MKS - Windows Unix Interoperability

Recently installed a Windows-unix interoperability tool called MKS.
Details : http://www.mkssoftware.com/products/tk/ds_tkdev.asp

Really cool product. Now all unix commands are functional on the Windows command prompt. It is very helpful cos' it eliminated the need to change long unix scripts for running on windows.

Ooty Trip

Recently I had been Ooty during my trip to India. I was visiting Ooty after 6 years. The last time I had visited Ooty was after my board exams , actually just before my XII board results were about to come. I recollect being quite anxious and me and my parents were constantly checking the news, newspapers etc. for any updates on when the XII CBSE results were coming. But anyhow it was a really memorable trip due to two main reasons. The first one being: I got to see the India vs. Sri Lanka one day match there, where India made a whopping 376 and Ganguly made 176 (I think his career highest in ODIs) .The other was that we watched this awesome Super Duper Rajnikanth starrer movie "Padayappa" and it was total entertainment.

The recent trip to Ooty too was great as we went as a full family escaping the scorching Chennai heat. It is really nice to go back to places you have been before as it really brings back nice memories!!

Great Songs

Just listening to the song "Thai Sollum Uravai vaithe Ulagam Sondham" - an awesome song from the movie Kana Kanden. Really touching. Vidyasagar's music has been really top class in the past few years. Another song from the same movie "Moolai Thirugum (Kaalai Arumbi)" too is great.

The following songs have been my personal favorites in this year:

1. Mora Saiyaan (Fuzon) from the Hyderabad Blues II movie
2. Tere Bina Hyderabad Blues II
3. Kalayil Dinamum Kan Vizhithen from the movie NEW
4. En Aasai Mythiliye - Manmathan

and lately
Kana Kanden Songs.

It is great there is so much good music to fill up the void in my life!!

LAST DAY IN LAB!!

This is probably my last day (night infact) in the lab and I will be formally kicked out of here from tommorow. It has been an awesome and memorable stay in this less than 20 square feet of space and I am sure to miss the fun and freedom I got here.

Bye Bye Lab :(
Bye Bye SMA :(
But I have to move on!! :)

A Year in Singapore!!

One the June 24th I exactly completed a year of stay in Singapore. I arrived by the Indian Airlines flight on the same day last year, unsure of my future and what I wanted to do. This one year has been an awesome experience in terms of learning, international exposure and most important of all managing independently in any situation. On a divergent note, I am closer to home than I actually was before you know!! During college it used to take almost 2 days to reach home. When in Bangalore it used to take 5 hours. I am thankful that it just takes under 4 hours to reach Chennai from here. All my journeys back home have been eventful till now. The first time I went home they screened an awesome Trisha-Vijay Starrer Gilli Tamil movie on an International flight and to give company to this was "Avial- Vengaya(Onion) Sambar and Papad". The second time I travelled I got upgraded to Business class. It is another six months before I can think of going home again. Anyways the bottom line is though it has been a hectic stay here in Singapore and I kinda miss home, I have enjoyed and benefitted from the experience and stay here in Singapore and I am quite thankful for it!!

SATHI

Read a nice article from The Acorn blog. Nice name SATHI (Situationl awareness and Tactical Handheld information) for the Simputer that is planned for use by the Indian Army. The Simputer is a handheld device indigenously developed at the IISc (Indian Institute of Science Bangalore) and is quite cheap and affordable (~9000 Rs). It is great to hear that they are putting this to good use. I sincerely hope that the Simputer becomes a great success both in the national and international markets. Currently hell a lot of application development is happening for handhelds and mobile devices and I think that application development for Simputer too should be promoted for it to be a great success. Check out the product at http://www.simputer.org/simputer/. Look at the Aishwarya Rai background on the screen. Wow man nowadays she is on every damn product.

An Evening by the Beach

Every Chennai'ite (Madrasi) loves a visit to the beach. Exactly around six months back the deadly Tsunami struck and everyone dreaded a visit to the beach. Now when I visited the Marina beach though I could see minor marks of the devastation, things are pretty much back to normal. I have tried to capture the awesome scene that the beach offers in this post.

Bay of Bengal



Alaipayuthe!



Dont Remind the T****mi word!



