Tears

It is very rare that I shed tears - and today is one such day.

But hey, still, life is beautiful :-)

Boycott Express Avenue | Express Avenue Suicide and Negligence

I had never been to Express Avenue or EA (as it is called) but after seeing this incident, I don't have any inclination to go that place anymore. Im boycotting EA coz their staff, security and others in-charge of the mall have little or no training in emergency management, first-aid medical care and behaving with the public. This is highly disgusting on two counts:

1. The EA Mall: From the mall point of view, people are their source of income. More the footfalls, more the income for them. It is in their best interest to take care of customers in the mall by providing them basic facilities and proper management of the facility. What is seen in the below video is pure apathy displaying lack of preparedness to handle emergency and failure to provide basic first aid. A mall is a place where thousands of people gather on a regular basis and it is imperative of them to foresee emergency needs and plan for them. The behavior of mall authorities is just disgusting, unworthy of my patronage.
2. Police: Police often forget for whom they work for. Police have various responsibilities: Crime prevention, law and order maintenance, traffic management, providing security etc. However, all of this is done to serve the public and a developing public situation has to be handled with care and respect. What we see in this video is authority and direct threat issued to responsible citizens of the city. Of course, people were spilling over to the road and creating a ruckus by blocking traffic, but they are doing that as last resort as their earlier demands were not met by police or the evasive mall authorities. If their genuine questions are met, they would have dispersed on their own. Instead, police resorted to threaten then and fudge their responsibilities.

I'm really disappointed and sad. I'm boycotting EA

https://www.change.org/petitions/boycott-express-avenue-mall-in-chennai-india

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/techie-jumps-to-death-at-city-mall/article4870489.ece

Salute to the brave lady who fought for the departed soul and for thousand of soul-less living people.

!!!!!!! Man of Steel !!!!!!!!

The Freaking AWESOME cut of Man of STEEL - the REAL MAN OF STEEL.



The most apt cut I've ever watched - matching the dialogues, emotions and feel that only Thalaivar can evoke.

Awesome fan made Trailer !!!!!!!

SUTTA KADHAI

Sutta Kadhai....appadi enna than Suttanga indha paduthule ? 

Villain eh suttangla ? Or some other figures suttangala? or Vadai than suttangala ? :D

One thing for sure - in the first dialogue itself they clarified that the story is not stolen - Sudalainga Saami !!  :-D :-D

My friend +Subu's Debut movie - Hoot Hoot !!!!

Listen to good and different music from Madly Blues below....Great MSV Sir has sung one soulful song !!!

+Subu's Movie launch video below - Kalukkal police get up - onne partha sirippu police mariye therila da :-P

Vinod Rai - the man who made the government accountable !!

Vinod Rai, quiet, well spoken and hard working accountant, is India's change man. Nobody really knew who a Comptroller and Auditor General of India is and what are the responsibilities of such a constitutional position in Indian Democracy. A Position so sacred that it doesn't have to report to any executive and enjoys the same privileges as a supreme court judge. However, nobody really knew of such an authority or office in Indian democracy till Vinod Rai took over office in 2008.

He will be remembered as the man who brought awareness amongst millions of Indians by performing audit of government expenditures fearlessly, with clear objective and without subjecting to any outside influence. 2G Spectrum allocation scam, Coal mine allocation scam , Common wealth games scam were all uncovered by CAG after carefully and clearly auditing the records and bills submitted by government of India vs the stated objective of the same projects. Such was the impact of the findings that it shook the entire central government, lead to the fall of several ministers in the cabinet and lead to the rise of awareness in the minds of the people.

He is one of the people indirectly responsible for the rise of India's movement against corruption for he never urged them directly to confront the government against it's malpractice but just let his work do the talking.

The man who held the Government of the Union of India accountable, is serving his last day as CAG. Salute Sir - you are one of my heroes of modern India. 

பணத்தால் எல்லாவற்றையும் வாங்க முடியுமா ? Can money buy everything ?

Simple video with a profound message - Credit and kudos to the creator(s)

~~ Chennai ~~ சென்னை

Chennai !!!! சென்னை !!!! 

I saw the below details in a facebook post and cannot verify the authenticity of all the details shared, but it seems plausible and makes for an interesting read.

Of course, like any other big city, Chennai also has issues. As we learn, so will Chennai :)

Chennai, is and will always be, an awesome place !!!

