Holi hai !

The trees smile with their sprout
of tender leaves and blooming flowers,
Eternal nature with its transient expression
Hails spring! with ecstasy and joy!
Bewildering shades with so many tinge
The land of beauty and greatness India,
witnessing color of happiness and peace.
Nation come alive to enjoy the spirit
A celebration of color- holi!
An experience of content, harmony and delight.

Holika burns amidst merriment and mirth-
Evil overpowered by love and devotion.
A festival to commemorate ‘rash lila’-
an enduring love saga of Radha and Krishna.

Gulal – red, green, yellow and countless
A day’s canvas - a riot of colors.
Lively crowd running hither and thither,
Rainbow of colors, dashing from every nook and corner.
Disregarding their woe and despair fervent folks,
rejoicing at the marvel of colors.
A day filled with luster and gaiety,
A day to smear our dreams-
With a splash of vibrant frenzy colors.
Holi hai! A spring of unbounded fun and frolic …

– Jayati Chowdhury

Chicken soup for the soul

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister.

I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes I'll do it, if it will save her." As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded.

He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away?"

Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.

This story is from the book 'Chicken soup for the soul'. I got hold of this book along with 'Chicken soup for the teenage soul' in a book fair where they were selling off surplus material. I've read both the books umpteen times, yet they never fail to feel my clasp whenever they fall in my sight.

Some chicken soup for my soul indeed.

Valentine's Day

Is a wonderful way

To make "I love you"

Easy to say.

History of Valentine:


As early as the fourth century B.C., the Romans engaged in an annual young man's rite to passage to the God Lupercus. The names of the teenage women were placed in a box and drawn at random by adolescent men; thus, a man was assigned a woman companion for the duration of the year, after which another lottery was staged. After eight hundred years of this cruel practice, the early church fathers sought to end this practice... They found an answer in Valentine, a bishop who had been martyred some two hundred years earlier.

According to church tradition St. Valentine was a priest near Rome in about the year 270 A.D. At that time the Roman Emperor Claudius-II who had issued an edict forbidding marriage.
This was around when the heyday of Roman empire had almost come to an end. Lack of quality administrators led to frequent civil strife. Learning declined, taxation increased, and trade slumped to a low, precarious level. And the Gauls, Slavs, Huns, Turks and Mongolians from Northern Europe and Asian increased their pressure on the empire's boundaries. The empire was grown too large to be shielded from external aggression and internal chaos with existing forces. Thus more of capable men were required to be recruited as soldiers and officers. When Claudius became the emperor, he felt that married men were more emotionally attached to their families, and thus, will not make good soldiers. So to assure quality soldiers, he banned marriage.

Valentine, a bishop , seeing the trauma of young lovers, met them in a secret place, and joined them in the sacrament of matrimony. Claudius learned of this "friend of lovers," and had him arrested. The emperor, impressed with the young priest's dignity and conviction, attempted to convert him to the roman gods, to save him from certain execution. Valentine refused to recognize Roman Gods and even attempted to convert the emperor, knowing the consequences fully.
On February 24, 270, Valentine was executed.

"From your Valentine"

While Valentine was in prison awaiting his fate, he came in contact with his jailor, Asterius. The jailor had a blind daughter. Asterius requested him to heal his daughter. Through his faith he miraculously restored the sight of Asterius' daughter. Just before his execution, he asked for a pen and paper from his jailor, and signed a farewell message to her "From Your Valentine," a phrase that lived ever after.

Valentine thus become a Patron Saint, and spiritual overseer of an annual festival. The festival involved young Romans offering women they admired, and wished to court, handwritten greetings of affection on February 14. The greeting cards acquired St.Valentine's name.

The Valentine's Day card spread with Christianity, and is now celebrated all over the world. One of the earliest card was sent in 1415 by Charles, duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was a prisoner in the Tower of London. The card is now preserved in the British Museum.