Writings on the Sand



Shore Machaye Shor



The Foamy Sea



The Heavenly Sky


The Sand Beneath the Feet



Mollagai Bajji (Mirchi Pakora) - The Very Purpose of a Beach Visit

Mera Ghar - En Veedu - Mein Haus - My House

Whenever you buy any new gadget or an appliance there is something called a honey moon period associated with it. During this time you are in constant love with your gadget and keep trying out things with it. Recently I bought a new digi cam and have been clicking hell a lot of photos since then. In this photo blog I include some of the snaps I took of my house. The good news is that we are still getting Mangoes (recognizable in the photo) inspite of the poor care and water scarcity.

My Home

The Entrance

Abetting Crime

Today was my first direct experience of abetting crime. I was over enthusiastic of going to a movie today and went out in the scorching hot Chennai sun to watch”Bunty Aur Babli”. To my greatest disappointment the theatre was house full and we dint get any tickets. So we went to another theatre to watch a Tam movie called “Arinthum Ariyamalum”. There too there were no tickets available for any of the shows. All of us were quite sick of the Sunday crowd and the sweltering heat. Then in one corner of the road I noticed a boy throwing furtive glances and showing gestures at the crowd. I went near him and he told me “irubadu ambadu” (bees ka pachas or 20 at 50). Then I realized that he was selling black tickets for the same movie show that we wanted to go. In my sub-conscious I felt a bit guilty to buy the tickets and be a part of the black ticket crime racket. But on the other hand I was already tired and desperate to watch the movie. Finally the desire to watch the movie dominated over my pang of guilt and we ended up watching the movie. The movie was awesome. Songs were great, Prakash Raj’s and the other 2 guys’ acting was great. The heroine dint act so well, though she looked cute (a cross between Meera Jasmine and Sonali Bendre).

Trip to Home

This is the first time I am blogging from an airport. Currently I am at the Changi International Airport on my way to my home town "Chennai". Awesome the word "Home" sounds so great. It has been six long months now. There is another reason that made this trip memorable. I got upgraded to Business Class, thanks to that extra bit of concern shown and the smile to the lady at the Check in counter. Believe me the Jadoo Ki Jhappi Technique from Munnabhai (Kattipudi Vayithiyam from Vasool Raja) works really well in most cases. Just show some concern and interest in what others have to say and it works wonders. Anyways I have ten minutes before the scheduled flight take off. Let me sign off here. I have got loads of blogging to do but this is not the just the time.

Cya

One Year Of SMA at a glance

June
Arrival to Singapore

July
Courses Begin

August
The much awaited trip to MIT
Really cool accomodation at Holiday Inn
A great feeling to be at MIT!!
Awesome fun at New York and Niagra falls

September
End of Sem 1
The Movie Marathons in the break
Sem 2 Begins

October
Compilers Compilers everywhere

November



December
Pervasive Computing project - awesome experience with different technologies
Begin Master's Industrial attachment at CrimsonLogic
Whew what a relief at last; sem over and a short trip home

January
Crimson Logic begins :(

February

Sem 3 begins

What a Beautiful Sunday!!

It has been an awesome sunday today. It rained quite well in the morning and as a result the evening is so nice, cool and pleasant. Saw a classic movie of Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan - "Sleepless in Seattle", a nice and dreamy movie. The perfect movie to watch on such a day! Just now as I walked across the NUS play grounds, the whole place looked so green, and I whiffed the fresh air with the scent of the wet sand and I just could not stop humming this lovely song by Daniel Boone called "Beautiful Sunday ". This song holds quite a special place in my heart because often my mom and dad used to sing this song in duet with great enthusiasm, and it used to sound really good, and always brings back happy memories. Below are the lyrics of this song:

The Link to hear the tune:
http://users.cis.net/sammy/sunday.htm

Beautiful Sunday

( Daniel Boone )

Sunday morning, up with the lark
I think I'll take a walk in the park
Hey, hey, hey, it's a beautiful day
I've got someone waiting for me
And when I see her I know that she'll say
Hey, hey, hey, what a beautiful day

Hi, hi, hi, beautiful Sunday
This is my, my, my, beautiful day
When you said, said, said, said that you loved me
Oh my, my, my, it's a beautiful day

Birds are singing, you by my side
Lets take a car and go for a ride
Hey, hey, hey, it's a beautiful day
We'll drive on and follow the sun
Making Sunday go on and on
Hey, hey, hey, it's a beautiful day

Hi, hi, hi, beautiful Sunday
This is my, my, my, beautiful day
When you said, said, said, said that you loved me
Oh my, my, my, it's a beautiful day

Hi, hi, hi, beautiful Sunday
This is my, my, my, beautiful day
When you said, said, said, said that you loved me
Oh my, my, my, it's a beautiful day

Hi, hi, hi, beautiful Sunday
This is my, my, my, beautiful day
When you said, said, said, said that you loved me
Oh my, my, my, it's a beautiful day

I Wanna go Home!!

