Michael Jackson dead

He will thrill his fans no more
One of the most successful entertainer of American pop cultureshot to fame in the early 1980s with his album Thriller. More than his music it was his famous moonwalk that got him a fan following in India. Every kid in the metros of the country got hooked on to 'Just Beat it' and 'It was a thriller night', songs from his album, Thriller.
His dance performance led to the start of group dance to the step of drum beats so popular in Indian movies now.
Five of Michael Jackson's solo studio albums are among the world's best-selling records: Off the Wall (1979), Thriller (1982), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991) and History (1995).
In the early 1980s, he became a dominant figure in popular music and the first African-American entertainer to amass a strong crossover following on MTV. The popularity of his music videos airing on MTV, such as "Beat It", "Billie Jean" and Thriller—credited for transforming the music video into an art form and a promotional tool—helped bring the relatively new channel to fame. Videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" made Jackson an enduring staple on MTV in the 1990s. With stage performances and music videos, Jackson popularized a number of physically complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk. His distinctive musical sound and vocal style influenced many hip hop, pop and contemporary R&B artists.
One of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, his other achievements include multiple Guinness World Records—including one for "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time"—13 Grammy Awards, 13 number one singles in his solo career—more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era—and the sales of over 750 million albums worldwide. Cited as one of the world's most famous men, Jackson's highly publicized personal life, coupled with his successful career, made him a part of popular culture for almost four decades.

An elephantine problem

With just around 25,000 elephants left in the world, the protection of this gentle creature has become all the more important.
However, the animal continues to be trapped and killed for statisfying man's unending demand for ivory and even ritualistic purpose.
Even as he loves the animal, elephants continue to die all across the state either from ill treatment by the mahouts or as happened in the case of Kottarakkara Krishnankutty, which died on Sunday, because of neglect by the owners, in this case the Travancore Dewsom Board.
During the festival season in Kerala, all temples take out processions of elephants with the main diety throught the length of the land they are situated in. And it also happens to the season when most of the male elephants are in mustch.
On one occassion while travelling from Thrissur to Guruvayoor, this writer counted 14 elephants being marched to various temples on one sunny day four years ago. Much recently, there have been at least 12 cases of elephants running out control and causing extensive damages before they were shot and later died.
Elephants are not supposed to be taken from one place to another by walk through the hot tarred roads. They have to be transported in lorries with adequate barricades. But these regulations are observered more in the breach. There have been cases of elephants falling off such lorries and hurting themslves. In one recent case a vehicle rammed into an elephant while it was being taken to the owners house. The accident turned fatal with the animal dying a week later despite best efforts by doctors. It's hind legs were damaged and could not stand up. Later a crane was used to help it stand but the efforts failed.
Even as I acknowledge that the Thrissur Pooram would be incomplete with the customary 30 elephants, do you think that elephant god Ganesha would be happy with such wanton ill-treatment of this beautiful creature?
As much as I am for contining with the customs and rituals that are unique to God's Own Country (because I love the colour and splendour of all those festivals even though many may think it is very feudal) I hate this ill-treatment meted out to this magnificient creature.
Even though selling and buying of this animal is banned under law this continues unhindered. The elephant lovers of this land should voice their protest against this continuing apathy towards this animal. All wild animals belong to the wilderness and we have no right to capture it and domesticate it.
Where are those people for ethical treatment of animals? Are they only against the use of leather and fur?
Despite warnings by elephants lovers and enacting of numerous acts for the protection of wild life, elephants continue to be ill-treated.

Insurance coverage for Rs50

My neighbourhood bargain store by name Marginfree Market(P)Ltd is run for the benefit of differently abled persons. After shopping for groceries at Big Bazaar I have returned to the store again. And they have renewed my life insurance for Rs.1 lakh for Rs.40 again. Don't you think that is a bargain. This time over Star Health and Alliance Insurance Co Ltd is giving the coverage.
Margin-Free shops run by Margin Free Market Pvt. Ltd. There are any number of the these stores with the tag margin-free. They claim that their prices are much lower than that of the market. Your local kirana shop would also give you a discount and if you know the shopkeeper very well you could get a lower price.
I urge all Malaylis to shop at Margin free and benefit.

