"..அசையும் கொடிகள் உயரும் உயரும் நிலவின் முதுகை உரசும் .."

"...இனி தேன் வரும் என்பதும் பால் வரும் என்பதும் ஜோசியம் ஆனதடா.."

JP Nagar's engineers

The new councilors for Bangalore are yet to get in to action. When they start working, they should ensure that the departments talk to each other.



BWSSB has de-silted the drainages in JP Nagar on saturday and they have dumped the silt on the road. After 24 hours (today morning), I called the assistant executive Mr.Mohan. He said it should have been cleared by the health department. And inspite of Mr.Mohan's repeated calls (he said 10 times), health department had not taken action. But on saturdays, nobody works beyond noon or so, and the work could be taken up only by Monday. The workers also need to go where MLA's men find actions.  Today's rain washed away some silt.



Another instance is 9th Main, JP Nagar 2nd Phase has 3 pits dug by the BESCOM. This was dug 3 weeks back. For the first two weeks, BESCOM maintained that it was not dug by them. Now they take their own time to complete some wiring work before they could close it. God, its raining heavily every alternative days - should not this be taken up with high priority?



Yet another instance, the garbage collectors and ragpickers have a liking to burn the garbages near the transformers. The tall fire can easily eat into the space of transformer's feet and can lead to disasters. But nobody bothers. When I told about this to a senior BESCOM engineer, he asked me to write 'a cover story' to Times of India?



Is the corporation reporting to Times of India?

Times of India has taken an initiative

விண்ணிலிருந்து மண்ணுக்கு

காலை வெயில் வரும் முன்னே

கதிரவனின் இளங் கீற்றை

எட்டு நிமிடங்கள் பற்றிக் கொண்டே -உன்

வீட்டு வாசல் வர ஆசை



விண்ணில் தோன்றும் 

மின்னல் கீற்றின்

வெள்ளி நிற வாலைப் பற்றி

உன் சன்னல் நோக்கி

பயணம் செய்ய ஆசை



மழைப் பொழியும்

மேகம் முதுகில்

மழை துளியை குடையாய் பற்றி

உன் முற்றம் நோக்கி

பயணம் செய்ய ஆசை



பாசம் எல்லாம் ஒன்றும் இல்லை

வீடு பூட்டியே இருக்கிறது

வாங்கிய பணத்தை

எப்பொழுதடா தருவாய்?

அம்மா வளர்க்கும் பூஞ்செடி

அம்மா வளர்க்கும் பூஞ்செடி 

 அதிகமாய் சில மொட்டுக்கள்

விடும் பொழுது

இயற்கை தன்னை

தேர்வு செய்ததுப் போல்

பூரிப்படைவாள்   அம்மா

Census India

Today, I had a surprise visitor, a school teacher visiting us for census details. She collected our family details, and other details like whether we have vehicles, radio, tv, no. of rooms, sanitary conditions at home, etc.



Related News and Links for Census activities 

http://www.thehindu.com/2010/04/05/stories/2010040561241000.htm

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/NGOs-to-be-involved-in-Indias-2011-census/articleshow/5596618.cms





This is what the census volunteer shared, and my perspective -

• Teachers are engaged because they are sincere  The teacher is made to carry huge documents, will not it be tiring doing the whole day? Cannot this be exercised through internet and collecting details/


• They do not get their summer vacation  I donot understand this logic. Why engage school teachers in such manual activities? Why do you do this in summer?


• Its a central govt initiative, they know they will get salary after the whole exercise is complete May be the teachers do this to get that 'extra' income. Let they be recognized for being part of such a huge initiative.


• They have to visit each and every house To me it is not appropriate to make an individual visit each and every house like this.


• If a family is not available, neighbours have to provide the details


• If neighbours cannot provide, atleast the apartment security has to provide

My dad also said, there will be another supervisor who checks atleast 20% of the data is correct or not.

