Kollywood news

Si digo una vez que equivale a cien veces

No! No! Me no Spanish, but then soon Superstar might be singing like this. ( which translates to "Naan oru thadavai sonnaa - nooru thadavai sonnaa maadhiri"

The shooting for Sivaji has been going on in full swing and Shankar must be churning out yet another "my aunty got killed, so I am going to kill everyone who doesn't flush the toilet/ wash their hands" theme. With thalaivar in it, adds more spice n curry to it. Cha, I feel Rajini's costly miss till date was refusing to act in Mudhalvan. That story was tailor made for him and would have been the ideal launch pad for an entry into politics. I loved Mudhalvan, despite the presence of Arjun in the lead role. Anyways, look at thalaivar dancing as a whitey in the streets of Spain with Shreya.

Rajini Sir, Pakkathula Shreya voda dress, ungalukke konjam over-aa illa?
Shreya (from Fan#1), "Nee varum bothu, nan maraivenoo?" (When you come, why will I disappear?)
Eagerly expecting this movie.

Another eagerly awaited movie is releasing tomorrow. Dhanush oda next padam. I like Dhanush for his acting abilities. This guys might be lean( I think Namitha will be twice his weight :), no physique to crave about in a hero, has vulgarity forced in almost all his movies, but then his acting is top-notch when compared to his peers (jeyam ravi, simbu etc). Comeon, Vijay-oda padam ellaam career start la eppdi irunthuthu - his initial films were hits just because of Sanghavi! Anyways, this Selvaraghavan directed (kaadhal kondein, 7g rainbow colony) movie is releasing tomorrow and I am hoping the desi-theater here in Raleigh area will screen this movie sometime. Music is awesome by Yuvan if you haven't already heard it. Its yet another gangster movie but atleast hoping it to be different.
Kutti thalaivar padathulenthu oru still :)
Jerry is another movie releasing tomorrow - a movie by the Crazy Mohan troupe, with Mumtaj in a non-glamorous role. Thats weird! But dont worry Mumtaz fans (if any!) - song sequences la sure' a glamor irukum. I have put down this movie to watch list because of Crazy's presence. And a thing about Crazy's movies - if you are laughing on a particular joke for more than 5 seconds you will lose the next couple. So dont laugh the first time you watch it :)

Yayyyy!!The season of long weekends are finally approaching for guys in the US. This is like festival season where you get 3 day holidays frequently in the next 6 months. (Like in school - independence day, vinayaka chathurthi, navarathri, deepavali, christmas all come within a month gap). The first one is Monday, Memorial Day. Planning to watch some wildlife this weekend, family'aa zoo poga porom :) What are your plans?

Thanks to thatstamil.com for Sivaji movie still
Thanks to sify.com for Pudhupettai stills.
Thanks to freetranslation.com for the spanish translation :)

Have a good weekend all of you! Yaa, my team lead is on a vacation starting today, and its already the long weekend for me :)

Midweek Rambles

The Word Verification Mystery Solved:

Dont know if anyone noticed it, but I was complaining the word verification scheme had started testing out my eye-sight, my typing ability and my nerves by dishing out words like "wxvvwglkhm", "xcmnndsel" all tangled and curved up. Now I seem to have an answer for that -- I remember incorrectly typing the first few when commenting on some blogs and "blogger" has identified me as a spammer!! With lots of time at work, and no restrictions internet usage wise (unlike my previous employer), I do spend a lot of time reading a number of blogs and commenting more often than not. So its no wonder I have been identified as spammer :(

Orkut Binary Tree:

Are/Were you watching Chidambara Ragasiyam in SUN TV? I started watching this series right from day one, and have been obsessed with this on Wednesdays that sometimes I even refuse to switch to cartoons even if my nieces plead to me :) (No, I am not that bad, I switch to cartoons during SUN tv commercials :) Although its dragging a bit these days, I am still waiting for the mystery to unravel. I like this one having missed Marma Desam, Vidaathu Karuppu from Naga. Anyways - there was this dialogue 2 weeks back --"Any person could be linked to another person through 5 connections". I see that vividly in Orkut. Search for any name in Orkut and 7/10 times, you see them connected to you in less than 5 hops. Ofcourse dont search for people like Svedlen Voltchkov or Curtly Ambrose - more likely than not, my statement will fail :)
And ya, beware of the new Orkut "Profile Views" feature. It sucks :)
You dont want some "Charanya"/"Shobha"/"Ganesh" to know that you have been viewing her/his profile!
Wonder how Orkut can trace a friend's friends'friend's friend's friend by giving me the path.
A binary tree probably??


