Guten Tag! Ich heisse "search research". Ich komme aus Kerala, India. Ich wohne in Goa , India. Ich habe Deutsch fur sechs Monaten gelernt. Jetzt spreche Ich Deutsch langsam.
My first steps in German...Hope to make it more frequent.
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Udayan is a star
A movie with a crazy title "Udayan is a star" [Malayalam Movie: Udayananutharam] just got me out of the blogger paralysis syndrome. A mallu movie screened in Goa is as rare as Lord Ganesh stone idols drinking milk!
A short, dark, 44 yearold who desperately wants to be an actor in Malluwood, Rajappan [Sreenivasan] asks Udayan[Mohanlal]: "Udaya, nintey padathilay Hero Njanalley. Makeup ittal njan sundaranakum" [Udaya, I will be the Hero of your movie. If I put on make up I will look handsome]
To which Udayan[Mohanlal] replies: "Phu, Makeup-inokkay oru paridhiyilley-dey! [Phew, even "make-up" has its limits!]
Just the kind of movie I craved, when I am reading research literature written to make sure that it remains a research publication not worth the paper it is written on. Like movies about movies, there should be movies on Ph.d's. Why don't researcher's write in simple language? Why a 'researcher's language'? Even research has it's limits. That limitation is language, and English is the worst language of them all.
A short, dark, 44 yearold who desperately wants to be an actor in Malluwood, Rajappan [Sreenivasan] asks Udayan[Mohanlal]: "Udaya, nintey padathilay Hero Njanalley. Makeup ittal njan sundaranakum" [Udaya, I will be the Hero of your movie. If I put on make up I will look handsome]
To which Udayan[Mohanlal] replies: "Phu, Makeup-inokkay oru paridhiyilley-dey! [Phew, even "make-up" has its limits!]
Just the kind of movie I craved, when I am reading research literature written to make sure that it remains a research publication not worth the paper it is written on. Like movies about movies, there should be movies on Ph.d's. Why don't researcher's write in simple language? Why a 'researcher's language'? Even research has it's limits. That limitation is language, and English is the worst language of them all.
Monday, March 28, 2005
Blog Fatigue and Blog paralysis
I started this blog as my Ph.d Journal. What was that supposed to be? I still donot know it myself, and will write a blog as soon as I get to know about it. Today, this blog is a crazy amalgamation of weird photography, and socio-politic glib talk. So as with any blogger, I should say Blogger fatigue has set in! What is that again?
I better get back to work, as that is one reason for my blog fatigue.
I better get back to work, as that is one reason for my blog fatigue.
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
Fringe Cringe
What is fringe benefit tax? How is it going to change my tax structure? A question the finance minister[FM] should ask himself, and he definitely will be struggling to answer. Proof?..read the definition of fringe benefit in the budget…
"any privilege, service, facility or amenity, directly or indirectly, provided by an employer to his employees (including former employee or employees) by reason of their employment; or any reimbursement, directly or indirectly, made by the employer to his employees for any purpose; any free or concessional ticket provided by the employer for private journeys of the employees and their family members; and any contribution by the employer to an approved superannuation fund."[Source: The great Indian Budget 2005, A Block buster presentation, which is like a Bollywood Masala Movie..there is something about everything for everyone all of 2 hours]
Got any clue? If No…You are on the same boat as the Finance Minister! He probably thought that since Australia and Newzealand have this tax we should also have one on similar lines. Afterall we are second to them in Cricket. But Mr. FM just see the amount of detail that has gone into putting such acts into place in those countries. You have made sure that CA' and Finance MBA's donot get to loose their tax planning consultancy assignments and their jobs. Mr. FM, why don't you implement the same laws on members of parliament and MLA's? If at all there is fringe benefits[FB], our MP's and MLA's know what FB is more than you and me. The stationary allowance, constituency allowence, petrol allowance, security allowance, telephone allowance, cooking gas allowance, usage of tourist bunglow allowance.......is it not endless
Does that mean that all Saturday night parties, employee picnics, Birthday Parties, reward schemes, motivational perks will be taxed?