We are living in internet world. I hope atleast by next cycle, home-to-home practice is eliminated. 



At the end, she also provided an acknowledgment who has to be produced for a photo id card planned somewhere in 2011 beginning.

2 New Health Issues I learnt recently

There are several health issues we read about and we take it only serious only when it hits us or someone dear to us. I learnt about two health issues.



a) Hernia in women :  I know hernia in men, and its known as குடலிறக்கம் and I always visualized it as the abdomen area lowering below its position, in literal sense. But it can happen to women too. This is what I learnt through online search:

A hernia is an abnormal protrusion, or bulging out, of part of an organ through the tissues that normally contain it. In this condition, a weak spot or opening in a body wall, often due to laxity of the muscles, allows part of the organ to protrude.

A hernia may develop in almost any part of the body; however, the muscles of the abdominal wall are most commonly affected.

A hernia may develop in almost any part of the body; however, the muscles of the abdominal wall are most commonly affected.

b) Increase in WBC: Increase in White Blood Cells count indicates infection. This is what I get from the online search:

A high blood count (above 30000 cells per micro-liter) indicates is not a specific disease by itself but indicates infection, systemic illness, inflammation, allergy, leukemia and tissue injury caused due to burns. The count of white blood cells also increases when certain medicines like antibiotics or anti-seizure drugs. Smoking and too much of mental stress also increases the count of the white blood cells in the body. Also, once the count of white blood cell is on the higher side, the risk of cardiovascular mortality also increases. It turns into a vicious circle.

I feel its important to know from others, go for regular checkups, do not mind that Rs.1500 complete checkup mechanism in a reliable hospital. There is nothing to panic. During our parents days, there was lesser awareness, lesser facilities and people generalized their disease "as not keeping well". Atleast now, we have multiple mechanisms to know what is right and what is wrong. Lets be alert.



From the above two diseases, there is something common: "there is something in excess". Body reacts when it has more.

What if full screen YouTube freeze?

I am just getting used to watching tamil movies in YouTube. Often the full screen mode did not work fine for me. Today decided to search a solution for this. Here it is.



As you play the video in normal mode, right click, select settings, uncheck the option for Hardware Acceleration.



I dont know the usefulness of this setting.

Decision Making

Tony Robbins talks about decision making in his book "Awaken the Giant Within"

The three decisions that control your destiny are:

1. Your decisions about what to focus on.

2. Your decisions about what things mean to you.

3. Your decisions about what to do to create the results you desire.

This is my interpretation -



Decisions about what to focus on



a) Every Sunday I will decide what I will be focusing this week

b) Every day, I will decide what I will be doing today

c) Every hour, I will FOCUS



Decisions about what things mean to you



a) When "bad past" disturbs me, I will "pause" the video, audio and feeling, and will give the incident a new empowering meaning

b) When "fear future" makes me anxious, I will "pause" the video, audio and feeling, and will give to-be incident a new empowering meaning

c) If they do not make sense to me, I will make them zero voltage



Decisions about what to do to create the results you desire



a) First I will think of the usefulness of what I desire

b) Second I will assess whether it will make me a better person or not

c) Third I will DO it.





I think I will create a Google Spreadsheet template and track key things that matter to me.

Is Green Tea bad for me?

I am big fan of Green Tea and I have tried almost all favours of Green Tea available in India. And I have been advocating it to all my friends.



Today, came across the latest news that Green tea strengthens teeth. (see link). But something struck me in the search results!  "skin rash"



Throughout my life I have been suffering skin rashes - painful boils on shoulders and back.



At the age of 15, I came to know that I have sulfa allergy. Later, a homeopathic doctor said I was allergic to brinjal (my favorite vegetable).But even these days, I am developing a lot of boils and rashes - I am wondering if those 'tannin's (see link) in the green tea causing all these?



What's wrong with my immunity?

How I handled Yelling!