Uyir:

Did you like Kaadhal movie's songs? I liked it very much especially the Kaadhal theme song.
The music director is Joshua Sridhar and he became famous for his other acts of wooing a singer, eloping with her etc. Thats all personal :) He has come out with his next movie Uyir.
I have been listening to the songs, they are very good. A couple of average ones, but 2 songs are really good. Listen to "Aanum Pennum" and "Kann Simittum".
Although the songs are good - the hero of the movie is Srikanth. Yuck!!!
I hate seeing this guy on screen just for the reason that he doesnt have any modulation while talking, no emoticons. He always a dialogue in his movie "Yennanga, ippdi solreenga?, Naan solradhu correct thaana?".

Anyways,
Thats my mid-week ramble!

Her Birthday

Its that time of the year. Spring is almost on its way out and enter Summer. This last week, everyday he woke up - he thought "Its another day nearer". She likes getting surprised, especially if its him. That makes the job all the more harder for him. Every birthday he starts to plan on her birthday gift weeks before the actual date. Over time he understood his gift to her need not cost him his bi-weekly paycheck, it doesnt need to be a bouquet of red roses and a candle-lit dinner, but it needs his personal touch. The gift is more a sentimental value than a face value. The harder part is keeping it a secret from her, the harder part is to get away from her by lying - "I got to meet this ooolld classmate", throw tantrums like - "I am sick, Will you leave me alone this evening?". Finally when the day arrives, and he reveals the gift to her, she would go ecstatic about the gift. She would tell all her friends, all her cousins, her mom/dad, his mom/dad and make everyone envious. She loved him even more.

But this year it is a lot different and this birthday is a lot harder for him. This year, he has all the time away from her but then he need not plan on her birthday, make the effort for the gift. Will she be expecting his birthday message? Should he leave an offliner wishing her on the birthday? Will she reply back? Will she be happy to see his message? He thinks about the hard times they endured the past year, the broken olive branch and then closes his eyes decidedly. As always he decides he didn't want her to feel unhappy, especially on her birthday. He did not to send her a birthday message.

Miles away... she wonders - "Will he send me a birthday wish?".

T'y'red!

I was on a looonng weekend this past weekend. No, I wasnt resting or vacationing at all.
My parents are here in the US for 2 months now and they were wanting to see the place where I studied my Masters. We also decided to visit my cousin in Detroit to see the new arrival in her family. I rented a car from Avis - got a bonus double car upgrade because I shared my birthday with the guy who was at the desk. (Sometimes, I have to accept I am lucky :)

So I took them to the Blue Grass state first, showed them around the beautiful country, the greenery, and better still showed them the gang I belonged to! (hmm and they did act goody-goody :). Then we drove all the way upto Detroit and stayed indoors most of the time - thanks to the cold-welcome in Michigan and to make matters worse it was raining. Then we drove back from Detroit to home, North Carlolina and thats a sweet 750 miles :( I had taken Monday off and I would have preferred the Monday morning work than the 750 mile drive. At the end of it all, everyone was relieved home was there and I crashed to blissful sleep yesterday.
Altogether - I had driven 1900 miles in 4 days. Oooohh, that some miles on the Avis rental. I am sure he will think twice before renting a car to me next time. And guys, next time try the Pontiac G6 - its a smooth drive and it drove beautifully in high-speeds and was a veryyy smooth drive. But then, I am back to my "lachumi" today.

Today as I slide under my desk at work, my legs inadvertently look for the gas and the brake. How I wish I was in India where I could call an auto to drop me home :( Sigh!

My first eMail...

Computer illaama, internet connection illaama oru naal kooda yoschu paakave mudilla. Enna dhaan emails varaathu naalum check pannaama irukka mudiyarathu illa.

Oru 10 years back!!@@@@@@@@@@@@

My first tete-a-tete with the Email world was like the 'bali aadu going to the kasaapppu kadai'.
Naan college la 1st year to 2nd year pora time la Computer Science pasanga ellam pesindu irunthaanga - "dei enga computer lab la internet vara porathu next week, apporama neraiya browse pannalaam".

Me - "anne, browse naa ennanganne?".
Them - "dei, intha vingyana ulagathula, computer thaan da ellaame nnu aaga poguthu. Nee computer la ukaanthuku nu, engeyo US la irukkura figure kooda email panni pesalam, chat panni pesalaam, greeting anuppalaam. Innum ennaalamo iruku da."
Me - "anne, atheppadi anne inge irunthundu velinaattu figure ku ellam route poda mudiyum? Chumma vilaadaatheenganne".

