Superstar Rajnikanth and director Shankar have both come up short in the new Tamil movie Sivaji The Boss.
A flawed movie in many respects, Sivaji fails to scale the lofty heights that one expects when the two top-guns in the Tamil film industry come together.
We loved Shankar's last film Anniyan and enjoyed Rajnikanth's 2005 movie Chandramukhi.
Both Anniyan and Chandramukhi had strong, unusual stories and passionate performances that captured the audience's interest.
So it was with heightened anticipation that we headed for the Premiere show ($25.00 per ticket) of Sivaji at CinePlaza in North Bergen, New Jersey on Thursday, June 14, 2007.
To our great disappointment, Sivaji is not half as good as Anniyan or Chandramukhi. Gosh, Sivaji is not even as entertaining as pokiri, a remake of a Telugu film featuring Vijay.
Where Sivaji falls short the most compared to Anniyan or Chandramukhi is in its banal story that focuses on the twin evils of corruption and black money. Both subjects are hardly unusual themes in Indian movies and have been so beaten to death thoroughly over the past 25 years in both Tamil and Hindi films that it's hard to see new angles emerging here.
Director Shankar's play-it-safe decision to hang the movie on the slender threads of corruption and black money means the Sivaji story can never go beyond the commonplace.
As if that were not bad enough, the Sivaji story is more than a wee bit disjointed. Altruism, revenge, homilies on eradicating the pernicious influence of Black Money and corruption, helping the poor and romancing the heroine follow each other in haphazard fashion.
The Sivaji story is pretty simplistic.
Sivaji (Rajnikanth) returns from the U.S., a rich man with plans to set up a university and hospital to help the less privileged sections of society. But his altruistic mission is thwarted by rival businessman Adiseshan (Suman), who has the corrupt bureaucracy and venal politicians on his side.
The rubber meets the road after the intermission when Sivaji is rendered penniless as a result of Adiseshan's machinations and decides to go after the scheming scoundrel. But director Shankar slips and slips badly in his amateurish treatment of Sivaji's revenge trip.
Although Rajnikanth's die-hard fans will protest here, the aging actor is no Marlon Brando, Naseeruddin Shah or Jack Nicholson. But to see him mostly fail to set the screen afire is frustrating to fans of Tamil movies. Of course, Rajni fans will disagree here because their overwheming adulation blinds them to their hero's limitations.
Watching Sivaji, we never experienced even once the adrenalin rush we felt while watching Chandramukhi, Anniyan, Pokiri, Kaakha Kaakha, Namesake or recent Hollywood movies like The Departed or Fracture.
The fighting/action scenes in Sivaji are beyond crude. They are bizarre. It's high time Tamil film directors stop this ridiculous nonsense of the hero beating to pulp a dozen or more villains simultaneously. Mercifully, Bollywood directors are putting a stop to this rubbish.
Shriya Saran, who plays the female lead and Rajnikanth's love interest in Sivaji, does a decent job.
The petite North Indian lass doesn't have that big a role but demonstrates some acting abilities, a rarity among Tamil heroines. If Shriya sticks around in Tamil movies, she could challenge the Trishas, Nayantaras and Asins (now busy with the Hindi remake of the successful Tamil movie Ghajini).
Suman acquits himself well as the villain Adiseshan seeking to thwart Sivaji at every step, a welcome change from the crude, maniacal villains commonplace in Tamil films.
As Sivaji's sidekick, comedian Vivek is there with the supposed goal of providing comic relief. However since Vivek's efforts are not supported either by thoughtful dialogs that have made small-budget movies like Mozhi so charming or by commonsense, the end result in Sivaji is unfunny comedy most of the time.
Sivaji's music does not soar to great heights but the crafty fox A.R.Rahman doesn't let you down completely either.
Much effort and cost seem to have gone into picturization of most of the Sivaji songs. We loved Vajee Vajee, Balleilakka and Sahana. The other songs were sheer cacophony to us.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Turn back
Everything has come into place for Madhavan following his splendid performance in ´Guru´ and ´Delhi Heights´. Because of this newfound success, film buffs are expecting the moon from his latest Tamil film ´Evano Oruvan´. Adding more spice to the curry, it is a remake of Marathi film ´Dombivili Fast´, which run 28 weeks in Pune besides baEverything has come into place for Madhavan following his splendid performance in ´Guru´ and ´Delhi Heights´. Because of this newfound success, film buffs are expecting the moon from his latest Tamil film ´Evano Oruvan´. Adding more spice to the curry, it is a remake of Marathi film ´Dombivili Fast´, which run 28 weeks in Pune besides bagging more than 30 National and international awards. Nishikant Kamat, the director of the original is directing the Tamil version too with Abbas-Mustan and K Sera Sera as the producers.
In the film, Maddy comes to his bank in a crowded train everyday, as he lives in the outskirt of Chennai city. On reaching home, he faces nagging from his wife played by Sangeeta. The film also deals with repercussions of these daily events. It is scheduled to hit the theatres on 30th of this month. People are expecting it to take Tamil film industry to a new level.
Meanwhile, this energetic actor has a couple of interesting projects on hand. He is currently busy with a bilingual film titled ´Leelai´ in Tamil and ´Adi Oka Idi Ley´ in Telugu. Sada plays his heroine and Shamita Shetty plays the other heroine. Ram Gopal Varma is the producer and Kona Venkat is the director. He also has another film titled ´Oru Naal Podhuma´. Newcomer Rukmani is going to play his heroine in this Prathap Pothen directed film, which has music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. Its shooting is expected to start on April 15 in Canada.gging more than 30 National and international awards. Nishikant Kamat, the director of the original is directing the Tamil version too with Abbas-Mustan and K Sera Sera as the producers.
