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I'd set this particular topic down weeks ago, but a blog I read steered me to this essay about the Pulitzer Prize by Benjamin Hale, a novelist (who was eligible this year, but he swears that isn't influencing him at all—Ann Patchett swore the same thing in her diatribe written several weeks ago….no offense to either writer, but I think in both cases the writer doth protest too much). I would have let him go by uncommented, but A) he takes a shot at Laughing Boy, the winner in 1930, B) he takes a broad shot at all the early winners, and C) he takes a shot at the very notion that anyone would dare consider themselves fit to award a prize for true art. I think Hale makes a few very reasonable observations, but I think he misses the boat in a few other ways, and hey, this is the Internet, and we both get to have our say. He talks to an audience of tens of thousands, and I talk to you, my friends, fellow lit-bloggers, and spammers (how's that American Airways scam coming, by the way? you guys really seem to be pushing it hard this week). But I'll take you all over his New York literati friends, who seem to be a relatively nice lot, I guess, but they seem awfully self-congratulatory as well (or that's how his piece came off when I read it).
Anyway, here's my responses, in order. Laughing Boy, I will grant you, is not a work of lasting cultural impact like Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms, although I kind of doubt Mr. Hale has read it. If he had, he'd know that, unlike Hemingway, Oliver La Farge was doing something really extraordinary in 1930—he was a white American man writing a thoughtful and serious portrayal of minority characters, in which white Americans figure as bit players (and mostly cast in the role of villains—or at the very least are negatively portrayed). In fact, I am hard-pressed to name any other young white male author doing anything so culturally smart and open-minded in that era—if there are others, I'd like to know about them. No, La Farge is not Hemingway or Faulkner. But to single his one book out as the Pulitzer's most scorn-worthy decision is really cheap, and frankly I think shows that Hale is unfamiliar with the work, which doesn't really inspire confidence. I could certainly give him Pulitzers to rant about, if he wants them.
Regarding his shot at the early Pulitzer winners, I think that he seems awfully smug about the "forgotten" early novels, given that he then spends much of the rest of his piece noting that artists are not always appreciated in their own time—in particular, he wishes that he could encourage the unappreciated-in-his-time Herman Melville. I agree with him on Melville, but here's my question for Hale: how do you know that these novels have been justly forgotten? Isn't it possible that many of them have been as wrongly neglected today as Melville was wrongly neglected in his lifetime? Why should we assume that our tastes now are better than their tastes were then? I know from experience the worth of tackling another age's literature and trying to understand it. Sure, it's sometimes deeply disappointing—I think we are better at seeing and appreciating some things now (like the validity of minority viewpoints and experiences)—but at other times I have been truly and wonderfully surprised. I somehow suspect I've read far more of the Pulitzer's first 20 years than Mr. Hale has—I can't match his credentials as a writer, but I'd thank him not to talk too loudly about novels whose worth he's been content to judge purely by their current popularity among the academics with whom he discusses books. Perhaps in another decade, or century, Josephine W. Johnson will be received into the canon as an important American voice, and T. S. Stribling will be acknowledged as having been as perceptive about the South he tried to chronicle as the vaunted William Faulkner was about his South. I'll admit it seems far-fetched. But then, many authors have languished for centuries in obscurity before being returned to the light by the right critic champion. Anyway, the basic problem I have is that his own argument undercuts his dismissive attitude about the early Pulitzer winners.
Lastly….man, am I reluctant to come out swinging in defense of literary awards. I didn't choose the Pulitzers for this blog's mission because I've always been such a big fan. I don't hang breathlessly on the National Book Award nominations, and I'll confess that I probably couldn't name five Man Booker winners if you held a gun to my head. But Hale's lengthy ramble hits all sorts of odd points—attacking the idea of twenty journalists handing out the Pulitzer Prize, attacking groupthink on awards committees in general, side-swiping the Grammys for never giving awards to punk bands, etc., etc.—and really got under my skin after a while. Firstly, Mr. Hale, on behalf of book lovers and librarians everywhere, I would ask you to cut out the professionalization of literary opinion that has been disastrous for a couple of American generations of readers. An MFA getting in high dudgeon because twenty journalists—I mean, can you believe it, journalists???—are issuing a prize for a novel (how dare they have an opinion?) is all of the things I hate most about literary snobbery. Do you really think only MFAs and novelists should be allowed to hand out awards for novels? That journalists should be denounced as "a roomful of people who don't necessarily know anything about literature" suggests to me that Hale doesn't think ordinary readers get to have their opinion, or else that their opinions are of no worth. And I personally think that stinks. The Pulitzers have never pretended to be anything but what they are—the journalists are all identified and the prize has always been awarded by them. Hale doesn't even know the prize's terms—he's angry that they're choosing "the best", when the Pulitzer is almost alone among literary prizes in that its criterion doesn't include the word "best". It's simply recognizing "distinguished fiction". It's journalists selecting (with the advice of a group of literary-minded jurors) a novel that they think merits attention, and prize money. Sure, there's a "best" implied in the act, I suppose, in that they choose only one, but I admire the award's humility in not claiming the word "best". If Hale thinks awards shouldn't be given by "a roomful of people who don't necessarily know anything about literature", he's welcome not to pay attention to their efforts, or to organize a group of top novelists who would issue their own award. But to shout negatively about it is just going to continue the lousy atmosphere that's crept up around "serious fiction" in the United States—the notion that it's difficult, that it's only for people with postgraduate degrees who donate money to NPR, that the common person can't be supposed to understand it or have a well-informed opinion about it, etc. The fact that he dwells on who's giving the award, and their lack of qualifications (as compared with him and his literary friends) really sours me on his commentary.
And why is it journalists giving this award, Mr. Hale? Because Joseph Pulitzer, that covetous old sinner, left money for prizes of all sorts, and in addition to encouraging other endeavors in the art of writing, he wanted there to be a prize for the novel. Who does it hurt, Mr. Hale, that someone wins the prize? No one that I can think of, off-hand. But I know who it helps. You see, while Hale is dancing around lamenting the fate of the poor, forgotten, neglected, penniless Herman Melville (who was all of those things, and whose fate was lamentable—I'm not disagreeing with him on the merits of that case), he's forgetting that the Pulitzer is in part a way out for people just like Melville. Thornton Wilder was an unknown boarding school teacher in 1928, with one failed novel to his name, when his second novel, The Bridge of San Luis Rey, won the Pulitzer Prize. It drew attention to what turned out to be a remarkable little novel, and changed Wilder's life—he left the prep school to teach at the University of Chicago, and went on to write many notable plays and novels, including the unforgettable Our Town. Had it not been for the Pulitzer, it's hard to know what Wilder's life would have looked like…maybe a lot more like Herman Melville's? The point is that if Old Joe Pulitzer felt like leaving a little money and fame, to be handed out once a year to a reasonably accomplished American novelist, I can't work out why Hale thinks it's a bad idea. Does he think the literary world overhypes the Pulitzer? Okay, then encourage them to pay attention to other awards—or suggest that people read more broadly, or whatever you like. But don't pretend that what you're doing in this essay is more noble than what Joseph Pulitzer's endowment is doing. Every year (well, er, except for 2012, and the other occasional years when the award isn't given), a novelist's career is impacted for the better by this prize. Sometimes it's a famous name, but when it's not, it's the sort of thing that changes their life. If Hale doesn't want artists dying in obscurity like Melville, I think he should want more prizes and awards, more outpourings of love for writers, not less.
I know I got a bit worked up over this, but Hale's commentary was a
train wreck [upon consideration, I think I was a bit over the line with "train wreck", since I did think Hale made some useful comments—I'd replace the phrase with something more like "Hale's commentary was weighed down too much by the things that bother me…"] of the things that bother me most, especially that portion of his rant that seemed to exclude anybody who didn't have his credentials from having a worthwhile opinion about literature. I think novelists, and the professionals in the field of writing and reading more generally, should be praising the idea that you don't have to be a writer to like good writing, and the idea that there can be all sorts of legitimate and worthwhile responses to a novel. Don't box people into having to think "the right thing" about the "right writers"—if they hate Faulkner, or Melville, we should be encouraging them to say why they feel that way. And we should let that conversation (intense though it may be) spur all of the people involved into being more thoughtful, more purposeful, more excited readers. Hale loses track of that in his piece, and it's a shame. All right, enough of my playing Don Quixote on behalf of the Pulitzers—back to reading, and hopefully blogging in the near future.


