Moving on to wordpress

From last month, I have moved all my posts on this blog from blogger to wordpress

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The Dark Room

The Dark Room    … by Rachel Seiffert

The Dark Room is one of the best novels I have read in the recent times. It is a collection of three stories set in the backdrop of the world war. It portrays the life pre-war and how people took it, hardships of the common people during the war, and how the present generation lives with the fact that holocaust and killings took place in their own land, by their own forefathers of the nation. Guilt engulfs when poring over the dark history and this author captures the complicated emotions in the present generation of people. 

Helmut aspires to join the Army but ends up as a photographer, who loves his skill as photographer. He is devastated by the war and left lonely forever with his photos. I really liked the character of Lore, who dares to take the long walk all the way up north with her siblings just because her mom wants them to, and Lore’s mom meticulous preparation of the kids for their long journey, knowing that she would be taken off from them forever.  Micha life becomes complicated when he wants to pursue the real life of his grandfather

The long walk of Lore was really moving and full of unknowns, and the quest of Micha’s pain was understandable. I felt pandora boxes are best left unopened, for they might cause more harm than good.

calm after storm

As after storm wanes away, the eerie silence that prevails... I felt that on July 5th after the massive re-org that happened in my client place. This news not only shocked me who was new to this, but jolted also those who survived the brutal wave. Of the people whom I interacted with, few were clueless on their next steps, few hid their grief and were exchanging mail-ids excusing themselves that they got time for a vacation. This was purely a finance book decision which was really a bitter pill. 

Back home in my offshore team,  we were discussing in length on how to replace a team-member who was grappling with tasks. He is a nice man and is affable, but given the nature of the project we were not able to fit him in the team puzzle. Finally I was forced to take that harsh step, sending out a minor shock wave. It was well received at my client side though. 

Storms are a part of nature and we got to harden ourselves to the realities. Whatever doesnt kill us, makes us stronger !!!

Back to a classroom

After almost 10 years, I step into a classroom in a university-extension to attend a course on jitter in electronic systems. The difference in me this time is that I am already a practicing engineer who could appreciate electronics and I am self financing my course. I am able to  correlate the discussions to my lab observations and to concepts that I learned (or not learned) from my degree classes.

When I stepped into the room, I met people from various background and was really puzzled by their questions and approach until I was revealed how various pieces fit together and  understood where my roles fit in the whole jitter chain. Once again I felt timid like a lone boat rocking in the sea. The quiz, homework assignments and the final assessment tipped me to take the plunge into deep sea. I am sure to hunt invaluable treasures and return to the boat, but I doubt if I will ever return to the shore. 

Will keep the boat rocking ... on and on, steadily

from the other side of the globe ...

Its been a long time that I blogged something here. Life took its own twists and turns, taking me by its roller-coaster. The vicious arms of dull work, work pressures coupled with newer manipulative dynamics took the gas off me. These years, a crave for change started to set in myself.

All the lobbying within the organization yielded results - I got a promotion which was due for two years and a decent change in work location on the other side of the globe. I'm typing this from a conference room in California watching FIFA world cup match.

I plan to take the major step and plan to blog again- my experiences in a foreign land... as I always had thought and expressed "speaking and writing are my veins, transporting energy from the solid earth to the leaf, the factory of thinking"

Music troupe and wedding receptions -- Inevitably married by society

You are in and around Chennai and a friend invites you for a wedding reception and you accept; entering the place, the first thing you will surely notice is a local music troupe singing hit tracks from kollywood. Whatever be the circumstances your friend is in…be it your friend is in financial crisis out of wedding arrangements or simply he hates spoiling the get-together mood brewing in the wedding reception, music troupe is a must.

Amidst the gossips and get-together hugs everything gets absorbed; even if the world falls apart or the bride and groom decide not to marry… everything… No one has an ear for this troupe except for kids who are generally ignored during such events, elderly people who are usually avoided and introverts who wish to avoid such events but are forced to attend. These are the only people for whom the troupe plays.

My friend’s parents were contemplating on whether to arrange for a music troupe for his wedding reception. His uncle was convincing enough for taking the music troupe off the task-list and helped the hour long discussion to end. Arrangements were on a full swing and invitations were ready in a fortnight. Upon seeing the invitation, many of the invitees called upon. Some of them expressed the need for a music troupe performance; many wanted to know if they had any financial crunch; only very few wished for the wedding and confirmed their presence. Now to keep rumors at bay, a troupe performance was finally arranged in a hurry.

