THE UNANSWERED CONUNDRUMS

Had been to Ooty recently, was really pumped up to write a lot about the trip, then somehow lost the enthu to write about it. If at all pictures can speak louder than words, then here you go.

http://picasaweb.google.com/neosupreeth/OotyTripFewPics

on the way to ooty

on the way to ooty

at ooty station

pykara

through the tunnels

Rafal Nadal reigns supreme. Fedex -> Fed ex champ.

R Federer vs Rafal Nadal 4-6 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (10-8 ) 7-9

WIMBLEDON 2008

It was sheer power and months of effort and practice which put Rafal on top, Fedex wasn’t able to push the game to the next level, he just seems too tired to push it a step front. The wind, weather played a spoil sport,

Not taking it to the next level

it added the much unwanted Bollywood suspense to the match. The wind was one of the factors which tested these two great players on court. It was a war, a war for honor and pride. Fedex would have been the only person to get six consecutive titles if he had won it. Rafal has his first Wimbledon. Frankly, Roger should have seen it coming, Rafal pushed the limits the last time they met at Wimbledon. Rafal defeated Roger earlier this year, that sent clear loud warning messages to Roger that Rafal was coming and he isn’t taking home last year’s result. Roger just gave up in going to the next level, he had lost form, lost his cool, could see him shouting and not be his usual self. Most of his back hand ended up in the nets most of the times, his lost accuracy and too many unforced errors ended up making most of Fed fans disappointed.

Rafal was charging right from start, he could have possibly went on to a 3-0 set lead from 2-0 if it was not for Fedex’s spark of brilliance and flashes of his supremacy at moments when it mattered most. From 3-0 in the second set he marches to 4-6 sending a shiver down Fedex’s spine and stunning the spectators. No one has seen Roger rattled and in search of his form.

“Nadal really is the only guy that can stay in these rallies with Federer and then turn defence into attack.” - Tim Henman in the BBC commentary box.

Twisted knee

Rafal did send some fright when he twisted his knee in the third set, but he was back bouncing as he always is. The rain gods sent their tears down when the match was 5-4 in favor of Fed. Once the covers were out, I was a bit apprehensive that Roger may have got an advantage with that break. He was losing his cool and he felt lost. The rain must have helped him slightly. It went on to a tie break, if there was anything which Fed could be glad about it should be his aces, the third set belonged to Fed. The champ was not giving up, will we see a twist in the tale? I very much wanted Rafa to win.

You could have very well written off Roger after the second set, but the champ would not go. He just would not. The fourth set went into a tie break once again and it was Roger’s aces which saved him, Fed won the tie break 10-8. He wasn’t leaving, not just yet. Not smooth sailing for Rafal. This was one history in the making.

Flashes of brilliance

The third set was no lesser with entertainment and pressure, it went down to 7-7. With lots of Fed backhand shots kissing the nets, Rafa successfully broke Federer’s serve when it mattered most. It was Rafa serving for the championship, Nadal serving for the championship, an ace would see the trophy in Rafa’s hands. An ace it was not, Roger returns the serve and meets with the same luck, the nets, but this time it was his forehand.

MY 2007 WIMBLEDON POST IS HERE.

WITH THE CUP

725 word review.

Directed by K. S. Ravikumar
Produced by Venu Ravichandran
Written by Kamal Haasan, Sujatha, Crazy Mohan
Starring Kamal Haasan, Asin Thottumkal, Mallika Sherawat, Jayaprada, Napolean
Music by Himesh Reshammiya, Devi Sri Prasad
Cinematography Ravi Varman
Editing by Ashmith Kunder
Run time - 166 MINUTES

–

Story - 3/5 (SIMPLE AND BELIEVABLE)
Screenplay - 4/5
Cinematography - 2.5/5 (HATED TOO MANY CAMERA MOVEMENTS, TOO MANY ZOOM INS AND ZOOM OUTS)
Dialogs - 3/5 (WOULD HAVE GIVEN 2.5, BUT FOR GOOD MIX OF HUMOR AT SEVERAL INSTANCES, WOULD GIVE IT A 3)
Avathaarams - 3.5/5 (7 of the 10 were amazing)
Graphics - 3.5/5 (If I have to rate it as per Indian Standards, I would give it a 5/5)

WATCH FOR -

1. Graphics (a few places at the start and ending had glitches, the rest of the places, you won’t know that graphics were used)
2. The scaling of two characters were simply brilliant, its not easy to move objects around and let people talk to an imaginary (semi imaginary or however they did it) person with a height of 8 feet or 5 feet, the scaling has been done appropriately to the surroundings. Though I doubt whether both the characters had the same height throughout the movie.
3. The makeup (7 of the 10 were brilliant)
4. Simple but believable story (simple and believable if you have watched a few Hollywood movies and know a very few scientific theories. Those who believe in religion, god and have no idea on the things mentioned above would also be satisfied. Those who have no idea about Hollywood movies, science,  chaos theory and are against it, i would like to hear more from you, as i love to read the innocent look and perplexed anger on your faces). The Tsunami’s relation to science, to God and even in the eyes of an atheist satisfies you. How could one think of such a complex integration?
5. Fast paced story, wonderful comedy timing.
6. The tsunami scene. (Not about the splashing waves, the way he shows the preliminary signs of tsunami’s arrival, the birds flying and the boat moving outwards during the fighting. And even when tsunami strikes, it is the Japanese who shouts, very well thought.
7. The simple integration of 12th century incidents, biological developments, tsunami, religion.
8. Bush-isms. (Bone tickler)

THE GIVE UPS -

1. The very less time for each character to develop, sometimes its gives you a feeling that they suddenly take up presence on the screen and run the show. (but if he had let the characters develop, the movie would be more than 4 hours long).
2. A more visible dark thick line could have been drawn at the end to differentiate the movie ending and the end titles. I ended up halting after crashing into the pit stop.
3. Voice modulation was not that good enough, bush loses his accent after a few minutes. And the voice was similar to a few characters.
4. I could neither understand Japanese or read the Tamil subtitles, i felt like a food packet dropped in no man’s land.
5. Himesh could have let his servant do the music except for the Mukunda and the 12th century song.
6. The new york city bush scene, a footage copied pasted, Karunanidhi’s unnecessary presence.

