tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99611752024-03-06T23:09:26.225-08:00A Feather Out Of My BookPraveen Krishnamoorthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200299564450554720noreply@blogger.comBlogger131125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9961175.post-44485772208325441772011-11-29T15:20:00.001-08:002011-11-29T15:47:53.315-08:00Shop till you dropNever understood that phrase, until I did that. I don't know if its the colder climate or the low humidity or perhaps the lack of crowd in Colorado in comparison with Ranganaathan street, I did not drop even after 14 hrs of roaming around on Black Friday.<br /><br />I knew a few things which I had to buy for sometime now and was postponing those for this day of the year. Visibly the discounts weren't that great this year if you zero'ed up on a specific product and wait for a slash on the price, Instead if one doesn't care for the brand or fine with lesser features then one might end up in a steal if one has the patience to stand in line 4 - 5 hrs in the cold for the doorbuster deals that happen when the shops open by 12:00AM. I was very specific on what to get therefore I didn't bother to brave the cold for the doorbuster deals.<br /><br />I started by 8:00AM and visited some furniture shops and then the factory outlet malls followed by IKEA and then the park meadow mall. Since these were in Denver/outskirts of Denver, it was visibly the Black Friday crowd, but in comparison to the crowds in NY/CA, it was considerable and thus I was able to shop around easily. As far as electronics is concerned I sealed up a solid deal for a 40" Sony - Google LED HDTV in Sony website. It was fun to visit so many shops in a single day and I think this is the first Black Friday wherein I contributed to the economy through my shopping spree. Finished the day with a visit to the local Best Buy to check around.Praveen Krishnamoorthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200299564450554720noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9961175.post-21287712335235445732011-07-20T11:29:00.000-07:002011-07-20T14:59:15.806-07:00The Curious Case of Peppers<div style="text-align: justify;">There are few stories that is hard to believe, one such is the story of the expensive black pepper(Tamil: Milagu), the diminished usage of long Pepper(Tamil: Kandanthippali) and the rise of Chilli Pepper(Tamil: Milagaai). These 3 commodity's history and even their etymological namings in various languages are interwoven. The spice trade route in the high seas estabilished by the portuguese in 1498 paved the way for this.<br /><br />My interest in the Black Pepper was kindled by the Malayalam film "Urumi" and did some reading on Peppers. And so the story of Peppers unfolds. Prior to the Age of Discoveries, Black Pepper was native to Southern India(malabar region) and long pepper was grown in the North Western regions of India and these two were the only commodities to make the Indian cuisine hot. The european world prior to the age of discoveries used long pepper(imported from Northern India) for spicing up their cuisine as black pepper was very expensive and hard to import from South India. As the Romans thought both black and long pepper is from the same plant, they termed both as piper(actually derived from Tamil/malayalam root Pippali or Tippali) which became pepper in English.<br /><br />When Vasco Da Gama estabilished the sea route to south India in 1498, Black Pepper almost became like the Dollar currency in FOREX of these days. With the continuous flow of Black pepper to Europe, long pepper's stock was going for a nose dive :) It was during this time that the Columbian Exchange happened wherein the commodities, culture etc were exchanged by the Europeans with the Americas after the Columbus discovery of America in 1492. Now the third contender chilli Pepper (a native of America) entered the scene.<br /><br />The Europeans and Indians so far had known only Pepper as the source of Hotness in cuisine, therefore when they encountered Chilli, they named it based on pepper too, thats why it is called as chilli pepper (Tamil: Milagaai - Milagu(Black Pepper) + Kaai(Unripened fruit)) How intuitive!! When chillies entered India through the portuguese, it took us by storm it was far easier to cultivate than long pepper and all the cuisines made earlier with long pepper(the spiciest one at that time) was substituted with chillies. Probably is this the reason that we look up on anything foreign with awe, irrespective of whether they are the best in class or not? Right now, the only dishes in south India that I know that makes use of long Pepper is Kandanthippali Rasam and Deepavali Marunthu.<br /><br />That sealed the demise of Long pepper with chilli pepper and black reigning the supremacy across all cuisines. Looking back in retrospect, the traders around the world in the 1400's and 1500's were responsible for so many things associated with our cuisines/apparel/culture etc, Its hard to believe that we never knew about Potato, Tomato, Capsicum, Beans, Chilli, Custard Apple (Sita Pazham), Corn, Guava, Groundnut, Sweet Potato, Pumpkin, Pineapple, Papaya prior to 1500s. All these cam from Americas through Europe. I wonder what were we eating during that time? <br /><br />Some traces of foreign introduction of some vegetables and fruits are still evident in our life, for eg, During some festivals, rituals and Mangali ponduthal there is a rigid rule of what should be cooked. The curry would always be Vazhaikaai(Plantain) / Kothavarangaai(Cluster Beans) / Katharikaai (Brinjal) / Poozhanikaai (Ash gourd) / Avaraikaai (Broad Beans) / Podalangai (Snake Gourd) curry and all of them would be seasoned with coconut and not fried, Maanga(Mango) pachidi, Vazhaikaai (Plaintain) chips which clearly are made only with the indigenous vegetables and probably the rules were devised when the other vegetables existence was never known. These vegetables are also referred to as Naatu kaai (Country or local vegetables). Some vegetables and fruits never got a proper Tamil name(eg, Carrot, Beet root, Apple) and some got names referring to their history (eg, Pumpkin - Parangikaai : Parangi(Foreign) + Kaai(Unripened fruit)) Also, even though we embraced potato, tomato, guava et all with open arms, still in our house we avoid eating Pineapple, Papaya and Custard Apple giving it a suspicious look :) I hope someday there is mass production of Indian vegetables here in US, I miss the kothavarangaai, Avarakaai, Poozhanikaai, Podalangaai. I am tired of buying the same old Potato and Tomato everytime in the grocery store!!<br /></div>Praveen Krishnamoorthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200299564450554720noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9961175.post-3510558346429262011-04-07T16:33:00.000-07:002011-04-07T16:51:36.448-07:00World Champions!! Atlast!!<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj5nwllAbmppPa0DMsZfVb_5myeFZIcJpRLZCsKI4iABP8E4HqeSiq5KvBsl4qfaVRmjfZDNX7zjv7AahR4qrzRvHlQTz2ydaprLigHy74ueiFMn41tAKscKVle29TVo0-KZqNAA/s1600/1983_Cricket_WC.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 144px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj5nwllAbmppPa0DMsZfVb_5myeFZIcJpRLZCsKI4iABP8E4HqeSiq5KvBsl4qfaVRmjfZDNX7zjv7AahR4qrzRvHlQTz2ydaprLigHy74ueiFMn41tAKscKVle29TVo0-KZqNAA/s200/1983_Cricket_WC.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592989382632512642" border="0" /></a>1983 is quite a long time back, and all that I know about India lifting the Cricket World Cup is from the iconic still in which Kapil Dev holds the trophy in Lords. Fast-forwarding 20 years, I was in the cross-roads of writing the MOST_IMPORTANT_EXAM of my life, the 12th standard public exam. In spite of that, I saw all the matches that India played. India had an humiliating defeat vs Australia in the qualifying round and went on to win everyone(England, Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri lanka to name some) else convincingly.<br /><br />Some of the most memorable matches were played in that world cup series, The hook shot from sachin in shoib's over(India vs Pakistan) etched in the minds of the people forever. It is comparable to the Aamir Sohail's wicket take<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_nXNGONeScItaOBtVMEx-BY7emOnjHKLYn3IurNdcSEhnw7jFMhuZNt5fczo98PChGBLpMhRrlmE3nFzpDw4i8NQ5ZCCXpJDA9DYPHsl8q3um55i3HsqFnAQmhUqcScGcVrQV1A/s1600/sachin-uppercuts-shoaib.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_nXNGONeScItaOBtVMEx-BY7emOnjHKLYn3IurNdcSEhnw7jFMhuZNt5fczo98PChGBLpMhRrlmE3nFzpDw4i8NQ5ZCCXpJDA9DYPHsl8q3um55i3HsqFnAQmhUqcScGcVrQV1A/s200/sachin-uppercuts-shoaib.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592989534302842258" border="0" /></a>n by Venkatesh Prasad in the 1996 world cup!! We were basically cruising in that world cup, only to meet Australia in the finals. I had my Computer Science public exam the next day and to my horror saw India getting pelted by Ponting and his men!! I could see India loosing their hold on the World cup and myself on the computer science exam.<br /><br />Heart-broken, Literally everybody was in tears. I gave my best shot in the Exam and stopped watching Cricket from then on. Now and then I would just check the scores in The Hindu and come to know who won what. In 2007 world cup India had to face crushing defeat in the hands of Srilanka and Bangladesh eventually getting kicked out in the qualifying rounds itself. Towards the end of that year, I got the chance to watch IPL Ist Edition in bangalore between Chennai Super Kings & Royal Challengers, Bangalore. The crowd was crazy(that means us) and the cheer was maddening. We supported CSK and it was a crucial win for CSK, in the end<br /><br />Under Dhoni, India lifted the 20-20 world cup in 2007, CSK lifted IPL - 3rd edition. Again it was the time for the World Cup in 2011 and initially, India tied/lost 2 matches but qualified easily for the quarter finals against Australia. Till then, I followed the world-cup only from the newspapers. Now the heat was on, though it was tempting, I resisted and followed only in Cricinfo that too the second half of the second Innings. Yuvaraj and Raina took India safely and knocked Australia out of the series. It was a sweet revenge for the the loss we had in 2003. I was more than happy and the next hurdle was Pakistan in Semi-finals.