Music performances were a part of the wedding in olden days when the celebration use to take place for more than a day and has no relevance in the present trends. The society we live in thrusts upon such obligations that may be contradictory to our thoughts and way of life yet we have to concede to the fact that we are a part of a larger society.

Wall posters and Chennai

Posters for all seasons and reasons: You can spot them almost everywhere in Chennai. Posters for political events, general wishes for the local politicians, strike announcements, condemning the ruling political party, birthdays, celebrity functions, anniversaries, house vacancies, movie audio release, movie 10th day, movie 25th day, someone going abroad, obituaries, music concerts … the list is endless.

Thanks to the metro-rail construction that’s been happening in the city whose steel barricades are utilized for sticking these posters. Sad part is that the metro-rail contractors employ 2-3 men for removing these posters on a monthly basis. Sticking of posters start once the hustle-bustle of the city roads starts to diminish and goes on past midnight. I often see guys carrying the poster material and a bucketful of glue in a bicycle riding the entire stretch of metro-construction. Huge mammoth sized posters are printed in separates blocks and are stuck in a matrix fashion. I got to know that there is poster creation software used these days for the matrix type huge poster printing.

Wikipedia states that the wall posters have 200 years of history and the modern day posters emerged in 1870’s. Pure textual posters were present during the time of Shakespeare circa (1600). Posters then evolved into an art form as well before they were used for political or commercial propaganda.

Posters are a good medium of propaganda, but how much is the achieved penetration of information in this busy metro-life, with most of the people hooked to their own ear pods, succumbed to their thoughts and their way of thinking?? Is the amount of paper and money that’s being put is worth?

Fake: Notes and people ...

Fake notes. We encounter them every day: be it with local grocer, tea shops, supermarkets, even bank tellers and ATM machines. Finance Intelligence Unit reports a 250% rise in the fake-currency circulation (click article-1) and the Excise department turns to public for support. This is a welcome move from the Indian government. The article quotes that private banks seizes the most fake notes. I presume the private banks are diligent in seizing fake notes compared to the PSU banks which either does not report its seize or does not seize at all. Practically fear grips us in reporting it to the nearest police station or bank.

We tend to check and recheck the higher denomination notes and leave the lower denomination notes unnoticed. Fakes of Rs 5, 10 and 50 and lots of punched metal are circulated engraved with one and two rupee coin designs. These lower denomination notes even fake the watermarks, the silver thread and many other safety aspects incorporated in the currency notes. Even ATM machines and experienced tellers dispense them everyday. Its no good complaining: Click article-2

I blame ourselves: our selfish society rather than the government or the officials, for the latter are we and we are the latter. Faking ourselves, faking notes!

Fraction of moment -- mighty sea

The same beach, the same wavy waters that knocked me down two weeks earlier welcomed me with an unknown affection this time. An affection that rises out of familiarity, an affection that ebbs out of understanding. Waves lashing me knee depth, i stood gazing the eastern sky weeping hues of bluish-orange for the west setting sun. 

My thoughts rolled back two weeks to when Bengal sea at Eliott's beach took me by surprise. Already the water had flooded till below my knee cap that a new wave formed right in front of me knocking me down. A fraction of second before I was standing firm on the sand enjoying the salty gale, a fraction later my fingers were grappling the sea sand to resist the receding wave. I stood up and found that Uma had also fell right next to me and that she had gobbled sea water out of exasperation.

I gathered my thoughts and rolled back into the present hearing to three school girls who were enjoying the caressing sea waves by laughing their guts out. After all nothing is permanent . . .

I am Ck...

I am the steam, wafting from rice bowl
I am the cofee, brewing in the mug,
I am the salad, sauted in olive oil,

I am the feel, in food and in music,

_Ck.,

Unfriendly coins -- The Indian Rupee

Hassle free money transaction in our daily life is possible by the fine imprints on coins and currencies. This fact has been agreed world-over and is in practice from time immemorial.

Recent series of coins issues by the Indian mint seems to be break this easiness of use. The Two rupee and five rupee coins with the new rupee symbol weigh almost the same and feels like erstwhile fifty paise. The impressions are very smooth and indistinguishable.I got furious when the crowded bus conductor handed over the change which I felt was of less value. The same coin caused confusion to a old woman selling newspaper.