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You can tell that the pro-Romney ads criticizing President Obama's liberal new approach to "workfare" are scoring points. For one thing, they continue to run, even though the MSM has proclaimed them false or misleading. For another, Team Obama, through surrogate Gov. Martin O'Malley, is claiming that this line of attack is "racially coded." That has long been the standard response when a Republican punch lands.
Steven Law, president of American Crossroads, confirms that the "workfare" punch has indeed landed. Law told the Wall Street Journal that recent focus groups show the issue is "definitely resonating now with swing voters, including those who were Obama voters in 2008."
Apart from the intrinsic unpopularity of policies that retreat from work requirements for able-bodied welfare recipients, Law sees the issue as a window into Obama's leftism. Law has found that swing voters are "resistant" to the idea that Obama is radical or ideological. But he believes that the administration's relaxation of work requirements in federal welfare rules could change that perception.
Cries of "racism" by Democrats might also help change it. To the extent that the "workfare" ads resonate, it is because people don't like handouts, not because they don't like handouts to minority group members. To claim otherwise is to behave like a leftist. That, presumably, is why Team Obama spokesperson Jen Psaki has said she doesn't interpret these ads in racial terms. That interpretative task has been assigned instead to Gov. O'Malley, who resides nominally outside the campaign.
I would have thought that the more effective response to this line of Republican attack would be to insist that the charge against Obama is false. But this has been the Democrats' response so far, and apparently it has not been sufficient.
As for the merits of the claim that Obama is undermining the work requirements of welfare reform, I addressed them here.

subset: commoncrawl


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Wednesday Links
- Osama bin Laden's death gives us a chance to end what might have become an era of permanent emergency and perpetual war.
- The Cold War ended–what are we doing in Korea?
- Two cheers for President Obama for ending eight (well, three) tax breaks to oil companies.
- Does Osama bin Laden's death mean an end to U.S.-Pakistan relations?
Please join us next Tuesday, May 10 at 4:00 p.m. Eastern for a Cato Book Forum on America's Allies and War: Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq, by University of Mary Washington political scientist Jason W. Davidson. Council on Foreign Relations senior fellow and Georgetown University international relations professor Charles Kupchan will join Professor Davidson in a discussion of the book and its themes, particularly U.S. relations with NATO allies, moderated by Cato director of foreign policy studies Christopher A. Preble. Complimentary registration is required of all attendees by Monday, May 9 at noon Eastern. We hope you can join us in person, but we encourage you to watch online if you cannot attend personally.


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The anatomy of a roadtrip
For me a roadtrip has three parts
Part I: Plan the roadtrip. This part is great fun because it requires hours and hours of looking at the map(s). I calculate distances between stops and estimate the time each stop will take. I look for roads marked scenic and I keep an eye open for the red dots that point out places such as state parks, museums and other roadside "marvels." [Note: the red dots often result in Internet searches.] Multi-day roadtrips usually have defined destinations and most of the time I make lodging reservations prior to hitting the road. I like knowing that I can arrive at my destination at any time and be guaranteed of having a spot to "hang my head." I usually plan a roadtrip day to be 8-12 hours in duration and the planning requires paying attention to time-zone changes and sunrise/sunset times. In a nutshell, planning roadtrips is fun.
Part II: Execute the roadtrip. I find that most of the time I rarely consult the roadtrip plan. This is because I've taken the roadtrip multiple times in my head. Many roadtrips do not follow the plan exactly, but they usually come close. I actually like having to modify roadtrips while they are in progress.
Part III: Document the roadtrip. I find myself "retaking" the roadtrip over and over while working on its write-up. Documenting the roadtrip allows for the recording of items that were either missed or discovered during the adventure. In addition, documenting a roadtrip is a useful tool for generating ideas for future roadtrips.


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It's a short update this week, and admittedly vague, but I actually learned the most in the fourth week of the challenge than in any of the previous weeks. This post is very much a follow up to last week's on finding direction; if you have a moment, please do give it a read as it will give some further context to what I'm talking about here.
I've been contemplating on the words of my mentor regarding God ordaining the recent events of my life to draw me closer to Him, and to move knowledge from my head to my heart. Something I think that needs to happen in this is also taking action on ideas that have been in my head for more than a year.
Almost two years ago, I had a dream that didn't make any sense to me at the time as it involved me doing things I didn't have the skills for. This dream freaked me out for a number of reasons, the most primary being that it involved public speaking. Up until fairly recently, I was one of the worst public speakers you'd ever see. I could barely string together a sentence when people were watching. Once, my friend (and former supervisor) Richard counted more than 40 "uhs" and "ums" in a 5 minute report. In college, we always used to make fun of how awkward my hand gestures were during presentations (it was like I was beating eggs the entire time).
In January 2008, I joined Toastmasters at the request of my employer, and I've actually become a good speaker. Not brilliant, by any stretch, but I can definitely hold an audience's attention. I'm honestly not ready to talk about what that dream was yet (publicly), but I can say that public speaking is no longer the issue it was for me.
This week, I'm taking a step in faith and sending an email that I probably wouldn't have sent if it hadn't been for Chris' encouragement. This is a scary thing for me to do, as I don't know what the outcome will be. Maybe nothing. Maybe something big. I really don't know.
Only time will tell.


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Conservation and Environment in Costa Rica: Monthly Updates
Conservation in Costa Rica Monthly Update May-June 2014
The last few weeks at Barra Honda have been busy. We are in the last stages of many projects and are also starting new projects. However, we are worried because we are waiting for rain. This rain was expected to start in May and many mammals in the park need it for survival. We have had white-face capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus) in the camp looking for water and for this reason we have decided to clear all the natural spring water that Barra Honda has.
This has also given us an idea for a new project that we will start soon. We will use cameras and traps in the natural spring water that Barra Honda has and we are currently finishing the aims and methods in order to start this project.
Bat Project: new reports for Barra Honda National Park
We have lots of good news from Barra Honda National Park to the world! Last week, two new species of bats were discovered. The first is the lesser dog-like bat (Peropteryx macrotis) which is generally found in the tropical deciduous forest at 1000m altitude. The individuals have been found above 1,000m in elevation but only in very small numbers and it is likely that these were incidental occurrences.
Fur color in lesser dog-like bats varies geographically and ranges from brown to gray to reddish on the dorsal section and lighter on the ventral side. They can be distinguished from similar species by a wing sac on the ante-brachial membrane. The appearance of their faces is somewhat dog-like and their ears are long. Their ears are separate at the base, not connected by a membrane as is the case for related species. Lesser dog-like bats are insectivorous. Their diet consists mainly of small beetles and flies.
The second species found was the Mexican dog-faced bat (Cynomops mexicanus.) This is a bat species of the family Molossidae from Central America. It is found from Nayarit in Mexico to Costa Rica at elevations up to 1500m.
At Barra Honda national park we continue looking for new species and making inventories of the bats. As you know, this project is in the evenings, and the work team is very important. Everyone has specific tasks and important work to do such as marking, taking biometric data for every bat and using the equipment.
Reforestation program: new babies are growing
Every rain season we have the major aim to plant more than 3000 trees. So far, we have planted more than 500 trees, and in just three weeks this is a good number for one national park in Costa Rica. It is difficult and quite tiring planting trees all day but our staff is working hard to keep the trees well maintained in our nursery garden.
Trails: working now for the forest fire season.
We are working really hard in the trails of the park. We would like to build a new trail in order to navigate around the park quicker during the dry season. However, we have had to start preparations this month because forest fires are the largest problem at Barra Honda National Park.
The other trail that we are working is around the main caves. This National Park has 43 different caves, and this trail will pass around 18 of them so this is a very important job. We will also be using this trail for access to the bat caves, making it that much more important.
Blue Flag Program: "an award is coming"
More great news! Our biogardens and recycling centers in the schools are almost ready! We have finished the project at one school and the next step is to involve the entire village. We will explain how the biogarden works, and our principal aim to build them in local schools. We can tell the village about our Blue Flag program and the awards that we hope to receive in the local schools.
Supporting others national Park: "extending our arms"
As conservationists, we have the responsibility to help in many areas. For example, we started helping a Marine National Park, the Baulas Marine National Park. This marine area is the most important for the nesting of the leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) and we having been helping them clean up their beaches. This is very important because the principal reason for the death of this turtle is all of the plastic bags in the sea. We have also done some work in Diria National Park. This National Park is a system of mountains in the tropical dry forest. We helped them clear trails and afterwards took a nice swim in the river.
We will continue working to protect the forest, and will have many more success stories to report on next time, and will tell you more things about this amazing place!
Until then…
Anthony Ruiz
Conservation Manager, Costa Rica


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The Farrelly Brothers and Nic Cage swing into action during an otherwise slow week that also features a French film about a love triangle, and another about monks.
Hall Pass
Owen Wilson and Jason Sudekis are a couple guys whose wives, played by Jenna Fischer and Christina Applegate, grant them a week off from the bonds of matrimony in the latest film from the Farrelly Brothers. In theaters everywhere, read our review and watch the trailer
Drive Angry (in 3D)
Nic Cage is a man who escapes from hell to seek vengeance on the Satanists who killed his daughter, and he's got Amber Heard riding shotgun. In theaters everywhere, watch the trailer
Grace Card
A white Memphis cop who blames minorities for the problems plaguing his life is partnered with a black cop and part-time pastor in this Christian film starring Lou Gossett Jr. In limited release, watch the trailer
This French film from writer-director Xavier Dolan focuses on a love triangle that develops between three friends. This never ends well. In limited release, watch the trailer
Of Gods and Men
Another French film, this one based on the true story of a group of Trappist monks in the early '90s who were living in a small village in the hills of Algeria when Muslim extremists began to make their presence felt, forcing the men to abandon their mission or risk death. In limited release, watch the trailer
Public Speaking (on Wed.)
A documentary from director Martin Scorsese about iconic New Yorker/raconteur/writer Fran Lebowitz. In limited release, watch the trailer


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Facebook took another step in its march into China.
The Palo Alto-based social networking site opened an office in Hong Kong to support marketing and advertising efforts as Facebook expands in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
The move puts Facebook at China's doorstep, where the social network has been banned in the mainland for almost two years.
China's 450 million Internet users and its expanding mobile market is seen as a prime target for Facebook's future expansion.
Facebook has said its biggest resolution for the new year is to expand its product on mobile devices. The company started by launching an app for feature phones.
The company's CEO was in China in December with his girlfriend, who is Chinese American, and met with several Chinese Internet companies.
The meetings prompted speculation of Facebook's interest in expanding into China. Zuckerberg studying Chinese couldn't hurt.
Facebook Opens an Office on China's Doorstep
Facebook took another step in its march into China.


