Archive for April, 2006

SUN BLOGS

Saturday, April 29th, 2006

உடன்பிறப்பே,
நானும் தினமும் கடிதம் எழுதிக்கொண்டிருக்கிறேன். நான் எழுதுவதெல்லாம் நீங்கள் படிக்கிறீர்களா இல்லை “அட இந்த ஆளுக்கு வேற வேலை இல்லை” என்று விட்டு விட்டுவிடுகிறீர்களா தெரியவில்லை.

இந்த மாணவக் கண்மணிகள் BLOGGER ல் செய்யும் ரவுசு நாளுக்கு நாள் தாங்கவில்லை.

vatsan, srihari, krishnan போன்ற அழகான பெயர்களை வைத்துகொண்டு BLOG ஆரம்பிப்பார்கள். பின்னர் இந்த பாழாய் போன Branding ஆசை வந்துவிடும்.

“அடப்பாவி, அடங்கொய்யா, மொள்ளமாறி, சோமாறி, பேமானி, கயிதை, பொறம்போக்கு” இப்படி சென்னை Slang இல் என்னவெல்லாம் சொல்லித் திட்டுவொமோ அதில் எல்லாம் கணக்கு ஆரம்பித்து விடுகிறார்கள். இதில் இந்த URLல் இருந்து புதிய URL செல்ல Redirect script வேறு.

நான் யாரையும் குறிப்பிட்டு சொல்லவில்லை என்று சொல்லிக்கொள்கிறேன்.

சமீபத்தில் எனது பேரன்களில் ஒருவர் ‘இந்தப் பெயர் நமக்குப் பொருத்தமாக இருக்கிறதே!!’ என்று BLOGGER ல் வலைமணை திறக்க முயற்ச்சிக்க,அது முடியாமல் போனது அறிந்து துக்கப்பட்டேன், துன்பப்பட்டேன், வேதனைப்பட்டேன்.

தேவைக்கும் அதிகமாக BLOG ACCOUNT வைத்துக்கொள்வது அத்துமீறல்.
இது cyberasquatting மற்றும் blogsquatting.

இவர்கள் மேல் ‘வருமானதிற்கு அதிகமாக BLOG ACCOUNT சேர்த்தாக’ வழக்கு போட வேண்டும்.

இதற்கு அந்த அம்மையாரின் சதியே காரணம்.

கழகம் ஆட்சிக்கு வந்தால், எனது பேரன்கள் தலைமையில், இந்தியா முழுதும், அனைவரும் பயன் பெரும் வகையில் SUN BLOGs ஆரம்பிக்கபடும் என்பதை மகிழ்ச்சியோடு தெரிவித்துகொள்கிறேன்..

Kashmirல் இருந்து கன்னியகுமரி வரை அனைவரும் ஓரு ரூபாயில் (repeats) ஓரெ ருபாயில் BLOG ACCOUNT திறக்க வசதி செய்து தரப்படும் என்று மகிழ்ச்சியோடு தெரிவித்துகொள்கிறேன்.

“மேலும் ஏழைகளுக்கு….”

மூத்த பேரன் TO இளைய பேரன்..

“டேய், இவரு உடனே ஏழைகளுக்கு free அது இது என்று ஆரம்பிச்சுடுவாரு.. யாரா இருந்தலும் 1 Rs. கொடுக்கணும். இல்லேன்னா our revenues will get affected, no? போய் உடனே அவரு Mike ஐ off பண்ணு.”

இளைய பேரன் asks தாத்தா to sit down.

“இத்துடன் எனது இந்த உரையை முடித்துகொள்கிறேன்”

Readers, now you realize that all this bcos of blogsquatting by some over indulging students of singapore?
This has prompted the grandsons to enter blogosphere and start their business cum political prachaaram in blogs.
Sigh!!!