Recently I heard this song of Michael Buble called "Home". It is a slow and very touching song and yesterday I watched the video of this in MTV. Quite impressive! They have captured well, the feelings of a lonely guy who badly wants to return home to his love! What follows is the lyrics of this song:

Home (Michael Buble)

Another summer day
Is come and gone away
In Paris and Rome
But I wanna go home
Mmmmmmmm

Maybe surrounded by
A million people I
Still feel all alone
I just wanna go home
Oh I miss you, you know

And I've been keeping all the letters that I wrote to you
Each one a line or two
"I'm fine baby, how are you?"
Well I would send them but I know that it's just not enough
My words were cold and flat
And you deserve more than that

Another aerorplane
Another sunny place
I'm lucky I know
But I wanna go home
Mmmm, I've got to go home

Let me go home
I'm just too far from where you are
I wanna come home

And I feel just like I'm living someone else's life
It's like I just stepped outside
When everything was going right
And I know just why you could not
Come along with me
But this was not your dream
But you always believe in me

Another winter day has come
And gone away
And even Paris and Rome
And I wanna go home
Let me go home

And I'm surrounded by
A million people I
Still feel alone
Oh, let go home
Oh, I miss you, you know

Let me go home
I've had my run
Baby, I'm done
I gotta go home
Let me go home
It will all right
I'll be home tonight
I'm coming back home

Yet Another Poem!!!

My Blog is turning out to be a collection of poems nowadays. But what the hell, it is my wish and I can put whatever I want!!! The poem that follows is a lovely work by William Wordsworth. This remains fresh in my heart because this is one of my Dad's favourite poems. In my childhood days he used to recite this to me often, hoping that I could recite it back to him with the same fervor and passion. Though I have not managed to do that, the least I can do is put this poem in my blog as my personal collection, for all to read and enjoy. So here it goes:

The Solitary Reaper

Behold her, single in the field,
Yon solitary Highland Lass!
Reaping and singing by herself;
Stop here, or gently pass!
Alone she cuts and binds the grain,
And sings a melancholy strain;
O listen! for the Vale profound
Is overflowing with the sound.

No Nightingale did ever chaunt
More welcome notes to weary bands
Of travellers in some shady haunt,
Among Arabian sands:
A voice so thrilling ne'er was heard
In spring-time from the Cuckoo-bird,
Breaking the silence of the seas
Among the farthest Hebrides.

Will no one tell me what she sings?--
Perhaps the plaintive numbers flow
For old, unhappy, far-off things,
And battles long ago:
Or is it some more humble lay,
Familiar matter of to-day?
Some natural sorrow, loss, or pain,
That has been, and may be again?

Whate'er the theme, the Maiden sang
As if her song could have no ending;
I saw her singing at her work,
And o'er the sickle bending;--
I listened, motionless and still;
And, as I mounted up the hill
The music in my heart I bore,
Long after it was heard no more.

 -- William Wordsworth

Two Gems Added to my collection!!!

The following two poems are among the best poems ever I have read so far. Both these poems somehow relate to the situation and plight I am currently in now!!

LEISURE by W. H. Davies

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare?

No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.


Poem By Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Alexander The Great

Yesterday I heard about the Alexander Great on the radio. Born to King Philip of Macedonia Greece, at one point of time he conquered and controlled almost half the world.

There was a small story in the narration that touched me. This was a time when King Philip (Alexander's father) was away fighting a battle. During this period, in his capital a trial was held for executing certain prisoners. Alexander was a seven year old boy then and he too had the privelege of attending the trial as the Prince of the State. The judge had sentenced the prisoners to death. Alexander who was witnessing the trial, asked permission to speak at the trial, and he being the prince got an opportunity. Alexander's argument was that Life was too precious to be wasted and sacrificed without any cause and if it has to be sacrificed it should only be for the cause of the Nation or the State. He also requested the Judge to send these prisoners as soldiers to assist his father in the war. The Judge realized the wisdom in the words of the small boy and immediately released them and ordered them to join King Philip in the war.

MESSAGES IN TAMIL SONG LYRICS

Vaazhkai Or Porkalam
Life is a never ending battle
Vaazhndhu dhan paarkanum
One has to live through it
Porkalam Maaralam
The battlefields may change
Porgal dhan maarumaa!
But battles seldom change"

The above is a excerpt from a tamil movie called Vedan. Though this verse had really impressed me when I had watched the movie, I had never thought about the inner implications or the underlying message of this verse. I just contemplated on it yesterday somehow and I realised that its underlying message was very deep rooted.

