"Hey, How you doin? ;)"

Level 1 (Amateurs) :
"Hmm...its so boring just staring at the walls..."

Level 2 (Mildly experienced):
"So, what you doing tomorrow evening?"

Level 3 (Experts):
"Mind grabbing a cup of coffee?"

It's just about how expressive (and impressive :) ) you are! It's like throwing a ball at the wall...it's definitely going to come back - whether deflated or in-shape is the question!

Arite arite! What am I getting to?? I'm talking about the conversations between guys and girls. If you think about it, most of the conversations have their share of flirtatious exchanges! The guy tries to be impressive, just to make the gal comfortable and make her laugh and smile. The girl tries to return the gesture, and invariably tries to play the "hard-to-get" game...lolz.

After all, flirting is H.E.A.L.T.H.Y! Yes, that's cos we are animals too, and its only natural that we attract (and tend to get attracted to) the opposite sex.

I've seen people say that flirting turns them off, and that its cheap et al. Oh, pullleeeeeaaassssee!! Gimme a break! You can play the "Nice gal/guy" game. But, for how long?? Somethings are in-built - programmed as my friend Sriram might put it. And getting attracted to the opposite sex, is one of those instincts thats just coded. PERIOD!

Is it Love?
When you get too close to a gal (and you are single, of course :D), its only a matter of time before you start to feel if its "love". You then tend to get all wierd thoughts, and start playing mind-games. Though hints and suggestive talks help, it's always best to speak out! So, what if the girl/guy doesnt feel the same way? That's not the end of the world! (Too philosophical, I know :D) At least (s)he knows you are being frank.

I know most of you wont agree with me. But if you just think about it, playing mind-games can be the worst thing to happen to you - sleepless nights, endless vetti conversations with your friends about this, hours of thinking about 'wat to do next' etc.

However much technology has improved, there are not many ways to find out if its actually love and if the love is mutual or single-sided n stuff. There are just 2 ways to find out: 1.Speaking out and being frank 2.Giving hints and suggestions and looking at the response!

So, just be brave and choose your path people. Just remember the one thing, "Flirting is NOT a crime. It's a necessity" :) So, to all the gals reading this, "Hey! How you doin??" ;)

Cheers...

Mind your language :)

Its called "gas" when its actually, without doubt, liquid. You say "Check, please" when you request for your restaurant bill! A bun is called "biscuit"!! You "skedule" (as in pronounciation) an appointment!!....

Yes, all that's cos its "American"...a language that no more deserves to be called *English*. If you ever want to associate the word 'english' to it, you are free to call it "Screwed-English".

To all those aspirants, who are planning to set foot on American soil, here are some (funny) conversions between American and English, which you better get familiarized with :) :

English--> American
-----------------------------------
* Coriander==Cilantro

* Cold drink== Soda pop

* Curd== Yogurt

* Filter coffee == Brewed coffee

* Milk powder== Cream

* French beans == Snow peas

* Hotel == Restaurant

* Jelly == Gelatin

* Garam== masalla Curry

* Lady fingers== Okra

* Small pastries ==Lady fingers

* Toffee == Hard candy

* Brinjal == Eggplant

* Biscuit == Cookies/Wafers

* Bun == Biscuit

* Finger chips== French fries

* Groundnuts == Peanuts

* ===== Education Related ======

* School High== school

* College == School

* University== School

* High school == School/Junior High

* Take a class == Teach a class

* Be a student == Take a class

* 2nd standard == 2nd grade

* High marks == Good grades

* Invigilator == Proctor

* Canteen == Cafeteria

* ===== Clothes =====

* Windcheater== Windbreaker

* Vest == Undershirt

* Waistcoat== Vest

* Half-pant == Shorts

* Purse == Wallet

* Swim trunks== Swim suit

*

* ===== Transportation Related ====

* Traffic signal == Traffic light

* Boot, dikky ==Trunk of a car

* Bonnet == Hood of a car

* Petrol pump == Gas station

* Petrol == Gas

* Diesel == Fuel

* Pavement== Sidewalk

* Footpath == Sidewalk

* Zebra Crossing== Crosswalk

* Take a lift == Get a ride

* Motorcycle == Motorbike

* Cycle == Bike

*

* ===== Other =====

* Football== Soccer

* Solid== Substantial

* Ltd. == Inc.

* Transistor== Radio

* Two-in-One == Boom box

* Goggles == Sunglasses

* Cooling glass== Sunglasses

* Toilet == Restroom

* Guest house== Motel

* Current == Electricity

* $20 Note == $20 Bill

* Cell == Battery

* Torch == Flashlight

* Rubber == Eraser

* Snap == Picture

* Photograph == Picture

* Mixee (?sp) == Mixer

* Dustbin == Trash can

* Beggar== Panhandler

* IBM-Compatible== IBM-Clone

* Inflammable== Flammable

* Mess Dorm== cafeteria

* Hotel == Restaurant

* Restaurant bill== Restaurant check

* Picture == Movie

* Talkies == Movies

* Lift == Elevator

* To fix == To install

* To repair== To fix

* Pram == Stroller
----------------------------------------------------

Courtesy: i20feverhyderabad@yahoogroups.com

Public bidding - whose money is it, any way?

This blog might have come a bit late, but still...

Bribe (as defined by Wikipedia) : Bribe is the gift bestowed to influence the receiver's conduct. It may be any money, good, right in action, property, preferment, privilege, emolument, object of value, advantage, or any promise or undertaking to induce or influence the action, vote, or influence of a person in an official or public capacity.

