and Abel...
as you can see this can be quite a big list...

Five people who I pass the High Fives to:
???? hmm thinking??? ellarum pozhachu ponga..:))

eppadikku

My life rated???

2005-11-08T12:29:00.000-08:00

This Is My Life, Rated
Life:	6.6
Mind:	6.6
Body:	7.1
Spirit:	7.5
Friends/Family:	4.7
Love:	0
Finance:	8.1
Take the Rate My Life Quiz

Your Life Analysis:

Life: Your life rating is a score of the sum total of your life, and accounts for how satisfied, successful, balanced, capable, valuable, and happy you are. The quiz attempts to put a number on the summation of all of these things, based on your answers. Your life score leaves room for improvement. You can make changes to improve your trouble areas, and this will bring you greater satisfaction. Focus on your weakest points and set about to change them. Do not delay your happiness and success.

Mind: Your mind rating is a score of your mind's clarity, ability, and health. Higher scores indicate an advancement in knowledge, clear and capable thinking, high mental health, and pure thought free of interference. Your mind score is not bad, but could be improved upon. Your mental health is not weak, but you are not achieving full mental clarity and function. Learn how to unclutter your mind. Keep learning, keep improving, continue moving forward.

Body: Your body rating measures your body's health, fitness, and general wellness. A healthy body contributes to a happy life, however many of us are lacking in this area. You have a rather good body score, which is an indication that you take care of yourself. There is room for improvement, however. Please keep doing what works. Eat right, exercise, reduce your stress, treat any illness. Doing these things will help ensure your body will be in good working order for a long time to come.

Spirit: Your spirit rating seeks to capture in a number that elusive quality which is found in your faith, your attitude, and your philosophy on life. A higher score indicates a greater sense of inner peace and balance. Your spirit score is relatively high, which means you are rewarded by your beliefs. Spirituality is clearly important to do. Never let it slip, and continue to learn and grow.

Friends/Family: Your friends and family rating measures your relationships with those around you, and is based on how large, healthy, and dependable your social network is. Your friends and family score suffers, yet it does not need to be this way. Strengthen your social network by reaffirming old bonds. Seek out new friendships, and they will provide you the reward you need.

Love: Your love rating is a measure of your current romantic situation. Sharing your heart with another person is one of life's most glorious, terrifying, rewarding experiences. Your love score is very low, indicating trouble. There is love out there for you. Seek the advice of wise people on how to go about finding it. Do not lose hope.

Finance: Your finance rating is a score that rates your current financial health and stability. You have a rather good financial score, which is not all that common these days. Keep doing what works. Avoid common pitfalls and save for the future. You will be glad you did.

My interpretation of this holy crap...well I shudnt have taken this test.. irukkara prachanay ellam poraathunu ithu vera...:))

worshhhht fellows ...Ivan ennatha ennoda lifeaa analyze pannarathu....thoo naan pannaren....

Life..I was expecting some thing in the range of 7-8 ...well..hmmm that seems worrying / interesting..

Mind -- well I dont know even that I was expecting some thing in the range of 7-8...I am very clear..probably a bit cluttered....get a bit tensed at times..used to be very bad earlier..the last 4 horrendous years in the US have changed me considerably...

Love:..loveaaaa appadina enna ??? entha vilayaatukku naan varalai...well I put I have never loved/am loving anyone..and also put as looking for some one..guess thats what prompted it to give me a 0 score...its not such a bad situation to be in..ellaya? ..I deserve much better than that..

Regarding friends/family..all enna sollarathu..i have a very small friends circle..but its a really close circle..well..I dont know... and Finance...well I probably ticked the option where I said I pay my bills on time..thats it..:)

Overall i wud give myself a score of 8.5.....this is vijay's interpretation/extrpolation theorm...neenga yaaravathu test eduthu..score korachala irunthuthuna...apply this method and add 2 to your score...pretty simple isnt it....???...just gimme credits for using my patented method :)))

why dont u give it a shot ...well I dont wanna tag any one..except Visitu :))))))))))) hhee heeee and hope she doesnt tag any one....:DD

Ramdom notes

2005-11-03T12:48:00.000-08:00

I came accross a strange thing in the bbc world website, well the news item is about Natwar Singh in the midst of a scandal, in the united nations. They have quoted some body making a statement regarding this issue.

Look at the name of the BJP leader quoted in the box, interesting isnt it??
"Arum Jailed " who the hell is that..I am assuming it is Arun Jaitley. LOL, thats was funny.

Some cool fortune saying..that I recently came across

"Computer are unreliable, but humans are even more unreliable. Any systems which depends on human reliability is unreliable"
--Gilb

Rules of creative research

Never draw what you can copy.
Never copy what you can trace.
Never trace what you can cut out and paste down.

Getting the job done is no excuse for following the rules.
Corollary: Following the rules will not get the job done.

Gossip, n.:
Hearing something you like about someone you don't.

"If everything is coming your way you're in the wrong lane "

"It does not matter if you fall as long as you pick up something from the floor when you get up "

err..well not sure if every body would find it cool :)...I am a big fan of fortune

And a cool forward that I got which analyzes the reason as to why people are going to see the movie "Ghajini" again and again

The secret of Ghajini - Well, makkal see the movie and enjoy it, but padam mudinja apparoein they remember only the last fifteen minutes of what happened. So they go again to see the movie...but they forget what happened after fifteen minutes...and so on. Repeat audience da machi.

PS.
Last post la..recipe ellam kettu demand vanthuthu..I am honoured....but naan avlo periya cook ellam kedayaathu. I can give recipes, but apram ongalukku seriyaaa varalenaenna thittakoodathu..:)) though I can help out in any respect :)
...well these recipes have been working for me for quite a while, so I am assuming it shud work for you guys also.

Ill put them in a seperate post.

eppadikku

Happy Deepavali

2005-10-31T07:36:00.000-08:00

Wish you a very happy Deepavali
Although, it has been a bad weekend, as most of you know..lets just hope, this occassion helps us fight evil as the festival itself signifies.

Well, we had a diwali lunch this week end, small one, ellam self cooking thaan,
namakku vera yaaru samachu poda pora??
Menu - Aviyal, arachuvitta sambhar, vazhakka poriyal, rasam, payasam + appalam.
Me made the first 4 of them..pretty cool eh :)

Once again ellorukkum
Iniya deepavali nalvazhthukkal

btw, one small doubt, is it deepavali or diwali? never really thot about it, till today ..
what say u?

V - The Journey

2005-10-22T11:05:00.000-07:00

This is a pretty long one!!!