————————————————————————–

tanglish version

udanpirappey,

naanum dhinamum kadidham ezhudhikkondu irukkiren. naan ezhudhuvadhellaam neengal padikkirirgaLaa illai “ada indha aaLukku veRa velai illai” enru vittu vidduvidukiReergaLaa. theriyavillai.

indha maanavakkanmanigaL BLOGGER il seyyum ravusu naaLukku naaL thaangavillai.

vatsan, srihari, harikrishnan pondRa azhagaana peyargalai vaiththukondu blog aarambippaargaL. pinnar indha paazhai pona Branding aasai vandhuvidum.

“adappaavi, adangkoyyaa, moLLamaaRi, soomaaRi, beemaani, kayidhai, poRambookku” ippadi chennai slang il ennavellaam solli ththittuvomoo adhil ellaam kanakku aarambiththu vidugiRaarkaL. idhil indha URL irundhu pudhiya URl sella redirect script veru.

naan yaaraiyum kuRippittu sollavillai enRu sollikkoLgiReen.

samibaththil enadhu perangaLil oruvar ‘indhap peyar namakkup poruththamaaga irukkiRadhey!!’ enRu idhil valaimaNai(blog) thirakka muyarchchikka, mudiyaamal ponadhu arindhu thukkappatten, thunbappatten, veedhanaippatten.

thevaikum adhigamaaga BLOG ACCOUNT vaithukolvadhu athumeeral.
idhu cebersquatting.
ivargal mel varumanathirku adhigamaaga BLOG account serthathaaga vazhakku poda vendum

idharku andha ammaiyaarin sadhiyey kaaraNam.

kazhagam aatchikku vandhaal, enadhu perangaL thalaimaiyil, indhiyaa muzhudhum, anaivarum payan perum vagaiyil SUN BLOGs aarambikkapadum enbadhai sollikkoLgiReen.

Kashmir il irundhu kanniyakumari varai anaivarum Oru rupaayil(repeats) Ore rupaayil blog account open panna vasadhi seydhu tharappadum enRu magizhchchiyodu theriviththukoLgiReen.

“meelum ezhaigaLukku….”

muuththa peran to iLaiya peran..

“dey, ivaru udaney ezhaigaLukku free adhu idhu nu aarambichchuduvaaru.. yaaraa irundhalum 1 Rs. kodukkaNum . illenna our revenues will get affected, no? pooy udanee avaru mike ai off paNNu.”

iLaiya peeran asks thatha to sit down.

“ithudan enadhu indha uraiyai mudiththukoLgiReen”

Readers, now you realize that all this bcos of bloggersquating by some over indulging students of singapore?
This has prompted the grandsons to enter blogosphere and start their business cum political prachaaram in blogs.
Sigh!!!

Oru mirattal

Friday, April 28th, 2006

There was a power failure in our area this evening. Did not quite know what to do. So took out my camera to shoot some random object. Amma had lighted an agal vilakku so decided to use that light source. The only trouble was finding someone to shoot.
I would’ve loved to shoot my girlfriend in that tungsten light. The only small problem was that i dont have a girlfriend as yet:)

So as “Ezhaiku thagundha yeullurundai” or whatever the saying goes, decided to shoot by mom’s old roughed up bifocal spectacles and her only companian when i am not around, zandu balm bottle :D

Rombo naalaiku aprom cameravai eduthiruken, mariyadhaiya 5 comments pottudunga. adukku aprom dhaan adutha post podaradha plan :D

பக்தியுள்ள பிள்ளை…

Thursday, April 27th, 2006


பக்தியுள்ள பிள்ளை பிழைத்துக்கொள்ளும்

whatever!!!

via tringtring

Reservations, Sharath Kumar etc

Wednesday, April 26th, 2006

Got this as a mail fwd from my friend Sathish Kumar:)

..”I think we should have job reservations in all the fields. I completely
support the PM and all the politicians for promoting this. Let’s start
the reservation with our cricket team. We should have 10 percent
reservation for muslims. 30 percent for OBC, SC/ST like that. Cricket
rules should be modified accordingly. The boundary circle should be
reduced for an SC/ST player. The four hit by an OBC player should be
considered as a six and a six hit by a OBC player should be counted as 8
runs. An OBC player scoring 60 runs should be declared as a century.

