Karnataka State Elections May 2013

Whew!! Now that the elections are over, we can rest in peace. We (the voters) have done our duty. Over 70% came out to cast their votes. Like we do regularly we have shown that we still believe in an outdated system, and repeatedly cast our ballot in the name of hope.

Devil and the Deep Sea
Our choices are limited. The one that served its tenure is usually a devil, and the incoming regime, is as unfathomable as the deep sea. We only seem clear that we want someone out of the system, and unsure who we want in.
I guess, given the options we have in front of us, we really dont have the luxury of choice. Not completely true, given that the ballot paper is usually long in every single constituency. Inspite of all this we still end up choosing the same options, we have tried and tired off from before.

Middle Finger. No just Almost !

Hiding it, wanted this badly !

We need to break out from this mold. The answer to this question is on everyone's mind. Many of us educated who are still willing to brave the election day, and cast our vote, do so, only to keep our conscious clean.
So many action forums, fasts, morcha, candle lighting sessions, and capturing the mind of the TV goers, but unable to convert these into a winning combination. And people like us are unwilling to take the risk and waste our votes. And each vote, we try to save, we end up offering to the devil or leap into the deep sea.

Looking forward to the elections in Delhi and the showing of Aam Aadmi Party. Wishing them luck, but more importantly wishing me and wishing us luck.

iZed Security for Mukesh Bhai

Abh kya hai ! After all, democracy mane, "for the people, off the people, by the people". All this if for us only, the Aam Aadmi, or is now popularly known "Mango People".
Interestingly quite a bit of media (specially business publications, here's one) see this as nothing but normal. Just, when the Supreme Court is going to pull the laal-bathi (red light) from a bunch of unwanted cars, now we will have a bunch of Kaala Billis (Black Cats) running around town. What a colourful world we live in?

Source: Manjultoons

Aam Aadmi, will remain an Aam Aadmi, as long he or she thinks that way. Wake up people, tell your government, you are not a mango.

Aside: By the way, will this create a new Top 100 list !! The Top 100 wanted on the Indian Mujahideen hit list.

Non Standard Disclaimer: Everything stated here is a verbatim transcription of what was provided to me by SHIV. I do not claim credit or responsibility. Shiv is a friend i have known for long, and almost always has an opinion on anything and everything. Sorry Mukesh Bhai, if you feel dinged, please dont take it out on me. Please take it out on Shiv.

Search, at what cost

I am recent convert to google search. Its probably only less than six (6) months, since i made google my default search engine. Till then, it was Yahoo. Ok, so i am kind of a retard when it comes to internet and social networking. Anyway, this is less about me, and more about me in the context of the internet.

For quite sometime now, i have been wondering about all the data accumulation that happens to help power the internet search. Yahoo, Google, Microsoft and Baidu (to name only a few) all accumulate the same set of data from the internet, and are crawling on each other to ensure that search is fast and accurate.

At what cost tho' ?
Well, at the cost of another search, actually many searches later, i found this.

'Carbon cost' of Google revealed The research found a google search produced 7g of carbon dioxide Two search requests on the internet website Google produce "as much carbon dioxide as boiling a kettle", according to a Harvard University academic. US physicist Alex Wissner-Gross claims that a typical Google search on a desktop computer produces about 7g CO2. However, these figures were disputed by Google, who say a typical search produced only 0.2g of carbon dioxide. A recent study by American research firm Gartner suggested that IT now causes two percent of global emissions. Dr Wissner-Gross's study claims that two Google searches on a desktop computer produces 14g of CO2, which is the roughly the equivalent of boiling an electric kettle. Carbon emissions The Harvard academic argues that these carbon emissions stem from the electricity used by the computer terminal and by the power consumed by the large data centres operated by Google around the world. If you want to supply really great and fast result, then that's going to take extra energy Dr Alex Wissner-Gross Although the American search engine is renowned for returning fast results, Dr Wissner-Gross says it can only do so because it uses several data banks at the same time. Speaking to the BBC, he said a combination of clients, networks, servers and people's home computers all added up to a lot of energy usage. "Google isn't any worse than any other data centre operator. If you want to supply really great and fast result, then that's going to take extra energy to do so," he said. Dr Wissner-Gross said he was working on a website called co2stats.com which helps companies identify "energy inefficient" aspects of their websites. In a statement on its official blog, Google said that Dr Wissner-Gross' figures were "many times too high." The firm said that a typical search returned a result in less than 0.2 seconds and that the search itself only used its servers for a few thousandths of a second. This, said Google, amounted to 0.0003 kWh of energy per search - equivalent to 0.2g of CO2. "We've made great strides to reduce the energy used by our data centres, but we still want clean and affordable sources of electricity for the power that we do use," said Google in its statement. "In 2007, we co-founded the Climate Savers Computing Initiative. This non-profit consortium is committed to cutting the energy consumed by computers in half by 2010 and so reducing global CO2 emissions by 54 million tons per year. That's a lot of kettles."