With respect to his views on religion and god, it is a perplex situation as the movie has been shown in a such a way that a theist, an atheist and a believer of science, all three would be satisfied. A person who is flexible with respect to god, religion, he would go home thinking a lot of the movie, though a simple movie and not much to think about, one would be drowned in the efforts to find the loop holes in Kamal’s integrated story of religion, beliefs, atheism and scientology. Though Kamal’s view on atheism is present in the movie like a strong scent, one can’t point that his views are more evident. One would feel so, as its Kamal himself talking about it, whereas the other aspects, its the story and the screen play which conveys the message of religion, belief.

I wonder why the movie got a mixed review, I don’t understand why people hesitate in swallowing a pill which is a bit advanced. Kamal is known for putting audience in a bit of discomfort with respect to the story in his movies. Aalavandhan for example, couldn’t be digested back then, Hey Ram also met with a similar fate.

On the whole, if this movie doesn’t hit you with its brilliance, Kamal and his unit’s efforts, you better stick on to the local Dandanakka, hey Dadakkunaka or super stylish bubble gum popping but no essence movies.

The four holy years -

1. Teacher pattafying comes naturally ! For me, it was all about college home and this boredom started taking effect on me. In the process of attending college, all I did learn was how to maintain attendance well above 99% ! I know friends who have less than 30% and still manage to top the exams. Attending classes ≠ Marks scored (classes are useless, they help very less in understanding the subject, all you freshers, learn from my mistakes!).
2. Friends who have helped me in reducing my mood swings and helping me to get the “whatever” attitude into me.
3. Realization of life beyond college during college life and I am not talking about little shop or snacks point ! (disclaimer - I have never been to the little shop)
4. Friends and foes in disguise. Engineering may or may not have taught me the subjects relevant to what the industry has, but it has given me a vision with the different types of people I ll be working with in the future.
5. I was very emotional, damn sensitive. Thanks to my friend group (we call ourselves the othlas), I have now become less sensitive to words being hurled, less emotional and very much sensible. I felt a small segment of Ayn Rand’s objective theory in each of them.
6. Make decisions as if you have no emotional connection to them. < makes a lot of sense in variety of ways.
7. Gossips (I hate), crushes . I have been in it all the time. I remember a good friend of mine who used to hit on the Kannada teacher (first year)! Crushes had no count, I was in it all the time. Though it turned out to be sad as everyone I had a crush on, had a guy.
8. At start, I hated girls in my college, I hated them for every reason I could find. Attire, too many boyfriends, no sense and value for money, dad’s money! First two years were just pissing me off. Then came some maturity, wasn’t pained by the things happening around me, thought more about myself and it does take time for such things to sink into your head. The process is still not over. Selfishness has a virtue and being blind to things happening in this world helps in keeping yourself healthy, wealthy and fine !
9. Draw a thick line between you and your best friend. I realized that very late, no matter how close your friend is to you, he will want you to keep out of a few things. At start I did get offended but then to think of it, I too hate people knowing too many things about me. The best solution I found was to give them a gossip about myself to discuss about and they would break their head over something which isn’t related to me at all. I loved the attention and the gossiping about me, which I never bothered about though I pretended to be worried about it, and it was fun doing so.
10. Talk less! I ended up messing up with a lot of things talking too much. Silence and active listening is far better than to talk whatever you think!
11. Never be influenced by others, do the things you want to. You hold yourself back for some reason, you will see yourself left far behind. I am still caught with a few people and still struggle to come out of the spider’s web, hopefully will be marching forward at full speed from now.

Last day of the possibility of meeting friends is now gone, a few depressed, a few relieved. I am caught in no man’s land. A slight feeling of sadness of losing a few good people and absolutely no regrets of leaving a few whom I hope I never see in my life.

Traveling back in time, the things I would change or do.

1. Taken internals more seriously.
2. Taken part in various extra curricular things, especially badminton.
3. Taken a lot of holidays and gone on various trips (alone).
4. Would have not attended more than the required 85%.
5. A Bike instead of the zing I have.
6. Would have given more thought about programming.
7. I have a few friends lesser than…, hmm, say 500. Having too many friends is a pain at the same time, I feel I could have made more friends. So really cannot decide on what to do with the social networking aspect.
8. Improve my memory related to remembering names of people I have met. (special dedication to Rangaram, sorry, I think he was Gangaram, eh, no, I guess it was Rajaram. Still does not sound right, I think he was …. Raghuram… oof. Yeah, thats the name.)
9. The list is endless, including choosing a different college and to think of it I shifted from EWIT to MSRIT.
10. When forming a team, take a step back, analyze whether you are taking a friend as a team mate or a worthy capable of being a team player as team mate. It matters a lot.

Its here and its making news. You got to experience it to believe it. After 8 alpha ,5beta and 3 candidate releases, the full version is finally out. Its faster, better and eats lesser. Who says updated versions aren’t for slower comps. Open Source rocks !! And just for fun, get yourself a certificate. You can download firefox 3 here. If you want to flaunt it like the way I have, click here.