We should influence ICC and make rules so that the pace bowlers like
Shoaib Akhtar should not bowl fast balls to our OBC player. Bowlers
should bowl maximum speed of 80 kilometer per hour to an OBC player. Any
delivery above this speed should be made illegal.

Also we should have reservation in Olympics. In the 100 meters race, an
OBC player should be given a gold medal if he runs 80 meters”

—————-XXXX————–

How many of you guys watch programmes like “Comedy Time”?
If not, please watch Sharath Kumar’s interview in Jaya TV sometime. It was hilarious. It’s staggering to know his “reasonable” expectations.
For example he expects Dayanidhi Maran, Kalanidhi Maran and co, to inform him and ask his opinion when they decided to buy “Dinakaran”. Why? Because was associated with that newspaper in his earlier days :)
Going by his logic if some MNC comes and acquires any of my previous employers .. maybe they should send out a notice to all the present and previous employees of the to-be acquired company stating their intention to acquire!!! Let me stop here before it turns to something unbelievably bizzare…

Those who had watched his programme would know and realize the number of times he referred to his community… “En samoogam.. en nadar samoogam” was his oft used refrain. To my knowledge nobody has raised any objections to this. Fine. But just imagine what would’ve happened if the same was uttered by some brahmin community guy or for that matter any numerically small, politically powerless community person. The tamil blogosphere would have gone mourning for weeks. He would be branded as “jaadhi veriyan” and other such unprintable words would be thrown all around.

It’s not as if Sharath movies are watched only by members of his community. He is a film star and that’s his sole USP. And his films are being watched by all and sundry. If that’s the case where is the need to claim as if he is representing the people of his community in a public forum like television?

This does not mean I am a brahmin by birth nor do I support some arcane brahmin elitist notions some people have. We’ve seen enough junks like that.

It just goes to show that any community, which has been at the receiving end for thousands of years, when it attains a threshold of growth and gains an upper hand economically and consequently socially, perpetrates all biases and prejudices it has experienced and gets away with it. It’s a cycle.

It’s a bad bad bad world!!

Tuesday, April 25th, 2006

Grrr. Some of the tasks these buddies of mine assign me…. Jeez!!!

Even this had a potential to be a He He post. But me refraining from that due to ..well nothing. Forget it.

2 days back, a friend of mine from NJ, pinged me in Yahoo…

He: “maapila, enakku oru info venum. Oru ponnu matter..( aaha, interesting aana mattera irukke?)

Me: “sollu sollu!! Unakku illadhadha”

He: “Ponnu per K~ M~. iva P~@#$%^ la (ennoda pazhaya employer) work panraala nu parkanum”

Me was :( Coz P~@#$%^ has abt 6000 associates. Have offices in about 6 places in chennai alone.

Me:“Dei, idellam unakke koncham overa therila? 6000 per irukaanga da”

He: “Dei, vennai, enakku nee apdi oru ponnu irukaa nu mattum confirm panni sollu..”

He also gave me a brilliant idea

He: “Lotus Notes la ava pera un friends yaarayavadhu type panna sollu. Mail id vandha confirm ayittu povudhu”

How simple? That was some lateral thinking!! I only prayed there was no multiple K~ M~s.

I decided to call my friends who are still working there for this uncle’s job ( maama na uncle dhaane?)

“Koocha padame unmayai sollu prabu, unakku vandha alliance dhaaney?” This from a female friend and colleague in my prev. company to whom I requested this help . Hmph!!!

We found out that no such name existed.

‘How bad!’ I thought. Looks like someone has given my dear friend wrong information to frustrate him.

‘Chey, enna irundhaalum oru kanni payyan manasu (nanban)innoru kanni payyanuku (me) dhaaney theriyum?’

It’s a bad bad world out there I cursed inside.

Meanwhile this guy went underground for 3 days.

He resurfaced back online today.

Me: “dei, appadi oru ponnum illayaam da”

He: “Parava illai. Vidu da”

Me: “Ennada ipdi sollite. Yaaru thappaaana info kuduthu unnai alaya vekkiraanga. Nee ivlo easya solitte?”