- source: BBC

This is no aspersion made specific to google. I am sure what applies to google, applies equally to all of the other search engine providers. Some more and some less efficient, when it comes to energy savings to host their service.

India rape, protest

Scouring the internet, can result in a few gems, like this. It was by chance that i landed on this opinion page at CNN. The tag line, itself, was an interesting composition. And so, i let my imagination run wild, with a comma at a place i thought appropriate, and used that for my blog title.

What struck me first was a bunch of interesting photographs. Indian news media, clearly need to learn a thing or two from its western counterparts - "a picture is truly worth a thousand words". Or let me paraphrase - "an interesting picture is worth more than a thousand words, written or unwritten".

Some of these images are telling of our current central government. A lot of introspection is required. Instead of letting people vent their anger (peacefully), the UPA government, besieged by protests through out 2012, decided that it will pull-off a "who is the boss?" attitude. A heavy price to pay. Politics is not about winning all the time.

This government in Delhi seems have miscalculated so much during this one year. It has managed to put its wrong foot out, all the time. A price to pay, for having a technocrat as a Prime Minister, who is always kept on tight leash. He cant perform - do what he knows best, do what he thinks best, or play politics which would have been the best.

AR Rahman - Kadal - Adiye

Aiyo Aiyo Aiyo! These chaps have planned for this murder (thats literal translation for - thittam ittu kolai saiya vanthutanga da). I mean the whole team that ARR has worked with here. I guess in this case, i must ask "enna enge nee kooti poren"? ARR's answer is "listen, follow and you will know".

Sid Sriram, who is this guy? Where did he come from suddenly? Kudos to him. Listen to the lines "unni nambi vaarene" and then difference in "un pinne suthurene". Awesome. That phrase in the song alone, was enough to swoon you. ARR lets Sid out of the box, and the fellow is singing like on an "unplugged" show. Free flow, thats where the magic begins here.

Oh and i am listening to the song, and i just noticed one thing. Every "Adiye" has a loud beat, like a clap, slap, a bang on the drum or in the early stages a forceful finger on the piano. I am sure it wasn't planned, but just a happenstance from the rendering of the song. Sometimes it takes a while for an ARR song to hit you. Adiye did to me, what Aromale did earlier. This song falls in the same genre, i think. The loud music, you would think would drown the song. ARR is sometimes accused of this. But this is a perfect example of the opposite. The loud seeming cacophony, plays in perfect harmony to the singer. Oh, ya, watch out for the volume setting, specially if you are listening with headphones. Be prepared for the "Adi" you get through out the song.

As said before the background singers. ARR, uses a bunch of 'oohs' in the background often during the song. It seems like one of the American R&B being played out to tamizh lyrics. Who would have thought? He experiments, all the time. Even the piano and the drums in the background add to the ambience created in the song. Another perfect love song, rendered completely out of the blue. The background vocals sing louder than Sid, who appropriately tones his voice down, to give the right effect - a love lorn hero. Again simply oooh oooh oooh.