<br /><br />The media and the politics involved took the match between India and Pakistan to the next level and inadvertently created unwanted pressure on the players on both the sides. Being Superstitious esp in cricket, I followed this match too in cricinfo and it was real fun to see the status updates in FB and Twitter. And so we moved to the finals, the celebration back in India knew no bounds, and I dutifully saw them in youtube, what else I could do? Our generation never knew how India celebrated in 1983, but I am sure it would not be anywhere close to this.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQMsmncTzgI2X26uaa8YRYEskETyC91PgPTD2I8t3qhBxGzz7iVNOFmczROMW7C2kN2xk-bWc8a9I8OVbWSXVbV-sUI2Rgp5MR0oWDdEc9zJZD60Np8zJhNAm1e3l5_0UwQcC5TA/s1600/dhoni.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 144px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQMsmncTzgI2X26uaa8YRYEskETyC91PgPTD2I8t3qhBxGzz7iVNOFmczROMW7C2kN2xk-bWc8a9I8OVbWSXVbV-sUI2Rgp5MR0oWDdEc9zJZD60Np8zJhNAm1e3l5_0UwQcC5TA/s200/dhoni.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592989705347499026" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The venue for the final clash between India and Sri Lanka was Mumbai and SriLanka played first and possed a formidable score of 274!! India lost sehwag and sachin by 32 and the future looked bleak. Thankfully I didn't follow this and was sleeping peacefully paying heed to my superstitious beliefs. And when I got up and checked cricinfo, Gambhir and Dhoni was slowly but steadily closing in the gap. I knew that India is making history this time and I couldn't suppress my curiousity anymore. I started watching the match in some streaming channel. Inch by Inch we were closing on, though we lost Gambhir. Yuvraj kept the required run rate low while Dhoni was rotating the strike. When we had 11 balls and 4 runs to win, Voila!! Dhoni's finished the match with a SIX!! He scripted the masterstroke with his infamous Helicopter shot and made History!! India is now the World Champions and lifted the 2011 World Cup!!<br /><br />The stadium/celebration was electrifying. The 28 year wait finally paid off and we lifted the cup in India, happiness and excitement knew no bounds. Sachin's resume is complete and Dhoni is the best Indian captian of all times. Kapil Dev's 1983<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpfQ7mFZcQVhurkQLFHiH_0o4HHP4s32EbKLHlIFho2Y5Yae9i5mVc7xTa9anfxi1uA0dlwuHCEg_qjKf4ExB8gLYbf-DPmrzEAWwxUgGZ-3PZvxx5_RAnh5oktGb8NH48HS4MCg/s1600/world-cup.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpfQ7mFZcQVhurkQLFHiH_0o4HHP4s32EbKLHlIFho2Y5Yae9i5mVc7xTa9anfxi1uA0dlwuHCEg_qjKf4ExB8gLYbf-DPmrzEAWwxUgGZ-3PZvxx5_RAnh5oktGb8NH48HS4MCg/s200/world-cup.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592989911984916466" border="0" /></a> world cup trophy brought the passion for cricket into this country, Sachin's 22 year crusade in Indian cricket made young/old, rich/poor, men/women to closely follow the sport. Dhoni's 2011 world cup is a dedication to the 1.2 billion hearts which beat together irrespective of the differences in language/custom/religion, whenever India played. Never before in the whole history of mankind would one-sixth of the world population would have completely forgot everything and jumped up in joy and celebrated. The celebration was not confined to India alone, the NRIs across the world celebrated and took to the streets. The whole world felt a lot lighter that day!!<br /><br />It is quite a privilege to be in this era and watch this, it is one moment to cherish and recall back in posterity to the future generation....<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Praveen Krishnamoorthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200299564450554720noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9961175.post-84743865753745764562011-03-15T15:58:00.000-07:002011-03-15T16:33:26.918-07:00Following IntuitionsSometimes out of the blue after blotting the door and while walking down the staircase, the heart perturbs and quips "Have you switched off the lights in the Living Room?" Ok, here I go to check it out and everytime it would have been properly switched off. But sometimes one tend to fight against this intuition and go forward but end up regretting later.<br /><br />With a huge plan in the mind for the weekend, I got myself ready on Saturday morning and was about to leave for the Eleven Mile State Park. As usual the intuition told me to take a pen along with me. I laughed at my Intuition thinking, 'why would anyone need a pen in the Isolated Prairie grassland, when there is a Frozen Lake to play with and the snow clad rocky mountains in the horizon to look at.' Probably taking some water with you makes sense and having woolen gloves is prudent enough in case the temperature dips. As I traveled the distance, the last 15 miles was indeed on a isolated gravel road with scenic spots on either side. Through the green grasses here and there have started showing their finger to winter, the overall outback was still yellowish brown. After a bumpy 15 mile drive the Eleven mile lake started unraveling itself.<br /><br />The board at a distance beckoned us to the state park and some instructions that were listed there. "Pay the Park Entrance Fee here" caught my eye, and a careful reading told that we had to fill-up a Entry form and pay the fee in the "Hundial" kind of a box, stick part of the entry form on the vehicle and only then we could enter the park. Sounds simple, no queues, no manned hazzles etc. Ok, Out I go to fill-up the form, and checked my shirt & pant pockets. Nope, Nobody had a pen. Probably in the car, no luck there too. Probably we could wait for another 5 - 15 minutes, Nobody in sight, As the Spring hadn't fully set in, nobody really cared to pitch in their tents in the midst of a frozen lake. And so after a 20 minute wait, we drove back disappointed (Pona machan thirumbi vanthaan). For the next 20 miles or so there wasn't a shop to get a pen and after covering that distance, we weren't in a mood to go through the bumpy gravel road again.<br /><br />Pay heed to the intuition it helps. While coming back was thinking about what my father used to say everytime I went somewhere outside "Enga ponaalum oru penna (Read Penn as ezhuthukol :) ) eduthundu po"Praveen Krishnamoorthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200299564450554720noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9961175.post-26538032769036690992011-02-12T21:51:00.000-08:002011-02-12T22:03:55.439-08:00Some awesome moviesNetflix being the only pass-time, I watched some not so famous foreign language films recently. Some of them turned out to be really good.<br /><ul><li>The Stoning of Soraya M - Farsi</li><li>Bliss - Turkish</li><li>Letter from Iwo Jima - Japanese</li><li>Red Cliff: Theatrical version - Chinese</li><li>Sophie Scholl: Final Days - German</li></ul><p>The direction and the acting are a class apart from the stereotypes. would add more to this list as I get to know them.</p>Praveen Krishnamoorthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200299564450554720noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9961175.post-2452907149220922082010-12-26T23:02:00.000-08:002011-01-30T19:34:59.935-08:00Masters: In RetrospectAfter I started off with my masters, I couldn't find much time to pour in my thoughts and the happenings around, but the last one and half years have been replete with so many happenings and I would like to etch it here before it gets disappeared in the sands of time. I made so many friends here and I am sure most of them are a bond for the whole of the lifetime.<br /><br />Fall'09: Who am I? Where am I?<br /><br /><ul><li>The Bangalore gang's midnight walk to the HSC and back to Chapin soon after we came to SUNY-SB.</li><li>The first trip to New York City and calculated spending on each and everything. Trip to Richmond.</li><li>The trip in the college bus to buy groceries @ Pathmark & Walmart, followed by the visit to Smith Haven Mall to do window shopping. The trips to Desi store which provides the pick-up and drop service. </li><li>The daily cooking with Rajesh in the evenings.</li><li>The consecutive and consistent night-outs for OS projects has inculcated the insomniacal practice and now its really tough to sleep anytime before 3:00AM. Listening to Prof.Erez Zadok's Operating System lectures. Probably after my schooling this is the first time I listened carefully to all the classes with ultimate concentration.</li><li>The part-time web-designing job and with that I opened some kind of an money inflow in Dollars here in US. </li><li>The Pot-Luck Lunch & birthday parties filled with josh, dance and gameplaying. </li><li>The IGSA get-together/parties on festival days (esp the Ganpathi festival)</li><li>The Gyan sessions @ J2146 with the tamil-gumbal</li><li>The tightly packed days with no free time even on weekends really made one to think how much time we had wasted earlier in life.</li><li>Watched the snowfall for the first time and played in it. Also watched the mercury dip 18 degrees below zero </li><li>And so the semester ends with the back to back OS & Algos final exams on the same day and the horrible preparation I did in that regard.</li><li>Understood it is prudent to take courses which one can handle than stuff oneself with complex courses and try to learn something out of it. Also learnt that the best place to study is the HSC library after the end of the finals!! </li></ul><p>Spring'10: The New Hope!!<br /></p><ul><li>Waded through the severe winter winds to the lab during the winter holidays and got appointed as the Research Assistant in Seclab.</li><li>Trip to Montauk Point & Washington DC.