The tax of 30% on any employee friendly expenditure[client visits, Diwali Bonus, Gifts to appreciate performance] is on the employer. So next time your employer throws a big induction party, he "can" pass the buck to you. Imagine a Birthday bash from your employer and you getting taxed on your birthday…What about the "chai-pani" expenditure?
Now, chances are that your employer will convert all benefits in monetary terms and add it to your salary. Now your ‘SARAL’ should have salary heads and non-salary heads..The FM wanted to boost spending by cutting taxes at individual level? Looking at this fine print it seems he has delivered a googly and gathered some serious reverse swing. This will go a long way in ensuring that we follow the philosophy "to each one, his own". What could have been his motivation? Cut unnecessary wastage of money in the name of pampering employees. Ensure corporate fiscal responsibility?
The Hindu Business Line sums it up as a Leftist way of taxing the capitalist, it says that the FM had the left hardliners in mind. Proof of this is the numbering of the section in budget 2005....115WB..[WestBengal?]. It is worth going into 115WC [Now, I know what you are thinking that is the section for valuation of Fringe Benefits]
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
Super Star
The Carnival Revelry is ending. Lent is here! I just got the superstar on the hilltop at Divar Island. 
Sunday, January 30, 2005
Footprints
River Princess
The King meets the Queen. The Mandovi meanders the Divar Hillock. Divar or Paradise Island is an Island on a river [Mandovi].
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
Dusk and Sea
Sunset at Miramar Bay, Goa. Had to tweak the exposure and aperture to get the reflections right. But I will never be satisfied. The perfect sunsets are only seen by eyes and not fish eye lens.
It will be a long haul for the fishing boat chugging into unknown depths. The smoke captured by a zooming in sun and Casio 4000 Lens.
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
Fish Catch
Mackerels[Bangda]. They call it the poor man's fish. This photo makes it elegantly royal blooded. I was on a bird shooting trek to Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, Cherao Island, Goa. Sunday Morning, I took the ferry boat to cross the Mandovi River from Ribandar to Cherao. Two fishermen returning with fresh catch gave me a National Geographic moment. When fish eyes [fish eye lens] meet they make for interesting visuals. The blood red color?? Well, thats my probing camera trick to see beneath the skin ;-)
Morning sun playing on fish scales.
Mandovi Bay Goa
It is a pleasure to view monuments at night. The cross at the top and Mother Mary glow in the dark.
Friday, January 07, 2005
Church of Mae De Deus, circa 1873
Thursday, January 06, 2005
Panjim City
This photograph was taken on New Year day. Lovey and myself went around Panjim like backpackers. The city was quiet due to the New Year hangover. On the foreground is the Adil Shah [The first Muslim conquerer of Goa before Portuguese rule]Palace. In the background is the Captain of Panjim Port jetty. The ocean research ship named Cappadocia is anchored at the jetty.
Monday, January 03, 2005
Sunday, January 02, 2005
Kerala Mix-II
Series-II
This is the second in the series on growing social obsessions in Kerala. Gold and Alcohol are the late entrants into the mallu psyche. If all others are vices of materialistic nature, there is one virtue that no other Indian possesses. The gift of comedy. Humour comes easily to a malayalee. How and why? read on
Comedy: Mallu comedy actors take a bow!. Over 50% of malayalam movie actors are comedians.
