What

Desi identifier

2009-11-16T06:27:00.003+05:30

How to identify a desi in US - Part I

1) Toyota Corolla
2) Honda Civic
3) Honda Odyssey
4) Acura MDX
5) A cart full of grocery items lying unattended in the middle of the aisle

The three letters - MLM

2009-11-16T05:58:00.004+05:30

There are three letters that I dread a lot nowadays that I am in US. No, its not Flu. Its called MLM.

I know bits and pieces of the concept, but I am really not interested in it. It a game of cat and mouse that goes in WalMart and other groceries stores with Indians hounding other targets to pull into their MLM business. Just today I saw a family trying to hound us by following us to the same aisles that we went to and I know this for a fact because they have already tried talking to us on MLM. Hey, I am not against people earning an extra buck, but not at my privacy and space.

It all starts with an unsuspecting smile and then they come closer and say a hi. If you reciprocate then you are doomed. They test the waters by throwing up the similarity of the geography that we belong to in India and then move on to the local area that you reside in. Then they figure out that you are in IT and start off with some IT funda to lend credibility to their intentions. Once you start talking a lot they systematically get your phone number and email id and then throw up the idea of MLM at you.

This is the moment when it dawns upon you their real intent and have to excuse yourself from the situation by faking a mobile call. I got punked by them a couple of times and I have learnt my lesson from then on.

If the men are into MLM then the ladies on H4 have setup a beauty parlor at their home and hound you no less than their male counterparts.

Gees, I dread nowadays to go these nearby shops in fear of such people. They dont restrict this behaviour among desis alone but also try their luck at a few native people.

I know that we are facing a recession and having a job is difficult, but please choose some other ways of earning money than this and respect my privacy.

Johnny Gaddaar

2007-10-18T10:00:00.000+05:30

I watched Johnny Gaddar last week and man what a movie. It was sensibly directed and no unnecessary item numbers or romantic songs. I had a lot of options in mind about who killed Johnny G in the end but it turned out to be the apt choice.

I was thinking what if it would have been Rimii Sen who was waiting for Johnny and killed him and took the money from garage and ran away? It can be a possiblity if the screenplay was tweaked a little but still this original climax was good in the sense that the slain man's wife has avenged her husband's death.

Also kudos to the director to show that the killer is a novice and is scared. He is not potrayed as a macho killing machine. We also see that he gets confident only after he starts committing more murders.

Gripping screenplay. Dharamji rocks.

Will give it 4.5/5 stars.

Tanjore Travelogue

2007-08-25T19:49:00.000+05:30

I had been to Tanjore last week and happened to snap a few pictures with my nokia E50. I know the camera is not great but the architecture is. It was a very nice place. And oops if I have forgotten to mention the name of the place it is Brihadeeshwar temple(Periya kovil) in Tanjore where you have huge Shiva lingam. It was awesome. The architecture was simply amazing.

Andrum Indrum - II

2007-08-24T11:53:00.000+05:30

Andru unavu araiyil aval ennai parthu ketal 'Neengal Engirindhu varenga' endru,

Nan vilayatuku veetil irunthu endru sonnen,

Aanal,

Andru enaku theriya villai, avalum en veetil irunthu than varuval endru.

Andrum Indrum

2007-08-24T11:44:00.000+05:30

Andru kalvi araiyil moondravuthu naal avalai kettargal, nee enna vaga iruka aasa padigirai?

Aval Sonnal, Nan India vaga iruka aasai padugiren endru.

Nan ninaithen,

Nee India vaga iruka aasai patal nan Delhi aaga iruka koodatha?

Embarrasment is the Word

2007-08-22T12:09:00.000+05:30

Have you ever been embarrased that you want to dig a hole right there and jump into it. I have had a few moments which I would I like to right about.

Once I was travelling by a day train from Tiruchi to Chennai. Since I was travelling by 2nd class sitting, I had to adjust between two medium sized people. Opposite were a old couple who had a look on their face as if I was a biscuit bandit or something. Also they were talking among themselves about how today's teenagers are spoilt brats. I was moving nervously in my seat because I don't like people judging me before even talking a word to me. Suddenly I felt thirsty and I picked up my bottle and drank a gulp of water when suddenly somebody in a far off country thought about me and I had a hiccup. I was unable to control it and spat the water out which nearly landed near the old couple. Thank goodness there was no CRPF(Railway Police) around and we had almost reached chennai. I apologized profusely to them and got down and simply ran away without looking back.