V had just passed out of B.Tech, had a job in his hand felt like he was on top of the world, kay neraya sambalam for that place, no relocation nothing, had his dad's old scooter to run about the place do whatever he wanted. Since the joining date was a bit far off, V had been pestering people in the company to prepone the date. After a lot of pestering V got the date preponed by a month .[shucks!!! just one month after all the phone calls that V had made]. Then the big day comes, V goes to join BLIP..something really bad happens and V comes back. V has a feeling this job offer was not going to materialize, although the subsequent plan was to join at a later date. But after what happened on that day, I wasnt sure. So then came the next option GRE haa haaaa [this is the guy with the two horns sitting on top of my head and laughing :))]

V started preparing for GRE, but as it was already late, and decided to get a test date just after 3 weeks,[bad idea!!!!!!!!!!]. The preparation went on, and V tried to start off some thing called a pre-application process that some body told me. But then that somebody never told V that this is a process which takes place long before the application process itself, and in this case my V was already late with the application process [funny isnt it!!!!!]. In between V had to schedule the TOEFL exam also, during that time the transition was taking place from hand-written test to computer based testing CBT, V picks up the phone and begs the TOEFL people to give him a center any where in India [periya pisthune nenappu, varanasila center kadachuthu V yoda gathi athoooooooo gathi] so that he could a date in the nearby future. But fortunately V got the date for the first CBT test in the same place.

Any way our man, decides to start off the application, he had a very important person in the US, who would help him immensely with the payment of fees and application process. Then the big day for the GRE exam comes, performs decently well, after then exam there is a process by which you have to send and he screws up the whole thing, because he doesnt know the name of the school properly [great!!!!!], actually V cannot be blamed, like for eg. ASU has lots of campuses, and paavam [V got confused. He is from a small town guy u see.....he heh!!!!!!!]. TOEFL as most of you know is not a big deal, got a very good score.

Then in-order to complete the application process V had to collect recommendation letters, goes to the school, gives to a bunch to profs which included the dept HOD also. Now comes the best part, the dept HOD asks him"If I give you a letter of this sort, will I be legally held responsible for any claims in the future" [DUH!!!!!!!!!], V doesnt know what to reply. This is not the case like most students from TN who write the letters and get it signed from the profs, they had the freedom to write what ever they wanted. The next prof gives even better response "V I can't write letters and all I don't have time for them, I heard they have multiple choice forms, give me some thing like that and Ill fill it up for u" [DUH !!!!!!!! DUH!!!!!!! DUH!!!!! V thinks thalayezhuthu, ennoda collegeaaa paaru, endha paradesi ellam oru prof karumam karumam, avana solli oru kutham ella en thalayaseruppaala adichukkanum], finally some how V works his way thru this mess and and gets the required recos.

Well finally after a lots of confusion and a lot of extra $$$$$ and lotsa lotsaaaaaa help from the most important person in V's life, V was able to get admission in a few decent schools.The admission letters come thru, and BANG...............postal strike in India. [V thinks yaaaeeen enakku maathram ippadinadakkarathu], by this time thinking that things will work out fine [what was he thinking fineaaa haa haaa], V has already blocked tickets via pacific to reach the US. [Postal strike enna oru vaaram irukkuma, but since this involves V it went on for 5 weeks, can u believe it, neither can I], so net result NO I-20's. Nothing is happening, and since most schools have already sent out the I-20's no re-sending thru courier and stuff, [V thinks onnum panna mudiyaathu] V takes a bold decision and removes the ticket block. But un-expectedly a new admit came thru, and V's cousin was also coming through to India at the same time, so got the I-20 delivered to the cousin's place in the US.Things work out, so V packs up leaves for Madras as there is no time, collects the I-20 and hits the embassy at 3am the subsequent day [mind u V still doesnt have a ticket and he is going to travellin in a day sooooper.., well after so much has happened V doesnt expect things to go smoothly, so V is cool]

V was told that students would be called for personal interviews, so heads to the embassy and they ask V to pay the dues and leave, V comes home and tells everybody that no intervu, so no visa. [ See how it plays with V's life, that some body who told V that students would becalled for intervu, never told him that all of them would be called, worsht fellows], well some body clarified and V got the visa, all set. Now the tickets, to reach the great travel booked tickets thru the atlantic saying this was the cheapest option now ..at this last stage. The trip chennai-Bombay-Frankfurt-New york-LA. cool isnt that [ well thats V thot, well before some body told him this is the worst way to reach LA].Then the best part, advice on travelling, V's dad gave him vibhoothi to take, then came the advice dont take such stuff, can be dangerous,V thot valid point and kept it back. Then came the next advice in US they arrest first and only then ask question regarding stuff ur carrying...[worshhhhht fellow.... V was by now trembling......paaavam]

The trip was ok, some body was there to help him move from one airport to another in Bombay, except the fact V didnt know how to open the faucet in the restroom in frankfurt airport [huh!!!!] every thing was fine till New York. In NYC there was 4 hour halt and he was feeling
hungry, went around the place and saw McDonald's and was looking thru it. [V hasnt tasted anything no burger no pizza, didnt even know what it was called, didnt even know fries], so plan B stay hungry and theyll give some thing in plane. The next trip was a mess some body told him that NYC-LAX was 3 hours, so that helped a looooooooot + it was christmas time and kids were jumping in the nearby seats and V was sinking more and more in, finally reaches LA [ the important person lives in LA, and they were there at the gate to receive him].

So here V is in US, after a long and ardous journey, start of a new chapter in V's life.

Me back

2005-10-15T13:33:00.000-07:00

I came back last week, after a tour of India, after almost five years. Well looks like I am have been telling this for quite a while. :))Ill stop here. I came back at 1 in the night and left for work at 8 in the morning, was totally going round and round because of jet lag, thats why cudnt post any thing during the week.

Gist of my trip
Well I landed in Madras, and from there went to Madurai, took rest for some time. Then started the spate of temple visits, the next day I went to my dad's favourite temple, Meenakshi temple [this I went almost every day], Thiruppuramkundram, and subsequently went to Thiruchendur, and on the way back from Thiruchendhur, went the Panchalamkurichi. It is the place Veerapaandiya Kattabomman fought the British, and died fighting them. Next trip was Trichy, Srirangam, and in Trichy, the samayapuram, thiruvanaikoil and Rock fort temples. Then to Madras, US consulate interview, Tirupathi , Thiruchaanoor, then one the way back shopping in RMKV, Kumaran and back to Madurai. From there I went to Trivandrum, where I grew up, Padmanaabha Swamy Temple, Sree Varaham Temple. By this time I was totally dead, and decided not to go any where else for the rest of the trip. On the way back, was in kuala Lumpur for 12 hours, started of the city by visiting a nice Murugan temple and went to the Twin towers and back to Phoenix. Quite hectic ah?? it was quite hectic for the first ten days, but it was ok. Ill post in detail about all my good/bad experiences throughout.

Thiruppuramkundram

Thiruchendhur temple

Thiruchendhur bus stand

In Panchaalamkurichi

Srirangam

Inside Srirangam temple in front of the chakrathaazhvaar sannithi.

Have a left a few temples, didnt have the patience to upload all of them.[one by one] :)

Overall it was a good trip, but having stayed in Phoenix for 5 years, this feels more like home to me. Its quite a different feeling when u come back from India, but the journey of life goes on, athaana payanangal mudivathillai what say u??

Hope all of you had a wonderful time.

eppadikku

The day has arrived..

2005-09-16T10:42:00.000-07:00

Almost there!!!!!
I am leaving for India after almost five years. I havent been able to post much since I was totally busy. [Including those tumultous years, will post them for sure]

Thanks to every one for their wishes.
Special thanks to Visitu :) Thanks a ton.

