President's Bus Ride

As one of those who use the Bangalore metropolitan buses to commute to office and back home, I couldn’t help but laugh out loud seeing the cartoon in The Hindu edit page. Mr. President would find the bus ride much more adventurous than the Sukhoi and Submarine experience. Just see the smile on our President and plight of his security guard. Excellent cartoon.

The Beautiful Game

The World Championship of the beautiful game kicks off today! Forget about the ongoing Test Cricket series between India and West Indies and get ready to enjoy the live actions from Germany. Except for the most prominent teams and few players I am not aware of the any thing else about the World Cup. But I don’t care. Watching the matches would no doubt be bliss. When I was in school not a day would pass without my class not having played the game. In fact I have rarely played Cricket in my school. But after joining college for lack of opportunities to play football I had to rest my legs. With this World Cup I am going to revive all those memories of school days.

Quote

“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”

- Samuel Beckett

I Seek A Ban On...

Aamir Khan’s film Fanna is banned in Gujarat. The Da Vinci Code is banned in few states. Even I would like to seek a ban on the following things:

• Mega Serials - These are highly reprehensible.
• Tele-shopping shows - Nothing else can insult one’s intelligence as these shows.
• 24x7 News channels - Can’t imagine how low they have stooped of late.
• Shows on numerology, gemology and craps like that.

I have no opinions on the bans on Fanna and The Da Vinci Code but I strongly feel if all things that I have mentioned are banned, TV viewing can be much better.

The Da Vinci Code

There are many movies that are made based on a book. The Da Vinci Code must be the first movie that I have watched after reading the book upon which the film is based. Having appreciated the book I was bit skeptical that the cinematic version would be a let down, particularly after reading the reviews in media. But it was not. Though not as gripping and riveting as the book, the movie as well can be appreciated. I feel that presenting a literature in a cinematic form has it own limitation. By that thought I give The Da Vinci Code thumps up.

"Avian bird flu" joke

A bear, a lion and a chicken are talking about who is the hardest. The bear says, "When I roar the whole forest trembles." The lion says, "When I roar the whole jungle shakes with fear." The chicken says, "All I have to do is cough and the whole world runs for the hills."

Source: New Scientist

Short Stories

Hot Days Long Nights is an anthology of African short stories. The book is a collection of twenty-six stories by African writers. This book having published by the National Book Trust is priced at a very less price. The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Africa, sadly, is its backwardness. So while buying this book I thought the most of the stories would be about the plight of the Africans, particularly its women. And I was right. Most of the stories that I have read so far have been poignant. I believe the other sories as well would be as as much touching.

Rajkumar

Kannada matinee idol Rajkumar is no more. His death has left millions of his fans devastated.   More than as an actor I liked him as a singer. Rajkumar has sung number of memorable songs one of my favorites being the song 'Halu Jenu'. But the violence that occurred in Bangalore on the day of his funeral was most shocking. I would not accept those who were part of the violence as true fans of the thespian. It was some anti-social elements, which took advantage of the situation and caused trouble to people who cared for the actor. Other wise how can we explain the burning of buses and cars? Is it possible for people who are grief stricken to do such inhuman things? I don't think so. Ultimately it resulted in Rajkumar not receiving the kind of funeral he deserved. It was said that he would be provided a state funeral. But the scenes at his burial place said a different story. There were numerous fans at the funeral but I think he was buried like any other ordinary citizen. I truly felt very sad at the way the whole episode was carried out.
 
The other thing that I didn't like was the English news channels discussing why southern India is so much obsessed with film stars. I really don't appreciate the question. Idolizing someone is a characteristic that exists throughout the world in some form of the other.   It is the Bollywood stars that bring in major revenue to these news and the so-called lifestyle channels.  Salman Khan's arrest was breaking news, why? . While the English channels were covering the mob violence in Bangalore, the Hindi news channels were busy with Salman Khan's possible release from prison.   Were it not for people's interest in Bollywood, Salman Khan would not have occupied the front pages in newspapers and prime slots in electronic media. The difference is just that while the Bollywood stars endear themselves to people representing the elite class the southern stars endear themselves performing roles, which the common man who is not part of the elite can easily identify with. Nothing was more telling than the incident that occurred in a news channel. As the host was discussing the question of southern India's idol worship with a panel the news of Salman Khan reaching his home must have trickled in. The host immediately interrupted saying that Salman Khan has been released and has reached his home. "We bring you the live pictures from his residence…you can see the fans thronging his home."   It was thought that the news of Salman Khan reaching home was hot news and one should not miss it, anything else can wait. Oh, how I hated it!

Thandege Thakka Maga

The new Kannada movie Thandege Thakka Maga starring Ambarish and Upendra is the remake of the Tamil film Devar Magan. Though I haven’t watched the entire movie, going by the few scenes seen on TV, I can assert that the remake falls way short of the original. Devar Magan starring the late Shivaji Ganesan and Kamalahasan was a neat movie. The two versatile actors had given a performance of great élan and Illayaraja very well backed the movie. Ambarish performs Shivaji Ganesan’s role, as that of the patriarch. The latter is peerless no doubt. S.A Rajkumar has rehashed the tunes of Illayaraja in the Devar Magan. Effort has been put to recreate a movie that is considered to have set a benchmark of sorts but not enough to match its quality.

