Happy Deepavali everyone 
I saw this rare picture of AR Rahman today, and thought of sharing with everyone. This picture was taken by KV Anand, after AR Rahman won the best music director award in the year 1992 for Roja!
Source: Vikatan DeepavaLi malar 2005!
What a success for the peace process eh? Open the border, withdraw the army, leave buses. And what happens? On the eve of diwali and id, innocent people are killed!
Where are the human rights activists? Where is Arundhati Roy? Any one with atleast little bit of common sense will understand what needs to be done. But will our media or politicians understand? Its not even 48 hours since the bomb blasts happened.
We have an editorial in the hindu for peace talks between central government and ULFA, Assam. Brilliant!!!
Dissolve the army, police forces etc. Go kiss the terrorists, give roses to criminals. Have candle light dinner with rapists. All problems in the world will be solved!
Blogger meet update below this post!
Machi Flash News:
Actor Karthik has started a political party 
. On this wonderful occassion, Machi TV caught up with Mr Karthik and gathered his ideas.
DISCLAIMER: We were sure with the questions we asked. But what Mr Karthik answered was a kind of guess work, since he was continuously chewing betel leaves and talking!
Q: What prompted you to start a political party?
A: All the people who are chewing betel leaves are neglected by the society. Since they are always chewing betel leaves, no one is able to understand what their concerns are. Since I am an expert in talking while chewing betel leaves, am starting this party
Q: Any other reason?
A: Yes. Tamilians are ignored, while other state people are having a great time. Today the media and country are going gaga over Sharukh Khan getting into a bath tub filled with rose petals. Whereas I got into a lake with rose petals some 25 years back, for the movie alaigal oyvadhillai. Bharathiraja was so impressed that he said, I looked more cute than Radha! But did I get any attention what Sharukh got? Why? This is because I am a tamilian!
Q: What about your movie career?
A: I am ending my movie career. All my fans heaved a sigh of relief when I said I will stop acting in movies. People are bursting crackers and celebrating this news with joy!
Q: What is your agenda?
A: Today caste clashes are happening in Tamilnadu. But when it comes to heroines, no one sees which caste or creed they are from. So my plan is to name towns, districts, bus services etc etc after famous heroines. In this way people will always be in a kinky mood and there will be no clashes
Q: What is your message for the people?
A: Please dont worry if you are bald. Wear wigs or caps. This way you will look young, and the wig/cap manufacturers will also have business!
After all the hype, I had a very pleasant journey to chennai. There were hardly 10 people in my coach
Okay! We are meeting tomorrow(Sunday Oct 30) @ 3 PM, at a friends place in Thiruvanmiyur. If you would like to join, please contact us.
Chennai Airport is fully functional
KSRTC and TNSTC are running special buses every 2 hours to clear the rush. No advance reservation required. Buses to chennai are plying in the normal route(via chitoor or hosur)
Train services are slowly starting in chennai central. The rain water seems to have receded around chennai central and basin bridge junction. So they have started to operate some trains. Decision on bangalore trains havent been taken yet. Around 11 AM, the situation should be clear.
Fingers crossed 
UPDATE:
Bangalore Mail and Cauvery Express running today.
Check this link for the press release. Link via Mrs Maverick
All flights to chennai are getting diverted to bangalore! What will a person who has to fly to chennai, from bangalore, do? 
The only train that was running, the bangalore-chennai mail, is also cancelled today
Rediff has gifted Erode to Kerala, on the occassion of deepavali.
See this
I remember one SV Sekar joke. He asks a malayali
‘XYZ street kku eppadinga poganum?’
‘E Road poi thiruchchi varanum’
‘Ennadhu. Pakkathu theru pogarudhukku erode poi Tirichy varanuma?’
Shriya update here
Subject: Latest press release from Southern Railways : All trains cancelled.
TRAINS CANCELLED
Due to heavy rain in Chennai area and flooding of Railway Tracks, Southern Railway has cancelled all the trains leaving Chennai Central till 12.00 hrs. (Noon) of 28.10.2005 (Friday).
And this is the picture from INSAT
Bangalore-Madras Trains Status
Trains Cancelled today
Labagh Express
Shatabdi Express(Both mysore and bangalore shatabdi)
Bangalore Chennai Express
Trains running
Brindavan Express(But the train from chennai to bangalore seems to have been cancelled :-?)