From my understanding what I can infer is that, no one can escape and run away from life which is a never ending struggle. Even if one tries to escape this struggle by moving to other places or by changing things or by any other means, it is just that the battlefield has changed but the struggle still remains the same and cannot be escaped. Only thing is that the struggle might be of a very different form.

One can easily identify the pessimistic note of the above verse. Yesterday I noticed a similar kind of message in another movie song lyrics called "Autograph" which viewed life in a much more optimistic way.

This song goes as follows:

Ovvoru pookalume solgiradhe
Every flower seems to tell that
Vaazvendral Poraadum Porkalame,
Life is a never ending struggle in a battlefield
Nambikkai enbadhu vendum un vaazhvile
you should have confidence in you, to win this struggle
Lakshiyam nichchayam vellum or naalile
You will surely attain your goal/ambition someday
Maname oh Maname nee maarividu
Heart Oh Heart please change a bit
Mazhaiyo adhu Puyalo adhai thaandi vidi
Rain or storm overcome them


Hey come on! We should give Tamil lyric writers credit for writing such inspirational verse. But it is quite rare nowadays to see such good verse. Most of the lyrics are quite arbit and seem to address some silly questions like the one below:

Let me give a build-up to the situation. The hero is in total distress and he has one question in mind that is eating his head out. So not able to withstand the stress he finally asks the heroine:

"Kalyanam dhan kattikittu odi polamaa?
Let us marry and then run away ?
Odi Poyi kalyanam dhan kattikalama?
or Let us run away and then marry!"

But it turns out that the herione too had another very important question in mind and she replies by asking:

Thaaliya than kattikittu pethukalama?
Should we marry and then have kids OR
Illa pulla kutti pethukittu kattikalama?
Can we have kids and then marry?

The above song is a perfect example that wonderfully exemplifies the ethical or social dichotomy that exists in our current socities.

There could be only three kinds of reactions to the question in the above song
1.OK
2.CAN/CANNOT??
3.OKNOT

(Singapore style already lah!).

The OK category will fall into the ultra modern/western thinker category, the OK_NOT will fall into the traditional conservative category and the CAN/CANNOT?? will fall into the confused people category like me.

I think "CAN" can be CAN cos' as long as a marriage is guaranteed this ensures the ethical closure of the system. I also feel that "CANNOT" is justified as it is the safest, risk free and legally and ethically approved.

Thus ends my venture into the critique and analysis of Tamil Movie Songs Lyric.

PRESSURE = WORK / TIME

The amount of pressure and tension that mounts within a person is directly proportional to the amount of work that has to completed within a specified time and inversely proportional to the time itself. I am sure that people who have been through project deadline situations, and time bound schedules would be in full agreement with the above formula! But now that I have been such time bound routines over and over again, the pressure no longer gets to my head. Infact I have started enjoying the pressure situations and like the challenge of performing under pressure.

A WALK ACROSS THE CHARLES RIVER

I was once a real lover of Nature. Whenever I used to walk by a beautiful tree in College, I used to stop by, spare sometime, enjoy the tree's foliage, the chriping parrots and sparrows and the mild breeze. But due to work pressure and time limitations I had to curb these passtimes of mine. Today being my last day in the States I just took some time off my work and took a walk by the side of Charles River Boston. What a beautiful sight the river offers! It really makes you forget all the worries and eases your mind a lot. Across the river one can see the Skyline of Boston with its tall buildings and sky scrapers like Prudential etc.. Watching the train and other vehicles crossing the bridge is really a pretty sight.Various sail boats and motor boats dot the broad river and you can see people jogging on either side of the river. The side on which I was standing was the Cambridge Town where MIT is located. The Killian court of MIT which is where the famous MIT dome is located is also one enjoyable sight.

ROUTED ACROSS THE WORLD

It has been quite a while isnt it! I am glad that I am blogging again after such a long time. It has been two months since I have blogged. Time just flies you know.How much I have travelled since then!
My first hop was from Bangalore to Chennai and I remained temporarily stored at my home for a week or so. Then I was routed to Singapore. I spent about a month among the Computing clusters of NUS School of computing. Then I was again forwarded to Boston to the MIT Athena clusters. Now I am being prepared to be reforwarded to Singapore again, which will hopefully be my permanent destination for sometime.