</li><li>Courses weren't tough this semester but internship hunting was!! Got calls every now and then and had tension filled phone interviews. Relieved by Ides of March, when I got the internship offer from Akamai, CA </li></ul><p>Summer'10: Unforgettable California</p><ul><li>Landed in California for the internship and had the best time with the roommates. Preparing different cuisines everyday. Yummy vangibath by Shayan, crispy hummus sandwiches by Sandeep Cholae by Harit and saumitra</li><li>Ate outside almost all the weekends and covered almost all North/South Indian restaurants in Bay Area. routine weekend visit to Castro street in Mountain view for eatery. We finished the sunday night with a footlong at the subway, in san antonio shopping mall!!</li><li>Visited Google Multiplex, Shoreline Blvd Lake, Marin headlands, Lake Tahoe, Stanford University, Napa & Sonoma valley, Half Moon bay to name a few.</li><li>Extensive trip to SFO and covered the important must-see places like Golden Gate, Baker's beach, 4 KM coastal walk along the beach and cliff, Fisherman's wharf, Pier 39, Crooked street Westfield Mall et all</li><li>Meetups with Stony Brook gang in the Bay Area</li><li>Started back to Stony Brook with cherished memories to remember for a lifetime</li></ul><p>Fall'10: All Well that Ends Well</p><ul><li>The inflow of Fall'10 new faces into the department</li><li>Trip to Niagara Falls!!</li><li>Everyday chitchats at Rajesh/Sharath's & Aaliya's place</li><li>The gruelling days with the search for full-time job and added to that the Network Programming projects and Comp bio assignments and project. Trips to places across US for job interviews, and secured the job with LSI.</li><li>The last kick-ass birthday party with everyone getting their Ass-kicked is something which everyone would remember</li><li>Hurray!! Completed the last exam of the Master's program.</li><li>Trip to Atlantic City and lost money in Casino!!</li><li>New Year's eve with SBU group in New York City. Dinner at Hotel Saravana Bhavan. Jan 1st 00:00 2011 at Brooklyn Bridge!!</li><li>Visit to the infamous American Museum of Natural History, NY and Rockefeller Center.</li><li>Trip to New Jersey with Subbu and meetup with Kumaran. Stunning views of NY skyline from Newport. </li><li>Successfully completed the work at Seclab and bid adieu to SB and NY.</li></ul>It might be just a timespan of just one and half years but lot has happened within that time. With my head held high, I would say proudly that I am an Alumni of State University of New York, Stony Brook.Praveen Krishnamoorthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200299564450554720noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9961175.post-41408010364381504992010-06-07T11:42:00.000-07:002010-06-07T11:48:12.449-07:00Kaapi, You ROCK!!<div style="text-align: justify;">Coffee alias Kaapi is a good thing, infact the best of things. Though the transition from 80:20 chicory blend coffee in a stainless steel tumbler to Starbucks french roast coffee in a microwavable cup has taken place, it still amuses me.<br /><br />When I was told that coffee found its way into India from Arabia, through the sufi saint Baba Budangiri only in the 1600s, I couldn't digest that fact, who could have? Coffee and Tamil Brahmins are inseparable and I grew up for around 20 years drinking the Madras style Filter Coffee. And I could not think of a lifestyle without coffee, prior to 1600s. Similar to the English style Tavern, The Coffee Houses sprung across India in the late 1700s. The Iconic Indian Coffee House setup in the early 1900s is still patronized by many. True to the phrase "Old wine in a new bottle" Cafe Coffee day et all sprang up recently adding more hip to it.<br /><br />When I used to getup early to prepare for exams, and with a coffee cup in hand I used to think that someday, I should wake up early and enjoy this coffee seeing the sunrise, without the tension of exams or hurry-burry. Also having hot coffee on a dark rainy day afternoon sitting in the portico had been on my wishlist for long too. Someday... Someday.<br /><br />Some times, even if the coffee is bad, it is the company of people and the environment which makes it heavenly. The cherished ones in my life include the coffee time chats with Vineet, Bharat and Amber @ HP, the 2 hour pattrais @ Annan Kadai in Madurai with Sens, Sri, Subbi, Musi & vanni. the all-alone coffee times in CCD, madurai and bangalore. The best coffee include the Madras style tumbler coffee @ my home and the one in Murali Kaapi Kadai, Srirangam.<br /><br />On the lighter side, Coffee gets a pat on its back, for it helps a bachelor to take the first step with the words "How about a cup of Coffee?" Someday... Someday :) <br /><br />PS: While I had just spent time for a blogspot about Coffee, Mark Pendergrast had written a whole book on coffee "Uncommon Grounds: The History Of Coffee And How It Transformed Our World" <br /></div>Praveen Krishnamoorthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200299564450554720noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9961175.post-25997493379260173532010-01-28T08:15:00.000-08:002010-01-28T09:16:06.396-08:00And So I Move On<div style="text-align: justify;">I seriously don't like change, especially when it comes to leaving behind a job and the people whom I was associated with. I was working as a web designer in the department and it was real fun to be with those people who used to work there. From now on, I am going to pursue as a Research Assistant in the Secure Systems Lab under the guidance of Prof.Sekar, I am really excited for securing that position, for I was dreaming to get this position from the last semester and thinking about the challenging tasks that are going to come down my way, a Master's student can't ask for anything better than this.<br /><br />But, it again boils down to saying good-bye to my friends in that web design & tech support team. Thats the problem with me, I get attached to people and the place really fast. Bye - Bye guys (Andrew, Richard, Pratik, Akshay & Ilya) It was my pleasure to work with you people and Thanks JAG for everything. And so I move on from one to another uncertain where my destiny lies, but with an optimistic confidence that everything happens for a good reason. <br /></div>Praveen Krishnamoorthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200299564450554720noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9961175.post-23259937379401969662010-01-18T11:37:00.000-08:002010-01-28T09:12:36.013-08:00Aayirathil Oruvan (Tamil Movie)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidSyY_z-sNjHVMMcXBBImhuefSsSpuOc7onlFKegZzpDS2FZYS8IQl2ZQg8MPS9RjX93jb0gytcjAyS4EH6KPIcPoyd0tqAiqTEsIObMX5JRb2qr7fSoqv9W-ty-1ReyDfv6nUsw/s1600-h/aayirathil_oruvan_logo_poster.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 146px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidSyY_z-sNjHVMMcXBBImhuefSsSpuOc7onlFKegZzpDS2FZYS8IQl2ZQg8MPS9RjX93jb0gytcjAyS4EH6KPIcPoyd0tqAiqTEsIObMX5JRb2qr7fSoqv9W-ty-1ReyDfv6nUsw/s200/aayirathil_oruvan_logo_poster.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428175453496032146" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Aayirathil Oruvan, an adventure fantasy film thinly touching along the lines of Indiana Jones, King Solomon Mines has broken the monotonous, boring and judgeable storyline in the Tamil Industry. A real bold step by director Selvaraghavan and I expect and wish success for this film. Nobody would have expected a historical adventure film from selvaraghavan who is well known for his masterpieces like 7G Rainbow colony, Kaadhal Kondaen which are more related to love and relationships.<br /><br />The film has been receiving either very good positive reviews or very bad negative reviews, because the director has stepped out of the stereotypes and has give<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxzd2Pfj6_tDvRB9ZYnGNoPSIQ_HaiYj_OhMwlYtul-ASW7mkYORAMYEWD7duWzsA_Fc80qbOdmB6odofkwBf8NQIOg7GZgB4xrfHfpBwLVNApU_8TGR_vRbGcRdncX8f75HGtUA/s1600-h/Tamil+Movie+Aayirathil+Oruvan.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 172px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxzd2Pfj6_tDvRB9ZYnGNoPSIQ_HaiYj_OhMwlYtul-ASW7mkYORAMYEWD7duWzsA_Fc80qbOdmB6odofkwBf8NQIOg7GZgB4xrfHfpBwLVNApU_8TGR_vRbGcRdncX8f75HGtUA/s200/Tamil+Movie+Aayirathil+Oruvan.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428175578029102386" border="0" /></a>n something different. But I would recommend people to watch this film and then come to a conclusion on their own. What appeals more is the inclusion of our own history ie chola dynasty in the story with some imagination added to it. The first half is too good, where they cross the obstacles to reach the place where the lost civilization is expected to reside. The next half isn't that very spine chilling but much better than "Yet Another Movie in the Industry"<br /><br />The director could have avoided the usage of black magic, sacrifices et all associated with the chola dynasty which I really doubt if<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6xIr_8HkjbD9YGgTa-TPsOSLviVhSqq5BPDNlV5No27PfxYWKt6QDK77FI_S2PKAXAw1qUyQm8o3mlM6je-BXGBYr8dLXpHf03F-kELIroCFO3CVw7E5Wl2DeENPIzWv96ghFjA/s1600-h/23382.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 116px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6xIr_8HkjbD9YGgTa-TPsOSLviVhSqq5BPDNlV5No27PfxYWKt6QDK77FI_S2PKAXAw1qUyQm8o3mlM6je-BXGBYr8dLXpHf03F-kELIroCFO3CVw7E5Wl2DeENPIzWv96ghFjA/s200/23382.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428175703927132530" border="0" /></a> it existed then. I am still wondering why the people were shown in rags and with a very dark skin. probably to make a difference that they were away and lost for a long time. The usage of gross language could have been avoided too. Leaving behind these, I acknowledge that it is a bold attempt and the way to go. Kudos to the lead cast and the crew who has made this film. I am waiting for the film's DVD to be released soon.<br /></div>Praveen Krishnamoorthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200299564450554720noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9961175.post-12861163604903461712009-11-28T23:32:00.000-08:002009-11-28T23:35:27.462-08:00Thanksgiving<div style="text-align: justify;">If someone asks me the similarity between deepavali holidays, pongal holidays back in India and the Thanksgiving holidays down here, there is only one. You start planning to study the whole semester syllabus in this 3 - 4 days holiday(very realistic plan, eh?), and as usual end up waking up with monday morning blues realizing the very fact that the books weren't even touched during the holidays(taking solace on the thought that there is always Plan-B).