In the film, Maddy comes to his bank in a crowded train everyday, as he lives in the outskirt of Chennai city. On reaching home, he faces nagging from his wife played by Sangeeta. The film also deals with repercussions of these daily events. It is scheduled to hit the theatres on 30th of this month. People are expecting it to take Tamil film industry to a new level.
Meanwhile, this energetic actor has a couple of interesting projects on hand. He is currently busy with a bilingual film titled ´Leelai´ in Tamil and ´Adi Oka Idi Ley´ in Telugu. Sada plays his heroine and Shamita Shetty plays the other heroine. Ram Gopal Varma is the producer and Kona Venkat is the director. He also has another film titled ´Oru Naal Podhuma´. Newcomer Rukmani is going to play his heroine in this Prathap Pothen directed film, which has music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. Its shooting is expected to start on April 15 in Canada. .........
In the film, Maddy comes to his bank in a crowded train everyday, as he lives in the outskirt of Chennai city. On reaching home, he faces nagging from his wife played by Sangeeta. The film also deals with repercussions of these daily events. It is scheduled to hit the theatres on 30th of this month. People are expecting it to take Tamil film industry to a new level.
Meanwhile, this energetic actor has a couple of interesting projects on hand. He is currently busy with a bilingual film titled ´Leelai´ in Tamil and ´Adi Oka Idi Ley´ in Telugu. Sada plays his heroine and Shamita Shetty plays the other heroine. Ram Gopal Varma is the producer and Kona Venkat is the director. He also has another film titled ´Oru Naal Podhuma´. Newcomer Rukmani is going to play his heroine in this Prathap Pothen directed film, which has music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. Its shooting is expected to start on April 15 in Canada.gging more than 30 National and international awards. Nishikant Kamat, the director of the original is directing the Tamil version too with Abbas-Mustan and K Sera Sera as the producers.
In the film, Maddy comes to his bank in a crowded train everyday, as he lives in the outskirt of Chennai city. On reaching home, he faces nagging from his wife played by Sangeeta. The film also deals with repercussions of these daily events. It is scheduled to hit the theatres on 30th of this month. People are expecting it to take Tamil film industry to a new level.
Meanwhile, this energetic actor has a couple of interesting projects on hand. He is currently busy with a bilingual film titled ´Leelai´ in Tamil and ´Adi Oka Idi Ley´ in Telugu. Sada plays his heroine and Shamita Shetty plays the other heroine. Ram Gopal Varma is the producer and Kona Venkat is the director. He also has another film titled ´Oru Naal Podhuma´. Newcomer Rukmani is going to play his heroine in this Prathap Pothen directed film, which has music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. Its shooting is expected to start on April 15 in Canada. .........
My favourite music director
The music wizard A.R. Rahman was at his magical best. His first ever live concert held in the capital city on last Saturday , was a grand success in terms of its mesmerizing effect on the audiences.Music maestro A.R. Rahman cast a magical spell over his audiences, as he sang some of his all-time popular compositions, including "Khalbali" and "Pathshala".
The grand stage had LCD screens flanking both wings, scores of steps leading up to a tiny balcony on one side, and was lit up by colourful lights.
Rahman captivated the audience with a rare musical fare that had songs ranging from Roja Jaaneman (from the film Roja) and Kehna hi kya (Bombay) to more recent hits like Khalbali(Rang de Basanti), and Barso re Megha (Guru). The hit numbers of the latest blockbuster ´Sivaji´ and a musical score from the yet-to-be-released ´Jodha Akbar´, too were sung to the delight of the audience.
The pony-tailed Hariharan, Chitra, Madhushree, Sadhna Sargam and Delhi´s own boy Kailash Kher, accompanying Rahman in the concert. Ace drummer Sivamani enthralled the audience with his incredible marathon-drumming spell.
The sets changing with each song, and the dancers performing alongside the crooning maestros provided some spectacular visual treat to the musical show.
Rahman, who was dressed in a white sherwani, changed into a dull purple kurta mid way through the concert and sat on the piano to perform his English number Pray for me brother. It is a melodious song that appeals people to fight poverty. "I hope you will support me in my fight against poverty," Rahman said.
He also launched a set of colouring books, the earnings of which will go to his foundation that works for humanitarian causes.
Though the open-air venue at Rajouri Garden in west Delhi was not packed due to the huge pricing of tickets (between Rs.500 and 5,000 per ticket), the concert was memorable for the ones who were present there.
The sight of the crowd giving standing ovation while Hariharan sang Bharat humko jaan se pyara hai was an emphatic sign to show that the fare was a hit.
"I hope you enjoy the concert," Rahman said to the audiences, who were spellbound and screaming for more.
The grand stage had LCD screens flanking both wings, scores of steps leading up to a tiny balcony on one side, and was lit up by colourful lights.
Rahman captivated the audience with a rare musical fare that had songs ranging from Roja Jaaneman (from the film Roja) and Kehna hi kya (Bombay) to more recent hits like Khalbali(Rang de Basanti), and Barso re Megha (Guru). The hit numbers of the latest blockbuster ´Sivaji´ and a musical score from the yet-to-be-released ´Jodha Akbar´, too were sung to the delight of the audience.