Will be heading to Madurai, planning to visit lot of temples. Tirupathi, Thiruthani, kaalahasthi, Thiruchendur, Palani, Chidambaram, Srirangam.. the list goes on and on if time permits.

With God's grace and all ur wishes, hoping to have a nice trip.

eppadikku

Tagification!!!!!!!!

2005-09-05T01:39:00.000-07:00

Seven things you plan to do before you die!!
1. Travel to all the temples in India
2. Do Phd [shud have done this as continuum of my MS]
3. Teach in a top grad school
Be a visiting faculty to top schools in Computer Engineering / System Level Design
4. Get on some roller coasters in six flags
5. Learn to sing.
6. Read ponniyin selvan
7. Learn to swim

Seven things you can do!!
1. Practice more guitar
2. Be more polite, to the call center people
3. Be more active
4. Play sports [lots of them]
5. Publish more papers
6. Swim
7. Be more rational with my dad

Seven things you can't do!!!
1. Refuse help, when asked for [ I have landed up in trouble, because of this quality of mine]
2. Eat non vegetarian food
3. Tolerate people talking gossip in temples
4. Stop going to temples
5. Not make PJ's
6. Sahikkufy* badly cooked food [Ithu koncham too much, but I cook well, so sorry!!!]
7. Physically hurt anybody [Rather hurt anybody intentionally]

*corrected

Seven things that attract you to the opposite sex!!
1. Long hair
2. Humor sense
3. Smartness, [I wanna be overwhelmed by her smartness]
4. Girls in pattu podovai, athu oru thani level, amsama lakshanama iruppaanga, [has to suit them]
5. Malli poo irunthaa double sooper
6. Attitude, its most important thing!!!!!!!
7. Tamizh pesara, ponnunga, dont get to see a lot them here :) [ dont like too many englipeesh speaking girls]

Seven things you say most!!!
1. Adipaavi
2. Sutham
3. wogay [ok]
4. krishna
5. guruvayurappa
6. worsht
7. worshtest [ New invention of asu tam population]

Seven celebrity crushes!!! [Just plain crushes]
1. Trisha
2. Trisha
3. Trisha
4. Sneha
5. Bhavana [mallu actress]
6. Shamishka [She is the lead role in Arindhum ariyaamalum, ever since I saw the film, I have been fida over her!!]
7. Sadha [in paavadai dhaavani]

Seven people you want to take this quiz.
Please pick it up and lemme know the link and Ill visit ..

eppadikku

Peace!!!!

2005-09-02T11:24:00.000-07:00

This week was bad with Katrina wrecking havoc in peoples lives, and 1000 people died in the stampede in Iraq. Never quite seem to understand, how so many people can die. Worst of all, most of the people affected are from the poorest sections of society.

All I have been doing today is checking about the situation in areas affected by Katrina. Comparing the reaction of the people, when Asia was affected by Tsunami, namma makkal lots of patience.
Namma makkalukku kashatapattu kashtapattu marathu pochu ninaikkiren.

"Shanthi nilava vendum" is a beautifully worded song by Sethumadhavarao, and was supposedly composed as soon as the Mahatma was killed.

Ragam: Tillang
Composer: Sethumadhavarao

"Shanthi Nilava Vendum (Engum) (Atma)—
Shakthi Onga Vendum Ulagile
Gandhi Mahatma Kattalai Adhuve
Karunai Ottrumai Kadiroli perave
Kodumai chai theeyor manam adhu thirundha
Nargunam adhu pugatriduvom
Madamai acham aruppom makkalin
Mashila nal ozhukkam valarpom
Dhidam tarum ahimsa yoginam thanthai
Atmanandham perave
Kadamai maravom avar kadan theerpom
Kalangamin aram valarppom"

All of you guys have a nice weekend, for those in the US nice holiday weekend.

eppadikku

2 weeks

2005-08-30T19:39:00.000-07:00

Two more weeks to go....well almost two weeks, for a big thing that is going to happen. I have started my countdown. Well but the thing is it has still not yet sunken into my mind that it is going to happen. Hopefully by this long week end, things will get exciting :)

Well you guys must be thinking what the hell, I am going home, to India
aathukku poren
yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeea
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
aaaaaaaaaaa after 4 years and 9 months.

Can u believe it, neither can I and nor does my dad who is saying that I am gonna believe only when he sees my face in Madurai. Its been almost 5 years, since I came here for MS in EE, that's another story.

This being the most eventful period of my life, with me touching rock bottom, well cudn't go below that, so had to climb back up. Well if climbing up the ditch, that I was in 2 years back, can be called labor, believe me fruits of labor are sweet.

Ellam namba mela irukkara thalaivaroda kaingrayam :)

Well in the next few days I am gonna post about my tumultuous 4 years that I spent in this desert [This place is hotter than chennai] eppadikku

Krishna Jayanthi

2005-08-26T10:49:00.000-07:00

Krishna jayanthi nalvaazhuthukkal.
Wish you all a very happy Krishna Jayanthi.
Fortunately with the help of some of good friends, I got a decent supply of bakshanam such as seedai, thattai :)

As always I kick off my day with a good dose of carnatic songs for an hour or so in the morning on my way to office. It kind of gives me a very good feeling starting off work in the morning

Today conincidentally my CD started off with all Krishna Songs

All of them are by Oothukaadu Vekatasubba iyer
Rendition by Sudha Raghunathan
My favs.

1) Thaaye yeshoda, Thodi -- this being my all time favourite
2) Alaipayuthey, Kaanada
3) Neerada sama neela krishna yehi, jayantashree
4) Kuzhal oothi manam ellam, Kambodhi
5) Pullay piravi, shenjuruTTi

I have a special liking for Oothukaadu's compositions. Me being an ardent fan of carnatic music [not that I know, much about it, I know/can identify only a few ragams], if you are able to understand the lyrics, it gives u immense pleasure.

Added to that all the Oothukaadu's compositions are in Tamil. Beautiful lyrics. Songs like thaaye yeshodha always used to keep running in my house in my childhood days [although I was not a big fan then], I am happy that I am able to appreciate it now. Probably repeatedly hearing songs, even the ones that u dont like, does have an effect I guess :)

Isnt it amazing, there are certain songs which make quite an impact on you, after listening to them, hmm

One another song that Ill never forget is "Pullanguzhal kudutha moongilgale", this was one song that I liked even when I was a kid :). When I was in srirangam some 19 years ago, I used to hear this song quite often in the Ranganathar temple. I used to visit the temple quite frequently with my paatti.

When ever I remember my days in srirangam, this song always comes to my mind. Nostalgic:)

Anyway all of you guys have a nice weekend.

Another day in paradise

2005-08-22T09:06:00.000-07:00

Phil Collins is one of the first singers that I started listening to.
"Another day in paradise", came out when I was in grade six, I was instantly attracted to it. Although I wasnt paying too much attention to the lyrics then, in my later years, I was able to appreciate the beauty of it.

I was looking at the video of this song yesterday, it has some striking images of homeless people in US [yes!!] and across the world. This song is pretty successful in reminding us time and again, that we with all this comforts of life, are a privileged minority in this planet earth.