<br /><br />After hearing about the Great Black Friday discounted thanksgiving sale, Keeping the academics aside, I applied serious thought on the goods that I might need in the near future (ie, until the next Thanksgiving), probably an external hard disk? (No use pal, Pirated films/torrents are banned here. the whole purpose of owning a external hard disk is lost). I considered everything from iPhone to ingi-marappa(Ginger-candy), nothing clicked.<br /><br />Before zeroing up on anything, I was in smith haven mall along with KB moving from apple store to JC Penny et all stores in the mall. My already stocked up wardrobe prevented me from going for any dress purchase and after 6 hours of roaming in the mall, I still came out empty handed. Habba, my wallet wasn't deflated by this Thanksgiving, Hope the same trend continues until I am a student desi.<br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Praveen Krishnamoorthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200299564450554720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9961175.post-74905671847693574982009-11-28T13:25:00.000-08:002009-11-28T13:37:51.335-08:00Solution for the annoying ticking sound problem in Ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic Koala)Recently I upgraded from ubuntu 9.04 (Jaunty Jackalope) to ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic Koala). From the moment it booted it gave this annoying ticking sound through the speakers and also through the headphone every 10 -15 seconds. Grrr...<br /><br />Extensive googling lead me to the solution. here it goes,<br /><br />* Open /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf<br />* Goto the last line and comment out<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> options snd-hda-intel power_save=10 power_save_controller=N<br /><br />*</span> Now restart or reload the module and this annoying sound problem would stop for good.<br /><br />Courtesy: I thank the ubuntu forum members for posting the solution. The reason behind this bug and detailed discussion could be found in the following links<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-devel-discuss/2009-May/008239.html</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1311206&highlight=power_save</span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span>Praveen Krishnamoorthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200299564450554720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9961175.post-10238854103642652132009-10-18T22:40:00.000-07:002009-10-19T10:37:28.549-07:00Magadheera<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijfvrafp1ram2C0JOLMk4-H5R9V6s4vDkDKUZG7hO_9QSVQLd1KMZOn3W8J9XectrvEIM6dWncn3GBLjUfuchT_NRAYlZtRRpuOyXFdZOsljFBhCR2H4ctbZeJ9SifeIAIydeMCg/s1600-h/magadheera.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijfvrafp1ram2C0JOLMk4-H5R9V6s4vDkDKUZG7hO_9QSVQLd1KMZOn3W8J9XectrvEIM6dWncn3GBLjUfuchT_NRAYlZtRRpuOyXFdZOsljFBhCR2H4ctbZeJ9SifeIAIydeMCg/s200/magadheera.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394190674274008866" border="0" /></a>Of Late, as kollywood is facing a dry run, in terms of giving super hits, I started watching other language films. In the past one month, I saw some good Telugu flix like Happy, Desamuduru, Tholiprema, and Magadheera. And Magadheera topped all in terms of the grandeur, storyline and screenplay.<br /><br />Though Magadheera's storyline slightly resembled jackie chan starring "Myth" and the real life story of Prithivi Raj Chauhan & Samyuktha, I wouldn't underplay the storywriter's contribution. The technical brilliance in terms of the sets, stunts, fast screenplay/direction and heart melting music are the backbone for the film.The chemistry between Ram charan and Kajal had worked out really well.Ram Charan with his well built physic and commanding looks dominated the film followed by Kajal with her princess looks and dressings.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigT_SeYFB2cSe2CvrWyLBADSbiCmkUGLfdoZylBlk2FBhTSBiiz3Ggj39Ih9GXXt5237zu2ovYErYLHeE4D0CFaLAHnku4Oevx7uRvJgALVLlyRrsawHDufRNzZYeutE6ck9PivA/s1600-h/wp-16magadheera1024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigT_SeYFB2cSe2CvrWyLBADSbiCmkUGLfdoZylBlk2FBhTSBiiz3Ggj39Ih9GXXt5237zu2ovYErYLHeE4D0CFaLAHnku4Oevx7uRvJgALVLlyRrsawHDufRNzZYeutE6ck9PivA/s200/wp-16magadheera1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394190763145656962" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The Epical part of Magadheera is the best part of all.The Love for each other had been portrayed really well. The film had been shot at Rann of Kutch, Gujarat and then in Rajasthan and they had come out really well.The Epical battle is shot without any exaggerated stunts and thats why it is so real and final scenes of the Epic are so so touchy :( In fact, the epic love story, has kindled my desire to read through some of notable love stories in Indian History. No doubt Magadheera is a super hit in Andhra and far!!</div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div>Praveen Krishnamoorthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200299564450554720noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9961175.post-65764085674883860752009-09-25T15:05:00.000-07:002009-10-19T10:35:15.250-07:00Goodies!! Goodies!!<div style="text-align: justify;">* 1GB USB stick from Vmware<br />* T-Shirt from Bloomberg,<br />* Laptop keyboard Night lighter from Morgan Stanley<br />* Rucksack from Computer Associates (CA)<br />* Radium ball with built-in LED Circuitry from Riverbed<br />* Key chain from Falconstar<br />* Wall board + writer from Vmware<br />* Soda bottle opener from Acoustics concepts<br />* Unlimited Tasty Veg Pizza hosted by Microsoft and yummy dinner hosted by Vmware,<br /><br />Thats all I could muster in a two and half hour job fair drive that happened in our college :) While this year gonna_be_pass-outs were trying hard to push-in their resumes down the stack, we freshers took this opportunity to grab them all. Because I was naive(curse my shyness and what_would_she_think_mentality), I missed out on some company T-shirts and backpacks :(<br /><br />Some machakaarans like<a href="http://kbcast.blogspot.com/"> KB </a>laid hands on Nikon CoolPix cameras too!! இப்படிக்கு அடுத்த ஸ்ப்ரிங் ஜாப் பாயர் இனாமிற்காக (கூட்டிஎஸ்) காக்கா போல் காத்துக்கொண்டிருக்கும் மாணவன்!!! <br /><br /><br /></div>Praveen Krishnamoorthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200299564450554720noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9961175.post-66784257439319882692009-09-12T13:13:00.001-07:002009-10-19T10:34:48.204-07:00All Alone, Along the Broadway<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdxY8lBsy590s7PIFvql7vo-cs1EJ0uvRiatPIP9EEAuIm3RvbvL4KuysWRi6PWwIkgU1j2KbrjwaeMYKt0CLd_2Z_NOjwNI5g31WLCPxMi9n_WQfXReyHhy8pOaEgZ_MUN5IzVg/s1600-h/IMG1-0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdxY8lBsy590s7PIFvql7vo-cs1EJ0uvRiatPIP9EEAuIm3RvbvL4KuysWRi6PWwIkgU1j2KbrjwaeMYKt0CLd_2Z_NOjwNI5g31WLCPxMi9n_WQfXReyHhy8pOaEgZ_MUN5IzVg/s200/IMG1-0.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380690843393998658" border="0" /></a>The <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/kpraveen85/NewYork">last weekend trip</a> to New York City gave me the much needed confidence, and this weekend I went alone to NY - Penn Station. Reminiscing the walk along the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_Avenue">5th Avenue </a>that I did last week, I wanted to try out the oldest north-south through-fare "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadway_%28New_York_City%29">The Broadway</a>" this time. I knew I was looking at a 4.8KM walk from Penn Station to my destination @ Allen Street which is in the middle of Chinatown. Keeping the ever viewable, mist shrouded(It was cold and raining) Empire State building spire as my guide, I ended up in broadway.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKEvwFhhvAPL97WMvkHfKTorozzFZadmu3FIr3-PHWbBDZ7AQTrOs4AJ8cHYy-a1i5O2cyPtUXUFJyoV_h_w5SzF1CkMSv6tgnLbXAV5p38eP1oYkXQhCEiAX6lhyaMKcMpGiNXQ/s1600-h/IMG3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKEvwFhhvAPL97WMvkHfKTorozzFZadmu3FIr3-PHWbBDZ7AQTrOs4AJ8cHYy-a1i5O2cyPtUXUFJyoV_h_w5SzF1CkMSv6tgnLbXAV5p38eP1oYkXQhCEiAX6lhyaMKcMpGiNXQ/s200/IMG3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380691681848631042" border="0" /></a><br /></div>One good thing about NY city is the avenue and streets criss cross each other at right angles (the exception being broadway) and named serially using numbers, All you have to worry about is whether you are heading at the right direction, as you could move from one street to another very easily. As I walked along the Broadway, the glass & concrete monolithics came into view one after the other. The street hosted almost all the brand shops that one could think of and it was very tempting to enter them all and look around, but I continued on with my paatha-<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGWC4gpl8L78gDOSC12YbEXpDl-V6szn2rIOeQfGA7IfCTDutDdaEbTgjWUESNWAOB8mkRbMogDDsYgFXjPVFwVrGFNpZP4ioVN-NAdUWYd1Hocyh52PHuc30epUmrInHI_Qf1EQ/s1600-h/IMG1-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGWC4gpl8L78gDOSC12YbEXpDl-V6szn2rIOeQfGA7IfCTDutDdaEbTgjWUESNWAOB8mkRbMogDDsYgFXjPVFwVrGFNpZP4ioVN-NAdUWYd1Hocyh52PHuc30epUmrInHI_Qf1EQ/s200/IMG1-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380691804510908162" border="0" /></a>yatra. My next pit-stop was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Square_%28New_York_City%29">Union Square</a>, a historic intersection in the broadway.