In my view

Costa Rica

2016-04-28T13:56:00.002-05:00

In 2014 winter, I was planning for the trip to Costa Rica with my family and finally we made it in 2015 summer.

In 2014, I was about to book the ticket in Orbitz, for some reason I felt like checking my passport and I realized that my passport was going to expire in 3 months. Good that I didn’t book the ticket, otherwise I would have wasted my money. Unfortunately lots of Asian and African countries are required to have 6 plus months validity period, otherwise no one knows which point of time our travel will be blocked, so better to make sure that we are not in that grey period. Still I am not sure, what we can do with that 6 months period and for what that passport will be used during that period? Let us not worry about the restrictions that they are having on Asian and African countries.

In 2015, in the month of April we revived the planning. This trip was completely organized by my wife. She took lots of time to discuss with multiple travel agents and travel sites. Finally she chose 2 places in Costa Rica i.e Guanacaste and La Fortuna.

On July, 18th early morning we boarded the flight from Houston(IAH). On 17th, moment we came from office, we loaded all the bags in our minivan and hit the road by 7PM. We reached Houston at night 2’o clock and parked our vehicle at Park 'N Fly for a week. Park ‘N Fly provided shuttle to go to IAH and stayed at Airport for 2 hours till we checked in our luggage. The duration of the flight is 3 hours, for me, it was only 10 minutes because rest of the time I slept away. In American Airlines, we don’t have anything to miss much.

[gallery ids="23,26,87,86" type="square" columns="2" link="file"]

18th of July - Day 1 – Travelling from San Jose to La Fortuna – Rain Forest & Arenal Volcano.

At San Jose airport, converted some USD to local currency. I thought $100 was enough for the complete local expenditure, but with in few hours, I realized that converted currency was not sufficient for a day also. From Monroe, LA itself we booked a car at the Enterprise rentals. After reaching at the Enterprise office only we learnt that local insurance is mandatory. Car rental is something around $20 per day, but insurance per day is $24. It was completely surprising to us. Few travelers throughout the trip used only a shuttle service. We were arm twisted to pay for that insurance also, because we didn’t have any other alternative plan to say NO to that. In fact, every tourist who rent a car ought to pay that expensive insurance, it was not something for us alone, in that way I was happy. I heard from other traveler that American Express card holders can get away from that costly insurance if they are planning in advance. This car insurance made me to feel that there was some dent in our plan, but actually it was not.

Just 3 hours flying distance from Houston, I felt like I came to some remote place on the other side of the earth. Not even a pinch of resemblance of the western touch, such a drastic difference. Nothing to do much in San Jose. After we got a rental car, immediately we started to La Fortuna. Another surprise was, our American Garmin GPS didn’t catch any addresses in Costa Rica. Luckily I took my Nokia Mobile, which has its built in GPS capability. Through out my trip, we made sure Nokia is fully charged, like how Captain James Cook used to look after his ship, because Captain cook didn’t know swimming, likewise we also don’t know any route in Costa Rica and also not even a single word in Spanish. In Costa Rica addresses were not well defined or not so structured. Roads are also not in good condition. If you managed to go by 50KM/hour, either you are an excellent driver or you are driving in a nice road. Now itself you would have got some idea about the challenges we underwent during our stay.

This country is close to the equator, but our peak summer time is their mild winter time.

Is there anything called peak winter in Costa Rica?

No, nothing called peak winter or summer. On the average, temperatures spans between 70^oF to 80^oF.

Especially for the Indians, you will feel like passing through our local villages. People also looks like Indians only. In all the local grocery shops, at least I got the feeling of our Marriappan store or Apana Bazar. In any trip, no point in just visiting only the tourist spots or resorts. To get a feel of the location, we have to drive by our self, we have to taste the local food and without fails visiting local market is more advisable. Then only the purpose of the trip will be completed.

According to Google, from San Jose to La Fortuna was only 3 hours, but road conditions and road signs will make the trip more time consuming and adventurous. The good thing in this country is, every where we could see the people. Nothing called remote or no man land. During this 5 hours trip, we passed through so many small towns. When ever you feel like drinking coffee or like to eat, in every 5 minutes you can find some restaurants. None of the restaurants are air conditioned. Everything is open, at the entrance itself you can check the menu and you can decide whether to order the food or not.

At least if you know little bit of Spanish, you can make sure, you are ordering what you want to eat. Very first day, we struggled to convey what we would like to eat. First day to order a Chicken Pinto Rice, I made a sound like chicken and for Fish, moved my hand like a fish. Finally that restaurant guy, took me to his kitchen and asked me to show him, what I want to eat. In their menu, wide varieties of fruits juice are available. Without fails, we have to taste Cost Rican coffee, Pinto rice and Plantain fruit pan fry. No one can escape from the pinto rice, because all 3 times in a day, it is part of their menu. Then the guy who is in restaurant taught me two words.

chicken->pollo; Fish=> Pescado

In a week stay what I have observed is, except few business owners, no one is rich or not in dire poverty. People are leading simple and contended life. Cost of living is very high for Americans too. Sky rocketing house rents and meager salary, very high essential commodity prices, locals are just ekes in a big city with the big dreams of shortly escaping from that life style to near by bigger countries. Every where we can find road side shops and retails. Though it looks very simple, every shop is having Wi-Fi facility and use of iPhones are also prevalent. In all the restaurant, we use their Wi-Fi to connect to the online English-Spanish translator and we used to tell the item we would like to order. After the Costa Rica visit, I realized happiness is nothing to do with the money and knowledge is nothing to do with English language. Where ever I enquire someone either for a food or small help or route, finally I decided to say Thank you in Spanish and learnt that word.

Thank you=>Gracias

In the restaurants also non vegetarian foods are very expensive and it is not at all affordable to Costa Ricans. For short term visits, tourists don’t mind much about costs, but in long term costs can't be taken lightly. Costa Rica is having abundant water resource, consistently warm weather and fertile land, even then the local produce is not sufficient enough.

There was a heavy rain, when we were going to La Fortuna. In La Fortuna, we stayed in Las Lagos resort and it is close to the Arenal volcano. Mostly every resort is having water from the natural Geyser. When we check in to the resort, they will provide a pass and all the time it needs to be on our wrist. In the evening time we can have fun in the warm water pool and bar. Every drink we buy, just we need to show our wrist pass and it will be charged to our room. Cash transaction is not that much entertained and tips are also not expected.

When I was travelling through a small town, saw one medium shopping mall. Really I am so surprised to see Sharuk Khan and Katrina Kaif banner in front of that mall. As it was raining I didn’t have time to stop and take a photo.

In another motel, I stopped to take a coffee, but don’t know how to ask them coffee with milk and sugar. The server lady also didn’t know how to ask what kind of coffee I want. Actually she wanted to ask black coffee or coffee with milk. What a coincidence, both of us trying to ask the same, but couldn’t ask. Finally that lady, said coffee and touched her skin to convey white coffee, showed my skin to covey black coffee. Now I learnt 2 new words.

Milk => leche; Black => negro;

Coffee was not hot enough, by gesture I made her to understand like steam coming out of coffee. She taught me 2 more new words

hot => caliente; cold => frío

Small town or big town, kids or adults, everywhere, everyone is playing soccer like how Indians are interested in Cricket.

19th of July - Day2: La Fortuna Water Fall & Arenal Hanging Bridges

Cafeteria and reception desk is next to each other. Inside the resort, we can’t use our car. Anywhere we would like to go inside the resort, either we have use the local shuttle service or we have to go by walk. Morning break fast and local shuttle service inside the resort is included as part of the resort booking. Wi-Fi facility is also available close to the reception and Cafeteria only. We went to La Fortuna Water Fall, we need to hike down for around 30 minutes. I heard that local non profit association is administering the water fall area and are collecting entrance fee of $8 to their conservation effort.

In the afternoon, we went to Arenal hanging brides. It is a very huge forest reserve. We booked guide to walk through 2 miles trail includes multiple hanging bridges and fixed bridges. Our guide showed us, unique plants and snakes which can be seen only in Cost Rica. Walking through such a dense forest and seeing such a huge natural reserve, was such a pleasant experience. The smell of the forest itself will give you very healthy feeling. Most of the people don’t know English and during their conversation in Spanish, they are not using a single English word, so it was very difficult for us to understand their context of discussion. Obviously no need to understand everything around us, in fact we will feel more relaxed.

20th of July - Day 3: Canopy Tour and Arenal Volcano National Park

As it was Monday, resort was not that crowded as last 2 days. Daily we used to go to front desk to plan our trip for the day either by browsing in the tablet or discussing with the concierge service.

We went for zip lining. It goes inside the dense rain forest for 2km with around 11 cable laps. In every lap, we will be reaching the deck arranged on the thick tree branch or between 2 tree branches. To the next lap with the help of guide, we need to change our hook to the next cable. For safety reasons we are advised to hook to the new cable then unhook from the old cable and one person is allowed to go at a time so as not to clash or overweigh in a cable. In hand we will be given leather glove to control the speed, so all the time one hand will be on the cable. Some people will hold it too tight to reduce the speed and in the middle of cable if it stops, then it is so painful to pull our self to the next deck. When we are reaching close to the deck, we have to reduce the speed. It is really adventurous and a good experience to see a forest from the top and travel through it. At the end we are served fruits and snacks. It was a 2 hours tours, $80 per person.

Then we started driving to the volcano national park. To get into the park, we need to drive 30 minutes away from city. On the way, suddenly we got a doubt about the route that we were going. To confirm the direction, we enquired one girl who was going by walk and came to know she is also going to the same place. Then we gave her a ride to the park. When talking to her we leant that she is a Canadian with Chinese ethnicity. She is travelling for last 2 years and lived in multiple places from Australia, France and Italy. She was doing some daily work to live and also she pointed out that her parents are so concerned about her. Obviously she might be so confident but such kids are a big headache to parents. During this 15 minutes discussion, we understood that her aim is to learn and gain the worldly experience, but for some indefinable reason I didn’t believe what she said, so I was not at all comfortable and decided not see her again in the volcano trekking. In the entrance, they collected $30 for four of us and we walked for 2 hours close the dormant volcano view and directions were not clearly given in the woods. With the help of water steam sound, we walked down from the hill for another one and half hours. In the near by village, we had our lunch. On the way back to our hotel, we saw lots of people were going under the bridge with swimming suite. We enquired few tourists and came to know that there is a natural hot water geyser is open for public. First we went for public one. Few local Costa Rican kids joined with my kids and gave them a good company. In anyway Costa Ricans are not looking different from us. Public access is not so convenient and bit rocky, so we went to the same hot water stream provide by paid hotel access. We were not able to spend too much time in the hot water stream.

21st of July - Day 4: Horseback Ride to Arenal countryside and Allegro Papagayo Liberia

[gallery ids="47,50,82,83,89,88" type="rectangular"]

After 3 hours of horseback ride, atleast I realized appropriate attire is mandatory for horse ride. Immediately my wife and kids learnt to control their horses. If they wanted to go fast, gently they were tapping with their legs on its stomach. The horse given to me would follow the group and in other way to say I could not control my horse. If their horse runs, my horse also runs. I also tried twice to tap with my legs, but it responded to me by neighing, not by running. I was not dare enough to try third time. This was my first long horse ride on a rough mountainous terrain. Comfortably it was walking up through the woods, muds, and rocks. I felt like I was sitting in some high moving chair. After 10 minutes, I gained some confidence on the horse that it will not tumble or slipped down. I was so concerned about the horse that I am going on because I was sitting on top of it. On the way back from the hill, we took a different route and we came through some big lake. All together it was a really fun filled ride through the fresh lake with mountain breeze.

caballos=> Horse; Caballeriza=> Stable

After returned from horse back ride, quickly we packed up our stuff and settled the resort bill and we were driving towards Liberia. Liberia is the nearest biggest city close to our next resort called Occidental Allegro Papagayo.

Occidental => Western; Allegro => Brisk; Papagayo => Parrot.

This resort is the all-inclusive resort with unlimited food and drinks. By evening we reached the resort and dipped into the pool. Everywhere Wi-Fi is accessible only at the food court.