He:“Adellam onnum Illai da. Office la bore adichuttu irundhana! Vettiya Matrimony sites browse panninen. Indha ponnu supera irundha… enga jadhi vera(!!) profile la ‘BE graduate, working in a top IT company in Chennai’ nu potirundhudhu….”

He:“Adhaan ovvoru company a namba friends moolama ipdi oru ponnu irukaala nu visarichuttu irukken( evlo magathaana kariyam?). Idhu varaikum WIPRO, TCS, CTS, INFY ellam kettuten, innum IGATE, VERIZON laam kekkanum. Adhaan apdiye P~!@#$$ layum ketten…vera yaaravdhu friends irundha avanga company ipdi oru ponnu irukaalaa nu JLT kettu paaru? Enna?

Me:“(Ada paavi, idellam oru pozhapaa da) Sarcastically Nee onnu pannu. NASSCOM website poneena, madras la enna enna IT companies irukku nu oru list irukkum. Adhai vechu meedhi companies ellam try panni paaru”

“Ah idhu super idea machi. Enakku thonama pochey!!”

The worst part was he never got my sarcasm. Sigh!!!

It’s a bad bad bad world!!

He He series - Time atrocity aka nera kodumai

Monday, April 24th, 2006

1997.

He 1 passed out of his BSc Comp. Sci with 57%. Or rather “almost first class“ as he likes to put it from One gumthalakka college of arts and science.

He 2, his classmate on the other hand passes out with flying colors with 80%.

He 1: “Che ipadi ayiruchey!! Ippo enna panradhu?”

He 2 : “Ennada mark kammiya pochenu feel panriya?”

He 1: “Hehe nee vera! . Naan pass pannuven nu ninakave illai. Minimum 2 paper cup vilundhirkumnu ninachen…. Ennamo engeyo kolappam nadandhirukku. Evanoda marko enakku vandhirukku..”

He 2: “Ada paavi. Seri aduthu enna panna pore?”

He 1: “adhan enakkum therila. Ippadi agum nu ninaikave illai. Epdiyum cup vizhum
Appo aduthu enna panradhu nu yosikka 1 yr time irukkum, onnum avasaram illai nu ninachen. En plan la mann!!!”

He 2: “Unai solli kuthamilada , unga naina vai sollanum. Unnai sellam kuduthu keduthu vechirukaar. Konchamaavadhu poruppu iruka da unakku? “

He 1: “Seri seri thittadhey. Neeye oru idea kudu.”

He 2: “Un mark ku MCA regular la nalla college gate kulleye vida mataan. At least corres layavadhu pottu vai.3 yrs kalichu oru masters degree yavadhu kedaikum “

He 1: “Ama nee enna pana porey?”

He 2: “Enakku Kumaraguru la MCA kedaichiruchu da. Merit seat”

He 1: (He 1 does not have a clue abt the requisites for admission to a full time PG program, like entrance, GD, interview etc) For the first time He1 thinks seriously about life.

“Super ra mappilai. Nee periya aala varuve nu theriyum da!”

2000.

He 2 finishes MCA. Campus interviews come and go. He is one of the those who is not selected in the campus interviews. He starts his monthly trips to Bangalore and Chennai, looking for that elusive break.

One day, in the campus of a reputed IT company , He 1 and He 2 bump on each other.

He 1 :“Dei, Neeya?”

He 2: “Neeya?”

He 1:”Ennada, nee epdi da inga?”

He 2:”Adhai naan dhaan da kekkanum. Kadaisiya unnai pathi kelvi patta po, Saibaba Colony la browsing center vechirundhada sonnanga pasanga”

He 1:“Dei, Dei, adakki vasi. Seri ipo enna vishayama vandhey”

He 2:“Ingey oru interview da”

He 1:“Fresher interview enakku theriyama nadakadhey da”

He 2:“Nee ennava irukkey ?”

