Affair with cable

 My affair with Cable is an on and off one. I prefer to watch movies or programs without any ad interruptions. Our Tamil channels are notorious with advertisements. Especially Raj and Vijay can kill you with advertisements. Also the time I get to spend on TV has reduced considerably over the years. Another factor is if I spend time on Cable my DVD and Bluray collection remains untouched. The final nail was the new TRAI rule which increased the cost to a new high.

Earlier I had Tata Sky and their cost was high and even to look at issues in their service they will charge you. You will be charged just for the visit. I discontinued Tata Sky and remained Cable free for almost an year. Then I heard SCV cable provides almost all HD channels for a low cost. I switched to SCV and everything was going file till TRAI interfered with their illogical rule. I discontinued again.

I almost forgot how watching cable felt until I was admitted in hospital for few days where I had the opportunity of watching cable. This made me to take the service again in Dec 2019. After few months I felt the channels just repeat content and I really didn't have time for Cable in my life and discontinued it.

Now during the quarantine I saw people passionately enjoying programs in Cable which again made me regret my decision to discontinue cable. Again I have installed Cable against my family's objection.

I have not watched it continuously for 30 minutes since installing. Should see how long this will last. 

Dream

You wake up one morning and say "Thank God its just a dream"

You wake up one morning and say "Oh no its just a dream"

Gloomy Chennai

Chennai is at its gloomiest best. Feeling like being in London. It was cloudy and windy for the past few days and today rain has caught up with the wind. Chennai has had shortfall in rain this season hoping for a miracle to avoid water scarcity.

Rewatched "About Schmidt" couple of days back. The opening scene is one of the best scenes to embrace movie world. It conveys so many things. It can also be related to the scene where Meg Ryan closes her shop for the last time in "You've Got a Mail".

Absolutely nothing

Two consecutive days of leave and the fact I did nothing during those 2 days makes me go mad. Sometimes I have so many things in my to do list but end up doing none of them.

The way DMK ex ministers are being phished proves that power is what is most important in the world. Also it has to be with the right person.

Repeat

Same scene rain repeated today with same results. Thus proved again.

Why it rains

The only reason it rains is to get me drenched without mercy. Always this happens. When I m in road it will start raining, the moment I stop somewhere and take shelter in some shop it will slowly subside but will come back with vengence when I am back on road.

I dont mind getting drenched but the package I carry should not get drenched.

Today as I was halfway in OMR it poured I took shelter in some shop. It took 15 minutes for the rain to subside. But when I was back on road it rained cats and dogs. Chennai roads which are nightmare when it doesnt rain becomes nightmarish deathtraps when it rains. There was traffic jam and I couldnt run to any shelter. After coming out of the jam took shelter for the second time. Atlast rain won, I got drenched, delayed, irritated etc etc.

When I reached home I find that it hasnt rained a single drop in this part of the region. If only i had taken an alternate route I would have escaped the wrath of raingod but ..

2011

Wish you all a very happy and prosperous new year 2011

Petrol

Today communist party was able to prove that they are also alive by calling for a "bandh".

If someone achieves something by threatening will the relationship be smooth after getting that? The one who succumbed to the threat will be waiting for a chance to payback and the one who received will always be looking behind his back.

The opposition party which is conducting this bandh should come up with a solution on how to reduce the petrol price and how to contain inflation rather than asking for a bandh.

But everyone knows this is just an eyewash.

Now when we look at petrol I sometimes feel petrol is infact consumed more than water. I dont know how they are able to extract so much petrol when water has dried up. The day it happens might be a good day in one angle.

Charu

Due to some heavy recommendation from a friend I came across the blogsite of author Charu Nivedita sometime back. Though I have my own views on many things written there for this post I will limist myself to the current raging controversy in that site. Seems Charu was called for the Vijay TV Program Neeya Naana and was asked to apologise in public.

Charu's article and people who have responded to him on this case focus only on one point which is "How can Charu be asked to apologise for being a follower of Nithyananda?".