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Judge approves redaction of details in Lanza search warrants
DANBURY -- A Superior Court judge approved a prosecutor's request Wednesday to redact details from search warrant applications related to the investigation of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre.
In several motions made public Wednesday, Danbury State's Attorney Stephen Sedensky had asked Superior Court Judge John Blawie to consider redacting the name of a "citizen witness" who is referred to in various parts of the search warrant applications for Nancy Lanza's house and a car. It's unclear whether Sedensky is referring to more than one witness.
Nancy Lanza is the mother of 20-year-old Adam Lanza, who shot her in her bed before driving to the school the morning of Dec. 14, killing 20 first graders and six educators before turning a gun on himself.
Sedensky said in the request filed Wednesday that disclosing an unredacted affidavit would "identify persons cooperating with the investigation, thus possibly jeopardizing their personal safety and well-being."
The state's attorney also requested the omission of serial numbers for several items that were seized by investigators from the Lanza home at 36 Yogananda St. in Newtown, as well as phone numbers and credit card numbers that were related to the case.
While no arrests are "currently anticipated," Sedensky said, "arrests have not been ruled out and the investigation is fully active and ongoing by both state and federal authorities."
Details about the Dec. 14 shooting have been elusive. For months, lawmakers and the public have groped for answers that might begin to explain how the tragedy unfolded.


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The truly important things can't be found in conferences and meetings. They are not made of bits and bytes, they are not on timelines and news feeds. They are made up of curves and bends. Endorphins and adrenaline. Long straights and short shift throws. The best destination to have? No destination. The way there? We have reduced down to the bare essentials: in a purist's sports car which lets you switch off by shifting up. A
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Switch off: yes. Slack off: no. Made possible by the Sports seats Plus (two-way) with elevated side bolsters and seat centres in durable Sport-Tex – or, optionally, the adaptive Sports seats Plus (18-way). Could it get even sportier? Yes – sports bucket seats or ultra-lightweight full bucket seats in carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) are also available as an option. The headrests on all seat variants feature the '718' logo.
With the optional interior packages, you can choose your own colour accents: with contrasting colours in GT Silver, Guards Red, Racing Yellow or Lizard Green. These accents can be found on the seat belts, decorative stitching, door pull loops, the '718' logo on the headrests and on the stitching – as well as the
You can even add Alcantara® elements, tried and tested in motorsport, upon request.
The heart of every individual
There are some things which no app can simulate. Like taking a hairpin bend on the ideal line. Exactly here, at the apex of the bend, is where you can see what makes a mid-engined sports car stand out: light weight, a low, balanced centre of gravity, wide track, long wheelbase – and, of course, a precise and agile chassis.
The new 718
The standard
The mechanically regulated rear differential lock included with PTV has an asymmetrical lock factor. This helps to provide greater traction, for example when accelerating out of corners and driving on road surfaces with varying grip. The result: considerable lateral dynamic vehicle stability and exceptional traction. Impressive agility at every speed – with precise steering response and balanced load transfer characteristics. And, of course, tremendous fun on corners.
Flip the switch. Out of the four walls. On to the open straights. And, of course, in the bends. Thanks to the mode switch on the GT sports steering wheel, you can select one of four settings: Normal, SPORT, SPORT PLUS or Individual mode, to adapt the vehicle even more precisely to the way you want to drive.
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In SPORT PLUS mode, the 718
Individual mode follows your driving style: you can select and store various vehicle settings to suit your preferences.
Out of the everyday, into real life. No e-mails, no chats, no feeds. For anyone who likes to consciously make this decision, the new 718 T models can also, upon request, be connected to the digital world and all its possibilities. Because sometimes it's enough to just switch off – in the purest sense of the word.
serves as your central control unit for audio, navigation and communication, and for countless Car Connect Services via smartphone, such as vehicle positioning. Optional, and available at no extra cost.
Thanks to Real-time Traffic Information, the optional navigation module including
Visit www.porsche.com/connect to discover more about the various apps and services.
When you don't want the raw sound of the sports exhaust system to be the soundtrack to your journey: Sound Package Plus features six loudspeakers for an acoustic performance perfectly adapted to the vehicle interior.
The optional BOSE® Surround Sound System has been specially developed for the 718 models and offers a total output of 505 watts. It features 10 fully active loudspeakers and amplifier channels including a patented, 100 watt active subwoofer integral to the vehicle bodyshell.
The optional
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* Data determined in accordance with the measurement method required by law. Since 1 September 2017 certain new cars have been type approved in accordance with the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP), a more realistic test procedure to measure fuel/electricity consumption and CO₂ emissions. As of 1 September 2018 the WLTP replaced the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC). Due to the more realistic test conditions, the fuel/electricity consumption and CO₂ emission values determined in accordance with the WLTP will, in many cases, be higher than those determined in accordance with the NEDC. This may lead to corresponding changes in vehicle taxation from 1 September 2018. You can find more information on the difference between WLTP and NEDC at www.porsche.com/wltp.
Currently, we are still obliged to provide the NEDC values, regardless of the type approval process used. The additional reporting of the WLTP values is voluntary until their obligatory use. As far as new cars (which are type approved in accordance with the WLTP) are concerned, the NEDC values will, therefore, be derived from the WLTP values during the transition period. To the extent that NEDC values are given as ranges, these do not relate to a single, individual car and do not constitute part of the offer. They are intended solely as a means of comparing different types of vehicle. Extra features and accessories (attachments, tyre formats, etc.) can change relevant vehicle parameters such as weight, rolling resistance and aerodynamics and, in addition to weather and traffic conditions, as well as individual handling, can affect the fuel/electricity consumption, CO₂ emissions and performance values of a car.
** Important information about the all-electric


