Well, am shocked, flabbergasted, breathless and also pinching myself.. It is about couple of articles in 'The Hindu' Sunday edition (2-27-05). One talks about whether all the 'Sania Mania' is 'High or a hype'
The other one (well, this is the shocker) 'Fair game' is about why celebrities from minorities are being celebrated along with their religion?
Is it a one-off event ? with the editors shouting - 'oops we made a blunder' or is 'The Hindu' back to its sensible ways shedding their pseudo-secular veil?
Saturday, February 26, 2005
Sania Mania
Never in history, did we have the oppurtunity to celebrate an Indian woman winning a ATP tournament. Well, Sania took the honors and in what a way ! - it has been a stunning year so far for the lass from hyderabad (No, am not mocking hindu.com by calling her lass in every line ;) ).
Staying so far away from the country, have'nt yet had a chance to watch her play. Ofcourse, one can&should NEVER trust tabloids like timesofindia's write up on anyone. They are what they are...tabloid - any sleazy sensation would do.
Let us hope she becomes a top-30 player which in itself would be a great honor and pride for all Indians.
Wishing her all the best....
Staying so far away from the country, have'nt yet had a chance to watch her play. Ofcourse, one can&should NEVER trust tabloids like timesofindia's write up on anyone. They are what they are...tabloid - any sleazy sensation would do.
Let us hope she becomes a top-30 player which in itself would be a great honor and pride for all Indians.
Wishing her all the best....
[Entertainment] Maha Nadigan....
Recently, I watched a movie by this title. Satyaraj was the only cast and he alone was good enough for the movie.
The theme was typical of any Satyaraj movie i.e. mock/satire politics. This time he has unleashed it on the combo of 'politics+cinema'. Wow ! unbelievable was the only word to describe his takes. He has not spared a *single prominent politician or cine star*
I strongly recommend this movie to all fun/humor-loving folks and dont have any attachment to political parties.
The theme was typical of any Satyaraj movie i.e. mock/satire politics. This time he has unleashed it on the combo of 'politics+cinema'. Wow ! unbelievable was the only word to describe his takes. He has not spared a *single prominent politician or cine star*
I strongly recommend this movie to all fun/humor-loving folks and dont have any attachment to political parties.
Thursday, February 17, 2005
Its funny...
TBS Super station has been running ads these days promoting why their channel carries the prime-time comedy tag. Well, they have Sienfeld, Friends, Everybody loves Raymond - both of them IMHO all time great shows....
To promote these, they run ads which are like ...."Real life - it is not funny" and show real life incident - and "TV it is funny" and show some clips from one of these comedy serials which is really funny.
To get to get to understand why it is so funny on the TV is because one is able to relate to such incidents and when one makes fun of fools on the TV you dont get beaten up.
How often, have you come across people in meetings - who suddenly raise their voices and say the obviously wrong thing loud and finally proclaim it is wrong.... e.g. "Wait wait, are you going to jump out of a running bus, you must NOT do it - it will possibly kill you" :-))
Talking of funny - i think most people can relate to having 'experiences' with room mates - try this blog is real nice Things I Hate about my flatmate
To promote these, they run ads which are like ...."Real life - it is not funny" and show real life incident - and "TV it is funny" and show some clips from one of these comedy serials which is really funny.
To get to get to understand why it is so funny on the TV is because one is able to relate to such incidents and when one makes fun of fools on the TV you dont get beaten up.
How often, have you come across people in meetings - who suddenly raise their voices and say the obviously wrong thing loud and finally proclaim it is wrong.... e.g. "Wait wait, are you going to jump out of a running bus, you must NOT do it - it will possibly kill you" :-))
Talking of funny - i think most people can relate to having 'experiences' with room mates - try this blog is real nice Things I Hate about my flatmate
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Dabbawalahs
These are the indian businessmen that are talked about most. Well, they deserve to be called businessmen, they run it efficiently, better than six zigma error tolerance - timely and effectively :-)
If uneducated but dedicated, committed people can exhibit such a discipline in the daily work and produce superb world quality service - why can't the thousands of educated produce atleast half of the quality ?