Karky again does a good job, providing the right words, around which this melody is woven. I liked these lines that go "Meena thooki rekka varanja, Vaanam mele nee veesi erinja, Paraka pazhakuriye, Engirunthu vanthayo nee". It all comes together beautifully. Another fantastic masterpiece by ARR.

Lyrics: Karky Vairamuthu
Artist: Sid Sriram

manasa thoranthaye nee
engirinthu vanthaai nee
adi ye.. adi ye..
enna enge nee kootti pora
adi ye.. adi ye..
enge nee kootti pora?
enna enge nee kootti pora

pallanguzhi paatha puriyala
unna nambi vaarene
intha kaatu paya oru aatukutti pola
un pinne suthurene

pallangkuzhi paatha puriyala
unna nambi vaarene
intha kaatupaya oru aattukutti pola
unpinna suththurane

adiye.. adiye..
enna enga nee kootti pora
adiye.. adiye..
enna enga nee kootti pora
adiye.. adiye..
enna enga nee kootti pora
adiye.. adiye..
enna enga nee kootti pora

meena thookki rekka varanja
vaanam mele nee veesi erinja
parakka pazhakkuriye
engirunthu vanthaayo nee..

adiye.. adiye..
enna enga nee kootti pora
adiye.. adiye..
enna enga nee kootti pora
adiye.. adiye..
enna enga nee kootti pora
adiye.. adiye..
enna enga nee kootti pora

kannaala kannadi senju
en achchaththa kaatturiye
en thoosi thurumbellaam thatti..
ullam vellayadikiriye..

adiye.. adiye..
enna enga nee kootti pora
adiye.. adiye..
enna enga nee kootti pora
adiye.. adiye..
enna enga nee kootti pora
adiye.. adiye..
enna enga nee kootti pora

oh.. bhoomi vittu sorgkaththukku
nee vaanavillil paatha virichcha
manasa kayiraakki izhuththu poraaye nee..
sorgam vittu bhoomi vanthaa
meendum kizhakil sooriyan vanthaa
naan vizhichchu paakkaiyilla
kalanju povaaayo nee

adiye.. adiye..
enna enga nee kootti pora
adiye.. adiye..
enna enga nee kootti pora
adiye.. adiye..
enna enga nee kootti pora
adiye.. adiye..
enna enga nee kootti pora

AR Rahman - Kadal - Chithirai Nela

This is another soulful melody in this album. I know this word is being repeated for each song in the album, but i can't but say it - amazing. Once again, the song starts with very little music, virtually only a  slow notes from an organ playing in the background. The notes from the organ tho' slow and steady, but is not frail and equals the voice of the singer.

Vijay Yesudas, is blessed. Blessed with a voice very similar or sometimes exactly like his father. I do know there are a lot of people who don't like Yesudas's voice, but they are also the kind of people who think AR Rahman's songs are repetitive. Instead they find solace in a gana patty or a song from a Anu Malik factory. I love the way Vijay modulates his voice, starting slow, and then slowly increases the tempo as the song moves along. The way he sings "Manithan ninaithal, Vazhi pirakam", is different from "Kangallil irunthe Kaatchigal Thonrum" and increases the pitch to a crescendo when he delivers "Naallai thiranthal Nambikai sirikum". The same goes for how he performs with the line "Chithirai Nila", the first one as if he is crying to a dependent soul, and towards the end with a lot joy and pride, a new awakening.

How does ARR do this ? I have heard stories he let the singers have their freedom to deliver his tunes and he then mixes the interludes, and adds accompaniments to the song. If that is the case, i wonder if he gets the singer to do a retake when he feels some part of the song must now change. No wonder he works best when he is afforded the time. This song like many, is not easy to conceive the way it is. The minute but pronounced fluctuations in the voice and tune at different points, must have required a lot of thought or was an iterative process of delivery. Which is it? I wonder, but in awe of this genius. ARR lets the introductions go on for almost two minutes. Vijay plays around "Chithirai Nila", till about 1:48 into the song. Slow, and what would at first hear thing - boring - turns into another magic.