22nd of July - Day 5:

In the morning, we went for Jet Skiing. Our kids were riding and we were sitting behind them. Rest of the time, we were relaxing at the beach and took a Costa Rican massage. Kids enjoyed playing at the beach and pool.

23rd of July - Day 6:

We went by boat to the nearby place owned by the same resort. In the morning water was calm with no tides, so snorkeling was very interesting to watch fish swimming under us. After 1’o clock, when tides got high, we were unable to do snorkeling. After returned to resort, we went to other nearby beach called Playa Del Coco. When we are going out of the resort, the working maid at the resort was waiting at the security booth to go home. We offered her a ride, she came with us till we reach Liberia. We could not talk anything, when ever we look at each other, I used to say “Playa Del Coco” and smile. 5 minutes before we reach our destination, she asked us to stop our car near the bus stop. It seems from there she will catch the bus to go home.

Playa => Beach; Del=> of the; Coco=> Coconut.

Due to its volcanic black soil and muddy water we didn’t like to get into that water. Simply we walked in the beach and back to our resort. In the beach, I was so surprised to see the 2 wheel Ice cream cart which was completely out of practice in India and 20 years ago such carts were quite prevalent.

24th of July - Day 7:

[gallery ids="70,90,66" type="rectangular"]

After breakfast, we packed our stuff and driving back to San Jose. We passed through lots of small towns and took sufficient breaks in between. Around 1’O clock, when we are passing an another small town, another car hit our car from the back, then both of us pulled over to the sides. Due to language barrier, neither of us could convey each other. I showed him my insurance paper, then he also gave me his insurance paper and using his phone only I asked him to call a traffic cop. They took 1hr to reach the spot and amicably things got settled down. Finally, cop told me few words, “you are good and free to go out of country”. There is no place in the country called no man land, everywhere there are some shops or motels or house or someone going by walk or cycle. We came across around 6 or 7 hairpin bends. For lunch, we stopped at some motel. When we were getting close to San Jose, we could see the transformation that 2 lane roads are broadened to 4 lane roads with safe divider. At evening 7’O clock, we reached San Jose and checked in the hotel Irazu. This hotel is 30 minutes away from our car rental place. We didn’t see any place in San Jose and also I heard that San Jose is just a another city so we are not going to miss anything.

25th of July - Day 8:

Morning we drove to car rental place. After returning the car, rental car company took us to Airport. In the airport there is an exit tax of $29/head. With this receipt only we have to show our passport to get a boarding pass. In the airport, we met one Italian lady and now she is in Atlanta. She said that she came to Costa Rica to sell her inherited property through her biological mom and planning to start a yoga class in Atlanta. Though I was not clear, I didn’t get too much into her biology and step theory. She shared that managing the property in Costa Rica is not that easy and understood that property management companies were not that reliable. She told that she sold her property at a good price, obviously everything is a profit for her because she didn’t pay even a single penny to acquire that property. Before we board the flight, flight authorities told us, my elder son was selected for a check. Initially, I didn’t understand what they mean by that. Later I realized, he had to undergo the security check. On that specific day, same age group boys and girls were asked to undergo the special security checks. As usual no one can understand TSA. In 3 hours, safely we returned to Houston airport. Long-term parking company picked us from the airport.The moment we came out of the airport, we went to some Indian restaurant and had a good Indian food after 9 days. We reached Monroe, LA on 26th of July.

All together we enjoyed the trip and had a pleasant experience in a well-diversified landscape.

Gun Free World

2014-08-25T21:35:00.001-05:00

Assume no guns in the hands of civilians, approximately at least 50,000 more people will be living in this world now. In those days arrows and guns were available in every house, because people formed the society from the middle of the forest. We are living in the safe world now, sorry, we are just safe from the forest animals. This blog is not to hurt anyone’s belief or feeling, but kindly think and try to spread a word.

Everyone is good, but even that good person also undergo some tough time or they might have been provoked to take guns in their hand. Good or bad, if they don’t have guns, at the most it will not go beyond the injury or simple wounds.

Few are talking in terms of self protection. Discussed with few people those who are having guns for hunting, very scary to listen about the way they are taking about calipers, arsenal and trajectory. Really it is forcing us to doubt their instinct. Their arguments are, “Is knife not dangerous?” ,“military is also having guns!”, “sometimes I was harassed at gun point at ATM”, “once burglar came with the gun” and etc. These points shows they don’t have any justification. Few people are having more than 10 guns at home like they are surrounded by hostile army and they are so proud about their gun collection like philately. These proud gun collectors are trying to justify that knife is dangerous, no wonder if they say, wife is also dangerous.

How burglar got gun? if it is completely restricted, where he will go for the gun? Lot of restrictions on using Marijuana and other obnoxious drugs, but guns are freely available in the market.

In the flight, guns are not allowed, not even a toy gun, because it is dangerous to the passenger, but it is allowed in the crowded urban locality. Is the same gun won’t do any harm to the good neighborhood!

Why one has to go for hunting? are you really interested in using the gun or meat or wants to kill something? If you feel you can not living without hunting, keep the guns in some remote locker facility. In one specific community or in some school, if there is a shooting, instead of controlling the availability of guns, everyone should not be supplied with the gun to face the mentally disturbed person.

For e.g check this conversation given below
Boss:Why are you sleeping in the office?
Employee: Sir, I don’t have a separate room to sleep, then what you want me to do?
Boss: Understood your concern, now onwards all the employees in my office, will be given a separate room to sleep.

If you feel this conversation is right, I am trying to wake up someone acting like sleeping or trying to extinguish the fire with the gasoline.

Rome was not built in a day

2013-01-23T09:12:00.001-06:00

This is not only applicable to Rome, suits to Chicago, New Orleans, Madurai, Damascus, Melbourne & etc. To make anything impressive and presentable, lot of effort needs to be put. With relentless hard work and dedication only, impressive results will come. Reputation and value should not be the goal of effort, just it is out come of the true dedication.

Few would say, I never done anything wrong, now the question is, "did you try anything?". Though it takes some time, I will follow the same routine and never done anything wrong, again the question is "did you learn anything new?". If you don't learn anything on that day, you wasted that day, then you are just a good employee, can not become an employer at all. Ship is so safe in the port, but that is not its purpose.

Abraham Lincoln, almost lost everything in his personal life and in his career also, his only success was, he became an American President. He was confident in his social reforms, otherwise his name would not be in history or his face would not be in mount Rushmore.

Honda, despite his factory was affected by bombing and earth quake, he did not give up. Now keeping Honda at the parking lot is the status mark.

Marilyn Monroe, was rejected and even she was remarked that her face was not good to be on screen, but she is world famous. Her flying skirt is one of the patented style.

Walt Disney was fired from newspaper office for lacking of new ideas, that forced him to come up with the success recipe. 302 times his idea were rejected by bankers, but he believed himself that he could make his dream come true, otherwise he would have ended up his life as a ambulance driver.

In the same way, gaining good name and happy family, can not be made a day like an Aladdin lamp. To spoil that name and nice family, just one inappropriate action is more than enough. Thinking, words, action and life style are like a chain and cyclic reaction, one influence the other. Never, never bend over to your short term physical need, that damage the life for ever. Good ethics and morale is the actual beauty, just not a glow on skin and how one looks.

Failure is just a bitter lesson, every lesson will teach something, which can not be taught even in the university. Others negative remarks on you, just shows their ugly mind, not your fault. Those who care about you, used to point out the areas of improvement, will not amplify your fault. Learn to ignore the interim failures and hurts, but never hurt your dream. Achievers never sit back, those who sit back never achieve.

Mobile Phone Subscribers Behavioral Pattern

2012-11-12T08:53:00.001-06:00

1980’s having phone is a status mark and also big headache for hosts. So many of us, have witnessed these nuisances, guests come and after going through telephone directory for an hour to find the number of distant relative or friend, finally they will introduce themselves, after dialing few wrong numbers. Helplessly host has to sit tight with hopeless smiling face.

1988 telephone communication underwent huge breakthrough, after 5 years same trend reached Asia and other eastern world. After cellular phone came to market, communication became so fast and information started spreading across continents in a flashing speed. Certainly gossip and rumors can not be called as information, unfortunately its travelling speed is more faster than the useful message.

So many people using cell phone as a desk phone only, because they never carry the cell phone with them, either they will leave it at their desk or keep it safely in their bag. They will make calls that too when they are in some need.

Few people, after seeing the voice message only they will call them back. After listening twice, they will analyze how talking with other party is useful to themselves, otherwise they never call them back.

Moment phone call comes, if some one is running out of scene, either they are speaking something confidential or doing something wrong. Some people used to hide their number as private number, neither it is useful to callers nor receivers, if receiver failed to attend the call while it is ringing, they could not call them back at all, how do they know, who called them.

While driving, if passenger or driver keep on talking on phone, certainly it is boring to other person, that too passengers are not supposed to do at all. Obviously when either of them talking on phone, music needs to be muted out or discussion needs to be stopped, it is such a annoying for other person, unless otherwise it is so important to talk for more time on phone. It is more like ignoring the person who is travelling with you. You need not completely ignore the phone call, just attend and convey them that you will call them back and later please call them without fails.

Some people very calculative about using their own phones, but never mind about others phone. Voice over IP(VOIP) phone is a good alternative for them. When some one call at their cell phone, they will make the communication very crisp and fast. Same people when calling from their VOIP phone to other’s cell phone, will talk of hours and hours. Whom so ever may be, money value is always same. When you are so stringent on your cell phone and its bill, please put others also in the same shoe.

On receipt of call or VM or SMS, next day they will come and tell, “Yes I saw your message, thinking of calling you on the week end”, what is the need of this unnecessary acknowledgement, when they are not reachable on emergency, then cell phone is just expensive table weight. Sometime you only have to go and tell them, “Yesterday I called you”, they will reply, “Yes, I saw your missed call or received your VM”, quite logical, right! so they are just good for diplomatic relation.

Texting or browsing must be completely avoided while driving. This is the root cause of most of the accidents in the last 5 years. Same smart phone is giving option to switch your phone to Bluetooth or car mode. Subscribers only need to choose this option while they are getting into car, no smart phone is smart enough to automatically switch its mode to car mode. In near future car companies may have some tie up with telecom providers to switch phone mode, by sensing the VIN number of the car, lets wait for it, till then please follow safety rules when driving.

Common excuses for not attending the phone calls, but quite frequently genuine also as smart phones are consuming more power.

It was in vibrating mode
It was in vibrating mode and left it at my old pant packet.
Ran out of charge
Out of coverage network.
Busy with another phone call.
Thinking of calling on week end.
I tried to reach you at your old mobile number.
While syncing with mobile application, lost all the contact details.
Operating system is not good.
Lost the pin to unlock the phone.
Dropped the mobile phone in the water.
Sorry, I was busy in meeting
I was in driving motor vehicle license office
I was in hospital
Usually I never attend calls when driving
Slept early
Not feeling well
Lot of noise outside, so I could not hear the ring tone
Asked to turn off the mobile.

Few will call others when don’t know what to do, some will call when ironing their dress, cooking, gardening, walking, cleaning the kitchen, driving back home from the office. Least bothered to know, how busy they are, on the other side. When calling some one for time pass, courteously please make sure, are they comfortable enough and have time to talk with you.

Even someone say, “Sun rises in the east”, immediately technocrat in the group will browse their web application in the mobile and confirm,”yes, you are right”, who asked them, this is right or wrong. Ever since smart phone came to market, it is no more for just talking, it changed its phase to infotainment. In public place also interpersonal communication was completely stopped, because everyone is keeping their head down and busy browsing their mobile phones. Out of 30 minutes waiting period, please be attentive for at least 10 minutes to know what is going around and who are all there, you need not handshake with them or hug them, but try to look around.

Kids are also more addicted to smart phone games. In long run, such a fast moving animation in a small screen is not good for eyes. Very responsible medical professionals, personally enquiring about the health of their family friends, silently playing temple run in the android phone that too when they are discussing about the health issues in person. What to call that person, ignorant or don’t care type. No doubt, that game is very interesting, but at least while they are discussing face to face, they can pause that game for sometime and can restart the game after quickly back to their home. When guest is busy running away from beast in the game, what host can ask them or tell them, but politely host can convey, "I too like that game”. Hope topic will not be switched to games.

When you are talking to someone over phone and in person, please pay complete attention and first complete the topic what you intend to discuss about. Don’t hover here and there and never allow mobile application to divert your attention.

எங்கே போனது தமிழனின் தன்மான உணர்ச்சி

2012-07-07T06:51:00.001-05:00

சமீபத்தில் என்னை மிகவும் பாதித்த செய்திகளில் ஒன்று என்னவென்றால், இலங்கையின் 9 விமானப் படை வீரர்களுக்கு தமிழகத்திலுள்ள தாம்பரம் விமானப் படை நிலையத்தில் ஒன்பது மாதம் தொழில்நுட்பப் பயிற்சி அளிப்பதற்கு மத்திய அரசு அளித்துள்ள ஒப்புதல். மனிதன் இரண்டு விதமாக வாழலாம், ஒன்று இந்த பூமியில் பிறந்ததால் வாழ்வது, மற்றொன்று பிறர் அறிய மற்றவரும் நலம்பெற வாழ்வது. இதில் தமிழன் இரண்டாவது பிரிவைச்சேர்ந்தவன் என்பதற்க்கு பலரது வாழ்க்கைக்குறிப்புகள் உள்ளன. ஆனால், கடந்த முப்பது ஆண்டுகளாக எங்கே போய் ஒளிந்து கொண்டிருக்கிறான், அந்த வீரமுள்ள, மானமுள்ள தமிழன். இப்பொழுது தமிழனுக்குள்ள ஒரே ஆறுதல், பழ நெடுமாறன், வைகோ மற்றும் தமிழருவி மணியன். இவர்களும், இவர்களுடைய ஆதரவாளர்களும், தமிழனின் மொத்த எண்ணிக்கையில் 10% கூடப்பெறாது.

ஏழையின் பேச்சு எப்படி அம்பலம் ஏறும். சந்தர்ப்பவாத அரசியல் ஒன்றே தமிழகத்தின் சாபக்கேடாகப்போய்விட்டது. என்ன செய்வது? நமக்கு கொடுக்கப்பட்ட வாய்ப்புக்களும் அவ்வளவே, ஒன்று கெட்டது மற்றொன்று மிகவும் கெட்டது, இதில் எதை தேர்ந்தெடுப்பது என்பதற்க்கு, இரவெல்லாம் கண் விழித்து யோசிக்க வேண்டிய அவசியமும் இல்லை. முத்தமிழ் அறிஞருக்கு எப்பொழுதெல்லாம் சுய நலத்திற்க்கு பங்கம் வருகிறதோ, அப்பொழுதெல்லாம், தமிழனுக்குரிய தன்மான உணர்ச்சி பொங்கி எழும். மூவர் வாழ்வுரிமைக்காக போராடியபோதும் சரி, பெரியார் அணை போராட்டதின் போதும் சரி, ஈழத்தில் தமிழன் கொத்துக்கொத்தாக மடிந்த போதும் சரி, இவர்கள் காட்டிய மெத்தனம் நாடறியும்.

உலகமெங்கும் அணு உலைக்கு எதிர்ப்பாக குரல் கொடுத்துக்கொண்டிருக்கும் சமயத்தில், தமிழகத்தில் எதற்காக புதிய அணு உலை. எதிர்ப்பு குரல் கொடுப்பவர்களின் மேல் எண்ணிலடங்கா வழக்குகள், குற்றச்சாட்டுகள். இதில் கிடைக்கும் மின்சாரத்தில் 20%தத்தை கேரள அரசுக்கு கொடுக்க, மத்திய அரசிடம், அவ்விட பூமி விண்ணப்பித்துள்ளது. தமிழனின் உணர்ச்சிகளுக்கு மத்திய அரசு என்றுமே செவி சாய்த்ததில்லை. நிஜமாகவே நாம் இந்தியாவிலதான் இருக்கின்றோமா என்ற ஐயப்பாடே மேலோங்கி நிற்கிறது. மத்திய அரசாகட்டும் தேசிய கட்சியாகட்டும், இந்திய வரைபடத்தில் தேர்தலின் போது மட்டும்தான், தமிழகம் அவர்களின் கண்ணில் படும், அது வரை மத்திய அரசின் கையில், தமிழகம் பாடாய்படும்.

விலைவாசி உயர்வை பற்றி பேசுவதற்க்கு ஆளில்லை, கட்சியில்லை. நில அபகரிப்பை பற்றி கேட்டால், சிறை நிரப்பும் போராட்டம். ஊழல் செய்து சிறை சென்று வந்தால், வீதியெங்கும் தோரணம்,வாழ்த்துரைகள். தெரிந்தோ தெரியாமலோ நமக்கே அவர் மீது ஒரு பரிதாபத்தை உண்டுபண்ணிவிடுவது, எதோ நாட்டின் இரையாண்மை காக்க சிறை சென்று வந்தவர் போல. தலை விரித்தாடும் ஊக வீயாபரத்தை தடுக்க நாதியில்லை, வாங்கமலேயே வாங்குவது, விற்காமலேயே விற்பது. இப்படி அத்தியாவசிய பொருட்களையும் யூக சந்தையில் வைத்தால், சாமன்யன் இனிமேல் எதை தின்பது.

இனிமேலாவது சக மனிதனின் துயர் துடைக்க கை கோர்ப்போம். தமிழன் ஒரு தனிப்பெரும் சக்தி என்று உலகுக்கு எடுத்துக்காட்டாய் திகழ்வோம். தமிழனுக்கு கற்றுக்கொடுக்க நினைப்பவன் மூடன், தமிழனிடம் கறகவேண்டியவை ஏராளம் என்று இவ்வுலகை உணரவைப்போம்.

North Korea, The Socialist Dynasty

2012-04-26T17:52:00.001-05:00

Kim Il Sung was the founder of North Korea, other than him no one would have wanted the separate country called North Korea. This country was founded, just by the curse of time and the interest of super powers. Kim Il Sung had few reasons to hold the top office of the country, though reasons were not valid, but his successor are not having those reasons also. Whole country was governed by the single party called Korean Workers Party. His aim to run the country only by self reliance, no harm in that, in fact it is too good to be like that, but they must have sufficient natural resource and modern technological infrastructure, unfortunately it was lagging behind in both the areas.

Soviet Union gave good support till it was disintegrated. China is still supporting DPRK - Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), by buying their textile and food processing products. Their manufacturing unit is completely state owned. Nothing by any individual, the word capitalism is crime in socialistic world, which is more entertained in the other side of the fence (in South Korea). In NK only few can flourish, those few will be in the good position in the workers party. It is so obscure to call it as a party, what is the need of party, when no one is ready to raise voice against that party or no opposition party.

In 1994, after Kim Il Sung died, Kim Jong Il came to power. Jong Il is son of Il Sung. After Soviet disintegration, foreign aid was completely stopped, it triggered famine in the country. Since 1995, famine is the recurring event. At one point of time it became constant scene, so needless to point it as an event. Il Sung paid more attention to defense and military services. Out of 24 million people, 9 million were in defense related services, this is more than one third of the population. This is redundant defense need of the country, when food supplies and medical supplies are consistently running short.

When basic needs are running short in the whole country, dear leader never reduced his taste of French wine and expensive entertainment. First of all, who is he to inherit the power. It is not his dad's and grand dad's earned property. Now people in DPRK are pushed to constant ignorance. Now second generation of DPRK never knew, how South Korea became their enemy country. Jong Il was depicted as god. In every house, his portraits can be seen. In front of their dear leader statue, everyone has to salute and pass by. It more like an artificial respect and love to the country.

This dear leader's key power is keeping the people under constant peril. Anyone who questioned him, will be pushed to concentration camp. Not only him, his whole family, relatives and friends everyone will be taken to prison. Once dozen of stalemates in a party, came to Pyong Yong to convey the real situation of famine in the country. All of them were tied and laid on the streets. Tankers were running on them back and forth, till they crushed to death. After seeing this, who will come forward to question him.

This is completely black box, no one knows the events of DPRK. All the news leaked through the defectors who is fleeing through the barbed electrical wire to South Korea and China. Even then people are continuously leaving behind their families and defecting to South Korea. Security between China and North Korea is not that stringent, because once if they were caught, China will deport them back to DPRK. Moment they have been handed over to DPRK, no one knows what will happen to them, but can not be seen outside. According to DPRK, defecting the border is an act of betrayal. Usually other countries only will arrest them, but situation in North Korea is completely different, because dear leader need people to rule.

Recently Kim Jong Il also died, but plight of the people remain same. All the supreme powers were delegated to his youngest son Kim Jong-un. This is an international political joke of the century. He is just 28 years old, returned from Bern, Switzerland were he attended school for English language. This is the first 3rd generation community rule by a single family like NK is their own property. The way people crying for the demise of their dear leader and the way people are portraying them as a god and savior of the country is disgusting, ridiculous and pathetically artificial. No one need to be smart enough to make out their fake praising of their leaders.

Some miracle only has to happen to bring this comedy to an end.

Korean Fence on 38th parallel

2012-02-19T22:35:00.001-06:00

Any country when it was divided for some reason, either religion or language would have taken major role. Same customs, same language, same food style, same religion and same life style, though everything is same, Korea is the only country split for no valid reason other than the interest of two super powers.

More than the Korean’s interest, USA and USSR interest's took higher precedence. In 1945, Japan surrendered and decided to withdraw its army after Hiroshima and Nagasaki nuclear bomb incident, USSR invaded Korea to establish communist Korea. When USA came to know about this, immediately requested USSR to stop the further movement from the north and asked them to keep their troop along the 38th degree from the north of the earth’s equatorial plane. Quickly USSR also agreed for it. Eventually end up in south and north Korea. Brother will be in south, sister will be north, son will be in south and father will be in north. There is no way to rule one country by two leaders.

There were 2 leader fought for the freedom from Japanese occupation at different times. Both of them arrested by the Japanese army and also nicely tortured by them.

First one is Syngman Rhee, after released from jail, he fled to United States. Came back to Korea with democratic and capitalist principles.

Another is Kim Il-sung, basically he was driven by communist ideology. After released from the jail, he fled to China and later spent some time in Russia, came back to Korea with deeply etched socialist ideas.

1948,15 August, Syngman Rhee sworn as a President of the Republic of Korea with the help of USA.

1948, 25 August, Kim Il-sung sworn as a Premier of Democratic People's Republic of Korea with the help of China and USSR.

On 1950, 25th June, North Korea entered into South and captured the Seoul in just 3 days, because both the leader were looking for united Korea. This is the start of Korean war, in other way we can call it as forgotten war or shadowed war by the media, because world was tired of world war II. UN forces are formed with General Douglass MacArthur as Commander went to help Syngman Rhee. North Korean army was driven back and Seoul was recaptured by South Korean army with the help of UN forces. Just after gained the Seoul back, MacArthur sought for the permission from Harry S. Truman, President of the United States, to capture whole North Korea and to form the United Korea.

Unfortunately permission granted and end up in fight between UN forces and Chinese forces. UN forces positively entered into north, initially everything went fine. UN forces never knew, it was completely different from Seoul. Altogether it was a highly unexpected terrain for the UN, to further spice up the war, horrible winter also added to their tough time. Chinese army was eagerly waiting for them to enter into the valley, as planned, caused huge causality to the UN forces. Chinese prefer to name its force as a communist volunteers, than calling themselves as a Chinese army.

In 1953, finally both UN and Chinese troop decided to come to an agreement to halt the war without making any ad hoc arrangement to cease fire. Signed the agreement with stern face while shelling and gun firing was going on. This war seldom caught the head lines in the news paper. This 3 years war was highly unjustifiable to the loss of life for both civilians and uniformed personals.

Both north and south leaders focusing only on their personal political mileage and never followed any rules to protect the civilians. Sometime UN itself confused whether are they fighting for right cause or not. As per book, war is in between South and North Korea, but finally who went for peace treaty? China and US. After the cease fire agreement, was China and US maintaining their hostile relation? no, after that they went for so many bilateral business deals, but Koreans were split by barbed electric wire across 38th parallel. Families were split. North is suffering, South is flourishing. Those who frequenting to Wal-Mart can witness, more than the 30% of the products are from China, even in tourist place souvenirs are also from China.

Most of the communist leaders coming to the power with good thoughts and high morale values, but unfortunately it remained as thoughts only. Their thirst of power, surpassing their interest in human welfare of their own country people. At one point of time, it is becoming like catching hold of tiger’s tail. Eventually it turned up to monarchy or dynasty of single family. This is what going on in North Korea now. In the next blog, we will go through it in detail.

A Nuclear Power Plant - Globalization and Economic Growth

2011-12-02T17:31:00.001-06:00

This is continuity of previous nuclear power plant blog. Globalization is forced to become the key factor to growth of any country. Growth of the country is nothing but how frequently people are taking their wallet out of their packet. For increasing the spending capacity, their basic living standard needs to be improved. For improving the living standard, productivity of the country needs to be improved. For seamless productivity, country needs abundant source of energy in the form of electricity and gasoline.
As per Goldman Sachs Group, BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) will surpass United States of America. Needless to compare Spain, Greece and Italy, at least now they realized, they are having economic issues. Building great pillars, maintaining ancient mosaics and manufacturing world class wines alone won’t develop the country. In 2020, India will become financially independent. With in 10 years, in world economy 36.5% will be from BRIC countries. India’s expectation and projections are like this.

To meet this expectation, there should not be any issues to the basic infrastructure and basic needs. Everything will be made possible for everyone, no one need to take weapon in their hand. Most of the time, Government only deciding, what kind of weapon their enemy must go for either petition or gun.To achieve, equality between rural and urban sector, 10% growth in agriculture, self sufficient industrial growth, electricity is inevitable.
Now India is generating 150K Mega Watt.
To meet our expected growth, we must achieve,
By 2020 it must be 400K Mega Watt
By 2030 it must be 950K Mega Watt.
By 2050, individual electricity consumption will be 6K Watt, but as per our 5% rate of growth, realistic figure is going to be only 450K Mega Watt by 2030, that too can be made possible, if there is no hindrance by public and manifested political agitation. Till now amount power generated from nuclear power plant is extremely less.

In all the sectors, despite we increase the power generation, to reach our final goal, nuclear power plant is the only option. In India, what ever be the season, per day, it will be sunny for minimum 10 hours, so solar can be used for domestic use to mitigate the shortage of power supply. In the last 40 years, 20 nuclear power plants are functioning without having any safety threats. Best example is Kalpakkam nuclear power plant, it was not at all impacted by Tsunami, unlike Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.
Nuclear radiation is very hazardous, no second opinion in that, but it is not going to cause any genetic disorder and not going to affect the second generation, so if this generation is affected by nuclear leak, is it ok? That is the actual reason for protest by people who lived in that area. How many of us will donate our house or come out of your house for good cause, at least I will not do! but so many people in that locality were forced to vacate from that area with minimal guideline value for that property without providing any alternative arrangement for their source of income.
We need to go very long way to reach our goal compared to other countries how effectively they are using the nuclear power.

Cost of power generation is extremely cheaper in uranium compared to solar and wind, but solar energy can be optimally used in tropical countries like India, middle east and other south Asian counties.
Now in Koodangulam nuclear power plant, 6000 Mega Watt can be generated. By 2030, through nuclear power plant, India is planning to generate up to 50K Mega Watt. After Australia, India will develop all the required technology to use third generation radio active material like Thorium and Uranium 233.
Nuclear energy is important for expected growth. Nuclear explosion in Japan and France’s decision to retire their nuclear plants is just a coincidence, but skeptics related these events and discouraging the nuclear power projects. France is running shot of Uranium and they are having sufficient resource to go for solar plants, that is the reason for decommissioning the nuclear plants. Every coin has two side, in the next blog we will go through the protestors view on this upcoming project.

A Nuclear Power Plant - Rapid Growth & Threat

2011-11-13T22:14:00.001-06:00

The contents given over here is taken from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam’s report on Koodangulam Nuclear Power plant. He made a detailed analysis, so same information is provided here in a much simplified form with lot of care so as not to skew the original content. As per our honorable ex president of India, we should not be scarred by geo political agitation and statement given by politicians for their personal mileage.. He is expecting people to dream, Dr. Kalam defines, dream is not something getting out of sleep, dream is something makes you to run out of sleep and work hard to achieve that goal. Kindly read this blog with complete open mind without any pre conceived notion. Really very long way to go to any conclusion, despite it is too late to back out.

Before starting any project, scientists used to make lot of research to choose the location for the project. In that way, Koodankulam was chosen for this project as it is not going to be affected by Tsunami or earth quake.

Earthquake Seismic Map of India

As per the earth quake seismic map of India, there is no chance to get earth quake at this project site which is falling in level 2 earth quake zone, even if it comes, it will be at the magnitude of 3 or less. As per Richter scale, If it is less than 3, it is just a tremor. Tremor never cause any loss of life and property damage.

Next tsunami is the another scarring factor for the public. We came to know about it in 2004, till that time we never knew or heard of this word, again koodankulam never going to be affected by tsunami. Why it will not be affected? Reasons are

Sunda Arc

1) Sri Lanka is safeguarding from Sunda arc. Sunda arc is a imaginary line going across Java, Sumatra and Indonesia. This 1300 km away from east of koodankulam. On east, if it starts tsunami has to start from here.

Tusnamigenic Fault Region - Chagos Ridge

2) Tsunami is starting from collision of continental plates. Such a tusnamigenic fault region is located in Sunda Arc and Chagos Ridge which is located in 1500 km south of southern tip India. Again if there is any continental plate collision in the Chagos Ridge region, direct impact will be on west side, not on the east side of the India where power plant located. Chagos ridge can be seen in upper left of the picture.

Good news is koodankulam is never going to be affected by Tsunami unlike Fukushima power plant, Japan, which is 1st generation kind of power plant. Now we are heading to 3rd generation power plant with more security and safety features.

Thermo siphon effect

Nuclear Criticality safety - To escape from nuclear radiation
Radiation safety - Handling nuclear material on leak and fueling. If there is any leak or over flow, neutron will be absorbed by boron matrix which will stop the nuclear reaction. This is called core catcher.
Thermal hydraulic safety - Cooling the nuclear reactor without any interruption to water pump. Now water will be pumped up by thermo siphon effect.
Structural integrity safety - Building will not be affected by any natural calamity.

As per the report all these precaution and safety factors were taken care. People who lived in and around that project site, not comfortable yet. Communication is always a big gap, between people who live in all walks of life and project management. Not only mode of communication and also the medium of communication. The executive committee is least bothered to explain to public, just they will go forward by Government Order (G.O).

They promised, opportunities for 10000 people on both the direct and indirect jobs. Only 35 people got jobs. Is qualification really stopping them to provide jobs. Obviously everyone is not expecting scientists grade.
On emergency how to exit people living out of sterilization zone. 4 lane road is still a dream in most of places. In 1 hour time, how to evacuate all the people with in a limited time. We are having infrastructural challenges ahead before plant is getting live.
CBSE standard education was promised to locals in the vicinity. Not achieved yet.
Other important requirement on emergency is hospital with 15,000 beds and all facility.

Government is promising lot of other facilities like this. Why Government is promising lot of facilities now, are they bribing people to happily accept the sword hanging over their head. Is it not government’s commitment to take care of basic need, if people are not accepting to this project, won’t this facility reach that region?

In the next blog, we will introspect into globalization and economic growth of India associated with upcoming nuclear power plant.

Contd..

கச்சத்தீவு-தமிழக மீனவர் அரசியல்

2011-05-01T22:14:00.001-05:00

நம்மில் பலருக்கு மீன் குழம்பு என்றால் மிகவும் பிடிக்கும். அதுவும் வஞ்சரம், நெத்திலி குழம்பு என்றால் அதன் சுவையே தனிதான், சுறா புட்டு என்றால் சொல்ல வேண்டிய அவசியமே இல்லை. சென்னை, நாகப்பட்டினம், தூத்துக்குடி போன்ற கடற்கரை நகரங்களில் மீன் மிகவும் மலிவாகவே கிடைக்கும், திருச்சி, தஞ்சாவூர், புதுக்கோட்டை போன்ற இடங்களில் மறு நாள் காலை குளிர் பெட்டி மூலம் தருவித்த மீனே கிடைக்கும். இருப்பினும் மற்ற செறித்த கொலுப்புள்ள இறைச்சியைய் காட்டிலும், மீன் உடம்பிற்க்கு மிகவும் நல்லது என்பதால், பலரும் மீன் உணவையே விரும்புவர், ஆனால் மீனவனைப்பற்றி சிரிதேனும் நினைத்துப்பார்ப்பது கூடக்கிடையாது. மீனவன் கடலுக்கு செல்லும் பொழுது, அவனுடய மனைவி தாலியை கலற்றி வைப்பது பழக்கம், இன்றும் அந்த வழக்கம் தொடர்கிறதா என்பது தெரியாது, ஆனால் தமிழ் நாட்டைச்சேர்ந்த மீனவனுக்கு இது கண்டிப்பாக பொருந்த வேண்டிய அவலம்.

இந்திய கடல் எல்லையோர ரோந்துப்படை, தமிழக மீனவர்களிடம் வைக்கும் சட்ட திட்டங்களை சொல்லி மாளாது. அனைத்து சட்ட திட்டங்களும் நமக்குத்தான். விசைப்படகில் என்ன கொண்டு போக வேண்டும், எவ்வளவு தூரம் போக வேண்டும், எந்த வகையான மீன்களை பிடிக்க வேண்டும். இனி எந்த எந்த தினத்தில் அவர்கள் தங்கள் மனைவியுடன் பொழுதை களிக்க வேண்டும், என்ன வகையான உணவுகளை உண்ண வேண்டும் என்று மட்டும் சொல்லாமல் விட்டு விட்டார்கள் புண்ணியவான்கள். கடலில் என்ன மைல் கல்லா நட்டு வைத்திருக்கிறார்கள்?. அதுவும் இவர்கள் சொல்லும் தூரத்தில் மீன் பிடிக்க முடியாது, ஏன் நத்தை கூட கிடைக்காது. இப்படி சட்டம் இயற்றும் பேர்வழிகளை, ஒரு நாள் கடலுக்கு அனுப்பி மீன் பிடிக்க வைக்க வேண்டும், அப்படி செய்தால், அவர்கள் படும் இன்னல்களும், நடை முறை பிரச்சனைகளும் புரியவரும்.

கச்சத்தீவை திருமதி இந்திராகாந்தி 1974ல் தனது தந்தை வீட்டு சொத்துபோல இலங்கைக்கு தாரை வார்த்து கொடுத்தார். நாட்டின் பாதுகாப்பு கருதி அப்படி கொடுத்திருந்தாலும் கூட, சேது சமஸ்தானத்திற்க்கு சொந்தமானது என்று எத்தனையோ ஆவனங்கள் இருந்தும், தமிழர்களிடம் ஆலோசிக்காமல் கொடுத்தது, மன்னிக்கப்பட முடியாத குற்றம். சிரிமாவோ பண்டாரு நாயக நம்மிடம் மிகவும் பணிவுடன் மிரட்டி வாங்கிய நிலம் என்பது பலருக்கு தெரிந்திருக்க வாய்ப்பில்லை. பாகிஸ்தானும், சீனாவும் விமானதளம் அமைக்க இலங்கையிடம் கேட்டது, அதற்க்கு ஒப்புதல் அளிக்கக்கூடாது என்பதற்க்காக, தாரளமாக கச்சத்தீவை தாரை வார்த்தார், ஆனால் இந்திய மீனவர்கள், அதாவது தமிழக மீனவர்கள் தங்கள் மீன் பிடி வலைகளை உலர்த்துவதற்க்கும் , தங்கி இளைப்பாருவதற்க்கும், அந்தோனியார் கோவில் திருவிழாவில் பங்கேற்க்கலாம் என்று இந்திய-இலங்கை ஒப்பந்தத்தில் உள்ளது. அதில் ஒரு இம்மி அளவை கூட இலங்கை அரசு பின்பற்றுவதில்லை. அப்படி கொடுத்து விட்டதால் மட்டும் பிரச்சினை ஓய்ந்த பாடில்லை. சீனர்களின் இலங்கை வரவும், முதலீடும், சற்று தள்ளித்தான் போட முடிந்தது. ராஜபக்ஷே, தான் ஒரு சீன சார்பு கம்யூனிஸ்ட் என்று காட்டிக்கொள்வதில்தான் பெருமிதம் கொள்கிறார். ஒரு பொருளை கொடுத்து, ஒரு வாக்கு பெரும் போது, அந்த பொருளுக்கு மதிப்பு இருக்கும் வரைதான், கொடுத்த வாக்கிற்கும் மதிப்பிருக்கும். இப்பொழுது என்னவாயிற்று, கச்சத்தீவையும் இழந்தோம், அதை உபயோகிக்கும் நமது மீனவர்களின் நலன் சார்ந்த அடிப்படை உரிமையும் இழந்தோம்.

1974ல் இருந்து பதவிக்கு வரும் கட்சிகளெல்லாம், கச்சத்தீவை மீட்டு விடுவோம் என்று சூடம் கொளுத்தி சத்தியம் செய்யாதது ஒன்றுதான் பாக்கி, பதவிக்கு வந்த பின் மக்களை மறந்துவிடுவது போல், கொடுத்த வாக்கையும் மறந்துவிடுவது, அவர்களுக்கும் புதிதல்ல, நமக்கும் புதிதல்ல. எத்தனை நாட்களுக்குத்தான் மறப்போம் மன்னிப்போம் என்று, ஓட்டுபோட்டுவிட்டு நகம் கருக்க காத்துக்கிடப்பது, இந்த வாக்களிக்கும் நிகழ்வுக்கு ஜன நாயகக்கடமை என்று பேர் வேறு. இது வரைக்கும் 300 மீனவர்கள், இலங்கை கடற்படையினரால் சுடப்பட்டு இறந்து விட்டார்கள். நாம் கடலுக்கு அப்பால் வாழும் நம் இனத்தைப்பற்றி இப்பொழுது கவலை கொள்ள வேண்டாம், முதலில் உள்ளுர் தமிழனைப்பற்றி கவலை படுவோம். முதலில் மனிதன் என்ற உணர்வே இல்லாத போது, தமிழுணர்வு எப்படி சாத்தியப்படும். மீனவனுக்கு ஏதாவது நிகழ்ந்து விட்டால் போதும், அனைத்து அரசியல் கட்சிகளும் நான் நீ என்று போட்டி போட்டுக்கொண்டு நிவாரணம் கொடுக்க முன் வருவது, பார்த்து பார்த்து சலித்து விட்டது. ஒருவர் தமிழில் அடுக்கு மொழி பேசி எள்ளி நகையாடுவது, ஒருவர் உணர்ச்சி உரையாற்றுவது, மற்றொருவர் கட்சிக்கு எப்பொழுது விடுப்பு விடுவார் என்று அவருக்கே தெரியாது. இவர்கள் எல்லாரின் உணர்வுப்பூர்வமான நோக்கமும் ஒரே நேர் கோட்டில் வரும் வரை, யாருக்கும் விடிவு இல்லை. இப்படி ஒன்று நடக்கும் என்று ஒருவன் காத்திருந்தால், அவன் பகலிலேயே கனவு காணும் முழு மூடன்.

கேட்பாரற்றிருக்கும் அனாதையை அடித்தால், யார் வந்து கேட்கப்போகிறார்கள். 49-ஓவை மட்டும், மின் வாக்குப்பதிவு சாதனத்தில் கொண்டு வந்தால் தெரியும், இவர்களின் உண்மையான நிலை. பாகிஸ்தான் கடலோர படையினர் கூட, குஜராத் மீனவர்களை சுடுவதில்லை, திரும்பி போகச்சொல்லுகிறார்கள், ஆனால் எங்குமே நடக்காத ஒரு அராஜஹம், பாக் ஜல சந்தியிலே ஆண்டாண்டு காலமாக நடந்து கொண்டேதான் இருக்கிறது. இந்த அரசியல்வாதிகள் இனி மேலாவது நேர்மையாக இருக்க விரும்பினால், தயவு செய்து கச்சத்தீவையும், இலங்கை தமிழனையும் பற்றி பேசாமலிருப்பதே மேல். மீனவர்களின் நலன் காக்க, உடனடியாக, மத்திய அரசை தமிழக அரசு நிர்ப்பந்திக்க வேண்டும். கட்சி சார்பற்று அனைத்து தலைவர்களும் ஒரே கருத்தை கொண்டார்களே ஒழிய, தீர்வு என்பது வெறும் கானல் நீரே.

Elections in India

2011-04-10T22:31:00.002-05:00

Once in every five years, we are getting chance to elect our legislative member or member of parliament. No political analyst can predict how people will swing between parties. Till they reach a ballot box, some times even they themselves don’t know to whom they are going to cast their vote. Politicians never bothered about literates, literates read magazine and weighs the pros and cons of the manifesto, annual budget and policies. Most of the educated population, not using their voting rights and finally those votes will be misused. Politicians main voting bank is poor people. They need poor and they don’t want them to be self sufficient. They need poor, poverty and slum.

Citizens who are having lot of social awareness never be whisked by free material given during election time, no harm in getting what politicians are giving, but need not be loyal to what they give, because they are not giving something out of their hand. If every member was restricted to contest in elections for only two times and if they are given very good retirement pension for their genuine service, chances are more to get healthy politics in the country, because before his hands are getting stained he will be done with his service.

For every festival and occasion, by providing free stuffs, poverty can not be gotten rid off. It is equivalent to filling the water in bowl with holes. One can become rich or poor just by their attitude, not by others. If some one born in poor family that is not his fault, but when he dies, if he is poor, he is completely responsible for it. Mainly voters are getting attracted by their speech, not by their manifesto. Politicians need not be highly educated, just if they think good for the people, it is more than enough, rest of the action items will be taken care by the administrative officers and related government executives. When we are asked to choose Doctors for our treatment, we are analyzing so well about the success rate and his specialization. We never choose Doctors, as he is speaking so well or never impressed by his fluency in language. When it comes our leader, we are not doing like that.

If people does not like to cast their vote for any party or if they feel that no one is not worth for his vote, he can go to election officer in polling booth and asks for the form 49-O if he can find his name in the form17-A i.e voters list. Again it needs to be done with lot of care without knowing to the party agents sitting at voting center. We can not correct everyone, but we can keep them away, instead of repenting for the rest of his tenure.

Take it as such

2011-02-13T08:01:00.003-06:00

Daily we are finding lot of reasons to worry about and constantly having the feeling that we are lacking of wealth, power, support and etc. Ever did we thank god for what we have now. When we are going down from the current position only, we will come to know, how we were before. Just little bit of ill health, how much we suffer, at that time only most of the people used to think how they were yesterday, but the moment they recover, again brain will start jumping to new worries. During this short stint of illness, some people would completely loose their confidence and they will start over reacting to the situation. Like confession in the church, at that time whom so ever they met, they would out cry and at least cry inside, what ever guilt they committed.

Always choose right person to worry and to share happiness. When some one is in trouble, you should not tell them that you got promotion or increment. With poor person, never worry that you lost little bit of gain in your multi million dollar business. In either way, you get nothing out of it other than giving him new mental agony. Some people really feel sorry about your misfortune, for some it will be a great joke, really we need to pity about their sense of humor.

Life is mixture of both. When some one is coming up fast in life, little bit of failures also inevitable. Mature mind, always knows mild down fall also very imminent. Certainly that is not going to be a permanent set back. In one day we need both day time and night time but we accept up and but not down. No one likes go down or always need not look forward to go down, but we need to accept when it happens. Just think moment we born, our count down starts, in this case how always one can have just victory alone through out the life. In colors, we use black and white, is black opposite to white? just it is a norm or we are educated to have some mind set like that. Exactly failure and success is like a black and white.

When we are happy, we used to share with everyone contrarily some people used to share their unhappy events only. In daily life, we used to meet different kinds of people, very rare to find two same kind of person. It happens to talk to both good and bad people. All radio signals made of crest (up) and trough (down), daily we are using it in our day to day life, so at least little bit of that impact will be in our life too, right!. When some one is so determined not to try anything new or any change in his life, for him no failures in life, but his whole life is failure. For him chances are very rare to learn something new. When he is not learning anything in a day, he is more like a zombie walker. He is more like a ship in port. Ship is not intended to just stay in port. It has to sail across rough oceans to reach different destination.

True Religion and happiness

2011-01-23T22:55:00.001-06:00

In young age every kid feel so happy when they could communicate what they felt. After few years, being with friends made them more happier. Again being lovable by others gave them happiness. Later again it moved up that being respectable and making good money gave them happiness. Once if you started acquiring good amount of money or more than you need for rest of your life, making some more money will not give any kind of feeling. It is one and same. Again your area of happiness, will start move backward. This intangible element frequently moving its center of gravity from one area to another area.

We are living in such a tough time. Corruption, irresponsibility, injustice and violence in the name of religion became daily events. All these problems are sprouting from a seed called lust over money and power. These weeds need to be eradicated.

Everyone has to think from their heart. Exactly what is needed to live happy. Now vegetable, gasoline and alcohol, everything is at the same price. What do you choose? necessity or comfort or luxury? Who caused this imbalance? please look at mirror. Keep on buying lands, keep on buying houses, not leaving agricultural lands also. Finally end up in paying huge price for vegetables and food grains. Politicians have manifested pseudo interest over religion and people in their region. Certainly we can not change their attitude but we can change them. No one need to bend over to their religious preaching and violent sentiments. Just for praising your mother, no one need to abuse others mother. We need to be true to our heart.

Just imagine that everyone is following some unwritten rule that everyone should not have more than one vehicle and one house. By any way, agricultural land should not be touched. Word "inflation" in the economic field will be completely removed. To society what you give, that only you will get, this is not only applicable to law of action in physics.

Everyone must try to develop the habit of detached attachment. These things we can not expect from our current politicians, what all they know is attachment over their big families and attaching others property. Adi Shankara and Kamaraj, lead the life of detached attachment. Though they are living like saints, at the same time as a son they never forget to do their duty for their mother. This is the stage, you are close to the god.

Long back, got a chance to go through some slide show, which shows some important dialog between Dalai Lama and theologist Leonardo Boff from Brazil. I wish to share few of his touching statement, for sure it will be etched in your mind for long time.

Take care of your Thoughts because they become Words.
Take care of your Words because they will become Actions.
Take care of your Actions because they will become Habits.
Take care of your Habits because they will form your Character.
Take care of your Character because it will form your Destiny,
and your Destiny will be your Life

Finally Dalai Lama concluded with the statement

“There is no religion higher than the Truth.” what a amazing statements! this is a divine truth.

Hell or heaven, it is in the same planet where we are living. Being truthful not only give happiness, you will become a role model to the society. Better society will make better world. If you are living happy in the place where you are, you are at Heaven.

அயல் நாட்டு அவதி

2010-11-27T22:46:00.001-06:00

ஏதோ படிச்சோம் ஏதோ தட்டு தடுமாறி பாஸ் பண்ணோனு இருந்தா ரொம்ப கஷ்டம். நல்லா படிக்கனும் அப்பத்தான் மச்சான் மாதிரி நீயும் அமெரிக்காவோ, எதுத்த வீட்டு தம்பி மாதிரி ஆஸ்திரேலியாவோ போக முடியும். நம்ம ஒன்னு விட்ட சகல சிங்கப்பூர்ல இருக்காரு, நல்லா படிச்சா வேலைக்கு உதவி பண்ணுறேன்னு சொல்லி இருக்காரு. சகல ஏதோ சிங்கப்பூருக்கே கவர்னர் மாதிரி. படிக்கிற காலத்துல காதுல கேட்டு கேட்டு சலிச்சு போனதுதான் மிச்சம். கடைசில உண்மை என்ன? படிக்கிறதுக்கும், அயல் நாடு போறதுக்கும் எந்த சம்மந்தமும் இல்லை என்பது ஊரறிந்த ரகசியம்.