The other incident happened when I was in my seventh standard. I was visiting the airport for the first time. My aunt had taken me with her to receive her daughter who was coming from London. I had bought a slip on shoe the previous day and I was flaunting it in the airport. Suddenly I had the urge to skate on the tile floor. So I ran fast and tried to skate and ended up landing with a thump on the ground. An American was watching my antics with amusement helped to my feet and offered a few words of friendly advice.Whew! So much for 'Who Dares Wins' and 'Ripley's Believe it or Not'.

I get embarrased even today when I think about them. If you have faced any such moments and don't mind getting more embarrased then please let me know in the comments section.

Kamal's Jinx

2007-07-16T11:10:00.000+05:30

Disclaimer: First of all to all Kamal Haasan fans, please don't take offense to my below post. Its just a post which arised out of acute boredom. I am also a big time fan of Kamal and watch his movies FDFS.

Have you people noticed something about Kamal's heroine's(female leads) in his movies. There was thought I was having that they somehow do not get enough project once they complete a movie with Kamal. Again, I may be wrong. But to highlight a few:

>Vasundhara Das- After Hey Ram she got more offers for her singing and acted perhaps one movie with Ajith(I don't know whether it was before Hey Ram or after). Though her singing took off,her acting crashlanded.

>Vasool Raja- Sneha's carrer after Vasool Raja has been limited to Saravans Stores and that odd Shaam movie.

>Vetaiyadu Velaiyadu- Jyothika's marriage was announced at the time this movie was about to be released and she got married after SOK released.

>Virumaandi - Abirami's last swansong I guess. No where to be seen. Hoping to see here soon in the small screen.

>Anbe Sivam- Kiran who?

But the first four points had one letter in common. That is 'V'. I think it is jinxed for Kamal's heroines. So please get a few hints from small screen serial makers and adopt a new letter.

Share Auto Predicament

2007-07-16T09:57:00.000+05:30

Getting a share auto from the place where I work at 6:00 pm is as rare and impossible as Kamal and Rajini working together. Even if I manage to get one, I end up getting the most dingy seats in it. This happened last week when I was returning home.

As usual there was big fight for seats and people were booking their seats using whatever they could lay their hands on. Some people used kerchiefs,some used their wet umbrellas. I somehow managed to edge two people while they were involved in a fight as to who will get the lone seat by sneaking between them. Then followed a real predicament. I was sitting in a seat which was surrounded by women(read as Sisters in my girlfriend's perspective). Now I had to adjust myself in such a manner that, I had to ensure that no part of my body touched the women. My legs where bent in a 56 degree angle and both my hands were formed in a 'X' position. Now to compound to this issue it was raining outside.

This is when nature began to play its part and I had this urge to sneeze. If I sneezed then my body will surely move and will end up touching one of the women. Now to consider the immediate repercussions of such a blasphemy:

1. End up getting a glare from them 'As how dare you violate my chastity by committing such an act?'

2. Stop the share auto at the next Women's Police Station and file a case against me.

3. Can't even think of any more terrifying thoughts than this.

So, I resolved this sneeze can be done as soon I reach home and with great difficulty suppressed it. But, it does not end there. I had read some stupid forward that suppressing a sneeze can rupture your veins. But, couldn't really take it seriously because thinking that I have a lot of veins in my body so loosing one is not a big deal than go through the embarrasment of going to the police station.

P.S: I didn't sneeze when I went home.

P.P.S: Please find an illustration of where I was seated in the share auto. Also forgive my painting skills.

Memento

2007-07-09T09:45:00.000+05:30

Memento Facts:
(Spoilers Ahead)

Fact No.1: He is using Sammy's identity to mask his own shortcoming.

Fact No.2: He unknowingly killed his own wife by giving her an insulin overdose.

Fact No.3: He killed Teddy because he had cheated him into killing Jimmy for his drug dealing.

Fact No.4: Teddy always wants to drive Lenny's car because it has 2 million dollars stashed
away in the rear of the car.

Fact No.5: Natalie shows Lenny the picture of herself with Jimmy and tells Leo that Jimmy was
killed by Teddy.

Overall a fantastic movie to watch. Ghajini was nowhere close to this. Sheer class and perfection. Amazing scripting. True treat for viewers.

Guy Pearce brings about a charm to the character.

The DVD opens with a question and answer format and then lets you watch the movie.