Only ARR can employ a chorus in a song very effectively. I have seen it many times, this background singers, who finally become masters in their own space, produce the right mix required. I recall, i forget the song now, but you can hear the distinct voice of Srinivas, even tho' at that time he was not a recognized singer. ARR does this often, and unless you pay attention, it will be difficult to even recognize the singers in the background sometimes.

You just love it when all things come together, i am now referring to the lyrics. I am sucker for these kinds of songs. Not that i am depressed and need these kind of words to help. But i love it, the endurance of human spirit, conquering despair or taking control of your own fate, rather than blaming it on someone else. There is good in everything, and everything happens for good - "Kalangalil irunthe Desangal thonrum , Tholviyil irunthe Gnyanangal thonrum". War is not bad after all. It is ok to make mistakes, learn from them. The second is one of my management mantra. How do you describe the moon as alone ? Never heard of that before. Usually people think the night sky is filled with stars. But our lyricist thought he must highlight that moon shines alone and equate it to a human condition, when we suddenly feel lonely, even tho' we are capable of burning bright.

AR Rahman - Kadal - Moongil Thottam

How can you go wrong with "Vera enna vennam, Nee pothume"? And ARR doesnt. Solo guitar, thats how he kicks of this soulful melody.

As is usual with Rahman's albums, i start with an instant favourite and slowly make my way to the other songs in the album. I picked this over "Chitirai Nila", only because if i needed more time to write about that one over this. But after listening to other four, over and over again - of course, this song did play every once in a while in some sequence or random order - i gave into "Moongil Thottam". Talk about something growing or rather creeping up on you !!

When i searched for the singers, i was surprised to see Harini's name. She is probably the only old singer (along with Vijay) that ARR has used in this album. She was an instant favourite of mine from "Nila Kaygirathu" (Indira). But Abhay Jodhpurkar was the revelation. I searched the net, and to no avail. Only his facebook page and a few other references to blogs and sites listing him as a singer to this song. Is this his first ? Amazing. Simply Amazing. It appears he is from Chennai, and so his Tamizh pronunciation is perfect as it can be - considering chennai tamizh itself is a bastardized version of the Semmozhi ;).

Vairamuthu as usual has excelled himself - "niranja mounam", "munthaanai eduthu,
nee mella thudaikka, naa unna anaikka" and "ushnam yaashikkum, udalum irukka, otha porvaiyila, iruvarum irukka". What more do you need, for someone to fall in love again?

But the best of all, is how ARR decided that this song does not require a lot of music, and let the voice float through. Most of the song is accompanied by the sounds strum from a lone guitar. He does fill the interludes with light melodious bits from an assortment of instruments. You can clearly hear each one, as they come to the foreground and fade to another. Listen to the few seconds before Abhay starts "Marangal Nadungum", you will understand what i feel here.

And finally the final notes as he chooses to close out the song. He has the Abhay and Harini, singing not together, but with a lag. He had done this same technique before (atleast thats where i first noticed it) in "Theendai" (En Swasa Katre). Simple twists, that make a fabulous song.

Lyrics: Vairamuthu
Artists: Abhay Jodhpurkar, Harini

moongil thottam, mooligai vaasam
niranja mounam, nee paadum geetham
pournami iravu, pani vizhum kaadu
othaiyadi paadhaiyil, unkuda podinada

ithu pothum enaku..ithu pothume
verenna venum nee pothume
ithu pothum enaku..ithu pothume
verenna venum nee pothume

kulanthaang karaiyile, kulikkum paravaiga
siragu valathume, thuliga therikume
mun kovam eduthu, munthaanai eduthu
nee mella thudaikka, naa unna anaikka

ithu pothum enaku......

marangal nadungum, maargazhi erikka
ratham uraiyum, kulirum irukka
ushnam yaasikkum, udalum irukka
otha porvaiyila, iruvarum irukka

ithu pothum enaku......