Look at all of hundreds of thousands of companies,institutions, shops of various sizes, various areas of specialisation etc - every single place has scope of improvement in the quality of service.
In the book called "What is management ? Why it is everyone's business" - the author nails it on the head (actually borrowed from Peter F. Drucker's Practise of Management) - that value creation for the customer, is the only & primary index of any business's success.
While in India - every single shop acts as if, they are our customers ! :-) and they decide what should be thrown at us !
Will things change ?
If uneducated but dedicated, committed people can exhibit such a discipline in the daily work and produce superb world quality service - why can't the thousands of educated produce atleast half of the quality ?
Look at all of hundreds of thousands of companies,institutions, shops of various sizes, various areas of specialisation etc - every single place has scope of improvement in the quality of service.
In the book called "What is management ? Why it is everyone's business" - the author nails it on the head (actually borrowed from Peter F. Drucker's Practise of Management) - that value creation for the customer, is the only & primary index of any business's success.
While in India - every single shop acts as if, they are our customers ! :-) and they decide what should be thrown at us !
Will things change ?
Sunday, February 13, 2005
Diamond Diamond Everywhere
Astronomers suggest that there may be planets in our galaxy that are 'diamond' planets - hundreds of kilometers of 'thick diamond layers'.
It is history that americans bought land in moon at $21/acre, i think eBay should soon see some ads for diamond acres - guess lotsa marriage proposals will be now like 'will you marry me - and hand out a couple of acres of diamond planet' :-))
On a philosphical note - what value will be diamond be on a diamond planet ? will sand be mightily valuable on that planet ? what exactly is value ? - what people are willing to pay for something ? Hope some shrewd business minds dont get together to create artifically high value for some vague item and make all people go mad over it !
Diamond Planet
It is history that americans bought land in moon at $21/acre, i think eBay should soon see some ads for diamond acres - guess lotsa marriage proposals will be now like 'will you marry me - and hand out a couple of acres of diamond planet' :-))
On a philosphical note - what value will be diamond be on a diamond planet ? will sand be mightily valuable on that planet ? what exactly is value ? - what people are willing to pay for something ? Hope some shrewd business minds dont get together to create artifically high value for some vague item and make all people go mad over it !
Diamond Planet
Mulberry bush
No, this has nothing to do with any person ;-)
Every cricketing series/season the BCCI starts the process for awarding the telecast rights of the matches at home. There is a *big* tug-of-war every single time with one company coming out on top by a very single margin over the other. And invariably, it would not be Doordarshan (DD).
DD will keep quiet, till couple of days before the match starts and suddenly file a lawsuit in a state high court - immediately, the HC will grant a interim-stay and BCCI will move an emergency appeal in the SC to vacate the stay and ultimately, the SC will rule that DD will carry the 'signals' and God knows whether the telecast companies (with the exception of DD) really lived happily ever after.
The next season, the whole damning cycle starts.
I am the last person on the earth to be sympathetic to DD covering the series - the quality simply sucks high time. BUT they could atleast be granted the telecast rights ?
In a country where cricket is a religion, should not the state-run, free channel, be allowed to telecast ?
BTB, if you still are trying to figure out what this topic has to do with mulberry bush ? - hmmmm - think what the children do when the sing the rhyme ? - run around in circles ;)
Every cricketing series/season the BCCI starts the process for awarding the telecast rights of the matches at home. There is a *big* tug-of-war every single time with one company coming out on top by a very single margin over the other. And invariably, it would not be Doordarshan (DD).
DD will keep quiet, till couple of days before the match starts and suddenly file a lawsuit in a state high court - immediately, the HC will grant a interim-stay and BCCI will move an emergency appeal in the SC to vacate the stay and ultimately, the SC will rule that DD will carry the 'signals' and God knows whether the telecast companies (with the exception of DD) really lived happily ever after.
The next season, the whole damning cycle starts.
I am the last person on the earth to be sympathetic to DD covering the series - the quality simply sucks high time. BUT they could atleast be granted the telecast rights ?