<br /><br />Union Square hosts the infamous <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Square_Greenmarket">Union Square Greenmarket </a>Taking some snaps and apples, I moved into the Union Square park, which I heard has a statue of Mahatma Gandhiji. I went around the park and an active inquisitor followed me throughout, whether out of curiosity or perhaps for the apples that I had in my bag :) This stuart l<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIkfxozsm5_wX6ZqOZ46VMSqlQpUPFF_wEdGth1wMd5uwWoOPVT7tUPg5lzHh6g8dreNYfj0AgO2ahspXiUT-HGolEw_C3HY_NqkvwjXi4Wi_HwOH3_cPnttm_vNBr8gdEXbfl_A/s1600-h/IMG1-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIkfxozsm5_wX6ZqOZ46VMSqlQpUPFF_wEdGth1wMd5uwWoOPVT7tUPg5lzHh6g8dreNYfj0AgO2ahspXiUT-HGolEw_C3HY_NqkvwjXi4Wi_HwOH3_cPnttm_vNBr8gdEXbfl_A/s200/IMG1-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380691958041716098" border="0" /></a>ittle showed no signs of fear and I took some snaps, u bet!! After moving around the park twice or more, I could not locate the Mahatma's statue. A fellow Indian manning the nearby newspaper stand pointed the direction in which I could find the statue. With a nod and a smile, I started moving in the direction he pointed. At a few steps from the main park, there was a small enclosed garden and atlast I found Mahatma Gandhiji statue in Union Square. I considered my sole purpose of the walking through the broadway fulfilled and headed towards<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhakryKNFqHc1q4zpyHYL7SJCw7_I1alI_eFCPzQROqDRPjn5-n9LssnTot0Ko2YKI_1iyQvEaT-lGqEzJqf_OUpxh6L0XGkRP6EklUasOOoO4_01goO3HNg_cYWmuOhR5KaPCMAg/s1600-h/IMG2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhakryKNFqHc1q4zpyHYL7SJCw7_I1alI_eFCPzQROqDRPjn5-n9LssnTot0Ko2YKI_1iyQvEaT-lGqEzJqf_OUpxh6L0XGkRP6EklUasOOoO4_01goO3HNg_cYWmuOhR5KaPCMAg/s200/IMG2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380692107699899218" border="0" /></a> allen street through Bowery unknowing of the high drama that was about to unfold in the Allen street. Contd... in the next post.<br /></div>Praveen Krishnamoorthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200299564450554720noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9961175.post-22739408562244254732009-09-04T21:53:00.000-07:002009-10-19T10:34:48.204-07:00Recipies for life<div style="text-align: justify;">Gone are the days when I used to dream of damn good chicks. Toor dal and spices from India shows up now and then in my dreams giving me a Deja vu experience. What looked attractive when I was in India doesn't get my attention anymore and what was common to get back home doesn't find a place here.<br /><br />I have been away from home for around 6 years now, and my perspective continues to change and so does my understanding of life. From being a die-hard hotel food fan six years back, I converted myself to a connoisseur of home food after my 2 year stint in the college hostel. The next 4 years, I managed to eat at some hotel everyday and moved on. Though I know cooking, I never really did that full-time, now that I am donning that role too, slowly it dawns on me the travails of cooking everyday's every meal!!! So far, I never realized how hard it would be for my mother to cook day-in and day-out.<br /><br />Guyz, If you are studying and staying with your parents, Its the best part of your life enjoy and eat well. If you are working somewhere in India and staying away from your home, do not wail for not getting good old home food, you always have the option and ability to pay and have some real good food at some hotel nearby. If you are staying in a foreign country, where the word "VEGETARIAN" is never heard of, where vegetables are stocked for weeks if not for months together, where people don't have any staple food like "RICE" or "WHEAT", where people live on DIET_PEPSI and DIET_COKE and call them as "SODAS", where vegetables are costlier than chicken, meat, beef and pork, where people cook once and "MICROWAVE" the rest of their life, where people call bread by different names like bagel, muffin and bun the only striking difference being the shape, where veg food means lettuce leaves + sliced tomato + chopped onion, where spices and dal prices gives you a heart-attack and the monthly grocery bill is the reason for your receding hairline well, you are not entirely alone. Find some solace in whatever you cook and in the fact "good chicks always like good chefs!!!"<br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Praveen Krishnamoorthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200299564450554720noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9961175.post-7145797373934575242009-08-22T16:03:00.000-07:002009-08-22T16:43:39.578-07:00Resident Alien??<div style="text-align: justify;">Accustoming to a new place is tough, and to a new place in another country is even more tougher. In the last 6 days of my stay here, I had some weird happenings and I would enlist them here<br /><br />* The bank employee said "Thank You" 10 times in 2 minutes. Be it when I handed over the application form or when I confirmed the spelling of my name or when I typed the PIN first time, and when I typed it second time to confirm again I got a "Thank You" In return, I said "You are Welcome" twice after which I felt very awkward and stopped saying anything.<br /><br />* These days when I go out, I prepare a short answer for the question "How are you doing?" Almost all whom your eyes meet up with ask that question. And by the time with an Indian accent I start saying something, they are out of earshot. Sometimes I look at the ground and walk or before anyone asks I quip the question and walk away he he!!! eppadi??<br /><br />* The roads are all deserted (in comparison with our Indian traffic) and it is hard to find any houses/shops on either side of the highway, because of this all roads looks the same to me, and I cant keep anything as landmark to understand which part of the road I am in!!!<br /><br />* After the long lecture about Fire alarm in the international orientation, and also the advice from seniors about how the whole world comes to you if you raise an fire alarm in this part of the world, I actually saw an alarm going up in college, and like we used to do in India at the HP office, I walked lethargically down the corridor, and hey presto the door opened and people were pouring out and almost ran over scaring the shit out of me!! By the time I came out of the building, Police, Fire brigade, etc etc were there on the entrance. I came back home and decided to have a chappathi and reheated it in the microwave. The timing I gave for it was more and it started smoking off. Knowing very well that the Fire alarm is going to go off any moment, my friend and myself took the oven and ran out of the house and opened it, and started waving the smoke out of it. Oh God!! we were saved!!! I stopped using the microwave after that.<br /><br />* No one is allowed to wash their clothes in buckets and hang it in the balcony!!! One has to use the washing machine and drier only!!! To cap it all, one cant find a tap either in the toilet(that everyone knows) or in the bathroom (only a shower would be there!!) <br /><br />* One good thing I did this week was enrolling with freewheels in college. Freewheels is an NGO organization who have a great passion for biking. I was given a cycle frame and I have to attend 3 classes 2 hrs each to assemble the whole cycle, End of the Day, I could keep the cycle with me till I leave the college. Thats cool isn't it?? If my father asks me what the hell did you learn from US after I return back. I could atleast tell him, I learnt how to fix a puncture!!! :)<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><br /></div>Praveen Krishnamoorthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200299564450554720noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9961175.post-44401808831169715302009-08-22T15:18:00.000-07:002009-08-22T16:49:12.219-07:00FF EXP<div style="text-align: justify;">And so I started from bangalore, leaving behind everything I own and I like. BIAL was good, and started giving the already-in-the-foreign-country-effect.There the whole bangalore group(15) was there, and so we entered in bidding adieu to the near and dear.The normal fear in the first flight experience from Bangalore -> chennai was not to be seen as we were travelling as a group. In chennai, the airport has become so bad, that it resembled a railway station.For the night we stayed at the retiring room in the airport @ 400/bed. Next day morning, we checked-in @ British airways, only to know that we wont get the seats together!!<br /><br />The Plane was really big and somehow I swapped seats with a French lady to sit alongside Sharath. The flight's chief air-hostess resembled Bianca Castafiore of TinTin series, that I even thought of asking her to sing us "God save the Queen" :) I saw the flight takeoff in broad daylight for the first time from inside as the BLR->CHN was a night flight. 10.25 hr flight with the entertainment system programmes going around in loops drove me mad. Also, the breakfast was given in Indian breakfast time and the lunch in London Lunch time(Breakfast to lunch duration gap is 9hrs. Grr!!!).The plane circled around London and we saw the Big Ben, London bridge, and the new Olympic stadium being built near R.Thames.We got down at heathrow,London and was amazed at the consecutive flight take-off and landing taking place.