Social network

I only recently have seen the film Social Network based on the novel Accidental Billionaires which itself based on the life of Mark Zuckerberg who is the founder of the social network, facebook. At the start of the movie I couldn't understand anything to say honestly.I don't know whether Mark speaks in the same way as shown in the film but as time passed it became wonderful experience. The screenplay was intelligent with rightly woven flashbacks and excellent dialogue. Of course the film doesn't depict Mark as a 100% honest man but a intelligent man who used his opportunities at the right time in a right way.A film is a film which should have its own flavor and not the replica of real life then it becomes a documentary. It compelled me to look into facebook and now I am one of the member.I think in this world of rapidity and insecurity over future such networks are the only hope of keeping a relationship tied at least till one wants. In the movie the lover of Saverin asks him furiously why he didn't update relationship status and he says that at the time of creating his profile he was not committed! She walks off and he remains not committed!. 'Facebook' me!!

King O Brien! Hats Off!!

I just can't resist the temptation to write this blog at this odd hour as had been so mesmerized by the great batting display shown by Kevin O Brien in Eng Vs Ireland league in World Cup Cricket. He was so brilliant in his technique and gave no chance to English fielders except the lofted shot which was only a half chance that was missed by the English captain. At last he was made out by himself when he attempted a second run. The whole Irish team showed guts and determination to win and at the end they got what they have dreamed for, to beat their long time rivals. So fantastic the match was I stopped what I was doing then and I couldn't take my eyes off from the TV screen till the match was over with Irish win. England with three points lag behind us. I am sure the Sunday match against the Irish will be tough one and a treat to watch.


PS: Will add to this blog later with more inputs!

Happy New Year!

Wish you all happy new year! Let us meet soon!!

Couple-Dom!!

The first time I have read this word in a daily my eyebrows raised as I relished its beauty. We have heard the word 'stardom' which is applied to a single person. But this one applies to a pair usually a male and a female who are famous for "in the public eye relationship". The news in the daily was that Gwyneth Paltrow was not in favour for this couple-dom where I first noticed this word. Then I just thought about our 'desi pairs' who are always courting a relationship in public eye.These pairs will always be hailed as best couple in this part of world and they act as if they are ones who are sent by the God to teach us about the family values! If possible list them out!

Medium Of Instrution ?= Medium Of Employment

What is the fate of those to be engineers who have chosen to pursue their course in tamil is a milion dollar question. For so long a period the 'tamil friendly' rulers of Tamilnadu tried to implement Tamil as medium of instrution in technical courses.And now they have succeeded in passing a bill at the assembly ensuring preference in government jobs for those who have studied in Tamil. Following this as many as 120 students have joined B.E.(Mechanical and civil engineering) courses at Anna University. They eye at government opportunities following this order. But experts believe that atleast in near future this won't occur that easily. Academicians believe that with Tamil as medium of instruction what students will learn is only like grass hopping and deep learning is not possible as many important journals are in English.Private sector will give jobs only those with good communication skills in English.In countries like Japan, China and Korea where medium of instruction is thier mother tongue what they do is to translate every science material into their language as far as possible. But one thing to remember is that the only one language they have is their mother tongue and its easy to implement the policy of reading in their language.
The situation in India is entirely different. We are having as amny as 16 recognized languages and language is the one which is used tactically to kindle our emotios during elections.Language is like petrol to our vote politics.It is much more than a tool for communication. It reflects our culture,history and tradition. Hence anything against Tamil is seen as against Tamils even if it is good to Tamil society. Do we feel comfortable if we step outside our state? How many opportunities we are losing just because we are not fluent in English? We should hail our mother tongue. No doubt about it. But it should be by other means.There should be no bar in learning other languages and pursuing one's studies in other language. The rulers should ensure that due importance is given to learning Tamil in schools and colleges. By just making Tamil as medium of instruction in technical courses will not serve the purpose. I am of the opinion that literature should find its way into technical course as well. There is no harm in reading Kamban and valluvan in B.E. and M.B.B.S. Let it be in that way.Not that you should read BE and MBBS in Tamil! Whats your point?

What is Endiran all about?

After a period of hibernation I decided to write after I watched Endiran.But it took further one week to write this. I have seen the much awaited film Endiran nearly after three weeks after its release when all the hype that it had created over the past two years since it was started for shooting. I am an ardent fan of Rajni and I am so obsessed with his style that I watched even his flop films( e.g. Naatukku Oru Nallavan) on its first or second day of release! But somehow I dealyed to watch this particular one.
I don't like Rajni to say about behind the scenes and how he worked up for his film. It was not so for his previous films. Once a actor talks about how he or she worked hard to get his character right in his movie which is used as a marketing strategy then it shows that such film misses a important element - story- which makes you sit up and raise your eyebrows. I don't deny that he had worked hard than any other movie but he should have left it for his fans and critics to judge it. Again in this film he was supported by technology ably till its end. It was not so in his previous movies. In those films he was the only one who carried the film till its end. Probabaly he has changed to trend of recent times. Moving away from Rajni and coming to the film per se the film has usual story- a triangular love- only differnce is that one is a robot here. Again Shankar's usual knot- a big 'IF' that is a robot making love cannot or will not happen, what will happen IF IT HAPPENS?! It is the usual Shankar's formula.