Keep that in mind!!!! and enjoy this amazing song.

All of you guys have a wonderful start of week :)

Enjoy!!!!

"Another Day In Paradise" By Phil Collins
"But Seriously"/1989

She calls out to the man on the street
"Sir can you help me?"
It's cold and I've no where to sleep,
is there somewhere you can tell me?

He walks on, doesn't look back
He pretends he can't hear her
Starts to whistle as he crosses the street
Seems embarrassed to be there

Oh, think twice, 'cause it's just another day for you
and me in paradise
Oh, think twice, 'cause it's just another day for you,
You and me in paradise

She calls out to the man on the street
He can see she's been crying
She's got blisters on the soles of her feet
She can't walk but she's trying

Oh, think twice, 'cause it's just another day for
and me in paradise
Oh, think twice, 'cause It's just another day for you,
You and me in paradise

Oh lord, is there nothing more anybody can do
Oh lord, there must be something you can say

You can tell from the lines on her face
You can see that she's been there
Probably been moved on from every place
'Cause she didn't fit in there

Oh, think twice, 'cause it's just another day for
and me in paradise
Oh, think twice, 'cause It's just another day for you,
You and me in paradise

Just think about it

It's just another day for you and me in Paradise
It's just another day for you and me in Paradise
It's just another day for you and me in Paradise

Lies, Lies and Damn Lies

2005-08-15T12:01:00.000-07:00

Lie, poi kallam u may call it whatever, it is at times fascinating, irritating, makes u angry makes u laugh, it has saved u from embarrassing situations, put u in trouble and what not. I decided to find some answers regarding this fascinating phenomenon.

I tried to find a definition for that, well this is the one I liked most

Lie, n.:
A very poor substitute for the truth, but the only one
discovered to date.

Here are some classic statements about lie.

__a

I will never lie to you.

__b

Art is a lie which makes us realize the truth.
-- Picasso

__c

Toni's Solution to a Guilt-Free Life:
If you have to lie to someone, it's their fault.

__d

Whoever tells a lie cannot be pure in heart -- and only the pure in heart
can make a good soup.
-- Ludwig Van Beethoven

__e

Consultant, n.:
Someone who'd rather climb a tree and tell a lie than stand on
the ground and tell the truth.

__f

It is often the case that the man who can't tell a lie thinks he is the best
judge of one.
-- Mark Twain, "Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar"

__g

One of the most striking differences between a cat and a lie is that a cat has only nine lives.
-- Mark Twain, "Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar"

__h

Any fool can tell the truth, but it requires a man of sense to know
how to lie well.
-- Samuel Butler

__i

Go out and tell a lie that will make the whole family proud of you.
-- Cadmus, to Pentheus, in "The Bacchae" by Euripides

__j

Never tell a lie unless it is absolutely convenient.

__k

Never, ever lie to someone you love unless you're absolutely sure they'll
never find out the truth.

__l

Sin has many tools, but a lie is the handle which fits them all.

__m

We lie loudest when we lie to ourselves.
-- Eric Hoffer

__n

Whoever would lie usefully should lie seldom.

__o

Every one says that politicians lie all the time, and that just isn't so!
But you do have to understand body language to know when they're lying and when they aren't.

When a politician rubs his nose, he isn't lying.
When a politician tugs on his ear, he isn't lying.
When a politician scratches his collar bone, he isn't lying.
When his mouth starts moving, that's when he's lying!

__p

People never lie so much as after a hunt, during a war, or before an election.
-- Otto Von Bismarck

__q

A lie in time saves nine.

__r

A lie is an abomination unto the Lord and a very present help in time of
trouble.
-- Adlai Stevenson

Which one do u like??

[As always I am grateful and thankful to fortune for these]

eppadikku

Josiyakkaaran!!!!!

2005-08-10T16:54:00.000-07:00

Now for every post, I have some sort of inspiration, naan vanthu regulara post pannara category la ellai.
Mind u these are purely personal opinions.

This post is about josiyam paakarathu, I see that every body is criticizing, saying he shud be deported and what not. Just wanted to pen down my side of the whole issue.

I want to quote an incident from a mallu movie, in that movie, the hero finds himself in the midst of political violence, where party workers are chasing and killing each other, and he then enquires about the state of affairs with an elderly man in the place and this is what he had to say "karshakan krishi cheyyunnu, chethukaaran kallu undakkunnu, rashtriyakkar aalukale kollunnu, ellavarum avaru avarude joli cheyyunnu". The elderly man says, the farmer works in his fields, chethukaaran is the one who collects kallu [toddy] from the coconut trees, similarly politicians kill people.

Thats the same logic I wanna apply in this case, the same way josiyakaaran josiyam paakaran, athula enna thappu, athu avanukku pozhakkarathu vazhi. Now some people can say he is cheating others and so on, just dont go to him, isnt it as simple as that? I dont know?

He doesnt guarantee anything does he?. There was also one comment saying that the josiyakkaran, shud take the money only if all his prophesies comes tru, well things dont work that way.
Can u tell a doctor, that well pay once the patient is totally cured, s********** adippaan.

Neenga enna nenaikkarenga?

[My intention is not to hurt anybody, no offense meant please]

I also found an inspiration for the next post, this article by a pretty girl :)

Pioneers

2005-08-04T13:25:00.000-07:00

For some reason I was looking at the MIT website, and I found this fact. Fifty-nine current or former members of the MIT community have won the Nobel Prize. Isn't that just amazing, one institution producing so much.

Even though MIT is very famous, well known..blah blah...
I was just amazed by the level of innovation. Even I have done research, published papers, but universities like MIT, Stanford and Berkeley, the mantra is "Impactful research". If you go to professors' website in schools like MIT, you don't see the list of publications any more, but a graph depicting the number of people who have cited his research. The first time I saw that figure, it made me think, rather re-think my perspective on research.

It never ceases to amaze me that, the research done by these institutions directly affect our lives. Shud'nt this be the purpose of all research? For some reason I feel, the whole "research" thing is getting strayed away from all fact and realities of the field. To an extent every body can say it is the quality of people doing research in places like MIT, but my personal opinion is that skew in the spread of talent is not that bad.

I could say its just the vision/long-sightedness which is lacking I guess..not sure, if I knew I wud be in one of these places I guess :))[last line was total peela, romba feel pannaatheenga]

what say u??

**********************************************************************************
**********************************************************************************
Romba serious aa irukka .. on a lighter note check this out

Palichi palichi Thammathundu istare!
Aachiramadhan kiidhu na unna pakka sollo!
Yimma osarathla keera,
Vanthu mele keera,
Oru vairamari minniginu,
Palchi palchi thammathundu istare!!!

[THis is a forward that I got from my friend]

Guess what this is about??

eppadikku

ps. romba tuf vittu I added blogrolling. I had only 15-20 mts to do it, the best part is it didnt take more than that, but I guess it is not sorted.

Fortune

2005-07-29T15:12:00.000-07:00

Not sure how many of you have used fortune in linux. It is one fantastic tool, really lightens u up, when you are in a bad shape.

For those of you who have no idea what I am talking about,
" Fortune is a tool which prints a random, hopefully interesting, adage."