In a country where cricket is a religion, should not the state-run, free channel, be allowed to telecast ?
BTB, if you still are trying to figure out what this topic has to do with mulberry bush ? - hmmmm - think what the children do when the sing the rhyme ? - run around in circles ;)
Noble cause
Many big companies in USA have community programs. Where these companies have manufacturing plants - employees from the local offices spend some time, on a regular but voluntary basis, to the perceived betterment of the local communities.
Their activities include Building parks, helping children read by spending quality time with them in libraries, mentoring, fixing small appliances for senior citizens, adult education and much more.
It is really laudable a gesture towards the noble cause of improving the life in the community.
Given that it takes a lot of time, commitment and support from your employer - but why not such initiatives back home in India ? - *Every* single community in India will benefit.
Who bells the cat ?
Their activities include Building parks, helping children read by spending quality time with them in libraries, mentoring, fixing small appliances for senior citizens, adult education and much more.
It is really laudable a gesture towards the noble cause of improving the life in the community.
Given that it takes a lot of time, commitment and support from your employer - but why not such initiatives back home in India ? - *Every* single community in India will benefit.
Who bells the cat ?
Cost of living
I admit am a novice at economics. I always keep thinking about how the 'cost of living' in India has shot up to unbelievable heights. Don't have a clue how middle class Indians are making ends meet.
back in 92 a masala-dosa at a hotel in my hometown cost 2.50, 10 years later it cost 11.00 rupees - more than quadrupled !
agreed, the salaries also went higher may be doubled ?
but what are the mechanics ..sorry.. economics behind this ?
thinking....
back in 92 a masala-dosa at a hotel in my hometown cost 2.50, 10 years later it cost 11.00 rupees - more than quadrupled !
agreed, the salaries also went higher may be doubled ?
but what are the mechanics ..sorry.. economics behind this ?
thinking....
Michael Madana Kama Rajan
Where do I start ? where do i stop ? - IMHO this is *THE BEST* movie ever made. Every single dialog will make you roll on the floor laughing. Especially when you do a character analysis.
Have seen this movie more than hundred times. Entire movie is almost by-heart now :-) I sometimes wonder whether I should do a Ph.D on the movie ;)
As hard is it for a creator to identify his best creations - it is equally hard to say which was the best character. Once again, the palakkad paati STANDS OUT.
I always wanted to ask Kamal/Crazy Mohan, who was the real person that 'inspired' the paati character :-))
More on the movie later....
Have seen this movie more than hundred times. Entire movie is almost by-heart now :-) I sometimes wonder whether I should do a Ph.D on the movie ;)
As hard is it for a creator to identify his best creations - it is equally hard to say which was the best character. Once again, the palakkad paati STANDS OUT.
I always wanted to ask Kamal/Crazy Mohan, who was the real person that 'inspired' the paati character :-))
More on the movie later....
Sunday, February 06, 2005
Superbowl
Well, thus far - the only thought the word 'superbowl' brought in my mind was the 'wardrobe malfunction' and the associate hype&hoopla media managed to create and beat the topic to death.
For a change, i watched the first American Football match and that was superbowl match :-) my roomie was kind enough to put with all the typicall starter/dumbo questions - i think can watch matches atleast - if not comment on it :-)
Coming from where I do, the first thing one tries to do now is to compare it with Cricket, Football and analyse why one sport is more interesting than other. Each game has its own pros&cons.
Verdict : I liked the game - am i gonna become a NFL buff ? - sorry roomie ;-)
For a change, i watched the first American Football match and that was superbowl match :-) my roomie was kind enough to put with all the typicall starter/dumbo questions - i think can watch matches atleast - if not comment on it :-)
Coming from where I do, the first thing one tries to do now is to compare it with Cricket, Football and analyse why one sport is more interesting than other. Each game has its own pros&cons.
Verdict : I liked the game - am i gonna become a NFL buff ? - sorry roomie ;-)
Thursday, February 03, 2005
Vidyasagar
The song ore manam from villain has been on my mind for couple of days now - it has been rendered soulfully by Hariharan /Chandana Bala
Vidyasagar is the music director.