The pony-tailed Hariharan, Chitra, Madhushree, Sadhna Sargam and Delhi´s own boy Kailash Kher, accompanying Rahman in the concert. Ace drummer Sivamani enthralled the audience with his incredible marathon-drumming spell.
The sets changing with each song, and the dancers performing alongside the crooning maestros provided some spectacular visual treat to the musical show.
Rahman, who was dressed in a white sherwani, changed into a dull purple kurta mid way through the concert and sat on the piano to perform his English number Pray for me brother. It is a melodious song that appeals people to fight poverty. "I hope you will support me in my fight against poverty," Rahman said.
He also launched a set of colouring books, the earnings of which will go to his foundation that works for humanitarian causes.
Though the open-air venue at Rajouri Garden in west Delhi was not packed due to the huge pricing of tickets (between Rs.500 and 5,000 per ticket), the concert was memorable for the ones who were present there.
The sight of the crowd giving standing ovation while Hariharan sang Bharat humko jaan se pyara hai was an emphatic sign to show that the fare was a hit.
"I hope you enjoy the concert," Rahman said to the audiences, who were spellbound and screaming for more.
Recap
"I'd like Rachel Fulton to come up here for a moment," said Gail Baker during the opening ceremonies for the first session of Summer Seminar 2005. I stood and walked up front, trying to think of what I could possibly have done wrong in the short hour I'd been on the campus.
"This is Rachel's first year at Summer Seminar," continued Mrs. Baker. She turned to me and asked, "Rachel, could you tell us what you expect to get out of Summer Seminar?"
Talk about being put on the spot. She hadn't told me she was going to do this. I walked to the microphone slowly, desperately trying to pull together something to say.
"Well, I've been interested in coins for a long time, but I've only really been collecting for about a year. My interest really peaked when I went to my first coin show last November. Roman coins were my main interest, so when I found out about the Coins of the Roman Empire course, I was dying to come. I hope to learn a lot, not only about Roman coins, but also about coin collecting in general. I am also looking forward to getting to know other collectors. You see, when I show others my coins, the typical response is, "Neat...but is that it?" So I'm looking forward to being among people who don't think I'm weird."
This Summer I attended the Coins of the Roman Empire course on a scholarship from the Ancient Coin Collectors Guild. I came into this course knowing very little about Roman coins, and David Vagi and Kerry Wetterstrom have given me a foundational knowledge. I still have lots to learn, I know, but I've made a good start. During the course I've learned about the importance of books, how to attribute coins, spotting fakes, and Roman history. Also, on the last day of class, each student presented a report on something they'd studied.
I had never really thought about the importance of books to coin collectors. I mean, we're collecting coins, not books, right? Wrong! I now know that every good coin collector has not only coins, but a library to go with them. I found that some collectors spend nearly as much of their resources collecting books as they do coins. So I brought back with me the beginning of my library, which I'm going to greatly enjoy reading.
Now to attribute a coin, all you have to do is read the emperor's name, right? During this course, I learned how complicated attribution really is. Why do we call Caligula Caligula, yet on his coins, he is Gaius or Caius? And what's with the enormous range of mint marks? And how come these coins don't even say the denomination on them? During the course we spent a good deal of time on attribution, and after much practice, I feel that I'm beginning to get the hang of it. We even learned how to use RIC. Also, looking at hundreds of Roman coins over the course has helped to familiarize me with attribution.
Before this course I hadn't really thought about fakes, so it was a bit of an awakening for me. Listening to David Hendin speak about counterfeits, I realized how important it is to know the credibility of a dealer before you invest a lot of money in his coins. I also learned how dangerous E-bay can be when not used properly. Learning about the pervasiveness of fakes hasn't turned me off collecting ancients, but rather showed me that I need to know dealers‚ reputations, get second opinions, and not jump blindly into a deal that seems to good to be true.
Another thing David Hendin spoke on was restoring coins. I hadn't realized that all Roman coins were buried at some point. Some coins are so beautiful that they sure don't look like they were ever covered in dirt. Mr. Hendin spoke about the right way to restore coins, and the wrong way. He told us about his techniques and showed us many before and after pictures. He also gave some tips for doing some simple restoration of our own.
What are ancient coins without history? They become as food without salt and bread without yeast. My love of ancient coins has always been deeply rooted in history, so I greatly enjoyed how David Vagi took us through the history behind the coins, emperor by emperor. I feel like I watched the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. I learned about the crazy emperors Caligula, Nero, and Caracalla. I learned about the great influence Noble Roman women often had. I learned about the practice of Damnatio, passed by Caracalla on his own brother, Geta. I learned that few Roman Emperors actually died natural deaths, and concluded that Emperor was perhaps the most dangerous job in the empire. And the best part is that with the books I brought home, my understanding of the history of the Roman Empire is just beginning.
On the last day of class many of the students gave reports on things they had studied on their own. I talked about the mythical founding of Rome and its commemorative coins. I discovered lots in the preparation - did you know that Romulus and Remus were supposedly fed not only by a wolf, but also by a mockingbird? The other presentations were also extremely educational. I learned in detail about the year of seven caesars, that the amount of lead in wine might have led to many of the Roman aristocracy's medical and mental problems, a bit about early Republican coinage, and much more.
In addition to attending the Coins of the Roman Empire course, I was also involved in a number of activities while at Summer Seminar. I went to Pike's Peak, toured the Gallery Mint, attended the ANA book sale, visited the ANA Money Museum, and participated in the YN auction. Through my entire time at Summer Seminar, both during these activities and my classes, I met new people, made new friends, and found inspiration in fellow coin collectors.
