First Day with DSLR Camera -Indian Trip 1

Before coming to Singapore I did not know anything about DSLR cameras but i love photography and my friends used to say that im good at capturing random moments . Things changed lot and my understanding of photography has been improved and i started admiring nature more than ever through the lens.

1.Rainy Morning Rose
 After taking some photos my 10 month old daughter, i went out to the garden outside the house.It was a rainy morning... then i caught sight of the rose.

2.Dutiful Rooster 

The neighbor has many chickens and roosters , is there any other more wonderful sound than the morning rooster's cock-a-doodle-doo? I love to wake up with these beautiful birds sound.

3.A Frighten Dog
 This beautiful dog was following me wherever i went,when i tried take picture ,it kept on running and hiding ,on such moment i took this.He was scared but still want to check what i was doing!

4.Caterpillar At Work
A sight to behold! This little creature was so tender and so beautiful.

5.Romantically Ants
 These two ant

6.???

7.Dragonfly

8.The Beauty of Algae

9.No its not Nuclear Plant
This is VTPS-Vijyawada Thermal Power Station.This VTPS is located at the beautiful town called Ibrahimpattinam.

10.A Dragonfly and A River.

11.Spilling Water

11.Man At Work .. Distance

படித்ததில் பிடித்தவை -1

I always like modern Tamil poetry. The advent of internet made it easy for us to read lots of things but its always a good poem which will make my day - a good one. Below are some of the poem i have read and liked so much past week. Most of the poems are taken from different websites and some are from magazines like Uyirezhuthu,Theeranathi,Iniya Udhayam and Ananta Vikatan.

1.அம்மா

2.சிலுவை

3.பறவை

4.பறவைகள்

5.பிராத்தனை

Singapore National Games

The first Singapore National Games (SNG) was held between 1st to 9th of September. I was privileged to participate in it. It was organized by Singapore Sports Council(SSC) ,People's Association(PA) and its grassroots organizations.The highlight of this event was the participation of Foreign workers and Singapore Permanent Residence.It was a good initiative by SSC and PA which will bring the immigrants closer to Singaporeans.

I registered as a volunteer many months before.Unfortunately i did not undergo orientation as  i was out of Singapore,but my Volunteer Manager was gracious enough to sent me all the details which i should know in email.I have gone through the simple test online.A week latter i got confirmation and deployment details.I was assigned to the 'Functional Area of Technology for the role of Venue Infrastructure Support'. The venue was Singapore Basketball Center.

Lion (Nila)- The SNG Mascot

Day 1 :Sunday My reporting time was 2:30 PM. I reached the center at 2 O'Clock and waited for my Venue Manager to call me.Myself and a SSC employee were introduced to our Technology officer and were taken to the Media room.Our job was to take care of the media devices (3 laptops,1 printer, 3 plug points).After introducing us the people and devices , we were left there to watch over those things. Along with us there were three volunteers from Media team.The room was full of trophies and memorabilia of Singapore Basketball Association. So many beautiful trophies, big basketballs with signatures of all the players and some framed basketball jerseys.I should say i was lucky to see all these things.

Volunteering is all about meeting new people and making friendship.I always speaks a lot to people who are willing to share their thoughts.In SNG too , first day my team member was Mr.Tan , swimming coach.Very lively character.We started talking about SNG and end up he asking me to go to him for swimming coaching.Another volunteer from Media team asked about my life back in India and the life here in Singapore.I started with Pamban ended with latest Kabbadi Worldcup!! Yes, the guy whom i had conversation knew Kabbadi and he traveled many places for reporting sports events.He was very happy to know that my father was a college Kabbadi player and asked me to convey his wishes to my father!!

 Day 2: Monday: I rushed to the Singapore Basketball Center after my officeworking hours for my shift which started on 5:30 PM.Some things to do:Check the media devices and watch over those things.My team member for the day was again an employee of SSC, we did not talk much.He was busy with something else,i sat there and started reading  the book "Jeevanaamsam" by Si.Su Chellappa.I had enough time to finish the whole book.I went to the playing area and watched the match for sometime.At the end of the day ,I shook hands with everyone and left to home with lots of good memories.

I had a very good experience volunteering this wonderful event, looking forward to do it again in 2014. Congratulations to SSC,PA and the awesome volunteers.

Click here to go to official SNG site

The Global Competitiveness Index 2011–2012

The World Economic Forum has listed the Global Competitiveness Index 2011-2012. Below is the statement from them.

"The complexity of today’s global economic environment has made it more important than ever to recognize and encourage the qualitative as well as the quantitative aspects of growth, integrating such concepts as inclusiveness and environmental sustainability to provide a fuller picture of what is needed and what works. Indeed, the Forum is focusing increasingly on “quality growth” in its various activities. In this context, the Forum’s Centre for Global Competitiveness and Performance has begun to explore which factors are necessary to ensure that national competitiveness remains sustainable over the longer term."

India ranks 56th in the list. Many surveys shows that foreign companies fears to setup their business in India due to lack of transparency and government interference in day to day  running of business.Of course , the never ending scams also makes the foreign companies worries.