I didnt see the program mentioned but from what Charu himself has described looks like Gopi from Neeya Naana has asked Charu if he is ready to apologise not for following Nithyananda but for leading other people also to follow Nithyananda as he has in some way recommended Nithyananda as a real saint.

We can also see series of hate mails on Gopinath and the Neeya Naana crew. Lets imagine another situation where Gopi had praised Charu through this program, will people still be complaining against Neeya Naana?

Neeya Naana is a hopeless program and Gopinath is a hopeless Compere this is the truth whether he praises or abuses Charu. Infact Vijay TV programs are all nothing but marketing gimmicks. They will show a strong trailer like Nadanthathu enna etc but they will not come to the point till the end of the program. There will be a 3 mins advt for every 2 min of the actual program. So it will be better to ignore this hopeless TV channel and its useless programs.

Coming back to this issue, it only raises the question if someone recommends X to me and I startfollowing X and finally if its proved X is a humbug, should the person who recommended X to me apologise to me or not?

மாற்றம்

ஒரு காலத்தில் நான் பார்த்து வியந்து ஆசைப்பட்ட பல விஷயங்களை சொந்தமாக்கிக் கொள்ளும் வாய்ப்பு பிற்பால் எங்களுக்கு கிடைத்தது. அந்த விஷயங்களை பக்கத்து வீட்டிலோ நண்பர்கள் வீட்டிலோ பார்க்கும் பொழுது மனதில் ஒரு ஏக்கம் ஒருவாகும். ஆனால் நான் எனக்கென்று ஒன்று வேண்டும் என்று ஆசைப்பட்ட எல்லா பொருள்களையும் பிற்பாடு வாங்கிக் கொள்ளும் சக்தி எங்களுக்கு கொடுக்கப்பட்டது.

அப்படி பக்கத்து வீட்டைப் பார்த்து ஏங்கிய பொருட்களில் ஒன்று ஃப்ரிட்ஜ். எனக்கு பக்கத்து வீட்டில் இருந்தவர்களிடம் ஃப்ரிட்ஜ் இருந்தது. என்னுடைய பள்ளி நண்பர்கள் சிலரின் வீட்டிலும் இருந்தது. அவர்கள் வீட்டுக்கு செல்லும் பொழுதெல்லாம் அந்த குளிர் பதனப்ப்ட்டியை பார்த்து ரசிப்பேன். குறிப்பாக உள்ளே இருக்கு ஃப்ரீஜர் மிகவும் பிடிக்கும். அதில் இருந்து ஐஸ் கட்டிகளை எடுத்து ஜூஸில் அவர்கள் போடும் காட்சி பார்க்க நன்றாக இருக்கும். கதவை திறந்தௌடன் எறியும் அந்த விளக்கையும் பிடிக்கும். என் வீட்டில் குடம், மண் பானை என்று தண்ணீருக்கு வைத்திருக்க அவர்கள் வீட்டில் கண்ணாடி பாட்டில்களில் தண்ணீர் நிர்ப்பி வைத்திருப்பார்கள். ஃப்ரிட்ஜ் தண்ணீர் குடிக்க வேண்டும் என்று மிகுந்த ஆசை உண்டு. இந்த ஆசை சிறியவனாக இருந்த எனக்கு மட்டும் இல்லை பெரியவர்களுக்கும் இருந்தது. நான் மட்டும் ஃப்ரிட்ஜ் வாங்கினால் தினமும் ஐஸ்க்ரீம் வீட்டிலேயே செய்து சாப்பிடுவேன் என்று மனதில் நினைத்துக் கொள்வேன்.

ஃப்ரிட்ஜ் வைத்திருந்தால் பணக்காரர்கள் என்று பெயர் அப்பொழுதெல்லாம்.

பிற்பாடு எங்கள் வீட்டில் ஒரு பச்சை நிற செகண்ட் ஹேண்ட் கெல்விநேட்டர் ஃப்ரிட்ஜ் வாங்கினார்கள். என்ன ஒரு சந்தோஷம் அப்பொழுது. உடனே ஐஸ்க்ரீம் மிக்ஸ் வாங்கி வீட்டிலேயே ஐஸ்க்ரீம் செய்தோன். அதன் வாசனையையும் ருசியையும் இன்னும் என்னால் உணர முடிகிறது.