Last night, there was a guy known to me who screamed over phone losing his temper "You are a fool. You are an idiot". I repeated it until he decided to bang the phone down.



I did not tell my family as they were sleeping. I was literally undisturbed. Thanks to the Optimist Club Creed,

my focus was literally on the solution part. I had 3 choices.



a) To ignore him

b) To write a letter to him that I want to bury the differences

c) Walk into his house to tell that I am not angry at him.



It turned out that yesterday was his wedding anniversary. When I called him, he was taking bath. I wished his wife my message - part (b) and their anniversary wishes. Evening I sent out him a letter.

Dear friend,

It’s a coincidence I called you on your wedding anniversary.  Belated wedding anniversary wishes to you and your wife.

Friend, I am not going to talk anything about what happened yesterday.  I am under the influence of certain principles which I am practicing in my life.  I have attached the same with this letter.  That’s one of the reasons  I did not react to yesterday’s incident. I am only responding to you.

I called your home this morning to tell that I hold no negative grudges against you and that we can resolve this if we speak out.  I thought that would lift your day’s spirit – being a first day of the week.

Our kids play together – so, they will certainly learn from what the elders do. 

I have nothing much to say.  Lets bury the differences.  Lets revive our good old relationship.

Invite me for a coffee this weekend, we will have a friendly chat.

Computer Service at JP Nagar Police Station

I had an opportunity to visit the JP Nagar Police Station for my friend's requirement.  There I found their computer system was a old model and struggling to bring up the screen. With the permission of the officer, I helped out the operator to improve his system. I have given my number to contact me anytime they need my help.



On one side, I am glad to note that computers are being put to good use but on another side the infrastructure could be improved.



It was a very unique experience for me.

Optimists Club Creed

Tony Robbins referred to Optimists Club Creed in his book Awaken The Giant Within. This was created by Christian D Larson. It reads like this:

Promise Yourself-

To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.

To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.

To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.

To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.

To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.

To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

 

 

I was so impressed that I looked for posters on this subject; and came across the Secret website. They have beautiful posters and lots of content on optimism. A couple of weeks back, I heard some young girls asking for "The Secret" book in Landmark. I did not know that this book is gaining popularity.



I am touched by this text. Its already doing a lot of magic in me. The first statement "To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind" is on top of my mind.  Yes, this is built on positive affirmations, but all useful affirmations are available in one place.



I have downloaded the poster from their website and developed 2 photographs of 8 x 10 size. It was an excellent quality.

Notes:Relationships

There are several things I have learnt from various relationships. Its time for me to share that. Hope you would benefit in some way. 

• We are certainly talking about one particular relationship in our mind. We should not be generalizing the whole lot of relationships that is there and unexplored based on what is not going well. பொதுவாகவே மனித  உறவுகள்  என்றதுமே  நாம்  குறிப்பிட்ட சில உறவுகளை  (உதாரணம்: காதல்) மட்டுமே நினைக்கிறோம். சில உறவுகள் சரியாக இல்லை என்பதால் எல்லா உறவுகளையும் சுருக்கி கொள்ளக் கூடாது. 


• What needs to be done: What is your current relationship style?  How are you doing with current relationships?  Do we have preferences? என்ன செய்ய வேண்டும் என்று பாருங்கள் - இவ்வளவு காலம் பழிகிய உறவுகளை  நீங்கள் எப்படி கையாள்கிறீர்கள்? நாம் பழகுவதில் நமகென்று எதாவது ஸ்டைல் இருக்கிறதா? உறவு என்றால் இப்படி தான் இருக்க வேண்டும் என்று நீங்கள் வரைமுறை வைத்து இருக்கிறீர்களா? 


• What is that I am expecting from the new relationship. What is natural and right thing to do? Most of the time, relationships evolve like a tree. Hurrying up can break it like a bubble. இந்த புது உறவில் உங்கள் எதிர்பார்ப்பு என்ன? எது நியாயமாக நடக்க வேண்டும்? ஒரு மரம் வளர்வது போல ஒவ்வொரு உறவுக்கும் அவகாசம் கொடுக்க வேண்டும். அவசர பட்டால் குமிழி போல உடைந்து விடும். 