<br /><br />We ran across the Terminal-5 to catch our next connecting from London to New york which was in just 45 Min. The airport is truly out of the world and it is indeed unfortunate that we had to run off to our gate. The flight was waiting because of us, and we settled in slowly and then took-off to JFK. The person next to me was an American, and the next 3 hrs was a great comedy as he saw Ghajini-Hindi in the entertainment system and we both(myself and Rajesh) translated the same for him. At the end, he swore that he would buy a DVD of this and keep it next to memento in his DVD collection. :) The LON->JFK flight had a lot of entertainment channels and it kept me on the go. We landed in New York -JFK and I was received by my sister, Brother-in-law and in-laws. The First Flight EXPerience is one that many would remember throughout the life and I am no exception<br /></div>Praveen Krishnamoorthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200299564450554720noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9961175.post-29799208871723844112009-07-17T01:37:00.000-07:002009-10-19T10:35:06.524-07:00Change - III<div style="text-align: justify;">It's now official(I mean, things are finalized), and I can post it in my blog, the news what so far only my closest circle knows. No, I am not getting married, (Although some my friends and classmates are getting ready :( ) I am moving to New York from Mid August to pursue my Masters in Computer Science at The State University of New York @ Stony Brook aka Stony Brook University :)<br /><br />The last one and half years, I was preparing for this. Wrote the GRE in last September and TOEFL in October and managed to scalp 1370 and 110 respectively. How I wished for a single window system for the US universities like we have for Engineering/Medicine here in TN for it was the toughest part of the process. Preparing the Statement of Purpose and getting the Recommendation letters was the next stage. Once through with the application part in early January, it was followed by an infinite wait, and in March, I got the first admit from Clemson University followed closely by University of California, Irvine, Arizona State University, University of Maryland - Baltimore County, North Carolina State University , State University of New York- Stony Brook and Ohio State University. The strike rate was much better than what I had thought (0.7)<br /><br />Selecting SUNY-SB over others wasn't difficult for it is the best in Computer Science, ranks much better than others, fees is comparatively cheaper and more than that, some of my seniors and close friends are already there. what else would one need above all this? Getting the I20 docs took some time and eventually scaled the tension-filled visa interview and got the US visa stamped in the passport.<br /><br />Whew!! It had been a tight rope walking all these days, managing the job and the aspiration to pursue MS. Now comes the most difficult part, leaving India... Change is always tough, and every change teaches some important lessons in life. What I would miss the most, needs a separate blog post by itself and hence I am leaving it for now.<br /><br />Now waiting for Change - III to take over after the successful Change - II (Madurai to Bangalore) which happened two years back.<br /></div>Praveen Krishnamoorthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200299564450554720noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9961175.post-13146998165042446532009-07-14T02:35:00.000-07:002009-07-14T03:16:25.640-07:00Into the Wild<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifm67_0EYFMTG9KFgG4n3ucTdzhmDttV1VbslTSz2_ZwS-FQPFm5q-WuMe-47c3DsyK68P4OIgZFWmuooREy0m0oF0FM0YLFAL1ByxqAE1PKtsi-UlBSbPqpATtEkF4zst4avMmA/s1600-h/intothewild.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 136px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifm67_0EYFMTG9KFgG4n3ucTdzhmDttV1VbslTSz2_ZwS-FQPFm5q-WuMe-47c3DsyK68P4OIgZFWmuooREy0m0oF0FM0YLFAL1ByxqAE1PKtsi-UlBSbPqpATtEkF4zst4avMmA/s200/intothewild.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358256853646878450" border="0" /></a>"Into the Wild" is a travelogue movie sticking along the lines of "Motorcycle Diaries". It accounts the travel adventures of Christopher Mccandless from Atlanta to Alaska through Arizona, California and South Dakota and his stay in the unbearable Alaskan cold for 4 months. The film is a visual treat to nature lovers and people who have a strong inclination towards travelling. The tragedy in the end is quite disturbing.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The film is adapted from the novel "Into The Wild" by Jon Krakauer which in turn is inspired from the real life story of Christopher Mccandless. Through the protagonist's thought process, the film also dwells on the purpose of life and the pitiable state where the human society heads. The script writer must have experienced and savoured such thoughts and has come out with such scripts.<br /></div><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"I mean, the core of man's spirit </span> <span style="font-style: italic;">comes from new experiences."<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: justify;">Though the central character's travels and adventures kindles a fire for outing in us, Going into the wild without any preparation or tools and his underestimation of the risks involved sometimes irks and I believe the tragedy in the end is a consequence of his own foolhardy. After all, Human life more valuable than any adventure.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span><br /></div><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></div><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /></span>Praveen Krishnamoorthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200299564450554720noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9961175.post-56726948063319341712009-06-24T13:19:00.000-07:002009-06-24T14:02:06.252-07:00Kemmannugundi Trip<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQjTiqnS4rQwvQ-61oTpLzt8_m4X5IwISXG_Or7EugGTSVlz-E_DbPQvlIT8lXNOOLvt-z1xbS8ixEwsuMt9ma7UA24Pc1OaNjM6bmwq4fU8Ki3HNN9tpxclYB1-VuwyouKczfRg/s1600-h/IMG2-2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351000601947748930" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQjTiqnS4rQwvQ-61oTpLzt8_m4X5IwISXG_Or7EugGTSVlz-E_DbPQvlIT8lXNOOLvt-z1xbS8ixEwsuMt9ma7UA24Pc1OaNjM6bmwq4fU8Ki3HNN9tpxclYB1-VuwyouKczfRg/s200/IMG2-2.jpg" border="0" /></a> What started off as an ambitious trek started to fall apart as murphy's law reigned over the two days in whatever we did. This time the tripmates were Muthu, pramod, prabhu, DP, Sens, Subbi, Musi, Bharathi, Peter and thirukumaran. Armed with the Survey of India Maps and a compass, we boarded the shimoga express and got down @ Tarikere. From there we took a bus to Lingdanahalli and from there a Tata Ace(Kutti Yana) to Kemmannugundi. Finishing off the Idlies @ the Guest house canteen we boarded the jeep to reach the start of the trekking trail from KG to Mullayanagiri.<br /></div><div align="justify"><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">Our plan was to Camp<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_qh6WmeKcfWFegg9hZ6WDHSkL4FcgRAvQrqBkytYs33MMJWSi241U3G5JEJPaG81KzqiJ85dWiJGs2ZFruq0R_X9U2mpf7irdZtP-cyNTxXQMJccpEOXXVZPps2kBMupMsF2Yw/s1600-h/IMG4-5.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351000804087288530" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_qh6WmeKcfWFegg9hZ6WDHSkL4FcgRAvQrqBkytYs33MMJWSi241U3G5JEJPaG81KzqiJ85dWiJGs2ZFruq0R_X9U2mpf7irdZtP-cyNTxXQMJccpEOXXVZPps2kBMupMsF2Yw/s200/IMG4-5.jpg" border="0" /></a> that night @ Galikere. The nascent greenish cover due to the recent monsoon showers made a whole place a dreamland to be in.Enjoying the view and taking snaps then and there we moved on. At one point the trail started to lead through some dense cover and before we could enter that, Leeches started their attack.To avert them we took a detour from the trail to the top of the nearby mountain. At the top we rested and cleared up the sticking leeches and started moving forward.Again the dense cover obstracted our way, and the impending danger of another leech attack sent shivers<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgztFQQv7XjxEuM4PfmCvdNa6eXv04xARKf2fiAkJ8p1Qs1GhsQ1DfUWgei1qyAxCpF8pDzdlpcKVRyKLO9UgxCO1sdWQEzY76WAOFpjfymuUwSxEw0G5nnznn2WWWf-SO7L1tXTQ/s1600-h/IMG8-15.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351001094848200946" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 154px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgztFQQv7XjxEuM4PfmCvdNa6eXv04xARKf2fiAkJ8p1Qs1GhsQ1DfUWgei1qyAxCpF8pDzdlpcKVRyKLO9UgxCO1sdWQEzY76WAOFpjfymuUwSxEw0G5nnznn2WWWf-SO7L1tXTQ/s200/IMG8-15.jpg" border="0" /></a> down the spine. A light discussion revealed that even if we cross the forest cover uneventfully, another 6-7 hour trek awaits us to reach Galikere is what we estimated. Let down by this info, leech attack and the dense fog which covered up the whole trail we reluctantly retreated back. Taking a long circuitous route we were back in square one.</div><br /><br /><br />We rested our bones at a nearby scenic pond and continued with the lunch. Two or three trips back and forth from the start of the trail to KG town by walk to figure out a way to reach Galikere exhausted us and the efforts too went in vain as the jeep driver were scared to drive back from galikere after 6. Nowhere to stay(as one of the tent had a damaged rod) , we stayed for the night at the guesthouse. Next day, we hired two jeeps and we went through to Hebbe falls. It was a real jungle safari by all means (bumpy trail which a 4wheel drive alone could survive, thick forest cover) A punctured tyre saw us walking a little extra through the greenish path to the falls. The leech kept us<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-sWuhlp7_ecEzp36qkmyaFPHp5VxQqHMQMJOL2M7keDOrovhFBb1Ul3NZCKwDWsIVWUa5kOIw79F2rbf4CJZxQ20hN6k4tdqcjIHINLTOF7aEgkU85v97BdNHb-LrfhlUqP2BiQ/s1600-h/IMG8-24.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351001394059129154" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-sWuhlp7_ecEzp36qkmyaFPHp5VxQqHMQMJOL2M7keDOrovhFBb1Ul3NZCKwDWsIVWUa5kOIw79F2rbf4CJZxQ20hN6k4tdqcjIHINLTOF7aEgkU85v97BdNHb-LrfhlUqP2BiQ/s200/IMG8-24.jpg" border="0" /></a> at bay and finally we reached the falls. We were the only group at the falls by that time and we had a really good time bathing and playing in the waters. A marathon run through the unwinding path to the jeep to escape the leeches did the trick and we reached KG back in time to catch the bus to Tarikere. From there we came to Chickmagalur and from there to bangalore.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="justify">This place for sure needs another visit during the monsoons with much better planning. Probably next time we should take the route from Mullaiyangiri to KG.