Rank	Country	Score
1.	Switzerland	5.74
2.	Singapore	5.63
2.	Sweden	5.61
4.	Finland	5.47
5.	United States	5.43
6.	Germany	5.41
7.	Netherlands	5.41
7.	Denmark	5.40
9.	Japan	5.40
10.	United Kingdom	5.39

The Global Competitiveness Report 2011-2012

Click her for the downloadable PDF file

Conversation with bookshop keepers

Whenever i go to airport i always visit the bookshop and spend most of the waiting time there. When i visited India last month, i got a chance to visit 4 different airports.My  journey started in Singapore Changi Airport, one of the best airport in the world.I think inside Terminal 2 there are 2 bookshop, bit costly but very well arranged collections.Books were categorized by genre, authors and best sellers. Now to the conversation :

Me : Can you suggest me a good book for 12 hr journey?
Staff : There are lots of classics available.
Me : Any new author or latest books?
Staff: You can try Mitch Albom's  "Have Little Faith".
Me:I already read his "The Five People You Meet In Heaven", it was a nice read.
Staff: Then , you can try this book, its really interesting and you can finish this book in 1 day.
Me : What about those best sellers?Have you read any one of those books?Any suggestion?
Staff : I have read 6 books on the top 10 list, but i think you can choose this book for your travelling.
(I browsed some pages of those books on the top 10 ,found all heavy and costly too!!!)
Me: Ok , let me try. Thanks.

I bought that book but i did not read that book. I started reading Leo Tolstoy's "Anna Karenina" and im still reading it. After reaching Chennai ,i went to Central Station to board the train to Vijayawada.I had almost 90 minutes for the train.I went to the nearby bookshop at the station and as usual started to converse with the staff.

Me: Was it rained last night?
Staff:Yes, bit.
Me:Can you suggest a Tamil book for my 8-9 hours train journey?
Staff:Any particular author?
Me:No, any author's book.
Staff: Ok, Sujatha's book are always good to read while travelling.Can you try?
Me: I bought one Sujatha's  book last year but could not read it. Always stopped reading it before 20 pages.
Staff: No.You have to read one book fully, then you will start like him.
Me: Ok.Let me try. What about this year's best sellers?
Staff: Not much , but you can try Nanjil Naadan's short stories collection,very nice read.
Me : I already read his "Soodia Poo Sudarga",yes his stories are nice.
Staff: Can i get some other books of Nanjil Naadan?
Me : Show me the books.
(He showed some books and kept on talking about each books, i liked his enthusiasm)
Me: Ok, i go for "Midhavai" .
(He started packing it)
Me:What about Magazines?
Staff:English or Tamil?
Me:Tamil
Staff: Ananda Vikatan sells well always.
(I bought Ananda Vikatan and paid the money)
Me:Thanks anna;

Boarded the train and continue reading "Anna Karenina" instead of "Midhavai". Leo Tolstoy kept on telling his stories through out the journey and I reached my destination one hour late and it was raining heavily.There is a kind of happiness when you read while travelling specially in train.I felt that happiness when i read for almost 5-6 hours continuously .

When returning back from Vijayawada to Chennai, i went to one of the bookshop at the Vijayawada junction.

Me : Can you suggest me a book for my travel?
(He showed the magazine sections and asked me to choose)
Me: No, fiction or non-fiction books?
Staff: These were the books arrived last week.
(He showed some books arranged in the shelves which had foreign authors books)
Me : Which book is selling well?
Staff:  "India Today" , oh Tamil, then you can try "Ananda Vikatan" .
(I showed the hands at the books at the shelves)
Staff: I dont know which book is best among them. All are best i think.
Me:What about Indian authors books?
Staff: ??
(I did not choose any books from the shelves)
Me: what about this magazine in green cover?
Staff: Only 10 copies comes every month.
(I took that magazine, the magazine name was "INK" )
Me: Looks interesting.
(I paid the money and boarded the train)

The bookshelves which the above shopkeeper contains books which i already read or i have.I started reading the INK magazine.I should say it was one of the best magazine i read during that whole travel.After reaching chennai, i was at Domestic Terminal to board flight to Madurai.I had almost 2 hours,i went to the only bookshop and started to talk to the staff.

Me : Can you suggest me a book for my travel?
Staff: Choose any one from the books ? (He showed me everything)
Me: Any Tamil books?
Staff: Ananda Vikatan and we have some Sujatha books.
Me:Do you have any books of S.Ramakrishnan.
Staff: Is he new writer?
Me : ???

I left the bookshop without buying any books. I always asks the same question to all the bookshop staffs at the airport to find out more about travel books and to spend time. If the bookshop staff gives good answer and show enthusiasm i will start talking a lot , end up with getting details of his family members.I still remember a old man and woman selling magazines at the corner of our school lane.He guided me which magazine to read and which not to read and most of the time he told me the exact articles which i have to concentrate.He never worried about his profit , he just gave or rather chose good magazines for me.

I was really shocked when the bookshop staff told that he did not know S.Ramakrishnan. In fact , its pathetic that these staffs do not know the difference between a fiction/non-fiction and a magazine(weekly/monthly etc).A good book shop at airport, railway stations ,bus stations and shopping mall with good knowledgeable staff will make my waiting time and my journey interesting.

St.James Church,Thangachimadam

This Church  is synonymous with new dress for our family, not only for our family in fact the whole island Christians. Even if need to borrow money,my people will borrow and buy dress. The buzz of this festival still remains the same as 12 years before, in fact more number of people are coming for mass every thursday than ever before. I heard from auto driver that more number of Muslims are coming these days.

After ten years i visited this Church one month back, surprised by the houses and development around the area.Now there is road till the Church entrance and house all around the church.There is no railway gate to control the vehicles which is always dangerous , hope government will do something about this.

Unfortunately when i visited the main church was closed.We sat outside for sometime and went to the old Church at the back.

The old Church is more or less a Chapel with St.James's statue and a cross.On the other hand the new Church was designed to symbolize Unity of Three Major Religion of the area.

I always spend time to see the bell towers in churches i visit, here too i spent considerable time.The bell is nothing extraordinary very simple and looks like a typical temple bell and the good thing about this bell is that anyone can ring it, easy to access not like other church bells which always hidden in bell tower.

Here too there is a bell tower,which is very simple and looks good.

The flag pole will be hosted only during the festival time.Unfortunately i went after the festival so i did not see the pole.

Some miscellaneous shots: