Strange preferences of women

May 27, 2008 · Filed Under society · Comment 

Here is an excerpt from an email message ostensibly from a lady of Chennai, India seeking some special kind of services:-

attractive/fun/intelligent/extrovert/slim/lady seeks expats for ltr - 45 (chennai)

Reply to: xxx@craigslist.org
Date: xxx

Hello!
i’m in my 40’s and am currently living in chennai. i’m divorced and have lived in the us for several yrs.i have no kids. responses from men in the age group bet(40-52). men not in this age group will not get any response.

i’m into yoga/adventure tourism/film buff /reading etc etc.i also am an animal lover and a vegetarian.i’m slim and practise yoga daily.i am an extrovert.

iam seriously looking ‘ for a ltr . .

would appreciate a pic from your side first..will send u mine after i hear back from you.

only serious responses will be appreciated.i have mostly got responses from men who are not what they describe themselves to be.

i would prefer a white man coz i get along better with westernised men.responses from expats based in india who would like to settle down in chennai would be appreciated .responses from expats based in chennai would be great!

responses from indian men who speak fluent english and come from a cosmopolitan family background would be appreciated as well!. have not had much luck with cl. i would prefer talking over the phone after exchanging e-mails.

you must be physically fit/slim/attractive and lead an active sporty life.

It seems some women of Chennai are highly advanced in their choice of pleasures!

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A WordCamp at Chennai

March 28, 2008 · Filed Under WordPress · Comment 

As users of WordPress software suite we are very familiar with the term “WordCamp” which is defined by Jeffro2pt0 in simple terms like this:-

WordCamp is a conference type of event that focuses squarely on everything WordPress. Everyone from casual end users all the way up to core developers show up to these events. These events are usually highlighted by speeches or keynotes by various people.

We read announcements and details of events that are conducted during these camps that are being conducted at many places over US and Europe.

Why not one such in India? That too at Chennai (because I live there. Simple)? Swell idea, what? No wonder, I always get them. all in my diet minus fish, that Jeeves’ wisdom gets attributed to by Plum!

It may not be on a big scale. It may not boast of WordPress pundits like Matt, Lorelle and their ilk. But why not make a start in a humble way?

I appeal to users of WordPress living in and around the city of Chennai, India to please spill a few bytes on the comment box about their willingness to organize/participate in the proposed get-together, so that we can proceed further in that direction.

Thanks IA.
WordCamp at Dallas

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My presentation at FOSSCONF

February 25, 2008 · Filed Under WordPress, blogging · Comment 

I made a presentation on WordPress at FOSSCONF - the Conference of Free and Open Source Software conducted by Indian Linux Users’ Group Chennai and NRC-FOSS at Chennai, India on 2008-02-01.

Here is the certificate to this effect followed by the presentation:

fossconf.jpg

You can view the presentation here:

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Nothing Hindu about The Hindu

February 24, 2008 · Filed Under India-centric · 2 Comments 

The centenarian English daily of Chennai (aka Madras) had become a staple companion of English-speaking Tamils. It had actually obtained a status of a second nature. The Hindu in one hand and a steaming brew of “dicoction” coffee in the other is the standard early morning scene amongst the Tamil bourgeoisie.

Time of India, Chennai EditionBut things are changing for sure. The weatherman has already waved the flag of the imminent fresh laden clouds! Yes, The Times are stepping in the arena to change the tides of the monarch.

The long-time loyalists of The Hindu have started to get the feeling that the imperious Hindu is dithering rudderless these days, losing its traditional Hindu-moorings and turning into a mouthpiece of pseudo-secularist and leftist ideologues. Yes. Its USP is getting eroded.

Besides, there is a perceptible trend of degradation of the quality of the newspaper which was the chief source of authentic information and impeccable Queen’s English for Tamilians for over a century. Bloopers and howlers galore, what with its own “corrections” nook overflowing even with acknowledged bunglings (including the Karanjia sn(w)ap), not to speak of those unreported ones.

Many old-timers feel that the negative paradigm shift started after the current honcho took over the reins. The present chief is one of the most popular and powerful media figures in India is reported to be left-leaning and ultra-secular in the widely perceived connotation of the term “secular” in India. But the image-shift is a bit difficult for the paper with the name “Hindu” on its masthead and the cross of a long history of nationalist and traditional reporting! Hence the effort to be “more royal than the king” in its endeavor to don the politically correct mantle.

And the city of Chennai awaits the arrival of Times of India, Chennai edition, which will start making the early-morning “thud” on my doorstep from the Tamil New Year’s Day (the traditional one that falls in April ‘08 - not the Goverment-sponsored new-year!). And already the tremors are being felt in the Hindu’s layout and structure. It is trying to morph into a tabloid during weekends. Perhaps we are going to witness many more surprises in the ensuing weeks preceding the D-Day!

But things will not be the same for the grand old man of Mount Road!

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