“Naghaichchuvai Mannan” (King of Comedy) Nagesh passed away in Chennai today (Jan 31st 2009).While eating breakfast he got chest pain and was taken to hospital where he breathed his last. Nagesh was 75.
[Nagesh 1933-2009]
Archive of entries posted on January 2009
Whither the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam?
Recent developments on the war front in Northern Sri Lanka have caused bewilderment and disappointment to many supporters and sympathisers of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
There were many who thought that the LTTE was going to defeat the Sri Lankan armed forces conclusively and deliver an Independent state of Tamil Eelam on a platter.
[Norwegian facilitaters and the LTTE leadership in 2004]
Tigers in Dunkirk-type evacuation from Jaffna Peninsula
“Operation Dynamo” was the codename for the successful exercise that succeeded in evacuating trapped soldiers from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk in France in May-June 1940 during world war two.
I don’t usually like to compare battles fought by the Sri Lankan armed forces against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE) to those of world war one and two.
When comparisons were made between the fight for Kilinochchi and the siege of Stalingrad, I pointed out that the similarity was only superficial and that equating both amounted to the fallacy of false analogy.
It is with some reluctance therefore that I invoke “Dunkirk” to describe an event unfolding in the Jaffna peninsula right now. But then I do see shades of Dunkirk there!
[Dunkirk harbour wall at sunset-by Roland Ellison]
about
Beginning to blog after thirty two years of journalism I want to begin my first post on this weblog with greetings for the new year in my mother tongue-Thamizh. “Vanakkam! Puthaandu Vaalthukkal!! Let’s hope the advent of 2009 will see a bright future emerge for us all. As for me the dawning of the new [...]
Tamil Cinema in 2008: A Quick look
The year 2008 was a year of mixed fortunes for Tamil cinema.
A total of 110 films were made or dubbed in Tamil. Of these only a few were successes. Quite a few were flops. With the remainder just squeaking through with meagre profits or going under water with minor losses
Adieu 2008! Bienvenue 2009 !!
This is the time when the world rings out the old year and rings in the New Year.
Adieu 2008! Bienvenue 2009.
The ushering in of a new year is usually a happy ,festive occasion. It is a time of renewed hope where we look forward to the future with optimistic confidence.
I must confess that I was in no buoyant mood on December 31st. Reflecting on the sad events of 2008 simply made me gloomy and despondent. The loss of a loved one was particularly saddening.
When friends asked me about my prognosis for the new year I felt even more despondent and gloomy.
There was very little to look forward to for the new year. The economic recession, declining markets, depreciating housing prices, global warming, rise in xenophobia and hate, increasing authoritarianism and erosion of human rights etc on a global scale depress me.
In Sri Lanka things get bad to worse as war escalates and envelopes.Corruption, misgovernance, nepotism, racism, egoistic clashes at high levels, erosion of democratic values, lack of respect for rule of law, lack of transparency, deteriorating economy, human rights violations, rise of neo – fascism etc ravage the land.
Beginning to blog after thirty two years of journalism
I want to begin my first post on this weblog with greetings for the new year in my mother tongue-Thamizh.
“Vanakkam! Puthaandu Vaalthukkal!!
Let’s hope the advent of 2009 will see a bright future emerge for us all.
As for me the dawning of the new year heralds an exciting new venture.
After considerable thought I have launched my own blog under my own name.
My by-line will be the name of the blog with of course the mandatory “dot.com”
So friends , you have to click on www.dbsjeyaraj.com
Hopefully the new year will see me blogging away as much as possible.
A friend somewhat unfamiliar with the word asked me “What is a blog”?