• More than spoken words, unspoken words bring a lot of value.பேசிய வார்தைகளை விட பேசாத வார்த்தைகள் மதிப்பற்றவை. நினைப்பதை எல்லாம் சொல்ல வேண்டாம்.


• Express happiness and blessings to the dear ones, mentally.  There is some goodness in the air that binds the souls when we do this sincerely. elloraiyum manadhaara vaazhthungal. உறவுகள் இணையும்.


• It’s a rush in the hormones sometimes that we get attached to one person and try to get their attention.  There are millions of people in the world.உணர்ச்சி வேகத்தில் ஒரே ஒரு உறவை துரத்தி துரத்தி காயப் படுத்த வேண்டாம். நீங்கள் நேசிக்க உலகில் பல கோடி பேர் உண்டு.


• How about you be an interesting person and everybody (and especially that person) is after you.  மற்றவர்கள் உங்களிடம்  தானாக வந்து தொடர்பு  கொள்ளும்  அளவுக்கு உங்களை சுவாரயசியமான மனிதனாக மாற்றி கொள்ளுங்கள். 


• Don’t drive anybody mad.  உறவுகளில் யாரையும் குழப்பாதீர்கள்.


• Every relationship is like a thread in the web.  Build it and make it stronger and interlink. ஒவ்வொரு உறவும் ஒரு நூலிழை. அதை அழகா பின்னுங்கள்.வலுவாக்குங்கள்


• Recognize every individual is different. They need not necessarily express what they feel. ஒவ்வொருவரும்  வித்தியாசமானவர்கள்.  சில பேருக்கு நினைப்பதை வெளிப் படுத்த தெரியாது.


• As you build relationship, go slow, make it கலர்புல் உறவுகளை வளர்க்கும் போது கவனம் தேவை; அவசரம் வேண்டாம். அதே சமயம் ரசனையுடன் இருங்கள்.

Cinema: The fascinating technology

Between Cinema and Internet, I choose Cinema as the most fascinating technology. Like books, music, sports, food, the cinema also has become an integral part of our lives. Making cinema is like playing god. Some one tells the story you love, someone shows the world you would like to see, something your never thought of, never seen, never felt. From street plays, dramas, cinema has evolved exponentially. And thats why its a dream factory.

There is no limit to what innovation it can have. The multi dimensional cinema industry spawned several other industries and also artists. Sometimes we see an artist who has nothing to do with cinema, as an alien - we wonder how does he make money then?

Yesterday, it was heartening to read about "Angaadi Theru" (அங்காடி தெரு) which is a movie on the workers working in malls and shops. The reviews are very similar and positive. Did you notice that these days there is no old guy who makes movies; most of them are youth.  The youth are the right choice to make the movies because they blend technology and their dreams frame by frame. But some fall into trap of hero specific characters and make masala stories which is unfortunate but sooner they realize the success is short lived. When we watched Shankar's Gentleman, Indian, Mudhalvan and Anniyan, the impact it had in me was very deep.

I wish that I be part of the cinema industry and do something about it.

The producer of the movie "Angaadi Theru", Arun Paandiyan was mentioning in an interview today, after the movie, some shops in Coimbatore have sent back the workers home. Is nt a positive impact on the society?  Its a debut movie for the director and most of the artists.

I strongly believe movies can create new religion, new cult, new culture, new trends, and a new world. If directors could do that, heaven will be on earth.

Tamil Poem: வேலைக்காரிக்கு என்ன தோன்றும்?

Image Courtesy: Wikimedia

வேலைக்காரிக்கு என்ன தோன்றும்?