He 1:“Almost TL madhiri da”

He 2: Gets a heart attack ”Ada paavi, Ennada da? Epdi da? “

HE 1: “Naan BSc mudichana. Nee sonna madhiri corres la MCA potaen, adhu daan en life laye naa urupadiya panninadhu!!. Koncham kasu pottu oru sila partners oda oru browsing center open panninen. Kadai peru, Cracknet Systems.

“1 yr ipdi pochu. ”

“Aprom naaney koncham Java kathukittu 4 perukku solli thandhen. Students ku purinchudo illayo, enakku nallave purinchudhu, 1 yr kalichu idhai development experience a mathi fake resume pottu velai thedinen, ennai vida onnum theriyadha ilichavayan oruthan ennai select panninaan.”

“Aprom apdiye jothi la kalandhitten. MCA vum corres la mudinchudhu…”

“Ippo enaku H1 vandhirukku. Adutha vaaram America poren. But nee onnum kavalai padadhey, Unnai epdyavadhu ennoda project la select pannidaren!!! Onum prachnai illai OK va? ”

“Onnu mattum therinchuko, indha IT industry fake experience ai madhikara alavukku freshera madhikaadhu. Ippo unna madhiri full time la padichavan laam verum FRESHER, enna madhiri alunga ellam MCA with 3 yrs experience!!!”

“Seri maapla, travel vishayama sila preparations ellam pannanum. anama aprom pesuvom ok va?”

He 2: “BAH!!!”

A message from one titan to another

Sunday, April 23rd, 2006

Wasim ‘The great’ Akram on Sachin

HEEBROS MAC

Friday, April 21st, 2006

(Note: Idhu thuglak la vara onnarai pakka naaledu madhiri makkale. ippodaiku unmai aagale. aana seekiram unmaya nadanthaalum nadanthirum!!!)

It was a sunday morning. He goes to a nearby ground to play cricket.
The ground is full of dug up land, cranes, bul dozers. It’s a scene of hectic activity, not cricket but of a different kind.

He finds a jean clad guy.

HE:“Yenga. idhu playground nga”

Jeans guy:“Thambi. indha edathai indha area society kitte irundhu vangittom. Board irukku paaru HEEBROS nu. Periya FLAT varudhu”

HE:“Ada pavigala? Pona vaaram kooda vandhu velyadinane!. Appo naanga enge poi velyaduradhu ?”

JG:“City la ella empty land ayum vangittom. ippodaiku orey edam dhaan irukku. but adayum deal pesiyachu. adutha vaaram vaangi HEEBROS nu board vechiruvom.”

HE:“Engey Engey sollu. indha vaaram angey yavadu poi aadaren”

JG:“Chepauk la MA Chidambaram stadium nu irukaame?”

He:” Adangoyya!, ennaya solrey? adhaye vangitingla? idhu anaalum ungalukkey koncham overaa therila?”

JG:“Angeyum FLAT Varudhu. HEEBROS MAC. epdi peru? 1000 veedu varudhu. 10 maadi.”

He:“Ennadhu 1000 veeda? Thanniku engey poradhu?”

JG:“Adhai pathi vangaravane kavalai padale. nee edukku kavalai padarey?”

He:“Nyayamana kelvi. Adhu seri. sq.ft rate evlo?”

JG:“HEEBROS MAC. Sq/ft 10,000 rs. aana ellam advance book ayduchu.”

He:“Ennadhu sq.ft 10,00 rupeesa? Book ayrucha? aniyaayama irukkey?”

JG:“Adu oru townshp madhiri. in built stadium laam irukku”

He:“Ennadhu Stadiuma? adhu epdi?”

JG:“Adaan 1000 veedu varudhu, 10 madi nu sonen la. appo oru floor ku 100 veedu. mottai maadi avlo space freeya dhaaney irukku?. mela oru koorai pottu cricket ground madhiri pannalaam nu enga modhalaali idea. adhai ellam ‘facilities’ nu solli dhaan indha rate ku vithurkkom. nee vena unnoda per, address ellam kuduthuttu po, edhavadhu booking cancel achuna solli anuparen”

He:“Nalladhunga anna! enakku flat ellam vendaam na ippodaiku”

JG:“Velayattu ellam irukatum dhambi. Nalla padi. appo dhaan Infy, CTS la nalla velai pottu. enga kitte flat vaanga mudiyum.”

