Saturday, July 31, 2004
Sunday, July 25, 2004
lack lusture saturday
Later in the day.....
Well, the day started for me at 10:30am with ashwin's call, this bugger called my mobile phone from some god forsaken landline and deceived me into actually answering the call for, I was expecting some important ones. Did my morning mundane stuff and read "The Hindu" to my heart's content, of late I've started doing justice to that 4/5 Rs. I pay for the daily, I read every word printed on those papers. This exercise normally takes up roughly about 30 to 60 minutes of my invaluable morning time, and more that 60 minutes during the weekends, I simply can't resist.
The morning slipped by and it was lunch time. Well, my pop once again left me home alone, but was kind enough to prepare the lunch for me, pop's cooking standard seems to have improved, the rasam was good but his fancy recipe involving beans and grated coconut was bland, I think he completely forgot about the important ingredient called the common salt, so had to fix it. After a decent lunch, started my little baby on the my lap(notebook, a dell inspiron 2500) to watch a Monty Python movie. The world of Monty Pythons, actually Ramesh re-introduced me to monty python, re-introduce because I faintly remember having seen a Monty Python movie which was a lampoon on figure skating or may be I am confusing it with something else. I've always been a aficionado of british sitcoms in the lines of "Yes Minister" and "Black Adder". So, started watching "Monty Python, Life of brian" which I had picked up from one of my friend.
Monty Python, Life of Brian
The start or rather the title scenes sounded like a sci-fi movie, but the movie was a total surprise. The movie is essentially a spoof over Christianity and it's belief. It can be called blasphemy but so is "Passion of Christ". I am not sure what kind of opposition this movie faced, though. In all I would really call it a farce on Christianity and not on jesus per say. It sounds like the Python is trying to be rebellious in trying to express it's construal of faith and lifestyle of people, particularly, the brit's mentality and cult ideology.
Well, in order to enjoy this movie, you have to love British sitcoms, if you are the one that is used to the American slapstick and physical comedy python is not your cup of tea. From what I could understand, the character Brian is an incorruptible and innocent person who wants to join some movement against the Romans, though he beleives that he is a jew but finds from his mother(who sounds & looks like his father, perhaps this is characteristic of the Python) that his father is a Roman(Maximus :-) that in itself is comical ). Soon, Brian joins a group that's against the romans and lands into trouble. Some strange sequence of incidents forces the people to believe that brian is the "Messiah" :-) and later brian and his followers are crucified. All these put together with some cleverly crafted script that stretches stupidity to its limits.
Well, an un-biased opinion from me would be that the movie is not a full-length comedy that everyone could enjoy, It's particularly comical in patches. Some of the scenes that I really enjoyed are: The stoning episode where a guy is pulled up for a punishment of stoning till death because he uttered the name of the Lord "Jehovah". Another one is the last crucifixion scene where brian and co are crucified and they start singing "Bright side of life" :-). The scenes that involve the mob following brian mis-taking him to be the "Messiah", again python picking on the jewish religious sentiments, reminded me of vivek's "poly samiyar" act in the movie "RUN". Also, the scenes involving brian and the "people's movement of Jude" (not the judean people's front :-)) like, the conversation on oppression of Jews and indirectly the eunuch community. There were some particularly annoying stuff as well, The first scene where jesus is delivering a speach while brian and his mother join the gathering, the "big nose" conversation between brian and Mr. big nose :-) sounded rather vacuous. Also, the completely unwanted spaceship part where, for a few minutes brian goes out of space with some aliens and returns back to the same place. I didn't find any element of comedy in them, or perhaps these are typical of Pythons, the mix of satire and insanity. Now, for someone below 18 choosing to see the movie; the movie shows some full frontal nudity and has some frightfully funny foul language :-)
Well, an un-biased opinion from me would be that the movie is not a full-length comedy that everyone could enjoy, It's particularly comical in patches. Some of the scenes that I really enjoyed are: The stoning episode where a guy is pulled up for a punishment of stoning till death because he uttered the name of the Lord "Jehovah". Another one is the last crucifixion scene where brian and co are crucified and they start singing "Bright side of life" :-). The scenes that involve the mob following brian mis-taking him to be the "Messiah", again python picking on the jewish religious sentiments, reminded me of vivek's "poly samiyar" act in the movie "RUN". Also, the scenes involving brian and the "people's movement of Jude" (not the judean people's front :-)) like, the conversation on oppression of Jews and indirectly the eunuch community. There were some particularly annoying stuff as well, The first scene where jesus is delivering a speach while brian and his mother join the gathering, the "big nose" conversation between brian and Mr. big nose :-) sounded rather vacuous. Also, the completely unwanted spaceship part where, for a few minutes brian goes out of space with some aliens and returns back to the same place. I didn't find any element of comedy in them, or perhaps these are typical of Pythons, the mix of satire and insanity. Now, for someone below 18 choosing to see the movie; the movie shows some full frontal nudity and has some frightfully funny foul language :-)
Later in the day.....