Why

2007-06-17T14:19:00.000+05:30

Why does God do this? Is this a question that you have asked yourself many times? What have you done about it? Do you see people dying around you? Do you see people who kill themselves for a minute of pleasure using a drug called tobacco? What have you done to stop it? All that we can do is close our nose and walk away? Do we really care what happens to that person after that? Do we care about his family?

Do we care if a vehicle emits poisonous fumes at its free will? Do we care to do something for our future generations? We can criticize a lot of people but can we do something about it? Can we open our eyes in the morning to a tranquil atmosphere where there is harmony and peace?

Right now I want peace and good health and I am willing to give up anything for it. Join my hands please. If there is anybody who is reading this, please join hands with me. Time is less and lets change this world a better place to live in.

A truly better place. Lets give back to our children good health and a nice planet bereft of any kind of illness and violence.

Please.

What's in a name

2007-04-30T11:50:00.000+05:30

I was pondering what would happen if great writers like P.G. Woodehouse and Oscar Wilder were born in my state. What would their names be? I thought a few and am just posting about that. If there are any readers of my blog, then they could also give a few through comments.

1. P. G. Woodehouse ------------> P. G. Wodeyar.
2. Oscar Wilde ------------------> Bhaskar Wilde.
3. Sidney Sheldon ---------------> Senji Seldon.
4. Arthur Hailey ----------------> Rowther Hailey

Readers might add a few too.

Long Letters

2007-01-24T09:53:00.000+05:30

Its been three years since I finished my college. I wouldn't say I was popular in college but I was just another average guy. I had a few friends who have now flown to America to follow their academic pursuits and for work as well. Its been a long time since I have been in touch with them. When you start working in a corporate then you slowly start forgetting them.

So when one of your best friend goes to the US and writes you a long mail by telling his/her experience of even going to the nearest phone booth or the pizza shop, you feel great that there is someone to write you such long mails.

The last time I received a long mail was an appreciation from my onsite team by by giving me more work. No am not cribbing about my work. Rather I am happy that there are my friends who write such long letters and tell me that they are there.

It is indeed a wonderful feeling. If you have had such an experience then narrate it in my comments section. (But that too hardly happens, because the only visitor to my blog is yours truly).

Kaun Banega Crorepati

2007-01-24T08:40:00.000+05:30

Its been just two episodes since the new look KBC with a new host has started and there have been a lot of bashing about it. I don't seem to understand the people who criticize it. Well they have all the rights to express their opinion but the comparison being made is ridiculous. Had KBC started off with SRK as its first host and then later had he been replaced with Amitabh, am damn sure the same people would have still cribbed about how Amitabh is hosting it now. The bottomline is that people want to crib. Though giving away a costly Tag watch would seem like a publicity stunt but atleast SRK had the guts to do it. Am not comparing Superstar AB and King Khan but what I want to emphasize is that do not compare them too early. Give SRK a few more episodes to gain some confidence and then go to back to do what you do the best. CRIB. Perhaps SRK is the only film actor who is loved to be hated.

But folks the bottomline again is that the name of the show may be Kaun Banega Crorepati but the reality maybe "Khan" Banega Crorepati.

New York Nagaram

2006-11-01T15:44:00.000+05:30

I have been reading a few posts lately about the song titled 'New York Nagaram' in the movie 'Sillinu Oru Kadhal' not having been shot in New York. The reason for the complaint being the song starting with the line 'New York Nagaram urangum neram'. There is no where in the song which depicts the region of New York. The lyrics are so beautiful which explain the pangs of separation between a married couple. My only query is just because the song starts with New York Nagaram does it really have to be shot in New York. We had Vijay and Jyothika singing 'Dimskattai' in some foreign locale. Why didnt people complain then that a song like that should have be picturised in some village location in India. Finding fault is very easy but to actually go and do something requires lots of guts.

Amateurish URL

2006-09-06T14:15:00.000+05:30

How amateur my URL can be....ramforever.........i know its yuck but what can be done about that, i am a cut copy paster(SE).....so my intelligence is either limited or non-existent(to digress:my intelligence is something similar to what is said in Matrix " There is no intelligence ")....so couldnt come up with anything more different than this.....i thought about some options but a few of them were already taken so didn't have much choice...coming to think of it I now understand why my profile views has still be stuck in 98..........first impression from looking at my url would be that I am one of those types who has created this to "get fraaandship" from "hawt chicks" or "babes"......but to be honest my innovativeness was in its lowest when I was creating this blog....so readers please forgive......meanwhile I am going for my team mates treat today.....so I have been fasting from yesterday evening........