This blog is going to make the Innocents [a funny name for a naughty comedian], Jayarams [one time mimicry artist turned super star], Dilip, and Lals [again a mimic turned director] proud. Every malayalee loves a hearty laugh, whether it comes from the slapstick comic movie scenes, or double entendre "skits" and "mimics parades". Make no mistake; mallu's are very particular about good comedy. Ask the all time favorite comedian of Malayalam cinema "Jagathi Sreekumar"[ His actual name is Sreekumar, Jagathi is the name of his home town, mallus have a special affection for place names, but all that in a later blog]. If you say this is common to all Indian cinemas, Kerala comedy has more to offer. Keralites love mimicking any TDH, including themselves. Mimicry artists have a special penchant to mock actors and politicians. Some superstar actors and politicians admit that some artists who mimic their mannerisms are better than themselves. A "mimics parade" [there is no march past, this parade is just a two hour program when various artists parade before the audience showcasing their vocal magic and funny histrionics] is a hit be it in birthday parties to Gulf entertainment shows. There was even a call to ban mimicing leaders and personalities which never found any takers in Kerala [Gulf Today, January 14 2004]. Some "mimics videos" [of Kalabhavan, Cochin variety] will find place with many a blockbuster Malayalam movie. The Malayalam film industry owes a lot to this comedy factory, though of late mimicry is loosing the spontaneity and situational comedy, made a cult classic by Jayaram, Late Sainudeen, and Harisri Asokan. Probe further, you will find numerous television shows that rake in TRP ratings by just showing a collage of comedy scenes from malaylam movies [Asianet Cinemala, Comedy time, Jagapoga]. These shows have TRP ratings at par with the weepy feminine soaps. Now, to beat the TV soaps loaded with sentiments is no mean achievement and that shows how popular humor is in mallu land. If you think director Priyadarsan is a genius, you are wrong. He was one. Today, all comedy movies made by him in Hindi and all blockbusters are frame by frame copies of hit malayalam comedy movies from the 80's and 90's.
This is the second in the series on growing social obsessions in Kerala. Gold and Alcohol are the late entrants into the mallu psyche. If all others are vices of materialistic nature, there is one virtue that no other Indian possesses. The gift of comedy. Humour comes easily to a malayalee. How and why? read on
Comedy: Mallu comedy actors take a bow!. Over 50% of malayalam movie actors are comedians.
This blog is going to make the Innocents [a funny name for a naughty comedian], Jayarams [one time mimicry artist turned super star], Dilip, and Lals [again a mimic turned director] proud. Every malayalee loves a hearty laugh, whether it comes from the slapstick comic movie scenes, or double entendre "skits" and "mimics parades". Make no mistake; mallu's are very particular about good comedy. Ask the all time favorite comedian of Malayalam cinema "Jagathi Sreekumar"[ His actual name is Sreekumar, Jagathi is the name of his home town, mallus have a special affection for place names, but all that in a later blog]. If you say this is common to all Indian cinemas, Kerala comedy has more to offer. Keralites love mimicking any TDH, including themselves. Mimicry artists have a special penchant to mock actors and politicians. Some superstar actors and politicians admit that some artists who mimic their mannerisms are better than themselves. A "mimics parade" [there is no march past, this parade is just a two hour program when various artists parade before the audience showcasing their vocal magic and funny histrionics] is a hit be it in birthday parties to Gulf entertainment shows. There was even a call to ban mimicing leaders and personalities which never found any takers in Kerala [Gulf Today, January 14 2004]. Some "mimics videos" [of Kalabhavan, Cochin variety] will find place with many a blockbuster Malayalam movie. The Malayalam film industry owes a lot to this comedy factory, though of late mimicry is loosing the spontaneity and situational comedy, made a cult classic by Jayaram, Late Sainudeen, and Harisri Asokan. Probe further, you will find numerous television shows that rake in TRP ratings by just showing a collage of comedy scenes from malaylam movies [Asianet Cinemala, Comedy time, Jagapoga]. These shows have TRP ratings at par with the weepy feminine soaps. Now, to beat the TV soaps loaded with sentiments is no mean achievement and that shows how popular humor is in mallu land. If you think director Priyadarsan is a genius, you are wrong. He was one. Today, all comedy movies made by him in Hindi and all blockbusters are frame by frame copies of hit malayalam comedy movies from the 80's and 90's.
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
Tsunami Relief-Contribute
Please contribute generously for relief of Tsunami victims. Contribute to the Indian Prime Minister's Relief Fund [See Details].
People who want to help may send bank drafts/cheques in the name Indian Red Cross Society, New Delhi. One may also deposit cash or relief material at the Delhi office.
The society is accepting everything except perishable items and used clothes.