அவள் மட்டும் பளிச்சென்று வர

எங்கள் வீட்டில் எல்லாம்

சிதறி இருக்க

வேலைக்காரி வந்து செய்யட்டும் என்று

போட்டது போட்டபடி கிடக்க

இந்த வீட்டாரை நினைக்கையில்

அவளுக்கு என்ன தோன்றும்?



அவள் உலர்த்தும் பட்டு புடவை

தேய்த்து வைக்கும் வெள்ளி பாத்திரம்

துடைத்து வைக்கும் இரண்டு அடுக்கு

குளிர் சாதனப் பெட்டி

அவள் இது வரை தொடாத

கணிபொறி பெட்டி,

அவளை கவர்ந்து இழுக்காத

மொபைல் கருவிகள்,

அவளுக்கு பிடித்த பாடல் வந்த

தொலைக்காட்சி பெட்டி

எல்லாம் பார்க்கும் போது

அவளுக்கு என்ன தோன்றும்?



அவளுக்கு உடல் சரியில்லா சமயம்

எங்கள் வீட்டுக்கு

நிறைய விருந்தினர் வரும் போதும்

சம்பளம் கொஞ்சம் கூட்டி

கேட்காலம் என்று அவள் நினைகையல்

நாங்கள் பத்து நாள்

விடுப்பில் செல்லும் போதும்

அவளுக்கு என்ன தோன்றும்?



நம் வீட்டு பிள்ளைகள்

உயர் ஆடை உடுத்தி

நுனி ஆங்கிலம் பேசி

நவீன பொம்மைகளுடன் விளையாடியப்  பின்

ஆன்ட்டி  என்று  செல்லமாக அழைத்தால் 

அவளுக்கு என்ன தோன்றும்?

Relevance of Local Festivals

This march month has witnessed a lot of local festivals across South India. There is a common theme - God, procession, and tradition. In many cases, a car (தேர்) is also part of the festival. Certainly, such festivals have become part of our lives. Psychologically, it builds trust among public, on god, on the culture. But beyond all this, there must be a reason when our ancestors celebrated such festivals. Was it part of the entertainment? Was it to reinforce certain messages for the public? Was it a strategy to welcome summer in a specific manner? 



If we donot understand the context of such festivals, the relevance will fade away soon. We may end up celebrating a 300-old traditional festivals for wrong reasons and in wrong manner. If Diwali is celebrated for killing Ravana, after that many bad elements have been killed - we never attribute Diwali to those past bad elements ; only because we donot know really why we are still celebrating Diwali.



The saturday-sunday weekend holiday sysem was brought to us, may be by British. But, several years past, we did not have anything like weekend. The entertainment mechanism was different.  Why so long past, take  the past 20 years itself:  we used to watch Doordarshan for the Sunday movies, then came movie channels, and now we have on demand movie channels, and above all online channels. During Doordashan days, people used to stay back at home for watching Sunday evening movie, and Sunday other language movie, and Friday 'oliyum oLiyum' (ஒலியும்  ஒளியும் ). So, if there was a special reason why there was less traffic reason on the road, we bet on Doordarshan. Just picking an example, how need for entertainment system drives our everyday cultural aspects.



All traditions were created by mankind and for the mankind. If they do not serve the purpose, it should be replaced. Why waste money and time? There are several needy on the earth that needs yours and mine time.

Tamil Poem: நீ அழைப்பாய் என

நீ அழைப்பாய் என

நான் இருந்தேன்.

உன் அழைப்பிற்கு  

காத்திருக்கும் கணங்கள்

இதயக்  கூட்டின் வெற்றிடத்தில்

எதையோ நிரப்பிகிறது.

அர்த்தம் இல்லாமல்

கோபம்  வருகிறது.

ஒரு வேளை நீ அழைத்தால்

இயல்பாய் பேசும் படி

மனசு சொல்கிறது

A Double Prank

Yesterday, one of my friends said a leading Kannada magazine was playing prank for April 1st that the vote boxes of the recent BBMP polls have gone bad due to some leakage and that this could lead to re-election. But at the bottom of the message, they had mentioned that its the April fool treat for the readers.