Quite a talented music director. Has created very soulful melodies, catchy foot-tapping songs and equally listless/lifeless songs.
His style is a mixture of many different music directors on top of which he has created his own trademark. You can hear a IR, MSV and ARR - three legends in their own right. It is very tough to be not influenced by the style of any of these three music directors (which is why they stand apart from each other and at the same time stand out as composers)
He uses neo-age sounds/instruments setting the dreamy/wonderland ambience (ARR style), while the structure of his songs are typically IRish and melody ranges from punjabi bhangras, to pukka carnatic passages and western classic interludes, to fast foot-tapping desi numbers.
Durbari Kanada has proved to be his secret to producing chart-busters - but the remark does not do full justice to his ability. He has given many hit songs based on many ragas/styles and come out in flying colors. Early in his career background music (BGM) was a weak point - often people complained of high volumed instrumentation - now he has taken a 'leaf' out of Hollywood movies - e.g. just observe the opening piece of BGM in Dhool - if you heard the BGM withouth watching the visual - you would swear it is Hollywood movie :-)
Vidyasagar announced his arrival with Jai Hind and followed it up with Priyam - Dilruba and Karna, Villadhi Villan, Pasum Pon etc 2001-2003 was his golden era - where he was the undisputed producer of chart busters.
Some of his songs that you'd want to not miss are Dilruba (Priyam), Malare Mounama(Karna), Madisaru Kattindu(Villadhi Villan), Thamara Poo(Pasum pon), Vennilave Vellai Poove(some movie starring Arjun, Meena) , Aasai Aasai (Dhool), (Some songs from Miss Madras that fail me now), Un samayal Arayil (Dhill), Ore Manam (Villan), Nee Katru (Nilavee vaa), Poo Vasam, Mouname Parvayal (Anbe sivam).
The best is a fusion attempt on 'Endaro Mahanu' based on Sri Ragam - the fusion is simply 'hair raising' and gives you goose bumps - very nicely done.
His nemesis has been the 'run of the mill' movies and lack consistency i.e. the number of songs that are good in a movie is nowhere close to what he can create. Rarely do two songs in the same movie carry such high quality songs (compare it with ARR and some of IR when they create, you'd rarely want to skip any song in a movie). If he can cut down on such 'slackness' and make improve his consistency - he can enter into the hall of legends soon..
May he continue to produce wonderful melodies
Long live the ear for good music.
Vidyasagar is the music director.
Quite a talented music director. Has created very soulful melodies, catchy foot-tapping songs and equally listless/lifeless songs.
His style is a mixture of many different music directors on top of which he has created his own trademark. You can hear a IR, MSV and ARR - three legends in their own right. It is very tough to be not influenced by the style of any of these three music directors (which is why they stand apart from each other and at the same time stand out as composers)
He uses neo-age sounds/instruments setting the dreamy/wonderland ambience (ARR style), while the structure of his songs are typically IRish and melody ranges from punjabi bhangras, to pukka carnatic passages and western classic interludes, to fast foot-tapping desi numbers.
Durbari Kanada has proved to be his secret to producing chart-busters - but the remark does not do full justice to his ability. He has given many hit songs based on many ragas/styles and come out in flying colors. Early in his career background music (BGM) was a weak point - often people complained of high volumed instrumentation - now he has taken a 'leaf' out of Hollywood movies - e.g. just observe the opening piece of BGM in Dhool - if you heard the BGM withouth watching the visual - you would swear it is Hollywood movie :-)
Vidyasagar announced his arrival with Jai Hind and followed it up with Priyam - Dilruba and Karna, Villadhi Villan, Pasum Pon etc 2001-2003 was his golden era - where he was the undisputed producer of chart busters.
Some of his songs that you'd want to not miss are Dilruba (Priyam), Malare Mounama(Karna), Madisaru Kattindu(Villadhi Villan), Thamara Poo(Pasum pon), Vennilave Vellai Poove(some movie starring Arjun, Meena) , Aasai Aasai (Dhool), (Some songs from Miss Madras that fail me now), Un samayal Arayil (Dhill), Ore Manam (Villan), Nee Katru (Nilavee vaa), Poo Vasam, Mouname Parvayal (Anbe sivam).