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சென்னை இன்று மிகப்பெரிய மாநகரமாக விளங்க காரணம், பல சிறு சிறு கிராமங்களின் இணைவு தான். சிறுதுளி பெருவெள்ளம் என்பது போல் பல கிராமங்கள் இணைந்து சென்னை பிரமாண்டமாய் உருவெடுத்துள்ளது. 

அப்படி இணைந்த கிராமங்களின் பெயர்கள் உருவானதின் பின்னணியை தெரிந்து கொள்வது சுவாரஸ்யமான ஒன்றே.

- 108 சக்தி ஸ்தலங்களில் 51வது ஊர். ஆகையால் ஐம்பத்து ஒன்றாம் ஊர் என்று அழைக்கப்பட்டு, பின்னாளில் இவ்வூர் அம்பத்தூர் என மாறியது.

- Armoured Vehicles And Depot of India என்பதின் சுருக்கமே ஆவடி(AVADI)

- chrome leather factory இப்பகுதியில் அதிக அளவில் இருந்ததால் இப்பகுதி குரோம்பேட்டை என அழைக்கப்படலாயிற்று.

- 17,18ம் நுற்றாண்டுகளில் நவாப் ஒருவரின் கட்டுப்பாட்டில் இருந்தது இப்பகுதி. அவருடைய குதிரைகளின் பசியை போக்கும் நந்தவனமாக இது விளங்கியதால், garden of horses என்னும் பொருள் படும் Ghoda bagh என்று உருது மொழியில் பெயர் வைத்தார். பின்னாளில் அதுவே கோடம்பாக்கமாக மாறியது.

- மகப்பேறு என்பதே மருவி முகப்பேர் ஆனது.

- தென்னை மரங்கள் நிரம்பிய பகுதி அது. ஆகையால் தென்னம்பேட்டை என பெயர் வைத்தார்கள். பிற்பாடு அது தேனாம்பேட்டையாக மாறிப்போனது.

- சையிது ஷா பேட்டை தான் சைதாபேட்டை என அழைக்கப்படுகிறது.

- முற்காலத்தில் வேதஸ்ரேணி என அழைக்கப்பட்டது தற்போதைய வேளச்சேரி.

- உருது வார்த்தையான che bage (six gardens என்பது இதன் பொருள்) என்பதிலிருந்து உருவானது தான் சேப்பாக்கம்.

- சௌந்தர பாண்டியன் பஜார் என்பதின் சுருக்கமே பாண்டி பஜார்.

- கலைஞர் கருணாநிதி நகரை சுருக்கி கே.கே. நகர் என அழைக்கிறோம்.

- சிவபெருமானுக்கு உகந்த வில்வமரங்கள் அதிகம் இருந்ததால் மகாவில்வம் என அழைக்கப்பட்ட இப்பகுதி, பின்பு மாவில்வம் என்றாகி, காலப்போக்கில் எப்படியோ மாம்பலமாகி விட்டது.

- பல்லவர்கள் ஆட்சி செய்ததால் பல்லவபுரம் என்றழைக்கப்பட்ட இடம் தான் பல்லாவரம்.

- சென்னை மாகாண முதல்வராக இருந்த பனகல் ராஜாவின் நினைவாக இவ்விடம் பனகல் பார்க் என அழைக்கப்படுகிறது.

- நீதி கட்சி தலைவர் சர். பி.டி.தியாகராஜன் செட்டியின் பெயராலேயே இப்பகுதி தியாகராய நகர் என அழைக்கபடுகிறது(தி.நகர்)

- புரசை மரங்கள் மிகுதியாக இப்பகுதியில் இருந்ததால், இப்பகுதி புரசைவாக்கம் ஆனது.

- அதிக அளவில் மல்லிகை பூக்கள் பயிரிடப்பட்ட பகுதி இது. திருக்கச்சி நம்பி ஆழ்வார் தினமும் இங்கிருந்து பூக்களை பறித்துக்கொண்டு சென்று காஞ்சி வரதராஜபெருமாளை வழிபட்டுவந்தார். அதனால் இவ்விடம் சமஸ்கிருதத்தில் புஷ்பகவல்லி என்றும், தமிழில் பூவிருந்தவல்லி என்றும் அழைக்கப்படுகிறது. பின்னாளில் இது பூந்தமல்லியாக மாறியது. வல்லி என்பது தெய்வத்தை குறிக்கும் ஒரு பெயர்.