Address: Indian Red Cross Society, 1, Red Cross Road, New Delhi - 110001 Phone: (011) 23716441, 23716234
Source: http://tsunamihelp.blogspot.com/
People who want to help may send bank drafts/cheques in the name Indian Red Cross Society, New Delhi. One may also deposit cash or relief material at the Delhi office.
The society is accepting everything except perishable items and used clothes.
Address: Indian Red Cross Society, 1, Red Cross Road, New Delhi - 110001 Phone: (011) 23716441, 23716234
Source: http://tsunamihelp.blogspot.com/
The Goa-Kerala Mix-I
Goa and Kerala claim to have similar tastes of natural goodies with Sea, fish, churches, and of course coconut palms that sway with tsunamistic abandon along vast stretches of beaches. Unfortunately, the similarities end more or less with these. An exception being both states have their natives as Non-residents [The Gulf variety!]. The two states boast of dinars, riyals, and dollars stached as NRI fixed deposits contribute to our overflowing foriegn reserves[$130 billion as on 17 December 2004]. It is interesting to note why the states are so similar but people far apart.
The common obsessions of Kerala and Goa: Chaya and Cha [A cuppa tea anytime, anywhere, everywhere], Sunday morining mass at the church, Mackerel ['Chaala' in Mallu speak] fish is a hit, grated coconut is a must if it is chicken curry in Kerala or Chicken Xacuti in Goa. Unfortunately, Kerala despite having good beaches and tropical clime looses to Goa because of a narrow mindset, lack of trust, and social one-up man ship.
Series 1 starts with Kerala vices, the twin obsessions, Alcohol, and Gold
Alcohol: Though not in alphabetic order, Alcohol will undisputedly figure as a topper in Kerala. It is said if a mallu has a newspaper in his left hand, he holds a drink with his left hand. The drink used to be the piping hot Kannan Devan Chaya [Tea]. Lately, that has been replaced by strong spirits. Every marriage has to be preceded by a bachelor's party with "Teachers" to "Oldmonks" blessing all the young men of the village or town. It is today claimed as a right of every mallu male to get invited for the party. Social networks they say, are built around the brand of drink he holds. It is also very necessary that one lets the whole world know that he is drunk by venturing into the streets, and finally pouring out his "voes". From "anamayakki" to "100 pipers", Kerala boasts of a record per capita consumption of 8.3 liters of spirited juice[1].
Gold, Gold and more Gold...
Getting that precious yellow metal is a keralites obsession. Every keralite lady knows the number 24 worth the gold and that a karat is not same as a carrot. Now, with diamonds shining they have replaced the k with a C for Carat. Every small town in Kerala boasts of a Gold souk, or a Jewel Junction. Alappat, Alukkas, Bhima, Josco have become household names. Marriages become auspicious when the brides father commits in multi-soverigns to the question"Ethra swarnam ittu?" [How much gold did you put?]. A malayalee's worth in kerala is measured in the weight of gold bars, ornaments his wife posseses in the bank locker. The jewel junction in Cochin alone boasts of more jewellery shops than in Goa. Probably, the metal has god in it 'GO-l-D'
Next Blog...will look at the keralite obsessions of Comedy, Sex, and Gulf
Goa and Kerala claim to have similar tastes of natural goodies with Sea, fish, churches, and of course coconut palms that sway with tsunamistic abandon along vast stretches of beaches. Unfortunately, the similarities end more or less with these. An exception being both states have their natives as Non-residents [The Gulf variety!]. The two states boast of dinars, riyals, and dollars stached as NRI fixed deposits contribute to our overflowing foriegn reserves[$130 billion as on 17 December 2004]. It is interesting to note why the states are so similar but people far apart.
The common obsessions of Kerala and Goa: Chaya and Cha [A cuppa tea anytime, anywhere, everywhere], Sunday morining mass at the church, Mackerel ['Chaala' in Mallu speak] fish is a hit, grated coconut is a must if it is chicken curry in Kerala or Chicken Xacuti in Goa. Unfortunately, Kerala despite having good beaches and tropical clime looses to Goa because of a narrow mindset, lack of trust, and social one-up man ship.