Not sure if everybody will enjoy it, but still wanted to post it, since it brought me out of a pit.

My favorites

--1--
Rules:
(1) The boss is always right.
(2) When the boss is wrong, refer to rule 1.

--2--
Every word is like an unnecessary stain on silence and nothingness.
-- Beckett

--3--
"In order to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe."
-- Carl Sagan, Cosmos

--4--
Mosher's Law of Software Engineering:
Don't worry if it doesn't work right.
If everything did, you'd be out of a job.

--5--
We will have solar energy as soon as the utility companies solve one technical problem
-- how to run a sunbeam through a meter.

--6--
Information Center, n.:
A room staffed by professional computer people whose job it is to tell you why you cannot have the information you require.

--7--
Albert Einstein, when asked to describe radio, replied:
"You see, wire telegraph is a kind of a very, very long
cat. You pull his tail in New York and his head is meowing
in Los Angeles. Do you understand this? And radio operates
exactly the same way: you send signals here, they receive
them there. The only difference is that there is no cat."

--8--
There are three kinds of lies: Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics.
-- Disraeli

All of you guys have a nice weekend !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kavithai potti

2005-07-27T15:10:00.000-07:00

Ellorukkum vanakkam,
Thot of giving a shot to the kavithai potti in Narayanan Saar's blog.

Enakkku kavithai ezhuthara alavukku ellam thamizh theriyaadhu. Even though it is my mother tongue, I have never learnt it properly per se as I was b&b up in kerala.

Gave it a shot, just for the heck of it.

The sleeping poet in me has awaken [summa build up]

Nambikkai
***********************************************************
Enakku parisu kidaikkum enru nambikkai ellai..
yaaen?
Enakku en kavithai mel nambikkai ellai
yean?
Kavithaikku poi mel nambikkai anaal
Enakku unmai mel nambikkai
***********************************************************

Okay everybody can start laughing....anaa onnu mattum sollaren, pirkaalathula naan oru periya kaviyaa vantha, onga gathi ellam kapeets.
eppadikku ungal idam irunthu vidai peruvathu..

peru echo effect la vijay ..vijay...vijay..................vijay ..vijay...vijay..................vijay ..vijay...vijay..................

Songs

2005-07-26T13:55:00.000-07:00

I was listening to this song, then thot of posting about it. It is the song "aasai mugham maranthu" written by Barathiyaar, the popular version of the song is in Jonpuri raagam

The song goes like this

"Aasai mugam marandhu poachchae - idhai
yaaridam solvaenadi thoazhi
naesam marakkavillai nenjam - enil
ninaivu mugam marakkalaamoa

kannil theriyudhoru thoatram - adhil
kannanazhagu muzhidhillai
nannu mugavadivu kaanil - andha
nalla malarch chirippaik kaanoam

thaenai marandhirukkum vandum - olich
chirappai marandhuvitta poovum
vaanai marandhirukkum payirum - indha
vaiyam muzhudhumillai thoazhi

kannan mugam marandhupoanaal - indha
kangalirundhu payanundoa
vannap padamumillai kandaay - ini
vaazhum vazhiyennadi thoazhi "

Even though I am big fan of Barathi's songs, what attracted me to this song was the last stanza. "Kannan mugham maranthu ponaal entha kangal irunthu payanundo". What is the use of my eyes if I forget my Kannan's face.

I was amazed at the depth of passion and devotion portrayed in this song, which made me think have I ever shown such amounts of devotion to any work that I have ever done/will do. :))
Being from where I am, things are pre-fixed, do engg, do MS in US, and get some work.. get married ..blah....it goes. Out of all these years, what was my levels of passion and interest for all the stuff I have done is some thing to think about!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Quick ones??

2005-07-21T10:23:00.000-07:00

Well looks like a lot of bloggers post "Quick ones", why are they called quick ones I dont know!!!!!!
I found these in a news letter lying outside a Japanese fast food place..!!!!!!!

__A__
After a quarrel, a wife said to her husband, "You know I was a fool when I married you", and the husband replies, "Yes, dear, but I was in love and didn't notice it"

__B__
Golf is a lot like business, you drive hard to get in the green, and then you know, wind up in a hole

__C__
Whats the difference between apathy and ignorance? .. I dont know and I dont care!!

__D__
A asked B what did you dream last night...B says "I dont remember I slept through most of it"

__E__
A was on his death bed when his wife B tiptoed into the bedrom and asked if he has any last wishes. "Actually, my dear, there is one thing I really would like beofre I go off to that great shamrock in the sky", "A piece of that wonderful chocolate cake of yours"
B says "Oh but you cant have that ", "I am saving it for the wake"

*none of these are mine, Respective owners hold copyright

Kallakkal Kathaikal -- Star Wars Episode IV - Revenge of Power Parasuram

2005-07-15T12:43:00.000-07:00

One amazing forward that I got from somewhere.

The movie has no connection with any of the other stars wars pictures screened. The first scene starts in a Chinese Space station when Chinese scientist claims to have spotted a new comet heading our way and sends the message to NASA for confirmation. On the contrary NASA with its advanced technology in hands finds out that it was not a comet that was spotted but a huge space ship (extra terrestrial aliens coming to conquer the earth)which transmits a signal to earth to surrender or face complete destruction. Shocked by this all the world leaders panic and discuss on resolving the situation.

Then comes a suggestion from an Old Russian space scientist (played by nazar) who claims to have found some info on this alien ship years back during the cold war. He reveals that there is one and only one person in the earth who can defeat the aliens and save the earth from complete destruction. Guess who? None other than our CAPTAIN Bharat Bajaj (played by our captain Vijaykanth who is claimed to be an extra terrestrial child) who lives in a remote village with his wife (played by Mallika Sherawat who is a village girl but still flashes in modern attire) along with his cow Kamachi and Kamachi's son. Meanwhile NASA people come to Vijaykanth asking for his help to evade earth's dooms day .At first he refuses but later accepts due to pressure from Mallika.

Vijaykanth lands at NASA with a torn shirt and his Dhoti .Most in NASA remain skeptic about his abilities to resolve the situation .Vijaykanth orders some of the Scientists to build a space craft and gives them the design and tells them he wants it within 3 days. One of the scientists insults Vijaykanth saying he is a barbaric villager and what he knows about space craft design and he has no knowledge of space sciencezzzzzzzzz Vijaykanth starts telling the scientist about details of aeronautical stuff (gives all details) and also blames about the present corrupt political situation (dunno why all of a sudden this came in the picture) and keeps talking to a point where the scientists ears bleeds and they falls at Vijaykanth feet to stop. After the space craft is built he sets off with his pilot (played by Vadivelu) heading towards the alien space craft.