- 17ம் நூற்றாண்டில் இங்கு வாழ்ந்து வந்த ஒரு முஸ்லீம் துறவி 'குணங்குடி மஸ்தான் சாகிப்'. இவரது சொந்த ஊர் ராமநாதபுரம் மாவட்டத்தில் உள்ள தொண்டி. ஆகையால் அப்பகுதி மக்கள் அவரை தொண்டியார் என அழைத்தனர். அந்த ஏரியா தான் தற்போதைய தண்டயார்பேட்டை.

- முன்பு இப்பகுதி ஆடு மாடுகள் மேயும் திறந்தவெளியாக இருந்துள்ளது. அதனாலேயே மந்தைவெளி என்றழைக்கபடுகிறது.

- மயில் ஆர்ப்பரிக்கும் ஊர் என்பதே மயிலாப்பூர் என மாறிப்போனது.

- பல்லவர்கள் காலத்தில் போர்கள் நடத்த இவ்விடத்தையே பயன்படுத்தியதால், இப்பகுதி போரூர் எனப்படுகிறது.

- சில நூறு வருடங்களுக்கு முன்பு இப்பகுதி முழுவதும் மூங்கில் மரங்கள் இருந்தது. அதனாலேயே பெரம்பூர் எனப்படுகிறது.

- திரிசூல நாதர் ஆலயம் இருப்பதால் இந்த ஏரியா திரிசூலம் என்று அழைக்கப்படுகிறது.

- பார்த்தசாரதி கோவிலின் எதிர்ப்புறம் இருக்கும் குளத்தில் நிறைய அல்லிகள் பூக்கும். அதன் காரணமாக இப்பகுதிக்கு திருஅல்லிக்கேணி என பெயர் உருவாக்கி, பின்பு திருவல்லிக்கேணியாகி, தற்போது triplicane என

மாற்றம் கண்டுள்ளது.

- தாமஸ் பாரி என்பவர் இப்பகுதில் வணிகம் செய்துவந்தார். மக்கள் மத்தியில் மிகவும் மதிப்பு பெற்றிருந்த அவரின் பெயராலேயே இப்பகுதி பாரிமுனை (பாரிஸ் கார்னர்) ஆனது.

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An awesome video to end the post :) - this photo collage has two pictures of my friend, +Rajarajan D 

Organic and Organic Only !!

In an earlier post, I shared a video about the importance of seeds in human history. This post, Organic and Organic only, is an extension to that.

It is sad that a certain few chemical companies are creating products (?) that hopes to overturn all of the development of farming over thousands of years.

Btw, are they really creating products ?  Vandana Shiva, well know environmentalist and scientist, who has dedicated her life for this cause, calls most of GMO activity as "steal our seeds or put a toxic gene in it". She is absolutely right. We are all familiar with seeds coz every fruit, every vegetable, every grain on this planet - every plant has one. In fact, humans (male and female) have a seed that lead to birth of our offspring. Now, lets see an example of what a "certain" chemical company has done. This chemical company's product is, chemicals (obviously :-D). However, what they have cleverly done is, take a seed, genetically modify it (put a gene that made it resistant to their chemicals), and clone/reproduce it and sell it in market claiming it can withstand their chemical herbicides and pesticides. So, when a farmer buys the GMO seeds and uses in his farm, he can happily use the chemicals without a worry of it affecting the crop while it destroys the herbs and pests that infects. Voila - chemical company have a winner of a product in their hand. Produce the seed and then sell the chemicals as well.

Btw, how did these so called chemical corporates get the approval to go ahead and do modification on seeds ? How did they get approval for such an initiative from government (s) and regulatory bodies ? They (chemical corporates) made a simple claim of improving the seeds by Genetic modification so that farming can yield more and feed more people. How did they substantiate their claim - by modifying seeds to withstand their own chemicals. Most or 90 % of the GMO being done on seeds is to make it resistant to chemicals or adding a gene that kills insects that prey on them. Nothing substantiative is done on the seeds except to making it withstand chemicals or add a gene that is harmful to pests that infects it. However, recent findings have shown that pests have adopted to this change in plants and have become even more virulent and potent and are harmful to kill. So, GMO ver2.0, 3.0, 4.0 and so on is being done by these companies, pushing new seeds which are more harmful to animals or can withstand even harmful chemicals if sprayed on them. 