I enjoyed seeing the Gallery Mint display that outlined the making of coinage through its entire history. I had the opportunity to hear a presentation about the evolution of the making of coinage, and see demonstrations. I also got to strike my own coins, both the modern way, and also the way mint workers in ancient days did.
During the first few days of Summer Seminar ANA held a used book sale. Having just learned about the importance of books, I was thrilled. True to my expectations, I came away with a whole box of catalogues and books, a perfect supplement to my budding library.
I loved having the chance to visit the ANA Money Museum at my leisure. I enjoyed perusing the Bass collection, along with the two exhibits; Barter, Bits & Dollars: "The Money of Colonial America," and Oops!: "Mistakes on Money." I especially found [interesting] the many mistakes (previously unknown to me) which could be made in [making] money.
I had never participated in, or even been at any kind of auction before Summer Seminar. I therefore thoroughly enjoyed my involvement in the 16th annual Summer Seminar YN Auction. I helped with putting out the catalogue, and also with lot viewing. Then, during the auction, I wrote the final prices and bidder numbers on one of the catalogues. I now know a lot about how auctions are organized and run, as well as how to participate in them.
But not only did I learn a lot at Summer Seminar, I was also encouraged by fellowship with other coin collectors. I enjoyed seeing other people's coins and sharing my own. I appreciated being able to ask questions and discuss issues.
So in the end, I must say that my time at Summer Seminar was a huge success. It exceeded all my expectations. Not only do I have a good knowledge of Roman coins, and coin collection in general, but I also had a wonderful time getting to know others like myself. I am so grateful to the Ancient Coin Collectors Guild for giving me this opportunity. If it weren't for their scholarship, this wonderful opportunity wouldn't have been possible. I know for sure that I love Roman coins and coin collecting, and I look forward to seeing my collection, as well as my knowledge, grow in years to come.
"This is Rachel's first year at Summer Seminar," continued Mrs. Baker. She turned to me and asked, "Rachel, could you tell us what you expect to get out of Summer Seminar?"
Talk about being put on the spot. She hadn't told me she was going to do this. I walked to the microphone slowly, desperately trying to pull together something to say.
"Well, I've been interested in coins for a long time, but I've only really been collecting for about a year. My interest really peaked when I went to my first coin show last November. Roman coins were my main interest, so when I found out about the Coins of the Roman Empire course, I was dying to come. I hope to learn a lot, not only about Roman coins, but also about coin collecting in general. I am also looking forward to getting to know other collectors. You see, when I show others my coins, the typical response is, "Neat...but is that it?" So I'm looking forward to being among people who don't think I'm weird."
This Summer I attended the Coins of the Roman Empire course on a scholarship from the Ancient Coin Collectors Guild. I came into this course knowing very little about Roman coins, and David Vagi and Kerry Wetterstrom have given me a foundational knowledge. I still have lots to learn, I know, but I've made a good start. During the course I've learned about the importance of books, how to attribute coins, spotting fakes, and Roman history. Also, on the last day of class, each student presented a report on something they'd studied.
I had never really thought about the importance of books to coin collectors. I mean, we're collecting coins, not books, right? Wrong! I now know that every good coin collector has not only coins, but a library to go with them. I found that some collectors spend nearly as much of their resources collecting books as they do coins. So I brought back with me the beginning of my library, which I'm going to greatly enjoy reading.
Now to attribute a coin, all you have to do is read the emperor's name, right? During this course, I learned how complicated attribution really is. Why do we call Caligula Caligula, yet on his coins, he is Gaius or Caius? And what's with the enormous range of mint marks? And how come these coins don't even say the denomination on them? During the course we spent a good deal of time on attribution, and after much practice, I feel that I'm beginning to get the hang of it. We even learned how to use RIC. Also, looking at hundreds of Roman coins over the course has helped to familiarize me with attribution.
Before this course I hadn't really thought about fakes, so it was a bit of an awakening for me. Listening to David Hendin speak about counterfeits, I realized how important it is to know the credibility of a dealer before you invest a lot of money in his coins. I also learned how dangerous E-bay can be when not used properly. Learning about the pervasiveness of fakes hasn't turned me off collecting ancients, but rather showed me that I need to know dealers‚ reputations, get second opinions, and not jump blindly into a deal that seems to good to be true.
Another thing David Hendin spoke on was restoring coins. I hadn't realized that all Roman coins were buried at some point. Some coins are so beautiful that they sure don't look like they were ever covered in dirt. Mr. Hendin spoke about the right way to restore coins, and the wrong way. He told us about his techniques and showed us many before and after pictures. He also gave some tips for doing some simple restoration of our own.
What are ancient coins without history? They become as food without salt and bread without yeast. My love of ancient coins has always been deeply rooted in history, so I greatly enjoyed how David Vagi took us through the history behind the coins, emperor by emperor. I feel like I watched the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. I learned about the crazy emperors Caligula, Nero, and Caracalla. I learned about the great influence Noble Roman women often had. I learned about the practice of Damnatio, passed by Caracalla on his own brother, Geta. I learned that few Roman Emperors actually died natural deaths, and concluded that Emperor was perhaps the most dangerous job in the empire. And the best part is that with the books I brought home, my understanding of the history of the Roman Empire is just beginning.
