Fear Factor

"My heart is afraid that it will have to suffer," the boy confides to the alchemist one night as they look up at a moonless night. "Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself," the alchemist replies.

Isn't it true that we stop following our heart\dreams just because of this fear of failure and its sufferings. We often fail to realize the strength and confidence that we gain when we follow our dreams, irrespective of whether we achieve it or not. I think Barathiyar's Acham Thavir (Puthiya Aathi Soodi) is not a mere verse just to pass our grades in school. I guess it is a verse for the life.

Not alone our dreams, Fear stops us from being righteous, stops us taking right decisions at cross roads. Unless we Kick off this Fear, It is going to imprison us and create our destiny. If not we, then expect none to stand for us.

Blaft Anthology of Tamil Pulp Fiction

Blaft publications private limited, a chennai based publishing house has published this book - "Blaft Anthology for Tamil Pulp Fiction ". I had to literally postmortem the title to find what it means :)

Blaft - The publisher
Anthology - Collection of literary works
Pulp magazine or pulp fiction - Inexpensive fiction magazines

The book is a collection of fiction stories, translated into English, written by some of the great Tamil Pulp authors . The anthology includes stories of Subha, Rajesh Kumar, Vidya Subramaniam, Indra Soundararajan, Ramanichandran,Pattukottai Prabhakar, Pushpha Thangadurai, Tamilvanan,Brajanand, Resakee..

I was surprised to see such a publication. Its a welcome approach and a honor to all these great writers. Am not sure how good the translation version will be, as am yet to read it. But it will be a good read for the readers who will not be able to read Tamil. I guess the book should be available at all leading book sellers.

The publishers also have a vision of translating other South Asian Regional language books into English. With this we will get a chance to read the good works of writers from other languages too... Good work Blaft .

Green Vs Red

This one came to my mind, when i saw the symbol in the pizza box differentiating a Vegetarian Pizza and and a Non Vegetarian Pizza . The Vegetarian one had a Green colour and the other one had a Red Colour..

What does these colours signify..?
Green for vegetables and Red for the blood?
Is this a global representation used by the food outlets and manufacturers?
I remember seeing the similar green color symbol in a chocolate wrapper...

When i tried to Google for the global standard symbols, i was able to find a set of symbols for Vegetarian . But none for Non Vegetarians :(

The Three Mistakes of My life

The Three Mistakes of My life - A story about Business,Cricket and Religion.

Chetan Bhagat comes up with another fictitious story, whirling around the streets of Ahmedabad blended with business,cricket and religion. Simple narration, realistic characters and witty dialogs looks like his forte. Unlike Five point some one, this time the story involves more serious characters,historical events and reflects how politics and religion are inseparable in our country.

Though a little part reminds one of his previous novels it doesn't make you feel bored. This book is a decent read for fiction readers.

Hope

When ever i hear this word hope or hear someone speak something related to hope, the thing that often comes to my mind are these dialogs from the movie "The Shawshank Redemption".

Here is a small back ground if you have missed to watch this movie. Red (Morgan Freeman) and Andy Dufrense (Tim Robbins) are life time prisoners and Andy is convicted for a crime that he has not committed. Red delivers this dialog to Andy when they are in prison. Years after this, Andy escapes from prison and places a letter in a spot from where Red can pick it when he is released from the prison. This is one of THE MOVIE.

The Shawshank Redemption

Red: Let me tell you something my friend. Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane.

Andy : [in letter to Red] Remember Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.



These are one of my favorite dialogs and this movie is one of my all time favorites. :)

It's a Wonderful Life

This is wonderful....

Many a times we never know what difference we make to the life's of people around us. Here is a man, whose dreams are just dreams throughout his life and makes him feel better not born . Trying to kill himself, he experiences a wonderful thing. A thing that makes him realize what he has done to the people around.. Thats the beauty of the movie..

There are certain movies that makes us feel good after watching.. This one belongs to that genre for sure..

This movie is available online in Google videos.