It did the trick in his earlier films- what will happen IF one is offered chief ministership for one day( Mudhalvan), what will happen IF a multiple personality happens to be a patriot( Anniyan), what will happen IF a governor of a state himself indulges in anti national activity (Kaadalan) and so on. Shankar's success lies in mingling cleverly his IF SO knot into current events and day to day activities of common man( one who goes to theatre a watches movies). In this movie also it worked but for it to happen he needed a producer who has to willingly put money into the project hoping that it will pay him rich dividends which came true. Of course if a very good marketing manager and a media Moghul becomes a producer then it won't be a task that couldn't be achieved. Rajni was the factor which lured fans and folks alike to the theatre during the first week and rocketed prices of tickets were the factors which filled the pockets of theatre owners and the endless list of TV shows that were and to be made are the factors which will increase the income of its producer. But what will fill the heart of fans and film lovers is a story with a screenplay which has something unusual. "This film has nothing like that" is my humble opinion because in this era of globalisation when James Bond movies are released on the same day all over the world, when Steven Speilberg characters talk in vernacular, when people are used to characters like Terminator, when people are aquainted with the CGs of hollywood this is a no wonder. I would have been happy if the entire movie was made technically in India. But it is not a big thing in this small world that Stan Wisdom Company will work in a film if they were paid the fee they asked. But again this film has the small IFs all over the screenpaly- meeting the bribing tarffic cop, helping in exams, attending a child birth, beating the wrong doers and so on. Rajni has made his home work and his last of three portrayals- Robot, the villain- is extremely good. When he laughs as he has transformed in both external and internal looks he chills everybody! So we need A.R.Rahman( I think he deliberately makes songs difficult for our ears after he got Oscars), Rasul Pookutty, Kalanidhi Maran( his 150+ crores and his marketing strategies), Rajni, Aishwarya( Hindi and internatioanl audience), Stan Wisdom company, Non stop media coverage, colourful reviews by celebrities, purses of public which never mind the ticket costs had made this movie a super hit or so. I suggest to watch it once ( you should have wathched it by this time) and remember that this is a tamil film made for world audience so don't try to connect it with your daily routine. For such thing you have to wait for some time!

Verdict Vs Justice

What is verdict and what is justice? A verdict is court's say in a case after careful consideration of arguments of both sides. But everyone knows that it cannot satisfy both sides. One finds it extremely correct and goes to home happily while the other feels that it is not so. He goes to home with disbelief and unacceptance. Whether one is unsatisfied or not is not the matter. But whether the verdict is justice is the matter. Sometimes verdict kindles a chain reaction in the community. The same has happened now in our country after June 7 2010 when verdict came after 26 years in Bhopal Gas Tragedy case which is still the worst industrial disaster in the world.It killed nearly 30000 to die and left thousands disabled and more bitterly hereditary consequences in children born in that region.The verdict was more tragic than the tragedy itself when the victims were left in shock and disbelief. Just 2 years imprisonment that too bailable for a paltry INR 25000 was what the verdict given by a local court for the crime committed by the high influential people. Under sections 304 A( causing death by negligence), 304 II( culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 336 337 338 ( gross negligence) the verdict was given. The main accused Warren Anderson's name was not mentioned in it. Just see what KG Balakrishnan Chairman of National Human Rights Commission told- "There is difference between murder and culpable homicide. When there is no criminal intent, it does not amount to murder and whether the dead is one or thousand, it would be considered culpable homicide and not murder"-This is our IPC and according to it only lots of cases have been dealt with daily all over India and Bhopal Gas Tragedy is one among them. Isn't it? You and I will readily nod against this statement. But law persons won't do the same. Warren Anderson the then CEO of Union Carbide Corporation came to India four days later, arrested and let off the hook. The bird flied to US only not to be found thereafter. It is said that Warren knew very well about the faulty design about the plant at Bhopal but didn't care about it. He used this knowledge to improvise his factory there at his home country. Now UCC claims that it has nothing to do with the disaster as Union Carbide Corporation was only holding just above 50 % of shares in UCIL( Union Carbide India Limited) and Bhopal plant was a Indian company built by Indian engineers. It stated that it was a sabotge and the company had no role. Also it claimed that it has paid enough money to the victims and helped in building a hospital for the victims. It was ready to serve the people further but was sent back by the government of Madyapradesh. These are the claims made by UCC which are published in its website. Then what about Warren Anderson? Well, he is there safely enjoying a lavish lifestyle in suburban New York. It is said that his golf club's subscription is thrice that of what has been paid for victims. UCC didn't accept legal notice on behalf of Anderson saying that it doesn't know where he is. Whether will he be extradited to India, we don't know. Now what will happen to nuclear liability bill we don't know( The american suppliers don't want to be drawn to court for recovery of damages if something goes awry!).Leaving all this behind what has happened to our fellow citizens is something unimaginable. Its like adding salt to wound. Having waited all these years what they have got is nothing. Humiliation is one that no one can accept. And the humiliation in the form of a verdict to those victims is humiliation to everyone in India who still belive law is equal. They say law presently is inadequate to handle mass killings like this or a massacre or a riot. If law is inadequate then make it adequate. People need justice and not explanation like according to IPC and bla bla bla. Now the GoM is reconstituted which will meet today.There may be recommendations to increase the compensation. These can never calm justice loving section of our country who want not just a verdict but a real justice . If such instances continue judicial system will lose people's confidence which is already very low.

PS: This blog is based on news from print, TV and internet media.