On the last day of class many of the students gave reports on things they had studied on their own. I talked about the mythical founding of Rome and its commemorative coins. I discovered lots in the preparation - did you know that Romulus and Remus were supposedly fed not only by a wolf, but also by a mockingbird? The other presentations were also extremely educational. I learned in detail about the year of seven caesars, that the amount of lead in wine might have led to many of the Roman aristocracy's medical and mental problems, a bit about early Republican coinage, and much more.
In addition to attending the Coins of the Roman Empire course, I was also involved in a number of activities while at Summer Seminar. I went to Pike's Peak, toured the Gallery Mint, attended the ANA book sale, visited the ANA Money Museum, and participated in the YN auction. Through my entire time at Summer Seminar, both during these activities and my classes, I met new people, made new friends, and found inspiration in fellow coin collectors.
I enjoyed seeing the Gallery Mint display that outlined the making of coinage through its entire history. I had the opportunity to hear a presentation about the evolution of the making of coinage, and see demonstrations. I also got to strike my own coins, both the modern way, and also the way mint workers in ancient days did.
During the first few days of Summer Seminar ANA held a used book sale. Having just learned about the importance of books, I was thrilled. True to my expectations, I came away with a whole box of catalogues and books, a perfect supplement to my budding library.
I loved having the chance to visit the ANA Money Museum at my leisure. I enjoyed perusing the Bass collection, along with the two exhibits; Barter, Bits & Dollars: "The Money of Colonial America," and Oops!: "Mistakes on Money." I especially found [interesting] the many mistakes (previously unknown to me) which could be made in [making] money.
I had never participated in, or even been at any kind of auction before Summer Seminar. I therefore thoroughly enjoyed my involvement in the 16th annual Summer Seminar YN Auction. I helped with putting out the catalogue, and also with lot viewing. Then, during the auction, I wrote the final prices and bidder numbers on one of the catalogues. I now know a lot about how auctions are organized and run, as well as how to participate in them.
But not only did I learn a lot at Summer Seminar, I was also encouraged by fellowship with other coin collectors. I enjoyed seeing other people's coins and sharing my own. I appreciated being able to ask questions and discuss issues.
So in the end, I must say that my time at Summer Seminar was a huge success. It exceeded all my expectations. Not only do I have a good knowledge of Roman coins, and coin collection in general, but I also had a wonderful time getting to know others like myself. I am so grateful to the Ancient Coin Collectors Guild for giving me this opportunity. If it weren't for their scholarship, this wonderful opportunity wouldn't have been possible. I know for sure that I love Roman coins and coin collecting, and I look forward to seeing my collection, as well as my knowledge, grow in years to come.
Bond is back
The newest addition to the James Bond stable brings with it a storm of controversy, hype, secrecy, media attention, accusations, conspiracy theories and a list of personal gripes as long as the bill for the climactic explosions. In fact, for a movie about a spy, it is somewhat ironic that his name is on everybody’s lips. On the other hand, there rarely seems to be an enemy who doesn’t know James Bond’s entire social history, so perhaps it’s a case of life imitating art. Either way, the popularity of these films tends to make a review rather redundant; I mean, let’s face it, you’re going to see it anyway. But if the decade-spanning franchise is to continue, a post-mortem is controversial, but necessary. Much like the great man himself.
My Favourite Game
Capcom's notion of what's cool--a concept on which its PlayStation 2 action game Devil May Cry was built--may not find complete synergy with today's gaming audience. In fact, much of Devil May Cry's aesthetic presentation is rooted in stereotypical gothic and cheesy '80s metal imagery. But beneath that overstated surface is one of the most interesting and generally entertaining 3D action games in recent years. Perhaps for the first time in the 3D action genre, Devil May Cry has successfully captured the twitch-based, relentlessly free-flowing gameplay style of so many classic 2D action games.
In Devil May Cry, you assume the persona of Dante, the half-human, half-devil son of a legendary dark knight known as Sparda. A powerful and malevolent ruler of the underworld, whom Sparda vanquished 2,000 years ago, has awakened and, although Dante doesn't quite know it at the game's onset, he--like his father--has been chosen to defeat this evil being. At his aid, at least for portions of the game, is a beautiful woman named Trish, who invites Dante to Mallet Island, a gateway to the netherworld. The game's story, and much of its script for that matter, draws heavily from tired clichés and presents generic plot points. But as Dante descends into the grimy underworld--a great place for blasting a wide variety of demons--it becomes clear that you must accept the game's formulaic story to fully appreciate the fine-tuned gameplay that it veils.
Perhaps Devil May Cry's greatest gift, in gameplay terms, is its highly intuitive control scheme. It is one of those rare games in which simply moving the character around the screen and performing various attacks is innately entertaining. Blasting Dante's dual handguns, which are amusingly named Ebony and Ivory, in rapid succession or double-jumping through some of the game's open areas is simply a lot of fun. Throw in a variety of opponents, including everything from hovering marionettes to ruthlessly persistent, lava-spewing demon spiders, and Devil May Cry becomes one of the most entertaining action games in gameplay terms alone. In practice, the responsive controls mean that the more adept you are with the game's control scheme, the quicker you're able to dispose of the demonic enemies. Once again, like classic 2D action games, Devil May Cry rewards the skillful game player.
TajMahal
It was at the time of my holiday. I went to Agra to see my aunt, fortunately i saw the most beautiful place ever seen(Taj Mahal)..The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum located in Agra, India, built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. I will give the few information what i know..
The Taj Mahal (also "the Taj") is considered the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements from Persian, Ottoman, Indian, and Islamic architectural styles. In 1983, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was cited as "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage."