</div><div align="justify">Visit <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/kpraveen85/Kemmanugundi">http://picasaweb.google.com/kpraveen85/Kemmanugundi</a> for pics</div></div>Praveen Krishnamoorthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200299564450554720noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9961175.post-85605462385230235802009-06-07T23:36:00.000-07:002009-06-08T23:09:00.470-07:00Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta Trip/Trek<div style="text-align: justify;">When it comes to deciding between blood sucking leeches/venomous King Cobra filled Agumbe and Wild elephants residing Gopalaswamy Betta, it is tough. During monsoon we thought it was a bad idea to visit Agumbe, the Cherrapunji of the south, that too especially for a trek. Hence we zeroed up on Himavad(meaning fog/snow in kannada) Gopalaswamy Betta(meaning mountain in kannada) near bandipur. The Inmates were Dilip, Sharath, Praveen V S, Rajesh, Chaitanya and myself. Too bad Shr<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixHzKMnMoX2fo3kXaZR4dflcaT8ewX9fuv9x6rZywv8gvNo4Z549SBggXs_2dSovAkoMpgBPeuIrHuVz3hf_eC4B81fKpUnhXESyPsYQdtKk2lZkR27JhrExdXfXRzYoeaGVx97w/s1600-h/cloud.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixHzKMnMoX2fo3kXaZR4dflcaT8ewX9fuv9x6rZywv8gvNo4Z549SBggXs_2dSovAkoMpgBPeuIrHuVz3hf_eC4B81fKpUnhXESyPsYQdtKk2lZkR27JhrExdXfXRzYoeaGVx97w/s200/cloud.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344859460036359794" border="0" /></a>ikar missed this trip.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />We burned the midnight oil @ Dilip's house as we had planned to start by 2 AM on Sunday. Jubilant over India's victory against Bangladesh in the ICC 20-20 match, we started exactly as planned. By 4:00, we were in mysore and by 5:30 we hit Gundlupet. The route to Himavad after crossing the Gundlupet village was scenic as it was a wide landscape without any object of obstruction except for the silhouette of the mounatin ranges at the horizon and the first rays of the sun illuminated the horizon in vivid flaming hues. The intermittent rain added spice to the whole scenary. By 6:00 we hit the Forest department gate at the foothills of the Himavad Gopalaswamy betta. Nothing to do except for sitting in the Car till 7:00 (the gate would be <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3_gTXUV1j1NEV4KrkLM5DYDnjZJijO7FTEzBzuVkiYsOVM9czDUp2YDeAHE1PUcV1CFo4qzpIGjG8gC2FtxYA6JLMPbc3mNbzRaaeIjQ_WpBy560Qovij7nFYRMYnNm6JUXutIg/s1600-h/going-in.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3_gTXUV1j1NEV4KrkLM5DYDnjZJijO7FTEzBzuVkiYsOVM9czDUp2YDeAHE1PUcV1CFo4qzpIGjG8gC2FtxYA6JLMPbc3mNbzRaaeIjQ_WpBy560Qovij7nFYRMYnNm6JUXutIg/s200/going-in.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344859839837596546" border="0" /></a>open only by then) as the the rain was taking control outside. As it started to drizzle, we ventured out to explore the area a bit and to click away something.<br /><br />As we gathered some altitude, we started living up in the land of clouds and fog. It was a breathtaking experience to be there. It was a dream come true for me, to walk through fog filled dark roads with trees on the sides like an avenue, whose existence is visible only for the next 5 - 10 metres. The drizzle co<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhFjNmVCUJhvSXWxjt4552-kzzquyTOQmgYpx8CYyYKE5Y5TO8r8DOtEQX433TnF4Qlyex-J4jcWFD_cWu9-xcUsRBifHSKN7FcECb8fMSlM0Wysz04a5eYLwPOt3BgjCXooxOTQ/s1600-h/road-less.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhFjNmVCUJhvSXWxjt4552-kzzquyTOQmgYpx8CYyYKE5Y5TO8r8DOtEQX433TnF4Qlyex-J4jcWFD_cWu9-xcUsRBifHSKN7FcECb8fMSlM0Wysz04a5eYLwPOt3BgjCXooxOTQ/s200/road-less.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344860097034958306" border="0" /></a>ntinued, partnering with the heavy violent winds and literally we had to stick hard to the ground. We took up some trails from the top to reach the adjacent ranges enjoying the lush green grasses and the fog filled pond on the way. Wave after wave, the army of clouds conquered the mountains, and we could not view the whole ranges filled with sholas + the green valleys (even though we were there till 1:00PM) The fresh elephant's dung here and there always reminded us of the prevailing danger somewhere near shrouded in the mist.<br /><br />We reached a stone hedge formation and here we sat for sometime, chatting and then we started playing throwball, it was funn<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid8oLkhXl0xPkf1wfuBn4J8Ky76bVPIY95kro5tNq0ioJRzyVjy61om4hFnV4hzQ_xc5WHqnCBsfFz4vkuHp4pFLHarJJgO98NF5q8FRrjkZlTLi5s_lIhy-bdJ69WaXRteuekVQ/s1600-h/into-green.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid8oLkhXl0xPkf1wfuBn4J8Ky76bVPIY95kro5tNq0ioJRzyVjy61om4hFnV4hzQ_xc5WHqnCBsfFz4vkuHp4pFLHarJJgO98NF5q8FRrjkZlTLi5s_lIhy-bdJ69WaXRteuekVQ/s200/into-green.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344860297758605874" border="0" /></a>y to watch the ball drifting, the direction in the heavy winds that was blowing throughout on the top.As another Praveen developed a cramp, we abandoned our trail from then on to the next range, as already we were at a distance from the vehicle. As we walked up and down landscape, the temple shrine came into view, and we headed directly to the temple instead of taking the roundabout route which we took up while coming up.<br /><br />We went to the temple, and the main pooja was going going on, and the main priest<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNrQLE_NFBU6qiUwGSl9D3eDEZuPV1OGk65lCY0bnCCFdxOqcevztKKUzscMDl_dCOX5QyhOJU2euQOAvnG9f16-FKB4ljPXOz_bGdO7GSuaW1DvfOY7r5dR4D2wzPeVwgjXH0kQ/s1600-h/sholas.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNrQLE_NFBU6qiUwGSl9D3eDEZuPV1OGk65lCY0bnCCFdxOqcevztKKUzscMDl_dCOX5QyhOJU2euQOAvnG9f16-FKB4ljPXOz_bGdO7GSuaW1DvfOY7r5dR4D2wzPeVwgjXH0kQ/s200/sholas.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344860796032605698" border="0" /></a> orated about the sthala purana(history of the origin of temple) in kannada. From my friends, I came to know that it was built by a chola king 700 years back and is considered to be a papanasa(Free of all sins).While we were draped in the jerkin in that teeth clicking cold, I saw some devotees taking bath, whew!! what guts!!! My cell picked up the TN network, and the truth dawned in me that we were actually on the border just few good kilometres from Mudumalai.With a heavy heart, we descended down the Betta and were on the way back to the concrete jungle.In Sharath's slang, the trip was "Chammak"<br /><br />Visit the pics @ <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/kpraveen85/HimavadVenugopalaswamyBetta">http://picasaweb.google.com/kpraveen85/HimavadVenugopalaswamyBetta</a><br /></div>Praveen Krishnamoorthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200299564450554720noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9961175.post-22638944147162997742009-05-28T06:49:00.000-07:002009-05-28T10:12:23.564-07:00SHE's in my Life<div style="text-align: justify;">Dark secrets linger in everyone's heart, and none lives, without the attempt to screen others from perceiving those.This is a literary attempt to break the tradition and share mine, but with the name filtered atleast till the concluding part.<br /><br />SHE(Ms.X) knocked me down completely. I understood what "Love @ First Sight " really means. She wouldn't come over for a cup of coffee even if I ask her out, always calm & serene and out there in solitude. Shy enough to move away from the company of people, expecting one should take that extra effort to approach and then get on with her. Regularly, I started watching her from a distance, and was keen to avoid the direct eye contact, knowing very well that I couldn't take her sublime radiance.This went on for a while until the most unexpected thing happened.<br /><br />When Fate had scripted something, You can't bypass that. Likewise, It was destined that we both have to meet by chance at Munnar. She was damn gorgeous, and I felt that she must be as pure as a virgin. Shrugging aside the shyness, we both got into speaking terms and thus it went on. I knew she was too good for me and was happy over the fact that she is atleast considering me and radiates a smile whenever I see her.<br /><br />It was through her I came to know Ms.Y. Y is kind of a complicated character, but a very interesting one.She is a beauty in herself. When with her, time flies by very fast.She would tease you a lot, but thats what keeps me hooked to her. Though I am not too close to her, there are some who really are. I envy them with all my heart.<br /><br />When you know someone very close or from childhood, you tend to overlook them, though they are beautiful. such was the case with Ms.Z, I know her from my childhood days, a girl next door character, very close and had been a great companion for me. She grew as I grew, and was in sync with my wavelength. She would understand my feelings like no other and cheer me up whenever I was in a low.<br /><br />So are these three my girlfriends? would they fillup the back seat of my bike whenever I ride? No, they won't because, replace Ms.X with Nature, Ms.Y with Photography and Ms.Z with Books and read the previous paragraphs again. Dont try to hit me, its the caffiene in my head doing all this<br /><br />In layman terms, these three(trekking, photography and books)does the job of a girlfriend very well, keeps me busy after office hours, sucks money like anything and also keeps me entralled and excited!!!<br /></div>Praveen Krishnamoorthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200299564450554720noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9961175.post-28565583275897115702009-05-23T22:59:00.000-07:002009-05-24T00:16:53.937-07:00Les Miserables<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOPHafvwTxW9m9_rIerz9gLYJYKV270YGLHRdGi9E7NofQeCky8IDvwOPf6KNqBKYconjqmnEBR5rdtgcWlAmFeNvUhWPpZ4VKeRaF_vUSakOZxPgU-c5RdNhv7rTYEnPOwtS01Q/s1600-h/n68209.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 116px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOPHafvwTxW9m9_rIerz9gLYJYKV270YGLHRdGi9E7NofQeCky8IDvwOPf6KNqBKYconjqmnEBR5rdtgcWlAmFeNvUhWPpZ4VKeRaF_vUSakOZxPgU-c5RdNhv7rTYEnPOwtS01Q/s200/n68209.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339283649812555586" border="0" /></a>Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, an Epic tale of social injustice, politics, heroism and love, is setup in the early 19th(1800s) century French backdrop.The commercial success of this novel is etched in history that could be best explained by an anecdote. while on his vacation during the publishing of this novel, Hugo telegraphed the publishers a single "?" to know the outcome and for that the publishers replied with a single "!"