Series 1 starts with Kerala vices, the twin obsessions, Alcohol, and Gold
Alcohol: Though not in alphabetic order, Alcohol will undisputedly figure as a topper in Kerala. It is said if a mallu has a newspaper in his left hand, he holds a drink with his left hand. The drink used to be the piping hot Kannan Devan Chaya [Tea]. Lately, that has been replaced by strong spirits. Every marriage has to be preceded by a bachelor's party with "Teachers" to "Oldmonks" blessing all the young men of the village or town. It is today claimed as a right of every mallu male to get invited for the party. Social networks they say, are built around the brand of drink he holds. It is also very necessary that one lets the whole world know that he is drunk by venturing into the streets, and finally pouring out his "voes". From "anamayakki" to "100 pipers", Kerala boasts of a record per capita consumption of 8.3 liters of spirited juice[1].
Gold, Gold and more Gold...
Getting that precious yellow metal is a keralites obsession. Every keralite lady knows the number 24 worth the gold and that a karat is not same as a carrot. Now, with diamonds shining they have replaced the k with a C for Carat. Every small town in Kerala boasts of a Gold souk, or a Jewel Junction. Alappat, Alukkas, Bhima, Josco have become household names. Marriages become auspicious when the brides father commits in multi-soverigns to the question"Ethra swarnam ittu?" [How much gold did you put?]. A malayalee's worth in kerala is measured in the weight of gold bars, ornaments his wife posseses in the bank locker. The jewel junction in Cochin alone boasts of more jewellery shops than in Goa. Probably, the metal has god in it 'GO-l-D'
Next Blog...will look at the keralite obsessions of Comedy, Sex, and Gulf
Monday, December 27, 2004
Kerala Mix-III
Kerala Mix-III
After delving into the three Amigos in Contemporary Kerala -Alchohol, Gold, and Comedy [My previous blogs]. We look at the most repulsive yet omnipresent word in Mallu land "SEX". I donot want to sound like another of those "oh! this is a dangerous trend" conservatists. Read the following article titled "Sex and the Mallu" [pun intended!] which appeared in The Week Magazine [November 24-28, 2004] issue. Sex was always bottled up in the psyche, but what does one do when the bottle is transparent for all to see? Some pointers to the trends;
1. At any point in time, there are atleast 5 sex scandals/crimes in Kerala
2. One out of three Indian Adult films is a Keralites work of art [From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, that sleazy "Pyasi Jawani" or "Raat ki Raani" poster you saw on the Mumbai bylanes or along the Guntur road is a dubbed Mallu porn movie].
3. An established mallu movie sex siren is more popular than a malayalam superstar in India[ Ask 10 Indians in India whether they know Shakeela and Dilip?, chances are 8 out of 10 will say they know Shakeela].
last point...
4. If you know who Shakeela is without my blog link, it proves why Sex in God's own Country is a hit.
After delving into the three Amigos in Contemporary Kerala -Alchohol, Gold, and Comedy [My previous blogs]. We look at the most repulsive yet omnipresent word in Mallu land "SEX". I donot want to sound like another of those "oh! this is a dangerous trend" conservatists. Read the following article titled "Sex and the Mallu" [pun intended!] which appeared in The Week Magazine [November 24-28, 2004] issue. Sex was always bottled up in the psyche, but what does one do when the bottle is transparent for all to see? Some pointers to the trends;
1. At any point in time, there are atleast 5 sex scandals/crimes in Kerala
2. One out of three Indian Adult films is a Keralites work of art [From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, that sleazy "Pyasi Jawani" or "Raat ki Raani" poster you saw on the Mumbai bylanes or along the Guntur road is a dubbed Mallu porn movie].
3. An established mallu movie sex siren is more popular than a malayalam superstar in India[ Ask 10 Indians in India whether they know Shakeela and Dilip?, chances are 8 out of 10 will say they know Shakeela].
last point...