My initial image of the internet was - makkal e-mail annuparathukum, messages transfer pannavum use aagum pola iruku. Puli varuthu puli varuthu kadhai maadhiri internet connection um vantha paadilla, naangalum gumbala night computer lab ku poi unix account create panni, adhula "display calendar", "maximum of 3 numbers", maadhiri programs type panni engaloda tech knowledge and typing ability develop panninom. Hostel la irunthathunala adhu oru vasadhi, night lab ku poittu jolly a kadhai adichundu varalam.

Atlast one day, the internet connection was all setup and there was a special class for all the staff and lab assistants first. Then it was time for the geniuses (not gene-a**es) in our batch to create email accounts for everyone. Avan kitte appoinment vaangi, appointment vaanga rendu criteria vum satisfy aagama - 1. paiyana poranthu tholachaachu 2.antha padikkara pasanga kooda sagavaasam-um kidaiyaathu.

Oru vazhiya "dei inniku night unaku create pannidalaam da" nnu avan solla - Yennatha create panna poraan?, naan edhavathu documents eduthundu varanumaa nnu yoschu, nalla moonji alambi, thalaiya vazhichu vaari, vibuthi elaam ittindu (photo eduthaanganna?) neraa computer lab ku ponen. (Ippo bali aadu kasaapu kadai feeling varuthaa?). Computer lab la avana paathavudan - aattuku oru sandhosham varume kasaapu kadakkarana paathu, antha feeling oda avan kitte poi chair pottu ukkaanthen.

Edho oru malaysia figure kooda chat pannindu irunthavan - "dei konja neram pakkathu computer la ukkaaru, dho vanthidarennu" solla thirumba unix account la naan ezhuthina code a eppdi better/innovate pannalaam nu pathundu irunthen.

"Sari da inge vaa, unnoda first name, last name (appadinna?!), date of birth ellaam type adi. Avanoda help oda ellaathaiyum type adichu, next page poyaachu. "Sari unaku enna email id venumo type adi da". (Aadu kitte poi entha kathiyila vettaradhu nu keppaangala?) Thiru Thiru nu muzhichunde "nalladhaa neeye onnu sollu da, enaku idhelaam theriyaathu, moreover nee dhaane elaarkum create pannina."

Ivan edho try panna, computer "asku busku - adhellam vera evano use panra id - venumna prabhu_ks_19_79@hotmail.com iruku eduthukko" nu solla, "thundu (towel) pottu deal panraa maadhiri" oru 2-3 times deal pottu kadasila enaku ksp100@hotmail.com nu vaangi kuduthaan. Sari padipula thaan noothuku nooru(100) vaanga mudilla, email id la oru "100" irunthaa oru geththaa irukkum, class la nammala pathi oru positive effect create pannum nu sandhoshama email id OKAY nnu koovinen. Password easy aa nyapagam vachukkura maadhiri type vachuko nu advise kudukka, Sari da unaku nandri solra madhiri vekkarennu avana pathunde "monkey" nnu type adichen. Prabhu voda password "genius" nnu oorula solindu alainjaan. (****** thaane avan paathathu :) Yaen monkey a poi password a vachennu iniku varaikum therilla, edho oru patchi sollichu vachen avvlo thaan.
Aaga ennoda muthal id and password: ksp100@hotmail.com, password:monkey.

Makkale, intha password a poi ipo ennoda id ku try pannatheenga, enna thaan naan "all accounts same password" policy follow panninaalum, monkey ellam eppovo change panniyachu.
Pirkkaalathula naanum avanum jigiri dhosthu aagi oru naal enaku internet la "Aishwarya Rai" photo kaamikkarennu (Sathiyamaanga idhu dhaango unmai) help panna vanthu, lab in-charge kitte maatti, avanoda unix account la save panni vacha palaana palaana photos ellam pidichu, pinni pedal eduthuttaanga.

Oru informative piece oda mudichukkaren:
Appadi kashta patu email id create pannikkara nilamaila antha kaalam irunthuthu. Ippo pasanga 7 vayasula email id, chat nnu kilambidaraanga. Enaku therinju avanga use panra oru abbreviation - POS adhaavathu Parent Over Shoulder. "Amma/Appa irukkaanga, ozhunga pesu, swear words use pannaathe nu solraangalaam.

hmmm, intha vayasulaiyevaa? Vilangidum ponga!

Naan Vegetarian

"Can you make this dish without the meat?"
"Do you think this soup is made in chicken or beef broth?"
"Is this vegetarian?" - Pat comes the reply in a hardened tone "Sir, this is garlic bread" :)
(The cute waitress wanted to ask you - "Dont you even know what a garlic bread is?")
"No meat please, Thank you!".