Went out to play ping-pong at tidel-park's so called recreation facility, and as always had a big sigh at the truly inviting swimming pool. Came back home, had dinner and hit the bed. Next day, woke up to parul's phone call, once again deceived for, he called from some land line :-(, completely defies the purpose of caller identification.
Wednesday, July 14, 2004
oglDespicable ADs
I logged out of hotmail, immediately a popup AD showed up, I was about to close it thinking that it was the regular shaadi.com or marriage.heaven.com or some matromony.junkyard.comm, but the picture was that of sonali bendre...! That caught my attention, with bendre's photo it read "Riya AGE: 23, Air Hostess + Millions of brides and grooms, MSN matrimony". Come on msn dick heads, give me a break, bendre is already married !
I think they can try a different campaign, with claims that they can get bollywood dive look alikes, atleast that will increase their chancess of clinching few deals. Nice try.... MSN
Long live MSN... Long Live Matrimony...!
I logged out of hotmail, immediately a popup AD showed up, I was about to close it thinking that it was the regular shaadi.com or marriage.heaven.com or some matromony.junkyard.comm, but the picture was that of sonali bendre...! That caught my attention, with bendre's photo it read "Riya AGE: 23, Air Hostess + Millions of brides and grooms, MSN matrimony". Come on msn dick heads, give me a break, bendre is already married !
I think they can try a different campaign, with claims that they can get bollywood dive look alikes, atleast that will increase their chancess of clinching few deals. Nice try.... MSN
Long live MSN... Long Live Matrimony...!
Monday, July 12, 2004
Illayaraja & Mani electrifying combination
One sweet evening, came home at around 8:30pm. No one home, particularly my mom who pisses me off with her never ending list of TV Serials at this time. I normally put up with it because it's my mom, wouldn't do it for anyone else in this life, though. Picked up some hot idlies from vasanth bhavan on my back home from office. With hot idlies drenched in mouth watering sambar on my plate, I switched on the TV and it was KTV- "non stop kondattam", playing "Mouna Raagam" one of my most favourite movie in the "serious" movie category or drama category in similar genre. The movie revolves around the lives of 3 people, revathi,karthick and mohan. Revathi falls in love with karthick; karthick dies unfortunately and revathi is forced to marry mohan. In the aftermath of this marriage the story describes how mohan tries to manage revathi. Movie particularly has a great deal of emotional power play and theatrics.
The biggest attraction is Illayaraja's music, I just don't have words to express this, the very thought of the background music that's played during sequences involving karthick and revathi gives me goose pimples. Particularly, the maestro proves his caliber by converting the same fun filled notes to a slow and melodious one when karthick get's shot and during other remorseful situations in the movie. Also, IR did a distinctive set of background score for sequences involving Mohan and Revathi. And the big bonus, all songs, simply brilliant, the song "Panivizhum nilavu.." is being played as I type these lines. Mohan has done a decent job too; for once he has spared the mike ;-) Oh... this one scene that I hate in the movie, revathi overacting while trying to admit mohan to the hospital, she knows english and most of the doctors/reception too, she simply over does this scene by trying to talk in tamil. It looks like Mani at times likes this over doing of stuff for he repeated the same thing with madhubala in "Roja". Coming to revathi's acting, all said and done revathi has done a commendable job.
In all fairness Mani himself has been instrumental in creating such a beautiful movie. He is in fact the connoisseur when it comes to casting contrasting characters with different objectives in life and perspective to life. If you notice all his movies will have this striking dichotomy. Coming back to the songs in the movie, my favourite song in the movie is "Mandram vantha thendrallukku..." maestro has handled ragam "keeravaani" meticulously for the song. My favourite scenes are "Mr Chandramouli... Mr Chandramouli...scene" and the scene where karthick comes to revathi's class room to return the chain that she mortgages to for his bail, give it to karthick for his natural performance or should I say acting ?