P.S Nandri Hi to Bala for suggesting this movie :)

Do it

Until we do it, we will never know "how" "much" we can do something....

The Kite Runner

After reading Ponniyin Selvan for months together, i picked up "The Kite Runner" three days back, hoping to complete it in a months time. But to my surprise i completed it quicker than i expected. Easily it becomes one of the best books i have read so far.

The Kite Runner derives its name from an ancient Afghan hobby of dueling with kites. When the opponent's kite has been downed, then the real battle turns into a race, the kite run, to see who retrieves the fallen kite. In 1994 the Taliban regime banned the kite flying

Khaled Hosseini's first novel unfolds a remarkable story of parenting, love, remorse and pain between two young children Amir and Hassan..Life is not same always, it changes for them too and puts them in a spot they would have never imagined. It brings you back your old memories and shows how life gradually changes in course of time.

Besides this the book gives you a picture of how the social and political climate in Afghanistan has made thousand of people homeless and made them live as refugees in other countries. Its sad to see how th monarchies, the Russians, followed by the Talibans and the anti terrorist wars(???) has made Afghanistan into a land of turmoil.

The story starts with a beautiful saying "There is a way to be good again", and ends with a hidden message, "Learn to stand for yourself, else their will be a day you will regret for not standing up for your loved ones"

Ponniyin Selvan

Ponniyin Selvan - Many of us would have heard about this novel. But only very few would have got the pleasure of reading it.. Written by Amarar Kalki, the story was initially published as a serial in his own magazine Kalki, for three and half years and later it got published as a book in multiple volumes.

It started like a pretty ordinary historical novel, but later it turned into a roller coaster ride with all twists and surprises.Mr. Vanthiyathevan Vallavarayyan's kusumbu and heroism, Kunthavai's saamarthiyam, Poonguzhali's attitude, Nandhini's revenge, Manimegalai and Amudhan's kadhal, Arulmozhi's gesture ellamey super.. The way the author has depicted the human feelings, their desires and the extent they go to achieve it, is the real beauty of the book. I was reading it like a mega serial, slowly and intermittently and when it got over i felt little empty.. :(

Reading it even after 50 years from the time it got published,this book gives you an immense pleasure .This is a must read for all Thamizh readers..

Spoons and Forks

Why do we use spoons or forks while eating ? Back in India most of us don't use forks or spoon while eating at home.. But when we go out to restaurants or parties we manage to use them efficiently ;). What is the reason behind using this..?

If eating with spoons or forks is a good or healthy habit then why we are not following them at home ?

or

Its just a dining etiquette to be followed in public places ?

or

Is it just a eating style being followed from the western or the other parts of the world ?

Considering them as a healthy habit is a convincing reason, because our hands are maximum exposed to germs and dirt compared to the spoons and forks. In fact these utensils are sterilized in most of the places which makes them more safer..

Here is an article which speaks about the different ways of eating various kinds of food. Just curious to hear the history behind the usage of these spoons and forks.. :)

The fall of Benazir..

Moments before and after the the fall of Benazir.... Here are some facts about the leader..

My New Camera :)

Few snaps from my new camera :) These places are in and around The Mammoth Lakes, 5 hours drive from Los Angeles, California..

On the way to The Mammoth Lakes

Lake disguised as a snowy land

A house decorated with snow

Skiing zone @ The Mammoths
(apparently we missed this adventure :( )

With The Sun all set to rise, The Moon is about to wane
(Few minutes before sunrise)

Of course its not taken by me ;)

Can You?

Recently when i was commuting to office, i happened to see a small kid (should be around 5-7 yrs old) with an innocent face in a local bus. All of a sudden something made me feel how this kid is going to be after few years..May be a respectable person in the society or may be an anti social element (my 12 std master Mr. Sella paandi use this word very often :)) . This event triggered me a sequence of questions and facts.. Everyone is innocent when they are born. In that case, what makes them turn into a terrorists or anti social elements.