Everytime I go to a restaurant - I have to ask atleast 5 clarifications if the dish I decide upon, has any meat, if I am ordering a soup have to make sure there is no beef broth in it.
One thing - some restaurant guys dont consider chicken to be meat (what is it, then?) and next thing they assume - beef broth is only for flavoring hence its not considered made of meat.
The reason for this post is - me and my brother went to a chinese place to take out some stuff for the home - Neo China (peru ellam nalla thaan vekkareenga!). We made sure we asked the customary 5 clarifications, made sure we said " does not contain any meat", "No meat", "vegetarian" (No, we didnt want to get a weird look by saying "pure vegetarian":), "no egg, no meat". It was a nice smelling 15 minute ride back home with the "to-go" bags on each side of the rear. I had my first dig into the spring rolls that we ordered for appetizer and I was sure something was not right. I emptied my mouth and saw a small cube of "I know its some meat".
(yuckkkkk!!).

Then I had to jump before anyone else could get a taste of it. I had a feeling of let-down and am no more in the mood of eating anything. I think its more of the mind than my mouth that I felt the same distasteful taste lingering on even when I was eating the fried rice. Is something wrong with what I said or they dont care - I said "medium spicy" on my fried rice and I got a "medium" sized SPICY one. Finally the only good thing of the meal was the fortune cookie.

The same thing happens with Tacobell also. They grind the beef so much that you eat thinking its bean. There was this one Tacobell experience which I cannot forget - I made the order and before I could say my "no-meat" things, he said "I know sire, No MEAT right? and here is your glass for water" ( How did he guess I am not going to take a drink? I think he has a strong belief that Indian guys never drink sodas).

Its been a while since I ate outside food and I guess it will be a while before I go back to Chinese food again. The final word from my SIL was - "Idhukku sambar-rasam-curry combo ve saaptu irukkalam, edho en samaiyal venaam nu poneenga la?".
And I didnt want to differ. I am waiting for the traditional mammu in the night.

The world of Book Cricket

4..2..6..8..err..1..2..outtttttttt....2.1...outt.......4..6..6...6..6...6...4..(sooper da)...4...outt...
total 168. Nee aadu (~you play)

Even the recently introduced 20-20 matches take 3 hours to complete and wont be as fun & run filled like this form of cricket. There are no special One-day clothes to wear, just the regular clothes would work. And you dont have to wear helmets or pads while playing this form of cricket, actually there is no ball or bat or fielders in this form of cricket.

Its still fun and its the World of Book cricket. This was the elementary school mantra in my school going days. I dont know if school going kids still play this form of cricket, but I hope the rich tradition is passed on and its still a game that kids enjoy during a boring Geography class (where you read about the type of rocks present in the tropical rainforest in Savannah), or a Moral Science class where they teach morals you already know. (Like - "The God gave Raman all the three spears because he was not greedy"). Did your school also tested you on Moral Science ? Every set of examinations started of with Moral Science, why do they test me on Moral Science stories? What good does it do to test me on this subject?

Anyways, coming back to the book cricket, the rules are very simple - flip the pages and see the last digit of the page number, thats the amount of run you score. If its a 0 you are out, if its a 8 its not eight runs (no! you did not hit the ball outside the stadium :) but just a single run. This game has always been unfair to the trios - no 3 runs in this game. But for such a good time-pass game this can be excused. The rules might be simple, but there are a lot of NO-NO's:

1. Since this game is high-frequency flipping, pages tend to wear out, and sometimes you can deliberately make sure the "sixer" page is easy to find. Thats a strict NO-NO.
2. It should not attract the attention of the teacher. There would be multiple tournaments going on simultaneoulsy in the class and its everyone's responsibility to make sure our Mam is happy to see us deeply involved with the book. If you do get her attention though, you have to remain in the "kneel down position" for the rest of the class and if you are shrewd enough, you can take your "partner in crime" also with you :)
3. When you are winning a match, make sure you win it without dubious claims. The other guy whos losing the match would be waiting to say "deii, nee page a madichutta - poda bongu naan othukka maatten, bongu bongu".

Ivvlo risk irunthaalum intha game aadarathunala konjam advantages iruku:

1. You can play mixed-cricket, since girls and boys sat in random order and not as flocks of sheep those days, you get to pick a girl partner to play with. Enna than 3rd/4th standard naalum, its fun all the way. :)
2. Page flip panrathunaala the book tends to wear out and veetla amma appa paartha thittu vizhaathu. They would actually be proud that "nee padichu kizhichu irukka" nnu. :) "Nalla padikkaraiya da kanna" nnu aasaiya keppaanga. Adhuvum report card vara varaikum thaan. :)

Later (with more dare-devil sports.)
P.

ps: Whats your record breaking score?