I don’t know why but I’ve got into this habit of reviewing movies, with this blogging phenomenon on, I am finding it really stimulating to write more and more. Let’s us wait and see how far and how long this fascination continues :-)
One sweet evening, came home at around 8:30pm. No one home, particularly my mom who pisses me off with her never ending list of TV Serials at this time. I normally put up with it because it's my mom, wouldn't do it for anyone else in this life, though. Picked up some hot idlies from vasanth bhavan on my back home from office. With hot idlies drenched in mouth watering sambar on my plate, I switched on the TV and it was KTV- "non stop kondattam", playing "Mouna Raagam" one of my most favourite movie in the "serious" movie category or drama category in similar genre. The movie revolves around the lives of 3 people, revathi,karthick and mohan. Revathi falls in love with karthick; karthick dies unfortunately and revathi is forced to marry mohan. In the aftermath of this marriage the story describes how mohan tries to manage revathi. Movie particularly has a great deal of emotional power play and theatrics.
The biggest attraction is Illayaraja's music, I just don't have words to express this, the very thought of the background music that's played during sequences involving karthick and revathi gives me goose pimples. Particularly, the maestro proves his caliber by converting the same fun filled notes to a slow and melodious one when karthick get's shot and during other remorseful situations in the movie. Also, IR did a distinctive set of background score for sequences involving Mohan and Revathi. And the big bonus, all songs, simply brilliant, the song "Panivizhum nilavu.." is being played as I type these lines. Mohan has done a decent job too; for once he has spared the mike ;-) Oh... this one scene that I hate in the movie, revathi overacting while trying to admit mohan to the hospital, she knows english and most of the doctors/reception too, she simply over does this scene by trying to talk in tamil. It looks like Mani at times likes this over doing of stuff for he repeated the same thing with madhubala in "Roja". Coming to revathi's acting, all said and done revathi has done a commendable job.
In all fairness Mani himself has been instrumental in creating such a beautiful movie. He is in fact the connoisseur when it comes to casting contrasting characters with different objectives in life and perspective to life. If you notice all his movies will have this striking dichotomy. Coming back to the songs in the movie, my favourite song in the movie is "Mandram vantha thendrallukku..." maestro has handled ragam "keeravaani" meticulously for the song. My favourite scenes are "Mr Chandramouli... Mr Chandramouli...scene" and the scene where karthick comes to revathi's class room to return the chain that she mortgages to for his bail, give it to karthick for his natural performance or should I say acting ?
I don’t know why but I’ve got into this habit of reviewing movies, with this blogging phenomenon on, I am finding it really stimulating to write more and more. Let’s us wait and see how far and how long this fascination continues :-)
Monday, July 05, 2004
The VISA Dance !
If your were to work for the company that I work for then, you would be expected to hold a valid US visa and be ready to step into some god-forsaken AirIndia flight destined for some god-forsaken place in the US. This is no exaggeration, it is just one of thoes run-of-the-mill things with my company. If you are found basking in the sun without a visa your boss will quickly pull you by the collor and ask you to go through the application process. If you refuse, there will be serious consequences(Joking ! u will be asked to work in the support/quality group, which is like asking you to walk the plank) on the other hand(we have five fingures) if you do apply for a visa and do a sloppy work on preparing the relevant documents you are sure to get a reject. You wouldn't want to get a reject because,a reject potentially means that you have been black listed and your chances of getting a visa(when u really want; don't attribute this to Murphy's Law; this is the Law of Ignorance or Carelessness) next time decreases significantly.
What if you don't apply ? you will be spending the rest of your life with some overly committed quality expert and churning out loads and loads of paper work in order to give the other groups an impression that you are slogging your heart out. You will have to conduct audits, raise NCRs(non conformance reports) and once every month pull up some amazingly peculiar images with few lines twisting turning over each other in between two perpendicular graduated lines.
What next ? you fall prey to the deceitful tactics of your superiors. You convince yourself to take on the challenge, the challenge of preparing visa documents; particularly the PRD(Project Requirment Doc. I guess) as it si refered and the CV. PRD, though it sounds simple is one big pain in every possible wrong place. The folks at INS have all the time in the world to go through a 5 page document with gory details about the project, the objective is to confuse them and make them believe that it's some rocket science stuff the no one else in the world could possibly do. Normally, a sample copy of the PRD is used to create another one, but you are the most unfortunate thing on the face of this earth if you happen to get a sample PRD that talks about a project that is no way related to yours, in which case you will have to do everything from scratch. One of the questions in the PRD, just to give you an idea:
"If there are persons with the same duties as the employee, why isn't that person doing the employee's assignment?"
How would you answer this when you don't know the what ? when ? where ? how ? which ? of the project. Once you manage to compile the PRD after shooting hundreds of emails to various people who've gone through the same blissful experience before, you have to get it reviewed by few experts who are supposedly best in the business. This process takes quite some time for, the PRD will keep going back and forth until the reviewer give up and says "bloody hell, do the review yourself". This is the most interesting part, you cook your resume to match the Project, yeah ! INS folks are fools, they can never smell cooked CVs.