Dinakaran,  supposed to be one of the No.1 Tamil daily - as they always claim - as published the 'leakage' news as a news, but not as a prank. My dad who was not aware of this background said that there could be a re-election. I was unmoved, and suggested that the prank could be the background.



I noticed that Dinakaran publishes translated version of what appears in Times of India's previous day edition. This time, it has published Kannada daily's prank news.



Let me wait and see tomorrow, what story they have to say!

Readers Dont Digest Always

Even in this advanced, modern, hi-fi, wi-fi technology world, traditional way of sending promotional letters through post still continue.



Every bank company stuffs some brochure full of online shopping details and offers. The letters come in glossy papers and of very high quality. Do the banks realize that trees have to be cut for those papers and those papers finally go as a garbage for no use.



I had once subscribed India Today magazine. This magazine has sold my address to Readers Digest and Time Magazine. Readers Digest, in turn keeps sending "Readers Digest SweepTakes" offer. They say every year, I am one of the 'potential winner' for the offer who can win upto Rs.26 Lakhs. The faulty computer software always picks my name even if I am not the subscriber.



Like a seasoned effort, every year I get a bunch of promotional letters from Readers Digest.  2 days back I got one. I did not take any action. Today I got another bunch with so many details, certificate formats, flyers, envelopes.  Man, you are killing trees.



Is this reliable? Check for yourself. Readers Digest Website Winners Page





Is this reliable? I checked online, if I am the lonely soul.  I checked again. Visit Consumer Complaints website

விண்ணைத் தாண்டி வருவாயா

I am glad I watched Vinnai Thaandi Varuvaaya (விண்ணைத் தாண்டி வருவாயா? ).  The movie itself really came over space directly (விண்ணைத் தாண்டி வந்தது) to me (thanks to YouTube).



Its a beautiful narration of a love story. Both Trisha and Simbu are very sweet in their own ways. The climax or the result of the movie is true in several relationships. The face of love has been changing. Many could not come out of their homes - literally, due to culture, parents, uncertainty, and fears. Jessie is one such girl. Simbu is one such boy - no matter what the relationship ends in something. Even the positive side of the failure is also true. Many make the sunshine out of the failed relationship. Sometimes its a big relief, that finally a result happened to the relationship - a failure or success.



Some friends and colleagues have undergone this; some relatives too. But time passes. People carry wounds.

The second part of the movie has filmy touch similar to that of Balachandar where K S Ravikumar, and film shootings happen.



I enjoyed all the dialogues "அவங்க உன்  கண்  வழியா  என்னை  பார்க்கலையோ என்னவோ ".  "அவ front-a பார்த்ததை விட back-a தான் அதிகமா பார்த்தேன்". "இப்போ எனக்கு என்னமோ கேட்டுச்சு; அதை தான் நீ  சொன்னியா?", "உலகத்தில இவ்ளோ பொண்ணுங்க  இருக்கும்  போது  எதுக்கு  ஜெச்சிய மட்டும் ஏன்  லவ்  பண்ணேன்?".   And the friend Ganesh is perfect.  His husky voice adds natural comedy.



I love Gautham Menon, his thinking, his mannerisms, and his genius. He is really brilliant. I was stunned when I repeatedly watched his வேட்டையாடு விளையாடு; பச்சைக் கிளி முத்துச் சரம் movies. VTV is another milestone for him. I could not count it as yet another love story. This is really different. Both Trisha's and Simbu's character is heavy.  Next time when I see that a house of that type, I will only remember them.

I wish there comes some rich movies like this but with a wound healer message for millions of heart-breaks. If the movie could celebrate the so-called failure as the bright side of the love, we can stop suicides, crimes, and relationship issues.



 Related Links:

விண்ணைத் தாண்டி  வருவாயா Wikipedia Link