A jolly trip

The last two days were such fun really, all the boys from our class went out on a fun trip to Tirupati and Talakona.
We started at 7:00 am Friday morning on a bus to Tirupati and went on to Talakona- a place known for its scenic beauty and amazing waterfalls. In fact it is in the midst of a jungle where we climb several hundreds of feet up a mountain to get the amazing view of the waterfalls falling from about 200 feet high. The sight of such a fall had its affect on the whole group of us... we lost no time in darting under the falls.... the water was chilling and within just two minutes all our bodies went numb with cold. Then after a great photo session we returned to Tirupati, watched the movie 'Shock'(an RGV production), had our dinner........and immediately started for the climb of our lives...... to the top of the hill (Tirumala) on foot at 10:30 pm. Everyone of my friends preferred to leave their bags in the transport section, but I chose to climb the hill top with my bag weighing around 7 kgs. It was someting over 10km of climb -including 4000 steps and 5 km walk to the top. it took us 4 hours ....well we were a group so none of us felt tired in the middle of the journey, reached the top at 3:30 am and went off to bed. All the morning we spent roaming around the hilltop and started for the temple by afternoon. We had to wait in the lines for nearly 5 hrs before the darshan of Lord Venkateshwara.
Everything went fine and we returned bk to Nellore at around 1:00 am.

Many of us made through the whole trip without a wink on our eyes..........it was such fun.

Never have I fallen

Your lips speak soft sweetness
Your smile a cool caress
I am lost in your magic
My heart beats within your chest

I think of you each morning
And dream of you each night
I think of your arms being around me
And cannot express my delight

Never have I fallen
But I am quickly on my way
You hold a heart in your hands
That has never before been given away

Someone's boring me, I think it's me!

It's like that, the part of the year when nothing goes ur way.
Or is it just that i'm going nothing's way?

It's really difficult to be me....... Why did I get in at all?
I'm no longer my old self.
Yes I crave for it with my heart. but dont at all have the guts to call it upon me.
Just can't even speak my heart out.
Leave alone speaking.... can't even open my mouth.
Mb I'll have to keep waiting for a chance to open my mouth for the rest of the course.
Stumbling for words.......

No! I'll not let this happen.
I disagree to maintain the silence any longer.
Hope I get the power to do so.
Something tells me that I will succeed.
So I will.

My day with viruses

It all started when I reinstalled the Windows-XP OS in my laptop yesterday. I did not have a proper boot disk to format the primary sector so I went on to install the Windows XP Pro SP2 software atop the already existing and error prone Windows XP FD Professional(a third party release). Lot of the primary sector space was lost in the process(which was recovered on following certain simple procedures), The problem arose when I installed AVG 7.0 trail anti-virus and was searching google for some free key-generator s/w's.
The search showed some websites:

www.seriall.com (the most dangerous)
www.asta-killer.com
www.crackspider.net

I was aware of the danger in merely visiting these sites, but carelessness got the better of me and I continued to browse freely; as a result numerous spywares, several dangerous adwares and viruses got on to the newly installed and still unprotected operating system. The resident Windows firewall was unable to block them as it provided only partial security. The battle is still going on but I'm nowhere near winning. I had to use several anti-virus and anti-spyware softwares to get a partial result.

Affects of the spywares and viruses on the system:

1. One particular spyware spawned the browser and no search process is supported.
2. A huge marquee-scroll comes up on the top of the screen every half an hour warning me of virus.
3. The system shuts down automatically if any anti-virus is running.
4. Even Agnitum outpost 3.0(the best known firewall) is cheated into thinking that several malicious programs were legal ones.
5. System slowdown.
6. Internet explorer gets struck.
7. Funny screen savers come out even if you are working.
8. The notepad opens up automatically and "The user is trying to close some applications with no luck" is typed automatically and is prompted to be saved.
9.The broadband internet connection is always heavy with traffic.