During his journey Vijaykanth's spacecraft is hit by a meteor and the craft spins into high revolution and captain falls unconscious. zzzzzzz all of a sudden the captain is in a duet with our Mallika sherawat wearing economical attire (lyric: Manadee manava unn munal meteor ellam mannu da).Naughty captain plays around with Mallika with miniskirt (you get the drift right!!!-Commercial stuff). Then he lands on the enemy alien space ship and finds out that a huge army of aliens are ready to attack the earth under the leadership of a dark evil leader(played by Raghuvaran) who is called as Lord Helmet(because he wears a black helmet). Vijaykanth takes out his saber (that star warz sword)and fights all of the army all by himself(Vadivelu too kills a few aliens with a spanner) and heads towards lord Helmet to defeat him. The big fight starts and goes on for sometime, as the fight goes on lord helmet's helmet falls off and his face is revealed. zzzzz Vijaykanth is shocked to find out the lord helmet is none other than his father (The story of this will appear in the next star warz prequel).

As the fight proceeds lord helmet gets weaker so he makes his runaway and he takes Vijaykanth's space ship and heads towards the earth zzzzzz Vijaykanth follows him and chases him. Lord helmet goes straight to vijaykanth's house and holds Mallika captive while Vijaykanth rushes to her rescue but he is interrupted by Pakistani terrorists and attacked (reason unknown).though the terrorists have big guns and bombs they go on to a have a hand fight with Vijaykanth, a huge number of terrorists gangs up on Vijaykanth and fight(The stunts are similar to the matrix movie part 2) as the fight proceeds Vijaykanth falls to the ground just then the camera focuses on new pairs of legs It is none other than Keanu reeves who tells Vijaykanth "neega ponga annae evugakuda naan velayaduran"zzzzzzz

Vijaykanth hits his place and rushes to rescue Mallika and defeat Lord helmet for once and for all. Little does he know that Lord Helmet has a booby trap set for Vijaykanth who keeps walking towards it unaware. Tension mounts as Vijaykanth nears the trap all of a sudden Kamachi madu (cow) comes in between and sacrifices it life to save Vijaykanth's life. The death of Kamachi puts all of them into a big shock including Kamachi's son. Vijaykanth swears to kill lord helmet and he breaks a window glass (usual old Tamil movie stunt) and falls on lord helmet and they start the fight. This time Vijaykanth gets badly injured and at a point drops his sword and falls to the ground. Just as Lord helmet raises his sword to stab Vijaykanth zzzzzzzzzz the expression on lord helmet's face changes and he falls to the ground and dies. zzzz Cow Kamachi's son PARASURAM has killed lord Helmet to take revenge for his mother's death (hence the title) zzzzzz the next scene is a duet song with Mallika Sherawat and the movie ends.

House wife ah??

2005-07-09T14:54:00.000-07:00

The last weekend I had an extended weekend, our company follows int** culture and gave us a four day week end. I was thinking I would head to office, I had a lot of work to complete vis-a-vis I had to finish some of my old journal work, and also read some stuff for my work. On Tuesday I was trying my best to keep myself busy, but then as usual when I got up at 10.30 am had coffee and read newspapers and it was lunch time, I was feeling hungry, made thakaali saadam had another cup of coffee and sat in front of the comp for some time, then I had a brilliant idea (bulb!!!), took the papers that I had to read and went to my bed, read that for some time and slept off.

This is how the whole morning - till evening went, total waste did not do any thing productive. Then came evening It was my turn to cook, had to wash clothes, sink fulla pathram, kitchen was in a disgusting shape, and best there was no kaykari to cook. So I went and put the clothes for washing, came back did one round of pathram thekkal, I was already sulking by then ( I always have this feeling when I wash others pathram!!!! too bad but thats the way it is!!!) went to grocery store and Indian store, athula 2 hours out. I was already dead tired by then. I couldn't believe my eyes kitchen sinkula ennam pathram, thevayaana pathram ellam clean pannittu, wanted to make lemon rasam and beans curry, so paruppu vekkalamnu pona, the paruppu packet that I had brought a few days back was in still in the back of my car, so I went down and got it, then I realised I didnt throw the trash, I was reminding myself when ever I go down to throw the trash. I was growing more and more agitated, came back cooker vechutu, went to put the clothes to the dryer apram vanthu cleaned the rest of the vesels, kitchen perukki paper towelaala oru thoda thadchuttu, sadam, rasam curry ellam aduppula vechutu, thuniya eduthundu vanthen.

Saptutu, apram thuniya madichu vera vekkanum. After all these things I was dead tired, was ready to go to sleep. I was talking to my friend, I was pitying about myself, about my life, because of all that I did today, he just told me one line, "this is what my mom has been doing for the past 30 years" and also told going to work for his mom was the best for her "as that was the only time she could rest for some time".

Just imagine doing this for 20-30 years not a single word of complaint, naan week la 3-4 days ithu pannarathukkula naan polambara polambal.

Although I was never of the opinion that women shud do all the work at home, coz it was never like that in my home, I got the point. Hats off to all the parents who compromise so much in their life for every body else, truly a great sacrifice.

eppadikku

Dosai kathaikal

2005-07-07T14:36:00.000-07:00

I am posting after reading this article from Haripi's blog. With due respect, as I was reading the idli conversation between the girl and boy in the post, I remembered one other conversation that my friend was making with fiance when he got engaged(might be hear say!!!!!!!)

Boy calls the girl in the morning from US
B: Good morning chellam
g: good morning
b: saapaadu ellam aacha
g: mm aachu
b: kaarthaala enna saapta
g: dosa
b: evilavu dosa saapta
g: rendu dosa
b: moonaavathu dosa saapturukka maatayeee..
g: "giiggles" saaapadala
b: thottuka enna sambhaara chutneeeya?
g: mor kozhambu
b: oh mor kozhambaa....

This conversation will go on ever and ever....
ethulla enna point inspite of the fact g says i ate only 2 dosais namba payyanoda
kelviya koncham parunga.... ithu naattukku thevayaaa????

Tamizh mamis and america payanangal..

2005-06-30T13:19:00.000-07:00

Well unlike these days when america payanam has become a mere trip, those days such payangangal used to be a big fan fare. And the thathas and pattis of chennai, have their way of asserting their views in such occassions.

There was this incident which happened with one of my freinds (thats what people say),
he was leaving madras edechiya was talking one of the adutha veetu paatis,. whose grandson was in Ohio, and our friend was coming to Tempe, AZ.

Him: Patti Americavula MSkku admission kadachuduthu...
paati: Entha university da ambi
Him: ??? athellam ongalukku theriyaathu paati..
Paati: low rank universityyooo??
now vour friend has to the name of the school
Him: (enakku venum pesaama pothindu iruthurkalam!!!!)
ok school thaan paati arizona state university nu peru...
paaati: seri, eppo flight..
him: adutha vaaram sunday anga land pannaren
Paati: en payyan ohaayo la thaan irukkan kooptu soona pothum
avan car eduthundu onna pick up pannindruvaaan!!!!!!!!!!

:))))))))

well he didnt mind it as he did not
the geo of the place
and once during a chat with us
Him: Machi ohio angendhu evelavu dhooram da..
ennoda friend anga irukkan, koopta pick up pannipaanam

:))))))))))
We: on frienda ippove kalamba sollu..
appa thaan flight varumbothu phoenixkku vara mudiyum!!!!
engendhu oru 2500 mile irunkkun da kirukku. kabodhi!!!