The day to submit your papers, you collect all the paper work and hand it out to the HR\PR. These are few bunch of folks that are always busy, Ramki(Rama*&$@&%^$), the man behind all the visa action is normally burried in a heap of papers, there is more paper on ramaki's desk than the whole of Tidel Park(now, hows is that true ?). I am just wondering how he gets in and out of his work place everyday, his sidekick balaji generally answers the less severe or reasonable severe queries and the important one are redirected to ramki. Ramaki is really a soft spoken down to earth person with the typical "tanglish" accent and normally speaks at supersonic speeds. Right behind Ramki & Co are his highly distractive HR/PR female collegues. Our austere Ramki works amidst all these distractions as if he has renounced all the earthly pleasures. The place near their cubes is almost always filled with activity, with the first timers to the 10 year experienced flocking around ramu and asking him for details.
From here on there is no looking back, you will have to wait until you get to the visa personal interview stage; Meanwhile you will receive horrific and abominable stories of rejects from few rather unfortunate collegues.
Now, that's vitues and perils of working with "TeeSeeUs" for you ! If that's not global ? what is ?
If your were to work for the company that I work for then, you would be expected to hold a valid US visa and be ready to step into some god-forsaken AirIndia flight destined for some god-forsaken place in the US. This is no exaggeration, it is just one of thoes run-of-the-mill things with my company. If you are found basking in the sun without a visa your boss will quickly pull you by the collor and ask you to go through the application process. If you refuse, there will be serious consequences(Joking ! u will be asked to work in the support/quality group, which is like asking you to walk the plank) on the other hand(we have five fingures) if you do apply for a visa and do a sloppy work on preparing the relevant documents you are sure to get a reject. You wouldn't want to get a reject because,a reject potentially means that you have been black listed and your chances of getting a visa(when u really want; don't attribute this to Murphy's Law; this is the Law of Ignorance or Carelessness) next time decreases significantly.
What if you don't apply ? you will be spending the rest of your life with some overly committed quality expert and churning out loads and loads of paper work in order to give the other groups an impression that you are slogging your heart out. You will have to conduct audits, raise NCRs(non conformance reports) and once every month pull up some amazingly peculiar images with few lines twisting turning over each other in between two perpendicular graduated lines.
What next ? you fall prey to the deceitful tactics of your superiors. You convince yourself to take on the challenge, the challenge of preparing visa documents; particularly the PRD(Project Requirment Doc. I guess) as it si refered and the CV. PRD, though it sounds simple is one big pain in every possible wrong place. The folks at INS have all the time in the world to go through a 5 page document with gory details about the project, the objective is to confuse them and make them believe that it's some rocket science stuff the no one else in the world could possibly do. Normally, a sample copy of the PRD is used to create another one, but you are the most unfortunate thing on the face of this earth if you happen to get a sample PRD that talks about a project that is no way related to yours, in which case you will have to do everything from scratch. One of the questions in the PRD, just to give you an idea:
"If there are persons with the same duties as the employee, why isn't that person doing the employee's assignment?"
How would you answer this when you don't know the what ? when ? where ? how ? which ? of the project. Once you manage to compile the PRD after shooting hundreds of emails to various people who've gone through the same blissful experience before, you have to get it reviewed by few experts who are supposedly best in the business. This process takes quite some time for, the PRD will keep going back and forth until the reviewer give up and says "bloody hell, do the review yourself". This is the most interesting part, you cook your resume to match the Project, yeah ! INS folks are fools, they can never smell cooked CVs.
The day to submit your papers, you collect all the paper work and hand it out to the HR\PR. These are few bunch of folks that are always busy, Ramki(Rama*&$@&%^$), the man behind all the visa action is normally burried in a heap of papers, there is more paper on ramaki's desk than the whole of Tidel Park(now, hows is that true ?). I am just wondering how he gets in and out of his work place everyday, his sidekick balaji generally answers the less severe or reasonable severe queries and the important one are redirected to ramki. Ramaki is really a soft spoken down to earth person with the typical "tanglish" accent and normally speaks at supersonic speeds. Right behind Ramki & Co are his highly distractive HR/PR female collegues. Our austere Ramki works amidst all these distractions as if he has renounced all the earthly pleasures. The place near their cubes is almost always filled with activity, with the first timers to the 10 year experienced flocking around ramu and asking him for details.
From here on there is no looking back, you will have to wait until you get to the visa personal interview stage; Meanwhile you will receive horrific and abominable stories of rejects from few rather unfortunate collegues.
Now, that's vitues and perils of working with "TeeSeeUs" for you ! If that's not global ? what is ?