Rising material cost, depreciation of the Indian rupee has rusted the sheen of the rupee coins albeit crowned with the new symbol.

The Chettinad of things

Chettinad cuisine is known for its mix of spices and pulses. It all started with the cuisine and now it has affected anything that is food. Any restaurant in Tamil Nadu has to be christened with 'Chettinad' or it will not sell... this mindset has forced even buttermilk vendors to name their product as Chettinad buttermilk.

Any chicken is Chettinad chicken, even when its prepared in the Chinese way. Even sandwiches are named so ... did sandwiches originate from Chettinad? Companies marketing pulses and grains boast the name ... and so on

The sad part is when my friends order the 'Chettinad' christened dishes and my taste buds refuse to acknowledge that this is the extent of marketing that prevails.

Good songs that lacked the hype - 1

All songs from the movie 'Raman Abdullah', the 1997 Tamil movie were short-time hits. I heard one of them while browsing for some other song in youtube ...

Chemparuthi pen oruthi ... is a songs that starts off with the drums and guitar getting into full rhythm.

Beautiful lyrics, well pronounced and sung by SPB and Chitra. Excellently scored by Illayaraja, the song has some unusual repetition of verses in different scales where the song slows down.

Amazing !!!

Pizza box for thirty people!

You told you have designed a pizza-box-system and this looks a pretty big for a pizza-box! -- exclaimed the visitor from my company ...

Instantaneous response was "Well, this is a pizza box that can hold a family-pizza for a family of thirty"

Felt a streak of humor telling this and was laughing my guts out ... :)

Local bus fares and the three-word-services -- its time for a fare-hike

Local bus fare in Tamil Nadu is kept unchanged for more than ten years in the past. Though government has ruled out the deregulation of diesel prices in the near future, the price has doubled in the last decade. TN government should seriously consider a fare hike in lines to the rising trend of diesel prices at least now and send out a clear message to people on city-travel optimization. Among all states in India, TN is the only state where the local bus fare is less. In fact the base fare in Karnataka or Andhra Pradesh is thrice that of in TN.

In major cities, the TN transport corporation plies various schemes of buses that charges a higher fare compared to the so called normal buses. There is an air-suspension deluxe service, limited stop service, many other three-worded service buses plying across the city. It actually confuses the traveller and grabs the high fare. Though this tactic of the government is laudable on account book terms, we worry ourselves remembering the junk three worded services and their fares, when we can utilize our potential for some productive causes.

Lip stick ? or lip gloss ?

"Hey, you coming to Trichy this weekend?", asked my mom.
I thought a bit and said ok.

"Can you get me this shade of lipstick from Chambor? (some two shades: I forgot those numbers). Its for my friend whom I am gonna meet this weekend in Trichy."
Reluctantly, I said ok and comfortably forgot it. Five more days were there for my travel anyways.

Two days down the line, bored to the core by lack of work, I set out to Garuda mall. Entering shopper-stop store first, suddenly I felt a little bit odd for it was the first time in cosmetic section.

I spotted two sales girl idly chatting and walked towards them.
" Can you help me with Chambor brand products?"

" Its over there sir:
Hey customer for you",
she was not heard for the first sentence, I understood them. she was heard by every others sales girl for the latter sentence, and all gave a quick glance.

I crossed all the maze and reached the counter only for this answer
" Sorry sir, the shade is not in stock"

" Will any new stock come in the next two days"

" No sir, I think its old shades and got phased out"

I could not ask any more questions and was about to leave...
"Sir, would you like to buy some other shades? "

With a polite NO, I thanked her and left the store.



Ten minutes I wandered the mall before entering westside-shop. This time I was a bit confident and the same procedures ... finally standing there at the Chambor desk, I was asking those shades to a lady who seemed to be the boss of the cosmetic section.

" Are you looking for lip-stick or lip-gloss sir?"

what!!!!?, I gave her a blank look

"I dont know, look in both"

She got a bit surprised, but continued her search

" Hey, by the way what is the difference between both? ", I asked.

She gave that ONE puzzled and annoyed look. A look that gauged me.
Suddenly a sales girl interrupted and explained the difference. " The difference is with the moisture and alcohol content, and the retaining time on the lips"

I gave the satisfied look muttering "thank you".
Meanwhile the shade was fished out and immediately processed for billing.