இங்க வந்துதான் ஆஹா ஓஹோன்னு இருக்கான்னு பாத்தா அதுவு இல்ல.அந்த கண்றாவி இங்க வந்த பிறகுதான் தெரியுது. ஊருல அம்மா அப்பாக்கு பணம் அனுப்ப வக்கு இருக்கோ இல்லையோ, வக்கனையா இங்க வீடு வாங்கிட்டு, பாக்கிறவன்கிட்ட பாக்காதவன்கிட்டலாம் கை கடிக்குது கால் கடுக்குதுன்னு வாய் விட்டு புலம்பறது. இன்னோரு கோஷ்டி, தன் கிட்ட யாராவது எதையாவது கேட்க போகிறார்களோ என்று முன் கூட்டியே புலம்ப ஆரம்பித்து விடுவது. மொத்தத்தில் இயல்பாகப்பேசி ஒருவருக்கொருவர் உதவி செய்து கொண்டிருந்த காலம் மலையேரி போச்சுது, அதுதான் கசப்பான உண்மை. அயல் நாடோ, உள் நாடோ, நிலைமை முன்னைப்போல் இல்லை.

வெளி நாட்டு நண்பர் ஒருத்தரு சமீபத்துல ஜவுளி கடைக்கு போய் இருக்காரு. அவர் சென்னையில் வேலை பார்த்துக்கொண்டிருக்கும் போது 5000 ருபாய்க்கு மனைவிக்கு பட்டு சேலை எடுத்துக்கொடுத்தா, அது ரொம்ப பெரிய விஷயம். 5 வருஷம் கழித்து க்ரீன் கார்டு வாங்குன பெருமையுடன் ஊருக்கு போயி, ஜவுளிக்கடைல ஒரு 15000 ருபாய்க்கு சேலை எடுத்து போடுங்கன்னு சொன்னா, வெளிப்படையா ஜவுளிக்கடைக்காரரு அவருக்கிட்ட " நீங்க அமெரிக்கால்ல இருந்து வந்திருக்கீங்கலா?" னு கேக்குறாரு. அடுத்த அதிர்ச்சி என்னான்ன? நீங்க எதுத்த கடைக்கு போனா, அங்க கொஞ்சம் விலை கட்டுப்படியாகுற மாதிரி கிடைக்கலாம்னு சொல்லியிருக்காரு. இது ஒரு அப்பட்டமான உண்மை.

இந்திய நண்பர்கள் அனைவரிடத்தும் ஒரு பொதுவான நல்ல வழக்கம். எங்கேயாவது முதலீடு செய்து கொண்டேயிருப்பது. ஒரு பிரிவினர், அயல் நாட்டில் வீடு வாங்கி விட்டு, இந்த மாதம் பட்ஜெட் கொஞ்சம் இருக்கம் என்று விழி பிதுங்கி நிற்பது, மற்றொரு பிரிவினர் இனி மேல் எங்கு இருக்கப்போகிறோம் என்பதே தெரியாமல் அயல் நாட்டில் சம்பாதித்து உள் நாட்டில் வீடு வாங்கி, வெளியிலும் சொல்லவும் முடியாம, மெல்லவும் முடியாம அவதிப்படுவது, ஒரு தனி ரகம். வெளி நாட்டிலிருந்து ஒருவர் உள்ளூருக்கு எதாவது முதலீடு செய்யாலாம் என்று வந்தால், அவர்கள் படும் கஷ்டம் சொல்லி மாலாது. கை வண்டி இலுப்பவரிலிருந்து, ரியல் எஸ்டேட் செய்பவர் வரை, அயல் நாட்டு அன்பரிடம் வசூலிக்கும் தொகை சற்று மிகுதியாகவே இருக்கும்.

வெள்ளைக்காரனக்கு ஒரு விஷயம் மிகவும் நன்றாக தெரியும். ஒரு இந்தியனிடத்தில் எப்படி வேலை வாங்குவது அல்லது இந்தியனை வைத்தே மற்ற இந்தியர்களிடம் எப்படி வேலை வாங்குவது, இந்தியனை வைத்தே மற்ற இந்தியர்களின் கண்ணை எப்படி குத்துவது, என்பதெல்லாம் அவனுக்கு அத்துப்படி. கடையிசியாக ஒரு இந்தியனுக்கு கேடு விளைவிப்பது என்னாவோ, பெரும்பாலும் சக இந்திய குடி மகனே. என்ன பன்ன? அவனுக்கு நம்மள ஆண்டு பழக்கம், நமக்கு எவனையாவது ஆளவிட்டே பழக்கம். நாம் தேர்ந்தெடுக்கும் நபர் அதற்க்கு மேல் யாராவது பார்ப்பதற்க்கு அழகாயிருந்தாலும் ஓட்டு, அழகாய் தமிழ் பேசினாலும் ஓட்டு, காசு கொடுத்தாலும் ஓட்டு. ஒவ்வொரு இந்திய குடிமகனும், ஒரு அன்னப்பறவையயை போல், அது எப்படி பாலையும், நீரையும் பிரித்தெடுக்குமோ, அது போல் நாமும், சரியான நபரை தனியாக பிரித்து, அவருக்கு டெபாசிட் கூட கிடைக்கமுடியாத படி செய்துவிடுவோம். எங்கேயோ படித்த ஒரு ஹைகூ கவிதை "இந்தியாவுல சுதந்திரம் கிடைத்த பிறகு, எல்லோருக்கும் பட்டாடை உடுத்தாலாம் என்று ஆசை, கிடைத்தபிறகுதான் தெரிந்தது, ஏற்கனவே கட்டியிருந்த கோவணமும் உருவப்பட்டது என்று".

ஏன் இந்த அவதி. அயல் நாட்டில் சம்பாத்திது உள்ளூரில் முதலீடு செய்பவன் கெட்டிக்காரனா? இல்லை உள்ளூரில் சம்பாதித்து அயல் நாட்டில் முதலீடு செய்பவன் கெட்டிக்காரனா? அது எப்படி சாத்தியம்? இது என்னவோய் அசட்டு தனாமான கேள்வி? சத்தியமாக சாத்தியமே. உள்ளூர் அரசியவாதியிடம் கேட்டு பாருங்கள். ஊருக்கு ஒரு வீடு வைத்து இருப்பார், ஐயா நான் சொல்வது செங்கலும் சிமெண்டும் சேர்த்து கட்டிய வீடு, நாட்டுக்கு ஒரு வங்கி கணக்கு வைத்து இருப்பார். அனைத்து துறைகளிலும் தனது குடும்ப பிரதி நிதிகளை வைத்து இரவு பகல் பாராது சம்பாதித்து கொண்டேயிருப்பார், மன்னிக்கவும், தொண்டாற்றிக்கொண்டேயிருப்பார். ராஜாவோ மந்திரியோ, ராஜா மாதிரி மந்திரியோ, இப்படி பொருள் ஈட்டுவதுதான் புத்திசாலித்தனம். கனிப்பொறியில் உட்கார்ந்து கண்ணை கசக்கி, மூளையைய் கசக்கி, உடலை வருத்தி வெள்ளைக்காரன் காலால் இட்ட பணியை தலையால் செய்து முடிப்பவனை என்னவென்று சொல்வது.

No more bullying

2010-10-18T08:34:00.001-05:00

Recently we would have come across lot of news in the media like suicide attempt and committing suicide in educational institutions. Some people dropped out of school and some jumped out of bridge. Very sad to hear. Most of the time, the root cause is sycophantic approach of few individuals. Either weak individuals have to completely stay away from them or completely surrender to them to avoid any future damage, choosing second option is not a long time solution, it is like catching the tiger’s tail. This is not only at school or college, in office environment are also quite frequently you can witness these kind of scenes. What kind of pleasure are they going to have out of this? nothing, but the curse of weak individual. Actually they are polluting themselves and trying to make few stupids to laugh, nothing else. You can acquire anything, but never try to have curse, it will affect not only you, it will carry over to your heirs also along with other movable and immovable assets.

Without having any actual skills and power, how one can expect others to follow them! In a small group people, how one can try to show he knows lot, without actually knowing much. If someone corrects him certainly that guy who is assuming he knows lot, does not like him and try to side line him. This is nothing but typical politics. Everyone must try to acquire some talent, then only respect and recognition will wait in their door step. Respect, dignity and leadership can not be earned directly, these are by products of good attitude and real skills.

In college or school or work place, don’t get into any gangs, just ignore them and stay away from them. In decent work atmosphere, one sycophant was appointed as a director. Moment he entered into office, he made a nice announcement “if you have any problem, please feel free to come to my office and you can share your problems”. Don’t wonder, really this is nice only, but master punch followed after this. Also he added that just come with your problems, at any cost don’t come with your insane suggestions. In a meeting, others can not just laugh for any jokes, first he will decide, that is joke or not, till that time everyone have to keep quite. Good thing was, he was a director and he was not in touch with engineers like me. Out of 5 managers, he does not like 2 managers, because really they did not know about him and also they are self respected and talented individuals. In a meetings literally he used to tease them and abuse them with elite words. Out of that 2 managers, one of the manager was my ex colleague. Obviously you may wonder, why I remain in the same position, don’t worry, still I am searching for the answer. That guy he used to share his grievance. Always one must keep in mind, in this world, every boss will have another boss. With in 2 years, that director was fired. One day down the line that manager would have been promoted to director, then what kind of treatment others can expect from him. These bullying people, not only corrupting them self, they are spoiling the people around them also.

Never laugh for mean jokes which is hurting others physically or emotionally. In young age, I have seen lot of people used to laugh, when I slipped down or got hurt. This mentality may follow in other cases also. These kind of people surely laugh in their mind if really something very bad thing happen to others. In your friends house, if death or job loss or theft happened, will you go there and crack any jokes? No right, but bullying people, internally they will get some happiness out of it. It is not their fault, certainly it is caused by people who is entertaining them. Stop talking to them, never laugh for their silly jokes. Make them to understand, they are not the only guy created by god and others also having real meaning in their birth. We also have to nurture our kids, not to laugh if some one gets hurt, make them feel that is their pain also.

Marketing Menace – II

2010-09-04T16:25:00.001-05:00

Marketing guys knows how to please you, they are so familiar with how to melt the ice berg. They never allow you to think much, immediately they would mark in their digital calendar, when to meet, convenient time to meet, who are all will be there in a meeting. When any unknown person say, “I have seen you somewhere”, you need to be very careful. That is their common strategy. Leave that place at the earliest. Every second you waste, intensity of torture level will keep increasing. When they realize, you are not going to be part of their business, the way they speak to you will differ, mostly they will start avoiding you. Simply they will look for next worm. According to art of saying “NO”, the best reason to say NO is “I don’t like”, if you like something or someone , do you have any specific reason, nothing, right!, just like that, if you don’t like, no one insist you to like that.

No one can live rich for long time on others hard work and others intelligence. You must have something by your own. Now a days they came up with lot of strategy, chain marketing, pyramid marketing, telephone marketing and non linear marketing. What ever they market, it must have some worth to the amount consumers hard earned money, else how one can survive with just one time buyers. What ever they market, it has to fit to their geo political, cultural and economical situation. For example, successful advertisement on the western countries may not go well in the middle east. See the simple scenario for energy drink bill board depicted with 3 pictures.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>West>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Man was so tired and about to fall down

Drank the energy drink

Started walking with lot of energy

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Middle East<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

It went well in the west, but it was a big flop in the middle east Asian countries, in some part of world it was a luxury drink. Obviously you can not live with just energy drink, right!, when people are blinking at sky for main food. According to middle east culture, they used to read and write from right side unlink rest of the world who always start from left side. Just this is one example, if you start from left, energy drink serves its purpose, else if you start right side, contrary to its name, it gives you tiredness.