Here, the issues are manifold:

1. The Genetic modification of the seeds and its impact on humans are not fully tested. This whole activity, genetic modification of seeds and their adoption in farming, started in the 1990's and the long term health and generational impact of such a change have neither been fully understood nor could be completely studied.
2. The genetic modification introduced in these seeds led to various other genetic mutation within plants that made them harmful for animals and humans after consumption. Various diseases and health concerns are attributed to GMO seeds in our food system.
3. The impact on earth - soil, water and air were not fully tested or understood, hence, GMO seeds were introduced without their impact fully assessed.
4. The key business aspect of these seeds are - once fully grown, they produce little or no new seeds for farmers to use for next sowing. Basically, most of these GMO seeds are intentionally made to yield less seeds upon full growth or be impotent. This is what drives the sale of the seeds, year after year, season after season.
5. Ignorant of all the details about the GMO seeds, a farmer buys and plants it in hope of better yields and In the process, he loses his natural, NON-GMO seeds. In short time, he realizes there are no NON-GMO seeds available (anymore/anywhere) for him to go back to the old ways of farming: GMO seeds dont give seeds back to you upon harvest, all the farmers in and around your region are also converted to GMO seeds. This leaves you no option to borrow old/natural type/NON-GMO seeds for the next season once you had lost all your seeds. This is how the farmer debt trap got created and lead to suicides in the Vidharbha region of India where BT Cotton was planted predominantly.

Of course, not all of the GMO research and activities being carried out in the world are harmful and some may be proving beneficial. However, most of the GMO done in farming/food crops are  done not with the "Claimed" intention - helping farmers, increasing yield and making seeds resistant to "what not" but with the aim of collecting royalties on each seed, as ground realities have shown since the last two decades. 

Market check

Kindly recall one thing - every fruit we eat, gives us a seed. If we plant that seed and nurture it, a tree grows out of it. If nature is so benevolent, who are these corporates to take away that right from us ?

Please remember the following:

• Buy Organic, always, and as much as possible.
• Encourage your friends to do the same.
• Chances are, most of the restaurants now don't use organic in their food, as it is costly. However, if consumers demand it, I see them changing to organic in future.
• For kids and babies, please always provide good organic food.
• Grow your food, if possible, there is nothing better than it. One need not have acres of farm lands, even the house backyard is good enough to grow few things.

Edited: A quick handy guide to decide which items to buy as organic: as a thumb rule, prefer Organic for fruits/vegetables that have thin skin.

Btw, Vandana Shiva is an inspirational figure; I consider her as motherly figure for most of us coz her work, though largely unknown, if successful, will be one of the guiding stars of our world. She created Navdanya, which conserves India's diverse and versatile seeds so that they are not lost in this onslaught from GMO seeds. Take a look at her speaking in Brazil last year.

Please take time to watch the below movie - Genetic Roulette. It released last year and it details the impact of GMO and farmer suicides in India, Health issues in Africa and also talks about the now defeated California GMO labeling bill.

However, one can always vote for Organic whenever one buys at the grocery store. Do this much to yourselves and for all our collective future.

Edited: The Genetic Roulette movie got removed but please watch the below movies; I have shared trailers here. The movie bitter seeds talk about farmer suicides in India, especially in Vidharbha region and how BT cotton is the little known, but main reason for it.

Seeds of Freedom

Genetic Roulette:



Bitter seeds:



Food inc

Geetha Saram | கீதாசாரம்

What did you bring for you to lose ?

Consequences of our consumption and subsequent disposal.

We should reduce our consumption and subsequent trashing.

Our greed, which has far outstripped our need, is causing a dangerous environment for our fellow living organisms.


We should have reasonable (reduced) consumption and effective plan for trash disposal; if not, we will continue to endanger the only place we call as home - Earth.

Seed of life

A seed of thought can grow in to anything - a revolution that changes the course of history or something that can bring compassion to people.

Seeds are so important as they are the source of origin - we better be caring for such an important source in our food system.

Save the seeds !!

Two Options from The Perennial Plate on Vimeo.

aham brahmasmi

aham brahmasmi