While the white domed marble mausoleum is its most familiar component, the Taj Mahal is actually an integrated complex of structures. Building began around 1632 and was completed around 1653, and employed thousands of artisans and craftsmen.. Ustad Ahmad Lahauri is generally considered to be the principal designer of the Taj Mahal.
Dhoni
Cricket is one of the world wide sports. British men discovered the game... I love the game so much.. Usually we love to play the cricket in the evening. A group of ten members will gather in my home... We will start our journey to play from our home.... we used to enjoy the full evening... In cricket I like the dhoni since he is a good batsman and also a great captain... In bowlers I like praveen kumar who frigtened even the Australia. 
Teaching
This blog is for those who want to earn money by teaching online to students. The only requirements for online teacher :
- Be a post graduate in your subject.
- You need to have a computer and a Broadband connection.
- Work for minimum 4 hours a day.
- Learn new tools and technologies that are being used in online teaching space
The only thing those who want to be online teacher should place their resume in the tutorvista.com. tutorvista is one of the famous online teaching agent...just try this those who want to earn money.
Health
I was so weak that i cant even walk for long distance. Then i heared about the asanas.After that i gained more energy and strength.. Here i presented some of the asanas... Try it and get the lost energy...
'Asanas' in Sanskrit means posture. we can get the energy and strength through diffferent asanas.. Everyone in my home will do surya namaskar which means greeting or bowing the sun. Usually all sessions of Yoga asanas begin with the 'Surya Namaskar' or sun salutation. It nourishes and energizes the upper part of the body...
Utthan Pada Asana
'Utthan' means to raise up and 'Pada' means legs. In this posture the legs are lifted upwards. It strengthens the spinal code and removes disorders of the back. It can be done by anyone even adults...
'Asanas' in Sanskrit means posture. we can get the energy and strength through diffferent asanas.. Everyone in my home will do surya namaskar which means greeting or bowing the sun. Usually all sessions of Yoga asanas begin with the 'Surya Namaskar' or sun salutation. It nourishes and energizes the upper part of the body...
Utthan Pada Asana
'Utthan' means to raise up and 'Pada' means legs. In this posture the legs are lifted upwards. It strengthens the spinal code and removes disorders of the back. It can be done by anyone even adults...
Bhujanga Asana (The Cobra)
'Bhujanga' means serpent or snake. This asana is named after the king of the snakes, Cobra. It provides a youthful appearance and for women, makes child birth easy.
Paintings
Our college arranged for a excursion to Ajanta cave situated in Maharastra.. India are rock-cut cave monuments dating from the second century BCE, containing paintings and sculpture considered to be masterpieces of both "Buddhist religious art"and "universal pictorial art". The caves are located just outside the village of Ajintha in Aurangabad District in the Indian state of Maharashtra.. when i saw the paintings, I was stunned. I had a bad opinion on arts(sculpture) until i saw the paintings.. After that excursion i'm dying to see those paintings every year.. I really love those moments with my friends infact that piantings too became one of my close friend. I cant forget that moments and I started to insisting my frinds and relatives to see those wounderful paintings once in their life..
Awarness
In this beautiful world computer plays a major role. There is no offices and homes without computer.. Its our duty to protect our computer .Online identity theft is on the rise, with billions of dollars of losses now reported each year. Because “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”, taking certain precautions can help you stay safe.
Here are some easy things you can do to protect yourself online:
Here are some easy things you can do to protect yourself online:
- Never use the same user id you use for email or internet logon for anything else
- Never use your email password for anything else.
- Use parental control software if children use the computer
- Never click on pop up ads as this can install spy ware on your system
- Avoid browsing to questionable websites
- Use Antivirus, Anti Spyware, and a Personal Firewall
- Keep Your Operating System and all Applications Up to Date
- Backup Your Data on a Regular Basis
Asanas
Everyone knows Stress will cause mental illness. Before going to know about how to avoid stress first know the reason for the stress• Not being able to sleep properly with worries going through your mind. • Being impatient or irritable at minor problems. • Not being able to concentrate due to many things going through your mind.• Being unable to make decisions. • Drinking or smoking more. • Not enjoying food so much.• Being unable to relax, and always feeling that something needs to be done. • Feeling tense. Sometimes this includes a 'knot' in the stomach, or feeling sweaty with a dry mouth or a thumping heart. Try simple relaxation techniques to avoid stress:
• Deep breathingThis means taking a long, slow breath in, and very slowly breathe out. If you do this a few times, and concentrate fully on breathing, you may find it quite relaxing.
ExerciseMany people claim that regular exercise reduces their level of stress. (It also keeps you fit and helps to prevent heart disease.)
Muscular tensing and stretchingTry twisting your neck around each way as far as it is comfortable, and then relax. Try fully tensing your shoulder and back muscles for several seconds, and then relax completely.
Here i provided only a few tips to reduce stress... Practise well to get well soon..
• Deep breathingThis means taking a long, slow breath in, and very slowly breathe out. If you do this a few times, and concentrate fully on breathing, you may find it quite relaxing.
ExerciseMany people claim that regular exercise reduces their level of stress. (It also keeps you fit and helps to prevent heart disease.)
Muscular tensing and stretchingTry twisting your neck around each way as far as it is comfortable, and then relax. Try fully tensing your shoulder and back muscles for several seconds, and then relax completely.
Here i provided only a few tips to reduce stress... Practise well to get well soon..