The best is a fusion attempt on 'Endaro Mahanu' based on Sri Ragam - the fusion is simply 'hair raising' and gives you goose bumps - very nicely done.
His nemesis has been the 'run of the mill' movies and lack consistency i.e. the number of songs that are good in a movie is nowhere close to what he can create. Rarely do two songs in the same movie carry such high quality songs (compare it with ARR and some of IR when they create, you'd rarely want to skip any song in a movie). If he can cut down on such 'slackness' and make improve his consistency - he can enter into the hall of legends soon..
May he continue to produce wonderful melodies
Long live the ear for good music.
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
Empathy
I take public transportation to commute to my office - so i spend close to 2 hours everyday with strangers that I have never met before and may never meet again (well, I leave the propability to the mathematicians)
One could observe, at your own peril, many things that seem funny at first...you will a person suddenly shouting something and go silent- then you realize he has headphones on...a person talk and then realize, he in on a hands-free conversation with cellphone...and then people who suddenly laugh out loud (LOL) reading something...
I would look at them and would never understand how people can really LOL and that too *alone*.
On a related note, I picked up Scott Adam's (Best of Dilbert series) 'It is not Funny if I have to explain it' - Scott Adam's personal favorites with his commentary running below the strips.
Wait, before you think what has this got to do with this blog - beg you for your patience :-)
Man, does this guy have a genius for creativity :-) , ahem - well many of his strips (according to him were 'inspired' from real life incidents) have a real life parallel - so we will *HAVE* to give some credit to all of us ;-)
So far the best has been
Pointy Haired Boss (boss) to Alice : "Alice, your performance appraisal for this period is - 'Meets the expectations' "
Alice : (Furious) - "What ? I worked 80 hours a week and delivered all my projects on time"
Boss : "Well, I expected that"
:-)) before you roll on the floor laughing
Alice : "I earned two patents this year and our company can make millions out of it"
Boss : (Surprised) "Wow...really ?" (collects himself) "I mean, I expected that as well"
Alice : " I donated bone marrow twice to our customers"
Boss : " I noted that under the 'Attendance Problem' "
Dilbert to Alice : "Told you, that bone marrow thingie will come back to haunt you"
:-))
I literally jumped in my seat in the bus with laughter. I could see a few heads turning at me.....I now understand what 'Empathy' means :-)
One could observe, at your own peril, many things that seem funny at first...you will a person suddenly shouting something and go silent- then you realize he has headphones on...a person talk and then realize, he in on a hands-free conversation with cellphone...and then people who suddenly laugh out loud (LOL) reading something...
I would look at them and would never understand how people can really LOL and that too *alone*.
On a related note, I picked up Scott Adam's (Best of Dilbert series) 'It is not Funny if I have to explain it' - Scott Adam's personal favorites with his commentary running below the strips.
Wait, before you think what has this got to do with this blog - beg you for your patience :-)
Man, does this guy have a genius for creativity :-) , ahem - well many of his strips (according to him were 'inspired' from real life incidents) have a real life parallel - so we will *HAVE* to give some credit to all of us ;-)
So far the best has been
Pointy Haired Boss (boss) to Alice : "Alice, your performance appraisal for this period is - 'Meets the expectations' "
Alice : (Furious) - "What ? I worked 80 hours a week and delivered all my projects on time"
Boss : "Well, I expected that"
:-)) before you roll on the floor laughing
Alice : "I earned two patents this year and our company can make millions out of it"
Boss : (Surprised) "Wow...really ?" (collects himself) "I mean, I expected that as well"
Alice : " I donated bone marrow twice to our customers"
Boss : " I noted that under the 'Attendance Problem' "
Dilbert to Alice : "Told you, that bone marrow thingie will come back to haunt you"
:-))
I literally jumped in my seat in the bus with laughter. I could see a few heads turning at me.....I now understand what 'Empathy' means :-)
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