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Author - Virarajendra
A brief study on the origin of Malayalam Language of Kerala, India
After hundred years of intermittant wiery wars between the (Tamil) Chera kings of Kerala, and the (Tamil) Chola kings of Tamil Nadu - of then India, the Chera king Rama Varma Kulasekara (A.D.1090 - 1102) recaptured the Chera (Kerala) kingdom with his powerful Chaavar forces (suicide squads) defeated the Cholas and regained full power in Kollam, abondoning the Mahodaiyapuram (Kodungallur) of Kudamalainadu which was destroyed by Cholas. It seems Kulothunga Chola - 1 (A.D.1070-1120) of Chola Nadu didnot take any serious attempt to regain the lost territories of the Kerala country.
However the subsequent Tamil Chera Kings after Rama Varma Kulasekara gradually became very weak rulers in their own country, and around early thirteenth century (A.D.1201) lost from their hold the territories of the King of Venadu and other Provincial Kings and Local Chiefs of Kerala. Thus the Chera country went into much disarray thereafter.
It was during this period there had been a heavy migration of Tulu Brahmins known as "Namboothiris" into Chera Nadu (Kerala country) from the Tuluva country north of Kerala - the present Mangalore region. With the continued weakness of the Tamil Chera kings of the subsequent periods, the Namboothiri Brahmins with their Vedic religion as the source of inspiration were able to penetrate into various regions of Kerala over a period of time, and have great influence over the Tamil and other societies of then Chera Nadu. The Namboothiri Brahmins "in addition" to the Brides from their own community, also married (Sambandam) among the native Chera (Kerala) - Tamils, Nayers and other population of that period.
In Tuluva country north of Chera (Kerala) country, people spoke "Tulu" language which had it's own Script. With the migration of the Namboothiri Brahmins into Kerala they used their Tulu language heavily in their religious and daily life. The Tulu Language with a "heavy mix" of words from "Tamil Language" that was already in existance in Kerala (former Tamil Chera Nadu) from the time as early as Mahabharatha War in B.C.415, and words from "Sanskrit Language" by way of Vedic religion practised heavily in this region with the migration of Namboothiri Brahmins - lead to the birth of the present "Malayalam Language" in Kerala around the 13th century. This is the very reason why the present "Malayalam Language" has almost similer Script as 'Tulu Language', with "very many Tamil words" and considerable amount of - Sanskrit and Tulu words' in it's vocabulary.
The Video rendering is in the "Malayalam Language" (which developed from Tulu Language with a 'very heavy mix of Tamil' and Sanskrit) in Kerala (the former Tamil Chera Nadu), which gradually came into existance in this region from the beginning of 13th century (A.D.1201), replacing the former Tamil Language in Kerala.
"Kannaki story" related song from the Malayalam Film "Kannagi" of the year 2001. A "very heavy mix of Tamil' and Sanskrit in the Malayalam Language could also be seen from the above song
Below are 'few more of Malayalam Classical & Film songs' which further exibits the "very heavy mix of Tamil with Sanskrit and Tulu Language in the newly developed Malayalam Language. {Use Stereo Ear Phones or Head Phones}
Thus with the Namboothiri Brahmins having much influence over the higher rungs of the people of Kerala, after thirteenth century gradually the "Malayalam language" became the dominant language of "Kerala" over "Tamil language" that existed during this period.
With the Namboothiri domination of Kerala society from the thirteenth century, they also introduced the "mythological story" of "Kerala being the God's own country and was created by Parasurama" as against the "true historical origin of Kerala (the Chera country)" "being entirely of Tamil origin" with "Tamil Chera Kings" ruling this region from time immemorial. This mythological story relating to "Parasurama Sheththiram" was the traditional story relating to the Tulu country (present Mangalore) brought in to Kerala by the Namboothiiri Brahmins, which eventually formed a mis-conception among the Kerala people that Kerala too was the "Parasurama Sheththiram"
The Mangalore city on the western coast of India adjoining the Arabian Sea and north of present Kerala is almost an island between the converging Netravati and Gurupura rivers. This is why the Tamil "Meikeerththi" (the True Glory) of the medieval period Chola Emperor Rajendra Chola - 1 (A.D.1011-1044) of Tamil Nadu, has referred to the Mangalore region as an Island named "Saanthima Thivu", and that the "Parasurama's fortress" was there in this island much earlier. The reference to same in his Tamil Meikeerththi is as follows:
"......செருவில் சினவி இருபத்து ஒரு கால்
அரைசுகளை கட்ட பரசுராமன் (Parasuraman)
மேவரும் சாந்திமத் தீவரண் (Fortress of the Saanthima Island) கருதி (resided)
இருத்திய செம்பொன் திருத்தகு முடியும்......"
Important Historical Notes:
(1) - The history of the present Kerala State - South India could be divided into two eras, one ranging from ancient times to the end of the twelveth century (A.D.1200) and classified as the Tamil Period of it's History and the other ranging from the beginning of the thirteenth century (A.D.1201) to this date and classified as the Malayalam Period of it's History.
To know of the "True" Early History of Kerala - especially the "Tamil Period", please read through my Research Article with many Literary, Epigraphical, Archaeological and other evidences titled "The great Significance of Kodungallur of Kerala in the History of Kerala and Tamil Nadu" - in four parts appearing in this same Website (Front Page). Also I encourage the Readers to study through my other two Research Articles all with evidences from sources as mentioned above titled (1) The Origin and Spread of the Cult of Kannaki (Pattini) - in three parts (2) A study on the Tamil Kings of Kerala (Chera country) from B.C.100 – AD.1200 (Under further construction) also in this Website (Front Page)
Sangam period Thiruvanjikkulam Mahadeva (Siva) temple worshiped deeply by Tamil Chera king "Cheramaan Perumaal" later included as one of the 63 - Tamil Saiva Saints of Tamil Nadu & Kerala and was known as "Cheramaan Perumaal Naayanaar" - Part 1
Sangam period Thiruvanjikkulam Mahadeva (Siva) temple worshiped deeply by Tamil Chera king "Cheramaan Perumaal" later included as one of the 63 - Tamil Saiva Saints of Tamil Nadu & Kerala and was known as "Cheramaan Perumaal Naayanaar" - Part 2
Sangam period Thiruvanjikkulam Mahadeva (Siva) temple worshiped deeply by Tamil Chera king "Cheramaan Perumaal" later included as one of the 63 - Tamil Saiva Saints of Tamil Nadu & Kerala and was known as "Cheramaan Perumaal Naayanaar" - Part 3
Thirukulasekarapuram Krishnan temple built by Tamil Chera king "Kulasekara Perumaal" later included as one of the 12 - Tamil Vainava Saints of Tamil Nadu & Kerala and was known as "Kulasekara Aalvaar" - Part 1
Thirukulasekarapuram Krishnan temple built by Tamil Chera king "Kulasekara Perumaal" later included as one of the 12 - Tamil Vainava Saints of Tamil Nadu & Kerala and was known as "Kulasekara Aalvaar" - Part 2
Thirukulasekarapuram Krishnan temple built by Tamil Chera king "Kulasekara Perumaal" later included as one of the 12 - Tamil Vainava Saints of Tamil Nadu & Kerala and was known as "Kulasekara Aalvaar" - Part 3
(2) - The only two original sources of Kerala history in 'Sanskrit' & 'Malayalam Language' namely the "Kerala Mahathmiyam" and "Keralopathi" are of the 16th & 17th centuries A.D. They too have not been accepted by the modern Historical Scholars of Kerala as important historical sources of Kerala History, as they have many claims which are in contradiction and confusion with the findings of these Scholars, in the light of evidences available to them from the other sources. It is in these two sources we find the 'first reference' to the Namboothiri Brahmins, and not from any Inscriptions, Copper Plate Grants, Historical or Literary sources - earlier than this period both from Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
The extracts from the relevent Website throws some light on these facts as follows:
Source: http://knowmykerala.in/keralolpathiintroduction
Even the greatest of truths has its time and place. The origin of Kerala is inextricably linked with the legend of Parasurama. "Up till almost a century ago", even educated scholars had taken the history in this work for granted, and the legends in "Keralolpathi" became an integral part of every work of history written on Kerala. 'Malabar Manual' written by William Logan also refers to this work in detail. However, he "does not accept the historical content in Keralolpathi". Talking about Kerala Mahatmyam and Keralolpathi, he comments as:-
"....The (Kerala) Mahatmyam is full of the usual inflated Brahmin legends, and is not so worthy of serious analysis as it's more popular form, the Keralolpathi. The Keralolpathi too is full of Brahmin legends, but historically there is something to be learnt from it - William Logan, Malabar Manual......"
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keralolpathi
The Keralolpathi (Malayalam: കേരളോല്പത്തി kēraḷōlpatti; literally 'Kerala's Origin') is a Malayalam work that deals with the origin of the land of Kerala. Shungunny Menon ascribes the authorship of this work to Thunchaththu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan, a 17th-century scholar of the Malabar region of India. The Keralolpathi is mostly an expansion from an earlier Sanskrit work known as the Kerala Mahatmayam. That work is classed among the Hindu Puranas as an Upa Purana (or sub Purana) of the Bhoogola Purana.
The Keralolpathi covers the ancestry of the Namboodiri Brahmins and other castes of Kerala and is sometimes called the "Kerala Ulpathy". While the "Kerala Mahatmayam" deals with the origin of Kerala and its people alone, the Keralolpathi gives a history of Kerala down to the modern age, including reference to the British in Kerala.
".....Historians doubt the reliability of this collection of legends as it contains many discrepancies. For instance it states that a certain Viceroy of Kerala went to Mecca and met the Islamic prophet Mohammed there. However the corresponding date mentioned is such that the prophet was not even born till more than a century later. ("....The year of his departure mentioned in the work as 332 A.D. is not correct, since the preaching of Islam by prophet Muhammad started only after 600 A.D….."). It also mentions that the King Krishnadevaraya of the Vijayanagara empire appointed a Viceroy over Kerala in 428 AD. However the said king reigned (only) between 1509 and 1529 A.D.
Likewise even the origins of most of the castes and clans of Kerala varies from the ancient Sanskrit Kerala Mahatmayam. Besides, by the 18th century modified versions of the work started appearing, varying from kingdom to kingdom and region to region in Kerala. Therefore, according to Shungunny Menon (a native historian of Travancore, Kerala) "one cannot place, in the Keralolpathi, the value of a historical source....."
Shungunny Menon, (further) stated that:
".....numerous discrepancies and glaring mistakes are visible for we find the authors in their anxiety to prove the correctness of their accounts confusing occurrences of the modern age with those of the ancient...it is obvious that on a work such as the Kerala Ulpathy little reliance can be placed...."
William Logan, who was the author of the Malabar Manual also refutes the validity of the Keralolpathi and describes it as:
".....a farrago of legendary nonsense having for its definite aim the securing of the Brahmin caste of unbounded power and influence in the country......'
K.P.Padmanabha Menon, another native historian calls the Keralolpathi:
"...an ill digested and uncollated collection of different versions huddled together in inextricable confusion..."
It is further noted the first ever reference to the "Namboothiri Brahmins" are to be found only in the "Kerala Mahathmiyam" (in Sanskrit) and "Keralopathi" (in Malayalam) of the 16th & 17th centuries, and not in any other Literature, Historical Documents, Copper Plate Grants or Temple Inscriptions (of granite stone) both of Kerala and Tamil Nadu earlier than this period.
However there is a reference in the "Keralopathi" of the 17th century that "some members of the Namboodiri community have been converted into Christianity with the arrival of St Thomas at Kodungallur in A.D.52". This reference doesnot carry any authentic value in the light of the findings of the Kerala Historians namely Shungunny Menon, K.P.Padmanabha Menon and William Logan, especially from the statement of Shungunny Menon (a native historian of Travancore, Kerala) which states ".....one cannot place in the 'Keralolpathi' the value of a historical source.....".
The two great 'Kerala Tamil Epics' - namely the "Silappathikarem" and "Manimekalai" were both composed around the year A.D.175 (the second century) - the former by "Ilango Adikal" a Tamil Poet the younger brother of one of the two great Tamil Chera Emperors of the first and second century Chera country (Kerala) the "Cheran Senguttuvan" from the capital city the Vanchi Maa-nagar (present Kodungallur), and the latter by a Tamil Poet Seeththalai Saaththanaar of this same period also from Vanchi Maa-nagar of Kerala.
We have another Tamil Literary composition called the "Pathirtruppaththu" a collection of ten Poetic Works by ten different contemporary Tamil Poets on ten different Chera kings of Chera Nadu (Kerala) of the period first century B.C. upto end second century A.D. speaking on their glory, and complied into one single work as Paththuppaattu. Unfortunately the first Paththu and last Paththu of the Paththupaattu is missing and now left only with eight Paththu. Each work was called as a Paththu and sings the glory of each of the ten Chera kings and were summed up in ten poetic compositions.
There is another work called the "Muththolaayiram" which has three sections. Each section deals with the kings and the three Tamil kingdoms (Muth Thamil Naadu) namely Chera, Chola and Pandiya of that period. This work belongs to the period first century A.D. and composed by Poet Thollaasiriyar of then Pandiya Nadu.
From the two Tamil Epics - Silappathikaaram and Manimekalai and, the Literary Compositions - Pathirtruppaththu and Muththolaayiram of first and second century A.D. we note that there are 'no references whatsoever' to the presence of "Namboothiri Brahmins" in Kerala of that period, and of their conversion into Christianity with the coming of St Thomas to Kodungallur Kerala during this period.
Hence this reference in the Malayalam work "Keralopathi" of (17th century) cannot be accepted as correct from the foregoing, and 'also' in the light of the findings of the present day native Kerala Historians that ".....much credentials cannot be placed on the Malayalam work "Keralopathi" on it's historical authenticity......"
There is also a misconception that it was with the coming of Namboothiri Brahmins to Kerala in A.D.825 that the "Kollam Era" (Kolla Varusham) of Kerala commenced. Here too there is no validity in this inferance as the "Kollam Era" was introduced into Kerala from the time the Nestorian (Syrian Christian) Monks and Traders built the city of Kollam for themselves at this seaport of Kerala, on the approval granted to them by the ruling Tamil Chera king Kulasekara Perumal of Kodungallur where they settled in the year A.D.825. The Nestorian (Syrian Christian) Monks and Traders came to this Sea Port region of Kerala from the Middle East, escaping their prosecution in their own country.
Further historically it was during the period of the Tamil Chera king Rama Varma Kulasekara (A.D.1090 – 1102) with his powerful Chavar forces defeated the Cholas and regained complete authority over Chera Kingdom with his new capital city at Kollam. Thus this was the end of the 100 years of intermittant wars between the (Tamil) Cholas and the (Tamils) Cheras.
It was long after this incidence during the rule of a subsequent Chera king who remained a weak Ruler, the "Namboothiri Brahmins" gradually migrated from the Tuluva country in the north of Kerala over a period of time. Hence from all the foregoing it could be concluded that the "Malayalam Language" which developed from the time of the migration of the Namboothiri Brahmins into Kerala, came into much developed form in around the year A.D.1200.
Courtesy - Sneka .....
Under Construction