4. If you know who Shakeela is without my blog link, it proves why Sex in God's own Country is a hit.
Blogging and the Semantic Web
The Association of Computing Machinery has dedicated the December 2004 issue of Communications of ACM [CACM] for Blogs [Weblogs, Blogosphere]. Articles and survey research on the evolution, creation, and the reasons of blogging activity are documented. This holds great significance to understand the social networks in virtual reality, virtual communications, psychology of virtual behavior, demographic and social factors behind blogging. Blogging as a knowledge management tool has great potential. It is not too far when all the knowledge of Internet is captured using semantic tags, xml feeds, and syndication. The question is can we semantically map all the information from the internet into knowledge? The idea is to create a self-organising internet that is autonomous in nature. An internet powered by itself can capture, and deliver content without facing hardware and software technology hurdles. A blog can be a warehouse of agents [blog agents] that communicate with other blog agents. The blog agents will conspire to accomplish a desired user goal without any intervention. Say, you are blogging from Rajasthan [India], and you blog that you are lost and cannot find a way back. Your blog agent signals the internet. This trigger unleashes a series of agents that communicate with other travel blog agents residing in other travel blogs. They find precision maps, weather information, travel agents, and even book tickets. Blogs have been regarded as personal diary and journals, but why not a personal secretary or assistant that can accomplish tasks? It makes more sense than a diary.
Saturday, December 11, 2004
Rayachem-Bandar
The history of Goa and Ribandar.
Ribander and Raibander [originates from "Rayachem Bandar" meaning the Port of Rayas 14th century Vijayanagara Kings], Goa, the abode of Goan artists has an envious history. The Vijayanagara kings fought the Bahmani sultans in this place, then called Raichur Doab. V. S. Naipal called the Vijayanagara empire the last frontier bastion of Hindu civilisation. In 1510 Goa went on to the hands of the Portuguese, who went on to make it another Lisbon in the south. They say that he who has seen Goa need not see Lisbon [I donot know how far it is true today!].
Historical places of Ribander-
The Old Goa-Panjim Cause way "Ponte de Linhares"- Built in 1633 by Portuguese Viceroy, Conde de Linhares
Our Lady of Ajuda Church- Built in 1565, today known as the Church of Ribander. The ship carrying the body of St. Francis Xavier was welcomed with canon salute [you can see some canons in the church premises] at this church on the night of 14th March, 1554. You will not be surprised to see the architectural shape of the church. It is built like a Ship, beside the Mandovi river.
Finally, Santa Casa De Misericordia [The Royal Portuguese Hospital]: Today it houses one of the finest Management schools in India-Goa Institute of Management. It is a heritage structure and has been left unchanged despite the pressures of housing a college.
Just some snippets I gathered from some internet research, though it was not easy to get anything on Ribander. Good night
Ribander and Raibander [originates from "Rayachem Bandar" meaning the Port of Rayas 14th century Vijayanagara Kings], Goa, the abode of Goan artists has an envious history. The Vijayanagara kings fought the Bahmani sultans in this place, then called Raichur Doab. V. S. Naipal called the Vijayanagara empire the last frontier bastion of Hindu civilisation. In 1510 Goa went on to the hands of the Portuguese, who went on to make it another Lisbon in the south. They say that he who has seen Goa need not see Lisbon [I donot know how far it is true today!].
Historical places of Ribander-
The Old Goa-Panjim Cause way "Ponte de Linhares"- Built in 1633 by Portuguese Viceroy, Conde de Linhares
Our Lady of Ajuda Church- Built in 1565, today known as the Church of Ribander. The ship carrying the body of St. Francis Xavier was welcomed with canon salute [you can see some canons in the church premises] at this church on the night of 14th March, 1554. You will not be surprised to see the architectural shape of the church. It is built like a Ship, beside the Mandovi river.
Finally, Santa Casa De Misericordia [The Royal Portuguese Hospital]: Today it houses one of the finest Management schools in India-Goa Institute of Management. It is a heritage structure and has been left unchanged despite the pressures of housing a college.
Just some snippets I gathered from some internet research, though it was not easy to get anything on Ribander. Good night
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