Is it the background they are born ?

Is it the environment they grow?

The extra ordinary circumstances or events that changes their course of life ?

I feel that the surroundings (which includes all the above) in which the child grows plays a vital role in determining his\her future.. Born in a decent background, with all conducive environment and factors to grow better, am sitting in LA and writing this blog.. What if i had born in a remote village of Kashmir or Sri Lanka with an environment that is not as conducive as i have now ? It is quite possible that i would have become a member of Al Quaeda or Tamil Eelam and fighting for its ideologies ?

Let us assume people like Osama, Prabhakaran, Phoolan are the victims of this vicious environments and background. Is it fair enough to judge and brand them, just because we had a better environment to grow?

I am not able to say for sure that I would have not become another Osama or Phoolan, if i had been brought up in their environment. Can you?

Hey Ram

When i was listening to this song "Gokulathu Kanna " from the movie Gokulathil seethi, this lyric "Raavanan nenjil Kaamam illai (Ravana had no lust in his mind) struck me something. As far as what i have heard about the epic Ramayana, Raavanaa captured Seetha and prisoned her in Sri Lanka.. And later Ram rescued Seetha and from their she took the Agni Test (Not the one Abdul kalaam tests, this is kind of fidelity test) to prove her integrity

Coming back to the lyric

The line "Raavanan nenjil kaamam illai" made some sense to me.. Though he captured Ram's wife (which cannot be justified for any reason), i am not sure if he did forcefully exhibited his desires\lust on her when seetha was in Lanka.. If it is true then so is the lyric.

When i felt Raavanaa's act of capturing Seetha is not justifiable, I felt that Ram's act of Agni Test is also not justifiable.. Was it really necessary ? Once you lose faith on your partner, their breaks the relationship then why need a test? May be Ram trusted her but to prove to this world, he wanted seetha to take it.. But again why do you want to prove to this world about someone whom you know better than the world....? An why it is only Seetha, and why not Ram's integrity is questioned here.. ?

One reason may be Ram is another man made God, or because Ram belongs to one of the most powerful dominating genre of the society,"The Men". I am not able to find a better answer for this. Do you?

Stance..

Here is an equation. A is in love with B , But B only likes A, but not in love with A. You should understand here the difference between love and like. When a person say they like you, it is not equal to or almost equivalent to loving you. Both are different. So get yourself cleared when some one says they like you :) . Coming back to the equation again, B only likes A. A is disappointed with B because B is not understanding or accepting the love of A. But B has its own valid reasons not to accept A.

To make this equation little complex, here comes C. C knows A is in love with B. In spite of that, C is loving A, like how A is loving B. When all the three comes to know about each other, what stance should they take?

A knows the pain of waiting for B. So A can easily understand how C will feel. Understanding C, should A accept C's Love?
or
Sticking to its stance, should A go ahead and keep on waiting for B? Doing this A is reacting to C, the same ways how B is reacting to A..
or
C knowing what love is, should it help A in its love for B?
or
B, coming to know C's love with A, should persuade A to accept C?

What will be your stance if you were A, B or in C's position?

Trip to Las Vegas

It will not be an exaggeration if Las Vegas is called as The City of Lights. The enormous night activities,the Casinos,rides, shows and night clubs in this part of the world, makes the visitors nocturnal.

Las Vegas - The city of Lights

The hotels and casinos in Las Vegas are not just conventional Multi-storied sky scrappers alone. Here is the casino Paris Hotel - a replica of Eiffel tower . This replica is half of the height (appx 540 foot) of its original one in Paris.

Paris(Hotel), Las Vegas

Paris - Bellagio casino -in the back drop

Bellagio is another hotel and casino in Las Vegas. Inspired by the Lake Como in Italy, this casino has an artificial lake set up in 32000 meter square in front of its massive building. The specialty of this casino is the Fountain of Bellagio that takes place every 15 minutes in this artificial lake. This is a real beauty to watch.