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The Bachelor of Science program in Nuclear Medicine Technology offers a course of study that will prepare students for careers as Nuclear Medicine Technologists (NMT). Majors will gain a strong background in the concepts of modern biology with a particular concentration in human anatomy and physiology, biochemistry, and genetics. This background is further strengthened by courses in chemistry, physics, computer science and mathematics. Students may elect to enter the four-year program for the B.S. in Nuclear Medicine Technology in which the first three years of classes would be at Lewis University with the fourth and final year of classes at Northwestern Memorial Hospital (NMH). Admission to the final year of the program is based upon successful application to the program at NMH in the second semester of the junior year. Student applicants are considered and evaluated solely by the faculty and staff at NMH. Student admission to the program at NHM is not guaranteed. Another option is for students to complete the normal four-year B.S. in Biology and then apply for admission to Northwestern Memorial Hospital for a one-year certificate program in Nuclear Medicine Technology.
Students may also double major in Biology and Nuclear Medicine Technology. This would take five years with the first four years spent taking classes at Lewis University and the last year at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Students would apply for the NMT program in the spring of their fourth year with the understanding that Northwestern Memorial Hospital determines acceptance into this program.
A grade of C or better must be earned in a prerequisite course in order to advance to the next course in sequence.
Nuclear Medicine Technology majors may take a Biology class only two times. If a student has not achieved a minimum of a C after the second attempt, the student may not repeat the class.
The Biology Department will award 3 hours of credit for our general education class 02-100 (Introduction to Biology) when students have received a score of 4 or 5 on AP tests. We do not award any credit for major classes based on AP scores.


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A bit of SSC
So last night my guild played, again, in SSC. More specifically, we ground on Lurker a bit more. As you probably figured out from what I've said already, the fish still lives (grrr). On the other hand, we got him a lot further. We're on the edge of being geared appropriately – in fact, we're probably there for the most part – a few tweaks needed, but mostly there. And we are finally getting the tactics down. How do I know? We got the fish down to 30%. In my experience once you get under 50% on a boss you have a really good idea whether what's left is tweaking the gear or polishing the tactics to finish it off. I'm going to guess that the Lurker goes down in one of the next two nights we run. Oh, I might be wrong, but…
But I am not going to discuss the Lurker fight. No, I want to discuss what was actually MORE fun (to me, anyway). See, after our third attempt on the fish we called it for the 25, but since we like the trash drops everyone was told if they WANTED to stay they could and we'd just clear the Hydross/Lurker trash. (From the entrance, through the circle to get rid of those frigging frenzies.)
We wound up with 16 people. Four tanks (one druid, three warriors), four healers (three pallies and a priest – me), and eight dps (mix of hunters, warlocks and mages).
We rocked. We had some deaths – a pally and myself and a mage (all in separate battles) when we got too close or didn't get dots cleared off in time. And one bit of nastiness with an accidental 5-pull while marking where we lost three dps and a tank.
Heh, yes, that's a brag. An "oops" only lost 25% of the party in SSC with a lot less than max. On the other hand, we knew better than to chase a boss.
By the way, since I wound up as healboss… I ordered two plans. One, every healer took A tank and then group-healed as able and needed. Two, everybody group-healed with priority to the tank. (Keep the tank up, and anything left goes to the party). For those who've been there, the decisions are obvious. For the rest – the former was for group pulls, the latter was for the overgrown boglords. As noted already, it worked – and worked well. (And was justified – we got a bit more of the Good Drops because of the run.)
No lessons here, just a report on a bit of fun. Not least because we proved to our own satisfaction that we actually are pretty good.
One Response to "A bit of SSC"
Gearing should be a fairly minor limiting factor for the Lurker encounter. This fight is more about survival in P1 (from things like Whirl and Spout) and crowd control management in P2 (getting Hammer of Justices on mobs as they spawn so that they aren't wrecking your healers, and can then be easily picked up and sheeped). Make sure all of your non melee classes are on the outside of the ring of the central platform to avoid collateral dmg from whirl and spread out to avoid the geysers. (these cause dmg as well as moving people like your healers out of range to heal). When the spout comes make sure everyone is underwater (if you have killed the trash) most classes can still easily dps/heal underwater and there is no reason to die to spout AT ALL.
Keep at it man, I'm sure you will get it. Best of luck to you and have fun.