There have been other instances likes where
paatis told one of my freinds "en payyan chaarlotti la irukkaaan..
onga endathukku pakkamo???"

friend: chaarlotii yaaaa.. athu enga irukku kelvi pattathe ellaye...

later he came to know that paati meant charlotte!!!!!!
chaarlotti..theva thaana???

eppadi ongalukku ethaavathu incident unda????????

Old pJ's

2005-06-24T15:12:00.000-07:00

I was going thru some old mail of mine..
and saw these set of jokes, probably these are the oldest pj's running
around
but still when I read them again I was laughing like hell.
The fact is when I read this on Friday afternoon, I was smiling thru out.
Guess these classic ones do have an effect on u aaa??

Check them out...and have fun!!!

Super kadis

1)What is the similarity between krishna jayanthi and communism?
Kaal marks.

2)How do flies communicate?
eee-mail
3)What is the similarity between short circuit and
poramai?
Wire-eriyarthu
4)What is the similarity between boxing and goddess kali?
Naak-out

Marana kadis

1.Deepavalikkum pongalukkum yennanga vithyaasam?
Deepavali annikku pongal saapadalaam aana Pongal annikku
Deppavaliy sapda mudiyaadhu.

2.LIC oda 14th
floorla sandhanam poosi yirukkanga.Yaen?
Yaenna adhu Mottai maadi.

3.Oru annanum thangachchiyum oadi varranga. Annan melmoochuvangaraan.
Thangachchi?
Ava Female moochchu vaanguvaaa

4.Eli(adhaanga Rat) adhukku yaen vaal yirukku?
Seththa pudichchu thookki poada.

5.What is the opposite of Arvindswamy

Arvind-DID-NOT-SEE-ME

6.LEO coffee a yaen kalyanam pannikka mudiyaadhu?
Yaenna "Manamaana" coffee LEO coffee

7.Mylapore-kkum, Mandaveli-kkum sandai vandha edhu win-pannum?
Mylapore, yenna avangakitta tank irukku.

8.Russia-la yen kosu-ve illai?
Yen-na, anga Kosukku vera peyar.

9.Yen, cinema theatre-la A-row la irukkara-vangalukku cinema ozhungave
theriyalai?
Enna, A-row-kku munnala B-row (Bero) irukku.

10.Yen, desert-la irukkara post-office-la ellarum letter ezhudhittu,
stamp vangittu, veliya pora?
Enna,
veliya dhan otta-gum irukku.

11.Ramar (the mythological character) sithai-ya thedindu lankai
kelambumbodhu kadal-ai thaandarathukku varar. Appo enna achariyam!
Kadal avarukku appadiye vazhi vittuduthu. Yaen?
Enna, Where there is a will, there! is a way.

12.Raja Harischandra use panna paste enna?
Promise.

13.Traffic Inspectors enna paste use pannuva?
Signal.

14.Harischandra-kku pudicha biscuit enna?
True.

Here's a really old one.
15.Bus-ai pinnala thallina enna aagum?
Pin valayium.

16.Oru yanai (elephant) vegama ration kadai pakkam odarathu. Athu anga
enna vangum?
Muchu
Vangum.

17.Oru English therinja maadu(cow) theatre pakkam porathu. Anga
theatre Kadhavai kadikka arambichuduthu! Yen?
Enna, Kadhavula "Pull"-nnu ezhudhirukku.

18.Japanese, Leaning Tower of Pisa kattina adhukku enna per veppa?
Nikumo-Nikado

19.Mahathma Gandhijikkum, Kunnakudi Vaidyanathanukkum yenna vidyasam?
Avar Non-violinist. Vaidyanathan Violinist.

20! .Spin Bowlarruku pen kuzhandai perandal enna payru vaipar?
Bala Tiruppura Sundari

21.Independence day-kkum Republic day-kkum yenna vidyasam?
Sumar, anjara maasam.

22.Oru maami idli-a thalaila vechinda. Yaen?
En-na idli poo pola irundhudhu.

23.Kadri Gopalnath - Kunnakudi jugalbandi censor board
banpannina.Yaen?
Romba Sax and violins

24.Neil Armstrong yaen romba great ?
Ellarum 1-ikku, 2-ikku pova. Avar 3-ikke poitaar.

Thirukkural

2005-06-16T16:08:00.000-07:00

I was looking for the meaning of the thirukkural
starting with "karka kasadara"
As usual I was googling and found some very interesting posts by various people
in the forums.

Obviously I found the whole kural it goes like this

"Karka kasadara kattra pin
nirka adharku thaga"
not sure what the exact meaning is, but I now it is some thing related to knowledge/education.
I came across some really interesting version of this kural.
U must be thinking versions??
yup funny ones..check these out

karka kasadara karpavai katrapin
katruthandha vaathiyaarai thooki pottu midhikkath thaga

karka kasadara kalkikumudan -
katrapin virka edaikkuth thaga

Vizhundhu vizhundu I was laughing..:D
Any body any know any such good ones ???

(All these are from googling, property of respective owners and
I have great respect for this amazing literary work ..so no offence meant)

Strange Old songs

2005-06-07T13:08:00.000-07:00

During my childhood days we had a small panasonic tape player which used to play in what ever way it wants, but mind u it played for years without a problem. frankly kaachu moochnu kathum :))

We had a small collection of some strange songs ( thats what I felt then)
we had cassettes of TMS, Pithukuli Murugadas, MKT, KBS plus a decent collection of carnatic songs. Those there was no such concept called buying cassettes of filmi songs.

My dad has put them so many times that I remember some of the songs very clearly, I especially remember TMS murugan songs, like ullam uruguthayya (ull really melt away on hearing this song, such is the power of TMS' voice)
muruga enru azhaikkava, azhagendra sollukku, karpanai endralum..the list goes on..
MKT. neela karunaakarane nagaraaja...
KBS gnana pazhathai pizhinthu.
and some strange songs of pithukuli murugadas, and of couse we had a good collection of carnatic songs especially by kj yesudas...my favourite songs out of his thousands of renditions is Thaaaye yashoda..amazing song, which I think is in thodi raagam ( still trying to figure out raagams)

Those days I used to tell appa we were the only people who listen to these songs,
looks like thats not the case!!!!!

I was so happy to find most of the songs in music india online.
A strange nostalgic feeling crept over me, listening to these songs.
Was wondering if my dad (who is in outskirts of madurai) knew all these songs were available online.

Have u had any such experiences like this..strange old songs!!!!!!!

Nice questions ...

2005-05-27T12:26:00.000-07:00

This is a nice questionnaire, that I got from
Nithya's weblog.
as Nithya said
Sooper time pass, if you have a lot of time at your disposal
Today is friday of long week end..and so every body is laid back..

Three names I go by...
vijay
Veegay( this is what the lady in dmv called me!!!!)
Ramamurthi
Three screen names I have had...
rvkumar, rvkindia(dont know how I cam up with that!!!!!!)
rvijayk

Three physical things I like about myself
-My face
well..i dont know

Three physical things I don't like about myself
-My hair (its starting to become gray)
-My height

Three parts of my heritage
-Madurai
-Madurai meenakshi temples ( its like our second home)
-Trivandrum

Three things that scare me
-Girls ( hmm some times)
what else??