Anti-virus and firewall softwares* I used and extent of their abilities:

1. AVG free edition 7.0: Showed just 3 spyware programs, but failed to clean them.
2. AVG professional edition 7.0.338(the latest available): Showed 15 spyware and adware programs, cleared some spywares but left the Adwares. Showed that the risk levels of all the adwares were very high.
3. Agnitum outpost firewall 3.1 with spyware detector: not too effective, managed to clear out some instances of spywares which reappeared no sooner it had cleaned them.
4. Mc Afee antivirus : I had an older version so I could not use it.
5. Microsoft AntiSpyware beta: Detected just one spyware and cleand it, but could not detect several other instances of other spywares.
6. Sunbelt CounterSpy: Its a dedicated spyware remover. It was the best among all tried softwres, Managed to clear many of the spywares and adwares except 3 dangerous ones.
7. Norton internet security 2006 with latest updates: Pointed out the same spywares and adwares as CounterSpy, failed to remove or quarantine them. The norton internet database says that the adwares are recently diagonised and counter measures are bound to come up.

* All the softwares listed above were used with the latest available updates.

Now, on the advice of a software expert, I cleaned the registry of the malicious programs and am running Norton AntiVirus scan in Safe Mode. If this does not work I'll just have to use Seagate Disk Manager to clean the hard disk and reinstall the OS along with disk partitions, that implies loss of all the valuable data in the laptop, which I'm not favouring to risk. So I'll go on trying to remove the viruses.

A change indeed....

When I was waiting for a change
When I was short of something
One turn of my head changed it all
made me realise what I was missing all along...

A bitter conflict arose
between my mind and heart.
The mind had just given in…
For once in my life the heart had won.

The victory meant one thing-
The poor thing had to abandon me.
My eyes would follow suit
whenever they spot you.

How I long to be with you.
The jingles in your voice
makes me treasure those moments for ever.
The world looks the same no longer.


-Myself

The best ever New Year party

Had a gala time on the night of 31st. A huge party....a big cake....dances....pops....drinks and all as a farewell to a well spent year.
Tee..hee....I danced for the first time in my life.

** HAPPY NEW YEAR 2006 **

How beautiful the turning of the year!
A moment artificial yet profound:
Point upon an arbitrary chart
Passing like a breath upon the heart,
Yearning with anticipation wound,
New hope new harbored in old-fashioned cheer.
Even when the boundary line is clear,
We recognize the oneness of the ground.
Years, like circles, do not end or start
Except we lay across their truth our art,
Adjusting dates as they go round and round
Revolving to a tune long sung and dear.

My brain pattern.....

Your Brain's Pattern

Your mind is a firestorm - full of intensity and drama. Your thoughts may seem scattered to you most of the time... But they often seem strong and passionate to those around you. You are a natural influencer. The thoughts you share are very powerful and persuading.

What Pattern Is Your Brain?

College....

The first week at college was great. Almost daily birthdays of my friends...so lots of parties. Life's good.
It has been 4 years since I've done any painting..... I just realised that my fingers haven't lost their flair. A painting competition was conducted in the college reg 'The Energy Conservation Week' and I was surprised to see myself doing some good work. An essay writing competition was conducted too...but thats boring stuff.

Top 21 things an Indian does after returning from The US of A...

1. Tries to use credit card in road side hotel.
2. Drinks and carries mineral water and always speaks of health conscious.
3. Sprays deo such so that he doesn't need to take bath.
4. Sneezes and says 'Excuse me'.
5. Says "Hey" instead of "Hi".
says "Yogurt" instead says "Curds".
Says "Cab" instead of "Taxi".
Says "Candy" instead of "Chocolate".
Says "Cookie" instead of "Biscuit".
Says "Free Way " instead of "Highway".
Says "got to go" instead of "Have to go".
Says "Oh" instead of "Zero", (for 704, says Seven Oh Four, Instead of Seven Zero Four)