My birthday
Friendship is the precious thing in the world.. Good friends are difficult to find, but i got five perfect friends.. We used to go to park every saturday and on sunday we will go to church without fail. On July 3rd, a unforgettable day thats my bithday.. I cant forget that moments, i never been happy like that before. Even i forgot when is my birthday, but my wonderful friends came to my home on 2nd july at 11'oclock itself but i dont know that.. They arranged my birthday function within half hour.. I was in deep sleep at that time. At 11.55pm my friends came to my bed room with a bucket of water... suddenly they poured on my head and I was shocked.. All in one voice (happy birthday) , that passes like a rhythem in my ear... Then we enjoyed by cutting cakes and giving sweets.. I was in heaven at that time... That moment turned to be my unforgettable moment in my life..
Dbz
Dragon ball z is a famous show in cartoon network... The show is loved by everyone from young to old. The characters are very cool and their powers are amazing.. It is telecasted in cartoon network at 5.30pm in evening and repeat in 9.30pm. my famous character in dbz is goku and he is the hero of the show. Th saga of goku and frieza is unforgettable.
Dragon Ball Z follows the adventures of Goku, who along with the Z Warriors, defends the Earth against evil. The action packed adventures are entertaining and reinforces the concept of good versus evil. Dragon Ball Z teaches valuable character virtues such as teamwork, loyalty, and trustworthiness. You can find more information on the website dragonballz.com...
You can also download the episodes of both dbz and dbz gt... we can also download the dbz games. Download the game and enjoy..
IGI
The youngs are involving themself in the pc & xbox games.Playing the games in the evening which reduce the tension. one of the superb game is IGI...
Igi is a famous Stealth gameplay - a silent takedown will give a significant advantage. There will be many points in the game where you are encouraged to use subtlety and intelligence, raather than brute force, in order to overcome an obstacle.
Story driven single-player game. Continuing from where the first game left off, Jones is once again at the forefront of preventing international terrorism, world catastrophe and betrayal at the very highest level.
You are a hero - a highly capable and resourceful lone operative inserted deep into enemy territory against overwhelming odds.
Excellent enemy AI - Enemies and other NPCs will behave like real humans, AI squads using teamwork and surveillance resources against the player.
Igi is a famous Stealth gameplay - a silent takedown will give a significant advantage. There will be many points in the game where you are encouraged to use subtlety and intelligence, raather than brute force, in order to overcome an obstacle.
Story driven single-player game. Continuing from where the first game left off, Jones is once again at the forefront of preventing international terrorism, world catastrophe and betrayal at the very highest level.
You are a hero - a highly capable and resourceful lone operative inserted deep into enemy territory against overwhelming odds.
Excellent enemy AI - Enemies and other NPCs will behave like real humans, AI squads using teamwork and surveillance resources against the player.
Short Message Service
Today, youngsters cant live without theirs mobiles... And i'm one among them.. I usually use the mobile for sms only... sms-short message service, it may be short but it expands the friendship... I used to msg my friends at night , the joy of wishing them at fine morning remember them that we are their caring friend.. Usually parents scold their children for that work, but they didnt know our joy over friendship.. I will send all the messages that i recieved to all of my friends .. Sms became famous in tamilnadu after introducing 750 sms per day for just Rs 60/- by all the mobile network.. sometimes too much of forward messages make me to get angry.. But then only i realised that i'm too sending messages like that to others.. But dont lose hope enjoy the joy of teasing others by sending too much of forward and empty messages...
My Dream
My house is situated in calm place.. I love my house very much as there is a old coconut tree where we used to play hide and seek.. I cant forget that moments.. One day i went to my friend house there i saw a beautiful garden, i was so much impressed by the flowers.. On that day onwards i became the lover of flowers.
I planned to make a garden in my backyard. I made all the arrangement to make a garden.. But unfortunately one monkey spoiled my sweet dream.. It destroyed all the plants , i spend most of my savings to buy those beautiful plants.. I didn't lose my hope, i'm trying to earn money as much as i can to make a wonderful garden in my backyard.. I'm sure i will get what i need from smorty.
I planned to make a garden in my backyard. I made all the arrangement to make a garden.. But unfortunately one monkey spoiled my sweet dream.. It destroyed all the plants , i spend most of my savings to buy those beautiful plants.. I didn't lose my hope, i'm trying to earn money as much as i can to make a wonderful garden in my backyard.. I'm sure i will get what i need from smorty.
Enjoyment in chatting
Chatting which connects the people of different places. I usually chat with friends in orkut and google talk.. Both provides excellent opportunities to find friends. All of my friends come to orkut at 5 in the evening. We will have a great time in orkut. We will discuss about what we did on that day. And we usually talk in google talk, as it is free of cost we will talk for more than a hour. We will create community in orkut of my friend name and we will tease him so much..One day the matter gone for serious, he got angry about us.. But we wont listen to him, we will again continue the job of teasing. Internet is a grerat tool to have a friend.. I love to have friends.. Thanks for the internet...
