Film music then now…
V. Dakshinamurthy, the doyen music composer of a huge number of mega hit Malayalam film songs of the late 1950s and 1960s– and a number of Tamil songs, too, like the Alibaba and 40 thieves' lilting Masila Unmai kadale – passed away last week. He was 95. He formed a formidable team with the lyricist, Sreekumaran Thampi in their time. Incidentally, the current music maestro, A.R. Rehman's father was an assistant to him. I remember listening to his songs in the early 1970s when I was a newcomer to the city; All India Radio, then known as Vividh Bharati, used to have a one-hour regional film song slot from 4.30-5.30 pm with 15 minutes for each of the four regional languages. That was only when one could hear the South Indian film songs for those settled in North India.
In the last two decades things have changed a lot with the satellite channels coming into their own: for anyone migrated to any part of the world, it's like living in one's own region.
These last few years every general entertainment channel has its own talent hunt cum reality shows, separately for kids and grown-ups. Sometimes I watch the finals of the contents and am amazed at the way the small kids render vintage songs with such finesse and effortless ease, often surpassing the tonal quality of the original playback singers; an example was the kids' talent contest final beamed on Sun TV last Sunday, the boys Robin and Jagan marvelously handled the classical music-based TMS' numbers.
It is often claimed, of course by old-timers, that the older songs were melodious and listeners' pleasure; it isn't true – even then some were good and many weren't. Now you have a larger number of talented and better singers offering fans a wider choice.
**
Mindchow
The way is not in the sky. The way is the heart.
**
From the world of science…
Now, a computer that cracks jokes.
British scientists have developed a computer with a 'sense of humour' which generates its own witty one-liners. The machine, created by scientists at the University of Edinburgh, was programmed to exploit one of the most successful and popular components of comedy, where a statement is followed up with a surprising comment.
(Me: It hasn't come a day too soon!)
**
New technique makes milk safer and tastier.
A new project called SMARTMILK (A novel system for the treatment of milk based on the combination of ultrasounds and pulsed electric field technologies) has developed a non-thermal treatment to make raw milk safer, at the same time retaining its natural taste. The new technology may help the diary sector, which produces billions of litres of raw milk a year, become more competitive.
**
To prevent yourself from suffering gastric trouble, chew on fresh ginger after every meal.
**
Dogs yawn along with their masters.
Tired dog lovers who think their pet pooch is yawning right along with them may just be right. Dubbed 'contagious yawning', the research says man's best friend can sense human fatigue, and in a possible show of empathy, will join humans in a big yawn.
**
Tarantulas are harmless to human (except for a painful bite). Their mild venom is weaker than a typical bee's. These have become popular pets to many. They are slow and deliberate movers, but accomplished nocturnal predators.
**
How toxic are the nitrites that are used in the curing of processed meats?
Nitrite is relatively high in toxicity. The lethal dose in humans is about 22 mg per kg of body weight, the maximum allowed nitrite concentration in meat products is 200 ppm. During the cooking of meats, nitrites can form nitrosamines, a known carcinogen.
**
Drinking beer after workout 'better' than water: study
**
Hot chocolate can keep brain healthy…
A US study has suggested drinking two cups of hot chocolate a day may help elderly people to keep their brains healthy.
**
**
Weird world…
Well-to-do thief steals cop's bag, held.
The Kalyan (near Mumbai) GRP caught a thief red-handed while he attempted to steal a bag belonging to the deputy superintendent of the GRP, while aboard the Siddeshwar Express from Pune.
**
Not soooo Weird world…!
Johannesburg: Sailor Graham Anley proved that dog is man's best friend by saving his beloved pooch from his sinking yacht – before returning to save his wife After his boat hit a reef off South Africa and began sinking last week, Anley grabbed his Jack Russel Rosie – who was wearing a specially-adapted life-jacket – and swam ashore. Once the animal was safe, he swam back to the vessel to save wife Sheryl who was trapped on the boat after her safety line snagged on the steering gear.
**
Pun fun…
Rhea: How many legs does an ant have?
Bob: Don't know. How many?
Rhea: Two, the same as uncle.
**
Man to wife: "In Boy Scouts, they taught us how to survive in the woods, but not how survive in a marriage!"
**
Tongue very much in cheek…
"We make our friends; we make our enemies; but god makes our next door neighbor: Gilbert K. Chesterton.
**
Shelf life of super star heroines in Hindi filmdom…
SRK and Madhuri were the hot pair in movies like Dil Toh Pagal Hai in the mid-1990s. Now, two decades later, SRK still looks evergreen and is found dancing in a programme to promote his Chennai Express in the dance reality show, Jhalak Dikla Jaa, while Madhuri, long retired into domesticity, is one of its stern-looking judges…
**
News of the day…
Plea against Ambani's Z security dismissed..
(Lakhs of tax-payers' money would have gone down the drain contesting the frivolous PIL. He is the richest Indian, no doubt; besides having made lakhpatis out of lakhs of ordinary middle-class men and women who blindly reposed their trust in him and invested in Reliance, he has also provided direct and indirect employment to lakhs of people, and is enriching the government coffers via direct and indirect taxes. One could be excused if s/he opines his life is much more precious to the country than many a neta, if not all).
**
A man who was being paid by the week approached his employer and held up his last cheque. "This is Rs.1,000 less than we agreed on," he said.
"I know," the employer said. "But last week, I overpaid you Rs.1,000, and you never complained."
"Well, I don't mind an occasional mistake," the man answered, "but when I gets to be a habit, I feel I have to call it to your attention."
No comments:
Post a Comment