Bangalore Chennai Mail(The train that left last night is running 5 hours late)
Mysore Chennai Cauvery Express (In newspaper they have mentioned that this is cancelled, but in railway enquiry they are saying this train is running)
Source : Indian Railways Enquiry .Phone No 139
The damaged track should be ready this evening.
And here is the Indian Railways link
F1 2006 schedule:
Mar 12: Bahrain Grand Prix (Bahrain)
Mar 19: Malaysian Grand Prix (Sepang)
Apr 2: Australian Grand Prix (Melbourne)
Apr 23: San Marino Grand Prix (Imola)
May 7: European Grand Prix (Nurburgring, Germany)
May 14: Spanish Grand Prix (Barcelona)
May 28: Monaco Grand Prix (Monte Carlo)
Jun 11: British Grand Prix (Silverstone)
Jun 25: Canadian Grand Prix (Montreal)
Jul 2: United States Grand Prix (Indianapolis)
Jul 16: French Grand Prix (Mangy-Cours)
Jul 30: German Grand Prix (Hockenheim)
Aug 6: Hungarian Grand Prix (Hungaroring)
Aug 27: Turkish Grand Prix (Istanbul)
Sep 10: Italian Grand Prix (Monza)
Sep 17: Belgian Grand Prix (Spa-Francorchamps)
Oct 1: Japanese Grand Prix (Suzuka)
Oct 8: Chinese Grand Prix (Shanghai)
Oct 22: Brazilian Grand Prix (Interlagos)
Source : BBC
Happy Birthday Asin
Please get more and more beautiful, and gather maximum attention. So that not much competition for Shri(e)ya 
Machi TV Deepavali special programmes
07.00 AM
Vathalagundu saapattu raman kutcheri
Sponsored by Grand Sweets and snacks
08.00 AM
Special pattimandram. Legiyam saaptu sweet saapadanuma, sweet saaptu legiyam saapadanuma
Sponsored by dabbachetty legiyam kadai, mylapore
09.00 AM
Eppadi irundha naan ippadi aagiten
SJ Suryah avaragaLudan oru sandhippu
Co sponsored by Vicks(thondayil kich kich) and M-Seal(leakage aa crack aa)
10.00 AM
Pick Pocket il un padam
Nadigar Surya rasigarguLadan kalandhu koLLum oru siRappu viLayattu nigazhchi.
Nigazhchiyil pangu peRa, 3 purse gaLai abes seidhu, Machi TV thabaal petti eNN 420 kku anuppavum.
Sponsored by Veerappan Kidnapping Services
11.00 AM
Indhiya Tholakatchiyil 69 aavadhu muRayaaga thiraikku vandhu pala varudangaLaana,
Kudumba chiththiram ‘Paanai Pidithaval Bhagyasali’
Sponsored by Annapoorna rice mills
03.00 PM
Gujili vedikkum Bijili
Nadigai Asin pattasu vedikiraar.
Sponsored by Standard Fireworks
04.00 PM
Kudumiyai nee izhukiraaya naan izhukkatuma
Chinna thirai natchathirangaL kalandhu koLLum siRappu kuzhai adi saNdai. Devayani thalaimayil oru aNi, Radhika thalaimayil oru aNi.
Program sponsored by Band Aid
05.00 PM
Super balti
Thangar bachan matrum khushboo kalandhu koLLum siRappu nigazhchi
Program sponsored by Zandu balm
06.00 PM
Thoongudi
Thoongi kondae vedi vedippadhu eppadi enbadhai munnaL pridhamar Deve Gowda viLakkugiraar
Program sponsored by Kurl On Mattresses
07.00 PM
Engeyo kaetta kural
Deepavali paadalgaLai engirundhu thirudiyadhu enbadhai Deva, Srikanth Deva viLakugiraaL.
Program sponsored by Narasus kaapi 
08.00 PM
siRappu seidhigal
08.30 PM
Body maintain seyvadhu eppadi. Sarath Kumar viLakkugiraar
Program Sponsored by Naidu Hall
09.30 PM
Indhiyaa tholaikatchiyil mudhan muRayaaga artha raathiriyil alpa kannigaL
Indha program kku sponsor kidaikkavillai
kaaNa thavaradheer!
DesiPundit has come up with an idea of creating more awareness for the earth quake relief fund.
Chenthil says, we can contribute to the Prime Ministers relief fund. He has provided the link, and also says it works only in IE. Please spread the word and do contribute!