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When Brianna Brown's character on "General Hospital," Lisa Niles, first came to Port Charles back in January of last year, she seemed like a normal girl. An ex-girlfriend of Patrick Drake, she got a job at the hospital with Patrick and Robin, but soon, she let her crazy flag fly. I spoke with Brianna about playing Lisa, and she gave me a peek into what dastardly deeds Lisa has planned for the folks of Port Charles.
Daytime Dial: When you first got the role of Lisa, did you know she was going to turn out to be pretty wacko, or did she kind of evolve that way?
Brianna Brown: I was waiting for the craziness to happen, because when the role was first pitched to me, they told me that it was going to be a "Fatal Attraction"-type story line. So, I was waiting for the craziness to begin.
DD: When it comes to playing Lisa, it would be real easy to bring out the crazy, all the time. How do you bring out the humanity in Lisa as well?
BB: I try really hard to make logical sense of why she does what she does. I try to rationalize her behavior. Even though I find it ridiculous and completely uncalled for, I try to figure out, as an actor, what could make me really upset. If I didn't have any morals, how I would take it to the next four levels? So, I try to find something to really motivate why she's doing what she's doing, so it's not just the idea that this person is just crazy.
DD: What do you like best about playing her?
BB: I like that every week I have no idea what I'm going to be doing next. I love how she jumps in front of cars and then accuses other people of hitting her. She's blamed everyone else for everything. And that she can go from completely frightening and in a state of rage to "I'm completely fine and it's you," which is fun and challenging as an actress to be able to play.
DD: What have been some of your favorite scenes that you've filmed?
BB: Well, jumping in front of the car was really fun, because it was just so absurd. And I would have to say when I had Robin trapped in the cabin and she was drugged — before she fell into the well. It's so much fun getting to play with Kimberly McCullough and Jason Thompson anyway, and all the scenes are really fun. The scenes happening right now are among my favorites as well.
DD: Speaking of what's coming up for the viewers, the hospital is on lockdown, and you are holding people hostage. What can you tell me about that?
BB: It's gonna be good! Those have been some of my favorite scenes that I've shot so far. I haven't seen the final edits yet, but I really think viewers are going to be on the edge of their seats.
DD: When you are filming heavy scenes like that, do you all crack jokes to break the tension between takes?
BB: With these scenes coming up, we were all a little bit more focused, because there's a lot going on. After the fact, definitely. One of the days after shooting, Kimberley, Kristen and I all went out and got a drink. We're like: "Oh, that was heavy. We should go have a drink together."
What I can tell you is that this hospital lockdown/hostage story line is going to be really good. I mean, it's always been really good, but I'm especially excited about these scenes. It will be fun to see what happens after, too.
DD: Were you nervous about the fans lashing out at you because of your character's attempts at breaking up one of the show's favorite supercouples?
BB: I was warned right away that it was a major relationship that my character would be breaking up. And I was forewarned: "People are going to hate you. Don't read the message boards, and grow really thick skin." So I make it a point of never reading the message boards. I just don't do that to myself. And I've had to fend off some Twitter people who were very upset and defensive of their couple, which I understand — and, I was forewarned.
I think 99 percent of the fans will differentiate between me and my character, but there are those that do take it to the next level, or they just want to be nasty for nasty's sake. But I'm glad that they're affected and not indifferent. That would be worse — that they were indifferent to my character. It means the writing and what I'm doing are believable enough for certain people. So, I'll take it as a compliment.
DD: After everything that Lisa puts the other characters through, especially Robin and Patrick, do you try to take them out for drinks to make up for her?
BB: (Laughs) No, but I have bought coffee. I have bribed them with, "I'm sane — with coffee!" But they know I'm sane, and all three of us have hung out outside of work. Anytime I've had to be especially nasty to Kimberly, we always make sure to give each other a hug afterward. It's funny, because when people come on set tours, and they see that she and I are talking, their eyes kind of bug out. They're like, "Oh my gosh, they don't hate each other."
DD: Lisa briefly dated Dr. Steve Webber and had a chance to turn her life around and to be good. Were you sad for Lisa that she is so far gone that she couldn't make the right choice?
BB: Yeah, I think it's — I would hope — an exaggeration of a lot of people who are stuck in unhealthy relationships and stuck in the past and obsessing over someone who doesn't want to be with them. We go a level or four beyond that. It is sad to see that, but I try to see the truth that there are people who would go back to the guy who is abusive. Or they'll sabotage a good relationship. So that was my justification of why she's continually doing it. I loved working with Scott Reeves, so I was like: "Oh no! We're not going to be playing together all the time." And Brandon Barash, that's been really fun getting to know him, with his character blackmailing me and all the scenes we've been able to play together.
DD: Those scenes with Lisa and Johnny are so much fun to watch. How is Brandon to work with?
BB: The two of us are just such musical-theater dorks anyway, because it's in our background. We goof around a lot and talk in weird voices, and all of a sudden we're looking at each other, and he's a mobster and I'm psycho. It's just really funny, to go from being really dorky theater kids to being "our characters."
DD: Aside from "General Hospital," you've got quite a few feature-film credits on your resume. Any plans to return to that genre?
BB: I love "General Hospital," and I love doing TV. I've done a lot of prime-time TV and films prior to working on "General Hospital." I'm sure at some point I will go back to doing more film and prime-time television. I love a good film. Just like I love a good story line. And whenever I get to act and do great work, whatever the genre, it's just such a rush and a blessing as an actor.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Interview (GH): Brianna Brown, Happy to Bring the Crazy
When Brianna Brown's character on "General Hospital," Lisa Niles, first came to Port Charles back in January of last year, she seemed like a normal girl. An ex-girlfriend of Patrick Drake, she got a job at the hospital with Patrick and Robin, but soon, she let her crazy flag fly. I spoke with Brianna about playing Lisa, and she gave me a peek into what dastardly deeds Lisa has planned for the folks of Port Charles.


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For laughing out loud! Comedy grips Indian TV
If laughter is the best medicine, Hindi general entertainment channels(GECs) are using it to their best to woo audiences. They are serving comedies in new formats, using fresh storytelling techniques, funnier gags and laughing all
The demand for light-hearted shows can be estimated from the fact that "Comedy Circus" is in its 16th season and has also entered the Limca Book of Records for being the longest running reality comedy series.
If that is not enough, stand-up comedian Kapil Sharma's show has caught the fancy of non-traditional GEC-viewers and it has been extended owing to its popularity, while SAB TV has dedicated itself to just comedy shows.
"The audience wants to laugh and this is why the trend of comedy shows is on a high on TV," said Kapil, host and producer of Colors' "Comedy Nights With Kapil".
"I'm the same Kapil who is doing comedy on Indian TV since many years. But the only difference is that I'm selling comedy in a new way and this is what people are enjoying. My comedy is not, my packaging is new," Sharma said.
His show boasts of top Bollywood celebrities and an audience full of youths as he focuses on issues which affect the common man.
It's true that Shekhar Suman's once cult show "Movers & Shakers" had an almost similar vein - he too picked up issues concerning the common man, but there's something definitely new about "Comedy Nights With Kapil".
TV also offers a platform in a big way to stand-up comedians - Raju Srivastava, Bharti Singh, Sudesh Lahiri, Krushna Abhishek and Sunil Pal, to name just a few.
As far as heartwarming dramedies are concerned, the 1980s and 1990s saw many - "Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi", "Dekh Bhai Dekh", "Hum Paanch", "Flop Show", "Shrimaan Shrimati", "Zabaan Sambhalke", "Office Office", "Tu Tu Main Main", "Yes Boss" and "Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai" of Star One.
With loads of fun and clean content, the comedy makes for a viable family-viewing experience.
Actor-producer J.D. Majethia of "Khichdi" fame believes the space for comedy shows has grown manifold over the years and it is pleasant to witness the boom in the number and kind of sitcoms and how they have entered the weekend programming.
The direction in which comedy is heading on the small screen is "perfect", says producer Asit Modi, known for the much-loved "Taarak Mehta...". However, it is a difficult genre, and sustaining its charm requires special skills.
"We need actors and writers with special skills for comedy. Everyone can't make people laugh. India lacks adequate creative talent for comedy. There's scarcity, and so the scope of the genre is limited. Moreover, to do clean comedy for TV is even tougher," Modi said.
His "Taarak Mehta..." has been running successfully for over five years, and it has crossed the 1,200-episode mark.
"New ideas from new people always help. As long as you give freshness and variety, things will work," explained Modi, who also added that the basic ingredients of a good show are "a good story" and "a promise to entertain the audience".
Majethia too is all for keeping up with times.
He said: "When we don't wear the clothes that we used to wear years ago, or even live the life we used to back then, why must we be served the same content on TV? New times demand new things."
Perhaps, that's what he is targeting through his new show, reportedly titled "Bh Se Bhade", featuring ace comedian Deven Bhojani.
(Radhika Bhirani can be contacted at firstname.lastname@example.com)


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Need more info on how clustering workschriswilliams May 8, 2012 2:12 PM
We've got two applications A and B. Each app is running on a different physical server. Each app defines the same queue and only app B has a consumer that reads from that queue. Both apps A and B write to the queue.
We've tried a number of configurations to get the queue writes from app A to go to the queue that lives on server B so the consumer from app B can read from that queue and perform whatever work needs to be done in response.
We do see the servers sync up and the cluster connection establish when the second server starts (regardless of which one starts first):
12:46:05,312 INFO [org.hornetq.core.server.cluster.impl.BridgeImpl] (Thread-1 (HornetQ-server-HornetQServerImpl::serverUUID=00a9bd14-7a7d-11e1-bdfe-bc305ba28b2b-403501971)) BridgeClusterConnectionBridge@79815969 [name=sf.my-cluster.df163c73-992d-11e1-8551-3c075467076e, queue=QueueImpl[name=sf.my-cluster.df163c73-992d-11e1-8551-3c075467076e, postOffice=PostOfficeImpl [server=HornetQServerImpl::serverUUID=00a9bd14-7a7d-11e1-bdfe-bc305ba28b2b]]@1b153ad1 targetConnector=ServerLocatorImpl (identity=(Cluster-connection-bridge::ClusterConnectionBridge@79815969 [name=sf.my-cluster.df163c73-992d-11e1-8551-3c075467076e, queue=QueueImpl[name=sf.my-cluster.df163c73-992d-11e1-8551-3c075467076e, postOffice=PostOfficeImpl [server=HornetQServerImpl::serverUUID=00a9bd14-7a7d-11e1-bdfe-bc305ba28b2b]]@1b153ad1 targetConnector=ServerLocatorImpl [initialConnectors=[org-hornetq-core-remoting-impl-netty-NettyConnectorFactory?port=5445&host=0-0-0-0], discoveryGroupConfiguration=null]]::ClusterConnectionImpl@1462857349[nodeUUID=00a9bd14-7a7d-11e1-bdfe-bc305ba28b2b, connector=org-hornetq-core-remoting-impl-netty-NettyConnectorFactory?port=5445&host=0-0-0-0, address=jms, server=HornetQServerImpl::serverUUID=00a9bd14-7a7d-11e1-bdfe-bc305ba28b2b])) [initialConnectors=[org-hornetq-core-remoting-impl-netty-NettyConnectorFactory?port=5445&host=0-0-0-0], discoveryGroupConfiguration=null]] is connected
Some questions:
1 - Is this even possible? Is it the correct way to use JMS clustering? If not, what is a better solution? Note that app A and B are pretty heavy-weight apps and we'd prefer to not have to deploy app B to both servers. Also, there would be a considerable re-write involved with putting the consumer in app B in app A as well.
2 - Based on my reading of how HornetQ's round robin algorithm works, queue writes on app A should go to the queue on app B since there is no consumer in app A for that queue. We're not seeing this behavior. (forward-when-no-consumers - default value is false) What we do see is the JMS message sits in the queue on app A indefinitely. Any queue writes from app B are immidiately picked up by the consumer in app B.
3 - If we're missing something and our assumption from #2, above, is correct but configured incorrectly, what happens if the server hosting app B crashes, messages are created by app A (I assume these would be sent to the queue on app A since app B is down), and then the server hosting app B is brought back up? Would the messages be forwarded in that case?