<br /><br />I read the abridged English translation by Norman Denny original version being in French. The protagonist of the story Jean Valjean steals a loaf of bread in his early years and then spends many years trying to escape his reputation as a criminal.Though he is a changed man and rises socially, he is not allowed to forget his past by the sadistic policemen Javert who is determined to expose him. Jean Valjean thus runs from city to city with his adopted daughter Cosette escaping the clutches of Javert and the vile designs of the villian Thenardier.Many characters chip in and add their part making it more interesting and gripping.<br /><br />The narration is simply superb with vivid descriptions and the love between Cosette and Marius is best described. For something similar to the "Annalum Nokkinal avalum nokkinal" scene here goes the excerpt<br />----------------------------<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Thus for the first year Marius saw them(Cosette and her father) almost daily in the same place at the same time. He liked the look of the Man but took no interest in the girl.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br />.....</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br />For some six months he did not setfoot in the alleyway.Then one day he went back and there was the same couple,seated on the same bench. But as he drew near them he was struck by a change. <span style="font-weight: bold;">The man was the same , but the girl was not.</span> What he now saw was a tall and beautiful creature,soft chestnut hair flecked with gold, a forehead of marble, cheeks like rose petals, a pale sensitive skin, an exquisite mouth.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br />....</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">She was no longer a schoolgirl in a plush hat and woollen dress.She acquired taste as well as beauty and now dressed with simple, unpretentious elegance.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br />...</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Marius went by their bench. the girl looked up at him and their eyes met.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">What message was to be read in her eyes? <span style="font-weight: bold;">Marius could not have said. nothing and yet everything. A spark had passed between them.</span></span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />What he had encountered was not the frank innocent gaze of a child.</span>There comes a day when every girl has this look in her eyes, <span style="font-weight: bold;">and woe to him who encounters it!</span> She looked steadily at him with a soft pensive glance that caused him to tremble from head to foot.Marius was in the first violent and entranced throes of a grand passion.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">A single look had done it."</span><br />----------------------------------<br />The beauty of Cosette is best described from this excerpt<br />----------------------------------<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"One day when Cosette was in the garden she heard old Toussaint say:'Has monsieur noticed how pretty Mademoiselle is growing?' She did not hear her father's reply, but Toussiant's words filled her with amazement. She ran up to her bedroom and looked hard at herself in the glass.<br /><br />She uttered a cry,delighted by what she saw.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">She was beautiful as well as pretty.Her figure had filled out, her skin was finer and there was a new splendour in her blue eyes.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br />....</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br />In less than a month she was not merely one of the prettiest women in Paris, which is saying a great deal,but one of the best dressed, which is saying even more."</span><br />----------------------------------<br />I found the following lines pretty amusing and quite true too!!<br />----------------------------------<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Cosette for her part,was giving away nothing.without knowing precisely what was happening to her,she knew that something had happened to her and it must be kept secret.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />There is a law applying to those youthful years of agitation and turmoil, those frantic struggles of first love against first impediments:<span style="font-weight: bold;"> it is that the girl never falls into any trap and the young man falls into all of them."</span></span><br />----------------------------------<br />Compared to the vulgar description of the intimate relationship that most modern writers are ept at, Victor Hugo has handled that scene with a single sentence, but the meanings' conveyed(such are the powers of the contemporary writer!!!)<br />----------------------------------<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"The day after the wedding is one of solitude. We respect the privacy of the newly-weds and perhaps their late arising."</span><br />----------------------------------<br /><br />Les Miserables is a good book to savour and read...<br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Praveen Krishnamoorthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200299564450554720noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9961175.post-25663401657255330792009-05-14T00:27:00.000-07:002009-05-14T03:00:32.543-07:00On a hat-trick run<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiifI-PJpazB31KDWD2oyl-YpHXqs8YdD53foT8-d9NYKhoOSrS2-9Rymzpa-gsjyI5Yl4nfwyXu8bttTqXGDpUN2r3Bi5MdT-D2M9-5sWowKPiNcyb52lMQF7k4ZRpD0C79bgcIg/s1600-h/200px-Rye_catcher.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 143px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiifI-PJpazB31KDWD2oyl-YpHXqs8YdD53foT8-d9NYKhoOSrS2-9Rymzpa-gsjyI5Yl4nfwyXu8bttTqXGDpUN2r3Bi5MdT-D2M9-5sWowKPiNcyb52lMQF7k4ZRpD0C79bgcIg/s200/200px-Rye_catcher.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335616128409419042" border="0" /></a>Wanting to find solace in some classics, after my previous read of Fountainhead, I took up "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D Salinger. I knew I made a big mistake this time.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />The first person narration of Holden Claufield, expressing his teenage angst on anything and everything could get you nothing but headache. The whole story is about the 3-4 days of the so-called-vacation that Holden takes(doing whatever he likes) when he is expelled from school, before packing home. The ways of Holden(a poor role model) and his illogical and flimsy decisions taken throughout, and his disrespect for elders(Including his parents) doesn't resemble anything close to that of an average matured, teenage guys of today. Combining this with all the bad habits(highly deplorable for his age) that Holden has, there is no take away from this book. The first person narrative makes it even more gloomier and depressing.<br /><br />It is no wonder, that it is one of the controversial and most censured books of the 50's to 80's. Somehow this book became popular, though I could not attribute anything to speak of. Anyone in his right sense of mind wouldn't want to find himself synonymous with the despicable character of Holden Claufield.<br /><br />Hats off to my school and college syllabus framers for making me to study Shakespeare, O Henry, Dickens etc and not this book which is still being taught in High schools, esp in English speaking countries!!! Any takers on whether it is going to be a Hat-Trick read of boring books?? This is one feat, that I surely don't want to achieve.<br /></div>Praveen Krishnamoorthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200299564450554720noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9961175.post-20072937763538463522009-05-10T23:12:00.000-07:002009-05-11T03:02:41.789-07:00Learning to Say "No"<div style="text-align: justify;">I am Mr.Nobody to be a critic of Ayn Rand's "The FountainHead", but what follows is just a rant that crossed my mind when I started reading it, which eventually lead me to return back without finishing it.<br /><br />The character of Howard Roark (Protagonist) (the guy who never bends, just for the sake of "what-would-the-society-tell") is obnoxious. In real life, this protagonist would end up only as a failure(From the society's perspective, but in his mind, he would continue to be a winner, what is the use of this puffed up EGO, I don't understand).<br /><br />Next irritating character is Dominique Francon, characterized as an intellectual sure-shot head-turner, who marries almost all the characters in the novel except for Toohey(because he is old??) and Guy Francon(because he is her father, Ayn Rand could have tried that too, that's revolutionary isn't??) just to punish her, because she lives in a society where people doesn't recognize true-raw-creativity(good reason eh?? This shit is much worser than I-came-late-cos-of-cycle-tyre-puncture reason I used to give in school). I don't understand her ideology-crap of marrying Keating, simultaneously having a relationship with Howard Roark and also planning for the downfall of Howard by destroying his reputation. (Psssst!! She eventually marries Howard Roark!!! after divorcing Keating and marrying Gail Wynand and then divorcing... I remember only these people names) Ayn Rand describes Dominique as "the woman for a man like Howard Roark." (Good, that she doesn't describe her as the woman for every Man)<br /><br />As I could not take this **** any longer I gave back the book at the library deciding not to venture out any further, into any of her works. obviously, it is not for ME!!! Now started reading J.D.Salinger's "Catcher in the Rye" which better not dwell along the same lines.<br /><br /></div>Praveen Krishnamoorthyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200299564450554720noreply@blogger.com1