Bird Flu Threat

Bird Flu cases have been reported in few parts of India. There is global concern over the bird flu. New Scientist carries a special report on the bird flu threat in its January’s edition. The reason for the alarm that is being raised globally is based on the fear that the virus H5N1 once inside a human may mutate and become capable of using humans as the carriers. As of now, even though the bird flu kills a third of people, whom it infects, it cannot spread from person to person. A pandemic can occur if humans become the carriers, which would be devastating especially if it is in poorer countries. A vaccine can be developed only after finding the exact strain, which is causing the pandemic. Distributing it to the affected people would be a herculean task. Answering a myth, ‘It’s a 21st century, not dark age and death due to massive plague is not possible’, the article had this to say: “…. even though leaders know death and misery anywhere will have global consequences, we don’t have the capacity to produce antivirals or vaccine fast enough to protect everyone. We have 21st-century technology. But when it comes to getting it to people, we are still in the dark ages”. Very true. Its high time the rich countries get together and go all out in stopping the pandemic from occurring.

Thirukkural

Finance Minister ,P Chidambaram while presenting the Union Budget, quotes Saint Tiruvalluvar . A beautiful kural .

“Karumam Sidhaiyamal Kannoda Vallarku
Urimai Udaithu Iv Ulagu”

“The world is his who does his job
With compassion”

Being a Tamilian , I feel ashamed for not having learnt the Thirukkural. The only kural that I know by heart is that which gets said in every Balachander’s film !

"Agara Muthala Yelluthellam Aadhi
Bhagawan Mudhatre Ullagu"

" 'A' leads letters; the Ancient Lord
Leads and lords the entire world"

Fascinating Read..

Absolutely enjoyed reading the book ,Richard Dawkin's Selfish Gene about which I had a post here. It's a brilliant book and I highly recommend it. Each chapter was a revelation to me. I was impressed with the authors knack of explaining concepts with understandable analogies . Extended Phenotype is another book by Dawkins. I will hunt it down soon for Dawkin considers it to be , more than anything else in his professional life , his pride and joy.

Genes And Survival Machines

I am currently reading Richard Dawkin's The Selfish Gene. The central theme of the book is that genes are the fundamental units of evolution,of natural selection.The altirusm or the selfishness of the individual life forms is the result of the gene and nothing else.Life forms, plants and animals are just the vehicles for them to survive. The author refers to the life forms as the survival machines.Once the survival machine have served their purpose they are cast aside but genes continue to survive through the next generations of the survival machines. Genes are the denizens of the geological time.Like diamonds genes are forever.

The book gets me riveted on it while I travel to my office in bus everyday.A excellent way to escape the traffic snarls in my city. Once I complete the book I hope to blog in detail about the genes, the immortal coils.

Comedy - Then & Now

I watched the classic comedy of the late Thangavelu from the film Kalyana Parisu again. I think that the performance of Thangavelu along with his wife Saroja in Kalyana Parisu should find place in the list of all time great comedy in Tamil Cinema. Other equally brilliant performance should be that of Nagesh in the movie Kadhalika Neramillai. When I see such great comedy in old movies I can’t help but contrast them with the present and feel that the performances of Nagesh and Thangavelu are far more accomplished than those done by present breed of comedians like Vivek, Vadivelu and others.

ID Is Not Science

Should Intellegent Design (ID) be taught in science class as a scientific theory challenging evolutionary theory? No. The arguments put forth by the exponents of the ID are naive. Their argument that it is impossible for a complex organism to evolve just by chance defeats itself cyclically.One who designs the complex organism should be much more complex and demands much more explanation. But ID supporters refute this arguments saying that the Intellegent Designer is simply immune to the normal demands of scientific explanation. In such a case ID should find no place in science class but instead be confined to theology studies.

I studied in a christian school where we had a separate classes taken to preach Bible. I had no issues and did study it for it carried weight in my overall performance in my exams. But I would not tolerate when some one suggests that let the Bible classes be part of my Biology curriculam.

Read here a very good article arguing against ID

Vijay's Political Ambitions ?

The Tamil Film Star Vijay receives the first stamp album of the special postage stamp on ‘Pongal’. After reading the news in the newspaper I was wondering why was Vijay chosen for recieving the stamps . But if rumours are to be believed then what my friend says must be true.My friend who came from his hometown in Tamil Nadu after celebrating Pongal, says that according to news reports in dailies there, Vijay is all set to campaign for DMK for the upcoming elections. Why would Vijay do that ? After recent IT raids in the houses of the cine stars of Kollywood, he is in need of some political support to shield himself from the IT raid squads in future. Though one shouldn't jump to conclusions , the rumour does make some sense to me!

Aaaru - Keep Off

I suggest you might do yourself a favour from avoiding the Tamil film Aaaru. Violence being the main theme the movie fails miserably. Hari did much better in Saami.

PS: There were days during which I used to argue with my friends that commercial Tamil cinema was better than Hindi and kannada( atleast if one considers comedy and music). But now those arguments will fall flat on their face.

IF..

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,
If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!

--Rudyard Kipling


Inspiring , isn't?

Brain Lara, The Enigma II

Mike Marqusee in his Column 'Level Playing Field' in Hindu writes

"Lara's artistry blends the spontaneous and the cultivated, flamboyance and discipline, inspiration and stamina. It is irresistibly seductive. Even fanatical opposition supporters sigh in disappointment when he's out early. They know that a major innings by the walking puzzle we call Brian Lara is one of the glories of modern sport, a privilege to behold, whatever the outcome of the match"

same thoughts I intended to put in my post on Brain Lara , but couldn't put in words as Mike has done.

Maxwell's Equations

God Said Let ..

And There Was Light!

"To anyone who is motivated by anything beyond the most narrowly practical, it is worthwhile to understand Maxwells equations simply for the good of his soul." - J R Pierce

Inspiring statements that helped me in understanding the Maxwell's Equations better while studying Electromagnetics .