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It is very much the same for their tattoo designs. The Maori tribal tattoos have their own unique identity compared to their Polynesian counterparts. Their spirals and curved shapes form a very intricate pattern that very distinctive to the Maori tribes. Legend said that a young warrior learned the art of the Maori tribal tattoos from the lord of the underworld, after winning back the heart of the lord's daughter.
For the Maori tribe, the tattoos are part of special rituals celebrating a particular or special event in one tribesman's life. A tribesman would receive his or her first tattoo as a rite of passage from childhood to adolescent and would be added whenever there are significant events in his or her life that would need to be celebrated. A tribesman that would be awarded with a tattoo would go into fasting before he or she was given a tattoo.
Both men and women of the tribe can be awarded with a tattoo as a show of courage, strength and would be given a specific status in the tribe. The tattoos for men in particular would cover the whole face while the women would only cover the cheeks and the lips, though sometimes the tattoos for women would cover the neck as well.


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Wendy Zwecker
No stone unturned, that's my philosophy!
I won't stop until I've made your dream happen and every step of the way will be filled with the energy and enthusiasm that sets me apart. I am dedicated to the process of finding a property that will reflect your life and personality. Listening and communication are very important to me and allow me to work effectively on your behalf. After all, I want you to enjoy this incredible area as much as I do with my family. And when it is all said and done, I want you to be my neighbor and friend so I want the process to be as thorough and honest as possible.
I grew up in a military family so we traveled quite a bit. My one constant was coming to Maine on breaks to visit family. I always knew this would be a place that I would return too in my adult life. I wanted a simpler way of living and I wanted to take advantage of all the wonderful things this area has to offer: hiking, biking, sailing, and skiing. 25 years ago, I made that move. After working in the corporate world for several years, I was ready for a another change. Scott Horty provided that when he approached me in 2005 to join his team. I haven't looked back!
I feel strongly about having a voice in the community and making a contribution to where I live. I'm currently a member of the following: West Bay Rotary where I serve on the Cultural Exchange Program and Outreach Committee, Coastal Mountain Land Trust Outreach Program, a Board member for the Parents Association for the Maine School of Science and Math in Limestone, Maine where my daughter attends school, and I am a Board member for the Ragged Mountain Ski Club which raises funds to assist with various programs that support local kids/students skiing. I also am very involved with smaller committees and clubs that all have a role in helping this community. Past committee include the Camden/Rockport Pathways Committee, YouthArts, Camden/Rockport PTA Board, and the Peopleplace Cooperative Preschool Board. I know my way around and can assist you outside the scope of real estate in many ways.
When not selling real estate or volunteering, I am living my dream in Rockport with my husband and three very active daughters. Life is very good and I want you to experience it too.
Phone: 207-236-6171
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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The Audi Sport Quattro was the homologation special for that most unhinged of rally cars, the short wheelbase Group B Audi. The question is: can a new S3 beat it across a rally stage?
The test, sadly, is totally mooted by Audi itself — who are we to trust the company to fairly race its new car against its old? If the Sport Quattro was faster, would Audi tell us that? Probably not.
Particularly odd is that Audi put the legendary Stig Blomqvist in the Sport Quattro, but they put a man named Hermann Müller in the Audi S3. Müller is an editor of Audi magazine. Are you to believe that one of the greatest rally drivers of all time, in one of the finest road-going homologation specials ever made, can't beat a PR man in a new S3?
Still, it's impressive to see the lower, stiffer S3 successfully tackle a (smooth) dirt road, and it's always good to see the original Stig in a Sport Quattro, even if the result isn't something I feel like trusting.


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I don't think much of the Christian Institute; it takes unsophisticated people like Peter and Hazelmary Bull and makes meejah capital out of them. Had they read the post Marriage a la Mode - gay and the comments there under, they would have known:
Civil Partnerships are marriage in all but name. In some people's eyes you aren't married but they probably won't accept that you are civilly partnered anyway. The law simply has no traction over that. So What? Nothing follows from this, except if they try to deny you rights to which you are legally entitled, in which case you can take legal action.It was thought that the argument would come over whether orthodox churches could be compelled to perform gay marriages, but this is unlikely due to primary legislation defining marriage as involving a man and a woman. I also said in the comments that:
I await with a bag of popcorn the clashing arguments of freedom of religious expression and the primacy of civil rights law.Turns out the the challenge had in fact begun in 2008 in the small Chymorvah Private Hotel in Cornwall and followed the 2006 Equality Act and, crucially, secondary legislation in The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007.
The hoteliers, Mr Peter and Hazelmary Bull do not regard civil partnerships as marriage - because it isn't in law or Scripture - and wish to provide hospitality in accordance with their Christian beliefs. They want unmarried couples in separate rooms. Since 1 May 2007 the law has required people in civil partnerships to be treated the same way as married couples in the provision of goods and services.
(I've linked to the Netlawman version because it is the easier layout to read.)
Note that this is secondary legislation, Statutory Instrument No. 1263 of 2007 . The SI was subject to the affirmative procedure, which is supposed to provide more scrutiny than just a nod if nobody shouts. For a description of the procedure, see page 5 of this briefing.
In practice only a dedicated tracker would be able to keep up with the process. Fortunately for Stonewall, it receives some hefty donations to help it do just that. See page 15 of the Stonewall 2009 Report and Accounts for a list of major donors, including:
Equality and Human Rights Commission £96,904Do please click on page 15; only four are picked out for illustration. In comparision, the Christian Institute (charity no.1004774) , who advised the Bulls, received donations and grants totaling £1,620,874 in a similar accounting period, but does not list the donors so it is not possible to see if there is a symmetry of receipts from public bodies. The overview suggests not, that the donations are from private individuals, but without the breakdown it is not possible to say for sure.
(this was the body which supported the case)
Greater London Authority £12,000
Scottish Government - Voluntary Action Fund £190,921
Welsh Assembly Government £109,996.
Stonewall's (charity no. 1101255) total income 2009 £3,843,063
The explanatory note to the SI (linked below) insists that a reliable consultation procedure was carried out and that there was widespread public support for the measure, and that it reflects such exemptions as where justified. The SI is algebraic to read, full of As and Bs and IFs, so the explanatory note to the instrument is an important aid to understanding
Explanatory note from the UK legislation database:
7.14 The Regulations will make clear that married persons and civil partners are in materially the same position for the purposes of the regulations. This would remove a possible obstacle to civil partners bringing a discrimination claim on grounds of sexual orientation against a provider of goods and services who denied them access to a benefit or service that was being offered to a married person in a similar situation.Or as it says in the explanatory notes to the made version:
Regulation 3(4) provides that for the purpose of the provisions defining whether discrimination has taken place, when comparing the treatment of two people, the fact that one is a civil partner and the other is married is not a material difference in the circumstances.When the Christian Institute approached the senior citizen hoteliers Peter and Hazelmary Bull to help with with the case which had been brought against them by Martyn Hall and his civil partner Steven Preddy it became part of the Institute's continuing campaign to show that Christians face discrimination in the practice of their religion.
Sensible advice would have been to warn Mr and Mrs Bull, that in the Statutory Instrument which came in to force in April 2007 was a clause which required civil partnership to be treated as marriage, that they were very likely to lose because they didn't come within any of the exemptions, and if they were told to pay the costs as well as compensation, they could think of a big number and double it.
Had the Bulls backed down and offered compensation they would have been exposed to only a fraction of the expense and strain, and could probably have spun the lower publicity in to increased bookings. The Christian Institute could have explained the current law to the Bulls and not used them as cause celebres. Obviously a client's wishes must take precedence but it is the lawyer's job, even if working for free, to warn the client when they are on a hiding to nothing under the current regime. Let's hope the Christian Institute are picking up the costs for the Bulls.
Let's have a look at that S.I, courtesy of Netlawman. Here's the relevant point edited to bring out the structure:
(4) For the purposes of paragraphs (1) and (3),The legal intention is clear: a civil partnership is not a material difference to marriage for the purposes of justifying different treatment. So don't try it, because it won't work.
the fact that one of the persons (whether or not B) is a civil partner
while the other is married
shall not be treated as a material difference
in the relevant circumstances.
One of the remarks made by the Judge Andrew Rutherford at Bristol County Court was that if the claimants, Hall and Preddy, had 'set up' the Bulls or were part of a sting operation, then damages would be curtailed. Strange to note, then, that the on-line booking form for Chymorvah makes the Bull's religious views reasonably clear:
Whether the Bulls were prepared to let them have the twin-bedded room, Trigge, is not recorded. Interestingly, this is a change from the wording which was earlier alleged to have been "we prefer to let double accommodation to heterosexual married couples only" says the Daily Mail, which suggests the wording was changed after a letter from Stonewall. One wonders how likely it is that Hall and Preddy were unaware of other legal challenges, or that they didn't read the hotel's website? They maintain they did not see it.
Here at Chymorvah we have few rules, but please note that as Christians we have a deep regard for marriage (being the union of one man to one woman for life to the exclusion of all others).
Therefore, although we extend to all a warm welcome to our home, our double bedded accommodation is not available to unmarried couples – Thank you
What the name and the wording suggests, however, is that the Bulls thought of themselves as running a home where they allowed people to stay overnight, as opposed to a hotel where they happened to be operators who also owned the building and lived there . They had mis-read the situation. Their freehold makes no difference to the legal position.
There is a very limited exemption under s.6 for someone taking in a close family member or similar in to their homes, but s.4.2(b) makes it clear:
Paragraph (1) applies, in particular, to— ...accommodation in a hotel, boarding house or similar establishment,John Wadham of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission has been crowing that this is a landmark decision. Pish. It is a county court judge reading and correctly applying an SI which contained measures which mean that if push comes to shove, civil law trumps religious protocols in the booking of hotel rooms which are not part of religious organizations, and that goes for whoever is running the business, however small.
In general, the proposition that the secular law (both civil and criminal) should prevail over religious views has wide support. This is not so difficult to understand in the public sphere. Ms Ladele (a previous Christian Institute case) was a registrar and her job was to register civil partnerships, not have an opinion on whether this was morally defensible. Supermarket staff cannot refuse to handle goods on the basis that the items are forbidden in their religion. There are limits however. For example, the law recognizes the right of medics to refuse to take part in an abortion. It recognizes that for reasons of religious belief, pre-stunning before the slaughter of animals may not be enforced even though much secular opinion thinks it should be.
Despite the views of Judge Andrew Rutherford, Mr and Mrs Bull have a great deal of support in the country as it is by no means clear to people with better things to do than grovel around in the pocket-lint of discrimination legislation, why a pair of small business owners should be forced to facilitate sodomy in their own homes against their religion but are prohibited from allowing a paying guest to smoke indoors when they may have no objection to it.