"Sir, would you like to buy some compacts, .... ,...., ...." asked the lady who billed the purchase

"Errr, No" (Actually, I could not follow what she told after 'compacts')

Collecting the pack from them, I bid good bye. It was returned by a wide grinned smile by the four girls.

By the way, what they were wearing ??
lip-stick or lip-gloss?? :)

So big is the World !!!

The day my sister left for Nurnberg, I checked for a road-route to Nurnberg from Bangalore. I know its crazy, yet wanted to check: and lol -- Google maps suggested me a route spanning ten thousand kilometers and via Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, followed by 4-5 European nations and then to Germany!

Why not get the requisite visa for all countries, hop in a car and drive !!
Anybody game?

Feelings for her :)

Engulfed in your thoughts,
Mellowing in joy,
That office work seems the one to be procrastinated..

But work seems to be adamant,
As a attention seeking kid.

Tell me ________
Now whom should I tend
Your thoughts? or work?
for you swept me like the scented breeze
over the forest vale
for you made me mad like the bees
over springing blossom’s tale

Hoping you feel my sleepless nights,
I seek out solace seeing Tara’s statue face for now
For work beckons again

Joy of earning ... and the joy of spending

The joy of earning money comes with the joy of spending… and I like this particular ATM outside Vijaya bank HQ office because it dispenses fresh notes from Reserve Bank of India, almost everytime

The crispiness and well marked engravings on the currency notes makes you feel the money’s worth, earning’s worth and more importantly the worth of your skills. In turn I enjoy the worth of my spending, be it a mug of coffee or an expensive wrist watch or a diamond jewel.

Recollection of three incidents... one triggering the next :)

(1) - Better change to IT industry sir...

I had to rush to attend a talk. I crossed the road and wave at a couple of auto rickshaws before this auto driver stops. He seemed to know the particular auditorium and I hopped into it. The auto snaked it way through the Bangalore city traffic encountering traffic signals every now and then. In one such long red-signal, the driver started talking to me.

Are you basically from Karnataka sir?
- nopes, not really. I am from Tamil Nadu.
Oh, then you speak better kannada...good.
- actually I have lived here for close to five years.
hmmm, so what do you work on sir?
- well, I am an engineer, working on electronics.
oh, is it. My son also got into Bharat Electronics and will be into software. Why dont you also try to change into IT sir?
- why so?
If you are ten years experienced in SW, you can earn little less than a lakh rupees per month. You cannot be in any other industry
- hmmm yes, you are true, but I like it.
Its not what you like sir, its which work gets you the max money.
- ok sir, I will try.

I get down and pay the fare. Walking back from the auditorium after the talk, I was pondering on what the auto driver was telling couple of hours ago, that I remembered my communicator chat conversations with a freshman @ HCL and he was in fact asking me some difficult questions

(2) Pay, Onsite, Offers...

That I am into this electronics HW field now, what should I learn on?
- Its mostly applying what you have studied in college, you have to go understand the higher perspective on the go...
Oh, fine fine, can you suggest me any books?
- Read the 'High Speed - Black Magic' book. (In fact many of us have kept the book down after reading few pages).
Tell me which field in better - HW, Firmware or software applications?
- In terms of ?
In terms of pay, onsite and of course job opportunities.
- All are good.
You are in this field for six years, how much do you earn?
(I close the communicator chat - In fact my father asked me this only once in all this six years)

(3) Return paths can be anyway,

My hands feel the thick engravings of a fresh one-hundred rupee note. With a ruffling sound, I take the note from my wallet and paid my dinner bill. Smiling at Gandhi back, I was forced to recollect this young man with a smiling face whom I interviewed. It was my first experience of interviewing people for electronics HW job. The whole day, I was meeting people mostly from the power electronics background, a field that I had no hands-on experience. I was literally tired after 3-4 hours of this. Lastly came this resume came and came this guy. He was one year elder to me working in Bangalore for a French company. He was good in explaining the projects. Good.
Then came the time when I saw some specific eda tool in his resume which he claimed he knew. Probing a little in I figured out he has not worked in the tool at all...ok fine, he might have been good in analysing the results. So one final question on high-speed current return path and the reply left me completely aghast. I felt like kicking that guy. Politely I had to reject this candidate.

By first incident, I was surprised by the extent of brainwashing that IT has done to the society. By the second incident, I felt how much our system of education has trained people to focus on money alone. The third incident I felt how much our IT and education system combined has left people totally waste.

We all want to earn a better living and never yearn for one !!!