Awarding titles

2006-08-29T14:29:00.000+05:30

I just now read a disgusting piece of article in a website about a certain "Bollywood" actress being awarded a Memorial Award for her outstanding contribution to "Indian" film industry. I mean if only the person on whose memory this award is being given heard it she would have turned in her grave twice. What kindof criteria is her "outstanding" contribution based on? There are lots of good actresses who have given many a sterling performances when compared to this particular actress. Maybe she can be given this award after proving herself in the silver screen for another 10 to 15 years. But certainly not now. If the award is being given on the basis of Indian film industry then there are many actresses in other regional languages who must be conisdered. By awarding this certain actress the award the institution is embarrasing itself. May God save us. Amen.

Phunny englis

2006-08-10T15:29:00.000+05:30

Talking about people making writing funny and stupid comments about one's success in life, I think this takes the cake

1) "Behind every successful man there is a woman". Mrs.XYZ is behind of Mr.XYZ successful life.

This is a a true statement written in a website. Indeed she is behind his successful life.

Talking about rules in colleges, this one is the best :

1) Boys and girls should not talk in the bus. There should be not exchange of notes between boys and girls and vice versa.

2) The boys are not allowed to come with french beard.

Why would any one frame such kind of rules????? God save the world.

Curtain Call

2006-08-09T14:21:00.000+05:30

Currently listening to eminem's curtain call. Man what lyrics and music. Especially the 8 mile soundtrack. Watched the movie a few months back on star movies. I loved it. But could not catch the end 30 minutes because i fell asleep. But it was awesome nonetheless. Wish Indian film makers could take a leaf out of hollywood movie makers. I know there are many talented Indian directors but I am talking about the people who give movies every week without any stories just like those EK KKKKKKK serials with only a minimum change in the title. Cmon gimme a break. When I see those promos on TV all these hotshot directors tell it is a very different story and nobody in Indian cinema would have witnessed anything like this I get really pissed off. Yeah I know nobody would have witnessed any crap like this before in their life. I guess time has come for the audience to draw a curtain on these pointless movies and move ahead. All that we want is 21/2 hrs worth spent and laugh our heart out and think about nothing else rather watching a stupid movie and compund our misery.

Hmmm.... Yawn.........

2006-08-05T09:07:00.000+05:30

What do you call a person who wakes up at 5.30 on a saturday morning and goes to work...(I know you have lots of names....but please pity me). Forgot my ID card at home itself. They didnt let me into the office without an ID card because I am new here and didnt let me in. Security wanted me to authenticate myself by asking me to call up my supervisor. I called up my collegue and made him my supervisor.....Then gained entry into the office and found a setting very similar to the sets in you get to see in horror flicks...(Perhaps some hint to M . Knight S to choose such places to make better moves than the one he recently made)...By the way what was he trying to do in that movie...tried to make a scary movie and ended up scaring audiences away from the theatres....Perhaps more than the movie, audience very scared at the prospect of him becoming an author that threatend them to stay away from the movie hall.....

The Story of the Mutton Piece

2006-08-04T14:25:00.000+05:30

Today went to have egg biryani at a Chettinad restaurant here. Man I should have suspected when the taste was too good that there was something wrong. Still I went ahead eating and then I found a piece of non-vegetarian item. Me being Strict eggitarian I was pretty upset looking at the piece in my food. Asked the waiter why is there a chicken piece in my biriyani. To add salt to the wound he said "Sir it is not Chicken, Its mutton". This was the heights of honesty(Wish our JS could be like this.....still not revealing the black sheep or perhaps is the mutton that sheep or goat or whatever) . What more could I do???? Just gave him the money for the 3/4ths that I ate and left. All this happened because I thought variety added spice to life(I have been having full meals for 4 straight days). But it was more spicy than expected..... :-(

Travails of an ordinary man

2006-08-03T11:25:00.000+05:30

If you travelled by share autos in Chennai you would know what is the limit of irritation. The local FM channels blaring their way on and the driver having a horn savvy finger, it is very difficult for a man to survive such an ordeal daily. Add to the list the long traffic jams that one has to endure for hours. Perhaps if JS travelled by this he might end up naming the black sheep.(By the way the episode is dragging more than an EK KKKKKKKKKKK Serial on the television). Other forms of Public tansport must be improved to help people else who knows very soon I might have to consult a psyhciatrist(by the way why do they have complex spellings????Find it difficult to even spell)........ :-(