எங்கள் வீட்டில் ப்ரிட்ஜ் வந்தாலும் இன்னும் பலரது வீட்டில் ஃப்ரிட்ஜ் இல்லை அதனால் பலர் எங்களிடம் ஐஸ் வாட்டர், ஐஸ் கட்டிகள் என்று கேட்டு வருவார்கள். ஆரம்பத்தில் சந்தோஷமாக கொடுத்தோம் பிறகு என்னடா இது ஒரே தொந்தரவா போச்சு என்னும் அளவுக்கு மாறியது.

சிலர் வீட்டில் மாத்திரம் ப்ரிட்ஜை திறந்தால் உள்ளே இருக்கும் பொருள்கள் ஒரு வித க்ளாஸி லுக் கொடுக்கும். ஆனால் நம் வீட்டில் மாத்திரம் ஃப்ரிட்ஜினுள் பலவித பாத்திரங்கள் மாத்திரமே இருக்கும்.

இப்படி பல வித ஆசைகளோடு வாங்கிய ஃப்ரிட்ஜ் இன்று வீட்டில் மற்றும் பொரு பொருள் என்று ஆகிப்போனது. ஃப்ரிட்ஜ் தண்ணீர் உடம்புக்கு ஆகாது என்று ஆகிப்போனது. இந்த பல வருடங்களில் விரல் விட்டு என்னௌம் முறை மட்டுமே ஐஸ்க்ரீம் செய்திருக்கிறோம். இட்லி மாவு, நேற்றைய சாம்பார், ரசம், கருவேப்பிலை கட்டு என்பனவற்றை வைக்க மட்டுமே இப்பொழுது அந்த ப்ரிட்ஜ் உபயோகப்படுகிறது.

Interesting Places

There are many places where I can spend hours being alone but without getting bored. Infact I enjoy being alone in those places without being disturbed by silly questions. A doctors clinic for example never bores me. I can wait for any long without getting annoyed when compared to people who sometimes fight to go first. It presents a variety of people with interesting mannerisms. Similarly a salon too presents such a environment. Infact reading daily thanthi in a salon is a rewarding experience.

I never get bored when attending a wedding or wedding reception. I like to sit there and enjoy the activities going around me. You can see all kind of fake people in such places. It's a good place to observe people. I will be happy there until someone puts their hand in my shoulder and says "Enna Ramesh .."

A railway station is another interesting place especially long distance train stations. Whether I am travelling or I m there for receving someone or for sending someone a station is a very interesting place to enjoy tranquility among chaos. Sometimes bus stops and airports too offer such environment.

Beach is one place which will beat all the places mentioned above. Here you will see all types of people. You can see happy people, lonely people, tourists, locals, children, old people, rich, poor and much more

Where am I?

There was a forward post which I read few days back which went on like there was a man from the city who hit upon a lazy village on the coast where he noticed fishermen who were fishing and left after catching very few fishes. It goes on like he enquires them why they didnt fish more and receives an answer that the fish they caught is enough for them. He explains to them how if they fish more and sell it, they might get more money and with more money they can buy motorised boats, catch more fish and with that money move to a city and ear still more money. They ask what then and he answers that if they have so much money they can retire peacefuly in a coastal town. They say that, they are already peaceful in a coastal town.

From one angle you can notice that the story might be suggesting just do whatever is needed for the day and rest peacefuly. Now thats definitely a life style which I would like to live but for a second if you think what might have happened if stone age man had thought like that. There would be nothing in short I would not be typing such a story in The Internet and you will not be reading this.

It is amazing to see mans quest for more. Thats what has brought in so much inventions. The difference is also brought only by a select few. Majority, like me just use the inventions and live. Our contribution to this quest and evolution is very minimal. We lead a life where we dont do anything significant. We remains consumers till the end. If few intelligent men could bring forth such a change in this world, imagine if each and every man in the earth contributed to inventions. The world would have been far more sophisticated. May be all of us would have annnihilated ourselves who knows?