It is very scary to smile at some one, immediately next question is “do you want any extra income?”. It became new culture. They never bother about anyone, where do they stand, what do they do for living and what is their preference? Just torturing everyone around and trying to get them to their trap with whom so ever they found on their way. What is the problem in opening a separate shop and waiting for customers to come? without investing any money on infrastructure, they are trying to suck the money from the middle class people. You can not talk anything with them, if you say, I am having knee problem, eye problem, cell phone signal issue or car is not giving good mileage, for everything they will come up with their marketing products, more over they add that we are so lucky that we met right person in life to find solution for all of our problem at single point of contact. Really who is lucky?

Actually at the end, they are influencing to loose friendship and relatives. Mother next, brother next, friends next, business first, the pity is, still they are calling it as a business, what culture are they from? No point in buying nice art at the cost of your eye, then how can you see and enjoy the art, likewise no point in being rich at the cost of your friends and families. For no reason, never disclose your contact numbers and friends details with some one without their consent. Be firm in declining their invitation. Keep in mind that you never get free lunch, please don’t ask, what about dinner and break fast! These kind of marketing schemes are like building castle out of pack of cards, always they need to be cautious about basement and keep adding something to the basement, it is always tend to collapse at no time.

Marketing Menace - I

2010-08-31T00:26:00.001-05:00

In front of one shopping complex at Madurai, I was waiting for my two wheeler to come from parking stand, my wife went to took the vehicle out. At that time I noticed, one person entering into the same complex from the road. He also came by two wheeler. He was driving vehicle while talking over cell phone, keeping phone between his neck and shoulder. No wonder, after ten years if it happens to see lot of people with tilted neck. In 2000 and 2002, head set was not in use or no socket to connect with cell phone. When you are driving two feeler in this posture, driver might not have full control on vehicle and chances are more to miss the traffic. He might be much used to it, but I felt so uncomfortable and told him, If I get a call, I used to stop the vehicle for a minute, attend and proceed. He replied thank you so much, no one did concern about this and at the end he added his master piece that he liked my body language and the way I conveyed him. Naturally human being are much permeable to adulation, right!, so how I am going to be exception out of it. He gave his card and said, evening he wanted to meet me and wished to discuss lot about expanding his customer circle. Immediately realized that I invited the problem, at right time my wife came with vehicle, I said bye to him without sharing any of my contact details, silently sat behind her and left the place without leaving any trace behind.

Every one wants to earn money, that is fine but not at the cost of some one or making some one as a scapegoat. In the busy market, they are doing marketing. Once in Chicago, in one of the vegetable shop at Devon street, some one aged around 50 to 55, first he smiled at me, then I too smiled. In fact I did not have time to talk, already time was 8PM, after that I need to drive for two and half hours to go to my town. He enquired, where I was from? I told him. He replied that next week they are also coming there. I did not understand, what do I need to do for it? Shop was already crowded, no place to pick the vegetable with the trolley, my son was also crying, but he was least bothered about all these things. Next he asked, what are you doing? I could not pay full attention to the question. Just replied that I am working. He laughed loudly, might be that was the biggest joke for him. Again he went in detail, “no no, on what you are working? and how was your pay?”. I told him politely, “sir give me some time now, we will talk later, at the earliest I need to leave, I have to drive back for long way”, but somehow I slipped my phone number, I wished to give him junk number, but as I was in hurry and out of reflex, I gave him my right contact number.

As he said, next week without fails, he came there and called me up and asked “when we could meet?” He narrated that he was having new concept for improving the life of monthly waged people, who are just living pay check to pay check. He described himself as savior of world. For anyone, coming across this kind of character was not going to be first or last time. Patiently I explained him that I never interested. Even then he was insisting me why I should not come and listen to his live improving lecture. Repeatedly he was asking for my address. He wanted my whole family to listen and get benefited, what a great people? full time thinking about others well fare only! what else to say!?. At the end, he said his wife also came with him, she wanted to see my child, because last week they could not see him well in the market. Then I started enjoying and decided to put myself in a test, that how long I could talk without giving any clue about my address. Already I gave my phone number to them and being paid for it, again by mistake if my address was leaked out, then immediately I have to run somewhere else. Will we burn house for mosquitoes? but this kind of torture is worse than that. We only have to be very conscious of saying NO. Once if you made up your mind to say NO, no need to give any explanation, if reason is given, you will be corned again with those horrible well wishers work around.

continued ..

Life in Middle East – II

2010-08-15T16:53:00.001-05:00

For driving you need license, but what about walking out of home, yes, you must have something like that. When going out, without fails, one must take work permit (Ikkama) or passport with him. No one knows when police comes for patrolling. In their random check, when some one is not having above specified document, he will be taken to police station, then either his employer or visa sponsorer has to come to take him or some of his room mates has to come with Ikkama. Indepedant of profession, they will be taken to police station, without Ikkama how can they make out, what is he doing. Once I forgot to take my passport and left for browsing center. Calling from middle east is bit expensive, so mostly I prefer to chat over net. In 2003 only chatting over net became so popular in all walks of life. When I came out of shopping complex, surprise was waiting for me.

After seeing the cop only I realized, I forgot to take my passport. Other than chatting in browsing center, I did not have anything to do in that shopping complex, even I did not take my wallet also, just took only 1KD (3.5 USD) to chat at browsing center. How long I can roam inside the shopping center without buying anything. For my bad time, cop was also not leaving from that place, might be he ought to cover up, quota of that month. Finally I decided not to stay back, for my bad time, no other way to go to my house. At the end, made up my mind to apply the same technique, what I used to do in college. When lecturer is randomly asking question, those who don’t know, they used to avoid looking at them. Their body language itself show that they have not read what taught yesterday and exactly lecturer used to pick them only, but comfortably I used to look at them as I was so eager to give answer, actually I also did not know the answer, what else I can do, like wise confidently I started walking in front of him without making even a single eye contact. I asked him “excuse me” and simply I passed by, gods grace he could not identify, that I was over acting. After coming home, I was patting myself, as I did a great job in my life, since then as long as I was there, one thing I made sure passport must be with me. Weather you are wearing your inner dress or not, no one is bothered, but never forget to take passport or ikkama with you.

In front of our building, on Wednesday and Thursday, we used to play badminton. because in middle east weekly holiday starts on Wednesday evening, Saturday again we have to go back to office, so Friday evening we used to sit very frustrated like “why it is happening in my life alone”. Then on Saturday morning we used to console our self by saying, “it is ok, we are not alone in this worldly trouble”. In every building there will be security guy (harris in arabic), same guy used to look after maintenance also. He is from Afghanistan. Once he came and told us in broken Hindi “you should not play here, next time if I see, I will cut the net. We were so surprised, what is the need of telling like this. I could not understand, what went wrong. He put a full stop to our badminton, then myself and friend started playing ping pong in the opposite building. After couple weeks, on week end, when we are returning back to our room after 12’O clock, he took one Pilipino girl with him to his room. He also noticed that we noticed. According to law, that is not right. Next day when I came out of elevator, it happened to meet him. he talked to me politely and told if we want, we could play up to 11 and after that it would be disturbance to neighbors. At least I understood what is the problem and to whom it was a disturbance. Again root cause is, according to his salary level, he was also not having family status.

One day I went to meet one of my friends relative. Reached his house at around 8.30PM. He was so desperate to send me out of his room when it was about 9PM. Some one knocked the door, when I got up to open, he said “no no, I will open”, because I was sitting close to door. SriLankan lady came. I did not know, weather to leave immediately or to sit like nothing I did see. She directly went inside the kitchen. He himself told, she used to come for cleaning the house and for cooking. For his income and for a single bed room, what is the need of cleaning and cooking, when good quality food was being served all 3 times at staff canteen. With in 5 minutes I came out and asked him to take care. When I was waiting for my taxi, he told me that for your age and newly married people like you talk and try to live in love and affection, I don’t know still how many years of life left for me and if I look back I also did not know, what did I achieve in my life and at least I wanted to be true to myself. It seems, initially he was also not comfortable, now he was not guilty at all. In any way, talking impolite and infidelity, can not be justified, but environment also needs to conducive.

At last I wish to share another incident which happened in my second return trip. When you are travelling in middle east segment, obviously you would have witness that, lot of people used to ask for help to fill up the embarkation form. Moment you start with one form, you will be keep on getting passport with embarkation form, mostly this work continue for around 2 hours from take off. Finally I got completely different passport, that is also Indian passport only, but it looks like a big folder. After filled up his form, I went to his seat to give him. He asked to me sit with him for some time and enquired that “will there be any problem with this passport when I reach India”. Frankly speak, at that time I was also not much aware of such a ad hock passport and that is the first time I am seeing such a document. Shocking thing is, he had some issue with his employer and employer burnt his passport. As I told earlier, without passport, you are non existing person in that land. His last 6 months salary was also not settled. After borrowing from some of his friends, he accumulated some KDs (Kuwaiti Dinars) to buy air ticket to India. When he came to airport they took him to out jail in the airport and he was there for 3 days till they arranged temporary Indian passport. I told him to forget it as a bad dream and not to disclose to anyone at home, no point in revealing bitter past. After reaching Chennai airport, refreshed himself, wore white shirt with tie. Walked to his family as everything went fine in abroad. I too walked past him, as I never knew him before.

Candle melts when it gives brightness, but why we need melt like that. In a job nothing called high or low, salary may differ. Job is for us and we are not for any job. Just it is for our survival, we did not born to do any specific job. We can learn lessons in life, but being lesson to others is a horrible pain.

Life in Middle East - I

2010-08-08T16:24:00.001-05:00

I have seen lot of people used to say “he was not having any financial issue, his dad is working in middle east”. During my college days, so many time I got this doubt, from India that is on north west, then why they are calling it as a middle east, I asked few elders and seniors, they told me that they would tell later, but never that day came. The term middle east is originated by British when they were ruling India in 1850. It encompasses southwest Asia, north Africa and Egypt. Now they are trying to stretch up to Afghanistan and Pakistan. Human resource suppliers for middle east mainly focusing on Qatar, UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Yemen and Bahrain. I was under impression that really they were making huge amount of money. I was surprised, when they are paying that much amount of money, why then local companies are not paying like that. Truth is comparatively salary is higher. Pathetically this little bit difference is at the cost family and friends. Country can be rich, but are we? Every where you may get oil, but do we own? Let us restrict our view to blue collar jobs, and keep high skilled professions aside like Engineers (i.e Mehenthis in arabic) and Doctors.

No one can deny that the way the locals dealing with foreigners are unfriendly. Naturally their language is bit vocalized. Even ordinary sentence also more sounds like they are confronting with you. Most of the work force is from Asian countries. Now I am wondering that if they put the same effort in their native, they can lead better life with their nears and dears. As long as you are just going to office and getting back to house, you could not witness other part of life in the same locality. For getting family status, that is to live with family, that individual must earn certain amount of money, unfortunately human resource suppliers for their own profit and to satisfy the interest of the client, carefully restrict the salary, so as not to exceed that slab.

You can not see any love in the middle east countries, because after the age of eighteen male kids can not stay with their parents. For time being let us ignore those stringent laws, it is having its own gains and pit falls. Other factor is no sufficient college to accommodate foreign population. Getting citizenship is very difficult except few countries. In every house you can find either newly married people or family with school going kids. All together the life in middle east is something like water droplet on lotus leaf, water stays there, but that is not its place. You can not say, your life is going to be there only, but still you will be living over there. The bitter truth is even if they die, their bodies will not be buried over there, it would be dispatched to their country. More than this, how one can have such a extreme non commitment relationship.

At least I get a chance to see, lot of family men living alone over there. I noticed frustration in their eyes. Other than going for shopping, no other better recreation that too if he left with sufficient balance after money has been sent across to family, because as per their visa ( i.e Ikkama in arabic), they don’t have family status. After coming from work, they will change the dress, they will come to parapet wall in front of the building, stare at sky for some time. Sharply at 7’O clock, food will be served. After dinner they will watch television for sometime, then they will get back to the bed, next day mechanically same routine will start again. Don’t ask me then what you do?, because everyone used to do more or less same, but when you are with your family the same routine makes lot of difference.

