Posts

சீனாவின் Operation முத்து மாலை

Image
தினம் தினம் பத்திரிக்கையை விரித்தால், பாகிஸ்தானில் இருந்து பயங்கரவாதிகள் ஊடுவல், அச்சுறுத்தல், என்று கொட்டை எழுத்துகளில் நெஞ்சை பதைக்க செய்யும் செய்திகள் சரளமாக கிடைக்கும் இந்த நேரத்தில், ஒயிலாக நம் தலைக்கு மேலேயே உட்கார்ந்து கொண்டு காய் நகர்த்தி கொண்டிருக்கும் சீனாவை பற்றிய இந்த துகிரிலிரியும் பதிவை காண நேர்ந்தது. அவற்றில் இருந்து சில கருத்துகள்: “ வளைகுடா நாடுகளில் இருந்து பெருமளவில் எண்ணெயைக் கப்பல் மூலம் கொண்டுசெல்கிறது. இந்தக் கப்பல்களின் பாதுகாப்புக்கு எனக் கூறிக்கொண்டு பாகிஸ்-தானில் கவுடார், வங்கதேசத்தில் சிட்டகாங், மியான்மரில் சிட்வி, இலங்கையில் ஹம்பன்தோடா ஆகிய இடங்களில் துறைமுகங்களை அமைத்துள்ளது சீனா. இந்தத் திட்டத்துக்கு சீனா வைத்துள்ள பெயர், 'முத்து மாலை'. முத்துக்களைக் கோத்தால் முத்துமாலை கிடைப்பது போன்று, இந்தத் துறைமுகங்களை இணைப்பதுதான் சீனாவின் பகீர் பாதுகாப்புத் திட்டம். கண்ணை மூடிக்கொண்டு யோசித்தால், இந்தியாவைச் சுற்றி பாகிஸ்தான், இலங்கை, மியான்மர் ஆகிய நாடுகளில் சீனாவின் இரும்பு வளையம் அமைக்கப்பட்டு-விட் டது. ஒருவிதமான சுழலில் சிக்கி இருக்கிறது இந்தியா....

Cricket meets Terrorism

Image
What we had all feared has finally became a reality. 03/03 was a sad day for Cricket.  We had the misfortune to wake up in the morning and hear the horrific news of visiting Sri Lankan team being attacked by Terrorists in Lahore, Pakistan.  They were on the way to the Ground, where they were expected to continue playing a Test match against Pakistan. As much as I hate to say that, Terrorists attacks in the Sub-continent are not something anew. But, This is the first time a Cricket or a Sports team was targeted by Terrorists.  Proving all claims by Officials that Sports persons are safe from Terrorists, as they are loved by one and all.  The horrific scenes shown on TV screens across networks, brought memories of the hideous Terrorist attack in Mumbai on 11/26 , which lasted a full 3 days of mayhem, and plunged to the whole country in sorrow and anger.  Pakistan cricket is facing a bleak future, with visiting teams certain to boycott tours to the troubled ...

Oscar Rahman & Slumdog Millionaire

Image
After much expectations, and heightened media attractions, Slumdog Millionaire , did end up winning 8 Oscars in 2009 Academy Awards.  Even though, I am still reluctant to call Slumdog as the Indian entry to Oscars, I am happy for the fact that among those who were awarded there were also 3 Indians, in Resul Pookutty , AR Rahman , & Gulzar . I am extremely happy for Music Magician Rahman, that he finally got the accolades with two awards, which he deserved for long.  I don’t rate Jai Ho as one of his best renditions, because there were instances of genius a long time before in Movies like Roja, Dil Se, to the recent one of Jodha Akbar.  So, he was destined for glory, and it seems it has come at a right time, when he is gunning to touch international heights. More than the Songs, Rahman did his marvellous work on the Background score.  Something which he seems to have become mastered just like Song compositions, of late.  The background score during ...

A Wednesday (2008)

Image
It’s long since I got attached to a Hindi Movie, which has moved into a trend where the box-office records directly parallel to the number of star-cast who make up the list.  Bad plot work and cheap imitation of Hollywood style, had made the movie-buff in me to concentrate more on the Hollywood genre.  But, I should say 2008 certainly is a blessing in disguise for the sagging Bollywood industry. Top of the Pick is A Wednesday , a movie which has a strong plot-work (written & directed by Neeraj Pandey), further breathed life by the powerful acting of Naseerudeen Shah , and Anupam Kher .  The story revolves around a Common Man who takes the entire Mumbai city into a hostage crisis with demands, which attributes him as an ally to Terrorism.  But, there is a twist in the storyline at the end of it when the real motive is revealed (even though, it isn’t hard to guess it with the initial scenes of the movie). The character of “Common Man” as portrayed by Naseerud...

Bat… no It’s Obamamobile

Image
Forget Batmobile, we have a new player in the field of techno-gizmo SUV, as the Obamamobile will make its entry soon.  Look at the description (sourced through an email). The Beast: Cadillac One, Barack Obama's new presidential limo And here we are, who still continue to dream for a spacious car which could fit a family.  Financial Injustice. Anyways, Congrats to Obama for becoming the first-ever Black President of United States.  Hopefully, he will fare better than his predecessors.

It’s Game On in Cricket !

Image
If you had briefed my profile, then you would know that I share an another passion towards Sports.  And being an Asian, there are no prizes for guessing that my favourite sport of them all, would obviously be Cricket .  The last few months have been tremendous for Cricket Fans, who are witnessing a sea-side change from the Australian witnessed and tired Dominance over this sport for more than a decade.  Now, with the back-to-back Test Series losses to India away , and South Africa at home, they have been proven human. It will be interesting to see how they respond back to claim their numero-uno position.  They have the depth in their domestic circuit to do that, but the rest of the world is fast catching up with them.  Overall Peter English of Cricinfo summarized the present situation in the best possible way:  “Australia are learning how the rest of the world lived over the past decade” Either you are a Cricket Fan or Not, your best time to fo...

Turbo Boost WMP on Vista

Image
Ever since I bought my laptop bundled with Windows Vista, I had been experiencing a unique media problem unlike those which I have encountered so far.  Windows Media Player which had become a pro-standard for playing media files on Windows, was taking around 10 to 15 seconds for changing tracks or opening media files, the only information provided was 'Media Changing'.  The same version on Windows XP wasn't having this problem. After browsing long on this issue, I came across the following support forum of DELL .  As previously thought, it wasn't any privacy settings or antivirus packs which was causing the slowness, but some newly added features from our friends in Raymond, thinking they were improving the media experience, by adding default Enhancements. The Steps: Start -> Sound -> Speakers/Headphones -> Enhancements -> Disable All Enhancements -> Apply & Ok -> Ok Disabling these enhancements, makes way for Media Player to work the...