Increase

What should I do to increase the number of hits to my blog?

(a) I can blog something sexy or I can insert sexy words like bra, lingerie into my post as I am doing in this post. But that will make the women readers to say good bye to this blog as some of you are thinking right now. But people who will get redirected on search of such words will get irritated so much after seeing such posts that they will take a vow never to return to this blog.
(b) I should advretise about my blog and may be start some lottery prize every day for visitors
(c) I myself should visit my blog every few minutes.
(d) I should create a blog under a girls psuedoname and act as girl

I cant think of any other way. Please let me know if there is any other way. If I get 0 responses to this I will assume there is no other way.

Right now I just wish I was here (Courtesy: http://blog.realtravel.com/)

Advertisement

ஒரு விளம்பரம் பார்த்தேன் அதில் குமுதம் அது தான் தமிழகத்தில் அதிக விற்பனையாகும் பத்திரிக்கை என்று போட்டு இருந்தது.

Ananda Vikatan also calls itself as the no 1 magazine and same is done by Kumudam as well. The same kind of thing happens in the newspapers also with both Dinakaran and Dailythanthi calling themselves the no 1. Nobody stops them from doing so !!!. Is there any rule one should not convey false messages? If there is I dont see it happening.

Hyundai keeps calling i10 as the car of the year right from Januray 2008. Until 2008 is over how could we call something as the best of that year?

Tea Kadai

நம்ம ஊரில் எந்த ஒரு பெரிய சாலையை எடுத்தாலும் ஆரம்பத்தில் வெறிச்சோடி காணப்படும். பிறகு சிறிது நாள் கழித்து ஒரு டீ கடை வரும் பிறகு அதுவே ஜக ஜோதியாக மாறி விடுகிறது.

Yes in most of the roads I find they open a small tea shop and within no time I see the tea shop is heavily crowded. This proves there are lot of tea shop addicts in our country. Its not just the tea that attracts them. The ambience, the people there, the gossips available makes it a spot not to be missed. For a common man who doesnt have many forms of entertainmentents finds this spot very interesting. The moment you go to a tea shop he gets a sense of belonging. When the tea shop guy asks "இன்னா சார் வேணும்?" He feels comfortable that there is someone who is there to serve him in a friendly way. When he tries to strike a conversation the tea shop guy never forbids him instead he willingly provides him with more juicy stories.

The tea shops are also the most favorite spots for smokers. Smokers when riding through a highway by bike can never overcome the temptation to stop and have a smoke with tea. To buy cigerrates from such shops is another addictive phenomenon they cant escape.

Now this makes these tea shops a big nuisance. In all highways we suddenly encounter such spots where bikes, cars parked haphazzardly, people criss crossing the roads like headless chickens.

Though these tea shops helpes the owner of the shop as well as 1000's of guys who use it as an 5 minute escape solution for their problem it does cause problem to few people and the problem is indeed deadly.

Today when I was travelling through a highway an auto driver spotted such a tea shop and stopped his auto and crossed the road towards the shop as a dog runs towards a bone. He saw approaching traffic but with all smiles ran towards the shop. He escaped and survived the traffic.

வாசகம்

மகிழ்வித்து மகிழ் - இந்த வாக்கியத்தை ஒரு காரின் பின்னே பார்த்தேன். பார்த்த உடனே கவர்ந்தது. நம் நாட்டில் இப்பொழுது மிகவும் அவரியமான ஒன்று இது.

ஹெட்டர்

இன்று புது தலைப்பு படம் போட்டுள்ளேன். உங்களது கருத்தை தெரிவிக்கலாம்.

இன்று வரும் போது பல பைக்குகளை நோக்கினேன். எல்லாம் பல்சர் மற்றும் யூனிகான் வகைகள். அந்த வண்டிகளை பார்த்து இருப்பவர்களுக்கு அவைகளின் பெரிய உருவம் தெரியும். ஆனால் அதில் அமர்ந்து செல்பவர்களோ மிகவும் சிரியவர்களாக உள்ளனர். சில நேரங்களில் அவர்கள் பறந்து சென்று விடுவார்களோ என்னும் அளவுக்கு உள்ளார்கள்.