The Fountain of Bellagio

Its more beautiful to see the water dancing to the tunes, from the top of the Eiffel tower. Here is the video taken from the top of the tower at a height of 500 feet.

The fountain of Bellagio - from Eiffel Tower

For those who have watched the roaring MGM lion in their movies and shows alone, here is the Lion Habitat set up inside the MGM - Metro Goldwyn Mayer Inc. Casino, to symbolize their mascot. The Lion Habitat - a glass protected lion cage, has two, two years old siblings (though they doesn't appear like that ;) ) well trained by instructors.Its amazing to see the instructors moving so closely with the lions like pets. We saw a trainer teasing the Lion in his tail playfully :)..

Inside MGM Lion Habitat - The Lion King and its Trainer

MGM and Bellagio are among the three casino vaults targeted along with The Mirage, in the George Clooney, Brad Pitt starer Ocean's Eleven.

After Paris, it is Venice now. The Venetian is another Casino in the Las Vegas strip area. Venetian's internal architecture is a replica of the Venice city itself.

The Venetian - Replicating the canals in the Venice

A part of the Venetian casino is designed with Venice like canals. Any guess about the timing of these photographs..

Inside the Venetian

You would have noticed how dark the sky was in the first few photos. Those photos were taken around 10 - 11 pm in the night. The above two photos were taken two hours after the first few photos (i.e) 12:15 am midnight. Yes. The Venetian interior was designed with a spectacular day light effect that makes you feel that you are at outdoors in day time. For a moment i was wondering which part of the day i was. I was stunned for a moment about the light effects they had inside the casino. Amazing !!!

Above all, the most unforgettable experience was in the Thrills of The Stratosphere. The Stratosphere Casino has a tower which is the tallest observation tower in The United States. At a height of 1149 feet, The Stratosphere has three thriller rides,The X scream, The Insanity, The Big shot. These are real thrillers.

'Triple Thrill Ad - posted inside The Stratosphere

Though we didn't get a chance to ride The Insanity, The X Scream and The Big Shot was too good. The X Scream is a ride of my life. The tower seen in the picture is at the top of The Stratosphere at a height of 1100 feet.

The X scream ride goes vertically down towards the ground at an elevated angle,from the top of the tower (1100 feet) with a quick momentum and then stops, then makes a jerk pushing you little more down, then lifts you elegantly. This is repeated for 3 times i guess. I rode this thriller sitting right in the first seat (you can imagine with the above picture).

Sitting there i was wondering what would happen if something goes wrong. What else ? I would not have been writing this now :)

Here are the few other photos taken during this trip.

Inside The Venetian @12.15 am

In front of the Eiffel Tower

Inside the Eiffel Tower

(Gopi*, Naanthaanga, Ganesh, Srivatsan*)

Last but not the least, Las Vegas, from The Stratosphere

Las Vegas - From the Top of The Stratosphere

*The photographers of the trip :)

Adaptations

In recent times, movies has become a pleasure for me to watch rather than a time pass. This is mainly because of the movies which portrays a powerful art in the form of motion picture rather than being an entertaining medium alone. A significant number of beautiful movies that are pleasant to watch are being produced and directed without any lingual or regional barriers. They may not be always thought provoking or inspirational, but they will give you some sense of joy (like reading a book). And interestingly many of such good movies are adaptations from novels. There is always a opinion that books are always better than their movie version. This is mainly because movies cannot provide all the small minute details that a book can provide and the movies cannot fit an abridged book version within a frame of two hours. This gives books an edge over the movies,but still these movies are enjoyable.

Seeing these movies (most of them made in Hollywood), i wonder why such kind of adaptations are not being made in the Indian cine industry. Having watched a considerable number of Indian movies am able to list only a very few numbers which i have watched under this category.