When I was coming to Chennai by Kuwait airways, guy who is sitting next to me was very restless. I asked him, are you fine? he said “yes”, but actually he was not, then 2 hours before it reach airport, I could see tears in his eyes. When we slowly started talking with each other, he expressed that after 5 years he is going to see his wife, mother and father, that too he left his house within a week after he got married. My goodness!, it is the worst punishment that he had in his life. After reaching Chennai air port, I was waiting with him for around an hour till his family come to airport. When they met, they did not speak, simply they were holding their hands with each other and silently they were shedding tears. This scene deeply etched in my mind, I could not resist this question, is it a open jail? certainly for him it was like that only.

continued ..

Meaningful Life

2010-06-27T14:16:00.002-05:00

Morning got up, had a coffee, took bath and nice breakfast, then office, again evening coffee, dinner, sound sleep. What a beautiful day. Most of us are not exception out of it. Really are we happy with it? What we done for our self or for others, nothing. Just we are passing the life time as we born on this earth, very few are only living to show that they are also living with you in the same planet like Dr. Abdul Kalam and Narayana Murthy. These two dignitaries are small example, not complete. Don’t be a victim of corporatocracy. Slogging like anything beyond the expectation for getting chicken feed bonus and promotion. Happiness getting out of it, won’t last long. Shortly it will be faded away. Certainly these things are not going to make your life complete.

Just think of yourself, daily you are going to office in the same route and coming back in the same way. It is routine and monotonous life. Even you don’t know, how many signals you passed by, how many stops sings you would have come across, how many new shops came up in that road, because it is natural human tendency to narrow vision and perspective. You can take different route and consciously watch what is going around us, surely it will give bit better change. At least we need to be watchful about what is going around us. There is big sink hole created in Guatemala. Three story building completely disappeared. To my knowledge still it is news to so many people. Really I am getting doubt that number of sinners are going up. We can not patch that hole, at least we need to know, what is caused and what is the precaution we need to take.

If some one gives money and asks you to do some work, you will do that work with interest till that money has some value, if some one offers you more, same old work will not be interesting. If same work is given by whom you are admiring more, you will create manifested interest on it as long as you are having respect on him, but if you have some belief, you will be ready give your life also. Every one must have some belief and faith. We should not live without having any hold. You are not born, just to work for some credit card company or software company.

Recently there is an International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) festival organized in Sri Lanka. Indian film artists participated in that. For money and fame, can anything be done. Same thing is applicable to Indian Cricketers also. They have to learn from Amirtaraj brothers. They boycotted 1974 Davis cup held in South Africa. They were against racist policy. These philosophy and ideals not only for common man, public figures must also follow. It shows, they are more addicted to money. Just for money, they are ready to go any where and do anything. Whole world till now they are opposing Hitler's massacre, how come Rajabakshe brothers are fine to them.

We can be a new starting. Set some social responsibility. No point in earning fame and money at the cost of self respect and humanity. Better late than never.

Food and Etiquette

2010-05-11T14:32:00.001-05:00

In parties, I have noticed so many times that for no reason, people used to leave some food on plate at the end. In home, when they are arranging parties by their own, lot of people would have witnessed, some guests don’t know what they like and how much they can have, simply fill their plate and trash half of the quantity. Obviously you can not go and tell them, not to waste, but everyone must understand, by wasting like this indirectly you are making some one to starve in some part of world or may be in the same house also. Not only in house, when giving parties in restaurant, if guest waste food, really it hurts the host.

The purpose of buffet is to, help them self with exactly what they need and not to waste. Nothing to hesitate to walk multiple times between our table and table where food is placed. First attempt itself, dumping the plate with attractive item and leaving the other items untouched is not a right practice. Best approach is to take all foods in small quantity and taste all items, then what you like and what you wish to try again, go for it and replenish your plate with quantity that you can complete.

Please don’t pass any negative comments on some ones food or preparation. This is very basis common sense everyone must have. If food is good, you can appreciate, else keep quite and don’t take more, that’s it, apart from that you don’t have any right to criticize, no fun in criticizing, on one can take it as a joke. You can suggest, that too if you are asked how to improve or how to correct it. You are supposed to appreciate their hospitality and effort that they are putting. Their food and facility is secondary. As you are appreciating it, it does not mean you can finish the whole, ensure you left something for others also.

Obesity is the hidden threat to man kind. Stop continuous snacking like cow and camel, everything needs some rest, right!. then what is the difference between man and grazing animal. Usually food tastes so good to tongue, seldom good for health. Every individual has to act with his own health consciousness. They have to develop manifested interest towards the healthy diet. Eating three times is fine, but eat in such a way that next time you must feel hungry. Take two glass of water before food. Try to have balance diet between breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Break fast – Eat like a king, never skip. Whole night you are fasting and breaking that fasting in the morning, that's why it is called break fast, but so many working class people, they never have anything in the morning, directly they will combine with lunch. In long run, certainly it cause problems.

Lunch – Eat like a normal man.

Dinner – Eat like a beggar even fasting is more better. Those who avoid break fast, eat record break dinner with lot of hunger. Moment they tired of eating, immediately they will sack against the bed. Just distinctly tummy grows.

Health is wealth, if you don’t waste also, wealth grows, so without criticizing others, kindly grow your wealth, not cholesterol.

Popular Mischievous Mind

2010-04-23T21:42:00.012-05:00

Life is not just end up with career, right! Apart from career, lot of other things are there. In bird's view, broadly it will fit into wealth or fame or sex. I wish to recollect, one of the famous statements by Canon Doyle. Actually it was depicted as statement given by his imaginary character Sherlock Homes that if intelligent or genius people start to involve in criminal activity, no one can withstand or other way we can put, just this one world is not sufficient for them.

Lot of people don't have any basic idea of Golf, but moment someone said word "golf", immediately everyone think about "Tiger Wood". He got everything in his life on extreme higher end. His bad time started with simple SMS. It must be a lesson for everyone, that no one should keep mobile contacts for extra marital activity. Like old is gold, better they get back to conventional land line with traditional phone equipment. There is a saying that there is a woman behind every successful man, pathetically in his case, there was a lot of woman after his success. It is very interesting that how come he failed to see ahead and failed to plan ahead as posted in his commercial for Accenture.

Suman, is one of the famous actor and very handsome guy in Telgu film industry. He spent nearly 2 years in prison. Why he was behind the bars, even after god blessed him with whatever, most of us lacking of like abundant wealth, intelligence, smart looking, fame, black belt in Karate, fluency in more than 7 languages, kindness and very good political contacts. In early days, he was the only challenge to Chiranjeevi. Even after so many positive factors, his skills went in vain. He was entangled or got himself into trouble, that is immaterial to retrospect, but he lost his valuable 20 years contribution in the film industry. Even 6 months, any film star stayed away from the screen, people will forget them, but he lost his precious skills and time.

Dr. Prakash is another controversial character and topped headlines in 2002. Amazingly brilliant person. He is one of the best ortho specialists. He had number of degrees and certification, used to line up after his name like paragraph. Shockingly he gave drugs to his patients and took pornographic movie. After providing good treatment and guidance to his patients, he ill-treated them and misguided them. Spoiled his own patients life and put them in a irrecoverable miseries. Once he said “I am living in wrong place among wrong people". He may know the right meaning for right people and right place. Recently I got a chance to read one of his book "100 Minutes That'll Change The Way You Live! ". It is a nice book with lot of information in a simple form. In that book there was a small story that 3 camels are talking with each other. Daddy camel is explaining the baby camel about the use of their long legs, big hump and long neck, how it will be useful to them in desert. Finally baby camel is asking, "Then what are we doing with this here". Unfortunately they are standing in one of the zoo in Boston, MA. The same story is absolutely applicable to him only.

Common cause of this entire problem might be lack of affection that they are expecting. Middle age mania will skew the interest and divert the whole path. After some time even if they want to come out of it, things would have gone out of their control. Anyone can have knowledge, but if it is with the wrong person, it is like a knife in the hands of murderer instead of Doctor who can safe life. Good friends and nice family will save your life. It is a responsibility of the life partner to show love and affection to compensate their success, getting success and fame is not their only duty, no one is just born for it. Getting wealth at the cost of good morale is Pyrrhic victory.

iPad Fever

2010-04-04T17:34:00.006-05:00

During coffee break, I have seen lot of colleagues used to describe the features of iPad, iPhone, BMW, iPod, iTouch, Mercedes Benz, Volkswagen and etc. No doubt, these are top notch brands in the list of electronic equipments and cars. Even who invented that products also would not have described that much about that product. Once Steve jobs find some time to come to our break rooms, surely he would wonder about these non paid marketing guys of iPhone and iPad, that too working for some other company on monthly salary basis.

Most of the time, they are getting into pseudo utopia of using these new products, sorry, having these new products. Seldom they find the actual use of it. They would not have spend half of these money for their parents, but when iPhone comes to market, they are so proud to stand in queue for the whole night and buy it with considerable portion of their pay check. If we are buying something out of peer pressure, our civic responsibility should wake up to say, no to it.

Once if you buy iPhone, it is not going to be end up with just one time, it is like feeding an elephant. Every month you have to pay for data plan. Find some time, to calculate that data plan for 2 years. Surely it would exceed three hundred dollars per year. Really if that much revenue is getting generated out of that data plan, then undoubtedly it is worth feeding it.

iPad is just bigger size of iTouch, its dimensions also not that much user friendly to carry around. The way iPad was hold, that itself give some idea, how comfortable it would not be. iPhone is having various reasons to justify, no way to deny that. In a single device you can find so many features of the single product like GPS, Camera, iPod, Phone, kindle and etc. iPhone is unbelievably versatile, but same grace is not going to carry forward for their evolution of products.

iPod=Music+Vedio+Flash Drive
iPhone=GPS+Game+Kindle+Phone+Camera+iPod
iTouch = iPhone-phone-camera+WiFi
iPad = magnified (iTouch)

Gullible consumers have to realize, no point in being proud of using costly branded invention of some one. You did not invent anything by your own, so you don’t have to feel great about buying these products. If you find actual use of it, you can go for it, else buy apples with that cost, because an apple a day keeps the doctor away.

Sun TV Vs Nityanandha

2010-03-07T22:31:00.009-06:00

If someone projects himself as a god man, public only has to get full alert. No one can put him behind the bars, because whatever he did, nothing against law, but against innocent public belief. One good thing is, Premanandha will not feel alone, he is having good company. He claimed that he could see 360 degree around him when he is in meditation, unfortunately he could not predict, he will be in such embarrassing trouble.

Better these god men, be in a married life and do social welfare work. Whatever he preached, everything good. No can blame that, it does not mean, he has to follow that. He did not do anything wrong, it is simple human need, again he proved no one can go against nature, unnecessarily what is the need of showing others that he took Bramacharyam at the age of 12 and do something against his own norms behind the screen. He is not something different from ordinary people, he also got into fantasy of films stars.

Media has to act in a very responsible manner. SUN is such a popular TV network. If they show such content, it is very difficult for people to watch television with kids. In so many houses, they complained that they could not switch on TV for a whole week. Just one photo out of that video is more than enough. It is more seems like SUT TV is having some own issues with him. Why SUN TV involved in explicit broadcast of this content and showed this much interest in peel off his mask.

Is SUN TV against that actress or that fake holy man? Couple of months back, whole film industry expressed their cotempt against magazine reporter. It would have forced media to take revenge against film actors and actresses. In the next blog, let us have another view of film actor’s condemnation about reporter.

Installing TOra on Windows and working with Oracle - just 4 steps away

2010-03-03T23:06:00.018-06:00

Tora is one of the good alternatives for Toad.

It is very friendly tool for oracle and mysql server

Assumption: Already oracle client is installed

Link to download Tora: http://sourceforge.net/projects/tora/files/
Install Tora in C:\Tora or D:\Tora
Go to that respective folder, without fails remove oci.dll
Select control Panel->System->Advanced->Environment Variables->Click on New

In variable Name field type ‘TNS_ADMIN’

In variable value field type path of the tnsnames.ora file as given below

Start Tora and make short cut for it in desktop.

Automatically in database drop down box, all SIDs will be populated from TNSNAMES.ORA

Have fun connecting to oracle

If you have any issues, please post your questions. Try to provide feedback at the earliest.