6. Doesn't forget to crib about air pollution. Keeps cribbing every time he steps out.
7. Says all the distances in Miles (Not in Kilo Meters), and counts in Millions. (Not in Lakhs)
8. Tries to figure all the prices in Dollars as far as possible (but deep down the heart multiplies by 43 times).
9. Tries to see the % of fat on the cover of a milk pocket.
10.When need to say Z (zed), never says Z (Zed), repeats "Zee" several times, if the other person unable to get, then says X, Y Zee (but never says Zed)
11.Writes date as MM/DD/YYYY, on watching traditional DD/MM/YYYY, says "Oh! British Style!!!!"
12.Makes fun of Indian Standard Time and Indian Road Conditions.
13.Even after 2 months, complaints about "Jet Lag".
14.Avoids eating more chili (hot) stuff.
15.Tries to drink "Diet Coke", instead of Normal Coke.
16.Tries to complain about any thing in India as if he is experiencing it for the first time.
17.Pronounces "schedule" as "skejule", and "module" as "Mojule".
18.Looks speciously towards Hotel/Dhaba food.

Few more important
19.From the luggage bag, does not remove the stickers of Airways by which he traveled back to India, even after 4 months of arrival.
20.Takes the cabin luggage bag to short visits in India , tries to roll the bag on Indian Roads.

Ultimate one
21.Tries to begin conversation with "In US ...." or "When I was in US..."

End of hols...

Well everything that has a beginning has an end, so does our holidays. College reopens tommorrow and I'll be leaving for Nlr tonight. I'm definitely gonna miss home, waking up at 9 o' clock, long hours online, lazy afternoons before the idiot box, friends in the evening, late night TV and Grandma's chicken curry (summing up 'LIFE').

Ok, I'm not complaining.... I'm also enthused to see my college and all my friends again. Besides I'll be coming back home in about a month for Pongal hols. 3/8 parts of my engg. course is over and very quick indeed. Thats the advantage of Semester system in colleges, you never feel bored, lot of hols in between, and fresh subjects every four months.

Some pics

Thats me, meddling with my aunt's computer. Curse the light, u ppl can't see me properly here.




There, that one's better..... At the garden restaurent.

Politics Explained

FEUDALISM:
You have two cows. Your lord takes some of the milk.

PURE SOCIALISM:
You have two cows. The government takes them and puts them in a barn with everyone else's cows. You have to take care of all of the cows. The government gives you as much milk as you need.

BUREAUCRATIC SOCIALISM:
You have two cows. The government takes them and put them in a barn with everyone else's cows. They are cared for by ex-chicken farmers. You have to take care of the chickens the government took from the chicken farmers. The government gives you as much milk and eggs as the regulations say you need.

FASCISM:
You have two cows. The government takes both, hires you to take care of them and sells you the milk.

PURE COMMUNISM:
You have two cows. Your neighbors help you take care of them, and you all share the milk.

RUSSIAN COMMUNISM:
You have two cows. You have to take care of them, but the government takes all the milk.

CAMBODIAN COMMUNISM:
You have two cows. The government takes both of them and shoots you.

DICTATORSHIP:
You have two cows. The government takes both and drafts you.

PURE DEMOCRACY:
You have two cows. Your neighbors decide who gets the milk.

REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY:
You have two cows. Your neighbors pick someone to tell you who gets the milk.

BUREAUCRACY:
You have two cows. At first the government regulates what you can feed them and when you can milk them. Then it pays you not to milk them. Then it takes both, shoots one, milks the other and pours the milk down the drain. Then it requires you to fill out forms accounting for the missing cows.

PURE ANARCHY:
You have two cows. Either you sell the milk at a fair price or your neighbors try to take the cows and kill you.

LIBERTARIAN/ANARCHO-CAPITALISM:
You have two cows. You sell one and buy a bull.

SURREALISM:
You have two giraffes. The government requires you to take harmonica lessons.