He:“vendiyadhu dhaan. Infy, CTS laam edukku annathey? porandha adutha jenmathileyaavadhu unga modhalaali payyana porakanum!!”

Surprisingly SBI ATMs - update post

Friday, April 21st, 2006

I had my dinner and decided to checkout the nearby SBI ATM.
I tried my HDFC Card, it did not work.
(I read somewhere that HDFC, SBI and ICICI have entered into an agreement for sharing the ATM network)

I inserted the SCB card, for a moment nothing happened and then i thought this too did not work and removed it and the screen came to life prompting for my password!!
(Intraction design abaaraam!!)

I’m never aware of any tie-ups between the two banks. Ennamo!!

Then i completed the transaction but thankfully and more importantly it did not popup the message that i alleged (or my uncle had alleged it does) in the previous post. The session was over.

As i’d mentioned, if i widthdrew money and if i want to check my balance, i need to insert my card again. But this is less of a pain than losing thousands of hard earned money.

All said and done, the user interaction SUCKS! A seasosned ATM user like me was kept guessing.

I guess maybe my uncle had got it wrong but he has no reason to since he himself is an employee or maybe they’ve upgraded their systems. I don’t know if the screen flow is different with SBI ATM cards. SBI account holders and card users please verify it and let me know. But from my experience that dreaded “Do you wish to continue?” did not come up.

The reason for this post is that my intention is not to show India’s No. 1 Bank in poor light. But to throw light on some dangerous hiccups for the naive customer.

Going by Karthik’s comment in the previous post, it’s all the more important for we people to be careful with the debit cards. It looks like anyone can steal our ICICI cards and use it in SBI ATMs to withdraw money.

No passsword, no security.

Jakiradhai Makkale!

‘Surprisingly SBI’ ATMs

Friday, April 21st, 2006

I was talking to my uncle some days back and he, being an SBI employee, was talking about some issues people face while using SBI ATMs.

Apparently, SBI has one type of ATM machine where, the user swipes the card and takes it back, then enters the PIN and starts his transaction.

Many would obviously agree the type of customers SBI caters is vastly different, from say, the kind of customers HSBC or Standard Chartered or ABN AMRO cater to. Not all are educated, tech savvy etc.

These ATMs, after the user completes a transaction, prompts for a

“Do you wish to perform another transaction?” option with a ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ option.
(Mind you, all this after the user has taken out his ATM Card)

Some naive users, not knowing what to do, or perhaps ignorant of the importance of this message just collect their cash and move away. Feeling secure in the knowledge that they have their cards with them.

The next user who confronts the screen left as it is, clicks ‘Yes’ and then swindles all the money in the balance of the previous user.

My uncle says he has heard enough reports of such instances for quite sometime now.

I am not an SBI account holder nor have i used SBI ATMs so i cannot say for sure. But i have no reason to distrust him. Anyone who has used SBI ATMs can verify this.

There’s a similiar kind of machine in ICICI but atleast that does not ask this question. The user has to swipe the card, enter the password again to perform another transaction. I double checked this sometime back. More work, yes but definitely that little bit of pain is better than losing one’s hard earned money.

By and large, the best option would be to retain the card till the user performs all his operation and release it only at the end.

I think it’s high time banks standardised the UI of ATMs. I dont understand the need to have several types of machines when its plain unsafe for users. What’s the big deal in doing things ‘different’ if it’s going to facilitate all kinds of malpractices like these? Is it not the equivalent of one car manufacturer having an acelerator pedal in the center and brake on the right?

I would like the users to verify this themselves and give their feedback.

PS:
On a different note, one of my friend says that when he tried his IDBI Card in SBI ATM once, the machine did not even ask for his PIN number. Whoa!, so much for security!

Surprisingly SBI!!