The Namesake -Hindi/English (2007) -Adapted from The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

Parineeta - Hindi(2005) -Adapted from Parineeta by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay

Aalavandhaan - Tamil(2001) -Adapted from Aalavandhaan by Kamalhaasan

Sila Nerangalil Sila Manithargal - Tamil(1975) -Adapted from Sila Nerangalil Sila
Manithargal by Jayakanthan

Pather Panchali - Bengali(1955) -Adapter from Pather Panchali by Bibhutibhushan
Bandopadhyay

It will be great to see quite a number of Indian movies to fall under this category. Especially for books and movie lovers like me.. :)

How do you convey?

When you feel bad for what you have done to someone and you want to let him know that you regret for what had happened but you don't want to speak with him for other reasons, how do you convey?

Pudhumai Penn

Here is a strange or shocking or welcome (how ever you want to name it) thought/perspective by one of the participants in a TV debate program (neeya naana - vijay tv). The topic was about marriage expectations and the question was which ceremony(sadangu) is not wanted or boring among youngsters in a marriage. Many expected answers like nalangu (sandal bath for gals), Jaanavaasam (road show for the bride groom) came from the youngsters.

Surprisingly/shockingly one gal didn't find tying thaali(sacred thread with a piece of gold tied around the neck in Hindu marriages) as a necessary thing in a marriage ceremony. Her point was this. Rituals and ceremonies don't determine or strengthen a relationship. Marriage is all about mind.. :) Hats off to that gal :) . After her answer a question was posted to the parents whether any one of them will accept her as their daughter-in-law. But no surprises this time. There was not a single Yes from the parents side :(

I do agree her point of view. Marriage (Thiru Manam) should be the union of minds. No physical entity can or should determine it. But unfortunately in the so called culture at home, marriages were never Thiru Manam. All these years they are only exhibited as Thiru Caste, Thiru Religion, Thiru Language, Thiru Money, Thiru Status. The feel of togetherness should come from inside and not from all these rituals..

In the same show there was a reply from a gal about how pride she feels about her caste.. Thought of writing something about that...But no comments. .l. :)

****

Computer clock shows as 00:52. This is not going to make sense to many a people. May be not even to me. I am writing because i wanted to write something. But no idea what i am intend to write..Like free speech,free spirit, this is going to be free writing.. just keep writing whatever comes in mind.. This is not going to be coherent nor relative.. May be discrete pieces of junk from my mind.. Its not that easy to put what ever you feel in words... It needs a lot of writing skills to put what ever you have in mind on paper with appropriate words.. I am lacking of that. Whenever i have write something here i think for hours before i post it.. But this time am not going to think much before posting.. Whatever time its gonna take is the time taken to type it.. Till now i have deleted 4 lines and have retyped it again... 5 times.. It doesn't make any sense why i have to write like this.. Now thinking again whether i should post it...6 times..Started thinking again.. 01:03.. I wonder how all the sadhus try to concentrate on one particular thing. They do really concentrate or they dream closing their eyes .. Am trying to write this without distraction.. but its distraction that made me write this.. Trying to distract myself i started something and got distracted again because of this something...For sure its not going to make any sense to any one.. When i read this again sometime its going to be funny.. May be not.. Probably i alone can understand how i feel tonight..not this night alone.. Many a nights like this.. May be to many a people their might be nights like this.. I may not be the only person.. But i still i have to go through this. I cannot console myself seeing some one else also being like this.. Probably i can understand to an extent how much it takes out of them. Everyone has to go through what they have to . Others can only feel sympathy for it... This is not gonna get over very soon. 7 times. 01:12.. 8 times.. 9 times. when do i stop this. i stop when i sleep.. when do i sleep? i sleep when i stop.. I don't want to do both but have to do one for the sake of other.. I want to sleep so i want to type . i want to stop typing so i can sleep.. Thinking again whether to post it or not.. My idea of free writing is defeated here... 10 times...11 times. Sleep wins over writing... eyes are closing.. Wish this all is a dream. but it is not ..............................................
..........................................................................................Trying to think if i can write anythingsensible..But not able to think. feel the free..... 01:25