Eddie passes away

WWE (formerly WWF) has been my favourite sport for years since sometime when I was 7 or so, even now I never fail to watch it whenever I get a chance. I've been watching it since the time of Bret Hart 'Hitman' , Shawn Michaels and others. I don't care how much of it is true, but it's entertaining me, it is serving its purpose. So I kept on watching it on TV.

Eddie Guererro, one of my favourites, reigning WWE champion had passed away in his hotel room at Minneapolis a few days ago from a heart attack. One whole episode of RAW Vs Smack Down was dedicated to him. I always liked his histronics and the way he cheats his way for the title.

I'm gonna miss the 'Latino Heat'.

Life is a series of Problems...

I really always found it difficult to justify myself bout the presence of God. Just read this article.


We all face problems in out lives but the question is how do you deal with them and what steps do you take? Are you scared of problems?

Ever wondered who creates these problems and what is the intention? You may say your boss creates problem for you at work. But does it happen that way? May be your boss is just another medium thru which the problem is put in front of you and you have to solve the damn problem.Thats it.

The problem you face will either defeat you or develop you—depending on how you respond to them. Unfortunately most people fail to see how God wants to use problems for good in their lives. They react foolishly and resent their problems rather then pausing to consider what benefit they might bring.

Lets see how God comes into picture and how he creates problems at different stages of our life.

God uses problem to DIRECT you

Sometimes God must light a fire under you to get you moving. Problems often point us in a new direction and motivate us to change. Is God trying to get your attention?

God uses problem to INSPECT you

People are like tea bags…. If you want to know what’s inside them, just drop them into hot water! Has God ever tested your faith with a problem? What do problems reveal about you?

God uses problems to CORRECT you

Some lessons we learn only through pain and failure. It’s likely that as a child your parents told you not to touch a hot stove. But you probably learned by being burned. Sometimes we only learn the value of something… health,money,love, a relationship… by losing it.

God uses problems to PROTECT you

A problem can be a blessing in diguise if it prevents you from being harmed by something more serious. Last year a friend was fired for refusing to do something unethical that his boss had asked him to do. His unemployment was a problem – but it saved him from being convicted and sent to prison a year later when management’s actions were eventually discovered.

God uses problems to PERFECT you

Problems, when responded to correctly, are character builders. God is far more interested in your character than your comfort. Your relationship to God and your character are the only two things your’re going to take with you into eternity.

Here’s the point: God is at work in your life – even when you do not recognize it or understand it. But it’s much easier and profitable when you do.



Must be true...

Tale of the three programmers

Got this joke in a mail


Three male programmers were in the bathroom standing at the urinals.

The first programmer finishes, walks over to the sink to wash his hands. He then proceeds to dry his hands very carefully. He uses paper towel after paper towel and ensures that every single spot of water on his hands is
dried.
Turning to the other two, he says, "At Microsoft, we are trained to be extremely thorough."

The second programmer finishes his task at the urinal and he proceeds to wash his hands. He uses a single paper towel and makes sure that he dries his hands using every available portion of the paper towel.
He turns and says, "At Intel not only are we trained to be extremely thorough but we are also trained to be extremely efficient."

The third programmer finished and walks straight for the door, shouting over his shoulder,
"At Sun, we don't piss on our hands."

24 days at home

The exams are finally over, hols here. 24 days at Rjy, its going to be the longest hol since I've joined engg. Have'nt planned what to do all these days, they'll just pass by probably as quickly as ever. I cant think of any better work than visiting all my friends, most of them will p'bly be back home by now.

One whole semester over ....so quickly, and the next ones gonna be much shorter and uncomparably difficult as well. I'm going to have some of the most important as well as d'cult subjects - Computer Organisation, DataBase Mgmt. Systems, Operating Systems, Probablity& Stats, Electrical Technology and Managerial Economics & Financial Analysis ( just can't understand why the university has included the last two subjects for students of CSE).

And I'm unable to think of any other thing to put up here for now.
So, Bye...