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
The End Of the world
is going to end, i shocked at first, after i gone through the website www.december212012.com . Here i presented a few information about the end of the world. Raymond Mardyk decodes the Great Seal of America, which appears on every dollar bill. This Seal shows a 13-step pyramid with 1776 in Roman numerals. The pyramid of Kukulkcan has 91 steps on each of the 4 sides, making 364 in all. The top gives the number 365. The Great Seal pyramid also has an encoded meaning using the date of the Gregorian calendar, 4 sides of 13 levels giving 52, the number of weeks in our year.However, 13 and 52 are the key numbers in the Mayan calendar. In the Great Cycle, there are 13 baktuns of 20 katuns each; each katun consists of 20 tuns, so there are 5200 tuns in the Great Cycle. There are also 52 haabs in a Calendar Round. 1776 was not only the year that the Declaration of Independence was signed, but was also a special year in the Mayan calendar. Just as the last katun in the Great Cycle is “katun 2012”, the first katun in the cycle of 13 was “katun 1776”. In fact, the katun ended 33 days before the signing. So 1776 is the bottom level of the pyramid, where the date is actually inscribed – the top of the pyramid is therefore 2012.The top would also be 2012 if each level represented one of the 13 baktuns in the Great Cycle, with 3114 BC at the bottom. The top of the Great Seal pyramid shows an eye-in-triangle, which has been associated with Sirius, God, the pineal gland, and the Illuminati. Mardyks goes on to point out that not only was the Egyptian calendar based on the rising of Sirius, but that “the Sun is astrologically conjunct Sirius every year on July 4, for the birthday of the United States of America”.Finally LaViolette (he of the Superwave theory) has also found a 13,000 year cycle in symbology that fits the Great Seal pyramid on the dollar bill (with each level as 1,000 years and still have 2012 on the top).
Browsing
In the earliest years the Web was very safe. In fact, to be hacked while browsing the web was much less probable, than, say, to catch cold while watching someone eat ice cream. Web pages were not as interactive as they are now; they were more like movies, family albums or books. It is not an exaggeration that animated gif pictures caused greater excitement than contemporary Flash applications. Watching was all you were doing, and no one ever thought about any underground activities that might be happening during that watching time.
As we all know, a system containing many elements is expected to be more vulnerable, since each element can contain (or be a part of) a security hole, just as a house that has many windows is potentially less secure. With time, web pages become more and more interactive. At first there was JavaScript, a language that made it possible for web pages to think, to validate information, to create cookies and pop-up windows. Then came downloadable ActiveX components that have even more control over pages and computers. then browsing becomes more secure.
As we all know, a system containing many elements is expected to be more vulnerable, since each element can contain (or be a part of) a security hole, just as a house that has many windows is potentially less secure. With time, web pages become more and more interactive. At first there was JavaScript, a language that made it possible for web pages to think, to validate information, to create cookies and pop-up windows. Then came downloadable ActiveX components that have even more control over pages and computers. then browsing becomes more secure.
Graphics Card
A video card, also known as a graphics accelerator card, display adapter, or graphics card, is a hardware component whose function is to generate and output images to a display. It operates on similar principles as a sound card or other peripheral devices.
The term is usually used to refer to a separate, dedicated expansion card that is plugged into a slot on the computer's motherboard, as opposed to a graphics controller integrated into the motherboard chipset. An integrated graphics controller may be referred to as an "integrated graphics processor" (IGP).
Some video cards offer added functions, such as video capture, TV tuner adapter, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 decoding, FireWire, mouse, light pen, and joystick connectors, or even the ability to connect multiple monitors.
A common misconception regarding video cards is that they are strictly used for video games. Video cards instead have a much broader range of capability. Being specialized for video, output video cards improve what a computer monitor displays. As well, they play a very important role for graphic designers and 3D animators, who tend to require optimum displays for their work as well as faster rendering in order to efficiently tone up their work.
Video cards are not used exclusively in IBM type PCs; they have been used in devices such as Commodore Amiga (connected by the slots Zorro II and Zorro III), Apple II, Apple Macintosh, Atari Mega ST/TT (attached to the MegaBus or VME interface), Spectravideo SVI-328, MSX, and in video game consoles.
WWW
The World Wide Web (commonly shortened to the Web) is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet. With a Web browser, one can view Web pages that may contain text, images, videos, and other multimedia and navigate between them using hyperlinks. Using concepts from earlier hypertext systems, the World Wide Web was begun in 1989 by English scientist Tim Berners-Lee, working at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva, Switzerland. In 1990, he proposed building a "web of nodes" storing "hypertext pages" viewed by "browsers" on a network,[1] and released that web in 1992. Connected by the existing Internet, other websites were created, around the world, adding international standards for domain names & the HTML language. Since then, Berners-Lee has played an active role in guiding the development of Web standards (such as the markup languages in which Web pages are composed), and in recent years has advocated his vision of a Semantic Web.
Modem
Installing devices - Modem
Installing A Modem
-Modem installation usually goes smoothly. The hardest part is finding the drivers
Installing a External Modem
-Installing a external modem has its advantages over the internal. I have had modem simply lock up on me and not work. When this happens with a internal modem this usually calls for a reboot. With the external you can most times just turn it off and back on to reset it. This can save you a little heartache at times. Not only is the external modem handy but you can travel with it and hook it up to other systems. The internal modem is not so handy for such operations.
-Here are some common steps for installing a a external modem.
1. Turn computer off.
2. Plug modem into a free serial port.
3. Plug modem power in and hook up phone line.
4. Restart system, you should go into a plug and play routine with windows.
5. Your system will recognize your new hardware especially if is is PnP (Plug and Play) device.
6. In most cases you will be brought to a hardware wizard under windows and it will ask for a driver for your device.
7. Make sure you have the installation CD or floppy in the drive.
8. Browse location for what is called a INF. File, this provides information on your device and will help load device.
9. Simply choose location of INF. file and hit ok or next. This should load the driver for device and your in business.
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