Monthly Archives: February 2006

How are you?

Posted on by

Assuming that you are perfectly well and not in any grumpy mood, what do you normally say if someone asks you the above question? While in India, a simple ‘Fine’ would be fine. Over here in UK, most likely you would get “not too bad” as an answer. In fact, the question itself would be different – “you awright mate” (you all right mate?). Recently I threw this customary question to someone in US and got “staying out of trouble” as reply. I heard the same from 2 more people from Milwaukee (USA). Wonder how many different ways are there to answer people. Nevertheless, they are interesting indeed. But nothing to beat a “sooobera keeren mamu”.

Doctorate

Posted on by

Something wrong somewhere.. err.. something right somewhere. I am getting mails addressing me as “Dr Chakkarapani”. Someone somewhere has realised my potential and have decided to award a doctorate. Wish they send me some legal documents conferring me of the same, rather than using the coveted title in the junk mails.

Watchful eating?

Posted on by

I have heard of people making note of things they eat for consulting with the dietician to make adjustments to their eating habit. But, ever heard of anyone who photographs every single thing he eats and even post them on his blog? Check out this blog and see for yourself. What a way to keep tab of the calories you take in.

Watch before you talk

Posted on by

Only on reading today’s news, I came to know about this law that has been in existence since 2003 in Britain. Seems that one could be fined for swearing in public. A police officer has overheard a private conversation among two friends and handed over a penalty notice of £80 to one of them for using that four lettered F word. This law is part of Tony Blair’s campaign to bring in the ‘respect’ culture among the country’s youth. I don’t have any problems with objective of the law, but in a country where they make all the fuss about privacy/data protection etc, I wonder how they let police levy penalty for using certain words in a private conversation. I would rather update my dictionary with equivalent Tamil words in the hope that there wouldn’t be any interpreters snooping around in public.

Long Life

Posted on by

If you put chick peas (கொண?டக?கடலை) in salted water, how long do you expect it to be good enough for eating? Few days or may be few weeks, perhaps? I found that the expiry date for the above stuff bought at Sainsbury’s is December 2010. That is nearly 5 years from now. Isn’t that a bit too long?

Roy, Rushdie & Brown

Posted on by

I never had any good opinion on Arundhati Roy due to many reasons. Very often I have felt that she is misusing her ‘Booker’ fame by poking her nose into everything. Only over the weekend, flipped through few pages of her Booker winning ‘The God of Small Things‘ and I couldn’t proceed beyond few pages. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t captivating as I thought a Booker winning book would be. It certainly wasn’t her fault if my expectations are tad different. As I was searching for a website on her, learnt that the book ran into many controversies and there was even a law suit to ban the last chapter. If I had known this before starting, I would have reserved my verdict at least until I have completed the book.

Another one book that I find it difficult to keep going is Rushdie’s Satanic Verses. Since this book was (is?) banned in India, I bought it in UK as soon as I saw it. Even on this one, I couldn’t proceed beyond few pages.

Same with Dan Brown’s DaVinci Code. It sure was a page turner. I finished the book very quickly, but felt it a bit more hyped. On the other hand, I found Brown’s Digital Fortress and Angels & Demons a much better read.

Perhaps, I don’t find it easy with the famous & controversial books.

Spammers Galore

Posted on by

I had to apply for a Tax Credit with Inland Revenue. When I rang them up to find out about the online facility, the link for which I couldn’t find in their website, they told me that they have got rid of that part of the website as they are receiving so many spam registrations every day. They have reverted back to paper based system now and would remain so until the time they equip their online facility with better ways to deal with spammer morons.

I don’t see the point these spammers are trying to drive. Whether it is right or wrong, it is understandable to fill one’s guest book & comments with junk as they get linked back. But to fill up a complicated questionnaire with trash is simply beyond any logic. Crazy guys.