Three of my everyday essentials...
-Morning filter coffee in first dicauction
-Morning news reading preferably hindu
-the carnatic music that I hear on my way to work
gives me a fantastic feeling, I never talk to any one
for like 2 hours

Three things I am wearing right now...
-My specs
-my jeans
-access card

Three things I want in a relationship
hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!! thinking!!!!!!!!
thinking!!!!!!!

Two truths and a lie (in no particular order)
-I cook very well(really!!!!!!!!!)
-I sing very well
-I hate pollution

Three physical things about the opposite sex that appeal to me
-long hair
-good smile
-really good smile

Three things I want to do really badly right now..
-Finish my module
-Go home and watch a movie
-Get a cup of tea

Three careers I may consider..
-Research scientist in IBM TJ Watson center, NY
-Professor (I was well received for my stint as TA for a synthesis course)
-start a company

Three places I wanna go on a vacation...
-English country side
-Yellow stone national park
-all the temples of south india

Three kids' names I like...
Too young for that

Three things I want to do before I die...
-Do PhD
-Be a well known professor
-Climb the kilimanjaro

THREE(make that more!!) PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO TAKE THIS QUIZ NOW..
any body ..since nobody ever visits my blog(:)))
who ever visits it..hee hee

u and him story

2005-05-19T14:10:00.000-07:00

As most of u might have read my earlier posts(I know nobody has read, since I am the only person visiting my blog).. I have thinking about what to put in the blog...starting from temple architectures....blah blah ......to sustainable development.

I just thot ill start putting up some interesting things happening around me..mostly will end up as PJ's

One of my friends, was looking for a acquaintance in the field of bio-engg.
He approached me, as I knew one of the girls in that area..
I told no as I hadnt talked to her for a long time..
then I was thinking whats the way to help him, so that he can get to know her..
Then I thot of this brilliant (bulb) idea...

Imagination starts from here.
He is coming back from school and sees her on the cross walk.
He approaches her and says
he: Hi my name is j, do u remember me?
her: No I dont think I know you,
he: are u sure..( tries in vain to bring is some old un-existing acquaintances..whch dont exist)
her: I think I am not the person ur looking.
this goes on for some time..
finally
he: oh thats great since we dont know each other lets take this opportunity
and get to know each other..
her: huh!!!!!! excuse me
he: m name is j...actually basically I am looking for some info in bio-engg..
bang......!!!!!!!!!!
nobody knows what happened after that

Ash in ashes

2005-04-26T17:00:00.000-07:00

Well I guess this is the customary posting....looks like I haven't yet picked up the blogging habit...as I said earlier it not a personal diary blah blah blah......
well today's topic is about Ash's appearance on Oprah....looks like she cut a sorry figure again..
with the customary giggles and stuff..
this is what one my friends wrote about the interview..

" for ex: Oprah asked "Do Indians have sex" ... have you seen the population of India lately? But she quickly clarified that she was talking about extra marital sex.. well, I guess she thought with all
that population it might get tough to tell your spouse from your neighbors'.. And when she said that she'd never kissed in a movie she forgot that smooch with Vivek Oberoi in 'Kyun Ho Gaya Na'.. But then that movie is quite forgettable.. her kiss notwithstanding "

well I totally agree she has been cutting a sorry I guess rather an arrogant figure...
gosh cant believe I am writing about her like this..serves me right..for being an ardent fan of hers..

My views on development.

2005-04-12T13:20:00.000-07:00

This is going to be a brand new post, this I hope will be start of a series of essays that I am planning to write regarding this new topic of Interest.

I was watching a PBS progam ( dont remember the name though) , the program was regarding the state of affairs of our planet, which is the new inspiration of this post.
As most of you might have heard by now Sustainable Development looks like is the new age mantra of development. This should have been the mantra even in earlier times, where as now it seems like the only inevitable path, that development process has to take.

I am really trying to understand what exactly do people mean by sustainable development, rather I am doing some searching and trying to come up with some answers. I ll keep updating this post.

happening.....

2005-03-21T12:46:00.000-08:00

Its been quite some time since I have wrote any thing here..although..this blog was never meant to be one of those personal diaries of mine.. where I write about my experiences of life......this was supposed to be a place where..when I was supposed to have finished the book "Bottom of the pyamid", and start jotting down some of my thots regarding experiences of life..to be frank..
nothing much is happening.. .........office /home/tv/thats about it.......planning to go home..though...have to work that out.
mean while I keep reading a lot of blogs.. lots of them....most of them are like the personal blogs....well I have always thot why would strangers in this world be interested in some body's personal life...looks like the human mind has an instiable appetite for it...kind of strange... that includes me toooooooo ?:-))
dont know I have to think about writing some thing.......no tech stuff and all .....some thing interesting ..relating to life........will come up with some thing by this week end...........hopefully maybe.....

Thesis paper

2005-03-07T12:02:00.000-08:00

Looks like my thesis paper got accepted...came to know from one of my friends.....
good.....well see how things work out when the author list comes out...

Of reading blogs and MBA students

2005-02-03T13:44:00.000-08:00

Most of the student blogs or probably most of the ones that I have stumbled upon
are those from IIM students...they write their experiences from the school, the way they use their vocab (because they prepare for CAT, thats what they say).....u can see the every aspect of life being affected by the IIM status...some times it is kind of very encouraging...some times tend to think IIM..showing off(age old jealousy) hats off to all those who clear the CAT and reach their dream IIM's.

Even I used to dream about MBA in IIM or some big school some where...long before I realised my strengths....I dont regret it, I know what I want atleast now...........

Follow up

2005-01-27T10:07:00.000-08:00

As a follow up I got the modified patricia tree working perfectly, I am giving finishing touches to it.
Waiting for my next proj on the Intel SoC's

On a different note, I saw Schindlers list movie last weekend. I felt it was quite a coincidence,
as in this week falls the anniversary for the holocaust. Actually upon deeper introspection, it was not quite a coincidence after all ; PBS was showing programs about it, i got inspired from it and went and got the movie.

Had to say one of the most touching movies of my life, needless to say the movie was amazingly picturized, fantastic screenplay.

New and great idea

2005-01-14T13:19:00.000-08:00

I suddenly got a new idea...
most of u might be using gmail by now..those who dont have it..
hmmmm.can do what ever they want..
coming back to the point.. in gmail..there are a shortcut keys for every thing....
there is no short cut key for sending mail..
generally email programs avoid shortcut key for sending as people tend to send mails
accidentally, which is not a very good proposition...
so I came up with an idea, voice activated email sending...
ill shout "poooooooooooooo" and it shud send the email..
howzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz it?????????

vijay

2005-01-11T11:01:00.000-08:00

Today I guess was one of the best days' in job. I was trying to get the patricia tree algorithm up and running for the past 6 weeks and finally it started working (phew!!!!!!!!)
with a few minor errors though.

2004-12-21T13:47:00.000-08:00

Payanangal mudivathillai is tamil for "jouney never ends"

This is my new project, after going through a tumultous 4 years in the masters program in ASU.

I just graduated and have a lot of time, which I "plan" on utilizing for my pet projects that I have in my mind, and so the journey never ends.
Keep looking for more posts.