திடீரென்று பைக்கை நிறுத்தி கால் ஊன வேண்டும் என்றால் அவர்களுக்கு கால் தரையில் எட்டுமா என்பது கூட சந்தேகம் தான்.

ஆனால் அவர்கள் ஓட்டும் வேகமோ யப்பா..........................

Ramblings

Chennai is now eagerly expecting the implementation of Electronic meter for Autos. People as usual are expecting this will solve all the problems they face with Auto drivers. Todays Hindu points out that the mechanical meters they have currently can be easily tampered by mechanics in Pudupet. Though everyone is aware of the term "Soodu vecha meter" the Hindu article just confirms it. Now whether the meter is hot or not didnt matter till now as the drivers never used the meters. I have never seen a driver using a meter in his Auto.

Now bringing electronic meter will it solve the problem? We always thought computerising things will make our society corruption free. But in reality has it? Driving licence issuing, voter card issuing, passport issuing and name whatever everything has been computerised but corruption still exists. Computers or Electronics wont bring in moral changes in People. Adding counters in traffic signals hasnt changed the mentality of notorious motorists.

As the old song goes "Thirudanaai paarthu thiruntha vital thirutai olika mudiyathu" unless Auto drivers change their attitude 100000 police and a mainframe meter wont bring in any change.
**
Being in UK I had the oppurtunity to witness the Shilpa Shetty showdown in Big Brother. One thing which is sure is Shilpa didnt fit into the lot. Another thing I could see from the program is they should only try to bring in people with same cultural background on programs like this . If they want to observe how people of different culture react with each other they should try some other program with the objective set clearly right before the program.

Yes Jade & co did bully Shilpa but the trigger was Shilpa being an odd woman out. If they had brought in some UK born Indian things would have been different.

CAS

I am now giving a devlish grin to my brothers in other four metros where CAS has been brought in from this new year. When CAS was introduced in chennai the part which was worrying me was why only chennai should suffer. Now all are suffering but the optimism shown by some saying CAS would be rolled back gives me creeps. If it is rolled back only in the three metros and if it continues in chennai alone it will be heartbreaking but only consoling fact is chennai will be more westernised atleast with respect to cable television. DTH will pick in chennai than other cities. I heard Sun plans to become pay channel (dont know if it has already become one) this will force many in chennai to move to CAS or DTH.

I still remember the days when Eknaath video guys gave one page advt in Hindu about 100 channels for some XXX Rs. Finally they surutified all the money. Gone are the days we now have solid players. With Tata-Sky JV it is only going to become better.

Here in UK I dont have cable but when I checked out at my friends I was happy to find they had a dedicated channel for horror genre. Hope the CAS and DTH will offer us more in terms of variety. Whatever the number of channels we are going to have the fact will be we wont be spending more than minute in one channel. Our fingers will keep working.

One thing about our mind is it will keep wanting for something which it doesnt have. I have a huge collection of DVDs. I bought each of those DVDs with high excitement but after sometime when I browse through the collection to watch a movie I will find each one as not fit for watching and drool over some DVD at HMV website. With this attitude 1000 channels will not satisfy a man's hunger for variety.

Thoughtless

Thoughtless, goalless and aimless people sorround you like nitrogen fills the atmosphere. Their mindless gibberish penetrates our heart like cold ice dagger. They always try to generalise a single happening they witnessed. Given below are few examples.

A guy who witnesses one mugging in Newyork will paint a picture that the entire Newyork state is filled with psychos and serial killers.

A guy whose cousin got selected into an MNC without even having 10th certificate will paint a rosy picture to all unfortunate souls who couldnt clear 10th.

A guy who tasted beer only once in his entire life will keep talking about that episode like a Vietnam veteran who witnessed the war closely.

These people are extremely dangerous souls who can paralyse a healthy man with just few harmless statements within no time. They are potently dangerous than White Phosphorus.

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