My colleagues at DNA

Moving to a new city is always a painful thing to me.
New place, new language, new place of stay, new office... the list of new things are endless.
Since we enter a new environment it is always difficult to break the ice.
For the first time in my life I made an effort to reach out and make friends. When I joined, there were already a bunch of trainee journalist at the place.
Later, more people joined and I made it a point to meet all those who were about to join. I got to know each and every one of them early. For a while I kept track and met all of them in the editorial. Except the After Hrs team.
So here goes the list.
Jayakumar: We share the same room, makes my life a lot easier by cooking the most delicious sambhar.
Francis: He lives in a room upstairs and is such a warm guy, though a bit moody.
Jimmy and Majnu: Who make the crime reporters shiver and are good company for a drink.
Soumya Menon: I have never met another Mallu with so little of Mallu hang ups.
Sunitha: Very friendly and warm, always with a smile on her face.
Glen: An aspiring travel writer who is so warm and friendly.
Balu: My sounding board for tech and net.
Dipannita Ghosh Biswas: We tease each other a lot. I am yet to meet her hubby, though.
Vaishali: Oh, I have not been talking to this lady for a while, either she is busy or I am.
Shilpa Phadnis: One of the nicest ladies around, her smile can warm the coldest person.
Sobhia Khan: One of the busiest journalist I have met. she started work long before the edition was launched with great business stories.
Ipshitha and Keerthana: Both joined quite late but are good company.
Did I leave out anyone?
I will surely add them later

Congrats, my dear Malu

Public speaking gives me the jitters.
The first time I tried speaking in front of the whole class was in Std V and I forgot my lines.
After long years, I have successfully presented my study papers in the journalism class. But even today, speaking in front of crowd leaves my throat dry and knees shaking.
Even today, when my editor asks me for something I mumble and finds myself shaking from head to toe.
Today, when my daughter said she stands first in elocution in her class, I am a happy man.
I can't take credit for that. It goes to my wife, whom my daughter takes after in her studies and other pursuits.

Taking on Dad

Where dad fumbled, daughter is going the whole hog.
Hey, this is no plot of a Mollywood masala but something that is happening in my life.
When I touched the late teens I was hooked on to Bruce Lee films, Enter the Dragon was my favourite. I took up karate and was breathing, dreaming karate all the time. At that time my friend Anoop was also learning the martial art along with me in the same Dojo. Even though he dropped out I continued for about a year. But hours of hard work was wasted when I had to discontinue it as it was affecting my studies.
Now, when I had hit 40, my daughter, who will soon be turning nine, is a green belt in kungu fu.
She got that this afternoon after a test.
My wife warns me that I better be careful around her now.

My friends

On Friday, November 21, I hit 40 years. My blogpost on the day was a thanksgiving note. I wish I had written more about a lot of friends, those who played a significant role in shaping my views on life. Each one differently, of course.
I don't have what you call a thick friendship with a lot of guys or girls. Those can be counted on the fingers of my right hand.
I guess it takes only one or two incidents in life to make out who those friends are. I have to list here whole lot of people. And I sincerely hope that I would not be offending anyone who is listed here and not listed here.

Kannans (Both Ramakrishnan and Narayanan): These guys were by closest childhood playmates in Kanakanagar, the housing area in Trivandrum where grew up. One is in Dubai and the other in Japan, both software professionals I seldom meet now
Sriram: I have lost touch of this friend a long time ago. I wonder where he is now.
Ajith Prasad: My classmate and long time friend. We have not been in touch for the past few years.
Anoop: A close friend who is no more. We often discussed what teenagers should. He died when I was in my first year of undergraduate course.
Induchoodan: Someone with whom I have discussed books and music (girls too).
Ajith Kumar: A classmate from Standard 1. He was also in my BA class. No contact for a long time now.
Sudheer: Another of a close circle of friends I am no longer in contact with.
Vinod: He must be in London. I haven't touched base with him for a long time now
Vinod P Nair and Manoj: Classmates from Mar Ivanious College I have lost touch with but with whom I shared a lot of things in life
Rakesh Jayaram: Another classmate I have lost touch with
Sezlin Salim: He was an editor with Yahoo! when we last met in Chennai almost a year and a half ago.
Anil Radhakrishnan: Very much in touch, he might kill me for that. I have not met him for the past four months since I resigned from The Hindu.
Shyam Shankar: We lost touch about 10 years ago
Radhakrishnan Nair: Met only once in the past 11 years.
Vijayakrishnan: A close friend whom I have not been in touch with for a long time.
Raju: He and his family makes it a point to call us whenever they are in Kerala and occassionally meet up.
Narayanan: He calls and I call. We keep in touch. Discuss problems and seek advice.
Bishwanath Ghosh: Someone I share a lot with. And loves to have a drink with
Shirley: My college classmate and now a close friend. She'd kill me if she sees this. And for moving out of Trivandrum.
Padmakumar: My ex-colleague and friend. Someone who is so genuine.
Smitha Sad: I miss her a lot. Someone I am in regular contact with...
Smitha Pylee: I dunno when and how we became friends.