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I was vegetarian, got pregnant, ate meat for the baby, now im trying to get back to vegetarian
I was a vegetarian for several years, I got pregnant and my obgyn told me that meat has a lot of nutrition my baby would need to be healthy so I choked down real meat to help my baby grow, I had my baby and tried to go back to being a vegetarian but meat just always seemed to be right at my finger tips and so much easier than my usual vegetarian cooking style, so I ended up procrastinating until I got pregnant again ( both are from the same dad and we have been married since shortly after my first childs birth ) I felt so bad because I was eating so much meat, my baby seemed to demand it all the time, I tried to eat a lot of veggies but my stomach would start to hurt and I couldnt, I tried meat substitutes but the same thing happened I would just end up throwing it back up, so meat was basically all I ate all the time, now that I had my baby, ( and got mirena ) I am wanting to go back to being a vegetarian but for some reason it is proving to be very difficult, my husband and kids all love meat, my husband has seen all of the PETA.org videos and he says " oh well its the way of life " so i dont see him vegging out with me, he is not very good at being supportive of my choice either, he tells me that it is retarded and stupid etc.......Which is why I am here.....I know my mom will support me but she is not always available for support that I need to keep me on course, is there anyone here that is a vegetarian or vegan that would be able to be my support team? I dont care who you are, what you look like, color of your skin, etc.....as long as you and I get along.
hello i understand that you said you were a vegetarian before you got pregnant the first time; now you that your says your choice is stupid dumb ect. ask him this question how is it you now say my choice is stupid and dumb but before i got pregnant with our first child you knew what my choice was and you didn't say it was so dumb and stupid then so why are you saying that now my choice is dumb and stupid? if you knew that was my choice before i got preganant with our first child; and you thought it was so dumb and stupid why didn't you say something about then before i got pregnant with our first child? don't hand me the old i didn't want hurt your feellings then bs.
hello i am a vegan i just want you to know that you could have stayed a vegetarian while you were pregnant and still get all the same nutrition your baby would need to be healthy. my friend next door is a vegetarian she didn't stop becoming a vegetarian when she got pregnant she had a healthy baby boy. he is now 3yrs old and doing just fine. their are a lot of people who are vegans and vegetarians who give birth to happy healthy babies. your doctor told you that for one or more reasons. first of all she may be a meat eater and tried(andsucceeded) to get you go against what thought was right for you. second of all some people think that you have to eat meat or there is something is wrong with you NOT!!!!! third some people just don't understand the real true concepts of healthy eating because they grew up eatting unhealthy foods and that's all they know. fourth some people are afraid of change and they are stuck in the past. lastly some people just don't give a damn!!!! you can go to www.vrg.org for answers on how to eat right when you are pregnant as a vegetarian or vegan.
i now wonder if your husband told you obgyn to tell you that you had to eat meat because he was a coward and didn't want to do it himself. you might just want ask him that he could have been the real one to have done this to you without you knowing a thing and now that you want to go back to the choice you had before he is pissed for one and might just be feeling gulity for tricking you into doing this and just don't want to say it because he afraid you might get angry at him for tricking you this way.
Many of us vegetarians don't get any support from family and friends. I found that by sticking to my beliefs for such a long time (36 years), people have gradully come to accept it. Don't expect your husband to change though or try to change him. You also have to accept him for what he is. This might inspire some mutual respect. Just try to be the best person you can be, and show people by example. There are many more vegetarians in the world now and the internet is here to show us we are not alone.
I'm a vegan, and if my obgyn told me I had to stop while pregnant then I would be looking for a new obgyn. Honestly almost the entire healthcare industry is corrupt. Did you know that only about 6 percent of doctors are taught any sort of nutrition in med school? Thankfully because of my vegan/raw diet I haven't had to go the doctors in years. I'm very thankful that I have a support system for my vegan lifestyle and my parents/boyfriend readily accepted it. My boyfriend even joined me in my endeavors. In all honesty, this just seems like a good lesson on "be careful who you have babies with".
But since you already had babies with him I would suggest just going your own path. Be your own person. Just because your married doesn't mean you have to sacrafice your beliefs. Are you the one who usually cooks dinner or prepares other meals? Well then prepare vegetarian meals and tell your husband if he wants something different then he needs to cook a seperate meal for himself, because eating healthier is very important to you. Try finding a vegetarian cooking class in your area, or a support group. Make some real life vegetarian friends and maybe that will help you get through. Sorry for your predicament, but if you have deep vegetarian beliefs then marrying a man who doesn't probably wasn't a wise choice. Hope it all works out!
Just have a sit down with your husband and come up with a compromise. Honestly none of those PETA videos make me not wanna eat meat. I definately think animals are for eating if you so wish it. Yes I have watched Forks over Spoons and any other documentary and read plenty of books. I still like meat. Trying to change his mind about that is impossible, but you being vegan shouldn't have to depend on him. I would suggest stressing that veganism is what you want for yourself and then just stick with that. I am concerned that he is calling your decision stupid though. I know a few vegan and omni couples that truely respect each others eating habits and live well together. To not to is rather rude. He may be responding to you trying to change his beliefs more so than your actual decision to be vegan. I have a brother who will never go vegan and I know it. I joke with him about it, but at the end of the day I know he ate meat today and everyday. The main thing to ask yourself is: he has fathered two of your children and has married you and been married to you for some time. Is him eating meat really a deal breaker, especially if he was a omni the whole time? If not, then take a little time to figure out how you can work your vegan around his omni and ask him to try to work him omni around your vegan.
A simple thing to do would be to make your meals and then just throw a piece of chicken or whatever in the oven for him. Make your main dish his side dish. If you only make a meat portion for one, there won't be any left for you to eat. I suggest chicken because it is so versatile.
Oh and kids tend to mirror the eating habits of the parent they are with more which is typically mom. I'm not sure how old they are, but if they are still young you can still mold them into veganism if you so desire. Eat in front of them, involve them with cooking the vegan meals. The meat for your husband should just seem to appear by magic to young kids. If they are older, then you may have to work with their desires as well.
Hope that helps