However when it was "campaign-time" in Tamil Nadu, the whole definition was changed to mean a *freebie* without much ado. The political parties were shouting their guts out to garner votes, in a totally different way. The usual "Vote for us, and we'll improve your locality", "Vote for us, and we'll provide you with employment" were completely replaced by things as cheap and desperate as "Vote for us, and we'll give you colour TV...free cable connection...et al"!!!!!!!!!!!

The pre-election scenario was reduced, and sadly, to an auction-bid - the only difference being, the situation changing from many people placing their bids in front of a single judge, to a couple of people placing their bids in front of a mass of 6.5 crores!!!

So obviously, when the bid to *give* away colour TVs was proposed, the lady from the opposition called right, when she decided to attack the "thaaikulam" (female masses) sentimentally - "Oru ponnoda mansu innuru ponnukku dhaan theriyum" (Only a girl will know what's there in another girl's mind). And so, what better than the "thaali" sentiment?! Yes, amma went one step ahead by promising to *give* a 4 gm gold "thaali" to unaffordable brides! (Christ, give me a break!)

These were followed by:
1. 2 acres of free farm land
2. Rice @ Rs 2/Kg
3. Free 10 Kgs of rice
4. Ration shops coming and delivering at your door-step
and so many others...an endless list of shocking promises!

If this ain't bribery, then I just cannot image what it might be. Or, is this legal cos it is done in public without concealing anything? Or because, it is someone else's money that these politicians are using to bribe? Or just the fact they are politicians enables them to bribe legally, and with rights?

And yes, it is "our" money - the money that we are paying as taxes - that is being sold out as *freebies*. I'm kind of amazed that the Election Commission didn't bat an eyelid, or try to do something to end the atrocity. The most surprising thing was that the entire episode was carried out in such a "matter-of-fact" attitude that we people hardly spent time to even think about its atrocious nature!

The various cine stars campaigning for the two giant parties stabilizied these debatable issues, this time, with some humour! Excerpts from actor-director Bhagyaraj's campaign for the DMK:
"Namba Vaiko vandhu 'Ivanga freeya colour TV kudupaanga, cable TV kudupaanga. Aana adhukellaam electricty bill yaaru kattardhu?' nnu kettaaru. Enna pa idhu?! Nambalaala kalyaanum mattum dhaan pa panni vekka mudiyum. Maththadhelaam, ahem ahem...eppidi?"
He finished the sentence with a cheeky smile (Oh ya, what wits!!).

And then came our TR, oops Vijaya TR, with one of his best pieces - "Vaiko! Avan oru psycho"!! Hilarious to say the least!

Where are our politications taking us? Can there be something done about this? Something???...ANYTHING??!

However all said and done, hats off to these politicians for completely erasing the word *bribery* from our dictionary. After all, that's what we wanted...right?

Redefining the word "Crazy"!

If I were to refer to him as Rangachari Mohan, one might raise an eye-brow and shrug "Eh?". But add the word "Crazy" in the middle, and he becomes none other than the one and only "Crazy" Mohan - the person who has completely redefined the very word "Crazy".

With over 4000 stage plays and numerous TV shows and full-length comedy flicks, Mr. Mohan has carved a niche on his own. His rise to fame began with his first full-length comedy play "Crazy thieves in Palavaakam", a smash-hit which saw him being crowned the prefix "Crazy" to his name.

After that, there was no stopping Mr. Mohan, who went on to give more hits in "Ayya Amma Ammamma" and "Honeymoon Couple" (for Kaathadi Ramamurthy's Stage Creations). It was in 1979 that Mr. Mohan set up his own banner "Crazy Creations" and brought out yet another comedy bonanza in the form of "Allaudin and the 100 watts bulb".

Crazy Creations has then been instrumental in producing the likes of "Meesai Aanaalum Manaivi", "Madhu +2", "Jurassic Baby", "Marriage Made in Saloon" and "Madhil Mel Madhu", each of which have been staged over 400 times!

His break into the cine-field came in the form of veteran director K Balachandar's "Poi Kaal Kudhirai", whose story was adapted from his "Marriage Made in Saloon". Though the film went without much recognition, it sparked the start of a new dimension to the Tamil Film Industry.

When Mr. Mohan tied hands with the acting genius in Kamal Hassan, the tamil audience, desperately searching for the long-forgotten "clean" comedy, was thrown in a surprise in the form of "Aboorva Sahodarargal"! This was just the beginning of a really long list - Michael Madana Kama Rajan, Avvai Shanmukhi, Kadhala Kadhala, Indran Chandran, Sadhi Leelavathi, Pammal K Sambandam, Thenaali, Panchathantram, Vasool Raja MBBS. One would even be tempted to say that Mr. Mohan was the back-bone in bringing out the "comedian" in Kamal Hassan.

Some of his other brilliant scripts include "Kadhaa Nayagan" and "Aaha", each of which were laugh-riots! The "Adhaane?...Adhedhaan" of Arunaachalam fame still stands out as one of his best cheeky punches! The ever-famous "Aal Maaraatam" scenes in most of his creations always seem to take us to extremes of laughters. The dialogues of "Panchathantram" were so meticulously carved that one would miss the next joke if commited the sin of a prolonged laughter for the previous funda! :D

On a personal note, Mr. Mohan is a simple, polite and unassuming person, with a never-ending stock of hilarity! Three cheers to him. Looking forward to his next venture in "Jerry". Hope he continues to keep us immersed in smiles for years to come.

So guys: The next time when someone posts you an irritated question, "Are you crazy?", be proud to say "Yes, I am" :)

Kudos!